getting reacquainted

i think i may need to reintroduce you to this little person:

meet Elizabeth.

we call her Ellie around here.

you see, with all of this house hunting (which ended TODAY!...yes, we bought a house...details coming soon), moving, site-seeing, stressing, relaxing, and playing, i've neglected updating you on my little Ellie's life the last few weeks.

well, let me get you two reacquainted...because my blog is a lot cooler with her in it.

Ellie is a long + lean 15 month old, who looovvvves elmo. she kisses elmo. she hugs elmo. she lets elmo have some of her drink. she loves watching elmo on the big t.v. she loves to dance when elmo sings. elmo is her one and only true love.

Ellie also loves making animal sounds. she would look at pictures of animals all day long, telling you every animal sound to go along with it. i found this iPhone app that allows her to push on the animal and it makes the sound. it's cute for the first 20 seconds...but you see, she wants to do it for like 20 hours straight. she'll see my phone and say "anmal" for animal...meaning, "mom, pull out the animal sounds now, wouldya?" sometimes, i do...and then i fall asleep because there's only so much a mama can take.

Ellie also loves real life animals. as soon as we go outside, she says "tat" (for cat) and looks everywhere for the kitty named Twinkle that lives here. the thing is, Twinkle is kinda mean. she doesn't really like to be petted or touched for that matter. but Ellie chases her anyway, and incessantly tries to give her kisses.

Ellie loves to eat gogurt more than anything else. she'd eat a gogurt every 10 minutes if i'd let her. she also loves cheese and crackers...still loves to chomp on edamame, peaches, corn, and goldfish crackers...and drinks about a gallon of apple juice each day. we are convinced her little belly is full apple juice.

Ellie has turned into a little monkey...climbing all over everything and getting into anything and everything in sight. her latest favorite places to climb into or onto include: the kitchen table, one of the fancy chairs in g+g's fancy room, the stairs (which i hate), and the kitchen cabinet. she's such a cute little squirt, she can squeeze her little diaper bum all the way into this little teenie cupboard. it's pretty cute...for like 5 seconds until she realizes she's stuck and slightly claustrophobic. funny monkey ellie.

Ellie surprises me with how girly she is. she loves to wear her necklaces, loves putting on sunglasses, loves holding my lipglosses, and loves shoes. we were at a really cute lil jewelry store today that also had shoes.....and of course, she starts pulling out all these sexy heels and tries to put them on her feet. how does she know this stuff so young?

(the pic's below were taken on our shopping trip today with my phone...sorry about the poor quality, but i thought they were too cute not to share).

Ellie loves books. but you already knew that. she most recently loves elmo books. but you probably could've guessed that too.

Ellie most recently likes to color and draw. i love how she can just scribble her heart out on my phone. i love how i can then save them...i've always been excited to hang my kids' art work on my fridge. i guess for now, my blog is my pseudo-fridge for ellie's artwork:

Ellie is a petite little thing...just yesterday, she graduated from a size 3 diaper to a size 4....she'd been in a 3 since she was 6 months! crazy thing. i'm in love with her cute lil shape...which is not so much a baby shape anymore...but a toddling little girl shape. still, she's got her little curves...like right above the knees....ooo i just love to tickle and squeeze those knees....and still wanna bbq her and eat her up. mmmmm delicious.

After a full day, Ellie needs her beauty sleep....a beautiful 12 hours of sleep. you see, while she is extra fun, extra sweet, and extra adorable...she also is extra exhausting. i never knew what it would be like to chase a little person around all day. i guess it's way better than i imagined it would be...but also way more tiring. so around 8 pm every night, she conks out like a light bulb....and i do too.

if you haven't met lil Ellie, you need to. she's feisty, funny, cute, smart, curious, lovely, and spunky.

basically, she's your typical toddler :)

a typical toddler who is very, very loved by her mama and dada.

 

xoxo

things with alotta hype

oh hi,
it's me.

i'd like to introduce you to my new addiction:

meet dorothy (the newest way to lose my brain, become lost to the real world, and any interaction with humans...and still be completely a.o.k. because she is just that cool):

{and yes, i'm also addicted to playing with the photobooth feature on my computer. sorry about that}

and so it was that i caved into the technology hoopala and hype.
i got an iPhone (happy early birthday to me!)...and i named her Dorothy.

quite frankly, i don't get what all you haters are talking about.
this thing is a-mazing.
incredible.
incredibly addicting.
and just plain cool.

and i secretly want to disappear and play with it all day long.

and sometimes i do.

so what apps can't i live without? i know i've asked this here once and on facebook...so i'm sorry if my multiple questioning is getting annoying...but i'd really like to know. i want to get the most out of this 4 inch machine.

