AMEdetails

New Item in the Shop!

2012-01-31T18:04:00.000-08:00

There is a new item in the shop! A colorful orange tea towel! You can purchase it here.

Family Surprise!

2012-01-31T15:11:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend my parents surprised us and came into town!

Our family friends said there were delivering a package and I had to come pick it up at the airport... little did I know my parents would step off the plane! We got to hang out with them all weekend, go to two Fighting Sioux hockey games (where they won both games), hang out with family friends and eat lots of yummy meals. I also got to ride the zamboni! We are still on a high from the weekend.

Scotty's 26th

2012-01-23T09:32:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend we celebrated Scott's 26th birthday. It was a blast! We celebrated at our favorite restaurant in town, baked a german chocolate cake and had lots of fun spoiling Scott.

My Dress + Steven Alan

2012-01-18T09:36:00.000-08:00

I spotted Steven Alan's new resort line over on Miss Moss and got really happy because I recognized a similar dress I made! Last year I picked up a floor length polka dot dress at a thrift store with a weird flower pattern at the bottom. So I chopped the bottom and hemmed it. The dress on the left is on my sister at her high school graduation.

Blast From the Past

2012-01-18T08:48:00.000-08:00

Part of my mail day, I got a letter my mom forwarded me. My freshmen year of high school in English class we had to write letters to ourselves in the future. I think I remember her saying she was going to send them in 5 years, but naturally I forgot about it and I got mine in the mail the other day 9 years later! I can't believe it has been that long already... I still remember that class. In my letter I talk about my friends, my first kiss and my upcoming dive meet. I kind of like this idea- to write a letter to yourself in the future. It is interesting to see how different my train of thought was and how, well I guess, immature I was.

Tape+Cards

2012-01-17T15:58:00.000-08:00

Things have been a little slow around here with the cold weather and a head cold coming on... but my day lightened up when all my packages came today complete with some fun tape and business cards! Cheers to mail!

Moto

2012-01-13T09:26:00.000-08:00

Have you found a moto for the new year? Well I found mine and a new blog to follow: Our Paper Shop. Here is a link to their desktop calendar that I am sporting right now.

Friday Favorites: Pinterest

2012-01-13T07:43:00.000-08:00

top left/ top right/ bottom left/ bottom right

Comfort Food

2012-01-11T08:21:00.000-08:00

Last night Scott and I had a couch date with spicy pasta with kalamata olives and mushrooms (my attempt at adding a vegetable) and then some edamame while watching our new addiction, White Collar.

Sleep Talking

2012-01-10T08:01:00.000-08:00

Do you talk in your sleep? I always have. Scott got up in the middle of the night to right this beauty down

Ya, that sucks because old people get really defensive about their soup

Moving Water

2012-01-09T20:17:00.000-08:00

While we were up at Woodbine Falls with my family I took some pictures of the frigid water and thought I would share. I found the tutorial here and it was super simple to follow! Next time I will use a tripod

Ever Wonder

2012-01-09T11:43:00.000-08:00

Scott and I made the drive this past weekend back to North Dakota from Montana. Its a long, 10 hours long, drive and looks like this pretty much the whole way. We had fun chatting, listening to our favorite pandora station, and talking about our new goals together for this new year.

New Years

2012-01-05T08:49:00.000-08:00

Happy Happy New Year! We had such a wonderful holiday season spent with lots of family, traveling and playing board games! This year is a big year for us... it is the first year we get to spend the whole thing together.

Some goals I have for the new year include::

* Working on my new shop and blog and trying to make it something I love. It is going to take lots of work but I feel so motivated and am so excited to learn many new things.

* Do More With Less. I want to not want as much and love what I already have. This also goes for buying (groceries and not-groceries) to keep it under our monthly income so we can save. I have a tendency to stock our freezer/fridge with foods and then only eat similar things over and over. I want to eat what we have first.

* Rely less on social media as contact and pick up the phone and call someone more often.

* Actually take my bible study seriously and do my very best to do the studies each day and not all in one day the day before our meeting. Make it a part of my life.

* Treasure the small amount of time I get to spend with Scott- make him my number one when he walks through the door.

* Volunteer once over the next 90 days.

* Dive head first in to the things I love and stop being scared.

* Making working out something I love to do and not what I have to do.

What have I been up to lately?

2011-12-11T16:59:00.001-08:00

I have been filling lots of orders from my shop while trying to finish my personal projects and making handmade holiday gifts.

leather computer case, leather gloves with faux fur lining

burlap table runners with gold votives, embroidered burlap stockings

Jonah

2011-12-08T14:00:00.001-08:00

The cutest little Jonah wearing his mustache I made him

The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

2011-12-04T16:39:00.001-08:00

So I read this book for our book club and this is what I said about it:

What an absolutely fascinating story. I was at first hesitant to read the book because I have seen the movie before (and because it is 600 pages long) but it was by far one of the best and fun and quick reads in a long time. I remember hearing about King Henry in school and how he kept killing his wived because they wouldn't provide him with a son so it was kind of cool to read about it like you were living among it. I found it fascinating with all the research Gregory did and how she built a most likely happened story from facts around the time. It was like you were living in the castles, friends with all the right people to hear all the drama and in the middle of it all. I would highly recommend this period drama (and already have to multiple people!)

I spy

2011-12-04T13:59:00.001-08:00

I know I know... a couple months late but Scott dressed up as a ninja for Halloween.

Fun Fact

2011-11-18T08:15:00.000-08:00

It was this baby's birthday at the beginning of this month. Fun Fact: When she was about to be born my parents asked us (me, my younger brother and younger sister), "What do you guys want to name her??" We were so excited and couldn't come up with a name so we all agreed on Snow White. Well then my parents suggested "How about Rosemary??" They made it seem like our idea, but we all agreed on it and were so excited to have gotten to name our little sister. Happy Happy Birthday Rosemary!!

Maps

2011-11-14T20:59:00.001-08:00

I'm loving the idea of things covered by maps

Inspiration from Bombus

Ampersand/ Birds

Pro

2011-11-13T19:45:00.001-08:00

I'm trying to go a little more professional around here! Yay! As you can see... I made some small changes (like a banner and cleared up some links on the side) and hopefully soon I will make some more little changes. I am going to link my blog to my Etsy shop and hopefully post some more inspiration around here. I am also thinking of changing my web address one of these days but I will let you know later. My Etsy shop is going to get revamped over the next little while too! I am excited to make this small transition! Let me know how you like it over time!

Prints

2011-11-13T09:21:00.001-08:00

Balloon Festival

2011-11-12T19:32:00.001-08:00

Have you ever been to a balloon festival? I have always wanted to go to the one in Albuquerque, NM- its on my list. Well Vegas had one this year to celebrate 11.11.11 and we went this morning! It was so amazing to watch those giant balloons get blown up and take off.

Halloween

2011-11-02T08:09:00.001-07:00

Hope you all had a Happy Halloween! We enjoyed spending it together, dinner with friends, and carving pumpkins.

Fly fishing

2011-10-31T10:09:00.000-07:00

I made a video!! It was my first time ever opening up imovie and never realized it could be so easy. My video making still needs a little practice but now I am going to make videos for everything!

Things I learned:
There is a lot more movement videoing something still then I thought.
A steady hand makes the difference (even though imovie can fix it)
Get a wide shot. All of our video was shot on an iphone so turn the phone horizontal next time
Just stand still and let nature do the moving
Be patient

Inspiration from Elephantine

Music from Les Chauds Lapins called Vous Aves Demenage Mon Coeur

Sunday Morning Bike Ride

2011-10-23T15:09:00.001-07:00

We went on my favorite thing to do today: a bike ride. The weather was 61F with 17mph winds... everything about it was perfect. Well it was a little chilly but I will take what sun and warmth I can get. We rode to coffee to get some studying and reading done.

Turtle River State Park

2011-10-23T15:09:00.000-07:00

Who would have thought that 20 minutes outside of town, past the airport and air force base, there is a state park with rivers, hills, trees and a beautiful campground/camp houses. Last night we went with some friends and took a great hike around, when later the sky opened up to lots of beautiful stars and the Milky Way.

Let The Great World Spin by Colum McCann

2011-10-23T15:06:00.000-07:00

I finished this book yesterday and once I read the last words and went to flip the page I went "What?! There is no more??". I think that is one of the first times I have read a book and not expected the ending and wanted more. I had a hard time following/getting into this book, but like the reviews said (since I read them in the middle of the book because I was getting so frustrated), the end brings it all together. This book is about a series of events that are fiction but all connected to an actual truthful event: a tightrope walker in 1974 named Philippe Petit who walked between the Twin Towers in New York City. Such a fascinating story and so well told, McCann opens each chapter differently and starts you on a completely different journey. This story will have me thinking for days constantly connecting it all together and thinking it through over and over again.

