that one time we were ghetto.

i am a firm believer in not eating two hours before bed time.

but last night was sort of a different story.

as i laid in bed with a migraine, waiting for ted to come home....

all i could think about was how i wanted another Aleve and how hungry i was.

well, when ted came home, he was a beautiful sight to behold.

he had an ice pack for my forehead, an Aleve, a glass of ice water AND RUBIOS.

hello. RUBIOS IS THE BOMB DIGGITY BOMBSPICE!

i didn't have enough energy to move from the bed, so ted climbed in under the covers with me.

and we ate sloppy burritos and laughed at how ghetto we were.

burritos. in bed. at 9:00. with frozen peas on my forehead as a makeshift ice pack.

and since i took an extra Aleve, i fell asleep on my wrapper.

isn't life awesome?

photos taken from my phone.

the girl who stole my identity

When I was in my senior year of high school, I had a Myspace, just like everyone else. Through Myspace, I came to find that there was another blond girl, living on the east coast, who was born in the same year AND month as me. The best part? We shared the EXACT same name. Yes, first, middle and last. Exact same spelling and everything. The weird thing is, my maiden name isn't very common at all. It's a German name, and totally hard for people to say, for some reason. But anyway, I found out about her, because I started getting all of these friend requests from people on the east coast. I was so confused. One day I decided to search my name and see if there was another Lauren Elise "Face" ha! Turns out there was. I was stunned! How dare she be blond, share my birth month and have my full name! I felt like my identity was stolen! After looking at her profile picture for about 20 minutes and ruling out the possibility that she could in fact be a man stealing my identity, I sent her a message. I said something to the effect of:

 

"Hi! My name is Lauren Elise "Face" too, and I am also 18. Are you a real person, or did you steal my identity? Ha! I'm kidding (sorta). Anyway, I just wanted to say hi since it is equal parts awesome and random that we share the same exact name. By the way, I keep  getting requests from people I presume are your friends, but I keep denying them because they are clearly looking for you. I would stay away from "____  _____" because he looks like a creepster. Unless you want "to see a surprise"...I can't make these things up, he said that in his message. I apologize if that was your boyfriend, haha! Anyhow, "hi" from Arizona!"

 

I think she responded and was nice enough, but wasn't funny or sarcastic at all, so I decided that she wasn't trying to steal my identity. If she was, she would have tried cracking a joke, right? Anyway, here is the point of my story...

 

Over the years I have unintentionally gotten to keep track of her life. You see, my main email address used to be my first and last name before I got married. The other Lauren must have had an email address similar to mine, because every couple months I would receive an email from either a friend, college professor, or a boss.

 

Here are a few situations:

 

1. The Assignment

 

"Lauren, remember your presentation is due tomorrow. It is worth 80% of your final grade."

 

My response: "I sure hope this was meant for my long lost twin with my exact same name, otherwise I will be failing whatever class this is. I'm hoping it isn't the latter."

 

2. The Baby Shower

 

"Hi! I am RSVPing for the baby shower for this weekend. I know you said that if we didn't respond we wouldn't have a place at the resort for brunch. I wanted to make sure I got my spot! Thanks for throwing this shower for my daughter."

 

My response: "Hi, I think you have the wrong email address. Unless I am throwing a shower I completely forgot about...which is very possible. But I sure hope that's not the case, since it's for your daughter. Cheers!"

 

3. Cancun

 

"HEEEEEEEEEEEeeeey girl! Are u so pumped for Cancun this weekennnnnnnnnd?!!!!! We R gonna get so wastedddddd! Woooo!"

 

My response: "Beer = Babies"

 

Now for my favorite...

 

4. The Break-Up

 

"You little bi***! So you thought you could just break up with me by shooting me an email?! Well guess what, you are a coward. And big, stupid coward. And surprise...I copied this email to your mom and dad. I bet they would be surprised to know what a naughty girl you are!

 

(He sent a link to a youtube video...but I didn't click the link because I don't believe in clicking on links when the message proceeding it has the word "naughty" in it. I can only imagine...)

 

My response: This could either be 1. My HUSBAND playing a trick on me...but it can't be because he doesn't know how to work gmail, and probably is too busy playing World of Warcraft to think up this plot. OR 2. The creepster on Myspace from 2006 that asked if I wanted to see a surprise. Either way, peace out suckaaaaaaah!

 

 

busy bee giveaway & other happy things.

hello friends!

hope you are having a lovely day! currently i am getting a migraine, and am about to barf my guts out from the pain, so i will leave you with two happy things:

1. the "I Am Number Four" teaser trailer just came out today!

i am basically ecstatic...and i love Alex Pettyfer...that is all.

2. i have a fun giveaway for you!

