Prepare yourself!!!

Hello All !!!
Ok…so I know that I have been away far too long…But here goes!!!
I am gonna try and catch you up on our crazy little lives over the next month, and trust me it will probably take that long!! We have had an exciting 2 years!!! Before we get to that, I wanna share something with you all that I am very excited about.

Ever since the elections this year I have felt a burning to get my family squared away and really, truly prepared for the hard times that are sure to come our way. I know that we are all very busy and that we don’t always have to time to do all the things that we want, but that is exactly why I got so excited about this opportunity!!
One of my great friends, Tiffany Daumueller, presented me with this opportunity and I am just DYING to share it with all of you guys!! It is the best BLACK FRIDAY deal you will find this year!!

She works for Shelf Reliance® and sells Thrive™ foods and they have put out some awesome deals on their amazing food for black Friday this year! It is not just food either!! They have great deals on everything!! Some of this stuff is 50% off!! I know that I will be taking advantage of this awesome opportunity, and I hope that you will consider it for your family as well. Even if you are on a super tight budget, the have a wonderful program to work with you called the Q!! I think this food is awesome even for the most prepared food storage collector!! They have wonderful freeze dried fruits that will surely add something great to your food stores. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have the capabilities to freeze dry fruit…but I do know that I am gonna want some great fruit when times get tough!!

So here is the deal, I am “hosting” a black Friday event, so if you want something, now is the best time to get it! Lowest prices of the year! Just the fruit alone is totally worth it!! This event is an online event so you can do everything from the comfort of your own home, but you will get all the same benefits I will! Let me know if you want to join in or just give her my name!

Go check out the black Friday sales here, http://www.shelfreliancemom.shelfreliance.com/black-friday, and check out Tiffany’s blog http://shelfreliancemom.blogspot.com/p/about-me.html, her shelf reliance store front http://www.shelfreliance.com/, and her discount site www.shelfreliancemom.shelfreliance.com.

This is totally worth it. Help your family be ready with some great food at a great deal…I can’t think of a better way to spend my hard earned money this Black Friday….not to mention from the safety and comfort of home in my warm pj’s!!!

Meilea

WOO HOO!!!!!

Ok so I know that I have been awful about updating but I hope that within the next month or so it will have been worth it. I am just posting to announce that I have made it to the second round of my program selection!! This is a BIG DEAL!!!! They only take 10 every year and I am just one step closer!! I still have lots to do but I feel much better now! So for now I am gonna keep studying my brains out and hope that its all good enough....I promise for more updates soon....Promise!!!!
Cross your fingers, toes, eyes, and anything else that can be crossed!!! :)

Come What may and LOVE IT!!!!

SO I have struggled with this statement lately. It has always brought be great comfort in the past, but for some reason this past month has posed a bit of a challenge for me. I have been in a physics class for the past month and it has just short of killed me! I hated every minute of it and I could not wait to get out of there.
However, today after I finished my final and realized that there is a really good possibility that i could not pass this stupid class!!! If I do not pass....I have to take it again!!!! This is just about the worst punishment I could think of!!! Especially since i would have to take it with 4 other very difficult classes!!!
Ok deep breath.....
Anyways, I am trying to relax after a whole month of being a crazy stressball!! So the house is coming along fine and we are starting to really love it!!
We are so close to our family reunion at the cabin and we couldn't be more excited!! We both need a break!! Terry works so hard all the time and he really deserves a break!!
We should be totally done with the house by the end of July and we couldn't be happier!! I will definitely post alot of pictures then!! I might have to break it up into a before post and an after post!! We have done so much!!!
We have alot to look forward to in this next month and a half and I cant wait to get going!!!

♫"Nothin's Sweeter Than Summertime!"♪

I have a confession...I am addicted to summer!!!

I have another confession...I stink at this blog thing!!! I am sorry!!!!

I had so many great intentions of posting so so so many things!!!

Oh well....lets make up for it shall we?

