beautiful, beautiful morning

it is absolutely gorgeous outside today. the sun is shining, it is semi-warm and it smells like SPRING!!!!

oh how i love spring. spring makes my heart oh so happy. I'm even wearing a cute springy skirt today in celebration. :o)

If you want a good movie, watch Invicitus. SwingKid and I went and saw this awesome movie Friday night at the dollar theater. It was quite good and i really enjoyed it.

If you want some good food, then try this Basil Chicken and Coconut Curry. I got the recipe from SwingKid's sister and it is SO SO SO good. I must experiment more with curry. mmmm....

Basically, I have had a great weekend so far. Tonight we'll be celebrating SwingKid's niece's birthday. She is turning 3 and she and I are kindred spirits. I pretty much adore that kid and I'm excited for her party. Plus, who doesn't love birthdays??

SPEAKING OF BIRTHDAYS!! MY birthday is in one week from today so you should probably start looking for the perfect gift. I love birthdays and have a few fun plans but have left the major part of my birthday in the hands of SwingKid and Sister B. Should be a fun time!!

Some Friday Goodness

I had all these great ambitions to post every day this week with fun things for you . Wendesday was even a wonderful, fabulous day (even though the sun never shined for me) and yesterday, well, yesterday I gave blood.

For the first time in my life, I gave blood. It was so scary. I was shaking the entire time, but it ended up being okay.  I was a speedy gonzalez of a donater finishing giving my pint in about 7 minutes 19 seconds. Sweetness.

Anyways, I didn't get around to posting everday, but I'm doing my besst okay? Here's some Friday fill-in goodness to keep you happy until next time. Loves.

1. A cup of tea is soothing for sore throats and bad days.
2. Wreaths and holiday decor makes a place feel like home.
3. Everything has its beauty in its own special way.
4. Do you love the taste of strawberries?
5. Art makes me reflective.
6. LOL I just noticed I forgot to mention the snow that came yesterday, but the sun is shining today! yay!.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to working out the gym, tomorrow my plans include Princess and the Frog with Sister B and Sunday, I want to celebrate SwingKid's niece's birthday!


P.S. I'm trying out this new little bloggy follow thing. If you're new...WELCOME! I hope you enjoy yourself. :o)

brrr....

It is SO cold here today. It was a bitter 20 degrees when I drove to worth this morning and I thought I was going to freeze off something important.

Now, it has been COLDER at times here in Utah, but today just seemed to be colder than it really was at the time. Oh well, I'm sitting at my desk at work enjoying the heater that is blowing warmth on me right now.

Random tidbit - Cheez-Its are AWESOME. They have been the best snack to eat at my desk for the past week or so and I'm in love. I had kind of forgotten about the awesomness of these crackers. I'm enjoying the original kind currently, but I'm thinking the white cheddar ones will have to come home with me next time.

Another random fact - I dyed my hair a week ago. I'm now a redhead. Or a ginger imposter as brother C puts it. I look hot. SwingKid told me last night it has grown on him and he's really diggin' it. he he he. I'm pretty much a fan of it right now. :o)

Cause for Celebration - SwingKid is quitting his job so that he can concentrate on school. His last shift is tomorrow night. I am SO EXCITED to not have him working so many odd and random times.

Finally, I am posting so that you know that I'm alive. I didn't die. Even though the feelings of impending doom stayed with me a good part of the day, I survived, lived, didn't bite the bullet, etc.

dun dun dun.....

i woke up this morning to a feeling of dread and impending doom. i have some theories as to why i feel this way...but for the most part i'm just holding my breath until i go to bed tonight hoping that i'm still alive when i actually get to go to sleep.

this leads me to my Monday Marvels post  for the day...Chilly shared some awesomeness with me in the form of a FedEx commercial. Please enjoy and pray that the impending doom does not become the reality doom of Alishka Babushka. thank you.

Friday love

I realize it has been over a week since I have last posted, but with my (FABULOUS) three-day weekend, a crappy work-week and just not feeling posty I haven't written anything.

However, I do feel a surge of posts coming up and I will do my best to keep you entertained. However, if you're ever feeling the need to be entertained and I'm not cutting it out for you, you can always click on one of the links to the right...they're pretty awesome.

And now for some Friday Fill-in love.

1. Johnny Weir does weird things, but I like it.
2. I haven't watched much, but I'm enjoying the 2010 Olympics.
3. And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud hurt more than the risk to bloom.
4. I like presents and you can send me one  if you get an urge.
5. Having sweet dreams makes waking up in the morning EXTREMELY difficult.
6. What does it take for spring to get here? I need sunshine pronto.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to What About Bob? with Chilly and friends, tomorrow my plans include a date w/SwingKid and Sunday, I want to make something yummy!

loves

I have so many reasons why I love SwingKid. These reasons seem to mulitply frequently and I'm always surprised to look back and just see how much my love for him has grown.

Today, I add another reason why I love this boy: He makes really good lasagna.  :o)

While that might seem slightly superficial to some, for me it's just another thing that makes me smile while sitting at my desk. I love being able to escape my work world for a little lunch date with my man, and today's lunch date consisted of lasagna he had made.

SwingKid is such a kind and loving person and I count my blessings every day that I get to be apart of his life each day.

 I love you babe, Happy Valentine's Day

{image via flickr}

Oh how i love Fridays....

Fridays are pretty much the best day ever. Life is pretty good around these parts and I'm very happy.

Now for some Friday Fill-in stuff.


