I think leather jackets are back in.

I made up my own prompts and tagged myself at the same time......

how do you feel: bad for people who read my blog expecting something cute and funny, but pity me instead.

what's the best part of your day: 6 pm when my husband gets home from work

biggest peeve right now: in-your-face-liberally slanted status updates on facebook.

current obsession: ruffles and scalloped edges, owls, and orange accents

favorite way to spend your day off: getting things done, going out for lunch, and lounging around the house

what have you been putting off: buying new jeans and getting a haircut

what show always makes you feel better: Will & Grace

last movie you watched and loved: Where the Wild Things Are. Loved it!

favorite movie ever: Wicker Park

what are you currently listening to: Up To The Mountain by Patty Griffin

how do you think others see you: like a Liz Lemon from 30 Rock

last awkward moment: when I requested to be friends on facebook with someone I've known since 1st grade and got denied, then saw them not two days later at Winger's. Awkward. For them, not me. I think my new last name threw them off (???) I hope.

Any shout outs: This goes out to my laptap. Dear laptop, thank you for being my best friend this past year. Through thick and thin, you've gotten me through it all. thanks.

Tag, you're it!

Here are some pictures of things I was doing this week instead of studying for finals.

I'm tempted not to go back to school. I'm registered for next semester just in case I am inspired to continue my long journey to nowhere.

I got home from work today at noon and stayed home all day. Taylor picked up some El Herr for dinner and let me stay home and watch Elf. Sometimes you just want to stay in.

I've put on some weight because I don't have time to exercise. Unless you count work, where I work up to speeds of 180 mph for a constant 6 hours. Every day. So I guess I'm actually just "filling out." Tight pants is my biggest pet peeve.

I'm ready to quit my job any day now. So frustrated and exhausted.

I have a dirty secret: I love Whatya want from me from the fabulous Adam Lambert. Yes, yes i do.

I watched my little sister in White Christmas last night. She is quite the performer. She blew me away.

scoot over, Nutcracker. this is a work of art

Here is a clip of my Modern dance class final piece. We slapped it together in two class periods. The music is great. I'm in the black with the ponytail.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH9dIhhn5ck

anniversary party in the hotel lobby

^I had to throw this one in the mix.


^ my special angel


December 6th snuck up on us. Exactly one year ago we consummated our marriage at a Marriott hotel. To keep the tradition alive we decided to celebrate the night in Lava Hot Springs. The hotel was perfect, the Thai food was ahhmazing, and the hot pools were wonderfully rejuvenating. It was a quick trip, but just enough to escape from our lives to celebrate a wondrous year of marriage.

grateful for board games

There's something to be said about blogging. It's definitely a wonderful tool to reach family near and far. Sometimes it can involve too much information, and to that I say time to get a life. But mostly, it requires too much time, and I need every minute I can get. However, blogging can also be a useful tool to keep you company when your spouse is off playing games (risk, monopoly, cards, games he refused to play with me when we were dating). So yes, because of board games, here I am, undeleting my blog in hopes to feel better about myself.

I got a new camera for my birthday and actually took some pictures. no more camera phone for me.

By some miracle, I had last weekend off of work. So I attempted to sew a few items for our living room. In two days I completed the ottoman cover and started couch pillows, but Jonas got a hold of those and ripped them open so I'll have to re-do those. For my birthday, I worked in the morning, went to lab, ate lunch by myself at 5th street bagelry, resisted the urge to nap for four hours, went to Winger's with Tay and finished the night off with a trip to the grocery store. Then the next day Tay's family had us over for chicken carbonara. MMM.

The family is well. My dad's job moved him back home, so now he doesn't have to juggle Boise and Pocatello. Jenna is singing and dancing in "White Christmas" so that's fun. My mom's busy doing stuff. Richard just got called to serve as an AP for his mission president. I thought him being home in 4 mos was great, but this is awesome. Everyone else is keeping busy and so far, knock on wood, has maintained superhuman status by not contracting the swine flu.

I can't explain the sudden haitus from blogging. I probably came across someone's post with 50 pics of their kid's being forced to model all seriously with a gerbera daisy bigger than their head on their head. Excessive accessories make me vomit or delete my blog. So that explains that.

shhhhh...

I think we're leaving tonight as opposed to our planned Friday {tomorrow} morning. It's only about a ten or twelve hour difference, but I guess we will drive through the night and make it home in the morning.