Heidi from Close to My Heart Scrapbooking, is giving away an awesome scrapbooking layout book. i don't know about you, but i need all the inspiration I can get when scrapping, so this book looks super handy!

make sure to check out her site to see the awesome scrapping stuff she has!

and all you have to do is comment letting me know what you did today!

you have until next tuesday to enter!

now excuse me while i die.

michael buble as the beibs?

you all know of my insane love for michael buble.

i thought seeing him in concert was the only way for me to love him more...

but no! it was him dressing up as the biebs that did it.

michael buble is my favorite entertainer alive on this earth.

random thoughts from today.

1. is it weird that i can identify a person just by the sound their feet make when they walk? i am almost 100% accurate.

 

2. i can't describe to you in any possible way how excited i am for the britney spears Glee episode, tonight.

 

3. i really love having sierra as a best friend. i feel like heavenly father blessed me as well as ty (obviously) when they got married.

 

4. i've been comfortable in my skin lately...which has been odd for me. am i sick?

 

5. i think QuikTrip (the best gas station/convience store ever) is the absolute best place to grab lunch. such healthy, delicious options. people think i'm ghetto, but i think they are lame. so it's all good.

 

6. today i overheard someone say "never forget where you came from" and at first i laughed...who could forget? but after thinking about it, i really like that. my parents taught me to love others and brought us up on a humble lifestyle. i won't forget where i came from.

 

7. when i'm at church i see people with babies, or pregnant bellies and i think, "we should have a baby" and then i come home and think about how it's not the right time. ted needs to finish school. we need more time together. and selfishly, we really like doing whatever we want.

 

8. i really hate when apples aren't super firm. it really pisses me off.

 

9. speaking of apples, everyone keeps talking about honeycrisp apples. never tasted one. but i am pretty sure i would like gala the best...because that is the only apple i eat.

 

10. i am pretty sure a lot of people think i am weird.

 

wanna share some random thoughts?

it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...a beautiful day for a neighbor

here is another shoppe sneak peek...

it's very...hippie-ish. love it. it's a hand-braided clip in made from vintage scarves and fabric!

you just clip it in right at the roots and it looks like you actually braided it into your hair!

anyway, i clipped it in, and decided to wear it to the neighborhood family picnic.

answers to questions you might have:

1. yes, i took photos of everyone mid-bite, or pre-swallow. i love awkward photos.

2. yes, my family and friends realize that every photo i take is at risk of being put on the blog.

3. yes, ted needs a haircut. but we are waiting until it gets closer to an event we are anticipating.

4. yes, i am now taking requests from teenage girls for dates with my little brother. he turns 16 in may...but we might need to start a waiting list. ha!

5. ty's tshirt reminds me of this creeptastic cartoon, "Salad Fingers"

6. that darling little girl is teila, and i love her. i used to babysit her :)

7. we still love my dad...he was just being a saint and grilling burgers for everyone while he starved. just a day in the life of the dad face.

hope you are having a happy week!

don't forget to enter the vinyl giveaway!

shoppe sneak peek.

it's been a while since i have updated my shoppe.

i have been working hard on quite a few cute things.

i made this necklace last night, and i think i need to make one for myself:

will be in the shoppe soon!

900th post dude: what's lauren happy about?

so, this is my 900th post. what the heck?

so i thought i would make a happy list of happenings from the weekend!

1. cupcake tshirt and ted napping on the bed.

crappy photo...but aren't sundays the bomb? you get spiritually fed at church.

and then you can come home and lounge in soft clothes, nap, read and snack.

2. did a little painting.

i was so inspired by my good friend ashley's latest creation.

i wanted to pay her make me one, but yesterday i got brave and decided to try making one too.

by the way, ashley has a darling blog and you all should go check it out. love her.

yesterday sierra invited me over and we crafted and ate homemade cookies.

i had the intention of only painting one deer, and then painting something else on the other canvas, but i decided to make an inverted version for a project i have in mind for the future.

i really love the finished product!

3. finally did a little decorating in the bedroom.

the bedroom has been neglected because only ted and i see it.

yesterday i realized that my mind set was stupid and that i should create a beautiful space for us.

even if i only started working on the dresser top, it's still progress right?

i am going to stick to black, white and gold accents. i think it looks striking!

4. new license plate.

no other words need to be said.

5. happy mail!

i love getting mail when it isn't bills or stupid ads.

i loved receiving this lovely card with alex pettyfer's charming face on it.

thank you Elyse! you made my day.

and then i received this beautiful baby announcement!

my best friend lindsay had her baby brock and isn't he so handsome!? i love him.

6. this weird light.

i saw this totally random box at Goodwill that said "camp" on it.

the best part is that it's a light! hello, cute!

it came home with me to live on top of our fridge along with hootie owl.

now i just need an extension cord so i can actually plug it in.

