A.E.Jones

New blog

2011-11-09T21:21:00.001-07:00

Looking for my new blog? Check it out here: Between West and Main.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway! It ends November 30. I'm going to stop posting on this blog, so this should be one of the last reminders to head on over to the new blog. Don't want to lose you readers! Thanks!

New post

2011-11-01T22:47:00.000-06:00

Hey lovelies... new post on my new blog! Check it out! And don't forget to enter my giveaway!

Don't forget...

2011-10-30T21:29:00.001-06:00

Hey everyone! Happy Halloween!

Just a reminder to move over to my new blog, Between West and Main. I'm doing a giveaway for the new Mindy Gledhill Christmas album... go check it out!

New blog!

2011-10-25T20:44:00.001-06:00

I've mentioned it a few times now, but I promise it's real! Now you can check it out... my new blog!

Between West and Main

I've got a "launch party" going on at the new blog... enter to win some fabulous prizes! Click on the first picture you see (girl playing the horn) and you'll find more info there. Don't forget to change your feed and start following Between West and Main!

A few laughs for the weekend

2011-10-21T01:34:00.000-06:00

Here are a few laughs to enjoy over the weekend...

Source: 9gag.com via megan on Pinterest

This just made me crack up... when I was 15, I totally fell for those emails.

Source: nudelipsbighips.tumblr.com via Ashley @ Between West and Main on Pinterest

Guilty.

Source: weheartit.com via Becky on Pinterest

Source: imgfave.com via Becky on Pinterest

Okay, where do you rank yourself with this? I'm not sure I'm this bad, but... yes, if I lost my phone, I'd be dead.

Um... October?

2011-10-21T01:18:00.000-06:00

So, the whole blog launching thing is taking me a bit longer than expected. My apologies. I'm switching over to Wordpress and there was a bit of a learning curve. I think I'm almost there. I'm hoping to have a "launch party" next week. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, can we talk about where October has gone? It is already October 21! Oh my goodness, you guys! We're almost to Halloween... which means we're almost to Thanksgiving... and then it's Christmas time... and then the new year. Okay. Stop, Ash. I'm just taking one step at a time and am looking forward, first and foremost, to this weekend. Why? No reason. Just a chill weekend with The Boy, catching up on stuff around the house, doing some reading for work, grabbing some dinner with my parents, you know, the norm. Basically, I'm enjoying the journey. And I'm happy doing it.

What are you doing this weekend?

Under construction

2011-10-13T21:15:00.001-06:00

Please excuse the lack of posting... I'm trying to put a few final touches on my new blog and it is taking most of my "blog time."

In the meantime,

Source: kenzibeans.tumblr.com via Ashley @ Organized Stress on Pinterest

Look Mom! I'm on CJane!

2011-10-03T13:22:00.000-06:00

I'm on C Jane today! Scroll down to the picture where she talks about meeting with the people at Deseret Book... I put that meeting together...and she came! I got to meet all of these bloggers:

www.trying2staycalm.com
www.blog.cjane.com
www.shannonmakesstuff.blogspot.com
www.theredheadedhostess.com
www.lechateaudesfleurs.blogspot.com
www.wellbehavedmormonwoman.blogspot.com
www.beinglds.blogspot.com
www.chocolateonmycranium.blogspot.com
www.jenn-lee.blogspot.com
www.Iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com

We discussed our purposes in blogging and some other pretty great things. (More info on "other pretty great things" to come.) I walked away from that meeting feeling so inspired and motivated to go out and do good. Part of that inspiration was a makeover on my blog. I'm in the process (or rather a good friend's husband is in the process of helping me) of creating a new blog. New name, new design, everything. (Shhh...don't tell Blogger, but I'm even moving to WordPress!) Don't worry, I'll make sure you have links to the new blog when it is up and running. I'm really excited!

Reminder for [me] you

2011-09-29T07:36:00.000-06:00

I was talking with a good friend last night about making tough decisions. Don't you love those? Ya, me too. (Or maybe not so much.) I feel like I'm pretty good at making a decision and sticking with it, however, when it comes to really big decisions, I don't want to mess up.

Her advice to me was, "Take it to Conference." (Kind of reminds me of that line from You've Got Mail when Tom Hanks tells Meg Ryan to take her decision "to the mattresses." Also a line from the Godfather, which I've never seen. I digress.)

Lightbulb. Why didn't I think of that? I wanted to share the wisdom with the rest of you and say, if you're struggling with something or seeking answers to questions, start preparing now to listen to our Prophet and the other Brethren and have faith that their words will be an answer to your questions. I know that happens and I know there will be something for you...and me.

President Uchtdorf teaches that “there are messages in each general conference given as a gift and a blessing from heaven specifically for our personal life situations.” Read more of his words on preparing for Conference here.

The Dirty Dash

2011-09-26T14:18:00.001-06:00

Guess what I did this weekend?

The Boy, his sisters, and I ran a 10K in the mud! Have I ever had this much fun getting down and dirty? Nope! The real name for this event is "The Dirty Dash." It's a 5/10K run with obstacle courses throughout the run, and all of the obstacle courses are in the mud. We climbed bails of hay, climbed walls, ran through mud pits, ran through a swamp, climbed through huge muddy pipes, did the tire run, waded in waist-high water and climbed over and under pipes... and slid down a huge blow-up slide. I had mud in every imaginable place, including my teeth, and couldn't have been happier.

Before the run... look how clean we are! Team Bree-Z! (Bree, second from the right, is going on a mission in a couple of weeks so we ran the 10K in her honor.)

After the run... we were so, SO dirty! And yes, we smelled.

I do believe this will become a yearly tradition for me. I haven't laughed this hard in a very, very long time. And yes, the $4 hot shower was worth it... slightly awkward, but worth it.

Just a couple hours after the run, I was showered (best shower of my life) and with my mom and sister for the General Relief Society Meeting. I may or may not have been picking up from my nails throughout the meeting. Gross.

Elaine Dalton

2011-09-23T14:07:00.001-06:00

I've had the pleasure of working with Sister Elaine Dalton for the past few weeks while she promotes her new book, A Return to Virtue. These are my impressions of her after getting to spend time with her.

Read the rest of my article here.

I'm guest posting today...

2011-09-20T07:26:00.003-06:00

Check out my post over at The Readheaded Hostess! I get to participate in this awesome blog hop to celebrate The Family: A Proclamation to the World.

Celebrating the Family

2011-09-19T17:11:00.000-06:00

Shannon over at The Redheaded Hostess contacted me a couple of weeks ago and asked if I'd be interested in participating in a blog hop to celebrate families. [Can we do a little celebratory dance together? This is my first blog hop, and, who wouldn't want to celebrate families?]

My post will go up tomorrow - I'll be sure to link to it tomorrow so you can read my thoughts on the following paragraph from The Family: A Proclamation to the World:

"By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed."

Reasons

2011-09-17T13:48:00.000-06:00

Really great excuses for not blogging:

1. Work is keeping me insanely busy... lots to read after hours. (Not complaining.)
2. The Boy. (Deeeeefinitely not complaining.)
3. Life. (Okay, I'll complain a little bit about a dirty house, laundry pile, and a sink that is clogged.)

Here's to prioritizing. Sorry Blog, you've been beaten out by a clogged sink.

Is that vintage?

2011-09-09T15:30:00.001-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, I purchased this necklace:

There's a story with this necklace. Curious?

Last night I stopped at Whole Foods after work to grab a couple of things for dinner with Boy. The female employee at the cash register said, "I really like your necklace. Is it vintage?"

I smiled and had to bite my tongue a little to keep from laughing. The first thing that popped into my head when she said that was "Harvard Sailing Team + Hipster." I thanked her sincerely and said, "No. I just bought it at the mall a couple weeks ago."

