Our Newest Addition

Ever since we moved into our home, I have been dreaming of adding an acoustic piano to the mix.  Of course, this piano would be perfect.  There's a whole list of qualifications I had in mind for my dream instrument.

1. It must have character.  

2. It had to be a full upright, as that's all we currently have room for.

3. This piano needed to have a good touch to it.

4. Preferably be something I could fix up a bit to TRULY make it mine.

5. It absolutely needed to be affordable.

As you can imagine, finding such a piano would prove to be quite the task. I wasn't in a hurry to find it, because my Clavinova worked great for the time being, but I really wanted to find an acoustic piano to practice on as I was going to school.

Then, one day, I found it.  The perfect piano.  It met ALL the requirements, and it was even better than I had ever hoped, because it was turquoise.  Yep, they painted it a gorgeous blue and I am in love.

How perfect is that? It will need to be re-keyed, and some of the hammers will need to be repaired, but it is a project I am willing to take on!

. . . I'm so spoiled.

Currently. . .

Making : My Christmas list for Trevor.  I'm way excited for some of the things I'm bookmarking!

Cooking : has been lacking.  I've struggled to find things I'm excited to cook lately, but I did cook a chicken in the crock pot yesterday that is waiting to be devoured.
Drinking : water.  I just ate my own weight in tater tots and am feeling pretty lousy.  No soda for this chicka right now.
Reading : Gone Girl. I just started it, and have loved it so far!
Wanting : a million dollars to spend on Christmas decorations! Specifically at Target.
Looking: for the perfect White Elephant gifts. 
Playing: Plants vs. Zombies. . . again.
Wasting: a lot of time watching How I Met Your Mother.
Sewing: projects are in the works for some great curtains!
Wishing: it was still the weekend!
Enjoying: lots of family time.
Waiting: for a good snowstorm!
Liking: my new Ox-Blood colored nail polish!
Wondering: what Christmas gifts will be under our tree this year!
Loving: spending this holiday season with my husband.
Hoping: my moisturizer gets shipped out quickly! I am completely out!
Marveling: at how blessed we are, and how real God's love is.
Needing: a long winter's nap!
Smelling: coffee brewing here in the office.
Wearing: lots of sweaters.
Following: our Christmas budget. It's just so tough to not buy EVERYTHING in sight! (Do you see why Trevor is in charge of finances? :)
Noticing: that my keyboard is actually really dirty.
Knowing: that Christmas is only 23 days away! I have Christmas on the brain.
Thinking: about all the things I need to get done this week.
Feeling: so grateful for my family & friends.  I have the greatest people in my life!
Bookmarking: Trevor's gifts!
Opening: my piano studio!
Giggling: at this series of videos. Seriously, they never cease to make me pee my pants.

Thanksgiving Weekend

Thanksgiving is probably one of my favorite holidays.  I love this time of year in general. It starts with Halloween, where I get to deck out my home in creepy crawlies.  Specifically skulls galore this year, as we are building up our Halloween decor and skulls seem to be what I am drawn to each year. 

Then of course, we've got Thanksgiving.  The leaves have changed, there's frost on my car in the morning, and there's really nothing better than a good turkey dinner with family.  This year, we are flying out to Arizona to spend Thanksgiving weekend with Trevor's grandma and grandpa.  I'm really excited because this will be the first time I've met most of his extended family on the Evans side.  Also, we're flying, and that means we get some airport time, which I LOVE.  There's nothing better than the hustle and bustle of the airport.

Even though I'm loving the holidays, I am so ready for November to be over.  It has seemed like each week we have plans after plans after plans, until we are all planned out and just want to lay in bed.  The day we get home from Arizona, trust me, there will be a major winter's nap occurring!

*Also, has anyone ever checked out the Smitten Kitchen blog?  Deb is my hero. No, really, I idolize her.  And she's been posting some great Thanksgiving recipes lately.

Homemade Green Bean Casserole?  From scratch, homemade crispy onions and all?

Oh yes, please!

 

A Love Letter.

