...

So many things to say... so many pictures to share... but it's late. It's really, really late (especially for someone who dreams about going to sleep at 9). So I'll leave you with this -

Happy happy love day everyone.

Love, Bruce

(get why his name is 'bruce'?)

and no, I did not make him.

Tess did.

she's pretty much amazing.

It's That Time Again...

the mascot of the party - 3 years running

Two years ago I decided that I would actively not hate Valentine's Day (I had always been pretty indifferent). What's the point of hating it? Just because I have no reason to really celebrate it... (:

So I started my annual 'We Don't Hate Valentine's Day' party. This year's party is my 3rd annual. I have fun every year. It's a good excuse to spend time with other single ladies, make sugar cookies, and listen to good music and/or watch a romantic movie.

So if you're a single lady, have no plans for tonight, and know where I live. Come on over and make sugar cookies with us. (:

And to everyone - Happy Love Day!

Columbus Day Saved My Life

Yes, I realize that the day I'm writing this does not happen to be the day the coincides with the celebration of a white Italian man who set out to discover a country that already had native inhabitants and who didn't ever set foot on this continent; but happens to be celebrating a black man who rallied the troops (by troops I mean lay citizens) to demand equality in their country. However, it's a post that has been in my head since Columbus Day - 10 October, 2011.


I'm a government worker. A state employee. There are some pretty nice benefits that come with this position. One of them is the opportunity to take off those obscure federal holidays which I normally only recognized as those days which closed down banks and the post office, but were of no good to me. Now they're good to me. In fact one of them saved my life. It was Columbus Day.

My car has had a rough year. It started with my yearly inspection which I did in August. I can't remember what it was, but something major had to be fixed. Then came September and something else major had to be fixed. Then comes October. The end of the first week in October (the week before Columbus Day) I had been smelling gas while driving my car. I couldn't take it in any time that week, but would have time the next Friday - a week away - and decided I'd just do it then.

Then came Columbus Day. Co-workers told me that we'd have that day off. I was thrilled. Mostly because it was a day that I didn't have to go to work. Then I realized that I would be able to take my car in four days earlier. So I did.

I got the 'diagnosis phone call' later that same day. It went something like this:

awesome-mechanic-who-has-known-me-by-name-for-way-too-long-because-my-car-is-really-old: 'That thing you were smelling, it's not gas, but oil.'

me-who-knows-close-to-nothing-about-cars: 'Oh... well...'

amwhkmbnfwtlbmciro: 'Well, they're both petroleum, so you were close.'

mwkctnac: 'Oh... well...'

amwhkmbnfwtlbmciro: 'Yeah, you have an (insert mechanics technical language which sounds like he's swearing at me in another language here)... and the oil is dripping onto the exhaust. Now, I don't want to scare you, but if that doesn't get fixed, it could catch fire while you're driving.'

mwkctnac: 'That's bad... Yeah. Let's get that fixed.'

And we did. He fixed it. And my car has yet to catch on fire (hopefully it will never happen).

And that is how Columbus Day saved my life.

And no one can convince me that it didn't.

So thank you, Christopher Columbus, for not setting foot in America. And also for being awesome enough that we want to celebrate you anyway.

(nice article here about the silliness of celebrating this day. posted by hannah on columbus day)

Christmas and the New Year

When people have asked me how my Christmas was this year, my response has been -

'Great. In fact, pretty much perfect.'

And I hold to that. It really was a great Christmas.

I loved the whole season. I listened to a whole lot of Christmas music - which always makes me happy. However, I have a method when it comes to Christmas music. It's simple. Don't listen to Christmas music on the radio. That's the stuff that drives me nuts. Some of it is way too schmultzy and cheesy... etc. On my phone - I have only songs I like, versions that I like, by artists that I like. It's perfect. I also avoid all the awful consumerism-focused commercials on the radio that way. Speaking of which, I almost never watch live TV anymore which means I get to miss all of those awful commercials on TV too. Which, I've decided, really helps me not get annoyed with how 'me, me, me, this is what I want' this season can be for some people. So yay for that.

That being said - I happened to get some really nice gifts this year. One of them was a canon DSLR from my parents. It's one gift that I'm going to be contributing too because they cost more than what my parents spend for Christmas. That being the case, my mom asked me a couple of weeks before Christmas if I would be interested in getting one and contributing toward it and I said - YES! I had actually looked at getting one before... but they are really expensive so I decided I'd wait. I waited and now I don't have to wait anymore. I've already really, really enjoyed it.

While the battery was charging I told Harper that the last camera I got was also a Christmas present and since I had been sitting at the hearth and he was on the couch across from me, he was the first picture I took on that camera. He said I better not mess with tradition -

2008 -

2011 - (a la george costanza)

then I hooked up the telephoto lens. this was as 'unzoomed' as it got.

I took another - as zoomed as it goes - picture, but I'll spare Harps the posting of that one. 

Next came Annikki and I messing around with it

I had to auto-focus this one since without the flash the face was too dark for the camera to really focus on. Not bad detail, eh?

candid of Annikki -

always-available photography subjects -

Katie's and Neil's cat that we were watching for a couple of weeks while they were out of town visiting their families -

my first official outing with the camera - temple square -

I've gotten a shot similar to this for the last few years. I love this view -

this is, unfortunately, the back of the nativity, but the red reflection was seen a lot better on this side of the water -

next outing - BYU v. USD -

my nephew and I had some fun messing around -

And now it's the New Year. I'm looking forward to 2012. I have a feeling it's going to be awesome.

