labor day weekend

This was a Labor Day sans any signs of labor around these parts, and we were pretty to keep it that way.  Stay in there cookin' baby boy!  However, on some pretty short notice, we did decide to join my folks and little sis on the trek up to Utah to take her back to school.  Why not??  Dave and I are trying to squeeze out as much fun and spontaneity as possible before baby comes (and our world gets turned upside down), so we made some last minute arrangements, finagled Dave to get off work early on Thursday, and said adios to Pasadena...again.  Pretty sure our neighbors might think we've permanently skipped town...

Once we got Brookie Sue all settled in her dorm and had my favorite combo at Zupas for lunch (hellooo tomato basil soup and nuts about berries salad), we headed back to the Nemrows to get ready for game time.  There is really nothing more nostalgic for me than watching BYU football with the Nemrow family - feels just like old times.

And that view from David's brother's place?  I'll never get over it...

Did I mention we stopped off to get my favorite shaved ice in the US of A?  I will never get enough.

Our Saturday started the best way a Saturday could possibly start: with brunch at Communal.  It was a treat beyond treats with chocolate, coconut banana bread, the most delicious pancetta hash, and topped off with butterscotch custard - which no one had room in their bellies for, but somehow we managed to demolish it.  It was divine.

In the afternoon we headed out to Seven Peaks water park to meet up with a few of our favorite people.  The boys hit the slides hard - seriously, you should see the red marks on their backs - and we ladies chatted, played with baby E, and enjoyed the wave pool.  Pregnant ladies and water parks don't really go together, but I'm pretty sure they put in that lazy river just for me.  I could have floated in that thing all day long.

David also got to meet baby Evelyn for the first time, and I'm pretty sure they were a match made in heaven.  He had her laughing and smiling all afternoon.

We topped off one last summery Saturday with some Mario Cart, a delicious tri tip salad, and a pizookie to share at The Chocolate in Orem, aka: one of the main reasons I miss Utah.  That cookie?  Melt in your mouth deliciousness.

But, of course, Sunday came much too soon, and it was time to pack it up and call it a trip before Labor Day traffic made the 15 a living nightmare.  We hugged our favorite people, kissed a few baby cheeks, and said goodbye to this full-fledged college student one more time before heading southward again.

Ah Utah, it was a crazy idea to jump in the car and come see you again, but we don't regret it one bit.  Thanks for topping off summertime for us.

summer reading

I love summertime for its long warm days, the tight feeling of your skin after a day in the sun, and, of course, lots of time to read, read, read.  I was quite the bookworm growing up (we're talking lots of late nights tucked in bed with a novel and a crick in my elbow from keeping myself propped up on it for too long) but when college rolled around it was hard to want to sit down and relax with a good read when I was scanning textbooks all day.

However, now that I'm graduated, I'm hittin' the books again!  And it's oh so good to be back!

I stumbled across THIS cute post the other day and loved the idea of giving a little review of all the books I read this summer - so here goes!

P.S. Please feel free to make recommendations - I'm on my way to get myself a library card ASAP!

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Harry Potter 1-7 - J.K. Rowling

Yes, I went on a nostalgic kick and stole all 7 books from my parent's bookshelves and read them one by one by one by one at the beginning of the summer.  And, yes, I loved them all over again.  David (for whatever reason I can't comprehend) never read the H.P. books as a kid - yes, I've already told him he missed out on childhood - and he kind of thought I was crazy, but I loved them all the same.  Of course I recommend all 7 of them.

Heaven Is For Real - Todd Burpo

I loved this little book about a 4-year-old boy's trip to heaven and back as told by his father.  It's sweet, it's short, and it's worth reading.  Go get it.

The Glass Castle - Jeannette Walls

This was a hard, but good read about a crazy couple of parents and the children they raise (who somehow turn out normal & successful).  Momma was an artist and daddy was an inventor and their travels take them all around small dessert mining towns and then head eastward.  Its a great story about human spirit and the will to be better.

Half Broke Horses - Jeannette Walls (again)

This is the story of Jeannette Wall's maternal grandmother - her growing up, marriage, and family life.  You get an interesting look into how Jeannette's mother grew up and how she turned out the way she did in the previous book.  I liked reading these two in this order and thought they were a great testament to hard work and determination.

Wicked - Gregory Maguire

Alright.  First things first - I've started this book before and just couldn't get through it.  I love the musical, but I wanted to read the book too!  I knew the plot differed and I wanted to see how much (it differs much, much, much by the way).  The story is . . . interesting, definitely full of captivating writing, but not exactly something I would recommend.  Save your pennies and go see the play instead folks!

O Pioneers! - Willa Cather

This book was a slow start, but once I got to the end I was completely invested in this batch of characters.  It's a story about the European/American immigrants that braved taming the Nebraska prairie and the lives they lived there.  It's a sweet, fast, and a rewarding read - definitely one to recommend.

