That Girl

FuzziBunz giveaway!

2009-11-08T17:05:00.000-08:00

I hope I can give my baby FuzziBunz. Mostly because I like saying that. Fuzzibunz.
Find out more for yourself at Stand and Deliver.

FuzziBunz

2009-09-10T11:43:00.000-07:00

Are FuzziBunz the best coth diapers out there? I'm not sure, but I'd like to be given the chance to find out by winning this contest over at Pacing The Panic Room.

Gone.

2008-11-04T21:44:00.000-08:00

That Girl don't live here no mo'

Find her at That Wife.

A Little Lesson

2008-09-15T00:50:00.000-07:00

Blog is to newpaper.
As post is to article.

You don't write a newspaper, you write an article for a newspaper. Just as I am not writing this blog, I am writing a post for this blog.

May we all continue to attempt to change the world one post at at time from here on out.

See Post Below for Details

2008-08-28T19:59:00.000-07:00

As you can see at the end of the video, they pushed me over and almost made me fall down. These are vicious little suckers.

Wanted: The Owner of the Following Puppies

2008-08-28T19:58:00.000-07:00

To the owners of the following dogs:

We did not advertise an opening for one little whining dog and two rambunctions puppies, so please write back and let me know what need you were trying to fulfill. You drove by our house and dropped them off and somehow convinced them that we were nice people (which we are, so it probably wasn't hard). These dogs jump on me and scratch my legs and when I get out of the car they try to jump inside. We do not want them. Please come and get them . Tommorow would be nice.

Sad about no cat hats?

2008-08-27T13:13:00.001-07:00

Don't despair. Get them in Sandy. For free.

A real photographer

2008-08-22T09:30:00.000-07:00

My little g9 looks so pro now

Pancake Making

2008-08-15T00:13:00.000-07:00

Make a pancake! Make make a pancake!

Engaged!

2008-07-28T12:48:00.001-07:00

I'm engaged! Read about it here.

Munch & Crunch Blog Overhaul!

2008-07-21T16:30:00.000-07:00

I gave Megan's blog a makeover today. If you would like me to do something similar with yours, let me know! It was rather fun to flex my design muscles a little bit. I know it's not perfect, but it was a great chance to see what I can do.

See how it all came together here:

http://munchercruncher.blogspot.com/

30 Strangers

2008-07-21T03:05:00.000-07:00

This project by Justin Hackworth is very moving to me. This is how he explains it.

What is "30 Strangers"?
It's the name of my latest photography project. It works like this. For the entire month of June, 2008, I will make a portrait of one person each day. Ideally, these will be people I do not know--strangers. They don't have to remain strangers, of course, and it's going to be great to meet a lot of new people.

These portraits are so honest. They force me not to judge people based on my first impression. Below the photos of each person he writes a tag line that describes the person in some way. I've posted a few of my favorites, but you need to visit here to see the rest.

Scuba Dives.

Loves to swim, laugh, smile, and dance to the blues.

Sings Tom Petty and Jack Johnson songs.

Digs vintage motorcycles.

Currently working on 61 goals including owning her own construction company.

Taste of Dallas

2008-07-16T13:53:00.000-07:00

That Boy and I are real homebodies. We spend a lot of time sitting around at home, watching Stargate, or doing things on our individual computers. The past few months the only time we have really left the house (other than for work) is to eat. You can imagine my excitement when I read about Taste of Dallas. It's like a food fair, with a carnival on the side.

Vendors set up row after row of booths with little mini dishes to purchase ranging from $2-$5. The food choices included Chinese, Vietnamese, barbecue, Brazilian,Greek, and all kinds of other fun choices.

I had two favorites. The first was this corn, dipped in butter and sprinkled with salt and Parmesan. I've never had Parmesan on my corn before, but I always will from this point on.

My other favorite item was this huge chunk of watermelon. I'm a watermelon critic not who is not easily pleased, and this piece placed with flying colors.

We found some sober looking girls to take our picture before we headed off to see my new favorite movie, Wall-E. Go see it, I highly recommend!

The Fourth Freeze Float

2008-07-09T08:33:00.000-07:00

Remember these?

Get one. And then you can have pictures like this:

My 4th of July was spent in Utah in between Heather's wedding events and even though I was really missing That Boy on his birthday, I found some ways to entertain myself and have a little fun. Our big 4th of July activity was floating the Provo river. I think we may have had other plans at one point, but I don't think we realized that this would turn into a 4+ hour adventure.

I am smiling here, but inside I am feeling something completely different. Frustrtation. Remind me never go participate in group activities of 25 people ever again.

We finally got into the water. Unfortunately when we said float, Megan apparently heard the word swim. I think she flipped her tube in the first 5 minutes.

I was very adamant about getting a picture of the three of us. Benita and I did a great job of lining things up for the camera, but our poor little drowning Megan spent a lot of time paddling around trying to catch up with us. If you look closely at these photos you can see Megan giving it her all to get in the photo with us. You can make it Meggie!

After a few awkward tries we finally got the perfect one. Desktop background worthy I think.

The girls proving once again that these awesome kicks were a worthwhile purchase. I might have been a little bit jealous floating around in my old blue tennis shoes (thanks for letting me borrow them Ben!)

Benita spent a lot of time wishing she had worn a swimsuit with a little more padding up top.

We saw all kinds of interesting floating devices. Very thrifty of this boy to use a log he found.

Despite the freezing cold water (look at the face Megan is making with half of her body submerged in the 50 degree water).....

I think we all can agree it was worth it.

Exposaroonie: Vintage

2008-07-03T00:18:00.000-07:00

After learning about the weekly Exposaroonie photography challenge on a blog I like to read (can't remember which one), I knew that I had to do it. Each week, they pick a "theme" and ask people to submit photos that fit the theme. Then everyone votes for the winner, and some weeks they even give out a prize. I think it sounds like the perfect opportunity to brush up on my photography skills. Here are the rules:
You may only submit one photo per challenge.

Once you enter your submission, post your photo on your blog or photo sharing site and link back to Exposaroonie.
The photo needs to have been taken by you, and only you.
You may only submit a NEW photo... one that has been taken no earlier than today's date, June 27, 2008.
If you win a prize, you are not eligible to win one again for 4 weeks. But, don't fret, as we will still share your picture.
For a look a photo size requirements, check out our upload page.
We have the right refuse any photo that is deemed inappropriate or that does not meet the requirements listed above.

Here is the photo I submitted for this week's vintage challenge:

What do you think?

So this might be a baby cuter than I was. A tough job.

2008-06-26T21:48:00.001-07:00

It's quite possible that this is the cutest baby in the entire world. All of my eggs are scrambling around inside of me trying to brainstorm a way to make a baby now. Calm down eggs, we will give that baby a run for her money soon enough.

See more sickeningly sweet images here.

The Pleasers

2008-06-25T16:44:00.000-07:00

I didn't know there was a "stripper" shoe supply section on Zappos.....

What the WII Fit Does to Me

2008-06-24T11:01:00.001-07:00

It would be difficult to more accurately describe how the WII Fit makes me feel.

My little Wii jenna grows a big belly every time I get on. Not very encouraging.

Kelli Nicole Photography, I love you

2008-06-22T21:17:00.000-07:00

Kelli knows how to give good presents. She also takes good pictures. She took this on her trip to Africa/Europe/The World. She will take your picture sometime, just ask her.

Ding Dong Dead

2008-06-10T10:15:00.001-07:00

My laptop died. I'm in mourning. Posting will be light (like it wasn't already) as I am required to sneak it at work. As I am doing right this second. Maybe That Boy will want to get me an early wedding present?

Like this pretty baby?

I'm Back!

2008-06-07T10:10:00.001-07:00

My little That Girl blog is so neglected. Of course That Bride gets updated at an out of control pace, but life since I got back has been a little standard (plus I had quite a few blogs to catch up on). I am not going to do a recap of my travels in Europe, if you for some reason missed those, you can see all of the summaries here.

I've settled into a routine for the month of June, before July comes and I start running all over the country (I guess kind of the world) once again. I have a few more posts on food I have cooked lately, some pictures to put up to introduce you to my new job, and a few more odds and end. And of course a whole bunch of (what I find to be) entertaining links and things from around the internet.

A few favorite Europe photos that I have photoshopped so far.

Rainy Rome

2008-06-02T19:24:00.001-07:00

Rainy Rome
Originally uploaded by thatgirljenna

We had spent so many days in Rome by this time that we had begun to run out of big sights to see. We decided to spend one of our last afternoons wandering around the Borghese Gardens. The front desk girl at the hotel told us that there was a balcony with a gorgeous view of Rome. She was right about the view, although the rain made it a little hard to enjoy. Right after this the rain cleared up and we got some beautiful (but wet) pictures.

That Boy

2008-05-28T06:53:00.000-07:00

As he is a little introverted, my guy would like me to be a little more careful concerning privacy setting. Thus he will now be referred to as "That Boy". Please try to refrain from using his real name, or his previous nickname in your comments. I am still, and always will be Jenna. As That Boy likes to say, I would run around naked if I could, so I don't mind the world knowing who I am.

My Europe Travels

2008-05-27T11:23:00.000-07:00

If you would like to hear the rundown on my Europe travels as they happen, please visit here. Many many more detailed updates to come once I return home!

Multimedia message

2008-05-24T09:59:00.001-07:00

Polish cotton candy at the medieval festival with a sword fight in front of a real castle with a bride and groom wandering around doing a bridal shoot!

Multimedia message

2008-05-16T14:34:00.001-07:00

When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie that's amore . . .

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

2008-05-11T16:49:00.001-07:00

Mother

Often unappreciated
Sometimes stern
Simply gorgeous
Never selfish
Nearly Perfect

In Italian they say Grazie Mila
La tua Figlia
Jenna

Europe Wardrobe

2008-05-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

I wanted to try out the new feature that blogger added, and I thought a great topic for a slideshow would be a little preview of my Europe wardrobe. I am really excited about it!
I will be taking the following tops, as well as black capris, pants, and my favorite Little Black Dress. 2 pairs of comfy black flats round out the entire ensemble.

Weekly Workout Date

2008-05-10T23:05:00.000-07:00

Tonight The Boyfriend and I had what I hope to be the first of many Saturday Night workout dates together. I wanted to take pictures but I was told I wasn't allowed to post them on my blog. My first thought upon this pronouncement was "Why bother?". I love my little blog.

