P!nk - Funhouse Album

Ok kids, I downloaded the new P!nk album called Funhouse and it's great! You know, she's just so freakin' hot, it's not fair. But the fact that she seems like such a down-to-earth, cool chick I guess I'll get over it. Anyway, we've all heard her first single from it called, "So What," and it's awesome. The rest of the album is really good, too. Song number 7 is called "Bad Influence" and it's hilarious. There's a line in it where she says, "Tequila for my friend, it makes her flirty!" Hello, was she writing this for Auri? I think so!
I can't wait for all of my peeps to hear the album because I really like it and think you will too. It's fun, naughty and makes me want to dance! Woo hoo! Well kids, check it out... you won't be sorry! And I think I'll start doing more album reviews since I'm such a music fanatic! Ok bye!

Obsession and Other Things

Like I said before, and I'll say it again, I'm obsessed. In any case, I'm writing about True Blood AGAIN. I am soooo excited for the new episode to come out on Sunday. And guess what else? I found out the show got signed for a second season!!! Woo hoo. (I realize I say Woo hoo a lot, but honestly, I have to convey my excitement to you somehow)!

I finished the first book in the series last week on Thursday and started the second one.... I'm currently half way through it and it's really good. And now I'm realizing, I never got around to doing the last post of book reviews I was going to do. Jeez, I have so much blogging to do. That just means more for y'all to pretend like you've read! Well, better get back to doing something useful with my time, instead of obsessing over a TV show and book series.

You Live In Utah

Somebody said this list came from Jeff Foxworthy, but I'm not so sure. Anyway, I've seen it before and it cracks me up, so I thought I'd share it with y'all.

~If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you live in Utah.
~If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you live in Utah.
~If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed the wrong number, you live in Utah.
~If 'vacation' means going anywhere south of Salt Lake City for the weekend, you live in Utah.
~If you measure distance in hours, you live in Utah.
~If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you live in Utah.
~If you have switched from 'heat' to 'A/C' and back again in the same day, you live in Utah.
~If you install security lights on your house and garage but leave both doors unlocked, you live in Utah.
~If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you live in Utah.
~If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you live in Utah.
~If the speed limit on the highway is 75 mph -- you're going 80, and everyone is still passing you, you live in Utah.
~If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you live in Utah.
~If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction, you live in Utah.
~If you find 10 degrees 'a little chilly' you live in Utah.

Seriously?

So I have an appointment downtown this afternoon and I'm currently sitting in a coffee/tea shop passing some time. It's a really cute little place on 4th south called caffe d'bolla. Anyway, as I'm sitting here I'm observing the people around me and there is this girl who is getting ready to leave. She just wrapped a fleece scarf around her neck and put on her wool-lined coat. Hello?! It's 84 frickin' degrees outside... oh my hell. Are people really that oblivious to the world around them? The fact that I'm even asking this question means that I need to reassess... everyone is clueless. Pull your heads out people!

38 Days To Go

38 days to go until what, you might ask? Well my dears, let me tell you... it's 38 days until ... Vega$!!! Woo hoo! Yes, you heard me right. I'm going to Vegas. Yes, again. Yes, I really like it there, that's why I go there so often. The fact that it's six hours away by car, and 45 minutes away by plane helps my cause. And, the fact that my parents always have extra plane tickets that they let me use is a major factor... even though I've only flown down there three out of the eight or so times I've been since I turned 21. I really don't mind road trips, and Vegas is close enough that you're not stuck in the car all day, but long enough that it feels like a legit road trip. I know, I'm rambling. Anyway... so yes, I'm going to Vegas to celebrate my 29th birthday, and my BFF Noelle's 34th birthday. Is it a faux pas to tell everyone how old she is without her permission? Probably, but honestly, it should only be considered rude for those over the age of 40... so I've got a few years to back me up.

The idea for the trip started out with myself, Noelle and Rose deciding we were going, no matter who else was able to come along. We spread the word around that everyone was welcome, and our group of three has blossomed into seven. Shmodus decided he could go (to my delight)... and I told my HLP (heterosexual life parter) Auri about it without any expectations, but hoping deep down in the depths of my soul that she'd be able to come. Well Hallelujah, praise Jesus! She's coming too! Noelle told her BFF Lisa about the trip, and she was able to pull it off, and invited another friend of theirs named Holly. Wow, there are actually seven of us going. Holy crappola. We got airfare for $119 round trip (well, besides me b/c I got a free ticket from mum)... 5 of us rented a car, so that cost will be minimal. Lisa's sister hooked us up with sweet hotel rooms, so we're each doing Vegas, for three days, for less than $250! Isn't that awesome? Yeah, I thought so too. Ok, now Barnes & Noble is closing and kicking me out, so I gotta run... Ciao!

Torrey, the End

Apparently, when I write long posts, my so-called friends don't read them... so I will keep this one short. It will also be short due to the fact that I'm quickly forgetting the goings-on of that weekend.