Dear Trev,

Always yours, B

Weekend Snapshots and Gratitude

We always look forward to weekends at the Evans house.  I mean, really, who doesn't, but we REALLY look forward to our weekends.  It's when we get to catch up on laundry from the week, dishes that have been sitting in the sink for a day or two too long, and of course when all the work is done, it's time to play! 

This weekend was no different.  As soon as I got off work this Friday, I headed down to Spanish Fork, taught a piano lesson, then picked up my three youngest siblings for a sleepover.  We picked up a bake at home pizza at Walmart, a Redbox movie, and headed home for a cozy night in.  It was a blast, and if you haven't seen the Croods, you really, really need to.  Plus, the voice of Eep, the leading lady, is my number one chicka, Emma Stone.  Doesn't get much better than that!

Saturday, Trevor headed to primary program practice, while I taught Zach and Addie lessons and we watched lots of Arthur. It was the perfect Saturday Morning... plus, we had pancakes for breakfast.  Delish!

For the last big event on Saturday, we took a wonderful Ikea trip and purchased a bed frame, FINALLY.  No more slumpy mattress for us.  It's been great so far, except the gigantic bruise I have on my hip from running into the footboard.  It will take awhile to get used to, but we are definitely classier people now. 

Phew! I think those are all the updates from this weekend.  It was an eventful couple of days, but we loved it. 

I thought today, since Thanksgiving is just around the corner, I would share a few things that I am thankful for. Since I'm not a huge fan of "one a day" gratitude posts on Facebook, I'm sharing a few here. Because I am grateful, just not on Facebook. K thanks.

First and foremost: I am of course grateful for my husband.  I have to start there, because I have a million reasons to be so thankful for him.  He works so hard, even when work is tough and unfair.  He is so patient with me, even when I'm mean and unfair. And really, he's the funniest person I know. It's ridiculous how many times a day I have to say "STOP! I can't breathe!" in between laughs.

Next, I'm grateful for our home & neighbors.  It was scary buying a home, especially in an area where we really don't know anyone.  But so far, the experience has been more than we could have asked for. Our ward is great, and already have us very involved in callings.  It's great to feel needed and to be around great people, and we are definitely surrounded.

I'm grateful for my family. Both my immediate family, and the inlaws.  You always hear about people complaining about their inlaws, but Trevor and I are always talking about how much we both lucked out.  We have great families, and they're our best friends.

I'm grateful for a body that is healthy and happy.  There have been so many things lately which have really made me grateful for mine and Trevor's health. I am constantly praying for others who may not be so fortunate, but it does help me to keep things in perspective of how blessed we are to not be struggling in our lives at this time. 

And lastly, I am grateful for the love of Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father.  I am grateful for our temple marriage, and that we were able to make the decision to be sealed there this past August.  God truly is great, and we have felt quite the outpouring of blessings and love since our decision to make it to the temple together.

I hope everyone has a great week counting their blessings, and being grateful for everything we have to enjoy this season. What are you grateful for?

Blog Update | A Change of Pace

Dear Family & Friends,

I have been blogging on and off on this personal blog, covering my favorite products, a few random goings on in my life, and to be honest, have found it very dull and boring.  I was trying to be like those other bloggers with their perfect lives and well thought out posts.  But really, it wasn't too interesting to me. So, here I am again, with another blog attempt, but this time I'm going to be talking about things that I am much better at talking about... myself!  Well, myself and my best friend, Trevor.

To give you an update post-wedding, we are living in the most perfect townhome near Thanksgiving Point.  It's perfect for us, but it is far from being truly perfect.  It's perfect in the sense that it has a lot of potential, so we have been spending a lot of our time daydreaming and putting into action various projects around the house.

After numerous trips to The Home Depot, Ikea, and Target, we've been able to get our main level pretty well homey.  With this year's coming tax return, we will be replacing our tile and carpet with engineered wood flooring, and then all that will be left is the finishing touches to make it truly homey.  Our basement is a completely different story, and will be a huge project for us this coming summer, but we are beyond excited for the potential there.

