6 weeks and counting

6 weeks and counting! i can't believe how fast the time has flown by! there's still so much to be done! but on the other hand, i think i've been super productive and organized. (at least that's what i've been told.)

i'm so excited!

today my sisters' dresses will be finished.

this weekend we're taking engagement pictures.
next monday i will have my dress back.
next week, the final reception details will be figured out.
in two weeks, i'll have bridal pictures...

man. its getting close! i'm thrilled! (and a little nervous...) but mostly excited.
44 days...
here we come.

organization process

so we painted our room - almost completely. i still have to do the built-in bookshelf, and the closet doors.

but we're well on our way to making it "ours"! we've started to move things into the kitchen and the organization process has begun. its a little crazy and chaotic, but exciting at the same time.

_______________________

in other news, only 44 more days! i'm so excited! its gone by so fast! almost too fast at times. but things continue to come together, and it will be here before i know it!

abc's tag

apparently tags are the cool thing to do. and due to my faithful daily blog reading, i've been tagged for the second time. so here goes:

a. attached or single? very much attached to branson! :D

b. best friend? my mom, austy and brans (obviously). honorable mentions include: stu, elizabeth, kadee, angie and kiley, and alex & sarah - they all know me the best.

c. cake or pie? either as long as its not chocolate. but a nice lemon or strawberry rhubarb pie is always good.

d. day of choice? saturday if there's not a lot going on. but always sunday. sundays are never bad - time with family, church, sunday dinner. seriously, what's better than that?

e. essential items? chap stick, gum and my phone

f. favorite color? green

g. gummy bears or worms? i feel like i can eat more bears because they're smaller, but truthfully i think gummy worms taste a little better. (yes, bears and worms taste different. trust me.)

h. hometown? salt lake city

i. indulgence? i'm afraid there are too many to list. but i'm a sucker for lemon bars and on a non-edible level, tv series like alias, the west wing and friends. i get way into them.

j. january or july? truth be told, neither. i'm gonna say june. january is too cold, and july is too hot. june is always nice. hopefully june 12th will be perfect...

k. kids? no not yet. i have to get married first! then in a couple years...man! i'm gonna have cute kids! ha ha

l. life isn't complete without? brans and my family.

m. marriage date? june 12th! hooray! 47 days and counting...

n. number of brothers and sisters? 5 brothers. 2 sisters. soon to be 1 sister-in-law and 4 brothers-in law.

o. oranges or apples? if the choice is between a red apple and an orange, i'd take the oragne for sure. but if its, say, a gala or granny smith apple, i'd take that. but clementines are better than both.

p. phobias or fear? i'm afraid of ice cream trucks. i'm also claustro- and agoraphobic.

q. quote? "if music be the food of love, play on." - shakespeare

r. reasons to smile? a million. but to list a few (or like 20...): branson, mom, daddy, austin, taylor, bryson, tanner, braden, brindy, pieface, shannon, harold, kendyll, brad, wesley, dane, chad, blake, piano, sunshine...

s. superman or wonder woman? superman. he's more attractive to me. and he's superman... nothing tops that.

t. tag 5 people: angie, christie, frances, mckensie, teresa

u. unknown fact about me? i am double jointed in all of my fingers except my thumbs. and i taught myself how to play the organ when i was 13.

v. vegetables? i love all vegetables. except radishes.

w. worst habit? probably procrastinating and going to bed really late.

x. xray or ultrasound? ultrasound. they're much cooler. when i was sick in 9th grade, they did an ultra sound to figure out what was wrong with me. it was pretty cool.

y. your favorite food? i have so many things that i love to eat. but the top 5 right now are: creme brulee, sushi, sukiyaki, chipotle burritos and lasagna.

z. zodiac sign: aries.

tagged with pet peeves

**note: i apologize, before you read this, at the length. i got a little carried away.**

i've been tagged. christie tagged me to list my pet peeves. but truth be told, i'm a little uneasy about it. i have this deeply embedded fear that as soon as people know about them, they go out of their way to do them around me. so here's hoping that doesn't happen.

in no particular order, here are my top 10:

1- recycled air. this may sound ridiculous - isn't all air recycled, shan? no. i mean air directly exhaled out of living things. particularly humans and dogs. you know, when its warm air and is right in your face. i hate that. it makes me want to drowned in a sea of boiling lava. that's how much i hate it.

