2009 is coming...

and i haven't even started a list of my new resolutions! shame on me....but i hope you all have a great new years filled with food, fun & a little smooch when the clock strikes twelve. see you next year...

photo from flickr...

christmas overview

what a wonderful christmas! having 7 places to be on christmas day was a stretch, but after waking up late, forgetting some gifts, and getting stuck in the snow {4 times...} we were so happy to see our whole extended family...here's some pics of the fun.

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the perfect christmas...

happened this year...being surrounded by my dear family was all worth it....though i did get this awesome present from momma, and apparently dad and i were the last to heard about it... the kindle is truly the coolest thing since sliced bread...just bought the book thief for 4 dollars... yes i'm not kidding.

cardons + caramels...

ryno and i finished our homemade gifts this morning...whew! i would like to thank these individuals for making it happen..
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- my sweet nana for providing us with such a divine recipe... sorry i can't tell ya, it's a secret!

- my momma for providing me the recipe even though its a secret...

- my strong husband for taking on the task of cutting up hundreds and hundreds of caramels...

- kwal howells for providing us the perfect cans at the perfect time...{the price also made it perfect}

i am now {officially} excited for christmas...

so sleepy....

finals are about killin' me...

i'm never coming back to the library ever again...

would so love a pepsi + a few excedrin...

{thanks for the tip momma}

totally feelin' like this dude right now...

best holiday ever...

love these cupcake pops from flickr...

johnny's birthday

so my family was going to throw a big surprise birthday bash for johnny's 50th... {see invite below}

but the boys decided they wanted to be in on the action and go see the game in vegas...can't wait for an all girls weekend!

holiday wrapping

if you know me well enough you know i love to wrap presents...i think i got it from my momma. i found these fabulous ideas from paper source...whoever though paper could be so pretty!

ryne's sister marin once gave me a package wrapped in something similar to this...

i loved how it looked! this year i'm going to try using old newspapers + ski trail maps...

temple square

this friday mom + dad invited me to join them up to see the lights at temple square...sadly ryno and chase couldn't make it because of school + work {so sad...we missed them both} but we had loads of fun anyway...

after freezing our tootsies off, we enjoyed a nice dinner at the roof...we weren't planning on such an elaborate spread, especially meg {her meal consisted of 3 pieces of cheese + sweet pickles that she insisted smelled funny} and the rest of us skipped the main course and went right for the delicious desserts...

my hidden treasure

while sorting through my cupboards i came across an unexpected kitchen appliance...i cannot believe i went through all last winter not knowing i had one of my very own. let's just say i'm making up for lost time. yum yum...my favorite lazy dinner my momma use to fix me was stevens hot cocoa with cinnamon + sugar toast... try it and i promise you won't be disappointed

My hottie of an aunt

while hanging out at my ginny + po's, i came across this ancient pic. can you answer this simple question?

one year down...

this past sunday ryno and i celebrated our 1 year anniversary...the more i am with him, the more i realize just how much i love the guy...

i love that he never makes me drive

i love that our primary kids adore him, and not me

i love that he is such a great cook

i love his hair

i love that he has converted me to seinfeld & d.p.

i love how clean he is

i love his determination in everything

i love that he never gets angry

i love his ability to eat...everything

i love how accepting he is 

i love that he makes me laugh no matter the circumstances

hopefully more & more to come... love ya ryno...

franklin covey

my sweet mom brought me this to work today as a surprise...my old one is thrashed...oo i can't wait to start planning!

mine is yellow...

rain rain...

please stay. i love the rain...ryne and i plan on moving to seattle someday simply because of the wet weather... i am on the lookout for an umbrella similar to this..


i also love these burberry boots...

rehab

i have an addiction...with dill pickle sunflower seeds. at this very moment i am shelling away until my nails are raw with the excess amount of salt (i'm a nail biter, another bad obsession.) it's such a weird thing considering i absolutely hate pickles, especially when it's not even from a real pickle. but after i finish my handfuls of seeds for the night, ryne demands i then go brush my teeth because i smell funny...



you may ask what has compelled me to eat through a whole 1 pound bag at 10:30 p.m.? this book, i truly can't put it down...don't know if i would recommend it though, a little strange, which is probably why i like it...

california lovin

so we all had a wonderful time down in the beautiful newport beach...the highlight was definitely our last day as we strolled down rodeo drive in beverly hills. my dad has a habit of pointing out look-a-likes to friends, families, and movie stars everywhere we go. it goes something like "hey look kids, there's kelly osbourne" when it's truly a scary looking young woman with tattoos and earrings through her nose. we always find it very entertaining.

anyway, as we are walking down rodeo, my dad says "hey look, there's Reese Witherspoon going into that lingerie store." ryne and I didn't believe him, but chase + meg insisted it was her, and refused to leave until she walked outside so they could get a better look...sure enough it was reese. chase was the only lucky guy there to actually get a picture with her...he still has a grin on his face...

cali countdown

in 7 days me and my fam will be in lovely newport to give ourselves a much deserved "me moment"...and this will be my first stop...

i will be sure to let you all know how simply delicious my cinnamon sugar cupcake will taste...

My favorite holiday

is by far halloween. this weekend, my mom and i will be multi-tasking by watching conference while making some spooky halloween crafts...this is my project for our primary kids... let you know how it turns out! happy haunting! oh and thanks martha!

yearbook yourself..

this is what my family does in our spare time...we are good lookin no matter what the year!

chase + meg

just wanted to let chase + meggie know how much i love em. sorry no pic chase, meggie tends to have a few more of herself... :) love you both.


i love charles too...


photos taken by meggie...

Ginny's Day

ginny + the fam celebrated her birthday this past month...the cake was so divine and the company was just as good...

25 years ago today...

my parents got hitched... 25 years! that seems so long coming from someone who has been married just 1. i love what my parents are together... thanks mom and pop for being who you are! i love ya both! xoxo

shelly's wedding

my dear friend shelly just married her sweetheart a few weeks ago. it was such a fun/yummy wedding to attend :) i helped with the candy bar, and also ate endless scoops of coldstone ice cream. such a fun day! congrats shell and brandon! {pictures taken by jami}

lucky little meggie...

my mom and sis decided it was about time to update meggie's new room... so not only does this mean she gets a bedroom makeover, it also means i get to have her old bedspread, which my sweet mom made herself...i couldn't be happier! thanks to serena & lily, my little sis will have her new room by the end of this week...i'll definitely have to go over for a slumber party...

my ideal "spot"

doesn't this spot look like the ideal place to... a) read a book b) sip some lemonade c) play rook d) take a nap e) write a letter f) enjoy the sunshine?...this is definitely the porch where i will enjoy all those things when i have a home of my own.. photo my martha.. thanks martha.

no reservations...

ryno and i just watched this movie tonight.. i'm sure everyone has probably already seen it, but it was charming. Aaron Eckhard reminds me of my hubby.

i'm a lazy girl...

being summer and all, i was thrilled of the fact that i would actually be able to find the time to read, not just a book but numerous that i've heard so many good things about. as the summer comes to a close, i've realized i haven't read nearly enough of what i'd hoped to accomplish. i don't know if it's because i'm either lazy, or too busy... who knows really. my most recent was somewhat of a disappointment, considering her past books have been some of my fav's. yes it's entertaining, but mostly frustrating because of the ridiculous husband. in all honesty it made my angry throughout the whole book. but hey read it, it may be more appealing to others...


i am now in the middle of this book and am enjoying it. a few crude scenes but for the most part, very intriguing...

oh i wish...

we were back in powell wasting the day with loved ones. from tubing, to s'mores, to watching movies under the stars, how could you ask for a better vacation?