So, I just got back from Anchorage. Made a quick trip to go to the temple today. And it was fantastic! And got to visit Pier 1 and Target. Made me miss Oregon a bit.
Oh, and best of all.... I got to go to Moose's Tooth. Whole Wheat Crust pizza with some Peanut Butter Pie for later= Heaven!
I took a picture to tempt you. (1/2 Chicken Ranch and 1/2 Apricot Chicken or as I like to call it AWESOME!)
Feel free to come visit and I'll drive 700 miles to take you to lunch! :)
Chinese food was on HIT tonight! It's always funny cause when we go pick up the food the lady always comes out with bags FULL of food and then makes some comment about a big party... little does she know it usually just 4 people! haha Em took a picture, so I'll try to steal it from her once she gets it online.
So, I was talking to my friend Birdie recently and she confessed to reading my blog, which I LOVE when I find out people are reading. And I realize there are lots of people who read, but never post, which I am SO ok with. That's how I got in to blogging. My cousin told me about her friend's sister who had a really funny blog, I started reading and was hooked. Which got me to thinking, hey, I could totally do that! So, I started a blog.
Oh, and I hope this doesn't make me sound like a weird-o.... but secretly, one thing that may or may not be on my bucket list, is to be in a public place and have a complete stranger recognize me from my blog. One day... haha
(Here's a picture of me in case you see me and want to say hello. Haha!)
So, to all you blog stalkers out there. Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment! I love when people read what I have to say! And it creeps me out level zero!
So, kind of exciting. It's Girl's Week! What's that you ask? Well, every year my family goes dip-netting on the mouth of the Kenai River, BUT, my sister and I are more inside dogs... so we usually fish like this, which embarrasses the hardcore fisher-men:
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BUT, now that we're "Grown-ups" we like to stay home (Someone has to watch the dogs...) and have girls week. Girl's week actually started 3 years ago when my sister and I were talking about how fun it would be to order like one of everything at a Chinese Restaurant, and eat it on the coffee table out of the carton. And thus, Girls Week was born! (We don't order Chinese everyday, we just order a huge amount one day and usually eat until we're sick and then leftovers the next day.)
This year Girl's Week Consists of:
A Movie about us (My sister's nickname is Beeze) and a The Hills Marathon. Oh, and don't forget the famous Chinese Food!
May I Present the results of my many month science project?! After hours of searching, I will share with you my findings in the realm of mascara! Again, apologies for the poor photos. Hopefully, I can better explain the results in word form.
Option 1: M*A*C Mascara X
Price: $13.00
Pros: Inexpensive and very light weight Cons: Smells funny and isn't quite dramatic enough for my liking
*****
Option 2: Clinique High Impact Mascara
Price: $14.00
Pros: LOVE IT! Inexpensive, Great brush making it easy to get the corners* Cons: Can't think of any....
*****
Option 3: Clinique High Lengths Mascara Price: $14.00
Pros: Same as the Clinique above. Cons: The brush IS a bit ninja and takes some getting used to, but not too bad.
Pros: Works Great, tapered brush makes getting the corners easy and makes lashes look really long. Cons: Price. Sorry, I can't rationalize spending that much on mascara. But it's good for a hot date/party! :)
*****
And some that didn't make the picture cut. (Only because I was in a hurry to post and didn't want to have to wear these cause they aren't my favorites.)
Maybelling Great Lash Washable Mascara
Pros: Dirt Cheap, practically free, One of the oldest mascaras on the market, so it's historical? Cons: Great Lash? Try Great Mess! Super Smudgy. Not my jam.
*****
Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara
Pros: Cheap, available in most drug stores. Cons: That mamma-jamma brush makes it impossible to get the corners of your lashes* THAT is the secret my friends. Everyone can get the middle part of the lash, but the difference between Ho-hum lashes and HO-LEEN lashes... the corners, inside AND out. Try it. You won't be disappointed.
So, I've been hinting about this post for awhile, and I couldn't sleep... so I decided to bite the bullet and write it. AND, I said I would on Sunday, and I guess technically it's still Sunday in Hawaii, so I'm good right?
