CHOPPED!

Yes, it's true.

I chopped my hair off AGAIN and this time I went a little bit shorter in the back.

Check it out!

Good Reads: "The Beach House" by Jane Green

"Known in Nantucket as the crazy woman who lives in the rambling house atop the bluff, Nan doesn’t care what people think. At sixty-five-years old, her husband died twenty years ago, her beauty has faded, and her family has flown. If her neighbors are away, why shouldn’t she skinny dip in their swimming pools and help herself to their flowers? But when she discovers the money she thought would last forever is dwindling and she could lose her beloved house, Nan knows she has to make drastic changes.

So Nan takes out an ad: Rooms to rent for the summer in a beautiful old Nantucket home with water views and direct access to the beach. Slowly, people start moving into the house, filling it with noise, with laughter, and with tears. As the house comes alive again, Nan finds her family expanding. Her son comes home for the summer, and then an unexpected visitor turns all their lives upside-down."

(courtesy of Jane Green's website)



I loooooooooved this story!! I literally could not put it down. I completed it within 2 weeks- I think that's a record for me! Something about the Nantucket location (Josh and I visited Nantucket on our honeymoon) and the quirky characters made me feel like I was home with family again.

The characters were all very different from one another and I enjoyed reading from each of their perspectives. They all had their own challenges to face in their personal lives which lead them to renting a room from Nan's home. Together they discover their true selves through dealing with their past and celebrating new beginnings.

To me this book was about facing harsh realities, growing from your mistakes and being comfortable with a new you. It exposes issues from death to divorce, to raising children and having an affair. Whether it's the character or the issue, you are sure to relate somehow and grow from reading this!

St. George Trip!!!

I was so excited to head down to St. George for a fun and relaxing girls weekend with my friend Hailey! We made a pact to forget all of our worries and leave them at home. We were ready to have ourselves a kick ass time!!

Driving down was long but so beautiful! With the help of Hailey's iPod we were singing along to Biggie, Salt'n'Peppa, and Bonnie Raitt!!

We were going to be staying at Hailey's sister Ashley's house
(or "Ashwipe" as we like to call her :) These two aren't as innocent as they look!!

*COCKTAILS!!*

We didn't waste anytime!! Rum & Cokes + Tequila shots were the start to one CRAZY night!! My good ol' friend Macy came over later- it was so good to see her face again! As we shared our stories we all were laughing so hard my cheek muscles started to hurt! I honestly couldn't remember the last time I have laughed so hard... it felt great.

Here are some of my favorite pics we took that night:

The next day we laid by the pool in the afternoon and later went down to visit Hailey & Ash's Dad and Stepmom. They cooked us these amazing cheeseburgers and made us ice cream sundaes complete with a cherry on top. I felt so special :)

Afterward we headed to the Outlet stores for some shopping and decided to take the scenic route. It was so gorgeous in person- these pictures do not do it justice!

After shopping for some new clothes we got all dressed up to go out to Mesquite for a little drinkin' and gamblin'!

I learned that penny slots are where it's at!! Hailey's fav is Betti the Yetti. I swear those slot machines love her- she won so much money!! I was cheering for myself when I won 40 cents- meanwhile Hailey is winning $3 and $5 at a time with no problem. Lucky Beyotch. After several watered down drinks and zero buzz, we thought our money would be better spent at home with a bottle from the liquor store. Good call!

The next day we did some more lounging and shopping. We knew we would have to be leaving soon, so for the last hour we laid out by Ashley's community pool which sits on top of a hill with amazing views of the St. George valley- red rocks everywhere. I was in heaven with that sun shining down on us and did not want to leave!

We took a few last pictures together and slowly got our butts moving dreading the fact that we were about to go back to reality. Who would want to go back to work after a trip like this! I seriously could have stayed there all day.

On the way back despite the fact that Hailey's iPod had died, her CD's got left at Ashley's, and all that was on the radio was Jesus tunes, we saw this beautiful rainbow! It was the perfect way to end the weekend.

As we drove back into more rainclouds and stormy skies, I smiled as I looked through the pictures on my camera. Life is all about making memories and being with the people you love. We didn't have a care in the world and I know I will look back and smile every time. Even though I knew tomorrow was going to be back to stress and the every day hustle, I held on to being in that carefree state of mind as long as I could.

