Ben and Sara

Taking Care of Myself

2012-01-24T20:35:00.001-07:00

Lately, I have been working on taking care of myself better and that's why I haven't posted a bunch of organization photos.{ I did, however, clean out my day planner today. Feels good. }

I gave my hair a nice conditioning treatment and have been treating it better.

I gave myself a manicure and painted my finger nails.

I went shopping and got a few new things I can wear for work, church or everyday.

I bought a new moisturizer and I love it. It makes my skin soft and healthy feeling (Palmer's Coco Butter) ....plus I smell like chocolate.

Yes, I even got a little sun. (Best part of it all...I need my sun)

One thing I haven't been working on is my beauty sleep. I blame Ben and work.

He sleeps weird hours and I work weird hours.

C'est la vie.... and it's wonderful.

Home Mission Statement

2012-01-17T19:41:00.004-07:00

I received a great piece of advice today regarding my home makeover.

Create a home mission statement.

A home mission statement helps you to make the better decision when you are changing something about your home and it will help you focus when you are feeling overwhelmed by the daunting task of creating an entire home atmosphere.

Here is our home mission statement

The mission of The Ridges' Home is to nourish the mind, body and spirit of all who enter by creating a warm and cozy oasis filled with laughter and love. We hope to create an atmosphere of fun, learning and simplicity so that our family and guests will leave here feeling refreshed, encouraged and loved.

I like it. Soon it will be framed and hanging on our wall so I will always remember.

My next project is going to be the office. Dun...dun...dun....

Wish me luck. Come find me if you haven't heard from me in 3 days....

Ribbon Organizer

2012-01-13T09:27:00.003-07:00

I want this.

Bad.

Who wants to make it for me?

I think Ben should. :)

Progress

2012-01-10T13:24:00.002-07:00

Ok! I've made progress.

Recipe Land. Check!

{I didn't need all my cookbooks upstairs with the limited room. I put the ones I use less frequently downstairs and now all of my important binders and books have easy peasy access!}

Tupperware Nook. Check!

{I went through and kept only the tupperware that I needed. Look at all the room I saved!}

Front Closet. Check!

{I took out some things that didn't need to be in there and just made it "work" better}

Before:

After:

{I keep all my moppy type stuff in here since we have no other closets.}

Thanks to Rand and Ben I have been able to check things off of my list

that have been on there for years!

For example:

New Front Door Handle (and a matching back door handle too)!

{No more gold! Yay! And now we get to paint the front door in Spring!}

It was getting to the point where we may have gotten locked out... door handles don't last forever.

We also got a keypad for our garage door and the code is...

nunyabusiness.

Haha. You thought I was really going to tell you.

Our chandelier now has light bulbs in it too!

{We don't own a ladder yet. tee hee. so it just never got done}

A shower is in process of getting fixed.

We got the mirror in the front room hung finally!

The air filter was replaced.

We also got our finances organized and have a budget we are going to stick to!

That's a big one!

It's coming along!

Let it begin...

2012-01-03T12:11:00.001-07:00

So I have begun the organizing process and feel I have been super productive this year.

Yesterday I was able to do some yard work outside. I figured now is the best time to get some outdoor stuff done while it isn't snowing. I also got the christmas lights taken down and bought new handles for our front and back door thanks to Rand. Those will be getting installed today....thanks to Rand. The christmas tree will also make it to the curb today.

My organizing started with the tupperware land....dun dun dun. This is always a mess and I have consolidated and kept only the ones I want. I doubled my space due to this!

So now I have some open territory to work with. Awesome!

The next thing I organized was my coobooks....I have a few..... I figured that I can keep most of them down on my bookshelf in the office and keep my most used 4 or 5 upstairs in the kitchen along with my 4 personal recipe binders. That made the cupboard feel so much more organized and gave me room to put all my binders up there instead of on my counter.

So I didn't gain any space but I gained ease of use and a pretty cupboard. Good!

I have wiped down cupboard shelves and done other general "spring"...er ..... "mild winter" cleaning.

It feels so good. I like it!

Today, I started off the day with a wonderful trip to the Temple and

I think I am going to clean out the front closet next....that may change

but something is getting a before and after picture!

Yay for me! 2012 is going to be great! I'm pumped! :D

Shrimp Scampi Linguine

2012-01-02T23:15:00.000-07:00

For Ben and Steve's Birthday back in December, I made Shrimp Scampi and it turned out delicious! I am posting the recipe below for your viewing pleasure. I modified the recipe to reflect what I did or would do differently. I put this in my recipe catalog and will make this again.

Shrimp Scampi with Linguine

Ingredients

1 pound linguini
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 shallots, finely diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined (Fresh or cooked, thawed)
Salt and ground black pepper
1/2 cup chicken stock (or 1 cube chicken boullion in 1/2 cup water)
Juice of 1 small lemon (or slightly less)
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves

Directions

Remove tails from shrimp if needed. Boil the linguine according to package. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Saute the shallots and garlic until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. If using fresh raw shrimp, season with salt and pepper and add them to the pan. Cook until they have turned pink for a few minutes and then remove them from the pan and set aside, keeping warm. If you are using cooked shrimp then skip this step.

To the pan, add the chicken stock, and last 2 tablespoons of butter and oil. Allow the liquid to reduce down for about 10 minutes until it becomes thicker. Add the lemon juice to taste. Bring to a boil and add the cooked shrimp, parsley and pasta. Stir using tongs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil if needed. Enjoy while hot!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-02T14:21:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year Everyone!

Every New Year provides an opportunity to start over.

It gives us a chance to change and become a little bit better than last year.

Ben and I were discussing our New Year's resolutions and I was definitely more into this resolution game than he was....but that was to be expected. :)

I found myself being more interested in making a resolution than in previous years. Maybe it's because I have more time to think about it. Maybe I've just had enough. Probably a little bit of both, but either way, I am really excited about my new year's resolution because it is realistic and something I have been working on for a bit already.

Let's check out Ben and Sara's New Year's Resolutions!

I will start with Ben. He is a pretty straight forward guy. When I asked him what his new year's resolution would be, these are the answers he gave me. :D I love him.

Goal #1: To not die

{I can chuckle at this because he's nowhere near that but has felt like

he wanted to a few times this past year. Don't take this seriously. ;P}

Goal #2: Go Camping more

{Great goal! I like it!}

Goal #3: Build up his Trucks and Jeep

{Hmmm.....this was a surprise.}

Now for Sara. I have really been focusing lately on becoming who I want to be

so that is my new year's resolution this year.

Resolution: Become who I want to be.

Life itself is intended for progress so I don't expect this to be "checked off" the list at the end of the year but I would like to say that I am a step closer to my goal (if not a lot of steps closer).

