Box full of Service

It was that time of year again this week when the Bishop asked us to fill a box (or two or three) for the Salvation Army with non-perishable food items. This comes around once a year and I never seem to really think about what it really means to those who are getting the items that we donate. We donate every year by just going through the pantry and seeing what we haven't used and what we don't really want anymore or what we have too much of and those items go into the box. But this year for some reason as I took the box to the Bishop's house I really was thinking about the people who were going to be receiving these items and wondering about them. I hope that my family and I are never on the receiving end and that we always have "enough". We are blessed to be able to donate and to give of what we have to those who do not have enough. I hope that my contribution will help someone out and make a difference in their life, because they made a difference in mine.

Dance till you drop

So as I sit here and post this I have to hurry or I will be late and this post will be false.

Today is my last class for the month and then I will have officially made it through my first month of my stretch and exercise class. I am very proud of myself. I already take Tap and Jazz classes once a week but my teacher also teaches a S&E class on M/W/F and said I should come. I thought it was a great idea until the first Monday morning. But I have struggled through and feel a lot better every day that I go. Sometimes it is hard to get motivated and actually get there but once I do my day goes so much better and I am glad that I went. So I am off to my last class for the month, and then it will start all over.

I love my teacher. She is such a good example and so fun and so great to just be around. I also like the people in both of my classes. I am making good friends and I think that is part of the reason why I enjoy going too. It makes me feel good to be there and I am also doing something good for my body at the same time. Two points for me, YEAH!

Date Night

Tonight we went to the Temple with FSA. It wasn't a very good turnout since as far as we could tell we were the only couple there from FSA. But we had a great time going and being there together, and we know that we were doing what we should be doing and doing our part in participating in FSA. We know we will be blessed for our efforts and that is important to us. Hopefully next month more couples will be there but if not, it will be Dan and I alone once again and that is alright too.

BREAKING NEWS!

A fourth book is on it's way! That's right you heard me. This summer Stephanie Meyer is releasing another book in the Twilight series and it will be out on August 2nd.


Bigger news that that. I have found out information about the upcoming movie they are making about the books. I am so excited I can hardly contain myself.



Take a look here if you want a little more info but I will just give you a quick run down.


Robert Pattinson as Edward


Peter Facinelli as Carlisle


Nikki Reed as Rosalie


Kristen Stewart as Bella


Kellan Lutz as Emmett


Jackson Rathborne as Jasper


Elizabeth Reaser as Esme


Ashley Greene as Alice


Now the only person we have to wonder about is Jacob, no word on him yet!

So is this what you thought they all looked like or what? I totally pictured Carlisle older. I mean I know they don't age, but he is still the dad after all. Other than that they all look great to me.

This is going to be great and I will be there opening night for sure. Dan will probably hate the movie but who cares!

Our new favorite store

So this year we are trying to be healthier, make more earth friendly choices and just "do better". Well in keeping with this theme we have found our new favorite grocery store. It sort of goes along the whole Trader Joe's concept but not so dramatic. They have really good, natural, healthy foods, some organic stuff but it is all really fresh (hence the name Fresh and Easy) but they don't go overboard like Trader Joe's tends to do. They also have normal stuff like Mac n'cheese (Dan's must-have) and cereals and stuff like that.

We still do a lot of shopping at the local grocery store but it is great for salad stuffs, and vegetables and fruits and breads (oh, they have the best fresh-baked breads) and good for you stuff like that. And the best part is that they built one just down the street so I can decide what we are having for dinner and then if I need something I can just run and pick it up for the night. It is fabulous. I love it and will be frequenting it a lot for sure.

Cards for Charity

Over the last two weeks we have been working on cards at card class for Ronald McDonald House. What we did was make 24 cards (4 of 6 different designs) and we kept 12 for ourselves and sent 12 to Ronald McDonald House. By the time we were done with both days of cards we had a box full of cards ready to be sent off to the House and it was over 50+ cards we had made for them.

It is nice to be involved with a company that works with charities that are doing such good for others. Not only do we have fun making the cards and just being together but it is nice to know that we are also doing it for a good cause.

But it's soooo good

I cheated today and drank a Red Bull. I haven't had one in FOREVER! It is not really by choice but more under doctor's orders. Ever since the beginning of last summer I have had to severely cut back (if not totally eliminate) the amount of caffeine that I consume. And for me that was a big change. I went from at least one Red Bull a day, with a few sodas mixed in, to no Red Bull and probably about 5 sodas total since the day he told me to quit. I would say I am doing really good. I now only drink caffeine free soda, water, juice, milk, etc. and no Red Bull for sure. But some days I just have this overwhelming urge and NEED the caffeine. Today was one of those days. I saw the can sitting in the fridge at my mom's house and I could not resist the temptation. I went for it. I will probably pay for it later tonight or tomorrow with a headache since my body is no longer use to it, but boy did it taste wonderful on the way down.

