Tara Amos

Mr. and Mrs. Riley Kellogg

2013-04-20T14:15:00.003-06:00

So I married my most favoritest boy, Riley Budd on December 29, 2012

Its April- I know- but life happens

and Life is GOOD!!

Marriage was not at all what I expected, but I love every minute that I spend with my husband.

We love to watch movies, our two most recent favorites were

Wreck it Ralph- we watched it twice in a row

and 42 (The Jackie Robinson story) < Hilarious!

( ^ just a hint of sadness, you've been warned)

okay, so get ready for a recap for the last four months our life together (mostly photos)

Christmas with the Kellogg's

Riley got the free runs he wanted (aka- I'm the best fiancee ever!!!)

Christmas day- love this boy- 4 more days!

The Wedding

It was wonderful, we were surrounded by people that we love :)

It poured buckets that day

so we took pictures at the reception venue. not too shabby eh?

my bouquet for the Oklahoma reception :) Thanks Alma's Flowers

The Los Angeles Temple--he's mine forever :)

Back doors of the temple- our families were soaked :( troopers, we love them

Mr. and Mrs. Kellogg

I just love him

Pulling the dash from the ice cream- it got all over my face and hair- o well!
I am the luckiest girl in the world!! And ladies be sure to tell your husbands that every day because then they live up to that standard ;]

Honeymooners!
We went to Six Flags Magic Mountain with the Kellogg's, We went to Sea World, and we went to Disneyland with My Mom and Dad (Paul and Michelle) and my brothers and sisters, and niece and nephew! Everywhere we went was packed because it was the holidays!! Craziness

Riley had 2 dozen red roses waiting at our hotel when we got there- he is the sweetest!

We stayed at the U.S. Grant and it was so beautiful, I wish i would have taken pictures in the lobby
They had the most gorgeous chandeliers

we went to Sea world one day after Christmas and they were still doing their Christmas shows!

We waited in line to ride Cars for over 2.5 hours!

Hard to tell in the picture, but that is little Capri up front (behind the cars eyes)
it was a little fast

We got back to Provo and then flew to Oklahoma for our reception
I am still waiting on pictures from that reception, I will upload them when they come

I think Riley was frustrated with me
or at least trying to be!

Life= school and work for me and full-time job for Riley
Did I mention he was the best on his team every week!!
Born to do sales

Sometimes Riley wears things like this... all day
it's days like this I pray he doesn't leave the house

We got this sweet pink couch for FIVE dollars at a BYU surplus sale!!

So I slip covered it and made some cute pillow covers. Cute 5 dollar couch

This is our bed, sitting on the floor
starving students or just cheap?? you decide

this is our dining area, no table, just bar stools
only because we are gypsies and are going to move a lot

These pictures are for my mom really. She didn't get to see my apartment

Our bookshelf
pretty much the only decoration in the house at that point

Valentine's Day

I took Riley my favorite truffles on Valentine's day :)

Our Valentine's trip to go snowmobiling, so fun and so beautiful!

lunch at Daniel's Summit Lodge

cutest room with a fireplace

too cold to go outside in the rocking chairs

Then there was my 22nd birthday!

Birthday dinner with my best friend Lauren
seriously best dinner ever

my birthday dinner with this silly guy
We love Benihana

My birthday present from Riley Budd
he picked them out himself- love him!

I broke my prong on my ring washing clothes and Riley
picked it up for me when I was working. Just like new!

Sometimes we make cheeseburgers and they are always the best

Easter Sunday- I was so sick
Happy three months to us!

lunch love notes from Riley

Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant
Riley practically made the decision for me, but it has been great!!
http://www.marykay.com/tkellogg11/en-US/_layouts/MaryKayCoreLocator/ContactMe.aspx

Mary Kay gifts

More to come this summer- now that I am going to be a more dedicated blogger I hope!!

Fishtail Sunday

2012-06-04T14:20:00.001-06:00

So Lauren wanted to take some pictures of our church outfits yesterday,

so I was more than happy to throw a hand on the hip and cheese it up.

I got a lot of compliments on my Anthro dress and my fishtail braid.

I got the dress on sale for $35 and added the navy lace extension on the bottom to lengthen it.

The braid was very easy, but sadly I did not find a tutorial for it on Pinterest.

It just kind of happened on accident one day when I was home.