Montana

2011-10-20T08:07:00.000-07:00

We were so lucky to get to go back to Montana for a week and have a wonderful week.

We finally got to hold this little man and he is just the sweetest. I think he has the sweetest eyes. So fun to get to spend a day with him and Amy.

One day we were driving to Cabellas and we stopped by an apple tree to go pick apples. The funny thing is it was just supposed to be a joke but I really wanted to pick this tree full of apples. So we got 2 bags full.

We got to fly fish on the Stillwater. So beautiful out there.

Of course we had to do our favorite hike while we were out there... my favorite.

Our Home

2011-10-16T19:40:00.000-07:00

We are looking for a new print for our home and are having a hard time deciding and finding the right one. Here are some of our favorites

125 Swimming Pools by Jenny Ordell/ Animal Locomotion (Couple Dancing) by Eadweard Muybridge/ Unknown/ Five Whales by United Thread

Bikers

2011-10-01T17:31:00.000-07:00

I have fallen in love with biking since we have moved here. It is my favorite form of transportation if it is an option. Sometimes it gets really windy here- so biking turns into a balancing act while -what fees like- stair stepping... but when we can we bike to friends houses to study, to Starbucks to study, to the grocery store, to Farmer's Markets, to our favorite and only bakery for Sunday coffee and toast. I ride a men's road bike so it is a little too big for me to the point where I can't really stop by putting my feet down. Scott is really good at biking where he can bike sitting up and not need to put his hands on his handles. Oh, we love biking.

Love.

2011-09-21T08:37:00.000-07:00

My mom always says this.

I'm Inspired

2011-09-12T18:32:00.000-07:00

Winters here can be dreadful... absolutely painful. I haven't yet spent one, but to tell you the truth I am nervous. I hear not that one day is bad, but the length of the days that are below zero.

Recently I have been spending a lot of time indoors. I read this article from A Cup of Jo, a new favorite blog of mine, and was inspired. She doesn't like winters and has been worrying about the upcoming winter with her baby. She has taken a vow to go outside every day during the winter and has inspired me to do the same, no matter the weather- to bundle up and enjoy it.

PS... I love that Danish women ride bikes in the snow. I am going to try and ride my bike as long as possible and buy lots of candles to keep me feeling cozy at home.

Image credit: A Cup of Jo

On another side note... I made this dinner tonight while we watched the US Open. It will be a staple in our winter meals- it is so easy to cook, so delicious and warms you up instantly!

September 11, 2011

2011-09-11T10:58:00.000-07:00

All of Scott and I's prayers for the past couple days have been with everyone affected by September 11. We remember and are so grateful for everyone who continues to fight for our independence.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

10 years ago today I remember leaving for 7th or 8th grade. My dad had always drove me to middle school at Hyde Park and we usually always got their early because he went straight to work after. Before we left my dad got out of the car and yelled to my mom to turn the tv on and watch the news. (I recently asked my mom how she remembers and she said her most vivid memory is my brother sitting in my dad's chair in the kitchen, watching the planes hitting the towers and saying "Oh my God, we are at war"). We got in the car and the radio was immediately on... I tried to ask questions and my dad just shooshed me because he didn't understand what was happening either. I remember hearing that a plane crashed into a tower and all I could think was... well it can't be that bad. A lot of people don't die here in America. We are a safe place and I know something bad happened but it can't really be that bad. Well I got to school and remember going to class and the principal came over the intercom and she told us the bad things that were happening in New York (because that is all we knew at the time). That two planes had hit towers and she would keep us updated. I don't remember her coming back on the intercom.

I went home and every. single. channel. was occupied with footage. It was the most horrifying feeling watching everything, I couldn't understand. As a kid, I watched planes fly toward building before and they would end up going behind or in front of the building- there was never any crashing. Well here I was watching the plane fly straight into the building. Then on tv, watching people jump from the buildings and then the buildings collapse. Seeing all those horrified faces and peple drenched in ash as they ran through the streets. I remember hearing something along the lines of "well the terrorist never meant for the towers to collapse, that wasn't their original plan"- it was so bizarre.

Then came all the news of other hijacked planes. Over the next days... all the stories started to come together and how they were all working in unison to hurt as many Americans as possible. Then the realization of the date hit me and how horribly clever the terrorist were. How the three numbers in our society that as a kid you are taught first and taught never, ever to touch unless something is really going wrong and that was exactly what was happening.

The passengers that crashed a plane into a field and sacrificed their lives to save others- I remember thinking how brave they were and wondered if I could ever be that brave in my life. I demanded myself that day to be that brave if I ever had to be. I remember the footage wouldn't stop, the candlelight services wouldn't end the memorial services held on the corner of every neighborhood were being televised and times were being told for people to step outside their houses and remember... Everyone had candles in their hands. It was a horrible dream for everyone.

image credit NYmag

AMEdetails shop

2011-09-09T08:45:00.000-07:00

Yep... I opened a shop. I basically sell small stuff and some things I made for my wedding. Everything isn't done and perfect and some price points are a little off because I don't have the means to make them yet.. anyways... here is some of my fun stuff.

AMEdetails

Embossed Journals for $11

10 Glitter Mini Clothespins for $2.50

Finished Burlap Table Runner for $1.25/foot

Gold Decorative Banner for $15

Extra Large Banner for $350

Soft Peony Pillow for $55

A Weekend For The Workers

2011-09-09T08:24:00.000-07:00

Exactly a week ago, Scott and I were heading (racing) out of town to head to Minneapolis for the long Labor Day weekend. Friday we had dinner and went on a nice walk, Saturday we did the Farmer's Market and the boys went golfing while Hannah and I went and bought supplies to redecorate their apartment- we crafted pillow and window shades, then we went to a restaurant to watch the Boise/Georgia game. Anyways... getting to the FUN part... Sunday, Scott and I went to church with Z&H and then ran some errands around town... since you know?? Minneapolis has every. single. store. you could pretty much ever want to shop at. We didn't go crazy shopping, just some returns we had to make... but that evening we went to the FAIR! Yes, the Minnesota State Fair in the second largest in the country. We did lots of walking and were on a mission to eat everything fried they sold. It was so so delicious. Here are some fair pictures...

All of us at the Lumberjack Competition (ya the same kind of tree-climbing, chainsaw cutting stuff you see on ESPN)

My personal favorite... Cheese Curds

Fried Snickers Bar

Dole Whip (I thought they only sold these at Disney?!) & Sweet Martha's Cookies

Funnel Cakes & Fried Minni-Apple Pies- get it? get it? Minneapolis... Minni-apple

Oh! & We had THE. MOST. DELICIOUS. fried pickles.

Heaven Is For Real

2011-09-07T15:38:00.000-07:00

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo

I absolutely loved this book. It was written so well and had so much character in it and made for such a quick and easy read. It is the story of a little boy's trip to heaven and over the next couple years he reveals his story to his family. The child like approach to God and heaven is so refreshing and humbling. It had brought tears to my eyes several times out of joy and how simple a relationship with God can really be. The book is not too churchy or preachy but truly telling from the perspective of a child. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good lighthearted read.

Jonah

2011-09-05T18:31:00.000-07:00

On August 8th, 2011 my sweet nephew Jonah Gabriel Erpelding was born.

Happy Aunt & Uncle-hood to us!

One Day

2011-08-29T11:35:00.000-07:00

One Day by David Nicholls

This book was an amazing story. It was one of the first books where I was happy to know that Anne Hathaway was playing the character because I could put her character into the book while I was reading it. I wanted to finish the story so quick so I could go see the movie. It is a fantastic way to write a story- tracing the friendship and relationship of a couple on the same day over twenty years. I found myself laughing out loud and feeling excited to keep reading because some of the years end on cliff hangers. I do have to admit I did shut my book at one point and get really upset at what happened, but by the end of the story I found myself not high on a cloud but feeling joyful to live this day. I found this book very real... and full of life. If you are looking for a Disney love story where everything turns out how you want it... this isn't the book. For that I can appreciate this real life book. It is funny and sad and confusing and ends the way some things might end in our lives... not ideal but good. I like how Nicholls addresses the everyday feelings between people, spoken and unspoken. He does an amazing job at narrating for both Dex and Emma and their conversation with each other. I love how it was written with a british accent... it wasn't too hard to follow but made for fun reading. I would absolutely recommend this story to anyone who is looking for a great read full of lots of emotions.

Steve Jobs 2005 Commencement Speech for Stanford

2011-08-29T11:21:00.000-07:00

I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.

The first story is about connecting the dots.

I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?

It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: "We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?" They said: "Of course." My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.

And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn't see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn't interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.

It wasn't all romantic. I didn't have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends' rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5¢ deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example:

Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn't have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can't capture, and I found it fascinating.

None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, it's likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.

Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.

My second story is about love and loss.

I was lucky — I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation — the Macintosh — a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.