The three of us got up on Sunday morning, packed our bags, showered, and cleaned up the house. We decided we'd pack the car, get everything ready to go, then go grab some coffee. Charles had his first "off-leash" experience that morning and was a very good boy... we were all proud of him. We left the house after Rose had her OCD checklist completed three or four times, and headed to the coffee shop at the end of town - which was about four or five blocks down the road. The coffee was good, and we grabbed some chocolate yummy-ness for the road. I can't remember the name of the place, but they make their own chocolate and it's divine.

We got on the road and headed north towards Salt Lake. As we were driving past the fields, we noticed that all the farmers/landownders that had left their sprinklers/irrigation running were going to be in for a not-so-nice surprise. Everything was frozen as you can see in the picture below. The watering system was rigged to the fence, and because the temperatures fell so drastically, it all froze. The funny thing was the water was still running... I think the majority of it had been left on all night.

Anyway, up towards one of the small towns north of Torrey we saw this "cop." Yes, it's a real police car with a dummy inside. I guess there are a few towns within a short distance of each other that share this guy... they park him on the side of the road to slow down the drivers. Pretty funny if you ask me.

Rose drove the whole way home while Miss Noelle sat in the back with the pooch. That kept him surprisingly more calm during the drive. At one point, Rose was going so fast around a couple of the turns that I asked her if she thought she was driving on the effing Le Mans. She just laughed and shrugged it off.

We stopped in Salina at Mom's Cafe for lunch, and I must say, it was damn good food. If you're doing a road trip and will be anywhere within 10 to 20 miles of this place, take a detour and stop. It will be well worth it.

Ok, that's the end.... Hope it wasn't too long. Sorry it wasn't too funny, but that's what you get today! Halloween Party re-cap to follow soon!

OMG!!! I Got a Blog Award!!!

Guess what guys? I got a blog award! I know! I feel so honored!!! I received the award from Jean at Moody Maria and I feel so special! Have I used enough exclamation marks yet??? I'm trying to convey my excitement and that's the only way I seem to know how this evening. Anywhoo... Moody Maria is a blog about, "beauty, fashion and giveaways," and it's totally fabulous! I can't remember how I found Jean's blog, but I read it everyday. And I absolutely love that her profile picture is a tube of MAC lipstick... my kinda girl!

In any case, with this award comes responsibilities and I, being the good girl that I am, intend on following them to the best of my abilities. The rules are as follows:
1) Add the logo of the award to your blog
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4) Add links to those blogs on your blog
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs


So here are my nominees (and I know some of them have received this award before, but I'm giving it to them again) - (and some of you may have even received it this week, but I love you so much, you're getting it again!):
Clever Girl Goes Blog - First of all, the layout is freakin' adorable... second of all, Tia is freakin' hilarious. I love her writing style... it reminds me of myself! Ha!
The Lucky Nest - Can't remember where I found this one, but I know I was interested because of its premise. The funny thing is, it's no longer a blog about housewares, etc., but it's truly entertaining and she's a True Blood fan, to boot.
Mistress Auri - Not just because she's my best friend, but because she's hilarious, even if only in my mind!
Newlywed Central - A very entertaining and candid look at married life - you know, the things no one openly talks about! Things I will keep in mind if I ever cross that bridge.
Beanie Cap Guy - A blog written by Tom... who happens to be my best friend's dad. His writing is impeccable, but beware, he doesn't censor... which makes it all the better.
Just Lizabell - A fellow SLC girl who writes about anything and everything. She's an amazing writer and I love reading her stories.
Working Girl - I think this was the first blog I started reading that is written by someone I don't actually know. A very funny and honest look into the female working world.

Ok Peeps... there it is. Thanks again to Jean for the award. Keep the posts coming!

I Only Want Three Fingers

I went over to Auri's last week and went upstairs to say goodnight to the boys. Tristan informed me that he was going to go see Dr. Peter so they could find a way to "softly remove fingers." I asked Aurs what that was all about and she gave me the story. Auri was driving home with the kids the other day and Tristan said to her from the back seat, "Mom, I decided I only want three fingers." Hello! Where the hell did that come from? I guess he told her he could do without his thumbs and she told him that thumbs are what make us "higher on the food chain," so she convinced him to lose the pinky and ring fingers! Ha! (Keep in mind, she was totally kidding). She asked how he wanted to get rid of them, and offered to bite them off. He told her that was too violent and he needed to find a softer way to have them removed, so she suggested they go to the doctor. Where kids get these things, I will never know, but I'm always looking forward to hearing what they have to say!

Oh God, When Will It Finally End?

I am not one to get into political discussions with people, other than those who are closest to me, because I absolutely cannot stand the bigotry and closed-mindedness many individuals possess in this great state and across the country. A hearty debate never hurt anyone, but I'm not the confrontational type, so I try to avoid arguing unless it's something I feel very strongly about, and am determined to make the other person see my point of view... they don't have to accept it, just understand it, and acknowledge and respect that it's valid.

