Summer Daze

 Hello!
This week has had it's ups and downs as well. But here's the long & the short of it.

Rach & Syd against the world

Our dynamic duo got together to try Cubby's in Lehi. I had heard it was good and I'm glad we went because both the food and company were glorious! Holy crap if you haven't gone there yet, go. So friggin good. And the conversation with Rachael was hilarious and therapeutic as usual. Love u rach!

 Another Adventure

We thought it was time to fully assimilate into our new culture by experiencing the famous Strawberry Days. I've never gone before (except to be in the parade... and that doesn't count) and it was fun! It was smaller than Orem summerfest, but we found the shops quaint, the food scrumptious, and the people friendly. You can't say you've had a summer without going to a good fair :) worth the heat & the kids behaved perfectly!

If you notice this shirt that Dallin's wearing, I got it for free from work. He has gotten 2 shirts, 2 car air fresheners, a car phone holder, 2 water bottles, sunglasses, etc. just from my new job. And he's always asking me to bring home more because apparently he loves it!

 Speaking of Work...

this is it. Before I was at the chair with the other chair you're seeing in the middle bottom, and then I moved up to having my own desk as you can see in the top left. 

 Side Project

So I was at work and they asked me to be in a catalog for selling potential clients work out clothing. They are going to photoshop the logos on it so that clients can see it working for them. It was really fun! Here are some of the shots. (I can't figure out how to make them bigger)

So the guy that you can see we shot with helped me out with this photo. (I can't remember his name, but he was really nice and quiet.) Anyway, I told the photographer that I wanted him to photoshop the dude's arms onto my body, so he had the guy stand behind me and flex while I put my arms behind my back. Worked perfect! Haha nice n' manly with hair and everything but it looks like my arms!

:)

A day for fathers

It was fathers day! And yes, we celebrated it for Dallin. This is him and the kids. 

 This was the card I found that fit perfectly for his "kid" situation lol

To Tribute our Dads

These guys are all amazing in their own ways, and I'm so grateful that we have them. I know we're so lucky because they have helped us with home projects, given us advice, and helped us understand what's really important in life. I wish we could see them more. We love them all.

 Unexpected Calamity

Josie has terrible luck. I don't know why all the bad things always happen to her. But when we went on a walk, she got like 10 fox tails stuck in her feet. They worked there way up until her foot swoll up really big and we had to get them removed. We waited around at the coffee shop till she was out of surgery. 

So that was our Saturday lol

 After we took the bandage off she looked so weird. They had to shave  her foot so it looked like a weird rabbit-alien hybrid foot on a fluffy puppy. lol poor kid.

Lazy Date

In honor of Father's day, Dallin got to choose what we did, and it sound simple but it was so fun. We went to a restaurant in Salt Lake and ordered small things spread apart and just stayed and talked for a really long time. We had never been there before and it was delicious. We had mostly all appetizers, and a dessert.  Sometimes it can be so good for you to just sit, stop worrying, and talk to each other from the heart. 

 The Kids got their Hurr Did

 We went to a cute little grooming shop in PG. The girls there were so sweet and caring, and they didn't even charge me for teeth brushing!

In case you couldn't see from the picture above, I gave Josie a mani-pedi. I figured if her toes had to show because of the fox-tail incident, they might as well be a cute color. She doesn't seem to care at all.

 Clearlink had a party! Shock!

I just say that because I wish I could have parties like this for work. Anyway, they had a party to start the Vegas incentive, and I didn't get the best pictures because I took them early in the night. There was a lot of people by the end. We played water kickball and I sucked, but it was fun! It was catered by wallaby's and that food blew my mind! I took this selfie because I bought a "doo rag" and Dallin made fun of me, so I wore it to the party. It looks weird if you stretch out the fabric, but all bunched up it just looks like a head band. I guess he didn't believe me at first becuase I showed it to him like a doo rag covering most my hair ;) lol 

 You know what they say about moments...

I think it was Dr. Suess who said, "You never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory." Things like this just kind of happen out of the blue. We went on a walk, decided to let the dogs off the leash in a big field, and we ran with them and laid around and talked. That's my kinda night. I think we'll remember simple things like that always because everything about it was peaceful, playful, and perfect. 

All the Hairs on my Head

I thought it was cool that I figured this side braid pony thing out. Michelle and Brian came over a grilled cajun turkey burgers with us this night and it was sooo good. Guess I forgot to get a pic of that. It's so nice seeing them more often! (& I need to get that recipe)!

