How would we feel about a giveaway?

It's been a while since I've done a giveaway here and that's just not right.

Let's go for it, shall we? 

The winner of this giveaway will get either a print of their choice from the shop

OR

this amazing poster print! 

Here's ours. Framed and hung in all it's glory.

(Just pretend it's not a super crappy picture of it, mmmkay?)

Anyways, 

you win, you choose. 

To enter, you must be a follower of this blog. 

Then, in your comment, just tell me why you read Young People in Love! 

Easy peasey lemon squeezey. 

Memorial Day fun times, part 3

Ok, I just had to put up the last Memorial Day installment. Couldn't stand seeing that grossy gross food at the top any longer. 

Annnnd we're moving on. 

Our Memorial Day festivities ended with an early birthday dinner for me. Homemade gourmet meatball wedges with sweet potatoes and fresh salad. 

Yum in the tum. 

Then we had my mom's super amazing applesauce carrot cake with lemon cream cheese frosting and strawberries on the side. Let's see...that's apples, carrots, and lemons, and strawberries.

So that cake is probably just the same as a salad, right? Probably. 

And check out these killer new sandals my mom got me!

I think my dad described them the best: "It's like your foot is having a party!" 

The end. 

Memorial Day fun times, part 2

The hard thing about holidays is that you generally want to go out to eat with your family but almost all the restaurants you like are closed. The restaurants you kinda like are also closed. And the restaurants you don't like at all? They're closed, too. 

The only option is to try out that one place downtown that looks kinda sketchy but always has tons of cars parked outside so it must be good. Like one of those awesome hole-in-the-wall joints. 

Jade Cafe...

Not so much. 

Our first warning sign was when the soup that came with our Chinese combo meals was surprisingly "tomato noodle." Only, there were no noodles. Instead, disintegrated rice floated on top. Like that rice had been sitting in the liquid for probably...8 days? It actually took us a while to even identify it as rice. 

And the soup was the best part of the meal. 

See that pile of grayish green sludge on the plates? That's supposed to be pork chow mein. Looked more like a nest...in a swamp. 

After it was served, the rest of our time at the Jade Cafe was spent laughing so hard we couldn't breathe and throwing up in our mouths, just a little. 

Good times. 

Memorial Day fun times, part I

We spent Memorial Day with my family. 

So. much. fun. 

In fact, it will probably be three post's worth of fun. 

To start, let's talk about how we all painted ginormous poster paintings to send to my little sister, Rosie, who's serving a mission for our church in Arizona.

Side note: Chas walked proudly out of the bathroom this morning with his pony. 

Ok, well maybe I was the one who was proud. He was more laughing nervously. 

If Thomas Jefferson had a baby with a hipster, it would be Chas' pony. 

My dad's painting:

Sister Hailey's painting:

Bro-in-law, Michael, loves him some robots: 

We're all kinda artsy fartsys in my fam. 

My grandmas on both sides were fine artists, I paint, my sisters paint, my dad paints, my mom is an interior designer, and the sisters who don't paint have style coming outta their ears. 

There are very few things I'd rather do with my family than paint all together. 

Scratch that. 

There's nothing else I'd rather do with my family.  

Chas' pony was just the icing...and the cherry on top. 

oh look, we made a vlog.

Sam&Chas vlog! from Chas Kelly on Vimeo.

This is us.

So get comfy because it's almost 10 minutes long.

♥

saaayyy cheese!

Today we did a little Young People in Love modeling for this magazine. 

Afterwards, we had our own Sam&Chas photo shoot...just for kicks. And because we love this garage door. 

....

Hold the phone.

Did we just do a Sam&Chas outfit post??!

Jeeze louise. 

We're outta control. 

just right

Working on my book again today. 

Man, it really drains me so quickly. After this blogging break, I think I'll have myself some ice cream, and then maybe even a little nap. Yeah, that should do the trick. 

I just wanted to say a little sumthin sumthin here. 

I am 100% satisfied with my life. As is. 

Even without a little cryings. 

This is kinda a break through for me. 

I'm honestly not sure what's brought on this sudden, magical change. But I like it. I like it a lot. 

I love my job. I love not working full-time. I love getting to sleep in every now and then. I love having time to blog, paint, and write. All these things are good on-going "projects" for me, ways that I can invest creatively and, hopefully, help others. These things make me happy every day. 

Then there's Chas.

It is enough. It is more than enough.  

I can hear the bells

Oh hi. Just fake slow dancing for a pic. You know the drill.
(Bonus points for my chin.)

