I'm So Bad at Blogging...

Wow…long time.

I wish I could say that I was busy decorating my house but I haven’t done a thing! Turns out I’m pretty picky with pillows. It’s been a pretty bland last few months but at the same time I feel like its been a roller coaster. Now that I feel like I’ve somewhat resumed control of my life again, I figured I should start blogging again.

One of the more exciting things that happened in the last few months is I got another niece! Ellie Rae was born at the end of November and she is adorable. Her big sister loves the heck out of her and it’s been fun living so close to both of them. They are growing up too fast so I love to see them as often as possible.

We also got a dog. I’m still warming up to the idea. Austin has been begging and pleading for a couple years to get a dog and I just didn’t think we needed one. Then he found a really good one from a breeder we were familiar with and after more begging and pleading from my family as well, apparently I had a weak moment and said yes. Boy do I regret it. If I already didn’t feel stressed out adding a puppy to train did not help. His name is Bentley and he is a Yorkie / Havanese mix. He’s actually a really good dog but I’m still getting used to the idea.

Austin and I celebrated our 4^th Wedding Anniversary this week. I was surprised with a huge bouquet of flowers that morning; 48 to be exact for the number of months that we have been married. I thought that was pretty clever. I was also told that we had dinner reservations downtown so we met up right after work. We ended up going to the Calgary Tower (Sky 360) and it was amazing! The last time I went to the Calgary Tower was in grade four with my dad because I did really well on my report card. The restaurant actually rotates so you can a full panoramic view of Calgary while you eat. Its crazy how much the city has changed and how big it is while still growing. The food was so good and it was so fun to be downtown for the evening. 

Now I am getting ready to head to Arizona for a much needed vacation. I am so excited to get away, enjoy the heat, sit by the pool, and do some serious shopping.

D.I.Y

I have completed my first DIY project. Well...sort of. I have been trying to gather up decorating ideas and furniture ideas for the house and I remembered a project I saw on Danielle Oakey Interiors. It was nightstands using dressers from Ikea. A dresser I already owned. After seeing the end result I really wanted to give it a try. DIY projects have always scared my because I've just never really been good at arts and crafts but I really liked these nightstands.

Austin didn't have much confidence in my abillities either so he suggested we at least do them at his Grandpa's Workshop, because we didn't have room and he has all the supplies we would need. After a little trial and error we had stained and painted the wood and I was surprised at how easy it was.

As it turned out, Austin's Grandpa decided to do another coat for us as well as reassemble the drawers and change the hardware to what I picked out. So I didn't completely do my first DIY project by myself but I'm happy with the result and have a little more confidence in doing more projects.

Thanks Grandpa Bill for letting us use your workshop and tools and for telling me that I was better at staining than Austin. :)

 BEFORE                                                

AFTER

Our First Home

In August we officially became homeowners! FINALLY!! I have been wanting a house for a really, REALLY long time and after months and months of looking we finally have one! We have to travel longer to get to work but we are down the street and around the corner from our niece and about five minutes away from my family. We are excited!

It's crazy we have been in there over a month now. We're all moved in and now I've been trying to decide how I want to decorate. For the life of me I cannot decide on some colors to do! All our furniture, floors, and cupboards are dark so I need to try and brighten the place up! I am open to ideas!

I went to the Calgary Home Show last weekend to try and get some ideas and Jillian Harris was one of the main stage speakers. I love her! I've always been a fan of hers from the Bachelor and such but I also love checking out her website for ideas on so many things. She talked a lot about making your home "YOU" and not decorating with things that have no meaning to you or represent your personality. I was starting to feel like I was decorating a show home instead of my own house so I'm really taking what she said to heart. I want my house to represent me and Austin. I don't know how to do that yet, but I'm working on it.

Technology These Days

I used to think I was pretty good with technology and that I knew my way around a computer or other technologies but I was sadly mistaken. I’ve realized that over the years, I am so behind with the times.

I’m pretty sure I still used a Discman to workout with my freshman year of college. I saw people texting and thought that was the stupidest thing I’d ever heard of. I didn’t even own my own cell phone until Christmas after my freshman year. And then T9 was the extent of my fabulous texting. My junior year was when I first heard about Facebook and that became the stupidest thing I’d ever heard of. I was pretty anti-Facebook for the longest time and finally signed up just before I got married. Then I noticed a lot of people started blogging. I eventually started that too but as you can see, not very well.

Now Facebook seems to change every other week and its reach the point that I don’t even know how to use it. Blogs seem to reach a whole new standard that I just cannot keep up with. What the heck is Twitter about? I don’t get it. I don’t own an IPHONE and don’t really want one. I barely use the phone I have now. I have Skype but I’ve used it once and Remi had to give me step-by-step instructions on what to do. And the other day, my mother-in-law had to explain to me what Pininterest was.

I don’t know where I’ve been but I feel like I’ve been living under a rock. I remember thinking that in 2011 we would for sure have flying cars and our homes would be more like the Jetson’s. For all I know that’s how people are living these days. Well, I better go to the library and sign out a book about new technologies… I mean upload one onto an e-reader or something.

