New Years!

So I've put myself on a type of diet/excersize regimen, and have been on it about... 5 days. Basically I watch my fat and sugar intake, drink water everytime I want juice, and do some home workouts. The only parts of my body that are my "trouble" areas are my butt and my belly. Ideally it'd be nice to do a total body work out... but baby steps. I started with 20 reps for each and have added 10 each day. I'm at 70! Goodness I never thought I could do that much! Plus I've never stuck with a regimen before! So yay me! Just trying to get a head start on the New Year ;) It's going good. I haven't seen much change, but I feel it when I walk up the steps to my apartment each day! Hahaha.

Chance is doing well. We're both a little worried/stressed about the business and the upcoming split. The accounting is going to be all me, bank statements, billing and invoicing, pay roll, sales taxes, payroll taxes! Ahhhh goodness. I've been helping with billing etc, but all the other things I've no clue! Laurie is more than happy to help me, and she's going to be there every step of the way until we get our feet on the ground, but goodness. We'll be ok though. The only thing that's stressing us (mainly me), is school is starting next semester, I'll be hopefully working 20 hrs a week plus accounting, plus full-time school, and Chance full-time work with part-time school, plus our wonderful callings with the youth, and a regular attendance of the Temple each week. Ok, I'm changing the subject. My brain is cramping up just thinking about it.

Last night we went to Kayla and Russel Sprague's reception! Ohhh it was so fun and beautiful! The whole thing was classy and neat and just awesome! Kayla was beautiful! She looks sooo young! Goodness, I'm not sure how old she is, but she'll look young forever. I got to catch up with a few friends I haven't seen in a while, like Aubry McCain. It was fun to gossip (only of the good kind) about our friends from school and to learn of their accomplishments and plans. On the way home, Chance and I were talking about old friends, and we realized his first high school reunion is next year! Crazy. He's an old man! Haha, and yesterday I realized that my 21st birthday is next year too! I remember thinking 21 is soooo... mature and grown-up! When my birthday comes around I'll tell you if I've felt mature and grown-up yet!

Anyways, it's New Years! And we're sitting at home! I have My Fair Lady on in the background as I'm typing so I feel my thoughts are a bit scattered, and Chance is playing Skyrim in the other room. Since my movie's almost over, it's almost time for Monopoly!!!

Happy New Year!

The Paynes

Sunshine

Things That Shine

Yesterday we went to the mall to exchange some pants for a bigger size (cuz my momma still thinks I'm a size 7 in Juniors, flattering). When we finished I remembered that I've been wanting to find a red lipstick that would look good on me, so we went to the Macy's make-up department. I had seriously bought like 5 shades previously and gave them all away cuz they looked so awful! Anyways I had this lady help me and she had me try some one, and ohhh goodness. I had never seen myself look so bombshell pretty! Not to brag, but I felt real good about it. So we got some. Chance said he liked it, and it seemed like I felt a little more confident with it on. He's kinda sweet like that. So this morning I woke up and decided I wanted to wear my red lipstick today. Usually I stick to pretty conservative colors, so it was a little different at first and I was almost self-conscieous about it. Around afternoon I went out to run errands and I had to run by Walmart. As I was walking in I heard a girl say "Look at all that make-up she's wearing!", and I was the only person who'd walked in so I'm pretty certain she was talking about me. I felt sooo aweful I wanted to just get my stuff and leave! I walked with my head down for the rest of my time there, when I remembered a lyric from one of Taylor Swift's songs called "Ours".

" People throw rocks at things that shine".

And I thought how appropriate that is in this situation! I felt way better, and told myself that she threw rocks at me because I shine.

So that's my thought for today. If people throw rocks at you, its because you shine.

Jenae

Christmas!

Busy. It was weird for me to have Christmas Day be on a Sunday. I mean, last time that happened was 7 years ago, and I wasn't a member of the church so... I didn't really care to keep the Sabbath Day holy. I think just the fact that today didn't feel like "Christmas" and it was on a Sunday, which honestly it should feel the most Christmas-y ever, says a little something about my view on Christmas. I get stuck in the concept that things should be celebrated right when they happened, and that a couple should only have one "true" 'first Christmas' ornament, and I realize that I've completely missed the whole point! I missed the beauty of celebrating Christ's birth on Christmas because I was too busy thinking in the back of my mind that December 25th wasn't specifically His birthday; that it doesn't matter which 'first christmas' ornament is the "real" one because all that matters is that two people loved us dearly enough to get us one each! Bah I'm such a lamo!

