Me, My Blog, and I

Day 16: Something New

2012-02-16T22:25:00.000-07:00

My new mascara better not disappoint!! It was expensive!

And Dream Matte Mousse in porcelain ivory..... as white as it gets!!

Day 15: Phone

2012-02-15T22:20:00.002-07:00

These are the buttons on my phone at work.
That yellow sticky note is covering up the time.
I have things covering all the clocks in my office.
I just cant handle looking at the time throughout the day.
Time drags by WAY to slowly if I do! I will look at the clock and look again thinking that AT LEAST twenty minutes has gone by but am sorely disappointed to find that its only been five!!

Day 14: Heart

2012-02-14T22:52:00.000-07:00

A chocolate York peppermint patty for Valentines day!!

Day 13: Blue

2012-02-13T10:49:00.000-07:00

Blue hula hoops!!!!

Day 12: Inside Your Closest

2012-02-12T18:37:00.002-07:00

Day 11: Something You Love

2012-02-11T18:34:00.001-07:00

How do you pick just one thing you love? I started out with a picture of driving with the windows down. I LOVE to do that!! Especially since it is February!! And then I had a picture of all of my chap stick, lipstick and lip gloss! I can not leave home with out that stuff!! I have small addiction to it and panic if I dont have my lipstick bag with me!!
But then I took this picture and decided it was the winner!! I just love those big brown puppy dog eyes!

Day 10: Self Portrait

2012-02-10T11:51:00.000-07:00

Day 9: Front Door

2012-02-09T11:47:00.000-07:00

Our front door was absolutely gross before I took this picture!!

I couldn't stand it so I wiped the top half down with

Lysol wipes!! When it gets warm enough to hook

the hose back up I need to spray the whole thing down!!

Day 8: Sun

2012-02-08T11:42:00.000-07:00

We have had ridiculously awesome weather here in Utah lately!! More like spring than winter!! So far this winter I haven't had to shovel the driveway or even put on my snow tires!! I know that darn groundhog saw his shadow and predicted more cold and snow but I'm holding out hope that he is wrong!!!
Last week Monday and Tuesday were beautiful days! I drove around with my windows down on my lunch break!! I was so excited to take day eights picture on Wednesday.
But of course, the clouds rolled in... and then they decided to stick around for Thursday too!! All those beautiful springlike days and on the one day I needed a picture of the glorious sun it was hidden behind the clouds.

So I cheated....

Yes, I cheated and waited for the sun to come out to take this picture!!

Day 7: Button

2012-02-07T11:41:00.000-07:00

Day 6: Dinner

2012-02-06T19:43:00.000-07:00

Quote Wall Monday

2012-02-06T12:07:00.000-07:00

Day 5: 10 am

2012-02-05T10:10:00.001-07:00

Getting ready for church at 10 am on Sunday morning

Day 4: A Stanger

2012-02-04T23:31:00.000-07:00

I had a hard time with this one!!

Not for lack of seeing strangers.....

But because I am too chicken to take pictures of them!

I had all kind of opportunities on Saturday....

The nurse at the Instacare...

The interesting fellow at Zupas...

The crafting queen at Michaels...

Or the obnoxious teens at Target.

But I didn't get pictures of any of them!

So instead you are left with this stranger while I was

walking in to church on Sunday!

Day 3: Hands

2012-02-03T20:30:00.001-07:00

THANKS to Megan and Miranda for the use of their hands!!!

Book 3 For Real This Time

2012-02-03T10:28:00.000-07:00

Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies, housed in a Gothic mansion on the bleak northern moors, is elite, expensive, and unwelcoming. When Evie Johnson is torn away from her home by the sea to become the newest scholarship student, she is more isolated than she could have dreamed. Strict teachers, snobbish students, and the oppressive atmosphere of Wyldcliffe leave Evie drowning in loneliness.

Evie's only lifeline is Sebastian, a rebellious, mocking, dangerously attractive young man she meets by chance. As Evie's feelings for Sebastian grow with each secret meeting, she starts to fear that he is hiding something about his past. And she is haunted by glimpses of a strange, ghostly girl—a girl who is so eerily like Evie, she could be a sister. Evie is slowly drawn into a tangled web of past and present that she cannot control. And as the extraordinary, elemental forces of Wyldcliffe rise up like the mighty sea, Evie is faced with an astounding truth about Sebastian, and her own incredible fate.

Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for a lovey dovey book but I really didnt enjoy this story. I mean, I didn't absolutely hate it..... but I don't know if I will read the two other books in the series. I thought about not even finishing it, but I had failed to finish reading my original book three so I kind of felt obligated to finish this one.

It really wasn't awful, but it was kind of slow. Maybe it was just kind of a set up for the last two books. And I didnt really like the main character very much. She was pretty over dramatic and needy. That's probably very hypocritical of me to say since this story had a lot of similarities to the Twilight series and Bella Swan and you all know how I feel about those books!!

So here's to hoping that book four is much better than Book 3 attempts one and two!

Day 2: Words

2012-02-02T19:20:00.000-07:00

Day 1: Your View Today

2012-02-01T19:30:00.000-07:00

I have spent six years in a basement office.

After all the time I FINALLY have a window!

It's only half a window.....

But it's my half window!!!

February Photo A Day Challenge

2012-02-01T13:30:00.000-07:00

Remember all the way back in November when I tried to do the

Instagram Gratitude Challenge? And remember how I failed miserably

right off the bat?

Well, this month I am going to be better!! I saw this on a few

different blogs and thought I would take part in the challenge!

This time I am determined to do it!

I've already taken today's picture

{if you're my Facebook friend you've already seen it}

and I will be posting it later this evening!

If you decide to do this challenge, let me know and send me

a link to your blog or Instagram page! I would love to

see what you come up with!!

Book 3 FAIL

2012-02-01T10:14:00.000-07:00

I saw this book at Barnes and Noble about two months ago and I drawn in by the cover. Yes, I am one of "those people" that judges a book by its cover! But once I read what the story was about, I was even more eager to read it.
Actually, the teaser info on the inside cover was kind of vague as to what the story really was about, but the premise sounded awesome! A dystopian type world {I have been reading lots of those kinds of books lately}that has been completely covered in water. Kind of a Noah's ark story.... sort of. The people that are left in the world are living horribly on the mainland and everyone is trying to get to this mysterious island called X Isle. Doesn't it sound interesting? Like X Isle should be some kind of great utopia in the midst of all the misery and suffering!
I think I only made it through the first 100 pages before I though, "this is really stupid.... what is this story even about"? I mean, if you are all about 15 year old boys lighting their farts on fire then this is the book for you.
It was boring and stupid and slow and very immature. I had to add it to my Didn't-Even-Finish-Reading list on Goodreads!!
I flipped through the book, reading paragraphs here and there and even toward the end of the book I couldn't tell what the plot line was. As far as I could tell and the end of the story all the boys get off the horrible X Isle and go back to the misery on the mainland. Or maybe they end up staying on the island after they gotten rid of the "bad guy". Either way it is lame!!
I don't know..... maybe it's because I'm a sucker for happy endings, but I thought it was stupid and pointless! Glad I didn't waste a week of my life reading the whole thing!!

