When I Grow Up, I'm Going to be a.......

After reading The Last Lecture awhile back, of course it led me to reflect upon my own life. When I was little, there are three things that come to mind that I "wanted to be when I grow up".

Firstly, I wanted to be a Mom. Hmmm, well, I think I've got the ball rolling on that one. :)

Secondly, I wanted to be a Photographer. Hmmm, I think I'm got that one as well.

Thirdly, I wanted to be a Fashion Designer. Take a look for yourself. These beauties here are homemade paper dolls circa 1989. Aren't they something?? I've got talent!!
Ok, so my current designs (if I had any) would probably have less fringe.... and not so much orange.... the fishnets are cool though...

So, what did YOU want to be when you grew up? and did you do it?? I want lots of comments on this one! Even from you Blog Stalkers :)

I did have one fleeting moment in college when I wanted to be an astronaut. But I realized being a mom and being an astronaut would be a rather difficult match (although some ladies do it, it wasn't for me), so I'll settle for being a star-gazer instead.

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30 by 30 Goal #8 - CHECK!

Yes, this is my goal #8. Make a challah bread (pronounced "hall-uh"). I have a slight fascination with all things Jewish. A challah bread is a special braided bread eaten on the Sabbath and on holidays. Wikipedia says, "According to Jewish tradition, the three Sabbath meals (Friday night, Saturday morning, and Saturday afternoon) and two holiday meals (one at night and one in the morning) each begin with two complete loaves of bread. This "double loaf" commemorates the manna that fell from the heavens when the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years after the Exodus from Egypt. The manna did not fall on the Sabbath or holidays; instead, a double portion fell before the Sabbath and holidays. (There are two loaves of bread in my picture. They cooked up big and ended up right next to each other) I used a fairly basic challah bread recipe from Amy Cox Jones's World of Wisdom cookbook (she calls for wheat, I used white flour - gasp!) and learned how to do the braid here. It's really quite easy!

Are you salivating yet?

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Happy Birthday to Me

I spent my birthday day doing this....
(Insert apologies for the crummy camera phone picture here)
I've never donated blood before. I did however "donate" plasma twice a week for three years in college. They paid you for it! It worked out to $15-20 an hour! Not bad for a starving college student. So I have no fear of needles or blood (My husband, on the other hand, almost passed out just looking at this pictures). I've never donated before because I was either donating plasma, or pregnant/nursing. I am currently not doing any of the above, therefore I can give blood. I was lucky enought to sit next to the lovely Heather G. who was also a first-timer.

Since I now officially have one year left before I turn 30, I have compiled a "30 Before 30" list - things I'd like to do/accomplish within the next year. (Inspired by Mrs. Fabulous by Forty)

#24. Donate Blood - CHECK! It's nice to be able to check one off the list - even if I did pick it because I knew it would be easy to do!

And by the way #7 is NO DECEMBER PORTRAIT SESSIONS!!! Don't call me. Seriously. Do not procrastinate the day of your Christmas-card-picture-taking.

(I will probably post for most goals I accomplish. Some are photo related, some are not. Having to post about them will help keep me accountable for them, right?)

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Oh yeah, My Vacation

My summer vacation was filled with fun, sun, rain, rest, relaxtion, city parks, national parks, religious monuments, nature walks, miniature golf courses, In-N-Out, outlet shopping, antique shopping, thrift shopping, a lavender farm, a street rod car show, Disney/Pixar's Up, a temple open house, a temple visitor's center, german pretzels, riding Trax, family history teaching moments, visiting with old friends, family, barbecues, small town 4th of July parades, firework mishaps, weeding the garden, monster mosquito bites, playing pool & air hockey, four wheelers and horses, and of course Lehi Mills and Cafe Rio. I'm sure there was more, but I can't remember it all right now.

The only problem was my children refused to put on the cute clothes I packed for them and pose for me for pictures. I guarantee it: Photographing one's own kids is the hardest portrait session. I chose not to argue with them. We were on vacation. Result: not so many "blog-worthy" pictures.

Here is the posh condo we stayed in our first few nights in St. George. This condo was actually in the Coral Canyon area by Hurricane.
I've never seen such tall doors on a closet.
aaahh, we went swimming every day. My four-year-old finally learned how to swim and it was so easy.
Visiting a friend in Cache Valley. What a beautiful place. I could get used to that!!!
My kids love "the Farm".

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