Summer so far had rocked!! I love it!!! We are moving quickly on the house now that we have some time and energy. (By the way, I feel like myself once again!! I am not sure who was possessing my body for the past 2ish years, but it was not me!!! Sorry if you had to endure that!! I never knew just how much that small little gallbladder was affecting me. I wish i would have taken it out years ago!!! :) Anyways, it has been a full 360!) We are doing great! We ripped up carpet on monday...which totally sucks....I feel so bad for those that do that for a living! Wood floors are coming along quickly!! Want a sneak peek? I thought so!

This is our hallway. We are also doing the back 2 bedrooms. YAY!! It looks so much better then I ever thought it would!! We are doing alot to our little home and I can't wait to be finished!!!

Also, I totally missed our 1st Anniversary! We had a blast!! I was feeling pretty good by that point after my surgery and we had a wonderful time at the happiest place on earth! It was a great week and a wonderful break. Maybe I will post some pictures later. We made it through the semester....barely!! I thought it was gonna eat me alive with everything that was going on. We have had some awesome times with family and friends and we really enjoyed it. We start summer school in about a week and a half. Oh dear!

We also had a very cool experience of seeing a baby born...well I did. Very Cool!!! My best bud...well she really is more like a sister....had her baby recently. She is beautiful! I love her!! Rylynn Storm. Chelsea is a wonderful mama! We have been able to spend lots of time with then and help out. I loved it! Now they are away for the summer and I miss them something fierce!

Let me just say thank you to all those around us having wonderful little babies!! And for letting us enjoy them!! You are giving us the opportunity to enjoy them without having one until I finish school!! YAY!!!

Also, my wonderful husband and I have been saving up for quite a while so that we could indulge a little passion of mine. I love taking pictures!! He got me a professional camera!! I LOVE IT!!! I have taken some really fun pictures. I even got to have a little photo session with that adorable baby!!! Wanna see? Thought so!

So for now I am taking pictures of whatever and whomever I can!! Let me know if you want some done!! Its a fun talent that I am learning to cultivate.

Ok I promise to be better at keeping this up but for now I have work to do!!

Spring Forward!

Oh my goodness....I am the worst blogging slacker ever!!! When I realized that the last post was before christmas I about died!!! My sincere apologies.

Update!

Christmas rocked!!! It was much needed family time and a wonderful break.

School Rocks! We both are really enjoying this semester.

The house I think is finally starting to make progress! The deck is finished....some carpet is replaced...some painting is done...and we have bought lots of new materials!!! Hopefully by summer!!! A whole new house.....

We are both starting to feel much better.

Ok....I know we need a better update than that!! So many of you know that I recently had surgery...2 weeks ago. About mid february I got really sick....strep throat and just general awfulness. It was about this time that I started to really feel this horrible pain in my abdomen and right under my right shoulder blade. I was so sick and it hurt so bad that Terry had to take me too the Emergency room. The told me that I had gall stones and that my gallbladder was a little inflammed. GREAT!!! This meant that I needed surgery. I was not a happy camper!!! They sent us home. I go to my regular doctor the next day and she gives me meds to cure my infection so that I can schedule surgery....slowly feeling better. A week later I met with my surgeon, who also happened to be my mom's surgeon!! I happened to get lucky and caught a cancelation for 2 days later!!!! So the 25th was the magical day! I am super nervous and excited all the same. I now know that I have been feeling the effects from these stones for about a year. I was ready to rid myself of this painful little organ. So we go in at DARK:30 for surgery. Terry was so great!! I was shakin in my boots!!! Shortly after we got there, I got really nosey and decided to look over my charts. I saw that my anesthesiologist that was scheduled was my bishop~!! All the sudden all my cares were gone!! So So So grateful for the preisthood!!! Anyways, the time came and I kissed my hubby and they wheeled me away. I met my surgical team(which were awesome) and laughed because they were playing AC/DC in the srugery room! They prepped me and put me to sleep. The next thing I remeber is waking up in a very dark room all alone and I could not move. All I could do was moan!!! This small chinese nurse came over and started bossing me around...it was all very funny considering I was still coming out of anesthesia! Anyways, shortly after my hubby and my mama came in. Thank goodness for these two amazing people in my life. I couldn't have done it without either of them. Anyways. they got me up...which was the worst ever!!! This was the first moment that I realized how much my abdomen hurt!! 5 incisions later and your ab muscles get crazy sore! Anyways, i got to go home which was great! I spent a great deal of that day walking around (trying to keep away the blood clots) and sleeping in a chair (because it hurt too bad to lay down). When they do this surgery, they have to pump you full of gas in order to see everything and move around in there. Anyways, some of the gas stays trapped in your body and it is horrible painful!!! Long story short, my mom taught me all the good ways to move and she cleaned my house and cooked....and made me laugh...which was harder than I ever thought it would be!! She was a god send!! I spent the next week trying to push my limits and recover sooner! Go figure!

