2011

2011 was a beautiful year.

We got snowed in.



Took fake engagements



Met Carmen Electra in Columbus, Ohio



Welcomed Jessica home from Jerusalem with open arms.



Celebrated Julie and Dj's wedding.



Partied in Lake Powell with this girl.

Celebrated 1 year of marriage.



Welcomed Harrison to the world.



Visited Portland



Visited Nashville


Said a sad goodbye to Jessica again.

'

Had the best Christmas ever.



As great of a year as it has been, for the past few months I have been living for the future. So much is ahead for the two of us, and as nervous, terrified as I am, I can't wait for the challenges ahead of us. I am ready to move on with my life. I am ready to forage into the unknown with a brave heart and a hand to hold. I am ready for you, 2012.

new year

we make new goals that we don't always keep

but the point is to make them, because if we don't

we stop.

and i don't want to stop. i mean, i don't want to go forward

but i don't want to stop, either.

you know?

image

"if I was in charge of making snow globes..."

Once, I was in New York,
in Central Park, and I saw
an old man in a black overcoat walking
a black dog. This was springtime
and the trees were still
bare and the sky was
gray and low and it began, suddenly,
to snow:
big fat flakes
that twirled and landed on the
black of the man's overcoat and
the black dog's fur. The dog
lifted his face and stared
up at the sky. The man looked
up, too. "Snow, Aldo," he said to the dog,
"snow." And he laughed.
The dog looked
at him and wagged his tail.

If I was in charge of making
snow globes, this is what I would put inside:
the old man in the black overcoat,
the black dog,
two friends with their faces turned up to the sky
as if they were receiving a blessing,
as if they were being blessed together
by something
as simple as snow
in March.

 - Kate DiCamillo

image via

The Glow

I may behind on this bandwagon, but The Glow is definitely my new favorite site. With interviews from some of the most fashionable mom's and children in existence (I am convinced) I check it at least once a day - hoping there is a new feature. Proof that you can have a career, style, and happy children.

Please visit. You could get lost in that site all day.

all images via 

Christmas Book Giveaway

Someone emailed me and asked me what my favorite Christmas book is. The answer was so obvious and easy that it made me think of some Christmas cheer I want to share.

The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman is a masterpiece. I read it every Christmas because it doesn't really feel like Christmas without it. For all of you hopeless romantics, awkward girls, or bookies (pretty much anyone who reads my blog besides my husband) it is the best Christmas read. You don't have to think so hard, you fall in love with Kate -(mostly because you can relate to her so well) and it makes you feel so happy to be alive at Christmas. I'm not promising Morrison brilliance here, but I am promising your new favorite Christmas book. (Face it, we can all only read The Little Matchgirl so many times before we realize that we have no idea what that book is about, only that it leaves us feeling depressed.)

Because I love you all so much, I am funding this giveaway. I will order it from Amazon and send it to you - and hopefully you get it before Christmas, because this book is a gem. I will probably order a paperback, and the cheapest shipping possible - just as a disclaimer. I will also choose a winner on Monday morning.

To enter, leave a comment and tweet or whatever for extra entries.

(p.s. the author Louise Plummer used to teach Creative Writing at BYU. Anyone lucky enough to take a class from her? I am so upset I graduated from that school without taking her class.)

23

This morning Kevin woke me up with a rendition of "Today is your day" set to the tune of, "This Land is Your Land." It went like this:

"This day's not his day, this day's not her day. This day's not my day - this day is your day! This day was made for only you."

He is just one reason waking up on my 23rd birthday is the funnest thing I have ever done. I don't feel wiser, or older or cooler today - I just feel happy to still be here on this earth, having birthdays and such.

(p.s. as an adult it is socially unacceptable to publicize your birthday, which is why I shamelessly do it here on my blog every year. it's the little things.)

photos via 1, 2

Elsewhere

Today I am at Reachel's lovely blog Cardigan Empire talking about Beauty. I love what she and her blog stands for, and am honored to participate in her real, beauty-full Tuesday column.

I also wrote an article for the debut of the Off Switch Magazine - edited and created by the talented Katie Michels. It is an article about why I write, and one that I put a lot of thought into. It launches tomorrow and I am thrilled to be involved in such a fantastic project. Katie is very detailed, and I think it will be an awesome addition to the on-line mag world.

I get a lot of emails asking for me to write in various places. Let me just say - I love to be included in these opportunities, even if I don't take every opportunity that comes my way. It pushes me and motivates me and allows me to "meet" such wonderful people. I am pretty grateful for this blogosphere and the kind people who motivate me to do what I really love to do.

photo via

Savior of the World

On Saturday night we went to Temple Square (where Kevin and I were married!) to see the Savior of the World production. It is easy at Christmas time to think about parties and presents and agenda's. Sitting there, I realized that Christmas at its very heart is so simple.

Christmas began with a family in a stable. Just Mary, Joseph and Jesus. Cold, poor, perhaps afraid of the future, but willing to do it together and with God. Kevin and I feel poor and cold in this Utah December and afraid of the future too. A new family, we are just figuring things out and hoping that with faith in God we will be delivered. I know there was so much love in that stable in Bethlehem, just like there is so much love in our home, and this Christmas I am most grateful for that. For love and the knowledge of Our Savior who was born among animals and hay and two parents who believed in God's promises.

Such a simple beginning, with such eternal consequences and the most beautiful message of Christmas. To find out more about my beliefs, visit here or email me. There is no better time to learn more about Christ than at Christmas.

silent prayers

I asked him why he loved me

on our drive home.

The reason I asked, is because sometimes that answer changes.

You'd think that all this love would go away in time

but that is not the truth.

I craned my neck to see the stars explode in the sky above me,

and put my two right fingers to my neck

just to feel the simple beat beat - beat beat

that lets me live another day on this earth,

a place I have come to love a little more every day I'm here.

then I said a silent prayer on that drive while I waited for his answer

and the only words spoken, or unspoken were

thank you.

thank you.

thank you.

image via

Christmas at the Voisin's

After this weekend, it is starting to look a lot like Christmas at our place. This season is the happiest one, and I love it more and more every year.

Birthday/Christmas Wishlist

Every year Kevin asks me for a combined Birthday/Christmas wishlist. It's so weird - I look forward to making this list all year, mentally collecting everything I want and then when the season comes I feel so grateful for everything I have, and can't remember wanting anything.

This is what I came up with this year, and although it looks pretty black and white and drab - I would feel lucky to get anything off of this list. Classic, beautiful pieces that I will never get tired of, as well as a book I can't wait to read.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.