Introducing....

BIG BLUE!!! 

 

We LOVE our new car!  It's a Land Rover Discovery with some fun perks!  We love the two moon roofs, AC for each seat plus volume control, and the fact that it has a 7 passenger option came in handy in the first few days!  We were so lucky to stumble upon this deal.  It truly is a sad story though.  The girl we bought it from was such a sweetheart!  She and her husband are 30 and have an 8 and 4 year old.  She was telling us that her husband had been in and out of the hospital but was selling the car because he wasn't driving it much.  Well after more test driving we just knew hers was the one for us.  {On a side note, you can call Land Rover and give them the VIN number and they'll tell you the entire history of the car including maintenance so we knew this car was treated well and taken care of}.  So we called her and left a message saying we wanted it and would have the cash in hand the next day.  Well we never heard from her.  The next morning we got a call from her sister saying that her husband had passed away the night before, but was so grateful we had decided to buy the car because it wouldn't be a financial burden anymore.  Anyways, it was so sad when we met her and paid off her remaining balance on her loan.  Things like that break your heart but it just makes us that much more grateful for the gospel and it helps us recognize there is a greater plan than our own.

I Am

I am: overwhelmed with projects (as always).
I think: the summer has flown by too fast with not a lot accomplished.
I know: Phillip loves me.
I want: to have children.
I have: a millions other things I should be doing right now.
I wish: we had a car since ours was totaled.
I hate: having commitments when I want to do something else.
I miss: my mom.
I fear: getting stung by a wasp/yellow jacket since Logan is infested with them!
I feel: grateful that we walked away from our accident.
I hear: the swamp cooler.
I smell: my hubby making pancakes!
I crave: vegetables and starburst, but not at the same time.
I search: for items all the time because my husband is constantly losing something.
I wonder: when/how we will be blessed with children.
I regret: only a few things in life.
I love: getting pedicures and back tickles from my hubby!
I care: that my house is clean and my meals are planned a month in advance.
I always: read before I go to bed.
I am not: skinny, nor will I ever be, but healthy is all I aspire to be.
I believe: that 'what you put in is what you get out'.
I dance: to my aerobics video.
I sing: all the time!
I don't always: mountain bike with my husband everyday.
I fight: with myself over what is most important on my to-do list.
I write: the checks to pay our bills.
I lose: track of time when I am scrapbooking.
I win: randomly when we play games.
I never: drink milk!
I listen: to my iPod when I go walking.
I can usually be found: at home making something for someone else.
I am scared: of losing my hubby.
I need: to pack for camping tomorrow instead of blogging.
I am happy about: my kitchen being almost completely remodeled, along with our office!

I tag: Anyone who reads my blog!

Miracle...

...is the only word I can think of, but somehow it doesn't do justice to the gratitude we are feeling!  We were on our way to the Real Salt Lake soccer game because we scored cheap tickets.  We were just getting on the freeway and were going about 65.  Phillip was driving and this guy tried to get in our lane.  Phillip tried to avoid hitting him but there was another car so he moved back but that dumb guy was pushing us over again and it made us overcorrect.  We spun and flew across 4 lanes of traffic where our front end hit the median and then flung around and hit my side of the car and we slid another 100 yards along the median.  We couldn't breathe because of the airbags and I couldn't get my shoes on, but luckily we both were able to get out of the car.  My glasses at some point flew off into the backseat {maybe because of the airbag}.  We couldn't believe the distance we traveled without being smacked by another car, and the fact that we finally came to a stop on the shoulder against the median so we weren't blocking traffic.  We had to be checked out by the firefighters and EMT's, but more than anything we're just bruised, and banged up.  Sore feels like an understatement this morning!  Phillip's back hurts {which is always a recurring thing due to all of his accidents}.  My right arm is very sore and bruised because of hitting the median on my side.  My neck and back are sore too.  My left shoulder hurts because it was stuck in between the seat and center console {which totally bent}.  And I knew my upper legs hurt but it wasn't until I got to take a shower that I saw all the bruises and welts which were from the airbag.  Anyways.  We said a prayer of gratitude at our first opportunity because we were able to walk away from a potentially BAD accident.  My in-laws brought their camera {the one time I took mine out of my purse} and we got pictures after they had already moved the car and were putting it on the tow truck.  We got a few of the skid marks across the highway and median, but we forgot to get some of the damage underneath.