Originally, we were going to end our summer with a bang and drive to Bakersfield first to visit with my brother and his wife. My mom even sent gift cards for Ruby Tuesdays {yum} so we could celebrate the July birthday boys {my bro and Taylor.}

But my brother found out yesterday that he couldn't get out of a night shift, but invited us anyway. Without trying to, he made it sound like we probably wouldn't have fun since he will be sleeping while we were awake. I could find fun things to do with his wife, definitely. But then he informed me that they're also in the middle of moving. Hmm what to do....

Since we didn't want to be a hassle, we decided to skip the visit. :(

The silver lining of this change of plans is that I'll have all day tomorrow to unpack, pay for school, buy my books, and a much needed two days of being with family before the school year madness starts for everybody.

But I haven't told anyone at home we're coming home early so it will be a surprise. My mom is gonna crap her pants. I'll let you know how that goes.

funny,butnotlikehahafunny.

One time I dated a Jew. It was stupid, not because he was Jewish, but because I'm so incredibly Mormon, even if I try not to be. Oh, and it was funny because he was secretly dating me AND another woman, his girlfriend of four years. LOL.

He was very charming. He made me feel like the only person in the room and was very aggressive about getting to know me. The more I resisted, the harder he tried and I finally gave in and let him take me out to ice cream.

He also convinced me to move with him to Boise. Yeah right. But sometimes when you're young and find yourself in a situation where moving to Boise actually makes complete sense, you pack your bags and say your adieu's.

Nothing exciting happened when I got there. We met up twice, once in an precarious parking lot at night, and the other at a water park. Classy.

The funniest part was the morning I received a text from him. It read "Please stop texting D***d, you are ruining our relationship and I would appreciate it if you just left us alone." I knew immediately who wrote it because I knew she (his quote "ex-girlfriend") was also in Boise, probably living with him. I threw my phone at the wall and hid my head under the sheets.

Dang, he's good. I was his mistress without even knowing it!

Unluckily for him, I was really into the show Veronica Mars at the time. The following events transpired only because I had watched about three seasons of Veronica fighting crime and being a victim of two-timing is definitely a crime.

I packed my bags, quit my job, got into my car and drove home.

When he called, I channeled my inner Veronica and let him have it. I have never been so proud of my spot-on choice of words/tone/inflection/confidence. I think I scared the hell out of him because I never heard from him after that.

Although, I may have seen him at ISU's homecoming parade last year. I saw someone with dreads smoking a cigarette in front of a bar on center street. We made eye contact, but I figured I wouldn't mess with a dirty hippie. Literally, dirty and a lot shorter than I remember.

she works hard for her money so you betta treat her right

I've been wanting to do this for a while. People give me a hard time when they find out I still work at Mrs. Powell's and I've learned to purposely keep it a secret. Yes, I have been held captive for almost 7 years, but trust me, I have branched out and have experienced some of the crappiest jobs ever!

The first time I quit Mrs. P's, I was still a senior in high school. After graduation, I got a job at Elmer's diner as a hostess. It wasn't hard initially, but the staff was a little on the hagard side. Oh, and the boss was a witch! I survived about 30 days of smelling cheap perfume and wearing a cheap salmon colored polo purchased from a bin at Albertson's and classy black pants that I refused to wear up to my waist. My boss didn't approve of my "hip huggers." What can I say. I don't abide to 80's attire. Pants that don't outline every detail of your bum are more flattering than the pants they expected me to wear. And sorry, I refuse to wear a one-size-fits all fry sauce colored polo day after day. So I quit and got my job back at Mrs. P's to recover emotionally. It was a traumatizing experience for me.

Then I quit Mrs. Powell's in March of last year (2008). It was time to move on and get a real job at 23 years old. I took a few months off and did other things. I mostly slept in and thoroughly appreciated my sleepy time. I did a lot of stuff for my sister Jenna. She needed a full time personal assistant with all her activities (she was 17), and I had always wanted to participate in the things she was doing (jr. miss, trouveres, plays, recitals, etc) so this helped me experience those things through her. But around August, I was beginning to panic because I was going broke. My friend was currently working at another bakery in town and convinced me to apply. Biggest mistake ever.

