OUR FIRST APARTMENT

WOW It has been a long time since I wrote a family letter out, mainly because we haven't had internet service in our new apartment until just a few days ago. But I will catch everyone up on what has been going on over on this part of the world.

I will start with our BIG MOVE!!! WOOHOO, just when we had given up on looking for an apartment, this wonderful deal came through and we were offered a place. It was way bigger and nicer than I ever imagined I would be in for our first place. But I am so grateful for it. It is so nice, everything is brand new, it is a 2 bedroom, 2 bath, with a beautiful kitchen, dining area, and our family room. I am so in love with it. I am also so happy because we finally get to use our wedding gifts that haven't been opened since August. We didn't want to get them mixed up with anything at the other house, so we just decided to wait a bit until we got our own place. It is such a cozy apartment and we love it. Something I LOVE is that we get a big walk in closet, I get my sider and he gets his side. Something my mom once told he is that having her own closet is the thing that keeps their marriage together, well I don't get my own closet yet, but having my own side really makes it nice!!! If you know Alex, he is a NEAT FREAK, if you know me, I am a SLOB!!! So that really does help with that part of the marriage. There is only one complaint I have to make about the place and that is the tapping noise we hear every 5 seconds from the pipes upstairs. I can block it out most of the time, but it drives Alex CRAZY!! He tosses and turns all night long, and He had been telling me he couldnt sleep at night because of it, and that he was going to start sleeping in another room, so this morning I woke up to an empty bed. I found Alex on the couch in the family room sleeping, I guess he just couldn't take the noise any longer. We are hoping the landlord takes care of it soon. Other than that our place is PERFECT for us!!!

Alex has been busy with work, school, and finals, he just finished his first Semester at Marist with a GPA of a 4.0!!! He is such a good student, always early to class, hard working student, gives spectacular presentations in class, and is just an all around great student!! If I was his teacher that is the report I would give on his report card!!!

I have been very busy with babysitting. I found a job about 5 minutes away from our house. The little boy is 16 months old, his name is Jake, and he is the most cute little boy, he is so easy going and makes life go smooth. I work long hours with Jake starting at 6:45 a.m. until 5:45 p.m. I work with Jake on Mondays and Wednesdays. I also picked up another job in New Caanen, CT on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Some Saturdays. Thats were the money is, and that little boy is 16 months as well. The drive is about an hour, but totally worth it for the Salary. The hours at this other job are alot less, so that's nice.

We wanted to have a party to invite family/friends to see our new place, so this past weekend we had a holiday party. It was alot of fun, we played Christmas games, had a white elephant gift exchange, and had yummy food.

A week ago Alex gave a talk in Church, it was such a nice talk. He talked on Strengthening our testimonies through service. And then a week later I gave a talk on The true meaning of Christmas. Its sad to admit, but it was the first talk I had ever given that didn't involve my mom helping me write it. I wasn't sure how it would turn out, because when I had my mom to help me, I knew it would always turn out perfect. But this time I was on my own, I got a lot of compliments on it, and everyone said I was so relaxed, even though I had a runny nose, raspy voice, and could hardly stay awake during sacrament meeting. I managed to get through!!! I was doing so good at not getting sick through the month of December with EVERYONE being sick, but I knew it was bound to happen anytime. Now I have a sick hubby that lost his voice due to a sore throat, high fever, and just so sick. I have never seen Alex as sick as he is now, so hopefully he gets better soon.

Well we are really excited for Christmas this week!!! I am happy to say that I am all done with my shopping, so no more trips to the mall, Walmart, or any other store with 30 minute lines!!! I hope you all have a great Christmas!!! Tell Trent hi for me when he calls. I'm bummed out I wont get to talk to him, maybe you can 3 way me in somehow, I would really appreciate that if you can. Take care and have a great week.

Here are some pictures of our place and other misc. things!!!
Alex's new trailer for his moving company, and firewood sales. He got it for a STEAL!!!

















Here is an appetizer platter Alex made from scratch for us one night. Doesn't it look great?

Alex and I with our Christmas tree.
















Our village, train, and tree, Alex's collection from his younger years.















Dining area and office.

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Thankful for my husband....

Thankful for my husband and all he does...


I just wanted to let you know how thankful I am for all that you do for me and our family.

Thank you for going out and buying, splitting, and stacking firewood for us so that we can stay warm during the cold seasons.

Thank you for always having the wood stove running when I get over there on the weekends.

