wisdom teeth

Although this isn't even remotely related to a $5 project or anything of the sort, I almost died watching this video of my friend DeLaney.  Enjoy!

funny prank...

Hey ya'll!  I'm not dead...just studying a lot...well, I could be studying more.

But here was the latest great prank from the gerbmobile:

premise:  my bf jesse works at the BYU Library and often has to do the online librarian chat...so I decided to take advantage of that.

me:  Do you know a guy named Jesse (?).  He works at the front desk?

librarian:  yes.

librarian: he is standing right next to me.

me: do you know if he is dating anyone

librarian: that depends.  who wants to know?

me: I'm a marathon runner and pre-law student.  aka, I'm hott.

long pause....

me: do I need to send a picture??

me: can you give him my number?

librarian: ok

me:  THANKS!!!

librarian: no problem

me: 801-497-xxxx  THANKS!!!

basically, it made my day :)

Thanks Jess!

busy as can bee

So basically, things are crazy right now!  I have a million projects that I am dying to get done, but I don't have time yet.  I've also banned myself from facebook until finals are over, so hopefully that will help me have more time.  I'm planning a really cute project for christmas...hopefully it will be done on sunday and I can get pics and info up soon!
Cheers!
Leslie

Cookie Trays

Christmas is so close I can almost taste it!  I'm so excited (mostly for the food) for the whole season.  I think fall and winter just bring out the inner old lady in me.  The sweaters, tea and cookies, slippers, and how everything is just old-fashioned once again.  At any rate, being at college makes it tough to really get into the spirit of everything, but here is my latest project that can possibly help.

Frame tray

These are super easy and fun to put together!  (fun actually being a relative term.  I had fun, but I don't know if Jesse got as much of a kick out of making them as I did.)

Materials needed:

Old frame with sturdy back

spray paint

Fabric

Hot glue

Directions: take the back of the frame and spray paint.  While that is drying, cover the back of the frame with fabric and glue in place.  Once that is done, the frames should be dry.  Then, secure and glue the back back into place and voila!  Cookie tray for the holidays. Enjoy!

Tray in action!  Holding some delicious Anise Seed Cookies.  Maybe one day I'll put up the recipe. :)

Coming Soon!!!

Upcoming projects:
Framed trays
Truffles
Moss picture frame

but also, there is going to be a guest project...aka it costs more than $5... refurbishing a steamer trunk and turning it into a bench!  So excited about these things!

Spiced Pumpkin Tofu Bisque

Really quick introduction:  as many of you may know, I am a frugal gal.  I love thrift stores and anything secondhand.  If I had a dollar for every time I've heard the phrase "Will you take me to DI?" or  "Wait...that's from DI?"  or (for the peeps that know me well) "You got that at DI, didn't you"  I wouldn't be at BYU.  So here's the new face of this awesome blog.  $5.  Once a week there will be a new $5 DIY project.  It will revolve around a decorating, clothing, or cooking project.

So here is the first project....

Spiced Pumpkin Tofu Bisque

Don't let the words "pumpkin" or "tofu" deter you from attempting this incredible soup!  It tastes like fall...in India/mexico.  Basically...it's veally good.

Recipe

1 big can of Pumpkin Puree

1 pkg tofu (silken works best)

1 can stewed tomatoes 

2 cups chicken broth

2 TBS Butter

1 1/2 cups Milk

1 1/2 TBS Curry

1 tsp Cumin

1/2 tsp Oregano

1 1/2 TBS Creole Seasoning

2 tsp. Chili Powder

Directions:  Put the pumpkin, tofu (broken into pieces), stewed tomatoes, and the chicken broth into a blender and blend till it's way smooth.  Then pour into a soup pot and add all spices, butter and milk.   Add spices to taste.  Warm it all up and serve.  Also enjoy. :)

Reconstructing

trying to figure out a new face for this blog.
I'm thinking either a DIY, cooking, decorating, or all 3 blog.
we shall see....

