Orange Cupcakes

My terribly creative friend, Nancy, posted a cupcake recipe sometime last week. I don't usually go gaga over food posts, & I don't know if it was just because I had yet to eat that day, but I started drooling. These are them.

I just made them and they are so moist and so dang good. You need to try them for yourselves. PLEASE. I'm serious. Make them. And they make your house smell irresistable. Go here for the recipe.

Dreamland

I woke up this morning laughing. Why?? Because my dream last night was a Last of the Mohicans meets Twilight saga. It was SOOOOO funny! I watched Last of the Mohicans last night for my 1st time, and I guess I was really moved by it for it to have stayed with me like that. I can't remember all the details, but at some point it changed and I was filing through a dim room in a line of girls ogling at Jacob. What the?? (clarification: I wasn't ogling, the girls were) I recently broke down and read the Twilight series & saw the movies and found them entertaining enough. But I am not a Twilight junkie by any means! But perhaps my subconscious says otherwise...

As I was in this room, somehow I ended up with sitting with Jacob, he had his arms around me. I know it sounds sorta romantic (yes his shirt was off, and he still had his long hair) but I remember touching his arms and they were all scabby. Bleh. Gross. Ruined whatever I  may have conjured up in my traitorous mind. And that was that.

Enough already...

I know I've already posted about Senioritis before...but this is killing me! I go to class, but usually read my book the whole way through (I'm on my 5th book in 3 weeks). I should be studying for a test that I HAVE to take today, yet still somehow cannot find any small semblance of motivation. I have a final exam on Wednesday morning, still haven't cracked a book. I am ready to move on. And while I'm still enjoying all my time with my roomies and friends here, I wish we were playing all the time instead of wishing feeble "good lucks" each morning hoping that the day will fly by til we can congregate to laugh on the couch and eat who knows what in the evening. I'm not wishing my time here away, I know I'll miss it lots. But I am wishing away the monotonous schoolwork that is so painfully boring that I find I prefer to stare into space, or the blank computer screen, rather then exert any energy in accomplishing any of it. 12 days of classes left.

Thanks for listening.

Me and my girl

I FINALLY got to see my girl tonight! After 4 torturous days of my mother and entire family telling me how adorable and perfect she is, I finally got a chance to get home to see her. And you know what? They were all right! She is perfect. A little cuddle bug (she fell asleep on me all stretched out across my chest) but too funny when she's playing. I love her.

(the picture isn't great quality b/c it was taken with my phone...better ones to come!)

She just follows you around all over the house, and she'll run off to one of her stuffed animals but then dash back to your feet and sit so pretty and perfect and still that it just melts your heart. She's my girl. The best one there is.

Stick it

My roommate, Bre, just got marked off yesterday on her midterm paper for being like a minute late due to a slow grilled cheese sandwich maker. I post this video in honor of her.

I want to be here

Family. Fun. Gertie. Sun. Relax. Laugh. Warm. Sun. Sun. Sun. Home. Happy. Sleep in. Talk late. Play. Sun. Shorts. Can't wait.

WOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! YA!!!

one month one month one month one month one month one month 

The official countdown has begun...ONE MONTH.

I'm so excited.

Meet Gertie!

More pics to come, but I wanted you all to meet her! She is a 7 week old Schnoodle (dare you to say that without smiling!), a poodle/schnauzer mix. She's hypoallergenic & non-shedding, a playful little thing but also climbs up in your lap and sleeps so peacefully. She's my graduation present from my mama so I won't be all alone in big-old-far-away Ohio. I already love her so much, Thanks Mom!!!

Eggsperience

I've found that I go through phases of how I like to eat my eggs...

As a child, the only way I would ever consider eating them is scrambled covered in ketchup.

Then, one night something got into my mom and me because we wanted fried eggs?? Actually, what we were trying to do is to boil water and then crack the egg into the water and take it out still whole...after going through 10 of the 12 eggs in the carton and wrecking them all!...we decided on fried eggs with our waffles and juice (I think it was close to midnight by the time we actually ate!)

So that was my fried egg phase. I'd come home from school and make a fried egg sandwich (sometimes with bacon...mmm...) a couple days a week.

On the mission, Sister Day taught me how to do the eggs in water ones (really she just made them for me becuase I still could never get the hang of em) She called them some sort of sailor name that I can't remember right now...

And NOW, I am on a run with eggs Sunny Side Up or Over-easy....whatever they're called.

