Does 10 Pictures = 10,000 Words?

Because I am feeling slightly lazy, here are pictures instead of a real blog post. Today, captions are as good as it gets.

Me, Aaron and Spencer snowboarding at the cabin Dec. 27th.... no he wouldn't take off the face mask, it's too cold.

Me, Carson and Spencer... Carson is getting so good!

Santa in a Big Red.....Truck?

My dear friend Pauli came down for NFR, we went dancing at Stoney's and found this jem in the parking lot as we were leaving. Yes it is a black Cadi-hurst with bull horns. I want one.

The owner came out while we were taking pictures of it, and asked if he could take a picture with us on it...

NFR!!!!

My friend Jon was a Not-so-Mean Roman Soldier in the Nativity.

In Recent News.....

I turned 25. (Trying to think of a suitable quarter life crisis, let me know if you have any good ideas...)

I've taken up yet another "old lady" hobby….quilting. We made quilts for our recently released bishopric, and I did the 2nd Councilors. It turned out very nicely. I also have a quilt waiting to have the backing put on, and one that is still in pieces.

I got to go to NFR. (oh the joys of cowboys…) more on that later.

I bought my tickets to Denver in March. (Aaron and I and some friends are going snowboarding!)

Plaid Love

I am still trying to put my feelings about Harry Potter into words, but until then...

This is a result of the cold weather and my recently renewed love of plaid.

Harry Potter

It might be too soon to think about the overwhelming amazingness that was last night.

Zero Hour.... its FINALLY Here.

My good friend found this and I believe it is a perfect summation of my feelings...

‎

"You studied with Hermione. You stumbled with Ron. You hid creatures with Hagrid. You laughed with Fred and George. You fought with Voldemort. You forgot with Neville. You got caught with the DA. You rebelled against Umbridge and Snape. You cheered on Gryffindor. You kept up the rivalry with Draco Malfoy and the Slytherins. You worked with Dumbledore. You stuck with Harry til the end. Now it's nearly over, and now all you can do is remember, and thank J.K. Rowling for the time of your life." -unknown.

Side note, I finished my marathon and cried through the last half of books 6 & 7. (not just little crying either, full on tears running, nose running, little hick-ups crying... I was up in the library finishing up the last few chapters of book 7, and my dad came in looking very worried and asked if I needed to talk about anything.... Love Him)

I am so excited for tonight it has been a struggle all day to focus on work. Also this morning I discovered a major oversight in my wardrobe... I don't own Harry Potter socks. I need some asap. Preferably a mismatched pair (because who wants two of the same sock???) with brooms on one and snitches on the other.

Too soon?

My ipod might have been on shuffle this morning. A Christmas song might have come on. I might have let it play. Then I might have gone to my Christmas playlist and started playing more. Maybe.... I don't know.

For you.

Order of the Pheonix

My feelings about Year 5 can be pretty much summed up in a few words....

Con: Harry's whining (please...just spare me)

PRO: DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY

Happiness is Basketball

OHMYHOLYGOODNESS!

I realize that I have had my Harry Potter count down for a while now, but it honestly just hit me how soon it is coming out. Happy Day! I might have to start listening to the soundtracks just to get in the mood.

The Marathon is still alive and strong (although posting is a couple days late...sorry)

My Celebration of the Goblet of Fire will be a list of favorite Quotes....

"OH NO YOU DON'T, LADDIE!"
Harry spun around. Professor Moody was limping down the marble staircase. His wand was out and it was pointing right at a pure white ferret.
"I want to fix that in my memory forever," said Ron, his closed and an uplifted expression on his face. "Draco Malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret..."

______

Ron: "Who're you going with then?"
Fred: "Angelina."
Ron: "What? You've already asked her?"
Fred: "Good point. Oi, Angelina! Want to come to the ball with me?"

______

Ron: "I could've taken those mer-idiots any time I wanted."
Hermione: "What were you going to do, snore at them?"

______

"He's not even good-looking!" she muttered angrily, glaring at Krum's sharp profile. "They only like him because he's famous! They wouldn't look twice at him if he couldn't do that Wonky-Faint thing - "
"Wronski Feint," said Harry, through gritted teeth. Quite apart from liking to get Quidditch terms correct, it caused him another pang to imagine Ron's expression if he could have heard Hermione talking about Wonky-Faints.