I got an e-mail from Wikiball about McCain and his shady campaigning strategies and it really set me off. I responded to her and said I think he is a shady son-of-a-bitch, and I, like Auri, will move to Canada if he is elected. (I mean, come on, if Auri moves, I'm going with her this time. I refuse to be left behind again... snicker, snicker.) Wikiball concurred. I started typing a response, and went off... here is my reply:

People would respect him more if he wasn't acting like a two year old! America is sick and tired of listening to the scare tactics, the bullshit, and the bullying. We want a leader whose head isn't up his ass, and who can put a semi-coherent sentence together. I don't care that McCain was a POW, or that he fought in a war, or that he has "experience." Big freakin' deal. America needs change right now and McCain is not going to provide that. The status quo has gotten us absolutely NO WHERE, and it's about damn time that it changes. We're in a recession, millions of people have lost or are losing their homes, millions of people have no access to healthcare, whether its free or just affordable, and we're spending a gazillion dollars a day fighting an endless war that isn't ours to fight. The repercussions of the Iraqi war are unknown at this time, but I can guarantee you, they will be felt the world over for years to come.

That was where I ended the e-mail, but I could go on.... maybe I will ... If I can say one thing, it would be to vote on November 4th. That is a Tuesday for those of you who don't know (Auri). I don't care if you vote for Obama, McCain, Nader, or me for that matter. What I do care about is the fact that the majority of those who do vote (which the number of voters by comparison to the number of eligible American voters is ridiculously small - did that even make sense?) vote for their candidate because they were told to. People, you need to educate yourselves about the candidates. Don't vote for anyone just because "you should," or because that's, "what you were told to do." Open your minds!!! Don't cast your vote because your husband, wife, parents, religious organization, or dog told you who to vote for. Vote for the person that most closely represents your values and opinions and who possesses the traits you want to see in your leader.

If you honestly cannot bring yourself to vote because you so strongly disagree with both parties, then don't vote. But make an educated decision about it. And don't complain about the administration for the next four or eight years... if you don't vote, you have no right to complain. Or do like my grandma's 80-year-old neighbor did... she was so mad at both parties, she voted for Nader just as a protest! The argument is always made that, "Oh, we live in Utah, so our votes don't really count!" While this may be true, has it ever been proven? I'm extremely curious to see what would happen, if by chance, Obama did win the popular vote here.... do you think our electoral votes would be cast to represent that, or would they go to McCain? Just something to ponder. How will we ever know if y'all don't get out there and vote!

Torrey Part Deux

Ok, so I think I left off with us driving through the park. After we took the picture of Ripple Rock and the deer, we headed off to see the Goosenecks. We drove up to the area and had to walk about 30 yards to get to the lookout point. Once we were up there, I realized my bladder wasn't going to last much longer, so I decided I was going to be a big girl and pee outside, all by myself. Just for everyone's information, I can count on one hand the number of times I've peed in the woods. And yes, I've lived in Utah my whole life. And no, I don't enjoy camping. This picture below is from the top of the lookout at the Goosenecks. We originally planned to do the little hike on the trail, but it was freezing outside and none of us was really up to battling hypothermia... funny I mentioned hypothermia because we saved that for later in the afternoon. This next picture is actually the bush behind which I peed. I also took a picture of the evidence to show Auri... I needed proof, just in case she didn't believe me. I'll save y'all the horror of seeing that picture. I know, I'm strange, I have problems, I need therapy...But anyway... after we took in the view and decided it was too damn cold to do the hike, we walked back to the car and headed back toward town. We grabbed some food (and I'll save you the ten minutes of reading about that) and went back to the house to eat.

After lunch, Rose had a special moment and started a fire all by herself. Noelle and I were thankful she did a little later on. So by now it was about 4PM and we didn't have anything going on, so we decided we should get in the hot tub. It looked like a storm was rolling in and since all the weather reports said it was going to dump snow all over hell, we figured we better get in while it was still an option. Rose had mentioned that she would rather hot tub that night than in the afternoon. Noelle and I had asked what else she had going on that she couldn't hot tub now and then again later that night. Rose then reminded us that putting a wet swimsuit back on is never easy, or comfortable. Well, what's the most obvious solution to that problem? Get in the hot tub in your swimsuit now, get in naked when it's dark! (P.S. The pic below is Rose and Noelle at the Goosenecks lookout).

