Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
if I were a WIZARD i would.....
Oh wait... I already AM!
Summons up a sugar cookie RIGHT NOW.
The good kind.
Soft with yummy cream cheese frosting.
I would actually conjure up a spell that would make Ashley make me sugar cookies.
I colored this little b.e.a.u.t.y. {HERE}
If I were a wizard I would dress bad.
I would also be a man, since that is what I could color and If I were a girl I would be a witch right???
I know I set myself up for that one!
& there would be no limit to the things I would conjure up.
- an I pad
- the sun
- warm weather
- a fresh diet coke.
I would also fly to on a broom anywhere I wanted to go rather than go to the airport, wait, get on an airplane, wait, fly, wait, get bag, wait....wait wait wait! This would make travel so much more enjoyable. Except I wonder, is it difficult to hold onto a broom for hours? IS there a limit to how far they could go?
I guess I would just apperate to different locations. NOW that would make sense.
My wand isn't working... sad day....
♥ the MRS.
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Hellfire Sushi Challenge=
Well at least this time around...
Ok so we might be the only people the plan our vacations around THE fOOd nETWORk If you haven't you totally should. They have lead us to some of our favorites. [ENTER] the 4 kegs in LasVegas, Beaujos in Denver & even Kobe sushi in our own SLC utah.
For Tyler's birthday Brookey wanted to do something fun. So she organized a GIANT party at Kobe Sushi in SLC. Tyler was to attempt the hellfire sushi challenge.
In theory it sounded like a lot of fun. I had [googled/watched the YouTube videos] I knew what to expect.
Until we didn’t.
We all arrived. Got seated. Started looking over the menu. Enrolled Adam & Tyler into the Sushi challenge. Waited for more people.
When the first piece of sushi came out and it looked like a normal roll with just a mound of crushed red peppers on top.
Adam and Tyler both downed the first pieces. The roll was hot and didn’t taste that good but both boys said they would go on. We all ordered started chit chatting and the night went on. The second piece came out and again it was a roll with EVEN more spices thrown on the top. It was a little disappointing to say the least. However they still downed that piece thinking it would get better.
What they got were cold sweats…indigestion…gas and more than a passing moment of complete and utter discomfort.
We all had a good time watching!
After a few trips to the bathroom and several pitchers of water the boys tapped out of the competition and started enjoying the night. Rounds of edamame, gyoza and Miso soup were followed by Yakisoba, Udon, Ramen and roll after roll.
It was a lot of fun.
The high light was probably the Sushi Cakes my little sister Morgan made. They brought them out from the back and everyone thought there was more sushi!
Aren't they so cute? She should seriously go into business.
All in all it was a really fun night! Happy birthday Tyler.
If you are going to attempt the Hellfire sushi challenge, I would say....save your money and just rock a better Japanese restaurant. You can see how I YELPED it here.
It was worth it for the company!
Interested in finding more local food challenges? I know I always am. Check out my new favorite little website....
Happy food challenges!
♥ the MRS.
- any great local places I might have missed?
- Have you done any of the food challenges you've seen on TV?
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Tuesday, March 29, 2011
The not so recent past {AKA things I forgot were sitting in my drafts}
Brookey and Tyler moved of from St. George in December. Before they headed north we met their land lord and picked up keys.
I had the {HORRIBLE} duty of introducing my sister to the woes of Provo renting.
- The house wasn't deep cleaned
- the walls were patched but not painted
- there were no spare paint cans as promised
- the front lock is super hard to work
and so on.
Anyone that has rented in Provo has probably dealt with lazy landlords. After we did a run down of the house we went looking for their storage unit. There a little rows of units. Each with a white door and no distinguishing features.
Adam tried the storage key on 38...yep 38 doors before we found the right storage unit.
Look at how happy he was doing it!
Welcome to the neighborhood sister.
♥ the MRS.
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Monday, March 28, 2011
F(A)vorites
Mint Mojito's
Rim glass with sugar
Lemon-lime soda
Cap full of sweetened lime juice
Sprig of fresh mint
slice of lime
They make me feel so Fancy. I know that is a dumb reason to love them. But it would be a lie if I told you that wasn't part of it.
They are seriously refreshing.
super easy to make.
Look REALLY Pretty
and will impress your friends.
♥ the MRS.
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Weekend snippets
Sunday morning breakfast in bed.
Fresh Mango's.
Oh Ethiopia fruit I miss you...Summer can't come fast enough.
A little MOMENT FROZEN in time.
I absolutely loved our wedding.
Our luncheon.
Our photographer.
My messed up flowers.
The fact that the Provo Temple ripped out most of the landscaping the morning of my wedding.
The GIANT tractor that was sitting in the entry way when we pulled up.
That Rachael, My friends mom demanded that they move it and stop for their only bride of the month.
