Our Apartment (and a couple of little after thoughts)

I cleaned our apartment today and thought I did a pretty dang good job and that other people should see this. Also every single time I have my mom over here she exclaims about how nice our apartment is for just starting out. I don't see what all the fuss is about but I guess you all need to see it :) Steve and I both agree that it doesn't quite feel like home though. I think its the fact that it is an apartment and we know we will be moving out of it you know? So you don't want to nest and get to comfy because then it will be ripped from you in 6 months.

 View from the front door.

 Our pantry/coat clos

 The living room. Jealous of our sweet entertainment system? All electronics Steve and I got from our parents as kids.

 Our front window, kitchen table, and desk area.

Study cubby!

View from the study cubby

The lou! Cute no?

Our bed.

Dresser, dirty clothes, and our ski stuff (we are going skiing as soon as Steve gets home)

View from Steve's side of the bed

View from my side! Hello! I'm waving!

A couple weeks ago Steve and I were house sitting for my parents while they were in Maui. It was glorious. Not only did we take advantage of their fully stocked kitchen, big screen projector, lightening speed internet and net flicks account but it was nice to be in a place that was truly a home and not just a house. Steve kept on saying that my mom's house just "feels like home". I actually got a little teary when my parents came home and we were banished back to the third floor one bedroom once more. But needless to say if Steve is not at the apartment rarely am I. I am always at my mom's doing something. I make excuses like "I don't want to run outside so I need to use their treadmill" but more often than not I find myslef perched on a barstool while my mother is doing some sort of kitchen activity while I spill my guts about random things and we basically just gab. I love my mom. Whenever I have a day off and Steve is working I get a bit cranky and stir crazy here all alone. I ususally end up calling Steve a lot at work until annoyed, he finally says "Why don't you go over and get yourslef some Mom time at your parents house?" I whine that I will feel like I'm not being productive and blah but I eventually find myself happily in the front seat of my mom's truck making our way to wasilla holiday to get a coke. Oh it's the little things in  life that make me happy :) Currently my mom is visiting my newest nephew and first blood related one, Grant Pace. What an adorable little thing he is. Even though I am very jealous I sometimes find I miss my mom! She is going to be gone two whole weeks! I thought this was the reason I married the Alaska boy! So I could be close to my family! So much for that! My brother lives far away in Spokane and my sister even further in San Antonio. I always tell myslef that eventually they will see the light and make their way back to the home land but who knows maybe in a few years my parents will move to Maui and Garrett will marry a girl from New York and I will be all along in the AK. Hopefully not! At least I know I can always bribe them back by having a baby. Hmmm...

A couple of little after thoughts. I remembered that I never included Christmas and some polar plunge pictures in the ultimate catch up post. I'll post them here now because who wants to miss that!?

In December my running buddy, Sarah, and I jumped into a freezing cold ice covered lake for chairty! It was awesome! It is for Special Olympics Alaska and our team's name was the "Perky Polars" hence the costumes.

Getting ready

Psyching out!

Do it!

BRRRR!!

Yes, that is steam coming off of us, it was like -10 that day!

The end product: two chilly happy girls!

I forgot I didn't include any pictures of what Steve and I did for Christmas so I thought I upload some. For christmas eve we hung out with the Huston side which is always fun. Lots of nephews and neices! This is Veryl and Steve. So cute!

Kid napper alert! He may come home with us!

Snugglin'

I think Steve might have just done something offensive. haha

On new years eve Steve got a bunch of paletts from work and our christmas tree and we burned them on the lake by my parents property. We brought lots of apple cider

Fire! Look at the Christmas tree go!

Oh teenage love.

Yay!

My brothers!

That is enormous!

Oooo it truly is a happy new year!

Making resolutions a toasts.

I love this boy!

Momma and the Pops!

I've been trying to be wife-like so a couple nights ago I made Steve's favorite, pulled-pork sandwiches, and invited Mom, Dad, and Garrett over. It was a blast and delicious.

Yummy!