thanks mom.

I.AM.ADDICTED.TO.PINTREST.

so cool. check mine out. follow me.

http://pinterest.com/cortneyw/

Stoked.

It's been awhile since I posted on this thing. Sorry for the 3 of you that accidentally stumble upon this blog.

*sigh*
Summer is around the corner and I couldn't be more excited.
The winters seem to last forever here in Utah and I have been over the snow since January.
Beautiful days driving with the windows down and perfect nights walking around in flip flops...it really is the most delicious thing. I sound so much like a Californian right now.
This summer is going to be great.

June=my best friend Molly comes home from her mission and I can cry just thinking about it.
August= family vacay to YOSEMITE.


If you have never been to Yosemite you HAVE to put it on your bucket list.
Yosemite is my favorite place on earth.
My favorite childhood memories come from Yosemite (and summers in idaho). We would go all the time when we were all little and a few more times as we were older, but it's been awhile and this summer my WHOLE family--babies and all are going.
River Rafting, hiking and seeing "the falls"....my favorite is going on bike rides through the woods. I remember hoping on my bike and taking off towards the horses and staying there forever and just petting them. Or riding to The Village to get a scoop of ice cream.
So great.
Maybe this time I will try hiking Half Dome....


uhh....or maybe not??

We weren't invited...

..to the party that obviously happened in our backyard.

Stef, Aleksi and I have noticed some foot prints that were left behind in the snow by some nightly guests.

With the exception of the last few days (that have been like 3 degrees) we have had decent weather, for a Utah winter. The sun came out and melted away almost all of the snow on the ground.

Thats when I found piles and PILES of this...

Yup. Little hispanic children sneak into our backyard at night and dump cans of black beans EVERYWHERE.

****

So I guess our "foot prints" were more "hoof prints", because I counted--no joke-- probably like 10 piles of these little deer droppings on only 1 side of my yard.

Every party has a pooper. And this party must have been BoOoring because there is a lot of poop.

cravings.

Urban Dictionary describes the word Crave as...

" having an overwhelming desire and need for a certain thing. "

Some of my cravings would include: chocolate, sleeping, a cute boy to cuddle with, thrift store shopping, being creative, Molly (my bff)...

But NEVER have I experienced a craving such as this...

These boys are THE funnest boys you will ever play with and they live WAY too far from me.

etsy?

(The pictures are not great. I didn't have any roomates home to model them at the time I snapped a few shots. sorry.)

Saw some earmuffs at a boutique in Park City, UT.

They were charging like $45 for them.

I made them for $2.00

I probably shouldn't have mentioned how much I made them for, but would you buy them for like 10 or 15??

Moms are the best medicine.

What is it about being sick or hurt that makes you want your mother?

(My older sister and I asleep on my mom)

I was throwing up all night last night and most of the morning and the first call I made today was to my mom. I'm 24 years old and my mom is hundreds of miles away, but yet there I was wishing she was with me.

I love moms. I especially love MY mom.

There is a certain comfort that only mothers can provide and I think no matter the age we will always need it.

hola.

I only took 1 year of Spanish in high school. Which I totally got an A in by the way.

Do you know what you learn in your first year of Spanish?

I do.

Colors and School Supplies.

When I first moved to Utah when I was 19 I applied to work at a mexican restaurant. They asked me in my interview if I knew Spanish and I was totally honest and said "No....UNLESS someone wants to talk about school supplies...in which case, I'm their girl."

I was hired.

I would sometimes just say all the spanish words I knew and would pretend like I knew how to speak the language.

" Hola amigo, lapiz cuaderno boligrafo papel la mochila??"

If you have never taken Spanish or don't remember your first year of Spanish..let me translate.

I just said: "Hello friend, pencil notebook pen paper backpack"

They got the biggest kick out of me, the little white girl or should I say the little BLANCA girl...

****

Today at work (I work at a scrapbook store) this hispanic woman came in.

I greeted her and asked her if I could help her with anything.

She just looked at me and said "espanol??"

I shook my head and apologized. Thats when the charades began. She dug into her purse and pulled out a pencil. She then pretended to be sharpening her pencil...

I gasped. "Oh! you want a SACAPUNTAS?!?!"

Her eyes got nearly as big as the grin on her face.

"SI!!!!!!"

We laughed.

Unfortunately we didn't have any pencil sharpeners for her to buy, but she didn't leave until I taught her how to say pencil sharpener.

Looks like my first year of Spanish paid off.

Adios, amigos.

I've been thinking a lot lately...

about how DESPERATE I am to put another stamp in my passport and trust me if money wasn't an issue my passport would be full.

Someday I will have money. Someday I will see more of the world that was created for us. I think often about my short time living abroad and how much I miss it.

