We're Having a Baby!

Devin and I are SO happy to finally share our news! We are so excited to become parents, and can't wait to meet our sweet little babe. I don't think we've ever been happier! I'm currently about 3 months along, and due on October 1st!

I have been writing almost every day about the pregnancy and my thoughts on motherhood in my personal journal, so there are a lot of things I am anxious to share on here in the coming weeks! 

inventory | 04

Making: a yarn pom garland for my christmas tree (i knew i would need an early start!)

Cooking: absolutely nothing. #wifefail

Drinking: all the water. all of it. and diet coke. even though they switched to paper cups #why

Reading: Love Taza archives-she's my hero. (eleanorisms! can i clone her and keep a copy for myself?!)

Wanting: some sleeeeep (feeling so sleepy today, and it's 2:30! what.)

Looking: through the clearance sections at Target (I always find hidden gems!)

Playing: blasted two dots. every new level is the hardest level ever. and i always swear i'll never pass it.

Wasting: post it notes

Wishing: Dev had some cell service.

Enjoying: warm spring weather, and more daylight (thanks, daylight savings)

Waiting: for Devin to get home (he's been gone all week!)

Liking: his pillow better than mine.

Wondering: what i'll wear tomorrow... hmph. 

Loving: my new color block mousepad from this cute etsy shop 

Hoping: i'm doing everything right. in general.

Marveling: at how sore my arms are after yesterday's Mo' Athlete workout! ouch!

Needing: some fresh baked something in my kitchen...

Smelling: the stinky dishwasher - blehck!

Wearing: the same jeans i wore yesterday.

Following: my dog to the mailbox. he always leads the way!

Noticing: how quickly my nail polish is chipping :-/

Knowing: the girl scout cookie purchase i'm going to be making is inevitable.

Thinking: about our plans for the year.

Feeling: anxious.

Bookmarking: inspiration for the baby shower i'm throwing my sister next month

Opening: my march birchbox. i love getting these each month. so many new products to fall in love with.

Giggling: over coop's efforts to wake me up this morning. it was hilarious and so sweet at the same time.

Life, Lately

Our days have been so busy the last few weeks, that it's hard to take the time to write things down. Especially since when I do feel like writing something down, I've been doing so in my personal journal lately. That book is filling up so fast, and my blog posts are lacking - I just can't seem to find a balance! I haven't felt the need to share things about my life publicly in the last few months, I guess.

Devin and I started a training program with the gym called Momentum Athlete and it's been so fun to go together, and with other couples from the gym that we've become close friends with over the years. The workouts we do are comparable to crossfit, and I roll my eyes at myself as I say this, but I am really starting to get the hype. I feel like I understand why crossfitters are so in love with crossfit! It's so empowering to lift giant, heavy barbells, and do a million box jumps after a million burpees. I've never felt stronger! And even though we've only been going for just over a month, we've already noticed major improvements in our endurance, strength, stability and stamina. It's been so cool! I love going with Devin, we motive each other to try harder, or even just to finish our reps! Even though it's so hard to wake up at 6am, twice a week, it's totally worth it by the end of class when we're collapsed on the ground, totally exhausted, but full of endorphins! 

Devin is out of town once again on another school trip this week. He's backpacking upwards of 40 miles through the Paria. He's been anticipating this trip for so long now, I can't believe it's here, but I always forget how much I hate having him gone! I know he's probably having an awesome time, and hopefully it feels like a vacation to him, because I know he could use one! I don't know what I'd do without Cooper around to keep me company though! That, and the dozen movies I've already watched (and he doesn't get back until Friday)! It's hard when Devin is gone, but he's doing awesome things, so I don't have much room to complain!

I started a new job in December, and I don't think I've mentioned that on here yet, but I'm now working for a securities company (real estate investment, not like, security systems... I always feel the need to explain that. No, I don't work for Vivint!), that's owned by one of the owners of Momentum. Devin and I work in the same building! It's been slow going, but I really like what I do and the days always go by so fast! 

Mostly, life's been pretty good to us. The weather has been surprisingly warm for this time of year, which I really think has made all the difference! We have been planning all our trips for the year and we are excited to travel to Glacier National Park, Arches National Park, and also spend several weekends in the Uintas! It's going to be a good summer!

