Monopoly.

Do you want to play Monopoly with me? Because I'm totally up for it.

I don't know why I've always loved this game, but I have. CZ and I played a lot growing up, with whoever would play with us. Recently, I've encouraged a resurgence of this wonderful game.












You can read Sarah's detailed account of the above game.


In addition, I may have stayed up til 4am the other night playing Monopoly against pretend opponents on my phone. Crazy right? But I couldn't sleep. And I was TOTALLY winning.

Valentine's Day Love

Vday 2009 was lovely. Except for the fact that I had to take a tax test that Saturday... And except for the fact that later that night I spent a lot of time throwing up with the onset of the flu...

Ken and I tried a new restaurant in SLC and saw Taken (which was very good). Turns out we never took a photo, which may be due to the fact that I wasn't 100% on top of my game that night...

I baked an apple pie per Ken's specific request and requirements (apples chopped very small and prebaked, LOTS of French crumb topping, homemade everything, etc).

(See the cute DIY Apple Pie box project here on Twig & Thistle.
I had to slightly modify b/c my pies were French Apple instead of turnover style.
I'll post the recipe I used on In Our Mix soon...)

And he gifted me with homemade love all over the place.

















Ken had this apron designed and made for me by one of his classmates. What a wonderful surprise!


This was another exciting surprise. The week before vday I saw this post on Oh Happy Day describing a creative valentine. I immediately LOVED the idea and tried to think who I could commission such a valentine for. To my utter delight, a week later this valentine appeared in my mailbox, designed specifically for me. Ken told her (Aubrey Trinnaman photographer extraordinaire) the message to include and the fact that I love fresh flowers. She came up with the rest, staged the photo shoot, took the pictures, put together the finished product. Isn't that nice?

I don't normally post these types of details but I just don't want to ever forget how lucky and loved I've been over the last four years.

Oh Chad...

On Thursday, I was killing time in the Blue Line Deli of the Tanner building waiting for my car window to be replaced.

Chad Little came out of a classroom and asked if I wanted to participate in a photo shoot for Women of the School of Accountancy.

For the next couple hours, I sat in various classrooms and pretended to be listening intently to a professor while a photographer snapped away. It was hilarious. And just the kind of random thing I would expect to be involved in thanks to Chad (my old study abroad director from Asia in 2007).

I'll be sure to post links when the posters are finished and blown up life-size in the Wilk.

And next time I get the annoying question "Why are you so dressed up for school today?" I'll be able to honestly answer that you never know when you'll be summoned for a photo shoot!

What do I do?

Does anyone else feel like FOOD STORAGE is a buzz all around us these days?


It seems like everyone is getting their stores organized and ready.

I have my own theories of what sort of "disaster" would cause food storage to be necessary (more along the lines of mass inflation rather than mass flooding)...

I like the idea, the planning, the organization, the labeling, the spreadsheets, the recipes, etc... And I look forward to implementing a plan of my own.

But can I really have food storage, in my present life state? Should I fill my little bedroom with excess Costco goods, even though I will only live here for another 6 (or so) months? Or should I wait til I'm in a more settled state?

If a disaster struck tomorrow (not likely) I would be forced to turn to the goodwill of others (hello Wileys?) which isn't right.

But what IS right? Ahh I'm getting nervous...

Seriously?

Just my luck... Another car break-in, February 2009.

Remember how this happened to me in April 2008?

Yeah... completely annoying.

At least Jones Paint & Glass knows which kind of window to order for me.

What a let down...

During all the crazy sales at Resortation Hardware during Christmas, I happened upon this little gadget. Clip-on talking pedometer. The clerk said it was an employee favorite, the number one item they purchased in November. Hmm...


I have a strange fascination with pedometers, and the idea of keeping track of every single step you take in a day. It's like keeping precise and accurate financial records, except it's about your steps. Think about the spreadsheets that can be made from collecting that kind of data!!

I was sure to have santa stuff the gadget in my stocking and finally broke it out for its debut this past weekend. Through various test runs, it seemed like it would work great.

Imagine my distress when at 9pm, over 12 hours after affixing the pedometer to my waist, the talking pedometer loudly declared:

You have walked 153 steps.

Ahh so disappointing... I walk 153 steps from my room out to the car alone, there's no way that's a whole day's worth. So much for my dreams of a gadget that would help me reach my daily 10,000 step goal... Whatever.

Snippets from January

So I guess I've been busy...

This semester will be the busiest of my college career. Here are some of the things that make my life complete madness from Monday-Friday and complete exhaustion Saturday-Sunday.

• Two tax classes, Partnership and Advanced Individual


• Two undergrad classes, ManEc and Business Law (man I forgot how annoying those classes are...)


• Isaiah class - I really wanted to take it before I graduate


• Intro to Outdoor Recreation class. I know, crazy right? (see photo below) But I felt like trying some new things.


• TAing for two teachers which exceeds 20 hrs per week, even though it's not supposed to...


• VITA Lab manager (fortunately doing taxes has a strange way of bringing me so much joy)
  
  


• Pillars of the Earth. Completely addicting! 75% finished


• Hunting for a replacement bedroom chair (annoying and depressing..)


• Race training (SLC Half Marathon in April)

Each week starts as a spring. But being this busy feels good in a strange way. I feel organized and efficient. Which is good.

Here are a few photos that all could have/should have been complete posts about activities that occurred in January.

SLEDDING

SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL DESSERT GALA

SYMPHONY

SNOWY SUNDANCE DINNER DATE

SNOW SHOEING

This is actually a photo from the second activity of Outdoor Adventure class. Haley and I went snow shoeing last Wednesday with our class. If you want to know what shoe shoeing is like, imagine going for a hike, except through the snow. I have mixed feelings about it overall... However, playing snowshoe football is a lot of fun.

So here I am making an effort to return to blogging. Things are busy but with VITA begining there are sure to be lots of great stories to follow!!

Spotted: SLC Airport

During all my December travels, I found this beauty at the SLC airport.


After each trip I would return to the shop to check if the shirt was still available and again assess if the $34.99 was worth the great joke it would be to send the shirt to someone.


It never was.

I LONG TO BE AROUND YOU
(Dog extends to the backside)

What you may not be able to tell is that is a full length t-shirt, head to mid-calf, with sleeves extending down to the elbows. Really, no one should ever wear something like that to bed.

UNLESS the shirt was sent to you as a joke on your 30th birthday with your subscription to LDS Linkup. Then MAYBE it would be funny...