Time for a Change

      I know it has been awhile since I last posted, but things are about to change. Lately writing my thoughts and aspirations out has been so therapeutic. As an update to my friends and family who are afar, my family and I recently moved from Sunny California to questionable Provo, Utah. At first I thought I would do great here. We came up last year in August, and I must say it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. I left the majority of my friends and acquaintances behind, and with that left the comfort of my home town behind. Now I am starting a new beginning with my husband and son, and know absolutely no one. Building new relationships have been hard, especially in a college town. My husband who hopes to reach his career in Landscaping management was offered a job last year at BYU ( Brigham Young University) in the grounds department for Baseball. Nothing was panning out for us in California, so we took a leap of faith, and followed our hopes and dreams to start up in a new place with the possibility to find a full time position eventually with the college. A year has almost approached since our move up here, and it has been rough living on a part time job that only allows you to work 28 hours. Without the love of my extended family on my Dad's side, I do not think we would be surviving this long.

      With this said, yesterday was a really bad day. I chose to be sad, wollow in my depression, and not do anything about it. This year my New Years Resolution has been helping me so much with finding happiness. I chose to make my resolution to always choose to push myself forwards no matter what. Since my move up here, it has been difficult finding good relationships in a college town that is constantly changing. It is hard to form a buisness, hard to find others that will be here long term, and also finding others that connect with me on the same level. I am a SAHM, and at times with a low income, I do not get out much and can not take pleasure in the recreation that others are allowed. I do try my best to spend my money wisely and save what is left over. To be honest though, there is nothing left over. We are simply not making enough to live off of. There is always a shortage in one of our departments of survival. We are as frugal as we can be, and there is no change there. 

       As the title of my blog post today, I am writing that today there is a time for a change. I am going to choose to push forward like my resolution stated. I am going to keep going, because the choices I make tooday are either going to make or break me. For the higher possibility of finding happiness along the way, and a balance of peace and serenity in my life, I am going to keep pushing myself forward. 

      Some of you may know that in the past 20 months of my sons birth, I have lost a significant amount of weight. I have done this by choosing to become better in my health and fitness. My pregnancy with my son was hard being out of shape, and retaining a lot of water weight. At the end of my pregnancy with him I was a total of 270 lbs. I didn't understand what else I could do to keep from gaining so much weight, and the doctors were constantly making recommendations as to what I could do. Yet no matter what I did, I couldn't change anything. Once I had my son Charles, I was cleared to start working out again. It has changed my life. I do not ever want to go back to the way I was, and in the past 20 months I have cleansed the way I eat, live, and now feel healthier, stronger, and more equipped to take on more than I was able to before.

        What was my secret? My sister Laura introduced me to a program through a company called Beachbody. I started working out to a cardio kickboxing class called Turbo Jam and not only lost a great amount of weight, but also got my mobility and health back. It was hard starting out, but I knew that each day I did something, I was one day closer to my goal. To this day, I am still pushing forward. I am back from my vacation, and am ready to start another program. I hope to find others to join me. I am a beachbody coach. This is where I help train, inform and help motivate others in their health and fitness goals with and without beachbody programs. I am starting up a new program with beachbody which I love. It is called The 21 Day Fix, and with the simplicity of the workouts, Shakeology, and the portion control system, I have not only lost weight, but have gained strength in parts of my body I didn't think exsisted. Shakeology is a product through beachbody that I started up in October, with it, it has helped me curb my cravings, loose up to 30 lbs with my diet and exercise, and helps me be more regular. It has been a huge benefit in my weight loss and health journey.

       I am looking for others to join my in this program. First you will need to make me your coach by creating a free account with teambeachbody. By using the link below, I will become your coach, and then you will be able to purchase their products through me and receive bonus's to your purchases by having me as your coach.

 Visit: https://www.teambeachbody.com/tbbsignup/-/tbbsignup/free/327007

to make me your coach if you do not have a coach already. 

