March Madness, General Conference, and some good food.

It always includes food...right?
This weekend is one of my favorite times of year...why you ask?

It is the LDS general conference, which means, comfy clothes, lots of lounging, being spiritually uplifted, and a little bit of rest.  I really look forward to the messages and the excuse to sit and work on projects quietly.  Riley is also much happier when he can sit and snuggle his bum up against a warm body and take a nap.  We should also be getting a rain storm this weekend which is the norm.  Conference and rain.

It is also down to the final 4 in the NCAA tournement.  At best, I can place 3rd  - which isn't bad out of 20 brackets, but I still want it to be #1.  (stupid Missouri, stupid Duke)  Go Kentucy Wildcats!

With it being Friday and things are a little slow around the office, my friend Allison and I decided to try a different place for lunch.  We have heard good things about the Garage on Beck.  Let me just say it is a bar, but as you head north it is before all the nudie places.  It has received high recommendations from the SLC magazine as well as other news articles from the area.  They weren't wrong.  Allison got a mushroom swiss burger which looked to die for, I got their fried chicken - so very tasty!  No thick batter, nice crispy skin and juciy meat.  Their fries are fresh cut and crispy fried and their side salads, acutally have decent fresh greens.  Definitely planning a trip back.  The owner of the Garage also owns Stoneground which is super yummy Italian food.

With half the office gone this afternoon, it is mighty quiet.  Here is to a relaxing weekend!

Dementors have attacked

Isn't it funny how one little thing can go wrong and you feel like all the joy in life has been sucked out of you.

I have been following an item on ebay - watching for a super good price.  I bid and purchased the item for a decent price - at least cheaper than most people were purchasing it.  Supposedly delivered on Monday...I never got it. STINK!  USPS claims it was delivered and someone stole it from our porch.  (I don't believe it)  I have been really wanting this item and we live on a tight budget.  So it will be a while before a repurchase can be made.

I went to one of my favorite stores to purchase a couple of holiday decor items and DANG IT the store is closed for good.  They always had the cutest and nice quality items.  Hopefully the one in Holiday hasn't closed.  Now I just have farther to drive.

My favorite craft store has closed down for good and I am constantly reminded of how much I miss it when I go to the only local store around.  Can't ever find what I need and the selection of what they do have is awful.

So...I had my yearly review and a got a decent percent increase.  When all is said and done and the government takes what it thinks it is owed, money to retirement...guess what...it equates to a $15.00 increase to my take home.  What gives?  That doesn't even cover the increase in gas and groceries. 

So...if I remember correctly the cure for a dementor attack...

The dark chocolate ones are especially good !
Now that I have had a few bites of chocolate....

Spring is here.  I love it and the warm weather.  Now I just need to get a little color on my legs so that I don't look so pasty white

Spring football camp has started

Look at those arm muscles

Wynn looks great.  Coach Whit says he now has guns for arms instead of a #2 pencils.  With all the coaching changes - I will be anxious to see how things shape up.  We got our season ticket renewals in the mail. (at least that wasn't stolen).  We plan on attending spring scrimmage.  I love good weather and football.

I get to Zumba tonight with the young women in our ward.  My niece Angela was generous enough to come and work with the girls and teach them a few tricks of the trade.  Should be fun. 

On that note - Have a great day!
Ta Ta for now

Peeps, Basketball and a nap

Busy weekend - but fun!  We packed it in - in no particular order...

• Went with Chris and Em to Back East Philly cheesesteak place for lunch.  They weren't too bad, but I am still partial to Great Steak and Potato philly cheesesteak.
• Spicy pulled pork dinner with Richard, Stef, and the 4 little monkeys.
• If you want to see a grown man turn into a giggling teenager just watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail with them.  They are more entertaining the the movie.
• Made two sheetcakes with Em for the RS B-day Party.  It is a quite involved recipe.  Chocolate cake, cream cheese filling, coconut pecan frosting, candied nuts and choclate drizzle. (all from scratch)
• Made my quinoa salad for the RS dinner.  Used mangos instead of tomatoes.  It was a hit.
• Went to the library to pick up a few reserved books.
• Had a dinner date with Ralph - superb!
• A much needed two hour nap with my doggie.  He kept me warm while it snowed/rained outside.
• Worked on my cross-stitch project.
• Put up some more of the Easter decorations -



Did you know there were this many colors of peeps?


• Watched my March Madness bracket picks go down the tube. Thanks Duke and Missouri.

Ta Ta for now

Basketball and crafting?

Can they be done at the same time....YES!  Watching the NCAA tournement and playing a little with wood and paint were how I spent my evening.

My bracket predictions are not doing so bad.  This is one of those years that you could pick the top seed in everygame and be doing pretty good so far.  Let's see how today plays out.

Project...

I love to decorate for the holidays.  I think the bunny needs a little baseball hat, but not sure quite how to do it.   My sweet friend picked this project up for me at the wood connection, one of my most favorite places to shop.  The colors are so springy and bright.  Hopefully it will take the chill off of the rainy/snowy weather we are supposed to have for this weekend.  Wait till you see what I have coming up....PEEPS!

So...I finally read the Hunger Games.  I decided, when I first heard about the book, that I wasn't going to read it.  The premise sounded absolutely horrible to me.  Throwing a bunch of young kids into a Jungle type arena and having them fight to the death.  Not for me.  I recieved many recommendations, and was starting to lean towards picking the book up.  It wasn't until...

1. Ralph read it and told me I should give it a try
2. The movie opens in a week and I knew Ralph would want to see it - and I would want to go with.
3. I like to read the book before seeing the movie. 

The book was one of those that if you start it is hard to put down.  I have read several "spoilers" to see if the next two are worth reading.  Looks like I am going to have to pick up a set from Costco. : )

I am looking forward to the weekend.  Time with Ralph, see Miss Mar before she heads back to KY, a little bit of play time, a missionary homecoming, and a date.  You would think with just the two of us we would go on a lot more "dates", but we are such home bodies.  Maybe if we had kids then we would want to get away once in a while.  Anyway...

Ta Ta for now

15 Years and Counting

We celebrated 15 years of married life on Wednesday the 7th.   And yes...we still like each other.  We spent a quiet evening at home.  Ralph fixed dinner and then we relaxed on the couch and caught up on a couple of TV programs we were saving to watch together.  Ralph has promised to plan a weekend away sometime soon for an appropriate 15 year celebration.

I finally finished his card last night.  He always seems to be the one that gets missed when it comes to my home made projects.  Better late than never I say.  The image is paper pieced.

Stamps: Rain or Shine (Unity stamps) Paper: crumb cake, vanilla, calyspo coral, soft suede, early espresso, everyday enchantment DSP Accessories & Tools: lucky limeade bakers twine, large oval punch, owl punch (heart), bold brights mini brad, framelits labels, dimensionals, crystal effects.

He is so good to me and for me.   Ralph is good for my heart.

I can sum up our time in a little verse I heard. 

A Penny for your thoughts
A Nickel for a kiss
A Dime if you tell me that you Love Me
and...
A quarter for... a Booger!

Some have kids - we have a Riley Booger.

I am so lucky to have both of my boys in my life.