Dance Like No Ones Watching

2012-01-31T08:29:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend I went to the UofU vs. BYU gymnastics meet with a group of friends!!

How I love girls nights out!!

I have always enjoyed watching gymnastics! It's always crazy to me the way they

can flip through the air and land {for the most part} gracefully! Or how they

do all kinds of crazy things on a tiny beam!!

In between sets, while the teams switched events, they played music and

of course filmed people and showed it up on the huge screens. I, be the constantly

self conscious person that I am, did not do much dancing. But I did sit and watch

all the people around me.

Especially the kids.

They dance because it's fun.

They don't care how silly or crazy they look.

They dance like no ones watching.

Maybe one day I can be that confident in myself!!

THANKS girls for the awesome Friday night!!

I had a blast hanging out with you!!

Quote Wall Monday

2012-01-30T22:53:00.002-07:00

And A Happy New Year

2012-01-25T08:10:00.000-07:00

Good times with fun people can pretty much sum up how I celebrated New Year!!

It was also a Christmas celebration because of crazy and conflicting December schedules!

Miranda, Stacy, Magen and I started out at Olive Garden!

Mmmm!!

You cant go wrong when Olive Garden is involved, especially when you

are eating something as delicious as this:

After dinner we went back to Stacy and Miranda's to exchange Christmas

gifts, play games and watch movies!!

And we of course had to have our annual New Year fondue!!!!

Let There Be Music

2012-01-24T08:15:00.000-07:00

Last year I participated in an Institute choir with my wonderful friend Charmaine!!

It was a really great experience and I'm so glad I did it!! One of the highlights was

singing at a CES fireside in which President Packer spoke!!

Another top moment was singing at a local care center!

And I have to say that I have some of the best grandparents in the world!!

They came to listen to me sing!! I am so grateful for their love and support!!

Quote Wall Monday

2012-01-23T06:02:00.000-07:00

Confession of a Bad Utahan

2012-01-22T17:09:00.001-07:00

Have I ever told you how I feel about seeing the lights at Temple Square?

I will probably sound like a horrible Utahan for saying this but.......

It's not my favorite winter time activity!!

I know, I know..... I'm a horrible person!! I've even said

that if my one day fiance asks me to marry him on Temple Square

during the lights I swear I would say NO!

Okay.... I probably wouldn't say no.....

But I would probably hold it against him for awhile!!

I swear that this same tree is red Every.Single.Year!!!!

My ward decided to go up this year for one of our FHE activities

and for whatever reason, it wasn't as boring as years past!

Maybe it's because we were only there for about 20 minutes....

Or it could have been that the weather was exceptional mild and I

wasn't freezing to death like normal!

And I have to admit.......

The lights on the temple are pretty beautiful!! Especially the

floating lights on the reflecting pool!!

After the lights my roommates and I gathered around our

Christmas tree to exchange gifts and take pictures!! Hooray

for self timers!!!

Book 2

2012-01-21T11:28:00.001-07:00

When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon soon realizes he has stumbled up a legacy nearly as old as the Emipire itself.

Overnight he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil

knows no bounds.

Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the

Empire may rest in his hands.

I really liked this book!! I am putting the next one of hold right now!!

Flash Back Friday: Christmas 2011

2012-01-20T17:09:00.000-07:00

Christmas 2011 was pretty low key. Instead of doing the normal Christmas thing with lots and lots of presents we decided to go on vacation instead. I LOVED it!! It was so nice to not worry about making a list and stress about what to get everyone!! If I had my way we would do a Christmas vacation every year!!!

It was also really nice that Christmas fell on a Sunday. It was wonderful going to sacrament meeting in the morning to celebrate the birth of Christ. I went to my parents ward and their program was beautiful. Especially when they did Silent Night. My sister actually played the violin and another ward member played his guitar. The cute primary kids sang the first verse and then the congregation got to join in for the last verses. I don't know what it is about that song but I LOVE singing it with a group of people. I always brings the spirit and makes me cry!! It was truly my favorite moment of the day!

We spent the rest of the day with both sides of the family! It was great to see and spend time with family and we also ate lots of yummy food!!

After being with extended family we went back to my parents house to exchange the gifts that we had bought each other.

It was not your typical Christmas but I loved it!!!

Insert Your Own Clever Title!!

2012-01-19T20:55:00.000-07:00

I'm dying to tell you about my trip to Disney World!! But...... I am waiting on some pictures!! Hopefully I will have them all on Sunday so I can start sharing them with you!! Until then, here is a preview!!

Love Ya, Bye

2012-01-18T08:11:00.002-07:00

I pretty much end every phone call with one of my

family members with "Love you. Bye" or something

similar to that.

Do you ever do that?

The only trouble is that sometimes I almost

start to say it at the end of other phone calls!

Like after speaking with my supervisor

about a loan..... It almost goes something like this

"Okay, that works. Thanks, lo....."

Click.

Or when I talked to one of our reps at another

company..."

"Thank you so much for your help today.

Have a great week. Lo......"

Click.

I've never actually finished the phrase before!!

Phew!!

Hope I never do!!!

Nothing Like A Girlfriend

2012-01-17T09:15:00.000-07:00

THANK GOODNESS for wonderful girlfriends!!

The other day I got to hang out with one of my BEST

girlfriends, Tiffany!! We went to The Chocolate and

had declicious desserts and talked about anything

and everything!!

I am SO thankful for her!! For her sweetness and

kindness!!! We were truly meant to be friends!!

Unfortunetly I was lame and didnt take any

pictures!! That just means that we will

need to get together soon so we can take some!

Here are a few moments with some of my

other awesome girlfriends that I didnt forget

to photograph!!

"But oh! the blessing it is to have a friend to whom one can speak fearlessly on any subject; with whom one's deepest as well as one's most foolish thoughts come out simply and safely. Oh, the comfort - the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person - having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away". ~Dinah Craik

Quote Wall Monday

2012-01-16T09:49:00.000-07:00

I had no idea that Martin Luther King Jr was the one that gave this quote!!

Happy MLK Day!!

Book 1

2012-01-10T09:18:00.000-07:00

The mysterious death of an eccentric millionaire brings together an unlikely assortment of heirs who must uncover the circumstances of his death before they can claim their inheritance. Only two people hold all the clues... The Westing heir and you.

There is definitely a reason this book is a Newbery Medal winner!! It's kind of like the game Clue in reading form! There is a whole list of people {which in the beginning was kind of hard to keep track of in the beginning} who are possibly the killer and your theory on who it is changes constantly while reading!! It was a very easy read but I loved it!!

