Highlights of the Christmas Season

(...and one picture to show for it, because we've been too busy having fun to remember to document it, whoops...)

>> The Glenn's darling Christmas party that included homemade Café Rio, Chili's chips and salsa, the cutest drink station you've ever seen, and lots of fun games. They call Grace the Country Club Woman for a reason.

>> All these people sending out Christmas cards out the goodness of their hearts and not even getting any graduation money back or anything ;) --I loved seeing all of them! One year we will do one...one year.

>> 2 Sub-for-Santa opportunities for a family friend in need.

>> My grandma's prime rib and minute-to-win-it games at the Anderson Christmas party.

>> A nail appointment on Christmas Eve-Eve with my Ar.

>> Seeing our niece and nephews get so excited when Santa showed up at the Gregory's on Christmas Eve. I wish we could all believe in Santa forever. Also, that app that puts Santa in front of your tree and looks so real!? Genius!

>> Waking up to a WHITE CHRISTMAS MIRACLE! And the fact that I was actually excited about snow for once--that's another miracle.

>> Such thoughtful gifts from the best families that we really don't deserve.

>> Talking to our ELDER GREGORY!!! He is too adorable for words and doing so so well.

>> Seeing UNBROKEN. Louis Zamperini (= my new hero) taught me that I can do HARD THINGS and with a GOOD ATTITUDE! That movie also taught me there actually are worse things in life than being eaten by a shark.

>> Having our own little present exchange Christmas NIGHT this year, which was really fun because it made Christmas last all day! AND...

>> Being able to still surprise Bren with a few gifts he wasn't expecting. I have always loved giving gifts. I saw this quote floating around social media this year that explained why I love it so much: "Presents are the best way to show someone how much you care. It's like this tangible thing that you can point to and say, 'Hey man, I love you this many dollars worth'." AMEN Steve Carell!

>> My Made by Mary necklaces that are so sweet and personal they melted my heart into a big puddle on the floor.

>> Remembering the CHRIST in Christmas. Ever since I was a little girl I would never spell Christmas with an X because I thought it was a big fat sin-- still do. This video was the perfect reminder of the first and most important gift, ever. It is because of Him that we can be married & merry forever :)

xoxo

An Extra Good Week

Reasons this week has been an eeeeextra good one:

>> I cooked dinner 3 times IN A ROW!!! Monday Tuesday Wednesday! My dad would call that a PR (personal record).

>> AND the kitchen was stocked with good food and snacks all week. Switchin things up at the grocery store.

>> I went to an INTENSE workout class with my friends one night. I may or may not have almost thrown up mid class. Lesson learned: do not eat at least 4 hours before.

>> The laundry is not only ALL caught up but all folded too! Now if only I could find the time to iron all Bren's shirts...

>> One of Bren's Christmas presents came in the mail and not one but TWO of the item came and they only charged my card once! Even though we have no use for the second one that's still kind of cool I guess?

>> The package we're sending to Elder Gregory is 95% complete and will be ready to be mailed tomorrow! Those missionary packages are quite the project. Can't wait to talk to him in SIX days!!!

>> I am taking control of my shopping problem that is not helping while we are trying to save for a vacation in June. Step one of the recovery process was unfollowing all the shops on my Instagram. It was sad and hard, like a breakup guys! *It's not you, it's me* But at the same time worth it when I told Bren and his jaw dropped, followed by a high five, and lots of "I'm so proud of you!" 's.

>> Brennan didn't force me to go to the new Hobbit movie with him (I told him I'd rather poke both of my eyes out than see it) and went with his friends last night,

>>so...I had a sister date with my Ar! I picked her up and asked what we were doing and she told me she wanted to go to Color Me Mine! Aka the most fun yet stressful place on the planet. Then Starbucks. Then watched Lauren Conrad's new documentary. I rrrrrrrrrrreally love her. She's living my dream.

From Ar's snapchat while I was trying to be artsy with the lace. Ended up being a total fail.

Reason number one this place is so stressful is that the colors you paint with are not how they look once they are cooked! Trying to imagine my cobalt blue butter dish was not easy. But how cute is Ari's Owl dish!?

HOW BEAUTIFUL IS SHE!? She got all the good genes even though no matter how many times I tell her she doesn't believe me. It means the world to me that she makes time for her boring old sis.

And that is what #WINNING looks like to me these past four days.

 

xoxo

27 Reasons I Love the Birthday Boy// BirthWEEK!

1. As his alarm went off the day after his birthday, he leaned over and turned it off, and then said in the saddest, half asleep voice, "It's not my birthday anymore :(" HAHA!

2. He is my life coach,

3. personal comedian,

4. and permanent morning cuddler.

5. He NEVER lets me speak poorly of myself. That conversation lasts about 5 seconds before coming to a screeching hault and then turns into him making me feel better.

6. He is the HARDEST worker, and it just keeps building and building every month. He makes personal goals that I sometimes even wonder if he will reach, and he does every single time! Amazes me.

