last week in UT

Saturday: We headed to Idaho. We had a few set backs along the way but we made it! (fyi.. in Idaho beware, there is apparently a change in speed limit, 75 to 45 along the highway, that isn't marked at all.... so avoid that. And if you are staying in a hotel room and it is 4 in the afternoon you must not turn the tv on or get changed into wedding clothes/do your hair/makeup etc. because you will receive a complaint about being too loud. Yes, at 4 P.M...really?) BUT besides all that we made it to the wedding on time. It was beautiful. They had a ring ceremony and then reception with lots of yummy desserts that Jenn and her family made. There were professional photographers so I didn't take many pictures. We dance and danced the whole night, it was a lot of fun!!! Oh I also don't look my age, I look young, I know that, so when this guy asked me how old I was, I said 20, he didn't believe me, he thought I was 16.... sad story. He thought Sy was older. haha lame.

Sunday: Our hotel had a lovely breakfast, biscuits and gravy. YUM. and Waffles! After Breakfast my family and grandparents went to visit Seth and Jenn at their apartment before heading out. We as a family have a weird game we play called... salmon, I can't really explain it but it is hilarious, it made for a very fun morning. Then we drove the long, windy, rainy road back to Orem. We had yummy cake at my uncle LeGrand's house for his Birthday! I was SO excited to get in bed and SLEEP. It was a long weekend.

Monday: I started packing then went up to Park city with Mom, Sy and Bain to have dinner with Granny and Grandpa. We went to this yummy Mexican restaurant, I ate WAY too much but it was delicious. Mom and Bain had to go back home but me and Sy stayed the night at the time share. We went to J.Crew outlets. Amazing deals, I LOVE the outlets. I had rewards money that I needed to use which is always fun! Sy and I rode the chair lift, then we all watched Miss Universe.

Tuesday On the way home from Park City we stopped at my favorite ice cream place. When I lived in Michigan there was the Tasty Freeze and they had Tiger Stripes. They were our family favorite. Orange sorbet and vanilla swirl. Never have we been able to find this combo anywhere until we came across the Dairy Keen in Heber. That was the BEST DAY EVER! I visited the new Orem High School to talk to Mrs. Gillett (the best sewing teacher EVER) Hollie (Orem Dance Co. coach, LOVE her) and Mr. Downs (most perfect English teacher, one of my favorite people) The new school is AMAZING and huge! I finished the book Eat Pray Love so my mom, Katie, and I went to the movie. It was REALLY good. I enjoyed it a lot! We made our famous carmel corn (that is usually only reserved for October) who knew that corn syrup, sugar, and butter could be the BEST combo in the world!

Wednesday: I went running with my Daddy for the last time while I am home. Then Talyn and I completed our temple tour that we started last summer. We did baptisms for the dead in all the Utah temples but the Oquirrh Mountain Temple didn't open until after I moved. We went to the dedication but weren't able to perform baptisms. So today, we went. That temple is AMAZING! It is beautiful! After we went for out ritual Sonic run, cranberry limeade and onion rings. I went to Guru's because my friend Steven and his band were playing. It was a lot of fun because my lovely friends Kelsea (who just got her mission call to San Diego!!!) and Katie were there, along with a lot of friends who I haven't seen since high school!

Thursday: Final packing and getting everything done that I need too before I leave. Joey, my friend, stopped by and we played nickle nickle with my mom. My grandparents took my family to Red Lobster, for my favorite meal...crab legs! Yum Yum Yum. Finally finished packing and my beautiful Katie stopped by for our last cookie dough splurge and prison break episode. Final goodbyes for 4 months. Not fun! I'll miss you friends and family!!!!!! I wish you could all come with me!

Tonight: Airport, red eye...Off to New York City! Wish me luck, please pray that I find a job!

eat pray love.. and read

I have been having a rough week and I came across a few things that cheered me up.


Scriptures: Moroni 10:20 'Wherefore, there must be faith; and if there must be faith there must also be hope..' Moroni 10:32 'Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.'


Eat Pray Love (the book)-it is really really good! It has some amazing advice and insights


-You are what you think. Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions. You are never where you are. You are always digging in the past or poking at the future, but rarely do you rest in this moment. There's a reason they call God a presence-because God is right here, right now. In the present is the only place to find Him, and now is the only time.


