Some people hate em..

So some people love using their camera phone for every picture they ever take. Now that's fine if that's all you have.

But I have a nice big camera you know that I carry to events like weddings, birthdays, showers, gross you know what kind of showers I was talking about, I don't take pictures of people in showers...duh.

But I don't take my camera to school usually, unless you remember THIS post when I did that thing of taking my camera to school.

Anyway, the point is, I have always shirked from taking phone pictures...gahhh they turn out blurry and ugly and whats the point, id rather not even have a picture. But then I realize I wouldn't have pictures of the greatest things because I would not have had my camera phone.

Some people hate them. But today, I love them.

And I have started realizing how cool they are, I can catch glimpses of things I never would have caught glimpses of. For example, today when I was walking by the tennis courts on campus. I picked these lilacs from the tree/bush. Then I thought, oh my gosh in the police beat the other day it said that a kid was cited for picking flowers, because they aren't his, but why would Byu not want to share these with me and my kitchen table.

I took this picture after I had picked them and I was walking away, looking over both shoulders hoping no police officer on his bike would stop me and say, "Put the flowers on the ground, and nobody gets hurt."

Lucky me, they are now in a vahhhse on my kitchen table. That's vase in french ps.

Then I got home and I was feeling ultra spontaneous, so I decided to make Brad dinner since I had to go to work from 4-9 tonight, and I haven't made him an actual dinner in like 2 weeks. Pathetic I know. But I am working more than usual...and trying to get an A in this statistics class that I am taking because I wanted to still work on campus. Anyway, I'm getting an A! After two tests and 20 assignments, I still have an A! Let's hope that continues to the end!

So I started making him dinner, and I thought, I want to make my udon noodles and Brad hates them, I mean despises them. One time I made them like a noodle egg onion bean sprouts chicken combo and he took one bite of the chicken then pushed it away and didn't eat another. That's the only meal I have failed on...well I didn't even fail, he just hates noodles. He would rather eat buckets full of flavorless rice, but whatever Brad.

So he wasn't home today at lunchtime, so I made those noodles just how I wanted them, and I made him dinner and put it in the fridge on a plate so he can eat it when he gets home, but I gorged myself on those noodles. And the point of this? I used my cell phone to take a picture. Which was smart, cuz then I could send it to Brad and tease him that that was his dinner. And, because it would have been way too much effort to walk into the messy disaster room and get my camera and take a picture of this. And I got to use my wok from Ikea for the first time in the world.

So the quality doesn't rock your world, but it isn't supposed to, its a perfectly good picture of what was happening, and its obvious I took it on the fly. But look at how great, Brad can think he is eating this, and I can drool over it as I cook it and then I can sit in front of the TV on our nice cozy couch and eat it. Then I can put the left overs in the fridge for me to eat on the fly sometime later.

So he got homemade fried chicken. Well its waiting for him in the fridge when he gets done in his lab work. You know the norm, getting DNA samples from mouses' ears. Then killing the ones they don't need. It's quite adorable actually.

I hate mice.

But anyway my point is... Don't be afraid to take phone pictures every once in awhile. Although they don't seem beautiful they will be beautiful later. I promise.

Did you want the recipe for my favorite food in the world?

Oh okay, I made it up.

Udon noodles. Simmer them to your own perfection. While they are simmering throw in chicken (raw cut to your desire) into the wok, cook for awhile, throw some teriyaki sauce on them, then throw in whatever kind of onions you want, or dont want. You could also throw in shredded carrots at about right here. Then throw in some peas frozen or not, then crack an egg in there, then you could put in bean sprouts (my personal fav, but I didn't have any at the time), then throw in some soy sauce, like 3 tablespoons, or three packets from your favorite downtown Chinese restaurant.
My recipes are really precise and perfect. Joke.

Cheers!

Holy Smokers!! Are you FOr real!!

Did you know that most decent cards at the grocery store cost like $2.50?

Well guess freakin what!?!?!!?

My homemade, touched with love cards...are all below $2.00!!!!!

"Brittany shut up, you cant even make them for that much!!"-Random observer

"I know!! But I want to sell them quick!! At a low cost to all of you!!"-Brittany

So look at my etsy shop, and buy a card, or tell me that you want an order of 10 cards for 5 bucks. I'll do it, Ill do anything for you.

So click here to check out how freakin cheap my cards are. And if I know you, I'll mail them to you for free, and throw in another bonus card, oh my gosh. thats like 2 cards for one dollar. Yes you heard me. Get those cards off of my etsy shop. Now!

Love you.

Time to Date

When I thought about who I was going to marry... I didn't know he would have brown hair. Nor did I think he would have freckles. Freckles like this on his arm.

I didn't think he would be able to drive for hours on end...Like he has done so many times.

I didn't know he would be so smart. Being so good at doing what he does. And sometimes I think to myself...wow he is going to be a surgeon someday. That's crazy.