We are both going to be starting school this Spring.  Trevor has taken two semesters at UVU, then put his schooling on pause as he got his new job at Fidelity Investments in September 2012.  The few months between September and January were spent religiously studying for his brokerage licensing exams, then of course our wedding was on the horizon.  So, long story short, he will now be picking up where he left off and delving into his finance degree at UVU.  His educational goals include getting an MBA eventually with an emphasis in finance... I think. Fidelity will be paying for 90% of his tuition, so we are feeling extremely blessed.

As for me, I will be attending SLCC (it is WAY more affordable than UVU) and focusing on music. FINALLY.  This is something I have wanted to do for so long, but have never really thought it was a practical dream. However, nothing else has seemed right, and after prayerfully thinking through my goals and priorities, I've decided a piano performance degree would be the best fit for myself.  I am beyond excited, and we just purchased a piano of our very own.  It needs a little TLC, but it's full of character.  Photos to come.

We have also been very busy with our callings in church.  We were both called as primary teachers, and have been teaching a class of eight very energetic, but adorable, 6 & 7 year olds.  It's been a blast, but didn't last too long, as I was just called as the Primary Secretary.  There are 240 kids in our primary, and I am feeling the pressure, but I know that the Lord will help me to stay organized and the presidency is fabulous as well, so I am extremely excited for my new calling.

All in all, things have been very good as we have been enjoying the process of settling into our own life together, and we are so excited for the next several years as we plan for changes to our home, careers, and family.  Love you all!

Update Shmupdate

Do you want to know why I love this blog? Well, it's because after months of not posting anything, I can come back and pick right back up where I left off.  It's like a good friend. Always here to let me share my thoughts as if we've been talking every day.  Blogging rocks.

It's been so long since I've blogged that I'm not even sure if I've told you that I am now a married woman! Mrs. Evans.  Such a normal name, but one that makes me excited when I say it.  My Mr. is my best friend, and going to bed together every night is something I don't remember not doing.  It's so natural for us to be living together, eating together, watching episode after episode of Arrested Development. It's great.

The only thing I have to complain about is the fact that my husband feels the need to scare the jeebies out of me every time he gets the chance.  Doesn't matter if I'm on the phone with my mom, hopping out of the shower, giving a friend a tour of the house... he just LOVES to see the look on my face as I jump and run the other direction.  Obnoxious? Very.  Hilarious? Even more so. 

We've been working on making our house a home.  I've been hanging a lot of pictures I've been collecting over the years as a renter with my best friends, and we're slowly but surely beginning to collect necessary furniture.  I know I need to take more photos of things as I'm going, but I just keep forgetting... I haven't even put our wedding photos on Facebook yet!  Shame on me!

I hope to be posting more updates shortly.  Fall is coming soon, and I'm finding myself needing my own place and outlet to share my thoughts and life with. See you soon!

Lately...

Making : a home.
Cooking : anything and everything in the crock pot.
Drinking : lots and lots of simply orange juice!
Reading: Bossypants by Tina Fey.
Wanting: Fall to come a little quicker.
Looking: for the perfect Autumn wreath.
Playing: Plants vs. Zombies.... 24/7
Wasting: A lot of time playing ^^
Wishing: for a long weekend.
Enjoying: time with my new husband.
Waiting: for payday.
Liking: eBay goodies.
Wondering: what I should have for dinner.
Loving: sleeping with extra blankets.
Hoping: this rain doesn't stop!
Marveling: at how wonderful marriage is.
Needing: a bubble bath.
Smelling: crisp, cook air.
Wearing: my new Forever 21 sweater and denim button up.
Following: too many cute blogs!  I will never measure up!
Noticing: I need to paint my nails.
Knowing: I probably won't paint them until next week.
Thinking: of my list of to dos.
Feeling: a little overwhelmed.
Bookmarking: VineScope.com videos to show Trevor.
Opening: lots of packages in the mail.
Giggling: at everything lately!  Life is too good!
Feeling: very content. :)

How to Make Stress Your Friend | No, Really!

