Let Me in the Sound

Can't Nobody Hold Me Down!

2012-02-07T16:02:00.000-08:00

People have often commented on how positive I am and how happy I seem all the time. Lately, I feel like I am really trying to use the power of this positive energy for good in my life. Reading Jillian's "Unlimited" probably helped. :) Also, my quest for fabulous things has also inspired me to try and harness all the positive energy that I can towards my goal. I keep picturing what I want to happen, and not focusing on what I don't want, what I am afraid of, or even on "Plan B." So far, I think my mom might think I'm a little nutty, but I think it's working! Well, I let you know when I really find out. ;)

I have also felt the oppression of being surrounded by so much negative lately. My work place is ooooozing with negativity (extra ooo's needed!), and the world in general can just blow sometimes.

I'M OVER IT!

Josh and I went to this Asian/sushi restaurant across the street from our house recently, and it is GOOD! It is totally affordable and delicious! We've been there twice in the last week! Last night I was like, "I've gotta write a review for this place!"

I think that positive thinking in any area of your life, can lead to good ju-ju in other areas of your life! Maybe like a "pay it forward" mentality-- benefits others and yourself.

So, today, I signed up for YELP! And I wrote a raving review about Imperial Asian Cuisine & Sushi Bar, and I plan on sharing the love to some of my other favorite places. Negative opinions tend to vocalized more frequently and more loudly, than happy, content ones, so here's to spreading the love!

And on that note...

-M

Have I Found You... Flightless Bird...

2012-01-30T19:13:00.000-08:00

So, this blog has turned into my own personal book club. I'll have to shake it up pretty soon. But in the meantime... welcome to BOOK CLUB!

So, I read "Matched" and the day I finished it my cousin brought me "Crossed" and then I finished that the other night. BAM! I think it took me less than two weeks for those books-- pretty good for a busy gal! :)

"Matched" is the first book in the series written by Ally Condie, who also happens to live in Utah. Let me just say-- OBVIOUSLY I liked these books since I read through them so fast. That is always the sign of a good one for me. If I can't get into it, I hardly ever go back to it. I used the lyrics to a song from the first "Twilight" movie as the title to this blog, because as I was thinking about these books, I kept referring back to "Twilight." I also read all of those books super-fast... ooey-gooey romance with a crazy back story ALWAYS gets me. And it is totally the same thing with "Matched" and "Crossed!" "Matched" is just like "Twilight" in the sense that it is very much about building the love story (stories?) and teasing you with conspiracy and a great back story. My mom did not read past the first "Twilight" because of all the lovey-cheese that was pervasive throughout the book. I didn't let that hold me back. That being said, I don't think my mom would like "Matched." It's all from the 17-year old Cassia's perspective, which is a key reason why I stayed sucked in. The unveiling of the story is gradual, and it's almost as if the reader learns new information as the main character learns it. It definitely makes you stay up 'til your eyes close, because as you end each chapter you think, "What is going to happen next??"

See... cheese! Just eat it up. :)

Now, this book ALSO reminds me of "Hunger Games." All of the people in The Society are very controlled by Society. Food portions, length of exercise, careers, recreation time, even when you die-- are all controlled and monitored by The Society. You learn as you read that after "The Warming" people decided to get rid of cancer, limit "footprints," and just maximize everything. This book is very dystopian, but the people in the world aren't as miserable as they seem to be in "The Hunger Games." Anyway-- even just that part of the story is very interesting, hence the "Twilight" reference! I loved reading about the vampire/werewolf history, and in "The Hunger Games" I thought the districts and all that stuff was fascinating. Way to suck you in to a mooshy-gooshy love story! I'm sold!

Yes, the colors of the books relate to the story!!!

And then "Crossed" follows the Twilight novels in similar fashion-- it is more action-centered, with the quest for love propelling the action. OH! And did I mention the love triangle?? There is one, and I'm not sure who I'm rooting for. I was mosdef Team Edward... but this one is a little tricky. And now after finishing "Crossed" I don't know what to think!

I definitely recommend these books. They are a fun read, and can be quick depending on how late you stay up reading them. ;) There are lots of fun supporting characters, and the themes of the books make you really think about the things we take for granted. Things that you would never think you would need to take for granted! Writing with a pencil or pen?? Painting? Reading any poem or any book you want? In The Society, they simplified EVERYTHING and chose 100 poems, 100 books, 100 paintings, and 100 songs. Everything else was incinerated... except some stuff was able to stick around. You'll find out!!!

The last book in the series won't be released until November. Laaaaame. But that's what you get for NOT waiting for a series to end before reading all of the books.

ENJOY!
~M

Take a Look, It's in a(n)... iPod...

2012-01-15T21:58:00.000-08:00

I finished LISTENING to ''Unlimited" by Jillian Michaels the other day. This was all thanks to my mama's Christmas gift to me of a three month audible.com membership. She is ADDICTED to Audible, so why shouldn't I be?

It was great to actually have the voice of Jillian reading her book to me, rather then just my own inner voice. Jillian definitely has a way to get you pumped up, fired up, mad in a motivating way, and then feeling reflective, all in the same moment. I really enjoyed this book for several reasons:

#1: Working it Out- Throughout the book there are sections where you get to answer Jillian's tough questions to really get at your own inner answers, dreams, problems, etc. Unfortunately, as I was "reading" I was usually driving, therefore I could not be writing. But on her website you can access all of the "Working it Out" pages, which I have done, and am continuing to do.
#2: I really enjoyed all of Jillian's examples. She has LOTS of great examples from her time on "The Biggest Loser" and also from her personal life. These really help drive her principles and lessons home.
#3: She mosdef keeps it real. She admits her faults, and that is still working on a lot of the things she preaches about in the book. She admits that this will be HARD, but totally worth it. I like that honesty/humility in an author, especially one who has experienced so much success and has such a hot bod.

Jillian definitely asks tough questions and really forces you to dig deep. I would recommend reading this book when you are really ready to be motivated and face some of your demons. I might even listen to certain chapters again as I continue going through the "Working it Out" pages. I truly enjoyed this book and will continue to use it as a personal resource. Jillian uses a lot of quotes from Khalil Gibran's "The Prophet," so I think I'm going to have to read that book now, too! All in all, I highly recommend this book!

And now I am reading "Matched" by Ally Condie, thanks to a recommendation from my lovely cousin, who always recommends so many great books. I just started the book on Saturday and I am HOOKED! I can't wait to snuggle up in my bed and read it. Pretty sure that's what I am going to do right now...

Au Revoir!
M

I did it all for the...

2012-01-10T19:42:00.000-08:00

I seriously am trying to make a conscious effort to exercise more (thanks to my new Gold's Gym membership!), but this just made me laugh. It's exactly how I feel some days. Thank you, Postsecret!

And on that note, I'm off to the gym!

Love,
M

I can see your halo (halo) halo...

2012-01-08T17:49:00.000-08:00

Well, this is kind of a fab follow up post to my last one. I just wanted to give a big shout out and congrats to Beyonce and Jay-Z for their new arrival! A baby girl named Blue Ivy Carter. Josh can't stop saying it over and over... he's not sure if he likes it. I like it! :)

Congrats to the mama, and the new big poppa!

Hip Hop Has Saved My Life

2011-12-31T11:02:00.000-08:00

I thought of this idea as I was jamming to the new Kanye West/Jay-Z CD, "Watch the Throne." (Which, by the way, is an AWESOME album. I highly recommend it.)

I really think that people sell rap and hip-hop music short. Many don't give it a chance, because they can't see past the bumping bass. But for me, that's what draws me in. I love the beat, I love the words, and I love the emotion behind it all.

In my recent musings, there is one lesson in particular that has really stood out to me. I don't care who you're talking about, but it seems that all rappers know how to give respect, where respect is due. They honor the memory of fallen friends and fallen heroes.

My latest example is Michael Jackson. Since his death, several people have sung/rapped about him, by throwing one liner shout outs. I think that in the "Watch the Throne" album there are at least three homages to the King of Pop. So, I LOVE Michael Jackson. But not everyone does. Not everyone can see thru or see past the drama, the craziness. Would I expect an MJ shout out from Jay-Z? Or even Kanye? Honestly, no. That's why I've definitely noticed it.

In "Welcome to the Jungle," Jay-Z raps,

"I'm a tortured soul, I live in disguise. Rest in peace to the leader of the Jackson 5."

And how many rap songs reference grandma, 2-Pac, Notorious B.I.G, mamas, and more? SO MANY.

One of my all-time jams is Kayne West's, "Hey Mama." Below is his live Grammy performance (awesome), but definitely check out the album version-- it's a little more rockin, but still full of soul.

And guess what? His mom was still alive when he wrote and recorded this song! You do not have to be dead to get props and respect. And guess who else he mentions in this song? MJ. :)

I feel like so many people are quick to judge others,celebrity or non-celebrity... and it bugs me. People may be different from you, doing different things than you, but everybody deserves respect. Show a little love, and it will go a long way.

Quote of the Week:

Sunny days wouldn't be special, if it wasn't for rain
Joy wouldn't feel so good, if it wasn't for pain. -50 Cent, "Many Men"

It's in a book... "The Good Thief"

2011-12-22T16:57:00.000-08:00

So, I pretty much finished "The Good Thief" the day after I initially started my book club blogging! This book has a lot of build up, but it is DEFINITELY worth it! Once you get in, you should not give up, because the story ties itself up in the craziest bow you've ever seen.

Found this book in the recommended section of the library!

The story is about an orphan, Ren, who gets adopted by a thief, Benjamin Nab, and his partner in crime, Tom. [I'm laughing to myself... because in this case, he really is his PIC!] Benjamin is GREAT at coming up with colorful and surprisingly believable stories to get himself out of every jam they come upon. He tells a great tale to be able to adopt Ren in the first place, and you almost believe that they are brothers. Almost.

Benjamin and Tom use Ren to help them in their schemes to steal and earn money. Ren is very honest and would sometimes rather be back at the orphanage. Pretty much until about the last fourth of the book, I figured that the reader does not find out where Ren really came from, because how could anyone really know-- especially in that period of time. He was pushed through the gate at the orphanage, in a little basket, and was left in the rain. The only unique thing about him is that he was missing a hand, and no one knew why.

So many robberies later, the reader gets to the GOOD stuff. You find out that these guys are the occasional gravediggers, and on the first night that Ren helps them, one of the bodies is NOT DEAD. And the author did such a great job of painting this picture. I was FREAKED OUT! This un-dead character actually turns out to be one of the soft spots of this book, despite his crusty exterior.

