11 Highlights of '11

I accepted a challenge from another blog, to do 11 highlight's of '11. It's hard to be selective, but here is a good variety of what our year has been like.

In January Caitlin performed as a stepsister in BHS's production of Cinderella. It was one of her favorite roles and she was fabulous.


During spring break Caitlin went on her senior choir trip to Seattle and Victoria, Canada... it was the "best experience" of her life.


At the end of April I went to BYU Women's Conference with my daughter, my mother, my sister, and two sisters-in-law and their families.


In May we took a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth... Disneyland!!


In June Caitlin graduated from high school with honors and citizenship honors. She also graduated from LDS Seminary and sang a solo at her Seminary graduation. In August we took her to USU where she started her first year of college.


In July we got some grass in our front yard... followed by lots and lots of cement in October.


Some of our summer activities with the family included; concerts in the park, parades, 4th Sunday's, an afternoon at the lake...


We didn't take a big vacation this year, instead we enjoyed a few little trips. In June Caitlin and I went on our YSA summer trip to South Eastern Utah, and in August the two of us went to St George and saw The Little Mermaid at Tuacahn. In July Mike and I took a road trip and visited places like Reno, Virginia City, Rocklin, Sacramento, Monterey and Pebble Beach. In September we joined Jeremy, Emily, and the boys in Yellowstone for the Labor Day weekend.


Endless Summer have had a busy year, they now have a booking agent to get them some "really big shews".


In November our newest grandson Sander Michael was born.


In December Mike and I hosted our 26th annual Family Christmas party!! This is our portion of the family + 1.

Happy 2012 Everyone!!!

Classics and Favorites: Church Ball?

Here is a photo with a bunch of my favorite guys, with one of my favorite places, the ocean, in the background. At the start of Beach Road is an outdoor basketball court where the guys usually assemble at least once every trip for a game or two. I have a funny basketball story (not sure if it was this particular trip) to share. One Sunday morning at the beach the guys headed down the road to play basketball. When Granma saw them leaving with basketball in hand, she asked where they were going (knowing full well where they were going). When she was told they were going to play basketball, she responded, "on the sabbath?" And without skipping a beat David responded, "church ball." And off they went.

O Christmas Tree

I really wanted to do some fun Christmas posts this month, but due to my camera-to-computer "technical difficulties" I couldn't... but it's still the season for one more week, so here goes: Becky did a Christmas tree tag so I'm sharing my tree (and I'm tagging Lilian, you must see her Disney tree). My tree isn't fancy at all, in fact, I'd like to learn a little more about decorating trees with cool garlands and fillers. Many of our decorations have special meaning behind them so I will share just a few.

Some of my ornaments reflect memories of the past like Barbie and her dream house (I never had a Barbie dream house, until this ornament... but I did have a Barbie).


Jeff returned from his mission just five days before Christmas in 2000. For Christmas he gave me this beautiful Seattle Temple ornament.


Some of our ornaments remind us of places we like to visit, like Disneyland...


and the beach house.


Some of our ornaments represent our hobbies and the things we like to do.


Some are just fun and whimsical.


Some are very tender to our hearts, like baby's first Christmas ornaments or ornaments made by our children in pre-school and church. This special ornament was a gift from my friend Terri, twenty-two years ago when my nephew Christopher passed away unexpectedly just before Christmas. It is always the first ornament on the tree and is always near the top.


This special ornament is one of many that reminds us of why we have Christmas.

Merry Christmas friends and family!!!

Classics and Favorites: My Posterity

Due to some "camera to computer" difficulties, I haven't been able to load any of my recent pictures. A couple of days ago Jeremy solved my problem for me (thanks Jer), so rather than post my Thanksgiving pictures a month late... I decided to choose one of my favorite pictures to share.

Whenever my grandchildren come to visit, one of the things they love to do is to go for a walk to see the horses on my neighbors farm. Thanksgiving afternoon was no exception to the rule... so on our walk we went. As it turns out it was me, my four kids, and eight of my nine grandchildren (baby Sander was asleep back at the house).

I took this photo and loved it immediately... how could I help but love it? This is my posterity and I love them.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Each year since I started blogging I've posted our Christmas card... without any words of explanation. This year I have a disclaimer: This picture was taken nearly 6 months ago... I've lost over 30 lbs. and Michael nearly as much!! What can I say. When you need a picture for the card... you use what you have, and, it is a rather nice picture... just a little "more" of us than there is now, and you must admit... Caitlin is beautiful. I haven't mentioned this to my sister yet... but I'm going to ask her to to take a picture of the "new and improved" Mike and Les for our 35th anniversary which is coming up in April.

