Happy New Year

We had a lovely Christmas. I hope yours was enjoyable as well.

So one of my New Year's Resolutions is to keep up with this thing!

Hope everyone has a safe and wonderful New Year's.

Utah State Fair

So it's pretty amazing to me how you have children and your whole thought process changes. When I saw the billboard for the Utah State Fair, I no longer thought of deep fried goodies (while I still do love those) or what band is coming?, all I could think of is "Ahh, Camden loves animals. I should take him to see the animals". So, that's what I did. Aerial, Richard, Amy and Jeff in tow, I took Camden to the State Fair.

It was your typical State Fair, although I do remember it being much larger. The last time I was there was about five or six years ago, so who knows for sure. There were plenty of carnival rides and the deep fried goodness I was speaking of earlier and lots of vendors selling everything from poreclain dolls to wacky weed banners. While it was all enjoyable to look at, the very best part was watching Camden with all the cows and the sheep and the goats and pigs. I really hope Aerial and Richard, Jeff and Amy had a good time too.

Camden got to ride a pony and by the end of the day, I had cow poop all over my jeans (from Cam's feet), but I did not mind at all. It was so much fun... and the funnel cake was AWESOME!!!

Happy 30th to me!!!

Thank you so much for those of you who were able to make it to my 80's prom to celebrate my 30th birthday. I had a lot of fun. Be looking for pictures soon at www.mikaelasprom.com.

Game to Play

Here's what you do. First, read my answers so you learn a little more about me. Then Copy and Paste the questions in my comments and change the X's and the answers to fit you. That way I learn a little about you. Feel free to take the questions and use on your blog or email out to your friends to keep the game going.

(X) Gone on a blind date
(X)Skipped school
( X)Watched someone die
( ) Been to Canada
(X)Been to Mexico
(X) Been to Florida
(X) Been on a plane
(X) Been lost
(X)Been on the opposite side of the country
( ) Gone to Washington , DC
(X) Swam in the ocean
(X) Cried yourself to sleep
(X) Played cops and robbers
(X) Recently colored with crayons
(X) Sang Karaoke
(X) Paid for a meal with coins only?
(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't?
(X) Made prank phone calls
(X) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
(X) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
(X ) Danced in the rain
(X) Written a letter to Santa Claus
(X) Been kissed under the mistletoe
(X)Watched the sunrise with someone you care about
(X) Blown bubbles
(X) Gone ice-skating
( )Been skinny dipping outdoors
(X) Gone to the movies 1. Any nickname? Kae, Mikey, Mik, Macadamia Nut
2. Mother's name.. Jenny
3. Favorite drink? Diet Coke (alcoholic: Lemon Drop)
4. Any Tattoo's? nope
5. Body piercings? Ears and belly button (no ring in it though)
6. How much do you love your job? Today is not the day to ask that
7. Birthplace..... England
8. Favorite vacation spot? Anywhere
9. Ever been to Africa ? Nope
10. Ever eaten cookies for dinner? I think I will tonight
11. been on TV? Yup, in Iraq too.
12. Ever steal any traffic sign? nope
13. Ever been in a car accident? A few…
14. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? 4
15. Favorite salad dressing? Fat Free Italian
17. Favorite number? 19
18 Favorite movie? Love Actually
19. Favorite holiday? Birthday (yes, that is a holiday!)
20. Favorite dessert? The banana crème pie from Ruth’s Chris
21. Favorite food? Mexican
22. Favorite day of the week? Saturday
23. Favorite brand of body wash? Tone
24. Favorite toothpaste? Crest
25. Favorite smell? Rain
26. What do you do to relax? Read to Camden
27. How do you see yourself in 10 years from now? A soccer mom (only with a cooler car and better looking pants)
28. How many siblings do you have? 3
29. Furthest place you will send this message? England
30. Who will respond to this the fastest?? Boy
31. What is your most memorable Birthday? So far 27th but the 30th is just around the corner (I am making invites as I type. Get ready!!!)
32. What did you want to me when you were little? Radio DJ
33. Favorite Restaurant? Ruth’s Chris
34. What was your favorite toy as a child? Barbies
35. What is the day on the calendar you are most looking forward to? Sept 6th, my bday party…again, Get ready!!!

