leaving on a jet plane...

LB and I are off to Portland, OR to spend Christmas with the Ryder's (my family). We are happily looking forward to Marsha's cooking, movie watching, reading, eating, and shopping. We will be in Portland until January 30th which is just enough time to put on 10lb (lets hope my father and I don't kill each other before the week is up - I have been instructed to be on my best behavior we'll see how it goes).

There maybe posts during the next week but don't hold your breath. However, next week there will be pictures of our "Portland Eating Adventure" so you will want to check back.

With that, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas

with the ones you love!

So...

I am So in Love with this Guy!

Good Saturday.

So on Saturday I decided the day was all about me and that LB had to go along for the ride. We started with lunch at Five Guys Burgers and Fries. They have the best burgers because you can put any thing on them you want at no extra cost but their Fries are to die for!

This is a small fry. Can you say 2000 calories?

After we got our fill of fries, I made LB go Bra Shopping with me. At first he was really excited about Bra shopping until he realized there was not going to be as much "hands on" experience as he had thought. Bra shopping went well and the "girls" are looking good!

We then went to the Festival of Trees, which is a fund raising event for Primary Children's Medical Center (which is were our church calling is at);

It was great fun and for our favorite cause.

This tree was made by our friends John and Katie Warner that serve with us at Primary Children's Medical Center (they also had help from the Mining Dept at the U).

Their tree was amazing and was purchased by one of the companies that donated money to help decorate it, cool eh?

This is the cowgirl tree that I fell in love with, unfortunately I did not have $5,000 on me, oh and someone had all ready bought it! But someday, post law school, the Festival of Trees is going to love me!

After the festival we went to see the movie Four Christmases.

The movie was very funny and it made me seriously contemplate going on vacation for Christmas instead of the family stuff - sorry mom no offence!

Watch This and Think!

http://www.healthiestnation.org/

Sorry...

I know it is time for the "Thanksgiving Vacation" post but I am in a funk after the 4 day weekend so it maybe a day or two before I get up the energy/desire to post pictures and info. Anyway, I hope your Thanksgiving was lovely.

Won Wonderful Weekend....

LB and I had a whirlwind of a weekend; we managed to get up at 10am and still squeeze in grocery shopping, a date, a football game and a rock concert.

I was infinitely happier than LB by the end of the evening!

Go Utes! 48 - 24

The loyal BYU fan! - He's a hypocrite because he goes to the U.


- A party for 2 -


LB and I went to Coldplay with our good friends Ryan & Debbie. The opening band sucked - I am pretty sure you had to be on some sort of illicit drug to enjoy it. However, on the upside Coldplay was amazing and I can't wait to see them again!

I hate to park down town so we road the train, got to love Tracks!

After our whirlwind of a Saturday we enjoyed our favorite pastime: napping.

It was so fun spending the day with my sweetheart to bad he can't take every Saturday off!

Law School Up Date

* I forgot LB also applied to the University of Chicago and for Chira's sake I have listed the city the schools are in.

We are now one step closer to getting out of Utah! This week LB finished and submitted all of his Law School applications. So where all did he apply? Here is "The List" in no particular order:

• Columbia University - NYC
• NYU - NYC
• Cardozo School of Law - NYC
• Cornell Law School - Ithaca, NY
• Georgetown University - Wash D.C.
• George Washington University - Wash D.C.
• UCLA - Los Angeles, CA
• UC Berkeley - Berkeley, CA
• Stanford Law School - Palo Alto, CA
• University of Pennsylvania - Philadelphia, PA
• University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, MI
• Northwestern University - Chicago, IL
• University of Washington - Seattle, WA
• University of Chicago - Chicago, IL

We won't hear back from schools till sometime next year so our future is still up in the air (which is driving me crazy because I need a PLAN) but stay tuned because things are going to get exciting around here!

Ooops...

I'm in trouble! I washed LB's cell phone with the laundry tonight and even threw it in the dryer and let it tumble around for a sec till I figured out what it was. I used the blow dryer on the phone and it turned back on but who knows if it will continue to work. Now I am contemplating weather or not to tell LB about my mishap - you see he has had the phone for about 8 months and he is due to loose it soon anyway, he generally goes through a phone a year. So I am thinking I will just wait and see if he still has his phone next week and then tell him!