SMITHFEST 2011

I'm extremely behind in my blogging. Usually I would just skip everything that has happened in the last while but there has been so much going on and I just have to document it all! First up...Smithfest.

Every two years my dad's side of the family has a family reunion. It's called SmithFest and its kind of a big deal! The location usually alternates between Calgary and Utah which is where the family lives. This year it was in Calgary with my Grandparents acreage acting as the home base. We've been doing these official reunions since 1999 and its been bitter sweet to accept all the changes that have happened over time.

It was a great weekend filled with this year's T-shirt reveal, Rolly-bat, fireworks, pancake breakfast, rafting, family jeopardy, dance party, and a wiener roast. It was soo good to see the family especially the ones we don't get to see that often. Until 2013...

AZ

Austin and I were able to spend 9 wonderful days in Arizona back in the beginning of July. I desperately needed a break from Calgary and Austin’s parents were heading down to their house in Queen Creek so we decided to crash the party. I barely took any pictures which I’m really upset about but we spent most of our time at the pool (And I was NOT getting a picture of myself in a bathing suit) and eating. Is it weird that I was most excited about the places we were going to eat on our holiday? Seems to be my main focus. There are so many great restaurants that we don’t have here in Canada and it’s so much cheaper!

The residents of Arizona thought we were crazy for coming down when it is so hot out but we were desperate for some sun. It was great when we were by the pool but in the afternoon it gets even hotter and more difficult to do anything but be in an air conditioned area. We would go to the pool like three times a day including our night swim that was called “Prime Time” for some reason, which was Austin’s doing. Back to the food, we were looking for something to drink one day and came across the new smoothies at McDonalds. Pineapple Mango was amazing and we probably had one every day. Austin’s dad was obsessed with them! We made it to Café Rio but strangely enough, I decided I like my homemade version better. We tried a new Mexican restaurant that was recommended by an Elder in our ward who is from Mesa called Matta’s which was really good! We also went to Taco Bell on our last day because it seriously is so much better then here. I really don’t understand why a burrito is 99 cents in America and $4 in Canada?? Anyway, it was delicious and they have Pina Colada’s that I think trumped the McDonald’s smoothies we found. I wish we went to Taco Bell earlier just so I could have had more! We also ate at the Queen Creek Olive Mill and at Joe’s Farm Fresh that was featured on the Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. I also drank way too much pop while I was down there. I’m not that much of a pop drinker anyway but for some reason when we go to the States we drink so much! I am seriously off soda pop for good now!

Best part of the trip by far though was getting to hang out with these ladies!

I seriously miss them like crazy when I’m at home! I was able to meet up with Remi earlier in the week and was able to see her family which was amazing because I love the Lundeens! I was thinking about the first time I joined the Lundeens for a family vacation there were no grandchildren. Now there’s like 8! (Or 9??) Whitney was also there which was so exciting since the last time I saw her was at Remi’s wedding and before she had her 2 beautiful boys! We just hung out and tried to learn the Party Rock Anthem dance and it was lovely! Then Ashley flew into town just before I left and the three of us were able to go out to eat and catch up. It was so much fun to see them and to be able to just talk and hang out! Loved it! I realized as they were driving me home that we didn’t get a picture together so we tried to get one in the car. Not the easiest thing to do! It worked out so perfectly that Ashley happened to be coming to Arizona for her brother’s wedding and for that I am so glad.

Austin was also able to meet up with one of his Missionary companions who lives in Chandler. This is what I love about the friendships you make within the church. You don’t have to see each other very often but you start right back up again when you see each other. Austin hadn’t seen Reuben for over 6 years and it was so fun having his wife and two cute boys come over for a visit. I love hearing mission stories! Boys always seem to find mischief to get into! And I forgot to get a picture which is really too bad.

The flight home was filled with people coming to Calgary for the Stampede which is so funny to me. It is always nice to come home but I am so glad we went on this trip. It was nice to just sit by the pool and soak up the sun! We are already trying to plan our next trip down there in the Fall! A big THANK YOU to the Gough’s for letting us stay at their house, eat their food, and for driving us all over the place! Next time I really need to take more pictures!

I Just Want A Picture

Austin absolutely hates anything to do with pictures. I love taking pictures and want to always capture the memories. It's probably my fault he dislikes pictures so much because I always want to take pictures and always want multiple pictures taken to make sure we get a good one. Drives him nuts! It's like pulling teeth to even get him to agree to a picture now, then he just acts goofy with different poses, and finally he will take it somewhat seriously and look at the camera. This is the result...

What a brat. At least he makes me laugh during the whole process. :)

Not Acceptable R-word PSA

Homecoming

My brother Brad came home from his mission this week and we are thrilled to have him home! He has changed but he’s still the same Brad. My mom was so excited to have him back and I can’t believe two years has gone by! Mostly because my life hasn’t really changed much since he left. Haha. He is coming home to a lot of changes though so hopefully he will adjust okay. Welcome Home Brad!

Memory

I've been transferring old pictures to the new computer and I came upon this one. It made me smile. I am really good at frolicking. Just saying.

Nauvoo 2005