my monthly enemy.

1.31.2012

i had an unfriendly visitor and so marcus is at the store buying me midol without me even asking him, and for that i will forever love him.
while he was away, i got to thinking:
there are many things i am afraid of about someday being pregnant.
i'm afraid of how my life will change.
i'm afraid of what it will be like to have morning sickness.
i'm afraid of all the changes my body will go through that i probably don't even know about right now.
i'm afraid of any complications that could happen.
and i'm afraid that it could just not ever happen at all.
but one thing i'm not afraid of is if i'll be well taken care of.
marcus has shown me that he does that exceptionally well.
never has he failed to impress me as i lay on the ground crying in cold sweat or rocking over a trash can with throw-up on my mind (and maybe some in my hair). 
he holds me up or lays me down. 
he runs to get me water or stays put to rub my back, and all the while shows me perfect compassion-- 
a kind of compassion i've never mastered and doubt i ever will.
i love that man i married, more than i can ever remember as well as i do when i'm sick, and if i have to be sick to remember that special feeling, then i can at least look forward to that side-effect.

the good stuff.

1.30.2012

hi.
hello.
how are you?
i am good.
have you been on the trampoline lately?
i suggest you find the nearest one today.
bring a friend, or a lover.
bring a camera.
you will laugh.
and laugh.
and be amazed at your awkwardness.
and you will hopefully not pee your pants a tiny bit.
hopefully.
What's made you laugh this lately?

once in a lifetime fun.

1.28.2012

A few weeks ago I had the fun experience of getting all dolled up by professionals. 
I had been talking with Adriana, the talented buyer and owner of Le Mode Accessories for a few months--we were planning a meet-up during one of her trips down to Arizona, and the idea came up to do a little Valentine's shoot for her February lookbook.
I was so excited to be a part of it!
Here are a few of the silly behind the scene's shots. 
The real deal will be up on her website this week :)
Can't wait to see how it turned out.
Photography by Chadwich Fowler
Make-up & Hair by Rachel
Styling by Adrianna

{For Fashion's Sake} Saturday: MonoChromo

This outfit was a lot cooler in my head.
One of my favorite j.crew catalog as full of gorgeous monochromatic ensembles and I really wanted to give it a try.
Unfortunately it didn't turn out quite as good the ladies at the crew...
At least i had a perky ponytail though.
the breakdown:
teal button-up: wholesale-dress
gold watch: c/o mimi's the look
leopard belt: forever21
navy pencil skirt: thrifted and altered
navy tights: c/o welovecolors
mary-jane leather heals: rocketdogs

{Tunes} on Tuesday Featuring: Barry Louis Polisar+me being a champion at important and impressive things.

1.24.2012

Do you love this song?
I love this song.
This song makes me not want to die because I'm waking up way too early for work this morning.
It makes me forget that my stomach is eating a hole in itself because I never have time to eat breakfast on new store shipment days.
It makes me not think about that I have to work a 9 hour shift and then come home and continue to pack up my stuff for a few more hours after that.
One thing that it does not make me do...want to drink SunnyDelight. That stuff is nast. ee.
Let me tell you. 

I did used to be the fastest SunnyD drinker at Franklin West Elementary though.
Only once did I beat Jadey B. at that contest, but once is enough as long as you hold on to that 13-second record time. 
And hold on, I did.
Also the fastest chocolate pudding eater, and hula-hoop champion.
Obviously, those were my glory days.
Obviously.

baby, baby, baby...

1.23.2012

Sorry if i'm just late to the party and everyone's already seen this, but OH. MY. GOSH!
It made me way too happy not to share.
Please, die with me here.

our appointment with mr. sloan

1.18.2012

 
I am a planner, a meticulous planner, but sometimes you just have to throw your check lists out the window and jump on opportunities as they come.
Every since the first time i laid eyes on one of the Sloans photoshoots, i was in love. 
They were the epitome of photographer perfection.
They clearly see the world in a different way with their angles, perspectives, eye for patterns and shapes and the obvious knowledge of the tools they possess.
I emailed them once, in hopes of booking a shoot, but schedules and budgets didn't quite work, so I gave up on having their art in my home for the time being. 
Then one Thursday evening I got an email from Matt Sloan.
He would be in town for Saturday and Sunday only and was booking a few mini-sessions for a discounted price. He had remembered that I had shown interest and was extending the invitation.
I thought I was going to die. I wanted it so bad and it was such a sweet deal, but I had so little time to prepare for this dream shoot, not to mention my hair hadn't been down in months and I had two massive pimples right by my mouth, but I felt like this was a once in a lifetime opportunity, so I said YES!
He said he'd text me the location a few hours before, so I ran around like a crazy chicken...(have you ever seen a crazy chicken?) anyways, it was not pretty. I was a mess.
But when the text came saying the shoot would be taking place at the Tempe Art Center, my heart leapt--what were the chances that he would choose the very place that Marcus and I danced in the water? The very place I thought I could be falling in love with him, the place where my theory was validated and that my universal message had found it's recipient?
At this point, I tucked away my crazy chicken feathers and enjoyed the serendipity of it all. Matt had no idea he had chosen such a perfect spot, but being back there brought back so many good memories.
I couldn't be more pleased with the pictures--I must say, if you ever have the chance to work with the Sloans, please jump on it! They are the BEST!
(Next time i hope to meet Angie!)
And here's a little case in point for you: ya'll, we were standing in the middle of a parking lot full of cars, with direct overhead lighting--I honestly thought Matt was CRAZY as he was shooting these. What could he be seeing that was worth shooting?...and when i saw this I bowed to his perspective. Amen.

