Christmas in CA!

I am way too spoiled by my husband!

We've had such a wonderful time in California for Christmas this year. I thought that the lack of snow would damper my Christmas spirits, but the abundance of shopping and games played with the Jordans has just made the whole affair a blast. We leave tomorrow for Yakima and we are excited to see the Smartiepants. I guess its Christmas round #2. To show just how much fun we've had here, I will post 3 of the 3 pictures that I've taken since we've been here. I couldn't find my phone or my camera for the first 6 days we were here, so I will have to vow to take more pictures next year.

Overall, our first Christmas as a married couple was a huge success! Happy New year everyone!

New post on my headband blog.

lemignonbandeau.blogspot.com

FINALS WEEK

Studying for finals makes me feel like this lady is chasing me.

Finishing my finals makes me want to jump like this lady.

That wonderful time of year!

When you head out in the morning to school and find the air to be crisp and your windshield frozen over, then you know it can mean one thing and one thing only...snowboarding! When my wife met me, I had long hair that covered my eyes and ears and I had just finished being an instructor at one of the local resorts. I had injured my knee and had to finish the season early, which was sad, but looking back I must say it was the best job I have held in my life. Six days a week for five months straight I was on that beautiful mountain teaching everyone and everything how to board.

I learned many lessons during my time on the mountain. Dogs can get down the mountain just as fast as I can. Yelling "avalanche" is never to be taken lightly. Robert Redford can hold his own on a pair of straight skis, even with his face lift. Kids can fall hard and walk it off two minutes later. I on the other hand, while young at heart, do not possess the same rehabilitation abilities. But most importantly I learned that if you're not falling fairly often then you're not risking enough.

With the resorts beginning to open now here in Utah, I am beginning to get excited again for the wonderful season that potentially lays ahead, assuming the snow gods want to bless us in abundance. Sydney gets a little worried about me this time of year for good reasons including my safety, health and most importantly the order of my priorities. I assured her that she comes before everything and that is why she will just have to come with me on my snowboarding adventures. It must be stated that at the end of the season last year, Syd was a force to be reckoned with on the mountain. Not only could she keep up with my long-seasoned friends, she was trying jumps and tricks.

Here's to a great season about to begin this Friday.
*Sorry for the poor quality of compressed video files, but they are better than nothing.

Thankful

Nick and have been having a rough time returning to normal life after the thanksgiving we just had. Lets be real - who could go back to normal life after spending time with this? Look up and stare at how cute my niece and nephews are. Keep staring. Are you jealous? Cuz you should be.

I can't even begin to elaborate on how much fun the Jordans had back home at the Smarties. I feel left out because I didn't get to list what I'm thankful for on Thanksgiving because I was busy having the time of my life. So feel free to skip to the end if you don't want to read my most Thankful list. In no particular order... except for the first one.

1. This guy. No one in the world looks this good in lime green shorts. Thank Goodness I snatched him before some other BYU Co-ed.

2. The Super Smarts.

3. My new fam, the Jordans.

4. My Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. Hello roasted vegetable soup everyday for the rest of my life. Ina Garten might be my cooking idol if I didn't already have one. Which leads me to the next on my list.

5. Mama Smart and her out-of-this-world-palette-pleasing-goodness. No one does it like the SheWolf. If only I could learn how to cook like her I would die a happy girl.

6. My history classes. So much work, so much

reading, so many facts and dates. But holy cow do I love that stuff. It seriously thrills me. If only I could figure out how to go back in time and re-live it all for myself.

7. Baby Ally, Cole and Keith. They get their own spot on the list because they are cuter than everyone else.

8. Cheese. I could inhale an entire block of fresh mozzarella right now. Nick thinks its unfair that I get a whole drawer in our refrigerator for my cheese. Little does he know that the "vegetable drawer," is code for MORE CHEESE. Delicately placed under the carrots and the celery.

9. Temples. I love going with the hubby. It's seriously the best date ever.

10. My kitchen aid. Not only is it pretty, but oh-so-functional. If there were room in our bed besides Nick, me, and my brand new beach cruiser, I would let it sleep with me.

11. Celine Dion. Look her up on Wikipedia if you are ever bored. Not only is she a very intriguing person, but her music speaks to my soul.

12. Bounce dryer sheets. Possibly the best smell in the world. It reminds me so much of home and how much mom loved us enough to do our laundry for us.

13. Newport Beach Temple. I know I already mentioned temples generically, but this one is special. Grandpa Hague sealed Nick and I there 7 months and one day ago and I'm so thankful for that experience.

I love Thanksgiving and I'm so sad it's over, but we have Christmas to look forward too. And on an equally bright side, I just ate 9 pumpkin chocolate chip cookies by myself. I mine as well make it a dozen. Nick will be thankful for that I'm sure.

Sneak Peek

Here is a little preview about what you can all see on my headband blog, lemignonbandeau.blogspot.com in a few days or so. My beautiful friend Brit was willing to be my model (and often my muse) and her husband Michael took all the pictures. These are small, but eventually the blog will be full of tons of pictures showing what I can do.

I'm really excited that I'm finally getting this project from just a hobby to something that will hopefully become much more than that. I'm working on getting them on etsy, but I'd love to get some opinions and such once I get them all up. So enjoy Brit's beautiful face and hopefully my beautiful headband! (and all the headbands that are to come!)

Merci beaucoup!

Birthdayness

Birthdayness. A word invented by the Smart's I'm sure.

