Christmas at our house

Up to my elbows in felt.

Naughty puppy eating my half made scarf.

Naughty puppy getting in the way of our pretty tree.

Do the lights on your tree make you really sleepy? If all the lights are off but our Christmas tree lights I curl up and go right to sleep- works just like NyQuil, without the hangover.

We saw the lights this Saturday, man was it crazy down there! I hope you got a chance to see them this year! I love Salt Lake at Christmas.

Spin Class

I stood up for myself today. In my spin class. It felt pretty good.

Isn't it an unwritten rule at the gym, that if you leave your stuff, water bottle, towel, ipod- what have you- on the equipment, you can leave to say go to the bathroom, come back and it should still be vacant? Isn't that fair? I can understand if someone is gone for like an hour, even an half an hour, even 15 minutes if there are no other bikes left. What about 3 minutes? Can I person not go to the bathroom for 3 minutes and trust that no one has taken it upon themselves to move your water bottle onto the floor and plump their fat rear end on your bicycle??

No, I guess not.

So, I left, I came back, went to MY bike- paused- is that guy really on my bike?? Is that really MY water bottle he threw on the floor?? All the Christmas-y endorphins out the window. My face was red hot and I started to shake. All the other cyclists were looking at me- what is she going to do? She has to get on a different bike now.

No, she doesn't and No I won't.

Anywhoo- I just simply went over there, tapped his pudgy sweaty gross shoulder and said:

" That's my bike."

"So?" Uh- So? What do you mean so? So get your ( insert choice words here) bum off my bike you nerd! Side note: He KNEW full well that was mine, he had passed me with his little girlfriend and when they noticed there were not two bikes next to each other, they moved on. Yea.

" So, get off!"

And he did. And I smiled. Don't mess with me, I thought.

So I know those thoughts didn't score me points in heaven but- some people just deserve it for crying out loud!!

( thanks for letting me rant. sorry to put a damper on all the warm fuzzies you may have been experiencing. warm fuzzies to come :) )

It's here

Early. again. welcome winter, you're about 14 days early again. and here you will stay. until March. hurray.

And the winner is . . .

"Very cute. I was going to make one, but if you want to pick me - I'll just benefit from your craftiness!
I love the headband and two flowers sounds perfect. I'll let you pick the color -something that would go with lots of stuff. (Not black though... I have a black flower already)
email me and I will send you my address. redhead recipes at gmail dot com"

Sarah!!

Congratulations Sarah! And thank you so much to everyone for playing! We will have to do this again soon!

* our winner was chosen using the True Random Number generator at random.org

Holiday Giveaway!

So, to kick of the Christmas season, I am doing a little giveaway featuring a handmade flower headband. (which I made).

Please leave a note if you would like to be chosen! You can pick any color you wish! Red, Black, gold ( pictured colour), dark gray, dark purple, cream, white . . . those are the colors that seem to come out a little better . . . but there's also oranges, pinks, blues. They sit on a satin black headband but I can also do clips ( two clips or one headband). The headbands also come with the one or two flower option. I'm very fond of the two flower but didn't get a picture with it.

Don't be shy! If you leave a note, you will probably be one of three or four blessed souls who view this blog so you're chances of being a winner are really good! Even if you've never left a note, you can still be a winner! :)

Leave a comment by Dec 5th and the winner will be chosen and announced the following day.
Include your name and address and which item you most prefer!

Thanks for playing! Happy Holidays!!

So simple, just my style

I absolutely love this idea from Dear Lizzie! It's so simple and stylish and wonderful! I am so on board to give this idea a try someday :)

This IS about sushi

{you need to be in the Merrill/Bottita family to "get" my post title, sorry}
"I love inside jokes. I hope to be apart of one someday"- Michael Scott

Anywho . . .

Those rolls to the front were not my fault. The rice was supposed to be "sticky"!

So Sush-Easy! (where have a heard that before?)

Salmon+already cooked= Yum! Crab-any cooking whatsoever= Ew.
(I haven't posted anything for like 10 days, which is like 40- in-blog-years! We can't afford to be picky people, this is the best I can do with what I have.)

Sushi really is better eaten from a fancy bar (chopsticks included). Eating mangled rolls off the counter with your fingers just isn't the same. But, you get what you pay for. MMM, sushi.

Hey! This weekend we did . . .

A whole lotta nothin'! Why? Because in Logan, there's nothing to do. You have to be really creative, and since we really didn't want to go to the DI or have a restaurant scavenger hunt- we just did this. Pictures of us are really the funniest things to me. We are so camera- awkward! I did finally learn how to arrange the pics all scrapbooky using PS which I like. And all these photos are processed and edited and what have you. I even took a class! From Nicole Gurelot- from Little Sussy, but she can't even help me. A hobby it started and a hobby it will stay. But I do love to photo shoot. Especially with my Braden, he hates it and it makes me laugh. See us pictured above. Hey, if you have any fun and exciting Date Night ideas, please share! We really need help. :)

She's ready for her close up

sierra*november 1, 2009*   Ain't she purty? I love her yellow eyes. and her freckles. sister, why can't I look more like you? is it because we have different dads? i always knew I got my looks from my dad's side, curse those German genes. bleck.

"Revenge of the Nerds"

We couldn't think of anything to be for Halloween so . . . we just went as ourselves.

Hope everyone had a spooktackular Halloween!!

Who knew

that sometimes the most unbecoming things . . .

are truly beautiful when pointed out by someone . . .

who took the time to find it . . .

because they knew it was there, all along, just waiting to be discovered.

