Our Weekend Adventures

Hello, friends! How was your long weekend? Mine was wonderful. More wonderful than normal actually. Karl and I had a ton of fun and tried a couple new things. Here's what we did:

-Friday night we babysat my sister's kids. We loved it, as usual.
-I baked chocolate chip cookies for Grace and Oliver, then they terrorized played with the kitten all night.

The cutest

I promise Kitten wasn't in pain in this photo

Kitten was behind the chair. The kids were cornering her.

- Saturday we relaxed all day.

Don't mind me with no makeup. Haha.

- Saturday night we went on a date to the dollar theater to see Arthur, which was hilarious, then to Olive Garden for dinner.

- On Sunday, we went to church where we even stayed for a linger longer (we're making progress!). A linger longer is a kind of get to know you after church where delicious goodies are had and new friends are made.

- After church, we decided to play Twister, which didn't last super long. We are not the most coordinated people in the world. 

Twister!

--Kitten helped us play

 - Karl and I were silly the whole rest of the day. I swear, I spent 90% of that day laughing. It felt so good.

- Yesterday, we decided to go shooting behind Utah Lake. I have never shot a gun before and it turns out I'm actually a sharp shooter. I'll talk more about this in a separate post. :)

Me and my gun!

It was raining in the distance over the lake. It was gorgeous.

It was so foggy over the lake! It was beautiful!

 -After shooting, we went to Trolley Square to go to this stationary store that I've been meaning to go to forever. Tabula Rasa is my new favorite store in the world. $700 pens, journals galore, wax seals, wonderful perfume, etc. Stationary is my favorite.

-We then went to the center of the mall and sat outside on a bench in front of an outdoor fireplace. It was so nice.

-Last night we went to work and washed all the floors in our house. Trust me, they needed it. 

Our weekend was certainly full of adventure, laughing, and hard working. I hope our week is just as great. I also hope you all have a fantastic week and venture to try something new!

Happy Memorial Day!

I hope your day is wonderful and that you're remembering someone special. :)

10 Links I'm Loving

Well it's Friday, everyone! Thank goodness! There's been a lot of really great stuff going on around the web and it's only right that I share all of this awesomeness with you!

Blogger Responsibility: Do we have the right to say anything we want, just because we have a blog?

Decor8: This post makes me want to live in a converted farmhouse. Right now.

A Cup of Jo: A hilarious list of annoying words. What words do you hate? Mine are breast and moist. Cringe.
 
Yelena Brysenkova: She's cranking out even more gorgeous art work.

I Heart Photo: How delicious do these biscuits look?! And the photography?!

Yes and Yes: The sweetest thing. Can you imagine never having been to a restaurant ever?

Apartment Therapy: Um. I want this outdoor swing bed. Stat. Just look at how fun that would be!

Pinterest: Do you pin? My favorite thing to pin is interiors. There's so many beautiful rooms all over the web!

Seriously Delicious: I may have posted this already, but I don't care. Get in my mouth, homemade Samoas.

Youtube: Adorable bears trying to get into a hammock. Try not to laugh.

Have a great weekend! Do you have any links that you've been loving? Definitely share them with me if you do!

Thankful Thursday: Family and Waffles

One of the things I love most about not working is being able to make impromptu plans. The other day, my sister, Amanda asked me if I wanted to go to the Clark Planetarium with her and my niece, Grace and my nephew, Oliver. Of course I said yes. I love the planetarium and I love my sister and her adorable children. Manda has been working on teaching the planets to the kids. Grace just soaks up everything she learns. She can look at a picture of a flag and tell you what obscure country it belongs to, she asked her mom to teach her to read, and she's just a total genius. Her favorite planet is Saturn because of the rings. Oliver is pretty little, so he obviously doesn't know a ton yet, but I have no doubt he will be a genius too. That's how my nieces and nephews roll. Anyway, the planetarium was super fun. We saw a movie in the dome theater called, "Cardboard Rocket." It was fun, imaginative and it taught me a whole lot about the planets. Haha. It's been a long time since 2nd grade.

