"Get the most out of your college career." A tutorial.

July 23, 2009
Melanie Christensen {soon to be Radford} graduates BYU-I
December 14th, 2012
Steven Daniel Radford graduates BYU-I

I'm here to tell you how to maximize you're experience at college.
As the wife:

1. Start school the very moment you graduate High School (summer 2003).
2. Randomly take 3 credits for 2 semesters so that you can keep putting off growing up.
3. Live at college year round
4. Take 5 years to get a Bachelors 
5. This final one is the KEY! You must (MUST) find your future husband your VERY LAST semester. And not only that, it must be his VERY FIRST semester. See how this works? 

As the husband: 

1. Meet your future wife her last semester. Instant Sugar Mama!
2. Switch major 5 times.
3. Take 18 credits worth of classes that don't contribute to graduation. 
4. Avoid fast grad like you would avoid botulism.
5. Have a baby during finals week.

After a total of 9 years at BYU-Idaho, we know how it's done.

Here are a only 2 pictures of my handsome hubby on his graduation day! He forgot his camera so my phone will do until his dad emails us the other pics!
We are so sad to be done with BYU-I. Like really sad. I'm not so sure that we can handle this grown-up-real-life stuff.

 

These next 2 pics are of sick store rose. She woke up with some AWESOME bed hair! She also laid on that big pillow with her babies for 2 days watching Christmas movies. It was so sad but so fun to cuddle with her.

 

Next 2 pictures are completely random and completely cute!

 

Dan also graduated from orthodontics this week! After only 14 months! I had the privilege of taking them off. And I'm glad I won't find random elastics throughout our house! YAY!

Congrats on all your achievements SDR! Love you!
P.S we finished Harry Potter and Dan has a job interview on tuesday!!!!

Interview with A.R.R.

A few questions I have been meaning to ask my 16 month old.

Mom-Well hello sweet Stori Rose. First question- What's your favorite food?

Astoria- Tomatoes. Just slice them up and I'll the whole thing.
M-Hmm... that's disgusting. Anyway, What's your favorite movie?
A- That's an easy one Mom, it's Tangled. Give me a harder question.
M-Ok, what's 7x9?
A-Uhhhhh
M-That's what I thought. So do you have a favorite picture?
A- Now that is a hard question. I can't decide. I LOVE pictures of Jesus but I also love pictures of Temples too. I point them out right when I walk into nursery.
M- Awe, that's very sweet. So what is your favorite part of this holiday season?

A-The Christmas trees and ALL the Christmas lights inside and outside. I have to point each one out and say "WOW." You guys think it's adorable.

M-It's true, we take you to see the lights every night cause it's so cute! What's something you're ashamed of?
A-I wave to inanimate objects. I do. I even say 'hi,' bye,' and 'nigh nigh' to them.
M-That IS a little weird Stori, but you're forgiven. Sooo, do you have any secrets?
A-I secretly wish I was on 'So You Think You Can Dance." I have some sweet moves! and I have a crush on Maximus.
M-You're secret is safe with me. Are there any animals that you are afraid of? Bears or Lions or anything?
A-COWS! ONLY COWS!
M-Oh yes, they can be very terrifying! On a happier note, what's your favorite toy?
A-Anything I can push. In nursery they let me push a baby stroller around the whole time! I think I'll ask Santa Claus for one!!!
M-Well I hope you have been a good girl then! Is there anything you have done to make it to the 'Naughty List?"
A-I'm not very good at sharing yet, I tore all the pages out of G-ma's book, I poop in the tub, I scream, I always want to go outside even if you say 'no,' and roll everywhere when you change my diaper.
M-sheesh, that's a pretty long list! Anything worthy of the "Nice List?"
A-oh yes yes yes! I say my prayers; before I eat, before I go to sleep, and anytime I get bored. I say please when I want something, I know all my animal sounds, I wrap up my baby and take care of her, I let you take me running in the freezing morning, I sleep 12 hours at night, I take 2 long naps, I give kisses, I read my books, I sit in the cart while shopping, I clean up my toys when you ask me to, and I don't touch the Christmas Tree!
Mom-WOW Stori, you are such an amazing daughter! I definitely think you'll make it on the "Nice List" this year! And thanks for taking time to answer these questions. You're a real gem!
Astoria-you're most welcome mother! Now let me play with the computer!!!!

crap!

Well, I have neglected this blog because my family has started a blog that we update every Sunday. It's much easier to do that one for some reason.... but let me catch up here just a wee bit.