Merry Christmas!!!

Classics and Favorites: Family Christmas Party 2000

Tomorrow is the (26th annual) family Christmas party, so... of course I had to do one of my favorite Christmas party pictures this week. This picture was taken on December 23, 2000. Jeff had returned from his mission just a couple of days earlier and would have his "homecoming" in Sacrament Meeting the next morning (Christmas Eve). Kristin was the newest member of our family as of March 2000 when she and Andy were married.

I anticipate and look forward to the party each year and this year is no exception. I can't wait to see everyone Saturday night. I'm challenging each family member that reads this post to leave a comment about the party and on Saturday night I'll pick a winner for a prize. Non-family members can leave comments too of course... you won't be in the drawing, but, you can consider it a pleasure being nominated ;)

Classics and Favorites: San Clemente Pier

This classic picture was taken on our first trip to the beach house in 1984. I have some other beach house pictures lined up for this series, but I had to share this one first. I have been going to San Clemente beach since I was 10 years old (including my honeymoon), but this was the year that the beach house tradition started for Mike and I and our little family. Some memories of this trip would include: being a contestant on "The Price is Right"; walking from our motel in Las Vegas to Circus Circus, because... "it's just down the street" (it turned out to be 3 miles); and triple odds on craps... and I'm not talking about gambling here folks. I.LOVE.THIS.PLACE!!!

Christmas Memories: Christmas Dishes

For many years I enjoyed a favorite Christmas tradition... shopping. You may be wondering... really? shopping? what is so enjoyable about that? And I would agree with you... except in the case of this shopping trip.

This tradition started years ago with my mother-in-law Bonnie. We picked an evening early in the season (often just before Thanksgiving) when "the girls" could all get together. Bonnie and Bibi (my sister-in-law) worked together at the deli, so I would usually pick them up at closing and we would head over to ZCMI and Crossroads malls. Our evening always included Christmas shopping (of course), dinner, lots of visiting and laughter, and buying Christmas dishes... a very important part of this expedition.

Christmas dishes was a tradition started by my mother-in-law many years ago. Each year on this shopping trip we went to the fine china department at ZCMI where each of us girls could pick something to add to our collections. This wasn't our Christmas gift... we got to take our new dishes home right then and enjoy using them!! Through the years I was able to collect a complete service for twelve, including a variety of serving dishes, and even drinking glasses to match.

Our goal each year was to help Bonnie with her Christmas shopping, for our families. Some years we shopped for the men, other years it was for us girls, but most years we shopped for the kids. I especially loved shopping for the kids, because I could pick out the clothes I knew my kids would love, and that I would love to see them in.

We shopped for other things too. One year Bonnie bought Ned (my father-in-law) a great, big book at Deseret Book, which was our first stop. It was so heavy and had to be carried around with us the whole night, we decided from now on that large books had to be purchased at the end of the evening. For years afterwards when we shopped, we lamented (and laughed) about that book.

Another year as we were looking at men's robes that were on sale, Bibi asked me if I thought she should purchase one for her (former) husband. I enthusiastically told her, "yes, you should!!" what I didn't tell her was this... a few months previously when I had dropped her off at home late one evening, I waited to make sure that her husband opened the front door for her before I drove away, through the window I could see him coming down the stairs in his underwear... I think a robe was a good idea.

One year as we were driving home after a long evening of shopping, I asked Bonnie and Bibi if anyone felt like a Keva Juice; I just wasn't ready to be done with our fun yet... and neither were they. I remember how quickly they both responded, "Yes!!" and off to Keva we went.

I miss those shopping days, I have such fond memories of them, but as I use my Christmas dishes this year and for many years to come, I will smile as I remember what fun I had as I was accumulating them.

Classics and Favorites: The Marsden Family 1962

This picture was taken shortly before my Dad left Ireland for America in June of 1962, it is the classic of classics. Timothy would celebrate his 1st birthday and I would celebrate my 4th (both without Dad) shortly after this picture was taken, Archie was 2 1/2. We wouldn't be together again as a family for 4 long months.

