An easy read.

Tis the season and I would like to post some of my favorite Christmas quotes from both songs and movies to help us remember the TRUE meaning of Christmas. Yes, everyone goes on and on about the true meaning of Christmas, but clearly it needs to be restated because every year without fail, we get lost in all the hullabaloo of presents and Santa and reindeer. (and if you're like me Disney's Frozen is on that list too.)

I will try to share a favorite memory or story that goes along with each quote. The first on my list is a family favorite.

How The Grinch Stole Christmas.

 Each year my brother Rick and I would watch the Grinch. I specifically remember one year watching it almost EVERY day. We would turn on the Christmas tree, get bundled up in our favorite blankets and watch The Grinch. Soon our eyes became heavy and we would doze off until the finishing credits would blast so loud they'd wake us up. No matter how many times we would watch it, I can still remember the part where the Grinch finally realized what made Christmas so special.

"It came without ribbons, it came without tags. It came without packages, boxes, or bags." (Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before) "Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store, maybe Christmas (he thought) means a little bit more"

My next favorite Christmas movie is...

Charlie Brown Christmas.

If you don't know my Dad, you should. That's all there is to it. He is without a doubt the funniest person I know. He is also the one person I know who can be so annoying yet hilarious at the same time. He is the person in our family that can bring everyone together no matter how angry, spiteful or stubborn we are. But through all of his ridiculous games and jokes he has a tender countenance that resembles the spirit of Christ. My Dad has an unshakable testimony and undoubtedly cries during every tender moment in every movie. During Charlie Brown Christmas he would always rewind the loud dancing scenes then make all of the kids get up and try to imitate the Charlie Brown Characters dance moves. We would do this for hours and laugh until our sides hurt, but during the final scene he would quiet us all down, grab some tissues and watch Linus perform his tender scene in the Christmas play.

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night, and lo the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid, and the angel said unto them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a savior, tis Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts, praising God and saying "Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men." That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."

Sheesh, this post is getting kind of lengthy, and here you are thinking "wow, she titled it an easy read, rookie mistake." But with that being said, I will post just one more quote, the lyrics to my all time favorite Christmas song. It is sung through the voice of the Innkeeper that turned Mary and Joseph away the night baby Jesus was born.

Let Him In (Forgotten Carols).

"I am a man forgotten, no one recalls my name, thousands of years will fail to fully erase my shame. But I turned a profit nicely the day that I turned the couple away, I turned them away. I didn't sleep that evening though I'd sold out my place somehow I felt uneasy something about her face. Why did I wish that I'd let them stay? I didn't think they could pay or could they have paid? Restless, I left my bedroom I walked the streets all night. Lost in the world I lived in, found by a heavenly light. Staring at one bright star in the sky I heard a baby cry and I knew where that cry had come from 'cause I'd told them where they could go. I didn't think I could face them so I walked slowly home. Missing my chance to share in their joy, I never saw the boy. He never would condemn me, I did that all on my own. He offered His forgiveness, and ever since then, I've known. That He lets us choose each hour of each day if we'll let Him in to stay, let Him in. And whether it be in your world today or a crowded Bethlehem Inn, find a way make Him room let Him in."


Find a way, we can make room for Him. Let Him in.

A Little Piece of My Heart.

Your whole life you grow up thinking "Oh when I get married", and "when I go to college", or "when I have kids" but the thought never crosses your mind that you might not get those things. It started out as just a pregnancy scare, but that tiny pregnancy scare changed our marriage. October of 2012 Ryan and I stood over a pregnancy test waiting for the results. Negative, phew! A sigh of relief escaped his mouth and I couldn't help but smile, but a few seconds passed and we both frowned. A spark was lit inside and even though we weren't expecting a child or hoping for one, we soon realized we were disappointed to see that we weren't going to be parents just yet.

Two months later in December of 2012 we had officially decided to start trying. January came and went with no sign that we weren't pregnant, so we decided to take another test. Negative. February-Negative. It wasn't until March of 2013 that my belief of couples conceiving their first month of trying was shattered. Okay, so where do we go from here? Research, research and more research. We found out that it takes most couples 4-6 months to conceive. Phew, so we aren't the only ones trying like bunnies with no results! In April of 2013 I lost my period, as in it was no where to be found. I knew I had to be pregnant because I hadn't had my period for two months. I took another test-NEGATIVE! What the H! One thing you should know about me is that I self diagnose myself from the internet ALL THE TIME! So I got online, looked up missing periods with negative test results. After coming across several stories that say sometimes the HCG levels aren't high enough to be read from an "At Home PT" I scheduled an HCG Serum Test at the doctors because that had to be it.

