Oscar ensembles + a healthy dose of cattiness.

The Best:

Reese Witherspoon in Giorio Armani Prive.

I thought that Reese looked absolutely amazing. The dress was lovely, but my favorite was her amazing hair! It looked great! I realize that she was probably wearing 5 lbs. of weave, but it looked stunning. I also loved the emerald earrings she wore. I saw a lot of emerald last night and it looked to be the hot gem of the moment.

Anne Hathaway in Givenchy.
Anne rocked something like 7 gowns during the show, and this one was by far my favorite. I liked her as the host for the most part, but her giggling was kinda bothersome.

Mila Kunis in Elie Saab.
Girlfriend can do no wrong in the fashion department- she always looks great on the red carpet. That being said, she will always be Jackie from That 70's Show. Bonus tidbit: She's actually very nice in real life. I know this because Mila and I have a mutual friend/acquaintance.

Gwyneth Paltrow in Calvin Klein.
I'll be honest, sometimes I don't want to like you, but I always end up loving your ensembles. Your hair and makeup look great with this dress and your figure is out of this world. How is it that you've had two children?

Jennifer Hudson in Versace.
She looked amazing last night- great dress, great color, amazing body. I can't believe how good she looks! Makes me want to do better at WW so I can have results like her!

My not-so-favorites?

Amy Adams in L 'Wren Scott.

Love the dress, love the jewelry. Just not together. It just didn't work for me.

Scarlett Johansson in Dolce and Gabbana
What can I say besides yuck? Her hair and makeup looked dreadful and her lace thing does nothing for her. Sorry girl- bad dress, and bad decision on letting Ryan Reynolds go. Also, you look like an alien took over your body. Lose the vacant expression!

Nicole Kidman in.... something.
Nicole, you look great from your waist to your botoxed forhead. From the waist down, your dress does some weirdo things that I'm just not a fan of. From forehead up, your ponytail looked blah and greasy.

Sharon Stone in Christian Dior.
Eek. Looks like Cruella DeVil went to the Oscars. The hair was just too much and the gown could have been lovely if not for the odd featherness at her shoulder. And her stare is just freaking me out. Can she see me through the computer or something?

Dinner aftermath.

Day 30: A photograph of myself today + three good things that have happened in the past 30 days

My goodness, I can't believe that the 30 (er, 31) days are finally complete! Blogging every single day is no easy task, even if it was just a day when I posted a picture and a little blurb. I think that I was able to get into a good blogging pattern though. This blog's primary purpose is to document the lives of me and my family, and I think that daily (or near daily) posting will be something great to look back on- how was I feeling, what was happening, etc.

Anyway, let's get to the task at hand.

Here's a picture of me today...

Don't we both look sleepy?

And here are three good things that have happened over the past month:
1. My sweet niece Everly was born. She really is the best baby- she never cries unless she's hungry or getting a diaper change. Sarah hit the jackpot with this little one. Maybe it's her blessing from a botched epidural?
2. I was able to visit my family in Indiana. I only get back to Indy a few times a year and it's always good to go home.
3. I was able to go on a date with Benjamin! Unfortunately, this doesn't happen every month- I'd say every 2 or 3. We need to be better about making time for us as a couple! It's just so easy to get wrapped up in the business that is our lives and we really enjoy having Dylan around.

Indiana recap.

Last week I was able to spend a few days in Indiana with the purpose of meeting my niece Evvie and help my sister wrangle her kids. It was a great time, although I admit that I missed Dylan terribly. I talked to Dylan on the phone at least twice a day, and we even Skyped until I realized that Dylan had a really hard time saying bye. Poor lamb.

Anyway, here are some highlights of the trip:
-Sitting alone in an airport and airplane. I could relax and sleep! Amazing! It was the quickest 3 hour flight of my life, simply because I wasn't wrangling Dylan.
-Meeting Evvie, of course!
-Taking my nephews Ashton and Wyatt to the park, movies, and open gym.
-Targeting with the mama
-Watching Evvie projectile poop all over my mom's shirt, pants, and socks. Best moment ever.
-Helping my dad tile the basement bathroom (meaning I handed him tiles while he did the grunt work)

The one and only picture I managed to take over the trip. Man, I'm all about the rough pictures lately. 

Love Day recap.

Jeesh, I've been busy with the whole "30 posts in 30 days" thing that I really haven't posted much on what has been going on lately in my life! Let's start with Valentine's Day, shall we?