Girls Guide to Miscarriage

**I found this post in my drafts and as I read through it, I decided I still really wanted to post it! Miscarriage is something you'll carry with you forever, so even though I feel like I have moved on, and I'm in a much better place now, I still want to share my thoughts and advice on how to handle this difficult time! This post was written probably just a few weeks after I found out I was miscarrying.**


There doesn't really seem to be a sure-fire way of getting yourself through a miscarriage, but I wanted to share some things I learned that really helped me make it through this last month as I've dealt with the loss of my pregnancy. Keep in mind that i'm just trying to be lighthearted, not offensive! Some of these things seem silly and unnecessary, but I truly believe they all made the last several weeks bearable for me.

#1: don't do anything alone. devin came with me to every single blood draw but one. and the one he missed, i asked my sister in law to come with me. i'm really terrible with needles and doctors and blood - all of it makes me really uncomfortable. having devin there to hold onto while i got poked made it much easier, and chloe was very distracting when she came, which was a huge help! it was nice to have physical moral support in those situations. i would have hated to go alone, even after they became such a regular thing. it's hard to ask for help, but in this situation, i'm glad i did.

#2: do absolutely whatever you have to do to feel better, cheer up, and be more comfortable. this is a pretty broad one, but i had lots of examples of this. first of all, i took as much time off work as i needed. my work was pretty understanding for the most part (there were a few problems i ran into, but that will be different for everyone's situation so i won't go into it). i stayed home. i didn't shower, i didn't get ready, i didn't put makeup on, i didn't change out of my pajamas. i made the decision to focus on resting. i wasn't doing this to mourn, i did it so i could rest. and i'm so glad i did. miscarriages are extremely, so i slept whenever i could, for as long as i possibly could. and then there's the day i wore my wedding shoes to the doctor's office. it's the little things.

#3: be conscious of your company. i loved having McKayla and Chloe come up and bring their cute kids. it was such a perfect distraction. and even when they came without their kids, it was so nice to have company. if i was sleeping, i wanted to be alone, but if i was awake, i didn't like being alone. devin was in the thick of opening a climbing gym so his schedule didn't have a lot of room to take time off, and having other people around made me feel better. benny was so funny with these headphones on. i loved having him and scarlett around to keep my mind off everything. on the same note: don't feel bad asking people to leave! company can wear you out quickly, and if you've felt your friends and family have overstayed their welcome, politely tell them you'd like some rest or some time to yourself. they'll understand!

 

#4: say yes. i'm usually a pretty independent person, and i don't like people going out of their way to help me or do things for me. it makes me feel like a project or a burden. but in this situation, i knew i couldn't do it alone, so when people offered to visit or do things for me, that i was comfortable with, i let them. i didn't want to leave my house much, and i didn't want to be around people i couldn't feel comfortable with, but outside of those stipulations, i let people help me. and i'm glad that i did. the visits, the small gifts, the meals, the drives... they all made a difference. i needed that kind of support. your family and friends won't know what to say, but they'll know that being there for you is enough.

 

#5: don't neglect your kids. hahaha this is the crazy dog mom coming out of me, but i think the same goes for if you already have children, and you've experienced a miscarriage. cooper has always been able to read us pretty well. we can tell when something is wrong, and he always gets a little sad and snugly when i'm sick or upset. he was by my side the entire time i was home, off work. poor guy! just because i was cooped up in the house, i didn't want Coop cooped up, too! we made sure we took him to the park and he still got his fill, even though we were going through a lot! look how sweet and sad he is, haha. i love this dog so much.

#6: don't expect people to know what to say. and honestly, don't take offense if they say something that you wish they wouldn't have. miscarriages happen so often, but they're never talked about! i don't know why, but that makes it this weird, taboo thing, that nobody really knows how to handle. so no, nobody is going to know what to say to make you feel better. and that's okay. chances are, they're going to try, and they'll probably screw up and say something that stings a bit (for example, the "at least you know you can get pregnant!"....), but just know they are trying to help you feel better, not hurt your feelings. keep an open mind. if you have to, tell people not to talk to you about it. or just be honest and tell them that you don't want to hear things like that right now, even if they may be true. this one's a personal thing you'll have to figure out on your own what works best for you.