I would have to say that one of the toughest battles for me growing up and especially now as an adult(ish..) person, is stress.  I think that's a pretty common battle for many people.  I stress about absolutely everything.  It's a basic part of my every day journey.  Some days it's more difficult than others.  Some days the stress gets unbearable until all I want to do is sleep.  Some days it's just a light stress, but it's still there!  Again, I think everyone can relate.

But, did you know that you can see your stress in a different way, so it actually can be healthy for you to be stressed.  If you're anything like me, when you're stressed you feel your heart pounding and it stresses you out even more.  No bueno.  Anyway, I plan on watching this 15 minute video several times a week until it's a normal part of my thinking process.  I like what she has to say.

Weekend? Is That You?

This quote is literally motivating me to get through the next two days.  Yesterday, I took a sick day and sat on my couch watching Madmen for about 5 hours straight.  

Yep. That happened.  

And it was all I could do this morning to finally get out of bed at approximately 11:00 AM in order to be at work at noon.  I decided to buck up, put my greasy hair into a bun (but a styled bun... I even teased my hair for a little volume! Classy.), put on some mascara, a REAL outfit, and dragged my tired bum to work.

Sometimes, you've literally got to follow my homegirl Mindy's advice.  And this weekend, I'm planning of making the most of my 3 days of freedom and enjoy Express's 40% off sale, cook some delicious food, and spend an entire day at the GIGANTIC Smiths down the street from our house. (Seriously, that store is going to get a post of it's own here soon). 

Friday is tomorrow, and I am PSYCHED!

P.S. I just got this book in the mail. $4 on eBay. Hardcover.  BOOM. Sure love me some Tina Fey!

Oh, Hey Monday!

Can you believe it's already Monday again?  I swear, this weekend flew by.  But really, time always flies when you're having fun, right?

Also, I don't have any pictures for today's post.  Sorry!

Trevor and I were able to spend a night in the great outdoors over the weekend!  It was the annual Robertson reunion - my mother's family - and it was a blast, as usual.  These family gatherings never disappoint, with many pranks on/from my aunts and uncles, a lot of operatic singing, and about a hundred rambunctious kids.  To me, that's home, and it was so great to spend Friday and Saturday at Heber Valley Camp with those great people.

We are finally settling into our new home.  It was actually nice to return "home" after a trip into the woods. Last week we took several trips to Ikea - which is only a short 10 minute drive from our house! Eeek! - and grabbed some necessities such as night stands, a dresser, and a TV stand.  I had been warned by many people about visiting Ikea as a married couple.  I'm pretty sure we got into our first married argument that day... and our second.  But really, once we had everything set up and were admiring our hard work, all was forgotten. Ohhh, the beauty of twue wuv.

Getting into a routine can be rough, but I'm pretty happy with our current arrangement.  Trevor likes to do laundry, which is fine with me.  I get to cook and organize, and he does the dishes.  We'll see how long that consistency lasts, as I'm sure as life gets busier we'll both have to be helping out with whatever during whatever times we have available, but I'm liking our low key life at the moment.

Anyway, I'm sure this life of mine is super interesting.  Can't wait to start planning posts again! Keep an eye out for some of my favorite fashion finds and highlights of some of my favorite blogs, movies, recipes, etc.  

in.spi.ra.tion

a : a divine influence or action on a person believed to qualify him or her to receive and communicate sacred revelation 
b : the action or power of moving the intellect or emotions 
c : the act of influencing or suggesting opinions

.


Inspiration.  I feel like it is more of a moment than an action sometimes.  It comes and goes.  It's something brought to us by the grace of God.  Something that warms your soul and pulls you to do something meaningful.  There are many things in this world that make me feel inspired.

I find inspiration in nature.  There's nothing more beautiful to me than getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city and taking a drive through the mountains. The crisp air, crunch of twigs under my feet, and all of the green bring me to a happy place.  Recently, Trevor and I were able to spend a wonderful and short week in Maui.  The smell of salt water, the sand between my toes, and the cool of the waves on my body were heaven.

