Day 30....a little late :)

Your Hopes, Dreams and Plans for the next 365 Days

• May 2011: buy our first home together in Henderson
• June 2011: watch our family and friends marry and start their lives together, and move to Henderson
• July 2011: Our first baby will be born strong and healthy, Ryan starts PT school
  
• August 2011: Learn the ways of being a mom, that is my one and only goal this month! Celebrate our 4 year anniversary!
  
• September 2011: Travel to see family during school breaks, and bless our baby
  
• October 2011: Watch the Giants win the World Series and become back to back champions!
  
• November 2011: celebrate Thanksgiving, maybe start looking for a job as a hairstylist again.
  
• December 2011: celebrate Christmas with family and turn 24!
  
• January 2012: enjoy the warm months of winter in Nevada!
  
• February 2012: celebrate Valentine's Day with the two men in my life (the husband and the babe!)
  
• March 2012: Maybe travel to watch the Giants play in pre-season games!
  
• April 2012: Celebrate Easter!

Well, these are my hopes, dreams and plans for the next year. Hopefully they will all come to pass, I'm so excited to see what our future holds. It's so exciting to think of how much our lives are about to change this summer! I can't wait to get started!!!

Day 29

My Testimony of the Gospel

Since this is a more personal subject, I'm going to keep it simple.

I believe in Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I believe that we have a living prophet on the earth today, and his name is Thomas S. Monson. I believe that through the power of repentance that I can be forgiven of all my sins. I believe in the power of sacrifice through tithing. I've seen it work in my life countless times and give me many blessings. I believe in the sacred sealing ordinances of the temple, that I will be able to be with Ryan and my family for time and all eternity, a gift that I view very very precious and irreplaceable. I believe that Jesus Christ was sent here to this earth, and he died for us, and was then resurrected so we may live again. And that He lives today. I can't wait until the day I get to meet my Savior and my God and greet them! I love the Gospel and all the blessings it has given me in my life, the truths that keep me going when times are tough, and the amazing blessings I've seen it give others as well.

Day 28

A Secret You Want To Get Out

I don't really have any secrets to tell you, but I do have GREAT news! Something was finally marked off of my 'to-do' list today after about a month and half....

I found a doctor in Henderson!

I have been stressing over this for awhile now. I have had a couple doctors tell me they can' t take me that far into pregnancy, others are already booked with deliveries in July...it was a joke, and I was getting really let down. But today, I found Dr. Anthony Ibay. He has great reviews online, that's all I really have to go off of, so hopefully all works out! For now, I'm just happy I have a doctor there!

Day 27

A Person I Love

Well this is an easy subject, I love Ryan Orrin Doyle! Soo MUCH! He is the greatest person that has ever come into my life. He is loving, funny, forgiving, goal-oriented, he lives an active fun lifestyle, he is a return missionary, handsome, thoughtful, and he loves me....crazy guy!

I really feel like I hit the jack pot. I'm going to admit something to all of you, that might make you think I'm crazy, or you may relate, but not want to admit it! When I was in junior high, high school, and even into that first year of college, when I'd go to sleep at night, I would make up dreams for myself. I would let my imagination come up with the most perfect guy, how we would meet, how he would propose to me, what our wedding would look like. I even would imagine what my outfits would look like! I think any girl likes to think of these things right? Well, after my first date with Ryan, I didn't have to come up with my perfect first date anymore. And the more we dated, the less I would come up with in my mind, because it was becoming my reality. Now, when I go to sleep, I have nothing to think up! He's already made everything I could want come true, gave me the perfect dating life, proposal, wedding, a baby on the way, and a future that's too exciting to want it changed!

I love him so much, and am so lucky to be able to be his wife for time and all eternity. I can't wait to see him with our kids and watch him go from just a husband and friend, to a dad as well. I can't imagine a better person to raise my babies with!

