Ugly Christmas Sweater Round 2

It’s the week before Christmas, and that means it’s time for The Butler’s annual Ugly Sweater Party! Last year’s party was tough to beat, but I think the Butlers did it once again! We had a blast celebrating the holiday season with our friends. We had great food, hideous sweaters, and an always hilarious white elephant gift exchange. I even won the Christmas Trivia Challenge (cha ching!), and Sean won the prize for the ugliest sweater. Here are some photos of the sweater parade (and yes that is a giant red glittery bird on Sean’s shoulder):

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Everyone got some great treasures during the gift exchange:

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Happy Holidays!

The Holiday Season

It’s the holiday season, and that means it’s time for holiday parties. I just love holiday parties. This weekend we attended the Apollo corporate Christmas party. Can you say fun? Last year’s corporate party was a blast and a half, and this year’s was even better. We had amazing food and great entertainment. I had so much fun laughing and partying all night long with my coworkers. This year’s entertainment was comedian, Rob Schneider. He was hilarious! After dinner and entertainment we headed to the dance floor. We danced the night away with Rob Schneider and CEO, Chas Edelstein. Okay, so maybe we weren’t dancing “with” them, but we were dancing right next to them. Same diff. Anyway, it was a great night and a great holiday party. Here are a few pictures from the evening’s festivities.

These are my favorite work girlfriends, Ashley B., Karina, and Ashley H. I couldn't live without you, girls!


Proof that we actually did dance the night away with Rob Schneider.



See you next year Apollo!

The...The...The Grinch!

My favorite Christmas movie is How the Grinch Stole Christmas…the one with Jim Carrey. The original cartoon is also fabulous, but the one with Jim Carrey takes the cake. It’s hilarious! It’s actually on my list of top ten favorite movies ever! I can’t get enough of it. I watch it at least once each year around the holidays, sometimes more.

There’s this funny scene where the Grinch sneaks into the Post Office. He switches everyone’s mail around and hands out jury duty notices, chain letters, etc. It goes a little something like this…



Well, I went to get the mail yesterday and my mailbox has been Grinched! I got summoned for jury duty…AGAIN. Not only did I just get summoned two years ago, but I actually had to serve on a case that lasted a whole week! Sean has never been summoned, and now I get my second summons in just over two years?!? Not fair. Geez Mr. Grinch, I thought your heart grew three sizes that day? If I give you a slice of roast beast will you get me out jury duty?

"A" for Effort

If I had ever graded a test that looked like this, I'm pretty sure I would have had to give it an A+ for creativity. Hilarious! Whether you have been a teacher, a TA, or a sarcastic student, you can definitely appreciate this creative history test.

Queen of Clean

I was listening to the radio on the way to work this morning and the radio show had a visiting guest, the Queen of Clean. As I was listening to her tips about cleaning toilets, which were fascinating by the way, I thought to myself…I wish people called me the Queen of Clean.

As many of your know, I LOVE to clean. Love it. I am always cleaning. I clean to relieve stress, I clean for fun, I clean when I’m angry, and I clean when I’m happy. I’m pretty sure my clean freak nature has been a blessing and curse to my roommates, family, and husband.

So I figured, maybe I’ll just start calling myself the Queen of Clean and see if it catches on. For my first order of business as the self-proclaimed Queen of Clean, I’d like to introduce to you my new best friend…The Swiffer Duster.


OMG…I seriously love this thing. It is the best duster in the whole world. It doesn’t just move the dust around like other lame dusters, it picks it right up! It’s fast, easy, and fantastic. I honestly can’t imagine life without it. I may or may not still get excited each time I get to use my duster. So, if you’d like to give the dust in your house a one-two punch, I highly recommend the Swiffer Duster.

Murder, Magic, and Madness

Do you love non-fiction books?

Do you heart history?

Are you looking for a new book to add to your Amazon Wish List?

If you answered yes to any of the questions above, then I have the book for you! I just finished reading Devil in the White City, By Erik Larson, and I’m obsessed. This book was absolutely fascinating. It was seriously one of the best books I’ve read in a long time.


