I have decided I would love to do this to a dresser (the upper left hand corner):



http://www.freshnestdesign.com/2009/11/25/knack-studios/

It looks like a simple wallpapered drawer, and I think it is awesome.

anthropologie.com

I think this would be an awesome tableside lamp, good for reading. It is so antique looking, but cool and modern at the same time!



These measuring cups are adorable!!



http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/productdetail.jsp?subCategoryId=HOME-KITCHEN-GADGETS&id=973291&catId=HOME-KITCHEN&pushId=HOME-KITCHEN&popId=HOME&sortProperties=&navCount=80&navAction=top&fromCategoryPage=true&selectedProductSize=&selectedProductSize1=&color=095&colorName=MULTI&isProduct=true&isBigImage=&templateType=

Cheese Grater
This is the best and most awesome cheese grater, the top clips on, fills the bowl with cheese and comes with a lid so if you made extra, you can refrigerate it! It has been my favorite/go-to wedding present gift to give.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80083256



This spatula is perfect for getting out the insides of canned foods and sauces.

http://www.surlatable.com/product/oxo+blue+silicone+spatula%2C+9%26%23189-%26%2334.do?keyword=spatula&sortby=ourPicks#

Last night I was reading cjanes blog, and she mentioned the Fresh Nest Design blog, so I started reading that... and then I thought, shoot! I should star blogging about things I like and want!
Because lately I have been thinking/feeling that I have a very eclectic taste... which is cool for me, cause I always feel unique... but I don't really feel like my family understands it. haha It seems shallow, but I had asked for a wallet for Christmas, and my sister got me an amazing black leather wallet... when I wanted something funky like this:



Don't get me wrong, I appreciate and do love it... but I guess it is more a question of why I don't go gaga over all the expensive leather purses like my mom and sister? So, I am going to let you in on the things I look at online, what I want to wear, decorate with, etc.
I've never been one all about decorating either... I never brought decor to my apartments, I only have a few picture frames... but I do have a love for pillows and I have always wanted an ottoman... haha but right now, I am in LOVE with this mirror.



from: http://www.cherryandeast.com/Kenneth-Wingard-Mirrored-Op-Art-p/whob1006.htm

Mid-week melodies
the postmarks


This song is james-bond-esque, and could possibly be the song you see me auditioning with for So You Think You Can Dance!

I think it would be an amazing Tango, and there is a sound that I would always try to emphasis with my dancing... (its that snapping something at the end of the song. it repeats throughout, but you'll know what i mean.) it would either be a brush tap tango move, which makes you snap your head further to the left and away from your partner, trying to make your head, neck, and chest parallel to the ceiling. That or I would do a hand movement I can not quite describe... ah well. You'll all just have to wait to see it, eh? :) one day...

I heard this song one time after work as I was driving home, loved it, so I remembered some of the lyrics, came home and googled them to no avail. Then remembered that radio station has a playlist kept online, so I just looked it up according to the time I heard it, and viola!

Tuesday in tune

I went and saw Extraordinary Measures with my mom, and it was a really good movie! I hadn't heard much about it, but it is mostly the story of how far a man will go to save his family. Very touching, based on a true story... tear jerker for me and my mom--but it is acceptable because there is a dog in the movie.
My mom and I had smuggled in some treats like the Vault Red Blitz which we had tracked down! Then I also brought in some of those new Wendy's spicy chicken nuggets with sweet and sour sauce, and finally, these super yummy chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies... mmmm!
After that we went to Fred Meyers, where I found some cute clothes on clearance for fifty percent off, then I dropped my mom off and I went to Target and moseyed around and found some more sales... turns out I love to spend money and get things.

While I was gone my mom was preparing dinner...
Warm Lentil Salad with a side of Oven Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese and Homemade Italian Dressing


I couldn't remember ever having lentils before, but man! I was wanting seconds, thirds, fourths, to eat this salad for the rest of my life!!

As for music for the day, I found myself enjoying the song by Lady Antebellum, Need You Now, but it is quite twangy and that throws me off quite a bit.
I also really liked some of the music I heard when I watched According to Greta. I can't find a soundtrack anywhere, so I don't know the songs yet... but I want to find some of them! As for the movie... it is of an angst-ridden teenager who is very brooding and making a list of things to do in life as well as a list of how to die. It is an interesting role to see the little cinderella-diner girl to be playing, but it does show that she has a range, and can make movies without her sister by her side (Material Girls)... but I wasn't too impressed with it... mostly because I thought her character was trying too hard for attention doing such negative things, and she was also so scrappy and wore such large hoop earrings and dark makeup, dark roots and grown out blonde hair dye... she made me thing too much of a girl from high school I can't stand... haha.
But the ending message is pretty good.. even though it came super quick...

