Fill Your Life

Tonight my dad made a really good point. He said, "In the end, it is better to fill your life by doing good, rather than filling it by doing nothing at all... Always be engaged in a good cause."As I sat next to my sisters and across from Adam, I realized that sometimes I busy myself with things that aren't necessarily always good things. Now, this isn't a confession post where I note all my mistakes, but I realize that spending 20 minutes on Facebook (*cough* or longer *cough) is not the best decision. Facebook is not bad by any means, but it is not necessarily good. Therefore, I'm issuing a challenge:

Maybe we can all try to be a little better at anxiously engaging ourselves in good causes to bring more good into this world, rather than laziness or boredom. Engage in something good. I think we will all like what we find. ;)

Good night!

Love,
Evi

Leaving On A Jet Plane

Today is the day! We are headed to Hawaii for ten days of bliss in paradise.
Maui is calling my name. My bags are packed. My nails are painted. I bought tanning oil, too.
I'm not coming back unless I'm a nice dark shade of brown.
So peace out home skillets.

I'm going to the lovely place below!

Source

Love,

Evi

Of Polka Dots and Sunshine

Father's Day is a well-deserved holiday. This year it was even more special because it is the first Father's Day that I've been able to spend with my dad in a few years. Thus, I felt like the day deserved a put-together outfit, well, at least for church. After church it is definitely a sweatpants party in this house. Except it is summer, so we are all definitely rocking shorts and baggy shirts. On a more fashionable note, I'm in love with polka dots. Specifically, I'm in love with my polka dot skirt. With this summer weather, I can help but to wear bright colors and polka dots. I love summer!!

The Breakdown
Skirt: Banana Republic, thrifted; Button Up: Cotton On; Headband: H & M; Flats: Gap

In summation, it was a beautiful and sunny Father's Day, which was spent in good company. Lately, I wouldn't have my life any other way.

Love,
Evi

My Favorite Birthday Boy

   

Stoked to get his Triton headphones for his Xbox.

Yep, the boy models, but only when it is gaming related.

Brownie "Cake" at the Figgat Celebration

His Birthday Dinner of Choice at Lucille's

Awful pic, but the only one of the whole fam from Adam's bday.

Adam turned 25 on Wednesday. Crazy. It's amazing that this is the third birthday of his that we have been able to celebrate together. I think I love Adam's birthday way more than mine. It's much more fun to buy him gifts. Plus, he lets me go all out for his birthday. With two celebrations completed, even he admits that this was a birthday for the books. His loot included the headphones, three shirts, swim trunks, shorts, and an awesome Thai dinner with his sister and our bro-in-law. 

Happy birthday, Adam!

Love,

Evi

Memorial Day Weekend Highlights

Top Left: Beach on Memorial Day. Bottom Left: Stephanie's (mother-in-law) birthday cake. Top Right: Steph and Charlotte prepared to blow out the candles. Bottom Right: North Ponto beach on Memorial Day

Oceanside Pier

Memorial Day Breakfast at the Park

Day Date at Pizza Port in Carlsbad

We had a perfect weekend in Carlsbad with family! We were able to celebrate both my mother-in-law's birthday and Memorial Day. We did get to sneak in a date, which was really nice and needed. I love patriotic holidays. :) Hope everyone had an awesome weekend. Yay for summertime!

Love, 

Evi

Daddy Daughter Date: Springsteen Style

A couple weeks ago, I went to a concert with my dad. A Bruce Springsteen concert, to be exact. To fully understand how incredible this is, you need to know a back story. When I was eleven and really began to have a musical preference of my own, I used to ask my dad turn on "my music." My dad always replied, "Just one more song." Consistently, I allowed his request until what is known as the "seventeen-minute song" came into play. The seventeen-minute song was a Bruce Springsteen jam fest that always prevented me from getting to listen to "my music." Naturally, I began to hate Bruce Springsteen; hence, Springsteen became known as "Stinksteen."

Throughout the years, my dad went to many Springsteen concerts and with each concert he brought someone with him to enjoy it. This year, my dad ran out of willing concert buddies. This left my sisters and I with the duty to be dad's date.

Thus, I pushed my pride aside and decided to go to the concert with my dad. It was AWESOME. I rocked out with our parents' generation, ate cotton candy, fist pumped, sang, and maybe got a bit contact high. Plus, if it wasn't fun enough, I got to see my dad in an unbelievably happy state. Think ear-to-ear smile status.

