Happy Pappy's Day!!!

 

He is standing like a girl in this picture because he is making fun of me. My dad is the best for a million reasons: But let me list just a few here in honor of this special day!



*He loves grocery ads, odd I know. But he loves to read them
*He is logical for me when I can't be.
*He taught me to be nice to my brothers because they would be bigger than me someday, and they are
*He lead family scripture every night.
*Even though he taught night classes occasionally, he still drove me and my friends to seminary at 5:45 in the morning.
*He makes a mean upside down egg sandwich
*He told us the cinnamon toast story EVERY single time we asked for it, which must have been most nights
*He came to my dance recitals, and school musicals
*When I am with my dad I am always safe and everything will always be okay.
*He makes a great apple pie, he even has a real honest to goodness trophy to prove it.
*He gets lost in Canada. <3
*He has three phones I should be able to contact him on, but I seem to always need him immediately whenever he is in class. 
*He takes us on adventures to the very shadiest restaurants he can find for authentic cuisine.
*He won't ride the ferris wheel at Lagoon, but he loves the bumper cars.
*He is quite the poet, and wrote me a Father's day poem this year upon our request.
*He broke up with a girl in college once because he didn't like her green pants.
*He makes amazing chicken wings and makes them for me every time I go home.
*He likes to try out accents at the drive thru to embarrass us.
*He has loved me from before I even took my first breath, and I am lucky enough to know it.
*He is stuck with me for eternity, that's a long time, and he seems okay with it. Maybe even excited.

100 American must haves

My friend Ann posted this today. I thought as a well traveled girl (within my own country) that I would be able to say I had enjoyed most things on the following list. I, However, have only had 66 of the 100 things on the list. Sad day! Time to set a new goal.

I wish more of my food goals were about eating less food. Ha! whatever! I like food and that is okay. So let's add this to Wade and I's goal to eat at 50 of the top 100 SLC restaurants (which isn't going as well as hoped because we have found favorites we like to keep going to.

   *1.New York pizza
   2. Hoppin' John
   *3. New Mexico green chile
   *4. Homemade buttermilk biscuits
   5. Tasso
   *6. Whole Maine lobster
   7. Calabash-style shrimp and hushpuppies
   8. Kansas City barbecue ribs
   *9. Hot glazed Krispy Kreme
  10. San Diego fish tacos
  *11. Cheese curds
  *12. Key lime pie
  *13. Philly cheese steak
  14. Memphis pork barbecue sandwich
  15. Lowcountry boil
  16. Huckleberry pie
  *17. New England clam chowder
  18. Boiled peanuts
  *19. Buffalo burger
  *20. Eggs Benedict
  *21. Pastrami on rye
  *22. Corned beef and cabbage
  *23. Pancakes with maple syrup
  *24. Everything bagel with cream cheese and tomato
  *25. Thin Mints (preferably frozen)
  *26. Frito pie
  27. Potato knish with mustard
  *28. Silver Queen corn on the cob
  *29. Soft pretzel from a street cart
  *30. Fresh-picked blueberries
  *31. Sourwood honey
  *32. State fair funnel cake
  33. Chesapeake crab cakes
  *34. Candied yams
  35. Oyster dressing
  *36. Snow cone or snowball
  37. Wild Alaskan salmon
  38. Sautéed morels
  39. Persimmon pudding
  *40. General Tso's Chicken
  *41. Frozen custard
  *42. Italian sausage with peppers and onions on a hoagie bun
  *43. Chili dog
  *44. Buffalo wings with blue cheese
  45. Spam musubi
  *46. Saltwater taffy
  *47. Fluffernutter sandwich on Wonder Bread
  *48. Black and white cookie
  *49. Frybread
  *50. BLT with thick-cut applewood bacon
  *51. Baked beans
  *52. Pumpkin pie
  53. Collards with vinegar and Tabasco
  *54. Tex-Mex fajitas with skirt steak and sautéed peppers
  55. Fried green tomatoes
  56. Succotash
  57. Shrimp and grits
  58. Hot water cornbread
  *59. Barbecue chicken pizza with red onions
  *60. Chicken fried steak
  *61. Carnitas burrito
  *62. Apple butter
  63. Geoduck
  *64. Soft-serve ice cream cone dipped in chocolate shell (especially Dairy Queen)
  *65. Pecan pie
  66. Catfish supper at a church or fire station
  67. Oysters Rockefeller
  *68. Homemade cranberry sauce
  *69. Pimiento cheese
  *70. MoonPie washed down with R.C. Cola
  71. Pickled watermelon rind
  *72. Cracker Jacks at the ball game
  *73. Smithfield ham
  *74. Meatloaf and mashed potato blue plate special at diner
  75. Chicken and waffles
  *76. Po'Boy
  *77. Green bean casserole with French's fried onions
  *78. Stuffed sopaipillas
  79. Turducken
  80. Shad roe on toast
  *81. Sweet potato casserole with or without marshmallows
  82. Cioppino
  *83. New York cheesecake
  *84. Pan-fried river trout
  *85. Jambalaya
  86. North Carolina pig pickin'
  *87. California rolls
  88. Burgoo
  *89. Penuche fudge
 * 90. Fried peanut butter and banana sandwich (the Elvis)
  *91. Scrapple or livermush
  92. Elk medallions in red wine reduction
 *93. Muscadine grapes
  *94. Cheeseburger at backyard barbecue
  95. Open-face turkey sandwich
  96. Chicago deep dish pizza
  *97. Cobb salad
  *98. Peach pie a la mode
  *99. Macaroni and cheese with Tillamook sharp cheddar
 *100. Root beer float