Quote Wall Monday

2012-01-09T07:10:00.000-07:00

A Good Pair of Glasses

2012-01-03T09:29:00.000-07:00

Quote Wall Monday

2012-01-02T08:33:00.000-07:00

Goodbye 2011

2011-12-29T08:15:00.009-07:00

MY 2011...
Check out last year if you are bored!!

1.What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before? Sang in an institute choir. Went to the Festival of Color. And visited Disneyland and DisneyWorld in the same year!

2.Did you keep your New Year's resolutions and will you make more for next year? Do I EVER keep my resolutions? Man, I am lame on this one!!

3.Did anyone close to you give birth? Oh my gosh!! It has seriously been the year of the baby! Where do I even start!! My friend Amanda had a little girl in January, two of my cousins had boys in March and April. And speaking of April.... My friend Rachel had a little girl and my friend Tiffany had twins! My cousins wife had a little boy in May. Lara had one of the most adorable babies ever in August. And Becky, Rachel and Jill all had girls in November!

4.Did anyone close to you die? I had to put my kitty to sleep in September. Not fun!

5.What countries did you visit? Mexico, Norway, China, Japan, Italy, England, France..... Okay... so I didn't really go to the countries..... but I did visit their pavilions at Epcot!!

6.What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011? More money in my savings account!!

7.What date from 2011 will remain etched in your memory, and why? Going to the final movie premier of Harry Potter with my friend Danielle!! We have been seeing those movies together since they came out and it was so much fun to be there with her when it all came to and end!!

8.What was your biggest achievement of the year? Singing at a CES fireside given by President Packer!! I became a YouTube star!!

9.What was your biggest failure? Failing to get out of debt :0(

10.Did you suffer illness or injury? Ear problems in July... who gets an ear infection in July?!? And a cold just in time for my December vacation!

11.What was the best thing you bought? An awesome yellow baking dish!!! Seriously, it is fantastic!!

12.Whose behavior merited celebration? My parents!! They do SO much for our family!! I am SO appreciative of all they do for me!!

13.Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Snookie {she is so white trash!} Arnold S, and Casey Anthony {I totally think she's guilty}

14.Where did most of your money go? Where is always goes.... bills bills bills

15.What did you get really, really, really excited about? Kindle books from the library!

16.What song will always remind you of 2011? Good Life by OneRepublic

17.Compared to this time last year, are you:
i.happier or sadder? About the same
ii.thinner or fatter? Sadly, I'm pretty sure I'm fatter!!
iii.richer or poorer? About the same

18.What do you wish you'd done more of? Gone to the gym

19.What do you wish you'd done less of? Worrying about what other people think!

20.How will you be spending The New Year? I think I'm having dinner at The Olive Garden and then heading over to Miranda and Stacy's to exchange Christmas gifts, eat fondue and watch movies!!

22.Did you fall in love in 2011? No... still as lame as ever!!

23.Did you attend any concert/musicals/theatre/cultural events? I changed this question! It used to be "How many one night stands?" Well, that answer was always going to be NONE which made it a pretty boring question! So, I decided to change it and came up with my something of my own!!
I went to California in March to see Wicked! I saw The Little Mermaid and Grease down at Tuacahn in June. And I went to OneRepublic and Taylor Swift concerts!

24.What was your favorite TV program? Criminal Minds, Drop Dead Diva, and The Big Bang Theory

25.Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? Not that I can think of!

26.What was the best book you read? I Am Number Four, Mr Darcy Broke My Heart, and The Help

27.What was your greatest musical discovery? Mat Kearney, Emerson Hart and Boyce Avenue

28.What did you want and get? Tickets to see Wicked in 2012!! THANK Magen!!

29.What did you want and not get? Not gonna lie on this one... I was hoping that Mr Right would show up.......

30.What was your favorite film of this year? The Help was amazing!! And of course the finally Harry Potter!! Other favorites: Soul Surfer, In Time, Breaking Dawn part 1 and Sherlock Holmes!!

31.What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I went to the Cheesecake Factory with my mom and sisters! Did some shopping! And opened presents and had cake and ice cream at my parents house! Oh and I turned 26!! Ahhh!! I'm on the downhill side to 30!!

32.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Being debt free!!

33.How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011? I feel like I pretty much wear the same things!! I still love pearl jewelry and getting dressed up! I also love a good pair of sweats!

34.What kept you sane? I hate this question...... I think I might have to change it because I never have a good answer!! The best I can come up with is venting to friends!!

35.Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Matthew Gray Gubler!!

36.What political issue stirred you the most? The debt ceiling thing was out of control! I kind of feel like our government is falling apart! I am so tired of the stupid parties... why do we really have to be one or the other? I just don't understand how the two groups cannot get a long to do what is best for the entire nation. There were so many times this year when all I could think was "Our founding father would be so ashamed of us right now." They worked so hard to build our country and I feel like our current leaders are doing nothing but tearing us down!!
Okay..... I'll get off my political soap box now!! Also all of the new GOP stuff that is going on in preparation for next years election. I've said it before and I'll say it again..... I hate how election time always turns into mud slinging time..... not looking forward to all of that in 2012!
37.Who did you miss? I missed my friend Christine for most of the year! She was serving a mission in AZ and got home in November!! So glad she is back!!

38.Who are your favorite people that you met this year? Charmaine Grimm, Emily Earle, Lisa Johnson, Jamie Young!! Due the the ward changes in the spring I have met so many great new people!! Those are just a few of the great people I've met this year!!

39. Quote a song lyric that accurately summarizes this year.“She would change everything, for happy ever after. Caught in the in between, of beautiful disaster."

2011 Book List

2011-12-29T07:57:00.003-07:00

Only 20 books?!? This list should be much longer! But I got distracted watching Criminal Minds this year and that took up a lot of my reading time!! My minimum goal for 2012 is at least 30 books!!

Books 19 and 20

2011-12-28T08:17:00.001-07:00

Book 19

It’s the year 2140 and Longevity drugs have all but eradicated old age. A never-aging society can’t sustain population growth, however…which means Anna should never have been born. Nor should any of the children she lives with at Grange Hall. The facility is full of boys and girls whose parents chose to have kids—called surpluses—despite a law forbidding them from doing so. These children are raised as servants, and brought up to believe they must atone for their very existence. Then one day a boy named Peter appears at the Hall, bringing with him news of the world outside, a place where people are starting to say that Longevity is bad, and that maybe people shouldn’t live forever. Peter begs Anna to escape with him, but Anna’s not sure who to trust: the strange new boy whose version of life sounds like a dangerous fairy tale, or the familiar walls of Grange Hall and the head mistress who has controlled her every waking thought?

This was the first book that I got from the library for my Kindle! Wahoo!! I had lots of time to read on the airplane so I finished reading this book in a matter of a few hours!! It wasn't quite and exciting as I thought it would be but I still really liked and and will be reading the sequel soon!!