I was really excited to make cards this year- I made a few for some pals, Dylan's girlfriend Camila, and even one for our mailman. Ben says that it was silly to give the mailman a card (and candy too!), but I thought that it would be a nice gesture of appreciation. He does ensure that my Glamour magazine arrives at the house each month, after all. 

Ben and I typically aren't into big Valentine's gifts or dinners- we usually get some takeout and call it a day. This year my Benjamin went above and beyond by surprising me with a trip to the Nordstrom at Fashion Place Mall to pick up a pair of these little ladies:

Yes, that is a very, very poor quality picture of my new favorite shoes- Tory Burch Revas. You see, I've been coveting (and saving for) these beauties for quite some time, and now they're mine! Muah-ha-ha.

Made me feel kind of lame for setting up a fort/tent in our basement to watch Fever Pitch and eat some pie. Made me feel like I should have gotten him a new golf club or something.

Behold, the fort and our ghetto basement carpet.

{oy, we're lookin' a little rough in this one}

Thanks Benjamin for a spectacular VDay!

Day 29: A song that makes me cry.

This is a tough one for me, since I really can't think of any song that brings me to tears. Does that mean that I'm an emotionless robot? Possibly. There are a few songs that I just love and always stir up some type of emotion in me. Here are a few of those songs:

Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

This song is special, because it was the first song that Dylan heard after being born. Ben was very insistent that Dylan hear good music from the start, so when he was about an hour or two old Ben played Dylan his first song.

What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong

This song was used in a slideshow at my grandparent's 50th anniversary dinner and it made me realize what a great life I have and how blessed I am to have such an amazing family.

The Promise by Tracy Chapman

This is me and Ben's song. Ahhh the mushiness of it all. This is the first song that Ben and I ever danced to- outside of his car somewhere up Provo Canyon. It was very romantic, let me tell you. This is also the song we danced to at our wedding.

Day 28: An art piece that means something to me.

Oh dear. I really am the most uncultured (if that's even a word) person when it comes to art. I've never taken an art history class or have visited any cities that are known for their fabulous art collection. That being said, the only artists that I can recall off the top of my head are the super well known ones- Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso, etc. 

Jeez, this post makes me feel like an ignorant American. 

Anyway, my favorite piece of art would have to be Starry Starry Night by Van Gogh.

I absolutely love the brush stroke patterns. Maybe because it looks fairly simple and makes me think that I too could create a work of art? Except I'm pretty sure that this painting was the opposite of simple to create. I will also forever appreciate this painting, as my best pals at work spent weeks chipping away at a 1000 piece puzzle of this painting while discussing our cases and completing ridiculous assessments with the boss lady. Hardest puzzle ever. 

Anyway, I would love to have a gorgeous piece of art in our home someday. Our current decorating budget only allows for art featured at Target or Bed, Bath, and Beyond... but I do have dreams of owning unique art that says something. 

Day 27: My dream house.

Isn't it lovely? My dream house would be Craftsman-style beauty just like this one.

Day 26: A photo that makes me angry/sad.

This picture was posted last week, but it is definitely fitting for day 26. This picture makes me angry and sad. Angry, because I thought that my nails were dry before putting my laptop in it's case. Nope, they weren't dry, as my giant nail smudge show. Sad, because my perfectly painted nails were no longer so, and I needed to decided whether I wanted to go through the week day with jacked up nails or if I should repaint. Jacked up nails won.

Day 25: A photo that makes me happy.

Me and Dylan Danger, December 31, 2010.

Currently jumping up and down with excitement!

I cannot wait until May 6 when Something Borrowed the movie is released! I absolutely loved this book- it's such a great tale of friendship, betrayal, and love. I've read it multiple times and I know that I'll read it again and again- it's just such an enjoyable read. If you haven't read this book yet, run to the nearest Target/Barnes and Noble/Borders, get yourself a copy and get reading! Then join me in waiting for the movie release!

Day 24: My favorite book.

I am a complete Harry Potter nerd. I was first introduced to the series by my mother when I was in the 8th grade. At that time, only books 1-3 were published. Over the next eight years, I was waiting for the next four Harry Potter books to come out.

I vividly remember finally getting a copy of the 7th Harry Potter book. It was the summer after I graduated from BYU and I was working part time at Napa Auto Parts. Oh my. I drove the parts delivery truck to various auto repair shops in the area. This was the most random job ever, since I have absolutely no interest in anything car related. In fact, I hate being in shops exactly like Napa, so it's laughable that I actually worked there for 3 months. Anyway, back to the point. That summer I was so excited to get my hands on a copy of HP7 and find out what happens to dear Harry.