If you do have a coach this is what you will need to do to switch to me: 

Email: CoachRelations@TeamBeachBody.com and in the CC: put in my email, which I will give to you privately. Then in your email say: Hi I would like to switch my coach to Kari Parish Coach ID: 327007 email: (insert the email I tell you), Please let Kari and I know when this transfer is complete. Thank You

Let me know if you have any questions, I would love to have more people in my fitness circle, become your coach so we can help keep each other motivated, and help each other reach our goals :)

Our New arrival

I sure have been a slacker when it comes to posting information about my life in the digital world, or even writing about it in my journal. Yet for this new information, and the amount of time I have on my hands, I wanted to share the news.
I had a baby! His name is Charles Raymond Parish. He was born on October 6th 2012 at 3:45pm. He weighed 10lbs 7oz. He is one big boy, and such a charmer. He was kind enough to be born on my Aunts birthday, and during General Conference. His birthdays will always be extra special I am sure. I was really wanting an October baby too, I don't know why, just did. I was induced for labor on the 5th, and around midnight asked for an epidural. I hardly felt any contractions, and started pushing around 10am on the 6th. Unfortunately after pushing for three and a half hours, the baby just couldn't squeeze through past the pelvic bone. He just wasn't going to come out that way. My husband gave me a blessing of comfort which I deeply needed as the doctors discussed having a C-section done. I had not prepared for that possibility since all my life I've been told I've had the Johnson birthing hips. But we all agreed that it was the best thing to do, and I had trust and faith in my doctors knowing they would only recommend the best for me and my baby. So later that afternoon Charles was brought into the world. Our first baby....Not sure when the next will come, I'm still adjusting and surviving the first one. As I was behind the curtain on the operating table, Josh by my side holding my hand, I looked over at him and told him that it was going to be a long long time before we have another child.....well at least 2 years...that is if I have a say in it. It might change :)
We chose the name Charles after my Mom's Father's middle name. He goes by Chuck for short, and he has always been a big part of my life, and now my husbands. We look up to him, and admire him so much. We also named Charles after Josh's Dad's middle name which was Raymond. I hear great stories of him, and look forward to meeting him when our families will be eternal. Josh's Mom is excited to finally have a grandson, and my Mom is excited to have a new grandchild so close to home.
We are grateful to be blessed with our boy, and look forward to the new firsts with him.
(Pictures to come, or go to my facebook to check them out )

A new day, a new goal

Sometimes I sit at the computer knowing that I want to write about something but i'm not quite sure where to start. I'll start with the basics.
Currently I'm looking into a job closer to home. I told Josh that I might actually enjoy where we live if I didn't have to drive so far to get to work, and get home at the end of the day.
Josh and I went out last night to Red Robins. Through my rewards points I got a $50 gift card to eat there, and so Josh and I will go eat there on ocassion. Last night was nice to get out, split a burger with my husband, and have bottomless root beer float and steak fries :) The staff there was awesome, and our waiter never missed anything. It was nice. Josh and I tipped him $10.00 for how awesome he did. I've decided that we all have difficult jobs, and if we take time to compliment and recognize each other, then maybe we wouldn't hate our jobs as much. I hope that we were able to make his night better :) I also talked to the manager and let him know how impressed we are from his staff and what a great time we had. I picked up an application, and it sounded very promising to get my foot in the door with them. I think it would be a great opportunity. I have lots of customer service, and food experience over the years. I really enjoy it, and the opportunity to serve others and make them happy :)
Last night was nice, and today was a good Sabbath. We had a nice time a church. Learning about the importance of recognizing that we are all of God's children and how we should love one another. It's easy to slip up in this, and I realize how selfish I am when I'm always thinking about myself and my problems. When it should really be about thinking about my neighbors, and how I can make someone else's day brighter.
I love this church and the peace it brings into my life. I hope that as I continue to grow closer to Christ and our Father in Heaven, that I can help bring that peace into the lives of his children who are struggling or feeling lost in the world. I am so grateful for those I associate myself with who have such high standards and live their lifes worthy of the gospel. They are such great examples to me, and I want to be better because of them. I love my husband and all that he is makes me happy that I was so lucky to find him and have him in my life forever.
Well that's enough for today, here's to good days from here on out, and doing my best to keep them good.

