Pre Christmas activities

When we all get together I just hand my camera, or it gets commandeered by Manda and she takes lots of fun pictures, so ENJOY!!!!

Festival of Trees 2009

K don't have music on my work computer so went to Amazon b/c they are doing a free music for the 25 days of Christmas and this one was one of the better ones.

26 Special Day Dinner

Rules: Old Navy brand written across the ladies, flip flops(but it was in the single digits so I let it slide) Utah bump hair, Dinner at Roadhouse.

Jumping the Curb

In no way am I as great of a story teller as Manda, but i'll try.
Last Thursday I was going to a friends house to then go to a movie and I was driving at night, there were NO street lights and it was in a town I wasn't to familiar with. He gave me directions over the phone and sometimes I can be like a guy and be stubborn about asking for directions. So I noticed I had gone to far and so I made a u-turn. While making said u-turn I was also trying to hold onto my phone. And as I'm turning I fell a BUMP and then hear metal on concrete scratching. I slam on the brakes hop out and discover that my car is straddling the curb. Now these are not your everyday curbs. I guess you could say its folklore but these curbs were 12" tall. Don't let the picture fool you. As I JUMPED out of my car I saw that the front tire had jumped back up onto the curb. I called the guy I was meeting and told him I had a girl moment and jumped the curb outside his street. He came and found me, we went back to his house grabbed his jack and headed back. He then returned my car to the right side of the curb, only resulting in sore arms for 2 days! I don't know how many times I said sorry, but what can you say? Everyday I try and prove that I'm not some silly girl, being in construction its a must when you still insist on wearing pink and heels sometimes. and this truly took away and man point i had made. Not only is my car hurt but so is my pride. The shop that I took my car to said that I had damaged/broken the radiator, oil pan, 2 tires, 2 wheels, R front strut, the R front lower control arm, and a rim. YIKES. Thankfully Daddy Warbucks was able to help! Looks like I'm getting tires and stuff for Christmas!

Lately...not including jumpin the curb

jumpin the curb story will come later but if you click on over to Cindy's blog it will give ya an update of whats been going on.

http://curiousphotos.blogspot.com/

If I were to ever get a truck....which i really want to. I think I might just have to do something like this to make it AWESOME.... maybe add the SLC temple or something.

Amazing new paintings

So I was walking out of Downeast last Saturday at PTC mall and there is a paint gallery that I always pass but never go in, always wanted to but never did. Well this time something caught my eye and I could look away. Here are the two paintings that got me.
this is the gallery
click on Most Popular

my favorites are One Nation Under God and Peace is Coming.

if you click on the picture it will open to a new page and then to enlarge the picture click the new picture. If you click on One Nation Under God the second time, it allows you to pan over each person in the painting and tells you who and what they did. Peace is Coming just identifies each soldier.

Pre Halloween

This weekend I got on a Martha Stewart kick and baked and decorated for Halloween. Cindy's birthday is on Tuesday and she was telling me about some doughnuts that they have at orchards in New Jersey, so I googled the recipe for Apple Cider doughnuts and made them. She said they were ok but different from the ones in the orchard. I just smiled and thought to myself, NOTHING beats Southern Maid doughnuts, so there.
Then we had dinner group this past Sunday and I made a Chocolate Orange layer cake the directions on the cake are a little confusing (well maybe just for me) so I made 2 cakes by accident.

Now to the kitchen table decorations. I know its a little late to be decorating for Halloween but maybe it will stay up a little into November. Here is the entire table.

Cindy found this scull and bones. The orange and black balls were at Tai-Pan. Then napkins- Kohls for FREE. When we first strung the little white guys up the string was tied to their back bone and so it looked like they were flying, my roommate said they looked like dead babies, and we couldn't have that so we tried again, but it was kinda funny for a bit.
Cindy also got the small skeleton heads. I like the sparkles!!!!
The place mats another Kohls purchase for 3.95 total, originally 6.99 each, I got 4.
Close up of the plate setting.When I was making the orange icing the directions didn't say anything about when you put the powdered sugar and milk and orange zest in and turn on the mixer that most of it would land on the counter. Guess this is why I don't have my own show on Food Network. Luckily I was wearing my apron (thanks Manda for the apron, it was a clothes saver).

