randomness...

~i am creating a 30 before 30 list. i only have 8 things...anyone have any ideas for me?? its a lot harder than i thought it would be. i mean i am sure i could think of 30 things i want to do but they aren't necessary and who knows where life could take me at this point so i wanna make sure i have meaningful things on there that i want to accomplish no matter where life takes me... help!!

~i had an epiphany last night... which i just found this awesome meaning of it: a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.
anyways... i need a new wardrobe. i don't know why this has hit me so hard and it will not leave. (maybe it is just my need for shopping but we wont think about it that way). my body has changed so much in the last year and half of my clothes feel either to big or to small (is that possible that they are both??). but i am not comfy in them and i HATE not being comfy. this HAS to be the solution!! so i figure this is a wonderful time to get rid of a lot of things. there are going to be so many families in need for Christmas this year so why not do a little more to help. my budget does not allow for this so it may be a tid tricky... donations of cash are welcomed =)

~i wanted to let all of my friends know i love your blogs! i love love reading them and learning more about you and your families. (Shauna: I love all the post about your kids...it makes me feel like you still live a few minutes away!) i wish i left comments more often.. here is my excuse: i have become addicted to Google Reader (thank you Kate). where i am not directly on your blog i can't leave comments so easily. just know i am reading them and commenting in my head so keep em coming!

~this weekend is Halloween baby!! my costume is complete. me and my friends are throwing a party on friday. you all should come...i am making some mad drinks (non-alcoholic ofcourse). let me know if you dare to come and i will give you directions... wa ha ha (scary laugh)

~snow sucks.

~do you ever have days where you are feeling superbly overwhelmed and go to complain to God (or Heavenly Father as I like to call him) and realize he listens to you complain ALL THE TIME. yep had one of those last night. who else in their humanly mind would listen to you complain about everything all the time? no one... no one at all. we are all so lucky to have someone who listens...because sometimes all we need is someone to listen. its that simple.

~i totally just wrote a novel and i apologize for that. i promise i wont do it again for at least 2 weeks. i don't know what came over me.

~Bon Voyage!

rainy sundays and monster mashes

today here in northern utah it's very rainy. i love rainy sundays when i can just sit in my house read my book and not have to worry about much else. this is the life.

today i am starting a book called The Blackstone Chronicles. its a thriller and i have been saving it for Halloween week. i kind of don't want Halloween to be over... i love this season.. =( i am excited to share my costume with you all. i will get lots of photo's!

my dad did a jib jab with me, my sister, and my 3 nephews. i thought i would share it even though probably everyone has seen this jib jab. my favorite is Garet. (he is dracula) enjoy!

all you need is love... a celebrity moment

i stumbled across this video the other day and kind of loved it...

i have a love/hate relationship with Butch Walker. some of his songs are my favorites, others have painful memories attached, and some i just don't plain like. but this is a good cover:

oh and have i mentioned i meet him before?? it was just about 3 years ago at Sundance. (sorry if you read this Jason but i couldn't crop you out...so you are starred on my blog!)

Maegan's photo shoot

here are the pictures from my sister's photoshoot. i think they turned out pretty good. check out my photography blog here for more.

Thriller

i can't believe how long this is taking me to finally get this posted... i am not sure why. but its here. one the 8th me, my sista, mom, heather, kate, and anni went to see Thriller.! it was so good! i love it. its kind of been a tradition for the past couple years to go with the girls and we all enjoy it.

here is me, maegan, and my mom...isn't my hair getting so long!!...


than here is kate, heather, anni, and me... we all have red hair...different shades. the end ones aren't natural though, we just pretend:


me and maegan expressing our love:


so this year one of the new dances was Ghostbusters. it was awesome. it was just one guy dancer that was a hip hopper/breaker and he was so funny. come to find out it was Gev Manoukian from season 4 of So You Think You Can Dance:

crazy awesome, i know! he made it really good this year. i enjoyed that edition.

book & music update - new and improved!

welcome to the new and improved book & music update. i wanted to add a little more to this and make it look pretty...its just my nature. so a couple things: 1) i will be rating them on a scale of 1-5 and they will by rated by an M (hence my name is Melanie) get it? 2) i have loads and loads of albums i have never introduced you to so if there comes a time when i don't have 3 new albums i will add a BONUS one that is an oldy that randomly came on my ipod recently. so here we go...

BOOKS:

The Host

by Stephanie Meyer

Genre: Science Fiction / Romance Novel

Rating: MMMMM (out of 5)

**i loved loved loved this book. i am slightly biased because one of the characters names is Melanie but if you didn't have that name i am sure you will like it as much as i did. you may think books about aliens is weird but trust me this is not. the first is a little confusing but you gotta get past it because it is sooo good. its about 'souls' who come to earth to take over the human race. this one soul gets put in a body and the human refusing to let go and let the soul take over. that is why Melanie's rock...we always put up a fight. this is definitely a must read.

Sarah's Key

by Tatiana de Rosnay

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: MMMM (out of 5)

Book Club Book!