I plowed through this book in about 48 hours and was so happy with the ending. While this is definitely not the most intellectual book out there, I say that it's my favorite because 1. I had been looking forward to it for 8 years and it definitely lived up to my expectations, and 2. The story is just so great.

Day 23: Something that I could never get tired of doing.

Hmmmm. This is a tough one.

Everything that I think of seems like it would get old after awhile. I know that if it were Ben posting this, he would definitely say golf. Lame.

I really don't know. Drinking Diet Dr. Pepper, perhaps? Reading?

Wait, how about this one: Eating junk food.

I have prayed countless times that I would no longer have a taste for junk food, but it's been 26 years and I still love it. So that's what I'm going with: I'll never get tired of shoveling junk into my body.

The little valentine.

Meet my newest niece, Everly Ariana Clark!

Isn't she darling? We're calling her Evvie for short.

Hats off to my older sister Sarah, who endured natural labor after her epidural failed. She said that going natural was by far the worst pain that she could possibly imagine and that she would never, ever consider going natural again. Let's hope that she doesn't have to pay an anesthesiologist bill since he obviously sucked at his job that day.

I can't wait to see little Evvie in person! Friday afternoon I'm hopping a plane (without Dylan) to Indy to meet the newest member of the family. So excited!

Two side notes about this post:

1. My greatest fear, other than a loved one getting hurt or dying is having to do natural birth. I will never do it if I can help it.

2. I'm getting a little nervous about being away from Dylan for 4 whole days! The longest that we've been apart is 10 hours, which was really more than I wanted. Guess we're going to be cutting the umbilical cord for real this weekend.

Day 22: My celebrity crush.

Oh my, I have a few of these. Here are my top three:

Orlando Bloom

Colin Firth

Eric Bana

Notice that none of these guys are American? Must be the British and Australian accents.

Honorable Mentions:

Zac Efron, Hugh Jackman, Prince Harry, Ed Harris (yes, I realize that he's about 60), Josh Duhamel

Oh, look.

Hello lovelies.

I've been all sorts of curious about who is following my blog. I think that I'm aware of most of the friends stopping by the blog, but there are probably some that I don't know. Not that I'm weirded out people that I don't personally know stopping by- it's totally fine. To satisfy said curiousness, I've put up the little follower thing on the right side of my blog, right under the picture of my mischevious little Dylan.

Could you do me a quick favor and click "follow" if you are indeed a follower of my blog? Thankyoumuch.

Day 21: Five of my biggest pet peeves.

1. When people are late.
I'm ridiculous to get irritated about this, because I am constantly running late to anything and everything. I'm especially terrible about turning my court reports in on time. We're supposed to have them sumbitted to the attorneys a week prior to court, but I consider it a good day if I get the report to them 5 days before court. I just know that the attorneys have a list of slaker caseworkers, and I'm probably near the top. Soooooorry Jorden.

2. When guys wear their hats just a little to the side and tilted up
Ugh, it just makes me think of a idiot in a fraternity. He probably pops his collar too. And has a ridiculous Chinese character tattoo- he thinks that it means "soul" but it really means "d-bag."

3. Emo kids.
Ben and I both hate the way that Emo kids dress and have decided that if Dylan chooses to dress this way then he may need to find another home.

4. When people text "what r u doing?" rather that "what are you doing?" and the like.  I don't know what you call it- text abbreviation? Whatev, I refuse to do it and it drives me bananas when people do it.

5. When Benjamin and his pal Nathan start talking in their stupid little dialect/accent. Can't really describe it- just know that it's something that they do on the regular and it drives me crazy!

Day 20: My worst habit

Eek, I totally spaced posting my day 20 yesterday. Whoops. And I was doing so great with the 30 in 30 challenge! Oh well, 30 posts in 31 days isn't too shabby, right?

I really can't think of my worst habit, but I know that I have quite a few bad ones.

#1 Eating waaaaay too much junk.
You know the expression "You are what you eat?" Well, then I'm wheat thins, cereal, chocolate chip cookies, with some fruits and veggies mixed in. I need to eat better!

#2 Picking at my cuticles
I'm getting better at this, but for the longest time my cuticles have always looked busted since I pick at them waaaaay too much.

#3 Hitting snooze at least 3 times every  morning.
It drives Ben crazy- he always starts pushing me and tells me to get up, but I just can't. Those last few minutes of sleep every morning are precious to me.

