for hillbill.

tonight my final paper is due for my writing class...
after that I am pretty much done with major assignments
so I vow to resume blogging just for you,
because I honestly think you are the only one who reads this.
:)

note to self.

NEVER agree to...
give a talk
teach gospel doctrine
and greet in relief society
all on the same Sunday
ever again.
:'(

I am STRESSED to say the least.
promise those updates are coming soon.

again.

yet again I have neglected my blog.
it has been a crazy semester.
but I want it to over with soooo badly.
i PROMISE to update within the week.
<3

tahoe and snowwww

My poor blog, I'm sure, feels neglected all of the time. Every night before I go to bed I write myself a "to do" list for the next day. More often that not I find myself repeatedly writing "remember to blog" on that list. Today I am finally going to be able to cross it off of that to do list, yeah! So onto to what I am really on here to write about... Tahoe! Isn't it a gorgeous place? This is at the base of the gondola up to Heavenly Ski Resort and yes that is my timeshare directly to the right of it... so convenient! Tahoe is my favorite annual family vacation that we take, mostly because the Gauthier's have the same week there with us and also because I love to ski!

Usually because California doesn't like to keep winter around for too long the snow is melted by min-February when we get there. Not this year! We had plenty of fresh powder which made for superb skiing!

Mom, Dad, Ab and I arrived late Saturday afternoon all geared up for an enjoyable week. Kylie flew in from Utah shortly after and the fam bam was reunited once again. Sunday we hit the slopes. One word... Pain. Dad had forgotten to pack our ski boots... seriously? How does that happen? Anyways because of his brain fart in the packing department we had to rent crap boots for Sunday skiing. Normally these boots would be fine but... I have massive calves [thanks to the genes I inherited from my mother] and unless I have on my "ooooo these feel like butter on my feet" boots, I can not bear to ski more than an hour and I went five on Sunday. Other than the pain it was a beautiful day on the slopes.

Ky Dad and I were run buddies. That is until my legs gave out and I had to retire for the day. I am so out of shape... which is a reminder to me to hit the gym before summer time!

Some of the kiddos in heaven at Heavenly. Ky and I at the top on the Nevada side at Heavenly [Lake Tahoe in the background].

Papa and I in the newly constructed lodge at Heavenly... gorgeous, but they way overpriced the food to pay for it.

Sunday night the Stiles drove up after church [with our forgotten boots, thank you!] to spend the weekend with us! We hit the slopes hard the next morning and again the snow was in prime condition for our skis, or in Jessica's case snowboard.Our one fam bam shot that everyone groaned at me for wanting to take...

Love me some Jocelyn. We skied one more time on Wednesday but were not able to on Friday because of high winds and snow fall. The rest of the week was spend ice skating, playing in the snow, sledding, hot tubing, card games, movies, and tons of eating!

Most of all I loved spending time with this little munchkin... or should I say giant haha! I am sure going to miss hanging out with her everyday when I go back to school in a few weeks. We always have so much fun together and the laughing never ceases.and this one...Mini Me! Sad to have left but happy to have the memories.

Until next year Tahoe...

ughhhhh.

this morning I woke up and realized that I kind of hate my life right now...

so I will blog later today to try and rekindle the flame between me and my situation

we'll see if that works but now time for church.

<3

carbs. carbs. carbs. yum!

I am not going to lie... I am an amazing cook!

Mostly because I can follow a recipe to a T.

Because I was lacking a Valentine this year, I was craving all sorts of food [well, I guess I do that everyday]... But mostly craving Italian and my all time favorites, sun dried tomato pasta and chicken Parmesan! So I made a Valentine's dinner for the whole family plus Nanny and Pop and our friends Roger and Liliane Gondelmann who came this week to visit us all the way from France!

It was probably one of my favorite dinners I have cooked in a long time so I had seconds and thirds... skipped the chocolate and went for the carbs this year.

[where did my neck go?]

Here are my recipes if you would like to make this too.

It's seriously to die for!

Baked Chicken Parmesan

Serves 6

6 chicken breast halves or 10 chicken tenders

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

spaghetti sauce

mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare by cracking eggs into large bowl or pan and mixing with milk.

And in another bowl or pan mixing bread crumbs and Parm. cheese.

Dip chicken in egg-milk mixture and then into the bread crumb-cheese mixture.

Lay flat on a baking sheet.

Bake for 15-30 min. depending on chicken size.