#7: talk about it. the second i decided to share my experience on social media, i immediately felt 100x times better. i had felt so alone and like such a minority, but as soon as i shared my story, so many friends and people i knew came to me and shared similar experiences and just said nice things to me, and i can't even tell you what a difference it made. and also, the connections i made with friends and strangers!!! that's something i'll always be grateful for. a few weeks after my miscarriage, i came across the blog post of a girl who had also miscarried, and we began exchanging emails back and forth about our experiences and honestly, talking through it with her and hearing what it was like for her was such a relief! i had a friend! someone who really knew exactly how i felt! it was amazing. so don't be afraid to share your story, you'll be surprised what good you can do for yourself, and for others!

#8: stay religiously on top of your pain. i think it's common knowledge that there is physical pain associated with miscarriage, and i think that physical pain ranges for every woman, but there is pain! in some cases, a doctor may prescribe you something for it, in others, you're left on your own. i was taking a rotation of ibuprofen, tylenol, and asprin to keep my body on it's toes, so it didn't get complacent with anything, and i was taking it within a half hour of the allowed dosage suggestion on each bottle, each time. it's a hassle to take meds around the clock, which is why i mention this, because it's worth it. i also spent most of the time laying down, usually on a hot pad, to help relax my muscles as they contracted and cramped. i also took a small hot rice pack with me in the car (or turned on the seat heater) whenever we drove anywhere.

#9: give yourself a brake. don't force any emotion on yourself. i was a little all over the place, and my emotions seemed to change every few minutes, but i just followed them. i would be crying one second and laughing the next, and i just did whatever felt best for me in that moment, and i'm glad i did. i think it helped me heal faster than if i would have pushed myself to move on, or even held myself back with grieving. the day we found out about the miscarriage, devin and i cried at first, but then noticed how ultimately calm we felt. we didn't cancel our weekend plans (keep in mind, this was mostly before the pain set in!), and we didn't feel guilty about having a good dinner with friends that night, in fact, i think the distraction really helped!

#10: don't give up! this is a tough one, and again, it's different for everyone. some women have a miscarriage and decide that it's best for them they take a break from trying to get pregnant, and focus on something else. others jump right back on the horse! for me, it was important that i continued taking my prenatal vitamin, I didn't want to lose any time. it had taken us 8 months to get pregnant, only to miscarry 2 months later, and i didn't want to have to wait another 8 months. if it helps, consider this: women are more fertile after a miscarriage, because your body is already prepared to house a fertilized egg! many women get pregnant shortly after a miscarriage, but take the time to decide if that's what you want! taking some time off could never hurt, it just depends on what feels best for you. you'll have to weight the pros and cons yourself.

My Family

I love this little family of mine.

I'm Baaack! ... and I wanna talk about makeup.

I was talking with my sister in law a couple days ago, after she updated her blog for the first time in about a year. I was so happy she was blogging again! I realized maybe seeing her update was the motivation I needed to get on my blog, especially after she said she missed mine, too!

But I only wanna blog about makeup right now...

That was my thought. And then I realized... who cares! I haven't posted about products since November, so it's definitely time! Since then, my collection has grown infinitely and I love trying and hearing about new products, so I thought I'd share some of my newer favorites that haven't been posted on here yet! I'm sure I'll post some updates about life eventually, but if you really wanna know, follow me on instagram @mrskatieashby!

1. Jergen's Natural Glow | I'm sure I've talked about this before, but I've been using it so often lately, with this fake spring weather we've been getting in Utah! We've had days in the 60's, and I've been ditching the tights for bare legs at church. Problem is... I'm really pale. Not just in the winter, but especially in the winter, ha! I don't tan very easily, so this stuff is my saving grace! I've developed a sure-fire approach that leaves me streakless! I get just enough lotion to generously rub into everything between my ankle and knee. I rub that in until it's almost gone, and at the very end, drag that little bit of moisture carefully across my ankles, down onto my feet, and up onto my knees. Then I apply an even smaller amount of lotion above my knees, and blend upward until the moisture is gone and it's completely rubbed in. Then I WASH MY HANDS (or else you'll get streaks on them!) and let my legs dry completely before they touch anything. It sounds a little daunting but it really doesn't take that long, and it's totally worth it. I see a change after two applications! Also, it works best on smooth skin, so exfoliate and shave before you self tan! Also, even though I'm pretty fair skinned, I get the medium to dark formula, and just make sure I'm only using as much as I need, and rubbing it in completely!