Besides, life would suck if you didn't like spending time with yourself!

To be able to become who I want to be,

I figured I should break my resolution down into some achievable goals.

Goal #1: Be Relaxed

I have been working on this for a while and I actually feel I am pretty good (or at least a lot better than I used to be) but I do recognize a few things that could make this even better,

which leads into goal #2.

Goal #2: Get Organized

I eluded to this before in my last post. An organized house nurtures an organized mind. This is definitely true for me. I love to be organized but somehow my inate instincts (or as some of my family call it, "the genius" in me) make me a very disorganized person. My excuse has always been that it's organized chaos. But no more! Goodbye Entropy. Hello finding my shoe!

Goal #3: Make my Home Sweet Home

I still feel like I just moved in. I know I am not the only one who has lived where they are for a few years and still haven't unpacked everything. I just really don't like looking at rooms of boxes and am at the "I've had enough" point. It's time. I want to create an environment that nurtures family and the spirit. I would love to have this done before we grow our little family. I want to create a safe haven and a cozy home. We love our house and it is cozy and warm but I think organizing it and actually setting up the rooms (and putting things up on the walls) would help it tip over into the

"We live in a cozy home and love it here" phase

rather than the

"We move every 6 months so we don't even bother unpacking" phase.

My mom always created a wonderfully cozy home for us to enjoy

and I want to do the same thing for my family.

Ben and I also decided to have a combined resolution for this year.

Family Goal: Keep the Sabbath Day Holy

I know that we can do a better job at keeping the sabbath day a holy day to give us more time to study and reflect on our being. With all the hubbub and drama of worldly daily living it can be very easy to lose track of our eternal goals and relationships with each other and our Father in Heaven.

I really like the quote, "Be in the world but not of the world," and I know for a fact that taking the time out to study, learn and meditate and make right choices on an hourly basis will help us to easily achieve that goal and will allow our 'body' and 'spirit' to coexist in peace..

One thing that has always helped me is the thought below:

"The longer we follow a path, the easier it becomes."

This is true in all aspects of life, no matter which path you choose.

So follow the path that will allow you to become who you want to be.

Happy New Year.

It's Time

2011-12-29T14:16:00.001-07:00

It's finally time to organize my life...

....starting with the house.

A happy house leads to a happy mind. :)

I am going to be smart this year.

{That should be my new years resolution.....}

I am going to do it one area at a time instead of trying to make myself feeled overwhelmed by the whole project.

My Goals (in no particular order):

1.) Get a room ready for a nursery

{No, that's not a hint. Yes, we would like a baby.}

2.) Move all my craft stuff downstairs into the office

3.) Create a designated location for my baking supplies. {I wish I had closets in my house!}

4.) Get my emergency preparedness organized and accounted for

5.) Organize the office (Aahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!)

6.) Organize my wardrobe

7.) Make my kitchen more efficient

....there's a lot of things I want to organize!

I don't think this is impossible. I quite think they are reasonable and worth while goals.

If any of you have any wonderful tips to getting organized I would super-D-duper love to hear them.

I am willing to make reasonable/moderate investments if needed.

I'll even do some of those shnazzy before/after pictures

The Winds of 2011

2011-12-06T12:32:00.000-07:00

These winds were crazy!!
We survived with moderate damage to our home and yard compared to others. Our buddy's siding got completely blown off. :( No trees uprooted for us thank goodness. I thought our huge north willow was going to go. We watched it sway back and forth pulling up the grass around it. We went out while it was still quite wild to go get a generator and we almost got swept off our feet. We were getting pelted with stuff from all directions. As we were driving and seeing all the destruction it was kind of surreal. Fences completely gone. Huge pines uprooted and laying in the middle of the street or on people's houses. Siding and roofing blown away. Weird.

The national guard came and were hauling green waste and debris to the landfill for us. They were wonderful and worked so fast. At church, an emergency meeting was held to prepare for the next storm that was supposed to be Sunday night. The bishop said, "sometimes you need to pull the ox out of the mire before it gets blown away!" :) So then began the roganizing of debris and tree collection for the neighborhood. It went really fast with so many volunteers. People were tar papering exposed roofs and chain-sawing trees up into manageable sizes. Others were throwing the branches and other debris onto the trailers and then hauling it to the park where the national guard was stationed. It was really cool to see everyone work together to help each other.

We got a few more things for our emergency preparedness but it was really nice to know that if the power was out for the 48 hours they expected (or even longer) we would have been totally fine....besides not having cable and internet. It helps you appreciate all this technology and comfort we are blessed with.

Welcome Share Dessert Company!

2011-12-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

My new dessert blog is up and running! Check it out!

You will find tips, recipes, how-tos and lots of other fun stuff!

www.ShareDessertCompany.com

Thanksiversary!

2011-11-29T19:14:00.000-07:00

Ben and I just celebrated our 9th Anniversary!!! Crazy how time flies!
....and I love him even more than I did year ago. :)

Gone Hunting

2011-11-22T15:39:00.002-07:00

Some guys from Maine dressed their truck up with a guy spread eagle on the roof of the truck. The driver and passenger put on Moose Heads. Down the Maine Toll interstate they went causing about 16 accidents. They went to jail. Maine cops have no sense of humor.

Marcel

2011-11-19T17:11:00.008-07:00

Haha. These made me laugh. I'm retarded.

National Pharmacy Week

2011-10-24T09:54:00.000-06:00

K. It's been a LONG time since I posted last but I am back to posting again! I promise...whether you like it or not. :)

Last week was National Pharmacy Week! Yay for Pharmacy!

Just a few cool facts about Pharmacy!

Did you know????.......

Pharmacists invented Coca-cola, Dr. Pepper, Pepsi, Root Beer and improved Ginger Ale?!
They also invented baking powder, matches, Worchestershire sauce and the fire extinguisher!

(Where would we be without Worchestershire sauce?!!)

Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey was a pharmacist.
They are one of the top 3 trusted professions since 1989 (yay!)
Pharmacists can give vaccinations!
The first appearance of a pharmacist on the big screen was NOT Desperate Housewives! It was "It's a Wonderful Life"

FUN HUH!?

Our New Addition

2011-09-07T10:23:00.000-06:00

Our new baby chevy. :) 2500 HD Silverado 2008. She's Perfect for us!

Love and Charity

2011-08-19T18:16:00.000-06:00

This is very cool. I received it a while ago but never posted it.

Dayton's Legs: Click HERE

I love these and had to share

2011-08-19T17:29:00.000-06:00

I am sure most of you have all seen these before but they are so cute I just had to put them on my blog.
Awww.....! Fer Cute!

I'm a sap.

