Our Newest Addition

We have added a new member to our household. Last week Dusty was searching around online and came across these absolutely adorable toy Australian Shepperd puppies. We really liked them, but not their price tag so we did a litte more searching and came across these absolutely adorable full-blood Corgi puppies. (OK, every puppy is "absolutely adorable")

This is the litter we got our puppy from.
(More pictures to come later when my camera decides to work.)

We decided we wanted a female. Her name is Libby. Libby is a very well-mannered puppy, she doesn't bark and she isn't hyper....she is playful. She also loves to take naps and surprisingly enough, she has left our shoes alone. I have been able to take her to work while we are working on potty training. Libby is making progress. She hasn't peed in our room since Tuesday and she is getting used to being let out every few hours. That doesn't mean she has completely stopped having accidents. In fact, as I blog my kitchen rugs are in the washer because they were overdue for a wash and she had peed on one of them right before I picked them up to take them to the laundry room. She is now in her kennel so I can get my kitchem picked up. When I am done, she will be let out and taken straight outside to take care of business.

On a lighter note, this morning when I took her out, we ventured to the backyard so she could do her thing. She wanted to do a little more exploring so I let her, however, her adventure was cut short when the big Golden Retriever barked at her. She ran as fast as she could with her little legs and couldn't wait for me to open the front door. It was really cute, but at the same time I felt kind of bad for her.

Libby and I have been spending a lot of time together and I am picking up on her signals. For example, this morning she ran straight for the door and I knew she needed to go out. At this rate, she will be potty trained in a matter of weeks. We love having Libby around. She is a lot of fun. Brayden and Hailey love her along with the rest of our family members. She is a great fit for us, as well as an excellent addition.

Just a Little Catch-Up

Since the last time I posted, Dusty and I have closed on our house, moved all of our things from the apartment to our house, given thanks with our families painted our bedroom and the master bathroom, installed a washer and dryer, helped my dad work heifers, and traveled to Valley City, ND for the North Star Classic.

WOW!!!

I feel like a hamster on a wheel. The busy cycle of life feels like it is never going to slow down, but we aren't letting that stop us. We have managed to settle in out our house and are now turning it in our home (pictures to come in a later blog) and had a wonderful Thanksgiving with both of our families. My dad and I also spent this past weekend in Valley City for the North Star Classic. After the last couple of weeks, I must say I will be happy when things slow down a little bit, but not before I have a fantastic weekend with my very classy college friends. (pictures to come).

As for the house, we love it. It is so quiet and private. We don't hear slamming doors or other people. It is so nice to have something that is actually our own. I am hoping to have the bathroom finished by Wednesday night and I hope to have things hanging on the walls by the end of the week. Every night I come home from work and I am so thankful for our home!! Dusty and I can't wait to make a ton of memories in this house!! Who knew being a homeowner could be so much fun?!?!

It's Almost Closing Time!!

Wednesday is almost here!! We can hardly wait to close on the house. We already have plans to have our vehicles fully loaded so we can move a bunch of stuff into the house right away. Dusty and I still can't believe we are buying a house. I know to some of you this seems odd, but with the oil boom and the housing crunch, finding an affordable house in Dickinson is like finding a hidden treasure. People wonder what the secret is and why there aren't more hidden treausres.

The apartment living room has been taken over by a lot of packed boxes, but soon those boxes will be empty and all of our stuff will have a new place in our new home. I'm also very excited to have a garage. I won't have to scrape my windshield anymore and I won't have to run downstairs every morning to start my car...I will just have to walk out to the garage!! Of course, we will probably have to shovel our drive way, but that's part of the fun of owning a house. Hopefully, we remember to pick up a shovel at the hardware store when we stop for paint!!

Hereford Steers for Sale!!

If any of you know any 4-Hers looking for a Hereford steer to show next summer, we have two we are selling at the North Star Classic in Valley City, ND on Dec. 4th, 2010. We will also have a heifer in the sale. They can contact my dad, Gary, at 701-824-2300 if they would like more information.

***House Update***

WE ARE CLOSING ON OUR HOUSE NEXT WEDNESDAY, THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING!!!

If you can't tell we are excited. I received a call yesterday while I was on my lunch break. It was the bank to tell us the appraisal had been completed and we could proceed with closing. I immediately called Dusty. I then called the realtor to see when the current owners could be out of the house and from there we decided to an appointment next Wednesday afternoon to close.

Needless to say, we are in a frenzy to pack and I would much rather unpack than pack. Dusty has already done a little packing, but we have a lot of work ahead of us. I have brought boxes home from work so you can't say I haven't contributed. I just haven't helped as much as I could be.

I also went a picked out paint colors this afternoon. I still need Dusty's approval, but I'm not too worried. My mom is going to help us get our bedroom and the master bathroom painted as soon as we are done closing. That means the after Thanksgiving dinner we will not be watching football and I will not be taking my nap. I guess I can skip a year to get our house painted.

Dusty and I both continue to look for furniture since all we have is a love seat. I may have also found us a washer and dryer. I am so excited to finally not have to pay for my laundry and to not have to wait for a stranger to get their clothes out of the washer/dryer so I can use it.

