:: corn maze ::

Last weekend we went to the corn maze with our friends Eric and Courtney. We had so much fun scaring people and throwing corn... well we almost got kicked out for tossing corn trying to scare other people.
Oh how I love cowboys... this one was driving our hay ride.

This is me TRYING to scare Brady... he looks really scared I know. ha!

I promise I do feed him but he still got hungry while out in the corn maze.

hahha I love this picture of Brady. I think it looks like he has a head full of curlers. He was so sweet and let me clip all of the hair bows I made while my mom was in town. I had so much fun sewing and making bows with mom while she was down here.

What do ya'll think of the bows? Now all I need is a little princess to put them on...

:: Jillian Michaels ::

I have the sweetest husband ever! Tuesday night he came home with a little surprise for me...Yep! You guessed it. I have been talking about this workout since we moved to St. George and I no longer have Kwame to kick my butt into shape.

I bet you are wondering does it really work..... I was wondering the same thing and

YES

it does work and it works well. I for obvious reasons {I have only done one workout with her}

can not give you results yet other than my legs are KILLING ME today.

That is a very good sign to me!

So hopefully between this, running, and whatever my doctor finds out I will be able to finally shed all of this crazy weight I have gained.

Moral of my story... if you want an AMAZING home workout and you own a WII get this!

I normally don't like working out on my own and its working for me.

Love you all and happy exercising all of you! {Kell.a.bell keep up the good work!}

:: glorious friday ::

• mom is spending the weekend with us and i get her all to myself {YES i am selfish when it comes to my mom - hey i am the baby still and always will be}
• sewing party
• pumpkin chocolate chip cookies - i must admit i am proud of myself for making these delights
• brady does NOT have to work on saturday
• games
• tasty dinners
• getting to see colby, whitney, and baby brixton {i can't believe he is so big already}
• chick flicks
• proactiv will you please arrive? it's been 2 weeks since i ordered you
• slept better last night thank you dr. hubbard for the ambien - for being such a strong drug i thought you would have done a little more though -sigh

ha! sisters be jealous of all the fun mom and i are having!!!! but remember we still love ya'll!!

:: happy anniversary in the happiest place on earth::

my sweetheart brady and i just had our one year anniversary last weekend. we were able to sneak away to disneyland and california adventure for the weekend. it was so much fun to just play, play, and play for 3 days. neither of us had been to disneyland since we were about 13 so that made it even more fun.
we totally lucked out on not having to wait in very long lines thanks to the "fast pass". thank you to who ever invented this!! it was also perfect because after the fireworks on friday night we got to hit up all of the kiddie rides without all of the kids. we got to go on every ride we wanted at least once and the park was packed.
don't you think our new glasses are pretty sexy? i know we thought so also!

sulley was the only charter that i "had" to get a picture with. yep i pretty much love him! oh and i really love how brady is camouflaged in this picture. yeah he is in this picture with me in case you couldn't see him... look real close.

i could not pass up on a parent trap lindsey lohan picture in this phone booth.

brady decided to stop by sesame street for a rest.

this was our favorite ride of the trip - screaming california. and yes it did make me scream really loud! this picture is so funny... brady was trying to blow kisses to the camera and i was holding my hat on and totally look all posed for the picture. don't mind the glare its just that we took a picture of the TV screen showing the photo.

it was so funny friday night while walking around i decided that i really needed a lollipop. the funny part was we were looking in every shop and could not find them.... so sadly i didn't get one. but then on saturday brady spotted the shop full of them. i was such a happy girl with a lollipop in hand. this was while we were waiting in line to see the Aladdin play. it was so much fun! if you are ever at california adventure i recommend going to the show. we love Halloween and loved all of the festive decorations at both parks.

this is the HUGE do not enter sign that we walked by everyday on our way to the parks. yeah i guess they really want you to know that this is the wrong way to drive. that is brady's silhouette 6'3" and the sign is that much taller than him.

i am so grateful to have such an amazing husband as brady. he is always so sweet and loving and always looking out for me and what i want. this is to one amazing year and many, many more to come. i love you sweets!