Book 20

For anyone who’s seen Walt Disney’s Snow White, you’ll know that the Wicked Queen is one evil woman! After all, it’s not everyone who wants to cut out their teenage step-daughter’s heart and have it delivered back in a locked keepsake box. Now, for the first time, we’ll examine the life of the Wicked Queen and find out just what it is that makes her so nasty. Here’s a hint: the creepy-looking man in the magic mirror is not just some random spooky visage—and he just might have something to do with the Queen’s wicked ways!

I was excited about this book from the moment I saw the cover!! It just looks cool doesn't it?? I really like books like this, where an author gives you a back story about a well known character!! I have a little bit of sympathy for this evil queen now!! The only downside to the book is that the author can be a little repetitive in her writing.

Love These Ladies

2011-12-27T10:31:00.000-07:00

I love getting together with my childhood friends!

It seriously makes me so happy to get together with

these girls that I have known my entire life!!

I am so glad that we are all still friends!!

We got together for Christmas this year and ate yummy

food and played a white elephant game!! I had a lot of fun

and I am looking forward to our next get together!!!

P.S. We missed you Amanda!!! We'll have to plan our

next one so that you can make it!!

Quote Wall Monday

2011-12-26T10:26:00.000-07:00

2011-12-24T17:32:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry for my lack of posting! I promise I have a good excuse.......

Quote Wall Monday

2011-12-19T11:33:00.000-07:00

Returned With Honor

2011-12-17T09:56:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago my wonderful friend Christine

returned from her mission in Tucson AZ!!

I am so so SO proud of her!!

My family went to the airport that day to help

welcome her home!!

It wasn't planned or anything but half the people there

waiting for her were wearing yellow!!

Even Christine was wearing black, white and yellow!!

Great minds think alike!!!

Here she is with her nieces!! I love the cheesy smile on

Megan's face in the first picture!!!

And it was her first time meeting the twins!!!

Seriously, I am SO proud of her for completing her mission!!

She did such a great job!!

And please excuse the very ugly look on my face in the

next picture!! I am not a cute cryer!!

My, Christine and Tiffany!! These ladies are some

of my best friends in the entire world!! Love them both!!!

O Christmas Trees

2011-12-15T10:12:00.006-07:00

I love Christmas trees!!

This year I was to impatient to wait for Thanksgiving to be

over and I put my tree up the weekend before!!

I put the tree up all by myself, lights and all!

I did end up with lots of scratches on my arms

and a watery eye {after I stabbed myself with a branch}

but it was all worth it!

I have the lights on a timer and it's so great to walk

in my front door after work and see the tree glowing!!

There is just something wonderful about the

glow of a Christmas tree!!!

Another reason I love getting out the tree is to see all

of the decorations!! I am an ornament collector!

I like to buy something new to hang on the tree anytime

I go on vacation. I love unwrapping all of the ornaments

and remembering the places I went and the people I was

with when I got them.

Like this awesome cable car I got when I went with my

best friend Lacey to San Francisco!!

Or this cute palm tree I bought on a California vacation

with Christine and Mari!!

And I love getting this ornament out of its small box!!

It reminds me of the time I went with Chicago with my

mom to see Wicked!!

This one is awesome!! I got it at the San Diego zoo on a road

trip with my friend Tiffany. It's made out of elephant poop!!

Yes, you read that right!! Poop!!

And of course there are a number of ornaments that remind me

of my trip to Europe!!

And no tree of mine would be complete without

all of my Disneyland ornaments!! I think there

are more Disney ornaments on the tree than

anything else!!!

I also wanted to make our mantle look fun and

Christmasy!! I love Christmas lights and knew that I

wanted the mantle to be covered in white lights!

This is what I can up with!!

But one Christmas tree just wasn't enough!!!

I am at work ALL day and needed something I

could enjoy in my office!! So I put up my

black, white and red tree!!!

And then I decided that two trees just wasn't going to

cut it this year!! So I put one up in my bedroom!!

How could I resist the pearl like garland!! I HAD to have it!!

And I love the little, sparkly snowflakes!!

But these silver word might just be my favorite!!

And one last picture......

because you can never have enough Christmas lights!!

Book 18

2011-12-14T09:42:00.000-07:00

Imagine a living prison so vast that it contains corridors and forests, cities and seas. Imagine a prisoner with no memory, who is sure he came from Outside, even though the prison has been sealed for centuries and only one man, half real, half legend, has ever escaped.

Imagine a girl in a manor house in a society where time has been forbidden, where everyone is held in a seventeenth century world run by computers, doomed to an arranged marriage that appals her, tangled in an assassination plot she both dreads and desires.
One inside, one outside. But both imprisoned.
Imagine a war that has hollowed the moon, seven skullrings that contain souls, a flying ship and a wall at the world’s end. Imagine the unimaginable. Imagine Incarceron.

I wasnt sure about this book when I first started. It sort of jumped right it {which is kind of weird that I am complaining about something like that because I am usually complaining that it started off way to slow} and I was kind of confused about a few things for the first couple of chapters!
But as I got further into the book all I wanted to do was sit and read!! I'm glad I stuck with it and finished it too the end because I really enjoyed it.

Happy Birthday To The Best Guy I Know

2011-12-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my wonderful Dad!!

I am truly lucky to have his as my dad; he is one

of the coolest people ever!!

He can build and fix just about anything!!

He can wire a room and put up the sheet rock!

He can fix almost any car problem and has saved me

multiple times when I have broken down on the side

of the road!!

He is funny and it always up for playing a game!!

And he always makes sure we have a Sunday evening treat!

He's great a talking to people and making people feel welcome!!

He works so hard all day and then comes

home and helps our ward as the bishop.

He's usually pretty busy but he somehow manages to do it all!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!

I LOVE YOU!!!!

Quote Wall Monday

2011-12-12T14:43:00.002-07:00

Wild Things

2011-12-10T10:16:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago I got to help one of the coolest kids ever celebrate his 4th birthday!! My cousin Kandi wanted to have a jungle themed birthday party for her son Jayden and she asked if I would help her. I was SO excited that she asked {mostly just because I like spending time with her} and started to think of fun things we could do!

Kandi had the idea to have everyone wear animal masks!! It was awesome!!

I got the be the zebra!!

There were also lots and lots and LOTS of balloons!!

But I think my favorite thing might have been our snake cake!!

Isn't he so cute!! I love the way he turned out!!! Kandi and I make and awesome cupcake decorating team!!

And just look at Jayden's face in the next picture!! Love it!!

Flash Back Friday

2011-12-09T10:24:00.000-07:00

For Halloween this year I decided to be a gypsy!! I already had everything I needed for the costume and after some fabric dye and some VERY blue hands {I almost had to be a Smurf..... or an Avatar instead} this is what I came up with!!

We got to dress up at work and it was fun to wear something so out of the ordinary for the day!! One of my co-workers brought me a magic 8 ball so that I could be a fortune telling gypsy for the day!!!

