life in slow-shutter speed

The Switch.

2011-04-04T22:36:00.000-07:00

See, I toldja. engagement photos galore!

ta-daaaaa!

l.a. sync.

my new website!

I've made the switch to a very grown-up, self-hosted, designed site.

it will probably always be a work in progress, but that's where I'll be posting all of my blogs from now on.

so add me to your google reader?

comment on stuff you like?

loves!

a day in the life.

2011-04-04T17:02:00.000-07:00

today,

I scraped snow off of my car.

I wore husbands shirt to work

(the one he's wearing above, in fact).

and I designed a billboard.

hooray!

fun fact: I also probably have enough engagement photos to post a new one every post.

maybe I will, maybe I won't.

girl scout cookies?

2011-03-29T19:04:00.000-07:00

um, yes please!

super easy to make and super yummy!

my only modification to the recipe: reduce the bake time. cookies are definitely better when extra soft!

recipe here.

wedding love.

2011-03-29T12:24:00.000-07:00

my all-time favorite bridal boutique, Avenia Bridal, has posted the sweetest lil' post about our wedding story!

wanna see??

http://www.aveniabridal.com/blog/2011/03/29/portraits-of-real-brides-leah/

it's making me want to get married all over again!
(with the same handsome groom, of course)

me & the talented Nancy Barrus at one of my fittings! love her cute little dog in the background? me too :)

enjoy!

xoxo

a bunny update.

2011-03-28T20:28:00.000-07:00

we had our couple friends, Carrie & Jason, over to play with the bunny.

Apple loved it (I'm especially sure he was loving that last picture)

now we just definitely need to move him out of the laundry basket...

Apple can jump!

best of both worlds.

2011-03-27T18:22:00.000-07:00

this summer, I had the best of both worlds:

DESIGNER & bride!

I loved being able to design with myself as the client, and for a wedding, nonetheless!

It went so far that for my last of four bridal showers (hopefully some pictures to come soon!), I designed my own bridal shower invitations.

and I totally loved it!

Big thanks to my best friend Courtney for throwing me such a fun bridal shower, and letting me be a control-freak and design for my own shower :)

we designed it postcard-style, which made the mailing & printing process so much easier.

the back!

cutesy-cute.

2011-03-24T07:39:00.000-07:00

goals are a big deal over here at the mag. we made them at our first staff meeting, refer to them and overall, love them.
last year, our little goal sheets were simply adorable, made by jessica.
lots to live up to!

this year, I busted out my extra-cutesy fonts and color palettes
(nevermind that it happens to be part of my wedding scheme..shhh)
and ta-da! a cutesy-cute goal reminder-thing.

ps. I have, in my possession, the bridal shower invites I made for my own AZ bridal shower! I'll blog about all that cuteness super soon. so excited!

a baby!

2011-03-23T21:18:00.000-07:00

introducing...

a baby bunny! baby Apple, to be exact.

he is tiny and fast, adventurous and daring (he has jumped out of his cage every.single.time.)

and we love him.

welcome to the fam, baby A!

our first family pic! haha

took some glamour shots. bahaha

so little!

look how cute! I absolutely love how he will stand up on his hind legs and peer around.

back to the recipes.

2011-03-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

did you think I forgot about my recipe challenge?

think again!

I made Classic Chicken Parmigiana and it was delicious. yumm.

Find your recipe here.

such a filling meal! And not too tricky at all (right up my alley!)

mmm...now I'm hungry again.

a birthday party to remember.

2011-03-21T21:46:00.000-07:00

it was a Buzz Lightyear party at the Wasson's.

it was awesome and so fun.

and of course, a pinata.

sarah & erik made some epic bacon baked beans for the bbq. yuuum.

my best friend & I made some Toy Story cupcakes!

the birthday boy, upon waking up from his nap. look at that hair! and that precious nap smile :)

a party wouldn't be complete without a pinata! Buzz Lightyear, of course.

a party!

and our cupcakes! taa-daa!

one of his presents, a squirt gun, which he loved.

my dad. so cute!

pinata time! love the galoshes? meeee too.

love my brother :)

happy birthday, baby ryan! thanks for letting me stress out over alien cupcakes and aluminum stars :)

ryry.

2011-03-21T21:21:00.000-07:00

my littlest brother has turned three! and this weekend, I was there for the big bash.

things I'm loving about this cute, cute little boy:

he is a total boy. he loves hitting balls, riding on his scooter and playing with action figures.

he loves to vacuum. I could not get enough of this early morning outfit — pj top, "big boy" underwear and of course, sandals.

he woke me up every morning saying "Dragons movie!" and we proceeded to watch How To Train Your Dragon (sometimes twice).

I'm the luckiest big sista ever.

being a mommy.

2011-03-15T18:15:00.000-07:00

no, not a REAL mom!

but I think I just might be ready to be a bunny momma.

actually, I keep going back & forth. so let's make a

bunny-momma pro/con list

pro:

-an adorable, fluffy, mini (yes, a mini version) lil bunny!

- a lil' friend to play with

- he can hang out in our garden this summer while we're gardening (sounds so cute, huh?!)

- bunnies can be litter trained and require minimal care

- bunnies loooove attention & being played with

- it's a fun animal without being too high-maintence like a dog

(or a baby)

con:

- I really hate the way animals smell...can I handle that? hm.

- it's a big responsibility for such a small little guy!

- what if I can't litter train? I've never had my own animal!

this is mostly a ridiculous post.

but I'll welcome your thoughts/help/advice?!

here's the truth.

2011-03-13T22:45:00.000-07:00

I think I can safely say this weekend has been the best married weekend thus far.

(as far as hangin-out-at-the-house goes)

good thing, because I just read my dear co-workers blog about married weekends, and I related all too well.
Let's just say this: the title of her blog is "The Truth Is Lame."

But luckily, here is my truth for the weekend

(and it might not be as lame as previous weekends!)

Friday, we bought tennis rackets and tennis balls

(now we're totally tennis players.)

we went out for our belated Valentine's Day dinner

(yum!)

we bought our favorite candies for a Friday Night Treat

(did you ever do that as a kid?? we totally did, and we totally love our treats)

Saturday, we played tennis!

(toldja we're tennis pros!)

had a yummy lunch at Subway

(it's pretty healthy, had to go along with our active morning!)

took a 2-hour afternoon nap and then spent a few hours at Borders Bookstore, reading and drooling over books we wanted to buy.

(look! it's our magazine in the middle! I had a moment of excitement)

Sunday, went to church, which was great of course!

took another 2-hour nap

(hooray!)

kyle & I worked on our "design off" project for Blickenstaffs

(maybe more to come on that later...)

talked about adopting a bunny, which we will be all white and we will name Apple

had a yummy, yummy dinner

(if I do say so myself!)

of Cheesy Bacon Chicken Avocado Quesadillas

and the grand finale?

we watched Jaws

(my first showing!)

and that's the whole truth.

reason #2343242 why I love my job.

2011-03-11T15:22:00.000-08:00

I love taking photos.
I love food.
I especially love fine dining food.
I especially love it if the fine dining restaurant is Provo's award-winning Chef's Table.

and most of all, I love being able to take food photos at Chef's Table.
Here they are in the latest issue of Utah Valley Magazine
(ps. I think it's our best issue yet, no?)

see this little beauty? yes, I even got a take-home box with this deliciousness. mmm.

true dat.

2011-03-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

happy friday, loves!

from computers to snail mail.

2011-03-10T20:20:00.001-08:00

so much skype loving.

tonight I chatted with the fam via skype, and it was great.

it was my littlest brother's 3rd birthday!

that's right folks, I'm young enough to have a 3 year-old baby bro. haha

also. I came home to this surprise on my coffee table:

let's take a closer look.

quite possibly the best letter I've ever gotten, from my 8-year-old sister.

did you read that "p.s."? it says "are you having a baby! Let me know!"

and to the left, "All the hearts is how much I love you!"

I'm pretty much in love with this letter. everything about it.

and from momma, BR $$! such a mom thing, to randomly send us an envelope with kid love and ice cream money. yay!

I can't decide which one I liked better, modern-tech Skype or good old fashioned snail mail!

Don't make me choose.

a very important and not at all self-centered or vain announcement.

