Body Worlds

Have any of you even seen Body Worlds??? Craziest thing I've gotten to see... EVER. Body Worlds is currently here in Salt Lake, and I got to go with a big group of my family. It was fun, Thanks Kara and Shane for getting the tickets and inviting us!! At first I wasn't going to go, but then I remembered me saying that I wanted to do more things that I haven't done and experience more things. Well, what better than going to see Body Worlds right?!

It was quite the exhibit... seeing a huge variety of things. I don't know how to explain what I saw, and I tried to do that, but ended up deleting it. lol. I couldn't take my camera in, so I'm sure you get the tiny gist from the top picture and from any billboards you may have seen along the freeway, or any advertisements. Plain and simple, I have to say, if you haven't seen it, GO SEE IT!!!! Incredible.

Before we went in to the exhibit, we took a little tour of the Salt Lake City Library. I see some future day trips here. What a great building!!!

Girls night

Apparently I didn't have enough fun time with Jalaine and Tia! We ended up having another girls night out and this time we did something we've been wanting to do since August for Tia's birthday! Months later... we finally went to the Cheesecake Factory! But not without stopping first at Tai Pan. I love this place, but don't get here often. I found a tree (Thanks for your sharp eye Jalaine!) that I wanted for my office. Well, it's a little cube. We took Alexis with us, and she was great for how late it was! But not without the occassional teary moments sitting in the back with Tia on the way up. Haha. Poor Tia. Alexis ended up warming up to her as the night went on. Here are some pics!

Cutie Lexie. I love this hat on her!

Cheesecake Factory!! Our table actually looks decent in this picture, it was actually a big mess!!! Ü

This is the tree I got from Tai Pan. Different and huge, yes. But yet, I'm liking it! I can put white lights on the inside of the tree. But not until Dec. 1st, my co-workers have threatened to steal all my Christmas decorations and hold it hostage until then. So I made a deal that I wouldn't set the lights up until then. lol. I have such Bah-hum-bug co-workers!!! I think I need Linda to come decorate my office, she has such immaculate decorating skills!!!

The Holidays are here! Let the FUN begin!!!

Okay, I just realized that all my previous blogs mostly consists with pictures. I decided, I can't be doing that all the time, otherwise I won't write as often. SO!! Here's just a little suntin' suntin', without any pictures!

This weekend was a great fun one. I had Friday off work, which was well needed!! I met up with Tia and Jalaine, my two best girls for the day. Well, we got Tia for a couple hours lucky us! (We missed you the rest of the day Tia!) We went to Joe Bandido's in Springville for lunch. It was thrilling and yummy... 3 Diet Coke's later!! Alexis came with us, and she was great the whole day! (you've got such a good girl Jalaine!) After lunch, I got Jalaine and Tia to go to Sprinkler World, a place I got introduced to last year that sells Christmas stuff. It has beautiful ornaments, decorations, lights, trees etc, that they're selling for the holidays. Every year, I buy my nieces and now my nephew a new ornament. A tradition I hope to keep up! I found their ornaments for this year about a month earlier than I usually get them! This is crazy right? A place that sells hardware for your sprinkling system sells Christmas stuff? Unreal. Well, it got me in the Christmas mood, and I just wanted to spend all my money getting things for the Christmas holiday. Tia left us and Jalaine and I went on our merry way to Roberts up in Orem. What bargains!!! Thanks Jalaine for helping me find the things I was looking for, and for half the price that Sprinkler World had. (Still weird huh? Sprinkler World selling Christmas stuff!!!)

Saturday turned out to be even better on my wallet... YA RIGHT!!! Kohl's was having a 50% to 60% off sale. I hate to say it, but I bought things for myself. What can I say, I had the money, the deals were insane, and it was just FUN to spend money on myself. I really haven't done that in quite some time! Jalaine kept telling me that I should stop buying things for myself, so that other people can buy them for me for Christmas. That's silly, I was buying things for myself that I wouldn't get from other people! lol. I have no regrets. They were DEALS!!!!! To be honest, I struggle when the holidays come around. They have amazing deals, and I always want to buy something for myself and I think to myself I shouldn't because that's not the point of Christmas, blah blah yada yada yada. I ignored my general thought and Jalaine this time around. lol.

Jalaine's husband offered to watch Alexis so she could go out with just the girls and no baby this same night. Jalaine, and her sister Shannon and I went back to Kohls. Haha. I bought 3 sweaters under $45 dollars, you really can't beat that price you know! Especially since I was needing long some sweaters with winter being here and me throwing out some sweaters. Still no regrets! We went to Red Lobster for dinner and had the All You Can Eat Shrimp fest. Shrimp Scampi, Cajun Shrimp, Coconut Shrimp galore! I tell ya, it was good.