I got the job at Geraldine's as a baker. I felt like a Benedict Arnold the entire time, but I needed money. I typically started my shift at 4:30 am and left around 8:00 am. Crazy. I don't remember much about the beginning because I was sleep-working and liked not having to really deal with customers. Just roll, roll, roll. But then the holidays came around. AND, I got engaged. Not a good combination. IT WAS HORRIBLE.

I remember one morning in November I couldn't wake up. I was too exhausted from studying and planning my wedding the night before. I went back and forth in my mind that I should just quit, but I needed every penny I could get. So I went to work 45 mins late and I apologized and carried on. Then later that night, I experienced something I hoped to never experience; my boss called me and chewed me out. She knew I had a lot going on, and we enjoyed working with each other. It totally changes things when you get reprimanded. I should have quit then, but nooo..

I fought through it and held on for dear life. Stupid. Thanksgiving weekend was literally three nights of 12 hour shift torture. TORTURE. Then the morning that I was supposed to take out my endowments, I showed up for work at 5:00 am and no one was there! So I left a note, went home, and went back to bed. Got a call at 6:00 from my boss. Whoops, she was supposed to call me and let me know not to come in til 6:00. Her bad. YEAH her bad. So I rush to work, rush through my work, doing the job of three other people, with a smile on my face, and miraculously left in time to make it to my 10:00 am session in Idaho Falls. I dropped dead when I got home and slept for a solid 14 hours, which didn't even begin to make up for the lost sleep I accumulated up to that point. But it felt nice.

So I took a 2 week break for my wedding (Dec 6th) and got back to the grind and endured the torture of Christmas, which wasn't as bad as Thanksgiving, but it still sucked the life out of me. I started getting less and less hours, and in January my boss "laid me off" due to the economy. I truly don't remember what I said or what she said, but when I hung up, I felt like I had been given a new lease on life. Glory Hallelujah. What a dreadful, horrible experience. Note to future employees: Don't try to work there when trying to do anything else productive with your life, ie-school, marriage, family, etc. They don't mesh well. Lesson learned. Sucks for me.

So, I was thrilled when I was offered a job back at Mrs. Powell's. It's not perfect and the pay isn't anything to brag about. But the morale is incredible and it's nice being treated with respect. Oh and it helps that my boss is like my mother and she treats me like her daughter. It's magical. Even though Geraldine's makes bangin' crescent rolls, Mrs. Powell's is hands down the better business. If I believed in tattooing my body, I would tattoo a cinnamon roll somewhere near my heart to show my appreciation. But since I won't go that route, I'll just work there instead. I start Next Monday at 6:00 am. Can't wait!

my last friday in citrus heights

With less than a week until we're gone forever, I'm trying to think of a good way to sum things up without sounding self-righteous. To say the least, this summer was more for my husband and less for me, and I learned to adapt. Wait, that may have sounded self-righteous.

Anyone who knows me knows that I set goals. I didn't set any goals for the summer oddly enough. I'm not sure why. I think I'm just used to the comfort of my noncritical husband; he wouldn't notice or care if I made any improvements, or make me feel bad for regressing. He would probably secretly criticize me for setting goals, though. So I didn't feel guilty for being a couch potato 24/7, as long as I provided dinner and did the laundry. Easy peasy. Unfortunately, this will inevitably backfire as soon as I conquer real-life. I'm a little socially awkward, okay a lot socially awkward. It doesn't come naturally so when I speak my cheeks may turn bright red. Back to square one. It's not fun if it's not challenging, I guess.

I LOVE Kelly Clarkson's new single and other crap

Firsties- I'm happy to have my mac back. well, Taylor's, but he lets me claim it like it's my baby. The charger cord burned up so I went without for almost a week! I almost died of boredom. Secondly-I love yoga. It is kicking my butt, but I have actually done it everyday since last Friday. That's good for me. It makes jogging seem easier, but I have a complex about running by myself early in the morning or at dusk. It's too hot to run in the middle of the day. It was cloudy yesterday so I seized the moment and wimpishly jogged to the park and back. Third- Marshmallows. I think I am addicted. I find myself making rice krispie treats every other day, and sipping on hot chocolate with mallows when the AC causes my toes to turn purple (I have poor circulation.) Fourth- I am loving the band Grizzly Bear a lot. I was a former Grizzly Bear at one time {Gate City elementary alum.} The song "While you wait for the others", and "Two Weeks" are on repeat tonight. Two weeks. Two weeks. Two weeks................

