Happiness for My Friends

It's official!!!! My dear friend Lindsey is a ROCKETTE for the 2009 Christmas season. I am SO incredibly proud of her and have honestly not felt this excited for anyone in a LONG time! She'll be touring the country, while my other friend Tyler will be in the show in New York City. I couldn't be happier for them!

http://www.radiocitychristmas.com//

Night Out and a Churro

Saturday night game at the Rio Tinto Stadium for the Real game.

A water was $4, the nachos were lame, and the ice cream machine broke- but it was AWESOME! What a fun summer night with Hilly and Tavnir!

... And just check out that sunset. Bliss.

Concert in the Park 6.23.2009

My Tarented Fliends

I can hear you... (Is she REALLY wearing that dress again??)

Tragical 'Ponine.

What Else Would You Expect? It's Sunday.

Great week. I feel happy and blessed.

Let's get down to business- HAPPIES of the Week:

#1: Pedicures are incredible and someday, when we have lots of money (ha ha ha), I will get one every week. Seriously. I LOVE THEM. It made my week- probably my month. (And yes, I posted a picture of my toenail on my blog- I am AWESOME!)

#2: Perhaps this is odd to y'all that this is something that was happy for me this week, but guess what?!?!? I ONLY CRIED ONCE THIS WHOLE WEEK!!!! And it was over a sugar cookie. I won't go into details about how a SUGAR COOKIE made me cry- but it did. So there ya go. I think I am coming to happy terms with my new life as a housewife. The goal this week? No cries. It'll be like the olden days. Maybe I'll get back to my emotion-less self someday...

#3: My friend Lindsey called me with news that I cannot reveal until tomorrow- and it makes me wanna pee my pants.

#4: I found a fantastic summer treat that fits within my lil health nut boundaries! OK- so it'd probably be better to NOT eat it, but it's yummy and satisfies the need for an after dinner snack!


#5: Yesterday was the most productive Saturday we'd had in a long time- and it felt great! We washed cars, cleaned out the garage and organized the basement. I love the satisfaction that hard work brings.

#6: Saturday is the 4th of July. Have I mentioned before how much I love the 4th? Oh yeah- I have.

#7: Next Monday night I'm spending an evening at The Playmill. It's been awhile since I was able to get me some good old fashioned West Yellowstone love. So that'll be fun- and send me into sentimentality that I am quite ready to revisit.


#8: That Thing You Do is on TV tonight- Reliving memories of sitting in a movie theatre with April, Licia, and Heather in 1996. Over and over again. Guy Patterson. Nuff said.

#9: Today during Sharing Time a boy went up to the podium to read what he'd found placed under his chair. (Good thing he found something this week- last week he didn't and we had croc tears for about an hour afterwards) Anyway, today this happy little fellow decided that adding a little somersault into his strut to the podium would be a good idea. Kids. I love em.

#10: I'm getting new headshots soon. For vain actors like myself this brings great joy. I mean REALLY- what better thing do I have to do than stare and analyze hundreds of shots of myself wearing black, blue, green, yellow.... Better dye my hair... (And I hope you get my sarcasm here...)

JULY IS ALMOST HERE! Enjoy.

Happy Summertime

Today, my friends, was, in a word, GLORIOUS. I adored the entire experience. Have you had a day like that lately? I totally recommend it.

Morning brought breakfast in Layton at Sills with my grandpa, dad, Biff, and Kensie, and the afternoon was filled with girl talk and a pedicure. HEAVEN.

To make it even better, a "Pink Lemon Sour" Sno-Cone.

Tonight the girls and I were reunited with an old friend from back in the Ricks College/Playmill days.

Life is great. And I LOVE summertime.

Sunday Sunshine- Summer Style

I guess the summer weather is supposed to begin this week- good thing since yesterday was TECHNICALLY the first day of the season. Like I mentioned last week, I have loved the rain and crazy weather, but it'll be nice to get some true, 88 degree Utah weather in as well.

Happies of the week included:



#1: Kensie was just thoroughly entertaining this week. I watch those "Hairspray" videos over and over again and just can't stop smiling and laughing at them. Thanks for making me smile, kid. She's at a fun age- the age where she jabbers constantly, only if you're not her parent you can only understand about 50% of it. Love her.

#2: We had a great- BUSY- weekend visiting grandpas and dads. Feels good to be home for things like this again!

#3: Chuck and I had some chill evenings this week. We watched way too much TV and just had a good time having no pressing appointments. This week, on the other hand, is a different story...

#4: There's a chance I am going back to Orlando for two full weeks to sub the B and B show. One of the girls might be going out for surgery, and if that's the case, this lil girl is getting herself on a plane and doing some shows. I need to remind myself that I am actually a good performer. Its been awhile- and sometimes you forget you're capable. (Even if it is just in a dinky little theme park show...) Bottom line: It makes me happy. And know what makes me happier? Priceline's "Name Your Price" flight fares. Yep.

