Silly Things

by Curly Girl Designs

"It just seems silly to me, that's all "

This is my husbands response to a girl's over night book club.

I have the best book club, with the best ladies, and we have the best talks. We hit Park City for mexican food (my favorite), lots of chocolate, lots of shopping, and endless talking. I am not kidding, we stayed up until 2am. We discussed our books, we discussed our lives, we discussed religion. I am inspired by the determined and caring women I know.

Even though a man may not have the need for a night away to feel recharged, every single one of us women relished it. On the way home my mom and I stopped into a local little shop called Cherry Lane that we both had been dying to see. (We were probably always with our husbands so we figured we would go later).

It was eye candy and feminine dreaminess of the highest degree.

Wall to wall filled with frills, sparkles, handbags, scents, and more to fill your silly girl dreams up to the brim. My mom bought a gorgeous pink handbag.

Fans of vintage inspired, shabby chic sweet, beauty supplies and stationary will not be disappointed by this little shop. I grabbed a tote (to replace my grubby one that tends to be my favorite) and a few cards, including the Curly Girl one above that hit ironically close to home for me.

If you are in the area for Conference, graduation, skiing- whatever- and you are near Provo this is a little shop you might not want to miss.

As much as I love to escape for a day or two, all it takes is stepping into the house to be reminded my duties await. I have to just get back to work and be grateful for the time I had with the girls.

Before bed I snuck in a little more girliness.

Me and my mermaid soak in bubbles to soothe our sleepless night woes away. Did I mention I love my new giant tub?

Anyway..... I am glad I can believe in what may be silly to another

if you don't want to see me be silly

close your eyes

Lovely Teen Sanctuary

I am so impressed with the latest project my little sister and her husband took on recently and I had to share it. They took what was once a dreary, large, unpurposed basement room, and completely made it over to a gorgeous young teen get away.

As you can see the space is already cousin approved, where they can catch the vintage classic HR Puff-en Stuff on DVD. Fabulous.

Here are a few more details along with lessons I learned after visiting the new room.

A pretty place to get pretty. I can't believe how much the canister lighting added to the feel of this space. It isn't quite done yet (a little birdie told me someone is hoping for a cute chandelier in this corner) but it really looks fabulous just as it is. I would have loved this gorgeous spot to get ready every morning. Still would! I think the extra effort it took to add the lighting this way really paid off.

I love this little corner. The decor was mostly picked up at Hobby Lobby. This store is quickly becoming a weekly visit spot for me and my sisters and friends. It is great, and these little touches add so much to the room. You don't have to go expensive on everything you bring into a room, you just have to love it.

Fill the little spaces with little touches.

This windowsill may have gone unnoticed, but is now displaying a positive and inpsiring sentiment. You know I love that! I also love the color of the walls and the drapy, slouchingly romantic curtains.

Another tip here- get the color right. My sister originally painted it a blue she thought she loved, but then once the room was completely painted she realized it wasn't quite what she wanted. She re-painted the whole room to get this finished product. Wow.

I hope I am that ambitious with future projects! But if you don't love the pieces, you won't love the final product.

Finally, this room is also a turning point for my cute niece. Her older sister just moved out with room mates leaving her to be the only one left at home with mom and dad. On my way out I spotted these itty bitty ballet shoes, only a few inches long.

These belonged to my niece that is now all grown up moved out on her own. Too cute too miss. And a bittersweet reminder....the days move fast...so make yours the best

savor your day

.... and on that note I am enjoying a homemade, thickly frosted brownie after my workout. hey...I'm only human

2010 you served me well

I can not move on with my blog until I take a moment to respect the year that has just passed.

It sounds silly, but every year when I look back I get a little

overwhelmed and emotional as I peek back at the days I lived.

We are all living this wonderful life!

I am hoping by jotting down a few memories I can remember them later.