The story is set in New England, several years after the Revolutionary War. I thought this was a very interesting setting, and added to my interest in the book. There are a handful of interesting supporting characters, and my favorite is the landlady that they happen upon. She made me laugh out loud, and is also a real warm spot in the book. Ren definitely deserves all of the love and care that she gives him.

Overall, I don't think that everyone would enjoy this book. It is a little hard to get into, but I am glad that I finished it. It is kind of a dark tale, but ends on a very bright note. The characters are colorful and the story is a little creepy, but the author does a great job at depicting all of the details that make this novel rich and entertaining.

Let me know if you've read it or if you're going to!

M

Sailing

2011-12-22T16:44:00.000-08:00

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

I've had a bout of inspiration.

I hope it lasts!

Spying on someone, I got the inspiration to travel! Josh and I have always talked about the traveling we want to do-- Disney Cruise, travel through Europe... and of course visit all of the Disney theme parks. My ultimate would also be to go on a Mediterranean cruise... oh, someday!

But seeing someone else, in our same time in life, travel through Europe really reminded me-- we need to do this! We need to do this before we can't do this!

What's one of things I want to do while in Europe? Be able to speak more French then I currently do! Fluently is definitely a goal, but a lofty one. I wouldn't neccessarily want to be able to strike up a conversation with a stranger, but I would like to be able to say, "Hey, Josh, this is what that sign says..." You know, be all handy like that.

SO! Here are my BIG goals for 2012:

LEARN FRENCH. Use my free library hookups and just do it!

EXERCISE. Seriously, this is getting ridiculous. Just do it!

And continue to work hard at achieving my career goals! I am woman hear me roar. :D

Picture a Christmas

2011-12-18T08:54:00.000-08:00

Take a Look... It's in a Book!

2011-12-05T20:56:00.001-08:00

I have decided that since I am not in a book club and I like to read what I want to read, I'll have my own book club here. Win win! I have recently realized that I need to read for my own sanity. Sometimes reality is overwhelming, and non-fiction books, reality tv, and real life just don't help. Life can just get a little too non-fiction. ;) I love to escape into another world, and I often like to do it through television shows or movies, but there is something about reading a book that take me to a different place. I am able to fully relax and check in to another world. I love it!

And so, in the past few months, I have read several books:

Everything on a Waffle, by Polly Horvath: My cousin recommended this book to me, and she was right- I loved it! It's a very cute story that keeps you interested the entire time. I love all of the characters, especially the main girl. There are also recipes at the end of each chapter. Fun! This book is a real treat!

No More Dead Dogs, by Gordon Korman: As you can tell, I was on a little bit of a young adult book kick. The basic premise of this story is that the boy in the story is tired of reading books where the dog dies. I thought that was hilarious, and true, so I picked this book up at the library. Another cute, fun story, with colorful characters. There is one part I want to give away, but I won't... Let's just say it involves Julia Roberts and made me happy as a clam!

The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows: Most everyone I know has read this book, and they have all loved it and raved about it. I sincerely can't help but do the same. I loved every minute of reading this book. I love how it is written in letters, and just sucks you right in. The characters are all very charming, likeable, and funny. I definitely laughed out loud while I read this one. The story is also very serious and has many interesting historical insights. And I was sad when I finished! I wished there was more to read... If you haven't read this, do it!

And right now I'm reading "The Good Thief" by Hannah Tinti. I haven't finished it quite yet, but I'm close, so I don't have a complete review. All I can say is, this book is crazy! It is all over the place, but I really want to find out what happens to the main boy. I definitely think the last half is better than the first half... I have been reading it a lot more because it has finally gotten exciting. Maybe with this one, I'll do a little more in depth review!

Til next time!

Do Ya Thang

2011-12-03T14:34:00.001-08:00

Just a brief update... I'm sure I have loads to blog about, but I'm never sure what is really important or interesting enough to share. But I was looking over what I last posted, and decided this blog needs to hang on a positive note for a minute!

I had the privilege of attending the International Association of Fairs & Expos Annual Convention in Las Vegas this past week. It is always a grand time, and my hubby even got to come! Best vacation ever folks! And one thing that we kept noticing-- how nice everyone was in Vegas! The servers were all excellent, helpful, and nice. They did not give us a sideways look when we told them we were sharing one entree. All of the people, the random people, chatted on the elevator, or looked you in the eye and said "Hello" while they opened the door for you. So great! I'm sure everyone is pretty happy there for their own reason. I even told Josh, "I wonder what brings all of these people to Las Vegas." I'm sure no one would expect us to have so much fun there, and everyone keeps asking, "So what did you do??" We had a great time! Explored new hotels, and new to us hotels, had fabulous food, and more. And while we did it, we had a great time because everyone was so friendly and courteous. I love that feeling. It just makes you want to pass it on and share the good vibes.

And we had oh, so many excellent customer service experiences at various eating establishments. Our food adventures will be posted on www.spicethat.blogspot.com SOON! With pictures! We came prepared. :)

HAPPY SATURDAY!
M

At the Crystals/Aria

Treat Me Nice

2011-11-09T18:52:00.000-08:00

I have a problem. And it concerns customer service. I know the economy sucks and people are getting whatever jobs they can, but I believe that customer service is seriously lacking because of it. Customer service jobs are often not highly paid positions, and therefore attract anyone in need of a job-- people lovers or not.

I love good customer service and I am passionate about good customer service. I love giving it, and recently I have realized that I love receiving it. When you get served by an awesome waiter, or speak with someone very helpful on the phone, your day is brighter and you feel lighter. You can tell when someone would rather be talking to Darth Vadar then to you, and that just makes me irritated. Do you understand that I am part of the reason you have a job? Your welcome. Now stop having that sassy/sleepy/annoyed tone in your voice. Even if you are having a bad day, you can fake it, but you choose not to. Recent bad customer experiences have caused Josh and I to swear off Chili's and Mimi's Cafe. We're pretty easy going people, but if you treat us badly, we take the hint, and never grace you with our presence again.

Customer services is essential to the success of a business. Look at Disney and In-N-Out-- always on top of the leader board in all aspects, and I believe it all stems back to their customer service. People are happy to see you, happy to help you, happy to go the extra mile. When someone makes you feel special, you thank them by rewarding them. You can reward them with a tip, your loyalty, your endorsement... all of those things lead to happy employees, more business, more money, and more stability. What a happy cycle!

Dealing with customers is not easy. Everyone knows this-- we've all been on the receiving end of an unrelenting customer, been in the same room as one, or perhaps we have been one! Because customer service is floundering, people think they have to be mean to be heard, or to get what they want. Threats work well, too. I am here to say that nice people, who communicate in a mature fashion, often get more than those with the whiny tantrum. Who wants to reward someone being indignant and belittling? A manager, who just wants you to go away. It is much more valuable to voice your concern in a calm manner, which will lead it to be taken more seriously, and perhaps incur a positive change within an organization.

And that's it for my soapbox! Good customer service rocks. The end. :)

Thriller Night!

2011-10-31T14:01:00.000-07:00

So, we had a bomb.com party on Saturday, and it was really a success because of all of the great people who came! I have to say, my inner party planner... well, I don't really keep it inside very well... had a lot of fun planning and scheming for this surprise occasion. And the nicest thing was everybody loved it! I used to throw parties like this ALL THE TIME at BYU- some could call them my glory days. My last summer living in P-town, I got all new roommates, and they said, "Hey! We heard from the girls upstairs that you throw the best dance parties!" My reputation precedes me. :)

Anywhooo, there was a lot of good Halloween loving going on at this par-tay. I had mucho help from my neighbor-- what a blessing! She helped turn our living room into a huge spider web and helped Josh believe that I would actually go to a haunted house (yeah, right). But boy, did I play it good. The funniest part about this whole thing... Josh does not like Halloween. Yeah, I know-- what?! And we're married? ;) I just have to say, I forget every year that he doesn't like Halloween, because I love it enough for the both of us. That would apply to all foods that have to do with pumpkin or pumpkin spice as well. I got ya covered, Joshy!

Josh's birthday is on November 2nd, and I really wanted to have a Halloween party. I was talking to my neighbor, who thought we should have a surprise party for Josh's b-day, but thought we should do it a few weeks beforehand so he wouldn't even suspect it. BAM!

Halloween Birthday Surpise Party= Josh's Birthday BOO-nanza!

We live so far away, that I wanted to make sure that people came to show Josh their love by making the party totally worth it. I needed to have awesome tunes, a cool activity, and lots of fabulous food. Check, check, check. It all turned out so great, and Josh was SO HAPPY. That was the best part!

We got to see the "Thriller" music video set to many new songs. Some of the favorites on our list were, "Loca" by Shakira, "Telephone" by Lady Gaga feat. Beyonce... and I heard Michael's sweet dance moves were on beat with almost every song. Classics never die.

We played live action CLUE! Everyone rocked it-- my suspects hammed it up and the detectives were feverishly trying to figure out, who kidnapped Reese?! Well folks, it was Kris (the neighbor), at the Poop Patch, with the Bubble Gun. :)

I got ooodles of compliments about the food, which made me feel super good. I wanted to share some of the recipes with y'all. I have most of the recipes posted on my PINTEREST as well. Yes, I have a new addiction, and I LOVE IT.

I got the most comments and compliments about Paula Deen's Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake. It turned out perfectly! And it was super easy... and it really did have two sticks of butter in it. I'm going to make this again fo sho, because I only got a few finger licks of it. :)

Mmmmm...

For Josh's birthday cake, I made a Nutella Bundt Cake. Boy, does this guy love Nutella. And boy, was this cake GOOD. I am eating the leftovers at work today. HURRAH.

I just covered mine with powdered sugar!

We also had some old stand-bys:

Cream Cheese with Jalepeno Jelly, eaten with crackers. I don't know why, but it is so good. I'm not even sure what else you would use Jalepeno Jelly for. Thanks to Miss T for providing the goods!

Lil' Smokies in Crescent Rolls. I love hot dogs... so what?!

Chili Cream Cheese Dip. I gotta say, the crock pot was EMPTY at the end of the night. You have one part cream cheese to one party chili... BAM! For this large crowd, I revised, and used two blocks of cream cheese, one big fat can of regular chili, one normal can of chunky chili, and one normal can of jalapeno chili. SPICE IT UP!