I find inspiration in music.  I am a musician, and would love nothing more than to sit at my piano all day every day and play music from each of the great composers I so long to meet one day.  I swear, they better all be there to greet me at the gates of the afterlife when I pass.  I will be disappointed if I don't see my dear Debussy eagerly waiting to finally meet me.  I swear we're kindred spirits.

I find inspiration in family.  My family is the world to me.  They bring me such peace and happiness.  My younger siblings, parents, and husband make me want to be a better person, and I'm sure my future children will inspire me even more.

Inspiration is what drives us.  It helps us to be better, keeps us on our toes.  It helps us feel things. We need it to survive.

What inspires you?

  

A Love Letter to Autumn

Dear Autumn,

My husband is not quite ready for you, but I have already begun preparations by purchasing numerous pumpkin scented candles. I hope this encourages you to come a little sooner than you normally do, as I never feel like I get to spend quite enough time with you each year.

Autumn, you are my favorite season.  You are better than Winter, Spring, or even Summer.  You are the most welcome of all the seasons.  Within your wonderful months come some of my favorite things:  sweaters, blankets, and drives up the canyon.  I have a whole list of things I love about you, but I won't go into that today. I promise to show you lots of kindness when you come to visit for a few months.

I'm ready for the leaves to turn, the air to cool, and for an excuse to make a new soup every night.  It's time, Autumn, for your return.

I miss you, and am eagerly waiting.

Yours truly,

Becca

Untitled

Wow! It has been a very long time since I have last blogged here, and I think I'm ready to talk again.  Between planning the wedding, buying a home, and trying to have some time to myself, I took a little break from the blogosphere.  Please forgive.

It's been almost 3 weeks since the wedding, and it seems like a lifetime ago I woke up ready to promise to be loyal to the love of my life for eternity.  It was a wonderful experience to be sealed to my husband, and so far, marriage has been both what I expected and not what I expected.

What I didn't expect was how normal being married would feel. Life goes on. We spent a heavenly week in Maui, filled with beach time, snorkeling, and long drives.  Then, all of a sudden, we snapped back into our normal routine.  We both went back to work, had bills to pay, errands to run, dinner to cook.  It's been wonderful, comforting, and very normal. I'm very happy to not be in shock from a gigantic life change, although I must admit some feelings of homesickness have washed over me several times.  Not for home, but for nights watching movies at Trev's parents house, our long drives and slurpee runs.  I'm sure we'll get back to that once things settle in a bit, but oh how I have missed it as we've been planning and running around getting the necessities done.

I've also become a little more thoughtful lately.  Maybe it's because my mind is no longer filled with flowers, cake, and wedding decorations.  I'm ready to pursue some bigger things in life.  I recently saw this quote: "Die with memories, not dreams", and it's really made me think about the dreams I have and what I can be doing NOW to make them a reality.  I'm ready to buckle down and pursue some of my wants and wishes I've been too tired, overwhelmed, or lazy to pursue.  I'm a professional procrastinator and I'm ready to change my ways!

You may be thinking to yourself "Wow, Debby Downer, way to kill the mood".  But really, I hope to be able to make changes in my life now to really feel fulfilled.  I hope to be someone reliable, put together, and kind.  I know these things are already part of who I am, but I really want to emphasize them.  I'm ready for a full makeover, if you will.  Do you get what I'm saying?

I am very excited to begin sharing many photos from the wedding day with you, but for now, here's one from the happiest day of my life so far....

And here's to many, many more happy days with my one and only by my side.

The Searching Project

Hey Ya'll!  

I'm over on my good friend, Lyss', blog today, The Searching Project.  

Head on over and check it out!  Also, sorry for being MIA.  Wedding and home preparations are taking up most of my time at the moment.  Thanks for hanging in there!

How to Survive a Lousy Day

Well, everyone, today has just been a little bit of a lousy day.  Nothing in my life is going wrong, but I've been at work all day, feel a little groggy, and just want to curl up into a ball and sleep.  I have some remedies for my lousy days, and always rely on these to help me survive those rough 16 hours of self pity.

