Review of our year ♥

 Review of our year in pictures:

January 2012: Bought my first car...now it's registered in Utah. Weird!

April: Jordon came home from his mission in Brazil....

May: I officially graduated from Western Wyoming 

July: Mark came home from his mission. Our first pic together in two years. 

July: Hobbs family reunion 

July 27,2012: We got married! 

 October: Our first Halloween 

November: Our first Thanksgiving 

December: We went on our cruise! 

 Our first Christmas tree

 December 2012: We got a puppy!! 

Here's to 2013!

Enjoy the journey

Oh my goodness... let me say that again END OF SEMESTER! We are so very close to being done with the semester and I am so thrilled. Three more tests for me and four more for Mark and then we get to pack up and head to Flordia and our cruise! We are so glad to have the semester come to an end. This has been a wonderful semester... good grades... being my first with my husband... and good jobs! We are truly so blessed.
We were able to go to Salmon for Thanksgiving. We had so much fun with Mark's side of the family. I had to work on Thanksgiving so we headed there the next day. I was only scheduled for two appointments and one of the patients did not even need help which was kinda a bummer. We were able to see lots of family at Mark's house. His brother Jeremy and his family were able to come all the way from San Jose California! We just love that family, they are so much fun to be around. We weren't able to spend a lot of time with them but it was so much fun to see their growing kids and to visit with Jeremy and DNeill. We also were able to spend time with Mark's older brother David and his family. We had so much fun with David and Gina at ALCO. Total blast and definitely something I will always remember. Mark's older sisters Julie and Carla were there with their families too and we had so much fun visiting them. Our niece Sarah came up from BYU to visit as well. It was really fun to be able to spend some time with here since I rarely have been able to do that. It is fun to spend time with her and to hear all her stories. She is going to go on a mission this coming year and we are thrilled about that. Mark surprised me and let me stop and say hi to my family on our way back to Logan and that was so much fun. I love spending time with our families. We are so blessed to have such incredible people in our lives.
Well we can officially say 8 days until we leave for our cruise. I am so happy about it and am so excited for Mark to experience his first cruise. We are so very thankful that his brother Brian helped us out with our plane tickets. Like I said, we are surrounded by amazing people. We get to go to Cozumel, Belize, Honduras and the Cayman Islands.
Recently in a sacrament meeting it was fast sunday and people were bearing beautiful testimonies but one really stood out to me. A lady got up and bore her testimony on sharing her testimony. She told us that she was just recently re-baptised into the gospel and that this was her first time bearing her testimony. The spirit that she had was so strong. I was amazed at her strength and her courage to get up and bare her testimony in front of our ward. She told us that before the meeting she looked up testimony and what it meant. She said that she read that a testimony is strengthened by sharing it. I was so touched by her testimony. I feel like we know that simple truth as members of the church but we don't really take the time or aren't courageous enough to bear our testimonies. I just want to send out a little challenge to bare your testimony more often... we never know who we might touch.
Last night I was scrolling through some wedding photos and I was overjoyed with happiness. I am so blessed to be married to such an amazing man who loves me with all his heart. I found myself tearing up and even crying with happiness. I love how some candid (not sure if thats how you spell it) shots capture people's personalities perfectly. I found myself smiling and crying over so many photos that captured just how I felt on that day and wonderful shots of others that captured their true personalities. I am so thankful for my wedding pictures and for the joy that they bring me.
Our life is so good right now. I need to be better at focusing on the positives and realizing that life is beautiful and it is even more beautiful with Mark by my side. While working for Access Home Health and Hospice I have found so many things to be thankful for. There are so many people that are in need of a friend or just a kind gesture. It is our hope as a small Hobb's family to be that light to others around us. We feel so incredibly blessed to be where we are today and to have the support systems that we do. It really is important to just take a step back and enjoy the journey ♥

Family ♥

Just last week we were wearing sandals (sparingly) and now it's snow boot season! Ah... not to sure how i feel about this. I think I have a bipolar relationship with the snow haha. I was telling Mark last how growing up I always loved the snow because that meant ice fishing with Dad. I remember being like over joyed that he was going to take me ice fishing with him even if that meant that I had to get up at 4 or 5 that morning to get ready. It was always so much fun growing up going ice fishing with him. 

