i am art.

i don't know who i am if i am not creating. i feel like i have no life if i'm not making something. it's a flaming passion that i have recently let burn.

i used to be very afraid to show my art, my designs, my creations, but lately all i want to do is make things and give them as gifts. unfortunately, i'm terrible at remembering to take pictures of the things i make. so, sadly i do not have show and tell.

i've been dying to open and etsy shop. my goal was to have one opened by the end of this month, but guess what? i don't have anything to sell! i should probably start designing more if i ever want to open a shop! i'm calling it BirdBrainBoutique. someday it will be alive.

if you happen to have any items that i've given to you and if you happen to feel like taking a picture and emailing it to me, it just so happens i would enjoy that. : )

stay tuned. someday i'll be famous.

it's friday, i'm in love

Here are some lovely things that I find to be... well.... lovely! : )

This camera! I am so in love with it!



It's an instant camera with pictures the size of a credit card. I'm dying to buy it!

These shoes are so good.

I love a creatively organized space!









What an inspiring way to re-purpose an armoire! The last one is my favorite!

This tattoo is so pretty. : )



I have and always will love this book.


This song is one of my all time favorites. It never gets old.

I am a tree....





Joel Dewberry fabrics are to die for....

What could be better than the VW bus? Except for this of course. : )






This site is fun. : )

For the past few years I have had a serious love affair with sunflowers. They are so pretty. Maybe one day I will share why I love them so much....


Well, that was fun! : )

i love:

My husband.

little letters

Dear Spring,
I'm not sure my wardrobe is ready for you yet so I don't mind if you want to wait awhile.

Dear Darla,
I hate your stinkin' guts.

Dear Dial Up,
I miss the way you sound, but not how you would tie up the phone line and get me in trouble when my parents missed phone calls.

Dear Training Wheels,
You are so funny.

Dear Birds, Owls, Branches etc,
I invented you.

Dear Waistline,
Watch out because I'm going to kill you.

Dear Unorganized Areas of my House,
Don't get too comfortable because I'm about to destroy you and make you awesome.

Dear Husband,
I love it when you talk about comic book characters like I actually know what you are talking about.

Dear Dishes,
Are you sure you are not multiplying overnight in the sink?

Dear Price is Right,
I'm still waiting for all of the cars, boats, trips, jewelry, money, furniture, appliances, and plinko chips that you owe from all my years of winning.

do you think...

Nine months is too long to wait between posts? Um, I think not! (Except, I'm lying, but I just didn't know what to say.)

It's late in the p.m. right now. (Really only like 9:30) I should be sleeping. Church is tomorrow, but I don't feel like going. Bold statement, I know, but I just don't. Sometimes, it's just hard for me to go. Ben reminds me that when things are hard it's probably because they are important. Ben is wise.

The thing about blogging when I'm tired is that I tend to be very transparent, and vulnerable, and real. And it scares me. So why am I blogging, you ask? I don't really know. I must have something to say. I know I have something to say, but I don't know how to say it and even if I did, (which I do.) I'm too afraid.

Does this happen to anyone else? You don't have to say yes if you don't want to. I don't say yes if I don't want to. (Except I do.)

Anyway, I just want to say that I've been learning a lot. I'm learning that I hate a lot of things.

Things I hate: (Don't worry I'm not going to gripe the whole time. This is just part of the journey.)

- I hate trying to decide what I might where to church on Sunday mornings. It's a huge stressful task due to the fact that I have ONE pair of jeans. X that. I have more that one pair of jeans, but only one pair that fits the way I like and three pairs that need to be hemmed.
- I hate having one pair of jeans.
- I hate that my clothes and deciding what to wear brings out all the insecurities I had from childhood.
- I hate my insecurities and my anxiety with a passion but more than that I hate that I let them control me. One day I will be brave enough to tell them that I hate them so much, but not today. Soon.
- I hate that I can't speak when I need to, but speak more than I need to when I shouldn't.....
- I hate that it takes months for me to get around to blogging again because I had such anxiety about being behind. Well, guess what? I'm blogging so eat that, anxiety. Ps. I really hate you.
- I hate that I'm often unsatisfied and jealous and then resentful and angry.
- I hate that I'm not perfect or the best and that I'm always trying to "out do" myself and others around me.
- I hate growing up.
- I hate that I'm sharing all of this.....

I don't want you to think I'm unhappy. Well, it's okay if you do, but I'm really not unhappy. I'm just thinking right now and pondering and wondering.

I'm wondering what I would be like if I worked on all of the things I hate. And learned to love myself anyway. I'm not at all a professional at loving myself and giving myself encouragement, but what if I was?

