chips ahoy cake balls

Basically these are so delicious and so easy to make.

Just crumble the cookies in a food processor, mix with cream cheese, and dip in melted chocolate bark! You're done! 

I think these are my second favorite cake balls ever. My first favorite are the red velvet, because you just can't beat those, but these are definitely next in line! 

So, pin this and try them later so you can experience a small heaven as well. 

XOXO

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E

a happy list: 53

Getting new lipstick! I got bright pink, orange, and deep pink. / Catching Skully sunbathing  when she thought I wasn't looking. / Discovering Katherine literally lives a 9 minute walk from my house now. SO EXCITED! / When my teacher started playing that "It's a bird… it's a plane… it's Superman!" movie clip, except he cut it off before it said "Superman" and he said "It's SuperCurve!" and ripped open his white button up to reveal a SuperCurve shirt underneath. We were all laughing so so so hard. Also, with the curve I actually got a B. / This toasted coconut pancake mix made delicious pancakes. / I've mentioned it before, but this veggie chicken with this sweet and sour sauce is SO GOOD I CAN'T HANDLE IT. / Finally meeting my bloggie friend Aubrey who has the most beautiful hair and is also a v cute person. I love meeting people in real life! I came home and was telling Jake all night how I excited I was to have a new friend hahaha. / Finding out Leah also uses VSCO actions, and that we bought the same pack for the same reason. / Being in a snow storm in Provo for like, one second. It was so glorious and wonderful. / Chip's Ahoy cake balls! They are so so good and I'm posting the recipe tomorrow in gif form. I forgot how much I love to make gifs.

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This week was such a good one for internet things, you guys!!
The videos in this blog post are adorable and I'm obsessed with them. / This little girl may be my favorite Humans of New York subject ever. / This pregnancy announcement is the cutest thing I have ever seen. Literally. / Here's some v good life hacks. I've gotta do that soda under the chair one next time I'm poolin' it. / An article about the day in the life of a fashion blogger's husband. / These squirrels playing in the snow made me so sad there isn't snow here :( #prayforsnow. / I am seriously so obsessed with this Etsy shop! I just want to buy everything. / The fact that a YouTube channel full of videos of tiny food being made in a tiny, plastic kitchen exists. This is my favorite one. / This video of some very brave men cutting off other men's muns. I can't believe they actually do it. Side note: I'm trying to convince Jake to do a mun. / This cover of J Timb's much loved Cry Me A River.

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Funny things people have said this week:
Jake: "Em, do you flip your nugs?" (Referring to my veggie chicken)

My teacher: "Those pig butts were actually kind of cute."

Jake (in reference to my bow hair): "It's just so cute. It's like, the cutest thing ever."

My mom: "Shizer." (all the time)

Jake (said so solemnly): "McDonald's should never be out of anything."

Jake (while we were eating fries from In 'N Out): "It's like, eating kind of a potato."

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This was probably the longest happy list in the history of happy lists, but just lots of good finds and events this week I guess! Feel free to leave a little happiness for others and link to your happy list if you made one this past week!

XOXO
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life lately

Agh. Life. What is it, even? Ya know? Although, it turns out it's grammatically correct to say "anyway" instead of "anyways", so I apologize for all grammar nazis out there who were cringing at my constant use of the wrong term.

So, I don't really know why this picture of Trixie happened. It just did. That's all the explanation I feel is needed.

Low quality picture from the hotel room. Also a better picture of us matching. Also Jake's hair was looking really great, and so was the beard. Ya know.

City views will forever be my favorite! Although the mountains are nice sometimes, I feel like I see them so much it's hard to appreciate. You know how wanderlust does that to you? Yeah, serious case over here.

Ok, I'm sorry about my boob, because I really don't know what's going on there. Nothing new, I suppose, but I apologize nonetheless. Sometimes your boobs just get to a certain size and it's like, there's not really much you can do to keep them down. TMI maybe, but really this is a pretty frequent story of my life over here and I've decided it's just going to keep happening so I'm giving up. I know some of you ladies out there are like, "Mhmmmmmm!" right now. But also this is the only picture we took together on Valentine's Day and I want to remember it, gosh darn it!!