I am doing really well now! My inicisions are healing well and i am back down to normal size! I can do everything except bend in half and pick up heavy things....and physical activity (besides walking). Thingd look like they are finally getting bck to normal. I already feel SO much better...havent felt this good in like a year!

Speaking of a year...we are rapidly approaching our 1st anniversary! WOW!! That means that we have almost been together for 3 years!! My, how time flies!! Oh how I love that man!!

This brings us to the last very exciting update!

In just one week, we will be packing up and hitting the road for spring break! Where are we going?

DISNEYLAND!!!

I know!! Awesome right? We have been planning for this for about 6 months and my surgeon says I will be fine to go by then! YAY!!! We are going for three days, and then will head to San Diego to go to the Temple. We are super excited. Cant wait! Cali here we come!!!

The most wonderful time of the year!!!

It seems that around this time of year everyone is just happier. I love what the weather and Christmas spirit does to everyone!!! We have so much to be thankful for this year. We both have a job and the ability to provide for ourselves. We have a home that we are having so much fun remodeling. We have a wonderful puppy that keeps us on our toes!! We have the opportunity to prepare for a family and enjoy the time we have together.
Yesterday I was especially thankful for SNOW!!! We have been very blessed this last week with a ton of moisture. I usually leave for work around 5:25 every morning. Yesterday, since we got so much snow and it was really icy, my boss called and told me not to come in until 9!! AMAZING!!! Me and terry were already dressed and eating breakfast so we just decided to stay up and watch a movie that we had been wanting to watch for a while. It was so nice to be able to just relax and have fun with my husband. We are so busy lately that we don't get to do that very much. It reminded me just how much fun we have together and how much we love each other. This season always makes me slow down and take a look at life.

We have also been enjoying our first Christmas as a married couple!! Its our 3rd Christmas together but this is the first time that we have been able to decorate our own home and to do Christmas ourselves!!! We have had a blast!! WE really enjoyed getting to decorate our house together and do some Christmas shopping. We have all of our shopping done and presents wrapped and under the tree. We love getting to come home to a lit tree with presents underneath and a decorated house. We are also getting a much needed dose of family. I love this time of year!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Thank you so mcuh to all of our friends and family who have helped us so much and been so supportive. We deeply appreciate all you have done. We couldn't do it without you!

I am a workin girl!!!

Ok so I am not saying that for the past six months I have just been sitting on my rump doing nothing. That is the exact opposite of the truth!! I just have not been employed and bringing in a steady paycheck!!! The cakes helped and it was really nice to have time to get this house in order!!
However, that is all gone!!
79 applications later......I HAVE A JOB!!! I start tomorrow and I am super stoked!!! I will be working at curves!! The ladies are wonderful and I cant wait to start!! I finally get to have some social interaction....not to mention tons of excericse!! This is good!!!

Change of Plans!!!!

Once again, the Lord has a plan for me and I have been ignoring it! Not on purpose, but I have nonetheless. Like always, he finds a way to slow me down and make me humble.

No I am not pregnant!!!!

This is just the HUGE change that the lord has prepared for me. I have wanted to be a physical therapist since I was a sophomore in High School. Up until 2 days ago I thought that this was my plan. Have you ever heard that saying, "If you want to make God laugh tell him your plans"? Well I think that this is quickly becoming my life's motto!!!