2- disrespect. particularly to people who deserve it the most. like parents or teachers, church leaders, etc. (i must admit i'm guilty at times, but not very often, and usually not entirely on purpose.) but in the past few years i've noticed it more than ever. people don't show respect and it really, really bothers me. especially to parents and teachers. you parents gave you so much your whole life, and you repay them by showing them no respect? nuh huh. that just doesn't fly with me.

3- swearing. i know a vast majority of the populated world uses some sort of profanity in their daily speech, but really? aren't the other words you could say? i just think it makes people sound unintelligent. if you can think of a better way to describe something or how you feel than with select 4-letter words, you seriously need to expand your vocabulary. seriously. go pick up a dictionary and read it until you have better verbal options.

4- incorrect alignment of things. i hate when things aren't straight. pictures. books. lines on a piece of paper. you get the gist. i'm slightly ocd about it. i have this need to fix it if it isn't straight. its a curse, really. however, this curse seems to leak out into other areas of my life, thus making me a fairly tidy person. (i have my moments of slobbery, but in general i'm pretty neat.) just do me a favor, when you hang pictures on a wall, or draw a map for someone, make sure they're straight. or i just might go insane.

5- when other people think they are more important than other people. for example, at my job, i answer the phones, but frequently find my calls interrupted by my fellow league staffers. they come up to my desk and just start talking loudly. i just look at them, holding up a finger to signal them to wait a minute while i finish my current call. but they just keep on talking, apparently thinking that that finger signal i gave them meant "please talk louder". its so distracting and then the person on the phone wonders whats going on and the remainder of my call consists of my grumbling how stupid and ignorant people are. its really just no good. who's to say they are more important that whoever i'm talking to on the phone? i mean, come on. wait a minute for me to finish and then you can yap in my ears. grr... it irritates me so much. have a little patience and courtesy, seriously.

6- ear touching. ever since i was little, i have hated people touching my ears. there's not a logical reason for it. i just don't like it. it really bugs me. in fact, in 8th or 9th grade, my friend johnny thought it would be a funny idea to sneak up behind me and touch my ears. little did he know, i was an excellent karate chopper. he flicked my ear, and right as he started laughing, i swung around and hit him in the chest and kicked his knee - completely out of reflex! so don't mess with me - "i know karate" (classic line from 'while you were sleeping' - thank you joe jr.)

7- squeaking sounds. like chalkboards or old brakes. hate it. it makes my ears hurt.

8- fake people. although i used to be quite good at it, i hate when people pretend to love you. there is a distinct difference between being polite and being fake. its polite to be courteous and not rude to other people, but that doesn't mean you have to be their best friend. in high school, i was surrounded by a few people like that. they were your best friend when no one else better was around... yuck. just be polite... not fake.

9- snow after february 15th. winter should end on valentines, snow should melt on the 15th and then summer should last from the middle of february until the beginning of july. i hate cold weather at the end of april - its supposed to be warm! its spring, for crying out loud. so no snow after valentines.

10- poor volume. i hate when things are too loud or too quiet. there IS a happy medium for sound. people talking on the phone shouldn't yell, but shouldn't whisper either. music in public places should be loud enough that patrons can hear what song is playing and easily recognize it, but it should be soft enough that said patrons can have a normal-volumed conversation. concerts should not blare noise out of speakers just to prove how loud the speakers can go. if the music is too loud, you can't enjoy it. its painful. and while we on the subject, why at every concert do they want the guitars and everything else louder than the vocals? i know that was a generalization, but i've been to a fair amount of shows and it seems to usually be the story - the bass and guitar have to drowned out everything else, even the drums! now, this isn't an attack on either of those instruments. i just so happen to love the guitar and the bass. i just also love pianos (when present in bands) and vocals. what's the use in writing words and singing them at a show if the audience can't hear them because the guitar is much too loud? dumb.

now that i've gotten my top 10 irritations (as of late) out, here are my top 10 things that bring my joy:

in a very particular order:

1- my family: daddy, mom, austin, tay, brysey, tanman, braden, brin, and pie face. they have always been my favorites and will be forever. i have the greatest family ever! we have our quirks and weird family idiosyncrasies, but we have so much fun together. always. my favorite memories are either around our dinner table laughing together, or trying to read scriptures or have family prayer but get so caught up in laughter we all end up crying on the floor because we laugh so hard. i love it.