7. He is the definition of selfless.

8. I love how seriously he takes the gym. It's so cute to me.

9. When he makes crepes for us on Sundays he talks like he's on his own Food Network show in an Australian accent the whole time.

10. I love his few gray hairs.

11. One night we were sitting at home and I was thinking about overcoming obstacles for some reason. For the life of me all I could think of was the time when I was a freshman and ran the mile and a half in the time we had to to pass health class HAHAHA and I was not feeling too cool about myself. I asked Bren if he could think of any obstacles I've overcome and without skipping a beat he named off about 8 things.

12. ^^ Sometimes I think he knows me better than I know myself.

13. ^^ He has taught me to love myself.

14. He is the most understanding person I've ever known.

15. He has this adorable genuine laugh,

16. and he laughs with me even when I'm not funny to make me feel good.

17. He is not only handsome but SO GOOD LOOKING. hubba hubba

18. I love his sweet testimony.

19. I love that he's artistic- his handwriting, his photography, his drawings- I love it all.

20. I love that it takes him so much time to make a purchase, no matter how big or small it is. He's so careful and logical it's almost comical.

21. I love that he's emotional. He'll watch these videos he sees on Facebook and Twitter that just touch his big heart.

22. I love that he'll sit in the car with me after we've gotten home and belt One Direction with me until the song is over.

23. I love that he loves trying new things.

24. I love that he's listening to The Plan of Salvation audiobook in his car right now. And how excited he gets when he tells me something new he learned from it.

25. He has no enemies.

26. I love how much I look up to him.

27. He makes life so fun every single day.

^^That was totally supposed to be posted on his actual birthday but to say that last week was the busiest week of our lives would not be an exaggerated statement. Here's the run down of Bren's birthWEEK:

 

Months leading up to his birthday I started asking Bren what he wanted to do for his birthday. I came up with every idea from a weekend in Park City to a pizza and game night with his friends to a painting class. And everytime he would tell me he wanted nothing for his birthday and that he just wanted to go to dinner with me... #funsucker. I am so glad it didn't turn out that way because he deserves the whole world and then some.

 

His actual birthday began with a birthday breakfast tradition that I started last year before he headed off to work (workaholic, remember).

 

 

That night it continued with Cheesecake Factory, present opening, and renting X-Men off Redbox because I said he could watch whatever movie his little heart desired.

 

 

The next night was his family party at Redrock pizza where he was gifted Jazz tickets for the next night (to keep the birthweek rollin)--thanks Morgan & Ted!

 

 

They brought their little Luke and he was AMAZING the whole time! Just sat on our laps and was in a daze about everything happening around him.

 

 

Bren's HEAVEN with a capital H!

 

The next morning we went to a painting class that my sweet mom put together for Bren's birthday at Painting with a Twist!

 

Please notice my T-Swift tee, my favorite $11 purchase EVER

 The BEST gift idea, thanks mom!

 

 

It was actually even more fun than I thought it would be, and I'm not the artistic one! There's just something so liberating about swiping some paint onto a canvas. Bren and I already want to go back!

 

 

After that we changed and hurried up to Park City for my company party! Our CEO told me he had a condo at Canyon's resort that he wanted people to hang out and eat in between their choice of skiing, a massage, or shopping at the outlets before having dinner at a restaurant at Canyon's. He also said he wanted to have a drawing for 4 employees and their spouses to stay the weekend there. I went up there Friday to cook and prepare for everybody to come up the next day and as I pulled up I realized it was NOT a condo.

 

 

More like a 10,000 square foot Parade of Homes home.

 

 

With an elevator.

 

Here's a very low quailty picture of us in the elevator hehe.

But that's just the humble kind of guy my boss is. So the invitations went out with an address to "Curt's Condo" LOL.

 

We shopped at the outlets and Bren even found something he loved for Christmas that he actually let me buy for him (Christmas miracle)! Then we got a free steak dinner. Talk about a Happy Birthweek.

 

To say Brennan was spoiled this year isn't even scratching the surface. He is SO LOVED. By everyone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And who can resist a man in Topman? Not me!

 

Back to back days of celebrating for such a special human being. He's everything, guys.

 

xoxo

These are a few of our favorite things...

I was lucky enough to be invited to a "favorite things" party this last weekend. Here's how it worked: Bring 5 of one of your favorite things around $12-$15 each and go home with 5 different favorite things! I was so excited and thought this was the cutest idea. The dinner and exchange was hosted by Whitney & Nakita at Whit's darling downtown loft.

The gifts were (not all shown): Madewell socks, a J.Crew jewelry dish, an ornament from Bloomingsales, a planted succulent, Frye leather protectant for our boots, a Chick-Fil-A gift card, Mario Badescu drying lotion, and I brought NYX matte lip creams in my 3 favorite shades and NYX white eyeliner, my favorite makeup trick as of late!

And there you have it! Because who says only Oprah can have favorite things?

xoxo



PRESENTly...

