Domenica pomeriggio

Just enjoying Sunday afternoon. We had Stake Conference today so we have been able to spend the afternoon at home. Blake has had a big to-do list so I have been opening windows and letting Anne Allan's cookie recipe aroma drift all the way down the street.


I would like to eat all 24 but I will limit my intake for the day to two. I will share them with you without giving you the calories. Loves.

Ogni ragione di sperare

Prayer is the only way in which we can learn to hope. Yesterday I was discussing my current events with Mamasita and she said, "Lets just hang up and pray that something will happen right now." We did and the day progressed. I tried to keep afloat while life's little burdens steadied their weight around my waist. I got to spend the evening with my in-laws and really got to appreciate the "good" that comes with mortality. Before bed, I knelt, literally asking Heavenly Father for a miracle while apologizing for my dramatic personality. I felt better and just asked to be able to rest. This morning opportunities have been put into place. I feel liberated. I guess that is what hope does, it cuts you from the weight that causes you to feel overwhelmed. I am grateful that Heavenly Father is so aware of my needs. I don't think I would have chosen to play things out exactly this way, but that is why He is in charge and not I. He knows better. It can be frustrating at times to just "have faith and hope for the best", but it also teaches us dependency on the Lord, not on the world. There is none else I would rather depend on.


Just a sweet stop motion video I saw on one of my favorite bloggety blogs, bleubirdvintage
...kind of hopefully feeling, would you agree? PS- how do you like my new blog, Thanks Nat!

Ricordare che sono...

Today has been a hard thing.
I have that feeling of wanting to be on the pier in California riding bikes with Blake. I get that feeling when I am in situations that I feel trapped in. I am a bit dramatic for sure, but I am a person who needs respect and confidence placed in her to perform my best. I get that from home, I get that from Heavenly Father, but I don't at work. I have the chance to make a lot of money in real estate, but if I feel nervous and uncomfortable it won't matter how much I intend to make. I am just amazed at the world and it's lack of integrity. I have always been aware of the bad that is in the world, but I don't like being associated with it. The place I work is slowly becoming a place that I am nervous to be in. Not because of myself but because of the actions of other individuals. I know who I am and what I believe and if my experience here is not conducive to that, I struggle. I think anybody would. I have nightmares about work a lot. I guess I am writing this today to see how I really feel about all of this. Most people just suck it up and deal with it, but I am not one of those people. I don't feel like sacrificing my happiness and my livelihood. So inside of wallowing, I decided to write what I am grateful for. I will decide later how to fix the problem, but for now...


i am grateful for my cute home
i am grateful for a wise and spiritual mother who always knows when i need her strength
i am grateful for my ability to learn
i am grateful for my discovery of art and how i perceive beauty
i am grateful for the birds that wake us up in the morning, nothing is more magical
i am grateful for my temple covenants and the knowledge of the plan
i am grateful for health
i am grateful for honey whole wheat crepes
i am grateful for my friends
i am grateful to own a chinchilla, he makes conversation for house guests
i am grateful for the sun, even if it is still cold
i am grateful for my testimony
i am grateful for goals and the ability to accomplish
i am grateful for a dad who is my number one fan
i am grateful for my marriage and family professor and his wisdom
i am grateful for a husband who is a disciple of Christ
i am grateful to have someone to sleep with
i am grateful that when i am bratty, blake just loves me and is selfless
even though i don't deserve it
i am grateful for photography
i am grateful for egg white french toast with cinnamon sugar pears
i am grateful that watching the olympics motivated me to run farther last night
i am grateful i got interview for a competitive internship for the church
i am grateful for fabulous in-laws
i am grateful for our incredible ward and the amazing friends we have made
i am grateful i don't waste money on buying us weekly magazine anymore
i am grateful to have no debt
i am grateful for my best friend
i am grateful that Heavenly Father has blessed me with blake...so grateful

i am a bird that just needs to fly higher.

Mi può vivo qui per un po'mentre?

I think I need to live here for a little while.

Ho un momento

Hello Mr. Sugar

I had a moment this morning before I went to work.... I decided I needed to be more serious...so I grew a mustache! I hope this helps me in my efforts.

See I even look more serious as I read about Fortune 500 companies.

I am busy reading, can't you see. PS- my legs look like I am wearing nylons. If I was that would defeat my whole purpose of trying to be serious so I obviously am not wearing them.

oh le penne di pavone

I got to spend Saturday at home with my dearest, which is unusual since my Saturdays now consist of sitting in a model home wishing I had brought a basket full of crafty projects or finishing up homework. BUT yesterday I was stricken with some kind of illness... I assume it is a common cold, but my heart wishes it was something worse so Blake would have to stay home all next week and tend to my needs. Alas, it is merely a sore throat, a schizophrenic stuffy/runny nose, and bad headache that have kept me home. I am grateful I got the time off. When I am sick, I normally just lay in bed long enough for the feathers in my pillow to form around my head while I watch reruns of Full House, but I was up at 8, showered, prettied up, and organizing my life. No rest for the weary. I am grateful for a catch up day. I feel like I have been going a hundred miles an hour. Work and school all the time so it was nice to spend time with Blake without feeling rushed or deprived. While Blake was pretending to do homework I busted out the headbands and made one that has been a vision, looming in my head for a while. Love it. I have this thing for peacock feathers. Something about them...


