the real slim ady.

sorry all!

2012-01-25T18:35:00.000-08:00

sorry guys, i've been very busy lately with school, work, and trying to keep up another blog.

me and baby girl.

my lifeline these days.

greg helping mason celebrate his 21st birthday.

hungover.

we love j cam's.

my coffee maker broke, my back up pot is smaller than my mug.

two hours of class down, two to go.

yipee for sundance!

no yipee for driving home from park city in the snow.

design girls study date.

girls dinner.

2012-01-16T13:35:00.000-08:00

one of my work friends, britt, is moving away for a six months to the phillipines. to celebrate, we decided to all get together at our favorite restaurant eva on main street downtown for food and drinks. love these ladies.

what i've realized over the past year.

2012-01-12T22:02:00.000-08:00

a cat is a woman's best friend.
black and brown can be worn together after all.
living on a schedule keeps me sane.
at times, ignorance really is bliss.
all of my classmates from high school are engaged, married and/or have children.
i don't trust places that scan my credit card on an iphone.
there will always be at least one person in your life who you love to hate.

one thumb up.

2012-01-07T15:36:00.001-08:00

last week, i was chopping lettuce for our taco night when i took off the tip of my thumb with the kitchen knife. thanks to my brother and his girlfriend, we made it to the emergency room and back home quickly but i never realized until now how much i actually use that thumb.

my friend piper hurt hers a few weeks ago skiing as well so we were twins for awhile.

sketch: three sixty five.

2012-01-05T10:02:00.000-08:00

i decided that to start the new year off, i would start another blog where i would scan and post a new page in my sketchbook each day. i'd love for you all to check it out and follow if interested!
sketch: three sixty five.

remembering summer.

2011-12-29T16:54:00.000-08:00

it's not that i really don't like the cold, i do. but when it's the end of december in utah and we have had no snow, only cold, i begin to get a little antsy. and, i love winter fashion much more than summer, it's so fun to bundle. but i will admit, it does get a little inconvenient when you like to travel by bicycle or motorcycle. i hate wasting my money away on gas, plus, it's just not as much fun to drive in a car. so until it either dumps snow or decides to just go straight back to summer, i'll just sit here on my moto and pretend.

and a merry christmas it was!

2011-12-27T11:41:00.000-08:00

merry christmas!

2011-12-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

more presents are popping up by our tree each day and they look darling! i have had way too much fun making bows and the newspaper is making everything filthy but at least it looks cute. greg left for north carolina to visit his dad so the apartment has been lonely. fortunately, miss karen has been taking very good care of me. she has slept under the covers with me each night, something she never does. at 3 am the other morning, i even woke up to her grooming my eyebrows. silly little thing.

we will be heading up to my parents house first thing tomorrow morning to start our great big griswald christmas weekend. usually it's just my parents, myself, and my brother (and of course, the pets) but this year we are adding six more to the broad. my aunt, uncle and their two daughters, my best friend mason, and little miss zoey pup are all going to be a part of our christmas morning. should be different, but lots of fun.

before work today, i am watching home alone for probably the 25th time this year, while wrapping up the rest of the gifts and packing up the car. hoping everyone has a wonderful weekend and merry christmas!

christmas partyyyyy!

2011-12-16T18:09:00.000-08:00

you can't tell me these aren't the most beautiful group of girls you have ever seen. i love each and every one of them and had such a fabulous time at our christmas pre-party and party downtown.

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas around here. i was able to get a few gifts wrapped the other night, complete with homemade felt bows. and our mini christmas tree is constantly on, i just wish that we had the room to have a big tree. maybe next year!

holiday happiness.

2011-12-11T09:13:00.000-08:00

my finals are over. i couldn't be more relieved. although, it's hard to figure out what to do with my time now that every spare second that i have i don't have any homework to do. to celebrate the end of the semester, my design buddies and i decided to go to a delicious breakfast the other morning at the park cafe. it was great to spend time catching up and visiting, especially since one of them is heading off the bangladesh for the break.

i have decided that i will be spending the break, other than working, redoing projects to put in my portfolio. making those final tweaks to improve them after having some time in between turning them in and now. i've discovered that i'm not the kind of person that can just take advantage of having nothing to do and just sit and breathe. i'm a busy body. so for what is supposed to be a relaxing break, i will be hard at work.

last night we volunteered at the salt lake photo collective where they were hosting help portrait, a program where low income and homeless families can go get their christmas photos taken by professionals, also with hair and make-up and as many prints as they want, all for free. it was a great experience, i'm so happy that we were a part of it. the photo below is of the wall where each person or family could sign a photo and put it up for everyone to see.

out with the junk.

2011-12-04T16:50:00.000-08:00

i'm trying so hard during finals this time around to eat healthy. usually the only thing that keeps me going is junk. i found a great smoothie recipe on pinterest and could drink it all day!

1 1/2 cups orange juice
1 cup kale
1 cup baby spinach
1 banana
1 pear

just blend and serve! yummy!

well...crap.

2011-12-02T16:32:00.000-08:00

today, i think that i have a little case of the blues. i want it to snow, my pants are fitting a bit tight, and final projects are getting the best of me. so for a few minutes, i am just going to sit here, watch home alone, stare at my new steve maddens, and munch on some wheat thins and red pepper hummus. and my little karen is joining me.

it's about time for finals!

2011-11-28T19:17:00.000-08:00

our final project for typography is a 23x35 calendar for 2012 featuring only type. it can be any theme you choose. i chose to go for a vintage feel and wanted to create mine using all display faces from lost type co-op where i have found some of the most beautifully created typefaces of our time. i've put about 30 hours into this project so far and probably have about that many more to go before next tuesday. however, i must say that this could possibly be my favorite piece that i've ever done thus far. we will see next week!

cat stress.

2011-11-28T11:38:00.000-08:00

this morning started out very stressful. i had to take miss karen to the vet to get her annual vaccinations and it was anything but easy. she refuses to get in her crate so i carried her to the car where she dug her claws as far into my skin as possible and then once we got there she wouldn't get OUT of the car. the only way to get her in was to go buy a cardboard crate and she hopped right in that. so if anyone is in need of a nice, small crate, i have one that she refuses to use!

yesterday we had a nice family day out to celebrate my mom's birthday. we went to the bayleaf for lunch and mimosas and then went shopping. i can't wait for christmas!

the boys in my family are never too old for the toy crane.

my dad mocking my mom's tea cup.

gratefulness.

2011-11-26T18:05:00.000-08:00

i wasn't able to find the time before or on thanksgiving to post, but there are more things that i am thankful for than i can even think of off the top of my head. i have a supportive family, a stable income, an amazing boyfriend, a sweet kitty cat, wonderful friends, and the opportunity to be going to school to have more in the future.

we had two thanksgivings: one with each of our families. plenty of food was eaten on wednesday and thursday. and now it is time for the christmas countdown. not to mention, a very she & him christmas which greg has forced me to wait to listen to until after thanksgiving. yipee!

running on empty.

