Russell & Camille

For My Music Lovin' Peeps

2012-02-07T09:54:00.000-07:00

Oh how I enjoy falling in love with new music. Finding a new favorite album or artist is like Christmas morning. All three of these albums have been on repeat for a good while now.

I do have to say the National // High Violet is probably my reigning favorite. I cannot get enough of that album. I gave it to Russ for our anniversary last July. We blasted the album as we drove from Sundance through the American Fork canyon (nothing like taking the long way home) and oooh-ed and awww-ed over the stormy summer clouds and reigning peaks of Mt. Timpanogos. It was slightly magical. That album has been my go-to ever since that night.

Have you heard of Spotify yet? If not you may be living under a rock. It's the best. Sign up (for free!) and listen to a few of these tracks before making any purchases. Other tracks that have been my recent favs:

* Radical Face - Welcome Home Son
* Ryan Adams - Dirty Rain
* The National - Exile Vilify, About Today, and Cherry Tree (like I said, slightly obsessed)
* Wilco - One Sunday Morning
* Bon Iver - Calgary (actually the whole Bon Iver album...)
* The Moon Song - Gregory Alan Isakov
* Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers
* Florence + The Machine - Shake It Out
* Gabe Dixon Band - All Will Be Well
* Radiohead - The Daily Mail
* The Black Keys - Howlin' For You
* Geographer - Night Winds
* Cold War Kids - Hang Me Up to Dry
* Jonsi - Tornado

Sorry for the music overload, but hopefully you find a few new songs that will make your Tuesday that much better. :)

The Gallery Wall

2012-02-01T18:25:00.000-07:00

I finally finished the gallery wall in our living room! Hooray! I took my time slowly accumulating art, pictures and frames, and then arranged and re-arranged the frames on the floor until it finally made sense. One day I was home sick from work and just started hanging frames. I'm really happy with how it turned out.

That Robert Abbey lamp is another new addition. I sold our hand-me-down floor lamp a while ago on Craigslist, so I've kept my eye open for a lamp. It was hard, however, because I felt that corner needed something slightly larger than most lamps I was finding. And then I saw my amazingly cute and talented friend Candace's house, and knew that lamp was exactly what I was looking for. Candace was even nice enough to tell me where she got it, so I wasn't completely an annoying friend -- at least she knew I was copying her. :) Hey, it's all a form of flattery, right??

I wanted the pictures to mean something. Explaining some of the art, starting clockwise from the top left picture:

* "The learning print," by Caitlin of Hue and Hum
* The blue L for Lewis! I bought the letter at JoAnn's and painted it a light blue (I just had a sample here in the house, so I thought I would use it)
* "It's Better Tandem," by Fifth & Hazel. I gave this to Russ for Christmas; it's especially meaningful for us, not just because Russ loves to bike, but because Russ proposed to me while we were on a tandem bike ride.
* Canvas photo of us by the lovely Sada Lewis.
* Watercolor print of the Salt Lake City LDS Temple by Birds of Ashmae
* Print of Cadaques, Spain by Salvador Dali. We picked this print up when we visited Cadaques a few years ago. I love that we have stood in that exact point of view.

So there ya go. Our gallery wall is done, and the room is one more step to being "complete." But the funny thing is I don't know when it will ever be fully complete. Does anyone else feel this way?! Making a house a home is definitely a slow process, but every step of the way feels like a huge accomplishment.

Over and out!

Reminiscing in Idaho

2012-01-30T14:40:00.000-07:00

I spent the weekend by making a quick jaunt up to Idaho to see some of my favorite people -- Lindsay and Sheri (who is valiantly fighting an aggressive form of brain cancer -- click on the link for her story). Lucky for me, my mom was there as well. While she took Sheri to her chemo treatment, Lindsay and I spent the day playing with her little baby Sam and being as lazy as humanly possible. It was exactly what we needed.

We reminisced back from days as little dumb tweens, high schoolers, college roommates, and now as married women with husbands and families of our own. We laughed. We ate. We caught up -- on everything. Life sure is crazy and unpredictable, but you can always count on "those friends" that will never change. Thank goodness for that.

Thanks again for a fun weekend Sheri, Lindsay, Sam and France!

Winter Running

2012-01-25T19:00:00.021-07:00

Since we moved to Utah from Texas last year, this is my first winter in a while where I have had to get used to winter running. But luckily, I love it!! I love the feeling of the crisp, cold air against your face as your body is nice and warm (as long as you are dressed accordingly, of course :). I also love that I don't get hot when I run. It makes me feel like I can run so much longer... as long as I'm watching where I'm going and don't wipe out on some ice!

I got a few new running toys for Christmas. Other runners out there can understand how exciting running toys are. Russ gave me a heart rate monitor. I feel so official now! You wear a strap on your chest that accurately tracks your heart rate, which is displayed on a watch. So far it has really helped me to know when I can "step it up" if my heart rate just isn't as high as it could/should be while running. I probably should have taken a picture when I was actually running. According to the heart rate below, I am dead.

{And yes... winter running means you layer up. 2 to 3 long sleeve shirts/fleeces, gloves, ear warmers, you name it!}

I also got a new pair of Nike Frees! I have a bad habit of running way too long on the same pair of running shoes. I was still running on my Nike Frees I got early last year (that I loved!). These have been my favorite running shoes to date. No blisters = happy Camille. As you can see I went with the bright orange and grey, cause why the heck not?

And finally, somehow I managed to convince this guy below to run with me. Ever since reading THIS POST, I'm a bit spooked to go running by myself outside. But ironically, I've never been a fan of a "running buddy." I've thought long and hard about this, and I think it's for a few reasons. 1) I hate feeling like I'm slowing someone down or they are slowing me down, and 2) I am not very good at being set to run at a certain time and place. For instance, I had full intentions of getting up and running yesterday before work, but as soon as I woke up I knew that was NOT going to happen. But sure enough, all I could think about at work all afternoon was going for a run. I've found, with myself at least, I enjoy running so much more when I don't force a run in just because it's scheduled. (Obviously sometimes I just have to go for that run when I have the window of time, but you get the gist).

But in case you were wondering, Russ is a good guy to have by my side, even when running. :)

A Blog About Love

2012-01-24T13:11:00.000-07:00

Have you ever stumbled upon a blog/website/book/show that you just could not stop thinking about? When that happens you just want to tell everyone you know about it. Well that's how I feel about my most recent stumble, A Blog about Love. Their blog really is all about love -- how to love, what to do when you don't feel loved, how to be a better spouse, family member, friend, and so much more.

One night last week I just could not sleep. I was upset, angry, sad, frustrated, among other things. Basically, I had a lot on my mind. So I sat in my bed and started reading their blog from the beginning. I woke up the next morning and already felt like a different person. Without sounding too corny, I really feel like this blog came into my life for a reason. I am 100% inspired by these two people, and within the 5 days I have devoured everything on their blog, I truly feel like I'm one step closer to the person I want to be. I'm happier. Less things "bug" me. I'm choosing to be happy, because let's be honest, who wants to choose the opposite?

These two have definitely been handed their fair share of trials. Long story short, Mara's husband of 7 years left her (after years of going back and forth between telling her he didn't "really" love her or wasn't attracted to her), all the while dealing with infertility for nearly 5 years. After she was divorced, her friend introduced her to Danny Kofoed by a friend (who's wife of 4 years had also left him). They lived in different cities so their relationship basically started out via email. They fell in love quickly. They were both so excited to be in love once again. Their outlook on life was incredibly positive, and continues to be that way, even after dealing with infertility once again. Like I said, lots of trials.

Some of the posts that have been my go-to for inspiration as of late include:

+ How to keep a marriage glued
+ Choosing to not be offended by silly things people say
+ Best Beauty Secret in the world
+ AMAZING marriage tips
+ Feeling Spirituality in your life
+ The "Little" trials of life -- we've all got 'em
+ Working on being the best {future} mother I can
+ Being grateful for what I DO have, not dwelling on what I don't
+ Learning how to not react in a negative way

... And so much more. Seriously, I kind of want to be her BFF. Her writing is so genuine, kind, and honest. And come on, she's got rockin' style. Just give the blog a try, won't you? I hope you enjoy as much as I do. :)

Surprise Party!

2012-01-22T22:10:00.000-07:00

Russ had a birthday, shout hooray!!

When I asked Russ what he wanted to do this year for his birthday, he shrugged his shoulders and said "oh, we don't need to do anything. I had a party last year." .... hem hem .... queue awesome wife duties and plan a surprise party! I do have to say that Russ is so much fun to plan a surprise party for because first off, he's totally oblivious to the quiet planning and running around I was doing all week to get everything together. He was legitimately surprised. For example, I completely ran out of time by Friday night, but I still had to make my little "poof ball" decorations. The problem was that Russ was home all night with me and I made them in front of him. When he asked what I was doing I just told him I was making them to put in the guest room. He just looked at them, a bit confused, and said "ok." Really Russ?? Paper poof balls in the guest room? I just let out a sigh of relief that he never pries and totally trusts my design decisions. :) Second off, he loves parties. He had a perma-grin the whole time. It's the best.

The party was so much fun. Thank you to everyone who came and helped surprise Russ. He loved every minute of his 28th birthday party. We are so grateful for our amazing family and friends.

(Seriously Natalie, I couldn't have pulled this party off without you!)

Happy Birthday Russ! I sure do love you!

Our Musical Addition

2012-01-22T13:26:00.001-07:00

I'm sorry I left you all on a bit of a cliff hanger last week with our "new addition." That was probably annoying, and perhaps even more annoying if it is a bit anti-climatic to you. But to us this addition was a huge deal. We shopped around for months. We researched. We hunted the classifieds. We saved and saved. And finally, we brought home our new musical addition:

Please meet our lovely new piano. It is a Kawai US-50 upright grand piano. We think she is bea-u-tiful.

I am seriously in love. Growing up I played a lot of piano. Call it a bit dorky, but I would say it was my "sport" in high school. I spent lots and lots of hours with this instrument. So needless to say, I am a bit picky when it comes to playing on some pianos, let alone spending my own money on one. Some think we are crazy for buying a new piano, and that we should have just settled with a used one from Craigslist. Believe me, we tried some out, but none of them were "the one." We finally found this beauty at a little piano shop (which we would highly recommend!) that was selling this piano for more than 1/2 the price of the "big box" Kawai store. From the first song I played while testing it out, I knew it would be ours.

I love that I can make music in our home once again. I have missed my time at the piano. Any emotion that I am feeling can be expressed on those keys. The guy who owned the shop we bought it from was telling me how a half an hour at the piano is worth more than an hour at the therapist.

I couldn't agree more.

Oh hey world

2012-01-18T22:36:00.000-07:00

We are alive! We are kickin'! Things have been a bit busy around here lately (hey, what's new?). I know you've been worried. Here's a glimpse of what we've been up to:

// Watching Fictionist rock it, once again, at a sold-out show at Velour. A couple even got engaged on stage! How cool is that? Caitlin at Hue and Hum has a great rundown here.

// Getting sick, and recovering. I spent a good few days this last week/weekend pretty much out of commission. Blech.

// Organizing, organizing, organizing!! Like the majority of the world, I started 2012 with a huge determination to organize everything. Russ has been a good sport and has helped me along the way. I have mostly been focusing on closets. I felt like nothing in the house "had a place." Well not anymore! One closet in particular was this funny little guy in our loft that was impossible to keep organized... until now!

Seriously... nothing like organized bliss. {ooooo ahhhhhhhh}

// Continuing to actually hang some frames on the wall (go figure!). These frames that have been propped against the wall are now a part of a lovely picture gallery. Pictures soon to come, don't worry.

// And last, but not least, acquiring a new addition to our family. No, it's probably not what you think. But... it's getting late (10:35... yes, I'm lame) and honestly, I don't have a picture, so I'm going to leave you hanging on the edge of your seat. :) Stay tuned!

Framing Time

2012-01-11T19:44:00.000-07:00

Since the day we moved into our home I think I have hung up approximately 2 frames. For some reason hanging frames is so scary! It's like super permanent or something. Really that makes no sense, because I didn't pause 2 seconds to put up bright floral wallpaper (something that is way more permanent than frames), but then frames are the scariest thing ever. Maybe it's because when I hang up art or pictures I want them to mean something. To be significant to us.

Over Christmas I was given a couple really beautiful prints and art pieces. It's like my family knows me well or something!! Our walls are finally looking a little less bare. Thank goodness!

Russell gave me this beautiful print from evajuliet, an Etsy shop I have not-so-subtly hinted to him about for months. She is French, and most of her prints come in French and English. My beautiful Grandma is French, my first and middle name is French (Camille Elise), I love France, and everything sounds more beautiful in French. The print translates to "Choose Joy," a phrase I think everyone could be reminded of more often. Life is insane -- sometimes we can choose to freak out or just choose to have joy. I'm trying to choose joy.

The next piece of art that makes me so happy is by the amazingly talented Minvera Teichart given to me by my lovely mother. Opening this piece of art on Christmas made me so happy. I love this picture of Christ. It is so powerful and majestic, yet shows how loving and caring He his at the same time. This is exactly how I picture Him. Full of majesty and love.

It's amazing how art makes a house feel so much more like a home. It's really starting to come together.

Speaking of Christmas gifts, you see that amazing blanket hanging over the couch? Brittney gave me this blanket and I'm pretty much obsessed. It's a beautiful teal wool blanket with a subtle chevron print. I love how it's a pop of color yet it perfectly ties in the teal flowers on the Orla Kiely wallpaper. Thanks sis. In case you can't tell, I love it. :)

So anyway, I have 2 more frames up. So that's like 4 now. Next up is the gallery wall I have been procrastinating for way too long. It's framing time!

A Head of Hair

2012-01-10T22:29:00.002-07:00

My husband has a very healthy head of hair. I'm not exaggerating one bit. Let's just hope our kids are blessed with his genes in this area. Lately he has let it grow longer than ever with a curly fro and mountain man beard. He was going in for a hair cut tonight, so I made sure to snap a picture last night as he was checking his head of hair out one last time.

I sure do love this guy.

{I think the picture turned out really nice, don't you? ... hahaha... Napoleon Dynamite anyone?}

Canada & Snowmobiles

2012-01-08T19:02:00.000-07:00

Over Christmas break we went to Washington (my home state). Oh how I love that place. A few days after Christmas we drove up to spend a few days in Canada. We were forewarned of how freeeeezing and winter wonderland-ish Canada is in the winter... so we came prepared of course. We loaded up the car with snowboards, skis, winter boots, thermals, hats, gloves, you name it. Weren't we a bit surprised when we pulled up to our resort in Fairmont to find grass?? Hmm, not what we were expecting. The irony of it all was that it was snowing in Spokane as we left. I guess that's life, right? {Side note: There was a bit more snow in Banff compared to Fairmont, but it was still very mild compared to the norm}

Also a surprise: Pulling up to Lake Louise (which we visited in the summer a few years back) expecting to oooh and awwwe over the crystal blue water only to realize that, duh, it's frozen and covered in snow! Way to go geniuses. :)

We still managed to have a good time, of course. Activities included the Fairmont hot springs, snowboarding, site-seeing, games, and food. The best.

Once we got back to Spokane my Dad made sure I got in my yearly snowmobile trip. Some people are surprised when I tell them that I grew up riding a snowmobile. From the age of about 10 years old my dad would plop me on my own machine and tell me to climb the mountain! "Whatever you say daddy!!" I've loved these times on the mountain with my dad. He becomes a little kid (again) and we get to see some amazing vistas together. Oh, and he ALWAYS encourages me to go out of my comfort zone and "push the limits a little." I've definitely had my fair share of accidents -- you know, getting stuck in waist-deep powder and even rolling the machine over my body once -- but I still love the feeling of the wind on your face as you pull that throttle. It was good to feel that once again.