 It's a Telco Thing.

We went to Buffalo wild wings with all the coaches and their wives for an incentive. They did well on something and I don't fully understand what but it was a good time nonetheless! I got to meet new people because I didn't know everyone there, and I met little cute Nixon as well!

  I think that's it for now!

-Me

(Sydney Lester the 4th.)

Imperfect Felicity

Well, time's passing. 

Slowly, but it is indeed passing. (Warning: I'm not in the best mood. Might have something to do with friend issues, a random nosebleed, working out sucks & it's swimsuit season, plus I'm hangry.)

Speaking of food, YOU HAVE GOT TO TRY THIS STUFF!

I've always liked oatmeal, but this stuff is better. It has nuts in it! It's so good. I can't wait for it to be morning just so I can eat it. 

 Dallin Aced his Business Test!

Dallin is a really smart guy. He studied a little, and then aced a test that the majority of the class failed. He's kindof a big deal. He has many leather-bound books and his house smells of rich mahogany. 

Found this gem in Dal's phone

Apparently dallin takes pics of me sleeping. Sortof creepy, but I'm glad he did because Jakey looks stoned :)

  Swimming with a Youngster.

Went to the pool with Rudy and Michelle and it was fun!

He was a little confused at first, but then he loved it! 

 Perks for the Worker Bee!

I love working for a bigger, growing company! On Thursday we got free lunch from Chedda Truck and it seriously blew my mind. I ate a burger with bacon and an egg on it! Holy cow they know how to whip up a quality stop-your-heart kindof meal. 

 A Brief but Excellent Visit

Shayle was on her way to Idaho and squeezed me in on Friday! Jake and Oakley's interaction was priceless. He loved her and she loved him. He was so gentle and wanted to always sit by her and tilted his head anytime she made a noise. She does this cute thing where she sounds like she's snoring when she's awake. (Josie does the same thing. I can see how it's offensive to some people when I compare the dogs to human children, but to me, they are. And there are a lot of similarities lol)

It was so good to see them and although I wish she never moved, I'm glad they're happy.

The Big, New Idea

I became sick of have man hands but not wanting to fork out loads of money to get my nails done. So, I gave the cheap-o nails from Walmart a second try. This time, I filed the crap out of my nails, put acetone on them, did some research on the best brands, and changed the type of glue. AND IT WORKED! They ended up staying on the whole week and I took them off. I bet they could have lasted 2 weeks. I did the math, and even if I change them every week, I'd end up saving 540$ a year! Getting your nails done ends up being about 55-65$ a month, and if you do it this way it looks just as cute, lasts just as long, and it's 5-10 bucks a month. I'm stoked about this realization because I can no longer justify spending that much on a temporary vanity.

It's already Miss Utah week!

I can't believe this time last year I was freaking the heck out and heading to Miss Utah. I was the fittest I've ever been, I conquered so many fears, made friends, and gained serious perspective on what's important. Although there were times I was overwhelmed beyond belief, it was such a rewarding experience and so worth it. There were definitely things I hated- (the amount of money the program makes off of the event, amount of service not affecting scores, and scoring caters to flashiness). BUT! I am sooooo glad I did it. There are so many lessons I couldn't have learned any other way, and I did so many amazing things and had so many opportunities. I was able to feel like my participation in various causes made a positive difference in the world, watch myself become better in every aspect of life, meet inspiring people, dance on captitol theatre stage, and surprise myself at what I'm capable of. Although I didn't "win" anything in the traditional sense of the word, I've never been so proud of myself. I accomplished every goal I had (including have a 6 pack! lol wish I could have that back!)
Good luck to all the contestants- especially the ones I know! It's so fun, rewarding, and action packed! Love it. Wish I could go. 

New Food Love

If you haven't been to the Wild Zucchini in American Fork yet, go. It's got raving reviews from this Graff clan. It's all noodley, fresh, vegetabley, & pesto-ey. I think it's technically italian. It's so good!

You never know what yer gonna get.

I made it through week 1 of the new job. I'm excited to get good at what I do and the people I work with are so friendly. I have no idea where my working career will lead, and it's gone completely different so far than I thought it would. Although I'm not teaching, I did need a degree to get a good job, I'm challenging myself, and making good money. You never know where you're gonna end up, and I'm enjoying where I'm at now. 