Jake had to shave his beard for some skin appointment to get his beard card renewed. (Side note: If you are not living in Utah and/or are not aware of BYU's rules, students are not allowed to have beards (but they can have mustaches??? So, it's like a Twilight Zone episode because you'll be walking around and see all these hipsters with mustaches and it's just not a pleasant experience.) If you do want to have a beard, you have to get it approved. True story. You meet with a guy and he gives you permission to have a beard based on if you're in a play or if you break out when you shave. Then it's awesome because you have a beard card. So, when you go to take a test and they try to not let you because you have a beard, you can flash your card and be all "Biotch, paleaseee!" It's probably the only thing I'm jealous about that men can do and I can't.

ANYWAY, (see what I did there) Jake shaved a mustache to be funny. If you don't know me IRL, just know that I hate mustaches and think they are pretty creepy. It was super weird to see a stache on him haha. I still have mixed feelings, but it doesn't matter because he got approved and the beard will be back. 

I was talking to my mom after coming home one night at like 9 pm. We had been talking in the kitchen for maybe like, 10-20 minutes. Then a timer went off and she pulled out this ENTIRE PAN OF VEGETABLES THAT SHE LITERALLY MADE FOR HERSELF. It was very weird and I didn't understand it. I guess sometimes when you're craving vegetables at night before bed you have to make 10 times the amount so you can have leftovers throughout the week. Maybe it's a mom thing.

The sunset was just pretty.

My cute friend sent me cute snail mail! I've never had a penpal before so I am excited! I need to get cute stationary, but that would involve me leaving the house and I'm not sure how I feel about that (kidding but really). If there are any places to get cute stationary, please let me know!

Ok, life hack for all vegetarians missing sweet and sour chicken (I miss China Wok 1 so much. Go there and get it. It's in Highland behind Pizza Pie Cafe and Kholer's/Ridley's). Buy Gardein Mandarin Crispy Chick'n (you can get it at Wal-Mart sometimes) and then get the sweet and sour sauce from Panda Express, fried rice, and chow mein. It's a small heaven. Like, literally it is sooooo good. I had it again tonight! We ate Chinese for the Chinese New Year, which is something my mom started when I was younger. It's also very strange because we are 0% Chinese. Any excuse to eat out, I suppose!

I'm super obsessed with my new initial necklace from Bohme. I've wanted one for so long and I'm so happy to finally have one!

And lastly, I love when Trixie lays like this. She like, tucks her legs underneath the body and looks like she's legless. I love it, it's so cute haha.

Lately I've just been doing school. Are you sick of hearing that yet? I'm sick of doing it. I have to do 24 credits before April… aka 7 classes. I'm almost dead, but then also almost done so it's pretty good motivation to just finish. I honestly don't know what I'll do when I graduate. Probably lots of DIYs from my Pinterest board, Buffy The Vampire Slayer/other teen soaps, and eating!!

XOXO

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heart day

So, I originally wasn't planning on a Valentine's Day post. I was just going to slam it into a "lately" post because school is killing me slowly. But, now I'm sitting in my American Heritage class and pretttttty bored to be honest. Like, literally this class is 2 1/2 hours long which is extra painful today! Although, the class average for the midterm was in the mid 40s… so that's making my 40% score sound much better! Sometimes I don't understand why teachers make their tests so hard. Like, if the average score is 40-50%, maybe you need to do some reevaluating haha! Oh well, I'm not complaining. I just went from a F to a B thanks to the Super Curve! 

Anyways, school rant over. Here are some images from our little Valentine's Day weekend. Are you sick of these posts yet? Haha. 

We accidentally matched! Jake walked in right when I was getting dressed and had my outfit all layed out. Needless to say, we are v in sync. ;)

We went to Gilgal Park after devouring some food from Hire's (which isn't pictured because I couldn't stop eating and it was a very real small heaven). Gilgal was strange and I don't understand it. I'm glad we didn't go to Salt Lake just to go there, but it was nice to finally see what it was all about.

The sunset view from our hotel room was amazing! It made me so excited to move our of our little town to a big city one day.

