A M E R I K E N N A

animals

2012-03-06T23:33:00.002-07:00

Every time I see this picture, I about die from cute overload. What a sweet little kitty! I love how animals have their own personalities, just like people.

Other cute overloads: a sneezing baby panda, mommy kitty snuggling with her little one, a little guy afraid to go down the stairs, and a teacup piggy in little boots.

Lurve,

M

take your shower, shine your shoes

2012-03-05T21:36:00.001-07:00

The Way I Feel by the Zombies

Little Bird, Little Bird by Elizabeth Mitchell

Pain in My Heart by Otis Redding

Daylight by Matt and Kim

Black Night by the Dodos

Overdue by the Get Up Kids

The General by Dispatch

Lurve,

the change

2012-03-04T22:05:00.000-07:00

I love playing around with things on my phone, computer, etc. ESPECIALLY pictures. Except when I really like pictures, I tend to keep them for a really long time. The picture above (mentioned in this post) has been my screensaver for forever on my phone. I should just change it and move on to a new obsession.....but it's just so darn cute that I have a hard time doing it.

It's comical how comfortable we get with certain things in our life, and how bored we get of others. D just got accepted into a graduate program (hooray!), but it means that we will no longer be able to live in the same place once we graduate and summer is over. I've been having a hard time dealing with it, even though I've repeatedly hit many "walls" this semester (senioritis is not a joke, people). I've gotten so used to the daily grind that imagining what it will be like to have something very different is both scary and exciting. I will have to look for another job, and that is also something scary and new.

It's amazing that some people can have absolute faith that everything is going to end up being okay. We're not in trouble or anything of the sort, but just telling myself that everything is going to be alright doesn't do it for me. I'm a worrier by nature, and I'm never truly done worrying until whatever I'm worrying about is over. I need to work on being able to take a leap of faith into the future.

It's the hard-knock life for worrywarts.

Anywho, we'll see how this next year goes. I still can't believe the end of my undergraduate degree is in sight, and that I'll be applying to grad schools next year.

On a side note, I'm very proud of my husband for getting in.

ALSO, this is the first week of my photography class. I apologize in advance if this blog suffers from the attempts I make along the way to improve my photography skills.

You're all troopers.

Lurve,

M

what i like about you

2012-02-29T19:28:00.001-07:00

I saw this post from Delightfully Tacky, and decided that I was going to copycat it and have a Myspace/Facebook post. Except I changed the format of Delighfully Tacky's post for this once-every-four-years leap day. Sooooo here you go! Instead of 11 random things and 11 questions, there are 2 random things and 9 questions I've answered (get it? 2....and 9.....29? I'm so clever, I know).

2 random things about moi

1. I am not very ticklish (after typing this, I immediately thought of this quote from Demetri Martin). I guess I was when I was younger, but whenever D tries to tickle me, he only succeeds in getting a reflex action. However, I say that with full knowledge that my mother could probably prove me wrong. But overall, no. Not ticklish.

2. I used to read sci-fi books like crazy, but now I really like reading classic novels. I'm not a fan of all of them (sorry Wuthering Heights and Robinson Crusoe), but I gained a much better appreciation for them when I took an English class in high school where we would read and discuss classic literature. My teacher was amazing, and I remember reading As I Lay Dying and hating it, only to turn around and proclaim it one of my favorite books later. I was already in love with books, but that teacher broadened my view forever.

In case you're reading, thanks again Mrs. Simmons!

9 questions

1. If money, schooling, or time was no obstacle, what career would you choose?

I am happy to say that I would choose exactly what I'm doing now. I love what I am studying, and I hope that I will be able to use my knowledge to help others in the near future. If I got to have multiple careers, I would also be a photographer and a part-time writer for a magazine (preferably Vogue). I enjoy medicine and science, but I also have an appreciation for fashion, writing, photos, art, etc. that would be fun to explore a career in.

2. What's the one thing you look forward to every day?

Cuddling with D at night. Honestly. It's the most fantastic thing in the world. Some nights we stay up and talk for an hour or two after we've gone to bed. He makes me laugh every night, and it's great to go to bed and wake up with a smile because I'm married to the coolest guy in the world.

3. What is your number-one, all-time favorite blog?

Cup of Jo. She's a great person, inside and out, and I love her blog because her personality shines through it. I also think she's a var classy lady.

4. Biggest online pet peeve?

Negative feedback. If you don't agree with something or don't like something, that's fine. But if saying it to someone else online initiates an argument or causes hurt feelings, isn't it better to keep it to yourself? I also dislike how often this negativity occurs on Facebook and Blogger. People become so rude, and in no way consider how the things they say will effect the other person. Be kind! It's so much better.

5. What is your all-time favorite book?

This is hard because it changes a lot. But the ones I hold a special place in my heart for are The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. The first serves as a monument to the power and majesty of mankind, and the second I love for sentimental reasons (in addition to it being wonderful). My dad's roommate gave him a copy of The Hobbit, and it has this smell that I associate with reading that I absolutely love. I also read it to my sisters every night before they went to sleep for awhile. They loved it.

6. What would your last meal be?

Pretty much anything made by my mother. She makes the best food in the world. Seriously.

7. Do you believe in love at first sight?

Not really, no. The people you really love are the people you know and come to care for. I do believe in chemistry and attraction (which can happen at first sight) and that they are very powerful. But real love that lasts requires more.

8. All-time favorite band?

The Beatles. No contest.

9. Why do you blog?

You can find my main reason here. But I also love sharing, getting ideas, encouraging others, photography, and pictures. I want my blog to be fun, pretty and fun to read. I hope it's as enjoyable to read as it is to create, in the end.

If you want to copycat too, feel free! Also feel free to put the link to your post in the comments section of this post. I would love to see some fun facts about you.

Lurvelurvelurve,

M

favorite

2012-02-27T15:48:00.002-07:00

Chevron.

[source]

It's such a fun pattern. It's also no surprise that I am in love with it, because it is the not-so-distant cousin to stripes, which are my favorite. I have to make myself not buy striped shirts because I have too many striped things in my wardrobe already.

What are some of your favorite patterns?

Lurve,

M

pretty looks isn't all

2012-02-26T23:04:00.000-07:00

[source]

Isn't it funny how boys and girls disagree about what is and is not attractive? I think some girls are absolutely beautiful, but when I bring it up with my husband or another guy, I'm often surprised to find that they don't find that person as pretty as I do. Reciprocally, my husband thought Joel McHale must make girls everywhere swoon, and was surprised to find that I thought him and John Krasinski were fairly close when it came to looks (I think they are both adorable). He told me he thought Mr. Krasinski was a fairly average looking guy, and my older brother agreed.

There was also disagreements among me and my girlfriends in high school about how good looking certain people were. We all had our own tastes, and the overlap was surprisingly smaller than I thought it would be.

Anyone else notice how bad you are at judging your own gender's beauty, and how different your opinions can be from others about the opposite gender?

PS Yes, I love Community.

Lurve,

M

party animal

2012-02-24T18:59:00.003-07:00

[source]

Want to make the coolest animal candle holders ever? Go here.

For other awesome party ideas, go here.

Lurve,

M

lucky

2012-02-20T23:11:00.000-07:00

The blogger gods have smiled down upon me lately. I entered a giveaway hosted by The Dainty Squid (who is a doll, by the way) for a free online photography class from Bella Pop......

AND WON!

[source]

I will be starting the Shoot In Manual - Photo 101 class in March, and I can't wait. Just from the description, it is perfect for the help I need. I love photography, but I haven't been able to dedicate enough time developing the technical skills necessary to be a true photographer. I really think this class will be perfect to help me mold the interest and love I have.

I may not end up being a photographer, but I feel really lucky that it's worked out so far that I can do as much as I have with it.

Side note: if you have a day off and so does the rest of the state, don't go to the local aquarium. Everyone will be there. Also, don't go to the somewhat-newly-open H&M either. Instead, eat korma and cookies with friends.

Someday I WILL see adorable otters at the aquarium. Mark my words.

Lurves,

M

the weekend

2012-02-18T20:02:00.004-07:00

[source]

Hooray for long weekends/Presidents Day! I still work on Monday, but it's fun to not have to run to school afterwards. Aaaand it means I go to school 3 days instead of 4 this week.