I found out 2 days ago that my PT program that I was supposed to start in January has just lost it's accreditation. BUMMER!!!! The next closest program that is fully accredited is in Albuquerque. So I had 2 options, I could wait around until Terry finished his degree and we can move back to ABQ (YAY!!!!), or I could find something else that I would like to do with my life and finally get back to work!!! Those who know me best know that the first option...really is not an option!!! I have been going crazy being out of school and stagnant for this long!!! I HATE IT!!! So I started looking around and I think I have found something that I could be really good at!!! It is right here in Las Cruces, which is great because then I do not have to commute. It is Diagnostic Sonography. There are so many applications in this field!!! (including the most obvious application of ultrasounds) And I cant start right away in January! I am so excited to get back into the swing of things!!! After I decided to buck up and take it like a man (well.....kinda), I decided that this might be a really good thing for me, and my hubby. It has opened up so many opportunities!!!

1. I get to be home A LOT more!!! I automatically knocked off 2 hours a day for my commute! And I could get a part-time job and help with the income.

2. I can still get both degrees!! I can finish this one here while terry finishes and when we move back to ABQ I can get my PT degree!! Especially since there are applications in PT for sonography!! I will be pulling double duty!!!

3. I have great earning potential!! It starts out at about 50k a year!! :)

4. There are no Birth defect complications!!! With the PT program, I had the possibility of some pretty bad birth defects because of some of the medicines and disinfectants that we would use. Even though we are not planning on any kiddos anytime soon....It is nice to know that if it does happen, they wont have 3 heads!!!!

I am slowly starting to accept and become excited about our new opportunities. I really think it will be a good change for the both of us!

Everything else is pretty calm for now!! The house is about to change very drastically!!! Our goal is to have everything painted, flooring replaced, and the deck built (and possibly the bed) by Terry's birthday. (November 1st) Hopefully we will hit that mark!! We are very excited and cant wait to be done!!!

6 months! On the dot!!! Well....Almost!!!

Yesterday was our 6 month wedding anniversary!!!! Crazy huh? The time seems like it just flew right on by!!! We have been very busy and made lots of memories!!!
In 6 months we have:
Begun remodeling our home....(begun being the keyword!!!),
Traveled to 4 other states,
Had our first balloon ride together,
Picked out and TRAINED a fun little puppy,
Made 112 yummy dinners,
Been to 3 other weddings,
Had 3 new baby boys born into the family,
Done 72 loads of laundry (holy cow!),
Made several big purchases,
Began preparing for the future,
Made plans to build a bed, a deck, and several other small projects,
Terry has started school up again and I have my program lined up,
Chopped off all my hair!!,
Learned so much about each other and ourselves,
and so much more!!!

We have done so much and had so many wonderful experiences together.
We have so many plans and we are eager to finish our home and to finish school.
Thank you to everyone who has helped us and shared in our experiences!

My First Flight!!!

So this past weekend me and Terry had an amazing opportunity. Terry's dad sponsored a hot air balloon at the Alamo balloon festival. We got to be in on all the action!! We helped set it up and pack it up!! It was amazing!!! We got to ride over White Sands!! It was the coolest experience!!

It was a wonderful weeekend with the whole family!!! We loved it!!

Thanks Mom and Dad Hester!!!!

This was the Balloon we got to ride in!! The only shape there!!!

Us up in the air!!

Isn't the view AMAZING!!! White Sands is HUGE!!!!
This was our first flight initaition!! It was the most awesome experience!!

There are more pictures than this up on my facebook account!! Just click the link below!!!

Facebook Album

Writing Lists and Making Plans.....

So we are finally at the point where we can start working hard on our house again. It is finally cool enough (atleast in the morning and evenings) that I feel like I can start painting again!!! HOORAY!!! And we are getting close to working on the deck. We are just gonna pick a saturday and get it done. It is so nice!! I am genetically predisposed to be a list-maker.....and it just made a Whopper!!! We have tons of work to do!! I cant wait!!

We are also making lots of changes!! We still do not have ANY plans of having any kiddos until we are both done with our degrees.....BUT we really want to have some good habits in place for when that time comes. Food storage, gettin fit, family home evenings, scripture study, ORGANIZED HOUSE (that one is big because I am a little OCD), and so many more things are filling our plates these days. It feels good to have a plan and to be working towards things that we both want in our lives!!! Bring on the Work!!!

A Cut Above the Rest

I have chopped off all my hair!!!

