Where would you go??

 My family is trying to plan a trip for this June since we haven't done one in a while... but we are having a hard time deciding where to go. So, we need your help and input. Here are some of the places we are thinking:

An Alaskan cruise... great way to escape the summer heat, right? 

mmmmm Hawaii, this sounds really nice to me right now.

A cute bed and breakfast we found on the Washington coast (I would've put a picture of the bed and breakfast but I forgot the name of it)

And jolly ole London town. 

Tough choice, isn't it? 

Now, before you "cast your vote," keep in mind that I may be having children in a few years down the road... so where do I absolutely need to go before I have children?? 

Do you have any other ideas for fun family trips? I'd love to hear them!

Grandpa Jack

This is a really short post, but Steven's Gpa Jack passed away earlier this week from a struggle with prostate cancer. We are missing him and thinking of him lots as we get ready for the funeral and viewing (his obituary here). I didn't know him that well but from the time I got to spend with him I know that he was a pretty amazing person. He did some really neat things (like walking from Salt Lake to Payson, his home town) while he was alive and I am really glad I got to know him and glad that he is safe and back with our Heavenly Father.

Homage to my mom

 

 
Last Thursday, my mom turned 27. Ok, she actually turned 50 (and she will not be too happy with me for posting that online) and so I wanted to dedicate a blog post just to her for her Birthday - isn't that picture of her gorgeous?? (Thanks Holly)

 My mom has many talents and love-able qualities: She is a fabulous artist (I wish I had some of her paintings to show you), she is funny, great at recognizing when someone needs something, playing with little kids, and of course, she makes AMAZING cakes. Birthday cakes, Wedding cakes, pretty much any cake you need, she can do it. Not only are they pretty, they taste soooo yummy. So, in dedication to her, here are some pictures of her cakes...

 

Yup. That's a Gandalf Cake.

 

These are the mini-cakes she did for our wedding, aren't they adorable??

I wish I had more pictures, but you get the idea, right? She's pretty good at what she does. If I can be just a teeeensy bit as talented and creative as she is, I'll be happy. :)

Mom, you are an amazing person. Thanks for everything you have done for me! Love you!

The best compliment

Today, I received one of the best compliments I have ever, EVER received.

      I went to Diva's with Lynne - my wonderful friend, who happens to be from England - and we started talking about my blog. I started talking about how it's just a little blog... nothing that spectacular, when she told me that she likes to read it... and....................................... said that sometimes I sound like I could be English.:D 

Lynne, thank you for making my day. Since I can't be a genteel English lady in real life, I can pretend through my little blog.

An evening in paradise...

 Before our lovely winter break ended... we went up to my Gpa Dan's cabin with Steven's sister and brother-in-law for a night. The temperature was 45 degrees inside when we got there... sounds heavenly, doesn't it? Actually, it was quite nice once we got a fire going. Very cozy. I wish we could've stayed up there for like... a week and just relax and sit by the fire.

We had a fun night playing sequence, apples to apples, and eating chili and peanut butter bars... it was a great time.

We went sledding on Saturday, which was a great time as well. We had races on the green sled to see who could go the farthest (it was the fastest sled of the bunch). I think Steven won....?

Thanks for coming up with us Tiff and Dan! We had a great time! :)

hot cocoa par-tay

 On New Years Day (at night time) we had some old friends over for a hot cocoa party. It was a fun, simple way to see everyone again while they were in town for the holidays. Plus, we had 5 tins of cocoa to get rid of, so what better way to do that than by having people over? It was easy: I boiled some water, put out mugs and the cocoa flavors, plus some fixins' to go on top (whipped cream, crushed peppermint, sprinkles, and nutella flavored whipped cream... see below) and voila! we had a cocoa party. I may have to make it an annual thing.

The five wonderful flavors

The latest invention of mine... nutella mixed with whipped cream. YUM. tastes delightful on plain hot cocoa. 

And now... I think I'm going to make myself some hot cocoa. 

A review of 2010

 Oh my... another year gone by. I've decided that time goes by too fast when you get older. I can't believe 2010 is gone and that I'm (gulp) graduating in MAY! I'm off to enter the real world of working adults (unless I get into grad school... cross your fingers) in just a few months! 

2010 was an exciting year filled with big events. Here are some pictures of the highlights:

 

First of all, we celebrated our first anniversary up in Midway, such a pretty place.

 

 ...attending the famous "Pink Dresser" party (I'm sitting by my great-aunt Ellie and Grandpa Dan with the pink dresser behind us). The Pink dresser is around 75 years old (possibly older) and belonged to my Grandma and aunt Ellie. It's been passed down through both families for years and years, I had it when I was six years old and I kept all my Barbies in it. Aunt Ellie had a party so that everyone could see it again. You can read the story of the pink dresser here, it's a cute little story, I promise. :) 

 Trip to Seattle! ohhh I want to go back...

 Of course, seeing these lovely folks was probably the icing on the cake (and now that they are in Florida I get to plan a trip to Disneyworld....)

And of course, the annual Halloween party! The dirt cups with grave stones, the quacamole, the weird creepy movie, and Beau dressed as the mad hatter... what could make a halloween evening better?? not much. 

We had a fun and eventful year, and I am excited to start fresh again. I know it's TOTALLY cliche to say this... but my new years resolution is.................

to be healthier. 

I know, I know. I say this every year and it's not that exciting of a resolution. But, really, after visiting the doctor 5 random times in the past 6 months, I've finally realized.... it's time. Time to stop staring at the Pioneer Woman's blog while drooling and ogling at the extremely decadent (and fattening) recipe I want to make next. Time to stop worrying about things I can't control and focus on myself. And time to start enjoying the fresh air outside (or course, when there's no smog outside) and get moving! 

when I say I want to be healthier, I don't just mean physically, but emotionally, spiritually, socially, mentally... etc. I just want to be more balanced with everything, and I have a feeling that I'll actually make it happen this year. 

Other resolutions? So glad you asked:

1. Learn self-defense and become a secret agent like chuck bartowski

2. join a choir

3. learn to love vegetables...without cooking them in something fattening and delicious

4. find the cutest new dress for graduation with nicole (this doesn't count as a resolution but I thought I should add it)

I have a good feeling about 2011. I can tell it's gonna be a good year. :D