Scotland Bound Concert July 27th 2011

2011-07-29T19:08:00.000-06:00

My band made the news!!

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Payson Scottish Festival

2011-07-10T19:59:00.000-06:00

My band had a great time in Payson at the Scottish Festival! Our Grade 4 band took 2nd in both the quick march medley and the timed medley! Wahoo! Our grade 3 also had an awesome run.

Here is a clip from the Daily Herald that includes a few glimpses of our band. Check it out!
http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/vmix_e3efccdc-aaa0-11e0-96a7-001cc4c03286.html

Awesome Response

2011-06-17T18:19:00.000-06:00

I was surfing the internet on random things (like I do) and I came across this awesome question and answer.

Question: "Where can I get some Upelkuchen and Pishsalver? I want some upelkuchen and pishsalver. Like what they have on Alice in Wonderland. Pishsalver is the potion that makes you shrink and Upelkuchen is the cake that makes you grown. I really wanna shrink and grow. It would be so cool!"

Answer: "go to....
www.everything-is-possible-except-that…

but that would be so awesome though, after i watched the movie, i dreamt it did happen and i found it under a mushroom after i ate it."

Haha. I love the sass.

U of U Summer Charity Drive

2011-06-14T01:00:00.000-06:00

If your spring cleaning was successful and left you with gently used coats and water bottles, consider donating them to the U of U Summer Charity Drive!

Beginning next Tuesday, June 14-21, bins will be located throughout the University Hospitals and Clinics to drop off items for the Road Home, including clean:

· Winter coats, gloves and hats for the winter months

· Lighter jackets to be used throughout the year

· Reusable water bottles to hydrate year-round

Let me know if you have any items to donate and I can drop them off for you! Help out those in need!

Costa Mesa Scottish Festival

2011-06-05T21:54:00.001-06:00

I'm not very cool lately. I have just been working, baking and banding a lot.
I just got back from the Costa Mesa, California Scottish Festival (I guess that was a week ago).

We took 1st overall! Woot Woot!
We took 2nd the first day and 1st the second day. The rest of the time we partied in the sun. I'll take it.

Sand-stands. Check.

Write in the sand. Check.

Pictures with friends. Check.

Pictures of the ocean. Check.

This was my response to the question "If you could write one thing in the sand, what would it be?"

Sara. You crazy. I love it.

Nicholas' First Communion

2011-05-02T12:50:00.000-06:00

Yeasterday was Nicholas' First Communion! It was a beautiful day and everything went well! I did the Dessert Bar for the after-party. Check it out!

Butterfly Dessert Bar

Soccer Time!

2011-05-02T10:44:00.000-06:00

Nicholas scored two goals and seriously played so well! What fun for the Black Lightning Tigers!

Puppies....somehow we still love them.

2011-05-02T10:31:00.000-06:00

This is what you wake up to when you forget to put your puppy in their kennel for the night. Tsk...Tsk...

(That is a trail of salt. :)

She decided to dance on our nice wood side tables.

iFLY

2011-04-13T22:49:00.000-06:00

A little skydiving, anyone?

Indoor Skydiving at iFLY.

Ok....well maybe not. But it was intense!

An International Birthday!

2011-04-13T22:42:00.000-06:00

My dad's company (surgeworks) spans the globe and they made him a birthday video! This is pretty cool. :)

Happy Birthday Dane! (Click Here)

1st Soccer Game of the Season- Snowed Out!

2011-03-26T14:29:00.001-06:00

2011-03-22T08:52:00.000-06:00

“Generally speaking, the most miserable people I know are those who are obsessed with themselves, the happiest people I know are those who lose themselves in the service of others. By and large, I have come to see that if we complain about life, it is because we are thinking only of ourselves. ”

Stand a Little Taller – by President Gordon B Hinckley

Happy St.Patty's Day!!!

2011-03-17T19:19:00.000-06:00

The best holiday of 'em all!

Things Could Be Worse

2011-03-03T10:49:00.000-07:00

A father passing by his son's bedroom was astonished to see

that his bed was nicely made and everything was picked up.

Then he saw an envelope, propped up prominently on the pillow

that was addressed to 'Dad.'

With the worst premonition he opened the envelope with
trembling hands and read the letter.

Dear Dad:

It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you.

I had to elope with my new girlfriend because

I wanted to avoid a scene with Mom and you.

I have been finding real passion with Stacy and she is so nice.

But I knew you would not approve of her because of all her piercing,
tattoos, tight motorcycle clothes and the fact that she is much older than I am.

But it' s not only the passion...Dad, she's pregnant.

Stacy said that we will be very happy.

She owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood

for the whole winter.

We share a dream of having many more children.

Stacy has opened my eyes to the fact that

marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone.
We'll be growing it for ourselves and trading it with the other people
that live nearby for cocaine and ecstasy.

In the meantime we will
pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so Stacy
can get better. She deserves it.

Don't worry Dad. I'm 15 and I know how to take care of myself.

Someday I'm sure that we will be back to visit

so that you can get to know your grandchildren.

Love, Your Son John

P.S.
Dad, none of the above is true. I'm over at Tommy's house.

I Just wanted to remind you that there are worse
things in life than a report card that's in my center desk drawer.

I love you.

Call me when it's safe to come home

2011-02-21T23:11:00.002-07:00

McLove

2011-02-15T13:25:00.000-07:00

Nothing says "I Love You" like the McChallenge.

2 people....50 mcnuggets....one goal.

McLove is in the air.

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T10:45:00.000-07:00

“Love is the only force that can erase the differences between people – that can bridge chasms of bitterness”

Stand a Little Taller – by President Gordon B Hinckley

Breastfeeding Duration Study

2011-02-14T09:44:00.000-07:00

According to a recent study:
"Predominant breastfeeding for 6 months or longer was positivelyassociated with academic achievement in children at 10 yearsof age. However, the effectiveness of breastfeeding differedaccording to gender; the benefits were only evident for boys." - American Academy of Pediatrics

2011-02-09T08:53:00.000-07:00

My Lucky Day!

2011-02-02T14:27:00.000-07:00

My expense tracking sheet balanced perfectly after I found $500 dollars I didn't account for! Excellent Day!

2011-01-31T10:00:00.002-07:00

“You are good. But it is not enough just to be good. You must be good for something. You must contribute good to the world. The world must be a better place for your presence. And the good that is in you must be spread to others.”
Stand a Little Taller – by President Gordon B Hinckley

I'm Back!

2011-01-31T09:13:00.000-07:00

Going back to work after a short leave feels kind of nice!
Back to a routine. Back to getting bills paid.