1. Listen to music that inspires you.  

I have had Sigur Ros on loop all day long.  A little Rachmaninoff or Chopin doesn't hurt either. 

2. Spend some of your rainy day money.  

There's nothing that gets me out of a bad mood than purchasing something.  Anything, really.  Whether it be a yummy treat, some new beauty products, or a cute new pair of shoes, my day is instantly better. Treat yourself!

3. Find a creative outlet.  

As women, or men, it's important to express our delicate feelings (for some, more than others...).  I find that having a creative outlet is a great way to release some unwanted blues. 

Today, I'm choosing to blog.  I also am very fond of playing the piano, doodling, or even throwing together a mess book.  I have many of these from my high school years: a binder full of magazine clippings, pretty pieces of ribbon or buttons, and glitter. These are fun to look back on years later to see what made you tick. (Most of my high school books are full of tattooed men on motorcycles and vintage black and white photos.)

4. Snuggle up with your favorite blankets and watch a good movie. 

Have a movie you've been dying to see? I still haven't seen Les Mes, so if it weren't 3 hours, that would be on my agenda for tonight.  Instead, I'll probably cuddle up wit Trev and watch a few episodes of Supernatural on Netflix. It's good to escape from the realities of life for a little while.

5. Just have a good cry.  

Some days this works for me, and other days, it's just not something I need. Don't be afraid to let it all out if steps 1, 2, and 3 aren't working for you.  Sometimes all you can do is run yourself a bubble bath and blubber for a few minutes. 

And don't worry, your husband, friends, or significant others will be concerned at first, but after you explain your rough day, they'll be happy to let you cry it out.  My fiancee is already familiar with me having a good cry every once in awhile, and knows I'll be fine after a few minutes and will return a new person.

What do you do to put an end to a lousy mood?

#backthatazzup Friday | It's a 3 Day Weekend!!*@#$&*(&!!!

Memorial Day Weekend is upon us.  I cannot tell you how much I have needed this 3 day weekend.  I cannot wait to spend time sleeping in, snuggling with Trevor while watching Netflix (Supernatural, to be more specific), and spending time with our families.

We've also reached the 70 day mark to our wedding.  Tonight my mom & I are meeting with a caterer who I think will be a great option.  It's all desserts for our reception food, we're thinking, and we couldn't be more excited.  I also get to pick up my wedding dress today, which is monumental and fantastic.  Wedding plans could not be going more smoothly.

Here are a few very nice things I've run into this week that I'd like to share with you before the weekend.

The Express 40% Off Sale.  Ends on Monday. I may have bought these and these and this. 

This sweet family. Fundraisers like this are everywhere I look, and always leave me 

wishing I had a million dollars to give each of them.

Are you following Whitney yet?  I'm obsessed with her.

I'm also going to start participating in her weekly 

#backthatazzup Friday!

Here's my pick of the week, it's more of a throwback as I was reliving my Aaron Carter obsession earlier this week on Facebook.

 Needless to say, Trevor was really confused. He just doesn't understand my 90's pop obsession.

Click Here to Enjoy: Aaron's Party (Come Get It) by Aaron Carter

   

Wedding Cheesiness

Today, I need to blog.  I'm getting extremely excited for my coming wedding (79 days!), and this morning I was able to have my final fitting for my wedding gown.  I had debated on which belt I wanted... yes, real big problems here... and finally chose the perfect addition to my gown and belt placement as well.  Turns out depending on where you put the belt can change EVERYTHING about the dress, and I am beyond excited that we found the perfect look today. 

Let me tell you a little bit about my gown.  It is fairly form fitting, and makes my bum look extra great.  It's actually two separate pieces, one is a lining, and the other is a beautiful lace and mesh overlay.  I can hardly stand how beautiful I feel in this glamorous gown.  It is sparkly and hangs just right in all the right places.  I haven't been too emotional about it until today, and it was such a great experience to have so much support as I am preparing for one of the biggest days of my life. In fact, here's a photo. 