Post Script: I carefully typed in to google some of the lyrics from a song from according to Greta, (which on imdb is only credited as Greta) and turned up a result! The Acid House Kings song called This and That. They are categorized as being IndiePop and that is my favorite style!! haha I am actually really digging all of their stuff!! just listening to the thirty second song bites http://www.amazon.com/Sing-Along-Acid-House-Kings/dp/B000QQVOTE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1264578203&sr=8-1
I love how typically indie groups are not about high fashion album covers, like this group posing as a late sixties early seventies kind of style! You can hear a clip of this and that from this link : http://www.amazon.com/Advantage-Acid-House-Kings/dp/B00006G9ZE/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1264578203&sr=8-13 though, it is not the same portion from the movie that made me fall in love. It is surprising to know that they made that cd in 1997, and this style has become to be a very popular style now. Also, it is not surprising to hear that they are from Sweden!

Boy oh boy has this made me excited for Wednesday's music!

Per request, I will tell you what I am listening to this week!
Sunday January 24th I had songs from the musical Xanadu stuck in my head from going to the fabulous show at the Paramount in Seattle on Saturday with my parents and sister. (Wow, that is a long sentence.)
Here is a picture of the stage


My favorite/the song most stuck in my head was "Magic"

I felt she looks best in this video, although it isn't as clear visually, and it is slightly muted. I couldn't seem to find a clip of it from the movie itself, but hey, this one isn't bad at all.
For a glimpse at what the movie is like, what this video of the song Xanadu :



Now, it is a silly movie and I have heard people say the writer/producers may have been on acid. But, the play version was hilarious, my parents love the movie, I enjoyed it when I was younger, and the play made jokes about the movie being silly, but I loved that even more!
The premise: A young artist is feeling discouraged about his work, and his most recent creation was a chalk painting of some Grecian muses. He walks away suicidal (at least in the play) and then the painting comes to life. The muse played by Olivia Newton John decides to inspire him to keep going, to realize his potential. So, in the play, the actress decides she needs a disguise, and she says something like this "I know! I will pretend I just moved here from Australia and use a terrible Australian accent, wear roller skates, and leg warmers!" So, for the rest of the play she talks in an absolute terrible Australian accent... and I loved it! Oh, and towards the end of the play she has a solo song and she is skating around and then some guy comes out with a huge fan and she stands in front of it and the wind is blowing, like we always see in movies, I just thought it was very well thought out to use jokes like that. ...anywho, if you can, go see the live production. SO FUNNY!

Monday Music
I was farming on facebook and wanted some music, so I turned on my pandora... I do not remember what playlist it was on... but My Moon My Man by Feist came on, and I loved it. I loved it so much I went straight to youtube and when I saw the music video, I loved it even more!!



I think it is a very clever music video! I love all the dancing on the moving sidewalk, and the lighting... and how it ends with her just walking away. Love. It.

I did not actually take any pictures this week... but I still have a picture for each day, and a story/review on the picture which is a product.
Monday:

I am at work at Old Navy, on my break enjoying the energy from a Diet Mt Dew when my coworker walks in, all 4'9" of her, and she says "Girl! You don't need to be doing diet anything!" Instantly I thought of Napoleon Dynamite when he tells whatsherface that she could drink whole milk if she wanted. haha! So that was a nice boost for me! I told her I don't like to drink the calories, so thats why I drink diet sodas more often than regular sodas.

Tuesday:


I was bored and was at Big Lots awhile ago, and I was dilly dally-ing... and found this Sunsilk Winter Collection, which claimed to be anti-static and so I said yes please! I do enjoy it, it smells a little musky, but I like it. I think it would work better for me in Rexburg where my hair could sense the snow and instantly become filled with static.

Wednesday:


I went camping with Rachel and her family this past summer and I remembered her sisters eating some rice crackers. So for Christmas I asked for some, because I suddenly had a craving for them.
So my mom bought me these crunchmaster sesame and artisan four cheese rice crackers from Costco. They are kind of healthy, 130 calories per serving and 3 servings per package... only problem is... I can eat a whole package!! And in like 5 minutes! haha soooo delicious.

