Roadtrip

Husbands are good for roadtrips. While they take on the role of driver and get stuck in traffic, you get to take on the role of pacified passenger and enjoy the ride. They let you listen to whatever music you want to, unlike your parents in roadtrips past who would condemn your rap crap and put in their cd of Peter Frampton or James Taylor. Husbands also let you get treats on roadtrips and let you stop off anywhere. They are fun to talk to and also good to sit in silence with. Husbands are willing to take pictures with you/of you and never tell you that your hair could have looked better or that your smile was a bit awkward. So, I guess Jared is the ultimate traveler partner. Good thing, because we are taking a very extended vacation in 2 weeks to Centroamérica and I will be stuck with him on plane, bus, boat, taxi and most likely not looking my best. So this Saturday was a prep for our long-haul vaca and we took a road trip to San Juan Capistrano. Our trip was full of pumpkin walnut pancakes, frozen bananas, Balboa Island-ness, a Spanish mission, free audio guide tour, tacos, IKEA, IPOD-ing, grilled cheese sandwiches and Brach's candy pumpkins.

Huh.. weird, we mostly consumed alot of food...

camping - a white couple's delight

I like to think of myself as a friend of nature. When I was younger I would go fishing with my dad on a fairly regular basis. We even went crab-hunting once in the Cheasapeake Bay. Well, my dad went a-hunting while my siblings and I sat on the bank and cried because sand got in our lunchables. I've interacted with wildlife, picked weeds from flower beds, raised bunnies, turtles, gerbils, a cat, a guinea pig and I hiked Half-Dome twice in 3 weeks. So a year ago when Jared and I were wandering the aisles of Target scanning stuff for our registry the natural thing to do was of course scan everything in the camping aisle.

Eddie Bauer Tent - Fulfilled

Eddie Bauer Sleeping Bag - Quantity 2 - Fulfilled

Coleman 2 Burner Stone - Fulfilled

Hibachi Grill - Fulfilled

Coleman Flashlight Duo Pack - Fulfilled

As of November 3, 2009 I am proud to report that these items are all in great condition and have served us well the past year in knowing that if we ever feel so inclined we have the comfort of pulling these items out from under our beds, out of their boxes and assembling them. But don't think this is where the nature-loving couple stops - oh no! I have even gone as far this week as to look on-line at some available spots in the surrounding Santa Monica Mountains. We are thrilled at the possibility of using our nature gear! But before I booked our site, I wanted to make sure that we would have a positive experience, so I double-checked with "STUFF WHITE PEOPLE LIKE." Coming in at #128, camping is something that us caucasians will enjoy!

"If you find yourself trapped in the middle of the woods without electricity, running water, or a car you would likely describe that situation as a “nightmare” or “a worse case scenario like after plane crash or something.” White people refer to it as “camping.”When white people begin talking to you about camping they will do their best to tell you that it’s very easy and it allows them to escape the pressures and troubles of the urban lifestyle for a more natural, simplified, relaxing time. Nothing could be further from the truth. In theory camping should be a very inexpensive activity since you are literally sleeping on the ground. But as with everything in white culture, the more simple it appears the more expensive it actually is. The first stage of camping always involves a trip to an outdoor equipment store like REI (or in Canada, Mountain Equipment Co-Op). These stores are well known for their abundance of white customers and their extensive inventory of things for white people to buy and only use once. If you are ever tricked into going to one of these stores, you can make white people like you by saying things like “man, this Kayak is only $1200, if I use it 35 times I’ve already saved money over renting.” Note: do not actually buy the kayak.

Next, white people will then take this new equipment and load it into an SUV or Subaru Outback with a Thule or Yakima Roof Rack. Then they will drive for an extended period of time to a national park or campsite where they will pay an entrance fee and begin their journey. Once in the camp area, white people will walk around for a while, set up a tent, have a horrible night of sleep, walk around some more. Then get in the car and go home. This, of course, is a best case scenario. Worst case scenarios include: getting lost, poisoned, killed by an animal, and encountering an RV. Of these outcomes, the latter is seen by white people as the worst since it involves an encounter with the wrong kind of white people. Conversely, any camping trip that ends in death at the hands of nature or requires the use of valuable government resources for a rescue is seen as relatively positive in white culture. This is because both situations might eventually lead to a book deal or documentary film about the experience. Ultimately the best way to escape a camping trip with white people is to say that you have allergies. Since white people and their children are allergic to almost everything, they will understand and ask no further questions."

Call Me Martha...

...Or Kendra. Either way, Jared and I have been busy decorating. Although our newly found home might not grace the pages of Better Homes and Gardens anytime soon, its consumed our time the past 2 weeks so here it goes.
My mind is great. It can possess so many random thoughts all the time that I must exhaust Jared with my constant chatter about this or that. One thought I could not get out of my mind for the past 10 months was our apartment decor. I had tried several times on a low LOW budget to make the apartment seem cozy with what we had. But I finally broke down and asked Jared if I could take some of that mula we've been saving and invest a small portion in our temporary home. So I started by craigslisting some chairs, sanding them down and spraypainting them black. It was nice but more could be done. So we went to Home Depot and got some temporary paintable wall paper to give our kitchen wall some color. I chose gray. I know, that's not much of a color but it really did bring life and sophistication into our apartment. NEXT, ordered some fabric online to make some pillows. Lastly, our entertainment center. This piece is not ours but was in the apartment before we got there so I couldn't paint it or else I would have in a heart beat. I had to find a way to bring the colors in the room over to the vinyl oak entertainment center. Hmmm... well, Jared and I went to Michaels w/ 40% off coupons, bought 2 canvases, painted them gray like the wall and then with the left over fabric from the pillows I cut out some birds and glued them on to the 2 canvases and bought a white vase and some candles. We're going on a hike this weekend hopefully to pick up some sticks that I can spray paint black and put in the case to bring black to the area. OH, and we have this little side table that looked a bit too short next to the book case so I took some books and used them as risers under the legs to give the table a BIT of a lift. Ah, well, that's all. It was a lot more work than it looks like. I wish i took more before pictures but oh well!

