Halloween 2011

This Halloween has been much more eventful than last year. We were invited to a cool pumpkin carving party on Friday where I carved both our pumpkins (hopefully I can get some pics from the host since I was a loser and didn't take pics of them). Alexander's pumpkin is the whale-shaped fast food speaker from Homestarrunner.com, which is admittedly super random. I carved a simple cat into my pumpkin. The party was a blast though and we had a great time.

On Saturday I had the privilege of helping to host the ward Halloween trunk-or-treat and carnival. Back in April I asked if we could have one this year and volunteered the young women and young men to put it on, which technically meant the YW leaders put it on. I spent a good portion of the day setting up and finalizing details of the event and it went off without a hitch. We had a great turn-out and I think everyone really enjoyed themselves. We had a cool crawling maze on the stage complete with fog machine and strobe light. We also had a beanbag toss, a donut eating off a string thing, a ring toss, a fishing booth, a cupcake walk, pin the nose on the pumpkin, a target toss with velcro balls game, and pumpkin bowling (where we rolled pie pumpkins into pins). In the background we had a sweet Halloween mix CD that Alexander compiled and the adults had a great time munching on apples and popcorn and sipping apple cider. I had a friend taking pics for me, so once I get them I will post them.

Of course I decorated the tables because I have this decorating disease. Luckily I went very simple and I personally enjoyed nibbling on the candy corn.



Alexander and I dressed up for this event. We didn't decide on our costumes until Thursday, so I was in a bit of a rush to sew and put them all together. In the end we won Best Couples Costume, so I think they turned out well.

Hansel and Gretel: These aren't the best pics, Hopefully I will get one with us together that was taken by a friend at the trunk or treat. Aren't we so adorable?





And finally, the traditional big-eyed and innocent picture:

Sebastian & Bethany's Wedding

On Sept 24, 2011, Alexander's brother, Sebastian, married sweet Bethany. We were privlidged to be able to fly down to Phoenix, AZ to attend. As an added bonus, I also got to assist in the decoration of the cultural hall for the reception.

We arrived on Wednesday afternoon, just in time for me to attend Bethy's bachelorette party and Alexander spent the evening with his father. We got up bright and early the next morning to decorate the church and we were there until 5pm when we finally left. During that time we set up a dropped ceiling and put up wall panels of pictures along with decorating the tables and entryway. There was no official backdrop, but a faux wall was put up to break up the monotony.




The centerpieces were damask-style candelabras with battery lights along with 2 bud vases holding 3 pink roses each. The tables had white tablecloths, black satin overlays, and a white damask runner to complete the look.



The wall panels were made up of a white horizontal strip, with a black vertical stripe, gathered in at the middle. I hung pictures of the bride and groom with light pink ribbon at alternating heights and then spot-lit the pictures to add ambiance.



Thursday night we were able to go out to dinner with Alexander's best friend, Robert, and his awesome wife Natalie. We had a blast catching up with them and we really miss hanging out with them on a regular basis.

Friday morning dawned with us rushing to help Alexander's parents host the wedding brunch in the backyard. They had everything anyone could have ever wished to eat including: fruit, eggs, bacon, sausage, German meats & bread, veggies and a variety of delicious tamales. Afterwards the brothers helped each other get ready by trimming their twin goatees and making faces in the mirror.





Here Sebastian is fighting off the wedding day jitters:


The ceremony was beautiful and the day was gorgeous (albeit very bright and hot!).

Husband and Wife:




The reception that evening was lovely, although my date was stuck in the line all night. (As a side note, if you are not already married, please DO NOT put the ENTIRE wedding party in the line, it is miserable for the bridesmaids and groomsmen as well as for all of your guests, creating incredibly awkward moments for all!)



Cutting the Cake:


The First Dance:


Throwing the bouquet:


After the reception Alexander and I stayed to help clean up and then hobbled (literally) back to our hotel room where we rested our feet in our awesome Jacuzzi tub (we had an awesome free upgrade!). Needless to say, we were exhausted on Saturday and we lounged around all morning. We spent the rest of the day with Alexander's family. On Sunday we were lucky to be able to go to church with Robert and Natalie and then they graciously took us to the airport for us to make the long trip home.

We had a great time and really took advantage of the "vacation" in the midst of our packing up the house and moving. We are sad to leave the family and friends behind but hope that we will be back again very soon.

Goodbye Summer!

Goodbye Summer, hello beautiful Autumn! Labor day weekend reminded me of why I have fallen in love with Kansas City. Despite the previous week being rather terrible (I got a flat tire in a sketchy neighborhood, replaced all the tires & fixed alignment and then the next day the car wouldn't start due to a faulty fuel pump) the weekend was an absolute blast!

On Friday we headed to Crown Center to enjoy our 2nd annual Irish Fest. We literally stuffed ourselves with some of the best food of the Old World and laughed at all the odd merchandise one can buy at an Irish Fest (underwear decorated with Guinness beer insignia anyone?). I ate a frozen chocolate-covered banana and a meat pie and Alexander enjoyed fish and chips and a sausage roll. The best part of the evening was sitting down with a glass of ice cold, freshly squeezed lemonade and listening to the fine stylings of the Irish musicians. I was seriously giddy about how perfect it was.

