things i love - august

• Owl City's new album, The Midsummer Station. Although I'm a little disappointed that it's not his typical electronic pun-ny music and a little too redundant and pop-ish, I still think it's good (and clean) music and well done.
• My stress management class. My professor is a doctor, like full on MD status, and he's seriously one of my top three favorite professors at ASU. Seriously, I absolutely love his class. More to come on that later, I'm sure.
• Couple friends. We are love spending time and doing things with our friends that are married (or dating). It is seriously so much fun!
• The new shoe store. I've mentioned the $10 shoes store before. It was in this super-small-super-crowded-hole-in-the-wall-ghetto-as-all-get-out-po-dunk of a place. Well, folks, this month they moved to a much bigger space, and let me tell you...It is marvelous. Glorious. Fantastic. If you go, you must take me with you.
• Going to bed early. There have been a few nights recently when I have gone to bed at 8:30 and been completely conked out by 9:00. Wearing myself out I guess.
• The bookshelf in our front room. It's finally decorated, complete with old books, ceramic birds and owls, quote blocks, and photos. Oh, and 12 Books of Mormon. #gottalovemymissionaryofahusband
• My new planner. There is nothing like a fresh planner. I look forward to that purchase every year, I kid you not.
• Coupons. Dude. My mom, aka Coupon Queen, rocks. She shares her coupons with us and is teaching us the ins and outs of saving more than you spend. Awesome!
• The 'you & me' sign that our brother-in-law, Kirk, made us. I pinned the idea a while back, and he made my dreams come true! The thing looks exactly how it does in the pin! He and MRudd are planning on turning it into a headboard. So excited!
• Study/homework sessions with Celeste. School is back in full swing, something I don't really love. Last year baby.
• Snickers ice cream bars. Di-vine.
• The sky. Arizona sunsets are probably some of the most beautiful things ever.
• Target. Can't get enough of this place. In fact, I think we're going tonight.
• BOGO coupons for Rumbi's. If you haven't been to this place, you seriously need to check it out. Yum.
•  Not being sick. I caught the annual summer cold and it lasted me a whole two weeks. Even though it wasn't fun being sick, I was glad I got it before school started as opposed to after.
• Going to the temple. So much to remember, so much to learn.
• Wedding pictures. Lots of those to come in the hopefully near future. Ya'll are about to be bombarded.
• Financial aid. Perks of being newlyweds and serving a mission, aka blessings for paying tithing.

happy go lucky in love

Sometimes I look at pictures of MRudd and I and I think to myself, "Is this real?!"

I am really married to my best friend and high school sweetheart. He is the most incredible thing that has ever happened to me. How did I get so lucky?

So happy.

So blessed.

So in love.

awkward and awesome thursday

Awkward

• Trying to be wonder woman and carry/lift a super heavy box to/into my car by myself. In public. I know I'm not walking anywhere near straight, but I am perfectly capable of driving this vehicle.
• Seven of us (us meaning members of my family) crowded around the same foot long tank full of little crabs and little fish in Walmart for 45 minutes straight. Five of us are no longer in elementary school. 
• Climbing into bed, getting all situated with pillows, blanket, and Kindle for some spider solitaire and finding myself short of breath. Someone needs to get her workout on.
• The place some minds went after reading above bullet.
• When husband walks in from work and finds me with all the lights off, all the curtains drawn, and all the fans on because it's too hot any other way.

Awesome

• Getting ready for bed on a day when getting ready in the morning didn't make it past a shower. No make up to take off is a really good feeling.
• The third eye giant zit in the middle of my forehead that wouldn't pop from last week that miraculously went away all on it's own sans popping.
•  Cold showers after running errands and cleaning house all day.
• When the people you follow on Pinterest are pinteresting at the same time you are. Constant flow of fresh pins.
• The fact that I'm taking a Harry Potter class this next semester. And I'm a senior in college. That's what's up.

