Hey Girl (Ryan Gosling Edition)

So I know not everyone that comes by this little corner of the interwebs is a Latter-Day Saint like myself....but I just couldn't help myself!!! 

Seriously after a bad day I just look through this website.  I read them out loud to my husband and he listens politely and hates it quietly inside while I laugh my FREAKING GUTS OUT!!!

http://mormonheygirl.tumblr.com/

If you need any help deciphering the mormon jargin to get the joke...just give me a shout....I'll help :)

I was warned

Yeah yeah...alright....it's true....

Pinterest is addicting

Blast!  Time to set time limits so I actually get some sleep.

This is me being productive at work

So, this is a super rare opportunity for you folks. 

Not because I am ashamed of how my body looks, but because I think it's weird to splash it around on the internet.

ALAS....

In an effort to share with people I don't get to see and purely for the sake of documentation when I print this out....here is what the two of us look like at 6 months!

Yes, that is my desk, at work, at 4pm, when I didn't feel like doing anything else. Maybe you can actually thank my brain shutting down for this rare opportunity.....

Here's the Rundown

Alright folks...this is the worst blog famine I have created in a long time.

Sorry!!!

1. Work (good excuse right?!)
2. Tyler's school (lame excuse...don't judge)
3. Got nothin' else you'll likely except :)

Life is good to us, we've gotten a lot of good family time in, went to an awesome ward Christmas brunch, finished this dumb semester, gone to the sand dunes.....we're happy, but obviously nothing crazy is happening....hehe

I'll post before Christmas you have my word (and if you're lucky you'll get some pictures!)

Food

Get this:

IT IS ALL FOOD!!!!! EVERY SINGLE PIECE!!!!

This is my new favorite kind of art :)

My Recent Sanity

So...some of the best things about my job are the people I work with, I know that is SO cliche, but, meet Pam........

This is us at a little office outing to Bucca de Beppo where we absolutely stuffed ourselves! Don't get me wrong, this isn't a Pam love fest (love ya Pam!!), BUT it's people like Pam that make my days go smoothly.

I love people that are equally as goofy, but appropriately serious, not afraid to be totally crass or abrasive (becuase trust me, I can hold my own in that department), and have such a kind heart at the same time.......

those are my kinds of peeps :)

Pretending to be Vietnamese

You read it correctly! I made a Vietnamese Spring Roll....the bonus....we got to do this at work for Asian Pacific Heritage Month! The rice paper was super sticky, so I was pretty proud of my quality. I'm such a nerd.

I Can Always Count on Jane

Friday was a stinky day for me.....work was pretty awful, Tyler went on a boys trip, and my hips were feeling particularly large that day. :)

I got a call from my friend Lyndsey who was also having a stinky day (woot woot!) and she wanted to go grab some dinner at Paradise Bakery. We both got some yummy sandwhiches with pasta salad and soup, plus some yummy cookies to make us feel better about our lives...hahaha.

I decided I would wrap up the night with a good cry so I came home, curled up and watched my girly movie: Sense and Sensibility

Please believe me when I say this is one of the best movies ever!!!!!!!!!! You all need to watch it!

I can always count on Jane Austen to make me feel like a hopeless romantic and I love every second of it!

Let's Just Play Nice

So, it is a late night for me; getting work done, eating leftover pizza, and

watching the opening ceremonies of the olympics!

Everytime I am able to catch the opening ceremonies I just feel so uplifted and wonderful. Tonight I nearly cried as I watched all the tribes of Canada dance and represent their people. I think there is something really endearing and human about the Olympics. For 16 days people from all over the world put everything else on hold and enjoy the talents and uniqueness of all the people around them.

It's like the whole world stops while we play a big game of hide and seek.

It's also amazing how music and dance connects all cultures. In every Olympic ceremony, the opening ceremony is an exhibition of music and movement from the host country. We all understand the feelings that come from a natural human expression of joy, gratitude, and celebration.

I really feel like just giving everyone a big hug.

Looking forward to the next several days of tears and cheers as I watch the 2010 Winter Olympics!

I'm Back!

Quick apology to all the stalkers out there :) I'll be back today with a post....have no fear.

Leave of Absence

Check me out....I have been such a slacker with my posts. Life got really fast there for a few weeks and I figured it was more important to live it, than blog about it.

I have a few pictures I'll post later and a few key highlights below. I'll get back to my blessings tomorrow :)

• This was our first traditional Thanksgiving since we've been married and it was kind of nice. Thanks (or not) to a little family injury, we stayed home from the sand dunes. We are grateful that everyone is healthy and on the mend.
• We (and by we, I mean my husband) are all signed up for next semester at ASU. The end is so close, we can taste it. Just a few more to go.
• We are both really excited for Christmas. We love (and probably spend too much money) shopping for other people. I'm determined to find some unique and wonderful things.
• Finally sold one of our cars....such a relief. Not having to think about that opens up a whole world of goals and opportunities.
• I am loving the people we go to church with. It is such a change and such a wonderful group of people. It has enlightened our minds, lives, and spirits and I think we can both honestly say we look forward to every church meeting we have. Tyler is such a great example for the youth and I love having a few minutes to teach some music skills to the ladies. Church is our labor of love and our break from the world.

Living day by day. That's our stride lately. We are happy, healthy, grateful, and as always....

Blessed.

A Few Key Points About My Life

1) I love working for a food company.....instant dinner without grocery shopping!