I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me — I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.

I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.

During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.

I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.

My third story is about death.

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.

I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now.

This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope it's the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.

Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Thank you all very much.

My Favorites on Pinterest Right Now

2011-08-24T06:46:00.000-07:00

This idea for a cake/ This watch which I am pretty sure I am going to buy/ This outfit/ This art print

Modoc

2011-08-21T12:38:00.000-07:00

Modoc by Ralph Hefner

I finished this book last week and really liked it. It told probably one of the most amazing stories of any animal I have ever heard of. If any part of this book written is true, that alone in and of itself is an amazing story. However, I thought the writing was overly simple. I enjoyed the story but the narrating was hard to get past... it makes me sad because I think I would have read this book again if it was written differntly. All characters seemed to have the same personalities when the spoke and the author, in my opinion, tried too hard to make the personality by telling it instead of creating it. What I did enjoy reading was the bond between the boy and elephant. It is a bond I think we can all relate to with any animal you love in your life- even though this bond was tested and survived death quite a few times. The bond was a reminder that there is a connection with anything in nature. It was a nice reminder that everything here on Earth are all under the same roof and that nothing is "more important than another", that we are all connected through a God that created us. It is a humbling reminder for me.

North Dakota Things

2011-08-20T20:08:00.000-07:00

One time we went on a walk in the rain...

Then I made this excellent dinner tonight...

Cook pasta. Saute farmer's market zucchini and eggplant till cooked. Add a scoop of pesto (about a tablespoon or two) to vegetable mixture and mix up. Add cooked pasta and stir. Add some home grown tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. Serve right away and ENJOY all this yummyness. It is delicious.

Today was a great day. We went on a bike ride to the farmers market, bought some vegetables, hung out with some friends, had a nice talk at a local bakery, met a new puppy, rose home, sold some things, got Scott a gift, studied, made the above dinner and got three wonderful phone calls. I have pictures from our bike ride but they are on the holga... and in black and white! yay!

...

2011-08-19T10:21:00.000-07:00

I am having a hard time adjusting here. I didn't know how I thought it was going go be, but I didn't think it was going to be like this. I don't have a lot of interaction with girls in general, well or people in general. When we hang out with some of Scott's good friends it is usually study sesh... which I am fine with but still. Last night, one f the medical school girls was kind enough to invite me to a "girls night" with all the medical school girls. I knew (had previously met) two people there so it was nice to get to talk to girls. For some reason I thought that one of these girls was a friend, I was a glass in of wine (for those who know me... thats a. lot.- I just kept drinking because I had nothing to say to people there) and said something I really shouldn't have said- and said it bluntly. It came out so differently in my mind and I feel so embarrassed. She wasn't mad about it at all but still... who am I?!

I just feel like when I finally get a chance to hang out with someone, I blow it. boom. out of the water. It is hard to not have your friends near by, or sisters to hang out with and run to grab a quick yogurt with. And... I would probably be ok if we had tv, but no... nothing to distract me from hanging out with people and saying the wrong thing.

I find myself trying to figure out who I am... ya something people do in high school and usually finish by college. I find myself questioning even my wardrobe, my interactions with people, telling myself to "stop saying things"- its so weird. I feel like when I go out in public I get confused. Also, and I think it is because I have an idle mind, but I get anxious about everything... worry about this conversation, worry if that person understood me right, worry I am going to pull some bullshit like last night.

You are probably thinking... get a job. I am waiting to hear back from interviews, then maybe if I get a job things will be easier.

Ugh. Change is hard. Making friends for me is hard. By the time I make a good friend, I usually end up moving. This town is hard. I hope I can get to a point where I am happy and proud to be who I am.

September Brings

2011-08-17T07:40:00.000-07:00

Missoni For Target

September 13

Zara Online Shop

September 7

This pretty baby's birthday

September 20

Labor Day with These Friends in Minneapolis

September 5

Today.

2011-08-08T07:25:00.000-07:00

Things have been different! Oh my... it has been a fun but very busy summer. Well I guess I haven't been that busy- all the business has been Scott but still, I have been tagging along with all the exciting things going on.

I have been busy crafting... this week is pillow making week. I also opened an etsy store to put up most of the things I made for the wedding but am still adding things... I will show you soon!

I am really excited... things have come together and we got unpacked and decorated. I will post my favorite parts of our home soon (still working on a few crafts).

We don't have cable, in fact we basically have 1 channel (because the other two channels are fuzzy bible-preaching channels)... so every morning I watch the TODAY show, Live with Regis and Kelly, and then the later TODAY show with the drunk ladies (it is really funny). It is basically my news source and everything I talk about I reference the Today show.

We miss our homes and family. It has been hard here sometimes for me because we have been here in North Dakota for 3 weeks. I haven't gotten to know anyone really and the last time I sat to talk to someone (since this weekend since Scott's friends came back in town) was when I was with my sister in June in Montana. Ugh... oh well, time to make some new friends. Scott's brother and sister-in-law are most likely having a baby today or tomorrow so we wish we were there to celebrate with them, but we will visit with them soon.

We made an amazing pizza this last weekend. I haven't been stoked about this whole cooking every night (sometimes we go Sam's Club for dinner)... but we made our own dough and splurged on some fresh mozzarella (can't find it anywhere in town except in one store for about triple the price of back home). We had a celebratory engagement dinner for our friends and made a grilled eggplant-tomato-motzzarella-with a bread-crumb (bread crumbs, garlic, fresh oregano, fresh parsley) crumble on top and it was seriously the most delicious pizza. The recipe is from Williams-Sonoma. I started opening cook books when I didn't know what to cook for dinner... it worked! Scott and I LOVE using all our new appliances and fun finds from our wedding.

I posted all those wedding posts in hoping to be featured on one of my favorite wedding blogs (100 Layer Cake or Once Wed)... how dreamy. Maybe one day.

Details

2011-08-02T09:22:00.000-07:00

People told me when I started planning my wedding, I had to pick what was important to me and save money in other areas. Paper was important to me... I felt like it said so much and set a tone that gave my wedding what it was.

Our Save The Dates, I designed off photoshop. I had never used photoshop before but I was happy with the way they turned out. Our wedding was in June so we sent out our STD around the holiday season, so they doubled as a Christmas card too.

Our wedding stationary I had custom designed by Sleepy Dreamer off Etsy. I printed all our paper products from Digital Lizard.

Our invitations:

On the back side of the quote we printed a picture of us from our engagements. I wrapped our invitations together with silver and white bakers twine (which was actually a crochet yarn) and mailed them in a shiny grey envelope with addresses I printed myself.

Our program for our wedding:

A thank you note I printed and placed in all the envelopes at the tables. I used the napkin/thank-you-note as a place setting. We didn't set out the plates (they were by the food) but we did set the silverware and water goblets at each place setting with the napkins. It was a nice way to make each place setting personal without having assigned seating.

Our flowers were absolutely amazing. They were a gift form my aunt and uncle and couldn't have turned out any more amazing. I pretty much let them do what they thought would look best (since flowers aren't my forte) and I couldn't have been more happy.

Our deserts were a hit! We had no question where we were going to get our cakes. Nothing Bundt Cake has always been our favorite place to get cake. We got their two tier cake for our wedding cake (Lemon Poppyseed for the bottom- my favorite and Red Velvet for the top). We got buntinis for our guests (it saved on extra plates and forks) and was very convenient for all our guests. They didn't have to wait for slices of cake. The cake servers were a gift form my mom for my bridal shower. They are engraved and from Mackenzie Childs.

I had the hardest time trying to figure out what to do as "thank you gifts" for our guests. I personally think that anything like matches and cds can be a waste because either your guests don't take them (and you are left over with 100) or they take them and don't use them. I don't like waste so I decided to pick flavors of popcorn as a popcorn bar. It was affordable and absolutely delicious- there was half a bag left over. We picked six of our favorite flavors from Popcorn Girl.

We did all the drinks ourselves too! We made lemonade and iced tea- served in pitchers. We also served water and some sodas. All the alcohol (beer and wine) was bought at a local liquor store. We hired people to help serve the alcohol.

My something borrowed were Mikimoto pearls I borrowed from my Aunt Suzy. Since I was wearing a necklace Scott gave me as a wedding gift, I wrapped them around my wrist as a simple and elegant bracelet. Here you can see my Aunt Suzy lending me them the night before my wedding at our rehearsal dinner.

All photography by Elise Lauren Photography

AME details

2011-08-02T08:28:00.000-07:00

I chose to take on a lot for the wedding. I kept saying that I wished that my wedding wasn't mine so I could enjoy it and put it all together without being on a time constraint. However- I am very very happy that it was my wedding because it was exactly as I wanted it. I was my own wedding planner- which took a lot of me because I did everything and organized everything. I put together anything that had to be put together: vendors, invitations and details.