Hit Me With Your Best Shot

We have loved playing softball the past few weeks with our ward!  Phillip happened to be out of town this last week, but I still went.  Our last game for the night was against a really aggressive team who had to follow the rules 'by the book'.  Well the rules are that you pitch to your own team.  So they asked me to play 2nd base when they were up to bat, which was fine, but they started pitching before we were all out on the field and as I turned around the ball comes flying at me {without even touching the ground} and it hits me in the calf.  INSTANT BRUISE!  I say I'm fine and kinda try and walk it off knowing that if I stop it's going to hurt worse, when all of a sudden the ball is flying at me again and I did kinda stop it, but it hit my chest.  Come on, give me a break!  Needless to say I iced my leg for 2 days, but man I was in pain!  This picture was taken about 5 days after so it's looking much better!  Haha!

I'm Back

A few weeks ago Phillip, his brothers, and his dad went on a backpacking trip to Buckskin Gulch (see pics below).

  While they were doing a 'guys weekend' the wives decided to have a 'girls weekend' scrapbooking and watching chick flicks!  

Now if any of you have been to one of my scrapbook parties or scrapbooked with me you know I never get more than a layout or two done.  Well my friends, I sketched, printed pictures, put together materials, and had zero sleep for 24 hours in preparation for this particular weekend.  I had 47 pages planned and guess what...I finished most of them, including the journaling!  I only have a handful of scrapbook pages done from the time we were married and I finally decided that simplicity and not being a perfectionist is the only way to get our scrapbooks done.  None of these are in chronological order, and this is only half of the pages I completed (I promise to get the rest uploaded).  I am proud of myself for just letting go (aka not worrying about what others think of my style), getting pages done, and not spending exuberant amounts of time on each layout!  I feel a sense of accomplishment!  I will say though, having a blog helped with quite a few pages because the 'journaling' was already done and thought out.  The colors seem a little off in the scans, but I am posting them anyways.

After our fun weekend we got to enjoy an entire week at home in Logan!  We made a goal to get involved in our new ward as much as possible.  We started with the Bishopric coming to visit us Sunday to get to know us.  Phillip hit it off with the 2nd Counselor immediately and they began going mountain biking every other morning.  Then Wednesday the Relief Society came to get to know me.  Immediately after, I went with them to book club, which I made homemade cookies for 'just because'.  The next morning I went with some girls from the neighborhood to a fun little class while our husbands put in tile in the 2nd counselors home.  That evening we fed them because they couldn't get into their kitchen and then we all went to coed softball (which was a blast!).  We fed them breakfast on Friday and then got a call in the afternoon because their house flooded.  Needless to say I made 4 fish and talapia stretch for the neighborhood (hmm sounds like a familiar story) for dinner because no one had eaten and everyone was just trying to help them get everything out of their house and dried.  I realized (and this has always been my moms motto - and it was mentioned in the Ensign) that if you just jump right in...what you put in is what you get out.  It was an amazing week and I felt so happy and involved!

What have we been up to since then you might ask?!  BABYSITTING!  We just got done this evening (7 days) and I am ready to go to bed for a few days!  My own comfy king size bed has never looked so inviting!  So to all my friends who read my blog (does anyone?!), I am back from my blogging hiatus!

Will Return...

Crappy Day

Two trips to Home Depot: $97.44

Throwing away a shirt, pants, socks, & shoes: $60

Hours spent under the house: 9

Hours lost working due to rain/snow: 1

Having a handy husband: PRICELESS!!!

The time finally came where something in our house broke. Well technically it didn't break.

Some moron thought that you could use a dryer vent and duct tape for plumbing. Needless to

say, we kept smelling this foul smell. I am way weird about smells and sanitation, so I

begged my hubby to look under the house. I knew the yucky smell wasn't coming from

inside. I thought maybe an animal got under the house and died - you just never know after

winter when things thaw out. So the awesome guy that he is he got under the house and all

of a sudden I hear this hacking and I look out the window. My dear sweet husband is on his knees hurling into the bushes. The verdict...crap was everywhere! Lesson to the dork that 'thought' he could do plumbing...duct tape doesn't fix everything. I am so grateful that my 'Mr. Fix-it' installed an entire new plumbing system.Then he cleaned the concrete and topped it off with a good Clorox scrub. The poor guy totally burned his lungs and throat. When he finally finished at 8 pm he quickly showered (after throwing away his clothes) and we left for the evening. The smell of the bleach permeated the entire house, but for me that was a piece of mind knowing we weren't breathing in the poop fumes! So another shameless plug for my man who saved us a couple hundred dollars by doing the 'dirty work' himself!

fRiEnDs

I have been so blessed throughout my life to have amazing friends! I had the opportunity to see two of these great friends that I haven't seen in a few years!

