Oh Christmas Tree

Clearly its been so long since I've posted (come on, rachel!) I'm just going to blame it on finals and that's that. The day after thanksgiving I put this beauty up. We've had this little tree for almost 5 years, we bought her on our very first christmas as a married couple. We collected a handful of different ornaments and each one has a little story behind it. I love our sweet little tree. 

^^ probably our all time favorite ornament. We picked this little guy up while we were living in Hawaii. 

^^^ Last but not least... I always always always watch White Christmas...its like a religious thing (no, but sorta). I've done this since I can remember (thanks mom). Its my all time favorite Christmas movie and I alway cry.

Merry Christmas!

Scuba Diving in St. George

This weekend hunter went scuba diving with some friends down in St. George. His friends heard of a place where there was a sunken VW bus and airplane, so they went down to see it. I'm sort of kicking myself for not going with them (thanks homework). Hunter and I are both scuba certified and have been for several years, but we rarely get to go because of this or that. I love that he is still so adventurous and down for anything. He said it was pretty amazing. I'm glad this kid had some good boy bonding time with his friends. More pictures below.

One awesome adventure. All photos taken by ken anderson (the most talented kid ever). 

weekend mantra

This is my weekend mantra... it really should be my life mantra, but sometimes its hard to commit that much, so i'll just start with the weekend. I know its pretty dorky but I love these quotes. Good reframe. 

This is a reminder to me to keep putting out those good vibes and build people up and gosh darn just be nice to people. 

Happy Halloween

Better late than never...this past year we went as Mr & Mrs Fantastic Fox. Please tell me you've seen that movie. I guess it wasn't very popular because the Halloween party we went to, no one knew who we were. If you haven't seen that movie, its must, and your kids will love it too. Happy Halloween.

bits of the weekend...

Our weekend was full of apple cider, pumpkin patches, and enjoy the last bits of fall. I love fall so much. I dare say it might be my favorite season...maybe.

^^ love those old trucks... its kind of my dream car.

^^ Farnsworth Farms is a local apple orchard that bottles the cider right at the location, so you know its fresh! I could drink this stuff all year long. Is anyone else a sucker for seasonal things like this?

^^ love the colors here!! Where does that bright red even come from? Also I had a chance to hit up a freshly picked moccasins sale. It was so cute to see all this little footwear in so many colors. I'm proud to say that I restrained my self to only get a couple of pairs...they were sure cute though. 

^^ more fallish trees. I mean look at those colors. Grandma's homemade fudgy brownies recipe. I love this recipe, its simple and every time we go to Canada to visit Hunter's grandparents they make it, pretty much religiously. And last but not least... one of my favorite holidays right around the corner! Happy Hallow's Eve- ish! (I can say that right?) 

SheBangs

Bangerange! So I went crazy a couple of weeks ago and got bangs. Haven't had them since I was seven but I remember thinking I looked really cool back then, so I brought them back. Fall is the perfect time to have bangs because its nice and cool and your forehead doesn't get as sweaty (thanks October). Hunter found this picture in my phone and laughed and then said 'what would you think of me if I took selfies all the time'. Point made. Anyone who knows me knows that this picture is ridiculous and I'm trying way too hard. but come on I had to show off my bangs. My mom is going to tell me this picture is cute, and that's all the justification I need to show them off. Cheers to be asian and getting in touch with the culturally relevant hello kitty heritage.

Pre-Halloween Spirit

Saturday we took some friends up to our favorite spot to shoot guns in Heber, UT. This was so much fun. Here's to getting into the Halloween Spirit. 

                            

Apple Orchard

 

Monday we took off to visit an apple orchard called Huber Grove. Its located in Wasatch Mountain State Park in Midway, UT. These heirloom apples are incredibly unique because they come from trees that are 135 years old! Can you believe it? Typically apple trees live for about 35 years and produce apples for about 15 of those years. The orchard is small, but beautiful. 

^^ Those apples were tiny! We loved having family come. He was so excited.

^^ Even little Ramona woke up to see those apples. 

^^^ There are several historic buildings that belonged to the original owners of the grove. Such beautiful simplistic housing. 

Fall its finally here! 

cam-ma-ra

I can't help myself, but here's to the start of something new (i feel like i say that a lot). H got this beauty for me for my birthday and wow is she great or what! I don't even have to know what I'm doing and the image comes out so clear and I feel pro. I've wanted one of these babes for a long time but we've just never been able to afford it. I don't know how I got so lucky. I hope this means that my photos will now have a better quality, so bare with me while I figure this thing out. I plan to carve out time in the schedule to get better at this, I mean really better. I know its just a camera, but it sorta makes me feel like I'm starting to accomplish this little life goals I have - you know checkin that off the ole bucket list, you know the loosely based one that floats through my brain. Don't you have a bucket list? Its kind how I rate myself, remind myself that I'm still progressing. Here's to you, lights, camera action! 

La Canada.

Every other year we make a trip to Canada to visit H's grandparents. We know exactly what we'll be doing because we do the same thing every time. Summers are pretty picturesque in B.C. We spend time walking on the beach, picking blackberries, swimming in their pool, reading books in the sunroom, drinking tons of herbal tea, eating 3 planned meals everyday (thanks to that 50s house wife mentality) more long walks... just spending time together. Sometimes I get this sudden explorer anxiety, there is so much to see and I want it all, but I have to remind myself to enjoy this, enjoy this, enjoy this. Its sorta been my goal to really start enjoying those moments. I don't want to spend my days being grumpy, regretting things I said or didn't say, life is too short to not be happy/grateful (because they're sorta the same thing, right?) Its so fun to see them and listen to their old stories of how things used to be and how much the world has changed, for better or for worse... I really tried to take the time to soak up their stories because in a way their individual story made up some part of our history...of how we came to be... and its cool to hear first hand of what it was like. Honestly what is it about being with the super young and super old that really help me put life in perspective. So take the time to listen, even if you've already heard that story for the 1bajillionth time (restrain that eye roll) and enjoy that moment.

^^ that white rock is totally painted, hence the name of the town white rock

^^ first walk to white rock beach, its tradition. 

^^ its called 5 pin bowling! And its bowling with skeet balls (you know that awesome game from Chucky E. Cheese!) Its completely Canadian and its a must. We had no idea what the rules were, and didn't know what all the symbols meant when they popped up on screen, we just played it cool... until all the senior citizens came in and we realized we were doing it totally wrong. Still worth it. 

FORT LANGLEY 

Fort Langley was the original settlement for B.C. and its quite the beautiful little town with fun shops, places to eat, historic museum and neat train station. Its a fun little day trip if your in the area.

  ^^ This house was so dreamy I just had to take a picture

^^ Last but not least, its always been the tradition to eat fish and chips for dinner our last night there. Its such a great tradition. We usually eat at Moby Dicks in White Rock but this time we tried Hooked on Crescent Beach, it did not disappoint. There are tons TONS of fish and chip places all over White Rock... I think its my life's goal to try every single one of them. Till next time, thanks Canada. 

Life Lately, thanks to my iPhone

Comic con, easter studying, finals week, forrest, bowling, sisters graduation. it was a pretty awesome weekend!

xoxo