four hats and a cake.

Hats. That was the theme on my birthday this year, I received 4 of them and loved every single one. Each has a great story attached to it!
Hat #1:

My birthday celebration began on my birthday eve, Shane took me out for a fantastic birthday dinner. He would not tell me where we were going, or what we were doing, just to" dress up and bring a jacket" so...

7:12pm Shane arrives at my house. Picks me up and we are headed up Provo Canyon
7:36pm We are seated for a delicious dinner at the Sundance resort.
8:24pm We finish dinner and our waitress brings our check. Along with the check is a gift. a beautiful gift! She hands it to me and simply says, "happy birthday!" I look at Shane, who had this all planed out, I open the gift and there sits the cutest hat I have ever seen. Truly, an adorable beanie, right on top of an adorable scarf. the best part of all, he made it. Yes he made this hat. I tried it on, the waitress comments on how cute it is, I inform her that he made it and she was in disbelief! "I thought it was bought for sure" were her words. She is impressed. I am impressed, and CAN NOT stop smiling! How personal, how thoughtful. I love it!
9:37pm We are sitting on a ski lift for the moon lit lift ride. beautiful! The moon is huge, the view is the breath taking, the hat on my head is perfect, and I love it!





Hat #2:

7:52am I wake up on my actual birthday to Elvis singing me happy birthday, he has done it every year, my whole life, and it is so funny! (love you dad!)
8:23am Arrive at work. I am surrounded by all my co-workers singing to me at all different keys, it was awesome! Robyn, brings this amazing birthday hat that she has made and puts it on my head. It is fantastic!

Hat #3:

10:42am I look up from my desk to see my cute sister in law in front of my desk. She says, "I need to you to hold the door open so I can bring in your present, but you have to close your eyes!" I open my eyes to see the most fantastic birthday cake! It's huge, and has a flamingo on it! A flamingo! And feathers, and buttons! It was a happy cake! And her and my mama had also made me a birthday hat! I put it on, and I love it!















11:12am Kristi and I arrive at her salon to do my hair, (PS- love having a sister in law that doubles as a beautician!) We spend three hours on this project, having a great time! She rocks at what she does!













Hat #4:

5:52pm PF Changs is the restaurant of choice for birthday dinner. Those lettuce wraps rock my world.
6:16pm My bestest friend Amber Marie arrives. With hat in hand! Adorable hat, PINK, and perfect! I wear it through dinner. Chase is embarrassed.
6:55pm We finish dinner with a wonderful chocolate cake. Compliments of Toddy, Topped with berries and what Chase refers to as "gangster sauce" (no one knows what that means....) and a mini strawberry cheesecake with a candle, compliments of Changs.





























10:12pm The birthday comes to a close. It was a great day. full of happy hats. Fun hats. Great cake. Great Elvis, and wonderful people. I return to the hat in which it all began, and we cruised the canyon on longboards.

It was a very happy day!

22.

In six days I turn twenty two. When I was little, I remember thinking that twenty two was so old! But I have now come to the conclusion that twenty two is a completely pointless age. There are some birthdays that you cant wait for because they actually have great things that come along with them. Like when you're little and you cant wait to turn eight because that's when you get to be baptized and it's your special day. Then there is sixteen. You just cant wait to be sixteen. How fabulous are you now that you can drive and cruise main with your friends, and look super hot driving your mom's car? Next is eighteen. eighteen is great because that's the age that you can throw at your parents when they tell you that you cant do something. "I'm eighteen years old, you cant tell me what to do! I'm an adult!" And then they throw you a "when you live my house you will follow my rules" and you realize, hey- I can move out now! Next is twenty one. Twenty one rocks for obvious reason. Yes I can go to Vegas now and gamble and no one can say anything about it!! So then you go to Vegas with your I.D. in hand just begging for someone to card you- and not one single person does. bummer. But you're still of age so it rocks. But twenty two? Twenty two? Nothing rocks about twenty two. just the up hill battle of getting older. No more meaningful birthdays. No more looking forward to a fun age. Nope- just the sad realization that you are getting older and no one cares. I say boo to twenty two...
Amber and I in Vegas 3 months after my 21st birthday. Nope we were not asked to see our I.D.'s . Not even once.

hope.

