Things I am missing right now:

1. Glee - I am so glad that I just starting watching this show and was able to watch the whole season in 1 1/2 weeks. I would have HATED having to wait a whole week for the next episode. I'm so sad that it's not on for a few months though. I'll just have to watch the episodes over and over again.
2. Christmas decorations. For some reason, I didn't bring them with me to Utah! I have a few little snowmen that my Aunts gifted me when I was in California last month. I miss having a tree with my ornaments.
3. Family. I miss them lots. I'm going to Texas this year and will get to see my closest family but I do miss my California, Colorado and Missouri family. I hope to go home to Missouri in February though and I'll be able to see most of them then.
4. Reading. Since I finished the Harry Potter series for the 2nd/3rd time. 3rd time for books 1-6 and 2nd time for book 7. Not sure what to read next. Any suggestions?
5. Short hair. Since I made the goal on my 40 Before 40 list to grow my hair 4 inches, I can't cut it as short as I would like. Not sure I'm going to make this goal.
   
6. Contact Lenses. If you haven't heard, I'm having Lasik surgery on 12/31/09. In the meantime, I have to wear my glasses. I really hate wearing my glasses.
7. A non-runny nose. Ever since I got sick after Thanksgiving, my nose still runs. Bleh.
   

What I don't miss:

1. The 10 lbs. I've lost since September. Yay me! I've cut waaayyy back on carbs and it's paid off. Only 30 lbs. to go before 9/8/10. I can totally do that!
2. High School. Do I really have to explain this?
3. Bread. I thought I would, but really, I don't miss it as much as I thought I would. Don't get me wrong - I still eat it, but not every day.
4. My ingrown toenails. Sorry if it's TMI, but I had them cut out a couple of weeks ago by a very abled Podiatrist. He just might be the best friend I ever made in December. What a difference a few centimeters of missing toenail makes!
5. Jon & Kate Plus 8. I hope they aren't heartbroken.
   
6. My old job. I miss my friends from my old job, but not the job. I have to admit, this past year at my new/old company has had its ups and downs, but nothing compared to the pain and suffering endured at the old job.
   

And that my friends is what's going through my mind this cold December night. I should really be in bed right now. I think that's what I'm really missing. Sleep!

Better late than never...

I'm a week late, but here is a link to the cutest print-your-own calendar for December:

http://martawrites.blogspot.com/2009/11/december-calendar-giveaway-411.html

You can thank me later...

xoxoLeslie

Affected

I have mentioned her here before. For close to 17 months, I have closely followed, worried, prayed and cried for her and her family.

I do not know her, but Stephanie Nielson's story has deeply affected me.

Today I am profoundly grateful that there is a God that is aware of us and although our choices may take us from the path he intended for us, He gives us strength we didn't know we were capable of to overcome our trials. Whether those trials be great or small, he is keenly aware of our needs. He puts people in our lives that love us, support us and make us look in mirrors we would rather ignore.

No matter what happens to us in this life, I know that God loves us and that love is eternal and unending.

Suggestions?

Lately, one of my biggest dilemmas has been what to make for dinner. Any suggestions? Think back to the days when you were on a tight budget and cooking for one or two. That's my situation right now. I'm also trying to stay away from white carbs like bread and pasta. Oh, also something easy with four ingredients or less just because I don't want to have a lot of dirty dishes.

Ummmm, what happened to November?

I stopped by here today to blow the dust off and realized that I haven't updated since the end of OCTOBER!!!

I wish I could tell you that so much has happened that I just can't possibly fit it into one post and that I'll have to make several entries just so I don't bore you with all the details and photos of November.

Reality? This is what happened:

Week 1: Sick with some kind of stomach bug, joined Netflix, colored my hair and gassed up the Jeep (this is significant because I just got gas again today for the first time since then!)

Week 2: Went to California for Felecia's baby shower. I got to see some of my favorites there but sadly, not all of them. OH! I got to be there when Felecia had her 4-D ultrasound!

Week 3: Came back from California and spent the rest of the week doing laundry and letting dishes pile up in the sink.

Week 4: Thanksgiving - definitely the only highlight of the last week in November

Not too many pictures to show and none with me in them actually, but this is one of my favorites from the shower. Lea and Catherine, I hope you don't mind!

No promises, but December is already looking more exciting. After all, I'm going to Texas in 2 1/2 weeks to celebrate Christmas with my family! Happy December y'all!

In My Birthday Suit

Made you look, huh? Gotcha! Happy Halloween!

Wondering Why

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies made last April tasted so bad that I threw them away without a second thought.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies (same, exact recipe) made on a crisp, Fall evening for my very own FHE taste absolutely perfect...

They are just made for this kind of weather!

I love this kid

I was going through the downloaded pictures from this summer and I found this picture:

This was taken when I let my 7 year-old nephew take the camera. What do I love most about the picture? The pasta sauce on his right leg. This picture was taken at my cousin's restaurant. Whenever I see this picture, I will always think of baked ziti. Always. Especially now because I've cut back on carbs (stay tuned for more on that in a later post) and I think about baked ziti alot.

