Beautiful View

I did some home inspections on Saturday in Heber and saw this awesomeness when I was going through the canyon back to Provo. I actually turned around to take these pictures.

This is Deer Creek and I took different exposures.

Deck The Halls!

Happy Birthday Mom!

It's my favorite mom's birthday!

I know I have already posted this pic but it is the most recent one of my mom...she's not really into letting me take her picture. We will change that at Christmas!)

I am so blessed to have the best mom in the entire world. She is such an amazing woman. She is the kindest, most loving, least selfish person I know. She would do anything for anyone and I'm so thankful we're close. (I'm also grateful that I get more 'mom time' now that Jordan's on a mission!) She has always been there for anything I've needed all my life. She is super supportive and my biggest cheerleader. She even wants to come all the way to Utah just to be with me when I close on my home. She's the best!

I love you mom!

*****

And, Happy Half Birthday To Me!

Pretty cool that my 1/2 birthday is my mom's birthday and vice versa!

(I am very aware that I am a dork, don't worry about it).

So, aside from the great news of a new house, I just found out (thanks Anna!) that my celebrity boyfriend is in another (hopefully awesome) love story movie!

The Lucky One is based on Nicholas Sparks' novel which I loved, so the movie is bound to be great!

I'm also excited to see him in New Year's Eve that opens this Friday.

Just can't get enough.

So...

Remember that day that I bought a house?!?!

That day is TODAY!!!

I know...HOLY CRAP!

(sorry for the lame Google image - pics of the actual house to follow soon!)

Yes, I am completely freaking out. I have never been this physically ill due to stress and anxiety - ever before. I have pretty much ALWAYS lived my life in the path of least resistance which, I guess, has worked pretty well because I've been pretty happy all my life.

Path Of Least Resistance = Low Stress Levels

Well, that ALL changed this very day! I feel like this has all happened really fast. I mean, I only first laid eyes on my new casa a mere month ago, but so many little (and big) things have just fallen into place and (aside from the ulcer in my stomach and the bald spots on my head), I feel pretty great and really excited to take this next big step. It's so funny because I keep saying (to myself and out loud) that I don't feel old enough to do this. I guess I don't really know how old is old enough, but I'm in!

So, technically, it's not all final until I sign my life away at closing (fingers crossed for 12/21/11!), but it's all looking and feeling good, so I'm just planning on it! There are still a few things that I need to figure out - someone to buy my current contract (pretty much the only thing that stands between me and freedom from that is figuring out how to adhere the 'For Rent' sign to my frozen garage door - super glue?). I also want to have a roommate (maybe 2?) for the first year or so just so I can get grown-up things like a washer and dryer and blinds. Plus, I've never lived alone and I imagine that it would be...well, lonely.

One of the coolest things that I found out recently is that like 10 people/families I know and love live in or around my new neighborhood. Cool, huh? Oh, I forgot to mention that my new home is in Spanish Fork.

I know...it's about 30 miles farther south then I wanted, but this house is perfect for me (DID YOU SEE THE KITCHEN?!?!) and Sp Fork is actually quite beautiful and quieter than Provo.

Anyway, fingers crossed that the rest of the process is simple, painless and FAST! I would love to have the keys by Christmas!

I Want This So Bad!

So, I've been looking for a house to purchase for a couple of years. It is a super scary decision and one I never planned to make on my own. But really, when will be a better time to buy? Prices are low (it still blows my mind how much houses are though) and interest rates are unheard of.

3.75%?  Yes, please.

So, my friend/realtor Nikki found this home. Well, technically her mom (my new neighbor!) did, but she was definitely involved. We walked through the front door and into the living room. It was nice, but I didn't immediately fall in love. However, as soon as I set foot in the (heavenly) kitchen, I was like, "Where do I sign? Get me the papers!"

Okay, it didn't really go like that, but the kitchen is awesome.

We are still in negotiations, but I really, really want to live here, so please wish me luck!

(I am so stressed/anxious about this that I am literally losing sleep...and hair!)

Something New

33. Take Voice Lessons

I have wanted to sing, really sing, for as long as I can remember. I have just never taken the opportunity. I've sung in choirs and even a couple of quartets, but I want to be good.

It's a big step because it's hard for old people to learn new things.

A couple in my ward moved in a few months ago and when the wife, Karen introduced herself, she announced that she was accepting new voice clients. Perfect.

So far, I've had 3 lessons and it's way harder than I thought it would be. I knew it wouldn't be a piece of cake, but I had no idea it would be so mortifying! To start every lesson, I have to warm up my tongue and lips by sticking my tongue out and making it rumble. Yes, a lot of saliva is involved. I can't help it.

Does anyone have a tarp?

Karen sits at the piano and plays notes that I (make every ounce of effort possible to) sing and I stand right by her, facing her, so she's most definitely in the splash zone.

So. Embarrassing.

And the rest of the lesson doesn't usually go much better. We're starting with basics like how I breathe and stand and how I hold (and/or relax) my tongue. I feel like such an epic failure for 30 minutes once a week. In fact, I was so embarrassed at my first lesson that I was super close to crying. I hope it gets better soon!

But, she keeps scheduling more lessons and lets me come back (she even told me that I'm doing well!), so maybe there's hope for me!

Archie

I haven't been into American Idol since Kelly Clarkson won 100 years ago, so I haven't really been on the David Archuleta bandwagon for too long. I have always thought that he is super adorable (you know, in a cute little brother kind of way) and I was excited to hear that he was coming to a book signing at a Deseret Book in Orem. I thought it would be super cool to meet him, so I put it on my calendar.