The book provides all of the history and details surrounding the legendary Chicago’s World Fair of 1893. The author intertwines the lives and stories of two men—the gifted architect behind the fair, and the menacing serial killer who used the fair to lure victims. The book is bursting with interesting and amazing historical facts. It really was America’s chance to shine, and it’s absolutely remarkable what they accomplished. Did I mention that I completely love this book?!?

Read it. I know you will love it!

Who Let the Dogs Out?

This year the girls got to pick out the Halloween costumes…much to the boys’ chagrin. Luckily, they were good sports and they agreed to be our puppy dogs. We had a great time at the church trunk or treat party. Here are a few pictures from the evening. Meow!

From Collages

All That Glitters

In college I once said, “Not all that glitters is gold…sometimes its platinum.” I’d like to add that, “Not all that glitters is gold…sometimes its fabulous!” Last weekend was Glitter Fest 2009 with my girls Vanessa and Ashley. We channeled Martha Stewart and made these to-die-for glitter pumpkins. They make the perfect centerpiece for the fall season.


Not only are these pumpkins adorable, but they are also fun and easy to make. All you need is white glue, Martha’s glitter, and a pumpkin and you are in business. Martha suggests using real pumpkins, but we picked up some decorative pumpkins at Michael’s instead. This way they will last for Thanksgiving too!


We are now all officially obsessed with this Martha Stewart glitter. As we were glittering away we kept looking around the house trying to find something else to glitter. Candles? Trash cans? Vanessa’s baby? We refrained from glittering everything in the house; however, we are already planning our attack for Christmas. Go glitter!

Start Spreading the News

Start spreading the news…I’m leaving today. Well, actually, I left last weekend for a fantastic trip to New York City. Sean and I hit the Big Apple for some great site seeing and quality time with my best friend, Holly.

It was the beginning of fall in NYC, so the weather was perfect. There is just something magical about that city. This was Sean’s first time to New York, so we saw all the good sites; Times Square, Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, Top of the Rock, and Central Park. We even had time to take in a Broadway show.

The best part of the trip was spending time with Holly. It had been way too long since we had seen each other, so it was a fabulous reunion. I love Holly to death and I just can’t imagine life without her. I only wish that we didn’t live so far apart. It was so good to see you Holly. I miss you tons! Thanks for being our tour guide and showing us a great time. Hope to see you again soon!


Here are a few of my favorite pics. You can also scroll down below to check out a slide show of the rest of our pictures.

Link to Slideshow.

Jack and Squat

I'm always in need of a good laugh to help me kick start my Monday morning. Thought you might like one too...

Looks like the video is experiencing a few technical difficulties. Here is a link to it in case it's not working:

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/clips/obama-address/1163263/

Oh Mexico!

A wise man once said…

Way down here you need a reason to move.
Feel a fool running your stateside games.
Lose your load, leave your mind behind, baby James.
Oh, Mexico! It sounds so sweet with the sun sinking low.
Moon so bright like to light up the night.
Make everything all right.

James Taylor took the words right out of my mouth. Sometimes a trip to Mexico really does make everything all right! Last weekend it did just that. We headed down south to Rocky Point with our good friends the Butlers, for some fun in the sun. We had an amazing time. Three full days of sun, sand, surf, and tacos.

We slept in, ate great food, talked, laughed, and spent all day at the beach or in the pool. It was so relaxing, and just what the doctor ordered. Here are a few pics from our weekend getaway. Como se dice…I want to go back ASAP?!?

Mona Lisa

Tomorrow is the big day. I am giddy with anticipation. Dan Brown’s new novel, The Lost Symbol, is finally being released. I’ve been waiting with bated breath for the past six years, anticipating the next adventure of Mr. Robert Langdon. Oh how I’ve missed you Robert.

My only sadness is that I can’t find a midnight release party. Don’t even get me started that Twilight and Harry Potter lovers get a thousand midnight release parties across the country and I can’t even find one midnight release for Dan Brown. If there was a release party I may or may not have totally gone to it. And I may or may not have dressed up as Mona Lisa. Oh well, I’ll just have to wait till tomorrow...and save my Mona Lisa costume for another day.