2011-11-21T10:11:00.000-08:00

the past week has been exhausting. i don't know what it is: the end of the semester coming up, working two jobs, trying to keep a clean apartment. it's to the point where no matter how many cups of coffee i have per day, two days ago i had six cups, i still hit a wall by 3 o'clock where i literally have to hold my eyes open. let's just hope that having a couple of days off, wednesday and thursday, for thanksgiving will help before the rush of black friday and the holiday season.

the perfect day.

2011-11-13T09:10:00.000-08:00

today, my day will consist of the following: leggings, sweaters, slippers, baking, homework, gossip girl, and coffee. sounds perfect to me.

it's heeeeeeere!

2011-11-06T09:09:00.000-08:00

i am so happy that the snow is here...kind of. it snowed yesterday morning and is supposed to again tonight but then will warm up again for a week or so. i wish it was here to stay right now though. i love layering and cuddling up. yipee!

fun, side design projects.

2011-11-01T16:41:00.000-07:00

lately i have been working hard on a few small projects on the side of school for a friend's band. it's not only a fun project but also a good break from the projects in school. it gives me a lot more freedom to do whatever i want. here are the couple that are done. i'd love to hear what anyone thinks.

one of those days.

2011-10-27T18:06:00.000-07:00

that is all that i can do say to sum up my day. with what is supposed to be a good, fun halloween weekend ahead, i can't see past everything else that is weighing on my mind. the twenty page graphic standards manual that i have to have completed by monday morning, the several projects that i have given in to and agreed to do for free even though i know that i shouldn't, the apartment that is in desperate need of a deep clean, and the relationship that i just can't seem to communicate how i feel.

i think that it is time to curl up with a good beer and watch a good movie.

i love my job.

2011-10-23T16:44:00.000-07:00

yes, i said it. i work with the greatest girls and we have an immense amount of fun. you could of probably already guessed that from our pictures from the toms event. afterward that night, we all had a great night out together with new friends from falling whistles but our fun never ends. last week we had a fabulous meeting, complete with wine and denim lessons. you can't imagine how much there is to know about levi strauss! and even on a regular day we make the best out of being at work. miss maeve even makes pig masks out of toms shoe inserts. love you girlies!

my friend, britt, introduced me to pinterest a couple of weeks ago and i will admit it, i'm addicted now. i have found so many good recipes, DIYs, and fashion ideas that i can not wait to make. but before i can do any of those, i have to finalize a huge design project for school. it's taking every second of my time but i am hoping that in the end, after all of the hard work, that i will have a great piece to put in my portfolio.

i am however, going to put aside my school work for a couple of hours tonight to make delicious oreo cheesecake bites. i haven't made them before so let's cross our fingers that they turn out amazing. for the recipe click here.

two distractions in my life.

2011-10-20T13:46:00.000-07:00

at the beginning of each week, i sit down with my planner and i write down my exact schedule for each day and then a to-do list as well. you would think that doing so would mean that i am very productive. however, there are two big problems to that. a boyfriend and a cat. both of which i would much rather be hanging out with than crossing things off of my list. i better get better at spending time with them and being productive at the same time, but they are too cute to not get my full attention.


this little stinker is always stealing my pens and pencils.

style your soles.

2011-10-15T19:27:00.000-07:00

today jmr and toms joined together for the "style your soles" event. as you probably already know, for every pair of toms shoes sold, a pair is given to a child in need. a couple times a year we put on an event with toms to promote the shoes and their wonderful purpose. today we had shoe painting, a live band, food, and all kinds of fun. we love toms!

britt, marissa, hanna, bowie, and piper.

cute cookies.

our beautiful jacqueline and her puppy, bowie.

love of my life, miss hanna.

bowie loves toms too!


and the wonderful madison.

roommate reunion.

2011-10-12T20:08:00.000-07:00

i got lucky my freshman year of college when i was paired up with three other random girls to room with and we ended up all being best friends. it's hard to believe that we went from spending every day together to seeing each other every six months. then again, we all went separate ways and took different paths after that year. it was great to get together for a quick lunch this week with these pretty girls.

love you, my darlings!

cold times ahead.

2011-10-09T12:18:00.000-07:00

the first of this week began at ninety-one degrees. it ended at fifty-nine. huge difference! but i am enjoying every minute of it. today i even changed out my summer clothes for my sweaters and jackets in my closet. i also pulled out more blankets for us to wrap up in and i'm on my way to the kitchen to bake brownies. our oven heats this place up like you wouldn't believe!

baby girl loves my shoe boxes.

a visit to mom and dad's and a cuddle with the pups.

mama and i went through childhood toys all day.

baby jetty.

a warm, nice dinner on a cozy saturday night.

polaroids.

2011-10-04T09:56:00.000-07:00

here are some polaroid shots of us getting ready for greg's show.

what i want.

2011-10-02T21:29:00.000-07:00

it's one of those days.

someone to do my dishes for me for one week. maybe then i'll miss it.
a massage.
these pretty little gems. anthropologie cleary heels.
a good book to read.
the time to read that good book.
a girl friend with a motorcycle to ride around town with.
a trip to the mac store, i am in desperate need of fall make up.
to not trip on my maxi skirt when i walk up the stairs.

chilly days are around the corner.

2011-10-02T16:17:00.000-07:00

this has been quite the lazy sunday. don't get me wrong, i'm not complaining. i have been sick since friday so this is best for me. the last few nights all that greg and i have done is have sons of anarchy marathons. we watched all of the seasons that are available on netflix a few months ago so we decided to rewatch them, i can't get enough of that show.

today i at least got up and cleaned up the house. greg's family is visiting tomorrow night so i want the place to look nice. greg spent the day watching breaking bad and leatherworking. he is almost done with another motorcycle seat, and getting closer everyday to finishing another motorcycle. i can't wait for it to be done so i will finally have someone to ride around with.

this next week we are finally supposed to see the first of the fall weather. i can't wait. i know that most people look forward to summer coming, but i am not one of those. i love the cold. i love to bundle up in thick sweaters, leggings, boots, and scarves, buy a coffee, and do homework in the library. awww, that is something that i just can't seem to wait any longer for. it's almost here!

not enough time in a day.

2011-09-25T07:44:00.000-07:00

there are a million things that i want to do today. i really want to deep clean my house. but i have a project to finalize. and a work meeting. and grocery shopping. and my brother's birthday dinner. and there's a great local band playing tonight. blah blah blah. there's just not enough time in my day, or even in my weekend. so for now, i'll sit and relax, sip my coffee, and eat this amazing sunday breakfast of fresh peaches and granola.

contra.

2011-09-19T16:42:00.000-07:00

greg had his first gallery show on friday night of his photographs. after a lot of hard work, he pulled it off well. so proud of that boy. if anyone in the slc area would like to check it out, it will be up until the middle of october at saans photography gallery on 200 east and broadway. i will be putting up our photos of getting the show ready but until then, here's this one of opening night.

birthday weekend.

