Kent + Liz

happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me...

2012-01-26T20:51:00.000-08:00

On my birthday eve Kent and I decided to drive up to Park City to spend the day together - but really to see if we could run into any celebrities, since the Sundance Film Festival is currently going on.

This is the closest we got to POSSIBLY seeing a celeb. Kent says that celebrities DO NOT ride around in stretched Escalade limos - only teenagers going to prom. I say, let me believe I practically saw a celeb.

Dinner @ Loco Lizard

Main St.

At midnight we went to the gas station to celebrate! All I wanted was a maple donut. Yes, I am in my sweats. Teal $2 Walmart sweats to be exact.

Any excuse to make a wish. Round 1 of Kent singing Happy Birthday solo. Yes, that is a votive candle - all we had.

After said midnight snack, Kent suggested putting on my favorite movie for me, Steel Magnolias. He dragged the mattress out into the living room for me and started my movie. He hates this movie... evidence of how sweet he was being.

Birthday morning = favorite breakfast "Puffy Oven Pancake"

Birth day = spent relaxing and hanging out at home with this guy (he is building a lego rocket my mom gave him:)

He surprised me with a chocolate Nothing Bundt Cake (Round 2 of Kent singing solo)...

and a vintage locket necklace I had seen a few weeks ago!

"It's my birthday" worked for all sorts of requests... poor Kent.

We went to an afternoon movie, Tintin.

Crazy amazing animation.

And then concluded the evening with these yahoos @ Pizzeria 712.

This seems like more of a post recognizing how nice Kent is. Yeah yeah, I'm the luckiest. I know. I really am.

Twenty-seven doesn't feel much different.... Maybe because for the last year I have been so bummed out that I am "almost 27" that I just convinced myself that I was practically 30. So 27 feels pretty great.

rainy day inspiration

2012-01-21T13:30:00.000-08:00

a few things i've been wanting, as of late.

2012-01-14T23:35:00.000-08:00

Bangs. To cut or not to cut... that is the question.

I think, cut.

Walls of artwork.

Glasses. I need to get me a pair.

Chalkboard walls. I love.

Living abroad. Kent?

I am sensing a personal and home makeover in the near future.

can you tell I just got done watching 500 Days of Summer?

Mmmmm... McDonalds! Possibly my first word.

2012-01-13T11:14:00.000-08:00

I have realized, since being married, that the way people prepare/eat their food is not always the same as me. For instance, Kent thinks it is strange that I like to cook my oatmeal in milk instead of water. Also, I grew up thinking you could not have popcorn without a chocolate milkshake accompanying it.

Pizza crust dunked in soda (TRY IT), chocolate milk in my baby bottle, large amounts of sugar and butter mixed in to my Cream of Wheat, junior mints mixed in with popcorn, Oreos and milk for breakfast, peanut butter and chocolate chip sandwiches in my lunch bag.... I basically had the best childhood. Possibly a slight explanation for my eating habits. Old habits die hard.

New Year's Resolution

2012-01-09T13:42:00.000-08:00

To be a little more like this guy...

and a lot less like these two.

Christmas 2011

2012-01-07T20:31:00.000-08:00

This holiday season was no different than any other... split between both families, which means double the fun and double the caloric intake.

World's largest gummy bear (minus appendages)

Christmas Eve sibling white elephant gift exchange

Christmas Eve Fondue

Christmas morning

Mesa Temple lights

New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve Tetrus tournament ~ Kent undefeated!

Girl's day ~ Spinato's Pizza and bowling!

Since everyone was in town for the holidays this year we decided to do a Lyons family photo shoot.

I applied my 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th set of eyelash extensions! My mom and ALL of my sisters let me practice on them... brave souls.

Excited to see what 2012 will bring!

Etsy

2011-12-20T00:08:00.000-08:00

I just sold my very first item on Etsy, and would be lying if I said I wasn't a tad bit excited.

reading, writing, & arithmetic

2011-12-19T01:56:00.000-08:00

I have a tendency, on occasion, to loose interest in the things that "everyone else" seem to be doing. This trend is most prevalent in my choice of literature. When the Da Vinci Code was the big thing... I avoided reading it like the plague. Don't ask me why, but I didn't touch the book till over a year after it came out. Same goes for the Twilight series, Hunger Games, and now The Help. Why don't I just read the darn books while everyone is talking about them!!!???

I wait so long that the books are eventually turned into movies, and if there is anything I hate more than following the crowd, it is seeing a movie before I read the book! I finally bought The Help, after everyone I knew had read it.... didn't get around to reading it, and then was out of town with some girlfriends that all wanted to go see it in the theater. I was not about to be the party popper, so to the theater we went! I loved it, but lost interest in actually reading the book.

After starring at my purchased copy for months... I finally decided it was time to read.

I might've liked it even more having seen the movie first! All of the characters were so clear in my mind. I felt like I was cheating on a test or something, knowing what all of the characters looked and sounded like. The conclusion I've come to... I don't like to use my imagination.

If ever bored...

2011-12-16T21:56:00.000-08:00

Open your Photo Booth application and let loose.

Warning: may cause rib pain

accepting that Thanksgiving vacae needs to come to an end...

2011-12-05T10:30:00.000-08:00

Kent and I decided last minute that there was nowhere we'd rather be for Thanksgiving than home with our families. We arrived in Arizona the day before, and in normal Liz fashion, I stayed for an extra (7) days. I have a tendency to do this sort of thing when there are exciting activities on the horizon. I LOVE being around family, and participating in all of the fun festivities that come with this holiday season. Kent does too... that is why after flying home last Monday, for a full week of work, he headed back out here to beautiful 79 degree AZ for another weekend full of fun! (He missed me;)

I love love hanging out with my sisters.

We are constantly laughing.

...and Kent's sister!

Thanksgiving day we ran Mesa's Annual 10k Turkey Trot ~

a Massey family tradition!

Followed by LOTS of eating... of course!

Spent a few days babysitting these darling kiddos!

Mother~ daughter lunch @ Liberty Market,

An Arizona version of hot tub relaxation with my sissy (parent's bath tub).... oh my,

Being a goofball with my silly brother. He literally ran a race wearing nothing but these underwear (with leggings) and a cowboy hat on... Oh My,

The Massey Family Gingerbread House Decorating Party,

Loving on Jack the dog.

Decorating the tree.

Kent flew back to Utah this morning, and I am soon to follow. Although I like to think that vacations should never end (I will be back in AZ in 2.5 weeks for Christmas break), I don't want to be away from the husband or felines any longer. Flying home this evening to be reunited with this...

and this... OH MY!!

don't forget Thanksgiving!

2011-11-22T18:04:00.000-08:00

getting ready to head home for the holidays, while smelling this little number baking in my oven.

Dear Santa,

2011-11-19T22:52:00.001-08:00

Ok ok, so maybe some of these items are a little too "big" to fit in Santa's sleigh.

30 thoughts about my birthday boy...

2011-10-16T16:21:00.000-07:00

1. I am so grateful that you were born 30 years ago.

2. You're the funniest person I know (one of the reasons I fell in love with you).

3. I love the way you adore your mom.

4. I love that you are best friends with your dad, and know our boys will be just as lucky.

5. I love your smile. I still remember the way I felt when you flashed those pearly whites at me on our first date (sigh).

6. I love that you are a closet interior decorator.

7. I love that you love sports, and wanted to be a pro football player when you were little.

8. I love that you love our cats.

9. I love love your facial features. Cutest nose, and Oh, those lips!

10. I love your testimony.

11. I love your height. Perfect snuggling height (for me).

12. I love the kind of brother you are to your siblings.

13. You are oh so patient with me.

14. I love when you hold my hand.

15. You are such a good friend.

16. I love your taste in food.

17. You are so (beyond) smart.

18. You are handsome. I hope our kids look like you!

19. Your aspirations have taught me to DREAM BIG!

20. You love me just the way I am.

21. I love that you know everything there is to know about politics.

22. I trust ALL of your opinions regarding public affairs.

23. I love that you like to watch the news while getting ready in the morning.

24. I also love that you will forgo t.v. (or any noisy activity) if you know it'll wake me.

25. You make me feel like I can do anything!

26. I like to play scrabble with you.

27. I love how social you are.

28. I like when you go on walks with me (even though I know it is purely to appease me).

29. I love that you always kiss me goodbye before you leave for work.

30. I am so grateful you married me.

grateful for flour

2011-10-13T23:54:00.000-07:00

Tonight I made carrot zucchini bars for dessert. I figured if I was going to make a sweet treat, something with a cup and a half of shredded carrots and a cup of shredded zucchini would be better than a dessert containing no vegetables:)

While standing in my kitchen pulling every needed ingredient from my fridge and pantry, I was overwhelmed with gratitude.

