Motherhood

Last week, Jason and I finished all ten seasons of Friends.  Needless to say, I was crying my eyes out when we were finished.  I was so emotional about it! Partially because it was that time of the month, and also because I just didn't want it to end.  You know the feeling you get when you finish a really good book and you're just so sad it's over?  I always want to know more about the characters and what happens next, and at the end of the book I'm so heart broken that I can't experience more with the characters that I became so connected to.   

I mean.. look at her.  She's 46 and looks better than I will ever hope to!  I'm obsessed.

Because my "Friends" have been on my mind lately, I started to do a little research on my favorite character, Jennifer Aniston.  She has always been one of my favorite actresses, and it dawned on me that I don't know much about her as a person, I only know the characters that she has played.  I've always thought that we would be friends in real life if we knew each other, but as I searched the web, that was confirmed.  She seems like a kind, genuine person, and from the interviews I read, her humor is right up my alley.  I think she is great!  Despite the fact that she's on my husband's "list."

As I browsed the internet for accurate sources, I came across an incredibly interesting quote by her.  I was reading up on her divorce, and the poor thing had rumors upon rumors upon rumors being spread about it.  Talk about getting personal!  I don't envy all the celebrity's who can't seem to have anything stay private.  Anyway, there was a specific rumor that said the reason for Jen and Brad's split was her refusal to have children with him.  This is what she said,

"...I've always wanted to have children, and I would never again give up that experience for a career." -Jennifer Aniston

 That really struck a cord with me.  A lot of people in today's world say how much women give up by having children, and they even go as far as to criticize and look down on those who do.  I'm not going to pretend that Jen and I are on a personal level and that I know anything about her situation or why she has never had children, but I can draw certain conclusions from that short, but profound quote; That she wanted to, and that her career has gotten in the way of that.  I also believe that if she were to do it all over again, she would put motherhood above her career any day.  Unfortunately, you live and learn, and sometimes you end up learning things a little too late.

I don't thin that every woman should be a mother, especially if they don't want to.  I'm also not putting down those who choose not to have children.  Having children is a very personal choice.  However, I do believe that being a mother is one of the greatest, most noble, and incredible things a woman can be.  It's not something that should ever be criticized, it should be glorified.  When the time is right, I can't wait to be a mother.  To me, it's not a sacrifice.  I'm not giving up who I am or what I love to become a mother, it's what I am meant to be.

To all of you amazing mom's out there, and especially my mom (and my mother in law's), Thank you!  Thank you for choosing to be a mother.  Thank you for kissing every boo boo, reading us stories every night, listening to our troubles and comforting us through them, teaching us right from wrong, not killing us as teenagers, being our shoulder to cry on when the world isn't fair, and being our biggest fan.  It was an incredibly hard, and thankless job most of the time, but you took it like a champ.  You don't hear it enough, but we love you, and we will be forever grateful to you.  Mom's rock!  And I can't wait to be one.  

Mom Time.

This past weekend, my mom came to visit Jason and I.  I was missing my mom so much.  I don't care how old you get, you will always need your mom.  And I needed mine.  Bad.  I kept getting this overwhelming sad feeling, and my eyes would well up with tears and I'd tell Jason, "I miss my mom, Jas."  He thought it was so cute, because it was seriously at the most random times that I'd say that.  He texted my mom and told her that, and a few weeks later, my dad pulled some strings and got my mom a flight out here to come see me!  I'm so glad my mom came to visit.  Unfortunately, I had to work two of the days that she was here, but luckily I have an amazing husband, and he was able to keep her company.  I would call him to ask what they were doing in the middle of the day, and he would just say, "We're bonding." Haha. Love that man.

Yesterday, we took my mom to Biltmore Mansion in Ashville, and we had a blast.  My mom is an Art teacher/lover, so this was really cool for her to see, and really great for me to be able to experience it with her.  It was also mine and Jason's 6 month anniversary yesterday.  Yay!  We forgot it was yesterday until half way through the day when I asked, "Is it the eighth?"  My mom said yes, and I yelled ahead to Jason (we were walking on a trail,) "Happy Anniversary!" He was like, "Oh ya!  Happy Anniversary!"  I know a lot of people do crazy celebrations and what not, but I feel like we will always just make a big deal of it on our actual anniversaries.  Luckily for us, we were doing something fun without even trying!

