my hour

work is consuming my days and by the time i get home in the evenings i'm exhausted. it can be challenging to balance all the needs of the day, home, work, etc etc...

but waking up when my alarm goes off at 7 and enjoying a little peace and quiet time by myself is absolutely vital. listening to the neighborhood come alive. letting the boys have as many potty breaks as needed. browsing through my phone or the internet, or simply watching the birds play in my front flower beds. i never would have pegged myself as a morning person.... but the 7 o'clock hour is easily one of my favorite. just me and the 2 snowballs that happen to be sleeping at my feet for the moment.

A little Christmas magic

tuesday night the dayley family met up in city creek for dinner at the cheesecake factory and a walk around temple square. of course i brought a plus one. mom dayley said it's time we change her name to nanna dayley. we sure love having her join us. unfortunately dad stayed home on our couch sleeping. poor dad has had the worst head/sinus cold this week. we missed him. there is something absolutely magical about downtown slc at christmas. temple square is by far the best part!!

more pictures to come. ashley asked me to snap a few family photos for her. it was the perfect setting.... too bad kennady was such a handful. no worries, i captured some darling moments!

highlights of my week

getting a lot accomplished in my yard. my patio is looking a little bare due to the fact I'm finally getting more of my 'collection' planted. it feels good. plus my garden is looking beautiful.

having wednesday off and spending time indoors cleaning and organizing.

taking a nap {even though Mitch has great timing and always wakes me up sooner than I wanted}

taking Abby and Russell's engagement photos and spending time doing minor edits. I love the end results.

having Cezar spend lots of time snuggling me.

sleeping with the windows open and having the nights get chilly.

having date night with Mitch on Tuesday

getting my office put together a little more and hanging some vases {wedding gift} and will plant them with succulents..... sooo excited!!!

spending almost 4 hours with Jaclyn last night having dinner and catching up. Good golly it's been too long since we've enjoyed a girl's night and spending some quality time together! Looking forward to the 18th lady!!

looking forward to spending tonight {Friday} soaking up some more girls time with Nanna. It will be epic as always.

driving Mitch's Z for the first time ever. It's been 6 months since I've driving clutch. I forgot how exciting and fun they are to drive.

making it to yoga this morning. the one highlight of having to switch schedules with Sanna at work. My body needed it {as always}

everyone needs boyfriends

I spent my day with the most darling little men ever. My morning was filled with getting acquainted with Crew, catching up with Kellen, playing at the park, switching laundry and making lunch for the two. Crew is the most polite 2 year old I've ever known. He says thank you for everything. Absolutely adorable! Kellen is so big!! I started with the Harts back when Kellen was 6 months old.... He turns 5 next month. Crazy how time flies. The afternoon was filled with folding laundry, Crew taking a nap, spending time with Kellen, catching up with Kaden and Chaz when they got home from school and cooking dinner. It was a fabulous day. I loved spending the day with them!

Tonight I've got Pilates.

I picked up a new yoga mat and a AM/PM yoga DVD for the days I can't make it to the gym.

Kissed on my boys.

Walked through my yard. It's a daily ritual for me :) I love seeing the growth of all my plants.

Ate some yummy cadbury mini eggs... Craving a little chocolate.

Oh, so Saturday night we got a screw in the jeep tire.... gratefully it held enough air til this morning so we could drive it to Discount Tire. Mitch was a sweetheart and got up and came with me. 7:40 am we arrived and able to get it in line for service. Highlight of the day -- they fixed it for FREE!!! Amazing :) Thank you Discount Tire.

thoughts from a happy holly

It's been a really fabulous week so far.

Busy. But good.

Monday I spent just over 9 hours at work. 

I was able to get a lot planted and taken care of.

It's a good day when 6 o' clock rolls around and you feel like you could keep working.

Then I headed to Pilates

grabbed dinner with Mitch once he got home from work.

It was a really good Monday. 

Tuesday was another great day....

I received a really exciting text from Amy.

I couldn't resist... I was more than eager to say yes when she asked if I was interested in helping her out again.

Mitch and I talked it over and feel that it would be just fine for me to go back to work for Amy and Steve a day or two a week.

as long as it doesn't interfere with work at the garden center and my health.

I'm giddy with excitement!!

Working for Amy and Steve was such a wonderful job and their boys are seriously the best.

and I'm eager to work for them again

and spend time with the boys!

I've got my two favorite jobs!! :)

Another happy for the week is being told I'm looking skinnier and asked if I had lost some weight.

Two of the best compliments ever.

I feel like my commitment to working out is starting to show.

I have been feeling improvements...

but it's nice to have others notice too.

Dear 2011

January

At work I spent the month cleaning and getting everything ready for spring

The boys made plenty of messes

Cezar lost his manhood.

Mitch also got a new job at an investment firm

February 

Beautiful valentine roses

Brunch with the hubby before work

March

We spent lots of time together

all my plugs started arriving... which meant I got really busy

We went to the home show up at the expo center.

It was fun and we got inspired

I painted my office a beautiful bright teal

April

Mitch passed his Series 7 and 63 for work

new Jeep and iPhones

I spent a lot of time at work

as well as helping my grandparents move into their new home.

oh the nightmares of moving someone after 50 years in a home...

{scary doesn't even begin to describe it}

I was called to serve as the Secretary in Primary 

May

my grandparents home was demolished.

it was heart breaking

I spent as much time gardening as possible

Nanna graduated from high school!!

She even walked with Honors

{just like me}

June

Mitch turned 25.

We took my sisters to Lake Powell for a mini vacation

Down side... the water was incredible cold 

and the weather was less then ideal

So we headed home a day early and took them to Lagoon

July

I turned 24

We spent a lot of time giving our kitchen and bath a face lift

Home renovations are... challenging but worth it

August

Start of the canning season

Dilly Beans!!

We joined my family in Yellowstone

Camping

sight seeing

eating food 

September

Canning season

Mitch and I managed a weekend getaway to Zions.

We even checked off one of our bucket list items...

Hike Angels landing

October

We took my girlfriend Jaclyn shooting...

She ended up scooping herself.

{Luckily her husband and son still let her hang out with us ;) lol} 

Mitch and I celebrated our 2 anniversary

we spent the weekend down in Las Vegas.

walked way to much, ate delicious food and did some shopping :)

November

We spent Thanksgiving with Mitch's family

Incredibly yummy food and excellent company

I also found out that I'm Hypothyroid.

which explained a lot of things health wise this past year

December

Every year we gather as a family at my grandparents and help my grandpa with his 'bag' program.

We fill little Christmas bags full of toys and treats

then my grandpa takes them to a school for the handicap

We had a very magical Christmas filled with lots of goodies and family.

2011 you were a good year,

even with all the ups and downs

Thanks for all the memories!!

My new Best Friend