1- (yes i know there are two #1's, but due to recent events in my life, i couldn't put branson and #2, now could i?) you guessed it, branson. he is my utmost favorite. i love him so much. and i'm so excited for these next 48 days to pass so he can be mine for eternity. he is so great to me and i can't think of anything i'd rather do than be with him. just the other day, he came to my house with a cup-full of tulips he had picked out of his yard for me. how sweet is that? it made my whole day.

sidenote: branson's family is also included in #1. they have quickly risen to my favorites as well. i know i haven't known them long, but i'm so grateful they are also mine for eternity and i'm looking forward to spending more and more time with them as their new daughter and sister in law. and i'm super excited to be an aunt! i'm sure wesley will warm up to me sooner or later... ha ha

3- the temple. i love the temple. nothing compares to the feeling inside the temple. it can't be duplicated anywhere else. and can't fully be described in words. but i love it. and can't wait to go again. i need to go soon! (this one also includes my love for the gospel, and the church of jesus christ of latter day saints... thanks to which, we have temples. so its all inclusive.)

4- playing the piano. although lately i've been frustrated at my level of skills. i have seriously lost part of my talent, but i'm slowly getting it back. practice makes perfect, right? right. but i love being able to sit down and play. i love reading a piece of music for the first time and knowing that i can read it and play it right then and there. pianos are such great instruments. they're so versatile - from classical to jazz to pop to rap songs that include piano. great. i love it.

5- cooking. i love making food for other people. i love the satisfaction of making something, having other people eat it, and knowing how good it is. i love it. i mentioned this a week or two ago when branson and i had chad over for dinner and he basically licked the creme brulee pan clean. that made me so happy. it bring joy into my life to make other people happy with food.

6- extended family. our family is quite unique in how close we are. my best friends are my cousins. that's how its always been. we all get along quite well and have so much fun together. ping-pong tournaments with 20 people crammed in one room, running around yelling, "paddle head! paddle head!" ha ha or just gathering together for some good food and good chats. my family is great.

7-good friends. i have great friends. i've made a lot of friends throughout the years, and most have moved away or i've left behind. we probably don't keep in great contact, but when big life events happen, the lines of communication are always open and people are notified and allowed to catch up a bit. these are the people who have helped me grow - i've had a lot of great examples in my life to look up to.

8- perfect fitting jeans. in this day and age, everyday it seems to get harder and harder to find jeans that a) fit well and b) are modest. its so hard! i'm so short that i have a hard time finding jeans that are the right length. they can't be too short - they have to cover my shoes. but they can't be too long, or i trip. so you can imagine the complexity of my jean shopping excursions. along with the length, i'm picky about color. i hate blue blue jeans. i prefer really dark washes or really really light ones. none of this medium blue-ness. so you can imagine my joy when i found the perfect pair of jeans yesterday. they are zana di jeans and are a dark stonewash. they're fantastic.

9- good music. lately, a lot of minimalistic jazz - madeleine peyroux and melody gardot are my current favorites. can't get enough. but also noteworthy (ha ha i made a joke): big bandish jazz - i.e. michael buble, harry connick jr, ella, frank, the classics. acoustic jams. chill pop - i.e. jack johnson, colbie caillat, donovan frankenreiter, missy higgins, paulo nutini. i love it all.

10- sports. i really love watching a good sports match. baseball particularly, but also basketball, football and soccer. lacrosse and rugby also make the list. i love a good competition between two good teams. like say the angels and the red sox. (angels beat the red sox today 7-5, bytheway. yay!) a good baseball game, a bag of peanuts or seeds, a tall glass of water, and i'm set. take me out to the ball game. i'm ready.

melody gardot

amazing.

at 19 she was hit by a car while riding a bicycle.
the injuries sustained left her with the need now
to wear dark glasses and carry a cane.
her doctor believed in the power of music therapy
and encouraged her to pursue music
so she recorded an ep from her bedside entitled
"some lessons - the bedside sessions"

but man, the girl can jam.
she's incredible and truly inspiring.
and beautiful.her melodies

bosch universal plus

i have the greatest parents in the world. i believe i have mentioned that a few times before.