Vacations

I took vacation time from work to attend a friends wedding in Nauvoo. It was fun, busy, and quick.

http://blog.erikadotsonphotography.com/

These two were in the Visitors center in Nauvoo. I really like the second one.

Walkway right outside Carthage Jail.

Jennie and me outside Carthage Jail.

This is the window where the Prophet Joseph Smith was shot

This flag only has 18 stars and was presented to Lincoln. it is said to have been a symbol of those states apposed to the confederacy.

This door was once located at a friend of Abraham Lincoln's. He often visited the home while he was practicing law.

Nauvoo Temple

Manda in her NEW car(in provo, before the trip).

Then came back for 4 days and then left for Las Vegas. It was scary, eye opening, and awesome.

Tuba Man at the UNLV/UTAH football game

Kid from Utah Univ.

Cindy w/ Caesar

Pretty cake in one of the shops

This tree was a fountain

Its the 2nd greatest time of the year

IT's OCTOBER !!!!
* the Holiday season starts
- - EVERYONE is starting to display CHRISTMAS stuff
*my friend Manda's getting married
*it's BREAST CANCER awareness month
*EVERYTHING you can imagine comes in PINK for 1 month
*the leaves start to change
*college Football is in full swing
*fall break trip to Las Vegas to visit Staci(old roommate)
*Halloween (I'm going as the chic from 'The Birds'
*Cindy's B-day
*decorating for Halloween (pic to come, its going to be Glitzy)
*in theaters Toy Story and Toy Story 2 double feature for 2 weeks
*31 days until 106.5 plays NON-stop CHRISTMAS music
*September is OVER


the 3 bad things so far are
if I dont pass 2 test by the 20th I wont graduate in December
its COLD
I have to add a math class(if I pass those 2 tests)

It's on the market

2176 Monticello Street, COVINGTON, GA 30014-2332
Price: $1,400,000
Year Built: 1833
Bedrooms: 8
Stories: 2 or more Stories
Bathrooms: 6

Property Description
This house was the Model for "12 Oaks" in Gone with the Wind, Museum quality restoration. Grand 3-story paneled staircase, Modern kitchen and baths, Full 3-story house with huge square footage. 11 fireplaces, pool.

Additional Property Information
Style: Traditional Fireplace(s): 10
Basement: Crawl Space
Kitchen: Breakfast Bar, Breakfast Room, Cabinet - White, Island, Keeper Room, Pantry
Parking: 2 Car Garage, Kitchen Level, Parking Pad
Lot: Level, Level Driveway, Room for Pool/Tennis, Private Backyard
Neighborhood: Cable Tv Avail, Sidewalk

Offered By BEACHAM & COMPANY REALTORS




Not that I'm going to buy it, but I would if I could... just think of what could be done with the interior!!!

You're my Honeybunch (The Cupcake Song)

I first heard this song from Amanda Nelson as a ringtone. It has become my phone alarm clock tone. This little guy is just too cute. I love it when he scrunches his face. Its a cute song too.

Wikkit Wikkit

Its my LAST first day of school (hopefully- meaning in case I want something more than a BA in CM)

No, I didn't stay up all hours of the night picking out my outfit, stressing about how I was going to do my hair or if it was the right outfit for the first day of school and if it all coordinated. It really didn't seem like the night before the first day of school. Instead of getting a good nights sleep so I could be well rested I took my roommate to the airport for a midnight flight. Crawled out of bed and went to work this morning. I guess it will hit in October when I have to submit all the info for graduation that this really is my LAST first day !!!

Dear Toys R Us Employee

Mr Toys R Us Employee, I have a bone to pick with you.
I don't think you fully understand the words 'Customer Service' very well.

1. Maybe it is due to the amount of gel you use to cover your receding hairline with your comb over. Its not working for you we can still see that you are going bald.

2. When I ask if you have a certain item it is okay to just say no, we don't carry that item. You do not need to stick your nose in the air and tell me that what I am looking for is out dated and how can I use something so archaic.

2a. it was FREE

2b. not everyone wants/can afford to update every time a new upgrade comes out
2c. do you upgrade every time w/ your (I'm guessing) $6.75/hr paycheck?
2d. it works perfectly so why get a new one?

3. You are a 30+ something working at Toys R Us- and it didn't seem like it was because you lost your amazing job to the recession.

