House Hunting

Yes... You read it right! We are currently house hunting.

Here in Missouri, it is cheaper to pay a mortgage payment than to rent. We love living with the in-laws, but our plans to move into their spare home fell through. Apartments want pet-free zones or $200 more a month. We are finding lots of good prices, but few homes that fit our rigorous criteria!

There are a lot of processes to go through when you decide to buy a home. First, you need to look at your finances and determine whether or not you will be able to pay for the house. Second, make a list of the pros and cons of your current situation and compare it to the pros and cons of buying a house. Third, talk to a loan officer and learn about the criteria for a loan. From there, you can find out how much you will be approved for so that you can qualify for the loan. Fourth, find a realtor to help find the things that you are looking for in a house. A realtor will help you and work with your best interests in mind. Fifth, look at your options and fast and pray!

The most important process is to put the decision you are making in the front of your mind and discuss it with the Lord (if you are religious). Heavenly Father will let you know if you are making the decision in a way that he would be proud of.

I look forward to this process and to all the things that life has in store for us!

Reasons I Love Mother's Day!

According to the common view, Mother's Day is celebrated when a woman has raised, is raising, or is currently in the process of creating, a child. My wonderful husband believes differently! To him... Mother's Day is a celebration of Motherhood and the ability that we as women have to create and sustain a life inside of us for nine long months.

I do not fit the common classification of a mother, but Justin made me feel so loved by just being me!

I have always been the type of person who loves living things! aka... plants, animals, children.  So... To celebrate my love of life, Justin got me a new pet to raise! I am now the proud owner of a fish tank with little fishies for me to feed, love, and show off. We still have Suki, my herb garden, the bamboo plant, and our indoor fern.

And finally... The topic of my post! 

I love Mother's Day because it is our day to show our Mother's how much they mean to us and how much we love them.  I was unable to share this Mother's Day with my mom in person, but I got to speak with her over the phone. I spent Mother's Day with my Missouri family and it was beautiful! 

I love Mother's Day because it is an excuse for the men to dote on us and do whatever we ask! Justin barbecued and it was delicious!

I love Mother's Day because I remembered how important our role in this life is! It is so wonderful... This gift we have been given to nurture, love, support, and be an example. I can't wait for that time to come for me!

Love,

Mitzi

We Made it!

Some may think that Justin and I are totally insane for driving straight through,with a cat, from Utah to Missouri.

I'm beginning to agree!

Suki was wonderful! The first two hours through Wyoming, with its lack of scenery and its rolling hills and valleys, were not enough to keep her attention off the fact that she was in a car. However, very soon after that first two hours, she calmed right down and road in her cat condo with out any problems. I was pretty worried about her because she wasn't eating or drinking anything the whole trip. Now she has made up for it.

About ten hours into the drive, and a fourth the way through Nebraska, Justin let me drive! Yes... I got to drive on unfamiliar roads, enjoying the flat scenery, and listening for Justin to silently fall into a deep sleep.

We had bought two books on CD... Hazardous Universe, and Shadows of Brierley: The Wanderer.  These books helped keep us entertained while we were driving and allowed me to slip into their worlds so that I didn't stress about the next week I had ahead of me. Now that we are in Missouri, living in Dad and Mom Furnell's house, I am slowly learning my way around Sedalia. Finding a job for me will be the hardest. I know what I want to do, but that can't happen for a while. We need the money from two incomes to make it through the next couple of months. If all else fails... I can work at Staples! Ha Ha.

Justin has a job with his dad at LTL. He is excited to relearn how to do everything, and to spend some time with his dad. I am currently working on getting a position at the Community College in the Financial Aid department. After working at LDSBC for two years in Financial Services, I hope that it will set me apart.

Suki is still calming down and getting used to our room before I will even dream about introducing her to the other animals in the house. She is still so young but has little experience with other animals. Kids are a foreign enemy to her and the stress of the new enviroment is a little difficult to grasp.

I'll update again later when we get things a little more figured out!

Love,

Justin and Mitzi

Moving Day

This last week has been crazy! Tuesday we went to the zoo, post to come, and then a wonderful trip to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple with Gramma Shelley! School got out on Wednesday, Mom and Dad drove in Wednesday night, and we had gradation on Thursday. Friday night we had dinner with Justin's General' Manager, and Saturday was moving day.

