**I SMILE WEDNESDAYS**

Oh yeah, it's time for.....
The BIGGEST reason for my SMILES this week... {and month... and YEAR :)} My new SHOE RACK/Cubby/Shelves - custom built {with love} by my amazingly talented hubby! Oh man, this makes me SO.VERY.HAPPY!!! I was looking online for some sort of shoe shelving... when Michael said "I could build that for so much less than that!" And he did! ... but so, SO much better than the ones I saw online! Plus he made it exactly the way I wanted it done! Paint: Red w/ white trim... 30 cubbies - 2 of which are bigger for boots! {The pictures honestly don't do it justice... it is AMAZING!!}

I SMILE because I got this gem in the mail yesterday!! I devoured it last night... and cannot wait to go back through it and mark it up with all of the amazing ideas that I cannot wait to try!

My go-to dinner when Michael is not home absolutely makes me SMILE: Toasted peanut butter and banana sandwich! YUM!!! {Oh yes, that is my ADORABLE Owl cookie jar my Mother-in-law got me for my Birthday!! Definitely makes me SMILE!! }

This absolutely adorable little girl totally makes me SMILE!! Audrey gives the sweetest hugs and kisses! She is so ridiculously cute! Being an Auntie definitely makes me SMILE!!

And finally... I know that I have blogged about this stuff in the past... but seriously - this is my FAVE product EVER! I have always had lame eyelashes... short and stubby, and far and in between - but this stuff has totally transformed my lashes! Totally makes me SMILE!!

{...SHOPPING...}

....So.... Remember my post a couple of days ago... about the NORDY'S ANNIVERSARY SALE?! And remember all those super-duper-up-to-heaven cute things I said I was lusting over? Well, I accidentally went to my local Nordy's on my lunch that day.... saw the boots I had really liked online... So I tried them on... and I accidentally fell madly, deeply IN LOVE with these boots right here:Well, the sweetest salesman was helping me - and he happened to bring me about 4 other pairs of shoes to try on as well... And guess what?... I fell in love AGAIN. {I know, I know.... call me easy. But it's true, I'm a sucker for a super-duper-up-to-heaven cute shoe - especially the kind that are so comfy I want to wear them - all.the.time}... Check out these beauties {In black and yes, that is a 4 inch heel} So now, I had a dilemma! I was in love with not just one, but TWO pairs of shoes, and I kinda needed them both! So, what would any super smart girl do?? Call her hubby with a proposal of course! It went a little like this: "May I please get these boots?! I really super duper love them, and if I can get them, I promise that I will not buy any clothing or shoes until after OCTOBER 1st".... {Wait, what?! Did I really just promise not to freaking shop for over 2 months?!?!?! Oh man, love makes you do CRAZY things I tell ya!} My dear husbands response?: "Whatever you feel good about". {He's one good man!} So, what did I do?! I marched right over to that sweet salesman and said "SOLD!! Let's get 'em both!" Oh happy day!!

But now, I have this situation... I promised the man I love the most in this world that I would not shop until October 1st. Oh boy! This is going to be SO hard! Especially for the girl with a slight, very minor shopping problem.

How do I know I have this slight, very minor shopping problem?

Maybe the fact that I go to the Mall or Target for my lunch hour at least once, if not twice a week! {Hey, it's seriously, 2 minutes away! And what better exercise then walking around the mall! So what if the cashier at F21 recognizes my face! Don't judge...}

Or it could be the fact that I still have clothes with the tags still on in my closet....

But guess what, even though I know it's going to be SO HARD for this little shop-a-holic to go a little over 2 months with out shopping, I know that I CAN and WILL DO IT!

I'm totally up for the challenge! I've added a little "ticker" on the side bar of my blog to COUNT DOWN my 71 days until I get to shop again!

Wish me luck!!!

