Love Stories

See that picture? I know you're thinking, "Why are you posting a picture of a bunch of guys after a softball game?" Well, this here picture was taken a few hours before my husband and I went on our first date.

Little ol' Evan had no idea how charming and amazing I was.

Why don't boys smile in pictures?

And little ol' Whitney didn't know how much fun she could have playing miniature golf.

Truth be told, we could have done anything that night and I would've had fun.

I had met Evan about a week before our first date at a bonfire in Provo Canyon (South Fork Park to be exact). I had met most of my friend's brother's roommates, but I hadn't met Evan. I remember watching him kick a soccer ball in the air with one of his friends and thinking, "Pretty cute. I wonder how I can get him to notice me?"

Now, I wasn't the type of girl that would go out of her way to get a guy to notice her. Of course, I was known to wear a flattering outfit if the guy I had a crush on was going to be somewhere I was going to be. I even owned an "eat your heart out" dress that I wore to church knowing the guy that broke up with me a few days earlier was going to be there. Ok, so maybe I did go out of my way to get a cute guy to notice me every once in a while.

After a few minutes of chit chat, everyone agreed that we should play a game of ultimate frisbee while we waited for the sun to set. I'm not really that great at ultimate frisbee, but I figured if Evan was playing I might 1) impress him with my willingness to play even if I wasn't that good or 2) do a little friendly trash talking in his general direction in an attempt to be noticed.

Points were scored, passes caught or intercepted. I don't really remember much about the game itself. All I remember thinking is, "I'm going to steal his hat and wear it." I had officially reverted to a second grade girl with a crush.

But it worked. I ran by him and grabbed his hat and slid it onto my head with a little grin. A pretty bold move, even for a girl who has an "eat your heart out" dress. Without consciously thinking about the ramifications of my flirting, Evan's reaction to my school girl ways showed me a few things:
He may have a sense of humor since he didn't get upset by what I did. 
He may even think I'm cute because he let me wear the hat.
And he doesn't care if he has hat hair. 

A few minutes later I ran over and said, "Here's your hat," handed it to him, and ran off. Yep, still in second grade girl mode.

Most of his friends left a few hours later, but he and one of his friends stayed. I knew right then that he must be interested in someone. Why else would a guy stick around after the majority of his friends had left? I hoped it was me, but he didn't really try to talk to me a lot so I figured it was someone else. And he was probably a little confused when, in keeping with my second grade girl theme, one of my guy friends pretended to be my boyfriend after I got wind that an unwanted suitor would be at the bonfire. (Evan gets a good laugh out of that part of our story. I, on the other hand, always "forget" to mention it.)

The night ended and we went our separate ways. I saw Evan the next day at a fish funeral. I wore my "eat your heart out" dress.

to be continued...

binky model

work it

Seeing New York- Fashion Week

Yep. I went to Fashion Week.

Yes, that Fashion Week. The one you hear about and see pictures of. I was there. And it was incredible.

I'll be honest, when my neighbor (no, not that one) said he could get me and a friend into a fashion show I thought, "Oh, that would be fun." Fun doesn't even begin to describe it.

A few days before my date with Fashion Week, I was really worried about what I was going to wear. I'm not really in to fashion. I like to look good, but these days I just feel like I don't have the brainpower or the money to put into looking fashionable. And I really don't like shopping. At all. So I rummaged through my closet and tried to find something that would look good among really fashionable people.

On Saturday, I took my friend Melanie with me and we arrived at the backstage entrance to the Porter Grey fashion show we were going to attend. Matt (the awesome neighbor) told me to text him when we got there. We waited for a few minutes and I started to worry. Maybe Matt forgot that we were coming. Maybe there was some security issue and he won't be able to let us in. Maybe it was just a joke and he was never really going to get me into a fashion show.

Enter Matt.

He gave us our security passes and took us backstage to show us where the models get their hair and make-up done. Then he showed us where the models get dressed and ready for the show. People were staring at us as we walked by. Someone even asked Matt over the radio who we were. I tried to look like I was an uber famous person that only other uber famous people knew. I don't think anyone fell for it.

After the backstage tour Matt took us to where the fashion show was going to be. This particular fashion show was not a runway show. It was a presentation. The models didn't walk down a runway. They stood on a stage where photographers and invited/ticketed guests could go right up to them and look at the clothes. Melanie and I watched as people came in and out to look at the collection. In all honesty, I felt a little out of place. Like I said before, I don't know much about fashion and I felt like everyone there knew it.

designers being interviewed

                        

    

Enter Matt. Again.

As we left the show Matt asked if we had to leave. We said we could stick around for a while longer and he told us to head into the lobby and he would find us in a few minutes. And that's where the fun began.

I swear I looked better than this when I was getting ready.

Sponsors. Swag. Professional photographer to take our picture. I chuckled as Melanie told the photographer that we were stay at home moms when he asked what we do for a living. Just a few moms who happen to know the head of security of Fashion Week. That's all.

We walked around for 20 minutes and then Matt said he could get us into another show. He took us in and we watched the models rehearse their walk down the runway. Then everyone started to file in. Famous fashion people and celebrities were being interviewed while famous people chatted with other famous people. Melanie and I were standing behind the last row of chairs which had a great view even if we were standing. Then Matt motioned for us to come and sit. On the second row. The row right behind the first row. The row with famous people. We sat down and I looked at Melanie with wide eyes. We were in the second row of Son Jung Wan's runway show at New York Fashion Week. I didn't even know who Son Jung Wan was. But we were sitting in the second row so who cared!