______

"Excuse me, I don't like people just because they're handsome!" said Hermione indignantly.
Ron gave a loud false cough, which sounded oddly like "Lockhart!"

___________________________

I love lists. And I LOVE Harry Potter.

The End

This makes me Happy.

I got this today. It made me inexplicably happy, I love things when they are"Reserved Especially" for me. And I love this lady because she sent me a tracking number... I am a notorious parcel stalker. Happy happy happy.

The Airplane is for my Halloween costume. I am going as Amelia Earhart. (I also love Halloween, this might be another factor for my happiness.)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

This is my FAVORITE HP book...EVER!

Monday are usually good list days, so here is my list of reasons why I Love HP3...

1. Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot & Prongs

2. When the Marauders Map insults Snape

3. Harry finding a Family (of sorts)

4. Expecto Patronum!

5. Profesor Lupin...I might have a smallish crush.

What I Love about Harry Potter Round 2

I LOVE it all! I love that the Trio is starting to really develop a sense of "team". I love being introduced to the Horcruxes... even if we don't know what they are yet.

Torture?

This is my desktop. Yes I know it is September and No, there is no snow for me to enjoy. But soon there will be, and that is why I save up my "Sick Days".

What I love about Book #1

I love meeting Harry and Ron, they are so cute I just want to hug them! I love finally making friends with Hermione whom I am pretty sure is my soul sister. I love being introduced (again) to this wonderful world were anything is possible and the mundane world seems to be suspended at the wrought iron gates of the school.

Harry Potter Marathon

I am a proud member of the Harry Potter Fan Club.

There is only 70 days until the first installment of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. my excitement for this event has reached breaking point, and it is getting mildly out of control.

In honour of the upcoming movie, I am joining the Oh Great Harry Potter 7s marathon. Breakdown: 70 days, 7 years at Hogwarts = One book/movie every 10 days until the release. Let the fun begin.

A list revisited

1. BYU Bookstore

Yep, It was real good, and it felt even better telling the hand out people in the walkways that I'M NOT A STUDENT!

2. Campus Craft and Floral

Also really good, got a very cute and rather large plum flower on a headband....made better by a random sighting of my cousin Chris.

3. JFSB

Holy cow the memories! It was bitter sweet, I miss the Mac Lab, but not living in the basement of that building.

4. MoA

No time

5. Provo/Springville Floral Boutiques

So good.

6. ZUMBA with Allison

I LOVE Allison's Zumba (I do not like my legs after Allison's zumba)

7. J-Dawgs ? (Still deciding...)

Nope...Brick Oven instead, a much better choice considering activities later that night.

8. Sami's

No time

9. Target with Nestle

Amazing. I still love pushing the cart and wondering around looking at everything BUT what I need.

10. Kawanis Park (also still deciding)

Bicentennial Park instead, reading in the park on a Sunday afternoon is one of the best things EVER.

11. OJHS (Ashley's classroom)

NO TIME! So sad...next time.

12. Visit Jenni (please don't die)

TWICE!

13. CUPCAKES! From that place in SF... If we can find it.

Cupcake tour of Provo= We can do better.

12 & 13

12. Visit Jenni (please don't die)

13. CUPCAKES! From that place in SF... If we can find it.

P-Town!

I never thought I would say this, but I am SO EXCITED TO GO TO PROVO THIS WEEKEND! I love lists, so here is my "Provo List" in no particular order:

1. BYU Bookstore

2. Campus Craft and Floral

3. JFSB

4. MoA

5. Provo/Springville Floral Boutiques

6. ZUMBA with Allison

7. J-Dawgs ? (Still deciding...)

8. Sami's

9. Target with Nestle

10. Kawanis Park (also still deciding)

11. OJHS (Ashley's classroom)

Thats it for now, but I am sure it will grow over the next few days.

New Love.

I love finding new things. Especially tasty new things. I got this today at the store when I was suppose to be getting tomatoes and other things... I got the other things, just forgot the tomatoes. Opps. Needless to say, I am in love.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow Ashley comes to Vegas.