I mastered a few songs on the piano ~ I saw the surf and sun in Mexico ~ I danced all night with my sisters ~ I ran and completed my first half marathon ~ I sang on stage next to my children ~ I battled, and overcame, a nasty case of depression ~ I lunched with beautiful friends~ I ran and swam with sisters ~ I voted out a senator I wildly disagreed with ~ I swapped used books ~ I laid in the sun ~ I received cards and invitations from politicians ~ I zip lined across a canyon in Mexico with my hubby cheering me on ~ I completed, and survived, my calling as Primary President ~ I tried new bakeries and restaurants with my husband ~ I learned how to do The Jerk ~ I stayed up way too late with family~ I made art and gifts for my amazing sisters ~ I was introduced to the Food Nanny and vowed to make dinner important ~ I discovered the wonder if the iPad ~ I screamed my head off on numerous roller coasters ~ I bore my testimony at church ~ I went to the temple more ~ I napped on the couch with drapes pulled ~ I ate way too much chocolate cake ~ I survived the scraping of my dysfunctional ankle ~ I sat in awe of Phantom of the Opera ~ I gave a standing ovation to David Barton, Judge Andrew Napalitano, and Glenn Beck after being blown away with a full day of lectures and reading ~ I climbed the rocks of Yosemite ~ I read 33 books ~ I completely biffed it on my new bike and suffered weeks of scabs and road rash ~ I made more lofty goals for 2011 ~

I will no doubt trot around with my camera way too much

Taking pictures of completely random moments

Life is good

If I had money to burn

I would buy you all one (or two) of these......

They are THAT GOOD

I am not a huge 3 Musketeers fan, but come on, I am not really going to turn one down.....

I was a little more excited about the mint option, mostly because of the dark chocolate coating, BUT THIS, this is something to crow about.

The thin crispy cookie is better than that of a Twix. The truffle like mouse filling is just fluffy enough that it almost melts in your mouth.

The chocolate coating is the perfect taste of milk chocolate.

I got one and that is all it took...

I am going back to the store tomorrow after my appointments in the morning, and I am prepared to clear the shelf.

Tell Dave Ramsey I am now making a "3 Musketeers Truffle Crisp" envelope, to help me know when to stop..............

How many of these would I need for a 2 year supply?

To prove I am serious I am going to mail an unspecified number of these to one lucky reader. It may be one (I doubt it) or it may be 5, or it may be 50 (doubt that too).

Leave me a comment- and you are entered.

Link me up in any way (lets spread the word about a candy bar worth buying) and let me know for another entry...

...and in the meantime, if you see one at the checkout, try it out and let me know!

Shy Shameless Plug

I have been a massage therapist for over 8 years now. It has had it's fabulous moments, and it's trying moments, but I am overwhelmed often by the gift this work has been in my life.

I am a big believer in the power of natural remedies for a lot of our trials, but not anti-doctor by any means. To me it's all about balance. I have used oils in my practice since the start (I used them before I was a therapist), and I have a lot of clients request referrals for good oils, or ask to buy them from me. I have never sold anything in my therapy...until now. I tried a few samples of these oils and had to have them. I know they will boast they are 'more clean" (blah blah blah") and 'more pure' (yadda yadda yadda) , but I don't care about that. Maybe I should, but doesn't every one say that stuff?

I want oils that smell fresh- every time I open the bottle. I want oils that make my mouth water, or that make my soul sigh. I want oils that my kids beg to have me rub on their head when they feel worn out and need to bond.

That is what I found. So this will be my only shameless plug for Doterra oils. I have a link on my side bar, but honestly, I don't care where you find your choice of good oils. Just let them help you get out of whatever funk you are in, and don't be afraid to be picky.

I have stopped earaches before bed, leg cramps after a soccer game, headaches of a teenage boy, Diet Coke cravings (yes, it's true. It is amazing what a drop of lemon oil in a water bottle can do), and my biggest testimonial- I grabbed my SOLDERING IRON by the HOT end after it had been on for 2 hours- while throwing a craft fit. (Do you ever throw those when a craft goes bad?) I literally heard my finger sizzle. Ouch.

Anyway, I slathered that finger in oil and wrapped it with a band-aid. No ice, no boo0-hooing, well, maybe I boo-hooed for a minute, but it only hurt a few minutes, then the pain stopped. The next day there was no welt, no blister, no burn, no red. My finger looks perfect. That was all it took. I became a walking testimonial.

I have an AWESOME reference guide, too. So if you have oils that you haven't used for a while or if you need a tip on something that is bugging you- from warts to cramps- just e-mail me. I would be happy to look something up for you if you give me time to respond, and we will cross our fingers together that you will have the same results I have had.

I had to brag for a minute......

and now, back to your regular scheduled blog.

