well, hello 29.

Jason turned 29 yesterday. Happy Birthday to him! We just had a low key night at home. Jason passed a little time with book 7 of Harry Potter, then we ate Mum's spaghetti and had cake and watched Up (interspersed with lovely phone calls from family, which he loved), and went to bed about 10pm. We are old people.

Making THE cake. Notice the dishes all done in the background.
Jason did them. I tried to make him not do them, but he is all nice and stuff.

Lovely cream cheese layer.

So strong. And brave. And 29.

Jason is cute. I mean, handsome.

Awwww.

I forgot the candles, but luckily Jason still likes me. Phew.

Blowing out his makeshift match candle.

Happy Birthday, J! So glad you were born. Seriously. So glad.

In other news, I start a new job tomorrow! Yay! I am tutoring a girl for half a day each morning. Due to some circumstances in her life, she needs a tutor to catch her up before she begins her senior year of high school next year. I am really excited. I met with her and her family a couple of weeks ago and it just felt right. Now I know why I couldn't go through with all the other job applications I started and would never complete! This is it. It all makes sense in retrospect.

And, since I got a job thing again, I have also purchased my study materials to become a personal trainer. So in about four months or less, I will be prepared--and certifiably able--to kick your behinds into shape! (And mine.) I decided to go with NASM as it is the most recognized around these parts. Then I can go on and pursue additional certifications where I see the need. Sweet!

Wish me luck!

guess who's pregnant?

Not me! But my sister is, and we threw her a baby shower on March 27. IT WAS SO FUN. And exhausting. And fun! I was nervous because I can think of maybe 3 baby showers I have been to in my lifetime, but I think it went well. Here are some photographs:

Foods!

More foods!

Gram and Leslie. Grandma saved the day by helping in the kitchen. Leslie is cute.

So did these two lovely ladies! My cousins. Aren't they pretty?

My seester Kristen drove all the way from Colorado to be there as a surprise to Melissa--here Kristen's oldest appears with the food she was so eager to help get ready, though I think she ate only Skittles. Hehe.

Here is Grandma at the gift/note table. We had folks sign some Dr. Suess books for Melissa to take with her to California.


Lovely Connie, whose house we invaded. She is really just wonderful. Here with Aunt Val, who drove since 2am to come down. She is crazy cool.


Mom was able to be there also, thanks to Skype and Jason who lent me his laptop for the day, even though he had homework. What a dude. And what a mom! You rule, momma.


Kristen put together this fun Family Feud game. She did a great job!


What is a Pugmire shot without weird faces? All 3 sisters.


Here are some of the shower attendees. For more photos, click here.


Kristen's kids were so eager to help with gifts. :) And Aunt Heather did an amazing job of organizing gift bags. Seriously. She has skillz. I think the gifting helped curb little Kimmie's disappointment in not being able to actually see Melissa's baby--she asked Melissa several times when her baby was "going to pop out," and responded dejectedly when told that the baby would come in the summer, "I thought we were going to be able to see the baby." Apparently she thought the baby would be born during the shower!

After the shower, we headed to Provo to play outside and to see Steve and enjoy some foods and ice cream at the creamery. So fun to have us together! Mom, Pops, and Brizo--we missed you.

Adios Meliss, and good luck in San Diego! Thanks for letting us party with you before you left! And boo for sisters moving away.

two things

First of all, I pledged to lose 9 pounds to the pound for pound challenge.

Don't worry, I checked it with Melissa, my sister dietitian, first. It still keeps me well within my healthy weight range. Totally safe. I'm stoked because I just wanted to do something extra to help those who have less, and there are lots of folks needing extra help. Also it is a cool way to get myself to work out with the knowledge that people in need are counting on me.

Secondly, if I ever bear children, their nursery will look like this:



I'm sure I can make it gender neutral somehow. See more pics here.

take 20 minutes and watch this. it's worth it.

Thanks to my friend Tim who pointed me to this video. I sure did love it.



Or you can watch on its origin website here.

it's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got

My friend Cheyenne turns on the radio when she is home alone so that she is motivated to do things (so hard to do when it's dead quiet). I lasted through about 40 minutes of NPR's ongoing (and quite circular, might I add) discussion of health care reform before I switched to the musica. I prefer guitars most mornings. Right now we've got Sheryl Crow's Soak up the Sun. Ah, the memories that old tunes bring back...

Here are some random thoughts for you.


Cheyenne and I dropped by The Square Nest and found the most adorable local cards. I liked the one above so much I framed it and put it on my desk.

I spent the weekend with my sister Melissa in P-town which was oh so fun. She rules. And her baby bump is cute. We ate, talked, watched a movie, cooked, packed up her stuff (boo for moving away) and generally just had a great time. I loved meeting up with her and Steve for some delicious Crunchy Cinnamon French Toast from Kneaders. YUM, and way good company. Photo spread:

In other news, some people (cough cough, Aunt Heather) don't really believe I'm doing this personal fitness trainer gig, but I really am. I begin classes April 19. I'm a wee bit nervous. I haven't done school for a while and I am hoping this will be an educational investment that will benefit my family in valuable ways, e.g. demonstrate the importance of taking care of the stewardship that is the body, help both Jason and I to keep fit, and be able to contribute to my community in a way that will promote greater health for the general populace. I am also hoping that someday if Jason and I ever produce offspring, it will be something I can do for a few hours a week to get some additional income and interact with adult-types. Then eventually when we buy a house, I can build an in-home gym and run a small business. My dream of getting a Masters is not forgot, but just on hold for a little while. This feels best for now.