A couple of weeks ago I read a story, a tragic story about a horrible plane crash. Since the day that I read that story I have not been able to get it out of my mind. I think about it constantly and the huge effect it has had on the family and the followers of those who have heard it. The story of a wonderful woman and her adorable husband that she simply refers to as Mr. Nielson. On August 16th Stephanie and Christian Nielson were flying by private plan from New Mexico to their home in Ariziona when the plane went down. The instructor that they were flying with passed away, but the Nielson survived. But they are not ok. 30% of Christians body was burned and 80% of Stephanie's body. The recovery that they face is huge. The medical bills are in the millions. Stephanie, also known as Nie-Nie started a blog in 2005 to keep in touch with her family here in Utah. Even before this accident she had a huge following on her blog. She writes about raising her 4 children and the blessing of being a mother. She writes about the love she has for her husband and you can hear the love in her words. When I read it I was brought to tears. You can see what a fun mom she was. She writes about seeing her girls twirling in the living room so she moved all the furniture out of the room, cranked the music and let them dance. She writes notes to her Mr. Nielson about how she misses him so much while he is away on business. She makes a back to school feast for her girls, with crown and decorated tables- followed by a fashion show of new school clothes. Their story was recently published in New York Times and has had an effect on so many people. Her sister lives here in Provo Utah and has taken in her four children. She also has a blog called c jane run where she writes about updates of the Nielson and the struggle of it all. Stephanie had a tradition every year on everyones birthday, she would have everyone attach a wish to a balloon and send it up to heaven. This has caught on. There has been people all over the WORLD that have attached well wishes for the Nielsons to a balloon and sent them to heaven.

This picture is just from the people in Utah. I don't know why I have been so pulled in to this story but it really has touched me. I check almost daily for updates and new posts on them. I feel like I know them and their family even though I don't. I pray for them and truly hope that they can recover. I'm not the only one who has been pulled in by this story. There have been so many people that write about what a huge affect Nie-Nie has had on them. The way her blog gave them a whole different view on parenting. How awesome it is that one person can touch so many people by living their life the way the should. And seeing so much good in life. This is their cute family just months before the accident. It is so neat to see the way that their family has come togther to help with their children and organize donations. There is nothing in this world as great at family. I with this family the very best. I hope they can recover quickly.
(If you would like to help the Nielson's you can make donations at www.nierecovery.com.)

reasons unknown.

I have always said that every thing in this life happens for a reason. And I have always believed it. It has always made sense to me that there is deeper meaning to our actions than just doing them. Maybe its a sixth sense. Maybe it's serendipity, of fate. Divine intervention. Whatever it is, I believe in it. I believe that it happens because it has. It does. I may not know it at the moment that it is happening, but there is always a time, even if its weeks down the road, that you look at a situation, and see the result for it happening. You can see the good that that one encounter, conversation, argument or run in has brought. It is the simple things in our life, like running into someone you have know most of your life after not seeing them for so long and having it be just what you needed at the time. There is a reason. Having them do a simple action or saying a simple phrase that brings you a tiny bit of peace that you need. There is a reason. Meeting a new person and feeling like you have known them forever. There is a reason. There really is. We may not know it now. we may not know for some time, but we always find out. And when we do. It's an ah-ha moment. When you can simply say, I knew that happened for a reason. I look so forward to those moments.....

8 Things....

Ok- So Sarah tagged me. Lets see how this turns out.....

8 Things I am passionate about...
-Wentworth Miller from Prison Break
-Honey balsamic chicken
-MAC #7 lashes
-Bubble baths
-Rocky Votolato
-Down comforters
-Perfectly roasted marshmallows
-Really long drives
8 Words or Phrases I say often...
- I know right?
-Yo Yo Yiggidy Yo (Juno anyone?)
-Mountain Land Design, this is Carlie....
-Oh my gosh good!
-Mayzie- come here.
-Hi friend!
-Doesn't Cafe Rio sound great?
-Oh man, Norman just slimmed me. Sick!
8 Things I want to do before I die...
-Finish getting skydive certified and jump solo
-Get married on a fabulous beach somewhere
-Live is Greece
-Have some adorable kid-o's
-Learn to speak another language, something hot like Italian....?
-Go scuba diving
-Learn how to eat right
-Learn to play an instrument
8 Things I pray for...
-Chase to win the lato
-To find a fantastic guy
-Gas prices to go down
-My mama
-Patience...
-Help in making the right choices
-My loved ones to be kept safe from harm
-My family
8 Things I have learned...
-People are willing to spend insane amounts of money on their kitchen
-I can make a pretty sweet birthday hat
-Little kids will do anything for a capri sun and a cookie
-Sometimes things not working out, works out for the better
-I really love craisins
-Happiness can be found in the smallest details
-There is never a reason to treat someone badly
-A hippo can open its mouth wide enough to fit a 4 ft tall child inside
8 people to tag...
-Emily Finch
-AmberMarie
-Aunt Mel
-Lori
-Jenn Jones
-Nikki Hanson/Davis
-My Aunt Kristen
-Abby Anderson (So she will update her blog:))