You have been sorely missed Mr. Brown. I can’t wait to see you again!

Monkey See, Monkey Do

There is a lot of monkey business going on around Phoenix. There are tons of photo radar cameras on the freeways here in the valley. Many people are outraged about the cameras, but one “primate” has started to take things into his own monkey hands.

I present to you…the Monkey-Masked Speedster!

This is just one of the photo radar shots of him in action. Apparently, this idiot has acquired over 35 speeding tickets wearing this ridiculous mask while driving on the Valley’s freeways. This guy must honestly have the brains of a monkey. Thanks for putting all of us at risk as you don your monkey mask while driving at an incredibly fast speed!

I would like Mr. Monkey to take the following quiz:

Which is more dangerous and stupid?
a. Talking on your cell phone while driving
b. Eating a banana while driving
c. Speeding
d. Wearing a monkey mask while speeding

Ding, ding, ding! If you answered D, you are correct! Do us all a favor ape-man—ditch the monkey mask and stop speeding…and don’t forget to keep your hands at ten and two.

Allergies and Bora Bora

I always get terrible allergies this time of year. And I mean TERRIBLE! I am dying here people. Every year, without fail, I want to die during August, September, and October because my allergies are so awful. I know what you are saying, in fact; I think we’ve had this conversation before, “Paige, you live in the desert. There are no trees or green things where you live. How could you have allergies?”

I know. It doesn’t seem possible, but let me share a few facts with you:

Fact: Phoenix, AZ is in the desert.

Fact: I’ve never had allergies until I moved to Phoenix, AZ.

Fact: My allergies are so bad right now I want to get hooked up to a Benadryl IV and sleep until November.

Conclusion: I am allergic to the desert.

Solution: Move somewhere that is the opposite of the desert.

I’ll pick here:


Are you with me?

I'm a Model...You Know What I Mean

The other day I was flipping though the channels and I came across some silly model reality show. I must have been fate, because for the five seconds I was on that channel this model said the funniest thing ever. I present to you the quote of the week:

“I’m a very well-read model. I’ve read all seven Harry Potter books.”

Now that is a quotable quote! I was dying laughing. Yeah, and as soon as you finish the Twilight series you will be a literary genius. Someone get this girl a library card!

Chocolate + Mint = Match Made In Heaven

I’ve always thought that chocolate and mint make a perfect pair. They probably saw each other across the room one day and couldn’t keep their eyes off of each other. They've been attracted to each other ever since! I guess it’s kind of like Newton’s theory of universal gravitation…sometimes two objects are just attracted to one another. They just can’t help it.

So naturally when I found a fun new recipe for mint chocolate chip cookies on this blog called Baked Perfection, I had to try it. And now that I’ve tried it and LOVED it, I just had to share it. It really is a match made in heaven.

Polka Dot Cookies

recipe from Guittard

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

3 large eggs

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups Guittard Green Mint Chips (can also be substituted with Andes mints)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In the microwave, heat semisweet chips and butter in a small bowl on medium power (50%) for 2-3 minutes, stirring well after each minute until smooth. Set aside to cool.

In small bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla until light. Blend in melted chocolate then dry ingredients. Stir in green mint chips and chill for 10-15 minutes or until stiff. Drop by well-rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes; cookies will be soft in the centers but will firm up as they cool. Yields approximately 4 dozen cookies.

P.S. You can find Guittard Green Mint Chips at Cost Plus World Market.

Happy Rain Clouds

It's official: July was the hottest month EVER in Phoenix. Well, maybe not ever, but it was the hottest month since weather record-keeping started in 1880, so that's pretty much ever. The AVERAGE high for the month of July was 109.5 degree. That’s the average, people! Holy wah!

Every year about this time I ask myself the following question:

Why do you live on the surface of the sun?

It’s so hot. And I forget every year. It must be kind of like child birth—after it's over, you forget how bad it actually is. During the winters I find myself frolicking in and bragging about the perfect weather and I always say things like, “The summers aren’t so bad.” or “I don’t mind the heat.” Well, it IS that bad and I DO mind the heat. I’m melting down here!

