busy bee lauren

new trailer has killed me dead

2012-02-02T11:17:00.001-07:00

new trailer has killed me dead.

too bad i won't be alive for my birthday in 4 days.

it's okay. i am fine with that.

the end.

weed cat

2012-02-01T08:34:00.001-07:00

I think I am easily startled.

You see, every.single.day as I am entering the freeway, I am startled by what I think is a frightened cat that is about to hop from the median, into oncoming traffic. And each day I start to swerve, and my heart rate picks up, and then at the last minute I remember that, "Oh yeah...it's that brown shrub that looks just like a cat, but is actually a weed, and scares me every dad gum day!"

Each day, while on the freeway, I ponder ways I could get to that median and cut down that ginormous weed, but I can't seem to figure out how to get there without dying. So each day, I nearly pee my pants. And each day I try to think of a remedy. I wish the remedy would be that I would remember there is a weed there and not a frightened cat, but I guess my brain doesn't work.

Well, yesterday, as I entered the freeway, I noticed the weed cat was gone! And I swerved and almost caused an accident again...except this time it was because I was startled that my arch nemesis was missing. Dare I say it...I was sad? So now, I must remember that weed cat is gone, so I can start entering the freeway without nearly causing an accident each day. But I still wonder who the brave person was that ventured to the median without dying, and cut it down. What a brave soul.

RIP weed cat.

Wanna hear another story? Awesome.

The other night while Ted was in the kitchen doing the dishes, and I was in the living room watching "How it's Made" (my life is so hard), I announced to Ted I had to pee. I announce when I have to pee, a lot. I am not sure why. I am sure Ted doesn't care, and would probably prefer me not telling him every time I have to relieve my waters...but it's a habit, okay?! So, as I made my way to the bathroom, and I opened the door, and was turning on the light, I found Ted sitting on the toilet, fully clothed, and I screamed. I screamed louder than I have ever screamed in my life. I held my heart like I was about to have a heart attack. And after the initial shock, and after I realized that Ted wasn't a bandit that snuck into our bathroom to attack me while I peed, I then got mad.

"WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING?! I ANNOUNCED I HAD TO PEE! WHY DID YOU SCARE ME LIKE THAT! AHHHHHHHHHH!"

I am not kidding. All of that was yelled, and I even yelled "Ah"...I thought they only did that in cartoons. But, like I said, my brain doesn't work right, and so yes...I yelled, "Ahhhhhhhh!" and even flailed my arms around like a stupid idiot.

Ted just laughed. And said, "You said you had to pee, and I knew the toilet seat would be cold, so I went to sit on it to warm it."

And I go, "...."

the end.

giveaway winners

2012-02-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

congrats to the winners!

please email me at laurenkbrimley"at"gmail"dot"com to claim your prize!

countdown to hunger games: week 9 of 16

2012-01-31T14:26:00.002-07:00

I am in constant awe of my friend Danielle and her amazing taste and awesome blog. She also has one of my very favorite tumblrs on the internet. She was just destined to be a Hunger Games/Peeta Mellark lover too...right? Right. Enjoy the glorious post, and return tonight to find the long overdue giveaway winners!

I was so happy when Lauren asked me to do a Hunger Games inspired guest post for her blog. One, because it was her who got me hooked on The Hungers, and two, because I absolutely love The Hunger Games and it's nice to nerd out with other fangirls.

Honestly though, when Lauren first asked I had no clue what to do so I decided to stick with something I love to do. Every month, I make a free downloadable desktop for my readers so why not do one for the month of March that is Hunger Game themed? I asked Lauren to send me some of her favourite quotes either about Katniss, Peeta or Katniss and Peeta. Of course, I picked one by the lovely boy with the bread himself, Peeta.

Now with this on your desktop, you can easily remember the premiere date and plan accordingly, because if you are anything like me, you are going to be pre-hunger gaming it up a couple days before the premiere. What else would you be doing anyways? And as you adventure out into the mayhem, may the odds be ever in your favor!

2560 x 1440 / 1440 x 900 / 1280 x 1024

baby shower for sierra!

2012-01-28T16:03:00.002-07:00

My best friend who just happens to be my sister-in-law, is going to be having a baby boy soon!

I have been over the moon excited about his arrival, so I just had to help throw a baby shower!

Me, my mom, Sierra's mom, and her sisters put together a shower today with a "british rock-and-roll invasion" theme! We knew we wanted to do something out of the norm for a shower, but that really fit the personalities of Ty and Sierra and their future little rockstar :)

Since I have had all sorts of sickness this month (WHY DO I ALWAYS GET SICK IN JANUARY?!) and a recent case of pink eye, I was very happy that Sierra's mom and sisters took on the role of preparing the food...all I needed to do was the decorating. I think it turned out marvelous. I hope you had fun taking a little peek at the fun day!

Now it's just waiting for baby to arrive!!

yay for ted!

2012-01-27T08:36:00.001-07:00

This morning as I was driving to work, I started tearing up with pride for my husband. You see, the Air Force process has been a long time coming, but yesterday Ted was able to take the entrance test that would determine what kind of job he would get. This test has been somewhat of a stress in our lives, because we knew that the top paying, most desirable jobs that Ted was coveting, would require him to get at an almost perfect score on his exam. The exam is made up of many different areas, and a lot of the times, the jobs only require for the person to pass a certain part of the test. However, the jobs Ted wanted? He would have had to excel in ALL of the areas. It's a bit of a stresser when some of the areas happen to be mechanical and electrical...things Ted had never dappled in before.

For the last couple months Ted has been studying and we have been praying. Hoping for the best job he can get to support our tiny little family. And most importantly, something that would make Ted excited to go to work, and really enjoy his job.

Last night Ted received his test scores back, and lo and behold...a perfect score on the entire exam! After talking to his recruiter, and the recruiter almost busting a gut at his scores, he informed Ted he can have any job in the Air Force.

So, basically...there has been a lot of rejoicing in our house. Yay for Ted! And me too...obvi. HA!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE?!

2012-01-26T14:46:00.001-07:00

all i want for my birthday is a new pair of tap shoes. specifically these black capezio taps from discount dance.

did you know i spent my entire growing up life tap dancing? i should probably show you some of my skills sometime.

on a similar note...anyone in the valley know of any adult tap classes for advanced tappers? i only ever see classes for beginners or intermediate.

it's so frustrating. i'd love to tap again other than on my kitchen floor tile.

also, can someone please hint to ted that i want these tap shoes? my birthday is in a week and a half!

countdown to hunger games: week 8 of 16

2012-01-26T08:19:00.003-07:00

You guys, my girl Emily is the cutest girl in the world. And she has the cutest blog. And when I found out that we were soul sister book friends, I died a little happy death. Today Emily has THE BEST guest post for you. You will love!

raise your hand if you're going to the midnight showing of hunger games.

is your hand up?

i thought so.

the last time i remember feeling this excited for a book series to turn into a movie was twilight.

and can i just say- my midnight showing experience was so much less than epic.

here i am, deep in the throes of my twilight obsession.

you know- living team edward to the fullest, rereading the books eight times each, and getting into heated debates about the characters and who plays them in the movies.

(i see some parallels to hunger games here)

but the midnight showing- oh, that was an entirely different experience.

being harassed in our seats by feisty team jacob-ers, getting elbowed as people clawed their way past you to get to a seat, and fights breaking out by the concession stand? not my idea of a good time.

i think i have blocked out most of the painful memories.

since the first twilight movie came out, i had sworn off midnight showings.

not even for breaking dawn did i break my self-imposed pact.

not even for HP7P2.

i know!

only a series as epic as the hunger games could break me out of this funk.

i am committed to attending the midnight showing, and i am committed to surviving.

i have volunteered as tribute and i am headed into the arena.

while a full-body makeover, flaming gown, and fighting lessons seem like a plausible way of preparing, i see my skills here as more in line with peeta than with katniss.

i will not shoot the crazy people at the midnight showing with arrows (because that is frowned upon, i've heard).

instead, i will camouflage myself among them on a sugar high of chocolate-y berry cake goodness.

as peeta is the boy with the bread, i will be the girl with the cake.

i consider these cake jars to be the silver parachute-streaming survival kit to myself.

when i'm shoved in line by someone behind me who was saving ten spots for her friends, a spoonful of cake will be my antidote.

when we are trying to enjoy the movie and the row behind us breaks into loud arguments and occasional clapping during an important scene (true story), my friends can count on the girl with the cake to get them through.

so i'm preparing for the games the best way i know how:

baking this chocolate cake, with this chocolate pudding, topped with this frosting and fresh blackberries, and layered it into a survival package i'm sending to myself in the arena.

and since i'm acting as peeta here, i'm suggesting you do the same.

imagine your name as the selected tribute on that slip of paper above.

i'm willing to wager there are few obstacles that a jar full of cake can't overcome in this arena.

if all else fails, the cake will be my poison berries- a way to escape when things go wrong.

"things" here referring to people who cheer loudly in your ear during the climax of the movie.

fellow midnight attendees,

may the odds (of not getting elbowed in the face at the concession stand) be ever in your favor.

valentine's day special

2012-01-25T16:10:00.001-07:00

I love Valentine's Day so very much, and to celebrate I am offering my photography services at a discounted rate!

If you book a session with me anytime before Valentine's Day, you will get a 1/2 hour session for $35, which includes a disk of edited photos.

The session doesn't need to be before then...just be booked :)

It can be for senior portraits, family sessions, engagements...etc!

Also, if anyone was still wanting to send in a photo of someone they love for my big Valentine's Day post, you have until February 1st to do so!

email me at laurenkbrimley"at"gmail"dot"com

taco bell

2012-01-25T08:53:00.001-07:00

As much as I love eating healthy, I really love me some Taco Bell. In fact, it makes me almost livid when people talk down about Taco Bell. It is straight up delicious. Yes, I realize it isn't "real mexican" but that isn't a valid argument. I have never said, "I love Taco Bell because it has great mexican." I have only said, "Taco Bell is delicious." or "Taco Bell has dang good food." Do I know exactly what goes in their concoctions? No. Have you ever seen "Never Been Kissed"? Of course you have. There is a part in the movie where Josie asks the cafeteria worker what is in the cole slaw, and he pulls up basically a trash can holding the slaw that says, "Cole Slaw: Food". That is what I think of when I eat Taco Bell. It is food, and we don't know what it is, but it's delicious, so shut up and eat it.

Could the cheese be plastic? Maybe.

Can the food glow in the dark? Probably.

If we had a shortage on energy, could we burn the food for lasting fuel? Most definitely. And it would smell good, too.

Oh, Taco Bell...how I love thee. I love their basic bean burros (no onions), the tostada, the occasional baja chalupa, and if I am feeling particularly slovenly and disgusting, I will eat a grilled stuffed burrito. I know, gross. Up until just last week I always ordered my items with just the basic ground beef, because let's face it...it's AMAZE. But, when the cashier asked me if I wanted to "upgrade" my item to steak or chicken, I think I heard the tinkling of a fancy fork against a crystal goblet...how fancy. I decided to think outside the bun and yes, upgrade my item...because that day I was a high roller.

What did my upgraded steak baja chalupa look like? Fancy Feast. Minus the fancy...and the feast.

Turns out the tinkling of the fork against the crystal goblet was my brain's way of trying to tell me that if I upgraded my item I wouldn't be getting steak...I would be getting fancy feast. You all know the commercial with the animatron cat paw, somehow holding the fork and tinkling it against it's crystal dish. You know it. SIDENOTE: that paw is SO ridiculous...how is it even holding that fork!? And why have the humans given their cat the nicest dish in the house?! Sorry...back to Taco Bell.

Taco Bell...you are my homey. But let's be real. If you want to charge a dollar extra to have your customers "upgrade" their items, nix the fancy feast, and feed it to the feral cats that are undoubtedly prowling in the garbage behind the building. Here are some ways to upgrade items:

1. Offer a valet service for those upgrading their burritos, because sometimes parking can just be a beast.

2. Offer a free feral cat from the back of the building to those upgrading their tacos.

3. Offer an extra ginormous chalupa to those wanting to upgrade, because there can never be too much chalupa. And a free can of fancy feast for their feral cat if they upgraded their tacos as well.

Just some ideas for you to ponder. Now it's time for a bean burro...

this week on instagram, v.3

2012-01-24T14:55:00.002-07:00

catching ted right as he was waking up...HAHAHAHA!

ted surprising me with a delicious beverage of homemade horchata!

ted stealing my pink quilt AND pink muppet slippers. classy!

watching lots of X-Files at our house...and Psych, too!

two seconds before i spilled a red liquid on my collar. awesome.

i drink agua out of my mugs.

trying out a bronzer since my face is now very pasty and sad.

his and her slip-ons.

um. a person. don't really know her.

i feel like all i have done in the month of january is sleep.

right after giving myself a pedicure...

hello, moon!

i live in this scarf. best target purchase of 2011.

can we all take a moment to talk about how precious my little bunny is? he used to be very shy and easily scared, but now he is such a sweet little snuggler. i have heard that a lot of people who have rabbits have ones that are mean and have scratched or bitten their owners...but our little guy is so nice. we love him! look at his sweet face :)

my decision

2012-01-20T08:45:00.003-07:00

In December I sort of mentioned off-hand that I was thinking about not taking sponsors anymore when my partnerships with a couple people were up in April. I had a few people email me inquiring as to why, and I am now ready to give you that answer, now that I am have made the 100% decision to not take them past April.