20 days and counting

I thought I'd take a break from my usual sitting around and try out some yoga on DVD to help me relax a little bit more. It never occurred to me that yoga involves holding positions, which is a challenge in itself. After twenty minutes of grunting and screaming through repetitive upward and downward dog into push-up position, I had to stop. Even the cool down was intense, and my muscles quivered as I attempted my last downward dog. So either yoga is very hard, or I am out of shape. I'm devoting the last twenty days here doing this hard exercise and we'll see if I ever get over the shakes during each pose. Fingers crossed!

I just had my first Heidi vs. Al Roker experience.

yeah, it was weird because I usually don't get my feelings hurt, but when the weatherman expresses contempt towards you, you sometimes feel like crying. I saw a lot of these today:

Sometimes you have to let it ride out.

So I tried something I've been meaning to do for years last night. While in my own company, I decided to try the egg white mask. It consists of purely the white of one egg and it is known for its ability to minimize pores, treat moderate acne, and soften your skin. I applied quite a bit and there was a lot of goop left over, so this is a perfect activity to share with another person. It took about ten minutes to completely dry and my face felt stiff, but after a warm wash and applying moisturizer, my face felt oh so great. Plus it was cheap.

I've also tried putting homemade oatmeal on my face a few years ago. It's pretty messy and makes you look scary, but the tradeoff is worth it. My skin was incredibly soft and helped ease irritation from the medication I was taking for acne.

I heard putting onion directly on a pimple has zapping powers. Don't worry-I tried that one too. All I remember was smelling like onions the next day, which doesn't fare well in jr. high. I don't recommend that one.

The best skin potion was introduced to me by my friend Johanna. Witch Hazel is an astringent for your skin that doesn't have any alcohol and is as gentle as aloe vera. Unfortunately I didn't bring my huge 44 oz container with me this summer, and my skin has been going through withdrawals. It's not too expensive and lasts forever. I've had my bottle for about three years.

My uncle actually suffered from extreme acne most of his life. His advice to me was to change my pillowcase every two or so days. That alone made my face clear up almost overnight.

I remember Kim Kardashian suggested sleeping on a silk pillowcase because it doesn't make weird wrinkles in your face or make your skin scrunch or pull as you sleep.

One of my young women's advisors forewarned our mia maids class not to touch our face during the day, and was adament in warning us not to rub our eyes when they are itchy or need massaging because the muscles surrounding our eyes are extremely delicate. Rubbing them excessively can cause stretching and wear to those muscles, which can make your eyes sag later in life.

As always, the best remedy is watching what you're putting in your mouth. Pretty much anything that's really high in fat and high in sugar will not do good things for your skin. As a self-professed sugar addict, learning that sugar produces puss in your sweat glands convinced me to rethink my cookie diet.

I know this information is being projected on deaf ears, as all my blog friends have magnificent skin. But this is knowledge according to me and I think having clear skin is life changing. I obsessed with products during my teenage years hoping for a miracle. Even though Accutane fixed everything, it's still important that I maintain what youth is left before I enter into the anti-wrinkle stage in my life. So like, next month since I'm almost 25. Sheesh.

Love Your Leftovers

This is my friend Maren. She specializes in nutrition and fitness and has started an amazing blog that focuses on tasty foods that keep well and taste just as great the next day. Click on my links on the upper left side of the page LoveYourLeftovers.blogspot.com. Trust me, this girl cooks for Taylor and me all the time. I can personally testify that she has a passion for good food and knows what she's doing.

*Note: Products are not tested on dogs

Just something for your viewing pleasure.

I'm not much of a cook. I was usually on dish duty growing up, so my skills are mostly honed on scrubbing and sanitizing. Honest to goodness, when I got married, I didn't know how to cook chicken. Thank you Food Network for teaching me that I can do hard things.

Tonight's menu was BBQ blackened chicken (blackened was more of an oopsie), Rice a Roni (I recommend preparing it in the microwave-cooks more thoroughly), and a simple green salad w/Italian dressing. This one's for you, mom!

oh no July can't go!!

Funnest Sunday ever! Warm water, mountains, beach, pine trees--a ecosystematic conglomerate of perfection.

Scorpio meets Cancer.

