Unique, personal touches are what makes a house a home. Every house has windows, walls and all the usuals, but the additions that we make to these elements within our house are what turns it into the place we call home. I believe that you can learn a great deal about the inhabitants of a home by simply observing the way they decorate. Notice the small touches that someone has added to their home to make it their own. With every painting that is hung and photo that is displayed, someone's story is being told. We are openly giving a little bit of our story away to whomever is observant enough to notice.

I would like to call myself artistic {but that would be a little too generous}. I can, however, call myself crafty. I like to decorate {homemade style} because it gives me the chance to express myself and unwind all at once. I love when an idea pops into my head, and I have the ambition and the means to follow the project through. Whether it be small or large, the liberation I feel from creating something with my own two hands cannot be matched.

This project below is simple. It's nothing more than some leftover die-cuts, some embellished clothespins and a strip of magnet to liven up my refrigerator and magnet boards just a touch. Simply take a sheet of magnet, which I bought at Walmart in the Arts & Crafts section, adhere it to a cute clothespin {mine are from American Crafts} and clip on an adorable embellishment. There it is. Three easy steps to a unique magnet that will tell your story to any guest who will take the time to notice.

An eclectic mix of old die-cuts

Glitter and printed clothespins from American Crafts

{smile like everything is going your way even if it isn't}

A Brief {Romantic} History

This brings a genuine smile to my face {thanks Alex}

Certain things in life just get better as time goes on: art, whiskey, leather, wine- and us. I fell for Wyet at the ripe old age of 14. He was my first love, and I am happy to say my last. Our relationship has been dynamic to say the absolute least. We have laughed, cried, screamed and laughed again together more times than I could ever count. There were bumps {oh, were there bumps} along the way. We spent weeks without seeing each other, days without talking to each other but not a moment without the other in our thoughts.

Every obstacle we have faced together, has helped develop our relationship an extra step further. There have been so many instances when we couldn't understand what the other was possibly thinking {let's not even go there}, and we couldn't fathom why our missing puzzle piece wasn't with us.

The best part about our story, is that it gets a little bit better with each passing day. Over the past decade that I have known Wyet, the past 6 months with him have been the happiest. We finally get to see each other on a daily basis! It definitely isn't perfect, but I wouldn't change a thing. We still live through our fair share of bad days and ridiculous arguments, but overall, I am the happiest when in the company of Wyet and I'd like to think he feels the same.

Our first vacation- Cabo San Lucas, Mexico- 2006

Atlas Shrugged

It's no secret that I am more of a hermit than a social butterfly. Don't get me wrong, if you get me together with those select friends of mine that actually get me {I mean the ones that really get all my weird quirks through-and-through} I could talk for hours. However, on the not so rare occasion, I simply just love to stay home. There are numerous explanations for my love to stay home, let me name just a few:

• I have three fury creatures and the love of my life within reach

• There are countless fluffy pillows and blankets just sitting around waiting to be snuggled up to

• I can wear sweats all day without any judgements

• I have a freezer full of otter pops {and other indulgences} at my convenience

• I can be lazy and sloth-like with hardly any witnesses

But let's get real about the main reason I like to stay home; {almost} every past time that I have is best experienced through the comfort of my own home. Prime example: reading. I love to read. The opportunities are endless when you have the ideas, thoughts, truths and fictions of an author's mind resting between your palms. Depending on whatever mood you happen to be in, there is always something to read to quench your mental appetite.

I thought about writing a post about my top favorite books, but then, I thought that each book is so important to me that I might split it up and give them to you one-by-one over extended posts. So here it is. The first book recommendation you will receive from this yellow house dwelling hermit crab: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.

Don't let this massive, nearly 1100 page masterpiece intimidate you. It is one of those awesome pieces of literature that you can set down for weeks at a time, and when you come back to it, it completely submerges you right back to where you left off. I took my time with this one. I read it over the course of about three months, just here and there whenever I had time. I find myself still referencing the characters and themes whenever certain topics are being discussed.

This book has a little bit of everything to offer: scandal, romance, betrayal, power, mystery, endurance, renunciation, and triumph. This book will make you think about what type of person you want to be: a giver or a taker. It will make you think of the possibilities and the power that people are capable of. Starting at page one and not ending with the final chapter, you will forever be amazed by John Galt.

My Aunt Pam bought me this copy of Atlas Shrugged at the local library for fifty cents. Held together by tape, this beat up copy has captivated my mind.

Getting Granola

I have always loved the outdoors. It has always amazed me how naturally serene and beautiful it all is without any man-made help. From the first blossoms of spring, through the last snowfall of winter, Mother Nature has a way of bringing me to awe any time of the year. While I have always enjoyed doing things outdoors, this year Wyet and I decided to take things up a notch.

Being lucky enough to live in an incredible state that offers an array of options for outdoor adventures, we decided that we had better start taking advantage of it. With that in mind, we did a little splurge shopping at REI to get us prepared for one the most memorable summers of our life.