For about a year now I have been struggling with my blogging conscious. I struggled so much, I actually made a pros and cons list on whether I should keep taking sponsors or not. I know, I am such a dork. But, honestly...it helped so much to write it out and see how I felt. You see, I LOVE blogging, and I also LOVE supporting fellow bloggers and small companies. However, when combining the two, it creates this pesky little monster called "obligation" and as a blogger...the obligation monster is THE WORST.

The first years I was blogging I only posted when I was inspired by something funny that happened to me, or when I was just dying to share a piece of my life. Even though the writing is laughable at times, I feel like the content was pure quality, because I know 100% that my heart was in the posts. I was posting for me and no one else. I was reading through a lot of my posts from 2011, and while they were visually pretty with lots of big photos, and lots of fun outfit posts, they didn't feel like me. And that made me so sad. My favorite posts were the ones where I

shared personal feelings, or funny stories, or just felt jazzed about life. But there wasn't enough of those posts to make me feel like I was remaining true as a blogger. How many times in the past couple years have I thought, "CRAP! I forgot my camera...NOW what am I going to blog about?" instead of "Oops...forgot my camera...oh well, let me just go enjoy out outing." Or when Ted and I are somewhere and he says, "Don't you want to take photos of this for your blog?" He never means it in a bad way, but for some reason that just makes me sad. I had gotten to a place in my life where I worked so hard to keep up with the rat race of blogging, instead of living my life and documenting it along the way.

I don't feel like sponsors have driven me to act this way. Not at all. I just think that subconsciously I think, "Well, if people are sponsoring me, then I NEED content, and I NEED to draw in numbers, and I NEED to keep up a steady readership." I don't like the way I push myself, or see my life when I am trying to keep up with the rat race of blogging. I also don't like how I put myself down when some people get sponsorships, and I don't. It's SO dumb to think that way...but it's hard to not compare myself to bloggers around me. I often would let myself think, "If they have this sponsor...what am I doing wrong?" I HATE doing this. Blogging shouldn't be about feeling validated about who sponsors you. Like I said...it's like a blogging race where there is no finish line in sight.

So I made the decision that I no longer want to be part of the race.

I am sure you have noticed my posts have been a bit sparse this month, and I apologize. January is always a weird month for me as I try to figure out how I want to live my life in the new year, and I can honestly say that 2012 will be the most exciting for us. I am really excited for it. And I am excited to get back to regular posting next week :)

My hope is that you will be able to see a difference in my posts now that I have made the decision to spend more time living, and less time running. I hope you will be able to see that the things I am blogging about are things that I care so much about. That when I am posting, I am posting because I am inspired, and excited and I want to share. Not because I feel obligated to. I hope you will be able to see my new outlook on blogging, and my excitement for living my life.

With that being said, I would love to take a moment to say how much I have appreciated the support of my sponsors over the years. They have been some of the coolest people to work with, and SO talented. I have felt blessed to work with so many inspiring people, and it truly has been an honor to share their sites with you. As I said before, I have a couple partnerships that have contracts through April, so I am still going to take sponsors until then. If you would like to sponsor in February, or would like to sponsor for the next 3 months, I have 2 different packages available. You can email me for more info if you'd like, at laurenkbrimley"at"gmail"dot"com

To everyone that reads my blog, thank you for being awesomespice!

xo!

busy bee lauren is busy looking at hunger games crap

2012-01-19T10:09:00.000-07:00

Do you guys like how all of my posts have been hunger games related lately? Oh you don't? I apologize. Maybe we should change my blog name to "busy bee lauren is busy looking at hunger games crap, kbye!" No, I'm just kidding. I promise I will get back to regular, legit posting soon.

What am I saying? This post IS legit, because LOOK at the photo above. JUST LOOK AT IT. Should I break it down for you? Okay, thanks...I thought you'd never ask.

I refuse to discuss Peeta first because then I would forget to discuss anything else...plus I am a big believer in saving the best for last, no matter how painful it may be. Peeta, I will get to you in a moment.

First, let's discuss Lenny Cinna Kravitz holding the Capitol version of a nast-tay stogie. He's like, "Katniss, you know will always be my American Woman, but let's take it a step further...puff on this delicious stogie that is secreting blue smoke as we speak. Look how delicious." Well guys, as much as it looks like a cross between an Ice-Age version of a sonic screwdriver, circa Doctor Numero 1, and a freakin' boss looking stogie, it is actually what appears to be the device that ignites Katniss and Peeta's bad-a black pajamas.

Oh, you caught that? Just was seeing if ya'll were paying attention. But really, wouldn't that be awesome if their jammies really looked like that? It probably would make their snuggling on the train not as comfy as a warm cheesy bun, but still awesome.

Back to Lenny Cinna Kravitz. I dig his earring. I really do. It's straight fabulous. Also, I dig the design that he came up for the big chariot debut that Peeta and Katniss are about to embark on. When reading the book I imagined their jumpsuits looking embarrassingly similar to Britney Spear's red, skin tight jumpsuit in "Oops I Did it Again"...I am SO glad they don't look like that, because I might have guffawed out loud a couple times in the theater, which would have forced me to say, "Oops...I did it again, huh? They played with my heart. They're about to get lost in a game...oh baby, baby." I could continue that song and it would eerily match the story with crazy awesome precision, but I will just allow you to ponder on that for the rest of the day.

I keep getting side tracked. Have you guys ever seen "Empire Records"? AKA, one of my top fav movies of all time? If not, please get off the internet and go watch it...HEY! AFTER reading this post. Anyway, if you have seen it, do you remember the part where Mark gets high and he is watching a Gwar music video and their little bug suits they are in are totally weird but super awesome? And then they eat him? HAHA, amazing. Anyway, I can't decide if I am ecstatic that when I saw the jumpsuits that I thought of Gwar, or if I should be horrified. Right now I am on the ecstatic team.

Okay, Katniss time. JLaw. Girl. You are stunning. I have spent a very long time looking at her perfectly constructed hair, and her perfect acting skills...LOOK AT HER FACE. How is it even real? How did we get so lucky to have the perfect Katniss? She is stunning, and looks like she will kill us if we so much as touch her freshly hunter squirrel without trading her for strawberries. I will just back away and look at her in awe. How is Peeta not making out with her?

Which brings me to Peeta Hutcherson. I know someone is going to cry and moan that his hair looks weird, or like how your little 12 year old brother looks when he is at church, kicking your skins under the pew, annoying the crap out of you. But calm the heck down, because it's Portia's fault, okay? But beyond that, I approve of his hair, because in my opinion Peeta Hutcherson can do no wrong. He is like my male version of Camilla Belle...he is the word. The end. Why? Because look at his face. He is acting the CRAP out of this role. He wants us to believe that he is Peeta. I mean, look at the veins that are about to bust out of his forehead. "YOU.ALL.MUST.BELIEVE.I.AM.PEETA.OR.NO.MORE.CROISSANTS.FOR.YOOOOOOU!" All the while, looking like a bad-a.

I APPROVE.

the end, amen.

countdown to hunger games: week 7 of 16

2012-01-19T08:21:00.002-07:00

Marci is one of my very favorite blogging friends of all time. In fact, we have plans to see Hunger Games together on opening night, despite the fact that she lives across the country. We will make it happen! I am sooooo excited to share Marci's awesomespice guest post with you today! Hooray!

Hunger Games-inspired outfit: Girl on Fire

I want to preface this by saying I am not a fashion blogger. I read them daily, and try to look put-together every time I leave the house, but when Lauren gave me the opportunity to be a part of her Hunger Games Countdown, I knew I wanted to try something new.

Blouse: Charlotte Russe
Peacoat: Old Navy
Jeans:Old Navy
Shoes: SODA brand
Pin: Books-A-Million

My inspiration for this outfit was what Cinna might design for Katniss if he did "casual daywear."
I've had this top for a while, and the colors remind me of burning embers. The ridiculous frills on the neckline and the way they stick out of the coat remind me of something the citizens of The Capitol would rave over it. It's January and this top is actually sleeveless so I threw on the peacoat before I left the house (and yes I added the Mockingjay pin--hope you don't find it too cheesy!)

The shoes weren't something I picked out originally, but I paired them with this outfit as a tribute to Cinna and his gold eyeliner. Because what's life without whimsy?

Isn't Marci's outfit so awesome!? Fashionable AND Hunger Games-ish. If you had to dress with a Hunger Games theme, what would you wear?

also...this needs to be discussed.

2012-01-17T10:59:00.001-07:00

I know no one will care about this but me, but I HAVE to post about it because I have been laughing about it for almost 3 hours now. So, those that are close to me know that I am quite a celebrity gossip afficianado. I have only found one friend that matches my love for some good celebrity gossip, and that is my girl Shannon. Each day we recap on the daily celebrity fodder and we also predict what might happen next. Sorta pathetic, but oh so fun.

One of my favorite people to talk about with Shannon is freakin' Vanessa Hudgens. Here is the thing...I have never really liked her, but Zac Efron was so dang adorable with her, that I put up with her. Well, when they split at the end of 2010, I have found myself amazed by her single life. One, her fashion choices went down the crapper. She started acting weird. And she now has a ridiculous boyfriend. But let's backtrack for a second...

So, when her and Zac broke up, she was in Hawaii filming Journey to the Center of the Earth 2...aka, a movie I will never see because it looks about as awesome as the single ply toilet paper that my mom buys from Walgreens. Yeah...the worst. In our house? We like Cottonelle...double ply, please. Anyway, even my great love for Josh Hutcherson cannot drag me to that crap fest. Well, anyway, she was in Hawaii filming that movie, and since Josh is a cutie, and since Zac broke things off...it would only make sense for Vanessa to have a rebound, right?

Right.

For months after, Shannon and I followed the awkward embarrassment that was the Vanessa/Josh rebound. You could tell from the photos that Josh thought they were the real deal and he was GIDDY to be with her. And she always had a smug look on her face like, "I dated Zac...and we broke up...but I DO NOT care." But inside she was dying. Because she probably saw the trailer for "The Lucky One" and died. I mean, have you seen it? Anyway...to Vanessa the little dates to the Lakers games, to Coachella, and her hitching rides on the back of Josh's motorcycle? Yeah...they were just a rebound. And as someone who has loved Jsh since Bridge to Terabithia, I was so sad for Josh. And this was BEFORE he was cast as Peeta.

Okay, so get this. Vanessa goes on the Ellen show, and Ellen of course asks her if she is dating Josh...when they were just seen holding hands! HELLO! And Vanessa flippantly rolls her eyes like, "PULEAZE." And goes, "Ha! No. Can't a girl have friends?!" And then the issue is dropped and Vanessa is never seen with Josh again. She was DONE with that rebound.

Well, you know how when actors get interviewed for magazines it's done like months in advance before the issue gets printed? Well, like 3 months later there is an article in Teen Vogue where the interviewer asks Josh if something is going on with him and Vanessa and he basically fangirls all over her. Which means the interview was probably done before Vanessa went on Ellen. Which makes Josh look foolish...because gosh, "Puleeeeaze! Can't a girl have friends?!"

Something has bothered me about this whole thing for a long while because from everyone's point of view, she treated the poor boy like crap. Plus, he got cast as Peeta later on...and you don't burn the boy with the bread! Haha...don't you love the pun? I am awesome.

So, today when Shannon sent me the most glorious of all news articles, I laughed. And I have been laughing ever since:

This is a screencap taken from a video that was live this morning. This was right when the interviewer asked if they had dated, and instead of letting Vanessa make him look like a fool, Josh jumps right in and says this: "We were at one point, but she broke my heart. No, I'm just kidding, that was a while ago, we're really good friends now."

OH HOW I LOVE A GOOD BURN.

You know that the "No, I'm just kidding" was constructed for us to find him still adorable and charming...but at the same time let us know that she burned him good. And he is still annoyed as heck about it. Especially that she now has a gross boyfriend. And SHE BURNED THE BOY WITH THE BREAD. Plus, check out his monochromatic outfit...awesome.

But really, her face is the best thing I have ever seen.

And he is like, "I am Josh Hutcherson. Star of one of the biggest franchises ever. The end. Goodbye!"

printers suck

2012-01-17T09:51:00.001-07:00

Last night I had the creepiest dream of all time. And since I want you all to have your own nightmares, I will proceed to tell you all about it in great detail.

So here I am, sleeping in our bed, with literally 7 blankets piled on top of me. Have I mentioned that our house is freakin' old and doesn't have the best insulation, so it's always freakin' cold? Like, not casually cold...like, dang cold. And since Ted has had pink eye, and has been sleeping in the other room with a sleeping bag (haha) in what I like to call "quarantine confinement", I have had free range of all of the blankets in the house.

Anyway, back to sleep...

My dream took place in a large auditorium. For some reason there were two different Joseph Gordon Levitts. They were both evil, which made me sad, but one was slightly more evil than the other one. Don't worry, they both looked good being evil, but since I was dreaming, I was scared. I, myself, was not a character in the dream...just an unfortunate bystander looking in on an unfortunate situation. For some reason that I cannot recall, the Joseph Gordon Levitts hated each other, and one ended up murdering the other. WITH A PRINTER! How even?! Well I will tell you. He shoved one of the Joseph Gordon Levitts in a printer feed and it shredded him to death, with all of the gory mass collecting in a special recepticle, for easy clean up? I don't even know. All I know is that at this point I kept telling myself, "Lauren! WAKE THE HECK UP! THIS IS NOT HOW YOU SHOULD SEE JOSEPH GORDON LEVITT!"

