Modesto Living

We've now been in Modesto for about a month! Blake still loves the job. He gets to interact with quite a few Filipino doctors and staff members and use his Tagalog, which I think is really neat.

As I said before, I decided on Paul Mitchell for school and I'm really happy about it. I don't think everyone knows this, but I've been planning to pursue cosmetology since I was in high school. It was always my plan to finish at BYU and then do cosmetology school, so it's been a long time coming. That being said, I've looked at A LOT of schools.

I looked at schools in Provo, Virginia, and now in California. After looking at so many schools and even starting school in Virginia, I knew what I was looking for in a school. Paul Mitchell had it all. Everyone and everything was really professional when I went to visit. There's a system for everything which is really great, because I felt like everything was really organized. We just finished styling week at school and it was super fun. Styling is probably my favorite thing about hair, so it was really great to work on those skills. Who needs cornrows? I'm open for business!

I'm hoping to revive the blog and document our adventures for this next year, especially as I go through my journey at Paul Mitchell. 

Blake and I are working on our health and fitness (as is everyone else this time of year.) We've integrated Whole30 eating into our routine which is proving to be difficult for us since we love rice around this house and baking and eating sweets, but it has made a difference in how we feel. To supplement our eating, I am training for my 4th half marathon and Blake is training for his first triathlon. I don't know anything about triathlons, but if you've ever had a desire to run a half marathon, YOU CAN DO IT. All it takes is dedication and sticking to a training schedule. I promise that every time I've done one, I've been out of shape and started at square one. At one point, I never imagined I could run 13 miles, but you really do just start one mile at a time. 

Last but not least, pictures of our new home! (I'm trying to get you all to come visit us! We have a second bedroom!)

Welcome!

We have quite a bit more kitchen space than our last place. And a pantry!

Here is our living room. We have a little porch with a storage unit which is super nice too. 

I love being able to cook and see Blake in the living room at the same time. 

I'm in love with our blue clock that we got from Ikea. Sad note: we had an entertainment center from Ikea that we loved. It fit our TV perfectly but it was 2 inches too long for this little alcove. 

Our bathroom felt awkwardly big so we had to buy some bathroom furniture to fill up the space. I'm kind of in love with how much storage space we have in there. 

Our bathroom connects to our bedroom which is convenient.

Here's the second bedroom. I promise if you come to visit, we'll make it real nice for you! After six years, I finally get to have my LoveSac in my house! And that's our Ikea entertainment center which is now housing all my craft supplies. 

And finally, our entry way. We're getting ready for the month of love around here! 

New Year, New Adventures

The last year and a half we lived in Alexandria, Virginia, right outside of D.C. Blake and I both worked in the district and had some good and bad experiences. I worked for a dermatologist while I was there and managed the front staff and Blake worked for the Republican Senatorial Committee. All in all, we made so many great friends, had so many fun weekend trips and will always hold a special place in our hearts for D.C.

After a year of working for the NRSC, Blake felt he needed a change of direction. After a few months of looking for a job, he made some connections with a pharmaceutical company and was offered a job in California as a pharmaceutical sales representative in Modesto, CA. We weighed all the pros and cons and here we are, back in my homeland!

We found a great apartment that we're loving. It's bigger and less expensive than our place in Alexandria and close to lots of shopping. Everyone in our ward was really welcoming yesterday and we're excited for new callings and to get ready to serve!

Blake is LOVING his new job and all the people he works with, which has been such a blessing. Blake's new job is allowing me to go to cosmetology school FULL TIME! I start tomorrow at Paul Mitchell and I couldn't be more excited and nervous. I started a program in Virginia, but when we found out we were moving, I put school on hold for a few months. As much as I loved Virginia and D.C., I've realized that I love every new adventure more than the last and as long as Blake and I are doing it together we'll be happy.