lucky in love

love grows best...

2010-03-26T17:39:00.003-07:00

the ground where we got married at the gallivan center

mr plott and i are very lucky. we purchased a home a year and a half before we were married. we worked long and hard to make the 1950's house a home. we re-did everything from top to bottom, inside and out.

i love our home. i love that it reflects us. i love to look at it and remember working side by side to get the project done.

however

with 2 of my 3 sisters looking into new places to live it has made me want to jump on the band wagon. a fresh start in a new place could be so fun. i would love re-decorating, picking new color pallets. it would be nice to have more space. we have a huge yard, with a huge garage, but the house itself is small. i would love to have an office. more than one bathroom. an actual laundry room. more storage. the list could go on.

i look at homes for sale in my price range and daydream.

but i would miss this little place. i have too many memories here. it is my home.

i don't think a week has passed that i have not had these lyrics in my head:

you know, love grows best in little houses,
with fewer walls to separate,
where you eat and sleep so close together.
you can't help but communicate,
oh, and if we had more room between us,
think of all we'd miss.
love grows best, in houses just like this.

(and even though my name is not sue, and i am not having twins this part of the song makes me giggle! we can still pass each other in the hall...for now!)

oh, happy day, when the news came in
but what to do, when they found out sue was having twins.
when they could not pass each other in the hall,
well, sue would smile and say: "this place is really, really small."

mom had these lyrics from doug stone hanging on her fridge quite a few years ago. they were true there, love did grow best in small spaces. even though most of us have grown and moved away, we always go back to our first home and enjoy the hours spent there.

those words are true now. mr. plott and i have very few moments that are not spent in the same room as each other. we like it that way. i can't help but smile to myself when i think of how close we have become. we'll be staying here for quite a while still and letting our love grow in our own little house.

hoping for a sturdy bridge

2010-03-21T09:32:00.002-07:00

( bridge in thermopolis wy september 2009)

remember the saying "we'll cross that bridge when we come to it"? well, that bridge is now only 12 weeks away. to me that is awful close, in just the blink of an eye we will have a little boy ruling the plott house hold.
i feel guilty.
i don't properly show my excitement when i talk about being pregnant, like i should. i don't act thrilled about this precious little guy coming into my world, like i should. i don't gush about baby stuff and mommy stuff, like i should.
i am very happy, but for some reason every time i open my mouth all my doubts come out. i am a ball of worry. i worry about him being 7 and crashing his bike. i worry about him being 10 and passing his spelling tests. i worry about him being 16 and learning to drive. i worry about everything from broken bones to broken hearts.
i have moments where i am so thrilled i am just silly with giddiness. then reality sets in and anxiety pulls up a chair to hang out in my chest, well, it's anxiety or heartburn.
my goal for the next 12 weeks will be to take it all in. i want to live in this moment and enjoy the kicks reminding me he's there. i want to enjoy putting together the nursery, picking out tiny outfits for him, and finding that perfect stroller for all our summer walks. i want to set aside all the worry because once again "we'll cross that bridge when we get there".

life changing...

2009-12-07T20:33:00.001-07:00

coming june 2010

olay!

2009-09-28T15:47:00.002-07:00

dear oil of olay,
i thought you were a tad more grown up.
as much as i love the smell and feel of a particular shower lotion of yours; i cannot look past the fact that you have included glitter.
~ really?~
i'm 26 for pete sake! (who is "pete" anyway?)
i live in enough glitter as is. (work is covered with it, like a fairy drops by every night and dusts glitter everywhere.)
i will finish out this bottle, cause it was all of 3 bucks, but next time i may have to experiment with something a little less sparkly.

*don't get me wrong, i love sparkly things like diamonds, clean windows, even freshly washed cars, just not me.

Sincerely,
mrs. plott (yes, i'm the one with the sparkly gleam over here.)

there goes the sun

2009-09-25T10:18:00.004-07:00

monday morning i woke up and thought. uh-oh.
that uh-oh feeling has continued all week.
the mornings are becoming more crisp.
i am not ready to wave good bye to my summer.
it was all too short.
i need more time on the lake.
i need more lazy sunny moments.
i have no clothes to wear for cooler weather.
but oh i am ready to make some chili and cuddle in blankets.
i have many re-organizing projects i cannot wait to start when the weather forces me inside.
my house will get a good cleaning.
we will be ready to relax and watch some football.
but gosh i will miss the sunny days and will never forget how good the grass feels between my toes.

just a bit of summer, taken july 09 in orlando. gosh it was hot there.

p.s.
in an attempt to soak up every last bit of summer i treated myself to a "frazil" from the gas station. it is a sugary frozen drink that tastes a little like summer and a lot like sugar. (sorry dentist, i will be back to see you in october.) i did find it funny that they put a warning on the cup it reads "warning: the consumption of Frazil may stimulate senses you didn't know you had." made me giggle a little this morning, i like to start my day off giggling.

sunshine on monday...maybe

2009-09-03T17:12:00.004-07:00

taken in orlando in the dead heat of july

isn't in incredible that even on cloudy days the sun is still shining? for that i am grateful.

sometimes that sunshine comes in the form of siblings, no traffic, or dad's delicious chicken salad! (that's a whole nuther post.) there is a lot i take for granted. i have tired myself of complaining, especially about the things i can't change. i am trying to resign myself to looking on the positive side.

this. is. hard.

i also feel like now is a bad time to change my ways. not because it is hard (but it is). not because of certain situations (but they are there), but because i think that changes should be started on "special dates" you know like new years, or my birthday, or at least a monday for crying out loud. you can never start something whether it be a weight loss program, thinking nicer thoughts, or a budget on a thursday, it just doesn't make sense.

so until monday, i will continue being a pessimist. that swears a bit. that "vents" about useless stuff. that whines when all the lights are red on my way home. yeah i will still be that girl. sorry!

my dream, my wish, my goal

2009-08-25T20:10:00.003-07:00

i swear the world is flat. it sure seems to be in north dakota.

as we were driving home, i had an aching feeling. i was afraid.
i was afraid we would fall, not fall off the world, but fall back into it.

back into chaos.
back into clutter.
back into routine.

we took on the slower pace of life and made it ours for a few days. it didn't feel like a vacation, it felt like life.
there was common courtesy from strangers, friendly smiles and waves. well maintained yards and homes, and a sense of pride that went along with them.

i think the trip to north dakota reminded me to take time. take time to enjoy things as they are now. focus through the blur and like i have said before simplify. i don't need to travel 2000 miles to have the calm that i felt there, i can make that here. simplify is my dream, my focus, my goal.

how have you gone about under-whelming yourselves?

spoiled...