2011-03-09T11:00:00.000-08:00

(ok, maybe a little vain)

new glasses!

yes, I got 'em.

and yes, there is a tiny bit of animal print on them

(love)

no more wearing contacts 7-days a week!

phew.

a cooking challenge.

2011-03-08T21:30:00.000-08:00

(Grilled Chicken Pasta in a Tomato Cream Sauce. Such a great recipe!)

it started with making a grocery list for the week and ended up with choosing 8 brand-new recipes and a watering mouth.

I have no idea how that happened.

(it probably had something to do with the fact that my favorite bloggers are always posting amazing recipes and one of my favorite shows in Master Chef. seriously, check it out.)

but! I have good news for those of you who tried the Basil Tomato Soup. This recipe is suuuper similar and just a delicious. This would be a great recipe to use up the leftover ingredients!

and the sauce is mmmmmmmmm. kyle & I both agree, this one that can be made again.

my challenge? to make 8 brand-new recipes.

oh yes, this is definitely going to happen.

hungry yet? :)

four of the 10 million thank you notes.

2011-03-08T21:09:00.000-08:00

wedding presents are the best.

no, but really. we were blessed with some gorgeous gifts.

here's a few I'm loving...

like these awesome matching-but-not-matching thermos cups. kyle & I have this little routine of making cocomotion in the morning and these cups are the key!

our wonderful foreman! I love him.

this gorgeous handmade quilt. I'm not normally a quilt person, but I so love this blanket. while we don't actually use it, I love it so much it stays folded up at the foot of the bed.

these awesome teflon pans. they really are awesome. I know I've been cooking on college kid pans for the past three years, but I'm still in awe of The Pans.

ta-daa!

2011-03-07T07:20:00.000-08:00

I used to think I knew spaghetti. Oh yeah, I totally had a handle on that stuff, homemade even.

And then, I tried this recipe.

I was on the search for an amazing meatball recipe, and I stumbled upon this little gem.

And yes, it requires a little bit of time (lots of simmering time, not prep).

It's sooo worth it.

The first time, I didn't have time to simmer the whole time & it was just fine. And since we never finished all the meatballs, I made the sauce again tonight and put the leftover meatballs in. Delicious!

I pinky-promise :)

Ingredients

MEATBALLS
1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg, beaten
SAUCE
3/4 cup chopped onion
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 (28 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 bay leaf
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder and beaten egg. Mix well and form into 12 balls. Store, covered, in refrigerator until needed.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is translucent. Stir in tomatoes, salt, sugar and bay leaf. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 90 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, basil, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and meatballs and simmer 30 minutes more. Serve.

I do, I do.

2011-03-06T18:44:00.000-08:00

just some tidbits from Kourtney & Jake's wedding this weekend! the weather was perfect, Kourtney looked gorgeous and overall it was a wonderful day for the happy couple.

I feel so very blessed to have married into such an amazing family!

It was especially special because this is the first wedding Kyle & I have attended since our very own big day. I was reminded of how incredible that day was and how lucky I am to have married Kyle. Part of me wished I could relive it, but I am definitely glad its over! We loved being behind-the-scenes and not having to stress. and it was so fun to see my designs printed and at the reception!

cutest lil grape ever! dallas & kailynn's baby, Addison :)

we arrived at the wedding luncheon early (aldous style) and we began to fill out the cute wedding libs card I created!

wedding libs card :) there were some pretty interesting responses! I had a blast designing them and it was so fun to sit down and enjoy them with the family!

their sign-in table, a "Happily Ever After" advice card. fun!

loved the cards! I thought it was such an adorable idea and they turned out so well!

things that are awesome.

2011-03-04T18:50:00.000-08:00

yes, I now most definitely want this treehouse.

for the kids, of course.

(except not really. no kids allowed!)

teacup pig!! I just had to include these little guys. how cute are they?! cute, I know.

I have recently come to the realization that The Blowdryer is amazing.

I know, I'm kind of a late bloomer.

for years, I've stuck it out and stated that I'm not that girl who will spend forever on her hair. 30-45 minutes, every other day? sure. 1.5 hours, every day? never.

but I've now sold out.

it makes my hair extra-voluminous and gorgeous and I'm completely sold. yes, that means I now spend an extra 30+ minutes on my hair.

Extras, Extras!

2011-03-03T20:18:00.000-08:00

A luncheon invitation! And on the back, a fun guide to St. George for all of the out-of-towners.

In honor of Kourtney & Jake's wedding this weekend, I thought I would post some extra designs I've been working on for their big day. but just one! that's right, there's more where this came from :) stay tuned for some more fun designs, Kourtney & Jake-related.

and speaking of fun designs,

I cannot wait to show the new wedding invitation suite I am working on for one of my favorite girls! Can't wait can't wait!

missing Wassons.

2011-03-03T18:33:00.000-08:00

babybabybaby ryry!

I'll admit it: I'm terribly homesick.

pathetic, I know. I'm 21 and I've been living on own since I was 18. I moved to another state and have been without any family around for three years.

but the past few weeks, I've been missing my family extra bad. I miss shopping with mom and taking pictures with dad and watching tv with erik and sleeping with brenna in her twin bed. I miss playing with ryry and hearing everyone's fun stories. and I'm super jealous of people with families around here.

anyways, done moping. the whole point of this post (and ridiculously adorable photo) is to say:

good thing I'm going home for a visit this month! yay!

Wasson family photo from Thanksgiving. Love!

the month of march.

2011-03-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

I came home to this little sweet surprise from my husband.
a made bed (which I looooove),
a sweet note,
and an origami four-leaf clover.

what?

who is this guy? and how did I get so lucky?

happy march day!

paaaa-zoooookie!

2011-03-01T19:40:00.000-08:00

that's what kyle & I said (and sometimes shouted) all day when I told him I was making a special dessert.

PAZOOOOOKIE!

I was cravinggg it...there is a restaurant in Phoenix called Oreganos, which happens to be my absolute favorite and they make the best pazookie! So favorite, in fact, that Oreganos is where we had our wedding luncheon :)

love!

PAZOOOOKIE!

recipe courtesy of my lovely dear friend, Martha Stewart.

what would I do without you?!

Ingredients
Serves 8

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (about 9 ounces) mixed milk- and semisweet chocolate chips
2 pints vanilla ice cream
Caramel Sauce

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; mix until they are fully incorporated. Add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
Transfer dough to a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, and press to flatten, covering bottom of pan. Bake until edges are brown and top is golden, 40 to 45 minutes. Don't over bake; it will continue to cook a few minutes out of the oven. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, 15 to 20 minutes. Cut into 8 wedges. Serve warm; top each wedge with a scoop of ice cream and some caramel sauce.

PAZOOOOKIE!

(sorry, I had to do it one more time)

surprise!

2011-02-27T16:50:00.000-08:00

let me preface: I love surprises. I'm such a sucker, I think almost anything is better in surprise format.

so husband surprised me with a weekend at the Johnson Mill, a little B&B in Midway, Utah.

he knows me too well. and when we couldn't go last weekend, I didn't even let him tell me about where we were going, you know, to preserve the essence of the surprise.

after two weeks of being cooped up in the house and a long winter, this was the perfect getaway.

best. valentinesday. ever.

with the best valentine, of course.

on a kick.

2011-02-26T22:04:00.000-08:00

it's called The Buried Life.

oh, and I'm so on a kick.

it's a show about four friends who make their bucket list, 100 things they want to do before they die, and then...

they do it.

have you ever made your bucket list?

have you ever eliminated anything, because you thought you might not be able to actually do it?

watching this show is incredible because you watch how hard it is to do these things!

try telling a joke on a Late Night Show. these tenacious boys dressed up, got tickets, made billboards, had a plane flown with a banner and in the end, were turned down (and sometimes handcuffed!) by Leno's men, Conans and David Lettermans.

I'm loving this show because in each episode, they find a stranger and try to help them cross something off their own bucket list. the boys have reunited families, flown a Katrina victim to her mother's gravesite and earned money on the street to buy a classroom a new working computer.

I'm inspired by this show, but I'm also slightly discouraged. I'm know I don't have the guts or dedication of the men from The Buried Life.

but maybe I should just start with making my own Bucket List. we'll go from there.

mushy stuff.