I got my blood drawn on a Friday and it was the only Friday I ever dreaded the weekend. Come Monday I was greeted by the sweetest Medical Assistant who came to me with a straight face telling me that I was not in fact pregnant and that the Doctor had to go over the rest of my blood tests. Long story short I could not conceive in the condition my body was in, and changing my body was no guarantee that I could conceive at all. But I started the medication anyway with high hopes that it could change my future. After researching this medication I was terrified of the results. Nausea, diarrhea, fatigue and on top of all that, I was directed to limit sugar and greasy food because it only made the side effects worse. I decided to go gutsy and take the full dose even after my doctor told me I could ease into it. I told myself there was nothing stopping me from having a baby ASAP. I ralphed and pooped and puked and barfed and cried and pooped some more. It was like Hell on Earth guys! Needless to say, I cut the dose in half and dove in again the next night. The side effects gradually improved and now it is nothing but a little nausea EVERY night before bed and diarrhea anytime I eat the things I enjoy. No pain no gain right? I would do anything for a baby. More time passed and still no baby, but I was still receiving a monthly present which I was in fact grateful for.

 In August of 2013 I returned to the doctor to get a blood workup. The results: worse than before. I called Ryan in tears after receiving the news. Why was this happening to us? I couldn't believe that I had put myself to Hell and back for months with no progress. For several weeks I completely turned away from the idea of a baby. I didn't want to look at babies or talk about babies or think about them. I told Ryan I didn't want a baby for a long, long time. Deep down he knew that I was simply hurting. If wanting a baby so bad only brought pain then I didn't want one, I didn't want that pain. I sunk into a deep depression. All I ever wanted to do with my life was become a mother, and that is what my body was made for, yet I couldn't accomplish that. Fertility issues are hard on everyone, but there is something terrible in knowing you are the cause. You feel guilty and depressed and most of all you wallow in self pity every chance you get. It's repulsive really, but there it is.

 Everyone around me was either getting pregnant, having babies or planning them. I am so grateful for the new bundles of joy that have been added to my life, but I felt like slapping myself and yelling "Pull yourself together!" (Holla at your Incredibles quote)

 

I became envious of the people who got pregnant their first try, and I would get angry when people would say "Yeah, we didn't even try, it just happened" or "We were even on birth control and still got pregnant, I'm terrified, we don't even want kids yet!" and don't even get me started on abortion. Babies are a miracle and they should be treated as just that, a gift from God.

December 2, 2013 on Ryan's 26th birthday I decided to call the Fertility Center and make the plunge. We had been trying to conceive for over a year and doctors recommend seeking help after 12 months. Our appointment is in January and our entire outlook has changed. I cannot wait for the incredible journey ahead. Our goal for 2014 is to stay positive through the process of getting pregnant and to have faith in the Lord's plan. I know that this will be one of the hardest trials we will overcome, but I also know that we will appreciate the ability to conceive and carry a baby from our first baby until our last.

So here's to the future, wish us luck!

Ridiculousness.

So, my husband has this idea that I can't leave ANYTHING in our house alone. Yesterday we actually had a long discussion about his fears and he told me that one of his fears is that I will never be satisfied with our house the way it is. I could have told him that he was being ridiculous, but I agree with him, I will never stop improving our house because decorating is to me, what Call of Duty is to Ryan. With that being said, here is the latest and the greatest.

 Before: Let's just say it had seen better days

 

 During

 

 VOILA! After.

I had originally planned on just painting it white but I had some left over Gold spray paint and what can I say? I was inspired!

PARTY PARTY PARTY!!!

Life has been NUTS lately! I feel like my weekends have been taken over by parties. NOT what you're thinking. I don't party hop from house to house or play "Mountain Dew" pong. I mean grown up, finger sandwich, sipping tea, playing afternoon cards parties (believe it or not THIS is the kind of party I live for).

I love to show my creative side and even more so pretend I actually have one. These parties have allowed my inner party planning beast to run rampant! As many of you know, every woman I know is pregnant right now, so I'm a baby shower planning fool. If any of you know me well you know that I will use ANY and ALL excuses to throw a party. Since all of my sisters in law are expecting their 2nd or 3rd children I decided a shower wasn't necessary, but a sprinkle was!

Take note: I AM human, I did not plan these parties all by myself.

Kiley, my sister in law, is expecting the middle of October so we threw a little retro aqua and red themed brunch "sprinkle" for her. 

In case you couldn't tell by these pictures, we had candy GALORE. Ryan and I are STILL trying to finish off the last of it.

The next party I planned was another "sprinkle" for the lovely Becca who is due the first week of November.

We decided to throw a "travel" themed party. Globes, planes, maps, etc.

Last but not least, The Great Gatsby Party that Ry and I threw. (When I say Ryan and I threw it I mean he helped fold the Laundry and make appetizers).

More to come on Rachel Smart Elder's Shower. 

Where's the baby?

