|| Besties Be Bloggin ||

As everyone already knows I live way to far away from my family and friends. It kills me actually! I just want to be apart of everything and when I miss anything I tend to pout about it. Poor Brett. I can't help it, I just want to be apart of all the fun activities! So what is the second best thing? Reading all about it on a blog. Two of the ladies that I miss the most living here are Katelyn and Bethany! I told Katelyn months ago I was going to start a blog up for her so I could keep up with her life since texts and insta just weren't cutting it! Life got in the way and it got pushed back… and back.. and back…. But this last time home I made it happen! While I was designing Katelyn's, Bethany wanted one too so I made her one! 2 full days of blogger later and we have 2 very cute, very personalized blogs! I love design so much, it was so much fun to make all the fun little aspects of their blogs. I am really thinking about starting up a little blog design shop… we will see! 

You should all go read them right now! These ladies are hilarious! When we get together it gets a little cray and we like it that way. Bethy has already posted a few great posts and Katelyn (with a little threatening) did her first post last night :) So do yourself a favour and go check them out already!

www.thewildepages.blogspot.com

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www.bethanykathryn.blogspot.com

|| Home Is Where… ||

I always have a hard time defining where my home is. Is it my little apartment in Glendale Arizona? Is it 242 East Harker Ave in Magrath? Is it where I feel the most relaxed and happy aka the cabin at Bitterroot Lake? I recently came across this little quote on Pinterest and I think it sums up exactly where home is for me! 

Right? Seriously home is a lot of places for me! Any place where I have taken the time to enter in the wifi password must mean I like it a lot! 

I thought I would share a few pictures I took from my recent trips that all remind me of HOME.

These boys playing on the pad. It doesn't matter if it's blowing 100km/hour you can find them here shooting pucks.

The last ones living at home! Love these crazy siblings of mine!

My favourite candy! Ignore the American bill ;) The Easter Bunny was good to us ;)

I always wait until I am home to get my hair done by AJ. She is the best and no other hairdresser will do.

I didn't take a photo of this handsome guy and I FaceTiming but we do that a lot. And since he is so dang hot I will put up a fav picture of him. Also coming back and seeing him when I exit the airport doors is the greatest feeling ever. It always reminds me of when we were dating and the butterflies I would get when I would see his car coming to get me at the airport. Ahh young love <3

I got to take some pretty pics of my bestie while I was home! Seeing her makes me feel at home. (to see more go to meghanmaxwell.com)

Got to see another gorgeous girly friend and cuddle her adorable baby and shoot a quick family pic for them! Being with friends who have known me since forever is the greatest. You never really make friends like the ones you made in preschool who are still sticking by you. 

This is a selfie. I wish it had Amber and Jenni in it! This was right before our little girls night out! Sometimes you just need a little girl time and they are who I call when I need it! (sent this to Brett… yes I am that kind of wife) 

This girls laugh. She is the happiest girl I know. She is always laughing, goofing around, and making fun of everyone, including herself! No one is more excited to see me when I get "home"! I look forward to her bear hug every single time.

Okay this doesn't have anything to do with home... but on our way to the cabin Joc accidentally threw away $20 in this trash bin… she only came out with $10. I literally almost peed myself laughing. She is hilarious!

The sight of this mountain gives me the most instant feeling of happiness. There is just nothing like it. It means Southern Alberta and it means Home. 

|| Sister, Sister ||

I once cried so hard when I was told my mom had given me another baby brother that I soaked my grandma's night-gown (sorry Russ). I had wished on every first star, every birthday candle, every 11:11, and every fallen eyelash that I would get a sister. Obviously once I met Russell I loved him and it made the devastation of his gender a little less painful. On February 15th, 1996 when I headed home from my grade 1 classroom to eat lunch I got the greatest news … I was the proud big sister of a baby girl named Jocelyn. I ran back to school so excited to tell all my friends and my teachers! I even wore a pin with her picture on it for a week! Even though it's been 18 years I am still the proud big sister of a gorgeous girl named Jocelyn.

 photography by me - meghanmaxwell.com

|| Peace & Happiness ||

As I sit here in the Seattle airport waiting to board my 3rd and final flight of the day, I am overwhelmed with a feeling of peace and pure happiness. Travelling all day long by yourself leaves a lot of time to think. I feel so completely blessed to be living the life that I am. As I was saying goodbye to Brett this morning, so hard by the way, I kept thinking how is this my life? Do I deserve to be this happy? Did I cheat the system somehow? How does one girl get so much. I have the sweetest husband who makes me laugh and laughs at my stupid humour and honestly makes me feel so loved and needed. I have the single greatest family on the earth. I am so excited to see them in a few hours. This is the longest I have ever gone without seeing them and I miss them so much! I was able to hear from the leaders of my church this past weekend and it was so uplifting and inspiring. Conference always gives me a push to try a little harder and be a little better. I know I belong to the only true church on the earth and that knowledge is the greatest blessing in my life and it makes all the other blessings in my life so much greater. I am going home to do a job that I love and am so passionate about! I am blessed.

I guess it just hit me hard today that I need to be better at acknowledging the many things that my Father in Heaven has given me. As I was so sad to leave Arizona but so excited to get to Alberta today I realized I have so many people in this world that care about me and that I care for in return. My heart is full today and I am grateful.

|| One Year and Paper ||

photo by alixann loosle

Can you believe it? I have been a real married girl for a year now! Time really went fast. Like lighting speed fast. It is kind of freaking me out actually! I swear I was just picking out flowers, dresses, table linens, and center pieces yesterday. To say that this year has been incredible would be an understatement. It has been the best year yet! I have had so much fun with Brett this year and we have done a lot! I have loved the new adventures that living in Arizona have brought and I hate thinking that we only have one more year here! We aren't sure what the future will hold for us as far as where we will live, where Brett will work, if he will specialize or not, the whole kids thing, and so many more choices to make but I am so glad I have such an amazing partner to go through it all with!

I am currently working on a wedding day post (a little late I know) so look for that in the next week or so! I just wanted to share with you something that I made for Brett for our anniversary! I am a pretty traditional girl and I knew this list existed so I looked it up to see what I was "supposed" to get Brett for our one year anniversary, it said….

Okay paper it is! I will be making sure to show Brett this list come our 30th anniversary and on! I can't wait for my diamond at 60 years! So during one of my late night Pinterest sessions I came across this idea! I knew I could make it myself so I whipped it up :) I think it makes for a good idea and a cute decoration!

{FYI blogger is making the colours look terrible for some reason!}

I think it's a nice keepsake we will have of our first year of marriage! As we move I will update the "we live" part but always keep the past copies.

Ane because I LOVE it so much I think all of you should have one too! For $10.00 I will email you a JPEG image that can be printed, it is 14"w 11"h. All I need from you are the places you met, married, and live and the colour you would like the banners to be! This is a great wedding gift idea too! If you are interested just shoot me an email at meghaneholt@gmail.com!

Happy Friday Everyone!!