Photo of the Week 217

Another picture of the deer in my Spring photo shoot. This picture screams spring. Love it.

Packing

Trying to fit things you need for 2 weeks of travel plus some stuff for someone else in a backpack....

Nailed it!

Creative Collaborative

On Wednesday my good friend Desiree and I went to a seminar to hear her friend Natalie speak at Creative Collaborative. I had never heard of it before, but it happens once a month in this really awesome building really close to where I live.

What is Creative Collaborative? It's a community of artists working together to achieve more. Right up my alley. A group of creatives all inspiring and motivating each other and best of all... it's free! They get different speakers who are accomplished artists. People who range from successful bloggers, to people who have built successful restaurants to photographers and recording artists. I signed up to be on the email list so I can go to more.

So we went to listen to Natalie Norton. A friend of Desiree's from her Hawaii days. Natalie is a photographer and has traveled all over the world not just taking pictures but giving lectures. She has also written a book and I must say she is pretty awesome and inspiring to listen to. I love hearing other people's stories and how they got through trials and how successful and talented people are also human and life isn't always perfect even though a lot of times we tell ourselves that because we are comparing our worst to their best... which is all that we see as on outsider. She didn't just talk about how she became successful... she more focused on how great humanity is. How we are all great and that any of us could accomplish what she did. That each and every one of us can contribute and make a difference in this world. How much we need each other especially going through really hard trials in our lives... which we all have. They come in different packages, but we all have them. Anyway, she was great and I left having a greater appreciation for myself and for the family and good friends in my life and how much they mean to me and make a difference in my life weather they know it or not. Even the people I have not had good experiences with (broken engagement, bad roommates etc...) because they have given me experience and made me appreciate the good THAT much more. I love looking at life this way rather than being bitter and upset over things out of my control. I do have control over my attitude and how I choose to react to situations. Anyway, people are great. I love meeting new people. That is one of the things I love about traveling... meeting people from around the world, seeing how they live and view life. No matter who they are, where they come, what they do or what they believe... there are a lot of good people in this world that contribute to make it really great.

Thanks Desiree for getting me to go to this seminar with you. It was a great night and of course spent in great company. I always enjoy spending time with Desiree and appreciate her friendship and so glad we have kept it up over the past 7 years when we met.

Sweet Thai Rice

When I was in Thailand I discovered how much I love the Thai desserts... like the Sweet Rice with fresh mango's. YUM! I have been wanting to have it again since I have been back. WELL... it turns out that my new roommate, Penny, used to cook in a Thai restaurant and told me it was easy and that she would help me make it. So we did... for my little Southeast Asia video party. It was a success! Everyone loved it. And it is so easy! I will be making it again for sure.

What you need?

Rice
Coconut milk
Sweetened Condensed Milk
Sugar
Fresh Mango's (or other fresh fruit)

* I also added some fresh mint since I have a plant in my kitchen. It was a nice addition.


Directions

You cook your rice like you normally would make it. While still on the stove you add the can of coconut milk and sugar to taste. Dish out your rice, pour some sweetened condensed milk on top and your cut mango's or other fruit on top and sprinkle a little fresh mint on top of that and you are ready to eat!

So Simple. So good. Enjoy!

Flashback Friday 165

Flashing back to summer 2004. Margy and I made a fort and slept in it before I moved back to Utah. I guess I have always had a thing for forts. They just started out smaller than they are now.

Confessions of a Brunette on the Internet 218

Another week. We had another wind storm. I didn't think it was as bad as the last one, but then I past this on my way home one night. Kind of crazy right?

So I started my next show. I have started watching Chuck. My friend Dallin says it's his favorite show and has been telling me to watch it for a while. It's cute, but I don't think it's as great as he think it is. I'm enjoying it for sure though. I started yesterday and I am half way through the second season.

I think I have decided my next book to read also. "Blink". My BFF neighbor Darrell has raved about it and read it a few times... so must be good. I will let you know.