Food Storage

12 Cases of Coke Products - $24.00

Having enough Soda to survive the Holidays - Priceless!

*Rationalization for purchase - Food Storage

Today I'm Thankful..

-for the men and women who have fought and died to protect my freedoms
-for a day off and a chance to ware jeans and a t-shirt
-that I can change the head lights in my own car
-that I know how to knit
-that parents/grandparents taught me the meaning of the word "work"
-for home-made quilts by mom
-for sweet unexpected emails from friends that remind you that your loved
-for herbal tea, hot water bottles, sweat pants, and a good movie
-for friends that let you sweep their leaves
-that I married the smart boy
-for Preston, ID, pizza, and family the day after Thanksgiving
-that I no longer ware point shoes
-for my ipod
-for this hymn, its my favorite, oh and this one too
-for my cameras
-that I have a mind and the ability to question, doubt, reason, and gain a knowledge of things for myself
-for my way cool brothers who I am so proud of
-for my great grandmothers chair
-that new adventures await LB and I next year
-for my church calling at Primary Children's Medical Center that has forced me to re-examine what I know and given me the opportunity to associate with heroes and angles

AND

-that I am married to a man who gets me, respects me, and thinks I'm amazing! (oh and did I mention he's smart?)

Halloween

For Halloween LB and I dressed as Renaissance people, I decided that we were Romeo and Juliet. However, LB thought that being Romeo was beneath him so he spent a good

30 min reading a history book and decided he was Cosimo de' Medici.

Marsha (my amazing mother) seamstress extraordinaire made our costumes, I love home-made costumes, it's my opinion they are far superior. It was so fun playing dress up for the day, its to bad Halloween only comes around once a year -


Last night LB and I went to a party given by my dear friend Lindsey, we had a great time and even won a prize at Halloween Bingo.

My office even dressed up for Halloween - The girls at the Health Dept dress to impress!

Pumpkins and Friends

Jack-O-Lanterns always make for a fun evening with friends. On Tuesday night we carved pumpkins with our good friends Megan and Richard Wells, we had a blast tapping into our created sides.

my creation... i used a stencil - i cheated

Celebrating

LB got his LSAT score back this week and since he kicked some major law school butt, we had to go out and celebrate...

and I had to do a little happy dance!

(now comes the submitting of applications, keep your fingers crossed he gets in
somewhere good)

LB*

When husband and I first started dating I took him to Oregon to meet the parents. Well while we were there, the Yost's, our long time family friends were visiting as well, and after Eric and I accidentally wore matching shirts one day, Orden started calling Eric, Lover Boy. So the whole time Orden would periodically call out "Oh Lover Boy" just like in the movie Dirty Dancing. Since then Eric has not shook the nick name, plus I am a long time lover of the movie Dirty Dancing so then name has stuck.

So from here on out on this blog Husband, aka: Eric L Maughan, shall be known as Lover Boy, LB for short.

And for your viewing pleasure a little Dirty Dancing -

hey there

So I've got nothing, no updates, no news, no excuses for not blogging, I'm not busy, I'm just boring! Since I have nothing here are some random pics - a few weeks ago I canned peaches, I had no idea what I was doing but LB* sure did, it is always makes you feel pathetic when your husband is better at domestic tasks then you.

Ok these are really bad pictures because I was lazy and did not want to take my tripod outside but I decorated the window for Halloween there are shadow bats and mice in the window not that you can tell. I think Martha would be proud.

Lastly LB* turned 26 last week and this is the rather ugly birthday cake I made him. To be honest I think this is the first birthday cake I have ever made unless you count the easy bake oven one I made for my cat when I was 8. Come to find out baking/decorating a cake is way harder then my mom made it look. I think I will stick to fruit tarts and when it comes time for cake I will find a good bakery (or call mom).

loves...

Loving this song by Coldpay, I can't wait till Novemeber to see them live!

Updates...

1- I wish I was here! (Cannon Beach, OR)

2- Husband finally took the LSAT now we sit and wait for one score to determine our future.

3- Remember the flip flop I lost? It was the right foot, I swore I searched high and low; well I guess I only searched high cuz I found the other half of my favorite pair of flip flops under the couch yesterday. Considering that I have been looking for the shoe for over two months I figured the moment called for a little happy dance.