2011-02-26T21:33:00.000-08:00

husband surprised me with an entire week of love, instead of just one Valentine's day.

it was a little ridiculous, maybe overboard and totally incredible.

love him.

my favorite smoothie in the fridge, lunch at my fave burger place, and a surprise night out, among other things!

oh, you want know about the surprise? ok, ok, I give :)

more coming soooooon!

not to be a tease or anything, but it was a pretty freaking awesome surprise :)

Ah-maze-ing.

2011-02-24T21:13:00.000-08:00

BYU has this awesome museum, the Museum of Art, to be exact.

They have this incredible exhibit called the Carl Bloch exhibit, and if you haven't been, you definitely need to go. It is amazing.

Kyle and I went on a date night during opening week, and just yesterday I took my adorable Activity Day Girls, ages 8-11, to see the exhibit. I know I'm kinda a crybaby and all, but Carl Bloch's paintings have touched me each time I have gone.

Beautiful! What an amazing artist.

Carl Bloch is a painter from the 19th century and he painted over 250 paintings in Europe, many of which still stand in the original altars and chapels they were designed for. For this exhibit, BYU had several of these paintings shipped over to be displayed in the MOA for a period of time. Amazing, yes?!

This painting is almost more than life-size in it's original form at the MOA. So gorgeous. I've never, ever seen a painting like this. Here is an angel comforting the Savior as he suffers in the Garden. Such a moving painting.

Even more amazing than that is the paintings themselves. Carl Bloch painted the life of Christ in original, surprising and simply breathtaking ways.

Quite possibly my favorite painting, but I say that at each painting. I love how you can see the grief and despair, but then the rising light as Christ enters the room.

Not so hot of a photo, but all we had was an iPhone! Maybe next time we'll take a cute date pic.

inspired.

2011-02-24T08:50:00.000-08:00

what would you tell yourself in a year from now?
what would you tell a loved one?

I just might write myself a letter, for 2012. oh, and husband too.

a monday off. (in the prettiest place on earth)

2011-02-22T20:14:00.000-08:00

we're still both pretty ill, stuck in the recovery phase of being sick.

bleh bleh bleh.

but, I had some major cabin (er...basement?) fever, so I convinced Kyle to journey down to Utah Lake with me for some good Family Home Evening.

cute husband. who I can only sometimes get a real smile for the camera :)

so gorgeous. I can't believe I really live here! well, like 15 minutes away. but still. gorgeous.

i'm in love.

2011-02-21T09:27:00.000-08:00

reminds me of my own peter pan.

life is great, I'm so happy.

oh ps. a Valentine's Day post coming up! it's a gooooood one, promise :)

custom wedding invitation suite: leah & kyle's!

2011-02-20T16:23:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I forgot to post our own wedding invitations! Now that I am currently bedridden (thanks, husband), I have a second to catch up and post about one of my favorite parts of our wedding details!

I designed these stamps with our custom monogram, and we stamped the back of the envelopes.

the entire setup, upon opening. I loved how the double-crossing of white ribbon looked to complete the suite.

the actual invitation!

our story card!

our "story" opened the entire set. this was one of my favorite parts about the whole suite. It was really special to be able to share with all of our loved ones how we met and fell in love and added a personal touch.

an insert card, attached to the story. this was our Utah Reception card, but we also included an AZ reception card, a temple sealing card and/or ring ceremony card.

love the font choices on the invitation.

the back of the card, with our wedding website. I know I've said this, but love the double ribbon!

our engagement photo! taken by Barnaby Wasson...we love it! and I love that it matched our suite so well, without being too matchy-matchy.

the end!

wifely duties.

2011-02-18T20:36:00.000-08:00

husband has strep throat, for the second time in two weeks.

rough time.

so, I prepared one of our new favorite recipes, Tomato Basil Soup.

We were both a little skeptical, but it is a big hit in the Aldous home.

it's inexpensive, healthy, super-quick and totally delicious.

(who am I kidding, it has a stick of butter in it. oh and whipping cream. mmm delicious...)

luckily, a three-day weekend is just what the doctor ordered.

Ingredients

2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
18 fresh basil leaves, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup butter or margarine

Directions

In a large saucepan, bring the tomatoes and broth to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add basil and sugar. Reduce heat to low; stir in cream and butter. Cook until butter is melted.

2011-02-17T22:07:00.000-08:00

in singles wards a BYU, we do this thing Sunday nights called Ward Prayer. An evening devotional accompanied by these wonderful little things called "Nice Notes."

one of my best friends' husband, and one of my dear friends, wrote me this Nice Note sometime back in November or December 2009, right when Kyle and I had started dated.

it touched me in a way that I'm not sure I can explain...maybe it was that someone was rooting for us or maybe because it was the first time I realized this could maybe, just maybe, be the real, real thing.

either way, it stuck to me and then stuck to my bulletin board until the day I moved out to get married.

I'm feeling a little mushy and lovey and all that,

and I'm feeling pretty lucky I actually got my love story.

thanks jay, for the nice note that became true :)

custom wedding announcements: kourtney & jake

2011-02-15T22:01:00.000-08:00

How lucky am I to get to design wedding invites? Pretty dang lucky when you're working with Kourtney and Jake, the cutest engaged couple I've ever met.

I had the opportunity to design custom wedding announcements for my sister-in-law and her fiance! I have to say (after many, many late nights), I'm so happy with the final result!

classy, a little whimsical and unique.

what a fun project!

yes, we totally lined the envelopes. it just adds such a classy, finished look to the entire suite, don't you think?

kourtney's theme was based off of fairytales, princess and prince charming. Once I saw this quote, I knew it would be the perfect opening for the invite!

the invite. a cute, folded card! I loved it.

The finished product! Recognize the pic? It's from our so fun shoot in Zion park :)

Gorgeous couple and so fun working on this project. Thanks guys!

from the newest Mr. & Mrs. Aldous

2011-02-13T21:54:00.000-08:00

as promised, Aldous's first family Christmas card,

with our first Christmas picture

(which I am planning on continuing only forever)

shout-out to the husband for cutting these for me :) and overall, putting up with my paper-designing-insanity. love him.

and love the cards, right?

xo.

pieces of our little house.

2011-02-13T18:25:00.000-08:00

living with your best friend is so much fun.

we get to decorate our little house just the way we like it, and I love it.

it's filled with love stuff, and I still love it.

wanna see?

thought I'd share :)

notes on the fridge.

one of my favorite cards from our wedding, from the best uncle & aunt a girl could ask for. I read this almost everyday and I love it!

we love this drawing. thus it stays on our fridge :)

our newest addition to the house. my sweet husband hung the curtains and shelf for me and my great brother-in-law brought us this gorgeous sculpture from an island off of Italy. I love this entire setup.

our printer gave me an extra 500 invitations? how to use them? decorate, of course. coins & stamps from tio & tia above. love them.

that's us!

I love this bookshelf. kyle painted it for me :)

some of kyle's books.

big fan of this KitchenAid from my wonderful mother-in-law.

a wedding gift, our engagement photo and "A Proclamation to the World." I especially love this because I took a class at BYU based entirely on this proclamation.

our bookshelf in the office, and I love this. Kyle's diploma from BYU, a beautiful print of Singapore (where Kyle used to live) and an awesome book he gave me for my birthday.

window in our bedroom, flowers from kyle for our 6 month anniversary. hey, it's a milestone, we celebrated, that's that.

love this print (wassonphotography) that hangs above our bed. happy, happy day :)

one of the many pro/con lists.

2011-02-13T18:00:00.000-08:00

husbands gone today-tuesday night for a business trip.

business trip = NYC Toy Fair. I'm not entirely sure that counts!

I've been making a pro/con list of having the husband gone.

pro: I get to use the heated rice bag all to myself.

con: I don't get to watch Heroes because I'm a baby and it scares me waaay to much to watch without Kyle.

pro: I'm using all of the pillows tonight.

con: No one next to me to say everythings ok when I have a nightmare.

pro: I'm blasting Bieber while doing laundry.

con: No husband to sing Bieber with.

pro: Girl's Night Out tomorrow with the lovely Ahlin and Sarah! So excited to see some of my best friends :)

con: No husband for Valentine's Day. boooooo.

pro: I'll probably get to work earlier because I won't have a husband to cuddle with.

con: duh, no husband to cuddle with?

pro: I drank the last of the hot chocolate today, and didn't feel bad there is none left for my sweet husband :)

con: I'm leaving all the lights on in the house. hey, don't judge. Heroes is scary.

all in all, it'll be better when husband is back. and has many toy fair stories for me. yay!

the dream spot.

