My insight, it doesn't happen very often....

Yesterday while I was driving home I noticed a billboard, it first caught my eye because there was not logo, WHAT SOMEONE DIDN'T TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET THEIR LOGO STUCK IN MY HEAD!!, just a background of that nostalgic blue-lined, spiral bound notebook from those days of elementary school, with some simple letters. I first thought, from afar before I could really read it, how cute, someone is excited for school to start! As i got closer, I noticed it was this:

I love it!!!

I love the feeling I got, the chuckle I made to myself, and the feeling that our world might not be this negative place FOREVER!! I don't know if its because I am in a retail work field and many of our customers are experiencing hard times, and sharing those frustrations and feelings with me, but I think this is what we all needed. Not a reminder to go out and spend the crazy amounts of money that everyone was spending, because if anything good can come from this nonsense is that YES we all do need to live within our means, (man those brethren are far to smart!!) but that life is going to be normal again. Jobs will be available and people will be able to go out and do what they love. I googled it and came across this, check it out, I like it!!

But it also made me realize I work at a very unique place. A kitchen store. Actually its more than a kitchen store. Its a kitchen destination. We have been around for over 60 years, family owned and operated. We have some of the most amazing customers that have supported us through thick and thin-- dealing with the grumpy old men, dusty shelves and warehouse feel of our old store, our fire that destroyed our entire inventory and building, moving into a trailer, warehouse, and back again to our current store and old location! We had customers who have seen us through every phase of Gygi's and supported us, a small "Mom and Pop" store, instead of the big box discount stores. These customers have made it so that our store is not in a "recession". People are turning back to their kitchens, wanting to learn more about what they can make, to save some money, but doing it in a unique fun and gorgeous ways that gets all ages into the kitchen. I love the idea!! Imagine if all moms/dads made a unique home cooked meal- at least once a week. Imagine what that might do for all those sad feelings out there, for a brief moment people might forget about the depressed world and focus on that home cooked meal that someone put their heart and soul in to and wants to share it with you!!

One of my goals as a mother, is to make sure that my children feel 100% comfortable and confident in the kitchen. I LOVE IT!! (My secret passion and dream is to one day be able to bake for a everyone and anyone who is willing to eat it.... but that is for another day and another million dollars later!) But our family has always gathered around food, and being exposed to Gygi's at a young age has helped me to develop a love for food and the feelings it can give. I really am not the best cook, Matt will tell you he considers himself a better cook than me, but that is the best part, we don't all have to be Wolfgang Puck or Martha Stewart. If we are doing something we enjoy-forgetting the world around us, the countless errands and cleaning we should be doing, and taking a moment to bake some delicious peanut butter cookies or lemon bars, then at that time We are ALL BE THE BEST CHEFS OUT THERE!!!

So thank you billboard, for reminding me that the world will be beautiful again, people will love each other again, and one day we might all take a moment and share that chocolate chip cookie together and remember that our life is to way to short to focus on the negative. And if any of you want to see it, well its somewhere between 3500 South and Lehi, sorry I don't remember where! (I think around 4500 South, but if you are up that way come see me at Gygi's!)

Preschool for hunting girls??

This crazy "hunting girl" {yes that is how she refers to herself}, is needing to go to preschool! This being my first big kid and she having a mom who is a bit late, needs some advice on what to do!!! Home pre-school could be an option with me being home more, or is it worth just paying and her interacting with all the other "hunting boys and girls"??? PLEASE I need advice, cause we all know next year she will be smarter than her dad and mom!!
AND

...Yes my goal is to update this much neglected blog!! Oh I can hear the cheers and shouts from afar!!

We are so so excited!!!

We just wanted to tell our big {definitely in age not in size}Uncle Josh that we are so so so proud of him! Matt's older brother is graduating from dental school this week and moving back to good old Utah!! Kentucky has had you guys for way to long and we CANNOT wait to have you back. Saige is SO very excited to have Abby and Parker to play with and I hope{ just hope} that Jenni will share her very extensive wealth of knowledge of anything Crafty with me!! We love you guys and get here safe!!! CONGRATS JOSH YOU ARE AMAZING!!

Miracle

Some might say that me actually making a post here would be a miracle, a yes I too agree. But there is a much mightier miracle that occurred the past few weeks that I honestly feel was the absolute blessing of our Heavenly Father's hand in our lives!!

