"every woman in america will be exhausted today"

clearly i have caught royal fever.

however, i am part british. as if that gives me any excuse to wake up in the wee hours of the morning and pick apart the details of someone elses wedding like a creep.

yes, i woke up at 2am to watch it.

and proceeded to text ally throughout the entire thing.

favorite quote of the morning...

"every woman in america will be exhausted today"

it's true.

yet here i am, it's 8am and i've made it to work. i should get an award for that.

the old me would have ditched school and work in a heart beat. but i have turned a new leaf. ha. but seriously.

let's talk about kate's. no..let's talk about princess catherines wedding dress.

AMAZING.

i'm legitmately in love with her choice of dress.

perfect. modern yet classy and regal.

everything from her make-up (which by the way she did herself, according to matt lauer) to her jewelry to her dress was stunning.



anyways, i thought it was a beautiful wedding.

and i wish that i could wear cute little pillbox hats and toppers everyday. i don't understand why that's not socially acceptable here.

oh and...

it's friday, friday

gotta get down on friday

everybody's lookin' forward to the weekend, weekend

friday, friday

gettin' down on friday

everybody's lookin' forward to the weekend.

i have had this song stuck in my head for i don't even know how long.

kill me now.

it's slowly ruining the meaning of fridays for me.

you can get in on the action of this blissful song here

one last thing.

i have a slight issue, as evidenced in the picture below.

this is TRULY only a fourth of my red/pink nail polish collection.

i am a serial red nail polish buyer.

and i need help.

i can't even remember the last time i painted my nails because i'm burnt out on these colors.

so...anyone know of some good nail polish for spring?

your help would be greatly appreciated.

what i'm loving wednesday

i'm linking up at this bloggity blog for the first time for what-i'm-loving-wednesday.

here it goes...

-i love the i'll be a college graduate in three short months. well, i'm loving that but also hating it at the same time. bitter-sweet. but i love that ben and i will have endless possibilities once i'm done and can't wait to see where life takes us next.

-this also means that these two are coming in three months!

-i'm loving the watch that ben got me to valentines day.

(please excuse this picture. ben's at basketball and i'm bored.)

-my latest obsession: avocado and egg toast. DELICIOUS.

1 slice toast

1 poached egg

1/2 large avocado (sliced)

1/2 t. olive oil

fresh pepper

sea salt

i've literally consumed this everyday for breakfast (for the past 6 days)

-cupcake liners as prezzie toppers. genius.

-ALL things spring

-i'm loving that farmers market starts this friday. rain or shine you know ben and i will be there. 

-this song, this song AND this song.

-just started this book and i'm already hooked. SO good.

-lastly, all things royal wedding. i may or may not have my alarm set for 2 a.m. friday morning. i will be watching that wedding. will i make it to school that day? i can't say. but no, probably not.

anyways, that is all. 

go here to link up your wednesday.

easter sunday

we had such a great easter this year!

after church we headed out to bens parents house to be with his family.

we had an easter egg hunt for the kiddos, a DELICIOUS easter dinner, played games, and laughed. a lot.

easter is truly one of my favorite holidays.

our sacrament meeting on sunday was amazing.

the speakers expressed so perfectly the true meaning of easter.

“As one of His special witnesses on earth today, this glorious Easter Sunday, I declare that this is true, in His sacred name—even the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior—amen.”
-President Thomas S. Monson

picture time.

like always, i forgot to take lots of pictures.

but i caught a few.

oh, and please take a moment to watch THIS. un-be-liev-able. i lover her.
i can't get over her voice.

new casa

over the break ben and i finally made the big move...around the corner.

ha we legitimately live .5 seconds from our old apartment.

but we are loving our new place and are having oh-so-much fun decorating it..

happy tuesday!

happy weekend

THE WEEKEND HAS ARRIVED. 

and we couldn't be happier. this week went by absurdly slow. 

we went to dinner+movie with some friends last night. 