2009-06-27T08:36:00.003-07:00

it feels as if i have known him forever. or maybe the feeling is that i want to know him forever. i don't know that that feeling would be all that different.

it seems as if we have been living in a whirlwind lately, and it doesn't look to be slowing down anytime soon. i am elated that i have mr. as my constant. he hears me complain a lot. he cheers me up. he keeps me on my toes with surprises and adventures. he is forever understanding of late nights at work, my need of just down time, and that cereal is the best dinner he will get some nights.
here's to all the "one days" that i dream of, and the "one days" that i am currently living!

simplify

2009-05-30T15:41:00.006-07:00

i love to read. i wish i had more time to read.
i snuck a chapter (or two) in today in the middle of cleaning and running errands. i love how a well written book leaves me narrating my life in my head. it makes the tasks at hand sound much more glamorous and my life feel more lyrical. my confession, i would live in a book if i could. as i read, i am sometimes distracted thinking more of the actual process of writing than the story that is unfolding before me. i would like to think that the books i read were all rhythmically typed on a typewriter. i think the return "zing" at the end of each line would serve as a mini mile marker on the journey that becomes the novel. how rewarding it must be to see your work printed in stark black, looking right back at you. i know it is more convenient to use a computer now, it makes sense to put the typewriter in the closet and streamline your process, but is the experience the same? i refuse to think something hasn't been compromised in the "upgrade" to computers. geez, i am romanticising the typewriter, but what about the actual hand scribblings that the typewriter replaced. what have we lost there?
my great grandfather's handwriting looked like a piece of art. beautifully slanted lines, perfectly formed letters. will my great grandchildren even know what my handwriting looked like?
i hope so.
i have very few entrees in a journal that i tried to keep at times. they span at least 8 years. my handwriting gives away my mood. some days it was so happy with exaggerated loops and extra curves, others it was kept neatly with in the "guidelines" on each ruled sheet. i can flip the pages and tell exactly what i was feeling at the time with out reading a thing.
when was the last time i received a handwritten letter? when was the last time i made my task list with a pen instead of excel? when was the last time i wrote out my calender for the month?
i'm not against technology. i appreciate it, i love it, i embrace it...i will however take a few steps back in time. i will write my feelings in a tablet, i will doodle and scribble my favorite sayings on a handmade calender, i will pass notes to my loved ones (i will have to cross out my mis-spelled words because of lacking spell check abilities...but that just makes me more lovable right?), and i will perfect my handwriting once again.
call me old-fashion...no really please do, i would be flattered!

guess what earth...

2009-04-22T18:21:00.004-07:00

today was your day, and what a lovely day it was!

gosh, you sure are pretty !

long road

2009-04-16T09:16:00.004-07:00

sometimes it just feels like even though you have come a long way, there is still a long road ahead of you... today it is a long, long road.

(on the way back from butterfield canyon the other weekend)

write me a song

2009-03-30T10:06:00.005-07:00

i just watched a sweet music video, at the end it shows who the song was written for. i am such a sucker for a love song.

even more than a love song i need a song i can feel.
i need a song that has meaning.
i need a song that makes a moment.
i need a song that changes my mood.

as a music junkie i would dream of the day that someone would write a song just for me. a song that would always be mine. i have had songs dedicated to me. i have had songs sung for me. i have had songs bring back the moment i was living the last time i heard it. i have had songs make me cry. i have had songs stuck in my head for years. i have had songs speak to me. i call them all my song, but there truly is one song that, in all honesty is mine, all mine, permanently and forever.

the words were written just for me.
the music was written just for me.
it was sung and played on the guitar just for me.
it made a strong bond stronger.
it proved un-conditional love.
it is still my favorite song.

i am sad that i get lost in the verses and words now.
i am sad that parts of the tune escape me.
i am sad that i don't even have a copy of it.

i don't know that i would want to post all the words here anyway...it is so personal. it says "i love you, even though you stole my boyfriend. even though you ditched me to hang out with others. even though you are two years younger and a tag along. even though you wear all my clothes. because you are and always will be there. because you know what i am thinking before i even say it. because we can pass off as twins when in fact we are not. because you are my sister."

so sad that this is one of the only digital pics i have of us...guess you're always behind the lens!

thanks lace, i will forever be grateful that i have a friend "just like you".

i wash clean clothes with faith

2009-03-07T08:28:00.004-07:00

laundry has always been a chore that i didn't mind. i love the smell of clean clothes! i haven't yet lost any socks! i haven't shrunk anything! i haven't turned anything pink by washing whites with reds! (i am however jinxing myself...next week i'm sure i will have done one if not all of these things!)

often when i am in a deep cleaning mood i will wash all my jeans (yes even if they are already clean) i just want them "fresh". i will wash all the shirts i had folded if i want to hang them instead or visa verse. (even though all my clothes basically hang) in my mind it is simply comforting!

last night jon accidentally made this "obsession" a whole lot worse! we purchased a new washer and dryer!! our old ones were donated to us years ago from my boss who had them for years before. we were/are so grateful for the years that we had them for free. they worked fabulous! they still work, just slowly giving out. jon found a smashing deal on some new-ish ones on ksl and so we headed out last night to check them over. jon and tony went in the big red truck. lace brought me, austin, ayz, and tayz in the pilot. (yeah we made a night of it!) after i gave my "ok" to jon the boys loaded them up brought em home and hooked them in!! (they are only 5 months old) ...so here is where the problem is. we have no laundry to do, we just did everything the night before! in my crazy head i think, "well, nothing has been washed with this new technology! who knows if all these items are as clean as they could be!?!" needless to say...so far all the bedding is being washed, along with towels and jeans...i am trying to stop myself from going too far...but in all honesty it's not likely! i am in love!!