7. my anniversary gift.

ted bought me this amazingly cute and totally awesome lunch box for my anniversary present.

i am basically in love with it and want to marry it.

i get so much joy out of packing my lunch and toting it to work...

and then i get to work and everyone makes fun of me. what boring lives they lead. ha!

8. living room is officially deemed completed.

that throw on the couch was all the room needed.

9. drawings from my dad.

my dad is really gifted at drawing. i wish he drew more.

i was recently given two drawings of his and i love them so much.

isn't he so awesome? he drew them when he was 19.

what are you happy about?

busy bee giveaway: Willow Creek Sign Company

i have spent the day cleaning.

for the last 7 hours, to be exact.

i finally had time to shower off my sweat and wash my hideous hair.

i have been dying to wear this vintage polka dot maxi dress somewhere, so i'm wearing it tonight to the relief society broadcast. (it's a broadcast for the women in my church...very uplifting!)

i decided to pair the dress with a boyfriend blazer.

i like it a lot. it's comfy too!

while i am at the broadcast, i will let you guys swoon over these amazing vinyls.

they were sent to me by the amazing Willow Creek Sign Company. basically the shop is a big swoonfest.

i love this rococco style silhouette "frame".

it's especially awesomespice because it has a CHALKBOARD SURFACE!

hello! i would have demonstrated it's complete awesomeness, but i can't find my dang chalk.

i love it though because i can write what's for dinner...

or "ted, do your homework"

or "i'm awesome"

basically the chalk board surface rules.

now check out this vinyl...

oh yes...it's a mustache.

and it is super di-duper dapper.

basically the whole world is jealous of my mustache vinyl.

Willow Creek Sign Company is offering one of you a 30 dollar credit to their amazing store!

there are so many cute, amazing things to choose from!

i love them especially because they take no nails...and are very easy to remove.

perfect for renters and those living in dorms.

Thank you Willow Creek!

All you have to do is go to the shop and let me know which one you like best!

You have until next Friday to enter!

xo

giveaway winners announced

the winner of the Alycia Belle Creations giveaway is Jordan Paige!

and the winner of the Lisa Leonard necklace giveaway is Mikayla!

thank you to everyone that participated!

to the winners, please email me your shipping info!

random photos dot com.

i was perusing through my mama's pictures and found these ones:

1. Christmas morning at 5:30 AM ha!

a. i miss that jammie top. i wonder what happened to it.

b. i think that otter shirt, ted is wearing, is missing too. hmm...

2. 4th of July Fireworks show.

a. Poor Mac Dog was so scared of the fireworks!

b. this photo reminds me that ted needs a haircut.

3. My birthday party with my family.

a. this pose is basically my life. ted...always begging for back tickles.

thanks mom, for the pictures!

books you SHOULD read.

i love to read and there is never been a time in my life when i HAVEN'T been reading a book.

i finish a book and then am instantly on the hunt for a new one to read.

 

 

i have been getting a lot of requests for book recommendations, so i have compiled a list of the top books i think you should read.

mind you, i read for purely entertainment purposes. i don't read for exceptional writing, or to be mentally fed.

i mainly read for fun. it's as simple as that.

so if you are looking for some great entertainment, here are the perfect books for that:

 

1. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

When Ted and I started dating, he would constantly talk about this book, and it's sequel, Ender's Shadow.

It didn't take too much convincing for me to read it because Ted said it was his favorite book of all time.

This book is about children that are basically trained to be soldiers on a base in outer space.

The main protagonist is Ender, and he is one of my heros.

There are some serious twists and turns and you will NOT guess the ending...and I ALWAYS guess the ending.

The sequel, Ender's Shadow is the story re-told...but from a different perspective. I happen to enjoy it even more.

This a quick read, and you will absolutely love it.

 

 

2. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

This is a classic with beautiful prose and a wonderful, yet dark love story.

I read this my sophomore year of high school and I have read it 3 other times ever since.

It has some challenging text and a lot of french, but it is glorious.

One of the best books ever written, in my opinion.

 

 

3. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Set in one of my favorite eras in history; the 20s.

You will be enchanted by the lifestyle of Miss Daisy Buchanon...

And if you are like me, you will probably love Jay Gatsby.

This isn't a happy tale, but I love it for some reason.

It is definitely worth picking up and nourishing your brain.

 

 

4. Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare

While I recognize that these aren't the most well-written books, they are definitely fun.

Plus, there is a main character named Jace Wayland...and he is basically the hotness.

The main protagonist is Clary, a red headed girl who thought she lived a normal life, until one day she witnesses what she seems to think is a murder...and then her mom mysteriously disappears. Plus she keeps running into this hot dude...so she is clearly confused.

