City Creek Center

Have you been yet?
Because you totally should.
 

 

Tuesday

Tuesday night means a night to myself (you know, once the kids are in bed).

Well, tonight I really lived it up. I spent the first good part of it grading some Huck Finn papers for Charlotte. I hate grading. But these were honors kids and some of them can seriously write. It was actually kind of fun. While grading I got a huge case of nostalgia for my old college days. Must have been the Modern American Lit. genre mixed with a little Maroon Five from Songs About Jane. I can't tell you how many nights I spent listening to that album while up writing Lit. papers on Annie's old computer in our apartment.

Once my brain was sufficiently spent, I decided to really live it up and paint my nails and toes while watching Pretty in Pink. I know. I'm hard-core.

Man, it's been forever since I'd seen this movie and I loved every second of it. Blane and Andie's love story in pretty bland except for the kissing scenes--which had me gushing, of course. But oh! That Duckie Dale. Be still my heart. I still have a mad crush on that goofy kid. And, Iona is one helluva scene-stealer.

So, I don't know what is more pathetic: my rockin' Tuesday night (that I consider well-spent) or that I just realized that my pre-bed-comfy-outfit included my U2 Pop-Mart tour tshirt circa 1997.

What do you think?

Blurb

25% off has had me busy with Blurb again. This stuff is addicting.

M.I.L.

Did you know that I have greatest Mother-In-Law? Well, I do.
I love this woman so much.
Happy birthday, Chris.
{You say that you are 39. But, I don't think you look a day over 38.}

Van is ONE

 This darling little boy is one. I know. I can't get over how cute he is either.

His party was awesome (Great job, Jen!) and I think he loved the attention. Well, at least I know he loved the cake. :)

He also loved playing with Uncle Sean.

So did we, btw.

Dad {again}

Gosh, I love this guy. :)

XANADU!

Best. Night. Ever.

Laurel already blogged this one out but I think this deserves two posts. 

If you haven't seen this gem of a movie, you are sort of missing out. This movie is so bad it's bad-ass. It's awful and so, so awesome that I have seen it more than I can count. Why? Easy: Olivia Newton-John as a muse with little rhythm but a lotta voice, proof that Gene Kelly's still got it in his old age (even if the failure of this film may have killed him), a roller-disco, a cartoon scene, and E.L.O. I know--awesome.

Anyway, when Xanadu was written for the Broadway stage in 2007, it was written as a comedy--a spoof. Not since Young Frankenstein have I laughed so hard in a play. 

But maybe the funniest part of the night was the audience. I think it must have been Geriatric Night at Hale Theater... the entire West front row was drooling and sucking down all the oxygen they could muster. Not really-- but not far off. I loved watching the audience react to the leg-warmers, the roller skates, the muses in drag, the Pegasus, and yes-- the Centaur, too.

Thanks, sisters for a perfect night. {We missed you, Megan!}

I'm giggling even now, thinking about our Cafe Rio dinner and Michelle's admitted Pearl Harbor/ dog-tag fantasy. 

Like I said: Best. Night. Ever.

Barefoot in the Park

Oh, man. This is one great movie. I watched it while working on some projects in my little craft/office room and I found myself giggling and smiling the whole time. Neil Simon is a genius.
And oooooohhhhh, Robert Redford is so hott. {So is Jane Fonda, btw.}

Corrie: Six days does not a week make.

Corrie: Oh, Paul. It's only five flights.
Paul: What about that big thing hanging outside the building?
Corrie: That's not a flight it's a stoop.
Paul: It may be a stoop but it climbs like a flight.

Paul: You wanna hear something frightening? My teeth feel soft.

Paul: I love you too. Even when I didn't like you, I loved you.

Paul: Nobody's been seen coming in our out for three years. Except every morning there are nine cans of tuna fish sitting outside the door.
Corrie: Who do you suppose lives there?
Paul: Sounds like a big cat with a can opener.


Paul: You don't just pick up a fork and dig into a black salad. You have to play with it.


Paul: If our marriage hinges on breathing fish balls and poofla-poo pie, it's not worth saving. I am now going to crawl into our tiny little single bed. If you care to join me, we'll be sleeping from left to right tonight.


Ethel: Make him feel important. If you do that, you'll have a happy and wonderful marriage - like two out of every ten couples.

Corrie: Paul, I think I'm gonna be a lousy wife. But don't be angry with me. I love you very much -- and I'm very sexy!

Taggity-tag-tag

My old student and future sister-in-law :) tagged me.