That night I went to a Halloween dance with a group of friends!!

I think this guys costume was my favorite!!!

Which Team Were You?

2011-12-08T08:27:00.003-07:00

Yes.....

I am a Twilight fan!

Yes.....

I went and saw it at midnight!

But....

I also saw it at 6:30 on Thursday night with my best cousin EVER Kandi!

So.....

I saw it twice in a six hour time period!!

We ate crepes!!

Just like we did when we saw Eclipse!

And had Chin Wah for dinner!!

I have some of the best memories ever of going to

this awesome Chinese restaurant with my cousin!!

{P.S. if you wore anything other than a Team Edward shirt that night....

You are on the WRONG team!!!}

We also got to wear awesome VIP badges thanks to

Kandi!!

We only have one picture of the two of us together from

that whole night!! It was taken right before the midnight

show started!! I thought about posting it.....

But we both look slightly {okay.... more like completely}

crazy, so......

That picture will never see the light of day!!

THANKS for going with me Kandi!!! I always

have SO much fun hanging out with you!!!

Only 343 days until we get to do it all over again!!

It's So Fluffy I'm Gonna Die!

2011-12-07T08:12:00.004-07:00

At the end of October we got an email from our landlord saying he was giving us an early Christmas present.... replacing our carpet!! I was very excited about this because the current floor coverings were looking pretty sad! The only downside to new carpet is that you have to move absolutely everything out of your room.

We are extremely lucky though and have an awesome ward and a bunch of guys came over on Friday night and helped us move all of our big furniture out into our living room.

Our living room was full!! As in overflowing!! We had to stick stuff in the kitchen!!

After the guys left we got out our cameras and had some fun with the self timers!!

The weirdest part was sleeping on nothing but my mattress in the middle of my empty room!!

But it was totally worth it because we now have fantastic, new, fluffy, soft carpet!! We love it!!

We also REALLY appreciate the group of guys {including our brand new bishop} who gave up their Saturday night to help us move all our stuff back into our rooms!!!

Poor People

2011-12-06T09:59:00.001-07:00

Three Quote Wall Monday's in a row? That's a new record of slacking for me!! I have so many things to blog about and I just haven't had the time {or truth be told, motivation} to sit down and do it!! But, I'm determined to finish the year off well so look for lots of blog posts this month!!

As for today....
I give you the poor man's movie night! Complete with surround sound!!!

A few weeks ago my roommate and I wanted to watch a movie together {Get Smart} but we don't have a t.v. in our living room. I have one in my room but...... It would be kind of weird with us both sitting on my bed trying to watch a movie!

So we got out my laptop and put it on a chair! We used one of our side tables as our spinach dip and artichoke dip holder!! The only problem was the sound wasn't that great! The solution was to hook up my roommates speakers to my computer. They were originally sitting in between us on the couch but they were kind of in the way. So we shoved one behind us giving us awesome poor people surround sound! It was perfect!! I'm seriously looking forward to our next movie night!!

Quote Wall Monday

2011-12-05T15:46:00.002-07:00

Quote Wall Monday

2011-11-28T13:31:00.000-07:00

Quote Wall Monday

2011-11-21T10:21:00.001-07:00

So Much For That

2011-11-16T05:57:00.000-07:00

I really was going to try to do that Instagram/Pinterest challenge!! But I started out behind.... and then life got exceptionally crazy!! I fell like I haven't had time to catch my breath, let alone find time to take cool pictures and I definitely haven't had a spare moment to blog!!! Sorry for my lack of posting lately!! I hate it when I have two quote wall Monday's in a row!! ~~Hopefully~~ ~~Maybe~~ Possibly, this week will be a little less crazy so I can update you on all that's been going on!! Until then, here are a few pictures that I did snap for the Gratitude Challenge!

{Morning Sky}

{Leaves}

{Books}

{Happiness}

Book 17

2011-11-15T08:24:00.002-07:00

Fantastic! Awesome! Wonderful! Amazing! Great! And any other synonyms for good!!

I'm sure you have heard of this book by now and have probably seen the movie! If you havent done either...you should do them both...soon!! It really is an amazing story told from a few different points of view! I cried a few times and even laughed out loud! It's crazy to think that not very long ago we treated people this way and thought that it was okay! I totally want to be Skeeters friend and would love to punch Hilly in the nose!!

You should most definitely read this book!! You will love it!!

Quote Wall Monday

2011-11-14T17:29:00.002-07:00

Quote Wall Monday

2011-11-07T11:09:00.000-07:00

I'm still working on the Instagram Gratitude Challenge!! Yesterday was crazy and I didn't have time like I had planned to get caught up on the pictures!! Hopefully today is the day.... or maybe tomorrow.....

Gratitude Challenge

2011-11-05T11:31:00.000-06:00

I'm completely addicted to Pinterest! I also love Instagram!

So when I saw this challenge on Pinterest this morning I was

excited to do it!! Tomorrow will be catch up day!

"I Had The Time Of My Life, With You"

2011-11-02T08:25:00.000-06:00

As soon as I heard Taylor Swift was coming to Salt Lake I knew I wanted to go! Tickets went on sale all the way back in April and I knew I would have to fight for them!! And after some computer refreshing and split decision making, I bought two tickets, not even knowing who I was going to take with me!

Luckily, my WONDERFUL cousin Kandi agreed to go with me! I LOVE her!!

After dinner at Cafe Rio we went to the ESA and got awesome, rock star parking! Which just happened to be right next to all of T-Swifts tour buses and semi-trucks!! We HAD to take pictures!!

We saw the band NeedToBreathe perform and they were actually pretty good. I think I might download a couple of their songs from iTunes!!
And then it was time for Taylor Swift!! We were both pretty excited!!!

The concert was seriously amazing!! One of the best I have ever been too!
The stage was awesome with all kind of special effects. There were ballet dancers! And ribbon artists!! And her dresses were fantastic!!

And she sang FOREVER which was awesome!! I kept thinking that it had to be close to ending but she kept going! She performed for almost two hours and the last song was just as amazing as the first!!
She sang almost every song off her Speak Now album and a few songs from some of her other CDs.

One of my favorites was Back To December. She was off doing a costume change, and meanwhile up on the stage it looked like it was snowing. Then this bridge lowered and a bunch of people came to stand on it and started playing the violin! It sounded so beautiful!! Toward the end of the song she added in Apologize and Your Not Sorry!!! Three songs in one!!! Awesome!!

Oh! I have to tell you about this guy {pretty sure he caught me taking his picture here}!

He is one cool dad! He was there with his daughter and they were holding hands and dancing around together! He knew all the words to the songs and had no problem singing along! So cute!!!

My other favorite part of the night was Love Story!! It was the very last song that she sang and I was worried that she was going to skip it!!

THANKS for going with me Kandi!! I had SO much fun hanging out with you!!!

