Week Link: Loving Foxes and Trying to Stick to a Budget

I didn't really have much online time this week; just the way things happen sometimes. So, I don't have much to share. However, I do have something I am smitten with right now.

Do you have certain stores that just resonate with you more than others; a store that you more than like. I have two that store that readily come to mind. J.Crew and Anthropologie. I get emails from both and they always feel more like an email from a friend rather than advertising. I get excited when I see them in my inbox. I know that just means their advertising and branding is extra clever but I don't begrudge them that, it just makes them more likable. They just speak right to my soul (or whatever part of the body controls shopping desires). At each encounter I find myself filled with an odd mix of total calm, inspired and slightly frenzied over how much I want to buy everything.

Just a few weeks ago we were talking about how much I love foxes. I was telling him about a fox that lived behind my house one summer when I was growing up. Everyday around noon the fox would climb on "the cave" (a large rock with a hole in it, that sat on top of the foothill behind my house) and sunbathe. Couldn't you just die! Aren't foxes just so charming? I had launched into this romancing and reminiscing after we had spotted a fox running through the sage brush. He had spotted it, he is a much better wildlife spotter than I.  The conversation pretty much ended there, he didn't have much to add about the charm of foxes.

I spotted a fox printed little beauty at A soon after and total giddiness ensued. I told you, they just speak to my little style soul. I love it so much. I have had to start reciting a mantra that goes something like this: "even though foxes are inexplicably adorable, even though they have the best pointy little features, even if you would love that shirt, you have financial goals that don't include fox t-shirts right now (although I am now considering adding a line item for really great print t-shirts), you can wait for a sale, some birthday money, or a new distraction."  As if my life isn't hard enough, dealing daily with my inner fox print turmoil I get an email from them these images.  Hot air balloon print, come on! If you, like me, want any and all of these go here to drool. Or maybe, unlike me, you haven't already spent your clothing budget for this month and you will be buying. If so, know that I am kinda jealous. But I get easily smitten at Anthropologie and J. Crew so I will bounce back.

My Office is Pretty Conservative

Yet, I wanted to wear this, so I did. I asked my husband a few times if it was too much for my office. He said no, but each time he had a bit of a smirk on his face making me think that it is a bit much.Yet, here I am, at work, mixing patterns, and feeling good about it.  

Fortuosity: What We've Been Eating (and Drinking) Addition

1. Breakfast burritos (didn't use to be my thing but lately they are really hittin' the spot)
2. Sweet and Salty Mixed Nut Blend
3. Ghirardelli Hot Chocolate (with milk, never water)
4. Smoothies (not Shakes- yes Husband there really is a difference)
5. Popcorn
6. Sprite with orange juice and grenadine
7. Ground turkey because ground beef is the worst
8. Water
9. Veggie burgers with avocado
10. Toast (I could almost live off of toast. In fact, I currently am almost living off of toast). 

Man, the list certainly makes it seem like we don't eat very healthy, substantial things. This list is pretty accurate. Maybe it is time I start cooking more man food. 

When You Work From Home:

1. You wake up at 6 AM and then decide to go back to sleep. 
2. You make oatmeal for breakfast because you aren't in a hurry to get out the door
3. You get to have a blanket on your lap without feeling unprofessional
4. You get to wear plaid stretchy pants and a your husbands t-shirt. 
5. You get to work out in the middle of the day
6. You have a whole kitchen at lunch and don't have to rely on the food drawer in your office. 

The Perfect Day

Yesterday was the perfect day. We woke up early, went to a broadcast of the Brigham City Temple Dedication. Got home.Ate some left over pizza from The Pie, we got a Greek pizza and a cheese pizza, both were fantastic.