Missing my Husband

I know it has been quite awhile since I posted in my blog account. Quite honestly I feel like no one really cares or reads about what is going on in my life. But if for some reason I may be wrong, I still continue to write in here. It is almost a therapeutic solution to take time and contemplate on what I'm actually feeling, and try to sort through something in my life.
I've been married now for approximately 2 months. Life is wonderful when I'm with Josh, and when I'm not, all do is think about him, and it gets me through my day. It's been hard though, I really don't get to see him much. Josh is working for Dewey Pest Control this summer, his hours are long and hard, and I am proud of his preservance, and hard work that he puts into it. He has to face rejection each day, only to turn himself around and do it all over again the next day. I don't know how he does it sometimes. I don't think I would be able to face that kind of work everyday. He works Monday through Saturday from 9am-9pm. He has been driving out to Murrieta lately, and once his team finishes up that area he'll be moving onto somewhere new. With how much my schedule jumps around, we hardly see eachother at all. It is sad, but I keep telling myself that it is only for the summer. I wish I had friends that I could go do things with, but I feel like I'm stuck in the middle. The friends I had when I was dating Josh, weren't really there and were letting go of me slowly, and now they don't talk to me anymore. I understand that things are different, but in a way I feel like they weren't really my friends if they aren't my friends anymore. I miss those friendships I held dear to me in college, but they are all in separate states and I probably wont see them again. Then the other side of things is that I stay home until my husband comes home because I miss him, and don't want to miss him when he does get home. I wish I had friends, but I've been noticing how hard that is becoming. My new ward is interesting when I'm able to attend. I work every other sunday, and so it makes it hard to be visible in my new ward. I just don't feel at home yet. Our apartment is our new home, but I still haven't had that feeling as to where I feel like I'm at that point in my life that I'm supposed to be at. Currently, I got injured at work, and am on transitional. Which means that I am not working in my department, I still get my hours but they just have me working through stores as a greeter. The camera equipment through work has made me weak, and has messed up my back and arms. Who knew that the thing I loved in college and got my degree in would turn out to be so nasty. All in all I need to find a better job that isn't a 60 mile commute. It is really eating up my time, and my life, but It is all I have. My Mom reminds me that I can't afford to be unemployed or else I would've quit already. Thanks mom.
Well this is all that is going on in my head right now. If no one hears about it, at least I have something to think about through the day with a little more structure to it.