It's funny though because halfway into my trip in China I would go out and lay in the middle of the playground and look up at the night sky and see planes and imagine myself on them going back home. I missed home so bad. I missed my family, my friends, American food, warm showers and private bathroom stalls. After being home for awhile I realized how silly that was. My family will always be here, so will my friends.

America will always offer hamburgers and pizza.

My beautiful cousin Erin is currently living in Ecuador. She had only planned on staying there a short time, but after much consideration she decided to stay there longer. She emailed all of us recently telling us of her decision. She was told some great advice by a friend and the quote has stayed with me.

"There's too much to see right where we are to chase places we miss."

I wish someone would have shared this with me when I was living abroad.

Reunion.

Sarah, Melissa, Me, Harmony and Lindsey

The last time we all were together (we are missing our missionary, molly) was for Lindsey's Bachelorette Party....4 years ago!!

I have known these girls since we were like 10 or 11..maybe sooner?

They are apart of some of my favorite memories. These girls were with me when I went to my first church dance, these girls were the first ones I told when I had my first kiss, these girls are the ones I got in trouble with when our parents found out we played the "pass out" game, these girls were around when I fell in love for the first time and they were there for me when it ended. These girls were a huge part of my past, they continue to be apart of my present and will forever be apart of my future. I love these girls like sisters because they basically are.

3 husbands and 1 and a half babies later we still are the BEST of friends.

Was it just me...

or did it look as if this years LDS Christmas Devotional was a special Apostles edition of Jeopardy?

(I couldn't find a bigger picture)

"I'll take ' Book of Mormon Stories' for 500, Alex."

blasphemous? probably. funny though? yes.

Can't wait...

I go home for Christmas next Wednesday and I can't think of anything else.

A list of things I am sooo excited for... (in no particular order)

1. Just being home in general...such a great feeling.

2. Parents

3. My bed

4. Meg, Jack and Stella

5. Mom's cooking

6. warmer weather

7. Going for a T-swift drive with Keri

8. Seeing my HS best friends

9. Bunco Girls

10. singing while my dad plays the guitar

You're InVitEd!!!!!

...to my pity party.

Time: Now-Who know's

Place: Here

What to Bring: Advice

Sooo..I have been feeling a little down the last few days. Well, if I am being completely honest..probably a few weeks.

There are a lot of things I don't understand, but at the top of my list is BOYS.

I don't get them. It's like men are from Mars and we are from somewhere totally different or something...

The dating world is constantly changing. The do's the dont's. I can't keep up. So much competition out there. I feel like I need to take up juggling or something...juggling and breathing fire while jumping on one foot, cross-eyed. I need something that makes me stand out from the crowd because apparently being a good person, cute, fun, creative, funny and spiritual is not enough these days. What about a good cook? or someone who is good with children? oh wait..no..no..that doesn't help either.

I heard a quote once that I loved and I try to remind myself of it every once in awhile.

"Don't focus on finding the right person, focus on BEING the right person"

As much as I agree with that..it's easier said than done. We are created to want companionship..are we not? I am starting to think only girls were created that way. I feel like boys are getting a little lazy these days. If a boy wants to go on a date...he asks a girl out. I'm not saying that its easy for them. I understand they may get nervous and worry about getting rejected, BUT if a girl wants to go out she has to wait to be asked. I can put myself out there, be friendly, be flirty, focus on BEING the RIGHT person and it still doesn't guarantee me a date on Friday night. I don't mean to be a complainer..I guess I have just had a streak of bad luck with boys as of late and its left a bitter taste in my mouth.

Something that should go away with some frozen yogurt...

It's the most magical time of the year...

I love christmas.

Lucky for me I can still feel the magic when this wonderful season comes around.

Aleksi and I have been ITCHING to decorate our little house for the holidays.

So the second Thanksgiving was over we replaced our pumpkins and fall decor with garlands, candy canes and glittered christmas trees.

It's really important to Aleksi and I (since we are both far from home) that we make our house feel like a home.

I think we have done a fabulous job if I do say so myself. We love being there. It's so cozy and inviting.

Here is what we have been up to...

My Fa La La and Christmas tree corner. I love how it turned out. My Fa La La is backed with old music sheet paper and I hand wrote the letters with red paint and glittered them.

(Sorry the pic is a little small. I am having some problems uploading my pics.)

The candy filled dome came from Williams-Sonoma (candy from the dollar store). My Yarn Christmas tree: I created a cone shaped tree with red cardstock and wrapped and wrapped red yarn around the whole thing. Didn't take as long as you might think. Music Sheet tree: I'm sure you can figure that one out. Super easy.