I loved seeing everyone we love gather around us to celebrate our happiness.
& I am thoroughly enjoying my marriage.
This weekend I went through all 324 of the official wedding pictures to pick out about 100 for an album. It was Hard.
The thing about having a great photographer, we love every picture. They absolutely captured our entire day perfectly. They are a beautiful mix that help Adam and I relive our wedding day.
I fell in love with this photo.
Adam and I posing with Ashebir in front of the temple. It was such an unexpected find when I was going through these photos.
Oh I love my bubble veil.
Especially since Karen shared with us the photo we posed for.
Adam hates that I love pictures.
I take too many, but I LOVE them.
It is the little moments that you forget about.
The tiny insignificant things that don't seem photo worthy that really are our lives.
I don't want to forget any of our life together. Not a single moment.
♥ the MRS.
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Friday, March 25, 2011
March Madness- Office Chair ball!
MY BRACKET IS DEAD....Literally....I picked Duke to take it all. I cried a little tear about it.Mostly because at work there was a scooter on the line. I knew I was in trouble the first round but I didn't think I would be completely knocked out.
Until I was.
Next year...there is always next year. Right?
As part of the March madness we had a few games going on in our department this month. Think knock out, 30 second shooting contest and Office chair ball. It was a total BLAST! Who knew these silly little games that take about two seconds could be so fun?
Not me. Corporate had a lot of fun stuff going on at the High Rise that we couldn't get to so we made things fun down here in East Bay!
I think Office Chair ball was the biggest hit of them all. We had the finals today and everyone was pretty excited about it. It was a single elimination bracket.
It was hilarious to watch. I only wish I had charged my camera...or for that matter unpacked, as I had previous planned. Then I would have unpacked and found my camera charger- taken new video & made it into a pretty looking post. Instead you get my blurry phone videos.
which might just have thrown me over into wanting a smart phone.
Which I will never buy, but I do now want one.
OR I could just find my camera charge and all would be well.
See I am having an internal struggle right here in writing.
Ok I don't need, a smart phone but for the funsies I want one.
Anyway.....here is the video!
Office Chair Basketball! from the MRS. on Vimeo.
Ok...so its WAY funnier in person. OR if you know the people. But you should all thing about doing this in your offices.
It has defiantly spiced up our march madness routine.
Now we just have to wait it out to see who wins the scooter!
To my alma mater-
You play far better than I expected. Thank you!
Happy weekend! I hope your brackets are fairing better than mine.
♥ the MRS.
- Who did you pick to win?
- Are you doing any fun March Madness events at work/home?
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Top {FIVE} Fridays
S'mores of the week!
I am a weirdo, I am literally obsessed with finding s'more recipes. These are my favorites this week. Don't worry I have them all bookmarked. One day....Maybe National S'more Day I will make a bunch of them and host a tasting party. Or even a taste test. In case you missed the memo here is how to make a s'more...usually with TWO graham crackers.
Image from {HERE}
1. S'More SEX Cake.
This looks DIVINE. Like to DIE for delicious.
& I got to say SEX! I like that
3. S'more Cakelettes- because WHO doesn't want a mini cake, COVERED IN TOASTED MARSHMALLOW????
I want one...that's for dang sure.
Could there BE a better combination of things? NOPE...I think not.
Now GO home and make some s'mores... I have been known to make them over a candle or in the microwave.
♥ the MRS.
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Thursday, March 24, 2011
we need to unpack still....
How lazy does that make me? Since coming home from Hawaii...I have been a little less than motivated. Well and we were quarantined for a day or two in there. So I guess that helps...or makes my excuse a little more valid.
In the mean time I haven't charged my camera.
so all pictures lately are off my ghetto phone.
Which works for now, but eventually we will have to move back to the real camera.
So you get some blurry excerpts from my life.
My business cards came in-
I feel legitimate now. In all my working life, these are my first official business cards. Which will come in oh so handy. This week instead of handing out rewards {Treat tickets or dress down passes} I have been handing out my contact info!
When we were sickish. We watched a few movies at my Parents house. lounged around in "house clothes" and just slept. To make Adam feel loved I made him a sticker that said: Adam I love you!
I was blog stalking this morning and found this little cutie. I WANT THIS. How accomplished would I feel If I named my couch? Or evened out a row of brownies? TOTALLY right?
Or even for some silly things to do on the night when Adameye' and are I just hanging out in the house. Would give some good fodder for silly discussions.
I have been so sleepy lately.
I know the time change should have been rough. But I was fine for the first week and now I am so sleepy in the morning. Maybe its because after weeks of sun, the last few mornings have been so dark. I need something to get me out of the bed in the morning..
Adam got assigned several talks to translate into Amharic for the April General Conference for the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is really excited to be able to translate into his native language. What a great service for the people of Ethiopia and what a cool way to serve. I am very excited and proud of my Adam. He has gone out of his way to find ways to help serve in the Church.