Working out together was so fun. As much as I love dressing up and looking nice, it was also great to get out and work up a sweat together. We had a "plank" contest, which I won. We are both going to be sore tomorrow. If I can track down a bike for him we can have some Saturday biking dates as well.

Cheesy Soy Spinach Casserole

2008-05-10T10:02:00.000-07:00

I'm lucky to have a boyfriend who is interested in eating healthy, because I get to experiment with all of these crazy healthy recipes that might make some boys blanch and cry out "meat and potatoes please!". We are both making a huge effort to eat healthier, and it sometimes feels risky when I am making things with crazy ingredients that I would usually disdain, like soy, but this dish turned out really delicious and we both loved how much protein the soy provided without being overloaded with fat. I absolutely cannot figure out where this recipe came from. This is probably a hint that I need to be a little more organized in my recipe browsing. Maybe I made it up myself? Yeah, that's unlikely.

This recipe was so incredibly easy, I promise even the most accident prone cook can handle it.

Cheesy Soy Spinach Casserole

Ingredients:
1 package soy meat (I used Morning Star Meal Starters)
1 package frozen chopped spinach
1 can premade crescent rolls
1/2 tub of laughing cow light cheese
1 oz Athenos Reduced fat feta

Directions:
Defrost soy meat in the microwave, set aside. Defrost spinach in the microwave, set aside. Lay 1/2 of the crescent rolls in the bottom of a greased glass pan and put in oven to brown. Add spinach, soy, laughing cow, and feta to frying pan on stovetop. Warm and mix together until nice and gooey. Pull browned crescent rolls out of oven and add soy/spinach mixture on top. Lay the rest of the crescent rolls on top of this (buy an extra package if you want to have a crust of rolls that covers the entire casserole). Cook until rolls on top are brown. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 4 oz
Calories: 151
Fat: 7 g
Sat Fat: 2g
Poly Fat: 1g
Mono Fat: 1g
Cholestorol: 5mg
Sodium: 453 mg
Potassium: 128 mg
Carbohydrate: 12g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 9g

Farmidable Desktop Wallpapers

2008-05-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Usually I like to keep my desktop background set as a photo of That Boy and I, but when I am looking for something a little different I like to use the cool (and free!) desktop wallpapers created by Farmidable.

These whales make me feel strangely happy.

This makes me laugh, and I am not sure why. Something about bunnies at the fair selling for $500 each I think.

Bunnies have never looked so relaxing.

Of course Princess Jenna could never pass up something like this.

FitFlop

2008-05-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Anyone heard of anyone who has actually used the FitFlop? I kind of want a pair..... Especially if they are going to give me legs like the chica in the photo.

ELIZA

2008-05-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Eliza Magazine. I've seen it in a few stores in Provo/Orem, but I didn't know they had such a great website until Brooklyn Bride mentioned it (maybe sarcastically?). One of those LDS blended with pop culture themed magazines that are so popular in the happy valley. The main website could use some more photos, but I like the blog, especially the fashion section.

Music to Lose Yourself To

2008-05-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Once I started working out again I realized that my workout playlist was a little bit outdated (I had taken like a year long break from the gym, oops). I've been working to create what I consider to be the perfect workout playlist for my gym time. Some people like songs that have some kind of a message to keep them motivated (JT's Sexyback is an excellent example of this), but I have to have a good strong beat. It's all about the pace of the music for me, especially when I am doing cardio because I tend to time my movements with the beat of the music. In no particular order are the songs I love most:

Since You've Been Gone-Kelly Clarkson
D.A.N.C.E.-Justice
Love Today-Mika
The Great Escape-Boys Like Girls
I Don't Wanna Be In Love-Good Charlotte
Everytime We Touch-Cascada
Take Me Away-4 Strings
Conflict-Azoic [Yes this is a DDR song, I am a nerd like that]
Party Hard-Andrew W.K. [The absolute BEST song in the world to run to]
stakeout-Freezepop [another DDR song]
Thank You Very Much-Kaiser Chiefs
I Like The Way-Bodyrockers
Mr. Brightside-The Killers
Lose Yourself-Eminem
Here (In Your Arms)-Hellogoodbye
Come With Me-Raindancer
Out of Control-Hoobastank
Flathead-The Fratellis

The newest additions are:
Absolutely Not-Deborah Cox
Come Clean-Hilary Duff
Apache Rocks the Bottom-Scooter
Maria (I Like It Loud)-Scooter
Ramp! (The Logical Song)-Scooter

Anyone have any suggestions for songs I can add to the playlist?

So Hip to be Square

2008-05-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

My dancing roommates in particular should find this entertaining.

Year 1

2008-05-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

Today is my one year anniversary with That Boy. I don't think he ever expected it to go this far, but he didn't know me well enough to realize how determined I am. I knew what I wanted, and I wasn't going to wait around until someone else handed it to me. It took me weeks to work up the courage to tell him how I felt, and he didn't make it very easier, being so flirty and touchy while simultaneously telling me he wasn't interested in having a girlfriend. The night of the "Ward Prom" was the night that started it all.

I have read lot's of other posts that bloggers have written, many of them touching, some of them extremely witty and funny. I don't know that I have the ability to do any of those things, and my dear little extrovert love appreciates the meaning behind the old adage "less is more". He forgets the birthdays and I remember them, I spend the money and he saves it. I guess all you need to know, is that he the my cracker to my cheese, my personal cheerleader, my best friend, the one I want to be with forever.

My comfort is that old age, that ill layer-up of beauty, can do no more spoil upon my face. Thou hast me, if thou hast me, at the worst, and thou shalt wear me, if thou wear me, better and better.
.-Henry V, Shakespeare, Act 5, scene ii

S,
We're in this together, for always. You'll always be my ninja love.
Ti amo,
Jenni Bobo

Hungry Girl Top Banana Bread

2008-05-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

I think before writing this post, I should have posted about the magic that is Hungry Girl. To sum things up, it is a magical site, containing a newsletter you should definitely sign up for if you are at all interested in health and nutrition. More information on what Hungry Girl is rather soon, but let's move on to the deliciousness that I am enjoying right this second.

One of my favorite features in the Hungry Girl emails are her food swaps, where she takes foods with disgusting nutritional stats and turns them completely around to make them healthy (and quite delicious!). I knew as soon as I saw this banana bread recipe it was something I wanted to try. I had to buy bananas in really large amounts because I kept eating them so fast I never had any leftovers :)

Hungry Girl Top Banana Bread
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters)
1/2 cup no-sugar-added applesauce
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
Optional Toppings: no-calorie spray butter, Cool Whip Free

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine both types of flour, Splenda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon (in other words, all dry ingredients). In a separate bowl, mix together the mashed bananas, egg substitute, applesauce, and vanilla extract (all the wet ingredients). Add this mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients, and stir until just blended. Spoon batter into a large loaf pan (about 9" X 5") sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly, and then cut into 8 slices. If you like, spritz with some spray butter or spread on some Cool Whip Free. MAKES 8 SERVINGS

Nutrition Information
(I doubled the recipe, and used 8 bananas instead of 6)
Serving Size: 5 OZ
Calories: 155
Fat: 1g
Sat Fat: 0g
Poly Fat: 0g
Mono Fat: 0g
Cholestorol: 0m
Sodium: 402mg
Potassium: 334mg
Carbohydrate: 34g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 5g
Vitamin B-6: 24%
Riboflavin: 22%

It was perfect topped with a few sprays of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. The photo is of a 3 1/2 oz serving.

Here are the stats that Hungry Girl listed for a normal slice of banana bread:

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 326
Fat: 12g
Sodium: 355mg
Carbs: 51g
Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 30g
Protein: 5g

What a terrific change! I can't wait to give another one of her food swaps a try.

The Swiss SIGG

2008-05-03T18:00:00.000-07:00

Oprah raved about it, which has to mean it's absolutely fantastic beyond anything to be experienced in the world of water bottles, so I picked up a SIGG water bottle for myself. It's black and textured and sweaty when it's cold (which I find to be kind of sexy looking). Apparently everyone is talking about them, as can be seen here.

I've tried the nalgene bottles, but I have a really sensitive palette when it comes to water, and so I think they flavored the water. Also there is a little bit of controversy surrounding the materials used to make the bottles. (See here) It's not a thermos so it won't keep piping hot in cold weather, or cold things cold in sweltering heat, but that's not what I got it for. So far it has been leakproof for me, and the top is the best ever! So easy to use, and so leakproof I don't worry for a second about throwing it in my purse. Next time you see me, I should have this bottle within reach.

Mobile blogging what?

2008-05-03T11:22:00.001-07:00

Just doing some practice mobile blogging before I head to Europe. I am planning on doing a few picture and text updates while I am there. This is how I brought my bike all the way down here. Perched on the back of my tiny little car!

Being Together

2008-05-02T23:35:00.001-07:00

That Boy came back today. It's mushy I know, but life is perfect when he is around. I hate having him gone for an entire week at a time, but it does make it that much more exciting whenever he comes back. Moving to Dallas was quite possibly the best idea ever.

Lentil Soup IV

2008-05-01T00:27:00.000-07:00

Since I became a professional sunbather, I have had time to indulge in one of my favorite pastimes; cooking! I am really not that great in the kitchen, I tend to create lots of cooking related disasters (just ask my roommates), but I do have one thing going for me, and that is creativity. I LOVE to alter recipes and see how they turn out when I make little additions and changes. Using Fitday, I can enter in all of the ingredients of a recipe, and each time I cook something, I get an idea of what the nutritional stats for it are.

Swayzie and I have been talking about using dry lentils, and how they are incredibly good for you (rather than canned, which almost always have exorbitant amounts of sodium). They seemed really difficult to use and I didn't really know where to start. Then one of my favorite bloggers, angry chicken, did a post about lentils and made it sound like they really aren't that scary so I decided to give them a try.

I used allrecipes.com and typed in lentils. I browsed through the results until I found one that looked like it would work for me. I have never used plantains before, but I think I like them. I was worried they would give a "banana" taste to the soup but they have a nice texture. I love it because it reminds me of the soup that my Grandma Lu always has sitting on the stove when I go over to her house. Now if only I could let myself indulge in saltines covered in butter like she let me do when I was younger :) If you end up making it, let me know how it turned out for you. Expect many more posts related to my cooking adventures.

Lentil Soup IV

Please note that this recipe is a conglomeration of what the original person suggested and what I ended up doing. Of course I recommend modifying as desired.