So, here is how you do it. Sorry no step-by-step pictures!

Try not to judge my crooked braid :/

1. tease your crown and comb smooth.

2. Find an elastic and put your hair half up, making sure that the back of your hair is smooth

3. I always like to pull some hairs out of the ponytail to make sure my pouf is even, haha!

4. Hairspray the top, not too much!

5. start with the hair that is not in the ponytail and fishtail braid from both sides around the half ponytail.

6. you can braid all the way to the end or be lazy like me and do a shorter braid.

7. Done and done. Looks cute plain, or with a headband, and even under a baseball cap.

ALSO, if you are going to wear a bright lipstick, make sure that you keep the eyes simple.

I just used a nude eyeshadow on my whole eyelid and then did a thick line on top and put on mascara.

Don't forget blush! You don't want to look ghostly this summer!

Skip To The Good Part

2012-06-01T11:48:00.001-06:00

This post is a recap of the past week, please excuse the picture quality-- all photos were taken on my phone, and I am sure the camera had nasty fingerprints on it all week!!

Riley drove into Provo on Monday all the way from North Carolina; that's a 36 hour drive y'all!

I was so excited to see him. It was my first day of work and I didn't get off til 9.

I didn't think he was going to get into town until about ten o'clock, but he actually got in at six. SNEAKY!

He went to my house and got Lauren's help setting up a plan...

He walks into Jos. A. Bank at 8:15 and leaves a note for me.

It was an invitation to meet him at The Happy Sumo for dinner after I got off work.

As he was walking out my manager figured out who Riley was (since work was slow and I talked about him) and he let me leave early.

Riley had a dozen red roses in his truck; he had planned to wait for me to meet him at the restaurant.

We ate some delicious sushi!

On Tuesday we went to Ogden to play with CapriLee and Hayze.

This girl is the sassiest! She wanted to eat at Costa Vida, so we all went to lunch together.

On Wednesday morning I cut Riley's hair and then we bought some sunscreen and snacks and went to Seven Peaks. They almost didn't let me in with my cheez-its, but then the guy said "Oh, you must be hypoglycemic, have fun!" I didn't ask questions...

We rented a tube and did all of the slides; Riley's favorite was the one that he rode backwards--should have seen his face.. he thought he was dropping to his death! It was a lot of fun.

We headed to Salt Lake for the He Is We concert and ate at The Cheesecake Factory first.

The menu was literally a textbook, so with a little guidance from our waiter we got some delicious food.

Riley couldn't get enough of the bread, but I think he liked the butter more.

I ate about a quarter of my meal and then Riley ate some of it, but I ate all the mushrooms off of his plate. SO GOOD! Thank you aunt Jenny for my love of mushrooms :]

We were too full to eat dessert so we got a slice of red velvet cheesecake to go.

We finally got to the concert after I got us lost and we went two miles in the wrong direction.

South Jordan, the second band that played was awesome! They were so entertaining

Here is one of their songs

The third band should have quit before they played their first song. It was terrible, but it got everyone even more excited for He Is We.

Turns out the lead singer for He Is We is sick.. so this girl filled in for he and did a really good job.

Just kinda strange that the lead singer wasn't there. It's like going to a Taylor Swift concert and they are like- "O, hey, Taylor isn't here but this girl is gonna sing her songs".. strange

Skip To The Good Part

Fun- We Are Young & All About US

I thought Riley just brought me to the concert because I love He Is We so much, but he was singing along to half of the songs that they played. It was so much fun! I think we were the only college kids there. So many high school mullets. It was entertaining to say the least..

On Wednesday we ate red velvet cheesecake for lunch.. oh yeah, and some of the leftovers too ;]

Best cheesecake of my life. I ate all of the cream cheese icing off the top!

I don't know how three days went by so fast, but I had so much fun!

ps- The concert was two days ago and my ears are still ringing!

DIY Mint Jeans

2012-05-26T22:26:00.000-06:00

This is my first shot at a DIY tutorial, so please don't judge too harshly and leave some comments for the next DIY post.
MINT JEANS!!

My cute roommate is quite the photographer!!
I refused to be cute in these pictures, because she made me change out of my sweatpants :(

For those of you who follow Lauren, you already saw a post about our awesome mint pants.
Here is a step by step tutorial with what to do and what not to do!
1. Purchase a pair of white pants, preferably a cotton blend.

