What's a Leibster?

So when I first saw the blog title "liebster" I thought it was some form of J-Beibs love or something... nope! It's a fun little blogging trend going around to newer/smaller blogs. Basically it's a fun survey about why you blog and what you like. How fun! So when Kelli and Camilla  nominated me on their  ADORABLE blogs, I couldn't say no!

Here's how it works

1.answer the questions of the person who nominated you

2.create 11 new questions

3.nominate 11 new bloggers

^One of my favorite pictures of Clark and I. And right now it totally captures our life - we are finishing up our time at BYU and are both sad and excited to move on! ^ 

1. How would you describe your blog? (what do you blog about?)
My blog is what you'd call a lifestyle blog. Basically I post all about anything fun that Clark and I do, or some cool craft/recipe I find... anything really! I use this blog as a way to capture all the fun memories we have as newlyweds, and reminisce a bit on us: how we met, dating, engagement, and wedding (oops still need to do a wedding post...). Plus it's a great way to keep our family members updated on our lives while we are here at BYU and when we move to NYC!

2. Where do you shop the most? Why?
I do a lot of my shopping at J. Crew (and their outlet) and H&M. I love J.Crew because they have tons of good sales, the clothing is very high quality, you get a discount for being a student, and let's be real - they always have the cutest clothes. I shop at H&M because it is so inexpensive, but their stuff lasts pretty long. And I shop Old Navy a lot! I've also recently discovered ASOS - great for fairly cheap and modest clothes because they have a huge selection! (pictured below - one of my favorite church outfits: skirt- ASOS, chambray- Old Navy, necklace -BYU bookstore; and one of my favorite fall outfits: shirt - J. Crew, pants - H&M, necklace - apple of my eye on etsy) 

3. What is your dream job?
Haha I've been trying to figure that out for a while. First answer - being a mother. That is what I want to be most in life. In terms of a career though... It'd be so cool if I could find some way to be an anatomy teacher/nurse/something in healthcare and paint/arrange flowers/be a photographer at the same time. Now that would be awesome ;) 

A favorite photo I've taken! 

My most recent finished painting! 

4. What is your favorite all-time book?
Woah. That's impossible to decide! I read so much; it's one of my favorite pasttimes. My most recent read was "New York" by Edward Rutherford. It's a history of New York City from it's existence as a Dutch settlement to 9/11 - but it's written from the view point of a fictional family line. I promise it's super interesting!! I also love reading Jane Austen-esque novels, loved Harry Potter (obviously), Hunger Games (obviously), The Women of Genesis Series, as well as classics like The Swiss Family Robinson or Jane Eyre. You can check out my GoodReads button to the right if you want more ideas. And I am always looking for new books! 




5. What is your favorite way to work out?
So I'm a total noobie at working out. In high school dance was my workout, but now that I'm in college my favorite is Zumba! I'm a total sucker for it! Especially cause I get to go with my gorgeous little sister ->




6. Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give your 13-​​year-​​old self?
Boys are stupid in middle school, and most of high school. There is no need to date anyone seriously- just have fun. Also ignore hurtful comments - you know what you're made of andwhat anyone says can't change that. So you don't need to worry about what others think of you as much because no matter what, Heavenly Father and your family will always love you! 

^Me and my friends in our full middle school glory^

7. What is one skill you want to master?
I would love to be better at photography. I love pictures, and being able to capture the moments of my life perfectly would be incredible!  

8.  Where is your favorite place you have traveled?
Ooh... Can I say a tie? I loved France (all the art and history) but Costa Rica was definitely my favorite adventure! 



9. What is your favorite blog?
I don't know if I have a favorite. I really love reading Taza's right now because it's all about living in and loving New York City, which is where I'm moving in a few months. It makes me really excited for the move! 

10. What is your favorite blog post you have written?
I loved my posts over Christmas and Thanksgiving just becaues the pictures were so fun to take! I got a lot of practice with my camera over those vacations, and I'm really happy with how a lot of them turned out. 

11. What is your favorite childhood memory?
It's not a specific memory, but I love thinking back to the days when my grandparents' backyards were magical kingdoms to play princesses or cool forrests to play "lost kids" (think Neverland/Boxcar Children) with my cousins and siblings. Or wrestling/playing king of the floating island in my grandparents' pools. Those are memories I really love to look back on. 

^Adventurous little Ellee^ 

Good for you, for reading all of that! I hope that wasn't too boring, learning a little bit more about me. It was pretty fun to think through! 