I'm already at my final phase in life. A teacher. 4 years and Bam I'm a teacher. But I don't feel ready. We both are going to be having people's lives in our hands. Just in different ways...

It's wierd to know that we married each other.. Did we know we were going to get married in 2009? Do we know where we will be in 2029?
Does Brad know what I am getting him for his birthday?
I sure hope not.
Do I have an incredible stoned face? Yes, yes I do.
Brad and I date a lot.

Like the other night we went to Macey's in the rain and bought ice cream and watched the season finale of our favorite show...Law and Order SVU.

And then one night we laid on the couch while Brad studied...thats a date right?

Lately I feel...like I'm kinda in a daze.

I want a job, I need a job, but lack motivation to go to all these schools and beg for a job.

But, deep down I know I'll find a job.

I just want it to be in Kindergarten.

I know they need me, and gosh I need them.

As for now, we are having a date night at our house. We are going to be roasting marshmellows, hotdogs and then playing games. Brad will probably play an incredible solo on his E. Guitar. Ya right! He doesn't play in public unless I force him!

Cheers.

I live...

This is our front room. Yes, we have a normal front room. Brad said we could move his amp and electric into the spare bedroom, but I said, "NO! Its who you are!" IT has to be in the front room.

Everybody has one or two guitars laying around. Just you know, just in case we need to play at any given moment. Oh I gotta take out the garbage, WAIT! I gotta play my guitar! Isn't that zebra the cutest thing ever!!

The best part is this...Yes this plant!! It lives!!!!! You see, it was dying and Brooke told me her tenants at her condo said to her, "Get this ugly dying plant outta here." So I said, "I will take it, I can take it on and save it." Well it lived in my hole in the wall with Brad, and everyone doubted its ability. Everyone. Then it began to sprout green again. And I fed it miracle grow. And now we have made it this far. Well, then we moved it to Brad's mom's house and there may have been a miscommunication (I'm not going to point fingers) but somebody left it outside all night in the freezing cold, and hello its a tropic plant! So we are back in the saving stage. Sally also told me that plants get traumatized when moved....well the poor little thing got traumatized. So now its home, lets see if we can keep it alive. But seriously, I love the love sac. Its the best. And windows!! Oh my gosh windows!

Look it how cute this kitchen is! So much cuter than my moldy previous kitchen. I have cupboards! I have counter space! I have drawers!! Dishwasher!!!

Washer and dryer!!! With beautiful natural light flowing in above!! Wow!! 

And this is our spare bedroom, currently.....a disaster....I may have to come back to you on that one :)

And this is our bedroom, I never make the bed, neither does Brad, its like a special occasion when one of us does and we hug and say "GOOD JOB!!!"

OH MY GOSH I HAVE A TUB!!!!!!! And a toliet of course.

We bought a king bed (best decision ever) and we still dont have a bed frame.....so we are on the floor...but we like it. It works. So...obviously we are still in transition, still working on those silly bedrooms. :) 

But its where we live and we love it!!! 

It feels nice to be able to say, "Come in!!" and not begin the apologizing. Oh sorry its so cluttery and moldy. Now I can say, "Look at this, oh and look at this!!" I love it!!!

Birthday

It's my mother in law's birthday today. 

She is 54.

That's 54 years she's been around.

Duh.

She was an amazing mother.

She is the reason my husband is normal :) in his crazy life.

Sometimes when we are on the topic I just shake my head and say, "Why are you so nice to me after everything you have been through?"

He shrugs and says, "I don't know, pass me the milk."

He doesn't get into it, the deepness of it. The pain he went through, he just says it is what it is.

But really I know it was Rachelle that helped him be normal.

By normal I mean so kind, friendly, respectful, caring and loving.

She took care of him when nobody was there. And I owe her everything because, she raised my husband.

He is good to me.

Except yesterday. Yesterday something happened. He was playing the guitar. Typical Guitar Man. And he needed to be tickled. So I was tickling him on his legs while he was playing guitar. He said to me, STOP RIGHT NOW!" I thought it was really funny so I kept tickling him. He grabbed my hands and said, "STOP!" I thought it was really really funny, so I waited a little bit longer, then I tickled him more than I had the times before. I was kneeling down on the ground and he was sitting on the couch. Then he flipped out and his guitar flew into my face. The capo hit me right in the eye. Quite hard. This dropped me to the ground and I tried so hard not to cry. Brad said, "Oh my gosh, no don't be hurt." 

Then he came and put his head down by me. "Im so so so so sorry, are you okay?"-Brad

My eye-Brit

Oh my gosh, she broke her c5 and she's pregnant-Chels (talking about the tv show, shows how much she cared)

Tears-Brit

I feel so bad-Brad

Lump on my eye-Brit

Ice pack for Brit-Brad

Headache-Brit

So Brad learned a lesson. Don't play guitar when I need to tickle him.

Thanks Brad's mom for being such a great mom and Happy 54th!

Whenever..