I'm learning that it's okay to be me even if I'm not always okay with me. I'm learning that it's okay to grow up because no matter how old I am I will always be God's little child, and that's exactly what He wants and just so happens to be what I want. I want to be a kid.

I love being married. I feel like having a husband is like having a great secret. One that is only mine and mine forever, one that I never have to share or give away and one that will always be the best with highest of standards that no other secrets can compare to. I love my husband.

These past seven and half months have been my favorites months of my life. And they have been the most inspiring and educating. I love that I have learned so much about Ben and so, so much about myself. And I love that I will never stop learning. I never want to.

This new chapter in my life is all about learning and love. Yes, I'm learning that I hate a lot of things, more importantly I'm learning how to love me.

The End.

the leaning tower of... cupcakes?

If you know me, then you know that I LOVE to make things! I think it is so fun to make something out of nothing!

I've been working on lots of fun projects that I haven't blogged about yet, but my most recent invention is cupcake stands for the wedding!

I went to the Dollar Tree with my heart set on some plates that I could use for the stands and it just so happened that they had four coordinating plates that would work perfectly! It was definitely meant to be. : )





Great colors right!? I was really excited when I saw them! How are those plates going to be cupcake stands you ask? I will show you. : )







Cute, huh?! I'm not quite finished with all of them yet. I still have to make two three layered stands like you see here and two with two layers and two with just one layer. : ) And I've managed to not repeat any of the same patterns!

A great tip for this is if you don't want any repeat patterns is to pre-arrange the stands before gluing. I just used hot glue, and the middle layers are just candle votives, also found at the Dollar Tree. You can also use drinking glasses, glass cubes, taller coffee mugs or anything else that leaves enough space for the cupcakes. If you want to be really creative you can place flowers, crystals, feathers or pictures under the votives or cups just to add more interest! I thought of doing this but that would mean more dollars and I was being cheap! Ps. All together I only spent about fifty dollars. I dare you to find me this mant cupcake stands for fifty dollars! Ps. #2 I'm considering finding some super cheap ribbon or pearl strands or something decorative to glue around the base of the votives to hide the hot glue a little but I'm not sure! The cupcakes might hide it enough so we'll see. I just like things to look finished!

I may post more pictures when I'm finished will all of them, but if I don't you'll just have to come to my wedding to see them! It's not very far away! : )

rockin robin

Yes that's right! I am a bird and I'm currently chirping on Twitter! (I'm still shocked.) I normally hate and avoid things like this but something came over me and I joined a couple of days ago and already I have considered deleting it multiple times! Lol. It is just waaaay to social for me!

Anyway, if you feel like spying on me my user name is brittersmarie. : ) Don't be surprised if I just up and disappear though! It's in my nature. : )

Ciao!

new poem

I wrote a new poem this morning. I was thinking about writing it all day yesterday. It's about a friend of mine who passed away back in 2003. She died in a terrible car accident as an exchange student in Australia.

A few months before she left she came to church with me and at the end of service we prayed together and she accepted Christ into her heart. She was totally changed after that.

Then just weeks before she went to Australia she let me borrow a sweater when we went to the beach. I wore it home and forgot to give it back to her and I've had it ever since....

People do weird things when they lose somebody they love. I had this sweater of hers and I felt like if I were to get rid of it, it would mean that I don't care anymore or that I don't miss her anymore or that I'm just totally over it. I had this attachment to it because it was all I had left of her.

I've looked at it time and time again thinking I was ready to get rid of it, but I wasn't so I would continue to let it hang in my closet until the next time I came across it. Well, about a week ago I decided that I had to let go of it. It's something that I needed to do. I didn't realize it, but by holding onto it and keeping it, it has really prevented me from totally being at peace with her being gone.

So... I took out of the closet and off the hanger. After holding it and remembering for a moment I folded it neatly and placed it in a box of things to get rid of. It was actually a lot harder than it sounds. Since she died away from home every now and then I would think she was still coming back. So by letting go of this sweater it meant I was really truly letting go of her....

