A Lawyer & A Lady

Happy New Year!

2012-01-03T10:47:00.000-07:00

Erinn and Andrew celebrated Christmas by welcoming their new little bundle of joy into world.

We celebrated New Year's by going to meet him.

Our little Benson Michael joined the family December 22. He is so tiny. I kept unswaddling him to see his skinny little arms and legs.

It made me extra excited to meet our little lady! And the countdown is on... Only 8 Weeks to go.

One Christmas Picture

2011-12-28T16:53:00.000-07:00

We've had a camera problem as of late.

We pretty much only use Garrett's iPhone for picture taking these days. Because of this we got only one Christmas picture this year.

And we have scary eyes, which red eye refuses to fix. But, at least we have one photo to commemorate this pregnant Christmas!

We spent Christmas with our dear friends the Crump's and the Salvesen's. Very fun company and delicious food equals a Merry Christmas indeed!

And if I do say so, Garrett got me some fabulous gifts including the diaper bag I wanted. (Can't wait to fill it with baby goodies!)

From us to you, we hope your Christmas was Merry and Joyful and that your New Year will be Wonderful! Happy Holidays Everyone!

Santa Baby

2011-12-23T14:11:00.001-07:00

29 Weeks

Little Baby Face at 30 Weeks

30 Weeks

At 30 Weeks, I am still feeling great!

Sleep is the most difficult thing.

Minor aches and pains in my back and tailbone.

New cravings surfacing daily, 

but things that have stayed consistent:

Apples, Chips and Salsa and ANYTHING sweet!

Dr. Says baby looks great

and just look at that mug,

don't you agree with her?

Let It Snow

2011-12-19T10:29:00.001-07:00

We decided to get an unconventional tree this year.... It's white. Really white, like a newly fallen snow that is reflecting a bright noon sun.

I LOVE IT! It makes me feel like it snowed in my living room. And in Southern California, it's the closest I'm gonna get.

Comments we've gotten so far:
"Your tree looks like it's blessed from Heaven"
"Is your tree on fire?"

I can't believe the joyful holiday is almost here! It's come so fast this year. I've felt totally distracted by a new baby coming shortly after that I don't think I've enjoyed the season as much as I usually do. This week will be filled with lots of festive things though: shopping, gift wrapping, treat making, and sneaking in those last few Christmas movies I haven't watched yet.

Have a Happy Monday and have fun putting the final details on your Christmas!

Babies

2011-12-15T10:36:00.000-07:00

Have you seen Babies?

I just did and absolutely loved it. It is a must see for Mom's. I feel way less stressed about what I need to get before my little one comes. All a baby really needs is love and milk and maybe a blanket depending on where you live.

I especially loved this little lady, Ponijao, from Namibia

She was adorable and her mother was inspiring. They have so little yet you could feel how much she loved her daughter.

If you have ever loved a baby... You need to see this movie!

A Day with Eliot

2011-12-12T11:18:00.000-07:00

With Baby Smith coming any day now, Garrett and I offered to go to LA to  watch Eliot so his parents could get away for the night. 

Watching Tangled with Uncle Garrett

We ate breakfast with the newest Giants fan

We took little E to the zoo.  I think he may have been more interested in the trash cans, but there were a few animals he seemed amused by like the tigers, meerkats and the pelican.  

What do you do when you don't have a bib?  Eat with your shirt off of course!  We figured we were at the zoo so Eliot was becoming one with nature.

 Watching Mama Tiger roar.  She just had new cubs and was making sure everyone knew to stay away.

More tiger watching

We had so much fun with this little dude. He and Garrett have a special relationship. He prefers Garrett over me all day long, but I don't mind because it is so cute to watch them together! I'm so glad we got to spend some 1 on 1 time with him before his new baby gets here and our new baby gets here! We love you Eliot!

Baby Things

2011-12-08T22:04:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to find baby bedding all afternoon! I'm mostly feeling frustrated because I cannot find anything I like! Anyone else have this problem? But I did manage to find some other baby items I just find adorable:

etsy.com

Love These! Since Baby Girl is getting named after a state, she definitely needs one of these!

auntbucky.com

Loving this color scheme, just having a hard time finding it!

I think this pillow is adorable though!

Baby's First Book

2011-12-01T09:46:00.000-07:00

This weekend, Garrett and I were out and about looking for a Christmas tree and Garrett wanted to take me to see Ojai, a little town not far from here.  (Have you seen Easy A?  They filmed it in Ojai.)  We went to a second hand book store while we were there and bought Lil' G her first book...

Garrett liked Corduroy as a youngster so we are excited to read this to the baby next holiday season.  Maybe I'll even read it to her now.  Don't they say that makes her smarter or something, getting read to in the womb?  

Happy Thursday!

Thanksgiving

2011-11-30T11:53:00.000-07:00

We had a beautiful Thanksgiving filled with good food, fun and most of all great company! We were joined by Erinn, Andrew, Eliot and Cameron. We had a great time hanging out, eating, watching Tangled (twice I think) and topped off the night with Home Alone.

Erinn made some delicious pies and I pretty much conquered everything else. I am still in disbelief that all of the dishes came out of the stove at pretty much the same time, warm and ready to serve! Our menu was traditional to say the least: Ham, Turkey, Mama May's Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Cassarole, and Rolls.

*The Table*

*Boys on a soda run*

*Family Mustaches*

**Happy Movember!**

Gratitude

2011-11-23T20:56:00.000-07:00

I love Thanksgiving.  It makes me sad that it gets totally overlooked now-a-days by Christmas decorations going up directly after Halloween.  Isn't it cool we have a holiday dedicated to gratitude?  Well, this year I have a lot to be grateful for...

Of course, this handsome fella:

Who works so hard everyday!  He's had a good year- graduating from law school, passing the Bar and is going to be such a cute Dad come 2012.  

Then there's these two:

Who have really kept me company these last few years.  Through several moves and having a husband who was very, very busy studying, they were a good cure for a few lonely days!

And all of these wonderful people:

Especially, that brother of mine who is sacrificing his time and talents to serve his Mission.  Oh, and those sweet nieces and nephews who give me all kinds of good laughs.  

But, most of all, I am thankful for this little one:

She actually is a lot bigger than this now, but I have limited digital photo's of her at this time.  (Give me a few months though and you'll get pictures galore!)  I am grateful things with this pregnancy have gone well and that our little lady is growing and developing according to plan.  I can't wait to meet her!

I hope you and yours have a very

 Happy Thanksgiving!

Product Review: O-Cel-O Dishwand

2011-11-22T11:23:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned on my blog before just how much I hate sponges. My mom rarely used them when we were growing up. We had a few sponges and brill-o pads lying around for when we really had a stuck on mess. We were a dishrag family.

Well, I still prefer dishrags, but I have totally found a sponge I can get behind:

The O-Cel-O dishwand is AWESOME, because food does not stick to it! Even cheese and eggs, which I find to be the worst culprits of ruining a sponge. And my biggest beef with sponges is how food particles get stuck and you can't seem to get them off. I don't have this problem with dishrags and now I don't have this problem with my O-Cel-O dishwand!

It's seriously the best and makes dish doing so much easier... especially for us since we don't have a dishwasher.

I got mine at Ralph's for under $3 and you can buy refills (2 for less than $3). Make sure you get the one that states "Even cheese and eggs won't stick". I've seen some that don't say this and they just aren't as awesome!

Hope your dish doing just got a little easier!

Have you checked it out?

2011-11-21T20:29:00.000-07:00

My sister in law Erinn turned me on to this website and it's fantastic!

It never fails for a quick and delicious recipe for whatever you want!

I'm using a few of her Thanksgiving recipe ideas and trying this for dinner tomorrow.

Also, this cookie recipe is amazing! I really do think it's the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookie I've ever had! And they freeze easy and taste great after they thaw.