Time Flies

It amazes me that I haven't posted a blog since September. It's not because nothing has happened either. There is so much that has happened since my last post. Let's recap:
1. Jason came home from his mission in late September and has now been home for 5 1/2 months.
2. I'm still working at Disneyland, and had no idea I would be there for so long. I love my job, but just like everyone I have those days. The commute is never fun, but at least I have a job.
3.Halloween came and went, and I didn't dress up. I was too poor, and too lazy to make a costume. Josh and I wanted to dress up as Jessi and Woody from Toy Story. Now that Josh has a Buzz lightyear shirt, we may just have to do Jessi and Buzz next year.
4. Josh proposed to me on my doorstep one day after church. (October 24th to be exact) Which was a pretty fun story since my brother came out yelling at us right after Josh had popped the question, telling us to stop making out. (ah good times, Jason was happy he was part of the moment)
5. I've been planning our wedding since then.
6. I worked on Thanksgiving day, and got Jason and Dad into the park so I wouldn't be alone the whole day. I got to play with them afterwards.
7. Mom and I found my dream wedding dress online for 260 dollars, which was perfect because it would be custom made to my measurements, and it wasn't too much money.
8. Christmas was fun with Jason home, first one in 2 years. I got a fun toy, which I will cherish forever, and everyone loved their gifts.
9. The New Year came, and brought in many surprises. One being the complication of my wedding dress. My Mom looked at her credit card not recognizing a 260 dollar charge, and called it in as being fraud. They canceled it, and an hour later she realized it was the wedding dress. So for a month, we lost time, trying to clear things up with the credit card company and the merchant. We canceled the first charge, sent him another payment, and spent a month trying to let him know that his money was in his bank account for him. Yet he still didn't see it, and wouldn't send the dress until he got his money. So we canceled the second, and asked him if we could just start a second order, and have the dress sent that he was working on. I told him the date of the wedding, and he said I'd get the dress by March 15th, due to the Chinese new year celebration. This was way too close to the date, so we decided to go with someone else. Too bad we lost a month of time fighting for this dress. :(
10. Josh and I got our Engagement pictures taken thru Jason Lanier Photography, and one of his employees did beautiful photos of us at Santa Monica Pier. It was a great experience, and lots of fun. Neither Josh and I had ever been there. It was a lot of fun.
11. Josh and I found an apartment in San Bernardino, close to our friends, and will be in a fun young married couple ward. The apartment is coming together and looking really good. It's small, but just right.
12. My Aunt helped my Mom and I pick out a beautiful invitation which we got in the mail yesterday, and will be working on them today, to get them out asap.
13. I just had my bridal shower, and had a wonderful time, and great turnout. It was so much fun, and was beautiful.
14. I worked on Valentines again, and it wasn't too bad. Only downfall was that Josh was sick, and I didn't think we'd be able to do anything together this year. Last year we had just started dating and he made a romantic dinner on his back patio of our favorite soups, and some grilled cheese sandwiches. He also made his "black bottom banana pie". So good. This year I came home to a surprise in my room. I saw a Banana Republic box with card and Twix bar on top. Twix is my favorite candy bar. I opened the card, and he wrote me a sweet letter with a cute poem. He also got me a dozen pink roses, and they are beautiful. It was such a sweet surprise. He also bought me a Jacket i fell in love with at Banana Republic.
I got out of my work clothes, and kept texting him about how awful traffic was, making him think I was still on the road. I wore the Jacket, and went to pick up his Valentines gift. (Socks, and a surg protector). When I got to his door I told him I just got home. He told me I should change into my pajama's. He was so anxious for my surprise. But before I could respond to that text, I knocked on his door, and covered the peep hole. He opened the door and was so shocked. It was awesome :)
15. My Mom and I found a different wedding dress which is beautiful, and i'll be trying to take it in to the seamstress today, to make a couple alterations.....I am 6'3" there had to be some alterations. lol
16. Life is great, and I am preparing to enter the temple. It is so nice to know that things are starting to come together. I'm so excited for my life with Josh. Just 5 more weeks, and I'll be Mrs. Parish.

Thoughts of Weddings

I definitely feel like a girl the older I get. Not that I'm saying I haven't been a girl my whole existence. Recently I've been thinking of weddings. I love photographing them, and being apart of them. But most of all I look forward to my wedding. That's when my girly moments take flight. I think over and over of the things I've experienced. What I like, what I dislike. So lately, as I think more about what I'd have at my wedding, I fathom the amazing capabilities people have to put together such beautiful wedding receptions. I become puzzled, and undecided on colors. I love black, silver, and violet, but my sister laura did that, so that is X'ed out. Then I've thought that a black and white wedding with Rose red and Wine Purple would be beautiful. But then someone told me that sounded like a black persons wedding. I'm really not sure how. I was thinking of it nice from a black and white perspective with just the right colors. Plus I'm a sucker for deep red roses. Not that they are my only favorite flowers, I also love Asiatic Lilies, Daisies, and other flowers. So i'm sure I'll find something that I love. Here are a few of my ideas so far for my dream wedding:
My dream dress:

I actually tried this dress on my third year of college with my room mates. It was at a dress shop on mainstreet, near the college :) I've loved it ever since. Only problem was the length, I'll definitely have to add fabric to it.
The Asiatic flower looks like this:

Painting

As many of you may already know, I not only love photography, but I also love to paint. My last painting was of a photograph that my friend Scott Jarvie had taken at a family reunion. He was very kind to let me use his image for a painting. Here is the progress of the painting and the final image:
My sister Sara really wants me to do a painting for her of this dress she saw online. We weren't really sure what medium the artist used in this photo, so I'm going to try a different set of mediums all on water color paper, then do the final painting with the mediums of choice.
It may take me a little while to find those other photos. as for now, this is my progress on the dress painting.