Tuck n' Roll

2012-02-07T19:27:00.001-07:00

I have this continual inner conflict between my love of big city excitement and

my love of rural living. I just love them both.

Most the time, however, my country girl roots win out and this past Sunday was no exception.

Being home is the best.

lick the carpet

2012-01-27T07:58:00.001-07:00

Software engineers used to sit where my colleagues and I do now. They held true to their stereotype and walked around without shoes on, which in our minds makes the surrounding carpet gross and the ultimate payment for a bet/deal/proposal, etc. The comment is always "I will if you lick the carpet." Of course nobody has done this. But that could soon be changing...

I work with clients in the northeast. My colleague that sits by me works with clients in the southeast. Two very different cultures. The other day a prospective partner from New York told me he was very excited about our product and was going to "Sell the balls out of it." We obviously had to put this phrase to good use and form a carpet lick contract. So on the day that my colleague says "sell the balls out of this product" to a client on the phone, yours truly will be quickly licking some nasty, under-cleaned carpet.

Photo Flashback: Viva la Mexico

2012-01-21T12:16:00.001-07:00

Right after Jeff and I got engaged in July of 2007 my family took a trip to Mexico. In fact, Meg and I slept in the SLC airport after getting in late from Miami and having to fly to Mexico within hours.

My grandparents accompanied us on this trip, which meant we ate at Burger King a lot, played endless card games, and traveled slowly. But it was perfect.

Knowing I would be leaving my family nest soon, I loved every minute of it. This picture was taken one night as we walked the beach.

Our Weekend in Pictures

2012-01-16T13:24:00.001-07:00

This weekend has been the definition of relaxing...

We watched as beautiful 50 degree weather turned to a blizzard and didn't care one bit.

I was semi-productive and worked more on our bedroom re-do. I think we're almost there.

My 2011 book came in the mail. I don't work for Blurb, but I really should! They do great work, their books are easy to make, and the turnaround time is amazing. I've made travel books, Instagram books, and my favorite -- an annual blog book. It's a great way to chronicle the previous year without writing in a journal or scrap booking....two things I despise.

Happy weekend!

Out with a bang

2011-12-31T18:22:00.001-07:00

2011 was an amazing year full of travel, our new-found love of tennis, long time friends, new friends, and fun family times. The holidays have been a perfect way to cap it all off. And if it weren't for the feeling of a fresh start that accompanies the New Year, I would be really sad to see 2011 end.

Christmas this year was wonderful as always and filled with even more gratitude and love than before.

We started Christmas Eve with a traditional game of volleyball with Tucker siblings and friends. Nothing like hours of competitive play to get you in the Christmas spirit!

The rest of the day was spent relaxing at home before heading to Jeff's parents for a night of festivities. On our way we stopped by Jeff's Grandma Dorthy's home for a surprise Christmas visit. It was only my second time meeting her, but it was so meaningful to hear her stories of being young and married to late Grandpa Clyde while It's a Wonderful Life played in the background. She told of their travels to New York City, Washington D.C., and London. We then introduced her to Hobbes who was just as big (or small) as she is. They really hit it off.

The night was spent with endless treats, Christmas stories, a movie, and sneaking Hobbes into our bedroom for a cozy Christmas night. In the morning we opened our stockings with each other--one of my favorite parts of Christmas--then opened gifts with the rest of the family.

After church we drove to my parents home where Christmas started all over again. We played games, watched movies, visited with Grandparents, and played with nephews. Below are the few pictures I took.

Baby Britt as Santa's little helper

My lion hat from Jeff. You better believe I wore this thing for two solid days before taking it off

The boys on a happy Christmas morning

And lastly, the beautiful, sunny view on our way to my parents home.

What a wonderful year its been! At the last minute we have chosen to opt out of partying for a cozy New Year's Eve at home with treats, movies, and bubbly.

Bring on the new year.

10 Things: Christmas Edition

2011-12-21T20:58:00.002-07:00

Temple Square (twice) - once with my fam and once with Jeff's parents for the Motab concert.
Finding my favorite childhood version of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" on Amazon. It's a pop-up book from the 60s!
This year's ornament purchase - penguins on skis, ice skates, and a sled from Crate & Barrel.

4. Buying Hobbes a Christmas sweater - no wonder people dress their pets. Best purchase ever.

5. The annual sugar cookie decorating - my best creation below.

6. Online shopping. Period. It's like getting a gift delivered even if its not for you. I love it.

7. A pretty much snow-less December. All I want for Christmas is snow!
8. Blurb. Here's a blurb about Blurb - it makes for a perfect Christmas gift and they are oh so fun to make.
9. Putting together cards and gifts to send to Jeff's brother Nate in Afghanistan - we will miss him this year!
10. Blasting Christmas music in the car and making Jeff sing with me. I just can't get enough.

Hunting Trees

2011-11-29T18:16:00.001-07:00

We hiked, we found, we cut.

And boy does that tree look perfect in our house!

Christmas is upon us and I am ready to soak in every last bit of it.

I am ThankFULL

2011-11-25T15:24:00.001-07:00

I have always loved Thanksgiving. An entire holiday focused on delicious food is amazing, but also focusing on everything I've been given makes it even better.

Thanksgiving spent with the Tucker clan
Our 4th anniversary celebrated last week
The most wonderful families and friends
A free country and opportunities for work and education
Health and strength
My testimony and the gospel
Our home, Hobbes, and excitement for what lies ahead

Don't forget to count your blessings.

Happy Turkey Day!

Road tripping with the parents

2011-11-08T18:48:00.001-07:00

Jeff and I took a little road trip with my parents last weekend to sunny San Diego.

Actually it rained the whole drive down on Friday, all day Sunday, and most of Monday.

But Saturday was gorgeous! We spent the day bumming around the beach, ate at Old Town, visited the most amazing mall...Anthropologie, Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware, M.A.C...the list goes on...and we caught a movie that night.

Sunday was the big game. The tailgating and fan attire were quite a spectacle. Jeff and my dad were over the top excited.

The rain, oh the rain. It came down for all but about 20 minutes of the game, which means we sat in the rain for about 3 hours. But we still had fun!

Here I am in all my soggy glory surrounded by the crazies.

It was a good adventure, can't wait for the next one.

A glimpse into my future

2011-10-25T19:49:00.000-06:00

This is us for Halloween.

But really I like to picture it as our future when we are canvassing the country in our new RV. We will wear these flattering shorts and see all the sights.

Jeff will take the pictures, I'll probably dye my hair a bright orange. We'll have a mini goldendoodle by then. He'll come on our travels to places like Niagara Falls and Old Faithful.

We'll make good old people. The hip, happy kind.

Stewart Falls in the Fall...pretty much the best hike...ever

2011-10-18T20:46:00.001-06:00

Monday evening we took advantage of the amazing weather and hiked Stewart Falls at Sundance.

It was completely perfect.

By far the best time of year for Stewart Falls.