Teri, my lover, also provided us with her Orange Meatballs. I heart them. RECIPE PLEASE! :)

I just keep smiling when I think about the party. Thank you so much for coming!!! And I know that some people weren't able to make it, and we love you madly no matter what.

Now, have a HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

P.S. After rocking the crimson/black fake eyelashes on Saturday, I will be wearing fake eyelashes for every Halloween hereafter. They are HOT.

P.P.S. I'll be posting party pics on Facebook!!!

Friends Forever

2011-10-23T13:10:00.000-07:00

I wrote this several weeks ago, intending it for blog publication... so here it is! Just spreading the love. And whilst you read this, I hope that you are singing, "Friends forever, always we'll be friends, talking 'bout friends forever..." from my beloved Saved by the Bell. (**If you don't know it, look it up!**)

I am grateful for good friends. I have so many good friends that I don't get to see very often. I think the beautiful thing about friendship is that it lasts over space and time.

I like that you don't have to see someone everyday in order for them to be qualified as your "best friend." I know that most of my friends see their other friends a lot more than they see me, but they still keep a special place for me in their heart. And they always make me feel that way. What a great thing!

As I've gotten older, I've realized how hard it can be to make friends. When you're a kid, it's easy! When you're an adult, I feel like it can be difficult to "click" with someone. It's harder to find that same connection that you have with some of your oldest friends, and that can be sad. You just don't get to take your favorite people with you wherever you go. Although, I wish this was the case. If my life was a sitcom, I would have a great cast of characters. :) You know who you are!

Lovey loves,

I'm Alright

2011-09-11T00:15:00.000-07:00

So tonight was AWESOME!

Worth every penny.

Every second was jam packed with awesomeness.

It was something I've been waiting for ALL SUMMER...

KENNY LOGGINS!

No, I did not take this picture. :)

If you didn't know that I LOVE KENNY LOGGINS... now you know. It's one of my many secrets, but one that I am not afraid to shout to the world. I do it in a high pitch slur... 'KENNYLOGGINS!' Just ask Josh or Teri, my sister-in-law. :)

I have my mom to thank for instilling this undying love for Kenny Loggins in me. I've been hearing his sweet tuneage since before I can remember, and I've held onto it into my adult years.

While I was at BYU, Loggins & Messina performed at UVSC/UVU/whatever, and I bought two tickets and made Jason Jones come with me because he was the only one I could think of who would appreciate it. It was fabulous! But of course it was all Loggins & Messina songs, and everyone in the crowd would periodically yell "Danger Zone!" ... "Footloose!"

In the past four years, Kenny has come nearby at least three times, and every time I couldn't go, due to whatever job I had at the time. LAME! And then I saw the schedule for the Davis Arts Council's SUMMER OF THE STARS and BOOM! I had plans for September 10th.

Teri and I went this evening, and it was GREAT! He has a new band called Blue Sky Riders, comprised of good ol' Kenny and two awesome songwriters from Nashville. They are so good and the songs were beautiful-- great lyrics and great messages. What more can a girl ask for?

Then Kenny sang THE JAMS. Man, can that guy SING! His voice sounds just the same as his records, and just the same as it did years ago. He sang all of my favorites-- "Whenever I Call You Friend," "Conviction of the Heart," "I'm Alright," "Footloose," and "Forever." Did he sing "Danger Zone" you ask? Heck yea! And it was AWESOME!

So the evening was already fabulous, but the guy next to us was HILARIOUS! He kept yelling "YEAH!" in the style of Lil Jon in Usher's "Yeah"... and this guy did not look like someone who would be doing that. We ended up dancing with him to "Footloose," he yelled 'ROCK ON' at the top of his lungs, and "FOREVER" during "Forever"-- oh man, I almost peed myself. I LOVE when people get passionate and excited at concerts-- that is what they are all about! Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one screaming, but I don't care. I sing along and cheer to my heart's content. But man, did this guy have me beat. In his Harley-Davidson shirt and scraggly beard, he was a Kenny Loggins fan through and through.

And that is why I LOVE LIVE MUSIC and love Kenny Loggins more than I ever did before. He can play a guitar til it falls apart and riff with the best of 'em.

Oh, and did I get a shirt? YOU KNOW IT!

Worth every penny :)

Thought of the week:

"Music is a world within itself, with a language we all understand." ~Stevie Wonder.

These are my confessions...

2011-08-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

As I jam to USHER, baby, I am buying this little nugget for our poochie:

CUTE! I thought to myself, why spend $10 on a BORING tag at Pet Smart, when I can get something cute on etsy.com. BAM! Great idea! Alas, I was wanting to get a more expensive one, but Dave Ramsey did not approve. But I think this one is super cute!

We are also getting a new collar and leash for Miss Reese, so that we can have more control over her, without choking her. She is growing FAST, but she is a lot of fun. At the fair she even got to jump in the pool for American Diving Dogs, and the head guy was impressed by her. Folks, we may have a future champion on our hands. :)

Since I am confessing... I must confess that I cannot have mismatching collar/leash colors. I can't do it. Also, I had to make sure the dog tag color coordinated well with the collar and leash I ordered today. Seriously, if we weren't matchy matchy up in here, it would irritate me to no end. So, don't worry! We are all coordinated, and I even have plans for future collars when she grows out of this current one. HAHA!

While I was staring at the screen, choosing between two dog tags, Josh commented, "Wow, you are really interested in this stuff." It's what I do, baby. It's what I do. :)

In other news... I'm sure I will make a fair post, but check out this FLASH MOB VIDEO! Yup, my fair flash mob dreams came true, and it was amazing. I also had some professional video taken of it, so that will be shared shortly!!

Enjoy!

This is How We Do It

2011-08-15T23:08:00.000-07:00

Wanna know what I'm up to this week?? Wanna know what pays the bills over here in the metropolis of Syracuse, UT?

Check out WWW.DAVISFAIR.COM!

Yeah, we're pretty pimp, and pretty controversial. Who knew a Mormon girl like me could shake up Davis County?! Imma be all over the morning news shows and radio this week, so check it out!!!

Oh, and like us on FACEBOOK at www.facebook.com/daviscountyfair!

Just another shameless plug. ;)

Imma Do Whatever

2011-08-03T19:32:00.000-07:00

My blog post title comes from Rihanna's song "Hard" -- a serious hard-rockin jam-- and it's what I thought of for my QUOTE OF THE WEEK!
I saw someone else do this on their blog, and now Imma be a copy machine. :)

Without further ado... the quote of the week:

‎"If for a while the harder you try, the harder it gets, take heart. So it has been with the best people who ever lived." — Jeffrey R. Holland

Dreams Are My Reality...

2011-07-25T10:54:00.000-07:00

Well, I can't hide my love any longer. I LOVE AMES from this season of the Bachelorette!

SWOONAGE!

I was truly yelling at my laptop while Ashley was NOT choosing Ames at the rose ceremony last week, even though I knew it was inevitable. They barely ever touched, and you could just tell that she was not feeling the passion. But I was! When they were under the pictured magnolia tree, he made my heart skip a beat when he said the following:

"It’s the best when the ordinary is extraordinary, I think. There’s this Italian Renaissance way of being romantic: they call it ‘sprezzatura’. It is where you try to be as romantic as possible - but through your ordinary life. There’s so much more magic in the ordinary. Life isn’t all fireworks. Romantic things come from inside you.”

Hello!!! Thanks for the inspiration, Ames. Even Mr. Hatch liked what he said. :)

What he said really resonated with me. We've kind of been feeling the blahs (even with our new puppy-- deets coming soon!), and I have definitely been wanting to break out of this Utah shell for a while.

The ordinary is extraordinary... or at least it can be if we make it. That is my goal friends!

Also, "SPREZZATURA?!" Swoon! How easy is it to be boring and unromantic after being married for three years, let alone eternity?? What a refreshing, and much needed thought. I just love these romantic ideas, these grand thoughts of life. I hate getting stuck in the mundane rituals.

At the end, when he was sitting in the car, even though my heart was broken, I loved how he talked about having life adventures. What a unique guy!! I was like, JOSH! LET'S HAVE LIFE ADVENTURES!!! And so we shall, friends. And you'll probably be invited to a few!!!

And so, it is with a heavy heart that I say farewell to Ames, although I am intrigued to see him in Bachelor Pad 2...cuz y'all know I will be watching that!

To making the ordinary extraordinary... CHEERS!

Schoolin' Life

2011-07-04T09:20:00.000-07:00

I canNOT get ENOUGH of this song!

I like to think that I'm "schoolin' life." SUCKAAAAHS! :)

Happy 4th of July! Celebrate!

Run It... Run It

2011-06-09T21:34:00.000-07:00

I went to a Women In Business luncheon today (part of the Davis Chamber of Commerce) and got to hear from Mrs. Utah 2011, Carol Guest. She was great! She talked a lot about the power of affirmations and the power of positive thinking. I like this idea of affirmations. Sometimes I think that I subconsciously try to sabotage myself. You want to get up and exercise in the morning? You're gonna be too tired! And then I am! You want to lose 5 pounds? There are too many family celebrations and other excuses. It doesn't happen. And I'm used to it. I don't push myself to my limits... like most of us, I like to be comfortable. But I don't like to be comfortable... right? That's the problem! If you are unhappy with a situation, then change it! When it comes to your everyday habits, I think that can be easier said then done.

I like the idea of using affirmations. Kind of like "fake it 'til you make it," but without so much fake. :) Mrs. Utah said in high school she thought she wasn't pretty, and people made fun of her. So, she wrote on her mirror, "I am beautiful" and she said it to herself 10 times each morning. And now, she does think she is beautiful (and seriously, she is). She accepts it and says it. She doesn't hide away from who she is, and she does not hide away from her talents.

I've been thinking a lot about the confusion between confidence and arrogance. Most times, we tend to think someone is arrogant or conceited if they proclaim something like, "I AM beautiful" or "I AM a great writer." Why can't we own up to who we are? Why do we feel like we can't celebrate it? Maybe it's just me, but I don't want people to think I am full of myself. But why should I let that cause me to cover up who I am?

Well, I shouldn't! I know who I am and I know what is great about me. Other people don't, and that may be why they think something that is incorrect about you. I need to learn to let it roll off my back more, and let my light shine!(Cheese ball moment!)

Moral of the story, I'm going to really use affirmations in my life. I AM succeeding. I AM a great fair coordinator. I'll come up with some good ones. :)

We have been blessed with talents so that we can share them, so let's let it all hang out! We will all be better off for it.

And those are my musings for today!