My mom and I built the sleeves on my dress. The dress was originally a skinny strap dress so we bought similar lace and built the straps from scratch.

My hair clip was made from a vintage brooch that I picked up from a consignment store. I glued a comb to it and it accented my hair perfect!

I made Scott's tie and all the groomsmen ties in the same fabric as the bridesmaid dresses. I embroidered the back of the ties in S&A

I made a huge banner. All of our guests entered and exited our reception under the banner. On the front read: "Scott & Amy" and on the back side read: "Thank ♥ You". The flowers on the sides were made from some recycled tulle from another wedding and recycled paper from gifts from my bridal shower.

I made the burlap table runners that lined all the long tables

My family made all the food. We had chicken and rib roast. On the side we had regular and sweet potatotes. We served a regular salad and a mozzarella tomato pesto salad. There were rolls on the side for salad.

I created the sign in book and table with a frame I found at a thrift store and the book I found at Aaron Brothers. I printed our engagement photos and pasted them on pages in the book for people to sign around. I also created faux mercury glass votives.

We served Nothing Bundt cake cakes and Buntinis at our wedding. The buntinis were served on a cupcake stand that was given to us by some friends. We spray painted it white, wrapped white fabric around it and ran burlap down the center of each step. The cake table was decorated with a banner I made for my bridal shower.

I made flower shoe clips for all of my bridesmaids as part of their gift from me

Many of these details I am going to be selling in my new Etsy shop AMEdetails that I will be opening by the end of the week!

All photography by Elise Lauren Photography

Reception!

2011-08-02T08:01:00.000-07:00

Our reception was magical. Everything was perfect and just the way we planned. We held our reception between our backyard and our neighbor's backyard. Most of it took place in our neighbor's yard but all the cooking and quiet was in our yard. We had my younger cousin play the saxophone and drums while everyone was eating and during the dancing. The food turned out perfect, the weather was perfect (it was supposed to be hot and windy) and everything went to schedule. To add... all the decor, flowers and set up was absolutely amazing.

All photography by Elise Lauren Photography

Ceremony

2011-08-02T07:42:00.000-07:00

The ceremony was perfect. I was sick-to-my-stomach nervous (keep in mind I was also sick the whole wedding week...) anyways I have never felt so sick before. It was nice- we did pictures before the ceremony separately (Scott didn't see me until I walked down the isle). Our priest, Father Marc, was amazing. We asked him to come down from Carroll College (where Scott and I went to school in Montana) and he brought such an amazing sense of love to the wedding. Our one mishap, well my one mishap, was that I forgot the programs! It was 5 till 2 and I was supposed to walk down the isle at 2. I had a friend run back to our house, get our programs and she made it back and passed them out in time! Ah... I was so lucky to have her do that in time.

All photography by Elise Lauren Photography

Getting Ready

2011-08-02T07:26:00.000-07:00

'Getting Ready' was a little chaotic! My family and I decided to take on a lot at my wedding (I will post soon) however, the morning of the wedding every family member had a HUGE different project going on in the house. I was decorating the tables outside with help from friends. Leah was finding places to put the cakes. Bobo was making enough pretzels for 200 (we had no idea that it wouldn't even be close enough to appetize 200). My mom was getting ready by my wonderful friend Brittany starting by 9A. Scott was hanging the big sign. My dad was cooking... cooking all the food for the wedding! Jimmy was helping out my dad and everyone else. By 10A I went to get my hair and makeup done by Britt & her friend Leah.

Then... back at the house the videographer showed up and wanted to start videoing... and I wasn't ready. We all (bridesmaids and friends) piled in my little room and tried to help me get ready. Funny side note:: The videographer wanted to do "pre-interviews" and chose to do them in our living room right next to our front door which everyone was using... so he couldn't get the noise right and we were running late tot he church. He was getting really frustrated- which got me frustrated because he wasn't making it easy or convenient on us but on himself- and it is hard to work in someone else's schedule on your wedding day. Anyways... the funny part was that my advice to Scott was "Have fun today! Love you" Hahahaha... that is all I said to Scott before I married him.

Us in my small room

All photography by Elise Lauren Photography

Rehearsal Dinner

2011-08-02T07:09:00.000-07:00

Our rehearsal dinner was held at BJ's Brewhouse. They have wonderful pizza and it is a comfortable and easy location to accommodate all of our family. Our families are not a sit-down-with-nice-folded-napkins-and-whispers kind of family... so I thought Bj's would be perfect for us. Also, it was super convenient since most of our guests were staying at the Red Rock Hotel right across the street.

All photography by Elise Lauren Photography

27 July

2011-07-27T07:02:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of Pinterest? I love it. It is probably one of those things that was like "How did I live without this?!" The best was I can describe it is that the website is like an online bulletin board. You "pin" all your favorite websites, images, recipes all into a "board" or folder and it keeps it all organized. Then when you want to go back and reference it, it is already organized and leads you straight to the website for that information- genius! Then you can look at other's and your friend's pins and re-pin them if you like it or get more ideas- it is a huge idea-fest. Well I have used it a lot recently for home ideas and recipes. One week everything I made for dinner was from pinterest. If you have folders up on your toolbar on your internet windows (like I did) or have folders on your desktop of websites saved (like I did) I recommend you get a Pinterest. It is kind of weird... you have to ask for an "invitation" but no worries... within 3 days you will have it and be pinning away! Check out all my pins!

So... I am in another book club... I may have mentioned before that my extended family on Scott's side (cousins and my in-law) all started a book club. It is my second club I am in and I love it! We call ourselves Five Wives & A Book. It is the funniest thing really. You can follow us and read along if you would like!

We are all "settled" in here. We got to North Dakota about 2 weeks ago and haven't spent a weekend here. The first weekend we went to visit some dear friends in Minnesota and this last weekend we spent it with some friends up at their lake house. We are excited to spend this weekend here and go tot he farmer's market and have a "scott & amy" weekend. We are both a little exhausted. It was funny though... when we were in Minneapolis- our friends were like "Umm... when do you have to leave??" and I looked at them and was like... hmm... "Oh wait! We have no parents telling us when we have to get back... so we can leave whenever we want!" It was a pretty funny realization for me to think that what Scott and I do is because we made the decision to do it... not because we had to be home by 5. So... we left at 6 (because of lots of confusion) and had to drive really fast to try and beat a thunderstorm (which by the way... back home thunderstorms are cool. Here thunderstorms are almost always associated with tornados... and tornados are NOT COOL!- that shit is scary!) Don't worry we beat that thunderstorm heading straight toward us by 30 minutes and that thunderstorm had 7 tornados touch down in it! Also don't worry... there were no cops out because they didn't want to be stuck in the middle of a tornado.

I just got my wedding pictures in the mail! Yay! My pictures all turned out so amazing. I will do some wedding posts soon!

Also... our home is coming together with lots of fun and once it is close to being done I will post some fun pictures of my home.

Also... I am going to open another Etsy shop... well a different one. It will have lots of fun creations in there and will let you know when that is open and up and running!

Yay for life and marriage and lots of fun!

Minneapolis

2011-07-21T15:37:00.001-07:00

Over the past weekend Scott & I went to visit some friends of ours in Minneapolis. The water is so high up here in the Midwest that driving on the interstate there were miles of these trees under water. We had lots of fun walking around 1 of the 10,000 lakes and riding rental bikes that you pick up in one location and drop off at any other location (which ps... kudos to you Minneapolis for thinking of that).

The Water Was High

2011-07-21T15:36:00.001-07:00

While we were living in Montana, all you heard people talk about was "the water is so high". Well it was high, and even as a newbie I could tell that it was probably higher then normal because trees along the banks were flooded and there were trees flowing down the river. Scott and I decided one day to do the bottom part of Sioux Charlie Lake along the river and look at how high the river was again. We were just there a week before and it was higher this second time and flooding lower parts of the trail that were dry the week before.

Stars + Stripes + Peonies

2011-07-05T10:55:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth of July!!

We hope everyone had an amazing Fourth of July... we did! To celebrate we went on a hike to a waterfall, took about 15 pictures using self timer till we got one we liked, came home to a bbq with some neighbors and she surprised me with a bouquet of peonies!!! Who new peonies grow really well here??

Happy one month to us!

Thank you to all the men and women who serve our country and gave us such a beautiful day to celebrate yesterday!

Book Reviews

2011-07-01T10:30:00.000-07:00

Yes, oh yes, I have been reading like a mad woman. I told myself I couldn't pick up any books before the wedding or else nothing would get planned and I wouldn't get through my one measly class. So... since the wedding I have read a few books (more than I thought in a month!) and joined another book club and we picked our first book. My sister bought me The Hunger Game series for a wedding gift... which Scott wasn't too thrilled about at first but really he likes the book now and feels like the gift was for both of us, when really I think it was only for me... oh well.