2. Morphe Brushes Eyeshadows | You guessed it, I bought the Jaclyn Hill Favorites palette! It's currently sold out but will be restocked soon, and it's totally worth it to keep your eye on this and get it once it's available again! You get 28 gorgeous, gorgeous shadows for $28.... um.... hello! Why are you not buying this right this instant?! It's totally worth it. There is a good mix of matte and shimmer shades, they are so pigmented and smooth and blendable and worth every last penny. Because I'm so impressed with the shadows, I'm anxious to try other products from Morphe, like the brushes they're known for!

3. Lorac Unzipped Palette | This palette is my baby! I had my eye on it for months, and got it for Christmas and the shades are so neutral and pretty, that I wear at least one of these shadows every single day. These are by far my favorite shadows, they're so easy to apply and blend! I wish the shimmer shadows had more pigment, but I just spray my brush with a little setting spray before picking up shadow, and it goes on perfectly.

4. Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Pomade | I may have mentioned this before, too, but I've loved all the Anastasia brow products I've tried! I started with the brow wiz pencil and used it to fill in my brows every day, and now I usually use the dip brow. There is so much product in the pot, I feel like I've barely made a dent in it, and I've had it for months! I need to get my brows shaped, because I feel like I don't know what I'm doing but this stuff is so easy to use and goes on so flawlessly, I can't go without filling in my brows anymore!

5. Anastasia Beverly Hills Duo Brow/Eye Liner Angled Cut/Spooley Brush #12 | You have to get this brush with the dip brow. It's the best way to apply it! The brush is so small and dense and angled perfectly for brows, and you can't really mess it up with this brush! The spooley on the other end is perfect for blending it out to make your brows look more natural. I love this brush. Can't live without it.

6. Sonia Kashuk No 109 Blending Brush | YOU GUYS. This is the blending brush of all blending brushes. And it's $4. I have the sigma E40, which is the comparable brush and honestly... I reach for this one way more often. It's fluffier, easier to move where you want it to, and packs pigment on better than the Sigma does, in my opinion! It tapers at the top just a little bit, unlike the Sigma, so you can get in your crease and keep the shadow where you want it!

7. Lorac TANtalizer Baked Bronzer | I bought the travel size version of this on a whim, and use it almost every day. I have oily skin, so I don't use this as my bronzer, and I feel like it's more of a highlighter anyway, but it's beautiful color and goes on super smooth!

8. Urban Decay Half Baked Eyeshadow | I just have to talk about this one individual shadow because it's so beautiful, ha! It's the most gorgeous gold, bronzey, shimmer shade I've ever seen. I believe this shadow is in one of the Naked Palettes, but I just wanted the one... haha!

9. Milani Rose Powder Blush in "Romantic Rose" | A couple weeks ago, Devin and I ran to the new CVS in our neighborhood to pick up a few things we needed and I got caught up in the Milani section! This is the first place I've found that carried the brand, and after putting back a handful of the products I picked up, I made it home with this blush. It's so pigmented, it almost makes it hard to use because you barely swipe your brush across the blush and you've got enough powder for both cheeks! It's such a gorgeous shade and it's not chalky or shiny, it's exactly what I like. Plus the rose design and the gold packaging are so pretty!

10. Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation | Hallelujah! I finally found a drugstore foundation that I love! I fell in love the Makeup Forever HD for obvious reasons, but have a hard time forking out $60 for it, so I've been on the hunt for something cheaper that can keep me satisfied between splurges. I tried almost every NYX foundation, and found a few that I liked but wasn't crazy about, and then I saw this on my Pinterest feed and bought it a week later. It's perfect. Goes on so smooth, stays put, truly is matte (though poreless may be a stretch, but that's okay) and the coverage is great!