i mean really check out these beauties!! and they are black...so hot!

on a whole nuther note...how fabulous is faith hill!?! i've been watching country music videos all weekend, and she is so stunning! her voice is so powerful and her look is classic. ~sigh~ she's got skills!

she's so stinking beautiful

thanks faith for making us all look a little more frumpy...you're always good for something!

i know, i know

2009-02-25T18:44:00.002-07:00

sorry, things have been a bit busy over here. i have neglected to update on all our latest outtings...jon's been to denver, i've been to california, together we've been to north dakota and wendover. we've hosted fight night, caught up with some friends, got hair cuts, gone to jazz games, celebrated valentines day, attended birthday parties, and more. ya know the feeling of runing around like a chicken with your head cut off...yeah that applies here! i have hardly pulled the camera out through it all cause well to be honest, i forgot to even pack it/take it! sorry bout that. hopefully i can finally get back in the swing of things and dust off the old lens to capture a few moments that help define us.
welp i have dinner to make and a concert to attend tonight (yeah, tomorrow morning is gonna come way to soon..) maybe i'll click a few pics...i said maybe!

snow, i usually hate you...

2009-01-10T08:01:00.004-07:00

but the other night while your chubby flakes were falling all around me i was able to embrace your peaceful-ness! i found you enchanting...

i loved how you made the midnight sky brighten...how you made the trees look like black shadows reaching towards the sky...

then reality hit...i know myself better than that! i hate the freezing cold, the driving on ice, the missing sun...i will forever be a summer girl! nice try though snow, nice try!

i have bad days

2008-12-14T08:52:00.003-07:00

i hate having bad days, but sometimes there is just a funk that i can't seem to over come. bad days always have a remedy though...that remedy is love.

the other day i called jon and broke down...i was pushed to my limits. nothing he could do but listen (or so i thought), but then i came home all defeated feeling and ta-da!! the sweet man had brought home roses for me!! not that flowers make it all better, but they do! it meant that he was listening, was concerned about me, and wanted to help. how adorable!

monuments

2008-11-15T08:19:00.004-07:00

i will always stand in awe of people who risk it all for a cause. the cause can be building a dam, fighting for my freedom, monitoring cars at a check point, answering to emergency calls, security checks at events, at airports...and so much more. can you imagine going to work not knowing if today was the day that you would find a bomb? knowing that you may get that call over the radio of a man with a gun. knowing that today people were going to shoot at you, like yesterday and the day before.

a humble thanks to all those that keep us safe. we owe you it all...because some of you have given all, and others are willing to give all.

dam dam dam hoover dam

2008-11-15T07:43:00.004-07:00

this was my first time ever to hoover dam. some of the only pictures i could capture from our vegas trip were here. they don't let you take pictures in casinos, so i didn't lug my camera around everywhere with me (missed some photo ops...but i'll live). has anyone seen 21?? it's a movie...a good movie...i totally was pretending i was an actress in the movie the whole time, even though i never gambled a cent!

it's fall you know, so the water level was way low in this picture. sometimes it is almost to the top of the thingy-magigs!! wow huh...mind boggling! i knew i didn't like heights, but this sure reminded me. i get all spinny and crazy when i am at the top of something like this. i look around at all the people that act like it is simply natural and their kids are gonna be just fine peering over the edge (and, yes they were) but man i was a wreck...wanted to go pull them away from the edge and force them to hold my hand so they would never get that close again. so i grabbed jon away from peering over the edge and forced him to hold my hand so he wouldn't go over.
doesn't it just make you sick?? oh i was amazed as well...but very nervous and a little sick. jon had to take these pictures. the real picture we should have got is how he took the picture. he was all leaning over the edge a bit and i was holding on to the neck of his shirt (yeah choking him a bit) so that he wouldn't slip and fall. that's crazy for you! hi i'm crazy!
i think it is cute that we matched. not on purpose, but it almost never fails that we match (it's not hard to match blacks) but hey this is gray!! and sometimes when i wear brown, he wears brown...so weird cause we don't plan it! we're just in tune with each other i guess!!
...yeah it was warm, thanks for asking. we drove outta town during the first bad snow storm, yuck! i think i will make it a habit...leaving town every time it snows.

we almost saw this in action!!! while we were there we watch the national guard (the guards check your car for bombs as you drive in, they secure the whole area at all times) load a man and all his climbing gear into a squad car. he was seriously getting all rigged up to repel down the dam!! who does that!?!?? wow huh??

too much adventure

2008-11-09T09:23:00.004-07:00

finishing up moab so we can move on to vegas baby...
here is a little gem we discovered...it is ken's lake. that ken is a lucky man. he has his own lake that a beautiful waterfall flows to. we hiked to the waterfall (i doubt the last part of the hike was a trail, it was rough to put it nicely.) enjoyed the view and had to find a way down...go figure a road goes right up to it...should have taken that on the way up too. oh well you live and learn.

half way through the hike i am still smiling...the top though, whole nuther story!! seriously my legs were burning!!

jon thought this would be a good nissan commercial! silly boy!

what would moab be with out some pictures of arches. this was in canyonlands. it was my first time there, i only had seventeen thousand panic attacks. (i don't do well with heights) i wasn't so nice to jon after he climbed that arch either...really i mean one slip of the foot and...well anyway.

we made the mistake of taking a 4 wheeler ride the first day we got there...hours into it knowing we had hours more to go i was close to tears...i was so sore, and walked like a cowboy the whole rest of the trip. wouldn't trade it though, we saw some tough jeeps do some amazing climbs and saw parts of moab i have never seen.

we took a ride up and over the la sals...we ended up in bedrock, co. i kid you not blink and you miss the town! check out the post office, yep the bathroom is an outhouse!! and when we bought some treats for the ride back she used a carbon copy thingy to "swipe" our debit card...simpler times folks, that's all.

thanks bedrock, i think you were worth the trip and i will be back next spring!!

