Art On Display

Twelve of the larger paintings from my BFA Final Exhibit are on display at

Maestro's Gelato Cafe

22 W. Center Street in Provo

If the paintings aren't enough of an incentive, you can go for the sake of getting really delicious European-style gelato ice cream!

Also, if you have any wealthy friends who are interested in buying art (at a decent price, I might add), feel free to let them know my paintings are for sale! :) I sold my largest painting this morning and it felt so good. The woman said "I'm sure it must be difficult to part with this painting!" Not at all. In my head I was just thinking "Woohoo! $500 towards hospital bills!"

Babe Update

We're convinced that Brynlee is the cutest baby in the whole world! (I'm sure that's how every parent feels about their children.) Here are some recent pictures of her....

Brynlee hasn't made any public appearances besides doctor's appointments and visits to her grandparents. But when she has gone out we bundle her up in this thick suit. It's a little large on her (okay, it drowns her!), but it is so cozy and warm!

You can probably tell from the pictures that she looks a little yellow. She has been borderline of jaundice, but it's going down. We've been taking her in regularly to get tested and her count is getting progressively lower. We haven't had to do the jaundice lights or any other treatment, and it doesn't look like we'll need to. She's regulating it on her own.

This was one of the first nights being home at about 3:00 am. Josh was helping me to burp Brynlee after she ate and this is what resulted! We were both so tired and worn out that when this little accident happened we just started laughing so hard! Welcome to parenthood!

Proud Dads! Josh and his twin Joe. Brynlee is the first grandchild in my family, but she's the 19th on the Hawkins side.

We don't have room in our little apartment for Brynlee's full size crib, so we're borrowing a cute little crib from my Aunt Margaret. It is just the perfect size!



She loves sleeping with her arms up! It is so funny. We have to swaddle her really tight to keep them down.
Stay tuned for more pictures and updates of this cute little babe!

She's Here!!!

Baby Brynlee was born on December 30th at 7:37 pm. Her delivery went smoothly and she is perfectly healthy. She was 7 lbs. 11 oz. and 20 1/2 inches long. Josh and I couldn't be happier!!! She is just beautiful! We love her so much!

My first time holding cute little Bryn!

The proud Father! Josh has been so amazing these last few days! I absolutely love watching him hold her. He is the best husband... and father!

No Baby Yet

No sign of the baby yet! I haven't had any major contractions or anything, so it very well could be the first week of January before this little baby comes out. I'm due the 27th, but I won't be induced until the 5th of January. Hopefully, I won't go that long, but it could very well happen! We'll see....

DONE!!!

This morning I finished my last Final of the semester, and of my time at BYU! I studied like crazy (more than I needed to) and got 100% on the exam, which is definitely a first for me. It's usually a big letdown when I find my score on the screen in the Testing Center. But not today! Woohoo! Going out with a bang! It's exciting to be graduating, but it's also pretty strange. I can't believe my BYU days are behind me. Josh will be going back to get an MBA in a few years and I'll be going back for an MFA degree at some point (maybe as a middle-aged empty-nester!), but neither of us are planning on doing our graduate work at BYU. I wish there was a December graduation ceremony, but there isn't any formal ceremony. Josh and I could come back in April and walk in the April graduation ceremony, but I doubt we'll be back for it. It would seem a little anti-climatic. Anyway, here are some fun memories of my BYU experience....(warning: this is a very long post of reminiscing! Sorry, I had to. How many times do you graduate!?)


I spent my first semester of college at the BYU London Center for a study abroad with the art department.

What a neat experience! I made great friends and had such a blast studying art in London, Paris, Prague, Berlin, and other cities in the U.K.

The rest of my freshman year was spent living in the Helaman Halls dorms at BYU. I lucked out with an amazing roommate, Kristin Drennan. What a wonderful friend!

Freshman year was a fun year filled with lots of crazy adventures in the dorms! Anonymous love notes, secret deliveries, spook alleys, dances, campus activities, all-nighters, and the frantic cramming for tests.

I also had such a great experience serving with these three amazing girls in the Relief Society.