Sexiest Man Alive 2011

2011-11-16T10:36:00.000-07:00

I'll admit, I get totally excited every year when People announces their Sexiest Man Alive. I don't know why... It must be the teenager in me that hung pictures of Hollywood Hunks all over her closet door and just hoped someday Ben Affleck would take her to the Prom! (I don't like Ben Affleck anymore by the way. I wised up and am now totally a Matt Damon fan [Who won SMA in 2007])

 Well, the big announcement came today and did not disappoint:

Bradley Cooper will take the reign this year as Sexiest Man Alive!    

I was sort of rooting for Jon Hamm, I think he just has a classic handsomeness about him, and of course I'm always a number one fan of 2008 winner Hugh Jackman, but Bradley Cooper is definitely easy on the eyes!  

And his eyes, Wowza!  Blue anybody??  And have you seen him in Limitless?  Loved the movie, loved his performance and loved his eyes!  At times they made them look like the bluest blue you've ever seen!

 So, to the people and People I say Well Done!  You know how to pick 'em!  

To read the part of the SMA article go here or it's on newsstands today.

Product Review: Pet Armor Flea Control

2011-11-15T19:27:00.000-07:00

*Disclaimer: Not a terribly interesting post, but wanted to share with other pet owners :)*

Save your money!!  

I have talked about how itchy my little Thor gets before.  He has terrible allergies to everything it seems, but really just fleas and pollen: see here and here.  If we keep up on his flea medicine he does a lot better with only occasional itching from pollen.  Well, I got a little behind on the flea meds and it's been a downward spiral since.  

In my attempts to catch up, I tried a new flea medicine Pet Armor, which said it was the same as Frontline.  However, it's not the same as Frontline Plus, which is what I normally give the dogs.  Some error on my part for not correctly reading the label.  Pet Armor was much cheaper (only about $25 for 3 applications) but really didn't do anything.  It killed the adult fleas, but didn't kill the eggs so within a few days Thor and Lola were itchy and infested and still had to wait three weeks to get a dose of the good stuff.  

For all you pet owners out there, make sure when you get flea medicine that it kills the whole flea cycle. Your money will go a lot further if you just buy the right stuff from the beginning!

And, does anyone know... Are fleas really bad this season? They seem unusually bad right now. Fill me in if you know anything about this topic. Thanks!

Mommy Monday

2011-11-14T10:24:00.000-07:00

Alright ladies... It's advice time again.  Your tips for maternity clothes helped me out a ton.  I was able to snag a few cute items that will hopefully tie me over til baby gets here.  (But, for the record, I am still able to squeeze in to a few non-maternity things-- previous post, all pre-preggers clothes! Yay!) So, help me out again!  

Outside of some very obvious items (crib, car seat, diapers, warm clothes, warm blankets) what do you think are some of the must have items when your newborn comes home?  I am starting to shop around and it can all feel overwhelming!  So many baby things out there!  I have heard a snap and go stroller is a must and also a boppy.  Boppy I have!  So, that's one thing to cross off the list.  Also what brands do you like? 

Let me know your thoughts and ideas and have a HAPPY MONDAY!

What 6 Months Looks Like...

2011-11-12T18:55:00.002-07:00

Six Months...

Almost 25 Weeks...

Update:

Feeling good, no real pregnancy discomfort yet

Utterly amazed that my body knows how to make a baby

Also amazed a baby can fit inside of me

Baby's getting stronger and Garrett's been able to feel her

New cravings daily but really loving Fuji apples

Nesting is starting to kick in

Yosemite/Mammoth

2011-11-01T10:45:00.005-06:00

It's been almost three years since Garrett and I have gone anywhere, alone, just the two of us. Law school didn't involve a lot of road trips and traveling. Especially since Garrett is Superman and finished in two years! So, when Garrett told me he had a deposition in Mammoth Lakes and we should make a weekend out of it, I jumped on the opportunity! We brought along Thor and Lola for our adventure. It was their first time staying in a hotel.

Garrett's depo was Friday so we stayed our first two nights in Mammoth at an adorable little ski lodge. Mammoth totally reminded me of Park City. Small, quaint and quiet when there isn't any snow!

*View from Mammoth Loop*

*Devil's Postpile, an incredible work of nature*

Saturday morning we headed to Yosemite, which was only about 30 minutes from Mammoth. We entered Yosemite at an elevation of almost 10,000 ft.! It was chilly and I loved every second of the crisp autumn air. We drove for about two hours taking in the beautiful scenery before entering the Yosemite Valley where we saw El Capitan and Half Dome.

*May Lake- On our descent to Yosemite Valley*

*View of Half Dome*

*G&W with El Capitan behind us*

*Tunnel View- El Capitan in the foreground, Half Dome in the background*

We ended our day with a drive over to Mariposa Grove to see the Giant Sequoia's. I had never seen a sequoia before and it was incredible. I just can't get over how big those trees are! It's amazing!

*Being silly with the Sequoia's*

*This tree fell thousands of years ago. It's called the Monarch. We both thought it was really interesting. I found it oddly beautiful*

I would definitely suggest going to Yosemite if you get a chance! You won't be disappointed!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

2011-10-31T11:37:00.002-06:00

Halloween, how I love thee!

I usually try to do something on Halloween. A party, a dinner, a get together. But, this year I got nothin'! October has been a very busy month for us. We've been traveling a lot (we just returned from Yosemite yesterday. Pics to come. Amazing pics to come!), moving, getting settled in and lots of other hullabaloo. This is the first year I haven't at least gotten Thor and Lola costumes. I'm a wee disappointed in my usually festive self.

But, lucky for me, this won't be the last Halloween and next year I'll have my own little munchkin to dress up (and she will be cute!)

So tonight will be a quiet night in with a yummy dinner and a few treats and hopefully a trick or treater or two.

Hope you have something much more exciting up your sleeve!

Solvang & A Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-24T11:59:00.003-06:00

I returned late Friday night from my marathon trip to Utah. It was my longest trip yet, 10 days! It was good to see friends I hadn't seen since I moved and spend lots and lots of time with family. It was good to come home though. I missed Garrett and my doggies a lot.

On Saturday, Garrett and I met Nick and Cami and Solvang for a little lunch. Solvang is a little Danish town (a lot like Midway if you know Utah) with lots of shops and restaurants. We had a great time walking around and ate some traditional Aebelskivers (or ankle squeakers as Garrett calls them).

After lunch and a little ice cream (it was 90 degrees!!) we headed down the road to the Solvang Farmer Pumpkin Patch where we all picked out pumpkins for the upcoming holiday. G & I got 3. One for him, one for me and one for Lil' G (that's the baby :]).

We had a great afternoon and it was fun to hang out with Nick and Cami who it feels like we haven't seen in ages! Now, onto carving!

Denver and 20 Weeks

2011-10-11T20:01:00.003-06:00

Garrett just returned from a boys weekend in Denver. He and his brothers and some of the guys from work went to Denver to see the Chargers play the Broncos. Chargers won so the boys came back happy!I am now 20 weeks, so I have reached the halfway mark! I try not to think about it because on one hand I am thrilled that 20 weeks have passed and I get to meet my little girl soon. On the other hand, it's a little scary! I only have 20 more weeks until I have to be in labor, which is slightly terrifying. But overall, the excitement is quelling my fears! Things are going along great! Not too much pregnancy discomfort to report. Sleeping is getting a little difficult cause I mostly sleep on my tummy, but other than that, I feel great!

Look at this cute Elder

2011-10-10T12:13:00.003-06:00

He's made it safely to Pittsburgh and is currently serving in Harrisburg. So proud of him. Check out his mission blog on my sidebar.

In other family news, it's my parents 26th anniversary today! Yay!

Also, thanks for the maternity advice! Keep the info coming!

All Things Maternity

2011-10-09T11:04:00.002-06:00

Ok Ladies... I need your help. I need advice on all things maternity.

The time has come that I probably need to invest in some maternity clothes. I've been shopping online, but just don't know what to get and in what sizes. What brands have worked for you? Did you have to buy up a size, down a size? Where did you find the best maternity undershirts and t-shirts? I am struggling with the length of my shirts. It's always been a bit of a problem, but now the length is really too short!

So, let me know! I'm headed to Maternity-land this week, aka Utah, so if you know of any good places there, please send the name my way!

