The Football Cake

My sister Colette invited me to her house last week to watch the Texas vs. Oklahoma football game. Aaron was even nice enough to let me watch the Gators play after the Texas game was over. We had and tons of food. Colette wrote about all of that on her blog. I was so excited to have been invited to there indoor tailgate party. I felt like I had to contribute so I made a cupcake football cake. I got the recipe from the Betty Crocker Fall Baking cookbook. It's one of the best cookbooks I've ever purchased. I'm proud of the cake and happy with the way it turned out. Not to mention it was YUMMY!!!

Call Me Crafty

Last weekend during General Conference my Mom, Kim, Colette and I made some fall crafties to decorate our house with. I was put in charge of going to Lowe's to get the wood to make the decorations. There was a very kind gentlemen that offered to help me. I told him I needed 2 4x4's and 2 2x4's. He asked what type of project I was doing and I said, "We are making pumpkins." He looked at me a little bit confused and said, "You're making pumpkins out of 2x4's and 4x4's?" I said, "Yep square pumpkins and wooden blocks with fall written in vinyl letters." He just smiled and very graciously helped me find what I needed.

Today I decided I wanted to make some hair clips for my nieces that have birthdays in October. I was in the craft store forever trying to decide which ribbons and flowers to buy. Then, after I had everything picked out I walked by an isle that had an entire section of kits to make hair clips. It comes with the ribbon, jewels, flowers and everything. So, I decided to use a mixture. I kept some of the things I had picked out and bought a couple of kits as well. I hope my nieces like them. I think they turned out pretty well.

First Snow of the Season

It snowed yesterday on September 30th. The question is... Are we going to skip fall and head straight to winter or are we going to be able to enjoy any fall weather? Your guess is as good as mine. Just as a note. It was about 90 degrees the day before it snowed. How is a girl supposed to plan her wardrobe with such drastic changes in the temperature? However, I have to admit, I think the mountains look kind or pretty with the white snow and the color of the fall leaves. The statement I just made does not by any means suggest I am ready for snow. I want fall..leaves, pumpkins and corn stalks.

Brandi Carlile

A few months ago one of my bosses started talking about Brandi Carlile. He kept talking about how much he loved her and thought she was one of the best singers/song writers of all time. I thought to myself, what could be the big deal? He went to one of her concerts and said it changed his life so, out of curiosity I search some of her music and found that I kind of agreed with him, which I sometimes don't love to admit. So since then I have listened to the music of hers on my ipod quite often. Well, last week I got a text message from the radio station 101.9 the End saying if you want to hear Brandi Carlile play live in the Endzone text back Endzone and your name. I sent a text with my name and then I thought, "that would kind of be really cool to see her so I sent another text saying, "So, I was wondering, if I send my name in a million times to see Brandi Carlile will I have more of a chance to win." I got a reply back saying we did not understand your message please visit our website for rules of the contest. Blast, I thought to myself and just for good measure I sent one my text just with my name. I didn't hear anything from the radio station until later that night. They called and said I was invited to see Brandi play live in the Endzone!! Mostly, I was the happiest girl in the world. I was so excited. So, Bri and I went down for our lunch break and had pizza and soda provided by the station with about 20 other people and listened to Brandi chat and play for about an hour. It was awesome. She truly is amazing and one of my newest found favorite artists. If you get a chance to see her or buy any of her music..don't hesitate just do it. I promise you won't regret the decision!

Holy Crap...Batman!!!

I spent part of Labor Day weekend with my family up Deep Creek, in Morgan. Austin and my dad are obsessed with cutting firewood so naturally they took advantage of being in the mountains for the day and decided to cut a load of wood. Turns out Austin cut down a tree with a real live bat in it. Needless to say I was more scared of the bat than any of my nieces and nephews. They all wanted to touch it and make friends with it and I just wanted him to keep it the heck away from me. I did learn though from the Batman survivalist, Austin, that a bat cannot fly if you let it go on the ground. They are unable to flap their wings to take flight, so when you let them go you have to throw them into the air. That's what he did and it flew off and hung itself upside down in another tree. We didn't cut that one down. Although there were times during the discovery I was screaming like a girl, I was brave enough to get a few pictures. But, when I was posting the pictures on my blog I was still getting me shivers down my spine....(cringe)!

Something Uplifting

The girl who taught our Relief Society Lesson today read a portion of President Uchtdorf's talk from General Conference. I really like what it said so, I am posting it on my blog. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

"As you live up to this mission, in whatever life circumstance you find yourself - as a wife, as a mother, as a single mother, as a divorced woman, as a widowed or a single woman - the Lord our God will open up responsibilities and blessings far beyond your ability to imagine.


May I invite you to rise to the great potential within you. But don't reach beyond your capacity. Don't set goals beyond your capacity to achieve. Don't feel guilty or dwell in thoughts of failure. Don't compare yourself to others. Do the best you can, and the Lord will provide the rest. Have faith and confidence in Him, and you will see miracles happen in your life and the lives of your loved ones. The virtue of your own life will be a light to those who sit in darkness, because you are a living witness of the fullness of the gospel. Wherever you have been planted on this beautiful but often troubled earth of ours, you can be the one to "succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.