Winters on the Wing

Basically, I'm from the land of the greatest snow on earth...and that fact makes me cry.
Snow is on my top ten least favorite things list, right along with paper-cuts and spiders.
But, as many of you know, I have an almost texan amount of state pride and so I think I need to learn how to love/accept all aspects of it.  Goal for the winter: learn to ski. :)  I'm thinking I will try out Sundance for night skiing.  Close and Cheap.  You can go for $25 (includes ski rental and lift ticket).  I'm such a novice at the whole outdoorsy/skiing thing.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

A delightful dream

A secret dream of mine is to go to culinary school and make patisseries all day long.  I think that once I'm all grown up and my family is all grown and out of the house, I will go.  Hopefully, I will be making them from now until then, but I would love to learn exactly how to achieve the perfect Almond Horne or an ultra-fine lace cookie.  I would love to learn how to make marzipan fruits and make them look absolutely real.  I would love to own a little bakery and sell Bûche de Noël for Christmas and Moonas for Easter.  I believe strongly in the importance of beautiful food and hope to share my love of it for the rest of my life.

Almond Horne...the best place to buy them is at this little bakery in Carmel, California.  They generally sell out of this by mid morning, so get there quick! :)

I love when they use layers of hardened chocolate.  Not only is it delectable, it's stunning!

Marzipan Fruits!  And the best thing is that they taste as good as they look!

Ignore the fact that I missed the memo on doing our best creeper smile and we all look like we've been hit by a train,  just know that this little busche is the most delicious thing on the planet!  Too bad we just make it for Christmas.

The Best of the Best

I love Karen Carpenter.  Basically, I believe that she was blessed with the most angelic and perfect voice that has ever graced this earth.  Each of her songs were laced with the sorrow and pain that she felt from the pressures of her personal life, career and self-acceptance.  Unfortunately, her life was cut short due to her battle with bulimia.  I am grateful for the beautiful gift that she left with us and hope that she is finally at peace and happy with the person that she is.

Fall

Fall makes me long for home.  Everything about fall is cozy, happy, and memorable; those same adjectives describe my home.  I love going to the pumpkin patch, the leaves that deepen and fall to the ground, the smell of fall air, fall foods like pumpkin pie and warm soup.  I love trick-or-treating and getting hot donuts at the Pages and cotton candy at the Howard's.  I love Aunt Betty's upside-down pear pie at Thanksgiving.  I love being able to wrap up in soft, pretty cardigans and warm blankets.  I love being with my family and friends with these things.  Although, I feel somewhat alone and miss those beautiful experiences, I have some amazing friends and family members that are around me.  They are the type of people that are selfless, Christlike, and going places.  They are the kind of people that are positive amidst adversity and enjoy the ride.  They are people who listen to me and my semi-pathetic trials that I am going through, and try to understand, even though their own lives are chuck-full (a LeCheminant term) of their own worries.  I've noticed that these people notice the beauty in the world around them and share that with others.  I want to exhibit those same attributes.  So today, the world around me was stunning.    I love the mountains and am extremely grateful that I can live so close to them.  I think that I am going to try harder to be more appreciative about the amazing opportunities that surround me and be more aware.

Dress sketch for the Shabby Apple of my eye ;)

Tidbit of information for the day... I sketch dresses for fun.

Here is one that I am entering in a design contest for Shabby Apple.

I've been really appreciating all things vintage and realizing just how classy and timeless the 50's were.  Seriously, I love watching old movies just for the beautiful clothes that they wore.  Actresses like Audrey Hepburn and Dorris Day, I believe, are more memorable for what they wore than what they actually did in their films.   To me, that says a lot about the dresses.

So what color would this AMAZING dress be???

A warm cream with dark cherry embellishments.

I think that I would want to keep the vintage feel, so I think that an old-fashioned solid broadcloth would hold up nicely.  The darts and pleats would also do up nicely in a tight broadcloth.

I will put up more info on the contest later. :)

Peace and Blessings.

Oh tis life

Right now, I am trying to make a bunch of decisions...and I don't like it. Isn't it totally ironic that we fought a war in heaven over agency and we so desperately wanted to be able to make our own decisions. Now that I have that right and can be choosing my destiny, it's freaking me out and I am really confused as to what I want. This is a totally new sensation to me, because I feel like I have known what I wanted out of life since I was 4 or 5; go to college, graduate, travel the world, make beautiful dresses, get married in the temple, have a family, and live happily-ever-after. I know that I just want to be happy and accomplish what I am supposed to before I leave this life. Un-vauge-ifying those two concepts will take me the rest of my life. Benjamin Franklin said, "There are three things that are extremely hard: steel, a diamond, and to know one's self."