We were lucky enough to catch REI on their huge Memorial Day sale and decided to just go for it. We went in on a new tent and sleeping bags together, and Wyet was sweet enough to get us two incredible hiking backpacks for my birthday. Once all of our gear arrived, I finally felt like we were ready to go on a much anticipated adventure. We did just that.

We spent my birthday weekend camping, hiking and fishing at a beautiful spot in Soldier Summit. There wasn't another soul in sight, and I felt like Mother Nature had arranged this incredible retreat just for us. We spent the night under a star-filled sky talking about life, love and our future. In the morning, Wyet woke me up just in time to catch the sunrise {the first one I have seen since my Starbucks days}. We spent the morning on a 2 hour hike that felt like it flew by in 20 minutes. Spending time doing nothing other than observing was a much needed break. Everything around us was so beautiful. The kind of beauty that ends up in a travel magazine. It was breathtaking, and it was all in my own backyard {if only I would take more time to look}. We topped off the day by fishing in a nearby creek, and I got to break in my new {pink} fishing pole.

Our outdoor adventure was just the beginning. I am excited to see what other amazing views I will be able to spy from the top of a hiking trail and what other experiences I will get to be a part of. Taking a moment to realize what the world was offering us set us up for a summer of adventure. We are ready to face each one head on.

Soldier Summit

I set up our tent all by myself!

Beautiful 6:00 a.m. sunrise

Breakfast of champions

Our campsite in the morning! A roaring fire to get us ready for the day.

The beginning of our adventure

Wyet and the beautiful landscape

A perfect start to an adventurous summer

 

Good Morning

I woke up this morning knowing that today was going to be a good day. I was especially excited to spend the day with Wyet since he has been out of town for work for the past few days. I put on a pot of coffee for myself and a kettle of tea for Wyet and began to think of things that needed to get done. The weeds needed to be pulled, some flowers needed to be planted, the dogs needed a bath, the laundry needed to be put away and looking down, I noticed the floor desperately needed to be mopped. Luckily, we specifically didn't make any plans for this weekend just to get caught up on life. Too bad I wasn't feeling any of that.

I decided that even though all those tasks needed to get finished at some point or another, they could wait. I wanted to spend the morning doing things that were needed for my own mental recovery. I looked at my table and noticed the stack of magazines that I had just waiting to be read. With that, my morning was decided. As the chores waited, I relaxed on the porch with a few {too many} cups of coffee, some interesting articles and the perfect summer morning temperature. Mornings like this will always have precedence over any to-do list.

Coffee for her. Tea for him.

A cozy seat, a cup of coffee and magazines to last for hours

Celebrate Good Times

I am lucky enough to say that I have spent so much time this past week simply enjoying life, that I haven't even had time to document it. While I am a firm believer that recording our memories is a must, sometimes life just needs to be lived. Last week was busy and crazy in all of the right ways. It made me love this beautiful life even more.

My birthday was last Wednesday, and while at first I thought a mid-week birthday would be lame, I was soon proved otherwise. The mid-week birthday was awesome because the celebration just seemed to stretch and continue through the weekend. It was an ongoing party that lasted for days and never got old.

I woke up on my birthday to the most delicious cup of coffee and french toast breakfast handmade by Wyet. {Which I really appreciated because he rarely is awake before I have to leave for work.} We spent the morning being lazy and watching the news. Even my work day was enjoyable. My coworkers and friends went above and beyond stuffing me with caramel apples and donuts {and I was loving every fat minute of it}. I came home to a house filled with balloons, gifts and love from Wyet and the family.

While all of the phone calls, messages and gifts were incredibley thoughtful, I experienced a birthday gift unparalleled to any other. One of my dearest friends {one of those once-in-a-lifetime kind of friends} was able to welcome the cutest little man into our lives. To share a birthday with a baby Diamond as cute as he is something that will make every birthday special. June 5, 2013 was a day worth celebrating, and we did just that.

An abundance of treats, tops, hiking gear and other granola items

Outdoor bound!

Baby Diamond stole the show on this awesome day

The Facts of Life

Age is a funny thing. Actually, it’s just a number, but we all seem to turn it into so much more than that. Today, I turned 24. The scary thing about turning 24 is that it is only a year away from turning 25. And the scary thing about turning 25 is that it’s only five years away from turning 30. I don’t think I’m quite grown up enough to be thirty. Instead, I think I will just be happy about 24 and enjoy this lovely day full of texts, phone calls, good vibes and the opportunity to eat cake.

Recently, I have seen a birthday prompt floating around the blogger world in which you list a fact about yourself for each year of your life. I figured it would be fun to sit down and think about what makes me, well, me and to document it here.