Tonight we went to a fancy wedding reception dinner up the canyon. Does anyone else simply la la la love weddings? I love all the tiny finger foods. Somehow eating 17 little snackies feels much more acceptable than puttin' away a big meal. "Oh, I'm definitely passing on that steak...but why don't you go ahead and give me....8...or so more of those yummy cracker things. And throw in some of those sticks with huge chunks of mozzarella drenched in balsamic while you're at it. Cupcakes, you say? Mos def. Thanks.  

Going to weddings also always makes me want another reception for myself. I want to wear the dress again and have everyone want to see and hug me...again!

Btw, best part about getting divorced and remarrying is getting a second wedding reception. 

Hands down.

painting by me, cuteness by Chas

Last night, while standing in front of the bathroom mirror together, brushing our teeth:

Chas: "Sam! Look how good our hair looks!" 

It's true. 

So glad I wasn't the only one who noticed. 

You've got questions? We've got answers!

The hardest part about snugging on the couch is trying to keep a straight face. 

Snugging is serious bizznass. 

Ennnyways, 

I was thinking that since we've picked up some new bloggy friends recently, it might be helpful to do a little intro for those who are new to this blog. 

Basically, this is us- Sam and Chas.

I am Sam. Sam I am. 

(Either or)

I am 25 years old. 

I'm an art therapist and teach Stress Management at Utah Valley University. 

I paint pretty pictures and have a little etsy shop where I sell original artwork and prints. 

We live in Salt Lake City, UT and have a little Scootie child. 

I get mistaken for a 16 year-old on a regular basis. 

I live for puppies. 

Mustard yellow is my color. 

I hate cooking food but love eating and eating and eating. 

I blog about our adventures in love and happiness. 

And if that doesn't clear up all your questions about Young People in Love, go ahead and ask in the comments here! Your questions can be for either Sam or Chas! Whatever you're just dying to know and losing sleep over...

And, I can't make any promises but maybe, just maybe if we get some good questions goin', I'll be able to convince Chas to answer them with me on a little vlog for everyone. Wouldn't that be exciting?

So cross your fingers and ask, ask, ask away!

something to think about

{photo by Lissa}

Email cuposammyjo@aol.com for stats and rates! 

Why I Blog

{photo by Lissa}

As Young People in Love continues to grow, I've been thinking more and more about why I blog. It feels nerdy to admit, but honestly, writing this little bloggy brings me a surprising amount of happiness and satisfaction. Why is that, I wonder? 

This is what I've decided are the main driving forces behind Young People in Love: 

1. Ever since I was in Jr. High and had basically no friends and was kinda teased like crazy (sob story alert), I've kept a consistent journal. Being able to come home at the end of a hard, dramatic day in 8th grade and pour out my little lonely soul into my journal quickly became an important, validating ritual for me. I kept filling up journals all the way through high school and into college. The only thing is, I wouldn't want anyone to ever, ever read the vast majority of what I wrote in all those journals. I've even thrown out entire books. Burning them would have been my first choice. Pretty embarrassing stuff. 

During graduate school, I somehow discovered the wonderful world of blogging. I decided it was a fantastic way for me to continue my journaling, while at the same time, censoring myself just enough because I knew other people may find and read what I've put out on interweb. 

So, first and foremost, blogging has been a way to document my life. I can journal in an honest, genuine way while also feeling comfortable with others reading what I've written. 

2. Life hasn't always been as wonderful as it is now. 

I've been divorced and so have also experienced a marriage that had a lot of sadness revolving around it. 

But, clearly, things are different with Chas. Everyday of our life together is filled with crazy amounts of happiness, love, and peace. I know how rare and special of a blessing this is and would feel ungrateful if I didn't take the time to document this marriage, this goodness, via this blog. There are so many little things that happen that would go unnoticed otherwise. These things deserve to be noticed, to be recorded, and to be honored. 

So I blog because it's my way of being aware of and thankful for my blessings. 

3. I'm someone who easily focuses on the negative. Even if I have just a ho-hum kind of day, I can quickly feel a little sad and blah inside. 

But if I come home from work on a Monday, for example, feeling blah, I can write a blog post about how wavy hair and cute shoes made me happy today. Then, suddenly, I've made an emotional switch from focusing on feeling sad and tired to focusing on the little but important positives that made that day a happy one. Not only have I identified these happy thoughts, but I've also put in the time and effort to write about them and throw in a couple fun little pics, too. And BAM! Just like, I feel much more content than I did before. 

I blog because it helps me be positive and see the good. 


4. Last, but not least, is the peeps.

There are so many friends who I've "met" through blogging. And not we're not talking just casual acquaintances I've never met. These are full-on legit friends...I've never met. At our wedding reception last year, there were actually at least three wonderful bloggy friends who came and we got to meet for the first time. Besides Chas, I think that may have been in my top three favorite things about our reception. No joke.