I have been baking a ton lately...maybe I will actually post the pictures someday. :)
I started a new blog just for my new found love of baking in case you want to journey with me.
Click HERE if you are interested. Enjoy.

Nicholas trying out his new Christmas XBOX!

2010-12-29T11:42:00.000-07:00

Thanks Santa!

2010-12-28T21:39:00.002-07:00

Santa brought me a kitchen scale! Finally!

Just a thought

2010-12-28T21:36:00.003-07:00

There really aren't many things better than laughing cow creamy swiss.

This is my joke....

2010-12-22T15:13:00.000-07:00

Who killed Cap'n Crunch?

P.S. No Cheating!! to those of you who I already told!

Tee Hee

2010-12-22T15:05:00.000-07:00

A little late but still funny. :D

Gaahaa.

Dear Santa

2010-12-18T09:26:00.001-07:00

Dear Santa,
I have been a very, very good girl this year. I would like a kitchen scale to make you perfect cookies, a double boiler to make you delicious candies and a puppy......wait.....scratch the puppy and just bring some earrings.

Love, Sara

P.S. Do you know any kids that want a puppy?

Happy Anniversary!

2010-11-29T08:00:00.003-07:00

Ben and I just celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary! Crazy!

Absolutely Amazing

2010-11-28T13:48:00.000-07:00

Increased Security

2010-11-23T18:51:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!
Sorry for the inconvenience between the time of me making my blog private and inviting friends to view. I didn't realize how loved I was until the angry emails started flowing in! :D
Operation: Blog is back up and running!

What?!

2010-11-15T11:43:00.002-07:00

Caught in the act of licking the mustard off Ben's plate.

Give Food, Support Utah!

2010-11-12T07:35:00.001-07:00

To all who are interested in participating, you can drop food off to me and I will take it where it needs to go! Let's help out those who are struggling in Utah!

~~This year's Utah vs. BYU Rivalry Week Food Drive, which runs from Friday, November 12, through game day on Saturday, November 27, represents the end of an era. Starting next season, the annual rivalry game will move up to September and, as everyone knows, the schools will no longer be in the same
athletic conference.

To mark the end of an era, both schools want to shatter all previous food and fund collection totals. All donations made by Utah supporters go to support the Utah Food Bank.

To help the U achieve victory, both on and off the field, please consider making a monetary donation online at

         https://www.umail.utah.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=0b4fca5b7b624f55adb6672794bf7dc0&URL=https%3a%2f%2fwww.utahfoodbank.org%2fRivalry-Drive

The U has developed two promotions to encourage food and monetary donations:

1. Starting on Friday, November 12, you can bid on unique University of Utah and other items donated by local businesses in our first-ever online auction, at

        https://www.umail.utah.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=0b4fca5b7b624f55adb6672794bf7dc0&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.alumni.utah.edu%2frivalryweek

   Offerings include a golf outing with Coach Jim Boylen and a stay at the Grand America Hotel, which includes Utah Jazz tickets, among other attractions. All auction proceeds go directly to the Utah Food Bank.

2. On Wednesday, November 17, students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to "Drive Through and Drop Off" food donations at either the Alumni House (155 S. Central Campus Drive) or the Central Development Office (540 Arapeen in Research Park). "Drive Through and Drop Off" goes from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. --
only one day, so please mark your calendars.

You can also drop off nonperishable food items at the Alumni House between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays anytime during the food drive.

With the struggling economy, the Utah Food Bank reports a sharp increase in requests for assistance at this critical time of the year. With your help, Utah can sweep BYU this season, both on the field and in the Rivalry Week Food Drive.

Thank you for your generosity, and please donate by Saturday, November 27!

Go Utes!~~

UPDATE: Sara and Ben + 6

2010-11-10T22:48:00.000-07:00

I am just waiting for the day we have ten animals and/or chillins.....then it will be Sara and Ben + 10! Sweet!

I am still working at the University Hospital in the central pharmacy and in the newborn intensive care unit. Yes, I still like it and find it challenging. Yes, I wish I didn't have to work. No, the money isn't worth it. ;D I'm not meant to work I have decided. I would rather cook, clean, mow lawns, feed chickens, do laundry, sew, feed horses, manage bills, etc. (So basically I would rather just do these instead of doing these plus working!)

I am enjoying a lot of baking lately! I really don't eat a lot of baked goods though so I will be sending out mass text messages for y'all to come-n-get it. So if you want some...it's yours!

Ben is still working his construction. He likes that manual labor stuff. He has been enjoying building up his jeep lately. We are excited to do some jeeping next year.

We still have our 2 dogs, 2 chickens and 2 horses. If only Noah had a farm...

That's about it...
...just in case y'all were wonderin'.

CupCakes Anyone?!

2010-11-10T16:46:00.008-07:00

Nicholas had a MEGAMIND Birthday Party last week! His party was hosted inside the Jordan Commons IMAX Theater. We had some chaotic fun and good treats and then everyone headed into the theater to see Megamind 3D. (Megamind is a new animated film that I definitely recommend to all kids and adults! 4 stars! I loved it. )

Besides having some great entertainment, we had some good eats! I made the cupcakes for Nicholas' birthday (as is tradition now) and had a ton of fun doing it. The party theme was obviously Megamind, who is a blue space villian, so the color blue and stars was a major theme!

I was a baking fool (I baked 100 cupcakes!). I'm not sure how many actually ended up at the party because Ben had to keep taste testing them for me. He's so sweet like that.....actually I really did make him taste test these because they were from scratch and I ended up having to change quite a few of the original recipes. See below what ya missed out on!

Cupcakes for Nicholas' Birthday Party!

Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Icing

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Honey Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing

Blue Velvet Cake with Sweet Cream Cheese Icing

I may just start sending out a mass text message to come get some cupcakes because I only eat like 2 total out of a whole batch.....and 1 batch makes a lot of cupcakes! I just love to bake but I can't eat that many! (Thank Goodness!)

2010-11-10T16:36:00.000-07:00

Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

2010-11-10T16:29:00.003-07:00

2010-11-04T08:37:00.002-06:00

Only in California would they try to make pot legal and happy meals outlawed. ;D

I love KBull.

'Dad'cula and 'Neck'olas

2010-10-30T22:25:00.002-06:00

Like father like son. :)

2010-10-26T21:39:00.000-06:00

"Come What May, and Love It"

2010-10-23T14:19:00.007-06:00

This is a little long but it is well worth the read.

Supplement from Conference talk

"Come What May, and Love It"

by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

The way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life.

When I was young I loved playing sports, and I have many fond memories of those days. But not all of them are pleasant. I remember one day after my football team lost a tough game, I came home feeling discouraged. My mother was there. She listened to my sad story. She taught her children to trust in themselves and each other, not blame others for their misfortunes, and give their best effort in everything they attempted.

