winter festivities.

Happy New Year everyone. It's funny how once January hits I am so ready for winter to be over. I have loved the snow for the month of December and actually missed it when I was in Arizona but now i am SO. OVER. IT. The cold is wretched. but welcome 2011. let's hope it's a good year!

some highlights of last month:

 lots of trips here. the fog was amazing.

hangin' with my twin. joy ride in the bus.

my dream came true. 2nd row BEHIND the jazz bench.

it was pretty sweet. 

Archie/mo-tab concert! Okay i know he's not actually in the pic...

let's just say it was mad chaos and we were smart enough to get there super early.

I actually dropped down money for these tickets. 

It was absolutely ridiculous how much they were going for, but it was totally worth it.

Arizona for my niece's baptism.

Christmas was quite different this year. Most of the fam was spread out in various places. My bro Phil and sister-in-law Diana were kind enough to adopt Tyler and I for the Christmas holiday. I happened to get sick a couple days before Christmas and spent most of the holiday weekend in my PJ's curled up in a ball on the couch. I was actually scheduled to work Christmas day and the day after but had to call in with a sick note. Let's just be honest here...being sick, laying around yet still being with family was SO much better than being at work. So I didn't mind too much that I was sick. In fact most everyone was sick or just getting over it.

Poor Noah with his throw up bowl on Christmas Eve. Luckily he felt a ton better the next day.

Diana was thrilled with her new calendar ;)

 And Phil with his new BYU snuggie.

Tyler and I kept the tradition alive and exchanged gifts. I think he was pleased.

And I certainly was with mine. The Hunger Games. A MUST read. I'm hooked.
(The trilogy is only $30 at Cotsco)

The sickies. I was super out of it. My sis-in-law gave me a med called Drixoral that was recently taken off the market and she still had some. Works wonders. My sinuses cleared up and I passed out for 4 hours ha.

Other highlights included seeing my wonderful friends who came into town!
(Brooke, Steph, Shayla, Mikel and Nate)

And not having to work the last week in December. Thank you PTO.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday season!

yoshi and frosty the snowman.

gotta love the simple things in life :)

(yoshi had to wear a seatbelt)

my twin.

I think if I were to have a twin, it would be this one: ll cool j. Or just another sister,  she would for sure pass as mine. So grateful for wonderful friends!

Happy 25th Birthday Linds! 

lady a/jazz.

LL Cool J and I had quite the adventure at the Lady A concert this past week. For one, being short does not work to your advantage at concerts. And two, holding back massive amounts of people from leaving will only result in chaos. Our climbing skills came in handy as our only way out was to climb a train and the railroad tracks. We survived and no shoes were caught in the tracks. The concert was fantastic tho! Lady A is one of my favorites and it was a delight to see them in person. Plus Charles was so dreamy.

On another note, been watching a lot of the Jazz lately...kinda depressing BUT at least they won in double overtime last night. I must say they have the coolest jerseys now. Got myself one of these.

Go D-Will.

my birthday loves.

Two of my favorite people had birthdays today.

Noah, my darling nephew turned 5. He is seriously the funniest kid I know. Always such a crack up.

And my nurse bud, Steph...lots of great memories!

Happy Birthday you two!

crock pot goodness.

Sadly it took me 6 months to use my crock pot for the first time. I have no idea why because it's the greatest thing ever! It is SO easy to use and makes the best food! So lately it's been put to good use. 

One of my favs: Pulled pork sandwiches.

All you need is this:

A lovely crock pot.

McCormick's BBQ Pulled Pork seasoning packet.

3 lbs pork roast

1/2 c ketchup

1/2 c packed brown sugar

1/3 c apple cider vinegar.

and some tasty buns.

Mix the ingredients together, pour a tad on the bottom of the crock pot, 

add the pork roast and pour the rest of the sauce on top.

Cook on high for 4 hrs-ish, shred the pork and enjoy the goodness.

 I've got so much left over (kinda forgot to invite some guests) so come get it if you want some!

stewart falls.

I took my mom and pops on a little adventure one Saturday morning. It was the perfect day. Sunny blue skies, vibrant Fall colors and WARM! We hiked Stewart Falls in Provo canyon--one of my favorites... probably because it's easy :) But also because it's so dang beautiful during the Fall! I've hiked it during the summer but never during the Fall, so go if you haven't! Many photo ops.

fall adventures.

It's weird that I feel this way now but if I had to choose between the mountains and the beach, it'd for sure be the mountains. Those who have known me forever know my dying love for the beach but there is just something so exquisite about the Rocky mountains. I can't get over their beauty during each season and let's face it, there is just way more fun things to do in the mountains than at the beach. Utah pretty much rocks :)

Fall mountains + camera + hard core Bella (my car)=a delightful afternoon of picture taking with my Mom.

Conference with the fam and Linds, aka Cool J.
One bloody hot afternoon!

Bridal Veil Falls with bud Clark.

<--crazy clark.

And yes, I may have gone to my first Utah game...

               ...still a Coug at heart.