Clothing Swap

My closet is full of clothes that I haven't worn for years. Every time someone comes over Fred offers them anything in my closet. The sad thing is that I don't mind really because everything that I wear is probably in the dirty clothes hamper (or on the floor...let's be honest)

So I got thinking about how all of my friends usually go through their closets in the spring so that they are able to refill it with all the new stuff they want.

I think that this year instead of DI'ing our stuff why don't we all get together and do a clothing swap??

After we've all picked our "new" clothes, we can take the rest of the items to DI or donate them to a local charity.

So start sorting! Shoes, pants, shorts, shirts, dresses, jewelry...whatever! If you loved it someone else will too!

This won't be for a couple of weeks so let me know if you're interested! Invite your friends!

Weight Loss Secret

Many of you out there are wondering how Fred and I have maintained our freakin' hot bods recently. I receive email after email asking, "how is it that your bum stays so round?" I haven't been willing to share this secret in that past but I feel as though now is a good time. Especially after this week:

The secret: Girls Scout Cookies

Yep it's that time of year when one spends $30 on cookies that'll last maybe a month. This year we purchased 8 boxes. I got them on Monday...Fred's two boxes are gone. I'm down one box of Somoas (eating the last one as we speak) and half box of Thin Mints (both of which I was sure that Fred would eat because HEELLOO they are amazing but nope. He hates them both. More for me.)

So readers, get to the store buy from those girlies sitting outside (which from the locations I've seen the moms are doing all the work) and be sure to stock up because like Christmas this time of happiness only comes around once a year!

Don't forget that all the cookies freeze! So really...STOCK UP!

Did I say weight loss?? I meant gain.

SO Happy to be home

I am so happy to be back in Utah. After spending eight hours in the Cinncinati airport on Friday, anywhere was better but being back in Utah with my husband was the best place to be.

Friday was actually our 6 month anniversary. We had big plans to go on a date but due to my flights being delayed and all that we settled with Taco Bell on the way home and a date on Saturday.

We went to dinner at the new Blackstone Restaurant here in Logan. We've been wanting to try it for a long time and when we finally did--we were less than impressed.

I really liked what they did with the restaurant. Our server, Nicole was great. Our food however was less than spectacular.
Fred got the salmon and I got the pesto chicken. We also got the chips and dip appetizer.
Our appetizer lacked...flavor. It was refried beans with cilantro and a little spice. That was it. It was okay but I didn't think it was worth the $7 we paid for it.
My pesto chicken was...eeeh. It was drenched in pesto. I only ate a little of it.
Fred's Salmon was bland. There was no flavor in that either.
here is another blog that has a lot of feedback on ALL restaurants in Logan (some harsh comments but informative!)

Overall, I think we could possibly give it another shot but we won't be ordering the same things.

We also saw 10,000 BC. I didn't want to see it at first but while on my trip I saw an extended preview and it actually looked really good. It was. I really liked it. (Sorry John and Amber... I made us see something else!)

My last day

Today I was finished kind of early. So I looked up some trendy Chattanooga places to eat and set off on the adventure of eating by myself...

I chose to go to Aretha Frankenstiens for a mid afternoon snackie. Online I found some reviews and based on those I went with a bacon and egg biscuit. yum yum. These southerners know how to make their biscuits! This place puts a little sugar on top...mmm mm mmm!

After my awkward experience of eating alone in an empty restaurant (more like coffee shop). It was super awkward. I don't think I'll be making a habit of going by myself. I like the whole eating it my hotel room better.

For the next 2 hours I drove around the residential parts of Chattanooga. Completely loving every single second of all these huge plantation houses. This was probably one of the highlights of my trip. I fell in love with this area more and more.

I walked around a bit, wandered into a bookstore where a book club was meeting. The book club consisted of a group of big gospel singing type women. A woman began to read her story that she wrote and sang parts of it (when telling about the church choir) I couldn't help but love her. I love the people out here. They are big, southern God fearing, happy, kind people and I love 'em all!

If you ever find yourself coming to Chattanooga let me know! I'll fill you in on the places I've loved!

I am so excited to go home tomorrow! this is the longest Fred and I have been apart since we got married...Chana no likey.

Oh and these pics were taken from my cell phone. they look good huh!

Loving Tennessee

I love this house. I love the huge covered porch.

Just a pay phone I thought was cute

The old bridge

Here are some pictures I took of the area. They don't do the real thing justice but you can get the idea. Sorry, I'm not in any of them. I didn't want to look like a fool (or asian tourist) and ask some random passerby to take my picture. Awkward.