I have always wanted to donate my hair to locks of love ever since i was a little girl. And this was my year!!! Not many know that I have "been blessed" with severe migraines and headaches my whole life. This did not allow me to grow my hair out very far simply because it was too heavy and would give me a headache. I would always get close to having the required 10 inches just to cut it again all because it was too heavy!!!!

Well this year i toughed it out because i thought this might be my last chance!!!

So i took good care of it and made sure to keep it trimmed so it would grow quicker!!!

This morning I went to the smae lady who has cut my hair since i was a wee one and i told her to chop it all off!!!!

We bundled it up and she started sawing away!!! And believe me!!! She had to saw!!!! She cute about 11 inches off when all the sawing was done!!! WHOA!!! It was short!!!

Then she just kept cutting!!! It was amazing how light my head felt!!!! After all was said and done....she had cut 13 inches.....and that was on my longest layer!!! It is a pretty big shock but it feels great!!! It will be a great refreshing change for me. It was about time!
So here goes.....The before pics (curly and straight)

And AFTER!!!!

Hang in there T!!! It is totally worth it!!!!

Slacker to the core.....

Ok.....So i just realized that we have not updated in a REALLY long time!!!
So here goes.
We are doing great!!! We are so much enjoying the married life. We love our new ward and LOVE getting to remodel our house. However, over the summer that was kinda put on hold. Some of the walls are partially primered and some have not even been touched yet!! It got way too hot in our house during the day to even paint. So, we have been going through all of our stuff and rearranging instead. We just started working on our yard the other day....Its gonna be a big job!!! Grand plans of a large deck and planting grass and ripping up the rock and concrete that currently calls our yard home. Lots of manual labor....but it will be worth it.
We have had a really wonderful summer. We got to spend a couple days with my family at the cabin in AZ. WHAT A BLAST!!! It was fast and furious but so much fun.

Terry worked his behind off all summer attending summer school and working. What a trooper! I have found a new passion....taking after my mom. While i was little, she decorated and sold cakes....and she rocked at it!!! Sooo.....I have taken it up and I am really enjoying it!!! I have done several for the bank that terry works at and a few of his co-workers. Here are some of my favorites..... This is the first one that i made!

One I made for the Bank......

One I made for terry's co-worker....

Anyone want a present?

This is a wedding cake i did...Hearts!!!

We have been having a blast and are very anxious to get working on the house again...inside and out!!! Terry is getting ready to go back to school and hopefully I can work something out to finish mine before I start Physical Therapy school in January.

All in all we are doing great!!! Hopefully we will get better at updating!!

Ode to my Daddy

In the spirit of fathers day...I thought that i would express some thoughts.

You know how they say that a girls first love is always her daddy....well i am here to tell you that it is 100% true! I love my dad. He has always been my hero. Sometimes quite literally! He is so much of the reason i am who i am today.

I remember, when we were little kids, waiting for dad to get home so that we could play!!! Even though he had just been working his butt off for hours and going to school...he always made time for us. I also remember family campouts and how fun he always made them!! He is where i got my love of camping, fishing, hiking, anything like that!! He was always so patient and giving and made sure that we were taken care of. I can remember thinking that my dad could do antyhing...and most of the time...that is still pretty accurate!! He is extremely talented and so smart. He is where i learned all of lifes most important lessons...wether by example or by him correcting my mistakes. He has always been my biggest support. No matter what i was doing...he was always there to incourage me, even if he didnt understand why or what i was doing. In all of the worst times in my life...he was my rock....and in all the great times....he has been there to make me laugh. I am so grateful for the time that i have had to get close to him and learn from him. I have always wanted to be so much like him. Hopefully someday i will.

Happy Fathers day Dad. I love you.

Bella!!!!

I recieved the best birthday suprise ever this year!! My wonderful husband took me on a suprise trip for my birthday ( a couple days early cuz he actually got a day off!!). He completely caught me off gaurd!!! This man is so sweet and thoughtful i cant believe it!!! We spent a wonderful night away from home....which was a fun treat....and then drove a little more to go and pick up our new PUPPY!!!!

She is adorable!!!

She is a mix between a Weener dog and a Poodle.....as one of our friends called her....a Woodle!!!