1. Pickles are my favorite condiment. In fact, I always ask for extra pickles at burger joints.
2. Looooveee at home. (see the song here)
3. The snow is not really existent here in UT, but my family in VA has over 2 feet of the stuff.
4.I love being in nature. I can't wait for it to be warmer so I can sit outside during the lunch hour.
5. It's 5:16 PM; that means I'm teaching ballet. :o).
6. Good wire for wreaths is hard to find.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to date night!, tomorrow my plans include taking Sister B out to dinner for her b-day and hopefully Princess and the Frog at the dollar movies and Sunday, I want to go to some meetings and enjoy the evening with SwingKid!

BIRTHDAYS!!!

Today is a HAPPY day.

Today my little sister turns 19. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Sister B!!!! I have some fun things planned for her and it should be a great and jovial day. (wow. i just used the word jovial. huh.)

Second off, today is my late grandmother's Birthday. She would have been 90 years old today. (woah. I had to look that up and had TOTALLY forgotten she was that old! wowzers)

Thirdly, today is my BLOG's birthday!!! I wrote my first ever post on February 10, 2005. My little blog is 5 years old today! I have grown a lot through blogging, met some AWESOME people (hi internet friends!), and even had a boyfriend once because of this blog. Oh the joys of blogging! Here's to another 5 years!!!

cute, crafty AND homemakey

that is a string of words that my friend HiccupMel just used to describe me as we were discussing the greatness of making your own marshmallows.  I have decided that I must make these sometime in the near future. Maybe for St. Patrick's Day! Speaking of St. Patrick's Day, I'm in need of cute crafts for this fun day. (I love St. Patty's day!) So, if you know of any fun things, please send them my way!

Anywho, back to my homemakey-ness. I know that I bought a cookbook not too long ago (okay, maybe it was 3 years ago. Give or take some months here and there.) and I don't believe I've ever really used it.

So, to go hand-in-hand with my New Year's Resolution which is to have a meal-plan for a month and stick with it. January was going well until I got super sick, and I haven't had a chance to make February's plan yet, but I can say that I have been eating well and not eating out as often (which is the whole point to the resolution). SO back to the hand-in-handness - I've decided to try one NEW recipe a week. Something I find online, in my cookbook, or wherever, I'm DETERMINED to try something new each week. This recipe has to be something that I've never personally tried to make before, because THEN I'll have more variety to my menu planning AND I'll be learning new things.  Since I'm no longer in school I'm trying to find new things to learn about and do with myself so I can continue to grow and all that great stuff. Right now my areas of study are cooking and crafting because I LOVE those things and I haven't had time to really pursue them in the past several years DUE to my schooling.

What are YOU currently learning how to do? (and do you have any fun recipes that I should try?!?!)

Monday Marvels

Well, internets, it's been a long time since I've done a Monday Marvels post. And as I sit at my desk I can't think of anything super marvelous going on right now.

Besides the beautiful sunshine that is shining in through the windows.

And the yummy treats I made for BU2 for V-day.

Speaking of V-day, what are all y'all doing to celebrate? SwingKid and I aren't really doing anything big. Just hanging out and probably making dinner or cookies or something.

what's marvelous in your life right now?

woo hoo!!!

not only is today FRIDAY....but it is post #800!!! can you believe it? i can't! it's just a little bit crazy.

and today's friday fill ins are now here for your pleasure.

1. I know lots of things. but i don't always share them all..
2. January was most definitely the longest month.
3. You can't help but love the month February. what's not to love about chocolate?.
4. Alright Spring; bring it on!
5. Where have you looked for cute clothes?
6. _There are so many movies now available...i often don't know which one to pick!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to something fun with SwingKid, tomorrow my plans include NO REHEARSAL!!!!  and Sunday, I want to the yummy rolls i plan on making.

i'm baaaaaaaack!

not that i was really gone, but I  feel like I was gone for an extradorinary amount of time. huh.

anyways, while I was sitting in the theater last night being BLOWN away by the AMAZING performance my girls gave last night I realized there are a few things I haven't been able to blog about because I've been in a studio/theater for HOURS on end for the past several days.

1. yesterday was groundhog day. seriously, how did I miss this? It looks like Mr. Phil saw his shadow, which I'm very upset about. I want some spring right now.

2. I guess the superbowl is coming up? yeah, had no idea. I thought it was already over. shows how well I follow the NFL....

3. I ran 2 miles on Friday. in 30 minutes. seriously, I am that awesome. It felt really good. I'm excited to be active again.

4. I went to Tucanos with SwingKid last week. (wait, did I blog about this already? nope. guess not...) I am in LOVE with their garlic sirloin and need to find a way to make it for myself at home so I don't spend mega-amounts of money in order to get my fix. sigh.

5. I want fresh fruit. I need to go grocery shopping

I'm sure that's not everything. But it's a start. Also, I just have to say, my junior ballet company did an amazing job last night. They performed their hearts out and danced perfectly. They honestly put tears in my eyes during their contemporary piece. It was just absolutely perfect. It was a great way to end the show. Absolutely perfect.

busy bee

i'm the busiest little bee lately.

this is why i haven't really posted in a few days

my girls have their final performance tonight at the Covey Center for the Arts

if you come, you'll see a whole bunch of awesomeness, including a new piece choreographed by me and my co-director!

so yeah, once the craziness of the past few days wears off, i'll post some good stuff.

in the meantime, know that i look freaking amazing in my new outfit i bought for the show tonight. :o)