11. Gerard Cosmetics "Shimmer of Hope" Lipgloss | This one's easy. Best formula for lipgloss I've ever tried, and the best pinky nude shade I've ever found.

12. Benefit Cosmetics POREfessional | My teeny tiny sample came in my Birchbox awhile back, which, by the way, if you don't already subscribe to Birchbox, do it now! $10 a month for samples of products, huge brands you've been dying to try and smaller brands you'll fall in love with! This is my favorite piece of mail to get each month! Anyway, I got this tiny sample and set it aside for awhile because I didn't like the pore reducing primers I'd tried in the past. Well turns out, I just didn't like those others ones because they weren't this guy. Primers are such a weird consistency to me, it's still hard to get used to! But with POREfessional, I tiny bit goes a LONG way (this sample has lasted me forever and I use it almost daily) and it truly blurs your pores for a more flawless finish. Makeup applies over the top of it perfectly, and I usually just use it on problems areas like around my nose and between my eyebrows on my forehead, but on date nights or days when I know I need my makeup to be long-wearing, I'll apply it to my entire face and I love the results.

13. The Original Beauty Blender | A couple months ago, my sister in law gave me a beauty blender and I fell in love! I had heard all about them, but I was so smitten with my Sigma F80 that I never could have imagined replacing it with a sponge! I was wrong. The beauty blender is flawless application, every single time. I still love my F80 and rotate between the two depending on what I'm feeling that day, but I will always at least use the beauty blender for my under eye concealer. I love that with the beauty blender, I'm more apt to press, not drag, across my face, which leaves my foundation flawless and not streaky (though my F80 has never left me streaky either), I feel like I allows you to build coverage, but since you use it damp, it also keeps you from getting too heavy handed. Lucky for me, my February Birchbox included another beauty blender, along with the "Solid" soap for cleaning, and trust me, it's nice to have two! If you haven't already bought one of these, do it now! I don't know what you're waiting for!!!

14. Gerard Cosmetics "Tequila Sunrise" Lipstick | Perfect coral shade, I can't wait to wear it more in the summer. Gerard Cosmetics has perfect formulas for lip products. They are so pigmented, but so creamy, yet stay in place. They're genius and they always have awesome deals and coupon codes! Look at their instagram, and you're guaranteed to find a coupon code you can use for your purchase!

15. NYX Matte Lipstick in "Tea Rose" | Me and NYX Matte Lipsticks have a serious problem. I own so many nyx lip products now, I feel like I'm keeping them in business! I saw this "tea rose" shade on pinterest, and bought it immediately and it's my new favorite shade to wear day to day. For me, and my natural lip color, this shade is just an enhanced, prettier version, and that's exactly what I love about it! It looks a little dark and intimidating, but I think this shade would look gorgeous on any skin tone!

16. Matrix Biolage Smooth Thérapie Shampoo & Conditioner | I finally broke down and splurged on some salon quality shampoo and my ooooh my life. I love this stuff. I love that my hair smells like a salon. I love how shiny and smooth it is! I just went ahead and bought the biggest bottles Target had, and they're lasting forever! Hair care is one of those things where you really do get what you pay for. Even though I love store brands that smell amazing, it's worth it to spend the extra money to get a professional brand that will really take care of your hair!

I didn't want to swatch all the eyeshadows (plus I don't even really know how to do that accurately...) but here they are! SO MUCH BEAUTY IN ONE PHOTO GUYS.

the left is the Lorac TANtalizer, and the right is Milani Rose Powder Blush in "Romantic Rose"

Top is Gerard Cosmetics Lipstick "Tequila Sunrise" (it's showing up more orangey in this picture than it is in real life), middle is NYX Matte Lipstick in "Tea Rose" (it's a little more muted and nude in real life) and bottom is Gerard Cosmetics Lipgloss in "Shimmer of Hope" (little less peachy in real life)

2014

I'm not sure that I really even quite know where to begin with this post. It's been so long since I last wrote, and that's just because I plain didn't feel like blogging, and also because I truly didn't have the time. I've tried to spend my time more consciously the last several months, and yes, that sometimes meant consciously watching 4 hours of Gossip Girl on a Wednesday night with popcorn for dinner. But it's a choice I made, not a circumstance I settled on. Blogging was just never how I chose to spend my time. I can't remember the last time I went through my blog roll either, I'm so behind on reading everything else.