one that someone recommended to me is Twitter. now, i have a twitter account. but i don't really get what the hype is about twitter. i don't really get how it would be useful to me. like, why would i want to know what ryan seacrest is doing or where he is? i mean, he's cool and all, and i'm the first to admit and confess that american idol is one of my favorite shows...but do i really want to know what he's eating for dinner?
enlighten me on this twitter fad, please.

while i'm on the subject of hyping things up, there's been alotta hype about trader joe's. i've been in trader joe's once like a bazillion years ago...and don't remember anything about it. i mean, it kinda sounds like a souped up cow-boy gear store that also has fishing poles, saran wrap, and mustard. people keep telling me, "you're so lucky to live close to a trader joe's. i love that place." but then they scurry off and forget to tell me what's so great about it. so, tell me about this trader joe's phenomenon. what makes it so darn special? what's all the hype??

and now, i'd like to make a whole lotta hype about his gal: Dari, who has an Etsy headband shop here. she just held a giveaway on her blog...and i guess what goes around comes around because yours truly WON! i never win anything (i know, i know, how cliche) so i feel very, extremely, hyped-up-excited. i love all of her adorable lil headbands. i'm deciding between this one:

this one:

and this one:

i need help choosing.
what are your thoughts?
i'm leaning towards the first one...
or maybe one of the others listed in her shop here...
i stink at committing to choosing consumer products..unless it's the iPhone.

and we've come full circle.

soooo, i think i've shared enough hype with you for one day

i look forward to your knowledge and wisdom, as always.

xoxo

the walnut festival

went to the walnut festival this weekend.

been hearing about it for quite some time now. basically, it's a really cute (and outrageously expensive) carnival that makes its way to walnut creek, ca every september, every year. people around here pride themselves on the walnut festival.

i'm not gonna lie: i was expecting walnuts. you know- walnut tasting, maybe some walnut syrups, walnut cupcakes, walnut cookies. but as luck would have it: there weren't any walnuts at the walnut festival. not a single one. just carni's (a term i just learned this weekend), cotton candy, carousels, balloons, and expensive games for cheap prizes.

oh, and don't you forget the fun.
the festival was lots and lots of fun!

ellie especially loved the red balloon she got for free at one of the booths.
i guess we could've just gotten a red balloon at the nearby drug-store.
but that wouldn't have given us half as cute of pictures.
and, i'm obsessed with cute pictures.
but you already knew that :)

hope you're enjoying your weekend!

xoxo

giftcard giveaway winners

i've been so excited to announce my winners for my giveaway, i can hardly stand it.
i have to give you a "thumbs up" (hence the picture) for all of your awesome comments and for choosing to follow me! you're the best.
my one regret is that i can't give something to all of you, my readers, my followers, my friends.
if i had my own show (like ellen's or oprah's) called "marci" i would have all of you be my live studio audience- and i'd give you all giftcards, dvd's, cd's, and make-up. yes, lots and lots of make-up.
but unfortunately i don't have my own show.
and so winners had to be picked.
thank goodness for random.org-
so that i didn't have to be the picker. (picking is so un-lady like, anyway).

drumroll please:
announcing my giftcard giveaway winners!!!

1. Nat
2. Lovers
3. Jons and Celeste Leigh
4. Amy
5. Kade & Jess
6. Tiffany Johnson
7. Amber
8. Andi and Scott
9. Anne
10. Lisa Johnson
11. Hilary
12. Lovers
13. Anne
14. Mat and Brooke
15. Lea Tame
16. Michelle
17. Candace
18. Nat
19. Joni and Rico Adams
20. Under the Oaks
21. Rachel
22. Amy
23. Kade & Jess
24. The Oldham's
25. Miss Morgan
26. Andi and Scott
27. Mat and Brooke
28. Jaci
29. Jenna
30. Amy
31. Stephanie
32. Jaci
33. Heidi
34. The Oldham's
35. Kade & Jess
36. Rachel
37. Andi and Scott
38. Hilary
39. Jenni
40. Elysia
41. Amber
42. Heidi
43. The Peterson's
44. Jaci
45. Stephanie
46. Ju and Brack
47. Clay and Jenna
48. Elysia
49. Danielle
50. The Oldham's
51. Ed and Kelli
52. Under the Oaks
53. The Peterson's
54. Lali Johnson
55. Clay and Jenna
56. Kristi
57. Ju and Brack
58. Lali Johnson
59. Tiffany Johnson
60. Miss Morgan
61. Stephanie
62. Lovers
63. Jen
64. Miss Morgan
65. Jen
66. Nat
67. Amber
68. Tiffany Johnson
69. Jons and Celeste Leigh
70. Becca
71. Jarom and Amber
72. Mat and Brooke
73. Clay and Jenna
74. Jons and Celeste Leigh
75. Michelle
76. Rachel
77. Ed and Kelli
78. Becca
79. Danielle
80. Linda
81. Anne
82. Lisa Johnson
83. Candace
84. Lisa Johnson
85. Ed and Kelli
86. Danielle
87. Lali Johnson
88. Lea Tame
89. Jenni
90. Jarom and Amber
91. Alesa
92. Jen
93. Hilary
94. Becca
95. Ju and Brack
96. Joni and Rico Adams
97. Elysia
98. Under the Oaks
99. Jarom and Amber
100. Jenni
101. Joni and Rico Adams
102. Alesa

