Creole Wisdom

the weekend review: sun-day, sunday

•So Curtis was begging and pleading for me to go down to his town for Church, and meet his parents (okay, he didn't beg- he kindly asked, but it would of sounded better the begging way, huh?)
•He came and kindly picked me up, under the disclaimer that I would not make fun of his car (I did not, at least he has one- don't get me started ; )
•Church was good. I am 100-percent-positive I distracted Curtis enough where he could not pay attention to the speaker.  It was a great older building with pretty wooden pews, and neat ceiling work.  It was a really nice break from the 1987 wannabe fashion show that is the King Henry ward on Sundays.  I know that was mean, but come see for yourself!
•And because I know you wanted to see:

•Disclaimer: he did not wear that to Church.  This was taken by his littlest brother after dinner. 
•And how fun was it to go to Church and be able to hold hands/mug on each other bwahaha I am so bad, I mug on my very own RM (return missionary).
•I got to meet the family, eat dinner (mystery jello, ahh!), and then play games.  I won phase 10- and as a result Curtis will never play another game with me ever again.  He also has trouble eating in my presense, as he dropped not only his drumstick, but dessert on his lap.  His parents were cracking up and they say he never does that- hilarious.  Ingrained in my mind forever.
•It would not be a fun weekend without a little "crisis"- Curtis got a flat on the way home.  I pretended to "learn" how to fix one:

•Oh no, a flat.  Images of the swearing scene in A Christmas Story were rushing through my mind!

•Jacking the car up.  Look at those sexy arms?  Puny, skinny arms are not my thing, give me some workin' mans arms.  Yum!

•Because I was not really learning car care 101 from Mr. Citris, I decided to do a self-portrait in the pitch dark. 
•After that "crisis" was resolved we drove on down to the baby capital of the world, i.e. where I live, and sat by the Temple and talked for an hour.  I was tired.  Then he took me home so I could go to sleep- at 2am!
•Good Sunday!  Loved it.

the weekend review: saturday's edition

•It was such a treat to meet Miss Brittany.  She is good people, as I say, good people. 
•A little background- she and I met via the wonderful world of blogging and instantly became blog buddies
•Since Britt works in "da business" (no, not the mob, the other business) we had to crop.
•First stop P.F. Changs for lunch:

•Oh my goodness how cute is she?  I wish you could see the darling little sundress she had on- very southern, a girl after my own heart!

•So um, maybe we ordered the wrong stuff, but we were not really impressed.  But it was about nourishment dear readers, nourishment.  We had lots of scapbooking to do.
•Well, just take a look at Britt's trunk.  She obviously came prepared!  Thank goodness Pebbles has a ramp, I about peed my true religions when I saw this...

•We did not lack for a thing!  I really prefer cropping, it is I think, more economical than buying stuff then going home.  When you're right there you just buy what you need.  I made 4 layouts while spending $20.00 I think that is pretty dang good.  This was my first time cropping at Pebbles, I've done it at Archivers before, and I love all the space they give you. 
•And wouldn't you know it, a nice girl came up and talked to us, and we all exchanged blogs.  It was nice to meet you Erica : )

•We stayed for about four hours, laughing, and making a mess.  It was scrapbooking discord at its best- my favorite kind of cahois!
•Because cropping is akin to a mental/creative/left brain marathon we were hungry
•Back to University Mall, but this time for CPK. Mmm.  She had the white, I had 4-cheese with avocado (it tasted so good!)
•Then, because she is a Bath & Body Works expert we ventured there and picked up goodies- I love their new, mini hand sanitizers, and as usual I picked up a giant tub of sea island cotton cream : )
•Back at the ranch we chanted for another few hours about life, school, jobs, boys, Church, Utah... you name it.
•She's a gem! 

booked!

•I've never booked a hotel... ever.  But I've watched my parents enough times to know the basics
•Claire and I like a little luxury, life rough enough so at least you have to pamper yourself once and a while
•The night she arrives, we'll be spending a night at this posh place- the Hotel Monaco!