When we fell down, she expected us to pick ourselves up and get going again. So the advice my mother gave to me then wasn’t altogether unexpected. It has stayed with me all my life.
“Joseph,” she said, “come what may, and love it.” I have often reflected on that counsel.

I think she may have meant that every life has peaks and shadows and times when it seems that the birds don’t sing and bells don’t ring. Yet in spite of discouragement and adversity, those who are happiest seem to have a way of learning from difficult times, becoming stronger, wiser, and happier as a result.

There may be some who think that General Authorities rarely experience pain, suffering, or distress. If only that were true. While every man and woman on this stand today has experienced an abundant measure of joy, each also has drunk deeply from the cup of disappointment, sorrow, and loss. The Lord in His wisdom does not shield anyone from grief or sadness.

For me, the Lord has opened the windows of heaven and showered blessings upon my family beyond my ability to express. Yet like everyone else, I have had times in my life when it seemed that the heaviness of my heart might be greater than I could bear. During those times I think back to those tender days of my youth when great sorrows came at the losing end of a football game.

How little I knew then of what awaited me in later years. But whenever my steps led through seasons of sadness and sorrow, my mother’s words often came back to me: “Come what may, and love it.”

How can we love days that are filled with sorrow? We can’t—at least not in the moment. I don’t think my mother was suggesting that we suppress discouragement or deny the reality of pain. I don’t think she was suggesting that we smother unpleasant truths beneath a cloak of pretended happiness. But I do believe that the way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life.

If we approach adversities wisely, our hardest times can be times of greatest growth, which in turn can lead toward times of greatest happiness.

Over the years I have learned a few things that have helped me through times of testing and trial. I would like to share them with you.

Learn to Laugh
The first thing we can do is learn to laugh. Have you ever seen an angry driver who, when someone else makes a mistake, reacts as though that person has insulted his honor, his family, his dog, and his ancestors all the way back to Adam? Or have you had an encounter with an overhanging cupboard door left open at the wrong place and the wrong time which has been cursed, condemned, and avenged by a sore-headed victim?

There is an antidote for times such as these: learn to laugh.

I remember loading up our children in a station wagon and driving to Los Angeles. There were at least nine of us in the car, and we would invariably get lost. Instead of getting angry, we laughed. Every time we made a wrong turn, we laughed harder.

Getting lost was not an unusual occurrence for us. Once while heading south to Cedar City, Utah, we took a wrong turn and didn’t realize it until two hours later when we saw the “Welcome to Nevada” signs. We didn’t get angry. We laughed, and as a result, anger and resentment rarely resulted. Our laughter created cherished memories for us.

I remember when one of our daughters went on a blind date. She was all dressed up and waiting for her date to arrive when the doorbell rang. In walked a man who seemed a little old, but she tried to be polite. She introduced him to me and my wife and the other children; then she put on her coat and went out the door. We watched as she got into the car, but the car didn’t move. Eventually our daughter got out of the car and, red faced, ran back into the house. The man that she thought was her blind date had actually come to pick up another of our daughters who had agreed to be a babysitter for him and his wife.

We all had a good laugh over that. In fact, we couldn’t stop laughing. Later, when our daughter’s real blind date showed up, I couldn’t come out to meet him because I was still in the kitchen laughing. Now, I realize that our daughter could have felt humiliated and embarrassed. But she laughed with us, and as a result, we still laugh about it today.

The next time you’re tempted to groan, you might try to laugh instead. It will extend your life and make the lives of all those around you more enjoyable.

Seek for the Eternal
The second thing we can do is seek for the eternal. You may feel singled out when adversity enters your life. You shake your head and wonder, “Why me?”

But the dial on the wheel of sorrow eventually points to each of us. At one time or another, everyone must experience sorrow. No one is exempt.

I love the scriptures because they show examples of great and noble men and women such as Abraham, Sarah, Enoch, Moses, Joseph, Emma, and Brigham. Each of them experienced adversity and sorrow that tried, fortified, and refined their characters.

Learning to endure times of disappointment, suffering, and sorrow is part of our on-the-job training. These experiences, while often difficult to bear at the time, are precisely the kinds of experiences that stretch our understanding, build our character, and increase our compassion for others.

Because Jesus Christ suffered greatly, He understands our suffering. He understands our grief. We experience hard things so that we too may have increased compassion and understanding for others.

Remember the sublime words of the Savior to the Prophet Joseph Smith when he suffered with his companions in the smothering darkness of Liberty Jail:

“My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;"
"And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.”1

With that eternal perspective, Joseph took comfort from these words, and so can we. Sometimes the very moments that seem to overcome us with suffering are those that will ultimately suffer us to overcome.

The Principle of Compensation
The third thing we can do is understand the principle of compensation. The Lord compensates the faithful for every loss. That which is taken away from those who love the Lord will be added unto them in His own way. While it may not come at the time we desire, the faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude.

One of the blessings of the gospel is the knowledge that when the curtain of death signals the end of our mortal lives, life will continue on the other side of the veil. There we will be given new opportunities. Not even death can take from us the eternal blessings promised by a loving Heavenly Father.

Because Heavenly Father is merciful, a principle of compensation prevails. I have seen this in my own life. My grandson Joseph has autism. It has been heartbreaking for his mother and father to come to grips with the implications of this affliction.

They knew that Joseph would probably never be like other children. They understood what that would mean not only for Joseph but for the family as well. But what a joy he has been to us. Autistic children often have a difficult time showing emotion, but every time I’m with him, Joseph gives me a big hug. While there have been challenges, he has filled our lives with joy.

His parents have encouraged him to participate in sports. When he first started playing baseball, he was in the outfield. But I don’t think he grasped the need to run after loose balls. He thought of a much more efficient way to play the game. When a ball was hit in his direction, Joseph watched it go by and then pulled another baseball out of his pocket and threw that one to the pitcher.

Any reservations that his family may have had in raising Joseph, any sacrifices they have made have been compensated tenfold. Because of this choice spirit, his mother and father have learned much about children with disabilities. They have witnessed firsthand the generosity and compassion of family, neighbors, and friends. They have rejoiced together as Joseph has progressed. They have marveled at his goodness.

Trust in the Father and the Son
The fourth thing we can do is put our trust in our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.
“God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.”2 The Lord Jesus Christ is our partner, helper, and advocate. He wants us to be happy. He wants us to be successful. If we do our part, He will step in.