{Me and Jace jumping for joy}

Auld Lang Syne // Times Long Past

2012-01-01T00:35:00.000-07:00

It's New Years Eve and Russ and I are sitting on the couch doing everything in our power to not fall asleep. (We are so exciting!!) As we fight off yawns, we have been going through the photo archives reminiscing on memories from 2011. Wow. What a year. I don't think there will ever be a year when we say "gee, that year didn't go by fast." Time sure does fly. But luckily we have some really good times (mixed in with some hard times, of course) to look back on. Here are some highlights of our 2011:

Started the year skyping on a regular basis since we lived apart for a good 5 months. Rough.

Finally seeing Wicked! Best Valentines ever.

Good friends in Texas that helped us get through those rough times.

Russ getting a really great job offer from Adobe in Utah -- prayers are answered!

Quitting our jobs (tears!), leaving Texas, living in a temporary apartment, buying a house (eek!), and both starting new jobs.

Being around family once again. Sigh of relief.

Camping.

Putting in our own sprinkler system. Kill me now.

2 half marathons and a couple 10k's for Camille, lots of bike racing for Russ. Dirty Dashin' as a family.

Lots of lake trips -- McCall, Spokane, Trinity Lake.

Jace comes home from Japan!

Fishing in our backyard... literally.

Fabulous house guests (and life long friends!)

Rockin' Adobe holiday parties.

Family pictures.

Neighborhood parties -- we love our neighbors!

Christmastime in the Northwest and Canada.

Ending the year on top of a mountain. Best finale we could ask for.

Goodbye 2011. We are grateful for the year we had. We know we are so blessed, and we have both grown so much. We are feeling optimistic about the future and can only wait to see what 2012 has in store.

Holi-Daze

2011-12-26T15:07:00.000-07:00

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were everything I was hoping for. Our holiday consisted of relaxing, eating, laughing, playing games, spending time with close friends and family, attending church and reveling in the beauty of the season. Washington even blessed us with a good-enough snow fall on Christmas Eve for a white Christmas! Here are a few scenes from the last few days. Because I feel like we are good friends, I have also included a few oh-so-glamorous Christmas morning bed-head pictures. Sorry and You're Welcome.

Usually the McLaws kids have our traditional "waiting-on-the-stairs-till-we-can-see-the-presents" picture, but this year we all gathered on the couch. Yes, on one couch. Can we say sibling love?

Top picture: The lovely Bird family came over once again for Christmas Eve dinner. I think every Christmas I have spent in Washington involved the Bird family somehow, someway. We were especially happy to spend time with Sheri-mom. I've mentioned her before. Her story is here.

Bottom picture: The most humorous picture from Christmas morning. Russ and I have been swimming a lot lately, so I was excited to get some goggles to make me pro (ha!). I even got a swim cap, but sadly for you, did not take a picture with that one. :)

We had a post-church photo session. I sure do love all the people in these pictures.

Today we're packing up to leave Washington for another country! That's right, we're escaping to Canada to spend a few days in a cabin in the mountains. Ohhhh, this is going to be good.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Christmas Vacation is Here!

2011-12-21T23:13:00.000-07:00

Tonight marks the beginning of our Christmas vacation! Hallelujah! I was a very happy girl as I left work this evening for a week and a half of zero stress. {Queue sigh of relief} As a pre-Christmas celebration, we ate our dinner by candlelight while listening to some Christmas tunes. We wanted to do our own "thing" before joining the rest of the family for all the festivities. We opened a few of our gifts for each other, and I must say that Russ did good. Now we are scrambling around the house making sure we have everything before we take off in the morning for a lovely holiday vacation in the Northwest (wahooo!). Vacation is so near I can taste it.

I hope everyone is having a fantastic holiday season spent with friends and family, and most of all, remembering why we have this holiday to begin with. If you have a minute, watch this video about the true Christmas spirit. It brings a tear to my eye.

Family Pictures 2011

2011-12-16T11:46:00.000-07:00

When my parents were in town over Thanksgiving break we got together and took some long overdue family pictures. My mom realized we didn't have a proper picture with her two "new" son-in-laws! My lovely friend Brooke helped us out and captured some great shots. I had full intentions of making a Christmas card, but it turns out the busy-ness of the season (and getting a bit sick! blech!) has gotten the best of me. I know you are weeping inside due to the lack of our Christmas card, but hopefully these family pics will get you by. I know I sure love them!

{All photos by Brooke Schultz Photography}

First Time for Everything

2011-12-13T12:51:00.000-07:00

Would you believe me if I told you that before yesterday Russ had never ever made sugar cookies? Like he'd never used a cookie cutter in his life. Well by golly, we ended that! We made ooodles of cookies last night for friends and neighbors (using my favorite recipe compliments of Sheri Bird). Judging by this picture, I would say he had fun, wouldn't you? He particularly enjoyed making his "gingerbread army." I loved spending the evening baking, frosting, singing, and dancing in the kitchen with my favorite person in the world.

Another first for us? Shoveling the driveway on our very own house! We woke up to a blanket of snow. It made me feel that much more in the Christmas spirit (even if I was sliding around trying to get out of our neighborhood. Oy. I need to remember my snow-driving skills from years past).

Is it Christmas break yet?!?

Adobe Knows How to Party

2011-12-12T09:35:00.000-07:00

{Russell wins the award for the most animated face!}

Friday night we went to Adobe's Holiday Party. This was unlike any Christmas party I've ever been to for a few reasons. First of all, it was 80's themed. Huh? I was so confused and honestly really skeptical of what kind of party it would be (foolish Camille, foolish!). Second, when we showed up we saw the Back to the Future car in front of break dancers being watched over by Mr. T. I'm dead serious. You throw some dancing competitions, arcade games, flaming donuts, thousand dollar prizes that you can win by playing rock-paper-scissors (I got really close!!!), awesome "goodie boxes" with 80's movies and treats, and a live 80's cover band and you have one rockin' party. I also got to reunite with one of my old college roommate Erin! Oh I have missed her. Her husband also works for Adobe -- it was so good to see her after way too long! (Her hair is crimped because that is back in style, didn't you know? Just kidding. You could dress up in 80's attire. We were lame and did not).

Since we are party animals and never want the night to end (ha!) we stopped by temple square after the party to check out the lights in the freezing cold. It was the perfect end to a perfect night. We really do love Adobe and are so grateful for Russ's job! They sure know how to treat their employees right. Thanks Adobe for showing us another good time!

Herb-Roasted Veggies

2011-12-07T15:56:00.000-07:00

These roasted veggies have been our favorite go-to dish for a while now. Please make these and tell me you don't like them, because I'd be willing to bet even those people that don't like vegetables will enjoy! You can literally throw in whatever vegetables you want or have on hand. I'm a particular fan of the butternut squash (they are like candy!), and Russ loves the potatoes. It's a perfect combination... I pay special attention to pick out the butternut squash and he gets the potatoes! Best part? Leftovers for lunch at work. Mmm mmm. Here are some rough instructions on how to make these bad boys:

What you'll need:
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
4-5 red potatoes, washed and cubed
1 small sweet potato
1 small onion, peeled and sliced into thick slices
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch thin slices
(Other vegetables I have used include red peppers, zucchini, gold potatoes, and more! Experiment!)
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Thyme
Rosemary
Salt & Pepper

How you do it:
Once all of your vegetables are peeled/cut/sliced, use a large bowl to splash some olive oil and balsamic vinegar -- the amount you need will vary on how many vegetables you are roasting. Basically you need just enough to cover the vegetables, but not too much where they are drowning in the oil. :) If you don't have a large enough bowl, you can throw the vegetables directly onto a baking sheet covered in aluminum foil (I used a Silpat baking mat) and slowly spoon and cover the veggies in the oil/vinegar. Sprinkle with rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Roast in oven @ 450 degrees for 30-40 minutes, turning occasionally.

* Adapted from A Hint of Honey

Scenes from the Weekend

2011-12-06T13:21:00.000-07:00

This last weekend included a few fun Christmas-oriented activities. Friday night I had a few of my cute friends over for a Christmas craft night. We made Soup Mix jars and ate way too many delicious treats. Oh, and this crock-pot Tomato-Basil Parmesan soup that was oh-so-good. When the temperatures outside are bitter cold, nothing else sounds good but warm, hearty soup. {And who doesn't love another crock-pot soup?!?}

The next night we went out with some of our favorite people -- The Hills {who just happen to be our neighbors/saving grace}. We met one other couple from our neighborhood for dinner and then ventured to the Festival of Trees. I had never been! It's basically a huge organization where people decorate and donate hundreds of decked-out trees, gingerbread houses, wreaths and quilts. There is then an auction for all of the items and all proceeds go to the Primary Children's Hospital. Pretty cool. The first pictures is of us in front of one of my favorite trees of the night -- the Harry Potter tree!!! And the second picture is when we came upon an exact version of our house made for dwarves... or children... or any other small person who wants to live in a blue house.

Other highlights of the weekend that should be noted, for posterity sake of course:

* Learning once again that miracles do happen and prayers really work. Thanks friends for helping my sister out.
* Making my first home-made cinnamon rolls that turned out bomb.com
* Starting to refinish those dang night-stands that I have been putting off for years. Literally.
* Visiting the Collette's in their new home. So exciting!
* Sleeping in till 10 am two days in a row!! Wha???
* Playing Gin Rummy with Russ. We are too competitive for our own good. :)

Bowls & Oats

2011-12-02T11:49:00.000-07:00

Last night a package arrived on my doorstep that made me extremely giddy. It's amazing how the most random purchases are so exciting. Like bowls, for example. Do pretty, colorful little bowls also make your heart go pitter-patter? I sure hope so. Otherwise Russ's suspicions that I'm going loony are correct.

I've been eyeing these bowls from West Elm for quite a while. So last week when I saw that they were on clearance with free shipping (wahoo!), I snatched them up. They remind me of the days when my good friend Sada and I used to kill time on our lunch breaks oooh-ing and awww-ing at pretty things at the West Elm store in San Antonio. Sadly there is no West Elm here in Utah, so now I just ooh and aww through a computer screen. :) Anyway, now it looks like I will need to make some sort of dessert to serve these in. They're just calling for something tasty to be served in them.

Speaking of tasty things in bowls, let me introduce you to my new favorite breakfast:

My mom was in town last week and brought these lovely little steel-cut oats into my life. Thanks Mom!! I don't know if I'll ever be able to eat instant oatmeal again. The texture and flavor of these little guys are amazing, and might I say, leave you feeling full for a lot longer. I'm sure the add-in possibilities are endless, but so far I have been adding in some brown sugar, a little bit of vanilla soy milk, craisins, apples, and a dash of cinnamon. They take about 30 minutes on the stove to cook, but once you have a big batch made they will literally last you all week! Mmm mmm. I'm a cereal girl at heart, and always will be, but I'm so happy to add these steel-cut oats into my morning routine. Give 'em a try!

Subway Tile. Done and Done.

2011-12-01T19:51:00.001-07:00

I have been wanting to have subway tile in our kitchen forever! I knew it was a project we would work on sometime, but definitely far in the future. Until one of my best friends and her husband were over one day and asked if we wanted some of their leftover subway tile. Let me think about that.... YES. We got in the car immediately, drove to their house, and became proud owners of some new subway tile ready to schnazzy up our kitchen. Thanks again, Elyse! We owe you big time!

What do you think? I am in love! It totally transforms the look of the whole kitchen and definitely takes it one step away from a builder-grade kitchen. One step at a time, people. Just to get it in your head, this was the back splash before - just the basic 3 inch continuation of the counter surface.

We were debating whether to take off that back splash or not, mostly just because we had no clue how to do it (and afraid we would create huge gaping holes in our walls). One of our neighbors works with granite countertops and he came over to help us out. Who would have thought you literally just pop that thing off?!? Thank goodness for friendly neighbors.

Russ was the main wet saw-worker, and I was the main tile-applier. The whole process was pretty do-able overall. The only times it became a little difficult was cutting around the window well and electrical sockets. For anyone contemplating this project, I say DO IT!!! Thanks to some YouTube videos we got the job done. Even though we got most of our tile for free, we had to buy a small section after we ran out. The tile is "Daltile" brand, which you can buy at Home Depot. A 2 foot section of tile cost only about $10, so really, I think it's pretty affordable. (You just need to add in cost of mastic, grout, and a few supplies).

One more project crossed off the list! 9,723,982,357 more to go! :)

Thankful

2011-11-28T10:12:00.000-07:00

Well hello world! I may possibly be one of the worst bloggers as of late, but I guess that means I had a fantastic Thanksgiving weekend with little time to blog. I'll take it. But I would feel a little ungrateful if I didn't take a moment to jot down a few things I am especially grateful for at this time:

via

+ I am grateful for our house, and more importantly the memories that are made inside of it. I love making a house a home. The sunrises and sunsets we see every day over the river in our backyard melt my heart.

+ My mom's orange roll recipe! I made it for the first time this weekend. It turned out pretty good... not as good as my mom's, but practice should hopefully make perfect.

+ My faith, the gospel of Jesus Christ and His love for me and my family. We are always taken care of.

+ Finding new music. Thanks to Spotify, new music has been flooding my ears and I love it.

+ Russell's job that allows us to live close to our families. We were fortunate enough to see both of our families this weekend -- it was fabulous.

+ My health. We have a lot of family members and close friends who have had this taken away from them this last year. I believe that a healthy body is one of those things we take for granted until it is gone.

I Appreciate Him.

2011-11-16T15:50:00.000-07:00

This is my bearded husband enjoying three delicious scoops of Gelato from Costco. Who knew Costco could be so fancy?

Our offices are pretty close together, so we try to meet for lunch once in a while, whether it's bringing our PB&J's to a park or supporting one of our favorite dining establishments (ahem, Costco). Yes, we're classy like that. Just get me the cheesiest cheese pizza with a Diet Coke and you've got one happy girl.

As we were leaving I was digging through my pockets to find the receipt for the lady to check and Russ was kindly holding my Diet Coke, my purse and pushing the cart. The lady looks at me and says "I bet you've never appreciated him more than you do now." It took me a minute to realize she was talking to us. Of course it wasn't until I got to my car I wanted to run back and say "Huh? What are you talking about? I always appreciate this guy! I mean, he meets me at Costco and buys me a Diet Coke! What more could I want?!?"

It's the little things that really make you appreciate life, ain't it?

Take a Seat

2011-11-15T17:10:00.000-07:00

I have another house update to report! Casa de Lewis finally has a few more places to sit! One thing we found with moving into our house after being in apartments and renting is we are seriously lacking some furniture. We had one couch, and therefore only one place to sit and hang out in the whole house. Needless to say, we've kept our eye out for some good deals on furniture. Well this last week I'd say we hit the jackpot! Introducing our first "sitting chair":

This chair was a bit unplanned. We walked into the store looking for couches, but found this neglected guy in the clearance corner due to a broken leg. After figuring out the leg was fixable and a bit of negotiating on Russell's end, we got this guy for $75, normal price was $400. Right now it is in our main living room area, but it might end up in the front room/future piano room.

The second score was found at Down East Home. Oh this store is amazing. There were so many couches I wanted there, but this guy was the winner for a few reasons. A) it was on sale, B) Russ actually liked it even though it was "cute," mainly because he found it to be functional with such a high back, and C) it was on sale. I love when we agree :)

We have it upstairs in the loft, where we hope to get some sort of projector/movie area going on in the future. The pillows and rugs were laying around needing to be used; I don't know if they will stay here, but I didn't really want to spend any more money in this area of the house yet. You know, one thing at a time...

Sew Many Pillows

2011-11-08T16:25:00.000-07:00

I had some old pillows that needed to be recovered, so these last few weeks I've decided to break into the world of making pillows! Most of them will probably go in the guest bedroom. I found one of my favorite Amy Butler fabrics (Midwestern Modern II Collection - Floating Buds) at Material Girls fabric store (which is my new favorite fabric store for any of you Utahns), and knew the exact pillow I was going to make. I saw THIS PILLOW a year ago from one of my favorite bloggers and it hasn't left my mind since, so I recreated it!