-I am That. I am divine, I am with God, I am an expression of God, I am not separate, I am not alone, I am not this limited illusion of an individual.


-Devotion is diligence without assurance. Faith is a way of saying. "Yes, I pre-accept the terms of the universe and I embrace in advance what I am presently incapable of understanding. There's a reason we refer to "leaps of faith"-because the decision to consent to any notion of divinity is a mighty jump from the rational over to the unknowable, and I don't care how diligently scholars of every religion will try to sit you down with their stacks of books and prove to you through scripture that their faith is indeed rational; it isn't. If faith were rational, it wouldn't be-by definition-faith. Faith is belief in what you cannot see or prove or touch. Faith is walking face-first and full-speed into the dark. If we truly knew all the answers in advance as to the meaning of life and the nature of God and the destiny of our soul, our belief would not be a leap of faith and it would not be a courageous act of humanity; it would just be... a prudent insurance policy.

-There is so much about my fate that I cannot control, but other things do fall under my jurisdiction....I can choose how I'm going to regard unfortunate circumstances in my life-whether I will see them as curses or opportunities (and on the occasions when I can't rise to the most optimistic viewpoint, because I'm feeling too sorry for myself, I can choose to keep trying to change my outlook). I can choose my words and the tone of voice in which I speak to others. And most of all, I can choose my thoughts... "You need to learn how to select your thoughts just the same way you select what clothes you're gonna wear every day. This is a power you can cultivate. If you want to control things in your life so bad, work on the mind. That's the only thing you should be trying to control. Drop everything else but that. Because if you can't learn to master your thinking, you're in deep trouble forever."


-I repeat this vow about 700 times a day: "I will not harbor unhealthy thoughts anymore."


-As smoking is to the lungs, so is resentment to the soul; even one puff of it is bad for you. 


-We have hands; we can stand on them if we want to. That's our privilege. That's the joy of a mortal body. And that's why God needs us. Because God loves to feel things through our hands.


-God long ago drew a circle in the sand exactly around the spot where you are standing right now. I was never not coming here. This was never not going to happen.


-...all the pain of a human life is cause by words, as is all the joy. We create words to define our experience and those words bring attendance emotions that jerk us around like dogs on a leash. We get seduced by our own mantras and we become monuments to them.


-..my heart...its love was infinite. I knew then that this is how God loves us all and receives us all, and that there is no such thing in this universe as hell, except maybe in our own terrified minds. Because if even one broken and limited human being could experience one such episode of absolute forgiveness and acceptance of her own self, then imagine-just imagine!- what God, in all His eternal compassion, can forgive and accept.


The book was good! The pray section was AMAZING! The love section had a few awkward moments of too much information and the eat section was great because I was just in Italy and it made me want to go back so bad.  I highly recommend it-just skip the few love pages that are a little extreme.

family pictures

We had our last family picture taken before our family expands with lovely in-laws and eventually children. They were taken by peekaboo photography and they turned out beautifully!

busy week..

I always put things off to the last minute... Like these last two weeks while I am here are filled with people to see, things to do.

Monday: Um, I didn't realize how little time I had left so... I didn't do anything productive like I should have... I watched Glee with Mom and Bain while working on my Inspiration Journals.

Tuesday: Bain time at RCC laying out by the pool. Then the DAVE MATTHEWS concert!!! AMAZING. They are SO good live. They rock out hard core! They didn't play as many of their old songs as I was hoping..but it was still wonderful! I went with my friend Preston and we rocked out to Backstreet Boys and N'Sync on the way home. I HONESTLY don't understand why we stopped listening to them in the first place. They are SO good! Seriously though.. new playlist, late 90's boy band style coming up! Best car ride ever!

