This weekend

 I did some of this... (Minute to Win it)

Some of this...

 Okay lots of this...

and "built" one of these...

Not pictured:

4 girls all in the same bunk squealing about boys.

Playing nerdy games we all love so much!

Spending a little dinero in PC on he way home. 

Playing for reals Mario Kart.

Traipsing up blizzard hill.

Katy "making out" with Nance.

Todd asking to talk about guns instead of hormones.

Talking in Pride and Prejudice code with the boys and having them all agree on who our Mr. Cullins is.

Singing Seven Bride for Seven Brothers tunes!

ALL while never being cold and always being surround by good friends who make me laugh.

Oh and I had none of this...

 Or this...

We didn't have to call in Bro. Reeve
(The man is basically a ninja at survival, the stud of wilderness living, and the king of tracking.)
The best part is I am not even kidding! He is legit!!!

Nor did I even need this...

Successful weekend!

FAIL

Saddest thing I think I have ever seen.

 

How often am I guilty of this?

Time for a little self reflection.

Settle this for me

When you are sick do you call in or out?

By this I mean do you say, he called out sick or called in sick?

One camp says you call IN to say you are sick

The other camp believes you call to say you will be OUT sick.

I'm confusing wants and needs again

I am almost certain I need one of these...

Top are labs and bottom are cockers. I will take either. 

I know what you are thinking. They grow up right?

But I still love them when they look like this...

I miss having a dog more than I can even express. 

I love my cat. It is true, because he loved me first. 

But what I need is a dog.

I just wish I had the time to be a good dog owner.

Vanilla

I find that sometimes at work, when I am doing something particularly monotonous, 

music just isn't enough to keep my brain occupied. 

So I listen to either The Mormon Channel, or America's Test Kitchen. 

The other day on America's Test Kitchen they were doing taste test of Vanilla extract and Imitation Vanilla. I learned a few things I found interesting. Real Vanilla by law has to contain at least 35% Alcohol, which does NOT entirely cook out of what you are making. Not that a tablespoon of the stuff will make you inebriated or anything, but if you are using it in something that you don't heat up at all, the main flavor will be alcohol.

In taste test the imitation vanilla actually did better.

But here is the kicker.

Do you know what imitaion vanilla is?

it is the derivative of coal tar or paper processing. 

It is TAR or PAPER! 

YUCK! 

Couch Potato

Last night some friends came over and we watched work out videos.

While we sat on the couch and ate snacks.

The good news is that while watching, I was also altering my clothing because since my diet ended mid january 

I have lost another 5 pounds!

To me that spells success.

I finally feel comfortable that the weight isn't coming back any time soon and I can finally cut up all my favorite clothes and sew them back together until they fit perfectly. 

Voice mail from B: Hey I am really sad you didn't answer because I am in your neighboorhood and I have a new puppy, so call me back really quick k?

I call back immediately

Me: Where are you?
B: At home. Ha I lied. I knew you wouldn't call me back unless I lied to you and had a puppy.
M: I am very sad you aren't here. You are right though, I wouldn't have called you back.
B: I am carrying groceries up the stairs can I call you right back?
M: We both know you won't call me back.
B: Yeah I won't, Maybe tomorrow.
M: Goodnight.

Katy: So why did he want you to call him back?
M: I don't have no idea.

Death of the bookstore.

I love bookstores oh so much. I love the smell of coffee and new crisp books. I love to find a chair back in the children's section and just read. I love to look at craft books, and how to books, and art books, I love to read snippets of self help books, and comic books, and funny books about dating. Going to the book store is one of my seriously favorite things. A big comfy chair, and great book, and a salted caramel hot chocolate. 

The Border's Bookstore in Logan is closing. I spoke with Zac this morning and asked him how he felt about it. You see he worked at Borders while we were falling into a very serious long term friendship. 

He said it was okay to be sad, and he was, but that it really is the end of the physical bookstore.

 

SADNESS!

When I told him how mad that made me, he asked if I ever bought books from there. 

Um no actually. I write down the titles in my phone and go home and order them used from Amazon.

So apparently I am the reason bookstores all over are closing.

And don't tell me to go to the library because it is not the same!

