Redhead Memories

Wednesday!

2012-03-06T22:05:00.002-08:00

Today I'm linking up with Gentri Lee with some random questions. Happy Wednesday!

At the Bean Museum with my BFF Kirsten back in 2009

If you could only eat savory or sweet things for the rest of your life, which would you choose- and why?

Mmm, sweets! I have a major sweet tooth. I also probably eat too much sugar for my own good.

Would you rather live in the sea (under the water), the sky (on a cloud), or in space?

That's a tough one! I've always been fascinated with the ocean, so that would be cool. I especially love the crazy, weird fish that live deep deep deep down in the ocean. But I've also always wanted to go up into space! Visiting all of the planets (Pluto included, for me, being a 90's kid!) would be so awesome.

Mountains, Desert, Plains, or Tropics?

Mountains! Though I've also always wanted to visit Egypt for its fascinating history and of course, beautiful deserts! And I think it would be exciting to go to a tropical rainforest, mostly because I've never been. I'm pretty indecisive with these questions. :)

Would you rather live with chronic pain or the worst pain you can imagine for 24 hours?

As long as I was guaranteed to survive the 24 hours of pain, I guess I would go with that. Not that I have a high tolerance for pain, because I definitely don't. But maybe if I could pray my guts out during that period and survive, then yep, I'd go with that. Ha ha.

If you had to do one of these over again, which would it be: Pre School, Elementary, Jr High/ Middle School, High School, or College?

I think I would go through high school again, just because it was fun! Call me crazy, but I'd rather skip past the awkward that was middle school. I loved my high school years and I would definitely try harder in a few of my AP classes.

Tribal, Floral, Stripes, or Polka Dots?

Wow. I think this is the hardest of all. I think I'd go with polka dots!

Are you right handed or left handed?

I'm a righty!

Also, if you haven't, PLEASE take the time to watch this and help change the world! #Kony2012

Weekenders

2012-03-04T23:47:00.003-08:00

This weekend was quite blissful. Is that even a word? I wore my favorite fuzzy slippers, we spent some time outside bbq-ing, and soaked up some beautiful spring sunlight. We also got to hang out with our friends' baby, Preston. That little guy is such a cutie. And I humored Scott by playing a round of Risk. He's not really happy about it, but I dominated the crap out of those continents. Maybe it isn't such a bad game after all. ;)

Not pictured: eating way too much Easter candy, reading books like The Great Gatsby, a little thrifting fun, reading Dr. Seuss books at Target, and playing around in Lightroom.

How was your weekend?

Sometimes

2012-03-01T11:11:00.003-08:00

I watch guilty pleasures like Pawn Stars. We love not only learning the history of the stuff, but laughing at the Old Man's southern accent and stubborn personality.

I'm glad it's cold outside because in a few short weeks I'll be very very hot. It's springtime, in Vegas!

I wish I could just pay someone good money to cook us dinner every night. We have been so lazy for the past week, eating frozen pizzas, cereal, and ice cream.

I love discovering unexpected movie gems like Big Miracle. We thought it looked like a cheesy, "inspiring", kids movie, but we ending up loving it. We walked out of the theater feeling entertained, but not guilty of watching anything inappropriate. It was a funny, feel-good movie. I love finding clean gems like that!

I feel like a 5 year-old when I get extremely giddy when we get mail and packages. (Last night I wanted to open the new package so bad, I was literally having a hard time deciding to go to the bathroom or open the package.)

I feel like it's one of the world's great injustices when I submit all of my financial aid and residency information and still have to wait several weeks for it to process.

I write a blog post and realize that I don't write enough of them. Life has been much too busy lately! I miss blogging.

I feel inspired to be a better person when I hear about women's struggles with miscarriages (I've heard of several ladies in just the past month!). I can't even imagine what they have had to go through, and I hope to be especially grateful when I have a child.

Redecorating

2012-02-28T00:00:00.000-08:00

After a whole year of living in our little house, I finally decided to start making it a home. What can I say? I'm a procrastinator. Since we'll be here in Vegas for probably another two years for Scott to finish school, I figured I could try to have some fun making our house pretty.

This wall has been put on the back burner for quite some time. I'm trying to figure out how to cover the hideous thermostat and circuit breaker. I'm hoping to do a fun collage like this or this with random pieces and shapes of art and such. And here is one little shape I just made to put on the wall:

(sorry for the poor quality photos. gotta love phone cameras.)

I got this lovely idea from Corina (Corina's Corner). They have some pretty metal letters at Anthropologie for about $18 a piece, but why pay that, when I made the above letter for half the price?

I simply bought a paper mache letter and some silver paint from Jo-Ann's (any craft store works) and painted away! It really was so easy and looks great! Granted, it's not metal. But really, it's just hanging on the wall. No one will notice or care about the difference.

I'll share a better photo when I get farther along on my wall.

We've also decided to get a table and chairs. We have an old set in our house right now, but it belongs to our landlord, so we can't paint it or anything. I have a vision of painting a few mismatching chairs a pretty light blue and maybe even painting the table red!

