hello, are you still there? I'm back!

{our lovely photographer samantha kelly. check her out!}

well, hello.

it has been quite awhile, wouldn't you say?

so, so, so much has happened while i've been away.

big things and little things.

since my last post, here are the "top 10" since then.

1. i'm retired! i decided after much thought that it was time

to move on from the wonderful world of ballet.

it was the best chapter of my life. i will always be a ballerina at heart.

2. we made a quick move and lived in utah for a few months 

this summer while lovebird enjoyed a wonderful internship.

3. i chopped my hair. 

it's new, a change and something i have always wanted to do.

{not having to put my hair in a bun every day anymore, gave me the green light!}

4. baby stice will be joining us january 2014.

we couldn't be more excited.

5. this summer i did a bit of "local" traveling;

portland, island park, hawaii and west yellowstone.

it was a fun summer.

6. this summer, we lived with my parents.

it was a complete joy- family is one of my most important gems in life. 

7. we are back in california preparing for baby and lovebird's graduation.

california feels like home to me. we are oh-so-happy here.

8. mowgli turned one this month!

{happy birthday to our favorite pup}

we are kind of in shock that we have already had him for a whole year.

time needs to s l o w down.

9. our favorite things from summer:

fly fishing, frozen yogurt, camping in kauia, pickles,

hanging with old/best friends, salt lake restaurants, finding out about baby stice,

home cooked meals and the beauty of utah.

10. lovebird and i celebrated our 3rd year anniversary this summer.

time flies when you are in love-

and boy, am i in love. 

it's so good to be back.

i'll be here to stay for awhile.

happy holiday weekend.

xoxo

springtime sickness

spring has brought me such a nice surprise,

popcorn popping right before my eyes...

and it also managed to bring me a

big fat cold. 

yep, i'm stuck in bed. 

sniffling, sneezing and sleeping. 

i think getting sick in spring and summer months should be off limits. 

sickness is for cold months;

months that involve sweaters, soups and scarfs.

so, as lovebird takes his last two finals today-

i patiently wait for him to come home, 

so he can snuggle this cold right out of me.

i have a busy week ahead, not to mention important one too.

i need this sickness to disappear a-sap.

any suggestions, tips or home remedies? 

meanwhile, i'll witness spring bloom from my bedroom window.

i suppose, that is the one perk of being sick in the nice weather-

life outside, is exciting to observe. 

happy spring to you.

i hope you are out and about enjoying this nice warm weather for me.

i hope to join you really soon. 

xoxo

we're busy over here.

jam-packed into the next two weeks:
- rehearsals and a performance! i can't believe it's the end of the season already.
- packing.... yeah, i should probably get started.
- lovebird's birthday to celebrate. yahoo.
- cramming in as much hang out time as we can, with our dear friends.
- saying goodbyes, more like "cya laters",  to my piano students for the summer.
- clean, clean, clean. my little home is begging for it.
- spend a few days by our pool before we go brave the cold weather that still exists in utah.
- one last day trip to san francisco, just to get my fix before i leave for three months.
- possibly a pedicure. after a long season of hours in pointe shoes- i think i'm due for one.
- a quick trip to L.A. who doesn't want to visit best friends and disneyland? no brainer.
- many afternoons (if i dare brave the heat) at the dog park. mowgli's got to say goodbye to his friends too, i suppose.
- car washes and a big stock up on treats. what's a road trip without clean cars and treats galore?
- simply moments in our little home. before we leave it all behind for awhile.

i can't believe the beginning of may is just around the corner already.
slow down life. you are passing all too quickly. 
this time of year is always a busy time. but, i like it that way.
we are anxious to go home for the summer. yet, slightly sad to say goodbye to life here. 
regardless, salt lake city... here we come!

anything fun on your agenda for the end of april?
let's hear it. i'm hoping it's more excited than our to do list before we head out.

trust your gut.

this my friends, is the motto of my life lately.

you have know idea.

trusting your gut is sometimes the hardest thing to do.

{because often times your gut feeling is the polar opposite of what you expect}

but, i am a firm believer to never ignore gut feelings.

they usually are spot on.

life has been a little crazy lately, to say the least.

big decisions are being made over here, for both of us.

trusting your gut 

is a simple saying with so much truth and knowledge behind it.

as hard has it has been to trust my gut instincts-

i'm taking a huge leap of faith. 

i'm a preacher of following your gut- 

it's important to listen to your inner instincts.

after all, your own self knows you better than anyone else does.

happy friday! 

i hope you have a lovely weekend.

go ahead, trust your gut- 

even if it tells you to treat yourself to an extra piece of cake this weekend.

i assure you- your gut is right. you deserve it.

it's been a long week, right?

xoxo

little facts.