Saturday morning, we drove from our Aunt and Uncle's house to the U-Haul store where we picked up our 5x8 trailer. My mom and brother, and sister met us at the apartment to finish the packing process. at first, the looming pile of boxes and furniture looked to big to fit in the trailer and truck bed, but Dad Furnell is an experienced mover and was able to fit almost everything in the trailer!

Two hours later the apartment was literally spotless and we were exhausted. A celebratory lunch at Subway ended our day of packing. The rest of the afternoon was filled with fun family time and nice relaxing showers. Mom and Dad drive out early Monday morning and we will meet up with them in a week!

I am very grateful for all of the help that we have received both physically, emotionally, and most of all, spiritually. More fun and excitement posted soon!

If Only, If Only

Oftentimes we wonder... If only we were skinnier, if only our hair looked how we wanted, if only I could express my emotions in a more positive way. My if only today refers to having everyting that I love, all the people that I love, and all the work that I love to do, at one time. And this time... If only the weekend could be longer!

Every once in a while a weekend comes around. Sometimes our weekends are worth remembering, other times, they are so short that we don't even have the time to remember it! That's how this last weekend was… Too Short.

I have tried to pack our belongings when there is time throughout the week and I am now down to only having to pack the things that we use every day. Friday night we were able to attend the mission reunion for the California Oakland mission with President and Sister Beck. We arrived around six o'clock to help set up. It was such a wonderful experience! I got to meet many of the friends Justin had while on his mission. We ate some delicious Strawberry Shortcake and even better mango salsa. The spirit was so strong and we were able to relieve some of the stress on President and Sister Beck. We got to video the stories that the returned missionaries told about their life after their missions so that the Becks could see how successful their missionaries are becoming. One RM was asked what practices from the mission field have helped him the most in his daily life. His answer proved to me that scripture study and daily prayer make life so much easier.

Saturday was busy… Justin went to work and right when we got home it was time to go to Ogden to wash our laundry and for a birthday party for Denise and Chelsea. It was fun to see everyone again! I will only get to see everyone together one more time before we move. It was hard for me when I sat down last night, after playing with Makaila and Alysa during the Sunday afternoon session of General Conference, when I sadly remembered that I will not get to see them as often as I have been. We haven't had the opportunity to visit them very often lately and I will miss not seeing them as often as I would like. Let's not forget Canyon… My baby brother, when he is born, will not get to see me very often and I struggle with that.

But I know that we are supposed to be in Missouri, so all of you that question that… Take my word for it! I have prayed and asked and weighed the options. I know that there is something in Missouri that the Lord knows will strengthen us and I know that if I trust in him, everything will be alright!

There is a lot of faith required for the next couple of months that we have ahead of us, but I look forward to it only bringing us together and making our relationship stronger.

 Love,
Justin & Mitzi

Introducing Suki!

About seven months ago, we adopted a beautiful, little, short-haired kitten from a family in West Jordan. We decided to name her Suki and she took to it well! Now she is nine months old and a long-haired, maned, ball of fire!

A little bit about Suki:

• She loves plants!
• When Suki was about four months old, I moved a plant down to get some sunlight. Before I knew it, she had taken all of the leaves off that poor defenseless plant! With a new plant in its place, she finds all sorts of ways to get to it.
• She loves to run!
• As you can tell by that look in her eyes, she is a trouble-maker (just like her dad!) Any chance she gets, she's running across a project or distributing homework from one wall to the other.
• She loves to jump!
• Suki hasn't quite learned how to jump onto the counter (thank goodness) but anytime she gets the chance she jumps from bed to couch to cat condo to bedside table.
• She has an attitude!
• When Suki knows what she wants, she lets you know it too (she learned that from me, can't decide if its good or bad)
• She loves to cuddle... Under the covers!
• Almost every night I find Suki cuddled up next to my side. She is the first cat I've had that likes to be under the covers.
• She plays fetch!
• Yes... Our cat knows how to fetch. She will fetch anything from Jolly Ranchers to Erasers. She taught herself and its one way she gets our attention.
• Last but not least... We think she's part raccoon and lion!
• Suki has a mane, and a very fluffy tail! She also has cute gray ear hairs that stick out further than her long whiskers.

