on the eve of 2012

Boy, I'll tell ya something. Celebrating New Years at 7pm with an 11 month old is better than any layered bean dip, buffalo wings, overdosage of sugar, belly bloated midnight shenanigans combined. When we were at the store earlier on Saturday and walked by some blow horns we picked them up on a whim, totally anticipating that Evelyn would not want any part of annoying loud noises. But we stood corrected! We had never seen her laugh so hard. Here's the evidence.

The evening began with us three at Cafe Rio. I will sing praises to that chicken taco salad for as long as I live. Then came on the party hats accompanied by blowers, lots of tickles and laughs. After Ev went to bed Jared and I pulled out the big guns and loaded ourselves up on a homemade pazookie. Have you ever had one of these sweet things? They are TO. DIE. FOR. Yes, that would be a 9" pan cookie topped with peanut butter sundae ice cream. We couldn't even finish it.

We weren't planning on staying up til midnight but somehow we did {??? still trying to figure out the how and why on that one}. We're ready for ya 2012! We like the looks of you so far.

for the sake of tradition + coupon code

Sometimes I'm a bad wife... Ok, just kidding, I'm actually an awesome wife. But sometimes I'm impolite and impose my traditions on Jared without his consent. A prime example would be setting up the Christmas Tree. This is our first year where we actually have a tree - we have the space, we have a certain someone who is mesmerized by the lights and we won't be traveling home for the holidays. So the night before Thanksgiving I'm making plans to go get a tree the next day. Two things are wrong about that: It's not Jared's tradition to get a tree on Thanksgiving Day nor is it his tradition to get a fake flimsy tree. But it's my tradition. So guess what? He was nice enough to let me have my way! See how spectacular he is?

So there we were at Wal-Mart buying a fake tree when I finally DID do something that wasn't in-line with my Hammer up-bringing. We bought colored lights! We never had colored lights growing up because white was more classy so I felt kinda rebellious handing over cash for my neon pink and blue bulbs. I was totally excited to give my mom the report and have her wail over my unrefined choice. Instead she fanatically responded  "oh, that's great! that totally fits you!" Uh... very disappointing response for someone who was hoping her nonconformity to family tradition would be her last act of rebellion. I guess my radical days are gone. So a-home we drove and up went the tree. Behold the majesty of our $40 fake tree with coarse bristles and iron rods you can see.

When we turn the lights on Evelyn with reach out for them across the room and with a wide-opened mouth say "waaaaaooooww."

Also, since today is Cyber Monday I'm offering 15% off everything in my shop! Just type the code 

CYBER 

at checkout. Good for today only!

Thankful

source

I was kind of bummed this last weekend when I went to the mall and saw it decked out for Christmas already with Santa's workshop up and running. I am a diehard jolly jubilee fan just like anyone else, but what happened to Thanksgiving? I love the month of November and the time that is given to just reflect on all the things that are great in this world. Every day this month I have written down something that I am grateful for in my journal and I try to tell Jared something everyday of why I am grateful for him. Sometimes thoughts of gratitude should be kept in the heart, sometimes they are best expressed through utterance of the lips, and sometimes they are more treasured when written.

Post-its are probably on the list of top inventions in my opinion. I love them, especially when they are used for small love notes to self or someone else. I made up thankful post-its so I can remind myself and my wonderful husband of all of our blessings.

Do you have little thankful notes you'd like to write to yourself?  1} click on the image 2} download and open in word 3} print out sheet 4} place post-it on top of each box 5} edit each box so outline is invisible 6} re-print with post-its downward 7} surprise someone with a lovely note of gratitude :)

"A grateful heart … comes through expressing gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His blessings and to those around us for all that they bring into our lives."

- Thomas Monson

Happy 4th

Yesterday Jared and I had the opportunity to attend Music and the Spoken Word. The MoTab sang all the patriotic songs with such power; it was truly amazing. They ended with "Battle Hymn of the Republic." Even JO had a tear in his eye. Being a history major, I have become rather fond of this nation and it's glorious past. I am so looking forward to being at the heart of this country in 21 days! Next year's fireworks on the mall will for sure bring about goosebumps. 

Happy FeelingguiltyfromallthecandyiatefromtheEasterbunny Day

I forgot how awesome eating bags of chocolate feels for a whole weekend... and I also forgot how squishy I feel come the Monday after. Oh well, Easter only comes once a year!  

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photos by Gwen Hawkins

I'm too bored to update.

So all you're getting is pictures. I'm too tired to write.

Looks like we had fun, no? And this isn't even Christmas! This was the week before. Jared's parents are serving a mission on Temple Square for Church Security, so we got the "underground tunnels" tour. I will also mention that we partook of Kneaders French Toast, which may have been the highlight of the trip for me.

Excuse my confession.. and a life update

Jared asked me the other day if I had blogged about our Easter festivities. No, I had not yet done so. Mostly because of the lack thereof. I DID have great ambitions for this year - perfectly Martha Stewart'ed eggs, carefully crafted decorations, and a grandifolis Easter morn breakfast [grandifolius is latin for big {grandi} leaves {folia}. While I did not quite want big leaves for breakfast, I did want to use a word to describe my high ambitions for Easter brunch, and grandifolis sounded grand, but even better than grand actually, so I used it right now under a false pretense. You wouldn't have known if I hadn't told you...]. But alas, my desire for great achievement was cheated out by laziness. We ended up with the 99cent egg dying packet as our only celebratory gesture.Oh, and the Easter Bunny came Sunday morning with a bag of Reeses and mini-cadbury eggs. Easter wasn't quite the same this year, knowing that I was the bunny... Maybe next year our little Oakden clan will have a baby tike to help make the festivities more outlandish???

Is it just me, or was a majority of General Conference about motherhood? I C O U L D N O T S T O P T H I N K I N G A B O U T B A B I E S ! I know, please excuse my confession, but Anyone have any suggestions to stop this baby hunger madness that I eat, pray and live for? The day will come, I need some distractions. That's why we're going to Palm Springs this weekend!

Jared and I called it out - we need a break from this warm... beachside.. abode place we live in.. I know, sounds awful right? Why did we even choose to live in Santa Monica? I can't believe we're actually traveling INLAND for a vacation, AWAY from the beach that is 2 miles from our home. Sometimes you just need to switch things up. We're looking forward to our high end stay at the Ramada Inn, equipped with a pool, hot tub and continental breakfast [which we all know boils down to a travel box of frosted flakes, a English muffin and Denny's restaurant packages of jam.] Neither of us have ever been to Palm Springs. Any suggestions? Laying out by the pool and tanning is #1. Have a great weekend!