I like them to have the yolk runny for dipping my sourdough and rye toast in...soooooo good! This is just funny to me that I am loving these because in the 7th grade I would spend the night at my friend's quite a bit and her Peruvian mother would make me these kind of eggs and I thought nothing could be more gross.

I think perceptions change tastebuds more than taste changes them.

That is all. Happy breakfast to everyone!

Luck o' the Irish

I've had a fixation with Ireland lately...I love that accent, I think the photos (as I've never actually been to see for myself) are breathtaking, I enjoy their wise little sayings like "You'll never plow a field by turnin it over in yer mind" "A person who loves sleep will find poverty sooner than his wakeful friend" & "God prefers prayers to tears" and the like. And the people are fantastic! (& yes that is from personal experience) The men are oh-so-attractive, and I like their O'Lastnames! I think I'll go around putting an O' infront of my last name today just because.

I'm pretty sure I'm Irish from my Grandma Brown, at least that's what I claim every St. Patrick's Day and whenever I have a streak of fiery indignation run through me! Ha! Any family members care to confirm this thought?

Yes, I am wearing green today. Though when I was talking with my Mom this morning over yummy St. Patty's day meals I discovered she totally forgot! hahaha I still want a shirt that says "Kiss me, I'm Irish!" Maybe next year...

I'm in charge of dinner tonight for my dinner group (there are 8 people and we each cook once every 2 weeks...it's fabulous) I was so looking forward to making corned beef & cabbage because it's one of my favorite meals EVER and it's all on sale right now...but, alas, I don't have time to make it today. I was SOOOO heartbroken. My wise mother suggested Reuben sandwiches though which I think is a brilliant idea! Can't wait. And of course, I'll make some green jello

Best friends turn TRAITOR!!

I thought these girls loved me. Nope. They find delight in torture tactics.

Former names: Breanne and Ashley

New: Cassius & Brutus

Beware the Ides of March is right. That seer was never so prophetic.

View the evidence for yourself:

Specimen A

Specimen B

Beware the Ides of March

Don't you enjoy working some Shakespeare into your everyday life? I get more excited for the Ides of March than I do for St. Patrick's Day...don't ask me why

I've made it through the day without attempted murder, but as history says

Caesar: Well the Ides of March have come

Seer: Ay, they have come, but they are not gone.

so I guess I won't get too hoity toity just yet about my smooth-sailing day.

So far today:

the sun is SHINING, so I'm happy

slept in a little later than normal, but still got my shower in

I've had both breakfast and lunch (not exactly an everyday occurence)

finished a project at work (only taken a few months!) WOO HOO! Go me!

finished a final report for a class

talked to one of my best friends that I haven't talked with in a few months and laughed so hard and it felt so good

did I mention the sun's out?

and I've been able to go around saying things like

"Et tu, Brute?"

"It's Greek to me!"

"Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears!"

and of course..."Beware the Ides of March!"

Have a happy day!

Is that water on the kitchen floor?

What do you do when 10 people (big group date last night) are at your house and your guest bathroom decides to overflow with water and keep running until it's filled your kitchen and started creeping its way to your living room carpet?

Gross. Potentially embarrassing.

Luckily, BOY was here to fix it while Bre and I "mopped" it up (consisted of sliding around the linoleum floor on rags and basically shakin' our thangs. Good times.)

BOY just turned the water off and told us not to let anyone else use it. EVER.

hahaha Oh I love awkward group blind dates...what a way to start the evening off!

Naptime

I just woke up from the perfect Saturday afternoon nap. I took one, because I could.

As amazing as it was, don't you think this would be the ideal place to take a Saturday nap?

Whacked Media

I just learned about the death of the SeaWorld trainer by the killer whale last night (being in the Provo bubble delays my news alerts).

I was reading up on the story today and a few lines have caught my attention.

The eyewitness, who apparently spoke to a few news sources, seemed to think that the woman's shoe flying off during the thrashing was a pretty big deal.

Really? The woman is being attacked by a killer whale and you're worried/amazed by her losing a shoe?

PETA obviously had something to say about the incident. Not all of their statement was bunk, but I thought they really ended on a high note:

It's time for SeaWorld to heed PETA's advice and let marine mammals live in peace with their families in the world's oceans. Switching to giant robotics would be a win-win situation that could have saved a woman's life today.

What are you talking about? Giant Robotics?? Get real! HA HA HA

And perhaps my favorite quote was by the USHS...it always comes back the Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs...