4- Last week I was mistaken for a high school student while working (I graduated in 2001 & I will be 26 in January). That's right I went to a meeting and someone thought I was the youth counsel rep instead of the Health Dept rep/employee. The sad part of this whole story is that I was totally dressed professionally (hair done and make up on to boot) as jeans and flip flops are against the dress code at the health dept, (this has been a big adjustment).

Autumn in Utah

Sunday after General Conference the husband and I headed* up Big Cottonwood for a drive and to take pictures. It was a wonderful crisp Autumn day and a great reminder that Utah is truly beautiful!

Yes I know this pic is cheesy but it is always fun to jump off a rock while having your picture taken- it took over 10 tries to get a good shot.

loved the fall leaves. loved the long drive with my partner. loved conference. loved making carmel apples with friends. loved the chill in the air. loved comfort food for dinner (pot roast & warm rolls). loved sleeping in.


*Husband would like to file a formal complaint about the use of the word "headed" in the blog (he claims its not a real word). Complaint duly noted and ignored.

Boobs and Candy Corn!

October is my favorite month for many reasons, I love the chill in the air, the changing leaves, and the fact that soup in now back on the menu. But October is also great for two major reasons, first, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month -Being that it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and that I am a big advocate of monthly self breast exams I had to buy this t-shirt (which is sure to be considered inappropriate by my in-laws, which is all the more reason to wear such a awesome shirt). Feel Your Boobies is a breast cancer awareness non-profit organization that targets women especially under 40. Learn more at www.feelyourboobies.com. Anyway, so going back to self breast exams; if you are a woman you should being giving your self an exam every month, if you don't know how go HERE! and learn. If you know how and your not giving your self a monthly breast exam start now.

The second major reason October is so wonderful is Halloween. I love Halloween, the candy corn, the pumpkins, the decorations, trick or treaters, and of course the costumes (my mom is currently working on mine). Thanks to Martha Stewart I now I have decorating ideas, now if only her staff could come over to my apartment and help me I would be set. The pics are a few of Martha's ideas I am trying to work up enough nerve to experiment with.

So what are you going to be for Halloween? If you have not thought about it now is the time to start!

loves...

Oh I so love this commercial and the car even more! Someday I will own my very own beautiful red Cadillac which I will drive while wearing sexy high heels and a little black dress.

why I don't have children...yet!

So this post started with an email conversation and I decided that I would post a portion of it. Every time a family member/neighbor/friend makes a comment about me having children or asks when we are going to start a family part of me wants to say "frankly that is none of your damn business" but then there is this other part that wants to make myself heard and wants to express my personal opinion /philosophy (thus this post). Furthermore this is in no way an excuse, I do not believe I need an excuse for not having children yet because again it is none of their damn business! So here is my opinion/philosophy:

I believe that being a parent is the most important thing I will ever do in this life and that every child deserves to come into a home that is financially, mentally, and relationshiply(not a word I know) stable. I believe that the most important time of a child's life is birth through age six and every child deserves to have their mother at home full time and not working while the child is at day care. I believe that my happiness and my husbands happiness are vital and worth considering and being extremely poor and living off the government (i.e. Medicaid, Food Stamps, Welfare, etc.) just so we can pop out a kid will not make us happy, is wrong and could ultimately end our marriage. I believe that when I choose to have children is a personal decision between me, my husband, and my God and that it is wrong to have a child any sooner then all 3 of us are ready. I realize that there is no perfect time to have children and that I will never be fully ready. I believe that every child has a right to come into a family that is ready and able to care for them and if I can not completely do that then I have absolutely no business having a child! So am I being selfish waiting to have a child?

My opinion: HELL NO! I am being responsible and selfless; and furthermore I am not waiting to have a child because I am a “princess” and I want everything to be all about me, in fact it is quite the opposite!

So, there you have it, I feel better now.

today was fine...

However, tonight SUCKED!

Isn't kissing wonderful?

Hope you have someone sweet to kiss in the rain. Picture from here.

1st Day of Job & Updates

So I started my new job at Salt Lake Valley Health Department and on the first day I made Eric take my picture because that is what you do on the first day of things (i.e. kindergarten, marriage, etc.). I am loving the new job so far and I am feeling completely lost and inadequate which is a good sign because the only way to go is up!