If you haven't see this Harvard Sailing Team episode, watch it now. I hope you chuckle like I did when you hit minute 2:50.(I suggest watching the whole clip, but for the sake of Grandma's fashion and vintage necklaces, definitely watch through 2:47.)

Big sigh

2011-09-02T16:25:00.001-06:00

I have a couple of (very sigh-worthy) things here for you to enjoy over the long weekend:

Source: justbesplendid.tumblr.com via Katherine Rushforth on Pinterest

Source: piccsy.com via Tracie on Pinterest

Source: wanderlustnix.tumblr.com via Ashley @ Organized Stress on Pinterest

Source: bhldn.com via Sandy on Pinterest

Cinnamon Ink

2011-09-01T21:23:00.001-06:00

Okay - have you heard of Cinnamon Ink? Well, now you have. It's a darling blog and the author, Kate, is celebrating the one year anniversary of her Etsy shop by giving away one of her darling prints. Go enter!

The Satorialtwist

2011-09-01T09:22:00.000-06:00

No, I didn't spell the title incorrectly. It really is "The Satorialtwist. I'm sure you've all seen the regular Satorialist website, but this little twist of a website makes me laugh. Here are some examples:

Fall fashion

2011-08-25T09:54:00.001-06:00

I haven't quite had my fill of summer, but I am getting excited for this:

Source: polyvore.com via Ashley @ Organized Stress on Pinterest

Classy layers...

Source: polyvore.com via Ashley @ Organized Stress on Pinterest

Beautiful peacoats...

Source: polyvore.com via Ashley @ Organized Stress on Pinterest

SCARVES!

Source: polyvore.com via Ashley @ Organized Stress on Pinterest

BOOTS!

Dinner last night

2011-08-23T09:07:00.001-06:00

Last night, the Boy and I went to Whole Foods together after work and picked up the fixings for this:

Source: souvlakiforthesoul.com via Noa on Pinterest

Caprese salad, which falls in my top two favorite meals. Main ingredients: tomatoes, fresh mozzerella cheese, fresh basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of salt. We grabbed a loaf of delicious bread and enjoyed every bite of the meal.

Here's to good food and good company.

Friday lovin...

2011-08-19T11:05:00.000-06:00

A few favorites for you...

Sam's TJ Maxx recommendation... I went. I conquered. Oh ya.

Can I please discover the gender of my future babies the way Joanna posted here? Then can I buy one of these from Elle?

Have you heard of Kid History? If not, watch one of the episodes from Katelin. They're hilarious.

Don't you wish everyone had one of these: The magic "Make Everything OK" button

Can I please live what Sarah just went through? Please?

I'm incredibly excited to try this. Thanks Kayla!

Strawberry salsa and a bookshelf

2011-08-17T23:31:00.000-06:00

Hi!

Guess what I did two weekends ago? (Yes, this post is a bit late, but I've been busy at work and I'm catching up on blogging.)

1. Spent four hours at the local farmers market...without my phone... and with a boy. (Yep.) Fresh cherries and raspberries, and strawberry and mango salsa accompanied us home. (The cherries and raspberries didn't make it far though.) Have you ever tried strawberry salsa? De-lish.

2. The boy and I went back to my house and we put together my new Ikea bookshelf. (Read: HE put together my new Ikea bookshelf. I watched and handed him the tools.) I finally have a bookshelf...and she's beautiful. She fits perfectly in my room. I had a hard time deciding between the black and creamy white - but I ended up going for the creamy white. My room is a light taupe color and I have a ton of black pictures frames to hang up, so I wanted to keep things light. (Pictures to come.)

With all the books on my shelf, I wanted to spice things up a little... I found this idea on Pinterest:

Source: assets4.designsponge.com via Kristy on Pinterest

See those two bookends? They're bricks...covered in fabric or paper, I can't tell. Isn't that great? The fabric here isn't my favorite, but I love the idea. I think I'd like to try this and see what kind of spice it adds to my room.

Girl gift

2011-08-16T07:37:00.000-06:00

Need an idea for a bridal shower gift? I saw this on Pinterest and decided to do it. I got on Amazon and ordered Scrabble letters for less than it cost to ship them. Grabbed a $5 frame from Ikea and glued the letters on. I've done this for a couple friends and they turned out pretty cute! I know I'd love to get this as a gift, so hopefully they liked it.

Grandma

2011-08-11T22:34:00.002-06:00

The grandma I knew best passed away a little over three years ago. I was on my mission in Germany when I read my mom's email telling me my grandma had passed away - while resting in her rocking chair. Perfect way to go, right? She deserved a peaceful passing like that. She was, and still is, incredible. Saying I miss her is an understatement.

All three years of high school I took darkroom photography classes. I ate that stuff up. My senior year, I was going through some of my grandma's stuff with my grandma and my mom and we came across a roll of film that had never been developed. WHA?! So, with my life in my hands, I took that roll of film to school and carefully developed it. My friend recently referred to this story as a real "time capsule." Seriously. I couldn't believe the pictures I had and the stories we discovered because of them. This is one of the pictures we got from the film - my grandma, Eleanor. Isn't she fabulous? She now occupies space on my dresser so I can remember to try and be as fabulous as she is/was.

And if you notice that gold heart locket to the left of that picture, that belonged to her. It has her initials carved into the gold. Love that little memento of hers.

A little surprise inside...

2011-08-10T22:22:00.000-06:00

I finally did it!

A cigar box? No...

Surprise! An earring holder!

Welcome to the top of my dresser... See those old-school glass herb bottles? Yep. They're holding my earrings that I can't hook on the green velvet. They fit perfectly in the box, but for cuteness purposes, we ("we" meaning me, myself and I) displayed them so. (P.S. recognize that greenish-blue frame in the background?!)

(P.P.S. Seriously, who would want a fatty cigar hangin' out of their mouth? NAST. They do make great boxes though. Gotta love that green velvet.)

Nerd

2011-08-09T09:26:00.000-06:00

Okay, I'm a nerd. But these are just way too funny to not share with all of you.

Source: canv.as via Brent on Pinterest

Ba ha ha ha ha...

Source: thenextweb.tumblr.com via Tom on Pinterest

Get it?

Source: bowerbirdbeau.blogspot.com via Trine on Pinterest

I'm on the computer too much.

Source: svpply.com via Olivia on Pinterest

This is just cool. Wouldn't it look great in a reading room or office?

Source: google.com via Tammy on Pinterest

I know this last one doesn't really match the others... but no one ever minded a little nerd love, right?

Like I said...I'm a nerd.

Braid tutorial

2011-08-08T13:49:00.000-06:00

Anyone else been wondering how to do this cute braid I keep seeing everywhere? Thank you, Pinterest.

Source: hairromance.com via catrrrtee on Pinterest

Fail...

2011-08-07T18:30:00.001-06:00

So, remember when I told you I was going to try making these:

Source: moredesignplease.com via catrrrtee on Pinterest

Yes, well, I tried ("tried" being the key word). It was an eeeeepic fail. What's with the balloon not popping? It was dried to the glue...lame. Maybe I wasn't using the right glue. Wish I would have found this diagram sooner. Ha.

On a lighter note, thanks to the last few of you for following me and helping my OCD-ness a bit. Love that you read me!

Old Book, New Look

2011-08-03T12:23:00.010-06:00

I love her. I love this. Aren't these beautiful ideas? And I love the song, too.

See more of Lisa Occhipinti's lovely work here.

P.S. I'm just two followers away from "200." Can you help me with my OCD tendencies and make it an even 200? Thanks. xoxo

Pill - O

2011-08-02T18:48:00.000-06:00

Have I mentioned I'm moving this week?

Yep.

