It's been a rough week

As some of you may know I have a disease called bi-polar disorder. I don't like talking about it very much, because I don't want to be labeled as someone who has bi-polar. I just want people to see me and say that's Melissa she is a wonderful person, and not that's Melissa she has a chemical imbalance. This week has been a tough one for me but I just keep telling my self that I'm okay, because I am. I have always been able to keep it under control until the past two years, and that is because we want to try to get pregnant and my medication that I had been on forever and was so good for me is one that you CAN"T be on while you are pregnant. So it's just frustrating to not feel normal, but at the same time I just want to be a mom so if that means I need to be a little crazy for a few months that's okay with me. But I also know I need to be healthy if I want to be a mom. So maybe we will just need to adopt our kids which would be great we just don't have that kind of money. At least I know I have friends and family that are here for me if I need anything. So it's tough but oh well what can you do right?! Just keep swimming!

August Book Club

Dancing on Broken Glass- My pick

I loved this book! I think I enjoyed it so much because I could really relate to it. I mean I've lived with bipolar disorder pretty much my whole life. It is a tear-jerker, so if you aren't a fan of books that make you cry don't read this one. But I would definitely recommend it. 

We took a few months off for the summertime, but yay I'm so glad to be having book club again.

June Book Club

The Forgotten Garden- Grandma Sharon's pick

Even though we didn't meet to talk about this book I liked it so much that I still wanted to do a post for it. I really enjoyed The Forgotten Garden it drew me in right from the beginning, and kept my attention all through out. It's written in four different time periods so it jumps back and forth from one year to another, which made it very entertaining. It also has some twists and turns that you don't expect so that also makes for an enjoyable book as well. I would highly recommend this book I really liked it.

Motivation

I told myself I needed to lose weight and I'm actually sticking to it and doing it. If you know me I'm usually just talk and no action when it comes to my weight. All I've really been doing is eating better and drinking lots of water. But it's been about six weeks and I've lost 6lbs. So a pound a week that's not great but better than nothing. I can already tell a difference in the way my pants are fitting.

YAY for me!!! I'm pretty proud of myself (if you couldn't already tell.)

Motivation

As I was skimming through some old photos today I noticed something....I've gained A LOT of weight these past 2 years, that I've been married. And I know I say this at least once a year but this time it's for real. I'm really going to focus on getting healthier and getting fit. I lack some confidence in myself that I think would improve if I looked a little better than I do now.

Here are the pictures that are going to be my motivation.

I wish I were a chef

To start off this post I need to start by saying I'm no chef (but secretly I wish I were). I am becoming a better cook than when we first got married. Sometimes when I'm preparing a meal I like to think I'm on a TV cooking show. For one of my bridal showers my sister had everyone include their favorite recipe for me. I really liked that and now I've been able to make things I wouldn't have ever tried. I'm always looking for fun new recipes to try. So if anyone reading has any good recipes they'd like to share please send them my way. Some of my favorite recipe blogs to look at are Six Sisters Stuff  Alexandra Cooks  Mother Thyme  Skinny Taste  Closet Cooking  Recipe Girl  Taste and Tell. These blogs are always giving me great new ideas and make me want to be a better chef.

February Book Club

Safe Haven- Jessie's pick

This book was really good I enjoyed reading it. It grabbed me right from the beginning and I couldn't put it down. Usually books by Nicholas Sparks are sad so I was worried to read it (cause I didn't want to cry)  but this one was just really intense. It has a twist at the end of it which was interesting as well. I would highly recommend this book. Now I just need to go see the movie.

January book club

Heaven is Here- Natalie's pick

This book was written by a lady from Utah who was in an airplane accident that burned most of her body. She became popular from her blog (that's how I want to become popular). I used to read her blog but I didn't like reading it because she was always complaining about something. (Plus it seemed like her life was a little too perfect.) After reading her book though I can understand that she has a reason to complain. Every day is a struggle for her and she is constantly in pain, if that were me I would be complaining too. This was a really good book and made me realize I need to not be so critical and know that everyone has trials that they are dealing with. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good read.