I think that is how the Lord sees each one of us. And if we rely on Him, rely on His love, we may start to recognize, maybe a little at a time, the beauty that is just waiting to be found, but has been there all along by the One who loves us most.

* dead weeds in the field next to our house. oct. 2009

meanderings . . .

I couldn't think of anything for the title of this post. I wonder sometimes if this blog is doing more damage than good. Is it ever good to be obsessed with something? Probably not. I wonder if I tried really hard, if I could stay away for a whole month. I will go to rehab and then come back and get another taste of it, and the addiction will start all over again. I live such an unbalanced life right now. Everything seems chaotic, but I don't know why because I'm not busy with anything. I work and come home, that's it. Some how the day goes by and it feels like kind of a waste. And that's why I blog and take pictures- because it helps me appreciate the day for what it was. Not exciting, not unique, just Life. Everyday doesn't have to be life-changing, I don't always have to be accomplishing a million things because- well if I try to accomplish a million things, then I end up accomplishing nothing. Right? But I do need to take charge and take advantage of this time I have to myself and figure out what to do with it. in limbo.

one thing today made me happy, or two: no boss today, just me. and I bought that "Nearer" cd that nienie recommended. i haven't bought a cd for like 5 years, it was fun! this music is incredibly lovely and soothing. i second her vote. {you can get one online or at Deseret book!}

Enjoying the afternoon. we get just a glimpse of this after work. it's kind of our routine. we meet up at around 5:30, get Maya, and watch the sun set in the back yard, then go in and eat, then well it's funny because really we can do whatever we want- but we're lazy people, so t.v. and then, bed. sometimes scriptures and brushed teeth for Braden :) and always prayers.

- I have a cute family

Don't you agree?Tiny bodies do not like the freezing cold! almost every picture you can tell they are just trying to keep warm. And the sun wasn't any help, hiding behind those clouds all day. Warm or cold, they take one gorgeous picture!

Why?

If you ever have the urge to do maternity pictures, please please don't do anything like this

And if you do, please don't share.

yikes.

Just trying to be crafty

So . . . being married I have fallen into being this home-maker wannabe and every once in awhile I actually try to do something worthy of the definition. Once I tried to make a moss ball, it turned out like a moss ball which is good, but then I forgot that I don't know how to decorate, so I have no idea what to do with it. I was given a sewing machine for my birthday that I take out and hold and daydream about home-made curtains, skirts, runners, pillow cases, all of which require sewing in a straight line. During conference I decided I should start small- very small. I found a tutorial online on a DIY Anthropologie flower clips. I do love Anthro and the tutorial was on: little shop of shavs or shavin' it up- or something. (If you really want it I can find the real one :) They're pretty cute? No need to point out they are clips from last year. They were fun and easy and I'm happy with how they turned out for the most part . . . so I blogged.

Peach pie and Birthdayz

September was quite the month for US, Braden did the LOTOGA, we went to Havasupai, and September is the month of Birthdayz! First it's my dad, then Shay (braden's little bro), then Christian ( B.I.L.), then ME!, then Braden and Maylse . . . am I forgetting someone?
What a great month it was!


I Love having a wonderful boy to share all my birthday dinners with for the rest of my days.

Homemade birthday cake made by Chef Braden-it only took 6 boxes of cake mix, well worth it :)

Me and my cake and a few little children spitting out the candles.

This month is also a wonderful time to be born because my grandpa's peach trees are ripe for the pluckin'! Just look at that beautiful juicy goodness-sigh. If only I were James and could live in a giant peach with a grasshopper and a ladybug, I could live off that stuff. I bet its the closest thing we have to the Forbidden fruit. Delicious.


My mom made a gorgeous homemade peach pie in place of cake which I gave 5 stars, it was yumm. I would put that recipe up but I also love this one : (its a more Me-proof version of a peach pie, which is also a Merrill favorite and turns out great every year)


2 graham cracker pie crust, already made
1 C sugar
4 T cornstarch, dissolved in 1 1/2 C water
3 T Karo syrup
2? packets peach JELLO
however many sliced peaches fill up the pie crust :)

*Combine all ingredients besides the peaches and um, the crust-Boil on Med/High heat until thick. Pour mixture onto sliced peaches. Cover and refrigerate about 30 min. (if you can!). Top with whipped cream, grab a fork and float away to peachy Heaven.

Big Surprise!!

Braden's office before: No good.

And now dun-da-da-da-da . . . After! Much better.


These pics are low quality but you get the jist:

Desk: Ikea New desk chair: only 59$ at IKEA

New Frames: Ikea Curtains: 7$ panels from ROSS with 12$ curtain rod

Fake Orchid: ROSS desk lamp: 12$ at Wally's with 6$ magazine holders

Picture prints: taken by Braden, price of prints (around 8 dollars)

book shelf: $30 at IKEA Old chair, new pillow: Wally's = fabulous make-over!

Yay! He's so good at acting surprised! :)

Couldn't have done it without my design team- you two are wonderful, thank you thank you for saving our office!

Happy Birthday my love! I hope you love your present because you don't get to open anything tomorrow! :)

J. Crew- Will you please come to my birthday party??

You can eat all the cake and ice cream you want and even blow out my candles!

Sometimes I wish I was photogenic

It really would be nice, especially when I get excited about getting dressed in matching outfits and going outside for a family photo shoot- it's really cute in my head.

But then I get things like this ---> and that <-------- and I wonder why they never turn out the way I see them.

I mean He's cute, so when we're together it's okay, when he's alone, it's better . . .

And this one never fails because Hello those eyes . . .

But once it's just me, something goes terribly wrong :)

(Doesn't this remind you of Chandlier from Friends a little bit? I can relate.)

What can I say? The camera hates me.