a first

Colby left this morning for interviews in Arkansas with Walmart's finance department. They flew him out a day early so he could stay at a hotel and be well-rested for his interviews. That is wonderful for him, but means I am left here all alone. :( I know I will be able to get a lot accomplished, but I haven't spent a night alone since we were married. To make it even better, he will get home tomorrow night around midnight, then head back to the airport the next morning morning at 6:00 am for an interview in San Fran. Wow. Busy man. Let's hope something works out!

Finally. November 4th. Now, go vote.

Sadly, I have to work during the close of polls so I will miss being able to watch one of my favorite things on the news. sad.

OUR PLACE!

Ok so I have been holding off posting pictures of our place because Katie and I figured that everyone would come check it out. But it has been about several months that we have lived here...I am posting pictures of our little apartment!

The walk-in closet is Katie's favorite part by far!
Here is (obviously) our bed and balcony
Here is the kitchen/living room with the barstools that we painted and stained.
There is a washer and dryer in our apartment which I think is key.

Only the strong survive?

I decided I needed to post about some of the recent job hunts but Katie has beat me to it and used some of my material! All well here it is from my point of view. I am always telling Katie that I feel like I really don't even have time for school with all of the applications/interviews/work/and more interviews and applications that we are doing every week. Unfortunately I have yet to secure a solid offer, neither has katie, but we are both making good ground.

I tend to like a quote from Charles Darwin that a particular professor continues to recite to us. "It's not the strongest that survive, but those most able to adapt." With this thought in mind I am a Finance major interested in banking...which means my prospects are lower already based on past events and whatever the next year might bring. I have decided to apply to many different "types" of jobs.

Recently I was in San Francisco for a final round interview with Accenture ( A tech. consulting firm)... I as of yet have only received emails from the head recruiter apologizing about how long it is taking. I guess they are having a hard time coming up with compensation packages and determining how many offers to give out. Here are a few pics from my adventures on my first trip to SF. The other 2 dudes are also BYU students that were there interviewing. After our interviews we headed off to see a few things in SF. It made me feel like a missionary again running around Pier 39 with suits and white shirts on.











For those that are interested here are some of my past interviews:
1. Accenture-Technology consulting
2. Walmart-Finance department
3. Bessemer Trust -assistant account manager (asset management for Ultra High net worth)
4. Oppenheimer Funds-Equity research investment banking (Semiconductor/tech. division)
5. Greenstein, Roghoff and Company-Advisory practice
6. PriceWaterHouseCoopers-transactions services or Business advisory
7. Wellington Management-Equity research (asset management)
8. Apple-Finance/operations department
9. IBM-Finance Department
10. Zions Bank-Commerical Lender (somehow missed this one)
11. Lockheed Martin-Financial analyst
12. Citibank

These are just some of the companies that I have been interviewing with...I have a fly-out this next week with Oppenheimer and I had an interview with Bessemer Trust today so only time will tell!

Lindsey

I just got a hilarious email from my mom about cute little Lindsey. I am trying to get her more into blogging (which she asked me to start for her) so told her to post about it. :) check it out if you want a good little laugh about my cute sister.

thejergensenfamily.blogspot.com

12 credit-hour job search

We sure have been busy lately. It has been hard to find time to just sit and relax. We have been so busy with school, work and job searching. Colby made the comment today that it is like we are taking a 12 credit hour job searching class...except they don't teach us...we just do the work. My past three days have been filled with job search stuff. Monday, General Mills Information session (which I had to leave work early to attend); Tuesday, General Mills company research and 1st round interview (squeezed between work and studying/taking a business law test) and today, 2nd round interview, personality assessment, "how would I respond to this situation" test, and a short standardized test. WOW. All for General Mills. I really am interested in the company and would love to be there. And that is just me, with only one company...I know Colby is super busy as well. He had four interviews scheduled for the week. Hopefully something works out...and hopefully those jobs can be in the same state for each of us :) Well, I'm off to work til 10:30.

Gap's Give and Get...

previously known as

FRIENDS AND FAMILY,

is coming up soon at

Gap.

Basically, I can give out

30% off (your entire purchase)

coupons to any of my friends and family (which out course would be YOU). If you live close by I can give you a pass, otherwise Gap will email one to you if I give them your email. I need to turn in names ASAP, so comment on here and leave your email and phone number so I can get you the great discount! Come on, who doesn't want to save 30% on
really cute clothes . . .