Anyway, we explored Biltmore all day yesterday, and this morning before my mom left, I did her hair.  She was long overdue, and her hair is now gorgeous!  We took her darker for Fall, and it looks beautiful. Probably because my mom is so Beautiful!  I hope you all had a good weekend, and if your mom is nearby, go over and give her a big hug and tell her you love her.  She deserves it.

Here are some pictures from our little trip.  Enjoy!

 My Pretty Momma. 

 My Cute Husby.

 Lilly Pads are Awesome, Guys.  Seriously.

 Fish Whisperer

 Oh. My. Gosh.  So Gross.  But, so cool.

 This little guy would NOT get on my finger.

 The Greenhouse in the Gardens.

 The Secret Garden?

This was so odd. I don't really know what is going on here....

My Mom's new and fresh hair style for fall!

Stuck in a Rut?

Lately, I have lacked motivation big time.  I don't know what it is, I'm stuck in a rut.  I miss my family and friends. I wake up in the morning, and it feels like I haven't slept all night.  I go to work, and I can't wait to get home.  I cook dinner, but I look for the fastest ways to do all of these things.  You know what I am lacking?  Passion.  For everything.  I don't know if it's just me, but this happens to me every now and again, and I have to evaluate what I am doing and what needs to change, and when I do, suddenly all is right in the world again.  You see, I know that I have no one to blame but myself.  I've let myself get lazy and complacent.  It's something that I fall into easily.  Patterns that I get into and it takes me awhile to realize just what I am doing to myself.  So, here's a few things that I know I need to change, and while I'm still struggling to get myself out of this rut, I've noticed some huge changes in the way that I feel since I've been doing them.  If you find yourself in a similar situation, may I suggest that you do a few of these things as well!

• Do something you love. Simple enough, right?  Wrong.  So often we get caught up in the things that we have to do, and we forget to make time for the things that we like to do.  For me, these activities include reading, enjoying nature, and creating something, whether it be a painting, something for my home, or a pretty meal, they make me happy.  
• Get Physical.  Something we all can do more of.  I got so caught up in work this summer, and I'm embarrassed to say my workout regimen was almost nonexistent.  Sometimes we fall off the wagon, and that's okay!  Everybody makes mistakes, everybody has those days... yeah. That just happened.  I quoted Hannah Montana, loud and proud. Anyway, exercise doesn't have to be running 3 miles and lifting weights.  There are so many forms of exercise that you can do, and I promise you can find something you love.  Here are some things I love to do, and you might too.  Yoga is a great way to sculpt, tone, burn fat, etc.  I absolutely love Yoga!  And no, it is not easy, pretty much anyone who has taken a class will tell you that.  Rock Climbing is also a great form of exercise.  And it is so much fun!  Hiking, biking, swimming, (laps of course.  Walking in a pool isn't really exercise) dancing, tumbling, etc.  These are all great forms of exercise, and they don't require going to a gym ore even spending lots of money on memberships.  Find something you love to do, and then do it a lot!
• Sleep.  Something we all need more of, amirite?!  Jason and I are total night owls.  We love to stay up late and watch movies together.  It is so bad for your health when you don't get enough sleep!  So, Jason and I have been making a goal to go to bed at 11 every night, and so far it has made a huge difference.  I know 11 isn't early to some people, but for us it is!  Baby steps.  Early to bed, Early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.  That is the absolute truth.  If you can get into a good sleeping habit, it will make all the difference in the world.  
• Drink water.  I may be the only person who has trouble doing this, but I have a feeling that I'm not.  A good rule of thumb is to divide your body weight in half, and that's how many ounces you should be drinking per day.  If you're working out a lot, you're going to need more than that.  It's so important to be well hydrated, and I'm sure we've all heard this a million times, so I wont bring up the millions of statistics and articles about the importance on this topic.  Just drink water, okay?  
• Serve others.  I would be lying if I said I am perfect at this, and most of the time if I am assigned to visit someone or help somebody I don't know, my first thought is, why me? I don't have time for this. blah blah blah, selfish selfish selfish.  However, every single time I serve someone else and get outside myself, I feel so grateful and humbled and put in my place.  That is what life is about, guys.  This week I had the opportunity to visit some investigators with the sister missionaries, and I cannot tell you the light and joy that it brought me.  I was able to see people changing, their testimonies beginning to grow, and their happiness was evident.  I was so touched, and I felt like a big jerk because of my attitude before I went.  Luckily, life is about learning and growing, and I think I learned my lesson.  

