The happiest place on earth... Halloween Style!

Disneyland was wonderful. We had so much fun. I just wish my feet didn't hurt so much at the end of each day. Jared was awesome tho because he was willing to rub my feet. He must love me a lot! We went for the Disneyland challenge that our friends, Angee and Robby's Dad puts on every year. Last year was our first time and we got 2nd place on the Advance challenge. This year we got 1st place and won $100! This year the challenge was about the legend that there is real treasure somewhere on the Disneyland property. There are markers that are from the gold rush time that are still visible in the park and there is a palm tree that was part of the contract for when the land the park was built on must remain or the owners would not sell. Our team was the Mad Hatters with Dallin Fish, Elena Makiyama, and Robby and Angee Colvin. I can't wait to go again next year! Here are just some of the picture from the trip. We were lucky enough to get so many with characters!
In Jared's family he is Doc from the seven dwarves. Funny that he got that as a kid and now he works in a hospital.
He was fun character to get a picture with. He was gigantic! and I love Sully from Monsters, Inc.
For the first time ever, they changed Space Mountain to Ghost Galaxy for the Halloween Season. It was creepy and a lot of fun!
Micky kissed my hand when I met him. I can't believe we got lucfky enough to get a picture with him with out standing in line for forever.
Minnie was super cute. She and micky were taking pictures right next to each other. We got lucky to get them both!

This is on the Toy Story Midway games ride. Superfun but I hate the long lines. Bummer deal when there are no fast passes.
Mulan said she never brings out the guns and that we were special. She was really sweet. She spent like 5 minutes with the 3 little girls in front of us just talking and finding out how their trip has been so far. I was impressed she took the time ans sounded so genuine.
This was one the first rides we went on in the park. The boys decided to pick their noses and the girls were grossed out. Except for Angee, it looks like she is eating hers.... :-)
I really like this picture. Jared got a good silhouette of the castle during the fireworks show. Jack is just projected on to a giant balloon behind the castle. He was the MC of the show.

This is another good one of the castle. Jared takes really good pictures!
We got this pass because while we were on the Grizzly River Rapids ride in California Adventure, there were technical difficulties. We were stuck on our raft for over 30 minutes in the sun until they decided they needed to just evacuate the riders and work on the ride. We got to see them turn off the water so that it was completely drained. We climbed out and had to go through the fake mountain to get out. It was hot and long but a once in a life time experience. We had another couple with us on our raft and I am pretty sure he was a Mason. He had a really cool looking signet ring that had one of the symbols.
I don't know if this is a very flattering picture but it was fun!
This was for our team T-shirts. Since we were the Mad Hatters. This is the new mad hatter in the Tim Burton film that should be coming out early next year.
Jared had fun with Iron on transfers. He found this picture and just had to have the shirt. I am not complaining. I think it is cute. However we debated on having it say "Tigg- r Treat"

A new leaf and new page and new calling...

So I think in my life change is and always has been done in a whirlwind effect. Now is no different. Saturday I got a call from our ward executive secretary asking if I could come meet with a member of the bishopric in an hour at the church. So an hour later, I was released from teaching CTR 5 with Jared to be called to be a Relief Society Instructor. This is a truly inspired calling. I had been feeling the need for a change. There were some personal struggles I was experiencing and what our 1st counselor told me in that meeting was exactly what I needed to hear/what I was already feeling. Teaching relief Society is my favorite calling. I haven't had too many in my life but I am really excited to do this one again. Its been close to 2 years that I've been in primary. I love our class and I loved the fun we had in seeing them grow and learn but I thrive with discussions and analytical thinking. It was like a battery re-charge going to Sunday school and relief society this past Sunday. I missed it tremendously.
Okay so that doesn't seem too whirlwind and I agree but along with that, during the 3rd hour at church, Jared pokes his head in and asks me to come with him. We have a quick meeting with our 2nd counselor and our Stake high counsel representative. Jared is now called to be the 2nd counselor for the Elders Quorum. We will be gone next week and then general conference so they had to do it right then. They wanted to make sure I would support him in the calling and that he would accept the calling. Then we interrupted Priesthood to have him sustained and set apart. All this within about 25 minutes. Our second counselor was very sad to see us leave primary. He told us that we had been a rock there. I have to admit some of our kids were high maintenance but it was a lot of fun. It is amazing to see such special and individual personalities in 3,4, and 5 year olds. I learned a lot from this calling. I was so scared when we first got the calling. I didn't think i would be able to do it. I have no idea why seven 3 year olds were more intimidating than 30 adult women but it was. It really helped me learn how to interact with little kids and see how much they retain and what helps them learn. I think Jared will really miss it. He is the reason we were put in Primary in the first place. The kids loved him and really responded well with him. I am excited to when we have our own kids because I know for sure that he will be a wonderful Dad.

One small step for the blogging world, one giant leap for Joanna...

I think the reason I finally decided to join the blogging world is because I realized I have been doing it anyway but in round about ways that don't get out to many people. That and I love reading Jessie's blog. I don't think mine will be as good but since I know that writting my thoughts is a good outlet it will at least be beneficial to me.

Something I wanted to make sure I included in this blog are accomplishments. There is a major one that was finished yesterday. Drum roll please...... We no longer have laundry baskets of mail in my house!! Any one that has been to our house must have noticed that we have 2-3 laundry baskets filled to overflowing of mail sitting in the corner of our living room. My sisters say it is a fire trap and Angee told me that I wouldn't pass an adoption home study with it there. It has been an eye-sore for a couple of years now. Believe me when I say that 85% of that mail is Jared's and not just mail from after we got married. I think I shredded mail from when he was still living in Snowflake after his mission! Anyway the point is- ALL of it is either shredded or just thrown away. It was a wonderful feeling of ... release ... to have it gone.

Part of the reason why this feat was possible was that I didn't work yesterday. I stayed home becuase after work on Wednesday I had a cyst removed from my scalp. It took about 10 minutes from start to finish and I am boosting 4 stitches. I had the cyst for about 5 years and it was the size of a small marble. I am glad it is gone but it hurt and still hurts a little bit. All I have to say is Yea! for side parts otherwise my head would look scary!