Thanks Sarah! This was fun!

26 Things...

So- I stole this from Emily's blog because I thought it was such a great idea! (Thanks Em!) It's Chase and Kristi's birthdays this month, just five days apart, Kristi will be 24, and Chase will be 26, so I thought I would give you 26 reasons they are so great......

1. They let me and my dog live with them! How generous:)

2. Kristi is a great cook, and makes dinner all the time.

3. They love their dogs even when Norman is slobbery and looks like this....
4. Chase is very generous and would give you his last dollar just to help.

5. You wont ever miss a UFC fight as long as you know them, they host a party every fight!

6. Kristi watches stupid TV shows with me every week.

7. Chase loves to have crazy facial hair.
8. They love their nieces and nephews, and always do fun things for them.

9. Kristi does fabulous hair, and always reminds me when I need my hair colored:)

10. Chase taught himself Spanish and uses it to order people cow tongues to eat without them knowing, and thinks that it's so funny.

11. Kristi taught me how to crochet and makes awesome hats, blankets and the cutest baby booties you have ever seen!

12. They are both very very funny, and have great comedic timing.

13. Kristi has beautiful eyes and FANTASTIC lashes!

14. Chase loves to spoil Kristi and always goes the extra mile to show her his love.

15. They are best friends and love to be together.

16. Kristi goes to all Chases softball games and cheers him on.

17. They always go on fun getaways and take time to enjoy life.

18. Chase is a great artist and can carve amazing things in trees.

19. They bring fun every where they go, if not with games, then with their personalities.

20. They will be great parents someday, if they would just have kids instead of dogs!

21. They have more friends than anyone I know.

22. They both have great style, Chase shops like a girl!

23. We are all sure Chase is half troll due to the amount of hair on his feet.

24. Kristi believes in dessert after every meal! Including breakfast.
25. Everyone hopes that one of them gets your name for Christmas, because they give you the BEST presents!

26. They are both really happy, really great people!!


I hope you both have a very, very happy birthday! I love you so much!! Thanks for being you!

Sunshine and Summer Time

When I think of seven peaks, I think of my high school summers. When me and my friends would pile in the red jeep with the top off and and spend the whole day just hanging out in the sun and the water, scooping out guys, and lathering on the tanning oil! Those were the days- when you didn't have to worry about anything but your tan and your sun bleached hair! We had some really great times at that place. A group of us were there on Tuesday and had so much fun! All the fun of the summer and the peaks came right back!


Tristen loved the lily pads! It was so funny to watch them all try to get across.



This is me on the free fall. My mom missed the picture the first time and made me go do it again! It was pretty funny.

This is what it's all about!!


Yay for sunshine and summer time!

3D Madness!

Entertaining Movie: Check.
Things flying at our face: Check.
Awesome pictures of us making funny faces: check.



My mom and I took Tristen to see 'Journey To The Center Of The Earth' in 3D. Not only was the movie awesome- but we got to keep these awesome glasses!

50 random facts.....