{picture from our temple trip to oakland last friday. gorgeous, right?}

10 little facts of life, as of lately:
1. conference weekend is always blissful, uplifting and motivational. i feel rejuvenated. ironically, conference weekend always seems to arrive at the time in life when i need it most.
2. nothing makes me happier than a bouquet of fresh flowers.
3. life takes a lot of faith. especially, when facing the "unknown".
4. emails from missionary brothers are heart warming. not to mention, so inspirational. i'm lucky to have such a stud for a brother. i'm certainly counting down the last 10 months.
5. i find rearranging my house to be completely therapeutic. i love how old things become new. I seem to be craving change all of a sudden.
6. rainstorms easily take a place on "my favorite things" list.
7. i have laughed more in the last few days with lovebird, than in my entire life.
8. three things you'll never find me without: my wedding ring, lipstick and a bottle of tums.
9. we are moving home for the summer.... salt lake here we come! {insert: yahoo!!!) we can't wait to be with family and friends. it's been awhile- and a summer home is well overdo.
10. lately, i can't seem to turn down starbucks' oatmeal, a good read and urge to watch gossip girl.

happy monday.
these ten things seem to sum up my life at the moment.
now, it's your turn:
fill me in on a little fact from your life in your comment below.
cheers to the little things that keep life in forward motion. 

emotions.

{source unknown, sorry!}

emotions:

life has been full of emotions lately; 

each one seeming to be so exaggerated.

i'm not a dramatic person, nor do i want to be one.

but, my emotions have secretly warped me 

into this dramatic person all of a sudden.

a different dramatic: dramatic with myself, not with others. 

some mornings i cry on my couch as i think about certain struggles.

however, five minutes later i find myself crying tears of happiness

as i realize just how beautiful my life really is.

lately, i seem to get easily annoyed by lovebird's daily teasing,

but in the next minute- i'm begging for those flirtatious 

teases, because they make me so giddy.

confusion and a tad bit of fear, seem to have made a home in my head.

however, at the exact same time, my gut assures me that

 i've never been more certain.

some times, the normal tasks in life seem like chores, 

because i feel unmotivated.

but, other times i am bursting with purpose and determination

 to succeed in the simple tasks of life, because there is great joy in doing so.

some days i call my mother to vent for hours,

other days i want nothing more, than to remain silent. 

lately, the future and the unknown have been beyond intriguing and exciting.

i'm happy and hopeful to see the coming months unwind.

although, that unknown factor leaves me quite anxious, 

as i am reminded that uncertainty can leave me feeling scared. 

the only emotion that remains constant and 

is always exaggerated is love. 

that's when i remember that no matter the emotional day i experience,

whether for the good or for the bad,

i have someone to love and that someone loves me back.

this fact alone has saved me from all those unwanted emotions.

my urge to fight this exaggeration in my emotions has suddenly dwindled.

why? because letting them run wild in my head has been eye opening for my heart. 

i've come to see so many things and made big decisions.

i've realized emotions are very real.

they are telling, unavoidable and informational.

they make an appearance without you asking them to,

and that's how you know they come from the heart.

call me dramatic if you please-

but, dramatic or not, i'm embracing this exaggeration in emotions,

because they surely are giving me a ride on life's biggest roller coaster. 

and that ride is quite a thrill. 

life is quite a thrill. 

little snapshots

little snapshots of life lately:

-we seem to wind up in san francisco just about every weekend lately.

-a good friend, delicious desserts and lifetime memories.

-lovebird's favorite thing on the planet: bubble tea.

{he's even willing to drive and hour just to get one. pathetic, i know.}

-daffodils are just as common of a purchase as bread and milk lately. 

-don't let the trendiness of macaroons deter you; they are delicious. 

-did i mention we practically live in san francisco? 

one of these weekends, we'll stay put.

-my handsome lunch date. boy, he's a keeper.

-long walks have become a daily ritual for mowgli and i. 

it's our bonding time, i suppose. 

thank goodness for the little moments in life.

but, even more so for the camera that captures a memory forever.

come fine me on instagram, so i can find you in return!

username: eleasejane