On the bright side, at least I feel really good about my major. Home and Family Living is one of the most diverse and interesting majors! If you are undecided and lucky enough to be at BYU, you should check it out! Although it isn't PD Bio or Nuclear Physics, it still is very challenging. Especially the skill classes, like clothing construction. Awesome, but I am failing my projects, and have been sewing for a large majority of my life. Rather pathetic. But seriously, I love my major. &Right now I am in a Residential Landscape Design class that is super cool! Human development is also way interesting, and although I think my professor (and ta's for that matter) probably think that I am an idiot, I am totally fascinated! It's weird, there are no children in my life...at all. I can't even think of the last time that I held a baby or played an imaginary game with a 3-year-old. Maybe that's why I love that class so much. I am only remembering the really sweet experiences and am forgetting about the tantrums and smelly diapers. Sorry I get so easily sidetracked.

p.s. this is very off topic, but Kenn informed me that we are related to President Lincoln today. That made my whole day! That and a wonderful conversation with my roommate Janet. (Not to be confused with another roommate Jana or Janana)

p.s.s. We have banana bread coming out our ears and I think we will be making more in the very near future. So help a sister out and take some off our hands! Much thanks!

Wedding Fever

BYU has it.
Typically, if you don't have a bf or gf by this point in the semester, plan on being single for the rest of the semester.  Get over it!  Seriously, I decided to count yesterday how many times I heard the word marriage, engaged, or phrases such as "so...are you dating anyone?" "DO YOU WANT TO SEE MY RING????" In just 1 minute, I heard over 20 such conversations.  Really???  What if we were putting that much emphasis on being a kind, Christ-like person?  What if we spent all the time worrying that we were never going to find that special someone into service hours or temple work?  There are sooo many better things to be fussing over.  I think that the people that ARE putting their time into productive things are the ones that content with their dating life.  Don't get me wrong, I think that marriage is a wonderful thing, I am just sick and tired of weddings!

Art

There could be an endless debate regarding who was the “best” painter, writer, or musician.  I am content to consider them all great, not necessarily for their works, but for their work.

Laughter

You know those days when you NEED a laugh?
well, today isn't one of those for me, but quite possibly, it could have been for YOU.
so here you go.

This is just another reason of why I love my roomie, Kate.

Free is free

Hey Everyone!  So there has been an abundance of mooching opportunities in our midst.  Today (the 29th) Panda Express is offering a FREE serving of Kobari Beef.  Click on the link for the coupon!  Considering how I don't eat beef, I'll be skipping this one, but that doesn't mean that you should :)

Tomorrow, the make-a-wish foundation is sponsoring the largest ice-cream social for a girl named Kate.  You can go into any Cold-Stone and get a FREE 3oz serving of Kate's creation.  They are requesting that you donate $1 and purchase a make-a-wish start, but hey, it's a great opportunity to help out kids in need.  

Free Panda Express today!

Harry Potter: not the one where Dumbledore dies

Stoked for the midnight premiere of the LAST Harry Potter Movie!
http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2799962393/

So now the real question is what do I wear!??

Fav 2 options: Hermione or the Golden Snitch??

Desire

“Desire denotes a real longing or craving.  Hence, righteous desires are much more than passive preferences or fleeting feelings.  Of course our genes, circumstances, and environments matter very much, and they shape us significantly.  Yet there remains an inner zone in which we are sovereign, unless we abdicate.  In this zone lies the essence of our individuality and our personal accountability.”  Elder Neil A. Maxwell

Boys will be Boys

Watched part of Raising Cain.
Absolutely Fascinating!
It is all about how school is designed for girls.
I think that children would do better if they were
taught in segregated (boys only and girls only)
schools.   I would also love to see a trend of male
teachers, especially teaching male students.
 It would allow teachers to focus on the
strengths of each gender and create a better
environment where boys were not constantly feeling
less intelligent that girls, just because they develop more
slowly.
Moral of this post:  we need more male teachers.
  click here for more
Publish Post

And then I found 5 dollars

Today was just a typical day at BYU.
Heard an Apostle of the Lord speak.
Had fantastic classes, including my 3 hour sewing class.
Got tickets for the World of Dance.
Worked on a project for my Residential Landscape Class.
Studied for my religion (Book of Mormon) class.