I have had a fish taco but not in San Diego, and I have had good BBQ ribs but not in Kansas City. I was tempted to count such things anyway until I realized I would be appalled if someone had ordered a cheesesteak here in SLC and counted that as having tried a real cheesesteak, because they aren't even close.  if you have time to go through the list. leave me a comment on how many you have tried. This list makes me want to go on a road trip real bad!

My Motorcycle

I have been wanting one for awhile. I finally voiced it the other day.
"Um no."
"I don't feel good about this."
"I'd prefer if you didn't."
"Let's examine your track record."

I suppose I expected this response which is why I haven't vocalized the idea until now. I figured if my dad said yes no one else could tell me no because as a single lady he is the only person I answer to. I should have planned it better because I approached the subject with him just after he reminded me of the time I rolled his lawn mower. (which is a story for another time.) But much to my shock he told me they get good gas mileage, are no more unsafe than a bike (which I ride everywhere now), and (this is the best part) that when you are single with no debt you do whatever the heck you want. Thanks Dad!

My favorite motorcycle exchange was this one between Zac and I:
"I am thinking of getting a motorcyle."
"That is a bad idea."
"But I want one."
"Okay you can have one if you are basically cocooned in safety attire."
"How about if I agree to wear a helmet?"
"Let's discuss your track record."
"I haven't killed myself yet."
"Will you agree to not ride it on the freeway?"
"I can promise that."
"Okay fine."


"You know what I love about this? That you knew if you said no I would do it anyway. So you took the opportunity to at least get to me to adopt a few safe practices."
"Let's try to avoid that reckless behavior we talked about earlier."
"Deal."



By the end of the conversation we had worked out these rules, I have to wear a helmet, stay off the freeway, and get health insurance. I think that sounds fair.

Orange Juice

 
I have had a goal recently to try and listen to ALL of the prompting I receive from The Spirit during the day. I have always struggled with whether a prompting was just my mind or a genuine prompting. I figured if I am being prompted do something good I can't go wrong either way. So the goal has been whenever a thought comes into my head, no matter how small, if I think it could be a prompting I follow through, even if I don't see how it would make a difference.

The other day I was at Winco and had my cart full of groceries when I realized that my debit card was not in my wallet. I though to myself that I would just write a check, no big deal, and I had spent an hour shopping. But the prompting came to leave the groceries and come back another day. I was thinking that really it shouldn't matter how I pay so what the heck? But I remembered my goal and I left the groceries and went home.