Thursday:

I find a substitute for MtDew... a coke product so that my mom can enter it in for her mycockrewards account. Vault. It is slightly different, but I am enjoying it. I had my first experience with vault red blitz which is a berry version which I loved! But I can't seem to find that anywhere. so, I stick to the original.

Friday:
For breakfast I had a bagelful... so yummy!
I have had all three flavors, original cream cheese, strawberry, and cinnamon. My favorite is the cinnamon because it is not an overwhelming cream cheese-y-ness, but the strawberry one is too separate, but the cinnamon is mixed in just right!
Then for lunch I had a craving for egg rolls... and my friend wanted to go to Jack in the Box, so I decided to get some egg rolls there... and to be honest, they were not bad!

Saturday: I do have an actual picture for what I did, but I will save that for a review for another day... so instead I will show you what my mom bought for me online since I have not been able to find any in Walmart, Target, Rite Aid, gas stations, etc.


A 12 count box of Natural Ice! (I was not looking for a box of 12 in stores, but just a single tube. I had been using my tweezers and bobby pins after my nail wasn't enough to dig out the remaining chap-stick! So now my addiction is filled, and my lips don't hurt real bad anymore, and I have a lifetime supply!! ...well, as long as 12 tubes last.

On Friday I spent the day with my friend Devin...
He and I ran a few errands he wanted to get to since he lives in an extremely small town in Colorado, and needed to visit some specialty stores in Salt Lake...
First stop, lunch, we went to Bajios, delish.

Next stop... Lyon & Healy West. Before I go into more detail on what exactly kind of store this is, I must mention how artistic Devin is. He plays the drums, the guitar, he sings, etc. I had seen him at BYU-I in the guitars unplugged a few times, once as a drummer, once as a guitarist. Recently in our texting he mentioned how he had gotten into playing the cello... and when I met up with him on Friday he also confessed that he has started playing the harp!So, we go to Lyon & Healy West, in SLC which just so happens to be a historical site (a home of David O McKay if I remember right), and I was too nervous to take a picture cause as soon as we rang the door bell this lady unlocked the door and let us in... (but it was so cool, there were all these chairs set up on the porch... and I was going to get a picture of the plate that said when he lived there) and then I was too nervous to take pictures of the harps even though I had tons of amazing ideas on how to photograph them between the strings of another one... oy. Anyway, so the lady played three harps for us and Devin and I played a game to see which one we liked best, I liked the second one better because it had a more warm tone, but he liked the third best and I thought it had a more "tinkling" kind of noise, light and whatever, but he said it had a more full noise. Which is true... but I don't know much about harps or the noise they make.

So, after that we went to this art supply store so he could stock up on oil paints... he showed me a picture of one he had made for his parents... amazing! I thought that it was the photograph of which he based his painting off of... but no. It was indeed a picture of his painting.

After that we drove to a fish store... and anyone who knows Devin knows how much he loves fish... haha I had tried to get our double date for that night to be at the aquarium... but I was outnumbered. So he and I went to two different fish stores and got our own aquarium experience.

We then went and got some hot coco and looked at books! He researched some oil painting and I looked at some photography books, and then we looked at the dog dictionary!

Then we met up with Rachel and Randy for dinner at the Olive Garden:

I wish the waitress had taken it from the other angle or straight on, so that I didn't have a Devin head growing out of my head... But oh well.
After dinner we went to a movie, Surrogates. It was pretty good, but so warm in the theatre and I was getting real tired!

Saturday I had Brunch with Devin, and we attempted to go to an art museum... but it was closed because it was the weekend. Lame. So instead, he and I went to BMW to test drive a 5 series, then to Audi to test an A6... it was fun being in such fancy cars! Then he had to go hang out with his brother, so that was the end for us... I hung out at my grandparents house, had no mercy and beat my grandmother and cousin's wife at Ticket To Ride, and got to bed before 10:30!


Sunday, I slept in the car as much as possible for we left by 4 am... so this was my view for most of the day...


Looks like an airplane window, but no... it is the back window of the truck! I slept through Idaho entirely, and most of Oregon. I did really enjoy these clouds...

Weekend Away
Well, my dad said he was planning on going to Utah and I said, take me! I am tired of working and would like a break! (And... to be honest, I had gotten a text from a guy I had a crush on for three years at BYU-I, and he moved to Colorado after graduating and he said, hey we should meet up somewhere sometime and I said, hot dog you got it! And so secretly I was planning on dating it up like none other in Utah since I can't seem to get guys to notice me here in Washington. anyway,) So then my friend Eli said, I would like to come along and visit my friends in Utah as well!
So, on Tuesday I packed.

