What happens in Cali...

Oh my goodness! I just got back from my first official spur-of-the-moment roadtrip (sad, I know), and I loved it! I'm not sure how I'm going to pay my bills this month, but I had so much fun that I don't even care. Sometimes you just gotta live life and take the opportunities that are presented to you, ya know?!

Anyway, a couple of friends and I packed up the car last weekend and headed to San Diego, California to witness the marriage of our friends New Kid (Zach) and Alyssa. We were only there for about 1 1/2 days, but I loved every minute of it. And thanks to my sweet Jayfred, we had a free place to stay. Woohoo!

We got in late Thursday night, early Friday morning and spent a little while getting settled, getting to know the strangers we were staying with, and getting in on the Fuller family gossip. Good times, good times. And great information if I must say so myself...

We woke up on Friday morning and headed to the most beautiful place in the world, the San Diego Temple:

Dreamy right?? The inside is even more magnificent and breathtaking. Oh man. I just really loved the spirit that was felt there and it was so peaceful. So beautiful! This was my second temple wedding that I had been to, and I absolutely loved it. The words that were said, the feelings felt, I just can't begin to describe the feelings. Love.

Here is the happy couple after sealing the deal:

And, of course, the wedding party:

We took lots of pretty pictures and shared lots of memories and/or laughs. Afterward we all headed to lunch. Enjoyable company, decent food, beautiful city. It was a great moment.

Back at the Fuller home we got more juicy gossip, changed our clothes and headed out for our next adventure. Well, first I fell on my face while walking out the door and nearly wet my pants, but you know, I wouldn't expect anything less from myself. First destination, Balboa Park and the Pacific Boardwalk.


The weather did not cooperate with us. It was pretty windy, chilled and skies were gray, but we spent a good chunk of time just playing at the beach, watching the waves and breathing in the salty air. It made me reflect on just how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful world and to have the luxuries that I do. Just a great, peaceful moment.

And then...I chose the path of sin. Haha. Yes, I got myself a tattoo. Ok, so maybe it was only a henna tattoo, but I felt rebellious doing it.

"Lips" in honor of...me. Fitting right? At the time, I loved it. But now I am realizing that it was probably the dumbest $10 I've ever spent. They claim the tattoo lasts 1 1/2-2 weeks. I am on day 5 and it's practically gone. In fact, the next morning I woke up and the first thing I saw was my wrist. I immediately burst into laughter because it just looked like a child drew some lips on my wrist with a brown marker. Dumb.

After letting our tattoos dry and eating some pizza, we headed toward downtown San Diego and went to see some navy ship and also to Seaport Village. Inappropriate photos were taken, and ice cream was consumed, but it was mostly an evening of browsing and taking in the sights. We decided to call it a night because we were pretty exhausted.

The next morning, St Patrick's Day, we decided to check out a restaurant featured on the show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives called Hob Nob Hill. Besides the lack of parking, it was a pretty great little place. I LOVED the inside of the restaurant and the food selection was varied. I decided to get the Dublin Omlet in honor of the holiday: corned beef, green peppers, onions, swiss cheese and eggs. Not something I probably would have chosen on any other day, but it was pretty good.


I mentioned the cold weather on Friday, but the weather on Saturday was even worse. I'm talking torrential downpours and high wind gusts. Poor Cara was shivering as we were gassing up to head back to AZ.

And this is what I looked like after I walked from the car to the bathroom at the gas station.

It was intense. But I am happy to report that we made it home safely. Just in time for the storm to hit AZ.

All in all, it was a great weekend. One that won't be forgotten. I am so grateful that I could go and play with my girls and look forward to the next adventure...this coming weekend.

And just for fun, here is another beautiful temple (in the works) for your viewing pleasure:

This, my friends, is the Gilbert, Arizona temple. Approximately 2 miles from my parents' house and only a 10-15 minute drive from my house. I am already in love with this temple and can't wait until it is finished.

Next up, heading to Tucson to see the FUN. concert. Such a great life I live!

no joke

The other day I was driving down the freeway when I noticed a billboard that was proclaiming a grand opening and fashion show for a new company. When I looked a little closer to the billboard I noticed the new company was an OB/Gyn office.