The three of us put on our swimsuits, grabbed our towels and headed out the back door. Let me back track a little bit and tell y'all that by this time, the weather had only gotten worse, but we were being brave and thought it would be our only chance. Rose flipped the cover off, we dropped our towels, wrapped them around the railing on the deck, and jumped in the water. Now, I'd like you to think back to the one time in your life when you were so cold you thought you were going to die... now multiply that by a billion, and that's how cold we were. The wind was blowing about 20 or 30 miles an hour. The temperature had to have dropped to around 25 degrees. And it started snowing. I'm not talking snow flakes falling down on our heads. I'm talking chips of ice were blowing sideways at gale force speeds into our faces. We kept trying to get warm by putting the water all over, but it only made the hypothermia worse. I have never felt such absolute pain from cold before. Our hair had frozen in certain places, and Noelle got a little frostbite on her left earlobe. I'm so not kidding! Needless to say, I think we lasted about four minutes in the hot tub before we said - Fuck it! - and ran back into the house. Noelle ended up having an asthma attack and had to get into a hot shower to warm up. I just stood in front of the wood-burning stove for a while. I honestly can't remember what Rose did to warm up. And wouldn't ya know it... not even five minutes after we had gone back inside, the storm stopped! No more wind, no more snow, nothing!The next few hours were spent recovering from the experience, and we decided to go out for dinner around 7:30 or so. Remind us to pack in all of our food next time. Dinner wasn't that good.... I won't go into it, not worth writing about. Anyway, we got back to the house, and guess what? It was warmer that night than it was earlier in the afternoon, so naturally, we decided to try the hot tub one more time. Now, recall our conversation from earlier in the day... we stuck to our decision. We each got undressed, grabbed our towels and started cracking up. Rose had the idea to grab a small towel to wrap around her head to shield it from the wind (by the time we decided to get back in, a breeze had kicked back up - seriously, with the timing)! So, the three of us walked outside, dropped the towels, wrapped them around the railing again, and hopped in the tub, all while laughing hysterically. The water was warmer this time around, we didn't have hurricane strength winds blowing at our heads, and we were armed with a backup plan... the towel for our heads. As we're in the hot tub, having a grand 'ole time, Noelle's towel blew off the railing and was heading off the deck into the bushes. Being the nice person that I am, and I was closest to the the "exit ramp," I offered to grab it. So yes, I jumped out of the hot tub, butt-ass naked, grabbed her towel, and wrapped it back around the railing. (Again, I find myself sharing waaaayyyy too much with you people.... why I do this to myself, I'll never know). I jumped back into the tub and got warmed up. Since the wind had kicked back up, Rose had wrapped her dishtowel around her head and was having sucess blocking the cold. I tried it out and decided it was a fabu idea.... the only problem was, Rose only grabbed one towel, it was getting wet, and Noelle and I each wanted one. Once again, being the fabulously nice and wonderful person that I am, I offered to run into the house to grab towels. I got out (still butt-ass naked), ran into the house, had to jump over the dog, grabbed three kitchen towels, and ran back outside. If Mary Jane knew the shenanigans that went on that night, she'd ban us all from the house forever. We were actually able to stay in the hot tub for a little over a half an hour because of Rose's idea. In the meantime, we were all rotating seats because some of them sat a little deeper than the others and thus we were able to get further under the water to keep warm. In the midst of playing musical chairs, we had an "incident." As we were moving, I heard Noelle shout, "Someone's foot just went up my ass!" I declared that it wasn't mine, and it obviously wasn't Noelle's, and that left Miss Rose. We nicknamed the incident the "Rogue Toe."
With that, I'm ending here. I will finish the Torrey story later... hopefully tomorrow. In the meantime, don't judge, and definitely don't laugh at me!

Coffee and Other Lovely Things

I love coffee... but more than coffee, I love going to coffee. For those of you not versed in "going to coffe," let me explain. This usually entails going to a coffee shop with another person or a group of friends, drinking coffee (or any other fabulous liquid delight) and talking. The talking may go on for 10 minutes, or three hours, but as long that it's going on, all is well. I went to coffee tonight with J. This will have been our third coffee date, fourth date in all. (We went to a movie a few weeks ago). Anyway, I had a great time laughing with him and talking. We were there for well over two hours.

I think more than coffee, I love Ambien. I've told y'all before about me and Ambien... at least I think I have. If I haven't, here it is. I am a night owl. I usually get my second wind around 9 or 10 PM. This is difficult because I have to get up early and generally don't get enough sleep. So, I came home from my date and took 1/2 of an Ambien, and now I'm blogging. Generally not a good idea, but I'm being good. Oh, how I love the Ambien. Drunkenness without the hangover. It's just fabulous. So, with that, I'm going to end this, close my laptop and go to bed, like a good girl. Odum would be so proud.

True Blood

When I started hearing all of the hype about the Twilight series, all I thought was - Vampires Shmampires! I heard it was a series of novels geared for adolescent girls, and was instantly turned off by it. Almost everyone I know has read at least one of the books, but I don't really want anything to do with them.