Well because the weather is changing that also means that the semester is winding down. It's good to think that we made it through another semester and are that much closer to our final year. We have really loved being here in Logan and going to school. The campus is gorgeous and they have a huge institute program here which is great. On Tuesday we get to register for next semester. We have our schedules all figured out and get to be in two of the same classes together... I am thankful for that! It is going to be so much fun.

We love the holiday season but wish that we were closer to family. I had to work either Christmas or Thanksgiving and New Years Eve so I ended up picking to work on Thanksgiving and New Years. That means that we get to enjoy Turkey Day a little bit late. We are heading to Salmon the day after Thanksgiving to spend it with Mark's side of the family. We are super excited to see his family and all our nieces and nephews! 

Saturday Mark had to work all day from 9-5pm and I was trying to find something fun to do. I was trying to think of someone I could go do things with like a girlfriend or something and then I realized I don't really have a lot of friends here but Mark haha. Candace Clifford ... my old roommate from Wyoming... is here but since she is dating this nice guy from Weber State she is missing in action almost every weekend without fail. So I stuck to plan B and decided to just clean the house and do some homework. Around 10:30 as I had just finished mopping I heard some footsteps walking down the stairs into our house. Mark had told me that I had a surprise that day so I thought maybe it was him coming home early! I got kind of nervous when they knocked on the door because I was in my nasty "Saturday best" with a rag in my hand. I opened the door and to my surprise it was my mom and little sister! They had gotten up early that morning to drive down to Logan and spend the day with me. I was caught of guard because I was not expecting that, especially with the weather. 

It was fantastic to see them again. My mom brought us a whole bag full of meat that filled our freezer, which we are so very thankful for. She also brought us a loaf of delicious bread and showed me their new house plans! I am so excited that my parents are building a new house, but it is bitter sweet for me since I grew up in the one they are in now. I hurried and got ready and we were out on the town. One thing I love about spending time with my mom and sister is it almost always involves the word 'shopping'. LOVE IT. We went around to multiple stores etc. and had a blast together. We were able to find way way way cute bedspreads for some of the new rooms as well as a ton of cute clothes. I love going shopping with them because we seem to have the same taste. It was way fun seeing Bayli picking out clothes. She is growing up so fast! Every time I see her she gets taller and taller and I can not believe she will be a teenager this spring.

We ate lunch at Quiznos, they have the best chicken noodle soup ever! So good! It was fun to just spend time with them and to have a whole day filled with fun adventures. Mom took us to this neat old restaurant in Logan called the Bluebird and we tried an IronPort Cherry drink. My mom used to drink that sometimes growing up and wanted Bay and I to try it and it was amazing. I am definitely having Mark take me back there.

After a long day of shopping, laughs and fun new memories we ended the evening with Panda Express and Mark was there. It was so yummy! I am so glad that they made the trip down to see me. It was a much needed girls day and I loved having them with me. I am so blessed to have such amazing family members. There would have been no other way I would have rather of spent my day. It is such a blessing to have my best friends be my mom and sister. I love them so much and am so thankful that they braved the slick roads and spent the day with me. I LOVE THEM! ♥

Mark and I spoke in sacrament meeting today. It ended up going really great. We tied Elder Ballard's talk "Be Anxiously Engaged" and Sister Dibb's talk "I know it, I live it, I love it" together. It is so important that we are not only members on Sunday. We need to be active members of the gospel every day of the week. I really think that Elder Ballard points out a good analogy when he talks about his fathers bees and how they only brought 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey to the hive but that they 1/12 was vital to the life of the hive. I know that if we are good examples to those around us and serve with a happy attitude that our 1/12 will be enough if we all work together. It is also important that we serve with a happy attitude. When I think of someone who was anxiously engaged I think of Christ. However I don't think that he went about serving with the mindset of " Oh I hope this goes really fast" or " I really wish I didn't have to go" or "I have so many other things to do". I believe that Christ had a positive attitude when it came to service because he was converted to the gospel. Elder Ballard challenges us to pray for someone to serve. I know that this is important. Service can even just be a simple smile or a kind gesture. I am so very thankful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. I know it, I live it, and I love it. 

Well the countdown begins for our cruise... 33 days. We can not wait!! We love and miss you all! Have a good week!