Back to the "first dates"

Saturday was such a fun night for Colby and me. We were both home that night (which has become rare for a weekend night) so decided to take advantage of it. Usually when we are both home at night without homework to do we end up cuddling up on the couch and watching a movie. I really wanted to get out and do something and Colby thought that sounded fun as well. We brainstormed a few ideas, and ended up doing "typical Provo first dates..."

We started off going to the huge park out by the freeway with a fountain just like the one on Friends and a huge spinning swing. It kinda reminds me of the swinging swings at amusement parks (minus the motor doing the footwork.) It has a tall pole in the center with branches coming out at the top with swings attached (the swings form a circle around the center). If you run around really fast while holding the swing, you can jump on the swing and then it keeps spinning around. so fun! Sorry for the bad description.





We went from there to Walmart to pick up a few art supplies. I had a friend who used watercolors on a date to paint pictures of each other and Colby had an idea to get colored modeling clay. We bought the watercolors and clay, but didn't have time to use it. :(

BYU has a huge bell tower with really bright spot lights lighting it up all night. We had heard that the lights get so hot you can roast marshmellows over them. We gathered up tin foil, hersheys chocolate, graham crakers and marshmellows and hit up the lights. It was funny, because while we were there we scared a couple or two away because we had already claimed the spot. So, apparently BYU students really do this! It was a lot of fun. Colby started asking me the typical "first date" questions like how many people are in my family, etc. It was really funny. I'm glad that I am way past that stage with him.

And, since all that went SOOO well, he even took me back to "his place" (which finally is my place too) and we watched a scary movie. So first date, right. Come on, sometimes those guys really need an excuse to cuddle. It's totally how Colby got me to cuddle with him the first time.

thought i'd share...

So, I am a little obsessed with purses. Last night, Colby pointed out that I had 5 purses out in our front room. Oops. Well, here is a chance for us all to win a free purse. Who doesn't love free things, especially when they are PURSES!

(Thanks Liz for the head's up!)

New Member of the Blogging World!

When my Mom was up here last week she mentioned she would love to have her own blog. Well, being the AMAZING daughter I am, I set one up for her. She actually hasn't even seen it yet, so don't expect posts too soon, but make sure to check it out soon and add it to your list of bloggers.

thejergensenfamily.blogspot.com

Congrats Nate and M.C.

Last Friday Nate and M.C. finally tied the knot. They are so in love and so ready to be married. I was so grateful to be able to be at their sealing. It was the first sealing I have been to since my own. Thanks, Nate and M.C. for including me. Sadly, Colby wasn't able to be there. He was busy interviewing in California. Take a look at the cute newly weds!

Gap, Inc.

I am officially employed! I have been working at the Gap for the past few weeks and have really enjoyed being there. But even more exciting than just working there...I GOT MY FIRST PAYCHECK. Granted, I would have loved bigger numbers to be on the check, but hey, I will take what I can get. :)

Job searching officially begins...

With Colby flying out to San Francisco for an interview last Friday (still trying to get him to blog about that one), information sessions, the career fair, and more interviews, Job searching is undoubtedly here. I can't believe I am to the stage in my life where I am looking for a full-time job. Being married adds a whole new twist to it though...we kinda want to stay together. Ok, actually its a requirement that we stay together (sorry Colby, you can't loose me that easy). So it makes it really hard for me to be motivated to research companies, etc. when we will probably end up where Colby gets a good offer and I will find a job there. Oh goodness...wish us luck.

Wyoming

I haven't had a chance to write about my amazing trip to Wyoming. I was once again amazed at the beauty of Star Valley. Last time I was there it was covered in 4 feet of snow, which was its own kind of beauty. This time the valley was green and beautiful. I could have stayed there so much longer, but was grateful for the three days we were able to spend with the Heiner parents. They were so great to us. They even let us take home raspberries. Yes, be jealous...they were to die for. Thanks Mom and Dad H!

Somehow Colby convinced me to get on the back of his motorcycle with him. Luck for me I had some good in laws reminding Colby not to scare me too much or I would never go again. Sometime I think he forgets I am a girl. All that aside though...it was kinda exhilarating. :)

We spent one morning herding the cows that had been out grazing this summer. It was quite an experience. I even got to help a little. I was instructed to "form a wall" with Mom H to prevent them from going the wrong way. If any of them came toward me I was just supposed to wave my arms. You tell me what you would have done. Well, I got scared and just ran the other direction. Oops. Luckily it didn't cause any problems.