Tomorrow I will be going here.

Can it PLEASE be TOMORROW yet?

Summer

List of why I love Summer time.

1. The LAKE (I could stop here and still think it is a good list. That is how much I love the lake)

2. Swimming... I love our pool almost as much as I love the lake

3. Slurpees... good all year round, but amazing during the summer

4. Sun Sleeping

5. Not having to freeze in my office

6. Skirts & Sundresses (after taking a 10 year hiatus, they are back on my love list)

7. Watermelon

8. Sandals ... so I can see the cute colors that I paint my toenails

9. Grapes... On Saturday I had them for breakfast, lunch and dinner

10. BBQ

Temple

Yes, it has been a long time sense my last post, yes I'm sorry... & Yes, I have a good excuse. (I think)

My Excuse: I am going to the temple in exactly one week and I cant really think about anything else. Sorry.

iPad + Velcro = Love

Now I really need one. Watch the clip ....amazing.

My Life will be Complete in July of 2011

Alright I'll admit it, I am a Harry Potter Dork. (and extremely proud of it) The trailer for the Deathly Hallows randomly popped up on a website that I was checking out for work, and I am pretty sure I watched no less than 10 times, before I could finally pull my self away.

Disclaimer: I am NOT a everyday wand waving sort of HPD, rather I quietly read and re-read the books more times than I can count, listen to the books in my car, and watch the movies when I am suppose to be productive. I know more random Potter facts and trivia that is probably healthy and kick butt at Harry Potter SceneIt like you would not even believe. But I refuse to wear a cloak (ever) and my wardrobe does not consist entirely of t-shirts sporting "Muggle" and "I Solemnly Swear" emblazoned across the front. (Although I do have a (note the singular) t-shirt for special events and a tie for Halloween)

That being said, I CAN NOT WAIT until November. Just watching the trailer gives me the chills and makes me want to bounce up and down in my office chair. I don't know how they are going to split the book up into two movies (although I am extremely glad that they are) and I know that those 8 months between the Part 1 release in November and the 2nd Part in July will be absolute torture.

I first discovered the amazing world of Harry Potter when my mom gave me the first book to read on the plane as I flew to visit my Aunt Jennifer sometime during the Summer of 1999. After inhaling it we made an emergency trip to the bookstore so I could grab the second book. And I was hooked. I was one of the few people anxiously waiting out side of the book store for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. This was the start of the Release Party tradition, and ever sense then I have not missed a Midnight Release for a book or Movie.

With the exception of the Prisoner of Azkaban Movie release, because I was at grad bash… we went straight from our all night activity to the first matinée in the morning.

I probably should not have started this post while eating lunch because now I have Harry Potter on the Brain, and it will be difficult to be productive for the rest of the day. :/ But in only 142 days I will be ridiculously happy.

How to park

This is a skill I need to acquire... soon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYt8JDvWiT8&feature=related

The Best

I have the best parents ever. My mom's birthday was Saturday, and my dad's is this Wednesday, but my dad had to go to Scout Camp ridiculously early Saturday morning, so we celebrated their combined birthdays and fathers day on Friday.

I know my parents don't read this (my mom cant ever remember how to get on, and my dad I don't think even remembers that I have a blog) so I don't feel as bad bragging about them .

Growing up, I thought my parents were great. They loved me, they taught us how to work hard and play hard, forgave me when we did stupid stuff (like blowing holes trough the roof with bottle rockets and golf balls etc.) and encouraged us set high goals. But now that I have grown up (kind of) I KNOW that my parents are amazing. They are still my parents, but they are also my friends and that is what makes them the best.

More than 1000 Words

Memorial Day at the Lake

For Now

Yes, I understand that I have not written for real in a while, but now I'm back… kind of. I survived the YSA weekend, and the crazy week of work that it proceeded. Soon I will post pictures of the weekend itself, and then of our glorious trip to the lake over Memorial Day. But for now, this is it.