Hope yours is wonderful too! Here are some fun things I've been loving lately:

Girl crush on Aubrey Hepburn? Justified.

Dying to buy this print and make the bathroom sea-themed (but not overdoing it).

The perfect Peter Pan necklace. ALSO, love Peter Pan as a hipster.

Wood embroidery.

A recipe on how to make your own delicious apple fritters.

New must-have perfume from BR.

Love the products from this shop (I bought a bear for Future Baby from it).

Taylor Swift's new, fabulous hairstyle. That girl is gorgeous.

I wish I had enough money to splurge on this unique, perfect dress from Modcloth.

XoLurveHugs,

M

way I feel inside

2012-02-15T22:15:00.000-07:00

D and I absolutely love movies, and it's always a treat when we're introduced to one that we both enjoy. My friend Trapper had us over for dinner, and we watched The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou. I've been obsessed ever since.

[source]

I'll admit that I'm a sucker for a Wes Anderson movie. They're always so bizarre, but so fun. AND I'm an even bigger sucker for a Bill Murray movie. It sounds strange, but he's one of my absolute favorite actors. He always makes me laugh out loud when I'm watching his movies.

Other movies I'm excited for? The Avengers (which this awesome Etsy seller made THE COOLEST poster for), The Dark Knight Rises, and The Hobbit (which has one of my new favorite actors, Martin Freeman).

Anyone else love movies? Or TV shows? Despite having a TV that only plays movies, D and I are very much addicted to certain TV shows. It's funny that neither one of us are addicted to video games or can play them for more than an hour or two, but we both love the internet and movies/TV.

One more thing I am a sucker for: outfits based on movies/TV characters. Even if it's just the color scheme, I think a lot of them are creative and brilliant.

I do realize this post is 8 years late. 2004 doesn't seem like it was that long ago until I realize what year it is now.

Lurve,

M

valentine's day

2012-02-14T11:37:00.001-07:00

[source]

“Love is the very essence of life. It is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Yet it is not found only at the end of the rainbow. Love is at the beginning also, and from it springs the beauty that arched across the sky on a stormy day. Love is the security for which children weep, the yearning of youth, the adhesive that binds marriage, and the lubricant that prevents devastating friction in the home; it is the peace of old age, the sunlight of hope shining through death. How rich are those who enjoy it in their associations with family, friends, and neighbors! Love, like faith, is a gift of God. It is also the most enduring and most powerful virtue.”
-Gordon B. Hinckley

sail away

2012-02-13T17:55:00.000-07:00

shirt: H&M, skirt: Anthropologie, shoes: Anthropologie, jacket: Finesse (c/o my mama-in-law), earrings: Nordstrom (c/o my bff), bird ring: F21. Photos taken by D, who is a sweetie.

It wasn't the perfect day to wear this very summery outfit, I'll be the first to admit. We haven't had snow in a long time, and all of the sudden it's been snowing nonstop. But I have been wanting this skirt for the longest time, and I couldn't wait to wear it any longer! I'm trying to get more prints into my wardrobe, and I think this skirt is a good place to start.

Other adorable dress with prints: this bicycle dress from here, a duck-print dress!, and a fox-print dress (because I adore foxes) from here.

Also, D and I went shopping at a thrift store and I actually found a great deal on a fabulous dress. I can't wait to share, mostly because I am horrible at wading through a lot of clothing I'm not interested in to find one thing I actually like (D and his sister are amazing at this, which is a skill I envy). And D found a shirt for himself. Our total? Less than $10. So, so fantastic.

I'm kind of proud of myself for having non-school related projects I am working on. I really want to be more crafty and find ways to buy things for less so I can be smarter about money.

Alsoalso, if you have any printed dresses or shirts you have found, pleeeeease share! I'm always on the hunt for more.

Hugs and lurve,

playlist

2012-02-12T23:10:00.000-07:00

To Build a Home by the Cinematic Orchestra

Meet Virginia by Train

If You Wanna by the Vaccines

Skin & Bone by Heartless Bastards

Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye, covered by Walk Off the Earth

Our Own Pretty Ways by First Aid Kit

Life On Mars by David Bowie, covered by Seu Jorge

I know some of them are older, and I'm a little behind buuuuutt......that's alright.

Lurve,

puppy love

2012-02-08T14:37:00.001-07:00

[source]

D and I want a puppy. Just someone little to cuddle with and to love.

How can you resist those big, adorable eyes?

Lurve,

M

Favorite

2012-02-06T21:28:00.000-07:00

[source]

I guess it's a pretty nerdy Monday post of favorites.

Oh well. This shouldn't be a big surprise to anyone.

Lurve,

M

just a little bit

2012-02-05T16:12:00.000-07:00

shirt: Target, button-up shirt: H&M, jeans: Gap, shoes: glitter Oxfords from Reflection, phone case: Photojojo

They aren't the best pictures in the world, but I blame the insanely-cold-with-no-snow weather we've been having here for that. I was not willing to go very far to look for places to take pictures because of it. I'm a big baby when it comes to cold weather.

The best piece of advice I can give to anyone who wants to buy clothes at a place that is somewhat expensive is to constantly go to the sales rack. For example, D and I were able to snatch the jeans above for $10! It may take awhile, but I've gotten a lot of my clothes by being persistent about not giving up on the sale rack. I would go to thrift stores, but there aren't very many close to where we live and so it's harder for me to shop there (even though I think my clothes could use a little sprucing up from some vintage shopping!).

Also, I am not a fan of glittery or animal-print clothes, but I completely adore the shoes above and have gotten a lot of compliments when I wear them. I wanted to buy these shoes from this shop, but they didn't have them in stock, and I found the next best thing.

Another thing I have found with buying clothes (and probably anything, for that matter) is the temptation to buy them because they are on sale. DO NOT DO THIS (<---I'm so serious about this, I'm not using contractions) You end up not wearing it, and wishing you had just saved the money you spent on the sale item on an item that you truly wanted. I've done this waaaaay too many times.

Do you have any shopping tips? I would love to hear them.

Lurve,

hot dog

2012-02-04T13:41:00.003-07:00

It might just look like cheese, hot dogs and noodles, but this casserole was actually one of my favorites growing up. It's a hot dog casserole recipe my little brother and I were addicted to, and my mom is letting me share her recipe with you!

(Actually, when I called to ask if it was okay that I post the recipe, she told me it was my grandma's recipe. Third generation cooking? Awesome.)

DELICIOUSLY SIMPLE HOT DOG CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

Macaroni
1 or 2 cans tomato soup
6-8 hot dogs
Onion powder
Garlic salt
Shredded cheese

Directions:

Boil the macaroni. Drain after boiling, pour into bowl and add the tomato soup (add more cans of tomato soup if you are making a large portion). Slice your hot dogs and add them, the onion powder (to taste) and garlic salt (to taste as well) to the noodles. Mix together well. Add a handful or so of shredded cheese on top of casserole. Spray casserole dish with Pam and put your casserole into the dish. Put it in the oven at 350 F for 20-25 minutes.

Easy, huh? I know the measurements aren't exact, but that is kind of how my mom cooks so I've been trying to worry less about measurements and more about taste when I cook too. Sorry if that drives anyone a little crazy.

Honestly though, it's so so yummy. Just a little bit of experimenting, and you get a great dish.

Hope you enjoy!

Lurve,

i can't stop loving you

2012-02-02T16:34:00.001-07:00

Every time I get the Anthropologie catalog, a little part of me wishes I was filthy rich.

[source for all photos]

So so pretty. I'm saving up for a skirt from there. And I kind of want to save up for the maxi skirt in the first picture as well......

Alright. That's enough envying for one day.

Lurve,

M

birthday

2012-01-31T17:36:00.001-07:00

I had a great little birthday this year, thanks to friends and family! One of my best friends gave me cupcakes, so D and I used them as a substitute for a cake and I blew the candles out on top of them.

I know the picture doesn't look like it, but I got all of those candles blown out. Hooray for all those years of flute!

Lurve,

M

photo-a-day #31

2012-01-31T09:42:00.001-07:00

Last one! A picture of moi. Again.