2011-01-25T18:33:00.000-08:00

this past weekend, I got to photograph in the dream location: smack-dab in the middle of Zion Park.

Not only were the locations picturesque, my subjects were the most gorgeous and photogentic people! My sister-in-law Kourtney and her fiance Jake were so fun to work with and hang out with!

if you don't believe me, take a look for yourself :)

yeah, I'm a newlywed.

2011-01-20T14:39:00.000-08:00

hey, I have a new last name!

can't a girl
just practice her new sig?

2011-01-19T09:44:00.000-08:00

I spent one day (MLK day) at home,
Kyle had to work,
and I had a tiny taste of what being a stay-at-home mom might be.

In that one day, I have turned my front room upside down with crafty projects (curtains, anyone?) and woodworking projects (try painting a shelf in your living room!)

anyways. someday soon I will post some pics.

but for now, I'm kinda loving this photo. mm.

mm, paper love.

2010-12-21T21:39:00.000-08:00

so we don't do a "joint blog" per say, but we did do the big

christmas cards.

so fun!

kyle is so great about this stuff, letting me think and overthink my design and packaging, whether I want pictures, whether I want a picture collage, whether it should fold, how it will look best cut, etc. etc. What a patient man :) and he even cut them all!

As I mentioned previously, I was able to use my latest love, Curious Metallics paper. Oh, it is just lovely. Shimmery with a 92 lb wt., this paper might make me happy forever. plus, it comes in almost any color necessary.

I printed our thank you notes for our wedding (seen above, and below) on Curious Metallics gray paper and just loved the result. The original design with gray with white lettering. Place that on top of a shimmery gray paper and I couldn't get enough! I was so worried about having gray on top of gray, and how the white would look, but no need. Take a look!

ps. I will post pictures when I am not in an airport, and can actually take some pictures of the printed product :) don't fret!

when it rains, it pours.

2010-12-21T21:20:00.000-08:00

we arrived almost 3 hours early for our red-eye flight to New York,

so I'm doing what I do best at airports: blogging.

thought I could catch up & maybe make up for the fact that I blog only once a month :)

this month has been filled with so many projects, I'm not even sure where to start! Let's start with the most important: Courtney's graduation! My best friend Courtney graduated Summa Cum Laude from ASU in Elementary Education this month, and she asked me to design her graduation invites.

We think they turned out with just the right amount of fun and elegance :) She printed them on my new love, Curious Metallics paper, which is amazing and way too pricey for me use as much as I would like. Add that with a shimmery maroon bellyband and a gold envelope: gorgeous!

documentation.

2010-12-21T21:07:00.000-08:00

me & the husband, in our tiny, tiny apartment

(no, but really. this room barely fit the camera and flash I set up!)

One Sunday afternoon, Kyle's grandparents showed us an entire album filled with 30 years worth of Christmas pictures, one for each year. We both looked at each other, and I could tell we were both thinking the same thing:

"We have to do that."

So, one night I had our camera and flash from work overnight, and we decided to experiment with our own Christmas card-like photo. We decided to include our apartment because it's us right now. Magazines galore, a macbook, a wedding picture we love so much and a bookshelf full of books.

It's itty-bitty, simple and just how we like it.

projects.

2010-12-09T20:32:00.000-08:00

life has been so busy.

this month, I have:

- sent our biggest magazine (Bride, 164 pages of pure wedding bliss) to the printer...check out sneak peaks here.

- pulled together this weekend project for my pretty cousin Lindsay, getting married next week. I think it turned out quite well for a speedy project, don't you? Also, my talented Dad took their engagement photos. Truly a Wasson project!

- went to my work Christmas party at Chef's Table, an award-winning restaurant. such a fun night with such wonderful people! After Jeanette, our lovely magazine editor and owner, spoke some opening words, I realized I hope I can be right where I am in 10 years.

(my cute husband at Chef's Table where an iPad was circled around in our "Yankee Swap" giveaway from the Bennetts)

a Wasson-turned-Aldous.

2010-10-13T15:01:00.001-07:00

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about families. About how far away my family is, about how I miss family dinners, how I wish I could invite my brother over for dinner, how I miss birthdays at home, how my mom should be close by so I can cook with her, how I miss Sunday game nights, how I need Courtney within five miles of my house so I can keep my sanity, the list is endless.

But one of the amazing things about getting married is you gain a family. That circle of love and trust, unity and forever, is expanded, and suddenly, I am surrounded by another family. Not that my family can ever be replaced, but I am amazed at this transition, of gaining another sister, another cousin, another brother. I am filled with gratitude that Kyle's family is so wonderful. I am so blessed to have a second family that I know I can love as much as my own family.

Last weekend, I got to spend some time with my new sister-in-law Kourtney. She played hostess/manager/doctor/tour guide for me and four rowdy boys (yes, my husband is included in that) at Zion Ponderosa, a ranch a few miles outside of Zion where she works. She must be one of the sweetest, most patient girls I know!

I have yet to mention how legit my sister-in-law is.
Oh, she’s legit.
Kourtney took us on ATV's, zip lining, clay pigeon shooting and gave us tours of multi-million dollar homes for a family reunion next summer.

Thanks for such a great weekend Kourtney!

leah&kyle, bridals.

2010-09-28T10:47:00.001-07:00

Kyle and I took bridals on Thursday before the wedding, after a long and busy and absolutely wonderful day at the temple. That experience in itself made September 2, 2010, one of the most incredible days of my life.

This was the first time we had seen each other, me in my custom Badgley gown and him in his new gray suit.

Photos included sweat dripping down our backs, sprinklers turning on us and a lot of smiling. My husband was such a trooper :)
I cannot express my gratitude and joy about having a father who is a professional photographer. Not only did this save my family a small fortune, but I think his work is wonderful. Truly, I could not have had a better photographer! He brought bottled water and snacks for us to munch on during breaks, coaxed smiles and poses out of us, and used his body to cover my dress when we were surrounded by sprinklers :)

The best part? Dad worked extra, extra hard to get photos proofed and printed for our reception on Saturday. We had beautiful 8.5x11 photos in our black matted frames around the reception, and as another wedding gift, Mom and Dad gave us two of our own black matted frames!

september 4, 2010.

2010-09-22T12:29:00.000-07:00

it's pretty great that after all the
stressing, anxiety, worry and tears...

I can look back on September 4, 2010
and truly say
there isn't a thing I would change.

the happiest day of my life.

making a comeback.

2010-09-21T10:38:00.000-07:00

So much to blog about. I've been a terrible blogger.

But, I am back to reality and with that, I am bringing back the blogs.

This month, I will blog about my wedding (with lots of photos!), my reception (photos!), our beautiful, amazing, wonderful Grand Cayman Island honeymoon (yes, photos!) and our lovely Utah reception (of course, some photos).

But for now, you can check out this pretty lady's blog about our Utah reception and my other dear friends' blog.

xoxo

the most important decision.

2010-09-14T19:46:00.001-07:00

I am the happiest girl alive.

I am married to my best friend,

the man who is the love of my life.

This whole experience has been so surreal,

has brought me so much closer to God

and been such an incredible journey.

It has made me realize what is important, what is truly important in the eyes of God.

This is the whole reason we are here on the earth.

Not to get jobs, go to school or take trips.

The entire reason we are here is to get married, to raise a family, and return to our Heavenly Father.

This is the most important decision of my life,

and will continue to be the most important decision of my entire life.

I could not be happier, or feel more blessed,

to have such a selfless, wonderful man by my side for the rest of my life.

and it's really true...

being married really is the best :)

the rantings of a nearlywed.

2010-08-11T19:33:00.000-07:00

I have a brief second,

one second,

to update a little about my life and share with anyone who reads this.

I AM GETTING MARRIED IN 23 DAYS!

I had my first dress fitting. the one I have always knew I would have, but never quite knew how it would feel. it felt like a lot of pins and a little bit of nervousness mixed with a lot of happiness that I was wearing my dream dress.