Since today is Taylor's birthday I wanted to do something special for him. So I woke up early and took the dog out to pee so he could do what he loves most: sleep.

Now I'm going to rattle off a top-ten list of why my husband is amazing.

• He totally gets me.
  
• We laugh at the EXACT same things for the EXACT same reasons.
• He never points out my flaws or criticizes what I'm wearing.
• He lets me hog the computer and doesn't judge me for spending hours reading celebrity gossip online.
• He is a man of and devoted to God.
• He laughs when I try to be funny.
• He doesn't gossip and talk about other people's business, ever.
• He is hilarious, incredibly brilliant, open-minded, and gets along with anyone.
  
• He is a true boy scout at heart; he loves adventure and the outdoors.
• He had me at 'hello.'

It's crazy what we both went through to get to each other.

Who knew that his and my brother Dustin's baby announcement would be in the same Sunday paper back in 1982? Who knew that I played T-ball with his sister when I was 6 or 7? Who knew that he drove past me every morning while I waited for the bus when I was in jr. high, ...that he graduated with my brother and I with his sister...that we both went to the Highland singles branch and sat in the same room for nearly three hours...that he worked in the produce section at Winco and I shopped there almost every other day...that one of his best friends married one of my oldest friends from childhood....

We had so many opportunities to meet as we crossed each other's paths, but thanks to the universe, the timing of us actually meeting couldn't have been more perfect. When people ask how we met, I tell them it's one of those "Scorpio meets Cancer, Cancer and Scorpio fall in love, Scorpio and Cancer get married" type of stories. Love you so much, Taylor. Happy Birthday.

obsessed with beauty

Ok this is kind of personal, but part of my nightly ritual involves burrowing into my sheets with my dog and watching youtube clips on my phone until I'm sleepy, then I turn on Pandora to fall asleep to music. I go through phases, but I usually listen to Thom Yorke or opera to drift off to. Last night, I decided to listen to Celine Dion just for kicks. Whether you are a diehard Celine fan or not, her lyrics are crazy good. That woman has a great set of lungs, but the best part is now that I'm married, I finally understand what she's singing about. One of my all time favorites, "Power of Love," has a totally different meaning to me now than it did when I was in 9th grade. I can't believe I listened to such heavy music at such a young, naive age. It is seriously so seductive and semi-gross knowing she's singing about her 90 year old husband. But I can appreciate her passion and I can appreciate her for using her talent to put unselfish love into words so beautifully. Even if her voice gives you a headache, I'm about 67% sure her music will reach down into your soul and remind you why you love your significant other.

my BIG mistake

It was a huge mistake to go off meats. As a future dietitian I should know better. {And by future dietitian, I mean if I can pass all my classes in the next year, followed by actually getting into the program.} Ahem. So I figured I would try going off meats cold turkey to see if it made any significance to my overall health. I don't have a scale here with me, so I would go off of the tightness or slack in my clothes as an indication of weight alterations. Once again, not very scientific in the least bit, but ya know whatever.

The first week, and only week, I ate lots of dairy. I mostly snacked on cheese when I felt lightheaded. I downed an entire gallon of milk all by myself. For dinner I made scrambled eggs and for in between meals I put peanut butter on bread or saltines. I love fruits and vegetables, so of course, ate those incessantly.

I don't have any actual proof, but I'm pretty sure I put on 5 pounds just from last week. Whether or not I scarfed down 1200, if not more, calories a day, I had zero energy. Weird, since I was still eating a good amount of carbs. And more times than not, my stomach felt like it had a huge hole, even after I ate. I was insatiable. My body must depend on iron, as I've been told before my blood carries little iron on its own.

Guaranteed there are meatless alternatives that won't rob me of much needed protein and iron. I'm still interested in trying those recipes, and I am interested in incorporating tofu into my diet at some point.

Needless to say my bottom and hips filled out and my saddlebags poke out a little more. I'm sure that's what happens when you sit all day and eat crackers and cheese all day.

I know dreams typically don't mean anything, but the other morning I woke up dreaming about eating a juicy double cheeseburger with ketchup squirting out of each side of the sesame seeded bun. So I decided a Carl's Jr. teriyaki burger was in order. A burger never tasted so good..so right...so meaty.

morning glory

Taylor making sure the sparklers are safe

trying not to get burned

and dance at the same time

Mr. and Mrs. Burrup

Both Taylor and I own cameras. Mine just needs new batteries and Taylor's just needs to not have such a bright flash and voila! we'd have better, higher quality pictures. For reasons unbeknownst to us, we haven't taken the time or put forth the effort to change batteries. Neither of us are photogenic in the least bit (wed pics, for example), so a camera is kind of like our enemy rather than a necessity.

