I love reading!

I love that when I am not feeling good, or when unanticipated stumbling blocks cross my path I can escape to somewhere else for a little while.
Right now I am reading a book by Jon Krakauer called "Into Thin Air" and if you are at all adventurous you would love it. In fact right now I want to pick up the book and escape to Everest, but alas, sometimes we have to face our problems... maybe in a few hours.

I love food...

... but lest you think that I am a very boring person, let me explain that I do love other things as well.
I moved. I would like to blame the fact that I have not posted in a few weeks on that fact. This evening I was unpacking my books and found myself going through old scrapbooks and journals and student planners and reminiscing about the great opportunities and experiences I have had. I love my friends, and I have had some really good ones!
I love to travel, whether it is all the way across the Atlantic, across the country (in a car with my sisters), to Boise for Valentine's Day, or just to Salt Lake for a fun-filled weekend adventure; I love going to new places and seeing new things (and eating new food!).
I love the rain, but NOT the snow.

I love lots of other things, but those are the ones that come to mind today.

Food group round 3 is up tomorrow with spaghetti pie, homemade bread sticks, steamed broccoli, and no bake cookies.
Oh, I also love my new counter stools. I'll be honest and tell you that I didn't know "counter stools" existed, but they do and they are wonderful.

I made a mistake.

I said (out loud) that I didn't mind PDA. Fatal error. It has been following me around like my shadow. You would be surprised with all of the places that people have decided to be inappropriate while I was watching.
To name just a few: Wandering around the grocery store, walking on the treadmill (I bet you thought this would be impossible, I'll be your witness), institute, etc.

I stand by my ground, that subtle and G rated public displays of affection are ok, but this has got to stop.

Also, just let me know so I will not be out of the loop. In Idaho did the fast lane switch from the left lane to the right? I didn't get the memo, but apparently EVERYONE else did.

In food related news, I have my second meal for food group on Tuesday, any suggestions?

Dear Dove Chocolate,

After having recently been disappointed with your product I have come across some other products that seem to offer what yours has been lacking. Perhaps these could help get you back on your feet.

1. Inside a Raspberry Chocolate Bar

2. I opened a fortune cookie to find this (I thought I tucked the fortune in my pocket, but now I can't find it, luckily I can always remember good fortunes!) "A bold and dashing adventure is in your future within the year."

Dove, please take note. I anticipate that I will continue to consume your product and I am hopeful that you will continue to offer me love advice in the future.

Passionately Yours (name that movie)

I am so tired!

Today was the longest day at work, which is weird because I didn't go in until after 8 and I was home by 4, but I fell right into my bed. I am exhausted!

This may be why:

- I have started exercising, really exercising. I think this is the first time in my life that I can run three miles and not feel like dying. I am losing weight, slowly but surely. And, I have taken up Spinning on Thursday and Saturday which is really fun, but I think it may directly correlate to my current state.

- I have been apartment shopping for the past month and yesterday I found it, I am going to sign for it later tonight. The thought of moving makes me even more tired, but this new place is going to be worth it!

- I joined a dinner group. It has been really fun and it is good to socialize with people, but it is also another thing to fit into the mix and makes for some late nights at the gym. On the up side, I made chicken enchiladas on Tuesday and everyone seemed to enjoy them.
Side note: one of the members of the group doesn't like onions and I had heard that he usually picks them out of the dish. In my ridiculous efforts to please everyone, and to see if I could get away with it, I cooked some diced onions with my chicken until they were nice and soft and then folded them into my enchiladas. Ha! He didn't even notice and I felt very accomplished. See, everyone likes onions, just not everyone knows it.

Well, I am going to fit in a nap before I have to do something productive. Wish me luck making it to the weekend.

p.s. I almost forgot to mention that my first use of my new pans was cooking the chicken for the enchiladas. It was wonderful.

It's only Wednesday

...but so far not too much to complain about this week. Here are a few of the highlights.

~ No work on Monday!
~ A haircut that turned out a little shorter than expected, but I really like it and it makes me feel ready for spring.
~ My tax return, oh the possibilities :)
~ An hour spent roaming the BYU bookstore and reading random Speeches and cookbooks.
~ Left over Valentine's Day chocolate.
~ New friends to share food with (I will admit that after last night's AWESOME Chinese food, I'm a little nervous about what I will make on Tuesday).
~I never thought that 40 degrees would feel warm, but it does and it is so nice!
Hopefully the rest of the week follows suite. March is turning out to be pretty great! I'll keep you posted on my tax return goodies, I think there is a set of Calphalon Stainless Steel pans out there with my name on it.

February

It is the shortest month, so it's okay that I feel like I have been in whirlwind the whole time... right?

A few highlights of the month:

1. My AWESOME Valentine's Day dinner party. Everything turned out well (miracle) and I think everyone had a good time.
It's a miracle what a few hours in the oven can do.






2. My mom is the best mom in the whole world and even though her Valentine's Day package didn't get to me until 10 days after the fact, I still think she's great.

... which leads me to number 3...

3. I am sorely disappointed with Dove. I have already been let down by Martha Stewart, but it has gone too far.

I LOVE Dove dark chocolates and when I eat them I want a love related fortune, not this:

4. To counteract all the chocolate I rediscovered cross-country skiing and had a blast. (and the soreness that I felt helped me appreciate those Olympians who literally fly across the snow.)

So, overall a short, but fun-filled month. I am hoping that March will bring some slightly (or not so slightly) warmer temperatures.