I have a question

Does anyone else choose their toothbrush SOLELY based on the color?

Tonight I bought a new toothbrush. Not because it is proven to reduce tartar and gingivitis. And certainly not because it had a special brush patch for cleaning the tongue and cheek.

I bought it because it was pink.

What I Did This Weekend

I bought this lovely vintage headband at a local craft boutique.

I hung these pictures on the wall

Went to an emergency preparedness fireside -boy, do I have a lot of preparation to do...

I updated my blog layout - I'm still working on the title font.

I went to a ward barbecue, took a camera, but forgot to use it.

What did you do this weekend?

I'm Alive and Well

I think it's time to pick a theme song for the next year of my life. When I turned 30, it was "My Next 30 Years" by Tim McGraw. One year (I don't know which) it was "Daughters" by John Mayer. If you recall, last year it was "One Step at a Time" by Jordin Sparks. This year I declare the Kenny Chesney/Dave Matthews masterpiece "I'm Alive" as the winner for this, the last year of my 30s.



I have it on repeat in my head...it sums up my life perfectly right now.

40 Before Forty

So, today marks the first day of my last year in the 30's...for some reason turning 40 seems so ominous and looming. Some days I can hardly believe that I'm this old! Then I look in the mirror and see the gray streaks staring back at me and I know it's true. Of course, I started turning gray at 18, so that's not really an indicator of aging for me. Anyway, I digress. I'm turning 39 today and I thought I'd challenge myself to accomplish 40 unique, never before accomplished things in the coming year before I turn 40. After giving it a lot of thought, this is the list I've come up with.

1. Finish and fill every page of the scrapbook I started in 1998
2. Lose 40 lbs.
3. Attend the temple 40 times
4. Grow my hair 4 inches
5. Take another tap dancing class
6. Learn to knit and purl
7. Drink hot chocolate at a ski lodge
8. Bike ride in Southern Utah
9. Volunteer at a local women/children's shelter
10. See a Broadway show on Broadway
11. Go to Pike Place Market in Seattle and buy fresh flowers
12. Go fishing
13. Attend the Utah Symphony
14. See Jim Brickman in concert
15. Re-read the biography of Gordon B. Hinckley
16. Create and stay on a budget
17. Grow my own cilantro
18. Hang pictures on the walls of my apartment
19. Take more baths
20. Visit Yellowstone and Jackson Hole, Wyoming
21. Make and send more birthday cards
22. Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge
23. Figure out my true life's passion
24. Play tennis
25. Start and finish the Book of Mormon (again)
26. Catalog my CDs
27. Read 40 never-before read books
28. See Donny & Marie in Las Vegas
29. Eat Thai food
30. Finish a Sudoku puzzle without looking at the solution
31. Finish what I start (applies to all things, not just dessert)
    
32. Go on a first date
33. Have a second date
34. Kiss on the third date
35. Sleep under the stars
36. Refinish the living room side table
37. Visit all of the temples in Utah
38. Buy a rocking chair
39. Learn to make decent fudge
40. Feel good about turning 40

This is my list. What are some things you would have me do? Maybe I can come up with another list called "40 Things My Friends Want Me to do Before I turn 40"!

Look for posts about the accomplishment of these 40 things. I may even add them to the sidebar just to keep myself reminded of what I want to do.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Cheap and Tasty

I'm talking about salsa...I told you last Saturday that I made salsa. Or maybe it was Sunday that I wrote about it, or Monday. Anyway, I made salsa again today and I thought I'd share the details.

1 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 medium onion (white or yellow)
juice of 2 limes
1 bunch of cilantro
salt and pepper (to taste)
2 generous kitchen teaspoons of minced garlic

Just put everything in the blender, puree on pulse until mixed well.

Recipe yields one quart and about 2 cups. Now for the best part:

Can of diced tomatoes - $0.78

Cilantro - $0.32
Onion - $0 (because it was from a friend's garden)
Garlic - $0 (I already had it in the jar)
Limes - $0.50
Total cost for "homemade" salsa - $1.50

It's very mild - if you want to kick it up a notch, use canned tomato with green chiles. I used that last week and it had quite a "kick". I ended up having to cut it with another can of regular diced tomatoes.

See, I told you - cheap AND tasty!!!

Edited to add: This recipe came from my sister who took it from a cookbook and tweaked it to perfection...I'm just sayin'

9-day Weekend...

Today is the first day of my 9-day weekend...well, actually, I will have to go into the office here and there, but I'm officially on vacation this week! This is going to be a great week! My dad and Angie get here on Wednesday and stay until Saturday. I have a lot planned for them. I hope they don't want to sleep or relax. I guess I'll take it easy on Dad since he DOES have cancer and all. Angie though? No way! She can rest when she gets back home! I love me some sister and Dad time. Now, if I can just get my Mom to visit!

Anyway, I'm coming up on my one-year anniversary of blogging. I think this is my 70th post actually. So, on average, I've at least blogged once a week. That's pretty good huh?

Happy long weekend, y'all...