Maybe this is lame or weird, but like I said people do lame and weird things when they are hurt. Anyways, here is the poem. I've name it Bright Yellow Sweater. I hope you like it.

please, don't go now
i still have your sweater
the one you said would keep me warm
but i'm so cold now
i still have your sweater
are you really gone?

what will i do
with a bright yellow sweater?
maybe i'll keep it for awhile....
but it's been years now and
i still have your sweater
no, i have not worn it again

all i have left of you is
your bright yellow sweater
only a sweet smelling sweater
to hide my pain

maybe today i will
let got of that sweater,
but today
i just can't let go of you

over the years now
my memory fades now
would i even know your face?
i still have your sweater,
that bright yellow sweater
it's all i have to remember you...

but i'm letting go now
i have to grow now
i have to heal somehow

i'll say goodbye to your bright yellow sweater
i'll say goodbye to my pain
will i still have you without that sweater?
this is the only way...

i'll let you go now...
no, i'm not cold now...
i don't have your sweater
bright yellow sweater
goodbye sweater

goodbye friend...

furniture frenzy

A couple of weeks ago Ben and I went to Ikea for the first time on Mars! (Ten points to the first person who can tell me what movie I'm quoting.) We had such a blast! We have been saving up our tree house dollars for quite a while now and we finally spent it! : ) (More points if you can tell me where I got tree house dollars.) It was so much fun!

Let me just tell you about our Ikea-ness... We went on Wednesday planning on buying a sofa. We fell in love with one online and we just had to have it! Kyle and Rhianna were kind enough to let us borrow their truck for the day. If you recall, the last time we bought an enormous piece of furniture I convinced James that we would have NO problem stuffing the thing into the back seat of his two door car! (I'm totally laughing out loud right now about the situation!) I was sort of wrong so we decided that we would never ever, ever, EVER write a song about The Sibby or be able to fit a couch in the car! (I'll love you forever if you can tell me who The Sibby is.)

So, when we got there I was just so surprised at how big it was! I heard it was a giant, but I didn't know people were serious! Anyway, I was instantly in love. If you have never been there I recommend taking a whole day to go. There is just so much to look at! Thankfully we had already mapped out what we wanted or else I probably would have had major anxiety!

The sofa we loved was not in stock and let me admit that I wasn't happy about it so I sat on the floor model of the sofa we wanted for about five minutes pouting that I couldn't take it home. All the while Ben is being so sweet saying, "It's okay, Brittany, we will just come back for it. I don't mind coming back." Lol. I am such a brat. But, you see, when I have my mind made up that I'm taking a couch home today it's like someone is taking away my birthday when they say I can't have it. So.... I quickly got over it, thanks to Ben, and we decided, "Let's not let the trip to go waste (although it totally wasn't) and buy something else we need!!" : )

This is what we decided on:We were needing a bed frame to go along with memory foam mattress that we bought back in December and this one is just perfect! I think it has a neat look to it. : )

Since we didn't buy the sofa that day we decided it was important to go back and fetch it a few days later! : ) Thanks again to Kyle and Rhianna for letting us borrow their vehicular unit a second time because, like I said, we could never fit a couch in the car no matter how hard we tried! Ps. If you haven't read about the mattress being stuffed into our tiny car adventure, please do! I guarantee you will laugh!

Anyway, sometime between bed frame day and sofa day we also decided we were going to get a dining table too! It's really great. We saw it on bed frame day and really liked it. : ) Meet the table (or the Robinsons whoever you prefer):


Isn't it cute?: ) It does all these really cool tricks too! Here, I'll show you!

Wait for it....

Wait for it....

There it is!!!

Cool, huh?! We really like how the leaves pull out from under the table so we can save space and not have to worry about where to store them. We don't have any chairs yet, : ), because everything is sold separately at Ikea, but it's on our list of to-dos! : )

Okay, now the moment you've all been waiting for... The Sofa!!! Can I just say that I think Ben was more excited about buying this than I was! It is pretty cool... Alright, enough wasting time.

Here it is:

I love it! I'm so excited to get some great throw pillows and a cool ottoman to go with it! Ross, here I come! : ) There is also this really amazing chair on Craig's list that I have been drooling over for awhile now. I don't think many people are interested in buying an enormous green orange and yellow flower printed polyester chair from the seventies. I don't know why.... Anyway, It would look great with this sofa!

Well, there you have it! Our adventures in Ikea-ing! I'm really looking forward to decorating! : )

sunshine on my window

What a refreshing day! I love waking up to the sun. : ) I always feel so excited about the day when the sun is shining in the morning. It always reminds me of when I was little. I loved being outside.

Today was a great day. After church Ben and I went to lunch and then hunted down a few garage sales that I found in the paper. I love garage sales! I'm always so disappointed on sunny saturdays because I know there are going to be so many that I can't go to because I'm working. I'm jealous when my parents and my sister get to go because I feel like they are taking all the good stuff! Anyway, I didn't buy much today; just a cool trunk, a really neat yellow glass bottle and an old version of trivial pursuit. All for less than twenty dollars! I just love garage sales! I love them even more when I get to go with Ben. : ) We always have a lot of fun!