I should be singing hosannas for how fortunate I am.
But there are the little things throughout the day that make that harder.

I fell down the stairs in the Clyde Building and skinned my knees, shins, and arm.  Not only was that super embarrassing, but it hurt...a lot!
Boys were lame today.
I feel like all of my muscles have turned to fat.
Actually, I am pretty darn sure that they have morphed to fat.
I've been on campus since 9:00 and it is now 10:40.

In my Book of Mormon class, we are talking about Laman and Lemuel.  My Professor, Charles Swift, brought up the point that they generally, do what they are supposed to, but they complain about it and focus on the negative things in their lives.  Nephi on the other hand, writes about how blessed he is the the Lord is keeping them from getting sick because they can only eat raw meat.  I find Nephi's attitude incredible.  Why did he always do what he was commanded, even amidst his family hating on him and trying to kill him?  Why did he always remember to thank the Lord for the tiny little things (things that I wouldn't even categorize as blessings)?  Because he had a testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ and had enormous faith.  I am grateful for his example and will strive to do better.

Provo Library

This is the beautiful Provo Library.

I love studying here!

There is nobody to impress here.

Nobody making obnoxious flirting noises.

Lots of open space.

And SOMETIMES...

There are adorable little kids that come running through

and that makes my day. 

p.s. this is off subject, but we have to watch a birth on Monday for Human Development, and I am nervous that I will either a. faint or b. cry.  

oh the joy that is that of cottage cheese

Did you know that cottage cheese is an amazing food?

Like 1/4 of the container is only 80 calories and has 15 gram of protein???

my heart.

but, even better, it goes with everything!

Like, canned peaches, bbq chips, and cheez-its!

apologies

Recently, I was led to a blog.
http://seriouslysoblessed.blogspot.com/
basically, it totally makes fun of sappy blogs and people like myself.
So I apologize for being a sap.  I'm not going to quit being sappy, but I figured I
should address the fact that I realize that I am somewhat extremely pathetic.
That's all.
but this is more pathetic

propaganda

Did you know that it is very good politics for when a President is under fire, racial issues tend to arise to move attention away from the real problems at stake.  For example, Andrew Jackson had the Nullification Crisis, which was quickly followed by the Trail of Tears.  Does this not seem to bother anyone else?  Like seriously?  Yes, Immigration is an issue.  A state issue.  Yes, the 9/11 mosque issue is an issue. Is this more important than the fact the China is legitimately upset with us as a nation because some extremely intelligent people keep spending more money that they don't have to get us out of debt?  Is this more important than the fact the our entire legal system is completely whacked?  Checks and balances frankly don't exist anymore?  Exhibit A: California's ruling on Gay Marriage.  I don't care if you are for or against gay marriage, let's not get started on that hateful debate but you should be concerned that the way that that was passed is NOT the way that this country was set up.  The voice of the people should not be able to be overturned by one court ruling.  Can you spell UNCONSTITUTIONAL?  

Now, go do the right thing

I am so proud of dr. laura.  You may know that I adore this woman.  Basically, I think she might walk on water.  Recently, she has been under a lot of fire and so she has chosen to leave her radio show in December (tragic) so that she can speak more freely without her sponsors and the station influencing what she can or cannot say.  *insert here a discussion of freedom of speech* But Seriously, she just gets it.  Her advice, though harsh at times, is accurate.  It is generally not the easy way out, but is the best.  We need more people in this world like her.  Who knows?  Maybe one day I can aspire to become the next Dr. Laura?

today

I hate bridezillas.
Had a bride today.
4 hours in ONE dress.
yep. That's right.
She looked at herself for 4 hours straight.
The first dress she tried on she wouldn't get out of.
But when she did get out of the gown
she bought it.
and a pricey veil
and a slip
which meant,
money for me
which made me happy. :)

Basically,
I can read peoples energies.
The last 4 brides I have worked with have all bought the
VERY FIRST dress that I pulled for them.

p.s. I bought a swimsuit that is super cute!  I think I will add a ruffle to the top to make it look more vintage and for additional coverage.  woot!