i wanted to show you the whole list so that you would know that ALL of your comments were accounted for, and that it was completely random!
so, this means that Nat- you are the winner of the Coldstone Giftcard
Lovers, you are the winner of the Barnes & Noble Giftcard
and Jons & Celeste Leigh- you are the winner of the Nordstrom giftcard!

i will be emailing you all today- and would appreciate it if you got back to me by Sunday with your address so i can mail you your goods. if you don't get back to me before then, i will announce an alternate winner.

to everyone else, i love you.
does that make you feel uncomfortable and awkward to hear those three words from me?
well, sorry if it does.
but i do.
i love you, my little blogging world.

i promise to do another giveaway soon. i love giveaways. and i always want to win one myself.
if you have some stuff you'd like me to giveaway (tee hee) let me know...i'd be happy to take it off your hands. :) if not, no worries- i have some ideas up my sleeve. get excited.

again, thanks for reading. sending you all a kiss hug kiss hug!

xoxo

thursday thinkings and thoughts

{me with my thinking cap on}

yes, i'd like to introduce yet another segment on my blog.
you see, i have lots of thoughts and thinkings.
some things are things i may need advice on. because i know we all have expertise and opinions on differing things. and i'd like to get some of that expertise. so i'm gonna ask for it.
some things are just things that i wonder, am i the only one who has ever thunk this? (for example: do you ever want to say thunk instead of thought? i like the word thunk so much...even though it's not even a real word).
and other things...are just thinkings and thoughts that have no rhyme or reason.
i'd like to share some of these thinkings and thoughts with you.

i've been thinking a lot about my lil monkey ellie. you see, she's growing at an exponential rate- and learning even faster. i think about her all the time...and i know i scrutinize every little teensie weensie thing that she does or doesn't do. i try not to. but i do. one thing i worry about is the way she interacts with other kids. usually, they'll approach her- and she'll wack them in the face like "can't you see my bubble? you're intruding. popping the bubble. step away." which leads me to another worry: she wacks people, including me, when she's mad. i wouldn't be so shocked by it if it wasn't in context the way it usually is.
for example:
"ellie, we can't watch elmo right now."
WACK across the face.
"ellie, it's time to get out of the bath."
hysterical WACKS flying in the air to not get out of the tub.
and don't even get me started on the tantrums...yes, rolling on the floor. whimpering. whining when she doesn't get something she wants.
i thought these things weren't supposed to start till they were two? am i justified in worrying? or am i being over-protective, paranoid, and annoying?

i've also been thinking about how much i want to be casted on "what not to wear" or "how do i look" or some other TLC show like that so that i can feel justified in getting rid of all of my teen-bopper clothing in exchange for a stunning new wardrobe. i think about wanting new clothes more than any girl should. maybe you could vote me on one of those shows? or maybe you could just buy me a new wardrobe and save myself (and you for knowing me) some embarrassment. i'm fine with either.

i think about the utah mountains a lot. i'm imagining them all covered in fall right this minute. i'm imagining the crisp apple air. you see, it's not fall here yet. (don't let the whole "first day of fall thing" confuse you). it's still like a bazillion degrees (despite the coldness we found ourselves shivering in at the beach yesterday) and so, i miss fall, my favorite season, and i am aching to see a red or orange leaf somewhere. instead, there are dead mustard hills which i'm told look lovely when they're green. funny the things you miss when you don't have them around anymore.

i've been thinking about the following comment a lot recently, since i've received it multiple times:
"wow, your hair is so long."
is this a compliment? or? what if it is followed up with the following comment:
"i could never in a million years keep my hair that long."
maybe i'm overanalyzing this question (i know, what a SHOCKER, that i would overanalyze something)-- but do you think there is a subtle (or not-so-subtle) hint in there saying something like, "look lady, your locks are looking a little straggly and mangy...you could really use a cut)?

i think i might want an i-phone for my birthday. am i thinking i want one just because it's the trendy thing to do? do you have one? maybe you could sell me on it. what are your favorite apps? or what makes this worth...or a waste of my money??