We ordered it Saturday night, had leftovers Sunday afternoon, and there was none left for Monday lunch. It really hit the spot both times and we couldn't save any. Saturday night when we were deciding what to eat and talking about how much we wanted pizza, I said "we should buy frozen pizzas so we have them on hand." He said, "I don't know, frozen pizza isn't very good." I replied "Oh it's not that bad" (read it will help us save money). He understood my real meaning and said, almost longingly, "Once you have had Settebello your pizza standard is completely changed." I knew that he meant you can no longer convince yourself that crap pizza is good; everything is held to a higher standard. I kissed him. You see, Settebello is a family favorite.They serve authentic Napoletana style pizza and we are into stuff like that in my family. We really appreciate when something is authentic but we also just love when something is really good. True Italian pizza really does change you. Once you have had it you spend the rest of your pizza eating life thinking that these two, totally different experiences, shouldn't be called the same thing. American and Italian pizza are as different as English and Italian. He didn't mean much by his comment but it meant a lot to me. It was one of those  seemingly inconsequential moments that really reaffirms what a perfect husband you have. Not every husband would agree with his wife and her entire family about a great restaurant; not every husband values Settebello.  All that being said, The Pie makes some great, albeit not at all Napoletana style, pizza. So we ordered some and enjoyed it twice.

I have gotten far off the subject of Sunday, sorry. After Pizza he dozed and I casually got stuff done. It was Sunday style getting things done; the kind that you can do still in your dress. Relaxing easy tasks. Sorting some papers that have been on the table for weeks, deciding which wedding word art to hang up, trying on all pants and deciding which to keep, which to fix, and which to toss. That type of getting things done is my favorite to get done; stuff that feels good to do, not stuff that has to be done. Then he woke up and we hung out a bit, watched some HGTV and talked about what kind of house we would buy right now, if we were buying something now. I picked out clothes for the week and did some visiting teaching. He made dinner and then we finished a little design project from the day before. We popped some popcorn, he made our favorite drink (twice) and we watched a movie in bed. It was 9:30 and we were already winding down. I thought back over the day. It had everything I could ever want in a day. I couldn't stop grinning at him and thinking how wonderful our little life was. It was such a rejuvenating, wonderful day. Sundays really are the best way to start the week.

Week Links

A friend and I were talking about this, so I re-listened to it. I remember this talk and I thought it was given just a year or so ago. Time moves way too fast. It is such a perfect talk and I have applying it to my prayers all week. We have been trying to work in more prayers of gratitude and I have been so surprised about how much of it a difference it makes. I have always worked harder this week to have my nightly prayers be a follow-up to my morning prayer; a chance to return and report.

Conference prep re-listen talks:
We Are All Enlisted
Providing in the Lords Way
Preparation in the Priesthood...
Dare to Stand Alone
A Witness
Waiting upon the Lord: Thy Will Be Done
Love Her Mother
The Importance of a Name

Just for a quick plug let me say that listening to conference talks again and again is such a powerful thing. I find that I really do hear so many interesting and inspiring new insights, no matter how many times I have heard a particular talk. I imagine it can seem kinda pointless to put something like this in when you are doing other things and listen with your full attention. But, I still learn and feel impressed by so many things that I hear; things that work themselves into my mind, even when it is focused elsewhere. I find that I still get everything done, plus get a little spiritual uplift right in the middle of my day. I feel happier and am more loving and kind in the ways I interact with my coworkers. Above all, no matter what else I am doing or how many gazillion times I have heard a talk or principle, I am always filled with the peace of the Spirit; with another confirmation of the truth of what I am listening to. I feel proud to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and that, in and of itself, is a great way to spend a day.

Back to links.

I will admit that I want these. Admit it, they are kinda charming and would be so awesome in a little bowl in my apartment. Especially, if it gave me more cause to use the exclamation "Aw Nuts" 

Also I stumbled onto Matchbook Magazine this week and found it really enjoyable to flip through. I have always love magazine but it is becoming increasingly more difficult to find any with content that I find interesting. Matchbook was pretty fun it has fashion, art, and lots of real people. 

Some silly re-watches I enjoyed this week:

Bad News

First Citywide Bank Change II

Have a great weekend. 