Well, as you probably remember I was in Oregon for 4.5 months. Helping my Grandma, caring for her Grandma, helping clean out her house and finish up her affairs. However, the main reason I went to Oregon was for me. A chance for me to get away, a chance to refocus, a chance to start over, a chance to realize who I really want to be and put that into action. Don't get me wrong, I have wonderful people and opportunities in my life. But, underneath the happy face was someone who was really hurting. And so, I was able to really re-evaluate who I was and where I wanted to be. And about a week before I left Oregon, it hit me.
I was sitting in the hammock thinking...
Yes, this was my view from the hammock. Go ahead, be jealous.
So, while I was thinking on the hammock I was like well that's just stupid. I have amazing opportunities right now. I'm going back to a clean slate... I can kind of do whatever I want to!
I'm done waiting for my life to get good... I'm going to MAKE it good!
I am choosing to live my life, and make it good!
I want to travel the world and see people and places, so one day when I am a mother or a teacher I can tell about my experiences.
I want to help people because I have the time and ability to do so.
I want to go back to school and finish what I started. Yeah, totally called BYU-Idaho and guess who should have her associates in a few months... Yep! This Girl!!
I want to try new things and have experiences.
And hopefully, by doing this, I'll become the person my Heavenly Father wants me to be, whether that be a mother or an elementary school teacher or just a great woman... I want to do all I can to get there!
So, there you have it internet, my formula for being happy with who I am NOW!
Sorry I missed yesterday's post. It is still coming. I just got the mirror put up. And I have a few more finishing touches, so hopefully tomorrow I'll be ready to post the official pics of my room.
Here's the post you've all been DYING to see! But, I decided before I would tell you my verdict, it might be fun for everyone to cast their vote as to which mascara they think looks best, without bias of brand! Good Idea Huh?
So, here are the Pics:
DISCLAIMER: No judging. Taking self pics of your eyes is hard! I feel like I'm cross eyed. Oh, and please don't look at my ginormous pores and freckles.
Option 1:
Option 2:
Option 3:
Option 4:
Ok, so you can vote over to the right, or comment and I'll post my verdict and the details on Monday! Be excited and let the voting begin!
As Promised… here are some highly anticipated movie reviews… Now I realize that all 3 of these movies are currently on DVD, but perhaps you have been waiting to hear my opinion before viewing said films, and to keep with my promise…. Here they are!
Leap Year
Synopsis: Anna (Amy Adams), is in a relationship with Jeremy, who she’s having a hard time getting commit. Fortunately for her he just so happens to be going to Ireland for a business trip over Leap Year (February 29th, for those of you who were maybe confused) and according to Irish tradition, if you ask someone to marry you on Leap Year, they have to say yes! Perfect right? Well, if you’ve seen any previews for the show you know her journey wasn’t so smooth sailing and she just so happens to meet Declan (Matthew Goode), or as I like to call him “Mister Attractive with an Accent” that sometimes I can’t understand!
Review: LOVED it! I love Amy Adams, and think she did a great job, and her foreign bestie wasn’t so bad to look at either. I laughed out loud several times, the humor was quick and witty and I’m a sucker for a lady movie, so this was right up my alley. My only suggestion would be to watch the movie with the subtitles cause, and maybe this is just me, but I have a hard time understanding people with Irish accents. I think if I watch with subtitles the movie will be even funnier next time!
When in Rome
Synopsis: When in Rome Do as the Romans do, right? Unless that means your whole life turns upside down! When Beth’s (Kristen Bell’s) younger sister gets married in Italy, Italian tradition and folklore send her life into a tailspin. Apparently she didn’t know that by pulling coins out of a fountain the man who threw that coin in would magically fall in love with her. And homegirl should have picked some better coins cause she had Dax Sheppard, Danny DeVito, Napoleon Dynamite and others over taken by a curse and their undying love for Beth chasing her across the city. Oh, and did I mention that she also is maybe a little bit in love with Nick (Josh Duhamel), and he maybe loves her back… or maybe it’s the curse. Dun, Dun, Dun!