I blog because I love the kindred spirits. 

So, dear bloggy friends, why do you blog? 

Hmmmm???

Tell me all about it in your comment or write your own "Why I Blog" post and send me the link!

Either way, I'm curious :) 

what got me through another Monday

I hate Mondays. I really do. 

I start dreading Monday morning sometime Sunday afternoon. I'll even have restless sleeps Sunday night with stress dreams. 

Emotional wreck much? Jeeze louise. 

I think it has do with the fact that I have an early group and so am the first one to come into a dark office. It's like this little evil reminder that I'm the only one at work while everyone else...isn't. 

Once I get to work, turn on the lights, and have my first group, it really is fine. Really. 

(But I still hate Mondays.)

Two little things made this all whole ordeal much more bearable today. 

First, I'm learning how to style my hair so it can be naturally wavy. Today was a success. No curling irons necessary. Just gimme some curl-enhancing mousse, a diffuser, and a brush. Boo ya, grandma.  

(Don't ask me where the second half of my eyebrow is in this pic because I don't know.)

Coming from someone who's had nothing but stick straight hair her entire life and has always referred to naturally wavy/curly hair as "my dream hair," this new discovery in the realm of possibilities for my hair is basically...earth shattering??? Yes, I'd say that's about right. A dream come true, a fantasy, and mind-blowing would all also be appropriate in this instance. 

And then there's my fun little neon orange flats. 'Nuff said.  

If me, naturally wavy hair, and orange flats hold on together, I know our dreams will never die.

...or at, the very least, Mondays will be a bit more doable. 

Sarah's baby shower

Saturday was the first day in probably 4-ish years that the sun was out. The perfect weather for my little sister, Sarah's, baby shower. 

The twins, Hailey and Sarah. 

My painting for baby Banks. 

Hailey and Lizzzzz. 

Sarah, Banks, and Me. 

And yes there were more people at the shower than just me, my sissies, and the Banks painting. But sometimes when you're putting together a blog post, difficult choices have to be made. In the end, only sisters made the final cut. 

Sorry Charlies, (Charlies = everyone else). 

xoxo

So hurry on up and get here already, Banks! The Card girls are ready for you.  

Bella Notte

Is it just me or, when you're married, does Friday night often feel just like another week night? Nice, but nothing special.

Sometimes I worry we're boring and maybe I even start feel a little sad about it. 

But then I remember I married Chas Kelly- a man who will willingly spend 3...4? hours painting with me on a Friday night. 

This painting kinda just happened. I'm glad it did because I kinda love it.
My little sister, Sarah, is having a baby boy in a few weeks. His name will be Banks. Coolest name ever, right?

I had actually just bought a cute boy outfit for Sarah's baby shower the next day.
Needless to say, that cute boy outfit is going back to the store. 

With love, from Aunt Sam. 

Chas hard at working on his painting. 

Ok, and this next part may push you over your love dove thresh hold, but, then again, if you're a regular reader of this blog, you've probably built up a pretty strong tolerance to cheesiness... 

So as we worked closely together on our paintings, sharing the same palate and dipping our brushes in one cup of water, a certain classic Disney movie scene may have come to my mind once or twice.

It involves a Lady, a Tramp, and a plate of spaghetti. 

Any Friday night that results in comparisons being made to puppies and/or Disney romance is anything but boring.

Kinda perfect, actually. 

Friday Faves

On Wednesday, I co-ran an art day camp for children with disabilities. The theme for the day was Peter Pan so my fellow art therapist friend and I decided to do all pirate projects with the kiddos. We had stations set up for them to make treasure boxes, treasure maps, and, my personal favorite, their very own pirate hats. If those little Down Syndrome pups never take off their paper pirate hats, I won't be sad. They looked darling. 

After doing artwork with 6 different large groups of severely disabled little ones, I was barely alive when I got home. So, so tired. 

And because Chas is Chas, he let me be lazy on the couch while he whipped us up an amazing dinner: General Tso's Chicken, egg drop soup, and rice. 

Chas: "I feel like I'm in China!"

Ok, I love you. 

Another favorite of mine right now is getting to do some Sam&Chas modeling next weekend! 

It involves Heather Bailey (for realz!) and this online magazine. 

Outfit brainstorming is in full-swing for this little photo shoot and Chas is practicing his smolder. 

It's a good thing too, because I'm pretty sure that smolder of his is the reason behind anyone wanting to take our pics in the first place. So thanks, Mr. Smolder.

It's always my reason. That's for sure. 

(And yes, I did just refer to a facial expression in the first person, thankyouverymuch.)