Speaking of our first date, It was 4 years ago, TODAY! Happy 4 years to us beby! On our first date, Ryan took me on a group date with mutual friends to Fredrico's Pizza, and then to the movie Disturbia, and then hot tubbing afterwards with a couple more friends we'd met up with (Alex and Danielle....we owe our whole marriage to you!) Since Ryan has a baseball game tonight, we decided to celebrate earlier in the week, and we went back to Fredrico's, and to see a movie! It was perfect!

the original movie ticket stub from 4 years ago, and the ticket stub from Monday night's date :)

After he dropped me off from our first date, I remember telling my roommate "I don't want to date anyone else again, I want to marry him!" and after 4 years, I can't believe how lucky I am, because there is really no one else I can imagine myself with...

He is Perfect!

Day 26

A Child I Love

I feel like this is an unfair post. If I pick one of someone else's kids, then all my other friends and family will wonder why I didn't pick their child. So, since I sincerely love all my neices, nephews, neighbors, nursery kids, friends kids, etc. equally....I am going to pick Easton. :)

It is amazing how much you can love someone you have never met or seen. I worry about him when I don't feel him kicking for more than an hour at a time. I've worried about him all this last weekend while I have a cold, hoping that he is ok and getting enough nutrients from me. I already want to shop and buy everything I see for him. I am already looking forward to the T-ball games, soccer games, skinned knees, bike rides, and all that other fun kid stuff that I'll get to experience again with him! He already is the most special child in my life, and I really can't wait until 3 months from now when I actually get to meet him.

Day 23, Day 24, and Day 25

I'm a couple days behind on the Blog Challenge posts due to a bad cold I caught this weekend. So today, you get 3 in one day! Lucky you (is anyone reading these anyway? comments please!!) Here we go...

Day 23 - Share a Favorite Memory

Some of my favorite memories to look back on happened in the summers growing up on Lomond View Drive. My neighborhood had 4 families all right next to each other with kids about the same age, and we had so much fun together! Playing night games, celebrating holidays, neighborhood parties, jumping on trampolines and learning to do tricks on them, running through sprinklers, melting crayons in gutters and cooking eggs in the sun, etc. All that fun stuff! One of my most fond memories happened with my neighbor Christy, and now that I look back on it, it probably was really dangerous! One of our parents had gotten something new and we took the big box it came in, and we'd both get inside and cross the street to each others houses while in it. I don't know how or why this was so entertaining, but we could have been hit! we didn't make holes to see out of or anything! Another time we would have a 'cross the street' adventure, was in a gigantic one-piece horrid zip up outfit...think a onesie for an adult, kind of like this pattern shows:

Christy got in one leg, and I was in the other, and we hopped all around in that funny outfit and thought we were hilarious! If I remember right, I think we even peed our pants in that thing!

Day 24 - 5 Things You Love About Summer

1. baseball!!
2. flip flops with sundresses

3. tanned skin

4. grilled food and campfires

5. long days!

Day 25 - A Place I Love

I'd have to say, one of my favorite places in the world is my Grandparents cabin. It's in Oakley, UT. So not too far from home, but it seems like a world away. It's in a gorgeous gated mountain community, so it's quiet with dirt roads and tons or natural landscaping everywhere you look! Every time I cook a big breakfast with bacon and pancakes, and fresh fruit, it reminds me of mornings at the cabin! We would go up there as a family a couple times a summer, and sometimes in the winter. All of us kids made friends with kids from other cabins, we'd go on 4 wheeler rides, bike rides, play on the neighbors big rope swing, play horseshoes in the backyard. We always had so much fun up there, and still do today. It's just such a relaxing environment!

Day 22

A Photo Of My Family

This picture is from May 2009. We now have added one more, Jack! Annie was pregnant with him when these were taken. And now we have one more on the way, Easton!

My family is really so great. I'm so lucky to be a part of them. They are all such great examples, hard workers, loving, etc. I could go on and on. I look up to each of them so much!

Day 21

A Travel Story

It seems like the only travel stories I can come up with, are the ones that involve me getting motion sickness and then throwing up. Remember this story from 3 months ago?? At least that time, I had morning sickness and pregnancy to put the blame on. On our honeymoon, I didn't have any such luck...

