halloween weekend

We had a great weekend. Our church put on a harvest carnival on Friday night. Lots of games, lots of candy, and lots of fun. I did face painting ALL NIGHT. I swear, the 4 hours we were there felt like 10 minutes. It was just constant face painting. I got really good at drawing dinosaurs. My favorite was drawing on Colby. He wanted a mustache & goatee for his knight costume, then he wanted a bumble bee, then a heart, but I drew lips on his face and put my initials, then he wanted a pink nose like the mouse. I was running out of room on his little face! Luke took some pictures so hopefully I can post some good ones. I dressed like a ballerina, all thrown together for a whopping $0. I know you're all asking, wait, you had a tutu at your house??? I took some leftover tulle from the wedding, folded it in half, threaded my belt through it, so it was like a long puffy tulle skirt. They I had my hair in a bun and tights and ballet flats and stuff. I looked like a dork but it was kind of fun. Except people (read: old guys) kept calling me tinkerbell. Last time I checked, Tink wore green, not black and white, and she had wings. Pretty sure I didn't have wings. Oh well, nice try I guess.

Im also studying like mad for my NCBTM exam. Its on 11/26/08. Thats in 23 days.

Happy Halloween!

I have always loved Halloween. Mostly just because I always loved playing dress up. Plus, you cant go wrong with chocolate. Heres a list of my previous halloween costumes: pumpkin [4 or 5?], Miss Thompson Falls (complete with a pipe cleaner & bead tiara, and a fabric sash with Miss Thompson Falls written on it with a blue magic marker) [several years in like 1st grade through 3rd grade, plus last year], a 50s girl with a broken leg [4th grade], a skiier (it was really cold that year)[5th grade?], a cavewoman dragging a deadbeat caveman husband [5th grade?], a mime [6th grade?], a woman in a bathrobe with face cream on and a towel on her head[?], a siamese twin with Joanne [high school?], pippi longstockings [high school?], a bee [18 & 19], tinkerbell [22], jem [25], a cowgirl [25? 24?],and this year I've been debating. I've thought of: a pirate, a pumpkin, a candy corn, sarah palin, and this morning in the shower I decided I could make a ballerina costume pretty easily. I'll only need to get some white tights and a few feathers for my hair.

When I was little, my dad and his friend Larry always used to pile all of us kids: me, scott, mark, jessica, emily, greg, and mike into the back of the truck or the van and drive us around town to trick or treat at people's houses we knew. One year they dressed up like gorillas and would trick their friends. It was pretty fun. And we used to always have halloween parties for 4-H. They were so much fun. Costume contests, pinatas, games, marshmallow-caramel-rice krispie yummies... And I remember my brothers making elaborate lego contraptions for organizing and housing all their candy.

Happy Halloween! Be safe!

studying...

There is a lot of studying going on at our house. Luke started a new class not too long ago, and I am studying to take my NCBTM exam. For all those who dont' know the acronym, its my national massage exam, that I have been avoiding taking for like a year. But the time is now. I started studying this summer and then life happened and it got pushed to the side. And now I really need to do it since I graduated almost a year ago. So the plan is to take it on 11/26 (wednesday). We'll drive to helena, I'll take my test and luke will find a coffee shop, and then we'll continue on to kalispell for thanksgiving. So Ive been diligently going through my anatomy coloring book, and the past two days I've taken my "trail guide to the body" (an anatomy book) to the gym with me and got some studying done while I do cardio. Its good to review all that stuff. I seem to be learning, and remembering lots. Besides, I told myself no sewing/quilting until I take my test. And I have several projects in my head that I want to make. Some for christmas, some for all my friends who are having babies!

Wish me luck!

It was two years ago today...

that Luke and I met. We were introduced by Dee & Shelly Batey, friends of my parents and relatives of luke's roommate Okey. I think we were the only two people they knew that were our age, so they fixed us up. And well, obviously it worked! We didn't meet until after the Bobcat football game and then we stood in the tailgate area and talked and talked until we were the last two people left. So we hopped the fence and started our first date. We stopped at my house, his house, then went to dinner at MacKenzie River Pizza downtown, then went back to Luke's house and talked until like 10:30 or 11 pm. Our first date was like 8 hours long. I blew off my halloween plans with my friends to spend time with Luke. However, three days later I went to Theresa's house and told her I had met the man I was going to marry. I think she was extremely surprised, but was happy for me. Six months after our first date we were engaged, and eight months after that we were married. Tomorrow marks 10 months that we've been happily married. These two years have flown by and been my best ever!

Having Issues

So I was trying to blog last night and for some reason it replaced a post from a month ago. So here it is again.

This was from a week ago when my family was here. Here is my brother Scott, Colby, and Luke.

Here is my mom & dad:

And finally, Mark and Tegan (Scott's gf).

We had a blast with the fam. Hopefully we can have more family time this weekend when my parents are here for the game.

And: Congratulations to Sam & Julie for your brand new baby Hunter Sam Bechtold.

Ode to Luke

I wanted to take a post and proclaim to the world how amazing my husband is. Seriously, I dont even know where to start. He's the most wonderful, caring man ever. He has the biggest heart of anyone I know and would give you the shirt off his back if he thought you needed it. He is always acutely aware of people's needs and finding ways to meet those needs. He is extremely thoughtful in this way too. One time he bought my friend Sara and I all these gift certificates for coffee and shopping because we enjoy our weekly coffee dates so much. He wanted to make sure that we could still have coffee and we could find more excuses to hang out. He is always helping people and looking out for them, and always selflessly. He is a giver. Luke is also extremely dedicated to everything he does. Take his job, for example, he is always thinking about work and trying to make his company better. And he is so dedicated to church and our classes. And extremely dedicated to his friends. Besides all these wonderful qualities, hes absolutely brilliant. He is so full of ideas and knowledge and patiently answers all my silly questions like: do bugs sleep?. He is constantly learning and teaching me things. And have you seen him? Hes the most attractive man I know. Sometimes I feel like I am going to burst with all the love I have for him. And he is so patient with me and always coming up with wonderful things to do for me or give to me. He loves to take me on secret getaways (i.e. my birthday or our trip to Billings in July), and he spoils me with gifts. To top it off, hes an amazing cook. Seriously, he can take leftovers and make something totally different and delicious. He knows flavors and how to combine ingredients. I love it when he cooks. And someday, he will make an amazing dad. He loves kids so much and he is so good with them. It doesn't matter if they are 2 moths, two, 8, 12, 16 or 20. He is great with them. And he has a cute tush. :) <3 U honey!