On Saturday I participated in a three-ring circus to get my car out of the shop and the rental car returned (honestly, they would be the most wasted 2 hours of my life if I didn't have a good friend to spend them with!). I then took a much needed nap before we celebrated a late birthday dinner for Alexander at the tastiest Chinese restaurant in Kansas City. Best General Tso's chicken ever!

On Sunday we were invited over for a game night with a bunch of other families in the ward. Everyone (except me 'cause I'm lame) brought yummy desserts and we had a great time getting to know each other better. Ever played Mafia with a group of adults? It's hilarious!

We had work and school off on Monday so we went with Joe & Kathy to the dollar movie and saw Kung Fu Panda 2 (which is so cute!). We then went way early to the Kansas City Symphony in the Park concert. We got the best seats and enjoyed the sun while eating snacks and playing Citadels. The concert was amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the conductor jump and dance as he directed such awesomeness as: the Imperial March from Star Wars, Nimrod from Elgar's Enigma Variations, Smetana's Moldau, and Pirates of the Caribbean. I was also really entertained by all the kids practicing to be fine arts majors. I saw some enthusiastic conductors, a lovely ballerina and a curly-haired toddler shaking her booty. We ended the night eating peach ice cream and laughing at old school Divine Comedy.

To be honest, the last thing I wanted was to get up and go to work on Tuesday, which was a coincidence since when I got to work they told me they decided to use the funding for my position elsewhere and were letting me go. Yesterday was my last day on the job at Mickey D's, so I'm gearing up for my next adventure!

Happy Birthday Alexander!

My Alexander turns 29 today. I could go on and on about how wonderful he is but I don’t want to bore you to death or embarrass Alexander too much. Here are just a few reasons (in no particular order) why I am so thankful to have him in my life:

He makes me laugh every day
He is one of the most intelligent people I know but also one of the most humble
He loves to teach others what he learns and he teaches me something new every day
He has great compassion for others, including animals
He is slow to anger
He loves music and he hums when he’s happy
He has the most gorgeous blue eyes
He is very talented at imitating accents and I find it very entertaining
He has a child-like excitement that is infectious
He can make a mean spaghetti dinner
He loves and takes care of the dog even though he is allergic to her

Happy Birthday darling!

One Year Ago

One year ago today I was packing up and cleaning my beloved home in Provo. To say I was an emotional wreck would be an understatement. I was beyond devastated and my heart felt like someone I loved had just died. I unconsciously dragged out the entire process, delaying the inevitable: the moment when I would have to get into the car, turn it to the east and drive 1100 miles away. At one point in the afternoon our good friend came to take our fish. I knew the fish wouldn’t survive the drive and they graciously offered to provide a home for our pets. When he took them it was just one more goodbye we didn’t want to make and we cried even though they were “just fish”. One year ago today was a horrible day.

One year ago I started over in a house I had never seen before, in a city I didn’t know. Sunday came and I dreaded it. Sunday was the day when we usually had gone to my parent’s house for a wonderful dinner and fun evening with my family and I was dreading a lonely evening in a house that still didn’t feel like home. Despite my heartache, homesickness and loss of direction, I knew the Lord was watching out for us. That first Sunday in our new ward the members rushed to greet us and I am sure nearly every person in the ward came up to welcome us. I was relieved to be in a place that seemed to want us. That afternoon the elder’s quorum president called and invited us to dinner and we eagerly accepted. We were blessed to spend the evening with 3 wonderful couples who have since become dear friends. That night was the beginning of healing.

The next Sunday I was called to be in the Young Women’s Presidency and another piece of my heart was healed. I was given a calling where I was able to be spend time with wonderful ladies while serving some amazing girls. Just knowing I had a job to do was a blessing.

Gradually we began to discover the joys and beauty of Kansas City. We found the huge Irish Festival, the incredible Renaissance Festival and the Nelson-Atkins with its free admission to view masterpieces by Van Gogh, Monet and others. We discovered Fall and the crisp autumn perfectness that results in tasty apple cider and gorgeous trees of orange and red.

Slowly we began to appreciate what self-reliance and independence really means, being too far away for my dad to fix anything. Alexander and I have also grown closer and more co-dependent than we previously had been (if that is even possible). Godiva has become more entrenched as a member of our family and I am convinced that she adds a whole new level of comfort that we desperately needed.
Alexander has found his niche and is performing better than expected in school. We have high hopes and expectations for the future and we know that he can accomplish anything he puts his mind to.

The miracles keep coming and our faith in the Lord is being tested and strengthened every day. One year from last year we have grown and stretched ourselves beyond what we thought we could. Our eyes are open to the daily miracles we receive and our hearts have found room to love Kansas City like we love our home in Provo.
One year down, the rest of our lives to go.