Now answer me this question:

What kind of fashion show would you have at an OB/Gyn office??

calm

2012.

It's a new year and I have a new resolve.

I know I usually post my resolutions for all to see, and even recap the resolutions from the previous year...but not this year. You see, I haven't even thought about and/or written down any resolutions.

Strange? Perhaps.

Lack of motivation? Absolutely.

However, I am happy to report that one tradition remains this year...and that is the tradition of having a quote and/or saying that I want to live by for the year. I found a really good quote from President Thomas S Monson, but it was so similar to my quote from last year that I wasn't really feeling it.

Then the greatest thing happened.

I went to dinner with my friends and we exchanged Christmas presents. My friend gave me a CD compilation with songs from a group called Fun. and another group called The Format. I started listening to the CD and stumbled upon this amazing song. At first I just thought, "Holy crap, this is a catchy song!" But then I started listening to the words...and I may have even gotten a tear in my eye because I just knew...this was it! This was my song and my theme for the year.

So without further ado, I give you a musical masterpiece for your listening pleasure, complete with lyrics:


"But Alayna, this is a song about a homeless man singing on the street," you may say. Yes, this is true. But the message resonated deep inside of me. It's exactly what I need to remember this year, because I have no doubt it's going to be an interesting year...

No matter how trying things may be, I just need to be calm. Especially with all the big, tough changes coming my way, I know that I will make it through if I just remember this message:

Doctrine & Covenants 101:17

"Be still and know that I am God."

I am grateful for this message and truly believe it.

And now, I have a new favorite CD to listen to.

{it's a win-win}

Christmas craftiness

Christmas and the New Year came and went. They were good times.

Fun. Family. Friends.

The usual.

As promised, a little recap of my home made Christmas presents, all courtesy of Pinterest.

For the parentals: 52 reasons why I love you...deck of cards style.

For the brothers and their families: 10 reasons why I love you chipboard albums, complete with pictures of me {and the person the book was about}. Not pictured...because by the time I was done making them, I was ready to start them on fire. And since they were covered in Mod Podge, they were highly flammable.

For my new baby nephew: a football onesie. Drool.

For the friends: miniature stuffed owls/birds. Super cute and super easy. In all honesty, I prefer them flat {pictured} rather than stuffed. But what can you do?
What I wanted to make for everyone I know, but only had time to make them for my AZ friends: flower pillows. Don't they just scream happiness??!!

So, Christmas crafting was fun, but I'm glad it's over. I got some good stuff for Christmas as well. I am a lucky girl who is very much loved.

If you know anything about me, you know that I have a nickname. The full nickname is "They Call Me Lips," but usually I just go by "Lips." No further explanation is needed. So you can imagine my surprise when I woke up Christmas morning to this beautiful sight:My very own lips shaped bean bag! Haha. I almost died. That Santa sure is a character...

And since I am going through a major pillow making phase, I had to make a cute pillow to adorn my bean bag chair. The pillow is not stuffed in the below picture, and my bedroom is a disaster behind the chair, but you get the idea. Cutey right?!In other related news, my studly brother made my life complete by pawning off some stuff he didn't use anymore on me. He gave me his digital converter box...which means I now have basic cable, without having to pay for basic cable. Yay! Granted, it's only a few channels, but now I finally feel like I know what is going on in the world.

He gave me this beauty:The piano I grew up playing on...just because he didn't want to bother moving it to their new place. It is such a dream to have a piano in my house! The non-full sized keyboard just wasn't cutting it. I LOVE IT!!!

And finally, he still has a use for this item, but let me borrow it to my heart's content during the holidays:

I seriously adore that boy! He just melts my heart.

I hope your holidays were great! I know mine were!

More posts to come. Or I should say, atleast one post is in the works...

{later}

overdue

{What?! Alayna is updating her blog?!}

Hello friends. It's been a while. What can I say? Life has just been crazy busy. I'm sure you all understand. Afterall, I am not the only terrible blogger out there. But this has for sure got to be a record for me. No promises that things will get better...