4. I am not a teenager, there is no need to talk down to me.

and

5. dude you are not as awesome/powerful as you think, get over yourself.

***Does anyone know where I can find a cover for my Ipod? I think its a 5th generation (OMG, I know, how can I stand to be seen in public with it) 60 gig.

Beating Boredom

On Sundays I get out of church at 11:30 and by 1 or 2 I am going crazy with nothing to do, so I usually bake. Well I decided I would make Jambalaya instead of making a dessert. As I was starting to cook Cindy noticed I had 3 types of meat on the counter. We thought it was funny so we took a picture. -sausage, chicken, and ham.

Amanda made this apron!!! I kinda REALLY love it. The other side is opposite using the same pattern as the pink strap and waist ties.

I found these plates on Craigslist. I think they are pretty awesome.

Our table is always set but no one eats at it. My favorites are the ribbons around the cups.

The ham (from the pic of meat above) I bought was REALLY good, so I made Cindy try it. It had a lot of juices so we used paper towels so the juice wouldn't drip on us. We thought it was SUPER classy. We are getting a new roommate soon, I hope shes okay with our silliness.

Here's a picture of the Jambalaya.

Birth Control thanks to Morgan Freeman

I'm not a big fan of Mtv, but there is this show that has me staying up till midnight on Thursdays. Its called 16 and Pregnant. It is a documentary show that follows girls that have been knocked up by their super cool boyfriends through their pregnancies, the life changes, the sacrifices and all that comes with having and keeping their baby. Not excited to watch? Well these girls are 16!!! and their are awkward moments where you ask yourself WHAT !?!?!? where are the parents, think of the baby!!! I think its funny when the girls want to keep the baby and their thought process is something like, its going to be fun to have a baby, they're so cute. umm did you forget about the every 3 hr feedings, poopy diapers? Then once the babies get here the moms tired, emotional, and in most episodes the only real parent, as the guys live with them but still go out and play with their friends. Its kinda funny in a real sad way.

Two of my favorite parts from this season are from Amber and Farrahs' episodes. Amber gets tired of pushing, shes almost done and says, i'm done I want a c-section, umm you cant just quit!! and two Farrah' s dad is her doctor!!! EWWW, umm gross.

Last night was the season finale(Catelynn) and the two 16yr old parents came from beyond white trash families, who the 16yr old dad's dad spent most of his childhood in jail, and the girls mom was a drunk and spent a lot of nights in jail. The couple started dating in 7th grade and then the creepy thing is the two jail prone parents got married!!!!! so these teens somehow managed to have a good bit of sense and thought the best thing for the child would be to give it up for adoption. The 16dad's dad said for him to man up and keep the baby, giving the baby away was not being responsible!!!! umm FREAK. The girls mom was also against them giving the baby, even to the point that when they were signing the papers at the hospital the mom wouldn't co-sign so the girl already emotional enough had to carry her baby out of the hospital doors and then hand her over. I cried like a baby. What also made this episode so great was that the dude(16yr old) cried as much as the girl, all of the other couples kept their babies, but I think these two are going to make great parents someday. It really is a great(and by great I mean informative) show. After watching this show we joke around about how could a couple watch this and still want to sit on the same couch!!!! I think this show should be shown in sex ed, it would be a great scare tactic for teenagers. the shows are on MTV and HULU (already linked to the correct pages) . I also think its pretty cool that Morgan Freeman produces the show, that's what sparked my interest in the first place. Next weeks episode is kinda like a where are they now show, its going to be AWESOME.

Really watch them, it will make you feel batter about yourself! and the Catelynn episode is REALLY good, if not for the weirdness of their families but for the story on adoption.

Feedbags and online dating from The Onion

Ken and Charles, two friends on Facebook had these posted on their pages and I thought they were too funny not to share. I really like the part at the end of the second one about dogs, it makes me laugh every time.


New Wearable Feedbags Let Americans Eat More, Move Less



Online Dating Helping Pathetic Women Get Their Hopes Crushed More Efficiently

2 letters make the difference in a day

I was talking to Libby yesterday on Facebook and she mentioned that James saw my picture and started saying hi. A few minutes later I received a video of James and then later one of James and Miles.