Thanks and Happy Sunday!!

Drinking diet coke

2011-10-07T11:21:00.002-06:00

I've really been trying to drink less diet coke and soda since I've been pregs. My first trimester when I was sick, it didn't even taste that good to me. I would only drink a regular coke or sprite occasionally to help calm my stomach. Well, my taste for DC has returned in full force. I don't drink nearly as much as I used to, thank goodness, but I still like it. Well today is one of those days I need it to give me some oomph! I had the hardest time waking up this morning!! And it's cleaning day! I gotta get my groove so I can get this house looking spic and span.

Excited for the weekend! Date night tonight and probably lots of crafting the rest of the weekend. I love this time of year! Time to start thinking about what I wanna do for Christmas cards and I'm hosting Thanksgiving this year and have some cute ideas for table decor! maybe I'll test some turkey day recipes this weekend too!

Tomato Soup

2011-10-06T10:27:00.002-06:00

Well, my rainy day ended up not to be so rainy. I was a little disappointed when the sun started coming out. It was still pretty blustery and chilly though. The perfect night for grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. I found this recipe on Cooks.com for a tomato bisque and both Garrett and I thought it was a hit so I wanted to share:

Tomato Bisque:

2 Cans of Diced Tomatoes
1/2 C. Onion
1 TBSP Sugar
2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Cloves or Allspice (I used Allspice)
1/4 C. Butter
1/4 C. Flour
1 Quart Milk (I used 2%)

Simmer tomatoes, onions, spices and sugar for 10 minutes, until it starts to paste up a bit.
In a separate pan, melt butter and whisk in flour. Add milk and simmer until mixture becomes thick. Add milk mixture to tomato mixture and simmer a few minutes before serving.

One thing I did was sautee the onion in a little bit of butter before adding the tomatoes and spices to the pot. Garrett also said he would have liked it with a little heat, so you could add hot sauce if you like that too.

I paired the soup with Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses on Sourdough. It was delish and perfect for a chilly night!

A Beautiful Rainy Day

2011-10-05T11:08:00.008-06:00

It's a Beautiful Rainy Day on the Central Coast today and I could not be happier about it. As much as I love day after day of sunshine and 75 degree weather, I want Fall! I want Autumn in all its splendor! One tree that I can see out my window is actually changing color. It's glorious. The rest are all trying to hang onto to their green.

I have been excited for today since I checked the weather forecast on Sunday. I put up all my Fall and Halloween decor yesterday and today I want to bake. I think I could spend all day in the kitchen. Bad for my waistline, but it sounds like fun.

And... Remember these two...

They are both a little blue, suffering from a case of the itchies! Dang Fleas! And a few other little things that have creeped up in the last week. Maybe keep them in your thoughts. I know its a strange request, but I want them to be happy and healthy! I think Thor could literally lick and itch himself all day without stopping! I don't know how he does it. He's already on the mend, but still not quite himself.

And, for your viewing pleasure... Whitney gets an Ultrasound.

19 Weeks

2011-10-02T21:21:00.003-06:00

It's a Girl!!

We found out Thursday that this little cinnamon bun is a girl!

My Mom came to town for a special visit and we went on Thursday to find out what we're having. It was so awesome to see our little lady! She was extremely wiggly, moving her limbs, sucking, blinking and flexing her little hands, which actually looked oddly big! She still has a lot of growing to do, but seeing her in there and finding out her gender was so amazing!

She is also starting to move a lot and I am feeling her more consistently. She even did a big somersault this weekend that my Mom was able to feel!

Here is my first baby bump picture. Sorry I'm not put together so well. Me and my Mom had been cleaning and organizing our new place all day (more to come on that) when Garrett requested to take a belly picture. Sometime my baby girl shows more than others. She's showing a lot in the picture.

Now onto nurseries! Me and my Mom found some cute bedding ideas this weekend. I can't wait to get started!!

16 Weeks

2011-09-15T10:55:00.003-06:00

16 Week Update:

-I finally feel better on most days instead of nauseous! Most days I feel tired, but I can totally deal with tired.
-I am starting to get a little baby belly. I think to the rest of the world I probably just look chubby, but I can definitely tell there is more going on there! I am anxiously awaiting that day I wake up and the belly is there and there are no questions that this mama is pregs!
-I've felt a few little baby movements. It almost feels like a really big bubble is doing a somersault.
-Only a couple of more weeks til we find out what this little baby is. I have to admit that it is kind of fun not knowing. I definitely want to find out, but i don't feel any sort of rush. I have some cute ideas for nurseries though so I can't wait to get started on those!
-I've sort of had strange cravings my whole pregnancy, but the last two weeks I have been having a love affair with Jack in the Box spicy chicken sandwich with curly fries and banana slurpees. I know... Not good for me or baby. No need to worry. I try to keep the indulgences to a minimum. Since it was really hard to eat at all the first few months, I've started keeping a food journal to help keep my nutrition on track.
-I have my next Dr appointment on Monday. I hope I get to see or hear my little person in there!

Happy Thursday! Tonight Garrett and I are off to see Tears for Fears! Yay!!

Day 9- Last Day

2011-08-30T23:29:00.003-06:00

For the last day of our adventure, we went to Mount Vernon-the home of George Washington-, the Jefferson Memorial and the FDR Memorial.

Mt. Vernon was pretty spectacular. The home was amazing and had been in the Washington family for several generations. The views were incredible. If it wasn't so hot and humid, I totally could have lived there.

We were also able to see the tombs of George and Martha Washington and also the room in which Mr. Washington passed away. Something I didn't know was that the President passed away from more or less strep throat or a tonsil infection. He became ill and died just a couple of days later. Martha never slept in the room they had shared again.

When we got back from Mt. V, my Dad walked a few of us over to see the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and the FDR Memorial. All the memorials and monuments were really incredible. The FDR was really pretty though. It had waterfalls and all kinds of different statues to represent FDR's four terms as president.

Jefferson Memorial

FDR Memorial

My trip back East was so much fun! Now that Tanner is on his mission, I am grateful I was able to spend this time with him. I can't wait to take Garrett back to NYC and especially Washington DC someday!

Day 8- Arlington and Natural History

2011-08-24T17:41:00.005-06:00

Day 8 of our trip took us to Arlington National Cemetery and the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.

Arlington was awesome. It was very peaceful and sacred. It was also hot! It was our hottest day in DC. We were able to see the breathtaking white headstones, which are exactly what you picture in your head. Just rows and rows of headstones! We also got to see the Kennedy grave site, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the changing of the guard. It was quite an experience!

Changing of the Guard

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Kennedy Grave Site

After Arlington, we went to the Museum of Natural History. We saw some amazing things including mummies, tombs, stuffed animals, the Hope Diamond and many other items. My recommendation would be to stop by this museum if you are ever in DC, but definitely go if you are taking kids. It was a great kid museum.

This is a REAL elephant

and a REAL mummy

March 1st

2011-08-22T11:55:00.002-06:00

We went to Dr. L today and he said March 1st is the BIG day! It took him awhile to decide this was the due date, but we couldn't be more excited about it.

We also got to hear baby's heartbeat! That was amazing! It was beating strong and fast.

Baby is almost as big as a peach and I think I am starting to get a little belly. I mostly just look chubby, but Garrett and I can tell something more is going on there.

Other updates:
*I have lost 4 pounds... Not surprising considering I have been sick.
*The last few days I have felt so much better! I am hoping I am out of the woods as far as morning sickness goes. I guess we'll see!
*We'll probably found out the gender at the end of September, beginning of October. Yay!

Thanks, Baby!

2011-08-18T11:25:00.002-06:00

Baby,

I just wanted to tell you thanks for giving me long, strong, beautiful nails for the first time in my life! I'm sure this is the first of many wonderful gifts to come.

Love you,
Mama

Day 7- A DC View From the Top

2011-08-13T12:03:00.008-06:00

Day 7 we rode in a double decker bus around DC in an attempt to see as many historical sites and buildings as we could. We saw the site of JFK's funeral mass, the site of the Reagan assassination attempt, the Ford Theatre, the National Cathedral and much more.