BEFORE

AFTER

I took this pics in the morning when the sun gives this brilliant yellow tint. It's pretty in real life but not in these pics.

Help Me

So I have some updates to talk about but I can't at the moment because I'm busy pouting. Yes, pouting. And it's all Jared's fault. If he weren't so stinking cute (which I'm glad he is!) I wouldn't have to sulk when I turn the camera on and see

ANDFOR REAL?! My superficiality is on the loose but uh, what the heck? Ok, in my defense, not every picture of me turns out like this. I do occasionally flash a smile at the lens and wipe the challenged look of my face but you know what it is - the hair. It's the hair, right? Is it shallow of me to care so much about my hair? I want to tear it all out ALL THE TIME! If its too volumey, it makes my face look too round, if its flat it looks dead. I layered it and it looks choppy but if its too straight it looks like Samara creepy girl from the ring minus the creepiness. Or maybe the creepiness is still there. UHHH!!! And since my hair is naturally curly I can't take a curling iron to it without straightening it first, which takes out all the life my dear strands have and therefore renders no use out of the curling iron. I've tried curling my hair with the straightener but I'm an amateur. If I blow dry it straight and then curl my hair its kinda of redeemable but that takes TOO much time everyday. And to make it worse I feel like every one else out there has PERFECT hair that can be styled any which way. Luckily that good looking man doesnt care at all. BUT, since everyone else I know has amazingly PERFECT hair - what's the secret yo? Should I be using product? A different shampoo/conditioner? Brush or blowdryer? Anything would be helpful.

But while my hair has been suffering, luckily our social lives have not. We went to a Haunted Maze with Kyle and Amy on Saturday which was freaky fun. And that's it. So I take it back, our social life is suffering too. But that's probably because we've been too busy doing some home decor re-modeling! I was getting super worried there for the past 8 months - I have been tramatized after reading too many home decor blogs and feeling inspired yet intimidated by the craftiness and creativity of other women I decided to... wallow in self-pity. But then I celebrated in my mind that I'm a woman too with a brain and so I re-decorated our apartment. Will post pics soon.

Seriously though, don't read this post without contributing to my hair dilemma. Help Me!

Mas Importante!

A Lover of Birthdays, the Color Black and Husband

Birthdays are the best, aren't they? Right? Remember when you were in Elementary School and your name was announced over the PA for everyone to hear? Or how about the ribbon you got to wear around all day? And Mom would bring in cupcakes for your whole class, cards would come in the mail, you got to pick the dinner meal that night and your favorite cake? And of course the birthday list that was made 3 months prior to the birthday and you made sure to let Mom and Dad know you needed EVERYTHING. I can recall my 8th birthday. I loved Aladdin. Everything Aladdin. I had Raja and Jasmine barbies already BUT I was missing the guy barbie Aladdin. I had a dream the night before my birthday that I was playing with BOTH Jasmine and Aladdin and it was it was clear to me that I needed them both to bring me the greatest joy my little heart had ever known. Sadly, I didn't wake up to a surprise Aladdin on my bed or that night when I opened presents. I had to buy it. That wasn't as fun. Luckily my parents restored my faith in them the next year when they got me an American Girl Doll. Well, you can imagine my devastation when one year it was rounding about to my mom's birthday and I asked her what she wanted and she said she didnt care too much about her birthday. Um, WHAT?? What kind of person doesn't care about their birthday? That was almost as devastating as when she told me her favorite color was black! BLACK - so abnormally dull. (I, now at the age of 23, concur with my mother that black is the best color) Well truth be told and you can slay me for it, but I have become a un-birthday lover as well. Ok, not of OTHER people's birthdays - I like celebrating the birth of others but I find my birthday very anti-climactic. It's awkward. Period. Not because I'm getting older but because of all the fan-fare involved. But I need to recognize that yesterday I had the most splendid and unexpected birthday presented to me by my wonderful husband and it was magical. He made everything on my birthday list come true.

So Disneyland gives you a ticket on your birthday this year, right? Well, mine happened to land on a Wed, right in the middle of the work week. I have a super nice boss but I was in no way about to ask for my birthday off, especially since he was elongating my Thanksgiving Break so we can go on our 1 year anniversary trip. So I didn't ask. Unbenounced to me, Jared had emailed my boss, asked for my day off and took me to Disneyland after having made me the most spectacular birthday breakfast! Husbands are the best - all the time. After a whole day at Disney we decided on 2 things: 1) it's overpriced 2) we still love Disney at age 23. We celebrated that evening with some McD's cones, opening of some cards and 2 presents. Jared caught on to my hint, or blatant remark, 2 posts ago about the necklace. I've been saying for a while now that I want a black robe - one that goes all the way to the ground so I can swish around in it and feel classy in the mornings amidst my lack of make-up and bed hair before getting ready. So happy was my heart when I pulled out a gorgeous black robe from the well wrapped tissue paper. Thanks Mr!

ALSO...

We may or may not be doing some re-modeling to our apartment with some killer deals.

Stay tuned.....

***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.