But dreams suck and never do what you want. Otherwise I would be having Disneyland dreams with Peeta and LeoDicap with me on Splash Mountain on the regular.

Next...super evil Joseph Gordon Levitt wheels the printer with the contents of the not-as-evil-but-still-sorta-evil Joseph Gordon Levitt onto the stage of the auditorium. I don't really know who all was in the auditorium, but it was packed. Josh Hutcherson was there in his Peeta garb. I remember taking note of that. Anyway, all of a sudden super evil Joseph Gordon Levitt starts cackling in the most evil of ways, and turns on the printer and proceeds to spray the entire audience with blood. WHY AM I DREAMING THIS?! At this point I am so sicked out and so frightened, I am shouting, "WAKE UP LAUREN, WAKE UP!!!!"

And I wake up.

But the nightmare hadn't ended because, as I laid in bed scared out of my mind, our printer TURNS ON AND STARTS PRINTING A PAPER. I am not making this up. The computer screen woke up on it's own and my printer STARTED PRINTING. I screamed and made Ted come in and say a prayer that I would be able to sleep. After he stopped laughing at me for being afraid of our printer.

He doesn't even know.

countdown to hunger games week 6 of 16

2012-01-13T08:10:00.001-07:00

Well hello, friends! Today for Countdown to Hunger Games, we have my friend Tameka discussing the gloriousness that is Cinna. Who doesn't love Cinna and his fabulous self? Enjoy!

-----------------------------------

From the moment he makes his first appearance to Katniss in The Hunger Games, and tells her he purposely asked for District 12, Cinna had me. He was so quiet and mysterious that I just knew he would end up becoming a pivotal person in Katniss' life. I especially loved that upon introduction he looked perfectly non-descript except for his fabulous gold eyeliner. I sort of pictured Cinna as a Tom Ford/Tim Gunn/Marc Jacobs hybrid (probably because I would love either of these men to design my life for me) and eagerly anticipated the role this silent hero would play in Katniss' journey.

For me, Cinna represents truth, creativity, heart, bravery, and true artistry. He is Katniss' Jiminy Cricket. Her Rafikki. Her Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather. (Yes these are analogies based on Disney movies, but I stand by them.) It's amazing how much he stayed with me from his first scene in The Hunger Games until the scene in Mockingjay after SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED and he tells Katniss, "I'm still betting on you." I was sobbing by that point. In fact I went back to reread in preparation for this post and had myself an ugly cry.

When I first read that my much-loved Hunger Games series was going to be turned into a movie I was nervous. I didn't want the books ruined but I was also eager to see all of my favorite characters come to life. Then I read that Suzanne Collins herself wrote the screenplay is very involved in the film making. I decided then and there that I would give the process to God and eagerly anticipate the release of the first film fully trusting that as much as I love this story and these characters, their creator loves them just as much if not more and she wouldn't let Hollywood completely change them.

I was initially conflicted when Lenny Kravitz was cast into the role of Cinna mainly because he was not the Cinna in my imagination. I have fangirly feelings for Lenny that are completely separate from the way I feel about Cinna and I didn't feel right mixing the two.

So I had to process.

The more I thought about it, the more I decided that Lenny being cast could actually be a brilliant move. Since the story takes place in a dystopian society, all of our present day stereotypes are pretty much out the window. I was so worried that because he's a "stylist" they would turn Cinna into an arm flailing, vest wearing, glitter spraying, catch phrase spouting, Jack McFarland-esque character and that would be a tragedy. Think Chris Tucker in The Fifth Element or any of the hair stylists on the Real Housewives of Atlanta and you'll understand my fear.

Lenny Kravitz is an artist. He is sexy, commanding, creative, funky, unconventional, and also incredibly masculine. I can't wait to see how he brings Cinna to life and I hope he rocks the crap out of it with the style and panache with which he does everything else.

I also hope that one day he'll want to marry me, let me wear one of his leather jackets complete with a pair of aviator shades, and live happily ever after in his beach house, but that is of course another story.

I am dying for this movie to come out! March 23rd can't get here fast enough!

daily outfit: holding onto winter

2012-01-10T20:21:00.002-07:00

[jacket: forever 21, shirt: borrowed from ted, leggings: marshall's, shoes: thrifted, hat: yarn plus yarn]

Do you like how I totally stopped taking photos of my outfits because I'm a bum? Awesome. Actually, this is how our day actually goes, so you can see why we don't take any. Get home from work at 5:30, work out until 6:30, sun down by then, eat din din, watch X-Files, go to bed by 9. It's awesome.

But really...X-Files is awesome. I'm only like 15 years behind the times. No big deal.

early birthday giveaway from me: kindle!

2012-01-10T08:44:00.001-07:00

Last night I was thinking about my birthday (which I think is seriously the greatest day of the entire year) and I counted the weeks until the big day, and got really excited. Which led me to think about how I gave away a sweet camera last year, in honor of my 23rd birthday. Which then led me to think, "Man...I gotta give away something cooler this year." And that's when I came up with this:

A KINDLE! Ted and I love sharing a Kindle. Though we love owning actual books, having an e-reader can be so handy...plus, they are so dang cool! If you want to read more about the Kindle, you can click here.

To enter, all you have to do is, be a follower of this blog, and comment letting me know what book you would read first if you won this Kindle!

You have until next Tuesday to enter! Yay! If you tweet about the giveaway, you can have an extra entry. The end, amen.

published: 202 magazine

2012-01-09T11:21:00.002-07:00

I feel honored to be included in this month's 202 Magazine! It's a good kick-off to the year :)

Check out the article here! (pages 60-61)

RX for PTPD

2012-01-09T09:38:00.001-07:00

I have had a lot of people emailing/tweeting me recently letting me know that they read Hunger Games (yay!) but now they are in what I like to call "Post Traumatic Peeta Disorder". And honestly guys, the only way to cure it is to pick up some other books to read, and push through the pain of withdrawals. Never fear, Doctor Lauren is in, and I am here to fix you. I am constantly reading books and sifting through the garbage, so I have compiled a list of books to read if you have recently finished Hunger Games and are currently suffering from PTPD. Consider this list your prescription:

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare is one of my favorite books ever. I read The Mortal Instruments series a couple years ago, and while I really enjoyed it, I had some issues with the storyline and some of the characters. When I heard that she had written a companion series, but set in the 1800s, in LONDON, I was intrigued. Plus, the main character is Jace's ancestor...and he is British, and a brunette. AKA, count me in. I expected to enjoy, but not love it. Boy, was I wrong! The story is fast paced, and the details are gorgeous. You really feel like you are in 19th century England! All of the issues I have with Mortal Instruments, are not present in this series. It's the best, and a great way to heal the wounds of PTPD.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver is a story about a teenage girl who is about to have a procedure done to remove the feeling of love. Because in her society, love is a disease that needs to be cured. While this story is dystopian, it has a very different feel than books like Matched, The Giver and Hunger Games. It mixes poetry and beautiful prose with an exciting storyline. You will be hooked in for sure!

Matched by Ally Condie...you all know how much I love this book, so I won't go into too many details. Just a couple warnings: some people feel it's a little too slow paced. Also, a lot of people didn't like the second book, but I disagree with both of these points. I think it has brilliant writing, and a wonderful story! One of my favorite series for sure.

Divergent by Veronica Roth...I originally enjoyed this book A LOT. But then Ted read it and he talked me out of liking it as much as I did. But with that being said, if you are suffering from PTPD, this is a great book to read, because it feels a lot like Hunger Games, and it has a great story. Let's just blame Ted for kind of ruining this book for me. He actually said, "I am actually second hand embarrassed for you by how much you loved this book." Rude! But seriously, it's a good read.

Now, get your read on, and let the healing begin!

this week on instagram v.2

2012-01-06T08:00:00.002-07:00

a. my new year's eve get up :)

b. glitter shoes with rust tights for church!

c. i was quite impressed with the sky and the parallel lines of the power lines.

d. pastel floral dress and freshly painted nails with polish from ashley!

e. fall leaves and dandelion in my parent's front yard.

f. ted being normal.

g. i woke up on monday morning with all of this hair in my face. i don't know how i breathed in the night.

h. new year's day outfit.

i. freshly painted toenails.

j. basically dying over this book. have you read it yet?! ahhhhhhh! WILL HERONDALE FOREVER.

k. i think floral dresses should be worn with cowboy boots. i don't know why, but i always do this.

l. i spent the majority of this week on the couch in our front room. i am happy to say i am recovered now.

m. shot of the moon, yesterday.

n. me just chillin' in my uniform of jammies. no thang.

o. my new silver glitter TOMS. yay!

p. pretty trees and sun flare :)

you can follow me on instagram with username "busybeelauren"!

happy weekend!

cooking with julia v.1

2012-01-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

When Ted surprised me with my most coveted cookbook, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking", I quickly decided that my main goal for 2012 would be to cook something new from that cookbook once a week. This week Ted and I picked out a soup to cook together :)

In the book it stated that garlic soup is very good for the immune system, and since I was battling a cold, I figured that would be a smart option! Plus, you were to poach eggs right into the soup, and I'm sorry, but poached eggs are dang delicious and that HAD to happen for dinner at Casa Brimley.

We are happy to report that our first go at french cooking was a success! We are well on our way to becoming master french chefs :)

PSBTW, get used to me documenting each of our dishes. It will help keep us motivated!

Countdown to Hunger Games: Week 5 of 16

2012-01-05T11:00:00.001-07:00

This week for Countdown to Hunger Games, we have Jenni back again! Hooray! Oh, and look...a new graphic! Oooo, shiny.

Have you ever wanted to dissect the Hunger Games trailer and analyze it frame by frame?

You have?? Great! Because that is exactly what I thought we’d do today (can you tell I’m a teacher?).

I first posted about my Hunger Games experiences here, wherein I used no spoiler filter (in my defense, there was a disclaimer issued!), much to the dismay of my friends who have yet to finish the series.

Today’s post, however, is fit to be read by anyone and everyone. So feast your eyes, busybees! Let’s delve right into the chilling trailer we’ve all watched 100 times (per day?). And if you’re one of the 4 people on earth who don’t know what I’m talking about, you can watch the trailer here. But get with the program while you’re at it, alright? Read these books. You can thank me – and Lauren, of course – later.

And now let’s begin, class.

Here we are in District 12, the mecca of destitution (and coal, incidentally), where the penniless and down-and-out reside – Katniss and Gale included. {And Peeta too, of course, but more about him later.} The movie version of District 12 looks, for the most part, how I envisioned it in the book; grim and desolate. And also a little bit the Oregon Trail brought to life, which I wasn’t expecting, but whatever.

Here we have Gale and Katniss hunting illegally – their only form of escape from the dystopian society to which they unwillingly belong. Is this the only time we see a smile from Miss Everdeen? That’s my prediction.

Oh, Effie. Effie Trinket. For some reason, I imagined Effie being stunningly beautiful with just a hint of weirdness as opposed to…..well, that ^^. I guess I missed the part in the book where she’s described as a female version of The Joker. But, regardless, I think it’s awesome and her shoulder pads look pretty cool. Besides, the fact that she calls out the two tributes’ names with such cheer and enthusiasm while looking like Lady Gaga makes the Games that much more terrifying.

Ah, Peeta. Peeta, my love. I have to say that when I read the books, I did not imagine Peeta looking like this at all. And when I first heard the news that Josh Hutcherson had been cast to play Peeta (my Peeta, as I like to call him – though I suspect Lauren would be to differ), I was confused. And disappointed. And then confused some more. But after much persuasion on Lauren’s part (and after watching the trailer and hearing the lines delivered in such very Peeta-ish ways), Josh Hutcherson won me over. Plus, he’s not dating Hannah Montana so he automatically has a leg up on that oaf who plays Gale.

So that’s what the Capitol looks like! I’m pretty sure they adopted the same design graphics used to make Star Wars: Episode I, but that’s neither here nor there, now is it?

See, when I read the series, I imagined Cinna to be a little less…..Lenny Kravitz-y. But, whatevs! As long as he doesn’t enter the scene to the tune of ‘American Woman’, I’m sure he’ll work out as Cinna just fine.

There he is – Seneca Crane, the Head Gamemaker of the 74th annual Hunger Games! He looks exactly like I imagined him (and a little bit like this guy, don’t you think?).

Our only glimpse of Katniss' in her ‘girl on fire’ dress – fleeting though it may be – is the perfect trailer tease. We get a split second shot of what will presumably be one of the movie’s most memorable scenes.

Alright, here’s where we have a problem. Woody Harrelson wearing a grayish blonde Beatles wig is so not how I imagined Haymitch, the old and weathered trainer selected to advise Peeta and Katniss. But I loved him in Zombieland and No Country for Old Men….. and he talks just like my uncle, so…should be fun!

This is why I’ve loved Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss since day 1; she can go from ‘just your average coalminer’s daughter’ to ‘drop-dead gorgeous beauty queen’ at the drop of a hat. It’s not at all hard to see how she captured every heart in Panem (excluding President Snow, of course).