I am.

A cute room in a little red brick house has my name on it. I'm slowly gathering my things (throwing out a lot of stuff...I didn't realize I had so much stuff) and trying to stay organized while making the move. Through the process of organizing and packing, however, I've had to call down the powers of heaven and exert all effort in keeping myself from thinking I "need" to go to IKEA to buy "supplies." I don't need more stuff. But seeing my inner-dilemma, my sweet mama gave me three huge pillows she isn't using anymore. Holla! So guess what I get to do? Make covers for them!

Here's what I'm thinking:

Source: inkblotsandpolkadots.blogspot.com via Victoria on Pinterest

Kristin has some fabulous ideas and tutorials.

Source: loveoffamilyandhome.blogspot.com via Katelyn on Pinterest

Or maybe this one...

Source: thriftyandchic.com via Sharenda on Pinterest

If I can figure this tuck one out, I think it will definitely win one of the three positions...

Source: comeonilene.com via Abby on Pinterest

This idea caught my eye, but then I thought twice. Might be a little too narcissistic for a single girl sleeping in a lumpy twin sized bed. I'll revisit the idea once I'm attached to a man.

Cowmen

2011-07-29T11:59:00.000-06:00

I went to the Days of '47 Rodeo with my family on Monday.

Two thoughts:

1. I don't think they're cowboys...they're cowmen.

2. Why in the world are they so attractive?

Hey Blondie...

2011-07-28T21:18:00.000-06:00

Work is all-consuming right now, but the hunger pains were too great to avoid lunch today. I ran outside, sped-walked across the street while passing a homeless man standing on the side of the street with his "poor and hungry" sign.

"Hey Blondie! What's the hurry?!"

The look on my face must have been hilarious because he looked at me and gave me a huge, toothless grin.

Needless to say, I slowed my gait a little on the way to food.

Which glue today?

2011-07-28T01:36:00.002-06:00

I'm really curious to know how much time this person had on their hands when they thought of making this diagram...

And on a less sarcastic note, don't you wish we had diagrams like this for more things in life? It would make life so much easier.

Source: designsponge.com via Kokomajojo on Pinterest

Summer nights

2011-07-27T22:50:00.000-06:00

I love summer nights because...

I get to hang out with my beautiful little sister

I get to make smooooooores in our backyard

I get to take pictures of my nephew demonstrating the "proper" way to eat a smore

I get to take pictures of my darling mama. Isn't she cute?

I get to play night games in my PJs

I get to dance with my nieces and nephews then fall on the grass to look at the stars

Awkward and Awesome

2011-07-26T14:25:00.001-06:00

So, let's start with the awkward and get that out of the way, because it's pretty awkward. I feel awkward just thinking about it.

I'm at Walmart (first mistake) on Saturday printing off pictures to frame for my new room. (I'll show you as soon as I have them hung.) I've just waited almost an hour for my "instant" prints, because they failed to put "broken" signs on two of the machines. Then I get to the checkout stand and this nice, old lady gives me an awkward smile. I say hello and ask her how she's doing. She says okay. Oh. I tried to talk to her a bit, but I didn't get anything back. Then a girl about my age comes up and puts her stuff on the conveyer belt - the checkout lady shot a major glare at this girl, and the girl asked, "Oh, I'm sorry. Are you not open?" The older woman replied, "Well, I've been waiting about an hour to go to the bathroom. I'm old, and I have diharrea and gas. Sorry. Sometimes you just can't hold it, so I have to go now." Exact. Words.

*Insert cricket chirp here...*

The other girl and I looked at each other, I smiled at the checkout lady, took my bag and said, "Have a nice day!"

Awkward.

On a much happier note, guess where I went on Saturday night? I was supposed to be in Los Angeles with some friends this weekend, but some stuff came up at work and I really didn't want to miss two days of work. So, a friend called me and asked if I would join him at the Deer Valley Music Festival. I was sold. But it gets better. Then he told me who was performing: Chris Botti. Holla! If you know me well, you'll know that I have more jazz music in my iTunes playlists than any other music. I. Love. Jazz. And Chris Botti happens to be one of my favorite trumpet players, after Louis Armstrong, naturally. We drove up there and as soon as we were out of the car, I melted. The scenery is breathtaking; everything is nestled in the mountains by Park City. We had incredible seats that demanded we walk by the stage...where Chris Botti was standing. I may or may not have an itty-bitty crush on Chris Botti. He kind of looks like Sting, if you need a comparison. (Oddly enough, Chris Botti was the opening band for Sting's tour a few years ago when Chris was trying to launch his career.) Anyway, let's just say that one minute all I wanted to do was get up and dance, and the next minute I was paralyzed with how gorgeous the music was. There's something about seeing/ hearing jazz performed live - it's unlike anything. Next stop, Blue Note Jazz Club in NYC.
Incredibly awesome.

Mouth watering olive oil...

2011-07-20T22:32:00.001-06:00

I love olive oil. When I was in Italy, one of the few souvenirs I brought back from Tuscany was a bottle of truffles (a type of mushroom...de-licious) and a bottle of some of the best olive oil I've ever tasted. I think that's when my love affair started. The smell. The taste. The color. Mmmmm.

So, a couple of weeks ago, I went to the Farmers Market downtown and fell in love. There was an amazing booth called Mountain Town Olive Oil Co. They have a store at the Gateway mall as well, so on a girls night out with my sisters and mom, guess where we went? The olive oil store. (That's what I call it now.) We walked in and I felt like I walked through a secret portal to Tuscany. Ahhhh! It was heaven. One of the employees swept me off my feet by introducing me to all of their different flavors of olive oils and balsamic vinegars. She kept giving me little sample cups to try - can one get drunk off olive oil and balsamic vinegar?

Here are some of the samples she had me try:

1. Tuscan Herb Olive Oil + Sicilian Lemon Balsamic (great over grilled shrimp and pasta)

2. Chipotle Olive Oil + Black Cherry Balsamic (great for ribs or steak)

3. Blood Orange Olive Oil + Chocolate Balsamic (divine over salads or desserts... sounds weird but I triple dog dare you to try it. You'll love it.)

But the winner for me was:

Persian Lime Olive Oil + Pomegranate Balsamic (brings the taste of a salad to a whole new level.)

So, the next time you're in SLC and want something unique to do, go check out the Olive Oil store. You won't regret it.

Talk about hindsight

2011-07-18T11:36:00.001-06:00

As a publicist for a publishing company, my job entails a bit of everything. One role I play is liason between an author and an entity requesting something from the author, whether it's an interview, an article or a book. One of the authors I work with is Kris Belcher. LDS Living Magazine asked if Kris would write an article for them on the topic of finding humor in life, despite hard times. Kris was the perfect one for the job. The first time I read her article I about wet my pants I was laughing so hard.

Read the first part: (Note: Kris Belcher is blind.)

After an hour, we finally arrived at our family reunion in a canyon near Salt Lake City, and I had one thing on my mind. I had to find the restroom.

Before we joined my husband’s family members around the campfire, we detoured into the cabin. I opened the bathroom door, then closed and locked it. I leaned my cane in the corner and got all ready to sit on the toilet. You know how you do. However, as I was sitting down, I reached out my hand to find the toilet and felt instead . . . a head of hair! Needless to say, I yanked up my pants extremely quickly.

Noting the altitude of the head, I deduced that it was a young head, which was probably a bit disturbed by what had flashed before its eyes. Talk about hindsight.

Trying to reassure my new friend, I inquired, “Was that scary?”

“Uh-huh.”

It spoke! The head could speak! Why it hadn’t found its voice earlier, I’m not sure, but I was glad to hear it nonetheless. After apologizing, I left my bathroom buddy and walked out to the group—shaking my head in disbelief. When they saw me approach, the family asked me what was wrong.