But to be honest, it looks way different in person on my body & with our alterations, but you can still get a general idea:

Trevor and I have decided that he is not to see the dress until we take our bride & groom photos (but he has seen this photo on the model).  Our photographer is going to take a first look photo for us, and I couldn't be more excited.  I have always pictured my husband seeing me on our wedding day for the first time, but I am even more excited about having that moment captured forever. 

You sick of my wedding cheesiness yet?

These past few weeks have been zooming by scarily fast, and just this morning it really started to sink in that very soon I will be marrying the man of my dreams. 

*siiigh*. 

Life is good, people. I hope I never snap out of this twitterpated phase.

Weekend Plans & Made by Girl

It's Friday, and this weekend is going to be extremely productive.  I can hardly wait to get stuff DONE.

First of all, I got paid today, and I'm sure all of you can relate when I say that there are a few things on my list I have had to wait for because I needed some money. (I do not live in a rich man's world... unfortunately, although I do enjoy ABBA) For example: I am 300 miles over my oil change mileage limit... and about a month over the date limit.  Yeah, my poor car is probably really unhappy. 

Also, engagement photos are happening this coming Thursday and I couldn't be more excited!  Trevor has agreed to let me have a makeover this week, so I'm getting my hair done, and investing in a set of extensions.  Haters gonna hate, but my hair is too thin and grows too slow for me.  Also, I'm still a pageant girl by heart, so wearing someone else's hair is like second nature to me.

Lastly, I'm sure you've all heard of the Made by Girl Blog.  If you haven't, you've got to check it out. Links Galore!

Anyway, Jen Ramos (the editor of Made by Girl) is an extremely talented artist, and I'm obsessed with her prints and paintings.  A lot of them actually inspired my wedding colors.

I actually just splurged and bought the foil prints, both the LOVE print, and the Paris 4 pack.  I'm very excited to incorporate these things into my wedding.  You can find all these items at her shop.  Or you can simply click here.

Enjoy!

Kitchen Dreams | Julia Child Kitchen Renovation

Lately, I've been dreaming about kitchens.  I cannot wait for Trev & I to have our own home, and to be able to cook whatever I want, whenever I want.  Mostly because we will have the fridge space... (remind me to never share a fridge with 3 independent adults again).

Naturally, I've been using houzz.com to entertain myself during work, and ran into an article about a renovation on Julia Child's childhood home, specifically focusing on the kitchen.  Needless to say, I now have some serious kitchen envy, as Julia Child is my inspiration for all things cooking.  I really need to read her biography one of these days...

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Traditional Kitchen by Pasadena Interior Designer Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC.

Traditional Kitchen by Pasadena Interior Designer Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC.

Traditional Kitchen by Pasadena Interior Designer Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC.

Traditional Kitchen by Pasadena Interior Designer Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC.

I am almost drooling over the gorgeous black counter tops, retro stove (which the owner has moved from home to home...) which I love in this perfectly updated space, and of course, the gigantic fridge.  Be still my heart.

I think we could do something like this, right?

For more photos and information on this amazing kitchen, and the history behind it, click here.

 

88 Days & a Weekend Update

Monday! I sure do love you. Well, at least today I do.  We are now down to 88 days on the official wedding count down, and I'm pretty sure it feels like yesterday when we reached 100 days. 

Part of me loves how fast time is going, but part of me is also starting to have random daily fits of panic as I realize how much there is to do between now and August 2nd.

I mean, we haven't even taken engagements yet for heaven sakes!  (On the calendar for May 16th, though.  I'm beyond excited.)

This weekend was pretty laid back, I don't have any exciting stories or photos, but to give you an idea of how things went... here's a post weekend recap. (Mostly for me so I feel a LITTLE productive..)

Friday: Talked to insurance agent, got discount on car insurance & also a quote for Trevor.  I was satisfied when I found that my insurance is a whole $20 a month cheaper than his.  I realize this mostly is due to the fact that he is a male in his early 20's, but Trevor wins at everything, so I take what I can.

Saturday: Got my hair done (thanks, mom!).  Helped my little sister get ready for prom.  She looked beautiful, and I felt like a winner.