We did, however, underestimate the temperature (as usual) it was 40 degrees. So we dug everything out of our car to keep warm. We looked pretty ridiculous and realized we would definitely die if stranded in a blizzard.

I scrounged up the yellow sweater, Jeff wore the beanie we dug out of the trunk. Oh and let's not forget the nice white collared shirt under Jeff's brown shirt. It's mine and was skin tight on him, but we were going for layers ok. We ended up running to stay warm and survived.

Portraits of Africa

2011-10-08T14:14:00.002-06:00

My dad and brother went to Africa last spring.

I was going through their photos the other day and had to share.

I've always loved Africa, what an amazing place.

Autumn...sigh

2011-10-05T20:30:00.001-06:00

We went for a little hike/run in the canyon yesterday.

It was perfect.

I could have stayed there for days.

Birthday Week 2011

2011-09-24T18:18:00.005-06:00

We celebrate birthdays all week at the Tucker house since Jeff's day is 4 days after mine.

On my day I went to lunch with my mom and Meg and her boys. It was great to skip out on work for some girl time.

Then Jeff and I took our annual fall trip to Park City.
We shopped and soaked in the amazing fall air as we strolled Main Street, then found ourselves at Easy Street Steak & Seafoo d for dinner.
It. Was. DELICIOUS.
But don't eat upstairs with the stuffy white table clothes, go down stairs to the fireplace and live music.

And Jeff spoiled me with a new cruiser! It took us a couple days to put together (great price = shipped in box with lots of parts) but it was worth the wait.

I now find every excuse to run errands or deliver goodies to neighbors. Who knew a basket on a cute bike could be so motivating?

Thursday we went to the Jimmer All-star game. It was crazy.

Jeff's day so far has included home made mini donuts (thanks meg!), watching football, and playing tennis.

(Photo from BYU vs. Utah game. Let's not talk about it)

Not a bad birthday week indeed.

Our weekend in pictures

2011-09-07T18:46:00.004-06:00

Happy September! This is by far the best month of the whole year.

We had the perfect weekend to kick it off full of tennis, a favorite new waffle house, the start of college football, and a baby pumpkin.

Awkward Awesomeness

2011-08-19T07:50:00.005-06:00

Sydney from The Daybook does a hilarious weekly feature on her blog called Awkward and Awesome Thursday. The truthfulness in her awkward encounters make the posts endlessly entertaining.

I've had some great moments myself lately, so here goes my rendition of Awkward and Awesome.

Awkward:

Running into the movie theater late and feeling diet coke running down my bare legs as the fountain drinks I was attempting to sneak into the theater spilled inside my purse. Lesson learned: be on time to movies and sneak in bottled soda.
Getting ready to teach a yoga class and realizing things up top were VERY "cold." The class was my co-workers, mostly men.
Quickly putting on the shirt I'd worn to work over my yoga clothes to conceal the obviously chilled sisters--leaving me with a less than pleasant sweaty shirt for the rest of the day.
Having Hobbes drop into his nasty "poo hunch" on the trail right as a cute little family walked by. Hi kids!

Awesome:

Feeling like an excited college freshman at Education Week with my mom and sisters. Cooking demonstration, household organization, and finding humor in every day.....we had fun!
Attending Amanda Jane's birthday/graduation party and indulging in watermelon cotton candy prior to spending hours in the adult-size bouncy house. Jeff and I were covered in bruises the next morning. Every party should have one of those.
Date night with the hubbs in SLC. Anthropologie and yummy Thai.
Painting my front door shiny black! Don't look too close.

A Bicycle Made For Two

2011-08-10T16:51:00.005-06:00

"...You'll look sweet upon the seat
Of a bicycle made for two.

We will go 'tandem'
As man and wife,
...
'Peddling' away
Down the road of life."

-Harry Dacre

Its pretty fun taking on this crazy, busy life together.
That's Jeff's cute bum on a bicycle made for two. I wish we could ride it everywhere together.
Except not that exact bike (no brakes = nearly died on our way to picnic)

Nonetheless, two vacations minus my hubby (stupid but wonderful school) reminds me how happy I am we're taking this journey together.

What post would be complete without a photo of the pup.

The Land of Lincoln

2011-07-26T21:27:00.003-06:00

Just returned from a trip to Chicago and Nauvoo with the fam.
The heat was insane, the city amazing, the country beautiful, and the company--except for our missing family members--perfect.

The temple was amazing and beautiful.

We took a river cruise on the Mississippi from the town where Mark Twain grew up -- totally goofy and fun.

Our weekend in pictures

2011-07-19T20:50:00.001-06:00

Photo Flashback: Engaged

2011-07-09T20:57:00.002-06:00

Exactly four years ago today the hubbs proposed to me.

We were in Florida and he bought me a dress.

We ate at a swanky restaurant called JB's On The Beach. It was perfectly romantic.
I remember it just like it was yesterday -- specifically how I kept going on about how it felt like we were married and on our honeymoon.

He looked dashing as we sipped our drinks. I even remember what we ate -- he had sword fish and I had the mahi mahi. Our waitress was Jamaican.

We watched the sun disappear behind the ocean then walked out on the pier where he popped the question.
I was completely shocked and didn't say a word for 5 whole minutes.

The next morning

We were pretty happy. I knew it would be the start of something good.

Mama turned 50

2011-07-02T10:31:00.007-06:00

My sweet mom is amazing. So we thought she deserved a surprise party for her 50th birthday.
She was sick all day yesterday so the party almost didn't happen, but thanks to some good convincing by my dad, it was a success.

Meg made the cute banner.

Anden loved the sunflower-shaped cupcake display.

And the croquet...stiff competition this time...but Jeff came out victorious.

The table display

Collin requested a close shot to document his "impressive" facial hair.

And Morgan? This girl just got accepted to BYU's nursing program. We weren't the least bit surprised and knew she was a shoe-in. (She's already been on the Dean's list twice.)
You're going to make an amazing nurse Morg!

And what party would be complete without fireworks!

The lighting crew. Now that higher/bigger fireworks are allowed in Utah, we were excited for the big finale. And it WAS big!

Little baby Brit was an angel and slept through the whole show. Anden kept asking for more.

It was a night to remember. More family time, fireworks, and BBQs to come. I love the 4th of July!

Happy birthday mom and thanks for all you do. I couldn't ask for a better mother and friend!

Summer Loving

2011-06-26T14:42:00.002-06:00

Some of the best parts of summer are:

Time with friends

Backyard games

BBQ nights

And croquet is a must.

We Hiked

2011-06-21T18:04:00.005-06:00

Last Saturday we hiked Mt. Loafer. Well almost.....the peak was still covered in snow and I'm not that hard core.
Jeff's brother Bryson and friend Craig joined us.

The hubbs kind of looked like a yeti with his furry chest. Don't worry, it has now been shaved.

I got sweaty and sunburned. That's how you know its a good hike.

It was probably the best day of Hobbes' life.

They say this is what "serious" hikers do. They call it Planking.

I say bogus. It's all about the view.

