Thursday and Friday Swap

I did a silly thing, and left my photos at home today.  So, Tomorrow will be Photo Adventure Friday, instead.

Today will be How To Live.

I think I'm out of my mind. Speaking of which, I need some help with Time Management.

There are just not enough hours in the day.  That's all.

I must work and go to school, 

do Homework

Cook Dinner

Go Grocery Shopping

Clean the House

Take a shower

Do Laundry

Spend Time With Nick

Exercise

Make stuff so I don't go crazy

Take Photos, Edit photos,

Figure out what to do with my life

and the list goes on!

I definitely don't have time for all of this!  I have a planner, and I try to use it as well as I can, but it just seems that everything always takes longer than you'd expect, or you get distracted.

I'm postitive that I'm not the only one who feels this way.

I can't even imagine how all you with kids feel.

Obviously, it's got to be all about priorities.  There are days where the laundry or the editing, or the dishes or the making stuff can be put on hold, but even then, it seems like I am so behind on everything! 

How do you feel about this?  What do you do to cope with not having enough time?

There are so many things I want to do and see and make and be, 

and I just can't seem to fit it in.

Obviously, we can't do it all, all the time, 

But do you have a system that works?

Please share!  

And along those lines....

I feel like I would get more done if I had more energy!

I have been focusing this week on eating breakfast, 

Haha, not THIS breakfast, exactly, more like Hardboiled eggs and a bowl of cereal.

A good friend told me that you need a carb and a protein in the morning.  Something that will sustain you.  Eggs definitely do this for me.

And I am trying SO hard to eat a ridiculously healthy lunch.

Like wheat noodles with tuna and celery with olive oil {2 tbsp}

Which, surprisingly is not bad.

And then, I MUST eat a normal dinner.

Not only have I had fairly few calories, 

but, as I've said before, 

I LOVE FOOD.

and if I don't get what I want during the day, 

I"LL GO CRAZY

if I don't get it for dinner.

So THERE.

Anyway, back to energy.  I eat lean protein, I know about vitamin B,

Are there any other miracles for energy boosts?

Caffeiene.......that is good too.

but it's fake energy.

I feel like I am sleepy at night, 

go to sleep quickly, 

and no matter how many hours I get, Even if it's 8,

I just can't wake up in the morning.

It is such a struggle for me.

I'm one of those people that pushes snooze a million times

and really, I hate that

its pretty pointless, afterall, because you don't get any kind of good or normal sleep in the few minutes between the snooze alarms.

I just have a really hard time with it, unless I'm very excited or scared about what's coming the next morning.

Any tips?

Maybe you should tell me to stop being a baby.

But really, I love getting up early- I get SO much done!

See? I answered my own question- How about you stop sleeping so much and then you'll have more time in the day, Dani.

Sheesh.

Wednesday Weigh In

I lied.  

There is no Wednesday Weigh in.

Mostly because nothing has changed.

And that is depressing.

So, 

We'll talk about something else today, ya?

but I have no idea what to write about.  I am completely blank.  You don't want to hear about the showcases needing updating, or how I made dinner this morning before work, or the fact that I had a dentist appt today...

Discipline though!  I am going to post!

hmmmmm.......

Ok, here goes.

My 10 Favorite Movies of All Time.

Lame......

but everyone likes movies, right?

Not that my movie taste is better than anyone else's, 

and maybe someone will remind me of one I forgot

Or tell me to see a new one.  

Here Goes.

#1   The Count Of Monte Cristo

How can you go wrong with this?  Such and amazing story, and it has a bit of everything for everyone in it!  Please tell me you've seen it?

#2 The Wizard Of Oz

The Lion is my favorite.  

#3 The Princess Bride

Ummm.....Hello?  "As you wish"  swoon.

"Anybody want a peanut?"

"He's not all dead, only mostly dead"

"I'm not a witch! I'm your wife!  But after what you just said, I'm not sure I even want to be that anymore!"

 Oh wonderful!  Maybe i'll watch that tonight....

#4 Forrest Gump

Not only is this movie endearing, it makes me want to be Tom Hank's friend.  It's a lesson in humbleness? humbility? that we should all take from.

#5 No Country For Old Men

So you have two of the best actors of all time {Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin} but you also have the Cohen Brothers.  masterpiece.  I need to read the book.

#6 Seconhand Lions

Not only is Michael Caine one of my favorites, but Hailey Joel Osment has come into his own, and Robert Duvall is just about the funniest thing ever.  This movie definitely makes me laugh every time I see it.

#7  The Devil Wears Prada

How can you go wrong with this cast?  Emily Blunt is hilarious, and I think Stanley Tucci should be like this in real life.   Again, I need to read this book.  I think I've seen the movie over 30 times.  I usually put it in when i'm going to sleep while Nick is on graveyards.  it usually takes me a month to make it all the way through.  I just never get sick of it!

#8  V For Vendetta

I think this is when we realized that Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving weren't just good, they are ridiculously good.  Love them both.  Until then, they didn't really stand out quite as much.  Now, NP is one of my faves.  