What the heck in the world....

ksl.com - Vernal teen pleads no contest to hired beating

Suprise Suprise

I am a member of the Provo Towne Centere Club. (they send me surveys about products and I take them and in return I get points that if I ever get enough add up to a gift card or something)- its kinda like sky miles in the way that you have to do more than humanly possible to get the rewards. And usually I get disqualified from taking the survey, b/c I don't have kids at home, or I don't smoke, or am not male. If you want to sign up click on the PTC link above and then to Emails & Cance to Win. Now I think it is because I am a member, because I have not taken enough surveys to qualify.Well I come back from lunch and there is an email :

Hi Abby, Shopping for Dad this week? Need a perfect gift for your special Grad? Or maybe it’s time to treat yourself! Start your Shopping at Provo Towne Centre with A FREE $10 MALL GIFT CARD exclusively for Club Members!
Just print this email and bring it to the Customer Service between June 17-23, 2009. Limited number of cards are available, so hurry in while supplies last! Customer Service Hours are: Monday - Saturday 11:00 am - 8:00 pm Sunday 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm For more details and sales at your favorite stores, visit provotownecentre.com

I'm thinking ok what do I have to do b/c they are not just going to give me $10. Well I print it out and because I work maybe 2 min from the mall I hope right over after work walk in and show her my email and ask what I have to do to receive the gift card. She replies 'it's a promo, show me your license.' After about 1 minute or so of her filling out paperwork so I can't come in again and get another card she hands me with $10.00 on it. Now what do I spend it on???? There are a pair of earrings at Express that are $20.00 and I just dont spend that much on earrings because I know I will lose them, its just a matter of time. They dont have an Express store at my mall, they do at University Mall but its not a GGP mall. The closest GGP mall that has an Express is in Fashion Place Mall in Murray, which by the time I drove up there I would have spent the $10 I would have saved on the earrings on gas. Who am I kidding it will probably go towards shoes! haha. All in all it was a great suprise!

Fun Easy Summer Dessert

So I made these last night for a ward FHE bbq, and they were a hit! They are super easy. I made them to the recipe but on half I added white chocolate. One hint I will give you is when cutting the brownies into small squares use a serving spatula instead of a knife, your squares will actually turn out. I also looked several places for the longer toothpicks but I found a 75 pack of plastic toothpicks like this, but in crayola eight pack colors. I think I made about 70 or so desserts using 1 box of brownies in a 9x13 pan and I think 4 bananas and 1 1/2 containers of strawberries. I used 1/2 of a giant Hershey's chocolate bar. I found the recipe at littlewindowshoppe. I forgot to take a picture, but they pretty much look like the picture from the blog, just imagine some with added white chocolate.

PoH day 2

Its quite apparent we are in a recession. Last night I was able to go though 10 houses in 3 hours. Yes, they were in the south end of the county, not the most expensive homes. But last time in 6 homes I took 30 odd pics, this time only 22. Tonight I am off to alpine/highland, so here's hoping. I was told some of the rules about homeowners not being able to stay in their homes during the parade are being bent and the homes are not as luxurious as previous years. Also every time I would exit a home (they have vendors in the garages) I would be asked 'so you got to come alone?' ugh yeah. 'wow that must be nice no kids, people slowing you up...' why is it that if you look over 18 in UT county you must be married with kids? I know its trendy but .... anyhow....

Oh I forgot to add this to the previous post, as I was returning from viewing the fist home I realized I had left my keys in my car. My car is psycho and locks the doors immediately after you shut the door- darn automatic locks. So I had to call the police and have them come and let me back in, guess I was just too excited to go and look at homes. Luckily I was in Orem and the po-po come and do it for free.

More pics have been added just click on 'here' from the previous post.

It's that time again

It's UC PARADE OF HOMES.
Last night I went to about 6 homes, wasn't all that impressed some homes I couldn't get out fast enough. There was one home that I loved, but it was also because of the builder, Hatfield Homes. I just love their homes each year, its probably because they have such a southern/colonial feel to them. From the second you see the house you feel warm and invited, you step into the house and you can feel the warmth of a home. Its amazing. Most of their homes are located in the same subdivision in Lindon. I like it because the homes don't look like every other home in Utah. When I build my house I think I'll go through them or at least pick their designers brain. If you want to take a look at the 38 pics I did take at the homes I visited last night click here (its picasa). I will update with new pictures soon. I do apologize, I am no photographer.