Good Intentions turned Better

So, this morning started out with my obligatory weekly load of laundry. Towels to be exact because I only have 8 towels and well, you do the math. I really, really, really wanted to go to a local farmer's market and buy up a flat of raspberries and make jam. That was what I had planned for this morning. Then, I was going to drop by the bike barn and pick up my bike which was getting a tune-up. For this afternoon, I planned to make a yummy salsa recipe tried and tested and tweaked by my sister yesterday.

While getting out of the shower, I remembered that I had told a friend last night that I was going to go to the temple this morning. See how one night of sleep can totally erase one's memory? Either that or how tempting food can be to lure me from my original celestial goals.

So, I got ready, did my hair, put on a pretty dress and headed off to the temple. On the way, I did pick up my bicycle and next door to that, there was an Osmond's (I'm sure related to THE Osmonds) Home Furniture store and a 50-70% sale going on. I found a chair with a very wide seat bottom (for us wide-bottomed gals) and black ladder back and so I squeezed it into the back of my jeep and propped it on top of my bike and off I went to the temple.

Then, my friends called and invited me to lunch so I met them at a cute little place on Main Street in Lehi called Porter's Place. I had a yummy french-dip sandwich. Then, we took a drive to their son's new place in Highland. Around 4:00 p.m. I finally made it home.

I didn't get the jam made, nor did I get to the salsa. There is always tomorrow for the salsa I suppose. I really did have good intentions for today. However, the better plan shaped my day!

Confession of a wanna-be

I think I've said this before here, but I'll say it again. Not that I would ever want to go back to being a teenager, but if I were a teenager today, I would totally be a huge fan of Miley Cyrus and The Jonas Brothers and all of the other Disney kids. As a nearly 39-year old woman it's just not appropriate for me to admit here in public that I am fans of them so let's just say that if I were their age, I would totally be. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it...)

Anway, if you have children who frequently tune into that one channel where you can watch Walt's current group of teenage idols, you may have heard the new song called "Send it On". I really love it. My sister said it's Disney's version of "We are the World". Could be.

Here is a sneak peak video I found on YouTube. If you go to the Disney website and click on videos, then music, it comes on first. At least that's what I've heard. Not that I've done it...

And because some of my readers don't like a lot of writing and want more pictures, I give you some of those too. The picture at the top were these beautiful hydrangeas that were just growing outside the public restroom in Riomaggiore, Italy. Have I mentioned how much I love that place?

This is me and my Dad outside of the Hard Rock Cafe in Amsterdam. Did you hear his good news? His cancer is not growing and some of the smaller lesions have actually disappeared! He goes back to the Dr. tomorrow to find out his new chemo treatment plan. Hopefully it's not so aggressive this time. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he'll be able to go to Singapore with me at the end of September. It's not on his bucket list, but having him go places with me is on mine. He'll just have to deal with it and like it. I think he can manage...

If You're Not Already...

You should be reading this blog every day. She is heartwarming, hilarious, an excellent photographer and just downright precious.

Particularly, two of my most favorite (recent) posts:

Bottom Hanging Down
Ruth and Naomi

Reading her confessions makes me smile. I need more of that!

PS - Check out the other parts of her blog. Her pictures of food are A-MAZ-ING...

Willing to Mourn

This has been a tough week for me in many ways. Among the difficulties of this week came my resolve to work on some of my personal issues and demons. Then, news came that a young family in my ward lost three beloved family members in a tragic plane crash. All week I have pondered their loss, but know of course that they had eternal ties and if they can just get through this life they can live with their loved ones forever.

While at the memorial service yesterday, I felt the truth of the words spoken by the Prophet Alma in the Book of Mormon:

"Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life --" (Mosiah 18:9)

I am grateful for those that have mourned with me in the past and continue to mourn with me during times of struggle and pain. I am also grateful for the opportunities that I am given to strengthen others around me during their times of mourning. It really puts everything into perspective.

Life is too hard to try to live it without the love, help and strength of those around you. Especially too hard to do without belief and reliance on a Savior who took all of our pain away in the Garden of Gethsemene.

Why is it?

Why does it go days and days without raining and the day I pay $7 to wash my car, it rains?

I'm just asking.

It's been one week...

Last weekend I got to spend time with my dear friend Ruth. She was in Utah at the start of her four week vacation. We met at a local water park and then I followed her up to Eden (up the Ogden canyon) to stay with her at her good friend's house. Her house overlooked Pineview Reservoir and was absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!!

It was wonderful to spend time with her and her family - not to mention the day on the lake was one of my best few days so far in Utah!

There really is a place called Eden, Utah. For reals. Look it up. It was so pretty and quiet and basically a piece of heaven on earth.

The best part was spending time with good people, eating yummy food (thank you Judy for the red vines - I had to go and get some this week because the craving had been activated), playing the most fun game, getting yelled at while on the lake because we were unaware that people could actually reserve the beach and leave it unattended and catching up on each other's lives.

Thank you Davis and Smith families for a great weekend!

Wish I was I there

Do I even have to tell you why?

Should've Known Better

And I'm not talking about that quasi-famous song by Richard Marx from the late 80's, early 90's.