So... I have read my book club book the Hunger Game series.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

So at first I was not a fan of this book. Have you ever read The Catcher in the Rye? Well, I was told to read that book and didn't like it so much- yes it was cleverly written but there was nothing that really happened and that is how I kind of felt about this book at first. This book is told from a presumed autistic 15-year old genius boy. So... there is a lot of talking that leads you nowhere. However, there was a story and a good one at that. It wasn't too hard to follow and I found it extremely interesting looking at a world through a little boy's perspective. It makes me think and realize that everyone has different perspectives and those perspectives are important to respect, no matter what the age. I would recommend this book if you are looking for a good story to read and a cleverly written novel.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Finally!! I have had a chance to get sucked into this series that I have been putting off for a long time. This book is a fantastic book and amazingly written. Suzanne does an amazing job at describing things and leaving you on a cliff hanger at the end of every chapter. I am happy that this is not an unrealistic love story to get trapped into like The Twilight series (yes those were good books but these have so. much. more. substance to them!) I would describe this story as a futuristic description of life in North America without all the stereotypical futuristic stuff. A story of love and survival during the sick and twisted hunger games (which was designed to remind people to not rebel). The characters are identifiable, the lifestyles can still be seen around us and a book you won't be able to put down.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

I was very anxious to start reading this book, since it follows Hunger Games. It is a much different story than the first, as most are, but I was very happy with it. After finishing it, I found myself constantly pondering the beginning, middle and end and trying to tie everything together. I can't decide which one (the first or second in the series) that I like best, but I know that this story was much more interesting with twists that I never saw coming. Don't pick this one up without reading the first! Because honestly who would do that??

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

So I finished this book last night and it was absolutely marvelous. I am sad that the series is over... it was a wonderful story. I think it passes my favorite in Twilight Series... but Harry Potter still holds the favorite. This book was the closing of the series and to tell you the truth I think she ended it perfect. She had been setting up the ending (without you knowing it) from the middle of the book which is what I think is needed for a good ending. It is sad to think (and realize) how, as humans, we justify the killing of others and this book, for me, definitely made me think about it. This story is packed full of twists and turns and usual lots of unexpected things happening, as expected and I loved every second of it.

The 4th of June 2011

2011-06-30T14:58:00.000-07:00

So yay! My wedding pictures are up! I haven't gotten my disk yet so I stole these pictures straight from Elise's sight... so once I get the disk I will put more up. Scott and I both couldn't be happier with our pictures and such an amazing photographer. We got so many compliments the day of about how sweet and efficient she was... and no one even saw the pictures yet! I would absolutely recommend her to anyone who wants the true feeling of their event captured and not just posed pictures- all her pictures turned out so beautiful. We will most definitely be flying her out to any other event we needs pictures taken at. Thanks again Elise!

In another post also... I'll show everything I made for the wedding. There was lots of fun work that went into my wedding and I am so happy and proud of how it turned out.

Here is the link to the blog post on Elise's sight & here is the link to view/order the rest. You can also access the view/order the rest link on her sight at the very bottom of the pictures. There are lots of fun ones to flip through!

My Outfit...

2011-06-29T12:55:00.000-07:00

I'm honored... really. I have had two people ask about my outfit I wore to my sister's graduation and am so thrilled that people like it enough to ask about it! You may be disappointed to find out where it all came from and how old my clothes are... but here you go

My top: is a $5 find from Urban Outfitters years ago

My skirt: is a maxi dress I found at Buffalo Exchange years ago that I turned/wrapped into a skirt

My belt: is worn backwards and was from Macy's a couple years ago

I am not wearing heels because at this time I packed them all up for Scott to take so I am wearing flats from Francesca's

Bobo's dress is a dress I made from a much longer and uglier dress I bought at Buffalo Exchange for $5. Just shortened it up.

Rummikub + No Service

2011-06-29T12:44:00.000-07:00

So I have officially started my move into my new life. After Bobo's graduation my mom drove me + herself + Bobo + as much stuff as I could fit into her car up to Montana. First we stopped in Salt Lake for a day to visit my sister and brother (which was so much fun- lots of grocery shopping and we ate at a place on Diners Drive-Ins and Dives) and then continued on our way up. We took the long way through Yellowstone Park to Montana (which was oh so beautiful but oh so long) and eventually made it up to Montana after 9-10 hours. My mom got to spend about five days in Montana and Bobo stayed for a little longer (which was absolutely wonderful). We all had so much fun and it was nice to ease into the "leaving your family" part of life I have now entered. Today officially marks my first day of "summer"... my first day with nothing I have to do. I got to read all day (and when I say read all day I mean read from 8A till 4:30P and finish a book) and make my favorite dinner for my favorite person.

First we went to Yellowstone (and saw some buffalo that almost charged me in the car):

Then we spent some time at Scott's Family's cabin:

Hey you dang woodchucks! Quit chucking my wood!

Then we drove the Beartooth Highway between Montana & Wyoming:

The hight of the snow behind us is at least 20 feet tall (in June!)

Then we went on a horseback ride:

Bobo got to ride Chuck (symbolic for so many different reasons)

Then we went on a hike to Sioux Charlie Lake:

4 kids in 5 years

2011-06-14T20:51:00.000-07:00

and we are all graduated...

can you tell I like florals??

Class of 2011

2011-06-14T20:47:00.000-07:00

Bobo graduated today! Yes... little baby Bobo. It was such a beautiful day and we had so much fun going to Yogurtland after and the most delicious dinner (which I will write more about later)...

Wedding Video

2011-06-13T19:56:00.000-07:00

A trailer of our wedding video by Adam Zielinski, our videographer.

Holga Honeymoon.

2011-06-13T17:39:00.000-07:00

So... funny story. Scott and I decided to get each other a gift for our wedding... (mine was going to be a holga camera we both talked about wanting since we met our photographer for our engagements and a pair of cuff links). Well my birthday comes about 2 weeks before we got married and not only did he buy me a holga camera but the same. exact. camera. in the same. exact. color. as his wedding gift. Ha! So... I took his back and kept mine and of we went shooting pictures. I had great aspirations for the first roll... on there was my birthday pictures and all this stuff. If you don't know now... let me tell you: Holgas are hard to use for first-timers and new photographers. They have a steep learning curve. Don't take important pictures when learning to use a holga. So... we ruined the first roll of film and over exposed it twice. So... on the second roll we were extra careful watching youtube videos and making sure we know how to open and close the camera and wind & rewind the film. We were never sure if we took the lens cover off so we have doubles and triples of the same pictures to make sure we got the shot... the taking pictures part is for the next roll of learning: the zoom, lens cap, double exposures. So here are some pictures that turned out from our honeymoon roll...

Santa Barbara, CA

2011-06-11T08:05:00.000-07:00

Our wedding was so amazing (with so many great details) but I am going to chat about our Honeymoon first!

Scott decided to surprise me up until the week of to where we were going (which was ok with me because that way I didn't have to hear a lot of input about it). We both decided that we wanted to go somewhere near and would rather not fly. We also decided to not leave till Monday (which was the best decision we could have made). My parents lent us their car for the week and we headed to California. It was June Gloom... but we didn't care. Santa Barbara was the best for us: we had nothing we had to do, we made our owen schedule, we ate whenever and wherever we felt like and had the perfect time. We both also agreed we would have like more of a beach instead of a harbor but everything turned out amazing.

The first day we got there it was toward the evening and pretty much went right to bed.

Tuesday was a nice sunny day. We walked around town (a huge shopping street State Street) where there was a Farmer's Market and we walked the pier...

On State Street we found Epic Bowl... only the most delicious acai bowls. I have been craving these since I last stepped foot in Hawaii. They were no where near as good but they sure hit the spot.

We ate dinner at this restaurant on the pier that was half indoors and half outdoors. So naturally we decided to eat outside and watch the dolphins, diving birds and seals until the pigeons started pecking at Scott's feet and bombarding us so we moved inside (and were totally disgusted) and watched from the windows while we ate our bar food: burgers and fish-and-chips.

Wednesday was a travel day. We went to see the Santa Barbara Mission (founded in the 1700s by the Mexican missionaries) which was about a 5 minute drive from us and then went to the "1000-stair staircase"...

The Mission:

The largest fig tree we have ever seen

One Thousand Steps Staircase:

(it was no where near a thousand steps)

Dinner at the Sandbar Mexican Restaurant:

(the story of my life... if there is a TV near by Scott is watching it)

Thursday was another relaxing day. It was a serious day of June Gloom... so we did whatever we wanted again all. day. long (including another acai bowl and a trip to the spa)...

Friday we woke up early and drove home to a pizza party! We were so excited to be back to some home cooked food (in my opinion my favorite my family cooks) and had a nice and fun night.

Happy Honeymoon to us!

The Reality Of my Life...

2011-06-03T08:12:00.000-07:00

Right now is so fun. I am loving everything but I need to write it down so I remember it.