To make matters worse, the news stations have been a bit insensitive. A few weeks ago I was watching the news and they were showing the seven day forecast. The week had triple digit temperatures and red flames all across the screen. Really? There were no smiling sun icons or happy little rain clouds in our future. Nope, instead the news team selected flames to illustrate the forecast. Thanks a lot channel 12. Why don’t you just write “Hotter Than Hell” in big bold red letters across the screen and rub it in just a little bit more?

So, if anyone would like to kidnap me from this desert and whisk me away to a cooler climate, be my guest. And if anyone has any happy (or angry) little rain clouds, please send them my way.

Read My Lips

You can’t read the news these days without seeing something about Obama’s big health care reform ideas. I watched his health care speech/cheer last week and I admit I’m a bit concerned. I don’t know if anyone’s told him yet, but money doesn’t grow on trees and socialized health care will cost a pretty penny. So who will pay the bills? Of course there is talk of raising taxes…tax the wealthy, tax alcohol, and there is even talk about taxing junk food and fast food. What?!?

Let me just send this message to Washington loud and clear…if you so much as put a 1% tax on pizza, In-N-Out burgers, or Baskin Robbins Mint Chip ice cream, so help me I will drive to Washington D.C. myself and give you a piece of my mind. If America becomes a place where hardworking, gym-attending individuals can’t get a delicious, moderately priced cheeseburger, then I’m not sure I’d want to live there.

Read my lips: Don’t even think about it Barack.

God Bless America

This year we spent the Fourth of July “standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona.” Okay, well we didn’t really stand on the corner, but it was such a fine sight to see. The weather was absolutely fabulous and we had a blast catching up with family and friends.

We took part in all of the great Hancock family traditions…pancake breakfast, freedom piñata, big family barbeque, and of course the fireworks. The best part of the trip was being with all of my nieces and nephews. I just love them to pieces! Here are a few pics from the day…

The best part of Fourth of July is the fireworks. Winslow actually has an amazing fireworks display. The whole town donates to the fireworks fund and they put on a great show. The best part about it is that you can sit right underneath the fireworks as they go off…one of the perks of small town life.

My 2 ½ year old niece, Eden, sat with me during the fireworks. She was so scared! Poor thing. She was holding her hands over her mouth trying to be brave.


It was so cute. She was so scared at first, but after a while we started talking about all of the pretty colors and we would ooh and aah together. By the end of it she was loving it!! A few days later my mom asked Eden how she liked the fireworks, to which she replied, “They were wonderful! Pagie saved me!” It was such a special treat! God bless America, small towns, and family.

This Day in History

I love history. I can’t get enough of it. So, to keep up on my historical facts I have a History Channel “This Day in History” feed on my iGoogle page. I love it! I look forward to it every morning. I come in and see what happened on this day in ___ (fill in the blank) and then read a short summary of the important event.

Today’s event is an extra special anniversary! On this day in 1955, Disneyland opened its doors for the very first time! This is a happy day indeed. I honestly can’t imagine a world without the Happiest Place on Earth.



I know Disneyland is one of your (and my) favorite places in the whole world, so I’ll meet you at Pirates of the Caribbean in two hours. Ready…go!

Happy Birthday Disneyland!!!

The Other Gold

Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold. I love gold and I love when my golden friends come to visit! My dear friend Angela came for a visit a few weeks ago. Angela and I have known each other for many moons and it was so fun to catch up. She stayed with us for the week and we had a blast playing roommates again. We ate yummy food, laughed at the people on the Bachelorette, and talked for hours...just like old times!

Here are a few pictures of us meeting up with our other post-college roomie, Miss Jill.




It was a regular reunion—we were just missing Holly—miss you Holly!!! I'd like to give a toast to old friends…and gold.

You're a Grand Old Flag

I love America. My heart beats true for the red, white, and blue. Fourth of July is definitely my favorite holiday. It’s all about fun in the sun, barbeques, fireworks, and saying Happy Birthday America. I honestly can’t think of a better combination.