Just don't look too close. I'm definitely still working on my pillow-making skills. As for now, I'll go make a few more. Practice makes {almost} perfect, right?

The Monopolizer

2011-11-01T20:01:00.000-06:00

Look at that face.

That's the face of a very, very serious Monopoly player makin' a sweet real-estate deal.

Who here loves Monopoly? I have a love-hate relationship with this game. When we were newlyweds of maybe a month or two and had just moved to Texas, we bought the game with a gift card from our wedding. I was so excited to find a game that we could play together. Ha! Wasn't I surprised when we sat down to play one Sunday evening and I saw a side of Russ I had never seen. The sweet, loving and light-hearted Russ turned into a super intense, deal-making, dominating Monopoly player. I admit that the fact I was getting dominated every. single. time made me not love the game so much, but let's just say the air would get a teensy bit tense and Monopoly soon became a game I hated.

But Russ loves it.

Like a lot.

So sometimes we still play. He usually dominates me, except like on Sunday when we sat down with our friends to play. You would have thought it was Christmas morning for Russ and Dave. Too bad Danielle and I totally dominated their Monoploy-playing lives. It felt good.

Have I mentioned we've had some house guests lately? One of my best friends/former roommate Danielle, her husband Dave, and their adorable son Cameron just moved to Utah from New York City and have been camping out at Casa de Lewis while they get things settled. We've had some good times. I mean, how could you not with an 8-month old who smiles and waves the moment you walk in the room??

The Halloween Half Marathon

2011-10-30T20:45:00.000-06:00

This weekend I ran another half marathon. It was the Provo Canyon Halloween Half, a very entertaining race where a large majority of the racers dress up in ridiculous costumes. Apparently I am the Halloween Grinch and had no motivation to dress up. LAME. I ran it with two of my favorite people -- LG and Natalie (my sister in law), who dressed up as the anime character Pikachu. Awesome, right?

The race started at Aspen Grove and took us down the scenic Provo canyon complete with fall leaves, the Provo river, a waterfall, and parks galore. It's always been one of my favorite routes.

My goal for this race was to get under 2 hours. The first 6 miles flew by and I felt great. I got a little tired around mile 7 or 8, but after popping a starbust in my mouth I was able to keep going strong. And then mile 11 came, and I wasn't sure what I felt anymore, but it wasn't great. I soon found out what it was at about half a mile from the finish line. The next thing I know I have throw up in my mouth. Uh, what?!? I swallow it back down (I know, gross) and keep running. Nope, it wasn't staying down. It came back up and this time I just bent over and threw up right in front of all those unassuming spectators cheering on their family and friends. In my head I'm thinking "Alright, this race isn't ending as planned, but I think I can still make my goal if I keep going." The last quarter mile I swallowed down vomit 2 more times as the finish line was in sight. Right as I crossed the line it all came out and I collapsed on the ground. I know, that sounds dramatic, but it just happened.

Russ was able to snap the photo below right before I crossed the line. I still have no clue why that happened, but I'm assuming it was me ignoring my body's screaming signals that were telling me to "STOP." I thought it was absolutely disgusting, uber-weak, and embarrassing (who wants to finish a race that way??), but everyone I tell the story to just exclaims "HARDCORE!" Ha! I guess I'll take that over uber-weaksauce.

So to sum up this crazy race, I am so happy that I made my goal with only seconds to spare. I crossed the line at 1:59:25. Achieving another PR is such a great feeling, throw up and all.

Recently

2011-10-25T20:05:00.000-06:00

Hello again friends! It's been a while. Honestly, life has finally seemed to slow down a bit, but that doesn't mean I've been any better with blogging and taking pictures. My apologies, here's a few things we have been up to recently:

// Bringing some of my pins to life. We've all seen the overpriced metal letters at Anthropologie. I liked the look, but didn't want to fork out the money. I saw this tutorial on Pinterest and made these letters for just a few bucks. I'm still not positive where I will hang them (as is the case with the majority of my house right now), so for now they are just resting on the counter. It never hurts to have another reminder to EAT, right? :)

// Finishing the sprinklers and spreading our hydroseed! This means a few things -- first off, our grass is growing, and second, we are done working outside for the year! We now literally just sit back and pray the grass comes in. Russ stands on our porch multiple times a day to watch the fruits of his labors grow.

// Enjoying our new patio! We decided to put this patio in last minute, and we are so glad we did. Now all we need is a sweet outdoor table set. Sigh. One thing at a time.

// Rockin' out to new tunes, and in particular Coldplay's new album Mylo Xyloto. You better believe that Best Buy was the first place I went after work yesterday. I was smiling ear to ear the whole drive home. You guys, this album is amazing. Every Coldplay album is a new experience, and this one is full of energetic beats and catchy melodies. I foresee many of these songs being new favorites on the ol' running mix.

// Which brings me to my next point. I've been having lots of quality time with just me and the road as I've been training and preparing for yet another 1/2 marathon. The big day is this Saturday, and I'm just hoping for the best. My training started out great, but as the race has been getting closer my runs have been getting worse and worse. One word: FRUSTRATING. I did a 12 miler last week and just about died. Sigh. I sincerely believe running is just as much mental as it is physical, so I'm still feeling optimistic and am hoping for the best. :)

Holy Cow

2011-10-12T09:10:00.000-06:00

One thing we love about living in our little town of Lehi is that we are 5 minutes from the freeway, there is an abundance of stores and restaurants, and it is quite a central location. On the other hand, I can hop on the trail that backs up to our yard and run past horses and cows. I even ran into a fox once! Yay for wildlife. Usually I can see these cows out in the field while on the trail, but on my run last night they just wanted to cheer me on.

And that they did. These guys were cracking me up. All of their heads would follow me as I ran past, so I did it a few times just for fun. Luckily I had my phone so I could snap a quick picture. After I spent a few minutes hanging out with these guys, I figured I better get on with my run. I turned the corner and saw this.

It took my breath away for a second. The sun setting behind Eagle Mountain, the clouds' reflection on the Jordan River, and the fading blue sky ready to retire for the night. It was like God smiling down on me telling me He loved me. I love nature and seeing God's creations, even if they are smelly and "mooo" as you pass on by. I am grateful I have a body healthy enough to get out and see nature. It's taking these breaks from the craziness of life that keep me sane.

Distraction.

2011-10-10T09:40:00.000-06:00

I have a feeling I'm not the only one who gets distracted with modern-day "things." You know... phones, internet, TV, etc. Maybe I'll try this next time I really need to "get down to business" and be productive. I'm sure it is quite effective.

Chipboard Canvas "Tutorial"

2011-10-06T15:14:00.000-06:00

Last night Russ was out in the yard doing last minute adjustments to our sprinkler system. Before you jump the gun and call me lazy, I tried helping but at this point it was all electrical work (meaning I was no help at all). So I sat down on the couch and turned on some good ol' weeknight television. One word: Parenthood. {I'm obsessed}. Anyway, I then worked on the most perfect lazy night craft. I barely had to get off the couch to finish it. It was great. Here's a quick "tutorial," or more like here's how I did it, and perhaps some ideas to do it better next time.

I was inspired while I was browsing Pinterest one night (surprise!) and found this chipboard canvas. I wanted to make one with a phrase that meant something to us. Once one of my favorite Beatles songs popped in my head I couldn't think of anything else. I found the canvas and chipboard letters from Hobby Lobby for a whopping total of $10. I bought two different sizes of chipboard letters to give variety, but you could make all the words the same size if you wanted.

I arranged the letters and as you can see, I didn't have enough cork letters since duplicates were needed. There was no way I was going to run to the store so I had to improvise. (hint: "more" looks a bit funny, doesn't it?)

If you are in the middle of the project and are also too lazy to go to the store for more letters, just clip pieces of leftover chipboard to make your letter of choice look like it should (i.e. your "c" can become an "e", the "b" can become a "o").

I probably should have used more appropriate glue than jewelry glue, but again, I was being lazy and that's all I could find in the short span of a commercial break. :) I'm assuming a hot glue gun, super glue, or some other strong adhesive would work great.

I wanted to make sure the letters were straight but didn't have a ruler handy, so I used the nearest Martha Stewart magazine on the coffee table. Call it pathetic, but I call it resourceful. :)

And voila! You're just about done. I was tempted to leave it as is because I kind of liked the "natural" looking letters, but decided to stick with the original vision I had in mind. I found some white spray paint in the garage and sprayed the canvas in the middle of the street under the street lamp. Can we say ghett-ooo?

I probably should have sanded some of the rougher chipboard letters before I spray-painted, but I just sanded them down and applied one more coat of spray paint as well as a top-coat to add a bit of shine. This is a matter of preference -- I think next time I might hold off on the top coat for a more "matte" look. It's totally up to you. Chose your phrase, sit down in front of your favorite show, and go to canvas town!

Dirty Dashin'

2011-09-28T15:04:00.002-06:00

Last weekend I was dirtier than I've ever been in my whole life. I'm talking literally dirty, as in I was finding dirt in places I didn't know dirt could go. But it was so. worth. it. My extended McLaws family (dad's side) had a little reunion this weekend, and keeping with McLaws tradition, it was not your run-in-the-mill reunion. When was the last time you got dunked in a pool of mud by your aunt?

My cousin Megan's purple wig looks all clean and shiny in this picture, but I assure you, she was covered in mud in about 3.2 seconds after this was taken. This is the last "mud pool" before the finish line. I'm in the front row second from the right... that shirt I'm wearing was white at the beginning.

We all registered for the Dirty Dash a while back, all being as unsure of what to expect as the next person. This race was a blast, and probably the most "easy going" race I've ever participated in. By "easy going" I don't mean it was easy, because it wasn't, I mean it was NOT competitive, NOT serious in the least, and I was the LEAST anxious I've ever been for a race.

The reason we all look relatively "cleaner" in this picture is because it was mid-race. I don't know why being muddy makes us feel like we have to flex our muscles?

Before the race started you heard a man yelling these sort of phrases over the microphone:

"For those of you stretching at the starting line, yeah, I'm going to make fun of you"
"If you ask me what your time was when you cross the finish line you are stupid"
"Water is overrated. Go drink some chocolate milk and eat donuts!"
"If you are keeping track of your mile splits, you are dumb"

I'm totally serious. I loved it. It was a 10K (6.2 miles) of hills, obstacles courses, and yes, MUD. With that said, I truly think anyone -- a runner or not -- could do this race. Next time, and there will be a next time, I will make sure to dress up and wear the nastiest shoes I can find, because the thought of keeping the shoes you wore in this race is out of the question. You can watch this video for a good idea of what the Dirty Dash really means:

* Both photos taken by my wonderful Grandpa Bob. Thanks Grandpa!

Pinning Away on Pinterest

2011-09-26T12:24:00.000-06:00

via

Is this true, or is this true?? I admit that I am completely obsessed with this "social network." I even think it would be safe to say it's taken the place of facebook-ing and {most} blog-stalking I used to participate in. Even though this quote above is so true, I do give Pinterest a lot of credit for inspiring projects galore. And those recipes I actually have tried? All have been delicious. So I will keep pinning away. Some recent finds:

For a future baby shower I throw // A Shower Baby Shower

Finding inspiration for a paint color in our bedroom (so my whole house isn't gray) // Blue walls

Some day we will have a baby, and if the nursery looked like this I wouldn't mind // Amazing Nursery

Are you drooling yet? // Caramel Brownies

Getting excited for the holidays // Stockings for a Family

An entryway I would die for // Photo Collage wall to disguise the thermostat

So here's to hoping I can find some time in the near future to actually conquer some of these amazing Pinterest projects and recipes. As for now, I should probably just get back to work. Over and out.

PS. The blog got a face-lift! It was way past-due. But do not fret, I will probably be tweaking things here and there till I'm happy with it.

The Superhero in Me is Tired

2011-09-23T12:21:00.000-06:00

via

This is how I'm feeling today. Yes, TIRED. It's been a crazy busy week, and I think I've hit the end of my rope, the cape stopped working, I hit the ground, you get the gist. It hasn't necessarily been a bad week, just one of those weeks where I felt like I got nothing accomplished yet ran around like a chicken with my head cut off. I think we've all been there, haven't we? I'm pumped it's the weekend, but have a sneaking suspicion I won't start Monday morning any more rested than I am now. My tentative weekend plans look a bit like this:

Tonight: Family reunion!
Tomorrow morning: As part of the family reunion, compete in the Dirty Dash -- Bring on 6.2 miles of running through mud and overcoming obstacles. I'm super excited, but also have no clue what to expect!!
Tomorrow afternoon/evening: Try to recover/clean my muddy body in time to hang out with some awesome friends from Texas who are in town!
Sunday: Church, family gathering at Russell's parents, crash
Monday: start all over again.

Is anyone else's superhero-inside-of-them a bit tired? Anyone have plans for some R&R that I can envy?

Seattle et al.

2011-09-20T11:03:00.000-06:00

Well our girls weekend came and went as fast as you can say "it's Monday again!" We had a blast doing a whole lot of nothing. And by nothing I mean wandering around the streets of Seattle, stopping to eat whenever we wanted, shopping, getting lost... you know, the usual. I think my favorite part was taking the ferry to Bainbridge Island. What an amazingly beautiful place with the quaintest little shops. It sure was a fun adventure. These are the only two pictures I took the whole weekend... and they were from my phone. Yes. Slap a sticker on my forehead and call me LAME. Oh well, I've got those memories in my head, and you were spared from an over abundance of pictures you probably wouldn't care to see anyway. See? I was just doing you a favor. :)

If you're still reading, I have a few other things to say:

Many of you know or know of my beautiful sister seen in the picture on the right. She's one of my favorite people on this planet and probably the strongest person I know. If you happen to remember, she and her husband could use your prayers. I'm trying to build a praying army, cause prayers work. I know it.

I can NOT get this print out of my head. I feel it is especially appropriate due to my French heritage, no? It means "Choose Joy" and would be a wonderful {and pretty} reminder everyday.

Who else is obsessed with Mumford & Sons? I know I'm not the only one. I can't keep my foot from tapping when those catchy tunes come on my I-pod.

Speaking of my sister's husband, you Utahns out there should come to the Velour tomorrow night to help Fictionist celebrate getting signed by Atlantic Records. We're all pretty pumped, I assure you.

And last but not least, have you ever seen The Sing Off? I watched it last season and was surprisingly into it. Well I am for sure watching this season since I know someone on it! For real! BYU's singing group Vocal Point is in the competition, and a guy I work with is in the group. And I may just know how it ends, but also may not be able to say anything. My lips are sealed.

Happy Tuesday everyone.

My bags are packed

2011-09-15T08:45:00.000-06:00

image via Ruche

... and I'm ready to go! Ok, not quite yet. I most definitely will be racing home from work to throw this-and-that in my suitcase, but I catch a big jet plane this afternoon to Seattle for a much needed break from reality. There's nothing like an old-fashioned girls' trip with my mom and sister. This trip was totally last minute, but when my sister proposed that my mom and I meet her up there (she's going for work) and Russ said we had a voucher that needed to be used, I figured "what the heck?!" Life is for living. We have nothing in particular planned (which sounds amazing) but will most likely be doing lots of eating, shopping and talking. Have a fantastic weekend my friends. See ya on the flip side!

PS. In case you haven't heard yet, go HERE for some exciting news about some guys in a band I know. You wouldn't want to be a stranger in the dark, now would you? (Ha! Get it?)

Trenches to Dig and Berry Tarts to Eat

2011-09-11T15:57:00.000-06:00

How and why do weekends fly by at an alarmingly fast rate?! It's Sunday afternoon and we are trying to soak up any last amount of relaxation we can before another crazy-busy week starts. Today is September 11th, ten years after the day. We are watching memorials and documentaries about the fateful event that changed, well, everything. I am feeling so grateful to be an American. I am grateful for my freedom. I am grateful for opportunities. I started this post wanting to whine about the fact that every spare second we have had as of late has been digging trenches in our yard for sprinklers. And then I thought, "I'm healthy and alive. I am safe. I am lucky to have a yard to dig trenches in."