:: an afternoon in the park ::

yesterday i was able to enjoy a few hours in the park with all of these wonderful goods before i headed over to the doctors office. it was nice and relaxing to stretch out on a blanket in the nice fall weather with some lunch and a great book - The Pretties... i love it!
i also became friends with this cute guy! he came over and laied down by me. i loved it!

so after this wonderful afternoon at the park i headed over to the doctors office and found out some awful news... i have gained 20 lbs. (ok really only 15lbs. but i was 5lbs over weight before) since we were married a year ago. OUCH! i don't understand how this has happened since i exercise so much... so they took my blood and are checking my thyroid. i know it sounds crazy to say but i really hope that is what is wrong with me. because that if fixable and if its not that i don't know what else i can do. oh the joys of being a woman...NOT!

for the past few weeks i have not been sleeping well at night so my mom being the wise woman she is told me to try and drink some sleepy tea just before bed and see if that helps. last night was my first night drinking the tea and i have not slept that good in months! so if any of you are having trouble sleeping maybe try this tea. it is working for me. oh just don't try it if you are pregos or nursing... that's what the box says.

since moving to st. george i had not found a grocery store i LOVED until yesterday. a friend (thanks falon) told me to check out harmos on the other side of town and that is where i will go for now on. i know most of you may think this is silly but i really i fresh produce, a good bakery, a fresh wide range of cheese, a good butcher, and over all good prices. i know it's a lot to ask for all in one place but i found it!!!! they even had yummy hummus... mmmmm!

:: happy friday ::

today is for sure a happy friday.

• i actually had a person work on training with me at work... its about time!


• i am leaving for springville for a quickie in 3 hours


• playing games with my family


• spending time with pete and shellie and the kids... we shall see after the 3 1/2 hours in the car with 3 kids if i still love them as much as right now.


• it actually feels like fall today in st. george


• i get to pack warm clothes to wear this weekend... i love my scarfs


• decorating my house for halloween now that it is october... i love this month!


• booked our hotel for disneyland next week :)


• get to listen to general conference this weekend


• making crafts with mom and megan.... i love making hair bows right now!

i hope everyone else has fun plans for this weekend. oh and i hope brady gets a lot of work done on his PT applications while i am gone... that is the plan any whoo.

::Kseniya Simonova - Sand Animation (Україна має талант / Ukraine's Got Talent) ::

so i really wish i was cool and knew how to do a link on here like all of the cool kids do where it just shows one word instead of the entire link {hint hint anyone who knows how to do that i would love your assistance in teaching me how to be cool also}.

if you have not watched this sand animation you are missing out and need to take the 10 minuets and watch it. she is amazing and the emotion is so strong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=518XP8prwZo&feature=player_embedded

enjoy friends :)

:: saddle up cowboy ::

last weekend we went to the st. george rodeo. it was a fun night out although the rodeo clowns were pretty lame and did not give us much entertainment we still had a good time.
this part was really neat. for the national anthem they had fire men, police men, and military men holding a HUGE flag and then all of these little kids walked out and covered the arena with flags. it was an over whelming patriotic moment. i love how cowboys love their country and are not afraid to show it!

this little 5 year old was ridding around all by her self and I thought it was adorable. it made me want to get a horse someday so I can have a cute little princess like her ridding around like a BIG girl.

we had lots of time to kill before the rodeo started. it was first come first serve so of course I had to get there early so we could get good seats. if you didn't already know I am totally a want to be cowboy and have been for years. brady and I want to head to nationals in vegas this year since we are so close. last night we were watching the bulls and it reminded me of when I was a little girl and always said "I was going to marry a cowboy with curly hair". well that didn't quite happen but I found an even better guy than a cowboy!

:: happy friday ::

-neat flowers that make me smile
-samantha will be here in 10 hours
-swiss days
-conquering sam's fear of hiking angles landing tomorrow
-beating brady and sam in games tonight - suck on that kids!
-my jeans fit me today :)
-working on halloween party invitations
-brady finished his first grad school application for the year last night!!! the day is coming closer to us being able to have fun with friends again
-cooler weather brings a smile to my face { i never would have guessed myself to be one who thought low 90's was cooler weather but for us down here it feels AMAZING to what it had been!}
-breathing better now that my talk is written - who doesn't LOVE to speak in sacrament... NOT!