"I’ll pay for therapy,” I said. “Some little girl in the bathroom is going to need it.”

Since I lost my vision in 2003, there have been scores of situations that could have driven me underneath my bed in complete humiliation; however, I have chosen to remain upright and to simply laugh. Of course, not all my experiences have been funny. In fact, when I was diagnosed with cancer and was told that my only functioning eye would have to be removed, I never thought I would laugh again.

Read the rest here.

Don't hesitate...

2011-07-14T14:42:00.000-06:00

Want to hear my current favorite quote?

"Until one is committed there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative, there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits onself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never have otherwise occurred. A whole stream of events issue from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way." -W.H. Murray, quoted by Elder Maxwell

I tested this quote. It really does work. The last few months of my life haven't been the prettiest or easiest. I'll spare the details - but just know, despite the regular and seemingly uplifting blog posts, life is hard here, too. (Isn't it nice to know we're not alone in this?) I was weaving back and forth with thoughts of a job change, moving to a new house, moving to a new state (or country), changing my name and dying my hair... you know, all of the above. And then I read this quote. It was kind of a swift kick to the bum. How much was I doing on my part to move things forward in my life? I was stuck; dwelling on certain things from my past that were hard for me to leave behind. And then some things started to change when I looked at a house in a darling, old area of Salt Lake City called Sugar House. It's a red-brick bungalow, and I'm moving in the first week of August. Change. Progression. Until this point, I was hesitant to do anything. I drew back from everything. But then, I committed myself to go and look at this house and that's when Providence moved, too.

A whole stream of events have issued from this decision, raising in my favor "all manner of unforeseen incidents and material assistance, which [I] couldn't have dream would have come [my] way." New house. Huge new opportunities and challenges at work. New friends. New outlook.

So, try it out. I bet you're curious to see what happens.

Worst thing to shop for...

2011-07-12T09:34:00.000-06:00

Ladies, what is the one thing you least like shopping for?

A. Jeans
B. Swimsuits
C. Feminine products
D. Bras
E. Shoes

Women in Business

2011-07-11T09:08:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Freckles in April for posting about this conference - I'm incredibly excited about it and definitely plan on attending. Kayla actually knows the woman who is the brains behind this conference, Kristy Williams. She sounds amazing. You can read her story here.

A little bit about Kristy entails taking "a sabbatical from Wall Street to pursue a different dream in order to help others live theirs. In the midst of this, [she] learned that women in the U.S. may be placated, even pampered, but because [they] aren't dreaming, [they] are also desperate and depressed. Drawing on a variety of sources, ranging from academic studies to pop culture, dare to dream encourages us to dream. And then to act on our dreams."

Camera Bag

2011-07-07T21:48:00.005-06:00

I am LOVING these camera bags by Jo Totes! A new favorite blog, Sew.Craft.Create. is doing a giveaway for one of these camera bags. Slightly jealous of the lucky lady who wins this...if I don't. (Yes, I now follow them on Twitter...I tweeted about them...I'm blogging about them...I liked them on Facebook and posted on their Facebook wall...obsessed much, AE Jones?)

Food Girl

2011-07-07T11:59:00.000-06:00

One day at work, I brought leftover curry (probably my favorite spice/ type of food to eat) for lunch. I was microwaving it and the smell started to circulate through the break room. Two guys were in the breakroom as well and they commented on my curry smelling pretty good. (Pretty good? No. Dang good is more like it.) We introduced ourselves because we'd never seen each other before...then I said goodbye.

The next day, I saw one of the guys in the elevator and he looked at me and was trying to remember my name and how he knew me. I promptly responded: "Curry girl." He laughed and said, "Yes! That's right." I'm now known, in that very small social circle, as Curry girl.

Last week I went to California Pizza Kitchen with some friends and brought leftovers back to the office. Our office supplies guy was standing in the lobby and I offered him a piece of my leftover pizza. He took it, then I said, "You want the whole box?! Here...take the whole box."

I'm now known, in that small social circle, as Pizza girl.

What's next?

Diner en Blanc

2011-07-06T16:17:00.001-06:00

If I were to tell you there's a really cool story behind this picture, would you be intrigued?

Well... there's a fabulous story behind this scene. My darling and oh-so-classy friend has the explanation here.

Free because of the brave...

2011-07-04T09:07:00.000-06:00

We're the land of the free, because of the brave. Happy 4th of July everyone! Hope you:

1. Eat lots of shishkabobs, watermelon and otterpops
2. Come away smelling a tinge of firework smoke in your hair
3. Have a kiss of sun on your nose and cheeks
4. Go the whole day without shoes
5. Think about the freedoms you enjoy
6. Smile a lot and tell your friends and family you love them

Source: marthastewart.com via Michelle on Pinterest

For my pregnant friends...

2011-07-01T09:54:00.001-06:00

This is for all of my beautiful pregnant friends...and those who hope to be pregnant soon. The ultimate "before" and "after" picture.

Source: 1.bp.blogspot.com via Kristy on Pinterest

Hope?

2011-06-29T16:46:00.000-06:00

What do you hope for?

Runaway TP

2011-06-29T10:17:00.000-06:00

I saw this on Pinterest and just started laughing. This is me. Mouth wide open...hollering...trailing toilet paper as I run! [Insert Tarzan holler here.]

Source: weheartit.com via akeena on Pinterest

Hello, Mormon!

2011-06-27T11:39:00.001-06:00

Hey! Guess what? I'm a Mormon! What is a Mormon?

Well, for starters, not this:

Big Love [HBO television series...umm, have you ever watched this? I haven't.]

The Witness [Harrison Ford lives with Amish people and ends up falling in love with one. We're not Amish. We have electricity and phones.]

or this: Children of the Corn. [Really? Children of the Corn? We like to keep canned corn in our food storage, but really?]

[Thanks for asking though.]

Here is a little clarification for the questions that are out there on who and what "Mormons" are:

1. Mormons belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We call ourselves "members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." "Mormon" has become somewhat of a nickname or catch phrase to identify members of the Church.

2. We do not practice polygamy - men are married to only one woman. There is confusion with the reports you hear of the Texas polygamists, which is understandable. The Texas polygamists (and any other polygamists) are their own faith - they have no connection to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 1998, President Gordon B. Hinckley, former prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, made the following statement about the Church's position on plural marriage: "This Church has nothing whatever to do with those practicing polygamy."

3. Not sure where this got started, but members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do not have horns. (Unless you look at my little sister when she gets mad... ha ha ha...jk.)

4. We are not any type of clan. We are a religion. We are Christians.

5. So, what do we believe?

Jesus Christ
Our beliefs are centered on Jesus Christ and his teachings. Our understanding of him and his teachings, leads us to try to live more closely to the way Jesus Christ taught.

Because members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe in Jesus Christ, they have strong families. Because they believe in Jesus Christ, members are hard working and successful because they believe in an honest and hard days work. Because they believe in Jesus Christ, they help people through humanitarian efforts.

Word of Wisdom
We do not drink alcohol or coffee. I have no problem being around people who drink alcohol or coffee, as long as they drink responsibly (out of safety and courtesy for everyone around them). I am not forced to not drink alcohol - I have chosen not to drink alcohol or coffee. We do eat meat and sugar. We try our best to eat healthily as to take care of our bodies and not get sick - just like anyone else would.

Bible
You may wonder if we believe in the Bible. Absolutely. We believe the Bible to be the word of God, as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. It is another testament of Jesus Christ (see below). We read them both; we study them and live by the principles taught by Christ and his apostles in both books. I know that both of these books are true - they testify that Jesus Christ was and is.