We love Suki and we hope that you will too!

What I'll Miss about Utah

The past few weeks I have taken it upon myself to pay attention to all of my surroundings and realize how wonderful Heavenly Father has made this world for us. There are several things that I will miss about Utah and I've even come up with a few things that I will NOT miss.

NOT Miss:

• Dry Climate
• My hands, feet, legs, face, every part of me that gets smeared with lotion several times a day will not miss this cycle. The humidity in Missouri should keep my dry skin somewhat at bay. 
• Low Oxygen
• Not only will my lungs relax and start to breathe properly, my body will also start working a little more efficiently! I have asthma, and with our thin air it makes walking outside and especially exercising outside very difficult. 

WILL Miss:

• Family



Vernon, Utah Reservoir

• My side of the family is mostly here in Utah. We have some in Texas, Oklahoma, and Oregon as well. I won't be here in person, but in spirit the family parties are being attended!
• Mountains
• I love the mountains! There are so many opportunities in Utah to go hiking and mountain biking. It is even fun sometimes to go hunting (not the killing part though).
• Camp-outs
• I'll miss the family camp-outs and the fun four-wheeler rides with dirt-filled hair. 
• Desert
• Yes... I'll miss the desert. I love exploring and seeing all the cool artifacts left by the Indians and the Pony Express routes that Dad used to take us on.
• Temples in Close Proximity
• It is such a blessing for us to have temples wherever we are. I think sometimes we take it for granted how close we are to the Lord's House. In Missouri, we will be able to attend the temple once a month until the Kansas City Temple is completed. The closest temple is the St. Louis Temple. 

There are a lot of things to miss, but there is so much to learn and so many ways to grow through experiencing different atmospheres!

Budgeting

Justin and I have been working on sticking to a budget ever since we got married. However, when a Federal Pell Grant check comes in, sticking to a budget gets a little more difficult. Here is what our current budget is formatted like:

Income

Justin                  60%
Mitzi                   40%

Expenses
Rent                   30%
Groceries           12.5%
Utilities               1.8%
Dining Out          15.2%
Entertainment      8.5%
Savings               22%
Car Payment      10%

Pretty simple right? Not.

The hardest budget item to stick to is definitely dining out! Some days it is just so much quicker and easier to go to a fast food restaurant or run over to a sit down restaurant for a meal. Plus... Then there isn't anymore dishes for me to do!

This is the mentality that got us into our current situation. During February we went out almost every single night except Sundays. Yes that is 23 days of fast food, and restaurant meals. That explains the 3.5 lb weight gain I suffered!  In order to compromise for this horrific expenditure and lack of self-discipline, We have committed to spending all of our meals in March at home. Yes.... I will be cooking three meals a day for 31 days!

Wish me luck!

Click here for the LDS Church budget worksheet!

Family Fun

This weekend we had the opportunity to go to Logan with my mom, sister, and brother. My Mom, Justin and I attended a session in the Logan Utah Temple. Chelsea and Tanner were able to perform some baptisms. It was beautiful! Justin decided to change into some street clothes while still on temple property by pulling Chelsea's skirt over his head to change his shirt. He almost tried changing his pants that way too, but got too embarrassed!

After our visit to the temple we had lunch at Angie's restaurant. It was delicious! Back up the hill to the Aggie Creamery was our next stop. I have always been in love with the Aggie Blue Mint flavor! I got to satisfy my taste buds by getting both Aggie Blue Mint, and Aggie Bull Tracks. Aggie Bull Tracks was a perfect mixture of Carmel, chocolate, and peanut butter. Still love that Blue Mint!

Justin has never tried cheese curd, not that he can remember anyway, so our next and last stop in Logan was the Gossner Cheese Factory. We got to try flavored milk, different cheeses, and Justin got to try cheese curd. I think he likes it! He even got Jalapeno flavored cheese curd. That's my husband!

The snow stayed away but it was a bit wet with some rain. When we got to Ogden, we packed back up and headed to my Dad's house. I got to see my dad sing to Country Rock Band, and partially dance to Michael Jackson: The Experience. It was so fun! Makaila and Alysa loved it!