Today I am grateful for what I have.

2011-10-03T22:33:00.000-07:00

loving the season, and everything that comes with it.

Random "like"

2011-09-25T10:25:00.001-07:00

Did anyone grow up thinking the wedding reception on the Father of the Bride, and the "baby suite" on Father of the Bride 2 was absolute perfection?

I did, and still do. Sigh.

a happy bird

2011-09-18T14:02:00.001-07:00

“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up.

I wrote down ‘happy.’

They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.”

— John Lennon

In love... with L.A.

2011-09-12T20:45:00.000-07:00

Kent has designed his new office space (Bennett Consulting Group's) from the ground up. He has literally chosen the layout of the office, picked out the flooring, paint color, doors, light fixtures, ect. AND has been in charge of furnishing the 5000 sqft office space. Kent decided to go with a mid-century modern theme, which recently took us to L.A. for a little furniture shopping.

We fell in love.

Our view from the plane as we arrived in Los Angeles.

Dear Kent, ending up with a home in Beverly Hills is now on my bucket list. Please make it happen. OBSESSED!I think this is what heaven will look like. A warehouse FULL of mid-century modern furniture.

baby mid-century modern.

another warehouse.

There is an AMAZING flea market full of vintage things that happened to be going on this weekend... so we got up at 4:30AM to attend. Eight hours later we loaded our car up with the goodies we found and headed on our way to continue our furniture shopping!

Did anyone have these as a child?

A few awesome Blenko glass pieces we found, a Lane coffee table, and perfect condition radios!

A neat building.

L.A. artwork.
During the day it was shop til we dropped.... or until the furniture stores closed. In the evenings we were able to relax and have a little fun, because technically we couldn't "work" any more... this was a business trip, after all:)

I, of course, HAD to see Rodeo Drive. Hello, this is where pretty woman shopped!

Kent, expressing his "what's the big deal about Rodeo Drive" face.

Kent enjoying Rodeo Drive.

Liz enjoying Rodeo Drive. Window shopping at it's best!
Kent dreaming.

The epitome of tourist behavior.

We went on a beautiful drive up Mulholland Dr:) It winds and curves up a hill, with incredible views of Hollywood on one side and Beverly Hills on the other.

L.A. at dusk. (I like saying "L.A.")

Kent and I love to eat, but who doesn't right?

No... we basically live for well executed food, and we were not disappointed with what we found on our weekend vacae. We ate at Mario Batali's restaurant, Mozza, and made sure to ask around for any good local eats.

This face is "Oh man, this is SO GOOD!"

Above "delish" found at this local joint, suggested by a local, called LOCAL! Everything is purchased from local farmers. So fresh and satisfying.

(That is our darling rental car. It was fun to drive an SUV for a change:)

Nothing is better than eating on an outdoor patio in the summer, don't you agree?

We missed out on meeting up with a few friends that live in California, due to our crazy schedule, but we were able to meet up with one of my dear friends Tara and her husband Tim! They live in west L.A. and took us to this TO DIE FOR cream puff bakery. A store, entirely dedicated to cream puff perfection.

Aren't they adorable? I just love this girl. We stopped by their apartment and while there, realized how similar our tastes are! We have the same pillows, shower curtain, bath mat, clothes... it was so funny! Great minds "buy" alike I guess!

Kent being silly, sitting on these random "seats"(?) at the airport!

While flying into Salt Lake today I took this pic out the airplane window. The clouds were amazing. I think they are made out of cotton... not water, or whatever science claims.

Speaking of Kent being silly, check out this video of him being a raptor at the airport.

Disclaimer: we are weird & kent makes me laugh.

AZ to UT Girls Trip

2011-09-06T10:24:00.001-07:00

My Mom and four of my sisters decided to come for a visit from Arizona for Labor Day weekend.

We enjoyed the weather and mountains in Provo Canyon, and even ziplined!

We took the trax to downtown Salt Lake.

We ate way too much at the Little America brunch.

We visited the temple.

I loved every minute of it, and miss them already!

Montana Trip

2011-08-28T22:16:00.000-07:00

Our good friends invited us back to their families lake house in Montana (we went 3 yrs ago), which we made sure to be 100% available to attend! It is BEAUTIFUL, as you can see from these pictures. Couples traveled from Arizona, Utah, California, and Chicago to join in on the fun.

Their land is FULL of cherry orchards, grape vines, apple trees, pear trees, blueberry bushes, and more. I was in heaven.

blueberry hill

All you can eat blueberries! We made delicious blueberry pancakes one morning.

cherry orchard

A mama bear in the cherry orchard! She was there all week with her two cubs. We made sure to keep our distance.

Homemade pizza in the outdoor pizza oven, delish!

Chef Rocky

Chef Brighton

boating

paddle boarding

jet skiing

The Nelsons

wake surfing

sunsets

hanging out with this guy

today, in snapshots

2011-08-25T23:58:00.000-07:00

We are lucky enough to be in Montana this week with friends, loving life.

a little piece of heaven.

2011-08-20T00:19:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we took a mini (2 day) vacae. Burley, Idaho is a little piece of heaven. It is where we go to enjoy a little R&R, and to hang out with these folks. They have lived in the same home, which Grandpa Lyons built, since they got married in 1950. ADORE!

Grandpa Lyons has been sweet enough to not only let Kent work on furniture/art projects in his workshop, but has even participated in the projects!

We went on hikes...
through fields of flowers...
stumbled upon leftover snow...
tried to balance on a dead tree for picture taking...
cooked hot dogs and s'mores...

and fished till we caught something!

We LOVE our Idaho family, and are so grateful that they are willing to take us in any and every random weekend we decide to pop in on them.

and then she leapt.

2011-08-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

I have decided that it is time to move on, take a step into the dark, and walk away from the restaurant life. That's exactly what it has been, my life.

I miss my husband. I miss the butterflies I get in my stomach while waiting for him to return home from work, after I've been home all day. I miss eating dinner with him. I miss trying new recipes. I miss taking Sunday evening walks. I miss feeling the warmth of the sun. I miss being active. I miss being creative. I miss creating.

Although it may be an excuse, I have felt like working in the restaurant industry has kept me from being balanced. Happy. Healthy. At peace. It is a lifestyle, one that some people are really good at balancing with the rest of their life. That person is not me. I am excited to be home in the evenings with Kent. I am excited to have the weekends off to attend our local farmer's market. I am excited about being able to have holidays free to spend with family.

I am unsure of what the future holds for me, but excited about the endless possibilities.

Pioneer Day

2011-07-23T22:05:00.000-07:00

Aerial fireworks were made legal in Utah this year, which means every Utahn went out and bought 1 million fireworks. Since the week before the 4th of July there have been firework shows down every neighborhood street every single night. Since tomorrow is Pioneer Day, but also Sunday, we knew every Utahn would be out in full force lighting off fireworks tonight. We grabbed a $5 Hot-N-Ready pizza, found a spot right outside of our community that looks over the entire southern Salt Lake valley, and watched an incredible display of fireworks.
Happy Pioneer Day Utah!

simple summer date night: chick & a flick

2011-07-20T23:03:00.000-07:00

Life is exhausting. I am sure it will be even more so when I have children consuming my days, but sometimes I just want to take a "time out"!

I have been working, a lot, and it seems that any day I have off there is some event to attend or some task to catch up on. On top of that, I have been sick for three weeks. I have had a ridiculous cough which consequently has caused the cartilage around my ribs to become inflamed. It hurts, really hurts. I was tested for whooping cough yesterday... so we'll see how that turns out. I get the results on Friday. Poor Kent has been overwhelmed with work, and trying to take care of me:)

Tonight we took a break.

