technilogically impaired

this is what I look like anytime I use technology these days....





leave me my indoor plumbing, electricity, and a car.... everything else can go.

look how it shines for you

My grandma recently died due to complications from dementia, and my mom has been remodeling her house. She had this piece in her kitchen that she salvaged from my g-mama's home when Marjie moved to an assisted living center once her illness got too intense to manage:

I forgot to take pictures pre-sanding and such, so it was in a bit better shape than this, but not much... 

can you see the old-school handles? Vintage, but not quite right for what I was going for.

Anyway, she was going to get rid of this, and I just had to have it. Of course, it would need some work, but it's all wood, and full of history and character. There are so many little details that aren't replicated in furniture nowadays. Who could pass up a piece like that? 

Jordan took me down to Salt Lake at 8 o'clock on a Wednesday night (never mind that he had to work at 5 the next morning), we loaded it up, and drove straight back up to Logan.  

Hours of sanding, cleaning, and painting later, I finally finished this family heirloom.

Jordan likes it because "now we need a bigger TV"

I love keeping things in the family, and luckily, I've gotten so many awesome things from my grandma. She had great (and expensive) taste, so we have some classy things for poor newlywed students. (Ew, that sounded arrogant.... really, that was a compliment to Majorie B, not me!) I miss her so much, but I'm glad to have pieces of her memory scattered throughout our little home. 

paint= Canary Song by Glidden

knobs= Hobby Lobby

(where is Spring) Break

Let's let the pictures do the talking today.

We're bummed we have to leave this place early tomorrow. 

You've been good to us, Wyoming.

(pray we don't die on our way home tomorrow!)

the beauty of cable t.v.

Since so much is going on, (and Jordan is asleep-- how rude!) I figured I better update this while I have time... Two posts in one day (or should I say hour), even on vacation? Wha? 


As I mentioned in the last post, we're in Jackson right now. While we're having all kinds of fun, perhaps one of the best things is lying in bed watching t.v. We don't have it at the apartment, and I'm beginning to wonder why....


I've discovered the perfection that is "Heavily Ever After" on TLC, and Lifetime's "Coming Home".


After a high school senior, soon-to-be college football player was reunited with his dad who's been serving in Afghanistan, Jordan turns to me and says "Look what you've done to me... That was like, touching!"


I'm glad his own emotions distracted him from the tears welling up in my eyes.


I promise we're doing more than watching t.v..... I'll update about those adventures later. (probably when Jordan falls asleep early again tomorrow night...)

Spouse Sleepover

Spring break is this week, and I decided that since we'll be working the whole time, we deserved a little vacation from the monotony.... We're in Jackson Hole right now... but that's another story. The solution? A spouse sleepover! Yes, I realize we have "sleepovers" every night, but this was different. 

We ate tons of junk food and watched movies and slept on the floor and I tried to have a massage train (meaning Jordan would start at my feet and work his way up.... he wasn't into it), and slept in way too late.

 Isn't that what any great sleepover looks like?

Jordan was given this on Monday

I told him to smile.... I bet you can't even tell it's forced, right?

Our Menu:

Pigs in a Blanket 

Quesadillas

Cheesy Garlicy French Bread

Jalapeño Cream Cheese Poppers

Spinach Artichoke Dip with Pita Chips

Veggies and Dip

Sparkling Pineapple Juice (this was my gram Morgan's fav.... Pineapple Juice with Sprite. Fancy, I know.)

Dessert:

Mini Cupcakes 

Rice Crispy Treats

Grapes

Bananas

Cinnamon Hot Lips

Chocolate Fondue 

OK, so it's not the most refined menu, but then again, neither are our palates.

We gorged ourselves with enough refined carbohydrates to last us till our next sleepover-- I was thinking we should make it annual thing-- and then woke up with body aches good enough to make us question that whole annual thing....

Goodness he looks young! Oh wait... he kinda is. Fitting for the occasion, I suppose.

oh no you di'int

"My biggest fear in life is getting fat."


If i hear/read this one more time, imagonnasplode.


Do you really live in a bubble so small that there is nothing else in this world scary enough to irk you?

Not touching the lives of those around you?

Losing loved ones too early?
Living a life easily forgotten?
Natural disasters?
Rapists?
Anything?


Sheesh.


It's a shallow world we live in, my friends.




sorry for all my ranting these days.... my period must be coming or something.

20

I've officially made it to two whole decades.


No longer a teen bride....

...breakthrough...

I may have had a breakthrough people (or should I say... universe, since no one is actually reading)...


This weekend Jordan and I went down to spend Saturday night and Sunday with his family. His mom was having a family party at the house on Sunday (for Valentines and all the birthdays they've had in the family the past month), so we went to support her and to finally give the little brothers their overdue gifts.


When we arrived, everyone was sitting around in the kitchen, discussing the plans. Frankie (Jordan's mom) said to me "For your birthday, I want to take you shopping!"


It's at this moment that I felt the cold sweat and hives break out.


You see. I hate clothes shopping as it is. I haven't found much joy in wandering around crowded malls, and then, on the off chance of finding something cute (or at least wearable) undressing in front of mirrors that somehow make you look 20 pounds heavier and lighting that magically finds your every dimple and mark. Not fun.


What could be worse you ask?


Doing this with my size 2 (literally) mother-in-law.


Now you understand.


So when the suggestion of going shopping was presented, panic immediately consumed me. I started in on the list of dozens of excuses if this were to ever occur:


Me: "I'm really picky when it comes to clothes."


Frankie: "I understand, so am I. You don't have to get anything if you don't love it, but we'll just go look and try things on to see."


Me: "But when I go shopping I usually don't even find anything worth trying on."


Frankie: "That's OK. I spent hours shopping for your birthday already, and I can't come up with anything.


Me: "I need glasses for the kitchen!"


Frankie: "OK, we'll look at those too. I want to get you things you can wear to your new job. I know you have to dress up."


Me: "I actually went shopping when I got the job, so I've pretty much gotten everything I need."


Frankie: "A girl can never have enough clothes."


Needless to say, there was no getting out of it. And apparently, Jordan didn't do my dirty work (like I've insisted dozens of times) telling his mother that I will never want clothes as a gift. Ever.


I succumbed to the pressure, and agreed to go.


We walked around the mall, and I made it out without trying a single thing on. It was glorious. I think she realized there may never come a day when I want to shop for clothes with her, so she agreed to go to BB&B to look for home goods. We drove off to find glasses that wouldn't melt in my dishwasher.


I could've gotten off easy. But, I realized I'll never learn to accept myself living like this. So what if my mother-in-law thinks I'm fat and hideous? If she does, that's only a reflection of her, not me.


I also knew I couldn't justly blog about learning to love my imperfections if I wasn't taking any steps to do so.


I got brave and admitted to her that I was in desperate need of jeans.


She was elated.


To make an already long story a little shorter, we went, we shopped, we conquered. And it wasn't even bad. She was so kind and accepting, and I even felt like I was on the verge of being comfortable doing this with her.


What a big step, eh?


For being such a big girl, she even got me those glasses.

this day in history

It was one year ago today that Jordan proposed-- can I get a whoop whoop?! Love you, J-Dub. 


Here's to an eternity more with this handsome man.

p.s. looky what I found on my computer! OW OW!!!