2014 ended on such a horrible note for me, and I have a hard time looking at the year as a whole positively, even though, when I break it down, it really was. I'm still bitter about my miscarriage and I am still really struggling with mostly anger, and impatience. But really, 2014 was a huge year for our little family:

J A N U A R Y

+ devin started yet another year at UVU, and a light appeared at the end of that tunnel! (as of right now, D should be graduating at the end of the year!)

+ we saw our dear friend, Joshua James perform in Salt Lake City - Joshua's music has always been a moving experience for me, and the only way I can verbalize it is that it's spiritual, almost. He is so talented, and such a good person.

+ we went to the OR show - this is a big trade show that takes place twice a year in salt lake and it's basically every outdoor nerd's paradise. it's hard to describe, but it's basically a couple thousand companies' booths full of new gear release previews, information, deals, and whathaveyou. Devin loves the networking aspect of it, for obvious reasons. This OR will always stick out to me, because it sort of got the ball rolling for starting to try for a baby. As we were leaving, weaving through all the booths to get to an exit, we passed one that had a tiny baby hat and teeeeeeny tiny baby wool socks on display. We bought them, and they've since been stowed away in an old trunk of my great grandfather's. But I think that purchase was the tipping point for Devin, and I threw out my birth control a few weeks after.

+ Momentum Millcreek construction was well under way at this point, and it was SO exciting to go up and see the progress. I remember getting choked up as things started to take shape. I was just (and still am) in complete awe of the amazing things the Momentum team was accomplishing. Jeff, Kevin and Greg, the owners, all the staff, Devin, the other managers, and Walltopia, the Bulgaria based company that designs and manufactures the rock climbing walls (it's a meticulous process, and so impressive). And even though Millcreek quickly became old news as the Lehi location was added to the discussion, and became devin's undertaking, I am still so proud and impressed with that gym. It's amazing.

+ this seems a little silly, but around January is when I really took interest in makeup artistry and began taking it more seriously, growing my collection, learning more, and started looking at options for school. most of this is thanks to jaclyn hill, and don't tease me, but she has been a serious inspiration to me, and in all honesty, a bright spot in my life since i found her on youtube a couple years ago. she's my soul mate best friend, i just know it.

F E B R U A R Y

+ scarlett lavee was born - my younger sister had a baby. that was huge! we spent like, 72 hours straight by kayla and zac's / scarlett's side and it was such an awesome time to be a Johnson. I loved all of it. I loved spending 10 hours in the hospital after Kayla went into labor, just to go home, before even seeing scarlett, because it was like, 3am and we were all exhausted (and scarlett went to the nicu for awhile for some breathing problems). i loved spending the entire next day crowding my sister's hospital room, taking pictures, oohing and ahhing at scar, and waiting on kayla's hand and foot. i loved it.

+ i subscribed to birchbox, which launched me into a product hoarding problem that i resolve to be better at this year, ha!

+ we were called as sunbeam teachers in our ward, and immediately fell in love with those kids. sweetest, most obnoxious, most wiggly kids ever. it sucked, but we loved it.

+ we celebrated valentine's day at our favorite restaurant, Communal

+ devin's cousin, and my (practically, i mean friends since 7th grade) life long friend, Kasey came home from his mission. i add this to the list because it still blows my mind that I married the cousin of one of my oldest friends. it's one of the many coincidences in our relationship that leaves me so shocked, because it took us so long to meet, when we were right under each other's noses for most our lives.

+ Banff Mountain Film Festival - think sundance film festival, but cooler films and cooler people. if you're outdoor nerds like us, that is. Banff is.... the most inspiring thing i've ever been to. probably. every video they show is so well made, so exciting, and it totally fuels me for adventure. you leave Banff with such a huge bucket list, and all the motivation you'd ever need to fulfill it. i love it.

M A R C H

+ Tooonnnnnns of skiing at Deer Valley - i grew up skiing at sundance. in fact, it was the only resort i had skied at until i met devin. the first time we skied at deer valley was all it took and i'm totally hooked. it's hands down my favorite resort. i absolutely love it. a little spoiled now, too, i suppose.