We tried so hard to spot someone falling at the Gallivan Center ice skating rink, but I guess they were all pros because no falls were witnessed. Look at those cutie Christmas lights though! I love when places have outdoor lighting. It just adds so much personality and festivity. It's honestly one of the main reasons I love Cafe Trio so much, haha!

We walked over to Pie Hole and were super trendy there, as you can tell by the graffit walls. Also, for once I had a sharpie in my bag while at a graffiti-approved place. So, naturally we immortalized ourselves on the wall and quoted Titanic, because we had just watched it and forgot how corny it was. Also, Leo is legit a small child fresh out the womb, so that was creepy to us.

All in all, it was so nice to get away for a second! I feel like everyone thinks they are the most busy person in the world, and no one is busier than they are. So, I try not to pull the "busy" card too often as to not madden the world. But, we have been swamped lately, so it was nice to just spend some time together just the two of us. 

Honestly, I'm not one for big parties or anything like that. I'm happiest when I'm just celebrating with one person, or like three max. Any more than that and I feel like it takes away from my event. I know it's super weird and there are probably lots of people out there who feel like they are offending me by not making a big deal out of things, or who think I am being like, passive and secretly hoping a big even is thrown for me. But honestly I appreciate it soooo much when people just let me do my own little thing with just a few people, even though it may not be the way they themselves would choose to celebrate. Introvert problems… right? Haha, but I'm just really glad that Jake understands that part of me, and doesn't force big events or parties on me with things like Valentine's Day, my birthday, graduation, etc. 

This is turning into a much longer post than I meant for it to be, but I guess I am just happy he understands how I like to celebrate and feel super lucky that I never have to feel awkward or upset with the way the holiday has gone!! I'm basically just obsessed with Jake, ok?

I hope everyone had a good Valentine's Day celebrating the love we all have for each other! Isn't it neat that there is literally a day dedicated to showing others how much you love them? Haha I love it.

XOXO

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a happy list: 52

When I was watching a show, a character's text alert went off at the exact same time as mine did in real life / My mom getting Snapchat / Spending so much time alone with Jake (basically my favorite thing ever) / All white bedding / Sleeping in past 10 a.m. for the first time in a long time / When Trixie lays down with her feet tucked underneath her belly and looks like she doesn't have any legs / Finishing one test, and only having 10 more until I graduate / Warm rooms / Cole and Dylan Sprouse when they were little and in Big Daddy and 100% the cutest / Finally eating at Hire's and enjoying it very much

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Here's some internet things to make you happy… This Instagram picture / This article about my favorite movie of all time / This cat / This date / Also, this cat / This blog post / This article about dieting, lol

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Funny things people have said this week…

My mom, talking about how the weather is throwing off her plants: "MY CROCUS IS STARTING TO BLOOM!!!"

Jake: "Bribble." (new slang for "brb")

Jake (after I grabbed the wrong drink from the fridge) "Freudian grab"

Jake (after we both had the same idea): "Our souls are in sync."

X0X0

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E

P.S. I challenge all of you who blog to write a happy list this week! Feel free to post your link here to spread the joy if you'd like to share. Here's a link to some research talking about the benefits of happy/gratitude lists.

snapchat: iamemcakes

Hello, hello! Follow me on Snapchat (@iamemcakes) for pictures of daily life things that don't get posted here!

XOXO
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jakey baker

Thank you for picnicking with me, traveling to new places, exploring the mountains, combing and braiding my hair at night, making cute sounds in the morning when you wake up, making cinnamon rolls on Sunday mornings, bringing Trixie in to cuddle me when I need a friend and you are busy, being a beautiful person and also pulling off facial hair so well, switching sides of the bed so we can cuddle even when you have a mouth monster, driving every time we're in the car, putting up with my tiny meltdowns about things that are way too far in the future, coming grocery shopping with me so I don't have to go along, being as into The X-Files and The Walking Dead as I am, swimming with me at every hotel swimming people we can get our hands on, working and providing for me so I can graduate college in 3 school years/2.5 real years, keeping our celebrations intimate and small just like my introvert/shy personality likes them, not caring about the millions of pictures I take and make you take with me, keeping my car maintence and cleanliness in good shape, being the most neutral person in the world and letting me choose everything, staying with me until I fall asleep on nights when you have to stay up late doing homework, and for marrying me.