*I SMILE WEDNESDAYS*

My SMILES this week are all dedicated to just one person, who manages to make me SMILE and LAUGH on a daily basis!! My one and only... this extremely handsome kid right here: {YUM}

**He makes me SMILE when he sings in the car, or the house, or really anywhere - and not only does he very rarely know the words, but he always manages to throw LAURA in the song at least 3 or 4 times.

**I SMILE at the many {and I mean maaaany} random nicknames he gives me, a couple of my faves?: 'Tissie' or 'Bang Bang' or combined: 'Tissie-tissie-bang-bang'. My least fave?: 'Dum Dum' "Like the sucker..." he says "...because you love candy!" Lol!

**I SMILE because I know that he will always protect me and have my back - no matter what! It's amazing the difference in how I sleep when he is home, and when he's working out of town... He makes me feel so safe... or maybe I'm just wimpy and hate sleeping alone?!? {Maybe I'll start calling him 'MANLY'... Little House on the Prairie reference... anyone?? Hello?}

**I SMILE because this kid has more hobbies than anyone I've ever met before! And seriously, he is good at every. single. one! He paints, he hunts, he fishes, he cooks {Oh man does he cook!}, he plays tennis... and the list goes on and on and on....

**I SMILE thinking about all of the possibilities he has as a new Culinary School graduate, I'm so proud of this extremely talented little hottie!

**I SMILE because I know that he has to have his sunglasses on if he is outside of the house - at all times - NO MATTER WHAT! Seriously, dusk, dawn, middle of the day, rain, going outside to water the garden... if there is even a hint of sun, he has his shades on! Can't find his glasses? The entire trip gets placed on hold! Lost them in the ocean in the middle of playing on the beach in North Carolina? We walked the mile to a souvenir shop so he could get another pair. This man LOVES his shades!

**I SMILE because Michael HATES, I mean literally, LOATHES taking pictures - like no one I've ever met before! He will do anything to get out of them... just walk away... make a random face, or just not smile at all. It seriously cracks me up to look at all of the faces he makes, just so he doesn't have to smile for a picture! BUT... he knows how much I LOVE pictures... so a lot of the time, he will put on his best "3rd grade class picture, I'm hating this - so you better appreciate it SMILE"and pose in front of the camera, just for little ole' me!

**I SMILE because throughout any given day, I receive at least 3 text messages that just say "Loves"... Honestly makes me SMILE every single time!!

**I SMILE because even though he is 26 years old, he is the BIGGEST KID! He still giggles at inappropriate things, he will tell little kids to say "poo-poo-ka-ka" and laugh hysterically when they get in trouble for saying it!!

**I SMILE because Michael is the best with little kids - at any sort of family function, with his family or mine, he is always off playing with the kids! He wrestles, teases, and throws those kids around, and they absolutely love it!

**I SMILE because we are complete opposites... I'm loud, and could honestly make conversation with a shoe! But he is reserved, and so very quiet!! Our first date, he thought I was loud and annoying because I talked SO much... and I thought he was rude and cocky, because he was so quiet! Now, when it's just he and I - I can't get him to shut up! HAHA! {TOTALLY KIDDING!!!!}

**I SMILE because I know that he will make an amazing father! {3, 4, or 5 years down the road :)} And guess what, those kids? Yeah, they are going to be super cute... how could they not, when their dad looked like this at 3 years old! Freaking precious!

And lastly, I SMILE because I know he is mine, all mine, forever, and ever, and ever....

{Nordy's Anniversary Sale - Totally Lusting!}

I know that I am supposed to be completely done shopping for a little while since we just got back from NYC... BUT... let's be honest, I have a slight, very minor addiction to shopping. I can't help it that my computer browser just happened to go to NORDSTROMS... and I definitely cannot help that it just happens to be their ANNIVERSARY SALE!!!! I can always just look, right?!?! And oh boy, I'm a lookin' and I'm a likin'!!

Absolutely loving both of these boots - I would take one or the other {I'm not greedy}....