2. Wash and dry them like you would your normal laundry.
3. Pick a color from this awesome RIT color swatch link. There are color tabs at the bottom of the page that you can click through and then just click the swatch you like for the color mix measurements.
Here is a screenshot of the mint mix:

1/2 teaspoon of Teal RIT dye and 1 teaspoon of Lemon Yellow

These are the powder versions, I found them at Hobby Lobby

Wear gloves and be very careful because they color will stain everything!!

4. Measure two cups of hot water and mix measured amounts of dye into the water. Stir consistently until ALL the powder is dissolved, otherwise you will see yellow and blue spots on your pants like I do. oops!

5. Fill a bucket or a sink with hot water so that the pants are completely submerged with room to move around. Then place the pants into the water and make sure all the fabric is completely soaked (for even coloring). Again, I FAILED! In this case, bigger is better. I recommend a mop bucket, not a tiny sink.

6. Pour in color, giving it one final stir just to be careful. Then mix the color into the water very quickly to avoid spotting. This is crucial. No time to stop and take cool pictures like this one, we learned our lesson. Just use your gloved hands to mix it.

7. Make sure to really move the pants around or you will have light and dark spots! Not good!

8. Let it soak for about 15 or 20 minutes and then rinse the pants in warm water and progress to colder water with every rinse. You want to rinse until the water runs clear.

9.Then wash the pants SEPARATELY, unless you want to destroy some of your clothes by adding them to the same wash.. The choice is yours, really.

10. While your cute pants are washing and drying wipe everything down with bleach otherwise your Mom will probably get mad at me for posting this and causing you to destroy her sink and countertops!!

11. Wear those cute pants and love 'em, and when people ask you where you got them-you can say, "I dyed them myself, No Big Deal!" Very impressive!!

Summer Bummer

2012-05-24T15:51:00.001-06:00

No, this summer has not been a bummer. . . I use the word bummer to describe myself as one who bums.

I have spent the last month successfully doing almost nothing. I am not proud of this statement.

I finished my Junior year at BYU and moved into a cute house with Lauren. We decided to stay here in Provo.

I just BARELY got a job at Jos. A Bank. Still haven't started working. I have never been so broke in my life.

I have spent my days cooking pies, stir frys, and cookies.

I also sewed some new items. I plan to post pictures of those items soon.

I just got back from a trip to Oklahoma for Megan's graduation. I can't believe she will be here at BYU in the Fall. It was great to be home for a few days with the whole gang, and the sno cones were legendary!

I just spent the last 4 hours changing my blog layout and I am sick of sitting at the computer, so until next time.

Look forward to posts about cute outfits, cute nieces and nephews, and a cute boy!

Pocketful of Sunshine

2012-03-13T17:02:00.001-06:00

Hello blogging world,

I am sorry that I have been neglectful lately.

This semester has been a whirlwind to say the least

filled with lots of midterms, cold winter days, Steve Madden boots, and a short romance. . .

MIDTERMS-

When I heard the word midterm for the first time I thought that it meant an exam that marked the middle of the semester. I WAS WAY OFF- midterms start the first DAY of school and don't stop until finals week, and then you get to take 6 tests in 5 days. The joys of college life.

Note to self- college is optional, you chose to come here, you applied. (almost forgot!!)

COLD WINTER DAYS-

This semester has been anything but warm until the last few days.

It has been about 65 degrees and beautiful, I AM READY FOR SUMMER!! like NOW!

I have been trapped under a furry hood and sweaters all semester and my sandals are starting to feel neglected.

They will see the sun soon enough. Time to buy some new nail colors :)

STEVE MADDEN BOOTS-

I invested in TWO wonderful pairs of Steve Madden boots this winter

I couldn't make myself choose between the two, so I had to have both of course ;]

They kept my feet from freezing off and I am almost sad to put them in a Winter box, ALMOST. .

ROMANCE-

So I never got the chance to blog about it, but I started DATING a BOY in December,

I know, I was as surprised as you are now. haha

We dated for a few months, and then decided that we are better off as friends!

But LOVE is in the air for sure,

I think at least 8 of my friends here at BYU got engaged in the last week

and JENA ROSE got married last weekend in St. George

She was the most stunning bride ever!!

So the rest of you with aspirations to be the most beautiful bride that ever walked the Earth.. ..

you can go ahead and stop stressing over that, because it is done.