Now I know how it feels.

when I was trying on my dress, I realized how not-nervous I am about this whole getting-married thing.

I love Kyle with every single part of me, and I'm not even a little nervous about being married or getting married or anything. I'm not really nervous about how things will look or taste or what the weather will be like on September 4.

I'm ready.

last week I have titled "Invitation Week."

more like, "The Week Leah Finished The Biggest Design Project Of Her Life In The Middle Of Finals And Being Terribly Sick."

buuuuuut.

they turned out better than I could have ever, ever hoped.

(can I gush for a second? well, it's my blog, so I will):

I am SO happy with them!!!

it all came together right when I needed it to, and we (Kyle, me, 183rd ward) pulled it all together every night last week.

it might sound dumb, but I felt like this project reflected who I am, as a designer, and the kind of people Kyle & I are, so I put more energy into those invites than I even care to admit.

I am also moving this week, out of the apartment I have lived in for over a year. away from my roommates, some of my best friends. I'm getting ready to live with a BOY.

from here, I have lots of little things to do, but I feel like we have done all the really big things, like invites and buying dresses and suits and finding a venue.

I can totally handle that.

date to be saved.

2010-07-12T11:49:00.000-07:00

yup,

we're getting married :)

be a dear & save the date for us, pretty please?

*also, I'm in need of addresses!*

what I love, from some of you

2010-07-01T19:16:00.000-07:00

So, we all know I am not the avid blogger
(in my defense, I am taking 20 credits, working 7 days a week & planning a wedding!)

BUT
I am a constant blog-reader.
I sit at my nice pretty Mac for work, and during downtime, I am a frequent to many blogs.

SO
I decided I would share with my avid, consistent blogger-community my list of absolutely favorite blogs to read.

AND
I would love to hear your favorite blogs!

Etsy Wedding
etsywedding.blogspot
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm a bride-to-be. But I'm pretty confident any girl would love this blog. It's just so creative & girly!

Que Sera, Sera
sarahmaines.blogspot.com
My lovely roommate of three years has a beautiful blog with fabulous pictures, quotes & music. Love reading her posts!

jp creative
jpcreativedesign.blogspot

Such fun designs! I look forward to her posts about her recent freelance design work (which is amazing!) and growing baby :)

Justified by the Scriptures
justifiedbythescriptures.wordpress
Great things about this blog:
a. He posts daily, without fail. Always something to look forward to!
b. He relates his daily life experiences to the scriptures.
c. It is constantly motivating.
d. It is written by my talented fiance!
e. If you ever want to know about my life, just read his :)

Love, Actually
loveactually-blog.blogspot
Such a fun blog with an ongoing assortment of sweet love ideas...so many ways to say 'I love you!'

So, what are your favorite blogs to frequent?!

photos.

2010-06-29T19:05:00.000-07:00

in an effort to stay connected with the blogging world, for all of you who don't have a facebook (ahem, ahlin g.):

here are just some of the many, many, many engagement photos kyle & I took last weekend.

my dad came up from Arizona to shoot us, and was so very patient with our silliness :) but man, was it worth it! he got some truly killer shots, and we had such a blast in provo, downtown slc, the flats...pretty much all over utah! I couldn't have asked for a better photographer :)

I just love this man :)
(sorry for my gushiness, but hey, I'm getting married!!)

engaged engaged engaged.

2010-06-22T19:08:00.000-07:00

want an update?

kyle & I are engaged!!

want the story?

So. Here goes.

Kyle & I have been wanting to get engaged/be engaged/be married for a while now, haha. He had already called my dad and asked formal permission to marry me. He told me two days before we got engaged that we wouldn't be able to get engaged for another two weeks, due to ring technicalities.

I wasn't at all mad at Kyle, but my parents were supposed to be coming into town to do dress shopping and engagement photos.
Let's just say I was slightly upset about the whole thing. The only thing going through my head was: "One more thing going wrong!"

The next morning, I got to work at 8 a.m., the only one there that early. Kyle texted me and asked me if I had seen the note he left me at the boutique, so I walked over there and saw a beautiful black book, from my sweetheart!

I started reading our story, written by Kyle. He wrote our whole story over the past 3 years, from meeting in class to our weekly lunches and phone calls, to dating long distance for 7 months, to meeting the parents.

On the last page was a letter to me, and at the bottom, he wrote that I had to call him. No, but seriously, I had to call him. I called him, and he showed up right there! I was already in tears because I couldn't believe I had been so upset when I had such a sweet boyfriend.

I still had NO idea he was proposing, I just thought he was trying to make up for it and doing something sweet.

He told me to keep turning the pages...and each page said:

Will
You
Marry
Me?

He cut out a heart in the middle of possibly 50 pages and taped a ring in the center
(not the one I had picked out!)

He couldn't wait long enough to see my reaction to the "wrong ring," and pulled out the ring I loved, saying,
"And actually, we're not going to use that one, is it ok if we use this ring instead?"

What a funny boy :)

I am the happiest girl alive right now. I am marrying my best friend, the most wonderful man I know, and I cannot wait for eternity with him.

Now,
cue the craziness...

life in numbers.

2010-04-27T17:05:00.000-07:00

One, two, three, four
Tell me that you love me more

16.5
[credits until graduation]

31
[days until my birthday]

21
[the age I will be!]

40
[hours I will work a week]

9 -- 18
[credits I'm taking this semester, which transfers to 18 during spring]

7
[weeks in this semester]

30
[flights I've taken this year]

xxx
[number of things I am currently planning, list-ing, organizing, fixing, solving, mediating, etc.]

my mind is spinning
[I hate numbers.]

9 days. three trips. one epic meet & greet.

2010-04-26T19:07:00.000-07:00

Post (s) to follow... :)

bringing the boy home.

2010-04-13T08:52:00.000-07:00

I’m bringing a boy home this weekend.

I have been at BYU, 12 hours away from home, almost four years, and I’ve been particular about the guys I bring home. That’s why I've never done it ... until this week :)

When I flew out to visit Kyle’s family in Virginia over Christmas break, he posted a blog called “Holiday Handicapping.” I’m not a sports girl, but I can understand this concept, and have decided to implement it for Kyle’s six-day visit to Arizona. On a scale from 1-5 (5 being the most likely), here are my picks:

a) There will be lots of early mornings.

Fact: I am the oldest of six kids, and the youngest is two. The kids will be waking up for school every morning at 6:30, and for me, that’s a little early. Chances of this happening: 5

b) Kyle will wake up before me, everyday.

With a three-hour time difference, Kyle is bound to be a little jet-lagged for a couple days. But he’s an early riser and I’m just a regular riser. I imagine I’ll wake up one morning and Kyle will be:

1) In the front room playing Rockband by himself.

2) Playing with some type of toy, most likely involving the laundry basket of nerf guns.

3) Eating a bowl of cereal in front of cartoons

4) By the pool tanning and reading.

Pick: 4 (only a 4 because I said everyday. I've been taught you never say always, never, etc.)

c) Dad will get us to go to the Desert Botanical gardens.

This is one of Dad’s favorite places in Arizona, and during the Chihuly exhibit, I think he visited at least 3 times a week. He’s already talked about us going to the gardens and how beautiful they are this time of year. However, they’re a little bit of a drive, so it depends if we have a car that day and if we want to make the journey. Bet: 4

d) Kyle and I will get lost in Prescott or Sedona, or somewhere in between.

My grandparents are expecting us for a visit in Prescott and I have been dying to get back to Sedona, so a day trip is in order. One our way in D.C., and while in D.C., the two of us got miserably lost, the entire day (even with two iPhones!). So I’m going to place a solid bet that we will get lost during a day trip: 5

e) We only see Erik or Dad a couple times the whole week.

Sadly, this is a slight possibility. I was home this weekend and they are busy, busy. Plus, Dad is shooting some families and portraits the weekend Kyle comes (besides a more than full-time job) and Erik has a Cell Bio test that week. However, I know they want to hang out with us, so they’ll make an effort. Pick: 3

f) The family has to shower outside.

Hahaha. So, our house was flooded a few weeks ago, and our poor home is suffering. We have no carpet, the bathroom is in chaos, there are piles of boxes everywhere. This week, the tub and shower in the kids bathroom are supposed to be remodeled, but it takes a few days to dry. If that doesn’t happen until tomorrow, that could mean we all might have to share a bathroom (or we’ll just throw the kids in the pool.) Pick: 2

g) We spend the majority of the time outside.