Photo Flashback: Picnic

2011-06-08T19:03:00.003-06:00

A few years ago I won a giveaway on a blog for a photo shoot.
The theme was Picnic

I came across the pictures today and remembered how much I loved them.

I think I need a picnic basket ASAP.
Then we will dine on grapes, cheese, crackers, and let's see...cupcakes?
Yes, must have cupcakes.

First of the Season

2011-06-07T20:28:00.003-06:00

Last weekend we made the first watermelon margaritas of the summer.
And then we made more....and more...and more.

We soaked in the long awaited sunshine, smells of summer, and talked of our excitement for things ahead. This summer's gonna be a good one.

You must make watermelon margaritas so you too can enjoy their amazing pleasure. Our recipe is very official, so I hope you can follow it.

Mal and Jeff's Watermelon Margaritas:

Chunks and chunks of fresh seedless watermelon (or you can accidentally buy the wrong kind like I did and pick out every little seed...but I LOVED it I was so excited!)
Juice of one lime
A spoonful or so of orange juice concentrate
Two spoonfuls of sugar
A couple handfuls of ice

Put in blender and blend.
It helps to juice the watermelon and other ingredients then add the ice.

Enjoy!

Snapshots of New York

2011-05-26T18:58:00.010-06:00

It was a whirlwind of a trip.
We were only there for about 45 hours, but we packed in everything we possibly could.

We saw Chicago at the Ambassador Theater

We quickly fell in love with the big city.

After the show we walked all through Times Square then over to the delicious Magnolia Bakery for some cupcakes.

And don't get me started on Central Park!
Absolutely amazing.

We hit up the Guggenheim...

then got yogurt...

we had a quick distraction as Jeff spotted another doodle. We saw tons! And every time Jeff would run off to confirm that it was in fact a doodle.
Hilarious.

We strolled to the west side of the park to visit the American Museum of Natural History.
The MET was also a site we really wanted to see, but its closed on Mondays.

Monday night we took the subway to Yankee Stadium for a game.

About half way through the game we couldn't resist any longer and bought some "Fried Dough"
It did not disappoint.

I admit, I zoomed in for a close up of A Rod in action.

Tuesday before our flight I insisted we go to Serendipity 3 as per a million recommendations.
Needless to say we were immensely pleased. The frozen hot chocolate and pineapple upside down sundae were to die for.

I was REALLY happy.
And yes, I know I got whipped cream all over my shirt, which I then had to wear around the rest of the day.
No regrets...it was THAT good.

It was such a fun trip. We loved bumming around the city and exploring different areas. We must go back!

He's all grown up

2011-05-26T18:20:00.003-06:00

My favorite little brother graduated from high school yesterday.
And to think...he used to look like this.

Now he's big and tall and handsome.

As you can see he's not really the touchy type....wouldn't put his arm around his own sister for a picture.
Kids these days.

Nonetheless I'm still happy for him and excited for his big bright future.
Go get 'em Wally!

Its a poodle

2011-05-17T18:44:00.003-06:00

Hobbes recently got a fashionable summer hair cut.

Look at that dashing profile.

Oh yeah, I graduated

2011-05-05T19:49:00.002-06:00

Two years ago.
But still, I thought it was worth a mention since I never blogged about it.

Brigham Young University
Bachelor of Arts in Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations
Business Management minor.

There you go. A major life event successfully recorded.

NYC

2011-05-05T19:40:00.002-06:00

Yep, we're headed to the Big Apple.

I'm going for work the end of this month and though it will be a quick trip, I told Jeff he HAD to come too.

We're thinking Broadway show, Serendipity, Yankees game, Magnolia's bakery, Central Park, museums??

Boy there's a lot to do and not much time. But we can't wait.

I heart Pinterest

2011-04-30T16:31:00.002-06:00

By the way, I am loving Pinterest.

Endless images of inspiration. Feel free to follow me!

Costa Rica Part 3

2011-04-21T18:46:00.007-06:00

One of our favorite parts of the trip was the jungle river cruise we took with some friends.

There were a lot of critters.

We drank a lot of Coca Cola Light....our favorite beverage of the trip.

There were a lot of crazy looking cows

And endless monkeys.

Jeff with Estovan, our guide who loved Spanish rap music.

We stopped at Filadelfia for an authentic lunch. It was delicious.

Then at Coco Beach for some shopping.

And before we knew it the trip was over. We loved every minute of it!

Costa Rica Part 2

2011-04-14T18:14:00.009-06:00

On day three we did a canopy tour with our group. We had so much fun.

Notice Jeff dangling our camera...tsk tsk

Part of the trail was even lined with misters

I still got pretty sweaty even with the misters. 95 degrees and 30% humidity will do that to a girl.

This tree was enormous...notice the platform that looks tiny?

And last but not least...a painful way to fly and I'm pretty sure the tour guide enjoyed it more than I did. Nevertheless...a great way to see Costa Rica.

Costa Rica Part 1

2011-04-12T18:25:00.005-06:00

We're back from our trip and it was AMAZING!

We had lots of fun adventures, plenty of HOT sun, drinks by the pool, animal encounters, and laughs with friends. We were so excited to finally fly somewhere together even the airplane was thrill!

In an effort to relive it all I'm going to post pictures in portions....so for now...beach photos!

the resort where we stayed

The hubbs and I soaked up the sun on the beach nearly every day.
We played hours of sand volleyball, chased crabs, and watched the pelicans dive for fish.

We enjoyed the gorgeous sunsets each night on our way to dinner.

Couldn't have asked for a more amazing getaway...more to come soon!

Conference Cupcakes

2011-04-03T20:02:00.005-06:00

A new tradition was born this weekend.
It involved conference, creativity, and competition.

The Contenders:

(These two were mine, Strawberry Shortcake and Dulce de Leche. Cake recipe found here....amazing)

The girls frosted, garnished, and set up while the boys were at Priesthood.

Meg and I were on the same page and both brought strawberry creations.

Something went amiss with Mom's "Jimmered" chocolate frosting so she ran to the store for canned frosting, which ironically, received the highest frosting marks from Collin.

The boys arrived and....the judging began...

The competition was stiff....milk was needed.

A comment section was requested on the judging form (for good and for worse.)
Criteria included the following:
Presentation
Cake
Frosting
Overall Satisfaction

And the winner....

Morg's Mud Pie Surprise prevailed.
Magleby's chocolate cake with a caramel kiss inside, cream cheese frosting, and chocolate shavings.

By the end of the night we were sick, but the boys requested a hamburger contest next so I call the first Bateman cook off a fattening and delicious success.

Vegas Girls Trip

2011-03-30T17:11:00.004-06:00

What an amazing weekend!

When we fled Utah on Friday it was a blizzard, but the weather improved as we drove south and eventually got to a seemingly warm 65 degrees.

We enjoyed fine dining,

touring the Bellagio gardens,

lots of shopping...

...beautiful sunshine...

...lots of walking...

And of course an incredible show.

She never disappoints.