This is the building Lincoln actually passed away in.

Sight of the Lincoln Assassination

We also went to several of the Smithsonian museums, including American History and Air and Space.

Dorothy's Ruby Red Slippers.
This was probably my favorite thing at the Smithsonian.

Charles Lindberg's Spirit of St. Louis

Julia Child's ACTUAL Kitchen... Not a Remake!

Update

2011-08-09T19:36:00.002-06:00

Hey Friends,

Just a little update:

1. We returned from a trip to Utah and El Salvador on Sunday. We had a great time in both places. More to come...

2. I WILL finish posting my NYC/DC trip pictures someday.

3. Baby is making me sick. This week has been the worst. I think I am about 11 weeks along and the baby is as big as a fig. Truthfully, I don't know how big a fig is, but it can't be too big. I am not really showing yet, but sometimes I feel like I am showing (pregnant ladies understand this feeling right??). I am pretty sure this munchkin is a girl, but we will find out in just a few weeks. If it is a girl, we picked a very cute name on our trip. If it's a boy, we picked his name years ago!

We're Having A Baby!!

2011-07-23T23:03:00.003-06:00

We went to Dr. L yesterday and he confirmed that I am indeed pregnant! I thought I was about 10 weeks along, but turns out baby is only measuring about 8.5 weeks, which makes me due in late February!

Baby is very little right now, but it's little heart was beating away and it gave us a little wave yesterday! So cute!

I have been nauseous, but fortunately only lost my cookies a couple of times. Other than that I am doing great!

Garrett thinks baby is a girl. I am still on the fence but leaning towards thinking it's a boy. Guess we'll find out in a few weeks!!

Day 6- DC, Here We Come!

2011-07-19T01:01:00.004-06:00

Day 6 was a slower day, which was nice because we were all beginning to feel a little exhausted from our NYC adventures. We took a train down to Washington DC and checked into our hotel. Then, we slept! We slept a lot while we waited for my Aunts Debera and Bonnie and Cousins Taylor, Brady and Nicole to arrive from SLC and AZ

Once the rest of the family arrived, we took off to walk around the town and see some of the monuments and memorials.

Korean War Memorial
Very cool, especially at night!

Washington Monument

The White House.
It was so weird to think the President was in there!

And my favorite, The Lincoln Memorial!
This was absolutely spectacular!!
My respect and adoration for this incredible man just increased while I was here!

Much more to come from DC. There is so much to do there, I could have spent the entire trip here alone!!

Day 5- Last Day in NYC

2011-07-13T23:24:00.006-06:00

Day 5 started off with a tour of the NBC Studio's at Rockefeller Center. Unfortunately, you can't take pictures there. But here is the 30 Rock tower...

We got to see the SNL Studio, Bryan Williams' Studio, Dr. Oz's Studio and several other areas at NBC. It was pretty interesting. SNL was by far the family favorite.

Then we walked down to FAO Schwartz where we saw the Big Piano. It's a pretty classy toy store if I do say so myself.

I had to take a picture of this because it reminded of sweet Max.

Then we went to see Mamma Mia! Seriously, so much fun! At the end everyone is up and dancing and singing along. I would see it over and over again!

After the show, we did the one thing my Dad had wanted to do the whole time, go to a deli. And we went big and went to the Carnegie Deli! The food was delish. We shared a pastrami sandwich, a chicken salad sandwich (my personal favorite), blintzes, a baked potato and ended our experience with the most incredible strawberry cheesecake I have ever had in my entire life! Oh, I could go for a slice right now!

Look how big that sandwich is!!

Day 4- The Yankees and the Met

2011-07-11T23:25:00.006-06:00

The Metropolitan Museum that is...

We spent the morning at the Met, which had pretty amazing art and artifacts. Here are a few of my favorites:

Me and my Mom thought this guitar was hilarious!
It looks like it has buck teeth and is begging to be played!

This statue reminds me of Lola, she is a Chinese breed and this statue was in Chinese Relics.

Temple of Dendur

Temple of Dendur
This was my favorite thing at the Met.
Its a real Egyptian Temple that was found and reconstructed.
Just incredible!

The fam in front of the Met

Views of Central Park on the way back to our hotel from the museum.

The fam at the Yankees Game

Day 3- Jimmy Fallon, Ground Zero & Addams Family

2011-07-06T11:43:00.007-06:00

Day 3 was busy! We went all over the island of Manhattan!

The first thing we did was go to Ground Zero, which was so amazing and surreal! I had just watched a documentary about that fateful day when our nation was attacked so it felt humbling to be there. Construction has started on the new World Trade Center, which is about halfway done. Even at completion, it still won't be as tall as the old towers.

We also went to St. Paul's Chapel. It's the oldest building in Manhattan and is steps away from Ground Zero, but miraculously wasn't damaged at all in the 9/11 attacks. It was the only building in the vicinity to suffer no damage. It ended up serving as a relief post for workers to the rescue efforts.

Next, me, my Dad and Tanner went to see Jimmy Fallon. We happened to get tickets for his rehearsal monologue where he tests out his jokes for his shows taping. It was really funny and Jimmy is very handsome in person.

Finally, we ended our whirlwind day by going to see the Addams Family Musical. So creative and funny! The songs were outstanding and the set was awesome!

View of Times Square

I couldn't have asked for a better day in NYC!

New York and Washington DC- Days 1&2

2011-07-05T21:43:00.007-06:00

I just returned from an East Coast Extravaganza with my family. It was a family hurrah before Tanner leaves us to live on the East Coast for two years while he serves his mission.

Unfortunately, the Mr. G couldn't come with us, but I am eager to take him back. Especially to DC, he'll love it!

Day 1 of our vacation we landed in NYC, checked into our hotel, convienantly located in Times Square, and mostly just relaxed. We were all exhausted from traveling! However, we walked down to a huge Toys R Us and saw the Don Draper specialty Barbie Doll. I pretty much loved this!

Day 2 was my Dad's birthday and to celebrate we went to see the Phantom of the Opera. This was the highlight of the trip for me! Phantom was amazing! So spectactular! I could see it again and again. And, two weeks later, I am still singing all the songs!

We also went to Rockefellar Center and Central Park. Central Park was kind of crazy. You totally forget you're in a huge city while in the park. It's like all the craziness and noise just goes away and it was beautiful!!

View of the City from Central Park

Trump Tower
We actually had lunch here one day and it was pretty fun and the food wasn't bad!

I was singing the 30 Rock theme song in my head the whole time we were here!

His & Hers

2011-06-12T16:34:00.002-06:00

Whitney: Schwinn Legacy Beach Cruiser

Garrett: Raleigh Revenio 2.0 Road Bike

This week, we got new bikes! And yesterday we took them for a maiden voyage on The Bob Jones Trail in Avila Beach.

It was a beautiful day and a beautiful ride!

A Birthday

2011-05-31T21:30:00.004-06:00

(Terrible Bday Pic)

Yesterday, Garrett turned 28!

From what I am told, Garrett came into this world 24 inches long and weighing almost 10 pounds. He was two weeks late and if you can believe it, born at home!

Needless to say, this makes me nervous to bear his children. EEK!

We celebrated with shopping, dinner at Palacio's and malts and shakes at The Habit in Santa Barbara with our "biffels" Nick and Cami. "Biffels is a new term for when you are best friends forever for life and eternity. Don't ask it's origins."

Garrett bought himself some presents and also got clothes, money, Diet Mtn. Dew, Reese's Puffs Cereal, homemade vanilla extract, and an Orcutt Burger giftcard.

Great gifts for such a Handsome 28 year old!

Where are you working?

2011-05-27T22:51:00.004-06:00

Garrett and I are at a new place in our marriage.

We are both ONLY working. No school. It's kind of wierd. Our life has always been guided by our educational aspirations and now we're done. The Bar results have freed us.

We get the question "Where are you working?" a lot these days. The answer to your question is this:

Before getting his results, Garrett was working at Harris May Injury Lawyers as their Intake Director, meaning he was signing up new clients for legal services. Now that he is OFFICIALLY an attorney, he is still doing intake, but also is litigating his own cases.