Toilet Paper War

Everyone in the apartment can tell that there is only one roll left.
But... the same apartmentees are the ones always buying the toilet paper, the laundry detergent, the hand soap.
So what happens?
Everyone tries to wait and see who is going to break in first and buy the silly toilet paper.
So late last night, I broke down.  But not to end the "competition," I put out one roll out for everyone, and then have my own secret stash.

I hate research papers

Research papers are the biggest waste of time.

They don't prepare us for the real world at all.

In fact, they put us behind for the real world.

I am much more so a fan of a concise 1 page paper.

That way, there is no fluff and every word is important.

That's all.

These are a few of my favorite things...

Today was full of favorites:
Fast Sunday- I love hearing everyone bare their testimonies.  It is always a great spiritual experience, but highly entertaining at times.

Sunday Cat-Naps-  Lately by Sunday,  I am so exhausted from work and school that I will sleep for like 3 hours...

Charles Dickens-  He is an inspirational figure for me.  I love his brilliance, romantic writing style, and beautiful syntax.  The other day I bought one of his less-commonly known works that he wrote for his children.  It is called The Life of Our Lord.  Simply written, it is a summary of the life of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  A new favorite.

LOST- just dang good.

Anne of Green Gables-  the soundtrack brings back so many memories.  It takes me back to my families annual mid-summer night eve party where I learned to waltz.  It reminds me of being at my grandparents cabin late at night staring at the moon over the lake of shining waters. :)  It reminds me of my dad reading to me when I was little.  I love that music.

Skype- I may be like my grandpa Kent in being sortof anti-technology, almost to the point of it being a phobia, but I am grateful for the chance and opportunity to be able to stay in contact with close friends and loved ones.

Rain storms-  These always take me back to a time when my parents were out of town and my cute aunt chrissie stayed with me and kenn and there was a huge rain storm and we danced with towels on our heads.  I remember how the rain smelled and how the light looked through the aspens.  I cherish that experience.

Enya- I love this style of music.  It is so yoga, so artsy, and so calming.

Chocolate covered strawberries with ice cream- best thing ever!

I'm Wishing

Bad Luck to wish for things out loud, but here goes........

"I Wish it was Fall..."

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1037433928942&subj=667812852

whoops...

Today I went grocery shopping.
p.s. I LOVE grocery shopping.  Like, favorite activity of the week.
I love looking at the displays of fruit, critiquing the labels, and checking the ingredient lists for nasty things like high fructose corn syrup and monosodium glutamate.
Maybe this is bad, but I love stocking my cart with veggies, tofu, and fish because not only do I love preparing and then eating these, but they make me look really cool and like I am following my dosha...
p.s.s. Thanks to mr. coupon, I got $10 worth of free stuff today.  woot!
Anyway, so I grabbed my delicious whole milk and put it on the bottom part of my cart.
I forgot about it.
I checked out without paying for it.
I put my cart away without realizing that it was there.
Left Smith's milkless.

Just being classy...

Why are we not taught about the basic rules of etiquette???

I love being from the west, but seriously??? we are seriously seriously lacking in the hospitality department.

Like when exactly should you send a thank you note?

How soon should that be sent?

Should you send a thank you gift?

If so, what merits a thank you gift?

Are you supposed to have the fold of your napkin facing your knees or torso?

When you're finished with dinner, do you leave your napkin folded on the chair, on the plate or beside the plate?

What do you do if the waiter is being incompetent?  Is there a way to politely request a different server?

Are your wrists supposed to stay above the table at all times or is that just a french thing?

Are you supposed to point out green things stuck in teeth?

Is it better to be dressed up or dressed down?

Is it in poor taste to be more dressed up than your entourage?

Seriously!!!  I want to know!!!

Are there any good etiquette 101 books?

Laughter

They say that the average child laughs 400 times a day.

Grown ups only laugh about 17 times.

Perhaps, because I am barely an adult, that is why I still laugh a lot.

Maybe it is immature to laugh all of the time, but it helps me.

I just read that Laughing Clubs are becoming quite popular in India.

Maybe I will start one down in Provo.

People need to lighten up a little.

gratitude

I forget how incredibly blessed I am.

My body works pretty well.

I am at the greatest University in the world.

My parents and siblings love me, and I love them.  And...we get to be together forever!

I have wonderful friends with similar goals and dreams.

