Making Colorful Chocolate Bark...

Could anything be better then painting and chocolate? I mean, I know there are far better things but during this very moment that answer is no. :-)

I melted a bag of white chocolate,pulled out the paint brushes and gel food dye...then went to town. It's like spring has sprung on each little broken piece!

I have to say that getting artsy is something I always try to make time for, even if the times are getting farther and fewer. It's an outlet for me, and something fun I can do with my girls. I don't want to neglect that simply because I "dont' have time"...so here is to doing more things that make you happy and also eating more chocolate along the way! lol

keep Portland weird...

Supposedly the motto for the City of Roses (aka Portland) is "Keep Portland Weird" which I found pretty ironic considering there was nothing weird about it. Well, I mean, unless gorgeous trees and vegetation, delicious food, amazing waterfalls and landscape, a great skyline and pretty awesome thrift shops...is weird?! Occasionally we saw some "interesting" people, but thats anywhere you go, right?

My sister and I flew up to interview Katie (the mind behind  Puj) at her amazing new warehouse/office for my desire to inspire series which I will talk ALL about soon enough...

But, anyways we were only there for two days so we had to fit as much in as we possibly could! I promised myself that next time I go to Oregon, I have to venture out to the coast b/c supposedly the beaches are amazing! We just didn't have enough time.

So within those 48 hours (thanks to my traveling partner Paige, who wrote out a whole itinerary) we got a lot in and I thought I'd share some of my favorite spots we saw and ate at!

-roast beef sandwich at knuckles sandwich 
-Lan Su Chinese Garden
-Japanese Gardens (two different gardens both so gorgeous and serene...)
-Multinomah Falls (bring along your camera, you'll want it!)
-drove around Kingston Avenue and drooled over all the beautifully charming homes
-toured the ever so interesting Pittock Mansion
-and you have to hit up Voodoo donuts just because it's a Portland staple and they're pretty yummy!
-Screen Door for breakfast (get there early because there was a nice long line waiting for use and supposedly it's always that way)
-Portland LDS Temple

Conference and Colorful Swirled Pancakes

The first weekend in April, and the first weekend in October is always a special one for me. It is Conference weekend...and I'm always a bit sad when it's over. It is a time when we can watch on television and listen to the Prophet speak to us, as well as the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

I am always so overwhelmed, after watching Conference, with the feelings of gratitude for this life I have here on Earth. As hard as it can be, there are always things to be thankful for. I know that the reason for my gratitude stems from the things I know to be true...and because of that knowledge I can have a clear understanding of why we are here on Earth and what we were sent here for.

With that said, weekends like these always include a special breakfast...So my partner in crime helped me make swirls of color in our cornmeal yogurt pancakes. I'm pretty sure we go through food dye around here like nobodies business... :-)

Best Bridal Shower For The Best Girl...

As many of you know, I come from a family of five girls...I am the second oldest. When my oldest sister Whitney got married I had so many different emotions. I was sad that life was never going to be the same...once you get hitched it really is never how life was before you were married. I guess that is the whole point, but as a Senior in highschool (since all I was thinking about was myself haha) I didn't like change too much. Actually, what am I saying, I still don't like change!

Well, crazy that the night of Whitney and Spencers wedding dinner I met Joshua; who is Spencer's cousin. Three-ish years later Josh and I got married. Talk about meant to be right?! Anyways, than last year my youngest sister, Sadie, got married to a wonderful guy...and now, in about three weeks, my other sister Rachael is getting married to Sadie's husbands brother! 

I know, I know... say what?! Trust me, this is all legal! :-) So to celebrate such a wonderful occasion my middle sister Paige threw a beautiful (and by beautiful I mean so many small details went into everything) shower. 

We played this game MASH, where everyone filled out a fake future life, and at the end Whitney read three of them. It was pretty hilarious what some of the ladies answers were...like who would you marry "paul newman"...really?! Oh wowza.

I loved the colors, the food, the guests, the table runners, the flowers. It was so perfect for our one and only blonde sister...and I couldn't be happier for her! 

now for the party favors...I order these mini soaps from Elaeis Spa Co. they smelt so good!