Where I Blog (and other matters of the utmost importance)

I saw Sarah do a post like this and liked it. So I copied her. Thanks, Sarah.

Because we live in the Basement of Love, I sit down at the computer to write and contemplate the meaning of life as I look out on...the wall. As I stare at the wall directly in front of me. It's amazing. 

Annnnd that's about it for that. 

Super fun. 

I also wanted to thank you all so, so much for your kind words, encouragement, and 'happy crying tryings' sentiments yesterday! Seriously, guys. We were both pretty overwhelmed with how much so many people are rootin' for baby Sam&Chas right along with us! It's one thing to have great news. It's another thing to have people respond so positively and just "get" how great your news really is. 

Thanks for being those kinds of people. The best kind. 

And another thing. 

I've been getting a lot of wonderful emails asking to hear more about art therapy. So I decided to expand my little art therapy page and include a FAQ section at the top. Just click on the "art therapy" tab on the right side bar!

Oh yeah. 

A few nights ago, I dreamed Chas proposed to me. In front of a sold-out sport's area. During a Powerline concert. 

This dream just may be better than the time I dreamed I was the Great Mouse Detective. 

I honestly never thought that would be surpassed. 

That's all for now. 

As you were. 

We've got the green light!

So the following post might be a little TMI but hey, we're all friends here, right? 

{photo by Lissa}

(This picture is pretty borderline inappropriate so, ironically, I thought it'd be appropriate for a TMI post.)

Anyways. 

As some of you may know, I've blogged a few times about wanting a baby ever so badly. I haven't, however, talked much about the details of it all and why we aren't pregnant because, honestly, I didn't want to give it anymore air time. I wanted to make an effort to focus on gratitude for what I have, rather than dwelling on what I want. 

But, just so you can have a context for the happy news I wanna share, here's the low down on why we aren't pregnant even though we want a baby. 

No, it doesn't have anything to do with infertility. 

We weren't even to the stage of being able to actually try for a baby. 

You see, because of the nature of our work, neither of us have benefits through our jobs. Totally lame but luckily we're both really healthy so we've gotten by just fine. 

But there comes a time when a wife and a husband love each other very much and they want, more than almost anything, to bring a little cryings (code for baby) into their family. That's when health insurance is really, really handy and when not having health insurance is the worst. 

We checked into all our options. 

We didn't qualify for medicaid, even if we were pregnant. 

There weren't any adequate supplemental insurance plans for maternity. 

Individual insurance didn't cover pregnancy. 

We didn't make enough to pay for it all out-of-pocket.

It seemed nothing was available to us.

And let me just say this:

There is something very strange about a working, contributing couple not being able to start a family because of "the system." On the other hand, if we had just quit our jobs, and worked at McDonald's, we'd qualify for Medicaid and be able to have a baby whenever we wanted. 

Like I said, very strange. 

So all we could do was wait, and wait, and wait, for one of us to get benefits from our job. But nothing was happening and the waiting was driving me crazy. Teaching me patience, yes, but still driving me crazy.

And then, one Sunday, while serving in the nursery at church (interestingly enough), our prayers were answered.

Heather had felt she should tell me about the amazing financial assistance offered by IHC to people who may not qualify for other options. Her family's situation sounded very similar to our predicament and Heather had just had their second little girl and ended up paying almost nothing. Holeee crap. :)

And, just like that, the door was pushed wide open to us into the land of "trying" for a little cryings. 

I'm meeting Heather for lunch tomorrow so she can give more details on the financial assistance inside scoop. 

We're seeing a midwife on Friday. 

We're 86-ing the birth control.

We. are. ecstatic.  

Lookee see what I made!

Listen to what an awesome DIY hipster/cool person I was today. (The words "hipster" and "cool" are interchangeable, just so you know.)

So I went to the thrift store to grab an old t-shirt that I could cut up and make into a necklace scarf thingy. 

And if that wasn't enough on its own, after picking out said t-shirt, I found myself casually browsing through the racks..."Oh! This is cute!"..."I like this, too!"..."$3!? Yup, I'll try that on."...and before I knew it...

I was thrifting. Just like a real life hipster/cool person! 

Believe it.

Back at home, I turned this shirt...

...into this necklace scarf thingy. (Pretty sure that's what they're calling them on the streets.) 

And check it out- it's not only super hip, but it's also versatile. What more could you ask for in a necklace scarfy thingy???

And if your mind hasn't already exploded with amazingness...

well, then maybe we shouldn't be friends, actually. 

But here's my favorite part of this story: 

While I was busy in the DIY zone, Chas walked by my little pile of scraps and exclaimed, 

"And look! You made underpants!" 

:)