Oh Hellllloooooo booties! I love these first ones SO much! I saw a super cute girl at a wedding recently wearing some similar - and I've been searching for some ever since! I just adore the wedge with the peep toe! So dang cute!! Jolt jeans are my fave! And I'm loving the black-ish/gray-ish wash! So cute! Super cute blouse, I can see myself dressing it up, like tucking it in a skirt or dressing it down with jeans {with the cute boots above of course}... As for accessories.... Loving these two silver bracelets:

I really don't NEED a new satchel... but, isn't this just too cute?! I'm loving the color and the style! L-O-V-E this camera bag, SO dang cute, and totally functional... Ummm.. yes please! Now I just have to fight the urge to make a Nordy's stop on my lunch... but maybe if I just buy a couple things on my list it's okay?? Yes, I know, I have a problem. {Don't judge :)}

{I SMILE WEDNESDAY!}

I get the BIGGEST SMILE when my adorable hubby sends me flowers 'just because'!! And inside the card: "For being you" Awwwwww.... I melt! Isn't he the sweetest?! Yeah, definitely SMILING today!!!

I also SMILE when I get to go on dates with my Sister!! For my Birthday my sister, Kat, gave me a gift certificate for a GNO - Dinner and a movie!!

Nothing beats seeing an adorable movie with my sister! Monte Carlo was pretty dang cute {And a little cheesy too, but hey, I like that kinda stuff :)} Thanks Kat!!! I SMILE thinking about the absolutely FANTASTIC weekend we had!! We went to a super fun BBQ with our friends Friday night... then Saturday, Michael went to play Poker while I went with some girlfriends to see Kenny Chesney! SO MUCH FUN!! {My favorite part was definitely the people watching - Utah has some CRAZY peeps!}

Also this weekend - I went on a hot date with my hubby to see Horrible Bosses! HI-LAR-IOUS! Such a funny movie {And extremely inappropriate and raunchy - which is why it was so dang funny!!:)} Michael and I were definitely SMILING through out the entire movie!

Can you tell how much I LOVE movies yet??? Not only did I see 2 in the theatre... we also watched 3 at home! {Don't worry, we got our chores done before vegging out on the couch all day :)}

It was my second time seeing The Social Network, but my first seeing Wall Street and The Missing! All 3 are fantastic movies, and I would definitely recommend all of them!

{I SMILE WEDNESDAY}

I SMILE because we had an absolutely FABULOUS Fourth of July weekend!! We went to a "carnival", 2 BBQ's {One that was fantastic pool party with fireworks to boot!!!}, and boating!!

It was so much fun to get to spend so much time together and with our friends!! We went boating on Monday for one of Michael's friend's Birthday! I was a little bit bummed, because even though it had been in the 90's all weekend and freaking hot - the one day we go boating, it was cloudy and rained off and on all day! But it was still SO much fun, and wanna know what makes me SMILE from ear to ear?? Michael getting up on a wake board for the first time! I was such a proud wifey!! {He is talented in EVERYTHING he does, but the past couple of times we have been, he hasn't been able to get up, and it drove him crazy!} The look on his face when he got up was absolutely priceless! And of course, every time after that, he got up like it was no problem at all! Such a stud! {Sorry, only had my Blackberry for pics!} I definitely SMILE looking at my New York heels!! {P.s. the brown ones are MUCH cuter in person... PROMISE :)}

This totally makes me SMILE and giggle every time I see it! {Got it from my little sister Tracie :)} HILARIOUS RIGHT?! Oh and remember how the final Harry Potter movie comes out a week from Friday!? And remember how I am going with my sisters to the double feature starting at 9:00pm, not ending till about 2:00am?? OH MAN - I am STOKED!!! {NERD ALERT!!}

And finally, our GARDEN absolutely makes me SMILE! Check out this perfect head of lettuce! I can't even tell you how thrilling it is to get eat the veggies of our labor! {HA! Get it!? It's normally FRUITS of our labor?! I'm pretty funny!!} Michael has really become the ultimate gardener this year! He is out there every night watering and checking to see how everything is growing!