P.S. Can you believe that January is over?

Lurve,

M

photo-a-day #30

2012-01-30T20:16:00.004-07:00

Nature.

We have the greatest mountains.

Lurve,

M

photo-a-day #29

2012-01-29T23:53:00.003-07:00

Fridge.

Does anyone have a pretty fridge? I don't think they exist if someone is actually using it.

Lurve,

M

the new

2012-01-29T10:32:00.000-07:00

Everything I am loving lately has been brown or some sort of earth-tone color. I am very much in love with the brown camera bag my husband got me, this new phone case from here, and a new pair of shoes from here. I also found a new backpack I really want to take when we go to Italy, and it's a nice green earth-tone as well. But I'm holding off on buying it because I feel like I've been spending money left and right (even though I honestly only bought one thing for moi, and the rest has been bills).

Do you have any color obsessions? It took me awhile to see the pattern in mine, but I definitely have preferences I need to start mixing up with other colors.

Lurve,

M

photo-a-day #27 & 28

2012-01-28T22:15:00.003-07:00

Lunch.

And light.

Lurve,

M

photo-a-day #26

2012-01-26T22:45:00.001-07:00

Colour.

Dr. Seuss drew it, but this is what I immediately thought of.

PS This photo-a-day thing is harder than I thought it would be. I retract the statement I made here.

Lurve,

M

birthday

2012-01-26T16:36:00.001-07:00

My mom found the picture of me on the left while she was going through old scrapbooks, and D and I loved it so much we decided I should pose for a before-and-after. So viola! Me twenty some-on years later on the right, with the same nasty carpet that my parents had in their old apartment. Only, you know, in our apartment now.

In genetics the other day we were learning about all sorts of variations and mutations that can occur, and I had the thought that life is so wonderful and precious. It is kind of hard to believe sometimes that some of us are pretty healthy overall (except for bum knees and migraines every now and then). I also got scared about having kids, about what kind of health problems they could have and how me and D will handle them. I mean, I grew absolutely adoring my brother, who has been physically impaired his whole life. But kids.....sheesh. Just sheesh. That's a whole other level folks.

P.S. D's mom sent me a couple of pictures of when he was a baby, and they are equally (if not more so) adorable than the picture of wee moi. Our kids are going to be blue-eyed, blonde-haired awesomeness, with a dad who wants nothing more than to raise them believing that Darth Vader's scars on his head were caused by being hit by a frying pan. <---seriously, that's what his dad told him, and he was convinced it was true.

ALSO, the above picture counts for my photo-a-day #25: something I made, because I made that photo aaaaand I didn't want to blog yesterday because D and I were celebrating my birthday. My boss brought donuts and chocolate milk for work, I got many a fantastic present, and lots of birthday wishes. D and I went out for sushi (my favorite!) for dinner. All in all, it was a great day. It's also the first year where I haven't really thought much about my age. I don't feel like more of an adult (eg- I wrote the word 'poop' on someone's notebook at school yesterday to see if they were truuuuuuly asleep on their desk; they didn't even move, so the answer was 'yes'). But I do find myself listening to talk shows, reading the newspaper, liking oatmeal, and talking incessantly about when I was a kid more. Sooo....maybe I'm just an immature adult?

I'd be okay with that.

Lurve,

M

photo-a-day #24

2012-01-24T23:05:00.002-07:00

Guilty pleasure.

Guess who has many?

That's right: TV shows, chocolate, and late night reading. Okay? I confess.

Lurve,

M

photo-a-day #23

2012-01-23T20:50:00.002-07:00

Something old.

I need to just throw these Toms away. But I can't bring myself to because I love them so much. But they seriously have two or three developing holes.

Lurve,

M

photo-a-day #22

2012-01-22T14:40:00.002-07:00

My shoes.

And how D feels about them.

Lurve,

M

photo-a-day #21

2012-01-21T12:16:00.000-07:00

Reflection.

Side note: it's a very rainy day today. I kind of love the feel it gave this photo.

Lurve,

M

lovers without love

2012-01-20T23:28:00.001-07:00

Went and saw Joshua James tonight with Sarahface.

Love it.

Also, for my photo-a-day #20 (someone you love), I want to just refer you to this picture because that's who I love immensely. And I can't top that picture.

Yes, I got a little lazy. For the record, I took a picture. I just wasn't as fond of it.

Today my coworker and I took pictures of ourselves with my boss' phone while he was busy. We didn't say a word to him. When he found them later, he texted me with his favorite picture of the five we managed to snap before I felt too awkward about leaving pictures of us on his phone to continue. All I have to say is it made me var happy.

Even though things were a little crazy today, I feel like this year has started off on the right foot. D and I are doing pretty well on my work-out-every-week New Year's resolution. The negative side effect is that my right leg is constantly tight/sore but I was informed by a very reliable source that it is probably because of some strange thing I'm doing or am born with <----- go figure

I'll work on it.

Lurve,

M

photo-a-day #19

2012-01-19T21:19:00.001-07:00

Sweet.

A sweet necklace from a sweet mama-in-law.

Fun PS: I absolutely love foxes.

Lurve,

M

photo-a-day #18

2012-01-18T14:07:00.003-07:00

Something I bought.

Alright, I didn't buy it. My husband did for my b-day. And this isn't even a photo I took of it (it won't be here until the beginning of February); it's one I played with (even though this isn't who I bought it from, the photo I stole can be found here).

But man! I'm excited for my camera bag.

Lurve,

M

it just is

2012-01-17T23:41:00.000-07:00

[source]

It's ridiculous how emotionally invested I get in things that aren't real. I watched the last episode of the BBC Sherlock, season two, and now I'm all sorts of depressed that it doesn't start again for another year AND am mad about how it ended. Honestly, it was awesome, but what in the world am I supposed to do now? And seriously? Leaving me on a cliffhanger for a year? I think I officially have a love-hate relationship with British TV. I was thinking about starting Doctor Who, but I can't take any more of this. Stop making me love characters and plots, only to cruelly rip them away from me because the actors are doing awesome things like Star Trek and a movie of The Hobbit.

Yes, school started again and I should be focusing on that.

Yes, I have an epic case of senioritis.

I wish I could detach myself from movies, TV shows, and books as easily as other people. This girl behind me at a comedy show of my brothers' spent most of her time on her phone not paying attention, and then proceeded to tie the drawstring of my hoodie into many, many knots (which I didn't discover until we left). It boggled my mind. I don't understand people who don't get sucked into the things around them, while I'm sitting there completely enthralled. I've stopped asking people if they cried during things because their answer is no while I'm hoping their answer is yes so I can say, "Me too!"

And yet my current favorite show is about a guy who is almost completely detached from the world. Gooooo fig'r. Nice, irony.

This is why you stick to comedy. You can go, laugh, and move on. You can even bring it up later in a way that will make other people laugh too, instead of making them uncomfortable when you passionately explain why a scene from Warrior made you an emotional wreck.

End of rant.

Also, if I throw some comics on my blog about BBC Holmes/Watson......well, you were warned.

Lurves and big xo's,

M

photo-a-day #17

2012-01-17T21:55:00.001-07:00

Water.

Our completely crappy sink, full of not-done-yet dishes.

Buuuuuut I love our home together.

Lurve,

M

photo-a-day #16

2012-01-16T14:45:00.002-07:00

Morning.

Doughnuts. To ease the pain of having to work a holiday.

My boss is the best.

Lurve,

M

a little note

2012-01-16T00:22:00.000-07:00

Alright, they're not the best pictures in the world, but D and I fell in love with Ramune. And mostly because of it being sealed with a marble (yes, we're a little childish). His sister and brother-in-law sent them to use along with some other things for Christmas (if you two are reading this entry, thank you so much!). We put them in the fridge ASAP, and then tried them for the first time a couple of days ago. They were great. Like, not as great as boba, but pretty darn great.

That helped clarify, right?

We got to go see a good friend of mine from high school give her homecoming talk today. She did a great job and, I'll admit it, I get a little choked up when she did. What can I say? I'm a sympathetic crier. She went to Peru on a mission for the LDS church, and you could tell she really loved her mission. I wish I could have had that experience, but I was too afraid I would get sent to somewhere cold or have to learn some sort of crazy language I would never master for a year and a half.