Art

My boss drew this on a note he left on my desk yesterday. 

I think it looks like a flock of birds flying out over the ocean.

What do you see?

Seriously...

This is my candy bowl.

 

Which I just dumped out into the trash. 

Because someone just put his hand into it multiple times. 

Right after I saw those same fingers go up his nose.

I have a chicken candy bowl so I can be more like my dad.

Now we both have a chicken to talk to in our office.

Satan cracks me up

Can I say that?

 

This picture has always cracked me up.

Do you have a preference?

My training manual in the temple says we are not to conjecture as to who plays what roles in the movie.
Nor as to what movie is played when.

But those of us who live here on the Wasatch front should be familiar with both men and probably have a preference.

The Large and Growly Bear

This is my number one favorite book from when I was little. 

It doesn't get any better than this.

Who can guess why this is my All time favorite story?

If you ever feel like you need someone to read you a story come on over.

I do the voices and everything.

My Valentine's Evening

Started like this...

 I hurt my back at work. No big deal, I am 100% this morning, but I had to take it easy last night. 

So a movie curled up on the couch with one of my favorite men*, while Katy went out, turned out to be the evening's plans. It wouldn't have been so bad but I was stuck laying in the crafting mess we had created all weekend and I couldn't get up and clean it without serious pain.

So there I sat

Until one of my good friends stopped by with treats. 

I laid on the couch while he not only did the dishes but vacuumed as well.

  THEN he emptied the vacuum,  and cleaned the filter, as well as (as I learned this morning) my microwave.

He even brought me something to eat on the couch. 

How cute is he?

He wins sexiest man of the week.

* Yes I am the crazy cat lady. I have had Mokey since I was 12. He chose me. I normally choose dogs.

It never fails

I get to work and 20 minutes later I look down and realize that every single drawer in my desk and neighboring cabinet are open. 

I can't decide if it is because I am incredibly busy, distracted, or if maybe I like the feeling of being surrounded by drawers. 

Like having a fence around me to keep me protected from things like...

Well I can't think of anything I need to be protected from but it sort of does give me a nice cozy feeling.

Like I just turned my couch upside down to make a blanket fort and someone is coming to read me a story any minute now. 

Pearls, Pearls, Pearls

Remember how sad I was when my bike was stolen, and my grill and camera broke? 

Well guess what? I lost my very most favorite pearl necklace. I have a beautiful strand from my mom but the one I lost was a pendant, a pendent I wore almost everyday and was totally in love with.

I LOVE PEARLS!

Have I mentioned that before? I really love them. I think they are so beautiful in their simplicity. And yet the way they are formed is anything but simple. Isn't it amazing the beauty that can come from a simple defense mechanism of a shelled mollusk?

So today I was online looking for a new one, just looking, as I can't really afford to replace mine. 

I found these that are similar and that I love. 

The gold one just needs to be white gold. 

While I was on Overstock.com looking for a new necklace a miracle happened.

Now don't get the idea that I am looking, because I am not.

But I have NEVER seen a Diamond engagment ring that I liked. When someone is showing theirs off I usually make something up about how beautiful it is but secretly I am hating it. 

I have always wished I could meet someone who would be happy to give me a band. No stone at all, just a simple gold band. 

I still can't think of anything I would like more than a simple gold band but this popped up in the side bar and I realized either of these would be something I could live with. 

So I found a ring I like. Now I have to find a date for the weekend.

From the train incident

On the weekends I am a hobo and ride the rails.

Wants and Needs

 

I was goofing off on boutique.com on my lunch.

(Thanks Emilie)

I know I can't afford to even be looking.

But I found something I needed.

Dear Former Annie,

I know I was mad at you the other day. In fact I was REALLY mad at you. You hurt me and that sucked. In fact I was so miserable that my boss tried to send me home early.

While driving home nothing on the radio seemed to fit my mood so I dug out my ipod and was trying to find my favorite guilty pleasure song. You know the one. Trevor deleted it off our ipod once, and you readded it. Well yesterday it was nowhere to be found. So while you might think I am mad at you once again I would actually like to say thanks. You deleted that horrible nasty song. You knew that it would only feed my bad mood and certainly wasn't something that would bring the spirit.