Shannon had to go off somewhere so we took her back to her car, and it was only 9 pm. Jalaine looked at me and said, "Oh I don't want to go home yet, let's go back out!" lol. What is there to do in Provo at 9 pm when everything is closed and you don't want to eat anymore?! We went down to the Riverwoods to see if some stores were still open, hoping maybe the holiday hours had started. Unfortunately they were closed. So we were laughing on the way back to Jalaine's house of what we could do. Jalaine says, "Let's go to Vegas!" Oh how I long for the days of spontaneity and single girl friends and road trips!!!! We laughed at how cool that would have been. "See ya tomorrow Greg!" It was either go to Vegas or drag main street in Provo and wink at the boys. lol. (I'm kidding on that one of course!!!!!!) What a joke of a place we live in that closes early and there's nothing to do!!!! Oh well, we tried right Jalaine?! Gotta love our funny moments.

Today was a chill day. Had dinner with the family at my moms house and it was nice to see everyone. My siblings and I have a tradition where we draw names and we get them a special gift. I know, I know. Probably not an abnormal tradition, but it is one we've managed to hold on to with my dad passing, and I'm grateful for that piece of normalcy. I've got Mike! And Mike has me! I think it will be fun. I'm glad to finally have the name, because NOW I can go Christmas shopping for someone, and not for myself!

I told Jalaine that this year, that I'm officially in the Christmas spirit. The dynamics in my family have really changed with my dad being gone, and my siblings having their own families, etc. I am finally feeling 100% happy for the holidays. Not for the presents, but for making memories, being with my close friends and family. And of course, remembering my dad... I have a strong feeling that this year will be a good one, and not a sad one. At least, that is my hope. I know on my part, I will make that effort and it is up to me and no one else. So this feels great!

The holidays are here!! Let the FUN begin!!!
and may my wallet survive. lol.

I love being an Auntie...

I got to spend a little bit of time with my cute 2 year old niece Zoe at the park with my mom in Mapleton. I couldn't believe how gorgeous the fall leaves were, and Zoe was just so funny and outgoing that I got my camera out and took pictures of her and then us two. Some pictures are blurry.... but hey, still posting them because they are just too dang cute!!!!

Miss Zoe Grace... I just love this picture of her!

Auntie Les and Zoe

Zoe heard my hearing aid make noise after this first picture of us together... she gasped and said, "Oh! Did you hear that?" and turns to lift my hair back and look at my hearing aid and started giggling. It was the cutest thing ever!!

Yup see, we were both giggling after that. So cute! I "lub" my little Zoe bug.

Sushi anyone?!

Today we are having our work Halloween party. I'm in charge of it since I'm the head of the Employee Committee here. I've been on this committee for 5 years, and you're only to be on it for no more than 2. They won't let me quit!!!! I'm hoping this is my last year. Just got to make it through Christmas!!!

We had some amazing prizes for Best Overall Costume! 1st Prize - An iPod Touch. 2nd Prize - $100 gas card to Chevron. 3rd Prize - $30 gift card to Carrabba's and 2 movie tickets. Great don't you think?! I wasn't going to dress up, but I figured one, I should since I'm on the committee and two, I wanted in on some of those prizes!!!! So to work I went, and made me a sushi roll. lol. I worked hard on this! Many thanks go to my aunt and uncle and cousins, who without their help it wouldn't have turned out as good as it did!!! Granted, I didn't win, but hey, I did some good for the team dressing up. That's the spirit ain't it?!?!

Here are some pictures! Enjoy.

I don't know what I'm doing here... but this gives you a full view of the costume. Like my homemade La Chic Soy Sauce bag? lol.

The Sumo girl was trying to get me ... Good thing it wasn't real! I know, how horrible does that sound haha, I had to re-word this so many times, it could be worse!!

Goin' Back to Cali...

I just came back from a long trip down to California. I went for fun and for work. Every year my work puts on an Annual Users Conference for whoever can come. We alternate between Vegas and Salt Lake every year. Because this year is our 30th year being in business, the company decided to do something different and do the Users Conference in Disneyland. Since it was at Disneyland, most Towns and Cities didn't let their users come to the conference because it was thought of as "too fun and they wouldn't go to the classes", or the economy just wasn't good, or they couldn't bring their families etc. etc. Needless to say, it was our smallest attendance in a few years. But it was still fun!!! I didn't take a lot of pictures like I normally do on a trip! I usually have a record 250 - 400 pictures, and when I downloaded the pictures this morning there was a whopping record of 50 pictures!!! I don't know HOW that happened! lol.

I went down to Vegas on Friday with my Aunt and Uncle and their kids. We stayed over in Vegas and showed the kids around some of the cool shops. I was excited as I got to go the MAC store and buy things they don't sell here in Nordstrom. Always a must!!! We did the usual things you should do, Ceasars Forum shops, Bellagio Atrium and Fountains was great fun! I was disappointed in the M & M and Coke Factory. It was LAME. And I was more disappointed that that experience wasn't as fun for the kids as it used to be. Oh well.

Jack Sparrow was wondering around the Vegas strip in front of the fountains and I got the courage to get his attention and take a picture with him. Truly, he looked just like Johnny Depp and smiled like him and talked like him. HOT!!! Here's a lovely picture of this precious funny moment. Yip.

