Home Sweet Home

Found a place! We've been here quite a while now actually....and it is finally picture worthy. I took the photos today! Just for the blog! (aren't you all so impressed that I'm posting again so soon!?)

We found a place in East Oakland! It's so perfect for us! It's a one bed, one bath apartment that we've been able to furnish thanks so Craislist...really! We've found some real steals!

I'm working on getting some artwork up on the walls since they are so...blah...but I like how everything is working out thus far! It feels like home. It's so nice to come home to an apartment that actually has a sofa and chairs or a bed instead of a bunch of empty rooms and an air mattress! (that air mattress got old fast!) I wanna find out if they'll let me paint the walls....cross your fingers!

 We are really close to Lake Merritt - the one we've been running around and posting on fb. It's really close to Lakeshore Drive where there are a bunch of cool shops and The Gap where we currently work. I love being able to walk virtually everywhere! 

Excited - Love it. 

Past Six Months

I have, yet again, left all of my faithful blog readers (if there are any survivors left) in the dark. I need to make this a habit and blog at least once a month, right? Someday I will get better...until that day?....I apologize. 

Before I get into anything, something needs to be discussed if you are not already aware. I am gay. I am in a long-term relationship with my boyfriend Eldon Dahlin and we are living together. You've probably seen pictures of us together on Facebook and wondered who he was. My family is completely aware. They have met Eldon and- from what I've gathered- love him! So my parents don't need any crazed calls or email worrying about me. They are very much aware and involved in my life. 

First off, you'll probably recognize that I changed the look of my profile. Recognize the iconic image? The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco! Why? For those of you who do not know I have withdrawn from BYU-I and transferred to the Academy of Art University there! Sad, but true. I enjoyed my time in Idaho, but unfortunately President Clarke didn't see a place for Interior Design there, and dissolved the program. No worries though! It gave me an excuse to seek out a new and outstanding university! I will continue studying design - though the major sounds a lot more respectful there: Interior Architecture & Design. Which, I feel, is a much more accurate description of the profession. When one says, "I'm an interior design major," it is automatically assumed that they are going to school to learn to hang curtains and fluff pillows...which is quite offensive to anyone who is majoring in the field.

So I made the big move to California. I am currently residing in Hughson; a small little area dotted with almond and walnut orchards. We're living with Eldon's grandmother for the time being until we can find a place close to the Bay Area...which is proving to be quite the feat! I have a hard time with the idea of paying $1200 a month in rent that just disappears, as opposed to a mortgage where it's actually going towards something...especially since I'll be in the area for probably at least four more years...four years...1200 a month...close to $60,000? Yeah, I'd rather put it down on a home...enough of that rant...moving on.

I arrived here in California the last day of June, unpacked and organized, then headed up to Sebastopol to see my long lost Uncle Kevin, his awesome husband Uncle Joe and Grandma Doris. The reunion was a blast, and we got to go on a tour of the winery Kevin works at. It was beautiful and quite the educational experience. A lot goes into a good wine!! Quite the process.

We spent three days there, including the fourth. needless to say we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and we happy to meet each other. 

Currently we're trying to find a place to stay in the bay area, or even better, in San Francisco itself. There are a couple of prospects that we're hoping work out and they should get back to us this week. I'll try to post a couple times during our little journey. In the mean time, cross your fingers we find a place!!!

....it's been a month...

Last time I posted I was putting up Christmas decorations. Now that the tree along with all it's sparkly orbs and garlands have been neatly packed away, life is back to normal as we know it.

Christmas this year was different than usual.

It was the first time that I have ever had to travel to see my family. Normally they are here, no more than ten minutes away. Now they are no closer than an 8 hour drive! It was fun to leave the frozen tundra of Idaho though I must admit.

we're...special brothers....

I'd move to the George for these rocks!

I love the red mountains!

Schedules actually didn't work out so I could spend Christmas down there, so Braden and I spent Christmas with the Grandparents and the Days! It was a fun simple christmas. It was a classic "Day Christmas" with playing card games into the night and ending it with a movie. 