Well, a few weeks ago (exactly seven and a half) I was flipping through the channels waiting for the season premier of Entourage to start and I happened upon a show that caught my eye. I ended up watching the last 30 minutes of it and was pretty unsure about what was going on. I checked out the info on my TiVo menu and nothing said that it was the series pilot, or first episode, or anything. Needless to say, my interest was piqued and I decided to look around a bit. After poking around, I realized that I had seen the series premiere of a new show called True Blood. I didn't bother to trying to see the first part of the show that I had missed, and figured I'd catch it sometime later on a rerun. I decided I'd catch the second episode the following week to figure out what happend to Sookie. I ended up missing the whole thing because I forgot to TiVo it (or maybe I only saw a part of it... I can't really remember). Anyway, even though I didn't get to see wht I'd missed, it's safe to say that I was hooked by the third episode. The storyline is interesting. The characters are extremely complex (and the fact that they're all easy on the eyes doesn't hurt, either). And pretty much every episode ends leaving me hanging.

Here's a little synopsis of who's who...
Sookie Stackhouse is the lead female character and is played by Anna Paquin
Bill Compton is the lead male vampire and is played by Stephen Moyer
They are the two in the pictures on this post.
In my mind, everyone else is just fluff, but I'll give you a few more...
Jason Stackhouse is Sookie's brother and is played by Ryan Kwanten (and has the most ripped body I've ever seen!)
Tara Thornton is Sookie's best friend and is played by Rutina Wesley
Sam Merlotte (not pronounced lik the wine) is Sookie's boss and is played by Sam Trammell
Lafayette Reynolds is the lead cross-dresser and is played by Nelsan Ellis

After the fifth episode aired, I realized that this show was based on a series of novels by Charlaine Harris, and being that I love to read, I figured I better grab at least the first book and see if it interested me. Let's just say it's been extremely hard to put the book down. And since starting the book, I am now, certifiably and maniacally addicted to the story/book/series. More than that though, I think I'm inlove with Bill the vampire. Remember, Vampires Shmampires? Yeah, well, I'm eating my words... but not really because it's an entirely different vampire than the ones everyone else is obsessed with. OMG, I can't get over it. Week six's episode ended in a really fantabulous way, although, it left me craving more. Week seven opened with the resolution, and seriously people, I can't even express in words how absolutely in love I am! I seriously re-watched the end of week six and the beginning of week seven over and over. So what if it's a really hot and steamy sex scene?! I didn't watch it for the sex. It was just so freaking fantastic that I couldn't get enough. Maybe it's because I've been deprived of sex for so long. Maybe it's because I crave the intimacy of a relationship. Maybe it's because I've lost my effing mind and am on my way to the nut house. Whatever the reason, I don't care. I'm obsessed and I'm willing to admit it.
So yes, here I am, spilling my guts about the fact that I'm inlove with a character from a book. It has gotten so bad that on Sunday night, I watched the first three episodes back to back. And then last night, I watched the next four... all in a row... a little marathon of my own, if you will. And I sooo plan on going to buy the DVD(s) the day it comes out. I'm talking, going to be at the store at midnight on the Tuesday that it is released, and then go home and watch all twelve episodes of it. I'll have to take a day off of work to do it! Oh well, I don't really have that much else going for me right now, so this is as good as it gets for a little while. I can allow myself to get lost in my book or in the show when it's on and pretend that my life is at least slightly more exciting for that given amount of time.

Ok, that's enough psychosis from me for now. If you're looking for me and can't find me, I'm either stuck in my book, or in my basement watching True Blood.

Weekend Update

Well, I survived dog-sitting... even though it was against my will. Cheech and I spent three and a half days together, and I only wanted to kill him a few times. All in all, not too horribly bad. I have to say, it was nice to have some time to myself, but it would have been better had I been in my own surroundings. I was in and out all day Friday and Saturday and spent the whole morning there on Sunday. I took my book over there with me and spent an hour or so each on Friday and Saturday nights reading outside. It was great.... The weather was perfect... I turned on the radio really loud and listened to my new cd while I sat on the deck and got lost in my book. I also had a coffee date with J on Friday night, so that was a definite highlight of my weekend.

Anyway... I cleaned my grandparents' house, washed the bedding, and didn't kill the dog... a good weekend all around, and I really want a prize, damnit.

Tag - You're It

Tag - You're It

The rules are:
Link to the person who tagged you (Elisha)
Post the rules on your blog
Write six random things/unspectacular quirks about yourself
Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them
Let the tagger know when your entry is posted

1. I usually crave chocolate after I wake up from a nap.
2. I moan while I’m falling asleep.
3. I have fallen in love with Vampire Bill from “True Blood,” and want nothing more than for him to be my man! I'm talking, I'm seriously in love with him and if possible, I would stalk him. As a side note, I’m freakin’ addicted to the show!
4. I want to be a runner, although my body disagrees with that wish, and running is the one thing I absolutely cannot do.
5. I want the happily ever after.
6. I hate not having money more than anything in the whole world!