The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. It is also a record of God's dealings with the people who lived in the ancient Americas. Prophets of the Lord engraved the original records on gold plates. On September 22, 1827, an angel named Moroni—the last Book of Mormon prophet (also the gold statue seen atop almost all LDS temples) -delivered these records to the Prophet Joseph Smith. By the power of God, the Prophet Joseph translated the record into English.

Proposition 8
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been in the media a lot lately because of its stance on gay and lesbian marriages. This is a tender subject for many, and it deserves respect when being spoken of. If you have questions about the Church's stance on gay and lesbian marriages, and why the Church has taken such an active role in this subject, I would refer you to the Church's web site.

The Huffington Post put out a great little quiz to see how much people know about Mormons. Take it here if you're up to the challenge! If you have more questions about Mormon's and their beliefs, shoot me a comment and I would love to talk more about it. Or, visit this web site for more information.

Smeagol vs. Princess

2011-06-24T12:02:00.000-06:00

You may remember a hilarious commentary on iPods that I posted from my sister's blog last year. Well, at the time, she was serving a mission in Russia. Times change, and she is now HOME. Guess what that means for you and me? More hilarious blog posts. Visit her blog for some awesome laughs, but in the meantime, here's a sample post from her blog:

My nephew, Jarret, plays a little game with my brother, Trevor (whom I affectionately call T-rev), in which they quiz each other on which animal could beat the other, eg:

Jarret: "Hey, Dad, who do you think would win in a race? A killer whale or a T-Rex?"
T-rev: "Gotta be a T-Rex with those huge legs. Who do you think would win between a jack rabbit and an ostrich?"
Jarret: "Daaaaad. An ostrich, of course."

Thus, I pose this question to you based on this picture I stumbled upon. Who would win in a fight: Smeagol or Princess?
Comment and let me know.
*I apologize. I..........................couldn't help myself when I saw this picture.

Modern Family

2011-06-23T12:30:00.001-06:00

My little sister introduced me to Modern Family. I may or may not really enjoy watching the show. Who's my favorite? Hmmm. It's a tie between Phil and Cameron.

Phil: "Act like a parent, talk like a peer. I call it 'peerenting.'"

Phil: "I text. LOL: laugh out loud; OMG: Oh, my gosh; WTF: Why the face?"

Cameron: "Yes, I've gained a few extra pounds while we were expecting the baby... but that's science. You can't fight it."

Cameron: "There's a fish in nature that swims around with its babies in its mouth. That fish would look at Mitchell's relationship with his mother and say, 'That's messed up.'"

A working clock?

2011-06-22T10:27:00.000-06:00

Which room in an office would you think to be one of the more important to have a working, and correct, clock? Your cubicle? No. The board room? Maybe. Break room? You have a winner!

You know... you want it correct so you can get back to work on time, or so you don't take too long of a break, or so you can get to your next meeting on time. What a depressing thing to think about while you're in the break room: the end of your lunch break. Live that ten minute/ one hour break up to the fullest! (You can sense the sarcasm in this post, can't you?!)

I walked into our break room today and looked at the clock - oh, don't worry, it's either five hours fast, or really, really slow. I think the person who set it like that was shooting for the "five hours fast" option.

Enjoy your next break!

Cute idea for Monday

2011-06-20T11:35:00.000-06:00

I needed a few cute things to get me going on this Monday morning...

Source: i-do-it-yourself.com via Ayie on Pinterest

This is just pretty... love that color.

Source: blog.ecoetsy.com via Ayie on Pinterest

I love anything that is going to make organization prettier.

Source: designspongeonline.com via Ayie on Pinterest

Awesome.

Perfect day for a wedding...

2011-06-17T22:38:00.001-06:00

Today I attended the wedding of one of my best friends, Addie! Another best friend, Breanne, was married about 10 months ago. This picture is Addie, the beautiful bride, Bre, moi, and Bre's little sister, Alyssa. It was such a fun day (and the weather was incredible), and Addie was such a gorgeous bride! Congrats, Love!

The girls...

The friends...

Dinner at IKEA

2011-06-14T09:54:00.000-06:00

My night was made because I ate these little pretties:

at IKEA. They reminded me of Germany. Swedish meatballs, yes, but they tasted like a regular meal in Germany. They even served lingonberry jam with the meatballs.

[Yuummm!]

My darling little sister got the meatballs too... but she didn't finish her plate. Guess who did?

That's right. Mmmmmeeee.

Aren't they cute? Lil' sis and mama.

And yours truly...

Old and new...not borrowed... kinda blue...

2011-06-13T08:01:00.002-06:00

The story starts about 20 years ago when my mama purchased two oval, oak-framed mirrors. They hung on the wall all growing up, but for the past few years, the mirrors have been collecting dust in a dark closet. I asked my mom if I could adopt them, and this weekend, I gave them a new look. The frame below is just one of the two - I did the other frame a different color and will post that one later this week.

1. Meet the frames: (cost = free)

2. Sand the heck out of the frames... no more finish left on these suckers.

3. Paint the base color. I already had my color combination picked out, and purchased basic acrylic paints from the craft store. (On sale for $0.79.)

4. Let dry. Sand edges and hammer, whack and chink away. I raided my dad's tool box and found a hammer, but this handy little thing (in the picture) was exactly what I needed. It was sharp on the end so I was able to just shave chunks out of the wood. (Don't be afraid of messing with the wood...it's actually quite fun, and it gives the frame a lot of character.)

5. I got this crackle stuff from the craft store...it was just a couple of dollars. After the orange paint dried, I painted the crackle lacquer on top and let that dry for an hour.

6. Then, paint the final color on top and let it dry. Voila! I chose a fun aqua blue/ turquoise and brushed that on top... not a very thick layer. I wanted to let the orange show through. The crackle helped, but I rubbed some of the blue off as well. Then I took a burnt umber brown and rubbed some of that on to give it a stained look. I sanded some areas down to let more orange show through.

I love it - super excited with the way it turned out. I really like the look of hanging it horizontally, not vertically. Anyway... hope you enjoyed it. I've got another one coming soon!

Just have to give a shoutout to my mentor/ tutor, Wendy from Sawdust. I had the end image in my mind of how I wanted these frames to turn out, but she helped talk me through the between steps. She does this kind of stuff all the time and is so incredible at it! Check her out!

Mirrors and Banana Bread

2011-06-10T09:43:00.004-06:00

Happy Friday! Has this week gone super slowly for anyone else?

2 things:
1. You know how I said on yesterday's post that I am a little noncommital when it comes to craft projects? Well... I've got some pictures for you on my FINISHED project!(Coming Monday...) Think old, oval, oak-framed mirrors, gone fantastically vintage/bohemian! (Squeal!) I'm so excited how they turned out...and proud of myself for just doing it.

2. Oh funny:

I (home)made some delish banana bread two nights ago and flipped on the TV to find some noise to keep me company. Oh, hello America's Next Top Model! I literally had to stop stirring because I was so distracted by these wanna-be models trying to walk on treadmills, in four-inch heels, while wearing designer, definitely-hard-to-wear, dresses. And all in an effort to test the ability to stay composed. Oh heavens... I was laughing my head off. Tripping, lunging, straddling... pure awkwardness. And if I was doing it, I'd be just as awkward (if not more), and by the end, surely would have been flat on my face.

Today...

2011-06-09T00:32:00.000-06:00

Didn't Brigham Young say that once someone turns the ripe age of 25, he or she is a menace to society? Crap. Oh well. I'm turning 25 today. Ummm. No stopping it. Isn't this the age when you're supposed to stop getting zits or something? That sure would be nice. I get to (legally) rent a car now. Road trip to Cali, anyone? I'm almost completely financially stable. (Thanks Mom and Dad.) My biological clock hasn't totally run out of batteries. Not too many wrinkles, yet. (I'm forming smile lines, however.) Only five years away from turning 30. I have a great job and amazing friends. I'm pretty stinking lucky. My 25th year is going to be awesome.

