joy in january

january and i are not friends. after all the holidays and cheer, january just seems to throw real life back in your face without any apologies. people are sick, the weather is outrageously cold (below zero usually when i take the kids to school) and the month just drags on. it's not my favorite.

however, there are a few things that are bringing me great joy right now and keeping me distracted from the fact that it's still january.

around the house:

we've had a big empty wall in our bedroom for a while and i finally found a few things to throw up on it. i made the chalkboard out of an old mirror. i really love it. it's the perfect place for little love notes to be posted. each picture means something to mark and me. owls, i'm obsessed. bees, he's obsessed. we were married in the manti temple. and the 'for wither thou goest' quote from the bible is something we have made a priority in our marriage from the very beginning. you'll see it hanging up in other areas of our house too.

my owl light switch cover! my mom gave this to me as part of my christmas present. she knows me well! i put him on my closet switch because, as mark claims, i never turn that light off after i walk out of the closet so the owl is there to catch my eye and remind me to turn off the light. so far it's worked! i know, i'm a child.

my very first apron in almost 12 years of being domesticated. also a christmas gift from my mom and mark teaming up to make it happen. it's almost too cute to cook in, right?

at the store/online shopping:

target $1 bins have been a gold mine lately! i could buy one of everything. i'm slightly obsessed with arrows lately too. and glitter. and twine. and for just a buck you can't go wrong.

forever 21 hair bows. so cute for my girls. or me. and for less than $2, that's always an easy decision. go here to find them.

ever been to shopbando.com? go! it's a little pricey, especially compared to forever 21, but i love pretty much every single thing on their website. these hair clips are screaming my name! my bangs just aren't quite long enough for this look, which i wish i could wear everyday. naomi, from love taza, has been rocking this lately and it's just awesome.

 world of blogs:
i've been reading the following blogs for a while but recently my love for them has grown. i'm not sure why but it has and i'm loving it!

nat the fat rat: natalie lives in nyc with your husband and adorable son. i like the way she describes things when writing, all of her cool pictures as she walks nyc and her simple, yet adorable tiny apartment. oh, and she's lds.
the alison show: if you are a crafter, alison is for you! she is one of the most creative blogging ladies you'll run across. and her style is right up my alley. pretty much everything she makes is a home run by my book. and she's funny. and she's lds too!

and lastly, music:
i have a whole list of songs that currently are on repeat. but there's one song that i've been throwing on when izzy and i need to jam out in the car or need some energy in the mornings to get the day going. it's funny because it's not normally my brand of music. hey, sometimes you just gotta go with new things! also, izzy and i have major crushes on adam. i mean, seriously now! ps. the video is kinda odd...