Here are the bloggers I'm tagging:
Odum
Auri
Tracie
Tom
Noelle
Kristin
Julie

Damn Dog

I was nominated to dog-sit this weekend... and I'm not happy about it. My grandma and grandpa were invited to go down to St. George to stay with some friends of theirs that they haven't seen in a long time. The thing is, they haven't gone out of town since before my grandpa got sick four years ago! And, since then, they acquired the freakin' dog. It was my mom and my aunt's idea to get them the dog, and I think they should be punished for it. The freakin' dog rules my grandparents' lives. The dog's name is Cheech, and he is a Chihuahua. He's also a hermaphrodite... yes, you heard me correctly, it's a "shim." When they got him, he had to be spayed and neutered. Granted, his testicles were embryonic, but he's still a shim. More of a male than a female because he has what my grandma refers to as a "pecker" or a "dookle". I have no idea where the word "dookle" came from, but it cracks me up. My grandma thought a vajayjay was called a "mussentouchit" until she was a teenager, if that tells you anything. Anyway, I'm stuck dog-sitting for an animal that drives me nuts. He's neurotic. And I get to keep him company all weekend. God forbid they'd put him in a kennel to board him... I was told by my grandma that she absolutely just couldn't do that to him. He sleeps with them every night under the covers and she just doesn't think he'd make it. I want to take him there and leave him for one night to see what happens. I'm not quite that mean... at least I don't think so. Everyone keeps asking me why I just don't bring him over to my house. The answer is because the damn dog isn't technically potty-trained. He pees and poops on piddle pads that are around the house. The reason being, he can't be let outside to go at night because there are raccoons in the neighborhood and my grandma is afraid they'd eat him. Maybe that wouldn't be so bad???? Anyway, I'm off to go chill with the dog so he doesn't have a panic attack and die. I'll be back soon... I hope!