So that’s that – my two (or ten) cents on the Hunger Games trailer. Is everyone else as obsessed with this trailer as I am? Do the casting director’s visions of the characters match yours? Do you think I’m a total freak for taking 20 minutes out of my day to create this lesson plan of sorts? Do tell.

ty's birthday party

2012-01-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

Ty's birthday is on the December 23rd, and this year he turned 45. It was awesome. Anyway, his birthday party theme was a thing of legend, because he chose "Hippies and Grizzly Bears"...no, I do not know why. I especially am confused because his greatest fear in life is to be attacked by a Grizzly.

Anyway, I got off early that day from work, so I helped my mom set up for the party. I especially love that he didn't want a cake because he hates dessert, so we stuck candles in the pizza. Amazing.

Also, I have gifted the earth with the amazing gif above. I think it even beats the dancing that went down at Ted's party. Agreed? Also, Also...I think dancing has become a tradition at the birthday parties now. I think I like this.

new years eve.

2012-01-04T18:44:00.002-07:00

Twice out of the year, us Arizonans can legally set off fireworks. Last year my family started the tradition of letting off fireworks on New Year's Eve together. I prefer to play with the sparklers, and then sit back and watch as the boys become pyros. What is it with boys and fire?!

Before we played with fire we all went to Costa Vida together, and boy was it packed! I guess lots of families like to migrate there on New Years :) After we played with fireworks, Ted and I made a stop to Walmart where we picked up a bottle of Martinelli's, the game of Boggle, a box of tissues and a bottle of cough syrup. You know...the essentials :) We pumped me with medicine and we settled in for a night of X-Files, and playing Boggle. Somehow when midnight rolled around we were laughing so hard at each other's jokes, we laughed for a good 15 minutes straight until our stomachs hurt. I can honestly say that even though I was so sick, it was probably one of the best nights of my life. And it was just a normal one too. Weird :)

You can see last year's fireworks, here!

how i lost 20 pounds over the holidays

2012-01-04T12:04:00.001-07:00

So, when I got married I was 143 pounds. At 5'10" I was on the thin side on the BMI scale. Of course at the time I didn't think so, but that's besides the point...and I was an idiot, amen. Anyway, I have always been one to work out daily, and eat healthy, balanced meals. However, over the past few years the pounds have slowly crept up on me. With a combinaton of stress, not enough home-cooked meals, and frozen yogurt, I found myself at 165 pounds. Still in the healthy weight range, but I wasn't feeling good.

This past May I felt like I needed ot make a change. I was already working out each day, so it had to be a dietary change. I had read a lot about eating raw, so I bought a book and read it in it's entirey in one night. I was sold on the idea of eating raw and the healthy benefits of it. While eating raw I dropped a significant amount of weight, and with that I stopped having migraines and my depression seemed to magically disappear. I was a big believer in eating raw! Problem? It was dang expensive. SO expensive. And it was a lot of work. And I couldn't work out the same way I had been, because I didn't have enough strength to do so. Which, in my opinion, felt the opposite of healthy. In July, after finding out that I was gluten intolerant, I decided to add back in cooked foods, and live a gluten free lifestyle.

Even while eating extremely healthy and balanced meals, I gained all of my weight back, plus 5 more...in the space of about 3 weeks. I was devastated that my body was now at 170...especially after I had dropped so much weight early on in the summer. It was at this time that I realized that I wasn't a believer in eating raw. Anything that makes you drop weight that fast, and then gain it back immediately, just isn't what I would consider healthy.

And then gluten-free. Man, those GF pastas, and breads sure are buggers, huh? By early October I found myself at 181...and that was just from replacing our basic gluten products with GF ones. I was now in the "overweight" range on the BMI scale, and I was feeling pretty sad. I realized that with my height it helped me hide my weight and I didn't look bad, but I felt bad. It was time for a serious change, like stat.

So at the beginning of October I started a no-sugar + super healthy balanced diet. I know, who starts a diet right before the holidays? Apparently I do because I am insane. I have never been the biggest fan of sugar, so I thought it wouldn't be too bad to cut out sugar. However, it's not until you cut it all out, that you realize how much sugar you actually consume daily! On top of dropping sugar and artificial sweeteners, I also cut out white potatoes, white rice and corn.

After about 3 weeks of no sugar my body was used to not consuming it, and I no longer had cravings. So when Halloween rolled around, I didn't even feel sad when I passed on candy! And then Thanksgiving came around, and I ate reasonable portions, and allowed myself a slice of pumpkin pie. And for the Christmas season, when the treats rolled in, I refrained, and I kept telling myself that on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I would indulge. And when those days came around, I was so used to not eating sugar, I was kinda over it. I didn't even want to eat all of the chocolate and treats we were surrounded with. Amazing. And on Christmas morning I was rewarded with looking at the scale and seeing 161! I had lost 20 pounds since the beginning of October, and I felt so happy.

So, here is my advice to those wanting to lose some poundage. I am not going to say cut out sugar, because I know a lot of people need a bit of a reward each day, but with me it is just easier to not have it at all. I will suggest that you eat everything moderation. For each meal I like my veggies to take up at least 1/2 of the plate, the protein to be 1/4 and then the carb to be the other 1/4. I also like to make sure that I get enough protein in each meal, because it keeps me from wanting to snack on lots of crap in between meals. And then their is snacking! I love to have the little individual sized cheeses on hand, or an apple with peanut butter. Things that are low in calories, but packed full of energy boosting protein and nutrients.

Other things that are helpful are different calorie tracking Apps. When I am on my computer I like using Livestrong to track my calories and weight. If I am on the go I like using the My Fitness Pal app for the ipod/iphone. Seeing what you eat and keeping yourself accountable is so helpful! Also, rewarding yourself is something you should do. I didn't want to reward myself with treats, so I would buy myself a piece of clothing. Anything that makes you want to strive to lose more weight.

Working out is also my frenemy. I hate it so much, but I love it at the same time. The days I don't work out I feel like crap, and my mood is usually not the happiest. I have found that working out with a buddy is the best because it motivates me to actually go and work out, so I don't let down my partner. My mom and I love the Biggest Loser Cardio Blast DVD, and I swear by Windsor Pilates also. Working out is awesome!

I know I am not a dietitian or anything like that, but these were things that helped me a whole lot. If you have a goal to lose weight this year, you can do it!

xo!

love around the world

2012-01-03T13:18:00.001-07:00

Some of you might recall that last year for Valentine's Day, I had readers send in photos of them with the person (or pet) that they loved the most in the world. It was a tremendously daunting task, and one that I put together in under a few days. I decided that this year I want to do it again, but I am going to collect the photos further in advance. If you would like your photo to be included in the mega post on Valentine's Day, please send in your photo of you with the person you love the most, with a brief description why you love that person, to my email: laurenkbrimley"at"gmail"dot"com

[an example from last year!]

The cut off for submissions will be February 1st, so I will have enough time to put it all together without going to craycray. Ha! I hope many of you participate because it's a joy to see so much love in one post :)

xo!

favorite images of 2011

2011-12-30T15:38:00.001-07:00

i had a hard time cutting down my favorite images from this year. so here is a very long post:

thank you for sharing this year with ted and i. it's been a joy to let you in on all of the special moments.

i hope you all have a safe weekend, and a wonderful new year!

have you guys seen this?

2011-12-30T10:07:00.003-07:00

THIS just made me really wish they would get married and have 25 babies.

can we please talk about how precious and amazing this video was?

kthnxbai.

hello 2012, goodbye 2011...

2011-12-29T14:13:00.001-07:00

I am a big fan of fresh beginnings and the prospect of starting new. This year, in a lot of ways, has been my clean slate. I know it has been mentioned time and time again on this blog, but as someone who has suffered depression for so long, this year has been very important and life-changing for me. The other day I was thinking a lot about this past year. What was the most important thing that happened this year?

It was the night I hit rock bottom.

The next day I confronted the fact that I was suffering and I couldn't bear it alone anymore. And that's when I picked up the phone and made an appointment with a therapist. Growing up my mom would always suggest that I see a counselor, and all it did was make me angry. And for the last few years Ted has been the one to suggest that I see someone, and it made me feel betrayed. Really, the only person who could make the decision to that I needed a change, was me.

Therapy was in no way an easy thing. Often I would leave my sessions even more upset than when I went in, but that's how healing is. To heal you must bring the pain up to the surface before things get better. And though I don't see a therapist anymore, I left with new perspectives on life, and a new perspective on myself. That perspective is that I am not defined by how perceive me. I am defined by my actions, and how I feel about myself. And I love who I am.

While this year was full of tears and lots of anxiety, I am so incredibly grateful for it. I believe that Heavenly Father gives us trials because he trusts that we will do something good with them. That we won't let them shape us in a negative way, but will make us stronger, and prepare us for the next challenge in life. I also think he gives us trials because he wants us to trust in Him, and rely on Him. He wants us to know that any trial we are given in this life, we can bear as long as we lean on him. Without my Heavenly Father, and love of my family and friends, I am not sure I would be as positive as I am now. I am so grateful for the trials I have experienced, and for the strength I was given to overcome them.

And as I enter 2012 I will carry with me the feeling that I am ready for anything that comes my way. That I am ready for this new chapter in my life. That 2011 was the year that I humbled myself, and let others carry some of the heavy burden. The year that I truly opened my eyes to who I am as a person. The year that through my pain, was able to cultivate an even greater amount of compassion for those around me.

I have a good feeling about 2012...I think it's going to be awesomespice!

[photo taken the night that I realized I was truly happy]

this week on instagram v.1

2011-12-29T08:24:00.002-07:00

fall finally arrived in arizona...2 months behind everyone else. it's awesome.

caught ted re-reading hunger games. he wanted me to clearly state that he read the series first.

i will be sad when the cold weather ends in the next few weeks. i like bundling up!

my first attempt making a gluten free cake! and it was glorious. now i'm back to no sugar again after a 2 day break for christmas and christmas eve!

my favorite breakfast to eat lately is steel cut oats, banana, raw almonds and a drizzle of raw honey.

our shower curtain is one of my happy things i see each morning when i'm getting ready!

this little hootie owl is another of the happy things :)

ted was sick the day after christmas, and is on the mend. now i caught what he has, and i want to die.

when i was laying in bed, i considered re-arranging our decor wall. still trying to decide...

you saw this shirt yesterday, but i still can't get over it's awesomeness. btw, this pic bugs ted because the words are backwords. ha!

we have been playing a LOT of music lately. favorites include bob dylan, and johnny mathis.

hahaha...from ty's bear themed birthday party. i can't even...

a new t-shirt my parents gave ted for christmas. very awesome it is.

saw this tree while i was waiting for my order at El Pollo Loco...so pretty!

scenes from my lap yesterday, haha!

this was from when i was trying to decide if i should buy this jacket at forever 21. i decided yes.

another amazing surprise present from ted on christmas. i have been reading this thing like a novel!

my union jack sweater that i'm pretty much obsessed with. OBSESSED.

scenes from my stove while i'm cooking.

my new-to-me vintage dress that i wore yesterday. LOVE.

Countdown to Hunger Games: Week 4 of 16

2011-12-28T09:45:00.002-07:00

Hi Hunger Games friends! Are you guys ready for the next installment of "Countdown to Hunger Games"?! Because today I have my girl Sara guest posting. We have been friends for a really long time...dude, it's been a long time. Sorry, I just realized the length og our internet friendship and almost blacked out. Anyway, today she has prepared the most awesomespice post on Finnick Odair. Did you know I love Finnick? Because he is my 2nd favorite character of all time. Yes, oh yes he is. Anyway, this is Sara and she is pretty, the end, amen:

--------------------------------------

I'm going to start this off with a mandatory spoiler warning. If you haven't read the books, I'm going to say some stuff you shouldn't be reading. So go read the books and then come on back to me.

As BBL readers, I'm sure you're familiar with the term, "book boyfriend." We've all got multiple book boyfriends, from many different books. Finnick Odair is my Hunger Games boyfriend (HGBF). I never expected this. When I started the books, I always figured I'd love Gale or Peeta just like everyone else. When Gale pissed me off by Chapter 2, I pretty much resigned myself to Peeta (who is a worthy book boyfriend, don't get me wrong). I loved him and loved him, thought Finnick was a huge jerk and kind of skeezy, and just kept on loving Peeta. I can be oblivious when it comes to realizing a connection in real life, so I'm not that surprised that Finnick came out of nowhere and stole my little Hunger Games heart.

I started getting the "feelings," if you will, for Finnick in Catching Fire when he and Katniss are stuck in the jabberjay slice of the arena. Katniss hears her sister Prim screaming in excruciating pain, and Finnick hears Annie, the love of his life who is also mentally broken. (In other words: crazy.) He's beyond consolable. After they catch on that it's jabberjays, he's still shaken and hurt. He knows that the Capitol had to do something to make Annie get the noise for the jabberjays to copy. Now, Finnick is hot stuff and can get any chick he wants yet... he's with Annie. These little details started to make me like him.

In Mockingjay, Finnick learns that Annie has been captured by the Capitol and is being tortured. It's killing him. He kept himself sane by tying knots over and over again. My heart went out to this beautiful man who loves the crazy girl. Around this point in the book, Katniss is worried for Peeta. She might love him, and she's not sure if she does. She asks Finnick a simple question.

"Did you love Annie right away, Finnick?" I ask.

"No." A long time passes before he adds, "She crept up on me."