Things to stay tuned for in AE Jones' 25th year:

1. Move into a new house...coming in August
2. New roommates and social scene... coming in August
3. Fantastically remade matching set of blue-framed mirrors...coming soon (I'm not committing to a date on this one...I have commitment issues when it comes to finishing projects.)
4. One trip to a new place...I just pulled that out of no where...but I'm already excited.
5. A new cell phone...coming beginning of July...could it be time for an iPhone?

Moon Collection

2011-06-07T10:47:00.000-06:00

A few favorite pieces from my new favorite collection: Moon Collection

I love these two... could wear them with jeans or a pencil skirt...

I prefer to wear skirts that come to my knee, and because I'm 5'10", it's a little

harder for me to find skirts that go to my knees... so for those of you who

are shorter, please enjoy this darling dress for me.

love. love. love. Could even pair this with the tan jacket above.

Jobs...

2011-06-03T10:23:00.000-06:00

First off, may I just say I love my job? I love my job. For the past couple months, I've been working on a project to publicize a new movie. Up to this point, I had never worked on any kind of publicity other than book publicity. The film biz (I think I can say "biz" now that I'm in the biz) is kind of different. And wow, did I learn a lot with this project. There were a few times where I felt like I was drowning in "I-have-no-idea-what-I'm-doing-and-I'm-going-to-fail-at-this-project-and-lose-my-job." Have you ever drowned in that? Good. I'm not alone. But, it all came together, beautifully, if I may say so myself. I work with some amazing people who made this project what it was. We had our big premiere event last night, and today, the movie releases in select theaters in Utah.

If you're interested, you can watch the movie trailer here or read a news article about the movie here. (We got live coverage for the 5:00 p.m. news, and had an interview taped for the 10 p.m. news.)

Palette combos

2011-06-02T00:19:00.000-06:00

Are you constantly looking for great color combos for design projects? Well, I have a fun resource for you. I just found this fantastic blog on Pinterest and am now hooked. Kuler and this blog are now my best friends. Welcome to Color Collective.

Enjoy!

...of the world...

2011-06-01T08:31:00.000-06:00

Is this not so awesome?!

I would sincerely, sincerely love to do this in my home. I might rework it a little bit and do stencil words on a large piece of canvas, then hang it up over my couch. That way, if I wanted to move the piece around (from bedroom to family room and back again), I could. I really enjoy moving my furniture around and changing up the feel for each room.

Source: notonthehighstreet.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Doily Orb

2011-05-31T11:21:00.000-06:00

My next project...

Source: moredesignplease.com via Emily on Pinterest

A Girl's Best Friend

2011-05-27T11:11:00.000-06:00

One thing I loved about Moscow was seeing my favorite flower everywhere:

Good Mantra

2011-05-26T13:08:00.000-06:00

I often find quotations or simple one-liners that I write down on a sticky note and post on my bathroom mirror, in my car, or in my planner. This is a great one... kind of the mother of them all. It all comes down to just letting things go - don't worry - give it up - move on - it's okay... remember you are wonderful.

Source: etsy.com via Emily on Pinterest

I'd like to think I'll decorate like this...

2011-05-25T08:18:00.000-06:00

My darling friend, Krista, suggested on her blog that I take a design quiz. Well, now I'm suggesting to you to do the same thing. It was really fun, and I've been enlightened as to which design style I'm most drawn:

It's called "French Eclectic."

But may I clarify that just because they say I'm "French Eclectic," does not mean I actually decorate like this. Ha! In my dreams do I decorate like this. I'm still living off my college apartment art I bought at the campus poster art sale, and the balding, fake, potted plant from IKEA. Someday, I'll try and decorate like these surrounding pictures.

Technically, I'm a combination of 38% French Eclectic, 38% Cottage Chic and 24% Classic. But I guess they're calling it French Eclectic.

Here is their description: "Parlez-vous français? Even if the answer is no, you can confidently say your home does! French Country, like its name, somehow manages to both be formal and casual, classy and unassuming at the same time. You like your spaces to feel inviting from the moment you (or your guest) opens the front door and this feeling should continue even after you've entered your most formal room. Even though there are French antiques here and gold details there, the rustic elements provide a balance and warmth that seems to say, "come in, relax and stay a while." Your love of antiques leads you to flea markets, garage sales and hours of eBay hunting."

Okay, so I don't think I've ever spent hours on eBay surfing for antiques, but I like that they think that of me! Ha! I guess I could say I love a good flea market. So, now you know a little bit more about me. What is your design style? Find out here, then share it with me - I'm super curious now!

Snooping for my life...

2011-05-24T08:18:00.000-06:00

Sometimes you just get fed up with the craziness of life and need to figure out something to do, just for you. Do any of you feel like this? You let "life" take over your life? Well, I'm taking my life back and this painting on Pinterest reminded me that I can do that.

Source: etsy.com via Karyn on Pinterest

I use to love to paint, and was good at it. I'd like to think I could still be good at it, but when was the last time I pulled out my paints? Psh. Years. I haven't had time to even think of pulling out my paints. But this summer, that is going to change. I did a little snooping around (is it still considered snooping if I'm snooping in my own room?) and found my paint boxes and a whole stack of water color paper, as well as two empty canvases for oils. My summer projects are calling my name.

Flower power

2011-05-23T09:05:00.000-06:00

Now that warm weather is here, how about a fun idea for dressing up last year's sandals? I have sandals I purchased on sale last year, but I've been looking for some cute ways to dress them up a bit. Here's one idea I love: hot glue some cute flowers on those sandals!

Source: modcloth.com via Rubie on Pinterest

Evolution of the Jumping Photograph

2011-05-20T00:24:00.000-06:00

A few photos from Moscow

2011-05-19T07:06:00.001-06:00

Here you go! As promised, a few (or maybe a few more than few) pictures from my trip to Moscow, Russia. Just FYI, I used a Canon Rebel T3 with a Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III telephoto lense. I put most of these photos through some photoshop action to give them that yellow, old look.

We walked around a small fair area and I saw this... that says "Moscow" if you don't read Russian.

One of many fountains in Moscow

It was totally tulip season - I thought I was in Holland, not Moscow.

The three sisters back together again. The one in the middle is the one who has been serving her mission in Moscow... I haven't seen her for 18 months. To say the least, I'm thrilled to finally get her back.

Happy Birthday to you from Moscow and me!

Reflection of our hotel... the Sheraton

My beautiful older sister

I got a kick out of finding places to take pictures of our reflection

Walking around the Kremlin on Red Square

Moscow has this fantastic tradition of hanging locks on designated trees when a couple is married - there were literally thousands of locks on a street of trees.

St. Basil's Cathedral...not to be confused with the Kremlin. Isn't she beautiful?

Loved that red jacket on her

Rooftop in Moscow

I had to... I'm a girl

My sis and me inside St. Basil's

View of Red Square from St. Basil's

Fountains at Victory Park

View of the street from Red Square... I can't believe I was in Moscow

View of St. Basil's from the street

Matryoshka dolls... they even had "BYU" dolls

Another reflection picture - is that nerdy of me?

Had to cover our heads before going into one of the churches in Moscow

My cute Papa

A contented oma outside a monastery

St. Basil's close up

Field trip to Victory Park

Students playing in the fountains at Victory Park

Your's truly... and don't worry, more pictures to come.

I'm back!

2011-05-18T08:53:00.000-06:00

I'm back!

