101 in 1001 Monthly Update

1. Make a wreath for my front door - 10/16/11

2. Go to the Texas State Fair - 10/4/10

3. Eat a meal from a food truck

4. Go to the symphony

5. Go 1 week without watching TV - 1/9/11

6. Finally buy wedding pictures...

7. Hang wedding pictures

8. Go to the ballet with Jed - 11/27/10

9. Go to The Sixth Floor Museum

10. Finish my T-shirt quilt I started 2 3 years ago - 3/23/11

11. Go to the Ft. Worth Zoo - 10/2/10

12. Lose 20 pounds!! - 11/3/10

13. Lose 20 more pounds!!! - 6/22/11

14. Go snorkeling again

15. Catch up on 30 Rock - 12/6/10

16. Eat vegetarian for a week

17. Go to a Rangers game - 5/13/11

18. Do a ropes course

19. Write in my journal every day for 1 month

20. Go rock climbing again

21. Go back to school - 3/23/11 :)

22. Take a picture each day for 3 months

23. Ride on a real train - 11/19/11

24. Bear my testimony in church

25. Get my picture taken by a professional (once I get under 200lb)

26. Get our family photo taken by a professional (once I get under 200lb)

27. Swim 10 continuous laps

28. Get a dog

29. Visit NASA

30. Family prayer and Personal scripture study every day for 1 month - 2/3/11

31. Visit San Antonio during a holiday - 7/4/11

32. Join a choir - 10/10/10

33. Make a sourdough starter - 5/9/11

34. Go white water rafting again

35. Pick up the violin again

36. Take Jed to a rodeo - 1/20/11

37. Buy cowboy boots or hats - 11/6/10

38. Get in the car and drive 2 hours in one direction with the windows down and the radio blasting

39. Visit all great-grandparents' grave sites

40. Go to the Dallas Temple - 2/23/11

41. Take Jed to a jazz bar

42. Fly a kite

43. Go to a haunted house with Jed - 10/25/10

44. Complete Couch to 5K Challenge Ride a mechanical bull - 11/19/11

45. Participate in an organized 5K! - 7/11/11

46. Get my palm read or fortune told

47. Go on another cruise with Jed

48. Help build a Habitat for Humanity house

49. Make Mom's cinnamon rolls - 10/30/10

50. Make Theresa's cinnamon rolls

51. Go to Schlitterbahn with Jed

52. Buy a homeless person lunch - 3/14/11

53. Have a baby

54. Watch the Zombie Walk - 10/16/10

55. Pay off Jed's car!! - 10/19/10

56. Go fishing with Jed - 5/30/11

57. Be 100% credit card debt-free

58. Ride a horse - 7/30/11

59. Go to the Dallas Aquarium

60. Dance to a vinyl record

61. Take a cooking class

62. Get an SLR a video camera

63. Skydive

64. Visit Gettysburg or Williamsburg

65. Make out in the rain

66. Go to Six Flags with Jed

67. File my own taxes without calling Daddy - 2/22/11

68. Make a hole-in-one

69. Take a hot-air balloon or helicopter ride

70. Change my own oil

71. Go to NYC or San Francisco with Jed

72. Take an art class

73. Jump around in a mosh pit again

74. Go to a circus - 10/14/10

75. Deep clean my bathroom - 2/10/11

76. Visit my sister, Laurel, in California - 4/6/11

77. Ride a motorcycle  Buy a house

78. Get a TX driver's license again - 9/29/10

79. Go one week three days without simple carbs - 11/11/11

80. Dance barefoot

81. Get all dressed up and go to a fancy dinner

82. Get on a bike again

83. Buy myself flowers for no reason - 2/12/11

84. Go camping in Texas with Jed - 5/6/11

85. Go camping on a beach

86. Go to the Texas beach Float the river with Jed - 7/3/11

87. Donate blood again

88. Spend a night with the lights off, watching a lightning storm - 11/15/10

89. Go to the Grand Canyon

90. Have a meaningful conversation with a beggar

91. Paint pottery again

92. Join a bowling or softball league

93. Watch a movie at a drive-in

94. Grow and eat my own vegetables

95. Sing karaoke again - 11/4/11

96. Take the Riverwalk boat tour - 11/6/10

97. Don't eat out for 1 month 2 weeks

98. Go to the batting cages with Jed - 4/1/11

99. Donate plasma

100. Eat fried green tomatoes - 11/6/10

101. Do 1 correct push-up

In-N-Out Spread

Did you know that you can get packets of spread from In-N-Out? Neither did I until the last time I went there. So naturally I got a few packets of spread to go. Didn't use them right away, so I popped them in the pantry to use later. This is how I found them a few days later:

Crazy, right? I think they would have exploded if I hadn't have stopped the expansion. Lesson learned: read the labels on things because they might tell you to refrigerate things.