I went back to L.A. a couple of weeks ago (more on that in another post - hopefully) and had a great weekend with Rachel and co. Her husband took Julia (18 months) to church on Sunday and Rachel and I hung out with the babies. After they got home, I remembered that I was planning to meet David Archuleta the next day. When I told Rachel, her husband yelled from the other room that he had just seen him at church like 20 minutes earlier.

Um...What?

Yeah, he's a regular visitor to their ward. I guess that's my punishment for not going to church. The really sucky (yes, that's a word) part is that when I went to Deseret Book the next day to meet him, the line (of teenage girls) went all through the store, out the door, down the side of the building and around the corner.

Uh, I wanted to meet him, but I didn't want to stand in line, in the cold for hours. 

By myself.

(Yeah, not one of my friends was even remotely interested).

Sorry Archie.

I'll just have to be sure I go to church next time I visit Rachel.

I did buy an autographed copy of the MoTab Christmas CD, so it's almost like I got to meet him.

Photoshop

So, I'm working on birthday goal #29, to take an online photography/Photoshop class. (I changed it a little). I am continually learning more things about Photoshop and have found many awesome tutorials online. I am excited with my progress.

This is a picture I took of my beautiful friend Jen a couple of years ago. I loved the picture straight out of the camera but love it even more as I have learned new things about photography and Photoshop.


Okay, I have to post one more:

Orange Fanta!

My best baby sister sent me liquid heaven from Argentina. YUM! Orange Fanta from any country other than the U.S. is so, so delicioso. It's cuz it's made with sugar instead of corn syrup.

I haven't had it since I went to Mexico a couple of years ago so I was very excited to get some from Jordan. She sent it a couple of weeks ago, but I saved it to share with my parents who came to Utah this weekend.

I must love them a whole lot to share such a treasure.

Bottoms up!

I gotta get some more!

Look how cool this Halloween display at Walmart was!

That took a lot of dedication.

Halloween '11 - Bru...ha ha ha

I love this holiday.

This year, I decided that I was going to be a witch (mostly so I could have an excuse for being rude whenever I wanted), so I ordered a costume online that had a super cool hat:

(I was not planning on showing so much cleavage, don't worry)

I was so excited when it came in the mail...at least until I (tried to) put the hat on my head. I swear it's a kid's size. Either that, or I have a gigantic head. It didn't fit my head at all - not even when I cut slits in it. How embarrassing.

So, I ended up wearing a $2.99 hat I found at the grocery store.

Lame.

We still managed to have a good time though.

Me, Amelia, Alli, Maryanne, Stacey and Wendy

My friend Natalie as Medusa

Maryanne, Jac, Sharla and Carrie as:

Miss L. Toe, Miss Fit, Miss Demeanor and Miss Taken

Clever girls!

I was excited to go all-out this year and even got bright green contacts. Sadly, I am cursed with astigmatism and they don't make cool contacts in toric, so I wore them for a while, but had to take them out. They were so irritating, I wanted to scratch my own eyes out.

Good thing my eyes are green already, I guess.

The contacts were pretty cool though, huh?

Also, I looked in a few stores to find a great broom (I needed transportation, after all) but couldn't find anything.

So, I made my own broom:

And it only cost me $3.47 (not counting the stain I had to borrow from Amelia and the twine I got from Carie. It's all about using your resources).

I've already ordered and received next year's costume.

It's a secret but I'm so excited.

***************

And, speaking of my Halloween transportation, I was stuck in a stupid Toyota Yaris for 2.5 days. Pretty positive that no one actually drives a Yaris by choice. They only exist so rental companies can torture their clients. {I got rear-ended the other day by a really, really old (but nice) guy on University Ave on my way home from work. There was just a little damage, but it was just annoying to have to get it fixed. The lovely people at Martin's Collision know me by name. It's great and a little embarrassing}.

This car (Yolanda) was seriously ridiculous. I hit my head every single time I got in. I'm sure someone got it on video (swearing included) and it'll be on Youtube in no time.

What really is the point of having the speedometer and all the other stuff in the middle?

There are just some things that the passenger doesn't need to know, for crying out loud.

(I couldn't see too well driving to work on Halloween because I was wearing those bright green contacts and since the speedometer was like 80 feet away from my face, I had no idea how fast I was going..."Uh, here's the thing officer. So, it's Toyota's fault that they designed this stupid car in such a way..." I'm sure that would have gone over real well).

The gas mileage was good, so that was a plus, but I think the only thing that I really liked about this stupid Yaris was the handy dandy in-dash cup holder. I guess that's one advantage to having all the flight crap in the middle:

Pretty sweet, huh?

So Cal '11 - Post 2 of TBD

This is Rachel. 

She is one of the coolest gals I know. She will straight up murder me if she ever finds out I posted a picture of her on my blog. But, lucky for me, she hates blogs and isn't likely to venture onto mine, so I'm safe.

We were roommates in college and she is fantastic. A life-long friend for sure. It was so great to see her.

And, she introduced me to Tito's Tacos.

Deep fried heaven.

Yum.

BUT, the best part of the weekend was her adorable little kiddos.

I wanted to steal them and might do just that when I go see them again next month.

(That's right, one weekend just wasn't enough!)

Seriously, C'mon!