things i love - july

•  The ocean. I don’t like to swim in it, but cruising on it is highly recommended by yours truly. Wonder and amazement right here.
• The temple. Pretty sure this one gets better the more you go. It’s been killing me that the temple has been closed since we’ve been home. So glad it re-opens today!
• These sheets. Uh-mazing. Seriously, the softest things ever. Get them. And the pillowcases.
• Gift cards. We got a bazillion of these things for our wedding, and they have seriously been the bomb.com.
• Mormon messages. We’ve been watching a lot of these lately and the spirit they bring is super sweet. I have yet to find one that doesn’t make me cry.
• Karaoke, mainly for the people watching.
• This brow pencil. I have always been curious as to how these things work because I don’t particularly like my eyebrows and think they could use a lot of help. Got my makeup done at MAC for our bridal shoot, chick used this pencil, sold. Makes such a huge difference, but still natural looking! Love it!
• Laundry. I have been blessed thus far with someone that does my laundry for me, i.e. my mamasita (whose favorite chore is laundry) and BFF Celeste (who tried for a year to teach me). You’re in shock right now, I know. I don’t care. Since becoming a wifey I have taken on the demons called Washer and Dryer. And I have found that I rather enjoy doing it.
• Groupons + Living Social Deals. They have some good stuff. I would suggest you sign up for their emails here and here.
• Hotels. I stayed in five different hotels this month. Five, people. That’s got to be some kind of record. Best part of staying in a hotel: Someone else cleans your room for you. In some hotels, twice a day.
• Maxi dresses. I wear them almost every day. I think this means I need more!! ;) So comfy, so cute.
• Spider solitaire. MRudd and I would play this on the cruise while waiting for shows to start. Didn’t take long for it to become an add-ic-tion.
• Staples OptiFlow pen. Best pen ever. I have an internal meltdown every time I forget it somewhere. One time I forgot it in Tucson, and it was awful.
• Our shower curtain. It makes me so dang happy. Isn’t it happy?
• Jack in the Box’s Oreo shake. Another addiction. A bad one. But oh so good.
• The Olympics. I love me some competition.
• Oh, and my husband. I have one of those now. Awesome! He's the best!

for grandma

I have been missing my grandma a lot lately. I'm not sure if it's because of the wedding or what, but she has definitely been on my mind and on my heart. Last night was particularly rough. MRudd and I were curled up in bed, watching Mormon messages to wind down before going to sleep. We were watching this video when I lost every ounce of grief and heartbreak I've been bottling up the past couple months. While not our case exactly, this story and my grandma's story have a few similarities, which explains why it was the straw that broke the camel's back.

I cried and I cried and I cried and I cried.

I felt extremely raw, and very small and alone. I knew that I should be happy for my grandma; she was dealing with countless trials when she was killed, and she is now free from those and somewhere beautiful. But in that moment, I decided that it was okay to cry. It was okay to feel grief and heartache and loss and  sadness and pain. Those feelings are real, and they are deep, and they need to be felt. I prayed silently for comfort, for faith, and for peace. It was late, and I was physically and mentally exhausted. Then the thought came to ask Michael Rudd for a blessing. He, of course, did not hesitate. In the blessing, he said that angels were watching over me. Soon after my grandma was killed, I received a blessing from my stepdad. That blessing specifically told me that my grandma was to be my guardian angel.  For this reason, I believe the blessing my husband gave me last night was a reminder that she's here, that she's with me, and that she loves me still the same.

Today would have been my grandma's 64th birthday. After work, Michael Rudd and I visited her grave and took her some new flowers. Yellow roses, her favorite. We came home and made chicken and dumplings, one of her specialties, for dinner, and then took out my remembrance box and just remembered. It is my hope that by being involved in the memory of my grandma while her passing is so fresh on my mind and so heavy on my heart, that my pain and weakness, my grief and heartache, will slowly become a strength and a firmer testimony of what's in store.

I am so grateful for the plan of salvation, for the knowledge that I have that someday I will see my sweet grandma again. I am so grateful for the power of the priesthood, for a husband who worthily holds and willingly exercises it. I am grateful for the moments of despair and utter sadness, because without them I would not fully understand the joy. Most of all, I am grateful for a loving God who understands our trials and our heartaches, who listens anytime we call. 

sunshine on monday: hey [mormon] girl

I'm sure you've seen the Ryan Gosling "Hey girl" spoofs that are all over Pinterest. Here are a few of my favorites.

Hope these brought a little sunshine to your Monday :)

awkward and awesome thursday

Awkward

• The third eye giant zit in the middle of my forehead that won’t pop dang it.

• Not being able to keep eyes open during photo shoots because of that Arizona sun

• Crying two nights in a row while watching karaoke versions of songs like “Carwash.” And no, these were not laughter tears. Real tears, guys. Real tears.

• Asian lady fascinated by my fixing up a baked potato from the buffet. Excuse me, lady. I’d appreciate it if you’d move your head from between my food and my face. Personal space anyone??

• Having my mom help me clean up and put together our little newlywed home.

• Elevator door open. Ten people don’t move, but just stand there and stare at you. You stare back. Elevator door closes.

Awesome

• Hearing, “Honey, I’m home!” from the other room

• The endless gifts and presents

• Re-washing the same plastic spoon for an entire week because we have zero dishes

• The hubs using an ice cream scoop as a substitute spoon for an entire week because we have zero dishes

• Finding a hidden stash of paper plates, bowls, and utensils in our kitchen cupboard after  finally giving in and purchasing dishes

• Flee market at Ensenada. Hit. It. Up.