These books can be extremely frustrating at parts, but keep going...they end awesome.

 

 

5. The Road by Cormac McCarthy

This was one of the most powerful books I have ever read.

I was so moved by the strong bond between father and son.

The writing isn't fussy...it is simple, and beautiful.

It reads fast, and the ending is...well, there is no other word than powerful.

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, you will be taken on a journey.

A journey that will have you re-evaluate the relationships in your life.

 

 

6. The Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer

I had to put these down, even though I am pretty sure everyone has read them.

Reading about Bella and Edward's love sent you back to the feelings you had when you first fell in love.

I loved cheering for them, and hoping they would get their happily ever after.

I love the books, but the movies have made me jaded.

But whenever I open them up, I remember why I fell in love with the story in the first place.

 

 

7. Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

I just barely finished this book, but it was darling.

After seeing the movie and loving every minute of it, I had to pick up the book.

I was surprised by how closely the movie followed the book.

The book is about junior high love.

You know, where the girl madly loves the boy that has nothing to do with her.

The awkwardness and the cuteness in the dialogue will make this book a favorite for sure.

 

 

8. The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins

These are easily my favorite books of all time.

No books can compare to their amazingness.

In fact, I love them so much I have a blog about them...did you know?

But I digress...the story of Katniss Everdeen is powerful.

Her love for the people she cares most about is inspiring.

And the world in which she lives can teach us a lot about how we should treat one another.

These books are also incredibly well written. A breath of fresh air in the young adult genre.

Please read these.

 

 

9. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

This book is depressing and is full of heartache.

But it is also full of beautiful writing.

And even though the main characters are incredibly flawed...their love is real.

Such an amazing story. Haven't seen any of the film adaptations, but would love recommendations!

 

 

10. Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling

It has come to my attention that there are actually people who haven't read these glorious books.

Hello! Please remedy this as soon as possible.

I remember the first time I was introduced to these books was when I was in elementary school and we had a rain storm (in arizona? what the heck!) and we couldn't go to recess. Our librarian came in and read the first 3 chapters of Harry Potter to us...a book that had just become available. I was captivated. And I have loved them ever since!

 

 

11. I Am Number Four by Pitticus Lore

I still am having heart palpitations from this book and I finished it a week ago.

This book was incredible and I loved what the book taught.

It wasn't all about action and fighting. It centered on relationships.

The love of friends, family and significant others.

It also gently taught the importance of taking care of our planet.

All while falling in love with the main character...Four.

Please read!

 

 

12. A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

Now, I usually can't stand Nicholas Sparks because I feel like he is a money monger.

However, this book is the exception.
I mean, I even read The Notebook, and it doesn't hold a candle how wonderful this book is.

Landon and Jamie make my heart happy.

 

 

Okay, now it's your turn to recommend books to me!

<3

 

 

celebrity look alike?

you all know who Candice Cameron is, right?

otherwise known as DJ Tanner from the amazing and glorious 90s show, "Full House"?

people keep telling me i look like her long lost twin sister.

i can't decide if i agree.

mini home tour

dear mom,

remember how we talked about how it would be irresponsible for me to get a bright pink streak in my hair? we decided that being a leader at church over 12 and 13 year old girls was probably not the best avenue for presenting my slightly rebellious hair color choices? well...

...i went for a happy medium! it's just a clip-in extension. i feel like i should be singing Miley Cyrus' "Best of Both Worlds" right now. but i shall not.

love, lauren

how about i take everyone on a mini home tour? mmmkaythanxbye.

here is another art wall.

i layed out the way i wanted it to be hung...and i sat on the couch reading as ted hung everything.

and that ladies...is how it's done.

there is a friendly mix of my own paintings, wedding photos and beautiful photos by OurCityLights.

that pretty vintage silhouette was found at a Goodwill in tucson for 1 dollar.

i saw a similar one at an antique mall last week for 120 dollars.

i feel for the suckah that will pay that much.

just something pretty to look at while doing the dishes.

the cameo here was a hideous thrift store find that i completely redid, here.

the milk glass are all from various goodwills...

is it too early for the pumpkins to come out?

what am i saying?!...it's never too early for the pumpkins to come out!

our 30 dollar bookcase from ikea...with a little flava on it.

the horsey book ends are from goodwill...and the pretty leather bound classics are from a garage sale. the whole lot for only 5 dollars! hello!

here is the shelf i redid recently.

i am so happy with my camera collection's new home.

love this owl painting that i found at the thrift store...

a corner shelf with a little bit of our music collection...

finally hung the curtains in our front room.

MADE SUCH A DIFFERENCE!! dude.

entry way between the door and the front closet.

i will forever and always love that silhouette.

and...that's all i have so far.

♥