2011-09-12T15:54:00.000-07:00

my boys.

bar hopping in salt lake.

first legal beer.

hahaha, late night at the bayleaf.

birthday breakfast.

majorly bruised toe, ouch.

i love my family and friends. and it feels good to be twenty one. that's all.

birthday weekend begins...now!

2011-09-09T07:10:00.000-07:00

but birthday week has already been a good one. mason gave me my birthday present from him a few days early...willie nelson tickets! the show was on tuesday night. we had such a great time, listened to the best music, hung out with his family and friends. they all went to willie last year when he played at red butte gardens and they said that this show was a thousand times better, so glad that i caught the good one!

this weekend the plans are to go to brewvies tonight and see our idiot brother. i caught it already at the sundance film festival earlier this year but i can't wait to see it again. tomorrow night we are thinking of having a small get together at our place and sunday it's eva for dinner with my parents and then heading out bar hopping. yipee!

one hundred and thirty two miles!

2011-09-06T07:42:00.000-07:00

we went on our first long motorcycle ride this weekend, round trip 132 miles! i was so nervous but it ended up being the time of our lives. we headed up to causey reservoir on sunday morning. we ended up going without our friends because we couldn't get a hold of them. after a long ride up, we took a nap under some trees in the middle of nowhere and we were woken up to tres and katie, our friends, standing above us. we couldn't believe that they had found us out there. we set up camp and hung out for the rest of the night, it was so much fun. i love those two. the ride home was amazing as well, minus the sunburn that i acquired after three straight days in the sun!

our campsite. the motos and the vanagon, perfect!

katie, she's such a sweetie.

cruising around in the van.

cutest couple ever.

weekend adventures.

2011-08-30T08:36:00.000-07:00

my baby girl broke down after dinner the other night, greg had to walk her home but good news is, she's fixed already!

we went to tres and katie's new house for a barbeque the other night. it was fabulous. they have a weird tree that grows these pods on it that are huge and katie and i tried eating one. they taste just like snap peas but five times the size.

craig and greg.

the three blondes at work. love these girls.

we went to my parents house for dinner on sunday and the boys attempted fixing these tiny bmx bikes that they found in the shed. it was pretty cute.

round three.

2011-08-26T15:48:00.000-07:00

i'm a junior! more than half way done. this semester started on monday and what a fabulous week it has been. my new batch of classes are great, very insightful. i'm taking third year graphic problems, typography (my favorite!), wheelthrown pottery, and an anthropology class. pottery is already harder than i expected but hopefully i can get some cool new coffee mugs out of the experience.

tuesday night was our zine exchange meeting. our summer project was to make a zine. it could be any subject matter, absolutely anything that you wanted. i did mine on the different styles of underwear that we go through during our lives, it turned out cute and quite funny if i may say so myself. i love my new collection of everybody's. they are great! and i couldn't help but put this picture of my friend, piper, at the exchange wearing my motorcycle helmet and goggles. she's such a cutie pie.

we are ready for winter around here. it's too hot. and having long hair this summer has made me realize that it easily adds an extra ten degrees or so, not good! plus, i have already bought some great new clothes for winter and it's so incredibly hard not to wear them!

tonight we are headed to 9th & 9th to fresh for bike sprints and an art show that should be amazing. cj fishburn from cathedral tattoo has put together some cool pieces for the show, i can't wait to see. we might also head over to kilby court afterwards to see our friends YYBS play, everyone should join!

little miss karen is one.

2011-08-21T22:22:00.000-07:00

yes, we had a mini birthday party for the cat. she's like a human in this house. she got a new toy and a birthday hat, which she really didn't like to wear. at one point she shook it off of her head and ran around the house frantically with it tied around her neck. silly kitty.

it's funny what we will all do for our pets.

being one of the boys.

2011-08-16T13:52:00.000-07:00

my attempt was going with greg and his friend cal to a motorcycle party the other night. we rode together on my moto, saw some extremely cool ones there, had some good food and beers in good company. i love watching how enthralled the boys get with the motorcycles, it's cute.

alright, alright, i admit...

2011-08-15T08:11:00.000-07:00

i'm ready for school to start. that's right, i said it. i need something to occupy my mind, plus, that means air conditioning all day in class. this 100 degree heat in this apartment with only ceiling fans is starting to get to me. it's impossible to cook anything in my kitchen without feeling like you are cooking yourself. please winter, come soon. and please readers, don't kill me for saying that.

hellooooo salt lake cityyyyyy!

2011-08-13T18:00:00.000-07:00

it's nice to be home! driving thirty-two hours in only five days is a little much. greg is a trooper with driving though, i'm the one that whines because i'm tired.

we slept in the car in boise, idaho the first night and then traveled the rest of the way to portland the next morning. i was so happy to see my best pal and her new hubby. we drank mimosas, went to a food cart court, and rode bicycles. the next day greg and i went to the coast, it was beautiful. that night we went to portland city grill for sushi. it's on the thirtieth story of the tallest building in portland, great view!

greg and tux.

this was the bathroom key in a small, creepy gas station on the way to the coast.

barnicles.

the next morning we headed to blaine, washington, where greg's great-grandmother and aunt and uncle live. his grandma was also in town so it was very nice to finally meet them all. on the way i picked up the best of the cranberries CD thinking that greg would enjoy it...he hated the cranberries! we had a great time with the family, they are amazing people! they have a farm where they grow flowers that the sell to florists, it was fabulous to see. so beautiful! and his aunt is a great cook! she made me want to get back into cooking so today i went to the grocery store and bought a bunch of new things and i think i will make pasta tonight!

we're moved!

2011-08-03T12:03:00.000-07:00

the u-haul.

first night in the new apartment.

greg hung the hammock on the balcony first thing.

enjoying my coffee after a jackhammer woke me up at 7:30 on sunday. oh the joys of living in the city.

glad that it's a new day.

2011-07-28T08:32:00.000-07:00

i'm not usually one to say that everything seems to go wrong, i stay pretty optimistic most of the time. but yesterday, oh yesterday, i just couldn't do it. thank goodness for best friends like mine. mason joined us last night for a couple beers and my homemade french bread pizza. he's the one that i can always count on to listen while i bitch, giving me a shoulder to cry on, and to cheer me up.

and did you notice how bare my house is starting to look?! 4 MORE DAYS!

oh, and...edward sharpe & the magnetic zeros tonight, i can't wait!

it's moving week!