On Monday I had a viewing party for the Southeast Asia video that I finally finished. It was fun to get together with the travel crew again. We all dressed in our Thai outfits and all made/brought a Thai dish. I had been craving the Thai sweet rice with Mango, so I made that/ my roommate Penny helped me (she used to help cook at a Thai restaurant) and Daniel made Massaman. Ellis took the approach that I usually do, go big or go home. Ellis went to the Asian store and bought banana leaves and made the custard rice dessert wrapped in banana leaves that we had in Chiang Mai. He also made a drink. Allison bought Magnum bars because we had those a lot while we were there. Everything turned out good. We all had fun and watched the video a couple of times and talked about the good times.

This last weekend I was bailed on again. Another guy who planned with me. I think I'm going to stop making plans. I don't have any this weekend... so I will be safe to not be disappointed. Maybe it will give me time to catch up on projects. Like... work on my Southeast Asia book. I wanted to finish the video AND the book before this next. Not sure if that is going to happen. Oh well. You do what you can do right?

I have been going to get waxed on my legs and my armpits. My last wax appointment was 2 1/2 weeks ago. My leg hairs, there are not many... so I can't even really tell that much when they get long, but it is still REALLY hard for me not to shave. Especially my armpits. I HATE hair... it grosses me out. Is that weird? I can't wait until Saturday when I go get my wax... and I'm not sure if I will continue or not. I started doing it because I was told that it grows back thinner and less... but I don't know how many times you have to go for that to happen.. or if it REALLY does.

I was on Tinder this week and I matched with this guy.... this was the message that he sent me. I thought it was so funny. I give him major points for creativity. Although it's a big thing to ask for the first time you speak to someone you have never met. ha ha.

I have gotten to see a lot of friends this week that I haven't seen in a while. Desiree and I got together on Wednesday, I think I will blog about that later, and I saw Kirsten today (in town from FL and I haven' seen her in a year) and I went and visited Monica and got to see her cute new baby. It was great. I love my friends and my relationships with family and friends is what means the most to me in life.... so I love spending time with them and I would drop anything for them. So glad I got to see all of those girls.

For work this week we got treated to Japanese food for lunch. I love getting treated to lunch and I LOVE getting Bento boxes. Seriously. You get a little bit of everything... a little soup, a little salad, a few pot stickers and a couple California Rolls (we also ordered a couple of sushi rolls) and I got the Teriyaki Salmon.... SO GOOD! I was in heaven. Thank you co-workers!

Besides that.... I don't think much has happened this week. More lay offs at work, not in my department, but still sad. Oh and I went and hung out with John's parents tonight. Well... I went to go pick up some stuff for John. However, John's dad is a talker. So I ended up being there for like an hour. They want me to come back again. They are very sweet. I was also VERY impressed with how clean, tidy and organized John is. Everything he wanted me to get was exactly where he said it would be. Just like me. :) I felt snoopy going through his stuff though.

Speaking of John, we had a little Skype date on Saturday. It was nice. It's nice to joke around with him... it's hard to do that over text. :)

Photo of the Week 216

Just some more spring flowers from my parents front yard. I loved the warm glow in this picture. Took it at sunset.

Spring Photo Shoot

Ever since Allison and I became friends, she has joined in with me on my season bucket lists (which I love). Included in our bucket lists are a photo shoot of the season. We did our Winter photo shoot, well... it was now time for our Spring photo shoot. With Winter you really have to wait for fresh snow for a good photo shoot... but that is not as hard as finding and catching blossoming trees at just the right time. You have to pay close attention because different trees blossom at different times and to find a bunch of them all blossoming at the same time... well...

I don't know why I haven't thought of this in years past, but there is a grove of trees right next to the state hospital in Provo and people take pictures there all the time. I checked them on Monday and they were all in full bloom so Allison and I headed over there for our little photo shoot.

Not only are the flowers beautiful with their pink and white, but they smell amazing too. AND we saw a bunch of deer there as well... so I had to take a bunch of pictures of them too.

Some cute pictures I took of Allison.

And that Allison took of me.

And because there were other people taking pictures there as well... I asked a photographer girl passing by if she would snap a couple pictures of the both of us together. It was a beautiful day and I think the pictures turned out beautifully. I LOVE Spring.... in case I haven't said that enough yet.