Cruising through Life

I am now officially jealous of anyone going on a (warm) cruise. We returned last Sunday from our week of indulgence, and it still feels like a beautiful dream.
Now, I am not going to go through a play by play of the week, because it would take too long and I am pretty sure you really aren't interested. Instead let me hit you with a few highlights and the best and worst of the trip.
A few unexpected pleasures:
Waking at 5:00 am because I wanted to see a sunrise. No alarm, no plan, just a childish excitement to see the sun rise over Mexico. My hubby joined me on the front deck and we had the sunrise all to ourselves.
Seeing my hubby in flip flops and beach shorts. Cutest thing. Ever. He is a self-proclaimed flip-flop hater, so this was new for me.
How fun it would be to dance with Alexander, our waiter from Croatia, as he forced himself to dance through the dinner entertainment. He hated it, but after one night of me and my sisters dancing like maniacs by his side (how do you just sit for "Apple Bottom jeans...Boots with the Fur...") he waved us to his side after that. "Jai Ho" has never been so fun.
How great it would feel to be rocked to sleep by waves. Mmmm. Best sleep I have ever had without medication.
How blissful no cell phone could possibly be. No kids. No work calls. No e-mails or texts dinging. Just me and him...... and lots of food and sunshine. Paradise.

Small disappointments:
I did not swim as planned. The pools on the boat were cold. The hot tubs were not near hot enough for my liking, and while the sun was there for me, I was sad I couldn't frolic in the pool like I had hoped to.
The cruise photos were a rip off. From the Photos by Deb instructions, to the glossy Olan Mills prints, the photos on this cruise were pathetic. The lighting was horrible, and most of the ones I thought I would break down and buy for 20 bucks- were hideous. Good thing we took a lot on our own.
My sea legs were unbearable. I was swaying for 5 days after we got off the boat. It got worse on day 2 and 3, so bad I couldn't run one day. I had to stop and walk because I felt like the road was moving. I am so glad it has stopped! There were a lot of fabulous moments. From dinner with my sisters and parents (above), to what felt like endless shopping (both on the ship and the port), card games, Karaoke, delicious food, amazing chocolate cake, room service, dancing until 1 in the morning, giggling with my sisters, sightseeing in Mexico, zip lines and rock walls, holding hands and laying in the sun....there is just too much to say.


If you need a vacation let me just say this- for us, the cruise did not disappoint.

RamSam's Favorite things ~ 2009 Edition

Here it is, wait no more. The official list of my favorite completely random things, for your pondering and envy. There is still time to add at least one of these things to your list.



The Clavinova. From "Heart and Soul" with the kids to holiday songs with the family, we have only owned this baby a few months and it has brought me intense amounts of joy. Weird, because it wakes me up early and bothers my husband while he watches TV, but that is what the VOLUME CONTROL is for. If you love piano music and don't have a piano put it off no longer. Sheer, utter musical joy awaits you. Save your dollars and become a musical home.






Disclaimer- that is not me.
But I LOVE my ROXY flap pocket jeans. I have avoided ever putting any extra baggage on my toosh, as it has plenty of it's own, but these jeans sit in just the right place (wear a LONG shirt with them) and the pockets are like magic for my behind. I got a darker wash, and I love the way they look. Great for tucking in your winter boots or with a pair of converse and a t-shirt. Trust me on these!







Don't you love it when your hair smells delicious and clean all day long? (Or 2 days) This AVON shampoo has never failed me. After running out of my expensive stuff I bought this again, remembering I once loved it. One washing reminded me why. It is the BEST. I love the way my hair styles and love the way it smells. I hide it in the cupboard when I am done so my kids can't use it all up. It's the greatest stuff you will get for the price. Call your AVON rep today.







My Kenmore Progressive vacuum of 10 years finally died. My husband insisted on getting a GOOD one to replace it, and this is what we ended up with, A Dyson Animal. Although I don't believe in housecleaning items as gifts, this is like a Christmas treat for me. This thing gets it ALL up, and having just vacuumed before getting this and bringing it home I was kind of grossed out by what it still picked up. The clear tank is fascinating to watch fill, raising competitions over whose room has the most dust bunnies. Pricey, but already amazing and entertaining my family way more than a vacuum should.





Here is my nod to 7 Gypsies scrapbook supplies. (This photo from the letteredcottage.blogspot.com). I used to spend hours scrapping, eager to record my life. That has slowed down a lot, but now is more enjoyable. The creation phase is just as important as the production phase, and I love working on scrapbooks again. The cool ephemera and books and stickers...there is too much to mention. Plus, if you find a store cool enough to carry 7 Gypsies chances are they will have a lot of other cool stuff, too.