We stayed overnight at a Suite in Henderson. Thanks to my Uncle. Saturday we got up, ate breakfast, tried to get on the road but made a few stops on the way out to Vegas that it took us about 3 hours to get out of there! I did find a gorgeous red fake snakeskin purse, and some black boots for sale. Good stuff! We made it to California about 6 or so and got settled into the Condo where we stayed for a few days before we could check into the Disneyland hotel for conference. We played all day and night at Disneyland Sunday, Monday and part of Tuesday. Made it to Newport Beach for an hour or so on Tuesday as well. We had our conference for a full day on Wednesday and Thursday but made it out to both parks and Downtown Disney. Talk about how exhausting this trip was with all the walking, and playing! I even survived my first day at the conference wearing my 4 1/2 inch heels all day! WOOT! I was surprised at how much fun I actually had at Disneyland. It made me wish my nieces were there with me... I know they would have loved it and had so much fun!!! What an expensive trip this was, Disneyland was ridiculous in price!!! But worth the fun and memories. I know I won't be going there again for a long time so it was fun. Here are some pictures!!!

Me with my Uncle David and his kids on the pier at Newport Beach. Jana was taking the picture.

I was being soooo silly here. David was taking a while to take the picture I felt awkward, so I started playing around and David liked this pose. Yeah.... please ignore the double chin and fat rolls. lol.

You gotta take a picture on one of the letters for California Adventure of course!!! I know, goofy pose. What can I say, Disneyland turned me into a little kid. I actually enjoyed it!!

"You've gotta kiss a lot of frogs before you find your Prince!"

I know, I know, before you say anything... I look so weird here because as I was on my way to "kiss" the frog (no, no, I wasn't REALLY going to kiss the frog, I was just thinking about all the germs that was on there as I was heading down to pose, I was making sure I wasn't going to actually kiss the frog! lol)

I didn't want to post all the pictures... but it was a fun trip, and I promised to blog. I was able to visit my mission after the Disneyland saga, and went to stay with people in Rancho Cucamonga and in Apple Valley. It was fun and nice and even a little bit weird to visit after so many years! I'll post a blog about that one later! Hope ya'll are doing well!!!

The Double Appointment!

Jalaine and I did something we've never done in our whole entire friendship. We both went and got our haircuts together last night and it was a fun time!! I had finally found a new hair girl that I just love, that my sister Lindsay had gone to and got her bangs cut and they were darling! So when Jalaine said she was wanting to get her bangs cut, I knew JUST the girl!!!

My first experience with Kim what when she cut 6 inches off my hair before I had my Cochlear Implant surgery, then had to cut another two inches off after I had my surgery. I hadn't been back since, and my hair had grown 3 inches since then! The math we did last night, it seems my hair will be a full head of hair by February! Whoo hoo!! So Jalaine was a little hesitant to cut her bangs, that she did a poll on her blog. I believe it was a 9 out of 10 vote for her to cut her bangs! I decided to make an appointment the second she got hesitant and said there was no backing out!!! Needless to say, we had to wait 2 weeks for our appointment and we found out last night it was because Kim had just gotten married! She texted me back while she was on her honeymoon to set up our appointment! (Well, it wasn't her actual honeymoon yet, but close!)

Jalaine was so funny yesterday, texting me what was basically a countdown. She was cracking me up. So on we went together for our double hair cut appointment. I thought it was a bit odd that we set that up, since I had never done it, but Kim said she has people that do it all the time. Kim's place is in the basement of her moms house, in a cute little room that seems to show her darling personality. I got my hair cut done first. I had no intentions of cutting my bangs, but by the end of the session, after talking about it (she thought I would look awesome with bangs straight across over... so does Jalaine.) but I couldn't do it. So she says, "Okay Leslie, we're going to cut a little bangs!" I was like, "Ummm, okay..." I ended up with a little sideswept bangs, which I actually like. It's not a drastic change, but it has added a couple more minutes to my hair schedule. Needless to say, this morning wasn't as successful as she made it look last night. Why can't Kim just do my hair everyday? Ü The thing I love about Kim, is she's pretty open with what she thinks will and won't look good on you with the type of hair your have and your face shape, but is not overbearing about it. I just love that about her!

Then it was Jalaine's turn! She was a pro, and I have to say, I love her new hair style and think it looks great on her! I think she liked Kim, and when we were leaving we both mentioned how fun it was. I asked Jalaine if she'd go to Kim again, and she says, "Yes, if you come too!" I'm certainly down! Although, I don't think I'm going to wait as long as I did to get my haircut. Ready to go in a month and a half or so Jalaine?! Ü

We ended the night with some Cafe Rio for dinner. Now that was all great fun!! Here's a couple pics! (Yes, we even took pictures, and Kim is even in some!) So if you need a new hair person, I've got just the girl for you!!

I know, silly, but here's a recent before picture...

Here we are!! So much fun!

Miss Kim! I'm so glad to finally find a hairdresser!!