So, off I go to look for a part-time job! Woot! And also get a nice 40 minute run in. SoCal Ragnar, here I come! And also join a food co-op. And maybe make the bed. Maybe.

Stay tuned for photos of the redone condo. I need some color ideas for when we paint the walls this spring, if you are willin'.

hahahahahahaha

Jason just sent me a link to this photo. I laughed merrily.

Happy Valentimes

I spent the holiday away for the long weekend--went to Colorado to visit my sister again and her family. It was so fun! My bro had not seen them since he got home from his mission, so we took a little road trip! It was good times. I have a lot of healthy respect for my brother, and it was so good to see K&J and play palisades with them and play the monster game with the kids. :) They are so fun!

When I got home late last night after braving the snow and ice of Wyoming roads, I had a lovely spray of flowers waiting for me on the coffee table, as well as a video queued up which Jason had made for me. He is adorable. He has put the video on his blog which you can view here if you are interested. I basically just sat there and cried. How did I end up with the best husband ever? I think it was pure luck, blessings, and a whole lot of you people talking me out of running from the best thing that has happened to me. Thanks, peeps, for helping me have the courage to take a chance on the Jason: he consistently exceeds my expectations. I am amazed and feel very, very blessed. I don't know how long he and I have to spend together in this little mortal existence, but I feel very lucky for every day.

p.s. If you can't get the video to work, keep trying. Apparently it works sometimes if you just keep at it.

p.p.s. The song is called "I Love You Anyway" by Jason's friend Jarrett Burns, a singer/songwriter whose album Jason is working on mixing and producing. Jarrett wrote this song and sang it with Debra Fotheringham. I love all of his work so I'll definitely let y'all know when the album is done. xoxo

week 3 of unemployment

Well hello there folks. Here I am at 12:21am, blogging away whilst Jason finishes his paper. He has to finish it tonight because there is no time tomorrow, and tomorrow it is due. I am watching Waking Ned Divine. It's kindof a quirky movie. Ah, the Irish.

So it is the 3rd official week of my unemployment and it has been going well. I am enjoying seeing the sunshine in the mornings, reading for fun again, and organizing my household, as well a bit of online tv. I can't resist Biggest Loser and Extreme Home Makeover, what can I say? Today I watched about a house they gave to a teacher who has cancer. I cried. Americans are good. Sometimes a little too generous in my opinion, which paves the way for entitlement, but that's another topic for another day.

How's about some fotos? I don't have 'em of my little casa yet because I haven't put the books on the bookshelf and rehung the photos, and I'm embarrassed to put up fotos of empty bookshelves. Ha. Now that I've admitted that, I may as well post them. Soon, my pretties. Instead, here's one of my most recent hair cut and color. I love bangs. They keep me warm. And so does that sweet $10 fleece I'm wearing. I love Old Navy outlets. And wearing fleece so that I can turn the furnace down. Jason thinks I'm a stickler but I just tell him to put on a sweater. Haha, I'm such a penny pincher... sometimes.


Here's another foto... since I find myself jobless these days, I like to cook for the Jason. And for me! Here we are inventing a stir fry. It had way too much cayenne but just the right amount of blackberry jelly (thanks Mom) and pineapple and yummy vegetables. Ahhh, good food. I may or may not have gained 5 pounds since I have become unemployed. Of course that may or may not be pure muscle, since Jason and I have also been doing P90X. We are basically pure muscle now.


Please notice Harry Potter on the counter. Yes, I am reading again! My goal for 2010 was to read 10 books. I know, it's an embarrassingly small number. I am much more of a doer than a reader, which is why I used to subscribe to audiobooks back in the day--I can get my cleaning/workout/organizing/errands done while also educating myself. But this year it's pure reading, my friends, and the Old Testament is on the list, so I thought 10 was plenty ambitious.

Tomorrow to celebrate unemployment I am going to go find out some more about substitute teaching, since I have considered this teaching gig for years, and having lunch with an old college friend, and making dinner for an elderly lady in my new ward. It is sweet to have more time. Soon I will get another real job and perhaps have something respectable to answer when folks ask me how the job search is going, but for now, I'm cooking and cleaning and organizing and visiting and trying to help out where I can, and I feel like life is good.

xoxo
Laura

p.s. Sorry for the length. It is past midnight, which means I wax loquacious.

worst blogger ever, but... improving?

So I got this anonymous comment on my blog that reads,

Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!

What the what? I think my desire to blog for a while was curtailed due to the anonymous critics. My blog is getting more creative and original now? I guess I am being more open now, and also Jason is in my life, which engenders creativity and originality, but still! What a weird comment.

In other news, I have been reprimanded by my sister for not posting photos of our very stellar January vacation to see her. She is right! I have not posted! I here repent.

Behold the cutest kids EVER and the good times we had in Colorado! Thanks K&J for letting us visit for the weekend!

I think I will blackmail the children with these photos someday.... and maybe Jason too. Doesn't he make the most adorable tropical reindeer princess? Hahaha, oh, how I love that man.

I don't cook.

But maybe someday I will, and maybe you people who do cook will find this link useful--20 top recipes from my favorite magazine. Enjoy!

As for me, I'm condemned to my oatmeal diet due to my consumption of far too much tasty food this Christmas.... :)