Opinions Please?

So, I've been quite bored lately, so I've been doing a lot of reading. A lot. And I'm planning on doing more. I've got about 170 books on my "to read" shelf on goodreads. So, I've been thinking I'd maybe start a blog where I do book reviews of the books I'm reading. So, I want your opinion. Would the blog be worth my time? Would any of you be interested in reading it? Please comment and let me know! Thanks!

Back to the books

No, I don't refer to school books. I'm done with school forever! I mean books as in novels and novels as in the books I choose to read and NOT books that my teachers are choosing for me! The reason I haven't posted on my blog for so long is because there isn't really much to post about. I still haven't found a job, and Jacob just started a part time one, which means that I've had a lot of free time and nothing to do. (hence the not posting) Pretty much the only good thing about that has been all the time I've had to read anything I want. I've always loved reading, but during college that love kind of faded a bit because I spent all my time reading for homework, and reading kind of became a tedious thing. It took me a month or so to find my groove, but now I'm back to frequent library visits and reading books in a matter of days. It has been fantastic! I've slowly been working through my "to-read" shelf on goodreads, but I've also been adding books to it. Who knows if I'll ever run out of books I want to read. I certainly hope not.

Anyway, in other news my brother David got married last month and I love his wife Sheridan! She is a great addition to our growing family, which has now doubled in size from the 5 i grew up with to a total of 10! Wow! It was fantastic day and a great sealing in the Salt Lake Temple. I am so grateful to my parents for being such a great example to me and my siblings.

Hmmm, what else to say...I got a new cell phone. I haven't had a new phone in a few years, and even that one was a hand-me-down, as was the one before that. So I'm pretty happy about that. Except I have to build my contacts list from scratch. So any of you reading this, feel free to let me know somehow what your number is I would totally appreciate it!

And that's about all I have to say. Sad, right? My total lack of something to talk about on this blog is the reason for my total lack of posts. So until something worth posting about happens, expect similar long breaks between posting.

Hope life is treating you all well!

Family and the Gospel

This past week has given me a wonderful reminder of how lucky I am to have the family I do and to have the gospel play such a large role in my family and in my life. I spent the last weekend at my family reunion. We rented this great place in Fairview, Utah down by Manti and spent 4 wonderful fun filled days with 40 plus members of my extended family. It is amazing to see just how much our family has grown over the years, and so much fun to have so many little babies in the family again. But the most amazing thing is how close knit our family remains even as we grow bigger and spread out even more. Sometimes I worry I'm just a little too prideful of my family,but generally I think my pride is justified. :) I have rarely met anyone who is as close to their extended family as I am to mine, and I honestly couldn't imagine how different my life would be without those relationships. I am truly so grateful for my grandparents and the family they have build and to my aunts, uncles, and cousins for being such amazing family members and friends.

The wonderful experience of the reunion was followed by an even more amazing experience as my new cousin Emmali was sealed to Jon and Kim in the Bountiful Temple. There were so many family members there to support them, and the Spirit was so strong, the feeling was truly indescribable. It was such a touching experience to see their family together in the temple and know that because of gospel covenants they will be together forever. I can remember all the years of praying on their behalf and the experience in the temple was a testament to the power of prayer.

I am so grateful for my family and for the gospel and only hope that I can do my part to pass on the legacy when I have my own children.

OMG...giveaways galore!

Okay, for all my crafting friends out there, you have to check out the Sew, Mama, Sew Giveaway Day!

There are tons of giveaways going on right now that you can enter for amazing fabrics, handmade goods, and so many other things! Most of the giveaways end tomorrow or the day after, so go check them out RIGHT NOW!!!

Here is a link for you: Sew, Mama, Sew Giveaway List

Good luck! I'm really hoping I finally win my first giveaway this week!

I should probably write a post all about how I'm a college graduate and how we moved away from Provo today, (and this time I won't be moving back at the end of the summer) and how it's our one year anniversary in two days and all that....

But I'm too tired to do so today. Cause I've been packing and moving all day, and I'm getting a cold, and something is SERIOUSLY wrong with my foot. It hurts to walk. It hurts a lot. Like I kind of want to cut it off.

So you'll all just have to wait a little longer. Plus, I know you want to see me all capped and gowned and I'm currently not 100 percent sure as to the location of my camera...and the pictures on my camera looked a little blurry, so I might as well wait till someone, (Dad, Sarah, hint hint) e-mails me some better ones. So we'll just be all patient together.