:: dinning chairs ::

being an employee of Henriksen/Butler means i get great deals on their products.... with that being said i hope we can afford to get these dinning chairs before we leave st. george. they are very comfortable and extremely stylish!

hard part about my job as a designer.... i am always getting up dates on the newest and greatest things out there and it makes me WANT it all. i know someday it will come when we can afford nice furniture. until then i will just keep a list of my dreams.

:: c'est bon appetit ::

tomorrow this handsome guy of mine will be taking the GRE that will determine the next 3 years of ours lives. we hope and pray that he will score high enough to get into physical therapy doctoral program. yes i will have a DR. of PT for a hubby so i can sing "a doctor a doctor I'm gonna marry a doctor!" can anyone name the movie? hahah {beaches} so to prepare brady for his big day tomorrow i made a special meal....

to appitize on : bruschetta

main course: tomato basil risotto

dessert: peach fritter

mmmmmm.... it all smells so tasty and i can't wait for him to get home so i can devour it all with him. please remember brady in your prayers tonight!

oh and on a side note for happiness of the day... the black serving bowls were the buy of the day only $2.10 each normally $8.00

oh also i have i told ya'll how much i love love to cook?

:: marie antoinette ::

i love to watch movies when i go to bed and last night i was so tired and it had been along time since i had seen marie antoinette. i thought i would just crash within minuets of turning it on like a usually do but i did not. i was suddenly flooded with memories of study abroad and paris. i could not stop thinking about every last bit of it. i saw this movie for the first time in paris with jessica and megan and we all loved it! it got me thinking about my house in la vessiena {i cant remember how to spell it but paris gals you know what i mean}, ridding the metro, shopping, exploring, museum going, walking across the pompidou on the way to school, eating amazing pastries and bread, playing frisbee every saturday morning at the effle tower park, thinking i was going to be killed in the park with shelley, and so many more emotions and places i loved to go. it also got me thinking {now that i am older and wiser} wow i did some crazy things and i don't really know how/why i am still alive to tell you the stories today. my friends always told me to be careful but none of it even made me nervous and just thinking about it last night kinda scared me. i was thinking wow i had some guts and i still thought i did but i guess now that i have a sweet husband and someday children i need to be more safe and make sure i am here for them. if you have not seen this movie i recommend it!

:: smart solutions ::

i am so sorry fellow readers that my post have been lame and photo less as of late. i will be sure to work on that one.

i just discovered the magazine "for women first" it is packed full of great healthy meal plans and smart solutions ...

- dropped your phone in the bathtub? take the battery out and put it in a bowl full of raw rice for a day. it will absorb all of the water and have it working again.

-boost the power of deodorant... wash your arm pits with bar soap instead of body wash. body wash moisturises which makes you sweet more and your deodorant less efficient.

-breeze through every workout... while working out say out loud "i can run faster" and you will see yourself running faster. i do this all the time and it works! i have to push myself to run faster to the end of the block and then at the end of the block i feel great so i say "OK run fast to the end of the next block" i know its cheesy but i get a better workout when i do it.

-prevent feet from sliding in shoes... i hate wearing peep toe heels because my toes always slide forward and look funny poking out the hole. fix... spray the insole with hair spray let set for 1 minuet and you are set for the day without sliding feet.

-do you sweet a lot and it yellows your white shirts? place 5 aspirin under running water to soften them, then smooth the pills over the tint. leave on overnight and rinse with hot water in the morning. you will be shocked by the results!

-double the life of cut flowers... drop a few aspirin in with the water and vala! pretty flowers for longer.

