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30 October 2009

the best days

Lately I have found, the best days have been days when I have read my scriptures.

It's sad to admit that I have never been the most diligent scripture reader in the world... I would have my stints for a few weeks and then (like many of us) I would skip a night here or there and suddenly I'm out of practice. I am really good at reading when it's a homework assignment.. but a lot of times I just hurry to get it done.

...But that is changing...

A few weeks ago, my dad challenged me&Ry, my mom and little brother to read one chapter every day out of the Book of Mormon. He sends a daily reminder text to everyone of our assigned reading chapter for that day. A lot of times they are accompanied with a sweet little insight about the chapter or thoughts he had. It is the best text I get every day! It's so fun to read it with my whole family although we are all in different places..

I have really tried to be diligent and faithful in reading the scriptures and let me tell you, it has made my days brighter, better and easier. I love reading the Book of Mormon! The stories are so familiar, and reading reminds me how blessed I am and how much God loves me. (to name a few..)

Although life is not super easy for us young married kids.. the simple act of reading a chapter a night has made everything better.

so, come join our challenge! Read just one chapter a day.. no matter how tired you are or how little time you have. I promise you will have the best days just like us!


28 October 2009

look alike?

WARNING: I am posting this against the will of my cute husband.

..So, lately Me&Ry have been hearing a lot of noise about him looking something like a certain TV actor...















John Krasinski aka "Jim" from The Office.

All of this got me thinking... Does Ryan look like Jim?

Ry insists everyone is crazy and that he looks nothing like this person.

I think Jim is super cute, but Ry thinks it "makes him even more goofy" to be like Jim.

What do you think?
Is Jim cute?
(obviously we already know Ry is cute)
do they look anything alike?

21 October 2009

the preferred window washer of LDS celebrities

So, as many of you know, Me&Ry have had a little trouble finding jobs. Luckily I landed the sweet gig of working at the mall (yeah right..) but Ry hasn't been so lucky. Although he still looking for jobs, he has been running a little "business" on the side in the mean time.

Window washing!

He started in AZ this summer to make a little extra money before we got married. "Clear choice window cleaning" has proved to be pretty lucrative business. Although its not easy to go out and knock on random strangers doors to find work, or clean their disgusting, dirt streaked windows for hours on end, Ryan goes out and does it with a smile! (What a trooper..)

Well today, he had an extraordinary experience...

Last week Ry set up an appointment to wash the windows of an older woman named Janice. So, at around 9:00 Ryan got up and thought today would just be another normal day of work. He started on the outside of Janice's house, and noticed students carrying music books in and out about every half hour. Of course Ry didn't really think much of it, and kept on working.

Later, he went inside the house to clean the inside windows. Janice sat down and watched him as he worked. Ryan looked around and noticed pianos everywhere, and even a recording studio.

As he worked, Ryan asked Janice, "so, you're a music teacher??"
Janice answered, "I'm a composer......"

Once again, Ryan didn't say anything else and kept on washing those windows.

Janice then asked Ryan, "are you LDS??"
"yes"
"Have you ever heard the songs, 'A child's prayer,' 'I'm trying to be like Jesus,' and 'I love to see the temple??' Those are some of my more well-known songs."

ummmm yes I have heard those songs! What primary child hasn't sung them 34783459023 times?!?! Let's just say Ryan was very impressed.

At the end of a very long and rough day washing Janice's windows, Ryan came home to tell me about his day. He set the check she wrote him down on the table with a CD underneath it..



That's when it all clicked that Ryan had washed JANICE KAPP PERRY'S windows! I have practically every one of her piano books. My mom and I have sung her songs in sacrament meeting. This woman is a celebrity! Not only did he wash her windows, he got to talk to her and see her mad collection of pianos and instruments.

Honestly, I've been laughing all afternoon about this... only in Provo would you get to wash the windows of such a big star.

Now that Ryan has JKP on his resume, people will surely be lining up for his services. We're gonna be RICH!

15 October 2009

now that you got it...

...what you gonna do about it?!

So here is some good news...

Things have finally come together for old Shelbs (and by default Ryan too..).

First. I FINALLY got a job..



here! woo hoo! I am so excited. This is my first retail job, so it should bring learning and new experiences. This was such an answer to many nights of prayer! Like I said, I have absolutely zero retail experience and I interviewed against girls who have been working at the mall since they were 16. So, needless to say, we are extremely happy and feel super blessed to have employment between the two of us.


Second. I got accepted into the advertising program at BYU!

I have been awaiting the results of my application for a while now.. and I'm just so happy that the work and dedication I put in has paid off! I am so excited to start my classes this winter! Ryan has been so great throughout this whole process. He has been my support system, film crew, creative partner, and sign gluer. (haha) He believed in me every step of the way, and I couldn't have done it without him. Let's just say we are both extremely happy I don't have to apply again!