LaGooN DAY

Yesterday was Lagoon Day for teachers and students(tickets were 1/2 price- 25.00 for the day). Thankfully Cindy, my roommate is a teacher, so we got to go!!! I took a vacation day because I was about to pull all my hair out. Taking a 5 1/2 week 4 credit class was not the brightest thing I have done. We got to the park around nine and hit just about every ride. There were a few lines, but nothing too bad and the weather was perfect. We met up with some of the other teachers at Cindy's school and as we walked around the park or waited in line, some of them mentioned that there used to be this and that, but now its this, kinda stuff. Like there used to be paddle boats in the lake (i would call it a pond) or the White Coaster that is made out of wood, and was at one point painted white has been there since the 1920s. It was a great look into the past, to see how far we have come. From the simple technology of a wooden coaster, and the Carousel to the new air brushed painted rides that defy gravity.

As we were walking through the park and I was enjoying a day off in the middle of the week I kept thinking I am in the wrong major. For someone who lives for summer, the pools, the outside birthdays, water fights, water parks, practically anything outdoors, why did I choose a major that its busiest time is summer??? As I contemplated this I remember that I LOVE my major, I cant see myself sitting at a desk for the rest of my life and I don't know if I could handle 30 different personalities raised 30 different ways stuck in a classroom for 8 hours and then having to go home and continue working and preparing - just because the bell rings, it doesn't mean the work day is over, and for the pay- I don't know but I think teachers get the raw end of the deal, yes they get the summer off if they choose but the pay stinks!!! but then again I could be the shop(woodworking) / home education (cooking, sewing) teacher... humm.

Watermelon and Grandpa Brossette

Last night I bought a watermelon on the way home from work, the 1st of the season. As I was cutting it into bite size pieces, I realized that I was throwing the rind away, now to anyone this probably means nothing, but it took me back to my childhood. I can remember practically any time we went over to Grandma and Grandpa Brossette's house in the summer or spent the night Grandma would always have fresh watermelon for us to snack on. Grandpa, wearing either a blue, navy or Khaki Dickies jumpsuit, would be sitting in the corner of the kitchen eating his cheese and crackers while we snacked on watermelon and blackberries. Grandpa would always remind us to save the rind so that he could take them back to his worm farm in the backyard. It was a shed half was used for lawn care stuff and the other side had a deep freezer, and 2 barrels full of dirt and worms covered with wet newspaper. He would always take us back with him so we could see the worms and place the rind down for the worms. Then later we would go back out and dig for worms to take fishing with us. One way I could always find Grandpa's house was that he had a 'Worms for Sale' sign above his carport. And when we would play in their backyard we always had to be careful of the shed and not to run into where the worms were. Cutting that watermelon reminded me of the countless hours we spent in their backyard, the scary dog next door, and the countless fishing lines I got stuck in the trees when we would go fishing and how much patience my Grandpa had with me while not only fishing, but putting the worm on the hook and taking the fish off, if I ever caught anything.

DONE... well for a few days

FINALS are finished, now its just a waiting game to see if those low cut shirts and endless flirty blinks worked enough to get me a passing grade.

Some things I've learned this semester:
-Saturday morning classes lose their luster when it is a Power Point presentation every week.
-Having friends with the same sense of humor makes the class period go by faster.
-Writing and passing notes during a lecture not only happens in middle school but in college also
-It is exciting and self-esteem building when 2 guys fight over who gets to be in a group with you, then go and beg the teacher to let it be a group of 3.
-Tearing up does have its benefits

Wish Me luck!!! grades are out in a week or so (just as summer classes begin) JOY!

