lets be honest, i kind of hate posting pictures. i am so anal about having them line up perfectly that it takes me forever, and usually when i post, i just don't have the time or the patience. one day folks, one day.

i finally made the philippines trip video, but quickly found out that i have way too much footage to only do one. and since it took me roughly two months to get around to this video, i'm guessing it'll be about july-ish before the second one is done. i am the worst.

Philippines 2013 - Part 1 from Kaelin Shaker on Vimeo.

in other news, i only have 2.5 months left of my boring, boring, boring desk job. can i get a hallelujah?!

things have been pretty cray-zay around here! i have a million and one pictures to post and stories to tell, but i will keep the details for another day. and yes, i will actually post them. big things going on around here.

since my last post, we have actually gone to and come home from the philippines. honestly, the most amazing trip! i am slightly regretting the decision to only go for a week and a half, and am wishing he had spent more time in the city than on the beach. but regardless, the few days that we did have with family was amazing, and worth every second of awful travel time. i was so nervous for mat, for a few reasons, but mostly because he hates flying, and he has never been outside the country, besides mexico. but that doesn't count. but he loved it, even the 13 hour flight! i could not imagine a better man to travel with me. it just makes me more excited for the rest of our lives :) i will be posting photos galore and a video very soon!

over valentines weekend, i surprised mat with a little getaway to san diego, during which we decided to get a seasons pass to sea world. i'm hoping we go back again soon, because honestly sea world is the best. absolutely in love with the animals there.

another weekend getaway was to rocky point. some family friends invited us down for the weekend, and it was honestly the perfect weekend getaway. i'm hoping we make it back there again over the summer!

next on the agenda is the dental hygiene program. i'm finally in!! i start in august, and gave my very early notice at work, my last day will be july 31st. i have been working for as long as i can remember! so to think that i will not be working at all and just focusing on school is so weird to me. but i could not be more excited. we are finally no longer in limbo and are heading in the right direction.

speaking of the right direction, mat's band murrieta has been doing great lately. they have started to get some attention, and will be recording their first full length album over the summer. if all goes well, they will be able to set up some out of town shows, and maybe a tour or two. these boys started playing together just before mat and i started dating, and have been practicing at my house for the last two years, and i could not be more proud! honestly, i feel like the band mom haha. they have worked so hard and i am just praying and hoping that they accomplish what they have set out to do.

all of the above will be elaborated in further posts. i just felt the need to get everything in writing before i forget. i have probably already forgotten some things, but those are the highlights, at least.

here's to the rest of 2013! we are almost half way there, insane. this year is flying by far too fast.

july 21st my best friend had her baby girl, rian estelle cope (pronounced ryan). she is the spitting image of her dad, but has the pretty blue eyes of her mama. i took pictures for them this past weekend, but rian only cooperated when she was asleep, and was only asleep for 15 minutes. the pictures that i did take, i took raw, then found out my version of photoshop is too old to support my camera's raw images. so, i'll be posting those later :)

the beginning of this month i got released from primary and welcomed into young womens as a mia maids advisor. i am scared to death! conducting things has never been my strong point, but i am excited for the many lessons that will be learned with these girls. this time of their life is so crucial. i, personally,  did not love that time in my life, so i am hoping that i will be able to make their experiences better with what i had to learn later down the road.

the last big news i have to report is that mat's brother keaton got home from his two year mission in pocatello, idaho on august 11. since mat and i were friends before we dated and got married, i was able to hang out with keaton before he left on his mission, and it has been so great to have him home and to see the great man he has become. i am so greatful for his faith and for the example that he is to me and will be to my future children. hooray for awesome in laws!

what we have to look forward to: school starts tomorrow for mat (he's not excited). murrieta is playing at the crescent ballroom on thursday. i'm taking photos for a birthday party at talking stick resort on saturday, then teaching my first young womens lesson on sunday. then the weekend after, we are headed to san francisco with mat's family! so excited to take our first real vacation since our honeymoon (real meaning no driving, no crashing at someone's house, more than 48 hours, actually taking work off).