Torrey, Utah - It's Part of Capitol Reef

It seems like just about everyone I've mentioned Torrey to has asked me what or where the hell it is. So here is the short answer... it's a little town in central/southern Utah that borders Capitol Reef National Park. I'm talking small town as in everything closes at either 7 or 9 PM. EVERYTHING. There is one grocery store, maybe three restaurants, and a few churches scattered about. Rose, Noelle and I decided to go down over the weekend just for a change of scenery. Rose's family owns a "cabin" in Torrey. It's not so much a cabin as it is a second home. Three bedrooms, two baths, full kitchen, dishwasher, clothes washer and dryer, full deck and a hot tub. Not to mention a phone line, TV and computer that is hooked up to high-speed internet. These first five pictures are the view from the house looking west, southwest, northwest, and east. The other angles weren't that fantastic.
We piled into Noelle's car around 4:45 on Friday afternoon ... Noelle drove, I got shotgun, and Rose and Charlie got in the back (Charlie is Noelle's pooch). We drove from SLC to Payson where we stopped to grab coffee at Starbucks. Yes, there's a Starbucks in Payson. From there we drove to Scipio where we stopped for a drink and some gas and then headed east toward Salina. About an hour and a half of the drive (from just past Scipio to Torrey) was done in the dark, so we had to be on the lookout for deer. We saw quite a few grazing and at one point there was a herd running toward the road. Luckily, we didn't have any run-ins with the furry ones. As we were driving along I was playing DJ with Noelle's iPod and a song came on that Noelle didn't recognize. She asked who it was, so I decided to give her a hint... I told her it was Justin Timberlake and "Yo Mamma." She thought and thought and finally asked who the hell "Yo Mamma" was after she recognized Madonna. I started cracking up because she thought I was serious when I said "Yo Mamma." You know, Yo Mamma/Madonna, it all sounds the same anyway!
Once we got to town, we decided to stop and either get dinner, or get the groceries to make it at the house. We also needed mixers for our vodka. Well, let's be real here... the mixers were our first priority, dinner was second. The general store was open until 9:00 and we made it just in time. However, we should have stopped at one of the grocery stores in one of the bigger towns because the prices were astronomical and there was very little to choose from.
After the mixers were safely in our possession we headed to the "cabin." It's always fun to see what something or someone looks like after you've heard stories and formed a picture of your interpretation in your mind. Strangely, even though the house wasn't exactly how I'd pictured it, it was pretty close. We got the car unpacked and got settled in. Noelle was gracious enough to make us dinner, and we enjoyed spaghetti bolognese (not Bolganeese), aka spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread. I know I'm forgetting something here, but I'm not sure what... so if it comes to me, I'll let you know.
The rest of the night we just hung around the house, listened to music, chatted and looked at pictures on my laptop. We attempted drinking heavily, but I don't think any of us had more than one cocktail that night. Oh, and I have to back track a bit... when we got to the house, the first item on the agenda was to turn on the hot tub. It takes something like six hours to heat up, so we thought we'd get it brewing in case we were up at 3 AM and wanted to take a dip. Around 1 AM we were all pretty tired and decided to go to bed. We each got our own rooms, and Miss Rose was gracious enough to give me the one with the "prettier" view so I could wake up to it in the morning. Isn't she fab?I slept pretty good that night... I even got the bed with the Scotty Dog blanket on it! I felt pretty cool. Anyway, Charlie came upstairs in the morning to check on his Aunt Rosie and Aunt Erica, jumped in bed with each of us to make sure we were still there and in good condition, and then went back downstairs with his mommy. I think Rose and I each fell back asleep for another hour and a half or so and then got up around 10:30 or so. The three of us decided we were hungry and thought we'd throw some clothes on, doll ourselves up to look presentable and go grab some food. Sure enough, we got to the restaurant around 11:15 or 11:30 and they were serving lunch, so we decided to head to the new coffee shop at the end of town and check it out. The coffee there was really good, and their chais are even better. They've got great, home made pastries along with home made chocolate delights! As Rachael Ray says ~Yummo! After coffee we decided to drive in and check out the park. All the pictures after the first five are from Capitol Reef National Park. Some are from the main road, and others are from a fun little drive we took on a turnoff from the main road. It was tons of fun. We drove around for about three hours, I think. We pulled over at least 30 times to take pictures. We also took pictures while the car was moving. Noelle didn't always feel the need to stop for photography! And after all that, she thinks I'm gonna let her borrow my camera. Yeah, right!This is Rose and Noelle having a lovely moment on the little trail. I think this was right before Rose flashed me. I turned on the video camera and told her to do something, so she flashed me. Nice, I know. Then she proceeded to say a few fairly naughty things, and ended with saying, "Hi Mom!" Oh well, I have it on video and can and will use it against her... not sure when, but I have my ammunition if I ever need it.We decided to take a picture of this so we can change it to say "Nipple Rock Rapture Center." We'd only have to switch the R and the N and find an extra P... it will work eventually. Then the sign is going to be placed in front of the little shack in the picture you see below. We originally named it the "Fornication Shack," but then came up with the "Punany Palace." Tell me, which name do you prefer?Now, there's a reason we had to come up with names for the shack. Apparently on one of her recent trips to the house, Rose was informed by her mother that, "There will be no fornicating in the house!" And if anyone knows Rose's mother, they know she's serious. So we have been on the lookout for places to fornicate (outside the house, of course) should the need arise. We thought it was a good idea.... be prepared like a Girl Scout, you know?We thought this rock was kinda cool... it looks like an opened snake's mouth. Almost looks like the drinking fountain at the zoo...Here's another precious moment of the girls. Rose is leaning because we told her to. She was having issues, but then, she's always having issues, so why was Saturday any different? HahahaHere's me as the Great Cornholio... that's not really what I was going for, but it worked because it was freakin' freezing and the wind was blowing sand in my face. Yes, I'm a dork... I am able and willing to admit to it. This picture above was taken for the benefit of Odum. We named it "Tit Rock."I think this is the ony picture of the three of us that turned out semi-decent. Aren't we cute. We almost froze our asses off but we had so much fun driving around and seeing everything. I even had fun getting left behind while Noelle and Rose drove off without me. I even flashed them and they wouldn't come back for me... I had to catch up to them. Rude!This above picture is that of "Penis Rock" as we named it. It looks like a wang. Boys, what do you think? The shaft up the middle and the head balancing on the top... totally looks like a wang. This is a really cool picture to see how much of the terrain was formed at an angle. Kinda crazy.
Alright... I'm ending this post here because I took an Ambien and need to get in bed. And I want to post this damn thing even though the story isn't done. I will finish the second half of the story tomorrow... the second half will get much better, I promise!

A 4-year-old and Reverse Psychology

Yesterday was Aidan's fourth birthday. My little bubba is 4! Well, he's not really mine, but you get the gist. Anyway... I was going to be out of town over the weekend, so I wanted to do something with him before I left. I asked Auri if I could take him on a date (see previous posts) and we decided to go out on Thursday. I told him we were going to go to dinner and a movie and he got to choose where we went. He decided he wanted McDonalds for dinner and to go see Beverly Hills Chihuahua, so that's what we did. While we were driving to the movie theater he told me that Daddy said a bad word with his finger in the car that day. I asked him if he told Mommy about it and he said he hadn't. I told him he should tell Mommy because Daddy needed a spanking... and Aidan informed me Daddy couldn't get spanked because he wasn't a little kid. I said that Daddy could get spanked by Mommy if he was naughty. To which Aidan replied, "Nu uh." I countered with, "Yuh huh." This went back and forth approximately three times before Aidan said, "Yuh huh," and I replied with, "Nu uh." Now wait just a second there Holmes. Did a four-year-old just successfully use reverse psychology on me? Yes, yes he did. I have to admit it... a four-year-old out-smarted me. Wow, I'm losing it.

Anyway, we got to the movie theater and I went to buy tickets and saw that the time in the paper was wrong. We were actually in between shows... one had started 45 minutes before... the next one was in an hour and a half, so I asked Aidan if he was ok to wait. He said that was fine, so I decided we could walk around for a bit before we went into the theater. Naturally, we needed to make a potty stop, so I took him in the bathroom. I helped him get situated and he told me not to look at him while he did his business. Hello, I've changed your diapers, and I will have to wipe your tush when you're done anyway, so why does it matter if I chat with you while you drop a load? Just kidding, I totally know where he was coming from.