INGREDIENTS

Appx 4 quarts water
3 lbs cooked lentils
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pinch salt
1 large onion, diced
4 large tomatoes, diced
8 cloves garlic
6 med. red potatoes, diced
16 oz baby carrots
2 plantains, sliced
4 oz mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

I cooked the lentils the day before. Just follow the directions on the back of the bag, soaking them overnight and then boiling them for around 1 1/2 hours.
Fill a large pot with water and stir in the olive oil and salt. Bring to a boil.
Add potatoes, carrots, garlic, and plantains into boiling water. Boil for about 15 minutes.
Add mushrooms, tomato, onion, and let simmer for about 45 minutes.
I added spices on hand such as garlic and onion, season with salt and pepper.

Yields just under 8 quarts. If cooking for one (not for 2 boys and myself like I am), definitely halve the recipe.

Nutritional Information

Serving: 1 cup

Calories: 141
Fat: 5 g
Sat Fat: 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat:1g
Monounsaturated Fat: 3g
Sodium: 122g
Potassium:503 mg
Carbohydrates: 21g
Dietary Fiber: 5g
Protein: 5g
Vitamin A: 46%
Vitamin C: 24%
Folate: 23%

Things to Note:

Nutritional Information is approximate, however it is based completely upon the ingredients as a whole, not stats that were given to me by someone else. I believe them to be very accurate.
This is a vegetarian chili, but you won't even miss the meat!
3 cups of this gave me 15 grams of fiber, that is hard to beat for less than 500 calories
I added my garlic cloves whole, and it wasn't a pleasant experience when I accidentally ate one. If you don't love garlic, try dicing or grating it in.

Buon Appetito!

23rd Birthday: Fabulous End To A Fabulous Night

2008-04-30T23:55:00.000-07:00

We came back from dinner at the cafe where the girls surprised me with visits from my best friends from high school, Dane and Breinne. I loved seeing them, and isn't it cute to see all of us pairing off (but not with each other like all of our parents did).

They slaved away in the kitchen to make me delicious cupcakes.

I like to tell myself that these were trick candles, which would be the reason behind the 7 breaths it took me to blow them out.
I walked away with a haul! The cutest wedding folder/organizer ever. A pendant with the words "Queen of Every Bloomin' Thing", a new journal (they are so perceptive and noticed that mine was almost full!), and a popcorn maker with flavoring salts. I am obsessed with every single one of these things!

Thanks to everyone who made my birthday absolutely fantastic. I have a hard time imagining that it could get any better after this :)

I Voti

2008-04-30T21:18:00.000-07:00

I have been obsessively checking my grades to see if they are up today and they finally posted. An overall GPA of 2.93, which I am not thrilled about, but I think I was a little burnt out due to taking 18 credits two semester in a row.

Italian- C
American Authors- B-
British Literature 2- C+
Shakespeare- A
LDS History- B-
Myths, Legends, and Folktales- A

Lows include the ridiculous final in my LDS History class, the fact that I think I should have a C+ in Italian(my points equal out to a 76%. Who doesn't give +'s for 76 points?), and my failing grade on my second midterm in Brit Lit which resulted in a C+ where I should have easily had a B+.

Highs include the B- in American Authors (a class where I truly had no idea what I would be getting), my LDS History professor letting me take an exam late (denial would have resulted in a failing grade int he class), and the A my Shakespeare professor gave me (even though it is mathematically impossible for me to have an A, I think this A resulted from a plea I wrote to him the last day of class saying I thought I deserved an A for effort).

Overall I feel mediocre about this past semester, but it is over and I am happy to have another 18 credits behind me. And my overall GPA is so low, that even this semester's results will end up raising it by a few points. I am going to have to step it up a little bit if I want to be graduating with anything above a 3.0.

23rd Birthday: Il Mio Ristorante Preferito, Citta

2008-04-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

Awhile ago I discovered this awesome Utah blog called Your Heart Out (If you are in Utah, it's a must-read!) The writers raved about this restaurant called Citta, and they weren't exaggerating, the food is amazing! It was, hands down, my first choice for a place to eat for my birthday. Girls, thanks so much for being willing to drive all the way out to this little cafe (when I wasn't even sure if it was open!).

Megan and I had a visit to Italia while we were there. It was just like being there.

Then an individual shot was required of everyone.

Shaylene is so shy after years of modeling for my Mom.

Amber already looks like a blushing bride.

We got pretty excited about the ice. It was just so cool!

Megan modeled all of the rings in the room. Some engagement rings, some not. As long as it's a diamond, she likes having it on her finger.

Now on to the food. This salad, is just so amazing.

I had a panini and salad. The panini is SOOO crispy on the outside. I can't say enough about how good this is. I didn't even get a picture of the soup, we were so busy devouring it.

Next we moved on to the gelato. I plan to eat gelato every single day in Italy if it is as good as this.

Shay looking a little guilty for breaking the rules and eating this. I think it was worth it though.

I was pretty bummed that they were out of Sour Cherry (on my birthday!) but the blood orange with peach made up for it in the end.

All of my fabulous friends. The infamous "Isn't he taking a picture of our chests" shot.

Probably one of the last pictures we will all take together. I love you girls!

It was a little chilly outside when we got out.

Thanks again girls! I loved every second!

Snap up some Snapea's

2008-04-29T22:46:00.001-07:00

I bought all kinds of fun treats at Whole Foods and this is the first one I have let myself open. I had to say out loud to myself "Jenna stop eating these." It is likely I will finish off the bag tomorrow. They are like cheetos, without the greasy, sick to your stomach feeling. So crunchy and crispy and salty.

They are apparently available in Utah at Cost Plus, Wild Oats, and Whole Foods.

If you live somewhere else and you want to give them a try, here are the stores that carry them.

23rd Birthday: Party in the Living Room and Photos in the Automobile

2008-04-28T21:11:00.000-07:00

I arrived home from shoe shopping to find out that the living room had been decorated in my favorite colors. Can you guess what they are? I jumped right up on the coffee table to do a few poses.

Nice artistic shot Heather. That downward angle is very flattering.

I was so excited to get in the car and start driving to my favorite Salt Lake City restaurant, Citta. You'll be able to see in my next post how yummy the food is! You should really visit it is in person so you can taste it.

Shay and I had a mini photo shoot, attempting to take a picture that both of us liked. I have a tendency to look high in a lot of my pictures. It's all in the eyes, just like Tyra says. You would think that 10 cycles of America's Next Top Model would have taught me a little something about using my eyes to their full advantage in photos.

I may have forced a few people to take pictures with me, when they weren't really feeling it, but I think there is never a time when a picture should not be taken. Heather aren't you glad you can have photographic evidence of this time together?

23rd Birthday: Italian Test and Shoe Shopping

2008-04-27T22:57:00.000-07:00

My Italian teacher refused my request to take my oral exam a day early to avoid doing so on MY day, so I walked over to the JKB and only took 5 minutes. I made sure to get a picture with Amy, who sat right in front of me for a whole semester, and made a hilarious (well we think it was) Italian film with me.

I then tried to use the massage gift certificate that the roomies gave me last year, but apparently they can only be used on Friday and Saturday's, so to console myself I went and got a pedicure instead.

After a little bit of pampering I called Kelli and she met me at the mall to do a little shoe shopping.

As you can see because of all the boxes, I know my way around the Nordstrom shoe section. I never want to leave any pairs untried. All of those boxes (plus a few more) are mine. What if I accidentally pass up "the one" because I didn't try it on?

I ended up buying these cuties for Europe, but I wore them that night and they made my feet fall asleep, and I wore them up to campus a few days later and had nasty blisters afterwards. Guess I will have to hit up the Cole Haan outlet that I learned about today.

I think I could wear these all over Europe.

FWD: MUST READ OR BAD LUCK WILL KILL YOUR DOG AND YOUR CAR WILL EXPLODE.

2008-04-24T11:33:00.000-07:00

Do you have friends who feel that they must send you warnings about men lying underneath your car waiting to slash your ankles, or "funny" photos of President Bush holding a phone upside down to his head, or a forward that will apparently grant you $1 million dollars from Bill Gates if you forward it to 227 people within 60 seconds of opening it?

StopForwarding.Us knows your pain, and they are here to help. Read:

Hi Steve,

One of your friends has sent you this message from StopForwarding.Us, a website that allows individuals to anonymously email their friends and politely ask that they stop the habit of sending forwarded emails or FWDs.

Please do not forward chain letters, urban myths presented as truth, potentially offensive jokes, videos or photos without being asked or first receiving permission. If you find something that is funny and it is clean and you genuinely think the recipient will enjoy it then foward it to that person only (not in an email blast to all your friends and family) and include a personal note about why you enjoyed it and why you think they will too. Avoid sending forwards to friends or relatives that you've grown distant with. It can be frustrating for the recpient when the only correspondance you have with someone is via impersonal, unwanted email.

For more tips on email etiquette, visit StopForwarding.Us/etiq.html

Thank you,
A Friend (via stopforwarding.us)

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Thanks to Daily Candy for this fantastic find!

Can it really be over?

2008-04-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

After 1 hour of sleep last night I am done.

I will NOT be angry with my idiot professor whom I continue to despise. Even though my test ended one hour ago and I am still so angry I can't think of anything else. And I am going to eat ice cream to make myself feel better. It is in the past, and you can't be mad about the past. I'm not still mad about the Louisiana purchase, you know?

I WILL play Donkey Kong until I feel relaxed enough to fall asleep.

And I WILL look forward to a nice dinner with the roomies tonight. Where I dress up and look pretty and feel happy about the future.

And I WILL look forward to seeing Mr. That Boy in 1 short day.

The Finals Home Stretch

2008-04-22T05:23:00.001-07:00

My last final is in 24 hours. I haven't studied for it at all. Or for the other 2 I have today. I can do this.

23rd Brithday: Magleby's Breafast

2008-04-18T13:24:00.000-07:00

The first birthday event was breakfast with Shaylene at Magleby's (I used to work there). The syrup was as good as I remebered it to be, and it was fun to see crazy Doc and the manager Carrie. Those pancakes are so good I didn't even remember to take a picture until it was almost gone.

We both enjoyed our yummy food.
Notice she is enjoying a healthy orange while I am chowing down on some bacon.

Thanks for waking up early for breakfast with me Shay!