Lessons in Lipstick and Growing up

I am trying to get in the habit of wearing something on my lips. I have spent most of my life wearing only chapstick trying desperately to not to look like one those girls. You know the girls I mean. Think back to High School, sitting in class with a girl that reapplies lips gloss every 10 seconds. Sure her lips looked better than mine and plenty of boys probably thought she appeared much more kissable than the rest of us. However, I just can't get myself to participate in that much public primping, who am I kidding I can't get myself to participate that much private primping either. Fast forward ten or so years and you have me. An adult (right?) and old enough that I should start looking more, well... put together. My erring on the side of natural beauty to the point of it not always producing any beauty is just not cutting it anymore.  Little to no make-up and just throwing on clothes is only acceptable when you are a young college coed. Actually the extent to which I took my natural (read just rolled out of bed) look in college was probably not even appropriate for college. I am not saying anyone has to start applying gobs of make-up and running to the bathroom 12 times a day to fix themselves. I will definitely not be doing either of those things, but it is time for some improvements. My last year of college I started to classy it up a bit more, and I have gradually improved over the years (really gradually). But, it has been years since college and years of living the "adult" life. I think it is time to stop straddling the line between young adult and full fledged grown-up. I was quick to get my 401K rolling but I still dragging my feet about lipstick, telling myself I am too young for lipstick (I am not). It is time to at least wear something on my lips, some of the time, and strawberry carmex doesn't count. To be completely honest, I go to the bathroom about 12 times a day anyway (Before you even think it, nope I am not pregnant, I am just hydrated. When you sit at a desk all day you can manage to down a lot of water) I might as well try to glance in the mirror at least 6 of those 12 times. So here it is, lipstick. I pursed my lips to make sure that you know my lips mean business, lipstick business. 

I am surprised to find that putting some lipstick on helps pull my look together pretty easily. A little lipstick makes me look like I got ready for the day, regardless of how ready I got. Take some lipstick add grandpa's old army belt (somethings you never grow out of) and suddenly I am totally put together. 

However, things quickly deteriorate in my ice cold office. Flats come off and are replaced by some stashed socks. I then throw on a ratty, too large, company sweatshirt that covers almost everything else I have on. Finally, I heat up some hot chocolate. By the time the dudes I work for get to work (should someone claiming to be an adult still be referring to her boss as a dude?) I look like this:

Causing both of the men I work for to separately and respectively say things like "are you alright?" and "you look really tired today." 

Some aspects of growing up are more difficult to get down than others. excuse me, I am going to run to the bathroom and reapply my lipstick. 

Fortuosity Third Addition

1. The above shoes and pants combo because they make me feel like Audrey Hepburn.
2. A library book on tape, so dumb radio isn't my only option.
3. Recycled trends & classic styles.
4. Nights that are cooling off.
5. Online shopping.
6. A new stapler at work
7. America's Test Kitchen Cookbooks 
8. Running into a dear friend at the temple and both of us wearing the exact same blue maxi skirt. 
9. Free flowers from my parent's garden that I can dry. 
10. My parents, in response to the above request, showing up with heaps and heaps of dried flowers. 

Where We Have Been Eating: Second Edition

This is a pizza bender it is like a calzone (obviously) but for some crazy reason it is extra good.  You can get these at Italian Village an ordinary little restaurant in Murray, UT. The place has the ambiance of an old Pizza Hut. You remember old Pizza Hut, the restaurant, when you used to be able to go in a sit down instead of just take out? Book It anyone? If you have the right visual in your head you can imagine this isn't a restaurant to write home about (just to write a blog post about). 

Even though this place won't knock your socks off, I will admit I think about Benders when I am not there. They are pretty good. 

Go for the lunch special and you can get a bender, "salad" (I use quotes because it is the kind of salad you get at a restaurant like this), garlic bread and a drink for like $8. Pretty sweet deal huh? I work about 20 minutes away from this place and still every now and then we all drive the 40 minutes to eat some Benders.

I like a ham and pepperoni Bender. 

Monday is a Great Day For:

Falling asleep while trying to say morning prayers.

Taking a deep breath while reviewing a long list of things to do made before leaving work Friday afternoon.