I thought of when Hailey, Macy & I all stopped in the middle of our drunken giggles that Friday night and sang along to Bob Marley:

"Don't worry about a thing,
cuz every little thing is gonna be alright."

Well said Bob, well said. :)

Movie Review: "The Young Victoria"

"A dramatization of the turbulent first years of Queen Victoria's rule, and her enduring romance with Prince Albert."

I almost died when I saw that this movie was available to view online! Most of you know that I was named after Queen Victoria, hence the blog title, so I feel a tiny connection to her, but I've never really known her story. After watching this film and seeing some of the historic events she went through, I felt even more special to be named after such a powerful woman. I learned that her real first name is Alexandrina so we actually share the same middle name! She is also a Gemini born on May 24, 1819. She grew up an only child, her father dying when she was only 8 months old, with a domineering mother whom she refused guidance from after she became Queen of Great Britain and Ireland just a short month after her 18th birthday.

This film showed who the real Victoria was, a free spirited and strong willed woman who cared for people that were less than her royalty status. She was treated like a child, even after she was Queen, and many tried to influence her decision making, including her Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne whom she was rumored to have a relationship with. The movie shows the perspectives of Lord Melbourne and her cousin Prince Albert, who both are seeking Victoria's heart. She follows her heart which leads to Prince Albert, and they get married in February of 1840. They were very happy together and ended up having 9 children.

She reigned for 64 years until her death in 1901, the longest ruling Queen to this date.

(Learn more about the biography of Queen Victoria by clicking here.)

I just loved this romantic drama, I thought it would have been boring but it really captured my interest the entire time. Historic movies always show me that although it was a long time ago and their speech and the way they dress are different, underneath it all the emotions and drama are real and comparable to today's generation. The costumes were AMAZINGLY gorgeous. Although it may not have been perfectly depicted to its true history, I thought it was very well done as a whole. Emily Blunt is an amazing actress. I loved her in "The Devil Wears Prada" and was glad she got this role. I heard this movie was rated #3 for the best movies in 2009. Hopefully Emily will win herself an Oscar!

Rain. . Rain. . GO AWAY!

Dear Mother Nature,

I'd like to ask you a small favor. First, let me explain. . .

There is a serene and calming energy around when Rain comes to town. I love seeing the artistic little beads of water he leaves on the windows, watching his drops splash in the puddles, the peaceful sound of thudding on the roof, the way he clears the air and makes it smell fresh again. He really is quite enjoyable for the most part.

But, come on Mother Nature. Rain has been here for almost 2 weeks straight. ENOUGH ALREADY! It's been nice enjoying Rain's company, but I'm tired of those gloomy and gray clouds he brings with him, I'm sick of him causing there to be wet doggy trails through my house, and I am through with carrying an umbrella when it is clearly the middle of June!

So please, Mother Nature, if you have a heart, ask Sun to please come back and shine those rays upon us once again. We sure do miss her around here :-(

Sincerely,
Kristen

P.S. Please tell Rain we hope there are no hard feelings :-/

"Wisdom Tooth Tale" featuring Brian Regan

Movie Review: "Changeling"

"Los Angeles, 1928. A single mother returns from work to find her nine-year-old son gone. She calls the LAPD to initiate a search. Five months later, a boy is found in Illinois who fits the description; he says he's her son. To fanfare and photos, the LAPD reunite mother and son, but she insists he's not her boy. The cops dismiss her as either a liar or hysterical. When she joins a minister in his public criticism of the police, they in turn use government power to silence and intimidate her. Meanwhile, a cop goes to a dilapidated ranch to find a Canadian lad who's without legal status; the youth tells a grisly tale. There's redress for murder; is there redress for abuse of power?" (courtesy of IMBD.com)

WOW is all I have to say after viewing this film! In my opinion it was very well done and held onto my interest the entire time. I'm not a huge fan of Angelina, but I really applaud her performance in this drama/thriller in addition to all of the other stellar performances. The true story exposed the LAPD for what they were in the 1920's... corrupt. It was unbelievable to me what citizens had to go through to get justice in those days. This film will make your mouth drop, maybe make you cry and cringe, but I promise you will remember this woman's story forever. I give it 5 stars. . . definitely worth renting.