As I sit here painting my nails red for the 4th, I think back to a cute story a friend told me in college. Her five year old niece had recently learned the song, “You’re a Grand Old Flag.” As the little girl was belting it out for her aunt she sang, “You’re a grand old flag, you’re a high FIVING flag…” I thought it was so cute, and now every Fourth of July I sing that song, and I say high fiving flag. I think those words are better anyway. So high five to America…and Happy Birthday!

Man in the Mirror

I have had a Michael Jackson song stuck in my head ever since Thursday. I’m a fan of Michael Jackson’s music just as much as the next person, but I can’t get his songs out of my head! I’m talking Thriller, Billie Jean, Black or White—you name it, and I’ve had it in my head. I mean, he is EVERYWHERE right now--radio, T.V., and Internet. I even bet that used Thriller CD you bought last summer is really coming in handy right now!!

I think it’s great to pay tribute to the King of Pop; however, the pièce de résistance came today at church when the person speaking incorporated Man in the Mirror into his talk. Wow. Okay, I think that’s going a bit too far. It was even more hilarious because he read the lyrics so seriously, like it was some crazy profound poem or something. I think he may have even had a small tear in his eye. All I know is that when Jay Z passes away I am going to do my best to incorporate Big Pimpin into my church talk.

In the meantime…why don’t we all sing together…“I’m starting with the man in the mirror…”

He Even Carved the Roast Beast!

Beef! It’s what’s for dinner. And it’s certainly for dinner at my house quite a bit, because I found the best pot roast recipe EVER! I just had to share this one. It’s incredibly easy and incredibly yummy. Just be sure to throw in potatoes and carrots with the roast—they are the best part. Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

1 beef roast, any kind
1 (1 ¼ ounce) package brown gravy mix, dry
1 (1 ¼ ounce) package Italian salad dressing mix, dry
1 (1 ¼ ounce) package ranch dressing mix, dry
1/2 cup water
Potatoes, carrots, or your favorite veggies

Directions:

1. Place potatoes and carrots in the bottom of the crock pot.
2. Place beef roast in crock pot.
3. Mix the dried mixes together in a bowl and sprinkle over the roast.
4. Pour the water around the roast.
5. Cook on low for 7-9 hours.

Zack Attack

Oh my gosh! Great news everyone! Get out your Bayside t-shirts and stonewashed jeans. It’s almost time for a Saved by the Bell reunion!!!! This is a day we’ve all been waiting for! So here’s the scoop. Apparently, Jimmy Fallon has been trying to put together a SBTB reunion for quite some time. Lisa, Slater, and Mr. Belding are already in, and just last week Mark Paul Gosselaar, Mr. Zack Morris himself, has agreed to the reunion!! (insert valley girl scream here)

“I’m so excited…I’m so excited…I’m so…I’m so...” scared that some of you may have missed this great clip. So is here Mark Paul on Jimmy Fallon last week. If you are a SBTB fan you will absolutely love this!



I cannot wait for the reunion! Stayed tuned for more info and keep your giant cell phones handy. B--BB--BBB - GO BAYSIDE!

Summer Reading List

Remember the summer reading list days of yore? When the summertime was all about getting a tan, going to cheer camp, and reading a few good books? I don't get to go to cheer camp anymore, but I can have a summer reading list! The summer reading list is a staple of any bookworm’s summer, so I have decided to create one for my summer of 2009.

I needed a good theme for my reading list, so I decided to get Lost. That’s right; I’m talking about Lost--which is quite possibly the best television show ever created. For those of you who watch Lost, you know that this mysterious show is filled with literary references galore! So this summer I decided to start a little Lost book list with a few of my fellow coworkers. We’ll be reading a list of books seen or referenced on the show Lost. Yay! So let’s get started…

Lost Book #1: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass

“The time has come the walrus said, to talk of many things…”

And I’d like to talk of the many things I love about these adorable Lewis Carroll classics!! These books are completely magical! It is delightful to follow Alice into the upside-down and topsy-turvy world of Wonderland. She meets the craziest of characters along the way, and their conversions are absolutely absurd and hilarious. I admire Carroll’s nonsensical world and found it to be a breath of fresh air from the all too logical and proper world we live in. The books are so well written and full of fantastic puns, poetry, and prose.