Someday that will change; believe it or not, Taylor is an amazing photographer. Something he could pursue....I hope.

For now, we are okay using our phones.

So, for the 4th, we started things out right with Pizza Guys pizza. Thank you Daneile for ordering a pizza with just cheese since I can't eat pepperoni. :) Then I received phone call after phone call from my nieces and nephew- my older sis is preggo!! yay!! So exciting. Then we enjoyed a lovely firework show Citrus Heights style in the mall parking lot. I loved every minute of it. I think it's when I hear "Stars and Stripes Forever" when my patriotism surfaces. I could wake up every morning to that song and a diet coke and do magical things.

I am so transparent

Remember that I'm off meats right now. I was torn between Mongolian BBQ and a sandwich place for lunch. I decided to try the mongolian place because I could get noodles and veggies {yum my fave} but as I neared the door, I saw that it was a 'wait to be seated' type of place and I was by myself so I was like "nah.." so I went next door to ToGo's for a gourmet sandwich.

I walk in and the sandwich artist immediately greeted me. People in Citrus Heights are so friendly. I glanced at the menu board and instead of confidently saying "I want a veggie on white", I asked him "what kind of veggie sandwiches do you have?" He listed off a few variances of meat-free delicacies. I quickly settled on avocado and cucumber and he got going. Just keep in mind he was maybe 19 or 20 years old.

Out of nowhere, as I'm busy texting, he casually asks, "so, how long have you been vegetarian?"

Wow. I had to pause for a second to process his question. He knew me so well just by ordering an innocent avocado and cucumber sandwich. I was impressed that he knew that deep down, yes, I actually am currently vegetarian, even though ordering a veggie sandwich is a fairly common thing for me to do.

This reminds me of the time I was working at mrs. powell's and a customer showed me her ID. Her last name was Phillips, so I automatically assumed since my last name was Phillips, I should ask where she was from. She gave me a weird look and said, "oh we aren't from anywhere close to here." Even if she may actually been my third cousin's once removed aunt, I learned there is a certain employee/customer boundary, like 3-foot-wide counter, that doesn't need to be crossed. So after he asked such a presumptuous, somewhat nosy, question, I remembered to be polite as I sheepishly confessed, "two days."

The sandwich was excellent, by the way. He surely deserved a tip, but I couldn't make myself go back up to the counter for fear he'd ask if I'm trying to lose weight since I ordered a diet Pepsi.

thoughts zig-zagged

What a weird summer. I think it all started when I decided I have a thing for Jewish actors. Hard to explain but all my favorite TV personalities all happen to be pictured below.


Then the outbreak of protest in Tehran. It's hard not to feel enraged with the unfair outcome, the rights and freedoms that have been suppressed, brutality on the streets, imprisonment, and innocent lives that have been taken in effort to reclaim democracy. If I could, I would spend my summer rallying the streets. I'm not much of a protester, but my heart goes out to those who are fighting the good fight. If I could do more, I would.

Next, my favorite gossip blogger who I have been following for years now, Perez Hilton, got clocked in the eye, or something. I'm actually not at all surprised he got attacked, I'm shocked with the words he used.

Finally, two celebrity deaths in one day. It's all over the internet and I don't want to contribute to the influx when I didn't really grow up with them. I do have a special place in my heart for Michael and I feel for him. Something that sticks out to me is his love for llamas.


So, on a personal note, nothing new or exciting has developed other than feeling peaceful on a consistent basis. It could be attributed to the wringing out of emotions in the last five weeks; crying, along with sun bathing, has not only been therapeutic, but healing. I'm learning to sit and read without stopping. I just finished Fitzgerald's This Side of Paradise. Now I'm conquering Main Street by Sinclair Lewis. So far, a good read.

On a livelier note, I've decided to be a vegetarian for a while. I don't even really like meat, especially cheap meat like ground beef and chicken breasts. However, on cheat days, if I decide I want a steak or lamb chop with chutney dressing or A1 sauce, I'm all over it.