Dallin's latest music phase

This song is so catchy and Dallin makes us listen to it in the car every time, no matter where we're going. We both go through intense music phases, and I'm glad this time we both like the same song. lol (Flashback: Young Homie by Chris Rene summer of 2011....good times)

Friday Night Surprise

I didn't know because we usually don't go out on Fridays, but I guess Dallin was planning on taking me to Jurassic World on Friday! We ate outside on the patio at Buffalo Wild wings, the weather was perfect, and then we went to the movie. Of course, I think I missed the whole point of the movie because I just left feeling so sad for all the dinosaurs that died. But, Dallin liked it!

Summer Time Chillin'

I wish it could be summer year round and I could be outside more during the week. I sat outside writing on my laptop with a beautiful view and the kids. When I opened the door to let the kids out in the morning Jakey wouldn't come in because he wanted to sun-bathe :) 

He's just like me, it takes a lot of coaxing to get him outside when it's cold out there but when it's warm he won't come in. 

Saturday Night Date!

I LOVE BEES GAMES! Unhealthy food, singing "Take me out to the ball game," seeing a dude get smoked in the chest by a homer, wearing hats, yelling ridiculous cheers, fireworks, and getting free crap you'll never use. Nothing better than that. Plus we were on like the first row! If Heaven doesn't have those amazing 2,000 calorie game dogs, I don't wanna go. 

You won't believe it, but I did yard work. 

In my own yard! It's crazy being a home owner- makes you do things you never thought possible. I, Sydney Graff, weeded on my own accord! If you woulda told my 10 year old self that one day I would want to weed, I would've had a heart attack. 

The plan is to resurrect the dying grass, plant flowers, get a cutesy window box, and hang outdoor lights :) 

But the kitchen table still isn't done, so I guess one project at a time. 

This was Today.

-We cleaned up the office area and hung some decorations so it felt less like a depressing, messy hole. I still have big dreams for that room, but the unfortunate fact that decorating takes money smacks me the face every time I start. 

-We went to the pool today and Dallin burnt the crap out of himself. Anyway, while we were there I was marveling at the view and the mountains and listening to country music and it was a glorious time. 

-We got a lot done, and stopped at Carls Junior in our matching shades and sunscreen stench for lunch. Their oreo shakes are to die for. (Okay, I'm starting to notice a food theme happening with this blog. Fatty red flag goin' up.)

-The Graffs came over to watch yet another NBA finals game. (Still don't understand why there can't just be one game, but It was good to see them all nonetheless!)

I think that's the reader's digest version of what's gone down this week. Till next time folks.

 

-Syd

The Complexities of Being Earnest

The last couple weeks have been excellent, fulfilling, yet difficult and complex. (thus the title.) I'll explain later on.

Last weekend

So not last Saturday but the Saturday before, we hung more decorations and worked on our tiny yard. It was productive but still so fun because we also hung out at the pool.

 Heck yes.

 Hot stuff!

The date.

 Then, that evening we went to Kim and Rodney's for dinner and to see their local petting zoo. They live in Springville near a cute little farm/petting zoo place. I forgot my phone so these are all the pics I have, but we saw donkeys, geese, swans, llamas, sheep, horses, huge dogs (see pic for "Mogley"), etc.) It was really cool. I had never heard a donkey scream before so it was very informative.

 Look how cute they are!

Prime club incentive

These are the reps and coaches (and dallin's 3rd from left) at the Prime incentive this month. They got to race the cars at miller motor sports park and he said he had a lot of fun. 

 Congrats to Shanna & Matthew!

They had their baby boy Gavin!

I went over Friday night helped out with Austin and Kensley. Gavin was having problems with Jaundice, but now he's getting better so he doesn't have to use the light bed. Hopefully it's getting a little more manageable every day for her. They're all such cuties though!

 More Babysitting!

Last week I ended up babysitting 3 times! haha So obviously Rudy is crawling now. I think he likes me :)

 

Dallin and I both babysit on Saturday and it was fun! We went on a walk with Rudy and Jakey & Josie, and we found out how mesmerizing Baby Einstein is lol

Jakey's first Skype Message!

Okay, so this is kind of hard to see. Dallin's computer was logged into skype, and while we were gone babysitting Rudy he sent an instant message! Haha you can see all the gibberish and then Dallin's friend just responded "same." lol

Kinda big deal in the kids' life!