Wednesday: Breakfast with my dance girls!!!! Ah how I love and miss them! Magleby's Yum Yum Yum. Headband party. I found out some AMAZING news about my best friend Elder Wilkins, he is being transferred to South Manhattan (He has spent his time until now in the Bronx and upstate towards Connecticut)! I am SO excited for him because I LOVE Manhattan!!!! It'll be so good for him. What is really crazy is that he is switching from Spanish speaking to English speaking with only a little over 8 months left so he can remain zone leader. (South Manhattan doesn't have Spanish speaking). He'll love it there I am SO happy he gets to experience Manhattan! Then I had date night with my daddy! We went golfing! I haven't been for a while, a long while, so we dusted off my clubs and started from scratch. And actually... I am not terrible. I have a good swing, good technique, and power. I just need aim, consistency, and practice. It was a lot of fun! We shared the best burger of my life. If you caught that... I just ate a burger... I don't do that often... and I LOVED it.. which happens even less often. SO delicious!! It was from Riverside, with the softest sourdough bun and swiss cheese. Yum Yum Yum. Katie came over and we watched The Last Song with my Mom and sister Bain. hahahahahaha seriously the best night of my life. WOW stick to the book please! It is actually good... this movie... yikes. I have never once in my life laughed my way through a romantic Nicholas Sparks movie. Ya, usually I cry A LOT. I did in the book.. this though.. was honestly the worst acting I've ever seen. Neither of them were in the slightest bit convincing. If you are in for a laugh I recommend.. if you aren't, read the book and skip the movie.

Thursday: Started the day right with a run with daddy. It has been a while. Had an appointment with the Dermatologist.. have I ever told you what I hate most in life... SHOTS and KNIFES and ANYTHING medical. Confession... I still have to hold my mom's hand when I get shots, and sometimes I cry.... still.. yes I know, I am lame. They don't even hurt most of the time but they scare me and I really avoid them as much as possible. I get so nauseous and feel so sick every time I receive or even think about it. Not my cup of tea that is for sure. I ate my favorite salad, cranberry turkey sunflower seed, from Kneaders and continued with my headband party. I took a nap. Then I went to my dear friend Talyn's house because she had a surprise for me. We ate a lovely dinner of fish, pineapple and fresh from their garden, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, and raspberries. It was delicious. My surprise was gelato. Yum. Then for round two of ice cream my friends; Jen, Kenzie, and Megan joined me in continuing our Cold Stone tradition. My usual Banana ice cream with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Caramel was replaced tonight by Oatmeal Cookie Batter ice cream with Cookie Dough and Brownies. I was feeling the baked goods apparently. I would recommend both (and seriously try the Banana combo... it NEVER fails!

Friday: Haircut. Didn't get much length off, just cleaned up the ends and got some layers around my face to soften it up. Ernie's Champ for breakfast! Along with the best sandwich in the world we ate 2 pieces of their AMAZING cake. Chocolate and a new flavor I haven't tried, Lemon. SO good. All of it. And by 'we' I mean my mom, Bain, and my friend Kelsea. Then mom, Bain, and I went and saw Inception.. such an awesome movie, really I enjoyed it a TON. Very well done, definitely one I could see many more times. When we got home the power went out so mom, Bain, Sy, and I played cards. I normally dominate but I FAILED miserably today. We played one of our new favorite card games Nickle, Nickle (the other being Baseball). I took a nap.. again. two days in a row now... (I really shouldn't have to nap that much.. I just have been really tired lately, to the point that I really can't function unless I sleep) Oh, we received our family pictures today, I will post those later. Then one of my best friends from High School, Orem Dance Company, and The Dance Club... someone I spent almost every day with for 3 years of my life got married. Kara Hill. WOW her reception was gorgeous. I didn't take any pictures because I felt rude but it was so perfect. It was outside under lights with a live band and dance floor. Crepes, salad in martini glasses, gelato, VERY good cake. Dancing all night. Sparklers. Beautiful people, Kara's dress was SPECTACULAR. So pretty and I got to see all my lovely dancers who I miss terribly. It was a wonderful night.

Tomorrow... IDAHO for the last of the Seth and Jenn festivities.

Alrighty friends...

The time has come for another 

aBREE Original Headband Party

this one is SPECIAL because 

ALL HEADBANDS ARE ON SALE

Clearance 25-75% off

Don't miss it, it may be the last one for a while!

Everything must go! 

SO please bring your friends and stop by! 

It's an open house!

794 S. 1080 E. Orem

Come any time between noon and 6

On Wednesday August 18th 

and 

Thursday August 19th

If neither of those days work for you and you are interested let me know and we will work something out

date night with mommy

This will be my ONLY twilight post. I LOVE the books, I read Twilight almost 4 years ago and honestly it is what got me to love reading. Right after reading Twilight I read New Moon and hated life until August when Eclipse came out. I've read the series twice... and then the movies came out and it became the biggest trend (which I don't like, I tend to stay FAR away from trends.. so I keep it on the down low that I am a twilight fan.. but only a book fan)

Back to the night.


