well here we go!

Hello Hello. Im Katie Cleverley, I've never blogged before so this may be slightly retarted but what'evs! 

2 more kidlets have been added since this photo

I'm actually Angela's younger sister which would make me 5th of 6 kids. My family is a little crazier than others I'm sure, but ya gotta love em.

During my senior year of high school I went to Evans Hairstyling College which counted as elective credits and helped me graduate (which was awesome cause I sucked at actually attending school). I graduated from PGHS May 2009, and October 17th 2009 I graduated hair school, then October 22nd 2009 I got married to the coolest dude around (if I do say so myself). So pretty young I know, I was 18 and Jake was 20.

just got sealed

On our first anniversary we were sealed in the Oquirrh Mountain Temple and we just celebrated our 3 year anniversary!

 
 We really want to travel before having children and we have a little bit; we went on a cruise to Mexico in 2011, and stayed at a resort in Puerto Rico this past April. We really want to go to Italy so that's what we're currently saving for. 

Cabo, Mexico

Rio Mar beach resort, PuertoRico

  









We just bought a house at the beginning of the month so we're busy trying to fix it up. Its an old home that was built in the 20's and we love it!! Lucky for me Jake is in construction and does home remodels and additions so it's pretty much perfection.

Right now we have two pet iguanas, a female Taz and a male Iggie. We have had them for 2 years and you may ask "why iguanas?!" Well, when we got them we were in a small apartment where we couldn't have dogs or cats and I think fish are dumb, birds scare me and drive me crazy, and snakes creep me out. So for some reason we decided iguanas were good (we both actually had one as a pet growing up) and we don't like to share so we had to get two so we could each have our own. When we got them they could fit in your hand and now they are about 3 feet long and Taz is pretty much a fatty. Anyways! So far that's me and Jake.

And You Thought You Knew Me...

Well hello! Jen here and it’s my turn for an introduction.

I guess some might consider me a girl of contradictions, but here a few facts about me just so you can judge for yourself.

Degree: Bachelors in Psychology from UVU

My Favorite singer: Is and always will be Britney Spears; there’s just no changing my mind about that.

Favorite song: Boston, By Augustana

Favorite TV series: Smallville

Favorite Superhero: Superman, but if you consider Lois Lane a hero, I would list her too. ;)

Favorite Book: Ella Enchanted, Gail Carson Levine

Favorite Series (Currently): The Underland Chronicles, Suzanne Collins

These are my cupcakes at a wedding

I like to make cupcakes but hate to eat them. (note: this is how I make friends)

I love Demolition Derby’s

My hobby is archery (Robin Hood Style)

My iPod has about 2GB of Music and 14GB’s of Audio Books

I would love to travel the world, but right now I need to be at home so reading and writing are my escape.

I’m a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) and it is central to everything I do. From 2007 to 2009 I served in the California, Carlsbad Mission, it was a fantastic experience and I met the most amazing people.  

Okay, and now for the general stuff.

Jari was my 1st nephew,
born just 3 months after me

I'm the youngest of 7 kids but I prefer to call myself an only child, as the youngest before me was seventeen when I was born. That makes me the aunt of somewhere around 20 nieces and nephews (And one great little niece or nephew on the way!) SO...I have a crazy, busy life, with lots of family and friends.

After High School, I moved away from home for College (Angie and Ruth were my roommates!) and I’ll always say that I was raised in PG but grew up at Snow College. I will be the first to tell you that the experience  was probably the best thing for me. I loved my two years at school and if I could go back, I would in a heartbeat.

Buddies. :) 

A year at UVSC put me at age twenty-one and I then left for my mission to California. I was defiantly blessed on my mission, but to put that into perspective let me tell you why. A counselor at UVSC told me once, “You are so introverted, I’m surprised you can function in society.” Well, function I did, and I was blessed to be able to do everything that was asked of me.

Best Friends!

I finished up school and graduated from UVU, I haven’t decided what I’m moving onto next, so for now, I live at home and help out where I can. I love to write, shoot my bow, and spend time with friends and family.

A Semi-Brief History, part 1

I am the 4^th of 6 kids and grew up on an apple farm (though I know very little about apples or farming). I went to Snow College where I got my Associates degree and had an amazingly fun two years doing so.

Jenny, Ruth, & I sharing a home-mixed Vanilla Coke

After college I got a job for Big-D Construction as a receptionist on a jobsite. One of the foremen set me up on a blind-date with his younger brother John, who was fresh off his LDS mission. From first date to wedding day was only two and half months, and two weeks later he was deployed for Afghanistan. 

saying goodbye...

While he was gone I quit my job at Big-D (one of my most regrettable decisions), moved into our basement apartment, and started working at a nearby gas station.

John got to come home for 2 weeks

  John was a reservist for the Marine Corp, so when his year-long deployment ended, he had to go back to his civilian job, Verizon Wireless.  He convinced me to apply to the Verizon Customer Care Center, where I was hired. Not too long later, I got pregnant, and John got a different job. We put an offer in on a house; I quit my job (poor timing), then finalized the closing after he got back from a 3-week summer training. About 2 months after we moved he was deployed again, this time to Iraq, Xander was born a couple months later...

Sneak Peek...

Hey guys! 

Jen here, and although I won't be giving you my introduction for a couple weeks, I just wanted to say that I love to write. I've posted several of my stories on Wattpad and 2 of them are up for this years Watty Awards! 

If you have a wattpad account, check out my stories, my user name is: hopenlight OR click the wattpad widget on the left side of this page. It will take you right to my profile, fan me and read and vote! 

If you haven't heard of wattpad, check it out! 

K. Thanks. And enjoy Ruth's introduction!

Quote of the Day: Discipleship is believing Christ in seasons of peace and believing Him in season of difficulty, when our pain and fear are calmed only by the conviction that He loves us and keeps his promises. -Elder Neil L. Anderson

The Great Alaskan Adventure

North, to Alaska!    These were the song lyrics going through my mind at     4 o'clock    in the morning    as my husband Tyler and I left our home in Oklahoma to move to Anchorage, Alaska.  I know, right?  Alaska.  Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I would be living in here.  But here I am. 

I love this place! 

Bailee snuggled between
the blankets

Life is a blast here in Alaska.  We live in a town small enough to have a town square that is actually used for town square-ish activities-sledding, festivals, and other manners of legal frivolity. Tyler is in the Air Force, and I am embarking on my fourth year as an elementary school teacher.  Before you ask the question that I know is coming, let me answer it.  No, we don't have any kids.  Instead, we have a dog named Bailee who is, for all intents and purposes, our kid.  She is the most adorable dog ever and I treat her like she is a person, which probably drives most people crazy.  I also have plenty of friends who are having kids all the time, so I get the fun of holding and playng with kids without the messy details:-)