whoa now....

Okay so I don't post all summer and now 2 posts in like 30 minutes??! But I have to post this. It's been a hard day. So hard. It's been a hard month. I have been so overwhelmed. I cry daily over stupid and small stuff. And I just read my friends blog. She was having a hard day too. But she is stronger than me. She talks about things, and she deals with them. She posted this link and I can't stop reading this blog now. Amazing. Crazy how you think the worst is happening to you, and then you take the time to actually look around and realize that it really could be worse. Way worse. I am trying to understand why I have certain trials in my life. What I'm supposed to be learning here. And why I don't have other trials, things that other people like this poor young family has to deal with. I am so greatful for the church, I just need to rely more on my Heavenly Father. But I'm still learning. It's stories like this one that make me stop and listen. Sad how that's the way it has to happen.

Oh Summer....

It has been forever since my last post! And SO much has happened. I will one day get to it all. Tonight I am feeling kinda melancholy though, so I thought I'd write. I love to write, and I just started a journal...again. I seem to always start them, but, CONFESSION, I never finish them! Oh well, best intentions I guess. There is just so much going on right now, I don't want to forget anything.

So, first up. One of my dear friends moved out of town. And I'm feeling sad because it's hard for me to make really good friends. And I finally made a good one and got all comfortable and she moved!! But I'm happy for her, because she is in her absolute element. Seriously, it's like she was supposed to be there all along.

Next...I'm PREGNANT!!! In case you haven't heard. Man I hate how word gets around sometimes! I have been waiting FOREVER for this, and I tell a few people and then everyone knows...but I want to be the one to actually say it! Because I have worked hard and waited long for it!!! Oh man, no more clomid, no more "planning" and tracking...but...hello all day sickness, Diclectin, Zofram, nausea, and chubbiness!! But I LOVES it, I really do. And I can't wait to find out what my little peanut is!!

It's been a crazy summer. I will post pictures of all the fun stuff we got to do. Soon. I just wanted to let those who actually read this know that I'm still alive! Going through kind of a rough time with the business, but I'm alive. It's hard being a business owner and a mom. I feel like I don't give Bella all the attention she needs and deserves. I mean she's still not potty trained, what is wrong with me?? Any potty training tips would be MUCH appreciated!

Bella Boo...

....is in full crazy 2 1/2 year old stage. She is soooooo sassy, stubborn, and can do everything by herself. In the past 4 days, she has pulled our kitchen TV off the counter and on to our hardwood (denting it, and breaking the TV) and picked off 3 of the keys off my laptop keyboard. Sometimes I put on Dora, go into my bedroom, and close the door. And read a trashy magazine about how Vienna totally cheated on Jake, but he's a freak control psycho. Then I take a deep breath, and I reemerge, ready to LOVE on the cutest and most precious thing in my life!!
This was her adorable prayer tonight: "Dear Heavenly Father, thankful for blessings. thankful for family. thank you for daddy. thank you for mommy. thank you for dora. thank you for isa. thank you for tico. thank you for the tallest mountain. and thank you for my wedding dress. name of Jesus Christ, Amen." I about died! Yes, she watches way too much Dora. But it's for my sanity!! And her wedding dress? She is a flower girl this weekend and she loves trying on her "wedding dress"....hope she's not a little diva about it this Saturday! Who am I kidding, she will be and I will LOVE it!!

Breakfast at Tiffany's Party!!

Well, last weekend I had the opportunity to throw one of my oldest and best friends a bridal shower! Amber and I met on our first day of college together back in the fall of 2001...we were placed in the same house at MRC residence together. She has been there for me through EVERYTHING, she is one of the most amazing people I know. So I was so happy to do this for her, really it's the least I can do!!

The theme was "Breakfast at Tiffany's", and we had a backyard brunch at my house. Although it was a little windy, it was a beautiful day and it all went perfectly!! Here is the invite:

I put a sign and a jewelry box full of pearls at the front door for people to dress up with, and everyone went along with it...so fun!!

Outside, we had empty picture frames that the guests could hold up and take pictures with....


Food: catered by the fabulous Carla...we had delicious crepes, 3 different fillings! We also had fruit kebabs, punch and mimosas. Dorienne worked her magic for me again and made the cutest Tiffany cupcakes, they were a HUGE hit!!



Favors: cute little "tiffany" boxes filled with Hershey kisses and adorable hair pins made by the talented Bree!! Everyone loved them!


Decor: for centerpieces, I had Tiffany bags everywhere with white flowers in them, and on the main table I had 2 hurricane vases filled with Tiffany boxes and "diamond" napkin rings (so cute and PERFECT for the theme, I even put a few of them on the food table!). Chiavri (tiffany) chairs, damask prints, tiffany blue and white accents. I also had a note card folded in half at each place setting that had a quote from Audrey Hepburn in the movie! On the back of each card each guest wrote a little note to Amber! I set up a corner on the deck for the gifts with pictures of Audrey surrounding it, and I had blue, white and black tissue flower pom poms EVERYWHERE!!


Games: we played the game where the bride answers questions about the groom and the guests have to guess how many she will get right! Super fun! We also played the "toilet paper bridal gown" game, and everyone got super into it! For prizes I had mini compact mirrors with pictures of Audrey on the back, and cute colored OPI nail polishes!