Five min. before taking out of oven spoon spaghetti sauce on top of each chicken piece and then add Mozzarella cheese on top.

Bake for another five min. or until cheese is melted.

Serve and Enjoy!Penne with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
Serves 6

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion , chopped fine
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes , rinsed, patted dry, and minced
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 cup heavy cream
Salt
1 pound ziti or penne
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Ground black pepper

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot.
Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.
Cook onion until soft and lightly browned, about 8 minutes.
Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and cream.
Increase heat to medium-high and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente.
Drain pasta, and return to pot.
Add sauce and basil to pot and toss to combine
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve and Enjoy!

valentine.

Alone once again on the big day of love... shoot me.

Looks like Daddy has Mom... and his three girls to buy chocolates for.

I am not kidding I have had seven friends in the past three weeks get engaged, seven!

If that's not pathetic then I don't know what is.

This is pretty much all I do...

me and my empty ring finger, whatever though I'm kind of a fan of being alone until that perfect person comes along to sweep me off my feet.

until then...

Dear Future Husband and Valentine,

I hope you have a wonderful day of love because I will be hating it without you. I hope the only person you kiss today is your mom and you think of me often. Because whoever you are, you are always on my mind and I am constantly striving to be better, just for you. I will wait for you as long as you need me too... but we're not getting any younger here. Hope to see you sometime in the next few Valentine's days.

Love, Your Future Wife.

Goodnight Blog.

Promise to fill you with pictures very soon.

Less than a week and I will be in Tahoe loving the snow once again. :)

consequences of an afternoon nap.

I have the munches and a bad case of boredom.

I was getting extremely exhausted at work this afternoon on account that I consumed NyQuil last night and that stuff messes me up for a few days. So I came home and took a nap around 4:30. The next thing I remember is waking u around 8:30 to a text from my best friend, Erin asking me if I am alive. My naps are usually blissful, and mine today was. But I am always left, as I am now awake, bored and hungry in the late night hours. Boo.

I just ate spoon full of Nutella, two spoons of Cool Whip, a piece of beef jerky, a handful of cheesits, a root beer, a pickle and a slice of bologna. I am disgusted with myself and all i want still is spinach dip with sourdough bread. I hate late night munchies and can you say random to that list of food... ew, who am I?

Well it's February already, the second to be exact and Jonny's birthday, Happy Birthday Jonny, wish I were with you [even though you will never read this]. Anyways Monday... the 31st was my half birthday! Six months until my real birthday and then I am finally 21! No idea why I am so excited for that age as I don't drink, but I think it means that I am limitless! I can go anywhere I want to, even a bar... though there is no reason to. When someone checks my ID they can't tell me no and for some reason that makes me happy, and maybe a little pathetic...

I am very bored and a cure would be to watch Eat, Pray, Love [just ate and prayed...wheres the love?]which I have rented on iTunes. It would just keep me awake until three, but hey that still gives me six hours of sleep and I thrive on six hours of sleep. Okay that just made up my mind. So off I go to watch a movie that I, opposed to most of it's viewers, actually enjoy.

so Goodnight!

p.s. I am awaiting a lovely package from Forever21 right now and when it arrives I will have to do a picture-fashion show.

Now off to a meeting with my toothbrush so I don't smell like beef jerky in the morning :)

quick.

i hate mondays.
i want my hair to grow faster.
i am very excited for fhe tonight.
i like to sleep, my dad does not like me to sleep.
i am going to work so I will finish this up later :)

feelin craftyyy.

Since I work for a company that makes hair bows, headbands and everything to do with putting flowers into your wardrobe I decided this week that I would make some of my own accessories to place atop my noggin.

I also surprised my little sis and whipped her up a few as well.

Who said only babies could wear these things?

Abby and my matching white daisies...

Hippie daisy.
I like this one better when I put in on the collar of my blazer.

Headbands...

Perfect for fall...

This one if my favorite kind to make...

and this one is my favorite...

I am very mono-chromatic lately; white skin, white hair, white teeth, white clothes.

You get the picture.

and the last...

I love getting crafty, especially when I reap the rewards of it.
:)

the cone.

My poor little puppy has to wear this around his head for a week...

I actually think it is extremely hilarious and laugh every time I see him.

He looks like a vacuum when he tries to pick up his toys or bones off the ground.