:: happy FRIDAY or is it? ::

happy friday?

what do you do when you wake up for work and go to slip into your favorite jeans and ... they don't slip onto you? put on a dress!

i do not understand what is going on with my body. for the past 6 months i have exercised more delinquently {than i ever have in my life}, eaten healthier, and drank more water than my body can handle {potty break at least 4 times at work and i only work 4 hours a day} and yet my booty keeps growing? can anyone make sense of this for me? i would LOVE to know what i am doing wrong so i can fix it! i am not a crazy girl who wants to weigh 100 lbs. or anything i just want my clothes that have always fit to fit again. is that too much to ask for?

on a happier note:

1. carlee is coming to stay with us tonight

2. home made cafe rio salad for dinner... yummm!

3. making a new {low fat} peach-raspberry tort

4. brady doesn't work tomorrow

5. checking out the st. george home expo - FREE tickets... SWEET!

6. making salsa

:: home at last ::

i am home at last! i spent last weekend in sprinville with my family, it was a blast hanging out with everyone. it was beautiful fall weather. not hot and not cold. at night it even got a little chilly. something i am not accustom to anymore. favorite parts of the weekend:

1. eating breakfast and dinner out in the back yard

2. playing games

3. hanging out all day in my pj's

4. hearing liam say "hiiii linds" when i walked in the door

5. late night chats with mom and pappy on their bed

6. bike ride with mom and pappy up the canyon

7. trip to the zoo and seeing all of the baby animals

8. lots of family time

9. seeing samantha and joann

10. eating tasty food

i did miss this guy a lot! he was stuck here in st. george working and studying for the GRE while i got to play all weekend. it was good for him to be able to focus more without me around. brady is such an amazing husband. he lets me go have fun and spend time with my family all the time. so i drove home monday night. lucky for me i got to wake up and go to work tuesday morning and then hit the road for another 2 hours to vegas for an appointment. you know you are all jealous about driving for 7 1/2 hours in 2 days.
today i was on my friend aubrey's blog and saw this new web boutique http://www.shopruche.com/index.phpon on her blog. so of course i had to check it out and oh am i glad i did. i love it! i have been looking for something to spend my birthday $$ on and i found more than enough for me to spend it all on. thanks aubrey!!

:: thoughts while running ::

*rain in st. george is different. it rains for 5-10 minuets and if you didn't see it come down from the sky yourself and you walk outside 5 minuets after it stops you never would have known it was just raining. the ground is completely dry and a puddle here and there. yes it evaporates just that fast.

*dear rain gods please please rain more often here in st. george in the evenings. i love it when it rains in the evenings so i can go out for my run earlier and have a little breeze action going on.

*i also noticed the colors in the sky tonight after the rain. the sky was pink and orange and the mountains looked purple. it was one of those moments of the day that i wished i had a camera and didn't. who would have guessed i need to start running with a camera to catch breath taking sunsets? after this thought came to me i then began thinking my brain should have a usb port so i can just plug it into my computer and download my thoughts, feelings, and picturesque moments of the day. don't ya'll think that would be AMAZING to be able to do that?

:: springville here i come ::

tomorrow i get to make a 3 1/2 hour drive alone to see this cute kid! {and the rest of my lovely family} if he does not bring a smile to your face i don't know what will. i am so excited to go home for a few days.

i am sad that brady has to stay home and work and study for the gre. he is down to the last few weeks of studying. he will be taking the gre on friday september 18th so please remember him in your prayers! he has to score high so he can get into a physical therapy program.

tomorrow will be another happy friday, family, fun and a hair cut from my fav kelsey sampson!

:: the narrows ::

on saturday we hiked the narrows for my birthday. it was my first time doing this hike and it was a blast! the first 5 minuets in the ice cold water made me almost want to turn back but once my body became numb it was fun adventures from there. right here i thought i was going to kill myself... cody was running across this rock wall and jumping in and i thought it looked like fun and gave it a try... umm... yeah there was no edge to make you jump and it was weird and i was sure i was going to smash my face on the rocks. luckily to my surprise i didn't. i just belly flopped. needless to say i survived and am oh so glad!

the canyon was so gorgeous and we found lots of good hiding places along our hike.

this time jumping was much easier.

rock climb up and jump! now that is how it should be... right?!

cody and brady being thugs on the golden wall.

this hike was great fun and took its tole on my old lady body but was worth it. if you have never done it i highly recommend it. but don't wait too long the water is getting colder. we are so close we will join anyone if they are wanting to conquer it.

