Why?

So I was online window shopping, as I often do, and I came across this lovely set of 3 pillows.

Please, Please, Please I beg of you, whoever is reading this- promise me that you will send me to a mental health doctor when i buy these pillows for $118 EACH and bring them home to accent my home decor.
On that note...if I even have home decor that these things would accent, send me to a doctor as well.
(My interior designer mother would dis-own me for sure if my home could accommodate these things)

Seriously?
I mean- I like dogs and all, but wouldn't these be a bit much??

And what's with the bow?

Crucibles

I am taking a wonderful class this semester; Family Relations.
Our textbook is Strengthening Our Families: an In-Depth look at the Proclamation on the Family
by, David c. Dollahite

I recommend purchasing this book. It has so many wonderful things in it. It is such a big book- and it's all about one piece of paper; the Proclamation! It has great quotes, stories and topics. It would be great for family FHE's and/or just personal reading

The chapter i am currently reading is about family crucibles, and they ways we should and can deal with them. I came across this quote, and it really sunk in.

" Somehow, our joyful experiences mean more when we are fully conscious of the alternatives and the contrasts that surround us. We prize the sweet more when we have tasted the bitter. We appreciate our health when we see the sickness. We truly love peace when we know the ugliness of war. These contrasts do not deter our idealism. Properly understood, they only make the moments of true joy worth waiting for."
- Bruce C. Hafen

Happy to Come Home

Lately I have been stressed. I don't consider myself a person that gets stressed very easily.
But, since i am saying that of myself, how do i really know...right?

So since there is no way to really know, i am still considering myself not easily stressed, if you disagree let me know. (Disclaimer; wedding time was hectic, can't count any of those "bridezilla" moments) :)

18 credits and a part-part time job. (i call it a part-part time job because together, mine and brett's hours equal real part time job hours...so just mine alone is part -part time..make sense?)
Anyhoo...18 credits and a job are getting to me.

I don't have time.
For what? you ask.
I don't know!!
Just time- just to have it!!

It is gone!
Where did it go?!
If someone knows; please tell me.

Back to the purpose of this post; I love my husband.
He knows i have been stressed lately
Today i came home to these beautiful flowers
He even bought two arrangements for both vases- so sweet

AND...
he made dinner; chili-cheese nachos
and they were so so good

How did i get so lucky??
While he was making dinner he told me to go sit on the couch and read my book
My precious book, that i have had NO time to read
He is so sweet and he knows how to brighten my day.

I love life. And even though i don't have any time life is still great
because i have a wonderful family (both sides) :)
and i'm married to my best friend

The End.

Testimony of Truth

"If you have that testimony of truth on your side, you can pass through the dark valley of slander, misrepresentation, and abuse, undaunted as though you wore a magic suit of armor that no bullet could enter, no arrow could pierce. You can hold your head high, toss it fearlessly and defiantly, look every man calmly and unflinchingly in the eye...

You will know that all will come out right in the end; that it must come; that all must flee before the great white light of truth, as the darkness slinks away into nothingness in the presence of the sunburst."

-David O. McKay

Sometimes in this world of wickedness and sorrow a thought like this helps to put things back in perspective for me.I hope it does the same for you.

Defeat...

Our ward had a "Bake off" this last Saturday. All week I brain- stormed what I was going to blow my taste testers away with. I emailed my mom and sisters, to get some good recipes and ideas. Over Christmas mom made this delectably fudgy yummy chocolate pistachio torte- so since i had seen it before, and knew what is was supposed to turn out like,
i decided to take a swing at that.
It turned out great! The ganache frosting turned out perfect, the torte was fudgy and moist... It was a winner; i just knew it.
Then we got to the church.
There were a gazillion baked goods, all crying out for first place. They announced the winners. And i did not win. Luckily Brett prepped me before that it will be ok if I do not win-
and we went over the possibility that i may not win; although i quickly dismissed it.
So when my name was not called i didn't give the winners dirty looks or accidentally smash their cakes/cookies/bars with the spatula. (although it would have been dramatically entertaining)
I am a good loser.
We decided that maybe my chocolate pistachio torte is a little too sophisticated for a student ward bake off. Maybe I should enter it in a 50 yr old. Book groups bake off instead.
(Not making fun of any 50 yr old's in book groups- mom) :)

Yes Please...

I am in the library... doing some homework. Brett is meeting with his group, and my attention span for homework is all used up.
( It's even less on a friday)
So..what to do now?
Online Window Shop!!
a favorite pass-time!

Dear Adorable, breath-takingly cute dress,
I promise you, adorable little dress, that if you come home with me, i will love you and take good care of you. I will wear you with (righteous) pride and will hang you in my closet with care. You will be a prized possession, and will be washed with only the finest detergents and dried in the most loving and patient way; air dry. Please consider coming home with me. You won't regret it.
Love, Your wishful future wearer

Parents for the Night

Tonight we are babysitting 6 month old Eva. She is so squishy, and yummy and cute, we're having a blast being parents for a night!..well until 10 pm... :)

SnowShoein'!

We had the chance to go snow shoeing for the first time this Christmas break. We hiked in about 3 miles to the "Peter Grubb Hut" owned by the sierra club, spent the night, then hiked out the next morning. I wasn't sure what to expect. If i dislike anything in this world it is being cold, and when i go in the snow my fingers always inevitably get cold and then numb. Luckily, my sweet mother traded gloves with me and I'm pretty sure she saved my hands from becoming frostbitten. Thanks mama. :)
So, after my fingers were warmed, and duct tape was put over my growing blisters, i felt great! It really did turn out to be a fun experience, and it was BEAUTIFUL!

The first day hiking in was really snowy!
The second day was beautiful blue sky!

Peter Grubb hut- with dad washing dishes

Our sleeping arrangements were the only scary thing. Well, the sleeping arrangements and the "out-house" were a little 'ify.' These mattresses are just there at the cabin- and they look like they were about 50 yrs old. So- you put your sleeping pad on the scary mattress, then your sleeping bag on top of that. I kept thinking of bugs living in the matress and crawling on me while i was sleeping- it was a long night. I think i even sat up in the middle of the night and shined my light around me, just to be sure there were no bugs or spiders on me. Brett gave me a hard time about it- but it was a valid worry!

Good morning!

Isn't it BEAUTIFUL?! We felt like we were walking through the 'peppermint forest' from candyland. There were no giant candy canes, but you get the idea.

Peter Grubb hut

Gettin his snow shoes on!!

A Great Christmas Vaca- so i'll start at the Beginning...

We had a FANTASTIC vacation. Going home and being with family was exactly what Brett and I both needed in between semesters. The drive is the only downside to the vacation... it's the longest drive ever- pretty much ALL day- you watch the sun rise and set on the drive.

I documented the drive, just because I was so excited to finally start our long- awaited trip home

Poor Kaley...she was squished like a bug the whole ride home.

We kept ourselves entertained, or at least attempted to. We laughed, we sang, danced and ate...

As excited as I was to go home and see family- I was mabye, just as much excited to see Zoogie, my lovable, adorable, fluffy kitty. Brett gets a little jealous around zoogie because he says I talk to zoogie more then him, and more affectionatly- NOT true! well, maybe it is... but I only see zoogie a few times a year now so it's ok...right?

He's just so gosh darn cute!! oh- and so is that hunk in the sweatshirt petting him :)


Next Item on the Vactaion: Snowshoeing... Coming Soon!