I got this ugly chair from the D.I. for one whole dollar. Dang! I guess nobody wanted it! I really like the woodwork, so I think it will turn out. It just needs some paint and new fabric! And if it doesn't turn out, then bummer. I guess I lost a dollar. :)

So there you have it. I'm trying to be a domestic, crafty little wife and make our house cute. I'm making progress! Especially when I have this to listen to while I decorate:

Happy Tuesday!

Instalife

2012-02-12T23:03:00.001-08:00

A little life recap thanks to Instagram and inspired by this gal and this gal.

I bought these tulips randomly at the grocery store and I'm so glad I did. It has been so nice having some real, fresh flowers in the house. It feels like spring!

This pretty much sums up my semester. I'm taking intro to graphic design, beginning photography, history of the Beatles, and basic cooking. It's a bunch of basic classes, which can get a little dull, but they're I'm definitely learning a LOT. I only know a little bit in all of these classes, so it's been really fun to learn more! Ha. Yay school.

And... I'm pretty sure the Beatles deserve a post of their own. How I lived almost 20 years without fangirling and obsessing over the Beatles are is beyond me. They'e awesome to the spice.

The thing I love about Vegas is the incredible winter weather. If you can even call this winter. We go through super hot summers, then fall, then spring. It's been absolutely gorgeous outside!

On Friday night we played with some friends and it was one of the best nights I've had in a while. Sometimes, life gives you gems of nights to reward you for all the boring adult things you do during the week.

I learned that I do really well in small groups of people. In big groups, I tend to get shy and hold back. But in small groups, I can get really social. I love seeing myself get out there instead of shying back. Yay for personal growth! It was a good Friday.

Also, the best Jones soda flavors: green apple and fufu berry. Just FYI.

Hope your weekend was nice!

Sick Girl

2012-02-08T11:42:00.000-08:00

Hey friends. I'm back(ish).

I've been such a bad blogger. No posts, ad swaps aren't all up, etc. First, I blamed my computer's charger cord for breaking. Being without a computer for about a week was a little annoying, but also nice. Then the day my charger came I got hit with a bad cold/migraine/nausea. So I've been home for a few days trying to get better. Oh, if you could see the amounts of laundry and dishes piled up.

So, I'm sorry. Mostly to my fellow ad swappers. I'm hoping to get the rest of those up by the end of the week. And to make it up to you I'll probably leave them all up through March.

Also, here is a picture of our poor kitty sporting a cute dino hat that I ordered for our future baby (nope, not pregnant) via Fab.com. Adorable!

Have a fabulous week!

Jenna's 5th Birthday

2012-02-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

Oh yeah, it was my niece's birthday last week! And I got to make her cake. She wanted a pink ballerina cake. So I tried my best to deliver:

"Heeeey, those are MY candles!"

That cake was delicious times ten. Isn't that picture of my mother-in-law the greatest? She's so cute with those kiddies.

It was a blast and a half making that cake and even better getting to watch little Jenna enjoy it. Kids are so cute.

It's Tuesday.

2012-01-31T00:00:00.000-08:00

(via my iphone last night)

It's been one of those weeks. There isn't anything exciting enough in my life to blog about.

But I'm okay with that. That means that you won't have a million blog posts to read and have more time to go outside and take a walk. Or you could go spend some time with your significant other. Or eat a cupcake! It doesn't really matter what you do.

Right now, I think both of our time is better spent away from this computer, living life.

Happy Tuesday, lovelies.

Goals: January Update

2012-01-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

Goal update!! What else are blogs for than to make you accountable for goals you set?

Recipe: Old-Fashioned Birthday Cake and Spinach and Cheese Strata
Review:
The birthday cake was pretty time-consuming, but a lot of fun! I wasn't a big fan of the cake recipe, it was dry and didn't have a lot of flavor. I think I want to try a lemon or strawberry cake next time. But the frosting was fun! And I don't think I messed up during the recipe. It turned out!
As for the strata, I wasn't a fan. Scott seemed to enjoy it, though. So I can't really recommend it or tell you not to make it. It's one of those things you might have to try for yourself!

Book: Divergent
Completed? Not quite yet, but there are still a few more days in the month!

Sewing Project: Rag Quilt
Thoughts: This was my first rag quilt and I spent all day making it. Then, I had some issues. It turns out, I had my stitches set to be way too small and close together. That would be why I broke 2 sewing needles. Ha ha, it's a good thing I have a resolution to sew something once a month, because wow! I sure need the practice. Anyway, after sitting in the back corner for a month, I finally brought the blanket up to my mom's house and she helped me patch up the holes. It looks fantastic! I'm so glad to be done with it.

Fitness/Health: Juicing and Jilian.
Thoughts: We started off really well. We juiced and exercised for about 2 weeks straight (with some resting break days for our muscles, of course). The week after that was a struggle. We were burnt out and didn't want anything to do with that crazy Jilian. But the past few days we have been slowly coming back. We're busting our butts with the Ripped in 30 dvd and are juicing our produce that is about to go bad. It's been tough, but we're still going!

Handwritten letter? check! Dearest Megan, this is for you! Your package was mailed and is on its way. I'm so sorry it has taken so long to get it sent!

Thank you for bearing with me, if you stuck around to read this lengthy thing. I may not do a monthly huge update like this during the year, but I'll at least give some snippets to show that I really am working on these resolutions!

How are your New Year's Resolutions going?

