if the shoe fits

you know what they say...if the shoe fits, buy it.

I feel like this winter may not be particularly wet or filled with tons of snow, but it's definitely colder than I remember some of these winters being. actually, for sure it is. I used to wear flip-flips until I absolutely could not wear them anymore, and that day came in October last year.

because of this small fact, I've had to buy even more boots. my feet are always cold, never not cold. thanks to the Nordstrom shoe expertise of Miss Richelle McGuire, I brought home my very own Corso Comos on Tuesday.

I think I may have FINALLY found a place in Salt Lake City. it is this very darling house, with these very darling girls, and one of them just so happens to be mine and Andre's friend Heather. right near capitol hill, the house was renovated, and then taken over my anthropologie. my bedroom is ginormous, two sinks in my very own bathroom, and a walk-in closet. we celebrated by eating noodles at Charlie Chow's with Fishkins, Heather, Andre', Richelle, Todd, Adam, aaaand Adam's friend. sorry, I can't remember your name.

Andre' and Fish are so cute together, don't you think? twins. besties. Andre' is jealous I'm moving to Salt Lake.

Sidenote: I realized last night at dinner that when I move to Salt Lake, I will live the furthest I ever have from Andre' in my life, all 24 years of it. (minus his Argentine mission, which re-surfaced yesterday on Facebook. don't think I missed much...)

my iPhone is ordered, and will be here in 6 days. NEXT THURSDAY! which is just fine with me, because the Blackberry that I thought was done acting up keeps freezing. if you can't get a hold of me, I'm not ignoring you, I just can't answer. unless I am ignoring you.

speaking of things happening next week, my new job starts Monday. am I nervous? excited? I don't know. I don't really feel ready for a grown up job, and I just keep thinking to myself, I hope I know what they're doing.

home for the holidays

I really love being home. Today, we had a perfect Christmas day,
including, Christmas shopping, and lunch with the girls.

Followed by, running errands with mom, and
card games with the family.

Carmen and I share a room now. Actually, I just don't have one.
So she is nice enough to share hers. We stay up late and share
facts like: did you know that emus and elephants can't walk backwards?
followed by: no. did you know that rhinoceros beetles are the strongest animals
in the world, because they can move 350 times their own body weight?

Yes, we are nerds, and share a bond of loving animals.
I love my little Mowgli.

I love our home always, but especially at Christmas. My mom
is so cute, and works so hard so that everything is just perfect
for her kids to come home.

she fancies her nutcrackers, I've counted at least 9. this one, is life sized.

and my most favorite room in the house! christmas tree, scripture reading,
game-playing, multi-functional fun place to be.

and Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a list. Elizabeth's includes some things
I probably should have asked for this year.
she's really got her head on straight.

my list only says: JOB.

Santa, seriously. Please.

You've got 2 days.

brain dump

I can't help it, I am terrible at blogging. I always read others blogs though,

so it makes me feel like I don't need to call dear friends like Shauna Lewis because

I constantly feel like I've just been updated on what's new in her life.

(not an excuse.)

I seriously can't wait to be done with school.

Glory glory hallelujah.

Taking 18 credits your senior year is not recommended.

I still have no job- esthetics in Utah is mostly a joke.

You people are cheap. I have had one appointment in two months.

I love having Andre' in my ward, and having Holly close.

Nothing like having family nearby while you're in school.

I went to Disneyland two weekends ago, haven't been forever.

I loved it. For so many reasons. If I ever move to LA, I will be a season pass holder.

It's getting cold in Utah again. I shouldn't be able to complain,

seeing how it is the middle of November and we haven't even REALLY seen snow,

but I hate it. I do not do well.

My North Face fleece and my UGG boots are

going to be the only thing you see me in until next year.

Too bad Bethers isn't here to be hating winter with me.

I have not gone shopping, even once this semester.

Okay once, and I bought these gems:

I don't regret it at all, and I wear them with everything on the days I'm not wearing my UGGs.

I cannot wait to have a real grown up job with real grown up paychecks.

But just because I'm not shopping does not mean I'm living under a rock.

I could really use these items:

I've really gotten back into chicken soft tacos from Del Taco recently,

not sure why but I think they are really really good.

I miss my friends, even though most of them live in the same complex as me.

Amazing how that seems so far sometimes. I could really use

more of them in my life. Also, I want to be back here:

I can't stop watching two movies:

1. How to Train Your Dragon

2. Sleepless in Seattle

How had I never seen How to Train Your Dragon before? That movie is hilarious, action packed, and an all-around good time.

Aidan and Ethan can't stop quoting it:

Aidan: "I have beefy arms! I have beefy eyes!"