1. Rides up the canyon are my source of therapy.
2. I love rice crispy treats.
3. I have been shot in the head with a bb gun two different times.
4. I have had the same best friend since 4th grade.
5. I hate milk!
6. Never cooked til I started my current job, now I love to cook.
7. I have been sky diving 5 times and am getting skydive certified.
8. I currently love all things yellow.
9. I would move to Florida tomorrow if I thought I could live without my mama.
10. I still love to swing at the playground.
11. Autumn is my favorite time of year.
12. I have a secret wish to design wedding invitations for a living.
13. I strongly believe that my mom knows me better than anyone.
14. I LOVE lemonade. Strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, mango.......
15. I hate Chinese food.
16. I love Oprah. I change my TV at work over at 4 o'clock everyday to watch her!
17. I believe that you make time for the things you want to make time for.
18. I think "Planet Earth" is the best TV series ever created.
19. I love to read. I get obsessed, and wont put the book down til it's done.
20. I have had the nick name "Bug" since I was little. My dad and Chet still call me that.
21. I can't remember one day of my life that my toenails weren't painted. Seriously.
23. I will eat the dough, over the cookie, any day.
24. I have to make a daily, valiant effort to not speed while driving.
25. When I was little, I had the hairest arms you have ever seen.
26. I believe that good music can change a persons life.
27. I'm ok with being my dad's "baby girl" the rest of my life.
28. I can sing every song from "The Sound of Music".
29. I love to floss my teeth.
30. I think the new Willy Wonka with Johnny Depp is one of the best movies ever.
31. I will take caramel over chocolate, every time.
32. growing up, we slept on the tramp every night in the summer.
33. I truly believe a bubble bath can fix anything.
34. When I was little I wanted to be a rodeo queen when I grew up.
35. I have never been able to sleep if there is a full moon. (Werewolf?)
36. I was convinced that the clown from "IT" lived under my moms bed most of my childhood.
37. I believe that traditions are something that should never be broken.
38. I always feel like I'm doing something unnatural when I eat eggs. They kinda freak me out.
39. I believe in love at first sight.
40. I think mice, although creepy, are very cute.
41. I can quote "Finding Nemo" from start to finish. Great movie!
42. I wear false lashes daily.
43. I cant whistle without my fingers.
44. I have always wished my name was Charlie.
45. Not one single day goes by I don't think about Seth and Cassie.
46. I always sing in the shower!
47. My guilty pleasure is perezhilton.com I check it daily.
48. I believe that happiness is something to be made, not found.
49. I only wear shoes when I have to. I love to go barefoot.
50. I honestly believe, that everything in life, happens for a reason.

Summer Time!!

The best summer treat without a doubt has got to be the

ORANGE

BLAST

SMOOTHIE

from Nordstrom Cafe. If you have never had one, the time is now for you to try it! They are fresh, and fabulous! And their whipped cream will rock your world!

Worth The Trip

My grandpa Earl is so great. We stopped by and saw him this past weekend on our way home from Mesquite and I'm so glad we did. He is such a happy person, and makes me so happy every time I see him. He had had surgery just a week before and was doing great. Always such a trooper! I wish I could see more of him. It's hard when we live so far away, but when I do get to see him it's always so great. He is just the kind of person that always knows how to make me smile! I have always kinda been my grandpa's girl. And that has always been just fine with me! Love you Grandpa!

Nothin' But A Good Time...

POISON! Yes, Amber and I went to Poison! And it was fabulous!!! I don't think there is anything in this whole world than can give you the same amazing feeling, as live, loud rock n' roll! (I am my mothers child!) And this concert was no exception. It was kind of like we went back in time. We saw some sweet mullets, awesome perms ratted at least 6 inches off the head, lots of black leather jackets, pretty sure everyone there was a chain smoker, and I'm so glad all the fifty year old women didn't throw away their denim mini skirts from the 80's! Thank goodness for that! It really was so fun though, the music was great and the old guy in front of us head banging and singing every word to every song made the whole show! POISON!

This is him! The old guy! Amber looks high, but I promise she's not. I look like I have a lazy eye! I love it!
Now you can watch this sweet video clip, and pretend like you're there with us! Enjoy!

Strawberries, clowns, and scowls....

This past weekend was Strawberry Days! That of course meant that Amber and I had to put on out boots and hats, eat way to many cups of strawberries and cream, nochos, rodeo hamburgers and candy bars, and take ridiculous photos! All the things we rock at! It was a fun weekend!



That lady hated us! This was the first time all night that she moved her face, or showed any kind of emotion! (I wish I were kidding!)

California!