Review: Cute Movie. I liked the concept and Kristen Bell did good, and Josh Duhamel, well, he’s just gorgeous. The other supporting characters were good too, but I’d be lying if I did say that some parts were a bit of a stretch for me. But, all in all, cute movie to watch with your girls.
Dear John
Synopsis: John (Channing Tatum) is with Special Forces in the Army and is home in North Carolina on leave. He happens to Meet Savannah (Amanda Seyfried) in a freak purse dropping incident on the beach. In 2 weeks the fell in love, but John had to go back, they promise to write each other. Then, September 11th happens. And life changes. Through the changes one thing that remains constant is John’s dad (Richard Jenkins) who has Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of Autism, though John would never have known had he never met Savannah. Based on the book by Nicholas Sparks.
Review: LOVE, LOVE, LOVED it! You may NOT watch the movie if you haven’t read the book. Because, as usual, the book is better, and I don’t want you to be tainted by the movie. Channing Tatum is, well, hot. And does a really great job in the movie, as does Seyfried. The story stays pretty close to the book, which made me happy. And also, the underlying theme of Autism really hit home to me, and I feel was a pretty accurate portrayal of how life is with an Autistic person. Oh, and if all else fails, Channing Tatum does that jaw clenching thing that is just downright sexy. See for yourself!
Keeping up with my promise, I got ready for the day with a pen and paper in hand. And I'll be honest, I was WAY faster than I thought! I think it had to do with the fact that I was accountable to the paper and pen... and the World Wide Web. haha
BUT, this is how the process broke down:
2 Minutes: Brush Teeth, Warm up Shower
11 Minutes: Shower, Including shave
4 Minutes: Dry Off, Put in Contacts, Moisturize
3 Minutes: Lay out clothes for the day
7 Minutes: Dry Hair
5 Minutes: Make-up
8 Minutes: Straighten Hair and Style
4 Minutes: Get Dressed/ Accessorize
TOTAL: 44 minutes! Holla!
Yep. Under an Hour. And I shaved my legs. Woo Hoo! I think I could shave off quite a bit of time if I didn't write everything down, oh and when I get my mirror put up in my room that should save me some time in running from the bathroom to my room.... Oh, and I bet wearing my hair naturally curly could be super fast... but if I curl my hair.... oh, the possibilities are endless!
How long does it take you to get ready? Time yourself!
Ok, so apparently coming back to "real life" means I neglect my blog. This is NOT acceptable. I promise I will do better. Feel free to harass me if I am not showing improvement.
Ok, so this is embarrassing, but I was camping this weekend (I know, me camping, there should be a blog post all about THAT right?) And my friend Eva asked about my mascara search for perfection. Remember? Which got me to thinking,Woah, people are reading and I am NOT keeping my word. So, then I got curious, and maybe did a search to find out how many times I told you to stay tuned and NEVER followed through... 5!
Sheesh. I have let you down! Well, guess what! It's your lucky week. I like to call it finish what you started with week! Starting in the morning when I bring a stopwatch with me for my morning routine.
I have developed a schedule for you, so you can keep me focused, if I slack off.
Wednesday: The Science of Getting Ready Thursday: Movie Madness Friday: The Reveal of the new Room Saturday: Mascara Marathon Sunday: My New Mantra
Sorry for being AWOL for awhile. But, here are some pics from my new room, which has kept me pretty busy this week. I have a super fantastic post coming... so stay tuned. BUT, in the meantime... May I present, My oh, so, luxurious and stunning bedroom. (Almost finished)
My Closet. Yes, I am OCD. But admit it, you're jealous.
My Seating area...Aka: Reading Nook...Aka: Take THAT IKEA! Yes, I brought the coveted chair with me to Alaska, and I maybe flirted with the baggage checker and he didn't charge me the additional $50 for the oversized box OR the $50 for my 60lb bag. Woo Hoo!
And the pièce de résistance! THE BED! I LOOOOOVE it! It's SO cozy!
Sorry for the poor quality pics, I took them with my phone. I'll post better ones when I'm finished.