moab...how i love you

2008-11-03T18:24:00.002-07:00

we took off for a weekend...just the honey and i to enjoy the last bit of good weather. exceptional idea!! simply heaven for three days, 4 wheeling around scenic byways, hiking to stunning waterfalls, and taking lazy day cruises through the mountains...seriously what the doctor ordered!

getting ready

2008-10-28T18:39:00.004-07:00

jon is too active for me...he loves all things outdoors, i am learning. we are taking off to moab soon, we will be mountain biking and 4 wheeling non-stop. in order to keep up on the bikes i have been in "training"!! we try to hit trails as often as we can for as long as we can.

you'll notice you only get before pictures...miles and miles after i am even
less camera friendly. yes, you will just have to take my word for it.

east canyon

2008-10-28T18:26:00.003-07:00

usually you will not catch me saying anything lovely about autumn...this is diferent, you see october has been rather generous to us!! we have enjoyed many motorcycle rides to take in all the beautiful colors and crisp air. this particular ride was up east canyon.

if you have not made it up there it is simply stunning! the yellows are so neon (not like the car..eww).

don't you just have the urge to rake the leaves and then jump in them like the balls at mcdonalds?? i sure do...except for the bug factor, the raking factor, the re-raking factor, and the leaves stowing away on my body till i itch to death...yep other than that i am so down for it!!!

7 things...

2008-10-14T09:09:00.002-07:00

7 things i want to do before i die.....

1. travel
2. run for a cause
3. help the needy
4. be comfortable in my own skin
5. learn to drive a motorcycle
6. get more schooling
7. slow life down to enjoy every second

7 things i do now.....

1. work too much
2. sing too loud in the car
3. cook dinner (almost every night! woot woot)
4. dream of boating…we put it in storage this weekend ~cry~
5. watch football, and bet against jon’s teams .grin.
6. drink way too much water everyday for a normal human
7. peddle bike rides, at least 10 miles a week (sad, snow is gonna ruin this one)

7 things i can not do.....

1. open those tubes of dough, they terrify me!
2. sit still, especially at night I am constantly shaking my legs
3. eat any meat that is still on the bone, sorry kfc, but really, yuck!
4. use a lighter. really good thing i don’t smoke, i can never get those things to light
5. lie, i used to think i was good at it, but i think i was lying to myself…i so suck at it!
6. drink milk or anything milk-ish, i will gag
7. focus, poor lace, every phone conversation she has to repeat herself cause i was almost paying attention!

7 things that attract me to my husband.....

1. he is so smart, the man can fix or build or figure anything out…and he’s book smart too!!
2. um he’s very hot…very
3. he always puts me first no matter the situation
4. he is a hard worker, and strives to better himself all the time
5. he makes me laugh everyday
6. he appreciates me
7. he is very adventurous and includes me on every 4 wheeling, rock climbing, mountain biking, wake boarding, motorcycle riding outing without hesitation.

7 things i say most often.....

1. love you
2. right, right (this is when i am agreeing to something)
3. how are you? (i start every phone call with this, to lace, mom, jon, lilly, curt anyone…i truly want to know how they are before we dive into the purpose of the call)
4. have a good day (every morning to jon as he is leaving for work, i love when he comes home after a good day and wants to tell me all about it.)
5. i wish ( i start a lot of my sentences this way…i am such a dreamer lately)
6. that would be fab (sarcastically saying that something would really not be so fab)
7. what do you want to listen to? (jon and i are always on the road, since he is usually driving i try to pick music that wont put him to sleep…his pick usually ends up being a bit too scream-ish for me, and i wish i would not have asked in the first place.)

7 celebrities i admire.....i don't admire celebrities!
here are 7 people that i do admire...

1. lace, she is a fantastic mom and wife and one of my best friends
2. mom and dad, everything and more you could need or want in parents
3. lilly, she knows what she wants and who she wants to be
4. gentry, talk about a person that has every right to be ornery, but she is so happy and giving. She shows me how to rise above trials.
5. curtis, this man has a heart of gold…will do anything for anyone, always!
6. austin, he has so much passion, and can have everyone double over in laughter at any given moment.
7. jon, i learn from him everyday about the kind of person i want to be. simply adoring.

7 favorite foods.....

1. tacos, just lately i can’t get enough (i think it’s really the guacamole and salsa i am loving)
2. steak, i love, love, love steak…yum
3. thai food, spicy please
4. curry in a hurry, i am forever in debt to amy for introducing me to this place…forever
5. peanut sauce and sauté made by dad…so good!!
6. homemade pizza, mom still owes me this for my birthday that was months ago now.
7. stuffed peppers, i am making mom make this to, as interest on the pizza!! ~grin~

7 people that have to do this.....

ehh…whoevea!

so so so...

2008-10-08T15:00:00.005-07:00

a very long time ago i was tagged by my newest cousin..finally i am getting around to it!! she was very creative with her post, so i am trying my best to copy. below are my rambling answers, and some pictures for those of you who would prefer not to be bothered with reading.

my name:
this was a tough question, i am glad to get the hard ones outta the way first!

birth place:
i have a hard time remembering back that far, but to the best of my knowledge this was the place.

favorite color:
so hard for me limit my life to just one favorite color...oh wait no it isn't.

favorite city (at the moment):
for some reason i am longing to go back. i think it's cause i want to share it with jon this time.

favorite place to visit:
perfect on so many levels...so many.

bad habit:
yep, i crave these little things! every once in a while i will buy the small bag and then sneak them throughout the week. i feel so very criminal when i do this, but so very good at the same time!

favorite animal:
tough one. i am more a fan of those animals that are "impossible" (as jon says) to have as pets (see below). on a daily basis i ask jon to please present enough "cons" to out weigh my "pros" on owning a lion. he still has not succeeded, although he says my reasons are not realistic. i for one believe that if just given the chance a tiger would love to transport me to and from work as well as accompany me on shopping adventures.

past love:
trying oh so hard to forget you, you tempting lil potatoes all dressed up in oil. we used to be together on a daily basis, you making me smile...now we are still together on that horrid daily basis, but i am not so much smiling as i am wishing you would just let go of my thighs!! "let go!"