i think about getting a deal a lot. i mean who doesn't love getting a good deal?? i have some sites i've recently found and am wondering-- do you have any sites you could share with me that would help me get a deal? with coupon codes, etc??

i think i'm really excited about my giveaway, which ends tonight! don't forget to enter here. i think i want to keep the giftcards for myself! but i think i'd better not, since i already promised them to you.

and i think...i think that's enough thinkings and thoughts for one day.

xoxo

ellie sees the beach for the first time

in my mind, i thought it would include sandcastles, swim-suits, warm sand, and maybe even a sunburn.

in reality, it included fog, wind, sweatshirts (though i forgot ellie's so she got to wear mine...a hilarious sight all on its own) and sand in all the wrong places.

funny how life does that, huh? lets our brains make something out to be waaay different than it really is.

but even though the reality resembled nothing that my mind had imagined, it was an incredibly fun and memorable day...and i wouldn't have changed it. not one bit.

we just hope for ellie's sake (since she insists upon going in the icy water) that next time the sun doesn't decide to hibernate as soon as we get there.

needless to say:
we love the beach.
and we can't wait to go back for more!

oh yes, and don't forget...THURSDAY is the LAST DAY to enter my giveaway. for more deets, go here.
xoxo

sweet assurance

sharing things of a spiritual nature, things that pertain to the soul, can sometimes be...uncomfortable.
like putting on an itchy wool sweater on your bare lil skin.
or like walking up and talking to somebody that you don't know in a new setting...and in a big group (a situation i am finding myself in often these days).

i was talking to my mom about this years ago, and she explained something to me that completely made sense. she said,
"spirituality is initmacy. that's why some people are apprehensive to share spiritual things with just anybody. spiritual matters are intimate."

i've thought about that a lot in my life.
and i've come to realize that it's true.
the people i'm closest with, that know my true self, know my spiritual self. and it's easy to be spiritually intimate.
people i don't know so much....it isn't as easy.

this last weekend, i was privileged enough to attend a women's conference out here in Nor Cal called "Time Out For Women." i had never been before... in fact, i had never heard of such a thing. as far as i was concerned, it was a place where all the naughty moms went to get the justice they deserved for putting their naughty toddlers in time out.

luckily i was wrong.

it was a spiritual feast. a feast to fill my starving soul....and to be honest, i didn't even realize that i was hungry. life does that sometimes. gets your soul all depleated of energy and nutrients...without you even knowing it.

well, i've been trying to figure out a way to convey the immense power and rejuvenation i felt from this conference to you... and i've had a hard time getting my feelings out.

and i think that it's maybe because of what i told you before...that spirituality is intimacy. and i haven't really figured out a way to be intimately spiritual on my public lil blog without being preachy, dramatic, and (my least favorite) insincere.

however.

i keep feeling impressed to share some of my feelings.

::hot tears trickle down face::

because there are simply things that i can't stop feeling. things i can't not remember. and things i can't not share.

so.

here i go.
we arrived to the meeting.
i felt hopeful that i would be uplifted.
i knew that i'd probably feel the spirit.
but.
i was worried the meeting might feel a little...long. after all, it was scheduled from 6:30 to 9:30...three hours. on a friday night. whoa.
still, i was feelin' pretty optimistic.
you see i was there with my mother-in-law and some cute ladies from my new ward.
we were staying in a cute, fancy shmancy hotel that night.
there were lots of delicious treats we had brought...including homemade snickers (a recipe i definitely need to share. positively divine, sinful, and delicious in every way. remind me!)
so i knew regardless it would be a fun night.

well, sister Wendy Watson Nelson, Elder Nelson's new wife, spoke first.
and almost the first thing she said (next to a couple of jokes and a brief introduction) was this:
"what's the one question you need answered tonight?"
she then explained that someone many years ago advised her to always go to General Conference or another spiritual meeting with a question. He promised her that she would get an answer to that question every single time. so she did.
and yes.
it worked.
{of course}.
she then gave the following admonition:
"do the same. think of a question that is weighing your mind down tonight. write it down.
if you can't think of one tonight, take my thirty day experiment. take a question, one question that you need answered, with you to the scriptures each day. they will tell you all things what ye should do."

this hit me.
it worked for Wendy Watson Nelson.
it had worked for me before.
so maybe i should write down a question.

i thought really hard about my life.
i thought about what things may be weighing me down.
one stood out above all.