We are now to the point of covering up all the sprinkler pipes to get ready to spread top soil. That means Russ got the sprinklers to actually sprinkle! Yahoo!!! One step at a time, people. Russ is calling this adventure "one big experiment." And that it is. Yesterday Jace came over to offer some additional manual labor, and he even was lucky enough to see the big black truck come and dump piles and piles of top soil. It's amazing how all men will literally stop what they are doing and stand in awe at a truck. It helped that it was shiny and black, I'm sure.

We did stop and have a bit of fun yesterday. We had some {new and awesome} friends from the neighborhood over for a BBQ, and to watch the BYU football game. Sadly, they lost... by one point. Next time, cougars.

I was lame enough to get only one picture of the evening -- the dessert. I call this the "End of Summer Berry Tart." Mmm mmm good. I would highly recommend whipping it up, it really was simple and fast.

{The End of Summer Berry Tart}

Adapted from Betty Crocker

{Crust}

10 oz. animal crackers, crushed in a blender or food processer

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 Tbsp sugar

{Filling}

1 8 oz. package cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 pint blackberries

1 pint raspberries

1/2 strawberry jam

1 Tbsp orange juice

Heat over to 350. In medium bowl, mix cracker crumbs, butter, cinnamon, and 2 Tbsp sugar. Press into bottom and up sides of an ungreased 9" tart pan with removable bottom. Bake 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and lemon juice on low speed until combined. Add whipping cream and beat on high for 3-5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Spread onto tart crust and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Microwave strawberry jam for 30 seconds or until warm. Add orange juice. Drizzle glaze over berries.

Enjoy!

Disguising the Green Stuff

2011-09-07T12:38:00.001-06:00

Russell's parents have an amazing garden that is producing loads and loads of delicious tomatoes and zucchinis. We are some of the lucky beneficiaries of this garden. :) Before this summer I've really only used zucchini to make zucchini bread. I guess you could say I was a novice to zucchinis, so I've started looking for other ways to use this vegetable. Last night I made some yummy waffles for dinner and a after a few bites Russ exclaimed "what are these little green specs??" Mwwahahahaha! Besides the green flecs here and there, he couldn't even tell that I loaded one extremely large zucchini into those waffles. I do love vegetables, but I love them even more when they are disguised in some scrumptious waffles slathered in syrup.

via

So if you have zucchini's that need to be used or feel the need to disguise some greens in your family's diet, I dare you to try this recipe. Zucchini may become your new favorite food.

// If you do happen to try this recipe, I ended up adding another 1/2 to 3/4 a cup of flour. The first few I made were a little limp and were asking for some more substance. Just a tip. //

Hello September

2011-09-01T15:59:00.000-06:00

Isn't it ironic how we always want what we can't have? I'm mostly speaking in terms of the weather this time, but I think it would be safe to say that statement applies to many other aspects of life. Anyway, the point is that I am so excited that today brings in September! Queue the autumn weather please!!! While it's been lovely and hot outside, I cannot wait to wear some cozy sweaters and boots. But come next March when we've been inundated with snow for months on end, I know all I will wish for are some 90+ degree days like we've been experiencing as of late. Such is life, I guess.

With that said, I was browsing the Shade website and was quite smitten with some of their new fall looks. It made me that much more excited that September has come.

Even though I could stop by the store, for you non Utahns I did happen to see they have free shipping & returns. Pretty sa-weet, don't you think? So what do you guys think? Any items you would add to your wish list? Or am I the only one excited for fall weather? (I'm especially thinking of my friends down in Texas -- you've got to be feeling that fall fever...)

Lately

2011-08-28T23:04:00.000-06:00

Well holy cow, has it been a while or what? Can we talk about how these last few weeks have been insanely busy? Life has been flying by at 100 miles an hour. Russ and I are sitting in a dark room on our bed watching the lightening light up the room as the storm of the century slams our little blue house. I'm feeling so exhausted, finally calm, and extremely grateful for the last few weeks we have just experienced. Let me try to do a little re-cap.

1. Celebrated the life of Lisa and attended her funeral. As is to be expected, it was very, very sad and my head hurt from crying so much, but at the same time the whole weekend was such a beautiful tribute to such an amazing mother, daughter, wife, aunt, and friend. We were with family, and family makes everything better, doesn't it?

2. Attended girls night with some of my favorite people -- my own mother, my mother-in-law, and my two amazing sister-in-laws -- eating burgers at In-N-Out and seeing The Help. It doesn't get much better than that. And just for the record, I absolutely loved the movie. After reading the book you never know how it will compare, but it did. Go see it, you won't regret it :)

3. Helped throw a bridal shower for my cousin Megan (daughter of Lisa) who's due in just 5 weeks! She's such a cute little pregnant woman and I can't wait to meet her little son, Lincoln. We also got to play with the daughter of my other cousin named Megan, Frankie Jane, who's just a few months old. Oh my, that little girl is adorable. Look at those big blues.

4. Did yard work in practically every free second we could find. We pulled more weeds than I thought possible. We got bit by more mosquitos than I've ever been bitten by. And we dug more trenches for sprinklers than I hope to ever dig again. Let's just put it this way -- we will really appreciate the yard once we have it. :) Thank goodness for the ditch-witch and those amazing friends and family who helped us out. You know who you are -- we really appreciate it.

5. Successfully found the perfect "greige" paint color for my living room and finally painted an outcome I love. I know, you were all worried. Pictures are soon to come.

6. Attended my other cousin Melissa's mission farewell (another daughter of Lisa). She leaves to serve for our church in Warsaw, Poland in just a week and a half. She will be amazing. Oh wait, she already is. This is my "little" brother Jace next to Melissa. He's really tall, and she's really short. He just got home from his mission, she's just leaving. Precious, no?

7. Hung out with my family. Lots. And loved every second of it.

Point of the story? Life has been insanely busy, and honestly, I can't wait till summer winds itself down and we can settle into our routine. But I am grateful for the memories that have been made, and I couldn't have gotten through these last few weeks without the amazing family, friends, and husband I have been blessed with. Sometimes life throws you some curve balls, but the people you are surrounded by can really make everything just a little brighter.

The storm is ending, and it is now time to sleep. Goodnight to you all.

Magnets

2011-08-18T14:26:00.001-06:00

Russ and I are back to being daily "workers," meaning we get ready for work in the morning together, kiss each other on the way out the door, and say "hello again" at the usual 5:30 or 6:00. Yep, we are workers. It's good to be in a routine, and most of all, we are grateful for jobs. Those few months I wasn't working were fun... for the most part. You really start feeling like "heck, I need to be productive." So yes, we are grateful for work.

With that being said, during the day I take a few breaks to let my mind relax. Most of the time that involves anything on Pinterest. There are hundreds of inspiring images that get my mind carried away of what our house could look like someday. But I also love the random images that make me chuckle out loud. I've started a little trend where I send Russ a daily email with a funny image I saw on Pinterest. This image was from today. I think these little magnets would suit us perfectly, no?

Lisa

2011-08-16T12:50:00.000-06:00

I have been putting off this post for many reasons, mostly because I don't even have words to describe the feelings inside of me. But before I avoided it completely, I reminded myself that this blog's primary purpose is for documenting life, and with life comes death. I know, that is quite a somber difference from the kitchen's face-lift. But as we are so humbly reminded, life is a gift not to be taken for granted, for it can quickly be taken away. Such is the case for my beautiful, sweet, amazing Aunt Lisa who passed away last Friday after a valiant fight with cancer. She was 46 years old.

This picture is of Lisa with her husband Jerry and 3 of her 4 children on my wedding day, taken by my Uncle Craig. (Megan, who is approximately my age, was on a mission for the church at the time). Looking at this picture reminds me how Lisa quietly worked behind the scenes on our wedding day to make sure everything was put together at the reception. She tied bows onto chairs and arranged table settings with a smile, serving with kindness as she always did. I have always said Lisa was one of the kindest people in the world. In the 25 years I have known her I never heard her raise her voice or talk negatively about anyone. She was truly Christ-like and always thought about everyone but herself.

She was diagnosed with Stage 4 Glioblastoma (a certain type of brain cancer) less than a year after this picture was taken. Merely 1 year and 3 months later she went home to our Heavenly Father. When we heard the news Friday night, my initial feelings were of frustration and anger. WHY HER?!? Why that family?!? After crying it out for a bit, I was overcome with the most calming feeling. I had the distinct feeling that Lisa was in the Lord's arms, literally being embraced by Him. She was home. She was free of pain. She was happy.

We will all miss Lisa so much, but her mission on earth was complete. I am grateful to have known her. Aunt Lisa's legacy of Christ-like service will always live on in my heart. I love you Lisa!

The Kitchen Got a Facelift

2011-08-12T16:01:00.000-06:00

We got back from our trip on Sunday night, and immediately delved into some little projects around the house. The main attraction this week? THE KITCHEN! Here are a few (horrible) before pictures of our messy kitchen: :)

This was kind of an awkward space I wasn't quite sure what to do with. Paint? Gallery wall? Piece of furniture? It also didn't help that I was having a hard time going with a particular "theme" in the kitchen. Keep reading to find out how I remedied this situation.

One of my favorite DIY house blogs is Young House Love. They once referred to these way-too-commonly-used light fixtures as "boob lights." You see it, right? That phrase comes to my mind every time I see them. Unfortunately, our builders used these lights in every room, or in this case 5 times in one area!! There are way too many boobs in this picture. Excuse my language please.

So we got down and dirty this week. I know wallpaper is all the rage these days, and there was one particular print I couldn't get out of my head. It caught my attention probably a year ago, so I finally decided to make the plunge and do it. My older and much wise sister once made the comment that the bolder decorating decisions she has made, as opposed to the "safe" options, are her favorite. She is so wise, I tell 'ya. Just a week before that I had painted our living room and went with the utlra "safe" option. Yeah, I hate it. Hence, the bold decision of the Orla Kiely wallpaper. :)

I'm in love with that color of blue, and doing this wall has given me such a good starting point to decorating the rest of the kitchen. No more random purchases for me, thank you very much. I really had no clue whatsoever how to put up wallpaper. It ended up being a lot bigger project than I had anticipated (aren't they always?) and took three evenings instead of one. But with the help of a few YouTube videos and a patient husband, I conquered my first wallpaper experience. Whew!

You may also have spotted the other new addition to our kitchen. I present our new pendant light fixture:

Let's all take a moment and realize how much better this is than the boob light. I especially like how it defines the eating area from everything else since the kitchen, dining area and living room are pretty much just one big room. We got it from Overstock. Gotta love that $2.95 shipping.

And last not least, we put some handles and knobs on those dark cabinets of ours. It's amazing how much easier drawers and cabinets are to use with hardware. We bought the hardware from Ikea.

So how 'bout that facelift? It feels so good to get some of those projects out of the way.

Next in line? The yard. Dun dun dun...

Trinity Lake

2011-08-08T08:42:00.001-06:00

You know how they say all good things must come to an end – well it’s unfortunately true for our family trip to the lake. We spent 4 days up in Northern California in the Shasta National Forest at Trinity Lake. Oh my goodness. You would have thought we had all died and gone to heaven. Since this lake is in a national forest, there are no lake cabins or condos surrounding the lake which significantly reduces the traffic on the water. You know what that means – glass. It would be middle of the afternoon and the water would be pristine glass and we were the only boat in sight. Huh!??! Usually we are fighting off crowds, especially on a Saturday morning in August. Add gorgeous scenery and perfect weather and you have a perfect little weekend. Let’s just say my family loved this lake and being on a houseboat together so much we’re already thinking about next year.

We all practiced our wakeboarding and slalom skiing skills, got in a little tubing, and even learned how to “skurf.” I can now say I have gotten up on a surfboard… on a lake behind a boat. We blasted good tunes under the sun by day, played games around the table and watched movies on the projector by night.

Most importantly, we were together. It was a good time had by all. Until next year, Trinity Lake.

To the Lake We Go... Again

2011-08-02T13:02:00.000-06:00

It's true. We're off again to the lake, one of my very favorite places. This time we're heading to northern California and roughin' it on a houseboat. Oh I absolutely cannot wait. I need this vacation bad.

via

For some reason these last few weeks have been unexpectedly stressful! It's probably a combination of my new job(s), a new house (and all that comes with it), and just life I guess. You know it's bad when your new neighbor/friend looks at you and says "are you OK? You look stressed." I've known her 3 weeks, but she's already one of my best friends. You want proof? She left a McDonald's gift card on my doorstep for some $1 Large Diet Cokes to help relieve the stress. Yup, that's how I know.

I did get one exciting little package last night that makes me excited to come back. Let's just say my kitchen walls don't even know what's coming. :)

Have a good and sunny weekend everyone!

2 Years & Counting

2011-07-26T20:55:00.000-06:00

Two wonderful years ago we were doing this...

... and since it was our two year anniversary yesterday, we did this...

...while overlooking this...

... and it was perfect.

It was my year to plan our anniversary activities, so I decided to take advantage of the accessibility of nature and head into the mountains -- the classy way, of course. We drove the 10 minutes from Russ's work to Sundance Resort, took a relaxing ride on the chair lift to the top of the mountain, and enjoyed a tasty meal at the Foundry Grill. We took the long way home on the Alpine Loop, oooh-ing and ahhh-ing over the aspen trees and jaw-dropping mountain peaks listening to the National's album, High Violets (which came highly recommended, and which I highly recommend). We sure do love music and those mountains.

... oh, and each other of course. I can easily say that it has been the best two years of my life. Life is far from perfect, but everything is a little brighter when you have someone to share it with. We've come a long way even from last year, and I can't wait to see what's in store.

To My Mom

2011-07-24T10:04:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday to the most amazing mother! I am so blessed to be your daughter. I look up to you in so many ways, and am grateful for what you have taught me, and continue to teach me every day. I cherish our friendship and feel so lucky to know I can call you up any time day or night -- just to talk. I wish I could be there to celebrate with you, Mom, but I know we will see each other soon and will party like it's 1999. I hope you have the best day and I love you so very much!!

2 Years Later

2011-07-18T18:46:00.000-06:00

I'm playing a little catch-up here... it's not like me to get behind on blog posts! But lately I have just needed to take a step back from blogs, the internet, and technology in general. I felt that I was getting too wrapped up in the lives of other people, you know, the lives that look so perfect from the internet but are really only 10% of what goes on? My life is really good, and sadly, sometimes I need to consciously stop what I'm doing and remind myself of that.

Anywho, as mentioned earlier, my little brother came home from serving a mission for our church in Japan for two years. It's crazy to not see and only write letters to a family member for that long. Jace is the youngest of only three kids and the only son/brother. So just imagine two older, very protective sisters and two loving parents who counted down for two long years. Shouts of joy were exclaimed and happy tears were shed, all in the little Spokane airport.

As you can see, we were all a bit elated to see that big grin come back to America. Quite honestly, I couldn't stop looking at the kid! He's exactly the same, but at the same time so much older... and dare I say wiser!! My "little" goofy brother turned into a man over there in Japan. (hey that rhymes!) But don't worry, he's still goofy. :)

And a trip to Spokane in the summer isn't a trip unless you spend some time on the lake! The water was a bit chilly due to such a cool spring, but that didn't get in the way of another perfect day on the lake. I loved being with my family, and especially that we were all there together. I can't wait till next time!

We Are the Harry Potter Generation

2011-07-18T10:41:00.001-06:00

... which explains why the moment the last scene ended and the credits started rolling on Saturday night I started crying, and I mean literally crying. Not just teary eyes or a "little choked up," I mean I had tears streaming down my face. This sudden onslaught of emotion was a little unexpected, but maybe not so much. These amazing books have literally been with me since I was an awkward adolescent little girl (ok, I know I'm still a bit awkward). I've read and re-read the entire series 5 or 6 times, always knowing there was one more coming, or at least there will still be a movie. It hit me so hard on Saturday night that it's over, it's really over... which means maybe it's time to grow up?