Holy Broccoli!

I have this grocery store I love called Sprouts. Technically it's a farmer's market; everything is always fresh and super cheap. I absolutely love it. Anywho, I found the world's largest broccoli crown there this weekend. I was going to enter it in to a contest or something, but then we ate it. Oops.

My Day

Things I've done so far today:
Worked out
Showered and got ready
Made Spanish rice
Did four loads of laundry
Talked to two friends on the phone
Made a doctor's appointment
Got the mail and paid rent

Things still left to do today:
Drop Spanish rice off at friend's house
Babysit for two hours
Go to a dinner party

Utah Trip

I recently went to Utah for a little immediate-family reunion. It was so fun! But of course I didn't get very many pictures (ie. I got two when we first got in the car to start the road trip up there and one in the car driving around town) and blogs aren't as interesting without pictures, so I'll just quickly share some highlights.

*Milking a cow - it was awesome! And nothing like I thought it would be.
*Utah Olympic Park - such a fun day riding the Alpine Slide and zipline.
*Temple session with all of my endowed siblings - first time we've all been together in the temple since my wedding three years ago.
*Camping in the mountains - campfire, s'mores, and lots of fun!
*Cousin David's Homecoming - he's an outstanding guy.
*Seeing old friends
*Game night with Grandma
*Couple's Massage with my sister - haha!
*Of course, all of the yummy food that you can only get in Utah!

It was hard to get back into the real world. I'm already ready for another vacation. ;)

101 in 1001 Monthly Update

1. Make a wreath for my front door
2. Go to the Texas State Fair - 10/4/10
3. Eat a meal from a food truck
4. Go to the symphony
5. Go 1 week without watching TV - 1/9/11
6. Finally buy wedding pictures...
7. Hang wedding pictures
8. Go to the ballet with Jed - 11/27/10
9. Go to The Sixth Floor Museum
10. Finish my T-shirt quilt I started 2 3 years ago - 3/23/11
11. Go to the Ft. Worth Zoo - 10/2/10
12. Lose 20 pounds!! - 11/3/10
13. Lose 20 more pounds
14. Go snorkeling again
15. Catch up on 30 Rock - 12/6/10
16. Eat vegetarian for a week
17. Go to a Rangers game - 5/13/11
18. Do a ropes course
19. Write in my journal every day for 1 month
20. Go rock climbing again
21. Go back to school - 3/23/11 :)
22. Take a picture each day for 3 months
23. Ride on a train
24. Bear my testimony in church
25. Get my picture taken by a professional (once I get under 200lb)
26. Get our family photo taken by a professional (once I get under 200lb)
27. Swim 10 continuous laps
28. Get a dog
29. Visit NASA
30. Family prayer and Personal scripture study every day for 1 month - 2/3/11
31. Visit San Antonio during a holiday
32. Join a choir - 10/10/10
33. Make a sourdough starter - 5/9/11
34. Go white water rafting again
35. Pick up the violin again
36. Take Jed to a rodeo - 1/20/11
37. Buy cowboy boots or hats - 11/6/10
38. Get in the car and drive 2 hours in one direction with the windows down and the radio blasting
39. Visit all great-grandparents' grave sites
40. Go to the Dallas Temple - 2/23/11
41. Take Jed to a jazz bar
42. Fly a kite
43. Go to a haunted house with Jed - 10/25/10
44. Complete Couch to 5K Challenge
45. Participate in an organized 5K
46. Get my palm read or fortune told
47. Go on another cruise with Jed
48. Help build a Habitat for Humanity house
49. Make Mom's cinnamon rolls - 10/30/10
50. Make Theresa's cinnamon rolls
51. Go to Schlitterbahn with Jed
52. Buy a homeless person lunch - 3/14/11
53. Have a baby
54. Watch the Zombie Walk - 10/16/10
55. Pay off Jed's car!! - 10/19/10
56. Go fishing with Jed
57. Be 100% credit card debt-free
58. Ride horses
59. Go to the Dallas Aquarium
60. Dance to a vinyl record
61. Take a cooking class
62. Get an SLR a video camera
63. Skydive
64. Visit Gettysburg or Williamsburg
65. Make out in the rain
66. Go to Six Flags with Jed
67. File my own taxes without calling Daddy - 2/22/11
68. Make a hole-in-one
69. Take a hot-air balloon or helicopter ride
70. Change my own oil
71. Go to NYC or San Francisco with Jed
72. Take an art class
73. Jump around in a mosh pit again
74. Go to a circus - 10/14/10
75. Deep clean my bathroom - 2/10/11
76. Visit my sister, Laurel, in California - 4/6/11
77. Ride a motorcycle  Buy a house
78. Get a TX driver's license again - 9/29/10
79. Go one week three days without carbs
80. Dance barefoot
81. Get all dressed up and go to a fancy dinner
82. Get on a bike again
83. Buy myself flowers for no reason - 2/12/11
84. Go camping in Texas with Jed - 5/6/11
85. Go camping on a beach
86. Go to the Texas beach with Jed
87. Donate blood again
88. Spend a night with the lights off, watching a lightning storm - 11/15/10
89. Go to the Grand Canyon
90. Have a meaningful conversation with a beggar
91. Paint pottery again
92. Join a bowling or softball league
93. Watch a movie at a drive-in
94. Grow and eat my own vegetables
95. Sing karaoke again
96. Take the Riverwalk boat tour - 11/6/10
97. Don't eat out for 1 month 2 weeks
98. Go to the batting cages with Jed - 4/1/11
99. Donate plasma
100. Eat fried green tomatoes - 11/6/10
101. Do 1 correct push-up