Since we decided to start out life here in the States we have spent a lot of time trying to look for ways to give back to Ethiopia. We love it there so much. Adam decided he wanted to be involved as he could in helping the Church grown. He has made it a point to be studying at his institute classes the scriptures that have not been translated into Amharic. In looking for opportunities to teach people about his culture and to share with them. To serve as a translator and an interpreter Adam went out of his way to find the right people. Follow up with messages. Set the right meetings and dedicate himself to this opportunity. It will be a very special conference for us!
Oh and thanks to him THIS STUPID SONG has been in my head for DAYS...
Tonight I will get the clips and pictures from Chair basketball up for you all to laugh at!
Smile... It's Almost the weekend!
♥ the MRS.
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Wednesday, March 23, 2011
New Hair Part I
So Monday I wanted new hair.
Tuesday I commented about wedding hair on Hair Dresser on Fire
Then I watched this tutorial
Hair Dresser On Fire HDOFBlog.com "Party Bun" Tutorial by Reagan Breinholt from Jacob Breinholt on Vimeo.
via {HERE}
Wednesday I woke up a little late. Was brushing my teeth debating washing my hair and going to work with it wet....Not a GREAT winter option.
Then I did.
I am not sure that this looks different enough from my "Normal pony tail hair" to call it a style. While I was teasing my hair to give it the volume, I was kind of laughing. Crazy curly hair doesn't need much help getting volume.
What do you think?
Honestly, tell me... I need to know
In my head I would do it again with some fake hair. Mine just isn't quite long enough to the messy wrapped around look like Whitney's does... (look to the left)
Its a cute style anyone can do. It doesn't take that much time. & I think its a perfect [pool/beach] look for the summer. I would invest in a bow...and maybe some red lipstick
Who knows.
♥ the MRS.
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Tuesday, March 22, 2011
conversations.
We sit by the door at church.
It is our usual place. Kind of like assigned seating- except its not assigned. It is kind of weird. People pretty much sit in about the same place every week.
This week a friend stopped by to chat on her way out the door. She doesn't usually attend our congregation and while we were [talking/catching up] her daughter took notice of Adam.
If she were about 4.5 feet taller and two decades older, I might have been worried.
♥ the MRS.
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Monday, March 21, 2011
soar throat + cough = man voice
Which I don't hate because part of me thinks it sound sooo sexy.
& at the same time
I wonder if my normal voice will ever come back.
I know that is a silly thing to think, but really. WHAT if this is my voice FOREVER starting now? How weird would that be? I mean it happens right? Your voice changes during puberty and again I swear when you get old. So why not mid life when you are half sick?
We were pretty much quarantined this weekend. On top of the fact that I left my phone charger at work, so I was totally out of communication once my phone died.
So you get my ramblings that I would have talked out over the weekend but didn't have the chance to.
I want new hair.
I love how Marisa Tomi's looks in these photos from the Lincoln lawyer-
I imagine I could style my hair this way. However it would take a lot of work. Maybe not even work. Practice. Some guess & testing. An experiment really....maybe I am in the mood for one of those gain.
Whats with me and hair experiments?
Then I was reading away on Meg's blog and saw this beautiful lady. <------- WORTH clicking to know what I am talking about.
I didn't steal her picture, because that felt to weird as it is her friend, like a real person not an Internet phantom and something about that felt creepy even to me, so that's how I knew it was weird. Anyway, could my hair do that?
+ Caitlyn got extensions & they don't come in curly.... sad day.
I wonder about the future.
We feel like we have hit the waiting place. Not for lack of effort. Or ingenuity. Or prayer. Or attempts at anything other than waiting.
& yet we wait.
for immigration. You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked. A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?
And if you go in, should you turn left or right…or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite? Or go around back and sneak in from behind? Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.
You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place…for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting.
No! That’s not for you!
Somehow you’ll escape all that waiting and staying. You’ll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping, once more you’ll ride high! Ready for anything under the sky. Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!
Dr. Seuss
"Oh! The Places You’ll Go!"
I miss St. Patrick's Day.
like the real deal. Back home in good old Dublin. With a parade & festival & leprechauns.
I am ready for summer.
my tan is fading.
I miss the smell of Maui Babe.
Afternoon's spent at the pool.The lack of weekend plans...because lets face it summer = pool + fruit + bbq
Or summer bonfires.
I miss Ethiopia.
We aren't making it to Ethiopia this summer. It makes me teary eyed to think about it. I get choked up. My husband is so brave. So logical. Such a good partner. With the way life is going. With our work situations. With our immigration waiting. We have to plan not to go.
Otherwise we will want to go. Half plan to go. Then when we can't due to circumstances out of our control, be totally crushed &heart broken.
So instead we look forward to 2012. Which feels so far away.