I am especially proud of my garland. It looks legit. It looks like my mom would have done it..which is saying a lot. The picture does not do it justice really, but you can kinda get the idea.

Cranberry Tree: You need patience and TIME for this one, but its worth it. You need a styrofoam cone ( I found one at the dollar store) and I actually strung the cranberries on string and wrapped them around the cone. I had rhinestone straight pins and stuck some through some of the cranberries to help support and to add a little something more. Glittered Trees: I created two cone shaped trees painted one red and one green. While the paint was still wet I sprinkled with glitter. I love glitter. Book Christmas tree: I just cut 1 inch by 3 inch strips and glued them onto a paper cone starting from the bottom. I used a pencil to curl the tips up.

I found that watching The Polar Express while crafting really helps. :)

Merry Christmas!

blast from my chinese past..

Shawn was one of the guards at the school I taught at in China. We became bosom buddies. I would go visit him on a daily basis and he soon saw what apparently no american boys can see. Shawn would write me letters, tell me he loved me and he even bought me flowers one time. After I returned back to the states we did a pretty good job about keeping in touch for the first few months..then life happened and the emails stopped. It's been over 2 years since I last talked with him, but yesterday I opened up my inbox to a special little chinese treat.

Hi, cortney, i miss you. I have not keept in with you for about tow years. are you married? or you have boy friends? I do want to enbrace you again. Last year my parents introduce me a girl friend. we had kept in for about a year. at begins, we were crasy in love. but later we often were to quarrel about our future. last month we parted company. these days i am unhappy. say yours things.

yours, shawn

Where the MaGiC happens...

This past Monday I had the day off and luckily I was in one of those cleaning/organizing moods because I spent the ENTIRE day cleaning, organizing and decorating my desk in the craft room/laundry room.

Being creative is my favorite thing to do along with laughing, dancing and eating chocolate.

I worked at a scrapbook store in California for nearly 3 years and have accumulated quite a lot of fun stuff. Making things with my hands and paper crafting is an outlet for me. It makes me happy. Lock me in my craft room by myself, play inspiring music (ingrid michaelson, adele, mindy gledhill) and give me a bowl of peanut butter M&M's and thats how I invision heaven to be. I have big dreams for myself when it comes to being a designer. Will they come true? I have no idea, but its fun to dream.

Now that my desk is clean, organized and cute its where I want to spend all of my time.

what it looked like before...

...and now.

My brother and sister in law had a little metal shelf that you put in your cupboards that helps with giving you more space. Well, I got extremely creative and used it to store my paper. Now they all stand up and its easier for me to thumb through them. I organized my papers by company and made these little dividers. Really proud of myself for thinking outside of the box on this one (sorry the pic is a little blurry).

I found these old vintage jars at a thrift store in California. They are old peanut butter, coffee, tang, cottage cheese jars and I fell in love with the lids and shapes. I use them to hold my inks, stickles, buttons and twine. I also got those cool goblets at a thrift store here in Utah and they hold my glitter.

A closer look at my "Create" banner. Kinda in love with making banners right now..obviously. You can also see one of my frames. Its a picture of my Grandpa and my mother as a little girl. Two of my favorite people.

I created this little piece of artwork and framed it. I loved this paper so much and felt like it was cute enough to frame on its own. I just added a quote I love so much, " Nothing happens unless first we dream..."

Another project I am proud of... I took this chair from my grandma when I visited her in Idaho. It was dirty and had a nasty white plastic seat. I ripped it off and recovered it myself with some old fabric I found at a thrift store. I am SO pleased with how it came out! Looks professional, right?!

Now I just need to get in there and start creating!

All Hallows Eve...

I LOVE Halloween.

Its one of my favorite holidays.

I love the weather (more so in California--when its not so cold) , the changing leaves, carmel apples, trick or treaters, costumes, scary stories/movies and I love the decorations.

(does that not look heavenly?)

Aleksi and I have been watching scary movies a lot as of lately in the spirit of Halloween. Which is pretty gutsy for two single young girls living in an old creepy house by themselves, but its fun.

We also have decorated our little house with a few halloween decorations.

I cut out a silhouette of a little witch on my Cricut and framed it.

I made this Halloween banner to hang over our fireplace. I used really old dictionary pages, inked the edges, mounted them on some black patterned paper and glittered the hand written letters. I then tied little scraps of black fabric inbetween the letters to jazz it up a little.

I really like how it turned out.

Lex, got her papercraft on and made these pictures and framed them.

We painted our front door yellow. Not for the season, but because we wanted too.

And of course we had to get pumpkins.

Not too shabby for some poor girls...huh?

Happy Halloween All!!!

Aleksi

There are a few things I already knew about Aleksi prior to living with her:

She loves the beach.