"where does the Lord want me and my family right now?"

a little background: hubby M and i have been looking for weeks and weeks for a place to call our own. we found this beautiful house just down the street. oh yeah, but it was like 2 million dollars.
yeah, everything here is mega expensive.
or mega ghetto.
or mega-not-what-we're-looking-for-in-some-way.
ugh.
so we've been a bit discouraged.
and i've been wondering,
"does our house even exist?"
"will i ever get to sit on my beautiful black chair or use my lovely aprons again?"
"am i going to be a moochy-daughter-in-law for the rest of my life?"
"where the heck are we supposed to be??"
so you can understand the importance of the answer to this question to me.

fast forward a couple of hours, a bathroom break, some fantastic violin playing, and onto Sister Sheri Dew's talk.
she is an amazing person.
but more than that, she is one of my favorite things: REAL.
well, at one point of her talk, somewhere near the end portion, she randomly said:

"i feel impressed to tell you something. search the scriptures D&C 138 & Abraham 3. read about the noble and great ones. then get on your knees and ask our Heavenly Father if the noble and great ones refer to you. a little hint: it does. we are here now because we are supposed to be here now. you are here now because you are supposed to be here now. for reasons we don't undersatnd, we have been chosen to be here now. do not doubt where you are, for you are where you should be."

i looked around the room.
"is anyone else squirming in their seat right now?," i thought.
i wanted to stand up and say,
"hey, Sheri, did you read what i wrote on my paper?
are you cheating?
how did you know i had asked about where me + hubby should be right now?"
but i knew better than to do something silly and embarrassing like that.
i knew she didn't cheat.
i knew that Heavenly Father was doing just what Wendy Watson Nelson said He would do: answering my question.

the place me + hubby M are supposed to be right now is: right here.
i don't know why.
i don't know for how long.
but i do know without a shadow of a doubt:
we are where we are supposed to be.

it was such a peaceful moment for me.
it was yet another moment that i felt humbled that Heavenly Father is aware of me. and my little, but large (in my eyes) needs.
it was yet another moment that i was strenghtened in the truths that i know.
the most important being:

i know there is a Heavenly Father.
a greater being.
a God.
and i know i am a daughter of that Heavenly Father.
and i know that He can, and does, speak to me.
and most importantly,
i know that He knows and loves me.

the theme of the conference was "Sweet Assurance: the certainty that comes when you know life's truths." there were many other amazing moments of this conference. i wish i could share all of them with you. but instead, i just chose a little snippit...one that i just had to share, maybe selfishly (so that i won't forget), to say that i do receive sweet assurance when i remember life's truths.

and so, i have now become spiritually intimate with all of you.
i've shared a little piece of my soul.
please don't go smash that little piece of soul in someone's face like a piece of banana cream pie.
that just wouldn't be nice.

::sheepish lil grin::

xoxo

*oh yes, and don't forget to enter my giveaway here! you have till Thursday at 12:00 am PST to enter! xoxo*

my way of saying THANKS.

ok.

this may seem a tad-bit unoriginal.
but i kept racking and racking my brain for what i would want if i won a giveaway.
would i want someone else's favorite book?
or CD?
or their favorite lip gloss?
or an elmo dvd??

well.
let's be honest.
we'd all happily take anything that is free.
suddenly, when it's free, it has so much more appeal than when it wasn't free.
but--
i reeeaaallyy wanted to thank YOU.

{you can be defined any or all of the following:

my followers.

my readers.

my internet bff's.

my blogging peeps.}

so, my brain told me that the best way to appeal to the differing interests of all of YOU would be to get a couple of giftcards from some of my favorite places so that YOU can pick some things that YOU would like.

so, without further adieu, i present:

my fabulous friday giftcard giveaway extravaganza

one $10 giftcard to Cold Stone (because i am a lactose-intolerant ice-cream-aholic who has tried to replace my salivation for ice cream with frozen yogurt as often as possible but desperately desires nothing more than a scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream every day of my existence).

one $10 giftcard to Barnes & Noble (because all i want to do these days is lock myself in my room and read the minutes, hours, and days away).

and last but not least:

one $10 giftcard to Nordstrom (this is my mecca....where i could drop thousands on anything from make-up to jewelry to my personal favorite: shoes).

i hope you're as excited about this giveaway as i am!

how to enter?
for one entry*: leave a comment with your name and email address.
for a second entry*: become a follower! then leave a comment with your name, email address, and let me know that you're following me.
for a third entry*: leave a comment with your name, email address, and tell me: what's your favorite thing to do on a friday night??