{Tunes} on Tuesday Featuring: Gotye

1.17.2012

On constant replay at my house.

feelin' fine!

1.16.2012

wonderful weekend, playing dress up and meeting a new friend!
finally some visual progress on the new place--so much hope in a close move in date that i'm starting to leave my clothes over there!
enjoying all the bright colors at work.
reading good books.
going out with my favorite date to one of your favorite places.
got a silly exciting direct message tweet from an 80s idol that has me giddy all day.
helping sister with wedding plans.
eating way to much in-n-out and lovin' it!

planning a get-together with kristine (while she's here for a wedding) to hear all about her japanese adventure.
like i said, i'm feelin' good!

what's got you jazzed this week?

{For Fashion's Sake} Saturday: GlassesUSA

1.14.2012

GlassesUSA.com is an online glasses company that offers affordable prescription glasses. They were kind enough to send me a pair of their eyeglasses to review.
Unfortunately the review did not have the best beginnings.
When I got the glasses they were extremely crooked. I considered sending them back right away and turning down the offer, but I posted an instagram of the specs and you all convinced me to keep them, so I emailed the company telling them about the problem. 
They were extremely quick to reply, offered an apology, and a solution. Which I found refreshing.
Apparently you can take your glasses to just about any glasses place and have them straightened for free, even if you didn't buy from them.
Although, it was slightly inconvenient, I eventually got down there, and now they're good as new.
My retro frames were selling for $85, which is a bit cheaper than other popular online glasses shops ($99), so if you're looking to buy glasses, you can use this code for free US shipping and 20% off a pair: NEW2012

the unimaginable.

1.12.2012

it happened. 
the weirdest of all feelings.
the feeling i said, I SWORE, i'd never feel.
a feeling so unimaginable by my prior self, that i promised people it couldn't happen to me.
it's the feeling of missing rexburg and actually, dare i say it, wanting to go back.

there. i said it.

and i blame it, whole-heartedly, on these two:
most especially the one with the double x-chromosome.
though i do love jack--it's jenny who i think of almost daily.
she's my best friend. the girl i could spend hours and days with--painting, sewing, laughing, cooking, eating, dreaming, or just doing absolutely nothing at all--it's that kind of friendship. 
it's the kind you don't have to see for months and within a few minutes its right back to complete comfort.
it's the kind that makes you want to be a better and more interesting person, because it's fun.
it's the kind you wish for your whole life, and you might not even know you're wishing, until you find it. and that's when your Soul says, "Ah, that's right." And your Heart smiles, and your Brain knows you've found yourself your best girlfriend.
And that, my friends, is Jenny Thomas.
The girl who makes Rexburg sound inviting.

{Wardrobe} Wednesday: Purusha People

1.11.2012


This year I am going to focus more on my health. I like to have themed years when setting goals. Good things tend to happen to me when I have a theme.
First it was Yes Year--and that was the year I said yes to getting set up after many years of refusal, it was that 'set up' in which i met Marcus. 
Then there was Love Year, which also happened to be the year I got engaged and married.
So this year I am declaring Be Strong Year
Perhaps it was that one time I googled my name and this picture showed up...
source
It's pretty inspirational if you ask me.

No, really. I have absolutely no desire to look anything like that, but I do have a desire to feel strong and healthy and not like I'm going to faint if I run a quarter of a mile...So I will strive each day to get up from my computer desk and MOVE, bike, run, skip, skate. I will crawl out of my bed and do some push-ups or some sit-ups. I will finally put that Jillian Michaels DVD in and give it a try. I will visit my neighborhood yoga studio. And I will be strong.
And while I'm being strong I might as well look kinda cute in the most comfortable yoga clothes on the etsy planet...because leggings that don't go see-through? sign me up!

Do you have a theme for this year?

the breakdown:
microorganism t-shirt (softest in the WORLD): purusha
cutest freakin' irezumi leggings: c/o purusha

p.s. i love the owner/designer. she's the nicest!

