640 Million

There were 640 million reasons for friends from Utah to stop into Malad today.

This is one of the 5 ridiculously long lines that formed for lottery tickets around town.

According to Jesse, it was a whole lot worse than this earlier in the afternoon when they were stretched around buildings.

This is just Oliver J. while we were sitting in the car waiting for Jesse to come back with the french bread.

No. He did not get dressed all day.

Lazy bum.

And yes, we had to tag-team to Thomas Market because there was a legitimate concern that parking within 500 feet would be unavailable.

All I wanted was some french bread to go with my pizza soup.

There are Malad Friends coming to our house for dinner tonight!

You weren't sure we even had any of those, were you?

Haha. Neither were we.

That's a lie, actually, because we are lucky enough to have a fun few...

We are going to stuff Heather and Russell with sweet pork burritos, maybe play some games, and watch our kids play together.

I kind of can't wait!

He might be a goon...

...but at least he's my goon.

Tuesday's Mantra

Today I will do my homework. Today I will do my homework. Today I will do my homework.

Today I WILL do my homework.

Give  me some advice. How do you get yourself motivated?

Currently I have reward system, a progress chart, and even a sticky note on my keyboard depicting Kristen and me as stick figures in trendy chevron striped dresses meant to remind me that when I finish my assignments I can play with her...

But none of those things seem to be helping me today.

Does that mean I'm hopeless?

Monday Looked Like:

Bold

According to my fan club, I owned the bold lips today...and thank goodness for them (the fan club I mean)...otherwise I almost wouldn't have been brave enough to walk out the door.

(Don't judge me because I can't take a one handed phone picture...)

Also, I LOVE my new haircut. Colleen works magic!

One day when I'm a grown up...{Car washes}

This weekend in Cedar City we took Cami and her truck to the car wash.

I.LOVE.THE.CARWASH.

As we were sitting and watching the bubbles slide down the windshield, I asked.

"Jesse, one day when we're grown ups can we go to the car wash all the time?"

his answer,

"Sure, if you make out with me while we're inside the car wash."

He's such a boy.

Disquiet

I'm a worrier.

It's just something I do.

Dad says I come by it honestly.

I worried so much in first grade that I had a constant stomachache.

One night when I was in fourth grade I laid in my bed worrying late into the night about nothing at all...I was distraught. Finally my mom came down and rubbed my tummy until I fell asleep. She must have been so annoyed.

When I was in eighth grade I decided to quit worrying...about math in particular. I was so bad at it. It never made sense. It was easier just to ignore it...until Mr. Shiner emailed my dad and he showed up at school and had me called to the office...from then on I faked it until my freshmen year at college when it made sense for half a second.

Lately there's one specific thing on my mind.

You guessed it.

It gives me heartburn. Sends me crazy dreams. Keeps me sleepy.Treated me to my first panic attack.

I worry about where we will live, how we'll make ends meet, what will happen at home while I'm gone...

At least I have memories of those peaceful moments from this journey's quiet beginning when my heart was calm and my head was resoundingly clear...

They remind me that somehow, through some miracle, all this worry will have been worth it.

24 feet.

Recently, Jesse and I reserved our moving truck...it's gonna be big.

Last night, I woke up over and over again from nightmares having to do with said moving truck and our upcoming cross country trip...

We were running into people, knocking over the biggest ball of stamps and the worlds largest ketchup bottle, High centering the truck on top of that random pyramid in Nebraska, Getting stuck in the parking lots of various other roadside attractions along I-80, driving on the wrong side of the road, and being swept away by a tornado somewhere between Iowa to Ohio...

I guess this thing is really happening...you know...moving away and all...

One day when I'm a grown up...

Can I have this?

Tickling the Ivory

Two awesome things about this photo:

1. Ollivander is adorable

2. Ollie has yet to figure out how to get down from the stool...