This, my friends, sealed the deal for me. Here are a few reasons why I think this is the best quote from any of the books.

1. It shows how beautifully human Finnick is. He has devastating good looks, won a Hunger Games and is always seen around the Capitol with various ladies. He could have done any number of superficial things. But no, he loves the woman from his home that snuck up on him. It's such a real moment. He's human, fraglie and in love, just like the rest of us.

2. Katniss is clearly asking this because she thinks she loves Peeta, and I'm sure that Finnick knows that. And yet he doesn't address it. Tact. It's wonderful.

3. The fact that it took so long for them to realize they love each other made their wedding all the more beautiful. It was one of the most touching moments of the books for me. Two people joining for the marriage instead of the wedding (there's a big difference between a lifetime commitment and a party) always makes me happy.

4. I saw a little bit of myself in their relationship. Like I said, I'm not the quickest at realizing things. It takes me a little while. And after that person has crept up on you... life is suddenly more beautiful, more fulfilling, more EVERYTHING. I know how it feels to finally realize that someone has found their way into your heart.

5. Once you get to this point in the books, you know that Finnick isn't living selfishly. Finnick lives for Annie. That's... I've got no words for that one.

Okay, so that was a lot of reasons. My bad. I just can't stop loving him. As excited as I am for The Hunger Games movie to come out, I'm even MORE excited for the rest. that's a lot of excitement.

I feel like this post would be incomplete without me mentioning movie casting.

This is Hunter Parrish in some person's manipulation. He was up for Peeta, but I could TOTALLY get on board with him as Finnick. The Finnick in my head is pretty distinct and I'm actually hoping they cast an unknown, but here's why I can support Hunter for this. I've seen him act. I'm talking s0itting in the onstage seating at Spring Awakening on Broadway watching him cry his eyes out from 20 feet away. He made me experience what he was experiencing, and it was effortless. When it comes to what Finnick feels for Annie, I am confident in telling you that Hunter's got the range.

Now that you know that Finnick is my HGBF, I want to leave you with a few questions that we can chitchat about in the comments!

- Who would you cast as Finnick? Bonus points if you give me links to photos!

- Has your heart ever been "crept up on"?

- Who is your HGBF?

a few of my favorite things...

2011-12-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

we open our presents with my family at 6 AM...and for some reason we are all okay waking up this early.

ted did an AMAZING job surprising me this year. this crosley record player almost slayed me dead with amazingness.

then Sierra has to go and make me DOCTOR WHO ORNAMENTS! WHAT THE!? aren't they amazing?!

my parents gave me plenty of polaroid film...so happy! and my little brother game me "the polaroid book"...which i have been eyeing foreverz.

ted surprised me again with a ipod touch...which has now become my new best friend. using tumblr while laying in bed is especially glorious, by the way.

and then ted gave me this amazing hunger games tshirt...which i fear i will wear until it is threadbare.

PS, I want some new blogs to read! If I have never visited yours before, leave a comment introducing yourself with a link to your blog. One of my goals for the new year is to reach out to my readers more, and I would just love to meet you! xo!

christmas eve

2011-12-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

Oh goodness, I don't think Ted and I have ever gotten to spend an entire Christmas Eve together before this year. We slept in, then went to brunch with Ty & Sierra at Joe's Farmgrill...and it was delicious. Have you ever been for breakfast? It's amazing. After brunch we came home, and I cooked a few dishes for a family Christmas Eve party that night, while Ted finished his shopping.

The evening was spent at my grandparent's house for our annual Christmas Eve party. We all missed my Aunt Kim a lot, because she just recently moved to Oregon. Kim, if you are reading this, PLEASE come to Arizona next year...it wasn't the same without you.

When we came home we finished wrapping presents, and sang every single Christmas hymn from the hymn book. It was probably one of the most touching moments of our married life, for me. Something about being snuggled in bed, sharing a hymn book, with only the fairy lights on, singing praises to our Savior. It just meant a lot to me.

Christmas Eve is always my favorite.

scenes from the christmas weekend

2011-12-26T18:36:00.002-07:00

[a] fresh herbs about to be chopped to throw into my beloved rice stuffing.

[b] brunch at joe's farmgrill on christmas eve.

[c] mac looking extra cute hanging out under the christmas tree at my parent's house.

[d] a self timer shot gone wrong.

[e] haha...more from that silly bear later.

[f] our christmas tree on christmas eve.

[g] all of mine & ted's presents wrapped and ready to be opened!

♥

wanna tell me about your favorite thing about this weekend? share in the comments!

instagram

2011-12-26T09:04:00.003-07:00

hi everyone! i hope you all had the most glorious christmas!

mine and ted deemed this year "the best christmas ever!" :) i have lots of photos to share, but first, i wanted to let you guys know that i now have instagram! if you want to follow along on my photo adventures, follow me @busybeelauren. also, i joined pinterest...i know, i am getting with the times now.

instagram @busybeelauren // pinterest here

xo!

best hair ever?

2011-12-23T08:36:00.001-07:00

merry christmas, ya filthy animals.

had to be posted again.

2011-12-22T13:51:00.002-07:00

i was looking through my youtube channel randomly, and i saw this video.

and i remembered how random it was. and that we made over a year ago. A YEAR! how is that even possible!?

anyway, i thought i would share it again today, because it made me laugh. and if i laughed while being sick, well, that's a Christmas miracle.

Countdown to Hunger Games: Week 3

2011-12-21T08:08:00.003-07:00

Hello, everyone! This week for my Countdown to Hunger Games feature, we have Jennifer...who I think just might be my spirit animal. Except she is way cooler than me. Jennifer is an American currently living and working in Europe. Her blog follows her adventures, and it is hilarious. And she takes amazeballs photos. So if you haven't started following her, you probably should. Or you just might die. Also, she loves Hunger Games! Today she has a fun post for you, so enjoy! Oh, and as always...if you haven't read Hunger Games yet, this post does contain spoilers!

Around the World in 30 Days: A Hunger Games fan story

This past August, I flew home to the U.S. for a month, in dire need of a break from all this European travel (cry me a river, I know, but sometimes it's exhausting, okay?). It was the most relaxing and rewarding month of 2011 by far. All I did was lay out at my parent's pool, consume fatty American food by the truckload and spend time with family and friends I hadn't seen in 8 months. August was a great month for another reason, though.... On August 30, right before my return flight to Europe, my sister gave me 3 books: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay. I thanked her kindly for them, but there was a hint of hesitance in my voice. When she asked why I seemed reluctant to jump on the HG bandwagon, I told her, "They just seem like...boy books. I've never liked science fiction-y things and, besides, aren't these books really, like, futuristic?". My sister assured me that I would not only like the books, but that I'd love them -- be obsessed with them, even.

And o-m-g, was she right.

I started The Hunger Games on my flight to London, where I stayed for a couple of days before traveling onward to Germany. 3 chapters into the book, I knew it was over. I knew I had lost my heart to these characters (maybe even my soul -- is that too dramatic to say?), namely Peeta (I mean, duh). Right there in the great city of London is where I absorbed the majority of Book 1. Forget Big Ben and the river Thames, I was more focused on District 12's tributes and a handful of berries. In fact, I don't think I'll be able to visit that city again without being reminded of the girl on fire, the boy with the bread and the horrific games that brought them together.

I made myself ration the series so as to spread the literary love over the course of 30 days. I figured allowing myself 10 days of reading per book would be fair, right? Wrong. I could have read each book in a day. I couldn't tear my eyes from the pages! Ten days into September, I had just started a new teaching job at a school in Dresden, Germany. Living a half hour away from the school required me to commute each morning/afternoon via train -- ideal for reading, as I had just begun Chapter 1 of Catching Fire. Sitting on the train, crossing over the bridge, is where I first read the shocking news that Peeta and Katniss would be thrust back into the games. My mouth dropped open and I'm sure I gasped loudly, no doubt startling the other passengers in my compartment. I made this commute so often with my nose in this book that it's hard for me to ride the train now without Peeta's accompaniment (don't judge, you know you wish he were your real-life boyfriend, too).

Starting Mockingjay induced within me very mixed emotions. On the one hand, I was so ready for Peeta and Katniss to just get together already -- and make it official, please! On the other hand, what if one of them dies? What if they both die? What if -- heaven forbid -- she chooses Gale?! GALE! The male-lead-in-The-Last-Song-and-Miley-Cyrus's-current-lover Gale!!? (It's true, I imagined Liam Hemsworth as the Gale character from page 1). I spent the last week of September celebrating my 24th birthday in Salzburg and, on the morning of my birthday, exactly 30 days after I first received the series, I opened the book to the last pages of Mockingjay with a lump in my throat. Looking out over the famous Linzergasse street, I read the words, "So after, when he whispers, 'You love me: Real or not real?', I tell him 'Real' " with chills all over my body and tears streaming down my face.

Having these books at my side made traveling the world (okay, not really "the world", so much as "Europe") all the more memorable, in a weird but special way. I'll always remember the games starting in London, the tension building in Dresden and the long-awaited resolution which came to be in Salzburg. And while I was devastated to finish the series (seriously, Suzanne, can't you take a page out of J.K.'s book and go for 7? 3 is just mean!), at least I have a light at the end of this sad, miserable, Peeta-less tunnel in that March 23 is only a few months away. And while I'm not exactly sure in what country I'll be come March, I can tell you this much -- if there is a movie theater in that country, you know I'll find it.

May the odds be ever in your favor,
Jenni Austria Germany

Have you ever read Hunger Games in a unique place?

See Week 1 here!

See Week 2 here!

parks and recreation

2011-12-20T10:57:00.001-07:00

i cannot stop watching "Parks and Recreation"...

And why is our Ben Wyatt jumping and running in terrific menswear? I do not care why, actually. Carry on. (sidenote: do you know how many tumblrs there are that are dedicated to Ben Wyatt? 5 billion...almost as many as Ryan Gosling. AKA...NOT ENOUGH TUMBLRS.)

I have told you before, but I work in the Parks Department. And for the longest time I swore I would never watch the show because after viewing the pilot episode, I deemed it too close to life. You guys...THE SHOW IS MY LIFE. For those that follow me on twitter, you know the shenanigans that happen daily. Anyway, after some convincing from Ted, texts from Kate, and Abbi's tumblr, I started watching more episodes last week. And now I am almost to season 4. I can't stop. Won't stop.

Do you watch Parks and Rec? Who is your favorite character? I'm thinking mine is a toss up between Tom and Ben (obvi). But April reminds me of myself. Have I ever told you I am kind of morbid and weird? 'Tis true. Me + April = bestie pal soulmates. Anyway...let's discuss Parks!

PS...the posts will be a bit scarce. I am VERY ill. And it's very unfortunate timing. Let's hope I get better by Christmas.

year in review

2011-12-16T09:32:00.001-07:00

my favorite moments of 2011:

[january] - fancy new year's dinner party at our casa with ty/sierra and marcus/ashley. maybe it needs to be a new tradition?!

[february] - my birthday spent at disneyland. and even though i hated it, conquering my fear of going on an upside down rollercoaster all in the same day!

and then my Beatles themed birthday party:

[march] - getting to meet and hang out with some of my very favorite girls...and we all met through blogging! well...except for ashley, i've known her forever :)

[april] - celebrating "record store day" with my brother at Hoodlums.

[may] - adopted Gambit from the pound on a whim :)

and mark + amber getting married...

and a day trip to Jerome with friends :)

[june] - day trip to tucson to see Okkervil River...

[july] - getting my first roll of Diana film back!

[august] - receiving our hilarious Free Crappy Portrait...best day ever? i think so.

taking a weekend trip to Pine with ted and documenting it with a disposable camera and instax film because we left our digital on home on accident.

and seeing Josh Groban in concert!

[september] - a day trip to Tombstone with ted...

[october] - going on a little date to the Air Museum at Falcon Field.

having a "pumpkin night" at our house...love!

and when we dressed as The Doctor and Rose for halloween...

[november] - my mom being by my side when i went into surgery...AGAIN.

getting our anniversary photos back...

and getting to see the fall leaves with my family!

and hosting thanksgiving for the first time!