When Kent got home from work I handed him a Chick-Fil-A bag* full of movie theater candy and movie tickets. It was my way of surprising him with a midweek simple summer date night. We dined out at the Chick (Kent's obsession as of late), and saw the final Harry Potter flick. Afterwards, we went to Barnes and Noble and sat and flipped through architecture and design magazines. It was lovely.

After returning home, while walking to our mailbox (hand in hand) Kent asked if our marriage could be like this every day. If only every day was a simple summer date night.

*I think the girl working the drive up window at Chick-Fil-A thought I was crazy when all I asked for was a to-go bag. It was the perfect "gift bag" for my date night surprise.

my husband, the rocket scientist

2011-07-06T21:15:00.000-07:00

Kent has liked remote control airplanes his entire life, and decided to purchase one the year we got married. It has provided much entertainment for us both, including the time he strapped our digital camera to his plane and flew it over our neighborhood, recording the entire scene from the air with the video recorder.

Last year over the 4th of July Kent decided to try strapping a mini rocket engine to his rc airplane to see what it'd do. Having much success, he decided to attempt it again this year, by attaching TWO much larger rocket engines, along with some fireworks to shoot off of the back. Using a 9 volt battery he devised a way to ignite the rocket engines with a seperate remote while the plane was in flight. I can't decide if I am married to a 5th grader, or a rocket scientist. Here is one of the MANY videos we got of the event.

God bless America, and our freedom to be inventive.

what dreams are made of

2011-06-27T09:29:00.000-07:00

Dear dream home,
Please relocate to Salt Lake City, and be in our price range. I promise to love you forever.
-Your future owner

Kent's dream...

My dream...

We'll take either one.

How many kids do you want?

2011-06-25T09:10:00.000-07:00

I have ALWAYS thought 5 would be my number. Not too big (I come from a family of 10) and not too small. Well, I got a real live dose of that medicine this past week.

I just had the oppurtunity to watch these five babes while their parents went to Cancun. I loved every minute of it, but there is only one word for it... Craziness!!!

I am now back in Utah, thinking I should be relieved to have my kid-free life back. But as I sit at work, I am sorta wishing I was still in Arizona... making breakfast at 6:30am, driving swim team carpool, changing diapers, picking up kids from basketball camp, applying gallons of sunsreen, sweeping up messes every half hour, having no time to do my own hair or make-up, and kissin' on those chubby baby cheeks.

after 4 years

2011-06-08T18:41:00.000-07:00

he still kisses me...we still have fun together...
he still tells me sweet things...

he still makes me laugh...

we still love each other...

what more could I ask for.

U2

2011-05-25T11:02:00.000-07:00

Kent somehow managed to get us 6th row tickets to the U2 360 Tour Concert that was in Salt Lake City last night, for free!We were 6th row behind the floor peeps. If Kent is going to attend a concert he likes to sit and relax. I on the other hand am a come home sweaty and exhausted concert goer. I love being part of the crazy crowds:)Oh, and we scored passes to a private backstage reception...
where we met this guy:)

Can you tell we were just a tad excited!? Bono was as cool as a cucumber.

pep talk

2011-05-18T12:40:00.001-07:00

Dear body,
I am so beyond grateful for you, but can you please work on looking like this?
You have a sister who ran a marathon while pregnant, and a brother who just got 4th place in his state by running a 4:18 mile.
Not to mention a mother who has ran a marathon and many other siblings who participate in ragnar relays, marathons, races, ect.
Can you please try to follow in their footsteps?

the girls

2011-05-14T22:33:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you how many times I have left a girls lunch date feeling overwhelmed with gratitude, love, and admiration for these women.
There are a few not featured in this pic (you know who you are) who have moved away, but who have been far from forgotten. We include you in our lunch dates by regularly remarking on how much we miss your presence.
I am truly blessed. I have wonderful friends. They are such amazing mothers, wives, and friends.
Thank you for being my example.

One month ago, I was...

2011-04-21T21:07:00.000-07:00

...burying Kent's legs in the sand.
...relaxing and laughing with my bestie.

"Oooh, look at the little tiny umbrella!"
...building sand castles.

...loving on these babes.

...petting (or being too nervous to pet) a seal.
...playing scrabble with the team.
...watching the sunset with my sweetheart.
...getting my tan on with this gal.

Yes, she is my sister. How she got that hair and skin tone I am still trying to figure out.
...eating ice-cream, daily....feeding (or avoiding being bitten by) sea turtles.
... and plotting the abduction of these three Nacho Libres.

brain vs heart

2011-03-04T15:53:00.000-08:00

What do you do when your logic does not line up with the way you feel? This seems to be a reoccurring theme in my life. Logic is comfortable to me. It makes sense to me. It is tangible.

I am slowly learning to let go and trust my heart.

To explain, let's revisit this restaurant management opportunity I was offered.

I applied at Tsunami for a serving position that was listed online, thinking that it'd be a nice change of pace or simply that it would provide a temporary income while I looked for a more permanent job. I received an email to attend an interview a day later. After discussing it with Kent he convinced me that I should not go back to serving tables, I needed to keep looking for a better opportunity. I still attended the interview, thinking it'd be a nice opportunity to get my face out there in case they were ever looking for a manager! I informed the employer right off the bat that I was actually interested in a management position and did not want the serving position. I expected that to be that. Well, she continued with the interview and then told me that she was actually having problems with her current manager, remarking that it was VERY ironic that I came into the interview with such an interest.

She called me a day later asking me to come in for a second interview. When I arrived at the interview two days later she asked me a few questions and then informed me that she had fired her manager the previous day (which she was planning on doing before even having met me) and offered me the management position!

Fate, we both thought.

The only downfall was the pay. I was taking a SIGNIFICANT pay cut from my previous job. Because of the way it had worked out (as fate would have it) I decided to roll with it and accept the job. I attended my first day of training and to my surprise things felt very familiar, including the weight and stress of managing 30+ employees. I came home feeling discouraged. I can handle the job, it seemed like a perfect fit, but it did not feel worth the money I was being offered. I talked to Kent, called my mom, thought and thought and thought about it, and came to the conclusion that the position was not worth the pay. I called and informed my new manager that although grateful for the opportunity given, I had enough experience that I did not want to settle for hourly pay, I was looking for a salaried position (if managing). I applied for a handful of other jobs online with far lower starting pay, but worth the money. I was willing to make less for less stress.

I expected to feel like a weight had been lifted. I expected to feel at peace with my decision, but I didn't. I continued to turn things over in my head and ask Kent if I had made the wrong decision. Why if this is what I wanted was I feeling so torn about a seemingly irreversible decision?

Well today while preparing dinner I received a phone call from Tsunami. A new offer was on the table. To my surprise, they were offering me a salary position! Where was this coming from? Had all of my doubts been for a reason?

When I first applied for the position, logic was the overriding factor... "This job will be perfect! I know what I'm doing, it is only a 15 minute drive from my house, and what are the odds they'd be firing a manager the day of my interview?"

Then more logic... "Why am I taking a restaurant management position AGAIN? This is not something enabling me to be surrounded by flowers, puppies or babies!"

Throughout this entire headache of a decision-making process I questioned my decision to walk away. I hadn't felt settled.

Things have a funny way of working out. Maybe having this income will actually enable me to attend floral design school, buy a puppy of my own, and save up for our own little baby Lyons.

Changing directions.

2011-03-03T14:00:00.001-08:00

Is there anybody that actually likes to interview, or start a new job for that matter?

I finally got up the nerve (barely) to quit my long time job at Happy Sumo. I was tired. Tired of the commute. Tired of the long hours. Tired of the physical and mental strain it was having on me. Tired of the job. The only thing keeping me around were the people! (the staff, NOT the customers)

On to bigger and better things, I thought. Lofty ideas of being a floral arranger, or getting paid to play with puppies at the humane society, or working in the hospital with new born babies flooded my mind. And then reality hit. Most employers require experience or an education in their specific field, and the humane society actually puts animals down!!! Maybe one day I will own my own flower shop, like in the movie Bed of Roses. And one day I WILL accomplish my dream of opening my own no-kill "Humane Humane Society." And maybe one day I will actually finish school and maybe even get a nursing degree. But today I need a paying job.