I'm talking about Wal-Mar[t]. I should have known better than to go there starving. I went to pick up a few things for my new cherry limeade recipe that I am sharing at a RS board meeting tonight AND to pick up my prescriptions.

$37 dollars and a half a loaf of warm french bread later, I almost left the store without my prescriptions! I say half a loaf because I was starving and it was right there when you go into the store and it was warm and crusty and I swear I heard it whispering my name like a Harry Potter veela. I started picking at the loaf while in the dairy section and by the time I got home, it was half gone.

Speaking of the dairy section, I ran into someone that under other circumstances (say church, for instance) I usually nod and say "hi" and then turn the other direction. Not because I don't want to talk to this person, but for some reason lately when I talk to this single guy person and he seems a little bit interested in me, I turn shy and quiet and don't know what to say. And then, when this single guy person pays compliments and GAVE me a free airplane ticket so I could go home and visit a sick family member...well, you can see where it can be a little awkward for me.

Anyway, I tried the whole "nod hi and run" thing tonight when I ran into him because for 1) I had a mouthful of bread and 2) see above paragraph. Well, it didn't really work out for me because I ran into him again on another aisle and since I had then finished my mouthful of bread, I tried with all of my might to come out of my "shell" and talk to him. Luckily, he made the first move (as he usually does - he seems to not be easily put off) in the conversation and his children were with him and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be when we were back in the dairy section and I had a mouthful of bread. In fact, I left them in the soda aisle feeling like I was in the right place at the right time and I now realize that maybe I shouldn't be trying so hard to go in the opposite direction of where life is trying to take me.

I don't know why I'm telling you this story because it doesn't really put me in my best light. I mean seriously - a HALF a loaf of french bread and trying to avoid someone who keeps ending up in my path?

I really should know better.

Cravings

I have several friends that are pregnant. They don't complain too much about cravings but I think that I am experiencing sympathy cravings for them!

These are the things that lately, I just cannot get enough of! Luckily, most of them are not that bad for me...

I owe you one...

Or two, or three or even FOUR blog posts about everything that I've done for the last five weeks since I've last posted.

I came home from vacation two weeks and two days ago (but who is counting). I still close my eyes at night and think about it and the great time I got to spend with my dad.

I got home tonight from a business dinner (gasp, YES, I know it's Sunday but after arriving to the dinner discovered that one of the hosting business associates was also LDS and for some reason it made the dinner okay. PLUS, the hosting business paid for the dinner so technically, I did not break the Sabbath...hmm, do you buy that?) and I ate too much and was thinking I couldn't go to bed with this feeling in my tummy and thought I would check in online (ahem, check Facebook) and thought I'd do a quick update.

Now that I'm here, I realize that I'm incredibly tired and that even though I've been home for two weeks and two days, I never got over the jet lag. And, I need to be up super early to prepare for an all-day work meeting. In other words, this just about wraps up your update.

I know, I know, I leave you wanting more. I will do my VERY best to get back to you later this week with a more comprehensive update. I have SOOOO much to tell you!

For now, I leave you with this beautiful picture of one of my new favorite places in the world - Cinque Terre on the coast of the Ligurian Sea in Northwestern Italy. Well, it's really a self-portrait of me and you can kinda see part of Rio Maggiore in the background...this is just a teaser of the pictures that are to come!

Can't Wait

This is the week! I am getting ready to go out of town for work which in and of itself requires a lot of preparation. In fact, I will go into the office today to get some stuff done peacefully and without the phone ringing or emails coming in at lightning speed.

BUT, I also get to see my sister and her family this week as they will be in Missouri in approximately 30 hours! They have planned their family vacation to Missouri to take care of Penny the Beagle while my dad and I gallivant around The Netherlands and Italy. Well, not around The Netherlands as much as Amsterdam and not so much gallivant as work, work, work and play just a little bit. Anyway, I digress. I GET TO SEE MY SWEET SISTER! Since our dad has been sick (and since she's found the awesomeness that is motion sickness patches) we have been able to see each other more in the last two years than we have in the last 10 years (okay, that might be a slight exaggeration, but maybe not)!

Another bonus? Seeing this guy. He's my favorite brother-in-law. Okay, he's my only brother-in-law, but WHATEVER. He's very patient and kind and funny. I just realized his funniness a few years ago. He's been my brother-in-law for almost 16 years...I'm a little late. Anyway, I love that he's so supportive of his wife and children and BRAVE enough to come to my cramped little house in O'Fallon and live and work for 3 weeks. That's love, people. Serious love.

Mostly I'm excited to squeeze and love on these little people. The older girls probably will tire of me hugging and kissing them after 3 minutes but the boys are all about it. And I can't wait.

Like I said, they will be at my small house for a long time...for 6 people who need their space, they will probably be like this at the end of the 3 weeks:

I will only be with them for approximately 40 hours but I plan to make the most of every minute. Excepting of course the mandatory time it will take for me to get my hair done. That is the second most important thing about being in O'Fallon for 40 hours.