Can I Go on Strike?

I just need to sort through my thoughts. Bare with me.
Jed has asked me to start looking for a[nother] job. I have a part-time job, I do an aerobics class on my day off, and I am currently taking an online class as well. On the one hand, I do have quite a bit of time on my hands, but on the other hand, I am getting things done (losing weight and getting an education). We're trying to save for a house and I know that the extra income would be so helpful, but I am scared that if I get a full-time job it will become my whole life. Not literally, but I know myself and I foresee me being too tired in the evenings to work out and study. Sigh.
So that's the big thing on my mind right now.
I really love my aerobics class and would be really sad to give it up. The summer session starts at the beginning of June and I have to sign up soon, but I don't want to sign up, get a job, and lose my registration fee. Plus, it really motivates me to have a class to go to and the ladies in there are so nice.
I really like the job I have now - I love the mom and girl I work with and the schedule is ridiculously flexible. I don't know if I'm ready for a 9-5 job. That's a long day, every day. Then I also have to be so good about planning my food because I'll be away from home all day. I'm doing so well with my diet (not diet, just food intake) right now and I don't want to slip on that.
I don't even know where to start job hunting. The last two jobs I've had have been nannying and the three before that were through a staffing agency. I would just go to a staffing agency, but there aren't any good ones where I live, or else they rarely have jobs (I looked in to it when we first moved here). Also, because I've mostly worked through agencies, I am so rusty on my interview skills and my wardrobe would need a face lift. Ugh. I'm just dreading it.

Friday Foto Fix - California

Last week I pulled off the greatest surprise of my life! I flew in to California to visit my sister for her birthday! She was so surprised - it was awesome!!


I didn't get a ton of pictures, but some of the highlights from the trip were riding the ferry to Balboa Island and walking around, getting a frozen banana (a must), and walking up and down the pier.

 

We also went to Newport Beach, the famous Sprinkles cupcake store, and had a day at the beach.

Laurel and her sandcastle before the monsters came and destroyed it.

  

Eli loved getting buried!

Yep, that guy was definitely combing the beach with a metal detector and a digger.

