anniversary

Zane and I have officially been married for 1 year. I can hardly believe it. 

I' can't remember the moment where I said to myself, okay, this is forever, what's it gonna be?

Being with Zane has always just been second nature. And here we are, 365 days of marriage later. 

He makes it easy, that Zane of mine. 

So happy anniversary to me. 

We celebrated with a weekend in Salt Lake City, and some very old wedding cake. 

happy holidays

We have been thoroughly enjoying the holiday this past week.
It basically felt like a little piece heaven to take off a couple days of work to sleep in, and spend time with family. Plus the non-stop snow is just the icing on top of my winter cake.

Lately I have been kind of terrible at taking pictures. Please forgive me and enjoy my favorite 2 pictures of the few I did take this Christmas.

 

  

I hope everyone had a happy holiday!

ps. I instagram more often than I blog, so if you're missing me something terrible, you can find me at @brookeogwin

I'm still here

just neglecting the blog. 

Do you ever read other people's blogs? Their fabulous, witty, adorable, original blogs, and think... 

"I'm totally out of my league over here on the blogosphere."

I do. 

It's in these moments, like every time I face decisions and chores in life, where I choose to ignore the problem completely, and hope when I hope my eyes the problem somehow solved itself. (rare.)

Well I opened my eyes today, and this old blog is as plain Jane as it was when I left it.

Would you let it go for awhile if I told you I'm still figuring out my blog identity? 

Thanks.

In the meantime, the real life identity just got herself some bangs.

That literally is the most exciting thing that has happened around here in weeks.

And that's fine by me.

that one time I went to Disneyland, again

And it was filled with pure Disney joy..

I was team Donald,

I saw this pretty sister of mine, 

we had tender marriage moments,

We ate churros, and wrapped sweatshirts around our waists,

We went to cars land,

I got pretty excited about it,

I ate this tiny tiny, delicious, taco, 

I got sick of looking chubby and greasy, so this became the go-to pose,

we tried to look cute, 

we hid from the rain,

Zane rode Splash Mountain by himself, ruining some poor families photo,

And this guy, looked this handsome, the whole time. 

What've you been up to?

things I should probably never say out loud

This wonderfully long holiday weekend was supposed to be fabulous, like all your pictures I watched pop up on Instagram, but, well, it wasn't. Blame it on my Uncle Jon.
Zane got a nasty stomach bug Friday night. The first of our marriage.
I think I handled all the grossness pretty well, if I do say so myself. Except for the fact that I spent most of the weekend feeling sorry for myself.
Granted, I wasn't the one sleeping on the bathroom floor, so like any normal human being, I should of been grateful. Except I was bored out of my mind.
I couldn't just leave Zane home alone on the bathroom floor. What are spouses for if not to wait on your hand and foot, and medicate you, when sick? Thus, I sat at home, and watched a looooooot of television. Which led to the extreme boredom, and the sulking.
(Being able to twist any situation till it becomes about me is one of the few talents I possess. Something I inherited from both of my grandmothers I'm sure.)
I mean, at least if I was the sick one my mind would be preoccupied with my own suffering, and I would lose a couple LB's, right?

So there it is. The cat's out of the bag. I'm a horrible person. 

On the bright side, where I rarely find myself,  we were able to decorate for Christmas before all the vomiting began.

Our first tree.

hellooo baby

Friday Zane's brother Sonny, and his wife Kara, had their first little baby, Noel.
I have a lot of cute, special little people in my life, but I think I am going to have a soft spot for this one.

She is the first one I'm able to be a part of from start to finish, and be old enough to appreciate it all.
She is the first one I will get to watch Zane adore from start to finish. (Which is pretty dang sexy)
She is the first one to make the old uterus ache. Yeah, I said uterus.

 

Seriously, how cute is that picture?

 With a new baby in the family, Christmas, and a tuition payment around the corner, I have too many conflicting desires. My goals in life seem to be mutually exclusive.
Ain't that the way it goes.

Welcome to the world Baby Noel!

lets talk about breaking dawn

Breaking Dawn part 2 has come and gone. It's bitter-sweet to see it end.
Hopefully Kristen Stewart's career goes no where from here. I'd like to avoid her, and Taylor Lautner, for the rest of my movie-going life.
Robert Pattinson, on the other hand, can stay.

To no surprise, I loved the movie. I laughed, I cried laughed some more, I smiled awkwardly at the plethora of vampire love scenes. It was an epic finale to the last 5 years of my life.
I am going to miss having such a great a reason to get my friends, and my dad, together.
We will have to come up with a new tradition that requires us come together for at least one magical night a year.

From 7 friends down to 3. It's a dying tradition, but a tradition nonetheless.

What we really need to talk about is the best and worst at the Breaking Dawn part 2 premier. 

A. WTF Stephanie Meyer? You make way too much money to be wearing something so hideous. The top looks like a Relief Society president about to give a talk on the importance of motherhood at General Conference. And the bottom looks like half of an embarrassing Halloween costume.

 

B. Kristen Stewart went in a nude number. And even though its kind of bizarre (I don't even want to talk about the back view) I like it. 1 Point to Kristen; making her score -4, since her face, those teeth, her acting, the cheating scandal, and her overall personality, had her at a whopping -5.