**this is a good book. it is about Paris in the 1920's during the Vel' d' Hiv' round ups. the french police where arresting their own citizens that were jew's. now remember these people were french not german. a little girl named Sarah hides her little brother in their secret cupboard when they police come to get her family and she is determined to come back for him. there is also another story in modern times that eventually intertwines with Sarah's. i had no idea these round ups happened. it was very educational and enjoyable at the same time.

MUSIC:

Sara Bareilles

Album: Kaleidoscope Heart

Genre: Funk/Pop/Soul

Reminds me of: her first album...even better though

Rating: MMMMM (out of 5)

To 3 picks: Uncharted, Hold My Heart, Machine Gun

Favorite Lyrics: 'Jump start my Kaleidoscope Heart love to watch the colors fade. They may not make sense but they sure as hell made me. Wont go as a passenger no waiting for the road to be laid. Though I may be going down, I'll take in flames over burning out'

**this new album is so awesome. i definitely like it better than her first one. there are a lot more poppy funky songs that are so fun to sing along to. Sara is a bit of what i would want to be if i was an artist. you wanna know what the best part of this album is though? my mom and my sister LOVE it too. i normally don't have friends who have this major love for an album i do too...it makes it so fun. we get so giddy over some of the songs... =)

Hey Rosetta!

Album: Into Your Lungs

Genre: Rock/Indie/Pop

Reminds me of: The Swell Season meets Kings of Leon

Rating: MMM (out of 5)

Top 3 picks: I've Been Asleep For A Long, Long Time, A Thousand Suns, Red Heart

Favorite Lyrics: 'These are twisted times.....when a strangers love can make your heart explode'

**i randomly decided to buy this album. i get emails about upcoming concerts and these guys where opening for someone i had never heard of before. i heard I've Been Asleep and totally wanted to buy this. i was a little disappointed. most of the songs are really slow and sleepy which sometimes i like but for the majority i like something i can sing along to. you feel me? but the singers voice is awesome. my top 3 picks are great songs but the rest are so so.

Bonus album:

Peter Bjorn and John

Album: Writer's Block

Genre: Pop/Indie/New Wave

Reminds me of: Sitting in the back of a molester van smoking a dubey..

Rating: MMMM (out of 5)

Top 3 picks: Amsterdam, Paris 2004, Let's Call It Off (Girl Talk Remix)

Favorite Lyrics: 'I'm all about you, your all about me. Were all about each other'

**i really like these guys. definitely a chill easy going album. with songs that have great beats to bob your head to wonderful lyrics. get the whole reminds me of now?? it kind of has a 70's feel to me. very strong in the Indie/New Wave category. i strongly encourage a listen to this album though, definitely worth your time.

p.s. this is my 100th post. wahoo!

meet my new boyfriend...

he may be short and a red head (well technically red body) but check out his abs and best of all...he GROWS!

hehe

my friend gave me this little guy for Valentines day... its a grow your own boyfriend. since my luck in dating has gone totally down the drain i decided to give it a try the other week. yep...it didn't work. but now you all get to see the process of his growth.

Day 1:


Day 2:


Day 3:


Whala!:
it said he would grow to his maximum growth in 72 hours. i was thinking maybe it would grow to like 6-8 inches but no..not even close. a little disappointing. but seriously...check out his body!

for a moment i felt like Ryan Gosling in Lars and the Real Girl...so i threw it away. i am not that desperate =)

so a little side note...

i was watching Biggest Loser the other night and this one contestant was talking about how ever since he started on the show (only like 3 weeks) he has gone of his 10-15 meds he was taking daily. he was surprised as to how much his body can do now that he is actually taking care of it plus he still has a couple hundred pounds to lose but he is taking care of it.

this got me thinking...

it is going on close to 2 years since i joined the gym. since than i have started running at least once a week, i try to go to body pump and zumba once a week, and every once in a while i make it to yoga. i have not once gotten a cold since i started...not once, uno, one, alpha, and any other way you can say one. now...if you knew me before this time you knew i was getting a cold probably every 2 to 3 months, awful. it truely is amazing. sometimes i feel like i may be getting one but my body must be so much stronger now and i never do. i have gotten the stomach flu once but other than that i have been healthy. it is amazing how much payback your body will give you when you take care of it.

our bodies rock... God was so on top of his game when he created us!

love

is this not the cutest picture you have ever seen! seriously...how do you get a shot like this?

i hope all of you had a great weekend! my 3 day-er was awesome. i think i am sold that a weekend should be 3 full days...2 days just doesn't cut it.

Friday night was Thriller! it was so good. i have some pictures to post and stories to tell so look for that soon.

