DAY 508... 27 Things All About Me

In honor of my 27th birthday... Can you believe that I am already 27?!?! So old! One of my cheerleaders turned 16 yesterday and I realized that I was 11 years older than her! At least I don't feel that old. Anyway, since I just got totally distracted, in honor of my 27th birthday, I am going to share 27 things with you all about me that you may or may not know. Are you ready for this action???

1. I LOVE Les Miserables!!! But you already knew that one right? I never had the opportunity to read that book in high school or in college, but after being introduced to the music, I fell in love with this story. I fell in love with the book (phenomenal writing), the musical, and now the movie!!! LOVE IT ALL!!!

2. I LOVE the smell of skunks. Okay I know this is really weird, but it's 110% true. It's one of my favorite things about road trips! I seriously slow the car down when I start to smell that lovely skunky smell!!! I would love to have one of those cute critters as a pet someday! Such a sassy little creature.

3. My favorite food is nachos! Growing up, every Friday night we would try a different Mexican restaurant in the Spokane area, just to try out their chips and salsa and their nachos. Every time I get Mexican food I get nachos! They are delicious and amazing and the BEST food ever!!!

4. I graduated from BYU-Idaho with a degree in English/History and a minor in Marriage and Family Studies. Please don't judge me on my writing skills or my marriage now. I have a problem applying the things I have learned to everyday life. I also got to graduate with my Mom and my sister and my Dad got to give us our diplomas! Best thing ever!

5. My favorite part of my body is my toes. They are PERFECT! I love that my pointer toe is shorter than my big toe... Unfortunately Aniston Kate did not inherit my toes. Her pointer toe is already much longer than her big toe. She is still insanely ADORABLE though!!!

6. I LOVE Taco Bell! Didn't need to tell you this one either huh??? My obsession started the summer before my junior year in high school. The Taco Bell in Redmond, OR started having this deal during cheer camp where you could get a burrito, and taco and a drink for $1.99. Thus Taco Bell Tuesdays were born, where we would go to Taco Bell every Tuesday for my junior and senior year and ever since, I have been hooked!

7. When I was 14 I was diagnosed with severe depression. I'm still learning to conquer depression, and it is probably the hardest thing I have ever dealt with in my life! I have been on and off medication, but none of that seems to work well at all, so I no longer take medication. It's been 13 very long years dealing with depression, but I am hopeful that someday I will no longer have it as a a part of my everyday life!

8. I compare myself to EVERYONE! I know that this is an awful habit, and I do try not to do it, but it's like ingrained in my head. I am learning to love myself for me instead of based off of what others say or think about me, but it's a hard habit to break after 27 years.

9. I own every season of The Hills (guilty pleasure), Laguna Beach (not a joke), Arrested Development (hilarious), Boy Meets World (ALL TIME FAVORITE), One Tree Hill (addiction), Flight of the Conchords (musical genius), The Office (every season available), Grey's Anatomy (every season available), Seinfeld (Spencer's favorite), Duck Dynasty (every season available  and Prince of Malibu, which I bet you have never heard of but I promise you would die laughing!!!! So funny!

10. We discovered the name Aniston on the show Toddlers and Tiara's. I was watching it while on bed rest and told Spencer about it when he got home from work. Right away we both knew that we loved it! However, Aniston still wasn't named until 24 hours after she was born because we had to make sure it was the absolute perfect name. And let's be honest... we did real good!

11. I cannot stand fake people. Those people who pretend to be your friend and then when it's not easy or convenient for them they decide you're not worth the time... yeah those kinds of people suck!

12. My senior year I won the award for Human Development Student of the Year... Between graduating High School in 2004 (YIKES) and having Ani Kate in 2012, I forgot everything I learned!!!

13. The series finale of Gossip Girl was possibly the BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT of my life!!!

14. The first TV show I ever cried at was the series finale of Boy Meets World (still makes me cry to this day). The first movie I cried at was Anne of Green Gables (you knew the part where Matthew dies), and the first book that made me cry was Charly (don't even ask me to watch the movie... huge mess). I'm basically a big bawl baby!

15. I had a period of time during Middle School were I was convinced that I was adopted.

16. I sometimes dream about becoming a singer. Sometimes I listening to recordings of music I have sang and pretend I've never heard it before to try to hear what other people would hear. However, I'm scared out of my mind to sing in front of people. My ultimate dream is to sing the National Anthem in front of a crowd someday.

17. In order to fall asleep at night I have to yawn and then not open my eyes after I have yawned. If I open my eyes I have to yawn all over again... It's a little annoying.