2011-07-24T09:20:00.000-07:00

downtown salt lake city, here we come! i feel like the past week has just dragged on and on because of how excited i am! i did some shopping, bought some new things for the new place. i packed quite a few boxes but there are still many to come. kitty doesn't like this, she is a little bit freaked out. i'm sure she will like the new place, it's just that this house is all that she has ever known.

another exciting day of the week will be thursday. edward sharpe & the magnetic zeros are playing at the twilight concert series in the park that night. love them! greg and i hate dealing with people lately though so our plan for the rest of the shows are to go to dinner at ekamai, the thai restaurant across the street, and just sit out on their patio and listen. delicious food, no crowd!

coffee in the morning.

beer at night.

story of my life.

the final straw.

2011-07-22T07:58:00.000-07:00

the last few days i have had the hardest time trying to keep a smile on my face and a good attitude. there's so much to do and so little time to do it. on wednesday while i was at work, i bent down and my brand new citizens of humanity jeans ripped a hole in the knee. it was the final straw. today i woke up and decided that no matter how many things are on my plate today and this weekend, i am going to do better at keeping a good attitude. i can do this, i can do this.

overwhelmed, i'm finally admitting it.

2011-07-19T10:43:00.000-07:00

as i sit here this morning, sipping my coffee, i can't help but think of my to-do list for the next couple of weeks. i will finally admit, i am a bit overwhelmed. two jobs, summer classes, moving, and several design projects. when am i going to have the time to get it all done? i guess that it is time for a strict schedule that i must follow this time. my friend piper and i always discuss at work how we write a schedule for ourselves and by the third task, it's already off. oh, life.

now back to that coffee.

downtown from behind.

2011-07-18T21:51:00.000-07:00

i ran across this fabulous site tonight. all of you bike lovers should check it out!

downtown from behind.
photo credit: downtownfrombehind

mmmmm.

2011-07-18T17:00:00.000-07:00

this is my everyday-before-work routine. i stop and grab a yogurt parfait and my coffee because i am so terrible about grocery shopping over the past few months. i couldn't even tell you the last time that i actually went and got more than just the things to make dinner that night.

we have begun packing. you can't imagine how antsy i am for a change. i cannot wait to move into the new apartment. it was two weeks from yesterday so the countdown is ON! i'm going to take a trip down to ikea tomorrow and do a little shopping, as well as hitting a few thrift shops on the way, which will not help with the antsy-ness that i'm experiencing. here's my list of things to collect in the next couple of weeks for the new place:

tv trays
salt and pepper grinders
coffee mugs
table and chairs for the balcony
frames

and maybe once we get moved in i will finally go on a huge grocery shopping spree. i hope so.

a beautiful thursday.

2011-07-14T10:04:00.000-07:00

you guys cannot imagine how long it has been since i curled my hair. the other day i decided to try it now that my hair is getting so long. surprisingly, i liked it.

today is my day off but i have so many things that i want to do that it doesn't feel like a day off at all. i got up early and mowed the lawn and weeded the garden. it looks a thousand times better. i am now sitting here drinking my coffee and watching 'the fugitive' because it was what was left in my dvd player. i must say, that harrison ford is sure an attractive man!

i feel like summer has finally started for me. it's a little late, i know. but the past week we have gone out downtown multiple nights, rode our bicycles, and enjoyed hanging out with friends and family.
tonight is the first of the summer twilight concert series that they do here in salt lake city. each year they have a great line-up of fun bands and every show is free. tonight is explosions in the sky, so excited. the only other one that i'm going to put up a stink about getting work off is edward sharpe & the magnetic zeros. i wouldn't miss that one for the world. have a great day!

spiral jetty.

2011-07-11T18:40:00.000-07:00

we ventured out to spiral jetty yesterday for a fun little sunday. greg underestimated how far it really was, causing me to freak out once we were in the middle of nowhere with only 1/4 of a tank of gas left. i was sure that we would run out, luckily we made it to a gas station before that happened.

spiral jetty was under water, unfortunately. however, you can see where it is because the water is only a couple of feet deep. greg and keilian brought their swimsuits so they went out and walked/swam around it.

back to life.

2011-07-06T08:37:00.000-07:00

we had a wonderfully relaxing time hanging out with family and friends in st. george, utah for the holiday weekend. here are some snapshots.


baby girl climbed in my suitcase, we ended up having to take her.


super photographer with his darkcloth worn as a cape, running around the desert.


our day at the pool.


greg's hilarious sunburn because of that day at the pool.

on our way to polygamist country, so interesting.

we got to hang out with matt, oh how i miss him.

we took the long way home so we could stop in zions.

happy fourth of july!

2011-07-04T09:36:00.000-07:00

we are in southern utah for the fourth of july weekend. the last few days it has been 114 degrees so it's impossible to walk outside without wanting to strip down to your undies. we went to the pool yesterday, which was a good relief. that is, until we got home and realized greg's sunburn. somehow he managed to get my handprints on his shoulders and a speckled chest. it's quite hilarious, but he doesn't think so.

today we are going for a drive before the fireworks tonight. it should be a fun day! happy 4th of july everyone!

success!

2011-06-27T22:31:00.000-07:00

cherry tomato numero uno was ready to pick today! a lot of my garden failed, bummer deal. but i'm glad that i still have tomatoes and peppers. we will see how they all turn out.

this past weekend was the utah arts festival. it was lots of fun, although very hot outside. favorites of mine included shawn harris and the one and only salt lake local artist, leia bell. my parents came down, met greg and i there, and we were able to enjoy the day together. <3

family time.

2011-06-22T10:41:00.000-07:00

yesterday i went home to my parent's house and hung out for the day. it was a great, relaxing day. my mom took my brother and i out to lunch and after that my best friend, mason, joined us in the backyard for coffee. we chit-chatted all day until we realized that we had been sitting there for five hours and we decided to finally be productive!

i'm going to make granola today. i ran out and ate store bought granola this morning with my yogurt and it just wasn't the same. so far i'm on the third batch. yum yum!

oh, daddy-o.

2011-06-20T21:58:00.000-07:00

i didn't get time yesterday between work, homework, and our father's day celebration to post anything and i really would like to take a minute to tell you about my amazing father. my dad came into my life when i was somewhere around a year old. ever since he has taken me in as his own and given me every ounce of love he ever possibly could. not many other men in this world could do all that he has done for their children. he does everything that he can do to support his family and he always has. my relationship with both of my parents is one that you don't come across very often but with my dad, it's super special. i feel like we are the same person sometimes. we think alike, we act alike, we talk alike. our personalities are so similar that we can relate to each other so well. i'm so thankful for this amazing man to be in my life. love you dad.

young yet brilliant sleuths.

2011-06-15T10:09:00.000-07:00

i recently was asked to design some things for a friend's band here in salt lake, YYBS. it was so much fun to get the freedom to do whatever i wanted with it and i ended up loving my result. i hope to someday be able to design mostly by hand. i love to draw and doodle and i feel that handdrawn design is so much more personal and interesting most of the time. here's the design, hope you guys like it!

these guys are great. and if you'd like, check out their music here.

widdle bruder.

