contacts and mascara.

{make this banner}

You always realize what you take for granted in life when all of a sudden you cannot use those things or you don't have those things anymore. This happened to me this week in regards to my contacts and mascara. For the past three days, I have had a stye on my right eyelid. I get styes every once in a while mostly due to lack of sleep so I have done my research and know how to take care of them and get rid of them as fast as possible because they hurt a lot. One thing that I can't use when I have a stye is my contacts. Instead I have to wear my glasses. I am grateful for my glasses because if I didn't have them I would basically be blind, but I prefer my contacts. The other thing I can't wear is mascara. I'm not a girl that has to wear makeup all the time, but I do like to look presentable {especially at work} and mascara makes my eyes look better and so much more awake. So please forgive me Big 5 Sporting Goods for looking 'sleepy' these past few days at work. THE GOOD NEWS IS I CAN FEEL MY STYE GETTING BETTER. HOORAY! It used to hurt all the time, but now it only hurts when I close my eye. I think by tomorrow my eye will be stye-free :) 

In the spirit of Thanksgiving and to end this post on a happy note: I am grateful for my glasses and contacts and mascara. I am also so grateful for my vision. I know I don't have perfect vision BUT I can still see. Every day I am able to see magnificent things and recognize the beauty of the earth. Even in the morning when I'm waking up and not wearing my glasses or contacts, I can see a very blurry husband smiling at me. That makes me happy!

rainy weekend.

I didn't have to work this weekend so instead I stayed busy INSIDE making these cute cards...

{valentine's}

{christmas}

{just because}

{happy birthday}

{sentimental}

It was so much fun to put them together. Some of the cards I made up and some of them I got the ideas from another person or pinterest. I'm trying to make lots and lots of cards because you have to admit that handmade cards are so much better than store bought cards. 

...AND this gives me an excuse to send all my wonderful friends some snail mail :)

{ps. don't forget to check your mailbox!}  

it's snowing!!!

{...so many memories of Rexburg are flooding my mind...}

surprise visit.

Last week my dad flew out from Virginia for a surprise visit, SO I have been busy spending time with him and showing him the fun things that Oregon has to offer. It was really great to see him and do lots of fun things with him. It was perfect timing for my dad to come out here because we had some really exciting things going on that he could do with us.


FUN THINGS THAT HAPPENED WHEN MY DAD WAS HERE:

1. Paul and my dad played lots of disc golf. My dad is really competitive and was trying
really hard to beat Paul, but that did NOT happen. Paul is still the family champion!!!

2. My dad came to Big 5 to visit me while I was working and he got some new shoes.

He thinks he is so cool now that he has a pair of SKELE-TOES.



3. We went to the Medford Oregon Temple AND the Portland Oregon Temple.

It was so wonderful to spend time at the temple.

4. We watched Marley and Me!!! This is one of my all-time favorite movies.

LOVE IT and still cry every time!

5. My dad and I took a special trip up to Multnomah Falls near Portland on the Columbia River.

It was so incredible. This is the second tallest year-round waterfall in the United States.

{It was so awesome to have my dad here to visit and to travel with him. It made me think back on when I was growing up and we would go on trips together. My dad is so fun to be with and can always make me laugh. The best part of the trip was when we used the self checkout at the store 'en español'...he was like talking to the machine!! He is always trying to improve his spanish. It was so funny!!! I wish my sister Whitney was there to laugh with me :) oh and I also got him addicted to Redvines. LOVE YOU DAD!!!}




...AND Paul is so happy that the Oregon Ducks won against Stanford :)

   Oregon 53      Stanford 30

11.11.11

MAKE A WISH!!!

I SURE DID!!!

happy birthday X 2.

Today is a very important day in the lives of TWO people who I love very much.

Sonya Mansfield Morris was born 18 years ago!!! I can't believe that my baby sister has grown up so fast. It has been so much fun to be her older sister. I love having deep and meaningful conversations with her AND I also love laughing with her until we are both going to pee our pants. It has been a great experience to talk with her about the gospel and I am so grateful that she loves being a member of the church. She is so talented with singing, playing the piano and acting and I am so so SO proud of her!!! Lately, she has been coming to me with questions on how to apply for college and it is so fun to help her through this exciting time in her life. She is a person that understands me completely and knows how to help me in difficult situations. I am so lucky to have her as a sister :)

On November 9, 1986 my best friend was born. Kathryn Ashley Flanary is basically my twin because we have so many similarities. We talk the same, we act the same and we even have the same handwriting :) I love spending time with Katie. She is the one person that probably knows everything, and I mean everything, about me. I am so grateful that we have stayed the very best of friends even though we live on opposite coasts. Some of my favorite memories include going Vera shopping with her, food lion visits, watching Jeopardy with her and actually playing along {yes, we keep score} and having sleepovers with her and staying up all night talking. She teaches fourth grade now and I am so jealous of her students because they have the best teacher in the world. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!