So last week I decided it's time to start applying for a new job. I applied, interviewed, got hired, trained (one day), and quit a managing position at a popular local sushi restaurant all in a matter of days.

My thought process in applying, "I have years of experience in the restaurant industry, I know sushi, it is close to my house, it's the perfect fit!"

But I was forgetting one important fact... I quit my previous restaurant management job because I sincerely did not want to manage a restaurant any more!! What was I doing? Getting sucked right back into that life I lived for five years. Happy Sumo employees always said that working in the restaurant was like being in an abusive relationship, you know you'd be better off walking away from it but you just can't leave. I was finally free and felt myself becoming captive once again. I rationalized it by telling myself it would be better this time. This new place was ran by different (better) owners, I was going to have less responsibilities, and there would be no commute. But the restaurant life is just that, it is a lifestyle. A lifestyle that has exhausted my spirit. I used to joke that I sold my soul to Happy Sumo.

I am on a quest. A venture to find something that fills me with light! It may not be something having to do with flowers, puppies, or babies, but something I actually enjoy and feel is progressing ME!

I take my hat off to all those that have ever or are still working in the restaurant industry. It is HARD stuff.

Aside from the great work experience I gained, I am so beyond grateful for the lifelong friends I made along the way.

2011-02-15T23:58:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day this year was sweet and simple.
We spent the day together taking turns picking places to go, which resulted in quite an eclectic day...
attended True Grit matinee + Paisley Poppy Boutique + Hobby Store (remote control airplane "hobby", not craft "hobby") + Deseret Industries + Humane Society + dinner @ India House + The Sweet Tooth Fairy + watched Message in a Bottle at home, while sipping on cider =
Happy Valentine's Day!

Green Smoothie

2011-02-05T20:59:00.000-08:00

No, I am not sharing a delicious spinach filled smoothie recipe with you guys. The whole point of my last post (besides trying to explain all of my cat birthday cards) was to tell a story. And now it appears that I have done TWO cat posts in a row... when I only intended on doing one long cat post. I guess one long cat post wouldn't make me any less crazy than two cat posts.

I was calmly sitting at our desktop the other day sipping on a freshly made FULL GLASS of green smoothie, when Kitty (the larger fluffy cat - yes, her name is Kitty) approached me, begging to be picked up. I sat her on my lap and continued to drink my drink and attend to my emails. A few minutes later in one swift motion the smoothie went flying and so did the cat. At the moment I was unsure if Kitty had spilled any smoothie on herself or if she simply managed to spill the ENTIRE cup-full onto me (no picture taken) before dashing out of the room. Kent had been organizing his office the day previous so there were printers, piles of papers/files, and many many more office items on the floor that got smoothie baths that day. The worst part of all... Kitty HAD managed to spill smoothie ALL over her FLUFFY tail. She ran through the entire house before I caught her and threw her in the bath (which is an entirely different story and I will spare you a third cat post... big cat + not declawed + HATES water + no one home to help give her a bath = you can only imagine). So after bathing the cat and then showering myself off I took a moment to collect myself and eat a funfetti cupcake before starting my multiple hour-long quest of tracking down every last particle of green smoothie she had tracked throughout the house. She literally managed to visit every room in the house on her way to hiding under my bed. Walls, baseboards, area rug, bed sheets, carpet, cat condo, tile... ALL had green to clean. Good thing for her we can all conclude that I. LOVE. HER.
Damn cat.

Possible explanation for birthday cards.

2011-02-04T22:05:00.000-08:00

Every. Single. Photo. was taken in the last week. you can only imagine how many photos we actually have of these girls. a tad embarrassing.

the OTHER blog

2011-02-02T22:27:00.000-08:00

Let's try this again, dressfabuless.blogspot.com

"Have a Purr-fect Day!"

2011-01-30T01:44:00.000-08:00

When almost every single birthday card you receive has something to do with cats...

...it causes a woman of 26 to think.

I am a turtle.

2011-01-20T22:50:00.000-08:00

I have been told more than once in my life that I am slow at doing things.

-While dating, I took 2.5 hours to give Kent a hair cut... thus my speedy retirement from beauty school.
-I take approx. 12 minutes to decide which ice cream flavor to get.
-It takes me at least a month to read one book. (embarrassing fact)
-I take 5x's as long to clean my house/dishes/vegetables/hair/ect. as any normal human being.
-I respond, after the fact, while playing any speed required game... specifically Guitar Hero.
-I am known to "mosey" instead of WALK.
-I take my "sweet time" during shopping exhibitions.
-Tonight, and for the better part of our marriage, Kent finished his entire dinner while I still had 72.3% of my meal still on my plate.

I truly want to be more efficient with my time.

I have sincerely tried!!.... Unsuccessfully.
I'd like to chalk it up to the idea that I simply must be meticulous... but I am not so sure about that.

new blog

2010-11-02T10:35:00.000-07:00

I am attempting to start a new blog (still a work in progress)
Please feel free to take a gander
dressfabuless.blogspot.com

happy fall.

2010-10-22T18:09:00.000-07:00

Summer Project: Take 1

2010-10-17T21:19:00.000-07:00

D.I. chair - $8
Trying to sand on our condo patio = bad idea

Trying to construct a paint booth on our patio = worse idea

Kent taking the chair to Grandpa's workshop in Idaho = good idea

happy birthday luv.

2010-10-17T18:55:00.000-07:00

kent turned 29.
we ate Nothing Bundt Cake(s).
if you haven't tried, drive to said location immediately.

we golfed. kent rocks...

i do not.
love Hobble Creek Golf Course.
went on an autumn drive after eating at The Foundry Grill at Sundance.

other birthday eats included The Communal, Blue Plate Diner, & Farr's Ice-Cream.

we like food. (understatement)

love you duck.

Summertime 2010

2010-07-26T10:22:00.000-07:00

"I don't think I should post pictures of our cats... I seem crazy when I do" ~Liz

"No, people like our cats!" ~ Kent

4th of July ~ Yellowstone

2010-07-19T22:25:00.000-07:00

Kent.Liz ~ the crazy bunch ~ Logan.Hunter.Noah

"Old Faithful" ~ Dennis the Menace, when he squeezes the bottle of nose spray in Mr. Wilson's bathroom.

Natalie gives these geysers a thumbs up.

The Old Faithful Inn and the largest cat sized crow I've ever seen.

Flemmings

2010-07-12T00:45:00.000-07:00

The husband and I LOVE Flemmings. It is a delicious, way too many dollar bills, steak house. We, on occasion, have frequented this venue for birthdays, anniversaries, and things of the like. Today we tried to recreate this deliciousness in our own home. Some of our favorite items to order from Flemmings other than an obvious steak is their amazing mac-n-cheese and their to die for panko crusted onion rings. I have to say... Our Lyon's Flemming feast turned out to be one good meal. Kent blows me out of the water when it comes to cooking and I don't mind one bit !

june's random rundown.

2010-06-20T23:15:00.000-07:00

Losing your camera battery charger for a month = no photos taken = no motivation to update your blog = boring blog update using old pics.

June 2, 2010 ~ Happy 3rd Anniversary

Kent and I spent the evening before our anniversary and the day of in Salt Lake... eating, relaxing, lounging by the pool, and going to a movie. It was a much needed "staycation."

June 5, 2010 ~ Happy 80th Birthday Grandma Lyons!Kent and I were able to get away for a few days to attend Grandma Lyons 80th birthday bash in Idaho. We loved every mintue of eating and game playing!

June 11, 2010 ~ We bought tickets last minute and attended Seinfeld LIVE in Salt Lake!
i.love.these.four.

June 17, 2010 ~ R.J. attended EFY at BYU. Natalie moved to Provo for school!