I had never been to Jackson hole, so we went up one evening for dinner. I am convinced the Tetons are better on the Idaho side, so we drove a little further up so they could try and sway me to liking the "true side...Wyoming" better. Sorry guys. I'm staying strong to Idaho. Granted, we didn't see them straight on.

While in Jackson we caught a glimpse of Air Force two, Cheney's plane so went and checked it out.

Picking wild service berries

Colby loading the bails of hay onto the truck. They then took them over and bagged them. It was fun to watch, but I was content being behind the camera and hanging out with Buddy, the faithful dog.

Part of the Heiner farm. Isn't it just beautiful? If you want some of it let me know...because I happen to know someone who really wants to sell part of it ;) (That's for you Mom H!)

Mom H out bailing hay.

We took the 4 wheeler up the canyon. Colby even let me drive a bit. :) Here are a few pics from that adventure:

Yes, that small thing is a snake and yes, I tried to hold it but I got freaked out.

We were mesmerized by this moose for quite some time.

At the Raspberry patch. Not sure if more are in the buckets or our stomachs at the time of this picture.

But don't worry...we made it back in time to catch 3 quarters of BYU's first football game. Go COUGARS!

The Joy of Finding our WARD...

You would think it would be easy to find your respective ward in "Happy Valley" now wouldn't you? That is exactly what Katie and I thought as we set out on our first Sunday together in Provo. We actually didn't have internet at the time and thus we were unable to get on mormon.org to check the local chapels and meeting times. To solve this Katie decided that we should just get up early and get ready so that we can watch for people going to church....needless to say this didn't happen. We were on our way to my old singles ward when we ran into a member of the elders quorum and he told us that the "family" ward was in an hour. Obviously Katie and I ran back up to our apartment and chilled for an hour and attended the family ward. It was at 1:00. Once at the ward, I ran into a couple old mission friends and others that I haven't really talked to since my freshman year. Long story short...Katie and I have totally gotten used to the "single-student" wards that are deathly quiet....and it showed because when the meetings started and it actually got loader! There were soooo many kids running around and families with tons of kids that we were so distracted that we didn't even pay attention to the speakers or in Sunday school. After all of this we decided it would be cool to go to a "married student" ward for our last semester here at BYU.

From there we hear that the "married student" ward from our area meets at a chapel over by the football stadium. We go there the next week and see more people we know, the ward seems great, and several people come and welcome us to the ward...that is until we tell them where we live! One younger married woman tells us, "Oh you are in the wrong ward...I am taking you to the bishop's office so that we can find out where you are really supposed to go!" This ward was at 9:00. We practically got kicked out and ended up missing the rest of church so we went back to our apartment and watched "Finding Faith in Christ" (a gift from my Mission President) for our own little Sunday school lesson.

The next week was the area stake conference where over 100 stakes gathered for a video conference.

Lastly, this past week we have decided that the 10:30 ward over by Costco in Orem is our ward and we have confirmed this with Mormon.org. We get there only to find out that there must be 20 wards having church in any given room in those two large buildings. Sadly we found out that the information wasn't up-to-date on the website and that our "Married student" ward had been moved to 2:30. We gave up and just went to another ward so that we could just go home. We met more friends there and they were excited to have us in their ward, but unfortunately we had to tell them that it was only for the day....

So now we have finally found out that church is at 2:30 (sad day...church til 5:30) but we have yet to go there once! Hopefully this week turns out better!

"A Sunday Afternoon..." picnicing in the colorful, fall mountains

For our wedding we were given a picnic basket, so we figured we should take advantage of our Sunday afternoon and use it. We got home from our {wrong} ward (yes, another one...that's another story), packed the basket and headed up the canyon. I loved seeing the trees. They are so beautiful this time of year. It is so much prettier than fall in California where the green leaves turn brown, shrivel up and fall. Here the red, green, yellow and orange leaves are so vibrant and beautiful. I wish the camera could have really captured the beauty! We had our picnic just past aspen grove. We loved eating our tuna sandwiches, amazing spinach salad, fresh cookies and sparkling cider out among the aspens. We had some great conversation. All in all it was a great afternoon. Thanks, Colby!

too many pictures...

means MORE posts to come


...I just uploaded 455 pictures from the past month. I guess I never wanted to leave a moment undocumented. I will slowly be going back and filling in the gaps from over the last month. If you are interested, make sure to scroll back and check out what we have been up to.

Projects

Since moving in Colby and I have had fun with a few projects together.