(adjustment bureau is amazing.)

and now we're ready for a lazy saturday. 

i hope everyone has a fabulous EASTER weekend. 

i've stocked up on peeps and will eat myself into a food coma. 

but who wouldn't? it's the only holiday where it's legal to eat sugar coated marshmallows for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

 
also, this is officially my dream home. 
if you have seen it, know someone who has seen it, or know where it is TELL ME.
i'll give you all the money to my name plus all my peeps.

p.s. i got bored at work the other day and, naturally, start flipping through the course catalogue.

lo and behold..look who i find.

who knew benny was such a little model.

pleasure vs. happiness

for FHE on monday night, ben put together a great little lesson. 

we talked about the difference between pleasure and true happiness.

in Jesus the Christ James E. Talmage states the following...

"The present is an age of pleasure-seeking, and men are losing their sanity in the mad rush for sensations that do but excite and disappoint. In this day of counterfeits, adulterations, and base imitations, the devil is busier than he has ever been in the course of human history, in the manufacture of pleasures, both old and new; and these he offers for sale in most attractive fashion, falsely labeled, Happiness. In this soul-destroying craft he is without a peer; he has had centuries of experience and practice, and by his skill he controls the market. He has learned the tricks of the trade, and knows well how to catch the eye and arouse the desire of his customers. He puts up the stuff in bright-colored packages, tied with tinsel string and tassel; and crowds flock to his bargain counters, hustling and crushing one another in their frenzy to buy.

"Follow one of the purchasers as he goes off gloatingly with his gaudy packet, and watch him as he opens it. What finds he inside the gilded wrapping? He has expected fragrant happiness, but uncovers only an inferior brand of pleasure, the stench of which is nauseating.

"Happiness includes all that is really desirable and of true worth in pleasure, and much besides. Happiness is genuine gold, pleasure but guilded brass, which corrodes in the hand, and is soon converted into poisonous verdigris. Happiness is as the genuine diamond, which, rough or polished, shines with its own inimitable luster; pleasure is as the paste imitation that glows only when artificially embellished. Happiness is as the ruby, red as the heart's blood, hard and enduring; pleasure, as stained glass, soft, brittle, and of but transitory beauty.

"Happiness is true food, wholesome, nutritious and sweet; it builds up the body and generates energy for action, physical, mental and spiritual; pleasure is but a deceiving stimulant which, like spiritous drink, makes one think he is strong when in reality enfeebled; makes him fancy he is well when in fact stricken with deadly malady.

"Happiness leaves no bad after-taste, it is followed by no depressing reaction; it calls for no repentance, brings no regret, entails no remorse; pleasure too often makes necessary repentance, contrition, and suffering; and, if indulged to the extreme, it brings degradation and destruction.

"True happiness is lived over and over again in memory, always with a renewal of the original good; a moment of unholy pleasure may leave a barbed sting, which, like a thorn in the flesh, is an ever-present source of anguish.

"Happiness is not akin with levity, nor is it one with light- minded mirth. It springs from the deeper fountains of the soul, and is not infrequently accompanied by tears. Have you never been so happy that you have had to weep? I have."

 i had never read that before. but it is written so beautifully. i now have a goal to always seek after things which will produce eternal happiness rather than temporary pleasure. 

we then proceeded to kiwi loco to get the dinner of champions.

and it was DELICIOUS.

if you live in rexburg, go there. 

 happy hump day!

tarjay

last friday ben and i went out on our date to target. 

and it was AWESOME.

in his defense, he did take me to dinner first. 

(and i may have requested a target shopping trip for our date)

being 40 minutes away, target and i rarely get to see each other. 

anyways, long story short: i love target. always have, always will.

and for those of you who haven't been recently, you are seriously missing out!

there are some serious gems at that store right now!

case in point:

one, two, three

(all on sale)

 one, two, three

one, two, three

also, read this article. if you're a target lover, like i am, you will not regret it. turns out that target is cheaper than wal-mart! NEVER again will i feel guilty roaming the clean, fully stocked aisles of target when wal-mart and its "cheaper prices" is just down the street. 
life is good. 
happy monday!

something to think about.