Anyway, Christmas is just 3 days away. I can't believe it! No, I DON'T believe it. As much as I love living in AZ, it's just hard to wrap my head around Christmas when it's 60+ degrees. I miss the snow and cold this time of year. And with no annual trip to UT this year, it's been different.

I've had my fair share of Christmas festivities. Starting with the annual decorating of the gingerbread house with my nephews on Thanksgiving.
Such a work of art! And very difficult for me to just sit back and watch the dirty little fingers touch and/or lick everything, and place things in unusual places. My mother says that next year she will get one just for me...so I can do what I want with it. Haha. I love it!

Next item on the agenda, the work Christmas party, catering to our hispanic co-workers with Mexican food, a mariachi band and a pinata. Good times...mostly.I decided, in an effort to save some money, to make all homemade Christmas gifts this year.

Never again.

Not sure that it's worth it...and not sure that it saves on the funds. Seriously, that took up all of my time and was a huge factor into why I don't blog anymore. So for OUR sake...I promise not to do that again!

However, I am somewhat in love with the results and proud of my efforts. Hopefully my friends and family enjoy the gifts...

With that being said, my home and other aspects of life have suffered from my lack of time. I had to take a day off of work just so I could decorate my Christmas tree and clean my house! But I am happy that I can now just enjoy laying on the couch, looking at my awesome Christmas tree. Matchy matchy ornaments and white lights...makes my OCD heart happy!Other Christmasy happenings have happened, like the annual trip to the temple to see the lights, drinking QT hot chocolate on a regular basis, wearing sweatshirts and I even wore shoes one day this last week {gasp}. It's been a very eventful and exciting month!

But perhaps a near favorite event, not Christmas related, was the birth of my puppy babies.Look at sweet Frederick with our babies! I am trying to convince Freddy to give me a puppy, but let him raise it, train it and take care of it...at his house. I think he's almost convinced.

Or maybe not.

But in all seriousness, how can you deny this face? Swoon.

Speaking of babies and swooning, I have some great news! On December 16th I became an aunt...again...for the 8th time! My 7th nephew, cute little Chase William, made his appearance and swiftly found his way to my heart. I love him!
And finally, no Christmas would be complete without a white elephant gift exchange. I was lucky enough to open these tinfoil hats, made by my friend Lisa. Think of the movie "Signs" and then think of people wearing these hats saying, "So the aliens can't read our minds." That is the preface behind the hats.

So one day I brought the hats into work and my co-workers and I did all sorts of crazy things with them. Mostly inappropriate and unable to be posted, but just believe me when I say that we shed some tears due to laughter. Here is Saije and me, hiding in a makeshift cornfield, so the aliens can't find us. And here is another representation of the tinfoil hats, the bug eyes.I'm sure your imagination can take you all sorts of directions for different photo ops. I would love to hear your thoughts...

Anyway, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas. I hope you enjoy your time with your family and friends. And I also hope you find the time to focus on the real reason for this season, our Savior Jesus Christ. Because without Him, there would be no Christmas. That is my goal this year, to focus on the true meaning of Christmas...because so far I am failing.

I can't wait to share my homemade Christmas gifts with you...AFTER they are opened.

I will blog again.

Guaranteed.

{Merry Christmas, yo}

a little of this, a little of that...

It's about time I updated my blog with something of value.

But I've got nothing valuable to share.

So for now, I will just share some thoughts I've had lately:

*I really love "No Shave November." There is just something about a man with facial hair that makes me smile. However, I do not love girls that participate in "No Shave November." That's just nasty. But to tell you the truth, I am convinced that I can grow a beard faster than most men I know.
*I have been listening to Christmas music since October 24th. And to be honest, I am shocked that I have done this because I tend to get sick of Christmas music pretty quick. No, I am not listening to only Christmas music, but I did venture out with some friends to buy the new Michael Buble Christmas CD (at midnight, dressed in winter clothing...when it was probably 80 degrees outside)...and I can't bring myself to take it out of the car CD player. So I listen to it, everyday. And I LOVE it!

