BYU

Those who have been really following my life know that I've been working? (if that be the right word) on going back to school.
Yes I know I have been "working" on it for the last 7 years. But I have yet again come to the conclusion that I really do need to get over myself (if you don't know what that means, you can ask me in an e-mail), and go to BYU. As long as I don't have to face it alone I can do this.
I have a lot of people who keep telling/asking me about doing a Culinary degree. Yes that can help me, and I am passionate about it. But that doesn't mean its the right thing for me to do. I don't understand it, I don't think I am currently ready or good enough for what I need to get a degree in, but that's why I'm going to school. I know I'm suppose to be getting a degree majoring in Musical Performance & a minor in Business Management. I hope to still find a way to do some culinary classes, but it is not my focus.
And seriously, I'd prefer not to hear how I should do Culinary again. It's starting to make me feel like no one else has confidence in me past culinary. Have you ever felt that way? It's great that I have a talent. Thank you for recognizing it! But that isn't my only talent, and maybe that's why I need to do this because I need to develop the other talents more.
For those of you who don't know. Our dream is to one day own a Dinner Theater, and even if it never comes to fruition I will hold true to it.
I must confess though that I don't know if this, me going to school, has to do with that, The Dream Theater, or not. I like to think that it will prepare me for it. But for the first time in 7 years I have complete confidence in what I am SUPPOSE to do with my schooling. Even if I don't know the how or when. I am committed.

So, thanks for reading my rambling. I hope you enjoyed this update.

Five Years into Eternity

April 20th was the marking of the first Five Years that my husband & I have had into our Eternal Love. We, each year on our anniversary, do family pictures. I haven't gotten all of the family pictures yet, but I did get a sample and I LOVE THEM. I'll only post my two favorite for now. (Thanks Cinderella, YOU ARE AMAZING! We can't wait to see the rest! (If you want to check out her stuff, she's on facebook! Moments in Time by Alicia Karoly)

When we got married our original plans for our wedding reception were to do my BetterHalf in a top hat & with a parade cane. We were also going to build a gazebo & do it at the Neilson Grove park. But we didn't have the money for the hat, cane, or gazebo, and got talked out of having it at a park. So this year we did our outfits in the colors of our wedding (Black & white with deep red & silver accents... oh and the pink is a LONG story). And added a fedora (That's what my BetterHalf wanted instead of the top hat), & parade cane; then in style with that added some hats and lace gloves on me & LittleOne. Also, (though you can't see them in these pictures) the dresses have some fabric white roses on them to match my wedding dress. And :) yes these pictures were taken at the Neilson Grove Park.
Thanks for the best Five Years, my Handsome BetterHalf. We have the best daughter, Thanks LittleOne for being so dramatic, caring, and smart!

SourDough

So someone once asked StateStreet, one of my best friends, what my favorite food is and she responded that she didn't know, but was sure it was something homemade. :D Oh yeah, if its homemade I'm VERY likely to like it. There's just something AMAZING and fascinating to fresh food made with little to no additives or preservatives. And knowing whats in there. The more natural it can be made the better... Which leads to:
I love Sourdough bread. I got 2 recipe books for my birthday, one of them included a recipe for sourdough starter. I have been making sourdough left & right. And while he's been supportive I can tell my BetterHalf is tired of it. While I am NOT. I still love it! Thing is, the starter just keeps growing & I can't keep up with it. So... If anyone would like some homemade Sourdough Bread, or Sourdough starter just let me know :D. (That live in the area.) Besides that I just wanted to say I LOVE Sourdough.

The name Boyd

There once was a boy so PERFECT, so PREPARED, so SELF-LESS and WILLING, so SMART; he didn't need to stay on this planet. He didn't need these experiences. He died two days after birth. His name was/is BOYD.

I have felt closer to this man/boy than any other person (until I met my husband) even though he died 1 year and 3 months before I was born. He is my BROTHER. I love him.

Speaking of my husband... There is a man named BOYD that though I have seen him endure many trials; I have never seen him shirk from a RESPONSIBILITY, give less than HIS ALL, or stop being SELF-LESS. I am so blessed to see this man each day, and learn from him regularly. He is my FATHER-IN-LAW. I love him.

That SWEET and CARING man named BOYD. Named his youngest son, (though there were 3 before him) Andrew BOYD. This sweet man is my BETTER-HALF. Like his Father he is BRILLIANT, SELF-LESS, and ALWAYS GIVES HIS ALL. He is LOGICAL, PASSIONATE, WILLING, and PERFECT for Me. I Love him.

I love the name Boyd. And I Love my BOYDS.

Easter Projects 2012

So this is a bit of a preview....