{New York - Final Post - Days 5 & 6}

Days 5 & 6 we unfortunately didn't take as many pictures as we did the first 4 days {Pretty sure Michael was getting SO sick of posing - He really dislikes taking pictures! So I couldn't really complain, since he did so good the first few days!}
Because Thursday was such a crazy day - and we stayed up so late, we slept in on Friday! We then split up, boys to tour the CNN building and girls off to do some SHOPPING!! Noah has a friend he grew up with that works at the CNN Building, so he invited them to get a tour!
The view from the lunchroom....

They both thought that was pretty cool! After that, they called us to see if we were done shopping - but of course we weren't so they did some exploring on their own...

While the boys were off exploring, LaShae and I got our SHOP ON! We were totally focused on shopping, and didn't even take ONE PICTURE!! LAME! We did get some good stuff at H&M, the HUGE Macy's and Afaze!! {This was my second trip to H&M since being in NYC! Michael and I went on Tuesday and we both got some really cute stuff! I really cannot wait for it to come to SLC in a couple of months!!} When we got back to the hotel to meet the boys, we had to have a picture with our fabulous finds!

Michael and I had tickets for The Lion King that night! LaShae and I got back a little late, so I had to rush to freshen up, and as we were rushing to pick up our tickets at Will Call... we passed THE Naked Cowboy!! I was a little bummed we couldn't stop and get our picture with him {I'm positive Michael was pretty dang disappointed too... NOT ;)} But I did manage to snap a picture as we ran past...

OH.MY.HANNAH!!! Lion King was AMAZING!!! Seriously, so dang good!! The costumes were incredible! This show was just so entertaining!! I definitely recommend this show {Michael actually liked Lion King better than Wicked... I totally LOVED Lion King... but would have to say that I loved Wicked just a little more :)} {P.s. This is one of my new tops from our shopping trip!}

Saturday we slept in a little bit again... then we got LaShae and Noah all packed up, because we thought they were going to fly out around noon {They flew standby, they were originally going to only stay a couple of days... but because of a couple cancelled flights - they ended up staying until Saturday night!! We were so glad they did, it was SO much fun having them explore the city with us!} anyway, that flight ended up being to full, so they were going to catch the late flight that night - so we had one more day with them!! We decided to rent bikes and ride around Central Park!! I'm SO glad that we did!! What a fantastic way to get to see the entire park! LOVED IT!!!!

Seriously?? How lucky am I? Man, he is just too dang attractive for his own good!

On the way back to our hotel, we made a couple more shopping stops! I, of course, had to get my I <3 NY shirt!!! And I also got my NEW YORK Shoes!! I really wanted some VA-VA-VOOM shoes! {Ya know, some HOT heels that I wouldn't normally purchase... but that I would always say were my heels I got in New York :)} I was so LUCKY to find not one, but TWO super cute heels!! {I will post in a future SMILE post coming soon :)}.

We said goodbye to LaShae & Noah and Michael and I headed to the Meat Packing District for our final meal in NYC! Michael had made reservations at the very yummy restaurant, Recette! The atmosphere at this place was my fave! I really loved the entire atmosphere of the Meat Packing District, if we moved to New York, {Which we aren't... too expensive, but just hypothetically :)} I would definitely want to live in that area! P.s. I also tried my first OCTOPUS at this restaurant!! It was pretty dang good! {Look at me becoming a little "Foody"!!! HA!}

Seriously, I don't think that I can express to you how much we LOVED New York! I'm so glad we decided to go {We were debating either going to New York, or an Island of Hawaii we haven't been to yet} even though I'm totally craving a beach, I'm SO glad we chose NYC!!! I can't believe how much we did! I was so worried we weren't going to be able to do all that we wanted to do, but we did all of it and then some!! It was absolutely WONDERFUL to get to spend 6 days in the amazing city with my most favorite person in the world! I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful man to take to me to so many awesome places!! And I'm so grateful we got to share our first trip to NYC with some of our best friends!

This was definitely a trip we will never forget!!