Christmas Eve Sunset! (this pic does it NO justice)

Stacie and Kels - Christmas Dinner

After the festivities died down Braden and I had the opportunity to have a delicious meal with our friends from Korea since everyone else was gone in Rexburg! We kept each other company and had a lot of laughs.

소예는 우리 요리사! ^^

다인이 ㅋ

And then school had to start up again~ lame to the max. I am unusually unmotivated this semester. I decided the reason is I've been going to school for the past year straight! Ah! Normally I have a semester off a year, but since I switched my tracks I didn't get that this year. I am going to welcome the summer break with open arms...and maybe a few tears.

~tis the season!

Braden and I fluffing the tree!

Well Thanksgiving has past us and we decided it was time for us to move on to the next holiday! So for some reason I have had this "vision" of how I wanted to decorate my apartment. I wanted to have red and silver be the colors and to go with more of a retro christmas tree style. Some of  you may know, but when I get something in my head it sort of sticks. So we pulled down boxes from in the garage to see what we had already. We found the tree, the ornaments, the clutter...filtered through it and ended up using...well not much of anything grandma had to offer, but that is only because out of the five or six boxes of decorations she had available to us we only used maybe one?

I went to the store and I found some cheap silver ornaments and was able to use grandma's red ones that she already had. I think our little Christmas tree turned out nicely. The only thing I was not able to find is one of those old fashion tree toppers...I am still on the hunt!

Later on the next day my grandma came downstairs and was surprised to see how we had decorated. It turned out a little different than usual. She was pleasantly surprised and yelled up the stairs to my grandpa something I will soon not forget, "Dwayne! Come down and see the Christmas!!" haha My friend and I had a good laugh. She's so cute. Grandpa came down and admired the wonders Braden and I had accomplished. Our little apartment feels cozy and full that Christmas spirit!

Cozy Christmas

scruff.

I said in my earlier blog that I love not shaving. 

My friends share the same love. 

And so we took pictures to express this love of the scruff, 

and we took mugs too. 

A POST!

Okay, okay- so it's been how long since the last post?
I don't even know...so I'll just pretend that it wasn't as terribly long ago as it actually is. BUT my friends, don't be dismayed! I am making a resolution. I want to make a new post weekly. My life isn't THAT boring~ in fact it's quite exciting once I get down and think about it. There is plenty for me to share. So I will start and...you should all help me with my new goal of a post a week. Alright?! Good.

Yesterday I got back from our Thanksgiving in Utah! I must admit, Thanksgiving is one of my least favorite holidays. I've never been a fan of eating until I am so full that I must unbutton my pants in order to be able to breathe while I sit...and football just doesn't make any sense to me at all- (especially watching games from over a decade ago. What's with that!?!)
The only thing that makes Thanksgiving worth having is family. I love getting together with my family. We don't all get together much these days. Growing up, people getting married, having babies and moving away makes it hard; the holidays bring us together. Something about being with the whole family makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. ^^ I am blessed to have the best family in the world. So many cousins close to my age. Giant hugs from loving aunts. Cute little brothers. A loving Mom and Dad. Some people don't have ALL of that, but I do! And I'm Thankful for that.

(And I don't know HOW we got away without taking ANY pictures of Thanksgiving. I even went to look on everyone else's facebook...none. So just imagine the perfect Thanksgiving feast and most amazing family. {Insert here})

On the other hand...I am dreading school. I don't want to go back!!! BUT- I must remind myself that there is only two more weeks of class. Two more weeks. Then I'm free.

Also~ may I just tell you how much I love NOT SHAVING! I love it. One more reason I love break

PALS

This last Sunday, some buddies and I went up to Mesa Falls here in Idaho. I was a blast! I just love being outside in nature- especially in the mountains! The smell of pine and sage is to die for! Then throw in amazing friends to that bunch- WOW!

Can I just say I have the best friends one could ever ask for. They are always so supportive of me and influence me to be a better person. I don't know what I did to deserve such awesome friends. I hope I can be just as sweet of a friend back.