*note* please leave SEPARATE comments for multiple entries. thanks!

the fine print:
there will be three winners: one for each giftcard.
these winners will be selected by random.org
you have until Thursday September 24 at 12:00am PST to enter.
the winners will be announced Friday September 25th!

good luck-
happy commenting,
and, again,
thanks for reading!

xoxo

why can't i keep some electronic device working for longer than two seconds?

i broke my second computer in four months.
ahem.
let's clarify:
ellie broke my second computer in four months.
ahem.
let me clarify once again:
i let ellie touch my computer, who then came and whacked my screen all the way to a flat position...when it should lock in place, thus ripping the screws out of the bottom and disconnecting my keyboard from my computer screen.

i sent it in today to get fixed.

i'm not totally convinced that mailing a computer to some random individual in wisconsin is going to repair my computer issues without incurring a few more problems on it's shipping voyage. i mean, really. it just doesn't seem too logical.

but anyway.

i'm feeling a little...lost...without my lil computer world right by my side at any given moment in the day. in fact, i just sneaked off right after dinner to "put ellie to bed" (takes five minutes) and am now using hubby M's computer while he doesn't need it..i feel like the young teenager i once was who only got a limited amount of internet time...and so i would sneak down after everyone would be asleep and dial-up that 50 lb beast so that i could chat to my cool friends just a little longer. i'm starting to realize, my computer/internet addiction may be more severe than i thought.

and so i may just have to get to know all the nearby internet cafes, their best drinks, and nearby libraries for the next the next two weeks while it gets fixed.
 you heard me.
two weeks.

send your good technology karma my way.
because i need it.
boy do i need it.

xoxo

our new city

 fish 'n chips, seals that resemble old men loafing around, ice cream cones, quaint shops, big red bridges, one small (but painfully embarrassing) tantrum, beautiful coastlines, charming streets, and lots of salty sweetness = our most perfect trip today into San Francisco.

we ♥ our new city.

and i think you should ♥ our new city too.
come visit us (me) sometime.

xoxo

since the for-sale sign is up...

and since my mom left a comment on my blog mentioning it...
i think now i'm probably safe to say it.

my parents are moving.

when?
where?
why?
my thoughts?

let me address these questions in a sequential order.

when:
Nov. 1st...though my dad is already traveling there and working there a lot.

where is there:
Orange County, CA

why:
they feel like its the right thing to do.
and some big hauncho at KPMG asked them to.

my thoughts:
aside from wanting to lock myself in my room while listening to some really sad song that reminds me of building snowmen or a high school doorstep scene or all the birthdays and christmases we (my family) shared in that house...i'm ok.

but let me ask this: why is it that we become so attached to something like a house?
why is it that you want to take off a door-knob and a leaf from the backyard for safe-keeping? are there really memories locked in that doorknob and leaf?

i don't really know.

but one thing is for sure:
i will always be a Fairfield Falcon.
i will always have been a member of the Summerhaze Ward.
i will always be Sister Coombs' piano student.
i will always be a Davis Dart (and a true dart at that *wink wink*)
i will always love Jake's Over the Top's milkshakes (mmm, love the grasshopper one).
i will always think of the Country Road as our road...where we took many walks, ran many runs, and talked many talks.
i will always think of those big warm mountains as my mountains.
and i will always look on my childhood at 193 South with the fondest, sweetest memories.

can you believe the Hartleys won't be in Utah anymore?
i can't.

i really can't.

xoxo

my current read

there are few books that capture me the way this one has.
(so much that it deserves its own post).

it's like a new warm sheet that tangles itself all over you...and you can't find your way out...and you secretly don't want to.
it's like drinking the first sip of a diet-coke...that is all carbonation-y, and it makes your eyes water...but you know how good it is so you keep drinking and drinking and drinking until you only have one sip left...and you gulp that sip, and are so sad that it's gone.
it's like an ice-cream cone in july...that starts dripping down your arm, and onto your foot...and you can't keep up with it or lick it fast enough because it is drizzling away so quickly.

it captures you. when you least expect it. and it doesn't let you go. 

and once it's captured you,
be prepared.
you'll cry.
you'll want to stop reading.
but you won't be able to.
and you'll cry some more.
and you'll be provoked to be better.
and you won't be the same.
and you won't want to be the same.

buy it.

if you don't, maybe you'll win it in my giveaway (did you notice my followers are to 50?? that happened much quicker than expected....you guys are so cool. COMING SOON: giveaway details {ooo la la}).

oh, and a word of caution: when you start reading it, be sure to have a box of tissues at hand.
maybe two boxes.

ok, to be safe, buy three.

xoxo

it's this smile...

that makes each

and every day...

a good one.

do you have a smile that makes your day good?

if not, maybe yours will make someone else's good.

and that's good too.

reealllllyyy good.

good.

xoxo

editor's picks: volume I

since i'm the editor in chief of this blog, i decided it was about time for me to organize a new column: editor's picks.

maybe for my sake.
maybe for your sake.
maybe just for venting's sake.

but for whoever's sake, i'm going to selfishly divulge a few of my favorite things as often as i want. because it's a sunday afternoon, and this is my blog. and i can do that sort of thing.