The part that I most like about the cone, is that it limits his OCD habits. Wags likes to hide under any and all furniture in our home. In the past few months his favorite place has been under my bed and dresser. I don't mind accept for when he constantly licks himself and makes the most annoying noise, scratches at the posts under my bed, doesn't listen to a word I say when he's under there, and will not come out. So yes I guess I mind it, I mind it very much.

OCD little Wags also this week has to take medication which makes him even more hyper than he already is so he has been a night owl with me.

I felt bad earlier because I could hear him outside my closed door whining to come in, so I let him. I pet him for a few minutes and then he jumped off my bed and started ramming his "cone" into my baseboard trying to get himself under the bed, which he continually attempted to do for another five minutes. I was laughing hysterically the first two of those minutes and then of course started to get annoyed. I yelled at him several times "no wags" because I thought there was no way he was getting under there. I thought wrong, and he eventually maneuvered he and his cone under my bed right as I tried to grab him.

He is, at the moment, still under my bed and trying to fit his cone back out.

I am, at the moment, still annoyed with him and don't want to help him out... I guess we'll have to see if I come around.
Goodnight :)

"what's a week end?"

I have become newly addicted to a Lifetime mini-series called Downton Abbey... hence where the title for this entry came from. It's about a wealthy family set in the time of Titanic and their drama. I love it, especially because everyday they change into gorgeous elaborate gowns for dinner and are waited on hand and foot. I would kill to have been alive at that time... well as long as I had money.

Anyways...

On to my weekend and it was a good one! Friday I worked and then went to the mall and to eat BJ's with my friend Kristen, whom I also worked at Bronze body with. After dinner we went to our friend Lisa and Tino's house. Lisa is a manager at Mac and is a magician when it comes to making your face look good. We played and played and then I came home and dozed off for the night.

Saturday I slept in and then lounged around all day. Me, the fam bam and the Stiles went to dinner at Applebees and then I wet and hung out with Megan and Erin.

The only better thing than having two best friends is having two best friends that get along.

I normally hang out with Erin or I hang out with Megan, but Saturday night we all hung out together and boy, was it fun. Me and my two bests.

We went out to our friend Jessica's birthday party, bonfired and chatted it up. It was so much fun. I saw some friends that I hadn't seen since high school and may or may not have re-connected with a boy from long ago... and that's all I'm saying!

Sunday I was in the nursery for church and I am yet again left wanting a baby.

I don't know how much longer I can be surrounded by baby stuff without going crazy!

dust off the blades.

Once upon a time I worked at a tanning salon where I met the most wonderful girl named Maggie. Five years later we are still good friends and her amazing sister still makes my hair beautiful and frosty. Maggie and I have joked since we met that we would go rollerblading someday. Well last week our little joke actually happened. I called up Mags and told her that we had to do it or it would never happen.

So much fun! And let me tell you if you want a dang good workout, strap on some roller blades and go for about a mile and a half... my thighs killed me for days!

NOM nom NOM.

I can not believe that I am admitting this on my blog but... it is that time of the month for yours truly. And whenever Aunt Flow comes to town I have to have some type of chocolaty treat around to grab. Last night I, as always, was blog stalking. I was on one of my favorite food blogs, Picky Palate, when I encountered these babys Candy Bar Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwiches. The pictures alone made me drool and so I decided I would make them today. The recipe is on the link I posted but here are the...

Ingredients:
2 sticks softened butter
1 Cup granulated sugar
3/4 Cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla
3 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
10 oz bag chocolate chips
Variety of snack size candy bars

[I used Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, Snickers and Kit Kat, and Twix]

yum YUM yum

chocolate heaven... Little Betty Crocker, pardon the scrubs I am wearing. bakinggggg... ooey gooey yummy nummy. Best Cookies Ever.
What was even better was that while I was at the store getting a few extra things I needed to create this masterpiece to satisfy my chocolate crave I found this...
Holy Cow... haha I was so happy I almost cried. REAL MILK with out the lactose. Yes, I hate all things organic because they are just overpriced and a crock BUT this glorious half-gallon of Milk that is free of tummy aches was only $3.28. Not too bad I might say.

And now two cookies and two wonderful glasses of milk later I am very satisfied. I think I might just jump into bed just like the cow on the carton.