2011-06-14T08:33:00.000-07:00

my brother has come down and stayed quite a few times lately. he's moving in with greg and i next month. it should be quite an adventure for him. he'll be starting college, moving out of our parents home, and starting a whole new life here in salt lake. i remember how scared i was and how hard of a transition it was. i'm hoping that for him it will be a lot easier because he'll be living with us and not some 5x5 dorm like i did.

we think that we have found the perfect apartment downtown. i'm crossing my fingers that we get it. if so, we will have a balcony and wood floors. sounds so fabulous! i cannot wait.

one for one.

2011-06-08T21:32:00.000-07:00

after working at a store that sells toms shoes, i'm not going to lie, somedays i don't want to ever see another pair of them. but then i quickly remind myself of how amazing the entire concept of them really is. after weeks of having this "mystery box" in the store, we finally got to find out what was in it yesterday. if you don't already know the story, it's a new one-for-one product that isn't shoes and nobody was told until yesterday what the product was. it turned out to be eyewear. watching this video that was featured on toms website makes me teary eyed every time. i encourage everyone to watch it and learn the importance of the new product.

watch blake open the mystery box!

cool cat.

2011-06-07T17:23:00.000-07:00

i've been so busy the past few weeks which has resulted in not so many blog posts. working two jobs and going to summer school keeps you busy. luckily, i have today off and it has been very relaxing. now we are going to head out for a little motorcycle ride.

something new.

2011-06-01T20:52:00.000-07:00

guys, i got a motorcycle! it's adorable! i can't wait to zoom around downtown all summer on it. i'm still learning how to ride it though. to this day, i can't drive a manual car. so this is a big deal to me. but i'm sure i'll figure it out, with much support from greg. he's surprisingly had a lot more patience with me than usual. when he tried to teach me to drive his truck a year ago while we were on a trip to southern utah i almost ran over some little kids soccer ball while trying to stop. i never thought i'd hear the end of that one. this experience seems to be going much smoother!

i have a sweet tooth.

2011-05-25T17:37:00.000-07:00

the last few days have been filled with yummy treats. i'm not usually one for sweets but for some reason, i can't seem to help myself lately. last night, my friend evy and i went to millie's down the street in sugarhouse and had fried mushrooms and banana cream pie shakes. weird combination, i know, but it was scrumptious.

and today greg and i went on a little adventure to take photographs for an assignment that he has due next week. we had to go outside of the city to find the subject matter that he wanted which was planned neighborhoods and related subjects. on our way home, i spotted a cute little cupcake shop called the sweet tooth fairy and i got a few delicious cakebites.

and a kiss for good luck!

2011-05-23T12:05:00.000-07:00

my little brother graduated on friday night. it was a fabulous weekend to spend with family and friends in celebration. i wish that i would've snapped a quick photo of the present i gave him but it slipped my mind, i got him a giant coffee mug. what else do you really need for college? congratulations keil!

i want some ice cream.

2011-05-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

my roommate and cousin, tiffany, and i got a much needed day yesterday to spend together. our busy schedules don't allow us to do that very often. i thought that these two photos from our walk were hilarious, we both pose exactly the same.

after such a beautiful day yesterday, it's hard to accept that it will be raining for the next three days. the good thing about that is that i get so much more done on rainy days. greg and i never got our milkshakes yesterday so i'll make him go tonight. they still sound amazing.

the first barbeque of the summer.

2011-05-21T09:48:00.000-07:00

my plans for today are as follows:
enjoy my coffee, it's my favorite part of each day.
open the blinds, the sun is finally shining.
write in my new planner, time to organize my time.
start some designs for a friend's band, i can't wait to put my ideas on paper.
plant my garden, hopefully it won't freeze.
read my book on the deck, possibly get a tan while i'm at it.
celebrate my brother's graduation with family and friends, not to mention food.
and i'd love to get a delicious shake with my boo, probably banana cream.

homeward bound.

2011-05-20T08:34:00.000-07:00

i'm headed home on the train here in a couple of hours. my little brother is graduating from high school tonight. i can't believe it. it will be great to go watch and i'm so excited to see the alumni from my graduating class, most of which i haven't seen since the night we graduated exactly, two years ago tonight. it's so amazing to have so many close friends after going to a small, tight-knit school. my graduating class was thirty-two but the school has grown a wee bit and tonight there will be forty-something graduates. congratulations layton christian academy class of 2011!

it's still rainy here, it has been all week. tomorrow we are finally supposed to have a break for a couple of hours. i started a new job working retail this week. so far, it's been a blast. i love the girls i work with and the clothing is fabulous. when i applied, i decided that if i got the job, the money that i made would pretty much be spent there since it's a second job. i can't wait to have a new wardrobe for the summer and fall.

i need to find a new planner today. i want my life to be organized again. i always do so well for a while then i start to slack and now i'm here-there-and-everywhere. i think i'll go look for one on my way to the train so i can plan out my summer on the ride. i also want to find some time today to read a good chunk of my book.

happy friday!

rain, rain, go away.

2011-05-17T09:19:00.000-07:00

this morning i am laying in my comfy bed, drinking my coffee, and listening to the rain outside. my last post i was talking about how warm and summer-like it was and now it's back to cold and pouring buckets. most of the time i don't complain about rain, i actually quite like it, but i would love to be able to ride my bike without worrying about looking like a drown rat by the time i reached my destination.

i feel like today will be a productive one. i started cleaning last night, got the bathroom and my closet all done. today, it's time for my bedroom. i'm also going to look at a cute new apartment downtown later today. i'm getting a little bit antsy, i want a change. and a new apartment would be just fabulous. soon, i hope. soon.

the sun if finally out...

2011-05-13T10:18:00.000-07:00

here in salt lake city. it's supposed to be eighty degrees today. yesterday, i rode bikes with a new friend to millie's for milkshakes and banana splits. i now have my first sunburn of the year. yuck.

i spent last night outside reading a great new book. cheese monkeys was written by designer and author, chip kidd. the book is about a young kid that decides to go to college for art and describes his experiences during his freshman year. the entire time that i've read it so far, i just have to giggle to myself. everything described by him sounds exactly what going to art school here is like. the grungy art building, the charismatic students, and the attitude towards the architecture students on the opposite side of our building. oh, the life.

i received fabulous news on tuesday evening. my letter from the graphic design professors had come in the mail after what felt like a lifetime. i will be able to continue in our program for the next two years until graduation! now that the burden has been lifted, it's time for me to start enjoying my summer.

diva kitty.

2011-05-11T08:20:00.000-07:00

my wonderful friend, piper, gave miss karen that name one day when she was over at our house. karen is the queen of this house. she prances around without a care in the world and keeps us all in check with her diva-like attitude. she helps me load the dishwasher, do my work, and loves hiding behind piles of clean laundry (as you can see). i'm a crazy cat lady in training.

mama mia!

