Curly Q's News

3 Months Old

2012-02-13T20:41:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how quickly time is flying. Saturday marked 3 months for Lillian. It is so fun to watch her grow and develop. She loves to be read & sung to. Lilly loves to talk and just started laughing. Unfortunately, she got a really bad cold last month that she decided to share with both Jason and I, we all survived it thank goodness! Being a mom is the most incredible gift I have ever been given. I am grateful for being able to stay home with her, I am trying to gear myself up to go back to work full time at the end of February.

Photo-a-day: January 2012

2012-02-03T18:50:00.000-08:00

I have an app called My365 where I take one photo each day! Here is January! Go here for the themes for each day for February. This will be really fun to have at the end of the year if I can keep it going!

Lillian's Blessing Day

2012-02-01T19:27:00.000-08:00

Jason blessed Lilly this past Sunday. We are so lucky to have such wonderful families that came to support us. It was so nice to have everyone together as we celebrated the birth of Lilly. She looked beautiful in her white dress and shoes (Sister Ashby made them- so cute). The day was perfect!

We are so glad that Great Grandma Startup could be here with us. Lillian is one loved little girl!

Lilly was able to meet her Great Grandma & Grandpa Dowdle for the first time, as well as Uncle Brent. We are so glad they could come!

We celebrated Courtney's first birthday since we were all together. I can't believe how fast time goes and that she is already 1. What a cute girl!

Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate with us! We love you all!

2 months old

2012-01-11T23:16:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe that Lilly is 2 months old. The time has flown! I can honestly say I have enjoyed every minute and plan to continue doing so. Lilly had her two month check up today. It brought tears to my eyes when she got her vaccinations, I hate seeing her in pain, I know this won't be the last time. Lilly loves to smile and coo. She loves her Jingle bug and Giraffe toys. "Popcorn Popping" & Patty Cake are her favorite songs right now. She sleeps through the night and has finally started liking her baths. Jason and I can't believe what a great baby we were blessed with. We love her so much and are so thankful that she has joined our family. Here are her stats:

12 lbs. 9 oz. (80th percentile)
24" long (95th percentile)
Head: 15.5" (60th percentile)

Lillian's Birth Story

2011-12-28T12:05:00.000-08:00

Lilly was originally due on November 5 then it was moved up to November 3...both days came and went. I was so ready to have her (ok, I was really nervous for the labor part...but ready to be done being pregnant)! I just wanted to know that all was well with Lilly, and wanted to be able to hold her & kiss her! My doctor was going out of town on November 7 so I knew she would come before that day. Nope, that day came and went. I had set up an appointment with his partner Dr. Smith for Wednesday, November 9. He was great and put me at ease, I knew he would do a great job delivering Lilly. He didn't want me to go much longer than a week overdue and my body didn't seem to be changing much so Dr. Smith decided to have me be induced on Friday, Nov. 11. We realized that would be 11-11-11 and joked with him that she would be born at 11:11...like that would ever happen.

On Thursday night we were at my parents and I asked Jason to give me a priesthood blessing. It was so powerful. We had everyone that was there be apart of it. My Dad, my brother in laws Travis & Kevin, and our friends Kevin Carlson & Scott Strong. It was so powerful to be surrounded by such incredible men who hold the priesthood. Jason gave me the blessing. I knew that everything would be all right, and felt so at peace! I slept really well that night and was excited for what laid ahead the next day.

I woke up early on Friday and called Alta View Hospital to make sure they still had a bed available. Yahoo, they did. We snapped a quick picture right before we left and arrived at the hospital at 7:30 a.m.

Our labor room was ready for us!

It was crazy to think that in a few hours or more, we would have a baby! Dr. Smith came in at 8:00 a.m. and broke my water. Contractions started soon after but they were irregular so they started me on Pitocin. My contractions started to become more regular and a little more intense. By about noon the contractions were beginning to get pretty uncomfortable. The anesthesiologist was finally able to come in and give me the epidural. That helped me make it through the rest of the day. We watched a lot of T.V. that day. There was a Harry Potter marathon on...I think we made it through one and a half movies. My nurse was so great, she kept bringing me banana and root beer popcicles and ice chips. She really took good care of me.

I'm glad I had my best friend there to keep me company. He always knows how to make me laugh! By 4:00 p.m. my cervix had finally thinned out and things started progressing more quickly. At 7:00 p.m. we met our new nurse Katie, later we found out that she had worked with my mom at the diabetes clinic. By 8:00 p.m. my contractions were pretty hard and coming quickly. Unfortunately, the epidural had begun to wear off and they didn't refill it. I have to say I really wanted more! They gave me some local anesthetic a few times which didn't really help. By the time 9:30 hit I knew I was ready to push and had Jason call our nurse, Katie confirmed that I was at a ten and had me start pushing. I ended up pushing for the next hour and a half but had no idea what time it was. I am so thankful that I had both Jason and Katie there coaching me along. By about 11:00 p.m. Lilly had crowned so Katie called the doctor and told him we were ready. When he came in he said, "I think we can do this" and told me to give him 4 good pushes, I was just wanting to have the labor end because I was so tired. Unbelievably Lilly was born at 11:11 p.m. on 11/11/11.

I remember hearing her gruff little cry and then having them place her on my chest. I remember thinking how beautiful and perfect she was. I loved all of her dark hair. It was a bit surreal! I couldn't believe she was finally here. It was a surprise to find out that she weighed 9 lbs. 7 oz., and was 22" long. I just kept thinking how did she fit in me?

Lillly's first bath. She loved being in the warm water.

Our new family! Tired but happy! She is so beautiful.

We found out that the nurses station had been watching the monitor to see if Lilly would be born at 11:11 p.m. they all cheered when they saw she had been born. I think Mom and Dad had encouraged Dr. Smith a bit also, telling him they wanted her born at 11:11 p.m. Another funny thing was Mel texting Jason with a picture of the clock at 11:11 p.m. saying "C'mon, now's the time!" It was fun that Jason was able to write back and tell her she really had been born at that time! A special time for a special girl!

Formula

2011-11-29T09:31:00.000-08:00

I have finally let the realization hit me that I am not going to be able to breastfeed....my milk didn't come in! Kind of hard to admit that, because there is such pressure as a woman to be able to do that for your child! But, luckily formula is really good these days and right now it is all about giving Lilly what she needs! Unfortunately...formula is expensive and we are quickly going through the samples we received before she was born. If anyone in blog land has recently had a baby and you aren't going to use the sample formula that you have received we would love to take it off of your hands! Just let me know and we will pick it up! Thanks so much!

Lillian Marie

2011-11-23T22:43:00.000-08:00

Introducing
Lillian Marie Stott
11/11/11
11:11 p.m.

9 lbs. 7 oz.
22" long

So tired!

Love her LONG toes!

I love how she held her binky in her mouth, and put her feet together!

Love at first sight!

October Review

2011-11-05T19:44:00.000-07:00

Here is a review of October. Most of the month has been spent getting ready for the baby to come. I had a couple of baby showers and friends and family alike were so nice, they have helped us be ready for Lilly. We received some incredible gifts! Thanks to everyone! One highlight was going to So You Think You Can Dance, love to watch how talented they are. I'm glad I was able to go....wasn't sure since Lilly was close to being due!

A lot of October was taken up with Lilly's room. It was fun to watch it all come together. It has been quite the process getting it there. Here are a few before pictures.

After: Here is the finished room. I love how it has all come together. I have to say that the chandelier is one of my favorite things. I found a blog called How Does She? I loved the chandelier that she painted and decided I needed to try it. It came from Ikea and wasn't as bad as I thought it would be to paint it. I also decided we needed to try Board and Batten, go here for some great suggestions, we tried the Dap Calk and it worked really well. We also got the bookshelves from Ikea...I have tons of children's books and I decided I wanted them in her room...we have also used the bookshelves for toys. I found the changing table at a cute furniture shop in American Fork called Finders Keepers...they re-finish furniture...such a cute place. We got the crib for free from my sister- in-laws sister....so nice that they gave it to us. The crib bedding came from an online store....it is kind of funny because after I chose it, I found out it is the same bedding set that McKinley has...great minds think alike!

We had fun at our Annual Halloween Party. This year it was at the Hoyal's. We had yummy food, played games, bobbed for apples, and enjoyed spending time together. It is always fun to see what everyone dresses up as.

I added one from November....we have now hit 40 weeks and still no Lilly. Hoping she will be here soon. We are anxious to see what she looks like, and be able to hold and kiss her. Thanks for all of your concern and kind thoughts and prayers, we really appreciate it.

Goodbye Lucy

2011-11-04T16:06:00.000-07:00

Last week we had to say goodbye to Lucy. She has been our dog for the past 13 years, my parents adopted her when she was a year old. The vet told us that 14 years old is a long time for Golden Retrievers to live.

We've known that this has been going to happen for the past couple of months, I think we kept making excuses as to why we shouldn't do it. She would get sick and then start feeling better, yet, she continued to go downhill. I have been so emotional through this whole process.....I can blame it on pregnancy hormones, but, I just loved her so much, so I probably would have been this way anyhow.

When I graduated from USU, I moved back home just after my parents got her. She was my running buddy, I loved how excited she got whenever she saw me in my running shoes...she would follow me around until I got out the leash so she could come with me. She also hated cameras...she would run away whenever you got one out.

Lucy has been such a good dog! My dog Jasper loved her....he has been so confused the last couple of times we have gone over to my parents and she isn't there. She was just a part of our family. I hope she is enjoying being able to run again, and chase birds & cats. The day before we had her put to sleep she saw a cat in the backyard. She limped as fast as she could to try and get it, and barked with her hoarse bark. Now her body isn't holding her back.

