Happy Thanksgiving!

We spent a cozy Thanksgiving up in Wallsburg with Noah’s family. Lots of food, family, legos, and games!

I made the decision to stop watching the news when I was a junior in high school. The default setting on our home desktop computer was the yahoo search engine with Fox and NY Times plastered all over the front page so I saw the news when I wasn’t looking for it. It was usually heavy and depressing. There are some things that are just worth letting go of and for me, the decision to carefully and thoughtfully select the media I consume is one of the best decisions I’ve made! 

There are a lot of people who tell me that it’s good to be informed, and I agree. But I love being able to educate myself on my own terms, to handpick reliable sources, and consult and discuss with people I respect and trust. 

All this to say, I’ve found that by filtering out the negativity, I have so much more room for contentment, peace, inspiration, light, and joy.

 It’s not lost on me how blessed I am!

 

Do you ever just…

1:29am

 

Annual Girls Night

Last year we started a new Rigby girl tradition where we spend the night hanging out just us girls. It has become one of my favorite Christmas traditions. I look forward to it so much! This year my mom planned dinner at Zao and a fun game at 5 Below where you draw a name and a letter and find a $5 gift for that person that starts with your letter. 

We also did a mini wreath craft, we made bagged (and ate about a hundred) chocolate covered caramel s’more truffles for our ministering sisters, and my mom got us all matching pajamas. 

AND every year we watch The Holiday which is honestly such a highlight. We love that movie and I don't know what it is but Noah IS Jude Law in The Holiday. Down to every mannerism and facial expression.  

Then I went to sleep in Boston’s room and about passed out when I came face to face with this cardboard cut out of him. After we took a selfie, he went face first into the closet. 

 

Scones & Ice Cream

Alexis & Kiegan invited everyone over to their cozy (and new!) home for scones & ice cream! 

We ate dessert, talked, and we’re about to play Phase10 when Boston called! 

Needless to say, Phase10 was quickly abandoned for Elder Rigby who we love and miss so much! 

 

Angelina Doughli & Bread Pitt

 

According to Malcolm Gladwell, it takes around 10,000 hrs of practice to become a professional.

According to me, my aunt Corissa is a professional sourdough bread baker.

Corissa hosted a sourdough class for me, my cousin Gracee, her girlfriend Katelyn, my aunt Mignon, and my friend Elise (another wife of one of Noah’s friends who I claimed as my own friend because she is just too good to pass up.) 

It was so fun to learn her craft! She is so knowledgeable. She taught us everything from feeding the start to baking a beautiful artisan bread loaf. She also fed us lunch, did some drawings for prizes, and we each left with an our own sourdough start and loaf of bread. 

Hoping to improve my own bread after my last sourdough brick fail.

Thanks Corissa! 

Wild rice soup & jalapeño cheddar sourdough. I would like some more right now please and thank you.

!! Important note: your sourdough start needs a lot of love and care. It’s basically a pet. !!

Corissa suggested we name ours and gave us a very large list of ideas.

 I’m still deciding between Leonardough Da Vinci and Clint Yeastwood… 

 

Edna’s

 

Every once in a while we go to Edna’s. We sip some peach lemonade, enjoy a fresh cooked meal, ask for seconds of the focaccia and balsamic dip, and get a skillet cookie to go. 

It makes for a perfect Friday night.

But maybe go somewhere else so me and my date can still get a table (: 

Playing Dress Up

 

Here are some iPhone sneak peeks of a day playing dress up! 

Eagle, Idaho holds 11 years worth of special space in my heart. I grew up there! One of my childhood friends, Emily, reached out to me and asked if Noah and I would model bridals for her. She had a dress, we just needed to show up. I had Sydney do my makeup (a rare occasion) and luckily the dress fit like a glove. Emily is a fantastic photographer and who I would have had take my engagement/ wedding photos if she wasn’t living out of state at the time. 

Long story short, I couldn’t pass it up! I’ve always loved playing dress up! 

Tony-of-All-Trades

Did I say one million projects? I meant two. 

I’ve hated the tile around our fireplace since we moved in. So when my dad offered to come and put some brick over the fireplace, it was the easiest yes ever. I might be biased but I really think he did a better job than any professional could have done. 