The fish, Vincent Simon III, has started eating again; come to find out he is picky, go figure I buy a fish and I pick the temperamental one!

Tomorrow I am going to try canning peaches, I have no idea what I am doing! I will take pictures and post them because if I don't I doubt anyone will believe me.

Have a wonderful week!

flowers & such

I picked these simple yet pretty flowers up at the farmers market on Saturday. They have so made my week! We are now incorporating money for flowers into our monthly budget. Frivolous? Yes, but I don't care and flowers make me happy! On a side note I start my new job tomorrow and there are only 46 days till Halloween!

Food Like Substances

To day I have ingested maltodextrain, tartaric acid, gum arabic, rice starch, magnesium stearate, ascorbic acid, yellow 6, carnauba way, carbonated water, caramel color, phosphoric acid, potassium benzoate (to protect taste), citric acid, caffeine, and some thing called phenylketonurics which I think causes cancer in rats (whoops!).

In other words I had two of these and a whole pack of this!

help.

My fish, Vincent Simon III, won't eat. I have had him for about two weeks and he has yet to eat anything and as a result he is starting to look really bad. I don't know what to do, I'm a bad fish owner.

Fish, Football, and Flip Flops

Last week I decided it was time for a new pet. Previously we had a very cute hamster by the name of Artur (pronounced R-Tour, it's from Robert Jordan, yes we are geeks) but he passed a way. Artur's death was traumatic, he took a very long time to die and I really wanted to put him to sleep but Eric said "NO!" because he only cost $6. Since then I decided I would never get another pet that I could not put to sleep when its time came, so we got a fish because at least I can flush it down the toilet. So, the fish's name is Vincent Simon III and no we have not had two other fish by that name. Eric is obsessed with naming things "the Third" and I am hoping that by naming the fish Vincent Simon III he will get it out of his system and I won't end up with "the Third" tacked on to the end of my children's names.

Football season has started and between BYU football (I hate BYU) school and studying for the LSAT my husband has no time to wait on me anymore. This is a big trial for me, I am not adjusting well and plus it scares me when he yells at the TV.

I have officially lost half of my favorite pair of flip flops. I wore them home from my grandparents over a month ago and now I can't find the left shoe. (yes mom I am sure, because they are brown and I wore them with a black shirt home and was embarrassed by the fact that I did not match and yes mom I have looked again the shoe is gone).

Good Bye Aging Services

I GOT A NEW JOB! For the last two years I have worked for Salt Lake County Aging Services coordinating the Senior Health Insurance Information Program. A few weeks ago I interviewed for a Health Educator job with the Salt Lake Valley Heath Department and received a job offer. So on September 16th I will be starting my new job working for the Health Department in community outreach, I am not completely sure what all I will be doing but this website will give you a general idea. I am really excited about the new job, it is a promotion, I will be making more money and I will not have to deal with Medicare any more.

Can I wash my mouth out with soap, please?

I cussed/swore in church on Sunday, not my finest moment I tell ya. We don't go to regular church, instead we are called to the Primary Children's Medical Center Branch where Eric is the executive secretary and I am the 2nd counselor in the primary presidency, however that is not the point of the story. No, the point of the story is that I have a bad mouth, which was instilled in me at an early age and I can not seam to kick the very bad habit of using the two somewhat inappropriate words, "Dam" and "Hell".

So on Sunday as both the Branch Presidency, Primary Presidency, and the High Counselor where waiting to go down to Sacrament Meeting I was moving some papers and I cut my pinkie finger right across the top through the cuticle and out of my mouth popped "Dammit". While I quickly tried to cover it up with a more appropriate word it was to late, I had outed my self as the bad word user that I am. I felt so guilty (and stupid)!

Let just say I did not grow up in a family who is known for their clean language and it was not until later in life that I realized that "Hell" was actually a cuss word. Needless to say it is a good thing we are not having children for a long while as I need to improve foul mouth a do a better job of watching my language, especially at church.

Moment of Insanity!

So the other day at the gym I had this insane thought where for a brief second I wished I was still dancing! Let me tell you it was a scary second, luckily I quickly snapped out of it. However, I now have this strange need to post some old ballet pictures. While I will always have a love for ballet I will always have a greater love for sanity and a sense of normality.

(note: I have not be back to the gym since)