Listening to one of my all time favorite songs right now
Went to buy the wine and it came out soo cheap! Then we realized they didn't charge us for 2 cases so we called them back and paid them
Today is Friday... I get married tomorrow
I have been real sick: a sinus infection that turned into a cough and now I don't have a voice
We have such an amazing group of friends in our wedding. We are so lucky. They all flew out yesterday, we hung out by the pool, laughed and had the most amazing time. My dad cooked dinner and by the end of the night we were all jamming out to the speaker with bongos and some very entertaining dancing and playing. Everyone left by midnight and I went to bed with a smile on my face thanking the Lord for every blessing that was around yesterday.
Today is going to be so much fun... I get pampered and my nails done at 9 (which a bad day and time but oh well), my dress will be done, then a party tonight with all my closest girl friends and later with all the guys swimming.

Oh I am blessed!

I am a hot mix of emotions...

2011-05-23T10:39:00.000-07:00

I have to admit the wedding, as of today, is starting to get to me. Just today it hit me. It is in less than 2 weeks and I have so much to do. I know I will get it all done this week so that I can enjoy the Memorial Day party this Sunday but ya.

So... I took my dress in to "build" a shall or straps or whatever for it. Well the lady said "I can not swing it". I was like... ok... Thank you though. Time for my mom and I to build it! Here we go! It will be easy, the hard part will be coming up with a pattern but once we do it it will be done.

Going through what else has to be paid for and bought and holy cow... we have some more big purchases and our budget is dwindling. I am a little worried. During a wedding you just keep spending so much money, it is absolutely crazy.

I think I am also spending money because Scotty is taking me away from here to a place that there is no malls (unless you are talking about Gap) and the nearest one is 4 hours away- so to compensate I have been taking full advantage of my home town and all the amazing stores and deals and sales and probably buying more than I need.

(I recently heard you aren't supposed to do more than one big thing a year: like don't get married and move). Ha! I laughed at myself when I heard that. Not only and I getting married (and planning the wedding by myself) but I am moving twice in a 2 month period: first to Montana for a month and then to North Dakota. I really am a whirlwind of emotions and I have no idea how I am going to deal with it or cope- maybe just curl up on the river in a chair and escape into about 6 books I want to read. I also am dreading saying bye to my family, friends and pets (as you can tell in my previous post- I will miss Charlee dearly and probably cry over it too, oh no here come the tears).

I am not only stressing about the wedding... but about packing for the honeymoon- which really just needs some sun dresses and a bathing suit- but about packing my whole room and fitting it into my mom's car. YIKES!

But... the good thing is Scotty is going to be here in a couple hours and he will be put to work while I worry about everything else: he will get a small taste for the next couple weeks of what I have done for over the last year :]

The wedding is almost here... please pray that everything will turn out amazing!

Charlee

2011-05-22T19:38:00.000-07:00

I'm gonna miss this little feline (along with my pups). But mainly Charlee because I love her so so much. Her and I have grown so close and have a fun routine. I have to part with her for (no longer) than a year and then I will have my baby back.

She likes to crawl into things (especially when I need them)... like here I am most likely packing and she cuddles up in them and then plays with you

Hiding under the covers and attacking your hand like you are a toy.

Napping on linens. Whenever I am working anywhere... she will always find me and lay on top of anything. It is seriously so cute.

Always finding a place to hide and take a nap on top of my stuff... my laundry basket.

I was tying my invitations for the wedding and there was an extra string. Well she took it in her mouth and seriously carried it around with her like it was her baby. Then she would stop now and then play with it.

I was looking for her one night and found her in the garage napping on my mom's car.

Here I am making paper flowers for the wedding (just wait for the surprise- they are gonna be so cool!) and she came right in and laid on top of them. Love her.

Charlee & Sadie napping in the sunlight.

Everyone says that when I leave she gets depressed and it makes me so sad. I her so much and have been telling her for a couple months now that I have to leave for a little while. Hopefully she understands and then I can take her away with me in a year when we move.

As of late...

2011-05-22T19:23:00.000-07:00

Well not even as of late, almost as of forever this is what our dining room looks like and my parents absolutely hate it. I have taken over the dining room as my craft/wedding/office room. Lots of projects going on (which most are done). They are excited for the wedding- for multiple reasons but mainly because this room will be clean.

Rain

2011-05-22T19:20:00.000-07:00

Remember how I said it was raining the other day... well it was really raining and I loved it!

Timeline

2011-05-18T19:11:00.000-07:00

Timelines are everywhere in my life right now (partly because I like to be organized and know what is coming up) well ok... I really really like lists. But is swear I am not trying to micromanage or over control things though...

I made a time line for the day of the wedding
I made a time line for the week of the wedding (there is a lot of pre-wedding stuff to do)
I have a to-do list for what needs to get done before that week of & during that week
There is a running time line in my mind for when we get married: 17 days!
and of course there is a running time line for when I get to see Scotty... 9 days!
I am done with school tomorrow and then can go buy the next book I want to read (yay!)
And then there is a countdown till my birthday... 6 days! What... how did I forget yesterday that my birthday was in a week?? I guess there are bigger things on my mind
Bobo graduates in 27 days... I am so excited for her.

Everything is coming together and I am so excited. I pick up my dress on Friday and finish up some last minute things and then bam! we are married. I remember it being last March and I already had my bridesmaid dresses picked out before we were engaged (even though I had no idea that he was proposing). I remember it being over Christmas break and me trying to figure out as many details as possible (including Red Rock rooms) because pretty soon when I got home it was a week from February and we were to get married in 4 months. I remember March & April and finally being relieved that I found my dress. I remember in April flipping though my calendar counting back the weeks trying to figure out how many weeks i should take off before the wedding... I decided to go less then I initially planned and this past week or two I haven't had to work has been super busy- except for today was a nice lazy and rainy day. And now I am talking to vendors about timelines and making shopping lists for food and alcohol and only having two pages to flip past till our wedding week (2 pages=2 weeks) and realizing OHMYGOSH! I remember having to flip though 10 pages till the wedding week was upon us. Its so crazy that it is almost here!

2011-05-17T20:04:00.000-07:00

Today I had such a great day. Shopping with Brittany & Hudson and then some yummy lunch at Yardhouse. Popcorn Girl with my sister. A good nap and watching of the Cooking Channel. Meeting at the church with Elise to finalize music. Lots of emails and then hanging out and chatting with Chloe & Ryder & Diane about wedding stuff.

holy cow... 18 DAYS LEFT!

Book Reviews

2011-05-16T17:57:00.000-07:00

Book Review: This book was a wonderful story. I really enjoyed this story from the very beginning. It was a whirlwind of events that happened and didn't stop till the end. A wonderful love story involving a boy who runs from home after a tragic incident and ends up on a circus train. He is hired on as the veterinarian and falls in love with the beautiful star of the show.

Movie Review: The movie was really good... but I think as I was watching it I was too critical of comparing it to the book. They left out some good details (which they always do right?) and switched some thing around that didn't need to be switched. I think that Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson did a great job.

This book was fascinating and had me with my jaw dropped. I majored in biology and have never heard of this lady. I called my friend who, at the time, was doing research at University of Michigan and I asked her if she knew of Henrietta Lacks... she said no. I asked if she ever heard of HeLa cells.... and she said 'Oh Ya!' I use them everyday. I was absolutely astounded...

This book is about a black woman named Henrietta Lacks whose cancer cells were 'stolen' and the first ever human cells to be cultured in a laboratory. The book is written so fantastically that you forget that you are reading a true story. The book opens up first describing the cells and how Henrietta dealt with her cancer and how it developed. Then the book opens up into how the cells spread across the medical world. The book closes with the last section about her family and how they are coping with the information. I won't lie, the first and second parts of the book had me on the edge of my seat, I could not put the book down and was so impressed with the writing of the book. The last part of the book stretched out a little bit but it was a good closure.

A funny story that left me thinking... Holy cow, these people really let me into their lives. At first I thought it was funny, then it took an unexpected twist which left me feeling sorry for the couple, and then felt like it got really personal really fast. I was initially taken aback, and a little uncomfortable (because I didn't agree with some of their choice of words and decisions) but then reminded myself that I chose to read this book and should take it as their story. I have no right to judge them... I could easily just close the book but instead took on my new attitude and kept reading and actually enjoyed it. A good and honest love story... but have an open mind when reading it.

This book keeps you from the first time you open the book. All the chapters are very short and filled with huge events that happen in the book. I won't lie and say that I didn't put this book down... because I did. I stopped reading for a little while because I knew the story was only going to get worse for a little while, that the story couldn't get better. From when I started reading (against my will) back in -I think- the 4th grade... Holocaust books have always had a place in my heart, brought tears to my eyes and never left me thinking that the story wasn't a good story.