:: happy friday ::

* it's my birthday and i am officially old today!

*brady {are you happy kels?} got hired on full time today!

*getting on good insurance plan

*sushi for dinner... yummmmm!

*games with my sweetheart

*hiking the narrows tomorrow with new hiking sandals

*lots of fun, thoughtful presents... i love you family and thank you!!

*fun messages from good friends... thanks!!

thank you everyone for being so sweet and thoughtful today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

jaclyn thanks for the great idea on happy friday's

:: Birthday Week Adventures ::

can anyone guess what mr. wood is about to eat? ..... yep a HUGE grape. i know it looks almost like a green apple but its not. mr. wood was so excited about this grape. he wanted me to take this picture... which is a shock he never tells me to take pictures i normally just do it. needless to say he was proud of it.

in our family we do birthday week to celebrate our birth. it is a fun tradition that i learned from kels and it makes birthdays at our house that much more exciting. mr. wood has been surprising me each day with a small gift and im so excited every morning to get the next one. for yesterday's gift mr. wood took me to see footloose at tuacahn {my first time to this amazing outdoor theater in the middle of the red rock mountains} it was such a fun, entertaining production. i love that mr. wood enjoys musicals, plays, and going to the symphony with me. i am such a lucky girl to have such a sweetheart for a hubby. love you mr. wood!

ps kels thanks for the super cute shirt! i love it :)

:: twinkle toes and bows ::

today i made this adorable bow dress holder for little miss lyra pope. i am so proud of myself and wish i had a little princess of my own to make one for me. it was easy and totally fun to make! what do ya'll think of it?

:: i got the job ::

as many of you know i have been waiting patiently to hear back from henriksen butler about getting a job with their design team. after many, many weeks of interviews and waiting i got the job and they negotiated the pay and hours for me and got what i was asking for! that was a HUGE relief :) so i start on august 24th and will be working 20 hours a week for the first 60 days and then i will have a review and get on full time and salary {banking on them still loving me after the first 60 days that is} i have never been so excited to get a job!! oh i am also going to start watching a cute little boy nolan {3 1/2 years old} in our ward on tuesdays and thursday nights so his mommy can go to school. i thought it would help with me missing my little liam guy and also help out a single mom who could use it. i hope it all goes well i start both jobs the same week. wish me luck, my life will have structure for the first time in 6 months. check back with me in another 6 months to see if i am still this thrilled to be working again.

all in all life for mr. and mrs. wood is wonderful and we are being daily blessed by our father in heaven. life is a constant reminder that we are not in control and that we just need to do things on the lords time table and not ours. whenever i think i have learned this lesson i am kindly reminded that nope i have not remembered who's in charge.

:: roadrunners game ::

last weekend we went to our first roadrunners game down here. i had not been to a baseball game in years. we had a blast. we were there with good friends, the roadrunner mascot was an AMAZING dancer, and good music. which meant for a night full of dancing and laughter. just my kind of friday night!

hey they even won the game!

you got it right... homemade cupcakes brought to you by mrs. wood. there is a bistro down here called 25 main that is known for their AMAZING cupcakes. i ate their last week and sure enough the cupcakes were that AMAZING! it inspired me to make some of my own for a bbq at blake and annie's before the game. i love cooking/baking good food and even more so eating good food!

:: julie and julia ::

i went and saw the movie julie and julia today with a girlfriend and it was wonderful. it was full of laughter and inspiration. it made me long for my city of paris and wish that i actually could speak french. it also made me want to start cooking more creative things for dinner and show mr. wood more love and appreciation for all that he does for me.

my goal of the week is exactly that... i mrs. wood am going to cook more exciting meals! stay toned for my great recipes i will be sure to post them.

paris girls or anyone in need of a great chick flick GO SEE THIS MOVIE!