The next couple of weeks are going to be a very exciting time for us, but could also push a few of the wrong buttons if we aren't careful. Either way, it is going to be an adventure that is going to make our two lives continue on one path. We can't wait to move and we can't wait to have our friends and family members visit us. I best get back to packing!!

We're Moving.....Hopefully!!

Dusty & I are going to be moving!!! We are so excited to finally have found a house and to leaving the little 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom apartment behind. Now, I know I am super excited, but I also put hopefully in there because God only knows what could/will happen between now and closing. However, our offer has been accepted and we have gone through and signed a lot of paper work.

Our house is in Dickinson and has 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. It will be perfect for us!! The kitchen is absolutely beautiful and from the basement we can walk out to a covered patio. We will also be able to get a dog.

We plan to paint the master bedroom and do a little painting in the master bathroom to add a little color. I'm so excited to be moving!!! We just can't wait to have a house of our own!! Enjoy the pictures!!!!

The backyard.

The patio. I hope to do a lot of entertaining next summer.

One of the basement bedrooms. We will eventually take out the carpet and do some painting.

I don't believe the kid comes w/ the house...but he is pretty cute!!

Master bathroom

Master Bedroom

The beautiful kitchen!!

We will finally be able to unpack all of our wedding gifts.

A Month's Worth of Pictures

Remember I had said I would include pictures of our recent adventures in a previous blog!! Well, you are in luck because you are about to see a lot of pictures of what we have been up to in the last month or so!!

Let's start back in August, when I traveled w/ my friend Lacey Maier to Gibbs Angus Ranch to visit, now happily married, Megan (Gibbs) Kubesh. We made it out for her bachorlette party and had so much fun. We saw Jason Michael Carol in concert at the Dawson County Fair and got to see Megan's family's beautiful ranch along the might Yellowstone River. It was such a pretty sight!!

Along with a weekend trip to Glendive, MT, we also got to help Brayden celebrate his 4th birthday. It's hard to believe Brayden is already 4. He is getting so big and wants to do everything his dad, grandpa, and uncles do. Brayden got a bike from his mom and dad and absolutely loved the orange Carhartt shirt Uncle Dusty and I gave him. His mom made him a delicious John Deere cake and, of course, everyone, even Hailey, loved the cake!! He is definately a lot of fun to be around and has such a little personality!!

Over Labor Day weekend, Dusty and I piled into my mom and dad's minivan with the rest of the family and headed to the twin cities to take in the MN State Fair and a Twins game. All of us were amazed at the amount of people at the MN State Fair and got to catch up with our good friends, Matt Hawkins and Heidi Allen. Congrats to you both on your recent engagement!! We can't wait for the wedding. The Twins won and Target Field is absolutely beautiful!! We hope we can make it to a game next summer.

On September 25, 2010, Dusty and I attended the Gibbs-Kubesh wedding in Glendive, MT. We were able to catch up with our friends Lynsey Frey and her boyfriend Emett and Lindsay Waugh and her fiance Shane. We had a lot of fun, the wedding was gorgeous, and Megan was stunning. Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Kubesh!!

Our last adventures in our month (or longer), was the Steckler-Kline wedding in Mandan, ND. Emily is a friend of mine from college. We were on the NDSU Meats Judging Team together and also worked in the NDSU Meats Lab together. Dusty and I had fun catching up with friends we hadn't seen since our wedding. I was so excited to see my very, very good friend Mary Berg and hear all about her grad school experiences in Madison, WI. I can't wait to go visit her later in November!! Madison is not going to realize what hit them until it's too late!!

I guess they say it's better late than never so I hope you have enoyed a month's worth of pictures. A lot of memories were made and a lot of time was spent in the company of good friends and family!!

Our Lives....Lately

I know if has been awhile, but Dusty and I are still alive and loving married life. Life has been pretty busy. I have taken on a new business challenge. I have started a Mary Kay business. I am a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant and have absolutely loved every minute of it. I have had a lot of fun and I love the products. If you are interested in ordering anything or hosting a party, please let me know.

Dusty has been busy with work and is pursuing the big buck. He hasn't been able to do a lot of bow hunting, but hopefully he will be able to get the big one. We have also made a few trips to each of our parents' farms to help with fence fixing, silaging, and weaning.

We have been fortunate to spend a few weekends having fun with our friends and families. We went to Glendive on September 25 for the Gibbs-Kubesh wedding and way back in August we celebrated Brayden's 4th birthday. I will be giving what you might call an end of summer update, complete with pictures. This weekend we will go to Bismarck for the Steckler-Kline wedding where I can't wait to catch up with some of my old judging teammates.

Sorry the blogs have been few and far between, but hang in there because there is more to come!! I promise to end the hold out soon!!

Let's Do This More Often

Today, I got a lovely surprise while I was at work. Dusty called and left a voicemail for me at work. He said he was coming to Dickinson to pick up some equipment for work and was wondering if I wanted to go to lunch with him. Of course, I was delighted!! I love any chance we get to spend a little extra time together during our busy days. We were able to meet for a quick lunch at a little diner near my work place and where Dusty was picking up equipment.

