Hot Items for 2009

In an attempt to share my love for fashion and beauty and still be "in the world but not of the world", I want to share what I've seen is coming (or is here but not going anywhere) for 2009. In my field as a hairdresser I take education very seriously, so since I don't see all of you in my chair at work, I'll just take the opportunity to share it with you here! Are you ready???
- gold gold gold
-purple is huge
-short fringe is coming back
-shorter necklaces
-warm natural hair colors
-balliage technique for weaving
-big gaudy jewerly
-root shading
-flats
-lots of hair accessories:scarfs, pendents, headbands
-whispy up do's
-geometric hair cuts: more blunt lines and bold looks
-shoulder length hair
-lace and frills on clothing and accessories

Hopefully that gave you some good ideas, but before I go, I do need to share with you one of my favorite quotes from Elder Jefferey R. Holland " One would truly need a great and spacious make-up kit to compete with beauty as portrayed in media all around us." Truly words of wisdom.

Respect for the past, hope for the future.... 2009

Well I can hardly believe that 2008 is over and now we're looking at 2009. 2008 had a lot of memories and good times for us, and some challenges of course, but I am excited for what's ahead. We made some New Year's Resolutions- want to hear 'em?

1. Zeb wants to get unaddicted to soda and lose 20lbs
   
2. Buy a home
   
3. I want to do a tri-athlon
4. Zeb wants to keep plugging away at school (with the goal to finish as soon as possible)
5. Go on a cruise
6. And last but not least, I have the goal to not be such a control friek anymore! I sometimes wish I had a magic wand and could control my life so nothing bad would happen to me or those I love- but as we all know that's just not possible. Life is not perfect- so I'm giving up my control, handing it over to the Lord and putting it in his hands!

Who knows what this year will bring with it- lots of change most likely with a new president and a less than stable economy, but I'm still excited for it! Maybe a miracle for my brother, maybe a mission call for my in-laws, maybe an addition to our family :), maybe a diploma for Zeb.... I guess we'll just have to wait and see...

All I want for Christmas...

A new baby niece that is healthy and happy. Her name is Jenni Marie Reeves.





Is for my baby to have a merry Christmas and love all the presents Santa brought him!





To visit my Mom, Fred and his kids and to give her a long awaited album of our wedding pictures for Christmas. Not to mention enjoy a yummy dinner with them!




To have a party with Katie and her family. She made me a quilt with material from her wedding quilt. We love it so much and had so much fun.





And my sister Nora and her family to come visit for Christmas and stay with us!

Days Before Christmas

One of the funnest things we've done this month... was make a gingerbread house. I know it sounds wierd, but if you had a husband like mine, you would understand. It was like a 5 day process! It started off being just a fun thing my mom wanted us to do and then email her pictures of it so she could scrapbook it, but somehow that meant it was a contest to Zeb between us and all of my neices and nephews.
I was only given the roof to decorate (which he ended up embelishing after I was done :) )When he was all done it was the best ginger bread house I've ever seen. He melted mints to make stain glass windows and then cut holes inside and installed a light inside. We even put two little ginger people inside (that was my idea- they are suppost to be me and Zeb)
This is the finished product-
He's so cute!!!!!
We've also had fun decorating our Christmas tree. The last 2 years we've gotten real trees which reminds me of Christmas when I was young. There is nothing like the smell of a real tree in your living room. And I am proud to say that I have turned into quite the haggler- I talked the guy's down at the tree lot from $50 for our tree to $35. I was proud of myself :)
And you can't have Christmas without going and seeing the lights at Temple Square. We went with Don and Faye, Matt, Steph and their kids. We ate at the Blue Aguana and then went to see the lights.
And last but not least we had an early Christmas party at my mom's house because Nora and Jason are in town. My mom gave us the sweetest gifts. Her theme was "memories". She made albums for all of us with pictures from throughout the year, she gave me a comb that used to be my grandfathers when he was a barber and had a salon and beauty school. She also gave me a bracelet that used to be my grandmothers, it has trinkets from all over the world that she collected.
It's been such a memorable Christmas already and we still have 2 more days to go until it's here!

A sunny Thanksgiving in Arizona

Change

It's amazing how in one moment your life can be going along just fine and then literally with one phone call it can all change. It's quite ironic that the week such a huge change comes about in my life is the same
week I teach a lesson in Young Womens on the subject of change. The Lord sometimes works in mysterious ways to bring us comfort during hard times, and this was one of those ways for me.
In my lesson it quotes:

"Every day brings some kind of change into our lives. It has been said that there is nothing so constant as change, for our lives are always moving and developing."
I also liked this one:

"Sometimes we are free to choose the changes that come to us and sometimes not. But we are always free to choose what we will do when the changes come. When changes occur in our families, especially unexpected and undesirable changes, we can adjust successfully."

Throughout this week I was reminded of the simple things in life. The things I regretfully take for granted every day until trials come to my life and remind me to stop being ungrateful! This week made me re-commit myself to the things I let so easily fall by the wayside. This week made me realize again how precious my family is and they are the only thing that matters! I guess this post is for you guys- I love you! My life would be so empty without you. I really do think you are the strongest people I have ever and will ever meet in my life! Stay strong! I love you!!!

Carving Pumpkins!!

Tuesday night we decided we needed to carve pumpkins. We brought the t.v down to the kitchen and watched "I am Legend" while we carved, which ended up just being a distraction to me because I got so scared! But check out how sweet they turned out- Zeb carved Sponge Bob square pants, I did the gravestone and Rachel carved the spider and the jack-o-lantern face. It was fun for all!