Life is Good.

pathetic

there are soooo many pathetics.some people are pathetic.  seriously, what's the point of being a person if you aren't a people person?
I, am a pathetic. Today I got so excited over an outfit that I am going to wear to work... on Saturday.  Pathetic?  maybe

Tomatoes and music

I have a tomato plant that lives with me.  

His name is A. Lincoln.  Short for Abe Lincoln.

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Basically, I love him.  I am trying to be to him by watering him and feeding at the right times.  (He likes early morning waterings btw)  We have a pretty good relationship, I feel, because he is a really good listener and he feeds me while I take care of him.

So, I was trying to think of ways to better improve our relationship, and I had an idea.  What if I experiment with types of music to stimulate his creative processes?  I'm thinking that since he is a male and a vegetable (well, technically fruit) he might enjoy baroque.  So far, I tried a little contemporary Muczynski on him, and I just got this annoyed vibe from him. Understandable, I guess. Tchaikosvsky is currently on trial.  Hopefully we can agree on something.  I'm really hoping that he is an impressionistic sortof plant. 

Tomatoes and music

I have a tomato plant that lives with me.  

His name is A. Lincoln.  Short for Abe Lincoln.

Publish Post

Basically, I love him.  I am trying to be to him by watering him and feeding at the right times.  (He likes early morning waterings btw)  We have a pretty good relationship, I feel, because he is a really good listener and he feeds me while I take care of him.

So, I was trying to think of ways to better improve our relationship, and I had an idea.  What if I experiment with types of music to stimulate his creative processes?  I'm thinking that since he is a male and a vegetable (well, technically fruit) he might enjoy baroque.  So far, I tried a little contemporary Muczynski on him, and I just got this annoyed vibe from him. Understandable, I guess. Tchaikosvsky is currently on trial.  Hopefully we can agree on something.  I'm really hoping that he is an impressionistic sortof plant. 

Ode to Friends

Well Folks.  Today I had an epiphany.  I love my friends.  Even though certain friends, such as my sister and miss cutler the adopted sister have abandoned me for the summer, I still love them.  The epiphany is not that I love my friends, but that I am able to see things more clearly and have a better perspective on life when I have people that I love close by.  

The more I love my dog...

I've realized how blessed I am.  Every single trial and hardship has blessed my life so much.  Growing up in a house of 7 (and then with 6 roomies) has taught me how to cope with strong/semi-obnoxious personalities, how to share, how to have fun, how to be pleasant, and how to be flexible.  Being on a tight budget has helped me see where my priorities are and not stress over the little things.  Failure has helped me be grateful for the successes and suppression has taught me to embrace freedom.  I pity those that have had pampered lives; without discipline, hardship, work, scrimping and suffering.  They are the ones in "need."

BY-ME!

I feel so happy.  Like the novelty of being able to bear my testimony during class or share a comment that indicates the need for morals in society (without getting my grade docked) is so exciting to me!  I personally hope that novelty never wears off. :) 

this would be the "yay!  I'm at BYU face"

 My Marriage and Family Class is beautiful!  We are studying the Family: a proclamation to the world and I am blown out of my mind!  This document is so basic but states so many eternal principles so clearly and eloquently.  I am so blessed to have the knowledge that is written there.  Everyone should read it or take another look at it. 

 * Click here to read it *

Mary

I just want to blog about my wonderful friend Mary Esther Hiller.

I adore this girl!

Basically, she's the best thing since sliced bread and I love her.

the osmonds

mormon legend:  donny osmond.

Legend has stuck with the name.

It demands attention.

And the "are you related?" question.

At work today, we were helping this super cute girl pick out her wedding dress.  Anyway, the girl had her sisters and mother and mother-in-law and sisters-in-law with her too.  Needless to say, there was a gaggle of support for this young bride.  The mother-in-law looked familiar.  Super blonde, tan.  Think Mrs. Huntsburger from Gilmore Girls.  All of us assistants prodded our memories and we figured out that she was Donny Osmond's wife.  

I think this is a sign that my life is rather lame if I am getting excited about the Osmonds.

