Jackpot!!!

I have been on the hunt for some good, warm boots to replace my poor old tan ones I got about 5 years ago. I love them so much that I just couldn't part with them until I found a suitable match. I tried Macy's, Dillards, Nordstrom Rack ... and nothing compared (in my very cheap price range). So, one day I was at Costco and saw some tall, fluffy boots for only around $40. I bounded through the crowds and pounced on the last few boxes, but then sadly realized there were none my size. Boo. I resigned myself to waiting until spring when everything goes on clearance...

Then last night, after seeing a movie with my family, I was on my way home and realized I had one more errand on my list. Since Ella wasn't with me, I decided to stop in to Costco and return some lotion right at closing time. The line was short, the people were helpful, and I was on my way in about 5 minutes. Then... out of the corner of my eye... I saw a box of shearling boots tossed in a corner under piles of after-christmas returns. "WAIT!!" I yelled, scaring the little cashier man. "Did someone return those boots? Can I buy them??" He stuttered something about them not being audited yet and how I probably couldn't buy them. But all I said was, "I need a women's 8 or 9... I don't care what color... I just NEED those boots!" Miraculously he unearthed them and they were my size! I quickly tried them on, then practically skipped, hopped, and danced to the register to buy them.

I couldn't even wait to put them on. They felt like they were made for my feet (which is hard because I have very WEIRD feet) and I was walking on clouds! They're so tall that I can even cuff the top or wear them tall. So many options! My feet stayed warm and dry even though it was slushy and cold outside. I'm in heaven.

Thank you, random Costco member, for returning your boots so I can enjoy them until they fall apart!

#6 Dogs

The cutest new little puppy face ever...

The naughty devil dog after she stole our neighbor's prized antlers out of their yard...
The look of "Oh shoot... I did something bad..."

Jovi helping us make bread... she's a pretty good vacuum!

Growing up we didn't have many pets, or at least conventional ones. We had a sadistic goat named William D. who tried to kill my sister. We had several rabbits who had their feet chewed off by the foxes in our yard. We had goldfish that I only remember floating on the surface of their sad little bowl. We had frogs that we drowned out of their holes so we could dress them up and "marry them" so they would make more frogs. (They all died in the saran wrap covered boxes we made for them.) And we had some wild cats who probably had lice and lived under our house. (Can you tell where I grew up? Not in the suburbs!!) But we never once had a dog.
Oh, wait, I take that back. My grandparents had a dog and while we were living with them she jumped out of the second story window and got arthritis and died. She doesn't count.
I always thought I would prefer dogs to any other animal, and secretly told myself that when I got a house of my own I would get a dog. So, a couple of months after Jon and I moved into our home, he took me to Lowe's where a teenager was selling "purebred" pups out of his truck, and I fell in love with a stinky, poopy puppy named Jovi.
Yes, I did fall in love. In fact, our "relationship" can be easily compared to some courtships I've experienced, where you overlook your "significant other's" smelly habits or quirky quirks, until the "love" runs out and you can't take it anymore and you have to break up with them over a text message. (True story.) But this "significant other" is now a part of our family, according to Jon, and I can't break up with her. Trust me, I've tried. Jovi was a darling puppy that cried all night when she was new to us and I didn't mind cleaning up after her because she was so cute and cuddly and fun. But now she is destructive and smelly and sheds on me if I even look at her. She has completely de-landscaped our backyard (no small feat) and taken over the garage as her own. I find dog hair on a daily basis in food, on Ella, or randomly stuck in some piece of clothing. It's just about all I can handle. It's a good thing Jon loves her, or she'd be LONG gone.
So, short story long, I thought I was a dog person. But I am here to tell you that I am MOST DEFINITELY NOT. I'll take a floating fish, a footless rabbit or a dead toad, but no more dogs.

p.s. - as I read this post I realize how fond I really am of this dog. If you've seen "Marley and Me" you'll understand the love/hate relationship I endure with her. But before you all get gushy and cutesy on me (and act like I'm some dog-killa), let me remind you that this dog is disgusting. Look what she SNEEZED on me!