Book Review: "Baby Proof" by Emily Giffin

"First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes . . . a baby carriage? Isn’t that what all women want?
Not so for Claudia Parr. And just as she gives up on finding a man who feels the same way, she meets warm, wonderful Ben. Things seem too good to be true when they fall in love and agree to buck tradition with a satisfying, child-free marriage. Then the unexpected occurs: one of them has a change of heart. One of them wants children after all.
This is the witty, heartfelt story about what happens to the perfect couple when they suddenly want different things. It’s about feeling that your life is set and then realizing that nothing is as you thought it was---and that there is no possible compromise. It’s about deciding what is most important in life, and taking chances to get it. But most of all, it’s about the things we will do---and won’t do---for love." (conveniently provided by Google Book Search)

This is one of those rare books that made me feel very close to the main character. Every rambling thought, every decision she made, even her family members, reminded me of myself and my life. I think I have fallen in love with this author. I especially felt close to the big dilemma about deciding whether to have kids or not, so it was a serious page turner for me.

It's a great story, about life and how it can change your plans and ultimately change your heart. Its about compromise and sacrifice- which is exactly what marriage is all about. Its romantic, utterly truthful, sometimes sad, a little spicy, and just a great read overall. I highly recommend it for any girl wanting to indulge on some serious girl talk.

Little girls bring such delight with hearts so warm and smiles so bright! -- Author Unknown

So last weekend Josh and I had the pleasure of seeing his sister Sara and 3 kids, Taylor (5), Bella (3) and JJ (2). We don't see them very much anymore since they moved to Texas almost 2 years ago. I was very excited to see them, but also nervous because I hoped they would like me, let alone remember me. We started out by going down to his aunt's house in Lehi, the house of the backyard we got married at, and had lunch with everyone. It was fun to see how much they had grown!

Below is JJ, the 2 year old stud muffin. He is just learning how to talk, he's very adventurous and a bit of a dare devil. He will do this big jump and then land flat on his butt on the hard ground, and just laughs. Crazy kids... but isn't he adorable? I'm loving the mo-hawk.

And this is my niece Taylor, the oldest of the bunch. She loves to be the center of attention, she's a little crazy but she is so sweet and I can't believe she is already 5! It's hard to believe that Josh and I started dating when she was just 6 months old.

And this is Isabella, or Bella for short, enjoying her root beer float. She is such a sweetheart, the kind that when she talks it just makes your heart melt. She's got these little freckles on her nose and it's just the cutest thing. She is a spitting image of her mom and wants to be just like her sister Taylor.

And this is the whole Smith family, minus Jason who had to stay in Texas to work. Sara and Josh got mistaken for twins in high school. It's crazy how much they look alike!

His Aunt Susan snapped this pic of us, and I must say it's probably my favorite picture yet! We look happy, and we really are. That's what being around family does to you I guess :)

So Sara thought it would be a great idea for Josh and I to take the 2 girls for the day and have them sleepover for the night. Upon hearing this suggestion, I got wildly nervous about taking care of 2 little girls for an entire 24 hours. What would we do? Will they like it at my house? Will they scream and cry for their mom?? I hadn't babysat in a long time, I haven't even babysat my niece Addyson let alone 2 little girls. I didn't know what to expect, but Josh said they are just kids, and I shouldn't be so nervous about impressing them. And he was right... again.

We planned on taking them to see Monsters vs. Aliens in 3D and then spend the rest of the night hanging out at the house. They had all their clothes packed, and 2 bags full of entertainment to keep them busy- coloring books, polly pockets, snacks and more. I took a deep breath... we could do this!

So we get home and I forgot that my dogs would be providing most of the entertainment. Taylor wanted to hold Nelly like a little baby literally the entire time! I had to explain that Nelly is a dog, not a baby, and that she wanted to run and play with Sam. She would set her down for maybe a couple minutes, and then decided that Nelly wanted to be held again. Josh and I just laughed to ourselves, and surprisingly Nelly didn't put up much of a fight. It was hard to get them going to see the movie because they didn't want to leave the pups! Silly girls...

"See how I'm holding her now? She loves me so much."

It quickly became a photography session with the doggies. Bella got her turn, taking pictures of Taylor and I. She would go, "1...2...3... CHEEESE!"

Then of course Taylor had to get her turn too. We took at least 50 pictures of the same pose. LOL. I just had to laugh, I was really having so much fun with these two.