This book is about the round up of Jewish families (including children) in France in July of 1942. It is the intertwining and connecting story of a little girl and her connection to a modern day family and big secret. A wonderful love story that keeps you between the little girl, her family and the modern day journalist.

This is the book I took a break with when I was reading Sarah's Key. My fellow book club member, Heather, told me to read this quick so we could see the movie before she left for Europe... we never saw the movie but I am sure excited to see the movie & read the author's sequel. This book keeps you from the first chapter and I am sure happy that an author finally started the book off in the first chapter. No building up of characters, no waiting till the middle of the book for the typical "climax"... no, chapter one hits you and you are like "Oh Shoot!" I can't put this book down because I have to find out what happens.

This love story is so wonderful... it is one of the couple books I have read ahead in to find out what was going to happen. A twisted story between and over-showding friend and the love-of-your-life that you never let your self love all within the time line of the wedding!

2011-05-11T20:12:00.000-07:00

Its coming down to the wire and everyone is high tension around here. This past weekend there has been a lot of people coming and going through the house because Leah & Jimmy's fraternity & sorority are having a Lake Mead week... so about 30 extra people stayed here Saturday- Tuesday.

The wedding is almost upon us... and finals week is next week... and my birthday is in 13 days (which I have a feeling will be forgotten)... and Scott will be here soon after that (thank God)... and Bobo's graduation is after the wedding (so exciting)... its all crazy. I will post another post soon... right now I am a little too stressed out to write anything real positive remembering that I have an exam tomorrow and there is a little fight everyday in my life recently.

Be back soon.

I'm so excited...

2011-05-05T21:16:00.000-07:00

. To be done working. Yes, I don't like my job (well actually it is a pretty sweet job if you don't like to work) but I have checked out and just don't like babysitting adults or picking up wet towels anymore... gross!
. To get married. Yes it is coming soon... It was a month from yesterday- but honestly I don't know if that is 30 days or not. haha Scott keeps track of the days but not me... it just reminds me how quick it is coming and how much I have to do
. To start checking things off my list that have been on there for awhile. I have lots of lists and lots of things to do- most of which aren't really a big deal (a lot of crafts) but still I love doing things so I can check things off
. To see my family in 2 days or so! They come in this weekend and love seeing them! yay!
. To see all our family and friends for the wedding. I know it is going to be hard to enjoy the wedding- I know it is going to just fly by so fast- I kind of wish everyone was staying longer, or that it wasn't my wedding for the sole reason it wouldn't fly by!
. To decorate a home. I just have all these ideas in my mind of ways I am going to make Scott and I's home and am so excited. I am not going to over decorate anything or do too much (I think Scott is scared I am going to buy a TON of things)... no no. We have all the big pieces- it will really just be picture frames here and there and some new linens. yay!
. To read read read. I love my book club right now (just me and Heather) and have soo many books I want to read. We are going to still skype and have a book club even when I move... but still there are so many good books out there and I just want to read them all. I don't think I have ever reread a book and I think my rationalization is why? there are soo many other books to read.

This is what I hear...

2011-05-03T18:49:00.001-07:00

Every single time I ask for advice about the wedding or a question...

"Well we gave you the money right? Spend it how you want to"

Make Your Own Royal Dress

2011-04-29T07:47:00.000-07:00

Obviously Catherine Middleton's dress is absolutely beautiful designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen.

So... make your own::

One J.Crew Dress

Plus a lace bodice

(or a short sleeve one for the summer time)

... and you will look like the beautiful Kate Middleton!

Wedding Stumble #3... I think?

2011-04-27T20:29:00.000-07:00

So... I am having THE. hardest time picking out music for my wedding. Our DJ gave us "get to know you" form to fill out and basically says pick out songs for every step you take. Ya... cake cutting? Um, I have no idea what song I want to listen to. Basically, I was telling my sister today... its like "OK, tell us the feel of what you want for every single part of your reception"... & I can't tell you what I want the feel to be unless I am feeling it at the time. Plus... I am horrible with music in my general life- yes horrible. I don't know artists, names of songs, barely the words. I usually listen to the feel of the music but could never put words to it.... so I am stuck. I don't doubt my DJ an am really happy with him but I just don't know what to put down on the form- I guess we will figure it out.

My check list is getting smaller! and any of you who know me... know I LOVE making check lists and checking things off them.
Invitations: done and mailed... all but one
Rentals: ordering on Thursday
Dress: In! yay! Time to go try it on on Thursday or Friday
Master List: Done... all but 2 phone numbers
Balance Vendors: on Thursday
Day of timeline: started... kinda stuck on this one too
Bridesmaid Dresses: All in & done!

All I Can Say...

2011-04-25T10:02:00.000-07:00

Is these are the best. The BBQ ones are Sweet & Spicy... mmmm

What a cool idea!

2011-04-24T19:50:00.000-07:00

So... as I was casually browsing through the Jcrew website... I came across this. I love the idea of having your wedding dress dyed black to wear again and again! I mean you can try and save it for your kids (but really it discolors no matter what you do) or you can give it away (but sad), so why not wear it again in a different color?!

Back when...

2011-04-23T20:48:00.000-07:00

My cousin came to town for my bridal shower we went to Egg Works and to Costco. We had the most delicious breakfast at Egg Works and then went to Costco to print some pictures. At Costco there were these amazing chairs that gave massages and Katelyn and Bobo enjoyed themselves...

Bridal Shower

2011-04-23T20:44:00.000-07:00

I had such a wonderful bridal shower. Everything turned out absolutely beautiful. I am so blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful people. We had such wonderful food- Katelyn, Bobo and I had a huge baking party and camille and Bobo made some delicious cupcakes! Here are some pictures from my day...

my new favorite...

2011-04-19T12:38:00.000-07:00

Home Design Blog. Now that the wedding is about a month away (holy cow)... I have been obsessed with design blogs, specifically home design blogs. I haven't been able to stop thinking about what I am going to do to Scott & I's home when I get up there. I found this blog and anyone looking for a little inspiration should check it out.

Jones Design Company

She has cute pleated invitation ideas

A tutorial of a bunny she made for her kids for Easter via martha

& How-to painted wall paper

dreams

2011-04-19T07:44:00.000-07:00

So... I have the weirdest dreams. I went to write it down right now and forgot it!!! What?! I know. Anyways I do remember the way it ended... I was at someone's house and they couldn't get past a certain level on Super Mario Brothers (the Ghost House where there is a blue door and you have to fly up really high with all the ghosts around you who sometimes hurt you). Well I was playing it and then all of a sudden I was in it! Yes, I was one of the brothers... and so it basically took me a few times to beat it because I have never played from that perspective but I beat the level and then my cat meowed at the door in real life and woke me up.

Please don't try to decode my dreams... I promise NONE of them make sense. (One time I had a dream that a tidal wave came while I was on a beach, and then all of a sudden it was a bounce house tidal wave (still ginormous) but made of plastic bounce house material... and then I was in a tractor driving out of the plastic, ginormous tidal wave. Ya I told you my dreams were WEIRD!

Invisible man

2011-04-16T19:43:00.000-07:00

Can you find him??

Chinese artist Liu Bolin camouflages himself into any surroundings with paint. It can take him up to 10 hours for a single shot.

Via Catbird

MM & a SPOILER ALERT

2011-04-14T19:22:00.000-07:00

I had a minor melt down today. Can you tell by my last two posts that it was coming?? Well here, I am going to write it out so that I can get over it and realize that its really all not that important.

My invitations came in... and the picture is blurry. It is a kind of expensive fix that I don't think I am going to fix, but may- just hold the picture far away and it will be fine. I attached a clear one up above- SPOILER ALERT
Other people are telling me their problems with the wedding and I felt bad I couldn't help but wanted to but realized I am having my own bad day- sorry.
I got no support over here! Can you help a brother out??
My excel sheet is not transferring very well to my word document so it is making it very inconvenient to print upwards of 200 invitations.
I miss the days of being in high school and getting a spring break and not having a job

... ok now I am just adding to the list of things. But really when I get stressed out I craft. So I watercolored (it is the trendy thing to do) and am making a new set of cards. & my great friend Brittany offered me her coffee table and I instantly said YES! without asking Scott... woops... sign to come?? No I am kidding he will love it, we have been on a look out for one and why not an amazing one that a friend is gifting to you?? Ya he will hopefully be down for it. & Hope you are all jealous that my sister is in love with cooking (like so in love she got a blender for Christmas and I have never seen anyone so happy to receive a present like that in my life) and she is making banana bread. She will most likely post it on her blog OPEN YOUR OVEN

Also funny... MM could stand or minor meltdown... or mini-moon. I will pick Mini-moon because that is what Scott and I are planning tonight and making our reservations. yay! for us! Hope ya'll are getting excited to come to our wedding and have an amazing time!!