Good Boy

2011-11-01T09:02:00.005-06:00

I have so many pictures of this dog on my phone!!!

I miss this little puppy that laid around and sprawled out on the beanbags!!

Now he likes to play fetch and tug-o-war!

And likes to drink straight from the faucet!

He even likes to jump on the trampoline!!

{Please excuse how obnoxious I sound in this video. Better yet... dont turn your sound on at all!!}

He likes to beg for food when someone is grilling!!

He's also a skillful escape artist!!

Quote Wall Monday

2011-10-31T08:31:00.000-06:00

Have a happy and safe Halloween!!!

Hallows Eve

2011-10-30T19:39:00.000-06:00

It took forever, but I finally got Halloween decorations up at my house! And then we took them down to use them as centerpieces. So I put them back up on Thursday! I'm thinking Halloween is going to spill over into the first part of November at my house!!

I think this little guy might just be my favorite!!

Mantle decorations!!

And just in case you haven't already seen this on Facebook!!

What Happens At The Cheesecake Factory

2011-10-29T08:38:00.000-06:00

Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake + Great Friends + Fantastic Hair Day= An awesome Friday night!!

{Charmaine & Rachel}

{Emily, Chantry & I}

Flash Back Friday

2011-10-28T08:10:00.000-06:00

For Labor Day this year my family met up in Millcreek Canyon to have breakfast and play games. My great grandfather used to take my grandmother and her siblings up there every Labor Day to do the same thing, so it was fun to keep that tradition alive.

We had eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes and even some zucchini brownies!! A perfect breakfast!!

{My aunt Debbie, my mom, my grandma & my aunt Linda}

{My aunt Terri, Uncle Rob, my Dad, my uncle Greg & my aunt Linda}

This cute kid spent the entire morning collecting rocks and throwing them in the creek!! It never got old to him!! He was most excited when he found big rocks!!

My dad is the best!! He helped Jayden find rocks for the longest time!! At one point he was hanging out with a bunch of boys, throwing rocks into the water!

The one thing that Jayden loved more than throwing rocks in the water was actually getting IN it!! He wanted to sit on that lower rock and put his feet in while throwing rocks and leaves down stream. It may have been September, but the water was FREEZING!!!

A get together with my moms side of the family wouldnt be the same without some kind of game!! My grandma taught us all how to play a new card game called Golf! I dont think I ever won!!

Witches Day Out

2011-10-27T20:37:00.000-06:00

Last week I met my mom and my sisters at Gardner Village for a girls afternoon out.

I love going to Gardner Village this time of year when the witches and pumpkins are out!

I love walking though the shops and stopping at Sweet Aftons for some delicious fudge!!

But mostly I just love spending time with the girls!!!

{I need the top book!! Haha}

Kindness

2011-10-26T09:02:00.001-06:00

Shoveling snow is not awesome! And we have quite a lot of cement at my apartment!

One day I looked out my window and saw this sweet gentleman clearing our

driveway for us!! I was SO grateful!!

Not only did he clear our driveway.... but the driveways and sidewalks of

everyone on our street!! I wish I knew where he lived!! I would have taken

him a batch of warm cookies!!

Marked

2011-10-25T08:12:00.001-06:00

Quote Wall Monday

2011-10-24T08:33:00.000-06:00

Remember Fun Photo Month?

2011-10-23T10:05:00.000-06:00

Time to get back on track with sharing photos from

my iPhone!!

I wish you could see this guy better!!

Camo MC Hammer pants...

White high tops....

Black socks pulled up over the bottom of his pants...

Leather jacket....

Awesome!

Lost In Blogger Land

2011-10-22T15:43:00.001-06:00

Is anyone still out there?

I'm sorry for my lack of posting this month! I was on such a roll in September and I planned on keeping it up this month, but.......

Last Sunday was one of "those" days! I dropped my iPhone and shattered the front. I went to bed glad the day was finally over! Then on Monday I went out to my car and found that someone had backed into it, chipping the paint and leaving scratches on my bumper. It was another one of "those" days.

And then one of "those" days turned into one of "those" weeks!

I'm glad it's not behind me and I crossing my fingers that this week will be better!!

Oh! And p.s. THANK YOU for all of your kind comments on my last post

with all my crazy birthday pictures!! I appreciate you all so much!

Quote Wall Monday

2011-10-17T08:12:00.000-06:00

Even Again

2011-10-14T19:06:00.000-06:00

I totally forgot that I never posted anything about my birthday this year!! It was pretty low key this year, which is totally okay since last year was over the top!! {P.S. Sorry in advance for how awful I look in every single on of the upcoming pictures!!}

I had the day off from work so in the afternoon I went to The Cheesecake Factory with my mom, Kaylee and Hayley!! It was so much fun to just have a girls lunch!! The food was good and the cheesecake was, of course, delicious {I tried Key Lime this year}.

After lunch and some shopping I went over to my parents house to hang out! We were watching my cousin's kids and they are both so cute! They even helped me celebrate by blowing out my candles and opening my presents!!!

One of my favorite moments of the day was a phone call from my friend Tiffany! I unfortunately didn't have my phone with me so she ended up in voice mail {sorry Tiff!!}. She had her 2 year old daughter leave me THE cutest voice message EVER. She sang me happy birthday and it seriously made my day!! I LOVE it!! I still have the message saved on my phone and listen to it every so often just because it makes me happy!!

We celebrated my birthday again on Sunday when my whole family could be together!!

I also got to spend part of my birthday weekend with Kandi!! She was so sweet and brought we a huge, beautiful display of purple and yellow flowers!! I loved them!!

THANK YOU THANK YOU to all of my wonderful family and friends for your birthday texts, phone calls and Facebook messages!!

Quote Wall Monday

2011-10-10T08:15:00.001-06:00

Flashback Friday

2011-10-07T08:10:00.000-06:00

It snowed yesterday...... The weather people were originally saying just the tops of the mountains would get snow, but the entire mountain sides were covered! There was even some snow at office in Sandy!

So, I decided today I want to think back on the nice warm days of summer! They already seem so far away!! Here are some highlights of my families last boating trip of the season at Utah Lake!

Eric back flipping off the boat

Mom and Kaylee jumping off the boat

THANK YOU Dad for pulling us around the lake all day long!!

This was the craziest thing! Hayley was in between the tubes!! Dallin was holding on to her right arm and Eric had her left!! At one point the tubes were further apart than they are in the picture and she still managed to hang on!!!

Hayley, Eric and Dallin riding backward!

Love these ladies!!

Eric and Dallin playing King of the Hill

Look at that storm rolling in!!

And......

Not only is it flashback Friday......

It's also another day of Fun Photo October!!

Utah Lake was so pretty the day we were there

and I had to take some picture with my phone!!