#5 Design Sense

In college I was an editor for the newspaper. I loved writing, but editing and laying out pages was a huge challenge for me. Some people seemed to really be able to create greatness on the page out of NOTHING. It took some effort for me to feel comfortable with it. But, eventually, I did. I boldly chose color combinations and design elements like it was a sixth sense. That "sense" spilled over into my (sometimes odd) choices for decorating my apartment and dressing myself. I felt like I had a sense of who I was, and I loved expressing myself visually. (This is where some people are probably saying, "What?? You wore those outfits on purpose??" And my answer is yes... except for the helmet.)
So, now I have a whole house to decorate and design, and I'm drawing up a complete blank. Now that it's "for-reals" and I am an adult with a mortgage and a child to influence, I can't find a single wall color or plant without having a near anxiety attack. Seriously. For some reason I just can't bring myself to say what I like outloud, as if it won't be good enough or something. Because of my lack of confidence in my design sense, we now have a peach-ish tan basement. It's not my style, but it's there because I trusted in the opinion of a friend/co-worker who obviously has different taste than I do.
I just need that old style confidence back. I need to stop caring what other people think, and do what makes me feel good in my own home. Oh, and I guess I should consult Jon on this, too. We'll see!

#4 Nerdiness

(I apologize to those who I may have incriminated in these photos!)

This part sort of coincides with the athleticism part. Well, try to follow... :) I have always seen myself as a nerd. (See above photos... nerd to the core.) I'm clumsy, accident-prone, and semi-awkward in group situations. That is how my family and many old friends see me as well. That's fine - it's a role I find easy to fill. But recently I've changed that view of myself. I definitely felt nerdy while on the volleyball team because I lacked the coordination and formal training of many of my teammates. One girl, who will remain nameless, stands out to me as my complete opposite. She was gorgeous, fit, graceful, and could really tear it up out on the court. She was nice enough to me, but lots of the other girls opted NOT to eat lunch with me or hang out with me, so she didn't either. (Don't feel bad for me... this is not the point. I had lots of other friends.) Whatever.

So, fast-forward 10 years to my stake volleyball games here in Riverton/Herriman. I was playing a few months ago (feeling quite out of shape right after Ella was born), when this girl walked in with some other "moms" from her ward. I nearly died. Instead of just having fun like I was before, I got nervous and started to revert back to my shy, nerdy self. Would she talk to me? Would she even want to play on the same court as I was? DUH BONNIE. SNAP OUT OF IT. So I did. I pushed that all away and talked to her and even played several weeks in a row on the same team as her. We had a lot of fun together. Man, did that feel good. She probably thought nothing of it. But for me to be able to act like a normal person and play (almost) as good as someone I really idolized 10 years ago was a major breakthrough. And, come to think of it, she was wearing the same nerdy mom-type outfit I was, and had probably put on some pounds, just like I did. (Although she still looked gorgeous!)

All of this made me realize that EVERYONE is worried about what people think about them. We're all so worried about it that we don't have time to think about other people's shortcomings. And gosh-darn-it... I'm pretty awesome. I am a college graduate (which is where I found my now confident self), a wife, a mother, a sister, a daughter, a friend... and I AM AWESOME. (Even if I am clumsy.)

7 months!

Happy 7 Monthiversary Ella! You are the light of our lives. By now you can sit up all by yourself, hold your ba-ba all by yourself, and scoot around in a 360 on your tummy (but can't move forward yet!). You're eating some solids - your favorite is pickles! Your hair is crazy and you're absolutely obsessed with pulling mine. We love you!
(photos by caity)

#3-Children

(I love the looks on our faces in these photos by Caity... they explain everything about how we were feeling...)

I realize that I had a baby only 7 short months ago, so my opinion on this paragraph may change. But right now I am having a bit of a hard time grasping this part of me. Here's why: I come from a large family (6 kids). I loved having a big family. I have always wanted a big family. I felt like a nurturing person in my role as a teacher, so I assumed I would be awesome with my own kids and want a whole brood of at least 5 kids. But now that I have experienced what ONE child has been like, I am changing that opinion of myself. Don't get me wrong... I love Ella so much. She brings a new level of joy and happiness to my life that is indescribable. She is my world and I would have it no other way! I just honestly don't think I could give of myself fairly to a lot of kids. Kids need attention and love and a HECK of a lot of energy. And, at this point in my new motherhood experience, I feel like I might want 3 kids. Maybe. I can't believe I was that wrong about myself!

