When Mama B came to visit

Last weekend my wonderful mother came to visit us in DC.  I know that everyone thinks they have the world's most adorable mom, but trust me... I really lucked out!

Mom was in town for the National Book Festival.  She was in heaven, walking on the National Mall amongst fellow book-lovers and famous authors.

Her friend Shelley also came and we had a great time showing them around the city and checking out the Behnke late-night monument tour (a new staple amongst visitors). And best of all was a trip to my favorite dinner spot in DC - Hill Country BBQ.

Earlier in the weekend, Mom came with me to run some errands.  Of course we had to stop at Pinkberry!

And on Sunday we got dressed up in our Sunday best.  Isn't she the cutest Mom ever?

Thanks for coming to visit Mom!

Little Pink Squish

The little pink squish is turning 22! Hooray! 

From dressing up as Power Rangers to watching Little Women and crying every Sunday to tutoring me in our BYU math class- we've been through it all! Thanks for being an amazing little sis and helping out so much with my wedding. You are fun, creative, adorable, pocket sized and just plain wonderful. 

I hope 22 is the best year yet! 

We love you!

Saturdays

I'm loving my new job more and more but I liiiive for the weekends now. Saturday mornings filled with sleeping in, running errands, pancakes and the morning paper make life complete. Not to add hot chocolate! Yay for fall! Now I get to finally sport my new deep green Essie polish. Score.

Celebrating the Mrs.

Today is a big day!  Stefi is turning 25 :)  So if you get a chance, give her a call later (she's still sleeping while I write this), text her Feliz Cumpleanos, or drop a quick email - she'd love to hear from you.

This weekend for her birthday we got to spend some time in the city, and it was fantastic.  About a week or two ago, the magical day hit DC, the day where the humidity suddenly, without warning, disappears and life becomes infinitely more enjoyable.  The wind cools you down even though the temperatures are still in the 80s and you are reminded that Fall is coming.  Friday night we had fantastic walk in and around Chinatown on our way to dinner at Busboys and Poets.  It was so much fun to walk through the DC streets, hand in hand, hearts full of gratitude for each other.  On that walk Stefi pointed out that this is our third birthday together in DC. 

I think what made Friday night so special was partly our chosen activity, walking through the city.  For those that don't know, our courtship involved LOTS of night spent strolling down M Street in Georgetown or up New Hampshire into Dupont Circle.  Even now, walking through the big city with her hand in mine makes me feel alive and lucky.  I am blessed to have married such a phenomenal woman.  Everyday I find support and love in her hugs, comfort and deliciousness in her baking, dedication and strength in her eyes, and goodness in all that she does.  Happy Birthday, sweetheart.

Unfortunately we failed to snap a picture at dinner last night (let me tell you, she looked beautiful!), but this one is from our trip up to NYC a few weeks ago!

Finally, an enormous thank you to all of our friends who were able to help me surprise Stefi at 7th Hill Pizza last night on such short notice.  It meant so much to us to have you all there!  Such a fun birthday evening!

Attachment

I have a strange attachment to strange things. I remember my first cell phone, it was a brick Nokia phone with a blue screen and snake was the only game I could play. I even decked it out with sweet phone cases (the plastic kind you snap on) from the mall kiosk. 


I upgraded to the hot pink Razor my freshman year at BYU and that thing was a gem! It was so fancy I kept it in a sock to protect it. That seemed normal at the time.

Next came my beloved Blackberry. It was a gift from the night I danced with Pierce Brosnan in the Hamptons. Another story for another time. But boy did I look professional with that phone. Only the business majors and I were rockin the Blackberry on BYU campus.  

Obviously the iPhone was a necessity for grad school. That was the argument I gave to my mom and surprisingly it worked. We've had a good time and it's navigated me through some sticky situations (i.e. riding the metro into southeast dc).

Through all of these transitions, AT&T has been by my side. I LOVE AT&T and feel a strange loyalty to them. "Oh what service do you have?" -"AT&T" I always proudly answer. But alas with this whole marriage and "paying your own bills" thing I have to switch to Blake's Verizon plan. Boo.

While I am beyond excited and grateful to get my new beautiful WHITE (much more feminine) iPhone 5, part of me is so sad to leave AT&T. I mean look at our history.

Verizon be good to me. 

A funny story about living with stefi

It's crazy to think that we have been married for almost three months now.  It has been a very busy few months.  After our idyllic honeymoon in Kauai, we returned to our busy lives in DC.  I woke up early each morning for my internship at the Tax Court while Stefi started her day a little later ;)  Stefi spent her days studying for her last certification exam and looking for jobs.  

For all of the family members and roommates out there you already know this, but Stef is not exactly a morning person.  I pop out of bed with a smile in my face and a song on my lips.  Not so much for the better looking half of this marriage.  Anyhow, every morning during the summer I would shower and get dressed and then come back in to give Stefi a kiss before I left for work.  Oftentimes she would sleepily whisper, "I love you, have a great day."  Somedays she was too tired to talk back and instead would hold up one hand with the sign language symbol for "I love you."  My favorite memory of our first married summer is leaving in the morning and telling Stefi I love her, only to see a single hand pop up from the sheets signing I love you too.

Syrup cookies

Blake decided to treat me to his amazing oatmeal choc chip cookies tonight. The kid can seriously make a mean oatmeal cookie. I happily sipped on my Diet Coke (now church approved) and played on Pinterest in the mean time. When it came time to steal a few (dozen) bites of dough, something just tasted a little off. Almost a little syrupy....It even smelled like syrup....
Perplexed I looked around the counter and discovered he had switched my maple flavoring for the vanilla extract.

Sweet thing. He was so sad. Maybe we'll make millions though starting a new breakfast food line of syrup cookies. Better luck next time B.