Melanin Production

As Many of you may know, there are many things that are extremely important to me: family, church, friends, and education.  But you may also know that there are some other things that are almost equally important to me.  Specifically, tanning.  By definition it means:  verb ( tanned |tønd|, tanning |tønɪŋ|)
1 [ intrans. ] (of a pale-skinned person or their skin) become brown or browner after exposure to the sun.  According to urbandictionary.com it means : something amazing that people do.  I would have to agree with the urbandictionary definition on that one.  To go further, I would define tanning as thus:  the complete experience of being one with mother earth as your body beautifies itself thanks to the beautiful UV rays.  Seriously, it is a perfect system:  you sit there and relax (which helps one to cope with stress, which is the cause of many health issues) while your body absorbs Vitamin D (which Studies are showing that vitamin D is fighting cancer, depression, acne, and various other horrible ailments ) in its' purest form.  What could be better?  But maybe some of you are wondering how to get the perfect tan?  Here are some secrets to a perfect tan!

1.  Go to Utah. 

2.  Go to a pool.  (if you don't have a pool, a trampoline works well too.)

3.  Situate your body so that you are in direct sun.  (This means that your face is completely in line with the sun.  You're shadow should be directly underneath you are behind you.  If you are going to be outside for more than about an hour, you should follow the movement of the sun. )

4.  Make sure that your hair is out of your face and that whatever you are wearing will not leave any shadows on your body.

5.  Baby oil. :)

6.  Timing is everything.  Experts say that the sun is strongest from 1-4, but I am starting to think that 11-1 is completely prime.

7.  Be patient.  Sweat a little.  Don't rotate unless you have been on one side for at least 45 minutes. 

8.  The most important areas to have tan in order of most important to least important:  collar bone, face, arms (they always do the arm test, but I think it's better with a face test), and fronts of legs.  To get all of these areas, lay out on your back.  Corpse pose.

If you have any specific questions or dilemmas concerning tanning, feel free to ask. :)

Happy Tanning!

Disneyland Nostalgia.

Tomorrow is the official day that the Pat and Suzan Gerber Clan will be gracing the Happiest Place on Earth's lovely gates.  Super Excited!  I love the way the smell (a perfect blend of coffee, cigarettes, and flowers) and the exhilaration of waking up early to get there first so you can rush to your favorite ride and be the first to ride it.

  

 So many fond memories are associated with it.

I remember meeting Beast for the first time; I was so scared I cried.  I remember bothering Kennedy to the point that I made her cry and having to go back to the hotel because I was being sassy; Jon and I played cards until I told her sorry and sound like I meant it.  I remember finding my Snow White dress at the Princess Store.  I put it on and knew I would never be the same: it still resides in my basement.  I remember the old submarine ride and being terrified of the mermaids.  The first time I heard my cute Grandma Schwendiman scram was on the Matterhorn. I remember going to the Lion King Parade with Uncle Jon and I will swear to this day that the Alligator bit my hand.  I remember when California Adventure was built.  I remember going on that silly Ferris Wheel with the whole family (minus sam) and we were all crying, except for Owen who was probably two at the time.   I remember watching the fireworks with the fam and eating pixie sticks and holding my knit winnie the pooh.  The first time I rode Splash Mountain was with my Dad and Jon and on every uphill Jon would say that this was it, and so I didn't believe him on the real one. :)  I remember scouting out cute boys with Kenn and describing them as various assesories to describe their various features. (ex.  a tall, dark, and handsome man might have been described as "wow Kenn, did you see that purse?" "ya, it looked Italian."  "yes, it was a very beautiful bag." )  

Oh, the good times of Disneyland.  Magical, one could say. 

Battle of the Brides :)

Officially Hired at Alysse's Bridal.

See how things go with Nancy Barrus. 

Make final decision...

Tribute to Utah

As many of you may know, I was lucky enough to have been born and raised in Utah.

I love love love Utah!

Last weekend I road-tripped to New Mexico for my ex-roomates wedding.

It was beautiful and so good to see Heather and Marcus finally married. :)

On the way there, we passed through Moab and Montecello and a plethora of other little towns, such as Blanding.

I realized on this trip just how extraordinarily beautiful utah is.  I mean people come from all around the world to see the things that are basically in my back yard.

I am so grateful to be surrounded by the beautiful mountains (the t is silent fyi) and the wonderful indigenous people.

It's a Game!

Try to figure out what photo booth effect goes with which picture. :)