Saturday was very relaxing with the spirit of the Lord present with us at all times. After a short nights sleep, we all got ready to go to the family ward at 9 o'clock. Relief Society was wonderful! In Sunday School we received a call from my Dad letting us know that my step-mom was sick and needed to go to the doctor. We drove over to their house and got the girls ready for church. They went with Chelsea to my mom's ward and Justin gave Denise a blessing. Justin and I got back to Sacrament Meeting and we received another call. Denise's doctor wanted her admitted to the hospital and monitored to make sure the stress on the baby was still low.

We waited at the hospital with Courtni and Denise until my Dad was able to come. The girls had lunch with us and later we met up with Denise's family so that they could watch the girls. They think she just had a bout of the flu. As far as I know, everything is alright now!

Today, I get to lounge about and wait for Justin to get home so that we can do our homework for class on Wednesday! Overall, very nice weekend! Relaxing for the most part!

Stress & Update

The end of another long week of school, stress, work, stress, and other life dramas, is drawing near. This week Justin and I both had Wednesday off! We managed to get a lot accomplished between Quickbooks and Tax. We made money, we cancelled our Internet, and we even finished our tax homework. I had decided to take Wednesday off because I haven't seen that written on a calendar since our reception in Missouri. Yes, that was in July 2010!

Have you ever found that there are two main things that happen when you are around family.

1. The stress gets worse and arguments are common.
2. Relaxation comes easier because the imminent housework is no longer waiting for you to trip over it.

This weekend... Hopefully #2! The plan so far involves spending Saturday morning at the Logan temple. Followed by several visits to various shops and ice cream stores to satisfy our fanaticism, and then a relaxing afternoon with my siblings. Overall, the stress from this week should soon be evaporated. 

Justin is doing very well! At work they are starting up two new projects. Tuesday and Thursday Tune-up Events, and On-site Technician visits. As you can imagine, the car is gaining more mileage and Justin is gaining valuable experience for our very near future! He handles the stress well and still feels like settling down and watching a movie every now and then. 

I am getting almost too excited for our move back to Missouri! The fresh air and starry night skies create wonderful daydreams that I resent waking up from. Of course we'll miss our friends and family, but we are starting our life on our own and its exciting! 

Changes are FUN!

In April, Justin and I will graduate from LDS Business College each with an Associate's Degree in Accounting and a Certificate of Accounting.

Yes... The rumors are true. We are moving to Missouri that following week (the week after graduation). Justin and I are getting assistance from Mom and Dad Furnell when they come out to our graduation ceremony. We (Justin and I) will be staying until Easter Sunday and we WILL attend one night of the Stringham/Pritchett reunion. Excited to use those new sleeping bags Dad!

After a quick shower and packing Suki in the car, we will be on our way. A straigh-through drive to the land of our desire!

Many circumstances and events were taken into consideration for this decision. One of the major decision-making events happens to be that my time as a student-employee at LDS Business College is up after graduation. I will no longer be a student so my position goes to someone else. Finding an employer willing to hire someone knowing that they were moving shortly after they start seems pretty impossible to me.

Justin and I have made the decision that is best for us and as a married couple, that needs to be our main focus. Plus... I ABSOLUTELY love Missouri! I'm excited to be back in a "small" town atmosphere, and to meet lots of amazing people!

See you there when the time comes! Don't worry... We'll keep in contact.

The Church is TRUE!

Christmas Shopping!

For all those who hate spending money, PAY ATTENTION!!
And...If you like spending money, read anyways, you will enjoy it!

This Christmas is our first Christmas as a married couple (and our first together). As we were contemplating who we needed to buy Christmas gifts for, we were surprised! There are so many people to buy for when you marry someone and they have a pretty good sized family. There are parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles and the whole shebang!

I have never been one to go "Black Friday" shopping and with our newlywed budget, I still wasn't planning on going. However, as this dreadful day approached, I knew that we would need to buy things now because now is the time when things are cheap. So... Justin went to work at 4:30 AM for Staples "Black Friday" and I slept. But it seemed that all I could dream about were the family members I needed to buy for and every two minutes in my dream I was running a card through a card reader at a store and the dollars kept adding up. I knew that if I didn't take care of this problem ASAP this dream would just keep reappearing!