We finally decided it was time to see Eclipse. Like I said, I am a Twilight fan.. just more of a book fan, the movies don't really do it for me. Probably because I am Team Edward without a doubt.. and I really don't love him on the screen... I'd rather picture my own Edward in my head, which is exactly what happens when I read. Plus I think I would pick diving into any good book and imagining my own story and characters rather than watching a movie any day.. but who really has time for that, and you can't really enjoy books with others which is one of the best parts of movies...being with friends.

Back to Eclipse.

It was better than Twilight and anything is better than New Moon (I hated that book because I am major ANTI Team Jacob. Reading the books I HATED Jacob and quite frankly I am not even really a Taylor Lautner fan either.. although I will say he did look good in this one, and he acted well too), I enjoyed it for what it was. Most of you will think I am crazy for being Team Edward there seems to not be many of us out there... honestly for those of you who didn't read the books before the movies, you will probably never cross over to Team Edward with what you have to visualize (Robert vs. Taylor) but for anyone who is not biased by horrible casting you may agree with me. Edward is a gentleman, he is sweet, he resembles such an adorable, honorable, old fashioned Mormon boy which I LOVE. (His lines are SO GREAT in Eclipse) and basically he is perfect (and in my head he looks perfect too). Now I must explain why I am ANTI Team Jacob, and why I hate that they picked someone better looking that Edward for the movie)... there are 2 things I hate most in life...

1. Unfaithfulness in relationships, cheating, flirting with someone other than your boyfriend/fiance/wife, or anything in relation to breaking apart love. I HATE IT. In every book, every movie, every show where it is happening I can't stand it, especially when they make it look okay, and when it happens in real life it breaks my heart more than anything. My biggest fear in life is that I will be cheated on. I LOVE love, I am a passionate person, I am a Pisces for crying out loud and anyone who gets in the way when they shouldn't is NOT a friend of mine. Jacob needed to get over it. He does NOT need to make it hard on Bella and Edward (Bella is a different story all together I won't even get into her.. but I have to say Kristen looked so GOOD in this movie and frankly I don't love her in the books but she is my favorite in the movie.. odd) The whole 'I know you love me' thing was fine... once, but like 100 times, really? Just get out of the way. Honestly I feel so bad for Edward this whole movie, it is fine to have friends but ones who kiss you in front of your fiance??? REALLY??? NOT OKAY!! Bella picked, no need to fight for her anymore. It is inevitable. Get over it.

2. Arguments. SO... no hate mail PLEASE. If you don't like or agree with my thoughts we are going to have to agree to disagree. Arguments with no positive outcome are COMPLETELY useless, and they make me so mad because they cause fighting and negative energy that is uncalled for. In this example, no matter what anyone says I will remain with my thoughts on this subject, and if someone is all for Team Jacob, nothing I say will change that, and it doesn't need to be changed! We are each entitled to our own opinions and shouldn't be ridiculed for them. So what is the point of arguing about it? Fighting is not fun for anyone so why do it when it is completely unnecessary?

Well.. those are my thoughts. Now you know 2 things about me that you didn't know before, the two things I hate most. And again I promise, never another Twilight post, until it isn't a trend anymore... Because I really LOVE LOVE LOVE the name Cullen and REALLY wish I could use it for a boy name but.... people may think I am a freak. It is SO cute though but I don't want people thinking I named my boy after a vampire... because that wouldn't be why. I just LOVE the name. And since FOREVER I've wanted a Bella... not anymore. Stupid. If only the world were perfect.

Recently..

I started my inspiration journals. They are basically hundreds of magazine cut outs of fashion that inspires me. I have had literally 100 or so magazines piled up in my room that I have accumulated over the years for the purpose of doing these journals and finally it is getting done. It feels so good. 

1. is full of all designer fashion from all the 'vogue' type magazines.

2. is simply J.Crew. 2007-present. Yes, I didn't even know I had been collecting them that long. And yes, they only get better with time. It includes womens, mens, and crew cuts.

3. is for Bridal Dresses (including J.Crew Bridal)... it is sadly not very filled because I don't like much of what is out there.... 