Now that school and work have taken over our lives, my projects have been getting put on the back burner. But there is one project I could NOT put off any longer, the rocking chair from H! We found this bad boy at a yard sale for $15 buckaroo's! Seeing how I'm more hungry for a baby than any newlywed, I figured I'd start stocking up on baby furniture (things we could use now) so that we didn't have to spend as much money in the future when we actually have a baby. The chair looked disgusting (to say the least).

When Ryan saw the chair he asked if I was sure I wanted to spend (waste) the money on it. I told him it would be worth it in the end since nursery gliders are $150-$200. I found some darling fabric on amazon for around $7 a yard and ordered it immediately. The fabric was mature enough that we could have it in our bedroom but fun enough that we could use it to accent a darling nursery. It showed up at our new apartment days later and I (bursting with excitement) got right to work. 

It took me all of 5 minutes to recover the foot glider/ottoman. I just measured and cut the fabric and stretched it over the ottoman. After I flipped the ottoman over and folded a nice seam I started stapling until it was done.

The Glider was a bit more difficult. I hated the thought of a loose cushion sliding around so I stapled the bum cushion right to the wood. Three sides of the cushion were fairly easy and I'm sure you can imagine how the fourth side turned out. I love this fabric but recovering all 3 cushions may have been overwhelming so instead I recovered the ottoman and the bum cushion but tossed the nasty tan back cushion in the garbage and purchased a small back pillow from Ross for $5.

After I decided it was done, Ryan decided it NEEDED armrests so I stapled on some fabric and stuffed the arms until it had adequate padding.
 The finished product...

From Generation to Generation.

Today is a day, unlike any other. Thirty-three years ago, on May 31st, my parents were sealed in the Salt Lake City Temple. That's right, thirty-three flipping years! And through those 33 years, my mother has waited patiently to buy her own, brand new, top of the line furniture. As many of you know my darling parents have been refinishing their house from TOP to BOTTOM. This means all new everything for my mother dearest. What does this entail for Ryan and I? A house full of furniture projects. Today I'm going to show you my favorite refinish EVER, (and also the hardest). My Great Grandma Jane Thomas had the most beautiful table and hutch that got passed down through the generations of my Grandma, Mother and now myself. Unfortunately, it had seen better days. The hutch has slowly gotten dented, scratched and dinged over the years so that will need a refinish pronto. But today I would like to post about my now favorite kitchen table. 

My Sweet husband knew that I wanted to do this project for a while and that I just needed a little jump start. When I came home from work one afternoon I saw our kitchen table out on the balcony, sanded and ready to go. 

As you can tell, the table has a very antique feel about it. From the older "V" wood grain, to the rounded edges, it is all around pretty vintage. But I wanted to pump it up a notch so we went with a REALLY dark finish. The picture above shows the before (on the left) and the table after the first coat of stain (on the right). Neither one looked very pretty and it was at this point that I panicked. I didn't know how it would turn out and my husband had never worked with this particular stain/poly in one. But, I just waited, and stained and waited and stained until finally it looked just how I wanted.

After a big screw-up and a few tears I got the table to look exactly as I imagined.

Next up- The outdated hutch.

The best news and the worst move.

I don't know if any of you have moved recently, but it is the worst experience in the world. When Ryan and I first got back from our honeymoon my sweet family had moved the majority of our furniture and my Mom "set up house" before we had the chance to lift a finger. We slowly moved the remainder of our things to our tiny one bedroom apartment. Just before Christmas we got all of our decorations up and our house was set up how we wanted it. Ryan could finally relax and I could finally stop pestering him. A month later we got a call from my Parents asking if we were interested in living in their condo in Orem. Um, three bedrooms? Two bathrooms? YES PLEASE. Ryan wasn't too happy when I told him we had to do it all over again.

This recent move however, was a complete different ordeal. We found out we were moving around the 10th of January, however we had no clue when we would actually be moving in. The real kicker is, my sister Rachel was moving into our one bedroom when we were out, and guess where we were moving? Yup, you guessed it. Into her old apartment. We had to do the old switcharoo, and if that's not enough, my sweet Mother and soon to be landlord wanted to get the carpets cleaned before we moved in. Whoa Whoa Whoa, so not only did we have to switch apartments but we had both had to be living in the one bedroom apartment for a day while the carpets got cleaned?! Yes, you betcha. We moved all of Rachel's things into our family room while we packed our things up. Luckily we covered the tile at our new place with furniture or we never would have made it. Rachel's old roommate was out and we moved in right away. Late Wednesday afternoon we started packing. With the help of my lovely family, a few trucks and Ryans brothers we finished the last load before 10:00 PM. Needless to say it was miserable going back and forth in the muddy snow as I am sure everyone would agree. Ryan and I are still setting up house, but you can bet your bottom dollar when the house is all dolled up I WILL be posting pictures!