After the movie, we went to this Belgian Waffle place downtown, called Bruges. I had never been but Manda and her husband, Chris have raved about it. They weren't kidding. I got "The Torpedo" which is a deliciously amazing waffle filled with imported Belgian dark chocolate. I got it topped with fresh strawberries and crème fraiche. I wanted to die with happiness. I know I said if I were on Death Row that P.F. Chang's lettuce wraps would be my last meal, but it has now changed to a Bruges Belgian Waffle. Seriously, if you don't live in Salt Lake, if you ever visit, this should be your first stop. If you do live in Salt Lake, why are you still home? Go. Now. Truly delectable waffles are waiting for you. I want to eat one every day for the rest of my life. No... seriously.

Long story short, family is wonderful, but family is more wonderful when they expose you to delicious hole in the wall confectionery delights.

Grace on a play area that looks like The Moon

Grace and Oliver on The Moon

My seester and Oliver

Bruges Waffles and Frites

Oliver's got a really great scowl

Grace loves her Bruges, as is apparent by the mess on her plate.

My amazingness

Look at that. Just take a minute and look. YUM.

Just an FYI, Bruges is right next to Tony Caputo's, so that's a major win, and the employees are about the nicest people you'll ever meet, so there's another win.

Today I am thankful for my wonderful family and for delicious food. What are you thankful for?

Wednesday Pick Me Up

Today's Wednesday Pick Me Up is brought to you by Rise Against. Karl and I were discussing what song I should post today and he mentioned "Swing Life Away." I love that song. I have loved that song since it was way overplayed on the radio a few years ago. So if you're feeling nostalgic, this one's for you.



Now, "Swing Life Away" is wonderful, but sometimes you need a little more angst in your Wednesday Pick Me Up. That's why I now bring you "Prayer of the Refugee." This is why I love Rise Against. They hit pretty much every range of emotion all the while still maintaining their unique sound. A day where Rise Against is listened to is a good day. You're welcome, world.



What do you think? Which one do yo like better? I have a hard time deciding, so I'm just going to say I love them both equally. Rise Against is very close to our hearts here in the Bringhurst household..

Back in the Saddle Again

Source: yesandyes.org via Kristie on Pinterest

I have made the decision to go back to work. Last week, I submitted an application to Chase. It's not my first choice, but I figured I know what I'm doing there, they'll pay me more than a lot of places, and I'd have a job sooner rather than later. That was my rationale. Karl kept telling me to make sure that's what I wanted and that I didn't have to settle for a company I hate. The manager of the branch I applied for called me to set up an interview for yesterday at 3. Since setting up that appointment, I'd been dreading it. Yesterday at 12, I decided I didn't want to go. When I applied, I pushed aside my doubts about working for a company I hate, thinking, "The only reason I hated Chase was because of my old manager, Douchebag Mcgee John. In reality, I hated Chase long before I worked at John's branch. I hated the ridiculous sales goals, the poor customer service, and complete disregard for employees. As the interview was getting closer and closer, I felt worse and worse about it. Then I thought to myself, "Why am I stressed? I don't have to go to this interview. I don't need them, they need me." Yes. They needed me. I was a very skilled teller with an advanced knowledge of their systems. But in the end, it's what I need that matters. I called the branch manager to cancel and just said, "I'm not going to be able to make it to my interview today. I don't think Chase is right for me anymore." Sure enough the branch manager said "Umm...Okay...", his voice dripping with attitude. I hung up. I felt really good about my choice.

The days are over of me feeling like I have to acquiesce to every request made by the person giving the interview. The other day, I interviewed at Key Bank and I was honest. I was myself, not what I thought the interviewer would want. I mentioned that I'm going to school in the fall and that comes first for me. I felt really great afterward. After all, they are renting my time and I am a valuable asset.