Garrett primarily works out of the firm's Santa Barbara office, but also works at the San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria offices. He is excited about having the opportunity to help injured people and their families get the help and assistance they need during difficult times in their lives.

I am working at Compass Health, Inc as a Marketer for the company's two assisted livings: Wyndham Residence in Arroyo Grande and Casa De Flores in Morro Bay.

I am really enjoying my new position. I get to be very creative and I am at a different place everyday, meeting lots of new and interesting people. I am finding assisted living to be very rewarding. I get to see people get the independence back they thought they had lost.

So, that's it!

Now you know where spend our days!

PoTD: Kitty in the Cage

2011-05-21T15:42:00.003-06:00

Remember when we raised the kitty? He's laying on Thor's behind in this picture. For the most part, we tried to keep the kitty and the dogs separate, but they got pretty comfy with each other toward the end. Thor and Lola even allowed the kitty to nap with them in their cage. How's that for cats and dogs?

PoTD: A Baby Beckham

2011-05-20T21:54:00.003-06:00

I just love this picture... On a date with Gracey and a very little Beckham. Beckham's eye-ing that yogurt. He's known what's up since the day he got here!!

Picture of the Day Series

2011-05-19T23:37:00.003-06:00

I was going through some of our old pictures today and realized how many funny, serious, and crazy pictures we have. I haven't been posting pictures as much lately, because my camera is sort of "broke" and I haven't had anything to take pictures of.

Today I give you a Baby Lola.

Our little Lola turned 4 last week. I can't believe it! Lola was the only puppy in her litter and I think it's because she's one of a kind. She keeps us laughing and is great for pest control since she loves to hunt bugs!

We just love our little fur ball!

Something Strange Happened

2011-05-19T23:34:00.002-06:00

My workout survey got all screwed up! At one point 20 people had participated and then when it closed, it said only 12! So, I don't know what to think anymore. I guess it really doesn't matter when I work out, just that I do it!

A Food Crawl

2011-05-18T21:23:00.003-06:00

A couple of weekends ago on our way down to LA for Big E's bday, we did a little food crawl.

For lunch, I got my first taste of The Habit. It was so good! Best fries I have EVER had!! Seriously. Definitely a place I need to take all my family and friends, which means people, you need to come visit me!!

Then for dinner, we had Cafe Rio in Oxnard. What can I say Cafe Rio pork and creamy dressing never, ever, ever disappoint!

I felt huge by the end of the day but my taste buds were extra happy!

Well Folks,

2011-05-13T19:32:00.003-06:00

HE PASSED!!!

We are relieved and excited! Dare I say, I am so proud of my wonderful husband. He is amazing!

Pondering

2011-05-10T17:52:00.003-06:00

I am currently (I literally mean this second) pondering a problem I am having at work. Not a problem so much, but none the less I am coming up with a solution or rather a plan of attack.

This morning, I was pondering about something else. Please answer my survey question on the side. Very curious how often and when ya'll workout. I was desperately trying to drag myself out of bed this morning to workout, but just couldn't do it! I know I am a night worker outer, but sometimes, that's hard too. Sometimes the evenings just fill up and before I know it, it's bedtime!

So, let me know your secrets and tips!!

More things to come this week: a birthday and a food crawl

5 Years Married

2011-05-03T22:23:00.003-06:00

Did you know we have already been married 5 years??!!

It feels crazy to tell people that!

I am so happy to be married to the Wonderful and Extraordinary Garrett May!

You can read previous anniversary day posts Here, Here, and Here.

Hopefully by year 6 I have a Wonderful and Extraordinary Garrett May, Jr. running around.

A 25th Birthday

2011-05-02T12:11:00.003-06:00

Things To Do on Your 25th Birthday:

1. Get a pedicure and go to breakfast with one of your Best Friends -- Check

2. Go to Avila Barn and shop for Farm Fresh goodies and get ice cream with your husband -- Check

3. Go to dinner with your husband and family -- Check

4. Go to a movie with your husband -- Check

5. Open your presents throughout the day to keep the suspense going -- Check

6. Have a BBQ with family and friends -- Check

7. Don't take any pictures -- Check

I had a great bday and didn't take any pictures of it!! Can you believe that?? I can't! Thanks to everyone for you birthday wishes, presents and thoughtfulness! My 25th was AWESOME!!

A New Car

2011-04-28T19:25:00.003-06:00

About a month ago, my sweet, sweet husband got me a new car. He said after putting up with him for 5 years, I deserved it! That, my friends, is why we bid the Maxima adieu.

I am loving my new ride! It still has new car smell and I think the best part of my new job is that I get to drive it to and from work everyday.

It's a 2011 Honda Pilot equipped with 8 seats, which means we really need to have a baby sooner rather than later. I guess we are just getting prepared!

Like Old Friends

2011-04-25T23:32:00.002-06:00

Let's spend a few days playing catch up like old friends... What do you say?

First, have you seen the poll results for often you wash your sheets? Looks like you are pretty normal if you wash them as much as once a week or as little as once a month. If you go longer than that though, you are in the wierd category! :)

Second, I went and saw Water for Elephants with Cami tonight and I definitely recommend it. It was better than I was expecting. I think I might want to read the book now although I heard it wasn't as good as the movie.

More catching up to come tomorrow.

Called to Serve

2011-04-20T23:05:00.006-06:00

This is Pittsburgh...

This is where Tanner will spend the next two years serving the Lord as a Missionary.

Tanner has been called to serve in the Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Mission as a Spanish speaking Elder.

He will leave us for the MTC on August 3rd.

I am so excited for him and so proud of the choice he has made to serve the Lord as a Missionary!

I know that the people of Pittsburgh will benefit from Tanner's testimony, work ethic and love.

I know that Tanner will benefit from the people of Pittsburgh.

(But, I can't believe he is old enough to serve a mission already!!)

Fabulous Friday

2011-04-15T09:09:00.002-06:00

This picture popped up on our screen saver the other day. Garrett shouted for me to come and see it and we kept tabbing back to look again.

It's hilarious.

It looks like our little Lola either needs an exorcism or is performing one.

Really, she was just caught mid yawn by the camera.

Also, I am turning 25 tomorrow! 25! That's halfway to 50! For the first time saying how old I am going to be sounds really wierd! Not that I feel old, it just sounds weird!

Excited to Celebrate this weekend though!! yay!

A Housekeeping Question

2011-04-14T17:14:00.002-06:00

Please participate in my survey over here -------------------->

I am curious as to how often everyone washes their sheets. I don't know why, but I am. I try to wash mine every 1-2 weeks.

What do you all think is the appropriate amount of time between sheets washing?

(Sorry, its weird question I know, but you have probably wondered the same thing or something similar.)

Bubble Gum Ice Cream

2011-04-11T20:26:00.003-06:00

I have a confession to make... I am obsessed with bubble gum ice cream right now. I could seriously eat it everyday! I am debating in my head whether or not to go get some at this exact moment! Who will win? The ice cream or my will power.

400th Post!!

2011-04-10T23:54:00.004-06:00

No better way to celebrate 400 than saying Goodbye to an old friend!

The Patriot left us this week.

My Favorite memory was when The Patriot took me to Arizona and back during the summer of 2005. It was during a trying time in my life and it was wonderful to have a car to go away in!

It got me all the way there, back to Utah and survived the heat without any hiccups! (except a speeding ticket on the way home)

I am glad I had such a dependable car all those years! It's now gone to another teenage girl to have as her first car.

I hope she loves it as much as I did!

Maxima Story 2

2011-04-09T12:30:00.002-06:00

Have you wondered why I called my Maxima, The Patriot? Well the truth is, it was in several accidents. Some my fault, some others and some the weather's.

The worst and scariest one was in the snow. I was living in Provo at the time and it was the first snow of the year. I hadn't driven in the snow very much. My mom would never let me when I lived at home. Everytime it snowed she made my Dad drive me around. Anyway... I was driving to work coming down University Parkway in front of the Provo Temple. I lost control coming around a turn and slid into some boulders in someone's front yard. It was terrifying!