Do you read for pleasure?

Can I just say how much I love my book club? First and foremost, the women are amazing. By amazing, I mean AMAZING! Second, I am exposed to books that I don't think I would typically pick up. So our group has been meeting for over two years. I have loved some of our books and just liked others and some, I just could not get through at all.

I have decided to post the new book each month. Not that you will all want to run out and grab the book I am reading, but sometimes, you may want a book and not know of one to get.

Here is what I am currently reading:

August: The Monster of Florence by: Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi.

A thriller writer and crime reporter try to unlock the secrets of decades-old real-life murders in MONSTER OF FLORENCE. Between 1974 and 1985, seven different couples were found slain in their cars just outside the city of Florence, Italy. When novelist Douglas Preston and reporter Mario Spezi decided to try to piece together what had really happened, they quickly found themselves in trouble, with Spezi landing himself in jail and Preston accused of obstructing justice. The book finally saw the light of day after Dateline NBC did a piece on the daring duo. Mystery buffs will likely find this true-crime tale a tantalizing, thoroughly engaging ride.

September: Breaking Dawn by: Stephenie Meyer.

The hotly anticipated fourth and final book in the bestselling teen vampire series Twilight promises to answer many burning questions, but not until August 2008. What will happen to Edgar and Bella? Will Bella get her wish and be turned into a vampire? Will their love survive? Will Jacob really stop pursuing Bella? The list could go on and on, but BREAKING DAWN promises to be a page-turner no matter what happens.

If you are wanting just one to pick up, I would suggest Breaking Dawn (assuming of course you have read Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse). I am loving it!!!

Good Tips!!!

It's amazing how little household tips save so much time and energy. Thanks domestic goddess!

• Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to pick the little "stringy things" off of it. That's how the primates do it.
• Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.-
• Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much longer and not mold.
• Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating. Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.-
• Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef and it will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.-
• To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream and then beat them up.-
• Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic and at the end of the recipe if you want a stronger taste of garlic.-
• Leftover snickers bars make a delicious dessert. Simply chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core, and slice a few apples. Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream.-
• Reheat pizza. Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove. Set heat to medium-low and heat until warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza.-
• Easy Deviled Eggs. Put cooked yolks in a ziploc bag. Seal and mash until they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients and reseal the bag. Keep mashing until it is mixed thoroughly. Cut the tip of the baggy and squeeze mixture into the eggs. Just throw the bag away when done - easy clean up.-
• Expanding Frosting. When you buy a container of frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.-
• No more mosquitoes. Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.- Squirrel away! To keep squirrels from eating your plants, sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it. The same is supposed to work well with cats also.-
• Measuring cups. Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry the cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.-
• Foggy windshields. Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser. Works better than a cloth!-
• Get rid of ants! Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it home, and can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have to worry about pets or small children being harmed!-
• Info about clothes dryers! The heating unit went out on someone's dryer! The gentleman that fixes things around the house told her that he wanted to show them something and he went over to the dryer and pulled out the lint filter. It was clean (the owner always cleaned the lint from the filter after every load of clothes). The man took the filter over to the sink and ran hot water over it. The lint filter is made of mesh material and the water just sat on top of the mesh, not going through at all. He told them that dryer sheets cause a film over the mesh and that's what burns the heating unit up. You can't SEE the film, but it's there. It's what's in the dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free (it's the waxy feel when you take them out of the box and the waxy stuff builds up

It's getting closer!!!

So my big 3-0 is coming up quickly! On September 6th, I'll be hosting an 80's Prom in celebration of my 30th birthday. Everyone is invited! Come get your groove on to 80's dance music and also get your "prom" picture taken! I'd love to see you all there!