1st job:
ah what a simple time...if only i knew then that not all jobs provided endless amounts of coke and food every time you showed up, maybe then i would have cherished you longer. maybe.

nother favorite visit:
does anyone here know how lush oregon is, really it shouldn't be legal! i mean it. you can get so distracted driving the freeway because the trees and greenery all around is so breathtaking. they know how to landscape a highway! if i drove that everyday i don't think i would have even the slightest bit of road rage. we should survey the natives and see what they say, shall we?

current job:
scrapbookin. welp, not really but it has to do with all those papers, stickers and charms that some women can't keep their money away from.

so there you have it. can you believe that i could blog about work, lions, oregon and cheetos all in the same post?! in a perfect world i would think they should coexist! i'll work on that.
.grin.

soaking it all in

2008-09-23T08:29:00.002-07:00

sunsets have been amazing lately. i get to sit on my porch in the crisp evening air and watch these breathtaking colors change...far too fast. i hate that these enchanted evenings are slipping away. soon we will drive to work in the dark, drive home in the dark, and wonder what the sun used to look like. for now i am soaking it in, trying to hold on to every last second with so much desperation you would think i was ill.
summer, you are such a heart breaker, but i will take you back as soon as you show up on my doorstep with that perfect glow of yours. you know i'm the biggest sucker for you!
for now i will take what i can get...thanks fall for not snowing...yet!

cribs

2008-09-02T08:36:00.003-07:00

well...something like cribs. except you don't get a tour of my mansion, my rides, or my pool. the fridge on the other hand (and a snip-it of the cupboard), that is what i have in store for you. i am sure it is an obsession, but mine is rather healthy...jon is a whole different story.
here is my fridge shelf (okay i only get to own 3/4 of it...cause the milk has got to go somewhere. i have decided we simpy buy milk to watch it spoil, and then gag as we dump it down the drain. really i am the furthest thing from a milk drinker and jon only uses it for cereal that we buy just to let it get stale and throw it out 6 garbage days latter)

this is jon's entire shelf, and yes it usually looks like this, but i am so proud of him!! sometimes he feels the need to mix things up a bit so he will add a little diet dr. pepper to the mix!! impressive, i know. (and yes i know he is so skinny he does not need to be drinking diet, but people he likes the taste...go figure)

the fridge as a whole...you'll notice under my 3/4 shelf that there is the most tempting, tantalizing thing in the world...coke, regular, in it's natural, carbonated, fresh form. nope it's not for me...just a serious temptation whenever i open the fridge. i reach for my water, but my eyes always linger too long on that sweet nectar of the gods. they are leftovers from when curtis came to visit, and if i ever start drinking soda again i will be on the phone with curtis arranging a get-together with a bathtub full of coke!! (awkward i know).

these are not mine either, although i do enjoy one or two that is seriously all i am allowed to have. jon has been averaging a family sized box every other day. (it used to be every day, but i urged him to cut back...i was all "think of the cat, what are you teaching him?? as he watches you eat box after box day in and day out. how will you feel when you have drivin him to the streets cause you love the wheat thin more than him...then how will you feel about yourself" and jon said "right they are a bit pricey" and i was like "thanks for understanding babe" *insert long movie kiss*)

so there you have it...our quirks and weirdness with food-ish and drinks. cause i know you were wondering about it for a while now...finally you can rest easy at night!

ta da!

2008-08-28T18:05:00.002-07:00

so here is before...you know before tiff's magic hands!

and after. yep short-r and spunky-r. sure gonna save on the shampoo bills that have been pilling up in the corner!

...and...she dyed my eyelashes! yep i will no longer look like i have black eyes after serious water time. how rockin is that??!
big huge public thanks to you!! i'm one happy camper!

light at the end of the tunnel

2008-08-18T14:40:00.003-07:00

so i composed an email today...it was a very important one to her. she is mrs. magic as far as i am concerned.
i said:

so yesterday morning, as i was attempting to do my hair it dawned on me...it doesn't have to be this way! There was a time...not to long ago when i enjoyed what my hair did, sometimes, yes sometimes it made me smile!! why then why am i not smiling about you, dead cells that grow from my head, what has changed?? i'll tell you what...the magical talent of mrs. tiff is missing....seriously. i tired to give it excuses: "but hair she's further away now" "not good enough. you used to drive to posh to have your hair did. remember!" "but hair i just had you cut a bit ago" "yeah by some girl that only knows five hair cuts, and once you got home and dried it yourself to try to style it you realized that your requested cut was, for sure, not one of the five she knew" "but she's so busy" "you waited this long...you can wait longer for a real hair do" "right, i know, hair i will treat you to the dazzlings of mrs. tiff the soonest i can!" "bout time".
(don't tell me you don't believe my hair can talk back to me...actually it is more like yelling and screaming!)
anyway lil mis magic, i was praying that i could be the lucky one to sit in your new salon on your soonest evening or saturday appointment. i, and my hair, don't get off work till 5 pm, but i would leave as early as 4 if needed! (probably needed cause i am counting on getting lost on my way...i just know me) so what do ya say?? will you take me in and make me fill like a million bucks again?? i know you can, i believe in you! all i need it a cut...i stopped coloring a long time ago with your help...memeber?
let me know what your fab schedule looks like, and i will do my best to make it all work for me!!
thanks so much!
marci helen

and she responded!! with a saturday appointment! what?? saturday??! you mrs. tiff are like the best in all the land! how is a saturday, a this saturday appointment available...she is just as equally stunned. this is fate! the heavens knew that if i had to endure one more week with this mop on my head that i would loose it and spend some serious time in a straight jacket, or end up like the infamous spears chick, you know the one! don't think i am exagerating cause i'm not.
so stay tuned for the new "do" only 4 days, 19 hours, and 7 mins!! jealous???