But we will be able to invest more time if we go next summer. Or maybe even the spring or fall. I just miss Ethiopia.My second home. The culture and the customs that I grew to love. My family who I miss desperately. I need a hug from Yeshi. OR to laugh with Hewan about taxi drivers. Or to tease Grant and take a million silly pictures.
So instead we UP our Ethiopian nights. Jump on skype and spend more $ on callethiopia.com
I need things to look forward to.
So I might be mentally planning a trip to St. George
and a Stay-cation for this summer. - How is your brain on a Monday???
♥ the MRS.
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Saturday, March 19, 2011
Weekend snippets
Saturday mornings in our house are l-a-z-y, LAZY
Sleeping in.
Snuggling.
indulging in infomercials or crap TV.
Going for a walk.
relaxing from the work week.
& Breakfast.
This weekend I tried something a little different. I LOVED it,
Adam liked it and overall it passed. Breakfast pizza will make the Saturday rotation.
It is the one day of the week I have the [time/energy] to get up and hit the kitchen. It has been a fun habit, one I hope continues. It gives us some time together in the morning. Something to look forward to and I like taking care of my husband.
Its a little thing I can do to start the weekend off right.
Happy weekend to you all!
♥ theMRS.& theMR.
- What are you weekend [traditions/habits] - breakfast in bed, movies, bike ride?
- And fun breakfast recipes that even I can make???
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I am so glad I am a record keeping type of a person.
Ok so not the worlds greatest title...but Oh well.
Back to the point- I am a record keeping type of person & I am glad for it! I have gotten away from hand writing in a journal since I moved back to the states and have constant computer access to post my every [thought/action/idea]- Lucky for you guys... right?
While I was living in Ethiopia I wrote in my journal almost daily. It is funny to look back about how I felt. Despite the fact that ADAM READ THE WHOLE DARN THING.... I have loved seeing my feeling for him progress and remember the silly little things I liked about him.
I am also a facebooker. Here is a silly little note I sent to a friend about meeting a cute boy in a far away land.
The village is good. I bought 10,000etb worth of seed and fertilizer today.We start planting potatoes on Wed!! Garden seeds are in the ground. Its a lot of fun now that we are going.
Its also fun, because well people love me
and I HAVE A TOTAL CRUSH....
I know..I know.
So there is this cute guy I've been making eyes at while I was in Addis for the last few weeks. His name is Adam...I know not another one. And he works for Morell Agro as the facilities guy. So he is in charge of all the offices, houses and construction projects. He went to law school.
Anyway he came to village with Paul to help him translate. He has near perfect English. So we spent the day chatting and flirting and guess what...HE IS LDS! RANDOM huh?
It was way fun. IT was cute though because we work in this big open room with three desks and a huge table. So he just sat there talking to me all day and ignoring everyone else. And He made me laugh.
Fayisa and all the staff were just watching. I was making Fayisa and all the staff laugh and he looked at them and said "is it just me or does everyone love this girl?".
Of course they all laughed and agreed, because LETS FACE IT who doesn't love me?
He was at the hotel that night and we all ate dinner together. After dinner we (me, Adam & Carolyn) sat and talked for a few hours after everyone left. It was so much fun to feel normal again.
BUT they went to the farm, and I'm in Addis for the weekend for a district conference this weekend at church. It could be weeks before I see him again.
But it was at least a fun day!
Lets Chat!
Ohhh If I had know that cute boy would be my husband.
Would I have been different? Probably not.
I wasn't looking to fall in love in Ethiopia. I was simply looking for a little flirtation and possibly some normal conversation. It is funny to read this. To Laugh. To remember that I had been making eyes at him for weeks? REALLY? No I don't even remember that.
Adam does. I showed him a picture of a moose when he was talking to another foreigner. I kind of remember that, but this day-The one I wrote about, is my first real day remembering Adam. Thinking he was cute. Getting those butterflies that come when you kind of want to [talk more to someone/don't know how to stay longer/make the evening stretch]. When you are defiantly feeling a connection and wonder desperately- Are these feelings one sided?
repeating desperately over and over- please like me back....please like me back.
Thinking- I'm not crazy, am I? He enjoyed that conversation as much as I did...right?
And then because I am a girl and therefore just a little bit crazy- the over analyzing comes in.
The talking Carolyn's ear off.
The running scenarios past her boyfriend (now husband and my friend) Biya.
The waiting to see him again.
Trying to find a reason to be anywhere he might be. Don't tell anyone, but he was the real reason I agreed to be a chaperon to the EFY weekend. I hoped he would be in Addis for all of it.
Oh falling in love. Such a roller coaster.
So much fun.
And this time, so easy. So natural. Falling in love with Adam was finding my way home.
♥ the MRS.
- Are you riding the love roller coaster, or settled into something nice?
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