I hope she knows how much we miss her. It feels so empty without her there. We are so lucky we got to have her as long as we did. Love and miss you Lucy!

Remembering September 11- Where were you?

2011-09-10T01:52:00.000-07:00

I've been watching many of the specials this week as we reflect on ten years after 9/11. I remember that day clearly in my mind. I was driving to work listening to 101.9 The End....and they were talking about planes flying into the World Trade Center. I thought they were talking about a movie or joking around, but soon realized they were serious. I was still living at home at the time and for some reason my mom and dad hadn't turned on the radio that day...they usually had KSL playing in the mornings. I called my dad and urged him to turn on the TV, and told him what I had heard. I worked at Farnsworth Elementary and as soon as I got to school I turned on the TV in my room. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I went to find some other teachers and we watched in horror as the first building fell. We had a quick faculty meeting to talk about what we should say to our students. Because I taught first grade....not many of my kids knew what was happening. It was hard to keep calm throughout that day. I would turn on the TV every chance I got to find out more information. While the kids were out at recess in the afternoon there were scenes on TV that showed people in either Iraq or Afghanistan cheering in the streets and making a mockery of our flag. It broke my heart to see that happening....I guess I never realized that there were people who hated us so much.

One of the things I remember most was how eerily silent it became once flights were grounded. Living in the flight path for most of my life I had become accustomed to hearing planes constantly. It was so strange not to hear them flying overhead. Over the next several weeks life continued but I was glued to the television, mostly out of shock, trying to understand why this had happened, and mourning for those who had lost their lives, as well as praying for their families who they left behind.

I am still so amazed with the many brave men and women who sacrificed their lives that day. I'm so glad I have been able to hear a few of their incredible stories. This bravery has continued with our soldiers who have continued to risk their lives as they fight for freedom. I hope that this 10 year anniversary will help our country remember. We need to unite together once again, and turn to God.

President Monsen said, "It is constancy that God would have from us. Tragedies are not merely opportunities to give Him a fleeting thought, or for momentary insight to His plan for our happiness. Destruction allows us to rebuild our lives in the way He teaches us, and to become something different than we were. We can make Him the center of our thoughts and His Son, Jesus Christ, the pattern for our behavior. We may not only find faith in God in our sorrow. We may also become faithful to Him in times of calm." Go here, for the article.

30 Weeks

2011-08-30T18:09:00.000-07:00

It is crazy to see how much I've grown in the last 10 weeks....which, makes me scared to think how much more she will grow in the last 10 weeks! Ready or not, here she comes!

The Cute Things Shalece Says

2011-08-29T19:39:00.000-07:00

A couple of Sunday's ago, Shalece asked, "Are you going to take Jasper back to the pet store". I responded with "no, why would I take him back to the pet store?" "Because he doesn't grow big!" I loved that she thought something was wrong with Jasper because he wasn't growing any bigger and that I should take hime back to the pet store.

We have been keeping everyone informed on how big the baby is each week. The app on my phone will tell you what type of produce it is as big as, such as this week a head of cabbage. So last Sunday Shalece asked us, "What shape is your baby? A triangle? or a square?" It took me a minute to figure out what she was asking....she wanted to know how big it was. I have to say I am very thankful it is not in the shape of either a triangle or a square.

Yesterday at church the baby was kicking and Shalece put her hand on my stomach to feel her. She asked, "what is she doing?" I told her that she was just moving around and kicking. She said, "Maybe she is trying to get out so she can see what her mom looks like?" What a funny girl. I have to say that I am excited to see what Lilly looks like also. Only 10 weeks to go!

Thankfully we have Shalece to keep us on our toes....and to give us a little practice on being parents. As well as quite a few laughs.

Fourth of July

2011-08-08T20:56:00.000-07:00

After a short night of sleep...we started out the day running in the annual 5k Freedom Run in Provo....ok, some of us walked:)

We watched the parade then went to the park for lunch with the Startup's! I love the traditions we have for the Fourth of July!

We finished up our celebrating at a BBQ with Jason's family, then went home and watched the West Jordan fireworks...we were a little surprised when the sprinklers came on while watching them....never a dull moment.

A few days later we went to Stake Lagoon Day! For some reason I was the designated babysitter....you couldn't ask for cuter girls to watch though! What a fun day!

Family Picture Anyone

2011-06-19T16:17:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we realized all of us were wearing the same color. Looks like we were ready for family pictures. Funny how things happen like that!

Half Way

2011-06-19T16:01:00.000-07:00

20 Weeks
Half Way There

It's a......

2011-06-12T20:57:00.000-07:00

We found out last Thursday what we were having. It was so nice to see that everything looked normal and healthy. What a relief! We were very excited to see what it was. We made our families wait until Friday night to find out. We had a "Gender Party". They used some Old Wives Tales to decide if we were having a BOY or GIRL and then voted (girl won). Next we passed out cupcakes and had everyone open them & take a bite on the count of three. It revealed the answer.......

We are so excited! I think I have always known it would be a girl! I already bought a couple outfits at Children's Place....that may be a dangerous store for me. I'm so thankful for this wonderful blessing in my life. Wow....I'm already in love with this little girl!

Boise Getaway

2011-05-20T11:17:00.001-07:00

We went to Boise a couple of weeks ago. I love travelling with my

best friend. I couldn't ask for a better travelling partner.
This was a fun stop...we were very full!

Ann Morrison Park

Wicked is my new favorite musical. I was so sad when

the last song played....I didn't want it to end!

Our last day was spent on campus! What a fun city.

Back to the real world!

Race For a Cure

2011-05-10T09:10:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we participated in A Race for the Cure. Luckily Jason and my Dad did it with me since none of my sisters could do it this year! I decided that I would walk it this year because I have not been very active since finding out I was pregnant. Jason was nice and walked with me....my Dad did an awesome job running it.

It was amazing to see how many people participated....the street is full

of people as far as you can see. These are the people behind us.

There were a lot of people in front of us also! It was amazing!

This is the start of the race. It was fun to see all of the T-shirt with their sayings. One of my favorites was "Save Second Base". What a great way to support something so important!

Taste of Kearns

2011-05-10T08:55:00.001-07:00

We went to Taste of Kearns at Kearns High School. It is a time for all of the departments to show what they have been up to through performances, tables set up, etc.... They also serve hot dogs and chips for dinner. We were able to hang out with two of my favorite girls!

Shalece was brave and held a snake!

There was face painting!

This cute little tired princess!

Mommy had eye balls at her table that they were disecting!

Woops! Jason lost his eyeball!

It was fun to support Kearns High! We are glad that we could go!

13 Weeks

2011-04-30T19:12:00.000-07:00

A new journey in our lives began 13 weeks ago. I decided to go and buy a certain test at the grocery story..... I took the test without expecting much! But when the 3 minutes was up, I saw this.... I showed it to Jason and asked him what he thought it meant? Being cautiously optimistic we decided to trust this test! Well sort of....ok, I had to take a few more tests just to be sure, over the next week.

At week 5 we had a bit of a scare! I had some spotting and cramping. Jason gave me a blessing and I went to the doctor the next day. They were afraid it was ectopic. After many nerves and tears, I had a blood test taken so they could watch my HCG levels and later that afternoon went in for a Sonogram. Everyone was so nice....I couldn't quit crying. The tech was so cute....she started the test and told me that everything was where it was supposed to be, those were the best words I could have heard! I felt so much more calm after finding out it wasn't ectopic.

At 8 weeks we went in for our first appointment and saw the heartbeat on an Ultra Sound. It was so fun to see that fluttering on the screen.

This past Tuesday was our 12 week appointment. I had been really nervous hoping everything was all right. It was so wonderful to hear the heartbeat....it was one of the most beautiful sounds I have ever heard!

I am finally letting myself get excited. I feel so blessed! I can't believe it just happened....without a lot of hoopla. I had come to the conclusion that we would start looking into adoption and felt a lot of peace with that decision. I still feel like adoption may be in our future! I am so thankful to have this baby! I am a bit of a nervous nelly....I have to keep reminding myself that I have felt peace. At church on Sunday a scripture was shared from D&C 6:23 "Did I not speak PEACE to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God." I have felt peace! I will trust in that feeling. I even bought some maternity clothes yesterday! Wow, life is crazy! So thankful for this blessing!

Our due date is November 5. We will find out if it is a boy or girl on June 9!

Diligently Waiting

2011-04-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

This is my dog. He hates it when one or both of us are gone. Jason went to pick up Clay. I wondered where Jasper had gone to. I'm guessing this is what he does when we are both gone. He sits on the steps and watches for us out the window. Poor little guy....just doesn't understand that he can't go everywhere with us. What a diligent companion!

Easter Weekend

2011-04-27T07:37:00.000-07:00

I decided to try making a banner....since they are all the rage! I should have made the letters a little darker...but, I think it turned out pretty cute!
We went and colored eggs at my parents house on Friday night!

We decided to try silk dyeing our eggs using some of Jason's old ties. Thanks Martha for the idea! I loved how they turned out!

Here is a close up of one of them!

On Saturday we got together for our family party. I decided to try my hand at a bunny cake. My Grandma Startup always made one for us while we were growing up, I want to keep the tradition alive. I had a little trouble with the frosting but other than that....it was really yummy!

Our tradition is to roll eggs each Easter. This is something my Mom used to do when she was younger. I promise we aren't the only ones who do it. Check out the big hills at Murray Park...there were lots of egg shells! Here are our two newest egg rollers. Kinley wasn't loving it.

Rolling the eggs!

It was pretty cold! I thought with Easter being at the end of April it would have been nice weather....not this year!