I packed five shirts, two sweaters, a pair of light and a pair of dark jeans, sweater boots, two scarves, a fleece jacket, a wool peacoat, enough unmentionables, knee socks, ankle socks, toiletries, a hair dryer and a curling iron. All in one bag! (my friend Eli had three bags.)

So Wednesday we set off for the long haul. (At 4:30 AM mind you.)
I had intended to get a picture crossing each state line... but I was usually asleep.

Back story to explain the picture: well, first off, this is a picture of my dad and my friend Eli towing the truck since it broke down right outside of Mountain Home.
Now, back story. A week or two ago, my blazer's transmission went out.
I have never driven my father's truck.
I rode in the back seat the whole trip, except for the stop at Mountain Home where Eli said, my turn to take a nap, you sit in the front seat and talk to your dad. (Now, when I was in the back seat it was so easy for me to fall asleep because for at least six hours straight those two boys were talking about cars, guns, mechanics, and guns, and guns, and off-roading adventures and guns and... you get the point.)
...So I sit in the front seat and guess what happens? Yeah. The transmission dies.

So... if you live near the greater Boise area and received a phone call from me... secretly I was trying to get you to come rescue us from the cold weather. I first called my dear friend Ellen, but I figured since I had texted her before then and she hadn't answered that she must be in school, so I didn't explain in the message I left that we were in need of being picked up. So then I proceeded to go through my phone alphabetically to see if I remembered who lived where. So then I called a married couple from my dance team, both were at work. So then I reach the K section and remembered I had an old roommate whose husband owns a huge truck and they live right outside of Mountain Home... so I call her and they are willing to come tow us, so while we were waiting we took some silly pictures!
We got to their house late, well it was dark out and all the shops closed so we waited til morning to fix the truck, but my dad did so then we were on our way! But man it was soooo fun to visit my old roommate and her husband! (Katie and Brandon, and their little baby and new puppy and three cats!) It made me want to just take a road trip around the country later this year, with no time limits and nothing pressing... just me driving around and visiting old friends. Oh it would be so nice!

Anyway, so Thursday we are driving from Idaho into Utah...



when (back up, we had my uncle come up Wednesday from Utah to drive us to utah incase the car didn't get fixed, but it did, so I rode with my Uncle behind my dad and Eli [probably still talking about guns and cars etc])
all of a sudden it goes from being gorgeous out into a huge fog where they disappear!

20 Books in 2010

I've decided to read at least 20 books this year. Seeing as I have already read one... shouldn't be too hard!


Murder Takes The Cake
I decided to read this book when I was on amazon.com looking up books to read on my Kindle, Nicholas. And I found this book, for free! So I said, suuure! (I have begun to realize how much of a freeloader I truly am!)
It was a simple and easy read, fun to hear about the different types of cakes that she is making... but at times I felt there were too many details about her decorating of the cake that didn't mean anything and didn't have a connection to anything or about the murder that had taken place.
But, for a free book, it kept me reading and I did enjoy it. Not too sure I am in love with it enough to get the second book in the series. Fun, and makes me wish I was better at decorating cakes! Haha

I've decided this picture a day thing is pretty awesome, and it is like a photo journal. And that is really nice because I haven't been able to consistently keep a journal in quite some time... so I have been enjoying this assignment! Every day I think, hmm what is going to be my picture today? Well, on Wednesday it was some of the kids I help teach dance to.



Here they are doing a Viennese Waltz, and this kid in the picture is flashing an I love you sign, but I don't think he does it intentionally! He just does the arm line and this happens to be his hand position! It could be worse...
Oh, also, I think he proposed to me, for after he gets off his mission.

On Thursday I had to be at work by 8, so when I went outside at 7:30 to drive to work, I saw how gorgeous the sky was and said, Yes I will take a picture of you.





Friday I had to work at 5 am.
I was driving and thought the car lights looked really cool and then when I got to work I really liked how the rain looked on the windshield and tried to capture that.



Saturday
another driving in rainy conditions liking the way the lights looked...


Sunday

Had to be at work at 5. Got in the car at 4:58. Yikes.

Monday
I made dinner! Very simple, so delicious.



I like to call them Sloppy Turks cause I like how risque it is. haha

So it turns out that my dog will become the default picture of the day... haha but she is so funny!