Yep. I had my priorities straight when I thought about whether I should go or not.

Anywho, I actually work in the morning, so I shouldn't even be blogging anyways.

Xokisseshugs,

M

photo-a-day #15

2012-01-15T23:36:00.000-07:00

Happiness.

Gotta love the fam.

Lurve,

M

photo-a-day #14

2012-01-14T17:28:00.001-07:00

A book I'm reading.

It's for a class, but whatever.

Lurve,

M

weekend love

2012-01-14T12:16:00.002-07:00

[source]

On the agenda for today: be incredibly lazy. It's going to be awesome. I need to catch up on some school work, but I really like having the weekends to do whatever. My schedule is like last semester's where I have school Monday through Thursday, but Fridays I work half the day and then have the rest of the weekend for moi. I'm really grateful for that.

Anywho, some weekend links for ya'll:

An adorable clutch that looks like it's made for winter.

The Newton household dynamic.

Looking for a new way to present pictures you love? How about putting them on a block of wood?

I am saving my pennies for this lens for my camera. Here are some examples of the pictures it can take.

Just got rid of my other containers and started decorating with these in my bathroom (minus the board to hang them on).

This girl had my dream wedding in Italy. Also, her dress is Valentino perfection.

Is anyone else going gaga over Toms wrap boots? I would love a pair!

I found this girl's tumblr, and left her a note (I'm Anonymous) and she responded with this post. Guess I did come off as a bit of a creeper.......oh well.

Best cartoon ever.

I've listened to this song a billion times. Beautiful, sad and angry all at once? I'll take it.

Lurve,

M

photo-a-day #13

2012-01-13T22:34:00.001-07:00

In my bag.

He holds all of my important things for me. My little sister named him Randall, and I love him.

Lurve,

M

feel good, inc.

2012-01-12T19:51:00.000-07:00

coat: Urban Outfitters, scarf: Gap, dress: H&M, cardigan: Old Navy, boots: F21, gloves: gifted from my brother/sister-in-law, shirt: H&M, socks: stolen from D, leggings: F21

I'm not a cold-weather fan in any way, shape or form except this: I loooooooove layering my clothes. And I'm also a big fan of cold-weather shoes, for some reason or another. Unfortunately, I have like two pairs of shoes that I can wear if/when it snows. Soooooo that will have to be fixed in the near future.

As for personal life stuff, it's going to be a busy (but manageable) semester for moi, and D is working hard for our little family, as usual. I came home today and thought, "Man, I have the time. I'm going to do the dishes and surprise D." Instead, I found them all on the drying rack and our kitchen looks awesome.

I married a winner methinks.

I also started a job as a TA for a class, which I am really happy and excited I got. It's only a couple of hours every week and it's only for the first half of the semester, but I'm stoked.

D's applying for graduate schools, which is the most stressed I've ever seen him. I keep telling him that he is going to be fine and to not use his sexuality as a tool to get into schools, but I wonder if he listens to me sometimes.

(If you're reading this dear, I'm joking.)

Does anyone have tips for some good cold-weather outfits? I feel so uncreative during this time of year. Whenever D and I try to think of something to do, we end up watching an episode of something.

Which reminds me, I made him watch The Good, the Bad and the Ugly a little while ago, and he liked it! My little brother made me watch it for the first time, and my love of Clint Eastwood took off from there. If you haven't seen it, even if you're not an old westerns fan, watch it. The end is fantastic.

Much lurve and such,

photo-a-day #12

2012-01-12T19:07:00.001-07:00

Close-up.

This is our toothbrush holding mechanism, or THM. He's pretty shy, but I talked him into doing a close-up shot for ya'll.

Lurve,

M

photo-a-day #11

2012-01-11T15:48:00.002-07:00

Where I sleep.

Our comforter was pretty much the only thing I wanted from the things we registered for at Target when we got married (besides our vinyl player). D's grandmother gave it to us, and it is absolutely beautiful.

Also, one of my best friends made the artwork hanging above our bed.

I love it.

Lurve,

M

photo-a-day #10

2012-01-10T16:56:00.000-07:00

Childhood.

PS I wish we still had this inflatable crocodile somewhere.

Lurve,

M

favorite

2012-01-09T21:15:00.000-07:00

I haven't done Monday favorites in a long time.

The theme of this one: Holmes.

[source]

Can you tell what my new obsession is?

Lurve,

M

photo-a-day #9

2012-01-09T20:43:00.000-07:00

Daily routine.

This isn't a recent picture, but it's so great, I had to share.

When I was volunteering at a hospital, we had a treat night and decorated cookies. I loved that the cups they used for the cookie decor were the same cups they used for medicine. But I think it represents my daily routine of work and eating candy too.

Lurve,

M

photo-a-day #8

2012-01-08T14:44:00.001-07:00

My sky.

As seen via a rainy car window.

Lurve,

M

music is my boyfriend

2012-01-07T19:30:00.002-07:00

Civilian by Wye Oak

Swing Life Away by Rise Against

Called Out In the Dark by Snow Patrol

In the Sun by She & Him

Back in Your Head by Teagan & Sara

About Today by the National

January Wedding by the Avett Brothers

Lurve,

photo-a-day #7

2012-01-07T18:43:00.001-07:00

Favorite.

He just wants my dad's cookie so bad. Even though his little body doesn't make the proper enzymes for him to eat it.

Lurve,

M

photo-a-day #6

2012-01-06T18:16:00.003-07:00

Something that makes me smile.

I looooooove watching it and the Shawn/Gus bromance makes me smile every time I watch.

Lurve,

M

photo-a-day #5

2012-01-05T11:48:00.002-07:00

Something I wore.

My favorite dress and new tights, which promptly got a run in the toe the first day I wore them.

Lurve and stuff,

M

100 resolutions

2012-01-04T19:15:00.000-07:00

My birthday is coming up, and I wanted to combine my New Year's resolutions with my '23 before 24' goals. I guess I should show you all this list after I turn 23, but I'm excited to get started on them now.

PS I have been in a doodling mood this entire week, which is why my goals are in a sketch book with little pictures next to them. It also has the added benefit of helping Kids Who Can't Read So Good And Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too understand what my goals are.

Also, I should probably put 'work on my handwriting' on this list. The more I look at it, the less feminine it looks. I don't know where girls learn to write adorabley, but I must have been asleep or not paying attention during that class/lesson/year.

D and I have gotten started on the exercise one (you know, the goal that everyone has at New Year's?). I really, really want to keep up with it. I'll never become a gym rat, but I do want to feel good overall. Getting in shape is a great benefit of working out, but D and I have agreed that we should go for our overall health and to improve our quality of life more than anything else.

What are your goals for yourself? I know sometimes it's hard to actually do the resolutions you promise to do at the beginning of the year, but I think it's great when people take them seriously and try their best to do them.

Much lurves and hugs,

M

photo-a-day #4

2012-01-04T14:52:00.001-07:00

Letterbox.

Ours is the one without the hooks on bottom.

I kind of love ours, even though it's very simple.

Lurve,

M

i know you know

2012-01-03T23:08:00.000-07:00

I wanted to write a farewell letter to our nice break that we had for Christmas and New Years, but I recently saw a cartoon making fun of people who make their Facebook statuses letter-esque, so I'll hold off on that. Suffice it to say, we've had an eeeeeexcellent break, and going back to school is going to......well......stink. It's our last real semester (I only have one more class in the summer, and then I'm done with my undergrad forever). It's crazy/scary/weird to think that we're going to be done soon, and off to start another adventure in the next year. Even crazier/scarier/weirder to think that I'm not sure where we'll be in a year from now. I've been told that it's part of growing up, but that's equally frightening.

ANEEWHOOO, I'm trying to make my wardrobe a little more fun by trying combinations of clothes and colors that I wouldn't normally try. Design Seeds is a fun website of a girl who likes to do the same things and the perfect website to look at if you need some inspiration like me.

I also think outfits based on the outfits of TV characters are fun too (eg Shawn Spencer for girls, Liz Lemon, Leela or Fry, Bella Swan, etc.). Mostly because it would be fun to actually do outfits like that for a week and see if anyone but D noticed.

