my best friend this week...

... is Chocolate. It never fails me, never fails to satisfy. I have been a crazed chocoholic this week, but who am I kidding I always am a chocoholic. I crave sweets a lot, and I tend to go toward chocolate most frequently but this week in particular I just couldn't get enough!
Its quite sad, I am very obsessed, but totally okay with it.

now everyone please join me in enjoying a hershey bar, heath bar, chocolate covered potato chip(yep ate those yesterday),or whatever your drug of choice!!! yummmm.

happy birthday, sis!

Today I would like to make a shout out to my older sister, Courtney. Tomorrow is her birthday but will be very busy for me so I thought I would post this today while I have time :). I am treating her right now to fresh highlights and haircut while Aidan and I hang out. I have a lot of respect for this woman, she is going through so much right now that I would never be strong enough to handle. Husband in Iraq, full time job, 10 month old, baby on the way...

I love her so much and wish her all the best.

thanks for every thing sis!

our week

Just a few updates on our week- nothing too much going on here, just that I am really tired of looking at that bunco picture of me when I open my blog :)

Chris bought me a bike this past weekend in hopes that we can save some gas money and ride to the store and other close places when we can. We did this yesterday morning when we had to go pick up a few things from Wal Mart (the only close grocery store). Of course I wasn't thrilled about a mile long bike ride in the dead of summer, but it totally wasn't bad at all. The ride creates a nice breeze...and it was fun.

We have both been working a lot lately. Chris has a lot of training down town which means long hours. I thinks that's all for updates, we lead a rather plain life, really.

Here are some pictures from this week.

Aidan is so fun to hang out with. He is full of energy and just gets around so fast! He immediately goes straight for the sliding glass door when he comes over so he can watch the dogs. Now he can stand and watch!

Chloe was being so funny in the car yesterday. We rolled the windows down for her and let her have the backseat all to herself, and i think this was the first time she could actually reach the windows! usually she is held tight in our lap in the car.

No picture of Samson, he is in desperate need of a haircut.

bunco.

I am posting this on a request of some of my fellow Girls Night Out-ers :)



Our last activity was Bunco, and I won by a landslide! Over 100 points ahead! So here I am in all my glory (this picture isn't flattering):

Enough bragging- pshhhh.

I am ready to pass the crown on!

all in a days work!!

I did it! I painted the stripes and it took a little longer than I hoped-but it was worth it. I started on Saturday around 10 am and after many breaks I finished around 5. For the paint I was frugal and just took a can of the beige paint we used all over the house (about 1/4 gallon) and added a quart of high gloss white paint. This also made it more subtle.
Before:Prep (this is what took the longest!)After:

home decor

I was inspired by a friend of mine to paint stripes! I thought my dining room would be perfect for this, and maybe even bring it over to the back splash in the kitchen. I want it to be something very subtle and light, like these rooms:

This will be tomorrows project!

lunch.

Salads are my lunch of choice. I love making myself a good salad for lunch. Todays was especially yummy, so I thought I'd share.

This salad is just spinach, grapes, dried cranberries, toasted almonds, feta cheese and a raspberry pomegranate vinaigrette.

Delish.

Now a cookies and cream Drumstick is calling my name.

early bird...

Its not even 7 and Chris is leaving for work which means I am wide awake. Why? Well, I simple cannot sleep in these days especially when my husband is up so early stirring around in our room. I know I need to go back to bed since I need to be well rested for work this afternoon. I am very frustrated that I have just been laying here and laying here and LAYING HERE! ah. I am a morning person. Its hard for me to stay up late and to wait to go to work in the afternoon. I like to get up and get my day going! Although I wish I knew why it is when I work in the morning I can't get up so easy as I can when I work in the p.m....I guess I can only sleep in when its not allowed...

Digital Announcement

I made this announcement for a great friend of mine when they moved into a new home! I didn't take the pictures like I wanted to but they turned out great. For blogging purposes I removed the address (which was directly below the main picture) and their little note (in the bottom right hand corner). It definitely is cuter with that font, but I think you get the idea. She loved that little bird, and I do too! can you tell :)

So now I am going to go make some enchiladas for dinner and maybe rent a dvd for a cute little night in.

theme song for my week or more like months...

