Latest Obsessions...

ALDO Shoe Inserts- As many of you know, I like to wear heels no matter what I am doing. Well apparently I am getting old because my feet begin to hurt a lot sooner than they used to and I tend to change into flip flops half way through the day because I can no longer walk. For my birthday in February my cute mom got me some new shoes from ALDO, but I couldn’t wear them for even ½ an hour without them killing my feet. I went into the ALDO store (one of the many perks of working at the Gateway) and found these babies. They are seriously awesome and are my new favorite thing. They are made of terrycloth and fit in any close toed shoe. They also don’t need to be taped down so you can pull them out and put into another shoe or wash them in your washing machine. I now have a pair for the three shoes I wear most and am OBSESSED. I HIGHLY recommend them and they are only $7.00! Some tips about them though, buy a size smaller than you are and they will feel weird at first, but they will squish down. LOVE Coming Back Stronger- This book was written by Drew Brees after the Saints won the super bowl in 2009. I have always said Drew Brees is the classiest person in sports (he is a Sigma Chi after all) and this book just solidified it. The story he writes is a lot about football, but the underlying message throughout the book is finding opportunity in adversity and how important your relationship with God is. This was a great book for both Mike and I to read as we go through our struggle with infertility and helped to remind us that we will find the good in this situation and prevail. I also loved the way he talked about New Orleans, all he has done to help the city recover from Katrina and how much the city saved him. To me, New Orleans isn’t just a city, it is part of my being and I feel more alive when I am down there and I love that he has found his home down there as well.

The Hunger Games Series- I have been dying to read this series for a few years and finally had a chance to during our trip to Mexico. It’s a very intriguing story, a quick read and thoroughly entertaining. Mike even liked it and finished the series before me. If you are looking for a good read, I highly recommend them and can’t wait until the movie comes out.

Bath Rug- Mike and I went to Target looking for baby girl clothes for Miss Brittney and stumbled upon this beautiful bath rug. I have been looking for the perfect master bath rug for two years and I absolutely love it. It really brightens up our bathroom and I get happy every time I see it. Now I just need to find some complimenting towels and other pieces and our bathroom will be complete! Covergirl Amazement Wetslicks Lipshine- I have been telling my friend Jill about the Wetslicks Lipshine for a while because we both hate wearing anything sticky or makeup tasting on our lips. I love the Wetslicks because they are super smooth, have great colors and I forget I am wearing anything. Well when Jill went to go get herself some she found the Amazement Wetslicks, which is Wetslicks with a hint of Crest Peppermint Oil to provide a minty-breath sensation. Seriously Genius. A GOOD Bra fitting- So this may be TMI but a few weeks ago after getting my hair done and having a few hours to kill, I wandered into Victoria’s Secret. I went in to exchange something but as I was trying things on I heard one of the employees doing a bra fitting. I have had a few done in the past but never a good one, so I never really took their advice. This girl really knew what she was talking about so I decided to have one done by her. Little did I know I have been wearing the wrong size for 2+ years and when she put me in the right size, it did wonders for my comfort and my physique. All women should have one done once a year, especially after pregnancy. It only takes 2 minutes and at Victoria’s Secret it is free.

Lady Gaga- We had the opportunity to attend the Lady Gaga show a few weeks ago with Chris and Matt (thank-you!) and I am kind of obsessed with her now. She is truly a performer and her concert was fabulous!!! What I really like about her though is how outspoken and proactive she is about important issues, especially gay rights. During her concert she stated multiple times that it’s ok to be different, that you should embrace it and that God made you the way you are and you should be proud of it. Chris, one of my dearest friends is gay and has been treated poorly all throughout life because of it, which angers me to no end. I do not believe being gay is a choice at all, and think it’s disgusting how we treat the gay community and the rights we take away from them. I love that there is an amazing pop star that not only sticks up for these important issues, but also donates money to all sorts of causes, including homeless shelters for the GLBT community and AIDS foundations all while raising money for the relief effort in Japan. She truly is an inspiration and while she is eccentric and a bit over the top, she gets her message heard and is making a difference in our world.

Shellac- On a whim the other day, I decided to take off my nails for the second time in 12 years and try out the new shellac craze. I have had them on for a week and am really enjoying how short my nails are and the freedom not having my nails on has provided. For those of you who don’t know about shellac, it’s a gel-based polish that doesn’t chip and will stay on for 3 weeks, so it’s a lot less maintenance than regular polish. I have had my nails on for years because I have weird nails that won’t hold polish, so shellac has been great. I am looking forward to having some fun with my nails and keeping them short for a bit, even if Mike misses my long nails. If you want to get them done, call Hannie at 801.898.2390. She is UH-MAZING!!!

Café Normandie treats- Chris has been SPOILING us with lots of Easter treats from Café Normandie and they are delicious. I am normally not a cookie and dessert lover, but their cookies are insanely yummy, especially their butter cream frosting cookies, wedding cookies and oreo bites. Not only are they tasty, they are super cute and are available for all year long for various holidays. I wish I had some pics but we couldn’t wait to devour our goodies. If you want to try them out they are located at 1984 Murray Holladay Road. I hear they have fabulous lunches and dinners as well and I can’t wait to try them out! EX Wives Design- A few years ago all of the EX wives decided to get together for a brunch while the boys golfed at their annual Sigma Chi Alumni Banquet. It’s turned into quite a fun event and we decided that since the boys got trinkets and shirts from Sigma Chi, we wanted them too. This year cute Miss Rachel designed our tank top design and I am in love! I can’t wait to rock my EX tank because as you all know, I really love love love being an EX wife. You can check out Rachel's other card designs on her blog

Loving all these new finds and hope you will too!