•Background story: I've wanted to stay here since dad came into town, but since our plans took us to Park City it became my dream deferred.  So now I finally get to stay here... ooo I cannot wait!
•I went online a few weeks ago and saw a perfect rate, $140 for one queen bed.  Talked to Claire, and then forgot to book it.  Went back this afternoon and the rate, same room, was up to $230.  Saddening. 
•So, I called them- since I'm not easily deterred- and they found me a better rate, $180- how great is that?  And get this- we get two full beds instead of one queen.  Just goes to show: ask and ye shall receive! 
•Claire called me earlier and says, "I saw they have in-room spa treatments.  We should get a couples' massage."  She's a girl after my own heart.  Um, yes please.
•So, for $90/night you and your sorority sister can stay in luxury!

of scrapbook stores and bloggers come to life...

Do you remember the scene in the Nutracker when Uncle Drosselmeyer winds up his giant, mechanical dolls and they appear to come alive, and then later after the clock strikes they really do- right before Clara's eyes?

It's kind of like when you meet/see bloggers you know in real life.  For some reason in my mind I imagine I am the only person who knows this other person who obviously lives in my computer.  Then when I get to see them it's a treat.  A real treat.  That's how it was when I had gelato with Miss Emly Kate. 

On mom's first day here we ventured to a scrapbook store.  This was a long overdo thing I had to accomplish while in Utah or else I would regret it later and maybe cut off a body part because of the guilt.  So we went to Pebbles in my Pocket, an obvious choice because I order fabulous scrapbook binders from them, and their store is cute.  See for yourself:



Cute, no?  And here comes the best part.  I go to pay, and they ask me if I know anyone who shops there- and I recall Emily Kate posted about them two years ago.  So I write down her info on a card so she and I can both get a % off, and the clerk goes, "oh I know her.  she was in here not too long ago" and then says to me "I recognize you from a scrapbook site, and I have read your blog before." 

Being the idiot I am I left my phone at home so I couldn't call Emily Kate, and so when I get back I am surprised to see a text from the girl herself- "I think NieNie is here with her kids."  She writes from Maestro's Gelato.  So I e-mail Nie to check, and sure enough it was her-

It's a small, small blog world. 

sundanceghosttownsaltlakebyemom

wild poppies at Sundance.  that resort is so great- I love the size- manageable with lots of natural beauty.  mom loved it • stacks of cookies and treats at their little general store food area (I am so stealing that presentation idea)

•black butterfly and signs up sundance lift

•Right near the "ghost town" (consisting of a cemetary and old church) Richville

•the meeting house... had a fence around it, but I managed to get my lens around it so I could get this shot...

•Dear Lizzie.  So, I had to go.  Mom loved it, I loved it, we both found goodies.  And great creative ideas, too.  I enjoyed the cupcakes as well- very colorful, but stiff frosting.

•Salt Lake Temple, "the alpha and the omega" • me @ the big sign • another of those amazing spires of the Salt Lake Temple

•Nothing was better than getting to eat on Saturday at the Lion House with mom... she loved it.  Dang good food- and I loved their coconut cream pie

•Mom and I talked late into the night, then got up early for church.  She actually got to see my teach my first lesson in Relief Society (it was joint Priesthood and RS since the holiday weekend made our ward tiny), and so that was fun.  I was sad to see her go, we had so much fun, I miss her already! 

anatomy of a pedicure

voyage salt city

I ventured out of Provo for the second time since arriving here to spend a weekend with the Roberts family.  If you need a little catching up, the Roberts drove me to church when I started investigating way back in high school.  We have stayed close ever since, and I even visited them in October for general conference.  I knew this trip would be nothing short of an enjoyable adventure-
 

