my family and i, we are a little bit in love with weekend getaways to st george.

this trip, jonah had us convinced that he knew exactly where we were going. or maybe he’s just real good at being friends with his car seat, because he man-handled that drive without blinking an eye.

lucky him, his birthday is right around the corner, and he’s finally getting a big boy car seat! but please don’t tell, it’s a surprise.

mo had a volleyball tournament down there, and came home with the gold in her bracket. she’s so fun to watch. jonah enjoyed charging the court when timeout was called. so cliche, but i don’t really remember life before he could walk. keeps me on my toes that’s for sure. just like his papa, grandpa, aunts, uncles, gramma, and mama, he is content at the gym watching any kind sport.

we were smart and had gramma bring the portable-crib this time. it assisted us in achieving our no falling off the bed goal. and after last trip, this was a big deal! we also watched the fireworks from the temple, and snuck down to visit canes, britt, greg + rowgan.

something about the permanent warm weather, freshly trimmed grass on the golf course, eating at inn-n-out when i don’t even like hamburgers, and having absolutely nothing planned puts me on cloud nine.

two years
eleven days
five iphones
three cars
an awkward mirror picture
two countries
and one baby later.

we are still wed. still happy. and way more in love than jef and emily.
(i’m sorry that was a lame analogy, but it’s true)

if it’s not obvious,
i married up. way up.
there is not a more perfect man in this world for me.
our life together just keeps getting better and better.

i love you jonboy.

1. we celebrated two years of wedded+ness
2. we slept over at grandma’s two four times.
3. we caught strep throat. {we haven’t been to the doc, that’s just what we diagnosed ourselves}
4. we started insanity. let me spell that out for you – I N S A N I T Y – i have to lift my legs up the stairs with my hands.
5. we taught jonah how to dance {we=kylee}
6. we drink green smoothies in the morning for breakfast. not as in a drink to go along with my crunch berries, as in like our whole breakfast.  if you know me well, this is huge.
7. we took the gold medal at the larsen family olympics
8. we got a much needed couples massage
9. it’s been cool enough to sleep with our windows open the past couple of days. oh happy night!
10. my best friend is in love love love, and it’s never looked better on someone.
11. we went to the zoo
12. we committed to a family triathlon. i’m positive i’ll drown or back out before it gets here.
13. i have been dabbling in design and i kinda like it.  keyword :: dabbling
14. jonah can C L I M B. and not up the rock wall! on the couch and up to my desk. game over, ma’
15. girls camp is next week. my first time going as a leader. pure excitement brewing in my blood
16. i’m obsessed with my husband.
17. i’m obsessed with my son.

i need to brag for just a minute.

i’ve always known how important it is to be a good friend, but i will shamefully admit that growing up, i was the annoying friend who placed her boycrush before her friends. immature and selfish, i know. it’s actually kind of hard for me to admit, but i know it’s true. as a result, i’ve always found myself wishing i was a better friend.


this year i set the goal. i wrote down my resolution on january 1, 2012 on the back of my complimentary napkin on our flight to hawaii. jon and i switched napkins on the count of 3. he thought i was kidding. which is kind of funny in-and-of itself because he is the best best friend in the history of being a best friend. and for a boy… that is G O O D. i’m telling you, he keeps in touch with his “cronies” weekly. not just on facebook either. we’re talking real life here. he got back from chicago two days ago where he went to his high school buddy’s wedding.
i don’t think he has logged in to facebook since before jonah was born, he misses 90% of their birthdays, and it doesn’t even matter. he is just such a good person, and i obviously had a real lesson to learn here. 


today for no particular reason, it hit me like a load of bricks.

the blessings of friendship is very real. very rewarding. and in the past 7 months, it has replaced all of the aquaintances in my life with it’s magic. i have truly tried my hardest to make it a point to nourish these friendships that are dear to my heart, and in return, i have learned so much about myself. who woulda thunk, right? i swear that’s always the case. 

one H U G E thing that i have learned in the past seven months //

to be myself. do what i love. do what makes ME happy + in return i have found {or re-found}  friendships that are very powerful, and that mean the most in my life. these people like me for me believe it or not. i am so grateful for this. i could  s c r e a m  it from my balcony.

i am happy. i am myself. i am unique. i am real. my life is real. it is beautiful. and the sun is brighter than it has ever been.

thank you dear friends for being patient and sticking by my side through the rough patches. i know that i have lots of room to grow, but please know that i am doing my best, and that i now know what it takes to be a good friend.
te ‘amo.

i like pinterest. i really do. it is such a fantastic venue for me to organize all the wonderful things that i find on the web. however, it’s monday morning, and i cannot think of something i despise more than pinterest today.


let’s name the reasons why, shall we:


1. waste of too much precious time. when Jonah is awake i can think of all the things that i need to get done. but the minute he crashes, my little list just blows out the window when i find myself in front of the computer screen! wide-eyed, giddy, and scrolling or ipadding through about 15 pins a minute.


2. diminished self-worth. do you know how emotionally taxing it is to see so much talent in one place to remind you that you don’t have that crafting ability, that artistic knack, that fashion style, etc? it can make one want to cut her hand off and maybe set herself on fire. (not sure where that quote comes from, jon just says it all the time)


3. creativity stealer. i feel like my brain doesn’t have to be creative anymore because pinterest does the thinking for me. i liked when my brain was my center for innovation, not my pinboard. or when i come up with an idea… and find out the next day that someone else did the same thing, only their photo skills dominated, and it’s making them famous in the pinworld. 


4. uniquely un-unique. any idea that was once an original is now reproduced by the masses. i bet if you walked in to any given house you would find chevron print on pillows, rugs, curtains, lampshades, dogs. everyone on pinterest is obsessed with chevron. myself included. nothing is unique anymore. if I see someone walking down the street with a braid running around the back of her head I won’t think “wow, that’s a neat way to style your do.” instead i’ll think “sucka! you didn’t come up with that. that’s a pin job all the way.” rude, i know.


5. re-pinning. i re-pin. girl, i could beat you in a pinning contest with one hand tied behind my back and my eyes closed. there are just so many things out there that people do that I would never think of – things that would be helpful for me or interest me in the future. but, with all that re-pinning comes an endless list of things that i need “to do.” for me, the more i pin, the more overwhelmed i get. i guess i just need to give myself some perspective, and not use pinterest as my dreamboat and pin every orla kiely dress and anthropolgie chair that comes my way. 


with all that being said, i absolutely love and adore pinterest. i wouldn’t change it, i will probably never make it go away. you will probably find chevron print on my pillows, the latest chicken recipe seasoned just right in my crock pot, and my hair twisted back into 3 small buns. because other people do have awesome ideas. and i’m probably just jealous i didn’t think of it first!

this show.
this flipping show. 
it has been consuming my every thought for the past 24 hours.
brittany and i had a slumber party a couple of nights ago and she introduced me.
i.cannot.stop. 
like, i’ve never been so into a tv show in my entire life.
i’m going to have nightmares for weeks.
ky’s  f i n a l l y  home and ever so guiltfully sharing the addiction.
hook line and sinker after the first five minutes.
happy rainy and awesome saturday to us!