labor day

spent how it should be. in the pool.
i have to say having your parents own 2 houses is obviously not an ideal situation. (especially when they are right next door to each other). i am sure my parents would rather only own 1. and for a while now, ever since the fire victims left, we have been praying that the old house would sell.

i don't know how i am going to pray for that anymore... because having 2 houses right next to each other is about the coolest idea ever invented. i just didn't know it.

our morning started out with jumping off the patio at the old house 

then moved to catch the football or belly flop at the new house

oh baby! can we say we got a MJ up in here! 

(father like son)

credit to b.j. for literally throwing the football probably 100 times.

he was like the energizer bunny.

he wasn't so lucky this round

(the rest of the pictures show a pretty nice belly flop)

but he redeemed himself, no worries

addie's face is priceless.

i can't get enough of it.

she just has this TINY little body that never stops.

don't be fooled by her size though, this is one determined little sucker.

she didn't stop until she caught it

(ignore me fixing my bathing suit)

i thought i was pretty cool the first round.

but then i was told i got an easy throw

needless to say i was just a little a lot off on the next 2. 

but finally redeemed myself on the 3rd.

(3rd times a charm right? :)

my face is so hideous. but so funny. 

at least it makes me laugh.

and i am happy to say i saved the best for last people.

can we just compare for one second my man facial expressions and arms with my awkward jumps

to ellery's graceful leaps, pointed toes, feminine arms and huge smile???

haha i am pretty sure these pictures exemplify "us"

quite perfectly.

sooooooooooo we said goodbye to california. daron and i lived it up by spending our last night sleeping outside on the couch. just enjoying the warm, humid air while taking in the view. we will miss being surrounded by all the little munchkins and having something to do every second of every day. even if that something is lying on the kitchen floor and doing nothing.

utah was good to us, by welcoming us home with pouring rain! :) i am being a little sarcastic but i shouldn't be because we really are excited to embark on the new adventures fall will bring us. daron is ready for the cold air. i am grappling on to any heat and sun i can get. summer was just too short for my liking this year. it felt like a teaser. before i know it i will be drudging through the lovely snow. (sarcasm again...for some reason i am having a hard time controlling myself) and fighting off the bitter cold.

however, there is fall before that. and utah has quite a wonderful fall. and even though i already miss the fam, they are coming in 2 weeks. daron and i are so spoiled. i really have nothing to complain about. so i'll stop with the nonsense. hope everyone had a happy happy labor day. here is to a short week!!

the cali-forn-i-a

the norms:

-nails

-shopping

-nordstroms

-nordstrom cafe

-nordstroms ginormous chocolate chip cookies

-more shopping

-becoming cranky [very cranky] cause of shopping

-morning walks

-la playa

-golden spoon

-swimming

-daron making ellie smile like crazy (me, attempting to. failing. but getting closer)

not so norm:

-discovering a bug (or a leaf?)

whatever this bug is, it wins the award of best camouflage in my book

-random person catching a sting ray at the beach

(really!? there are sting rays swimming right by me??

i mean i figured baby fish...but sting rays?!)

-15 ft waves. not normal. but very exciting

-visiting with karly and james barker

(so rare but what a treat!)

-today getting off to a rough start. why? because daron ate

-4 pieces of velvet crumb cake

-3 pieces of pizza

-bacon

-and a bowl of cereal 

for breakfast

my husband eats a lot...but babe...really?

he couldn't move for hours. it was pretty funny

a shout out goes to the irvine spectrum ferris wheel.

can't help but see that and reminisce on b.j. getting down on one knee

and asking ellery to be hers forever

with about the most romantic proposal known to man

(besides your own of course)

oh boy, i loved that day...

he honestly couldn't have picked someone greater.

.seriously though.

           

packed and ready.

we are headed for the CALIF-ORN-I-A.

daron surprised me with tickets about 2 weeks ago.

(there may or may not have been some serious "womanly persuasion" involved)

regardless, we are going. 

and i feel like a lucky bumble bee.

i know i am antsy when i am ready to go an hour before i have to leave for my plane flight.

"ohh whatttt!?"

can't remember the last time that happened.

or if it ever has.

but i am thinking i may do this whole "be ready early thing" more often.

it's quite relaxing.

i am able to enjoy my new favorite delicious snack that i have been obsessed with and listen to this lovely song...

on repeat.

Artichoke baked in the oven.

(easiest recipe known to man)

what is pretty even after you eat it?

only artichoke...

oh california, i hope you are ready for me.

my new home

i am here to say miracles happen. miracle = a full time job. for me! i found a job and will be working at Goldsmith Co. Jewelers in provo. i have 3 things to say to you all.