Let me just start by saying, if you ever have the chance to go to Moscow, go. I had an incredible experience the past eight days. Granted, it would have helped a lot were I able to speak Russian. Fortunately I had my amazing little sister who speaks Russian fluently - she was our translator for the week. And yes, she's home!

I have a lot of pictures to share with you - I'm so excited! I couldn't sleep this morning so I got into the office early to catch up on my ridiculous load of emails. When I get home from work tonight, I'll work on a couple posts with pictures from Moscow.

Glad to be back!

Ciao...for a week...

2011-05-09T15:42:00.000-06:00

Lovely readers, I'm sorry, but I'm leaving you for a week! Bah! I've never left my blog for so long. But, I have a good excuse. I'm going to be here for a week:

Source: weheartit.com via Anna on Pinterest

My little (angel) sister is finishing her mission there and I get to go pick her up with my parents and older sister. I'm out of my mind excited.

And you'll be impressed to know that I packed all of my stuff in one backpack. I have four outfits for eight days... and all of my makeup and toiletries (I hate that word) in a pint-sized Ziplock bag. (Insert awkward, but proud, chest-bump here.) Why, yes, I am incredibly proud of myself. AE Jones: high maintenance? Heck no. I think I'd do quite well traveling across Europe with just one bag. Maybe I'll try it. But for now, I'm traveling Moscow, for one week, with one backpack.

And, for your (and my) enjoyment, I purchased this:

in order to provide you with neat-o pictures from Moscow.

Can't wait to share with you!
Ciao bellas!

Google Anayltics

2011-05-08T02:08:00.000-06:00

Guess what? I can't sleep, so I pulled my laptop out and was checking out my google analytics for my blog... as I'm looking at my traffic overview, I see this huge spike in visitors - 1,195 visitors on April 9. WHAT THE? Yep. It's true. Say Yes to Hoboken and Sometimes Sweet both featured me in their Friday Favorites. Let's just say that finding that tidbit of information didn't help me fall asleep.

I have the most amazing followers!

Women's Conference

2011-05-06T13:30:00.000-06:00

As a former student at Brigham Young University, I remember two days that occurred every year during the transition between winter semester and spring term. These two days were filled with lots of white tennis shoes, hugging, BYU fudge, whistling “As Sisters in Zion,” and yes, more BYU fudge. During these two days, BYU welcomes thousands of women from all over the world to Women’s Conference.

Last week was my first year attending all of the sessions of Women’s Conference. I hadn’t attended up to this point because I always thought it was just a conference for my mom. Well, I’ll be the first to admit I was wrong about that. I’m converted. It was absolutely incredible. It’s like 15,000 of your best friends coming together to talk about the most uplifting things you can think of. I think the Energizer Bunny was working extra hard because everyone attending just seemed happier. And I know I left feeling like a different person—in a great way.

Read the rest of my article here.

Sicky

2011-05-05T09:08:00.000-06:00

Why in the world do I keep getting sick? Geez louise. I almost threw up at work yesterday (TMI, sorry) and I left early and went home and collapsed on the couch and took a nap, then watched a little bit of Oliver Twist ("Please, sir, I want some more...") and then I went to bed. I think I was a little delirious while watching Master Twist because I found Elijah Wood (who plays Oliver's mentor, Dodger) slightly attractive. Something is very wrong with that picture.

Slight change of subject now: I've talked to quite a few girls lately who are both married and single and who want to cut their hair, but their husbands, boyfriends, and in some cases, fathers, won't let them or don't want them to. What is it with guys and long hair? They don't have to deal with the ridiculous time we put into washing, drying and curling, or whatever we do with our hair. If it weren't for my dad (the man in my life right now) and my sister (bff who I'll see in Russia in a week), I would probably chop my hair. Here's to pony tails and braids and keeping your hair out of your face.

"Do Not" Hats

2011-05-04T07:17:00.002-06:00

Remember her from the Royal Wedding?

Source: business2community.com via Vanda on Pinterest

Well, I guess the hat wasn't an unnatural occurrence for her...

Source: business2community.com via Vanda on Pinterest

Or how about this?

Source: business2community.com via Vanda on Pinterest

I'm not sure which one my favorite is... they're all pretty "fantastic."

To make you laugh...

2011-05-03T07:12:00.000-06:00

In honor of Mother's Day coming up, I got a good chuckle out of this: More serious Mother's Day posts to come...I promise. I love my mom.

Source: baneplanet.com via Lindsey on Pinterest

Osama Bin Laden

2011-05-02T09:24:00.000-06:00

If you haven't heard, the death of terrorist Osama Bin Laden was announced last night. Wow... wasn't sure it would ever actually happen. God bless the USA.

Is your TiVo set?

2011-04-26T23:59:00.001-06:00

Mine is.

Source: news.kotzot.com via Miss on Pinterest

And raise your hand if you saw the Lifetime movie based on Prince William and Kate Middleton! (I'm raising mine...that was [one of the] girl's night(s) with my big sis this weekend in Arizona. Prince William was adorable and the actress they cast for Kate did not do the real Kate justice...in my opinion.) Happy (wishful) hat shopping!
[Read my article I wrote for LDS Living here...]

Thoughts of a Marathon Runner

2011-04-25T12:00:00.000-06:00

Thanks to my darling friend, Kate, for this tear-jerking-make-you-hold-your-stomach-you're-laughing-so-hard video. At least that's what it made me do. I dedicate this video to all my friends who have run, are running or who will run a marathon. May you have multiple "second winds," and may your heart not stab your lungs.

Scooting out of town...

2011-04-21T00:02:00.005-06:00

Today is my Friday. I'm running away to Arizona for the weekend to spend some time with my sisters and six out of nine of the cutest nieces and nephews. I. Can't. Wait. And you want to know the temperature there right now? About 95 degrees. Boo ya.

And... to add a little more fun to the weekend (and forthcoming summer), look at the little treasure (see picture) I found...and promptly purchased! Fun, don't you think? I love the flowers. Definitely happy.

Have a happy weekend!

Earring storage

2011-04-20T00:03:00.000-06:00

My friend Amanda and I have been looking for ideas on earring storage. We want to make something by hand, but couldn't find the right ideas. I think I just found our idea:

Love the drawer handles idea! Genius!

Source: onewomenshaven.blogspot.com via Megan on Pinterest

A great reminder for you...

2011-04-19T12:33:00.004-06:00

Source: etsy.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: tissosweetcandy.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Moskva...

2011-04-18T09:22:00.000-06:00

I'll be seeing this in three weeks: But shhh... don't tell. I'm surprising my sister!

Source: google.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Justine on Pinterest

Source: ngm.nationalgeographic.com via Karyn on Pinterest

Source: None via Mary Elizabeth on Pinterest

Source: nileguide.com via Brynn on Pinterest

Pillow talk 2

2011-04-14T12:13:00.000-06:00

I don't know why I'm on such a pillow kick, but I found this fantastic tutorial and had to share it. Such a cute idea for fun pillows. Enjoy!

Source: 1.bp.blogspot.com via Laura on Pinterest

Pillow talk

2011-04-13T11:45:00.000-06:00

Isn't this darling? This would be so easy to make yourself. You could easily take one of your old pillows, throw some fabric together for a flower and stitch them on the pillow. Voila: darling femininity for your front room!

Source: etsy.com via Alison on Pinterest

Follow up on Red Lipstick

2011-04-12T11:21:00.001-06:00

Alright... so I posted about red lipstick a couple days ago and you all encouraged me to at least TRY it. So, I'm going to. But, I need a little direction. What are your favorite colors and brands? (Remember I'm on a budget... I'm talking $6 an under for this lipstick. Target style.)

What are your favorite shades of red?