Anthropologie? Bucket-listed.

2012-01-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that Anthropologie is one of the most gorgeous stores in existence. And it's also pretty easy to notice that their prices are not the most gorgeous. So most of us girls tend to admire from afar.

Unless, of course, I happen to be the luckiest girl on the planet and win an Anthropologie gift card giveaway from Scenic Glory!! Let's just say, I was so excited, I probably made Scott go deaf. Twice.

I've been in the store once, because the whole blogosphere fangirls over this store all the time. But, I got pretty depressed after looking at the price of a few things. It can be fun to window shop sometimes, but let's face it, it's way better when you have a little dough to spend!

So this was my second ever time going in the store. And it was so magical to look at all the fancy things that I could actually touch, try on, and buy!

The pretty skirt I got was in the glorious sale room and was the last one in the store! I love how quirky and fun it is, which is totally me.

Why yes, this photo is blurry. Thank you for noticing. Some of us are still getting the hang of this new camera... :).

Studly stud.

Thank you so much for the gift card, Lindsay! I can't wait to spend the rest of it!

Weekenders

2012-01-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

1- Trying out some new recipes (yay goals!) and baking way too much cake.
2-4- Bowling it up. Pretty pathetic that only one of us ever broke 100.
5-6- Treated ourselves to a little Outback before school starts.
7-8- Hit up the Coke Factory on the strip and took my second ever visit to Anthropologie! And while I was there, I made my first purchase (thanks to a giveaway). A separate post on that special event is coming soon. :)

I hope you all had a fun weekend!

Questions?

2012-01-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hey friendly friends! Scott and I have to decided it'd be fun to do a little vlog. I'm starting to compile a list of questions to answer, and if you any of you have anything you're just dying to know about us, ask away! :)

(I just opened a formspring, if you'd like to be anonymous or what not. If the link doesn't work, I'm Kaycie Eddie.)

Kodak Brownie? Thrifted.

2012-01-19T00:00:00.000-08:00

A couple of nights ago, we went down to one of our favorite Goodwill stores for a little thrifting date. Usually Scott goes straight to the electronics and I go straight to the clothing racks.

I found a few things I liked, met up with Scott, and we started perusing the fancy items behind the glass case. And then this beauty entered my field of vision. It was love at first sight.

I have no idea if it works, don't know if film exists/where I would get it, but gosh, isn't it beautiful?

I know loving vintage things is uber popular right now, but let me just tell you: I love old stuff regardless of how trendy it is. I love how unique and fun each vintage piece is. Finding these things fills me to the brim with warm fuzzies.

Also, can I just express for a second how wonderful natural light is? OBSESSED.

Have you had any thrifting successes lately?

Weekend Happenings: Nerdy Edition

2012-01-17T00:00:00.000-08:00

1- My favey fave flava of Haagen-Dazs.
2- Going to one of our favorite little food joints here in town.
3- Exploring my new college (yay school).
4- Spending mucho time with this hottie.
5-6- Sherbet and our favorite nerdy show.
7- Experimenting with self-portraits and nerd glasses.

Not pictured: the messy house we have yet to clean up, the cat scratches on our legs and arms from a crazy cat, and sore bodies from exercising with Jilian Michaels.

I hope your weekend was lovely! Happy Tuesday!

Also, I just found this video from back in June. Love it! (If you haven't heard this song, you might not understand.)

Sponsor Swap for February

2012-01-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

It will certainly be a party over here! (I know. Cheesy, much?)

Because I've had so much interest, and I can't fit you all in my sidebar, I'm taking off all of my current swap buttons (starting at the beginning of February) and replacing them with whoever contacts me first.
First come, first serve.

Just shoot me an email at kcballif "at" gmail "dot" com and we'll get to swapping!

Thank you for stopping by!

As of Late

2012-01-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

1: Sometimes you need to wear some mismatching Dr. Seuss socks (yes, again).
2: My nightstand- lotion, kindle, and journal.
3: Gorgeous feather clouds in my sky yesterday.
4-5: Yummy food from Costa Vida (first time- it was delish!) and Kneaders in Utah.

Thank goodness for phone cameras (and instagram!). It's always with me and I can catch random moments in pictures, that I wouldn't have otherwise. I mean, I can't always carry around a big camera.

Have you caught any beauties with your phone lately?

P.S. I updated the "Our Story" tab with a reader's digest version of the story of us!

My Weekend in Pictures (and a few words)

2012-01-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday, friends! This weekend I've been visiting my family and it has been nothing but fun. I miss it so much here that I keep convincing Scott to take me almost once a month. And yet, it still doesn't feel like enough time :)

Here is my weekend in pictures:

1: Playing some Phase 10 in our super old deck, a family favorite

2: Hitting up Beto's for a breakfast burrito or two.

3-6: Going to the Pizza Pie Cafe with the fam. Just for the record: me and Scott totally loved this place in Rexburg before anyone in Utah! :) Also, I'm pretty sure my sister would kill me if she knew that picture was on my blog. She's gorgeous when she doesn't make hideous faces, believe me.

7- Saying goodbye to my best friend, Amy before she goes to Ecuador! It was definitely an instax moment. I LOVE that little camera!

All in all, it's been a wonderful and relaxing weekend at home. I wish I could stay longer.

