Design Stuff

Per request, I am posting some pictures of some of the invitations, etc. that I've designed. A lot of the wedding invites are from a few years ago, so they seem a little outdated at this point, but I'll post more current Christmas cards and stuff after the season. Click on the pictures to see them up close. *Just a note, information was changed for privacy reasons. If you see some of your info on here that I have missed and you want it taken off, please let me know.

Baby Boy Shower invitation

Little Girl's birthday party invitation

Your's Truly's wedding invite (was printed on white linen paper)

Christmas Card

Wedding invite (was printed on linen paper)

Business Christmas party invitation

General invite

Notecards (these were printed on ivory linen paper)

Baby shower invite

Baby shower invite

Sticker for Christmas treats, personalized family

Wedding invite, there was a front and back to this invite, as well, but I'm not going to post those at this time.

Church activity invite. Space at top was for a lavender tulle bow. Made a similar one
a few years ago printed on pearlescent paper.

Christmas card.

Anyway, that's just a small selection. I've done a little illustrating, as well, but those files are too big to post. I'm thinking of maybe someday opening a shop on Etsy...? In the meantime, I'm just building my portfolio of examples. Let me know if you need something and I can get you pricing info, etc.

Thanksgiving!

We had an AWESOME Thanksgiving this year. My brother got married so we started out the weekend before in St. George. It was a beautiful sealing and reception; we had a great time. Unfortunately, the only pictures I have on my own camera from the occasion are a couple from the hotel:

Blaze & Sam hangin' out in the hotel room

Sam went swimming in a pool for the first time! His face is so funny in this picture.

We had a great time in St. George. Then we headed to sunny California for Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, my parents got a leak one of the first days we were there. I came downstairs to find this:

Yes, that is Blaze with no head. Actually, his head was in a hole in the ceiling, checking out the leak, but it sure looked funny from behind.

On Tuesday we spent a great day at SeaWorld. I love that place! It was not crowded at all and they played Christmas music the whole time which, of course, I loved (albeit it was the same song in different versions over and over again). 

Blaze and me in our true penguin form.

My parents crack me up.

You can barely see the penguin antlers on my mom's head. It's pretty obvious where I get my amazing sense of humor...

Whitney and my cute niece Julia at the Shamu show.

Sam looks totally enthralled, right...?

On Thursday my sister and I started the day by running the Dana Point Turkey Trot. It was really fun but out of control! There were SO MANY PEOPLE! Pictures to come... Then, we celebrated Thanksgiving with my Aunt Elaine and family from my dad's side, and my grandparents from my mom's side. I don't have any pictures on my camera of the whole family, just a few from earlier in the day.

My sister makes the BEST pies!!! They were to die for.

My grandparents, Steve & Stef, and my adorable nieces, Julia, Kate, and Sophie. Grandpa was apparently a little tired...

I was in charge of rolls...

 Overall we had the BEST time! It was so fun to see my sister and her family, who I haven't seen since last Christmas. It was especially fun because we haven't met each other's newest babies yet. It was also such a special experience to see my brother married in the temple to an awesome lady. We love you Stef!

As a parting shot, here is Sam in yet another impossible situation. How he finds himself under, in between, and behind every large object in his way I will never know.

Totally cray cray, right?

Family

I've been thinking a lot lately about families and the importance of them. Mostly because I read this awesome talk that I hope you will all take time to read, too. It's long but it explains so much of why family is important to us as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I feel like lately so much of what people focus on when talking about how Mormons feel about family is just the whole proposition 8 thing and how we're against gay marriage. I feel like sometimes my belief in the traditional family is taken the wrong way--that I'm anit-gay or believe that gay people are somehow less than me and therefore don't deserve the benefits of marriage that I enjoy. But my belief in the importance of family goes so far beyond petty feelings like that. Many many good people I have known were gay. Or divorced. Or had a child out of wedlock. Or were the product of a family that wasn't "traditional" in the sense I am referring to. Does that mean I hate them? No. I appreciate the difficulty of what they've gone through and are going through. At the same time, I can't deny that a "traditional" family, one with a mom and a dad, is a central part of God's plan. In fact, it is the WHOLE plan. I appreciate how Sister Beck articulates exactly what the family's role in God's plan is and why it is so important to teach it to the rising generation. If you don't have time to read the whole talk, skip the first page or so and get to where it starts talking about the theology of the family. It changed my whole perspective on God's plan and how I fit into it.