Who Says You're Not Worth It

2011-05-22T11:25:00.000-07:00

Quote for consideration:

"One of the greatest moments in anybody's developing experience is when he no longer tries to hide from himself."
-Norman Vincent Peale

I feel like he is calling life our "developing experience." I think that is so cool, and so true. This isn't the end all be all, and there is so much room for us to grow, to develop.

Embracing who you are can be scary, I feel like I've been embracing me recently, but there are always weak spots. Like that one person, who you can't help but think that they think about you negatively. Does it matter? Do they really know who you are, about your personal situation? No, but it certainly feels like it matters.

Another nugget:

"Do not look for approval except for the consciousness of doing your best."
-Andrew Carnegie

These thoughts were just what I needed today! Courtesy of my favorite daily email, from www.thedailylove.com. :D HAPPY SUNDAY!

Who's Bad?

2011-05-17T22:19:00.000-07:00

This is a random post, for the random at heart. I just posted about this on Facebook, but I want to share my heart-felt feelings about the "The Fast and the Furious" films. Truly, I have only seen two of them, but I still feel like a big fan. And for that, I'm going to have a marathon, watch them all, and wait for the 5th to make it to the dollar theater! A die hard fan if I ever heard of one.

There is definitely something about the mix of Vin Diesel, Tyrese, and of course, Mr. Paul Walker (swooning). It also takes me back to freshman/sophomore year of high school. We knew who to crush on back then!

Consider yourself invited to a true PAR-TAY. :)

On a musical note-- if you need a jam... a speed demon song... some "I don't take crap from nobody" music... here is my all-time favorite: Jay-Z and Linkin Park. Oh, what a match made in heaven! This song actually made me think of the "Fast Five." Now we know who to thank for this random post!

LaLaLa... Whatever

2011-04-18T21:59:00.000-07:00

OMG. I might be losing my marbles! But things are going good!

First, my blog post title comes from a new song that I am DIGGING. Here it is:

We DID find a place to live-- in good ol' Syracuse, Utah! Nice. :)

I DID set the security alarm off at work today. That was really awesome!

And on a different note...

After a FABULOUS culinary experience with some of my main ladies, we were inspired to start our own food blog, because we are DIE HARD foodies! Therefore, you should check it out, add it to your list, follow us... all that friendly stuff!

www.spicethat.blogspot.com

And my fabulous husband Josh Hatch has been trying to get his music out there even more, which is why you can listen to some of his tuneage to the right. There are several songs on there, so check them out! And be his friend on Facebook. He will sing to you there! Was that a shameless plug, or what?

We may be in limbo, but things are going well. Graduation is coming, and I think we will actually get to move in 4-5 days before that. YES! It would be nice to have a home and stop impeding on my gracious in-laws. The cats are now keeping it real in the garage, in two cat crates. Considering the circumstances, they are doing really well! Our cats are troopers. I just love them!

After a weekend of weddings, it was reaffirmed to me how much I love PLANNING WEDDINGS! Oh, it just warms my soul. I even got to pin boutinnieres on people and I volunteered to cut the cake. Am I nuts or what? Somehow I am going to turn this skill into a business/dream fulfillment. I really want to get my master's degree, and I'm going to get the wheels in motion. First things first, GMAT! Now, doesn't that sound fun? Actually, it does. :) I can't wait!

(You Drive Me)...CRAZY!

2011-04-07T21:32:00.000-07:00

Well, I think you all deserve a little update on our crazy life! We are homeless! But we are being sheltered by the fabulous Matt & Teri Hatch family. Last week was the longest week of my life, but we survived.

We had to be out of our place by the 31st, and we had a great place we planned on moving into. Due to some WHACK communication, we ended up deciding not to live where we originally planned, and we are currently looking for a new place to live. Our fabulous belongings are in a warm and cozy storage unit, and our beloved kitties are living with my generous co-worker.

Crazy, right?!

The story is much longer than that, but I'm feeling really good about where we are at. We are so blessed!

Here is a nice quote that has helped me out through this koo koo time:

"Because no matter where you are, you are exactly where you are supposed to be, at this moment. I encourage you to be true to yourself, at all times. When you honor yourself, things follow suit. Sometimes you have to take a moment to pat
yourself on the back for your journey, thus far."
~Lauren London

Fuzzy Wuzzy

2011-03-21T18:49:00.000-07:00

I have been surrounding myself with warm/fuzzy feel goods, and I just have to share. I don't know if it's the last dregs of winter (bleh!) or what, but I have needed some happy, springy thoughts these past few weeks!

First, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this song! Selena Gomez is a winner.

I've also been getting uplifting thoughts in my email every day from this cool website called The Daily Love. I am really enjoying it! Each email comes with "Daily Affirmations," which I really like. When you're feeling down, blah, or frustrated, repeating a daily affirmation in your mind is really nice.

Today's were:

I believe!

I determine my destiny!

The choice is mine! I choose my dreams over my fear!

The ones on St. Patty's Day were:
I embrace the challenges of my life.

I welcome the pain of growth.

I become stronger as I face my fears every day.

At Hobby Lobby (LOVE) I picked up this cute journal that says, "It's a Wonderful Life" on the cover. At a cute boutique I recently saw this cute, "Gratitude Journal" that had quotes and prompts for you to put in what you are grateful for. Well, rather then spending $15 bones, I spent $3, and I'm making my own! I wrote some of the daily affirmations and the recent thing I've been grateful for: late night runs to Rancheritos. Josh and I know how to LIVE IT UP!!! Five rolled tacos with cheese and guacamole! :) I'm going to put some happy quotes, and random inserts of what I'm grateful for. Gratitude keeps you sane, and it's healthy. Win win.

So there are some warm fuzzies for you to have, while we wait for Spring to spring!!!

Only Girl in the World

2011-02-26T11:58:00.000-08:00

Part of this blog is a shout out to my girl Holly "Luxurious" F. <3

I really enjoyed her recent blog post on getting the help you need, and being ready to change. I've been feeling the change vibes lately, in a different area. I love to be comfortable-- snuggled in my bed, with a pillow on the couch, even down to the clothes I'm wearing-- I need to feel comfortable to function. Sometimes this can be bad-- I don't want to be comfortable in life, although that's where I automatically retreat.

I have so many goals/dreams, and all of them require a little stretching on my part, and that can be so scary! But when I look back at all that I have already done, I realized I have survived a lot of tough stretching and putting myself out there, and I can do more! My current, ultimate dream, is to do event planning at Disneyland. Hello! Magical! But it's tough.

A. It's a tough business.

B. It's tough to get into Disney.

Sometimes I get so scared that I won't make it, that I think I want another dream. False. I always go back to my Disney dreams.

But to get there, I gotta succeed here-- at the Davis County Fair (in sponsorship goals, increasing revenue, schmoozing with the who's who in Davis County, all that craziness!) & with any personal education goals (Masters? Event Planning Certificate?). Money is always an issue, and I hate how it can hold us back. But I also dislike debt. It stinks.

Josh and I had a great conversation the other night about this very thing. We only have one life, one life to do everything we want to do here on Earth-- so why should I waste it because I don't have enough money to get a Master's, travel to Europe, take voice lessons, etc.? I firmly believe that no one should do that. No one should be content and complacent with settling. Is that fun? No! And I, my friends, am all about fun. Work hard, and figure out a way to get that cold hard cash. :) Lately I feel like everyday I've been having to tell myself, "Remember what you want to do. Remember your dreams. Push yourself." Deep down inside, I really do want to push myself, and I am. But it's still hard!

.....

And in other news--- this has been the BEST WEEK EVER!

Beginning: VIVA LAS VEGAS! Surprise trip to Vegas, From Josh to Megan. HOLLA. (pics to come!)

Middle: BIEBER FEVER! Hello, lots of my favorite people in one well-done, entertaining film: The Biebs (I'm in it for the long haul), Usher Baby, and Boyz II Men. Yes, we screamed out loud in the theater.

End: SHUT UP WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU! Linkin Park, as always, was AWESOME! And ROCKIN! I can't believe those guys. It was a great show!

In the end, I am such a lucky girl, and this week helped me feel like the "Only Girl in the World"... in a good way. :)

Hungry Like the Wolf

2011-02-04T20:37:00.000-08:00

I love when I can find a little nugget in a random place. I was watching one of my guilty pleasures, 90210, and there was a little nugget! Here it is:

A Cherokee chief was telling his grandson about life. He told him that there are two wolves inside of us that are always fighting. One is evil, full of anger, jealousy, lust, and the other is good, full of joy and love. The grandson asked, "Which wolf will win?" And the chief said, "The one you feed."

Doin' Choreography

2011-01-19T20:07:00.000-08:00

A few recent observations:

1. I don't realize how crazy my hand motions are until I see the person I'm talking to watching my hands, not my face.

2. I LOVE my old school jams! Case in point, my recent downloads have been:

Nivea- "Don't Mess With My Man"
Mya- "Case of the Ex"
Salt n' Pepa- "Shoop"
SWV- "Weak"
Brandy- "Sittin' Up in My Room" and about 5 other songs! :)
Joe feat. Mystikal- "Stutter"
Blaque feat. JC Chasez (my *Nsync boyfriend)- "Bring It All to Me"
Toni Braxton- "He Wasn't Man Enough for Me" and again, about 5 other songs.

I think this list is pretty indicative of the music mood I've been. Bring on the JAMS!!!

Say You Wanna Revolution?

2011-01-11T21:05:00.001-08:00

I have had a life revolution. Or revelation? How about both! My lovely mother-in-law sent us this "Change Your Brain Change Your Body" DVD after we talked about it at Thanksgiving, and I am in love. In love with Dr. Amen and in love with changing my BRAIN! And my body, too. :)

So, what I'm saying is, go read, watch, or listen to some Dr. Amen. I've been watching calories and working out a lot more recently, which I think might make all this Amen stuff a little easier to take. I'm not saying I'll never eat cake again, because that would be a joke, but I'm definitely improving what I eat. Cucumbers or bell peppers instead of tortilla chips? You got it! Simple changes like that can really change your life, and prolong your life. It's all about high quality calories in-- and I am all for it!

I think this is the perfect time in my life for this. In the past, I have been too quick to give in and indulge. Now, I have time to think about what I am putting in my body, and I actually do care! I have had way too many low self-esteem pitfalls, and I'm over it! In the past few months I have really surprised myself-- at work I have turned down free cake, a chocolate chip muffin, and other goodies. I KNOW! Can you believe it?! Just one of the few signs that I am ready for a life change.