And that's all I have to say about that.

the weekend that seemed to last a lifetime

This weekend we decided to pick up, and road trip it down to St. George with Zane's mom.
She needed someone to keep her company on a little business trip, and we were up for the challenge.
If only we knew what a challenge it would be... just kidding Missy!

Friday we spent behind the scenes at the Tuachan, watching Katherine Nelson, and The Nashville Tribute Band sound check before the show. I thought it was pretty neat. It was like I was famous, or maybe more like a groupie...

 

There is a band hiding from the bitter wind under that tarp. 

And that little nugget down there is Zane enjoying a little sound check.

Saturday we spent in Beaver.
I don't know if any of you have ever had the privilege of visiting Beaver, but it is a ghost town.
We were trying to find somewhere, other than Dairy Queen, to eat, and I kept telling my mother-in-law to keep driving, there has got to be more of a selection once we get further into town. I mean, people can't live like this.
False. They can. 3 miles later, we hit the bottom of Beaver. Top to bottom, 3 miles, and nothing but Dairy Queen, Butch Cassidy Inn, and this lovely place called Arshels.
Where we ate dinner, and just soaked up the ambiance.

 

Just some light reading on each table, to pass the time. 

 

 

And the lovely pink lace window coverings.

After dinner we spent the rest of the night at the local high school. Watching more sound checks, and sitting on our little bums.
The music was amazing, and Katherine was very nice, so it was worth all the time on our pockets.

 Most of the time, at least it felt like, was spent in the car. Like this.

He tried to blackmail me with a picture of me sleeping, but it didn't work. 

Muahahaha. {Probably a video we only find hilarious.}

If I am being honest, which I try to be, I spent a lot of time this weekend being rather bored. Like watching paint dry, and grass grow, bored. Still, I would do it again in a heartbeat if Missy needed. I love my family, and being bored with them is a blessing.

Once home, Zane and I made sure the first thing we did was finish season 3 of Vampire Diaries on Netflix. Yeah, we've got our priorities straight.
It's over now, and I feel a little part of myself has died. 

I want to continue living vicariously through fictional characters, preferably extremely attractive vampires.

I'll have to pay for Hulu Plus to continue living out my fantasies now. That, or live my own life. 

I think we all know who's going to win that battle...

unorganized thoughts on the current season

 

Zane and I are still thoroughly enjoying fall. The colored leaves covering the trees, and the ground, are more beautiful than freshly fallen snow, or the blossoms of spring.
The concept of raking leaves is completely lost and us. Other than creating a pile to jump in, of course.

Halloween has come and gone. Rather anti-climatically. I dressed up for work, but later came home, removed my nose, and spent the night in. Which was fine with me, the truth is, nothing makes me happier than watching Vampire Diaries on Netflix with Zane, and our fireplace. I mean, if I had to describe fall in one word, it would probably be cozy.
cozy. cozy. cozy. Just the way it's supposed to be.
Which is why I am rather tired of this 70 degree nonsense, it's time for 60 and below. This girl isn't getting out of bed unless it involves knee high boots, and a sweater. Can I get an amen?

The next couple weeks hold great adventures, I can feel it. A best friends sealing, Thanksgiving, a trip to California, and quite possibly the most important, Breaking Dawn part 2!
Then, before we know it, Christmas will be around the corner! I can hardly contain the excitement. Christmas radio may, or may not, happen daily. So shoot me.

I hope everyone's fall season is feeling as magical as mine.

**On a very irrelevant side note, 91 followers? are you kidding me?

I can't believe 91 people want to read this little thing. 

Now, this isn't your cue to tell me that you actually hate this blog, and possibly me, but my opportunity to say thank you. I feel like I might be in love with all 91 of you.**

Hurricane Sandy

 {Photo's found here.}

Nothing reminds us faster of all the goodness, and strength found in America's people
 than when we face disaster together. 

 A reminder I think so many of us sadly needed when surrounded by all the hate of the up-coming election. 

My thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by hurricane Sandy.
Lets hope the worst is over. 

i love love love love you

 

This year I am welcoming fall, and winter for that matter, with wide open arms. I'm so in love with this season, I am ready to write it a steamy love letter. And maybe a letter to boots, coats, sweaters, long socks, scarfs, hot chocolate, and fireplaces too, for making me the happiest lady on earth.

Last weekend I was able to participate in one of the biggest salutes to fall here in Utah County, Cornbelly's. Zane, Nate, Sagan, and I went for the classic corn maze. I couldn't let October pass me by without a corn maze. But I was a little disappointed to find the stalks were no higher than my waist...  

"How in the world will we find our way out?", "Oh, look, there's the exit, looks like we just have to turn left here, and right over there. See those people waving to us at the finish?", "What a challenge, I thought I'd never make it out!"

The haunted house ended up being the highlight of the night. Zane's smashed toes can testify to that. But who can be bothered to open their eyes, and walk straight, when they are simply trying to escape with their life?

I'm grateful for the fall season, and all the festivities it brings along with it, even short corn stalks. I'm grateful for Nate, and Sagan, the only double date buddies we really have these days. We couldn't ask for more perfect, or better looking, companions. I'm grateful for date night. And for the cutest coat I've ever owned.

Hello Fall! Welcome, make yourself comfortable, and stay awhile will ya?