It was an amazing day, I wish I'd taken more pictures, but I got so busy, I'm sad I didn't take more! Here is the blushing bride: beautiful Amber, I am SO excited for the wedding on Saturday!!

oh summer!

It's been a busy month of June! I ran a half marathon and survived! We did it in 2:04, which is WAY faster than I thought I could do it! It was a beautiful run, the scenery and the weather were gorgeous! We ran the whole time (except for the water stations!) and it was seriously SO much fun! I'm so glad that I did it and that I got to do it with such amazing friends. Seriously, they helped me train and get through it and it was AWESOME!! I am now addicted...I want to run more races so bad! I just have to be careful, because my doctor told me that too much running can mess with my chances of getting prego even more. So I will take it easy!

Next up was our trip to Utah!! We drove there, which was good and bad. Good because I got to hang with my man and baby girl for like 13 hours straight, and I had TONS of room for all the shopping I did....BAD because 2 year olds don't like being in a car for 13 hours (neither do I!) and you can't escape when said man gets annoying! Haha just kidding honey! It wasn't too bad, Bella did so well, she slept tons, and we watched ALOT of movies....I have Happy Feet pretty much memorized, it's a cute movie! We stayed with one of Mason's friend from high school and his wife for a couple of nights which was SO fun! They have an adorable toddler just a little younger than Bella, so it was fun for her too! We stayed in Orem, and we got to go to Cafe Rio (yeah!!) and to a cool place called Gardner's Village where we shopped at vintage-y boutiques, fed ducks (well, kind of...) and went to a petting zoo! Bella even rode her very first pony, it was adorable!!!


After spending the weekend with Brandon and Melissa, we headed to Salem to stay with Mason's cousin and her hubby, who is part owner in the company Mase works for. He was training him for a couple days, so I got to go shopping BY MYSELF (I love going to Nordstroms with no hubby.... although dangerous it was FUN!) and hang out with Andrea. So much fun, we hit up Tocano's (so amazing, Bolero doesn't compare...)and hung out at their amazing house in Salem...Bella and Mase rode in their go-cart, we had delish barbeques and were really spoiled in the food department! I seriously love Utah, it is so gorgeous and the weather was fantastic!! But I hope I won't have to make that drive for like another year!!!

The Marvelous month of May! Oh and April...

Yes, I know. It's been a while. (Thanks for the lil reminder Becka!) What has been happening? Well...Easter. In Magrath. Pretty fun, and Bella LOVED her easter egg hunt. I went a wee bit overboard, of course, and I don't think she really even noticed half of her stuff (Alice in Wonderland DVD, tea set...) she was more interested in the stupid little plastic Dora eggs filled with mini eggs!! Ah well, it was still cute!


Here are some pictures of a recent zoo trip too...Sadie and Bella are just too cute of friends for me not to post their photos! FYI...Bella's favourite animal? The tiger!! She went nuts over it!





Next up: my step-mom's 50th bday in Jasper! It was actually really fun (despite the "rustic" accomodations...). Dorienne made the most fabulous cake for me, so perfect for my nature loving mom! It was cold but we did tons of sight seeing outside, Jasper is really beautiful! The first picture is of Bella on the way down, she got a happy meal from McDonalds in Canmore and was in HEAVEN with her barbie toy and Little mermaid DVD!! We also stopped at the Columbia Icefields on the way there. We couldn't walk on the glacier (I was kind of sad!) but it was gorgeous!!






And last, but not least...this past week I got to go to the special SNEAK PREVIEW of SATC 2 with 3 fabulous girlfriends!!! We got all dolled up, went for dinner before hand to the marvelous Tango, and then had a BLAST at the premiere! It was AMAZING. Seriously. I want to go see it again! And we all looked so SATC that the style guys from Vibe 98.5 came over and chatted with us and took our picture for their facebook page! Yes, we are THAT hot!! lol!



And that is about all that has been happening....oh wait. There IS more. I am running a HALF FREAKING MARATHON in 2 weeks time. Oh my goodness. We seriously signed up for it only 2 months ago, and so I'm not sure how well I'll do but hopefully I'll finish it!! Becka and Emily are AWESOME motivators, they keep me going and make me feel like I can actually do it. Last Saturday we ran 10 miles (16km) and it was not too bad. We were supposed to do another long run today, but thanks to the DISGUSTING weather, that was a no-go. So, like I said, we'll see how it goes!! Yay for you if you made it through this whole long post!! I'm bad at this kind of stuff, I know!

I was on TV....

...well, kind of . Telus TV does a segment called "my calgary", and they were doing something on upcoming bridal trends for 2010. So they called me. Naturally!! haha, just kidding, I was SO SHOCKED that they called me, that I just said yes without really thinking about what I was getting into....which was an interview...on TV....in my store....with my dresses....and of course, a model!! So I called up Becka, we went and had our makeup done, and then made our television debuts!! So exciting, but kind of awkward to be honest. I am not cut out for TV, I feel a little silly posting this video but after many requests I shall do it. Just don't make fun of my weird facial expressions (what was I doing??!!) and my nervous voice....I hope it came across more like I totally know what I'm talking about and less like an eyelash batting weirdo! Haha!!

Click here to witness the action!!