I first got to spend the afternoon with my friend Natalie, who I just love chatting with about anything under the sun! We have so much in common including the fact that her mom is friends with my moms childhood friend, who lives in California {small world}! We are both the oldest in our families and we deal with life's challenges and daily experiences in similar ways. We got to talk about family/friends, cameras, photography, and life. Our friendship started back in 2001 when we first moved to Utah. We were both newlyweds and we'd play games and hang out because they lived across the street and lets face it, we were on strict budgets. I miss those days {sigh}. When we moved back to Arizona they came to visit us, and shortly after they moved to the other side of the country for a while and even through the miles we still were able to keep in touch {especially through the blessing of blogs}! I loved every minute of hanging out with you Natalie and I love your new home! You are a wonderful example to me and I watch you more than you think {not in a stalkerish way, haha}. Welcome back to Utah!

The second friend that I got to see was Erika! Erika and I go back 12+ years! It all started with me asking for her picture because I thought she was cool and really good at basketball. She was my rock through everything and anything and I could always count on her. In high school we spent hours playing the piano and singing, not to mention the fact that our guest room became her second bedroom. I love that she can be trusted with any secret, and that she never judges anyone or gossips. She is also sentimental and saved some of the notes we used to write each other and we had so much fun re-reading them! She even had a funny one from when I was dating Phillip seriously and I hadn't even graduated yet! Erika and I can also not see each other for years and pick up as though nothing had changed. We had Cafe Rio and sat in her cute kitchen for hours talking. Oh and of course had brownies and ice cream! I loved talking about all our crazy stories from back in the day! Erika, I am grateful for our friendship and the closeness we've always shared! I swear if it weren't for some of those heart to heart talks, I wouldn't have made it through our senior year! You are an amazing example of selflessness. You rock Allstar!

SOLD...and BOUGHT!!!

My rad friend Sarah bought my Mac Mini...and I bought a new Macbook! I am so excited...for the both of us! She's going to love it, and I'm already enjoying the portability of the Macbook!

Sarah's new computer!

Deneigh's new computer!

GILGAL

Since Phillip's older sisters came into town for his brothers homecoming we all went to this really odd park called GILGAL. It's just some guys backyard and he did these crazy weird art pieces. Here are a ton of fun, random pictures from the day!

The BIG Surprise

Yes it has come to my attention that we have been M.I.A. for a few weeks...and I can finally share with you why!  Phillip's parents went to France to pick up his brother Steven from his mission.  So while they were gone me and Phillip, and Machelle {his sister} and Tim {her boyfriend}, redid 2 rooms in their house!  The first reason we concocted this surprise is that they never would have done it for themselves.  The second reason is that by doing this huge project we were taking care of Mother's Day/Father's Day, birthdays, and Christmas for the rest of the year.  So for 2 weeks we ate, breathed, and slept remodeling the basement!  We forgot the before pictures so it isn't as dramatic and you can't appreciate the work that went into this project by just showing the final outcome {Thanks Machelle for sending me the pics}.  I will say though that they feel like totally different rooms!  

The first room used to be the sewing/craft room and office.  It is now just the sewing/craft/scrapbook room.  It is bright and fun!  One of my favorite things about the room is my idea of using a lazy susan and putting dowels in it so we could put all the rolls of wrapping paper on it and spin it around.  I loved organizing everything and Machelle's idea for the fabric makes the closet seem like art, haha!  I love that this room feels happy!

The second room used to be Phillip's room, and then it was the dance room.  Guests would stay in this stark cold room and now it has a much warmer feeling about it.  Not only did this room get a fresh coat of paint and new hardwood floors {put in by Phil & Tim}, but it now has a designated purpose.  It is the office/guest room.  The futon allows guests a space to sleep, but still has an office feel for Phillip's Dad.

Only 219 Days Left

School's Out For Summer

So I changed my song on my iPod because I swear I can't get this chorus out of my head!  I am so excited to be done with finals!  I have a million things I want to do this summer.  Phillip finished yesterday and he's such an awesome hubby because he started tilling the garden and boy howdy are we gonna have a big one.  We got the following done so far...

(So basically all the tilling and this tiny little flower box - 

which is actually the ugly hitch on our trailer, but I had to spruce it up)

And then the following happened...

(turn off the sound on my iPod to hear what I'm saying)

Just as we were about to go outside to plant out gazillion and one seeds, I looked out the window and it was snowing!  What the heck?!  It's April, well May tomorrow.  Crazy enough, this was as it was starting.  It has since gotten worse and we have a thin fresh layer of snow on the ground.  The crazy part is it was really warm yesterday and the sun was out this morning.

wHaT?!

sNoW...at the end of ApRiL?! 