You'll probably not have to wait long and get a post all about stuff in the next few days, since I'm all graduated and jobless, and will probably be out of my mind with boredom. If anyone knows of any jobs in the Salt Lake/Holladay area, preferably editing or writing jobs, I'd love to hear about them and therefore not go out of my mind. Or, you can always come play with me, or pick me up to play! I'm always willing to have some fun (Especially if you pay for the playing that costs money)

Hope that update will hold you off till I'm feeling less lazy and more up to an entertaining and informational post.

Prayers Please

Hey guys, remember how excited I was that my Aunt and Uncle were in China adopting a little girl? Well, I'm still super excited about that new cousin, but they've ran into a slight problem. Their flight home got canceled and they are left to find their own way home! They need as many prayers and happy thoughts as they can get. I know a lot of my readers are family and will already be praying for them, but for those of you who aren't, please add your prayers to all the many others being offered in their behalf so that they can find a way home and also that they can find somewhere to stay after their current hotel reservations run out. And if you need any motivation, here's a picture of their lovely family:



Thanks for your prayers!


EDIT: They've found a way home! Once again, thanks so much for all your prayers!

You'll want to know about this

Amazing Giveaway!!!

For full information, you'll want to check out this post here on She Wears Flowers, but I'll give you a little bit of an intro here:

Tammy over at She Wears Flowers is having an awesome giveaway for Miss Pretty Pretty's card table felt playhouses. They are fantastic! Here are just a few examples:






Aren't they adorable? You can see even more options at Miss Pretty Pretty's Etsy Shop

Now I know most of you reading this don't have kids of your own, but seriously, wouldn't these be an amazing gift for someone's kid? I'm sure you all have at least one little kid that you'd love to give this to!

So go check it out! Once again, the giveaway is here

Oh my goodness!

You HAVE to check out this amazing giveaway over at Vintage Wanna Bee (which is one of my favorite craft blogs lately)! One of her followers will win all of this:




Want to enter? Check out this blog post

Thinking About . . .

How lucky I am to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to spend this weekend listening to our prophet and other church leaders give us counsel from the Lord. I didn't pay as much attention as I should have or wanted to, but I'm looking forward to the Conference Ensign so I can read all of the talks over again.

A lot of the time I think I'm doing really good at healing from things I've gone through in the past and finally gaining a healthy amount of self-confidence. Then I get on a down slope, usually for no reason that I can think of, and start feeling really bad about myself again.

Lately I think that's because I worry about what I'm doing with my life. Do I have enough purpose in my life? I need to find a job in the next month since I'm graduating and all, but I can't seem to find very much passion for an editing job in my heart. Sometimes I worry that I'm not passionate about anything, at least not passionate enough. Sometimes I feel like I must be the most boring person in the world.

One day last week I was bored/avoiding writing a paper, and I was reading my writing blog and thinking that I was decent writer and I wish I would have kept it up instead of hardly writing when I didn't have a class that gave me a reason to write. But that brings me back to the whole passion thing. I generally wrote about things I was going through, trying to get over, about family members, etc. And I don't know what I care enough right now to write about...hmmmm. Dilemma. Somebody should tell me something to write about.

Kids are adorable. But, I'm not saying I want one yet. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever feel ready to be a mom. Moms amaze me. Especially mine. And my sister. And they're kids are amazing(not biased at all). Evelyn is the most entertaining kid to be around, and she is so smart! I love watching her learn something new every day I see her! I'm so proud to be her aunt. And Leah is the sweetest little baby ever! I know all babies are that, but really, Leah is!

Next weekend I'm going up with Sarah for girl's weekend at my parents. I'm so excited! Because I get to spend it with those girls I was talking about above. And I don't just mean the little ones, but those amazing moms too! And, my soon to be sister-in-law! That's right, David and Sheridan set a temple date. Though that slow-poke still needs to give her a ring. But I'm super excited for them! (Hope I'm allowed to tell people about this, if not, Shhh)

Finally, I have an amazing husband! He has put up with everything I've thrown his way and never stopped loving me. He always puts my happiness first, and that means to much to me!

I may not have everything I want, or even know what all I want, but I am truly blessed.

So happy for Jon, Kim, Jessica, and EmmaLi

This week my Aunt Kim, Uncle Jon, and cousin Jessica are in China, finally meeting, adopting, and bringing home my new cousin EmmaLi. Luckily, they're keeping us all updated through their blog, and have posted picture from their first meeting with EmmaLi. Just seeing that little girl finally in the arms of her family makes me want to cry, and I am amazed at the ways the Lord works.

Three years ago a little girl was born in China, and for whatever reason her mother couldn't keep her. Over here in Utah, there was one amazing family patiently planning and waiting to add one more to their numbers. Isn't it amazing that the Lord can cross those many miles, and through modern technology and good people, bring that little girl and that wonderful family together?