Ryan took me to his families condo in Capitola, CA for our honeymoon, it was a perfect honeymoon, right on the beach! We flew in and out of the San Jose airport, so it wasn't a long flight, at all. On our flight home, we flew on one of those small Delta Connection planes, so it was more cramped, which meant the turbulence was a little worse. I remember the pilot announced we were descending into Salt Lake, and we were playing the crossword puzzle in the back of the magazines you find on airplanes. All of the sudden (it really was so sudden) I grabbed the 'barf bag' from the seat pocket right in front of me, and I threw up. I don't think Ryan really even knew what was going on until it was all over. Gross. And humiliating! Who throws up on their honeymoon flight...THIS GIRL! I guess I was lucky that we were landing so I didn't have to feel that way for the rest of the flight. We were on the ground probably 5 minutes later, and I felt much better! I threw my little bag away as soon as we got in the airport, and then we were good!

Seriously though. I need to remember to take Dramamine every time I travel. I usually just hope for the best, and end up with the worst! Lesson learned though, from now on, I will always have those little white pills in my purse as an emergency back up plan!

Day 20

Your Favorite Christmas Tradition

I have been looking forward to this post since day 1! Every Christmas Eve growing up was spent at my Grandma and Grandpa Paulson's house, my mom's parents. We would all look forward to...THE BALL OF FUN! It sounds so silly, and when I think about it, it really kind of is, but the memories associated with are so treasured!

The Ball of Fun, is a very very long strip of butcher paper, rolled up into a ball, with gifts for everyone wrapped up inside. The gifts aren't anything too crazy, in fact they are so simple, and I don't know why we get so excited about them. They usually are something along the lines of, a travel pack of tisues, a knitted pot holder, a jar of bubbles, a whoopie-cushion, a bottle of lotion, a pack of gum, car air fresheners, etc. SUPER random stuff!

My grandparents are always in charge of putting it together, and they write our name on the outside of the gift, and as my Grandpa unrolls the ball, he tosses the gift to whoever the lucky person is! You unwrap it, show it to everyone, and then put in a grocery sack to take home. My whole family sits all around in a big circle and the little kids beg Grandpa to unroll it faster! It's so much fun!

We have had quite the memories of ball of fun...the two funniest years were when my Grandparents were on a mission, so the aunts and uncles took turns doing it each year. When my Uncle Chris was in charge his year, he had the first probably 15-20 gifts unrolled for his wife, all of us kids did NOT think it was very funny, if I remember right, I think my brother Clark even started to cry because he wasn't getting any ball of fun gifts!

Another funny year, was when my Aunt Jill was in charge, let's just say she didn't roll it up into a ball very well...so we refer to that year as the 'tampon of fun' year. HAHA! The gigantic tube of gifts wrapped in white butcher paper seriously looked just like a huge tampon!

I wish I had pictures from when I was younger, but the only one I have here with me is Christmas Eve 2009 at my parent's house. You can see the big ball my Grandpa is unrolling, and in the other picture below shows everyone in the big circle.

It's such a fun/funny tradition, and I don't know who or how it was ever made, but I love it and I am definitely planning on continuing this tradition for many many years with my family!

Day 19

A Hobby Of Mine

hmm, I'm trying to think of what I love to do besides blog, because that is obvious.

I really enjoy cooking and baking. One of my favorite things about cooking, is that you don't need a recipe. You can just add as you go, if you are missing an ingredient, you usually can just skip out on it or replace it with something else. Baking is great too, but you have to measure, which slows you down, haha!

I love sewing with my mom! I still am a little bit nervous to do big projects on my own so I always have her help me out. She helped me make a gorgeous quilt for Kim's Christmas present this past year, and she is now making all of Easton's bedding! All I've done for the bedding is stitch baseballs that will be appliqued on top of the quilt and bumpers. Anyway...I'm getting off track! My mom got me a sewing machine for Christmas a couple years ago, and it's currently packed up in our storage unit. I'm excited for when we move and I can unpack it and start on some new projects!

Day 18

Put Your iPod on 'shuffle songs' and List the First 10 Songs

I found the links to all these songs except number 8, which is too bad because it's a gorgeous song! They are all so random too. And I don't think I have updated my iPod in about 2 years, so they are all really old songs, I love them all though! Enjoy!