{Tunes} on Tuesday Featuring: Savoir Adore

1.10.2012

Ladies and gentlemen, 
I've become a reader! 
Lauren first lent me The Hunger Games series, which I devoured, and once I was done I didn't know what to do with my spare time. So, she was again kind enough to lend me a few more (Delirium, which I finished this weekend and loved) and now I'm reading Crossed. For some reason the words to this song remind me of Ky and Cassia. I think it's the poem...
Have you read it? Do you think so too? You can read the lyrics here.

What's your favorite book?

how to have the perfect lazy sunday.

1.08.2012

come home from church to a freezing house. 
look outside and see the sun shining brightly.
mention to husband that it looks warm outside.
start blogging as you shiver inside.
look at your phone.
see a text from your husband to come outside.
look out the window and see this:
run outside barefoot.
warm your soul in the most perfect weather and the snuggliest hubby ever.
observe all the beauty that you may miss out on while in the standing position. 
say, "this is a perfect lazy sunday."
mission accomplished.

{For Fashion's Sake} Saturday: green-eyed girl

1.07.2012

Marcus was a sneaky one this year...
I had seen this gorgeous silk shift dress on one of my favorite vintage etsy shops earlier in the month, and to say I lusted would be a bit of an understatement. 
It possessed so many of the qualities i look for in a closet mate--it was a gorgeous natural fiber and by the photos and description its silky goodness was flawless even after over 40 years of existence. It was my very, very favorite color of green, it was long enough, it had sleeves, it was vintage (and therefore, likely one of a kind,) and it was my measurements. 
But alas, i was trying not to spend money on myself since it was the month of giving, so i did my best to push it out of my mind. 
I could not.
I knew the lady selling it was local, so I contacted her, asking if i could only come try it on. i even made it clear that i most likely was not going to buy it, but i just need to know if it fit. For if it didn't, I wouldn't have to mourn its non-existence in my closet. 
She was kind and agreed. We were to meet on Friday morning. 
Thursday came and she hadn't emailed me back with her address. 
Then Friday morning she text me and said her children were sick and they had to go to the doctor and that we could meet Monday, first thing. 
Then Sunday, the sad news came. 
The dress had sold. 
It was very sad, but it did help me move on.
Sometimes I would go in my closet and think I saw that fine green silk, but, of course, it was all a facade. Someone else, perhaps with green eyes and my shape was wearing now, admiring all it wonderment, and I was glad for them. I really was.
Then Christmas morning came and we took a few last gifts to my siblings house. I had already gotten this gorgeous arrow necklace that I had been wanting, and I did not expect anything else so grand.
When my last box came, I died just a little bit when I saw that color, and then a lot more then I unfolded it to find that the buyer was certainly not a green-eyed girl with dresses on her mind, but instead, a fabulous brown-haired boy, married to the happiest wife in town!
the breakdown:
hair.do: beach curl with large curling iron
on the mark necklace: gift from Marcus
vintage silk dress: gift from Marcus via flourvintage
leather belt: jcrew sale
leopard carlton flats: c/o wantedshoes

A special thanks to Kayleen who played along perfectly and made this surprise, so very surprising!

Oh Happy Day!

1.06.2012

I've told you about my sweet niece, Coco before, but here's where the story came together for us. 
It was one of the happiest days in our families life and it's so precious that it can be documented so beautifully in this day and age.
FloatAwayFilms 

two-thousand-eleven, you've been good to us.

1.05.2012

Rung in the New Year right with a totally rad 80s Party!
Took the 30 for 30 challenge...and then swore i would never do it again.
then got cultural with cousins at a Chinese New Year Party.
Welcomed SPRING with open arms!
Verizon got the iphone and so did we.
Old Money recorded an album.
We graduated from ASU and BYU-Idaho,
moved back to Arizona and left our Idaho mansion behind,
and took a much needed grad trip to Laguna Beach on our way home.
My sister and I threw pretty much the cutest a Cinco de Mayo party for the family, ever.
Had the best 4th of July ever with our best friends and family.
Hiked the tallest peak in Arizona, Mount Humphrey in preparation for our next adventure...
Havasupai with our Jack, Jenny, Luke, and friends!
Celebrated our 1 year anniversary at Disneyland and were thoroughly impressed with the staff that kept wishing us a happy anniversary. Marriage is THE BEST!
Explored Prescott by ourselves,
and Jerome with friends.
 Watched the last Harry Potter and cried.
Found some of the GREATEST (La Grande Orange) restaurants in the Phoenix Area (a few more here, here, here, and here.)
forgot how old i was, then figured out i was 22 just in time to turn 23.
Got jobs and bought a place and found our time for adventures greatly compromised...

It's been an exciting year and we're looking forward to what this new year will bring us!
(I'm especially hoping it brings us a finished house!)

Did you do a year recap? Send your links!
© i believe in unicorns. Maira Gall.