Since I have been doing these things, I have noticed the hugest difference in the way I feel, in the amount of time I have in the day and how much I am able to accomplish, and ultimately, my happiness.  There's always room to improve and grow, and these are simple ways in which I have improved in my own life, and I'm grateful that we are always given the chance to improve ourselves for the better.  Namaste.  Can you tell I've been really into Yoga lately?  I'm curious, what things have you done to increase motivation and happiness in your life?

P.S.  We are getting a dog.... and I couldn't be more excited!!!  

It's Love.

I have to brag for a second about how adorable and incredible my little brother is.  The other day, My brother, David snap chatted me a picture of 2 packs of gum with little notes on them, from my youngest little brother, Jordan.  

Jordan is one of the most kind and loving people I have ever met.  Everyone who is lucky enough to know Jordan knows this about him. This picture made me tear up, because he is just so genuinely good and sweet.  He was blessed with the gift of charity since day 1, something I believe I will be trying to gain my entire existence.  This little boy is so special and loving, and it got me thinking about how much better I can be.  So often we settle for mediocrity, and it is criminal.  I know I am capable of so much more than I am doing, and I have enough time, enough love, enough passion, enough of everything to go around and think outside myself, like my little brother so graciously reminds me time and time again through his example.  I think if there were more people like Jordan in the world, it would be a much better place.  I also know that because there are people like Jordan in the world, it is a beautiful place, and we are so lucky to have people like him in our lives. 

Look how cute my siblings are!  Little Jordy is under my arm.

It seems like such a small act, buying a pack of gum for someone, but in the great scheme of things, it is a much larger act than it seems to be.  It's the little things in life that make people the happiest.  It's a 14 year old kid spending his own money to buy his brothers a treat when he went to the store to buy treats for himself.  It's a stranger saying hello and asking how your day is going, seeing old couples holding hands and deeply in love, your dog knowing when you're having a rough day and cuddling up next to you, your husband making you breakfast in the morning because he knows you're running late. It's the small acts of service and love that we show toward each other every single day that makes the biggest difference in all our lives.  It's all about love.  Everything we do, everyone we meet, everything we say, we should center around this one principle: Charity.  Life is beautiful, and I hope that I can help to make the world more beautiful each day.  

P.S. please excuse the bad picture quality, I had to snag these gems from my phone. 

Married.

Last week, I was able to go home to Utah and visit my family and friends.  It was seriously the best, and I was so incredibly happy to see everyone!  The only downside is that Jason wasn't there with me.  I'll tell you what, your perspective completely changes once you get married and commit yourself to someone.  There was a time when I thought no one could take precedence over my family, and I was right.  No one can take precedence over my family, except there is one little detail.  Jason is my family. Obviously, my family is still my family, and I love them more than words can ever say, but Jason is now my Family as well; We are now our own little family. Never have I ever cared that I was going on a trip without a boyfriend, especially if it was a trip with my family.  It's always a plus to have your S.O. there with you, but it wasn't a necessary thing for me.  I never cared all that much. I was like, "I'm going to cali with my family TTYL, HAGS!" and that was that.   Okay, maybe not quite like that, but still, you get my point.  Jason has changed my life in so many ways.  In ways that I probably haven't even realized yet.  Being in Utah with some of the people that I hold the most dear was so great, and I loved every minute, but being there without Jason was like going on a big family vacation to Hawaii and leaving your mom home, or one of your siblings.  It's like... hey, why are we leaving mom home?  It's just not a family trip without Mom.  Ohana means family.  Family means that no one gets left behind!

