Sail away with me...

Spring is in the air....Well, not so much in the air but in the stores. But I am still dreaming of the warm days and cool nights, the sounds of the ocean, the breeze floating the smell of the sweet salty air past your nose. On top of that, I have found the perfect shoe for my summer attire! I adore them and can't wait to see them sitting in my closet waiting to slip on my feet.
You can check them out here...
http://www.ae.com/web/browse/product.jsp?catId=cat380151&productId=0419_1785
I can't wait to get these super duper cute boat shoes. There is also a cute, cute blue and white stripped sun dress there I want too. Then, I just need a sailboat. Who wants to buy me one and teach me how to sail??

I am so stoked for the nautical theme that is in this Spring. I do love me some strips. Add in blue and white combo to that and I am in heaven. Oh how I adore this combo. Old Navy has gotten in some cute skirts and what not and I can't wait to use my super cool employee discount and buy me some cute new outfits. Check out whats new at ON here...www.oldnavy.com

Recently, I have been on a search for a cute leather cross body purse for when we go to Hawaii and SCORE, I found one tonight. My husband was so kind to buy me this super cute purse for $10 at AE. Yes, you read that right ten buck-a-roos. I think that is the cheapest purse I have ever bought and I adore it. You might find it weird that I bought a purse specifically for Hawaii but oh if you were in my brain you would understand.

So I must share.... It is my sole purpose in life to accumulate as many cute handbags and shoes as I can. If you know me, you will know that I have an addiction. Unfortunately, these handbags are usually very large and in charge. Coach is my BFF. If you don't own a COACH handbag, I highly recommend running out and buying one. I also adore my Doonies oh man now I want a new Spring bag...Shoot rambling again... Back to the story.

In years past I have always brought my big old handbag with me to Hawaii and have found that it is extremely inconvenient to carry this big handbag around along with my tote for the beach and all other stuff you must take to the beach. So this year, I plan to condense the big a$$ purse and use my cross body. One might ask why I don't just use my purse and not bring the tote. Well, I must tell you, you can not go to the beach with out a beach tote. duh! At least that is the method to my madness and what I tell my husband. Plus I don't want my tanning oil to dump and ruin my purse :0) So there you have it my version of crack.

You are the Apple of my eye...

For Christmas Galen and his family got me a Macbook and let me just tell you.... Apple knows what they are doing. Why did I wait so long to make you part of my life?? Everything is just so simple and amazing. I will never go back now. Yes, I am one of those people! Now, I am not so patiently waiting for the Iphone to be released on Verizon... Feb. 10th can't come fast enough. Now go buy a Mac

res·o·lu·tion (rĕzˌə-lo͞oˈshən)

Picture from Emma Clements blog...via www.bedifferentactnormal.blogspot.com this picture made me smile so thought I'd share it.

res·o·lu·tion (rĕzˌə-lo͞oˈshən) 

noun

1. The state or quality of being resolute; firm determination.
2. A resolving to do something.
3. A course of action determined or decided on.

* thank you google for clearing up the definition for me!

After reading the definition of resolution. I pondered what I want to resolve to do this year... Last year, I had a bunch of goals. Some I achieved, some I changed and some I said what the heck was I thinking and decided to say no thank you and move on! 

Thinking about this year and what I want I thought, what is important to me?....Family, health and happiness, these are the things, I care most about. So it is decided. That is what I am going to focus on this year. I would love to do some traveling. I want to see the world and I hope to scratch a country or 2 off my list this year. hint hint babe! *coughing (Europe, Italy)! That would be nice! Or, I would love to go volunteer in Africa and bring home a cute little African baby to adopt. That would be an amazing experience. So many choices.

I hope everyone has a happy and healthy year and that is what I am going to strive for this year! I wish you the best of luck on what ever it is you resolve to do this year!

Goodbye 2010....

I'm having a little trouble saying goodbye, as I feel like I just said hello to you! Even though I feel like this year was packed full of new adventures, loss and births, it feels like it just began. Let me see where to begin.... In February we said goodbye to Galen's Auntie. She was such a special lady. I am glad I was able to meet her a couple times and see how much she loved all of their family. She was a wonderful lady and so funny. While it was an awful time for Galen and his family, I did get to meet his cousins that I had never met in the almost 8 years of being part of Galen's life. We went to Ohio for the funeral and Galen and I got to see Ohio in the winter. It was beautiful! Galen wants to buy a farm house and move there. I am ok with it as long as it is an amazing farm house and I can visit home whenever I want. Maybe 2011 will bring us closer to this dream of owning a farm in the middle of now where and just enjoying life....

In April, we took a mini vacation to Oregon to see Galen's family and celebrate their family friend Gough's birthday.  I would post pictures but just realized I don't have any on this computer...

We also celebrated Galen's birthday and my parents and I bought him a bike. We took lots of bike rides and saw lots of new places around here. One ride in particular we were on a trail that was called rock writings so of course we thought there would be "rock writings" but we road and road and could not find any, so we ditched the bikes and hiked. We walked and walked and didn't find any so we turned around. Galen was in the lead, THANK GOODNESS, and he came up on a snake. Of course he told me not to come any further and I knew right away what was going on. So me being the smart person I am got off my bike picked it up and began to run out of there! Fight or flight... Flight is what apparently took over.