Ethan: "Ha. ha. Beeth eyes!"

Hilarious.

It is almost the holidays. Richelle has been lighting her christmas candles,

has her tree up already, and has been listening to N'Sync Christmas on Pandora.

It makes me want to be home with these crazy peeps:

And it's a fact that I have the cutest nephews inthe entire world. Seriously.

Feliz Dia del Padre!

You know what they say.
Su Papa es no mi papa. Okay. No one probably says that. But I do.

Happy Father's Day to the best Dad out there.


thanks for allowing us to get our hands dirty, and do things ourselves.
thanks for teaching us to rub dirt in our injuries, and not to be such pansies.
thanks for believing in us, and telling us that we can do whatever we set our minds to.
thanks for believing in education, and allowing us all to attend school, and graduate debt free.
thanks for buying me my first pony, and not publicly regretting it ever since.
thanks for putting the gospel first, and teaching us how to do the same.
thanks for being mexican, allowing us to not reapply sunscreen every thirty minutes.
thanks for making the best mango salsa, and teaching my friends the gringos how to do it the right way.
thanks for always having the answers, and if you don't, knowing who does.
thanks for making us watch "aliens", "the shining", and all of the haunted movies before the age of 10, so we can have a better appreciation of the classics. and legit nightmares.
thanks for having the patience to haul all of us every summer in one car for two days down to texas.
thanks for always acting like you're one of us.
thanks for being super competitive in pool basketball, and scaring all of my guy friends to be on your team.
thanks for working so hard, and caring for others.
thanks for the most awkward take your daughter to work day experiences, and scaring me directly out of ever having children.

thanks for letting me be a daddy's girl.

LOVE YOU PAPI!

wedding festivus

every time somebody gets married, two single people die.

at least, that's the way I normally feel. not too many of those feelings at my cousin Brooke's
wedding this past weekend.

isn't she darling?

also brookie remember the time we were playing truth or dare and we dared you to pee your pants (like any good cousin would) and you said you would, but that you needed to do it in private? and then you DID?

so glad you grew out of that phase.

Jake and Brooke got married in the Los Angeles temple last Saturday, and then had their reception in Thousand Oaks. I loved the whole thing.



My parents flew into town Friday night, and my older sister Jaclyn drove down from Utah via a mini trip to Las Vegas.

It was so fun to have them here visiting for the weekend--plus hotels are fun. They just are.

Brooke and Michele are almost the only cousins we have our age--and are both such amazing girls! Brookie just got home off of her mission last year (maybe the year before) after serving in Chile. She's also been living up in Logan, UT for the past few years, so not too close.

Her and Michele have always been such amazing examples to me though, and it was fun to be able to spend that day with them!

The reception was in this especially magical restored barn--somewhere in Simi Valley.



here is where they held the reception--everyone just take a very good look at my sweet madre. I would just like to tell you I have asked her many a questions on life, said some promiscuous things at the dinner table (I even got excused last year at the tender age of 22)
--and some of those questions/statements may or may not have embarrassed her to the point of being speechless.

Well this weekend was her turn. (She is not going to be thrilled about this post.)

After leaving the continental breakfast with an apple in my hand and a banana in my skirt pocket, she turns to me and says,

"is that a banana in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"

and then started laughing. hysterically. probably more at the face I made.

Jaclyn and my jaws dropped open, and she just lost it. She was laughing so hard she had to cover her mouth, and then tried damage control. "I'm sorry! I heard that in a movie once!"
Oh geez mother. I love her to pieces. But we can't take her anywhere.


a very fantastic wedding.



my dad is definitely wearing a neck cord for his sunglasses. no need to squint.
he is also sporting the matrix sunglasses.
Dad, why couldn't you wear your aviators NOW instead of 15 years ago when they were so not cool? Ever since they came back into style he gets to tell us he's a trendsetter.
Thanks for nothing Ray Ban.

side note: my Dad has to google everything on his phone now.
I tried recommending a few places to eat after they flew into LAX, and he just said he wanted to google it, and then put it into the GPS. He's also a huge fan of the texting these days, although he doesn't get my text humor. They grow up so fast.





Aidan and Treyton made friends. Even though Trey kept calling him "Adam" all weekend.
He's a boy, you're a boy-- he likes dirt, you like dirt. You make barfing noises, he makes barfing noises. Life was so much simpler back then.





these are not the best pictures. I know we can't all be Mike Cunninghams, but I wasn't exactly working with geniuses either. 4/5 pictures taken when handing my camera to someone else turned out like these:



Awesome. What the freak is happening here people? My mom loves the zoom feature by the way. We erased those.




