Baby Cakes

Debbie didn't want a shower so we just went out to dinner I made little baby cakes as thank you's. 

You buy a package of chocolate wafer's (I got them at Safeway) then you use some whipping cream and spread them between the wafer's to make the mini cakes, I did four. You refrigerate them over night so the wafers become soft like cake I put a little more whipping cream on top and added mini chocolate chips. 

I have had my eye on these baby lit books for awhile and was so excited to get them for baby Louise

I had so much fun looking through them I want to buy them for myself.

Playing Catch Up

I turned 32 back in August and I wanted to show this awesome picture my friend Melanie & Melissa got me. Isn't it so cool the shoes have my initials and the back has a couple of my favorite books. 

 My dad also had surgery to remove a cyst on his brain that had been pushing on a nerve and causing double vision. But he is now almost fully recovered and you can't even see his scar with his hair grown back in.

 On September 11th I went to the Healing Fields that Tempe does with Melissa & Gavin, I am so glad they do that it is such a great way to remember.

Team Adam Lives On

Do you remember how a couple years ago Gayle Forman author of If I Stay and Where She Went did a contest for a Team Adam design to put on buttons and my design won? Well Gayle emailed me to ask me about using the Team Adam design for a new line of t-shirts she is doing for her books. Well the site is up and the t-shirts look so great and there are tote bags! Can a girl have to many tote bags? I think not.

 

I am so excited for Team Adam to live on! The movie for If I Stay is getting cast right now and I am actually really excited about the casting so far.

 Mia is being played by Chloe Moretz she posted this picture on Instagram of her practicing the chello! Love!

Adam is being played by Jaimie Blackley who I had just noticed in the trailer for And While We Were Here

It is crazy to me how much he actually looks like Adam and he really does play the guitar and sing.

There are more pretty shirts for all of Gayle's books. Look at all the pretty!!

Summer Ends

My brother Mark left back to Omaha to finish his last year of law school this week, Ashley, Sam & Scout will be going back next.

 Here is Mark playing throw a soft ball at my face with the kids. We are going to miss them!

Gracie had her birthday and her party was as adorable as she is. 

When Expectations meet Reality

Do you guys remember that brilliant scene in 500 Days of Summer when it shows side by side Tom's expectations of Summer's party and the reality of what really happened?

Too often in life we do like Anne Shirley so eloquently put, “I can't help flying up on the wings of anticipation. It's as glorious as soaring through a sunset... almost pays for the thud.” and like both 500 Days & Anne point out our reality rarely meet our expectations. 
Last night I was lucky enough to attend a special screening of Austenland, and although the only real expectation I had was that I would love it, it was a high expectation. My ever practical brain was trying to convince my heart to calm down because there was bound to be something that wasn't going to match my expectations. Imagine my surprise when the movie was over and my expectations were actually surpassed! 
I was pleased at how well it followed the book but also enjoyed the changes that kept me on my toes as well. If I was not laughing I was smiling, I'm not joking my friend Jenny complained about about how sore her face was from smiling! The whole cast really did just a wonderful job, and obviously had fun filming it. Hint stay for the credits.

Keri was delightful as the slightly awkward and yet lovable Jane Hayes. 

J.J. was completely swoon worthy as Mr. Nobley, that "Darcy guy". 

It was a dream come true to see Bret play a romantic lead, who knew he had a little swagger in him?

In my sisters opinion Jennifer Coolidge stole the show, and it is true that everything out of her mouth had me dying. If you think Jennifer was funny in anything else wait till you see her in this. 

Chelsea liked Georgia King's character and seriously there were a couple of scenes I thought I was going to cry from laughing so hard. 

Don't let the no shirt fool you there is more to Ricky Whittle than a pair of abs. All James Callis had to do was use his quizzing glass and I was laughing. 

When the movie was over my friend Chelsea looked over and laughed at the stupid grin I could not get off my face but we all loved it and agreed we want to see it again. And although I love Austenland & Jane Austen I don't think you need to like either to enjoy this movie. In fact I am going to encourage my brothers and dad to see it, I really do think they will enjoy it.  