He who descended below all things will come to our aid. He will comfort and uphold us. He will strengthen us in our weakness and fortify us in our distress. He will make weak things become strong.3

One of our daughters, after giving birth to a baby, became seriously ill. We prayed for her, administered to her, and supported her as best we could. We hoped she would receive a blessing of healing, but days turned into months, and months turned into years. At one point I told her that this affliction might be something she would have to struggle with the rest of her life.
One morning I remember pulling out a small card and threading it through my typewriter. Among the words that I typed for her were these: “The simple secret is this: put your trust in the Lord, do your best, then leave the rest to Him.”

She did put her trust in God. But her affliction did not disappear. For years she suffered, but in due course, the Lord blessed her, and eventually she returned to health.

Knowing this daughter, I believe that even if she had never found relief, yet she would have trusted in her Heavenly Father and “[left] the rest to Him.”

Conclusion
Although my mother has long since passed to her eternal reward, her words are always with me. I still remember her advice to me given on that day long ago when my team lost a football game: “Come what may, and love it.”

I know why there must be opposition in all things. Adversity, if handled correctly, can be a blessing in our lives. We can learn to love it.

As we look for humor, seek for the eternal perspective, understand the principle of compensation, and draw near to our Heavenly Father, we can endure hardship and trial. We can say, as did my mother, “Come what may, and love it.” Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Notes
1. D&C 121:7–8.
2. John 3:16.
3. See Ether 12:27.
© Ensign, Nov 2008, 26–28

HAPPY PHARMACY WEEK!!

2010-10-22T07:37:00.003-06:00

It's Pharmacy Week this week! Go hug a pharmacist! (...or maybe just tell them they're awesome.)

A joke from our pharmacy director:

A patient says to their pharmacist: "Why does my prescription medication have 40 side effects?"
Pharmacist replies: "Because that's all we've documented so far."

Gahahaha.....ok, maybe it's not that funny, but it's true!

:D

Zombies.

2010-10-20T10:24:00.001-06:00

Beware the nuts.

Drunken Punkin

2010-10-19T22:22:00.003-06:00

Don't leave your little punkins alone with alcohol!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Stay Off the Course.... OR ELSE!!

2010-10-19T19:51:00.001-06:00

Haha. :)

Voice of the Spirit

2010-10-19T12:07:00.000-06:00

Halloween is going to have a FULL MOON!

2010-10-18T19:40:00.000-06:00

Tee Hee. :)

Grand Marshall of the Parade!

2010-10-18T19:30:00.000-06:00

Nicholas driving his tractor!

2010-10-12T09:35:00.007-06:00

Zoey (my cat from forever ago that now inhabits my dad's backyard) made her way to school with Nicholas and got blessed by Monsignor Mannion. I am pretty sure she is at least 14 yrs old now and she is still going strong....She might live forever now!

Ugly Cat.

Beep. Beep. We got a Jeep!

2010-09-26T09:45:00.002-06:00

'82 CJ8 Scrambler.

We be jeepin'.

Competition Videos!

2010-08-05T23:19:00.003-06:00

Here are our competition videos!
Let me know if you are interested in learning snare (seriously)! We obviously need some more! Haha. We had a few players that weren't able to play so we were a bit tiny.

Nicholas in Boston!

2010-08-05T23:14:00.002-06:00

Nicholas is learning about Black Jellyfish!

Pacific Northwest Pipe Band Competition

2010-08-04T09:17:00.013-06:00

The Pacific Northwest Pipe Band Competition was a blast!
The weather in Enumclaw, WA was awesome. In the morning there was a low mist that covered the hills and kept it cool until afternoon. Perfect for drumming....not so much for bagpipes though.
We took 3rd place both days. The first day we actually tied for 2nd but got defaulted to 3rd based on our ensemble score. Anyway, it was rockin' and here are some pictures from it! Good Times! Enjoy.

What else would you do at 4 am except pretend you are gnomes?

(Kim, Megan and Kristen)

We went to a japanes restaurant the first night. It was rather tasty!

Best use for chopsticks is for drumming.

I made everyone eat their whole meal with only chopsticks. I confiscated forks.

This huge boat was filled with Sushi. It was devoured by these 3 people....and Max.

Max ate all the garnish from the Sushi Boat

Tha infamous "Try Me" toilet found at your local asian mall. We had to initiate Vivian for her first trip to Enumclaw.

Classic Jill.

Vrrrroooooom!

We had the traditional nail painting party on Friday but this time did my toes all sparkley! I look like I have old granny legs. :)

Getting ready in the morning is a blast when you are singing along to the musical Wicked.

The games were awesome as usual. Always lots of amazing bands to watch.

This is pretty much the scene. My band drooling over their food while watching Simon Fraser University (the world champions)....or are they drooling over SFU? :D

We went to Duke's Chowder House for dinner on Saturday. Highly Recommended (a little pricey though.)

Jill and I playing finger chess while waitng for our food. Mmmmm......soooo tasty!

Kylene, Vivian and Jill

Seafood? Gahaa. That never stops being funny.

Jill and her shrimp lips.

Later, back at the hotel....

This is my gaurdian angel...no wondered I am still scared of the dark.

The fun is over. :( Time to go back home.

After a 14 hour car drive it's nice to just lay on the grass.....while we wait for our stuff stashed in a trailer that broke down. :D

Me and crazy Jill

Just another day....

2010-07-28T09:15:00.001-06:00

And I'm off this weekend to the Pacific Northwest Highland Games in Enumclaw Washington for another awesome competition. Wahoo!

Barenaked Ladies are a BAND

2010-07-14T14:03:00.007-06:00

I am sorry but I have been extremely surprised by how many people don't know who Barenaked Ladies (or BNL) is! What the heck?! If you are one of those people, please let me know! And tell me how you got through school without hearing "One Week" or "If I had $1,000,000"?!! (Also for you people, BNL happens to be playing right now) Anyway, there was a concert at Red Butte Tuesday and it was incredible. There are no words to describe how genius they are. Sorry. So, thanks to MJ, we got front row! We had a blast! Here is the adventure!

Brandi, me and BJ

Just to give you some perspective of where front row is! It was totally cool!
Angel Taylor was one of the intro bands. Her voice is amazingly clear and awesome!

Nicholas and his friend showing off their stuffies.

My dad and Nicholas.

Nicholas just had to have a flowy tiara! :D

Kris Allen was the 2nd warm up band. Apparently he won American Idol. There was a group of girls (one of them 30+ yrs old) sitting right next to us that follow Kris Allen to all his concerts. So what did they ask us? "Who are Barenaked Ladies? Is it a classical group because I see lots of wine and cheese." :D Made my day. Oh yeah and they left half way through BNL. Haha.

They were actually pretty good. I was surprised. He sings that song "Live like you were dying".