So, if you are looking for a great book to read to your kids, or if you want to be a kid again, take a trip down the rabbit hole or pass through the looking glass and visit Wonderland.

That's the Power of Love

Great Scott! It’s summer time! And it’s time to talk about this summer’s hottest trends. I was reading US Weekly a few weeks ago—my favorite celebrity news magazine—and I read that this summer’s new trend for nails is bright, neon colors. I’m not talking kind of bright, but way bright!!!!

I set out to find the perfect summer nail polish. I decided to go with a H-O-T pink! A dear friend of mine, Miss Kristan Brooks, once said that the best way to select a nail color is by the name. Truer words have never been spoken, people. I have always lived by that rule. You just cannot wear a nail color unless it has a fabulous and clever name.

So I searched and searched until I found the perfect color with the perfect name…

“Back to the Fuchsia”

Oh my gosh! When I read the name, I instantly fell in love. Not only is the name so clever, and the color so cute, but it also pays homage to one of the best movies of all time! The Back to the Future movies are probably on my list of top ten movies ever, and I KNOW they are on yours too.

I love my hot pink nails. I can’t help staring at them as they type happily across the computer keys while I’m humming The Power of Love. Here’s to you Marty McFly…and hot pink nails.

I Heart Dan Brown

I heart Dan Brown. There, I said it. I am like a total Dan Brown junkie. I got on the Dan Brown train when all of the Da Vinci Code hype started up, and I am still riding. I have read all four of his books and I am anxiously awaiting his new release on September 15th (Yay!!). I guess you could say I just wouldn’t be the same without a Mr. Brown in my life.

Angels and Demons is definitely my favorite book of his….so lucky for me, the movie just came out! I went and saw Angels and Demons last night, and it was so fun to see the book brought to life!! Of course you can never perfectly capture a book in a movie, and they will always have to leave some things out, but overall it was a great movie! Well done Ron Howard!

So this post is a plea to any Dan Brown virgins. If you haven’t read any of his books, I beg you to do so. Start with Angels and Demons. Even if you aren’t into mystery or if you haven’t read a fiction book since 1995 (you know who you are!), just read it. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Are we all on the same page?

You know that saying, “If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard that…” Well, I’m pretty sure I’d be a billionaire if I could apply that principle to jokes about my name. I mean, it’s tough growing up with a name that is also a noun. Don’t get me wrong…I LOVE my name, but there are just so many bad jokes that one can use with a page…or a Paige.

I think the one I hear most often is, “Are we on the same page, Paige?” followed by boisterous laughing. Ha ha ha! I mean, that joke is pretty funny the first seven times, but then it just starts to lose it’s zing. It’s especially bad in the workplace. People love to use that cliché phrase, “Let’s get on the same page here people.” Or, “What we really need to do is get everyone on the same page.” They all think it’s just hilarious when they say that and I’m in the room.

So it’s settled, I’m officially going to start keeping track of how much money I would have if I got a dollar every time someone said that to me. I’ve already earned two dollars this week. And just so we are all on the same page, if you say that phrase to my face, you own me a dollar.

"Did you have a good day today, or a bad day today?"

Raise your hand if you like Seinfeld. If you raised your hand, this post if for you. I heart Seinfeld. Probably the best show ever! I am guilty of using Seinfeld quotes whenever and wherever possible.

The other day (like many other days over the past three years) Sean came home and said, “How was your day today?” To which I replied in a funny voice, "Did you have a good day today, or a bad day today?” Okay...name that episode!

It’s one of my favorite Kramer quotes from an episode called The Engagement. I use it often. Of course, after I used the quote I just had to look up the clip and show Sean. I found a fabulous video on YouTube. A very clever individual took the scene and turned it into a very clever cartoon.