Never! I will continue to re-read these amazing stories and share with my children the places a little imagination can take you. Who knows, maybe we'll even go back to Hogsmeade someday to really re-live the magic. I sure would love that.

Anyway, if you can't tell, I absolutely loved everything about HP 7.2. It was fantastic and I can't wait to see it again. What did you guys think? Did it live up to your expectations?

My Thoughts Exactly.

2011-07-10T10:43:00.001-06:00

via

Our week on the lake

2011-07-07T11:05:00.000-06:00

We've had such a fantastic Fourth of July weekend in the beautiful lake town of McCall, Idaho with Russell's family. Have you ever been? If not, you should really try to make it through sometime. My family has been in the winter for our yearly snowmobiling excursion, but being here in the summer is a whole different experience. Being on the lake is probably one of my most favorite things in the world.

It's been a lazy type of week where we pretty much have done whatever we want (my favorite kinds), yet we are still super sore from water skiing, wakeboarding, tubing, morning runs, biking, and more.

I'm not sure if McCall counts as "the northwest," but anytime you bring me near a mass amount of pine trees, lakes, and cool mountain air, I feel like I'm at home.

Speaking of home,we are actually leaving this lovely cabin on the lake in a few hours to head for Spokane. The day we have all been waiting for is here! My little brother Jace is coming home from Japan where he has been serving his mission for our church tomorrow. I can hardly believe it. Ok, just kidding, I can. These two years have actually gone by really slowly for some reason. But no matter, the day is almost here. I haven't seen this face in way too long.

So this my official goodbye to McCall, and a big hello to my Japanese-speaking brother!

The Abbey Road Show

2011-07-05T15:17:00.000-06:00

Last Friday night was the closest I would come to seeing the Abbey Road album played just like the Beatles did in 1969 -- from the rooftop. I was practically giddy all day long in anticipation of this event. Provo has started doing rooftop concerts the first week of the month, put on by C. Jane. Stuart and a few other guys from Fictionist played, as well as some other local musicians. What can be better than listening to some of the best music ever written performed on a roof with family, friends, pizza, perfect summer weather, Chinese lanterns, and my favorite Y Mountain in the background? Not a lot, I say. Not a lot.

I love summer evenings, so much. {Almost as much as I love the Beatles}. So you Utahns out there, try to catch the next one in August. It's sure to be a great time.

Around the House

2011-07-01T15:34:00.000-06:00

Confession: I'm scared of commitment. Not in the way you are probably thinking, but I'm totally having commitment issues with where everything should go in our house! It's like hanging a frame is the scariest thing I have done. I have a bajillion inspirational ideas running through my head (thanks to the lovely pinterest), but I can't seem to narrow anything down. I know nothing is permanent, but maybe the thought that this is a brand new house with walls free of nail holes makes it feel like it's such a big deal! Sigh. Tough life, right? So if any of you Utahns have a strong desire to come tell me what colors to paint the walls and where to put things, that would be much appreciated. :)

Without further ado, I decided to appease those people who have asked for pictures of our unsettled house with some areas that have gotten a little set up. Disclaimer: things seem to be changing almost daily over here.

These wonderful yellow flowers (from World Market) bring a smile to my face, even when I'm doing dishes. And that beautiful white vase? That was given to me for my birthday by Megan, one of my best friends from Texas. There's actually a funny story behind it.

Now isn't that sign just the truth?? Also, have you ever heard of Voluspa candles? Mmmm they are my favorite. And they are just so darn pretty.

If I were looking at this picture I'd say to myself "man, she's got a lot of green apples!" And it's true. I'm making my favorite Caramel Apple Crisp this weekend. Yum. (Please ignore the bruised apple. I just noticed it and am too lazy to take another picture).

See that beauty of a bookshelf in the background? I scored that bookshelf (with a matching shorter shelf) for cheap using the lovely KSL Classifieds. Within a few weeks I will be painting it, using this lovely cupboard as my inspiration:

Pretty right?

And now to the outside. This wreath might look a bit familiar, no?

And let's talk about another score from the classifieds. I found these two porch chairs for a whopping total of $40. I was one happy chica! Now I just need to give them a little TLC, and the mister and I can spend some lovely summer evenings rocking on our porch. Just give me some strawberry lemonade and we'll call it good!

And last, but not least, the largest and sadly the least exciting project we have done thus far, our garage. We painted the walls and sealed the floor. And by we, I mean mostly me. :) I guess that's what happens when I don't have a job and Russ does. It went from this:

... to this!

That's it for the Lewis home tour... for now! I hope you enjoyed the ride!

{And before you call me completely lazy, let me just share my exciting news! I did get a job! It will be doing accounting functions (plus other miscellaneous tasks) for about 30 hours a week. I can't explain how excited I am to have a little flexibility. I don't start for a few weeks, so I must take advantage of the few weeks of freedom I have ahead of me!}

Help Heal Hela

2011-06-27T13:18:00.000-06:00

It has been a whirlwind of a weekend, I tell ya. We are all moved into our house! Well, I guess "moved in" is a loose term, considering there are boxes and random items strewn about. But we are here, and we are so happy. We absolutely love the house, and even more, we love that we are together. Those 5 hard months we spent apart were worth it.

But honestly, amidst all of the craziness of moving, only one thing has been on my mind. It's not the decorating, paint colors, blinds (or lack of them at this point), or the mass amount of landscaping we have ahead of us. No, it is my dear friend Hela who had a brain tumor and is now recovering from massive brain surgery. I've known Hela since the age of 9. We played on soccer teams, served in ASB, went to concerts, dances, and many more fun events together. You know, one of those kind of friends. The ones you will never forget. She is an amazing girl with a heart of gold and is much too young to be dealing with a trial this large if you ask me. So could you do something for me? Just keep her and her family in your thoughts and prayers. I know they work.

I love this picture. It is me with some of my best friends. Hela is to the right of me in the back row. Isn't she beautiful?

The Longest Day of the Year

2011-06-21T22:08:00.000-06:00

image via

Who here is as excited as I am that summer is here?! I'm seeing trips to the lake, hikes, swimsuits, barbeques, hot dogs, family, and lots o' fun in our near future. There is something so exciting about the summer solstice and making the most of the longest day of the year. Here are a few ways we have welcomed summer into our lives:

We closed on our house! It's quite a scary feeling being in charge of getting the biggest check of our life to the title company. This also means we signed our life away. But, looking on the bright side, once the funds go through tomorrow, that little blue house is ours!!

I bought Russ a new swimsuit for $5 at Old Navy in anticipation for our many family trips to the lake in the upcoming weeks.

Made a delicious meal to celebrate summer. This Ravioli with Apples and Walnuts recipe from Real Simple is a must-try meal... trust me. It's quick and tasty, and always brings a smile to our face.

And last, but not least, we took advantage of the cool evening and walked up to Rock Canyon and watched the sun set on this longest day of the year. What a beautiful sight to behold.

And how about you, my friends? How did you say goodbye to spring and hello to summer? Anyone have exciting plans for this lovely season??

Bar Gelato?! Yes Please.

2011-06-12T22:41:00.001-06:00

Maybe it's the fact that our little temporary one bedroom apartment does not have A/C and a cold treat sounds so refreshing, summer is in full force, or the fact that I just have a major sweet tooth... but these little bars of goodness look ahh-mazing. Can someone please convince bar gelato to be sold in other states than California? I will buy them. I can promise you that.

We Did It!!

2011-06-12T17:13:00.001-06:00

I am so happy to say that Half-Marathon #3 is over and done with!

Natalie, me, and Marcella (from left to right) literally cheering for joy

This was such a great weekend. I loved spending time with my husband and our family. I loved creating new memories. I loved pushing myself to the limit. And most of all, I loved accomplishing another goal.

At the beginning of the year I had made a goal to run another half marathon, and by golly, I did it! I started my training in Texas, and quite honestly, was feeling great about my progress. I felt faster and stronger than I have ever felt in my life. And then we moved to Utah, and added about 4,000 feet to the elevation. Ouch! Talk about feeling like wheezy McGee! Just about the point where I felt like my lungs were no longer burning during every run, it was time for the big event. We drove the 3 hours north to Bear Lake, adding another 1,000 feet to the elevation. Let me just say this race was HARD. Then again, I'm not sure when running 13.1 miles will ever be easy. That will be a good day. Long story short, I didn't quite hit my "goal time." But considering the circumstances, I feel I did really well. I knocked about 5 minutes off of my last half marathon time, which in and of itself, is something to be happy about.

I am also extremely proud of my two sister in-laws. We all accomplished something that we each struggled in our own individual ways to achieve. I am especially impressed with Marcella, a mother of 3 kids (her youngest is 6 months), and before yesterday had never run longer than 6 miles. But she did it, and even crossed the finish line with a smile.

Each time I finish a race I think "What next?" Now that we are in Utah where there are multiple half or full marathons almost every weekend, I hope to run another by the end of the summer. Committing this goal to the blog-o-sphere will make it hard to back out. :)

And that my friends, is why runners are insane. We finish one painful experience (I mean literally painful -- it hurts to walk today), and think "when can I do this again?"

PS. Thanks for waving at the camera, Nat. Practicing for Miss Utah??

The {Mountain} Biker is Back

2011-06-10T11:16:00.000-06:00

Before Russ and I met he used to do weekly mountain bike races. We then got married and moved to Texas where a mountain could not be found. Russ often talked about these races so nostalgically. I was sad I never got to see him in "his element."

Wednesday night was another affirmation of how much we love being back in the mountains. Russ was like a little kid on his new bike. You see, for the last few years Russ has often mentioned how much he would like a new mountain bike. I told him that if we ever lived in a location where the bike could actually be used, he could buy whatever bike he wanted. Hmm... maybe that was one reason he took this job in Utah?

Either way, it was worth it. Seeing Russ ride and compete, doing something he completely loves, made me so happy. And plus, how can I complain when I get to read a book on the grasses of Sundance with this as my view while I wait for him to cross the finish line?

Oooo! Speaking of races, tonight we are off for a weekend at Bear Lake where I will finally get to run my half marathon I signed up for a few months ago. I am filled with one part excitement, one part dread, and one part nerves. Welp, wish me luck!

Ruffled Flower Onesie Tutorial

2011-06-08T14:30:00.000-06:00

Is it just me, or is everyone having babies right now?! It's probably just me. One of my best friends from college, Elyse, had a beautiful little girl a few months ago. I figured it's better late than never to make Isla a little gift!

Looking at my blog it might seem as though I only make yellow crafts. This may be half true, but I swear I like other colors and do in fact incorporate them into my craft projects! I guess the only ones I actually blog about are yellow. Anyway, not important. You can customize to whatever your heart desires!

It has been a while since I made a tutorial. But this was a fun and easy little project that I just had to share with y'all! You can use any fabric you have laying around. I used a jersey material that I had found at Hancock Fabrics for sale. So really, all you need is fabric, thread, onesies, and of course a sewing machine might help :)

First you're going to make the ruffles. Ruffles are fun. I promise.

Is "ruffle-ness" a word? Well it is now. Anyway, now you've got your ruffle and all you have to do is sew it to the onesie in a rotating pattern to make your flower! Easy as pie, I tell ya.

And there you have it! A fun little ruffled flower onesie to give as a baby shower gift or keep for your own little ones (if you have them). I tied a little string of my oh-so-favorite divine twine around the onesie for the finishing touch.

When Isla's a bit older I'm sure she'll tell me how pretty she felt in her onesie. Now I wish I had one in my size. I guess I could just sew this ruffled flower to a pillow? A shirt of my own? A tote? Oh goodness, the possibilities are endless!

Happy crafting my friends!

Turkey Pesto Panini

2011-06-02T12:45:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was one of those make-something-for-lunch-based-on-the-few-ingredients-you-have-in-your-fridge type of days. The finished product was so good that it was no longer a "scavenger-type" meal, but may be one of my new favorite sandwiches. I loved it so much I couldn't wait till noon to make it again today. I thought to take a picture mid-scarf mode, so I apologize for the half-eaten sandwich. But if your looking for something tasty (and quick!) to make, I highly suggest throwing this little guy together!

The Lewis Home Tour

2011-06-01T12:21:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the Lewis Home Tour! I have received requests to see some pictures of our new house. Since we're not in it yet, I thought I would meet you in the middle by showing pictures of the inside of the model home (which is exactly the same floorplan as our house)! One reason we were so excited about our house was the original builder had included about $30,000 worth of upgrades, that I'm sure we wouldn't have been able to afford, but we received at a huge discount. Some upgrades he did include:

Solid surface countertops (the model home had laminate)

Upgraded cabinets, carpet, tile, and 2 sinks in the master bath

Increased insulation throughout house, including insulated garage doors

The lovely 3rd garage... oh, bless that man.

All walls in the house are white right now, which honestly, I am stoked about. I love the idea of starting with a fresh canvas. I also fell in love with the thick baseboards and doorframes, oversized windows, and craftsman style doors. Okey dokey, let's get this tour on the road!

In the picture below you will see the kitchen--he extended that right side out by 4 feet making it a bit more open.

So that's prety much it for the inside. Congrats to you if you made it through all those pictures! Another big selling point to us was the size of the yard and the view of the river, mountains, and horses, not to mention direct access to a huge trail that goes along the river. The big downside? None of the landscape is done. But, as my dad used to sing to me often as a kid, "you don't always get what you want." :) And plus, it'll do me some good to get down and dirty. Hello summer project!

3 Things

2011-05-31T15:06:00.000-06:00

There are 3 things that have made me a happy girl lately.

#1: Pinterest. I have a lot of free time (aka: still job hunting), but for some reason I do not have a lot of creative juices flowing. So frustrating. So imagine my excitement when I finally received my invitation to join Pinterest , the most addicting and inspiring online collaboration I've ever been a part of. You can browse oodles of inspiring pictures other people have "pinned" to their boards, including decorating ideas, crafts, foods, styles, vacation destinations, art, etc. I must warn you: it is highly addicting! But believe me, my creative wheels are spinning now.

This is a view into some of my "boards" I have created. I am still learning the ropes, but I like how it will help me remember all the cute ideas I see online that I usually forget about 10 seconds after I see them. You have to request an invitation, but I have some invitations I can send out, so let me know if you want one!

#2: Reading. I absolutely love getting sucked into a book to the point where you want to squeeze in a few pages whenever you get a chance. I recently read The Help, and by golly, I could not put it down. It is based in Jackson, Mississippi during the height of the civil rights movement, when for some reason a woman's skin color defined how she was treated. It is such an eye-opening novel that allows you to fall head-first into the nitty gritty of the character's lives. When I finished the book I truly missed these women! I can't wait for the movie this summer.

#3: And last, but definitely not least, Adele. This girl has got some soul and I think it is safe to say she is somewhat of a modern-day Aretha. This CD is played on repeat in my car, and the melodies and lyrics run throughout my head for the rest of the day. If you're feeling rather uninspired in the music genre these days, I highly recommend picking up this album, 21, or any of her others. You won't be sorry!

Utah Adventure #1: Coyote Gulch

2011-05-30T15:13:00.000-06:00

Aaaaand we're back! Barely, that is. We've spent this lovely Memorial Day being as lazy as humanly possible after we just had a killer of a weekend... both literally and figuratively. Let me explain.

We drove down to Southern Utah near the Escalante River to a beautiful little area called "Coyote Gulch." To access the gulch you must backpack in a good 5-6 miles through the hot desert, and then hike in as far as you'd like within the breathtaking revine. You walk through and along a river as you bypass steep cliffs, incredible greenery, natural arches and bridges, waterfalls, and more. You can set up camp anywhere you desire; we chose to set up our temporary abode in a little meadow near the "Natural Bridge," about half-way through the gulch. It was perfect.