I started listen to a new c.d., Taylor Swifts' and love it. I am totally a country music girl. This chorus I particularly love- just the chorus though, the verses not so much.

Hold on, baby, you're losing it
The water's high, you're jumping into it
And letting go, and no one knows that
You cry, but you don't tell anyone
That you might not be the golden one
And you're tied together with a smile
But you're coming undone

Just thought I'd share. I know its kinda a downer, but we're being real here remember?
These past several months have been very hard and hurting for me and that last line sums it up!

'til next time,
Shannon

our weekend...

We had a great Memorial day weekend up in Payson. We stayed up at a friends cabin with some of their family, they are all such great people and we loved spending time with our friends!

We drove up Saturday afternoon and came back Monday afternoon.

The boys did lots of 4wheeling on their Rhino...I only went on it once. The trails are pretty intense! I tried to take a picture of how steep the trail is. Trust me- it was steeeeeeep!The trail leads you to the rim and you can see everything! That part was gorgeous- you are up so high and can see everything below. Then again I am afraid of heights so riding so close to the edge was nerve racking too. I curled Regens hair and we had a small photoshoot :)

Ah we had a blast this weekend!!!

so,

I could add this to the list of 'things I am learning'...so I thought I'd share this little epiphany I had today just while sitting here.
I have really learned that Chris is usually right- a lot. He has the most accurate instincts about people and I never listen to him until I learn the hard way that he is right. This usually ends with me being hurt, and of course- him being right.
So with that said and me being so convinced of his intuition of others-

I must be a pretty amazing girl for him to have chosen me.

:)

The Mole!

Ok this is random, but I am so excited right now. I am a big TV buff and although it may not be the most healthy activity, it is a past time Chris and I both enjoy together. My favorite reality show when I was in high school (and this was when reality TV was new) was The Mole. The only other person that I knew watched it was my best friend Kim. This show was our thing! We adored this silly show. I remember one night it was on and I was stuck at the dentist getting a filling and I bawled on the way home because I missed the Mole. Oh it was a sad day.

It only lasted a couple seasons and then a few cheesy celebrity editons, where my love for Stephen Baldwins humor developed. It was hosted by Anderson Cooper, where I loved him too- until I dated Chris and CNN is now a no no. so ya-NOW ITS BACK! yay yay yay.

I hope I don't endorse this show and then it turns out to be totally lame. That'd be embarrassing.

ok kids it premires June 2nd on ABC!

What I am learning these days

So after being tagged to write about what makes me :) I decided to do a list of things I am learning. I am in a state of living and learning right now- so I find this very appropriate. I hope you enjoy this...I really love blogs that are real and deep, not just ho-hum topics. So its my goal to try to write more about what is REAL-ly going on, in our hearts, minds, souls, etc..

Ok the list. Things I am learning:

1. that being quick to trust others is not always wise
2. keeping quiet is always better than telling your mind
3. A clean home is a happy one :)
4. Smiles are contagious
5. my hurt feelings that I am holding on to is a choice- and those that hurt us may not know or care...
6. being content leads to joy
7. I need to remember to be thankful for everything- EVERYTHING.
8. I am not a night person. I can try over and over to stay up late with Chris but I always fall asleep.
9. I have an addiction to chocolate. I accept this.
10. I am talented. I should not be ashamed to say this. I am skilled in art and photography and though I am still learning I know these are God given passions.

Ok I will tag Krystle back- and Logan!

on a lighter note...

So on Monday Chris and I celebrated one year of marriage. Wow, what a year this has been. We went out to dinner at the Melting Pot and talked about what we loved this last year, how we can improve this year, who we want to be as a couple; just basically a lot of goals and dreams. Chats like this make me cry :). We are now entering our second year of marriage and it feels great. I am excited to see where God takes us.