Luckily, some nice people stopped and helped me get my car situated so I could drive it. All I remember was my car was leaking some blue fluid. I thought it was done for sure! The damage was so bad my car was almost totaled. Thanks to my Mom and Dad, they got it all fixed off and as you know, I drove it for several more years!

Other accidents include: getting backed into in a Wendy's drive thru, backing into someone leaving the Josie's house, a few fender benders, someone walked on my car.

Oh... That poor car has seen it share of mishaps!

It's definitely worthy of being called, The Patriot!

I wanna know...

2011-04-09T00:20:00.002-06:00

1. What are you doing this weekend?

2. What are you doing for Easter?

We started off our weekend with dinner at Rooney's in Old Orcutt and were pleasantly surprised when Jim and Michelle were also there for dinner. So, we had unexpected but very welcomed company!

Not sure what the rest of this weekend has in store.

As for Easter, we are still kicking some ideas around.

One of my BFF's (you know who you are) will be nearby and I hope I get to see her!

Things To Do On A Thursday

2011-04-08T00:05:00.001-06:00

*Work *Make Breakfast for Dinner *Clean Bathroom Boring day... I think Yes!

Find of the Week = A Pillow Head

2011-04-06T21:39:00.004-06:00

I scored at TJ Maxx tonight with this adorable pillow by Amy Butler for welspun.

Only $17!!

**On a side note, I posted last night at 11- Not Midnight! Technically I still posted everyday! Not sure why Blogger posted it late.

2011-04-06T00:06:00.000-06:00

I actually have some things to say today, but I am too sleepy. Talk to you tomorrow!

Maxima Story

2011-04-04T23:30:00.002-06:00

I named my Maxima "The Patriot" back in high school.  It's a tough car.  I do love it. 

One time, I think the year I took ownership from my parents, I was on a date with a boy named Robby.  We were with my friend Allison and her date.  I can't remember what we did except for the part when we stopped at 7-11. 

We got out of the car to go get Slurpee's and my car kept moving!

I got back in only to realize I'd left The Patriot on and in drive!!  Oops. 

Needless to say, I felt very stupid, but was glad The Patriot didn't go flying through the front of the 7-11 and end up on the 10 o'clock news.

Gap Jeans- Loving these for Spring

2011-04-03T18:53:00.005-06:00

Fashion Mags are saying white and colorful jeans are in this spring.

Do I dare try them though??

A Day at the Beach

2011-04-02T11:09:00.003-06:00

Cami and I decided to take advantage of the warm weather and go to Avila Beach on Thursday. Avila might be Heaven on Earth. A gorgeous beach on one side and lush hillside on the other... BEAUTIFUL!

Fabulous Friday's: Ode to April

2011-04-01T17:24:00.002-06:00

Today, I drove to Orcutt Burger to meet Cami for breakfast. It's become our Friday morning tradition. Cami gets the kids pancakes, I get French toast and hashbrowns, we both get a Diet Coke and talk. We talk and talk and talk.

On my way there today, I felt extra lively! Almost like I was driving in a yellow surry with fringe on top as I went to meet my friend for our weekly ritual.

After breakfast, I came home pulled a blanket on my lawn and plopped down with a book. I read and read and read. And I fell asleep, while the flies buzzed around me, a hawk cawed in the tree, the wind blew gently across my face and my dogs explored with their tails wagging in excitement.

It was about 75-80 degrees... And I felt happy!

I couldn't figure out why I was feeling so happy today... was it the weather, the book, the breakfast, my friend, the dogs?? All I suppose were contributing factors, but I remembered...

It's April... My favorite month.

It's my birthday. My anniversary. Spring. Easter. Conference.

It's that time of year when winter will say goodbye and leave us with warm weather, beautiful flowers and a renewed Spirit.

It's April... And I love it!

Fab Friday's in Action: Cobalt Blue

2011-03-31T10:28:00.004-06:00

It turns out Cobalt Blue is all the rage this spring and as it turns out Cobalt Blue is pretty much the color of that fabulous Wonder Woman nail polish I posted a few days ago. I painted my nails this color yesterday and I am loving it!!

{Wonder Woman piggies, off to save the world}

{Happy Hands}

**Magazine backdrop page courtesy of Instyle Magazine, April 2011**

Cuddling Required

2011-03-30T15:41:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, the cutest moment in Thor and Lola history happened

{Getting Comfy}

{Almost There}

{Perfect!}

Checking Stats and Dinner Tonight

2011-03-29T19:07:00.004-06:00

I was just checking my Blog stats and far and away this post is the most popular. Not sure why, but I find it hilarious.

I was just scouring the internet to find PB&J M&M's and I think they are gone for good! I couldn't even buy them on the M&M website!! So sad!

Also, I made Greek Pita's tonight and they were delicious and easy. I marinated chicken in chicken broth, lemon pepper, garlic, salt and onion for about 3 hours then cooked over low heat adding more lemon pepper and some olive oil until the chicken was cooked through. I got some Tzatziki Yogurt dressing from Target and used that on my pitas. I put down a layer of dressing, some chicken and topped it with feta and served warm. I also did a side garden salad. I was going to make some lemon rice, but my rice had little bugs in it. Anyone know what those are? It was yucky. Luckily, the dinner still turned out!

A Sad Day

2011-03-28T23:58:00.002-06:00

Today, we got the Maxima ready to sell. It was very sad. Cleaning it up... polishing the dash, scrubbing the upholstery, vacuuming out the dirt. I thought of all the places me and that car have been together. It's been with me through a lot: Break-ups, sad times, happy times, engagement, marriage and lots of moves! Please indulge me as I post some memories in the next few days of our past together. :)

Wonderings on a Sunday

2011-03-27T23:01:00.003-06:00

I am getting an inspirational, little custom piece from here, quoting the words of a hymn.

I am very excited!

We went for a Sunday drive in our new car.

(More to come on that later)

I love Sunday drives.

Going somewhere but nowhere at the same time while taking in the beautiful Central Coast scenery.

Such a wonderful time to reflect on the Savior.

Random Thoughts

2011-03-26T23:27:00.005-06:00

1- I am so sick of the rain. It's been raining for days now and I am tired of it! Please Sun, come back! 2- People of Santa Maria: Please stop smoking at the Chevron on the corner of Bradley and Santa Maria Way WHILE pumping your gas!! You are going to blow the rest of us up! Garrett swore at someone doing that tonight and told him to pull his head of out of his A**. In case you don't know, gasoline and open flames DON'T MIX. So unless you want to end up dead or getting yelled at by G, smoke AFTER you pump your gas and are safely in your car. Or better yet, don't smoke at all. That's all! Have a good night!

Fabulous Friday's

2011-03-25T19:50:00.003-06:00

I am loving this nail polish!
Its the coolest shade of blue.

Plus it comes in the cutest bottle!!

Get it at maccosmetics.com

Loving Zach Galifianakis

2011-03-24T22:17:00.002-06:00

For some reason, I loving Zach Galifianakis these days. I thought he was HILARIOUS on Saturday Night Live last week. G and I have watched the episode like 3 times and laugh more and more each time. Check it out if you want a good giggle here or at nbc.com.

Parental Suggestion: In true SNL fashion, its a little crude. Don't think less of me please!

Back on the Wagon!

2011-03-23T20:58:00.003-06:00

I have been so bad about eating well and working out while I have been out of work. Let's be honest, I was never really good at either one, but I was better.

So, it's time to get Back on the Wagon. I am so sad, but know it needs to be done!

Anyone out there doing anything fun to workout? That's where I need help so let me know!

I wanna get back to this...

Excuse the spots on my shirt. I think I'd just done my hair or something.

Countdown to 400!

2011-03-22T20:23:00.003-06:00

I started this blog about 3 1/2 years ago and I am 21 posts away from my 400th post! And actually, I need to give the start up cred to the G-Man. If you can believe it, he is the one who got this blog up and running.