I can't believe these important milestones in my life came together all in the same week! We feel so happy and blessed.. Now that we've got it.. our goal is to keep doing what we were doing and stay grateful! I'm almost scared to be having such a great week, like somehow all this happiness is too good to be true? But then I remember it's not these big things that life so good.. it's all the little things we strive to do every day that bring blessings and happiness into our lives.

So keep on doing the little things! :)

12 October 2009

life is sweet

A new friend has come into our lives that has made every day especially sweet lately..

He is light blue, looks great in my kitchen and makes it way too easy to whip up a delicious treat at the first sign of any craving.



Honestly, I did not realize how blessed I am to have this bad boy. (Especially in this fantastic color!) In the same breath, I didn't realize this purchase was going to bring such havoc to my physical health and fitness. Like I said, I just want to whip up a different treat every single night because it is so fun and easy! (no worries, I haven't made something every night).

So for about the past month I have been having a really odd craving... cake. This may not sound very odd to you, but this is coming from someone who has never really been a huge fan of cake. At birthday parties, weddings, etc. I would never even bother to eat the cake. It has never been my thing. But now, for some odd reason, cake is my number one dessert. Maybe this is because of the delicious cupcakes we had at our wedding. Or because the womanly instincts are kicking in and trying to ruin my figure! We may never know.. They say the older you get, the more you become like your parents. I DEFINITELY got this one from my mom. She is obsessed with cake. That might even be an understatement. Oh great. It's really happening. Luckily my mom is amazing so I'd be lucky to turn into her..

So, to satisfy this month long craving I made CUPCAKES last night! This was my first time EVER making any type of cake. It was so EASY. And they turned out super cute and tasty (if I do say so myself..).




I mixed up the batter.. and ate a lot more than I should have. MMMmm!


I used these super cute halloween cupcake liners. LOVE!



The finished product! With a cute husband doing dishes in the background.
Could life get any sweeter than this?!

09 October 2009

We <3 to laugh

Laughing is one of our favorite parts of life... And they say it burns calories.. (Bonus!) Honestly, doesn't everyone just love a good laugh? Well if you want to laugh as hard as Me&Ry do every night, you have to check this out...



About a week ago Me&Ry bought the first season of 30 Rock on DVD. Ryan was on his mission when it first aired, and I have been dying for him to see it ever since he got home. What's even better, is we found it for the incredible price of $18 (thank you Target). So, we have been watching a few episodes every night. Let me tell ya, having the whole season at your fingertips makes it really hard to stop watching. Even when it gets really late, "one more episode" turns into 5 more.

We have successfully finished season 1 and are trying to find season 2 on sale somewhere. (So we just keep cycling through.. pathetic!) Our poor neighbors are probably so sick of hearing us laugh all night long.

30 Rock is seriously the funniest show we've ever seen. If you haven't watched it, give it a try! I promise you'll get a good laugh. And if for nothing else, for the sake of burning calories ;)




Tina Fey is truly a GENIUS. Love her writing, acting, everything.



05 October 2009

Glory Days

So.. there have been a few instances lately that have made Me&Ry miss "the glory days." Those of you living in Utah will know exactly what I'm talking about. You know, the days when we were all tan, skinny, stylish, etc., etc.! Ever since this cold front moved in, I am really feeling like those days are lost and gone forever. I don't get ready for school anymore, and my hair is doing that frizzy thing it likes to do the second it hits cold air.

Our most recent example happened this weekend. Ryan finally bit the bullet and got a haircut. He hasn't even had a TRIM or his neck shaved since the wedding and his hair was starting to look something like this...



or.. This...



This is the Ryan Skousen we all know and love. Just a long-haired, laid-back, cool dude. We thought we would give the long hair thing another try, but his mother (and many others) were NOT having it. Plus, it was at the point where the BYU ID center denied his request for a new ID because his hair was wayyyy past the ear length requirement. I've come up with a theory that when Ryan's hair hits the floor, his ties to the glory days go with it. It's not like Me&Ry are missing high school or regretting being in a new phase of life, but those times were good and comfortable. Now we are in a phase of short hair, whiiiite bodies, and lack of funds for a new wardrobe. It's all good though. We just have to laugh. At least we're in it together! Ryan says the glory days will be back once we have been going to the gym for a few months. It looks like I've still got about 60 days until that one starts kickin' in. Although I should be mature in my acceptance of this "new phase" and post a picture, I don't think either of us are quite ready for that one. We'll let those locks keep growing and update soon!





*Shelby's prime picture.. chosen by Ry.


















*Ryan's prime pic.. chosen by Shelb.