Home Sweet Home

Wellllllllllll the secret is out.  I'm not very good at keeping exciting secrets anyways. Friends, you've been warned  I have a new nickname around my family, "Hailey Homeowner."  BOOYAH!!!!

Taken with my embarrassingly organized binder of documents for closing.
They hadn't seen something like this in over 30 years.
All thanks to my mom for giving me the obsessively organized gene :)

Once upon a new years resolution, I made a list of things I hoped to accomplish in the year 2013.  This month I put a big check mark next to #5: Buy my own place.   :]  That's right, I signed my life away for the next 30 years for the most adorable little condo and I could NOT be more happy about it.  I was worried about the forewarned "buyer's remorse" but so far I have had none of that.  I was able to walk away with a steal of a deal, thanks to Sean at Summit Realty and Maralee at 1st Home Mortgage.  These people were so great to me and so helpful!  This lovely pad o' mine has given me purpose, something to work on, take care of and progress with.

To celebrate this awesome milestone in my life I held a proper ribbon cutting ceremony with some of my besties for the first time I entered my Home Sweet Home as its owner. That's what normal people do right....?   It was pretty much the greatest welcome home I've ever received and I couldn't have done it without my friends! (Shoutout to you Kar, Jake, Kay and Joe - Anisa and Bronzson were there via video recording and were missed terribly)

First project: PAINTING.  My mom and I are taking on the massive job to paint the whole place and we just finished with the baseboards.  I'm excited about some killer before and after pictures but until then my evenings have been consumed by taping off baseboards, ceilings, doors, outlets, myself, carpet, people and anything else that needs a good covering.  I'm so lucky to have such a fantastic mom who is an expert in this area and willing to help me out.  We make a pretty good team, she and I.  (Is that grammatically correct?)

See, having a house is teaching me relationship lessons! Bonus! haha

I am HAPPY.  Life is GOOD.  I love EVERYONE I've been able to surround myself with lately.... and I love SUMMER.  Times like these make me look back and be grateful for all I've had to go through to get to this point.  So why not be happy for where I'm at now and what is ahead?!

P.S. Isn't it pretty awesome that this quote session began and ended with the Hinckleys?  They are so great!

Murder Mystery Dinner

Two weekends ago Anisa and Bronzson came down specifically to visit me!  Aren't they so nice?!  ...... Alright, maybe they came down for other reasons (like celebrating Anisa's birthday) but I don't want to get caught up in semantics.  :]

To celebrate, Bronzson got together and organized a murder mystery and the rest of us put on an awesome dinner!  The whole night was a HUGE success and everyone did a fantastic job at making that happen.

So, let me introduce you to the guests of the evening:

Enrique Suave Graves:
Elizabeth's Handyman/Grounds keeper,
all around ladies man

Kathryn Lawless:
Town Librarian, best friend of Elizabeth (the deceased)

Dr. Chelsea Barren:
Elizabeth's next door neighbor, celebrity Psychiatrist
and author of murder mystery novels

Michael Nightshade:
Real Estate Agent here to buy Elizabeth's house
 and secretly Kathryn's nephew

Norman D'Adly:
Vicki's husband but also Elizabeth's previous lover

Vicki D'Adly:
Elizabeth's sister, visiting with husband (Norman) 

Moderator/brains of the whole operation!

Whoever wrote this script did a FANTASTIC job, and props to Bronzson for finding it!  Each person had quite the dirty secrets they had been hiding and interestingly intertwined relationships with one another that had us questioning every single person as the potential killer.  When it was time to guess 'who done it', Anisa and Kaylyn correctly guessed the murderer!  The rest of us.... were close!  And we all got cake so it worked out in the end.

4 points for Kay who came up with a birthday candle just in time

I am obsessed with these murder mystery dinners now and I'm trying to find a reason to do another one as soon as possible.  It was sooo much fun! Who's up to joining in on the next one?!