October, November & December book club

December, Christmas Jar Reunion:
I loved this book its a great one to read at Christmas time. And a great way to remind us of the true meaning of the season. It is a must read, as well as Christmas Jars.

November, Killing Lincoln:
I wasn't able to read this one but I really wanted to so I'll need to go back and read it sometime.

October, Hearts in Hiding:
This was a really interesting book. I loved all the twists and turns it had and it grabbed me right from the start. I would very much recommend it.

August and September Book Club

August, Edenbrook- Sydney's pick
September, The Shapeshifter's Secret- Mandy's pick

I wasn't able to read the books for book club these last two months. August was a pretty crazy month for me and September a little bit too. I still wanted to put them on my blog though because I want to go back and read both of them. Everyone in book club said how much they loved Edenbrook, so I definetly need to check that out from the library. I'm going to be better the next few months and read the books.

Pin Crazy

Yes this post is about pinterest.

I joined pinterest about four months ago, and I think I'm obsessed. I have created 16 boards and pinned about 700 things. I wish there was something that showed what the average person pins just to see if I really am obsessed or if I'm just the average pinner. Its just so addicting for me. If I have a free second instead of doing things I should (like cleaning or laundry) I think, no I'll just check pinterest real fast. That never happens I'm usually on there for like and hour at least. Since I've joined pinterest I feel like I've become more creative. I mean there is only so much stuff my little brain can think of so to get all these ideas from other people is just great. I have gotten several new recipes some we will try again and others we won't but at least we tried them. And there are lots of decorating ideas I've gotten, I'm sure I won't even try half of them, but its fun to see how creative people are. Plus just to give you a little idea last year I only blogged like 12 things all year and so far this year I've posted about 30 things to my blog and since April its been maybe 20 posts. Wow that's nuts, maybe I should take a little break from blogger and pinterest. David thinks I'm on there way too much which from that little statistic seems true. I do have a board though that David really likes its my "Stuff to remember if we ever buy a house" (he thinks I should rename it to "Stuff to remember when we buy a house"). Anyways I love pinterest and I should have joined a long time ago. I really wish I had pinterest before I got married because there are some amazing ideas out there. 

My three favorite pins are....
   #1- I found a really easy way to cook corn on the cob. I use this all the time and its so much easier than the old way. Plus it comes out so juicy! The directions tell you to preheat the oven to 350 mine I preheat for 375. I put mine on a cookie sheet as well just to make it easier to take out of the oven. Cook it for 25-30 minutes, I do at least 30-32 minutes because it gets more tender. You leave the husk on and when you take it out of the oven it just peels right off. That's it, super easy.

   #2- I have a pin that gives you an idea for an alphabet of love book. I decided to do this for David's birthday. I tweaked it though from what I pinned, but the idea came from pinterest. I made mine a photo book with words too so not a lot different just a little. It was so much fun for me to make and I'm so excited to give it to him. Plus since I made it I was able to make it more personal, I think he's really going to like it. For some reason N, O and P were the toughest ones for me to think of. The best one I thought of was M- I said for all the Memories we have made, and all the Memories we are going to make.

   #3- This one when I told David the idea he loved it. We are going to take the same picture at the same location in the same pose four times. So each season, the difference is the weather your clothes and your hair. The place we David thought of  to take the picture is Ensign Peak (this is where he proposed). The days we are going are August 2nd (so yesterday). November 2nd, February 2nd (this is the day he proposed) and May 2nd. At the end of the four pictures I'm going to print them out and put them in our living room, right now we don't have any pictures on the wall and I couldn't really think of anything to do so this will be perfect.

March- July Book Club

 Fablehaven Series- Group pick (recommended by, Aunt Jo)

I haven't been doing my book club reviews over the past few months because we have been reading this series and I thought I would wait until we were done reading it and do one big post about all five books. I must admit I wasn't very excited to read this series, but I was pleasently surprised by all the books. When it was first suggested and they described the book I thought to myself  fairies, dragons, magical creatures, what? This is going to be crazy! It was so good though and really opened my eyes and let my imagination run wild (I guess you could say). I'm not really sure I can say which book is my favorite there were parts I enjoyed about all of them. And to be honest I didn't read the end of the fourth book (Natalie told me what happened). And the fifth book I read the first four chapters, chapter ten and the last two chapters. Then I went to Wikipedia to fill in the blanks and read about the new characters that were introduced in that book. Don't worry though I'm going to recheck it out of the library and read the whole thing, the normal way front to back. It was fun to read something like this that I would never pick on my own. Which is the reason I love book club, because most of these books I wouldn't pick on my own but its fun to read something so different and new. 

