***NOTE TO SELF***

DO NOT BUY BRACH'S PUMPKINS ONE MONTH BEFORE HALLOWEEN.

YOU WILL END UP CONSUMING 5 BAGS BEFORE

THE HAUNTING DAY ACTUALLY ARRIVES.

[Dang, i'm out again. Guess I have to go get another bag...]

Tomorrow evening we're going to Knotts Scary Farm. Jared says its ridic.

I'm going to die.

It's Autumn Time, the Leaves ARENT Falling Down

So Summer has officially ended and I did not partake of a cherry-limeade once. How am I feeling about that? Not ok. The end result has to do with the fact that Los Angeles possesses NO SONIC LOCATIONS. No bluffing.

So now we're in to Autumn. Cool. I love Autumn. I love it when the leaves start to change colors and the mountains turn red, when I can bust out my scarves and beanies and boots, and a Starbucks Apple Cider is a weekly staple... Oh, but wait, I can't do any of those things because I live in a place where trees never shed and the weather never goes below 50! Call me insane but I quite enjoy my seasons. ANY ONE ELSE OUT THERE LIKE FALL?

So I've been home-making it up over here. Remember that sewing machine I bought a couple of months ago? I made some more pillows for the couch. They have yet to be completed, but Jared hasn't said one word about the unfinished project in the past 2 months that they have been housed on our sofa. And I think I'll make some new ones since I'm already tired of them... I tend to get bored easily with the home decor. This most likely, no.. more like 100% has to do with the fact that I dream big and our budget is small for the time being. Oh future house - you will be magnificent!

But while I can't improve my home decor too much right now, I can improve my wardrobe. Has anyone checked out JCREWS Fall Line? It's to die for! Granted, it's pretty simplistic stuff BUT I am all about simple right now with the little embellishments. Like this outfit for example:

CLASSY yet still youthful. BUT the jacket is retailing for $240. GREAT FIND TIME - I got an Express Jacket for $5 at the thrift store. My mother is being kind enough to tailor it in for me. I can wear it to work or with jeans and a tee for a more casual look. V-neck = TARGET. And accessories? (Husband, this is where you come in - my birthday is in 2 weeks. If you order now, it will get here in time...)

$12.99 at DOWNEAST

In other news, Jared and I had a fantastic time last Saturday with some friends. We went to a "ROOT BEER THROW DOWN." If that doesn't say we're LDS, then I don't know what would! Our friends who were hosting had 8 types of root beer written on the chalk board and in rounds they brought out 8 shots of various root beers and we had to guess which one was which. Jared and I discovered that root beer tasting is not our forte.

We both got one right.

Benefits of Food Poisoning

What I experienced this weekend was revolting. Highly nauseating. Sleep deprivating.

.FOOD POISONING.

As unwanted as the symptoms were, it heightened my awareness to use whatever means necessary to prevent pregnancy and morning sickness. Children, you will have to wait until I am fully ready to devote every morning to physical exhaustion before I will let you come into our family. Sorry kiddies.

I did, however, discover that Jared is a good caretaker. Although he did sleep soundly through my 6 hours of vomiting during the night, when he finally arose the following morning he did do the following:

- went to the corner liquor store and brought home club soda

- went to the library to check out the STAR WARS TRILOGY. I was craving some Han Solo but alas, the library was out. So he spent a total of an 1.5 hours searching 2 libraries for movies for me.

- watched 2 movies with me through the course of the day

- gave me a massage

The Low Down.

I have this thing that I do when I get really excited about something, especially during the moment it's happening. I clench my teeth together super tight so my jaw is locked, my hands curl up into fists and for the duration of a whole 3 seconds my body convulses during my sudden surge of excitement. It's like I can't contain all the good-ness so I have to shudder it out. That has pretty much been my state for the past 2 weeks since JO quit his second job and started school.

WE HAVE SO MUCH TIME TOGETHER!!

I think he enjoys it as much as I do, right JO?

Much to tell, much to tell! I believe we owe it to the City of Los Angeles for providing us with so many incredible day trips. Kudos to this metropolis area that is just spewing with leisurely activities. First, we took a tour in the majestic Disney Concert Hall in downtown LA.

Phenomenal. I would totally love to take this whole blog and dedicate it to all the things that we learned but that wouldn't be ideal since I have more to report. However, if you ever visit LA, the Concert Hall is a MUST and the 1 hr tour is FREE!

Ok, so we took a venture out to Pasadena which resulted in more exciting convulsions on my end and Jared's first taste of a British scone. We went to the HUNTINGTON LIBRARY AND GARDENS, which might give off the idea of being dull but it was nothing short of magical. Ok, so this guy, Henry Huntington, was extremely wealthy during the early 20th century and on his estate he constructed these 9 or so magnificent gardens - japanese, chinese, desert, jungle, herb, Shakespeare and children's garden. Mr Huntington, hats off to you for your ingenious idea and now opening it up to the public. It was marvelous.

We also found time to jump in our little Hyundai and make the trek to Vegas to see Jordan and Like, I mean Luke. Luke's parents were super cordial and let us stay in their home and wakeboard/tube/jet ski with the family as well as witneess BYU beat OKLAHOMA on their big screen. GRACIAS! And we also walked the strip stiff and tuckered-out from hours of laughing uncontrollably on the tube, watching Jay hang on for dear life on the side handle, Luke clinging on to the back and me giving up yelling "I'm going! I'm going!" and releasing my grip from the black handle that failed to keep me on board. What a day! We were also able to see Stephanie and Eric and their little girl, Maylee. I have to be careful with how much time I spend around babies these days. I can trick myself in to thinking that I want one and need one NOW, seeing that I'm turning 23 in ONE MONTH. 23, is that old or just on the border of still being young? Because some days I feel like "Um, self, you are getting old and if you dont have a kid now then you won't stop having children til you're 35" and other days I think "you can't afford a kid." I guess that's my main question, how do people afford kids??? Maybe if I can find the answer I can convince JO... No, No not time yet!! But seriously, for when the time comes, how do people afford kids?!?!

One Year Trip and the Quest for Granola

Jared and I have been up in arms about what to do for our one-year. You might think that we're jumping the gun since our anniversary is 4 months away but judging by how fast this year has gone by thus far, we felt it was quite pertinent to get a lock-down on our plans.

So in 4 months you will find us ...

...DOING...

Definitely this
Really liking this

And if we try really hard, maybe we'll look as good as this couple hiking the Pacaya volcano.

But that's 4 months away. Currently Jared and I are working on becoming acquainted with the idea of being a granola couple. The definition that best fits us, courtesy of urbandictionary.com, would be "A person who dresses like a hippy, eats natural foods (granola), and is usually a Liberal, but in all other ways is a typical middle class white person, and is likely to revert back to being straight when they finish college" minus the dressing like a hippy and liberal part. BUT we did make homemade granola bars this past week in our effort to 1) save money and 2) be earthy. Kudos to us.