Hoping the leftovers that were left over the weekend are still a suitable lunch option. 

Quickly catching up with coworkers about the weekend .

Quickly catching up on blogs. 

Getting back into the rhythm of the work week and already the weekend would come quickly.

Reminding myself with a stern voice to live in the moment, stop wishing for more weekends, and just make the best of Monday. 

Sunday Is a Great Day For:

Going to church, of course, what did you think I was going to say?  

Wearing a maxi dress because it is oh so comfortable and still somehow you look good and put together; like classy, fancy, daytime appropriate jammies. Also, you hope being completely covered will mean spending less of the three will be freezing cold. It doesn't.

Taking a drive to gawk at beautiful mountains and dream of a day when we buy one of those unique and charming houses (or better yet build our own). 

Trying to quickly finish a melty, banana creamie while taking a picture in the reflection of a dirty mirror. 

Spending time with family eating, laughing, discussing politics, and taking turns reporting on things learned at regional conference.  

Taking a sister-in-law to my sister's house to quickly pick something up, 

remembering that I can never really quickly pick something up from my family. 

We all like each other too much, no visit is ever just business, or all that quick. 

Standing in the dark on the driveway hurriedly telling stories and catching up on anything.  

Talking to a little nephew that can now say my name. 

Having two nieces, at two different times quietly pull me aside and ask "Do you know who that girl is?" referring to the sister-in-law. They seem to be happy for me when I explain.

One of them says with a smile, "so is she your family?" I confirm. We both smile now because we think family is a pretty great thing. 

Sundays are a great way to start each week. 

Week Links

I want to do this at home foot treatment:

I wish this dress had sleeves and wasn't so ridiculously priced. It kinda reminds me of something Nancy Drew would wear (which, by the way, is who I will be for Halloween this year. At least that is the plan, but I am still not sure if we have any reason to dress up. I have wanted to be Nancy Drew for years and I think this might be my year.)

This blog has so many wonderful resources for learning or teaching the gospel. A friend of mine pointed out this post to me this week. Read it, you will love it.

General Conference is approaching so I like to re-watch what happened last time. First I re-watch a year ago and then I watch last session. I like to remember what was talked about before so I can notice trends and difference for each session. Helps me notice when something is really emphasized in particular session. It is also nice to remember what I was doing in my life last conference and re-listen to the messages that were really important to me at the time. Sometimes I find they are still just as important other times, on listening again, I will find a new favorite. So I started with October 2011 this week. Here are some of the talks I listened to:

The Power of Scripture
Counsel To Youth
You Matter To Him
The Hearts of The Children 


Some old favorites from That Mitchell and Webb look:

It Has Been a Full Week... Kinda

• Couldn't find any tape, it was super early in the morning and my only opportunity to wrap some presents... so I wrapped with a glue stick. I was desperately hoping for something to make this first birthday as a married couple kinda special. Glue stick is pretty special, no? 
• Tried to cut some streamers so that things would feel a bit festive for a birthday. Didn't have much time to do it (did what I could during lunch one day at work) and again no tape. So I tied them to a light in the kitchen. Looks like a jellyfish. Jellyfish birthday decor is also kinda special, right?
• Left my keys in the outside lock of our door, overnight. Didn't realize it until I couldn't find my keys the next morning. It occurred to me where they could be because I have done that twice before (not recently. It is like I do once every other year. Does that make it better?)
• Cutting streamers at work made my hands blue. One of my coworkers came in while I was doing it and gave me a look as if to say "marriage means not having to try so hard" I tried to defend myself with "But he knows everything he is getting" and then my coworker, who has been married twelve years, said "welcome to marriage" and gave me another look. Ha! I showed Mr. coworker with my streamer jellyfish blob. 
• We didn't work out this week or do some of the other stuff on the to do list. We did, however, watch every episode of the miniseries The Kennedy's which is now on Netflix. The whole thing got mixed reviews by historians and movie critics so I wasn't sure what to think. I am no expert on the Kennedy family so I don't really know how much accuracy there is in all little things portrayed.  I was born in the 80's and can really only be considered knowledgeable about things like Cyndi Lauper, Wilson Phillips,  and Girls Just Want to Have Fun. But, I thought it was pretty well acted (even Katie Holmes, who is never a favorite of mine) and we enjoyed it. Not saying every thing is perfectly accurate, not saying it isn't accurate. I am Just saying it was an interesting miniseries and we watched it instead of getting things done this week.  