And then we woke up the next morning after our killer 10 mile hike into the gulch (believe me... 10 miles doesn't sound too bad, but it is a lot worse with a 40 pound backpack... the whole way). As we went to boil some water for breakfast we realized we had bought the wrong propane bottle for our portable stove. Uh oh. No stove = no boiling water = no way to cook our next 3 meals. We looked at each other, with our aching muscles and feet and said "looks like we better hike back out!" Haha oops. So we hiked 10 more miles the next day.

So there you have it! Our adventure was a little shorter than anticipated, but just as breathtaking and beautiful as I remembered Utah being. But I must say, it was a lot more painful. :) It's funny how you forget how backpacking is such hard work! By the time we pulled in last night we could barely move. And I'm not exaggerating. We were both limping and walking hunched over. I'm sure we were quite the spectacle. After a lazy day watching movies and making a big breakfast today, I think we are ready to take on the world again, or at least be able to walk...

Oh and don't worry, despite being so particular on what I would carry in my backpack for fear of excess weight, I knew one little addition would be worth it:

This picture showcases two of my loves in life... in no particular order of course. :)

The Inaugural Trip

2011-05-27T20:45:00.000-06:00

The husband and I are packing up all of our gear that has been so neglected for the last two years. It has made me giddy pulling out all of my things that I used to use so very often, remembering adventures of years past, and anticipating the untold adventures that are ahead. I love, love, love being out in nature. Nature was hard to come by in Texas, and honestly, I felt like I lost a side of myself living there. I'm excited to go camping where I'm not next to an RV and there is not a porta-potty in sight. I am so happy to be living where my Osprey backpack, Thermarest, Smartwool socks, and Chacos can be fully utilized.

And mostly, I'm just excited to be out in the middle of nowhere with the husband. We have needed to "get away" for like 5 months, but seeing as we didn't really live with each other, it was kind of difficult. We have been anticipating this trip for quite some time.

So Mr. Adventure, are you ready for us? We are sure ready for you!

I Need a Job

2011-05-24T10:47:00.000-06:00

Thanks for all the nice words about the house! We are pretty stinkin' excited, and now just can't wait till we can actually be in the house! Let me know when you want to come visit, we'd love to show you around!

My main responsibility of house hunting is completed, so now I've started the oh-so-fun job hunt. While working the 8-5 Monday-Friday job, I always thought "it'd be so nice to just stay home and do nothing!" Ok, that is fun for like 2 days. It's been about a week, and I'm already getting a little stir-crazy. I know it's time to get a job when I do two crafts in one afternoon.

First, I embellished an old striped shirt with some scrap fabric using this tutorial.

Then I made this bow headband with some fabric I picked up from Ikea, based on this tutorial.

And you better believe I have some more things up my sleeve. But mostly, I just need a job! If anyone has any leads here in Utah, send them my way! I promise, I've got skillzzzz. :)

Our Crazy Weekend

2011-05-22T21:36:00.000-06:00

Oh hey blogland! This has been a seriously crazy (but good) weekend. It is Sunday evening and I think we are both feeling quite exhausted. I'll stop talking and let the pictures do the explaining.

Oh snap! Did you like how I just threw that little piece of information in there?!? I guess I spoke too soon with my previous post. I know life doesn't always work this fast, but one window closed and another opened in like 4 days. By the end of this search, however, I probably walked through a hundred or more houses, all equally depressing and definitely not ours.

House hunting is like shopping for a wedding dress.

As soon as you put it on, you just know.

When I walked through this house on Friday morning with my realtor, I really felt like the skies had parted. This house is everything we've been looking for and more, and I feel so grateful it fell into our laps. For you Utah peeps, it is in Lehi against the Jordan River. Instead of backyard neighbors we will have the Jordan River trail, the river, and a view of horses and mountains, yet we are only 7 minutes from the freeway. As I stood there and looked at the view, geese were flying off the rvier, ducks were quacking, and the sun was shining. I knew it was our house.

Everything happened much quicker than anticipated. Friday evening at Natalie's graduation we got a text from our realtor telling us someone else had put an offer on the house! No! Not our house?!? So Saturday morning we showed up bright and early, made a strong offer, and after a short but sweet bidding war, we signed a few papers, the house was ours. Yet we are relieved because even with the bidding war the house is still at the bottom end of our previously set budget. Obviously we still need to do all the financial side of house-buying (a.k.a getting a mortgage... eek!), but right now we are still letting it sink in that we found our house.

Here's the quick rundown:

3 bed, 2.5 bath, (with a loft that can be made into a bedroom if need be)

Brand new -- owner built it and included some pretty nice upgrades, but had to back out last minute because he lost his job (sad, huh?)

Just over 2,000 square feet

1/3 of an acre

Obviously not landscaped yet. Yikes! We have our work cut out for us.

And now, my friends, it is time to retire from this epic weekend. I'll keep y'all posted if anything else crazy happens. It seems to occur often these days. :)

Because You Asked...

2011-05-19T14:51:00.000-06:00

A lot of you have asked where we are living here in Utah. Well, if that isn't the #1 question of the year I don't know what is!! When I had come to Utah a few weeks ago, we nailed down an area that we loved and found a house in our price range. Bada bing, bada boom, an offer was made, offer was accepted, we were homeward bound! (pun intended). Hold up. Not so fast. Tuesday night we had our inspection of the house, and it turns out this house wasn't so great. A few leaks in the roof and the basement, some grading issues, amongst a load of other concerns that were brought to our attention. Needless to say, we went home completely deflated and dissapointed. This was not our house.

Back to square one! So now I have been out with the realtor every day to try to figure out where we want to live. I'm finding house hunting to be the most frustrating experience EVER!!! Especially in our phase of life. No kids right now (so do we buy a house that fits us now and move when we need more room??). Not millionaires (aka, needing to sacrifice something in our house/location/quality to fit our budget). Haven't found one particular "area" we looooove (and therefore have driven all over Salt Lake and Utah valley).

Blech.

Everyone keeps telling me to be patient because the house will come. I know, I know. It is just a slightly frustrating process, and whoever said house hunting is fun is crazy!! I am ready for this to end.

via

Until then? We found an amazing deal living down in good ol' Provo, sub-letting a one bedroom, one bathroom apartment for the summer. Sometimes I have to laugh that we ended up closer to campus than we lived when we were students, but hey, we're going to make the most of it and have a heckuva summer living life in the beautiful Provo in front of "Y Mountain" and finding the perfect house for us.

The End.

We're Heeeeeeeere!

2011-05-17T10:26:00.000-06:00

We've moved! It's official. We are, once again, residents of the beautiful state of Utah. I think I'm going to need to get me one of these prints. What d'ya think?

There's no going back at this point, because I'm pretty sure you couldn't pay me to do that whole moving thing again. Since Russ was already living in Utah for work, it was my duty to pack up the entire house... alone. Yikes. I thought that would be the worst of it, but it turns out our bad traveling luck struck again. Russ's 4 hour flight to Texas turned into a 24 hour extravaganza no thanks to a snow storm in Denver. We finally packed the truck Thursday night, stayed up till 2 in the morning cleaning, wrapped everything up Friday, fought with the lovely people at Budget for messing up our reservation, and finally pulled out of San Antonio at 5 in the afternoon.... 10 hours later than planned.

We made it to Roswell, New Mexico at about 2 in the morning, now running on barely no sleep for the last few nights. It was fun to sleep with the aliens. Oh, Roswell, you were fun.

After another 15 hour day in the smooth, comfortable ride (just a hint of sarcasm here), we finally pulled into Utah at about 1 in the morning. Like I said, there's no going back.

So now we're here, and I'm really so happy about it. When you live in Utah you really take those mountains for granted (I know I sure did before Texas!). But they are absolutely breathtaking. I went for a run yesterday morning and was almost giddy with the crisp, cool, mountain humidity-free air. We've already seen most of our family in the last 2 days, and I can't wait for the many, many other get-togethers that are sure to come.

So Utah, it sure is good to be back. Now if only you could bring our friends from Texas up here, too? Thanks, that'd be great.

My Partner In Crime

2011-05-11T14:45:00.000-06:00

It's Wednesday. But unlike every other Wednesday for the last few years here in Texas I did not get up and go to work. And let me tell you, it was weird! Yesterday was my last day at my job. I am a tax accountant, which means I show up to the same desk and sit there for at least 8 hours of the day... preparing tax returns... every day. To most of the world that sounds like forced torture. But really, it's not so bad, especially when you have a best friend and partner in crime like I was lucky enough to have.

Most of you who have read my blog for a while have read about Sada. We both started working at that office within a few weeks of each other, and I knew it was friends-at-first-sight. We're practically the same person, so the fact that when she got married and her new last name was Lewis, just like me, it wasn't really a surprise. (I mean, come on, our husbands Russell and Reagan are both R. John Lewis's. Same middle and last name. Coincidence? We'll never know).

We spent hours and hours talking about everything under the sun, going to lunch, envisioning all sorts of crafts we can do together, running, cross-fitting, planning our futures, planning her wedding, shopping, talking, talking, and more talking, oh, and working of course. :) I honestly don't think I could have gotten through my time here in Texas without this girl. I mean, who else is willing to do an impromptu photo shoot in our "tax pit" on my last day? Sada. (PS. I highly recommend checking out her blog, seeing as she's an amazing photographer. Remember this photo shoot? Yup, Sada took those).

This picture is absolutely ridiculous, incredibly dorky, and slightly embarrassing. But I post it to give those people I have told about my "corner" at work a visual. I literally looked at a corner every day in a room with no windows and only fluorescent lights. It was fabulous. But as I walked out of that room for the last time yesterday, I was surprised to find myself rather emotional. I closed another chapter of my life, and said goodbye to another amazing friend. Luckily, she's a friend for life and this goodbye was more of a "see-you-later."

So, I'm Moving This Week.

2011-05-09T17:43:00.000-06:00

If you asked me to explain how I'm feeling right now, I think I've got just about every emotion on the map. I am...

Excited to be with Russ again

SO sad to be leaving my friends here in Texas

Stressed about getting everything done

Tired from being stressed for 5 months

Happy to be moving closer to family

Relieved that Russell really does love his new job

Overwhelmed with finding somewhere to live

Stuck as to where to start looking for a job for me

Oh, and did I mentioned excited, stressed, and sad?

I think the reality of the situation really hit me today. Tomorrow is my last day of work! Russell comes on Wednesday! We pack the truck Thursday! We pull out Friday! WOAH. As excited as I am to not be alone here in Texas anymore where I'm left to eat Kraft Macaroni & Cheese alone for my Mother's Day Celebration meal (yes, I really did that), I really will miss our little life in our red brick house down here in Texas.

As I've been packing everything up, I've been trying to engrain the little details of this house into my brain. Like this wall in our front room. For some reason it just made me so happy. I finally got permission from our Landlord to paint it grey, and then I hung the Ikea frames on the wall with the intention to put real pictures in them. I got sick of waiting and put some scrapbook paper in them as a "temporary" solution. I liked it so much they stuck! Nothing like a budget-friendly solution! :)

This guest bathroom was another favorite little room of our house. The towel and shower curtain are Amy Butler from Bed, Bath & Beyond and they really would make me smile. Even my little 3-year-old niece Lucy saw the greatness of Amy Butler. When they were here visiting last fall we all heard a "cuuuuuuuute!" from little Lucy as she was going to the bathroom. Thanks Lucy!

The graphic print says "Come What May and Love It." I bought it from this seller on Etsy. I guess that is the theme to our lives these days. We are trying to plan, plan, plan, and usually what you plan doesn't work out. Such is life! Sometimes you have to roll with the punches, like when life causes you to pack up your life in Texas and move 1,400 miles away. Yeah, just like that.

Fictionist & Rolling Stone: ROUND 3!

2011-05-05T13:15:00.001-06:00

I know you have been dying to hear an update about Fictionist and the Rolling Stone Competition. I guess the title gives it all away -- they made it to Round 3!!

image via

This is huge, people. The competition started with 16 bands from around the country, and now they are in the final four. That's all good and great, but now we need to pull out the big guns. They are up against some pretty great bands, and the bands who make it to the next round get to perform at Bonnaroo Music Festival in June. For those who have never heard of Bonnaroo, it's a hit line-up music festival where you go around and listen to the best of the best play all day long. A music lover's dream. This year some of the headliners include Arcade Fire, Iron & Wine, Ray LaMontagne, Eminem, The Black Keys, Robert Plant (hello... Led Zeppelin anyone?), Alison Kraus, Mumford & Sons, Florence + The Machine, and LOTS more.

Take a few seconds, rate Fictionist "5 stars" using the widget below, or if you are in reader, clicking on THIS LINK. If you are feeling extra generous, go ahead and "like" them on Facebook or twitter, because believe it or not, these Rolling Stones guys are looking at every online avenue to who should be on the cover of such an iconic magazine. And last but not least, tell your friends!

And because you have endured endless rambling about Fictionist and Rolling Stone, I will treat you with a picture that makes me laugh every time. This is Stu on a farm we stayed at during a family trip to Australia. I get to post it because I took it, and well, it's S.I.L. duty to be annoying and tease the man who married my sister. Love you, Stu! :)

On Running

2011-05-02T18:33:00.000-06:00

The 1/2 Marathon I signed up for a few months ago is just 6 short Saturdays away! Wowzers! It's amazing how fast those races creep up on you. I've been trying to up my mileage lately in order to be prepared for 1/2 marathon numero tres. Texas blessed us with a cool and crisp morning today which I used to its full advantage as I got another long run in. It was one of those runs that reminded me how much I love running.

I haven't always loved running, believe you me. In fact I used to hate it. But in college I found it to be the best and fastest way to get a burn. My sister convinced me to do the Moab 1/2 Marathon with her in March 2009, and I haven't looked back since. There really is something to be said about the "runners high." Not every run is amazing, however. In fact, some, and perhaps most, are just down right hard and sometimes painful. But somehow you still get back out there to try again.

But it's those blessed runs that come every so often that make you truly love the sport. Maybe it was my favorite shorts or my awesome neon yellow shirt given to me for my birthday by my running friend/hero, Andrea, or maybe it was just luck. But today was one of those blessed days. It's the runs like today where I went out for a 9 mile run, but ended up running 10.5 miles, just because I could. It's the runs where I dance a little bit while running when a good song comes on, or when my mind stops thinking and just let's me be. It's the runs where I feel strong, confident, and accomplished.

Whatever it is, I'm just so grateful for running. I love that every running achievement is a personal one, and no matter how far a run is--whether it's 1 mile or 10.5 miles, you never regret that you did it.

A Ruffled Wreath... and more!

2011-04-30T19:51:00.000-06:00

I made yet another wreath. Well, I guess you can say its just a revised edition of a wreath I made a few months ago. Remember this wreath? Remember how I only pinned the rosettes in so I could modify if need be? Best. Idea. Ever. Now picture me sitting on my couch on a Friday night, needing something to occupy my time besides eating homemade cookies, and finding some scrap fabric needing a home. This is the scenario that led to this new wreath.

Ruffles make me happy. And obviously so do homemade wreaths.

If I were you, at this point I'd be thinking "geez Camille, you need to get out more!!" Don't worry. I tried making this weekend a productive yet enjoyable one, by doing the following:

I ran for a cause! I ran in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, along with about 28,000 other people. It was quite an amazing sight. I ran in honor of my amazing Grandma Joyce, who is a survivor of breast cancer. She's sure a fighter, and I am so grateful for her example and the privilege I have to be her granddaughter.

I spent a few hours at the pool. Ahhh yeah. Russ told me he woke up to 2 inches of snow in Utah this morning. Yikes. I may die when I move there in a few weeks. So I figured I may as well try and soak in the sun while I still have it.

I watched Elizabethtown while doing 3 loads of laundry (how does 1 person have so many loads??). Do you guys remember that movie? I had never seen it. It was quirky, yet surprisingly charming with an awesome soundtrack. With tunes from Elton John, Ryan Adams, Lynyrd Skynyrd and others you can't go wrong.