I love it when my dad comes over. I just love my dad in general. 

The morning of my wedding, I gave each member of my family a handwritten letter (one of my many love languages) and a personal gift. Although words could never really convey the depth of my feelings, in my letter to my dad I tried my best to express my admiration of him and my pride in being his daughter. I told him that it made me sad to think that I would no longer have his last name as my own. But I also said, 

“I remind myself that I have your nose. I have your dark hair and olive skin. I have your taste in music and your love for Christmas. I have your strength in writing and your "spirit of the law" mentality. I have your need for freedom and your dislike of math, bosses, and 9-5s. I have your sense of humor and your love of home. And although I will no longer have your last name, few things bring me more comfort than to know I will always be your daughter.”

It does bring me comfort to know that I will always be the daughter of the best dad in the world! 

Meanwhile, Noah and I finished our bathroom tile and then hung out at Noah’s parent’s house to decompress to the sound of 10 squealing children. Who I should note, I am obsessed with. Squealing and all. 

Remi, Jade, and Huntley 

 

Wooly Rivers

 

Every once in a while I have a day that reminds me that life is good. Today was one of those. 

Noah and I got up and went to a 7am session at the Provo City Center Temple. Our first time being back since we got married there! I died a little bit when my alarm went off and fought for my life to stay awake pretty much the entire time we were there, but I felt so grounded walking out. 

My friend Savannah and I had scheduled a gentle yoga class right after so I drove to 3B Yoga and reset my nervous system. Savannah and I became friends through our husbands who were best friends growing up and I feel so lucky because spending time with her always leaves me inspired to be a better version of myself. Simply put, I love Savannah. We do lunch dates, yoga dates, and double dates!  

I wore my Wooly Rivers beanie made by my friend Riley. She picks out the colors and hand knits her love, creativity, passion, and genuine goodness into each quality beanie. I love her and value her friendship so much, so love that I have something handmade by her. 

I love my people!

Shop small this holiday season!

@woolyriversbeanies

I spent the rest of the day juicing wellness shots with ginger, lemon, turmeric, orange, garlic, cinnamon and cayenne pepper. I also baked mini cinnamon pull-apart breads with a nutmeg glaze for my ministering sisters, and then spent the next few hours preparing to host Alexis and Kiegan for dinner. Our first guests at our newly refinished kitchen table. The sanding/staining process took a year off of my life so you better believe I am overcoming my fear of hosting to make sure we get the best use of it. 

Sometimes I cannot get over how cute Alexis is. I’m sorry but she is the perfect woman.

The boys watched the fights while she helped me prep a salad with candied almonds, apple and pear slices, fresh mozzarella, cucumbers, and a citrus acv dressing. I also made baked BBQ chicken and crispy parmesan potato’s with a dipping sauce I made up: mayo, sour cream, white vinegar, seasoned salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, and fresh thyme. Don’t knock it til you try it.  For dessert, Alexis brought freshly baked pumpkin scones with white chocolate chips and a ginger glaze. Yes, she also bakes. 

1 Million Projects

November

N - November is for

O - one million projects. I am 

V - very

E - exhausted.

M - Mom and Noah helped

B - but I am still 

E - exhausted

R - Remind me never to sand again. 

 

We Hiked the Y 2

Yesterday morning I woke up to a frosted front lawn. This is fine except that after we hiked the Y in June, I decided I really wanted to hike the Y at the end of Summer as well. We hiked it the first time during the sunrise and I just thought it would be really sweet and almost metaphorical to hike it during the sunset to tie off Summer. Well the end of Summer has come and gone, so I decided that we either hike it now or it probably wouldn’t happen at all. 

I called Noah at work and said, “Hey I have a great idea!”

“What is it?”

“Let’s hike the Y tonight after you get off work. There was frost this morning so I feel like this is the last day to do it and I really want to do it again.”

“…”

“…”

“…today?..”

“Yeah! Today after you get off work!”

“…”

“Um… okay let’s do it.”

When we finally started on the last switchback, Noah got quiet for a minute and then blurted out “Now that we are at the top, I really didn’t want to do this today.”

“I know.”

“What?!?! How did you know?”

rly o_O

Thanks for coming lover boy!