 

as follows: blt on toasted wheat with complementary cookie and my favorite orange juice • paradise bakery, paradise to me! • the non-doing-justice photo of the capitol theater's lobby • sunburst chandelier • father & son • mother & daughter • the exclusive box seats near where we were • curtain's about to rise • self-portrait a la potty break during show • the main attraction: the drowsy chaperon • the band gettin' ready to go • near heat-stroke shopping at gateway • what do you think, dad? no, I didn't get dulce de leche (sigh) • my new ctr ring, which has been missing since the bad old bf took it off to size a promise ring 4 years ago, its good to have it back on my hand, thank you • the roberts' heavenly lawn in bountiful • lavender... in their yard! • your's truly • right before sunset in fruit heights

As you can see from my photos it was a great little weekend.  And what a nice change to go to family ward versus student one, lots of crying/screaming/spitting up/ babies/children.  I love it! The Roberts spoiled me rotten as usual with homemade crepes, sleeping in until 10 am in their heavenly guest bed, and breathtaking walks with a cool street of dreams tour...

Thanks Salt City.

Rodeo

Never been to the rodeo, it was entertainment at its finest:

Thee old rodeo crew, i.e. a certain BYU ward.  Can ya find me?  Ya, I'm wearin' a dress.  Is that not rodeo-appropriate.  Sorry!  It's how I wanted to roll, and ya- the cowgirl hat clashes.  Oh well!

Ma ticket.  Oh, I was thrilled.  Cost me a whooping $0.00.  Whew, glad I can afford good shows readers.  Glad I can afford em'.

Wavin' our flags.  Rodeos are one patriotic, all American, storybook come to life event..

Ride that horsie!  Hold on! We cheered them all on.  Who can miss watching people try to stay on a bucking, wild animal?

I'll leave ya with what is bound to happen when you're around livestock: poop!  And yes, that's my dusty cowgirl boot peakin' out from the side.  No, I am not afraid of a little poop-

an adventurous crew

date night in provo, observe:


get something to eat at a really good thai place.  laugh in a kind of annoying way so that the ladies at the next table look over at you awkwardly...

devour the above and praise the person who invented sticky rice (nom nom nom)

on a whim: go to the most giant party store i've ever laid my minnesota eyes on and find hats.  i need the cowgirl one for the rodeo tomorrow!

provo is entertaining...

miracle saturday

Because it was about 5,000 degrees outside, combined with the fact that the sun here is like no sun I've known (altitude to blame?), and the fun reality that sitting by the pool can only entertain one so much... a bunch of friends and I decided to go down to Manti for the pageant. 

Getting there is fun (it was about a 1.5 hour drive):
•Oh Utah, you are so beautiful.  I'm sorry but you are also really hot in the summer.  You look lush!  But your heat- it is killing me-

•Because we were hungry our group of six stopped at the most charming Trolley Restaurant in Springville (Emily Kate, you would of loved it, if you haven't already been).  I ordered the Chef's Choice salad (if you ever go get a 1/2 order because they're big!)


•Passing the gorgeous, green hills (this was taken from a moving Hummer, readers, a moving Hummer!)

•These things are huge!  I wish they had been turned on, that would of been cool to see... Go Wind Power! Err... whatever that means. 

•My most favorite part of the ride (minus all the car singing/dancing we did) seeing the cows!  Ahh

•And then, after endless country and rolling hills we arrived in the tiny, charming town of Manti.  The Temple looked lovely.  We were excited, and after a potty break and managing to hide a full bag of snacks under a large blanket we made our way to see the pageant.  Oh, and I was the Minnesota girl spraying everyone down with bug spray like a pro.  Here's how it goes: cover your eyes and close your mouth and in about 20 seconds you will be covered head to toe in bug spray.  I am a bug spray queen!  I reigned readers, I reigned.

•The performance was fabulous.  They do a full, live show on the hillside beside the temple and it is really well done.  I've never been to an outdoor, pageant before, and I would def. say if you can go- do it.  Fun.  And my favorite shot of the night: