Ward Camp Out

This last Friday, our ward went camping up Hobble Creek Canyon, which for those of you who don't know where that is... it is up the canyon from Springville (so not too far from us). It is really pretty there and close enough that it is not a pain for everyone to get there. Being on the activities committee, I worried about the attendance of the activity not knowing how many people would actually want to camp, but we actually had like 50 people there and probably 30 or so stayed the night. It was fun to chat with everyone around the camp fire, everyone eating tin foil dinners that they brought and S'more's provided by the ward. Brent of course brought the dutch oven and made chicken soaked in buttermilk and cooked in flour for the two of us.

It was pretty yummy. I was excited to share a tent with my roommates, never can get enough bonding time with my roommates... and then Brent pitched his tent right beside ours. We felt safer knowing he was right beside us. :o) I wish I could say I slept really well.... not because I was cold this time... I actually was pretty warm, but I was trying to sleep on rocks. It didn't go over well, so I felt pretty wasted the next day... we all did. But overall, it was still fun. Got to enjoy the camping while the summer lasts. The next morning a couple members of the bishopric cooked breakfast for everyone in the dutch oven. I don't remember what it was called, but it was a mixture or eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes and other good stuff that we topped with salsa and cheese in a tortilla. Yum! Then we all packed up and went home.... and took a nap. ha ha



My friend Whitney Allen that I used to work with at Apx last summer, moved into my ward recently and it has been so fun seeing her all the time at ward functions!


The Roommates!



This is what Brent and I look like first thing in the morning after not getting any sleep and all dirty and gross from camping. He still thinks I'm beautful! Now that is love. :o)

Garden Dinner Party

Several times this summer I have mentioned to Brent and my roommates that I wanted to throw a little summer garden dinner party. I really enjoy having people over and I enjoy cooking for people, and I have a cute little garden and I feel like I should appreciate it before winter comes back. So this last Sunday I invited a couple friends over and of course my roommates and Brent and I finally did it. It was a success! Everyone had a great time and really enjoyed eating out on the patio.

Here is a little update on my garden since my last post... the sunflowers have grown and blossomed, I now have little tomatoes and the lily pads grew in the water fountain!



Here are the pictures from the garden dinner party. Wondering what I made for everyone? The menu included: Strawberry Soup, Parmesan cheese & Basil bread sticks, Caesar salad, pasta salad, Chicken-zucchini-shrimp kabobs, and Brent's oh so amazing raspberry cheesecake drizzled with chocolate! And to add to the ambiance, I had Ashlee and Julia pick some flowers for the table. It was the perfect finishing touch. It all turned out amazing!

The Melting Pot

Last Saturday, Desiree and Chuck put together a group date in SLC. We had dessert at The Melting Pot and then played Rock Band at their house after. I was really excited about The Melting Pot. I like fondue and I think that is such a cool idea for a restaurant even though it is kind of expensive. Since we just had dessert, I would love to go back sometime and try the other courses of fondue.

Each couple gets a plate a dippers... which included; rice krispe treats, brownies, cheesecake, marshmallows, banana's, strawberries and short cake.


We then chose two different chocolate fondues from the menu. First, dark chocolate with peanut butter swirl - which is the original & The Flaming Turtle... which had milk chocolate, nuts and caramel. Both equally delicious.



Here is the group that went. It is always nice to spend time with friends. :o)

Flour Fight

Tonight I was put in charge of the FHE activity. We played dodgeball... except instead of balls, we used socks full of flour. It was quite fun. Brent and I had a little too much fun getting each other with the flour.

Gone Fishin

I always look forward to Friday, everyone does. But I don't look forward to it just because it is the weekend, mostly I am excited to spend more time with Brent. Our date nights are the best part of my week. On Friday, Brent and I went fishing in the Provo River. Brent loves fishing and I really can't believe this summer is almost gone and this is the first time we have been. We went several times last summer. The first time we ever went fishing together last summer Brent told me he wanted to buy me some waders so I could fish out in the water with him. When Brent came to pick me up he had bought some waders for me. He is such a sweetie. I felt like a hard core fisherman. Too bad we didn't catch anything. We had a couple bites though. We will just have to go again. We still had fun though... then again as long as Brent is around, anything is fun.

Novell

Novell has been my work home for the past 6 months. This job has been a total blessing in my life in so many ways. I never thought I would be so thankful to be laid off from another job, but I really am. Thank you Apx for getting rid of me. The timing was perfect and everything worked out. I now work for a much mature company that appreciates me and my work. I make more money, have amazing benefits, started my 401k, save on gas because it is so much closer to where I live, have my own office where I can listen to whatever music I want all day long, work with awesome and caring people, we get treated to lunch and movies and the list goes on and on. Thank you to my friend Nate who got me this job. I am sad that I am not working with him anymore, but I know he is happy to be going to Law School. Anyway, Novell Rocks - The End.