Today it snowed in Utah. Now I know Kyle has been having wonderful weather in VA (he's been rubbing it in), but I have been denied the opportunity of playing outside since October. So everything I'm planning for us to do - play at the Westgate fountains, go to the zoo, play at Anthem park - involve the outdoors. Pick: 5

h) Everyone loves Kyle.

Here's my logic. Kyle loves Leah. Leah loves Kyle. Everyone he's meeting loves Leah. Ta-da! Actually, I'm really not worried about somebody not liking him. Hopefully, he won't get sick of us after a few days ... :) My pick? 5

So, that was my first (and possibly last!) attempt at betting. Let's see if I have some beginners luck? :) Wish us luck!

line upon line...

2010-04-08T14:06:00.000-07:00

can you overplan?

I'm of the belief you cannot.

however,

I'm at a stage in my life where I could go crazycrazycrazy planning.

and the scariest part?

ALL of it could change, pretty quickly.

"Revelation need not all come at once. It may be incremental. 'Saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more' (2 Nephi 28:30). Patience and perseverance are part of our eternal progression."

Russell M. Nelson, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

inspiration.

2010-04-07T17:46:00.000-07:00

this quote is on my franklincovey planner bookmark
(and thus I read it every day)

some bragging. because I can.

2010-03-07T20:05:00.000-08:00

my daddy.
he works a full-time job as a director of charter schools at ASU, has six children ranging in from two-years-old to twenty, takes care of his baby brothers, entertains, hosts, puts together, supports, teaches, fixes, etc. etc.

yup, he's pretty amazing.
besides all that, he photographs, and he photographs well.

I am just so proud of him & the amazing man he is.
I know I've said this a million times, but if I can marry a man half as great as him, I know I will be the luckiest girl on earth.

check out more of his art here and here

something like that.

2010-03-07T19:56:00.000-08:00

I am so lucky :)

because I'm stressing and need to vent.

2010-02-16T07:26:00.000-08:00

dear delta,

please stop overbooking your flights

by not just one, but two, three, five, six people.

this minor flaw has caused me to be at the airport off and on for two days,

have my bag already in SLC,

(which means I am wearing the same thing as yesterday and used mom's mascara)

and in general,

just lots of stress.

kaythanks.

your frequent, frequent flier,

leahmarie.

movie-music love.

2010-02-09T18:16:00.000-08:00

I saw Dear John on Friday,

and while I may have a [little] thing for Channing Tatum,

the movie wasn't my favorite.

It might be that I actually am not very fond of Amanda Seyfried,

or that the guy I'm in love with also lives thousands of miles away,

or that the movie ended a little abruptly & I never got to see their happy ending.

No matter.

The purpose of this post (besides procrastinate my paper) is to share my newfound love of the soundtrack.

love, love, love.

& enjoy :)

twitterpated.

2010-01-28T08:59:00.000-08:00

yup, it happened, I have a twitter.

Since I am a New Media & Design journalism student, I suppose being completely proficient in New Media (aka blogs, twitter, facebook, flickr, etc.) would be useful.

I do feel kinda like a sellout though. shh.

so kids, follow me? & I'll become skilled at this whole RT, @ business.

leahmwasson on Twitter.com

song of the day/week?: In My Head by Jason DeRulo (thanks, ahlin)

guilty as charged.

2010-01-22T16:06:00.000-08:00

I have a confession.

I made the mistake of watching the season premier of 'The Bachelor' a few weeks ago,

and now,

I'm addicted.

It's my guilty-pleasure show-to-watch, and I can't quite get enough.

The morning after I watched the first show, I woke up & confessed to my roommate Sarah.

Only because I had to.

See, shows like this don't just suck you in,

they turn you into a vacuum to suck other people in.

I couldn't stop raving about how dumb I thought Vienna was (she is) or how darling Ali & Jakes date was (darling!) or how great Jake is (fact). Ridiculous.

*sidenote: I just ran across this editorial about the show, and it's pretty hilarious. even better: I'm pretty sure it's true! hahaha. anyways.*

Now, my roommates & I are all quoting it and I think they'll catch up on the past three episodes. So now, I may have just confessed their guilty pleasure show too all in the post ... you're welcome girls :)

However, I'm pretty sure lots of other people have their "guilty-pleasure" show,

the show that may be completely ridiculous or time-consuming or just unnecessary.

just admit it.

I did :)

song of the day: Spotlight by Gucci Mane ft. Usher

as a result.

2010-01-21T18:27:00.000-08:00

So Alexa (bestie) made this video on her new MacBookPro (so.jealous.) this morning in my Comms 377 (hence the title). and I kinda just love it. and lexy.

so if you're as bored as we were this morning in class, check it out :)

http://leealexa.blogspot.com/2010/01/boredom-in-my-377-class.html

song: 1901, Phoenix.

how to get lucky.

2010-01-18T18:30:00.000-08:00

In my feature writing class, we read this article by Ben Sherwood (in Oprah Magazine, Feb 2009) titled:

“How to Get Lucky”

The article begins in essay format, describing how this woman ended up meeting her husband at the dry cleaners, randomly.

Or was it?

The article discusses chance events, what some may describe as a random event.

Are the people who turn chance into an opportunity, such as meeting a potential business contact on an airplane, just lucky?

“Luck is not a magical ability or gift from the gods,” Richard Wiseman writes in The Luck Factor. He insists that we have far more control over the element — and outcome — of chance in our lives than we realize. “In fact, he argues that only 10 percent of life is truly random. The remaining 90 percent is “actually defined by the way you think.”

That is one of my favorite quotes because it places 90 percent of the responsibility into your own hands. You choose how to react. You choose your attitude. You choose your path. You choose to succeed. Obviously, you counsel with the Lord and ask Him for guidance, but it is your responsibility to be open to change and foster an attitude that can define your life.

“Lucky people create, notice and act upon the chance opportunities in their lives,” Wiseman said. “If luck means being in the right place at the right time, being in the right place at the right time is actually all about being in the right state of mind.”

Here are some insights to being in the right state of mind.

[Give chance a chance]
Go grocery shopping somewhere else, walk a different way to class or if you’re me, actually walk somewhere without headphones in.

[Relax]
I am one of those people who tends to get a) anxious, b) stressed and c) preoccupied, which means I’m not really noticing those moments of opportunity.

“A laid-back attitude can lead to all sorts of possibilities, but you have to be ready to go with the flow.”

[Build your network of luck]
“Remember that you are surrounded by opportunities.”

One source in the article describes the way I sometimes feel:

She used to think it was “inefficient to invest in people you were never going to see again.” If your paths are never going to recross, why bother?

And that’s one reason why I tend to be on the phone as I’m shopping or on my computer on the airplane (besides the fact that’s usually the only time I have time to do those). Essentially, I’m closing myself off to experience those chance opportunities.

But, people are opportunities. The gift is in the interaction and the connection with another person, whether it lasts forever or not.

And who knows — you might just get lucky :)

on my mind

2010-01-12T21:05:00.001-08:00

among other things, this is what's on my mind:

I am craving summer so. badly.

Craving it.

so badly that I am sitting here on Victorias Secret online,

shopping for a swimsuit.

it's January.

ohhh man.

this might just be a very. very. long semester.

it all relates.

2010-01-12T17:24:00.000-08:00

it seems like everyone I know

(ok, obviously not everyone)

is taking a vacation to Disneyland

(ok, they're not all going to Disneyland but still)

or I'm suddenly seeing Disneyland commercials everywhere.

I imagine it's something like when you're on a diet

(ok, I've never been on a diet, but I'm imagining)

and all you see everywhere is food you can't eat.

Or couples who are "baby hungry"

(ok, not baby hungry either, just a point here, people)

and all they see everywhere is babies.

You get the point.

Yes, I'm one of those people who has a super weak spot for Disneyland

(c'mon, happiest place on earth!)

and all I'm seeing here in dark & dreary Provo is Disneyland!

John Mayer and Owl City, getting me through the week.

can't wait can't wait can't wait.