Southeast Asia Video

In the past few years... I like to have a video of my trip along with the pictures. Sometimes it takes me 5 months to make the video, but hey... at least I do it right?  It is a ton of work to put together, but I'm always glad that I did it after it's done. It's a nice thing to have. It's like you get to relive the trip. :)

So, here is a summary of our two weeks in Southeast Asia. Enjoy!

Easter Egg Hunt

I was on a cruise last Easter, so it was really nice to be home this year to celebrate. Church was great. My previous visiting teach is so great... she is not even my visiting teacher anymore and she still brought me a cute Easter treat. She is the sweetest and has become such a great friend.

 And of course I love spending time with my family on Easter. Reanne even had a special Easter message prepared for the family which was great.

After the lesson, my parents, Kristy, Jess and myself all hid a bunch of eggs that Kristy and Jess brought for the kids and a BUNCH of candy that my Grandma had bought. She had also bought each of the grandkids baskets to collect all of their eggs and candy. It was fun for me to hide the candy and watch the kids go to find it and watch how fun it was for them. It has been SO long since I participated in an Easter Egg hunt... I guess when I was dating Brent we spent Easter with his parents and his mom hid our Easter basket's... but besides that, I was a little kid. I had never hid candy for the kids before, so that was fun. Plus I just love my nieces and nephews and love being involved with what they do.

I also enjoyed eating some candy while I was hiding the candy. :) The kids don't need ALL of the candy right?

I think the kids got it all... but I guess we will find out when my dad mows the lawn next.

Happy Easter. I hope everyone had a great one.

Easter Eggs

I haven't dyed Easter Eggs in YEARS! It was on my Spring bucket list, so it had to happen this year. I was supposed to do it with a friend but she ended up being too busy... so my roommate Penny said she would do it with me. We both got a sharpie and decorated 3 eggs each.

These are Penny's Eggs (bottom pictures are the front and back of one egg)

My Eggs (I know, Penny's are cooler)

All of them together look pretty cool. I almost didn't want to dye them. Later I dyed them all. Why not, that's the point right? I like them with color too.

Flashback Friday 164

Since Easter is this Sunday, I'm flashing back to Easter time when I was in 4th grade with my friend and neighbor Nikki. We were matching... but opposite. Ha ha.Why in the world do we take pictures with a huge Easter bunny?

Confessions of a Brunette on the Internet 217

Saturday night we had a storm. It was quite the storm... you could feel the house shake from the wind. That left us without Internet for a week and I have been having to catch up on my blog and other things I need to the Internet for at work. The power was out for a couple of hours. I know because I kept waking up and checking my phone. What was I worried about? My fish tank. HA! The power out meant that the heater and filter was turned off. Not sure why I worry about my tank that gives me so much stress (ok that is an exaggeration) and I obviously can't kill my fish since they have not died after everything I have accidentally put them through and not known it was bad for them. So yeah... no need to worry. They are still alive and well. When I woke up the next morning and go to church, I saw my bench swing on the patio... the weather did a number to it. Guess it's time to figure out new seating for the back patio...

Oh and speaking of my fish tank. My shrimp is still alive and slowly eating the weeks in the tank. I'm seeing progress from the cleaning crew I put in my tank which makes me happy and helps me be less stressed about the tank. The tank is looking cleaner. It's great. I can't wait to have it under control and be able to get cooler fish and some coral.

Monday I went to see a movie with my roommate Penny. We went to see "Monuments Men" which had a star full cast, but got not the best reviews. My co-workers had told me they liked it though, so I thought I would as well. I did! I learned a little history that I didn't know before since this movie was based on a true story and it had enough humor in it to keep me entertained and like the characters. I would recommend it.

I also finished "A Single Voice". Well done Kristen Oaks, well done. It was perfect written. She addressed all of my concerns and voiced everything that I have felt as an older single. Including being happy and feeling like people feel sorry for you because you are not married with kids. Of course that is what I would like, but for whatever reason it hasn't happened yet, but I am very happy with my life in the meantime. Such a great book and I am glad President Sandburg recommended that I read it. I recommend it to "older singles" or if you want to understand or better to relate to them.

