all in a days work...

FINALLY...after two weeks away from me, my mom is home!

oh... how i missed her.

to celebrate my mothers return {and fall} we ventured all over these beautiful mountains.

notice my shirt... j.crew. l.o.v.e. it.
my b.e.a.utiful mother.

two of my most fabulous pieces for fall! my riding boots, they are the perfect final touch for any outfit. and once again my j.crew shirt. love.

we picked up maga and papa and headed to bountiful.

the kiddo's loved their time with maga.

they were all treated to back rubs... and think it ended in naps.

{the divine miss a}

saturday night.. game time.

we were all set at mom and dad's to watch the game.

turns out, they don't have the channel.

we called up brad and heidi and headed to their house to watch the game.
after half time the game became pretty boring, so annie's became our entertainment.

after annie ditched the high heels james wanted to try them on to see "how they felt to walk in"

i tried to catch a picture of him in the act, but he got away to quickly....

i'll get you next time james.

saturday was a good day. i loved being with my family and enjoyed all my time spent with them.

p.s. my talk went well yesterday.

always on my mind...

• it's time for one of thoughts posts. i've got things on my mind. lots of them.
• there is a scary movies playing in the other room {loud}. so i'm listening to my jon schmidt pandora station {loud} so i can't hear it.
• i hate scary movies.
• i buy. and buy. and buy. clothes. i don't know why. it's so impulsive and i don't need them. but something about something new... and an oh-so-perfect outfit that makes me happy. at least temporally.
• despite some peoples' opinion i'm thankful to be a member of a church that is still willing to make a moral stand on such a hot topic. you go pres packer!
• a friend of mine got married today... i didn't go to his wedding. why? because i'm a jerk. i want it to be me. so i didn't want to go be happy for him. do i sound like i'm 5? i should. because i wanted to cry every time i thought about it.
• did you catch this? how about this? l.o.v.e.d. them both.
• who ever invented math better watch his back.
• i have to speak in church on sunday. i've written and rewritten my talk 4 times tonight. i gave up and moved to blogging.
• people keep asking me if i want to get married... do you know what i want more than that? i just want to be someone's number one. i want to be someone's biggest priority. i want someone who wants to be with me because they love me. not because their husband is off to work or school. not because they need a girl's night out. not because they have nothing better to do. but because they love me, and there is nothing more important in the world then being with me. maybe that's asking too much.
• "When filled with God's love, we can do and see and understand things that we could not otherwise do or see or understand. Filled with His love, we can endure pain, quell fear, forgive freely, avoid contention, renew strength, and bless and help others in ways surprising even to us."
• last week i got pulled over, and by "pulled over" i mean the cop was on foot and held up a stupid stop sign, for speeding. when the cop handing me the ticket he said "i only wrote you for 5 over, but i HAD to give you a ticket" i wanted to say. "NO you didn't HAVE to give me ticket. you CHOOSE to." apparently he didn't listen in sunday school the day they talked about free agency.
• i've never felt more alone in life then i do right now.
• my new found love is reading the news paper. it makes me feel smart.
• i gave up diet coke. i was drinking upwards of 100 oz a day. i've given that up and am now drinking upwards of 125 oz of water a day.
• i registered for my second 5k. i'll train for this one. no need to pull my groin twice.
• my topic on sunday is "why does satan work so hard on 20 something year olds." i want to get up and say... "satans a bee-otch" and sit down. might not go over well, but i doubt they would ask me to speak again.
• i accidentally bought waterproof mascara. have you ever tired taking that crap off. i think i'm down about 100 lashes now.

that's all folks.

talk of the day.

did anyone else catch elder holland's talk today?

byu who?

23-17

14-35

10-34

13-27

16-31

overall 1 in 4....

byu, what is happening?

i used to think i'd love it if byu had to suffer a season like this, now that they are, i feel awful.

so here's to good sportsmanship...

go cougs.

except for nov 27...

then my loyalties lie in the land northward.