She is now Mrs. Trager Hinzte: The most beautiful bride ever.

Just one more month of school left before summer. It really can't get here fast enough.

ps- Did I mention I have no idea what I am doing this summer?

or with my life for that matter!

Feel free to pray on my behalf ;] hahaha!!

I am going to enjoy the rest of this beautiful day now

The GRATITUDE Challenge

2011-12-04T13:24:00.001-07:00

Take a Gratitude Challenge

By John Hilton III and Anthony Sweat

Let's not just talk about counting our blessings--let's do it! Write a list of 100 things you are thankful for. If it sounds like too many, try this:

Write 10 physical abilities you are grateful for.

I can walk
and run
and use my hands to make things
and use my eyes to see when I am sewing
I am grateful that I can hear music and laughter
I am grateful for the ability to see the beauty in all things
I am grateful that I am able to take care of myself, and others when needed.
I am grateful for my strength
and for the ability to laugh
and mostly, I am grateful for my smile

Write 10 material possessions you are grateful for.

I am grateful for my scriptures, because the Lord gives me guidance when I study them
I am grateful for my phone, so I can talk to my family
I am grateful for my ipod, so I can listen to music on my long drives to Ogden
I am grateful for my new Madden Girl boots because they keep my feet warm and they are cute
I am grateful for my ruby ring that is a constant reminder to be virtuous (Proverbs 31:10)
I am grateful for my bed, because it is warm and I can sleep in it. . and sleep makes me happy
I am grateful for my backpack, because it is really comfy and carries all my books for me
I am grateful for my service journal, because it gives me strength when I reflect back on it
I am grateful for my nail polishes, because I paint my nails with Lauren and it makes us happy
I am grateful for my curling iron, because nothing can bring you down on a good hair day

Write 10 living people you are grateful for.

I am grateful for the Savior, because every decision I make is based on His life and ministry
I am grateful for my Aunt Jen because she is such a strong woman and I love her
I am grateful for my sisters, because I love them and look to them as examples of righteousness
I am grateful for my mom and dad and brothers and sisters, because they love me with all their heart
I am grateful for Bishop Fox for taking care of me and my roommates
I am grateful for my roommates Lauren and Mandy, because they make me happy :)
I am grateful for the Roberts Family, because they are my home away from home
I am grateful for CapriLee because she makes me so happy with her sweet spirit and witty humor
I am grateful for the service council members, because they are great examples of charitable love
I am grateful for Riley, because although he is a punk- he is a great friend.

Write 10 deceased people you are grateful for.

I am grateful for my Grandma Rosemary, because she did so much for her children in her short time here on Earth.
I am grateful for President Gordon B. Hinckley, because he taught me how to be a loving wife and mother
I am grateful for Marjorie Hinckley, for being such an enduring woman and a great example to me
I am grateful for my Grandma Mary for taking me to Peter Piper Pizza when I was little
I am grateful for the Prophet Joseph, for all his sacrifice in restoring the Gospel of Jesus Christ
I am grateful for Audrey Hepburn and her style- so classy
I am grateful for Heath Ledger and his strong jaw.
I am grateful for the pioneers and the journey that they endured
I am grateful for Walt Disney, because I love Disney movies and Disney Land
I am grateful for my native ancestors for signing the rolls. . . SCHOLARSHIPS!!

Write 10 things about nature you are grateful for.

I am grateful for the trees and the changing colors in the Fall
I am grateful for the summer sun and the warmth it brings
I am grateful for the grass, and laying down a blanket to study in the Spring
I am grateful for the mountains and the beauty they provide
I am grateful for thunderstorms and the claps of thunder
I am grateful for warm, sunshiny days in December
I am grateful for snow and the way it makes everything white
I am grateful for waterfalls and the music-like sounds that they create
I am grateful for flowers, especially the arrangements on temple grounds
I am grateful for the stars, because they are a testament of the Lord's infinite power and creation

Write 10 things about today you are grateful for.

I am grateful for the sacrament
I am grateful for Paul Cardall's church hymns
I am grateful for my new Kensie Girl heels because they are actually comfortable to walk in
I am grateful for my pea coat, because it started to snow
I am grateful for the prayer of fasting and its power
I am grateful for honesty, and the importance of it
I am grateful for the heater in my apartment
I am grateful for the power of testimony, and the knowledge that my Savior lives
I am grateful for Sunday naps
I am grateful for love, and joy, and happiness

Write 10 places on earth you are grateful for.