Girls Weekend

Tonight I am braving the yucky weather and heading to Logan to spend the weekend with my absolute favorite girls and to celebrate the impending arrival of Baby Girl Nielsen.

Miss Annie, Britt and Rache Cute Liz and Pierce who were living out of state when the above pic was taken.I have said it a thousand times, but I will say it again, I am so glad to have EX in my life and that all the guys married incredible women who I am lucky enough to call my dearest friends. I am looking forward to a weekend of chatting, laughing, eating, catching up, visiting my favorite Logan spots, playing with the cutest kids ever, some girl time with these amazing friends and spoiling Brittney and baby. This is the first baby girl in our group of EX wives, so you better believe I went crazy with the baby girl clothes! Target seriously has the CUTEST stuff ever and I can’t wait until it’s time for me to shop for my own. I don’t think Mike and my wallet are though!

Have a great weekend everyone, I know I will!

P.S.- We will miss you Ash!

Olive and Cocoa...

Today when I got into work, I had a catalogue from Olive and Cocoa in my mailbox with the above photo on the cover. I am IN love with peonies, because they remind me of spring and of the most amazing day of my life, so this totally made my Friday. In fact, I actually cut out the picture and hung it above my desk to remind myself that spring is coming and peonies will be in full bloom soon. I actually planted peonies in my yard when we moved in and I am looking forward to seeing if they will bloom this year and having fresh cut peonies in my house for a few months.

My amazing friend Chris sent me a floral arrangement from Olive and Cocoa for my birthday and they have the most unique and gorgeous floral arrangements I have ever seen. They are pretty pricey but I love looking at the beauty they create and they have a lot of other gifts and home decor besides flowers. You can visit their website here. Here are a few of my other favorite arrangements to brighten this rainy day!

Happy Friday everyone!

Walk MS 2011!

It is that time of year again; the time we walk to fight MS! This year our journey to find a cure became even more important with the addition of our newest little Lucky 13, Miss Sawyer Lee Bowers. She was born November 9th to Seth and Jess, who are our main motivation in this fight. How cute is this little buggie?!?

This year I want to remind you that the research done to find a cure doesn’t only affect those who have already been diagnosed, but those who haven’t yet heard the words, “you have MS” but will, as well as the family and children of those who do. Donating to this cause helps keep the research going and the hope alive for people like Seth, Jess and Sawyer. If a cure can be found or new medications can be developed, Sawyer hopefully will never have to know her dad in a wheelchair or see him suffer from vertigo or debilitating eye problems.

Once again I am asking you to make a donation, either large or small, to The Lucky 13’s so we can keep the hope of finding a cure alive. You can donate to me or join our team by clicking on one of the links below.

My Personal Page

The Lucky 13’s Team Page

Again thank you so very much for your generosity and your support, both in this and our own personal journey. I always say I have the best friends and family a girl could ask for and life wouldn’t be this great without each and every one of you in it. Thanks for being a part of my life. All my gratitude and love!

Doggie Jail...

Mr. Semper was a naughty dog while we were in Mexico and he landed in doggie jail until April 8, 2011. The story is that my parents were watching them and the day before we got home my step-dad accidentally left their dog door open. Mekah and Semper being the smart doggies they are figured out it was open and took off for a day of adventure. Unfortunately that landed them on Wasatch Blvd and almost got them both hit by a car. The nice lady that almost hit them pulled over to try and get them out of the road. Miss Mekah of course jumped in the car with her because she is the friendliest, neediest dog ever, but Mr. Semper was pretty standoffish and didn’t want to go to her. The lady called animal control, but while she was waiting tried to get him again by grabbing his collar. This scared Semper and he nipped her hand, breaking the skin. When animal control arrived they finally were able to catch him but state law requires that he remains quarantined for 10 days. Semper and Mekah were both taken down to the shelter and Miss Mekah was able to be bailed out, but Semper had to stay. He is on day 5 of his solitary confinement and Mike was able to go visit him yesterday and bring him his bed. . We really appreciate that the woman stopped to help them, but wish she would have just let animal control do their job because he has never bitten anyone before and he wouldn’t have had to stay at the shelter if animal control had just caught him.

Lessons to be learned from this: Make sure your pets are registered in the city you live in, that their shots are up to date and that you don't only list your numbers on their collar, but if you have family members that are watching them, that their number and address be listed too, especially if you are out of the country. If my mom's number or address had been on their collars and they had been able to get a hold of someone, they probably wouldn't have ended up in the shelter. It may also be a good idea to call animal control in the city your pets are staying in and letting them know you will be traveling in case your pet is brought in. May save you some heartache and frustration. Luckily both our dogs are chipped, are current on their shots and are registered in Murray, so that saved us a BIG fine. Semper's little outing still cost about $100.oo though!

As naughty as Semper can be, we sure miss our little man and can’t wait for him to come home on Friday!

R and R...

We got back from Mexico last week and it was exactly the vacation we needed. It was perfect weather and we spent the days eating, reading, sleeping, drinking, taking in the sun and getting some much needed R and R. It was nice to be without internet or phones for an entire week and just be us without interruption. We are normally so busy so it was nice to actually get a chance to breathe, not use an alarm clock, not have to cook or clean and I came back feeling reenergized, well rested and five pounds heavier. We didn’t leave the resort and we managed to not even take one picture, which we were completely ok with. This really was the most relaxing vacation we have ever had and I can’t wait to go back (hopefully next year). Cancun is by far my most favorite vacation spot and I am looking forward to many more trips and memories there both together and with our future little Riccis!