The rules:
1. Post these rules.
2. Post a photo of yourself and 11 random things about yourself.
3. Answer the questions set for you in the original post.
4. Create 11 new questions and tag people to answer them.
5. Tell them they've been tagged.

1. I don't have any pictures of myself alone since I've had kids.
2. I am really digging Downton Abbey. A lot.
3. I love being a mom. I suck at patience but I love being a mom.
4. I almost always find myself getting a crush on the main male character in any movie, play, or TV show.
5. I can't go a single day without drinking {a lot of} Diet Coke. It's a serious addiction. I'm not proud of it, but it does keep me sane.
6. I stalked Blaine. Then, married him. True story.
7. I crave creative projects. If I don't have something I'm working on, I get a case of "the funk".
8. I love to eat out. I love getting my drink and sometimes an appetizer and my very own meal that I don't have to make with my own two hands. I love it.
9. I am learning to get over the gloom of January and February but March seriously blows.
10. I am a sucker for pretty dishes, vases, and containers.
11. I have to pick up and organize the kitchen and family room each night. It's a sickness.

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1. if you could only pick one song to be your favorite, what would it be?
Right now, it's John Mayer's "Edge of Desire". But, overall-- U2's "Bad".

2. top 5 favorite celebrities. go!
Conan O'Brien. Paul Newman. John Cusack. Tina Fey. Emma Thompson.

3. what were your parents going to name you if they didn't go with what your name is now?
Suzanne. I hated the name until my love for James Taylor and "Fire and Rain".

4. what is your least favorite chore?
Emptying the dishwasher.

5. who is your least favorite celebrity?
Brangelina.

6. do you have a celebrity look alike? who is it?
I used to get Sandra Bullock pretty often. I haven't heard it in forever, until the guy collecting fast offerings with his son told me I did a few weeks ago. It made my day.

7. if you had to spend the day with anyone from the jersey shore, who would you choose?
My only knowledge of that show is from The Soup... but I think I'd like to know for myself if Snookie is really as awful as she seems.

8. what is your most beloved childhood memory?
Playing between Meservy's house and ours on summer nights.

9. you're on a desert island, and can only bring two things. what are they?
Proactiv and something to read.

10. justin bieber, or jess mccartney? choose wisely...
Justin Timberlake.

11. what is your favorite sit down restaurant?
Red Iguana. Hands down.


******************************************************


1. What is your favorite thing to do on a typical Saturday?
2. What are your top five celebrity crushes?
3. How old were you when you had your first kiss?
4. What's your typical bedtime? Nightly routine?
5. What's on your "most listened to" ipod playlist?
6. What was your first concert?
7. Favorite TV show--old or new?
8. Ocean or Mountains?
9. What is your favorite sound?
10. What is your go-to-always-makes-you-feel-better fix?
11. Favorite treat?

******************************************************

Tagged!: Laurel. Michelle. Robyn. Megan. Tammy. Markelle. Jen. Christy.

A.MAZE.ING

This product saved the world yesterday. Thanks to my mother, the Queen of Stains, {who told me about this}, my toilets and shower are sparkling clean with NO signs of hard water stains... Because even with our much too expensive soft water system, the damage was already there. I thought I had tried everything but this stick is a miracle-worker, and costs less than two dollars at Wal-Mart. A.MAZE.ING.
One more thing... use some gloves or do this a few times afterward. Actually, do this afterward anyway. The effect is heaven.

Lensbaby

My birthday present from Blaine came late this year but it was worth the wait. 

I have had my eye on this lens for a long time, now. I'm still getting used to focusing and manipulating the lens. It's a little tricky but the pictures are so dreamy (when I do it right). I can't wait to get outside and use it-- C'mon, Spring!

Putting stickers on Daddy's face.

Kissing Daddy.

In a comatose state--watching TV.

That's a little better.

I love the distortion that happens with this lens. It's really fun to use. I just need A LOT of practice.

P.S. The other part of my present is a four hour photography workshop. Can't wait!
Thanks, Blaine. I love you.

P.P.S. The canning pictures were also taken with my new Lensbaby. 

We can can. We can!

Thanks to our Bountiful Basket apples and our awesome neighbors, we canned for the first time. I was a little nervous about it but I think we did it all right, and now we have all these pretty little jars to put in our cold storage other than unused computers and paint. 

Dad

I received the following {awesome} email yesterday after my John Mayer post:

Alicia,

I love you, but can't stand John Mayer.  He's a douche-bag . . . yes - as in "douche-bag, douche-bag."

This doesn't change my feelings for you, though.

Love,

Dad