Bad bad girl....

I feel so bad. It has been over a month since my last post. Life has been crazy and when I do get a few moments I don't want to blog. I just want to sleep!

some fun facts:

-Mom is running for Idaho State Legislature (District 11, Sea B to be exact). She will be an amazing representative, we just need to get her elected. Visit her website http://www.ronaleeforrepresentative.com/ to learn more. If you like me, you will love her because she is half the reason I am so cool (other half is dad's reponsiblity :) )

-I saw Blake Shelton in concert! I took my niece Kaylee for her birthday and my sister Stacey came along too. It was so much fun!

-I turned 28. Yep. That is right. I am that much closer to turning the big 3-0!! I took Thursday/Friday off. Mom/Dad were down in Las Vegas visiting some of Dad's friends so I spent most of it alone. Lexy invited me over for dinner on Thursday and I didn't think it was going to be anything special. I arrive and TJ has to tinkle so we chill in Lexy's front yard for awhile. I hear the door open but didn't see anybody. So I head up to the front door and just walk in. From behind the counter pops Emma, Wyatt, and Marlee yelling "suprise!" My sisters threw a family suprise birthday party for me. (BTW this is just one of the many reasons my family is the best.). Lexy had made German chocolate cake and pulled pork sandwhiches. Jana and Stacey arrived after they had gotten off of work. It was so sweet of them.

In addition to the sister suprise party, I dragged my sisters up to McCall for the night on Friday. We never get to spend times as just sisters. Kids and husbands are usually there. So my birthdya wish was having the girls come along. I initially wanted Mom to come but she was with Dad in Vegas. Friday I pick everyone up in the van. I was driving and Jana riding shotgun. We had Lexy with baby Maddie, Caitlyn, and Stacey in the back. We had Chinese in Eagle before we hit the road. What a fun time. We giggled, gossiped, and shared so much. After some misses, we finally get to the cabin and chill. When I was in Vegas years ago, I participated in a hypnotists show. Jana and I split the cost of the DVD so we would have a souviner. We haven't watched it...EVER. Unfortunately Jana remembered the DVD and brought it along. Thankfully it wasn't as bad as I remembered and we all had a great laught over it.

Because of all the kids we only stayed the one night. But it was a great night. I have decided it will be a yearly trip. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures except a pictured of the cabin as we were getting ready to leave.

I will update post with pictures soon.  I promise.

Meet my Mister (ok...my fantasy mister)...

No words to describe that night.  I am in love. 

loverly weekend!!

What made this weekend loverly:

-Saturday morning Farmers Market with TJ and I.  I took my picnic basket along to carry all my goodies and I got so many compliments!!  (Who doesn't like to start off the day with someone telling you, you look cute?)  Great scores at the market: raspberries, cherries, and YUMMY lemonaide (or as Emma likes to call it Lemonlade).

-Saturday lunch was picnic in the park with family to celebrate Wyatt's 5th birthday!  The weather was perfect. Children behaved.  I had a yummy PB & P (peanut butter and preserve) samich. It was made better because I used my homemade raspberries preserves.

-Saturday evening was taking myself to a movie.  I thought I was going to see Thor but the time changed and I ended up seeing Priest.  Not that bad.  What made it really amazing was the backwoods drive to get to the theater.  The sun was setting and I was driving through farmland.  B-E-A-UTIFUL!  I didn't have a camera or I would have tried to capture some of it and skipped the movie.

-Sunday sleeping in!!  OH HOW LOVELY!! 

-Sunday had for lunch had ribs (ich!) but DELICIOUS corn on cob and baked beans.  Plus it made me feel loved that Dad would give the big chunks of meat off his rib to me.  He would eat the meat of the bone from my rib.  I don't like ribs because of the bone.  Weird I know.

-Went to grocery store for ingredient for dinner.  They had flowers on sale for $3.  Because I am a sucker I got a couple.  Fresh flowers just make you happier.  So they are sitting on the kitchen table for all to enjoy even though I wanted to be greedy and keep them in my room. 

-Dinner turned out great.  It was supposed to be Philly Cheese steak sandwhiches but I didn't have a gridle so they were grilled steak, pepper, onion and cheese samiches.  Still yummy though. 