1. 'Better Off' by Let's Go Sailing
2. 'Running' by David Archuleta
3. 'Joy Ride' by Mariah Carey
4. 'Deep Winter' by Jon Schmidt
5. 'Helter Skelter' by Dana Fuchs
6. 'So Sick' by Ne-Yo
7. 'Miss Halfway' by Anya Marina
8. 'When We Meet Again' by Jenny Phillips
9. 'Girlfriend' by Daniel Bedingfield
10. 'The Difficult Kind' by Sheryl Crow

Day 17

A Habit You Wish You Didn't Have

I have two bad habits, and I feel like I'm in a Catholic Church confessional right now by admitting this to the world like it's a sin..."Forgive me, because I pop and pick at everything!!!"

I'll start with the popping...I'm not one of those normal people that only pop their fingers. I pop my fingers (both joints on each finger, so 20 pops total), my wrists, my neck, my hips, my ankles, and my favorite...my toes! I usually have Ryan pop my toes for me cause for some reason it's so much more enjoyable when you're not the one doing it! I also have him pop my back for me. This one I have resisted a lot more now that I'm pregnant, it scares both of us to put that much pressure on my back when there is a baby inside there...I can't wait until I can have my next gooood back pop though!!!

And then picking...I'm a picker, I pick at my nails, at scabs, at my eyelashes (looove picking off mascara!), if my lips are chapped I pick at them too, and worst of all, I think everyone has this bad habit, but picking at zits. I just want them to go away! I know that it 'makes them worse' and everything, but I feel like if I don't do my part to help them along, then they will stay forever!

So now you know my bad habits, if you catch me doing them, I give you permission to tell me to stop :)

Day 16

A Favorite Youtube Video

I love any videos that have funny kids in them! I think they are so great, and are truly funny...not dirty or mean jokes being played, just good clean funny kids! Here are 2 that I love, I'm sure you've all seen and loved them, but I think they get better and better with time...timeless, if you can say that about a youtube video :)

David After the Dentist

Nintendo 64 Kid

I love the little sister in this, I think she probably could care less about a video game, but can't help getting caught up in her brothers insane excitement!!!

Day 15

Next 3 Items on your 'Bucket List'

1. Go on a hot air balloon ride!
2. Visit a tropical location and just veg out on a beach
3. Take a cooking class

None of these are all that 'lofty' of goals, and I realized after thinking about this, that I don't really have all that many things on my bucket list, or even a bucket list at all! I need to work on this problem!

Day 14

Your Dream House

Alright, after searching about 30 seconds on the first builder website I came across, I found this house! I probably wouldn't mind living here...it looks gorgeous! To be honest, buying or building a dream home is so far into the future, that I haven't given too much thought about it. There are some things I do know that I want included in it one day though:

• big wrap around porch
• big wooden front door
• barbeque/outdoor eating area
• hot tub
• wood floors throughout the house
• one of those pot and pan holders above an island in the kitchen
• lots and lots of windows in the living/dining/kitchen area
• a theatre room
• a 'man cave' for Ryan (it's the one request he's ever asked for on this subject)
• high wainscoting
• lots and lots of comfy welcoming looking furniture

Mostly I just want a 'homey' home where our kids want to be with their friends, and look forward to coming home to every day! That's my idea of a dream home, a happy home with our family in it!

Free photo collage made with Smilebox

Day 13

What Did You Do Today?

Since my day went until 11:00 last night, I decided to do yesterday's post today! Of all days to have this topic too, it was such a boring slow day yesterday. I was pretty much just killing time all day...you'll see!

• 8:30 - woke up, ate breakfast, got ready and painted my toesies

• 10:30 - went up to USU campus, met up with Ryan and picked up Danielle's graduation packet! (yay for graduations coming up!!)
• 12:00 - cut my friend Riko's hair into this sweet design. He is on the USU break dance team and they have a big end of year preformance tonight!

• 1:00 - walked down to Great Harvest and got a yummy PB&J sandwich! mmm

• 1:30 - ran some errands (got some gas, browsed the DI and Somebody's Attic Thrift stores looking for fun furniture to refinish)
• 3:20 - cut Jed's hair into an awesome Euro-hawk like the one below (no this is not the Jed who's hair I cut, I forgot to take a picture)

• 4:00 - Left the salon to do some browsing in stores. I went to Bernina Fabrics to get quilting ideas, also went to Brats Kids Wear looking for cute blessing outfits for the babe.
• 5:30 - Went to Melanee's to see her new bunnies. oh. my. heck. sooo stinkin cute! The grey one is Thumper, her roommate's, and her's is the black one and is named Houdini. Thumper is the most laid back bunny ever. He seriously just layed there. I could only get him to eat half an apple, and Houdini at both their snacks, and his apple, plus the rest of Thumpers, and was hopping around all over! He is much more active! I couldn't believe how soft and cute they are. ugh, I need one!