Unable to Follow Instructions

Today I went and did something that I am always hesitant to do. I had my eyebrows groomed. If you're a regular follower of my life, you know that I cannot be trusted to do my own eyebrow grooming...I removed the scissors from the bathroom after an unfortunate mishap last September in which my right eyebrow became noticeably (ahem) thinner than the left.

Well, evidently, even the "professionals" can get a little carried away. I solemnly promise to not talk to any esthetician while she is in charge of making my eyebrows pretty. I specifically told her, "I do not want them super thin. I just want them trimmed and cleaned up." Well, I guess that meant something completely different to her than it did to me.

When she was finished she handed me the mirror and asked, "How do they look? Are they too thin?" At that point there was NOTHING I could possibly say that would give me back the 1/8 of an inch of eyebrow that was lost. So, as any of you would, I said, "Oh, yeah, that's fine". She slathered on the "cooling gel", I paid my $14 and left the building. Oh, and I paid her a $3 tip. Maybe I shouldn't have but the girl probably only makes minimum wage and who can live on just that?


The furrowed brow will be permanent in about 3 years. I'm sure of it. There may be Botox in my future. See the left eyebrow (your right, my left). It has a bald spot!!! I'm now off the buy an eyebrow pencil to fill in the missing parts. And the dark eyelids? That's NOT eyeshadow my friends. Those have been hard earned from incessant allergies and more than likely, not enough water. What cosmetic procedure is there for that? Skin bleaching?

Needless to say, I won't be going back to that salon. I may have to make special trips to Missouri for my hair cuts AND my eyebrows.

I'm sure my O'Fallon friends and family won't mind a bit.

Love It

One of my favorite blogs is giving away a free, pretty June Calendar. Download it today. If I didn't already know what I'd be doing for the majority of June, I would totally use it. Hopefully she'll give a free calendar every month!

Sunday Dinner

I have an open invitation for Sunday dinner at the home of my good friends, the Vick family. Stella never fails to feed me well and lately, has been really helpful with healthier choices for appetizers, dinner and dessert.

Well, they travel quite a bit and are out of town this weekend. When they are out of town, I'm on my own. Sometimes I just eat leftovers of something or I snack all day long on meaningless, empty calories.

Last night I started thinking about what I could make today. I decided on sour cream chicken enchiladas and spanish rice. The enchilada recipe comes from a dear Fremont/O'Fallon friend Anisa Widmar Mears. Lucky for me, I actually had the recipe in my little box, and not sitting on the counter at my home in O'Fallon where I thought for sure I'd left it. I made it with light sour cream, 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup and 2% cheese. I also added diced tomatoes and green chiles and frozen corn. If you know Anisa, you should ask her for the recipe. I know she will share...

The spanish rice recipe never turns out the same twice. I try to make it like my Dad, or like Stella, but it's not quite there. It tasted good, but got a little crispy on the bottom. I happen to like it that way, but since I didn't have full cup of rice (that isn't in a huge #10 food storage can) I probably cooked it a little too long.

As you can see, I added a little side salad and it was very yummy. I only ate 1/8th of the pan so I have a lot of leftovers. I think I'll keep one serving out for a dinner this week and freeze the rest.

What did you have for Sunday dinner?

So much to do, so little time

Or is it so little to do, so much time? Honestly, it's a toss up. I feel like I'm cheating when I finally get motivated to blog and then I put a list of some kind and call it an "update".

So, my friend Amy wrote a post about how boring she is as a mom, and well, it must be something in all of us because I am definitely a boring non-mom too! Excitement in my life consists of treating myself to a $1.45 frozen yogurt cup at Costco. I'm not even kidding. Just for fun, today I decided to splurge and get a pack of roma tomatoes that will more than likely rot before I eat all 8 tomatoes. Oh, and I bought a bag of low-fat organic caesar salad and a new pair of pjs. It was a red-letter day in Lehi for Leslie!

I did get a massage today. I woke up with a kink in my left shoulder and decided to do something about it. The massage therapist was like, "umm, you're one big knot!". She worked on my back, neck and shoulders for an hour and suggested that I come back often. I don't believe she was just saying that to make more sales either. My back was a great big knot.

In case you didn't hear, my dad and I are taking little trip in less than two weeks (he could tell you the exact number of days, hours and minutes). I have to go to Amsterdam for work and following that, we are heading to Florence, Italy for a week. I've already started making my packing lists and deciding what I'm going to wear. I've got the shoes covered. No worries there!

Hmmm, let's see...what else have I been up to? Not much. I'm sure you can daydream something much better than my reality. In fact, what do you think I've been up to? I'd love to hear your imaginings.

Confession

I feel the need to confess the following things to you, my faithful friends & readers:

1. I got a mani/pedi yesterday and feel the need to keep looking at how pretty it looks even though two nails on my right hand are messed up because I couldn't sit still at the salon.
2. I woke up sick in the middle of the night and could only attribute it to a carne asada quesadilla I ate yesterday at lunch with my friend Michelle. Knowing that it might have made me sick (I'm not used to that much cheese) I still ate the leftovers today for lunch. Um, just for the record, it was the quesadilla that made me sick.
3. Laying on the couch all day napping/watching TV and skipping church doesn't actually make you feel better. I think it gave me a headache to go with the nausea.
   