Being in Utah without Jason was like that, and I started to get a familiar feeling every night when I went to bed, alone.  It took me back to a time when I was single.  I don't know about you, but the times that I get the most profound thoughts are at night when I'm going to sleep, or in the shower.  Being single is fun, or so we all tell ourselves.  And for awhile, it is.  Then after awhile, it's not.  It's really, really not, and we keep trying to tell ourselves that it is, and sometimes we actually believe it.  We enjoy "the game," and we go to party after party, meeting tons of new people and fooling ourselves into thinking that we are making "so many new friends," and that college life is the best because I get to "do me."  

That is the great thing about college life and single life, we get to discover ourselves, and we make mistakes, and we do a lot of fun things with a lot of fun people, and if we are lucky, we make a few life long friends.  I'm not saying that being single is a bad thing, in fact, it is necessary. But still, at the end of the day, when the excitement is gone, and the people who constantly surround you have gone home, you're left alone.  At the end of the day, your lonliness overwhelms you, because you realize that you really are on your own.  Don't get me wrong, I love a good party every now and again, but after awhile it gets old, and you realize that these parties and these people and this environment is so.... empty.  And even though you try to ignore those feelings for so long, they always catch up to you because you can't hide from yourself forever, and you can only surround yourself with people for so long.  Then, when you're all alone wondering where you want your life to go, you get that feeling of being unfulfilled.  If you're in this stage of life, or have ever been in this stage of life, you know the feeling.  I'm glad I didn't give up and stop going to parties, and hanging out with a million different people, and coming home every night feeling unfulfilled.  If I would have given up, I wouldn't have met Jason. 

While I was in Utah I got to visit with my mom and dad, my brothers who everyone knows, I love dearly, all of my wonderful in-laws who I adore, and some of my very best friends!  At the end of the day though, I got that familiar feeling of being unfulfilled, because I wasn't with Jason.  It wasn't quite the same, because lucky for me, I get to keep my Jason forever, and I know that, but I realized now more than ever, that he really is the most important person in my life.  And for those of you who are married and have spent any time away from your spouse, I'm sure you have had this similar feeling.  

Being married rocks, and I would seriously recommend it to everyone.  When people say, "don't get married, it's a trap!"  I think it is the saddest thing in the world.  And I know that at the end of the day, they get that overwhelming feeling of loneliness that I once knew all too well.  The growth that I have had since I chose to take my life to the next step and marry my best friend has been anything but small.  I know I have a lot more growth to do, and I know I'll have my sweetheart by my side every step of the way.  There hasn't been a more perfect thing for humans than marriage and families.  I'm lucky to have my spouse by my side every step of the way, forever.  Marrying Jason was the best decision I have ever made, some may say it's the newlywed in me, some may say "call me in 10 years," and to them I say, you may be right, but the only difference between newlywed's and people who have "fallen out of love," or "changed," is effort.  Newlyweds are constantly trying to make each other happy.  If everyone stayed in their newlywed habits, I think the divorce rate would be much, much lower.  I love my husband, I wont ever stop, because I made a commitment to him, and I made a commitment to God, and that is more important to me than anything else in the world.

This all just kind of spilled out of me when I sat down to write, I intended to write about my super duper fun trip to Utah!  Guys, it was super fun!  Can you tell I missed Jason? Here's a picture of us at the temple in South Carolina today.  

We drove 2 hours to get there, and upon arriving were told that it was closed for maintenance... just our luck, right?  We still had a good time, despite the circumstances, and we were able to feel the spirit even though we didn't get to do a session.  Anyway, for those of you in that lonely state, to you I say, It only goes up from here.   

Honeymooners

Honeymoons are the best thing ever. I wish they never had to end! Jason and I had the best time together. Husbands are the best invention ever! And yes, I may still be in the "honeymoon stage," but I don't care. I hope we can always stay in the honeymoon stage, and honestly, I don't see why it has to end. Even with all that life throws at us, I feel that if we are doing it right, marriage can only get more rich and fulfilling as time goes on. That's not to say that marriage will be perfect and we will never be at odds with one another, but if both of the people in the marriage are putting one another first and their priorities are in line, you cannot fail.