My mom was so sweet to treat us to such an amazing trip. We spent Friday night in St. George then Saturday in the beautiful Caesar's Palace. Next time we go it better be warm because I want to swim in that pool!

We had many laughs as Morgan (Morgapedia as Jeff calls her) entertained us with her many anatomy stories and weird facts.

There was a desperate Diet Coke (for me and Mom) and Dr. Pepper (for Meg) search, which led us to the conclusion that neither beverage exists in Caesar's Palace or Nevada for that matter.

We had a blast and I can't wait until our next girl's outing.

Weekend Love

2011-03-20T10:09:00.000-06:00

This past weekend was amazing. On Friday we tried a new sushi place and despite having to give our waitress the stink eye for 10 minutes before she actually took our drink order, the food was delish!

The rest of the weekend was spent relaxing and watching BYU. We love our weekends and always plan the most fun things, even if its just lounging around.

The next three weekends will be no exception...

This coming weekend will be a girls trip to Vegas to see the fabulous Celine, dine at the Cheesecake Factory, stay at Caesar's and hopefully get some sun!

The next weekend brings General Conference, which is always fun, and following that we're off to Costa Rica!

Fruit and Veggie Fun

2011-03-19T13:34:00.004-06:00

I finally signed up for Bountiful Baskets, which I've been wanting to do for a long time.
Its a food co-op that runs in most of the western states and its amazing. Seriously.

The co-op is run solely by volunteers and buys fresh fruits and vegetables straight from farms in Mexico. See that picture above? I got all of that for $15. And...I didn't have to go grocery shopping...

My bounty includes:
13 clementines
5 apples
3 mangoes
1 cantaloupe
8 bananas
5 tomatoes
1 bundle of celery
2 big stalks of broccoli
1 head of cauliflower
cilantro
1 bundle of asparagus
and 1 bundle of chard (researching what to do with this one)

But that's a lot right? Check out their site here. They offer other options beside the standard basket and deliver to pretty much every populated (and less populated) area.

Happy Birthday Sister

2011-02-24T21:16:00.002-07:00

Today is Megan's birthday.
The celebration will commence this Saturday with gifts and cake.

So for now, happy birthday sis.

Thanks for all the good days playing barbies and and fighting over who got to live in the house and who got the barbie trailer.
Thanks for sharing a room the size of a closet my freshman year and sticking with me for two years after that.
Thanks for always being a good example and always loving me.

I couldn't ask for a better big sister, happy birthday Meg!

We Snowshoed

2011-01-23T09:50:00.002-07:00

Photo Flashback

2011-01-17T20:49:00.005-07:00

Ah...more sun and sand

(Lake Powell 2008)

This trip was with my fam and the Nortons and was glorious as usual.

A bunch of us went skinny dipping one night.
Most of us waited until we were in the water to disrobe.
But not that husband of mine.
He went down the slide face first on his belly and his tush shone brightly in the moonlight.
That kid.

Side Note:
If you look closely at my left eye you'll notice its bright red.
I popped some blood vessels before the trip and it kept spreading so my mom convinced me to see the eye doctor.
The doc asked me, "Have you had an intense bowel movement lately?"

The gall.

Turns out it was likely from running outside in heat and wind. Not a trip to the john.

And....Exciting news for our little Tucker clan....
The two of us WILL be getting some sun and sand before too long.
We're going to Costa Rica in April!!

Pining for Summer

2011-01-11T19:15:00.003-07:00

Enough of winter already. I want sun. I want warmth. I want to actually see the ground rather than snow and ice.

Sigh.....some day.

(Florida '07)

I actually had big plans to enjoy the winter weather last weekend, but instead I spent around 50
--yes that's five zero--
hours straight in the house. Jeff caught a nasty case of the flu. Poor guy has been SUPER sick and I feel so bad for him.
I went a little crazy being cooped up though so I took some pictures.

Soon the ice will melt and I'll be cursing the heat of the sun (can't wait!).
Until then we WILL, at some point, take that snowshoeing outing. Hopefully this weekend.

These are a few of my favorite things

2011-01-04T19:18:00.006-07:00

I've been wanting to do a post of my favorite things ever since I watched Oprah's last fall. And the good thing about my favorites...they're affordable!

So here it is,
Mallory's 2010 Favorites

1. The Flixster/Rotten Tomatoes app
I love this app! It has kept me awake many late nights watching endless movie trailers.
When I find a good one I make Jeff watch it with the lights off no matter the time of day. I love to hover over his shoulder and see if he'll give it his Gladiator-esque thumbs up, down, or sideways.

2. Doodles
Jeff loves to tease that he's going to buy a girl doodle named Alice for Hobbes some day. That is definitely NOT happening. One doodle is plenty. But, they're a must have when it comes to family dogs.
Now I realize not everyone's looking for this large of a dog...you're in luck....they come in minis!

3. Market Pantry Coffee Ice Cream from Target
Delicious bitterness. And surprisingly low calorie. Don't over do it. This is best eaten in small amounts. But once you eat it--several times--you'll acquire a craving.

4. Anthropologie Bowls
Every year for our anniversary Jeff buys me four small bowls from Anthropologie. Then he wraps them up and gives them to me at Christmas. This year's pick is this blue beauty. And they're small you see, the perfect size for coffee ice cream.

5. Tortilla Land Uncooked Tortillas
The. Only. Way. To. Do. Homemade. Mexican.
I'm telling you, you won't go back.

And when you're craving something sweet, but have absolutely nothing in your house because you hate to grocery shop and haven't been in weeks and you can't take it any more....use them as crepes or put a little butter, sugar and cinnamon on them.

Not that we've ever done that...

6. Jeggings
Amazing. It's like you're secretly wearing sweat pants at work all day. I can't help but smile at my desk as I bask in the comfy luxury of fake jeans.
For a cheap pair to see if you like them, try Forever21. For a more durable pair that you'll never want to take off, go to Nordstrom.

7. Garmin GPS Watch
The most pricey item on my list, but it makes my life SO much easier.
If you're a runner, get one and you'll be forever grateful you did. I've found some great deals online.

So there you have it folks. Now go do your favorites list and share it with me!

Christmas Festivities

2010-12-27T21:26:00.006-07:00

Merry Christmas!

We went with the Bateman clan to dinner in SLC, the David Archuletta/MoTab concert, and lights around Temple Square one week before Christmas.

It was an amazing night and helped kick off the Christmas break.

We spent Christmas Eve night with my family and enjoyed food, music, stories and this little guy. He didn't seem to like us sticking bows all over him. But he was too irresistible in his cute PJs.

We made cookies....notice the Grinch and the snowman that got in an accident.

I love my family!
We had such an amazing time and will spend the rest of the holidays going to movies, having game nights, and snowmobiling.

We are also spending time with the Tuckers. Jeff's brothers are in town from Virginia and North Dakota. We had our annual Christmas day volleyball game with them, played some Settlers, and saw True Grit today...excellent.

Hobbes is a little worn out by all the Christmas fun.

Happy Holidays!

