My first ever paid vacation!

Since I've gotten the SPO manager job (which I'm loving, by the way) it's been the first time I've ever had a job where I've qualified for paid vacation. This is spring break at the seminary, and the staff gets paid vacation. Since I'm on the staff now that means I get Wednesday through Friday off and I still get paid as if I am working. I feel as if I am cheating the system, even though I know I'm not going to be. I'm sitting around shirtless eating Cheetos and I'm getting paid for it. Suckers!

Vacuum and puzzles

We did another puzzle this weekend. We are puzzle making machines! It's so great to take a break from life and school and do a puzzle. We also bought a new vacuum since ours quit working and the floors were getting really really dirty so enjoy the pictures!

Graduating

The Stouts figured out last night that we both can potentially graduate in a year from May! I realize that means it is over a year away, but really this is exciting! Only 2.5 semesters left at the end of the week! Hooray!

Maggie and puzzles

This is what our lives have come to. We love our Maggie and our puzzles. Here are some pics:

Maggie again wrapped up in Matt's clothes laying on the futon while he works on his comics. She just loves to do this and I wonder how often she does this and we don't even know about it!

Then I tied a scarf around Maggs neck. She was trying to eat one of my flower pins so I gave her the scarf to chew on and then just wanted to see how she handled having it tied on here neck. She didn't mind, but I don't think this will be something that happens a lot seeing as how she really didn't like it all that much either.


The puzzle we did this weekend with our friends, the Bevils. We now have 6 more to go!

Last few days

The last few days have been exciting, well not that exciting, but exciting for us. So here is the recap:
1. As you saw Matt bought a new device to draw with that is really cool and very exciting for him. Exciting for the wife as well since I knew he wanted one and this one was a very very very good price.
2. I made a B on my test last week. So exciting! I needed that boost of confidence for this class.
3. I bought 2 rose bushes for $4/bush at Dollar General this week and then this morning I planted them. I am really excited and hoping that I can be as great of a gardener as my mother is. However, I will have to overcome my past in gardening. I usually kill EVERYTHING i try to plant. Let's hope for better luck this time.
4. Today is Matt's first Saturday off in a very long time. Now that he is Manager, no more Saturdays. So to celebrate we are going to Old Navy to buy him some work clothes with the 30% off coupon I have (check it out: http://www.gapinc.com/giveandget/lls/). Then going to linner (lunch and dinner) at a place yet to be decided. Afterwords, we are headed to a $1 movie to see the Blindside. And finally ending the day with a puzzle and some homework (possibly).
5. We have been sitting outside a lot the last few days since the weather has been so nice. We are actually sitting outside as I type this. Mags is loving it too. She likes to just bark and bark and bark at NOTHING! It is kinda cute and funny. Ok, maybe not for everyone, but it is for her parents who think she is so lovely.
6. Matt helped me clean today and instead of the usual 1.5 hours, it only took 40 minutes! I love having him home to help on Saturdays and getting to spend time together.
7. My sister's wedding is in less than 3 months. Got lots to do!!!!!
8. We are doing a puzzle later. After about 3 months of not being able to find new puzzles, I went to Walmart yesterday and found 2 new ones! Very exciting for the Stouts.
9. Finally, Spring Break/Reading Week (yes we are supposed to spend out spring break reading...who does that? Oh yes, that would be me, I have to get some school work done) begins a week from Monday. While we both will have to work some and do homework, we plan to take a day to relax. Oh and Matt has informed everyone of what he will be doing via Twitter, and I quote: "My plans for reading week: redesign my website while watching the Masters. Things I won't do during Masters week: get off the couch."

Wacom Purchase

Today one of the professors at seminary here was putting up a Wacom tablet for super cheap. For those of you who don't know, Wacom tablets are something that allow you to draw directly on your computer. I drew this little diddy using it. There's definitely going to be a learning curve for using it, but hopefully I'll get the hang of it after a while and it can really help me draw my comics. Basically, it's an awesome tool that I never would have been able to afford if it wasn't for Brad Johnson being awesome and letting me have it on the cheap! I've been drawing all evening and it's been fantastic. Maybe now that I don't have to pencil, draw, and scan, I can practice using the Wacom by drawing some more of these little rough journal comics!