How was your weekend?!

P.S. The Le Mode/Polaroid giveaway ends tonight! Get your last minute entries in!

Resolutions

2012-01-04T05:00:00.000-08:00

Welp. It's January. Where the grocery stores once held Christmas gifts, there are now health bars and fitness videos. Everyone wants to shave off the holiday fat and start fresh. And that's a great thing! But typically, it's hard to most people to keep up with these great resolutions after January is over.

And I'm one of those typical crazies jumping on the healthy, fresh-start bandwagon. Judge me if you will, but we bought a juicer the other day and are going to do some serious exercising with Jilian. We're getting hard core over here.

We're starting with some small goals, like eating out only once a month, eating more fruits and veggies, and exercising about 3 times a week. It's nothing crazy, but as long as we're consistent with the small goals, we can add more challenges, and soon, we'll see some big improvements!

I'm really pumped. I don't usually do well with consistency, so this will be good for me.

Here are a few other goals I've made for the new year:

-Read at least one book a month.
-Try at least one new recipe a month (gotta start trying all of the ones I've pinned!).
-Write one hand-written letter and mail it each month (I want to get these cute envelopes to help!).
-Use my sewing machine/make one project per month.
-Pray daily (so far I've kept up with it!)
-Write in my journal daily (it's only a few lines a day, so it's should be achievable).
-Fitness/health goals listed above.
-And a few other personal goals.

I know they're not huge goals. But I think I prefer to start with shorter-term goals and work my way up to more challenging, long-term goals. Once I've mastered these goals and want to add a little challenge, I can! I love being in control of my life. :)

And to end this post, look at my sweet little kitty. Adorable!

P.S. Have you entered the Le Mode/Polaroid Giveaway?

Auld Lang Syne

2012-01-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

Our New Year's Eve was divine. We went to Denny's in the morning (new tradition), went bowling, played with nieces and nephews (pictured above), and snacked our little buns off all the way until midnight.

It wasn't too crazy exciting, but then again, last year we fell asleep at 10 PM. So I'd say that's an improvement.

The first thing we did in 2012 was blow obnoxious noisemakers into the sleeping neighbors houses and play with sparklers. There were also many kisses and sipping of sparkling cider. I mean, what is New Year's Eve without Martinelli's?

I hope yours was simply ravishing and that you spent it with someone you love.

Happy New Year!

P.S. Don't forget to enter the blogiversary giveaway!

Le Mode/ Polaroid One Year Giveaway! CLOSED

2012-01-01T14:47:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, everyone! As of a few days ago, it has officially been one year since I started the Blog. I started it the very day me and Scott got married, and it's come a long way since then.

So, in honor of this super exciting time (woot woot!), I'm hosting a giveaway!

To one of you lucky readers, I'm giving away a gorgeous purse from Shop Le Mode ($50 value) and a vintage Polaroid camera! This is probably my favorite giveaway yet. Eep!

A while back I ordered from Le Mode and ended up having to return this bag. It got lost in the mail, then came back to me. When I asked them if I should send it back, they told me to keep it. But I already have plenty of bags. So I thought to give it away to my bloggy friends!

Hooray! Consider this a little late Christmas present and New Year's gift!

This purse, the Enjoying the Greenery hobo, is no longer for sale at Shop Le Mode, so if you win, you'll be one of the very few owners of this cute thing! AND it's a $50 value. Bam!

This lovely Polaroid is something I thrifted a while back and is quite the beauty. It's perfect for display, or you could buy some film from the Impossible Project and shoot some fun vintage shots!*

{How to enter}
Follow Redhead Memories via GFC and leave a comment below (mandatory).

{Additional Entries}
Please leave a separate comment for each!

-Follow me on Twitter.
-Follow Shop Le Mode on Twitter.
-Follow me on Bloglovin'.
-Tweet about the giveaway and leave a link.
-Share the giveaway on Facebook and leave a link.
-Blog about the giveaway and leave a link below.
-Tell someone that you love them. :)

Feel free to use the following tweet:
"Ring in the new year by entering to win a purse form Shop Le Mode and a vintage Polaroid camera from @redheadmemories ! http://tinyurl.com/78pttk2"

This giveaway will run from today, Sunday, January 1st until next Monday, January 11th at midnight (PST). So enter away!

Good luck!

*I can't guarantee that it works, but when I inserted an old film holder, it did make sounds like the flash was warming up.
Note: This giveaway is not sponsored by Le Mode Accessories. I simply had the bag and wanted to give it away!

And the winner is... Megan! Congrats!

One Year

2011-12-28T20:35:00.000-08:00

One year of marriage.
It's had it's sad, trying moments. A lot of times, it has been really hard.
But it has been even more full of laughter and growth. And going through those things with you has made it all worth it.

I love you, Scotty. I can't wait for the times ahead.

Our Christmas Weekend

2011-12-27T12:15:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! First, I want to give a shout out to Bri from The Secret Life of Bee for designing my blog! Isn't it lovely? I wanted something simple and she did a fantastic job. I also was very indecisive, but she worked with me until it was done. Thanks, Bri!

Our Christmas was spent in Vegas, with Scott's family, which was so much fun. It was my first Christmas away from home, ever. That was hard, but I'm grateful that my in-laws are so wonderful. I missed my family big time, but we had a great holiday break!