P.S. I love you guys, best. friends. ever.
P.P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHOUT OUT TO ANISA!
P.P.P.S. Karlie and Jake gave THE best present.  Can't top that. :]

Little Miss Crafty Pants

Well I do have to say, the sewing machine and I are becoming really great friends.  Lately I've made a bunch of things and they were so easy!! I'm posting them so I can save them and they'll eventually go into my blog book I'm making :)

Rice hand warmers for co-worker gifts
(Put in the microwave for 30 seconds then stuff them in your coat pockets. They're awesome!)

Kaylyn's make-up brush holder

Pattern adapted from HERE

Zen garden I made for Dad's Christmas present for his office
(obviously didn't come from the sewing machine, but it was still crafty so that counts right?!)

 My next project is to make a quilt!! I'm thinking this pattern, and using this fabric somewhere.... :)  I'm so excited!

Where to start.... I can't believe it's already Thursday.  Partying on Monday and not working Tuesday has thrown the week off for me, but I'm certainly not complaining! :)

• Just Dance 4 - so embarrassing but soo fun! 
• Real Estate Agents with an adorable baby
• Jean Friday
• Family
• Good health (knock on wood)
• Homemade soup
• Cute cousins 
• Traditions
• Ticket to Ride
• Hanging out and Pitch Perfect with my besties
• Grown up dreams and possibilities

I'm so excited for some big changes I'm working on right now!! Patience is definitely something I continually have to re-learn..... Hopefully I'll have something good to share soon! 

How was your New Years??  One day I want to go watch the ball drop in person, amongst all the crazy. One day.... Thank heavens for a bucket list right?!

Satchel....Purse??

I'm finally putting pictures up of my purse I made a few months ago!!  Holli calls it a satchel, which by definition it probably is.  I'm resisting the urge to look 'satchel' up in the dictionary..... resist!  Either way, I made this purse/satchel all on my very own!  I followed the tutorial from Caroline (http://www.coldhandswarmheartcrafts.com/2012/02/braided-belt-messenger-bag-tutorial.html) and it actually turned out better than I thought it would!  Just don't look too close....  

This was a big project for me and a huge accomplishment!  Sewing is really pretty easy once you get the hang of it!  Later I sewed a make-up brush holder for my dear friend Kaylyn, and now I'm working on some surprises for work Christmas gifts! Lovely Anisa gave me a pattern for an adorable dress to sew and that project still scares me... I haven't broken the clothing barrier yet, but I'm thinking that her pattern just might be what I need to start!

I love to sew, and one day I hope to have my own sewing machine.  Thankfully my wonderful mother has one that I can use.  I like sewing with her there anyways so maybe I'll never get my own sewing machine and always bum off of her.  :)

Now for the pictures!!

23 years under one name

I decided to stray from the alliterations and went with "Life's Lovelies" for my weekly Thursday post.  There are so many lovely things in the world, and I'd like to take more time to recognize the ones in my life.  So.... read it or don't, but this is a new personal goal for me that I am super excited about. 

So this week I've had lots of things to be grateful for, but I'm narrowing it down to 10 things:

• Olive Garden's endless salad and bread sticks (with Alfredo dipping sauce of course)
• Mini pizzas and quality time spent with friends
• Groupon.... hello massage :)
• Better than Sex cake
• Trying something new at a restaurant and LOVING it
• No-Rush, music blasting mornings
• Social Media (finally jumped into Instagram!! @haystack04)
• End of the year Settlements
• Falling asleep on the couch where the fireplace be a-blazin'
• The perfect excuse:  Her: "Game at 9:30 tonight!" Me: "Sorry, I can't come, it's my birthday today so I'm going to celebrate with lots of cake, and no exercising." BOOYAH!

Looking for the first post?  Well it's right HERE!

P.S. I've definitely adopted Kay's idea of birthday weeks and it's been fantastic. :)  Oh and I heard someone say that on his birthday he watches movies all day long, and that's all he wants for his birthday.  Going to the theater and staying there all day, or renting a bunch of movies and gluing your backside to the couch....either way it's a pretty cool tradition!  Anyone have any awesome birthday traditions I could adopt??

Nostalgic

Looking at concerts for some reason.  Remembered that warped tour should be coming up soon.  Curiosity got to me and so I looked up the band list.