#9  Gangs Of New York

Epic.  You just have to see this movie.  Hopefully you have.  I saw it late...maybe 2 months ago, and I was blown away!  Holy Cameron Diaz!  And Daniel Day Lewis?  He just might be the very best actor to ever hit the silver screen.  Anything he does, {which are few and far between} is grand. 

#10 Little Miss Sunshine

This movie is so touching, and hilarious, and sad in parts.  I read the other day that Abigail Breslin just turned 15.  For Shame!  that's weird to me.  she's one of those kids that is so dang cute that you don't ever want her to grow up.  kinda like the kid in Jerry Maguire, ya know?  Anyway, Steve Carell proved he could do something serious and the Paul kid, i don't remember his name is incredible.  Greg Kinnear drives me nuts, but i always like him in the end.

Ok, I'm on a roll.  Maybe the 10 worst?

Hmmm.... 

There are so many bad ones,

But these are what I've seen and actually have an opinion on.

Not all of them are awful movies that you shouldn't see, but movies that I didn't feel right after seeing.

#1 The Hills Have Eyes

I broke down in sobs after this movie.  Enough said.

#2 Dante's Peak

Could this have been any more cheesy?  I think not.

#3 The Shape Of Things

Rachel Weisz and Paul Rudd?  How can you go wrong?  Well, honestly, I loved everything about this movie. The cinematography, the story, everything.  Until the end.  If you want to watch something that leaves you depressed and angry afterward, this is it. And that's why it makes my list.

#4 Saw 2-whatever number they're on now

Gore doesn't bother me.  Sadism does.  The first movie actually had a compelling story (as gross as it was) and had a great twist at the end.  I stopped watching after number three.  LAME.  Killing people in horrific ways gets old, people.  I think these movies are only for demented teenage boys.

#5 Chick Flicks with Jennifer Lopez (Except the Wedding Planner, which was cute)

It's not that I don't like JLO, it's not that I don't like Chick flicks.  She just seems to pick stupid ones.

#6  Anything with Sarah Jessica Parker, Namely, Failure to Launch

Not even Matthew McConaughey could save this.  Her voice is awful, and she looks like a horse.

#7 My Dog Skip

This movie was adorable.  Until the end, where I cried like a big baby.  If you have a dog that you love, you will cry too.

#8 The Pianist

I couldn't finish this movie.

I knew the Nazi's were awful.

I've studied the Holocaust.

And this made it real.

I couldn't finish it.

Adrian Brody definitely deserved that Academy Award.

#9 Anything Harold And Kumar

Now, I can handle a good stupid-funny movie from time to time.

It's good for the soul.

But these are just lame.

Seriously.  

Pothead jokes don't amuse me in the least.

They're just stupid. 

The end.

#10 Pride and Predjudice

Any of the versions.

I've tried SO hard to like it.

And the book

But no matter what I do, 

It bores me to tears.

Sorry Ladies.

And that is my random post for the day! 

I'm very excited to post more Zion's pictures tomorrow!!!!

Stuff I Make

Ok, well, I technically didn't make it, but I did it all by myself, and that accounts for something!

Drum Roll Please.....

We have HERBS! Yay!

I have had cute little pots for what seems like forever - ok, 3 weeks- just needing little herbs to fill them.

Well, last night, I bought my first set of herbs!

Lavender, Rosemary Sage, and Basil!

I am very excited!  And i'm not sure what to do with all the lavender  yet, but it will be awesome, whatever it is.

I'm mostly excited for the sage- that one didn't come in the spice rack.

Lavender

Rosemary

Sage

Basil

Next, I would like to get a couple galvanized buckets to have a real herb garden out on the patio. 

There are still some I must have!

Oregano

Thyme

Mint

cilantro

Weekend Update: Wow! What A Weekend!

 I got some fresh air, sunbathed on some slick rock, saw amazing things and now I am happy :)

When we realized that Nick's birthday fell on a Saturday this year, we knew we had to take the weekend to go somewhere cool.  We did just that: we chose Zion's National Park.

Zion's has been something I've always heard of, but never visited.  (I think I may be the only person living in Utah that has never been, and it's pretty ridiculous.) 

I only became outdoorsy when I started dating Nick.  Before that, I was a total sissy and didn't like being outside- but now I've actually opened my eyes and realized how lucky I am to live in Utah.  The mountains here are amazing, the hiking is grand, and camping is my new favorite hobby.  I can't believe I didn't do this sooner!

Anyway, 

Nick's brothers, Karl and Joel accompanied us for a hilariously fun road trip weekend.  I'm so glad they were able to come!  The car was packed full, and we ate WAY too much junkfood on the way down.

As we pulled into Zion's, I was in awe.  Really, it is the most incredible thing I think I've ever seen.  It totally beats all the major cities, and the only thing that I've seen (so far) to rival it in any way is the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

I think, if God had a summer home, he'd pick Zion's.  It's aptly named, for sure.  It blew me away!  