A Tree Grows In Brooklyn - Betty Smith

I can't quite put my finger on it, but there is something about this book that hooked me and pulled me into its story about the Nolan family working to survive in pre-WWI Brooklyn, NY.  It was a plot I loved to pick up and delve back into until David would pull me back to the surface.  Go pick it up.  It's a good one.

Labor Day

Any day where you spend the majority of your waking hours in your bathing suit is considered a winner in my book & Monday was that kind of day.

We washed cars, we pooled, we lounged, we ate,  we played Monopoly, we talked, and we generally enjoyed ourselves silly til the sun went down.

It is my official opinion that every weekend should be Labor Day weekend.

You like that blue pasta?  The noodles are definitely in the shape of little cougar heads.  

Go BYU.

And, yes, we could only find our Star Wars Monopoly set, so the game included such twists as Han Solo mortgaging the Millennium Falcon and Darth Vadar sweeping the board for the win.

We miss you already family!  Thanks for a wonderful long weekend!

And P.S. we missed you Midwesterners!   We hope you had a great Labor Day too!

as of late

11 days to the wedding
+
an internship 3 days a week down in San Diego
+
all the other sorts of crazy things that have been going on around here this summer

=

little time for blogging.


I hope you can understand dear blog-o-sphere.


In the meantime here are some fun things from around the web:

United States pillows - too cute

It's good to see other people have had little bumps on their big day: the ring struggle
(love this blog)

I so badly want to make this doily lamp

I could gobble up these cookies

These travel inspired wedding invites are practically perfect in every way

And I found this post rather enjoyable: "Date a Girl Who Reads"

a few days belated

some people have traditions for the 4th...

this family?

our tradition is to be out of town, 

(preferably boating on Lake Mead)

so when we figured we would be sticking around for the 4th this year we had to come up with something to do.

our decision:
ward pancake breakfast in the morning,
shopping for the girls in the early afternoon,
all American BBQ for lunch + a dip in the pool,

then off to the ball game, Angels vs. Detroit Tigers, for the evening!

And what a lovely 4th of July it turned out to be!

Here's hoping your 4th was full of fireworks, family and the red, white & blue!

dear all,

I thought you'd all be very proud and happy to know that we have

(finally)

set a date for our wedding!

Whew!

It only took a month after he popped the question to iron out all the kinks,

but, due to incredible perseverance and a group effort,

we finally did it!

Who knew choosing a date for this shindig would be so much work? 

So without further ado,

feel free to circle,

put a gold star by

& highlight

wednesday

august 17th, 2011

it's gunna be a great day

p.s. today was also that last day of classes for winter semester - time to celebrate!

the whole world

is it just me or is everyone getting engaged**???

I think at least 10 Facebook updates have popped up on my news feed within the last 3 days and I've read countless numbers of engagement story blog posts/
stalked facebook albums of engagement pictures recently.

the whole world is falling in love,

and here I was thinking it was just me

but here's the kicker:

all these darling couples who are planning to tie the knot only days
(okay, almost a month)
after i got a ring on my finger...are planning to get married in
JUNE.

how come we decided to do this whole wedding thing at the end of the summer?
August feels oh so far away at the moment.

oh yeah, we've got internships and stuff.

lame. 


** or going on a mission - I'm up to at least 15 girlfriends who just got their calls to everywhere from Japan to Indiana

#2

 a few of 
my favorite things
Friday:

sun kissed skin, 

warm cement 

& bare feet

Perhaps it's the snowstorm this morning that got me thinking...but there just something about this:

that is calling my name this morning.

The lounge chairs around the pool may have a huge pile of fresh snow on top of them and I can't wait to hit the slopes tomorrow...

but I do love me some sunny days, 

whose with me?

just peachy

But seriously, somebody tell me that one of the best parts about summer isn't the fruit?

Really.

I dare you.

Anybody??

That's right.

This, my friends, is the beautiful sight I've had the pleasure of waking up to every morning for the last two weeks:

And the best part is that we used to have a box full of these little beauties.

Full to the brim in fact.

So full we were giving them away because we were worried they would go bad (heaven forbid) before we could eat all of them.

I've been eating peaches for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert.

Every.

Day.

And I'm not even close to being sick of them yet.

Fall fruits 

{ here's looking at you apples }

ya'll got nothing on my peaches.

definitions

this 

{ free concerts in the park }

is 

{ wandering around the bay }

summer

{ soaking up vitamin D by the pool }



i miss you already.

the happiest place

Last time we came it looked something like this:

 This time it looked something like this:

Please note the distinct lack of humidity and humanity 

Congratulations on redeeming yourself Disneyland

Cheers to a day of 

running from ride to ride, 

eating frozen lemonade,
avoiding parade routes,
having childhood flashbacks

and never waiting in line for more than 20 minutes

I do still have one small quibble however...

How can it be that my mom scores 65,800 less points than me on Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters and yet we both still get the same measly rank of Planetary Pilot...??

This system seems slightly skewed if you ask me

a thursday afternoon

spent wondering the Getty Villa in Malibu and meandering the Santa Monica pier?

great success.

no sea-side view from these lovely Roman gardens?
quickly remedied by a stroll down the pier.