For the past few months I have been thinking about how I hate all of my furniture, but I know I'm going to need some of these things after I get married. I don't really want to buy all of it new so I've decided that I'm just going to paint and re-do everything in my room! I love reinventing things!

When I heard we were suppose to have nice weather this weekend I knew it was the perfect time to start my furniture make overs. I was originally going to work on my dresser but I couldn't find the perfect paint and since I've never done anything like this before I decided it would be better to start small. So, I chose one of the stands that I had hiding in the corner.

Here it what it looked like before:


It wasn't terrible to begin with, but not really something I will use/like in the future. But now, I love it! Take a look:


Isn't it great?! I really like it and I had a lot of funny working on it! Benjamin and the guitar kept me company the whole time. : ) It was a really calming way to spend the rest of my afternoon!

I had a good day! : )

mi favorito

I've decided that it would be fun to share a few things that I like to call my favorite. In no particular order, the nominees are:

- Oreos. They are a delicacy when dunked in milk.

- Laughing. Sometimes/all the time, I laugh without reason.

- Quoting movies... and then laughing. Favorite movie to quote: all of them.

- I love to lie, make up stories, and do anything I can to convince others that I don't have common sense. Their reactions are hilarious! Example: I convinced a person that I think the people who drive taxi's are called taxidermists, and when this person told me what a real taxidermist was I told them there was no such thing.

- Nicknames. I often rename people, and inanimate objects and normally I'm the only one who knows about it.

- The Discovery Channel.

- The Office. Ah, I've seen every episode and have laughed during every one. Man, Michael is so embarrassing sometimes!

- I love speaking with a British accent! Often when I'm talking to myself, I am British.

- Flowers, among many obnoxious hair pieces, are my favorite way to accessorize my hair. A lot of times it's to disguise the fact that it hasn't been washed in days..... Shh! Don't tell!

- I love the truth and speaking truth even if it means people don't like it.

- Callie is my favorite friend. : ) We have been BFF since the beginning of time.

- Ben is my favorite boy. I hardly know him ; ) but there's just something about him that I love.

- Asking very random would you rather questions is a favorite ice breaker of mine.

- People watching! Ahahaha!

- Baseball, although, there is no crying.

- Singing. I just love singing!

- Bomberman, but hate the gold guy! Ugh!

- Currently, my favorite color is green, but I'm pretty sure it's always been my favorite.

- Fishing with my dad is also a favorite pass time. I've been fishing every year since I was two and have caught more trout than I can keep track of, but my favorite fish to reel in is definitely a salmon. Oh how I love a good fight!

- Surprises!

- I love to change my mind, but only when it's my idea. : )

What a variety of favorites! I think I'm going to pause for now before I start rambling. ; )

the promise of all promises

adventures in h2O

The other day I was so thirsty! I normally bring my own agua, but on this day I forgot to. When this happens I usually buy some in the food court. For only twenty five cents I can get a huge cup of water, but the mall wasn't open yet and I had a client coming in soon. So.... I walked to the vending machine and they want a bone a half for a bottle of water! I couldn't believe it! But since I was so thirsty I decided to shell out the buck fifty to quench my thirst.



So.... I go the vending friend and insert my dollar and it tells me that I need exact change. Well, I don't have exact change so I tried again.... and again, didn't work. So I thought I was being really tricky and put my other dollar into the machine next to it and pressed the coin return. Take that you exact changer you!

Much to my annoyance the coin return gives me this:

UGH!!

But lucky for me there is yet another machine neighboring my water enemy. So I put another dollar into that one and you know what it did? It ate my dollar!!! It wouldn't give it back! What a jerk! So rather than kicking the darn thing I bought some mints.

By this time, I had already run into my client and she was patiently waiting for me so I ran back to the salon, grabbed some quarters, and dashed back down the unfriendly vending friend. And guess what?

IT WOULDN'T TAKE MY CHANGE!!!!!

So, I pretty much wasted several minutes desperately trying to get water only in the end to be left terribly thirsty! Ah!

only a glimpse

I've been far away for quite sometime.... I've been reflecting a lot these past days.

I remember when I use to live and breath only to write and paint. Everything was art to me. I miss that.

So, I've decided that I really want to get back to being me.

I've been feeling very inspired by many people and places and I truly feel that I have reached a turning point in my life where I don't have to settle anymore. I feel like I have cut myself short from reaching my true potential, and well.... I'm over it.

Here is poem that I randomly decided to write. It's hot off the press. I think I would like to call it A Thousand Words. I painted a small picture of my self and you know what they say...

A Thousand Words

I am a tree, that sun flower reminds me of me, but I also have wings, and my ears can scream.