My dad turns 50 this year and the realization that both my dad and I are getting older has kicked in. My dad was my first best friend, so seeing him that happy, bursting with vitality made me feel like we will never grow old.

And for that, seeing Stinksteen perform not just a seventeen-minute song, but a three and a half hour concert was worth it-- a daddy daughter date that I will never forget.

A Very Proud Aunt, Indeed: Charlotte Monahan

So I have this niece, and she is likely the cutest baby you'll ever meet.

She likes to eat her toes, you see.

Plus, she makes her own songs to sing herself to sleep. Talk about creative.

She likes colors, a lot.

She rolls around like a champ.

Best of all, her smile really does make everyone around her beyond and over the moon happy.

The last few days of getting to be here as her aunt, has made me one proud aunt. 

I love being Charlotte's aunt!!

She's the best thing that happened to the Figgat family since well... me ;)

That time that I turned 21 four months ago

My 21st birthday was perfect. 

The little celebrations leading up to it were awesome as well.

This big birthday didn't disappoint and truly helped me appreciate all of those who love and care about me.

First we went to Applebee's with Emily and Conrad. Both are long-time friends from our freshman year and definitely some of our best friends.

Then I had an actual, full-out birthday party!! First one since my eighteenth. I was nervous it would be a repeat of my eighteenth where a ton of people show up and then leave right away. It wasn't that way and we had a great time by celebrating with a white elephant. Let me just say this... HILARIOUS.

The Woods and I. We didn't have birthday candles, so we used tea lights. My birthday cake even had my name on it :)

Little Miss Olivia Ball. Love that kid, even wrapped up in streamers!

 On my actual birthday we went shopping! We were back in Southern California, so we went to South Coast Plaza. My dad didn't have to work, so he partied with us all day. :)

 Later that night we went to Nick's in Laguna Beach with the family. And when I saw family, I got to have both sisters, parents, parent-in-laws, and Chris, Chelsea, and Charlotte. This was the first time I met Charlotte after Chris and Chelsea brought her home from Oklahoma. A perfect birthday present. At Nick's, I got short ribs (FAVORITE).

I loved my birthday celebrations. It topped every other birthday for sure. While it did not involve drinking myself into a stupor like it is for most, it was perfect for me and gave me the opportunity to reflect on the amazing life I have.

Happy Face Time

These are the perfect examples of what qualify a happy face:
You guys I just made it through two of the hardest academic weeks of my life and tonight I get to see my family in Utah. Plus, the hubs is totally making fresh guacamole.
Whaddup happy face.
I'll be skiing Snow Basin this weekend and snowmobiling. FINALLY a vacation :)

Have a good LONnNnNnG weekend everyone.
Love,
Evi

Introducing My Beautiful Niece!

(Photographed by Danny Nicolas. Check out his photography here.)

So I've been dying to write this blog post. I actually wrote it the day she was born. But homework ate my life. On November 1, Charlotte was born into this world. So this is what I've gathered from an aunt's perspective:
-Her hands are tiny and wrinkly.
-Her eyes are beautiful. The few times I've seen them open they have been bright and curious.
-She can rock the color pink better than anyone.
-Adam and I love her and haven't even met her, yet. [It makes me excited to have kids someday. I'm excited to feel that for our FUTURE (as in five years) kids.]

So here is what I wrote in my notebook the day she was born:
Well, today I became an aunt!! I have had to keep my mouth shut, because I wanted to let my brother and sister-in-law have the opportunity to announce it loud and proud, before I go and plaster it all over the blogosphere. I am so excited for Chris and Chelsea! In addition, I'm excited for the whole family. Ever since Adam and I started dating, I remember Chris and Chelsea wanting a baby. Also, Ever since Adam and I started praying together, he have prayed every night that a sweet baby would be brought to their family. Prayers were answered. Charlotte is the answer. When we heard the news that a baby was to be born, we were beyond excited. Today she was born and titles are changing. Chris and Chelsea are now Mom and Dad; my in-laws, Grandma and Grandpa; and the rest of us... proud aunts and uncles. How cool is that?! Now, I just have to meet this little girl. I am so excited to hold and love her. Sweet Charlotte, welcome to the world. I am so excited to watch you grow!

Love, Evi

Summer Vacation: Carlsbad

Here lies the remnants of the second half of our lil vacation home to California. This post covers what we did with Adam's family in Carlsbad. In all honesty I love going home and I love my in laws. I'm already way excited to see them for Christmas!!