Every year I make a new dress for LittleOne for Easter. (I've realized to acknowledge this this year as something that is easier to do because I only have one daughter.... I'm trying to find silverlining.)
Anyway, this year is going to be my BetterHalf & my 5th anniversary, and we're excited to do something extra special for it. And as you may, or may not, know; we do pictures every anniversary. This year I'm WAY excited about the plans I've made for these pictures. So LittleOne's Easter outfit is also going to be the outfit for the pictures. I'm SO excited. I love how it came out....
(Was that bragging? I don't know... I'm just excited and want to share!)

Also yesterday was probably the best Easter I've ever had. I had a special experience that truly brought home the meaning of Easter & the point to all of us being here. So I want to say Happy (late) Easter to each of you! I hope you can see the joy & way God and Christ with the Holy Ghost look after each of us each day. It's amazing He's there even when you aren't seeing it.
Happy Easter! And enjoy my cute LittleOne.
We took some pictures with MomH.
I think the hat looks just as good on MomH as it does on LittleOne.
We got the hat at Walmart for about $8. (I don't usually splurge on a hat, so I feel like that was a bit much even though it was a lot cheaper than other ones I saw.)
The dress I made... And here's the thing our pictures this year have a bit of a theme from our wedding. All of our outfits are with our wedding colors. Pink was NOT one of them. But LittleOne picked out this material & there is a story that makes it a bit of a wedding color. (Its one of my fondest memories from the wedding now [so no apologizing Atlas]. But I think it gives her a good connection to her GodFather with having the pink. Its very fitting, and I LOVE it.)
The silver trim is actually from the silver material I used in my wedding. And I had a bunch of three white cloth roses on my wedding dress, just like on hers here.
I just love the effect of this picture.

I made the gloves. I used some old white crochet floss that my GrandMother use to own. And crocheted these lace gloves from some instructions I found online for free. (I also made my self some it should be way fun to have these with our family pictures.)
Have a good week everyone! (I'll make sure to post after I get our family pictures done, and ready for here.)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I LOVE being Irish! I love that my maternal Grandparents & my BetterHalf's maternal Grandmother went there on missions. I love how green & beautiful it is, and a lot of the atmorphere it appears to have. If I were to go somewhere outside the USA I would go to Ireland. So. I love St. Patrick's Day. And this year I've done more with it than I usually do.
(Unfortunately we have NO camera right now so I only have pictures from our last activity of the day).
Starting last night LittleOne & I sat down and talked about Ireland while we looked at the pictures in a book I inherited from my maternal Grandparents. First thing in the morning(well after the important stuff) I got up and set some stuff up for later.... more on that later.... Then made Rainbow Pancakes, scrambled eggs, & sausage for breakfast. My LittleOne loved it! And so did my BetterHalf. (And me :) )
Then there wasn't too much to do with St. Patrick's Day (except for LittleOne's excitement & seeing Leprechauns everywhere). And we looked at the book again a little before dinner.
I made potato wedges, and corned beef with Irish Soda Bread sandwiches. All was a big hit. I think we shall do it again.
Then lo & behold! A leprechaun hacked our computer & left this:With a note starting a chain of clues that built a paper rainbow and led to a cookie rainbow with a pot of gold chocolate coins at the end. KareBear & my BetterHalf helped LittleOne go around and figure out the clues. :D LittleOne definitely enjoyed it.



Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

Oh! And I have an awesome BetterHalf & cousin TooTall who spent the day fixing up our new car! (Well, new to us.) It's a '91 Ford Taurus. It runs and we named it Evangeline. It works for us. Ofcourse LittleOne loves it & can't wait to drive it...... In atleast 13 more years.
:D Keep smiling everyone!

Oh the Places You'll Go (Or Number 7)

Last night I was reading LittleOne this book as a night time story. And it made me start thinking; when I first graduated High School I had this confidence. I knew things would be tough, but I was sure I could handle it. And I realized that a lot of this had to do with the confidence & support my NameSake and her amazing husband, my UncleD gave me through high school.
A while back UncleD & I were talking and he stated how they expected me to get through college quickly and be doing great things. That was my plan, looking back I'm pretty sure I could have done it. I wouldn't exchange it though for what I have now. I have a family I wouldn't exchange for anything. But I don't think I would be able to get through what I need to, and what I needed to without their help. I have accomplished a lot just not what we all thought I would. And I'm not done yet...
Thank you my NameSake! Thanks UncleD! I know the both of you have touched and helped mold more kids than I can even begin to realize but that doesn't make what you do for me any less. Oh the Places I'll go because I'm not a lone, and because when I'm down, someone has already shown me that I have what it takes to get back up out of the slumps. :-D