4. Browsing online sights for LDS singles does not guarantee that you will have a "Must Love Dogs" experience. In fact, it mostly just makes you think that you can't meet anyone ever. Even online.
5. My fingernails and toenails really do look pretty.
6. I just might be over Facebook. Maybe.
7. The latest Hannah Montana movie was pretty good. I'll probably buy the DVD.
8. I would like to wake up skinny tomorrow. What are the chances?
9. I ate graham crackers for dinner.
10. I really, really, really want to make chocolate chip cookies but I know that I would eat them all and that's a bad thing.
11. Even though I don't update my blog as much as I could/should, I get disappointed when the blogs I read frequently haven't been updated in awhile.
12. My new flip-flops really are even more cute on (especially with sassy reddish/pink toes).
13. Watching reruns of the Nanny make me laugh out loud.
14. I need to consume less carbs and more protein and vegetables. For reals.
15. I wish every week ended with a 3-day weekend.
    

So, there you go. Just some random thoughts from Leslie.

I guess she misses me, too!

Just look at her little tongue sticking out...that's signature Penny!

My New Favorite Shoes

These were delivered today. I bought them at www.shoes.com with free shipping! I loved my first pair and I think I'm going to love these even more. My first pair lasted nearly 4 years. At $28 a pair, that's $7 a year. Not too bad for a GREAT pair of flip flops. So cute. I wish I could wear them to work.

I miss her

I was browsing through my photos looking for a "before" picture to post on a weight-loss blog that I'm participating in. I couldn't find a good "before" picture, but I found this picture of Miss Penny the baby girl beagle dog and it made me realize how much I miss her. I hear that she's lost a little bit of weight and a few teeth in the last couple of weeks. She's just a baby girl dog...

Mission Almost Accomplished

Well, it's missing legs and the hem isn't finished because there are no legs (I need to find them online) but the slipcover is done! This was BY FAR the hardest project I have ever undertaken. I actually did it once and didn't like the way it hung on the chair so I ripped apart and started over again. The people on HGTV make sewing a slipcover look so easy. Trust me, this wasn't.

Now that I've looked at the fabric for so long, I'm not sure I even like it anymore! Whatever though, it's staying in my living room because a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into this. Literally.

If you're ever at my place, please don't look too closely. There are lots of mistakes. Let's just call this chair my "Amish" chair. In case you don't know, the Amish purposely make mistakes on their handiwork because the only thing perfect is God. Yeah, let's go with that...


Oh, and I know that the chair doesn't match the curtains. The curtains will go back into the bedroom. I think I'm going to go with some kind of vintage lace curtains or something like that. I think it will go better with the "shabby chic" look I have going on in my apartment.

Happy Birthday Friend!

Today is my friend Ruth's birthday. She is one of my oldest and dearest friends. Truth be told, I have known a few friends longer but with Ruth it feels like we've known each other since before forever..

When we first met I didn't want to be friends with her because I was jealous of all of the attention she gathered. My bishop at the time was a good friend of hers and "encouraged" me to be friends with her and even (gasp) suggested that we be room-mates. I wisely followed the counsel of my bishop and my room-mate and I invited Ruth to find an apartment which we could all share.

I quickly learned that the attention that Ruth gathered had nothing to do with her beauty or "way with the boys". She has a heart like no one I've ever known. Ruth taught me the meaning of the atonement, she taught me about the importance of making covenants and most of all, she was the greatest influence in my life inspiring me to serve a mission.

There are as many things that Ruth has taught me as there are minutes in an hour. Everyone should have a friend like Ruth.

We don't get to see each other that often but now thanks to blogging, we are able to keep up with each other's lives MUCH better. I get to see pictures of her and her sweet family more than just once a year at Christmas!

Happy Birthday my friend! I wish you nothing but love, health and happiness!

PS - I tried and tried to find a picture of her by herself (on her blog) but I couldn't and I don't have a scanner here at home to upload a picture of the two of us from years gone by. So, I give you a picture of Ruth and her husband. I'm allowed to say that I love him too because I think I loved him before Ruth did!

My weekend to-do list

Not too long ago, my (famous) friend Melynie posted about the joy she gets from making lists. Since I'm all about trying to emulate the good I see in others, I've decided to try making a list of what I want to accomplish so I can feel like I did something worth talking about this weekend.

1. Buy cumin. For a dollar. I'm not going to spend more than $1 for this (will this count as three things if I actually buy the cumin?)
2. Cut the fabric for the slip cover for my $20 thrift store chair
3. Get a prescription refilled
4. Hang two pictures on the walls
5. Make chocolate/peanut butter chip cookies
6. Clean the bathroom
7. Go for at least one walk around town
8. Return library books
   

What are your plans for this weekend?

I love, love, love this decorating idea!

Picture courtesy www.designmom.com

I've got nothin'...

I keep thinking of things to post on here and I really can't come up with anything witty or wise or even half-way interesting.

Hopefully I'll snap out of this funk I've been in for the past six weeks soon.