Finally - my nominations for the liebster (ps - links are listed to the side, under people I love!): 

Lauren from L+B

Camille from Justin & Camille

Jani from the Happiest Time

Whitney from The Hartshorts

Lane from The Phillips

Macey from bri & i

Mindy from Melinda Joy Writes

Christie from Mr. & Mrs. Reynolds

Kaytee from Our Own Story

Paige from The Andersons

Mckenna from The Long Story Short
Sarah from Sarah Nightingale Art

And my questions are:

1. What is your favorite thing to blog about?
2. What inspired you to start a blog?
3. What is something this year that you are really looking forward to?
4. What's your most embarrassing moment?
5. Please share a photo that means the most to you. Why is that picture important to you?
6. What are some of the jobs you dreamed of being when you where little?
7. What's been the best moment of your life so far?
8. Where had been your favorite place to travel?
9. What is your guilty pleasure (food, books, etc)?
10. What makes you the happiest?
11. What's the best advice you've ever been given?

F I V E

   I was tagged by my darling and talented friend Sarah Croft (check out her blog "On the Easel" to the side)! This fun "get to know me" trend also went around Instagram a couple weeks ago and you can see my post here: http://instagram.com/p/VA2vyEBzlg/
   But hey I'll give it another go in the blogging world! And I tag my sweet friends (who also happen to have adorable blogs) Lane, Jani, Rachel, Mindy, and Paige!

1. Sometimes I think I should have been born a century earlier because: I am obsessed with Victorian era literature. Jane Eyre, any Jane Austen novel (especially Pride & Prejudice, Emma, and Sense & Sensibility), Charles Dickens, The Secret Garden, Wuthering Heights... and I would love suggestions for other wonderful books! I also LOVE the movies based on that time period (Young Victoria is amazing, as are the Jane Austen movies). And I LOVE how romantic everyone was during this era. Lovers used to communicate using FLOWERS for heavens sake (Shout out to the book "The Secret Language of Flowers" - read it!). How much more romantic can you get?
2.  As you may have noticed in my previous fact I love flowers. (My favorites are the spring flowers). I can't tell you how many of my childhood hours were spent in my Nana's beautiful garden pretending to be best friends with Mary from "The Secret Garden" and basically living in my Nana's peony and rose bushes. Now I'm in a floral design class and I think my inner artist has finally found a medium to beautify the world with. I love working with flowers, and I would love to work in a floral shop at some point.
3. I've never broken a bone. The worst injury I've ever had was a sprained ankle (I tried to backflip off my grandma's couch when I was 11). So I guess that means I'm not that exciting or daring...But I like to think I am! I've done some pretty thrilling things like zip lining, repelling, white water rafting, ATVing, and spelunking. Maybe I'm just lucky I don't get injured?
4. I'm a genealogical mutt. I'm Italian, Armenian, German, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, Danish, and a whole lot of other "ishes". And I love learning about all my cool ancestors and their native cultures! For example I'm a descendant of Mary Stewart (remember bloody Mary from Scotland? yep she's the one). And one of my ancestors narrowly escaped the Armenian genocide in Turkey. And another ancestor won a sharp shooting contest and used the prize to buy a wagon and team to make the trek to Utah with the other Mormon Pioneers. Hopefully my life will be just as fascinating to my great-great-great-great grandkids! 
5. I'm a pretty goofy person. Sometimes I have dance parties by myself (sometimes they are with Clark too). I cry at almost anything romantic or sad in a movie/book/show. Sometimes I make up songs about what I am doing/thinking at the moment. Sometimes I just want to curl up on the couch and hold my hamster instead of acting like a responsible adult. Sometimes I go to the bookstore and spend hours reading fairytales or comic books. And sometimes I blog instead of paying attention in Molecular Biology... OOPS! Better start paying attention again. But I hope you'll take the opportunity to tell me some fun facts about yourself. And if you make a "FIVE" post, link it in your comments! You all are the best :) 

P.S. - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BEST FRIEND IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD BRITTANY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Oh man... good thing we aren't as awkward as we used to be.

The End of our Single Lives - We're Engaged!

             Of course telling the proposal story is always so exciting and ours is no exception! We got engaged on the Del Norte Beach in Monterey California at the stroke of midnight on New Years Eve... and yes I will give more details than that! 

              But first things first... buying the ring. So I had this huge fear of the day Clark would ask me to go ring shopping. I'm sorry, but I really really really don't like the idea of ring shopping together! I had always wanted my ring to be a surprise, and luckily, Clark felt the same way. After dropping me off at the airport one at the end of fall semester, Clark had a secret meeting with my roommates about the ring. I had become a little suspicious that we might get engaged soon, so I had totally discussed what types of rings I like and what I don't like, so they were fully prepared when the time came. Anyways, armed with information about cuts, halos, and pave diamonds Clark was prepared to go shopping!