Other activities occupying my time:
Dinner date with Dad and Abby to Chevy's tonight.
Lunch at Olde Tyme with Mommy today.
Lots of sleeping.
Manicure from a funny little Chinese man.
Friday Night family dates to Costco.
Sunday Migraines.
Taking medicine for Migraines.
Sleeping all day Monday because of drowsiness from migraine medicine.
Spending lots of quality time with the fam bam.
Listening to Pandora radio.
Skyping with friends.
And of course loving every second that I am in California and not Snow-ville :)

working girlllll.

My first week of work is done, I love my job.

I am a personal assistant to the one and only Penny Godwin, co-owner of Pinkbowtique.com

If you have a daughter, niece, granddaughter, any little girl in your life... buy her a hair bow. Penny and Nancy's business makes some of the most beautiful hair pieces I have ever seen and yes I own many of them. I am so happy to be working for them and I seriously LOVE my job. I'll love it even more when I get a fat pay check :)

saddest news ever.

I am officially [sick tummy for about a month] allergic to this wonderful beverage that I like up drink daily and is in almost all food that I love. It's impossible for me to not consume it.

My sweet mother has been lactose intolerant ever since she was a young buck. I inherited this from her. I was not happy when last semester I would get terrible stomach pains when I would have a glass of milk. I may or may not have cried when I found out milk makes me sick. I love milk, I mean I wasn't nicknamed Macy Moo when I was a kiddo for just any reason. I did grow up surrounded by dairies and cows.

Anyways sad fact, I will never drink a full glass of milk ever again. I just about died last week when I did and I never want to go through that again. So while you are sipping on some milk, eating cheese, munching on ice cream, slurping yogurt, or spreading butter just think of sad little me who has to take a pill every time I want to touch any of those things. Very annoying.

:(

new years!

I spent my New Years with one of my best friends, Courtney. I drove down to Laguna Beach on the 29th of December ready for a few days of absolute fun. I made it there in 4 hours and 52 minutes, record to date. Once I arrived Courtney and I went and got Cafe Rio for dinner and then called it a night.

December 30th: Knott's Berry Farm amusement park... not very amusing. We had lots of fun, but everyone and their mom was at the park that day. We were there a total of about six hours and rode a total of two rides and in my book that counts as pathetic. All in all those two rides were a rush and we ate some great food!

Dined at Pink's, a famous diner right outside Knotts. Delicious!

Court and I dressed up like tourists, looks on our faces and all.
This picture was taken after two hours of waiting in line... finally almost there. Well not for the front row, which we waited another thirty minutes for.

December 31st: NewYearsEve! Court and I spent the day lounging and then met up with Gina at the Irvine Spectrum for shopping and dinner. We went back to Court's house and got ready for the Fire and Ice Singles dance. We picked up Katy and drove to the warehouse where it was located. It was so much fun! We danced away 2010 and kissed in 2011. Too bad I dont remember the guys name, but he was sure hot.

January 1st: Great way to start off the new year, with Venice Beach. And it just happens to be my favorite place in the world. I especially loved the crazies we saw. We walked the strip, shopped and gazed at the beautiful street art. Best part was the friendly and interesting people who decided to talk to us.

here is one of them...

Happy New Year, with my best friend.

I would kill to live on Venice Beach.

The graffiti is amazing...

I found a boyfriend...

We walked over to the skating area, watched the greatest dance moved I have ever seen and laughed until we had six packs on our abs. Then watched the skaters in the skate park. I was very impressed.

January 2nd: Church and packing up to leave. If I were in Idaho, the freeways would have been clear but because of a storm over the Grapevine, I-5 was closed all Sunday. I have to take a lovely trip through Santa Barbara to get home. I sat through four hours of traffic to get there too, where it should only take an hour from LA. I spent the night in Paso Robles and was finally home around 1:30 p.m. the next day, taking me a total of twenty-one hours to get home. Not a fun drive home, but it was one of the best trips to visit Courtney I have ever had.

i'm in the club.

Yes that blog title was an unintentional pun. After Christmas I joined Dad, Ab, Ky and the Missionaries on the golf course to hit some balls. It was so much fun! It was cool to actually be invited and to go the course with the fam.

We loved our last set of missionaries in our ward.

They sadly got transferred the about two weeks ago and we miss seeing them.

They were fun to have around!

All of the sisters out at Stevenson Ranch.

First time in probably 10+ years. Abs and I shared a cart, even though I walked a bunch.

Best part of the day was when I hit quite the drive on the first hole and I was golfing with dad's clubs, he is left handed. It was fun to give being a lefty a try.