2011-04-13T22:17:00.000-07:00

Ugh... I feel like everything in my life right now is some how related to a competition. (Most likely implied by me- but still)

Pros for today: got invitations in the mail, got postcards numbered & stamped, trying to figure out how to tie them all together, almost got my tax return all done (yes 1 day before it is due), took a bath full of lots of love from Lush, easy day at work & my highlight: Charlee was hilarious tonight carrying around a string in her mouth everywhere she went.

2011-04-08T21:54:00.000-07:00

I have, joyfully mind you, attempted a lot of stuff to make for my wedding. But... I am a little tired of making the same thing 20, 25 or 60 times over. Also realize that I have not even started to wrap, stuff or print my envelopes for my invitations. Oh my! the repetition is killing me... Good thing I have my trusty craft partner Charlee, but she isn't so useful since she lacks opposable thumbs and a short attention span for human things. So... if you are feelin bored any night of the week and wanna help out give me a holla! Hopefully it all pays off in the end and I can resell everything in my Etsy store- that is honestly the only thing that is encouraging me to keep going on with these crafts.

oh ya...

2011-04-08T20:46:00.000-07:00

I am going to order one of these for Scott & I's home too...

Jamie Shelman

Our Engagements...

2011-04-07T19:42:00.000-07:00

Were so much fun!! We were really nervous, and well I was really nervous because our last engagements, well they turned out well, but they didn't scream "Scott & Amy". So... when we picked up Elise at the airport at 6:30 AM and went straight to Red Rock and started shooting we had so much fun and I was so relieved. After this time with her it makes me so excited to have her here for the wedding and I don't have to worry about if the pictures will turn out wonderful or not. Here are some of my favorites...

Elise Lauren Photography

Side note... I just figured out how to "update" my blogger so I have center options and font options and am so incredibly excited about it! Wait for more eye pleasing posts

my cravings...

2011-04-05T22:04:00.000-07:00

So. I gave up cheese for a little while and it is hard!!
Right now I am craving Cheese on a Stick from Hot Dog on a Stick... ya it sounds weird but it is really just a grilled cheese.
& I want some yogurt land because I gave up sweets and that is pretty much the only thing close to sweets I can eat.

Allergies

2011-04-04T08:10:00.001-07:00

I have got allergies bad.
I work outside and I think that it is the silliest decision I could make.
I only get burned in the sun and my face (& esp. my eyes) just burn from the stuff that those flowers up above make
Even with an allergy pill in the morning, it doesn't get me through the day.
I went to get tested for allergies and my doc said "Yep, you are allergic to everything that blooms here in Nevada"

If anyone else has allergies I am sorry and know you are not alone.

2011-03-30T20:44:00.001-07:00

I'm tired, and frankly, kind of sick of today. I hate when I get like that... because I think that each day should be truly treasured. Work was hot, long and there was lots of injuries and an almost drowning and ugh... just over whelming. I don't like how I have a really good day and usually the day after is a crummy one... I never plan on it happening but it always seems to. Yesterday was a great day! I got to see my engagements (which I am so happy with & and absolutely love) & got my thank you notes in the mail (which turned out soo cute!). So today being difficult at work, coming home starving and food not fulfilling me- p.s. don't you hate when that happens?, and miscommunication putting a dent in my day... I am ready to curl up with my book and fall asleep.

PS I hate... almost more than anything I have discovered so far... going back on my word. I discovered it makes me absolutely sick to let someone down that I already told them that things were on, and leaves a HUGE elephant sized knot in my stomach for days. I had to do this three times within the last two days and I am so incredibly sorry to anyone effected- big or small- flower lady or pretzel recipe. Each of these times I let someone down was not my choice but someone else's choice and I hate how my feelings, and frankly this knot in my belly, gets jerked around like a rag doll.

Also, since I am down, one last thing... Every time I see and snuggle Charlee it reminds me and makes me so sad (almost to crying) that I am going to have to leave her for a year- I know kind of pathetic. The way I describe Charlee to people is that "she saved my life" and people look at me like I am crazy... like maybe she dragged me from a burning building or something. Well no, not physically but emotionally she did. I don't want to leave her at all... we have a routine, and things are perfect right now (except Scotty is missing).. but still I don't want to leave her.

Ok the sad stories are over. Bring on the new day full of love and sunshine.

Decorating...

2011-03-28T20:57:00.000-07:00

So... I have been checking out different things to decorate Scott & I's apartment and here are some things I love & most likely buy soon...

Pillows, Tree magnets, Great Minds, I carry You In my Heart, Sailboat Fabric (That I want to frame), Today Is the Day, You Are Good
and this I want to put up in my baby's room... when I have a baby

"That's me!"

2011-03-27T09:14:00.001-07:00

So... my sister, cousin and I were looking at the Toms website and Bobo goes "Hey! That's me!" and Katelyn goes "No, it isn't... you can't be there"... and Bobo goes... "Yes it is! Look!". We thought it was so cool that she was featured on the Toms website under "How we wear them" and boom, there she is.

NASCAR

2011-03-23T19:04:00.000-07:00

So... This year was my first time to ever go to NASCAR. My family decided to start going pretty much every year after I moved out to go to school so I never had a chance. I Loved everything about it... it was so much fun
What to expect: lots of people wearing Miller Light Pajamas, lots of loud noise (we were on the inside track right up against the fence where the cars drive by), a neon garage (where you get to see the mechanics work the cars and sometimes the drivers) & lots of red neck people- hey! I'm not judging, I was one of them that weekend. Kasey Kahne is our favorite & defiantly the best looking out on that track. Some of these pictures show how close we actually were. Here is a picture overload:

On my mind...

2011-03-22T08:36:00.000-07:00

Parties:
I would rather throw them then go to them. We are in the process of getting ready for my bridal shower and I just want to plan everything and do it all as if it were for someone else... but its mine. I would be the best bridesmaid. My mom is having a hard time "throwing" this party with my aunt- usually we throw parties for 150 with cut watermelon and no placentas or any attention to detail. A lot of the talk at our parties is small talk and its just, obviously, not the same... so that means I get to (kinda) be involved. I guess to get down to the point- I would rather throw it then have it for me.

Jetsetter Vacay:
So there is this website called Jetsetter, incase you have never heard. It is an extension of Gilt. Jetsetter has "sales" on different vacation places across the world. Scott & I have kind of discovered that they aren't always cheaper but it is nice because it shows you options to hotels and places that aren't always the big name-brand hotels if you will... then from there, since you have a name, you can go find the hotel and find another deal. Anyways... I love the site. There is lots of beautiful places (like Italy, South America, Mexico, Canada, New York, California) that you can stay at for like $1000 a week. Scott & I are trying to find our honeymoon destination on there and actually it has been kind of fun. Its kind of like a game that is like... okay... Whats up this week? Do we want to go there? We aren't thinking of going far but it is fun to look at the different places with lots of good pictures. Plus there are reviews... and I love reading reviews- & pros and cons so you know what you are getting into before you go.

Respect:
This has always been a big one for me. If people would just respect each other I bet there would be 98% less problems. Then, though, you realize respect is different for everyone. Like my great aunt... you respect your elders NO MATTER WHAT- even if that means she smokes over your cookies and drops ashes on them, you don't ask them to stop. Then there is the rule of thumb... you always respect your parents- which I agree with. Well I think everyone and everything deserves a good amount of respect... to be treated right and their opinion to be listened to and reason to be involved. I also think respect stops when abuse is involved... whether physical or verbal. No matter who the respect is between, I lose respect at that moment if I am involved with abuse. Then I forgive.

God's Perspective:
You know its funny... we usually only think in one perspective: ours. Well its even harder to think from another person's perspective, especially when we are upset. I personally love hearing another person's perspective- it is so interesting. Its even harder to look at a situation and think... hmmm what is God's perspective?? Am I supposed to learn from this somehow? Am I a hand in God's plan for someone else? You know how we may pray for patience and then God provides a situation for us to be patient instead of commanding patience upon us... I think that is always important to remember. Maybe the situation we are in is an opportunity for us to practice what we have prayed for. For me, looking at a situation from God's perspective always calms my heart and helps me no longer be upset... because then I realize it isn't about me. Everything in this world, even in my life, is not about me.

20 grams of fiber a day? Okay!:
So... I saw ans idea about getting more fiber a day... and thought hey! I could use that full feeling more often than the hungry feeling and then thought why not try and get 20 g of fiber a day? I haven't officially started this quest but am thinking about it. I need to do more research about different options with fiber in it and then will incorporate it into my life.

That's it... that is pretty much all the things I am thinking about. Besides Scott & my week with him last week and that this last time was our last break! Yay! x millions! & the fact that this weekend is my bridal shower and my cousin comes in 2 days! yay! & I will blog about everything real soon: Nascar, Scotty, Bridal shower.

Off to OPH to meet a very good friend for breakfast