All of our eggs! It was a fun weekend! We had yummy food, the kids had an Easter Egg Hunt, we even took a moment to focus on the Savior and his sacrifice. I loved how excited the kids were to talk about it. On Sunday, Jason and I spent time with my parents. We had a chance to relax and talk. It was really nice. I'm so thankful for the Savior and his sacrifice for each one of us! Happy Easter!

Show and Tell

2011-04-19T20:09:00.000-07:00

The other day Shalece informed me that Miss Jessica, her preschool teacher, told her she could bring Jasper to school. It was her turn for show and tell and they could bring a pet, a stuffed animal, or a picture of their favorite animal. Well the choice was made quickly that she would take Jasper. We sort of share Jasper... Shalece loves him a lot and considers him her pet. So off Jasper went to preschool.

Shalece loves him a lot!

Her class sat in a circle.

They all had a chance to pet him. (I was a little nervous he wouldn't like it, but...he didn't mind it and went around the circle so all of the kids could pet him).

Shalece made sure to bring some cheese so she could have Jasper do some "tricks".

She had him "stay" and "come".

She had him "dance".

She had him "sit". Shalece does a great job getting Jasper to do tricks. She also let another little girl in her class do a trick with him.

Jasper was a little nervous at first but warmed up to the kids. Shalece was able to tell her class about him. I'm so glad he was a good boy for her. What a fun experience for both of them. I have to thank my parents for taking Jasper up to the High School for show and tell. Good thing we have each other, I don't know what I would do without my family!

BYU Spring Football Practice

2011-04-02T08:27:00.000-07:00

We were able to go to the Cougars Spring Practice yesterday. My Dad played football for the Cougars as an Offensive Lineman in the 60's. My brother played in 1993 before his mission. They both love the Cougs....and I have followed in their footsteps....even though I went to Utah State:) We were able to hear Bronco talk for a bit about recruiting, etc.. We watched their Spring Practice and then went to a BBQ afterwards for past and present players. It was a lot of fun. It was interesting watching them run their drills and play blue against white. We even got to go down on the field...interesting perspective to be down there.

#9- Jake Heaps- QB- He is in green because quarterbacks are protected and can't be touched....so they won't get hurt.

Watching the practice. Wish our seats were like this all of the time:) It felt good to have the sun on your back. What a perfect day!

Brandon Doman practicing drills with the Quarterbacks

#33 Bryan Kariya-RB- such a nice guy and so cute with Andrew and Alli

This flag is signed by the football players!

It was so much fun to be there. Can't you tell by the smile on Clay's face!

Thanks Dad for letting us tag along with you.

Parenting 101....of sorts

2011-03-27T15:14:00.001-07:00

Well this cute little guy is our baby. Last night he was sick. Here was our schedule:

2:00 a.m.- woke me up crying because he had to go to the bathroom

3:00 a.m.- crying again to go to the bathroom, usually won't go out in the rain....must have been an emergency because he didn't even hesitate....was soaking wet when he came back in....shook all over our bed!

4:00 a.m.- Jason woke up this time and took him out ....in the snow this time!

5:00-7:00 a.m.- finally fell back to sleep

7:00 a.m.- Crying again, needed to go out

7:10 a.m.- realized he had an accident out in the hallway- realized "how" he was sick

7:30 a.m.- Jason cleaned it up (what an awesome man)

7:35 a.m.- tried to go back to sleep....no use

11:00 a.m.- went to church

12:15 p.m.- came home to check on him....more messes to clean up...Jason I love you!

Currently- He is still sick! I feel so helpless....I guess this is good preparation for kids in our future. It makes me thankful for all my parents did for me when I was growing up. It also makes me realize how hard parenting can be at times. I just hope Jasper starts feeling better soon. I wish I knew how to make him feel better. P.S. He has never been like this before....ever!!!

Girls Weekend (with a little help)

2011-03-20T21:25:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I was finally able to make good on some gift certificates I gave to my nieces. Alli's was from this past October and Carly's was from this past February. I've decided that for birthdays I would rather give "experiences" instead of stuff to them. I feel like they remember the time we spend together far more than the things I buy for them. So Alli and Carly both wanted to go bowling at Fat Cats, they also wanted Kendra and Shalece to come along. Luckily both Jason and Travis came with me for moral support. I'm definitely not used to having four kids! So they were my lifesavers....thanks for coming and hanging out with the girls!

Bowling at Fat Cats!

Kinley even got in on the action....she loves sparkly jewelry!

Cute girls!

My wonderful husband!

We had yummy pizza and breadsticks for dinner in between rounds of bowling!

Shalece getting ready to bowl! What a tough kid!

We had a sleepover afterwards, complete with movies and popcorn!

I am so thankful to be an aunt to these wonderful girls!

I can't believe how big they are all getting!

I can't wait to have another girls night again soon!

What goofy kids!

Our Sunday Kid

2011-03-06T15:34:00.001-08:00

I am lucky enough to be in the same ward as my sister Emily. Each Sunday as church gets out my niece Shalece comes running into the Relief Society Room. I can predict what will be the first thing out of her mouth each week, "Missy, can I come to your house?" It has become our new tradition. She comes over and we usually make a quick treat. The first thing we have to do is put on our "cooking capes", or in other words.....aprons. She is such a good helper in the kitchen. Today she cracked the eggs all by herself. I asked if her mom taught her how to do that and she said no "Grandpa did, Lucy's Grandpa". I guess they had scrambled eggs for breakfast one day when he was watching her and my Dad taught her how to crack eggs. Today we made Cadbury Egg Cookies....all I can say is yum!!! Go here for the recipe.

Here we are in our "cooking capes"

Shalece posing in her "cooking cape"....she loves the camera!

The delicious "Cadbury Egg Cookies", they scream Springtime!

The next thing we have to do each Sunday is make popcorn in Jason's handy popcorn popper! He is usually the popcorn maker but he had to take Clay home early today.

After the popcorn is made we head downstairs to watch a movie on Netflix! Last week Jason and I found ourselves watching Princess Protection Program while she built a fort. We love our Sunday kid. I'm thankful Emily and Travis will share her with us on Sundays. When she left today she said "that was fun!" I had a lot of fun too.....I look forward to it each week.

The Big V-Day/Week

2011-02-21T18:14:00.000-08:00

We decided to go on a staycation in Salt Lake City. We stayed at Haxton Manor. It was fun to get away even for just a night. We went and ate dinner at Rodizio Grill, and got dessert at Hatch's Family Chocolates...they have the best hot chocolate I have ever tasted!

Our fun room!

Our yummy breakfast!

Saturday we went to the BYU - UofU basketball game. It was so fun to watch them play. It was a little too close for comfort at times, but it all worked out in the end.

The energy was really high! It was such a fun game to be at.

We went with my Mom, Dad, Todd, & Kendra

Obouo & Fredette were the high scorers of the game!

On Valentines Day Jason surprised me with these beautiful roses.

He also surprised me with a delicious dinner!

A....candlelight dinner. It was a first for me...kind of fun to do!

This is a fun spot that I have found. It is on 9000 S and Redwood Rd. It has the most delicious desserts. Give me chocolate and I am a happy girl:)
One of the highlights of the past week or so was going to Wicked Broadway Divas. It was a performance that blew me away. The symphony is incredible itself....it was so smooth...and flawless. They played a lot of songs from various musicals. They also had a conductor from New York City that was very playful and fun to watch. There were two women who have both played Elphaba in Wicked. One of them was an actress....she could play many different characters. The other lady had the most amazing voice. All I can say is WOW....she was powerful!

I'm so glad that Jason likes doing these types of things with me! This was an incredible night!

Clay's Bedroom

2011-02-21T14:26:00.001-08:00

We decided it was finally time to paint Clay's room. I bought a Groupon for painting last July and have been meaning to get it done. Here we are getting the room ready to be painted.

Here is the room after it was painted. That was the easiest paint job ever! I wish I could always afford to have people come and paint for me. Cornerstone painting was the place that did it, they did a great job! I will definitely keep my eyes open for another Groupon like that one.

Well we decided to do a few more things to add to the room. We added a blue and white stripe. It is no big surprise how much I love my Cougars! So it is now a BYU room! My parents gave us that sign last Christmas. It matches perfectly!

I love my Cricut machine! This is a quote from a wise man....one I hope Clay will take to heart!

My favorite part is the BYU logo I cut out using the Sure-Cuts-Alot program. I was able to use vinyl and cut it out on the Cricut. I love how it turned out! I was a little nervous that it wouldn't work...but, tada... it did!

January Catch-Up

2011-02-21T13:31:00.000-08:00

I've decided I need to quit putting this off....time to catch up! I never did post about Christmas...oh well, I am moving on.

January 17- My incredible Grandma turned 88 this month! She is such an amazing example of hard work, and service. When I was getting my Master's degree at BYU, I would stop at their house after class....she would feed me dinner every week. She would do anything for her family. She has spent numerous hours coming to dance recitals, musical concerts, sporting events, graduations, etc... She always loved having us come and stay at her house during the summer months. She still loves to have us sleep over, I still like it too. She is definitely someone I want to pattern my life after. We were able to go and have cake and ice cream with her the Saturday before her birthday. Happy Birthday Grandma!!

We were able to go and see my nieces perform in their dance concert. They performed "Alice in Wonderland". I love to see how much they improve each time we go and watch them perform. They are two very talented young ladies. Great Job!!!

Baby C joined our family on January 26...it is so much fun to have babies in our family again. I cannot believe how much love one heart can hold! We were finally able to see her the Saturday after she was born. I love the smell of newborns!