#4 Not returning phone calls
I tell people not to take it personally- I just always forget to call people back, or even check my voicemail for that matter. Lo siento.

Gaaaah.

Why does this always happen to me?

Post-surgery blurb as promised... kind of.

Remember me talking about how Ben would say some crazy things after coming out of anesthesia? Well, boyfriend did not dissapoint. He had me laughing so hard that I had tears coming out of my eyes. Unfortunately, there's some bad news. I can't share the funniest thing that he said, as it is quite R-rated and I cannot put it on the blog (per Ben's request).  I'll allow you to use your imagination on that one.

Anyway, here's some photo documentation of Benjamin pre-surgery. Hubby's looking hot in his blue dress.

Day 19: A picture of me last year and how have I changed since then?

{Valentine's Day 2010}

Oh buddy. Last year I was still considered a new mama, as Dylan was just 4 1/2 months old. Life had finally reached a point of feeling normal, as the "adjustment to baby" period took about 2 months. We had just found our current home and were getting started on the process of becoming homeowners.

But that's not the question, right? Now what has changed, but how have I changed?

I feel like I am better at managing my life. I can handle being a wife, mother, and my own person, as well as having full time employment. About a year ago I think that I was on the brink of The Great Meltdown of 2010, in which Ben told me that he was going to quit my job for me if that would make me act like a rational human being again. I was one stressed girl. I was feeling like I had so much on my plate that I wasn't able to do anything well- not my work, not take care of Dylan and Ben, not take care of my house, or not take care of myself. I was feeling spread too thin and was not too happy about it. 

Thankfully, much has changed since then. I still have the same amount on my plate, but I've figured out how to get more done in the same amount of time. I've re-prioritized my life. I've put more planning into what I want to happen,  such as making dinner for our family, rather than feeling guilty about Ben eating a Totino's pizza for the 4th night that week. Planning ahead is key.

Please don't be fooled into thinking that I have it all together. I don't. But I have it more together this year than I did last year. 

Also, I weigh 12 pounds less than I did in February 2010! Hallelujah! 

Easy does it.

 

This Valentine's wreath is my latest craft- quite possibly the cheapest and easiest craft that I've done in a long time. It's really not expensive- I purchased a styrofoam wreath for about 6 bucks (with a coupon), some red yarn for about 4, and then used pink ribbon that I already had at the house. All I did was wind the yard around the wreath and then tie a bow. Very complicated and rocket sciencey, right?

I was happy to give my door a new look that packed some Valentine's punch.

Day 18: A photo of somewhere I've been to.

Maui, Hawaii!

This is definitely one of the coolest places that I've been able to visit. My family went for a week when I was 16 and my sister was 19. Perfect beaches, perfect weather... it was great! Well, great except for my sister having mono/leukemia during the trip. Ok, she didn't have leukemia, but she was feeling so sick and my parents took her to the doctor close to our hotel. The doctor said that she either had mono or leukemia, but they wouldn't be able to know for sure unless there were all sorts of tests. Sarah decided to wait it out, and it turned out not being leukemia, as she was good as new within a week or so.

Also, Sarah and I were both pining away for our boyfriends during this trip- we were both in fun new relationships and probably wasted way too much energy missing the boys.

I think that my favorite part of the week was going to an amazing luau with my family. Also the Polynesian Cultural Center. And Pearl Harbor (we took a day trip to another island). Such fun.

And the jealous part? My parents flying in 1st class for the 8 hour flight while my sister and I were stuffed into coach. I know, stop complaining, you got to visit Hawaii. I know.

I definitely plan on going back someday with Benjamin and Dylan, as it is absolute paradise. And we'll definitely fly coach.

Day 17: A photo of something that means a lot to me

This is the Louisville, Kentucky LDS temple. On December 28, 2004 Ben and I entered this temple and were sealed for eternity in front of our dearest family and friends. I love that though our sealing our little family can be together forever.

I've only been back to the Louisville temple once since our wedding day, as it is a little far away, but I have been able to visit these temples:

Draper, UT

 Washington DC

 Denver, CO

Manti, UT

 Nauvoo, Illinois

 Provo, UT

 Seattle, WA

 Mount Timpanogos, UT

(this one is actually about 1/4 mile from my office)

Day 16: What's in my purse.

Today's purse contents is pretty typical, although usually I don't take my Kindle or iPod along with me. Since I was at the hospital for about 4 hours, I needed entertainment material.