"Don't water down your worth. Anyone who asks you to apologize for having high standards clearly doesn't meet them."

i realize that this photo has no correlation with the quote. but i just love it.

birthday love

today these little munchkins turn 17...

except now they look like this..

what the what?

i don't know when this happened. 

but these two are two of the coolest people you will ever meet. 

sam is quite possibly the funniest person in our family. she's sarcastic, smart, witty, and can brighten anyones day with her smile. 

matthew is the sweetest person you will ever meet with the biggest heart. i just love him.

i remember when the twins were younger, samantha got a pair of ballet shoes for her birthday that she had been DYING to get. when she opened them matthew was ten times more excited than sam was just because he knew how much she wanted them. he didn't even care what he got he was just so excited sami got dance shoes. it was hysterical at the time but it just goes to show how sweet he it. 

anyways, 

happy 17th birthday you two.

i love you

love, 

your favorite sister.

summer pleats

i need to get me a pleated skirt ASAP.

i've been seeing them everywhere and they're just so pretty.

perfect for spring/summer. 

so versatile..you can dress them up or you can dress them down. 

it's a win/win situation.

one, two, three, four, five, six

do you have any must-haves for this summer?

my abc's

because...everyone likes random facts, right?

________________________

Age: 21

Bed size: queen

Chore you hate: anything that has to do with the bathroom.

Dogs: i  want one! we had two cats growing up (which i'm in love with). but i wouldn't mind a cute little puppy.

Essential start to your day: music. and cereal. and a really cold glass of water.

Favorite color: mint green.

Gold or silver: gold.

Height: 5'5"...and a half?

Instruments: i got frustrated and quit piano when i was eight. but i can play a mean hot cross buns on the recorder.

Job title: wife. student.

Kids: a little confused on this one. no i don't have any. but i like them?

Live: Rexburg, Idaho.

Moms name: Clare Marie.

Nickname: al-pal, al, x, ally-cat, alejandro, hansen.

Overnight hospital stays: never. thank goodness. 

Pet peeve: when people use the terms "wifey" or "hubby". it freaks me out. also, there is a difference between their and they're.

Quote from a movie: i'm gonna go ahead and change this one to a t.v. show. "First divorce: wife's hidden sexuality, not my fault. Second divorce: said the wrong name at the altar, a little my fault. Third divorce: they shouldn't let you get married when you're that drunk and have stuff drawn all over your face, Nevada's fault." -ross geller.

Right or left handed: right

Siblings: oldest of five. two brothers and two sisters. (zachary, matthew, samantha, mckenzie)

Time you wake up: depends on the day. if i have school/work then usually 6:45. if it's the weekend, i would rather not say.

Underwear: um, i would have to say underwear is a necessity?

Vegetables you dislike: love vegetables, except cauliflower.

What makes you run late: my alarm clock.

X-rays you've had done: both feet and my back.

Yummy food you make: homemade chicken pot pie. delicious.

Zoo animal: sadly, i can't remember the last time i went to the zoo, but i'm gonna go with monkeys.

jackie o.

i have been packing all day so i deserve a little break, right?

i just came across 9-10 books/biographies about the kennedy's.

i have always had somewhat of a fascination with the kennedy family and love reading about the kennedy administration and political agenda.

ben and i just finished watching the 8-part mini series about the kennedy's yesterday. 

we can see why it has been called a bit controversial but we HIGHLY recommend it.

just make sure you take all the info in the series with a grain of salt.

anyways, 

i'm flipping through one of these books and finding tons of old post-its marking quotes and pictures that i like. 

most would consider jacqueline kennedy one of the most influential first ladies to ever occupy the white house. 

she influenced fashion, american living, and politics.

i wouldn't mind owning these dresses.

or this one.

my love for jackie and her timeless style will never die.