#5: THE 4th of JULY is coming! And for the first time EVER, I will be celebrating the festivities in Layton with my man. Guess I can't get all sentimental as I watch the fireworks this year... "Maybe by this time next year I'll have a boy here with me..." Sigh. Somehow exploding fireballs in the sky make you acutely aware of your singleness.

#6: I got SO many recipes and ideas from all of my readers after my plea for culinary assistance! THANK YOU! Keep 'em coming!

#7: I ran five miles almost every day last week and I feel FANTASTIC!

#8: It's Bachelorette night. I love Bachelorette night. Wes needs to go. But ok- lets chat about last week's "spoiler" explaining when "a bachelor has troubles in the bedroom." WHAT? Oh geez- did we REALLY have to go there? I still like Kiptyn. And honestly I still like Jake too- who cares if he's too "perfect." AND- WHY IS TANNER STILL THERE?!?!?! Jesse won some points last week too...

#9: I have time to clean my car today. Sophie is looking pretty frightening. I used to keep her in immaculate shape...

#10: My husband loves me and deals with my drama. I've never been a dramatical and emotional person- but geez, I've been terrible lately. I guess that's what happens with an identity crisis and having your career pulled out from under you (something I deliberately chose, mind you...) Guess it's time to figure out what else I'm good at. :-)


Have a happy week, my friends.


PS: NO. My antics for Fathers Day yesterday were NOT done to make some kind of "announcement." No way.

Tuesday Night

	Tuesday, June 23, 2009
	8:00pm - 9:00pm
	Brigham Young Historic Park
	200 S. State Street
	Salt Lake City, UT

Performing Artists:

Yours Truly
Kandyce Marie Gabrielson
Tierra Jean
Melinda Lockwood DeBirk
Michelle Bradshaw Boothe
Paul Cartwright
Jared M. Young
Kelly Paul DeHaan
Gerry Graves
Alex DeBirk
Adrien Swenson

To The Father of My Children.

For Mothers Day, Charles Brigham Keeler got me this:


So pretty. So sweet. I loved it.

For Fathers Day, I thought I'd give him a little touch of the reality of fatherhood and threw some cereal on the floor.


He loves me.

Hairspray: 19-Month-Old Style

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Today my Daddy is 54!
In this picture he was 27...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHUCKIE!

"THE STRIPE OF WRONGNESS"

Yep. I'm proud of myself. After the disaster that painting an accent wall in my room became, I am excited to say that it is now fixed and looking fabulous. OK- honestly, it wasn't THAT bad. But since this is the SECOND time in the last couple years that my "touch up" jobs have turned sour, I think I will just retire from that part of life. No touch ups again. Ever.

PS: The spots on the wall in this photo are NOT from me! Mirror=Reflection. :-)

So that's it. Our room so far. We still have to put things on all the walls- but hey, it's a work in progress and I wanted to share what we have up to this point.

This lil' vase and flower arrangement are my favorites things right now. Thanks again, Z Gallerie!

Need. Variety, Now.

I'm trying to become a good cook. I'm doing decently well, only WE NEED VARIETY. Here's the deal... I'm a bit of a health freak. I'm all about chicken, REALLY REALLY lean ground beef (which is even breaking my rules a bit...), veggies, whole wheat pasta, tortillas, and bread... etc. On nights when I don't have time to make something good I throw a Kashi pizza in the oven. We eat lots of salad... but I AM BORED with the same things over and over. HELP!!! I need ideas.

I also need ideas for healthy snacks. Our cupboards are always stocked with fruits and almonds and Kashi crackers and yogurt and cheese sticks (Weight Watchers and reduced fat, of course...) - but again, we need VARIETY. My hubby probably wants to cringe when thinking about all of the above foods.

ALSO: Don't get me wrong. I love me some ice cream and junk too... just not very often. Hmmmm.

Suggestions???

Rainy Sunday Sunshine

Well my friends, the week has been drizzly and lightening strikes have been everywhere, and I have LOVED it. I love that I don't have to use my AC, I love that I have an excuse to stay inside in my jammies, and I love that it feels like SPRINGTIME! It seems like we hardly ever get an actual SPRING anymore. Beautiful.

Here're highlights of the last couple weeks... I missed out on last week for no particular reason- though I did get back into a bit of a slump. I'm still trying to figure out what to do with my little self, but in the meantime I keep my house clean and clean for my brother-in-law's business. From Professional Princess to scrubbing the toilets of people I don't know.

* THINKING HAPPY * * THINKING HAPPY *

#1: McKensie loves the movie Hairspray. I need to post a video of this because y'all need to understand the JOY this brings into my life. She's 19 months old, sings and dances along with Tracy, and SCREAMS when Link Larkin appears. Yep. She belongs in this family.