I relate to my cat, she knows where it’s at, she wants to be near only when she’s near, and that’s the end of that.

I sing really loud but without any sound, I only dance when no one else is around, and often wonder what it’s like to be the ground.

I whither after I grow, have nowhere to go, but I never let it show.

My face is cracked, but no one asks who is that girl behind the mask?

I am a tree, that sun flower reminds me of me, but I also have wings, and my ears can scream.


I really like it. : )

I think I should probably go to sleep now. This is the first night in a while that I have gone to bed really happy.

Goodnight!

my christmas story

Christmas is just days away.

I always count down the days until Christmas, but not for the same reasons as those who love counting down because it means they get to take one more piece of candy from the calendar or because I'm so excited about it I need to know exactly how many days are left. I count down because I'm so over it. By the time Christmas actually gets here I wish there were no Christmas at all.

It has been said by many people that I am The Grinch. It used to bother me that I would be labeled this. My response would be, "Just because I'm not drooling over everything red and green and singing Christmas carols at the top of my lungs, and because I don't love snow, and I hate Santa Clause does NOT mean that I am The Grinch. I don't try to take Christmas away from anyone and haven't stopped anyone or told anyone that they can't have Christmas, so just leave me alone and mind your own business okay?!" Yes, these words I have spoken many times. I think what made me upset the most was that I knew they were right. I am a grinch. I do steal Christmas from everyone around me. I take their joy and chew up with my bitterness towards this stupid holiday and I spit it right at them. I take Christmas from people who truly love it.

Sadly, I had not made this discovery in its entirety until just recently and this can explain my lack of blogging. I have been thinking about so much lately and haven't been really sure how to interpret my thoughts.

Since I've started going through Celebrate Recovery I have really learned how to examine situations and examine my heart to learn what is really bothering me. I can tell you that it's never on the surface. It's always that little splinter buried deep in my heart that over time has turned into something huge because rather than letting God take it from me, I have decided that "this one's mine" and I can take care of it myself. Except, I can never take care of anything myself... and nothing is ever "mine"...

With that said, I've really been spending a lot time exploring my heart and my emotions and truly identifying the real reason I hate Christmas. I feel like it sounds so stupid but I'm going to tell you anyway because who cares about stupidity?

Growing up, my parents always, always, always made sure we had the best Christmas mornings we could possibly have. I didn't know it at the time because I was so young, but this was so challenging for them. It's not easy when there are five children who are so excited about what they might get. Somehow, they always got it right. We were always so happy and thankful. Looking back now I feel an enormous amount of guilt because my parents were constantly giving up so much of what they needed to make sure we were happy. Maybe guilt is not the right word... I think gratitude is more appropriate.

Something else that was so huge in our family during Christmas was the big guy himself, Santa. I hate Santa now, but when I was younger I was always in such awe on Christmas morning. How did he just know I wanted all of these great things? And how did he manage to fit inside our chimney with out being burned? I was always full of so many questions and my parents always had the right answer. Santa was so magical.

Most children, girls especially, love all things magical. We love to believe that somehow we are a secret princess hiding out away from evil and one day that prince of ours will snatch us up and keep us safe. Anything pretend is always so real. We love to play dress up, spin in dresses, and use our imagination to travel the world.

I was a very imaginative little girl who loved to believe in the extraordinary. One day I would be a beautiful ballerina dancing my way to fame, the next I was a pirate trying to defend my ship and my honor, and some days I was just me. I would spend the whole day trying to plan my next adventure. I always believed it would be real someday. So, naturally Santa Clause just fell into place. He was magic. And I always loved a good mystery.

That was until I learned he wasn't real..... This really sounds so stupid, but I cried so much. Not because I was really all that sad, but because I was really angry. I hated my parents that day, but most of all I hated myself for believing in something so stupid. I was nine and so embarrassed that I let myself get caught up in something so pretend. I cried more when I realized that not only was Santa a fake, but so was The Tooth Fairy and The Easter Bunny. Everything that was magical and wonderful was suddenly taken away from me.... My childhood was taken away from me....

After that, Christmas wasn't the same. There was no magic anymore. I started to dislike Christmas when I was only nine years old. And since I hated Christmas when I was nine, why should I like it when I was ten? Or eleven? And now, twenty two?

Don't get me wrong, I love to buy and give gifts to others, but I just don't think Christmas is very fun. Over the years I've developed a million reasons why I don't like this holiday. I think the shopping hype is ridiculous, I hate the stress that goes along with it, figuring out whose family to spend time with first and deciding if I'm being spread equally is always a challenge, and these are only a few. But all of these things are so frustrating to me. I struggle every year, and if it were up to me I'd spend Christmas alone.