In the mean time, I'll be doing my taxes (yes, I've waited until the last minute), trimming and painting my toenails, making a slip-cover for my $20 D.I. chair, eating bon-bons, finding a cure for cancer, cleaning the bathtub, plucking my eyebrows and writing thank-you notes to a few lovelies in my life that deserve them. All of this will be done in no particular order in no set time frame. Except for the taxes part of course.

Love to all six of you that took the time to read my update. Huge love and lots of hugs.

Why I Love Spring

I changed the title of this post from "Easter" to "Spring" when my friend Ruth asked what I liked about Easter.  It got me to thinking that I love Spring because of the flowers.  I love Easter because it reminds me of the sacrifice of Christ and that because of Him we can live forever.

Because My Sister Hasn't Posted This Yet

I love these flowers she bought for a recent "Scentsy" party at her house. I love them. I love her.

Guilty Pleasures

One of my favorite bloggers made a list of her "sixty guilty pleasures". I thought I'd put up my own list to help me remember the things that make me happy instead of thinking of the things that make me want to stay in my pajamas for days. I couldn't quite come up with 60 things though - I need to work on that!

01. Watching Gilmore Girls on dvd until all hours of the night
02. Red vines
03. Pajamas
04. Refreshing status updates on facebook
05. Shaved legs and clean, cold sheets
06. Pretty paper
07. Painted toenails
08. Library books
09. Real Simple magazine
10. Vacuum lines in the carpet
11. Watching tv with a dvr
12. Sunday naps
13. Opening pretty packages
14. Blogs
15. Chips and salsa
16. Recycling
17. You've Got Mail
18. Giving people flowers
19. String cheese
20. David Archuleta
21. People who tell me I'm pretty
22. Frozen hot chocolate
23. Not answering the phone
24. Dangling earrings
25. Smelly lotion
26. People.com
27. Good deals on other people's junk
28. My free 52-inch lcd tv
29. Tim McGraw
30. The Dollar Tree
31. Elastic-waist pants
32. Daydreaming about a different life
33. Surfing the internet without purpose
34. Friends reruns
35. Sand between my toes
36. french fries
37. Letting someone else color my hair
38. Leaving the mail in the mailbox for days
39. Flossing
40. Keeping a junk drawer
41. Flipping the pillow over to the cold side
42. Hard tacos
43. Curling my eyelashes
44. Free money
45. Lipstick

In Case You're Wondering

I put some pictures of my new place up on Flickr. I took them with a cell phone camera so they are a little blurry. Pictures of the bedrooms to come - once the boxes get emptied!

My wish? I would really like to paint the walls. Maybe I can talk the landlord into it. He seems to like me.

I'd Rather Have a Sinus Infection

Frankly, the last two weeks have totally sucked. I've had the most horrific sinus infection that has had me at the instacare clinic twice and once to the ER. I've been on three different antibiotics (the last costing $25 a pill), two cough syrups (one narcotic, a steroid spray and a 5-day blister pack of Prednisone. I lost my voice for four days and have just today, got the coughing controlled enough that I don't choke whenever I start coughing. Good times.

Then, as if it couldn't get any worse, we found out on Monday that my Dad has stage IV, metastatic lung cancer. He started chemo today. The hope is that the chemo will at most stop the cancer or at the very least prolong his quality of life until the cancer wins.

Knowing what he will face in the next few months makes my sinus infection pale in comparison. With a sinus infection, you know that there is an end to the sickness. With cancer, there is no guarantee. Just when you think you've beat it, it comes back with a vengeance.

On Monday, I found comfort in a bag of Ruffles and a tub of french onion dip. On Tuesday, I stayed in my pajamas all day in the name of my sinus infection. Today, the sun was shining and it was a glorious day. I was able to talk about the cancer without crying.

Today I heard my Dad promise that he was going to do everything he could to beat the cancer and I believe him. He has a lot of life left to live and I can't bear the thought of the alternative.

Believe it or not, this helped

Believe it or not, playing this online game helped achieve this:

Hard to believe, huh?

What's even more unbelievable is that we actually got the doors to close AND I think that I got everything (nothing found so far that appears to be left behind)!

My Friend's Request

My friend Felecia has a need - any suggestions or leads would be greatly appreciated.

This makes the current situation of our nation's economics seem more real to me.

Can I Get a Do-Over?

So, I had all of these hopes and plans for when I got to Utah - one of which was that I was going to go to Weight Watchers and get back on plan like gangbusters so that when I came back to Missouri in February (which is now) I would be down.

Um, yeah, so, I think I need a do-over.

I'm thinking that I need one - especially since I saw some very unflattering pictures of my mid-section taken last week at my sister's house. The pictures were taken while we were playing Guitar Hero. There is even a video of me singing lead vocals on "Beat It" by Michael Jackson that is more than slightly amusing and entertaining. Sadly, I am too vain to post it because I am ashamed of what I look like in the video. Not that most of you reading this don't already know that I've got the "muffin-top" look going on but I hate to put it out there for the world to analyze. I do have really cute hair though so perhaps some day I will reconsider. Once I've lost weight, I'll post it as my "before" picture.