2) I have not spent one red cent on something frivilous for myself in quite a while (except for that $2.10 at Jack in the Crack, but after a puppy poops in your car....it is NOT a frivilous expense). Let me just say I am incredibly dissapointed in myself for acting like this is such a big deal! Heaven forbid I might actually save a few bucks BUT I just want to buy something. This is my new resolution, to not 'want'. Go ahead, wish me luck with that, haha

3) I have not found a good time to exercise and so I don't. I have decided I will never find a good time to exercise so I'll just have to suck it up and use the bad times (like 4:45 in the am...AHHH)

4) I love drawing floor plans. Love Love Love Love it. I will build a house one day and it will be everything I could have ever wanted. I love putting all my big fancy dreams down on paper. (Note...this doesn't go very well with #2)

5) No matter how grouchy, rude, ungrateful, snotty, and unkind I am (and trust me, sometimes I am) I am continually blessed by my Heavenly Father. His hand is unwavering in my life and is the only constant in which I have come to place my reliance. Even though I may feel like being the opposite I cannot deny that I am continually thankful and amazed at the blessings Tyler and I are given.

I just made a mad-men version of myself! I never have seen the show...ever...in my life. BUT making myself like I belonged in the show was quite a treat!

Try for yourself here: Make a Little Cartoon You!

How fun is she! I couldn't decide between pearls or a scarf, donut or coffee, purse or newspaper....oh so many options!

Maybe Yes....but Maybe No?

This will not be nearly as fun as Callie's, but it will get the job done and share a little bit about me in the process.

The bold items are things I can answer 'yes' to:

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland or Disneyworld
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables (does my family garden as a kid count?)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Olde Faithful Geyser Erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie or on a TV show (this one also kind-of counts...I got to be a guest news anchor on the 6pm news once a month during 6th grade. It was awesome!)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business (I sold trinkets to my neighboors when I was a kid-that totally counts)
58. Had an encounter with a wild animal
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets, or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy (Barbies!!)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone (stress fractures in my shins...nothing crazy)
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a Jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Taken a martial arts class

Techno-Mania

I just wanted to write a quick post about how grateful I am for medical technology. My mom just had quite an invasive surgery and it is amazing how easily and effortlessly doctors seem to accomplish such daunting tasks. A surgery that would not even have been possible a few decades ago, is now complete in less than 2 hours.
We are so blessed. Mom is good.

Closet Geek

Yay for a new Ipod Touch and Adobe Photoshop!!!! I am in technology heaven...ya'll better watch out :)

These Are a Few...

1) I hate to admit it, but I am absolutely in love with the new Miley Cyrus song. IN LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!

Listen here: Party in the USA

2) I am so glad I went out with the ladies dancing on Friday night. I forgot so much, including how much I love dancing. It is tough to convince boys to dance with you when you have a wedding ring on, but it was worth the good time. I'm so thankful for a confident husband.

Come with us: Paragon Dancing for only $5 on Fridays

3) I'm starting a tri-healthalon at work and the winning team gets a pair of customized running shoes....Yoga-Booty-Ballet....here I come!!

That's right friends; I bought it, and I love it: Yoga Booty Ballet

Mares Eat Oats and Does Eat Oats

I have had some really great experiences lately. I feel like Tyler and I are closer than ever, I have been totally blessed at work, we have great friends, our families are getting into the swells of life as we all get married, life is marching on.

There are plenty of things to update you about:
-Lill's Wedding
-Colorado
-Lake
-4th of July
-The dentist (yikes!)

But...just know we're chillaxin', rockin' and rollin', groovin', and livin'.

Here's a picture for giggles and good measure:

Life is like a rag bone....find something to balance it on and it makes for some giggles and a good time.

Like It's 1999......

The rain just makes me so happy! Even though I can't curl up in a ball and read, it makes me feel like I can which is amazing. Plus...the start of half-day summer Fridays at work are the cherry on top. It is refreshing to have time to do things around the house and trust me, "doing things" should not be exciting, but after a week at the office, it is nice to get back to my rural roots and get my hands dirty. Being home by myself also meant I could turn on some Beyonce and Janet Jackson and bust out my own version of "So You Think You Can Dance". It is a show that never gets caught in real life but boy does it feel good to grab that dust rag, throw on my jazz pants, and have a mini-flashdance moment. You should all try it...you'll love it....I promise.

Cilantro loves Maria...and Maria loves it back

This is for a special someone (I told you I would do it)! This post is all about the wonderful world of cilantro. Cil-what? That's right everyone, I am dedicating a whole 10 minutes of my life to discussing a little green Mexican herb.
Today Maria and I enjoyed "Coriandrum sativum" atop our nachos. I think we are so used to tasting hints of cilantro in salsa or in Mexican food, but just plopping it right on top of a big pile of sour cream and pinto beans was perfect. It was clean and crisp and added a whole different spin to such usual and plain ingredients.
My cousin Morgan makes the best homemade salsa and unlike the usual Pace or Herdez, it has a really strong and fresh flavor...maybe that is why Morgan's salsa will forever by my favorite. Cilantro is a little spicy, a little smoky, and at the same time, cooling when it is in your mouth. Strange but oh so tasty. Though I don't use cilantro often, here are some tasty ways to easily work the little leaf into your cooking:

Cilantro Rice: Mix some garlic and cilantro leaves in a blender. Saute onions in a little bit of oil until soft, brown uncooked rice until opaque. Cook as usual but try using chicken stock instead of water

Cilantro Avacado Potato Salad: Mix softened potatoes and onions in a bowl, add some garlic, salt, and pepper. Dice avacado, a little jalepeno, and cilantro and toss in with potatoes with some lime juice

Cilantro Lime Mayo: Blend lime juice, hot sauce, garlic, dijon mustard, and cilantro. Process until leaves are finely minced. Add some mayo and mix just until blended...add to anything!

Some side notes that may be of some importance:
1. Mix cilantro with some mint juice and you can use it as a facial toner
2. Coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant
3. Some people believe it can relieve insomnia or anxiety
4. You may be allergic to it...and then don't blame me! :)

Happy Eating!