Lastly is the longest book I have ever read. (Wait, how many pages are in Anna Karenina?)
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Now, I read 25 books this year (kept a list and checked it twice) but convinced my book club to tackle this book as a group, and loved it more than the first time I read it. A great story with lots of political statements that will leave you thinking, discussing, and asking all sorts of questions. I was politically dead before the first time I read this. Now there is no turning back. I recommend it to everyone, and yes...I know it's long. Quit whining. Read 100 pages a month and you will be done by next year at this time.

There you go- pick an expensive thing or a cheap thing from my list and get going. It took me all year to find these excellent finds for you!

Can't wait to see what we discover next year!

November Fun

Fighting a head cold (way too much running around and late nights have caught up with me) has kept me away from my regular computer time.....here are a few highlights of the month.

I have this kind of a family



We really do gather around and sing holiday songs and hymns whenever we can. I was thrilled to see my brother enjoy my Clavinova and have my teenager join in on his guitar. This one of my favorite times with my family.

My kids enjoyed helping with these for the little ones to enjoy at Thanksgiving dinner





I really did run off at midnight to see New Moon with my niece and sisters



This is the only way to see a Twilight movie, with screaming and swooning ladies of all ages who aren't afraid to make some noise, sigh over Jacob's muscles, and even giggle at the cheesy dialogue. I loved it, however I fully blame that 12:30 viewing and waiting in the cold for the beginning of my sickness.




If New Moon didn't satisfy your craving for an interesting film experience then I highly recommend renting this
aside from the fact that Luke Wilson is so painfully adorable that you want to climb in the screen and give him a hug, this movie is funny and heartbreaking and artsy in a touching way. For me, right up there with Lars and the Real Girl and Dan in Real Life...which is saying a lot, unless you hate those movies. It has been added to my Christmas list since I saw it with Netflix.

Lastly, I actually broke out of my shell and e-mailed fellow art blogger Becky at Whimsical Musings for a little tag exchange. Her beautiful tags arrived and made my sickly day on the couch much better.....

I was a little intimidated by this task, but already learned a few things and picked up some ideas from her gorgeous art work, so this bit of discomfort was good for me. I highly recommend you click on her blog if you like this amazing work, she has collage freebies and ideas galore plus links to her Etsy pages you can purchase for download anytime.

I wish I could have this tree by my beside, with a plate of cupcakes beside it.....
It was the Marie Antoinette tree at Mystical Paper in Mesa Arizona. My hubby was sweet enough to rest on the soft chair in the doorway (smart idea, shop owners) and let me gasp and sigh over the amazing contents of this little artsy store. It was heaven. I left with a full bag and spent every last bit of my 'blow' money.


Usually I am knee deep in wrapped gifts, baked goods, and Christmas decorations by the Sunday after Thanksgiving, but this year my sickness has slowed me down and my fall decor isn't even put away yet. Cross your fingers for me and wish me luck as I vow to begin the holidays today after church. I can use all the positive vibes I can get right now!
I hope your holidays are off with a bang and life is full for you, too.

I marched

This will be a feeble attempt to just capture a flicker of the experience I had last weekend. We decided to fly out to DC and join the Taxpayers Protest. This was no 'one person movement', and people were there for many different reasons.
Why was I there?
I think just to remind myself what freedom is all about, to raise awareness of the growing size of government, to be an example of involvement for my children,to speak out for the rights of the individual, and also to see who else would be there and connect with their energy.
My peace loving husband insisted NO SIGNS on the Metro. He didn't want to draw attention to ourselves.

Ummm, yeah. No worries there. We were like lame-o boring protesters on the Metro. (This is at 7:00 am, as they gates for the metro opened. This is 3 hours before the march. )

As we gather, cops and patriots alike were there surveying the scene. Before I knew it some guy offered us free t-shirts, which we willingly obliged. (okay, I grabbed an extra too and stuck it in my bag for someone back home. Is that horrible?)
BTW-you can get your own mob like t-shirt at Bureau Crash dot com
We start to mull around and snap pictures of clever signs and people there.
There was a group dressed in Colonial gear that brought drums to the rally and tapped beats as we marched. It set a tone to the march, and gave me goosebumps. (I'm a sap, I know!)
And possibly my favorite poster.......
Honestly, the atmosphere felt like a big social event. There was laughing and joking and hugging and I did not hear one cuss word (but a few posters quoted the famous line "I'm mad as Hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!") After the blessed event of finding an available porta potty, we joined the crowd and the bodies started moving.
We were marching on Pennsylvania Avenue, and two other neighboring streets filtered their crowds in as well.