1- Cookies and milk for Santa 2- Christmas Breakfast (which we may or may not have bought at midnight on Christmas Eve at Walgreens) 3- Kitty with festive ribbons 4- Santa came! (and also didn't exactly go all out on pretty wrapping)

And lastly, we watched Elf and decided to make spaghetti with syrup, chocolate syrup, m&m's, and chocolate pop tarts. I tried to make it as authentic as possible, by getting each ingredient and mixing it with my own hands. It was SO MUCH FUN. I may see a new tradition in our future...

Scott was pretty grossed out by it because of the maple syrup. I thought it tasted like a big chocolatey, sweet mess.

P.S. Do you like my first gif? I'm pretty excited about it, even if it is grainy.

A Christmas Card for You

2011-12-21T00:36:00.000-08:00

Well, it's the week of Christmas. Hooray! I just wanted to pop in to say that I'm going to take a little blog break until the holiday rush is over. Hopefully you'll be with those you love enjoying this time as well.

I wish I had enough money to send a card to each of you... but I'm definitely still a poor married college student. So here's a little internet version:

Cards via Brightside Prints (simple, beautiful designs. I highly recommend.), Photography via Katrina B. (I also highly recommend her. Her work is fantastic and she's so sweet!)

Merry Christmas, friends! I'm so glad to know you and hope you have a great holiday :)

Ginger-bread Houses

2011-12-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

A couple of nights ago, we decorated gingerbread houses with our friendly friends! Get it? GINGER bread houses? I know, I'm so punny.

It was something I haven't done in years, but I know for sure I want to make it one of our new Christmas traditions. It was so fun making a mess of the kitchen with icing and candy!

I even made the cookies from scratch! Would you like to see some pictures? Thought so!

That poor last picture is mine and Scott's house. Our pieces weren't too evenly cut out and then wouldn't stick together right. Hahaha... we put a dinosaur cookie on top to make it look like it was his fault.

Maybe by next year we'll built a decent house and actually get to decorate it. We'll see. :)

I hope you all have a great weekend! 9 days until Christmas!!

Cold Hands, Warm Hearts Swap

2011-12-13T23:34:00.000-08:00

I got to play along in the one of the most fun little swaps this year! I was a little nervous at first because who and what you get is a total surprise. But I wanted to add a little spice to my life, so I jumped in.

Sandy and Ilene host a swap in November and December to bring a little happiness despite the terrible cold. You send out gloves or mittens and some fun winter goodies and then the best part is... you get some in return!

Here is what I sent Karina:

(badly) Pictured: some cute gloves from Target, a cup with hot chocolate, and a chocolate orange (my favorite Christmas treat!)

I hope you liked it, Kary! And look at the amazing package she sent me (which was all wrapped up!):

I gave a hint or two that I liked mittens... and she was so kind to gift them to me! Along with some cute cupcake wrist warmers. And a pretty flower ring and earrings! This was the best early Christmas gift ever. And we all know those are the best kind of Christmas gifts. :)

I would definitely recommend checking this little swap out next year! That is, if you like amazing gifts, staying warm, and surprises. And if you don't, then I don't know if we can be friends. Just kidding! But srsly.

Happy Wednesday!

Ugly Sweaters

2011-12-12T13:09:00.000-08:00

We love them.
And only get to wear these cozy things one month a year, so we have to enjoy it while we can.

(Why yes, I am still in the process of covering up that hideous gray box on the wall. Thank you for noticing.)

Do you have an ugly sweater? Does it get the love it deserves?

Awkward Get to Know You Game

2011-12-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

Do you remember that dreaded first day of school when you had to share 3 random facts about yourself? Vomit. "Hi people I've never met, here are three awkward facts about myself that I only had one minute to think about. Let's be friends." Or even worse, unique facts about yourself. "Um, I have red hair?" That's really the only unique thing I have going for me. And it's just a tad obvious.

ANYWAY. I found these fun questions over on Caitlin's blog, and thought it would be fun (and hopefully not awkward) to play along!

1. What's a nickname only your family calls you?
My dad calls me "Gardner", or "Kaycie Gardner". My great-grandmother's last name (on my dad's side) was Gardner. And my dad has wanted me to change that to be my middle name because he likes the sound of it. Haha, I don't know.

2. What's a weird habit of yours?
I can't think of a habit off the top of my head. So here's a weird fact: sometimes, when I go into a scary, empty public restroom, I'm afraid someone is going to murder me. And what worse time than when you're in a bathroom and totally vulnerable?! I know, I'm kinda crazy.

3. What's a song you secretly LOVE to blast & belt out when you're alone?
Lately, "Moves Like Jagger". It has that beat, you know? But any day, anything Broadway!

4. What's one of your biggest pet peeves?
People who don't listen. When I'm talking about something important, I need your full attention.

5. What's one of your nervous habits?
My hands and body start to shake.

6. What side of the bed do you sleep on?
The left, next to the wall. Usually I would insist sleeping on the edge of the pillow and bed, but I'm also paranoid about scary people breaking into the house. So I make Scott sleep nearest to the door to protect me. Don't worry, he's okay with it. :)

7. What was your first stuffed animal & it's name?
One of the first I can remember was a pretty teddy bear from my BFF at the time, McKenna (Gentri's sister, actually). The bear's fur was the same color as my hair and I named her Ginger.