Big Announcement! (not a baby)

The Stouts have very exciting news. Matt is now the Seminary Post Office MANAGER! He has been working at SPO (Seminary Post Office) for about a year and a half now. Well the manager resigned 2 weeks ago to start another full time job. So Matt applied and got hired immediately. He starts next week and gets a pay raise and will work less hours and will no longer have to work every Saturday! So no Saturdays, pay raise, and more hours at home makes for a happy wife (and husband)! This is so great and Matt loves his job so much. He will be a GREAT SPO MANAGER!
Congratulations Husband!

Dance Pictures through the years

Yeah, I know I just said I'm in class and need to listen, but I'm multi-tasking!
So here we go in no particular order:

Dance in Senior Year Talent Show at School

The Tin Man

I love this outfit and it may be why I still love feather boas and hair clips
My very first recital
Yep, sitting on a piano

Hula girls
pretty sure I was a Can-Can dancer
I don't know why we did that with the tutu in the back
and they did it to both of us!
hahaha

I love this costume, we danced to Mack the Knife
And with the tutu again in the back, but I did love that costume as well. we did a kick line in this costume! I love kick lines!

And here's a dance team pick from high school

Pretty sure we were dancing to Genie in a Bottle, yep we did that...
A flapper dance
I had so many other dance costumes and wish I could find the pics. Doing the math we can calculate that from kindergarten through 8th grade (9 years) I had 2 costumes a year= 18 costumes and then for the last 4 years of high school I had 3 costumes a year= 12 costumes for a total of....30 costumes which does not include my dance team outfits which I had 3 of and my Senior year costume for the Talent Show giving me a grand total of 34 costumes in 13 years.
I would like to thank all of you for reading my rambling and letting me reminisce over my years of dancing! Can you tell I am very excited about my lessons?

Today is the day...

Dance class begins! I'm so excited (if you can't tell from my last few posts)! I have my leotard, tights, and shoes. Matt has been making fun of me b/c I have been putting on the shoes and leotard every few days and just walk around in it. He says I am acting like a 5 year old who just got her new toy and I would agree with him. I am so very excited and can't wait to get back into the dance classroom, however I'm not sure my body will be as excited tomorrow morning. ha
Well, I will let you know how it goes.
As for right now, the Stouts are BUSY people, but I think we are enjoying life.
So much going on for the Stouts, but more on that later. Right now I need to get back to listening since I happen to be writing this while sitting in my Multicultural Counseling class...

New Ballet Shoes

Today, I went and bought myself a new pair of ballet shoes. They are slip sole and awesome! I always wanted slip sole ballet shoes, but never got any. My last pair of shoes I bought in 9th grade and didn't get slip soles and never needed a new pair until NOW! I am now looking for a leotard. Any color suggestions? Matt says he like burgundy, I like green, but what do you think?
(I know it all about the big decisions...)

Babysitting Kennedy and a quiche

This weekend we went and hung out with Kennedy so Lindsy and Tim could go to dinner for Lindsy's birthday. Here are some pictures of Kennedy "getting the dog hair" and "getting the spiders". Yep she is sweeping the floor, Matt, and me along with the dogs. Then we played with playdough. We made necklaces, balls, worms, fish, and so many other things. Matt tried to teach Kennedy how to juggle. Yep a 2 year old learning to juggle is not really a successful task.
Then I also made an amazing quiche yesterday. Bacon, cheese, and spinach quiche...yummy! The eggs were about to go bad so instead of throwing them out I just made this quiche and it turned out so great I will be making more in the future. I will also need someone to help me eat the quiche since my husband does not like them. So let me know if you are around and want one!

The quiche


Juggling, sort of

more juggling

Matt juggling

my necklace

Matt's necklace

Kennedy's necklace

getting the dog hair and spiders

and getting them off Matt