Girls Camp

When I was first called into YW, all I could think about was how cool it was that I would get to go to girls camp. :) I loved it when I was a teenager so I knew I would love it as an adult. Our stake theme was "We're S.E.T (Seeking Eternal Treasures)". We decided that our ward would be Indiana Jones in Egypt and the girls were super psyched.

Growing up we always had little accessories to wear to let everyone know what ward we were in, so I took that as my job. I made little specimen bags similar to what Indiana Jones wears, little compass snakeskin wristbands, and then got little camo lanyards and put tiny binoculars on them (that actually worked!). I also made neck cooler snakes which had a gel in them that when dipped in water would stay wet and keep you cool. These were serious lifesavers when the afternoons got hot and humid!



Before camp, I had three main concerns that made me sort of nervous: ticks, chiggers, and super hot humidity. All of these were super valid. First, there are WAY more ticks out here than in Utah, it was practically guaranteed that you would get at least one. Also, chiggers are horrible. They are worse than any tick or mosquito, leaving red itchy circles that torture the person for days. As for my third point, the temperatures have been up in the 90's with really high humidity making it feel suffocatingly hot. Before I left I prayed that these wouldn't be a problem for me and I can gratefully say that none of these were issues for me. Pretty much every girl found at least one tick on her, some of them just walking on their arms or legs, some embedded. However, I escaped without ever seeing one on me. Also, only one girl got bit by chiggers so that was a miracle (sadly not for her, but she was a trooper). The temperatures were not AS hot as they could be and the humidity was low, so with our neck coolers and shade, we survived.

I had a blast with the other leaders and the girls. We pretty much laughed the entire time, creating hilarious inside jokes that will probably haunt us forever. One of my favs was with one of the MiaMaids named Bille.
Bille: Sis Strub, you look different.
Me: Because I just took my sunglasses off that have been on all day?
Bille: No, like different than usual, like on Sundays.
Me: Oh, you mean cause I don't have any makeup on and my hair is a disaster?
Bille: Oh yeah! That's it!

Yeah, we are never gonna forget that one. ;)

Another funny moment was when I was doing a tick check on Kyra. I said, "Ok Kyra, do a more thorough check in your tent. I don't see any, but check up your shorts". Those nearby swear that I paused after 'check' and that it sounded like "butt check, up your shorts". Haha! I know, it's not as funny here, but it was HILARIOUS then!

Anyway, I could list a hundred similar moments like this, but suffice it to say, I had a blast and girls camp was a total success. :)

I only took pictures the first day, cause after that I apparently forgot I had a camera. Here are some of the pics, most of them were taken during the level skits:

Kate modeling the awesome snake neck cooler:


Boy, I looked like a mess!


Some of my beehives peeking in my tent:


Kyra as the Tinman in the 4th yr skit:


Jasmyne as the Cowardly Lion in the 4th yr skit:


School of Fish in the 3rd yr skit:


Our wonderful stake leaders doing a synchronized swimming skit:


Watching Skits:


After the Skits:

Tornado Warning

About a year ago I posted a photo of the "totally awesome" tornado that we saw on our road trip outside of Peoria, IL. Today I had plenty of time to to reflect on our stupidity of stopping to take a picture of the twister (you can see our picture here). There's really not much to do while waiting out a tornado siren in the stairwell of the 10 story building I work in, so I thought about that tornado and hoped I never saw another one ever again.

Today was my first real tornado warning and it wasn't super pleasant. The entire building was crammed into the stairwell as we all tried to figure out what was happening outside in relation to us and our families. We heard reports that a tornado had touched down just blocks away from where I work and was headed straight for my home, where Alexander and Godiva were. I will admit that I started to get a little panicky as I tried to get a text out to Alexander to warn him to get the dog ready and get the tornado kit (I made the kit in the middle of the night a couple weeks ago when I was freaked out by the Alabama tornadoes).

Finally he sent a text back and told me he had just gotten Godiva on her leash when the sirens went off. Just then I heard that a tornado touched down less than 5 miles away from our house and was heading right towards them. Alexander couldn't get Godiva to get down the stairs and I was a nervous wreck trying to find out if they were okay and if the tornado was still on the ground. Needless to say, it was sort of hard to get minute by minute info while sitting in the stairwell. Luckily for everyone, the touch downs were only brief and none hit our immediate area. Nonetheless, the storm was raging over our home for awhile and the sirens continued to blare for an hour (which Godiva really didn't like). That must have been a really long hour for Alexander dealing with the crazy dog in a bare basement filled with cobwebs and yuck.

I think the neatest part of the day though was this morning before I left for work. I wasn't feeling totally up to par and was rushing out the door as usual, but Alexander pulled me over and said that we needed to have family prayer, which we usually forget to have. I felt that he was inspired that we would need a little extra comfort and help today and I am so thankful to have him as the priesthood holder in our home. :)

My prayers go out to all those in Sedalia, MO who really got hit with a tornado today and to all those in Joplin, MO still recovering from the horrible tornado they got over the weekend.