a year later.

First, let me apologize for it being nearly a year since I last wrote on here. I can't even blame it on things being really crazy or busy. I guess I just simply haven't... I thought about it a lot of times but maybe I felt like I didn't have anything important to say? I'm not sure. 


Anyway, here is a list of things that haven't changed:

-Daniel is still in my life (yay!)
- I still work for Disney
- I still miss my family/Utah with my whole heart

New things:

-Daniel and I are engaged! It happened in September while we were in Disneyland. (I will post another blog about that)
-I got another job
-Daniel got promoted
-I realized I prefer Disneyland over Walt Disney World (not very important)
-Maybe we might move to the West after I graduate


A lot of fun things are in store for Daniel and I in the next few months of our lives! We are moving into an apartment that is all our own on March 10th, and we could not be more excited! He started packing a few weeks ago and we are nearly finished. It is very exciting! We will be moving closer to where his family is, and to an area that is a further from Disney. We have decided that we are kind of over being surrounded all the time. 

I have just started a new job as a Front Desk Specialist at Orange Lake Resort. I have been there working on my own for three weekends, and the last thing I feel like is a specialist. It is hard for me to not be really good at something when I first start doing it. I kind of feel like I should be better at it, but then I remember that I have only worked like 9 shifts out of training! I think back to my beginning days at Disney and how bad and unknowledgable  (is that a word?) I was then. Now, I am a trainer and I get to teach all the new people how to do what we do, and why Disney is so amazing. I just cross my fingers and know that I will be as good at my new job as I have been in my past few jobs. It will just take time, but I know i can do it! I love this new job and the company as a whole. There is a lot of room for opportunity and growth both as an individual and within the company as well. We are expecting to open 17 new properties across the country in the next 5 years, so there are a lot of places I cold potentially go!

Daniel is now working in a supervisor position with Disney in Frontierland. He is primarily at Splash Mountain, but he could work anywhere in the land at any given time. He is enjoying it so far, but is almost ready to take a new direction in his career. He isn't completely sure what he wants to do yet. Which makes me feel a little better about not being sure what I want to do yet. He is thinking he may want to start taking some online classes to get another degree, this time in business. I am excited to see where that takes him.

At the beginning of this post I said I didn't know why I hadn't blogged in so long. I still don't know why, but I do know that PART of the reason was that I had a laptop that was falling apart, and my "H" key didn't work. If I wanted to type that letter, I had to copy and paste from a website or somewhere on the screen. BUT. I bought a new laptop, so I am hoping to be back on the blogosphere more often. However, I always say that. So we will see. 

I was going to add some new photos to this post for all of you, and then I remembered that I can't because I haven't put any on my new laptop yet. So if you are my facebook friend or instagram follower (keepingupwithkristina), check out my life there too! 

I will blog about the engagement when I put the pictures on here. Until then, I hope you at least enjoyed the little update. 

XOXO
K.

GAW

Today marks my best friend's 22nd birthday. If you haven't had the pleasure of meeting Grace, you should get on that because you're missing out. This is the second year in a row that I haven't been able to spend her birthday with her, and before these two year, we have spent every birthday together since 8th grade. Since I can't be there, I'm just going to write a little about her instead. 

I don't know where I would be without her. She has helped me through everything for years. From listening to my cry about boys, to laughing with me at the dollar store. Grace is a perfect example of everything someone should be: passionate, honest, caring, loving, fun, adventurous, and beautiful inside and out. Her blog always makes me cry happy tears, and I miss her every day. But guess what! In a few months, she will be in Florida working for Disney too! I can only imagine what it's going to be like having her be close again. Grace, I am so proud of you for doing what you have wanted to do for three years! I hope you had a wonderful and perfect birthday, complete with blue cake. I love you sister friend!!!!

PS: Thank you for wearing glasses over glasses with me :)

[66 pictures and a small update]

Happy 2014!

I realize I haven't written anything here since November, but my sister's new blog post reminded me that I have a lot to share! Are you guys sick of hearing about Disney yet? Because really that is my life, other than school. I'll just do a little catch up, and show some new pictures.

 Kacie is finally here!!!! She started her CP in January. It's so great to have a piece of my life back home in Florida with me. It makes me feel a little more comfortable. 

REUNITED!!!

Some of you may know that I was lucky enough to spend my Christmas holiday in Utah. This was MUCH NEEDED family time. I was getting sad and missing Utah and my family and friends like crazy. I was there for a week, and it wasn't nearly long enough. I got to meet Baby Max for the first time (my new nephew!) 