18. I am a little OCD. It drives me crazy when something is out of place! To the point where if it's out of place and I know about it I can't fall asleep or relax until it's fixed.

19. I absolutely LOVE white trash bashes!!! I have been to so many and they are the best parties ever!!!! And I have never tasted alcohol in my life, so that's root beer right there....

20. I do not celebrate Valentine's Day EVER!!! To be honest I'm a little worried about this now that I have a child, but we'll see what happens.

21. I can sing all of the Presidents of the United States in order in the tune to "In Our Lovely Deseret." I'm so awesome!

22. I think that Carrie Underwood and Kate Middleton are two of the most beautiful people in the world!!!

23. Spencer and I were married on 9-10-11.

24. The only makeup I ever wear is mascara and "fake" eye liner. I can't use eye liner so I use eye shadow as eye liner. Haha. I cannot stand to have anything on my face as far as makeup goes! Plus, I'm just too lazy to take it off and put it on!

25. I got my one and only tattoo on the top of my right foot when I was 21 and I have regretted it ever since.

26. Coaching cheerleading is one of the most fulfilling and awesome things that I have ever done in my life! It falls directly below being a Mom.

27. My family is the MOST IMPORTANT thing in my life!

I hope year 27 is better than year 26! I'm pretty sure it will be the best year ever!!!

DAY 505... Snow Day!!!

You know it's going to be a snow day when on your way to cheer practice at 6:30 am, you brush at least 6 inches of snow off your car and then you get stuck within 2 feet of trying to pull out of your parking spot. Thank goodness for my neighbor who was leaving for work and helped push me out of my rut  However, the deadline for a school cancellation is 6:30, and I received no phone call... seriously the school district here almost NEVER cancels school. It's pretty insane and dangerous if you ask me. Anyway, on my way home from cheer practice I got stuck too many times to count. That's what I get for living up on the hill I guess. Thank goodness that there are still decent people out there in the world who will pull over and push you on your way.

 (Not my car, but just to show you what happened over night...)

I knew that we would have to go to the store ASAP and get new windshield wiper blades when I basically drove home with my head out the drivers side window because my blades did absolutely nothing! I'm sure I looked pretty ghetto, especially in my sweet Bobcat sweats and South Fork hoodie... I know how to represent! Right before we left for the store, I got a WONDERFUL phone call!!! The kind of phone call that everybody wants!!! No work!!! A paid day off because of the snow!!! Love paid days off!!!!!! My staff was pretty happy with me after I informed them of the wonderful news!!! Let's be honest... I am the BEST BOSS EVER!!! I need that cup that Michael Scott has, you know that one that says "World's Best Boss".

(Rexburg under snow!!!)

Spencer and I bundled up little Ani Kate and took off to buy snacks (treats) for the snow day and to buy our blades. Rexburg really needs to learn to plow their roads. Not cool. When we got back home we tag teamed the snow and shoveled a spot for our car.

 (It was too bright for Spencer to even see, thus the finger)

(And we wonder why our backs hurt so badly after shoveling snow...)

Have I told you that we have a shovel in the car???? It was Spencer's idea, and let's be honest at first I thought it was retarded, but I have definitely used it on more than one occasion. I married a brilliant brilliant man! While shopping, we noticed the safety of Walmart....

Not gonna lie. I was half tempted to stand underneath one of these icicles and then sue after it fell on me. Ani is a windshield wiper blade inspector. She made sure they were the correct ones.

Great little helper!

After we got all settled back at home I demanded that we go outside to document the amount of snow... Plus Aniston hadn't taken any pictures in the snow. We got some good ones....

 This picture made me laugh so hard!!! Pretty much Aniston's favorite new thing to do!!! Such a little goof... .Also she has the longest tongue I have ever seen.... It's a bit weird.

 The snow was taller than my little babes!!!! INSANE!

 Look at all that snow!

 So stinking cute!!! My 2 favorite people ever!!!

 Haha!!! Terrifying!!!

 So high!

 Starting to get cold...

 Sooooooooooooo deep!!!

Have already gone through 2 pairs of boots today... Soaked!!!

So excited to be able to spend time with my family today!!!! I love them!!!! Hope your day is just as wonderful as mine... minus the snow!!!

Things I Love... Take 1

Recently I have discovered several things that I can't believe that I ever lived without!!!! And I bet you are all super excited to know what those things are right????? And don't worry... I have attached links if you decide you want to love them too!!!