Source: hotspot-bp.blogs.sapo.pt via Anna on Pinterest

Southern Belle

2011-04-12T10:29:00.000-06:00

Guess where I went last weekend? Georgia! Yep. I escaped the cold darkness of Salt Lake City and ran away to warm and sunny Georgia with my best friend. This was my first time in the south, and I can't say enough good about it. I loved it. I want to go back tomorrow. It was even warm enough to go boating - I reunited with my freckles and actually enjoyed every face plant and mouthful of lake water because it meant it was sunny and warm enough to be outside on the lake...in a boat...in the sun...in a boat...in the sun...woops, I already said that.

Hope the weather is turning warm and happy in your area!

Here are two little teasers to remind you that summer and warmth do exist:

Source: glittercollective.tumblr.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

Source: thedriftwood.wordpress.com via Kristy on Pinterest

Red lipstick

2011-04-11T16:03:00.000-06:00

Someday, I will try red lipstick... and I'd like to think I will pull it off as well as Ms. Barrymore.

Source: stylecourt.lovelyish.com via Naomi on Pinterest

Moment with Elder Holland #2

2011-04-07T00:08:00.000-06:00

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: member of the
Quorum of the 12 Apostles of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

"We should honor the Savior's declaration to "be of good cheer." (Matthew 14:27) Indeed, it seems to me we may be more guilty of breaking that commandment than almost any other!"

My comments on this quote: I think it is all too true. I, especially, break this "commandment" way too often. I stress - I worry - I wonder. But worry is just another form of atheism, in my opinion. So buck up, be of good cheer. Everything is going to work out for your good. I promise.

Sunday morning food

2011-04-06T15:51:00.003-06:00

One day... when I have: time on a Sunday morning, a man, and nice kitchen appliances, I will make the following: The Ham and Egg Omelet.

Source: framed-mylifeonepictureatatime.blogspot.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Doesn't this look amazing? But first things first: master the art of scrambled eggs. (I know... there isn't really an art to scrambled eggs, which says a whole lot for my cooking skills.)

New Heights

2011-04-05T16:08:00.004-06:00

When I have a couple of kids, I want to do this:

The great thing about it is, you don't have to worry about making all those pencil marks on your door frame... and, when you eventually move houses, you don't have to take the door frame with you! Just fold up the fabric and move on out.

Source: twirlingbetty.wordpress.com via Becky on Pinterest

Say YES to Hoboken

2011-04-04T11:06:00.003-06:00

Good Monday morning!

Guess what? On Saturday I was linked on Say YES to Hoboken! I posted a bit ago about my "Favorite Hair Roundup" and Hoboken linked to that post. WOOT! If you haven't read her blog, you need to. You'll love it. Definitely made my day seeing my blog on her blog!

Have a great day!

A Centerpiece for Friday

2011-04-01T09:50:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday! It is about 65 degrees outside and I am on cloud nine. I ate lunch outside in the sun yesterday and saw a few friendly freckles pop out! Welcome back, darlings!

Because spring is now officially in the air, I'm in the mood for some spring decorating! I love this idea for paper flower centerpieces I found on Pinterest:

Source: thedecorista.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Happy Friday! Have a wonderful weekend!

Bitterly bitter

2011-03-29T14:43:00.000-06:00

"Simply delicious." Really?! Umm...

According to Walmart, Target and any other store that sells home decor items, Easter is coming.

Well, to get in the mood of the Easter celebration, I attended a Seder (Jewish Passover) on Friday night with my best friend. We sat down at 6:30 pm and didn't leave until 10 pm. It was, for the most part, the real deal - even down to eating the bitter herbs. Darling readers, I think I'm still feelings the effects of those bitter herbs. You know what they used for bitter herbs? Pure, untainted, ridiculously hot, horseradish. If you don't know what horseradish is, go to the store, buy some, open the jar, take a spoonful of it and eat it. Then you'll know. And that's exactly what we had to do: a spoonful of horseradish... three times. I thought I might die... and I thought I was going to lose my best friend to watering eyes and a burning stomach.

Uch... just thinking of it makes me gag.

On a happier note: happy early Easter, my friends. Celebrate Easter, and Jesus Christ, the same way we celebrate him at Christmas - because He lives!

Moment with Elder Holland #1

2011-03-28T16:20:00.000-06:00

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: member of the
Quorum of the 12 Apostles of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

I just purchased a new book by a man named Jeffrey R. Holland. If you've heard of him, you may know he is a Mormon. I'm a Mormon, if you didn't know. In the Mormon church, we have what is called a prophet. (You've heard of Moses and Abraham? They were prophets too. Except, our prophets don't wear long wool coats like Charlton Heston in The Ten Commandments. They wear a suit and tie. See picture to the left.) Mr. Holland is what we call an apostle. There are twelve apostles, just like Jesus Christ had when he lived on the earth. (Jesus Christ formed his church while on the earth and called 12 apostles.) We have that same church on the earth today - we have a prophet and 12 apostles, and all the same teachings Jesus Christ taught.

Anyway, Elder Holland (we call them Elder as a formal title for the type of assignment they have in this church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) wrote this new book. It is a quote book. I've read it through a couple of times and decided to share a few of my favorite quotes from the book. The quotes are all taken from speeches he has given in different meetings, so there aren't any copyright issues. Here is my first favorite. Hope you enjoy!

Quote:

"Fighting through darkness and despair and pleading for the light is what opened this dispensation. It is what keeps it going, and it is what will keep you going."

Planning a big day?

2011-03-25T11:49:00.000-06:00

Photos: 100 Layer Cake

Are you getting ready to plan a/ your wedding? I wrote an article for the LDS Living blog and highlighted a few awesome wedding idea blogs. Summer is the time for weddings and spring is just around the corner. So, now is the time to start planning!

I love the look of the DIY wedding... all of the fun do-dads and colors! These websites have some fantastic tips on DIY projects for your big day.

Happy planning!

Elizabeth Dye

Style Me Pretty

100 Layer Cake

Once Wed

The Knotty Bride

The Budget Savvy Bride

Toilet paper

2011-03-24T12:23:00.000-06:00

I love the cleaning people in my office. Want to know why? I think I'm usually the first person to use the restroom in the morning, so I get to see the cleanliness and order of the bathroom. My favorite part is the end of the toilet paper that the cleaning person folds into a neat point. I know, right? Awesome! It's like finding a mint on your pillow - what a treat. I think I might start folding the toilet paper at my house for when guests come over. Try it at your house and see if your guests say anything!

The only thing I don't like about the cleaning people is, they always leave the toilet seat up. I'm not sure if it is a guy cleaning the toilets and he leaves them up out of habit, or maybe they don't like touching the toilet seat as much as I don't.

Hair tutorial #2

2011-03-22T16:24:00.000-06:00

Genius

2011-03-21T09:55:00.001-06:00

How cool is this wedding invite I found on Pinterest? I love the "dinner and dancing and eternity to follow."

Source: None via Pinterest on Pinterest

One square for you...

2011-03-18T11:54:00.000-06:00

I'm back! Feeling more myself... thanks for the get well wishes. I think my least favorite thing is being sick. So, get well to all of my fellow sickies.

Currently, I'm at work listening to a planning conversation going on in the cubicle right next to me. They're planning an upcoming event where the primary attendees will be women. They were going over the bathroom logistics saying that the men's bathroom, from 6-8 pm, will be turned into a women's bathroom. One of the planners mentioned that at this event in past years, there have been problems with running out of toilet paper. They made a note to stock up on toilet paper. Yours truly made the wise crack, but logical remark, "Why don't you just ration the TP and handout a few squares per person at the bathroom door. 'Two squares for you!'" (Have you seen the Soup Nazi episode on Seinfeld? I'm saying it with that voice..."two squares for you!")

Funny, right?! My coworkers chuckled... which I hope is what you're also doing right now.