Breinne's House

2008-04-17T20:52:00.000-07:00

We had a mini high school reunion tonight at Breinne's gorgeous house. Her puppy kept us entertained the whole time. I just couldn't get enough pictures of him. Bre your home is gorgeous and I hope that this gives you something to keep you entertained at work. Should I post more pictures of the puppy? Or maybe the house?

My 23rd Birthday!

2008-04-16T19:19:00.000-07:00

I had such a fun day yesterday, and I can't say thank you enough to my friends and my sister (my sister is also my friend :) ) who collaborated to make such a wonderful day for me. Because it's finals and I don't have much to post about other than complaining about how horrible tests are, I think I will spread the story of my day out over a few different posts.

This first picture is Shay and I in the car on the way to breakfast at Magleby's. Such a great birthday tradition that we have been able to participate in for 2 years running. Great job graduating from high school early Shay!

All of these pictures were taken with the new camera I bought, Pia II, using the money I received for my documentary on the ranch. It was a lot of money, but I don't regret buying it for a second because the pictures are gorgeous. I hardly ever let her out of my sight, and you all should expect lots more pictures on here now that I have something fun to play with.

Much more to follow!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2008-04-15T06:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the last day of all of my classes but Italian, and I wasn't embarrassed to pull out my camera and take a picture with some of the awesome girls I became friends with over the semester.

These are the girls that braved the Cormac McCarthy seminar with me. In a class full of people trying to act as smart as possible we may have stuck out just a little bit, but we had such a fun time doing it. Excuse us for looking a little rough around the edges, between the 4 of us we had been dealing with the stress of the last day of class (big paper due for everyone) and spiders forcing us to sleep in hotel rooms (that was just one of us).Brittany and I actually had 2 classes in a row together. We had fun sitting in the back of Brit Lit with our laptops out and complaining about the move to Shakespeare which denied us of the internet for an entire hour. I will never understand why tortures us so.

Today is officially the last day of classes, and such a joyous occassion also happens to be my birthday this year. Maybe someday I will be sad when my birthday rolls around but I really don't see that happening anytime soon. I have all kinds of fun plans for today, including a massage, eating out for all three meals, and not once thinking about anything that has to do with school. A one day vacation in the middle of the horror that is finals is just what I need.

Many many pictures to come!

I'm A Winner!

2008-04-09T21:50:00.000-07:00

Tonight has been a very exciting one, and I was very excited to take lots of pictures. I was notified a few weeks ago that I had won the William A. Wilson Folklore Archive Prize for Winter 2008! My professor chose to submit a documentary I had created for my American Folklore class. The film is about my grandparent's ranch, and I assembled old footage shot by my grandmother and had her narrate everything for me. The project was a beast, and I at one point was spending every spare moment in the library editing it together, but the look on my Grandmother's face when she watched it for the very first time was worth all of that. Receiving this award was just another bonus on top of that!

Here I am all ready to enjoy my yummy dinner (I haven't been working at catering enough to get sick of the food yet).

Cory was nice enough to accompany me tonight (it probably helped that a free dinner was involved), and he was such a good dinner companion. We had to sit at a table full of old people so I could be near the bestower of my cash prize, Dr. Wilson (

I enjoyed some chocolate turtle cake.

Cory kept it caffeine-free with the custard.

I received a certificate (made out to Jenna Anderson, boo) and a check for $300!

Thanks for coming with me Cory!

Stay tuned to find out what I am doing with the money! Any guesses?

Europe

2008-04-08T15:35:00.001-07:00

I am going to Europe! Rome, Venice, possibly Milan, and then up to Poland.

This is so going to be me very very soon. Except probably without the red leather pants. Although if you guys think that is something I should be packing.....

Via La Vie Photography

I am also done with school 2 weeks from tomorrow (not graduating just done with the semester), am being awarded a prize at a banquet tomorrow, and am moving to Dallas in less than 3 weeks. I know, my life is so amazing right now. So many exciting posts to come, but for now I need to hit the books and try to survive the next few weeks.

Virgle

2008-04-01T11:11:00.001-07:00

Wouldn't you love to work at google and be reading these applications? I hope they release them to the public soon.

Whats all the hulabloo about?

2008-03-27T10:26:00.000-07:00

This link is so amazing I actually feel a little bit sick to my stomach from excitement. My life has taken on new dimension. I can visit my friends at the Office anytime I want. I can discover House for myself. I don't really understand how this is possible. But I will take what I can get.

I Hulu. Do you?

High School Metaphors

2008-03-25T16:33:00.000-07:00

Straight out of an email from my man. Very funny.

Oh,Every year, English teachers from across the country can submit their collections of actual analogies and metaphors found in high school essays. These excerpts are published each year to the amusement of teachers across the country. Here are last year’s winners…
1. Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master.

2. His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free.

3. He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it.

4. She grew on him like she was a colony of E. Coli, and he was room-temperature Canadian beef.

5. She had a deep, throaty genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up.

6. Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.

7. He was as tall as a six-foot, three-inch tree.

8. The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife’s infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM machine.

9. The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn’t.

10. McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty Bag filled with vegetable soup. (Prof. Wood’s personal favorite)

11. From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you’re on vacation in another city and Jeopardy comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30.

12. Her hair glistened in the rain like a nose hair after a sneeze.

13. The hailstones leaped from the pavement, just like maggots when you fry them in hot grease.

14. Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.

15. They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan’s teeth.

16. John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.

17. He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant, and she was the East River.

18. Even in his last years, Granddad had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long, it had rusted shut.

19. Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do.

20. The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work.

21. The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while.

22. He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame, maybe from stepping on a land mine or something.

23. The ballerina rose gracefully en Pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant.

24. It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools.

25. He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up.

A Little Respentance is in Order

2008-03-24T17:53:00.001-07:00

I need to repent. Yesterday I said some terrible things about my religion professor, that might have included me saying I wouldn't feel sad if she died. This was due to the fact that I thought I had been given a 53% on a test that I did not deserve a 53% on. So I was very angry, and now realize that was for no reason. I really have an 87%! Stupid TA's who are apparently unable to do some simple addition.

In celebration, let's all go look at this and spend too many hours browsing through it. The more I look at these posters the more I want to see all of these movies.

All Kinds of Goodness

2008-03-13T10:48:00.000-07:00

Somehow over a week has gone by without any updates to my little pet of a blog, which makes me so sad. This dry spell is due to good reasons, including a visit from That Boy, a little bit of sickness that I attempted to exaggerate into a lot of sickness, and a few procrastinated projects for class that had to be taken care of. I have had an easy week now though and I am happy to jump back into blogging with both feet. First a picture:

Isn't he gorgeous? How I possibly bear to be away from him for a month at a time is beyond me. Summer cannot possible come quickly enough.

Now a cute find. I think these little bags are priced well and would make a really adorable bridesmaid gift. They are customizable with a different picture for each side and you can add text to the satin ribbon attached to the zipper, thanking your girls or sharing an inside joke.
I also wanted to share my newest addiction with all of you. Crazedlist.org. I love craigslist but one of the most frustrating things about the site is that I can only search one location at a time. Crazedlist eliminates all that, giving me the ability to search the entire WORLD for something if I want to. This has made searching for engagment rings and wedding dresses incredibly easy for me. (Although I am picky so I don't find much that I like) I have written about how much I love Google Reader before, and combining these two websites creates a super-baby with powers that will amaze and stupefy you (well at least they do that for me). I searched for engagement rings in WA and all of the areas of UT, and then created an RSS feed for it, so now anytime a ring is listed in any of those areas on Craigslist it automatically shows up in my google reader "e-ring" feed. It really is magic.

Check back soon, as I may have found an engagement ring, and I have an exciting announcement to give!

Doilies and a little Wedding Philosophy

2008-03-05T10:18:00.000-08:00

I am a firm believer in the idea that wedding planning should revolve around a theme (theme/thought/idea, this doesn't necessarily mean "Star Wars" or "Hollywood" or "Hawaii" or something like that). This shouldn't just consist of choosing your colors, because I think whatever colors you choose should be inspired by the environment you wish to portray at your wedding. Choose three words to describe the mood you are going for. Someday when I am actually engaged I will reveal the three words I have come up with for my own wedding.

If I change my mind drastically and decide to go with a theme that consists of "Books, buttons, and vintage black and white", I will use these two doily ideas.

I found this idea at $10,000 wedding. Doilies are really cheap, and could be used EVERYWHERE throughout your wedding. If you have a grandmother that creates doilies, it could be a beautiful tribute to her to have them sprinkled throughout your reception area (In places where they will not be stained or ruined, you wouldn't want to be careless with something like that). Place flowers in milk glass vases and place them on doilies throughout the reception.
Wouldn't a loose collection of daisies look so sweet in this vase?
Martha Stewart gets the credit for these. Who else would create such beautiful lacy luminaries? I would love to have these lining the path as I exited the reception at the end of the night.

The First Dresses of Many

2008-03-04T13:23:00.000-08:00

I have been trying to resist the urge for a long time, but on a spur of the moment decision I went dress shopping yesterday! My best friend Lova is getting married in August and so it is time for us to find something for her to wear. She told me that a friend of her's had visited a bridal boutique in the Riverwoods and really liked it, and so we decided to go take a look and get something to eat at Bajio's while we were there.

We stopped in at Abella Bridal and were lucky enough to drop by when they didn't have any appointments scheduled so she let us go in the back and look around, and was even nice enough to let us try some dresses on! Heather started, and then I just couldn't help myself, she was just having too much fun (and the sales girl wasn't all over us, actually giving us some free reign try try on whatever dresses we wanted, and try them on ourselves). Their gowns run from $300-$3000, and I loved that they had a large selection of modest, yet unique gowns. Adding sleeves costs enough that it might be worth the difference to buy a beautiful $600 gown that already has natual-looking sleeves attached.
I LOVED this dress on the hanger. But I never tried it on, and I am not really loving it on the model in this picture either. It just has the three quarter length sleeves with buttons at the cuff that I have been dreaming of lately. However, if I am going to go short, I want something from Stephanie James!

I really loved this dress, the Monqiue. I have a huge chest, which makes my waist look small, so I looked super curvy in this silhouette, something I really liked! I love how simple it is, with a split train down the back that is lined with pleats that match the pleats around the neckline. A dress like this would call for some really amazing hair!
Maybe a chignon with a bouffant like knottie jerseybride2006?