"Oh, This Has Gotta Be The Good Life"

2011-10-06T21:26:00.000-06:00

Clear back in June I saw a billboard that was advertising Real Salt Lake tickets with a OneRepublic concert afterward! I wanted to go SO badly, but it was the same weekend that my family was going to St George. Bummer!And then I found out that OneRepublic had to cancel and was going to reschedule the show!! WAHOO!! It worked out perfectly for me!!

I talked my mom an my sister into going with me and I was counting down the days!!
We started off with dinner and TGI Friays. Their sweet potato fries were yummy!!

And then it was off to the stadium to watch the RSL soccer team!
I've always liked soccer. I even played it when I was younger. And like most sports.... I sucked!! I was always on center defense.... the last place the ball goes! I just wasn't good at kicking people to get the ball!!

The game was actually really good and I had fun watching it! But I will not lie, there were a couple of times I had no idea what was going on, so I just cheered or booed along with the rest of the crowd!!

We also got to see an absolutely spectacular sunset!!

After the game was over {with a win for RSL, hooray!} they let people onto the field to watch the concert and it was a mad rush to the front of the viewing area!! People were running and sliding all over the field {even though the announcers kept saying no running, ha!}.

OneRepublic was fantastic!! Their set wasn't very long but I loved every song they played, especially Secrets!! It's still my favorite song!! And hearing the cello live was even better than the recorded version!

It was a fun GNO and I'm glad my mom and sister went with me!!

Cute Kid

2011-10-05T08:25:00.001-06:00

My cousin has the cutest kid!!

He is hilarious and I love spending time with

the two of them!!

{Halloween time last year}

{August 2011}

The Great Blizzard of 2010

2011-10-04T21:55:00.001-06:00

It's October but you might never guess it based on our recent weather!!
It's been warm! Actually, it's more like hot!

And I have really appreciated it because I am NOT ready for the snow and cold!!

Utah weather is crazy!

One day it will be 85 degrees and sunny and the next it will be 55 and snowy.

Not even kidding about that!

We could have snow on the tops of our mountains as early as tomorrow night!!

Crazy since just this past weekend we were in the upper 80s!

So, in honor of that crazy weather I am posting these pictures I took last winter!

Right around Thanksgiving time to be exact.....

When all the weather people in the state said we would be experiencing

the worst blizzard Utah had seen in years!!

It kind of turned out to be a wimpy storm {by Utah standards anyway}!

That's not to say that driving home wasn't scary though!! But I'm always

nervous driving in the snow!

And just in case you haven't seen enough snow yet.....

I came out to my car one morning and a stupid snow plow had come down

our street and piled tons of snow up against my car! And that's not even counting

the snow that had fallen during the night!! It was all the way up to the bottom of

my car!!

And half way up my shin!!

Scrapping my that day was not awesome!

I am so not ready for this kind of weather yet!!

I'm crossing my fingers that we are just getting some fluky storm this weekend

and that fall weather will come back soon!!

Quote Wall Monday

2011-10-03T08:10:00.001-06:00

To Be Continued?

2011-10-01T09:30:00.000-06:00

Are you glad that Fun Photo September is over?

Seriously?

Were you getting sick of all my random pictures?

I thought I could post all the miscellaneous pictures from my phone

during the month, but.......

I still have quite a few pictures left!

I probably should have doubled up days!

Maybe I will continue Fun Photo September into

this new, wonderful month!!

What do you think?

I used to drive past this wonderful pumpkin patch twice a day on my way to and from work!!

I miss it!!

Been Waiting All Year Long

2011-10-01T09:15:00.000-06:00

Happy October!!

I LoVe this month!!

It is truly my favorite month of them all!!

I love that the weather gets a little cooler!

I love driving with my windows down and the music up!!

I love the smells of autumn!

I am breaking our the Sugar Cookie, Nutmeg Orange Zest & Baked Apple Pie Scentsy bars!

I love the delicious things we cook during this month!

Especially things that include pumpkin!

I love making hot apple cider and hot chocolate!!

I love watching the leaves change on the mountains!

I want to go on an afternoon drive to see them up close!!

Maybe even a cookout with tin foil dinner and banana boats!!

I love fall clothes!!

Scarves and cardigans and opaque tights!!

I LOVE pumpkins!!

I love driving past pumpkin patches and seeing the fields full of orange!

I love carving pumpkins!

And you can bet the steps at my house will be covered with them this year!

I have some fun carving ideas this year and I cant wait to try them out!

I love Halloween!

I love dressing up for the day!

Any good costume theme ideas for a large group?

I love greeting trick-or-treaters and seeing the excitement on their faces!

I could probably go on for a long long time!!

I just love October!

After A Storm

2011-09-30T08:57:00.001-06:00

This spring was so wet! We had lots and lots of storms, which I am usually not a

fan of {espeically if there is thunder and lightning invovled}.

But I do love the smell of rain! And the way the sun shines

through the clouds after the rain stops!

And then there are the rainbows! I dont think I will ever get tried

of looking at a rainbow after a storm!!

Love Ducks

2011-09-29T07:09:00.001-06:00

There are these cute ducks that hang out in my parents neighborhood sometimes!

One guy duck and his girlfriend!! They are so cute waddling around together!!

Gutter

2011-09-28T07:23:00.001-06:00

I've never been a very good bowler!! I recently went bowling with my friend Danielle and I was determined to do well. But, as usual.... I pretty much sucked!!
Round two was the worst!! I had a gutter ball almost every time I rolled that stupid ball down the lane.... pretty sure I had at least 13 gutter balls!! Pitiful!!

Playing Dead

2011-09-27T07:00:00.001-06:00

Last summer my family went to Red Butte Gardens for a picnic!! After we

ate we took a walk around to view the beautiful flowers and plants!

We even saw some wild life, like this little squirrel!

This little guy didn't even seem to be phased by me as I got

closer and closer with my cell phone!!

He was so dang cute! He even started rolling around in the dirt!!

I HAD to get a picture of him doing it because it was just so cute!!

Little did I know that it would look more like a dead squirrel than

a cute, happy squirrel!

Quote Wall Monday

2011-09-26T08:10:00.001-06:00

Not So Sweet Sunday

2011-09-25T12:30:00.001-06:00

I may or may not have come close to burning my apartment down last Sunday.....
This black mess may or may not have been marshmallows.....
It may or may not have been completely engulfed in flames.....
This should or should not have looked like this.......

I may or may not have served it to the people that came to my house anyway......

And it may or may not have been gross........

Okay.... it was gross!! But people ate it anyway!! Thank goodness for nice people!! I will have to make it up to them soon with a delicious treat that cant catch on fire!!

iBean Inspired

2011-09-24T08:21:00.001-06:00

These pictures have been on my phone FoReVeR!! Awhile ago I went to the What A Woman Wants Show with my friend Lacey and there was a very cool booth selling beans with different words on them. The couple that was selling them was very into them and was talking about how you had to carefully pick which bean you wanted to plant and how you put all your hopes into it before you planted it!