Thank you for taking me out on rides with you, to buy new appliances to expand your work.

Thank you for going to school each day and working hard to get good grades, so that some day you can have a good career.

Thank you for keeping the house and yard nice and cleaned up.

Thank you for taking me to church each week.

Thank you for having great talents and using them to help me and others around you.

Thank you for being such a great friend to me and everyone else, and always wishing and hoping for only the best in people.

Thank you for cooking me breakfast in the morning, and letting me get ready for church.

Thank you for driving around town with me while searching for the right apartment.

Thank you for your positive energy to deal with me through the hard times.

Thank you for attending the temple with me.

Thank you for taking me to the temple to be sealed as an eternal family.

Thank you for always being so nice to your mom, and willing to ALWAYS help her. I dont think I have ever heard you tell her that you wouldnt or couldnt help with her with something.

Thank you for being such a hard worker, in EVERYTHING you do.

Thank you for waking up at 5 a.m. to do jobs so that we can go to the temple.

Thank you for the back massages you give me while I go to sleep.

Thank you for always giving me compliments on things that I do.

Thank you for being my personal bank accountant.

Thank you for helping me buy a car.

Thank you for your knowledge, and that you put it to good use.

Thank you for renting movies that are my kind of movies and watching them with me.

Thank you for being a worthy priesthood holder, and for having such a strong testimony.

Thank you for loving me.

I could go on and on... but I just wanted to tell you thank you for some of the things you do for me. I love you and hope you never forget that I love you and i am so glad we are married for time ad all eternity.

Love,
Senia

LIFE...

Well Another week has passed, and time is getting closer and closer everyday to finally be done with my current job. My kids are much more excited for me to leave than I am, I had Adam tell me "Only 20 more days!!!" I have been VERY stressed out lately because I am worried and trying to get another job and apartment lined up, but it sure is tough. Its easy to say oh just put up ads on Craigslist or the newspaper, but then having people get back to you is the hard part. I have been working really hard trying to find a job, but it just seems hopeless, so Ilene thought it would be a good idea if we had a family fast this Sunday, for me to get a job, and for Alex and I to be able to find an apartment, and for cousin Roy to find an apartment as well. Everyone is welcome to join us in this special fast, and it would be greatly appreciated.

I have been so emotional lately and also crave everything...here is a list of the things I always want to eat, Sauteud onions, BIG MAC, French Fries, chips and El Pato, tomatoes with ranch, and that just about does it. I have to make this stop because I refuse to gain weight and get fat... I think I am just on this emotional roller coaster, where one minute I can be so happy and then someone can say or do the wrong thing, and it just totally throws me off. I am so grateful I have such a great husband, with ALOT of patience. Hopefully it doesnt last too much longer. Its just one of those phases...

There have been some great moments that have happened lately, and I just want to name a few because I am so happy and proud of my boys!!! Adam (9) in third grade came home with a list of 15 Hard Spelling words such as acceptance,geography,civilization,rhombus, longitude...and you get the point. Spelling is his weakest subject and it takes alot of effort and practice to learn these words. He was so sure that he would never in a million years learn how to spell those words, so I made him a deal that if he got 100% on his spelling test I would give him $5.00, and the deal was on...I was pretty sure he would atleast miss one word, so I wasnt to worried about missing my precious $5.00. He studied so hard everyday after school, and in the mornings before school, and did the homemade word search I made, along with the unscramble words, and write 5 times each, and write a sentence with the spelling word in it. Well sure enough he came home yesterday with a spelling test and 100%!!!WOOHOO I was so happy, so was he!!! Also another big accomplishment was that he had to learn all the states and capitols, and memorize where they were located on the map...so again, we worked EXTRA hard, and he got 100% on that as well!!! One more thing, he had a Hockey tournament in Massachusetts and he took his team to the championship and won the whole thing!!! Then Eric (6) first grade loves to have challenges, so we do large number addition facts flash cards, like 42+66, 22+13, and so on...I have 54 cards, and it used to take him about 5 mins to finish the deck, but now he is down to 2 minutes, so that has been a HUGE accomplishment...he isn't challenged enough in his classroom, so his homework from me gives him some challenge which he LOVES.

I was unloading the dishwasher when Adam walked in and asked me in a very serious tone...Senia, is beauty sleep true? I answered back with, Of Course it is!!! He then asked, Why do girls always need to have their beauty sleep? I told him, it makes them feel and look prettier when they are fully rested. He replied with, Oh well then you should try getting some more beauty sleep...Maybe he is trying to tell me something...