 

It's sticking...and there's lots of it too!

  

So when exactly should we start planting our garden?!

Tagged

My friend Sarah tagged me and I decided to surprise her and actually play along! I admit the last time I played along was in this post...and again in this post. So folks, this is rare! Sarah...you are welcome, haha!!!

{ 7 Random Things About Me }


1. I only like jersey knit sheets { and I have converted my husband }! This has posed problems with getting a good nights rest when we are away from home!

2. I HATE milk! I refuse to drink it. My mother-in-law has finally accepted this after 7 plus years of being married into this family.

3. I LOVE the snow and cold! I could watch it snow for hours! When we lived in Colorado Phillip and I loved to sit in jammies on a Sunday afternoon and read by the fireplace!

4. I LOVE to go camping but we rarely get a chance to go! We have a HUGE camping trip planned for this summer though!

5. We bought a cute place back in June of last year and have only lived there about a month all together because we have been taking online classes and traveling between Arizona and Utah.

6. Because of number five we haven't had callings in almost a year. In fact, we've only been to our ward once since moving here! The second time we tried to go while in town we got there just as everyone was leaving because it was stake conference. I miss the ward family feeling of belonging and giving service.


7. I am beyond stressed right now because it is the end of the semester and I have a few papers and finals due all at the same time { so why am I wasting my time blogging }!

What's In A Name?!

I am enlisting the help of all my blogging friends! I need name ideas for something pretty darn special! As most of you know my mom and I are doing the 3 Day 60 mile Breast Cancer Walk and our team needs a name. Any suggestions would be super! Feel free to email them to me or post as a comment! Thanks!

Eat Your Heart Out

My husband had to go to Arizona last Thursday to do some bids for a few contractors to do their home theaters.  He knew I was jealous that he got to go to Arizona, but also that I was bummed because we wouldn't see each other for a week.  So he got home really late Wednesday night because he had gotten me these beautiful flowers!

He also splurged and got us ice cream...

 

...and we watched The Ultimate Gift!

What an awesome movie!  I recommend it to everyone.

So as I sit here and download my pictures and do this post I am missing him like crazy.  On a happy note, I get to go pick him up tomorrow afternoon at the airport.

In the mean time all I've done here at our house in Logan is...homework...homework...and projects.  I've thoroughly enjoyed all the snow though!  To all my friends in Arizona who have their air conditioning on, EAT YOUR HEART OUT!

One Happy Girl {ME}

I have a new favorite mascara (click here)! Nuff' said!

Oh No I Didn't!!!

I went on a shopping spree! Well, sort of! Phillip and I love to read and someday we hope to have an extensive library in our home. No library is complete without the classics of course! So we found out that Barnes & Noble had a huge selection of classics in hardback for only $6.36 each! While I was out and about today I decided to run in the store and see what they had in stock. Let's just say the guy checking me out thought I was nuts. He kept looking at my pile with a blank face. After he told me the total and I was paying, he said are you planning on doing some light summer reading. The only words I could muster up was...maybe. This doesn't complete the collection, but it adds to the 7 others I have on my shelf at home. Yeah for books!

Happy Easter

I hope everyone had a fun Easter! We started off the morning with the Candland's traditional Easter breakfast which was absolutely delish!

The Easter bunny made it to our house and we were spoiled!

We had a family get together after church


and a yummy dinner.


The twins did a lot of the cooking...


and made this amazing chocolate tree.

I am so grateful that we were able to reflect on the true meaning of Easter and the magnificent sacrifice that was made for each of us. I just want to share with you my favorite quote. It's by our beloved Gordon B. Hinckley.

"The magnificent expression of His love came in His death when He gave His life as a sacrifice for all men. That Atonement, wrought in unspeakable pain, became the greatest event of history, an act of grace for which men gave nothing but which brought the assurance of the Resurrection to all who have or would walk the earth."

Milk...It Does A Body Good {NOT}

Okay I'm not shy about it...I despise milk! I think it is the nastiest tasting thing ever! I have never had a glass of milk, until the other day. I went to a doctor who recommended that I drink 2 cups of whole milk a day. Phillip and I both laughed when he said that because it just so wasn't going to happen. Well my sweet mother in law went and bought me a gallon and everyone waited for me to drink my first glass.

And it is just as terrible as I remembered! In fact the whole night I kept thinking about the taste and making myself ill. Since then I've managed to get down one more glass but it is pure torture I tell you! We'll see if I can drink more before it goes bad!

Good News Minute!