             Clark had originally planned to purchase my ring around Valentine's Day, but it just so happened that his dad had an invitation to a jewelers market. So on Christms Eve Clark his dad, and his sister Lauren were off to San Francisco to buy a ring. They were hugely lucky and found the perfect ring. Seriously, it is everything I have ever dreamed of wanting in a wedding ring.  While they were waiting for the diamond to be placed in the setting and the ring to be sized they went to a small Mexican restaurant… and unfortunately both Clark and Laur got MAJOR food poisoning and were sick all Christmas. But they were such sweethearts and didn’t even care because they were so excited about the upcoming engagement! As soon as Clark had the ring, he called my dad and they planned to meet for breakfast in Vacaville (halfway between our home towns) on the 26^th.

Where Clark and my Dad met for breakfast

            Clark was super nervous to meet with my dad, so on the way to the restaurant he listened to a book on tape called…. “You can Negotiate Anything”. Ha! I love it. Well apparently it worked, because Clark got permission!!! My dad promised to keep it a secret so the whole thing would be a total surprise. In fact, when he got home from meeting with Clark I asked him where he had gone and he told me he had an emergency patient that morning. I was not suspicious at ALL! And what’s funny is my Mom found out, who then told my sister, who told a cousin, who told aunts, who told my grandma… and my friends all knew about it too. So basically I was the only one who was completely in the dark. Thanks for that you sneakies..

           

            Anyways Clark and I spent some time with my family in Los Altos, and then we were off to Monterey for New Years with his family. Now Monterey is one of my favorite places along the California Coastline. I love it. It’s so beautiful and I love the small town authenticity it has. While in Monterey we stayed at his family’s beach house on Del Norte Beach. We rode those cool “car bikes” (I have no idea what they are called), we went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and we spent tons of time on the beach building sand castles and playing in the ocean. It was wonderful!

            Ok that’s probably enough background info and I’m sure you’re all dying to hear how it happened. So New Years Eve (Day) we went biking along the coast to Lover’s Point. For a while Clark and I got ahead of everyone and we were just having fun on our own. Little did I know, everyone had slowed down to give Clark and opportunity to propose then… but the time wasn’t right. Then we went and played on the beach for a couple hours. Clark and I went on a walk, and when we came back everyone kept asking how our walk was, and what we did… they thought he would propose then too! But Clark had other plans. He asked me if I wanted to go out to dinner or do something special on our own for New Years. I said it would be more fun if we hung out with his family and then we could go off on our own right before midnight.  So we went ice skating in Old Monterey, and walked through all the street parties going on for New Years. It was so fun! And it was funny to learn that Clark had the ring in his pocket, but he got nervous I would feel it so he put it in his mom’s purse. Anyways, we got back to their house, had a New Years Eve feast, and played Just Dance. Have I mentioned that I love his family? It was such a blast, and they are all so great and I’ve always felt like I belonged in their family. Well they think so too.  Anyways, about a half hour before midnight, Clark asked if I wanted to go for a walk on the beach……

Del Norte Beach

Riding those cool "car bikes"

Lover's Point

            

                 We walked down to the sand dunes, and as we were walking we talked about how wonderful the past year was, how much fun we had as a couple, and we even talked about how miraculous our meeting was! You would think I would have realized that he was gearing up for some big question about our relationship… yep I still had no clue. After a while we reached a high place on the dune with a perfect view of Old Monterey and the ocean. It was breathtaking. The moon was full so the beach and the harbor were perfectly lit. We could see the Christmas lights from Old Monterey, as well as the stars, reflecting on the calm clear ocean.  Once we reached this spot, Clark asked to see my phone. He started playing, “Cant’ Take My Eyes Off You” (Remember our dance to this earlier? if not read my post about dating him!!!), and we slow danced on the beach. Now this is when my heart started to pound and I started to get curious. But I was still in total denial! It was so sweet and so romantic, Clark was even singing along to the song. Adorable. And he timed it perfectly! The song ended exactly at midnight, and BAM fireworks went off in Monterey! After admiring them for a minute, Clark got down on his knee… and asked me if I would make his dreams come true and marry him. Wait… What?!?! I was SHOCKED! I guess I was so surprised that I didn’t say anything for a couple seconds, but jeez, as soon as I realized that he was really proposing I couldn’t say “YES!” enough times! We twirled, jumped, screamed, and just danced around like goofs we were so happy. IT was the perfect proposal. After we had celebrated on our own we giddily made our way back to the beach house to share the news with our family. We were greeted with the loudest, happiest mob I’d ever seen. One of our cousins even said they were louder when we came in than at midnight when the ball dropped! It was a blast. And that my friends is how Clark and I got engaged.

My Beautiful Ring!