They Put Up The Lights

2010-12-06T21:48:00.005-07:00

Over the river and through the woods

2010-11-29T18:03:00.008-07:00

Ok so there was no river and the trees are sparse, but the song seemed fitting as we went to the farm for Thanksgiving.
It was a beautiful cold day and the perfect start to a wonderful holiday weekend.

As usual the feast was fantastic.
I made this bad boy for dessert.

This little guy gets more attention than you can believe. But who could resist?

The boys did some shooting while we made Christmas crafts. I took a couple shots myself...really I just closed my eyes and pulled the trigger....I'm such a girl

The day was perfect and ended with a late night show of a family favorite...Harry Potter.

And the next day....
The Annual Day After Thanksgiving Christmas Tree Hunt!!

The day was sunny, the snow was thick, and the Christmas trees a plenty.
The driving was limited however, so we did a lot of hiking and tree hauling.

Hobbes LOVED the snow

My Dad would point to a tree and say "Cut!"
Jeff would cut and Collin would carry the tree to the road.

Check out my smoking hot beanie. Jeff thinks it looks ridiculous. And it does. But I like it.

The rest of the weekend was spent decorating for Christmas, watching football, dinner with friends, sleeping in, and RELAXING.

Happy Holidays...I'm ready for more!

3 Years Today

2010-11-17T17:42:00.005-07:00

We made it three years!
Its been the best years of my life and I can't wait to see what else the future will hold.

So far we have a house, pup, and real jobs...we're on our way to being real grown ups!

The real celebration begins Saturday when we take our traditional trip to SLC for Christmas shopping and tasty food.

I'm the luckiest girl in the world...my hubs is the best guy I know....sexy, thoughtful, hilarious, strong, and kind. I couldn't be happier.
Happy anniversary Jeff!

Fall Goodness

2010-11-02T21:55:00.003-06:00

Halloween was great and yes, we did pass out candy in our costumes.
It was ridiculous and fun.
The little kids would squeal and say, "Look, its a big Mario! And a girl Luigi!"
Apparently they are popular costumes for children.

Then we went to my friend Jenica's party, which was a blast.

The best part is Jeff's stash is gone.
Farewell and good riddance.
Next Halloween = no costume that requires mustaches.

Dapper man, fluffy pooch, fall evening = happiness

I've also been working on my living room. I painted it a light blue called "Lamb".
It pretty much looks white, but I like it.

Sunday after church I sat and soaked it up with some good me time.
Notice that poodle poking his head around the corner?

And I've also enjoyed taking pictures of my shoes in the leaves on the path by our house.
I especially like the running shoes--looks like I have major kankles.

And this one thunder thighs.

Welcome November!
Turkey day and our third anniversary. I can't wait.

This and That

2010-10-27T20:57:00.003-06:00

The hubbs went back to work this week so I've had a bit more time to myself in the evenings.

Tonight I made this delicious soup for the second time. It's so good. Please make it this week. But don't make the meatballs too big. The first time I made it mine were the size of golf balls--maybe even bigger. Not a good size for soup.

I've also been working on sewing a quilt for a certain someone that I love very much, but doesn't read this blog. Its for a certain upcoming holiday.

The only thing is, I don't really know how to sew. It has turned out really good so far, but on Sunday something went wrong with my sewing machine and I can't figure it out.
A certain sister who does read my blog should help me fix it....

Oh and check out this year's Halloween costumes!
Jeff's mustache is real, mine is not.
This was at my awesome work party last week.

I e-mailed this picture to my Mom and she said, "Fun! Who are you supposed to be?"
I laughed.

Much more Fall and Halloween goodness coming this weekend.
So excited!

Oh yeah, we buzzed Hobbes again. It was a much needed haircut, but boy does he look silly.
Not to mention he seems to be much more needy now.
Every morning he tries to weasel his way into my bed....that dog.

Come and Gone

2010-10-10T19:04:00.006-06:00

September is by far my favorite month of the year for a number of reasons.

Lots of birthdays including:
Anden
Kyle
Morgan
Me
Jeff
and Hobbes

Plus I love fall. Its the best time of the year. The smells, leaves, harvest time---its the best.
And college football too. Sometimes I get into it with Jeff...if there are good snacks.

We had a very busy September so here's a recap of what's been happening.

Jeff and I stayed at the Zermatt the weekend before our birthdays.
It was an amazing get away.
We got a couple's massage, ate at their fancy restaurant, strolled the grounds, and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning watching Terminator and eating treats :)

The next day we went to Park City for brunch and shopping.
Every year I demand we go to Park City for my birthday. Its fun to bum around, get good food, and enjoy the fall air.

And take one last look at my long locks...cause they're gone!

A couple years ago I ran a marathon on my birthday and ever since I insist on doing something I've never done on my birthday.
This year was locks of love.
It was a long time in the making, but 14 inches later its a good change and I'm glad I did it.

My birthday is the 20th and Jeff's is the 24th, then four days later is Hobbes of course.
And like any couple void of children and using their dog in exchange...we gave Hobbes a birthday cake!

It's made of meat and sprinkles and he loved it once the fire was gone.

Jeff was sick as a dog (not Hobbes of course) on his birthday for the 2nd year in a row. Poor guy, one of these days he needs to have a good birthday.

We had family pictures last weekend with my fam.
It was tons of fun.
These are photos I took with my iPhone, so imagine how good the real ones will look.

It was a beautiful night.

The handsome men.

Morgan and Collin's model look.

Here's my new short hair do.
Even Hobbes got to be in some of the pictures.

It was a good month! Now on to October...another of my favorite months.
I think I need to do a Halloween costume recap from the past few years.
....stay tuned.

farm and family

2010-08-16T18:49:00.002-06:00

this past weekend was the bateman family reunion.

we spent the night at the farm

we all enjoyed the beautiful weather, tasty food, and good laughs

the weekend before was collin's 17th birthday.

he's such a big kid now and so cute if i might say so.

i'm pretty sure this was his favorite gift.
morgan photo shopped his photo onto carrie underwood's wedding pic.

you should have seen his face light up.
he's so in love with her.

a park, rain, dog, and husband

2010-08-04T21:03:00.004-06:00

Every Little Ting

2010-07-25T20:42:00.008-06:00

Jeff had knee surgery this last Wednesday following a wake boarding incident in Lake Powell.
He would like it be known, however, that he did not crash.
Rather something went awry inside his knee while landing a jump.
It's true. I saw it happen.

The drugs he's been taking as a result of the surgery have a noticeable emotional effect on him.
He has extreme highs and extreme lows.
He's very needy and loving.
He made up a funny story about sock gnomes that sneak around our house.
He told me today that I had never looked more beautiful (it was NOT my best day).
And he continually hugs me, laying his head on my chest.

It's all been rather enjoyable for me -- except when he's in pain and sad.
It also has reminded me of another time when Jeff had knee surgery.
Stick with me, this is a good story.