+ We also spent a day of skiing at Solitude with some of our greatest friends from the gym. It was probably my worst day of skiing in years (i know that saying this is like a runner saying they prefer a treadmill, but i'm just a groomer skier, okay? i like the easy breezy stuff. it's more fun), we had such a fun day, even with all that pow.

+ march was the start of a new passion for devin and i: firearms. i don't remember what sparked devin's interest in getting a gun, but he began doing a lot of research, and we eventually went to the range with an old friend of his, who was in some government authority position in South Africa and is also an NRA certified instructor. we shot a couple dozen guns with him to find one we liked, and we purchased a .9mm beretta (the first of many gun purchases this year). i've had a whole post about guns in my drafts since then, and i'm sure i'll post it eventually. we've both really grown to love guns, and i'm glad it's something we can do together. i feel so much safer at home, knowing i have those tools, and the confidence to use them. i think it's hugely important for people to have an understanding of firearms. there isn't anything to be afraid of!

+ march is also the month we both fell completely in love with sushi, haha! devin had a business meeting one day at a japanese restaurant, and one of the guys just ordered for the table. i don't think devin had had sushi before then, but he found he really loved it! when he told me about it, i probably made a face like i'd just bit into a lemon, because i had had sushi before, and i despised it. slowly, he got me back into trying it (after several orders of teriyaki chicken, that is) and i went from vegas roll to playboy roll to volcano roll, and on to ramen and all things sushi and japanese and we now have about 3 go-to sushi restaurants that we absolutely love. (although, i am still a tempura girl, and can't handle the giant chunks of raw tuna, haha)

A P R I L

+ we got a fish! we got a beta fish. i think he was a half moon, or a blue moon beta... something like that. we named him lloyd christmas and he was an awesome addition to our kitchen. a few months after we got lloyd, he mysteriously disappeared (i'm not kidding. we couldn't find our fish. for like an hour). then we discovered his shriveled up body over a foot away from his bowl. suicide fish. it was sad but also hilarious. i so wish i knew what happened.

+ my bestie Danica and I hosted our first ever Favorite Things Party - and so began a bunch of new friendships! We had the greatest time, got tons of great stuff, and I met so many awesome girls.

+ I made 150 macarons for a wedding. my first official order, and the largest order i've ever done! i took the day off work to make them, and spent literally 8 hours baking, and they all came out beautifully! AND, the bride was legitimately french, as in, FROM FRANCE, as in, not just by genealogy, but was a foreign exchange student, and she totally approved. does it get better than that?!

+ we went camping in one of our favorite spots - Buckhorn Wash, and cooper loved it. sand everywhere. all the digging and running possibilities. all the sticks. all the rivers to swim in. he was in pure heaven, it was adorable. this was also the trip we discovered cooper's deathly fear of guns (after we found him hiding under the car over 100 yards from where we were shooting. poor guy!)

+ on our way back from buckhorn (we drove home on a sunday) devin got a call that the stake president wanted to meet him, and came back from that meeting as the new stake young men's secretary!

M A Y

+ scarlett was blessed by my dad

+ we planted a flower garden for our front porch!.... and it died like, 3 months later. and it's still sitting there. all dead. i know. i'm really on top of things over here.

+ devin turned 27 and we celebrated at mirror lake diner in kamas. and it was one of the most memorable birthdays! so many people came (kamas is about an hour drive from utah / salt lake valley so it was a huge gesture that so many people were so willing to come celebrate!) and i spent the entire night just basking in all the love all these people have for my husband. it was amazing. we are surrounded by amazing people!

+ we celebrated 3 years of marriage in Park City at the Westgate Resort and it was a dream.

J U N E

+ the lehi location of momentum climbing was officially announced to the public, and things really started to take shape! this project was extremely time consuming for devin, but in all the best ways. he loved it, and i did too!

+ spent every waking second outside playing with cooper

J U L Y

+ oakley rodeo with the hamblin's (the oakley rodeo is one of the bigger rodeos in the state, and my first time seeing a lot of the events. it was a total blast. lightning storm and all!)