Don't they ALL look great? She had the best group.

Sunday: Went to church.  Made some dinner for me and my bestie, and got some date time with Trevor.

So, really, it was a pretty average weekend... I'll hopefully have some more exciting events next week to share (if I share them at all, really... sorry little blog!)

Bloggers Block

Oh hey there, little blog! (brushes off dust)

It's been awhile.  Where have I been?

Well, here and there.  I've been feeling a little, well, pooped lately.  Blogging has turned into more of a chore than a break, and I found myself comparing my measly little blog to other great and beautiful blogs, and feeling a little small.  Yes, I know this is no true measure of my character, my success, or my value as a human being, but it's hard to see all the great things other people are blogging about and not feel a little left out.

He's a quote that explains my problem:

"The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else's highlight reel." -Steve Furtick

And I firmly believe it is true, but does anyone else feel like they don't have any highlight reel moments? At all? Man, I sure do.

I feel like that would be exhausting.  I feel like I may have been blogging for the wrong reasons, but I still want to blog.  What is wrong with me?  PMS?  Probably. I don't know what I want.

That's really what it's like, fellas. ^

But anyway, I feel like this week is going to be a good one.  I have some very exciting news I want to share, but I am waiting just a bit longer until the good news is 100% set in stone.  I'm a little skeptical that it's actually happening. But it involves me, Trevor, and Lehi, UT. Whoopie!

I'll be back again soon, I swear!

Spring Feverrrr & a Few Updates

Man, I seriously have the worst writers block lately!  I feel like I have nothing interesting to say lately.  Probably because my Spring Fever has taken over and all I want to do is move out and into a new place with Trevor.  Seriously, I obsess over it.  I may have even shed a tear or two over dishes and vacuums and dirty toilets.  Heaven help me!

I've also been really into drawing with my new Staedler Fineliner pen set.  I've been designing many dreamy wedding invitations and signing my name in different colors over and over with my soon to be new last name.  My boss probably thinks I'm a weirdo because I'm always drawing "Evans" in one way or another.  High school much?

We've also been waiting to hear back on a short sale that we want REALLY BAD. (<-- Underlined AND bolded... yikes!) I mean it.  It's giving me anxiety like you wouldn't believe.  It's perfect for us.

I've been trying to hide how much we want it, in case our offer was not accepted -- I mean really, who wants people to pity them? I know I don't! -- but here in this MY blogosphere space, I cannot contain it. We want this house so. bad. Pray or cross your fingers for us to be able to move forward with whatever decision the stupid slow inconsiderate bank chooses.

Also, how are you feeling about the new blog layout?  The colors make me happy, and I'm very pleased that I did it all by myself.  Hooray for Google & PicMonkey.com. I owe it all to you, guys.

Hey Monday! What's the Haps?

How was everyone's weekend?  To be honest, mine went by WAY too fast.  I seriously don't know if I did anything productive.  Goal for this week? Have a productive weekend.  Yeah!

How do you like my new layout?  I do think it could still use some improvement, but it's a work in progress.  I'm doing everything myself so there's a lot of trial & error going on in these parts.  I am NOT blogger savvy... yet.

So, that being said, if you happen to check my blog on a daily basis (because my blog is so incredibly entertaining), and you're realizing things are seeming a little schizophrenic, you'll know why. 

Trev and I put a bid on a house this past week, so we're crossing our fingers it goes through!  We're ready to know where we're going to be living for the next 5-10 years, or as Trevor and I say, for the first 2-3 kids.  Our future kidlets are the determining factor in our living situation, we're so excited to have babies in 2... no, 5... no. 10 years.

Also, I just barely checked my online banking as I was writing this post - pro multitasker here - and saw that my tax return has already been deposited.  Thank you and no thank you to the government.

No thank you for the taxes, and yes thank you for the new summer wardrobe!

No? There's still snow on the ground? I'm being a little over ambitious?

Okay fine.

But how cute are these swimmies?!?!  

*Click on each item for details*