[december] - disneyland for Ted's birthday!

list of books i read this year & my ratings:

Anna and the French Kiss (****)

Divergent (***)

Thirteen Reasons Why (***)

Before I Fall (***)

One Day (*)

Perks of Being a Wallflower (***)

Delirium (*****)

The Giver (****)

Matched (*****)

Fallen (**)

Torment (**)

Passion (**)

Hush, Hush (****)

Crescendo (***)

Hourglass Door (****)

Golden Spiral (***)

Forever Locket (***)

Son of Eden (**)

Clockwork Angel (*****)

Jellicoe Road (***)

Flipped (***)

City of Fallen Angels (*)

Graceling (*)

It's Kind of a Funny Story (***)

Red Riding Hood (**)

Beastly (**)

Elixir ( 0 )

Uglies (*)

The Book Thief (*****)

Incarceron (*)

The Outsiders (***)

Franny and Zooey (***)

The Maze Runner (****)

The Scorch Trials (***)

The Little Prince (*****)

Lola and the Boy Next Door (****)

The Truth About Forever (****)

Just Listen (***)

This Lullaby (****)

Along For The Ride (***)

Mark of Royalty (**)

Silence (***)

Crossed (*****)

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children (**)

list of movies i saw that came out in 2011 and my ratings:

Country Strong (**)
Green Hornet (**)
Waiting for Forever (**)
Gnomeo and Juliet (****)
I am Number Four (***)
Adjustment Bureau (**)
Beastly (**)
Jane Eyre (****)
Red Riding Hood (***)
Source Code (*****)
Soul Surfer (***)
The Conspirator (*****)
Something Borrowed (**)
Thor (***)
Midnight in Paris (*****)
X-Men First Class (****)
Super 8 (*****)
Monte Carlo (*)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (***** x a million!)
Captain America (****)
Crazy Stupid Love (***)
Fright Night (***)
One Day (*)
Breaking Dawn (*)
Muppets (*****)
Like Crazy (*****)

What were your favorite moments from this year? What were your favorite books and movies you saw??

zach singing at temple lights

2011-12-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

i've said it before, and i'll say it again: zach is the child gifted with the perfect pitch in our family. and he actually loves choir, which makes my mom fangirl inside. but anyway, zach had a solo during his choir's temple lights performance last monday, so we all went to support that young fellow.

each year the community helps set up thousands of christmas lights all over the LDS mesa temple grounds. people can go and enjoy the beautiful lights for free, and each night there are musical performances. my old high school, westwood, performs each year. it was pretty fun to see zach singing a solo...mostly because he rocks. and is cool. and we love him.

good job, zach!

does your town have a cool christmas light display?

Countdown to Hunger Games: Week 2

2011-12-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

A big thank you to everyone that's excited about the "Countdown to Hunger Games" feature! I am super excited about it, and the guest posts I have for you guys are pretty epic! Today I am featuring one of my best friends, Kate. She and I love Hunger Games more than anyone on the planet, and our friendship actually blossomed over a mutual love for the series. So, along with Hunger Games being an amazing series, we both have a special place in our hearts for it because of our friendship that is closely knit in with the story :) I proudly present to you, Kate!

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Hi there BBL readers! I’m Kate. You’ve probably never heard of me before. That’s ok. Sometimes I visit Lauren in Arizona and when I do I basically force her to listen to mixes I make about Peeta and Katniss. I guess that turned out ok last time because Lar asked me to make a NEW mix to keep the Peeta & Katniss love going. Well I pretty much love music and I pretty much LOVE The Hunger Games so I was very excited to make a new Hunger Games mix. My suggestion is to listen while you re-read the Trilogy, which obviously you all should be doing. I also suggest re-reading it right about now because if you’re anything like me, if you read it too soon before the movie you’ll drive yourself crazy nit-picking everything they do wrong/differently/not-at-all. Far better to have it semi-fresh in your mind but not too fresh if you ask me.

Here’s a little guide to what I had in mind when I picked each song, although I hope you’ll each use your imagination as well and tell me how you interpret things. I admit it’s a bit more of a Peeta & Katniss mix than anything else but Lar and I are in talks to make a more general one later on. I get a little carried away by my love for Peeta.

Kate's Hunger Games Playlist by Lauren Brimley on Grooveshark

The Hunger Games

1.) “Numb” by Marina and the Diamonds
Katniss: In general from the moment she volunteers through preparing to enter the Arena.

*2.) “Iris” by The Goo Goo Dolls
Peeta: When he realizes he has to face the girl he loves in the arena…and that she doesn’t even know him yet; “I just want you to know who I am.”

*3.) “Drumming Song” by Florence +The Machine
General: When they enter the arena. This song is more for pace/mood than lyrics.

4.) “Riverside” by Agnes Obel
General: During the cave scenes; eerie calm and meaningful moments amidst the bloodbathe.

5.) “Blue and Yellow” by The Used
Peeta: In the games, during their brief respite while it rained.

Catching Fire

*6.) “Kill” by Jimmy Eat World
Peeta: Trying to readapt to life in District 12 while he still longs for Katniss; “You kill me, you build me up but just to watch me break.”

7.) “Posture, Etc.” by Say Hi
Katniss: Trying to act normal in District 12 for her family and during press moments although everything is different post-Games.

8.) “Ring of Fire” by Jack Savoretti
Peeta. (And his consuming love for Katniss, especially in the Arena 2.0)

9.) “Blinding” by Florence +The Machine
Katniss in the second games. Hardened, haunted. The rebellion stirring up. “All around the world was waking, I never could go back.”

*10.) “Wonderwall” by Ryan Adams
Peeta: When he realizes he won’t be able to convince Katniss to not save him in the arena.

*11.) “Cosmic Love” by Florence +The Machine
Katniss: As the arena explodes, she thinks of Peeta as she blacks out. “Then I heard your heart beating, you were in the darkness too, so I stayed in the darkness with you.”

Mockingjay

12.) “Dead Hearts” by Stars
Katniss & Gale: Katniss is haunted by everything she’s been through, Peeta’s loss and she knows Gale could never relate.

13.) “Set the Fire to the Third Bar” by Snow Patrol
Katniss: She clings to her pearl and the hope she has in the fact that Peeta is alive, and dreams of finding a way to get to him.

14.) “I Found a Reason” by Cat Power
Katniss: Realizing throughout the book how she can’t live without Peeta. She realizes she does love him and is suffering without him.

15.) “Hate Every Beautiful Day” by Sugarcult
Peeta: The anger “new” Peeta feels and the distrust. We all know Peeta was not our beloved old Peeta when he came back, he was volatile and angry and didn’t know what was real. This song sort of fits the mood I feel for him.

16.) “Never is a Promise” by Fiona Apple
Katniss about Gale: At the point when Katniss is feeling more and more betrayed by the things Gale is willing to do and she knows they have grown irreparably apart in ideals and what they’ve experienced. “You’ll never feel the heat of this soul, My fever burns me deeper than I’ve ever shown to you.”

17.) “Hide and Seek” by Imogen Heap
General: I sort of always imagined everything going completely still and silent in Katniss’ head when she sees Prim blown up. This song fits that moment for me, as well as how she feels about Gale’s hand in the attack.

*18.) “Make you Feel My Love” by Adele
Katniss: She won’t give up on helping Peeta remember and reclaiming their love. This also goes for Peeta as he regains himself and tries to help Katniss recover too.

19.) “Marching On” by One Republic
Peeta & Katniss: Trying to move forward and rebuild life together after returning to District 12. Trying to recover.

19.) “After the Storm” by Mumford & Sons
Peeta & Katniss: The end, the epilogue, healing, perfection.

Bonus Song: “Poison & Wine” by The Civil Wars
This song is just absolutely everything. It could fit in so many places for so many situations but it is Katniss & Peeta to the ends of the earth. “I don’t have a choice but I still choose you.”

I hope you enjoyed the mix! What are your favorite Hunger Games or Peeta/Katniss inspired songs?

Did you miss Week 1? See it here!

instant wednesday

2011-12-14T00:01:00.001-07:00

there are few things more magical than taking a polaroid camera with you to disneyland. it's also fun to see people look at you like you are craycray when you pull the camera out and then see the film shoot out! people were asking where to get film left and right. maybe next time i should pass out impossible film business cards.

which is your favorite pola?

*shot with a polaroid sun

impossible film color shade

scenes from the weekend: in old town orange

2011-12-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

sierra has been telling me foreverz to visit old town orange, so when a bunch of you suggested we visit, i figured it was about time we get our butts there. on saturday morning before we headed home, we made a stop in orange...and let me tell you...i was so sad we didn't have an entire day to spend browsing all of the cute antique shops, and enjoying the wonderful weather.

we had to head back super quick because i had planned a surprise birthday party for ted with all of our friends later that night. it was kind of hard to convince him that i wanted to leave after only an hour of walking around orange. he was super confused as to why i was rushing, because their was vintage everywhere. i think he thought i was insane, or super ill or something.

poor ted.

good news was, the surprise party was a success. i feel like a cool wife.

"it's a trap!"

2011-12-12T23:19:00.002-07:00

my mom and i worked hard on ted's star wars themed birthday party, and honestly...what else is there to say that the above gif didn't say? it was a partaaaaaay...and i love my family.

oh, and being princess leia for the night was cool too.

THE END. AMEN.

our day in disneyland

2011-12-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

it's tedauren tradition to always eat breakfast at la brea bakery before a day of disneyland.

ted sending a disneyland tweet to twitter. he finds himself amusing as you can see.

the pumpkins at haunted mansion are my favorite!

the before and after shots of ted in the front seat on splash mountain. needless to say, he was cold the rest of the day.

ted got a little tired waiting for the parade to start, so he napped against my leg. it's how we do.

our day at disneyland was seriously perfect. we couldn't have asked for a better day! since ted and i tend to go to disneyland twice a year, i sometimes worry we might get sick of the place...but we never do! it seems to get even more magical each time we visit.

and can we please talk about how AWESOME the new Star Tours is?! we were FREAKING out like nerds after we got off the ride. AMAZING.

happy birthday to my ted!

2011-12-12T00:01:00.001-07:00

Today is Ted's 25th birthday and we started celebrating on Friday with a trip to Disneyland. The party concludes tonight with a Star Wars themed party at mama's house. Joyous, indeed.

It's strange to think that I knew this boy when he was 16 years old. So strange, I don't even want to think about us growing any older...

Let's just focus on the fact that I love him very much. More than anything on this earth. And I think birthdays are pretty brilliant because it gives me the chance to celebrate Ted all day today.

Ted now has a twitter, so if you would like tweet him a happy birthday, I am sure that would make his day. Because otherwise, it would be a day full of him just clean other people's crappy carpets. Working on your birthday sucks.

Happy Birthday, Ted! I kinda love you.

*photos by The Sloans

tonto natural bridge

2011-12-11T09:02:00.002-07:00

a few weeks back i went with my parents and little brother up to the cabin, and on the way back we decided to take a little hike to see the national bridge. it is AMAZING. seriously. and with the leaves changing all around, it was even more magnificent. i love that arizona is full of beautiful surprises.

giveaway winners announced!

2011-12-11T06:00:00.002-07:00

congrats to the winners! please email me at laurenkbrimley"at"gmail"dot"com to claim your prize!

movie recommendation: little manhattan

2011-12-08T09:03:00.001-07:00

About a year ago, Kate told me I should watch "Little Manhattan" and I made a mental note to watch it. Problem was, I got my cities mixed up because I mentally made a note to watch "Philadelphia Story"...which I watched, and it is good. But I digress, I didn't watch "Little Manhattan" because I am an idiot. Then, a few months ago my mom told me she Netflixed a cute movie called "Little Manhattan" and that her and dad didn't think it would be good (just like 75% of the movies they choose to Netflix. I can't even...) but that it ended up being pretty awesome. I couldn't figure out why the name "Little Manhattan" rang a bell...but meh.

And then Josh Hutcherson was cast as Peeta, and I felt it my civic duty to study up on his acting chops. I had already seen him in "Bridge to Terabithia" which I LOVE and have seen 5 billion times because dude...have you read the book? Love that book and movie. But anyway, I saw him in "RV" which I deem one of the worst movies of all time, along with "Beverly Hills Chihuahua: 2", "Killers" and "Just My Luck". So I needed more movies to study up on. As I perused his IMDB (aka, the best site of all time, and way more useful than my kidney) I saw...dun dun dunnnnn..."Little Manhattan". And then I remembered why Kate told me to watch it in the first place. And then I remembered that I was an idiot. Which happens a lot.

Ted and I rented it from Amazon last night and dude...it was one of the cutest movies I have ever seen. Let me tell you how much we both loved it:

I was willing to sit in our office that has NO heating system, for two hours as we watched it on our crappy computer. And since we were too lazy to bring in another chair, Ted was willing to kneel on his knees for two hours just to be close to the computer. I know. It was that good. We were freezing, and in pain, and we didn't even care. Well...honestly, I cared a little bit. I still would have liked a space heater. And a parka. And some apple cider. But who's taking notes?

The movie is about an 11 year old boy who is enjoying his "perfect" life, until he decides to join a karate class. In this karate class the only familiar face he sees is a Rosemary's...a girl he has gone to school with since they were in kindergarten. But, ew! Girls have cooties. After they are paired up as karate partners, he decides it's okay if they are just "karate friends".

He soon realizes that she is a LOT better at karate than he is. She offers to help him, and so they meet up to practice.

On the way to Rosemary's house, she tells him she needs to make a stop at a dress shop so she can try on her flower girl dress. He relunctantly goes along with her. And when he sees her twirl in front of the mirror? Something happens to poor little Gabe. He realizes maybe she doesn't have cooties after all...

Gabe and Rosemary form a friendship, and start hanging out together a lot. It's hard for Gabe because he doesn't understand the strong feelings he is forming for this girl who was always "the third prettiest girl at school" and until now, had major cooties. He struggles with "keeping it cool" and interpreting the confusing looks she gives him. Does she like him too!?

Here they are surfing Tumblr...and reading blogs.

And here they are reading Us Weekly...

Here they are looking very incredibly awkward. Are those Shirley Temples? Can I haz it?

Ooooooooooh dang.

What even...

It's okay. All boys were shorter than girls in elementary school. Or maybe that was just my affliction?