After Abella, we headed over to David's Bridal just to check things out. I was not impressed, and have no intention of ever going back when I really begin shopping for my dress. The entire experience is such a marketing ploy, and all of the gowns look exactly the same to me. They force you to look at EVERY possible gown in your size, even the designer gowns that you have no intention of buying. They make you choose shoes, look at veils, and even consider the overpriced bridal jewlrey and hair accessories they have on display. She kept repeating over and over "If you buy today you will save $50!", even though we had explicitly stated that we had no intention of buying that nght. The designers there seem to think that adding sparkles or beading to a dress is the key to getting women to fall in love with their gowns. I can't knock them too much though because Lova did find 2 really beautiful gowns that looked really good on her. I think the price was a little high for both (especially considering the costs for ordering extra length and adding sleeves), so we are going to keep looking.

She laughed when I kept saying that dress was really "sweet". It looked adorable on her, and it would go well with the Tiffany blue, peach, chocolate brown color scheme she is considering, modeled after this cake by Papillon Cakes.

I think that this ended up being her favorite, in Ivory. This one is a lot more romantic and dramatic, roses and candlelight and waltzes are what I picture when I look at this gown. We had created a color scheme a few weeks ago that would work well with a statement gown like this.
I want to do some wedding boutique research and find some places that carry consignment gowns or are having sample sales in the next few weeks, and somehow find the time to find the perfect dress at that magical price.

I learned a few things about my own tastes in gowns while on this little adventure, which I will be posting about soon! My Mom got so excited when I told her I tried on some dresses, if only I had that dang ring on my finger :) That Boy will be here on Thursday and should be staying through sometime next week, don't be expecting any big announcements from me though. I can be patient for a little bit longer.

Fontifier

2008-03-01T21:25:00.000-08:00

I have really really terrible handwriting. Read through my report cards in elementary school and it is a complaint by every one of my teachers. So I will never use this website, because my chicken scratch is something that no one will ever want to preserve. But SOMEONE should take advantage of this because it is such a great idea!

The Fontifier provides you with the ability to use your own handwriting as a font on your computer for just $9. What a great idea! Actually maybe I will try it because at least my typed letters will have more of a personal touch. Do you think you could get away with using this for the thank you notes after your wedding? I mean not for your grandma or anything, but I think that people with more modern sensibilities wouldn't terribly offended. Or is that just wishful thinking?

Lijit

2008-03-01T21:16:00.000-08:00

I discovered a fun new blog widget through soon to be Mrs. Ish, and I thought I would share it's existence with the rest of the world, as well as explain what it is doing cluttering up my blog. It's called Lijit. I am not sure if that is an intentional misspelling of the word legitimate. It's basically a way to search all of the things that I have created, and honestly, I know that I am going to be using this WAY more than anyone else does.

I am planning on creating a much more intense wedding blogroll soon, and this tool is great because it will search not only my blog, but the blogs of those in my blogroll for content as well. SOOO, if you are searching for information on invitations or flowers or favors, you can just go ahead and search in that little box in the right corner (a little ways down the page) and you should get all kinds of fun results. I hope to have the new completely comprehensive blogroll up soon!

Please use this feature if you would like. I think it can be a great indicator of what people are actually interested in reading about. And don't search for naughty things, I disabled that feature already.

someecards

2008-02-29T15:52:00.000-08:00

I am really slacking in the wedding related posts lately, not that I don't have about 1 million starred items on my google reader and bookmarks in my "blogging topics" folder to share with you. Alas, this is another little gem that I found too good to pass up. I present to you the genius of someecards. A PG-13 rated site that drops the f-bomb a little too often for my taste, I find it in my heart to overlook grievances such as these. I could laugh at these all day long. Here are some of my favorites.

I must say that this seems to be the motto of every girl in Provo.

This one is probably my very favorite. For some reason I don't think Swayzie found the humor in it.

The valentines cards are so funny!

Oh the dreaded guest list dilemma! I don't envy anyone working on guest lists right now.

Disclaimer: The author of this blog does NOT feel this way. She would love to discuss wedding plans with ANYONE willing to share them at ANY time.

This reminds me of how I sometimes send out mass texts and try to pretend like they are not mass. But I think everyone already knows.

I just love the juxtaposition of these old-time photos with things like changing Facebook relationship status. That is seriously a conversation that my boyfriend and I had though!

It's true. I really do.

Another one of my favorites, and one that I think Swayzie should appreciate. I think it matches up perfectly with his views concerning valentines day.

I KNOW there were girl in high school who used to try really hard to get a boyfriend in January.

Oh sad. This is me.

Do you know people who act all crazy when they get a new haircut, but you didn't even know because the new style looks EXACTLY the same?

Have you ever felt attacked by someone who was absolutely appalled that you hadn't taken 2 1/2 hours out of your week to shell out $8 to watch a really terrible movie?

How many people can you name off the top of your head who, during the beginning of the strike, kept telling you that they were happy that shows were going off the air because they are a waste of time? And now I hardly no anyone who isn't counting down the days until their favorite show begins again.

Stuff White People Like

2008-02-29T10:26:00.000-08:00

I hate to rip off emails from Daily Candy for 2 posts in a row, but this was too good to pass up. I had to stop reading it during class because it is that funny. I could no longer keep a straight face and pretend like I was paying attention (something that I strive to do about 1/2 the time).

Stuff White People Like is a blog that describes all of the quirky things that white people like. I know you are thinking, duh, that is the title of the blog, I got that. I find myself realizing with each new topic that myself and all of my friends are precisely described by these posts. My favorite posts include:

Multilingual Children
As white people age, they start to feel more and more angry with their parents for raising them in a monolingual home. At some point in their lives, most white people attempt to learn a second language and are generally unable to get past ordering in a restaurant or over-pronouncing a few key words. This failure is not attributed to their lack of effort, but rather their parents who didn’t teach them a new language during their formative years.

Musical Comedy
It’s a pretty good idea because when you have jokes that aren’t that great and music that isn’t that great, you can mix them together and create something that will entertain white people.

Bottles of Water
The leading edge of white people have started to use sturdier, refillable bottles. But do not assume this is from the tap. Most white people need to run their water through some sort of filter (Brita or PUR) before they put it into their bottle. This allows them to feel good about using a refillable bottle, but it also makes it more complicated, which they also like.

Oscar Parties
Attire is very important as well. Either dress in an fancy suit / gown or wear something that relates to one of the films nominated for Best Picture. So for the 2008 Oscar Party it might be best to put a pillow under your shirt and come as a pregnant teenager in tribute to Juno (by no means should anyone bring an actual pregnant teenager).

Study Abroad
By attending school in another country, white people are technically living in another country. This is important as it gives them the opportunity to insert that fact into any sentence they please. “When I used to live in [insert country], I would always ride the train to school. The people I’d see were inspiring.”

I am going to have to stop listing my favorites now because I think I will never stop otherwise. Let me know if you find any other gems hidden in the previous 60 posts!

Nubrella

2008-02-25T09:37:00.000-08:00

Daily Candy seriously sent me an email about this today. You would think that it is April Fools day or something. This is something straight out of the Jetsons, and that model and her outfit aren't helping the whole thing feel very modern. I just can't see this catching on around the world. I kind of want one just to wear it around campus and see how everyone stares. Own it for only $59.99

Photo Break

2008-02-23T18:48:00.000-08:00

Ugh. I have been reading "The Crossing" for almost 5 hours now, and I am only about halfway through. I must continue trudging forwards, I am supposed to be able to stand up in front of my annoyingly brilliant class and pretend like I have some idea of what I am speaking about. I have lately been attempting to not do my homework on Sunday, but I still have a presentation to prepare, an article review to write, 45 pages to read for Brit Lit, and I have to attempt to finish Henry V for Shakespeare. Top that all of with the 2 midterms I have within the next week and call it good.

To keep myself from spontaneously combustion due to lack of relaxation in life, I like to take breaks and check out what my favorite photographers have been posting lately. Here is a little eye candy that I have been enjoying.

Blogger will NOT let me load these photos directly, so you are going to have to click and load. So sorry! But I tried to pick extra gorgeous pictures to make it worth the effort.

Aperatura
http://www.aperturaphoto.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/e0171_jennifer_matt.jpg

Johnathan Canlas
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fHt1JYhaJAE/R8An5GuzOzI/AAAAAAAALFY/obbZH8Uzgyg/s1600-h/3.jpg

Lindsay Jane
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_H6yThadVmj4/R71V3swHBsI/AAAAAAAACFY/VIrOoqCvbAY/s1600-h/2_044.jpg

Art of Love
http://www.artoflove.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/janine3.jpg

Marisa Holmes Photography
http://www.beckersblog.com/images/content/080216_01.jpg

Dan Cripps Photography
http://blog.dancripps.net/blog_images/nathdi_10.jpg

Anne Ruthman Photography
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2255/2278035839_dcb071f589.jpg?v=0

Tag, You're It!

2008-02-23T09:28:00.000-08:00

It has been a long time since I filled out one of these, thanks for tagging me Tina!

What is your occupation?
Student and caterer
What color are your socks right now?
White, I only own white and black. And one pair of sparkly red.
What are you listening to right now?
I am watching a skit at my work meeting. Or pretending to watch while I fill this out.

What was the last thing that you ate?
The cheesy egg muffin that I make and eat every morning.

Can you drive a stick shift?
My little car Abbie is a stick shift. I love her.

If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Black. Everything looks better in black.

Last person you spoke to on the phone?
That Boy.

Do you like the person who sent this to you?
I like her blog. And because of this I think I like her.

Favorite drink?
Fat free milk. Dasani water. Smart water.

What is your favorite sport to watch?
None. Didn't even watch a second of the super bowl this year. Not even the commercials.
Have you ever dyed your hair?
I just dyed it back to it's natural color a few weeks ago (at least my best guess at what the natural color is).
Pets
I would like a snake. No pets in college though.

Favorite food?
Homemade popcorn. Yummmmm. With lots of "I cant Beleive It's Not Butter" spray.

Last movie you watched?
Big Fish

Favorite Day of the Year?
My birthday. It's MY day, how could it not be my favorite?

What do you do to vent anger?
I breathe really quickly and loudly. And clench my teeth. And sometimes I cry.

What was your favorite toy as a child?
This dollhouse that my sister and I had. We could squeeze ourselves through the door of the house, I think that was the reason why we loved it.
Which is your favorite, fall or spring?
Spring. School is ending, my birthday is happening. Good times all around.

Hugs or kisses?
Kisses. Can't get enough of them.

What kind of pie?
Cheesecake. Is cheesecake pie or cake?