-Dessert was Raspberry Crumble Bars.  I added the raspberries from the market and they turned out so much better than I expected.  I really need to learn patience.  I cut the bars before it was completely cool and because the preserve was still runny/warm, it was kinda soupy but that is ok.  it was still great even though it wasn't pretty on the plate.

I love weekend like these.  I feel rested but I was still productive (I even did dishes, laundary). I also learned my bank account is bigger than I expected.  I love that.  It isn't that I got extra money or anything but just keeping my spending low, and rounding everything up in the check register has REALLY helped!  Maybe I can swing for the new tent I want after all.

love SNOTM

I follow this blog here....and I love it!!  Here are a few of my recent favorites...

SNOTM = Stuff No One Told Me





Uncle Kracker & Luke Bryan

I love the fair.  That means cheap concerts.  By cheap I mean free!!  Who doesn't love free?  Kara and I went to 2 concerts last night.  First act was Uncle Kracker.  He was really great.  He played all my favorite songs of his (aka the ones on the radio).  I haven't purchased an Uncle Kracker cd but now I have to because he has good songs that aren't on radio.  Here are his highlights.

I was most excited to see Luke Bryan.  I have his first album and LLLOOOVVEE IT!!  I have been meaning to buy his 2nd but just haven't gotten around to it yet.  He is really cute and a great performer.  I loved how Luke Bryan incorporated Enter Sandman (by Metallica) and Shine (by Collective Soul) into a couple of his songs.  It was fun to dance (as close as we can down on the floor being smushed together like sardines).  It was pretty interesting because 1 group of kids was removed by security, 2 girls got into a scuffle, and 2 guys nearly got into it.  We evertually moved up another 6 ft to get closer to the stage.  I have a ballon with someons signature on it.  I need to google their autographs to figure out who it is.  I think it is Uncle Kracker but not sure.  It was a great time all around and my ears are still ringing.  I decided that I need to go to a concert every 6 months to keep my sanity.  Last concert before this was Gary Allan in December.  I am not counting the Steve Miller Band because that was just a sit in the grass type and didn't have the loud bass that interupted your heart beat and I couldn't sing along with anything.   Here are the highlights for Luke Bryan:

Boating..

On August 7th, we made our first trip to the lake this summer.  It just hasn't been that hot. Bummer I know.  Next trip is planned for August 29th!!  YIKES!!  At least the 2x is better than the 0 we had originally planned.  Here are the highlights:

Nature..

Here are a few of my favorite nature photos from the past few weekends:

Great View...

I love camping.  I love it so because of the early morning campfires.

Where you can sit and say nothing and that is ok.

Where you watch the flames and become hypnotized.

Hypnotized so you fell rested even though you are awake.

Where you an wear funny things like toe socks and flip flops

and no one cares because they are wrapped up like a burrito

to hid their funny flannel pjs.

I also love camping because Dad uses an old percolator

to brew his coffee.  The smell is DIVINE!!

I hate the taste of coffee but little beats the smell.

Camping is also wonderful because you can sit around and

do nothing without feeling guilty.  You can take naps and that is ok.
The best view is:

Viva Las Vegas!!

So I survived Vegas. I had a great time. With so many girls (19 of us) there were to be issues and problems. Oh well...we mostly ignored those girls. Because it was such an exciting time, I will let the pictures do most of the talking but here are the highlights:

1st Day
RIDING IN A LIMO FOR THE FIRST TIME!! It was HUGE!! I could stand up with no problem.

Winnging $101.46 on my first day. I actually won $60 becasue I had put in $40.

Getting my picture taken with Elvis (impersonater) and Las Vegas sign (impersonater).

making new friends (Teresa, Jennifer, Julie, Kim, and Cassie)

2nd Day
finding Survivor slot machine

Visiting Sam!!

learning to love the flat iron!!

Getting hit on by guy at Moon nightclub/Ghost Bar at the Palms.

Getting into Moon/Ghost Bar for free with VIP! Thanks to an awesome limo driver!!

3rd day
still loving the flat iron!!

having an In-n-Out burger

Seeing Molly & her daughter Hailey

great shopping

having picture takend with real Las Vegas sign

looking super hot that night!!

getting picture taken with 2 random guys

having great time chilling/laughing with 4 great girls from Oregon

4th day
going to NY NY

going up in Eifel Tower

getting Eifel Tower drink/souveniger

getting tickets to hypnotist for $5!!

getting hypnotised!!

getting b1g1 free drinks from stripper bar

staying out til 3am!!