I am on the countdown, which means I want to post something EVERYDAY until post 400! But, I do run out of things to talk about so I ask you... Please give me some ideas!! Is there anything you want to know about me or something you think I might know about that you want answered?? Leave me a comment about it.

So to kick off the countdown, here are a few things you might not know about me and Garrett:

Me:
1. Before Thor and Lola, I had other pets. Including: Squeaky the Hamster, Pebbles the Rat and Herbie the Turtle. I also helped with Cookie and Pepe my parents chihuahua's whom I have featured on this blog before.
2. My favorite cookie is the no-bake! Which is great because we don't have an oven now.
3. In 6th grade I took 2nd place in my school Geography Bee, but bombed out in the 2nd round the next year!
4. I once worked at a convienant store in Arizona for 2 days. I quit... Totally not the right business for me. Unloading gas station garbage in 115 degree heat is the worst, literally!
5. I would have loved to be a geneticist like my Dad, but didn't get the gene for it. Check out what my Dad does here.

Garrett:
1. Once worked at Subway as a Sandwich Artist.
2. Went to 5 colleges before completing his under grad: Allen Hancock, Mira Costa, BYU, UVU, UofU.
3. Loves watching documentaries.
4. Can sing relatively well. On his mission he would occassionally get called up to sing a musical number without knowing he was going to be asked so he had to sing on the spot!
5. Loves Vans slip on shoes!

Favorite Things...

2011-03-21T21:40:00.003-06:00

My favorite thing in our new place...

...Master Bedroom Fireplace

Reminds me of Dingle and the countless fall and winter nights spent falling asleep to the crackling embers. I love it!!

So excited to make the mantle look cute too!

FYI

2011-03-17T19:02:00.002-06:00

I have had a few people ask me when G gets his Bar results and the answer is May 13th! A very long time away it feels!

We appreciate all the prayers and thoughts offered on our behalf and especially G's behalf while he was studying and test taking.

Thanks!!

Quarter Spendin'

2011-03-16T12:47:00.002-06:00

Until I secure a proper job, we have decided to hold off on getting a few luxury items like cable. Needless to say, without a TV to occupy our night time hours, we have had to get creative on how to pass the time. Otherwise we may just go to bed at 7 every night out of boredom. So, last night, we went Quarter Spendin'. (which doesn't actually involve any quarters at all)

What is Quarter Spendin' you ask??

Well, basically, you gather up all your spare change in the the house, the car, the coats... Anywhere there may be spare change. Being careful to pull out all the quarters. We save the quarters and use them for our sodas.

Once you have all your change, you drive around to local grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations until you find a CoinStar. Then make your guesses as to how much spare change you have. Whoever is closest wins a prize. Last night's prize... You got to pick the movie we would watch at bedtime. Last night we had almost $20 in dimes, nickels and pennies!!! $20!! Garrett won so he chose Despicable Me! (So Funny by the way!)

For some reason, we always end up at some sort of Mexican bazaar or grocery store after we go Quarter Spendin', which only adds to the frugalness of the evening.

Give Quarter Spendin' a shot and I promise you won't be disappointed!

Window Bench Project

2011-03-15T11:09:00.003-06:00

Our new apartment has these glorious window sills that are deep enough and low enough to sit at. The one in our kitchen/dining room is the most glorious of all. If we needed to, we can sit more people around our table by utilizing the space. So, I decided to make it more comfortable for sitting by making a window bench pad.

It was so easy and required NO sewing!! Just a staple gun. All me and G did was cut the fabric and the batting to fit our plywood. Then G used all his muscle power to stretch it tight while I stapled.

I love the pattern! It suits our new place so well. The new decor scheme is colorful and not too matchy matchy. Not matchy at all actually!

Thor and Lola love spending their afternoons up here. Just basking in the sun!

Manic Monday

2011-03-14T12:36:00.002-06:00

Today is a Manic Monday.

I have to be honest in the fact that since I am currently unemployed and I taking every opportunity to sleep in. Today, I woke up at 10:30!

After waking, I discovered Lola and thrown up in her cage. She has been under the weather for a few days now.

Then I had to go out to my car to get something and both dogs hopped in ready to go for a ride. They wouldn't get out so we took a little trip to McD's for a diet coke and dare I say it, Cinnamon Melts!

Now my Gmail account is refusing to open... Anyone else having this problem? I would like to open my email at some point today!!

Then I left a very ridiculous message for someone who got hold of my resume and wanted to chat.

But, with all this Manic-ness going on... I am still 100% sure today is going to be a great day!!

I know I'm Remembered

2011-03-13T15:28:00.004-06:00

One of the blogs I love to read is CJane. You can link to it on my sidebar. One thing I absolutely love about CJane's blog is that she seems to be really good about seeing how our Heavenly Father reminds her she is his daughter.

It's easy in this big world to feel lost and forgotten. Easy to feel alone. Easy to feel burdened. Easy to feel like a number.

But, sometimes a little tender mercy from heaven reaches down and reminds me that even in my lonliest hour, I am not forgotten.

I am a Daughter of God.

Have you ever been at the store and maybe see a cute necklace or bracelet with your initial? And you think "I'd love to buy that! It's so cute." So you start looking for your letter and chances are, you find it. I am not always so lucky. "W" is not an easy letter to come by. For years, I could never find any "W" things. Not a charm, purse or even a shirt! Nada. In recent years, W's have been getting easier to find and I recently got a package in the mail from my Mom loaded with W's! Notebooks, free standing letters, and the lot! I loved it!

Lucky for me though, God gave me a W constellation!

I think he did this just for me! To always me remind me who I am, where I come from and that I have an eternal destiny. So that even when I am feeling very lonely, I can always remember there is a God in Heaven who loves me!

A Snapshot

2011-03-11T14:13:00.003-07:00

While we were moving, Thor laid on the bed. He's useless when it comes to packing. Garrett decided Thor wasn't cozy enough so he bundled him up and this was the result...

Bulletin Board Project

2011-03-09T18:35:00.004-07:00

I bought some bulletin boards when we were living in O-Side to jazz up and put in my dining room, but I never got around to doing them. So, last week, I pulled them out and cutesied them up to put in our new place.

These were super easy and cheap! The boards were only $5 each at Target and came in lots of different colors. Then I just bought a couple feet of fabric and some felt to make the flowers.

For the flowers, cut out several circles of different sizes from your felt and fabric. Then make 2 rows of 4 circular stitches in the middle of one circle to gather the fabric. Add a small piece of felt to the center for the middle and to cover up your stitches. Repeat for all your circles. Then hot glue the flowers onto your boards. I think this project took less than 2 hours from start to finish.

Hope you enjoy!!

Whitney's Guide to Where She's Been: San Diego

2011-03-02T12:03:00.005-07:00

{Kissing on Mt. Soledad}

If you are coming to San Diego, chances are you are planning to hit up all the hot spots: Sea World, the world famous SD Zoo, the Wild Animal Park, LegoLand and you may even get daring and drive an hour or so north to visit Disneyland. But, I would suggest hitting up a few other cool places while you in SD.

1. Want yummy food?? Then visit the Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego. Virtually every type of food you can imagine is here from Indian to Steakhouses. My personal fav is a little Mexican joint called Fred's. Delish!! There are also some fun places to shop and get dessert. I would suggest Ghiradelli's for dessert.

2. Mount Soledad Cross in La Jolla. I did a post about MSC this past summer. It's a war memorial, but the really cool thing about it are the amazing views it provides of San Diego. There are also a few hiking trails around MSC if you are in the mood for some hiking.

{Mt. Soledad Cross}

3. Coronado Island. This is probably one of my favorite places in SD. It's like a different world on Coronado. I stayed there last March with my aunt's and cousin's and we had a great time. It's a great place to hang out and have a beach day while your on vaca.

{View of SD Harbor from my room in Coronado}

4. Seaport Village. Just across the harbor from Coronado Island is Seaport Village. It's sort of a farmer's market/bazaar/retail district. It's an interesting little place, but a lot of fun for an afternoon of browsing, eating and enjoying the fresh air and sunshine.