While in America, Dad worked hard to earn the money to bring the rest of us here. Mom worked hard in Ireland taking care of three children, selling and giving away her belongings (she came with only a couple of suitcases), and making arrangements to come to America. In October Mom traveled alone with three young children, not only by plane to New York, but across the country by train; the California Zephyr. The next time you see the replica of the California Zephyr in California Adventure... think of my Mom traveling across the country with her three small children; all alone. In 1962 there was no e-mail or cell phones for texting, and long distance was very expensive (no phone company packages with free long distance back then). Mom and Dads only communication was through the postal service, they had lots of details to work out and it all had to be done through "snail mail". The first time they heard each others voices during that four month period, was a few days before Mom and the children arrived in Salt Lake.

I hope my Dad doesn't mind me sharing a line from his personal history that I always apply to this particular picture... a taxi came to take me to the airport. The pain of leaving my little family cut deep into my heart. I hugged them and kissed them, got into the taxi and as I looked back I saw my Trixie with Timothy in her arms and my little Lesley and Archie and I can never describe the heaviness of my heart at this time. All of a sudden their faces vanished as we turned the corner and now it was just me and the taxi driver.

Several years ago I had copies of this picture made for me, Archie and Tim. Although we are too young to remember all of the details that our parents have shared with us over the years, I hope we, nor our posterity's (or our siblings and their posterity's), will ever forget the circumstances under which we were brought here, nor the sacrifices made on our behalves so that we could grow up in America.

Love you mom and Dad... you are the best!!

Classics and Favorites: Caitlin and Granpa

This favorite picture was taken in between Sunday General Conference sessions in October 1998. My parents, and a friend (Margaret Ainge) who was visiting from their mission, attended the morning session of conference, and me, Jeff and Jeremy attended the afternoon. We had one little problem... Caitlin; she was not yet old enough to attend conference. After they were finished with the morning session, we met Granpa and Granma on the north side of the Tabernacle and we left Caitlin with them for the rest of the afternoon while we attended. Granma captured this picture of Granpa and Caitlin as they walked back to the car in the rain. I love it!!

Some interesting notes: Mike was out of town on his traditional Yellowstone trip with his dad and brother, and Andy was on his mission in Quebec. Jeff had just had his wisdom teeth removed about two days before but was determined to attend conference. As the three of us sat in the Tabernacle waiting for conference to start, some of the brethren walked up and down the aisles shaking hands and greeting the people. Elder Oaks stopped and shook Jeff's hand and referred to him as "Elder" as if he knew that Jeff was soon to be leaving on his mission. I remember wondering, how does he know that Jeff's an Elder? Maybe he was an investigator that we were bringing to conference... I guess he just knew.

Oh Hail!!!

This morning, as I was getting ready for work in my bathroom (which is at the back of the house) I suddenly heard what sounded like baseball sized hail hitting my roof. I hurried to my bedroom window (which is at the front of the house) where I was quite surprised to see nothing but the rain. I went to my closet to look out of the window (yes, I have a window in my closet... weird huh?). Certainly it can't be raining at the front of the house and hailing at the back... of course, stranger things have happened. Well there was no hail at the back of my house either... it was BIRDS!!!!!!!! Dozens and dozens, no, hundreds and hundreds of black birds. Not blackbirds, just, black birds. They were hitting the house and flying all over the yard in clusters. I looked up at the eaves and could see their little black tails waving at me. How dare they? Not one other house behind mine had a bird in their yard... or on their houses. I certainly thought that all of the birds knew me by now, why would they come here? When I left for work, I cautiously opened the garage door not a second sooner than I had too, just in case they were still there. There wasn't as bird in sight. Whew!!! I just want to remind you, that I was once the only person in town that had a birdhouse in the yard with a NO VACANCY sign on it. Just sayin'. Oh, btw... did I tell you that I really DON'T LIKE BIRDS!!!!

Classics and Favorites: Andy and Jeffrey

This is one of my very favorite classics (it will be in the 50th anniversary DVD for sure). At the time this picture was taken Andy and Jeffrey were the only grandchildren on both sides of the family and were "doted" on by several aunts and uncles. One of my brothers (please remind me who, Archie or Alan?) took this photo in my parents backyard. I can still remember these two little guys (sorry Andy, you're two for two with goofy faces in this photo series) wearing those shiny jackets. Jeff is singing along with the 80's version of the "ipod", the Sony Walkman. Seriously... aren't they the cutest!!!!!