I thought it was funny to come home to see her in my bed, on my glasses, with all my electronics... so I positioned them all around her in a better way. I got a cover for my phone(Landon) today, it is zebra print and I like it!

I went to the gym today. Back up. I went to work today, but they didn't need my so I was sent home after two hours. I went to my sisters to play with her kids, then i went home and thought hmm.. gym or nap? PJ was on my bed sleeping so we took a nap...three hours later... haha I finally went to the gym after dinner, and I had such a great time! I ran a mile on one elliptical, the kind without the moving handles... then I switched to one with the moving arms, ran another mile. Stretched, lifted weights, ran another half mile, did some more stretching and some abs, finished another half mile and then I went into the cedar sauna for about ten minutes. Then I went tanning, and man I felt great! Before I went to the gym I had a terrible headache, maybe from taking such a long nap? I am not sure. Anyway, it was very rewarding to go.

Yesterday's picture:

My unveiling of my modeling for Snuggie! My friend Rachel made me this snuggie for Christmas, and it is nice! I do wish it had a pocket for my feet... but otherwise it is perfect for reading in, watching movies on the couch and taking naps!

Sunday's photo:

I liked the idea of this picture from in my head more than how it turned out. But I was driving and I was like, this is a sweet shot!

Saturday! Now that was a fun day. My sister had invited me to this crazy rockabilly/swing night. So I went with her, but we of course dressed up!! And I loved it.





Though she was calling my Lucy all night long... haha
Another photo I took that night was of the Seattle Space Needle. Now, you must know that I was hoping to get a fuzzy view of it and I quite like how the picture turned out, but I want to try this kind of shot again.

I had every intention of going to the gym today. I got into my work out clothes, and then my dog burst into the room. I said, well PJ, I am going to the gym... Unless you want me to play with you. And honestly, she started jumping!! So, I went outside with her. We walked around my block twice, running when it wasn't a hill. And she was loving it!! So, I figured that would be okay... haha

When I went to the gym to work there were some people there, basically a typical Friday night.
Day 1 of photo-a-day:



Since she was so key to my success in working out today, I felt that she should be my photo subject! That... and it was super rainy. I do see myself finding a way to work rain into my photo shoots.

I also took a photo shoot of myself to re-enact this photo: http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2116258560/tt0496424

New Year's Resolutions
12 AM Jan 1st 2010
No more Chocolate
12:04 AM Jan 1st 2010
Ate whole candy bar and three truffles. Need new new years resolution.

Partially a joke, I would NEVER eat just three truffles! Ha... another joke. I would honestly never be able to give chocolate up, especially for a year. I bet I could try to do it maybe for a month. But... meh. No need to right now.

So, I don't usually make new years resolutions. In 07 I decided to make a new goal/resolution every month. I made it three months I think... January was no Hydrogenated Oils, February was no high fructose corn syrup, and March was no pizza...that was the one that ended the whole deal. haha

One thing I have been thinking of is trying to read a book a month and posting about it on my blog. (I have felt guilty about not posting anything... but also I was a little angry/upset/disappointed that there weren't very many comments about my nature pictures. I was hoping people would be blown away and that no one would stop commenting on them and that you all would be in awe of me! But then I remembered how little I actually comment on peoples blogs... and I decided to not be offended anymore. Isn't it amazing how such little things can really affect us? wow... long tangent.)

So it would kind of be a book of the month/book report sort of deal. I don't know if I really will do it, especially since I am already a member on goodreads.com and after I read a book and list it on there I rarely give my input on it... but that also has to do with how long after I have read the book. SO, that is one idea I have had.
Ellen gave me the idea of posting a picture every day. I like this idea, because it makes me use my camera more! Last year I wanted to use my camera more and actually have pictures from every month... I think I got closer to accomplishing that... but I am not sure if I really did.
I do enjoy taking pictures, trying to find the beauty (blog website, destination beautiful) and editing is a fun process too, because you can totally change the way you saw nature or yourself by changing little things like fill light or whatever.

So really what I am trying to say is that I want to blog more, take more pictures, and read more.

And today, being January 1st, I, like most of the entire planet, resolve to be healthy and go to the gym! I shall report back on A) If I even went.* B) The number of other people there. and C) how much chocolate I really had that day and if the gym even paid off.
(*disclaimer, I have to work at the gym so this applies only to me going to work out)

Also this year I want to become funnier. (I know, as if that is even possible!!)

:)

Is it working yet? ...how bout now? ...now?

ugh. Fine, I will continue on that quest.