Things that make me :)

Ok so Krystle tagged me to list things that make me smile lately...this must be a God thing since I am having a hard time thinking of things! In all honesty, I have been very down and defeated lately and am just having a hard time with life. There are some big issues going on, and then small things like how I just found Samson on the counters eating cookies I just baked. This is just a hard season, maybe I will vent about it later but for now my list. It may be little.

1. Playing Mario Kart with Chris and beating him.
   
2. The fact that Whitney won Americas Next Top Model.
3. My new camera and books coming in the mail...
4. Watching my favorite TV shows...like The office which is an hour long tonight and Greys...
5. Getting phone calls and texts from Chris throughout the day
6. Chloe cuddles.
7. All my nephews. 

I sat here for a while :(

its sunday so lets talk about friday...

Happy Mothers today! Today at church I wished many moms 'happy mothers day', and many of them wished it back to me, and then quickly said 'oh wait, you aren't a mother!'. Yeh, I know. Its okay. I am a patient girl...

Ok here are pictures from Friday and our peach adventure!

My pickingsMy moms peachesWe rode the train...Pictures along the way...

I made a cobbler from my peaches! First time I made one! not to brag...but it was GOOOOOD! I searched and searched for recipes...but I hated them all, so this little cobbler came straight from my head! Just peaches, 1/2c sugar, 1/3 brown sugar, 2 tbsp flour and 2 tsp cinnamon (thats some butter sprinkled on top of the filling)

check out those lattice skills!!

this is me on the news...in case you unfortunately missed it. HA! I lied in the last post, the clip of me was probably less than a second :) Tracey and Allison are next to me, they didn't know they were in the frame!

Tomorrow is our 1 year wedding anniversary!!!

I am on TV!

So today my mom, sister, nephew and some friends went to Schnephf Farms to pick peaches and have breakfast. Our waitress asked if any of us would like to eat a piece of pie for the camera, and being the ham I am of course I said yes. Aidan ate some pie for the camera too. They'll probably use his clip.

So if anyone would like to see me make-upless and stuffing half a piece of peach pie in my mouth for approxiately 1.2 seconds, tune into FOX 10 News between 5&6. 

working on some pages...

Chris was out last night playing basketball so I made a couple pages...

they are both pretty simple, but hey- they were SUPER quick and free!

I am hoping to make an album with these and many others I plan to make from our wedding. The trickiest part of digital scrapbooking is printing the pages...it is not like a paper scrapbook where you have the 9x9 or 12x12 pages (idk maybe their are special printers and paper but too much money)...most of the printing is done through stores, my photocenter of choice is Costco. I have asked many ladies how they print their pictures and have heard many suggestions, from combines pages to make an 16x20 and printing that off to sending them in to online specialty printers...

but I have chosen to make all my pages an 8x10 layout and print them off at Costco for $1.50 a page. Now, the hard part is finding an album :)

Anniversary gifts

Our anniversary is in just one week! I am so excited. Chris mentioned something the other day about gifts, how you are supposed to give something according to the year you are celebrating. I had never heard about this! I looked it up, this is what I found.

Traditional Anniversary Gifts by Year
First: Paper
Second: Cotton
Third: Leather
Fourth: Fruit or Flowers
Fifth: Wood
Sixth: Candy or Iron
Seventh: Wool or Copper
Eight Bronze or Pottery
Ninth: Pottery
Tenth: Tin
Eleventh: Steel
Twelfth: Silk or Linen
Thirteenth: Lace
Fourteenth: Ivory
Fifteenth: Crystal
Twentieth: China
Twenty-Fifth: Silver
Thirtieth: Pearls
Thirty-Fifth: Coral
Fortieth: Ruby
Forty-Fifth: Sapphire
Fiftieth: Gold
Fifty-Fifth: Emerald
Sixtieth: Diamond

hmmm..a lot of rules huh? My gift for him doesn't fall into the 'paper' category, but I think I might give him a little something of paper...maybe just a note :)
anyone follow this tradition??