100 days...(yesterday)

2008-08-12T08:33:00.005-07:00

we walked down the aisle and said i do...or i will...or something agreeable (serious i should remember, but i would say i was a bit of an emotional wreck.)

some of my sweetest friends built this cake that tasted just as good as it looked. i am so lucky to have them in my life always...really now...best part is, they don't even do this for a living (although they could and make great money) they work with me scrapbooking!! my boss actually found the cake idea in a martha stewart mag, and told me just a bit after finding out that i was engaged that she and her sister (and their husbands) were going to make it for me. {big side note...people i work with actually know my style better than i know my own style, how amazing is that??}

some of my favorite pictures from that day were not taken by professionals...(once again more lovely ladies could make a living doing photography, but they choose to do it only as a hobby). thanks for sharing your talents with me!! it means bunches.

i am simply happy with where the roads have taken me, and look forward to the miles and miles ahead!

long over-due

2008-08-02T21:56:00.004-07:00

this is from our fab trip to yellowstone with my loves...

jon had/has a lil shadow! ayz is so cute with him, and him with her!

jon had not been to yellowstone since he was rather young, it was so much fun to watch him re-discover the beatuy the park holds. we didn't have near enough time there...

the family...missing curt, tiff, and lit. we missed them, but all of us always have so much fun together. i love how close we get to be!

just jon and i...i was cying cause it was the day we were leaving, i wanted to stay so badly.

and finally some images that capture many of the reasons i fell in love with the place...plus all the family time. couldn't ask for a better trip!

all dressed up...

2008-07-29T18:42:00.004-07:00

how cool are these?? they are scattered about the streets of chicago. all are "dressed" in recycled materials. i love the imagination that some people have. the top one is for sure my favorite, but i do adore the "queen of hearts" one too...note more coke cans! (yep even though i no longer drink the stuff i can still have a loving relationship with it!)

love the windy city

2008-07-29T18:08:00.010-07:00

we worked awful hard while in chicago, but we played as hard as possible as well. we spent every night enjoying amazing meals from harry carry's, taste of rosemont, and more...i had the best steak of my life, and the worst tasting cheese of my life, all in the same night. (i am still recovering from both!) {more pictures of our fine eating establishments to come}
we sent some time sight seeing and took a fantastic tour down the chicago river. everything was bigger than life, and left me in awe of all that we as humans are capable of. from the concept, the actual design, bringing to life, and enduring, every building in chicago is a work of art.
we also got to spend a night a navy pier, the fireworks were sooo beautiful. really a great way to end the trip.

deb and i...all smiles for a reason ~grin~

all the ladies, extreamly happy to be off our feets

love the design of these

beautiful clouds and reflection in the building

gotta love our flag, flying for freedom

standing at the base of one and looking up makes me dizzy...they are just so tall

infront of the chicago river, where our lovely tour took place

everything was so green there because of the humidity...loved it

so much detail on everything...

almost the same pose as the statue

the entrance! kinda magical

my boat in the back with my helicopter

little lighthouse love

love how this one turned out

ending the trip with a bang

already home

2008-07-25T08:09:00.001-07:00

i'm back from chicago!! i know i have a million pictures to post of all the good times spent on the town after long days of work...long days of work! can't wait to take you on a tour of my trip. stay tuned.

my cute girls

2008-07-13T11:35:00.004-07:00

jon and i have the best location in the world! we are 5 minutes from my mom and dad's house, 5 minutes from my lace and tone, and 10 minutes from curt and tiff. we get to surround ourselves with them on at least a weekly basis...if not more. here are just a few random moments with the most adorable neices in the world!
just a sweet moment captured of ayz

yes i insisted if she was going to play with a truck it should have a flower on it!

jon and ayz in deep conversation i'm sure

tay's beautiful blues, striking

lit is such a ham, just keeps me laughing all the time

yep we are lucky to be so close to such wonderful family.

if you can't find me...

2008-07-13T09:56:00.006-07:00

i am on the lake! seriously this is one of the first weekends we have been home since we got hitched. i am not complaining at all...i love how action packed my life is from tahoe, yellowstone, flaming gorge, evanston, and alpine wy. we stay very busy. it is perfect that i get to do all this with jon by my side, we really are just the best of friends, and i so love it.
white sunglass club

all the girls...(i'm not to that show my stomach point yet)

the whole gang for the fourth

camping at the gorge

i can't wait till our next adventure!! always something to look forward to...geez i love you summer days!

tagged by lace

2008-06-08T09:31:00.012-07:00

ten random things...
one.
music rocks my world…i am not afraid to sing in the car, the shower, or in the grocery store. i wake up with songs in my head, and go to bed humming a tune. music makes my mood.

two.
i get goose bumps when i sneeze, no matter the temperature…my body just has always done that to me.

three.
jon and i are opposites! he is a serious busy body, and i love to relax. i love to talk to anyone about anything, he would rather keep to himself. he is very competitive, and i couldn’t care less if i win or lose. he can do all math problems in his head, and spell anything at the drop of a hat, i think that is what calculators and spell check is for! our differences make each other stronger, and give us more reason to love the other.

four.
dancing is something i love. i love to watch it, and i love to pretend that ican do it. i enjoyed dancing all through school, and now i live the dream through “so you think you can dance”! thanks fox!

five.
if i miss a workout in the morning i have a very sluggish day. i depend on my morning routine to set up the rest of my day. i really believe that 30 days makes a habit!

six.
i love to save money, it makes me feel good. i am a very “what if” thinker, and i feel comfort every time i can set something aside.

seven.
i hate to be alone…i don’t want to shop alone, drive alone, be home alone…nothing!
i blame this on growing up in a household that kept me constantly surrounded by loved ones!! wouldn’t want it any other way.

eight.
i would rather drink most my meals than eat them.

nine.
i want to branch out. i have been feeling very restless lately, i think that i should be helping others. i can’t really describe it, but for now I know there is more i should be doing for someone else.

ten.
color is an obsession in our lives. we love anything black, red, white or silver. our cars, our house, even on laundry day I do mostly black and white. like i said obsessive!!

suspense enough??

