tourists for a week

As you may have seen, we spent a week in my old stomping grounds in the beautiful San Francisco. My heart was so, so happy being back and being able to show Bryan where I spent almost two years and of course spending time with my 3 kiddos.

For those of you just joining in, I lived in SF as a live in nanny for almost two years to the most amazing family with the most amazing kids.

We did literally everything there is to do in San Francisco. Complete tourist status (except Alactraz because it was sold out, wahh!) Beach, wharf, the bridge, ate at a different restaurant for every meal, spent a night in the country on a beautiful vineyard, cable cars, Giants game. It was amazing.

The kids didn't know that I was coming so we were able to surprise them and it couldn't have gone better, they FREAKED after they finally realized who I was (and that took a lot longer than I expected hahaha). It was great, and of course we didn't record it but its fine, it was great:)

We stayed with my uncle Randy who is seriously host with the most. He was so amazing to us and I'm so glad we were able to spend time with him.


I shared all my pics on FB so I'll just share my favorite few here:

ps- my sister will be home in 3 days!!!

"you will win beyond your wildest dreams"

"Just give it up. Surrender your will to Him. Unconditionally. Withhold nothing. Turn it all over to Him; all of your desires, wishes, dreams and hopes. Be true and faithful in your head and in your heart not just in your behavior. Trust in Him Trust Him who knows all things. Trust Him who has all power. Trust Him whose love for you is perfect. Trust Him, who alone suffered, paid and atoned for your sins, and for your weaknesses as well. Trust Him that He will make of you, immeasurable more than what you will ever, ever, in all eternity, make of yourself. He will create of you a masterpiece. You will create of you only a smudge. You will create an ordinary man. He will create a God... if you surrender, if the Lord wins, you win also... the only way to win is to lose. Lose yourself in the Lords work , and you will win beyond your wildest dreams." 

- Lawrence E. Corbridge,  The Fourth Missionary

Liv sent this quote last week and I haven't stopped thinking about it. It's talking about missionary work but it can be applied to almost any situation in life. 

Today I finished taking my basic esthetics test (finally) and I'm SO EXCITED. I have literally never been so nervous. I was the only one testing today and I was sweating bullets. I do this really fun thing where when I get nervous, I get physically ill. Like, full on stomach ache. I could not figure out what was wrong but my stomach was hurting for like, a full week and then I realized I was nervous and then I was fine. Anyways, I passed. So that's all that matters, right?

My favorite part of the whole week was solidifying plans to go to SAN FRANCISCO! I am so excited, I just keep picturing seeing my best little buddies' faces again and I like, want to cry because I miss them so, so much and I'm just so excited to see them again!

I went to the chiropractor for the first time ever today and I would recommend it to anyone because it was amazing. 

Also, if anyone has any remedies for keeping snakes, YES SNAKES, out of my basement apartment, it would be much appreciated! I am seriously freaking out.

HAVE  A WONDERFUL WEEK. AND BE SO HAPPY BECAUSE LIFE IS WONDERFUL.

*cliche new years post*

Wow. What an incredible year 2014 was. I've never had so many changes happen in such a short period of 365 days. Seriously, a year is not that long.

I'm not super good with change, I get really anxious and nervous. Like, sick to my stomach nervous. My first big thing was moving back to Utah from California. You should have seen me the entire week leading up to that even. While it was such a wonderful and magical week, showing my family, who drove out to get me, the city and the children I came to love more than I could ever imagine, I was kind of a nervous wreck. The whole moving home then Bryan coming home 3 weeks later thing. I seriously woke up every morning thinking I was going to puke.

But, as you very well know, all turned out fine and dandy because after the change of Bryan coming home, I had another change. You know, that thing where I got married. And what a glorious day it was. I know everyone says their wedding day was perfect but honestly, I think about my wedding day on the daily. It was the most perfect wedding that ever has been and ever will be.

You know what else I think about on the daily? My SF kids. I miss them so unbelievably much and I wish I could just walk downstairs and see them. But, I don't have a downstairs. And they live 750 miles away from me. Thank goodness for modern technology that allows me to see their cutest little faces every now and then :)

I know this is the most cliche post in the universe but here's another cliche for you: I can't wait for what this year brings.

nervous for what? (caution. a mushy post)

tonight i had a major realization. as most of you know, i am in san francisco watching my babies for 10 days (only 3 days left with them :( ). tonight, some aunts came over for dinner. i wasn't feeling particularly hungry for i had a large, late breakfast then snacked on peanut butter pretzels all day. so i skipped dinner. one aunt asked if i was eating and i answered "no" the other aunt said "why? are you nervous?"

i was so confused. what could i possibly be nervous about?



oh yeah... i'm getting married in 5 days. the biggest, most life changing thing that will ever happen to me.

that one thing where i'll be stuck with the same person for the rest of eternity. i'll change the name i've had all 21 (almost 22) years of my life. i'll move away from my childhood home. i won't live with my own family ever again.

that thing

you know what? i'm not nervous. not in the slightest. i'm ready. you know how people say "when you know, you know" nothing is truer. no one can tell you who to be with. you just know. and i know that i'm supposed to be with bryan. and i can't wait.:)

literally crazy

for those of you who haven't spent time with me in person over the last month, i'm kind of a nut case right now. i eat, breathe and sleep wedding. my brain is so filled with wedding that i sometimes forget how to do a normal everyday task, or i'll go to do something and on my way i just completely forget what i'm doing. it's complete madness. but it's also quite fun:)

i'm literally having my dream wedding. i'm so excited.

we also had the most AMAZING engagement shoot on sunday and i can't wait to post them all!! (the picture above is from said photoshoot. no edits. it was just THAT beautiful)

i've also lost 18 pounds. and at crossfit today, i went from using a black band to a green band on pull ups. crossfitters will know what that means, for those of you who don't, just be proud of me cause it's a big step for me. i just know i'm going to feel it tomorrow...

my cousin and one of my childhood best friends is getting married tomorrow. she was born exactly one month before me and now she's getting married almost exactly one month before me. funny how it worked out, really.

i go back to san francisco in 23 DAYS!! i'm seriously so excited. i cannot WAIT to see my kiddos again. i've missed them so unbelievably much!


that's all for now folks. maybe i'll post again sometime soon. maybe. we'll see.

stevens take sf: part 2

i figured it was time to finally get these posted. mostly beach pictures but, hey california.

stevens take sf: part 1

you cannot even imagine how insane/ crazy/ fun/ stressful/ incredible these last few weeks have been. i'm back home. and it's great. but also sad. but it's time for me to move on with my life.

having my family in san francisco was SO. MUCH. FUN. we did literally everything. so, i'm just gonna post a thousand pictures (as always) and then sometime else in the future i'll post more. because i took that many pictures. and so did my parents and uncle. it's a lot of pictures.

around town

alcatraz/ pier 39

trip down to santa cruz

muir woods/ stinson beach