For Sale: Miss Independent

So I should be working on math homework/test because they are due at 11:59pm Saturday night, but I need a break from school. So what else could my topic be about if its not on school? well you guessed it, guys. This past weekend I went on a blind date, and it was bad! I compare blind dates to somewhat like a business dinner, you want to show your best side and only promote the best qualities- practically trying to sale yourself.
A friend of mine a work has been wanting to set us up for about 6 months now, so Saturday we went ice skating. I love ice skating, or so I thought. I fell 3 times with the last time a checkup by the arena safety patrol. It wasn't all that bad, I didn't get embarrassed or anything I just got back on my feet until I would fall again. It didn't help the guy I was with was a master skater. After skating we had to run by Sam's Club for some ice cream for his ward social the next day. I guess when you get to our age (hes 30) you kinda forget about the whole debate of can I really let them know who I am, and you just say this is me take it or leave it- why waste our time, if something like going to the grocery store is going to change the way you feel about me. While we were there we stopped to look at the cakes, because of the Cake Wreck blog I have to check. He brought up the point that every time he would walk faster to catch up with me (I was walking next to the cart) I would in turn walk faster. I explained, that's where I usually stand when grocery shopping. He also pointed out that each time I fell and he offered his help I would reply 'I'm okay, I can do it' and then get up w/o any help from him. He said I was very independent, and asked when did I become that way? He asked in a nice way, he wasn't a jerk, actually he was a gentleman, a big surprise for Utah.
I have never thought of myself as the independent type. When I think of independent I think of Libby, Manda, and Kelly, who does/says what she wants. I always envied that about them, that thy could say no, that they could just go out and do anything. Conference weekend they talked to me about buying a house...me buy a HOUSE?!?!?! no I could never do that.... but then after what this guy said about me being so independent...
Then today at work ask I was talking with a couple of guys one asked my age and I told him I was 25 and he asked if I had a serious boyfriend. I said no, and then the guy that set me and the ice skating dude up was like, 'but she does date' and the guy who asked my age was like well whats wrong with you? you probably scare the guys away.
DO I?????
I didn't think I gave on a 'man-eater/hater' vibe.
I responded well, maybe its the fact that I am a CM major. The guy that set me up on the blind date then did the default... 'well just have patience and he'll come along' speech. But then the subject changed and never came back. How do I scare guys away? Have I become to independent that I refuse help?
Really I didn't need this going into finals week!!! I give up. I'm 20 credits/8 months away from being a college graduate. I am about to accomplish something not everyone gets to do.

Everything's amazing, nobody's happy

Ok, Cindy sent this to me on facebook, its a video from Conan. Its pretty funny and makes you think how spoiled we really are and how much we take for granted the advancement of technology. It makes me wonder what is it going to be like in 30 years? what will replace cell phones? Cars? Computers? Planes? Everything. Will ADD and ADHD be as common as breathing? The possibilities are endless.

I can do hard things

There was a post on Bakerella's blog about a 14 layer cake. It looked amazing. If you go to her blog its dated Feb.15th. I saw this and wanted to make it. Now all I needed was a reason. Thankfully my friend Allison had a birthday, so I made it for her. It took a whole Sunday to make and instead of a 12 layer cake it was an 11 layer cake due to a malfunction in the kitchen (I dropped one layer out of the oven). So here are some pics! The first one is from bakerella but the rest are of the one I made. I really am starting to think maybe once I graduate and get a job, maybe I will look into cooking schools! Who knows.

Life's little treasures

So on another friends blog they made a list of their 10 favorite things. Here are mine in no particular order. I added 11 b/c I couldn't decide which one I wanted to remove so there's 11. deal with it.

1. Blue Bell.
What I wouldn't do for one of these, but filled with Blue Bell ice cream. I searched and search the internet but couldn't find the exact picture. Oh what I wouldn't do for an Orange ice cream filled Blue Bell popsicle, or a Banana Blue Bell popsicle. Blue Bell is the BEST ice cream. It makes everything else melt away.
2. Clorox Bleach/Wipes.
3. Hershey's Hugs. I love white chocolate and I love Hershey's. I am not a fan of the high priced foreign chocolate.
4. Skintimate Moisturizing After Shave Gel Raspberry Rain. They don't sell it in the stores here anymore but I wish they did, its a great moisturiser.
5. Carmex lip balm Original.
6. DownEast Outfitters long sleeve t-shirt. SO comfortable.
7. KitchenAid Mixer. I got it for Christmas a year or 2 ago and it has been the best purchase ever.
8. Old Navy flip flops. By the end of the summer season I usually have a pair in every color and at least 2 black pairs. They are so comfortable.
9. Kirklands home decor store. I could live there forever.
10. Real Simple magazine. It has plenty of easy recipes, crafts and great organizing tips.
11. Semi-Homemade by Sandra Lee. I have only tried making a couple of deserts, they turned out great and its an amazing time saver.