I have loved having Kent's family and my family not only in town but staying with us!
I have loved that winter has finally gone to bed... yes WINTER! It has seriously been cold up until about a week ago, and since... I have never experienced more beautiful weather in my entire life.
I love the sun.
I love my bike.
I love my patio.
Summer is finally here!

I found my camera charger today, finally, so pictures of summer 2010 coming soon!

Weddings, birthdays, babies!

2010-05-18T21:30:00.000-07:00

Mary + Ben

Massey kids with parents.

Seven sisters... all from the same mama!
Liz + Kent

L.O.V.E my two new nephews... Weston and Kade!

Happy 22nd Garrett!

Leaving two cats for four days = paranoid mom

I know what you are thinking... and I have fully accepted the fact that I am a "crazy cat lady." L.O.V.E my cats.

old-school Sumo

2010-04-16T21:10:00.000-07:00

(bianca, sierra, whitney, shea(whit's jones), liz(shea's gigi), breckan)
On Thursday, since Whitney was in town from San Fransisco, we threw together an "old sumo" get together. All six of us ladies worked and served together at Happy Sumo back in the day! Now there are only two out of the six of us still devoted to sushi:) Although I love my sumo crew these days... I miss the old school girls from time to time. It was so fun seeing all of you beautiful ladies!

Canyon de Chelly

2010-04-06T15:45:00.001-07:00

Spider Rock.

Snow blowing through the canyon.

The kiddos.

The rez "gang"
Kent got a tad SOAKED when we drove through the water!
His plan of action for future water hazards.

The dry ones.

The family.
Grandma Masan's house.Kent's Aunt Lisa was born in this hogan.

Three generations.
Yanabah Tea was being sold at the Canyon's gift shop.

(Kent's Dad's tea business)And last but not least... the food!

Aunt Grace cookin' up some tortillas and mutton.

Navajo tortillas are a must with every meal!

(3 destinations within 2 weeks results in 3 posts in 1 day)

Arches National Park

2010-04-06T14:57:00.001-07:00

Mexico 2010

2010-04-06T14:06:00.000-07:00

The crew.The party bus.

Food and shopping brought directly to you. Thank you Mexico for enabling me to maximize my laziness on this vacation.

Mama Massey's beach hat collection.Girl's Thrifty trip into town.
Cuban cigar?... or churro?

The trip would not have been complete without a tortilla stop at Pedros. Butter, cinnamon, sugar tortillas... delish!

December 2009

2010-02-16T01:27:00.001-08:00

"Peace on Earth"Kent and I had our own little Christmas before heading home to Arizona to celebrate with our families. Our first time celebrating Christmas on our own since being married and we loved it! Kent made homemade lobster chowder (he is such a good cook), and my dreams of a bird covered Christmas tree take their humble beginnings...

We celebrated Christmas Eve with Kent's family, enjoying delicious soup and bread bowls at Fred and Sherece's house!

Verna and Amber always produce the prettiest (although dangerous) tree, topped with a Navajo angel and all! Dangerous because one of the giant red (metal) stars fell from the tree and one of its points stuck right into a present!

Massey candy table
The four youngsters waiting to go down stairs to see what Santa brought.

Sportin' the new threads Kent got me for Christmas!

And last but not least... I (not we) added a new addition to the family! I had to come back to Utah for work, and while Kent was still in AZ I decided to surprise him (for the second time in our marriage) with a darling little feline. Good thing Kent is a sucker for kittens.

November 2009

2010-02-16T00:29:00.000-08:00

Kent and I took a quick trip home to AZ two weeks before Thanksgiving to attend a pre-Thanksgiving Massey family dinner. Us Massey's like to eat so why not have a practice Thanksgiving feast two weeks in advance? (no pics of the delicious dinner)

Anything to see these cuties.

At our pretend Thanksgiving dinner.
Gettin' back to my roots.

There is no place like home... to get good authentic Mexican food!

While home we were also able to participate in Amber Rose's 14th birthday party!

Thanksgiving was spent in Idaho with Grandpa and Grandma Lyons and all the fun, crazy, sweet relatives that we can't seem to get enough of! I think it is safe to say that they love their cousin Kent.

October 2009

2010-02-15T22:49:00.000-08:00

We finally move from Provo to South Jordan.

Kent turns 28 (and almosts sets the smoke detectors off:)

Liz attempts to make homemade tiramisu~ Kent's fave!

Kent stays busy trying to get the Senator re-elected and Liz tries to be a supportive wife by attending Bennett events...

having almost no clue what they are talking about ~

I am learning though.

Liz works Halloween for the second year in a row:( And since costumes are banned from the work place Liz confirms the "crazy cat lady" inside of her with a little make-up.

But we did not miss out on ALL of the Halloween fun...

Yes that is green velvet with gold trimmings. Oh, and it is a one-piece leotard. Gotta love D.I.

September 2009

2010-02-01T14:48:00.000-08:00

Yes I am aware that we are now into the second month of 2010. I am afraid to admit that the "lazy blogger" syndrome has hit me hard. Over the next week I will attempt to update my blog and do a "quick" rundown of our last 5 months that I have been MIA... upon request of my sister.

September.
We vacationed in Orlando for a week with Kent's brother Chad and his wife Kate.

when you wish upon a star...

I love vacationing... mainly for the food! (does that surprise anybody:)

French cuisine ~ ordered in the native tongue by Kent

Moroccan grub~ accompanied by belly dancers and all

Seafood, seafood, seafood... who doesn't love a delicious Lobster tail and crab claws!

and to burn off all of those extra calories,

we played...
and played...and played...
and played...
and played...
and played...

Wait, I am confused. Who is taller? Kent...
....or Chad?
"I am not leaving Florida until I go on a fan boat tour." -Kent
"I am not leaving Florida until I see an alligator." -Kent
To finish off our Florida extravaganza Kent and I went to see a Cirque du Soleil show!

Thank you Chad and Kate for inviting us on an amazing trip!

A Sample.

2009-10-21T11:24:00.000-07:00

Our condos. The view out my window.
(have you ever seen cuter colored houses all in a row?)

A local pumpkin patch, where Kent and I will be picking our pumpkins to carve this weekend, if anyone would like to join! The Kitchen.

The Living Room/Dining Room.

Maybe some day I will get things decorated...

For now we are just so grateful to finally be moved in to our own place.

Good News...

2009-09-07T21:15:00.000-07:00

The downpayment grant was released on Friday!... We are in Orlando with Kent's brother Chad and his wife Kate for a week.... Kent is off to D.C. for work the day after we return home.... And then into our new home we'll move!

(pictures and updates to come)

Churros and Tea Cups here we come!

AZ

2009-08-26T09:15:00.000-07:00

Still waiting to get into our home.

#1 It is almost done being built, maybe one to two more weeks.

#2 We are waiting for the down payment grant to be released!

.... in the meantime, a mini trip home will do!

We are alive and well.

2009-08-12T00:39:00.000-07:00

We have a place to sleep, jobs to keep us busy, and plenty of granola bars to hold us over for a few more weeks.

We are just waiting to hear back about a grant program (for the down payment) that Utah is supposed to be putting into effect.... TODAY!? If all goes according to plan (which nothing has thus far), we'll be in our place in 2 weeks! And until then, all of our stuff is in a storage unit about 30 minutes away and we are on a permanent vacation living out of suitcases!

Sometimes when life gets interesting I have to make a list of things I am grateful for. (I do this a lot at work, about my job:)

Today's List:

Granola bars

The Dome's (people we are staying with)

The lap pool at Gold's gym

The Temple

A bed

A shower

Friends

Family

A job

A supportive husband

Knowledge

My health

Car AC

The gospel

I could probably go on and on, if it weren't 2AM in the morning! So until another update...

"Life's good... REAL good" -nacho libre

homeless.

2009-08-08T23:11:00.000-07:00

Hi kent and Liz,
As far as we know , you are the only ones of our family who are actually homeless now. We haven't had it confirmed that you are living on the street, and may actually have a street address. Our realization that the commute for Liz from our basement to shushi makes the offer of said basement unrealistic. To say nothing of the fact that we can't guarantee hospitality outside the walls of our home, fishing pole in hand or not. We assume that Kent is now unemployed, what with his record and all. Our paper today has an article indicating that our governor is starting to assemble his campaign staff. You might apply here. Your record will be an advantage. Don't bother,though if your NRA credentials aren't top shelf. The commute to Boise is only minutes over 2 hours, honda time that is.
We hope you have occasional access to internet and bed and breakfast.
Love,
gmpa

Quick update of our summer days... the good, the bad, and the ugly.