Ed was pointing at a dude at the very top of the hill (above Red Butte) and to the "eaves-droppers and free-loaders" as they called them. :D (Shown below)

The eaves-droppers.

Ed eating a plant. You had to be there. :D

(It's a good thing it wasn't a philodendron.)

Me and Brandilicious.

The chick who thought it would be a good idea to start dancing in front of me like a drunkard.

Barenaked Ladies rockin' it.

It was an absolutely awesome show. Highly recommended. :D

Old Pictures

2010-07-12T12:54:00.008-06:00

I found some funny old pictures of me and Ben (and a few others) playing with our Mac laptop when we very first got it 4 years or so ago. Hehe.

Ricky Gervais Rockin' Sesame Street

2010-07-09T17:42:00.002-06:00

I love it! I have no idea how he can not laugh through his skits!

4th of July or BUST!!

2010-07-06T17:40:00.004-06:00

....ok it was a bust. I had a fun filled weekend planned only to have my back go out again and have to miss out on all the fun. :(
I made these awesome cupcakes for MJ's famous 3rd of July BBQ and Fireworks Celebration! I was all ready to go and then my back went out so I was very disappointed. I made Red Velvet Cupcakes with cream cheese frosting with blueberries and strawberries to accent the season!

They did end up being quite tasty at least. I shared them with the local fam.
On Saturday I was going to do the Centerville and Sandy parades with my band. I was actually looking forward to doing the Centerville one since it is my home town and I have never done it before so I was really disappointed for that too. Well, anyway. Hopefully next year I will have a bit better luck. I hope everyone had a great 4th of July!

"Aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper?"

2010-07-02T08:41:00.003-06:00

This made me giggle. :D

Vrrrrroooooommmmm! Part Deux

2010-06-28T12:13:00.003-06:00

Before reading on, see my previous post about my new Hoover Platinum Bagged Vacuum!

So I just finished vacuuming the entire house!
These vacuums are amazing. It is awesome!

The Upright:
The vacuum is lightweight and so easy to use. You can just feel the power when you vacuum.
It can suck up stuff along the edges of walls using either the sides or the front surprisingly! There was a toothpick right against the wall in the crevice and I tried to get it using the vacuum straight on and it sucked it right up!
It has 2 settings: High and Low, so it works well on both carpet (High) and bare floors (Low).
It has a super long cord so I only have to plug it in 2 different places to vacuum my 3 level house! Way cool!
The bags inside are huge! So you don't have to replace them very often.
I really love my vacuum.

Tha Canister Vacuum (aka: my baby canivac)
I was super surprised by how much power this little canister vacuum had!
It was so easy to use I don't know how I ever got along without one!
It has a shoulder strap so you can carry it with you as you use it (A++++). Genius!
The canister holds the tools so it is easy and convenient to change.
The canister cord is a bit shorter so that is the only thing I would change about this vacuum.
It is definitely a bug family destroyer. I love it especially for that reason (no lugging out the big vacuum to kill a little spider.)
This is especially amazing for stairs and bathrooms where you can't get behind objects with a bigger vacuum.

Anyway. Highly Recommended!!
They look pretty cool too. :D

Vrrooooommmm!!!!

2010-06-28T09:58:00.002-06:00

Somebody got a shiny new vacuum for her birthday! Vrrrroooooommm!
Thanks to all who pitched in!

I spent countless hours (ok maybe just a few) researching which vacuum would be perfect for me and I think I found it! I got the Hoover Platinum vacuum. As you can see from the picture it comes with an upright vacuum AND a canister vac! I have mucho stairs in my home and this is going to save me a lot of trouble.

I stole my sister-in-law's vacuum when they moved to Texas and on Friday I happened to accidentally suck something up with the hose that apparently shouldn't have been sucked up. Oopsies. So long story short it lost suction and 'my' vacuum no longer sucks.....well actually it does.....but not really. You get my picture.

I will let you know how it goes. :D

Stay Tuned!

TROGDOR!!

2010-06-21T19:52:00.000-06:00

Belle escaped and is terrorizing the village!

She jumped a 5 foot fence!!!

Run for your lives!!!!!

Happy Father's Day!!

2010-06-20T09:35:00.002-06:00

Happy Father's Day! I love you, Dad!

Salt Lake Scottish Festival 2010 Pictures

2010-06-13T11:17:00.007-06:00

Here are some more fun pictures from the day.

Kierra, Me, Jill

They said I looked like a gangster detective.

A storm's a brewin'!

(Jill is silly)

I made Tenor Cupcakes for the

Salt Lake Games Pipe Band Potluck

(Or as I like to call it, the SLGPBP....just kidding)

(Mentos, taffy and twizzlers pull-n-peel)
So cute!

Salt Lake Scottish Festival 2010

2010-06-12T23:42:00.004-06:00

Well Folks! The Salt Lake Highland Games were a BLAST!!
It was a bit chilly but stayed rain-free for most of the day! Wahooo.

Nothin like last year.....

(Above: The Salt Lake Games Hurricane of 2009)

...soooooo it's taking way too long to process any of the videos onto my blog....all the videos are on my facebook page. Check 'em out! They will also probably make their way onto YouTube sometime.

Make note that we have 2 separate groups within our band: a grade 3 and grade 4.
There are 3 videos of the grade 3, which is the band I play in. So if you want to see me! :D ...check out the Grade 3 stuff!
I am the tenor drummer in the middle. (Tenor=The cool drummers that twirl the sticks about)

1) Drum Salute: In a drum salute competition, pretty much anything goes. You could even walk on with more than one drum on if you dared (makes it hard to walk though). Anyway, it is our chance to just have fun. So 'ere goes.

2) Timed Medley: We play a set of 8 tunes put together. They have to be within a certain amount of time, therefore the "Timed" in Timed Medley.

3) MSR: Named after the types of tunes you play in the set: March, Strathspey and Reel.

Enjoy.

Oh yeah....I got a new band hat. :D Stylish, huh?!

Campbell Family Reunion 2010

2010-06-08T19:59:00.012-06:00

...In beautiful St. George Las Palmas Condos.
The weather is here....wish you were beautiful.

Our diver professionale.

And a little water ballet....

...the fountain was much cooler in real life....I promise.

Anyone up for a little waterballoon volleyball (walleyball as I call it)

We all went for a hike up Fat Man's Crack....Hey,I didn't name it.

The Campbell kids with grandma and grandpa great.

The Crack.

He was slapping ants in the sand for about 10 minutes.

Cadence, Marla and Steve

I tried to have her eat the Dixie "D" but she kept giggling...this is the best I could do. :D

It's a bird. It's a plane. No...it's sara jumping over fat man's crack....

My sweets.

Come on, you have to get one of these.

(Oh Nooooooooo...)