Sheree's Outfit Details: Beanie- Spacecraft Shirt and Skirt- J.Crew Shoes- Forever 21

Jason's Outfit Details: Shirt- J.Crew 

Our honeymoon was perfect. Jason and I spent 5 days in Park City, and it was the most perfect honeymoon I could've asked for. Everyone always does these lavish trips for their honeymoon (and I am a lover of lavish trips, trust me), but the problem with that is, I would feel obligated to go out and do things every second that I was there. Since Jason and I went to Park City, it was far enough to feel like we got away, but we didn't feel the need to be out and about everyday, all day. We were able to just enjoy the newness of being married and spending time with one another. It was perfect.  Sunday, we slept in late and went out for breakfast at The Eating Establishment. It was delicious, and their bacon is perfect. And if you're wondering if their orange juice is really fresh squeezed, it is (you never know these days). And it's worth it. Then we went to the grocery store and bought food for our condo that we were staying in, and we rented a movie. We watched the movie called "It's About Time."  Here is the trailer for those of you who haven't heard of it.

They say (I still don't know who they are, but they sure do know a lot) that the first movie that you watch as a married couple is reflective on your marriage. I didn't know that until after the fact, but I'm okay with that movie signifying what our marriage will be like! If you guys haven't seen the movie, I highly recommend it. Yes, it is rated "R" because it is based in London.  If you've ever been to England before, or know anyone from the UK, you know those Brits and their potty mouths! ;) Other than that, the movie is perfectly clean and quite uplifting. I loved it. We finished off the night by going out to this lovely Italian restaurant called Ghidottis. Also highly recommended by me. It's delicious! The ambiance is amazing and the service is great. 

Jason's Outfit Details: Hat- Established Shirt- Burton Jacket and pants- Levi's

Monday morning we woke up and went to The Montage at Deer Valley Resort. This place is seriously PHENOMINAL. I don't even know how I would begin to describe it. We went to the spa and got a couples massage. First, they took us back to our separate lounges where they gave us robes to change into, and then there were lounge chairs and food to eat and it was just relaxing and nice.

Then my massage therapist came to get me, and they took us to the serenity suite. It was incredible. We walked in and there were two copper tubs, and a beautiful shower room and a fire place and huge room overlooking the mountains. They turned on relaxing music and we got the most amazing massages. I work in the beauty industry and I have had my fair share of massages, and this massage was the best that I've had by far. When they were finished, they took us to the pool room and gave us chocolate covered strawberries.

We went swimming and got in the hot tub and then went to our separate lounges again. There was a hot tub and steam room and showers with all the essentials, including shaving cream and razors. I was seriously in heaven! We just relaxed and had a spa day, and it was great. Then we went to Davanzas and met my brothers for pizza.  It was a good time.

One day we had a little getaway to Salt Lake and went shopping and just looked around at different little spots that we haven't been to before.

Jason's Outfit Details: Hat- Established Shirt- Burton Jacket and pants- Levi's

Jason's Outfit Details: Hat- Established Shirt- Burton Jacket and pants- Levi's Shoes- Adidas

We got dessert and just explored the city a little bit, and we went to Temple Square and surprisingly learned a lot about different buildings or periods in history that we never took the time to look into.  It was a lot of fun!

Sheree's Outfit Details: Beanie- Spacecraft Shirt and Skirt- J.Crew Shoes- Forever 21

Sheree's Outfit Details: Beanie- Spacecraft Shirt and Skirt- J.Crew Shoes- Forever 21

Jason's Outfit Details: Hat- Established Shirt- Burton Jacket and pants- Levi's Shoes- Adidas

The rest of the week was kind of a blur, but we went out to eat a lot, watched a lot of movies, went snowboarding at Park City resort, did even more shopping, and so many more things!  It was just perfect.  Unfortunately, all good things come to an end, and that means honeymoons as well.

Jason's Outfit Details: Shirt and Tie- J.Crew Jacket: Levi's

Sheree's Outfit Details: Beanie- Spacecraft Shirt: J.Crew Lipstick- "Love Me" by Smashbox

On the bright side, we were able to accomplish a lot over the weekend! We took back all of our duplicate presents (we got six crock pots, no joke.) and got a few things we needed and set up our little space, so it was good! We even combined banks! Look at that, we are officially married now! Anyway, my honeymoon was great! Make sure to check out my upcoming blog post for pictures and details of the wedding day!