24 Facts of Life

1. I watch Christmas movies year round

2. I frequently talk about how much I love yoga {even though I haven’t practiced yoga in over a year}

3. One of my favorite sounds is the gargle of the coffeepot brewing in the morning

4. I could fall asleep on command {anytime, anywhere}

5. I have been madly in love with the same person for 10 years {regardless of any hiccups along the way}

6. I worked at Starbucks Coffee for nearly 6 years, and sometimes I miss it terribly {and sometimes not at all}

7. The Black Eyed Peas will forever be my favorite jam

8. I would very much like to travel back in time to the 1920s

9. I care about my dog Murphy more than I care for most humans

10. I enjoy going to the dentist

11. If I run into someone I haven’t seen in a long time, I am incredibly awkward

12. The Breakfast Club has been my favorite movie since I was 14

13. The past 6 months have been the happiest of my life

14. Even after graduating college, I still have no idea what my dream job is

15. But it would probably involve books

16. I love that small time period between seasons when everything is changing

17. Cary Grant will forever have a piece of my heart

18. In a perfect world, I would own a miniature pig

19. And also a chicken {but just one}

20. In my opinion, Alice in Wonderland is a bit of genius

21. Tattoos are not for everybody, but they are very dear to me

22. I have messy hair about 90% of the time

23. I love sprinkles {even though they don’t taste}

24. Oh, and I love making lists

Happy to be spending the day with this guy

Life in an Instant

I have to admit, I am totally hooked on Instagram. It is by far the best social media site out there {in my opinion}. I feel as though all of my followers on Instagram are supportive and positive. Whenever I post something on Facebook, I do so with the knowledge that someone is going to read it and either make fun of me or cast judgements before moving on to the next post. I really don't think that the insta-sphere is like that. I think people on Instagram are pleased to see the overall happiness that is filling the lives of those around them.

Tonight, as I was browsing Instagram, I was thinking about how awesome it is that all of these people experience something so great everyday that they want to share it with the world. With all of the negative vibes being thrown every which-way, it is refreshing to see a little bit of everyone's paradise. While it's true that nobody's life is perfect and most of us wouldn't be caught posting pictures of our bad hair days and failed dinner attempts, I don't think that makes it wrong to highlight our good days.

Here are some pictures I have recently posted on Instagram, enjoying the good days.

Jerrod has the greatest smile and a personality to match- this laid back little bro is one of my closest friends

Morning coffee, a magazine and an adorable creature stealing the show

The best of books, the best of films and the best of jams- gifted to me by the best mom out there because she knew I was #obsessing

Our summer passion- hiking madness

And a giant close-up -love this guy

Once a Rat, Always a Rat

One of the best things about our relationship is how different we are. Wyet and I have known each other for well over a decade, but there are still so many new things he teaches me and vice versa. It's these little {seemingly insignificant} new experiences that keep our relationship exciting and full of life.

This past Saturday, we woke up at your usual time {a bit later than mid-morning for us sleepy heads} and were making a pot of coffee together when Wyet asked me if I felt like going to the Rat Fink Reunion. {Wait. The what?} I had no idea what he was talking about. When he saw my look of confusion, he began to tell me that I had to know what he was talking about. In fact, once upon a time he had even bought me a Rat Fink shirt. After he explained this to me, I had to admit that while I remembered the t-shirt, I hadn't the faintest idea what the brand Rat Fink was. That is when our Saturday adventure began.

Rat Fink is a brand, an icon and a legend in the hot-rod world. The creator, Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, is a renowned custom car builder and pin-striper. Ol' Big Daddy spent his life building hot-rods, customizing them, pin-striping and donning his works with Rat Fink. Rat Fink is the character behind the brand and was created as an anti-hero to Mickey Mouse. Rat Fink is a grotesque little character that stands as a symbol to the hot-rod culture.

The Rat Fink Reunion was held in Manti, Utah, home of the late Ed Roth. We were able to tour the Rat Fink Museum which displays original pieces of Roth's garage where he built countless hot-rods and the original office space where he created the Rat Fink masterpiece. It was a really fun experience to go and view the entire history of such a legacy. I woke up on Saturday morning knowing very little about pin-striping and nothing at all about hot-rods. By the end of the day, I felt like I fit right in. Wyet's entire career centers around custom paint and design. It was a great experience to go and enjoy a bit of that with him.

Manti, Utah 2013

Wyet with the hot-rod rats!

Ed "Big Daddy" Roth's garage

Touring the Rat Fink Museum

Baked Goods

It's no big secret that I'm not the cook in our house. Perhaps if I put in some honest effort and tried a little harder, I might actually be able to pull off a meal every now and again. The problem is, I'm not even motivated to try. Wyet is such an incredible culinary genius that I feel like it is out of my league to even give it a go. {I'm off the hook.} However, the problem is that Wyet doesn't like sweets. Which I totally don't get. So if I want a sweet, dessert or pastry of any kind, I'm on my own.

Tonight I decided to bake some banana bread. For some reason, I don't feel as guilty about eating baked goods if it has some sort of fruit in it. {That makes it healthier, right?} I found this awesome recipe on Allrecipes.com. You can access the link here. I made a few adaptations which I will list below. The bread and muffins taste incredible and the scent reminds me of childhood. Oh, how I wish everyday were Sunday.

Original Recipe by Shelley Albeluhn
Adapted Recipe:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tbs. cinnamon powder
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
5 overripe bananas
2 eggs

Combine all of the dry ingredients together and all of the moist ingredients together before combining the two mixtures. Bake on 350 for about 45 minutes. Enjoy a delightful piece of banana bread along side a hot chai tea.