She loves to shop.

She LOVES her family.

She likes to play the "would you rather.." game

Her favorite chinese student is Dave.

She likes to have her hair in braids while eating peanuts in her underwear.

She loves watching movies as much as I do

She "jeffs" (long story that needs to be told in person)

She thought my name was Aubrey even after knowing me for months.

After being reunited and living together for 3 months I have learned a few more things:

She is ADDICTED to shopping.

She cries when she thinks about Bentley

She likes to tap you on the shoulder and wake you up in the middle of the night to tell you things like "cortney, its thundering outside" and "cortney, do all mountains have names or just the big ones?"

She goes for 3 minute jogs

She doesn't cook...ever.

She is THE MOST boy crazy girl I have ever known

She can't say no to people

She likes to try on and plan out her outfits before she needs to wear them (came home on a saturday to find her trying on outfits for sunday).

She loves her accessories

She has Unicorn hair ( a piece of hair that without fail is always shooting straight forward like she is ready to stab someone)

(case and point)

She has the craziest bedhead I have ever seen. But seriously. No person/stylist/professional could mimic the way her hair looks in the morning if they tried.

She is very artistic

She wears a mouth guard at night and its my favorite thing about her.

She can't whistle

She cuts corners to close while driving and takes chunks out of her tires

She loves my family like her own

She has a huge heart

She thinks I am really funny...because I am

She does a really good impression of the Target Lady from the SNL skit

She hates cats--like a lot

She likes to leap off our front doorstep (don't ask me why)

.....

This list will get bigger and bigger and so will the reasons why I love her so much.

Did you know?

I just found out that elephants mate for life.

I knew Penguins, Doves and some humans, but I didn't know elephants did.

Did you know that elephants can die of a broken heart??

How precious/sad is that...?

If you seperate them from their life partner they get depressed and will stop eating.

Poor thing.

I like elephants so much more now.

Animals can be so human sometimes. I hate that most of the world forgets that.

Going back.

The other night Aleksi and I were laying on my bed and talking about our childhood.We were both SO blessed to have such a wonderful childhood full of fun/good memories.We talked about Christmas and how it was such a magical time as a kid...even still as an adult, but there is just something about being a child at Christmas time. Nothing beats it. My parents did such a good job at making sure there was magic at Christmas time. It's something I look forward to when I have my own children. I laugh so hard when I remember me as a child around Christmas. Well, any holiday really. EVERY year I would write a note to santa and leave it next to his plate of cookies. Don't think it was a letter telling him how good I was or thanking him for my presents. It was a piece of paper with a list of questions that I insisted on having the answers too.

1. Who is your favorite reindeer?

2. How far away is the north pole?

3. How long does it take you to go to everyones house?

4. Can I have a bell off of one of the reindeers collar?

also made a similar list for the Easter Bunny the night before Easter.

1. How far can you hop?

2.Can I have some clippings of your hair? (what was I planning on doing with that???)

3.Can I have a paw print?

I laugh so hard at these memories because I was such a curious child (still am as an adult), but it also makes tear up at the thought of my parents sitting there playing along, answering my silly questions and looking around the house trying to find some kind of hair clippings to leave me. I love my parents. They are such good parents.

Its so funny the things you do and think as a child. The way our little minds worked. When I was a little girl I couldn't figure out for the life of me how my hair grew and where it came from. The only explanation I could think of was that my little body must be full of hair and the only way for it to come out is by growing out of the top of my head. I was convinced I cracked the case of how hair was coming out of all of our heads.

You're welcome everyone.

Why were we in search a hurry to grow up? I have no idea because I wish I could be a child again--for just a day. I have thought about what it would be like if we all had the opportunity to spend the day with our younger self. Does that make sense? Just you and your 5 year old self for a WHOLE day. I wonder what my 5 year old self would insist on playing and I wonder if my present self would play along--I know I would. I would wear myself out for sure.

Mud Pies would be somewhere on the list. Oh....and capturing cats and probably getting a spoonful of peanut butter and licking it all gone while we ride around the neighborhood on our bikes. We might even get our Recorders and play them as we march on top of our picnic table.

Just an idea.

That sounds like a fun day.

Someday.

Someday is the answer to a lot of my questions these days.

When am I gonna have a job? Someday.

When am I gonna have some money to buy cute stuff? Someday.

When are my hot neighbors gonna go ahead and start falling in love with me? Someday.

When will my life not be ghetto? Someday.

Speaking of ghetto. I don't have a microwave. It's funny how much you take these things for granted when you have them. You learn very quickly when you are poor how to get creative. For instance, this is how I defrost stuff.

Blender & hot water.

Nice, huh?