2010-01-07T17:40:00.000-08:00

My last blog was all about looking back, and while that was fun & all, 2010 is here. I think I'm ready, so ready, to look forward.

1) my Capstone class, and here's why:

I'm learning how to customize blogs, learn Flash & html, make videos, take photos, make slideshows, write blogs, make podcasts. Cool. Also, I have class with some of the coolest kids around ... just sayin' :)

2) PARIS. ROOMMATES. THREE-DAY WEEKEND? This has the potential to be nothing short of incredible!

3) Courtney's 21st birthday weekend at an amazing timeshare in Vegas! (Let's disregard the fact I can't even walk onto a casino floor yet. hahaha.)

4) Bridesmaids at Taryn's wedding! A weekend back in AZ will be much needed.

5) An internship at Utah Valley Magazine this semester. I can already tell I'm going to learn so much and get a great experience.

http://utahvalleybridemagazine.com/

6) TWO religion classes this semster -- and yes, I'm totally excited!

7) Leah turns 21 in 2010!

8) This boy :)
9) Finishing school in June, graduating in August. In three years. From college. Whaat?! When did that happen?!

10) An internship in D.C. this fall, perhaps?!

Song: Neon (acoustic) by John Mayer. My love for this song has gotten a little ridiculous! Also, Crawl by Chris Brown.

a year in review.

2010-01-01T17:06:00.000-08:00

leah’s life in ‘09 (in photos)

what a year. definitely full of surprises, some twists, some turns.

More than anything, these 16 (ish) pictures represent the incredible love my Savior has for me. He is watching over me, protecting me, and most importantly, guiding me in directions that I would have never turned.

And I am so excited for what 2010 has to bring ...

[one] This was the year I fell completely in love with photography. and I went kinda crazy, being part of an engagement, photographing bridals and the whole nine yards.

[two] I got a job in March working at Avenia Bridal, a couture bridal store in Provo (I know, Provo!) Let’s just say, the dresses are beyond incredible and job has been a blessing in more ways than one.

[three] Worked as an RA in Wyview. What an interesting experience! At one point, Katie, Sarah & I had 8 phones (one in my room) between us!

[four] Got offered a job at the Daily Universe, BYU’s newspaper. So, during Spring semester, I wrote for the paper in my Comms 321 class and designed the paper. Basically, spent 40+ hours in the Brimhall building!

[five] Concerts! Went to Lonestar, which we actually loved. and Iron & Wine, also a winner.

[six] Made new friends! Yup, everytime I think I have all the friends I need, I have plenty of friends, the Lord throws some more amazing people at me to help me out. And these people have been such blessings in my life.

[seven] For the first time in my entire life, I didn't spend the summer living in Arizona (or really, in Arizona). I stayed at school to go to school and for the Daily Universe. and I basically spent as much time possible outside, a result of a Utah winter.

[eight] I GOT A CAMERA. a pretty, pretty Nikon D70 from my parents for my 20th birthday. and honestly, that camera has been another limb, especially this summer.

[nine] I took a photojournalism class. two of my favorite things: photography + journalism = love.

[ten] Surprised my best friend Courtney in California for her 21st birthday. such a crazy trip, but sooo much fun. awesome because we have planned three Cali trips together, and this summer we didn’t think it would happen. and it totally did! :)

[eleven] Prescott, Fourth of July weekend, Marsh family + Wasson family, a Dad run to Costco, airsoft guns, fireworks. best.weekend.ever.

[twelve] I feel like this picture describes my fall semester 2009. I get home at 10 p.m. (and later!) almost every night, and this is what I felt like eating. hahaha.

[thirteen] Commuted back & forth between Provo and Eagle Mountain to nanny the Boyer’s this summer and fall. Oh, I just love those kiddos. Played mom for a week in October, and we just had a blast!

[fourteen] Flew home on an emergency whim after Erik's surgery. He ended up being admitted to the hospital the next morning, and that night, we both (kinda) slept on that tiny bed, listening to Owl City and watching Big Bang Theory. good times.

[fifteen] Photographed Kyle for my photojournalism essay. that included walks at Bridal Veil Falls, a visit to his dance studio and of course, packing pictures.

[sixteen] Visited Kyle in Winchester, V.A. And for once, he was right -- totally a "5" trip, aka. I loved every minute of it : )

baby baby baby.

2009-12-31T15:12:00.000-08:00

check it out ...

[photos]

of the pretty Allie Richards.

enjoy! (I sure did!)

song: owl city, vanilla twilight.

master of my fate.

2009-12-28T09:49:00.000-08:00

The movie "Invictus" touched me in more ways than I could have imagined. Interestingly enough, I hadn't even heard a single thing about the movie, I had no clue what I was walking into. But I think it now goes in my top ten favorite movies of all time.

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

William Ernest Henley

song: John Mayer's solo, raw 'Edge of Desire' from his blog

http://www.johnmayer.com/blog/permalink/5368

emerging.

2009-12-21T08:35:00.000-08:00

spent the [week!] in virginia with my best friend :)

I could say a million things, but for now, let's just be happy I'm emerging from the bubble I've been living in :) some iPhone pics, anyone? you're welcome.

we went to the Air & Space Smithsonian

ooooh. we went to the Newseum! So. Cool. look at all these old newspapers! it was perfect for Kyle & I because we are both Communications majors and I'm pretty sure we could have spent all day in there reading everything.

we put our feet on the feet outlines in the museum :)

the girls (mom, Kourtney, Karlie & I) went shopping in Old Town Winchester, a little town in Virginia. so, so cute!

the Capitol?! maybe?! haha :) pretty.

Kyle & I, with Kory and Karlie, ended up in D.C. traffic for 3 hours. (can we say 3 miles in 30 minutes?) while it was entertaining, I will say I don't want to do that again anytime soon. ever!

ooh! snow day :) I was planning on flying out early Saturday morning, but the east coast got a "historic snowstorm" the one weekend I was there! and by historic, I mean, 2 feet of snow, no flights, no airport. that meant my 3-day trip turned into a 5-day trip!

we were a fan of this mirror. and us. cool.

song: on the wing, owl city.

and we can go anywhere.

2009-12-15T19:02:00.000-08:00

all I ever do is blog when I'm flying.

good thing I have flown so.much. this year!

wait,

let's calculate.

.....

I think we're at 17 times since May 28.

wow.

I am so blessed to have an amazing friend [katie!] who offered to add me as a companion flier to her benefits as a Delta employee. I can fly home to Arizona for $25. yup, $25. it's beyond amazing. for me, it's evidence of the Lord's hand in my life. I have made some important trips this year, and I wouldn't have been able to fly 17 times without this!

and right now,

I'm in first class (yes, another benefit! I have gotten seated in first class more than coach!),

almost in Dulles, Washington

to see my best friend.

song: on the wing, Owl City.

with or without you.

2009-12-02T15:53:00.000-08:00

Dear SLC Airport,

My plane landed at 12:33 p.m. My bag was checked in at 12:40. I walked straight to baggage claim, and proceeded to wait for my bag. For an hour.

My bag never came. I have yet to receive a call telling me it was a) recovered b) returned by someone confused traveler who doesn't know what their bag looks like or realize that it was probably too heavy to really be theirs.

Monday morning, I had to go shopping to replace things I no longer owned and couldn't live without. I bought:

- $50 worth of makeup.

-contact solution

-deodorant

-hair stuff

-a toothbrush (yeah. my pink electric toothbrush is mia. sad.)

To still be replaced:

-four pairs of jeans

-new bras & underwear

-undershirts. a black lacy one, three white ones that I loved, and an assortment of colors from Nordstrom.

-a camera charger

-my favorite workout/dance/everything pants. booo.

-pretty much all my newest tops (which essentially makes them my favorite ones.)

-boots. my favorite ones too.

-my vans & flats.

So, dear SLC Airport, I have come to this conclusion.

I don't care if I get my bag back anymore. No need to stress yourself out trying to find this mysterious piece of luggage.

Please just reimburse me promptly for approximately $800, and we'll be even. I am willing to spend the hassle of running around trying to replace everything, no worries. After all, I do love to shop.

Gratefully,

Leah Marie

song: big shout-out to care, who made me listen to this song today. Little Song: The Secret Handshake. soooo cute.

however, this post wouldn't be accurate if I didn't tell you I've been listening to Half of My Heart & Assassin by John Mayer, literally non-stop. loves.

patience.