• We are going to the Bourne Legacy tonight and even though it also got mixed review, I am feeling pretty excited. Turns out being married means you go to fewer movies, at least we do. I always saw that happening and assumed it was because my married friends had kids. We don't have kids. Yet, we seem to frequent the theaters less and less. Maybe it is because there aren't that many movies that  we want to see. Maybe it is because when you are married you have to pay for more than one movie ticket. Maybe it is because we live within walking distance of Redbox and have Netflix and Amazon Prime streaming right to our TV. I kinda think it is because we no longer have to be "going out" all the time. There is so much pressure on singles to be going, and doing, and out, and socializing. I like staying in. Marriage suits me. But I am still excited for a movie tonight. I will be packing my purse full of treats, home popped popcorn, maybe some drinks, pair of socks in case of cold feet, and of course bring a small blanket. I take movie watching very seriously.

Fortuosity- Husband Edition

In honor of a boy that is having a birthday this week, this list, in particular order, is all about why I am oh so thankful for him.

1. When he really hard he has to hug me tight. It is so funny to me. If we are already touching his grip gets tighter in direct correlation to how hard he laughs. If we are not already touching he will quickly move closer so he can start hugging me tight. 
2. The way he smells. I love early in the morning when he is still sound asleep and I am starting to wake up. I cuddle up to him and bury my nose in his neck and just drink up his smell. 
3. His goodness. You will never meet anyone that is so good and steady and kind. 
4. How creative he is.The ideas he comes up with for our next project always blow my mind. 
5. How well and concisely he can articulate a point. 
6. How he always encourages me to do the things I like. 
7. How he always wants to help me with things and be near me. (to be honest at first I didn't know what to think of this. I have never known anyone that wanted to spend so much time with me. It was odd and confusing and I assumed it couldn't be sincere. But it is sincere and so wonderful.)
8. How I still sometimes feel myself start to blush if he looks at me really hard. 
9. How knock your socks of handsome he is, especially in a suit. Honestly, the guy can really wear a suit! Even if it is just pants and shirt and a tie (he rarely wears jackets) I can hardly stand it. Ever since we started to date (and to be honest a bit before we were dating) I have found him so distracting at church. 
10. His desire to for righteousness and his love of the gospel. 
11. His sleepy eyes in the morning that take hours to wake up. 
12. How well he understands me. I am so used to explaining my motivation or my logic behind the things I do. He understands where I am coming from without and single word of explanation from me, well most of the time he does.
13. How intense he gets when he is discussing something he really cares about. 
14. How no matter what I feed him, even if it's ramen noodles, he enthusiastically thanks me for dinner and acts like I am the best thing since sliced bread. While I am thinking, "seriously dude. I just made ramen noodles for dinner" he is beaming at me with pride. He really is better than I deserve. 

I was only supposed to do 10, oops. I am sure you can understand that he is a pretty big deal. 

Where We Have Been Eating- First Edition

We went at the end of a full day (read we we sweaty and dirty and not dressed in date night clothes). We were downtown looking  for a place to eat. Because of our extra causal Saturday attire we passed lots of good, recommended options. I feel that if the food cost more than $15 a plate it is not appropriate for me to be in cut-off, grey, jean shorts with holes. Again, this is just my personal standard; I typically like to look nice. Right then we passed the Bayleaf and I remember the recommendation of my dear friend EP. It was early evening on a Saturday so the place was near empty; just us, two women seated outside, and lots of staff gearing up for a busy night. 