2011-05-08T19:46:00.000-07:00

first things first, happy mother's day to all!

second of all, let me tell you about my mama. my mom brought me into this world when she was just a young'in, almost four years younger than i am now. no, i can't even begin to imagine how she did it. after having me, she would get up early every morning, get ready, get me ready, go to school, go to work, and then come home every night to take care of me. here i am getting to enjoy college, sleep in on weekends, and hang out with whoever i want, whenever i want. by the time she was my age she had two young children, a husband, a house, a job, and school. and here i sit each night, complaining about how long school felt that day and how bad so-and-so pissed me off. she had a lot more on her plate than that. and throughout my life, through every idiotic boyfriend that i have brought home and through every embarrassing ensemble that i wore in public with her, she has continued to claim me as her daughter. sorry about all of that mom, i love you more than my luggage.

and now, my thoughts on this rainy day. i went home to my parent's house yesterday to spend the night and be with my family on for the holiday. after everyone went to bed last night and i had gone down to my bedroom, i pulled out a box full of my old purses from under my bed. i brought the ones that i thought i'd use back to my house today and as i was putting them away, i realized two were 1970's suitcases that i had bought at an antique store and three of them were old purses that i had picked up at a yard sale in dillon, montana. none of which i had used much at all since purchasing them. and now, seven years later, i appreciate them. back then i bought them because it was cool to buy old stuff. now i will use them because they are me. i love that i now have five additions to my closet that i had hiding for the past few years. it's like christmas.

so much time, so little to do.

2011-05-05T15:40:00.000-07:00

today was my mother's day tea party. it turned out very cute and everyone had a good time.

today was also the first day of summer for those of us that finished finals yesterday. it feels strange, yet oh so nice, to have nothing to do. i think i'll head outside and read my book in the sun, possibly take a spin on my bike, and get out all of my summer shoes. yay, it's about time.

catch my drift.

2011-05-04T14:17:00.000-07:00

it was a good consignment shop hop this week.

gorgeous glasses.

fabulous 1950's package design.

vintage sewing basket and supplies for my mama.

hang in there.

2011-05-02T12:56:00.000-07:00

two more days of studying and i will be done. oh summer, i can't wait.

airplane.

2011-04-30T16:26:00.000-07:00

best picture of us ever. <3

the storm is over.

2011-04-29T11:03:00.000-07:00

today i am feeling amazing. i'm sitting here on my back deck drinking my coffee without a list of things that i have to get done on my mind. granted, i still have two finals next week but with the play and my final projects over, i can't help but finally take a little bit of time for myself. the play went perfectly, the kids were amazing. i don't have many photos yet but here's one. it's blurry but it's with my two favorite children, adrianna and sebastian. they will forever hold a special place in my heart.

my best friend and roommate, matt, moved on wednesday night back to st. george. it's going to be really strange for awhile without him around. he's going to get really annoyed really fast with me texting him and sending him pictures of all the things he's missing out on. it's my plan to make him move back. he told me that we can't live together until we are forty, i guess he's right. someone new is moving in tomorrow. it will be an adventure, that's for sure.

i'm not too into this "royal wedding" chaos. i wouldn't get up in the middle of the night for my own wedding, let alone to watch someone else's. but after seeing a few photos this morning, i must say that kate's dress was gorgeous. nice choice.

happy friday!

my favorite wake up call.

2011-04-27T06:44:00.000-07:00

this morning i woke up at seven with oh so much to do and get ready for before the play tonight (yay, we are almost there!) but miss "diva kitty", as my friends now call her, beat me to it. she was already up, staring at me from my homework. she's like my little assistant. <3

a case of the monday's.

2011-04-25T17:09:00.000-07:00

i know, i know, that phrase is ridiculous and only makes most people's monday moods worse than they already were. but i can't help it this week. it's going to be a tough one. wrapping up those final touches on projects, studying for exams, writing essays, and the play on wednesday night have me going crazy. i just keep reminding myself that after next week, this is all over for four whole months. oh how nice it will be to enjoy the beauty of design and art again because i want to and not because i have to. i can't wait to sit out on my deck and get a tan, read a good book, and sip on lemonade all day. awww, perfection.

hope everyone had an amazing easter, i know i did. it was great to take a few hours out of such a busy schedule to spend with my family.

greg's first easter egg hunt.

my dad and greg playing with the yo-yo's that were in our easter baskets.

my parents are getting new patio furniture so they gave me their old lounge chairs. matt and greg liked the new ones so much that they decided these old chairs could go in the tree instead. silly boys.

happy friday.

2011-04-22T16:27:00.000-07:00

we all gathered in my living room today for a tea party and to do all of our homework. we started at 9 o'clock and thought we'd for sure be done by early afternoon. we finally threw in the towel at 4. oh finals, i can't wait for you to be over with.

it all catches up to you in the end.

2011-04-21T06:37:00.000-07:00

this weekend is going to be crazy. next week all final projects are due, an essay, and the play with the kids from neighborhood house on wednesday night. my weekend will be filled with homework and finally memorizing my lines for the play (way to wait until the last minute). and just like everyone else at the end of every semester, i'm wishing that i wouldn't of waited until now to start these. on a positive note, my friends are coming over tomorrow morning for a tea party/homework sesh, can't wait. we figured that maybe if we all got in the zone together that we could crank out some good stuff.

i think i need to get out on my bike today. it's been a rainy week so far but i'm hoping to be able to get out today. but without that to relieve my stress, i have turned to my new jacuzzi bathtub. wow, it's amazing. i have a feeling i will be spending a lot of my time in there this weekend!

as much as i'm going to miss the children at neighborhood house once the school year and the play are over, it will be nice for a break. i would love to get to volunteer there over the summer still and i'm going to try. without the stress of putting a play together, i can't imagine how much fun we'd have down there. there are two children in particular that just melt my heart, adrianna and sebastian (and it's not because we have our name in common!) they are brother and sister and they are the biggest sweethearts. i'm pretty sure that sebastian will be breaking girls' hearts left and right within a few years. he's a charmer. and yes, i'll admit, it's fun to have someone with the same name as me. that's something that i've never known my entire life. i remember growing up and wishing i had a common name, now i wouldn't trade it for anything.

yesterday i had the funniest epiphany. i was in the art building on campus and i held the door open for a girl that was a ways behind me but i knew she was coming that way. after she came through the doorway she said, "thank you, i hope you have a fabulous day!" in the most chipper voice i've ever heard. and at first i was thinking, "hmmm, you don't hear something like that on a normal basis." and then as i continued to walk i realized that we all think that it's bizarre if someone has something abnormally nice and considerate to say. why is that? shouldn't we be THRILLED that a stranger is being friendly? and instead we think it's strange. hmmmm.

a pleasant day off.

2011-04-12T17:07:00.000-07:00

it was a gorgeous day outside. it was supposed to rain all day but fortunately, i got my wish of some sun so that i could ride around town. matt taught karen how to longboard this morning then we headed to sugarhouse coffee for some brainstorming for my next school project. back to school tomorrow, 5 more days of class!

oh, monday.