Justin came home at about 1:00 PM. And like a good wife should, I let him sleep while I worked on a few homemade Christmas presents for the siblings and nieces and nephews. 4:30 rolls around and its time to wake up my dead husband. With the goal of finishing all of the Christmas shopping on "Black Friday" we went to WAL-MART!

With a limited budget for each family member, we ended up walking up and down the aisles searching for things within our limit. If any of you have bought for teenagers, you know how hard it is to shop for them. A thought came to my mind as we were strolling the aisles. As little children, we are easy to please. A couple baby dolls, or hot wheels cars to the trick. As we get older, the list gets longer and more expensive. Occasionally you get a teenager who has no idea what they want (me) and it gets harder and harder to buy for them. This is where gift cards come in handy!

Cards are great, especially when the cost of postage is so high these days. The hardest thing for me was looking in the cart and mentally adding up how much money we were spending. I don't think I have ever spent that much money on anyone for Christmas my whole life! When we got to the cash register, I knew a chocolate fix was in order and an ice cream binge was to follow. All I could think about was how that money should be put in savings for use on future children, car repairs, and a home down payment (these are our current goals!)

But then I remembered... The joy on children's faces when they open a gift that they love, the warm feeling of accomplishment when a child carts a simple homemade gift around and you know that you made it and they love it.

Getting creative with Christmas presents, or just presents in general, so it was a struggle for me. It is important to remember the true spirit of Christmas is in the giving!

Happy Holidays everyone!

Sincerely,

Mitzi Kay Furnell

Day Two-The End...

Day Two...

After a quiet night alone in my big bed, it was time to wake up to the sounds of a family getting ready for the day. Dad Furnell leaves for work around 7:30 or 8:00AM every morning. Since I have been living alone in my room at the Plaza Hotel for a while, the sounds of a family in the morning were quite comforting. I miss this!!

Getting ready for the day only took a few moments and we headed off. This was my day to see Sedalia. Justin was my gorgeous tour guide!! We drove through the green winding back roads, and then on the Highway to the beautiful Bothwell Lodge/Mansion.

The Bothwell Lodge/Mansion (http://www.mostateparks.com/bothwell.htm), has an amazing view of the basin out front. There is a short hike, about 1/2 mile down the face of the hill. The green of Missouri still managed to amaze me! There were cute, little, purple flowers on the trail and Justin... Being the sweetheart that he is... Picked one for me and very gently put it in my hair. After our little hike, We walked up to the front of the Mansion. It is very well maintained and the flowers were a beautiful array of fragrance and color.

After leaving Bothwell Lodge, it was time to go to LTL! LTL is the company that Dad Furnell owns and operates. They sell metal roofing and siding to whoever wants it. I got a tour of the warehouse, work office, and work place. It was cool to see the inner workings of the job!

LTL was wonderful... But not as exciting as our next adventure to Wheel's Inn!! Wheel's Inn is a quaint diner just off the main road in Sedalia. The main attraction at Wheel's Inn is it's famous Goober Burger. What's a Goober Burger you may ask?? A Goober Burger is a hamburger with lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, and melted peanut butter all in a sesame seed bun.  At first I was fearful. This combination sounded like a tummy ache wrapped in one meal... But then I tried it. I immediately fell in love with the flavors and the scent of this wonderful burger!! Thank you Justin for introducing me to so many wonderful things!!

After a long day on tour of Missouri, we headed back home. Justin was in the mood for some of Mom's cookies. We ran to Bing's (the local grocery store), and bought a package of M&M's and then headed back to make some cookies! Justin was in charge of everything for this part of the cooking, I decided to see how he handled a recipe. They turned out wonderful!

With the day almost over, we headed to bed!

Day Three and On...

We had a wonderful party for Salihah, Justin's three-year-old niece. The rest of the days were filled with family, friends, and ward members. Oh... And the Dentist!! 