Living arrangements?
I am known as "the girl in the basement", roommate to 3 amazing girls that I have lived with through my entire college career.

When was the last time you cried?
While I watched Big Fish. I just love that last scene between the father and son.

What is on the floor of your closet?
My boots. And an old gym bag (that I never use because I don't go to the gym).

Favorite smell?
That Boy, with gardenia's coming in a close second.

What inspires you?
Movies with a message that makes me want to be better, books that I can only begin to understand, and the gospel.

What are you afraid of?
Bees.

Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers?
So much cheese.

Favorite Car?
I love my car. I am not a car person though.

Favorite cat breed?
Anything but this.

Number of keys on your key ring?
3

How many years at your current job?
4th year as a student.

Favorite day of the week?
Sunday

How many states have you lived in?
Washington and Utah.

How many countries have you been to?
4. USA, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom. I hope Poland gets added to that list this year!

I am going to tag Amber, Breinne, Lindsay, Giovanni and Jessica, Tyler, Megan, and Shaylene.

How To Care For Your Baby

2008-02-22T10:30:00.000-08:00

Dooce posted something amazing today. I am really prepared to be a parent now. Go here to learn a valuable lesson for yourself.

Fluid Effect

2008-02-20T10:58:00.000-08:00

I love websites like this. A photography company that deals in photo manipulation and composition. I think that "normal people" love to see what celebs really look like. It includes some "Before and After" shots for celebs like Brad Pitt, Sarah Jessica Parker, Eva Longoria, and Christina Aguilera. They can do some pretty phenomenal stuff in Photoshop. Like CREATING AN ARM for Tom Cruise. I can't stop clicking on the before shot for that picture. Ashanti is apparently just GORGEOUS in real life, but I think it's funny that they focused so much attention on her hand. Like smoothing out those 2 minuscule veins that have absolutely no effect on the picture.

Click on Portfolio, then agree, then composite/manipulation, and for each picture click and hold the word BEFORE. Enjoy!

Let me know which one was your favorite. And if you know of any other sites like this, please leave me the link!

The Grand Finale

2008-02-19T11:06:00.000-08:00

Let's fast forward to the end of the night. You said your vows, kissed as man and wife, threw the bouquet, shoved caked in each other's faces, and collected more gifts then you know what to do with. You only have one thing left to do before you are whisked away to your romantic (and expensive?) hotel room.

As fun as a secret escape can be.....

There are so many creative and fun ways to make your escape, if you can spare a few dollars to pick up or create a few props, you and your guests can really enjoy saying goodnight to your night!

I am a huge fan of creating paper cones, and then stuffing inside all kinds of different fillings.

If you like the smell of lavender, dried lavender is wonderful, and it is a biodegradable option that you won't have to sweep up later. Dried lavender is available here.

Freeze dried rose petals are becoming very popular. They don't wilt, so you can order them relatively far in advance, and you can even choose to have a scent added back to them after they are dried. Plus they look really pretty floating through the air, and littering the ground after they are thrown.

Paper confetti is a no-no. Most buildings probably don't want you to litter right outside of their doors, and you KNOW that no one is going to clean it up. But you might still want an inexpensive option that looks like the picture above (because that looks fun to me too). Ecofetti is the answer! Every color imaginable available for your throwing pleasure and for a great prince if you are willing to do the research to find it.

Photo by 35Atlanta

A lightly dangerous option (but I think the prettiest for the pictures) are sparklers. Make sure you check to find out if sparklers are allowed on the premises. Don't give them to really small children. And if you have a highly flammable dress...be careful :)

If you really want a fiery send-off that will be remembered....

As for throwing rice, no birds are going to explode, I promise. Mostly you shouldn't throw it because people could slip and fall down. Plus I would imagine it could really hurt. Also, the cleanup is once again an issue. But it's really really cheap, so....

Has anyone been to any weddings where the bride and groom made a fantastic exit that you would recommend?

Red Roses

2008-02-17T20:53:00.000-08:00

I am still mourning the loss of my beautiful beautiful camera. You better believe that once I finally have an income once again, Pia II is going to be the first purchase that I make. Looks like I am going to need a REALLY good income this summer. Luckily I still have a camera, and it gets the job done (although not nearly as beautifully).

I know they are cliche, and I usually hate things that everyone else does, but flowers make me so happy. That Boy knows this, and does such a good job of making me smile. I love the red vase that these flowers came in.

Dresses for Jenna (Sadly, this Jenna isn't me)

2008-02-17T15:17:00.000-08:00

This has been circling around all of the wedding blogs and I thought it made for a breezy little Sunday afternoon post. Jenna Bush is getting married (yeah, like the President's daughter) and Style Scoop posted some dress options. Apparently Women's Wear Daily decided to ask 12 different designers what they would design if they could be the one to create the dress.

1. Vera Wang

2. J. Mendel

3. Arnold Scaasi

4. Carlos Miele

5. Amsale

6. Carmen Marc Valvo

7. Angel Sanchez

8. Badgley Mischka

9. Nicole Miller

10. Lela Rose

11. Marc Bouwer

12. Oscar de la Renta

I think I like Vera Wang's the best. It kind of reminds me of the dress that Christian and Chris designed together for the "On Garde" challenge on Project Runway. Take away that giant shoulder eruption she is fighting against, and it looks pretty dang similar. And I like it.

Which is your favorite?

Stephanie James Couture

2008-02-15T13:29:00.000-08:00

Sometimes when I am feeling particularly fanciful and letting my mine wander towards my absolute dream wedding (you know, the kind you would create if you didn't have a budget), I begin to think about the black&white 40's/50's inspired gala I would throw, complete with white-gloved servers passing around tray's of deliciousness during a "mormon cocktail hour", a 6-course formal dinner, and dancing on a hardwood floor with our monogram displayed on it in black and white lighting to end the night (and don't forget the fireworks!). If this event were to occur, I would wear 2 dresses. One for the beginning of the night, and one for the end.

The second dress would come straight from the Stephanie James Couture collection, and it would be accessorized with one of her birdcage veils and kid gloves. Stephanie was a photographer who got engaged and decided to make her own wedding dress. Here is what she created for her own wedding:

She got so many compliments on her work that she decided to go into dress making full time! I think her designs are so timeless. I will be keeping these in mind when I begin my own dress hunting.

This one is made in a floor length version as well. I absolutely adore the silhouette.

Look at the draping over the bust on this one. I love her attention to detail.

I have a new obsession with pleats So crisp and clean.

I would love to shop in her store. Not only is the store adorable, but she tries to form a relationships with the brides who buy her dresses, even encouraging them to send in pictures from the wedding. The bride below looks so quirky and cute.

If You Didn't Know, I'm in Love

2008-02-14T16:53:00.000-08:00

I couldn't pass up a chance to get all mushy and say how much I love my sweetie! He is so many things that I can't even describe. I even like him when he bothers me about "the budget". He makes me want to be better. He makes long-distance worth it. I love every single Polish inch of him!

Photo by Shaylene Andersen

Do It Etsy

2008-02-13T17:46:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking about this post for awhile, because even though I only have a few readers I think that some of them would really enjoy learning about one of the best sites on the web. Really, one of the best, out of the 300 billion available. Etsy is essentially an online marketplace for anything handmade. You can buy anything on this site! Even wedding dresses! I took a few minutes to browse and find some things that I liked to give you a glimpse of how amazing it is. Believe me, this doesn't even begin to scratch the surface in terms of what you can find on this site.

If you see something you like, please click on the photo to be taken to the sellers shop.

I started off by searching through shops in Utah.

bexcaliber has a substantial collection of really cute graphic pillow cases. This one will run you $15.
I love The Scarlet Letter and I am kind of obsessed with this necklace. If I wasn't trying to live on "The Budget" I might have charged it to my card already. 20 little dollars for this one.
I might just like this one because of the photography! A good photo makes everything look better! So pretty with the orange fire you can see inside of it. $36.
Vinyl stick-on's for walls may be one of the greatest inventions I have ever heard of. Kind of makes me want to declutter my room and invest in one of these. My future home is going to involve a blank wall with something like this on it someday. $25 and so easy to use!

This was only a glimpse of the items to be found in Utah stores. Go to the Etsy homepage and choose the "Shop Local" option and you can search for sellers in your area.

The following are a few of the things I found while browing under the wedding gift giving guide.
nicole creates custom cake toppers! A little shabby-chic for my tastes, but still pretty darn cute. $119. I know a little much. But custom CUSTOM cake topper.
This makes my heart go flip-flop. So rustic and actually quite perfect for my Aunt's house in Idaho. Mostly perfect for my own future house. Made in Bountiful, Utah by KarmelDesign. $35 each. This is so going to be on my registry someday.
I love this ring. Do you think it would be possible to put a diamond in the middle of that somehow? I would take this as my engagement ring. Maybe I will take this as my engagement ring! That Boy would never complain about the $32.00 price tag. I keep scrolling back up to look at it.

And now for a perfect example of why it is necessary to dig a little deeper to find the REALLY good stuff on Etsy.
I am not really sure who would want this for the top of their cake. The squirrel has a tail too. Does this relate to some story I am not aware of? Anyone? $40 for this ridiculousness.

If you find anything fantastic while browsing on Etsy, come back and share it with me!

Postsecret Valentines

2008-02-12T19:17:00.000-08:00

Here are my favorite secrets from the valentines themed Sunday Postsecret had.

If I were a writer, as in I actually writing things in my spare time (other than blog posts), this is the kind of thing that I would use as inspiration for stories. Why doesn't he she have a ring anymore? Did she leave him? Did ~~she~~ he die? Did he leave her? What kinds of conclusions can you draw from a picture of a hand with 4 words around it?
This one made me smile. In a "this person is so stupid and I can't believe that they are throwing away so much for what sounds like nothing in return" kind of a way. And it also reminds me of why I want to believe in Love. Sometimes I think it's okay to do something because your heart tells you to.
Again, I think there could be a lot of story behind this one. Maybe this person was born with HIV through their mother, maybe they slept around, maybe they were given tainted blood. Both the postcard before this, and this one include a person doing something difficult for others to understand, all in the name of love. Here I think it's noble, and a little bit beautiful too.

I agree. I love him. Jerry Maguire said it best "You complete me."

