life in black and white

The last week of summer break always brings out the bipolar in me. Half of me thinks that we need to run around crazier than ever and cram in all those summer things we won't be able to do when school starts. Quick, to the pool! To the snow cone stand before it closes for the winter! Let's leave the state for an adventure! And the other half of me feels like everyone needs to stay home and soak in the ability to be completely lazy if we want to (and we want to). Sleep in while we still can, enjoy the lazy days, have movie marathons at night.

Here are a few snapshots from one of those quiet afternoons at home.

It's no-pants Wednesday (and Thursday, and Friday, and...)

Jason's summer project was to learn claymation (I know, he has the coolest hobbies of any teenager you've ever met). Our kitchen table has been taken over by camera set-ups and three-inch clay figures.

Strawberries - always a favorite summer snack

Baby girl has been sleeping through the night, and we're completely baffled. We have no idea what lottery we won, but we keep waiting for it to be some big elaborate prank. Like someone's going to pop out from the crib one night and shout "JK!! She's going to be up all night again!" If she's been sleeping for 7 hours straight consistently for two weeks, do we dare think this is not a fluke but a habit?

A few days ago, I went shopping to buy myself some shorts that I desperately need. Instead, I came home with some leggings and bows for baby girl. I didn't even try on a pair of shorts. Why is it that little people are so much more fun to dress?

life through the amaro filter

this is what happens when you get an iphone.

you start looking at your life through filters. and obsessing.

@brookejanette

let's be friends.

//byu

//wedding banners

//morgan the bride!

//summer is for fruit kabobs

//pretty

//diy decor for the bridal shower i threw

//reminiscing. that one day.

//best shake in provo. scientifically proven.

P.S. Spots are going fast to sponsor Silver Lining in July! The feature ad is taken, and there's only two large spots left! So hurry your little buns on o'er and claim your spot!

on the monday before school starts for the last time

// spring nail polish, mix and match style

//we went to Spark for a before-spring-term-starts treat. This is the closest we'll get to sugar during our healthy schmealthy initiative. I was in heaven {and I even saw my cousin there}.

//new {to us} furniture. Yes yes and yes. Although we have nowhere to put it in our tiny lovenest.

//summer reading, part 1. Including some old favorites and lots of 5th grade books. Something about wanting to relate to my kiddos in the fall.

School starts today. It's the last 7 weeks I'll ever have of school {WEIRD}. I tell myself I'd rather sleep in all summer and do nothing, but honestly, I go crazy when I'm doing nothing for too long. And I know I'll miss it when it's over. So here's to this one last term!

If you were me

You'd neglect to bring your real camera ANYWHERE this whole weekend. So you'd resort to your crappy camera phone pics.


This weekend, you'd also

go mini golfing with a psychedelic blacklight shark

Split a grasshopper shake at JCW's

Admire cute decorations

Go to a friend's church activity, and crack up at people who are obsessed with couponing. Couponing, people. Like, as their main hobby.

Sit fourth row at the St. Mary's game

Take a Sunday walk

And go to this handsome young man's birthday party.

And then, if you were me, filling out my planner like you do every Sunday night, you'd realize you're in for the busiest week of the year so far. So, being the dutiful wife that you are, you'd give your husband a kiss, tell him it's been good to know him, and that you'll see him next week. Sayonara, sweet one. Catch you on the flip side. Hasta luego. And other multicultural sayings.


But that's just if you were me. 


If you were you, what would your weekend have looked like? What would your week look like? Any run-ins with psychedelic sharks?

Scenes from Logan Utah on a Bank Holiday

tyrone // hamburger // 8 siblings. all ballers. // poker night // logan temple (closed for maintenance. who knew?)

And here's two more from our tour of the temple grounds. Just for kicks.

Tough Break

So far it's shaping up to be a real tough Christmas break.

1 // My aunt and uncle (who are pretty rad) took us to Salt Lake to see an amazing Christmas concert. MoTab, twirly dancers, fake snow from the ceiling, and a guy who sounds like Gaston. Cool, right? Not to mention they treated us to Red Robin beforehand {oh sweet heaven those freckled lemonades}.

2 // What's the perfect occasion to open these truffles? There's no opportunity like the present, right? Carpe diem and all that newsie stuff? I mean, it's not like I'm going to sit there and just gaze at them until the world ends.

3 // We were at Temple Square today. This pic is actually from when I went last week with the Cooks and the Gringeris, but hey, who's counting.