Our water came in huge jars, a welcome sight because we were hot and tired. The tables were covered with old comics and I spy. We happily searched for Pinky and the Brain while we waited for our food. I was finding things much faster than him, that might be because the picture was facing me or maybe I am just an awesome spotter. 

The food was really pretty good. Not the kind of place you go if you are look for something lite and super healthy. It is more of a Deep-fried, Southern, Comfort, food kind of place. He had meatloaf, mac &cheese, and hash browns. I had chicken fried chicken, mashed potatoes and hush puppies (I had never had these, and didn't exactly know what they were. But, I do know Arrested Development and so he simply and quickly explained that they were corn holes.) We didn't have any leftovers which is hard to believe looking at all that food. 

Good food, cut-off's appropriate, cheap price, i spy on the table... fun for all if you ask me 

You Had Me at Lollipop.

Um, these are really cool. I want one, right now! One really long title on etsy: 

"Planets solar system space ball style edible images hard candy lollipop - 10 pc. 

SHIPS DECEMBER 1 - as seen on cnet." When the picture says it all, except 

the won't ship until December part, you can't get that just from looking at the picture.

Monday Madness: People are extra silly on the weekend

Spoiler Alert:  this is not at all interesting. But, the point of this blog is for me to keep a record of what I do. So I am posting this knowing very few other people will think this is interesting. You know you don't have to read it.

I got home Friday and noticed a perfectly made bed. I raved and raved. It was my definition of a made bed, not his, and I thought it was so nice of him. He smiled at me and with just a touch of sass said "take a picture of that." I grinned at him. but did not take a picture, because honestly a picture of a made bed is just beyond boring.

On Saturday we watch one niece and one nephew. They said and did loads of silly things. My niece that is 7 said now that I am a wife I probably go on lots of dates. I didn't know it was that obvious that I wasn't going on dates when I was single. But she is right, I wasn't. She is also right about being a wife, it's much easier to get a date when you are married.

They had never been to our apartment and had maybe never been to anyone's apartments because they had lots of questions about a house that is stacked on other houses. Question like we would live there. I didn't really know what to say because I wish we were in a house. I said "sometimes when are still kinda young and don't have lots of kids you live in an apartment because you don't need as much space." But the truth is I would kill for more space and I think we need it. Ok that second part isn't true, we probably don't need more space right this second, but that doesn't mean I don't think we do. 

We fed the ducks and geese by our house. My niece was all about it but her brother was not as interested. When I handed him bread he asked if he had to give it to the ducks because he wanted to eat some. We gave him a piece of bread and all headed over to the pond. He trailed slowly behind taking tiny bites out of his slice. When we were within view of the ducks he hid the bread behind his back and plastered a suspicious look on him face. He side-stepped his way across the bridge always keeping his eyes on the ducks and keep his bread out of view. 

While the rest of us fed the ducks he stayed behind my legs, mumbling something about about how he just needed to hide. The ducks, in turn, found his behavior suspicious and started to circle behind my legs. I assured him that he was fine and tried to convince him that feeding ducks was fun. He demanded to "get me up" so I picked him up . While I held him he kept his bread tucked between my body and his and continued  glared and any duck that even glanced in his direction. Every once in a while, when he felt it was safe he would duck his head down to his tucked arms and nibble on his slice of bread. All of this silliness while his sister laughed and chucked bread to gaggle of ducks and geese that surrounded her feet. 

We went back inside and turned on Peter Pan. When his mom came to get him he said Peter Pan was the best part of the day. Not the Aquarium which he said he only pretended to like. Not the slurpie which he handed back to me because it just "wasn't good." Pretty much just the movie, oh and the smell of gasoline when we stopped to fill up the car. 

Next time I will remember all he wants is a stale slice of bread, a quick sniff of a gas station, and a movie.

His sister loved everything except when she did a quick walk through our apartment and peeked into our spare room which we are using as storage she declared "messiest room EVER." I felt a little deffensive. I awkwardly mumbled, "well we don't have room of everything so we are trying to decide what to do with this stuff. So yeah... we just kinda stacked it all up in there..." I was walking behind her as she moved on to the next room still trying to justify when I remember that she is 7. So I stopped and came to terms with the state of our guestroom, kinda. 