I am grateful for a red brick house in Purcell, Oklahoma with a big dog running around outside, because my family is there and I love to be home
I am grateful for visits to Phoenix, and spending time with my mom and dad, and brother and sister
I am grateful for Hooper, UT and the friends and family that I have there
I am grateful for the temple, because it is the House of the Lord
I am grateful for the Center for Service and Learning, because of the people that gather there
I am grateful for Cozumel, Mexico, because I love to vacation there with my awesome family
I am grateful for Boney Matthews Fieldhouse, because I grew up playing basketball there.
I am grateful for the Savage's home, and the time Jena and I spent there with Elizabeth
I am grateful to live in America, and have the rights and freedoms that I take for granted everyday
I am grateful for Nauvoo, Illinois and the foundations that were built there

Write 10 modern inventions you are grateful for.

I am grateful for my car
I am grateful for my cell phone
I am grateful for my computer
I am grateful for the LDS.org website
I am grateful for Mormon Messages- they are addicting
I am grateful for microwaves, because I like hot pockets
I am grateful for the smart phone, because I can always be in contact with my Program Directors
I am grateful for new medicines, because they can save lives
I am grateful for smart sewing machines, because I love to sew!
I am grateful for hairdryers, because I hate wet hair.

Write 10 foods you are grateful for.

I am grateful for pizz
and chocolate chip cookies
and 7-11 hot chocolate with marshmallows
and chicken
and tomato basil soup
and grilled cheese
and Railhead's cheeseburgers and char fries
and Mexican Food
and Greek Yogurt and pumkin flax granola
and cereal, because who doesn't love cereal?!

Write 10 things about the gospel you are grateful for.

I am grateful for prayer and the tremendous power it plays, even within a moment
I am grateful for the Prophet, Thomas S. Monson and the way that he leads and loves the people
I am grateful for Jesus Christ's example of "the one" and how we should love and serve others
I am grateful for Mosiah 2:17- "When you are in the service of your fellow beings, you are only in the service of your God."
I am grateful for the promised joy that I experience when I make righteous decisions
I am grateful for the members of the church and the power in numbers
I am grateful for missionary work, and the dedication of full-time missionaries
I am grateful for the temple covenants and the work that is done in the temple
I am grateful for eternal families, and the opportunity I will have to be sealed to my own family
I am grateful for the atonement, and the knowledge that Christ is with me through it all- trials, heartache, and most importantly the happy times

When we make a list like this, we discover that a list of 100 doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of all the things God has given us.

DO IT- IT WILL MAKE YOU SO HAPPY

Productive Tuesday, Holla!!

2011-11-30T14:42:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was very productive and fulfilling day for me :]

My awesome day started with a new job working at Nexeo.

I am still not sure what I will be doing there,

but I am guessing it is something to do with accounting

because my uncle told them I was an Accounting Major at BYU. . Say what?

I was Pre-Business Finance a year ago!

But hey-- maybe they need a design team. . . .

ya know? for uniforms or something!!

The day continued on and so did I-

I made two scarves- TWO!!

I was so excited that I went and bought some fabric at Jo-Ann's

I got started on Capri's dress in my sewing class and it is the cutest thing I have ever sewn in my life.

It is a bright blue corduroy fabric with owls on it with a brown contrast collar.

I went to Adopt-a-Grandparent and met the cutest grandma of my life.

She told me above all else to be honest in everything that I do.

She shared the story of how she met her sweet husband-who is now very ill.

I don't want a love like Johnny and June,

I want a love like Norma and Grover

I can't wait to go back and visit her next week.

I finished a 25 page assignment- finally done with papers and projects!

Then Vanessa talked me into going to a spin class- not gonna lie I was scared!

It was so tough, and I didn't think I was going to be able to walk when I got off that bike

Today my legs are wobbly and my rear is real sore.

That was my productive day, and here is one of the scarves I made
Just click the picture to follow the link to my Etsy shop

Life passes by too quickly!

2011-11-12T21:47:00.000-07:00

The other day Lauren and I ventured out into the cold to watch a few friends play soccer.
Don't worry, it was worth it. .
They won in overtime!

Lauren is all perfectionist with her pictures, so she took about 5 or 6.