Classics and Favorites: The Marsden Grandchildren

While working on a post for my other blog (posting soon) I had an idea for this blog that I thought would be fun... I think the family might enjoy it too.

I have a ga-zillion pictures in boxes, in scrapbooks, on file, etc. There are some that I classify as "classics" which means they are particular favorites of mine, but... I have some "favorite" pictures that I haven't as yet classified as a "classic" because, I guess to be a "classic" it has to age just a little.

So, I thought for a little while I'd post a picture a week of a "classic" or a "favorite" and share the stories of why I love them.

This first picture is definitely a classic. It is actually one of the pictures that you will see on the next post on my Ashleigh blog.

This picture was taken during the summer of 1989 at a family BBQ hosted by my brother Archie and sister (in-law) Julee. At the time my parents had nine grandchildren with one on the way (my ninth grandchild was born just one week ago), they now have twenty-three.

Two of these children are teachers (one is currently a stay-at-home mom), two of them own businesses, one is a partner in a law firm, one is a published author, two of them are our families angels, and the baby boy in this photo is getting married today... 11-11-11.

Wouldn't It Be... "Udder"ly?

Every year about this time, my hands become very dry and cracked. It is extremely painful as the skin on the backs of my hands, between my fingers, and on my knuckles crack and bleed. This continues until the spring. For several years I have used udder ointment on my hands before I go to bed, sometimes covering them with gloves to keep the moisture in. I only use it at bedtime because it is extremely greasy and it would be difficult to do my tasks during the day with so much grease on my hands. The purpose of udder ointment is exactly what you are thinking it is... it's for cows. Recently, my friend Morgan told me a about a lotion called udder delight, it serves the same purpose as udder ointment for cows, but works better for us because it is not greasy and can be used more often.

I had a funny experience last night when I went to HCT with my friends Char and Kimmy. The musical was My Fair Lady and it was excellent; I loved the stage sets, the singing, and especially the costumes. I was really excited when I discovered that our seats were on the second row. I mentioned to Char that we were sitting so close, we would be able to see the sweat fly off of the actors. Sure enough, the first time I saw spit spewing from Henry Higgins mouth, Char and I turned and looked at each other with big smiles on our faces. After the intermission, and just as the show resumed, I realized that I needed some lotion on my hands. I reached into my purse and found my lotion and squeezed some onto my hand. Just as I started to rub it in a big glob of lotion flew out of my hand and landed on the shoulder of the lady sitting in front of me. I was mortified. What should I do? She hadn't noticed, but I couldn't stop staring at it. She was wearing a coat and I was trying to decide if it looked expensive or not, I wasn't sure if the lotion would leave a stain. I continued to watch the show, but my eyes kept returning to look at the big-pink-glob. I thought about just reaching down and flicking it from her shoulder, but I knew the person sitting next to her would see me do it, and... what if I flicked it right into Henry Higgins spit-spewing mouth. Ohhhh, what to do, what to do? When the show ended I decided I had to say something to the lady; as she stood and turned around I leaned towards her and said (so that hopefully only she could hear), "I dropped a little lotion on your coat." She was an older lady with white curly hair, her smile couldn't have been any brighter as she said, "it's okay... my coat will smell really nice." I smiled and told her thank-you, but I just couldn't bring myself to tell her... your coat smells like udder delight!

Has anyone else had a similar or mortifying story like this? I'd love to know about it.

You Are Invited!!!

Paparazzi Jewelry Party
Thursday, November 3
6:30-8:00 (open house)
At my home
If you don't know where I live, leave your e-mail
address in the comment section and I will
e-mail my address to you, or contact me through facebook.

Everything is $5.50 (that includes tax)
There are necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings,
hair accessories, etc.
You buy it and take it home that night, no waiting for an order to be delivered.

I hope to see you there!!

6th Semi-Annual Favorites Party

I have been a little party animal lately. Last week I had two YSA gatherings at my house, and this week I hosted a bridal shower for my nephew's fiance as well as me and my friend Tiffany's semi-annual favorites party the very next night. Since I have never posted about the favorites party before, I decided that I need to share what it's all about.

Here is how it works: you invite some of your favorite people to come to the party and ask them to bring a favorite treat to share (the food is very important). Each person thinks of something that is a favorite of theirs that they could purchase for about $5.00. Each of the guests bring three duplicates of that item to the party. The guests then write their names on three slips of paper and put them in a bowl. Each person takes a turn to get up and tell why the items they brought are a favorite. They then pick 3 three names out of the bowl, and those three people get the items. Each person brings three things, and goes home with three new things. IT.IS.FUN!!! We missed some of our regulars last night due to scheduling conflicts... but we enjoyed some "new favorites" that came for the first time.