The REALITY of it all

Okay our TV is officially broken! We called Directv and they can't come out until TOMORROW! What am I going to do?

We had a few days of really bad wind (of course) and now we get no local channels. We do get the cable stations, after a few times of re-setting it, but still no local channels. So this means no October Road, no One Tree Hill, Lost, Gossip Girl, Friday Night Lights, Ellen, Oprah, my new show Eli Stone and then of course none of my reality shows.... Three nights of American Idol, three nights of Big Brother 9 and of course Survivor. Real World/Road Challenge is the only thing I can watch because it is on MTV.

This may not be upsetting to some people but to me it is life altering. I have found some of the shows available in full episodes online, but it is not the same. I have to watch them a day later and I don't get the full affect on the computer. And some of the shows are not available online. Directv needs to hurry and fix my TV!!!!!

New Clothes

I almost forgot about one of the best parts about our trip to Utah until I went to put on a dress and then I saw them.... MY NEW CLOTHES!!! I don't know how I could have forgotten about them, they are so fab-u-lous.



Compliments of this great store.



So here is the deal. I found out about Down East Basics a little over a year ago while visiting Utah and since then have been having to do all of my purchases on-line. And while I am sure that Dan says I have found plenty to buy that way it is not the easiest thing to do. You never know if you are getting the right size, or if it is going to look that way on your, etc. etc. So I have stuck with the basic shirt pretty much. WELL NO MORE!!!! While on our way to Brian Head we stopped in St. George and stumbled upon the mecca of Down East stores. There is a huge store right there and we made great use of it, let me tell you. Dan said that it was one more reason we don't live in Utah! I told him it was one more reason we had to make more trips to visit his family! Anyways... I got some great purchases since they were having an awesome "end of season sale" and since everything was so dang cute to begin with and now my closet is happy once again (my bank - not so much)!

Totally RAD Dance

Las night we went to an FSA function and it was "TOTALLY RAD". It was an 80's themed couples dance (in honor of Valentine's Day). We were on the planning committee again so we knew what was coming but could not have expected the total chaos that ensued. It was out of control. There was a band belting out 80's love songs (just think Wedding Singer), there was a bubble machine in the background, we had a chocolate fountain for desserts, we played the dating game (Dan and I won... don't ask me how), and then there were the outfits.



These pictures were taken at our "Prom style" photo booth we had set up.



The entire night was a blast. It was fun to see the people who had come dressed up and also see the others who hadn't and see the look on the face and see that they wish they had come dressed up! It was again another fun event and fun to get to know some of the other couples even better. We enjoy being part of the group and putting these events together and then enjoying them and seeing them turn out well.

TAXES!

We went to get our taxes done (started) today....



I HATE TAXES!

I HATE OWNING OUR OWN BUSINESS!

THE END.

Package Day!

The day finally arrived where I got my package from my travel swap that I did! It was so exciting... First let me show you what I did. It was really hard for me as this was my first swap and I didn't really know what I was doing but I had fun coming up with the ideas and putting it all together.


This is a calendar that I made with different contries / states on every month that have something to do with that month. For example, May has Mexico on it for Cinco de Mayo. March has Ireland for St. Patrick's Day... You get the idea!


This is a journal that I made. It is chipboard that I covered with this fun travel paper, then I used rub-ons and put the little saying on the front that says "Life Every Moment - Adventure".


This is a photo holder (you can't see the holders in the picture, they are on "wish" and "were") that is made from coasters. It was just something fun that she could use for pictures on her desk.



NOW.... this is the box that I got in return. She did a much better job with the presentation that is for sure. I just stuffed mine in a box and sent in on its way. Mental note for next time that I need to do better in that area for sure. Doesn't it look exciting?


This is the total contents of the box. I got a Mickey bag that had a cute "airplane emergency kit" in it. I got a Jane Austen book for reading while I am traveling. I got tons of cool postage stamps to use in scapbooking or on cards. I got lots of neat European candies to try. She made me a photo/trinket holder. She also made me some postcards.



I loved all of the gifts, but I think that the "homemade" postcards are my favorite. They are real pictures that she took and made into postcards. She has obviously been to these places so on the back she wrote a little hint about each place and then my name and address is already printed on there too. They are fabulous. I really, really like them.

This was a fun swap and I hope that I will be able to do another one and stretch my creative brain a little more. Hope Christine liked what I sent her because I liked what I got!