my whole life, i have always wanted a bosch mixer. my mom had one. grandma had one. carlene and kiley used one... i just wanted one of my very own when i grew up.

well, as my wedding present from my parents (along with my wedding and all the money they are forking out...) they gave me the bosch universal plus 800w mixer.isn't it lovely?! i love it. its so sleek and powerful! I can't wait to really use it! last night they let me open it (i'm making two wedding cakes in may and they thought it could be useful for that...) and then suggested i make smoothies with it for everyone.

it works like a charm. i can't tell you the great joy that fills my soul when i hear it working. seriously. i think i giggled. ha ha

but now i have 4 different kinds of whisks/paddles: the wire whip, the batter whisks, the cookie paddles, and the dough hook. i can make anything! ha ha its so exciting! i can't wait. branson's going to love this present the most - he gets to reap the benefits.

i can't thank my parents enough. they're so great to me. maybe the first thing i make should be something for them. yes, good idea, shan. but now, what to make...

ready to go

anyone else hate friday at 4:00pm like i do? its the longest hour of the whole week...

4:01pm...

4:03pm....

4:04pm...

seriously. will this work day never end?
i'm ready to bail. in the immortal words of john denver...

"all my bag are packed, i'm ready to go..."

sharing a car

so branson and i are sharing a car...

did i mention that branson and i are sharing a car? hm... its mostly hard because we work at different ends of the valley.

but on the plus side, i get to see him every morning before work, and he picks me up from work every day.

i can't wait until our sharing a car doesn't consist of picking each other up in the morning or dropping each other off at night... it will be much better when we leave from the same house every morning.

and he better know that this is a telltale sign of my deep and devoted love for him... i don't share cars. in high school, sharing a car with my brother austin caused quite the rift between us at times. so brans, feel special. i must love you a lot...

(laughing quietly to myself...)

harassment

if one more person i work with gives me crap about getting married, etc... i'm gonna go insane!

seriously... you would not believe how often someone harasses me about it. please make it stop!

rusted fingers

yesterday marked a moment i've been waiting for for far too long. my piano was fixed!!! hooray! the hammer broke on b flat a while ago, but i haven't had time to get it fixed. but yesterday, my piano tuner anne came out and fixed the hammer, re-glued some of the notes and tuned it. it sounds lovely! i was so excited to sit down on that turquoise bench and play that turquoise piano like it had never been played before...

branson made fun of me a little bit - he said i was like 5 years old again; wanting to help and watching anne's every move, shooting off eager glances at her every minute. i can neither confirm nor deny those accusations, but i can say i was absolutely thrilled when i got to help out.

as soon as she left, i rushed over to it, wanting desperately to tickle those ivories. however, after i sat down, i realized how truly out of practice i've gotten. i'm awful! it was a rude awakening. although, i should probably clarify - i'm still alright. i haven't lost complete dexterity in my fingers, i'm just not as quick as i once was. my fingers are rusted. i just haven't used them like i used to lately. but, now that my piano is fixed and that i am living under the same roof and don't have to play at someone else's convenience, i'm going to get back to where i was. a step above average. that's what i'm aiming for. cause right now, i'm just at average. man, i used to be so good...

let the practicing begin! i'm so excited!

last night after anne left, i played for close to 2 hours. poor branson. he was probably bored. but he humored me and sat and listened to me the whole time. it made me happy. (even though i was hitting wrong notes left and right...)

but the sound of this piano is phenomenal! its such an old piano - the board was cast in 1904. over 100 years ago! and it sounds great. its got that vintage, old, full sound. i am in love with it. and its in great condition. the pins weren't ever doped (back in the day, people used to put a lubricant of sorts on the pins to get them to move easier, but it would rust the strings after a while) which is great. every thing is wood... i'm proud to say there's no plastic in my piano. (a lot of new pianos are made with plastic pieces. some say that the plastic is more durable and is better, blah blah blah. newsflash: its not.) and its fairly clean, considering how old it is.

now i want to go play some more... blasted full time job that keeps me from my piano during the day. boo...