Here is the best part, I was looking for the song under artist N and when I selected the artist I got The Newsies! Ugh! Not something you want to listen to when you are feeling rotten. All that stupid happiness was making me sick. So I finally got the right artist and the song wasn't there. So last ditch effort I try to look it up by song title under A. Guess what I selected instead? Alma. Again basically the EXACT opposite of what I was looking for but in the end just what I needed. So thanks. I appreciate what you did for me.

Love,
Current Annie

Dear Former Annie

I am sitting here at my desk this morning in a great deal of pain and even a litlte grumpy. When you were climbing on top of trains this weekend and doing other assorted dangerous activites did you even think about me once? Did you think about how I, future Annie, would feel about the things you did to yourself this weekend? I didn't think so. It would be really great if from time to time you would think about someone other than yourself. You are not the only one who has to live with the concequences of your choices!

Love,
Me

In the following cartoon I am Calvin and my dad is Hobbes. 

Who are the Calvin and Hobbes in your life?

Tonight for instance I think I DO share the philosophy of Hobbes/Dad. 

I would love to be at home drinking warm hot cocoa by the fire!

The OMC strikes again...

I moved my candy jar off my coffee table and onto my desk. I liked it originally on the coffee table better because if I wanted candy I had to get up and walk over and get it.

I moved it to my desk however so that the open mouth chewer would be less likely to take a piece. Petty I know, but HE CHEWS WITH HIS MOUTH OPEN. So I choose not to facilitate him doing it over my desk.

It worked too. He didn't take even one piece for weeks. Then the other day I decided I needed a change and I rearranged my entire office. I think it looks fantastic and I even have a "view" out of the window from where I am sitting. Perfect! But now the candy dish on my desk is back in the line of sight of the open mouth chewer.

And he comes in JUST for the candy jar!!! Ugh!

Here is the worst part. My boss told me the other day that I should spend more time with the OMC.

"Why?" 

"Because I feel this is the way all good romantic comedy's begin"

"No thanks, that is the way my worst nightmare begins."

Old Pictures, New Guilt

Sometime I look at old pictures and I think to myself. 

"Man I really miss that shirt."

And it never even crosses my mind that I might miss the other person in the picture.

Then I wonder what is wrong with me.

But it doesn't last long before it is replaced by my desire for a new shirt.

So I call up a friend that is still around and we head out to make new memories. 

And maybe get a Crown Burger...

Dreaded February

February is a dreaded month in the world of the single girl. 

It seems every store, every billboard, every song on the radio is screaming at you that you are alone. 

Sad huh? 

Well I decided along time ago that Valentine's Day *gasp* doesn't have to be only about romantic love.

There are 4 kinds of love and we can celebrate all the forms of love we are blessed with. 

So when I saw this post today for a service boot camp I decided to follow along. 

What better way to express love than to express thanks and give service.

Happy Birthday Papa... late again

Time for another birthday post. 

Dad is going to hate this because he always tells me he doesn't understand feelings.

and I have A LOT of them.

I not only love my dad, as all little girls should who have been blessed with dad's like mine, 

I actually like him too. 

I am blessed to have a dad who has achieved the balance between friend and father. 

Which is good because I need both.

I have posted so many times in the past about my Papa. 

He is great you get it.

I LOVE MY DAD! 

I am blessed beyond my comprehension. I don't know what I did to deserve him, maybe Heavenly Father knew dad was the only way I was going to make it through this life. 

Even if he makes fun of my cat and the boys I fall in love with, I wouldn't trade him for anything. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPA!!!

No Tuna

I found out my bike was stolen. I LOVE that bike and it was VERY  expensive.
Then my favorite camera. No not my Rebel, but my Fuji Digital SLR camera, fell apart and I lost the broken piece. 

And tonight the horrible, no good, very bad wind tossed my grill across that back yard like a dodgeball.
It seems beyond repair. I LOVE my grill, and am grieving tonight. Yes I know I am blessed but I can't help it, judge me if you want.

I cried about it.

Then while I was crying I thought how I'd really like a tuna sandwich on homemade whole wheat bread with just a few potato chips.

But I don't have any tuna!