8. What's the drink you ALWAYS order at Starbucks?
I can honestly say that I've never even been to Starbucks! Crazy, I know. But their hot chocolate looks divine!

9. What's the beauty rule you preach.. but never ACTUALLY practice?
Well, once upon a time I preached to my blog that you shouldn't wear your towel a certain way when you get out of the shower. And I haven't worn it the "right way" in months. Oops!

10. Which way do you face in the shower?
I usually walk in circles to keep my whole body warm. Ha ha, that kinda sounds odd. Does anyone else do this?

11. Do you have any 'weird' body 'skills'?
Not really. Sorry!

12. What's your favorite 'comfort food'/food thats 'bad' but you love to eat it anyways?
Does Dr. Pepper count? Totally addicted. As for actual "food", the list is much too long. If it's delicious and bad for you, then I probably like it. :)

13. What's a phrase or exclamation you always say?
I say "vomit" whenever something sounds, well, bad. And vomit-worthy. Ha ha. Gross, but one day I just said it and now it has stuck. Example: see first sentence or two of blog post.

14. Time to sleep - what are you wearing?
Jammies or undies. It depends!

Voila! Some factoids about the redhead. I hope you don't think I'm a total weirdo. :)

O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum

2011-12-06T10:16:00.000-08:00

Tannenbaum sounds so much more fancy and classy, doesn't it? And pretty.

We finally got our Christmas tree up!! I am SO happy. Why can't all holidays be this exciting? Stringing the lights just makes me giddy.

It's not much. A lot of the ornaments came from Walmart. I'm just so glad it's ours. And that we got giant retro-like light bulbs. And that it's real. And that it smells heavenly. Here are a few pictures.

I used this tip to take better pictures of my tree, and couldn't really tell a big difference with mine. I think it was because of my giant lights. But when I was at a friend's house, I shot a picture of their tree, with little lights, and I think it turned out beautifully!

Have you put up your Christmas trees yet? I want to see them!

Happy Tuesday!

What We Wore V.1

2011-12-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

Sweater- Forever21 Skirt- Walmart Shoes- Payless

With the new Reb, and lots of beautiful Utah scenery, I had to at least take one little outfit post. And Scott decided to join me with his thrifted $8 gap shirt! He absolutely loves good deals on clothes. And because he hardly ever buys things for himself, I've found that thrifting is the way to get him some new (to him) clothes. Score!

This is what I wore Thanksgiving day. The colors were just too perfect for that fall day and the pattern on the sweater just make me oh so happy. I'm not amazing at fashion-y things and putting together outfits. I'm definitely not a fashion blogger. I just post these outfits because they make me happy! On days when I feel extra pretty, I want to show it off a little. Don't you?

A lot of the time, my outfits are pajamas or some old shirt from my closet that's not exactly picture-worthy. So when one of them is cute and brings a smile to my face, I want to share it with you all like you're my close girlfriends. Which we are, right? :)

I also believe in honesty. So don't worry, you'll probably get to see a lot of my pajama/sweats days, too. Just to be fair.

P.S. Today is my half birthday! I LOVE celebrating half birthdays. I'm going to use this cupcake recipe for 2 from pinterest and cut my cupcake in half, in celebration. hehe!

Do you post outfits on your blog? Why or why not?

Birthday Week

2011-12-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

This guy's birthday is tomorrow. And let me tell you, he has been spoiled!

He got:

a delicious family recipe ice cream recipe inside of a pie "cake",

this cake, (which only semi-turned-out), while celebrating with friends.

while celebrating a nephew's birthday, he got delicious steak.

tonight, a Red Lobster dinner (you don't even know how much seafood makes me want to vomit all over myself. that lucky boy.).

And another birthday celebration with his side of the family on Sunday.

It's been a very fun birthday week. I absolutely love spoiling him and he deserves every bit of it.

Happy Birthday, Scott! Love you!

(A rather late) Thanksgiving

2011-12-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

I'm sure you're a little sick of the Thanksgiving posts all around blog land. But sorry! This is my blog :)

This was the first day I got to really try out my new camera! It was so so so so so so so so so SO much fun! I don't even know what I'm doing and I'm having a blast doing it!

The obligatory food pictures.

Why yes, that is steak. New Thanksgiving tradition? I hope so! Don't worry, traditionalists, we had turkey too.

Gorgeous sister #1.

And gorgeous sister #2.

A little taboo while the food digested (gotta make room for pie somehow!).

And a little mandolin-in.

All in all, another successful Thanksgiving! My only regret is that I didn't dress up as an indian this year. But because of my complexion and hair color, maybe I should go as a pilgrim next year.

Question for all of you photo-takers: how do you edit your photos? All of the above are not edited. I wasn't really sure how to go about it.

ALSO, I'm having a fun little Christmas/vintage giveaway coming up next week! Just a little way of saying thank you to you readers! Get excited.

A Blate

2011-11-28T22:33:00.000-08:00

Blate= blog or blogger date (term borrowed from Jenni)

Me, Elise, Megan, Gentri

This last weekend while up in Utah, I had the lovely pleasure of going out to dinner with these lovely ladies. While big blogger meet-ups are fantastically fun, it was so nice to just chit chat in a small, comfortable setting.