Anywho, what are some fun things you do to try and spice up your wardrobe, besides going out and buying new things? It's definitely something I am going to work on this year because I'm addicted to white V-necks, Toms, and skinny jeans, and the hipster-comfort tyranny must be stopped.

Lurve,

M

photo-a-day #3

2012-01-03T14:53:00.005-07:00

Something I adore.

No surprises here folks. It's this guy.

And his red beard.

Lurve,

M

in color

2012-01-02T19:55:00.001-07:00

Remember this post that I made awhile ago? I got sent a lot of scarves, some earrings, and a table runner from the girls who sent me presents. I decided to make my craft based on this DIY from Beautiful Mess, which I had been wanting to try for awhile but needed an excuse to do. I changed mine a bit to be smaller and more personalized (I put each individual's name on theirs, with a little heart).

Here's how they turned out:

I did them the exact same as Elsie did in her tutorial, except that I didn't put any finishing on it (like Mod Podge). I made my squares roughly the same by measuring how much room I wanted each square to take up (I doodled all over the paper that comes with the frame) and then applied those measurements to the paint swatches. Just a heads-up if you are planning on doing this adorable and easy craft for yourself: get quite a few swatches. We had some leftover, but that's because we grabbed a loooooootttt.

Hope you like how yours turns out! And I hope the ladies I sent them to did too.

Lurve,

M

photo-a-day #2

2012-01-02T16:19:00.001-07:00

Breakfast. Sadly. We didn't get to eat today till like 1 pm.

But guess what? I DID exercise today (with a lot of asking-me-nicely going on from D). Whoot whoot.

Lurve,

M

p.s.

2012-01-01T23:41:00.000-07:00

I am doing this "photo a day challenge" (which I don't really think is a challenge because it takes two seconds to take a photo). It's technically an Instagram 'challenge', but I thought it'd be fun to have a quick photo post every day for the month of January instead.

Here are the criteria for every day (AKA what my photos will be of for the next month).

[source]

My first photo: a picture of moi. (It's for the first of January. I'm not just egotistical.)

I think it will be fun. Aaaand it will make me take photos every day, which is on my list of things to do this year (a list I will post later).

Lurve to ya'll,

M

what are you doing new year's eve

2011-12-31T19:42:00.000-07:00

This year held a lot of wonderful changes for me. As I've said before, 2011 may not have been the best for a lot of people, but for me, it has been the best year of my life.

Let's recap my life in the past year.

January: Came back home after getting married in San Diego during the rainest 3 days of the year.

February: Relaxed, saw some local shows (like the wonderful Joshua James), was in school again.

March: Decided to cut my hair short, like I've always wanted to but had previously been too scared to do.

April: Finished another semester, had my bff graduate and move away, started summer.

May: Went hiking with D to some awesome places, celebrated my mom's birthday, played with friends, took another class (blurgh, it never ends), started to try to take more pictures.

June: Scottish fest, summer truly began.

July: Spent time with family, celebrated six months of being married, won a free pair of new glasses.

August: Started trying to do DIYs, started talking about going to Italy the next year, canoed, started school, had a friend get married, finally saw 'Casablanca'.

September: Went to the fair with some friends, dad did a triathlon, started training for a run, took pictures of my brother and sister-in-law for his comedy competition and my mom's Christmas present (a book I made via Blurb).

October: ran a 5k with family, started by spice collection, became an Indian & cowboy for Halloween, signed up for a Christmas gift swap (which was great, by the way), took some photos of my sisters as a substitute for their school photos, got featured on A Cup of Jo's blog (which I was extremely excited about).

November: Took my mom Black Friday shopping for the first time ever (and found some awesome deals), bought our tickets to go to Italy in April after we graduate, got my new phone, bought some stuff for Future Kid (which I know sounds crazy because we're not pregnant or even close, but I do not regret it), got to have D's mom visit, celebrated D's birthday.

[source]

December: Finished another semester, had Christmas with family, won a photography session, celebrated our anniversary (one year baby!).

It's been pretty great. I'm excited to see what 2012 has to offer.

Much lurve,

M

first look purse

2011-12-29T22:18:00.001-07:00

This was from awhile ago, but the first picture is my purse when D and I were dating. The essentials that still remain in the second photo (AKA the bag I have now): my phone, a book, lip balm, and music (that is now on the phone).

I like how there's not even a wallet in the first picture. I never carried it around because I rarely bought anything back then. All of my money was going to paying for school. Glad it's all going to pay bills now. Phew.

Also, I have KEYS in the second picture, which is (strangely) an item my parents never trusted me with when I lived with them.

ALSOalso, you may be asking, "Why does her wallet look like there is a little creature peeking out of it?" Well, reader, there IS a little creature peeking out of it. He was previously a gift card holder from Anthropologie. His name is Randal, and he watches over the things in my wallet.

And yes. I like owls. I like foxes more, but that's why I have an owl purse and keychain.

Go ahead. Judge me.

Lurve,

M

take a photo

2011-12-27T14:12:00.000-07:00

[source for all images]

Guess what?

I am a vaaaar lucky girl.

I entered a contest to win a photography session with the very talented Arielle Aimee, and I won! D and I get to take a few photos, compliments of Arielle and I am so very excited to get them. I have talked to D several times about paying to "redo" our engagement photos (because we didn't have enough money to do engagements and bridals, so we just did bridals). The picture we chose and sent with our invitation was absolutely wonderful and a friend was kind enough to do them for free, but I was a little down about not having loads of other pictures from our photo session.

Anywho, I need your help readers with ideas on what our "makeup engagement session" should look like. Arielle is letting us pick what we want our pictures to look like, but it is cold outside and my creativity has hit an all-time low.

Any ideas or photo sessions you think would be great? Please, please feel free to share with me.

You are the best.

Lurve,

M

christmas time is here

2011-12-26T19:32:00.000-07:00

Christmas was a blast this year. We watched "Muppet Christmas Carol" (a family tradition), and Lance opened a present. It was the most adorable thing to watch. He does this thing I call "the happy canter" when he gets excited. He runs around throwing both paws up in the air every step he takes. We could not stop laughing.

My family got a Wii from my older brother and his wife, and they were so excited to get it (I'm pretty sure they are playing it right now). All of our gifts were great, and my mom made the most delicious food, especially her pumpkin pie. I think they beat out store-bought pies, no contest.

It was a really great Christmas, and I hope yours was as joyful as ours!

Lurve,

M

next christmas eve

2011-12-24T00:25:00.000-07:00

Today, I am sick.

Not full-blown, get-rid-of-everything-and-hang-around-the-toilet-all-day sick. Just the infamous smoker-throat-and-nasty-nose sick. Now let's get one thing straight: I am very grateful not to have that first one. It sounds less gross than it actually is. The one I have sounds more gross than it actually is, and in case you were wondering, that's the one to have. But I do not like going through liters of ginger ale, coughing like Derek Zoolander every ten minutes or so, and making the same disgusting nose noises you only heard from men over the age of forty.

And, I mean, come on world. It's Christmas. Give a girl a break.

In the world's defense, this would have been a far angrier post if I had gotten sick right before finals.

SO, just in case you were all wondering, I have several recipes to cure what ails ya.

RECIPE #1: your favorite tv show + ginger ale + sleep

I have chosen Psych for my show this week because our neighbors let us borrow the first five seasons. I would have also been satisfied with any of the original Star Trek, Star Trek: Next Generation, Batman: the Animated Series, X-Men: the Animated Series, or 30 Rock.

RECIPE #2: soup + saltines + sleep + a good book

It's not important which order you do any of these things, which is the beauty of it. Often I chose the soup with saltines and then read a good book till I fall asleep route. But it's really up to you. (PS Speaking of good books......if you haven't watched the trailer for The Hobbit yet, you must. It looks amazing.)

RECIPE #3 ignore affliction + work + sleep afterwards

The order is important on this one.

Anywho, I hope everyone is having a very happy Christmas eve!

Lurve,

M

anniversary

2011-12-22T22:51:00.002-07:00

[photo taken by lucky lime photography]

Hey darling.