Ella and Me right after birth... Wow, what a high.

Then reality hit... man, motherhood is tough stuff!
Jon is a cute daddy... He helps me make it through the days.AND so does Ella... she's darling!

Wrong... continued

#2 - Athleticism
I am tall. Not super tall, but tall. Because I'm tall, I felt like I should play sports. So I did... sort of. I have gravel permanently embedded in my knees from hurdles, my knees are also permanently purplish-red from volleyball injuries... and the list goes on and on. I played a year of high school volleyball, but got cut the next year. But I'm pretty sure I rocked at churchball (every sport but softball). So up until this year I had a pretty good self image about my athletic abilities. But now the veil has been lifted and I realize how freakin' awkward I am. Still. At 28 years old. I still love playing volleyball and I occasionally will enjoy a run, but I am not fooling anyone (especially not myself) into believing that I'm actually good. I have come to grips with this fact. And I will continue to play, not because I think I'm good, but because it's fun. (Thanks to our friends, the Swensons, for helping us pretend we're athletes!)

Wrong

For most people, I would assume, it's hard to admit they're wrong. Well, at least for most people like me. But I do it, mostly because I'm a "pleaser" and that's the easiest way to placate someone... especially if they're angry. At me.
Anyway, lately I've been doing a lot of self-study since I have extra time to think (while feeding, rocking, changing, or playing with the baby, of course). And I'm realizing that I have a lot of misconceptions about myself, misconceptions that are hard to face because not only do I hate to be wrong, but I REALLY hate to be wrong about the one thing I should probably be an expert - myself.
Some of these misconceptions are funny, some ironic, and some just downright disheartening. I thought I should document them, mostly for my own benefit, but maybe some of you will get a kick out of them, too. (And maybe a few of you will say,"Well, duh, Bonnie... we've known that all along about you. About time you got a clue!" That's fine, too.) Well, here goes...
#1 - Patience
I always thought I was a patient person. I have worked with 25+ kids for most of the day for the better part of 5 years. And I still have hair left. I have 5 younger sisters whom I adore, but when I was younger I felt like I put up with a lot. And I have had some very CHOICE roommates and mission companions (NOT YOU, Brenda... you're a joy!) who tried me to the core. I'm even patient in the Wal-Mart line the Saturday before Christmas when the person in front of me has 3 separate transactions! So I felt like an asset I was bringing to my marriage was patience. Man, was I wrong. Through many different "episodes", I have learned that I leave much to be desired in this department. Jon has to be SO patient with me and my hormones and mood swings and silly demands. And what do I give him in return? Not much. I definitely need to work on this. Jon is a saint, seriously. He is so kind and patient, even on days when everything is his fault and he can't seem to do anything right. I love him. And doesn't he make such a cute daddy?

Bored

Jon is away on business... and I'm bored. I am surprised if anyone is even reading this anymore. Sorry all I post about are boutiques - that has been a bit of an obsession lately. I promise to post at least once a week now about something more substantial. Starting with today. Right now.

Hmmm... what to write? We have been busy busy busy. The "HOLIDAYS" hit us full force before I was even ready. Halloween was fabulous, Thanksgiving was glorious, and now Christmas is 2 weeks away. Crazy. (I decided to finally post a picture of Ella's Halloween costume - sorry it's so late!)

Our greatest accomplishment lately has been that our basement is about 90% finished. We got all the painting done thanks to our amazing friends, and the carpet was just laid last week. Now Jon has his mancave back and I have my piano studio/craft room - I absolutely love it! (I would post pictures, but in the move back to the offices and such, I lost the cord to upload pics... Oh wait! I found ONE!)

(photo by Caity)

We are so blessed with great friends and family who have sacrificed their time and expertise to help us finish. I am absolutely astonished at Jon's know-how with the framing, wiring, painting, even putting on doorknobs... all of which blows my mind. Good work honey!

So, now we're just finishing up preparations for a fabulous Christmas! Happy Holidays to everyone!

Handmade Holiday Shopping!

