turning 23

My 23rd birthday was over a month ago, and I'm just getting around to posting about it now. This year's birthday was a little different from the norm, but as usual, I loved it. Before we changed the wedding date, I was going to have my birthday on mine and Josh's honeymoon, but when we changed it that meant that I spent my birthday in Oregon. I celebrated with my family the Saturday before with a cookout in the mountains. This was especially fun because some of my Canadian family was in town (they came down even though the wedding date changed) and could celebrate with us.

Here's an accounting of birthday presents:

Cookbooks--Joy of Cooking and Colorado Cache Cookbook, from Mom, Dad, and Emily

"Home: The Perfect Nest" sign, Mom

Luggage scale! (so cool), Mom and Dad

Silver chain necklace, the kids

What I bought with birthday money, Grandpa Wood

What I bought with Penzey's Spices gift card, Grandpa Petersen

Giant flower broach, Susan

Wall clock, Susan

Framed things of my grandma's (technically a wedding shower gift), Susan

Monogram necklace, Susan

Turtleneck and dress ensemble, Susan

Bracelets, Susan

Maui Jim sunglasses, Josh

 Happy purse, Josh

 Locket, Rachelle

Headband set (there are gray and black ones too), Rachelle

Cardigan I bought with JCrew gift card, Karen and Jeff Wilson

Headband I bought with rest of JCrew gift card, Karen and Jeff Wilson

 A set of Paris Colors cards, Michelle

Birthday mix, Jill

Josh met me for lunch and then took me out to dinner at the place we went to right after we got engaged in April! On my actual birthday, my almost-mother-in-law, Karen, made chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. (Jeremy and Estee were still in town, which was fun. For future reference, Jeremy is Josh's brother and Estee is his wife. Nicole is Josh's sister and Josh Snow is her husband. Nicole and Josh left town a couple days before my birthday.)

This was the first birthday I've spent away from home, but it was really good. It was a different birthday, but equally wonderful.

Here's to another year for me!

wordless Wednesday

excited to live

Almost two years ago I interviewed my grandma and recorded her personal history. I had the interviews on tapes for a year and a half up until she passed away last April, which finally prompted me to transfer the tapes to CDs. Then the summer got crazy and I didn't have time to transcribe much, but now I'm kicking this project into high gear and want to have her book ready to order in time for Christmas.

As I've been listening to my grandma tell the story of her life, I've been amazed at how beautiful her seemingly ordinary life was. She tells so many stories and shares so many insights, and I'm just filled with gratitude and motivation. I love working on this project and am so excited to see the final product. (I'll let you know when it's ready for ordering, for those interested.)

Most of all, though, I am filled with excitement. As I listen to my grandmother's story, I'm filled with excitement to live my own life. If her life can be extraordinary in a beautifully ordinary way, then mine can be too.

I'm committed to making my ordinary life beautiful.

rose-colored glasses

Yesterday the weather was beautiful, and so before it turns cold and rainy, we thought we'd head to downtown Portland and go to the Rose Garden. It was pretty busy there (many people had the same idea that we did), but we snagged a good parking spot and perused the pathways lined with beautiful and well-kept rose bushes. I had my camera (I still get giddy when I re-realize I have it back now) and was snapping pictures from the beginning.

After we'd walked around for a while, we lay out a blanket and dozed for bit (yes, that picture was candid and not Josh avoiding the camera).

And then Josh kept dozing while I read a bit more of my book.

It was lovely. Not too hot out, but still nice enough to lie out on a blanket napping and reading. And as we were leaving we saw this little guy just hanging out.

I didn't even have to zoom.

Today it's back to rainy--which I absolutely love--and so after I publish this post I'm going to read my book until the desire for a nap overcomes me.

now I'm really a resident

A couple of weeks ago I went and got one of these:

With a library card now I'm really a resident of the Portland area! So yesterday I went back up the library to pick up these books I have on hold.

Josh and I are going to be a budget-conscious couple. We're going to seriously rock the numbers.

one of the best tricks

Usually I don't like hair-related things in the kitchen, but this is different. I learned a trick.

You can use the heat from a blow dryer to take off stickers from dishes, appliances, shoes, what have you. The heat does something to the adhesive that makes it come right off, so you don't have to peel off stickers in a million pieces, or even soak the stickers. You apply heat for several seconds and they come right off.

I can't tell you how much this little secret has eased my settling in to the apartment.

see this??

