Halloween

Well, it is Halloween! Woohoo! But I am afraid that I am not doing anything very exciting this Halloween. .Mainly, because Zac has a big midterm tomorrow. Midterms = Katelyn surfing the web and Zac studying like crazy. It is a strange but awesome feeling knowing that I do NOT have any tests or homework. We dressed up on Friday for a Halloween party, but I forgot to take a picture. We were contestants from the Price is Right. Hehe....

So what have I been up to the last little while you might ask. Well, I am slowly but surely getting furniture. I got a great dining room table off Craigslist. I still need chairs though, but I know I will be able to score some good ones if I keep looking. I also have been trying my hand and DIY.

I scored this little TV Tray for FREE at a yard sale. It is really easy to see why it was free. But, I took a piece of sand paper to it and some paint. I think it turned out pretty good! Now I have a nightstand!

Last week, I got an email about a Stake Christmas Music Concert. They were looking for singers and some people to play in the Orchestra. So, I jumped all over the orchestra part. After I agreed to play, they told me that it isn't really an orchestra it is more like three violins and a few other instruments. Yikes! I guess I better get practicing!

This is my beautiful makeshift practice station. We don't use the TV because we don't have cable and our DVD player is in storage. It makes a pretty nice music stand though. :) I have been playing the violin over 13 years! I can't believe it has been that long. Thanks to Kelly, I started orchestra as a little 4th grader. There is no way I would have done it, if she wasn't so in love with it. So, Thanks Kelly!


Living in California in the fall is weird. My body keeps telling me that since it is almost November that it should be getting cold outside, maybe even an early snowstorm is on the way. But then I walk outside and....BAM.....it is still warm and I can wear shorts and flip flops. I love it! But it is rather strange.

Oh and to make everyone out there jealous....this is approx. a 10 minute drive from my apartment. :)


I officially started at Forever 21 last week. It isn't that bad. I actually kind of like it. They keep me super busy so it goes by super fast. I am in love with my internship though. Right now I am working on a super fun project on getting families to be healthy together. It is great. I am so so so hoping that I will get hired on by the end of my internship. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

All Moved In...Sort Of

We did it! The long wait is over and we are finally moved in to our new place. Sort of....Since we have been moving all over the place the last 6 months, Zac and I sold or gave away every last piece of furniture we ever owned. So now we are in the process of getting furniture and since Zac is in school and I only have a part-time minimum wage job, we are trying to do it as cheaply as possible. Which I might add, is really fun. :) It is like a giant scavenger hunt between Craigslist, garage sales, and Goodwill. When we first moved in the only furniture to our name was an air mattress. But, boy am I glad that we at least had that and didn't have to sleep on the floor.
I think the greatest part of starting over new, is that I get to choose each piece that comes into this apartment and I get to give it my own personality.
This past week, I was walking past the dumpster and saw this really sad looking filing cabinet. It had some super nasty sticky stuff on it, like "someone's dinner exploded on it" nasty. Well, I felt sorry for it so I grabbed it. And I think it turned out pretty good if I do say so myself. The before picture is actually after I had gotten most of the gross stuff off.

Before we moved in, I would just hang out with Zac on campus because I really had no where to go. So during this time I made a Halloween tree. (Thanks to Kristin for the the idea) Growing up, Mom had the coolest Halloween tree. It was seriously my favorite Halloween decoration and I loved getting to put it up every year. This tree signals the beginning of the holiday season for me. Which as everyone knows is the best  time of the year. Seriously, just ask my friends in Imaging back at BYU, they will tell you how excited I get about the holiday season. When I first put it up I realized I didn't have a table or anything to set it on so it hangs out on the kitchen counter. I love it! It is my favorite thing in this apartment! 

                                  

When it comes to unpacking, I am really not a fan. It is so nice to have an extra room in our place. I just throw everything in there and shut the door and no one knows that there is a huge mess in there and the rest of the apartment looks nice, neat, and clean. :) 

As far as everything else goes....I did get a job. I am working at the mall at Forever 21. At least it isn't McDonalds. I am very grateful to finally get a job, but it does stink knowing that when I first started in my major one of the reasons I chose it was because it had a growing market and the job opportunities looked promising. They just never bothered to tell me that in order to get those jobs you have to have at least three years of experience. So now I have a college degree and I am working at the mall. But I am trying not to complain too much. I am so glad I have a job. I know that there are millions of other people out there that don't have work at all and have families that are counting on them. Zac and I have been very blessed. I am also so glad that Zac is smart so soon most of his schooling will be paid for. Speaking of Zac, he will most likely be graduated by next December! Woohoo!

Also, California isn't quite so scary anymore. Sure, the drivers are crazy, but overall, I think it is pretty great.

Count Down

Only 3 days left of Zac and I's pilgrimage...On Friday we finally get to move into our own place! I think in the last week I have had four different dreams about moving into our apartment. I think it is safe to say that I am just a little bit excited about it. Also, I have had a lot of time on my hands to browse Pinterest......hence I have a ton of ideas floating around in my head for how I what to decorate my own space. Call me a crafty/DIY nerd, but I love this kind of stuff. I cannot wait to go hit up thrift stores, garage sales and Craigslist for used furniture then to turn into my own. Below are just some ideas that I like. I like parts of each one....and hopefully I will be able to turn all these ideas into a home with my own style shining through.

We have been so blessed to have such great friends and family that have let us stay with them and eat their food over the last month. I am so incredibly grateful and maybe someday I will be able to return the favor.