We've been married a whole YEAR. How crazy is that? The time has flown by. I feel like it was only yesterday that you and I were giggling about being boyfriend/girlfriend. And now married? A year?

Wow. That's awesome.

I know a lot of people say this has been a hard year for them. But we've been so blessed to have each other, and I can't imagine having a better year than the one we've had together. You have been the best friend, the best husband, and the best boyfriend a girl could ask for.

Thanks for being sweet. Thanks for being fun. Thanks for making me laugh, cuddling with me, making food for me, and saying, "Don't be cry" when I am stressing about school. I love you.

The best part is, I promised to love you forever a year ago. It's a promise I'm so happy I made.

Lurve,

M

addicted to you

2011-12-19T23:31:00.000-07:00

[source]

APPS I AM ADDICTED TO:

#1: Words With Friends. I suddenly turn into Kramer when I am playing. I can't really get away with it during Scrabble, but man! will I try just about everything to get a word on Words with Friends. Big pro: my opponent can't see I'm just guessing.

#2: Instagram. I love the variety of pictures. I have also gotten a lot of fun ideas for photos and crafts from it, and it's fun to check it throughout the day.

#3: Scramble. Another word game that D and I are both addicted to. (P.S. D has the high score on it.) It's like Boggle. Which is a board game D and I both like but do not own for some reason.....

#4: Labelbox. It makes labels that you can put on your pictures. It adds a cute little touch to things.

#5: Flashlight. It's ridiculous how much I use it. And it's surprisingly powerful.

#6: Flipboard. This is my absolute favorite. You actually flip around subjects you are interested in, and it updates you on them. I am currently addicted to catching up on the Colbert Report and scientific magazines/articles. Also, for a really cool image of Flipboard, go here.

#7: IMDb. D and I absolutely love movies. This is perfect for trailers, ratings, and information about what movie an actor/actress was in.

#8: Google. Not the site, the app. It has the ability to take a picture of something and identify via the web. How awesome is that?

#9: Frametastic. It's like Picnik collage, but on your phone.

#10: eBay. I think I am including this one because I was on it during a class and lost this skirt I've been wanting for at least 6 months to someone in the last 30 seconds of the bid. I was livid. But, yes. Useful, awesome app. And if I had won, I would have recommended it without the weird bitterness. But you can blame that on the other bidder.

Much lurve's and stuff,

M

christmas wishlist #3

2011-12-18T15:07:00.003-07:00

This one's for the boys.

Top left: Moose iPhone case
Top right: Long-sleeve shirt
Bottom left: Silverware wall clock
Bottom right: R/C Copter

Lurve,

M

do it yourself

2011-12-18T00:15:00.001-07:00

Readers, you have been so patient with me. Finals are at last over, and I appreciate the patience. I, like you, am uber glucklich that it is over. It was not a fun week. I honestly don't think I've ever prayed that much in my entire life. (Yes. I was much more confident in my choice for husband than I was going into finals.)

Anywho, I am going to work on several things over the next couple of weeks with all the new free time I have found. I am going to be brave and try my hand at a couple of DIYs involving sewing. I know many bloggers are amazing at this, but so far I've only had one DIY sewing project actually work out beautifully.

Wish me luck.

To celebrate this daaaaaaaarrrring new venture, today's post is all of my latest favorites in DIY-ing.

Enjoy.


party printable

adorable holiday tags

your own glittering landscape

yarn ornament via Splityarn; you just put yarn in a clear ornament

typographic string art

Much lurve, and more to come,

M

hey girl

2011-12-09T13:56:00.001-07:00

It's that time of year again. No, not Christmas (yet). FINALS. So, of course, my blog will suffer and I have to issue my biyearly apology of not being able to be on here very much.

To make up for it, I give you Ryan Gosling:

[Photo credit for all of the amazing photos and captions above]

Lurve and apologies,

sing it

2011-12-06T21:41:00.001-07:00

Domino by Jessie J

Jump Into the Fog (acoustic version) by the Wombats

I Don't Want This Night to End by Luke Bryan

Tarzan Boy by Baltimora

Tommy the Cat by Primus

Only Man by Audio Bullys

Alright, confession time: I only put Tarzan Boy on this list because it reminds me of TMNT III, aaaaaand I like singing the "OooooOOOOoooo!" part.

So sue me.

Lurve,

M

Christmas Wishlist #2

2011-12-04T00:40:00.001-07:00

Top left: Oxford heels from JCrew
Top right: NYC Skyline Pillowcases
Bottom left: Mod Chevron clutch purse
Bottom right: ankle high mocassins

Lurve,

M

TV baby

2011-12-03T18:47:00.000-07:00

[photo from bleubird instagram]

I was watching a video yesterday of this little baby dancing along to a movie he/she (it was hard to tell) was watching on TV. As I'm sure you all know, I LOVE TV. But it was kind of strange to me that a baby that little was watching it. I can't remember exactly where I learned it, but I have been taught several times that letting a baby watch TV before they are one or two years old is actually detrimental to their mental capabilities. They actually need to interact and play with others to develop motor, mental and social skills. But then I found this article that claims that it doesn't actually harm your baby. However, the article does mention at the end that the best way you can help your baby is to interact with him or her.

Regardless, D and I have agreed that we are going to try as hard as possible to make it so our children do not watch TV before they are about one and a half or so. I realize that this is not possible for all mothers, especially ones who are working and/or going to school, or struggling. I am not casting judgment on anyone who has a situation that makes this goal extremely difficult. I do, however, strongly believe that you should do as much as you can to help your baby learn about the world around them.

I know, I know. Another "baby talk" from M.

But seriously, I'm strangely passionate about this stuff. I get all sorts of angry when I see pregnant mommies smoking or drinking, even though I know it's in no way my choice or decision.

SIDENOTE: I hope when my children are old enough to watch TV, they like awesome cartoons like Batman: the Animated Series, or the Tick. Basically anything about a superhero or a show that is humorous or a show that has a superhero who is humorous.

Thoughts?

Lurve,

M

Christmas Wishlist #1

2011-12-03T12:24:00.001-07:00

Top left: sterling silver antler ring
Top right: knee-pad tights
Bottom left: Essie nailpolish
Bottom right: the Instax Mini 7S

Lurve,

M

photograph

2011-12-01T14:29:00.001-07:00

If you have time, watch this video. I know it's half an hour long, but I thought it was amazing.

Lurve,

M

i know now

2011-11-29T21:42:00.001-07:00

I've decided that I like my weather like I like my men: consistently nice.

I found these pictures from the last time we went to California, and I miss being there. Because we go there for vacations, I associate California with lounging and relaxation. Unfortunately for Utah, I associate it with cold weather and endless hours of schooling. Guuuueeeessss which one I miss/like more??

Don't worry Utah. No one could ever replace your gorgeous landscape.

Except Europe.

But I digress.

Today I was reminded that even though we may feel a certain way one moment, something else entirely could be occurring. We could feel that our experiences every day aren't doing much, when in all actuality they are shaping our personalities for the future to come. I'm trying to apply this to where I'm at in life right now. Even though I wish we were just working and enjoying time together, I know we'll look back on the time we have now and say, "Wasn't that a blast?"

It's hard to imagine now, in the midst of school + other craziness. But I'm sure we will. That sounds like us.

LuRvE,

M

be italian

2011-11-27T22:17:00.001-07:00

[source]

D and I bought tickets for Italy on Thanksgiving.

We're really going. This upcoming April after we graduate, we're really going.

I'm so incredibly excited.

Lurve,

M

sisters, sisters

2011-11-27T14:03:00.001-07:00

Move over Mary-Kate and Ashley. Make way for the Fanning sisters.

[source for all images]

Is it weird to anyone else that they're so grown up now?

Lurve,

M

black friday

2011-11-27T13:26:00.000-07:00

I've been a little less diligent in keeping up my blog this week. I'd apologize, but we were so busy that I simply didn't have time! We spent a lot of time with my sweet mother-in-law, which was wonderful since we don't get to visit her as often as we would like. Aaaand we decorated our tree (the inspiration for which we got from this website)! We chose to hang tiny red and silver ornaments on it, and I absolutely love how it turned out.

PS The ornaments were my husband's idea. Genius.