*on a side note, conference starts tomorrow... so. excited.

"it is important to know, when you feel down, that many other do also and that their circumstances are generally much worse than yours. and it's important to know that when one of us is down, it becomes the obligation of his friends to give him a lift."

forget yourself. do work. good work.

laugh or cry

life is funny, laugh or cry.

i'm afraid that when god made brooke, i drew the short stick with knowledge.

but my cup runneth over with humor.

so the not so "funny" things that happen in life, still make me laugh.

here are a few conversations i've had as of late that could have gone either way....

but thankfully ended in laughter.

*

aiden: hey bwooke.

bwooke: yes.

aiden: um, your kind of chubby.... but i still wove you.

*

brooke: will you please deposit this into my checking account.

co-worker 1: sure, why do you have a "wedding share"? it's not like your ever going to need it.

{best part, she was DEAD serious}

*

co-worker 2: brooke, did you have a really fun weekend?

brooke: it was fun. but nothing special. why?

co-worker 2: well your normally look better than you do today, so i just thought you may have had too much fun this weekend.

*

brooke: your baby is so cute! how old is she?

asian member: 9 months old. when is your baby due?

brooke: funny thing, i'm not pregnant.

*

oakley: hey bwooke, when's that baby in your tummy going to come out?

*

mom: is it our year for thanksgiving?

brooke: ummm... let me ask my husband. oh wait. yep it is.

*

good thing i can laugh... or i may be doing a lot of crying.

all is well that ends well.

{seriously, i'm grateful that i've been blessed with the ability to laugh. and not take myself too serious}

to whom it may concern:

i'm waiting. waiting to find you. waiting for you to find me.

i learned on sunday that there is no such things as a "soul mate", so i'm not expecting that. i'm not expecting you to come riding in on your white horse, saving me from the latest trouble. i am however expecting to love you greater and deeper than i ever even imagined possible. and vice versa. every morning i pass the slc temple on my way to work. i can only imagine what it will be like kneeling across the alter from you promising you eternity. don't worry, passing the temple twice a day is a constant reminder that i committed to you. that i will live a life that WILL allow me to promise you eternity.

i'm not perfect. but i'm trying my best to be. with that in mind, i think i will make you a pretty great wife. {i can say that right?} i can't really cook, so please don't hold that against me. but i'm happy, even in the worse of situations. i can always seem to find the good even when it seems like there isn't any. i promise to say 100% committed despite whatever challenges come our way. i value honesty. i promise i will always be honest with you, even when it's not to my favor.....

moving forward with honesty in mind, here are some other things that will make me a pretty great wife. football, i love it. i understand it. and i promise i'll watch it with you. and dear i'll be honest, i've got jokes. good jokes. ok, i'm funny. i've got a good job. i can be your sugar momma. i'm enduring school. i will be well educated. and let's be honest. who wouldn't be after taking every course twice? i have red lipstick that quite frankly, i don't know if you'll be able to resist. spontaneity... the spice of life. and baby spontaneous is my middle name. not sold yet? well i don't know how much to solicit myself via blog... so i guess the next step is finding me and figuring out for yourself first-hand.

i promise to make you as happy as you make me. i'll be good to you. i live each day trying my best to be worth. worthy enough to have you brought to my side. i hope your doing the same. until we meet, loves.

p.s. i wouldn't be mad if you were dead sexy. so lay off the donuts. and work on that 6-pack.

p.p.s. ok strike that, i can't expect you to do anything that i can't deliver.

mr. aiden

yesterday i was standing in my closet trying to decided what to wear.

i turned around and aiden was standing behind me BEAMING.

he said, "bwooke, i just got a blessing for school."

"awesome! what were you blessed with?"

"i don't know, it was weally wong."

"you don't remember what dad blessed you with?"

"that i wouldn't be scawared of the dark."

my heart melted.

he was so proud of himself, and so excited!

does it get any cuter? or more innocent?

sunday.