♥Hobbs 

( I was looking through some old pictures and found this! One day while we were dating Mark had put sticky notes all over the mirror in my room saying that he loved me. I am so thankful for such a wonderful, strong reliable husband. xoxo)

Autumn

We have been so very busy with school and work lately that it feels like there is barely any time to sit down and take a breather! We have been married for 3 whole months now ♥ I am so lucky to be married to such an amazing man and to have such a wonderful relationship with him! Mark and I have had so many adventures the past couple months that it is hard to remember them all.  We have loved the Fall weather in Logan... giving us an excuse to wear jackets and boots, which I adore. 

We LOVE Logan

One of my best friends Susan Lindley Piquet got married on September 29, 2012 and we were able to make it up to Idaho for her beautiful day. It was so much fun to be there with her and to be able to see her beaming smile on her face. Susan also waited for her missionary Kolt so it really hit home. We have been friends since kindergarten and were able to go to Western together as well. I was thinking about some of the long talks that we had together driving to and from school... I am so thankful for her and am so happy that she has her happily ever after as well. 

We were also able to attend General Conference which is always such a blessing. Mark's parents were able to get us tickets to the Saturday afternoon session ( love his mom and dad) Luckily Susan was there in SLC too so we were able to roam around temple square while the men were in Priesthood session. Mark and I feel so blessed to be members of the church and to have the direction of a living prophet. We love the Gospel. Mark was just recently called to be the second counselor in the stake young mens presidency... ahhhh. He is going to be great at that, I am so excited for him. I was just recently called to be a primary teacher to 8 energetic 4 year old girls as well as the Relief Society Activity Planner. We had our primary program and it was interesting to say the least. Shoes were thrown at the pulpit... dressed tied above their head... tissues on some faces but we made it through. Lets just say it is going to be an adventure!  

We both were also able to start some new jobs... yay! I am working at Access Home Health and Hospice with my CNA license. I drive around and visit various patients. I am really enjoying the job and I love that I get to actually spend quality time with my patients. It is always so nice to feel like I am establishing positive relationships with others. I have been thinking lately that I would love to focus on geriatric counseling. Mark was able to start a job at Opinionology and is liking it! It is a survey company so next time someone calls resist the urge to hang up... it might be someone nice on the phone ;) We are blessed to both have jobs that we like and that work within our schedule! 

School is going fantastic we will both be able to pull off our 4.0 which will be great in order to keep our scholarships. We also get to register pretty soon for next semester. Mark and I get to take a STAT's class together. I am not excited for the class but I am excited that I am able to be in a class with Mark. It feels good to have the semester almost over and to be able to be moving forward in life... can not wait till we graduate! 

We were also able to make a trip to Idaho to visit my side of the family for the halloween weekend. We watched my little brother Braxton play in the championship for grid kid football. It was way fun to be able to watch him and to be able to see him stick it out even though the field was covered in snow. We were also able to watch our cousins Derek and Jason Ostermiller kick butt in the Holt Arena for football as well. It was so much fun being able to make it to their game. I was super grateful that their cleats stood out from the others so we could tell them apart :) We carved pumpkins with Bay and Brax... i love those two so much. I am so blessed to have such wonderful siblings and now i have 18 of them ah! We were also able to watch Jordon play on his BYU-I competitive team and he played so good! We went to my high school friend Kyle Andrews homecoming talk on Sunday. He returned from Belgium and the Netherlands and was a fantastic missionary. We were also able to go and visit my friends from the Homestead Assisted Living Center. I love going back and visiting the residents there, they have such a sweet spirit. It is such a blessing to be able to work with such tender people everyday. I love listening to their stories and showing them that little extra ounce of appreciation for their life. 

Tanner and Mark warming up!

Mark has been such a sweetheart this week... and every week of course. I have come home to beautiful flowers and nice gestures all week. He definitely knows how to make me feel special. He has such a happy personality and it is impossible not to be happy around him. I love that no matter what kind of mood I am he knows how to get a smile on my face. I am so blessed to have him in my life. I love him so much! He has been playing on a 3 on 3 basketball league with a rival from Shelley High School, Tanner Higham... they are so good! As well as on a rec team in Logan. I love to watch him play basketball/ 

Life is wonderful for us! We are so happy and have so much to look forward to! Plus... our cruise begins in almost a month, yay! 