4. is tentative still.. not sure if I'll need to break this category down more.. I haven't started this one yet because all of my pictures/inspiration are on the computer and I really want them to be hard copy and in my journal but my printer is broken at the moment... and there are A LOT of pictures... So we'll see. But the category is weddings; engagements, cute bridals, pretty decorations, basically everything else but the dress since it gets its own book.


I saw 3 great movies. Letters to Juliet I saw with my mom and it was REAL good. I love a cute tear-jerker love story though, not to mention Amanda Seyfried is one of my favorites and Christopher Egan was pretty darn good looking. AND Vanessa Redgrave is simply BEAUTIFUL!  Charlie St. Cloud was another one where tears seemed to come too easily. Never really thought I would like Zac Efron, after the High School Musicals and all that but he has grown up a bit and did a really great job. He is a handsome crier that is for sure. Step Up 3 was another one I wasn't dying to see but Bain wanted to go and.. it did not disappoint. It was incredible actually. Amazing dance choreography, I really really enjoyed it. Rick Malambri was also pretty fine.

S'mores are one of my favorite things EVER, but camping.. I can do, but... it isn't really top on my list. SO I decided to make myself the perfect treat in my own home. Thank you stove top and jumbo marshmallows!

I heard another country song that has such great lyrics. I REALLY wish someone like Tim McGraw sang it though because I don't love the voice of the guy who does sing it... but other than that the song is good. It was what I wrote in Seth and Jenn's advice journal.

Love Like Crazy

They called him crazy when they started out
Said seventeen's too young to know what loves about
They've been together fifty-eight years now
That’s crazy

He brought home sixty-seven bucks a week
He bought a little 2 bedroom house on Maple Street
Where she blessed him with six more mouths to feed
Yeah that’s crazy

Just ask him how he did it; he'll say pull up a seat
It'll only take a minute, to tell you everything
Be a best friend, tell the truth, and overuse I love you
Go to work, do your best, don't outsmart your common sense
Never let your prayin' knees get lazy
And love like crazy

They called him crazy when he quit his job
Said them home computers, boy they'll never take off
He sold his one man shop to Microsoft
They paid like crazy

Just ask him how he made it
He'll tell you faith and sweat
And the heart of a faithful woman,
Who never let him forget

Be a best friend, tell the truth, and overuse I love you
Go to work, do your best, don't outsmart your common sense
Never let your prayin knees get lazy
And love like crazy

Always treat your woman like a lady
Never get too old to call her baby
Never let your prayin knees get lazy
And love like crazy

They called him crazy when they started out
They've been together fifty-eight years now

Ain't that crazy?

Open House for Seth and Jenn

confession..

I haven't gone running ONCE this week...

And I indulged in the greatest dessert on the planet. Chocolate Chip Cazookie from The Chocolate. Pure heavenly bliss. What also makes it so great is that it is meant to be shared among friends, in my case, my mommy, Bain, and Katie. DELICIOUS. It is basically a cookie dough cookie, gooey and perfect inside! I HIGHLY recommend. If you need a friend to share with... let me know!

August 4, 2010

Seth and Jenn Woolstenhulme

Married For Time and All Eternity

Luncheon

(This is Ike, our Orem Owlz Baseball brother who is living with us this summer)

idaho.

On Friday we had a little bridal get-together with Jenn's family and my family, we ate and talked the night away with the two little love birds. We got (My mom, Bain, and I) to sleep in the huge lovely bed pictured below. I LOVED the legit vintage quilt and bed frame, thanks to my Dad's lovely cousin. Saturday we went to the market where Jenn sells her baked goods. Then the adults went to the temple while Sy, Bain, and I went and saw Despicable Me (it either wasn't as funny as I'd hoped for, or I was really tired.. both are very plausible, I almost fell asleep so many times) P.S. the Boise temple is GORGEOUS (picture doesn't do it justice). Jenn's family took us out to eat at a wonderfully delicious restaurant, I had the most amazing pasta. Cheese ravioli with chicken and mushrooms in a Gorgonzola cream sauce. YUM. The rest of the time was spent packing up Jenn and Seth and moving them in to their new home!

During the long car rides I drove, read a book called firefly lane (it's alright), cut out inspiration photos from my magazines (I have about 50 magazines sitting around that I have been needing to go through and I finally did some), listened and sang to Glee with Bain and discovered the greatest barber shop of all time, Swagger Barbershop! Best name EVER.