Next time I might clean things up a bit more before they come over. 

While I am writing this, I gchat a bit with my guy about what we are both going to do today. Then I write "you are the best husband in the world! I love you sooooo much. I cant wait to come home and see you tonight." 
Except I didn't write that. it is just there in my gchat next to my name. I feel so confused. I would say something that like. maybe I did write that. I just really don't remember writing that. 

He replies with " wow. you are coming on pretty strong." To which I say: "I didn't type that." Pause while I am thinking through things, then "oh, are you in my email?" to which he replies: "Google says you typed it." 

I giggle and then we both decide it is time to get back to work. 

Week Links (plus a little tangent)

I wasn't able to do much listening this week. My job was a bit more interactive, a little less just me and a computer. But I did stumble upon a few wonderful links.

Conference Talks:
Look to God and Live- Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. Just looking at the title and the speaker can hint at how powerful this talk is. There is a very sweet story at the end. This talk is almost 20 years old but still so applicable. I listened to it twice to make sure I got everything and then I read it (I really enjoy when I can listen to something delivered by someone else and also read it for myself. When we listen we often hear things the way the speaker would have us hear them, with the emphasis on their emphasis. It is wonderful to hear something from another perspective; to hear in a speakers voice what matters most to them. I love the opportunity to hear the gospel taught through another's experience and feelings. 

However, I also love when it can be just me, the words, and the Holy Ghost. When I am left to emphasis and interrupt however and wherever I fancy. This is why reading is so powerful. There is a point where the words become yours; where the meaning becomes personal and unique to you. I don't mean that the words can totally change and become something far from what they are intended to be. There are certain boundaries and guidelines placed in by the author of the words; their words cannot mean what the author didn't want them to mean. Yet, through interpretation they can mean even more. With a little effort they can become more than letters typed on a page, they get life. Like I said before, reading is powerful. 

I am going to go one step further though and explain an incredible ingredient that I only casually mentioned before. When we add the companionship of the Holy Ghost,  a companion that we can have constant access to as result of covenants and righteous living,  reading, listening, and even just general living have an even greater power. Our knowledge and our insight can, and will, exceed mortal limitations and we can tap into the limitless, eternal, endlessly personal power of God. 

Sorry, I just really love learning with The Spirit. Back to the talk, these were favorite points:

"Furthermore, many of the social and political medicines of our day regularly miss the mark, so those would-be physicians stand by the bedside of “feverish and delirious humanity—outwitted, discredited, dumbfounded … not knowing in which direction to seek delivered” (Charles Edward Jefferson, The Character of Jesus, Salt Lake City: Parliament Publishers, 1968, p. 17)." 

Angels and ministers of grace to defend us? They are all about us, and their holy sovereign, the Father of us all, is divinely anxious to bless us this very moment. Mercy is his mission, and love is his only labor. John Donne said once: “We ask our daily bread, and God never says, ‘You should have come yesterday.’ … [No, he says,] ‘Today if you will hear [my] voice, today I will hear yours.’ … If thou hast been benighted till now, wintered and frozen, clouded and eclipsed, damp and benumbed, smothered and stupefied till now, God yet comes to thee, not as in the dawning of the day, … but as the sun at [full] noon, to banish all shadows” (Collected Sermons).

Another talk with a similar theme, It Is Better to Look Up by Carl B Cook, is a more recent conference talk. I went looking for this one because for whatever reason it came to mind. I enjoyed this talk when I first heard it and I enjoyed it again. 

Gospel Solutions for families this week was called Becoming One in Marriage. This a topic that is very much on my mind as a newlywed. It seems to me if you understand the Godhead you can understand this and if you understand this you can better understand the LDS doctorine on the Godhead. However, understanding something and living it are two different things and while I think we are right on track it will, of course, take time before we have really perfected this principle in our marriage. 