We got her from a very small shelter and she is just too funny!!! She love to run even though she is not very good at it. And she pounces like a tiger!! She is very comfortable with us already and very loving!! Her name is Bella and she is fitting in just perfectly!!!

We are still working really hard on our house but things are coming together quickly!!
Hopefully soon we will have everything painted and built so i can post some pictures!!!!

We are doing great and having alot of fun!!!

Thanks again for everyone being so supportive and loving to us!!! We deeply appreciate you!!!

Terry and Meilea Hester

Ready for Our Close Ups!!!!!

Ok.......Because of popular demand.....Here they are!!!!

Pictures of almost every aspect of our wedding!!!

They are in 4 albums but all you have to do is click the name of the album and it will take you right to them. (There is also a new slideshow at the bottom of the blog page.)

Wedding Whimsies (ABQ Temple Pics)

Wedding Whimsies cont. (ABQ Temple Pics)

Deming Ring Ceremony

Deming Reception

Once you are in the album just click on the first picture and you can scroll through all of them.

Thanks!!!

More updates to come!!!

Meilea and Terry Hester

News from the Newlyweds!

First and foremost.....THANK YOU!!!!

We really appreciate all those who have come and celebrated with us at both receptions. They were both beautiful and very succesful!

Also, a big thanks to all of you for your generosity for the amazing haul of gifts we recieved!! They are very much appreciated!!

We would also like to send out a round of apologies. It has been brought to our attention that SOME of the invitation that were sent out had the wrong day for the Alamogordo open house. Some said Sunday and some said Saturday. We are sincerely sorry to those who missed it or who could not find it. We regret not getting to celebrate with you.

* * * * *

For those of you who are interested, you may continue to follow our blog and we will be posting pictures from the wedding very soon as well as updates on our life as newlyweds!!!

We will also be posting pictures of our new humble abode as well as pics of how we are jazzin it up a bit!!!

Always,

Meilea and Terry Hester

Her Story....

Born on June 12, 1988 to Gen and George Wertz........
Meilea Elise Wertz.
I grew up in Deming, NM where most of my family are teachers. For those who know me...You know that I have been a determined, hardheaded, perfectionist all my life!!! All through grade school....I was obsessed with being the best. Middle School, and High School only catered to this obsession. I was involved in everything...from Volleyball to Church Activities to Science Olympiad. And EVERYTHING inbetween. I had lots of great friends and an even better family. My senior year, I applied to UNM...my dream school!!! After two months of agaonzing waiting...

I GOT ACCEPTED!!!

So.....like everything else in my life I started preping and organizing. I was awarded a very nice scholarship and knew exactly what I was gonna do! I wanted to graduate from UNM in less than 4 years and then start on my Doctorate in Physical Therapy. So I packed all my stuff, moved into the dorms at UNM, and started my college career. WHAM!!!! I got a social life!!! It was great!!! I had tons of friends and tons of fun!!! It was all good clean fun.....but it still had its consequences. In my second semester, I lost my scholarship to UNM and had to start thinking about changing my plans a bit!!!

It was my second semester that I met Terry......

His Story.....

Born on November 1, 1988 to Mary and Charles Hester........

Terrance Lewis Denver Hester.

I grew up in Alamogordo, NM where my mom taught school and my dad worked for the Air Force and ran his own company. I was a very active kid and loved to play sports. I always had a soccerball or something to play with! I have been involved in every sport from swimming to football. Sports was basically my life! In school, in participated in Science Fair and became very interested in the medical field. In high school, my favorite classes were my medical classes. I had great friends and we loved the outdoors. My senior year, I waited until the last minute to decide which school to go to......turns out....UNM it is!!!!
WHAT A SHOCKER!!!!
A small town boy, encounters a really big town and a really big school!!!! I was going to school for an Athletic Training Degree and I loved it. Well......I liked being on the feild and in the training room.....the classroom....not so much!!! :)
It was christmas break of my first year when I went home and made some BIG changes!!! The first one was.... I CUT MY HAIR!!! EEK!!!!! All 10 inches!!!! The second was....I was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It wasn't too long after returning to UNM that I met Meilea.......