My heart was pounding, even though I wasn't scared at all. I realized I was getting emotional. I stepped out of the flow of bodies to snap this picture. Many people were stopping to capture the words on the building.

One man next to me said "I drive past this every day! I never even thought about it! LOOK AT THIS!!!"

....that was all it took for me. The tears started.

Yeah, look at this. And think about how many centuries of people COULD NOT do this.

Think about all the things we can do daily, and the original revolution that set it all in motion.

And while there were various chants and shouts of "No More Lies" or "USA", the vocal expression of choice was the singing of the "Star Spangled Banner". That, too, touched me. At moments I couldn't squeak out the notes through my choked up throat, and I felt silly for being so overwhelmed with emotion, but the feeling of the crowd was both enthusiastic and peaceful.

It was the most comforting and intense feeling, and it came at the most unexpected time.

I know there have been debates on how many people were really there (You Tube time lapsed videos and various uploads give a better feel for the crowd), but here's the thing. It doesn't even matter.
For a day we united and raised our voices.
For a moment I felt a taste of what I believe our Founding Fathers wanted us to feel.
Maybe someone at home saw the photos or the video and thought, "I should take a stand next time".
Even if it infused ONLY MYSELF with the strength to not be afraid and develop a greater respect for this country, then isn't that enough?

I don't know what you have heard, what you have read, and whether or not you agree with the ideals of that day, but know this. For those of us that were there it was nothing but great.

I love this country, I believe it is good, and I pray that my children will grow up with the same freedoms I have enjoyed in my life.

Maybe even more.

I leave you with the words of Edward Abbey for your pondering enjoyment.......

"A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government."

Are you ready?

The Truth about Diet Coke

I know, I know, I just like...BARELY posted, but you see I have to let you in on a little secret.

You know I am on the quest to enjoy the addiciton of my past in moderation only(what does that mean, anyway?).

How I miss that caffeine. I really do. And just so you know.......




this is not as good as the original.

Just so you know.

My Tools of Vanity

I wanted to call this my Favorite Things....like Oprah, you know, but I was afraid that you might think I was giving things away. I'm not. We are on a budget. BUT if you want to know my favorite tools of my vain self, here they are. Enjoy.




This brush was bought on a whim, because I left my trusty wooden round brush of 8 years home on vacation. I needed something cheap and quick. I had no idea what a great brush I was getting. It has a cool squishy gel handle that is super easy to twirl and grip (even if it does snag a hair) but stays cool. The metal center gets HOT and now my hair dries in 5 minutes or less- as opposed to 10-15 with my old brush. I am in LOVE with this brush, and it was around 5 bucks. (Great stocking stuffer for yourself)

Now my silly secret. Avon's ANEW products ROCK my world. I have used one form or another of this stuff for over 10 years now, and my skin cries when I run out. I have tried others, thinking there MUST be something better out there, but even Clarins and Lancome , or Oil of Olay for bargain shoppers, doesn't do the trick. I break out like a teen.....this feels great, smells great, and goes on sale often enough to let me afford it. If your skin is thirsty, feed it this.

Again, I bought this because it was a deal (even had a coupon), and it is the BEST! My sister gave me a Lancome bag with their Defencils mascara in it (top selling mascara in the world), and I think this is so much better. I wish I could marry this, because a nice thick dark mascara is a necessity in my vain shallow world. Since daily application of false eyelashes is totally out, I need lushy mascara. This stuff does not disappoint.

These shirts have me running to Seagull Book to find the latest color. They are long enough to cover your not-so-high in the back jeans. The sleeve is not so short that people can see deodorant flakes and armpit stubble, or my less than perfect arms giggling around, and the neckline is perfect under dresses and jackets. They look great alone- especially with a chunky necklace (like the one I won from Jillene) or scarf. I have 4 of these, and want more. Is that okay?

Last, but not least.......

This is essential. Bags under eyes and fatigued induced crankiness are not becoming. Again, I have used Unisom, Advil PM, and even Excedrin PM. I hate getting in bed tired but feeling back aches or headaches and not being able to sleep. ONE tablet and you are resting in minutes, and by the time morning rolls around you are really feeling good. The best part is after I wake up and get going I feel completely normal (unlike Unisom, where I am groggy for hours.)

I hope you enjoy my favorite things of the year. I had a few more, but this is so long- I will save them for another day. In another lifetime (if I believed in those) I am sure I was a panel member for Allure or Marie Claire. Thanks to this blog, I can enjoy my own reviews NOW.