Can anyone else tell a difference?!

Vanessa, I feel like I haven't seen you in a week!

I miss you and I love your tickle me pink costume

Michelle and Vanessa let me come to their ward Halloween party. They are great!

It started with a cinnamon roll

2011-11-12T21:43:00.000-07:00

I had a basketball game this morning and it was cleaning check day.

Once I got everything cleaned I decided that it was time to attend to my cinnamon roll craving.

This is the Cinnabon cinnamon roll copycat. SO DELISH!

It did not stop there.
I decided that I wanted to cook my favorite wintertime food- Beef Stew. .
but I was craving Stir Fry. . .
but then I found a yummy recipe on Pinterest for Fried Rice. . .

So what do I do? I cook ALL THREE

They are all delicious, and I now have enough food to last me through the winter!!

I didn't even cry cutting onions!!

Best fried rice of my life. seriously!

If you want any of these recipes let me know. There are a few from Pinterest and the others are just some I grew up with!

11-11-11 Make a Wish

2011-11-10T20:49:00.001-07:00

So tomorrow is 11-11-11 and I decided that I get to make wishes all day long,

but I am not sure if I can think of that many wishes. .

Close your eyes and make a wish, Here it goes!

1. I wish for a 7-11 hot chocolate machine in my room, complete with marshmallows and french vanilla coffee creamer

2. I wish for heat in my car, so that I can defrost my windows and be warm when I go to school

3. I wish for a desire to run. Because for the last 20 years to date I despise running, but I think I am finally at that point where I despise love handles more. . .

4. I wish for a pair of red zipper riding boots. They are so cute, and I would spoil them with cute, matching boot socks in every color

5. I wish for a warm day in Cozumel. . sleeping in the sand while Capri drinks my Miami Vice

6. I wish for a white bomber coat with fur on the hood. Mandy's is the cutest

7. I wish for an electric snuggie. . one that plugs into the cigarette lighter in my car (see wish #2)

8. I wish for no ~~inhibitions~~. To have the courage to do anything

9. I wish that everyone can feel completely and totally loved for at least one moment each day

10. I wish to be happy, everyday, for the rest of my life, no matter what happens

11. I wish that someone would pack me a lunch to take to school every day :)

Halloween. . It was spooky

2011-11-09T20:44:00.001-07:00

So my first Halloween costume was definitely the scariest. .
The pictures speak for themselves
I was a relief society president for the ward social party

Lauren was white trash, Darci was emoooo, and Mandy was. .. well Mandy was Mandy

Then I attended Zombie prom with Vanessa and Darci. . props to Darci for the wounds on Vanessa

I got my make-up tutorial on Pinterest. . How I love thee!

Lani is so fun. She knows how to throw a good party too

Then there was the masquerade with all my favorite people.

Darci and Lauren and Bruce started the night with me

I spent the three days before the dance on my sewing machine making this dress and mask..

was it worth it? You tell me!

Saunder matched with his purple polo so a picture was more than necessary

I also helped the 3 stooges disguise themselves as the 3 Musketeers

That would be James, myself, Riley, and Gideon

Did I mention how much I love Lauren?
Chandler and Eryn were also in attendance at the Masquerade, but I have yet to receive any photos from them. I will update soon

O Baby!!

2011-11-09T18:12:00.003-07:00

Last week I made a couple onesies for Dan and Liese's new baby, Hayze.
He is coming in December :) I can't wait to meet him.
I was going to do a tutorial, but I forgot to take pictures at each step.

First, I made paper patterns for the vest and the tie.

Second, I cut out the ties and the vest- just about 1/4" larger than the paper pattern so it can be turned and pressed

Then I pinned and stitched the tie, stitching from the neck first so it doesn't move.

PINNING is crucial

Use a zig zag stitch

no need to turn under corduroy. it finishes better flat

then stitch on some cute little buttons!

I also bought a pattern for pants at Jo-Ann. They are gonna be so cute with that big diaper butt!

Salad Spinner. Say What?

2011-10-23T15:20:00.003-06:00

So I made a stop at Burlington coat factory on Friday night in the depths of my boredom. I looked up and down every last isle hoping to find a piece of treasure and I found it y'all!!
I know you are all wondering why this Caesar salad looks so darn delicious.
Let me tell you why. .

Because I found a salad spinner at Burlington for a whopping 7 smackaroos!!