I cant stand when my kids are rude to eachother or hit or say mean things to me or eachother. My kids are the PUNKS... I had given them warning after warning that if it didnt stop something reallly bad was going to happen, well Eric didn't take me serious, and he kept being rude and saying rude things to me, so I decided okay thats it, I have had it with him!!! As I was thinking of a punishment, since I cant spank or flick his mouth, and timeout wouldnt teach him anything, I had already taken away his DS, so my last option was to sniff vinegar for a whole minute. I had to hold him down, and put the bottle right up to his nose, because I told him the more he fought with me the longer it would be until I started the timer... so if any of you have ever smelled vinegar, it is just GROSS, he learned a valueable lesson, and now is very nice to people!!!

I could go on and on with stories about these boys, but most of them are just better to be forgotten.

Last weekend was really nice, Ilene, Alex, and I rode the train to the city and went to visit Nick(alexs brother) and went to do a session at the temple. I loved going to the temple, especially there in NYC. Everything is SO busy and loud, but then the moment you step into the temple, there is this peace that just overwhelmes you. It was so wonderful, we also did some sealing, and hearing the words again, that were given at our sealing was just amazing. I love giving service and knowing that the work we did made the people in heaven so happy, that they finally got their work done. It was a great day!!! Alex and I got callings finally!!!! We are so so so excited, Alex is the 8 year old cub den leader, and I am the 8 year old activity days leader, and the 8 year old primary teacher!!! It was so neat, and we cant wait to start teaching and doing our callings!!! So that is all that has been going on here in my life!!!

BLOOMSBURG FAIR WEEKEND AND CONFERENCE WEEKEND

Hello everyone!!! I'm sorry I wasn't able to write last week, but I will sum it all into todays email. My computer battery died, and so I was unable to use my computer, but don't worry my handy husband took care of that problem really fast for me, and went and bought me a new one, so that we could watch conference on it for this past Saturday and Sunday.

Last weekend was really fun, we went to PA to the Bloomsburg fair!!! I usually don't enjoy going to the fair mostly because they are so expensive and dirty, and the carnies just take your money!!! But this fair was totally different, it was still dirty and the carnies were still creepy, and yes there was one stupid carnie( or should I say one stupid girl, ME) who got my $5.00. He was totally egging me on, so I just had to do it. But on the bright side I got a little pink dog. Anyways back to why this fair was different...have any of you ever seen 33 cent sodas at the fair? Or 3 hotdogs for $1.00? Or the most delicious icecream for just $2.00??? and the best part was it was only $4.00 to get in... It was off the hook!!! Alex, Ilene, and I met up with Gail and Roy ( Ilenes sister, and her son). We had such a great time, the thing I love about when Ilene and Gail hang out is listening to them laugh, you just can't help but smile and laugh when you hear them laugh, its just contageous!!! We got there early on Saturday morning and looked at all of the exhibits. It was so neat to see others and the talents that people have!!! It just amazes me. We got little snacks along the way, and then had to stop and play some BINGO!!! None of us won, but it seemed that everyone else around us kept getting bingo!!! Alex and Roy always have a great time when they get together, and there is always talk about a bussiness that they will someday start up the name has already been decided ROY-AL enterprises. or ROY- AL cuts and styles, if I ever start up a salon!!! They love talking business and trying to think of new ideas for a future business. We got to a section at the fair where they are showing and selling lawn mowers, it was like pulling teeth trying to get Roy and Alex out of the booth. They sure were having a good time!!! Okay so I did a horrible thing at the fair, and mom and dad, you would be so embarrased if you were there, but I hesitated to do it, and then decided oh heck I will never do this again, but I just have to see this... I paid $1.00 to see the Worlds Smallest Lady She was so tiny but cute. I wanted to get my dollars worth so I tried asking her some questionns, but after answering a couple of my questions she said " You no have no money for me, then you go bye bye" I felt so bad afterwards, but it was something I just wanted to see so bad. Then we watched the pirate stunk dive show as well, and that was so scary, there was a guy who jumped off of a tiny diving board and dove from over 80 feet in the air into an 8 foot pool. It was insane, but so cool!!! We also saw a dog diving contest, and that was fascinating. We saw all of the animals and I got really sick from the hay, I think I am allergic to hay, because I got so sick the rest of the night. The fair has the worlds best fudge and the famous whoopie pies, I don't care for them, but they loved them so we brought home dozens for the rest of the family!!! Another tradition in the Angel family is to stop by Barrigans a sandwich shop and get subs, but you have to wait and eat them the next day, so we waited 45 minutes to get a sub before we headed home for the night. I was so exhasuted and ready to fall to the ground the minute we got back to the car. I thought I would sleep so well since felt so yucky from the fair, but I slept maybe 2 hours that night. and if I can't sleep, then as you can guess Alex doesn't get to sleep. He was so good and tried to take care of me the best he could, until finally 6 am, he went and slept on the couch. All the coughing, sneezing, weezing really got to me.