We had a fabulous time in California! I wished it would have been just a little warmer, but all in all it was a great time! Driving day one! Driving day two! (I love that they look exactly the same!) The melting pot! That dessert was amazing!
Notice how Chase and Chet aren't in this picutre? We asked some dude to take our picture and he get about three feet away and snapped it, cutting of the boys! HA It was kinda funny! Sea World!! We were in the "Soak Zone" and yes, it owned up to its name! I love sandy toes! Isn't this amazing! I took this while on the beach! But we had that exact same view from our condo balcony! It was fantastic! On our first night there, our condo wasn't ready yet so we stayed in a hotel. I had a room with my dad and Lori, while Chet, Chase and Kristi were in the room next to us. Now, I remember my dad snoring when I was little, but I never remembered it like this! I had been asleep for about 20 minutes when I suddenly hear the strangest sound I have ever heard! I hear it once, and thought "what was that?" Then again and again and again, and I realize, THAT IS COMING FROM MY DAD!! I tried to put a pillow over my head, didn't work. Told Lori to turn up the TV, didn't work. Try fingers in ears, while humming, with pillow over my head, still didn't work. Yes, it was that loud! So I call Chet, tell him to move over cause I'm coming to sleep in his bed! So, I get to their room and I'm explaining how insanely loud his snoring is. We lough about it and go to bed. It wasn't until the next night in our condo that we were in the living room and my dad had already gone to bed, his door shut that they hear it. Yeah- through the wall, that they finally got it! It was crazy, so needless to say- we had to get it on camera! Lori- don't you dare tell him, or show him that this is on here, he would kill me! Sorry dad! But, you have to hear it to believe it!

Old friends- Good reminders

When I first moved out I met a very amazing person. My first roommate I ever had, she was from Alaska and was here for some personal healing. Today I stumbled onto her blog threw someone elses and I was so touched to read what she had chosen to base her blog on. When we lived together, I was able to take the discussions with her and be there when she was baptised into our church. She was so excited. She was a great influence to me. She really helped me to become a better person. And as i read her blog today I was able to see what a great testimony she has gained. It is amazing to me, to see what a huge influence our church and beliefs can make in a persons life, and I am so grateful that I was able to be apart of that. To be able to witness someones life change for the better. It was a huge faith builder for me when the missionaries showed up on our door that day, because we had just been talking about them the day before. Whitney, if you ever read this, I hope you know how grateful I am to have been apart of that huge amazing change in your life. You a strong, beautiful person, and I know that you can over come that personal struggle that you fight. I'm so proud to call you my friend! Love You!

Mayzie Mae!

So- I just realized that I never really talk about my cute little puppy on here! And I'm not really sure why- She is my favorite living thing in the whole world! She is always happy to see me, sad to see me go, hates me when I give her bathes, wakes me up every morning with a kiss on the nose, and dances for treats! I love her!

And she still is, and always will be cuter than all of your dogs! He He!

Beaches, pools and sand in my toes!

Ever since I was a little girl I have had this deep love for swimming suits. Some girls loves shoes, some girls love sweaters, some have an obsession for jeans. Mine is swimwear. I don't know what it is that draws me to it. I think that it started when I was young because swimming suits meant summer- which meant hot, fabulous days in my second home mesquite! Where that's what you wear all day because it's to hot for clothes! Any time I walk into a store the first place i look without even knowing that it's happening is the wall of swimming suits. I have a whole drawer in my dresser that is full of them. Yet i can get enough! They symbolize so much. The lake, the tanning, the warmth, the beach, the sand, the water. In 13 days (but who's counting:)) we are headed to San Diego- which i cant wait for! So of course I thought I need a new swimsuit. I went to Victoria's Secret and they are having a huge sale! I kept putting suits in my "shopping bag" as they call it thinking I could filter out the ones I decide I didn't want. Well- I bought five. Yes, five! Five new swimming suits. And it felt great! You know when you see a good deal so you feel like you need to take advantage (Lori- those 8 pair of shoes!)That is what happened. I just kept thinking "Oh, what a great deal! Add it to the bag!" It is a happy day for me when I can lay in the sand on a fabulous beach with a fruity cold something in my hand, some sweet sunglasses on my face, great company next to me, and a hot new swimsuit! Nothing better! Yay for summer!

The Birthday Hat!

My boss is the kinda guy that always goes the extra mile to make things fun and funny. So on his birthday on Tuesday I just had to make him a hat to wear all day long for a little humor! And him being the radical guy he is, did wear it all day! It was great!

That little sign says "Happy Birthday to ME" It turned out to be a really funny day!