The lights dimmed and the pumping music started.

I don't know if it was the loud music, but I was totally caught up in it all. The clothes were amazing (well, most of them. Some of them were weird, but what do I know.) The models were stunning. It was incredible.

sa-curity

celebs

The picture doesn't do the color of this dress justice

I've often thought that there is a whole other side to the world that I don't get to see, mostly because I'm not famous or rich. But that day I got to see a little bit of it. It will go down as one of the neatest things I've gotten to experience while living here.

27

Today I turn 27 years old.

This is the first time in my entire life that my age sounds old to me. I don't actually think 27 is old. I just think it sounds old.

So in honor of my birthday, I thought I'd record 27 things about myself.

Actually, that sounds like it's going to take a lot of energy to come up with and I'm 27 now, ya know? I don't have as much energy as I used to.

source

Happy birthday to me!

I know you were trying to be helpful...

but telling my 22 month old that everything will be ok as he throws the tantrum of all tantrums is not helpful. At all.

See how he's just screaming? See how he can't even control his own body? See how he's so out of his mind that even if I said, "Here's a big ol' cookie for you to eat right now!" he wouldn't be able to comprehend that I was actually giving him something amazing and would continue to cry?

Ya, so you, a stranger, telling my son, who remember, is out of his mind right now, that everything will be ok is the opposite of helpful. It just clues me in to 3 things:

1- I look like a terrible mother because my son is out of control.

2- I look like a terrible mother because I'm literally dragging my son out of the store and am about 2 seconds away from just leaving him there.

3- You may be considering calling child protective services because you can tell I'm about to lose it. (Luckily, we took a few minutes to compose ourselves outside. Well, I did. Blake kept screaming.)

Really, I know you were trying to be helpful. And I thank you for not making a rude comment about our spectacle. You really were very nice about it all.

But next time, just ignore us. Don't make any jokes about how it must be nap time. Don't even look at us. Because at that very moment, the moment where you want to stare and say something, I actually want to be invisible. So just pretend like we are.

Adventures with a 1 year old- Playing with the big(ger) kids

Most of our experiences at the playground involve Blake trying to get kids to chase him. And usually those kids aren't too interested. A few times Blake has tried to play with a group of little kids only to be rejected (usually it's girls who do the rejecting.)

But on a 60 degree January day, Blake was actually invited to join a group.

"Come on! We're gonna make pizza! Tell him to come on!"

Blake happily ran around with 2 other boys while one of them pretended to make pizza. And then pretended that someone was touching their pizza and ran around trying to defend their imaginary pie. All Blake understood was that these boys were running and he wanted to run around with them.

Pretty much the cutest thing ever.

These are a few of my favorite things...

Anyone who knows me well knows that I have a long list of pet peeves. I'm not sure why they are called pet peeves. I'm going to have to research that one. Anyway so I thought instead of writing a post about my pet peeves, I would put a positive spin on things and write about the opposite: things people do that I like. You'll see.

1. There is nothing more glorious than when people drive at the proper speed, use their blinkers, and know the rules of the road. In fact, I cannot express how much joy it brings me while driving when a motorist who is waiting to turn left understands that I have the right of way when turning right. I have often thought of making a sign that says, "Thank you for knowing how to drive" and holding it up as I pass by. They should know someone appreciates them.

2. I also find joy when people actively listen to what I am trying to say without interjecting until I am finished. Now, I know in heated debates it is tempting to jump in and state one's opinions. But in general conversation nothing makes me more happy than being able to finish a complete thought.

3. Another of my favorite things is when people eat, but I can't hear them eating. Now of course there are foods that are inherently noisy: chips, apples, uncooked pasta, and other things I can't think of right now. And I do understand that it can be difficult to chew with one's lips completely closed, especially if the eater puts too much food in their mouth. But I do appreciate a person who can eat quietly.

4. Nothing brings a smile to my face faster than when I am walking on a sidewalk and one of the two people that are walking towards me moves so I can pass them without being pushed off the sidewalk. Ahh yes, smiles all around for that one.

5. I love to see people utilizing public trash cans. And dog poop bags.

Adventures with a 1 year old-Walking...everywhere

Blake is nearly 30 lbs.

His stroller is about 9 lbs.

That means I'm hoisting close to 40 lbs up and down our stairs, up and down subway stairs, up and down the stairs of friends we visit.

So in recent weeks I've started taking Blake out without his stroller. Our first attempt ended in me throwing him over my shoulder and swearing I'd only take him out if he was strapped into something. It all fell apart when he refused to hold my hand as we crossed the street.

But, after some practicing around the neighborhood, Blake does pretty well walking with me on our little outings. The rule is he either holds my hand or I have to carry him. He generally opts to hold my hand.

It is a pain when he decides to throw a tantrum as we're walking and everything we do takes twice as long when he walks, but it's nice to not have to worry about taking the stroller everywhere.


I've also added a few phrases to my daily vocabulary:

Don't step in the poop!

Hurry hurry hurry hurry!

Do you want me to carry you? (No is usually the answer.)

If you don't hold my hand then I have to carry you.

Yes, it's a rock. Can we please keep going?!



I can't believe that soon I'll be writing about my adventures with a 2 year old!