Almost There

2011-03-01T12:18:00.002-07:00

Hello Friends and Family,

Just getting moved in here! We are a little surrounded by boxes but digging ourselves out one box at a time. I got to spend 4 whole days with Garrett!! It's the most time we have spent together in months. We bought our first couch (our old one was a hand me down) and a funky new chair. Today Garrett went to work. I will be unpacking and cleaning and getting this house in order! Hope you are all doing well!!

Love,
Whitney

Excited & Exhausted

2011-02-21T02:04:00.002-07:00

I just pulled in from the Central Coast and I am so excited to move there. It's beautiful! I am sleepy though.

Garrett takes the Bar this week!! Keep him in your prayers please!

An Old Dog...

2011-02-17T21:25:00.003-07:00

It took me 4 years, but I taught an old dog a new trick. His new and only trick...

Thor learned how to dance. I think Dancing with the Stars will be calling him soon!

New Series... Whitney's Guide to Where She's Been

2011-02-15T22:44:00.005-07:00

I decided I am going to start a new series and periodically post cool places to go in some of the places I have lived in and traveled to.

I thought since I will be leaving this fine city of Oceanside soon, I would post some places to see if you ever find yourself here.

1. Oceanside Harbor: There are some cool little shops down at the harbor including a really fun candy/ice cream shop. There is a jetty so you can walk practically into the ocean and watch the waves as they break. There is also a cool OCEANSIDE sign so you can take a touristy picture if you would like.

On the Jetty at Sunset

Oceanside Sign

2. Oceanside Pier: You could theoretically walk from the Harbor to the Pier. It's a little long, but a pretty walk along the Pacific Ocean. Once you get to the Pier, you can reward yourself by walking down the actual Pier and getting something to eat at Ruby's. I suggest going to Ruby's for breakfast and getting yourself some Cinnamon Roll French Toast. It's AHHH-MAZING!!

Me and Dad at Ruby's. I take all my visitors!

View of the Pier. Ruby's is at the very end.

3. Besides Ruby's, some other yummy restaurants to check out: Red Cup Yogurt (best yogurt flavors, I swear), Brooklyn Boyz Pizza, and Los Tacos. Lucky for you, Brooklyn Boyz and Los Tacos are next door neighbors.

4. Top Gun House: Remember in Top Gun when Maverick is having a love scene with his lady in the dusk? Well, wouldn't you know that house is in Oceanside?? It's actually down by the pier. It's really not very exciting, but you can say you saw it. You may wanna see it quick though because I think it's been condemned. :)

I hope you enjoyed this! I am also going to post some places to see surrounding O-Side, so watch for that. Chances are if you come all the way here, your not going to just stay in Oceanside. You'll go explore this great city of San Diego!!

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T12:45:00.003-07:00

I love Valentine's!

I really do.

I love having a whole entire day just to celebrate love and being in love. I realize it's generally a romantic day to celebrate the one true love in your life, but I think you should celebrate all the people you love!

For me, there are too many people to even begin a list, but you know who you are. And to you I say, I Love You!

But, I especially love that handsome devil I live with! He is so cute! Last night for the first time in a long time (remember all that studying) we watched a movie together! I forgot how fun that can be!

I also love those two furry creatures that make a home with me. And those two people who brought me into the world. And those two people who call me their sister. And I really love those four little people who call me their aunt.

And, if you are reading this, then chances are I love you too!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Where we've been...

2011-02-08T23:34:00.001-07:00

...Sick, traveling, studying, working, but mostly sick. Worst flu of my life and I am pretty sure Garrett has bronchitis.

Hope the rest of you are well!

Fabulous Friday

2011-01-21T12:58:00.004-07:00

I can't believe it's Friday already!! Today for Fabulous Friday, I announce the winner of my first giveaway!! And the winner is..... Drum Roll Please.....

LISA ROBBINS!!

True Random Number Generator:

Min: 1

Max: 8

Result: 6

Lisa Robbins said...
All of it!!!! lol :) But I still do it because I love to have a clean house! But it onlys lasts for about 5 minutes with kids. Sometimes 10 minutes. :)
January 15, 2011 9:34 AM

I actually grew up with Lisa. She is a hardworking Mom of two little girls! Congratulations Lisa! Email me with your address and I will send out your prize! (whitney.m.may@gmail)

To all you other darlings, thanks for entering! I hope everyone has a fun weekend!!

Last Chance

2011-01-20T11:57:00.002-07:00

Hey Friends! Today is your last chance to enter the GIVEAWAY for a jewelry package inspired by InStyle Magazine. Leave a comment of your least favorite household chore on last Thursday's post "A New Year and a Question and a Giveaway" for your chance to win. Must leave comment by midnight tonight.

In other news, anything exciting happening in your lives? My blowdryer wouldn't turn on today so I had to come to work with wet hair! That's the worst!

Fab Friday in Action

2011-01-18T23:31:00.003-07:00

Boots: Target, Gray Leggings: Target, Skirt: Forever21, Cardigan: Target, Necklace: H&M

Remember how I talked about my favorite new thing, Navy and Gray stripes?? Here is a little outfit of the pattern in action. This was a fun outfit to wear today!

Quit Giving Us a Bad Name and Other Diddies

2011-01-17T22:56:00.004-07:00

Does anyone else feel like Michelle from the Bachelor is giving Utah girls a bad name?? She's a wee bit agressive. I am not rooting for her! Emily on the other hand is adorable!

I got three pairs of shoes at Nine West on Saturday and the store owed me $4.36!! Thanks to a return and an exchange of a defective pair of shoes, I got money back! It was awesome!!

And I only have 5 weeks of work left!

Don't forget to leave your comment on last Thursday's post for a chance a Jewelry Package!

Fabulous Fridays

2011-01-14T22:41:00.005-07:00

This little diddy is courtesy of Forever 21.com

I am loving Gray and Navy stripes. In fact, I bought two items tonight with Gray and Navy stripes (one is a skirt, one is a sweater).

Adorable. So excited to wear them!

PS Don't forget to comment on yesterday's post for your chance to win a jewelry package!

A New Year and a Question and a Give-a-Way

2011-01-13T21:01:00.005-07:00

Whitney shoots down clutter!

Piggy backing off of yesterday's post, I am already in love with 2011 because we started it off by organizing! Which if you know me, you know I hate organizing! It's a big scary verb that I despise. Most of the time when I have to organize, I feel overwhelmed and end up sitting down and giving up. But not this year! We started off 2011, by taking a truck load of stuff to Goodwill. And now, I am starting to pack for our move so even more stuff is going the way of donation or dumpster. I feel lighter already and have so much more stuff to go through!

So, with that I ask you... What's your least favorite household chore? Surprisingly, mine isn't organizing... It's doing the dishes!! I am getting better at it though, but that G man of mine is the best! ASABO, he will be taking over dish duty again! (I hope)

Leave me a comment of your least favorite household chore for your chance to win a jewelry package of my some of my favorite pieces for winter inspired by InStyle magazine! Must leave comment by next Thursday at Midnight!!

Through the Years

2011-01-12T21:19:00.004-07:00

I love the New Year.

It's a chance to reflect on the year that just passed and the year that we have to look forward to.

I am really excited for 2011:

Moving to SLO

Garrett starting to practice

Getting a new job (hopefully...)

Maybe Baby??

More Nieces and/or Nephews (thanks nene and B)

Here is a little looksie and W&G through the years:

2010- February- Valentine's Dinner at Ruth's Chris

2009- August- Thor's Birthday Party

2008- October- Sleepy Hollow Play

2007- July- Jackson Hole

2006- July- 4th of July

An Announcement

2011-01-11T21:56:00.003-07:00

It's not the BIG announcement... No, not preggers yet. Hopefully soon! (wink, wink)

It's another announcement and pretty exciting!

As many of you know, Garrett was planning on working at Harris Personal Injury here in Oceanside. But, through a series of fortunate events, Garrett has been offered a job at

Harris May Injury Lawyers

in San Luis Obispo.

We are so excited to move to the Central Coast ASABO (as soon as Bar's over)!!