2009-07-26T22:16:00.000-07:00

The Good
1.Campfire cookout with friends

2. Midnight trip to Wendover

(view Sam & Terri's blog for pics and details:)

3. Heber Demolition Derby

The Bad

4. Bring on the doubles!

Our general manager at Happy Sumo is having a baby this week... so 3 doubles a week will be the new recipe in my life!

definition: Double-Being in the restaurant from 10AM to 10:30PM, and on weekends til 11:30PM. (But yea for baby May coming this week!)

5. Our contract ends in 5 days and we have no place to live.

6. We sent a rather large sum of money to a lawyer in Idaho to try and rid Kent of a misdemeanor charge that was given to him while "fishing" in Idaho.
The rundown...
Kent + helping me with my line/showing me a simpler way to cast + no fishing license = a ticket/misdemeanor?

7. After spending double amounts of money on Kent's car AC, because the compressor blew up as soon as they were done fixing it... it STILL doesn't work. Poor Kent commutes two hours every day in the heat of summer.

The Ugly

8. My home at this very minute, thus the "quick" update.

We are currently packing because we have to move in 5 days. we have gone from looking for a place to rent, to looking for a place to buy, back to renting, now set on buying!!!

The place we have decided to purchase is currently being built and won't be ready til Aug./Sept. so... after Friday, the day we are required to move out, we will hopefully have another update!

Oh Sweet Sylvania.

2009-07-16T22:10:00.001-07:00

Well, it's happened. Our sylvania gave up her ghost... well almost. We have been in ownership of the sylvania television that Kent's parents bought when they were first married for the past two years of our marriage. We have laughed, cried, and cringed with her through it all. She has done us proud, with taped corners and all... until tonight. After watching a few minutes of the Godfather while waiting for me to get ready so we could head out for the evening, Kent proceeded to grab the remote control to turn off the television. "OFF"! But wait a second... The volume was gone, the bright red number 3 was gone, but the picture was still there! In full dull color and all it's glory. Our screen will not turn off! Kent thinks it is christmas or something, and that Costco electronics is calling his name. I think the plug in the wall will sustain me just fine for now. I mean who would want to give up "Better pictures, greater viewing comfort, and the finest cabinet beauty"?

Happy 4th of July from Idaho Falls.

2009-07-08T13:01:00.000-07:00

The crew.

The boys with their army truck/rocket ship fireworks.4th of July caterpillars.
Fishing.

Sushi anyone?
Kent in camouflage... A sight I never thought I'd see.

(I kinda liked it:)
Weeny roast.

Vegas, Arizona, and Idaho to come.

2009-07-04T00:30:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, June 20th, a few of my friends and I had this bright idea of driving to Vegas! We headed out around 10pm and arrived at our destination around 4AM... after an eventful night of getting pulled over, having our car break down, and barely making it there, due to lack of sleep.

(the car ride)The first night, technically morning, where we caught some zzzz's was at this sweet pad. Yes that is a rock climbing wall in the living room, and a bean bag bigger than my bed.

(Robin's cousins house)When we arrived at The Wynn the next day Bianca apparently felt the need to bathe... even before undressing.

After a long day of shopping...

and sitting on a $100,000 swarovski crystal couch (no joke)...
We retired for the evening... until about 4:30AM. Bianca, Jenn, and Myself decided that we had had enough rest and that we were in Vegas after all... so to the black jack tables we went!

After a bit more rest after our morning out on the town we awoke and hit up the Wynn Brunch Buffet! (All my desserts, Bianca was just being nice and posing with me so I didn't look like such a heifer)
After brunch we took a tour of the Wynn and Encore Hotels, thanks to Sara's friend! So pretty.

(the spa that we reluctantly did not have time to take advantage of) Jenn and Robin felt the need to rest on the warmed stone benches that were at the foot of multiple serenity pools.

It was a quick but fun trip, filled with shopping, eating, and lots of laughs. I love these sumo girls, and am so glad that my job has at least one perk:)

Girls Trip #2 - Arizona - Friday, June 26th

After eating at Carrabbas my sisters and mom headed back to my sister Megan's house for a girl's night/sleepover! It is so fun when all of the sisters, including the mom's and married, can take one night away from husbands and babes to hang out.

My sister Brooke, who coordinated the whole thing, thought of a fun idea... She had everyone come up with a presentation or demo where they could teach everyone else something new or just do some fun activity. My presentation was homemade facial masks!

These girls were brave enough to spread egg yolks and egg whites all over their faces.

Us scaries have oatmeal rubbed into our faces!

Peace.
One of my sisters decided that for her presentation she'd teach us how to do the P90X abs workout! I conveniently had to be taking pictures during this presentation:)

After getting a quick nights rest we arose early and headed out for a morning hike up usery pass. AZ is SO HOT!

After the hike and brunch at Crackers I decided I needed a little testosterone in my life. My dad took a few of us to the lake.

My dad and 3 brothers takin a swim... or a pee(?)
The youngsters of the fam, Lacey and R.J.
My pops and me bein' all gangsta.

Lance catchin' some air. My wakeboarding pics are on my sisters camera... which I will not attempt to obtain, because I am pretty sure they are of me falling shortly after I had gotten up! I love my girlfriends that I have made through my job, and I love LOVE my mom and sisters. I am so grateful for a husband that lets me go and do... and then tells me how much he missed me. I am so happy that my summer is off to a great start! Kent and I leave for Idaho tomorrow morning for a little Fourth of July festivities. Get ready for late night game playing Lyons family!

rhubarb.

2009-06-17T22:47:00.000-07:00

I love the color of rhubarb. I have been tempted multiple times to purchase it at the grocery store just because of its beautiful vibrant color! Well I finally did...

And pie I made!

sadsteve.com

2009-06-14T21:55:00.000-07:00

you know those people that just seem to know all the cool new or unknown bands... well I am not one of those people nor will I ever be much to my dismay. but sometimes, I just crave new music

sadsteve.com

"The Percolator. Telling you what's fresh in the world of music. Reloaded every fifteen minutes."

(thank you janae who informed makell who informed me)

moving.

2009-06-10T15:54:00.000-07:00

We have survived living in our miniature apartment with no dishwasher for way too long (2 years). Our contract ends next month and we are ready and lookin'! Our original plan was to move to downtown Salt Lake, but we are now up for anything between Orem and Salt Lake City. Anyone have any suggestions, or know of fun places to live?

Two.

2009-06-06T13:25:00.000-07:00

It's been two years.
Two years since we started this journey together.

Tuesday was our anniversary, so Kent took work off to spend the entire day to hang with his girl.

I love the days we are able to just be together... with nothing else to do, but be together.

We had a fun day of movies (Up), eating (Ruth's Chris), and chillin' (Little America:). The next day, Wednesday, Kent had to head into work and since we had stayed in Salt Lake that evening... he went off to work and I stayed at the hotel and slept in! I spent the morning taking a bath in their huge jacuzzi tub and reading my book for my bookclub (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time). After a lazy morning (for me, not Kent) Kent picked me up during his lunch break to grab a bite to eat. We found the cutest little fishmarket/delicatessen/bakery that had the most delicious European chocolate candy.

And right next door was a Belgian nook that was selling Belgian waffles and frites (fries). A must try!

Since Kent served his mission in France and Belgium he was in heaven, and with the owner being from Bruges Kent was more than happy to practice using his French! After lunch I walked to Gateway Mall while Kent headed back to work. I had about 3 hours to kill so I went and saw Wolverine, by myself! Random, I know. Thought it'd be better than being tempted to shop and spend money for 3 hours. Don't worry, I still managed to find a little something for myself between the movie ending and Kent picking me up!

It's been a crazy wonderful two years, and I look forward to a million crazy more to come.