+ another awesome year at grey's river with both our families

A U G U S T

+ i turned 23, and we celebrated all weekend long! we had a big campfire up american fork canyon with a bunch of friends and it was the best possible way i could have spent my birthday!

+ soaked up tons of time at our clubhouse pool (we live in a townhome development)

S E P T E M B E R

+ we went to psicobloc! a huge climbing competition at the olympic park. it was incredible. i can't wait to go again!

+ we built a bed! we sold our entire bedroom set, in an effort to start collecting (and building) pieces of furniture that we truly love. starting with an awesome bed we designed together. it's still my favorite piece in our house!

+ went to the ogden temple open house with my family

+ found out we were pregnant! - this was still one of the happiest moments of my life. even though God had different plans for that sweet babe. i will always, always remember that day.

O C T O B E R

+ october is always really nostalgic for me. i love the fall, and this is when i met and began dating devin. those first few weeks were so new and exciting and october always reminds me of that feeling. it's been 4 years now! so crazy to think about how much has happened, how much we've gone through, in just four years!

+ we traded in our altima hybird for a jeep compass. and yes, i'm still in love. crosby is my favorite car i've ever owned. it's already made a huge difference having an SUV for us. a car that fits our lifestyle so much better! and possibly a quarter life crisis, but who's to say ;)

+ we lost our baby. those few weeks were... unbelievably painful. physically, and also emotionally. it's something that we're still overcoming, but something i think that's changed us for the better and brought us closer together. it put our lives into an eternal perspective and our focus has shifted slightly, to things that are ultimately more important. it was a huge time for growth and change and enduring and overcoming and we're not out of the woods yet, but it gets better every day.

N O V E M B E R

+ we took a weekday off and played tourist in our own city and it was probably one of the most memorable days of the whole year, to just do whatever we wanted, all day long, with no agenda. everybody needs a day like that every once in awhile! it was refreshing and i felt totally recharged after just taking a minute to really breath and enjoy myself!

+ i had a "celebrity" etsy sale! Lacie of queenlacie.com - a hilarious, real, mom blog - bought one of my prints from my etsy shop! still doesn't feel real. i'm practically famous, you know?!

D E C E M B E R

+ momentum climbing - lehi officially opened their doors! this gym is a literal dream come true. i'm married to a man who follows his dreams, and that's something you don't see much of these days. his passion is in his school, in his work, and in his hobbies, and i admire that so much. he worked so, so hard. i don't even think I know the extent of just how hard he worked, to make this gym happen. and i truly couldn't be more proud. it's been a huge blessing in our lives, and an answer to many prayers. it's the "ooh I see!" result of a huge leap of faith we took about three years ago, and i am so glad we jumped. being part of momentum has changed our lives for the better. we've met some of the most esteemed members of the community, some of the most skilled climbers in the world, and made some of the most genuine life long friends. i couldn't ask for more! momentum has been good to us.

+ after two and a half years, i left my job at cascade collision, unexpectedly, to take up an offer i couldn't refuse! the last few weeks at my new job have been stressful and overwhelming and exciting and fulfilling and even though i'm exhausted and feel out of my league, i love what i do, and i work with a lot of really, really great people. the company i now work for is owned by one of the owners of momentum (and he also owns 3 other companies, so... he's a busy guy!) and Devin and I now work in the same building! The climbing gym is in an office building complex, basically, it's hard to explain. But it's been so cool to be so close.

+ we celebrated another fantastic christmas with friends and family, my favorite time of year! who doesn't love christmas? in utah, it didn't snow until christmas morning, so it was hard to get into the spirit until that day, but it still ended up being a great holiday. i loved all the down time i got with devin, and all the time i got to spend with my sisters!

+ devin made some dreams come true for me this year and got me a yamaha clavinova digital piano! i grew up playing and quit as soon as my mom let me, but kept playing just for fun. i'm so glad i maintained that skill! once we got married, i didn't have access to a piano and it broke my heart! now there's one in my living room, with a headphone jack, no less! and i've spent hours and hours on it already and already have a huge list of songs i want to learn! i love it. i love it. i love it. best gift ever.

+ we rang in the new year with chinese take out and our friends the hamblins! we aren't very big on crowds, or staying up past 10pm, but we still had a great night and made it to about 12:30 so hurrah!