I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watchin' Me (And I Got No Privacy)

2008-02-12T18:25:00.000-08:00

Google is amazingly talented at finding ridiculous ways for me to waste my time. First they show me Google Reader, which provides me with the ability to subscribe to hundreds of blogs, with nary the time to begin to attempt to read them. Their newest endeavor, Google Maps Street View, apparently involves them driving all of the streets in the United States with a 360 degree camera. They have even said that they one day hope to include all of the streets in the ENTIRE WORLD. I am sure this has been around for awhile not, but it is new and exciting to me because I can look at my own apartment! And my boyfriends house! And my school! I can spy on myself!

This is where I live. I drive my car down that little ramp to park. Sometimes it is covered with ice and I become a little bit afraid.
This is where Swayzie lives! Pretty isn't it?

This is where I get off of the bus every day, and where I will be boarding the 9:57 pm bus home in exactly 2 hours. I never miss this bus. Although sometimes I have to run for it, which is sadly, very nerdy, but often necessary.

Cheesecakeypop

2008-02-11T11:30:00.000-08:00

Miss Peacock introduced this concept to me: Cheesecake Lollipops! Anyone who knows me knows that I am obsessed with tootsie pops (I even bought the 100 pack at Costco). Things that are small, and things that are on a stick. It is hard to get much better than that.

The guy who makes these lollipops also has "salmon on a stick" or something like that. That might be taking things too far, but it got me wondering, what else could you serve on a stick? I was just reading a brides magazine that showed chocolate dipped frozen key lime pie on a stick. With ribbons tied around the handles. It was adorable.

My Bloated Friends List

2008-02-11T10:48:00.000-08:00

Reading the blogs of my friends is fun. So I decided that I would go through all of my facebook friends to find out who has one and subscribe to it. As I was doing so I came across numerous people that made me think "I don't even care if this person has one, because I don't really care about learning what is going on in their life." That is sad, but the honest truth. I am thinking maybe it is time to par down my friends list a little bit.

How do you keep your friends list from exploding out of control? Or are you like me, with a few 100 people on your list that you can't place.

On a side note, there is a girl in my class who is completely hopped up on pain meds, trying to give a presentation. I can't even look at her without wanting to laugh. I am a cruel cruel person.

Tulip's Traveling Tips

2008-02-08T11:45:00.000-08:00

I thought that someone planning a vacation in the near future might enjoy these tips from Miss Tulip. If you want to get really in depth, check out the comments that people posted, there are so many good tips in there. I don't have anything planned for a REALLY long time (although anyone who knows me know that I am dreaming about finding a way to get to Europe sometime this Summer, but it isn't looking like that is going to happen).

If you are planning a trip in the near future, tell me all about it!

(Hyde Park, London)

1. Before you go, prepare for the worst. And then relax.

There is no question that things can go wrong when you travel, whether at the hands of others or due to plain bad luck. Your trip will go much more smoothly if you take simple steps ahead of time to avoid or handle any setback: learn your airline’s regulations for baggage (how heavy? what size limits if you carry it on?) and any relevant security measures (there are still strict restrictions on carried-on liquids), lock your suitcase with a TSA-approved lock, photocopy the main page of your passport (or scan it and email it to yourself), stock your carry-on with necessary medication and anything you can’t live without for a day or two if luggage is lost, write down credit card numbers and keep them somewhere other than your wallet. You know the drill. Take measures against pickpockets – whether by buying a travel wallet to hang around your neck, or just keeping your purse close at hand and your wallet in a zippered compartment. If you’re a female traveling alone, walk strong, be aware of your surroundings at all times, and avoid any situation that strikes your intuition as sketchy.

But once you’ve taken basic precautions, relax and enjoy your trip! Hopefully nothing will go wrong. But if it does, reassure yourself that you can and will handle any situation when it arises. Travel is too precious and exhilarating an experience to let your fears hold you back from taking full advantage of every last wonderful moment.

2. Do not plan every minute of your trip. Leave space for serendipity, for whims, for discovering something new.

I learned this the hard way during a previous weekend in Paris with my parents. It was my first time planning a trip, I wanted my parents to enjoy themselves, and I was so concerned with “not missing anything important” that I scheduled every moment like a military campaign.

But when we got to Paris, my parents didn’t want to follow The Plan. My stepdad was sick, my mother was tired, they had other ideas than mine. Hour by hour, we fell further behind schedule. It all finally came to a head with my tearful breakdown in an American Express office on the Champs Elysees. (“We’re … not … following … the PLAN!”) And then we threw away The Plan. And had a great time in Paris.

(Florence street corner)

3. But DO research your destination, and make some plans.

Even with a “plan as you go” philosophy, you’ll want to research your destination ahead of time and make some plans. Without research, you might miss an out-of-the-way sight that you’d otherwise love. And, while there’s a value in trying new things as you stumble across them, as often as not it can lead to a mediocre experience (or worse, a mediocre AND overpriced tourist trap).

My own way of balancing the need to plan with the desire not to get too tied down is to print out addresses and notes on what I’d love to see, then take each day as it comes. But we discovered on this trip that it also helps to have a plan of things that can and cannot be done on certain days. For example, many shops close on Sundays, or museums on Mondays. We saved our visit to the Musee d’Orsay for our last day, only to learn it was closed!

Guidebooks can tell you all about famous sights, but they aren’t the best source for information on places like restaurants, where information changes rapidly and the guidebook-recommended places are often full of other tourists. Major newspapers generally have a wealth of searchable info online – just go to the travel section and search the name of your destination. There are many useful travel websites – I enjoy Gridskipper and IgoUgo, and TripAdvisor is invaluable for hotel reviews. And local blogs are ideal for an insider’s view of the city. Before Paris, I relied heavily on a blog by American foodie David Lebovitz.

4. Avoid the tourist traps. Except when you don’t.

There’s nothing worse than trekking to somewhere new and exotic, only to find yourself completely surrounded by other tourists. If you’re in a non-English country and find you’re hearing English spoken around you at least half the time, consider getting away! This could be as simple as popping down a side street to find a restaurant that’s not on the main tourist drag. Or it could mean planning a side-trip to somewhere most tourists don’t go. (One of my most memorable trips was to a town in China that, according to the high school boys who adopted us and led us around, never saw Western tourists.) Sure, the major sights will always draw tourists. But if you can get away from the tourist horde for at least a while, sometimes you experience much more just observing local daily life than you would visiting yet another museum.

On the other hand, many “tourist traps” exist for a reason. Bus or boat tours can show you a lot of sights with a minimum of effort. (Good for getting an initial overview of a city, or for when you just. can’t. walk. another. block.) Certain iconic experiences, like going to the top of the Eiffel Tower, just have to be done. And it’s perfectly valid to want to eat in a famous restaurant or shop a famous shop. Sometimes you just have to say, “That’s a painfully tourist-y thing to do… But, hey, we’re tourists! And we’re doing it!“

(Baha’i historical spot near Akka. Israel)5. Talk to the locals.This is a tough one for me because I’m quite shy. But it has led to some of the travel experiences I treasure most. Guarantee it will do the same for you.6. Learn and use at least two phrases in the local language.

I’m convinced that much of Americans’ “rude” image abroad comes from the travelers who just dive into English conversation without making any attempt at the local language, or even inquiring whether a person knows English. Of course, a traveler won’t always know the local language. But no matter how difficult the language, anyone can learn at least “hello” and “thank you.” Please, at least say “hello” in the local language before you attempt English. And a “thank you” goes a long way when the transaction is done.

(On similar lines, if you do speak a bit of the language, use it! At first, Mr. T and I were both afraid to use our rusty school French for fear of sounding ridiculous. But everyone responded so well to our awful French. They clearly appreciated the fact that we at least made the effort.)

7. Give your travel partner some space.

Even if you and your travel partner live together in normal life, it’s unusual to go days on end without separating for work, hobbies, errands, etc. Don’t worry – wanting a bit of personal space on the trip isn’t a sign that you don’t love one another! Often you’ll appreciate each other more if you spend just a bit of time apart. It’s also a perfect chance for each person to pursue an activity that doesn’t interest the other, or for the less-active person to rest while the more-active person sees an extra sight or two.

(Santa Margherita, Italian Riviera)

8. Be prepared to walk.

Even if you rent a car or your destination has excellent public transportation, on most trips you will WALK. The strolls down romantic waterfronts, the death-marches through huge museums, the hikes from sight to sight — they often add up to miles by the end of the day. Keep your bag light, build in rest stops when you need them, and most of all be sure your shoes are up to the task! You won’t enjoy yourself as much if your feet are killing you.

9. Be sure you have access to money.

Often ATMs and credit cards are the easiest way to get cash or pay for purchases abroad, and their exchange rates can beat those you’ll get at the cash desk. But sometimes card companies will deny foreign purchases on the theory that foreign purchases are more likely to be fraudulent. It doesn’t hurt to call and give them a heads-up beforehand to be sure your card will work. And rember the old commercial about all the foreign places that “don’t take American Express”? Often true. If you normally rely on AmEx, be sure to bring a backup card. (We learned both of these the hard way!)

10. ???

What’s YOUR favorite travel tip? What websites or other resources do you recommend to others who might be planning a trip?

Will Work For Free

2008-02-07T18:33:00.000-08:00

I attended the Career Seminar sponsored by the College of Humanities today and it was one of the most helpful things that I have done in a long time. Being an English major, I struggle with what I want to do with the degree I am earning. Not to mention the fact that I could possibly be living in Poland in the next 5 years.

It started with a presentation by a rep from career services (a place that I plan on paying a visit to really soon) and then transitioned into 3 different breakout sessions that allowed you to choose which area you would like to focus on. I chose the social work, international development, and writing/editing/publishing.

The questions I had in mind throughout these panels were 1. What can I do this Summer? How can I get a job in Dallas that will provide me with "real-world" experience? 2. What should I do after I graduate?
I didn't really get any answers, but I think that now I know where to start looking.

The best part of the seminar was hearing every single panel say that the best way to get an internship is to do an unpaid. As in just work for free. Don't ask me how it is possible to stay alive while you are working for free, especially since Summer is usually the time that students take to make money to support themselves throughout the rest of the year.

So I have some ideas, and I need to start researching. And I might end up working for free.

Let me see your profile.

2008-02-07T15:01:00.000-08:00

My Mom used to have this silhouette of me hanging up on the side of one of the cupboards in the kitchen, and we had one made of the girls in the family when we went to Disneyworld when I was 12. I think that silhouettes would be a really great theme to incorporate into a wedding, and there is a high chance that I will find ways to do it for my own.