This time off has been really good for me. I know what I'm worth more than I ever have before. I was talking to my friend, who is also taking a hiatus from work for a few months. She said that taking time off is good for the heart. I couldn't agree more. Sometimes you just need to find your balance again. Sometimes you need to think about what truly makes you happy and go for it. That's what this time has done for me and now I'm more ready than ever to re-enter the workforce.

Our Weekend Adventures

Hello lovelies! I hope your weekend was amazing! Mine was pretty good and very busy. Here's what Karl and I did:

-Friday night we had a get together at my friend's timeshare up at the Iron Blossam Resort up at Snowbird. We talked, we ate, and we hung out with most of our BFFs. It was superfun.

Karl likes to wear his Halloween mask still. Picture taken before heading up to Iron Blossam.

I'm... Attractive... Scarf from Chinatown, sweater from Target, v-neck t-shirt and green tank top from Down East Outfitters.

-On Saturday I went to my friend, Megan's baby shower. She is so adorable pregnant.

The mom-to-be!

Lovely ladies at the shower.

This is Julie. That is not her baby.

We had fondue for our treat at the baby shower.

Yum

Raspberries are the best.

-I painted my nails. They're a little chipped, but I love them. And O.P.I.
-Saturday night, Karl and I went to P.F. Chang's for dinner. It was wonderful.

Love those lettuce wraps. If I were on Death Row, this would be my last meal.

They have Fiji Water. In wine glasses. Perfection.

Our date looks. My Outfit: Hat from Urban Outfitters, sweater from Delia's, v-neck t-shirt from Target, sunglasses from Chinatown, Necklace was a gift from Karl.

-On Sunday in church, I taught my class of 8-11 year old kids. I was terrified (kids that age are scary), but it all turned out okay.

-After church, Karl and I took a nice, long nap and watched Parks and Recreation.

As you can see, we had a pretty good weekend. I hope yours was just as good. Have a wonderful week!

Board Book Albums

Source: papertissue.tumblr.com via Kristie on Pinterest

Hey everyone! Just a head's up, in the near future I will be doing a post about a new, really creative way to preserve your memories with Board Book Albums. I'm super excited about it and I can't wait to share it with all of you. I hope you're having a fantastic weekend. Catch you on the flip side!

Source: yesandyes.org via Kristie on Pinterest

Stepping outside.

Wrapping It Up

There are some last little tidbits from my trip that I took pictures of and wanted to share. It's not very cohesive, but neither was my trip. Haha.

Not the best picture, I know.

Okay. First is Boiled Dinner. My dad has been making this meal since I was little and it's one of my all time favorites. I couldn't wait to go to MA, just to be able to eat this deliciousness. Basically, it's turnip, cabbage, potatoes, and Daisy Ham boiled until the veggies are soft. Then the entire plate is doused in apple cider vinegar. Ah. I'm salivating as I write this. Also,it's pretty great for you.

P.S. I'm blonde again!

I know this picture is ridiculous. My mom pampered me when I was home. For those of you who don't know, she's an aesthetician and a very good one at that. While I was home she waxed my eyebrows, gave me an enzyme mask to take off the top layer of dead skin (as seen above), did a blackhead extraction (which hurt like a mother, but is so worth having blackhead free skin), and she let me use all her fancy face wash, moisturizer, and skin medications. My skin is clearing up a ton and it feels oh so soft.

I got to hang out with my best friend, of about 13 years while I was home. That's Robyn and I on the left and Robyn's sister, Heather and her cousin's wife, Amber with Baby Cooper. We went to lunch at Bertucci's. It was delicious, but the waitress was crazy. Out of the blue she asked if we wanted her to take a picture. No one had their camera out. Well, we did end up having her take some pictures anyways. There were three that she said were wonderful. This was the best one. we were just blurs in the others. I'm glad she's a waitress and not a photographer. Haha.

Isn't she the cutest? Robyn and I later went to Friendly's. It's this amazing little ice cream place back East that has the best sundaes I've ever had. Just look how delicious Robyn's Kit Kat Sundae looks!