It's not great, but it's coming along.

I still don't enjoy cooking, but it's getting a little better. I cooked ground beef for the first time, and I also made a cake! I got a pic of Saint Dallin doing the dishes, and we've been watching the NBA finals (it's actually on right now.) That baby-faced, curly-head guy seems cool to me. 

 The DINK Life.

One time we were watching a House Hunters episode and this couple declared that they "live the DINK life." Which apparently stands for "Dual Income No Kids." lol It sounds selfish, but we are in no way ready for kids so that's us too. 

Anyway, this week I used some graduation money to revamp my wardrobe a bit. I went through and donated old clothes/shoes too. 

We've been enjoying the warm weather by going on a lot of walks with the J-Dogs, and Jake found a pond he loves swimming in.

 "And Wuv, Twooo Wuv..."

 I think we're funny. Besties for life.

 Doggie Slumber Party!!!!!

The kids had a sleepover with cute Lily! She is such a sweetheart. They love each other. Only thing is, she didn't seem to fit in with the J-dogs' over-indulgent, recreational eating style. She'll have to work up to it. They have iron stomachs.

 We're Classy Sweaters.

If you're going to sweat, you might as well do it with a cardigan draped over your shoulders and a skirt on. That was my perception of tennis, so I've always wanted to get into it. So dal took me on Sunday, and guess what?! It's friggin' hard & I suck! haha We still had a lot of fun. And we plan on playing often this summer to get better.

 The Best Doggone Hangout in Town.

They officially have their own room. (I'm pathetic, I know.)

 Sooo here comes the complex part.

I had to make the hard decision of whether to stay at my job or not. I loved a lot about the job, and it was mostly hard for me to leave because I felt like a jerk by leaving them. But there were facts I couldn't ignore about both. 

I don't really feel like college prepared me for these kinds of hard conversations and decisions. It was an eye-opening experience to have my first full-time job, weigh the pros and cons, and then eventually leave it. I'm realizing that being a working adult is not as cut & dry as it looks. You're always told to do what you love, but the truth is there will be things you love and things you hate no matter what you do. I definitely had working painted in a different light in my head until I actually did it. The other thing is, what I love is constantly changing. I enjoy so many different things, and I think it's okay to switch it up and do what you want, even if it's different. Since I've always struggled with being decisive anyway, this decision was maybe harder for me than it is for others. At the end of the day, I'm glad I learned the importance of confidence, how to work with different personalities, stay true to what you want, and the importance of challenging myself.

My New Job!!

Prodigy promos creates products as part of advertising for companies. It's interesting stuff. And, I found out that Shanna's sister Ciera (who also helped me design my ring) also works at Prodigy!

Of course I had to take a picture of my first day. I love the casual dress code because I detest dress pants. 

They had to take a picture of me for their website, and, long-story short I learned not to tell people about your talent for duplicating the "Blue Steel" look from Zoolander on your first day at a new job. Needless to say, I now look like a psycho on a website full of capable-looking worker bees. (This is the other guy who started at the same time as me.)

So, I'm a coordinator between the sales, art, and sourcing departments. There are a lot more people, they're so funny/friendly, I get an hour lunch, it's only 3 miles away from home, it's a big pay raise, free health care, fast-paced environment, and I feel very challenged and accomplished. The company is growing, and it's exciting to be apart of something that's ever-changing. There are still things that are hard just like any job, but I can tell I'm going to like it and I'm excited. This experience has taught me that life is about pushing yourself, regardless of money or any of that. I'm glad that this job will teach me a lot and I'm looking forward to mastering the intricacies of it. 

I hope Dave (dallin's dad) gets better because they're moving and he has swine flu and pneumonia :(

I've cancelled my gym membership and I've been working out with Michelle and Emma at Michelle's, outside running, or in the fitness center here in the complex. I really like it! I hate the gym. So the triathlon most likely won't happen anymore. But that's me- one of these blogs last year said we were definitely moving to Nebraska and that never happened either. I should have a disclaimer on this blog that anything I might say is subject to change. lol

Dallin took a test this evening, and I'm proud of him because balancing school and work is so stressful. It's hard work but so far he's doing great! There are so many ups and downs about the spot we're in now, and a lot of the time I wish I could see the future so that I know what to choose. But I guess all you can do is do what makes you happy now and do your best. So far we're doing great and we're blessed.