During the spring I also said goodbye to one of my favorite professors as she passed away from cancer. I have never watched anyone deteriorate and actually pass away from cancer, which was tough for all of her students and I am sure it was even more tough for her and her family. While I am thankful for all I learned from her and the chance I had to know her and have her be part of my life, I still am mad or sad (not sure) that someone so great and so young was taken so early and had to suffer as she did. But I am so thankful at the same time for all that she taught me and all that I learned. I thank you Adi for being part of my life and teaching me so much.

In May Galen's mom came to visit for a weekend. We took a hike in Zion and of course I ran into a snake! What the heck is with me and snakes!?! I hate them, I hate them... Lois told me snake must be my totem and so I googled it and well it sounds very much like me so I guess that is why I must run into them all the time.

At the end of May/ beginning of June, I went home for a visit... I finally got to meet Holly's little boy and we hit it off. He loved me. In fact he loved me so much he dumped water and apple juice all over me! It was pretty funny! I got to spend a week with my mom and dad it was a blast even though it rained all but maybe 2 days. I also got to see my brother and his very pregnant wife.

June.... huh, I don't remember what happened in June. I guess it wasn't too exciting. In July we met Galen's mom at Capitol Reef National Park. None of us had ever been there and it was so amazing. It was super cold and rainy but beautiful. Galen was sick and spent the weekend at the cabin sleeping and Lois and I hiked and hiked and hiked some more. We took lots of pictures and enjoyed to outdoors.

At the end of July my niece Cassidy was born. It was totally amazing to talk to my brother and hear how happy he was and how excited to be a dad he was.

August I celebrated my 28th birthday...Can you believe I am almost 30? I am kind of depressed about it! For my birthday I got a plane ticket to go home and meet my niece. She was perfect in every way! Mostly because she looked just like me as a newborn :) When I got back we went from summer to full swing holiday at Old Navy and the rest is a blur.

At the end of October my mom, my aunt Cathy and Theresa came for a visit and to see "Thriller" at Tuachan. It was so much fun, we hiked, we, shopped, we cooked, we ate, we laughed and oh did we laugh! It was fun. I love when my mom comes to visit! I miss her so much. She is truly my best friend and I enjoy any time I get to spend with her. I love you moo!

On November 24th Galen was diagnosed with diabetes. He has responded wonderfully to the meds and change in diet and what not and is doing much better. Needless to say though Thanksgiving wasn't the best it could have been. It was Galen's last binge on junk food and day 2 of knowing he had diabetes so we were really unsure what to do, what to expect or really anything and everything.

December has flown by.... We spent Christmas in St. George with Galen's mom and dad. It was a quick visit. Mack was super excited for Christmas, he was just like a child. He woke up really early when he heard Lois out in the kitchen cooking and then ran back and forth jumping on the bed until I woke up. Then it was on like donkey kong... Once I wake up on Christmas morning there is no stopping me. Now, we are here on the last day of the year and I am thinking where did the time go???

But I am excited to see what new adventures 2011 brings. So even though I say goodbye to 2010 not knowing where you went or even when you began. I say goodbye and I say hello to 2011. I am looking forward to the new adventures and the new chapters we will write together. I am thankful for the wonderful friends and family Galen and I have.

It's the most wonderful time of the year....

This year Galen's mom and dad came to St. George and spent Christmas with us. We hung out on the 24th and then we got up bright and early Christmas morning and opened presents. Mack was so funny he heard Lois up cooking and so he had to come check things out and then it began. In and out of the room bouncing on the bed trying to get us up. I was ready though....Galen on the other hand would have rather slept all day. After breakfast we went for a hike up at Zion National Park. It was a beautiful crisp day and perfect for a nice walk. After all the flooding we have had lately there was a beautiful waterfall that I have never seen before. I took lots of pictures.

We got bamboo flooring which I will post pix when we install it and I got a macbook which I <3 it is a-maz-ing!

{Maternity}

I was able to get some maternity shots of my friend and her husband and their little bun in the oven! I love taking maternity and baby pictures everyone is just so stinkin happy! Congrats you two! 

A few of my favorite things....

While the Holiday's make me extremely homesick, this is my favorite time of the year. So I find myself sitting on my couch thinking of my favorite things.... Glitter its so pretty and I adore it. I love the smell of Christmas trees. Or in our case since Mack would eat a real Christmas tree we opt for a fake one with some Bath and Body works evergreen wallflowers. I love shopping as most of you know but what I really love is shopping for others and finding a fun gift. I also love decorating and I really love Christmas decor. Oh and of course I love to bake and eat all of the yummy foods this time of the year. I also love finding the perfect wrapping paper to wrap my gifts in and then hearing the crinkle and rip as you tear it off Christmas morning. I love when my dog lays on my feet and keeps them warm. Christmas movies are part of my list too.

I love waking up on a crisp morning and finding my slippers and a sweatshirt and cuddling up on the couch with a nice toasty drink(coffee, apple cider, hot chocolate, tea etc) and a bowel of hot oatmeal. I love that my dog waits not so calmly as I down as much oatmeal as I can and then he gets to finish it off.One of my new favorite things is waking up smelling my husband cooking breakfast for himself, this may sound silly but it makes my heart sing to know he is taking care of his diabetes and knowinng this is the most important meal of the day. So most of all my favorite things would not be complete without my family and friends.