My dear sisters, as you live your daily life with all its blessings and challenges, let me assure you that the Lord loves you. He know you. He listens to your prayers, and He answers those prayers, wherever on this world you may be. He wants you to succeed in this life and in eternity."

It's BBQ Time

My family came down for a barbeque at my house last week. Monica and Scott's visit from Texas was the purpose of the celebration. I love it when my family comes down. We had some good food and great company. I took some pictures of the kids. They are always much cuter than the adults. No offense guys..I'm just stating a very true fact! :) I love you all just the same.

My 30th Birthday

I had my 30th birthday last month!! I am so excited to be 30. For whatever reason I have always wanted to be 30. I think it is because I feel like at the age of 30 you become a real adult. Not just a 20 something year old trying to be an adult. Regardless of how I feel about being 30 the important thing is that I had a really great day! I started the morning by sleeping in a little bit, then I met my Mom and sisters for lunch and to get pedicures.

The pedicures were a great experience because my sister Colette, my Mom and sister in law Alysha had never had pedicures before. Ha! I hope that Colette won't be mad at me for saying this but, she was the funniest ever. She had to go to the bathroom so bad and she didn't feel like she had time to go before we started. When she put her feet in the hot water I thought she may wet her pants right there in the massage chair. We also discovered Colette's uncomfortably ticklish feet that day. Alysha and I couldn't stop laughing at how she would flinch and try not to kick the pedicurist in the face because of the tickle she was feeling in her feet. Ah, it was such a good time.





After the pedicures we shopped for a minute and I headed home to my house. I got opened some presents and then headed to Salt Lake to meet some friends for dinner at the Cheesecake factory. The dinner was so so good. I love that Cheesecake factory place! Yum!! The best part was the cheesecake...White Chocolate Caramel Macadamian Nut goodness, with whip cream of course. I loved it!





Such a good time and such a great day. I love being 30. I can't even wait to see what the rest of life will bring to me.

Independance Day

Yesterday, I had the most overwhelming gratitude come over me when I started thinking about the 4th of July and the purpose of why we celebrate it. I couldn't stop thinking of all the freedoms I enjoy. I woke up around 11 o'clock in the morning. Did some laundry, sat outside on my deck, and started remodeling my kitchen. All things I did in the luxury of my own my. My very own home. Then I took a warm indoor shower, listened to my music while I got ready in my very own bathroom. Drove my car to a friends house, sat in her backyard, ate all the food I wanted. Then I walked over to the park, wrapped up in a warm blanket and watch fireworks all night long. It was such a simple day but a day filled with tasks that are the complete benefit of the men and women who sacrificed their lives and their liberties to make this the United States a free country. A place where everyone is free to pursue life, love and happiness. God bless America!

A Backyard Concert w Kalai

Last year I went to a concert at Thanksgiving point that featured Kalai. I hadn't ever really heard of him before but quickly fell in love with his unique sound and individual style. Since then I have continually searched for venues where he is playing and listened to his music hundreds and hundreds of times on my Ipod. A few weeks ago my boss called and said, "hey, who is that artist that you love?" I said Kalai right away. He said, "one of my friends is having a private concert with him in their backyard. I am not going to be able to go do you want to go?" Of course my response was heck yes!!! The private concert was amazing and I was so excited! I truly do love Kalai's music. It was so so fun. There were probably 50 people in the backyard. One of the best concert I have ever been to in my life!!

The New Love of My Life

I love to lay out. I think it probably started in High School when my girlfriends and I would sluff and layout in the back of my truck for an hour during the middle of the day. Then when I graduated and went to college my roommates and I decided to take a tanning trip every year in May to start off the tanning season right. We just had our 5th year tanning trip anniversary in May. When I bought my house one of the first purchases I made to accessorize the place was some white armless lay out chairs.

So, it should be no surprise that this weekend I fell in love with the best place I have ever laid out. The pool at the Wynn hotel in Las Vegas. Look at that picture...how can you not like that? From the gold and white striped bath towels, to the water misters and complimentary water..you can not go wrong. The pool is gorgeous. And I absolutely loved it. If you ever get a chance to go, do it and make sure you spend the night!

The Love Bug

My sister did this post a few months ago. I loved reading about the things she loves. I meant to do it then but I didn't make the time. I stole the post picture from her blog. I hope she doesn't mind.

Things That I Love...

25. I love to celebrate holidays...any holiday you give me. I will celebrate.
24. I love being outside.
23. I love hiking.
22. I love laying out in the summer.
21. I love freedom.
20. I love learning.
19. I love to hold a sleeping baby in my arms.
18. I love to feel the warmth of another person next to me.
17. I love my job and being good at what I do.
16. I love a newly mowed lawn and the smell of fresh cut grass.
15. I love Springtime...tree blossoms, flower buds, and the warming of the sun.
14. I love being an Aunt, a sister, a daughter and a friend.
13. I love to create things.
12. I love to decorate and accessories, either my home or my outfits.
11. I love knowing I have really good friends.
10. I love my parents will all of my heart.
9. I love my membership in the LDS church.
8. I love the memories I have of serving a mission in Brazil.
7. I love helping people.
6. I love to make new friends.
5. I love a clean, well kept house.
4. I love to sleep.
3. I love the way I feel when I work out.
2. I love experiencing new things.
1. I love life.