Jason is the favorite Uncle....or is it his iphone? It's a toss up! The kids do love playing games with him!

The last weekend in January was a scary one for us. We found out Baby Ty had a severe case of RSV and had to be life flighted to Primary Children's Medical Center. He had to be on very high doses of oxygen, a feeding tube, lots of tubes and wires were attached. My brother and sister in law's ward were so incredible to help take care of things while Mel was at the hospital with Ty for 6 longs days. I was able to see him when he started feeling better. He was acting more like himself....it was fun to play with him and read books. I'm so thankful that he is doing better. It shows the power of fasting and prayer in situations like these. It really does work.

This month I was able to help decorate for a wedding. I found a love for this when I was planning my own wedding. I have to say that I love how the table decorations turned out. My sister came and helped me make the flowers. My living room became a messy craft room for most of January. I'm so glad the Winklecotter's let me help out. Jason was awesome....he helped me put the decorations out before the reception....and went back to clean them up with me. I've really got an awesome guy in my life.

My Mom could be a wedding planner also. She had so many cute vases and votives. She makes doing these types of things really easy.
I'm thinking that we may get to use some of these again since my sister just got engaged!

Baby C

2011-01-26T21:23:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to meet my new niece...Baby C. 8 lbs. 10 oz., 21" long. It is amazing how much room your heart seems to find as each one is born. I love them all so much! Baby C is number 13. Welcome to our family beautiful girl.

Fun Valentine's Printables

2011-01-24T17:23:00.000-08:00

This is just one of the cute valentine printables I have found. You can go to A Place for the Lady to get a copy of it. I love Pride & Prejudice, and Mr. Darcy makes my heart swoon....so this will be a must for my Valentine decor this year. I posted a list of additional Valentine Printables on my Relief Society Blog, go here to see them. Happy Crafting!

Imagine A Happier You

2011-01-21T20:30:00.000-08:00

Check out this article that Deseret News did on my awesome sister in law, she was on the front page of the newspaper...along with three of my cute nephews. She has had the opportunity to be part of Imagine a Happier You, by being the financial budget makeover winner. She is really inspiring me to get our budget and finances together. She writes a weekly blog, where she is able to share her experiences and insight of all she is learning, go here to see it.

From Our House to Yours

2010-12-22T23:22:00.000-08:00

Decorating for the holidays is part of what makes it so magical and special! So, from our house to yours, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. (Music: Paul Cardall- Still, Still, Still)

Happy Birthday Clay

2010-12-12T17:23:00.000-08:00

We were lucky enough to have Clay this weekend. It was extra special because it was his birthday today, Clay turned 13! We have a teenager, kind of scary! He is as tall as I am now and such a great kid! We were able to go and see the new Harry Potter movie on Friday, on Saturday we went to Kendra's orchestra concert which was so amazing! Imagine if you will 10 year olds playing music from The Messiah.....they were the highlight of the concert and sounded so incredible! Afterwards we went to Grandma Startup's and had a little party with Cake and Ice Cream to celebrate Clay's birthday. Today Mom and Dad came over and we had dinner and opened presents before Clay had to leave for home! It was a fun weekend, but went to fast. Happy Birthday Clay! Hope you had a great weekend.

I heart my Cricut

2010-12-04T18:46:00.000-08:00

My new favorite toy is a computer program called "Sure Cuts A Lot". Last year I got a Cricut Expression for Christmas.....I haven't wanted to spend money on all of the cartridges that go with it.

I stumbled across this program and was so excited to find out that it connects my Cricut to my computer so I can use all of my fonts. I love it and wish I would have purchased it sooner. Today I cut out vinyl labels for some of my kitchen containers. I am really excited with how they turned out. The possibilities are endless!

Radio City Rockettes

2010-11-28T18:57:00.000-08:00

Jason and I were able to go see the Rockettes! I have loved watching them since I was a little girl, it was always my favorite part of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Jason was such a good sport to go with me.....he wasn't sure about watching some girls kick their legs a lot....but, I think he knows how awesome they are now (he may have said, "it may have been the highlight of my holiday season"! It really was an incredible show. Here are a couple pictures, I wish I had a better camera.

Right after their amazing kick line!

I was so impressed, they read the Christmas Story from the book of Luke. It is nice to see that it wasn't all about the commercial side of Christmas! It truly is about the birth of our Savior.

Jason and I afterwards:) Here are a couple of videos...not the greatest, but you get the idea!

This video shows one of my favorite dances.....they made it look like this bus was driving through NYC....I loved it!

Y vs U

2010-11-27T20:46:00.000-08:00

We had a little party today to watch the BIG game! Unfortunately, we had a few cheering for the "wrong" team :). It was a lot of fun having my family over. We had lots of delicious food, and had fun cheering on the Cougs! Although, the last four seconds of the game didn't go our way, a fun time was had by all. The Cougs played hard and we still love them.

These kids have been taught well:)

Red vs. Blue....we are starting them young!!

The "sins" of the father! hee hee ...... Such cute girls!

The Hillam Boys!!!

Rah, Rah....Rah, Rah, Rah

Go Cougars!!!

Card 2

2010-11-24T14:30:00.001-08:00

With Love Chartreuse Christmas 5x7 folded card

Shop Shutterfly for elegant custom Christmas photo cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

Relief Society Blog

2010-11-14T15:25:00.000-08:00

I do a blog for the Relief Society in my ward. I try to find Family Home Evening Lessons that match the topic of the lesson each Sunday. In case you are interested I thought I would give you the address so you can check it out. Go here. Have a wonderful Sunday!

Shutterfly- The Place to go for Holiday Shopping

2010-11-13T11:03:00.000-08:00

I love Shutterfly! If you haven't checked them out, and need some holiday gift ideas....this is the place to go.

Photo Books: I have made photo books for vacations, my year in review, my sign-in book for my wedding reception, and it was the perfect gift to share wedding pictures with all of our parents last year for Christmas. Right now, Photo books are 30% off, go here to see their incredible selection.

Calendars: Calendars are the perfect gift for parents or grandparents. It is a practical yet fun gift idea. Check out their calendars here.

Christmas Cards: Now is the perfect time to get started on Christmas Cards. Go here to look at their Greeting Cards, or here to see their Flat Photo Cards. They have so many fun choices and right now they are 20% off. I am having a hard time deciding which card to choose. There are so many choices. It is my goal to get them ordered and sent out early in December this year!

Canvas Wall Art: This is the perfect way to preserve memories from the past year! Go here to see the beautiful canvas art.

Bloggers can get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly… sign up here: http://bit.ly/sfly2010 This is the perfect way to start Holiday Savings! Hope this helps with your Holiday Gift List!

Free Shutterfly Cards

2010-11-10T21:36:00.000-08:00

Free!!! Don't you just love that word? If you go to Shutterfly and fill out a form you can get 50 free cards for bloggers! Here's the link, go there now!! :)

Halloween Decorating

2010-10-30T21:53:00.000-07:00

I love decorating for Halloween...here are a few pictures!

I love the Subway Art that is so popular lately....this is my take on it!

I found these ideas on different blogs. I made the "Monster Jars" using Mason jars and Mod Podging Tissue Paper on the jars....we used white Christmas Lights to light them up. The milk jugs- we drew faces on the front and cut holes in the back and used orange and black lights to light them up! I love how they turned up!

Happy Halloween

2010-10-30T20:58:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE Halloween! I do! I love dressing up, decorating for it, passing out candy to cute Trick-or-Treaters....love it all! Today was our annual Hillam Halloween Party. We had lots of delicious food, fun games to play, and enjoyed one another's company. I have to say that it wasn't the same without our Ashley, unfortunately she had to work today and was stuck in Logan.

I found these cute invitations on sale at JoAnn's....thank you Martha Stewart! Loved the awesome fingers!
Sally & Jack Skellington, thanks Jason for being a good sport!

Our "Ghost Dog" from Nightmare Before Christmas didn't appreciate his costume....needless to say, he didn't leave it on very long!

Cute Baby M had her first Halloween!

Penguin, Cat Woman, Batman, & Robin

Popeye & Olive Oil

It was so fun having Grandma Startup with us! Thanks Julie for bringing her here!

Nice Punk Rockers!!!

Cleopatra, Tinkerbell, & Our very own Ghost Buster

Thanks to Martha Stewart once again....I found these cute drink labels at Michael's! I promise it is only Root Beer and Creme Soda!

I didn't get pictures of the Crockett's or the rest of the Hillam Clan! It was a lot of fun being together to celebrate today! Happy Halloween!

Homecoming Aggie Style

2010-10-23T21:19:00.001-07:00

We started out our fun filled day at the Crockett's house eating a yummy breakfast. We then traveled to Logan to see the Homecoming parade. Next, we went to the Pumpkin Walk in North Logan. It is so fun to see how creative everyone got this year to create scenes from different cartoons. We were able to attend the Leadership barbeque, and then went to the football game. It was a fun, cold day. I'm glad I got to spend it with all of my sisters, minus one.

Before the rain hit!

Cubby was so excited to watch the football game....he loved watching it! I loved watchign him get so excited as they threw the football! He is definitely a football player in the making!

The rain came at the end of the first quarter. We lasted through most of the second quarter, then wimped out! We were sopping wet by the time we got to the car.

Robert looking stylish with his umbrella!

Pumpkin Walk

So many fun scenes from cartoons. This one is Bugs Life.

Watch Out, Davy...a spider is going to get you!

Celebrating Aggie Pride!

We missed Emily!

Our Newest Addition

2010-10-23T21:05:00.000-07:00

We got a new car, at least it is new to us. It has been a fun addition to our family!