The next day I found that there had been a banking error and my account did not have the balance I expected. I had just enough to take care of all my bills while it was straightened out. Had I written a check for groceries I would have over drawn my account. Now you are thinking to yourself does Heavenly Father really care that I saved myself 35 dollars? I say yes He does.

I have been really grateful for the million little promptings that didn't seem to matter and that helped me out when "quickly I obeyed." I know that a month ago I wouldn't have listened to any of them. Not only have I had a million little miracles, and I am sure a million more unseen ones, but it has become easier and easier to hear those prompting. The more I listen the more they come. Imagine that.

So the other night I climb into bed and I'm laying there thinking you need to get out of this bed and kneel down and say your prayers. Well I laid there trying my very best to convince myself that I did not need to be on my knees and we, Heavenly Father and I, could talk just fine from my bed. I had myself convinced of it when the prompting came to get up and get some orange juice. So I tried to convince myself it was just my tummy talking, but I wasn't fooled because as good as orange juice sounded I was not getting myself out of that bed. So I knew that it wasn't my idea that I NEEDED orange juice. So per the deal I made with myself to follow promptings no matter how small, I got myself out of bed and walked all the way downstairs for some OJ. While I was down there I checked to make sure all of the doors where locked and I checked that all the burners where off, etc. I figured if I found the back door open I would have solved the mystery as to why I was prompted to do something as horrible as get out of my bed.

There was nothing. All was well. So I went back upstairs, knelt down said my prayers and went to bed. Did I need to get up and get OJ so I would get on my knees for prayer time? I still am convinced that He honestly doesn't care if one night I thought about skipping the kneeling. So what the heck was it? My tummy? No. A safety check? Everything was secure. Kneeling? Really? Really?

Confession Monday

I am addicted. Plain and simple. 

I CAN NOT STOP TASTING IT!

All Is Well

 (We are the hottest girls you know, don't lie to yourself)

 
My best friend Lolly is moving to Evanston. I know right? Who would want to move to Evanston of their own free will and choice? Being 27 and single means that for years those that mean the most to me have been moving far away for jobs or getting married and dedicating their lives, as they should, to their new best friend. Loss for me is very hard. But instead of dwelling on the negative element of that loss I thought I would just be grateful for the time I have been given with them. For the blessing that Lolly has been in my life. Both in the past in college, as I made the choice to move back to Utah, and then as my roommate once I made that choice.

She has been amazing for me. She is the mom that I need. She is always willing to listen even when the problem is with us. Even when it is something stupid and I am just being a girl. She does all the scary stuff for me like talking to boys or asking where the bathroom is. She is an example to me. And let us not forget... she makes me laugh every single day.

I am going to miss her like crazy. So much so that I can't think about it. But I am so happy that she has been given this opportunity to improve her life and as a good friend all I can do is be happy for her and supportive. I want, no need her to be happy and if the Lord wants her in Evanston then who am I to complain? I know my Heavenly Father will bless me with new friends and new adventures. I also know that no one and I mean no one will ever, ever, ever, take her place in my heart. 

Yes loss is hard for me, but Heavenly Father has never left me alone. I have always had the friends I have needed for every moment of my life. I know that they have been hand selected and those that have faded with time and distance were there for a reason and I am grateful for their influence in my life.

ZOO DAY, ZOO DAY, ZOO DAY

First of all look who was in my group. It was meant to be. How can I not love a kid who shows up in a Husker hoodie? It was destined to be a good day at the Zoo.

These are the monkeys I was in charge of. They were typical adorably rambunctious little boys, and we had so much fun!

I let them use the map and make sure we saw everything they wanted to see. The important things according to them were the elephants, cheetahs, and gorillas. My favorite, however, were the giraffes.

Even though Hoogle zoo is notorious for being lame we were anything but lame. You wish that you were in Miss Reese's group!