The movie was HILARIOUS. Gabe's inner dialogue was what drove the movie. The comedic timing was perfection, especially coming from such little kids! Ted and I were laughing out loud throughout the movie. And can I tell you that it is kind of reaaaaally hard to get me to laugh out loud? I might think something is mildly funny, and I will kind of give an unattractive smirk...and that's me about 70% of the time someone tells a joke. So, yes...this movie was hilarious. It also was heartwarming, because everyone can remember their first major crush. The all-encompassing crush that seems to eat out your insides and you think you have contracted an illness that will surely kill you. Yep, that's this movie. Except less violent than that.

dinner at ty&cc's

2011-12-08T07:00:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, Ty and Sierra invited us over for dinner. We feasted on pot roast, and sipped on sparkling apple juice. I snuck Mac little pieces of beef fat, and that made him an especially happy dog. We marveled at the ginormousness of their Christmas tree...and were jealous that they had a real one. And then we decided since it was such a cold night that we had to make a run to Starbucks for hot chocolate and apple cider. Have you had their apple cider? It tastes LIKE HEAVEN.

Countdown to Hunger Games: Week 1

2011-12-07T10:50:00.004-07:00

I am excited to announce a fun new series that I will be having on the blog each week, for the weeks leading up to the release of The Hunger Games movie! I have asked bloggers and friends to contribute for this fun ongoing party. Some people will post on their favorite part of the series, some will post DIYs, some mixtapes and etc. It will be so fun to get some discussions going on this beloved series! I will start off this week with a post on "Mockingjay" :)

**WARNING: This post contains spoilers for The Hunger Games series. If you haven't read the series, PLEASE don't read this post. Just don't, mmmkay?**

Last August, after I finished reading Mockingjay, hours after it was released, I just felt so many emotions I needed time to process. I knew that I loved the series. knew I loved the way it ended. I knew I loved so many different aspects of the final book. But I still felt raw...and I didn't know how to pinpoint my feelings. At least I didn't know how to process them enough to write a proper blog post about it.

I didn't touch The Hunger Games series for over a year.

In 2011 I read 50 books. My original goal was to read 25, but I decided to double that number after I read 18 books in January alone. There were times I would read a book and be like, "This book is SO good! It's ALMOST as good as Hunger Games!" or in the case of "Crossed" I even proclaimed "I LOVE KY MORE THAN PEETA!" And you guys...I am so second hand embarrassed for myself. Seriously, what an absolute fool I was. I can't stress that enough. In a lot of ways I am so glad I read so many books this year because when I reread Hunger Games I remembered that no other books compare to my love for them. For what a perfect story it is. For what amazing characters Suzanne has created. I am in awe...and I am humbled.

So, a year later...what are my thoughts on Mockingjay? Well, get ready for a very long winded post.

It always legitimately pains me when I hear that people hated Mockingjay. You can tell me your reasonings why all the day long, and I will still respectively disagree with you. For a long time I really wondered why I loved it so much, and others hated it. And I have come up with a couple theories. One being that a lot of people that have read this series have also read Twilight. I cannot begin to tell you how different these stories are, but still...people like to compare them. The difference is, Stephenie Meyer has created a fairytale. One that ended wrapped in a neat little bow. One that isn't realistic. And that is perfectly okay! A lot of the times I read to escape, and Twilight is a great way to escape. However, Hunger Games is not an easy escape. It is a powerful story about very hard, real things. It's a story about a young girl that has to stand up for what she believes in. She has to be brave. She is flawed, but that's what makes her relatable, because she is flawed in the right ways. There are true villians in this story. There are true heroes in this story. And this story doesn't end wrapped in a bow. And that's why I loved it. I believed in the ending. And it felt right.

Sometimes I wonder if the reason I love it so much is because I had to wait between books. I had more time to analyze the story. To think about the characters. To tell myself that the story might not end happily. That characters will die. Some will be tortured. I let myself think about these things. I had time to process and come to terms with this. Whereas, a lot of people read the series after all of the books were released and read them in a whirlwind of a few days, and yes...I can see how someone might not like the ending. It would feel abrupt. It would feel a little empty. And some might confuse that with not liking the story, and missing the intentional point that Suzanne Collins made.

This series is about war. And bravery. And it is driven by love. It's not a love story that has a war as a side story. Meaning, this story features a lot of the hard aspects of war. And in this case, kids are thrown into the mix. And it's awful. And there are many times where I literally ached for the characters. This is what I look for in a book. I want to feel it. And Mockingjay gave that to me.

I had read Hunger Games and Catching Fire many times before Mockingjay came out. I loved them. But there were things that drove me nuts about Katniss. I knew that she was a teenager, and I had to constantly remind myself of that fact, but there were many times I wanted to shake her and say, "wake up!" I was annoyed that she strung both Gale and Peeta along. I understood that she couldn't let either of them go, but it still pained me. It pained me that while she occasionally thought about the pain that she might be causing them, she mostly couldn't face the fact that she couldn't deal with not having both of them at her side. And I felt she was selfish. And I was also annoyed that she couldn't admit to herself that she loved Peeta. Maybe she didn't know at what level, but it was clear to those around her, and to the reader that she did in fact love the boy with the bread. I also felt that she didn't appreciate Peeta enough as a friend. Yes, he loved her, but I am talking actual friendship. When he would quietly do acts of service for her and her family. He was often doing things behind the scenes, giving her space...giving her the space she wanted to have with Gale. But still never leaving her side. I felt like he deserved better from her. At least more appreciation for the kindness he always showed her.

And after I read Mockingjay I understood. I finally was given the satisfaction of knowing that Katniss was madly in love with him. And she let herself believe it too. The first time I read it I rushed through the book like a mad woman. I picked up on the fact that she loved him, but I didn't take the time to really think about the words I was reading...how almost every single page is mentions how much she aches for him. It wasn't until this second read that I truly was able to appreciate the beauty and how romantic Mockingjay really is. You just have to look. For two stories we were given copious amounts of sweet Peeta moments. Moments that made us swoon, and love him and want to beat up Katniss. And then the absense of the Peeta we knew? It took the book to a completely different level for me. Suzanne Collins gave us the opportunity to miss Peeta along with Katniss. To feel the pain of losing him. To feel how much she loves him. To know the depth of her love for him. She turned Katniss into someone we could relate to. And I loved that about the story. And for once, the most swoonworthy lines of the book came from Katniss, not Peeta. And it was refreshing. Here are some of my favorites:

"It's only now that he's corrupted that I can fully appreciate the real Peeta. Even more than I would've if he'd died. The kindness, the steadiness, the warmth that had an unexpected heat behind it. Outside of Prim, my mother and Gale, how many people in this worl love me unconditionally? I think in my case, the answer may now be none. Sometimes when I am alone, I take the pearl from where it lives in my pocket and try to remember the boy with the bread, the strong arms that warded off nightmares ont he train, the kisses in the arena. To make myself put a name to the thing I've lost. But what's the use? It's gone. He's gone. Whatever existed between us is gone. All that's left is my promise to kill Snow. I tell myself this ten times a day."

" 'You're a painter. You're a baker. You like to sleep with the windows open. You never take sugar in your tea. And you always double-knot your shoelaces.' Then I dive into my tent before I do something stupid like cry."

"It's a long shot, it's suicide maybe, but I do the only thing I can think of. I lean in and kiss Peeta full on the mouth. His whole body starts shuddering, but I keep my lips pressed to his until I have to come up for air. My hands slide up his wrists to clasp his. 'Don't let him take you from me!' ... 'Stay with me.' ...His pupils contract to pinpoints, dilate again rapidly, and then turn to something resembling normalcy. 'Always,' he murmurs."

And then there is Finnick. The friendship between him and Katniss is what helped drive the story, in my opinion. He was able to be there for her and understand her when no one else could. Out of all of the friendships in this series, I always felt like theirs was the most true. Katniss equally helped him, and he equally helped her. And even though his death was abrupt, and painful, I think Suzanne Collins was able to do something that a lot of authors are too afraid to do. She was able to let go of characters to make the story more realistic. The loss of Finnick helped kindle the fire in Katniss, resulting in a more powerful story. Was it tragic? Definitely. And I still mourn him. But was his death noble? Yes.

Gale. Oh Gale. I don't know how to properly share my thoughts on this topic, but I will give it a shot. I will honestly say I never cared for the man. But that doesn't mean I haven't tried to understand the draw to him. And in a lot of ways I can understand why others have loved him. He is a strong, he is manly, and he is red-blooded. He cares for Katniss, and is her longest friend. He has protected her family, and Katniss feels she can rely on him. And I feel like he has been a great character in this story. But I have never felt that he was the one for Katniss. I went into reading these books knowing nothing about them. I didn't know which boy was the one I was supposed to root for. I just started reading. And I can honestly say that from the moment I knew about Peeta and the bread, I was a goner. I felt like him and Katniss were right for each other. But with any good book series, there has to be a bit of a love triangle.

One night I was talking with Ted, who is quite a big fan of this series and actually read them before I did, and he said something so profound, I had to kiss him for it. He said, "I never felt that there was even a love triangle. I feel like Katniss always knew in her heart that Peeta was the one for her, but she is so loyal, and loyalty is such a big part of who she is, she felt she owed it to Gale to not give up on him. She felt she owed him to be loyal to him, because he was there for her first. But when it comes to the two of them, there was never a competition for who truly had her heart."

Wow.

I feel like Ted hit it right on the nail. I feel like Katniss always cared for Gale, and she cared deeply for him, but it wasn't deep enough. And she was so torn between being loyal to each of the boys, that she just didn't know what else to do but drag them each along. Selfish? Yes. But believable for a young woman? Sadly, yes.

I felt like the friendship between Katniss and Gale was fractured the moment she entered the Hunger Games. It's sad, but it's true. And as much as he wishes that things could go back to the way things were, they couldn't...because that's how life is. Sometimes horrible things happen, and you can try to start over, but you never really can. You have to just move forward. Problem was, Gale couldn't move forward. I never felt like he ever forgave Katniss completely for the faux/sorta real romance that took place in the first Hunger Games. And because of that, their friendship was rocky. And in Mockingjay I truly began to see it deteriorate.

A lot of people feel like Suzanne Collins made Gale more brutal than he really was, in order for us to understand the reason why Katniss chose Peeta in the end. But I completely disagree. I feel like he was true to the character that he was in the first book. It has been noted in the very first book, that Gale would go off on tangents about the Capitol, and for a need for rebellion. His rebellious nature was nothing new. And that doesn't make him a bad person...it's just who he was. And so when he was actually part of the rebellion, it was only natural for him to become a strong soldier. And while I didn't agree with his war tactics and views, and Katniss didn't either, that doesn't mean he wasn't a good character and person. But he wasn't right for Katniss. The more time that passed, and the more violence that Katniss witnessed, she needed someone different than Gale. And honestly, Gale would have been happier with someone a different than the person that Katniss had become.

Katniss was broken. Peeta was broken. And and that end of the book, I was broken too. I felt like I had been thrown into the ringer. And honestly, the first time around I panicked when I realized that there were only a few pages left and Peeta and Katniss still hadn't been given their happy ending. I worried they wouldn't get it. I worried I wouldn't be rewarded with what I deserved! And when I read the ending, it was bittersweet. And it was over. And I cried.

But you know what? After re-reading and knowing how it ended, the ending felt more real. And I have come to the conclusion that the ending is perfect. Suzanne Collins gave us Katniss' story. It was a horrible, painful one. But it was true. And Suzanne also gave Peeta and Katniss a gift. She gave them the chance to rebuild their lives without people watching. People, being us. The readers. They had spent two of the hardest years of their lives performing for others. Their emotions and hardest moments broadcast to the world. It was time for them to rebuild their life together. And I know that they did. This passage in the book gave me certainty that they were able to be okay in the end and finally be in love:

"You're still trying to protect me. Real or not real," he whispers.

"Real," I answer. "Because that's what you and I do. Protect each other."

instant wednesday

2011-12-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Ted and I have been having fun decorating for Christmas. Doesn't that polaroid of the twinkle lights, look so magical? Love the light leaks and the strange coloring!

Here is a playlist for your morning made up entirely of songs that Ted and I like to belt out together:

Spunky Playlist by Lauren Brimley on Grooveshark

setting up Christmas land

2011-12-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

I think I preach about this every year, but Ted and I are sooooo not believers in the themed trees. Yes, they are beautiful, and yes, sometimes I see one and say, "ah! I want to do that this year!" and then when we open up our ornament box I remember why I never do. Having a tree full of ornaments associated with moments and special memories makes Christmastime so much more special for us because we get to relive those moments again. Like how every time we go to Disneyland we buy an ornament to signify the meaning of why we wen that particular year. Or the Ninja Turtle I bought Ted last year because it was his favorite show growing up. And the white hootie owl Ted bought for me because I had been admiring it for weeks.

Those little memories were what made our night the best when we put up our crappy fake Christmas tree, and laughed as it almost fell over. Awesomespice.

Click to see our Christmas tree from last year. I'm thinking I need to add some polaroids to our tree this year!

daily outfit: tacos jalisco...again!

2011-12-06T00:01:00.000-07:00

[jacket: vintage, dress: vintage-thrifted, leggings: marshall's, boots: thrifted, bag: juicy couture]

You guys...we are addicted to Tacos Jalisco. And I now love the fish taco more than the ceviche. Have you been yet? Why haven't you run there? Seriously...it's like 2 bucks and you are so full you want to die. It's awesome.

Wanna know what else is awesome? That puddle photo that Ted took. What in the worrrrld...