So I'm taking fish oil (odorless! holla!) and vitamin D (sunshine in a supplement... Utah is too drab these days) and eating the rainbow (squash, berries, spinach, bananas, etc.). I'm continuing to workout, and I got a yoga DVD at the library yesterday. I think I need to de-stress a little more.

I am loving this revolution and I am loving the changes in my own thought processes. I am glad that I can change and improve.

And on that note, here is my theme for 2011:

"Your life is your own, to develop or to destroy. You can blame others little and yourself almost totally if that life is not a productive, worthy, full, and abundant one. Others can assist or hinder you, but the responsibility is yours and you can make it great, mediocre, or a failure."

-Spencer w Kimball

So Fresh & So Clean

2011-01-08T11:57:00.000-08:00

Well friends, I am pleased as punch with this new blogger design stuff! I had so much fun this morning! What's even cooler is representing with this cool "Hatch" photo. I looked up some Stubbs ones (holla!), but I'll have to save those for another day. Hatch is the new Stubbs, ya know. :)

This week has been pretty bizarre. We thought we were moving to this AWESOME place, and now we are NOT. In fact we can't get out of this joint until March 31st. We can't even look for a new place for like a month. But we have high hopes that we will find something just as fabulous. Cross your fingers!

One of my coworkers passed away this week-- very unexpectedly. He always got to work at like 6am, he had a heart attack, and one of our other coworkers found him later, called 911, and he passed away at the hospital. I have never had anything like this happen. He was a heavy smoker and we have several other smokers on our crew. He was only 56. So sad, and I still can't believe it's real.

Death still eludes me, especially with its finality. It's hard to imagine never seeing a person again. Thank you "Plan of Salvation!" Makes things a little easier.

I got to talk to one of my best friends from back in elementary school. I think I've said this before, and I'll say it again. I LOVE those friends who you can not talk to or see for ages, and when you get together you pick up right where you left off. Those are true friends. I have some bangin' ones.

So, all in all, 2011 is off to a rocky start. But I have dreams! My friend actually wrote down her goals this year, and that is a great inspiration to me. I have never really done that for my personal life. But I mosdef.com do it at work!

From now on, I'm taking charge of my life. I will not claim to be a victim of circumstance; I own my decisions. My biggest goals (which, so far so good!):

~Lose weight! I'm rocking it on loseit.com and I'm apparently the only person who uses the gym in this apartment complex. Yay for me, cuz that means I can sing along out loud. :)

~Become debt free! Dave Ramsey is my best friend in this quest, and he doesn't even know it! He doesn't even know how many times we ask ourselves,

"What would Dave Ramsey do??"

Seriously folks, read "Total Money Makeover." It's not even boring! It's inspiring! I think we'll get free in just enough time to become indebted with Josh's school loans. But I don't care!

~Take more pictures! I'm tending to shy away from the camera these days, and I hate when other people do that. Let's document and embrace it!

Much love!

-M

Lessons Learned

2011-01-01T11:59:00.000-08:00

HaPpY nEw YeAr!

Here's are a 2 quick lessons that I have learned recently:

1. NEVER buy generic brand foil or saran wrap. It just doesn't work.

2. The BEST place for Hot Chocolate (or HoCho as I affectionately call it) is... the gas station! They the creamy good stuff, you can put whatever creamer you want in it, and you can get a huge one for like $1.50. I love me some Starbucks, but I'm changing my ways, folks!

And on that note, here's to a great 2011! I will be more disciplined, more productive, more active, and continue to be fabulous. ;)

Love!

That Girl is Poison

2010-12-10T09:38:00.000-08:00

One cat likes to eat poinsettias (poisonous for cats), another likes to drink hot chocolate out of my mug (poisonous for cats), and the other likes to much on plastic shower curtains (honestly, probably not good). What the heck is going on?!?!

Good thing they are so stinkin cute! :)

These are old pictures, but definitely get the cuteness point across!

P.S.

2010-12-04T11:20:00.001-08:00

After much ado, I did create the menu planner that I posted a link to a few posts ago!

Supa fly!

And, about a month ago, Josh turned 26! The morning highlights include:

S'more brownies!

Megan working it.

French toast madness!

One happy camper!

Dream a little dream...

2010-11-28T10:02:00.000-08:00

I dreamed that I was getting back into wedding/corporate event planning last night. Even had the same crew with me! I was making the signs so that the guests would know to go to the 23rd floor, and not the 41st floor like the party host had broadcast on the radio. There are only 24 floors at my former work place. But really, something like that could totally happen in real life. :)

I also dreamt about an old friend (who I need to text now!) and that I was running late, only to wake up and find I was early! But kudos to me, cuz I got up anyway.

And it's snowing. What?!

But my Christmas tree is up. Yay!!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like...

2010-11-22T21:19:00.000-08:00

If you all wanted to know, I DID make the menu planner that I linked to below! And with super strong magnets it is sticking firmly to my fridge. :)

Thanksgiving is coming so fast! This month has literally passed me by. Tomorrow we fly out to Chicago, which hopefully the airport will not be a harrowing experience. Even my mom had a bad security check-in experience this past weekend, so hopefully we will avoid that!

Chicago will be GREAT, I just wish we could stay longer. All of trips this days are too short, but at least we get to go! It will be fun to see family we haven't seen for a while, and to experience the windy city a little more. We will have some FABULOUS tour guides!

All-in-all, I am grateful for the holidays, even if they aren't how they used to be. Every year I try to capture the same holiday feeling I had while growing up, but it never seems the same. I'll be honest-- it's a little disappointing. But what should I expect? I have another person's traditions to take on, and things just aren't how they used to be. My Grandma's house isn't the way it used to be, especially now that my Grandad is gone. I'm kind of glad the holiday season has snuck up on me-- I have a casual attitude, and not as many expectations leading up to Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm just going to enjoy the moments and the family time. And enjoy spending time with Josh! He works so much, I hardly see him. So Chi-Town will be a welcome vacation!

And so, to properly ring in the holidays, here's a brief list of what I'm thankful for:
*MUSIC
*Glee :)
*Temples
*Jesus Christ (and my BYU New Testament classes that really helped me learn more about Him)
*Late night runs to Rancheritos
*Fried Zucchini (namely from Nick's Burgers & the Cheesecake Factory)
*Disneyland
*Inspiring Stories
*My love of reading
*Moving on & letting go
*A crazy/fun job
*Beautiful friends
*Poppies
*Puppies
*My kitties!
*Open minds & open hearts

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

SHARING!

2010-11-07T18:03:00.000-08:00

I just found a free template for a menu planner, and it's pretty cool and cute!

Go here: http://blog.ollibird.com/2009/04/20/menu-planner/

The site gives all the directions, but me and fridge have big plans for this menu planner! :)

HAPPY NOVEMBER! <3

Getting Better All the Time...

2010-10-02T15:19:00.000-07:00

As you probably know, I LOVE One Tree Hill, and so of course I have to follow my homegirl, Bethany Joy Galeotti's (AKA Haley James Scott) blog. She posted something really great today. I think it's very well written and very thought provoking. It is in response to the recent suicides brought on by bullying/gossip.

http://www.bjgofficial.com/2010/10/american-gossip-epidemic.html

I have to be honest, I check people.com everyday. It provides a quick escape and usually a fun update on some of my favorite people, who I don't really know. :) But I wonder, maybe I can be finding better escapes, better uses of my time? One of the talks from LDS General Conference today mentioned: "Character is a measure of how well you are spending your time on Earth. What you get is what you pay for!" That in and of itself made think about how much time I spend doing absolutely nothing! I know some relaxing is warranted (and necessary for my mental sanity!), but I think I could be enriching my life more. Balance, right?! I definitely think I give in to my gossip sites & guilty pleasure tv more than I seek to spiritually uplift myself and enhance my personal knowledge. So, here's to better living and making better choices!

Happy Saturday!

Megz

Makes Me Wonder

2010-09-18T09:14:00.000-07:00

I love being crafty and making fun things for myself. Back in the day of Young Women's, I always wanted to do wood crafts. :) Lately I have been very crafty, in a good way! We've been revamping our closet storage and I modge podged (actually I just used white school glue!) cute paper on cardboard boxes to cover them up to use as "drawers" in our little wire shelf thing. I even got cute, sparkle-y black buttons to use as accents on them. AND Josh even complemented them! Win win! :)

And thanks to Holla Holly I have some new crafty plans! The cute and easy to make necklace below! I think you could do some cute Halloween-y necklaces, among all the other great combos you could do! (Click on the pic to find out how to make these!)

And this awesome floating vase! I have big plans-- I think you could also modge podge paper onto the board for a fun wallpaper feel. CUTE! I think these would also make great gifts, so hopefully I didn't spoil a future surprise for anybody. :D (Click on the pic to find out to make this!)

I also bought a cupcake tree with a 50% off coupon I had at Michael's. All of my party planning dreams have come true! I might just keep it on display at the house for kicks and giggles!

The Maroon 5 CD is supposed to come out on Tuesday, but I already have it! Sometimes CDs are released earlier in Europe, which is the case with this one, and I can download it from my favorite website: http://www.gomusicnow.com/. I have never had a problem with the site, it always makes me happy! And the most expensive songs are $0.15 each-- holla! And the Maroon 5 surprise was a pleasant one, to be sure!

Good Vibrations

2010-08-31T22:02:00.000-07:00

Well, the fair is OVER! YAY! And I'm pretty sure it was a smashing success, but sometimes being so close to something makes you see all of the faults. And now I have an incredible lack of desire to go to work! I need like a two week vacation. :)

And I'm a little bummed because now I feel like I can finally enjoy summer-- but all of the stores have Halloween stuff in them, Josh is back in school, and the weather is considerably cooler. But I will have none of it! Normally, I am really excited for fall, but I don't think I got enough swimming, bbq-ing, and fun in this summer. We're going to celebrate summer in September! So, sometime Josh and I will go to Cowabunga Bay (hollerrrr), hang out with Emily & Matt, go camping or explore some kind of wilderness, and have fun! Maybe some of this fun can leak into October, too!

I also want the world to know that I got hooked on "The Hunger Games." A big shoutout goes to Emily Earl for lending her copy to me. Another shout out goes to this past Sunday, where I pretty much read the entire book in one day. Couldn't put it down!!! And now I have to wait for some fool to turn in their library book so I can read the next one. Someone's book is past due... they are messing with my mind!