I also played with Austin, which was also much needed.

I reminded him that when he was a baby, we would spin around upside in the living room. After we did that a few times, he remember and it was so precious! The night I had to say goodbye to him, he told me, "Thank you for spinning me around like when I was a baby!" HOW CUTE IS THAT. 

These are from my trip home, just random pieces of home. I didn't take many pictures while I was there, unfortunately. 

Grandma and her great grandson. ;)

Joe got her a promise ring! Finally!

Austin and Baby Max!

This is the waffle truck! They make the most delicious waffles. They are more dessert because they are covered in nutella and cream but it's fine. I opted for all the things, and got nutella, cream, strawberries, and bananas.

Mom and Joe took me up to the mountains on my last day. It was bittersweet, but just what I needed.

Lily!

Josie!

Roxy :)

Do you wanna build a snowmaaaan? Grace and I tried to build a baby snowman, but the snow wasn't cooperating. :(

Best friend feet.

I woke up to this sweet face for a week. Perfection!

This is randomly in here, I don't remember selecting it BUT. It's my Uncles Edwin and Tim and Tim's GREEN CARD! This is a huge step for gay marriage and for my uncles. Edwin is holding a picture from their first date in South Africa.

Dad!!!

Austin was trying to pick his nose in the picture. Boys are gross!

While I was home, Grace planned a surprise party for me at a bar I had always wanted to go to. Kacie was responsible for getting me there. It was my first ever surprise party, and all my best friends were there! 

My best friends sure are beautiful!

TRYING to teach Kacie how to do the Murray hand sign...

MOUNTAINS.

Her little face was on my stocking! So so perfect.

:))))

Dad loved his Mickey hat!

Flash forward to New Years! Daniel and I got a little dressed up (him more than me for once! hehe) and spent the evening at his brother and sister-in-law-to-be's new house. It was fun getting to know his family a little bit more! 

Isn't he cute?

Roommates!

Max in his Christmas present!!

My first ever Margaritaville experience!

This one was taken right after Daniel ran his first 10K. I'm so proud of him! I was a loser girlfriend and couldn't figure out how to get to the finish line, so I wasn't there, but I am still proud! 

We spend a rainy day at DisneyQuest. It was my first time there and we turned it into a big date day. We ended up going there in the morning, going to Outback for lunch, strolling around Downtown Disney, then we saw Frozen.

A couple weeks ago, Daniel planned a surprise for Kacie and I. He told us we had to wake up at 4:30 am to get somewhere by a certain time. We had no idea what we were in store for. After an hour and a half car ride, we ended up at Cocoa Beach just before sunrise! Watching the sun rise over the ocean is on my bucket list, and I can cross it off! 

Disney date with Kacie...

  

This is a real picture from this ride. We didn't pose. I really was that scared. :(

 The weirdest thing that has happened to me recently...

I am OFFICIALLY a Florida resident. This is my first over 21 license, my first non Utah one, and my first horizontal one! It's so weird. I'm still not quiet sure that it's real life?

As I have been writing this post, a quote from Juno came to my mind. Remember the part where she says, 

"I never realize how much I like being home unless I've been somewhere really different for a while."

This is how I feel about Utah most times. I grew up there, always saying I wanted out and wanted to move somewhere else. I always said I didn't belong there. I think I was right. But something you don't realize about people, or places, or even things, is that you truly never realize how much you love them, until you don't have them every day. 

How long will I be away from Utah before I stop missing it? Maybe never. And maybe really soon. Who knows. All I know is that I DO miss it, but I am happy here (98% of days). I have an amazing boyfriend who keeps me sane, and takes care of me because my mom isn't here. He keeps me safe, just like he promised her. I have a couple close friends, some coworkers, and I have Kacie here for a while. I'm doing alright, and I can only see it getting better from here.

I bring this up, because as of 11 days ago, I have officially been in Florida for a year. It's been a roller coaster of  emotions and experiences, but I have loved it! I am still loving working for Disney. I actually met someone today who went to my high school, but she graduated 7 years before I did. Small world, huh? 

I am looking forward to Nathan and Carlos coming to visit. I wish they were coming at the same time though! 

As for now, I leave you with this cute sign that Magic Kingdom had posted last week.

XOXO

K

I am just realizing that I said in my last post I would post pictures of the Disney Christmas decorations after my mom saw them. I didn't do that. However, I'm sure pretty much everyone who reads this already saw them on my facebook. If not...My bad!