I love this little boy.
Except he has been holding a double standard. Every time we got into the elevator, he would grab onto the steel railing and tell us "hold to the iron rod!"
and then I caught him drinking. Twice.



You can't tell, but she's got a baby bump. You also might not be able to tell, but we are related.

I miss all of them already. They're crazy.

miss leslie ann

A little bit late of a post.
Whatever.

I love Mama Hutch. She is seriously amazing. Who else could raise 8 kids, who haven't killed each other, made it to college (Manta and Marmet don't screw up!), and all have strong testimonies of the church?

She has been through so much, in her own life, and in supporting her kids through their difficult trials. I have never met anyone as tender-hearted, caring, patient, and loving as her. All of my friends remind me how lucky I am to have her.
I sometimes hate that she has such a deep and caring heart, for she truly feels more than others feel sometimes, but I also know that her joy is also greater.
Happy is the heart that still feels pain Mama!


Our home has always been a place of refuge and comfort, for myself and for others--in no small part because of her. She always has a hug when I need it, she says the right things, and is a true testament of what it is to unconditionally love, and to have faith in all things.

This past week I had the opportunity to be home with family before moving to San Diego--and even though I haven't kept in great contact with high school friends, I couldn't think of anyone I'd rather hang out with than her.

Every time I go home I revert back to being 5 years old.

"Mom, what are you doing? Can I do that?"
"Mom, where are you going? Can I come?"
"Mom, what are you eating? Can I have some?"
"Mom, what are you watching? Can I watch that?"

Thanks for letting me help you, spending time talking on our lunch dates, shopping dates, sharing your food, getting me hooked on ridiculous television shows,
(If you haven't watched Ghost Whisperer yet, it's the only thing I've ever liked Jennifer Love Hewitt in. Watch it. It's ridiculous.)

and for letting me cuddle in your bed with you until it's way past any normal parent's bedtime.



Coming home to spend time with you is my favorite part about coming home. I miss you already.

I LOVE YOU MAMA HUTCH.

Happy Mother's Day.

NOTE: also I realized after this post where I get my no-picture-taking-rule from.
Sibs: We need pictures of us, with mom, minus matching outfits ASAP. okay?

cookie monsters

I love my nephews more than any other nephews in the whole entire world. This is a very bold statement. But it's true.

I didn't realize how much I missed these little faces while they were out of town for two weeks until Andre' and I went up to Jaclyn's for dinner on Sunday.

Since Andre' and I are trying to get rid of every single crumb in our cabinets before we both leave for the summer (seriously, where did I pick up some of this food? I will never ever eat that box of pasta roni. let's be honest.), Andre' brought up his baking remnants to make chocolate chip cookies with the boys. So many things wrong with this scenario.

(don't worry, Ethan's actually not angry. this is his "cheese" face.)

1. Andre' in the kitchen--not cooking, but baking.
2. two little boys under the age of 3, cooking with their cookie illiterate uncle.

There was flour everywhere. Andre' had the white powdery stuff all over his shirt. Aidan wanted to do everything, Ethan wouldn't stop eating the cookie dough, although he was very willing to share.

these cookies are way too big. a few casualties, and then Andre' gave up all together and made pizookies. (is that what they're called?)

we love each other.

jack's birthday

On Sunday, we went to my aunt's house for dinner. She always has us over for birthdays, and cooks the most amazing food! Plus we can always count on having Texas Sheet Cake for dessert. Sooooo GOOD. This time it was Jaclyn's birthday.

Jaclyn is my oldest sister, and has been such an amazing example to me.
Not to mention she's built like a supermodel with legs for days and a perma-tan.
The girl is a straightup Cindy Crawford Lamanite.


She is the most incredible mom, sister, friend, wife, and everything I'd ever hope to be.
She never stops thinking of others, and is constantly concerned over others well-being.
Not to mention the most protective older sister ever. Which is awesome.
I love how capable she is of loving people, and being the first to be empathetic towards them.
Even though we haven't lived together in over ten years, I love how close we still are! I feel like
I could always call her for anything, and she'd put down anything to be there for me.


Not to mention she is the mother of the two most darling nephews in the whole entire world.
I'm not being bias. Look at them.
I credit her for actually making me want to (and think I might be able to!) be a good mother.


Jackie, you make crafts, I buy them.
I'm a shopaholic, but you wear the clothes like I never could.
(5'11" and 135 pounds after two kids? are you kidding me?)
you cook. I find good places to eat.
we probably couldn't be any more different, but I love that.



I feel like you make me a better person. I'm so glad you live so close, and that neither of us are going anywhere anytime soon. Your example and Christlike love mean everything to me.
I love you!

Happy 27th Jaclyn!