5th day
being able to wake up after 2 1/2 hrs sleep

getting to the airport on time (actually being UBER early)

not vomiting on the plane and even falling asleep

surviving the delay/lay over in Reno

having TJ meet me at the airport

Mom rubbing my feet

lowlights:
not getting enough sleep
rooming with 2 wetblankets
not doing 1/2 of what I wanted to (not enought hrs in day)
feet hurting
deleting 20 pictures from Saturday morning
not coming home a millionare

Traveling to Trace

I enjoy Trace Atkins.  His music is great and I rooted for him on Celebrity Apprentince.  Months ago, we heard that he would be in Jackpot for a concert.  The original idea was to go with parents and my sisters.  Well life happened and it ended up being me and parents.  Mom and Dad were going to be coming from Idaho Falls.  They had been at the Idaho State Republican Convention for the past week.  I had made arrangments to meet them in Twin Falls and we would all ride to Jackpot together.  We have lunch at Gerties Brickonven Pizza.  They have all you can eat pizza and dessert pizza.  It was good but not as good as I remember.  Oh well.  We head to Jackpot and get settled in the Horshoe Hotel.  I get ready for concert and off we go to the casino.  I play the penny slots while waiting for the concert.  Mom had a book to read so she stood in line.  We had general admission tickets so we could sit anywhere in the blechers.  Where Mom got was pretty good for $40 a ticket.  Mom and Dad got free tickets through the casino.  From what I remember, Trace played "Sometimes You Gotta Kick A Little A$$", Chrome, Honky tonk badonkadonk, Brown Chicken Brown Cow, a couple new songs, Swing, Your Gonna Miss This, Hot Momma.  There were a few others but I can't remember.  He did play Arlington.  I prefer it live than recorded.  Both Mom and I got teary as he sang it.   

So the top left pictures if of Trace walking to the stage to open.

top right is of Trace leaving the encore (love the hair blowing in the breeze).

Middle pic of me and you can see Trace in the shadows in the middle of stage.

Some residents found a great way to see the concert without paying price of ticket.

Mom and Dad enjoying the concert.

Trace, Trace and more Trace.

Phuture Photographer

So I took a picture of Wyatt on Fathers Day. He asked to try so I showed him how and he was off like a rocket. I love the largest picture! It is my favorite. He has taken a total of 100 pictures. To be posted soon.

Tag your it!

8 TV Shows I watch :)

Supernatural

(on The CW on Thursday. Two brothers fighting to stop the Apocalypse. VERY hot boy names Jensen Ackles stars.)

Survivor

(on CBS on Thursday. People trying survive the longest to win million $)

Deadliest Catch

(on Discovery Channel on Tuesday about crab fishermen)

Amazing Race

(on CBS on Sunday. Teams of two people race around the world to win a million $)

Justified
(on FX on Tuesday.  About a US Marshall catching bad guys.  US Marshall is REALLY hot!)

Castle
(on ABC on Monday see about it in this previous post.)

Chuck
(on NBC on Monday see about it in this previous post.)

10 Things I hate About You
(on ABC Family on Tuesday(?) just like the movie but on TV. Just 30 minutes but a guaranteed laugh.)

Honorable mentions:

Life Unexpected

Project Runway

Legend of the Seeker

Top Chef

Glenn Beck

Vampire Diaries

CSI: Las Vegas

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8 Favorite places to eat and drink

My parents house

Subway

Applebees

Arby’s

Olive Garden

Souper! Salad!

Wrap Shack

my sisters houses

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8 Things I look forward to

4pm (work day over)

4pm on Friday so the weekend can being!

any day off work

July=VEGAS! for a week!

being with my family

being skinny (someday hopefully)

being loved

having a child

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8 Things I love about winter

SNOW!