Blog Links: 
I liked reading Maggie Mason's Might List. It is like a bucket list but has a much better ring to it, don't you think? Something about the phrase "bucket list" is very off putting to me. Her list made me think more about some of the things that would be on my list. Maybe I will make a Might List; I do love a good list. 

Music:
I am counting down the days for this album. 

All you've gotta do is Smile

Remember this post?

well check out this little gem below:

This short is a little silly and lots of sweet. It reminded me once again how important it is to say nice things to people. We all think nice things but for whatever reason don't say them out loud as often as we should. I am going to make a goal to say every nice thing I think out loud for a week.

Look out men at work (not the band, the actual men I work with) because you have got a lot of potentially awkward compliments coming your way.

Fortuosity

In no particular order ten things I am particularly grateful for this week.

1. We thoroughly enjoy our family on both my side and my husbands. We spend loads of time with them because we really do like them. I know not everyone loves to spend time with family so I think we are pretty lucky; not a bad one in the lot.
2. My job.
3. Avocados
4. Crossing things off my to-do list
5. Early morning cuddling 
6. Creamies
7. Catching up with an old friend (which meant 30 minutes of solid laughing on the phone) 
8. Ice cold, filtered water
9. That a 45 minute drive could get me to any one of 8 temples. 
10. Getting my hair cut and colored for $40. I went to the Beauty School (haven't done that since I was in school myself). It didn't turn out how I planned and it took 4 hours, but it looks good, and did I mention it was a total of 40 dollars? The "Learning Leader" that was assisting the student doing my hair kept telling me the color would look "super elegant" so I let them do their thing. I typically let a hairdresser do some interpretation of what I ask for, it is more exciting that way. I have been avoiding my hair because I didn't want to spend the money (and it was gross). So this was really needed and I am happy with the results. I love a fresh haircut. 

on my way to work (don't worry mom I wasn't driving and snapping pictures at the same time. I am stopped here). Can't see much of a hair difference in this picture, but you get the idea, if you wanted an idea. 

When upon the morning you are grouchy for absolutely no reason

Last week, when my alarm told me it was time to start the week, I felt pretty miserable. Have you ever had a morning like that? The day hasn't even  begun and you already loathe it; you wake up feeling like a real sad, cranky, sorry sack. Anyone? Anyone?

Well I really didn't want to get out of bed, I was absolutely sure that Monday and probably the entire week had nothing pleasant to offer. I was down right grumpy. I moped about having nothing to look forward to. I ignored my sleepy husband's attempts to cheer me up; retorting with things like "na uh" and "it won't be" (read in your best immature adolescent voice, because that is how I was saying it) anytime he said it would be a great week. It was pretty embarrassing and not my typical start to the morning.

I realized something later that week, the normal-lifes are starting to seep in. We have had an action packed summer, you know with that whole getting married business. And we are now really starting to get back to normal, everyday kind of living. Things are, for the most part settled (although we still have a stack of thank you notes to address. Don't judge us, the were written a good while ago if that counts for anything.) Don't get me wrong, everyday living is easily my favorite kind of living. But, it can occasionally leave one (read me) waking up a bit cranky because one (me) may be overlooking all the wonderful.

As a result of this realization and in an effort to combat the normal-life crankies (because let's face it they only get worse in the winter when the inversions are endless and the snow always wet and snowing) I am going to make more of an effort to remember the good. I really am so lucky, so blessed-seriously so blessed, and incredibly happy. Therefore, it should be easy to focus on those things right? Yeah it isn't always so easy. In fact it seems easier to think of what we don't have rather than what we do. So I am going to resort to the old tried and true method of counting my blessings and naming them one by one. Tomorrow I will post a list of the things I am especially grateful for lately. I am going to title this list Fortuosity because that song has been on repeat in my head while I type post, and it's such a happy song. I know the song isn't really about counting blessings (I have listened to it lots of times), it is more about lucking into things. But I think it fits because I feel pretty lucky.

Applicable song: Count your blessings
Applicable song: Fortuosity 

Marriage Madness: Learning how the other half lives

This is what it looks like when he makes the bed, I guess it's close enough.