Lucky me beads will create a custom silhouette necklace for $70 ( a bit steep if you ask me, but they do look gorgeous)

The Victor Trading Co. creates custom cookie cutters! You can have one custom made and then give out cookies made of your and your sweetheart's silhouette as favors.

Mrs. Lollipop created custom silhouette lanterns. So gorgeous eh?
Here is how she created the silhouettes.
And here is how she put them on the lanterns.
Those bee's are seriously so crafty!

If you don't know how to make a silhouette yourself, Petite Prints has a one time fee and they will keep your silhouette on file for any of their products that you order.

I think there are so many things you could do with this theme, it would probably be a easy to go overboard! Any suggestions for other creative ways that silhouettes can be used?

First day of work

2008-02-07T14:52:00.000-08:00

I had my first shift of work today and I was lucky enough to work the end of it with my lovely sister. It was a banquet for 72 people. Rather easy stuff. I heart BYU catering. I worked as a waitstaff today, but Doug told me that the policy is to hire a person back as what they were when they left, so after I get trained on Wednesday I am going to tell them I would like to be scheduled as a Maitre D' from now on (it includes a pay-raise!).

Lost: 1 Brand New Camera

2008-02-06T18:38:00.000-08:00

Remember Pia? I lost her on Saturday. I left her on the Trax going up to President Hinkcley's funeral at 5:35 AM. It makes me so sad. But reading this website helps me feel a little better. Knowing that other people are having their cameras returned to them gives me a little bit of hope!

Tabletop/Event Layout Designer

2008-02-06T11:23:00.000-08:00

If you are working on designing your reception space, check out these nifty little tools found at partymosaic.com. You can mix and match swatches to get an idea of what colors go together best, as well as design your floorplans for your tables and chairs.

Thanks to an Excited Bride for this one!

'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.'

2008-02-04T22:48:00.000-08:00

CHEESEFEST ALERT

Seriously things like this are so cheesy. But I can't resist posting them because they make me smile every time. And they remind me why I love my Boy. And so many other reasons. Thanks to Miss Bowie at DC Nearlyweds for this one.

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?' The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:

'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore.
So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.'
Rebecca- age 8

'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.'
Billy - age 4
'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.'
Karl - age 5
'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.'
Chrissy - age 6

'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.'
Terri - age 4

'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.'
Danny - age 7
'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss'
Emily - age 8

'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.'
Bobby - age 7

'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,'
Nikka - age 6

'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.'
Noelle - age 7

'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.'
Tommy - age 6

'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.'
Cindy - age 8

'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.'
Elaine-age 5

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.'
Chris - age 7

'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.'
Mary Ann - age 4

'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.'
Lauren - age 4

'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.'
Karen - age 7

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.'
Mark - age 6
'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.'
Jessica - age 8

Song Request #1:______________

2008-02-04T17:00:00.000-08:00

I love this idea that Ariel at Offbeat bride posted! I don't know if I will have a dancefloor at my own wedding, but if you are planning on doing so (and you aren't too hoity-toity in terms of your invitations) what about getting guests to request their favorite songs for the dance floor when they send back their RSVP cards? The sample she posted looks like this:

Number of guests attending: _____

AND

Song request #1:__________
Song request #2:__________

You would most likely have to edit down the list (You know someone is going to request the Beastie Boys or something (which I must add is fine if you really want that at your reception, I know I WOULD NOT)), but you could go onto Itunes and download all of the songs that you want and let your ipod be your DJ, and you know that for every song at least one other person will be dancing with you because they requested it!

I love this idea because it gives guests a chance to really feel like they are a part of your wedding. You didn't invite them just for a gift, you really want them to enjoy the party you are throwing!

Wedding Dress Designers

2008-02-04T13:22:00.000-08:00

Looking for a wedding dress? Unsure of what you like? Over at Weddingbee, Mrs. Butterfly posted a really comprehensive list of wedding dress designers. I can't wait to dive into this list and pick out my favorite designers.

2Be Bride $$
Alfred Angelo $
Alvina Valenta $$$
Amelie $
Amsale $$$$
Amy Michelson $$$
Anne Barge $$$$
Casablanca $
Christina Wu Collection $
Christos $$$$
Da Vinci $
Demetrios $$
Elizabeth Fillmore $$$$
Eve of Milady $$$
Forever Yours $$
Ginza by Private Label $
Henry Roth $$
Ilissa $$
Impressions $
Jacquelin $
James Clifford $$$
Jasmine $
Jim Hjelm $$$
Judd Waddell $$$
Justina McCaffrey $$$$
Kenneth Pool $$$$
Lazaro $$$$
Lian Carlo $$$$
Maggie Sottero $$
Marisa $$$
Mary’s $
Melissa Sweet $$$-$
Michelle Roth $$$$
Mikaella $$
Mon Cheri $
Monique Lhuillier $$$-$$
Mori Lee $-$$
Now & Forever $$-$
Paloma Blanca $$$
Priscilla of Boston $$$-$
Pronovias $$$
Reem Acra $$$$-$
Rena Koh $$$
Richard Glasgow $$$$
Rivini $$$$
Romona Keveza $$$$
Saison Blanche $$$$
St. Patrick $$
Stephen Yearick $$$$
Tomasina $$$$
Venus $
Vera Wang $$$$
Watters & Watters $$

My Favicon!

2008-02-03T15:18:00.000-08:00

I created a favicon! Look up next to the address for my website, and you should see a cute little graphic of a girl with a 60's hairdo. I made that, all by myself. If you would like to create one for your website, go here and follow the really easy instructions. It's a cute way to personalize your website.

Let me know if you do it so I can check yours out as well! Thanks to Miss Lovebug for all of her tips for jazzing up a blog. If anyone likes tips like these, let me know, I will keep posting them as I try them out myself. My next project is working on learning how to change the margins.

The 24-Hour Marathon Winner

2008-02-01T18:28:00.000-08:00

I laugh so hard it hurts every time I watch this. I promise you will do the same.

Top Secret Jamba News!

2008-02-01T13:40:00.000-08:00

I am angry with anyone I personally know who may have known about this and not clued me into it.

If you are like me, the fact that In-N-Out has a secret menu gets you really excited. Because it's like a secret, that only me and 1,000,000 other people know about. And how fun is it to walk up to the register and say "Animal Style"?

Well apparently, there is a secret language for Jamba Juice as well! Yes! I actually don't buy Jamba Juice very often, but the desire to try out every single one of these flavors means I will most likely become a daily customer. (And I think I might even get 50% off!) Flavors include titles such as :

White Gummi Bear [Now Known as White Gummi because of trademark laws]

Red Gummi Bear

Green Gummi Bear

Pink Starburst [known as Pink Star because of trademark laws]

Raspberry Dreamin'

Pineapple Dreamin'

Sourpatch Kid

Tropical Tango

Pacific Passion

Berry Depressing

Now and Later

Peanut Butter and Jelly

Apple Pie

Fruity Pebbles

Rainbow Sherbert

Strawberry Shortcake

Skittles

Andres' Surprise

I wish I didn't have class right now, or I would be at the Jamba Juice counter ordering up some deliciousness. White Gummi Bear. That is what I am going to start with. I will let you all know if the BYU Jamba is up to date with this amazingess.

Slushy Bum

2008-02-01T13:39:00.000-08:00

I fell down today in the snow. This actually happens quite frequently to me. I have been trying to understand how I can fall down so often, and how most other people fall down, well, never. I dropped my banana and bruised it in the process. This was sad because every bite only served to remind me of the embarrassment of falling down while walking to class during the 10 minute break between classes.

Would anyone like to help me feel better about myself by assuring me that they have fallen down too?

Comments make me smile

2008-01-30T10:42:00.000-08:00

If you have a blog, I think you can understand how exciting it is to get a comment on a post! It's like a nice little present sitting in my email inbox for me. I try really hard to write comments on the blogs that I read, because I assume that as long as I write nice things the authors will appreciate hearing feedback as much as I do.

I haven't quite figured out the best way to address peoples comments sometimes. If you write something on a post of mine, should I go to your blog and make a replying comment on your latest post? Or should I reply to your great comment on my own blog, without any knowledge of whether you will ever have the opportunity of enjoying my witty replies.

To combat this problem and encourage a greater supply of comments, I am going to start replying to yours. All of them. My friend Kelli is in Africa, and she recently started replying to all of the comments on her blog, and I love reading her responses. Thus if you leave me a comment, something sweet, something funny, or maybe even something disagreeable, I will reply, and most likely within a few hours of you doing so.

So feel free to ask questions or make comments as per your pleasure, and then if you would like to know what I think about what you said, come back and check things out again. (And if you are lurking, leave a comment and let me know you are here. Believe me, there are few things in life that make me as happy as knowing that people are reading my blog!)

5 Love Languages Quiz

2008-01-29T14:38:00.000-08:00

That Boy talks about this theory all of the time. I really should take the quiz or read the book and let him know what I come up with for myself. It's a great way for you and your significant other to learn to communicate with each other better. Take the quiz here.

In Memory of President Gordon B. Hinckley

2008-01-29T14:22:00.000-08:00

As the prophet of my childhood President Hinckley will always be my prophet. I would be half-sleeping through each session of conference until he came on, when I would perk right up to hear his latest joke introduce his next talk. At the Press Conference where he announced his Presidency he was asked what the theme of his Presidency would be. He replied "Carry on!", and there is no doubt that even without this giant of a man at it's head, the Lord's church will continue to roll forward over all the earth. I love him dearly.

I am not a huge fan of Glenn Beck, but I really liked this.

We will all miss you President Hinckley, and I know that we look forward to the many years to come with President Monson at the head of this great church.

Temple Ready? Why Thank You Jasmine!

2008-01-27T14:05:00.000-08:00

I was reading this letter that Manolo for the Brides wrote regarding the lack of sleeved gowns in the bridal industry, when one of the commenter's posted a link to Jasmine Bridal regarding the option to make gowns Temple Ready! Yes, a large scale designer is giving brides the option to customize their gowns to make them temple ready. I don't like ANY of the gowns, but I think it's a good first step. It would be great if more designers would realize that not everyone wants to walk down the aisle in a sleeveless gown. (Well I won't really "walk down the aisle" really, but you get the idea.) I have no idea how much Jasmine gowns cost, I hate when they won't put pricing information online!

MissNowMrs

2008-01-27T13:49:00.000-08:00

A few posts ago I talked about how to change your name. Then I discovered this site. Disregard what I said previously.