Wednesday, March 27, 2013

She's Got Style

To be fashionable is difficult. I want to have a style that means Christiana. There are some super cute girls out there that have their style. You've seen them; bows in hair, boots up to the knee.

My tentative plan to get style:
1. let my hair grow out.
2. get high lights, or dye my hair dark...nah. I love being blonde.
3. slowly buy a new wardrobe. 
Out with the old, and in with the new.
4. accessorize with things that Maddy will not break.
(belts, strong necklaces? cute stud earrings, nail polish.)
5. get new eyeliner.

Some looks that I like:
summer dress, vintage dress, retro dress, sunday dress, party dresses, spring dresses, womens dresses, easter dresses, party dresses, womens dress,  casual dress, flare dress
Black and White Polka Dot Cap Sleeved Pencil Skirt Dress with Ruffle at WaistGarden IsleConductorBookshop Bouquet CardiganFerry Much So Cardigan
The Lake at Dawn CardiganEvery Single Detail CardiganDay after Day Dress in HeartsFirebloom Cardigan
Okay, much love.

XOXO

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Weird Dreams, and Future Plans!

My dreams are weirder than normal lately. The last dream I had was about me and my best friend Racheal. I had apparently set her up on some kind of blind date. So she was not married to her now husband. We were sitting at a table in a dimly lit restaurant across from one another. My daughter was sitting next to me eating some noodles or something. After a few minutes the guy I set Racheal up with walked in. He was tall, had a nice tan, dark black hair, brown eyes, and a thin physique. He sat next to Racheal and asked how Maddy was doing. I said "She is doing great. She is not walking yet, but yesterday she took two steps on her own! It was quite a feat!" Then my dream ended.

I wish I could be more witty and punny like I am in my dreams. haha. I think I am going to start keeping track of the weird dreams I have. Like, the other day I had a dream about me having twins. It was crazy and kinda freaked me out. I don't know why...I can't remember all of the details. And last Monday I had a dream that I was on my period and it leaked through my jeans MAJOR in public. I'm telling you it was EVERYWHERE. I tried to get to the bathroom to clean it up but I could never get to the door. When I woke up I had started my cycle. Gosh. Those are the ones I can remember lately. I'm sure I'll have another one tonight.

I finally got new garments after two and a half years! It feels great! Plus they have these new tops that I love so much. They fit me like a glove. They come in "tall" which I am grateful for because I have never had such a perfect fit. I have super narrow shoulders and a tall back--either they are falling off my shoulders if I get a medium, or they are too short if I get a small! So, this is awesome! I feel more comfortable and to top it off I also got a new bra.

Madeline is making headway on her walking. She did walk two steps on her own which may be why it was in my dream. She is totally capable of walking, but she is lacking confidence to do it without my help. Consequently, she and I have been practicing in the hallways at church and in home. As a mother, it is nice that she needs me, and trusts me. Something in me needs to be loved for no matter what. Madeline loves me and forgives me so quickly when I make a mistake. I wish I were more like that; more forgiving. She kisses me and cuddles me and makes me feel like everything will be alright. I am excited to graduate and just focus on being "mom." There have been so many times where I have had to ignore her to get my homework done. I love her. I miss her. I want to be the best mom in the world. It's so difficult to do that when I am doing homework or in class. I just need to get through this year and I will be done. Then I can stay home with her and the other kidlets that we will have. Next semester is my last semester at BYU-Idaho. I will be student teaching next Winter and that is off-campus. It feels good to be this close. I can see it in the distance. I just need to make it. This time next year I will be two weeks from graduating and walking across the stage to shake hands with President Clark and hopefully an apostle (maybe even the prophet? I have high-apple-pie-in-the-sky hopes).

Here is the biggest news: Marcus and I are going on a 3-day cruise to Mexico this August! Maddy will stay with my parents. I am so excited! Marcus' parents will be joining us. They have never been on a cruise before in their life. We are happy to share this experience with them. I am mostly excited to be going at all! I didn't think it would be possible, but we have been saving, so yay! Saving works! I am so grateful for my husband's job. Without it, I think I would be getting cabin fever and nothing exciting would ever happen to me. Because of these new plans, I am working hard on losing 20 pounds before August. Even just ten would be awesome. I have a new inhaylor, and I have the Zumba DVD's. I can do this. I can do this! I will cut out sweets except once a week, too.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

The Title is Everything

Hey all,

So recently my husband received a text from his sister claiming dibs on some baby names. She then told us to claim the names we wanted or we would be forever feuding if we stole a name off of each other's lists. As of now, we are the only ones married and in the process of procreating. In any case, we told her it was much more complicated to pick out names than she thought. First, you have to like a name. Then you have to submit it to your spouse's approval. Then, if it passes that stage, you wait 'til the day when your little gift arrives only to be disappointed that the name you picked does not match the face. So you move on to another name that made the pre-approved list until you either A) select one among the many or B) run out of names and sit in the hospital for two days researching names and matching them to the baby's face. It's quite a process, but in the end you end up with a cute little baby with a name that fits.

We do happen to have a "maybe" name list that I am in-love with, and I hope that the names of my children end up being some of these:
Girls
1. Alaina Nichole
2. Gemma Nylene (pronounced gem-a)
(These two middle names are total maybes.)
Boys
1. Duncan Edwards Thackeray
2. Liam Reed
3. Skyler James

Maybe we'll have six children, maybe we'll have more, and maybe we'll have less. Whatever the good Lord gives us. I hope these names get used!