Birthdayness. A word put into action by my husband.

Have you ever seen anything so

beautiful?

Wicker basket, leather handles and seat, pale yellow pant with orange accents, and...wait for it...cute little bell. It truly is... "Glory

and Manifestation in all it's essence."

I told Nick I might have to make room for my new cruiser in our bed because I love it so

much.

Cheesecake factory, Nordstrom cafe, California Pizza Kitchen, Cold Stone ice cream cake, homemade lemon supreme cake and HOLY COW TIGHTER PANTS.

HOLY COW TIGHTER PANTS.

Don't worry I'm just stretching my stomach out for Thanksgiving.

Nick wants me to mention that, "Sports do not change with the season like clothes do." Such a wise man I married. Plenty of people ride beach cruisers in Utah during the winter months and guess what? ... I will be one of them!

Shout out to my hubby for making 22 the best birthday of my life! Who knew getting older could be so much fun!

Love Child

Let me just say, that I might be the biggest nerd on the planet. When Nick works at night, instead of doing my homework, (like a real nerd) I morph pictures of Nick and myself on the internet to see what our future children might look like.
Most of them look like aliens, Yoda or Gollum, so I'd thought I'd share a picture of our future love child.
























I've always hoped my children would look like Samantha the American girl doll. She was my favorite.

Halloween

Our first Halloween as a married couple was definitely a success. We started the weekend off with carving pumpkins and baking tasty treats. As you can see, Mr. Jordan was hard at work on our pumpkin with his "tools." He refused to believe that actual pumpkin carving tools would be better than his axe, buck knife, and a pocket knife. What a man.

Our pumpkin, Pierre complete with beret.

I tried to fulfill my wifely duties of domestication by baking treats for us. Mom sent me some really cute Crate and Barrel cupcake decorating supplies and I found a great recipe for a "Boo Cake," from Martha Stewart. The cake didn't taste that great, but overall, I think it turned out pretty well.

Here we are looking very French. It is easy to say that the best addition to our costumes was Nick's faithfully grown out mustache. Touche!

This is just a side note, but if you have never read the Pioneer Woman blog - DO IT. It might change your life. She is hilarious and among other things, she writes down some pretty great recipes on her blog. One I found was a way to spice up Rhode's Rolls. A Sunday favorite for probably every Mormon person in existence since they were created I'm sure. Anyway, Pioneer woman blogged about brushing the rolls with butter and rosemary and baking them to spice things up. I tried it today and it was delicious! Definitely not health conscious, but since Halloween is a holiday, I figured we can eat what we want! Obviously, my rolls will not compare to what the Jordans will experience in about 3 weeks when we get to go HOME for Thanksgiving and experience La Table de Shelly! Delicieuse!

What are you going to be for Halloween?

The Jordans are going to be THIS.

Props to my hubby for growing out his stash for two weeks! What a man. Bonjour!

Hocus Focus

Nothing like going to the temple helps you re-focus your life on important things.

One thing I've learned about being married: Temple dates are the best dates.

Dislcaimer: Enjoy the picture of the Provo Temple because in two weeks it will be covered with snow for the next 6 months.

Not-So-Dreaded-Wedded Post

Better Homes and Gardens...and Husbands?

Happy Harvest! I love fall! Not only is it the most beautiful season of the year, but it smells nice too! I love love love the smell of crisp fall air mixed with pumpkin bread in the oven! Nothing better. In the spirit of fall and the fact that we just got cable (hello HGTV and food network!) I've been inspired to do some DYI home projects. Lynne and Melanie Greene gave me a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook that included a year subscription to the magazine and I LOVE IT. I'm always looking forward to getting the mail every month so I can see what is in store! Anyway, on the cover of October's mag, there was a really cute idea that I wanted to try. As you can see I made candle holders out of squash and gourds. Then I bought some cheap candles and tied bows around them. They are currently display on our ledge outside to welcome the harvest to everyone who walks by. (We live on the 3rd floor, so not many people walk by, but that's okay.)

I think it turned out pretty cute and it was really inexpensive.

Total cost for entire project: $10.

I keep telling myself that not only do these self-indulging projects improve our "Home and Gardens," aka "Tiny apartment and doormat," but they also help my husband. How is this possible, you may ask? I'm not really sure, but I'm hoping that someday I can come up with an answer so I'm not forced to forgo my silly antics. Maybe I'll start a magazine funneled after Better Homes and Gardens and I'll just tack on Husbands as an after-the-fact so that people feel better about their projects. Nick just never gets excited about my projects like I do! BUT, maybe if the magazine acknowledged the husband's role in "the projects," then they would feel that they were worthwhile? I hope so.

Speaking of husbands. Mine is the greatest. I think he deserves a shout out here. There is simply not a harder working guy out there.

Here's what we do when my hubby isn't working:

COUGAR FOOTBALL!

Salt Lake Temple Sesh.

The Goods

Who is SO excited for General Conference this weekend?

SNICK!

We finally got cable so we're looking forward to making sticky buns and enjoying the words of our beloved Prophet/Apostles in our PJ's.

SNICK before we were SNICK at General Conference April 2008 where we got to sustain President Monson in the Conference Center. NOTICE: Nick's awesome hair.

There is also a BYU game on Friday! You know you live in Utah when the game is put on Friday instead of Saturday to avoid General Conference. (which I love!) And despite the predicted FRIGID weather. Snick will be tailgating like true blue fans!

Utah has a redeeming quality afterall.