Our new place has a bar instead of a kitchen table, so we needed to get BAR STOOLS. Instead of taking the easy way and just buying some good stools, we decided to save a little money and have some fun by buying unfinished bar stools at IKEA and finishing them ourselves. I ahd helped my Dad do ours a few years ago so felt confident to take on this project. We headed to Home depot and got our materials only to have them sit until we had bits and pieces of time. Slowly, but surely, our barstools are reaching the finishing stages. Hopefully they are done by the time Mom and Dad are here!!

(after applying primer and 1st coat of wood stain)

Before we were married Colby found a GREAT deal on strawberries at Sam's so bought them to make FREEZER JAM. He cored them and froze them so we could make the jam together. This past weekend we made 9 jars of amazing freezer jam. Half was strawberry and the other half was a fresh raspberry and strawberry mix. YUM...

Honeymooning in Mexico

Our honeymoon in Puerto Vallarta was so perfect. We had a great balance of pure relaxation paired with some fun adventures. Sorry for the picture overload. I take way to many and don't know how to eliminate...oops.

We stayed in a two bedroom condo at Villa Del Palmar Flamingos for 7 days. The room was phenomenal and the view was spectacular.

The beach just feet from our hotel.One of our planned activities was to go scuba diving. Colby was certified through a BYU class and REALLY wanted to go. All I had to do was take an hour long resort class to be able to go with him.
SCUBA DIVING, Los Arcos (behind us), my first dive and Colby's first ocean dive. I was slightly nervous...ok, terrified about this at first. After going 2 feet under I had to come back to the surface to reconvince myself. But once I went down (about 50 feet) it was fabulous. I am so glad Colby talked me into this!

Colby all ready to go!
My scuba instructor found a blow fish and made it puff up. He wanted me to hold it. It was unbelievably prickly. Pretty sure this was illegal. oops...shhhhhWe saw several colorful fish, eels, starfish and puffer fish. Pretty neat. Check Colby's form out. Nice. After the dives we wondered the city. We ate at PIPIS mexican grill, which was suggested by a friend, and it was to die for. The food was excellent and the drinks were so refreshing and large!

We didn't want to head back quite yet, so ended up catching a movie down town. We both got in for under 10 bucks. We loved this so much we actually came back another time to the movies.MY 21st BIRTHDAY!! Colby made today PERFECT. I woke up to breakfast in bed; French Toast, eggs, bacon and strawberry banana juice. (Yes I know I look just fabulous in this pic, thanks, and yes, I AM sporting the Jergensen Fam reunion tshirt on my honeymoon. represent.)

The rest of the day was spectacular. We took it easy and just hung out at the beach. Colby was in love with the waves and salty water. These were both relatively new to him. ;)
Colby made me a wonderful steak dinner for my birthday and then surprised me with a birthday cake. Being perfectly honest, I was really sad that I wasn't going to have a cake for my birthday. I mean, what is a birthday without a cake... (ok, I know, a little spoiled)? I had basically accepted the fact that I wouldn't get a cake and was trying to cope with it. After getting ready though, I came out of the room and caught Colby in mid cake preparation. Seriously, it made me cry (the good kind of cry of course...I think Colby is still getting used to tears meaning good things. ) With the help of my Mom Colby brought a just add water, microwavable cake and made me the happiest girl ever! Thanks, love!
Colby coming in after one of the zip-lines in the Los Veranos canopy. We went on 14 zip-lines total. The longest one was about 320 meters long and 180 meters high. It was pretty sweet. We climbed, hiked and zip lined through the canopy.Me, enjoying the ride. Later I got to ride upside-down and backwards. I was attached to a guide who let me lean backward and let go with my hands as I soared through the canopy. So exhilarating.
Colby was told that the sealed crackers in his double-buttoned pockets wouldn't be a problem with the monkeys. . . the picture says otherwise.
After stopping by the flea market one more time, we crossed some sketchy bridges among the locals.
On our last evening in Puerto Vallarta, Colby took me to an amazing restaurant, Vista Grill. It was one of those with super small, but amazing tasting servings. It was up on the hill overlooking the entire bay and city. We got there just before sunset and got to eat and chat while the sun was setting and into the night. It was so perfect!
After checking out, we went to spend our last hour or so in the ocean before our flight left. Sadly, that was cut short when i got stung by a jellyfish. OUCH! Colby thought I was kidding when I started flailing my arms in the air screaming I was being stung... maybe I was a little over dramatic...