"To say that his actions were motivated by his teenage hormones is a bit like saying a lion's hunting instincts are motivated by his appetite,"

apparrently orca's are big on breeding.

Mr. Officer, Sir? We are NOT friends.

On Saturday, I was driving my way down to Hurricane, UT for my cousin's baptism. I was enjoying the ride, the sun, and the peace of it all. I had seen 4 cops already by the time I was heading into Fillmore and so was purposefully watching my speed. But then the unthinkable happened!

Now, I'm not saying that I'm always so innocent, but this day I was!!

The officer tried to be all nice and amiable and play the good-guy card, but it just made me not like him all the more when he handed me my $90 ticket and told me there were at least 4 coppers on duty down in Beaver so to watch myself.

This is my 1st speeding ticket (even the 1st time ever being pulled over!) in my life. And did any of those previous 10 years of good behavior get me anywhere?? NOPE. Even my curled hair was good for nothing as far as Millard County was concerned.

I am not pleased.

Productive vs Efficient

I realized that when I make my goal each morning to be productive that day, what I really mean is to be efficient.

I think we use the idea of productivity to make ourselves feel better about doing nothing at all. For example, I feel better about sitting & watching a movie when I have my Inbox open. Why? Because I can feel like I'm multi-tasking, hence being productive. How satisfying.

Efficiency though, that's where the goods are. That's when we fulfill our tasks in the best way: top quality with the least waste of time and effort. My daily (and oh-so-satisfying) checklist helps me to be efficient! not productive.

My new goal? To live a meaningful, efficient, and satisfying life. Happy.

Math Geek

I have already admitted that I am somewhat of a nerd. Today, I am confessing my love of math. I was in class today working some stats problems and I tried to remember the last time I did math with actual numbers. I think it was the 5th grade. Variables, I am pretty sure, were introduced to me in Mrs. Snyder's 6th grade math class. I remember thinking it was crazy to do math with the alphabet.

My realization today is that I no longer even just use the alphabet...but I use the GREEK alphabet! (beta & psi are my favorites, while by finance buddy likes gamma)

No wonder BYU counts math for the foreign language credit.

Last year, I lived my life on the Greek alphabet in my quantum mechanics class...you learn to love Schrodinger there! But I am pleased that I have not completely crossed over to the dark side like this guy. Yikes!

1/4 of a century and feelin great

I've decided I really like being 25 (weird as that still seems) because of a few significant perks. I mean, I could go the cheesy route and list 25 reasons why being 25 is great! but I'll spare you. Here are my tops:

I am now in posession of one of these beauties

that's right, eat your heart out! (Thanks Grandma!!!)

I definitely feel in control of my life. That probably has less to do with being 25 and more to do with all the prep work I did while I was 24, but I'm counting it.

I finally have my all-time, hands-down, FAVORITE show

I first read the play my Senior year of high school, watched the movie, and have seen 3 versions of the play. I LOVE IT!!! (Thanks amazing roomies!!)

And I just wake up every day feeling GOOD. That right there is worth it. I'm glad I've had 25 amazing years to live life so pleasantly and with so much satisfaction.

I am so blessed and, ok, here's the cheesy part, I'm really looking forward to making the next 25 years amazing as well.

Simple Pleasure of a Bike Ride

It has been a gorgeous day in Provo, Ut. THE SUN WAS OUT!!! Did you all hear that? It wasn't just high up in the sky, remote and tempting. It was HERE, it was on my skin, and it felt SOOOOO good! How I've missed it. On campus this afternoon I took my studying to my favorite bench on campus and just basked in its glow. Perfect.

Then, my day got better. When I got home from school my roommate, Bre, suggested we go for a bike ride (YAY!) I quickly ate some food, changed my clothes, and we were off!!

Why is there such simplicity and purity in a bike ride? Honestly, my whole outlook on life became brighter and clearer because of it. "Melancholy is incompatible with bicycling" (James E. Starrs) I dare you to try and be grumpy on a bike ride. I found myself just smiling (when I wasn't watching for oncoming traffic in the intersections! Ha!) and being rejuvenated in my core. It really helps to discard the extra burdens of life, a nice sieve.

"Life is like riding a bicycle - in order to keep your balance, you must keep moving" (Albert Einstein)

How'd he get through medical school?

I guess cute doctors aren't always what they're cracked up to be...hahaha