2011-04-11T16:27:00.000-07:00

this past weekend started fabulously. my friends from class, piper, raisa, and emily, all gathered at my house to watch alfred hitchcock's 'psycho'. we discussed the film a few weeks ago in our graphic design history class and had been talking about watching it ever since. it was so much fun to make it happen.

greg and i decided to catch the new movie 'arthur' friday night. despite the bad reviews, i think everyone should give it a chance. it's hilarious. we went out after with some friends for a few drinks. i feel like we don't go out much anymore so once in awhile it is nice to.

the countdown is on: five more days of class over three weeks and i'm done for the semester! i love my major and all that we learn in it but it will definitely be nice for a little break. i have so many things that i hope to get done during the summer since i will finally have some extra time. i just need to make sure that i really make those things happen and have a productive summer, unlike last year.

but until this time comes, i still have two more final projects, a final paper, and a final exam. not to mention the final play with the children from neighborhood house. so far, we are on track with it. although i must admit, i don't know my lines too well so it looks like i should probably focus on those soon. this week we will be making the children's costumes. that is always a fun, messy, and interesting process! i love my job, i surely do.

the perfect space.

2011-04-03T19:43:00.000-07:00

i went home today to visit with my family. it was nice to be home, and to have a great dinner that i didn't have to cook myself. i also had to work on homework but it's almost easier to do it there than my house. when i'm in salt lake, i always get distracted by roommates or cleaning up around the house. my mom has the perfect art room that i can just sit and get things done in and everything that i could possibly need is right there around me.

it's time for a tea party.

2011-04-01T17:20:00.001-07:00

i saw these while with my mama at a consignment shop in sugarhouse and i had to get the set. so anyone that would like to plan a tea party at my house anytime soon, i'd love to!

happy april fool's day!

2011-04-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

i hate this holiday. it's probably best that i just don't talk to anyone all day so they don't confuse me with their silly antics.

it has been a beautiful last two days here in salt lake city. gorgeous! yesterday got up to seventy-four degrees and today is supposed to be close to that. i'm so happy that i don't have a ton of homework this weekend so i can go out and enjoy it. yesterday i spent most of the day hanging out with tiffany, my roommate and cousin. we rode our bikes around sugarhouse and made a stop at millie's for burgers and shakes last night. i love girl time, it is always much needed.

this morning greg and i woke up and rode around sugarhouse again, made a stop at sugarhouse coffee for chai teas and went to the sundance store to find him some new boots. they have some of the cutest blankets right now, you'd think that would be the last thing that i wanted to buy with summer coming but you can never have too many!

puddy-tat and i are going to work on cleaning up our messy house today. i can't stand it any longer. but i'll be sure to have all of the windows open to enjoy the nice weather. greg and i are going to dinner tonight with my parents, i'm so excited. i love when they come down and hang out.

my nuggle buddies.

2011-03-30T16:01:00.000-07:00

we don't cuddle, we don't snuggle, we nuggle.

not so ideal.

2011-03-28T11:35:00.000-07:00

today was probably not the best day to wear 4-inch heels and sheer tights. while in class, it started dumping snow and then i had to walk back and forth across campus, all downhill and then back up again. but hey, at least it feels good to look cute for the day. and my favorite barista, who is always full of nice compliments, instantly cheered me up.

the incoming sophomores had to submit their portfolio reviews today for the graphic design program and they are all i can think about. i know how nervous i was this time last year, not really knowing what is going to happen next with my schooling, not to mention my future career. we have an interview in a couple of weeks to determine whether or not we are on track and can stay in the program. i'm nervous but i'm feeling a lot more confident as time rolls on and i learn more and more. it's funny how you think at first that you know everything and then once you finally have professors that know what they are talking about, you realize that you know nothing. if there's one thing that i've learned in the past year, it's that you go to school for a reason.

let the fun begin.

2011-03-26T10:54:00.000-07:00

she's done! almost. she's painted and put back together. soon enough i'll get my new saddle and bartape. i am so excited. it's going to look gorgeous!

planning ahead.

2011-03-23T14:56:00.000-07:00

it may still be a month away but the only thing on my mind is summertime. i can't wait to de-stress from school and to get everything done that i've been wanting to all year. here are my goals for the summer:
ride my bike each and everyday.
take banjo lessons.
volunteer at the humane society.
read 3 books each month.
get my forearm tattooed.
replenish my savings account.

spring cleaning.

2011-03-20T13:50:00.000-07:00

i was hoping to get all of my spring cleaning done in one day. that didn't happen. i'm still going but my apartment looks great, i'm so happy. it's always a good feeling to have a clean house and to take a bunch of things that you don't use to the thrift store. as hard as it is for me to let go of stuff, i love having room in my closet and my drawers and everywhere else.

i hope that my bike will be done this week. greg's finishing up prepping the frame and tomorrow we are taking it to get it powder coated. it's going to be gorgeous, i can't wait.

the other day i baked bread with my great-grandmother. there is nothing better in this world than her bread. not only did i get some delicious loaves of bread out of the day, it was great just to hang out with her.

twilight zone.

2011-03-17T17:57:00.000-07:00

so this morning i decided that since i had no pressure to get homework done right away (next week is spring break), that i would clean out some old boxes. one of the boxes was full of purses. i was going through them to figure out which ones would be cute to keep out for spring and summer when i ran across this pink one. i opened one of the pockets in it and BOOM, there was a fifty dollar bill. i was ecstatic, but that's not the best part. the only other thing in that pocket was an old fortune and it read, "your financial situation will soon be improving". i was so freaked out, i guess someone just knew that i needed that.

my mother taught me well.

2011-03-15T20:00:00.000-07:00

this morning i decided to unpack all of my spring and summer clothes. i thought that it would make me happy and excited for spring. instead, it just made me sad because i was reminded of the days when i had money to spend on nice clothes. now it's all about paying bills and buying groceries. my mom taught me too well when it came to wanting nice clothes. this was one of the tops that i found. i believe i found it at a small boutique in seattle or portland, i'm not sure which but it is great. today i paired it with these copper wedges that i was lucky enough to find at a thrift store a couple weeks ago for four dollars. there are a few things that i would love to splurge on right now. i need a new pair of cute flats. ones that are comfortable and don't give me blisters, yes, that would be nice.

ah, relaxtion.

2011-03-14T16:09:00.000-07:00

if summer turns out to be anything like our sunny, warm day yesterday, i can't wait. it was beautiful in salt lake the last few days. because it's the middle of the semester, i feel really burned out. i started it out so strong and by now i've had it. keep going, keep going. it scares me when i begin to care less about homework. this weekend i could've gotten so much done but i decided to take a break instead. it was nice to just hang out for a change.

we have to write another book. this time i am very excited. i already have some ideas and they will go right along with the book that i turned in last week. when i get ideas, i just want to put all of my time and energy into completing them. too bad i have about five other projects to finish first.

my dad and i spent this past week making fun of people who break terrible news over text or facebook. who honestly wants to get life changing news over, via text message? this is a screen shot of just a few of the texts we were sending each other. some made me laugh so hard that i had to tell anyone that was around me about it. love my dad, he's the funniest person i've ever met.