Making these lettuce wraps that we had for dinner last night. If I would have been blind folded I would've thought I was at P.F. Chang's. SO GOOD, SO EASY, SO CHEAP, and SO (I think?) HEALTHY. If they aren't healthy, please don't tell me. Ignorance is bliss.

Starting serialpodcast.org

Eating those little individual packages of the dark chocolate pomegranates from Costco- brilliant, just brilliant. Also, CUTIES! Sprouts has some great ones right now.

Drinking almond milk egg nog, WHERE MY EGG NOG LOVERS AT?! Because my husband is not one of them, and I need to know I'm not alone.

Craving BONSAI. And Chipotle, but that's 24/7.

Listening to "Jealous" by Nick Jonas #guiltypleasure aaaand ARIANA GRANDE. Girl's got pipes. Also that "Take Me to Church" song.

Planning Bren's birthday celebrations

Awaiting a (faraway) vacation     

 

Convincing Brennan to like certain future baby names

 

Hoping the company Christmas party in Park City next weekend that I planned goes off without a hitch.

Hearing Brennan laugh in the shower right now while I'm laying in bed.......................odd.

Liking all of kristen_ess's photos on Instagram. I LOVE following her, and it's not just because she's Lauren Conrad's hairdresser k?

Learning the right lyrics to Tay Swift's hit song of the moment. Please tell me I'm not the only one who thought she was saying "Starbucks lovers"...

Wishing I was a better present wrapper

Wanting over the knee boots

Needing (1) a pedicure and (2) a new series to watch on Netflix (any recommendations?)

Laughing about 2 nights ago when Brennan woke up in the middle of the night, PUT HIS SOCKS ON, and started walking towards the front door. His parents have warned me that he's made it all the way to his car before and this really disturbs me. Sleep walkers are scary. But we're both still laughing about it.

 

xoxo

Thanksgiving Weekend Summed Up

This weekend consisted of mainly 3 things:

one- eating,

two- shopping,

& three- decorating,

with a few little surprises thrown in :)

 

The eating...

 

Sweater: Called to Surf

started at my grandma's on Thanksgiving day, then continued at Bren's parents. I came ready to eat in my mashed potatoes and gravy sweater (get it?) and we were FILLED TO THE BRIM.

And then the next morning before we hit the Black Friday madness, we tried The Original Pancake House for the first time and it is our new favorite breakfast place! Please go there and then call me so we can discuss their bacon.

 

The next night we went The Cheesecake Factory and of course we can never leave without taking a slice home to share. Also, have you ever tried the Louisiana Chicken there?! You really, really, really need to.

The shopping...

 

We managed to get to the outlets, the mall, Target, and Scheels ALL IN ONE DAY. And no, we couldn't feel our feet, thanks for asking. But it really wasn't too bad when your shopping partner is as goofy as that guy.

 

Also, I feel it is my duty to share that this candle at Target smells EXACTLY the same as Anthro's Capri Blue and is $10. Now Anthro, please don't sue.

 

The decorating...

 

 

 

Bren took some darling pics after we got our Christmas decorations up Saturday, I'll have to share them all sometime. It's amazing what a tree with some lights can do for someone's little spirit. Also, while we were at Target smelling all the candles, Bren really wanted a pine-scented one because he wanted our condo to smell like Christmas- HA! So I think next year we may just need to get a real tree, they just seem so festive- does anyone have any insight or opinions on this?

 

 

A few little suprises...

 

 

Surprise tickets to a Utah basketball game. As you can tell from the seats behind us, it was PACKED! Haha. My $4 box of sour patch kids kept me entertained. Brennan tells me I feel like his little girl sometimes...I wonder why...hehe.

 

 

Watching Bren teach the whole primary lesson on Daniel & the Lions Den to our rowdy 11 year olds. For some reason, watching him teach MELTS ME. The stories he tells from his mission, the way he draws on the white board, seriously- his top 5 cutest moments. He always naps longer than me on Sundays, and I'm always dying for him to wake up because I rrrrreally miss him. Is that weird? It's totally weird, but I just want to hang out with him because he's so fun.

 

 

Walking in on Sunday cuddles with Ezzie.. Usually cuddling at age 3 is NOT cool...but who can resist uncle Bubby?

 

 

Coming home last night and finding these in the mail was a pleasant surprise since they told us it would be around two months until we'd get them! Feelin' official over in condo 834. I would show you the passport pictures but you'd die laughing- I was not blessed with the photogenic gene, and Amanda Bynes tweeted it best: "I want all the ugly shots of me deleted from the internet- that's what makes me feel ugly."

 

LOL 

 

WAIT- One last thing. I have lived my entire blog life never understanding WHY I could not reply to comments! I just thought I wasn't seeing a button everyone else was seeing? So I finally googled it and fixed it so this is no longer an awkward one sided conversation and I can thank you because every single comment makes me smile real big when I read it. Glad I could explain myself, I'll let you go now.

 

xoxo