Happy New Year!

Columbus Day

I don't have to write a report on Columbus day in order to have
A DAY OFF FROM WORK.

The joys of working in a state office.

It will be a very happy Monday. (: I'm planning on using the time to put the principles from 'It's All Too Much' to use in my bedroom.
I'm excited.

Today Was (Is) Mother's Day

Mother's day has not been my favorite holiday for the last some-odd years. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to celebrate my Mom and her life and how much she's done for me (so much), and also my three sisters and two sisters-in-law, but I always find myself wishing I were a mother and had my own children to be grateful for.

Today was better than it's been in the past because I think I'm now really dealing with my reality, and accepting the odds for what they are. (at what age do I become more likely to be killed by a terrorist than get married?)

I've heard multiple times the idea that 'all women are mothers,' and while a part of me understands what they mean by that, another part of me thinks, 'Nope. I'm not. As much as I want to be one, I'm not one. You're saying that thinking to make me feel better, but I'm not a mother. I'm an aunt.'

I'm thinking it would be nice to have an 'aunt's day.'


Maybe there should be an 'eden is an aunt' day, where people bring me presents and we eat cake. Or eclairs.

But then it would be too much like a birthday.

And I would feel awkward from all the attention (just like I do on my birthday).

So maybe it's best that I just be an aunt, and love the opportunity I have to be an aunt to 21 (and more to come, I'm sure!) wonderful boys and girls.

And appreciate the fact that I can just send them home to mom and dad when they're tired and fussy.

I really hope this doesn't sound like a pity party, because it's not (but I did have one of those with my sister when she was in town last month. and I threatened to have one a night for the remainder of her time here, but lucky her, I didn't. I was too depressed... :). I've reworded some phrases in this post multiple times, and don't want this to come off all sad and pathetic.

But I do want to say - Happy Mother's Day!!! - to all you mother's out there who have been wonderful examples to me and others around them. Thank you for showing me the joys of motherhood (even when there's spit up - or worse - on your clothing). Thank you for doing things right, and thank you for making mistakes for me to learn from.

Looks like I'm not the first one to think aunt's day is a good idea:

Photo Catch-Up

some random pictures:

the first (and only) time the dogs have shared a bed
it happened in the middle of the night after Dingo woke me up to go out
they both misbehaved (somehow) and after I got mad at both of them,
they decided they needed comfort against their common enemy

a triple-cab truck
never seen one of those before.

my nephew at my 2nd annual 'we don't hate valentine's day party'

three of the beautifully decorated cookies by haley - a culinary genius & artist

Got These From My Brother

Happy Love Day to all you Lovers Out There. (:

The Green Day

My concession to the holiday:

: a ribbon that I've carried in my bag for the last year because I bought it a year ago on St. Patrick's day when I forgot to wear green. It's kind of a trend for me.

I figured I'd most likely forget again, so I carried it around with me.

Good thing too.

I hate being pinched.

I hope you had a chance to kiss some Irish person. (:

Happy President's Day

I hope it's

relaxing
productive
adventurous
refreshing
enjoyable
peaceful

and anything else you need it to be.

Happy Love Day

love, the Dingo

It's Christmas Time!

Merry Christmas Eve!

I can't tell you how much I love the Christmas season. I love the constant reminders of our Savior and His birth, and consequently His life and example.

Although it's not Thanksgiving, I'm going to list a few things I'm grateful for:

- my family
i have learned so much from all of them, and i love spending time with all of them - which i think is in and of itself a blessing
my gratitude here is also for all of my in-laws who are wonderful additions to the family

- the gospel of Jesus Christ
i absolutely know that my knowledge and belief in my Savior and my Father's plan for me has and will continue to be the driving force behind my choices

- my life
i really am thankful for this life that i have lived and get to continue living. by no means has it been perfect, but it's been great

There are many, many other things I'm grateful for, but I think they all stem from the above three.


I hope you all have a very Merry and wonderful Christmas!

What Are YOU Thankful For?

I love this:



ps - since I've discovered this and this, I've spent too much time on both.
also, did you know you can do this?

Halloween Highlights

This Halloween included:

completing an epidemiology test that I had been working on on-and-off for the past two days
answering the door maybe 10-15 times to give eager trick-or-treaters treats (no tricks)
taking cute pictures of my nephew w/ the pups
cleaning up throw up after making my pup eat too much
(perhaps more on that later...)
buying food after being reminded that I'm the one in charge of dinner tomorrow
(listening to Christmas music while running errands)
using cutex sponge nail polish remover for the first time
(I'm sold. it's amazing! - I bought mine at a store, but here's the product)
taking the pups on a longer-than-usual(lately)-walk because it was such a beautiful day outside
more than doubling my steps from yesterday, but still not reaching the 10,000 goal
(that gives you a clue as to how pathetic yesterday was)
looking forward to an extra hour of sleep, woo hoo!
getting ready for November!

I hope you had a great Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

A Bonus:



In case you want to learn it yourself:



another bonus:

I haven't dyed eggs in years, but I saw friends doing it yesterday and thought it'd be fun to do with my family today.

Turns out - I was right.

(add a white crayon to your dyeing process - it opens up a whole new world)

(don't strain your eyes - the one on the right says, "We {heart} Aunt Eden" followed by the first letter of all my nieces and nephews names. No, this wasn't a shameless self-promotion. Caitlin made that one and the pretty one next to it.)


Dingo enjoying the "hunt."

I Stole This From My Sister's Blog... Happy Halloween!!!