2011-03-12T12:12:00.000-08:00

we started out our day with pancakes and mimosas. mmmm. here's what's on my mind this beautiful saturday:

spring break starts in a week. i really want to go to portland except that my bike is taken apart and that's the best part about going. but i think we might still go and visit my friend monique and her new hubby. the boys can ride their bikes and we can do girly things.

is it really going to rain today? although i have enjoyed the last few super sunny days, i always love a good rain storm, just don't give me snow.

i told greg this morning that i really want to go see a movie tonight. i don't know which one, i'm just in the mood for a movie. any ideas?

i spent a lot of time this past week at home with family and all that it makes me want to do is go back. i hope that i have time tomorrow to head home for the day. sundays aren't the same unless i am there.

although i wish that it would've been under different circumstances, i got to hang out with my little sister a lot this past week. it was great to chat with her, it's funny how much alike our personalities are. if you have nothing nice to say about people, come sit by us. we giggle the same way too, it's great.

i can't get over this picture of karen. we treat her like our baby, it's hilarious. greg was playing with her like this the other night, he tried airplane too but she just jumped off.

what means the most.

2011-03-08T12:29:00.000-08:00

i got a telephone call on sunday night that i wasn't expecting in a million years. my grandmother had passed away very sudden and unexpectedly. she was an amazing woman. she was a mother of five, a grandmother of eleven, and took care of many others throughout her life. we will all miss you very much. i will miss her hugs, and everything else. and who is going to edit all of my school papers now? love you tons.

recent events in my life have got me thinking of the things that mean the most to me in my life. but there's only one thing. that's my family. each and every one of them, through the good, the bad, and the ugly. we stand by each other through the thick and the thin. that's why we are all here. i'm so very thankful to have been given a family in which we are all so close, we can share everything with one another, even after we fight we can make up (although luckily this doesn't happen very often). there are times when we'd like to kill each other but at the end of the day, my dad, my mom, my little brother, and myself are all the best of friends. some people think that it's weird that we all talk as much as we do, but for us, that's normal. you probably talk every day to your best friend too, right?

today, i finally finished my book for my design process class. i've been working on it day and night for two weeks. with a lot of projects, when i finally get them finished i am so sick of looking at them that i absolutely hate the final product. this one is different, i'm so happy with it.

and i leave you with a picture of my adorable baby girl, just because i love her...and she's gorgeous.

we all have those days.

2011-03-02T16:47:00.000-08:00

today was just one of those days. i felt like it was never going to end, which it still hasn't, i have another class in an hour and a half. and for some reason, it was just dragging and i was in a terrible mood. my day turned around when i arrived at my car to find this cute note from my boyfriend. it's funny how the smallest gestures can make you feel so much better.

in our visual communications class today, we had to "explore" with different materials and ways of going about our project. in my opinion, i wasted three hours scribbling and now will have thirty hours of homework. yes, i'm a bit frustrated with my professors.

we have begun our work at neighborhood house, a local after-school care for underprivileged children. i love it, these children are amazing. yesterday one of the boys kept sneaking up behind me and pinching me and when we played 'hot potato' he kept trying to get me out. i finally asked him why he was being so mean to me and he said, "because i liiiike you." it was the cutest thing. and while we were there, we made friendship bracelets to define unity between the kids and us, complete in utes colors.

my countdown until bedtime has no begun. four hours and fourteen minutes. go.

i love me some pizza.

2011-02-26T18:13:00.000-08:00

my brother came down for the day and night to salt lake. we just watched movies all day while it was snowing, ordered some pizza and mozzerella sticks from este, and he and my roommate, matt, are playing video games, which i'm sure will continue all night long.

for part of my homework, i have to have a transcription of a speech or a conversation, from the past of present. history bores me 90% of the time so i decided to transcribe the boys while they were playing video games. my favorite lines are following:

keilian: i want to go change my clothes now that i have a marshall uniform. we have unlimited horse stamina too so we can just keep going. is there any people along here? like transients? or hitchhikers that you would pick up, matt?

and...

matt: you’re a cowboy, cowboys don’t swim. they’ll get their boots wet.

i felt like wearing red lipstick today for no reason. it's always obvious which cups are mine.

aaaaand, i want a bengal cat and i will name him henry. they are so gorgeous. and from what i hear, they are extremely loyal like dogs. i'm not so sure how karen would like having a brother though. she's already a little possessive! but look at how beautiful they are!

becoming martha stewart, i wish.

2011-02-24T16:22:00.000-08:00

i have a long way to go but maybe someday i can cook, bake, and craft like her. i won't count on it, but i do enjoy it. today i decided to bake chocolate chip cookies, along with doing my laundry and cleaning up the house. i feel so productive. and my cookies are delicious. and i'll pretend like the last batch isn't a little bit crispy on the bottoms. oops.

i also rented "eat, pray, love". i am only a half hour into it, not sure yet how i feel about it. but i would love to get to go to italy.

blue suede shoes.

2011-02-22T23:03:00.000-08:00

i went home for the day today to see my family. i feel like i don't get to do that as often as i'd like to anymore because i'm always too busy. but when i do, it's so nice to be able to hang out with my mom, dad, little brother, and of course, our dog. i love them all. my mom and i spent most of the day thrift shopping. i found two great sweaters and four pairs of shoes. we both ended up getting the same pair of blue suede shoes, how you find two of the same pair of shoes at a thrift store, i have no idea.

i also found most hideous framed photograph of two creepy cats. i wanted to buy it so badly, cut the eyes out, and hang it in my brother's room before he got home from school. this thing must of haunted whoever owned it in the first place. yikes.

experiment a little.

2011-02-20T09:57:00.000-08:00

this week you could say i was feeling a little bit crafty. my mom gave me a loom and some neat materials to make potholders out of for valentine's day and so far i've made three. they are so cute and fun to make while you're just sitting around.

i also made two delicious things that i had never tried. chocolate covered strawberries and granola. both turned out amazing, the strawberries were all gone by the next day.

and the most difficult part of my week, but a good learning experience, was the letterpress project that we finally finished in class. we printed on monday, everything turned out great. i never realized how complicated the process is but the result is worth it.

appreciate the simple things.

2011-02-15T19:23:00.000-08:00

if there's one thing that i've learned in the past year, it's the you must learn to appreciate those simple things in life that might seem small and meaningless to others, but make all the difference to you. for me those things are a good cup of coffee, red lipstick, the excitement i get when i get the newest issue of 'communication arts', and the feeling that i get when i lay in my bed each night. my guilty pleasure is expensive sheets. you should look forward to going to bed after a long day, no matter what that costs.