You will always be my cute bb.

XOXO

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E

beyond glaze

Sorry always for iPhone pictures, but Saturday night we got some donuts. Are you surprised? My mom has been talking about these so much, and after she sent me a picture I was sold on their adorable-ness. So, we went and were very pleased. I got the maple and Jake got the old fashioned. In case you are wondering, yes, I did wear my pajamas there and also no bra. So, feel free to judge me for that, because I am a little bit. 

Mainly the real reason why it was an amazing donut experience is because they can make ANY of them. Like, even if there aren't any in the display case, they can make that flavor donut in like, 40 seconds or something like that. So, v enjoyable. Go there and enjoy.

XOXO
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Firehouse Subs

We approve of you.

(Also, Jake thinks he look like a creep in this picture, and I can't stop laughing at it.)

XOXO

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food night events + some pictures of my face

First things first, I responded to all comments made on my "real things that need to be discussed" post. Thank you to everyone who made me feel like I'm not the only one who thinks these things sometimes!

Me and Katherine got crepes at Greenhouse Effect for Food Night and they were pretty good. I asked for nutella and strawberry, and they only gave me strawberry. Katherine kept telling me to go back and ask for nutella, but I'm too shy for that ish. I always just feel so mean, accusing the workers of doing their job wrong. Anyways, so I just ate the strawberry. They were pretty good, but I probably wouldn't go there again because it was a horrifying experience (see below).

So here's what looks like a bunch of selfies, but what is really not a bunch of selfies (in theory, anyways).

1 / This is a picture I took while I was horrified waiting for Katherine at Greenhouse Effect. Why was I horrified, you ask? I SHALL TELL YOU. First of all, parking there is like, the creepiest. You drive down this dark alley and park in the back of the cafe, and it's just scary. Also, some girl had just gotten kidnapped in Salt Lake, and the suspect was on the loose. So, that probably wasn't helping my paranoia much. Then, I start walking into the cafe, and like everyone sitting outside there was male, dressed in black, and smoking? Nothing against any of those things, it's just spooky at night when you're alone, walking through crowds of men. I had to wait for Katherine and there were only two other customers in there. The lights were dim, people were scarce, I was the only girl, etc. So basically I took this picture and told Jake where to find my body.

2 / I am obsessed with this new lipstick I got. Mac just gets it.

3 / Barefoot Blonde aka Amber Fillerup is my favorite blogger for a myriad of reasons, but one of them is her braid tutorials. Braids every day over hurrrr.

4 / We got some froyo a week or two ago, and I realized we should never go that long without it again. Those mochi, they just get me, ya know? Also, I decided sprinkles make anything cuter.

XOXO

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E

a happy list: 51

1/ When I said, "Trixie you can come up here if you want" in a 100% non-dog (aka normal) voice. She got up quietly and jumped up on the bed!! / Being called outgoing by Katherine, which is something I have never heard applied to my personality before haha 2/ A driver waving a "thanks wave" at me when I let him in. I wish more people did that. 3/ Finishing my Child Development and somehow getting an A- in the entire class. Also, getting a solid A on my final. Which I feel is something I can mention here because I never get A's haha. 4/ Asking Jake to rub Vix on my chest and realizing we had different ideas of what a chest was hahahahah (TMI? Perhaps.) 5/ I told Jake to get Snapchat. He downloaded it, and then it was quiet for about five minutes. I looked over and he was literally reading the terms and conditions that pop up before you can create an account. 6/ Getting some practically brand new clothes from a fashion bloggers Instagram. 7/ The Walking Dead being back on! 8/ Trixie jumping up on the bed and being small spoon on two different nights. She's more of a bottom-of-the-bed type of pup so it made my day :) 9/ Our X-Files marathon! We kicked through so many episodes and it was glorious. 10/ Trying donuts from Beyond Glaze and realizing they are beyond this world. (See what I did there?)

Also, I just want to put it into the world that I am NOT loving this weather. I love winter the most and it's one of the few things I appreciate about living in Utah… haha. So, kind of sad that it's like, spring in winter.