Anyway, I hope it affects you the way it did me.

Friends

So, recently one of my best friends from college came and visited. We had so much fun--it was like we were never apart! It got me thinking about all the great friends I've had over the years. I really have been blessed. So, I decided to make a tribute to many of the good friendships I've been lucky enough to create over my lifetime thus far. I say many because there's no way I could ever post about all of them. But here are just a few snapshots of the good times I've shared with so many of you!

High school was rough, but I made it through thanks to these girls!

These girls saved my life! I love them still so much.

Love my church girls. Good times singing together!

College. What would I do without these girls? They are still my best friends to this day. And so beautiful inside and out.

Meggy and Me right after my mission.

Mission friends. My mission changed my life, much because of the amazing people I met. I've been missing them all like crazy lately...

 Working out at the MTC. Too bad I still gained like 15 lbs.

MTC Love. 

My Trainer and first baptism. LOVE LOVE. And yes I know I look like the jolly green giant.

Last companion and my ai suru President and his wife.  

My third companion (wigga wigga ;)) and another favorite. 

Awesome member and my trainer at dinner right before i left for home. I miss them like crazy!!

Post mission I was so lucky again to have awesome friends. Here are just a couple pics:

Building a fort! AHHH I miss you guys!

 I love every single one of these girls. We had so many good times!

My adorable roommates my last year of college. Couldn't have asked for more fun girls to live with!

And of course, there's family. I couldn't live without my family. They are truly my BEST friends. 

The one who knows and understands me better than anyone. The one I would choose to spend ALL my time with and who I am so excited to be with for eternity.

 My new sisters (well, if you call 2 and a half years new!) I couldn't have asked to marry into a better family. 

My cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. I would not be who I am without them. ALL of them. 

My sister. My loudest cheerleader and best friend. Love you sis.

My brother and my newest sister! Love you guys and so excited for you!

And of course my parents. Where would I be without you?! And my new parents-in-law--you guys have also become so important in my life. 

There are so many more people I could include, like all my new friend's in Lund, but unfortunately my picture taking has slowed down since I got here. I really am so fortunate to have so many friends that have shaped me and made me the person I am. Thanks and I love you!

Laughing Sam

Sam has started laughing and I'm obsessed. You can tell I'm obsessed because I'm downloading a video on the internet where I look (or sound) a complete fool. The things you do for your kids.

P.S. Sorry about the weird angle. I had to prop the camera up on one of his baskets so I could use my hands...

Man I love this kid!

Sleepy Sam

I can't believe my little bugaboo is just a week and a half shy of 3 months. He's so big now! When I went to the doctor right before his blessing he was 12 lbs 2 oz and 23" long. So by now he's probably almost double his birth weight. As my back can attest...

But as sad as I am to see him getting so big and growing out of even his 0-3 month clothes, with his age does come some advantages. For one, he's almost grown out of his colic. YAY! He's been sleeping 7-8 hours a night for the last 4 nights. I feel like super woman. AND, I ate a huge bowl of ice cream the other night and he still slept 8 hours. I'm thinking this whole no dairy thing is bogus.

Anyhow, one of my favorite things to see over the past few months is all the funny ways Sam sleeps. And I have documented them all. Probably because I'm a crazy first time mom who takes like a million pictures a day. But I thought you might get a kick out of some of them. Here are my top 10 favorite sleepy moments in chronological order (sorry some are duplicates of previous blogs):

He slept with his arms and legs up like this for the first 3 weeks of his life. 

This cracks me up. He was just waking up and his legs were up inside his sleeper, making him look unusually large for a three-day-old. 

My one-armed mummy baby 

Can't get enough of this picture 

Almost asleep with mama 

I promise when I put him in there he was wrapped tight like a burrito and was straight up and down. How he could stay asleep like this, I'm not sure... 

Can you tell yet that he loves to have his arms out?

Boppy picture #1: so happy 

Boppy picture #2: so peaceful 

Boppy picture #3...what the heck? This is my all time favorite forever and always. He was sitting up and wide awake when I went to make his bottle. Literally 2 minutes later I turned around and this is how I found him. Naked and sound asleep. What a life.

So there they are. What a cutie, huh? He takes after his dad.