Blake took this while we hung out at B and N. We play a game where we go and find anything we are interested in and then meet up and show and tell, then we read. It is fun. I think it would be even more romantic is we shared a hot chocolate, but B and N only stocks Starbucks, and Blake doesn't do the dark chocolate business, strictly milk for that man so we just sat near the cafe and smelt what I could through one nostril. I started reading Three Cups of Tea, for my book club, and I am excited to get into it. I am actually not a big reader at all so this whole "book club" thing is a bit of a stretch for me. I guess this is a year for stretching though. I read a lot when I was little, but just haven't gotten into it since middle school. I think it will be a good thing. The goal is for this year to be a time where I deepen who I am. I am reading a lot more than usual, and finding that my writing is a lot more enjoyable as well. Enjoyable for myself to read anyway...I guess the biggest goal is not only to take in what I read but to do something about it. Becoming someone who is informed and persuasive. It is one thing to read hundreds of books and have a library like Beauty and the Beast, but it is another to read and start the changing process. That is what it I feel good reading really is. That is why people who read the Book of Mormon, sincerely, want to change. I think that is my lens with taking on this reading adventure, learn and change.

Come dico esaurito nell'italiano?

Skunkboy Creatures

This owl looks like I feel. I have no idea why, but I am completely exhausted.

La vedrò nella terra da sogno

Blake says I have made our home too girlie. What if I did this instead? Um! Sweet Dreams. Stay tuned for my Valentine's review. Ahh love.

San Valentino felice

Well Valentine's Day proved to be quite a smashing event. I always wonder why all the hub bub when really we could just love each other all the time. I guess it is just another holiday to get excited about.
To celebrate we went to dinner at the SkyBox with Mike and Deb, Nat and B, Mom and Dad Jones, Mom and Dad Bishop and the Huber's(Deb's parents) It is becoming a tradition to be together I guess. Last year Blake and I did the same thing except in Colorado at the Brio with the family along with Tim and Mustang. In fact, to make the holiday even more memorable, last Valentine's is when Blake finally decided that he liked me lotsy. We announced we were getting hitched! Oh the joyous occasion. After a over-portioned dinner, we decided to press our waistline luck and head over to Red Mango. Frozen yogurt...holy sin. I love it. We got to have my parents finally stay at our house this time around. They are always at Nat's, so that was really fun waking up to them Valentine's morning. We got to have breakfast and soak in the spring sun on the porch. We couldn't have asked for a better day.
I guess the Valentine craze kind of sunk in a little, by my sudden impression, each day I live my life I fall more and more in love with Blake. Like tonight we were driving singing Lonestar's, Baby I'm Amazed by You and I was lip syncing with his thumb and being super dramatic, it is the little moments when he looks at me with that face like, "I seriously married the craziest woman in the world", that I know he loves me. He just smiles and shakes his head. I love that. Why? Who knows? There is something about having someone love you for every ounce of "different, weird, quirky, sassy, and dramatic" that does it for me. Is he perfect? No, but he does a lot better than I do. He has set order to our home and the example for me to follow. I am grateful for you Blake. Happy Valentine's Everyday!

This was my Valentine's present. I have really been wanting to have tea parties so I started collecting the vintage cups! The solo pieces in front are actually my sweet Nana's. I got to pick that out of her china collection. The rest are absolutely fabulous and make this tall girl feel very dainty.

Non posso crederlo!

For "Show Love Week" Blake just emailed me the best blog gift money can buy...it's figurative!

To satisfy my owl obsession!

I am so in love!

Lasciare voi tutti in su un piccolo segreto

Ok, this is unofficially my official announcement for a new little launch of mine. For Valentine's Day, my computer stud gave me a super sweet gift...our once used as a wedding invite blog is now under construction for my own wedding blog. Please watch the video he posted as well on the blog tab. I love every bit of Blake. He is pretty amazing to me.

www.thelittlelovebirds.com

The deal goes as such...if you have incredible talent, like my friends Jen Bacher or Amy Bowe, please comment with your information and let me know if you would like to be a preferred vendor for the blog. I will link viewers to your sites and help Utah weddings become as beautiful as we imagined them as little girls.

Se eravamo un gufo, il blake sarebbe un anche

via RoccoTheGreat

I decided today that if I were an owl, Blake would have to be one too. That is all. Oh, one more thing, I am going to be an auntie tomorrow or the next day. Now that is all.