Also awesome: we are going to Disneyland on Thursday. I can't even...

scenes from the weekend

2011-12-05T12:00:00.000-07:00

This weekend was spent:

[1] Going to Le Grande Orange and watching Ratatouille beside a fire with our favorite people.

[2] Searching all of the thrift stores in Mesa for a tinsel tree. To no avail :(

[3] Playing with my mama's new birdie Wall-e! He can say "pretty bird" and mimic laughs :)

[4] Breaking in my new sequined oxfords from Wanted! I am hoping to wear them to Disneyland this week!

[5] Setting up our Christmas tree and watching Christmas movies together :) First time watching "Miracle on 34th Street"! So precious.

[6] Enjoying all of the beautiful rain!

What did you do this weekend?

daily outfit: sunday dandies

2011-12-05T00:01:00.001-07:00

[jacket: abercrombie+fitch (9 years old!!) dress: vintage-thrifted, leggings: marshall's, boots: thrifted]

You thought I would never do an outfit post again, huh? Well, I have to say that after I had surgery on my boobage, I didn't really feel like wearing anything cute because everything felt too restricting. So basically, I am now getting dressed again. Awesome.

In other news, we have so many dang oranges on our trees we don't know what to do with ourselves. Do you want to come over and hop the fence and steal a bunch? We wouldn't even notice.

Srsly.

foggy morning

2011-12-04T21:28:00.003-07:00

When we stepped outside to go to church, we were greeted with a very foggy scene! I couldn't believe how thick the fog was, and the ice droplets on our poinsettia! It was so cold I had to run back inside and grab a jacket, even though we were already late for church (as usual). Yay for winter time!

tacos jalisco + DI that has crap

2011-12-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Mesa readers,

Please do yourself a favor and run to the hole-in-the-wall mexican food joint located right to the west of Deseret Industries called Tacos Jalisco. It's mine and Ted's very favorite. I highly recommend the ceviche tostada...though you may want to propose to it. So if you are married, that may be a problem. I know it was for me. We also love the fish burrito, rolled tacos, green chile burrito...and by "we" I mean Ted. Because, like I said, I could marry that ceviche tostada.

So go get your mexi food on, and then go sift through the loads of crap at Deseret Industries...because honestly, it's the best thrift store. And I'm not just saying that because I'm Mormon, and we head it up. It's just awesome like that.

But really, that ceviche tostada? I can't even...

Love, me

(that wasn't a command to love me. but you can if you want.)

The End. Amen.

scenes from the thanksgiving weekend

2011-12-02T00:01:00.001-07:00

I already miss eating Thanksgiving leftovers. Makes me sad thinking I have to actually make dinner.

But on a happier note, since we were hosting last week, we actually decorated our house and hung crap on the walls. So that's pretty awesomespice. Wanna know what else is awesomespice? That we decorated for Christmas outside :)

Wanna know what else is awesomespice? Last night I asked Ted for a napkin and he handed me one and said, "Here's your napkin you slobby tramp." And then we couldn't stop laughing for the sheer tomfoolery of his ridiculous statement. Probably the hardest I have laughed in a really long time.

tumblr thursday

2011-12-01T12:01:00.001-07:00

Can we please just hold the freakin' phone for a second? Those two photos above? New photos of our Movie Peeta. Moment of silence?

*Silence*

Okay, so someone please explain to me how there are still people that don't like him as Peeta? I prescribe the ones with doubts a good viewing of the trailer at least 5 more times, and then at least 1 minute of staring at the above pics. Then you will be cured. Yep, Doctor Lauren is in, and here to fix you.

In other news...that quote about running for your life? Yeah...that's me.

Did you have a favorite from this group? You can check out my tumblr for more awesomeness :)

polaroids from thanksgiving

2011-12-01T05:00:00.001-07:00

first two images were taken with a Polaroid Sun, and the one of my mom was taken with a Polaroid Spectra

[1] keepin' it classy with the martinelli's. you know how it is.

[2] awwww...how presh.

[3] doesn't mama look so cute?

and since i love you, here is a mini playlist to get your morning going:

December 1st by Lauren Brimley on Grooveshark

November Sponsor Giveaway

2011-11-30T20:14:00.002-07:00

I have some awesome giveaway items today from my sponsors!

blog//shop

Kaylee from Birch and Bees runs a super awesome blog, and she makes the most amazing dresses and accessories! Kaylee is giving away one of her Gray Fields Dresses! She is also offering all Busy Bee readers a 15% off discount when they enter "LOVEFALL15" at checkout :)

blog//shop

Megan is offering all of you a 30% discount to her shop when you enter "BUSYBEE30" at checkout :) I featured my favorite necklace from her shop up above :)

Aarean is the creative genius behind The Color Issue...the darling blog all about color and how awesomespice it is! Love that :) She is giving away a Kate Spade crystal bangle over on her blog, so hop on over to enter to win!

blog//shop

Lindsay is an adorable blogger with an adorable shop with the cutest prints! She is giving away a 8.5x11 print of your choice! I featured my favorite print above. Isn't it sweet?!

Sandy is such a cute blogger with so many creative posts! She is offering a sponsor spot on her blog for the month of January! She has a large audience, so this will be a great opportunity for any blogger :)

Ruthann of A Little Bit Lovely makes beautiful pieces of jewelry and crocheted dishcloths for your kitchen! She is offering one of you a $30 credit to her shop :) I featured my favorite necklace above!

Abbie runs the cute shop, The Goodie Jar. She makes adorable necklaces, rings and earrings. I own a pair of her earrings, and I have gotten many compliments on them! She is offering a $30 shop credit to one of you! And you can all take advantage of the promo code "BUSYBEE11" to get 15% off your order! I featured a pair of my favorite earrings above!

blog//shop

Jenny is a cute blogger with darling style, who also has a great shop with the most amazing handmade pouches! Today she is giving away this adorable bow zipper pouch!

To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is tell me what you want for Christmas this year!

You have until Sunday evening to enter! Good luck!

5 years later

2011-11-30T07:30:00.002-07:00

This past weekend I had the opportunity to go to breakfast with three of my closest friends from high school. We hadn't seen each other in MANY years, so it was nice to catch up and see what each of us were up to, and how different our lives are now...5 years later.

I have been thinking a lot ever since that morning. As I was eating my breakfast, listening to these pretty girls chat, I couldn't help but think about how I am not the same person I used to be. At all. In fact, when I was talking with them about high school, and past friends, I just didn't feel like myself. So what has changed?

What hasn't changed?

I started this blog right out of high school. In a lot of ways, this blog is pretty neat just because if you start from the very beginning you can see a major growth in who I am as a person. These past 5 years have been the hardest and best years of my life.

I used to wonder what my life would have been like if I had moved away from home for college. I never desired to move, and honestly, if I was the person I am now, I still wouldn't want to move away for college. But, I used to wonder if I was lacking a new perspective because I didn't move away and meet new people. Last night I realized that this blog has given me a chance to learn and grow from people with different backgrounds. A lot of the time people think that bloggers just pop out posts, and that's the end. But really, most of my time as a blogger is spent reading and responding to emails. And that's my favorite part. I love that people trust me with their stories of struggle and hardship, and while they don't all ask for advice, all are looking for someone to just listen and relate to them. Someone that doesn't know them in real life, but is willing to be their friend. I really feel that through these emails I have been able to gain a new perspective on the world.

When Ted came home from his mission, he mentioned to me a couple weeks later that I had changed. That I was different. He couldn't quite place what was different about me, but I wasn't the girl he had originally fell in love with. At first that worried me. Had I become hardened from the trials I had been given?

No. He told me that I was more compassionate. That I cared more about others than I did about myself.

And when I think about it, maybe that's how I have grown? I have taken the experiences that I have had, I have taken the experiences that others have shared with me, and I have taken all of the trials that the Lord has given me, and I have found a place in my heart to store them. To keep them safe. To remind myself that through trials, their is strength. Strength to overcome and to better ourselves.

If there is one thing I have learned in the last 5 years, it's that the Lord gives us trials because he trusts us. He knows that we are smart enough to not let them destroy us. We are smart enough to take them and do something great with them. We use them to give us strength. To become the best version of ourselves.

I know now what has changed since 2006...I am strong.

Happy 5 year Blog Birthday!

2011-11-29T13:53:00.001-07:00

Well...you guys...my blog is now 5 years old. Yep, five whole years. Isn't that incredible!?

I have a couple fun things prepared for a mini celebration, but I thought I would kick off the Blog Birthday with a giveaway from me!

I know I tend to giveaway cameras, but I figured I should giveaway something that is one of my very favorite things in the whole world for this special occasion.

So, I am giving away a hardcover boxed set of the entire Hunger Games trilogy. Oh, yes I am:

Isn't it beautiful? Doesn't it make you want to just stroke it's beauty? I own all of the books and I still want the boxed set.

I also decided to throw in one of the limited editon Peeta Mellark movie posters:

They only made a select few of these posters, and then they will be off the market. Sad! Even if you haven't read the books, you must trust me when I say Peeta Mellark is the best and deserves to be made into a poster. [PS...if you would rather have Gale, I will oblige, but I might want to cry for you]

So, all you have to do to enter is:

[1] be a follower of Busy Bee Lauren

[2] and then tell me how you found my blog :)

Happy Birthday, Blog. You are now old enough to go to Preschool. Cool.

totally rad on tuesday!

2011-11-29T09:44:00.002-07:00

my favorites from bloggy world this past week:

[1] My office space basically is begging to be as awesome as this one I spotted on Design Sponge!

[2] how cute does Ilene look, here?! love love love this look on her :)

[3] I love anything having to do with space, so this Moon Phase Calendar made me super happy!

[4] Do you read What Would a Nerd Wear? It's one of my favs! Tania killed it here. Love!

[5] Elanor looks so sweet here!

[6] Keiko wearing two of my favorite things...sequins and polka dots! Love!

[7] It's always inspiring to see what Keiko's boyfriend Bobby is wearing too! Such awesome style. And can I haz that doggy?

[8] Aren't these amazing?! I spotted them on Calivintage!

[9] Lydia looks too cute! The dress is killer and pop of green is awesome!

[10] I am sorta obsessed with the length of this skirt! So happy longer lengths are coming back!

[11] Love the colors and the overall look! Soooo cute.

[12] Doesn't Jenni look sooooo beautiful? Love that plaid shirt and sweater together.

[13] Love these film photos of Anna and her bike :)

[14] Rhianne's photos of Paris took my breath away! The colors are amazing!

[15] Isn't that vintage coat a dream?! Looooooove!

[16] How does Sydney look THIS GOOD after just having a baby? Kill me.

[17] Ashley: one of my favorite friends, and my very favorite fashion bloggers...because she is ALWAYS so effortly modest.

[18] These photos of Caty's stole my heart. They almost have a haunting feeling to them...maybe that's why I love them.

Do you have a favorite from this list???

Also, I love putting these lists together each week because I want to help you guys find cool new blogs, but I'm not sure if ya'll care or not.

Should I keep doing them? Yay or Nay?

family photo

2011-11-28T19:05:00.003-07:00

When I asked my mom what photo she would be using for her Christmas cards this year, she told me it would be one of the snapshots from one of our random birthday parties this year. I was quite displeased and may have almost vomited at this thought, considering we all look foolish in every single one of the photos she mentioned, and they were taken with a crappy flash in her kitchen, at below waist level with a self-timer. Basically, NOT good.

I had to practically twist her arm to let me set up a photo for a Christmas card picture for her. So here is the result. And this was taken right after we had a ginormous Thanksgiving feast. Hey look, ma! No food babies :)

busy bee lauren

new trailer has killed me dead

weed cat

giveaway winners

countdown to hunger games: week 9 of 16

baby shower for sierra!

yay for ted!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE?!

countdown to hunger games: week 8 of 16

valentine's day special

taco bell

this week on instagram, v.3

my decision

busy bee lauren is busy looking at hunger games crap

countdown to hunger games: week 7 of 16

also...this needs to be discussed.

printers suck

countdown to hunger games week 6 of 16

daily outfit: holding onto winter

early birthday giveaway from me: kindle!

published: 202 magazine

RX for PTPD

this week on instagram v.2

cooking with julia v.1

Countdown to Hunger Games: Week 5 of 16

ty's birthday party

new years eve.

how i lost 20 pounds over the holidays

love around the world

sponsored giveaway

favorite images of 2011

have you guys seen this?

hello 2012, goodbye 2011...

this week on instagram v.1

Countdown to Hunger Games: Week 4 of 16

a few of my favorite things...

christmas eve

scenes from the christmas weekend

instagram

best hair ever?

had to be posted again.

Countdown to Hunger Games: Week 3

parks and recreation

year in review

zach singing at temple lights

Countdown to Hunger Games: Week 2

instant wednesday

scenes from the weekend: in old town orange

"it's a trap!"

our day in disneyland

happy birthday to my ted!

tonto natural bridge

giveaway winners announced!

movie recommendation: little manhattan

dinner at ty&cc's

Countdown to Hunger Games: Week 1

instant wednesday

setting up Christmas land

daily outfit: tacos jalisco...again!

scenes from the weekend

daily outfit: sunday dandies

foggy morning

tacos jalisco + DI that has crap

scenes from the thanksgiving weekend

tumblr thursday

polaroids from thanksgiving

November Sponsor Giveaway

5 years later

Happy 5 year Blog Birthday!

totally rad on tuesday!

family photo