I lovingly refer to Dane as "The Crack Monster".

These bums hiked up the fat man's hole instead of the crack.

Yeah, sick.

Marla and Matt's victorious cheer.....they made it out alive.

Ben and his peace.

The un-newlyweds.

....and close up.

No mormon reunion would be complete without a trip to the local temple. :D

St. George Temple.

Visitor's Center

The Tabernacle

Brigham Young's winter home

Jealous Much?

Gone Fishin'!

2010-06-08T08:06:00.001-06:00

Dad and Nicholas gone fishin'!

Back To School??

2010-06-07T19:42:00.001-06:00

It's Ginger's first day of school!
I'm a proud Momma!

I can't take that.... I'm allergic.

2010-05-22T18:52:00.003-06:00

While reviewing a new patient's profile I came across their allergy information and it made me laugh. (We write down their medication allergy and the reaction they had to it.)

Allergy:
1. Codeine - "Rip my skin off and throw it out the window"
2. Prozac: "I want to dissect things, like tear into small animals"

A little morbid, but, hey, whatever gets the point across. :D

Tee Hee

Special Instructions

2010-05-22T18:35:00.003-06:00

So, I received a medication order for a patient at the hospital and under a "Special Instructions" section it read the following:

Special instructions:
please see how she responds to this and let us know so we can adjust the dose. we want to make her less spastic.

A day in the life of a pharmacist. Love it.

Life as a Tenor....

2010-04-22T01:05:00.010-06:00

....is just amazing. That says enough. You get to travel, compete, be creative, have fun and beat a few people with your mallets if your lucky.

This last weekend my band, Wasatch and District Pipe Band Grade III, competed in the Las Vegas Highland Games and took 1st and 2nd place in our 2 competitions (Taking 1st overall in our grade)!

Our Grade IV Band also did super well taking 3rd and 4th place! Not too bad considering we had some first timers in the group who have never competed before!

Here are the links to videos if you are interested.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeplbsE7dbI

I botched the ending in this one...oopsies!! :D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BVXhw0EmsE

It was an absolute blast! The world champions, Simon Fraser University Pipe Band, were there which is always cool!

(SFU above)

I went to a ceilidh on Saturday and made it just in time to see SFU marching off! Bummer! So we went to the M&M Factory instead!

I also went to Gold and Silver Pawn more commonly known as "Pawn Stars" on TV. It was a wee bit crazy. Very busy but fun nontheless. I saw Chum Lee, Rick and the Old Man. It was funny. :D

Our next competition is on June 11th and 12th here in our very own neck of the woods, Thanksgiving Point. It is always a blast so come out and see us! There will be lots of food, music, caber tossing, dancing and lots of shops to browse through!

If anyone is interested in being part of the band or learning one of these instruments, let me know. I can hook you up with contacts. (Not the lenses) ;D

Red Bull gives U wings

2010-03-30T16:27:00.003-06:00

Tee Hee. I saw this on the U campus as I was heading to work the other day. It made me giggle.

Got Chicks?

2010-03-20T10:52:00.005-06:00

No, not those kind of chicks.....

We got some baby chicks yesterday!
They should be hens.

Apparently, chickens make just as good pets as cats with many other benefits, including one obvious one. :D

(They look like a 2 headed chicken here. ;P )

The yellow & white one is Ben's and he named her Sally. She is a White Leghorn and will grow up to be a traditional white chicken that lays white eggs.
The Brown one is mine and I named her Princess Cheep Cheep. She is a Golden Sex-Link and will have brown eggs. Cool!

Let me know if you are interested in fresh eggs!

2010-03-07T18:46:00.000-07:00

Alice in Wonderland 3D..... Highly Recommended. :D

2010-02-24T12:19:00.001-07:00

9 pm + 2 people + 50 piece chicken nugget = McFAIL

It's that time again.....

2010-02-18T16:41:00.002-07:00

Made with real girl scouts. :P
mmmm.......

A Horse is a Horse. Of Course, Of Course.

2010-02-14T19:25:00.007-07:00

Here are our babies! Ginger is the palomino. She is 3 yrs old and beautiful! Belle is the bay. She is 9 months old right now and very spunky! They are super sweet and are settling right in to their new home! We got them up in Oregon from an excellent breeder. (If you are in the market for a horse, she comes highly recommended!) They are sisters from the same sire and have champion bloodlines and big hips! We are hoping to compete in athletics with them someday if we get the time but for now we are just working with them and having fun!

Who knew horses lick just like dogs!?

We love them! :D

TownHome for Sale in East Kaysville

2010-02-09T12:58:00.003-07:00

Anyone looking for a townhome in East Kaysville?

Click http://www.ksl.com/index.php?ad=9558114&nid=475 for details.

A friend of mine from work is selling his townhome. :D

Painting: The art of protecting flat surfaces from the weather and exposing them to the critic.

2010-02-07T18:59:00.006-07:00

So, I decided to paint one of the rooms in our house to make it a little more "homey". Here is my adventure. I actually learned some stuff on the way (one being that I really don't like the act of painting itself....just the end result.)

I started out with two-toned yellow walls and a groovy wallpaper border. I used some fabric softener diluted in water and an awesome scrapy device to easily remove the wallpaper border (after trying a few different methods first).

Groovy Wallpaper Border

Nasty be gone

Awesome Scrapy Device

Voila!

BEFORE

*
*

AFTER

Yes.....It's pink. :D

(This is me working hard)

A Bunch of Tips for Painting that I learned the Hard Way:

1- Use masking tape on places you want really sharp lines (Not painter's tape)

2- Always do 2 coats! (Expecially if the first one looks like poo)

3- Use the same texture for the walls as the cut-in (Rollers for both worked the best)

4- Don't let the paint dry before you take off the painter's tape

5- If you do let the paint dry, cut along the edge with a razor before taking off the tape

6- Keep LOTS of paper towels

7- Try really hard not to spill on the drop clothes

8- Don't put too much paint on the walls and don't press too hard

9- Pay somebody to do this next time.....

Nooo, it really wasn't that bad. I am just not a professional and too picky for my own good. You always find the flaws in your own work.

Either way, I'm not planning on quitting my day job.

~S :D

2010-01-23T14:13:00.000-07:00

One Nation Under God

2010-01-06T09:01:00.002-07:00

Pause the music below then press play.

Party Animal

2010-01-03T08:27:00.004-07:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010!!

Confessions of a NICU Pharmacist

2009-12-23T13:32:00.003-07:00

Parents,
I understand the fact that you love your kids and want them to be happy and like you but please don't bring in Dum Dums for your 38 week CGA premie even if he is 2 months old now.
It's just not the same as Sweet-ease.
Thanks.