Laurel also taught me how to make my own silkscreen(ish) t-shirts. It was so fun, and not even that hard! The first one is one I made for myself and the second one I made for Jed. ;)

And if you can't tell, that's West Virginia, where Jed is from. haha

And of course I got to enjoy some really yummy food while I was there: Cafe Rio, In-N-Out twice, Ancho's, Laurel's home cookin', etc. 

It was a really fun (and too short) vacation and I can't wait until I can go back!

Five Facts

1. I have never been summoned for jury duty.
2. I don't like gamey meats. Sometimes chicken is even too gamey for me.
3. I have a high pain tolerance. (When I was 4, I broke my arm and didn't even cry, or realize it was broken.)
4. My new favorite thing is to eat my Thai Chicken Salad at Panera while reading a book. I do it about once a week.
5. Nutella has become a staple in my home.

Monday Memoirs

Friday - Jed was on a camp-out with the scouts (did I mention that he's the scoutmaster and is gone almost every weekend for something?). So I went to Panera by myself and got my new obsession: Thai Chicken Salad. I sat there and read a book by myself. I'm not a huge fan of eating by myself in public, but it was nice. Then I came home, watched some TV, and took a long bath. Then I read some more and went to bed.

Saturday - I got a wonderful facial in the morning. Then I went to the mall and walked around a bit - exercise and retail therapy all in one. Costco was next and then the farmer's market. Jed finally came home in time for dinner and then we watched The Land Before Time. I had only seen it maybe twice when I was a kid. Cute flick.

Sunday - Guess who was an hour late to church? And yes, my phone is my alarm and it changed automatically. But, 7:30 church was just not in the cards. I taught the Beehives for the second time. The first time I ran out of time, and this time I ended 20 minutes early! Haha! I'll get it eventually...
I got to take a nice nap and then we made my mom's tortilla soup for dinner. I took another bath (it's becoming a habit) and talked to my sister a little before bed.

Five Facts

1. My feet don't touch the ground when I sit on my couch. Maybe that's why I always tuck one under me.
2. I have a heightened sense of smell and I'm really sensitive to bad smells.
3. I consider myself an amateur food critic and I critique places on yelp.com and urbanspoon.com.
4. I am scared to have a newborn baby. I want to fast forward and have a 18-month old right away. That's weird, right?
5. In the summers when I was younger I used to wear swimsuits practically all day long - my dad started calling me "Nitro", like the guy on American Gladiators.

Free Buffalo Wild Wings

Click HERE to get SIX free wings at Buffalo Wild Wings. (PS - There aren't any in Utah. Sorry.)

Click HERE to find a location near you.

New Quiznos Torpedo

Have you seen the commercials for the new Torpedo sandwiches at Quiznos?? They look SO yummy!!

Go HERE and get a great coupon for a buy one, get one free. :)

Happy Fat Tuesday/National Pancake Day/Mardi Gras!!

...and it's Flag Day in Mexico in case you care.

Free food today:
Pancakes at IHOP (no coupon, but a donation to the Children's Miracle Network is suggested)
Two tacos at Jack in the Box (coupon)

Free food later:
New Roast burger at Arby's with purchase of drink (coupon thru March 9)
Sub at Quizno's (coupon)

Food

Who doesn't love food? Especially when you hear news like this:

1. One of the most delicious fast food chains in America is coming to cities near ME! They just built one last year in Southern Utah and now IN-N-OUT BURGER will be coming to Northern Utah!! That's right - In-N-Out burger without a 4 hour drive! I think Jed and I will be waiting a few weeks after the opening (whenever that will be) to venture out to the fast food joint, but we are way excited!! :D

2. Have you been to restaurant.com? If not, head on over there and pick up some great coupons! Normally you can get a $25 "gift certificate" to specific restaurants for $10, which is a good deal in and of itself, but now through February 28th, you can get $25 "gift certificates" for only $2 each!! All you have to do is enter in the code DINE at check-out. This really is a GREAT deal and there's no rush on using the certificates because you have a whole year to use them! (I'm buying a certificate that I'm planning on using for our anniversary in July...) Enjoy!

Free Fries at Arby's

Today only, no coupon or purchase necessary. Go to Arby's and get a free order of fries. You're welcome.

Free Jack in the Box Curly Fries Today

Click HERE and go get yourself a free medium order of seasoned curly fries at Jack in the Box. No purchase necessary, but it's today only! Enjoy! :D