1. The Breathable Crib Bumper - Okay, so maybe this is something that I could have lived without up until Aniston was born, but now I LOVE it and I could not live without it!!! I was super paranoid about having a bumper in the crib because of SIDS. Everything about SIDS terrifies me!!! But once we put Aniston in her big crib we realized that she needed some sort of bumper. Her little arms and legs kept getting stuck between the bars!!! So sad!!! So I did some research and found this amazing breathable bumper super cheap!!!! I have even witnessed Ani 100% asleep with her face pushed into this bumper and she was fine! It protects her arms and legs and I don't have to worry about her not being able to breath!!! AMAZING!!! Such a fantastic invention!!!!

2. Conair Infiniti Pro Salon Hair Dryer. Those of you who actually know me know that I have a ton of hair!!!! Usually blow drying my hair would take somewhere between 45 minutes to an hour!!! And if you know me you know that taking that long to get ready is out of the question! This is why I don't wear makeup! I am super lazy and putting it on and taking it off takes FOREVER!!!!  So when my old blow dryer died (RIP), I went on the search for a new one. Let's be honest... I got this one because it was orange. True story! But in reality it rocks my world! It only takes between 15-25 minutes to blow dry my hair (AMAZING!!!!), it's super light weight, it has that super cool cold shot button, which let's be honest I don't even know how to use it but it's still cool, it's totally affordable and it has several speeds and heats. I absolutely love it! So does Ani!!! I think her favorite thing ever is when I blow dry my hair. Too bad that only happens once or twice a week.

3. Triamcinolone. Okay, so you can't buy this you need to have it prescribed to you... or to your adorable 6 month old baby who was suffering from eczema. Notice I said "was"..... that's because this stuff totally cured her hurting dry skin and refreshed it to her baby soft and amazing smelling skin! So I have always (since I can remember) had these red little bumps all over the backs of my arms. They were embarrassing and gross and I just never knew what to do about them. Seriously I can look at pictures from high school and totally see these annoying bumps on my arms!!! Well, after seeing the success Ani Kate had with her little bumps and this cream, I decided to give it a go myself. My bumps aren't gone, but my arms have never looked better! I can feel that the bumps have decreased in size and the redness has really gone down! Definitely ask your doctor about this medication if you are suffering from eczema!!!

I always love to find new things to love... so if anyone has any AMAZING "things" in their lives that you would like to help me love, let me know!!!! I would love to learn to love new things!!!!

DAY 498... PS

We have been so stinking busy!!! It's a little out of control if you ask me! But don't worry, because I have been taking pictures all along the way!!!!!

PS - Did you know that Aniston is afraid of feet, only if they are wearing black socks???? Does anyone else think this insanely weird???? Nevertheless, it's hilarious!!! Yes, I am one of those parents that think the big lower lip and their child's sad face is super funny!!!! Such a cutie!!!

PS - Did you know that Aniston enjoys working out already???? Must get that from her Dad.... Basically my child thinks that she's an adult and has to do whatever the adults are doing in order to be happy.

PS - Did you know that Aniston is insanely cute every Sunday??? This is the best day to have a baby girl!!! There are so many options between dresses, tights, shoes, bracelets and hair bows!!! So many different combinations!!! I'm obsessed!!!

PS - Did you know I attended 6 basketball games last week and had a BLAST at every single one??? Those girls are seriously hilarious!!!!

PS - Did you know that Aniston is going to be a killer cheerleader when she grows up??? She's already getting in her practice every chance she can!

PS - Did you know that baby toes are a thousand times cuter when they're painted???? I finally painted Ani's toes for the first time... of course I painted mine the same colors... TWINERS... and they are ridiculously adorable!!!!

PS - Did you know that I'm a genius  We needed to hang the banana's (I just learned that they last longer when they are not directly laid on the counter... interesting) and we didn't have a banana hanger so I took a command strip hook that we had and attached it to the bottom of the cabinet  and it works like a boss!!!!

PS - Did you know that sometimes when Ani Kate is being naughty she gets to go into timeout??? Yeah, I really didn't know this either until I walked out of the bedroom and into the living room to see her there... then Spencer explained to me what was going on. HAHA!!! She actually loves it! She will just sit in the corner and talk to herself and drink her milk or juice and just love life!!!

PS - Did you know that Miss Aniston is sitting up like a boss???? It's pretty fun being able to watch  your child grow. She's basically the best thing I have ever done in my life!!!! Basically all the mess you see in the picture is seriously from like 5 minutes of her being out and up... Babies are so stinking messy!!!! Doesn't bode well with me and my OCD.

PS - Obviously I LOVE LOVE LOVE instagram!!! Follow me for more awesome pictures at jahlstrom3!!!

PS - Thanks for reading!!!!