1. come visit me

2. come visit me

3. come visit me

i don't know what i am doing. the job has quite the learning curve (that's an understatement). but it really (REALLY) helps to practice with people you know. and people...i need all the practice i can get. and let's be honest, it is always nice to see a familiar face in a new setting.

friday and saturday were my first 2 days. i feel so grateful for an opportunity like this but i am also going to be adjusting to a very different schedule. i will go from working 9 hours a week to about 50. (hence "my new home") when i first came home and told daron i got the job, we both were in utter shock. then there was lots of screaming and jumping around. i have never seen daron so proud. i didn't know how proud of me he could be. it was lovely.

but we will miss each other :( i work monday - saturday 9-6 with one day off during the week. not having saturdays will be the hardest. this has all happened so fast. tuesday i was asked to drop my resume off (part of why the celebration of sweet potatoe fries was necessary), thursday i interviewed (for an hour and a half) and friday was my first day. 

at the same time, i kind of can't believe how okay with it i am. everyone and anyone that knows me knows there isn't a better place i would rather be for 50 hours a week. i could literally sit in goldsmith all day. and the people i work with are gems. i love them all. and that is big deal. so far, everyone has been so kind, so patient, and oh so helpful. 

wish me luck. i am nervous but so excited.

(p.s. i feel the need to make a slight clarification. i have been told by some that this post made people think i was prego. i feel so bad! this is a little baby secret that really is not a huge deal. (it is but it isn't kind of thing ya know?). and i had no idea that was what was going to be assumed. oopsies. it will probably be quite the let down comparatively. but i will say, i wish all of your guesses were right. i'll be preggers...someday. and i sure can't wait)

Last night

i don't know how it is for other married couples, but daron and i have a serious cuddling predicament.

daron: -a morning cuddler. 

always wakes up one happy camper that just wants to 

kiss me

hug me

snuggle me

love me all over

dani bree: -a night cuddler. 

always wants to be literally intertwined with her man before she sleeps. 

will grab daron's

arm

leg

chest

his finger if she has to 

just so she can feel his presence next to her

this presents a problem. especially since both D&DB have a very hard time compromising.

daron is a poop butt at night. he is grumpy right before he goes to sleep

and incoherent. i will tell him "good night. i love you"

and i hear "uh huh"

(this also has to deal with the fact that i will crawl in bed like an hour after him, sometimes. bad habit. i know)

then, of course, in the morning, i am then the same to him...he wants to cuddle with me and kiss me and i am 

grumpy

incoherent

confused

tired

still half asleep

etc.. etc...

but then there is last night...

where we compromised.

(or i should probably just say daron compromised...)

he let me grab his arm (!!!) and pull it into my chest nice and tight

and then... (drum roll)

HELD MY HAND

oh it was wonderful. i honestly couldn't sleep for a while because i was just thinking about how

great it was and was reminiscing on the very first time that daron and i ever fell asleep like this.

we had been dating a whole week and we were at lake powell together.

we fell asleep on top of the houseboat, laying, facing towards each other

holding hands.

it pulled my heart strings. and clearly still does.

it was a moment i will never forget and (sweetheart- this line is for you)

one i really wouldn't mind reenacting night after night after night.

:-)

until then, i will keep thinking and dreaming about it and it will keep making me smile.

today

was the greatest.

i didn't want this day to end.

it was an eventful day...

full of events that i cannot share.

yes, i have a secret!

and it is killing me!

maybe i can share in the future.

maybe.

we will just have to see...

as for now though,

i want to remember today for a very long time.

credit to L-ham and jess

for making today the bomb.com

and credit to gurus' sweet potato fries

for making our celebration so delicious.

it's somewhat embarrassing awesome to say that

2 large batches of your sweet potatoes fries was not enough

and so we had to order a 3rd.

oh today, how i loved you so.

i cannot wait for the day i get to reveal you,

i will love that today even more.

goodnight!

poop or yummy yummy goodness. you decide.

Peeps.
please meet wally.

Wally is a 490 pound fast food addict that entered our living room last monday night on the show "extreme makeover: weight loss edition." Wally's journey begins on a high note as he loses a total of 110 pounds in the first 3 months of his transformation...but then, not being able to control his addiction, his journey rapidly spirals downward by gaining the weight back and not being able to finish what he started.

wally, is now in big trouble.
by who?
by me.
ever since daron met wally, he proceeds to yell wally's name like a dying witch as i try and enjoy a childhood  treat that i have recently been obsessed with. it is one of the saddest tragedies. every time i try and enjoy this dessert i enjoyed as an itty bitty child i have to hear daron's voice saying
"WALLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" "WALLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE"
over and over again.
just reminding me that every bite i take i am getting closer and closer to wally's 490 pounds and most likely looking like a food addict myself (especially when i am having my 3rd bowl)
i feel bad for wally. i really really do.
but i am even more sad that i cannot enjoy my simple yet glorious yummy dessert.
wally, i wish you all the luck in the world but i sure wish we had never met you.

childhood dessert
vanilla ice cream loaded with chocolate syrup, mixed until porridge texture.

he calls it: poop. i call it: yummy yummy goodness.
............................................................................
until wally came along!