Now I need to go do those dishes that for some reason won't clean themselves. See? I've got a life!

A Chocolate Chip Cookie Evening

2011-04-29T19:12:00.001-06:00

What does a girl do when she's home alone on a Friday night? Bake some fantastic chocolate chip cookies and catch up on the Royal Wedding, of course! (Which was incredibly beautiful, wouldn't you agree??)

I've been meaning to try this new chocolate chip cookie recipe for a while. It claims to be the "best chocolate chip cookies." A little skeptical, yet hopeful, I whipped them up. I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to exclaim which cookie is "the best," but DANG! These were amazing. You can't stop at just one. My advice? Follow the recipe exactly. Even the whole "whacking the cookie sheet" recipe part. I think I am going to need to find something to do tonight in order to refrain eating the rest of these. I'm running a 5K in the morning, and I'm pretty sure these are not the recommended pre-race meal. Just guessing.

PS. I just realized my last three posts have involved desserts. Don't judge me.

Better Late Than Never

2011-04-28T09:31:00.000-06:00

You know that tradition where you freeze the top of your wedding cake and eagerly wait till your first year anniversary to dig in? Yeah, we didn't do that. We ate our cake on our 1 year 9 month anniversary. Oh, that's not an anniversary most people usually celebrate? My bad.

See, the problem was that when our first anniversary rolled around, we were in a different state than said cake. My sister had graciously taken the cake home from our wedding as we whisked off to our honeymoon, and that darn cake stayed in her freezer up until this last weekend. I think she finally got sick of our wedding cake taking up her freezer (and her nice tupperware!) and kindly told us to get it out of her house when we were over the other night. The second problem came when we realized Russ and I aren't really living together these days (he's in Utah, I'm in Texas), and we don't really have our own freezer in Utah to keep it in.

It just so happened our 1 year 9 month anniversary was only a day away, so heck, we took out that super old cake and ate (some of) it. I was a little afraid of how old it was, but it surprisingly tasted pretty good! It didn't quite look the same as the beautiful chocolate cake you see above, but the general purpose was achieved. Here's to keeping to tradition, even if you're a little (or a lot) late.

Birthday + Easters = Fun

2011-04-25T18:16:00.000-06:00

I'm on my way home from Utah to Texas and loving the free wi-fi in the Vegas airport. It's those little bonuses in life that really stand out. I just spend the last week reunited with Russ. It was a week filled with no particular set plans, but was still busy, busy, busy! First order of business was to celebrate my birthday. I turned the big 2-5 last Sunday, which was spent, for the most part, hanging out at my house alone. It was slightly depressing, but I just knew we would make up for it in the week ahead! (Although I must publicly thank my awesome friend Sada and her sister Emily for taking care of me and feeding me amazing Salmon on my birthday. It's friends like these I will miss when I leave Texas).

Anywho, I finished tax season in Texas and wasted no time to fly to Utah. I landed, got my hair cut (which was way over-due), and then ate cake. An amazing chocolate cake made by my father-in-law. I know, impressive.

Thanks to all of my amazing family and friends that made me feel so special and loved on my birthday. I'm feeling optimistic about the mid-twenties. We have some exciting changes in the horizon...

Near the end of the week we had a perfectly low-key, yet delicious, Easter feast at Brittney's. I loved celebrating two holidays with my family. I got in much needed sister and mom time. Earlier in the week Brittney and I both bought our husbands the same shirt from the outlets. Little did we know they would both wear it for our Easter feast. Great minds think alike.

Now it's back to Texas to finish up some last minute business and get ready to move. Whew... I really hope this crazy life of ours will slow down sometime soon! I need a vacation. Oh wait, I'm just coming home from one. A vacation from a vacation? Ok thanks.

Flower Child

2011-04-16T22:26:00.000-06:00

I'm flying solo this weekend, yet I still managed to have a pretty good Saturday, which included the following:

Sleeping in till 9 (gasp!).

Going for a great run in the park/gym.

Pulling some weeds (not so great, but necessary).

Getting a fountain Diet Coke at the gas station on my way to...

lay at the pool, where I got some much needed Vitamin D.

A craft session with Karen,

where I made these:

... which really are just miniature versions of these lovely flowers. I wonder when I'll move on from fabric flowers? Soon? Probably not, considering I'm in the middle of another fabric flower craft. Oh well, as I mentioned earlier, life goes on. :)

L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.

2011-04-15T20:10:00.000-06:00

Oh hey blog land! Nice to see you again. I've been a little consumed this week with a combination of preparing taxes, helping Russel move, searching for houses online, running, and (attempting) sleep. It's Friday night, and instead of going home to an empty house I thought I would pass the time by walking around the mall. In the midst of trying on some clothes at J.Crew I can't afford, I looked in the mirror and thought, "dang girl, you look bad!!" The glossed-over, blood-shot eyes and greasy, unkempt hair look is so not cute. I can't wait for some much needed R&R. Oh, and a hair cut.

It's April 15th, which normally would be a REALLY happy day for a tax accountant, that is except when Washington D.C. decides to throw off the whole system and have their only little "Emancipation Day." That leaves us accountants having one more weekend of chillin' by themselves and having taxes hanging over their heads rather than whisking off to Utah be with their husbands... oh wait, that's just this tax accountant. But you know what, life goes on! Which brings me to this song I've had in my head all week. Listen to it and tell me you don't think it's catchy. I dare you.

Life on Turbo

2011-04-10T14:07:00.000-06:00

I'm missing this guy today.

After a crazy, crazy week of working, packing, and goodbyes, Russ pulled out of our little red brick house and drove away from San Antonio. His last day at Ernst & Young was on Friday, he is driving to Utah all day Saturday and Sunday, and he starts his new job on Monday. Talk about fast-paced living. As Russ says, "we live our life on turbo." We seem to be pros at packing huge life changes into short periods of time. Like when we got married, for example. We got engaged, both graduated from college, got married, moved to a new state, and both started our first careers within a period of 4 months. Whew! I'm feeling very much the same these days.

I'm ready for life to slow down a bit, to relax, and to have a Saturday to myself (which I haven't had since February). Yes, life has been crazy, but we've managed to have a little bit of fun here and there. Last weekend we spent the afternoon with some of our friends in a park near our house. For the first time in a while, I felt carefree and so relaxed. There's nothing like spending some time on swings to make you feel like a kid again...

... or playing with little puppies helps, too. Brittany and Dallin got a dog, and I'm pretty sure Russ is obsessed.

... oh, and those little babies are bound to bring a smile to your face. Morgan and Karen's little baby Carter is such a beautiful baby who falls asleep in your arms. It's priceless.

So we have one more turbo-charged week ahead where I'll finish off busy season (HALLELUJAH!), Russ will start his new job (no big deal), and then we will be reunited for a short time. Until then, you might just find me on the swings trying to feel like a kid again.

Cooling Things Off

2011-04-06T12:42:00.000-06:00

I looooooove the feeling of sleeping in a big fluffy down comforter. There's nothing like being completely enveloped by a big fluffy blanket when you first wake up. Russ was a little reluctant to get a down comforter, but I assured him he'd loooooooove it too. And he does. Except for one problem... we are in Texas, where it started hitting 90 degrees early March. So, for these warmer months I knew we had to find an alternative to our big fluffy comforter to cool things off.

I had just the thing in mind.

I've been eying a particular coverlet for a good 5 or 6 months now, and when Megan and I made our aforementioned trip to Target, I decided to just make the plunge and buy the darn coverlet. And I am oh-so-happy I did. I'm practically in love.

It's the perfect weight, I can use all the same throw pillows, and it is covered in grey and yellow happiness. I wonder if I'll ever get over my grey and yellow obsession? Probably not. When we unwrapped the coverlet for the first time, I almost shouted for joy when there was a bonus underside on this perfect new blanket. And that's when I feel deeper in love.

I realized I'm probably sounding completely ridiculous, but walking by my bed seriously makes me grin from ear to ear. It's all about those little things my friends. And those grey sheets? Yep, those are from Target, too. The Dwell Studio line at Target is just my style, and luckily doesn't break the bank compared to other high-end lines.

I am just so glad we decided to cool things off.

Soaking It All In

2011-04-04T11:10:00.000-06:00

Well my goodness! Talk about Russ coming out of blogging hibernation with a bang! I know this little announcement Russ made this weekend may have come out of left field for some of you, but the truth is it's been a long time coming. We moved to Texas knowing it would be a starting grounds for our life together as newlyweds. We've been here for just short of 2 years and it has been quite the experience! We both started new jobs where we learned a ton and worked like crazy, we made amazing life-long friends who we are so sad to leave, and we have learned to rely on each other when life gets tough (as it inevitably does). Picking up and leaving is so bittersweet, but when this offer came along it was too good to pass up. So why Utah? Let me tell you:

All of our family lives there besides my parents... for now :)

Great job opportunity

Amazing friends from college who we miss like crazy

NATURE.

Big mountains. Mountain biking. Snowboarding. Camping. Etc.

So in anticipation of leaving, we have been trying to soak in every last minute here in Texas. Russ is moving this upcoming weekend, so we spent this last weekend with some of our favorite people experiencing true Texas life. Like meeting with Brandon and Megan at Rudy's, for example. I've never been a big barbeque fan, but I have to say, Rudy's is pretty gosh-darn good. You get the whole barbeque experience with the red and white picnic tablecloths, food served in a plastic crate and barbeque sauce by the liter. Mmm mmm good.

After dinner Russ and Brandon left us for some "man time." Fine by us! Megan and I completed the night with pedicures, a trip to Target (or as Brandon says, the Mothership), and some good old-fashioned girl talk. There's nothing like a much needed night with your friend.

We love all of our Texas friends. And dang, we are sure going to miss them.

New Horizons

2011-04-02T11:38:00.002-06:00

Hello Blog world.
This is Russ.

I have come back.

With a major announcement.

I have a new employer.

Camille and I will be returning to Utah as I begin my new job with Adobe Systems in the Salt Lake Valley. I will be working as a Test & Target Consultant. We will be moving next month and I will be starting my new job this month. We are very excited to move closer to family and start a new career. We will miss all of the friends we have made here in San Antonio. It has been a great experience being a Texan and working at E&Y.

And yes that is a double rainbow.

all the way.

I'm Grateful

2011-03-27T15:29:00.000-06:00

Today I heard an amazing lesson at church. I sat there almost the entire time nodding my head thinking, "this is EXACTLY what I need to hear right now!!" You know what it was about? Gratitude. This emotion is so easily swept under the table and put aside for later. Later, as when life slows down a bit, that huge trial finally ends, or that thing we keep asking for finally happens. But life doesn't work like that.

An amazing lady stood up and talked about her young son who passed away about a month ago. She spoke of how she is grateful she never took one day she had with him for granted. How amazing would it be to say that? He was mentally disabled and required a lot of extra attention, but he had the sweetest, kindest, happiest countenance. Most understandably, she misses him dearly. She then spoke of how the biggest lesson she has learned this month is that life is short. You may have some people in your life that you are grateful for, and think "I need to let them know someday how grateful I am for them." That someday needs to be today, because, like she said, life is short. I was humbled and inspired to get to work and let those I love know how grateful I am for them, because after all:

Take a few minutes today to write a thank you note or drop a line to someone you love, expressing your gratitude for them in your life. I'm pretty sure you won't regret it. :)

picture via

To Argelia

2011-03-26T07:51:00.000-06:00

As I scarf down some cereal before I go in to work, I just want to pause for a second and wish my amazing mother-in-law, Argelia, a very happy, happy birthday!!!

I am so grateful to have married into an amazing family, and on top of that, have a mother-in-law who is so full of love that I felt welcomed from the day I met her. She teaches me so much. Some things I have learned from Argelia include:

Writing a hand-written letter, just to say you were thinking of that person, is one of the kindest gestures you can do for someone.

Food is soooo much better when it's warm.

Wearing rubber gloves while doing the dishes keeps your hands from getting too dried out.

A clean kitchen is a happy kitchen.

Cooking for others is an amazing way to show those you love just how much you love them.

You are never too old to love Nacho Libre.

{And so much more}

I hope you have a fabulous day, Argelia! I love you!

Role Reversals

2011-03-24T19:50:00.000-06:00

You guys, I just watched the Cougars fight till the end in their final NCAA game and lose it in overtime. It is such a sad moment, but they fought a good fight. As I've been sitting here literally freaking out, I've been thinking how tonight we've had a little bit of a role reversal. Russ has been calm and stoic and I've been yelling at the TV whilst standing up and shaking my fist. Since when did I freak out while watching sports? Something's off...

I've also seen a role reversal as I'm in the middle of busy season; now that Russ is home he has been my saving grace by managing to get dinner on the table. Or do the dishes. Or both. Man, I owe that guy.

Or how about these boys wearing our purses? Even thought the picture is posed, the fact that they were all wearing our purses at the same time was not planned. Sometimes role reversals really lighten the load. (pun intended)

They Sucked Me In.

2011-03-22T11:30:00.000-06:00

Have you guys ever heard of Lands End Canvas? I'm probably the only one who hadn't, up until recently. It's another line of Lands End that has a little younger and more casual approach, yet still carries those classic looks that will never go out of style. You guys should totally check it out. I scored some awesome black pants that I kind of want to wear every day and a fun swim suit for uber cheap a while back.

When I got my package that I was so eagerly awaiting, I also received a separate letter, hand-addressed to me! Oh, how I love getting mail that isn't another credit card offer. When I opened the envelope, however, I was a little surprised to read that it was from the Lands End Canvas customer service department and not some friend from years past. After close inspection, I determined that Nick at Lands End really wrote me a hand-written "Thank You" note for shopping with them. What?!? That kind of stuff happens?

Now that's what I call customer service.

Call me a sucker, but I will for sure be buying from them again.

It's over. It's finally over.

2011-03-20T20:47:00.000-06:00

This is how we're feeling right now. We are both jumping for joy (literally and figuratively) that this weekend has come. Before I go any further can I please talk about how funny this picture is? First of all, how freaky does my leg look? I didn't know I could/should bend like that? Is that normal? Also, Russ's face is very, very animated... almost creepy. Everything about it just kind of cracks me up.

Ok, moving on. Why are we jumping for joy? Let me tell you. This is the first Sunday where it isn't the "night before Russ leaves." Russ has been traveling with work for almost 3 months. Think back to New Years Day... yep, that's how long it's been. He spent 2 months working at Dell in North Austin, 2 weeks in Denver, and this last week he was in Dallas. He'd leave Monday mornings and come home Friday nights. This is one aspect of our lives that I haven't revealed to the world wide web, for obvious reasons. I have literally been living alone for nearly 3 months.

Luckily I have a job that keeps me busy during the day, but the nights have been rough. I hang out alone, come home to an empty house, go to bed alone, and wake up alone. I can honestly say this has been the hardest and loneliest 3 months of my life, and I am so, so, so glad it's over. I'm not usually that dramatic of a person, but even I knew it was bad when I would randomly cry on the way to work, sitting at work, or at home. Geez, just writing that sounds dramatic, but it's true. It has tested me in ways I didn't think possible -- it has tested my optimism, patience, our marriage, our communication, and more. It has also proven that I would be terrible in any long-distance relationship. It's been hard on both of us. For Russ, he has been on the road, living in hotel rooms and eating out for almost every meal (which gets old fast). I, on the other hand, have been living alone in a city with no husband or family. Yes, I have friends (and amazing ones at that), but they have husbands and families of their own that I didn't want to impose on.

But it's over. For now.

I'm sorry for airing out my dirty laundry, but it's my blog and writing this kind of stuff down every once and a while is therapeutic. Isn't it funny how you can look at someone's life (via blogs/facebook/etc.) and think their life is peachy-keen, only to find out they have been fighting the biggest battle up to that point in their life? Yep, that's been this here blog as of late.

Thanks for being there for me, my friends. You know who you are.

Play On!

