man alive

Kyle and I were up at Bear Lake this weekend, enjoying some quality time with his parents. Kyle's aunt and uncle have a really nice cabin (two cabins, actually) up there (and by "cabin" I mean "4 bedroom/3 bathroom/3 story gorgeous house with a giant moose head), and we had a really good time relaxing, eating, and watching the water. It's beautiful! The rest of the extended family joined us today, but Kyle and I had to miss most of the reunion because Kyle couldn't get work off.

Here's some news: Kyle and I have decided to commit to Utah. We've been in total limbo all summer, hoping that a great job in California would turn up for Kyle to snag. And we're sick of it. While we still want to end up in California, we've decided to wait for several years. Limbo sucks and we may as well just stay here. The biggest reason for me to stay is that it turns out that Kyle loves his job! I had no idea! Good jobs are hard to come by, and jobs that make you happy are even more rare. It makes me really happy that he is happy with his job, and that by staying, we're making him even happier. So we're giving Utah another 5 (ish) years of our lives. California will still be there when we're ready to go.

SO that means that we're looking to buy a house! We've just started the process. We're very excited--it's basically all that we talk about. We're hoping to live in Springville, where Kyle works, but we could really end up anywhere in the general Provo area. We'll stay in Council Bluffs/Emily's basement while we look/find/love/have it fall through/start over/give up/finally buy a house.

There's so much going on. We're moving, my family's coming, Katy P.'s visiting, old friends are returning to Provo. Other huge stuff is happening but I don't know if it's bloggable yet. I hate to be cryptic, but it's not my news to tell. I could just not mention it altogether, but it's constantly on my mind and it's the reason that I'm still awake even though Kyle is sleeping next to me. Sorry.

quick/long recap

This has been the greatest weekend! We've been so busy with fun things. I'm so mad because I didn't take one single picture--oh well. I used to be a picture-taker--and a picture-blogger. But now it's all words and Google images.

Wednesday we saw Night at the Museum 2. For some reason I thought it was hysterically funny. Maybe it was my mood, but I laughed a LOT. The whole time. Hank Azaria just totally gets me! I love him.

Thursday we were pretty adventurous. Emily and I (with some help from our husbands) made chicken tikka masala. And it was actually good! I think I liked it the least--I kept saying that we should keep making different tikka masala recipes until we found one that we were in love with, and Kyle kept protesting that he was already in love with this one. So we'll see. Next time though, I will seriously need naan bread. I don't know if I should even attempt to make it--maybe just Bombay House takeout?

Friday. Friday I was just happy. Kyle and I went to DI and dropped off some bags of clothes, and bought some bags of other things. I got a sweet mustard yellow suitcase, a cool picture/frame, and a secret present for Katy. Then we did my favorite thing in the world: get shaved ice from the place by Helaman Halls! It's so the best. As the sun set, I was slowly eating my shaved ice with Kyle and thought to myself, "THIS is what I love. I am so happy." I don't know if it was the black cherry syrup going to my head, but I'm pretty sure I experienced pure being. When we got home we had a geeky night with Alan. We bought some computer cables, hooked my laptop up to our big tv, and watched The IT Crowd. Geeky so often equals fun.

Saturday morning I finally went to the Provo Farmer's Market for the first time! Kyle and I went with CB and Emily. The Provo Farmer's Market, surprisingly, has very little fruit. I was slightly disappointed. It's mostly crafty people selling their wares, which is definitely cool still. We bought 2 lbs. of gorgeous cherries and a freshly baked loaf of 10-grain bread. SO GOOD. We stopped at the Pennyroyal, because Nathan was/is selling a bunch of the cafe's kitchen stuff (they're changing the whole idea of the place--no cafe anymore) and a lot of Celia's stuff that she didn't want to take with her. We bought a big copper colander and two silver dishes that are comparable to something you would get chicken tikka masala in at Bombay House. After dropping off CB and Emily, we picked up Alan and headed to Rice King for lunch. It was the best lo mein I've ever had there. Or anywhere. It was incredible. What did we even do after that? Oh yeah. We went to Savers (didn't get anything) and Ross (finally got an ice cream scoop). And watched even more IT Crowd.

Saturday night we had an excellent meal at Nancy and Scott's house and played with the kids. Then they took off to see a play at the Scera theater, and Kyle and I got to babysit just Grace! It was fun to have one on one time with the baby of the family. We went to Maceys and got ice cream cones, and fed bread to the ducks at the botany pond. Grace is a riot and we had fun playing with her all night. Again, no pictures. There is something wrong with me!

Sunday we started packing. We're going to be moving to CB/Emily's house around the 20th, so I'm getting started early to avoid stress. I am stressing anyways, unfortunately. BUT we've already made a dent in it, so I'm optimistic. It's only August 3rd! I need more boxes though. Anyone?

Today was Danny's first chemo treatment. I'm sure Christy will blog about it. Think good thoughts for him!

If you need to fall apart, I can mend a broken heart

Wow.