{and, when my followers list gets to 50, i will randomly select items from my favorites lists to be in my goodie bag. because i'm just that nice. want to know more? click here. want to become a follower? click over there -----> want to know why? because it's the cool thing to do}

1. austenland

light read. cute read. read it a month ago and i'm still thinking about it. makes you wish you would find yourself walking and talking like elizabeth bennet did. and makes you feel like that silly, romantically motivated girl that you know is deep down inside all of us women. (bonus: there is a modern mr. darcy involved. now we're talking, huh?)

2. edamame

i talk about edamame a lot. it looks a lot like peas in a pod. but tastes way better (especially if you coat it in kosher salt like we do). and let me tell you, it's a life-saver. i feel like i'm tastily and healthily tricking ellie into eating a protein/veggie-like substance. ellie loves it, i love it, mike loves it. and costco sells it in a huge bag of 12 individually wrapped packages for less than seven bucks. totally worth it if you ask me.

3. john frieda's "root awakening" shampoo and conditioner

now, these are a little more expensive than your suave or pantene-pro-v products....but well worth it. my hair is soft, shiny, and not-so-frizzy. and a bonus: your scalp tingles a little when you use it. oooo. love it. my mom recommended it to me....and as most of her recommendations, it did not disappoint. i alternate this product with Aveda products...(Aveda is super expensive...and is a favorite for another day) and am lovin' the results. give one, or both, a try.

4. elmo

i'm lovin' this alternative to baby einstein. i just can't help feeling robbed when i think that i willingly paid 15 bucks for a 30 minute dvd... multiple times. but ellie loved it, and i can't say i wasn't grateful for the several 30 minute chunks of freedom it gave me for the first year of ellie's life. but i feel THRILLED to have graduated to such a cute, educational, adorable segment such as sesame street. i love that its a non-profit, too! which means, for 10 bucks, i get 60 minutes of cuteness, and i know its proceeds are going straight back into sesame street or helping out under-privileged kids (instead of going into some lady's pocket that i don't know). yes, zoe can drive me crazy...and big bird can be a bit femmy, but i love that little red monster to death. and i'm thinkin' you should too.

5. hoop earrings

now this may seem like a weird one. but i didn't really jump on the "large hoop earring" bandwagon until about.....a year ago. and now, they're all i wanna wear. they dress up any t-shirt + jeans combo....make you feel flirty and young....and distract attention from that frumpy hair-do or smeared make-up (often the results of being a mama). no, they don't have to be as big as your face. and no, they shouldn't be smaller than your ear. try 'em. you'll love 'em too.(and let's be honest here: as much as i love the anthro option, my wallet (and mike's, too) would much prefer forever21's prices. just sayin').

{forever21.com:  $5.80}

{anthropologie.com: $48}

6. hearts

while i'm on the jewelry thing: i thought i'd add this one. now, hearts are sort of a family thing...but i love them. maybe it's because of my maiden name...or maybe its because i still have that little girl in my that loves to romanticize about carving me & the mr.'s initials in a big oak tree with a heart around it. one can't be sure. but one thing is for sure: i love hearts. i own several necklaces with hearts on them, and love the simple femininity they add to any outfit. for your info: an inexpensive find...and a not-so-expensive find (though more expensive than inexpensive...if that makes sense).

{forever21.com: $6.80}

 

 {anthropologie.com: $24}

7. chanel lip gloss

 

{chanel.com $27}

there are few make-up items that i spend more than $5 bucks at the grocery store. my lip gloss is one of them. yes, it's $27 bucks. you heard me. TWENTY SEVEN. but i love it. it doesn't fall off your lips like other ones do. and it doesn't run out in 5 minutes (even though i have a hard time not wanting to put it on every single day which makes it go a little quicker than normal). and it has shimmer and sparkle. i absolutely love this lip gloss...and will keep on buyin' it 'till M tells me its either the diapers or the gloss. and then, i may still have to think twice about it....

hope you enjoyed this weeks' editor's picks!
next week, i'll feature my cheaper picks...since these all seem to be on the pricey side...
maybe i'm just lusting after what i want but really can't have right now??
one can't be sure.

xoxo

as close to admitting i like football as possible.

beer commercials.
men dressed in poofy costumes that chase after each other and some oddly shaped ball.
fanatical fans, half naked, fully painted, and emotionally charged watching these poofily-dressed-men.
e.s.p.n. anchors to analyze it all.

football is back.

which means my husband is in football hibernation mode (definition: he will secure his little body on the same spot on the couch every single Th-S (that's just college games)) to be sure NOT to miss a single minute of any obscure team of poofy costume dudes). maybe he'll move to pee. or eat a low-maintenance meal such as a hot dog (ick). other than that, he is glued. feet kicked up. phone at hand (to text his buddies/brothers/dad about the cool play he just saw).

what does this mean for me? well, for starters: there had better not be anything else that i wanna watch Th-S...because i will lose the remote control battle. every. single. time.