Although I'm sure the adjustment won't be easy on EmmaLi, she is one lucky little girl and will be welcomed into an amazing family. Jon and Kim are wonderful parents, and Jessica will be such an amazing older sister. Plus, EmmaLi has some extremely impatient grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins waiting to welcome her with love. I can't wait till they get back to Utah and I get to meet my newest cousin!

I am also so grateful for the priesthood power, so that EmmaLi can be sealed to her family in the temple and be with them forever.

Until then, I'm keeping them all in my prayers, that everything will go smoothly and that all four of them will be able to arrive home in Utah safely.

Love you Jon, Kim, Jessica, and EmmaLi, and I am so happy for you!

I like giveaways

Lately I love entering giveaways on craft blogs! I haven't won anything yet, but it's still exciting. Starting today one of the awesome blogs I read, Flamingo Toes, is having some awesome giveaways on her Anthropologie inspired necklaces! They are all BEAUTIFUL! And you should check out her tutorials on them as well!

Picture time!

Remember how I spent a lot of time with my wonderful nieces before I got sick? Well, here's the proof:





Adorable, aren't they?

Spoke too soon

Well, not really because I still think the last week or so was a great one, but today, I'm sick. UGH! My chest is super congested and my throat is all scratchy. My voice sounds weird, and I just feel tired and achy. It came on so fast. Not fair! I think I'll survive though. Cross your fingers for me.

Life is Good

Hey all, thought I'd just give you an update on life.

As I mentioned, my newest niece, Leah Kristen Crooks, arrived on the 17th at 7:45 am. She was 7 lbs 9 oz, and I think 20in, maybe 21. Anyway, Leah got to spend some quality time with Aunt Lydia a couple times last week. I'm so glad that Sarah was just up in Orem for the delivery, because I was able to go up a couple times and just hold Leah so she and Matt could get a break to nap and shower. I loved helping out, because who wouldn't love holding a beautiful bundle of joy, just arrived straight from heaven. Leah's usually asleep when I hold her, but it's still super special, and she is certainly adorable!

Today I stopped by for a while and got to spend some time with big sister Evelyn! She is growing up so fast, I can hardly believe it! I taught her a new animal sound today; the elephant! We're still working on it a little, but she got it pretty well. Next goal: teach her how to say my name. Kids often struggle with mine, so it'll probably take a while, but we'll get there. I also went with Evelyn and Grandma(aka my mom) to the store to pick out some brand new footie pajamas for Evie. I'm so jealous! They were adorable, I need to find some that fit me!

I did have some great finds for myself tonight though, at Honks! I seriously love that store just for the $1 necklaces I find there. Today I bought 6 necklaces for $4 because three of them came together. A couple of them I like as are, but you better believe I'm taking the rest apart for use in future projects of my own.

I also got an increase in fabric today because my mom brought down a bunch of the scraps from my projects in my high school sewing class. I am super excited to have more fabric to make accessories with, but I'm even more excited to use it for my newest project: A baby mobile for baby Leah! I found a great idea for one on a blog(I can't find the blog again, so I've got to off of one from an etsy shop) and it turns out that Sarah needs a new one they can hang from the ceiling because Evie still uses the crib and Leah will be in a pack 'n' play for a bit. I am so excited to provide them with one! It will look something like this but not as color coordinated since I'm working with what material I have. I'll try to show you the finished product when I get it done though!

That's pretty much it. Jacob and I are staying busy with school and work, and I'm definitely looking forward to graduating in April. I'm not looking forward to finding a real job or a good, paying, internship, but I'm sure things will work out.

Call for Pictures and an Announcement

Hey all! Remember when I told you about the awesome magazine I'm working on? Well, I have another favor to ask of you: I am currently co-writing an article about great places to stop along I-95. Only problem is, we can't actually make the drive along I-95 to get pictures of the locations we've picked. It's a long shot, but we're asking friends and family if they happen to have pictures of the awesome places we've picked.

They include:

Ward's Berry Farm in Sharon, Massachusetts
Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge in Wilmington, Delaware
South of the Border in South Carolina
Historical sites, especially Civil War related in Richmond, Virginia
Tybee Island in Savannah, Georgia
and the historical Spanish sites in St. Augustine, Florida

If by any chance you do have pictures you think could be useful to us, please let me know ASAP.

Thank you muchly for reading this.


Also, She is here! My newest niece Leah was born this morning, 7lbs, 9oz, and 20in long. I hear she's adorable with lots of hair! I can't wait to go see her this afternoon. Don't worry, pictures WILL be posted at a later date.