See that?? {Insert sound and smell of gently falling rain.} The leaves sliding from green to yellow?? You know what that means??

Autumn.

Beautiful, blustery, colorful, cozy autumn. Sweaters, cocoa, rain, pumpkins, {tasteful} Halloween decorations, pumpkin and apple pies. Plus I have a wedding(!!!). (Though I was disappointed when we changed the date, I've always secretly wanted to be an autumn bride.)

All I can say is, "Welcome, friend." I love autumn. I really do.

And yes, that is the view from my back 4x4 porch.

a hundred thousand million words

The restaurant called this morning. They found it.

All is right in the world.

hosting my parents

This past weekend I got to host my parents in Portland! We had the Oregon open house for the wedding on Saturday, and so my mom and dad flew out and stayed with me in the apartment.

Mom and I went to the outlet mall in Woodburn, where Mom found a cute black sweater at Ann Taylor and I spent some gift money at J. Crew. Fun, fun, fun.

Saturday was the big day, and we had fun helping out and not being in charge. (That's just kind of nice every once in a while!) The party was at a family friend's who has a stunningly beautiful backyard. (All photos courtesy of my mother, who doesn't lose her camera.)

This photo shows only a glimpse of the landscaping. I mean, it's seriously breathtaking.

The decorations were super cute and festive (Mom thought to bring the paper lanterns we bought for the reception to see if the Wilsons wanted to use them--they fit in perfectly!)

Mom also made me a new dress to wear at the open house--I love love love it.

We had cupcakes at the open house, and those were plain delicious (banana with chocolate frosting and chocolate with vanilla buttercream icing).

Did I mention how pretty the party was??

And I got to spend the weekend with my mom and dad. And I loved it. We watched "Monk" and drank hot chocolate and chilled with the Wilsons. (And Mom washed my towels, folded my laundry, and unloaded my dishwasher. And Dad figured out the universal remote for the TV.)

I miss them.

But with 37 days until the wedding, I'll be seeing them super soon!

a moment

{epiphany: an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being}

3 Nephi 19:26

"And Jesus said unto them

pray on;

nevertheless they did not cease to pray."

12 on 12: didn't even try

I {still} have no camera and probably won't until 1) Christmas or 2) I get a job and can save up for one, whichever comes first.

That means that I didn't do 12-on-12 this month, and my heart hurt a little because of it. It was a busy weekend, and so instead of posting the pretty grid, I'll post 12 things I did this weekend. I hope you enjoy (though I know I won't enjoy this as much as a photo grid. . .).

01. Outlet-mall shopping
02. Gift-card spending
03. Josh hand-holding
04. Oregon open-housing
05. Lots of new-people meeting
06. Sunday napping
07. Wedding-present opening
08. Job interviewing
09. Hot-roller testing
10. Hot-cocoa drinking
11. "Monk" watching
12. Powell's City of Books marveling

find your own parking place, stupid

{prelude: One Thanksgiving Emily, Jessie, and I were making chocolate turkeys when Emily looks over at me and says derisively, "You're putting too much frosting on, stupid." Now that term is part of our vernacular. It's one of the most inside of inside jokes. When I use this, I'm not being as abrasive as I sound.}

Josh and I pay for our reserved parking space in the complex. It's right outside the building and should be open whenever we're not there. Because, you know, we pay for it. It's ours.

Sunday night a black sedan was parked in our spot.

Monday night the car was still there. I would have left a note on the offending vehicle but had a 1-percent uncertainty that the carport really was ours. I called the management office yesterday morning to double-check, and I was right.

Then last night a different car was parked in my spot. I was livid.

I left a note on the windshield tersely explaining that this parking spot is reserved and that I couldn't park there tonight because of the offending vehicle. I asked them to move the car ASAP and that if it happened again I would call a tow truck.

What I really wanted to write, though, was, "Find your own parking place, stupid."

bullet-point Monday

I need to get back into the blogging groove. (The disappearance of my camera fills my heart with heavy disappointment.) However, I can take photos with my webcam, so until I can save up enough for another new camera, I'll try and use this. 

:: Remember when I said I cut my bangs? Here's proof.

:: I've been crafting a bit. Wooden puzzles. Knitting. (Yes, knitting. I'm working on my first washcloth.)
:: I've been thoroughly enjoying the Wilsons' movie channels.
:: No job yet.
:: But plenty of applications and resumes.
:: The new mattress is heavenly.

:: I see him every single day. And that makes me so, so happy.