Bedroom Reveal

2010-10-21T19:40:00.000-07:00

My room is finally finished! Actually, most of it has been done except for the curtains, I finally decided they were going to be finished and hung up today! I have loved the changes we made.

We added trim and framed in the window. Jason did such a great job! I feel so lucky to have gotten quite the handyman! My brain has already started listing all of the things I would like to do, I mean have Jason do, around the house.

The finished product!

I love how the frame turned out! It looks so beautiful and finished!

I am still trying to decide if I like how the curtains turned out. I saw some at the Parade of Homes that I loved and tried to recreate them. I found sheets for a good price at WalMart, just added a few stitches and tada! I think they are growing on me!

I love the paint, it is a nice soothing color. The pictures that I found at Rod Works matched perfectly, I love it when everything comes together!

My sister Ashley has darling fabric wall art at school. I fell in love with it and decided it needed to be part of our new decor. I found the stretched canvas at Roberts (on sale of course) and found some fat quarters that had such cute designs, plus they were already in a coordinated set. I have to say that I love how they turned out.
Pillows! It was a lot of fun changing the look of my pillows. I made slip covers which were really fast & inexpensive. Jason doesn't understand my need for this many pillows....but, I love how they complete the look and tie everything together. Go here, to find a link for pillow slipcovers.

Girls will be Girls

2010-10-09T22:33:00.000-07:00

Concentrating very hard!

Such precision!

The Masterpiece.....with a few touchups here and there!

Shalece loves to get into my makeup whenever she comes over, I think I may have had that same love when I was little. I remember sneaking into my mom and grandmas makeup whenever I could....it always made me feel so GROWN UP! Here is a picture I found from when I was little:
Check out that makeup job:)

Feeling So Domestic

2010-10-06T21:08:00.000-07:00

Well since our Raspberry bushes produced only 5, yes FIVE raspberries....my sister Kristen and Jason's Mom shared some of their raspberry bounty. I decided I should try freezer jam... I hate the kind you buy at the store, so.... I did it. It was actually pretty easy. I haven't tasted it yet, but it thickened up, and....

It looks really pretty! I'm so excited to have yummy Raspberry and Peach Raspberry Jam in my freezer.

Spooky Halloween Jars & Books

2010-09-25T12:21:00.000-07:00

I love everything about Halloween....decorating my house, eating the candy, dressing up, love it! Last year I started some crafts that didn't quite get finished. I got the ideas from a Studio 5 Contributer named Kristine McKay. I finally finished these fun spooky jars and books for this year....I love how they turned out. If you go to Kristine McKay's site...you can print out the cute labels.

I used Mod Podge for the paper and label on the front of the books!
I spray painted this bottle that I got from the D.I. black, then Mod Podged the label on the front...love how it turned out!

There is a paint you can get at any Craft Store that will paint glass. I got the orange bottle at Tai Pan and added the label! Such a fun addition to my Halloween decor!

Happy Birthday!

2010-09-17T07:04:00.000-07:00

37 has never looked so good! Love you , hope you have a wonderful Birthday!

Summer Project #1

2010-08-20T10:13:00.000-07:00

I found this cute table with two chairs at a consignment shop....the gray was fine but I wanted something a little brighter. I decided to try spray paint and see for myself if it really works! I went to WalMart and purchased.....

Krylon Blue Ocean Breeze. I love the color. I have an obsession with all things turquoise right now....I may even re-do my upstairs bathroom using turquoise and red!

The finished product....I love how it turned out. It is my goal to get out on my porch and relax at least a couple of times a week. It is a fun spot to listen to the crickets at night...and eat breakfast in the morning. Spray paint is an easy transformation tool, I'm trying to decide what I want to try it on next.

Diva's

2010-08-19T20:16:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite little things today, was going to Diva's! It is a cute little coffeeshop....no I didn't go for coffee....but, I did get one of their delicious cupcakes and a Diet Coke! What a yummy treat. We sat out on the cosy patio and enjoyed the cooler weather....we left right before the storm hit. What a fun day! I love this place. It is a perfect place to catch up with friends.

Yummy Spicy Chicken

2010-08-18T20:39:00.000-07:00

I was watching Studio 5 the other day and they shared this delicious recipe. It comes from Prudence Pennywise, go here to see her blog. She really focuses on feeding your family good food....but also keeping the price down. We have thought of a lot of other things this chicken could be used for.

Super Fast Spice Rubbed Chicken

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken (breasts, thighs, tenderloins)
1/2 teaspoon each:
salt
pepper
cumin
chili powder (you can use chipotle for smokiness)
paprika (you can use smoked for more smokiness)
garlic powder
coriander
2 tablespoons brown sugar

* I used four chicken breasts and cut them into slices. I doubled the spice mixture and put it in a ziplock bag. I put the chicken in the bag and shook it up. We then cooked it outside on the grill. It has a spicy flavor to it....but also a sweet one from the brown sugar. If you cook extra meat it could also be used for:

-BBQ Chicken Sandwiches....Prudence Pennywise suggested putting apricot jam, bbq sauce, cheese, red onions, and the chicken on a bun and then broiling it in your oven.....it was really tasty.

-Chicken Quesadillas....really good

-BBQ Chicken Pizza

-Chicken Fajitas

-Chicken Salad....it is really good with Blue Cheese Dressing

Can you think of anything else it could be used for! I love this recipe!

One Year and Counting

2010-08-06T08:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Anniversary! I love you so much. This past year has been incredible, I can't believe how quickly it has gone by. There are times when I wonder how I ever made it as long as I did without you? I'm so blessed to have you in my life....you give me strength! I know that with you by my side I can accomplish anything. You've become my favorite traveling partner, I love being able to explore new places and make such fun memories with you. You're my favorite comedian....and can make me laugh even when I don't want to. I love having a laundry folder....I really hate that chore. I love to be surprised by your thoughtful notes in the morning. I wish I had the words to really express how I feel. I'm just so thankful to have someone to experience life with every single day! It is so much better with you! I love you and look forward to many more years....I know it will just continue to get better.

Mmmm Chocolate

2010-07-15T21:29:00.000-07:00

Today we went to Hatch's Family Chocolates. It is a cute little chocolate shop located on 4th Ave and E Street. We each got an ice cream cone and a chocolate. It brought back a lot of memories of my Grandma and Grandpa's candy store (Startups Candy). I loved going and staying with them each summer. I would take the bus to Provo and it would let me off right in front of the store. I felt so grown-up being able to work at the store...especially when they left me there alone! I also loved working at the factory, we would help package candy for the Shakespearean Festival, help with other odd and end jobs, and of course sneak pieces of candy. I love the sweet smell of candy stores....mmmm chocolate. I love to see the copper pots for mixing candy. It reminds of watching my Grandpa stir some sweet concoction, wearing his white apron. What a fun day....I'm so thankful for these memories. I wish my nieces and nephews would get to have those same experiences...but, we don't have the connection with the candy business like we used to. I'm so glad I could experience it and have the opportunity to work with and learn from my incredible grandparents!

Love Sweet Love

2010-07-14T22:26:00.000-07:00

Especially when it is a donut from Dunfords! It is always nice to find little surprises like this in your car in the morning! I love my husband....he is the best!

Good Things To Come

2010-06-21T12:20:00.000-07:00

It has been a tough couple of weeks! I just watched this Mormon Messages Video, I needed to hear its message so badly. I'm so thankful to have the gospel in my life! I know it will be all right in the end....I just needed this reminder. Elder Holland said in this talk, "Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come".

Boom, Boom, Pow

2010-06-03T23:48:00.000-07:00

Check out those moves! "So You Think You Can Dance"....watch out Shalece is on her way! I can't help but smile when I watch it!

The other day Shalece came into my parents house and said, "Missy, you're a genius"! I said, "oh really, why am I a genius?" She said, "because you are taking me home to your house"! Yes, Shalece I am a genius:) especially if it means spending time with you! Oh, how I love that kid!

Grandma's Clock

2010-05-27T19:50:00.000-07:00

I have to show off this cute clock we made for my mom. I saw it on Studio 5 and knew I had to do it for my mom! I got the clock at JoAnn's and the frames at WalMart, frame number "11" is coming soon! Jana had the vinyl lettering made! I think it turned out so cute, if I do say so myself:)

The Search Continues

2010-05-13T19:42:00.000-07:00

Well, the MRI was normal! Nothing was wrong with my Pituitary gland! I went to an Endocrinoligist today....and had yet another blood test! They are testing my Prolactin level again, I guess we will see. Now, we are trying to get my thyroid levels steady. I'm going to think that each step is one step closer. Thanks for all of your comments....your faith and understanding helps me so much!

Faith & Trust

2010-05-08T22:55:00.000-07:00

Well today I got to experience this incredibly loud machine! Not the best 42 minutes of my life....but, I survived it! I had to close my eyes and try to forget about being in such an enclosed space! You can't move while the MRI is scanning or taking the pictures, I made sure I didn't because I didn't want to be in there for any longer than necessary.

I had to have pictures of my Pituitary Gland taken.....I have a really high level of Prolactin, which I think is affecting my Thyroid and hopefully the reason behind not being able to get pregnant. I must need to learn patience and faith! I'm really hoping we will find the answers we need. Before I met Jason I tried to convince myself that I didn't want to have kids! When we met it was amazing how quickly that desire came. I'm trying not to be frustrated.... it is hard when everyone around you seems to be pregnant, it really isn't an exaggeration either! I also feel like my clock is ticking away.....I turn 37 at the end of the month....scary!