It's been hard to keep track of points and make good food plans when I have not been in control of my meals. Since I have been staying with friends up until this point, it has been even harder. Don't get me wrong - the food has been delicious and I have loved my friend's cooking...

It feels like I'm always saying, "when this happens" or "starting next week" or "I'm really going to do this" for real this time, I am going to get back on track. I am going to make this do-over count.

As my friends, I hope that you will help me stay accountable. Please feel free to call or email me to see how I'm doing. I'll be happy to report.

I'm really glad that we get do-overs in life. Anyone else want a do-over?

Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day

I hope that someday I will actually have a valentine on February 14th.

Even back in the day when I did date on a regular basis, somehow I wasn't dating regularly by the time Valentine's Day came around. Truth be told, I've never had a valentine..

Well, there is always the hope. In the mean time, there is always chocolate. I was going to say that ironically, I didn't even eat chocolate on Valentine's Day, but that would be a lie. I had Junior Mints.

Good times.

Just Because

I'm tired and well, I just think this is pretty.

Considering It

After this little announcement, I may have finally found a reason to start watching this show.

I've loved him since I was 8 years old. He sends me birthday emails. I belong to his online fan club. I own more than one of his CDs. I own more than one of his videos.

He's on my "list".

Do you think he'll wear purple glittery socks?

What I've Learned in the Past Three and a Half Weeks

Well, it's been nearly four weeks since I left the "Show-Me" state of Missouri and arrived in the "Beehive" state of Utah.

I learned a few things while on my road trip:

1. Google maps is surprisingly accurate on estimating the amount of time it would take to get from point A in Missouri to point B in Utah. It really did take just about 18 hours and 59 minutes. Truth be told, it took about 19 hours and 32 minutes but that also accounts for the drive-thrus and the tiny little detour I had to take in Missouri when it turned out that I-35/US 71 was closed for construction.
2. When Google maps says "These directions are for planning purposes only. You may find that construction projects, traffic, weather, or other events may cause conditions to differ from the map results, and you should plan your route accordingly.", they really mean it. Therefore causing a slight delay in my arrival (see #1 above).
   
3. Four Celine Dion CDs on a 2 day road trip may be 3 CDs too many. Turns out that "Let's Talk About Love" is perfectly sufficient for a road trip. "The Colour of My Love", "Falling into You" and "A New Day Has Come" not so much.
4. Road trips are not that bad when you're driving. Being the passenger makes the trip a little too long.
5. I love David Archuleta. Love, love, love him. You know I voted for David Cook but "Crush" had me hooked. Since leaving Missouri, I've listened to his CD about a gazillion times. Seriously, go buy it.
6. The breakfast burrito at McDonald's is not their best offering for the most important meal of the day.
   
7. The Wyoming Summit Rest Area is the highest point on Interstate 80. I had no idea - did you?
8. Interstate 80 through Wyoming is more boring than Interstate 70 through Kansas. I promise. I've never actually driven on I-70 through Kansas but I've heard it's true. If you don't believe me, don't try it for yourself. Trust me. I wouldn't lie to you.
9. Oh, and Wyoming is windy. Very windy.
   

Then, I learned a few more things once I arrived in Utah:

1. The radio stations here announce the artist and name of the song after every song! It's great if you don't mind the fact that the lady announcing them sounds exactly the same every time the song is announced. It's a little bit creepy. Helpful, but creepy.
2. If a sidewalk looks even a little bit icy, it probably is. Oh, and if you fall on the icy sidewalk, don't believe for a second that your sleeve-covered arms will be protected from the sharp icy snow mounds. You will end up looking like you got attacked by a stray cat instead of a stray icy snow mound.
3. A lot of restaurants have caffeine-free Diet Coke fountain soda. A happy thing for my Diet Coke addiction. Some restaurants will put fresh lime in it for you. Even happier!
4. Finding a cute little apartment in my price range really close to my new office wasn't all that hard. I get the keys this week!
5. Turns out that I'm a workaholic. It doesn't matter where I work. I just like working. There, I said it. Shoot me.
6. I really don't get any important mail. My dad has only had to send me one package since I left and that was because I forgot my checkbook when I left. Oh, that and my WeightWatchers food scale. Important things that I needed.
7. After years and years of sleeping in a Queen/Double bed, I've been sleeping in a twin bed. I guess that I sleep in the same spot because I haven't fallen out of bed once!
   
8. It snows a lot in Utah - waayyy more than in Missouri. It snowed the first five of seven days that I was here. It snowed again yesterday. This is a little video clip of the snow falling (and the traffic in the background - sorry for that) on the back deck at my friend's home over looking Utah Lake. Too bad that the inversion is so bad that you can't see the beauty of the lake or the mountains on the other side. That will have to be a post with pictures for another day.
   

I've been loving it here so far. I was a little homesick the first week or two and missing everything familiar and comfortable but moving here was get me out of my comfort zone. It's working. I'm happy to report that I've gone to 3 firesides, 3 choir practices, 1 volleyball/game night and 1 Rook tournament. Yay me.

Life is good. Cold, but good.