Sometimes I feel like blogging is supposed to be happy. And I know I have talked about this before. But today, for me it is not happy. I am so blessed. I have lost 6 or 7 pounds from going off sugar and exercising everyday. Our landlord sent us back 2 months rent that apparently we overpaid. So that's always a blessing. We have a beautiful house, now a garden, and a dishwasher and all the things I could ever want you know for a college student.

Except I can't see where the future is going. I don't know if we are going to be able to stay there, I don't know if I will get a job. Now it seems like we may move far away if I don't get a job here in Utah. It seems that everything is changing. And I worry. I wake up worrying. I go to sleep worrying. I have faith and hope but it still seems that I don't know where my future is going. I envy those stay at home moms. If I had a kid, I wouldn't have to worry about the job market, and we could just do what the plan of happiness wants. But, then that is giving up. And I could call the baby my 'I gave up child'. Or, 'I'm scared of life' baby.

Maybe this worry is teaching me something, no I think it is, I know it is.

This is why women are not main providers. Okay, that's a stereotype. But today it is true. I can't handle the stress of not having money. And its my fault. Its all my fault. At what point will I, a woman, break? Can I handle all of this? Can I be the provider of my family? I am sure I can, but up until the point I don't have a job, I worry and stress.
I say to Brad, "I'm trying not to stress."
He says, "Well you wouldn't be Brittany if you never stressed."

Now isn't that a standard I have set for myself......great...

But as I think about my purposes in life. I think that one of them is to be loved. And I am getting that. I could never ask for more. Brad would really do anything for me. And out of all the bad relationships I have had experience with I know that this one is good. I don't lie to myself either. I can make a good list and a bad list, and probably the only thing that would be on the bad list for Mr. Guitar would be that he doesn't take his garments out of his tshirts, then I end up washing his garments with his tshirts. And that's not even bad, that's just life. And it becomes something we joke about....and then he tackles me on the bed, and then...ya you don't want to hear about this.

I feel like I have other purposes too. I have opportunities to make differences in people's lives. I have an opportunity to be myself and make my weaknesses strengths, and my strengths even stronger. I have an opportunity to love others.

I have a purpose to love others and make people happy. I can do that. That doesn't cost anything, but time.

I have a family. And my purpose is to be a part of that family and contribute. In anyway I can.

I have the ability to nurture. That's my divine calling right? Isn't it? Shouldn't I do it? Isn't it all about what my job will be when I get a job? Teaching, that should really be changed to nurturing. Nurturing others.

I have a purpose here. Even if I worry to death. Some reason I am still alive.

And I guess, if I don't get a job/make money for my livelihood. I have a purpose, so that must not be my current purpose...I guess?

I want this dog. If Emma could come visit me for a week. I know I would be oh so happy. :) I don't really have a discussion about a purpose here.

I have friends, family, and a spouse, all whom I love forever. Forever ever.

And without them....I would have no purpose really.

House, Couch, Milk, Caterpillar, Beautiful

As mother's day passes I think of my mom.

And my mother in law.

Both shining examples of what a woman should be and aspire to be.

Enough of that boring stuff though..

I have a new house!

I don't have this couch anymore...

It gave us some fun times.

But don't worry will still have the guitar, and 2 electrics and a bass, which I call a bass like a bass fish.

Cuz now that we have room in our new house, we can keep all of Brad's guitars, and amp, so he plays his electric guitar frequently now, I would say more than his acoustic.

I only had one person tell me my apartment was cute my entire year of living there. And it was my visiting teacher. Of course she would, she is trying to make my life better.

It was not cute.

It had lots of spiders like this one...can you spy the spider?

This was actually taken with my mobile phone. Sent to Brad with the message...."I HATE IT HERE"

I actually thought the cupboard was the fridge one day. I went around saying to Brad, WHERE IS THE MILK!!?!?!?!? 

Then we searched and searched and found it here.... in the cupboard.

Isn't this the most beautiful thing ever? Found in Midway Utah.

I thought you needed something beautiful after all the ugliness of my apartment :)

Did you know there was mold everywhere. I cleaned and disinfected everyday and somehow my plates got mold, my sink got mold, my shower ceiling got mold, my shower got mold, my fridge got mold, my food got mold. I couldn't avoid it, it was too musty and dirty there.

But now we have moved....so we can have a baby...

In a few years.

And I hope that baby is a mix of us.

We have a yard now too, and my dad came and fertilized it. Its going to look beautiful soon. I also am starting a garden. It should be beautiful.

Beautiful seems to be my word here, I'm adding it to my blog title.

Done.

I made a roast for Mother's Day. And mashed potatoes and gravy all from scratch, my mom taught me that.

Then Brad made cookies, and his mom and Chelsea and I kept saying, "Wow you really know how to do it!" We were impressed at the crunchy but softness of his cookies. Man of many talents.

Stay tuned for garden, house, guitars, and spider I found under the hose.