I'm so excited to announce that my shoes will be featured at a local boutique called Patina Market. The wonderful thing about Patina is that, unlike other boutiques, it's an actual store. So you don't have to search for it or wait for it to show up twice a year. It's in Pleasant Grove - very easy to find.

The vendors at Patina Market rotate and my turn is the 9th - 12th of this month. Come check us out!

www.patinamarket.com

Holiday Boutique

Hey, come hang out with me! Today I'll be manning my booth at a fun boutique in Bluffdale. If you're in the area and feel like shopping (or just keeping me company), come on over. It's on 2431 W. 14755 S. at a home. Catch some great deals from 1-4 p.m.

Here are some other vendors:
www.dressedupaccessories.blogspot.com
www.scentsy.com/ktsmith
www.melindatheclocklady.blogspot.com

See you there!

Bijou Market

I'm excited to announce that my baby shoes were accepted to be sold at a local artist boutique called Bijou Market. It is a one-day event on November 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Caity and I went last year and fell in love with their offerings. Come on out and support your local artists and get your Christmas shopping all done in one place! (And tell all your friends!) For more info go to www.bijoumarket.com or click on the flier above.

See ya there!

Mindlessness

Is that a word? Well, it is for me. Do you ever drive somewhere and all of a sudden you realize you're a block away from your destination and you don't remember getting there? That has happened to me THREE times in the last two days. Maybe it's the darling baby in the back seat or the fact that I'm trying to work from home and do way more than I'm used to lately, or the extreme lack of sleep I'm experiencing. But that's no excuse. It freaks me out that my brain goes somewhere else while I'm driving and I am jolted back to reality just as I get to my driveway. It was most startling when I drove from downtown to my house without remembering a thing. That's over 150 utah-sized blocks without a brain. Something's gotta give.... soon.

Costume Idea #4

I really want this hat... My Ellafish would look so cute!

Costume Idea #3

Thanks again, Candace!

Costume Idea #2

My sister Candace colored over the glass on Ella's picture. Freaked me out!

Costume Idea #1

Bleeech.

That's how Ella feels about solid foods. Not quite ready, I guess!

Witch-a-palooza

It was a beautiful fall evening, crisp air, colorful leaves, and the need for a pumpkin or three filled our beings... so Jon and I headed out on the town. But where do we go? We can't get a pumpkin at Wal-Mart or Target. Those are fake. You have to go to a farm and get dirty and fish through all the odd-shaped joys that surround you. So we went to Gardner Village. They probably have pumpkins. Or so we thought.

Gardner Village is a quaint little gathering of shops and farmland where you can get anything from little fancy pieces of fabric to nice pieces of delicious fudge. That is exactly how I talked Jon into going to the "Village". We were envisioning a calm evening of pumpkin hunting and fudge eating, but we were very surprised when we got on the block of the entrance and there were so many people that the police were there directing traffic. Holy cow. No, actually, HOLY WITCHES! We chose the first day of WITCHAPALOOZA to venture out and start our Fall celebrations. It was hilarious - little moms and girls were all dressed to the nines like witches and there were the occasional daddies lugging everything in the stroller looking dazed.

Even funnier - they don't sell pumpkins. We fought the crowds in search of our porch decor, but to no avail. At least we got some fudge and a caramel apple. Yay for Halloween!

Fall Feelings

Usually I hate Fall. Hate it with a passion. But after a few moments of reflection I realize that I don't hate Fall, I just hate that it's only about 5 minutes long, then Winter sneaks in before we know it. So I've decided instead of complaining about Fall that I'm going to enjoy every little minute of it. That way when Winter rears its ugly head I'll be ready. Maybe. So, here's a little list of things I like about Fall:

1. apple cider
2. rainy mornings and nowhere to be
3. cozy boots
4. no air conditioner or heater, just fresh air
5. pumpkin hunting
6. dinner-in-a-pumpkin
7. costume deciding
8. changing leaves on the mountains
9. UEA weekend
10. witches at Gardner Village
11. the scarecrow festival
12. wreaths and porch decorations
13. going on walks in the middle of the day and not dying of heatstroke
14. caramel apples
15. pumpkin pie (in moderation!)
16. hiding in sweaters and scarves
17. jumping in puddles
18. pre-christmas shopping that I always say I'm going to do, but never do
19. crunchy leaves in the canyons
20. snow only on the mountains, not in my yard

Buy Local

On my trip to Monterey I found the old candy shop I used to visit as a kid. I have always loved going back there and getting some taffy with that salty sweet flavor of the ocean. So Amelia and I pranced around choosing a few pieces from the many colorful bins and baskets. Then on our walk back to the car we enjoyed the fruits of our search. The humor struck me that I flew two states away to get SALT WATER taffy, something that we here in Utah make for tourists.