I just thought they looked cool!!

I was kind of skeptical about it really working...... but it did!! And I was pretty excited about my courage bean! I kept it in my office at work for awhile, but it needed natural sunlight! It got huge!! So huge, I had to put it outside!! And then it died........ {remember how I am a plant killer with a purple thumb}!!
Go HERE to get your own word bean!!

Explosion

2011-09-23T07:59:00.001-06:00

This is what my finger looked like after I got in a fight with my blow dryer. It literally blew up in my hand!! It had been acting kind of funny for a few days and then one morning it seemed to completely die. I was wiggling the cord around and all the sudden fLaMeS and SpArKs were coming out the bottom of my blow dryer!! Completely freaked me out! So I threw the stupid thing away and went to work with wet hair. It was a bad hair day for sure!!

Drunk Driving

2011-09-22T07:48:00.001-06:00

This was crazy!! I was sitting in my room one right and I could see these red and blue flashing lights outside my window. I live right on a major street so I figured someone had probably just been pulled over and had come to a stop right in front of our street.

But the lights kept flashing.... and flashing..... and flashing!

So I looked outside and there was one car pulled over right across the street from my house with two police trucks behind it, a truck blocking off our street and a police car in front of our house.

At first the officers were just talking to the girl in her car, but then they made her get out... and it got pretty crazy from there! First they made her walk a line. One police officer demonstrated what she was supposed to do and the girl proceeded to do it, in kind of a mocking manner. Then they were making her hold one of her legs out in front of her.... and she did it.

Next thing I know they are grabbing the girl by her arm, flinging her around and slamming her against her car!!

CRAZY!!

They handcuffed her and stuck her in the back of a police truck!!

Then one of the officers started going through her car and pulling things out and then tossing them back in. And finally, a tow truck showed up a towed her car away!!

She didn't seem drunk to me..... but I guess I wasn't out there with them! I wonder what ever happened to that girl......

Tree

2011-09-21T08:10:00.001-06:00

{Utah Lake boat dock}

Through The Clouds

2011-09-20T08:00:00.000-06:00

I think I was sitting in the back seat of my parents car, driving home from my brother and SIL's house in Provo when I took these pictures on my phone! Right before sunset, just after a mini storm! The sky looked beautiful!!

Quote Wall Monday

2011-09-19T08:33:00.000-06:00

Sweet Sunday

2011-09-18T12:38:00.002-06:00

I love going to my parents house on Sunday afternoons! It's nice to spend time with everyone, just relaxing! We play games, chat and sometime watch Drop Dead Diva {LOVE that show}! But one of the best things we do is make treats!! Sunday just isn't Sunday without a treat!! A couple Sunday's ago we tried something new. I don't know if there is a technically name for it, but my first thought when I saw it was 'The Ultimate Ultimate Dessert."

I wish I could remember exactly where I found it so I could give you a link, but I cant.... sorry!! Thank goodness it's nice and simple!!

First, make your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe using slightly less flour than you normally would. Spread it evenly in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.

Second, layer your cookie dough with Oreo's!

Third, make a box brownie mix according to the directions on the package and then pour over the cookie dough and Oreo's!!

Now bake it at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes!! I think we actually baked ours for a lot longer than that. The edges were done but the middle was still not fully cooked! So I had to put tin foil over it and keep it in the oven until a toothpick came out mostly clean. There were still some spots that were a little gooey, but it made it that much more delicious!!

And finally, top your Ultimate Ultimate Dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and hot fudge!! Mmmm!!

Speaking of the Uintah's

2011-09-17T12:38:00.000-06:00

I hope your not getting sick of Fun Photo September yet {or of my pictures of the Uintah mountains}!! I still have lots of random pictures to get off my phone!!

I may not be an outdoor girl, but I do love the Uintah mountains!!

Flash Back Friday

2011-09-16T09:00:00.000-06:00

Remember THIS post about my family 4-wheeling trip in the beautiful Uintah mountains?
Well, I was at my parents house last weekend and found some pictures they they had taken with their camera and decided I wanted to share!!

This meadow was absolutely beautiful! But the mosquitoes were OuT oF cOnTrOl!! They seriously weren't even fazed by the bug spray that we had!!

I loved all the little streams/rivers/creeks that we passed that day! They were all over the place! And I'm pretty sure most of them were not there the year before!

Vintage

2011-09-15T08:10:00.001-06:00

Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE this sign?! Ever time I walk past a Fossil store or

Dillards I think about how fantastic it would be to own one of these!!

A few months ago I bought a Fossil necklace at Dillards and I was hoping that they'd

let me buy and/or have a mini version on this. But the girl said they cant sell them.

I think I just need to email Fossil directly!! I just love it!!

Cut The Cheese

2011-09-14T08:44:00.000-06:00

I love gnocchi!! Love love LOVE it!! So when I found this recipe online I knew I had to try it!!

Gnocchi Mac n' Cheese

1 lb gnocchi

2 Tbsp butter

2 tsp garlic, finely chopped

1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

3/4 c milk

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 c shredded Gruyere cheese

1/4 c shredded Fontina cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

1/3 c shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano

Basil leaves for garnish, optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and place gnocchi in a single-layer, in a 1-1/2 quart shallow baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in flour until it thickens and bubbles, then whisk in milk and mustard. Continue to whisk mixture and cook until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes.

Combine Gruyere and Fontina cheeses, then add by the handful to milk mixture, stirring until melted before adding the next handful. Once all the cheese is melted, season sauce with salt and pepper.

Pour sauce over gnocchi and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top. Bake until gnocchi have puffed and cheese is golden and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Let gnocchi rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Sounds fantastic right?
I had almost all of the ingredients so it made the recipe that much better.
The only thing I needed to get was the cheese. Easy enough right?
Ummm, have you ever heard of Gruyere cheese? Apparently it some kind of Swiss {as in made is Switzerland} cheese.I didn't even know if I'd be able to find it at a regular grocery store. I tried a few stores and then final found a block at my local Wal-Mart {yes, I shop there, back off}. Do you want to know how much a small block of Gruyere cheese costs?? SIXTEEN DOLLARS!!
My first though? You have got to be kidding me? Who pays SIXTEEN DOLLARS for a small block of cheese?!?
So, I didn't even bother to look for the other cheeses because I didn't want to know how much they would cost!! So I grabbed a five cheese blend instead. Probably didn't give the same effect but there was no way I was paying SIXTEEN DOLLARS for cheese!!
I made a few other, minor, modifications to the recipe the day I made it. First of all I just halfed the recipe. Then, instead of putting it in a shallow dished, I mixed the gnocchi and the cheese sauce together in a bowl and then put the mixture into ramekins. It's just more fun to eat food out of ramekins!!!

It wasn't quite as fantastic as I was hoping {maybe the SIXTEEN DOLLAR cheese does make a difference} but still a yummy dinner if I do say so myself!!