Romance

fires

Christmas
snuggling

hot chocolate

smells (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc)

cold

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8 Things on my wish list

to be happier more often (stole from Molly)

to have an eternal family (stole from Molly)

to be financially stable

to be tan (stole from Molly)

to be healthier

to have an SUV

to have a yard for TJ

to be meaner

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8 things I'm passionate about

my family

being a fun loving aunt (stole from Molly)

politics

religion

movies

hot men

music

Facebook

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8 things I've learned from the past

LISTEN to your parents and grand parents (stole from Molly)

"if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all"(stole from Molly)

stick to the basics! It's so hard to do sometimes (stole from Molly)

NEVER lay back down once the alarm clock has gone off (stole from Molly)

that I still have so much to learn! (stole from Molly)

keep TJ on a leash

I deserve good things

I am a good person

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8 things I want/need

a husband

a child

confidence

love

higher paying job with better hours(stole from Molly)

to be fit(stole from Molly)

a home of my own... with grass :) (stole from Molly)

to sleep in... it's been a LONG time :) (stole from Molly)

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8 people I'd like to tag:
anyone who read this because I am not sure who looks at my blog..:)

EXCITED!!

What a pleasant weekend.  It didn't start off that great but ended better than expected. 

Friday was pretty easy after work.  Immediately afterwork, I went to babysit Emma.  Caitlyn had to go into work and Brandon was in Twin Falls working.  I sped to Caitlyn's (I didn't even stop to get TJ that is how big of a rush I was in). 

Once I arrived to Caitlyn's, I packed Emma and Wyatt into the double stroller.  We were going to pick up TJ so he wouldn't be in the house ALL DAY.  Let me tell you what.  Two toddlers and a big stroller weigh a TON!!.  I live 1 mile away.  I forogt that in the end there is a steep hill.  Pushing  those kids up that MOUNTAIN was nearly a killer.  Ok I am exaggerating but at the time it was awful.  There is no sidewalk to it is rough gravel and uneven.

But we made it and let TJ escape prison.  The walk back was much easier.  Very proud that I walked the 2 miles in 30 minutes!!  After Caitlyn came home, I had to go out to parents house because I left my sweater at their house.  My sweater had my drivers liscence in it.  Parents house is always great because of BACK RUBS!!  Plus they have Project Runway on the Tivo. 

I finally left parents at 11pm.  Parents got free rooms in Jackpot for the Superbowl so they were leavign the following morning.  TJ and I headed home to bed.

Saturday morning was cleaning and laundary. I think matching socks is the worst and could be considered a form of torture.  After an hour of cleaning the house was pretty much done.  I still need to sweep and vaccum but that is pretty much it.  Except for craft room.  That is a disaster with so my project in different stages of completion.  But that is the project for Saturday.

After cleaning, it was reward time and off to Costco with Lexy and Chris.  What a trip.  They had all the treats out trying to tempt you to buy.  I only needed a few things: toliet paper, dog treats, grapefruit, and Propel.  I leave with three.  I forgot TJ's treats!!  I am completely out at home too.  I need to run to the Dollar Store on lunch to grab a few to last the week.

After Coscto we went to TGI Friday's for lunch.  I got the BBQ Chicken Wrap.  It wasn't that good.  As soon as I finished lunch, I ran over to Caitlyn's house again.  Brandon was still out of town working and Caitlyn needed to go to work.  Saturday was pretty easy day.  Emma slept most of time I was there.  When she woke up, Brandon had just arrived home so I went home and played with TJ (and tidied my car).

Sunday morning I had every intention of going to a Church.  I am planning on leaving the singles ward (more in another post later) and start attending a family ward.  But I slept in. New ward would start at 9 and I woke up at 1030.  Singles ward starts at 11.  TJ and I still had to go to parents house to get newspaper, set up superbowl to record, and a few other errands so I skipped Church.

After the errands, I finally ended up at Lexy's house around 130.  I had to watch the beloved Supernatural and Life Unexpected.  I somehow already saw Life Unexpected so we had a few hours to kill for the Superbowl.  We ended up watching Hoarders on A&E.  It is not hoarding.  Those are just too lazy to take out the trash!!  But it was awful!!  In each house they found DEAD ANIMALS that had be FLATTENED because of the weight on top of them!!  AWFUL!!

Thankfully Chris woke up and he couldn't handle it (it is like a train wreck...you just cant look away!) because he is such a neat freak so we had to switch channels and a few minutes later the superbowl came on.  My favorite commericals were suprisingly from Doritos.  I am partial to the dog collar/speak.  I will post a link later. 