4 // BOOKS!! Real live books! Not textbooks! The kind you keep on your bedside table! I'm already on my second in 24 hours. It's okay. I'll just go to Binge Readers Anonymous after break.

5 // Us at temple square, again. Photo cred goes to Elisabeth, again.

6 // Hello new ornaments on our tree. Welcome to the lovenest.

7 // You guys. This is what happens when you ask the old person behind you to take a picture at the concert, and then you stand there wasting away your fertile years and he doesn't figure out how to press the button until you have gray hair and you least expect it. By that point, you need joint replacements, and you don't feel like asking for a retake.

8 // Mint M&Ms. No explanation needed.

9 // Just a little Linus and Lucy. 'Tis the season.

2 more days till my birthday :)

date night and a promise to YOU

Highly recommended date night:

Lighting of the Riverwoods 2011

Just as I began to be all cheerful and mistletoey and Christmasey, I woke up to find this:

snow! The holidays are officially here, people. Give a cheer.

P.S. I reached 100 followers! I just wanted to give a huge shout-out to all you amazing bloggers out there. I honestly get inspired every day by reading about you, your lives, your trials, and your silver linings. Thank you so much! I am so blessed.

And as soon as Thanksgiving break is over, I'll have an amazing celebratory giveaway to show how grateful I am to you! Pinky promise.

Snapshots Day 7: Daffodils

Okay.

Okay, okay, okay.

After all those comments and a second read-through,

I realize that my last post was ambiguous.

And unintentionally vague.

{I didn't mean to! I'm sorry!}

So, let it be officially cleared up in all of cyberspace

I am not officially engaged yet.

Although I was very touched by the number of frantic comments, texts and phone calls asking whether I was engaged. I guess people actually read this blog! And will be super excited for me when I do get engaged!

But anyway. Trying to think about things besides being engaged....

..................................

.....................................

Oh yeah. Snapshot du jour:

The daffodils are blooming.

If that's not God telling me He loves me, I don't know what is.

I guess spring, hope, light, and warmth are just around the corner after all.

Snapshots Day 5 & 6: Love

Sorry I didn't post a picture yesterday.

There are lots of big and crazy and exciting things going on in my life right now.

Like, really big.

It's taking time for me to process everything and let everything really sink in.

Lots of time.

So for now, two quick pictures.

Yesterday's snapshot:

We all wore grey. So naturally, we had to take a picture. I love them.

And for today, I thought I'd post a picture of our activities this morning:

:)

Like I said, so many crazy and exciting things.

And really, my ring's not from this store.

There's something so special and unique and cool about my ring.

It's something that can't come from any store.

I can't tell you right now.

Check back later.

But I'm so excited :) And so in love.

Snapshots Day 4: Hare Krishna

I know it's rather Provo College Kid of me,

but I went to the Festival of Colors today.

And it was so fun.

Sam and I smeared chalk all over each other

{it's a sign of love in that religious ceremony, you know}.

Here's how many people were there:

Here's how covered we got:

Here's how much fun we had:

I highly recommend it for anyone who feels like getting dirty, and laughing, smearing chalk on people, and reveling in pure mayhem.

Snapshots Day 3: Facebook

So this guy may look like an average 26-year old in jeans and a hoodie.

He is.

He's also the youngest billionaire in the world.

He's also the founder of facebook.

He also came to BYU today.

That's one of the cool things about BYU. People like Condoleezza Rice and Michael Flaherty and Mark Zuckerberg come and talk about dreams and morals and the changing world.

So, for day 3: bloggers, meet Mark Zuckerberg. Mark, meet my readers.

Snapshots Day 2: Impending Celebrities

This is Tanner. Caitlin and I went on a date to see his play.

It was Persuasion. It was two and a half hours long. It was fabulous.

He's hilarious.

Plus he signed my hand as proof of his budding stardom.

Watch out ladies and gentlemen. That signature is going to be worth something some day.

Snapshots Day 1: Gazebo

They say pictures are worth 1,000 words.

So, for a week, I'm taking one picture a day

and posting it here.

7,000 words.

So you, my lovely readers, can have the tiniest glimpses

of my life.

As seen through my bulky point and click camera.

Day 1:

This is our gazebo.

Yes, as far as I'm concerned it belongs to us.

We come to the river often because of his science project.

We walk to the gazebo and up the three wooden steps.

He pulls me closer.

We dance.

He's such the romantic. I didn't realize how much I loved that until him.