All Time Low

Breathe Carolina

Mayday Parade

We the Kings

You Me At Six

It's going to be quite the show this year!  Looking at the bands I got really really excited, but also very nostalgic.  Warped tour is a lighthouse moment for me.  (movie reference: What Happens in Vegas)  It is a special memory that I visit if I ever need to remember a time when I was truly happy.  I went twice, and both times were fantastic.  Each hold different treasured experiences in their separate memories. 

#1 - Ashes showed me how to Warped Tour it up in style, taught me that you ALWAYS meet the band, invited me to take an interest in meeting random smaller bands trying to make it big and showed me how to push your way to the front every time. 

#2 - Put a little cement in the bonding of my relationship with my brothers, gave Kay her very first spray painted t, showed off our loyalty (rain or shine) and re-affirmed my love for music.

I would love to go back, but I think Warped Tour is better as a memory this time around. I'd like to remember it when I was jumping around amongst all the sweaty people, desperately reaching to touch Rian Dawson or maybe Gabe Saporta, rather than being one of the people that stands in the back watching all the madness take place. 

P.S. I love the word nostalgic.  It just sounds cool.  Everyone that says it has always sounded cool, so I finally looked it up in the dictionary.  I believe it will find its way into my vocabulary quite nicely. :)

P.P.S I did just find out that All Time Low has a new CD out!  Of course I bought it! It's waiting patiently for me at home, ready for me to enjoy this weekend.  Can't wait.  

All Four Seasons!

Yesterday Todd and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary of our first date!  Well, it was more of a whole weekend of celebrations.  Friday we went to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner!!!! I had never been there and so we figured this was the perfect chance to try it out. 

WOW..... it was absolutely amazing!  Todd met me up here in SLC, picked me up and we only had to wait 10 minutes to be seated.  Thank heavens for being the early birds. Love that worm.  Of course we had to get cheesecake too, so I picked out Red Velvet cheesecake and Todd chose the White Chocolate Raspberry cheesecake.  Again, WOW.  SOOOOO GOOOD.  This might be our new favorite anniversary spot. 











Afterwards, we took a drive up the canyon, relaxed and enjoyed each others company.  This girl (thumb directed to my own chest) is a big fan of drives up the canyon.  There is something so peaceful about watching the scenery pass by.  Also, I was once again reminded of the fact that I am like a little child.  That car puts me to sleep faster than anything else, and I was having a hard time stifling the yawns on our way back.

Saturday day was filled with sun, outside chores and the procrastination of inside chores.  That night we got together with KKAH (now KJKJABHT haha) to celebrate Kaylyn's 22nd birthday!!!!!!  We successfully carried out our new tradition of making dinner together and it all turned out so good!  Happy birthday Kay!!  Such an adult.  Such a beauty. :)  After dinner we all headed over to the picture show and saw The Avengers!!  I really really liked that movie.  I highly recommend it to anyone. 

Sunday I helped Todd celebrate our anniversary by making him wake up early and come to our ward at 9:00 am! He loved that.  After church we played Ticket to Ride with my family (our new obsession) and just hung out for a bit.  Later we went over to Todd's for their belated Mothers Day get together.  It was a lot of fun to hang out with everyone, have some friendly competition and to celebrate wonderful mothers.  That night we decided to take our trains game to another level.  Two boards, two games, two winners from each game played for the title.  Guess who won........ this girl (thumb directed to my own chest).  nbd. :) actually. vbd.

After that eventful weekend I can't wait for what this week holds!

What's up Weekend?

I love weekends. A break from work and a chance to relax.  Plus, hang out with some besties! Anisa and Bronzson are in town now and I'm so excited for the fun we'll all have together! Maybe if we're really good we can convince them to never leave!  ;)

Here's a photo dump of the recents:

 

Karlie sneaked out!

Woops now Todd's gone...

I'm really sad this one is blurry, it's such a good one of Jake and Kar!

My first Reeses smore!

Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point!

My new running shoes!!!!! 

Fully committed, no turning back now.  Ragnar here I come! 

My view for the past few months.  I love watching these guys and Todd does such a good job coaching!