The hostesses with the mostesses.

These are the items I brought. Why did I choose them? I love Bath and Body Works, I love fall, and I love sales. I got a great deal on these little cuties!!

Tiffany explaining her favorites to us... she had us in stitches with her "special" instructions.

Handing out favorites.

Always anticipation to see if your name is picked.

Cute Lori was so excited about the party... she woke at at 4:30 am that morning and couldn't go back to sleep just thinking about it!!

There is a lot of laughter at the party.

Ramona is telling us about the awesome deal that she got on these bags... so awesome that she added a couple of goodies inside. I really wanted her to pick my name, and she did!!!

Cute Kimmy also picked my name out of the bowl, she brought ingredients for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Yum!!

The kitchen is a great gathering place.

These are the things that I brought home; oh wait... I was at home. My cute bag (and goodies) from Ramona, a fun key fob from Alacia, and my cookie ingredients from Kimmy.

The favorites party is so much fun!!! You should have one with your friends (please invite me). We missed those that couldn't come, we were excited to welcome the newcomers, and next time we're inviting more newcomers. I'm looking forward the the spring when the party is at Tiffany's... I'm already thinking about what favorites I will be bringing.

And FYI my partying days aren't quite over... next Thursday, November 3, I am hosting a Paparazzi Jewelry party. It is an open house from 6:30-8:00. You're invited!!!

It's About Time

This post is a prequel of sorts to my new hobby #2 which I doubt anyone remembers me writing about, because I have yet to reveal it (click here for a reminder).

When I moved into my house... two years, one month, and 24 days ago, I decided that I wanted a wall dedicated to my grandchildrens pictures. I had the perfect wall and an idea of what I wanted to do. I purchased five black frames at Rod Works (I only had 5 grandchildren then) and a rod to (fake) hang the frames from, as well as some ribbon for the fake hanging (that sounds a bit violent). I came home and put the stuff in my craft room... where it has been ever since.

Here I am; three, almost four more grandchildren later, and I finally put my "wall" together. I had to buy more frames of course, and I have a spot, front and center, all ready for our newest little guy who isn't due for four more weeks (but is trying to come sooner). I don't think I'm pleased with my ribbon choice... but I can change that. What do you think about my grandchildren wall? If you don't like the wall... what do you think of my grandchildren?

The Letter of the Law

Two weeks ago at our Weight Watchers meeting our leader challenged us to not eat any Halloween candy until Halloween. This meant not eating any candy that came from the Halloween aisle at the grocery store, or candy corn, or Halloween colored m&m's, etc.... of course, she explained, we could still eat candy from the "regular" candy aisle (and I must insert here, if you choose to eat candy you do have to count points). I am always ready to take on a challenge such as this, so I committed myself to not eat any Halloween candy, until Halloween.

I have a jar full of candy corn (decorative purposes only... they don't appeal to me) and I have a jar full of Halloween wrapped Hershey Kisses (decorative purposes only... and they totally appeal to me), but I am determined to achieve my goal. I found it coincidental that our leader mentioned Halloween peanut m&m's during her challenge to our group because peanut m&m's (my favs) have become my Saturday treat; I especially love them poured over hot, buttered popcorn. On this particular Saturday, when my WW leader had mentioned m&m's, I had to fore go my previously-opened-and-still-half-full-bag-of-Halloween-m&m's to go to the store and buy a bag that are not Halloween colors... hence, the letter of the law.

I have plenty of candy on hand, ready for the trick-or-treaters. I have Hershey Kisses and candy corn that haven't been touched. I still have a bag of Halloween peanut m&m's sitting in the pantry; untouched, but in a moment I will go downstairs and open a brand new bag of original colored peanut m&m's, because where m&m's are concerned... I'm living the letter of the law.

What are your favorite Halloween-candies-that-aren't-in-Halloween-bags-or-wrappers-so-you-can-follow-the-letter-of-the-law-too?

These Shoes Were Made For... Tossin'?

