Don't Mess

Today, Friday October 22, 2010, started out pretty

uneventful.  I headed out to Maricopa around

7am to test a few students.

It all went smoothly and the kids were absolutely

adorable.  I really shouldn't think saying /s/ and /r/

incorrectly is so cute. 

Anyhow, I finish up there and head back

to civilization to meet my mom for lunch.

She works at the Mesa Public Schools District Office

and I haven't seen her new office yet.

We enjoy Subway outside and I realized

how much I had missed my Tuna on

Herbs and cheese bread.

I say my goodbyes and head down Stapley to get

on the 60 to head home.  As I am driving, the car

in front of me makes a sudden abrupt stop so I hit my brakes

and everything is fine.  Well until

Mr. Cavalier is too busy looking for his cigarette lighter

to look up and see me breaking and SLAM...

I felt like my neck had popped off my shoulders and I instantly

imagined the back of my car in shambles.  We pull over

and his car is well all smoky and steamy and both of his airbags had gone

off and he was the only passenger. Poor guy.

All I know is I was relived to see my car wasn't nearly as bad as his.

And he was driving his Ex-girlfriends car.  You could tell he was totally

scared of her and when she showed up...I couldn't blame him.

He actually told the cop he would rather go to jail

then go home with her.  And he seemed really serious.  Poor guy.

But in all sincerity...

Exibit A: his car

Exibit B: my car

Don't mess with the Dodge! 

I have my sprint triathlon in the morning.  I really
hope this 800 mg Ibuprofens will help me
through it.

Make-Over Part 1

I do a lot of paperwork for my job so this means I have been working at the kitchen table quite a bit the last couple months.  It isn't the best place to do work and Carly mentioned maybe doing it in the office or using the extra room to do it.  So I got to thinking and since I had been wanting to add some spice to my room, I decided to re-do my entire room.  And I moved in right down the hall since it was empty.  Sarah moved out a couple months ago when she started dating this guy Dan, who she is now engaged too.  :)  Anyways, so I have been going crazy looking for pictures to hang on the walls, a new twin bed since my queen size one was taking up way toooo much room and I knew I needed a new desk.  I was so excited to get my project rolling.  I am only about half way done but this is what I have so far....

This was me collecting items...

             Here is my sweet new desk.  I bought it on sale at Staples for $129 and it came with a free chair!
             That is pretty sweet.  And I am pretty handicapped when it comes to hardware.  I hate to admit
            this but it is true.  The chair doesn't look that complicated right?  Wrong.  I am an idiot and
            gave up and called Spencer to come help me.  He did it in like 5 minutes.  He asked me to
            hand him a "standard something-or-other" during the process and I was confused.  I have decided,
            for the most part, girls come wired to cook and decorate and clean, and boys come wired to
            fix and assemble.  It's a perfect combo.  But isn't my desk sweet!  Chase was in town so he was
            able to come "fix and assemble" my desk.  I am committed to putting my dresser together by myself.

                           I also recruited Dallin to come help me with my  bed.  I found this on Craigslist
                        for $30.  I was excited.  Dallin did it in like 10 minutes flat.  It was impressive.  I am now
                         3 for 3 with guys automatically knowing how to "fix and assemble." 

           Don't mind the large box of trash.  Isn't it cute!  I found the pictures on sale for $19.95 each at Fry's Marketplace and the clock on sale for $19.95 at Hobby Lobby.  I thought it was cool that they were the same prices.  I bought the bedding at Ross for $40 and the pillows at Ross and TgMax on sale.  The pillows up close are so cute.  I love them.  I need to get a couple white ones and then I am good.  I am also thinking of getting a throw at the end of the bed.  I will let you know. And I found a twin mattress for $65 at "Yolanda's Furniture" on Mesa Drive and Broadway.  That was fun.  And then I gave Dallin $50 for his mattress topper since I saw the same one at Kohls for $119.  I was very excited about that as well.  I am thinking of getting vinly lettering in burgandy to go above the pictures and the clock.  It would say: "Simplify Life, Magnify Living."  I just think that is kind of cool.  I am trying to learn how to "simplify". It is a challenge.

I put in my bookcase and started getting stuff organized on my desk.  I bought the printer for $40 at Office Max and the guy gave me a free $40 rewards card for when I need  more ink. 

I am very excited but I still have a little to go. 

I ordered a black dresser on Amazon (I love Amazon by the way) which should be coming shortly and a

fun little laundry hamper that is white and has "laundry" written on it in black.  I still need to get

some flowers for a vase, some picture frames and this adorable night stand I found at World Market.  I am really tempted to buy this beautiful picture I found of the Mesa Temple at Desert Book.

Isn't it amazing??!!  I am waiting patiently for it to go on sale.  I love it.  This would go above my desk I think. 

I also need to get a few other thing at Kirklands that I like but that will come in time. 

So that is Part 1.  I will only have one more Part so it will be fun when I am finished.  My Mom

is so excited to go this next week to shop around.  I am pretty excited too!

