dawes design

i came upon these rings.  this is dawes design rings - skin collection.  i think they look similar to the kind you would find out of those 25 cent vending machines, loose it the next day kind... but their collections are fun.  so many of my friends are getting married this year so i have been helping them look for rings.

through these adventurous searches they like to ask me what i would want.  if i had a choice, is a band too simple?  that's all i want.  no diamond.  i just like the thick bands with no clutter.

you&me gluten-free

for those of you that suffer from stomach allergies to certain foods, especially gluten, my sister has made a blog for foods that are safe.

tried to do handstands for you.

I tried to do handstands for you
Everytime I fell on you, yeah, everytime I fell
I tried to do handstands for you but everytime I fell for you
I'm permanently black and blue, permanently blue for you-ooh-ooh-ooh

~ Chairlift

mom, do you know the muffin man?

that is a question jack has been asking me everyday.

thank you shrek and the books he is starting to memorize.

Happiness is a continuation of 

happenings

 which are not resisted. 

- Deepak Chopra

::things i'm loving about jackson lately::

1. when he takes my hair out of a ponytail, then runs his fingers through my hair until it "wooks good"

2. right before he meets his dad for the weekend, he will tell me "mom, you think about me when i'm gone 'coz i'm gonna miss you."
3. how he makes me close my eyes before he gives me a painting/drawing he made at preschool.
4. how much he loves bugs now and asks me to turn the rolly-pollies over so he can look for more.

5. at a family dinner, he was really quiet and to himself.  someone said women and he randomly shouts, "I LOVE WOMEN. I LOVE WOMEN." ... then going about his business eating without looking up.
6. when he wants me to sing "ABCD..." while he sings "twinkle twinkle" at the same time.
7. how much he loves music.  when he was growing in my tummy, i would play music for him to calm him down since he would kick my ribs. when he was a brand new baby, i would play music to create a sweet atmosphere to help him sleep.  still to this 3 and a half age he still falls instantly asleep with music.

8. randomly the other day he told me to "send santa some thank you food."  maybe he meant card for his train set?
9. he is such a great traveler. just happy and sleepy.

10. how protective he is of me.... i guess it can both ways.

11. when he shushes me in church if i'm talking to my mom or sister by saying, "shhhhh mom, jesus can hear you."
12. when he thinks he is whispering but he is just moving his lips.
13. how much his belly-roll has improved.

14. the other day he told me "when i grow up, i want to be a firetruck!"
15. his obsession for disneyland.  he is a true fan of meeting the characters.

16. his love for ketchup. sometimes its a bit excessive, but pretty funny.

17. when we were driving to the airport, he was peeking his head out of the window and yelled, "wait for me airplane.  i'm almost there!  don't land!"

18. when he told the lady at the park that she isn't a pirate; and that in fact he was.

19. if he notices someone eating vegetables together, he says, "try it! you'll like it" from yo gabba gabba.

20. his love for his cousins jade + micah.  he tells me daily that micah is his best friend.

::things that make me sad about jack lately::

1. how quickly he is growing.  he's not a baby, nor a toddler, but is officially a kid.
2. when with my friends at church, he untucked his shirt and took off his shoes.  my friend CL told jackson to tuck in his shirt to show respect and jackson decided to spit on him.... oh the timeout... that through me off guard for sure but the guys were laughing.
3. the first and only time he said "boobies"
4. whenever i catch him into something, he blames it on jade... so weird.