I have this little ritual, or... rite of passage that occurs every couple of years. I get a new pair of walking shoes. This year Michael gave me my new walking shoes for Mother's Day. The shoes in the picture above were my last pair of walking shoes (click here if you'd like to read about me and "them" in a 5-K race). When I get new walking shoes, my old shoes take on a new role... they become my "wait-at-the-back-door-shoes" which means, that they are always there waiting for me when I'm leaving for work, or, when I have to run a quick errand to the grocery store, or if someone comes over and I have to quickly hide my bare feet (sorry, that's another story... and you're never going to read it). They actually become very useful shoes for me.

Last Saturday Mike and I went on a drive with our friends Steve and Becky. It was a beautiful day. We listened to conference as we drove, Steve had a little snooze... or two; Mike drove, and me and Becky visited (while we listened attentively to the first session of conference).
We stopped at a campground in the mountains to enjoy a picnic lunch consisting of Leger's sandwiches (have you tried that deli? A.MA.ZING).

After lunch we walked along a designated trail (and I emphasize DESIGNATED) to the restroom; which was closed. So we headed back down the trail and got into the car to go home. Even as we were just starting to drive through the campground to the exit, I detected an offensive, really offensive smell... and it was ME!! Well, not really me, but on me. Nobody else seemed to have noticed it. "I think it's on my shoe!" I said, as I lifted first one foot and then the other. Sure enough, there it was on the sole of my left foot. Ooooohhhh, aaarrrggghhhhh, sick, gross!!!! times a ga-zillion!!!! "I'm throwing these shoes away, where's the garbage!?!" I proclaimed without any hesitation. Now everyone was noticing the smell (smell is a generous word here), I mean STINK!!!! There were no trash receptacles in this campground, so Mike pulled the car over and threw the offensive shoes into the shrubs, and I was left with nothing but socks to cover my feet (click here to read Becky's blog post and see photographic proof).

Now you might ask, why didn't you just clean your shoes off? well... I didn't want to. They are my old shoes, they've done their time, paid their dues... but on Monday morning when I was leaving for work and went to put my shoes on... they weren't there. Oh dear, I forgot; now I was going to have to wear my new walking shoes to work, and if you know me very well at all, you know that I didn't want to do that, 'cause... they are for walking in, not working in.

So here's a little advice if you are going to the mountains and you don't want to end up wearing your walking shoes to work: wear your oldest shoes and stay off the trails... 'cause apparently they are only for dogs; and always, always wear your socks, especially if you don't want to go bare foot when your shoes are in the shrubs... and that's still the story that you're never going to read.

It's Autumn Time

It's Fall. My favorite season of the year. There are so many things to love about fall... the cooler temperatures, the crisp air, the smells, the changing colors, keeping the windows open, wanting my blankets over me when I go to bed, Hershey kisses in autumn colors, Halloween, Thanksgiving, decorating the house, hot chocolate, season premieres of my favorite TV shows, the primary program, general conference, putting away the summer clothes, the favorites party, bread bowls at Leger's Deli, drives in the mountains, turning the fire on, the family coming over after the priesthood session for pizza and a movie, watching Summer Magic and Watcher in the Woods, Charlie Brown and Ichabod Crane, buying my hubby a carmel apple from Cavenaugh's, rain (with a little thunder and lightening), apple scented candles, door busters at Rod Works, seasonal soap fragrances from Bath & Body Works, my grandchildren coming over to trick-or-treat, fall cleaning (seriously... love it!!), musical at BHS, the DHS marching band, going on my walk, slightly overcast days, will my list ever end? No... 'cause I LOVE fall. What do you love about fall?

Fall Favorites

It's almost time for the favorites party, so I'm thinking of a few of my "fall" favorites.

I love, love, LOVE Clinique bonus time. Caitlin and I went to Dillard's last Saturday, and we each received the bonus pictured above with our purchases.

I love going to the movies... while at the movies, I especially love popcorn with layered butter... and of course, some peanut m&m's poured over the top (I shared a photo in my last favorites post).

I love my tub filled with this Bath & Body Works stress relief bath foam.

I love "Rod Works". It's a great store with lots of fun ideas for decorating (just went there today).

My newest fav (I had it 4 times this week), fruit and maple oatmeal at McDonald's. It's delicious. You've got to try it!

An old fav, a fruit and yogurt parfait, also from McDonald's (the best one I ever had was in Battle Mountain, Nevada... seriously).

What can I say? I LOVE "Survivor". It just started last Wednesday. There are two people from Utah on the show this season.

Just discovered these a few months ago... Garden Salsa Sunchips. Sooooo good.