It is interesting how so many of our Sunday School lessons, General Conference talks, etc... have focused on having faith. I know that is what I need to do. I forget that my timing is not always the Lord's timing. So, that is my goal, to put my trust in my Father in Heaven. I know that he knows me, and knows what is best for my life. Jason is evidence of that! I am the luckiest girl to have him in my life....he treats me like a queen. I'm so thankful for the Priesthood that he holds. I really don't know how I made it so long without him. I am so excited to start a family with him. I know it will happen.....so, now I will put my faith and trust in Heavenly Father. I'm not saying it won't be hard at times! But I know it will work out the way it is supposed to!

Quick favorites for today

2010-04-22T22:07:00.001-07:00

2 new books arrived from Amazon today! Dorothy Keddington is my favorite author! She just came out with a new book and I can't wait to read it! When I'm finished with "The Fairy Thorn", I will read my 2nd favorite author Mary Higgins Clark. Yes, I really need a break from my crazy life right now!

So I guess when your dog is crying because his claw is caught in his long, knotted hair.....it means it is time for a haircut! Here he is sporting his new look. I love him fluffy....but, this is so much more manageable.

Caution: Work in Progress

2010-04-07T22:21:00.000-07:00

Word of warning...my room still has a lot of work to do before it is finished, but, I thought I would give an update. It is all of the little details now that will make it the spectacular room I know it can be. Jason was such a huge help as we tackled the paint. I should have taken some before pictures but forgot....here are some after I painted it for the first time a few years ago:

To Do List:

hang chair rail
finish slip covers for pillows
hang pictures
hang curtains
paint magnet board
touch up ceiling paint....ugh!
Next project: Master Bathroom

My whole life I have had a pink bedroom. At first I thought this color was going to be too dark....but, I love it. It is very calming and relaxing....I definitely need all the help I can get in that area! I'm excited to see how it looks when it is all put together! Check back, hopefully it will be finished soon! ( I will work on getting better pictures also).

Weekend Project

2010-03-28T13:45:00.000-07:00

I've decided to paint our bedroom over Spring Break. It has taken me long enough....Jason has had to put up with a pink and green bedroom for too long. Along with the paint, I need to change some of the decor in our room....this weekend I started with the pillows for our bed. Decorative pillows are soooo expensive, luckily I was watching Good Things Utah one day and they showed a segment on making Simple Pillow Covers, if you would like to know how, go here. It really is easy! I found a remnant at the fabric store....so my new pillow only cost $2.45. I love good deals.

The original pillow!

My pillow with its new cover!

I decided that it needed some embellishing.....I found these fun flowers on another blog. They are so cute, and easy to make. If you would like to know how, go here.

Stay tuned for room updates this week. I'm excited to paint. I'm really ready for Spring Break to be here.

Lucky

2010-03-26T23:23:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to post for a while....but, life has been crazy. I've been doing a blog for our Relief Society and it is taking the time I used to take for this blog....I need to find balance!

Anyhow, I just had to express how lucky I am to have Jason in my life. How did I get by without him? He is such an incredible support. I had to teach a graduate class a couple of weeks ago for my boss....who broke her ankle. This class happened to fall in between teaching Relief Society, planning and having the Relief Society Birthday Social, and a couple of big trainings at work....why does everything seem to happen at once? Anyhow, I woke up early Saturday morning to teach the class and I found these beautiful tulips on the kitchen counter with the sweetest note, a Diet Coke & Recess Peanut Butter Eggs....it helped me make it through! He knew exactly what I needed!

That night, we were able to go on a "date". We went to hear Mitt Romney speak for his book tour "No Apology". I loved the patriotism I felt there. Here is something I love from his book:

"Mitt Romney was able to meet Israel's former prime minister and current president Shimon Peres, who was asked what he thought about the ongoing conflict in Iraq. What he said caught me (Mitt Romney) very much by surprise. "First, I must put something in context," he began. "America is unique in the history of the world, whenever there has been war, the nation that is victorious has taken land from the nation that has been defeated - - land has always been the basis of wealth on our planet. Only one nation in history, and this during the last century, was willing to lay down hundreds of thousands of lives and take no land in its victory - - no land from Germany, no land from Japan. America. America is unique in the history of the world for its willingness to sacrifice so many lives of its precious sons and daughters for liberty, not soley for itself but also for its friends."
Everyone in the room was silent for a moment, and no one pressed him further on his opinion about Iraq. I was deeply moved. And I was reminded of former secretary of state Colin Powell's observation that the only land America took after World War II was what was needed to bury our dead." (page 11)

He said a lot of things I had never thought of before. He mostly talked about how incredible our nation is...and that we should never apologize to other nations for the things we have done! I loved hearing him speak. It made me so proud to be an American. I feel so lucky and fortunate to have been born in this country. I'm excited to finish reading his book.

Afterwards, we went and got take out at PF Changs....all I can say is Lettuce Wraps...I love them. The waitress gave us an extra order of Lettuce Wraps and Sesame Chicken on the house, how did we get so lucky? It was so fun spending time with Jason. I cherish the time we do get together because of his work schedule, we don't get to do it very often!

My favorite "little things" for February

2010-02-23T21:47:00.000-08:00

My "little things" that have made February great are:

Decorating for Valentines Day

Jason making Valentines Day so special (dinner, love notes, flowers, shopping, being together)

it is hard to believe it has been a year since we got engaged

Homemade rolls every Sunday

My nieces and nephews

Jason (who knew I could love someone as much as I love him!)

And they called it puppy love!

2010-02-22T12:22:00.000-08:00

Cubby loves Jasper, he also likes to give kisses with his tongue sticking out. The other night he was giving & getting kisses from Jasper! It was so cute.... as long as you didn't think about how gross it was:)

Inspirational

2010-02-04T20:55:00.000-08:00

This is such an inspirational story!

Live Like You Believe

2010-01-31T22:06:00.001-08:00

I found this on another blog and loved it! I love being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints!

More January favorites

2010-01-30T08:42:00.000-08:00

Here are some more of my favorite little things for the month of January!

Books: Blink (Malcolm Gladwell)- focuses on the first split second decisions we make and how accurate they can be, really interesting book

Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)- I couldn't put this one down, it is a must read. It takes place after the "United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch." Sounds crazy but it is such a good book!

March (Geraldine Brooks)- it is a deeper look into the life Mr. March from Little Women. It gives you insight to what he was like and what was happening in his life while he was at war...I loved it.

My guilty pleasures include the T.V. programs I watch....I guess it is a way to pass the time while Jason is at work each night:)

the little things

2010-01-19T22:21:00.001-08:00

One of my goals for this next year is to create a book full of "the little things" I'm grateful for throughout the year. It was a challenge given by Memory Mixer. It has been fun to look for all of the things that make life wonderful. Here are a few I've thougt of so far:
Bare Minerals Mascara.... I love it! The brush is incredible.
Getting a filing cabinet for $4.00
The beautiful frost covered trees
Jason making our bed everyday! I'll take it even with a crumpled & crooked duvet.
Jason folding laundry....that is a chore I dislike...so I really appreciate him doing that.

Christmas

2010-01-01T12:21:00.000-08:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

It has been an incredible Holiday season. I have loved starting new traditions with Jason, it was so fun to be living in the same house this year instead of having to say goodbye each night. We have had many fun holiday parties. I always look forward to the Hillam Family Party, we don't see each other very much so it is fun to catch up. I also love seeing my nephews and nieces get their present from Santa.

We started having our own family party a few years ago...so this is a fun new tradition. This year it was made even better because we were able to give my parents a present we've been saving for about six years.... A trip to London. It was wonderful seeing the look of shock on their faces. They are going to London in March, they will be able to visit my Dad's mission. I'm so excited for them. They deserve it!

Jason and I were able to go to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir performance with Natalie Cole this year. It was wonderful as always. We went and saw the lights on Christmas Eve...it was very chilly! We slept at my parents that night so Ashley doesn't have to be alone. It was fun to be there. My Grandma Startup was also there....I'm glad she wasn't alone at home. We got our new pajamas that night...I love that tradition.

Christmas day ended up being very relaxing! We opened presents in the morning, then went to Jason's parents that afternoon where we opened more presents and ate lots of yummy food!

I've been very lazy this vacation.....I don't know what I'm going to do when I have to go back to work on Monday. I did get my basement cleaned up....so that's an accomplishment.

Last Wednesday, I had my nieces over for a "Girl's Night". We made mini pizzas, played the Wii, watched movies....didn't get much sleep:) painted fingernails & toenails, and made jewelry. What can I say....I love those girls. I hope they had as much fun as I did. Emily told me that Shalece was so excited to come over. She kept saying I'm sleeping over with "my girls", "not mommy's girls" (the basketball girls). I'm so lucky to have these girls in my life! It as been a wonderful holidays....I just wish they didn't go so fast!

Catching Up

2009-12-27T10:22:00.000-08:00

It has been an eventful and busy couple of months. I am attempting to catch up on my blog....where do I begin? I guess I'll start with Thanksgiving....

We had Thanksgiving with my family, it was a lot of fun! I am truly thankful to have them in my life. Lots of wonderful food, I always enjoy spending time with them. I attempted my first Pecan Pie. It is Jason's favorite. He said it was good so I'll take his word for it....I don't like Pecans. It looked pretty!

We went to the BYU - Utah game the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The weather was awesome! It was a tense game but I loved it! This was the end of the game when everyone rushed the field.

Clay turned 12 on Dec. 12. We were able to celebrate with him this year. His mom brought him down on Friday, we went out to dinner and played games then had cake and ice cream. He slept over that night then left the next morning. He is growing up so quickly. Last weekend we drove to Rock Springs so Jason could ordain him as a deacon. It made me so thankful to have married a priesthood holder. I'm so thankful to have the priesthood in my home. There is a power there you can't get anywhere else. Happy belated birthday, Clay!