We settled in to our campsite, and decided to go explore Checkerboard Mesa.  Afterward, we went exploring the little town of Springdale, and settled down to our campfire. Sunday, we had planned an epic hike- Angel's Landing.  

Definitely the most epic thing I've done.

It wasn't the longest or hardest hike I'd been on, but definitely the coolest.

It takes you approximately 2.5 miles to the top of a towering rock formation, {this one actually}

Nick on the way up:

He even looks cute when I shoot him with a wide angle lens  :)

 but the craziest part is that the last .5 mile is along a ridge- a 5 foot wide path (with chains to hold on to) with 1,000 foot cliffs on either side.  IT WAS NUTS!  You have to use the chains to climb the path in a lot of parts too.

I didn't have a photo of the trail that I liked with me today, so I pulled this one off the internet: 

It was most absolutely worth it too!  The view is the most beautiful thing I've seen!

  We made it!

I should have taken off my sunglasses.

Karl and Joel on top of Angel's Landing 

Following that epic adventure {which really only took 4 hours}

We went to Weeping Rock and along the River Walk that takes you to the entrance to the Narrows

There was a waterfall

And a swamp

At the end of the river walk {and the entrance to the Narrows}, there was a beach where people had made trailmarkers...EVERYWHERE

                            Here's a few more photos, the rest and best photos {mostly Nick's, for he is infinitely better than me at landscape photography}, will make an appearance on Photo Adventure Thursday.

This is near Checkerboard Mesa, where we stopped to play:

This was along the road on the way back, the hole you see is a window cut out of rock- there is a mile-long tunnel that runs through this mountain!

These lil' guys were everywhere at the top of Angel's Landing.  One climbed on my foot  {while begging me for trail mix}

It was an amazing trip!  I am very excited to post the rest of the photos!

A Whole Bunch Of A Lot Of Stuff

I've been slacking and I know it.  I got all preachy about discipline and how I am going to blog everyday....and that's still in the works.  This week, however, with work being busy, a paper to write, and a huge math test, I was a little.....overwhelmed.

Anyway, 

I am in the mood to post about stuff that makes me happy.  Random stuff, mind you.  Since I've been in this springy mood, I have so many ideas, and so many things are inspiring me, but it seems like all I can do is sit around and look at pictures, instead of actually doing stuff.  The more photos I peruse through, the more jumbly my mind becomes, and then I forget what I was going to do.  I really need an organizational system- but that is for another day. For now, here is more of the same.  Pretty pictures of stuff that makes me smile inside.

Peonies.  How can you not love them?  They smell great, and they are so ruffly and feminine.  I need me a garden of peonies.

Baby Lambs.  They are the epitome of spring.  It is so much fun to watch them run and play.

How can you get more darling than this?

seriously.

Blue glass.  Anything made out of blue glass appeals to me.  I just love it.  That is all.

Quail.

They make me laugh every time I see them.  They are so cute and funny looking.  I love it when they have a  line of little quailings running behind them.  They make my heart smile.

Paper.  I love paper. The textures, prints, colors, the endless possibilities.  Ahhhh.  I love paper.

Typography.  Yes, I know this makes me a nerd, and I'm ok with it.  Typography is so cool!  I love fonts, and I love designing with them.   Typography and paper has been what's inspiring me a lot lately.  I plan on designing a line of stationary SOON

.  watch for it.

Growing herbs.  

Very excited to start doing this!  There are so many uses for them, and they smell amazing!  I want a cute little herb bucket like this:

Grass. 

Lying in the grass is one of life's most simple pleasures.  mmmm....sunny day with lemonade and cloud watching.  Yes?  Yes.

White Kitchens

So classic.  So Neutral. Beautiful.

You can do anything with it.

Aaaaand. that's enough of that.

Random, I know.

But it was on my mind, and I just had to tell someone.  

Now I feel better.

Moving on, 

The Living room is coming along slowly.  I found some awesome stuff while thrifting last weekend, and I'm excited to get it all finished up!

I bought some fabric for pillows at Ikea, and I'm not sure how happy with it I am.

It matches.  It's cute.  But.... It feels more summery.  I may buy more fabric that is more springy and wait to put the others out till june.  Maybe.

I'm so drawn to white, yellow and blue lately.  And that's what I want to do with the living room....

EXCEPT....

The blasted red rug.

I love it, oh yes I do.

I just need to figure out how to tie it in without making it look too Americana.

Decisions, decisions.

Details Coming soon!

AND THEN......

I made a wreath, and I'm so excited about it!

Fun, Huh? 

Even better, it's made out of book pages!

I got the great idea from Emily at Jones Design Company.

She has a great tutorial.  Her wreath looks different than mine. mine is tighter and fuller, while hers is more ruffly. -- I like it both ways, and I may make another!

To see her awesome tutorial click here

Just thought I'd share it!  I had a lot of fun making this wreath!

Now, where to put it?