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Funny things people have said…

Jake: "Do you know someone who's favorite color is brown?"

Girl: "You dress like a doll."

Me and my mom were talking about how the cabinets may have gotten dirty. I suggested that there were babies at our house a lot. She said, "And adults who wear their pajamas all day." (Referring to me, haha.)

Then she saw me later in the day, after we had gone out dressed normal, and I had changed back into pajamas. She said, "Pajamas again, huh?"

I recorded my mom cleaning out the cabinets, because she was being so funny. She kept finding food she had hidden and forgotten about, and getting really excited. It accidentally started playing back and she heard that I had recorded her and said, "Ok, you can't be with me anymore. I thought we were working as a team."

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Here are some internet things to make you happy…
This blog post (yes, I will continue to mention these because I laugh so hard in real life) and in particular the phrase "fifty shades of fist bumping". /
This photo my friend posted about being married young. I just really loved what she had to say about it. 

XOXO

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E

real things that need to be discussed

Sometimes I just don't understand the blogging world. 

For starters, I love to make friends through blogging. In fact, I have made some of my coolest friends this way. Beverly, who is neat and has a cute baby and is also my same height which is nice. Mila, who is the same person as me. Katherine, who has been reading my blog since its very beginning, when it was full of teen angst. And Rizzio, who has also been reading for a while and who is really creative and probably my most artistic friend. 

I met all of these people through blogging, and may not have become friends with them otherwise.

So, when I made the Friends IRL Facebook group, I was expecting to meet cool people who could possible be good friends. Like, I specifically only accepted requests to join from people in the area, not because I am a picky biotch, but because I want us to actually hang out. To be honest, I feel like no one wants to be friends. Not just in the Facebook group (although there are like, no bites on the things me and Katherine propose to do), but in the blogging world in general. I am totally fine with those who don't want to be friends. Like, 100% they are good people and deserve many a chocolate cakes. However, I just get so confused when those people talk like they want to be friends in real life. It makes me feel like they are just trying to grow their blog. I don't know, I could be wrong. But, that's just how I feel sometimes. I support people who try to grow their blog, but I definitely think there is a time and a place. Ads are a good place, blogger events are a good place, links at the ends of comments are a good place, but hijacking situations in which people want to make real friends? Not a good place. Sometimes I just hate how some bloggers use every single opportunity as a way to boost their pageviews and followers. 

The reason why I hate this is because I LOVE BLOGGING. I have ever since I started when I was 16 years old. I didn't even discover the "big blogs" like The Rockstar Diaries/Love Taza until a year after I had been at it. I didn't even know you could make money blogging until like two-ish years ago. All of these things were new discoveries to me, but they were happy discoveries. Now, I'm discovering that some people just want to use each other to become "blog famous" or they just want to go out together so they can take pictures and document it. I'm all for documenting things, but when that's the only reason you're hanging out with a person/initiating contact I feel like there's a slight problem. 

Anyways, now you know my feelings for today. In short, I just wish there weren't people with agendas who feel the need to climb over others to get there. Trying to be blog famous? Awesome. Buy an ad. I hope you get there, I really do. I mean who wouldn't want to be paid the big bucks to document their life and eat good food? But, please don't get me all excited that you want to be my friend in real life, only to drop me if I don't contribute in some way to your pageviews.

Thank you, and good night.

XOXO

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E

*This post is not aimed at anyone in particular.*

it's never too late for a don

Couples who don together, bond together.

XOXO

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let me photograph you!

Hello hello! I wanted to share the most recent shoot I did. You can view my favorite 20 photos from it here. Email me for pricing and let me take your cute pictures (readers of this blog get a discount, p.s.)! 

Also, I just wanted to say thank you really quickly to all the people who have been so nice to me regarding photography. It definitely is not my personality at all to market, "get out there", etc. so thanks to everyone who has said kind words about my photos, hired me, or supported me when I'm freaking out :) It means a lot! 

XOXO

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a happy list: 50 + iphone pictures

Me at the pharmacy aka Satan's lair. Also, covering acne. Also, jamming to Trey Songz.

I took a bunch of photos of Jake yawning, so here's a photo of him 2 seconds post yawn, because I am a nice wife. 