5. how much i miss him when he is gone.

weekend spotlight

there is a person in my life that i look up to so much.  my brother's wife lindsay.  she has been such a great person, example to me in every aspect.  she is beautiful, patient, calm, put together, humble, careful, kind, charming and many many more qualities...

i have known lindsay all my life as we grew up together and have siblings similar ages.  while my brother mitch was serving his mission in vancouver, canada, i went over to their house to try on their prom dresses for another high school's prom i was invited to.  i remember this conversation well...

her brother was serving in russia and we got to talking.... linds and her sister kim said things like, i like you so much... we should be sisters.  you marry my brother, and i'll marry your brother.
i thought it was a great plan. growing up, i always felt like the older girls were just really nice to me because they wanted to date my brother but for lindsay it was different.  i really wanted things to work out to the point that it made sense.  she and i kept that plan in the back of our minds and then my brother came home.  they hit it off well (of course).  mitch was going to college in hawaii and she was going back to school so they did long distance and got married 6 months later.

they truly have to been the most in love married couple i have ever seen.  it amazes me how she and him have a love unlike anyone.  its fun to be around them... they aren't cheesy, so laid back but still look at each other like they are SO IN LOVE in their own way.

i lived with the both of them right after they got married and had the opportunity to fall in love with my sister-in-law.  she decorated so perfectly, cooked detailed fancy dinners every night, always made everyone feel like they are the only ones in the room and just was amazing everyday.  so glad they met.

she is my sister.  i don't even feel comfortable calling her my sister-in-law because she is more of a sister to me.  she always, always, always knows what to say.  lindsay has brought me so much comfort when isaac passed away, through my two surgeries, through my divorce and still is always there.  that saying "through thick and thin" is completely her.

she is so patient and loving with her kids (my niece and nephew)... i have never heard her "loose it" or raise her voice or be inpatient.  she is always tender, loving and sweet as a mother should be.  she puts so much energy and time into each child.  i love watching her just be a mom.  such a great example to me and anyone else who gets to see her do her job + do it well.

have i mentioned she is the best gift giver?  she has made every birthday since i've known her special.  when i lived with them, she made me the best meal in bed with my favorite lipstick with a card i still have.  probably my favorite birthday i will always remember... thoughtful and simple.

i always thought, whoever marries my brother will be so lucky but also better have a sense of humor.  mitch is pretty funny in his own way.  he is an introvert through and through but once you get to know him, he is hilarious.

they were discussing baby names the other night.  she is liking Sage, Sparrow and Willow... and this is how it went...
L= Lindsay M= Mitchell

L:  "so what do you think about the name sparrow?"
M: "linds... that is so trendy."
L: "what do you mean?  i don't know any other babies by that name."
M: 'Linds.... Captain Jack Sparrow..."
linds can't believe what he said, totally laughing...

L: "first of all that was out four years ago, second, no one would get our daughter's name mixed up with captain jack sparrow"
M: "linds, we are not naming our kids after a pirate, a horse or a midget"
{we had a horse named sage} {willow as in the movie}

it was pretty funny.

when they were first married, she kept getting mail addressed to: Lindsay O. Lundquist

they were talking about it and said:
L: mitch why do i keep getting mail saying my middle name is the initial "O?"
M: um, linds... ova?
she is cracking up...
L: my middle name is Eva... ova is part of a woman's cervix.

so anyway, that was my version of their relationship with some random notes.

i am so glad to be so close to lindsay.  she is my best friend and one of my favorite people alive.  she and i hang out a lot during the week - especially because our boys are BFF for forever and ever.

normal hill < memory hill

same hill but at different times.

remember that post of the books designed in numbers?

paul octavious does it again for me.

he is classic.

s.a.n. f.r.a.n.c.i.s.c.o + then some

{photo on the right from city posters - jason kernevich and dustin summers}

{photo by my friend rachel thurston}

oh i love her work.

so we are going back to san francisco today.

for the weekend.
my friend and wendy was going to come with me but just found out she can't...
it is never the same without her.

i love roadtrips.
i think i could drive to every state when i'm old and retired and get excited about everyday.

here are some random pictures from last month's trip there:

(click on the picture if you want to see it normal size)

 

 

 

  

string attached

have you seen this movie yet?

i just saw it for the first time a few weeks ago and love it.

jackson wants to watch it everyday and would if i let him.

here are some other ballon pictures in lieu of this movie.

{pictures found on here, here, and fffffound}