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Love Story Contest

In February I entered into a Love Story Contest wherein I had to get the most "likes" to win. I was so close! Six away from winning a free couples photo shoot and prints. Anyways, here is the story I wrote:

Picture a very tall, dark blond, handsome, young man with perfect teeth, broad shoulders, and green eyes. Picture a tall, dark blond, "gorgeous hot babe" (in his words) with "a slender figure, voluptuous hips, and a sexy swagger." The man is Marcus, and the woman is me, Christiana. 
We met when my friend Sabrina introduced him into my Iteam for Get Connected (a new student orientation for the college). I was his new student leader. He was cute from the start, but there were a few other cute guys in the group too. We soon made it into each other's social circles when we found out we were in the same ward fr church.

One night my friend and I went over to Marcus' apartment to flirt with the guys and to play some games. Only Marcus and one other roommate were home, so we all played cards together. Then my friend and his roommate had to go, so Marcus and I were left in the living room to talk about whatever. We started talking about our dream home. It was weird, but I started picturing the home that he and I were talking about as "his and mine; ours together." That is when I knew I had to date him. From that moment on, I made it a point to be around all the time, in a not-so-clingy-I'm-free-and-independent-but super-interested-so-ask-me-out-now kind of way. His roommates were my friends, too, so they let me know where to be, and they arranged several "chance" meetings between Marcus and I. Eventually he caught on. 

The day my sugar pie and I became boyfriend-girlfriend I got home to my apartment and told all of my roommates the that following week my boyfriend and I would hold hands, and the week after that we would kiss, and the week after that we would get engaged. 


Three weeks later we had "the talk." You know, the "you're my soul mate, love for eternity, lovey-dovey, kiss-kiss" talk. He had gotten the impression to ask my hand in marriage. At this time we were at the crossroads for lunch with our friends. He came strutting in wearing his Sunday best in a red tie and khakis. He had this light in his eyes, and this extra kick in his step. I could tell he was happy, but not why. After all our friends left Marcus told me he had some exciting news. He was so happy and so nervous that it took him about a minute to say "I asked God if I should marry you, and the answer was yes!" I had already gotten the impression I was going to marry him about a week earlier, so it wasn't a surprise to me to hear this. I smiled and continued eating, not realizing that I was supposed to be in shock. He looked at me like "aren't you excited? Are we getting married?" I saw the concern on his face and took his hand and said, "we're getting married! I'm so excited and happy!" That was what he had been waiting for. The real proposal came about a month later in July. We were married December 21, 2010 in Los Angeles, CA. We now have a beautiful and sassy almost-one-year-old daughter, Madeline whom we adore!

Saturday, March 9, 2013

2 years, 2 months, 2 weeks, and 2 days!

Today is a special day--special because Marcus and I have been husband and wife for 2 years, 2 months, 2 weeks, and 2 days! Awesome, eh?

As this is a special occasion, I have decided to compile a list of why I love my husband, my sweetheart, my honey love, my sugar pie. I love him!

1. He runs late-night errands for me which includes getting Cheese Nips.
2. He bites his tongue when he is focused.
3. He sings songs while he studies.
4. He listens to classical music like Two Cellos while studying.
5. He turns church music on for Sundays.
6. He stepped outside of his comfort zone to get me a car.
7. He grew sideburns because I think they are sexy.
8. He plays basketball.
9. He cares about his health.
10. He studies so much to get amazing grades (straight A's as a mechanical engineering major!)
11.  He rubs my feet.
12. He makes delicious food.
13. The way he looks at our daughter... :)
14. He helps me with my homework.
15. He lets me drive.
16. He makes me laugh.
17. He gets my jokes.
18. He kisses my neck.
19. He dips me sometimes when he kisses me.
20. He takes me on dates.
21. He gets me flowers.
22. He says he loves me.
23. He lets me get my hair done.
24. He encourages me to make friends.
25. He loves playing games with me.
26. He collects pencils that are presumably lost from others across campus.
27. He pays 100% of his tithing.
28. He studies his scriptures.
29. He prays.
30. He gives me blessings, and Maddy, too.
31. He honors his responsibilities as a husband and father.
32. He dances with me in our home.
33. He always tries to do the right thing.
34. He has sacrificed a lot to become a young father and husband.
35. He thinks my ideas are good.
36. He encourages me to do difficult things like finish my degree.
37. He has a good relationship with his parents.
38. He does the laundry when I ask him to.
39. He lets me control the remote most of the time.  
40. He eats my food...no matter how gross it is. :)

I love my husband, and I hope every girl gets to be as lucky as me one day.

Thursday, March 7, 2013

One.

There was a fairly recent discovery of a creature near Japan; the Frilled Shark. It is "prehistoric." A girl in my class was talking about it for her "practice" lesson for elementary students...all I could think about while she was talking about it was "that looks like a [insert word here]." Do you agree? What do you think it looks like?

Look at all the rows of teeth! 

It's just from that view though. Other views are:

The gross gills.
It's a disgusting mixture of eel and shark... *shudder* 
That is not the only thing going on in my life. I gotta say Maddy's first birthday was a smash! Here are some pictures:

Gift from mom and dad.

That cake was delicious!


Presents!


Blowing out the candle. She actually did it! 


She LOVES tissue paper...and toilet paper for that matter. 


I just think she looks so pretty in this picture. 

Me and my bebe. 

Maddy has an early love for books!



One of my favorites!

That's one of Madeline's boyfriends, David. He is so shy, but so cute. His mom is Becca. We are good ol' friends.

Proof that Marcus was there too. 
Her party was a success. Marcus and I made cupcakes, cucumber sandwiches (which were a HUGE hit for whatever reason), muddy buddies, and chips. Lemonade, too. It was a lovely afternoon. Becca said that it reminded her of springtime which made me happy because I am craving Spring. I hate Winters here in Rexburg. They are always so darn cold. I miss the sun, flowers, birds, playing at the park...etc.