In conclusion, I fell in love with Missouri and my soon to be new family. I can't wait until we are married, and ready to move back! Of course I'll miss Utah, the Mountains, the Family, and my childhood memories, but this is my chance to live with my husband and create new lasting memories with him.

Thanks for reading!

Kansas City International Airport (MCI)

Day One Cont...

We arrived at at the Kansas City International Airport around 1:35PM. Feelings of anxiety were starting to take over when I realized that I was meeting the PARENTS! Looking around with nervous eyes we finally spotted them. Barely able to reach over the security guard wall at the outside of the terminal, Mom and Dad waved us down. Justin and I made it to the exit right when my bladder decided it couldn't handle anymore. Without even saying "hi", I ran right past them to the bathroom! What an impression that probably made!

After a quick trip to the "pot", I was greeted with warm smiles and bear hugs as I was introduced to my future family! They are so nice and loving. The spirit of the Lord is felt anytime they are around. It is amazing!  After the airport, we went to eat at Fazoli's in Independence. It was delicious! Our first sit down meal as potential family. Did I mention all of the green?? Everywhere you looked, there was green grass, green trees, rocks with green moss, it was gorgeous!! The moist air did wonders for my skin after just a few minutes. At lunch, we were able to kind of interview each other and get to know everyone better. Mom and Dad are very fun people! I am so grateful to have them in my life!

Once lunch was over, we went to the biggest mall I have ever seen. It was amazing!! There was even a carousel in the center of it!! Pretty crazy!  Next stop... Men's Warehouse. Justin needed a new suit and this was the perfect chance for us to get one. After trying on several suits, we finally found one that fit perfectly! It looked so good on Justin that I could cry! JK... He always looks good to me.

Finally, the hour long car ride to Sedalia loomed near. We loaded the car and off we went. Mom, Dad, Justin, and I road in a peaceful atmosphere of love and understanding from Independence, MO to Sedalia.

Our first stop in Sedalia was Katy Park. Here I met Shannon, Justin's sister, and her three beautiful children! They are all so full of energy that it was hard to keep up!

Overall, My first day in Missouri with the man that I love was the best day this year! (not counting the day that the hellmester ended)!! The night came to a close with me in a wonderful room and a comfy new bed. Justin slept downstairs on a futon mattress that he had laid out on the floor. Jet-lagged and ready for bed, I laid my head on the pillow to dream of the green wonderland awaiting me outside! (and the sounds of the frogs outside was quite beautiful!)

Tune in next week for Day Two.

Missouri Love

On April 19, 2010 we were set to leave the Salt Lake International Airport at 10:05AM. Around 6:30AM Justin picked me up from my dorm and we went to McDonald's to get breakfast. So far... Everything was going great! Justin was so excited that I was finally able to come to his home and meet the family! I was so excited that it was hard for me to contain all the feelings I had for this upcoming adventure.

7:30AM We started looking for Nick. Nick was our ride to the airport. He arrived around 8:00AM, the time we were supposed to be at the airport. That is when the real adventure began! Nick was under the impression that getting on East I-80 would get us to the airport, but after following this route for about ten minutes, he finally heeded Justin's advice and started going West. Fifteen minutes of very eventful driving and we finally arrived.

8:25AM Nick let us out of the car. At the Salt Lake Airport they have what is called the "curbside check-in". We had our boarding passes printed off and also our receipt of payment for our bag. (we packed one bag to minimize space) as the porter was checking everything he asked for ID. I quickly pulled mine out and handed it to him! Then it was Justin's turn. Guess who left his ID back home in Frogger (Justin's Green Ford Focus)!! Yep, it was Justin! Several unanswered phone calls to Nick, and then finally we called Daren. Daren is Justin's uncle who lives in Utah. He was able to quickly hop in a car and run down to the airport to pick Justin up. By this time, Justin was freaking out about possibly missing the flight, but he did a really good job of not showing it!

9:15AM Justin and Darin arrive back at the airport. As soon as Justin hopped out of the car, he was able to finish the check-in process and we went inside the airport. Just for the record... Airport security is a pain in the patootie!! The lines are so long and it's annoying! We made it through just fine with barely any bumps and scrapes along the way. The gate was pretty easy to find. We ended this leg of our journey at Gate C10.

Don't forget to check up soon to see more!