In many ways, I am alone on Christmas. I am not attached to tradition, I don't show a lot of emotion, so it's always hard for me to have love this day like everyone else around me. I don't always try to be so distant; often it just happens because I was distant in the first place, but then there are times that I know I'm far away and generally I stay there, but I'm not sure why...

This Christmas season has been especially challenging for me. This is my last Christmas at home and unfortunately I feel I still might be the same bitter girl I was last year. I've been trying hard not to be so angry and hate everything but it truly is all I know.

God has been really speaking to me these past weeks, and I have felt so strongly that He has been begging me to allow Him to change my ways so I decided that maybe I should try doing something "Christmas-y." I rummaged through my bin of craft supplies and found some things I liked. I decided to make matching ornaments for myself and my family. I don't really like them; they're cute and everything, but they're just ornaments. I did, however, enjoy making them. I felt nice to just sit alone and reflect on my emotions about this holiday.

I've come to the conclusion that it's okay if I don't love this time of year, but I shouldn't be so greedy to take it away from those who truly love it. I feel that, even though it may not be obvious, I have grown a lot during this Christmas season and I know that there is so much more room for continual growth.

I've also decided I want to let go of all of this pain and bitterness that I have been carrying all these years and I want to let God move through my heart and heal my hurt. I've decided that this one in not mine anymore; I'd like to give it to God and that, my friends, will be the gift I give myself.

where in the world is carmen san diego?

Hi....

It's been so long since I have done any kind of blogging and now that I'm here I still don't feel up to it. It's weird. I've just felt really tired these days and I feel like I can't think and when I do, I think of everything so... I'm avoiding my brain right now!

Anyway, I'm still here amongst the living. Maybe when my brain thaws I will get back here and tell you all about my exciting (or not so) adventures!

I do have a piece of great news! My Best Friend will be home in just two days! This is very exciting to me. My heart has really missed her heart the past few months. It will be really great to spend some time with her!

Okay, Bye!

maurices sidekick

So... today I hated my tank top. It just wasn't the one that I really wanted. I was getting ready in a hurry and somehow grabbed one that I'm not friends with. We don't even get along. I didn't even realize it until I got to work and when I looked in the mirror I literally said, "Ugh, I don't like you!" My co- workers thought I was saying it to myself so I had some explaining to do.

Normally when I don't like my clothes I just deal with it and move on with my day, but there are some days when I have to do something about it! Today was one of those days. I decided that I was going to run down to Maurices really quick and find a different shirt. I knew which one I wanted and it worked out perfectly that they were buy one get one half off! So, I bought a green one and a teal one. These will be good friends of mine. : )

While I was there the girl working asked my opinion on a shirt for this lady that was trying to find something to wear to a really fancy party tonight. She said, "Hey, Brittany what do you think of this? She's going to a party tonight and everyone going is a millionaire!" I laughed and said, "I like it! We can totally make you look rich!"

While I was paying she was trying on her shirt and decided that she didn't like it. I saw a really cute one hanging on the back wall and for some reason I felt like it was my responsibility to help this lady look hot! So, I just helped myself to getting it down and said, "Hey what about this one? It will look really good on you!" It was a silky wrap top with a sparkly band around the waste." She said she liked but wasn't sure if it would look okay on her and was concerned that it was cut too low. So, I said, "If you want I can find a cute tank top to go underneath. It will add color and keep you covered. It looks really good to layer!" I found a pretty blue lacy tank and gave it to her to try on. All the while, the girl working was saying,"Brittany you're so nice!" I wasn't looking for praise; I was just having fun. Then the lady said,"OH! Are you helping me on your day off? Or are you just on break?!" I laughed, "I don't even work here!" She laughed at me and was full of thank yous.

She tried the two tops on and looked great, but was still a little unsure. By this time I had to go back to work. I laughed at myself on the way. It is so like me to do something like that! I later learned that she bought both tops and found some great accessories to go along with it! I'm sure she was looking like a million bucks!

snack-o-rama!

The other day Jolene (my co-worker) and I really wanted some chips but we just couldn't decide so this is what happened:

Don't worry! We shared with other people. It was a fun snack, but everyone was laughing at us! That's okay because it was yummy! : )

scattered brain

Well, hello everyone! (All three of you who read this.) Long time, no type! I feel like I've been a little busy bee these days and I have fifty things I want to talk about! Hopefully I will get to them all. (This may take awhile.) If I don't it will just give me another reason to get on here and chat.