• 6:45 - Mel and I left to go to a Slumber Party that our friend Julia was hosting. Those are so funny, unfortunately we had to leave early for my last appointment of the day (don't you love how my work day was so slow, but so spread out!)
• 8:45 - Colored Felica's hair in the melting technique. This is the look we were going for, I hope it turned out ok for her! (again, forgot to take a picture)

• 11:00 - Got home, Ryan made me a little english muffin since I hadn't eaten dinner, we watched the end of the Giants game (yay! They won!) And then we were off to bed!

Ha! I told you, such a random day! Now you all know what I do to kill time...a whole lot of nothin!!

Day 12

A Favorite Quote

"Be kind. Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."

- Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Small and Simple Things

There are so many great quotes out there. I think you hear someone quote something at least once a day. Sometimes they don't really stick, but when you come across them again, you think, "I've heard that before" and you subconsciously have remembered it all along. That is what this quote is to me. Every time I run across it, it hits home to me over and over again.

Sometimes I get too caught up in my own world, and I need to remember to slow down and think of others before myself. My life is so much easier compared to some of those around me, and I need to be careful of my whining and complaining, and remember to be grateful and have a humble attitude.

I think that Marjorie Pay Hinckley is an incredible example to women everywhere. No matter what your beliefs, she believed simply in living a happy life, full of kindness and giving. She and her husband's relationship is always one of the first I think of when I think of how I want my future to be. They are a beautiful and blessed couple.

Day 11

A Favorite Book

Any Nicholas Sparks book! They are all so sweet, and they make you want to live on the North Carolina coast more than anywhere in the world! He is an great writer who makes you feel like you are actually there experiencing whatever he is writing about. So if you are a hopeless romantic like me, pick up any of his books. You'll love them :)

These are a few I've read recently:

Dear John

The Notebook

The Choice

Nights in Rodanthe

The Last Song

Day 10

A Favorite Food and Recipe

mmm, Ryan's mom makes the best chocolate chip cookies! They stay soft and chewy for days, and are full of chocolate chips! With just a little bit of oatmeal, they have a yummy texture that is so addicting! I'm sure many of you already have a favorite CCC recipe, but I HIGHLY recommend trying this one! Kim's cookies won't let you down!

Ingredients:

1 lb. butter (4 cubes)

2 C. packed brown sugar

1 3/4 C. white sugar

4 eggs

4 C. flour (might need an extra 1/4 C. depending on the thickness at the end)

3-4 C. quick oatmeal (depending on how much you like)

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

3-4 C. chocolate chips (we use semi-sweet)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Using a large standing mixer

1. Cream butter
2. Slowly add packed brown sugar and white sugar while still mixing the butter
3. Beat butter and sugar on med-high for 2-4 minutes, until fluffy
4. Add eggs to mixture one at a time
5. Add vanilla, and set aside.
6. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt
7. Alternate adding flour mixture and oatmeal into the butter mixture, about a cup at a time.
8. Stir in chocolate chips

• Cookie Dough should be slightly sticky to touch, not runny (add more flour to the dough 1 Tbls. at a time until it's stiffer.)
• Spray cookie sheet with Pam Spray
• Place rounded tablespoon sized drops onto cookie sheet
• Bake for 10 minutes
• Remove from oven, and place on a paper towel covered cooling rack

After cooking them, you can put some into freezer zip lock bags, and freeze until a later time, then you have yummy fresh cookies anytime!

Day 09

A Favorite Movie

My favorite movie is Sleepless in Seattle. I don't think I could even begin to count how many times I've seen that movie! I also love You've Got Mail, so really, I think I just love Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. I like them in movies on their own, but I think together as a couple, they are awesome! It's such a cute love story, sweet and simple!