At this last book club we were able to meet the Author Brandon Mull (he's my Aunt's neighbor) so that was a lot of fun. Here are some pictures I took, enjoy.

Act natural

 K readers- AKA Mandy, I want your opinion on something. The other day I was doing my hair and decided I would try to embrace my natural curl wave. See it used to be curl up until about five years ago now its just wave. Anyways that's off subject, I was wanting to know what you think about how it. Is it OK or does it look like a rats nest? I sure hope its semi presentable because I actually went out in public with my hair like this. Please let me know your thoughts Hobson?

Answers

So this post is a little embarrassing, apparently I only have one reader. Thanks Mand for playing along with my silly little post love you. I guess its a good thing you left a comment with three questions, I'll just answer all of them.

Q: If you could change one thing what would it be?
A: Haha this answer is a little vain of me. I would change my body shape/size.Now I know that this is something I can change but when you say change I take it as you are meaning right away. I would like to be about an inch taller and I don't know like 40lbs lighter. Hey maybe I will change this (not the height part but the rest) yes I think I am going to work on it. Thanks Mandy you have made me want to change my life...well sort of.

Q: What is your biggest regret?
A: When I was about 12 years old (I think something like that) my dad took my sister and I on a vacation. We went to Moab, Jackson Hole, rafting down the Snake River and a few other places. The whole time on the trip I was a bratty teenager and didn't want to do anything. And now that I look back on it that was a pretty awesome trip and I would've had such a great time and made a lot more memories had I just been a good sport. Cause who knows when I'll be able to go on a trip like that again.


Q: If you could do anything with anyone what would it be?
A: I would love to be able to go to a session of General Conference. And not just watch it on t.v but actually be in the Conference Center in the audience. That would be such an awesome experience to be in the presence of the prophet his counselors and all the apostles, plus I'm sure the spirit is just overwhelming.

Question time

I'm going to try something I have never done before so bare with me. I want my readers (if I have any) to ask me a question. It can be anything you want. I will give it a week and next Saturday I will answer the questions in a new post. Have fun and ask away...

Craft time

This is my 4th of July wreath I made last year. The great thing about it was it was free (sort of). My sister gave me the wreath to use, plus she had a whole box of buttons that I used as my stars. Then we went over to my Grandma's and raided her collection of yarn that she's had forever. It was super easy to make and fun to do.

This is an iron on shirt I did it was also super easy and very inexpensive. The fun thing about the shirt is that it changes color in the sun...way cool if you ask me.

Viola the shirt is done

This is a preview of a project I'm working on now. I'm making it for my new little niece who will be here in October. So exciting I love babies.

The red bridge

This post is more for my enjoyment.

So at Epcot in the Japan pavilion I saw this red bridge. I had to get my picture taken on it, because you see one of my bridal pictures was on this bridge at the International Peace Gardens. Of course I look much better in the one from my bridals but you get the point.

Should I be worried?

David & I have been eating these pretzels for about a week now. Should we be worried that they expired 100 years ago? :)

February Book Club

Letters in the Jade Dragon Box- Grandma Sharon's Pick
I absolutely loved this book. It grabbed me right from the start. It's about a girl who was sent to live with her Uncle in Hong Kong when she was 5. Years later she gets a box of letters from her mom that her and her Uncle read together. It was such an interesting story and very easy to get into. If you are looking for a good read I would highly recommend this book. I'm super excited to talk about this book and to start reading next months book.

January Book Club

13 Reasons Why- Taylor's pick
I only read the first 2 chapters of this book, but what I read was pretty interesting. I read a synopsis of the book on Wikipedia and Natalie gave me a run down of the book as well when we were on our way to Book Club. I must admit after hearing what the book is about I don't really think I want to read it. Sorry Taylor its just not my cup of tea.