My niece will hate me so much for this in 10 years.

Avocado, olive oil, and pepper on toast. I'm tellin' ya.

I went to The Press and good thing their cold pressed apple cider is the best ever. I bought a bottle and brough it home to my mom and Jake, and my mom was like, "This tastes like an apple. I am literally drinking apples right now." HAHA. Anyways, you should definitely go there if you like apple cider and mini pies. (Also iPhone picture because I am too shy to take pictures of my food when I am alone in restaurants. I'm working on it.)

Talking to my friend about when Ross cheats (debatable) on Rachel in Friends. She sent the first text, and I didn't respond because I was making cake balls. Then she sent another one a few minutes later and was so confused hahaha. I was literally laughing so hard. I showed Jake and he like, didn't get it at all. 

Ok, shout out to my hair for a second. I have been being very nice to it (coconut oil hair masks every 4 days, only washing it every 4 days, no heat, air dry, braids, etc.) for a while now. I think I started being nice to it in July? I'm not sure. But it's actually growing! I took a shower and let it air dry, and I was just so please with it being long. Like it was hard to get it to fit into this picture. I still want it to grow another four-five inches, but hey! I'll take this for now!

Ok, I'll be straight up honest about the iPhone pictures. I have been doing school sooo much, and my internship I haven't had tons of time to do fun photography things. Plus, I've been doing the photo a day project, and I just got done editing an engagement shoot. So, basically time for personal photography is pretty non-existent, hence the photo dump. Anyways, on to a happy list!

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Finally buying VSCO Photoshop actions / The Press apple cider / Finding out American Hertige is canceled this coming week / The quinoa burgers my mother-in-law made / Finally trying Magleby's french toast and dying in a small heaven / Riding bikes on Friday night + visiting my friend's cute puppy / Creepin' on my visiting teaching companion on her walk outside my house, because she has a new puppy and it's ADORABLE. It's a sheepadoodle and it's adorable. Look it up. (It was a puppy filled week.) / Taking engagements / The Red Wonder from Waffleluv… I can't remember which reader recommended it to me, but thank you. You have made my life better. / When SOMETHING HAPPENED IN THE X-FILES THAT I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR FOR SO LONG AND THOUGHT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN. I am not going to be a jerk and ruin it for other people… but please email/text me if you are also an X-Files enthusiast and have watched seasons 1-8. 

Funny things people have said…

Jake (referring to the cake balls I had just made): "These look amazeballs!… Pun intended!"

My mom (pretending to listen to me, and responding to my question about what breed of dog starts with "sh"): "Sheepland… Shetland pony?" *leaves to unload groceries without realizing she suggested and entirely different animal*

My mom got an email from a friend and was about to open it on her phone.

Me: "Mom!! Don't open that! It's a scam! She's been hacked!" *pulls her away from her phone* "Why would Sharon send you an attachment??"

My mom: *loudly* "Ah!! SHE WOULDN'T! SHE WOULDN'T SEND ME ATTACHMENTS!!!!"

Me and Jake talking about how we were sad Trixie hadn't come downstairs looking for us. 

Jake: "She doesn't ask herself, "Where are my best friends?"

XOXO
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project 365 / 26-31

Day 25 / I did an engagement shoot at Utah Lake and the sunset was just too good with the water! I'll post the link to the shoot later this week, but if you want pictures taken shoot me an email!

Day 27 / My place every morning! It's so peaceful in there. I love it.

Day 28 / I discovered the roof of my school building, so naturally some city pictures were necessary.

Day 29 / Making cake balls late at night. My mom bought flowers, so I finally accomplished the unwritten blogger rule of having flowers in my food pictures hahaha.

Day 30 / Eating cake balls. I hope I have a little girl one day who will appreciate the cuteness of the things I bake. (Not pregnant.)

Day 30 / A good day for getting pictures of my pets with their mouths open haha!

Day 30 / Trixie doing human things.

Day 31 / Eating the most delicious french toast at Magleby's Fresh (that's served all day). This picture is mega sucky, but you get the idea.

All in all, I'm proud of my first month of this project! I think I did pretty dec :)

XOXO

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