{thanks Bon for the pic, I wasn't as lucky to get to spend the afternoon}

My Mom has been struggling with terrible headaches for sometime now. She finally decided to do something about and found that she had a small brain aneurysm on the right side of her brain. The doctor gave her a choice whether or not she wanted to have it removed because of the small size. Because she had an Aunt pass away from an unknown aneurysm rupturing she decided that for her sanity and safety she would have it removed.
Last night after several several hours of waiting she finally had a successful brain surgery that finished around midnight. The doctor came out to tell my Dad that she was just great and that the surgery went very well. He them proceeded to tell him that he was so grateful that my Mom had chosen to have the surgery. When he got inside he noticed that the aneurysm had grown to a larger size and had actually grown a second one. I am not sure of other details right now, as its only been 24 hrs since the surgery. But we are so grateful for her promptings to do something about it.
I have always admired my Mom for all of her many talents. We grew up thinking we had everything in the world. She made every birthday, holiday and party feel that we were queens for the day! She did everything she could so that we were able to do the dance, karate, singing lessons, or whatever we felt we wanted to be at the time. She would make all 6 of us girls clothes and would do our hair everyday so that we looked PERFECT! Now having a daughter I have a hard time keeping Saige clean let alone SIX girls! She is one of the most selfless people that I know and so close to the spirit. We often tease her that she has these promptings to check up on us, and I'll admit being a teenager it was a pain, but now looking back she was just telling each one of us how much she loved us!
I am so grateful that she followed those prompting and I hope this will only add on 100 more years to her life! I love you so much Mom and am so proud of how well you are recovering from this!

WE LOVE YOU!!!

{and for some beautiful pictures and even more beautiful words check out
these here and here. I love my sisters!!}

Family Pics...

We finally got a copy of the family pictures we took in August. Thank you so much Jessie, you captured my kids so beautifully. And thanks Matt for putting up with us. I love you.

do we really want this going around the neighborhood?...

We awoke to find a great new lawn ornament Sunday morning. Thanks , to whomever it was, but don't be alarmed if you find it on your doorstep. Just pass it on. (And thanks Adhis for bringing this to all of our lives.)

thanks jennica...

I normally don't do these things, but I thought why not, a moment to think about Matt, hey I can do that. Sorry Matt I know you will probably not enjoy this, but I don't think you really read our blog so HA!...
Husband Tag--
1. Where did you meet? **Note this is kind of odd and random, just hope it makes sense and you follow***I worked with his brother, Nate, and Nate set me up with Matt's friend Cj, after hanging out with Cj a few times he brought Matt to come to my house to visit. Matt was different than any other guy I had ever met, I thought he was a little odd but in a good way. A few months went by, Matt moved to Provo, and then we finally started hanging out.
2. How long did you date before you were married? After hanging out with all of our friends for FOREVER, we finally decided to publicly announce we liked each other. After all that it took almost THREE years, but then we were married.
3. How long have you been married? It was three years on June 14th.
4. What does he do that surprises you? He is always so willing to give me back rubs, and brings me a root beer for my "root beer kind of day". Also surprises me with Cabelas red licorice, Oh so yummy. We are both terrible at surprises, but i love the phone calls telling me what surprise he is bringing me!
5. What is your favorite feature of his? I agree where do I begin..... (sorry Matt, don't get upset) I love your eyes, your knobby knees, your shaved head and of course your cute buttock. (thank heavens saige got his, sorry milo you got mine, (thats a post in itself))
6.What is your favorite quality of his? I have always loved his strong will and that amazing drive and determination that he doesn't want all to know exists, but those who do know you see right through that hard exterior. I admire his ability to talk to anyone and can relate with everyone!! And that sense of humor:

SORRY MATT FOUND OUT ABOUT THE PIC HAD TO DELETE IT!!!

(Need i say more?)
7. Does he have a nickname for you? Buddy. It use to endearing but he now refers to everyone like that, so not so much, but anytime anyone says "hey buddy" i think of him and laugh. So its still good.
8. What is his favorite color? (I agree Jennica, is this even a real question?) browns or greens. Anything neutral and earth tones.
9. What is his favorite food? Sushi
10. What is his favorite sport? His sports are a bit different then most guys. He loves to watch football, basketball, etc. but he doesn't really participate in them. He is a hunter. Bow hunter. Need I say more?
11. When and Where was your first kiss? After he moved to Provo at his house on 8th north and I don't know the date, and I know Matt has no idea.
12. What do you like to do together? NOTHING! We both usually have a million things going on, so if we can just sit and talk that is our favorite. Sitting watching Saige, usually laughing at her shocking things, tickling Milo. And cooking together, Matt is a great cook.

13. Do you have any children? Yes, Saige 2 and Milo almost 9 months! Having them so soon in our marriage makes up for the 3 years of dating right? that is what i tell myself!
14. Does he have a hidden talent? He is an amazing singer, but i love it when its just for me. Also he has great knowledge of the scriptures, which I am getting to pick his brain even more. (He never wants to be the know-it-all who talks to much!)
15. Who said I love you first? He did. We both felt it long before we said it, but were both too stubborn to say it first. Ha I won that one.
16. What is his favorite type of music? Best way to describe his music is... coffee house. He likes acoustic stuff, but if the lyrics of any song have some great deep meaning he is all for it. Ben Harper is his love and secret crush.

17. What do you admire most about him? His ability to work so hard everyday, come home and be the best Dad he could ever be. He tries so hard to help me out, and makes sure that I am doing ok. He makes me laugh and i appreciate that more then he could ever know.
18. Do you think he will read this? Only if someone tells him about it, he doesn't really know how to log on to our blog!!!
I LOVE YOU MATT!!
I Tag--- Natalie Smith, Jen Barney, Bonnie, Sadie and Jo, and anyone else!