all the way till december (when the bowls are finally flushed and over).

and while it all is a little much for me (i mean, really, we're watching Sports Center which is showing highlights from all the games we already watched today...all the same plays, all the same interviews..... is this really necessary?), i have a little confession: i secretly like it, too.

go cougars!

xoox

my memory of it all.

crazy that it was eight years ago today that i was sitting in mr. gibbs' history class...probably yawning while listening to him sing yet another 80's rock band song that he woke up with in his head that morning....(what a nut)....
when ms. coburn from down the hall swung open the door, panting while wheeling a t.v. in our room as she exclaimed, "have you heard??"

we loved coburn, but she could be kinda wacky, so we all just rolled our eyes, giggled a bit, and probably texted some witty (and probably rude- high schoolers are cruel) remark to one of our friends (even though it wouldn't have been me because i wasn't cool enough to get a cell phone till college...but that's another story and rant for another day) while she frantically looked for an outlet to plug that retro t.v. into.

static filled the screen.
i closed my eyes.
"7:30 is toooo early for school to start," i complained to myself.

i kinda shudder when i think of how empty and frivolous that complaint was that morning.
finally the static was gone.
and the image of a plane crashing filled the screen.
over.
and.
over.
and.
over again.
"is that new york city? our new york city?" i thought to myself.

and it was.
and it has never been the same.
we have never been the same.
and we never will be the same.
we will never forget that day.
ever.

my friend ashley posted this video on her blog a few weeks ago. it's a little long...but touching...and it suits today. gives me hope. maybe it will give you some, too.



God bless the U.S.A.
xoxo

maybe a giveaway?

so, almost exactly a year ago, i did my first blog giveaway.
i loved doing it.
so much, that i did another one.
and now, i haven't done one since.

what's up with that, you ask??

well, giving stuff away for free is a lot easier when you have money :)
no, but really, it does take effort.
it takes thought.
it takes planning.
and i just haven't thought or planned much in the last few months when it comes to my blog.

selfish, i know.

well, today, i was reading my friend joni's blog here. you see, she's doing a giveaway when her followers list gets up to 50.
i thought that was so cool.

you see, i get a lot of people reading my blog.
not really sure why... i mean, i just ramble off about frozen yogurt and how much i love sugar, and how cute little toddling one-year-olds are...and my crazy obsessions with t.v. and random other confessions that i probably shouldn't be telling the cyber-world. but i do. and you keep comin' back. and so i keep on bloggin'.

i could be a little more humble and say that i only blog to journal....and that i don't care about comments or followers or stuff like that.
but saying that just wouldn't be true.
because i like the comments. and i like knowing that people are following me.

again, selfish, i know.

but i like feeling warm fuzzies each time i read what one of you has to say. and i like how i feel knowing that another one of you is following my silly, sometimes pathetic, but completely worthwhile existence. makes me feel loved. and makes me wanna give back to you. hence, the giveaway idea.

SO.

here's what i'm thinkin':
i'm going to run with joni's idea....
you see that little button over there ------------------>
the one that says "FOLLOW" ??
well, click on it.
c'mon you know you want to.
cuz here's the deal:

if my followers go up to 50, i'll do a giveaway on my blog.
and every time my followers go up another 50, i'll do another one.
and another one.
why, you ask?
because i want to reward you for being here.
kind of how a puppy-owner rewards her puppy for doing a cool trick with a yummy bone.

except, i'm not talkin' a pansy-puppy-dog-bone-treat-giveaway...
no no my friends.
i'm thinkin that i'm going to start a segment called "marci's favorites" (inspired by my friend Oprah's favorites) and i'll giveaway a little goodie-bag that includes some of those favorite items.
sound fun?
i think so.
i hope you think so too.
but i can't get givin' until i know you're there.
so, go on, follow me. :)
let me know your thoughts!
until then, i'll be excitedly planning your giveaway goodie bag.

xoxo

a little shopping advice, please:

looking to buy one of these:


and/or one of these:


thoughts from my blogging peeps? features...where's the best place to buy, etc etc??

also looking to buy some new:


(thanks to {B} )
unfortunately, those ones are $500 bucks.
i know, right?
i'm looking for the road less traveled........and a little less expensive than that (ok, a LOT less expensive than that. and yes, i'm a fan of the knee height. and no, they don't have to be brown. i like black too.). ideas? best place to shop shoes (aka best deals/selection)?

oh, and while i'm at it, i don't own any skinny jeans. i'd love some. do you have any faves? i'm diggin' elvis' style.....though i'm not really sure i could pull off that high of a waist....but i'm up for any/all suggestions.


(can you tell someone has a birthday coming up?? cough cough)

xoxo