Jana and Wyatt ended up stopping by.  Lexy made THE BEST BURGER EVER!!  I am serious.  I don't know what she did but the bacon-cheese-bbq sauce-sauteed onion-tomato-toasted bun-hamburger was the best!!  Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.

After the game was over, it was time to go to bed. 

Monday came all too quickly.  Thankfully it was over quickly too.  I don't know if it was just because I had so much to do or what but the afternoon evening just flew by!!  After work, it was a race home to pick up TJ and the car seat and get to WinCo.  I was meeting Jana to go grocery shopping and to pick up Wyatt.  Jana cleans her pastor's home for additional income and she needed to get it done.

After a great grocery shopping trip, it was run to the dog park.  Without fail, Wyatt always need to use the restroom while we are there.  I broke the rules and left TJ unattended while we raced to the porta potty.  After the dog park, it was off to Jana's house to finish out the evening. 

Jana got home and I headed to my parents house.  A back rub was over due. I love the ritual/tradition Mom and I have established.  It is a great bonding time and a relaxing time.

Another piece of random exciting news...DAD GOT ANOTHER 4 WHEELER!!  WOOHOO!! Maybe I will get to go sometime this summer!!  It is a 2007 Suzuki Kingquad 700 in red!

Salt Lake City

Here are the pictures from this weekend. Nothing spectacular happened. Just great family times and good shopping. I will post pictures of the souveniers once I get them set up.

FRIDAY

Spent most of the day driving there. I was proud of myself about navigating through the crazy SLC freeway. It helped that Dad and TomTom were there to help too. Once we were at the hotel, we took a little dip in the pool and then headed out to see the Christmas lights. The LDS Temple Square is so pretty. I remembe going as a little girl and it was better (more captivating/enchanting) then but still beautiful. Emma called the Temple "Cinderelly castle". SOO CUTE!!

Caitlyn, Brandon, and Emma in front of some lights in Temple Square.

Caitlyn, Brandon, and Emma in front of the Temple.

Christus, by Bertel Thorvaldsen in the North Visitors Center, Temple Square.

More Christmas lights in Temple Square.

Me in front of Temple
Views of the Temple

Reflection of Temple in pond

Nativity in middle of pond.

Mom, Emma, Caitlyn, and I in front of Christmas light tree.
Mom, Brandon, Emma, Caitlyn, Dad in front of Christmas light tree.
Mom and Dad on the tram.

Emma and Me on the tram.

Emma keeping me awake (revenge of all the teasing I do to her)
SATURDAYWas a day of shopping. We started at Garnder Village, which was an old mill community that was renovated into shops. After Garnder, we dropped off Mom (aka Grandma) and Emma at the hotel for nap and Dad (aka Grandpa), Brandon, Caitlyn, and I went shopping at Trolley Square and Gateway Center. I bought cute Christmas ornaments at Garnder Village and perfume and clothes from Gateway. We finished shopping and went to pickup Mom and Emma for dinner. Ruby Tuesdays has pretty good BBQ Chicken.

Emma and Caitlyn at Garnder Village (shopping center)

Emma getting ready to go back outside in Garnder Village.

Me, Brandon, Emma, Caitlyn, Mom in front of waterwheel at Garnder Village.

Grandma helping Emma throw a snowball at Grandpa

Brandon, Emma, and Caitlyn at waterwheel at Gardner Village.

Mom and Dad

Mom, Dad, Brandon, Caitlyn, and Emma on bridge at Gardner Village.

SUNDAY

We drove home. We were going to go to a muesum (suprise it was opened on a Sunday) but poor Emma had a fever and was throwing up most of the morning, so we just headed home. It was snowing/raining and I was thankful Dad was driving. (He used to drive bus/truck so he is a very good driver). Good thing too because the truck in front of us on the freeway slid off the freeway (first playing bumper cars with the cememt wall). Dad was able to slow down (without sliding) and change lanes with just feet to spare or we would have hit the truck!! It was scary but memorable!! I got home around 430 and we left SLC around 10!! What a trip!!

This is the visiblity we had leaving SLC. After an hour it cleared up.

This pic was taken minutes before the wreck!!

Caitlyn, Emma, and Brandon on the way home (shopped too much I guess).

Emma looks a Cindy Lou Who from How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Toward the afternoon Emma was feeling much better.