Then Sunday morning I was extremely tired, but saw that Alex and his mom were ready to walk out the door, so I hurried and threw on my Sunday clothes, makeup, and did my hair as best as possible, because I refuse to wear my hair in a pony tail to church ( thanks to my mom for never allowing us to do that growing up) I managed to style a pretty bun!!! Church was really good, I could hardly stay awake, but the speakers were so good. We then headed home and Alex started on some projects that his mom had planned for him. He is very well rounded and can do almost anything, so he put a new roof on her shed, poured some cement in the ground hog holes, and I helped paint the shed. I didn't do much, because I started feeling sick again, so as I am inside sleeping, Alex and his mom are outside slaving away and got everything done. It turned out so nice!!!!


Conference Weekend
The rest of the week was really relaxed with the kids in school and the parents both working outside of the home, so I rested alot!!! I had to watch my kids on Saturday night, and it worked out well because Alex was at the priesthood meeting. I was about to put them to bed, and I asked if they wanted a story read to them or for me to tell them a story. Of course they wanted to hear my story. I have to limit the stories, or else I can go on and on because they ask just one more!!! So I told the stories of what I could remember, they often ask about the grandma that chatters alot... when I was with the Goldstien kids, I would always talk with Grandma Mary on the phone, and so the Goldstien kids told my kids to ask me about the grandma that like to chat!!! haha it was too cute. One story I could remember was of when Trent was a toddler and my mom being on bed rest, and couldn't give trent all the attention he wanted so he dumped out all the marshmallows and started stomping on the floor. Or lillie cutting my dads shoe laces, and they got a kick out of that one. They love hearing funny things that grandma Mullenaux does, and I only tell them what I know and see on facebook, so make sure you keep your statuses updated!!! A while ago I was telling them about how I had a great grandma, and how I had a cousin that would call her grandma grape. So now they always ask to hear a story about grandma grape. I don't know that many,so if you any of you do, send them to me please!!! I'm sure my kids will LOVE to hear them!!! It was such a good night, I guess it's always a good day/night when the kids are so well behaved. And If I still have a voice at the end from the yelling I do!!!

Conference was sooo good!!! I love watching it and listening to the great speakers!!! I always enjoy the wonderful chior too. This weekend Alex and I attempted to make Aunt Amys homemade fudge...well I let Alex go first, just incase he made any mistakes I could learn from him!!! He started his batch, and didn't stir it continuously, so it burned, but we don't like to waste anything, so we proceeded with the fudge, it actually didn't really taste that good, sorry!!! So then it was my turn, I made mine and everything turned out great, except when the chocolate chips wouldn't melt and I got tired or stirring after ten minutes then we just dumped it in a pan and let it cool. So next time we visit Thatcher, Aunt Amy we need some one on one lessons for your fudge!!! But I will say that Alex does make an amazing chili!!! He made that one night, and then Hawaiian haystacks for Sunday dinner!!! People out here don't know what Hawaiian haystacks are!!! CRAZY HUH??!!!
Anyways that's about it for these last two weeks!!! It has been getting really cold now and so its time to get out the winter clothes, jackets, scarves, and BOOTS!!!!

Fall is here

Its starting to get cold here in Connecticut. We had such nice weather all summer long and I enjoyed every minute of going to the pool, jumping off of the deck into the lake thats right in our back yard, eating popsicles in the afternoons, and just all the fun things summer has to offer. I really LOVE fall and Winter though. I am already getting excited for the holidays and the excitement of the holiday festivities. I was so excited I was at the Dollar store and bought some light up pumpkin earrings to wear on Halloween!!! I love going to the stores and seeing the decorations and windows painted, its just such a happy time in life right now!!! I am so excited for the snow to come, not only so that my husband can make more money, but it's just so pretty to see white everywhere!!! I am so thankful for all the different seasons and the beauty they each bring!!!

FUN PICTURES!!!!