How not to make cookies.

I've baked cookies maybe a million times. Today I decided to make chocolate chip cookies, but with a twist. Maren has an America's Test Kitchen chocolate chip cookie recipe that is to die for. ~
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So I attempted to recreate those cookies without the actual recipe. For some reason I thought Maren said she melted the brown sugar and butter together until it comes to a boil. So I added it to the egg/sugar mixture, then added the flour mixture. So far, not too bad. Then I added the chocolate chips, but only half the bag because I prefer cookies without too much chocolate.
~
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Suddenly the chips disappeared and the dough became dark brown with a fudge-like consistency. So I thought I'd let it cool down and proceed from there. Twenty minutes later, I added the second half of the bag to the already cholately mixture and continued to roll and dot the cookie sheet with it. I baked them and they turned out kinda normal looking.
~
As they cooled they totally fell flat as a pancake and the middles were gooey with burnt edges. Oh and they tasted like crap. There goes my cookie stand business idea.

good morning.

I had a dream that I got a random phone call from a lady that wanted to consider me as a contestant for some sort of Jr. Miss pageant, but for older women. Kind of like a second chance for those who finally have their act together and want to compete for a tiara. I tried to think of what I had to contribute and the only thing I could think was the one time I won Queen for a solo long ago. She sounded excited and told me to prepare a talent. I decided I would sing and play the piano, and I decided I wanted a song that was simple, easy, tasteful, unforgettable. So I decided to go with "Unforgettable." But after I rehearsed for a day, she called me back to tell me she decided to go with someone else who was more qualified. The winner was 42 and raised pigs. I can't compete with that.

objects of my affection

I promise I'm not obsessed with my dogs. I am just their mouthpiece and this blog is their platform of choice to display their cuteness. Hirschi is currently in Pocatello being watched by Taylor's cousin (thank you Berrett!) and Jonas (aka snuggles) is lodging with us. We got an email labeled "bloodbath" with about ten pictures of Hirschi soaking wet covered in tomato sauce, but no explanation. Must have been her first skunk encounter. And the video is Jonas pretending he is a cat. Meowww... Ignore my annoying voice in the back ground.

Musical gems

It's impossible to expect people to find the same kind of meaning behind my blog music as I do because I'll confess, I usually hit pause or mute when I'm reading other people's blogs. Music can be a bit distracting and I debate back and forth whether it's really necessary on my blog. It's not but I compromise by only choosing songs that really truly have significance in my life, and still affects me even if I play it over and over and over.......

That being said, here's why these ones have stuck.

Endlessly~I read my first Twilight book recently, New Moon, and Rachel mentioned that the Muse had a role in the process of writing the Twilight series. One of the best underrated bands ever.

The Dance~After watching So You Think You Can Dance, I youtube-ed Mia Michaels and she had choreographed a piece to this song. It took me a few times to get into this song, but the words stuck out to me so I added it anyway. Charlotte Martin's voice is so perfect sometimes I could cry.

Missed the boat~ I'm a huge Modest Mouse lover. Such clever lyrics and intrument collaborations. It played at the end of a Scrubs episode, which I've been watching lots of lately.

Lump Sum~ Breakout artist of the YEAR for me, Bon Iver. I love a man that can sing high like that with that much passion. When I die, I want this song to be played when I travel to the other side.

Use Somebody~I just randomly downloaded it on ITunes before we road tripped here. I would play it over and over in the car.

Strawberry Swing~From Coldplay's latest album. OKay I actually fell in love with it last summer, but everytime I hear it boosts my spirits and reminds me of the summertime.

Tell Me How- Kind of personal, but Sara Lov's lyrics and voice represent exactly how I feel sometimes when I feel like when there's dissonance in a relationship.

Gravity~Bic Runga is probably someone I would be best friends with. I tend to play her music when I spend Friday nights alone. She got me through highschool. I forget myself when I'm with you...

Oh No~ Another summer favorite. Reminds me of my last trip to Seattle when I was trying to get over a guy who had no idea how I felt about him. Surprise there. The lyrics are really simple, but the harmonies are amazing. I just like how it repeats "oh no!" over and over in a really mellow voice and the piano solo is exactly how my dad plays. Pound Pound Pound.