Okay, I have a good news minute to share! I got a scholarship! Yeah! It's the Gregory Carl Trevers Memorial Scholarship. It isn't huge, but it's enough to cover books each semester (which are absurdly over priced) and I am eternally grateful! Go Aggies!

Utah or Bust

The car is loaded, the engine is running, and we're finally going home! We've had a few days of delays. I've been struggling with a sore throat all week, then I had a terrible migraine on Friday that kept me flat on my back. Then Saturday after running errands we were no where near leaving. And Sunday afternoon I came down with a bad case of the stomach flu. So even though I'm not feeling so great and my husband is annoyed that we are leaving so late, we are on our way!

UpDaTeS

Absorbed, buried, consumed, immersed, involved, occupied, overloaded, overwhelmed, plugging away, swamped...in other words...

BUSY

We ran away (again) down to Tuscon and then Safford for almost a week. We enjoyed seeing family and eating at yummy hole in the wall Mexican restuarants and of course being spoiled by my Nanny (her cooking is delish)!

I spent a good portion of our getaway enthralled in reading and Phillip helped Travis fix his bike.

We got back to Mesa in time to help our friends, the Grasteits, pack and load their moving van. Even though it was work, we had so much fun! They are moving to Utah and only about 45 minutes from us! =) After helping them for the day, we did what any couple with no kids would do on a Friday night! We did homework! Haha! Boring I know, but we were a little behind and had two tests to take.

Saturday morning my mom and I had an awesome shopping spree! I tell you what, we are the clearance queens. Our plan was to run over to JoAnns to get some thread to start my curtains because for the time being we have some sheets up in our windows (give me a break - I'm trailer trash aren't I?). Well JoAnns led to Target which is where our first big find was! Roman Shades! Now I had bought the fabric to make my own, but lets face it, I don't think I'm going to get 5 windows done in a few days. They are just plain silk red, but I can't complain, especially when they were only $11.24, regularly $44.99! I'm going to spend that much just in buying the rods.

The problem was, they only had 4 of the 35 inch and I needed 5. So we tried another Target which led to Bed Bath and Beyond where we found my mom her curtains which her 75% off plus 40% off that. Her total was $6.74 per panel! Nuts I tell you! She wasn't planning on doing her curtains until mine were done, but we were on a roll. So we hit another Target to get some sheets to line the curtains and lo and behold I found my next deal. I have been searching for months for a back side for my placemats and a bottom half for my kitchen curtains. Luck would have it that I found a set of king pillows (which I can get 8 placemats out of) for $7.48 and a fitted sheet for the curtain part for $22.08. I know there is more on my part to do, but I couldn't buy fabric for that much - well that I like. So here is a sneak peak of what I've got cooking!

The Kitchen (red/black/tan)

The Bedroom (brown/sage/cream)

The Office (black/white)

And if you haven't figured it out yet, we're going home to Utah the end of this week!!!

Southern AZ Trip

We had so much fun running away last week! We didn't have any plans or time constraints (that's probably what made it so enjoyable)! We headed off to our friends house out in Florence Wednesday night to spend the night and see their new house. From there it was an hour drive the next morning to our first stop - Casa Grande Ruins. We thought it was really cool and quite interesting.

After that we drove over to Kartchner Caverns and splurged a little on the longer and better (so they say) tour. It was really awe inspiring and we were so glad we went. We couldn't take pictures inside, so I pulled one off the internet.

After leaving Kartchner Caverns we finally got to Bisbee where we stayed in the most amazing bed & breakfast! We can't say enough good things about this place! We loved it so much and it's quaint inviting atmosphere that we stayed an extra night! Bisbee was such a cute town. Everyone was so nice and always saying hi. We spent most of our days shopping in the antique stores and hours going through old postcards (we love to collect the old ones, especially with writing on them - weird I know). We even found a handful of different temples, some dating back to 1903! We made a few friends, including a dog named Alice. We got the opportunity to eat the best biscuits and gravy in the world at the Bisbee Breakfast Club. It has been in gourmet magazines and the New York Times. It was so worth it (yes, we ended up going twice)!

We did get a chance to stop over in Tombstone. It was fun to say we went, but man I've never been anywhere that charges you for EVERY LITTLE THING! I don't mean to sound cheap, but it was kind of ridiculous. We saw a re-enactment of the fight at OK Corral, and window shopped.

At the end of our trip we were able to go to Phillip's cousin's Eagle Court of Honor in Tucson. He did an amazing project with an estimated 425 man hours! It was huge! We are so happy for him and his awesome accomplishment! Way to go Bracken!