2008-05-26T19:10:00.007-07:00

so let's finish out this honeymoon post once and for all so we can move on to all our exciting adventures as newly weds!! (i must tell you...i am enjoying every. second. i am so lucky!!)

this was such an un-real waterfall. we got to hike right to it, and seriously feel like we were going over the edge...it was a huge rush, even though it doesn't look so death defying in the pictures.

ah...what jon loves to do

and oh baby what i love to do!! did a bit too much of this, and got a lil burn. no complaints though!

we were just driving through reno, and felt the need to document this moment. isn't my husband a stud??

we went on a lovely cruise, honestly it was breath taking. the water is sparkling, and the company could not be beat!! our cruise ship was so huge, but we had prime seats on the third deck, right in front!!

we spent an entire day on the beach. we just relaxed and enjoyed the incredible view and weather. this trip must turn into tradition i tell you...it. was. heaven.

i have so many more pictures...maybe another time we will get to reflect on the "good old days"...

tahoe is tropical

2008-05-11T14:40:00.006-07:00

i know i am skipping all the bridal, and wedding posts..but i'll go back to them. i just can't get over how spectacular our honeymoon was!! we were oh so lucky to get to drive to tahoe monday morning. it was 7 hours on the road, but seriously didn't feel like it at all!

this is how we drive...always having our hands on the others knee. i just love this, it is so natural...in fact if we are driving and jon doesn't have his hand on my knee something must be wrong!

we drove to find this beautiful lake, and week-long retreat! serious if there were not pine trees i would have sworn we were on an island in the tropics. the weather was perfect, the company couldn't be beat, and the time flew!

i just love spending time with him, and how much fun we get to have together! we are so lucky!
more to come...this is just day ONE!

really now??!

2008-04-23T16:44:00.002-07:00

Q: so what have you been working on since you are now just days, yes, days from your wedding??
A: digging out parts of the yard for so we can pour a patio slab, and a side driveway.
Q: oh so, all your wedding stuff is done...
A: ha, wedding stuff that's right...that's what i should be working on
really though, i would hate to have to move in somewhere that lacked all the style of a new patio...wouldn't you?
~grin~

weird...he kissed me!!

2008-04-15T14:30:00.005-07:00

so i was lucky enough to get to go to a jazz game with my work. we got to share a suite with frank layden, and his rockin wife barbara. (yes he once was the coach for the jazz...back long ago.) we all took turns getting our picture taken with him. when it was time for my turn he surprised me with a kiss on the cheek!! it was rather hilarious! it was a very lovely night, i am for sure a spoiled girl!

i told jon later that frank layden had kissed me, and he asked who that was...i should have described this lovely man. had i been thinking on my toes i so would have!! not that jon would believe me, but i used to be so witty. (or so i thought)

yep mr. david you sure are a great soccer player!! come on guys...you know that his soccer skills are the ONLY reason i like him!

...8 things...

2008-03-04T17:55:00.001-07:00

8 things I am passionate about...  
1. jon, what’s not to love about this amazing man
2. music, I can’t just have it for background I need to be singing to it and living the songs
3. family, seriously neglected, but I am seriously lost with out them
4. friends, I hate to be alone, I always need my friends with me
5. the colors black, white, and red, constants in my life that make me smile
6. taking baths…I don’t do it near as often as I would like, but they take me to another place of calm
7. organization, sometimes you wouldn’t know it though. I love when everything has a place and is in it…one day!
8. food…especially fruit and steak…awesome combo huh, oh I love drinks too. at any given time you will find at least 3 beverages on my desk. nut case! 

8 things I want to do before I die...  
1. travel…yep as much as I hate living out of a suitcase, I love the feeling of being away from my routine 
2. learn to swim well…currently I can swim in 4 feet of water, but if gets any deeper than that I panic!! I haven’t really found any lakes that are only 4 feet deep…so I better get on this in case of emergency.
3. be a mommy but not for a while (these are things before I DIE not a “to do list now”)
4. learn to be happier…look past the trials and smile anyway, don’t let the stress and little things get to me.
5. learn how to cook. I think Jon wants this more than I do, but yeah I should learn it 
6. own a home with a garden tub, yep this would be heaven!!
7. be a great outdoors girl…like a hiker, biker, rock climber. I currently do all these, but I would love to do them well, and for my body to not die afterwards
8. be fit and healthy

8 things I say often...  
1. what the… (this is never finished, I like to leave it up to the “hearer” to fill in the blank)
2. holy (just my astonished phrasology)
3. but babe, (almost the only way I start a sentence when talking to jon lately as in “but babe, I need red roses for all the tables”)
4. miss you ( cause I miss all you!!)
5. uh huh (it’s all in the way you say this one…kinda with a southern belle accent)
6. no? (as a question at the end of every statement I make…must stop second guessing myself)
7. k – so (how I start a sentence when I think I’ve got it all figured out.) 
8. sweet (thanks to work this is the only way I know how to describe anything that is cute, little, tender…whatever)

8 things I have read recently... 
1. ok magazines
2. scrapbook magazines
3. bloggies
4. wedding magazines
5. email. email. email
6. uh a book in the summer…don’t remember the name
7. my camera manual
8. texts from my peeps

8 songs I could listen to over and over...  
1. Pink’s song “who knew” not sure why but it just gets me
2. Rob Thomas “lonely no more” or basically anything by him
3. Keith Urban “tonight I wanna cry” I like that softer side of this message
4. Lifehouse “everything” gonna listen to it right now LOVE it
5. Lorene Drive I love it all…reminds me of road trips with Jon
6. Jewel it always takes me to summertime on the lawn with lace and the guitar
7. Matchbook Romance times when Jon and I started dating…love “tiger lily”
8. Anna Nalick ”breath” she has an amazing voice…I’m so jealous!

8 thing I have learn in the past year...  
1. that my family is truly amazing, and understanding of me 
2. that I have the love of my life and am just starting my life with him
3. that I can work hard and play harder
4. that I have true friends that love me no matter what
5. that organization brings me happiness (kinda knew this one already)
6. that I don’t have to do it all by myself
7. that when I am stressed a vacation and a hug can mend it all
8. that no matter how early I go to be I still hate waking up in the morning
NOW I PICK....... you if I told you mine you should tell me yours!! fair is fair!  To do the 8 CrAzY things.....

tis not the season....