The year was 2006.
I had known Jeff for a few months and we'd become good friends, flirting endlessly.
But...he still hadn't asked me out and it was killing me.
Of course I was playing hard to get, but usually that made boys ask so I was perplexed.

He had a knee surgery scheduled in Chicago, and prior to leaving he said, "You know, I'd like to take you out when I get back. What do you think?"
I casually said yes, trying hard to not show much excitement.

He left for surgery and while he was away my family received terrible news.
My dad had cancer.

Jeff called me that night and he asked how I was.
I told him what was going on and how I was scared.

He was rather doped at the time and in his best Bob Marley accent said, "Mallory, as the great Bob Marley would say, don't worry about a ting. Cause every little ting is gonna be alright."

And you know what, it has been. That's when I knew he was a keeper.

And a Happy Belated 4th of July!

2010-07-06T22:13:00.002-06:00

I love the 4th of July!
I forgot my phone for most of the festivities so this lone picture from Aly's wedding will have to do.

We had a great weekend involving family, friends, fireworks, food, and good old fashioned American patriotism. I've always loved stories of our founding fathers and current service men who fought/fight so bravely for our freedom.

I also love this picture of the handsome Tucker boys. The one on the right is a fearless fighter and brave defender of our freedom. Since marrying Jeff and getting to know his brother and many other friends in various branches of the military, I admire what they do even more. Seriously, those guys are amazing.

Rolling with the punches

2010-07-06T21:49:00.003-06:00

I guess this isn't really a punch, though at the time Jeff told me I sure felt like it was. In the end, it's definitely a good thing and I'm VERY excited for Jeff. It really is a perfect fit for him.

A few weeks ago he told me he wanted to change his major (which had been information systems) and switch to Exercise Science...for a bachelors...then Exercise Physiology...for a masters...then Exercise Physiology...for a doctorate...

I'm all about getting as much education as possible, and I hope to go back to school some day too. But the thought of him having approximately 6 more years of school left when I thought we were finally nearing the end was a little overwhelming.

But as I thought about it, being a professor of exercise physiology and doing consulting is the perfect job for Jeff. It's a natural love and interest of his. Plus, his dad and older brother both do the same thing.
I'm also kind of glad he'll be a health guru instead of a computer nerd. Oddly enough with my job I'm kind of becoming the computer nerd....never saw that coming.

I know he'll do amazing, and though we still have years to go, it's all about the journey right?
Oh the places we will go!

188 miles in 29 hours

2010-06-27T18:50:00.005-06:00

What an adventure.
I ran the Wasatch Back Ragnar race last weekend.

Here's pictures of all 29 hours.

One of the teams. I took this picture of a picture on their van because I thought it was so funny. They called themselves Zenas and seriously ran in those outfits. I'm sure the leather and swirly metal bras were a little restricting. I could never run in something like that.

We stopped at Snowbird Resort after our first leg for some grub and rest.

The scenery was absolutely beautiful.

My second leg was the best. I ran through Morgan valley right at dusk.

Here's the fun gear we wore during night runs!

And the view as I finished my last leg into Heber valley.
Going into the race I was a little nervous because I didn't feel very well trained. But I ran really well, kept a great pace, and felt amazing the whole time....despite the extreme lack of sleep, sweaty body, and cramped quarters.

We finished at Canyons resort and had a blast getting massages, and visiting the American Cancer Society booth. One of our team mates is a survivor so he received a medal. We donated cash, got tattoos, and filled out papers in honor of our loved ones who have had cancer.

Jeff met me at the finish! I was so happy to see him and talked non-stop all about the race--the people and things we saw and did--then by the time we were almost home I was passed out asleep in the car.

Here I am looking and feeling so disgusting and exhausted after my last leg. But I was done and so excited.

Here's the team sporting our Mozy orange. See that ONE other girl? Yep, just two of us. But she was a blast! We were both in van 1 and had some good times laughing about running skirts and all the other ridiculous things we witnessed.

And here we are crossing the finish line. I loved every minute of it--well the one hour of sleep, car sickness, nasty port-a-potties called Honey Buckets (very deceiving name), and disgusting sweaty body I could have done with out.
All that being said, I'd do it again in a heart beat!

Posting from Ragnar. It's fun beautiful and crazy... Can't figure out how to post pictures from my phone

2010-06-18T19:17:00.001-06:00

2010-06-05T17:47:00.004-06:00

Don't you LOVE summer?

It's the best. We have tons of exciting things happening in the month of June.
Lake Powell
Wedding
Ragnar
Yard
Midnight Twilight with mom and sis's
Jeff's brothers visiting
Sewing curtains out of old bedspread and painter's tarps (wait till you see them!)

And that's about it. Here's a smattering of recent pics.

My SEXY man

Mom and Anden

Home. My favorite place

Aren't they the cutest family?

The cutest grandpa and best dad. You should see how silly he is with that kid. I can't wait to see him with multiple grand kids.

Today's run. Gorgeous.

cards, food, and friends

2010-05-24T21:29:00.005-06:00

we escaped to the Norton's cabin two weekends ago.
it was the perfect quick trip--a little too quick--but we had a fun time with friends in the Wyoming Uintas.

we roasted hot dogs

over a fire made by true boy scouts... with gasoline....

Well they did chop their own wood.

we enjoyed the weather when the snow wasn't pounding down

the lake was beautiful

the carelessness was bliss

the company was good as ever

as were the drinks and tasty food.
I made stuffed french toast for everyone....Mmmmm

There were endless games of cards and marbles.

And for some reason I didn't get any pictures of Meg and Kyle's cute baby Anden.
You can see Meg's pictures here.

Loved the trip and already scheming for our next one!

Ugh...

2010-05-12T07:31:00.006-06:00

yesterday i came home from work and found Hobbes laying on the couch.
he had chewed, devoured, and completely dissembled my camera.
seriously. it was in pieces.

with a little tear in my eye i called him a damn dog and threw the camera at him.

i then proceeded to make this tasty stuffed french toast for dinner.
it was delicious and made me feel somewhat better.

dear hobbes:

2010-04-13T18:53:00.005-06:00

i promise we had your best interests in mind.

we just wanted to see those big eyes of yours,
and make sure you could see.

so we trimmed around your eyes.

and one thing led to another...

Don't worry. Some day your long locks will return, along with your dignity.

Until then, please forgive us.

dreams, schemes, and beautiful things

2010-04-09T08:53:00.007-06:00

daydream ( ) n. A dreamlike musing or fantasy while awake, especially of the fulfillment of wishes or hopes.

I'm in a rather dreamy mood today for some reason. Perhaps the sun's long awaited appearance has inspired me, or maybe its the fact that its Friday and I'm craving weekend relaxation.

Either way, I'm rather aloof today--only in thought--I'm totally devoted to my work :)

You see, I looked at the Anthropologie April catalog last night and now I'm dreaming of bare feet, new sandals, brightly colored dresses, patterned dishes, and sun kissed skin. I always tell Jeff that living in Anthropologie is my ultimate fantasy.