One Year

2009-11-09T19:22:00.000-08:00

This is a couple days late, but Jason and I have known each other for one Year! Last Saturday Nov. 7 marked the one year anniversary of our first date. I was so nervous to meet him that night...yet, as I opened the door and saw his smile and dimples, I knew it would be all right! I don't think I quit smiling all night. He took me to Bombay House for dinner. Afterwards, he had a list of things we could do depending on what happened on the date. Of course, I wanted to get to know him a little more so we went to a comedy club downtown (it was kind of dumb:)....but, I think I would have had a great time with him no matter what we had done. I couldn't wait to see him again. This is part of the email he sent to me the next day:

Good Morning Melissa,

Now that we have met and much of the uncertainty is gone, I will say I find myself more interested in you, by far then I did before. (and trust me I was pretty darn interested before). I just want to tell you that I had such a great time with you. I don't think it would have mattered much what we did or where we went, I was so thrilled to just have the chance to talk to you and get to know you a little better. It felt very natural to be around you, and I was amazed at how comfortable I felt interacting with you. I can't tell you what it is yet, but you are very easy to talk to. I love it! Why don't we just keep hanging out and talking until we are 92 years old? We'll drink some Diet Cokes, not eat tomatoes and somewhere in there I will grab your hand, maybe even a kiss, probably a slow soft one, you know the kind I'm talking about. Maybe we'll even do other stuff too but I don't know if it gets much better then kissing and drinking Diet Coke ;)

It is so fun to go back and re-read the emails that we wrote to each other. His emails always made me melt...he expresses himself so well! It was always so comfortable with him from the very beginning. I'm so glad I get to keep hanging out with my best friend until we're 92....hopefully I can kick the Diet Coke habit before then. I'm so lucky to have met Jason. I love him so much. He is perfect for me. Happy One Year Anniversary, Babe! I love you.

Woops, Halloween part 2!

2009-11-01T19:14:00.000-08:00

I made a mistake of leaving out some very important people in our Halloween slide show. They Hoyal's were there also...here is a pic of their cute family. Happy Halloween.

Annual Hillam Halloween Party

2009-10-31T18:02:00.000-07:00

Birthday Bowling

2009-10-25T20:21:00.000-07:00

On Friday night I was able to go bowling at Fat Cats with two of my favorite girls, Alli & Kendra. Alli's birthday was on the 18th, she decided we should go bowling to celebrate. It was once again confirmed to me that bowling is not my speciality....both Kendra and Alli beat me. We had a lot of fun and were able to eat lots of pizza and yummy breadsticks. I'm so glad that they still like spending time with me. I have the best nephews & nieces, and love them all so much. We even had a sleep over that night. Thanks for a fun night girls!

"How the West was ONE"

2009-10-20T20:39:00.001-07:00

I went with my sister Emily to a benefit concert at Kearns High school tonight. This concert involved four west side schools: Cyprus, Granger, Hunter, & Kearns High. Each high school sponsored a family or student from their school and worked on raising money for them. The concert consisted of performances from all the high schools madrigals and dance co. Each high school did a wonderful job. What a great way to bring together the surrounding communities. It was a great reminder to get outside of yourself. Sad, that I need this reminder sometimes.

Kearns high is sponsoring the Pyne family. Their mom has gone blind from diabetes and has to have weekly dialysis appointments. The students of Kearns high want to send them on a much needed family vacation because it is something that hasn't happened for many years. I was impressed by the number of students in attendance. We also found out that this has inspired the "East" side high schools to start "How the East was ONE". I wish the media would have been there to report on the great things that were happening with the "west" side schools. Funny how quickly they show up if there has been some sort of violence. I'm so glad I was able to attend this concert. What an inspiration these individuals are.

The Perfect Day

2009-10-15T19:29:00.000-07:00

I love fall, it is my favorite season! I love the cooler temperatures and slight breezes! I love the splashes of fall colors all around. I love the sound of geese flying south. I love pumpkins, and Halloween! I love football games....especially BYU. There is just a different feeling in the air and I love it!

A Little Bit of Heaven

2009-10-12T18:09:00.000-07:00

We decided to go to the cabin one last time this season. I have to admit it was a lot colder than I thought it was going to be, thank goodness for the fireplace! We had a great time relaxing and spending time together. Somehow food up at the cabin or camping always tastes better....why is that? Being at the cabin really is "A Little Bit of Heaven!"

Clay trying to keep warm while watching a movie!

The Book of Mormon, Flowers, & Jasper

2009-10-05T16:30:00.000-07:00

Flowers: I'm very excited with how my flowers turned out this year. I've never planted any in my yard before....my impatiens were awesome (if I do say so myself :) I also planted flowers in pots in the front yard...I think I've found out how much I enjoy it...it helps me feel a sense of accomplishment everytime I see them, hopefully I can learn from my mistakes and do an even better job next year.

Jasper:
Just for a laugh!

The Book of Mormon: On a more serious note!

I just watched Elder Holland's General Conference talk again. I had the same reaction as I did yesterday, tears streaming down my face...being filled with the spirit. I loved his talk! It brought back memories of gaining my own testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. I was filled with gratitude for having it in my life, and for the sacrifices that were made by so many, so that we could have it today. I have to share my own testimony of the Book of Mormon. I know that it is true. I know that it has the ability to bring peace and comfort to a troubled soul, it has the ability to strengthen your relationship with the savior, and it will help you find true happiness as you follow the teachings that are contained in those pages. I'm so grateful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. How did I get so lucky? I'm so thankful for the Book of Mormon. I'm making a new commitment to read it more regularly because I need the peace and guidance that it can provide on a daily basis! I'm setting a goal to read it daily! I'm so thankful that Elder Holland spoke so boldly of this sacred book. I hope I never take it for granted.

Haircut!

2009-09-07T19:19:00.000-07:00

I decided to try and save money by giving Jasper a haircut myself. Well, he didn't love the idea of the clippers....and moved quite a bit, hence the section of fur that now has skin showing through. I couldn't figure out which attachment to use...so it looks a bit uneven. Now that my living room (what was I thinking?) and my clothes are covered in dog hair.... he is finished. I'm thinking I need to leave it up to the experts....it is worth it. Especially when it comes to making his paws look nice. Oh well, we'll chalk it up to experience.

Honeymoon

2009-08-28T18:09:00.000-07:00

Wedding Pictures

2009-08-17T19:07:00.001-07:00

My Wedding

2009-08-17T18:50:00.000-07:00

It was an incredible couple of days! Thursday, August 6 was an incredible day. I was sealed to Jason Stott for Time & All Eternity. It was a beautiful ceremony. I'm so thankful we were married in the temple. It was so wonderful to share it with friends and family. That evening brought quite the wind storm...it made pictures pretty interesting....but, they worked. We had dinner at the Lion House, which was delicious...I love the rolls. Let's just say brides & grooms should eat the day they get married, neither Jason nor I had eaten so we were very hungry by the time 7:00 hit.

Friday, August 7 was cooler....and the clouds started rolling in around 5:00 p.m. We kept praying that it wouldn't rain. The wind started blowing pretty hard, one of the big flower arrangements blew over and some of the flowers broke. I decided at that point that we couldn't do anything about it and whatever would happen would happen. It started to clear up a bit after that. It was chilly by the end of the night, but the weather held. I'm so thankful it did. My Dad spent so much time on our yard....I wanted everyone to be able to see it because it was incredible.

Everything turned out perfect! I love how the decorations came together, Cold Stone and the Candy Buffet were a hit, the flowers worked out, my cake was incredible, and after we finally got pictures taken we were able to see so many of our friends and family. It was such an incredible night. I'm so lucky to have found the man of my dreams.

The Hillam Family Wedding Curse

2009-08-04T18:11:00.000-07:00

Well I've decided that my family has a curse when it comes to weddings! For some reason there is always a cold front that decides to come through right in time for our receptions. Todd & Mel had beautiful weather in October and there wedding was inside. Kristen & Robert got married in March so it was cold anyway, indoor reception. Jana & Dave got married in September it had been beautiful weather up until their wedding day, they were planning on an outdoor reception..but we had to do it inside because it was 60 degrees. Emily & Travis got married in June...beautiful weather up until their day... it was also 60 degrees....outdoor reception. Now, it is my turn! It has been beautiful weather and now there is a cold front coming through on the day of my reception, Friday of all days! So I need everyone to pray for good weather so that we can still have the reception outside.

Answers to Prayers and a Thank You

2009-07-30T10:48:00.000-07:00

Tuesday ended up being a very interesting day! I was able to drive to Moab with my cousin Melinda so she could interview for a job. It ended up being so much fun! I loved catching up with her, and being able to focus on other things besides the wedding! We were even able to stop at Dead Horse Point on the way home...I am amazed at how beautiful it is there. That was the fun part of the day!