Little things like this just make my day. We were both in good moods the rest of the day. I was so surprised when he called me and said he wanted to meet me for lunch. It was great to see him during the day instead of at the end of the day when we are both tired from working all day. I definately hope Dusty and I are able to meet for more quick lunches in the futures. I guess it's the little things that really do count!!

Wedding Pictures by Diamond Photography

Here are some of our wedding pictures by Diamond Photography out of Bismarck, ND. We hope you enoy them as much as we do!!

Summer Favorites

Last week Dusty and I were visiting my grandma and grandpa Friedt after we both got done with work and we while we were there, we were reminded of why summer can be so awesome. I have mowed their lawn throughout the summer and on this particular evening she decided to make Dusty and I supper. My grandma is an amazing cook (let's be real...whose grandma isn't an amazing cook?) so we always know we will be in for a real treat. On this particular evening Grandma decided to use many of her fresh garden vegetables. We had fresh potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, zucchini, peppers, green beans, and plums. Dusty and I were so full by the time we left and we even got to take a bunch of stuff home with us.

I absolutely love vegetables...especially vegetables from the garden. There is nothing that compares to their home grown goodness. Dusty and I can't wait to have our own yard and garden. I love planting flowers and having fresh garden vegetables. However, until we have our own garden we will continue to get vegetables and other garden favorites from my grandma and my mom. I also hope you all get a chance to enjoy fresh garden vegetables!!!

Amber Waves

These pictures were taken on August 7, 2010 as I was going out to my parents' house. The ready-to-harvest wheat looked so beautiful, especially with the blue sky. I couldn't help, but snap a couple of pictures before I started registering our 2010 calf crop. I hope you all enjoy the gorgeous amber waves!!





P.S. Be on the look out for wedding pictures from Diamond Photography, the professional photographer who shot the wedding. They should arrive tomorrow morning!! I'm so excited to see them!!!

Our New Car

About a month ago I had been advised not to drive my 1997 Ford Taurus out of town because the air conditioner unit had the potential to fall apart. The day before I left for state fair my dad got a call from the mechanic at the body shop and said there might be more wrong with my lovely dark green Taurus than he originally thought and he wouldn't know what was wrong with until they started taking it apart. To top it off, the brakes in the back were shot. After finding out how much it was going to cost (approx. $1500) to fix the Taurus, Dusty told me to go down to the one of the local dealerships and pick out something different. The dealership, Dan Porter Motors, was having their annual push, pull, or drag sale and we were guaranteed $2000 on our trade. I didn't have to push, pull, or drag the Taurus in, but it fit the sale criteria perfect. In addition, my family has bought cars from Dan Porter Motors several times and has always been satisfied.

I drove a 2004 Honda Accord first and absolutely fell in love. It was quiet, smooth, and efficient. However, Dusty thought we should keep looking. After test driving a couple of more cars the salesman thought we should drive a 2010 Toyota Camry that was in the lot. Dusty and I figured it was too good to be true. Nevertheless, we walked out of the dealership on Thursday evening with a brand new 2010 Toyota Camry. Our salesman was excellent and got us a really, really good deal. Needless to say we were/still are very excited about our new vehicle. We plan to drive this car forever. All I can say is....I absolutely love my Camry!!


(This isn't mine and Dusty's Camry, but ours is this color)

ND State Fair

July 23 through July 29 were spent at the ND State Fair. Dusty wasn't able to come with, but that didn't stop me from going. Aaron and I ventured to Minot with our two heifers to spend 7 days at the state fair. The heifers we took were the same heifers we took the Williston. Despite getting rained on while we washed our heifers, we got everything set up and our tent pitched just in time to hit up the Brooks & Dunn concert. My good friends, Lindsay and Lynsey, and I went to the concert together. It was so nice to catch up and have a good time. We definately enjoyed ourselves. Lynsey and I also went to Eric Church and The Band Perry. We didn't have quite as much due to the terrible heat, intense humidity, and lack of sleep.





We had 3 shows throughout the week. My parents were able to come up for the open show on Sunday after going to a wedding in Riverdale the night before. It was nice to have them there. They didn't even have to help Aaron and I. I think this is one of the first times they have gotten to sit in the stands instead of hanging out in the staging area while we show. The show week started a little rough, but on Thursday Aaron got Grand Champion Hereford Heifer in the 4-H show. Great job Aaron!! Definately a good way to end your 4-H career.





Dusty's family was also up at the state fair so I was able to hang out with them for a few days. They showed dairy so they came on Tuesday and left on Saturday. Brayden and Hailey definately had fun.





On Friday Dusty and I went to a luncheon with his family for his mom who had been nominated for Country Woman of the Year. Afterwards we went to the fair. Dusty and I walked through the commercial buildings and the modular homes. By the time we got back to Dickinson we were both exhausted, but managed to muster up enough energy to go out with a few of the guys Dusty works with.



After all the excitement of the past week, it has been really nice to be back home. Dusty and I enjoyed a lazy Saturday. It's amazing how much you appreciate being lazy after a long and tiring week!!

Candid Wedding Pictures

Here are just some of my favorite candid wedding pictures that were taken by my good friend Lynsey. Enjoy!!!