I'm also reflecting on the summer of 2007. That was an interesting and good time for me. Jeff was away in Miami (we got engaged when I visited that summer). I was such a free bird. Don't get me wrong, I missed Jeff terribly and was very much in love with him, but there was just something about that summer.

I was running a lot and doing a lot of yoga. I worked at Color Me Mine occasionally, but hardly at all. I was tan. Meg and I did the yoga teacher training course. And I remember dreaming a lot like I am today.

I was excited for the future and thoroughly enjoying the present. That's how I feel now. I'm once again running a lot and doing yoga--though not as much as I'd like. Summer is fast approaching. And though I will not be bumming around like I did in '07, its going to be a good one.

I love when I have moments that remind me of the past. I more fully discovered who I was that summer. My life is very different now, but I'm still me. In fact I'm even more me.

Happenings and summer wishes

2010-03-06T13:08:00.005-07:00

Utah weather has a way of getting my hopes up and then crushing them just as fast. It's heart wrenching. Wednesday I stood in the warm sun planning my garden spot and imaging how my peonies would look. Then out of no where came the snow.

But...I know summer is out there some where and will soon show his gorgeous tan face. And you better believe I'll be ready.

Here's what I'm most excited about:
SUNSHINE!
planting my very first garden and putting our yard in
hiking hiking hiking
our trip down the california coast
BBQs
boating
eating outside
late nights under the stars
seeing the corn grow
putting on a swim suit (this evokes both fear and excitement within me)
painting my toes and wearing nothing but sandals--on my feet
a diet of popsicles, fresh fruit, and watermelon margaritas

And now for your viewing pleasure, here are some of my latest pics.

Adorable Anden at the BYU game. Isn't he the cutest?

The view on my run the other day. It was actually warm and pretty, and Hobbes was fascinated by the cows we passed. That was before he slipped in a pond and covered himself in slimy green pond scum.

And this is what I woke up to the other day. He seemed to really enjoy his tub slumber.

A Pattern for Life

2010-03-02T19:02:00.003-07:00

This video has been making the rounds on blogs and I love it. I think I've watched it four times. It's poetic and beautiful, but also powerful and true. Can there be a better way to strive to live? What an ideal focus for our lives and a perfect reminder of hope and peace.

photo flashback: the good old days

2010-02-01T22:12:00.004-07:00

this picture makes me laugh.

oh sun how i miss you.

remember this jan?

a weekend getaway

2010-02-01T20:09:00.005-07:00

jeff and i escaped to las vegas and st george for some slightly warmer weather and adventure this past weekend. it was lovely.

here are some highlights of our trip.

jeff made a sing along road trip CD complete with the lyrics for each song
i accidentally brought our old camera, which doesn't work, so we were left with our video camera and iPhones
we walked pretty much the entire length of the strip--twice
dined at a fancy italian restaurant with my mozy peeps
ran the trails at zions because we were extremely under dressed and freezing
laughed a lot
got pulled over for a burned out head light
made it home to our pup who now fetches flawlessly and lays on command (thanks to jeff's dad)

us in front of the Bellagio

beautiful snowy zions

it was gorgeous! the snow kept falling from the tops of the cliffs in loud, thunderous piles

and i bought a pretty purple rock at this shop.

it was a good trip!

memories of my first born (bought)

2010-01-18T21:24:00.006-07:00

the other day i saw a beautiful purple orchid.
it reminded me of a funny memory from when jeff and i were first married.

i had caught the baby bug.
(probably because the couples in our ward were reproducing like rabbits, and every sunday i would stare at the chubby, bouncing babies)

one day as we strolled the grocery store i expressed my baby hunger to jeff.
he of course tried his best to avoid the topic.
luckily for him, i was quickly distracted by a display of stunning purple orchids.

quick on his feet, jeff suggested i buy one and make it my baby.

and thus kelly was born.
(i have no idea where that name came from. i don't even like the name kelly--no offense kellies)

sadly her time with us was short lived. apparently three ice cubes per week as her label said was not enough to sustain her.

however, i now have two other children of the flora variety.
above is mandrake and below is bambi.
so far both seem much less temperamental than kelly.

i still prefer my hobbes, but i'm always looking for another type of house plant...any suggestions?

dinner...or not

2010-01-11T19:58:00.004-07:00

i took some left over chicken out of the fridge and sat it on the bar.
i then began preparing the rest of dinner, and a few minutes later realized i couldn't find the chicken.

"how did hobbes get this chicken?" jeff says

four big pieces of chicken gone in about 5 minutes.
remind me why people have pets?

are we some of those weird dog people?

2010-01-07T20:15:00.005-07:00

probably.

i admit, when hobbes' paws get dirty outside we sometime put him in the sink and give them a quick wash. it's easier than a bath, but he's quickly outgrowing the kitchen sink.

we love our pup. he does some funny things and is usually cute.

in other news....it's a baby!
no not mine. i got to tend this little guy for the first time tonight.

his name is anden and he's my adorable nephew.

happy new year by the way!
i am so excited for 2010. 2009 was a wonderful year, and usually i'm sad to see the holidays end, but this year i was more excited for the new year.

there's nothing better than a fresh start, a new beginning, a time to reflect on where you've been and where you want to go.
i love it.

some things i'm looking forward to in 2010:

more running and yoga
travels with my hubby
planting a garden and flowers
landscaping our yard
ragnar with my mozy team
giving my hair to locks of love (i decided my 24th birthday would be the perfect time)
more parties and dinners with friends and family (you can never do too many)

i can't wait to see what this year holds!

A Happy Happy Holiday

2009-11-29T21:12:00.004-07:00

the thanksgiving holiday was so much fun and just what i needed. we did so many fun things, but first i must introduce the newest member of our family...drum roll please...it's Hobbes!

jeff surprised me (though i had my suspicions) with this pup on our anniversary. i was so excited i let out a little squeal. he's my baby for now and SO cute!

he's a goldendoodle. that's right, part golden retriever part standard poodle, which means no allergies for jeff and no shedding hair in my house!

we then kicked off the holiday break with a jazz game with my co-workers and seeing new moon with the fam. no offense ladies, but i don't see what the big hubbub is about those vampire movies. nevertheless, if i had to choose, i'd definitely take jacob.

we spent turkey day gorging ourselves with the tucker fam. the food was amazing and the company even better. we saw the movie blind side that night...one of those feel good flicks. i'd recommend it.

and then came my favorite part about thanksgiving...the annual day after thanksgiving christmas tree hunt! every year my family bundles up and packs turkey sandwiches, hot chocolate, and pie and heads south in search of that perfect tree.

morg and collie with the pup

morg, meg and anden. he was bundled so tight i don't think he felt a bit of cold and enjoyed his first tree hunt

us with jeff's marvelous find. he always braves the unknown, hikes massive mountains, and works up a sweat dragging our tree back. but i must say, this year he out did himself...the tree is perfect!

lucky meg and kyle have massive ceilings in their house so they cut a 20 foot tree (i couldn't even fit the whole thing in the picture). i can't wait to see it in their house

my favorite boys (minus my dad)

and the finished product! the picture doesn't really do it justice, you need to see it in person (really you do, it's gorgeous). all in all it was a great day and we spent the night putting up lights on our house and decorating for christmas.

of course the next day wasn't bad either...that rivalry game is always exciting and it was a great day to be a cougar.

happy holidays everyone!