Family

Love

I love sitting at a clean desk

I love the feel of carpet after a good vacuuming

I love waking up before my alarm

I love dancing (even if it is just around my room, or even better the kitchen)

I love tomato soup

I love paining my toenails crazy colors

I love the smell of books (new & old)

I love baking and trying new recipes

Baking with friends is even better

9 Days and Counting

For those of you who don't know... I am planning the 2010 Regional YSA Conference that is in… 9 days. This is basically like Youth Conference but for "Big Kids" and encompasses the entire Las Vegas Valley. Oh the joys. And as the date has been looming closer, the sleepless nights and stress have begun. It has gotten to the point where I dream about it at night.

Last night I dreamt that John Mayer was suppose to sing at one of our events and the awful asian man from American Idol showed up instead… it was bad.

In previous years the schedule went:

Friday Night : Dance

Saturday Morning : Service Project

Saturday Night : Dance

Sunday Night : Fireside

Well, I thought we could do some thing a little different so, this is how this year is set up….

April 17th : Opening Fireside with L. Tom Perry & Kick-off for the Food Drive

Friday May 21st : Dance/ Karaoke Night of Fun

Saturday Morning : Softball Tournament

Saturday Night : BBQ/Carnival/Bonfire at a Ranch & Close of the Food Drive

Sunday Night : Closing fireside with Thurl Bailey (formally of the Utah Jazz)

Basically we are hoping to blow every other conference out of the water. But in doing so, I have kind of stressed my self out to the Max. Just so you don't think I am doing this nonsense just for kicks and giggles, our ward was one of the 3 wards who had yet to be in charge of a conference, so I though I might as well volunteer and get it done with, rather than being assigned to do it.

I think its a matter of perspective, choosing this has to be better than being told to do it. Right? At least that is what I keep telling myself.

So, if you happen to see me in the next couple of days and I am crazy looking and or tearing my hair out, you will now know why. Wish me luck.

Weekends

Weekends have become a saving grace. Don't get me wrong, I love my job with a capital L, but it can be a bit on the stressful side. Two weekends ago, a friend and I got together on a friday night and had a "Baking Date", and oh man was it good. We went to the store to pick up ingredients for Upside-down Apple Pie (which we were attempting to make without a recipe) and a movie from RedBox. After picking up Cafe Rio we went back to his house and got to baking. The pie turned out Amazing! And we were so proud of ourselves.

This past friday, we got together again, but this time to look at Motorcycles. This was a bad idea.

Small side note: I am OBSESSED in a largish way with street bikes. When one drives by I usually stop and watch… I just cant help it. One of my dreams is to ride one up the PCH…driving or on the back, I'll take either.

First, at the insistence of Jon, we went to a Yamaha/Suzuki Dealership. Yes, they were pretty, but really not what I was looking for. After we were done, I asked if we could stop by the Honda store, just to round off our motorcycle experience. We walked in and found the bike that I have been dreaming about for a few years now. The Honda CBR6. Sigh. I sat on "my" beautiful black bike and had a hard time breathing. It is a good thing they don't allow test drives, or I might not have come back.

I literally had to drag myself away from the dealership (with no help from Jon) without the keys to my dream.

So, now after two really good weekends, I have the dream of upside-down Apple Pie and a CBR6 to get me through the week. Oh the joys.

Race for the Cure

We ran (walked, meandered...whatever) the Race for the Cure this weekend and it was so much fun. The best part was all of the Survivors that were there. It made me so happy to see all of the ladies in pink who wanted to prove to the world that what was once a death sentence is now beatable, and that is something I would run for any day of the week. I had to keep myself from running up to these women and giving them all hugs, so I settled for hugging my mom...a lot.

Random Side-note: We decided on our way home that one of these years we are going to have the biggest private team in the Race. So if you want to join in the fun let us know... the first weekend in May is always great!

We got tired of carrying our goodie bags around, so I cinched up the bottom of my jacket and shoved them in. Well, it looked like I was prego and as we were running I kept getting looks and when we crossed the finish line I even had some one wave at me and call out, "You go honey!" It made me smile.

Along our way we ran into CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow. It was a good day.

Be the Silver Lining in Another's Cloud

I opened a Dove Chocolate this morning (yes I was eating chocolate before lunch, no I'm not sorry) and found this lovely little quote. Thank you Janet from Streetsboro Ohio.