I shared this irony with Amelia, but then explained how the taffy from California has a saltier flavor, thicker consistency, blah blah blah. I was so proud to carry my bag of sweets to Jon so he could enjoy this California delicacy.

The first thing he did was peel one open and said, "Hmm... Taffy Town taffy. You know these are made in Utah, right?"

He's right. Duh. Is it still considered buying "local" if you rode on 4 airplanes to do so?

Yawn!

Ever feel like you need a vacation after your vacation? It doesn't matter how restful and glorious the vacation was, you get home and feel like you could sleep for a week. For me it's the airport and the airplane rides - they're so rushed and stressful. And it seems like entering a war zone or a hurricane every time I land in Salt Lake City. Welcome home, let me shake your brains out and scare you to death. Not to mention the fact that I left 70+ degree weather in California and there's SNOW here. Grrrr...

Anyway, I just got back last night from a fabulous vacation to Capitola, CA with my bestest friend Amelia. We played on the beach, shopped, and got caught up on the last season of Grey's Anatomy - a perfect weekend. Jon was so nice he let me extend my trip a couple of days and we got to go the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Wharf. It took me back to my roots and refreshed my soul.

But I'm so wasted I slept in and didn't get showered or dressed until after noon. And it's now 1:30 and I'm ready for a nap! Luckily, I'm not the only one. Ella slept in as well and has been working her way through a 3 hour nap. I did unpack my suitcase and start laundry. That's enough for today! Yay for getting back to reality.

4 Months!

Our little Ella Bean is 4 whole months old. This darling pic was taken by our friend Caity at the State Fair (more to come on that). The day of Ella's 4 month "birthday" she reached an exciting milestone - see for yourself! (And ignore the screams of glee from her proud mama!) I was just so shocked that she did it while I was video-taping. What are the chances??

I LOVE DENVER!

This statement may surprise some of you given my hideous past with the city of Denver. I am shocked at myself as I type those words. But I really do love Denver!

This last week my friend Caity and I fled reality and headed East for a fun girls' trip. She invited me to go to a Killers concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater and (again, shocking) I was able to go! Thanks to my sweet mom who watched Ella, and my sweet husband who let me run wild for a bit, these couple of days were so rejuvenating and exciting!

We took off Wednesday morning and drove through Utah and Colorado and some of the most breathtaking vistas I've ever seen on a road trip. Vail and Georgetown were our favorite towns. SO worth the drive. Then we rolled up to Morrison (Red Rocks Amphitheater) around 7:30 and everyone was having tailgate parties and rockin' out to their car radios right outside the concert! That was something I'd never seen before - so fun!

The concert was amazing. I wouldn't have ever considered myself a huge Killers fan, but the show was so much fun. We danced and sang 'til our voices couldn't cut it, and just enjoyed the beautiful atmosphere. The pictures above are not ours, they're from the web, but they show how gorgeous it is there.

Then Caity and I hung out and shopped a bit in downtown Denver, and hit the road again. (Thanks Caity, for letting me drag you to the antique shop - I love my finds!) There's nothing like road trippin' and girl talking with one of my best friends. When I woke up the next morning I didn't know if my voice was gone because of singing at the concert or because we talked non-stop for nine hours!

This was a wonderful opportunity to take some time for myself, see some sights, and appreciate my husband and daughter even more. Thanks so much Caity!
(Below are a few shots of our trip. Check out Caity's blog for probably a TON more pics and fun stuff about the trip!)Honkin' in the tunnels.
Singing Heart while waiting to leave the parking lot. The best hour of waiting ever!