Sorry for the bad pictures. My hair isn't brassy at all, it's just the lighting.

Robyn is an amazing hair dresser. While I was in Massachusetts, I went to her house (which feels the same it did while growing up) and she dyed my hair back to a gorgeous blonde and gave it a good cut full of face- framing layers. I'm so very happy to be a blonde again. I don't feel like myself when I'm not blonde. Next time I think about going brown, just comment here and tell me no. Haha. I probably won't listen. That's how I am.

Well, that's the last of my trip posted here. I had a great time with family and friends and I miss them all. I can't wait until next time I get to go back to Massachusetts because then I'll have Karl with me and it'll be even better. If any of you are planning on traveling to Massachusetts any time soon and want to know what you should see, just shoot me an e-mail and I'd be more than happy to divulge the secrets of a local!

Have a good Thursday!

Wednesday Pick Me Up

I'm back, everyone! I'm posting a bit later than normal today. I just couldn't get out of bed before 10. I've been going to bed wicked late this whole past week and yesterday was a nightmare, so I think I needed it. Yesterday my plane from Laguardia was delayed an hour and a half because of rain, which meant that I had 10 minutes from landing to take off on my plane to Salt Lake. I was pretty sure I wasn't going to make it. Karl went as far as booking me a hotel in Denver for the night. Luckily, I made the plane. Unluckily, if I don't have down time between landing and taking off again, no motion sickness pills in the world can help. I got so incredibly sick. And there was a screeching baby right next to me, which made it even better. Lesson learned. Never fly Frontier. Their flights are ALWAYS delayed. This same thing happened to Karl in January. Anyways, rant over. I am so glad to be home. The best feeling in the whole world is coming back to your own home, your own bed, your own shower after a trip. The best part however, was seeing Karl walking into the terminal and getting first date butterflies upon seeing him. It was ridiculously perfect. I'm intensely glad to be home. That being said, I also do really miss my parents. I'll be seeing them this summer when they come out here though.

Despite the fact that I've had a crazy week, some of you may not have and that's why today is our Wednesday Pick Me Up. This week's guest is Noah and the Whale with "Life Goes On." I love this song of theirs. It's catchy, motivating, and it makes me happy. I only took an iPod Shuffle with me on my trip and the whole time I was missing Noah and the Whale. If you're in need of a pick me up, or just like good music, give this one a listen.

Rockport

On Saturday my parents and I decided to venture to Rockport, MA. It's a little port on the Atlantic Ocean that has no beach, only rocks. I know it doesn't sound super appealing, but it is. It's a quaint, little town full of small shops and friendly people. It was probably 65 degrees and cloudy, but that's just the way I like it. After, we went to Woodman's for some delicious seafood. My dad has been going there since he was a kid and we found out while we were there that it's where they filmed the restaurant scenes in Grown Ups. Pretty cool. And the seafood was to.die.for.

Me, Dad and Mom. Take note of the pretty buildings behind us.

I used to come to this exact place when  I was a little one. There are a lot of memories here.

I love this picture. So happy.

My feet and the famous rocks of Rockport

This is quintessential New England.

I love this.

My fish and chips just completely fell apart. I could barely eat it. That's seafood perfection.

Rockport was probably my favorite part of the trip. It was relaxing, fun, and beautiful. You gotta love the smell of the Atlantic. I miss the ocean. If you ever go to Massachusetts, I highly recommend visiting this beautiful little village on the sea.

Well, I'm leaving tomorrow and I'm actually kind of sad about it. I spent today with my BFF, Robyn and I definitely wish I had more time with her. She'll be coming to visit me soon, however. I'm also going to miss my parents quite a bit. Most of all, I miss Karl right now, so that part of me can't wait to go back to Utah. I'm definitely not looking forward to packing and flying though. Wah wah. I guess there's got to be some sort of downside to this trip.

Catch you on the flip side!