• Turning a war zone into a cozy little home in a day

• Reeses Puffs. Minus the sicknast coating at the end.

winner winner

Guess who won the Living with Fletch blog makeover giveaway?! I did, I did!! I am so happy with the new look and so grateful to Nicole for being so patient and willing to make this little blog exactly how I wanted.

Follow Nicole's blog here and check out her blog design site here.

Wedding Week: Part 5

Today is the day!

Hard to believe that it's here!

Wedding Week: Part 4

Today Kymber Causey.

Tomorrow Kymber Rudd.

{1 day}

Wedding Week: Part 3

It's been hard not having my grandma here during this whole wedding planning experience.

I know she's of course been here the whole time, but just not the way I'd prefer.

Bachelorette party tonight...Feeling semi-nervous.

{2 days}

Wedding Week: Part 2

Surreal has taken on a whole new meaning.

So has excitement, joy, family, and togetherness.

Feeling very happy, grateful, and blessed.

{3 days}

Wedding Week: Part 1

Today, I get to get all dolled up for bridals. Hair, make-up, the works.

I've got lots to do before then, though, so I'm off!

Happy Wedding Week!

{4 days}

in need of motivation

Again, I've fallen into a blogging rut. It's not like my life is boring right now...Quite the opposite, in fact. But I'll save those juicies for another day (that is hopefully in the near future). But for all those who know the happenings of Kymber's life as of late, you probably also know blogging anytime in the next....month....is not super likely ;)

I do plan on making blogging more of a priority, though, once all is said and done. I have LOTS to fill all ya'll in on. Still, I think I'll need a bit of motivation. You see, I have been suffering from Ihatemyblogbecauseitsugly syndrome. Lucky for me, there is a cure. That cure is the giveaway over at Living with Fletch, an awesome blog I religiously read. Winner gets a complete blog makeover. Can you say (insert singing voice) awesommmmmmme?!!

Don't enter, I want need to win. Just sayin'. Cool.

It's Today!!!

My feelings exactly :)

awkward and awesome thursday

Awkward

Men who try on dresses at DI...and then purchase them. Excuse me while I stare.

Wind + Hair. One day I'm going to shave it off.

Having a hole cut out of your shirt (on accident, don't worry) in the most awkward and inappropriate place possible. Thank you, Whitney ;)

Walking into a motorcycle shop with a huge yellow Easter basket filled with chocolate bunnies and jelly beans. Would you macho men like this cutesy basket??


Getting your hair caught in a door as you're walking through, carrying a bunch of boxes, and suddenly not being able to go any further and  screaming, "My hair is stuck! My hair is stuck!" Thank goodness for the complete stranger of a gentleman behind me, who so graciously helped get me unstuck. Thanks for gently maneuvering my hair out of that blasted door. It's not going to bite you, I promise. 

Awesome

St. George thrift stores.

Vaseline. I like to call it my Vaseline routine. Soft lips = necessary.

Chuck-a-rama. Mashed potatoes and monkey bread. YUM.

Celeste and I belching (yes, out loud) (yes, we're ladylike) at the same exact moment. Sometimes our same brain-wave-ness amazes me.

Today. TODAY. TODAY!!! What?!

Social work test that took 4 minutes and 2 seconds to complete. Thanks, teach, for giving us who actually go to class the answers. Score!

General Conference. Precious, precious gems.

Cookies on Mill. Addicted.


Officially having 100 pairs of shoes.  Yes, folks, it happened. And now on to breaking 200...

awkward and awesome thursday

 Awkward

That nice spider who was bravely attempting to land its’ pretty little self on my shoulder while I was applying mascara. I do not think so buddy! Excuse me while I run out of the bathroom and get my BFF Celeste to smash your booty straight up.

Walking into a bathroom, seeing that all stalls are being used except one. Seize opportunity. Awkwardly do my thing in dead silence. Hello?! There are four other people in this bathroom! There should be more noise than me folks!

The caravan of college boys that kept catching up with us on the way to Utah. Taken.

Pretending we are British, talking with fake accents, using British vocab, the uge*, and then someone I haven’t seen in YEARS run up to me (remember, we’re in Disneyland folks), screaming my name. How do you have a conversation with this individual with your fake British accent? A. They know full well you are not the Brit you claim to be. B. There’s a good chance said accent will be commented on, thereby giving away your true identity to all standerbys who have obviously been eavesdropping because they caught an earful of accent and suddenly thought we were the coolest things ever. Cover blown.

Awesome

Avoiding the 90 line for Hollywood Tower of Terror (aka my favorite ride) thanks to our fast passes. Best idea I had all day.

Disneyland food. Pretty sure I gained ten pounds from the Disneyland diet. Worth every bite.

Walking into my room and finding my bed made. Best. Roommate. Ever.

Thrift stores in St. George. Amazing.