So anyway, we went to see the movie which was totally adorable. We each had a drink and shared some popcorn, and he sat on my lap for about the last third of the show. About 30 minutes before the movie was over Aidan turned to me and said, "Tata, I just want to go home." Hello little one, the movie was almost over... and I'm not just gonna get up and leave! When it finally ended, we packed up and headed to the car...and wouldn't ya know it, once we got in the car he didn't want to go home, afterall. It was pretty late (for him) so he didn't have much say in the matter... we went home anyway. In any case, we had a great time on our date, and I can't wait to do it again. Happy Birthday, Little Man!

And why is it...

That when a girl wants to find a man to date, love, get physical with, or whatever, there is no one to be found. And when that girl does find that guy, she then finds out he's a total freak? I JUST DON'T GET IT!!! Then the girl erases his phone number from her phone and his contact info on IM, and then he contacts her and acts like everything is normal after they haven't communicated for over a WEEK!!! WHAT THE HELL??? Am I missing something here? Was I born without the gene that wards off weirdos/men with obnoxious children/freaks of nature? Seriously, is there something so wrong with my intuition that I can't figure these people out from the beginning? Whatever...

Stories to come...

Ok, so I have a few things to write about, but I should really be a good girl and go to bed at a decent hour. However, I'll let y'all know I've got posts coming about my date with J (maybe, still not sure how I'm feeling about sharing it, and I'm only using an initial to protect the innocent), my date with Aidan for his 4th birthday, and my trip to Torrey with Rose and Noelle. Let me just say that I had no idea that a four-year-old knew how to use reverse-psychology... it's really quite entertaining. I'll elaborate tomorrow. And I'd also like to say that hot-tubbing in a snow storm with gale-force winds blowing ice at one's head is utterly and excruciatingly painful. The three of us have impeccable timing. Posts to come tomorrow with pictures. I promise!

Hit End

I was in the car with Odum last night driving to Cold Stone and we decided to make a phone call. Well, I decided to make a phone call while he drove. Good thing since he can't do two things at once. Well, that's a lie. He can multi-task, just not while driving because he usually gets really nervous and screams (or squeals, or bites his nails). I should back up about a half an hour to where I was lying on the couch and I got a text from Odum telling me I should go get him ice cream. I told him, "Yeah right." He wrote back, "Seriously." I told him to go away. He asked if I wanted to go get ice cream with him, and if he should come pick me up. I said sure... and now we're at the point where I left off. So he's driving, and I'm leaving a message on the voicemail of said phone call recipient. I wasn't quite sure what to say, and I was in no way trying to be seductive, but apparently, that's how it sounded. So I ended the call and Odum says to me, "Do it again, do it again!" We both started laughing and being silly and about 20 or 30 seconds later I looked down and realized I hadn't hit the "End" button hard enough so the message was still recording. Needless to say, we started cracking up. I didn't get much of a response from the voicemail victim... maybe he'll read this and acknowledge my faux pas!

Seriously People, Follow Me

In case you hadn't noticed, which most of you HAVE NOT, I added the "Followers" widget over on the right hand side. If you read my blog on a regular basis, or not that regularly, but still read it occasionally (Auri), then click on it to become a follower. You don't have to have a Google account, so just do it...I want to feel loved, damnit!

Somebody's Watching...

I went on a date last night... shocker, I know. We went to see Eagle Eye, and I have to say, I loved it. It grabbed my attention from the beginning and kept it through the full two hours of the movie. I'd definitely recommend it!

I'm not so sure how my next movie review will go... I'm taking Aidan to see Beverly Hills Chihuahua tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes!

Goin' Back to Torrey...

Ok, so I'm not going "back" seeing how I've never been there, but I can't get that song out of my head... "We're goin' back to Cali, Cali, Cali." I don't even know who the artist is. Oh well, no biggie.

So yes, I'm going on a mini-vacay with the girls for the weekend. And we're going to Torrey. I'm excited because I've never been there... I'm not so excited for the podunkedness that will surely present itself. However, I have been warned, so I can't really complain, even though I'll probably try to at least a little bit. Plus, we're just going down to drink, chill and hot tub, so it doesn't really matter if we're in the middle of nowhere... right? I'm kind of bummed because there's a possibility it might snow, but I figure if I can get a few pictures of the scenery and hang with my girls, it doesn't really matter!

Sitting... Waiting...

I brought my car into get serviced this morning at 10:45, or somewhere around there. It is now, 2:14, and I'm still here waiting... waiting... waiting... Granted, I brought my laptop with me so I could work while I waited, but seriously? Four hours? Ok, my dad just came in and told me it's done. Oil change... check. New brake pads... check. New battery for keyless remote, even though that's not really what the problem is... check! I'm out!