Speaking of... I always do this. I say to myself, it's okay if I don't get to everything! I'll just come back later and talk about it then. Except I think I'm just kidding about that because I never really do. By the time I come back I have another seventy thoughts racing through my head. You see, I sort of have an attention problem and have this love-hate thing with my brain!

Moving on! I suppose I should share my topics in chronological order and the only reason I remember what came first is because I have pictures! Lol.

Well, Thanksgiving was fun! I spent the day with Benjamin and my future in laws! For dinner it was just the two of us, his parentals, his grandma, and Tyler. The rest of the clan came over a little later. The food was great and I was very proud of myself for trying everything! I love to get stuck in a routine where I only eat the same foods, but not this day! Sherri did a great job making some yummy salads, but the potatoes were my favorite! (P.s. I love mashed potatoes. Sometimes when no one is listening I call them smashed potatoes. I think it sounds more fun!)

After we ate James and I went over to Kyle and Rhianna's to watch the last half of the football game with them. That was fun and Mayah was being a cutie like always! You can check out Rhianna's blog for some good pictures!

When all of the kids got back to house we enjoyed some good pie and played a fun game! Has anyone ever heard of Hoopla? It's a cranium game and it really is so much fun! I suggest buying it if you ever come across it. I found it at Barnes and Noble, but I'm sure you can get it online.

That about sums up my first Thanksgiving! The next day we enjoyed another feast at my house. Ben and I both had to work so it wasn't quite as relaxing as the day before, but the food was great! He actually didn't get off work until after we had eaten, but he didn't mind. There was plenty left!

I came home to a house full! When I walked in I saw the cutest trail of floured footprints everywhere! Ellie was baking, and it was obvious! : ) Here she is, the little flour covered chef herself!

If you recall, the last time I showed pictures of her baking she had this super serious look on her face. She was doing it again this time while she was making a pie crust! She is so cute and I just know that she thinks she was meant to do this and it is her job to make it perfect. : ) And you know what? I think it is! ; )


Here is picture of her cherry pie before the top crust went on. Let me tell you, she was so proud of herself for making this pie, and it tasted great! I love to see the delight in her face when she knows she did well. : )


While the Baking Bonanza was going on, I'll show what everyone else was up to!

Aunt Saysa (Teresa) and Ainsley were enjoying some crackers in the living room, and here are my brothers hanging out in the computer room playing guitar hero. Paul is on the left and Randy is the one glaring at me for taking his picture!

Dinner was ready so we all enjoyed turkey, smashed potatoes, rolls, various salads, and stuffing. My mom and my sisters did the cooking, and it was yummy! : )


There were thirteen of us total and surprisingly our table just can't seat that many! Lol. So, we end up scattering through the house to enjoy our food! This year, I wanted to sit at the table with my mom, and sisters and the girls. For some reason we were missing a chair and I really didn't feel like hunting it down so I grabbed on of the chairs from the kid table. : )



Haha, it worked just fine! I had place to sit and I was closer to my food! It doesn't get any better than that! : )

After dinner on Thanksgiving there is normally not a whole lot going on. Everyone else is tired and ready for a nap, but I'm always the first to want pie! It was great by the way. My mom makes the best pumpkin pie!

I think that's all for Thanksgiving number two. Now I will move on to Thanksgiving number three......

Just kidding!

I am moving on to Sunday! I told you this may take awhile. Are you ready of another adventure? : )

On Sunday, we decided we were going to go to Olympia. We love Olympia and we find ourselves there quite often, especially now since we are planning a wedding. ; ) It seems like we always have to best conversations on the way home. I love it!

Since I was planning on blogging about our day I had to, of course, take pictures on the way there! : )


Chase and Becca were also going to Olympia that day so we decided to meet up with them at Red Robin for lunch, and it just so happened that the night before Ben got Red Robin gift card so it was perfect. : )

We had just enough on our gift card to cover our lunch and leave a small tip! I wanted to leave a little more but didn't have any small dollars so I rummaged through my wallet and found some coins to add to it! We always try to leave at least fifteen percent so I was happy when my coins were just enough!

Lunch was fun and we all were very full. It was nice to spend time with Becca and Chase! It's something we have been trying to do more often, and I like it! ; )

After lunch we headed to Costco! Where I found something lovely. : ) I have been saving up my tip dollars since summer so that by the end of the year it would equal five hundred dollars. I refer to it as my five hundred dollar fund! When I started saving I didn't know what I was saving for; I just knew that I wanted five hundred dollars to spend on something great for our house someday!

I have had my heart set on a memory foam mattress for as long as I can remember and eventually I set my heart on buying one with my five hundred dollar fund! But no more than that! Now, when I decided something there is no changing my mind so if I think that I will find a memory foam mattress for only five hundred dollars then there is nothing that can convince me to spend more!