Bataquitos Lagoon.

Jedi Braid at Lucha Libre (Mexican Food that has been featured on Food Network. It was Amazing).

The "Champion Booth" at Lucha Libre, it's a booth you have to reserve in advance and has been rumored to seat various famous people.

We went to Sea World and it was SO fun. I love hanging out with the in-laws. I'm one lucky girl. :)

In the shark tube!

*begin jaws music* okay now you can end it :)

The famous VG's cake. It was so pretty and pretty good. :) They are a donut/bakery shop that are known for their cakes by the locals. Both of Adam's siblings used them for their weddings.

My sweet mother in law took me to get a pedicure. I'm ashamed to say I haven't gotten one since we got married five months ago. They were pretty gross. It was fun spending time with her :)

Los Tacos= LOS FRICKING AMAZING. This lil taco was so good. End of story. Definitely in the Top Five for best tacos ever eaten by me and I grew up in Southern California and have been to Mexico multiple times. SO GOOD.

AHHH SO GOOD. Geez I'm making myself hungry past midnight... This is Tip Top aka yummy European Delicatessen with an awesome restaurant in the back.

So as you can see. I love Carlsbad and the people that live there. I had so much being with family, sleeping in, and eating a ton of yummy food. I definitely married into an awesome family! Can we go back already? :)

Love, Evi

A Southern California Summer

Our trip to California was heavenly. I wish that I could have spent more time with everyone.
I only saw one of my friends that I wanted to see. Lucky Kimya ;) I learned this last week that I love being with my family even more than I knew.
They make me feel so good! There is nothing better than shopping with mom, giggling with Jenelle, sitting on dad's lap, watching TV and praying with everyone, pedicures with my mother in law, eating my father in laws' crepes (TO DIE FOR), laughing at my brother and sister in laws'f jokes, and finally ending everyday in a comfortable bed next to my husband smiling because we slumber in a house filled with love. It was the first time that we returned home as a married couple.
It was SO HARD to leave. As I was packing tears filled my eyes. I turned to Adam and told him I wasn't ready to leave. Once again it comes down to the fact that growing up is hard.
Someday we will live in California. We will go back. There is nothing that is better than waking up knowing my parents are close by and the beach is a short drive.
Thanks for the great time family. I LOVE YOU.

Love, Evi

PS The pictures from our time get their own posts because I couldn't narrow them down!!

Adoption

I know, I know... I am a sucky blogger this week. Can you blame me? I'm vacationing and quite frankly LOVING it. We are in Carlsbad now. I said goodbye to my family yesterday. It was bittersweet. Bitter to leave them, but sweet to be able to spend time with my in-laws today. In addition, SUPER exciting news. I AM GOING TO BE AN AUNT! My absolutely fabulous sis-in-law, Chelsea, and my super cool bro-in-law, Chris, are adopting a baby who will be born in THREE MONTHS. It is a sweet set up quite frankly...
The family doesn't have to wait the whole nine months for the baby to come.
The sis-in-law gets to maintain her awesome runners' body, but gets to have the joy of a new baby.
Stephanie and David (mom and dad in law) get to enjoy having a grandbaby.
I get to have a baby to spoil and love, without having to have one.
BEST OF ALL, my niece (have I mentioned it's a girl?) is going to be adopted into a family who will love her more than anything.
As I mentioned to my mother in law and Chelsea earlier tonight, it is interesting that this is all happening now. Not to make this about me, because TRUST ME I am so excited for the family to have a new lil baby, this December I turn 21.
Twenty-One. A magic age for anyone who isn't Mormon.
In all honesty, it is the age that I have agonized over for years because it is the age that my "file" opens. My adoption file.
My "Birth Mom" will have all of my information. She will know my name and I will know hers. It will be game on, in regards to finding each other.
I'm scared.
I'm excited.
It'll be good. Truly. I want to meet her to say "Thank You" and see what she looks like. After all, I have always wondered where my features came from.
Adoption has come full circle. My adoption story is ending this year and my niece's is just beginning.
It's a blessing to me to see how excited my bro and sis in law to receive this baby. It reminds me that this is probably the same joy that my parents felt.
The girl who is giving up this baby is fifteen. She is brave.
As I am grateful to my own birthmother for giving me a chance to have both a mother and father, I will be so grateful to the birthmother of my soon to be niece for providing the fam bam with a daughther, niece, and granddaughter.
Baby girl, watch out. You are already loved. Just wait till you meet us. :)