The Fight Song~ Ane Brun's voice is simple yet haunting at the same time. This song doesn't really have a signficance other than the fact that I put it on repeat for hours on those days when I feel like I've hit a wall. This doesn't do even touch the surface of her amazing talent. She's just that good.

Closer~Travis to me is like maybe Jack Johnson to others, but nothing like Jack Johnson. Maybe that was a crap comparison but I could listen to Travis all day, every season of the year. I like this song because A-it's mellow, which is my favorite, and B-I picture Fran Healy smiling during the entire song.

My playlist is always evolving and so in a month probably this post will mean nothing to you. But for now, hope it pleases you to know their influences on my life.

naked eye

ok this is kind of personal but lately I'm all about not wearing underwear. To be specific, a bra. Once you turn 24 and are married, you can do whatever you want with little to zero negative consequences. I could sit around naked and watch Twilight all day if I wanted. It's perfectly healthy behavior in my book.

today's adventure

Today I drove 30 minutes to Noah's Bagels and got a bagel. It was good.

death and distance.

I would do anything to be home right now. We drove all day Tuesday to Pocatello for grandma Jocelyn's funeral. Then the following morning, right before we got in the car to drive back, my mom called me and told me about Bryce Millward's helicopter crash. I should have stayed and had Taylor go back, but I wasn't really thinking straight. It wasn't until we made it back to California that I just wanted so badly to see Emma and Elise. and Gavin, Lily, and of course Megan and Curtis, Bryce's older brother.

The service for Jocelyn was wonderful. I was able to finally meet Taylor's other side of the family. Halfway during the service I started crying, opening the flood gates and made me continue crying nonstop. Taylor gave the benediction, which made him cry, and sent me over the edge. I had to excuse myself to the car to recover. Even though I was an outsider and she wasn't my grandma, I was inconsolable. I couldn't help but think about my grandma and how little I cried at her funeral. It made me cry in the car all the way over to the cemetery to make up for it.

I am so thankful for my family. I'm thankful for the Grows and relatives who welcomed me with a warm hug and included me in their family affairs. I'm thankful for my mom and sister for dropping everything to accommodate Taylor and me on a moment's notice. I'm so thankful for the way my dad and brother Joel instantly stepped up to the plate to deal with the public and attention from the media so that Megan and Curtis can retaliate and lay low for a while. God bless their little family.

co-reate

Let me describe my current situation.
AC and ceiling fan oscillating above my head. Laptop in my lap as I sit in this plump oversized love seat. I'm finishing up one more episode of Barefoot Contessa then will resume watching some Mad Men that arrived in the mail just barely. Letting the rice cool before I devour some steamed veggies and rice smothered in italian dressing. One of my all time favorites, thanks to Jenn. Jonas contently going back and forth between chewing his toy and napping in the nook of the couch. I think the most strenous thing I'll have to do today is compile a list of groceries and maybe accompany Taylor at Winco for some together time.

I'm not trying to rub my perfect life in, but holy cow. I haven't had this much 'me' time since I can remember. Last summer was pretty laid back, except I had a rambunctious doggie living with me who took priority over everything. I have been watching more TV in this week alone than I have ever watched in the entirety of my existence. And I have also discovered the joys of sleeping in til ten. Heaven.


I actually watched the entire two hours of So You Think You Can Dance. It really makes me want to get back into dancing. Except I'm super annoyed with the latest trend of modern dance. I can't explain- I just don't like it. It's almost too pretentious and overdone. It's just because I love extensions and technique and I hate Hair Flying around in their FACES! It sorta reminds me of what Steph and I used to make fun of whenever we danced around our living room. A lot of spastic movements that very well could have been made up on the spot, with a few 'bajingo' shot leg lifts and hair flipping. HATE IT. It equivaltes the same as Locking and popping, to me, except I enjoy watching Locking a lot more. I also enjoy watching Ciara and Beyonce in their leotards more than I like watching the "lyrical" dancers. On a positive note, I do enjoy Nigel's comments. Constructive and sincere, which I appreciate.


I used to enjoy Jon and Kate plus 8, even though Jon actually did kinda give me the creeps and Kate was kinds of a hoochie and rude to Jon. It doesn't surprise me at all, especially with hair like that. I can't wait til they get their shiz figured out so we can get on with our lives.

Well I'll finish this off with a few pictures of a HGTV home makeover that I absolutley loved.