(again, no pics from the day)

I can't take another bite... WHO WANTS WAFFLES?!

2009-06-02T00:02:00.000-07:00

There is a joke amongst the Lyons clan that started a few New Year's Eves ago when their family had just finished eating and cleaning up a large meal, and Uncle Vance spoke for everyone in saying..."I can't eat another bite." And then finished his thought with... "Who wants waffles?!" So the Lyons', being the partiers that they are, prepared and ate a huge waffle midnight breakfast.

Well that is exactly how my week went.

After one meal was cleaned up, we started talking about the next. Is that normal?

My mom and two younger sisters, Natalie and Lacey, stayed with me for the last 8 days, while my brother RJ enjoyed the week at EFY. And I think it is safe to say that all we did was EAT!

We fit a hike our two in there somewhere, and a day at Seven Peaks water park, and about ten games of scrabble... but you better believe everything was either planned around the next chance we'd get to eat, or included something delicious to munch on while our brains tried to figure out the best possible way to use a "triple word score" that my mom so graciously kept opening up for Kent and I to use:)

A few of the delights and temptations we gave into were... carmel corn, oreos, milkshakes, Mcdonalds, Red Mango frozen yogurt, Bangkok Grill Thai food, Zupas, SubZero Ice-cream, chocolate milk, candy, snicker doodles, chocolate chip cookies, the Creamery's mint brownies, popcorn, Target food court pretzels, biscuits and gravy, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, breakfast burritos, chocolate chocolate covered doughnuts (that is not a miswording either:), croissant french toast, Maglby's french toast w/ delicious syrup, sushi, bagels w/ cream cheese, fruit with the most unhealthy delightful dip you've ever tasted (just mix one 8 oz. cream cheese with a jar of puffed marshmallow), smoothies, hamburgers/hot dogs/bratwursts, chips, soda, smores, crepes, gelato, pizza, enchiladas... just to name a few.

If anyone has been wondering what the deal is with me posting about how grateful I am for this beautiful running weather but then seeing me post pics of a larger Liz... this might be contributing!

The saddest thing about the whole week is that we took practically NO pictures. Here are the few moments we did capture from our night out in Provo Canyon.

I finally planted my flowers with help from mama Massey.

Thanks for coming Fam! I really did have a blast... even if my tiny apartment was wall to wall with blow up mattresses. Loved it!

april showers bring may flowers.

2009-04-27T21:13:00.000-07:00

Thursday. Kent returns from a work trip to D.C. Friday 8AM. Kent graduates from the Kennedy School of International Studies at BYU. Friday. Family comes in town from Arizona, Idaho, and other parts of Utah to celebrate Kent's graduation.Saturday. While traveling north on the I-15 to meet up with family... popped tire going 70 mph on rainy freeway. Unable to repair. New tire purchased.
Then while backing out of Discount Tire... "SMASH!" We back right into a huge parked truck. Luckily no damage.
We love our old cars. (I hope those that have seen our two cars can sense the sarcasm in that comment) We had to replace both windshields this past week and pay for a safety & emissions test and new registration that will have to be redone and paid for again in 6 months. Awesome.
Sunday. Kent puts together his graduation present.
Monday. Kent's laptop gives up the ghost after being repaired almost a dozen times. After dreaming about it for over a year, Kent gets a new MacBook. Fortunately, for Kent, a laptop is a necessity for his new job. Tuesday. While Kent is in The Apple Store in Salt Lake he decides to lock his keys in the car. $70 for Pop-A-Lock to come? Or 2 hours and a few dollars in gas for his wife to drive to Salt Lake and rescue him? Well here's a clue to the decision we made... It was my day off:)

Recovery from the weekend. Pulling our mattress out into the living room and eating Parisian cheeses my parents sent us from France while watching old episodes of The Office.

I am so grateful that it's almost May. I have been waiting for this warm running weather for way too long. I do love the April showers though. I love the way the tulips close their pedals when it rains, and then open right back up the next day when the sun is shining. I love going on Sunday evening walks. I love being able to drive with my window down. I love having my front door open all day long. I love that my cat plays outside and chases the bugs in the yard. I DO NOT love when she brings 6 inch long worms into the house after playing in the yard. I love that Kent loves his job and comes home happy every day. I love that life is busy. Sometimes it kicks my butt and I just need a day to do nothing, but I love being busy. I love Spring.

grocery shopping + exhaustion + hunger + midnight =

2009-04-18T17:25:00.000-07:00

Holy CRAP is right.

I'm trying to figure out how we ended up with 2 different kinds if macaronis, 2 different bags of tortilla chips, 3 kinds of chip dip, and toaster strudels. Seriously? Toaster strudels?

I can't decide if I deserve the worst wife award (because secretly this shopping trip was me giving up on trying to plan and cook meals) Or if the best wife award goes to me. I am pretty sure Kent will now encourage me to grocery shop at midnight more often.

our easter event.

2009-04-15T22:22:00.000-07:00

Shoshone Falls in Twin Falls, Idaho

I am convinced that Kent's grandpa is an old hollywood movie star... just look at him!

when it rains, it pours

2009-04-13T18:09:00.000-07:00

after a day like today i am convinced that when it rains it pours. some days are just hard. something that brought me a bit of joy was eating Pizzaria 712 for dinner. so so good and happy.

Mexico - Spring Break 2009

2009-04-07T13:49:00.000-07:00

I love how bright and happy the colors in Mexico are! This was a restaurant we went to and it was so cute and delicious.This guy was screaming "LA LA LA BOMBA" in my ear! His specialty was to sing American songs in spanish. And yes... I bought this shirt from a little hispanic man that was walking the beach trying to make a living.

The food was so good!

Our beach.

Heather and Liz - partners in crime. Both of our partners were unable to come this year.

There are 5 seperate posts for Mexico because I can't figure out how to put more than five pictures on a post. I couldn't leave anything out...

mexico continued...

2009-04-07T13:42:00.000-07:00

Heather and Dad enjoying a little Thrifty's ice-cream... one of our favorite traditions!Brig could not get enough of the seagulls.

These young girls walk the beach selling goods to the tourists. They enjoyed any break they could get to sit and relax and eat some liquorice!

This was a little local family's workplace and living quarters.

The "Fish Market"

2009-04-07T13:30:00.001-07:00

This is the Fish Market where many tourists like to come and get fresh shrimp. And yes these two men are wearing fur covered masks and seashells around their ankles. They walk around "making music" to try and make money... but all they seem to do is scare me to death. They are really creepy if you ask me.BOOBar... no we did not visit this tourist attraction:)

Shopping at the Fish Market. The place we stay is located in the lower right hand corner of this picture!... We dig the trailer park scene.

View of our beach from across the bay.

Ice-cream and babies. My fave.

2009-04-07T13:24:00.000-07:00

2009-04-07T13:07:00.001-07:00

Trailer park senoritas! Although there are fun fancy condos that line this beach, we choose to rough it out at the trailer park! It is actually tons of fun. There are dunes directly behind our park where you can ride quads, motorcycles, and go-carts! We have been staying at the Playa Bonita trailer park every spring break for the past 11 years.My mom was my companion this trip since Kent wasn't able to come. We went on a lot of walks, chilled in our beach chairs with our feet in the ocean water, and visited the "hot-cuzzi" almost every evening! ("hot-cuzzi" = how the grandkids refer to the jacuzzi)

I think she is the best grandma. Of course, I might be a little biased.

Jaron, trying to teach his 3 year old how to pose on the beach... yikes!

We all love to run! Brooke 26 (just had a baby in January and was kicking some of our butts!) Heather 27, Liz 24, RJ 15, and Megan 29 (and a mom of four).

last Mexico post...

2009-04-07T12:49:00.000-07:00

Massey beach babes!We love to have the shopping come to us! All day long different people walk the beach with various items to sell- sunglasses, fresh mangos, hammocks, jewelry, hats, shirts, pottery, ect.

My brudders! Every evening the family just sat around the motorhome talking and laughing for literally hours!

Thanks to my wonderful invention we were able to make funnel cakes! Jaron, my brother-in-law, was in charge of dessert this particular evening and somehow forgot to bring a FUNNEL to make his FUNNEL CAKES! So... a few paper cups torn and taped together worked like a charm!