2011-03-18T11:52:00.000-06:00

Our neighborhood connects to a really large park. It's not your traditional park with lots of green grass (because San Antonio doesn't really have grass.. at least grass you want to sit in). But there is a huge network of trails for running, biking, walking, etc. The other night on my run I ran over some "graffiti." After thinking "ugh, those darn people that grafitti in this park... grumble grumble..." I looked a little closer to discover that it wasn't in fact graffiti, but a quote that brought a smile to my face:

As I ran on, that quote made me reflect on music and how influential it is in my life. I have always, always loved music. A lot of it I blame on my Dad (thanks Dad!). I am grateful for how one song can bring a complete change to your mood. This week has been a very "blah" week, mostly due to... you guessed it... work. So, I scouted out some new tunes that have successfully turned this frown upside down. Here are some of the new tunes (in no particular order) that I have been grooving to in my lovely corner in the "tax pit":

White Knuckles - OK Go

Kites - Geographer

Hummingbird - The Weepies

Normandie - Shout Out Louds

This Empty Northern Hemisphere - Gregory Alan Isakov

Don't Carry It All - The Decembrists

Only the Young - Brandon Flowers (loooooove this one)

Normandie - Shout Out Louds

Off We Go - Trent Dabbs

Comes and Goes - Greg Laswell

The Ghost Inside - Broken Bells

Everything is Burning - Ivan & Alyosha

Giving Up the Gun - Vampire Weekend

Yellow Brick Road - Angus and Julia Stone

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Greg Laswell

Whew! Ok I'll stop there. I have a handful more, but I don't want to overload you. Go set up an account in Grooveshark and start groovin'! If you haven't heard of Grooveshark, you are missing out. It's like Pandora but BETTER. I put Pandora to rest a while ago. You can search for a specific song, listen to it, and make your own playlists. It will even do a random radio like Pandora, but I just like the fact that you can type in a song and get that song. What a thought, eh? Here's the best part... it's FREE! If you join, let me know and I can share this playlist with you so you don't have to search out each song. Or you can if you want to, cause that's also fun sometimes.

Anyway, one last song that has been in my head for a few days is brought on by the inevitable Jimmer-mania that has swept the country. I have always been proud to be a Cougar, but especially now as BYU is rockin' March Madness. What am I going to do when they play Gonzaga!?!? Conflicting loyalties... Spokane vs. BYU. Yikes. I think I'll have to go with BYU, especially since this song just rocks. Teach me how to Jimmer y'all.

Lunch Break Thoughts

2011-03-16T11:45:00.000-06:00

My thoughts are all over the place right now. Let's just start out with a list shall we?

a) I'm loving that I can get in a 12 hour work day, drive home, and still have enough light to run for an HOUR outside. Not just a quick 20 minute run, I ran for a full hour before it got dark! This is a miracle. I can't wait to do it again tonight.

b) YAY for Emily!!! (You either do or do not know what I'm talking about, but I'll leave it at that).

c) How scary is all of this stuff in Japan? I think the fact that my little brother is over there makes me that much more aware. Thankfully, he is about 300 miles away from Sendai and is happy, healthy, and safe. His birthday was about a month ago, and I have still failed to get him something (what do you get a missionary who is about to come home?!?). I was about to take the title of "worst sister in the world," when I heard about this shirt where 100% of the proceeds go to the Salvation Army relief efforts in Japan. This is possible because a donor is covering the full production costs, allowing all of the profit ($20 per shirt) to be donated. Awesome! Happy Birthday, Jace. You are helping Japan.

.... and finally, the news I'm especially happy about ....

d) Fictionist made it to round two in the Rolling Stone competition! In case you missed this post, Fictionist is an amazingly talented and hip band that has been making quite the splash in the music scene lately. The front-man, Stuart Maxfield, also just happens to be my brother-in-law (and yes, I will always play the "I'm related to him" card). Anyway, they were one of the 16 bands selected to compete in a competition for Rolling Stone. The winner gets to be on the cover of the oh-so-popular magazine, a record deal with Atlantic Records, to play on Jimmy Kimmel live, and a bunch of other goodies. Because of people like you and me who rated them 5 stars, they were one of the 8 bands to advance to round 2. Well now it's even more serious, and we need you to vote some more (it's as easy as clicking the 5 stars below)! Help Fictionist get to round three, my friends. To find out more, go here.

Fabric Flower Headband Tutorial

2011-03-13T17:08:00.000-06:00

I've concluded that Sundays are my very favorite days. I have an excuse to lay around and be lazy, not think about anything too serious or stressful, and re-charge for the week ahead. Sundays also provide a great opportunity to tap into my crafty side! In light of keeping true to my "busy season goals," I decided to make another tutorial for you guys! (I know you're thrilled, right??) This time I'm going to show you how to make some fabric poppy flowers. I think poppies are one of my favorite flowers. You can't be sad when looking at poppies. It's impossible.

Ok, let's get started. This is what you'll need:

A few things to note before I show you what to do. These little squares of felt are literally $0.29 at Jo-Ann's and Michael's, so stock up and get crafting! Obviously you can choose any color of bead to secure the middle. You could even do something crazy and use a button or something. The sky is the limit here. This craft project even lets you tap into your inner-pyro! Now this is my type of craft project, people. However, I think a lighter is probably the best method to burn the edges; I tried using a candle once and it turned the fabric kind of black and charred. It may have just been a cheap candle, but that's my experience. Anyway, here's what you do:

Now that you have the felt ready, it's time to secure the three circles together!

At this point you can put your poppy flower on anything... a headband, bobby pin, hair clip, shirt, onesie, shoe clip, you name it! I experimented with making a stretchy headband by just attaching the flowers to one of those Scuunci brand headbands you can get at any drug store, but I will also show you how to put them on a structured headband.

Attaching the flowers to a structured or traditional headband is as easy as using your glue gun. For real. You can get these types of headbands at your grocery store, Target, Forever 21, etc. They are super cheap, and usually come in packs of 2 or 3. Glue the flower to your headband, and then paste a strip of felt underneath the headband to secure the flowers and add some padding. Obviously, I wasn't too careful on being neat... but I was experimenting, and no one sees that part anyway! Don't judge. :)

And no tutorial is complete without a shot of the finished project. These poppy flowers are perfect for spring, and really are pretty simple. And like I said, who doesn't love a craft project where pyrotechnics are involved?

Happy crafting, my friends!

Saturday Morning Diversions

2011-03-12T08:35:00.000-07:00

It's a Saturday morning and I just got to work. Being here is not really what the doctor ordered after a really looooong, exhausting, and honestly, down-right stressful week. I feel like I'm on the verge of getting sick, and to top it off, Russ and I both woke up this morning at 4:30 restless and unable to sleep. Perfect.

Obviously the mere fact I am blogging and not working on taxes shows how I'm not quite ready to crack down and get to work. So why not dream of pretty things I can wear? I saw on this blog how Talbots has come out with their spring line. I've always known Talbots had nice stuff, but didn't think it was necessarily my cup of tea. That is, until I was drooling over much of their new line, especially these skirts:

Umm, yes please. I'm totally digging all of these looks. My birthday is coming up and all... hint hint. :)

In other news, I am now a step closer to achieving one of my New-Year's Resolutions by signing up for this:

In case you can't see it, I signed up for the Bear Lake Half Marathon in June. I'm trying to run at least one half marathon a year (see here and here) just for an extra ounce of motivation to stay in shape. My sister-in-law recruited a group of us girls to all run it together. She even promised we could go to McDonald's afterward. That was really what convinced me. ;) And plus, I figured the first step to achieving one of your goals is merely committing to it. I've paid, and being the cheap-wad I am, I now have to do it. Well watch out, cause half marathon #3 is about to get OWNED!

Real Life "Up"

2011-03-08T09:28:00.000-07:00

Have you guys seen this?? Someone actually made a house fly with balloons! This amazing house-mobile reached an altitude of 10,000 feet and was in the air for about an hour. Who'da thought? I just love the fact that someone thought of a way for such a magical movie to come to life. As you know, we're kind of big fans of "Up", so seeing this article this morning made me extra happy. The filming of this event will be part of a new series on the National Geographic Channel called How Hard Can It Be? that will air this fall. To learn more and see more amazing pictures, go here.

And people say cartoons aren't real....

Rays of Sunshine

2011-03-06T17:03:00.000-07:00

Whew! What a week, right? Russell made the comment that he knew I was crazy busy when the blog is neglected. I've been preparing taxes like a mad woman and trying to stay sane in the meantime. I've realized this week that it's those tid-bits of happiness that are in a sense "rays of sunshine" that get you through busy and stressful times of life. Some of the rays of sunshine I've seen this week include:

Wearing my shoe clips. I don't know why they made me so happy, but spicing up some of my go-to shoes just put a little spring into my step. If you want to learn how to make them, go HERE.

Taking a long Sunday nap. I don't remember the last nap I took, maybe 6 months ago? It felt sooooo good.

Going for a beautiful run in the park near our house after working yesterday.

The lovely 70 degree weather San Antonio is blessing us with.

Making salmon and liking it! (Did you hear that Mom??? I'm a big girl now!) I've never been a big seafood person, but I am growing up. We made this Honey Mustard Glazed Salmon recipe, and it turned out perfect (and was incredibly easy! Bonus!) Pair it with some asparagus and brown rice and you've got yourself a meal.

Getting to play the piano at church. I haven't touched a piano for almost 3 months, and I have missed it. A lot.

And most of all, hanging out with this crazy guy.

Hope y'all have had a wonderful weekend and have been able to find some rays of sunshine in the craziness of life.

I Will Prevail

2011-03-02T20:05:00.000-07:00

It's March.

March means busy season is here in full force. I don't know who I was kidding thinking I'd have all this time to re-do the nightstands right away. I still really want to get them done soon, but it just might not be as soon as I was hoping. Don't give up on me my friends.

Speaking of busy season, I'm already feeling exhausted. It's easy to get so caught up at work to the point where I don't step out of the office from sun up to sun down, not even for lunch, like I did on Monday. How depressing. Soooo... in hopes of making this a happier month and a half of my life, I've made some goals.

I hope you're not rolling your eyes at me. It just helps having some written down so I feel somewhat accountable to keep that life balance. Speaking of balance, my mind has been wandering to the day when I'll be able to see sights like this again:

Zions National Park, Utah - Angel's Landing Hike

Long Lake, Spokane, Washington

Baptist Draw, San Rafael Swell, Southern Utah

Obviously I'm pining for a summer vacation that involves anything outdoors, in the mountains, a canyon, or a lake. There is a time for everything, and the time right now is tax season survival.

Wish me luck.

Little Acorns

2011-03-02T19:15:00.000-07:00

My manager shared this song with me this morning. Thought it was fitting for many reasons. Plus, we've got about a million acorns in our yard.........

Puzzled

2011-02-26T18:42:00.000-07:00

The mister came home to me last night. We had pizza at Florio's and ~~did~~ started a puzzle. I love these kind of Friday night dates.

It took us back to the days when I lived in an apartment with three of my good friends in Utah. Russ and I were dating, probably close to getting engaged. It seemed like us roommates always had a puzzle on the big table, and Russ would come over and help us finish them. It was over those puzzles where Russ bonded with my roommates and I got the official friend approval. Oh puzzles, such an unexpected source of fun.

Anyway, thank you so much for all the recommendations for the night stands. I now have so many good ideas floating through my head (thanks to you), that making a decision may be harder now than it was before! I guess you could say I'm puzzled! :)

What do YOU think?

2011-02-24T12:43:00.000-07:00

A few months ago we showed you the current progress of our bedroom with the "Lewis Elm" shelf (go here for a reminder). I'm itching for another project to work on, and thought I should finally tackle the one I've been putting off for almost a year: re-painting our hand-me-down nightstands. I really love most of our bedroom, or I guess you could say the "middle section." The sides? Not so much. In fact, you could say I hate them. It's the clashing brown wood, the dated hardware, and the "blah" lamps. So I'm going to take this situation into my own hands.

This is where you guys come into play. I cannot for the life of me decide on a color to paint the nightstands. Perhaps this is why I have waited so long. But I know y'all have some really great taste out there, and I am in need of your opinions! Should I paint them...

Black, like all the rest of the furniture in the room...

Gray, to match the pillows/sheets

Yellow, to coordinate with the accent pillows and flower (and heck, we all know I love yellow furniture)

Another random pop of color, like a turquoise/blue, green, orange?

Another shade of stained wood?

Polka dotted?

Really guys, I'm at a loss. I'm excited to get this project going, and these little old stands are in need of some T.L.C.

P.S. When I originally posted about the shelf, some of you had asked about the flowers. They are from World Market. Aren't they awesome? They add just the right element of "floral," without being, well, floral.

Radiohead, Birthdays, Pirates, & Shaving. All In One.

2011-02-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

I bought the new Radiohead album this weekend. It's AWESOME. The last four tracks of the album are my favorite. I have to admit, however, it has not yet topped "In Rainbows," the band's last album. I feel like all new Radiohead is always "out there," and takes time to get used to. It took a few months when it first came out, but now "In Rainbows" is one of my top favorite albums of all time. Yes, I actually said that.

Today is my little brother's birthday. He's turning 21!! I haven't seen him for over a year and a half, as he's serving a mission for our church in Japan, so obviously I miss him like crazy. As of late we have been trying to help him figure out where he'll be living at BYU when he comes back. It's phrases like this that make me miss Jace-face even more: "Those spots all sound really good, though I honestly don't care too much, because I think pretty much every spot will be more fun than I can possibly imagine at this point." Oh the optimism.

{Hey mom, you might want to skip this next paragraph}

Speaking of missionaries, did you guys hear about the Christian missionaries that were attacked by Somalian pirates off the east coast of Africa yesterday?!? Yes... pirates. It's actually quite sad, because the pirates killed four of the missionaries on the ship. Luckily the Navy stepped in and saved the day. You can read about it here.

Ok, enough rambling. I need to get back to preparing taxes. I cannot wait. I will leave you girls with a little something to help with one of life's toughest decisions:

A Wicked Date

2011-02-20T14:48:00.000-07:00

Russ told me we were just going to spend the night "in" for Valentine's with a homemade meal and a movie from Netflix. Well, silly me, Russ always has something up his sleeve. At the end of the night he pulled out a poem he had written with a few other goodies...

I had sent Russ a not so subtle hint a while ago with some earrings from this shop that I had been eyeing. He then actually went shopping and found a dress that matched the earrings, a cute trench to wear for the cooler evening, and with some help from his sister, some shoes that tied it all together. I was FLOORED. The best part? He had a secret date planned for this Saturday to wear my new outfit to. Let's just say, it was a pretty "wicked date."

First we met our friends Scott and Andrea at La Focaccia, a really great Italian place downtown. Believe me, the wheels were spinning at this point. "...we're downtown... we're all dressed up... it might just be what I'm hoping it is." And sure enough...

...We saw Wicked! I felt like a giddy child sitting in those seats up in the back of the theater. I've been wanting to see this play for EVER, and it was finally happening. (Was that dramatic enough?) I have been listening to the soundtrack for a few years, but seeing the real thing blew the CD out of the water. Or should I say it defied gravity? {ha!}

Thanks again husband. It was a fantastic night out on the town.

Newborns

2011-02-18T06:22:00.003-07:00

There is something quite magical about holding a newborn. To think of where their little spirits were just hours before is breath-taking. They have such pure, precious little bodies, and one can only imagine what is in store for them on this earth. As far as I can remember, little Carter is probably the "newest" of newborns I've ever held. Our friends Morgan and Karen (mentioned in this post) had their baby, Carter Morgan Allen, on Wednesday afternoon. I went to visit them at the hospital last night. He's just about 24 hours old in this picture, and he's perfect.

I went with my other child-less friends, Brittany and her husband Dallin, and she told me we had to put our "baby-fever-guards up." But those darn babies really are pretty cute, aren't they??

{Please excuse the I-left-the-house-with-wet-hair-and-worked-all-day look. It's so charming.}