I haven't stopped listening to Savage Garden since I got home. Ok, really I haven't stopped listening to Savage Garden since I drove with my parents and Katy from our reunion in LA to Concord 3 weeks ago. My love for Savage Garden was reignited as soon as I heard the opening notes of "Crash and Burn." I may as well be perfectly honest--I started crying. It was joyful. That song meant SO MUCH to me...and apparently it still does! I just...love them. I owe my mom for taking Katy and me to a Savage Garden concert in middle school. Listening to them in the car with Katy was crazy. I know those songs so well, but hadn't listened to them in years.

So now I just sit at my computer and listen to "Crash and Burn" and "Hold Me Tonight" on repeat.

Wow.

Back!

I'm home! I am currently blogging from my living room, where Kyle is watching The Departed on FX--I don't think I'm a huge fan. There are 9 cupcakes in front of me, and a little heart cake, but Kyle and I just don't feel like eating them. It's so sad. I made some killer chocolate buttercream frosting.

Katy and I sat and watched movies/shows for hours while making stuff for her Etsy shop. It was really fun--especially when we were watching The IT Crowd and 28 Days Later. Honestly, 28 Days Later is the zombie movie to end all zombie movies. I actually watched it twice while I was home. just because I couldn't stop thinking about it. The weirdest part is that it made me like Cillian Murphy. I have disliked/feared him ever since Batman Begins, even when he isn't in a bad guy role. But this movie TOTALLY changed my mind. I don't exactly recommend it to my blog readers, because it is definitely rated R for some reasons. But WOW it's so Danny Boyle, which is a really. good. thing. Who else could make a zombie movie something that is beautiful, moving, and a cinematic triumph?

Oh! If you need a book that is good and fun and light, read Sorcery and Cecelia. I like what Katy said about it on her book blog. I LOVED it.

I can't remember all the other things that I wanted to blog about. This will have to do.

The latest on Danny

Some of you already know what's been going on in my family the last week or so.  My brother-in-law Danny--husband of Christy and father of Lucy, combined thug and surfer, who I totally love as a brother--was diagnosed last Friday with Hodgkins lymphoma.  While it's totally scary to hear the "cancer" word, this is absolutely the best kind of cancer to get.  With his age and strength and all that, it's like 95% curable.  I'm really glad that I'm home right now, because with all the tests and appointments, it's been pretty crazy.  We're moving Christy and Danny out of Davis and into Clayton, which has been a big job.  When I'm not packing and moving boxes, I'm babysitting Lucy so that her parents can get stuff done.  We're staying positive and are relying on prayer to keep us that way.  Last Sunday we had a really great ward/family fast, ending with a family dinner.  We feel the Lord's blessings especially keenly right now, and I'm amazed at the support from our family and friends.  I know that Christy and Danny are especially grateful for prayers and kind words.

Christy just created a new blog to keep people updated on everything: dannyleiningerfamily.blogspot.com

We love you!

quick

I don't have a ton of time. I am in California, hanging out with my family, and it is SO FUN.  We play all day!  Katy and I have been watching things and making things.  Lucy and I have been singing things and tickling things.  My parents and I eat things and talk about things and buy things.  It's wonderful. Saw Harry Potter. SYTYCD last night was amazing (Jason was the best of the night!) and I'm totally relieved.  Of course the only drawback is missing Kyle.  We talk a lot and email a lot and telepath a lot.  

Once in a while Lucy looks around, puts her finger to her lips, and says "Shhh. Dyle sleeping."  Why else wouldn't he be playing with her? They bonded a lot last weekend and she misses him.  

This week has just been awesome--and I suppose the weekend before was awesome too. All along the way I thought "I need to blog about this!" but of course now I can't remember anything specific. We're just really happy. Kyle is the sweetest, and we've been having a lot of fun with activities, movies, and food.

Highlights that I can remember:

• Bombay House
• Finishing my stupid IS course
• Sewing more felt food--plus a pizza this time!
• Shaved ice from that amazing place
• Lunch with Alyssa and Jessica
• Seeing Wolverine at the dollar theater
• An afternoon up the canyon with Kyle
• So much Taco Bell. It's just the best.
• Watching Sliding Doors because Kyle wanted to
• Talking to Lucy on the phone
• Buying presents for mi familia (the summer=birthday time for my sisters)
• Watching a geeky show with Jessica over frozen yogurt
• Getting lost on purpose in the middle of the night in Benjamin, UT
• Spending my days reading
• Cleaning the entire house

And NOW we're taking off on vacation! Our flight leaves tonight. We'll be in LA for the weekend for a beachy family reunion, then we're going to Disneyland (!) with my little family (parents and siblings and Lucy), and then Kyle is coming back to Provo. And I'm staying with my family at home--for nearly 2 weeks! I'm excited to hang out at home for so long, but I AM sad at leaving Kyle for so long. If you have the opportunity, be nice to him so he doesn't get too lonesome.

I need to pack. Hopefully it will be fun and exciting.