Salad spinners make salads so much more delicious.

I don't think I even love salad that much, I just like spinning the water off of them.

It is so fun!

I now own 3 things in the kitchen- a pyrex, an apple slicer, and a salad spinner :)

Lauren completed this delicious meal with her pita bread!

She has got me addicted to chicken caesar pitas.

Needless to say it was a happy, happy Sunday :)

O Capri, She's beauty!!

2011-09-28T16:20:00.000-06:00

Last Saturday my favorite girl CapriLee Rose came to spend the night with me!

We had a big day together.

We went swimming

We played barbies and babies outside on my newly completed t-shirt quilt

We went to the BYU creamery and ate corn dogs and ice cream (i-lick)

She got Sparkle--it is straight up grape soda in pink ice cream flavor

We played games and made new friends

I was exhausted by the time we finally went to bed (9 pm, lol)

She slept in my little bed with me and kicked me all night, haha!

She woke up at 6am and wanted more milk

Then at 7:30 she grabbed my sleeping face and said "TUBBY TIME!!!"

So she was bathed before 8 am, church didn't start til 10:40. .

I MADE BLUE PANCAKES!

We went to sacrament meeting and then fed the duckies

they love cheerios!

My home teachers came over and Capri was showing off and giving them the flirty eyes ;]

On the way home exhaustion finally set in and she passed out in her carseat!!

It was so much fun to have her for the weekend, Thanks Dan and Liese :)

Silly faces. .

YUMMY!!

Love you guys!!

For the Win!!

2011-09-28T16:02:00.003-06:00

Way to go Cougs!!

We finally won a game

I sat 2nd row with Jess and it was suuper fun!!

Especially when I "mom voiced" the girls in our seats . . .

Joey's Birthday Party

2011-09-27T22:11:00.001-06:00

Happy Birthday Joey!!

We love you :)

Sorry boys, this pic was too great to not share

Birthday Boy!!

I am the Lamest Amos

2011-09-10T21:41:00.000-06:00

it is 9:30 on a Saturday night, and I am sitting in my apartment-ALONE-being a lame homework do-er.

(at least trying--I am sick of genograms for the rest of my existence)

Please remember that I am here by choice, not because my life is as lame as it appears in the given situation.

Anywho--I got bored sitting here connecting lines and drawing squiggles

so I started looking through my old photos and I found a couple that made me both happy and sad

I miss all of these girlies so much, and I don't enjoy life as much without them.

When they are around there is

laughter.

silliness.

embarrassment.

excitement.

play.

happiness.

tears.

(from laughing my guts out)

I just love them and I am so grateful for there sweet faces :]

Farewell to Hooper; a final week

2011-08-24T12:15:00.002-06:00

This week was pretty busy, but mostly fun.

Tyler is home from his mission in Argentina.

It was fun to catch up with him and to see old friends and make a few new ones!!

I finally did it!! I got rid of a ton of summer clothes that I never wear.

I am going to have a yard sale soon at my new complex.

In total there are

about 10 pairs of jeans ranging size 6 to size 10

30 shirts and tops ranging size small to size large

10-15 dresses and dress-shirts

a few skirts

and I will have a few SURPRISE boutique items!!

This is what is left. I still have PLENTY of clothes and enough denim and skirts to last a lifetime!!

On Monday Chance and I drove to Brigham City to fly.

I have never flown with Chance and I was really getting pumped up to ride in one of those tiny planes.

He opened the hanger and said "Uhhh, where's my plane?"

Turns out it is being maintenance'd in Bluebell.

I was sorely disappointed :(

Next time, Chance. . Next time

Chance making calls to find the plane

Wild Birds? This is definitely President Packer's home!

The new temple in Brigham, still under construction

Eryn dyed her hair. Yes this is the actual color it turned out.

We just call her The Little Mexican.
I guess Utah is a whole new world!

The pony clips are my favorite!

My greatest accomplishment this week is my t-shirt quilt.

I think it totaled between 15 and 20 hours of blood, sweat, and tears.

Literally though.

I kept stabbing myself with pins, I cut my finger with my ginghers, and I ripped a slash in my leg with a pin when I was trying to sew the batting in.

Now all we have to do is tie the quilt. Anyone want to get in touch with their G-Ma skills?!

Just come on over :]

I moved all my belongings to my new apartment in Provo last night.