2008-02-03T20:23:00.000-07:00

holy, you would really think i would be better at this, especially since i got a camera for christmas...i guess all i can say is that i will work on it.
i have been playing with some lovely photo options that i never knew i had... 2 are from my recent trip to evanston to visit jon's stompin ground, the others are of my two loves...lit and ayz! too adorable to keep the lens off them.

tis the season

2007-12-20T19:16:00.001-07:00

I really wanted to enjoy Christmas this year. I have been looking forward to hot chocolate, Christmas songs, and the warms smells of the season. People must think I am crazy, but every present under the tree MUST match the decor of the entire house...thus the silver with black bows. I know it is not traditional Christmas..and I think that makes it even more appealing!! I made all the tags including the ones to me so they would all be uniform...no it is not a sickness...I just like it this way.

I must admit that I am far more anxious to give my gifts than to get any!! I think that is how a lot of us are (or so that is the word on the streets). I feel giddy like a child again!! (hey lace wanna sneak up the staris and see if we can make out what anything is under the tree?? wanna?? wanna??) Here's to wishing all the safest and happiest of seasons!! Embrace the love!

before we even knew

2007-08-25T19:31:00.000-07:00

these pictures were taken when we were in the same house, at the same time and probably even at sometime in the same room, but this is before we even knew eachother existied.
before i knew that jon is a neat freak
before he knew that i love lazy sunday afternoons
before i knew that he loves cars
before he knew that i love movies
before i knew that he is from evanston
before he knew that i am always up for a road trip
before i knew that he never mis-spells a word
before he knew that i always mis-spell words
before i knew that he loves sweets
before he knew that i love avacados
before i knew that he always like to have a plan
before he knew that i am a fly by the seat of your pants kinda girl
before i knew that he takes 5 minutes to get ready
before he knew that i am never ready
before i knew that he loves football
before he knew that i like football
before i knew that he would always be mine
before he knew that i would always be his

time is ticking....tick, tick, tick

2007-08-16T18:45:00.000-07:00

when jon asked me to marry him we decided that the wedding date would be exactly one year away. we are now down to less than 9 months. ~gasp~ what a waste of time. i really need to step it up a bit, with a list over a mile long to accomplish, i don't know why i am taking my own sweet time. i have found a lot of things that tickle my fancy, but i am not completely sold on anything...well except for the groom!!

i love this concept, true some things would need to be altered for the ladies, but it is so sweet and simple.

i found this the other day and love how it is just breaking the norm a teensy bit. i want a really modern feel, with a twist of personality...i think this just may do the trick.

i have a lot more that i would love to share with you, but i have to find pictures first...just you wait!!!

finally getting to my "tag"

2007-08-16T18:32:00.000-07:00

so trina tagged me and asked..."why do you blog?" i honestly think it is because my sis and friends do it! i can't be the left out one, even though i am wretched at updating and currently don't even own a camera. ~sigh~ one day...
i have to confess, i am very addicted to reading others blogs, take for instance kim, or sarah...heaven only knows when i saw either of them last, but i know what is going on in their little neck of the woods. thanks blogger!! sorry dears i don't often comment, i'll work on that as well!
thanks for the tag, it makes me feel a bit official! (i haven't even made it on lace's page as a link though...guess that puts me in my place!)

This was far too right for me!!

2007-07-18T10:11:00.000-07:00

Thanks Sara!! This was a very fun and insightful test, but it kind of freaked me out! I never put much stock in this sort of thing, because it usually depends on how I am feeling that day at that moment...this test captured me!!! One thing about me is I am VERY SHY in a group of new people, and overly loud and outgoing in a large group of people that I know. Most tests rate me as a "needs to be the center of attention type of a person" Normally I am not to either extream, but it only gives me those 2 choices or what not. Anyway a lot of the things this test told me were true to not only today, but all my crazy days. It also told me things I can work on to be more well rounded. I think that this test knows me better than some of my own friends ~grin~
Give it a whirl, but make sure you have a bit of time on your hands!!

Sorry I do not know how to link...I tried, but it didn't show up so let's do it the old fashion way here...

www.personaldna.com

Love you my dear friends!!!

our house

2007-06-26T20:36:00.000-07:00

kitchen

jon's barstools made from car parts
our backyard~outside of the garage
inside the garage 100% packed already!!

bathroom
"dining area"
game room
hallway

living room...the coffee table is a car creeper

spare room~office

master bedroom... paintings by yours truly, the lamp is a turbo, and yes i am still working on decorating the shelves.

this house was a diamond in the rough to say the least. when we first saw it it had carpet in the kitchen, dark cherry floors, an ancient bathroom, and solid white walls. we have done a lot of work to make this house more like a home. we still have a long way to go, especially when you look at the outside...from paint to siding to decks we plan on doing it all. jon and i are not experts in remodeling by any means, however we both enjoy working with each other towards a common goal, and that is what makes this all possible.

my dear sweet sweeties

2007-06-19T19:52:00.001-07:00

yep i am the oldest in the picture but still the shortest

yellowstone

lace's baby shower

yet another baby shower

family photos...this was fun for all ages

i love my family in an obsessive way. i think that i am extreamly blest to be so close to them. we always have a shoulder to cry on, or more importantly someone to giggle with! these pictures are old, but really capture the ~love~

here i am for real

2007-06-19T18:59:00.000-07:00

welcome to my little world of changes. these are photos of jon and i back when we first started dating. oh so much has changed in these past two and a half years, that i don't even know where to start...from jobs, to cars, to hair color i have changed it all!! in a litttle less than a year i will be changing my last name as well, now that takes the cake. i am very happy where the roads in my life have taken me. i have a very supportive family and incredibly sweet friends that stand behind me. i have really been a very lucky girl. i hope to give you a glimpse into my life and the lives of my loved ones. i am not a photographer extraordinaire, nor do i own my own camera, but i can work around that, don't you worry!!!

2006-09-19T14:36:00.000-07:00

There is no pleasure in having nothing to do; the fun is in having lots to do and not doing it!
Isn't this statement TRUE! Actually I almost always accomplish what I set out to do every day, I just dilly dally along the way. ~grin~