Today I took my awesome minivan and roamed Chattanooga. I haven't seen anything worth doing until today. While at my conference, I've had plenty of time to research the area. Today I actually found a good site. So I drove around...saw some cool stuff on the side of the road, parked my car and walked all around Chattanooga.

I loved it. The weather was perfect!! If someone would have been following me they would have been laughing at my reactions to everything. I kept ooo-ing and awe-ing, sighing, and I won't lie...giggling because I was so excited about everything. The only thing that would have made it better is if Fred was here with me!

I LOVE old architecture. Love it love it. I love old southern buildings, houses, sculptures...basically all the cool stuff. The south is the perfect place for me.

I found a great art walk with all the above mentioned factors. I really had the best afternoon.

I completed the evening by getting some yummy mexican food, eating it on my bed while watching American Idol. What a good afternoon.

It was bound to happen...

So now I'm in Tennessee. Chattanooga to be exact. Yesterday was quite that adventure...let me tell you!

As previously stated in other entries, something always happen when I travel solo. I had high hopes that this trip would be different but nope not a chance.
Yesterday I finished at my first conference and went back to my hotel, packed up and waited outside for the Iraqi that would take me to the airport. He finally stops by and when I get to the airport everything is hunky dory.
I made it to Chattanooga without incident...until...

I get into Chattanooga around 9:45 PM. I have to get my luggage and my rental car and head into the great unknown of Tennessee. While waiting for my luggage to be loaded on the turny thingy so I thought I'd make life easy and get my car all set. The guy at the Enterprise counter was really nice, he said that I needed to hurry to get my luggage because they take it off after it's gone around twice. So I go sit over there....no bag...wait...still no bag.
Mr. Enterprise tells me to check the other airline ones just in case. Nope no bag.
Now I'm scared. I have nothing with me. Literally all I have is my laptop, power cord, book and conference paperwork.
I go talk to the airline dude where he tells me that it was checked onto the airplane so it's got to be around here somewhere or someone took it. Even better. I have a brand new iPod that I'm giving away in there. Not to mention ALL my stuff!
So Mr. NWA takes my info so that it can be delivered if recovered. At this point I am almost in tears. I go back and wait for Mr. Enterprise to finish with a customer. While waiting I see an older man enter the baggage claim wheeling a red bag...MY bag!
I took off after him and sure enough it was mine! I am the luckiest girl in the world.
He took it by mistake. Unfortunately, he was now missing his bag but I couldn't have been happier! I had mine!

Oh Yeeeaaahh!

That's right...back after popular demand are more jumping pictures. You just can't get enough of them can you?? Well don't worry I've still got one more hotel on my journey so there'll be more!

I struggled this time!

Hello St. Louis!

Here I am sitting in my ritzy hotel in St. Louis. I got here last night after a long flight next to a slightly smelly man who kept trying to get me to see the sights with him while I was here...awkward.

When I got here last night I was not the most attractive thing. I had on flip flops, jeans, north face coat, and messy hair. When I got inside, I was surrounded by women in fur coats, diamonds, and high heels. I felt a tiny bit out of place!

I'm here attending a conference on juvenile justice okay I'm spying on this conference. So today my conference didn't start until 1:00 so I met up with my cousin Stacey for some sightseeing and whoops only made it to part of my conference!

We went to the top of the St. Louis Arch. It was really cool. You ride to the top in these tiny cars that fit five people nicely packed. Once at the top you can look through these tiny windows down at everything below. It was so pretty!

I'm so glad that she lives here so that we could hang out (for the first time in 4 years)! It was so much fun. I wish she was coming with me to Tennessee tomorrow!

More pictures to come...

Things I NEED

Lately I've found myself wishing for a lot of things. Things that I NEED.
I'm dying for:
-A house to call my own. Not an apartment. I want multiple rooms, multiple cabinets, storage space, a yard, a garden, a PANTRY, a hall closet, more than one bathroom, an average sized bedroom...etc.
-Fred to be done with school so we can buy the house mentioned above and be making the big bucks!
-Spring to be here! I'm so tired of the snow, the cold and the scraping of windows every morning. I long for green grass, sunshine, shorts, flip flops, and flowers.
Note: I have officially declared my own spring and started wearing flip flops today. No more closed toed shoes.
-a vacation. A spring break from work, school (for Fred), the cold and life in general. Good thing we are headed to San Diego next month for a wedding. If only it was forever.
-A hobo wallet. I NEED this one. I think that Mauri and I came up with a way for me to justify it as well.
- A weekend with my mom and sisters. This should take place somewhere warm like St. George or California.

The Evolution of Dance

Have you ever seen the evolution of dance?
Watch it!