I was definitely single and unattached all of my freshman year, but I had my share of interesting dates and set-ups. (No offense if you know this particular boy.)

My next semester of BYU was spent on a field study with about ten art students from BYU. We spent the first month of our trip in Tonga. It was definitely a little scary and uncomfortable at first!!!

But what a great experience it turned out to be. I learned soo much and had quite an adventure. Tonga has to be one of the most beautiful places in the world!

We spent the rest of the semester in Whakatane, New Zealand. We studied art and visual culture at a Maori university. This was a challenging experience, but I made great friends and I learned so much about myself as a person and as an artist.


New Zealand is simply breathtaking. I cannot wait to go back someday!

I spent the rest of my sophomore year at BYU living at Liberty Square with my good friend Lindsey Peterson. We had such a blast living together!

Soon after I got home from New Zealand I went out with Josh for the first time. I was smitten from the start....as shown in the picture above. (Taken right after my first date with him).

We started dating right away, and....

We got engaged near the end of winter semester. (My ring is actually a diamond, even though this picture makes it look like a little green neon light instead). This was such a fun semester of dating, but it resulted in the worst grades while at BYU! I was a little distracted.

We got married between my sophomore and junior years of BYU, so I began my third year at BYU as a little married woman. When I wasn't studying religiously at the library (ha!), I was learning how to cook! This was a fun time. I got such better grades (and such better sleep!) as a married student because I didn't have to schedule in time for dates and socializing.

I started BYU in the art program, but during my junior year I got accepted into the BFA division of the art program. I finally got studio space on campus. Hooray!

As far as art goes during my junior year, I spent most of the time on a series of paintings about the Great Salt Lake.

At the very end of my junior year I found out I was pregnant. I was so nauseous with morning sickness during my finals!

Luckily, I only had a few more classes to finish up, so I could fit my final credits in before the arrival of the baby. My senior year has been great! I had my final BFA art exhibit in October (see my art blog for more details). Once that was over, the semester wasn't bad at all. I just had a few last classes to wrap up, but it was a far easier semester than my past years.

I have LOVED my time at BYU. I feel soo blessed to have attended this university and to have been able to graduate. I have learned such a great deal these last few years, and I'm so grateful for this wonderful educational experience!

Under Two Weeks!

Here's a current picture of the growing pregnant belly. I am so excited to have less than two weeks left. Woohoo! I can't wait to have this baby out. She's due the 27th, not the 28th like I've been telling everyone. I was initially Dec 24th, but I thought it got pushed back to the 28th. However, I found out at my appointment last week that my due date, according to my doctor and my records, is actually the 27th. One day sooner. This may not seem like a big deal, but I was thrilled. Of course, I've been counting down the days, so it was definitely a nice surprise to hear that I could subtract a whole day! Anyway, everything's going well. I have my last final tomorrow and then I'd love to go into labor any minute after that!!! We'll see how it goes.

One other thing worth noting: Josh got the pins out of his finger this afternoon. Finally! He is soo glad to have them out. The pin going down the middle was about two inches long and the side pins are shorter. Yes, he kept all three pins and brought them home from his appointment. Don't be surprised if he pulls them out of his pocket and shows them off the next time you see him!

Clarke Baby Shower

After our Thanksgiving dinner with the Clarkes, my cousin Alli and I had a joint baby shower with the Clarke girls. Alli just had her beautiful baby girl in October. It was great to spend time with the Clarkes! Thanks so much for the fun shower! (You can see in this picture how big my stomach has gotten!! Geez! I'm about ready to burst.)





(You gotta love Marie's festive Thanksgiving sweater vest!)

Hawkins Baby Shower

The Hawkin's shower was almost a month ago, but I haven't posted in a while! This was my first baby shower and it was soo much fun. Thanks to Rindi and all my sister-in-laws for throwing it for me! This shower seriously got me so, so excited for the baby! I got so many cute, girly gifts! I loved it!

This is the cute "diaper cake" that Rindi made for the shower. I loved it! Rindi went to soo much work with all the shower games and plans! Thank you!!!