Oh internet how i miss you!

2009-10-22T11:26:00.003-06:00

i have been without internet for a couple weeks and it's killing me.

especially since we moved into our new house!

so many exciting things are going on that i want to take pictures of and blog about. i'm trying to decorate my house...i am really not good at it, but it's fun anyway. and i am cooking again! also not good, but fun.

plus its fall (the best time of the year) and there are so many fun things going on. halloween is near...i'm working on our costumes and i think they'll turn out pretty good.
and don't forget football season. football is the single reason why jeff thinks this time of year is best.

lastly our anniversary is quickly approaching and i'm getting very excited. i was thinking about last year's anniversary today. i planned the festivities, which included a day in salt lake seeing body worlds (very cool), a gay pride parade (unplanned, but very entertaining), the latest James Bond (we're both suckers for that charming 007), a good dinner and a night in the
grand america!

jeff will be planning our anniversary this year and i can't wait....

fall, martha stewart, and a not so happy day for mr. tucker

2009-10-03T19:24:00.006-06:00

both our birthdays were last week and we bought tickets to the big florida state game to celebrate....2nd row....amazing seats right in the action. as it turns out the game was a horrible disaster, but we still had a blast. and luckily the cougars have done well since their melt down. before the game we went to park city...my favorite place in the fall. it was gorgeous. i love to go every year around my birthday and i'm always reminded of when amanda jane and i went for my 19th b-day. i bought a wicked bob marley tank.

then as mr. tucker's birthday rolled around on the 24th the poor guy was dead dog sick. he worked all day then sat at home sick while i played softball late into the night. i did bring him home a pizza, but overall he had a pretty crappy day....i'm hoping to plan something special one of these days. he sure is a handsome fellow in BYU blue.

this weather is just amazing! this is the best time of year to run for sure. lately i like to snap pictures on my runs, these were taken down by the riverwoods. i really should blog about my runs more often...i've had some interesting ones. i once found an ipod frozen in ice, which i spent about 5 minutes chipping out. i took it home, thawed it, and guess what, it was full of disney songs and worked like a charm! one of my best running finds. little sis morg and i ran up the canyon last week, it was so perfect.

and last, but not least, wouldn't you know there's a pic of me in the october martha stewart living mag! a couple years ago i sat in on a yoga photo shoot for a quick 75 bucks and bam, two years later i'm famous...not really, but it made for a good laugh! check it out here.

just another day at the office...i wish

2009-09-03T21:05:00.009-06:00

i hiked Timp with my work on wednesday. it was way harder than i expected, but so worth it. more than 18 miles and 6 hours of hiking!

we saw mountain goats and a pheasant, and some people saw a moose. however, the most amazing thing we saw was a 67-year-old man running down the mountain from his 499th summit. he told us he hikes Timp six days a week!

it was a blast and i got so many great pictures, i had to include them all.

gone fishin'

2009-09-02T22:12:00.001-06:00

jeff and his dad went night fishing a couple weeks ago.
they caught the most amazing rainbow trout ever! we grilled it up the next day and it was fabulous.

flying solo in the lone star state

2009-08-28T19:58:00.002-06:00

i was in austin last week for work and it was quite an adventure. wednesday was a fun long day and thursday was even longer. thursday night i sat at the sushi bar in the hotel and chatted over tasty rolls and endless diet coke with an older lady who lives in the hotel. she told me all the hot spots in town and where the best restaurants were. it was pretty fun.

friday was a shorter day at the conference and i was excited to go out and explore downtown austin. it only took a block of walking to realize how hot 104 degrees and 45% humidity is. it took about 6 more blocks to realize downtown austin is all bars...literally. from coyote ugly to dueling piano bars, i think i passed a million bars hoping to find a cafe or good shopping.

but alas, after about a mile and a half i saw it...my beloved anthro. i was in heaven as i strolled my sweaty body through the store and purchased 4 wonderful items... a pillow sham, earrings, hair pin, and sun glasses with a gift card i've been holding on to for months.

after that my spirits were up and i set out to find a french restaurant i'd heard about. i passed a protest of hippies on bikes hooting and hollering and the national headquarters of whole foods where i stopped and grabbed a tasty naked juice. finally i reached the restaurant, chez nous, which happened to be right by my hotel! i had some tasty salmon and was in for the night.

and finally late saturday night i returned to my hubby who met me with diet coke, a sparkling clean car, and flowers...he's the best. below are some pics of my trip. exciting things going on right now...jeff started school (it was so weird not go back!) meggers is about to have her baby! and it's labor day weekend with the big BYU game! (by the way i don't know why all my words are hyper linked?)

Look out world here I come!

2009-07-20T22:12:00.000-06:00

so i finally got a job!
after interning and working as a contractor for several months, it all came together.

i started interviewing for other jobs, thinking i would have to leave my beloved company.
but luckily someone saw me dressed up, asked what i was doing, offered me a position, and the rest is history.

i never thought i would be an account manager in sales, but i am SO SO excited!

mostly i can't wait to go to the dentist!

Late post

2009-06-30T18:27:00.001-06:00

we've been pretty busy lately, but things have been great
here's a quick recap with some pictures to go with it

jeff and i ate tacos from Diego's (best taco shop in town) on top of squaw peak and watched the sunset. it was gorgeous. we also had some cupcakes from Cupcake Chic...i would recommend the key lime pie. mmm mmm tasty.

we also went to color me mine like the good old days. we painted a lot! check out my finished pot, i was pretty impressed.

fathers day was wonderful. i got to spend it with all the guys i love.

i have also been frequenting the amazing its yoga studio. if only i could live the life of a yogi...some day...

New bowls!

2009-06-13T12:05:00.002-06:00

so i just ordered 10 of these

at only $1.95 who could blame me?

so excited!

Gorgeous? I think so

2009-06-13T12:01:00.001-06:00

i absolutely love this shower curtain

maybe not in aqua, but still gorgeous

i will be attempting to sew something of this sort, wish me luck!

introducing...Mr. Tucker

2009-06-06T19:28:00.001-06:00

this boy is the best
his quick wit always makes me laugh and his tenacious rhyming abilities are unmatched

here he is frolicking in battle creek falls and looking dashing after a ride up south fork

i asked my darling to describe himself in a few words

"spontaneous, satirical, melodious, quirky, undeniably cute, and pleasantly addicting"

i must say, i absolutely agree

movie splurge review

2009-06-06T15:49:00.001-06:00

we recently saw both of these movies....amazing.

i give them both an A+

and highly recommend them

come one come all....the tucker family blog has arrived

2009-06-06T11:52:00.001-06:00

prepare to read our thoughts and witness our actions

this is our family blog