"though it may seem that you are alone, angles attend you. though you may feel that no one can understand the depth of your despair our savior, jesus christ, understands. he suffered more than we can possibly imagine, he did it for us, he did it for you. you are not alone."

-President Uchtdorf

my thing.

someone recently asked me...

what's my "thing".

that thing take makes you happier then anything else.

just kind of makes the world go away.

i thought.....

my family.

my sister especially.

beyond. blessed. is the only way to describe how i feel about my sisters. they are my BEST friends! i have a sister for every possible need. the go to fashion consultant. the problem solver. the listener. and everything in between. i sometimes wonder why i've been so blessed. i mean let's be honest, i've done nothing to deserve it.

have i mentioned yet that i love my sisters?! i L-O-V-E them! there isn't anything i would do for them, and i'm sure that goes the other way as well.

so what's YOUR "thing"?

c.t.r.

when i turn 8 i got baptized. my papa made me a c.t.r. ring to celebrate said occasion.

from 8-12 that ring got lost in the shuffle of adolescence.

when i was in 7th grade i found my ring again, this time it only fit on my pinkie of my left hand.

that's where it's been.

for the last 9 years.

my hands have grown, but my left pinkie has grown around my ring....

i have an indent from it. my papa calls that my ring's "saddle".

(you can kind of see my "saddle" in this picture)

one day when my prince charming wants to put a ring on the finer to the right i'm going to have a hard time moving rings around.

who says you can't wear a wedding ring on your right hand?

moral of the story is this...

i love this ring.

it's my most prized. most precious possession.

every time i looked at my hand i not only see "c.t.r."

but i think of my cute papa.

and i smile.

laundry

yes.

those are my dirty clothes.

yes.

that pile is as tall as my dresser.

no.

there is no visible dent in my closet.

yes.

that is embarrassing.

yes.

i should stop buying clothes.

no.

chances aren't good that i will stop.

photoshoot.

half way to work i realized i didn't have my phone.

she was home.

sleeping on my bed.

my phone is my primary source of entertainment on my lunch.

{especially when i brown bag it and i'm stuck at work. in the windowless break room. by myself.}

so what's a girl to do?

i had me.

my camera.

and 47 mintues to kill....

how do i handle said situation?

an impromptu photoshoot of course.

i made sure i was super sneaky so none of my co-workers found out about my oh so embarrassing self portrait photoshoot.

{don't judge me, but i didn't add this picture to the collage because i'm vain. i thought it needed to be showed by it's self. so i like a picture of me. sue me. i dare you.}

things i'm thinkin

-i'm pretty sure i was written off as a friend by a friend.
-diet coke makes me happy.
-the sheer thought of school in two weeks is giving me anxiety.
-i think my hair is longer.
-i thought i looked pretty today. i love days that i feel that way.
-i'm more blessed then i deserve.
-i suddenly want to save money, and skimp on everything possible.
-i've kept a running check register of my account for the last 2 months. that's impressive for me.
-i have a "thing" for cute things, whatever they may be. a note book. a planner. a wallet. a makeup bag. if you have to have it, why not have a cute colorful one?
-i stink like smoke right now. yuck.
-i went 3 weeks without actually "doing" my hair, thank heavens i've got some natural curl going on.
-i think sometimes we are sick so we appreciate our health. lesson learned on friday.
-i got a new calling. sacrament meeting pianist. scary.
-i'm l.o.v.i.n.g. country music right now.
-i still have serious commitment issues.
-i love ashlee wray.
-staining the cabin part II this weekend. bring it.
-next time i'm out to eat with one of you, please control my portions.
-i love summer. i'm sad it's coming to an end.
-i can't wait for fall to be here and it's beautiful colors that it brings.
-i can't imagine the hurt. sorrow. emptiness. that would come from losing your mother. i'm so grateful to have mine.
-maga, i made the font bigger so you can read it.
-have a blessed week.

today.

even at the end of a less then perfect day, it never ceases to amaze me how incredibly blessed i am.