For your viewing pleasure I present Dr. Cosmo on Marriage and Family.

I Wish I Was A Little Bit Taller

Hi. My name is Paige, and I am short. 5 feet 1 inches to be exact. I stopped growing in 6th grade. Being short sometimes has its advantages, but it can also be a challenge. The other day I was scanning through the radio dial and I heard that one song that goes “I wish I was a little bit taller…I wish I was a baller.” It got me thinking. I do not aspire to be a baller; however, I have decided that I wouldn’t mind growing an inch or two. Here is a list of the top five things that would be better about my life if I was a little bit taller:

5. I wouldn't have to stare at people's backs at shows, concerts, movies, etc.

4. I wouldn’t have to hem all of my pants.

3. I would be able to reach the pedals in my car and I wouldn’t have to sit two inches from the steering wheel and constantly live in fear about being crushed to smithereens by the air bag.

2. I wouldn’t have to use a step stool to reach the cupboards in my house.

1. I could finally audition for America’s Next Top Model.

I Can't Live Without You

Last week’s Sunday School lesson was about being prepared. It was 2 o’clock in the afternoon, and as we were discussing the importance of food and water storage in case of emergency, my mind began to wander. Hmmm…I thought to myself, what is one food that I could not live without in my food storage?

And then it hit me… Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies. Not wheat, not rice, but cookies. Think about it, a year without Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies?!? Now that would certainly be dreadful. It made me rethink my whole plan. I mean, I already bought three boxes of Thin Mint cookies last week—to get me through the month of March—but I need to think big picture here. Am I allowed to purchase 100 boxes of Thin Mints? I don’t know, but I am definitely going to find out!

What food would you not be able to live without?

"O" Mazing

I think I may have found my calling in life. I’m pretty sure I was meant to be a Cirque de Soleil acrobat. Sean was in Las Vegas last week for a Raymond James continuing education conference. I decided to join him for a few days to keep him company. Neither of us had been to a Cirque de Soleil show, so we decided to remedy that matter on our trip.

We saw “O” at the Bellagio and I absolutely fell in love! Wow! What an amazing show. I was completely blown away. The show was beautiful, magical, strange, and completely entertaining. It was like watching a dream come to life.

Do you think it’s too late for me to make a career switch? They say people change careers an average of six times in their lifetime, so I guess I better get started. Excuse me while I go practice my backbend…Cirque de Soleil here I come!!!!

Here’s the story, of the White House Ladies…

Once upon a time I lived in the cutest house in Provo, UT. It was called The White House. It’s no surprise that while living in this house I met the cutest and most fabulous friends a girl could ever have. Enter the White House Ladies. Katie, Rachel, Kristan, and I became fast friends as roommates in the White House. We haven’t been roommates for five years, but we are still dear friends. In fact, we’ve had a White House reunion every year since graduation! A tradition that I hope continues for many years to come.

This year, it was my pleasure to host the reunion in sunny Phoenix, Arizona. Our reunion was the perfect girl’s weekend. In honor of our weekend, here’s a list of the top five components needed in every girl’s weekend.

5. Pampering
Nothing can set the tone of a girl’s weekend like a trip to the nail salon. Good nails = Good times.

4. Sun
It was 40 degrees in Utah when the girl’s got on their plane to come down to AZ. It was 85 degrees when we went to the pool on Saturday afternoon. Nice!

3. Cactus
Okay, so maybe cacti aren’t necessary for every girl’s weekend, but it sure was a great addition to our reunion. I took the girls to the Desert Botanical Gardens and the Chihuly glass exhibit. Beautiful Arizona!

2. Food
You aren’t allowed to have a girl’s weekend without food, food, and more food! I had so much fun taking the girls around to some of my favorite PHX restaurants; including Postinos and Grimaldi’s. Delicious! We also topped things off with these babies:

Yum! I’m pretty sure you are supposed to gain at least a few pounds each girl’s weekend. We definitely did our best!

1. Girlfriends
I love your guts White House Ladies!!!! I don’t know what I would do without you. I had so much fun catching up with you. I can’t wait for White House Reunion 2010.