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Love,

Jocelyn 

love my husband!

Sunday Walks and Long Talks

Mark and I love to go on walks around beautiful Logan. I always say that we are going to go for a “run” but then it ends up being a walk J This week I have been able to contemplate a lot about our life and what we have to look forward to. We are living in a basement apartment that is literally on the block across the street from the temple. When we come out our door we can see it, when we look out our window we can see it. We are so blessed to be able to live so closely to such a beautiful temple. I am thankful that I married a man who makes it a priority to attend the temple regularly.

temple

This past week we were very busy in school. It was the third week of school so that means that it was about the time for the first tests, papers etc. Mark and I are able to be up at school the same time with similar class schedules which is really nice. I am really enjoying my classes because they are interesting to me and I feel like it is exactly what I want to learn about. I am taking a dress and humanities class… which sounds easy right? Our first assignment was literally making an outfit out of recycled material from scratch… yeah… not my forte. The professor told us that we could partner up so I partnered with a girl that was sitting next to me. I have learned my lesson… I would SO much rather work on my own then in groups. We just have a different vision of what work ethic is and how much time we want to put into getting a good grade. Needless to say… it is due in the morning… and she still hasn’t gotten back to me with her part of the assignment. I am crossing my fingers that it will turn out good. I will post a picture of the finished product, if that ever happens, ugh!  

The weather has been beautiful here lately so I have decided that we need to take advantage of that. Our house overlooks the valley part of Logan. If we just head out the door and down a little hill there are plenty of places to go walking and lots of really fun parks. I like to be outside to do my homework so I have really enjoyed going to the Merlin Park here in Logan and sitting at the picnic table doing homework. Sometimes we don’t really enjoy homework, but we do it anyways:

I am such a snacker… I love everything that has to do with snacks. But not anymore… I have set a new goal! From now on my snacks will consist of fruit, dried fruit, nuts and granola bars. This is going to be the first week of trying out my new goal… we will see if I hold strong to it! I will keep you updated! :)

Last Saturday we were able to meet up with my good friend Susan Lindley (soon to be Piquet) and her fiancé Kolt and have dinner. It was so much fun to be able to sit and laugh and talk with her. We are so excited for them and I cannot wait to see her on her wedding day. I remember growing up with her in middle school; staying in touch after she moved away and then being blessed enough to go to Western Wyoming with her. We used to have countless talks on our drives back and forth from Wyoming to Idaho about Mark and Kolt on their missions… and now look we will both be married to them! It is crazy how time flies and how much we have grown since then. We are super excited to attend their sealing and to be able to be part of their special day, love you guys!!

We are also very excited to share this news… if you didn’t already know this… My big brother is getting MARRIED! :)  I am so thrilled to have his fiancé Shay be a part of our family. She is such a sweetheart and I couldn’t have wished for a sweeter person to be my sister-in-law. We are looking forward to their wedding on October 27^th! It is so crazy to think that Jordon and I are really grown up now. I remember being little with him and having Aunt Kathy dress us up. Or being in junior high and thinking it was so cool that my older brother was shorter than me ;). Or in high school loving that I had someone to protect me and care for me. When Jordon left to go on his mission I truly realized how much he meant to me and how grateful I was for him. He is one of my best friends. And how could I not love him… he introduced me to Mark!

I feel very blessed to be part of two wonderful families and to have wonderful friends. There is so much in life to be happy about. I think the biggest part about being happy is choosing to be happy. It all depends on how we see the world around us. I hope that I will always be able to have a positive outlook on life and be able to acknowledge the blessings that come into our life. I know that we have a loving heavenly father who wants the best for us and who strives to help us realize our full potential. I know that he knows me that he understands my needs and that he answers my prayers. I am so thankful for the gospel in my life and for the blessing that I have to be a member of this church.  I am thankful for a husband who holds the priesthood and who loves the Lord. I know that if we put our faith in the Lord and trust him he will help us have the little extra ray of sunshine we need to get through the day.  Mark and I feel the blessings of the gospel in our lives. 

sitting on the "blog" bench, our view.

I hope that everyone has a happy week, miss you all and we will see you soon! Until next time…

Love,

Jocey