#2: Again, Kensie. Saturday we were able to attend the open house for the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. Great experience, beautiful temple, and Kensie even worked really hard to be reverent in "Heavenly Father's House." She folded her arms, said "Jesus," called the chapel "church.", and mooed at the oxen in the baptistery." I need a kid just for the giggles they create.




#3: This blog has brought me SO much laughter in the last week. Brilliant.

#4: Friday night Chuck and I painted a wall in our bedroom! I love it. It adds so much to our room. Only problem is that I did some touch ups with the paint in our basement... yeah- WRONG COLOR. Ugh. So now I have a stripe to fix and no paint that matches. What to do... I DON'T WANT TO REPAINT THE WHOLE ROOM!!! Sigh. Oh well- point is that the blue/green wall we have now makes me super happy. We'll forget about the wall I ruined...



Soon (meaning whenever I fix the stripe of wrongness...) I'll have pictures of the whole room to put up! PS: THIS has got to be one of my favorite places on earth... And I REALLY want THIS someday.

#5: New Calling: Yep, Chuck and I were Primary teachers for a whole TWO WEEKS. Chuck has now been moved to the Elders Quorum Presidency, and I (DRUMROLL...) am now the Primary Chorister. I am the Primary Chorister to the 360 (That's not a typo, folks) children in our Primary. Crazy. Fun. Guess I just get up there and make a fool of myself? Anyway, it's bound to keep me on my toes and the creative juices- which have somewhat died lately- flowing.

#6: I LOVE singing with talented people. On Wednesday night a rehearsal was held for the concert in the park that I mentioned a few posts back. My gosh can these people sing. I love it, and feel ridiculously honored that I am among them. Come. Again: Tuesday the 23rd. 8 PM.

#7: Chuck and I have had great fun lately hanging out with lots of friends. Hilly and Tavnir and Laurel and David have become our little group of peeps to hang with. We've also really enjoyed playing with my cousin Melissa and her hubby Steve, and on Monday night we had Kallie, Brad, Lindsey and Justin over as well. I'm so excited to back in Utah where my family and friends are.

#8: Today a little boy in Primary WAS Michael Scott from The Office. I was just observing (I start as Chorister next week), and this boy sitting next to me, about seven or so, WAS Michael. It was KILLING me and I was so sad that Chuck was in Elders Quorum and couldn't share in the brilliance that this kid was.

#9: We have done NOTHING today. Nothing but go to church, eat, and veg. People need that every so often.

#10: THE BACHELORETTE: Thank you, trash TV, for being back on Monday nights. I have missed you. The winner up till this week was JAKE in my book... but Jake got a little looney last Monday and now I'm all about Kiptyn. Perhaps what makes me smile the most about this whole show is that Chuck loves it. He gets really into it and analyzes everything. I LOVE IT.

#11: The 4th of July is coming. Did you hear that?? THE FORTH OF JULY IS COMING. I LOVE THE 4TH OF JULY. I love the annual meeting of Laytonites in the amphitheater (Hi, Wilhelms...), I love the food, and every time they play "Proud to be an American" at the end of the fireworks I bawl like a baby. Gah. Love this time of year.

#12: Chuck saw The Notebook for the first time Friday night. He thought my sobbing at the end and beyond for twenty minutes was an act. I REALLY get into that movie...

#13: Our two spare bedrooms are on their way to functioning as a workout room and an office. By the end of this week they might just be up and ready to go! Yippee!

#14: My iPod still brings me great joy. After a long hiatus, I've used it a lot lately.


I got through an entire Sunday post without mentioning anything about food. That is SO not me. Interesting.

Well, here we go- bring on Monday.

To Anyone Who Knows Anything About iTunes...

Calling iTunes people: My computer has major viruses (Not effecting my music...). I need to take everything off my computer, put it on an external hard drive, start completely over with my PC, and then get all my music back onto iTunes. Is there some sneaky way I have to do this? Or can I just dump it on the external drive and then plop it back onto my iTunes once my computer is up and running again?

Coming Up...

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

A Night of Broadway and Show Tunes

Brigham Young Historic Park
200 S. State Street
Salt Lake City

8:00 PM

Come see all of my really talented friends sing pretty songs.

Go Here...

Our Wedding Video... Part 1

1:03 That's All I'm Sayin'

Singin'

Wednesday night I was able to put on a lil 20 minute show for BYU's President Samuelson and some special guests he was hosting a dinner for. Great fun- so nice to sing things that ARE NOT from the show "Beauty and the Beast." :-) Despite the hitches and stress, I'm grateful I was able to do it. Yep.

Thanks to Seidi and Laurel for their help!

Just Because I Have To...