I've also been enjoying my guilty pleasures-- "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" and "Bachelor Pad." I don't know what it is, but I eat up anything that has to do with those Kardashian girls. And "Bachelor Pad?" I have no shame.

I am in need of some serious motivation to work out more. There is a little bud inside of me, but it just needs some Miracle Gro... or I just need a kick in the pants! Any words of motivation would be greatly appreciated!

Going back to guilty pleasures, I love Katy Perry's song "Teenage Dream" and the music video for Taylor Swift's "Mine" is SUPER CUTE!!!

Ring-A-Ling

2010-08-08T17:45:00.000-07:00

Some fun developments...

I'm really loving those Jane Austen-y movies as of late. It all started by watching, "The Young Victoria."

Loved it! Which also began my newfound love for Emily Blunt.

I think she looks really pretty on that cover of Elle!

And so yesterday, I watched Sense and Sensibility, with vivid memories of the Strong girls throwing pillows at our TV. :) And now, I'm pretty sure I'm going to watch something else fabulous like that. I've heard that "North and South" is good and I've never seen "Mansfield Park." The options are endless, so today is the day! Any recommendations will be taken into consideration. :)

And lastly, but maybe most importantly:
NEW RINGTONES!

It's been a few weeks in the making, but I finally made some important decisions. My mom inspired it all, because she set Michael Jackson "Thriller" as my ringtone for whenever I call her. Pretty much everytime I call her she is giggling because Michael Jackson was singing in her purse. It's pretty funny! I love the joy that ringtones bring, so with my new phone, I knew that I needed some JAMS! I limited myself to three, because I don't want to go too overboard-- right?!

Everyone ringtone: Over the Rainbow-- the Glee Cast! My favorite song, one of my favorite shows, and something that will not offend the coworkers.
Mom ringtone: Footloose-- Kenny Loggins. She inspired my deep love for Kenny Loggins, and now i will be dancing everytime she calls!
Josh ringtone: Naturally-- Selena Gomez. Josh LOVES this song and I think it is hilarious. He knows every word. :) I really wanted to do "Like a Virgin" by the Glee Cast, but I really didn't want that to go off in the middle of the office. No, thank you.

So, now, I'm just waiting for someone to call so I can giggle to them. Hahaha! :)

Feel the Rain

2010-08-06T19:46:00.000-07:00

I had a perfect moment today!

I was walking out of Hobby Lobby (love that place) after making some fabulous purchases for the Davis County Fair and I saw a huge, beautiful, bright rainbow. It was absolutely perfect, silhouetted against the mountains. As I drove away I kept staring at it and Natasha Bedingfield's song "Unwritten" came on. I love that song! It always makes me feel like I can conquer the world. And so, that was my perfect moment. And it came at just the right time.

Takin It Back to the Old School

2010-07-17T09:37:00.000-07:00

To start off, I really wish we knew where the cord to our camera is, because I have some fab pics to share! So, uh... stay tuned!

In recent news: I MADE JAM! I got plums from my Bountiful Baskets Co-Op and I thought- I should make plum jelly like my grandma! So, I give her a call for this secret recipe and come to find out she alwasy followed the directions on the Sure-Jell box. Easy enough! I ended buying MORE plums (they're pretty cheap!) and a big ol' case of jars, and then I was ready! 4 lbs of plums is A LOT of plums but I made it work with my mish mash of cookware. You smash up the fruit boil it with some H2O, add the Sure-Jell, then ADD 8 CUPS OF SUGAR! Ahhhhh! That is a lot of sugar! After that's all said and done, you ladle the BOILING liguid into the jars. On jar numero uno, I dump the stuff all over my thumb and scream like the little girl that I am. No bueno! But I have to see this jam through to the end! So I sit with a lovely ice pack while Josh finishes the jars and seals them all nice and tight. Then we really kick it old school, or maybe poor school, because we don't have a canning rack thing, so we stick the jars in the pot and put a plate over them to hold them down. Needless to say: it worked!!

Then we run to Walgreen's to stock up on the "Please don't turn my thumb into a giant blister," stuff and wait for the jam to become jam.

And then a miracle happened! When I was going to bed my thumb burned like crazy-- so I aloe vera-ed and iced it, and when I woke up-- no pain, and then NO BLISTER or anything! YAY!!! It's a miracle and I gave a little prayer of thanks. :)

And then I actually tried the jam-- and it was fabulous! Just like my grandma's and so good that I want to have toast all the time. :) And for those of you who don't know-- plum jam is the bomb!!! This just goes to show that you don't have to be uber-goober domestic to make something fabulous. HALLELUJAH!

And on that note... I really like that new Justin Beiber song. :D

If You Wanna Go & Take A Ride Wit Me...

2010-06-26T22:43:00.000-07:00

June has flown by and so much has happened!

I turned...

Became proficient at...

Drove to this place...

Saw these lovely ladies...

Watched this with a huge smile on my face...

Ate this... on multiple occasions...

Saw this cute kid get married...

Been married to this awesome kid for 2 YEARS...

And potentially lost one of these...

Pretty eventful so far!!! Much love.

It's A Beautiful Day!

2010-05-29T09:52:00.000-07:00

It's been raining cats and dogs here... well maybe just cats. But it feels like it's been gloomy for weeks! And when a day starts out nice and sunny (like today), it's just a big trick. I can't wait for the real summertime!

The title of this post has duel meanings:

That cutey-patootie Lee Dewyze won American Idol. I also loved Crystal, but I'm happy for both of them!

U2 was coming just for my birthday, but now they're not. :( Bono had emergency back surgery, and so he's down for the count. But their 2nd North American leg isn't cancelled, just rescheduled. And all I really want is a U2 t-shirt that says "Salt Lake City" on the back.

And this week I'm going to turn 25! Whoa. When my mom was my age, she had just had a baby. Whoa. I still can't imagine myself actually having and taking care of a baby. I know it will happen someday (hopefully) but I still feel like I'm 18 inside. My mom said she still feels that way, and my Grandma even says that she feels that way. I don't mind feeling forever young-- it's too bad the outside won't always match up with the inside. :) But I had a great BYU teacher who once said, "It you can't lose it, decorate it!" And I'm pretty good at that! Haha.

Fave inspirational quote of the moment: "It is your reaction to adversity, not the adversity itself, that determines how your life story will develop."

And to end this mish-mashy post, I plan to listen to some Adam Lambert in preparation for his GlamNation tour! Holla!

Don't Rain on My Parade...

2010-04-24T19:24:00.000-07:00

How could I forget???

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABS!

Hello, Gorgeous! :)

If you didn't know I was a fan, now you know!

Tag Team, Back Again!

2010-04-24T18:32:00.000-07:00

I made a heroic trek back to P-town on Thursday. Yes, Provo, Utah... Brigham Young University... The Lord's University. ;) And it was SO FUN! And I was pretty impressed with my "seeing as many people as I could" skills.

The intent was to go for Alyssa's graduation, and on my way...

I met up with my fave cousin, Emily Anne Earl. :) LOVE HER! And it was fun seeing her and Matt's cute apartment. And we did what all girls should-- we went to The Chocolate. YUM! What I thoroughly enjoyed about this place is that you can get a PIECE OF CAKE! Sometimes that's exactly what you need, and that's what I did. A piece of cake and a glass of milk. Holla. And we definitely had some good chatting all throughout this adventure.

Then I drove to the far side of Provo and met up with my favorite Disney roommate: Christa! Oh, how I adore this girl. I've been a lame friend, because she's been home from her mission for about 2 years, and I haven't even seen in her once! I decided that I really value her friendship and I her to be one of my current friends, not one of my old friends, and we had a blast! We ate at Brick Oven, I got to meet her hilarious fiance, and we walked down Disney World memory lane and caught each other up on the latest. It was magical. She is the bomb and she is getting married in less than a week!!!

Then I ran over to my girl, Holla Holly's house to bestow some musical gifts upon her. :) And I got to see Flan! What a treat! And he still cracks me up! The weekend before I really got to hang with Holly, Julie, Corbin, and my new boyfriend, Jack. He is the cutest kid I have ever seen!!! In P-Town Holly gave me the cutest gift, and I think some people are going to really get a kick out of it. :) She knows me so well!

Then I finally made it to Alyssa's place where we chatted, learned about leprosy, and laughed at Saturday Night Live skits. FUN! The next day was her graduation, and it was so exciting! I got to hang with her cute mom, who is such a joy to be around. We clapped for everyone, then cheered for Alyssa, and took lots of pictures. I was even inspired to really go after my Master's... so we'll see how I work that all out!! Then we went to JDawgs for lunch!!! Let's face facts, that is the best dang hot dog in the world, and I've missed it. Then we went to another delightful place... The Cocoa Bean Cafe! WOW! In my life so far, I think this is my favorite cupcake place. It was delish and had lots of fun flavors. And they have fun signature drinks that I would LOVE to try. Welp, looks like I need to go down there again. ;) And I think I need to give a shout out to the Malt Shoppe next time. I can't find a banana creme pie shake like their's, or a hawaiian shaved ice. P-Town really is a blessed place!

Other than that, I have been continuing to cook up a storm! Banana Chocolate Bread, my own beurre blanc sauce (holla at ya 23rd floor), and today Lentil Soup with Chard. Pretty tasty my friends. Thanks to Hollz for the lentil inspiration! I'm excited to try her recipes!!!

And last week I went to the most magical event of the year: Miss Paige Smart's wedding. It was a dream and it was so fun to be running around like a crazy person with Colleen and Jennie-- ah those good old event center days. :) It was really nice that Paige trusted us so much with the setup and such. I really do miss planningweddings. She had all the great ideas, and we set it up! The lemonade stand was to die for, the food was delectable, and the bride was absolutely glowingly gorgeous. I love that girl! I'm so happy for her and happy that she is Mrs. Paige Moore. They are adorable.

Jam I can't get enough of: Lady Gaga feat. Beyonce- Telephone.

Hey Good Lookin, What You Got Cookin?

2010-03-20T19:01:00.001-07:00

So I haven't "blogged" in ages, and I was hoping to make my return post a little more deep than this. But I really need to share this funny story... and my pain.

I've been calling myself a CHEF lately. I have been doing the Bountiful Baskets co-op and have been getting awesome fruits and vegetables that I would never buy on my own. So, I have been cooking up a storm and looking up recipes like crazy! This past week or so I have made butternut squash soup, potato leek soup (what is a leek you ask? a green onion on STEROIDS!), salsa, and eggplant parmesan with homeade marinara. Can you believe that I have a full-time job?? ;)

In my "Mexican Pack" from last week we got dried chiles. I had NO idea what to do with these things. After a little research I learned that you rehydrate them and can make a chili paste. So, I have big plans for a slow-cooker mexican fiesta using these chiles. Maybe 45 minutes ago I set my mind on this task of rehydrating. I look at two different websites that give me the play by play. Note-- one of them said, "Don't forget to wear your gloves!" Foolishly, I think I am better than these gloves.