My younger sister Natalie, who is one of the coolest people, was trying to teach her dorky older sister some sweet dance moves! Thanks Nat for "trying"... but I am a lost cause when it comes to dancing.

We got a job!

2009-03-31T18:25:00.000-07:00

I am the proud wife of the newest employee of Senator Bob Bennett!
Kent will be working on Senator Bennett's re-election campaign for the next year and a half... which means we are stickin' it out here in Utah for a bit longer. Kent will be graduating from BYU at the end of April and then he will be working full time in Salt Lake City. Today was his first day of work, and to celebrate we treated ourselves to a delicious P.F. Changs night out! Kent will be going up to Salt Lake a few times a week until graduation to begin working. One of Kent's major passions is politics so we are so grateful for this job opportunity and that Kent will be doing something that he really enjoys! Our plan is to move up to the Salt Lake area sometime this summer. We are so excited to be moving out of Provo!... Except for the minor detail that my job is still here. I'm in the process of convincing myself that commuting an hour to work and then an hour home 3 to 4 times a week won't be so bad...???

2009-03-11T22:42:00.000-07:00

I will be going from this......to that

Mexico here I come.

i miss my mom.

2009-02-24T21:10:00.000-08:00

I tried my hand at my mother's cinnamon rolls and orange rolls yesterday, and let's just say I miss her... and everything about her.

there's no place like home.

2009-02-22T18:00:00.000-08:00

She stayed tiny.

Kent and I decided last minute that we wanted to head home to AZ for the weekend since it was a long weekend and Kent didn't have school on Monday. So I switched around my work schedule and Thursday afternoon we were off!
Kent's family just bought a new house and are fixing it up a bit before they move in... new carpets, paint, bathrooms, the works! And Kent, being the manly man that he is, was feeling left out of helping with all the hard labor. He watches every "flip that house/extreme home makeover" show that airs on television. Ha ha... I guess that doesn't really make him a manly man, but close enough.

So for the few days we were in AZ I held babies and Kent worked! I'd say it was a successful trip!

I never thought I'd say this... but I miss Arizona so much. There is nothing like being able to run outside in shorts and a tank top in the middle of February and actually get a little sun tan. We also got to eat at a few of our favorite places... including Filibertos! Which for anyone who isn't from AZ... Fili's is the equivilant of Utah's Betos :) only better. Valentine's Day was spent working on the new house, helping my younger brother paint a fence for his Eagle Scout project, and dining at a cute little local Pizza joint. I think I ate chocolates for breakfast and lunch the two days following Valentine's Day. Actually I KNOW I did. And no... I didn't have that large of supply of chocolate. I was stealing from Kent's box that I got him, his sister's box (sorry Amber), and my mom's!

I have been the worst about taking pictures and vow to do better. I have the best camera and am just lazy I guess. That is why their are only scraps of pictures from our latest ventures.

Awesome pictures coming soon.....

reece elizabeth

2009-02-06T22:19:00.000-08:00

There is one very sad part about being the sister that lives out of state. I miss my sisters. And their babies. Born January 28th, 2009...
please just stay tiny until I can meet you.

my 24th

2009-01-25T18:32:00.000-08:00

When I awoke on the morn of the 23rd this is what was waiting for me... along with some delicious Magleby's french toast and their famous syrup!
I had told Kent a while back that for my birthday I wanted new running shoes, but then informed him that it's something I'd need to pick out myself... so maybe not a good birthday gift idea. Then I had kinda thrown around the idea of getting eyelash extensions for my birthday present since they are a tad pricey for our every day budget, so why not splurge for my B-day? But once again... not really something Kent could pick out for me.
So on our kitchen table my gifts awaited...
the shoes - $3 from D.I. (i love them)
eyelashes - $2 from walgreens
candy - our favorite treats when we go to the movies
flowers - Kent being a sweet husband

Kent took me to the mall later that afternoon to pick out new running shoes and he still insists that I can go get the eyelashes whenever I want... even though I am still undecided. And Marley and Me was the movie pick of the day!

Thank you Hunter, Logan, and Noah for the awesome birthday banner, homemade cards, and card game! These darling boys belong to Kent's Aunt Nancy and Uncle Danny who live in Idaho. The twins Hunter and Logan have the same birthday as me and were so sweet to send me a package on my birthday. Nancy sent me the cutest earrings... which she sells online at dragonflywisdom.etsy.com. Check them out! Thank you Riess Family. We miss you guys a ton!
Since I wasn't born until 11:30pm on the 23rd of January, Kent decided that the 23rd and 24th both counted as my birthdays! He surprised me the evening of the 24th by inviting all my friends to P.F. Chang's for a fun dinner!(I forgot my camera)

When we got home that evening we realized that I had not been sang to yet or blown out any candles. You are not officially older until the candles are blown out and the wish is made. So at 11:00pm on Saturday night we ran to Smiths, bought cake mix and icing, and Kent made me a birthday cake. Kent sang to me all by himself, adding harmony and all, at 1 o'clock in the morning! He was really excited to make me a two layer cake, with strawberries and all :)rewind to the actual birthday...

2009-01-25T18:10:00.000-08:00

Kent and I enjoy watching this show on Food Network called "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives". The host of the show travels the U.S. finding "hole in the wall" restaurants that are worth your dollar. So for the birthday lunch we decided to seek one out that is located in Salt Lake! It is called Lonestar Taqueria and I give it an 8 out of 10! It was pretty good authentic Mexican food which is sometimes hard to find here in Utah!

After lunch we went to see Marley and Me (which I bawled like a baby in), shopped around Gateway Mall where we found me some new running shoes, and then headed to dinner ( i promise this was like 6 hrs after lunch, ha ha) Kent told me I could pick anywhere....

...So fondue it was!!!
After a late dinner we headed to check into the Little America Hotel. To our surprise they had given away our room, which we didn't mind at all.... because they upgraded us to the Grand America!

Little America, you can overbook your hotel anytime you want!

Since we were high rollin' it at the Grand we decided to treat ourselves to a little room service the next morning(12pm).

I'd say Kent did pretty good and it was an alright birthday!

best gift a girl could get.

2009-01-17T22:03:00.000-08:00

Thanks babe.

december.

2009-01-10T01:39:00.000-08:00

(3 seperate posts of pictures)

kent, chad, and garrett.
stella.
amber attacking stella with one of her killer hugs.

brittlee, lilly, and tanner.

I have the cutest nieces and nephews, hands down. love them.

2009-01-10T01:31:00.000-08:00

massey christmas candy table.christmas morning.

kent's favorite christmas gift.

flying his new plane.

garrett, mom lyons, and amber.

2009-01-10T01:23:00.000-08:00

amber rose.

happy new year.

lyons family.

massey family.

christmas card photo shoot

2008-12-14T16:59:00.000-08:00

Don't ask....

i'm pretty sure that is snow on the ground. coat anyone?

The winner(for lack of a better option)! Almost as cheesy as Kraft Mac n' Cheese :)

love him.

Salt Lake City

2008-12-13T23:42:00.001-08:00

We were freezing our buns off but it was totally worth it!

This was the most amazing Christmas tree I've ever seen. The picture does not do it justice... bulbs the size of my head! It is located in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.

my tree

2008-12-03T23:34:00.000-08:00

thanksgiving in idaho

2008-12-01T00:40:00.000-08:00

cutest little cousins ~ Logan, Hunter, and Noah

our hosts for the weekend ~ Grandma Kathleen and Grandpa Kent

Our weekend consisted of ~ a large turkey dinner, Aquire (a game from the 1960's), pumpkin~chocolate~apple pies, watching movies, sleeping, playing "jelly car" on Kent's ipod, staying up late, playing lots of games, laughing, and eating more turkey :) we had so much turkey left over we actually made enchiladas with it and they weren't too bad if I do say so myself!... of course Kent was the chef behind it so I may have a biased opinion. We had a blast and always love spending time with all the aunts, uncles, cousins, and of course grandparents.

Bring on the Christmas cheer!!!