The day before Halloween our ward had a party and we all had a lot of fun! I seriously have such a fun ward, and any time we get together with them is guaranteed to be a party! We played minute to win it games. I had to get 4 oreos in my mouth from my forehead without using my hands. I took 2nd.
Dan entered a pie eating contest and also took 2nd. (he was just glad to get pie).
Astoria was the Statue of Liberty, I was a NY tourist taking pictures of the Statue of Liberty, and Dan was a NY yankee fan who also took pictures of Lady Liberty. pretty fitting I think. :)

The actual day of Halloween, I went to work dressed up like Robin. Dan went to school, and Stori Rose got to hang out with grandma and play in the leaves. We went to dinner with the Thompsons and then watched Ghostbusters with popcorn. I fell asleep for how lame that movie was!

The Saturday after Halloween, the 3 of us ran a 10k in Logan. It was a lot of fun to run with Meg and Daph also! The best part of the day was Hobby Lobby, crafting, eating yummy food at Megs, and hanging out with my fun family. I win the award for best family!
Phew, kinda caught up now...

Classic Stori kiss-WIDE OPEN

craft after the 10k

The "Dan's" on our, almost daily, walks

I curled Stori's hair for church to try to hide her black eye.

Dan's baaaack!!!!!

Dan is finally back from his 5 day Travel Studies trip!! It actually went by fast because I worked, hung out at my Mom's house, and played with the Thompsons! (Stori is kind of obsessed with baby Max and Haily! don't move to AZ yet!) Dan enjoyed being outside camping, hiking, and taking pictures! He was definitely glad to be home though! Stori and I were both very excited to have Dan come home on Saturday! Stori wanted him to hold her and gave him lots of kisses!
We're getting excited for "The First Dam Run" in 2 weeks in Utah! Mostly excited for family time, christmas music, crafts, treats, Hobby Lobby, and possibly a Le Beaus shake!

Last Monday for FHE we carved pumpkins and laughed lots! (missed the Hendy's for sure!!!) The girls did most of the work carving and watching the babes while the boys joked and ate!
We, of course, carved a moose and a Christmas Tree! This is probably the most fun stage for a kid! I could seriously laugh and play with Astoria all day long! Her laugh and personality are so entertaining! She is still taking 2 really good naps, and that is when I clean and cook! And read Harry Potter!!
We go to the park on warm days, and go to Wal-mart on the cold days! We are kind of limited with activities when it's cold haha!

Best news of all-possibly only 4 days of work left!?! whoop whoop!!
All day with this girl? Heck yes please!
Right now she is 15 months and is obsessed with all animals and can say what a lot of them say; donkey, doggie, kitty, lion, bear, snake, cow, and chicken! She loves to go see the Temple and can say Jesus when she see's any picture of him. She went to her first day of nursery (only 1 hour of it) today and loved it! She loves little chairs, babies, outside, snacks, loves to wear jambes like a cape, and loves to push everything.

Darna?

Before Dan left for 5 days, he taught Hails how to make popcorn

D.I. shirt! ahhh yeaaahh!

Love my life!

Michael Jackson, Astoria, and some sweet moves.

choreographed by Astoria Rose Radford

we may be obsessed

Of the past 4 weekends, we have gone to Jackson 3 of those; One for Latoja with Dan's family, one for a Sunday drive with my Mom, and one as a family trip to Yellowstone/Jackson with my mom and with Meg's family. We are obsessed with that place. And with Fall.
Last monday I made an apple pie from scratch, and I wore my burnt orange pants to match Stori's hair-all to celebrate the new fall season. My apartment has been Fall-ified since the beginning of September. Like I said, obsessed.
I have always loved Fall and Jackson/Yellowstone, but having a tiny human to show all these things to is the best thing in the world. We were so excited to introduce Astoria to the buffalo in Yellowstone and she kept waving and saying "Hi there." I have a video of her pointing out all the colors to my mom while she repeated "wow, wow wow" over and over. We loved staying in our hotel because of the warm swimming pool and comfy rooms by each other. Stori played with her cousins and finally loved her aunt Megan! Success.

Stori is also loving this cooler weather! We go running with my friend and her baby from the ward every morning and Stori doesn't make a peep. Unless she sees birds, airplanes, or swings!
I love being a Mom!!

What I'm looking forward to in the next month: Dressing Stori up for Halloween. Decorating for Thanksgiving. 1st Dam run in logan. Christmas music.

I would like to call this post "random pictures that have no reason for a whole post""

This girl is walking, running, falling, laughing, dancing, sleeping in, eating, "reading" books, and yep. We love this life!