Tuesday we heard a loud noise at work. We went to the other side of the building and looked out the window.... a crane had fallen on another building on the Novell campus. A building that I have some friends working in actually. It was kind of crazy. Nobody was hurt, but I think there will need to be some repairs. We watched as the fire trucks showed up and checked out the scene. Not sure why they came... I don't think there is anything they could do, it takes another crane pulling that crane up... which eventually came later and was working on it the next day. It sure caused quite the scene though. There were lots of people watching.

I am done watching episodes of Hoarders... but the effects are still there. I continue to go through my stuff and get rid of things I haven't used or don't think I will. I keep cleaning up after my roommates because I can't stand the thought of dirty dishes in the sink, food spills and crumbs sticking around and attracting bugs and unpleasant smells. That show for definitely made an impact on me... even though I was already a neat freak.

Speaking of shows, I'm just about done with "The Glades". I have liked it. Still think the Killing was better, but this was good and a little more light hearted. Doesn't keep you at the edge of your seat though because every murder is solved by the end of the episode. Not sure what I am going to watch next.

So I totally missed the Lunar Eclipse. Kind of mad about it actually. How did I not know about it? I would have totally stayed up to watch it. I had a bunch of friends watching it even. I saw MANY instagrams the next day of it. The best one was obviously from my  brother in law Dan. I would have loved to try and get pictures even though I know they wouldn't come out as good as his, but oh well. I looked it up and apparently it is happening again on October 8th. I put it on my calendar so I wouldn't miss it this time.

On Wednesday I totally pampered myself. I had my scheduled massage, which was wonderful as always... my massage therapist is great and so nice. Love talking to her. After my massage, I decided it was also time for a pedicure, so I went ahead and got that done also. It was long over due... the guy giving me the pedicure just shook his head while he looked at my toe nails. He could tell I had one toenail just growing back. He asks me if I lost it running. I said I lost the same one on my other foot to running, but this one was from hiking to Havasupai. He lectured me on how I need to clip my nails short before I do stuff like that. Yes... lesson learned. Then he saw the bruise on my big toe nail. He asked me how that happened. Yeah... I dropped a weight on my foot in Pilates. He shook his head again and told me I need to take better care of my feet. Ha ha... that is why I was there! I usually am so good about taking care of my feet. Anyway... my feet look really nice now. He fixed them up for me and you can't see a bruise anymore and you also can't tell that my toenail is not quite all the way grown back yet. Yea!


I don't know why, but I had never checked my credit score before. I had no idea if it was good or bad. Turns out... it's REALLY good! I am happy about that. I can thank my parents for that for teaching me good habits at a young age. I remember my dad teaching me about how to handle credit cards when I first got one at the end of High School. Told me to use it for gas and buying things online and then pay it off right away... that it is better to have credit than no credit. Having no credit is the same as having bad credit. Anyway, it was a pleasant surprise to see I had such great credit AND it is going to get even better... I met with a finance guy at the bank and trying to make better choices with how I handle my finances. My 401k has a lot of money in it... which is awesome, but now I think I want to start a second savings account. One that I don't touch.... Anyway... I'm feeling good about that.


I finished my Southeast Asia video... finally. Now I just need to put together my book of the trip. I always get excited to do these things but then forget how many hours it takes... and how much I don't want to do it, but I still want it, so I do it anyway. ha ha. It's worth it in the end. Anyway, after I show it to my travel friends, I will post it for the public.

So my weekend was crappy. I already blogged it out. Hopefully this weekend will be better. As it turns out, John had a crappy weekend too. We text everyday... so we vented to each other. It helped a little. Then on Monday we skyped again. I have always kind of hated skype/ FaceTime because I don't like looking at myself knowing that is what the other person is seeing. Just makes me self conscious I guess. Anyway, I never understood why people thought skyping with someone was such a big deal. Now I do. I mean, John and I text everyday, but it is so different to be able to have a conversation with someone ad see their facial expressions and have that type of interaction. It ended up putting us both in a better mood after our crappy weekends. I miss him. I'm glad I hear from him just about everyday though. When he left, I wasn't sure how often I would hear from him, but as it turns out... WiFi is pretty standard everywhere now. Because we chat everyday... my end of the conversation isn't always exciting. John's like oh I went and saw a Volcano today and zip lined through the jungle. I'm like... oh cool, I went to work and got a pedicure. But he still cares what color I got on my toenails.