It was so great being able to talk about blogging to people who understand. I can talk and talk my ears off to my husband about blogging frustrations and joys, but let's be real. He probably smiles and nods a lot more than he "gets it". Can anyone relate to that? :)

And of course, we took time to just have fun and get to know each other more. I love meeting blog friends in real life and seeing them in a deeper, more meaningful light. Silly internetz, sometimes you are deceiving!

But in conclusion, these girls were a delight to be with! And I would highly recommend you visiting their blogs!

Have you ever met a blogger in real life (that phrase makes me think of this video)?

P.S. I'm Gentri's blogger of the week this week! Check out my little get to know me post here!

Ad swap?

2011-11-28T14:02:00.000-08:00

Happy (almost) December!! It's that time, once again.

If you'd like to advertise here at Redhead Memories, then you may! All you have to do is put my button on your blog and yours will be on mine for the whole month of December. Your button needs to be 200X100 pixels.

If you're interested, email me as soon as possible, because spaces are limited! Thanks!

Dear Utah, I HAVE MISSED YOU.

2011-11-24T20:30:00.000-08:00

Hello friends! I have been the ultimate bad blogger this week. But I hope that you all have been so busy with your Thanksgiving week that you don't even care!

Here are some of the happenings of my week here in Utah (visiting fam):

My dad showed me this bumblebee necklace that belonged to my grandma. He's funny, because sometimes I feel like he has more fashion sense than I do. He told me that 'it doesn't get more vintage than this!' It was so fun wearing that and remembering her.

I couldn't help but hit up the thrift stores here and found this cute I love Utah piece of art! They don't have those in Nevada :) And Utah will forever be a part of me, no matter where I am. And so, I splurged (a whole three dollars!).

I tried out one of these clipless curling irons for the first time. I was pretty freaked out to have to wear a glove while I curled my hair, but I love the way it turned out!

And of course, I had to hit up Beauty and the Beast by my old high school. They were AMAZING, just for the record. Did you know that I used to do plays and musicals in high school? Yep. Some of my fondest memories. I miss it so much. And it made me start thinking about doing it again possibly... we'll see.

And one last thing that made my holiday week AMAZING, was that I got myself a Rebel.

I'm so stinking excited, it's not even funny. I worked hard and saved my monies and look what I got. EEP!!! I'm so excited for higher quality pictures on this bloggy and wherever else I use this baby. But don't judge my pictures too harshly, I'm just a beginner. :)

What I Did for Thanksgiving post is coming soon... But for now, here's a quick thankful list:

-My dad's wonderful cooking

-My husband- what a sweetie!

-Black Friday (who doesn't love a good deal?? You've gotta work a little, but it usually pays off!)

-Deer sweaters

-My family. And Utah. Oh how I have missed you both!

How was your Thanksgiving week? Did you slack as much as I did blogging-wise?

Plain and Precious Things: Thankful Part 2

2011-11-17T21:38:00.000-08:00

And it's time for the little things week wrap-up once more! I've been suuuuper busy helping my mother-in-law with the Book Fair at the elementary school this week, so I'm sorry if this week has been pretty weak sauce posting.

Here are some things that made my week worthwhile:

My family's famous pumpkin waffle recipe. They are so yum... I can't even express.

The thing that makes them so good is the foamy, buttermilk syrup. It's terriff.

CROSSED. It's the sequel to this little book and it's woooonderful. Please read!

Doing laundry. Not very fun. Except when I decide to pile it all on my head. :)

Ugh. The DMV. This was my life on Tuesday. Not cool! But I guess it makes my "grateful" post because of the cool lady I sat next to. She gave me a big long speech about how I can do anything I set my mind to. She told me her life story about growing up in the ghetto and going to prison. And yet, she still managed to turn her life around because she worked really hard and set her mind to it. And now she's doing great and is opening up two businesses this week. Isn't that so inspiring? You can do anything you want if you really work for it and have enough passion.

And last but certainly not least are my first ever pair of We Love Colors tights! These are srsly the best pair of tights eva. (P.S. I'm extremely tired right now, so my vocabulary and writing skills are having some serious issues.) They are so so soft and comfy and also (wait for it, this is the best part) are incredibly thick.

I really don't think they'll be ripping anytime soon. And that is important to me as a girl. I mean really, how many pairs of tights have we all ripped in our lifetimes? Too many, I say! Let's take a stand! Down with crappy tights!

Yep. Sleepy time. Anyway, check out We Love Colors tights, friends. They're so wonderful and are pretty well known for having just about any color your mind can conjure up. Mmkay? K.

Happy Friday!! I'm going to Utah for this Thanksgiving week! SO excited! Have a good one!

Did you win the Shabby Apple giveaway? Find out here!

Package Pals & My 11/11/11

2011-11-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

Did I ever tell you about Package Pals?! Well, it has been an absolute blast!

Gentri hosted a fantastic little package pal party this fall. We each got assigned to a partner across the country (or world) to get to know. And then we got to send them a package and get one in return! Read more about it here.