Also, my mother-in-law, mom, and I went Black Friday shopping together this year. I wanted to go to Urban Outfitters and I thought it opened at 5 am, so we decided to get up and go at 4 am. When we got there though, we found out it had opened at midnight. I felt terrible, but we managed to find some good deals. I suggested we pop by Anthropologie to see if they were open. We found out they opened at 6 am (which was half an hour a way at this point) so we decided to wait. Because of that decision, we ended up being at the front of a large line and getting some absolutely fantastic (this cannot be emphasized enough) products.

I understand why people dislike Black Friday, but ours was pretty painless. There was no shoving, stealing, fighting or meanness. It was pretty structured and tame, and the girl in front of us in line even commented, "I'm so glad I waited in this line." I had a blast with both my mom and mother-in-law, and I plan on going again next year. I'm also glad it was so easy because it was my mom's first time going, and I think she had a good time overall because of it.

PPS Anthropologie even served hot apple cider, which was amazing that early in the morning. It only further solidified their spot in my heart as my favorite store.

Lurve and stuff,

M

tradition

2011-11-22T22:20:00.000-07:00

I was going to talk about how much I loved taking photos and photography in general, but when I put all the photos I thought were great together, I realized they were just all of my favorite things. Which may explain why I love the photos so much.

As usual, Lance makes an appearance. I think D and I are destined to have a dog.

This week has been busy, but I'm hoping it will die down now that our break from school has officially started. D's mom is here (finally!) and we plan on spending a lot of time with her. Startiiiiiiiiiing tomorrow.

What is everyone doing for Thanksgiving? I get mad when people start playing Christmas songs before Thanksgiving is even over, but my boss pointed out there aren't really songs and varied traditions for Thanksgiving. I told him my family watches and sings Pocahontas. He laughed.......but we really do. I've also started a tradition of Black Friday shopping, which (understandably) some people hate.

Do you have any traditions?

LurveOlurveO,

M

PS Know how I just barely posted about humor? If you like a good laugh, read this article I found via my friend Heather about the new Twilight movie. I laughed so hard I was crying.

cartoons and macrame wounds

2011-11-21T21:32:00.000-07:00

It's ridiculous how much the picture of me actually looks like me, and how little the picture of my husband looks like him.

Lurve,

M

thanksgiving

2011-11-21T20:23:00.001-07:00

[source]

I keep seeing that everyone is writing their "I'm-so-grateful-for-blah-blah-blah" every day post on Facebook. But it makes me sad when I see my whole FB wall covered in stuff I upload, so instead I'll acknowledge my blessings here.

#1: my wedding/marriage. I feel like I talk about D and how happy he makes me nonstop on this blog. But he really, really does. Marriage has been wonderful.

#2: my family. They are a crazy bunch, but I love them.

#3: my education. I may retract this sentence after finals.

#4: our car. May it work forever.

#5: food and water. I say this with all my fatty heart. We are so blessed to be able to get clean food and water whenever we want it. Sometimes I'm overwhelmed with how large of a blessing that is.

#6: our apartment. It's just little and temporary, but I love living here. I love coming home.

#7: our jobs. Mine is awesome. I have the best coworkers, a fun job, and the flexibility I need for school. My bosses are absolutely fantastic, and I was lucky to start working there. D's job has been excellent for us. Between the two of us, we manage to pay the bills and have a little fun too.

#8: health. I really like that my body gets truly, nastily sick every two to five years. I catch a little something or other every now and then, but I'm usually over it pretty quickly. Good work, body. Good work.

#9: who I am. I've gotten a lot more comfortable and happy with who I have become lately, and it's nice to have confidence and be accepting of yourself. I'm glad I'm not the person I used to be, but that I'm working on becoming the person I want to be.

#10: friends and kind people. What a difference they have made in my life.

Lurve,

M

at the zoo

2011-11-20T13:42:00.001-07:00

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When I have a baby, they will have pictures from this shop above their bed. I know it's weird and we're not even close to that point yet, but I am totally buying some of these over time to decorate Future Nursery with. Because I've said, "Oooooooooh!" way too many times to not just buy three. Or four.

Lurves,

M

laugh about it

2011-11-18T16:26:00.000-07:00

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I often think about having a sense of humor, and how imperative it is. I used to get jealous of my older brother growing up because people flocked to him because of his ability to entertain himself. (Until, you know, I was able to entertain myself too.) I'm really grateful I got to grow up in a family that loved to laugh, even though our sense of humor is a little different.

We had to write a paper this week in my class on something that interested us. When I edited a fellow students' paper, she had written about the health benefits of laughter, which lead me to find this interesting article on yoga laughter. Even if laughter doesn't really have very many health benefits, I feel like it's a good tie that bonds people who don't have a lot in common.

Basically, I like a good punchline. I'm pretty sure 'liking to laugh' is a universal enjoyment.

ALSO, I just watched Hot Fuzz (which is unnecessarily gory at parts [you've-been-forewarned]), and I haven't laughed so hard in ages. If by some weird and awesome miracle Simon Pegg and Nick Frost read this blog post, I want you two to know how incredibly funny and fantastic you are. Because you are. You two really, really are.

With all my lurve,

M

danny boy

2011-11-16T22:45:00.001-07:00

I am wildly excited for this movie because 1. Everyone in it is Scottish or speaks with a Scottish accent, and 2. Pixar is making it.

It is bound to be excellent.

Lurve,

M

favorite

2011-11-15T13:23:00.001-07:00

I'm sorry that my Monday favorites seem to always be late.

But here they are.


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[source for images 2, 3, 4, & 5]

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Apparently, I am a big fan of love because I'm pretty sure 75% of my favorites today are about it.

But honestly, who isn't?

Lurrrrve,

M

movie clock star

2011-11-13T23:08:00.001-07:00

Cardigan: Old Navy, necklace: H&M, shoes: Vans, tights: Forever 21, dress: Gap

As I think everyone in Utah knows by now, H&M just opened up a new location in Murray. I'm definitely a fan, and so my husband and I went on Saturday to look around. Yes, we went right after it opened so there was a line (for everything; coming in, dressing rooms, buying, etc.). And yes, we spent way too much time in that store. But it was fun, and I'm really excited to go again in a month when the hype has died down a bit and I'm not fighting MMA style for cute clothes.

Also, how cute is the little faux movie theater I found? I've wanted to do a little shoot here for awhile. Every time I walk past, I think of how fun it'd be if it opened up and we had a mini-theater close by. Because, you know, there aren't enough theaters around.

As far as our lives are going, everything is good. This week will be extremely busy for me but next week is Thanksgiving, and I have almost the entire week to be with family. D's mom is coming to visit, and I'm SO excited to have her here! Also, D and I really need a break and some quality time to sleep in and wake up to spend the day together.

Another pro of Thanksgiving break? When we come back to school, we have two weeks left and that's it! Con of Thanksgiving break? When we come back to school, we have two weeks left and that's it! I'm not looking forward to finals.

Can you believe how fast time has gone by? We're halfway through November already! How did that happen?

Also, has anyone been Christmas shopping yet? Any tips for finding awesome gifts?

Lurve, as always,

M

P.S. My first pose was me trying to pose like the mannequins they have at Forever 21. Nailed it.

old brown shoe

2011-11-10T22:14:00.001-07:00

I'm a big sucker for shoes, which is no surprise because I'm pretty sure every woman is. I think D must sigh with exasperation every time I even hint that I want another pair of shoes. (In my defense, I wear most of them for a ridiculously long time.)

If you don't mind readers, I'd like to share some of my current shoe crushes.

Oxford booties, Lace Under Pressure

Hunter metallic boots, Toms wool botas

Fringed boot, T-strap ballet shoes

I think I began to love the moccasin look more after I saw this Instagram picture of James and her daughter Gemma wearing the same little booties. I absolutely want to do the same thing with Future Girl!

Besides, moccasins are var comfortable.

PS I've recently become enamored with Instagram. If you want to follow me, my username is amerikenna.