The DI in freaking Vegas. That place is huge. My kind of heaven.

Draw Something. Drawesome.

more

#92

#93 

#94

At least it's shoes and not drugs.

on an exploding suitcase

Looking into my room.

Stepping into my room.

Welcome home!

sunshine on monday

This picture.

And this picture. 

That's my Michael Rudd. Some things will never change...and I'm ok with that.

Find more pictures here.

and she was off

Leaving for good ol' Utah today, where there'll be more of this...

awkward self portraits...

 St. George temple-going....

 pretty red rocks...

 walking around barefoot in real grass...

 cute merry-go-rounding in the court yard...

 probably lots of Cafe Rio, seeing as it's the only place open after 8pm...

 a little bit of Salt Lake...

 and a whole lot of green and flowers...

and let's not forget the thrifting...

Ready or not, Utah, here I come!!

awkward and awesome thursday

One of the blogs I religiously read, the Daybook, does this post every Thursday. Basically it's just a list of awkward and awesome findings or things that happen during the week. It's pretty fun, so I just might join in  every once in a while. Shall we?

Awkward.

When my cell phone goes off twice in one school day. Let's not talk about how it was in the same class. Let's also not talk about how I yelled, "Shut up!" to said phone in the middle of the dang lecture without even thinking after the dumb started ringing the second time. Face palm.

Walking down the hall at the office on my way to the ladies room, passing an attorney, noticing the weird look on his face as he looks at me and passes by, getting to the restroom, looking in the mirror, seeing red something-or-other-who-even-knows-what smeared all over my cheek. Still don't know what the heck it was. Cool.

Not being able to get into my car after I've unlocked it several times and practically yanked the door handle off. Finally noticing there's a baby car seat and a bunch of baby toys in the back seat. Wondering to myself who in their right mind would break into my car, not steal anything, and leave this junk. Realizing this is not my car. Realizing I have an audience of about ten smoke breakers. Realizing my real car is parked right next to my fake one and it's literally the EXACT same. Ten points.

Awesome.

My class schedule next semester. Hello senior year of easy breezy. Where have you been all my life?

A countdown that goes a little something like 2_ instead of 3_, 4_, 5_, etc., etc.

Finally starting cooking lessons. Nevermind that it's almost two years late. Nevermind that it was just a casserole. That was dang good if I might add...Just call me Chef Kymber. Mhmm.

We the Kings. 'Nuf said.

Learning how to longboard. I'm hipster. Nbd.

Leaving for spring break in approximately 10 hours. Ten days filled with good hard F-U-N. Tune in to facebook for updates and surprises. I love being young.

Purchasing a pie from Walmart at 11:50pm so as not to miss out on Pi Day. And then eating said pie in the middle of the living room floor with other crazies like yourself. What was that about loving being young?

The test in my social work class that took me a whole 4 minutes and 2 seconds to take online today. And the 44 out of 40 points I got on it. Boomshakala baby. This is how we roll. I'm not as smart as you think. The teach gave all the answers (we didn't know that's what he was doing at the time) in class the day before. Still unheard of at ASU. But hey, I'll take it. That's what's up.

A shoe count that is now up to 91. I have a problem.

here's to an awesome weekend.

Work at Tobler. Fridays are the best days to work there. So much more fun for some reason...

Donate some goods to the Salvation Army. And earned some extra credit points. Two birds with one stone baby. That's what's up.

Wicked. Was totally wicked. Loved every minute.

MADD walk. Mothers Against Drunk Driving. For my grandma. Miss her every day.

Work at Linton-MILANO Music. Never a dull moment.

Linton-MILANO Music all-studio recitals. Love the students. Love the teachers. Love the talent.

Dinner with a friend. Venting, laughing, eating.

Sleeping in. And here's how it went down...

C: Kymber....K: (eyes shoot open)

C: Are you going to our ward today?

K: Yes...(thinking why wouldn't I??)

C: Well, it's 10:15 (church starts at 11)

K: (closes eyes) Ask me that first question again.

C: Are you going to our ward today?

K: Nope.

Church and family time with the Rudd's. Love them.

And the next two weekends will be just as awesome. Bring it on baby.

just another manic monday

Today is Monday in every sense of the word.

So in an effort to see the good...

I am at work, which means I have a job.

I did a homework assignment on my lunch break, which means I am in school and furthering my education.

I have dishes to do, a pile of laundry to put away, and floors to sweep when I get home, which means I have food to eat, clothes to wear, and a house to sleep in.

I get to go to FHE tonight, which means I have a great ward, awesome friends, and the gospel.

I finally got my filthy car washed this afternoon, which means I have a way to get around.

My mom called me this morning, which means I have family.

And now for some wise words from the Mamas and the Papas.
Monday, Monday....So good to me.