I work on the 5th floor of this building


Here is my badge and my office



Here is the Contracts team (minus Paul Beck)


And the Contract Specialists! Except now it is just me and Paula. We miss you Nate!

Unexpected Guest

I feel like my blog is getting boring, I think I am losing readers. Either that... or my posts are so boring that it leaves people speechless. Not that I write on my blog just for people to comment on it, but it is always nice to get comments. I have decided to try and mix things up and try and be more entertaining.
Today I want to tell you about an unexpected guest that I ran into while watering my flowers. I don't know where he came from, but I have a praying mantis that now lives in my flowers. Just one... in the same spot every day. He did not like me taking his picture, but I got one. I decided to name him Herman. I was talking to my friend Kirsten when trying to take his picture. She told me it was a she... because the females kill the males after mating. Insects are so brutal.
Not that I didn't believe her, but I decided to ask Cha Cha anyway. For those of you who don't know... you can text Cha Cha (242242) ANYTHING and Cha Cha always texts you back right away with a brilliant answer. It's pretty awesome. Anyway, Cha Cha told me it was true. So Herman is probably a she and I should probably change the name to Hermana... which I guess would mean sister in Spanish. I think I am still going to call it Herman.


Here are some facts about the Praying Mantis...
The Praying Mantis is a large carnivorous insect, part of the Mantidae family of the Montodea order. There are more than 2,000 montodea species worldwide, with the majority being in the mantidae family.

The praying mantis received its name because of how they hold their front fore legs. When at rest, their front fore legs are held together in a praying manner. In Greek the word "mantis" stands for prophet or fortune

teller. Adult praying mantis can range from three to six inches long. The body is green, tan or brown depending on species. They have a big head and two big front fore legs with rows of sharp spikes for holding food.
The middle and back legs are much slimmer than the front fore legs. Praying mantis have tong, narrow wings that cover their abdomen. Baby mantis look just like the adults, except they do not have wings.
The praying mantis mating season is the summer time. After mating the female praying mantis will eat the male, often starting with the head. Come autumn the female will lay their eggs (anywhere from 10 to 400 eggs), in clusters called oothecas.
Tiny praying mantis will emerge from the ootheca, from a zipper like seam, in spring or early summer. If there is not sufficient food around, a praying mantis's first meal will often be a sibling.
The growing season consists of an entire summer for a praying mantis. It takes one growing season for a praying mantis to mature to adulthood.
When searching for food, the praying mantis will patiently wait for an insect of the right size to pass by. When an insect is close enough the praying mantis will strike out with its fore legs and grab the prey.
While still alive the praying mantis will almost always start to eat the catch. They quickly go for the neck of the insect, to end the struggle.
Praying mantises eat insects, other mantises, spiders, beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, small tree frogs and lizards. Every now and again they have been known to catch unsuspecting hummingbirds.

Random Photo Shoot

My roommate Ashlee and I decided it would be fun to have a random photo shoot next to this old building by where we live. Here are a few that she took of me.

Movie Night

Holly was in town... it couldn't have been a better weekend for me to have such great company. Katie, Holly (girls I grew up with in Santa B for those of you who don' know) went to get some ice cream and then went back to Katie's place to watch this movie they rented called "My Sassy Girl" which looked like a cute chick flick. But I guess you should never have your hopes up too high for movies that never even made it to the theater. The lead girl was annoying and crazy. We didn't even watch the whole movie. We skipped to the end just to see what happened. At least we got a good laugh about it in the end. But in case you see this movie and are tempted to rent it.... don't.

Girl Friends

Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver the other is gold.

I have been friends with Kirsten, Abby and Desiree for the past 2 or 3 years. Met Kristen through a mutual friend, met Desiree in my ward and met Abby through Desiree. We were all single when we met and have kept in touch. Kristen and Dallas were in town last weekend for a wedding, so we decided to get together with our boys for dinner. We had a blast. These girls are so much fun and have become such dear friends over the last few years. It makes me happy when my good friends have found good men to marry, and these girls certainly have. Hopefully I will get there one day too...


We tried to re-create a picture we took a couple years ago while we were all single. Didn't turn out as cute, but we had fun trying.

Happy Birthday Grant!

I just love my nieces and nephews to death! Today is Grant's first birthday! He is just so adorable. I love his laugh and his cute little smile and how much fun he has with his sisters. And it is so cute to see how much they love him too. My sister invited me over for a little birthday party for Grant tonight so Brent and I went over and we had so much fun over there. It makes me excited to have kids one day. Grant loved opening his presents, but even more than that he loved eating cake! In our family it is tradition that on your first birthday you get your own cake all to yourself. It is so fun to watch how each child reacts to this. Grant did not hold back. He could hardly even wait for the candle to be blown out. He is such a cutie and I love him. Here are some pictures from the party.
Reanne dressed Grant up for the party.
Happy Birthday Grantinator! I love you!