*I can't seem to get enough crafting in these days. I think it all started when I had to begin preparations to teach the Relief Society lesson this last weekend. The lesson was on "Tender Mercies" and I threw in "Gratitude" too. We decided to give each of the girls gratitude journals to take home and I LOVED creating them. I made my own (which I stare at and smile at everyday) as well as a "Tender Mercies" sign to display throughout the month (that is our Relief Society theme for November). Wanna see?Honestly, I had such a hard time preparing my lesson because I just had to keep sneaking into my kitchen to look at my creations. Yep, I'm weird like that. Are you the same? You make something cute and can't pull yourself away from staring? So now I have switched my focus to Christmas presents. I have stayed up near midnight the last two nights because I am so in love with what I am making and CAN'T STOP! But at least it is a worthy cause...

{I am out of thoughts}

Halloween '11

Halloween 2011. It was a good one.

I decided to try my luck at making a handmade costume (or 2) this year...and I was pleasantly pleased with the outcome. My costumes were different than the norm, but very much pertinent to my life and sense of humor. You see, I dressed up as a candle:and as a Peeping Tom:

Why I chose to dress up as these two items you ask? Well, it's sort of an inside joke between my friends and myself with our dear friend Jay Frederick. You see, Jayfred is a very private person. He will let us into his home, but REFUSES to let us see into his bedroom. Not only can we not step foot in there, but we can't even peek our head in. Anywho, one day he sent us pictures of his bedroom, just to satisfy our curiosity. And what did our eyes behold? Countless numbers of candles...EVERYWHERE!!! And an Energizer Bunny on his head board (but that's beside the point). We joke that he is shooting porn in his bedroom. So the candle was a MUST.

The Peeping Tom is because for the longest time since I have known him he always jokes about how his dogs bark everytime he starts undressing in his room. He says it's because I am in his backyard, watching him undress through the window. I think it's because the dogs are crying in anguish, seeing him get undressed again. Anywho, that is why this costume was a MUST as well.

Flash forward to the Sunday before Halloween. The girls and I decided to have a little get together (because you shouldn't call it a party on a Sunday) and invite some friends over to eat snacks, play games and show off costumes. A few friends came to my house, and here are their fantastic costume choices:Mrs. Pacman (Cara), the Candle (yours truly) and a Roman Goddess (Daja)Mrs Pacman (Cara) and her hubby, Blinky the Ghost (Justin)Jayfred...dressed up as a shaggy red-neck (or atleast that's what I told people that he was)Dr. D Capitate and his trusted assistant (Zach and Alyssa)Snow White (Lisa)Wonder Woman (Mari)

There were other folks there, but I don't have individual shots of them and/or they didn't dress up. We mostly hung out and laughed about life, but we did play a fun game of toilet paper mummy wrapping (is that what you call it) and Smurf.

Good times. Good times.

But perhaps the highlight of my night (and dare I say it, Jayfred's too) was the re-creation of Freddy lounging sexily on my bed with a candle flickering in the background:Haha. I die.

Look how HAPPY he is when I get a little closer...

The actual day of Halloween was interesting. We had our work Halloween party and I chose to wear my Candle costume. I won a prize for the costume contest. Jay was proud.

That night was the Branch Halloween party. Sadly, I didn't take any pictures...but it was a pretty fun activity. Apparently the mummy wrap is the hit game of the season, because we played it again. Here is poor Andrew, forced to eat the empty toilet paper rolls. Doesn't he look squishy?And speaking of Andrew, I had to post this eerily awesome pic of him because I think he looked HOTT dressed up as Stefan Salvatore from Vampire Diaries:We did take a pic of us together with him pretending to bite my neck, but it was taken on his cell phone and I don't have it. Oh, I guess I should mention that I dressed up as the Peeping Tom for the Branch Halloween party...AND won the prize for the most creative costume.

Woohoo!

Two costumes, two awards! Who would have known that Freddy would be such a great inspiration and good luck charm?!

And now, for your viewing pleasure, a Peeping Candle:

{Boo}