Giocare intorno

So here I am...listening to Tik Tok...why? Because I hate that it is stuck in my head. I decided tonight that for Valentine's Day I want a tea set! I love tea! my mom raised me on herbal tea from Melaluca. My whole mission I drank tea instead of Hot Cocoa and I absolutely adore it. I figured Valentine's Day is a guilty pleasure holiday so I decided to indulge in a vintage tea set. I will let you know how I do! Blake has been really cute about the whole idea and is trying to help me pick out the perfect set. I want to be classy and I figured, every classy lady owns a tea set.
Nat posted her cute headband we started when the boys were gone, here is mine. It is a big thing.

Just call me Andy Warhol

Scoprire più di ci

On the Road Again...
Blake and I had to make a quick to Colorado this weekend. We had to get our bumper repaired after the Christmas festivities and it cost us about $1000 less to drive out there, fix it, and come back. And who doesn't love a good weekend. The drive there was comical. Blake got a bad headache so I had to drive the last stretch. Normally it isn't a big deal, but I have really bad eye sight at night so you can only imagine my fear in Glenwood Canyon! Please. I drove behind a semi all the way to Georgetown. Needless to say, I added a hefty 1.5 hours to the trip. Oh brother. Stress of my life. We also almost hit an owl coming out of the mountain highway! A little piece of my heart wished we would have hit it, and had to take it home, and nurse it back to health, and then he loved us too much to fly away, so he became my pet, and he lived in our front yard tree! Not a chance! He flew off in a huff and that was the end of it.
It is crazy now when we visit because there are so many people to see just within the family. So we planned strategically. The gym with Pops on Friday and then up to Stacey's for some girlie fun. We spent Friday night downtown on a triple date. Tanna and Bill, Luke and Lacey, and Us. We rode the light rail and ate at The Cheesecake Factory. YUM! It was so much fun to go out, especially with Tanna and Luke. Never a dull moment I tell you! Saturday was awesome. Blake and I walked to visit Mom while she was staying with Jen's kids. We played football and pretend in the playhouse. Mom was Granny Grinklegot and Maya had a store called Hazelpuff's. It was fun. We had a picnic on the balcony where I tried to teach the kids out of the Ensign how to be Spiritually Prepared. Elena just kept saying, "Jesus." She is so smart.
Then it was off to the Ridge for the family swimming party. Everyone met up and we swam for hours. Jones kids were all over the place. Diving off the high dive, down the slide, and jumping in the hot tub. I think I almost killed little Laney! She smacked her head on the tile wall, I poked her in the eye when I was taking off her floaties, and I wrapped her like a burrito in her towel which only made things worse when she tried to unravel and get off my lap, Smack! Right on the floor. She is pretty tough though, that little pixie!


Wesley


Maya

Blake...we didn't plan this pic very well.

Maya didn't realize I was taking pictures at the slide and so that one makes me laugh. She was trying to smile before she went under. Don't mind the amateur photographer, little late on those!

Saturday night we went to dinner with my parents, Mike and Deb, Garrett and Stace, and Luke. Hacienda Colorado is so good! It was fun to just visit and talk about how Mamie rubs her father-in-law's leg in the pool and how Natalie tries to teach Tyler to say no to drugs. My family is pretty hilarious and really incredible. After dinner Garrett haggled his way into getting us 5 for $5 twist dipped cones at DQ and Stace an Oreo Blizzard, it's ok, she is nursing! He was very proud of his ability to negotiate prices, and why not he just paid off the Jeep so he should have reason to celebrate! Pahahaha!
We got to go and chat with Mike and Deb after dinner. They serious are so hilarious. Mike reminds us of Phil on Modern Family. He had Wesley's microphone and was lip-syncing High School Musical along with it. He needs to be on stage.

Downtown on 16th Street

Here's our group! and a cow.

Blake was one boy out of 13 girls that afternoon. As you can tell I have to fight for attention around here! Garrett's couch is actually quite large, but it just isn't quite as cozy as this looked!

The one thing I really appreciate about family, whether we are at the Bishops' or the Jones', is that a lot of what we talk about helps me really define who I want to be as a person. Blake and I spent the whole car ride home just talking about how we want to raise our kids, the importance of making your kids feel good about themselves, and how we want our own relationship to be. While we were in Colorado, Mama Cheryl called and shared some inspiration she had just read. She is so amazing to me. I really am so blessed to have two great families always striving to be better. I am finding out more and more that it doesn't matter what the world does, when you have a family that wants to progress like you do. I have actually had a lot of friends that have shared lately, the problems they have in their families and it makes me feel even more blessed, but gratefully we live a gospel that, even if your family doesn't quite get it, you can be the one to make the change in your own family. Blake and I get to combine two great families and their traditions and make it a part of our lives, BUT we also get to choose how we want the gospel to be implemented by us. What we are learning through the conversations and experiences of our family is really preparing us in a way I could have never dreamed of. Although we aren't having babies, I feel like the Lord is allowing us time to really get ready to be great parents and teach our kids to be righteous. Whew! I am really excited about it. Let's go fam! Love you all!