I had the lovely opportunity to meet Reese from Italy. ITALY! Isn't that so incredible?! She met her husband there while traveling and then moved there! What a dream! She's such a sweet girl and I'm so glad we got to know each other!

She told me she missed Reese's (ha! get it?!) candies and Cadbury chocolate, because they don't have it over in Europe. So I hooked her up! And she also told me that she loves anything chalkboard. I got some chalkboard paint and made her these cute little mugs that you she can write or draw some cute little things on. One for her and one for husband. And of course, because Christmas is so near, I threw in a little Bath and Body Works holiday soap.

I hope you like it, Reese! And I hope it arrives soon!

Though it was a little pricey to send overseas, it was oh so worth it. I can now say that I have a friend in Italy! Thanks for hosting, Gentri! And thanks for being my wonderful package pal, Reese!

In other news, here is what I was doing on 11/11/11 in the AM:

Because of the day off (thank you, dear veterans), Scott went into the office and worked anyway to make some more monies. And I came in with him and re-read Matched. It was a nice review right before Crossed, the sequel (which is so amazing, I wish I could express). And of course, I took a moment to make a wish!

And in the PM:

A little magic with the husband. I wish it was a better picture, but we wanted to capture the love with the clock! At least we got that.

P.S. Here is a lovely clothing giveaway!

How was your 11/11/11? Did you make a special wish? Are you going to participate in the next Package Pals?!

Colorful Monday Thoughts

2011-11-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

Oops! I had oodles and oodles of time this weekend to sit down and think of a blog post... and I didn't. Instead, I enjoyed some time with Scotty boy.

Here's a little something we've been up to:

A few weeks ago Scott and I went to our local library to check out "The Color Code" by Dr. Taylor Hartman. Have any of you heard it?

It's about personalities. Dr. Hartman says there are four:

Red: (Motive: POWER)—These are the power wielders. Power: the ability to move from point A to point B and get things done, is what motivates and drives these people. They bring great gifts of vision and leadership and generally are responsible, decisive, proactive and assertive.
(The outgoing, decisive leaders)

Blue: (Motive: INTIMACY)—These are the do-gooders. Intimacy: connecting, creating quality relationships and having purpose, is what motivates and drives these people. They bring great gifts of quality and service and are generally loyal, sincere, and thoughtful. 
(The kind, motivated, emotional, perfectionists)

Yellow: (Motive: Fun)—These are the fun lovers. Fun: the joy of living life “in the moment”, is what motivates and drives these people. They bring great gifts of enthusiasm and optimism and are generally charismatic, spontaneous, and sociable. 
(The sociable, easy-going, fun-lovers)

White: (Motive: PEACE)—These are the peacekeepers. Peace: the ability to stay calm and balanced even in the midst of conflict, is what motivates and drives these people. They bring great gifts of clarity and tolerance and are generally kind, adaptable, and good-listeners. 
(The shy, passive-agressive, don't-want-to-rock-the-boat-people)

There they are in a nutshell. Can you see some of yourself in them already? Here's a decent site to take the free test.

So anyway, me and Scott started talking a lot about ourselves. It's so handy to have a book that lays out a lot of your feelings, desires, and tendencies. We also learned a lot about how we need to interact as a couple.

I'm almost exaclty 50/50 white and blue. Scott is a purist yellow (majority yellow with a little bit of blue). It's funny how our differences can drive us absolutely crazy and yet how they can help us strengthen each other.

I'd highly recommend this book. Granted, it won't completely define your personality to a T. However, it can give some amazing pointers and help you describe ways you've felt but maybe couldn't express. And, I love that it has given me some tips to be a better me. Some say the best personality is a bit of every color. And while I agree with that, I also think that a blue/white like myself can learn to be stronger and better, without changing colors.

Which color are you? What are some of your strengths or weaknesses you'd like to improve upon?

P.S. Sorry if this is the most boring post in existence. I just really enjoyed the book and also really procrastinated getting this post ready for today!

Don't forget about the giveaway!!

Plain and Precious Things: Thankful

2011-11-11T05:30:00.000-08:00

Happy 11/11/11!!!!!!!!!!! (11 exclamation points)

I kind of want to celebrate by eating 11 of something. I don't know. This only happens once. How to celebrate?! Thank goodness there are wonderful people like Lizzy. I'm going to take this photo challenge today!

Anyway, here are some things I'm thankful for this week:

My job at the elementary school with my mother-in-law. It's not always a big party labeling books, but I'm so happy to have a job.

Do I need to say much here? Michael Buble, get your vocal chord vibrations in my ears right now. I love when I show up to work a few minutes early and get to sing along with him.

I'm thankful for my phone and being able to take all of these crazy pictures.

I'm thankful for evening walks with my husband and the pretty desert sunsets.

I'm so glad that it is finally fall here in the desert! I feel like lately I've been focusing on the negative things about living here. So now I'd like to be happy about the cool 60's weather.

And lastly I'm thankful for not only wonderful classic Disney music, but for great friends who have sent it to me! Thank you so much, Ali! Me and husband are enjoying it very much.

And the winner of the Sloanbook Ad Giveaway is...

Ruthanne from Ruthanne with an E!
Congratulations! Email me so we can get things all worked out for you!

Don't forget to enter the Shabby Apple giveaway!