When I got back to Provo we decided that I would drive her back to Salt Lake so she could leave for the airport the next morning. I went to start my car and.....it wouldn't start. I figured it was the battery. I frantically called Jason, thinking he was at work...hoping he could come and help me. When he finally called me, I found out his car was having issues also. He and his sister came and jumped my car...it was fine as it sat in my Grandma's driveway. I decided to go to Orem to pick up Melinda....well I only made it to Center Street and it died again. I hurried and called Jason & Melissa and they came to my rescue once again. Luckily I was off to the side of the road....but, blocking the right turn lane, we started to wonder if it was the alternator. Another man stopped....he had just finished playing church ball. He helped us get it started again....we decided that we would get it back to my Grandma's house and take care of it in the morning. We couldn't even get it around the corner...so, we left it on the street. I was so grateful for that man...I don't even know his name....he probably stayed to help us for close to an hour. I wish I could tell him thank you. He even went to ask someone across the street if I could park it in his driveway for the night. He is a true samaritan....especially when this is all happening at 11:00 p.m. so, I'm throwing this out to the universe....thank you so much for your help. I also have to thank Jason's sister Melissa for coming to the rescue....and letting us borrow her car so Jason could drive Melinda and I back to Salt Lake. It was so nice to have Jason....it gave me strength knowing I wasn't alone in this. I love having him in my life....the next day was filled with trying to get both of our cars going again. We prayed the night before and asked Heavenly Father for help. Neither of us have a lot of money right now and thinking of possibly spending $600 on both of our cars was a bit daunting. My last thank you goes to my Father in Heaven....our prayer was answered! Both of our cars are up and running and it only cost about $75.00 for a new key and a battery! I'm so thankful for all of the help I received from everyone. Thank You!

Wedding Jewelry

2009-07-17T10:07:00.000-07:00

My cousin Melinda made me the most beautiful jewelry to go with my dress! I wish the pictures did it justice! I am so happy she was able to make it for me....she does an incredible job. If you want to see the beautiful jewelry she makes check out her website: http://www.melindasjewelry.com/index.html Thanks Melinda! I love it!

Wedding Date

2009-06-22T08:30:00.001-07:00

The letter finally came this past weekend. Jason called early this morning to get a time at the temple. We are getting married on Thursday, August 6 at 4:20 p.m. in the Salt Lake Temple. We will still have our reception on Friday. It is like a weight has been lifted. I feel like I can finally move on with the rest of the planning!

Little Red Riding Hood

2009-06-08T22:01:00.000-07:00

Looking bright eyed and bushy tailed before the ride started!

Getting geared up to ride! It was fun to do this with Karla!

I did it! I finished a century....actually 103 miles! There were times when I wasn't sure I would make it. I had the flu for two days before, and only got about 3 or 4 hours of sleep the night before. It was raining before we started....luckily it stopped before we started. It was chilly but bearable. I made it up a hill from hell! It came right before the 50 mile mark. The wind started after that....it was like riding against a wall at times, that's when it started to get really hard. I know that I definitely had help finishing. It helped having Jason there...when I saw him at mile marker 76....I knew I could finish.

Mile marker 76! Only 25 more miles to go! Crossing the finish line!
We made it! I'm not even as sore as I thought I would be! I think it would be fun to make this a tradition!

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-28T13:42:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day weekend was a lot of fun this year. My family has a tradition of making flower arrangements and taking them around to various cemetaries. It was the first year to put flowers on Grandpa Startups grave....it was hard. It made me realize how much I miss him. I still feel like he isn't really gone....that he should just come walking into the room at any moment. Jason didn't realize that this is what crazy people like us do on Memorial Day. I guess it is good that he knows what he is getting himself into:)

We also watched Kristen and Robert's kids on Saturday. We tried to have a picnic at the West Jordan Park. It was a little windy and cold....but, the kids had fun playing!

It was also my birthday this weekend. We had cake and ice cream! When you have 9 nephews and nieces, it is no longer your job to blow out the candles.....you get lots of help! Jason also made it very special. He surprised me by being at my house after work on Tuesday....he made dinner...which was very delicious. He also brought me beautiful flowers and a new stereo for my car! I'm so excited! It is kind of nice to have someone in your life to celebrate the great moments with!

I think I've also convinced Jason that Road Bikes are awesome. We went for a ride along the Provo River Trail....it was beautiful and such perfect weather. I could not have asked for a more perfect weekend.

Faith

2009-05-21T20:23:00.000-07:00

I have decided that there must be something I'm supposed to be learning! Maybe it is patience. Maybe I need to have more faith. But, I have to say that it is very frustrating at times! Jason and I are waiting for his Sealing Clearance to go through. I had no idea that it was such a complex process. The thing I hate is depending on other people to get it done....especially when they don't sense the urgency! We just found out that the papers were left to sit on a desk for the past month and a half (we thought they were already in Salt Lake City)....I will be nice and not mention names! You can't schedule a temple date unless you have the paperwork....so, we are no longer sure when we will get married:) I am determined to have our reception on August 7.... and we will be very flexible with the temple.....I will take anything the week before. I know I need to have faith...but, faith without works is DEAD!!! So I am hoping that the papers have been sent to Salt Lake and we will hear back soon! I just really needed to vent. Luckily tomorrow is a new day.... a day of hope that we will hear some good news. Marrying Jason must be right, because there is someone who is really trying to keep us out of the temple!!!

50 miles

2009-04-20T10:20:00.000-07:00

I joined a 12 week cycling club in December. On Saturday we had our culminating event...a 50 mile ride. I'm happy to say that I did better than I thought I would...my legs aren't even sore. I was able to push myself and become more comfortable with drafting. I'm so excited that it went well. I love riding my bike, and I'm so glad the weather is starting to be nice again. Now I've got to prepare myself for the Little Red Riding Hood 100 mile century on June 6.

Happy Easter!!

2009-04-13T18:18:00.000-07:00

I love Easter...it is a time to remember our Savior and the gift of Eternal Life he as given us. This time of year is also a time for new beginnings. I'm so thankful for the new beginning in my life....I'm so lucky to have Jason in my life...and be able to enjoy every bit of this new journey together.

We had a fun weekend. On Saturday, we colored Easter eggs and then went to Murray Park to roll our eggs. It is a crazy, fun tradition we have done since I was a little girl. Jason and Clay got to participate this year... when I told them about it I think they thought it was a little weird...but, they ended up enjoying it. We also went to Jason's Mom's house. They had a delicious dinner and we were able to see their three baby lambs. I was able to help feed them a bottle...it was a fun experience. I also got to hold one of their baby bunnies. I love baby animals!

It was such a fun weekend! I loved spending it with Jason and his son Clay. I'm glad I was able to get to know him a little better this weekend.

School!!

2009-04-06T18:39:00.000-07:00

Who knew that at 35....Jason and I would be poor students! At the same time we're very excited because we both made it into the programs we applied for. We decided that if it was right, it would happen. Well, it must be right because.....I found out a couple of weeks ago that I was accepted into the Administration program at USU, I'll start this summer. Today we found out that Jason was accepted into the Secondary Ed program. I'm so excited for him...he'll be an incredible teacher. He will start this fall. We'll have to be creative at finding time to spend with each other....at least we'll be living in the same house...something I can hardly wait for:).

The things they say!

2009-04-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

I love my nephews and nieces so much. I also love the cute things they say.

They definitely make my world a better place to be:)

Last Sunday, we were at dinner at Todd and Mel's house. I told Andrew that Jason and I would find a time to come and babysit them. He said, "How about, we come to your house and play...and we will babysit you!" I couldn't think of anything I'd like more...Andrew you can come and babysit me anytime!!

I was at Emily and Travis's house a couple of weeks ago and Shalece, Jasper, and I were sitting upstairs. Shalece went and got her princess baseball bat and started swinging it like she was hitting a ball. Then she proceeded to say, "come here puppy...and started swinging it at Jasper. He jumped on my lap because he was scared. Shalece immediately came over and patted Jasper on the head and said, "Oh, it's ok puppy...Sheecy just playing!" I could not keep from laughing...she shouldn't have been trying to hit the dog with the bat...but it was so funny, I couldn't help myself.

Chicago

2009-03-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

I just got back from the Windy City on Thursday. I love Chicago! It was so amazing to see how huge it was. Salt Lake City could be tucked into a corner of it. I went for a reading conference. The conference was amazing, they brought in big name researchers. I learned a lot and am excited to apply it. We stayed at the Marriott hotel on the Magnificent Mile. Let's just say heaven. If you know me....I love to SHOP!!! They have the most incredible shopping along the Magnificent Mile. I was able to go to H&M...loved it! I also walked into Burberry, and many other high end stores where you look at items and notice the $1500.00 price tag and walk out. It was a fun experience none the less. We probably walked 6 miles or more a day. It was a fun place to visit. I loved it.

We went to Navy Pier! Here are some of the great people I work with!

We took a Skyline boat cruise...the wind was a bit brisk! But it was incredible to see how huge this city is!

We ate Chicago deep dish pizza...yummy!!! Giordano's Pizza is the best!

We went to Millenial Park and took a picture of ourselves in "the bean".

We went and saw Mary Poppins. All I can say is WOW!! The special effects were amazing. Step in Time and Supercalafragilisticexpialidocious....were two of my favorite scenes. If you get a chance to see it I highly recommend it.

We got Garrett popcorn. This is a mix of cheese and caramel. It is delicious!!!

Sneak Peek!

2009-03-17T17:07:00.000-07:00

Here is a sneak peek of the dress! Once again I just knew that this was "the one"! It was the last dress I tried on and all I could think was WOW!! I love it! I figured if I just put small snippets on my blog, it would be ok, even if Jason looks. I've also decided to have turquoise and black be my colors. Let me know if you have any fun ideas for an outdoor reception....I'm open for any suggestions.

What kind of girl scout cookie are you?

2009-03-06T15:33:00.000-08:00

You Are Peanut Butter Sandwiches / Do-si-dos
You are easy going and naturally happy. You don't need a lot to make you smile.You genuinely care about people and are a great friend. You're always doing your best to make the world a better place.Even though there isn't an immature bone in your body, you still are like a big kid sometimes.Why make life complicated when the best parts are actually quite simple? You enjoy the small joys of life.

http://www.blogthings.com/whatgirlscoutcookieareyouquiz/