I taught Bella how to take a picture of yourself with one hand, see above photo. She tried to do the same, but I forgot how little their arms are, so this is how they turned out....

We finally went to see the movie, which they loved. When we got home I made up some Mac & Cheese, practicing my mothering skills, "Two more bites and you can have ice cream for dessert!" We made a bed for them out of our couch cushions and lots of blankets. We colored and played, and lectured when they quarreled. We stayed with them until they got sleepy and silently snuck away to get some rest, knowing that the morning would be a whole nother adventure!

I realized during our time together that they weren't the ones making me nervous, it was my own self, doubting that I would be good enough to be a mother someday. Doubting that Josh and I could handle such a thing. But these girls taught me that taking good care of them doesn't require years of pratice, parenting skills, or knowledge. It came easily because I love them. Love took care of everything. It made me want to play with them, to teach them new things, to cuddle while watching movies, to kiss them goodnight, to wake up to sleepy eyes and invite them to snuggle in bed with us, to go out of our way to get Hannah Montana cereal, to make sure their hair is done and teeth are brushed in the morning, to sing along to Kids Bop in the car, to give them hugs and kisses when we dropped them off.

This experience taught me that while Josh and I aren't quite ready for a baby, it made me feel secure in knowing that someday we will be great parents. Just seeing Josh in our backyard with Bella, blowing dead dandelions, or seeing him hold Taylor in the movie theater when she got scared of the villain, lets me know that he will be an amazing father. I never could quite envision it before, but now it's clear to me that one day it will happen and one day we will be ready for it.

Little girls dance their way into your heart, whirling on the tips of angel wings, scattering gold dust & kisses in our paths.
-- Author Unknown

Rut no more!

So after my last post I realized my in-laws coming into town would be the perfect motivation to start on my re-decorating project! I always get nervous before family visits and it's my natural instinct to want to impress, so I got started right away with a little (ok... A LOT) of help from my handy husband. I got excited and forgot to take "before" pictures, but I figure the after ones are the only ones that matter, right? So take a look and let me know how you think it turned out!

New blue/green curtains (favorite color) and new coat of "Soft Suede" paint.

(If you are noticing those small bright white marks on the ceiling, that is the result of Josh trying to touch up with bright white ceiling paint that we later realized didn't quite match the existing paint. . . it's a small detail so I'm sure we will get around to painting the whole ceiling another time. I'm done painting for QUITE a while!)

My sister-in-law, Sara, gave me the framed letters of our last name for Christmas. It originally was done in a font I wasn't a big fan of, so I tracked down a vinyl lettering pro and got some new ones more to my liking and picked out ribbon to match. Those are new (and also FABULOUS) blue silk pillows to match the curtains thanks to Target, $19.99 each.

Isn't this adorable?? This is my favorite detail of the room. I got to pick out the lettering myself!

I re-vamped the entry way with stuff I already had and hung up my old framed art pieces I got at Shopko for $8 each. And of course the doggies are comfortable in their new environment, how could they not be?

In our Home Depot adventure we decided it would be cheap and easy to make these box shelves. The wood was $3 each (Home Depot cuts them for you) and with a $1 can of black spray paint you got yourself some functional & fine lookin wall decor.

On to the kitchen. . . we re-painted the grass green wall to a more toned grayish green called "Moss" that matched the rug we already had and continued it on to the adjacent wall. We also finally got around to centering the chandelier which tremendously enhances the lighting.

I had this great idea to make some shelves to showcase my fine china that I got as a wedding present. They have been sitting in my cabinets the entire time and have never been used. Both pieces of wood added up to $3 and I spray painted them white. It helps break up that huge wall and gives you something to look at.

So. . . how do you think I did for making this happen in less than 2 weeks?? I'm happy to say that when my mother-in-law came by she said she loved our place and the simple design, and mentioned that she needed to make her house decorated more like mine. What a compliment! Just hearing that made it all worthwhile. Not to mention that I am SO happy now when I come home and look around, I'm very pleased and comfortable.

The only trouble with re-decorating is that once you reach your goals, there is always something else you want to do! I can't help but look around and think of other things I can do to fill in the blanks. Josh says it's a "work in progress" and I need to cool my jets. While that's true, I've already decided on my next project. . . creating a magnet board (like Nicki's) and painting it to match my kitchen. Oh yes. . . it's gonna happen- and soon!