2009-11-23T19:38:00.000-08:00

I am currently 10,000 feet in the air. and blogging. cool.

Random thoughts from the weekend:

My roommates really are my family here in Utah, and through this family I am learning a more Christ-like love. and I am so blessed.

I’m not sure I’m cut out to be a military wife or girlfriend. Or wearing fancy dresses, either. And I think that’s alright.

I know where at least one part of my life is going, at least for one semester. And I am grateful.

After seeing New Moon at midnight (yes, that happened), I walked out thinking this:

-Cheeeeeesyyyy. I liked the book better, a little.

-I’m totally a Jacob girl now.

Right now, I am kinda operating with my phone as my fifth limb. And I’m ok with that.

Christmas is making me so.so.so. happy. We listened to Christmas music Sunday afternoon after church as we decorated & napped. And I loved it.

my life, in iPhone pics. check it.

song? rocket summer, around the clock.

Just a great figure 8 or a tiny infinity?

2009-11-20T14:30:00.000-08:00

I usually see this sign every day as I walk into work.

"If you avoid difficult things, great things will avoid you."

That has really stood out to me over the past months, as I have worried and stressed and cried and freaked out (yes, that has all happened in this building. haha).

Not that I'm going through an incredibly difficult time right now at all, but it always just causes me to reflect on what is difficult, what big or little things I may be avoiding.

I have thought about it a lot, and I think I am really starting to understand it.

We have to push ourselves. Open ourselves to vulnerability.

If I just avoid everything that is difficult, I will be denying myself the opportunity to grow, change, learn and ultimately, receive blessings from my Heavenly Father.

I am facing, approaching difficult things head-on. I will not ignore or avoid obstacles in my life. I know that with God, I can do anything, become anything, and overcome anything. It may not always be how I planned (which is difficult for me, sometimes!) or what I expected, but it will be right.

I am so grateful for the difficult things in my life that have lead me to great things.

and I am ready for more.

song: new john mayer cd! edge of desire.

gushing & loving & stuff like that.

2009-11-17T14:42:00.000-08:00

love.

watch it.

such a cute video, I couldn't resist. & I don't think you will be able to either :) love it.

songs: matt wertz & matt kearney. >>>playlist. also, the second song in this video!

risk it all.

2009-11-16T10:59:00.000-08:00

I spent the morning photographing nerd candies, and I just wanted to update my blog real quick :) I played with lights, bowls, shapes, backgrounds, made boys from apt. 7 drop the candy for me to shoot & just loved the whole thing.

college is great? no, really. it is. sometimes I really don't want to graduate [but only sometimes.]

song of the weekend: if my heart was a house, owl city.

here's to nights at the library.

2009-11-03T14:39:00.000-08:00

"Educate a boy, and your educate and individual. Educate a girl, and you educate a community."

African proverb via Greg Mortensen

Greg Mortenson spoke at Devotional lastweek, author of "Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time."

listen to it online for free: http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1867

That book is a must-read for me (and all of BYU, actually).

His book is about building a system to educate girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan, which has now built over 78 schools in the most remote areas of the world.

And why did he do this?

To promote PEACE.

Peace can be accomplished through books, through knowledge, through women. Whether here in Utah or Arizona or across the world in Pakistan, peace can be achieved through learning. I have seen this principle in motion as I have observed families that do not have books in their home, children who have no encouragement to attend school, whose parents overlook homework, reading and studying. In my all-Hispanic bilingual elementary school, those same kids joined gangs, had sex and were failing classes — in the fourth grade. Maybe, what those kids needed, was a real mom.

And education is a marvelous blessing. By using our education, we can spread peace. It’s not all about getting through school getting good grades for yourself so you can go to graduate school. Sometimes being in college fosters an atmosphere of complete selfishness, a total focus on you and what you want in life. It’s easy to get caught up in your goals and forget why we’re all really here.

I wholeheartedly agree with Mortenson, and hope that I can live up to his faith in education, and women.

"If we try to resolve terrorism with military might and nothing else, then we will be no safer than we were before 9/11. If we truly want a legacy of peace for our children, we need to understand that this is a war that will ultimately be won with books, not with bombs."

song of the day: (credit goes to erik for this one) - Wishing Well by Airborne Toxic Event.

your fight, is my fight.

2009-10-26T09:17:00.000-07:00

It's prettier here than I could have ever remembered.

I want to bottle up fall & save it for a miserable, freezing January day.

But really, I would just prefer it to be fall all the time.

It makes me want to be outside all.the.time.

morning, afternoon, and especially at night, when all the leaves are blowing & it is cold enough to remind me of Christmas.

fall reminds me of my mom's apple cider (with oranges!), scarves, school, holidays and love. so much love. in the end, I know it is such a great blessing that it is fall right now. I feel (slightly) less stressed just because I can walk outside at 2 a.m. & think. or not think. they both work :)

song of the weekend: silly justin bieber songs. but I love them. haha

oh, you got me.

2009-10-17T15:56:00.000-07:00

totally love it.

you might too : )
check it out?

Raphael Saadiq, npr style. my daddy would be proud!

Carrie.

2009-10-10T09:25:00.000-07:00

my pretty care bear on a rainy day. we went out in the garden & she modeled her pretty self, all in the name of pure work, of course :)

more athttp://flickr.com/photos/leahmariewasson

& more to come :)

something blue.

2009-10-09T12:23:00.000-07:00

I just watched the latest "The Office" and I have a few confessions (& warning: this post is a little sappy and maybe even cliche. ok).

1) never gotten into the office. pretty big declaration around here, I know. People, epecially those in Utah I feel, LOVE the office. I watched the very first season when it very first started airing with sam, but since I haven't really wanted to watch it.

2) I'm so in love with Jim. I'm sure every other girl probably is too, but really. after watching this episode I remembered how much I love his character. and his smile.

3) yes ... I shed a few tears in this episode. I don't know if I can explain why, except that unlike many of the chick flicks I've seen lately, this love story seems so real.

and I know I will be happy getting married on a boat, in plane, on the beach, or in the rain, as long as my husband has the same look Jim does in the last scene (the best one is in the episode ... so watch it!) :)

the song of the day is It's My Life/Confessions, a Glee mash-up.

i'm in a mood & that means i must be extra tired.

2009-10-03T22:05:00.000-07:00

dear body,

i have too much to do, not enough time and an extra insane schedule this week. thus, i will be unable to allow you the luxury of being sick in any manner.

tonight, however, will be your freebie night as i can see you're already taking it for everything its worth. symptoms such as a migraine (nothing new, but that's a whole different blog), fever, cough, and especially awesome sore throat are inexcusable and should be gone immediately.

maybe next week when i don't have my days planned by the hour we can revisit this whole sick business? i know how fun it can be.

love,

leah

ps. props for keeping up this week though!

song: vanilla twilight, vanilla twilight, vanilla twilight.

a dying profession.

2009-09-29T22:52:00.001-07:00

I must have had this conversation a dozen times.

Yes, I am well aware that print journalism is a "dying profession."

Yes, I know that newspapers are dwindling, folding and professionals foresee drastic changes in the near future.

Yes, I know that nobody likes to read newspapers and most people don't trust the media in general.

Yes, I know that it may seem pointless to trust a reporter to present an objective article.

Yes, I know all of these things, and about any other journalism-related question you may have to throw at me.

But to me, journalism is more than a Jayson Blair, a Stephen Glass.
To me, journalism is an "All the President's Men." It's a New York Times since 1913.

It's why I have every class besides New Testament in the BRMB (aka Communications building).
It's why the tips of my fingers are always black.

It's what I have dedicated the past six years of my life to, and most likely the rest of life.

It's the first thing I think about when I wake up, and usually the last thing I think about before I go to bed (relatively).

I have woken up at 7 a.m., ran out the door in my pajamas, just to pick up a hard copy of the DU and double-check everything. Yes, newspaper is my life right now, but I wouldn't change it.

I love doing something that I think is important, that I can get involved in. Something that is constantly challenging and stretching my mind; a job where I learn at least one new thing a day on a program I have been using for years.

I may be getting a degree in something that's dying, but it's something that matters to me. and hopefully, your kids.