Here's the rundown:
3 pens
chapstick + makeup bag
personal phone
work phone
Special K bar
2 mini Milky Ways
iPod
wallet
nail polish (not sure why...)
planner
Kindle

There you have it! Usually there are receipts and what not, but I cleaned out my purse a week ago and have managed to keep things relatively clutter-free since.

Nurse Harris, coming atcha.

Starting tomorrow at 9 am I am on nurse duty for the hubster. A few months ago he tore his meniscus (cartilage in the knee) while on the golf course. Dummy. Now that the 2011 golf season is looming, he realizes that he needs to get his knee fixed before playing time begins. Dummy.

I'm going to take him to and from the hospital, pick up and dispense his meds, and feed him chicken noodle soup. I even DVRd new episodes of Glee, The Bachelor, and What Not to Wear for his viewing pleasure. What a great wife/nurse I am :)

Please stay tuned for a post-surgery blurb on the hilarious things that Ben is bound to say after coming out of anesthesia. I figure that since he is an absolute riot when on Ambien, coming out of anesthesia will surely turn into the Mr. Harris Comedy Hour. Remind me to tell you all about Ambien-induced Nighttime Dinner Theater. Best night ever.

Day 15: Something that I crave a lot.

How about two things that I crave on the regular?

Chocolate chip cookies... yum yum yum.

I really think that I might enjoy chocolate chip cookies more than just plain chocolate. Is that blasphemy? Or does it at least violate, like the rules of feminism? {What movie, what movie?}

Shopping.

 

Sigh.

 

I do love to shop. What I lack is disposable cash flow. I vote that social workers should make six figures, as we have to deal with craziness and mayhem all.day.long.

Day 14: A photo of something that makes me happy.

Because I'm a sentimental mush, here's a picture that makes me so happy. 

I was lucky enough to grow up having a spectacular father who was everything that a dad should be. He really set the bar high when it came to being a great dad, and I'm so happy that Ben has met all my expectations of what a great dad should be. Dylan and Ben are such great buddies and are always playing and having fun. I love my boys!

In other news, I totally and completely fell down a set of wood stairs yesterday at my friend Allison's Superbowl party. This was not just a little slip or stumble on the stairs. It was a feet fly out from under you, your whole body is momentarily airborne, before your whole body crashes down on the stairs one step at a time type of fall.  Bashed my tailbone, back, arms, and head on the hard, wooden stairs. So. Much. Pain. Everyone at the party was so kind and helpful- even Dylan. Immediately following the fall I was kneeling on all fours, trying to determine whether I was going to die from pain. Dylan was so sweet and crawled under me to put his face near mine. Such a sweet little guy. After a few minutes I knew that I was just badly bruised, not broken and I spent the rest of the Superbowl laying on the couch with an icepack. Oy. I'm super sore today, but I'm so happy for a few things: 1. That my miserable wipe out was in front of friends, not strangers. It would have turned an embarrassing situation into a mortifying one. 2. My friends are so sweet to take care of me and Dylan when I'm not at my best. 3. Despite my ridiculous fall, the Superbowl party was still the best I've ever attended. Delicious food, fun games, and great prizes. Thanks Andersons.

Where was Ben during all of this mayhem? Poor guy is fighting off the flu and spent the whole day sleeping in bed or comatose on the couch. No party for him.  

Day 13: Something I don't leave the house without.

Here are the things that always come with me when I leave the house:

1. My keys, because who wants to walk anywhere when it's frigid outside.

2. My phone, as it is my lifeline to the world. 

3. My makeup pouch, because I am vain.

See inside my little pouch? Lip gloss, concealer, lotion- oh my!

Day 12: A TV show I'm currently addicted to.

Like you even had to ask. Glee has bee my favorite show for the past year and for good reason. Hello, it's absolutely hilarious and always makes me happy. 

My favorite part of the show is definitely Sue Sylvester. She's just so mean and horrible and says the most ridiculous, funny things. Here are some of my favorite Sue quotes:

You know, for me trophies are like herpes. You can try to get rid of them but they just keep coming. Sue Sylvester has hourly flair ups of burning itchy highly contagious talent.

So you like show tunes. It doesn't mean you're gay. It just means you're awful.

You think this hard? I'm passing a gallstone as we speak. That is hard!

 Caning works! And I think it's about time we did a little more of it right here... yes, we cane!

Boobs McGee, you're demoted to the bottom of the pyramid, so when it collapses, your exploding sandbags will keep everyone safe from injury.