I chop, I de-vein, de-seed, roast, and get those bad boys in some water. I wash my hands and scratch my nose. I quickly realize I did not wash my hands good enough, because the left side of my nose is on FIRE! I quickly wash my hands again, then wash my nose, but to no avail. And so I'm sitting here, typing, and holding a bag of ice on my nose. OUCH!

The moral of the story: I NEVER want to get shot with pepper spray.

Bright side: At least I didnt' rub my eyes. :)

Glitter in the Air

2010-01-15T17:04:00.000-08:00

Right now I'm keepin it real at Poundcake's, listen to some JAMS on the 90's on 9 station. I think as you get older, the glitter of life fades. People have always considered me to be a generally happy person, and when I was younger, probably a little naive. I used to get asked (and sometimes I still do), "Do you EVER get mad? I can't imagine you being mad!" Well, I know the real story- I DO get mad and I definitely get sassy.

Sometimes the reality of things that we love can turn out to be dreary. I've been watching the special features for my new Gone With the Wind blu-ray, and let me tell you, those days were not as glamorous as they seemed! To burst your bubble, Viven Leigh AKA Scarlett:

smoked 4 packs of cigarettes a day on the set of GWTW
left her husband and young child to marry Laurence Olivier
was diagosed with bipolar
cheated on her husband, Laurence Olivier, even though he helped her get through some of her biggest movie roles
died of tuberculousis in her 50's or something like that.

But she still is beautiful and was made for the role of Scarlett!

If that wasn't enough, everybody had affairs with everybody to try and get the role of Scarlett (but not Vivien Leigh- the one shining moment in this post). So, that's depressing! Old Hollywood seems so glamorous & simple to me. I used to wish life was still like that, but in reality, life still is like that. LAME!

Being behind the scenes of a comedy club is also eye opening. Some of those comedians who look so happy on stage, are not so happy when they get off stage. They tricked me! They look like they're having so much fun, when really they're not feeling the crowd or they are having an off day. Well, at least they're good at pretending.

I love happy things. I love light, hope, positive quotes, & sparkly things. The older you get, the more your bubble will get burst. So in retaliation, I hold on to those things that always make me happy and will always hold magic for me:

Disneyland,
Glitter,
Zebra Print,
Music,
Good Friends,
Chipotle,
In-N-Out,
Cookie Dough,
The Wizard of Oz,
RENT
From Justin to Kelly,
One Tree Hill,
Old Musicals,
Poppies,
Gone With the Wind (even with my newfound knowledge)

And I bet there are a few more. And let me tell ya, these 90's jams are pretty magical!

Only Wanted To See You Dancing in the Purple Rain

2009-12-31T10:44:00.000-08:00

Well, Josh totally won this year! For Christmas he got me the 2 Glee soundtracks, the 70th Anniversary 3-disc blu-ray set of GONE WITH THE WIND, and a new ipod! This new ipod is PURPLE (hence I call it Purple Rain), has a video camera, and is 16GB! Holla! Quite a spacial improvement on my current ipod. I am pretty stoked!

Christmas was GREAT! We definitely had a Hatch Christmas and it was fun to hang out with everyone and learn lots of new games. We are crazy about new board/card games up here! Here's what we are currently playing:

Ticket to Ride Europe
BANG! (thanks to Matt Earl!)
Guillotine (thanks to PJames!)
Pictureka
Zeus on the Loose
Loot

Let me tell ya, it's pretty exciting up here in Davis County!

I also got to hang with my girl, PJ, and James and baby Jesse. She is due with her 2nd baby in March! Cuh-razy! But really exciting, and I know she will be great. Too bad we never think of taking cameras to such occasions.

2010 is definitely starting off with a BANG! My job is really about to kick into high gear, Josh goes back to school, and we have a car to fix, or scrap... who knows!

I have plans of eating healthier, with my new Cooking Light subscription! And my current internal debate is: should I do Boot Camp?? 5:30 am?? I really need to kick my but into gear if I ever want to really lose weight and get fit. Self-motivation? It's pretty petite. But with my homegirl's support... I think I could do it! Stay tuned!

Our "Secret Santa" gift was from awesome Rachel and Jason, and it was tickets to the Nutcracker! It was great, but I don't think we'll be seeing Swan Lake anytime soon. Josh was ready for a musical, and he was quite disappointed. =)

Much love! Happy New Year! More joyous news to come!

Tradition, TRADITION!

2009-12-11T19:15:00.000-08:00

I love the holidays and love all of the traditions that go with them. As a young married, sometimes I wonder when did our parents & grandparents start their traditions. I want to start our own family traditions, by smooshing some of mine with some of Josh’s, and adding some new things in. But when do we find the time? We’ve got family over here and family over there, and it seems like we are always participating in other people’s traditions. It is great to have family around and people willing to feed you, but sometimes I want to do my own thing. I hope that doesn’t sound bad… =)

I am finding all of these yummy cookie recipes, and I am reading to put on baking shoes! Or maybe my apron. ;) And then, we don’t have a full house, so it’s to justify us keeping all these goodies to ourselves, but then everybody we know is trying to eat healthy (us included!), so I feel like there is a little bit of a predicament going on. Maybe I should find healthy alternative recipes? That’s not a bad idea, but a little indulging is good, too.

This year I know will be a mish-mash of traditions, but maybe that’s what we need to propel us into our own. Josh’s mom is gonna teach me how to bake some of her specialties, and I plan on recreating my Grandma’s Mexican Christmas Eve extravaganza. Which reminds me, I better call and get that enchilada recipe…

There is something magical about traditions. It makes me feel tied to the people and places that I love. As I get older, and the people I love get older, it’s even more important to me to keep these relationships strong,, even just through food, song, movies, and sharing memories. Man, do I sound like a cheese ball! Even though I’m not in California with Christmas by the beach, and Josh isn’t in snow covered Chicago, we can still celebrate family style. A new Hatch style.

In related news… we got a new Christmas tree! We opened ours and there was only one leg, thus the tree would not stand. So we got a bangin’ one that was on sale at Wal-Mart and it is pre-light! MAGICAL! I also got some BOOTS-- I’ve been wanting boots for years, because it’s pretty awful getting the bottom of your pants all soggy and slipping around in Converse. I have joined the ranks of the winter-ly!

My mom introduced me to the Diana Krall radio station on Pandora.com, and now my favorite station is Diana Krall Holiday! It is so nice and fun and jazzy! The PERFECT holiday station! Another good one is Mariah Carey Holiday, but I’m sure you already knew that.

MUCH LOVE! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

T-R-O-U-B-L-E

2009-12-10T23:42:00.001-08:00

The results of living with a curious cat... It's always entertaining over here! Bono is quite the acrobat!

Wanna Be Startin' Something?

2009-11-18T18:13:00.000-08:00

Do it. Go see it. You will LOVE it. Thank me later.

Baby Baby Baby...Light My Way

2009-10-27T23:43:00.000-07:00

So we're in the process of moving... to an unknown location... and I found 2 discs with all of our engagement pictures on it! I had no idea these were in our possession! And so, here is a little gem that didn't make the cut, but makes me smile:

Listen to the U2 song that I used for my post title... you'll be glad you did. =)

I Need No Permission, Did I Mention?

2009-10-06T21:43:00.001-07:00

Tonight I had such a great time getting together with my 23rd Floor girls! They truly are some of my best friends. I hadn't seen them since June, and let's face it- 4 months is WAY TOO LONG!

We enjoyed food together (no one appreciates good food like we do) and of course had PUMPKIN SPICE HO CHO-- much thanks to my friends at: We also went to the Wells Fargo Building and mysteriously got to go back up to the 23rd Floor. None of has had been back since our last day. I was so glad that we were all together on our trip back in time. It is sad to see it looking like a ghost town. But it was fun walking through each room, saying, "Remember that time when I dropped the ball lights...twice." And "Remember when we had to put up the ceilings, on the ladder in our heels, answering the phones?" Oh, those were the DAYS!

Even though we're all at different places in our lives, we can always come back together and it's like we've never been apart. I feel completely myself with these girls. I have no shame and I feel comfortable putting my sassy pants on. They even let me have intermissions as I burst out in song.

We all have dreams that are bigger than where we are now and we would love to acheive those dreams together. That's what I love about us. A group of 4 girls, who know that life holds much more in store for them.

How are we going to get there? Wait and see...

Motown Philly...Back Again!

2009-09-21T21:58:00.000-07:00

Alright, I just gotta start out by saying- Boyz II Men was AWESOME! It was a rocky road, but we made it!

It was free to see the concert, you just had to go pick up seating tickets. Welp, I'm an idiot. I didn't realize that people had waited in line for 2 hours in the morning to get their tickets at 10am. When we rolled into the fair in the afternoon, I was DEVASTED when I saw the "Boyz II Men Sold Out" sign. Not gonna lie, I teared up, got mad, and was ready to leave the fair. Josh knew how important this was to me, so he said that we could try and find some on KSL and see if people were selling them.

We were looking and looking, and then we saw Spencer King- Comedian Extraordinaire! And he said, "Oh, didn't your dad have some at his 101.5 The Eagle booth the other day?" DUH! I forget that I have major connections when it comes to the concert world.

To top it off, my phone spontaneously died, and would not wake up. I couldn't get the battery out to restart it. I can see why T-Mobile no longer carries the Motorola Rokr. =) I had to rely on Josh's phone to get in touch with my friend Hollz to break the HORRIBLE news and get a hold of my dad.

Well, my dad is my hero! Especially when it comes to Boyz II Men... =) He hooked us up with his radio peeps, and I was so happy/relieved/ecstatic.

While waiting for the big event, we enjoyed fried zucchini, the swirly ice cream, and my fave hawaiian food. We also saw this hilarious hypnotist, and now I get why people love that stuff. He was great... but probably too expensive for my Davis County Fair. =)

And then, it came... 14th row... dreams coming true... jams... magic.