I was fighting against myself the whole time. I was consistently trying to be aware of keeping Christ in Christmas, but in the end I let myself lose the point. Lesson learned.

My amazingly wonderful visiting teaching companion, Janessa Fronce, gave me this cuuute Christmas book, called Christmas Love. Its about a little boy's first "Winter Play" at school, and there was a song called Christmas Love, and the front row of kids each held a letter of the title, and as each letter was sung about that kid would hold it up. It got to the little girl holding the "m" in Christmas, but it was upside down! Everyone stared as they realized what that simple mixup spelled. C-H-R-I-S-T-W-A-S L-O-V-E. That's what Christmas is about.

So a play-by-play. I woke up first (shocker ;), threw some cinnemon rolls in the oven, took a shower, got ready and put on my awesomely sexy and modest Christmas dress , took cinnemon rolls out, ate some, went to church. The program was lovely! We had opening, intermediate and closing hymn, which I really appreciated, and the choir had a beautiful performance! They sang 4 songs with narrations in between where the story of Christ's birth was read, and the following song would have something to do with the previous narration. I was really impressed with our choir, especially our very own Mormon Tabernacle soloist! She used to be, until they came to our lovely ward! Kathy Visher is a very talented woman, and she definitely build the kingdom with her talents. When listening I could totally pick out her voice. It was that one singular soprano note that was perfectly on pitch (cuz sometimes that doesn't happen in a ward choir). She's like the cute little cherry on the ice cream sunday that is our choir.

After being "nourished" as our bishop loves to say, we went home to our humble apartment and opened the presents to each other. Chance did so good! I made sure to hint for the last few months, so it was team effort ;) But he did get me a few things I didn't even know I wanted! Like Jenga and Monopoly. I have been saying we needed games, and that's what I got! He also go me some beautiful sapphire and topaz earrings (for an awesome price during cyber Monday, he was very proud), Taylor Swift's new CD! And dark red microfiber sheets that matches our new bed spread. I'm sitting in them right now, and they're really soft! And he got them for 50% off! Which makes them all that much better! I got him a gift card for 4 or 5 car washes since he loves his car, his first red tool box, haha and his fave present Skyrim. Whiiiiiich he had been hinting forever that he wanted it! So obviously. I can't remeber the other things.

Next we went his parents, and guess who was on the phone! It was Seth! Elder Payne is so proudly serving his mission in Sao Paulo, Brazil. I'm not sure which area, but I know he's as far east as it gets, being on an island a few miles from inland! Called Isla Bella? And it's so pretty! He was able to skype, so we got to see him as well as the view out the window, and it trully looks like a paradise. He's doing really good. He had a hard to focusing on us cuz his companions were kinda "causing a ruckus" as he said, and he was getting his english mixed up. Like we'd ask something, and he'd have to remember what a word was either in the question or his response. I think he's been out 4 months now. He said the people there are really "tranquil", and don't mind listening to them, but don't think much of the church. It's the youth that are really teachable. He said they soak it all up. I really believe there's something special about the youth of this world. I see it in my Young Women, and seriously I was just in their place 2 years ago, and things have gotten way harder! Just in the past 2 years! Anyway, he also explained what a "gringle-berry" is! Haha so hilarious! A Brazilian elder asked Seth what a "dingle-berry" is (which is kinda funny cuz I asked Chance the same thing a few days ago!), and Seth explained, then I think they got a new Elder in and he was a total gringo, so it was the perfect oppurtunity to combine the two! I thought that was awesome!

So that ended, we went to my parents, opened presents, took family pictures, then went back to the Payne's for some food and a nap until dinner at my grandma's. Finally, we arrived home. We watched A Charlie Brown Christmas and... oooo played Jenga! Hahaha and I won! I'm getting better at winning games against Chance! Which reminds me, there's not many things I'm better at than Chance, so the few things there are I like to talk alot about. Like, ice skating.

Friday we went ice skating downtown with the Bianchini's, one of the few young couples in our ward, and it was sooo fun! At first we were all pretty bad, plus the ice was smooth. Anyways, Chance had never been before, so we spent most of the time holding hands, with him using my arm a support. It was cute. Gotta go! I'll continue later!

The Paynes