And guess what?! Costco just happened to have a queen size memory foam mattress for none other than five hundred dollars! I know five hundred sounds like a lot, but for a memory foam mattress it's really cheap! And technically, since I used my tip dollars, my clients paid for it. : )

So, here it is! My long gone five hundred dollar fund!!


Doesn't it just look so compfy?! : ) Before we bought it I kept telling Ben, "Don't worry, it will fit in the car! It has to fit! We'll be fine!" That was until we got it outside and I realize just how small the backseat of the car was! Lol. Instead of worrying I decided to keep saying it will fit and also take pictures! : )

The picture is sort of dark, but he's just pretending to be annoyed! And even he really was annoyed I would still post the picture because it's all for the sake of my blog!


It took a couple minutes to assess the situation. All the while I'm still taking pictures and laughing and telling weary on lookers, "No worries! It will fit!"


At this point I decided that if I really wanted the darn thing to fit in the car I should probably help him! A few sore shoulders and a smashed thumb later we got it in the car, and I couldn't have been happier! You know why? Because I was responsible and saved up all my dollars and bought this all by my self!!! : ) And because the realization of getting married is starting to sink in more and more each day and I love knowing that I am going to spend the rest of my life with Ben!

I think that might be everything for now. Except I still have things to say, but my brain is scattered and my thoughts are splattered!!!

Ciao!

lovely ladies

So.... I've decided that, even though it is really late right now and I'm super tired, I need to write a blog! I have been thinking about it/wanting to all day, but I just didn't have to opportunity until right now when it's past midnight o'clock!

Anyway, my little sister moved back home last week so we had a little sister date on Saturday. I peaced out of work early just for her! I needed to get out of there anyway! (Refer to my previous blog and you will understand why!)

We were both feeling pretty tired so we just decided to do something easy and easy to us equals Starbucks and Ross! : ) They are neighbors and we just happen to be their best friends!

I was really planning on documenting everything on camera, but I just couldn't do it! Mostly because I was laughing a lot.

So, our old car is just such a piece of... cool thing! Lol. Let me just tell you about it! It loves to overheat. I think its training for the Olympics or something because it is really good at it. Also, the passenger side door has no handle on the inside so if you'd like to get out you can sweet talk the driver or another passenger to open the door for you. I like this approach. It makes me feel special. OR You can roll the window down and reach out to open the door yourself. I also like this approach because it makes me feel like I'm doing a really cool trick! Haha. OR You can look really silly and just ride in the back seat with the driver upfront! Yes, I like this too because from the outside looking in it either makes me look like I'm riding in luxury or I'm really angry and the person driving! : ) But my ultimate favorite part about the piece of cool thing is that the door on the driver's side just can't decide if he likes to stay shut, or shut at all. He's such a kidder!

On this particular day, the driver's side door had decided he wasn't going to stay shut and had also decied to keep it a secret. We found out, of course, as we were whizing around the corner at the bottom of the bridge and the door comes flying wide open! Teresa instantly burst into laughter while I was in the back seat yelling, "Oh my gosh!!!" We pulled over. I was still freaking out, but Teresa was still laughing and said,"Do you realize what just happened? Can we please just laugh about this a little!?" So I did, and continued to do so as she drove the rest of the way to Starbucks holding the door shut with her left hand!

Like I said, I didn't get alot of pictures of this day, but here is a cute one of my sister and her Starbucks:


She actually just got a grande ice water, mostly for the ice I'm guessing. I'm pretty sure ice is her favorite food. : )

So, the reason why I didn't blog about this earlier today was because Ainsley was over for pretty much the whole day, and I don't know if I have mentioned this, but she is so attached me! I actually really love it, and I think it's so cute that she loves me so much. We have a very special bond. Since she was here I didn't really get a whole lot done because she only wants me to hold her. : )

Here are some really cute pictures of my day with her:


Here she is playing with my cell phone. Let me tell ya, this girl is going to be texting by the time she's two! Actually most of her time spent was watching the video I have of her sister dancing in Old Navy. I don't have any pictures but she was giving it kisses all day!


When it's time for food, she loves my mom! My mom is great Grammy so Ainsley really loves it when she gets to have lunch at her house. I couldn't help but take a ton of pictures while she was eating. She is getting so big and it's so fun to watch her!







After awhile using the fork just wasn't fast enough.


This one is definitely my favorite from the whole day:


She's pretty much adorable!

Okay, it's way past my bedtime! My brain is broken, but I feel like I always have so much to say! I am a Chatty Cathy!

Um, Goodnight!