Lurve-os,

PPS My photo source for the Lace Under Pressures shoes was this post from Delightfully Tacky.

soul music

2011-11-10T14:35:00.001-07:00

Ain't Good Enough by Bruce Springsteen

Salinas by Laura Marling

Hoist That Rag by Tom Waits

No Envy, No Fear by Joshua Radin

Out Loud by Dispatch

The Adventures of Raindance Maggie by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Show Me What You're Made Of by Chris Merritt

Nothing Could Come Between Us by Theory of a Deadman

All We Are by Matt Nathanson

I don't know what it is about Tom Waits' voice that I find so utterly fantastic, but Hoist That Rag captures whatever it is I love perfectly.

Also, I know Theory of a Deadman doesn't seem to be something I would like (Pandora is all kinds of confused when I don't like the music it suggests after playing their songs), but......I constantly find myself humming the song I posted above.

Much lurve and happy listening!

not an addict

2011-11-06T15:01:00.000-07:00

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I don't like or understand Pinterest.

There. I said it. Unlike 99% of women, Pinterest is not my style. You find a picture online and put it with other pictures you like. With Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, etc. you're keeping up with everyone. With Pinterest........you just look at stuff. And pin stuff you like to look at. That's it. That's all. That's all there is to it.

SO I came up with a theory: people like it because it inspires them for ideas they want to try out later, or items they want to buy later. It's like a weird, more organized version of Stumbleupon. It has merit in that it is a place for them to come back to and say, "Oh yeah! I forgot I wanted to try/buy that!"

It's not something I would like, but it is something I can see other people getting addicted to. Much like cigarettes. Or running.

Honestly, I have too many addictions already. Between the internet, TV, my phone, and movies, it's a wonder I get anything productive done. Oftentimes, I have to remind myself to stop wasting time with things like that and get back to schoolwork, housework, and spending time with the people I love. I don't want to be that person. I don't want to be as addicted to those things as I am now, because life is so much more than that.

I saw a show once that was about a man who lived on an island. When interviewed about why he didn't want to take part in the British society he originally came from, he replied that, "All people do there is watch the telly, talk to each other about the telly, and wait to watch the telly again." (<--------I don't remember the exact quote, but it was something along those lines.)

My goal: not losing who I am and what truly matters because of my addictions. Technology is absolutely amazing. It's absolutely awesome. But when it has gotten to a point where the things that matter suffer because of your obsession, you need to step back and reexamine yourself, your choices.

I recognize the irony of posting this on the internet, and even though it sounds like I'm chastising others, I'm not. This is written for me. This is written for anyone like me who just needs a jolt of reality to remind them that people matter. NOT the things you find via Google.

Lurve,

M

conventional wisdom

2011-11-05T10:03:00.001-06:00

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"My husband and I don’t have a great “meeting” story. We met in a conventional way and had a conventional wedding. And in some sense, we lead a conventional life.
But my husband has seen me at my worst, at my most vile. And he has seen me at my best. He knows the things I don’t tell anyone, and the lies that I tell everyone but him. I have made sacrifices for him and been angry about it. Sometimes his flaws are so egregious, so blatant, they are all I see. And sometimes his kindness is so stunning that I am humbled.
And that’s love. Big, epic, fairy-tale love. The kind of love people write about. The kind of love that could inspire a poem." -Sarah Healy

This is currently my favorite quote.

Lurve,

M

brighter

2011-11-03T22:11:00.001-06:00

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Is it sad that it hasn't even snowed yet, but I miss summer? It was so nice to not have to layer up in 3+ layers to stay at a normal temperature. I guess there aren't a lot of people who love winter, but I really do love summer. It's warm and bright, and I feel like I get more accomplished (which, honestly, is probably in no way true).

But I have some links to brighten your dark(er, compared to summer) day:

A really unique and awesome tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.

I love the song, and the music video is one of the coolest ones I've seen.

A cute way to style your long hair.

The jackpot of minimalist posters for movies.

Cookies I really wanted to make for Halloween.

Zach Galifianakis is the best.

A beautiful song by one of my favorite artists.

A guy on a buffalo. Oh man.

I can't believe they make these rings.

SIDENOTE: I can't believe it's November already.

Lurve,

M

happy birthday D

2011-11-02T23:22:00.001-06:00

Happy birthday baby. I love you so incredibly much. I'm so glad we have each other every day, and that I get to wake up each morning with a smile because of you.

Lurve,

The wife

this is halloween

2011-11-01T21:44:00.000-06:00

Halloween was a blast this year. We took my little sister trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. I wish I had been able to get pictures of the awesome haunted house our neighbors made (which was genuinely creepy, might I add). I did manage to capture our pumpkin, who D and I fondly refer to as "Grandpa Pumpkin" because of his teeth.

I love dressing up, drinking wassail, and getting candy.

Especially the "dressing up" part.

I had an Indian outfit, but I wore it so many times before we actually went to Halloween parties and took my little sister out that I kind of wanted a new, fun costume to wear. Result: chaps that D had (which, PS, left bruises on my hips....how do cowboys wear those things all the time?). We also threw a bandana on Lancey, so he was my sheepdog.

Hope everyone had a great Halloween! Christmas is just around the corner!

Lurves,

M

herbs an' spices

2011-10-31T13:06:00.001-06:00

I don't care how dorky you think the following is. I got extremely excited about it.

We finally labeled what few spices we had with these adorable free labels. I absolutely love the way they look.

And yes. Some of them are handwritten by moi, who has the handwriting of a small child.

Lurve,

M

home for a rest

2011-10-31T00:01:00.001-06:00

Sometimes I wish that

When I looked for a subject

It would just appear

I hate you report

Hate, hate, hate, utterly loathe

Writing you for class

I am wasting time

Yes, I know that I should stop

Where has my will gone?

Poetry's boring

So why do we write it then?

Because we're boring

An A for haikus

But a F for focusing

Overall grade? C

Lurve,

M

werewolf bar mitzvah

2011-10-29T18:59:00.000-06:00

Halloween is just two days away! Tonight is mine and D's first Halloween party, and I'm excited to go as a cowboy and Indian. (I made my costume by myself with some help from my family, and it turned out great.)

If you still need some help decorating/preparing for the holiday, here are some creative ideas that I absolute loved.

Instructions: eyeball treats, pumpkin cooler, wreath, terrarium, and strawberry ghouls. The pumpkins are kind of self explanatory, but I found the inspiration for them here.

People are so creative. It's awesome.

Lurve,

M

this is the future

2011-10-27T23:46:00.000-06:00

I got bored and stumbled upon a baby generator. I decided to create mine and D's "future kids" with it. Unfortunately, I did not realize the pictures I chose would be used in their entirety for the creation of Future Kids, so I chose a picture of me in my glasses and D fully bearded.

The results? Some very indie children. And Future Girl with five o'clock shadow.

I laugh every time I look at them. We can only hope our kids come out looking like this.

Lurve,

M

no surprise

2011-10-26T22:28:00.000-06:00

Today I got my new phone case from Photojojo, which is now one of my favorite online stores to buy from. Their packaging and delivery was so clever. Even their e-mails updating me on the status of what I bought had me laughing out loud.

Look how awesome.

That's right. My package actually contained a tiny dinosaur. How funny is that? He is currently hanging out next to our TV, because I love him too much to just get rid of him, although we have no practical purpose for keeping a plastic dinosaur.

ALSO, I'm pretty friiiiiiigen excited about my case. It's fantastic.

Guaranteed, this is not the last purchase I make from Photojojo.

Lurve,

M

Monday, Monday

2011-10-24T22:43:00.001-06:00

It's time for favorites.

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Peter Sellers is SO fantastic as Inspector Clouseau, by the way. My dad had us grow up watching The Pink Panther movies, and although they are kind of cheesy and ridiculous, I still love them.

Happy Monday, blog-o-sphere.

Lurve,

M

jingle jingle jingle

2011-10-24T13:36:00.001-06:00

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As you all know, I'm a BIG fan of Christmas. And what better way to start the season than with a gift swap?

One of my favoritest blogs, Freshly Picked, is doing a handmade gift swap this upcoming month. To enter, click on this link to go to the site, click on the link they give you to the Facebook page, and enter in your information and what you will be making (don't click the Facebook page link until you know what you will be swapping). You will receive an e-mail in November telling you which girls you will be mailing your gifts to. You will be making five gifts total!

Seriously, so excited for this.

Lurve-o,

M