Uncle Ster was kind enough to let me borrow his new truck to make moving easier.

Pictures will be coming soon!

Project: Lace Tee

2011-08-20T14:58:00.000-06:00

So when I was at home in Oklahoma I realized that I really liked the way one of my shirts fit so I used it as a pattern to make a lace shirt. I never wore it until I found the perfect shirt to wear under it.

So here it is!!

And here is the latest update on the t-shirt quilt. yes, it ended up as big as a queen-size quilt!!

I went to Joann today to get the fabric and batting for the back and I almost cried when I was checking out because they wouldn't let me use my 50% coupon, but I am excited to finish it!

Vegas with a hint of Class

2011-08-16T17:06:00.000-06:00

Las Vegas has a reputation of being very trashy

Hence the name "SIN CITY"

See for yourself

Rough Road? That is an understatement

Whispering Tree Avenue does not fit the above description.

There is a very classy house at this location and it is ours for the week!!

I will let the pictures do the talking

Us girls made virgin daiquiris--poolside under the cabana

The boys drank them under the cabana (they should have been in the pool)

The back of the house- it sleeps 17- there was ONLY 15 of us. Props to Uncle Ster for finding this treasure

The POOL and waterfall

Hot Tubby- as Capri calls it

The girls favorite spot

Heaven!!

It has been so fun to have our own little resort out back to kick back and relax in!!

Journal-ing Sumo Wrestlers?

2011-08-13T13:28:00.000-06:00

Yesterday Chandler and I spent our morning cleaning house for Aunt Mel

When we were finished we treated ourselves to some cute journal decorating

It is amazing what you can do with scrapbook paper and a little bit of mod podge

we took pictures of our prized journals and Chandler suggested we take a picture with them

I scorned at the thought because we were still in our grunge cleaning attire

we compromised and this is what we came up with. . .

JOURNALING SUMO WRESTLERS, right?!

Y-Serve Fiesta

2011-08-11T14:59:00.000-06:00

Nothing better than sombreros, salsa, and sharpie mustaches

Thank you Allie for adding this pic!

The T-Shirt Quilt that took over the living room

2011-08-10T23:23:00.000-06:00

I decided that it was time to pull out the old sewing machine again

It has been about a week now, ha!

I pulled all of my t-shirts from K-12 out of the attic when I was home

and they totaled about 60 shirts, most front and back. .

I started cutting out the shirt squares and was exhausted after 4 hours

I swore off cutting t-shirts for the few moments before I tried to put the puzzle pieces together.

2 MORE hours later I had semi-successfully pieced together 75 pieces of t-shirt memories

I spent an hour sewing and then threw in the towel for the night.

For the sake of the living room, sewing resumes at 8 am tomorrow morning!!

front print only

front and back

the fruits of my labor

thank you aunt Melly for having a mat and rotary cutter

still had about 20 shirts front and back left

this was tougher than calculus

I ran out of room and had to move the couch out of the way

More photos coming soon, O and if anyone would like to donate about 6 yards of Minkee for the back I will be able to sleep in a warm bed and afford food when I go back to school. So cute, but 13 dollars a yard is outrageous!!

The worst sunburn my face has ever experienced

2011-08-09T23:04:00.001-06:00

I took Conlee and Capri to swim today and we had so much fun!

It was good to get a little bit of sun,

because I feel like I have spent most of the summer hiding inside with my sewing machine.

About two hours after we came back to the house my face started to burn and itch like crazy.

Now it feels like I have one of those cucumber masks on that makes your face feel all tight and leathery.

I used my microderm abrasion gel thinking my skin was just really dry.

My face rejected the abrasion--and my face bled a little. .

I put on some moisturizer.

It burned like salt in an open wound..

I washed the moisturizer off and the burn only increased. .

"WHAT IS HAPPENING TO MY SKIN?

MY FACE IS NOT EVEN RED!!"

(I think to myself whilst I stand under the ceiling fan soothing the burn)

I REMEMBER!

"Exposure to sunlight while using this product may cause skin irritation"

(Warnings from the label on the cream I recently started using on my face)

So I contemplate whether to use the product again or not.

I go for it! And guess what happened?!

It soothed the burning deep inside my skin!

Go figure, the same product that caused me so much pain is the only one that makes it feel better!

This photo has no relation to today, but the face pretty much sums up the way I am feeling