Saturday i did a photo shoot with my sister...it turned out pretty good for being my real first photo shoot. i will have to post those pictures when they are ready for viewing... i than painted. that night i went and saw You Again.. i am in love with Charlie. you will be too after you see it.

on Monday i got an amazing massage, got some of my Halloween costume and painted. i am sick of painting =). that night we had a combined FHE activity with another ward and went to Toads Fun Zone. it was a lot of fun. they actually had cute boys in their ward =). it was a crazy but good day.

and boy am i dragging today...a Tuesday after a holiday can be horrid sometimes..

bathroom cabinet

if you have looked at my Design blog you have probably already seen this but here it is again... this is the cabinet i did for my bathroom. i bought the cabinet at a yard sale for $18. i sanded it, primed it, and than painted it. i used a base coat of a color we already had and than i antiqued it with the left over dark brown color i painted the accent walls with (the ones in the bathroom). i think after everything said and done this cost me about $40. not to bad. the next cabinet will be even cheaper cause i already have everything for it!

Before:


After:



i dig it... it really adds a softness to the bathroom. i can't wait till i get the other one done.

i am super excited for this weekend. monday is Columbus Day so i don't work! yeah! i am going to Thriller with a bunch of my girls tonight...can't wait! if you haven't seen it I strongely encourage it. it is awesome. tomorrow i am doing a photo shoot for my sister. its going to be like her senior pictures...just ten years later! i am in need of some practice so we are going to test some things out. and monday i am going to go get a massage...oh it is so needed. i hope you all have a great weekend also!

design blog

i update my design blog...after months of non-existence. check it out here.

The Dirty Dash #2 - Obstacles

ok. this is probably going to be a major picture overload. i couldn't decide on what ones to use! also...some of the obstacles we don't have pictures of because they were so far away and our fan club wasn't out there to take pictures so i stole some off of Facebook. don't know if i am allowed to but i am pretty i did it... some of the teams took disposable camera's around with them and took pictures. such a good idea. i could've gotten a picture of Jaisha after she fell in the stream...hehe. so any picture without a bunch of pink of girls is not mine! here we go...

starting line:

we look good, don't we? the worker guy is so checking us out =)


Obstacle #1: Big Pig Climb:
we had to run up this massive hill of mud

this was the thickness of the mud:

this hill doesn't look hard but it was. it was slippery and there were so many people around. we were holding hands with each other to get up it. plus you start out muddy and starting out with the first mile all up hill is draining. it took me forever to catch my breath.


Obstacle #2: Hogbails:
i think there were about 6 or 7 of these and after awhile it got tiring. me and Kate did a little James Bond towards the end and rolled over them. we were to tired to jump...


Obstacle #3: Razorback Alley:


Obstacle #4: Pig Pen
These walls were hard...they had guys spraying us with these massive hoses (and i think they were enjoying themselves to much) so you would walk up to the wall and your foot would sink into about 8 inches of mud. makes it a little harder to pull yourself out. but i walked up to those walls and got this major shot of adrenaline and pulled myself right over...it was awesome. (that is me climbing over)


Obstacle #5: Hog Wallow


Obstacle #6: Slop 'n' Slide
this was by far the hardest obstacle...the picture below was just the preview to the big obstacle. there was a muddy swampy area that was probably the size of a soccer field, as deep and as thick below. if you stopped you sunk more and would get stuck. sometimes you would step in a spot and you would sink down to your thighs. it was so hard...especially when you are laughing the whole time!


Obstacle #7: Slide
all of us (Jaisha, Kate, me, Nikki, Heidi..in that order) lined up, ready to charge the slide.

Wee!! (there wasn't much water on the slide so we would run and than jump..not really slide)


Obstacle #8: Hog Wash
this was suppose to be the area where people threw water ballons at us... they were all out by the time we got there so instead we are charging for that muddy pool of a mess.


Obstacle #9: Pig Sty
oh yeah..

this is me getting Jaisha. the whole race she keep throwing mud at everyone and so we all decided to attack her...



here are a couple running shots:
Nikki, Heidi, & Jaisha

well actually walking shot of me & Kate:


after we were all done this group of guys came and gave us a nice muddy hug and started jumping up and down... even though you can't see it all 5 of us are inside of there:


and i just love this picture...we are so dirty!


the next race is a 5k in May... i am so excited. this race rocks!

sunday

this weekend was General Conference weekend. I love it! I love my church! I just downloaded all my podcasts of this weekends talks and I am excited to go listen to those I didn't hear or re-listen to those I did. our leaders are the greatest men ever. I love to watch President Monson tell a joke. he laughs along with everyone and then gets a straight face so quickly...it is hilarious. I love to hear everything President Uchtdorf says...he is the one person that I take his words like a sponge. and I love to hear the depth and knowledge that comes with President Eyring. these men are amazing. President Uchtdorf gave a talk on trying to not take on so much in life. make life simpler and not fill your days full with things to do...enjoy the beauty of life and take time to ponder things. lately I have been feeling so overwhelmed. there is so much I want to do. these is one of those things i needed to hear. my goal is to try not to do so much...I can't wear myself out at such a young age! click here: General Conference to hear that talk (saturday morning session) or to hear many more or go download them on your ipod..the podcast is free!!