Conference Weekend

Since Dallin is going on his mission soon, the five of us wanted to go somewhere together so....we went to conference last week and it was a lot of fun. We are all pretty

loud together and poor Spencer still isn't quite use to it.  :)  Dallin looks like a giant in this

picture.

 My Grandma loves icecream and so we had to make a pit stop at Artic Circle.

Watching the BYU game vs Utah State...it was ugly

                                Our nights pretty much consisted of only games.  It was a good time.

                             A 4am photo with Grandma.  Remind me to never book a flight that early.

Dallin will be leaving on his mission in a few months and we don't know how much longer my Grandma has to live.  It is really hard for me to see her getting older and older.  Compared to when I first moved to Utah and now, it is remarkably different.  So we don't know if that will be the last time Dallin will see her so this picture is precious.  And for the fact that he is so much taller then her is kind of funny,

But we had a good time and Kelli came down Sunday and played games and had dinner with us.  Amy and Angela were able to come too. But I love conference!  It is one of my most favorite times of the year!  We are so blessed to hear from Apostles and Prophets!

Cell Phone Obsession

This is a picture of my phone.  It is nice looking.  White.  I do like the color white.  But don't be fooled.

It is armed and dangerous.  I can't seem to get it to leave me alone.  But then again...we ALWAYS seem to have our phones within arms length.  Why exactly is this?  We didn't seem to need a phone constantly 10 years ago, so why now?  A girl that I do therapy with just turned 8 and guess what she got for her birthday?  You guessed it.  A CELL PHONE.  I about died.  Why in the world does an 8-year-old need a cell phone?  What does she possibly have to do or say that is so important that she needs a cell phone?  She needs to be out playing with her friends and exerting energy and riding her bike in the street like I did as a child.  Not answering a cell phone!  She can hardly read or say her /r/ sounds, so can you imagine what that would sound like through a phone?  Hello.

So anyhow, I make excuses that I need my cell phone for work.  Ok so that is a valid point since it has my email and I can view all my reports and spreadsheets on it, but what's the use of having it if I have to bring my laptop to work everyday?

But have you ever heard that scripture analogy to cell phones and what if we treated our cells phones like we treat our scriptures?  Well as much as I used to not pay much attention to that analogy, it is kind of true.  How often do we check our phones just to make a validation that we are important?  Once an hour? Once every half hour? Once every 10 minutes?  I mean seriously?

I worked at Old Navy last Saturday night and on my way to work, I realized I had left my phone on my bed. I immediately reacted and was going to turn around, but then thought why would I turn around?  I don't need it.  My mom already knows I am meeting her at Cafe Rio after work. So why do I need it?  I don't.  So I got to work and I realized what a freeing feeling it was.  I was so happy to not be tied to my dang phone.  It was a relief that no one could get ahold of me.  I didn't HAVE to answer.  I didn't HAVE to text back.  I didn't have an EMERGENCY that required my immediate attention (because let's face it...nine times out of ten, its not an emergency.) 

All I am trying to say is...I am kind of tired of my phone.  Granted I do need it at times, but I am finding that all this technology around kind of gives me headache.  Sometimes we need to stop and re-focus and smell the silence versus checking our phones to see if "what's his name" has called yet.

Phew.  I feel a lot beter. 

Call me...just kidding :)



Season 10



It is a new season and I am very excited!

I even got a little emotional watching it tonight.

Losing weight, eating healthy, and staying fit is a lot

of work, so it is awesome to see these people change

their lives.

I hope you are all as excited as I am.

(But this doesn't take away the fact that Jillian bugs me but that's ok

because I do really like Ali's clothes.)

Butter Cake Recipe

I stole this recipe (and picture) off the "Becoming Betty" blog.  This cake was de-li-cious!  I honestly couldn't believe it.  And I am all about simple yet amazing.  Who isn't right?  So go home and make this ASAP.  My family was still talking about it the next day.

Bottom layer:

                                                                   1 yellow cake mix
                                                                             1 egg
                                                                   1 cube melted butter.

Filling:

1 package of cream cheese

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 cube butter melted

1 (16 oz box) powdered sugar

Combine cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well. Pat into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla, and butter. Beat well. Add powdered sugar and mix well. Spread over cake batter and bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

My favorite cousin came out to visit us for Spencer's report.  We love when Katrina comes!  Her little girls are such dolls and we love David (huband) too!  Thanks for making the trip out here!! 

Too bad Lizzie's eyes are closed in this one!!  She is still cute though.  Kaden can be such a cheese ball:)

And my very attractive sister and bro-in-law.

And yes Spencer is wearing my Mom's slippers.

Happy new week!

A Vice in Life

I love this stuff.  I really shouldn't love it so much

I try to only drink it ONCE a week.

My run about a week ago was unusually difficult so I related it back to this

since I had drank it the day before.  I told myself I wouldn't drink any

until after Ragnar. 

Well...Carly and I went to a movie yesterday and we stopped

at QT right before and I well...gave in.  I will not lie.

I fully admit...it is my vice in life.

This and well...chocolate.

Trying hard to not...but struggling at the moment.