I have to say, I was super sad that Hollz was not there, Boyz II Men is something that we really shared and loved together. I ALWAYS think of her whenever I hear one of their songs, and especially when I hear "Water Runs Dry." We totally sang it at an assembly in elementary school! And so I vow that before we die we will go to a Boyz II Men concert together, as god is my witness! And a Britney concert... and a Prince concert. =D

Well, my Boyz came out in true form. They hit it up with "MotownPhilly," they sang some slow jams, and then they suprised me with some MOTOWN HITS! I guess they have a Motown-Hitsville album. Well it was awesome, and it really kept the party going. They even did those slick dance moves like the Temptations. It was FABULOUS!

During "I'll Make Love To You" they threw red roses to the audience, and yes I ran up to the front for my chance. But let's be honest, I'm too short for that stuff, and they don't throw very far. Haha!

They even sang one of my fave songs (which I didn't think they would) "Doin Just Fine." Oh it was soooooooo good. After a few more, they left. But we didn't! We kept clapping and screaming, and then Wanya came back on and gave us some love and a little acapella "Yesterday" and then they all came back on and did the FULL song of "MotownPhilly." It was AMAZING! I loved every minute of it! I've never clapped so much at a concert in my life. I had a HUGE smile on my face as we left the grandstands.

They were so grateful and kind and fun and they still sound awesome together. Next year is their 20th anniversary, and they are going to try and get Michael back with them to do another album. HOLLA! I'm all for it!

What a fun day at the fair with Josh. We even had a fried snickers. Dreams reall do come true... ;)

The Classics

2009-09-10T20:20:00.000-07:00

I just enjoyed one of my favorite meals: A tuna melt and butternut squash soup! My love for tuna melts goes waaaay back (holla at my favorite cousing Emily) and my love affair with butternut squash soup started just last year. Pretty much I love anything that has to do with my friends in the squash family, including, but not limited to fried zuccinni (so far Cheesecake Factory has the best), sweet potato fries, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, & PUMPKIN SPICE HO CHO! Yes, the fall season is upon us and I can't wait! Here is a photo depicting my love for sqaush & twinkly lights:

Another classic in my life: ONE TREE HILL! I know I've already expressed my deep love for this show, but just so you know, the love really runs deep. And I absolutely cannot wait for the season premiere this coming Monday! I LOVE Brooke, but I know that I am going to miss my homies Peyton and Lucas. Oh, Chad Michael Murray.

The 2009 Davis County Fair was, well, CLASSIC! =) After all of the buildup and preparations, the fair was GREAT! And thanks to all my wonderful friends and famiy who came and supported me! I REALLY appreciated it-- even though I looked like a chicken running around with their head cut off. This year was the most successful fair ever, and they want me to be a bigger part of next year's fair. We're already planning some stuff, and all I can say is SHARKS and hopefully hawaiian shirts. =) Here's a little smattering of the fair magic:

<--Holla and Posh: lookin fierce.

Still can't believe I let this happen to me.

I understand why Britney Spears looked a little awkward during the one VMA performance, oh so long ago. ;)

One main source of stress: Davis County's Got Talent! But it went really well and my Dad was a great host. We're doing it again next year!

Another Megan project-- the gameshow! It was called The Big Deal: Take It or Leave It and the crowd really got into it! And don't my briefcases and game board look so great?! I'm pretty proud of this one!

These looks of love are brought to you by Flan & Me. Always a good time with my Flanny Clan!

These are the guys I work with! They are quite entertaining.

And this is my FAVORITE picture from the fair! Thanks to Josh for being a good sport. =)

It's crazy to think that the fair was just a month ago. I'm so glad it went well and I'm glad they like me! This job has been great, and hopefully it will continue to get better so I can actually keep it. =)

We went on a fun VEGAS trip over the weekend! I do enjoy that place and it really does feel like you just let loose when you go down there. I'm okay with that. If you need a kickstart to your night there, just go on the roller coaster at New York New York. I was looney and tons of fun after we went on that.

Overall, it was a magical trip.

We even saw this lady there! The ultimate classic. On that note: HOLLA!

What's New Pussycat?

2009-08-06T19:58:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I've blogged it up, so there are a few thing that I have to write about!

First, my good friend Michael Jackson. I couldn't believe it when I heard then news, and then I got text from lots of my friends about it. It's nice that my friends remembered my fanhood for Michael! So, now I have to share:

My Top 5 Michael Jackson Songs (in no particular order)

1. In The Closet- Dangerous

2. Smooth Criminal- Bad

3. Off The Wall- Off The Wall

4. Remember the Time- Bad

5. PYT- Thriller

Let me tell you, that was a hard list to narrow down, but I did my best. =)

A few weeks ago, Josh and I drove down to Redlands to surprise my mom for her birthday! It was the BEST SURPRISE EVER!!! We pulled it off and it was so fun to spend time with my mom. I can't even remember the last time I was with her on her birthday. It was magical! Next year she turns 50 and I turn 25, so we gotta think of something truly awesome to celebrate!

Our garden is overflowing with love for us and now our fridge is overflowing with tomatoes. We made some BANGIN' salsa and now I'm going to embark on some more culinary adventures: stuffed tomatoes, stuffed green peppers, feta & tomato salad, & a PJ Strong/Eager special-- Rosa's Chicken and Rice!

We've done some WAY fun stuff with Ashlee & Craig- went to The Fray concert! It was really good-- definitely a fun night! And last week we had a hot dog/s'more cookout. It was like we were camping without all the work. I even sang camp songs to them. =)

The Davis County Fair is next week! It's going to be a lot of work, but I think it will be a lot of fun! Here's a pic of what I've been up to:

Yeah, I painted that. And yeah, that alligator is going to eat me.

I've been really enjoying The Eagles lately, so why don't you do yourself a favor and listen to "Desperado" or "New Kid In Town."

Looks Like We Made It After All...

2009-06-20T17:48:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow is our 1 year anniversary! And we are celebrating by celebrating Father's Day. =) It's crazy to think about all of the craziness that was going on this time 1 year ago. And now we have a different sort of craziness going on...which is less expensive and less time consuming. I like that!

We're getting ready to go to Wiseguys to see my papa perform! I'm excited cuz I haven't seen him perform in a long time. To all of you filled with jealousy- have no fear! He will be performing at the club in Trolley Square in July!

So recently I have been watching the old seasons of my fave show, One Tree Hill, and as always, listening to awesome music. I was thinking about the good feeling these things give me, and it just feels like they are my old friends. Which is why I often say, "My friend Janet" or why I cry while watching my friends and all their troubles in Tree Hill. It sounds good to me! Sometimes just the right song can cheer you up or explain exactly how you are feeling. It's a beautiful thing. And it's been interesting watching One Tree Hill now that I'm married. One of the couples gets married really young and it's interesting to watch their struggles and it just hits me to the core.

And I also love my real friends! =)

24!

2009-06-07T20:47:00.001-07:00

I am 24!!! Everytime i say "24" I think of Jack Bauer. =)

My birthday was quite a success! Josh did a wonderful job and gave me lots of surprises. Some highlights include:

a bike

Ticket To Ride (Europe!)

a barbecue

some cute clothes

We barbecued for the 1st time today, and I forsee us barbecuing a lot this summer!

Today's songs of the day are brought to you by my friend Janet Jackson:

All For You

Again

Together Again

Runaway
Son Of A Gun

If you don't know these songs...get to know them!

Three Coins In The Fountain

2009-05-28T20:20:00.000-07:00

First, I'd like to thank my dad for igniting my love of Frank Sinatra. Ol' Blue Eyes can brighten any moment.

Sometimes I wish I was still unemployed, because my goal while I was unemployed was to do a little soul searching. Well, I didn't really get too far on that! It's so weird because I'm graduated from college, I've had a grown-up job, I'm married, and I still feel like I'm growing up and learning about myself. But, I am only 23...so that's okay, right?

It's interesting how one can accomplish the aforementioned things, but still feel like a little girl in the big world. I wonder, how could I commit myself completely to one man, when I'm still trying to figure out who I am? Love is good and love is complex. I am grateful that I can love and grow simultaneously. =)

I have some major life experiences ahead of me. I've been so worried about what my reaction will be, that I'm kind of freezing up. My dear Josh gave me some smart advice, and from that, this is what I have learned:

LIVE YOUR LIFE!

If you're going to learn anything, you have to live. You have to give yourself the chance to be yourself. Experience is the proving ground... so I'm just going to let myself EXPERIENCE and FEEL. And see what happens!

Here's a fabulous piece of advice that I've carried with me: In high school, my friend and I went to see a play that our friends were in-- "The Laramie Project." I don't know if you know the story of Matthew Shepard, but that is what this play is all about. It was an amazing show; my friends weren't my friends, they were the characters. Both my friend and I were pretty emotional after it, but a lot of the people around us were not so much. We felt kind of weird, and I think we even cried about the play again in the car when her mom was driving us home. She turned around and she said to us, "Don't ever be embarrased to show that something touched you." And I was like, "YEAH!" And I've tried to live that ever since.

So, there's my to do list. =)

Song Recommendation:

"The Only Promise That Remains" Reba McEntire feat. Justin Timberlake

P.S. The highlight of the Taylor Swift concert was her song "You're Not Sorry" which she smooshed wth JT's "What Goes Around." It was bangin'!

Blogging It Up

2009-05-15T23:02:00.000-07:00

So, I guess this is like a second beginning to this blog o' mine. Or maybe the real beginning!
Life is good!

I have a new job! But this evening, I found myself missing The 23rd Floor. That was a great job and my girls were the best. We had a great time. The Davis County Fair is fab in it's own way, but I don't know if I'll ever have a job like The 23rd Floor again. But it's fine organizing entertainment and trying to find new stuff to put into the fair. And so far they like me and they think I'm doing a good job!

Josh is keepin' it real at POUNDCAKE'S! GO THERE! The food is great!!!

I just read The Lovely Bones and I highly recommend it! I couldn't put it down. Recently I've also read Revolutionary Road, The Secret Life of Bees, and The Reader. Do you know notice a theme here? All of these have been made into movies, and even the Lovely Bones is going to come out in theaters in December. Do I know how to pick 'em or what?

On that note Star Trek was GREAT! But I am sad that I forgot to wear my Star Trek shirt. Maybe I'll just wear it tomorrow for kicks. The movie is over 2 hours, but it just flew by, and I never found myself thinking "When is this gonna end?" That, my friends, is the sign of a great movie.
Now, I must indulge in my guilty pleasure: 90210.

"Loving you is easy cuz your beautiful..."

Drumroll...

2009-04-06T21:32:00.000-07:00

Here it is! The beginning!