Idaho

My mom and I left Debbie and family in Salt Lake while we rode up with my Aunt & Uncle to their home in Idaho. Here is a picture of their backyard, so many fun memories from my childhood and even young adult years happened here!

I went out to enjoy the yard and my uncle Roger introduced me to Honey Bun, his gosling who comes when he calls. She would eat from me but she would also swing her neck at me, I think she didn't like me getting into her territory. 

I was sitting hoping to get the ducks to come to me, with out any success so Roger tried herding them my way. 

My cousin Sara and her family were there and this little babe had her birthday our first day. My mom got this cake while she was shopping with her sister Earlene and told her it was from both her and I. Which helped me win over the kids after that, thanks mom!

Soon Debbie and her family came up as well. Here they are looking at the ducks.

One evening our cousins showed us how they has used the app face swap to switch faces of the different couples. Some where so wrong I would close my eyes in protest others were so funny I was crying laughing. I wasn't the only one. 

 Here is one Russ did of him and Debbie, like I said they are just wrong, but highly entertaining.

I think Russ was in heaven going out with Roger and helping with the bees. Unfortunately Debbie got stung on the face right when I was getting this picture. I personally feel guilty because she asked if we could get this close and I said yeah we will be fine. Apparently they love Debbie's hair which I did not put into account. 

It was so green and had so many flowers, we really enjoyed ourselves just taking it easy and hanging out with our family. Have you ever played Ticket To Ride? It is a board game our cousins introduced to us and it was a lot of fun.

 Joe just chilling with Roger on the deck.

It was cousin central, going on and we loved every minuet of it.

Found these two darlings swinging like this and had to get a picture. 

Utah

The end of June my mom and I decided to hitch a ride with Debbie and her family on their trip to Utah & Idaho.
My mom & I didn't stay in Utah all that long, but while I was there I did get to see some people from my mission. I served in Utah so it is always a trip to go back and have memories fly back at me left and right.
First I went to brunch with Nadja who now lives in Salt Lake with her husband.

Almost ten years later

She brought me to an awesome European bakery in downtown Salt Lake called Gourmandise - The Bakery 

The food was great and the company was even better! 

I also got to see Zak and Sarah and their family. We spent a lot of time teaching Zak and became very close with them. 

I didn't get a picture with them on the visit but they asked if I had seen them in the church broadcast. 

The boy Sarah has her arm around is Eli and yep he is the baby in the first picture. Nadja and I were only companions for a month in a half and I was in Riverton with Zak & Sarah for only 3 months. Not a lot of time really but I think the quality of time made a huge difference. How grateful I am to have had the opportunity to get to know both Nadja and Zak & Sarah, I am a better person for knowing them. 

Can it be August already?

I first posted about the movie Austenland almost two years ago back in July of 2011 and just feel it would be wrong not to do a post about the trailer as well.



I feel a little silly giving a play by play of the trailer since I can't imagine anyone will really care but I have found it fun when others do it so I am going to have a go.

First: Props to the production team, Jane's room is insane! The Darcy pillow, is that a chamber pot down by her bed. The whole "Darcy was here" is so disturbing it makes me feel like a little better about my obsession.

Speaking of Darcy pillows I like mine better...

Next I LOVE the Colin Firth, Mr. Darcy cutout. 

Well because I got to take a picture with Darcy/Firth at Shannon Hale's book signing which is where I first heard that Austenland would become a movie. 

It's hard to tell with the apron but Darcy/Firth is holding a copy of Austenland. 

Sony has been doing a good job with there marketing efforts I think, I particularly like the website they set up which makes sense when you see the brochure in Jane Hayes hands. Also is she packing a carpet bag? I always have wanted a carpet bag like Anne of Green Gables. 

Where did they get the carriage car we get to see Bret McKenzie who plays Martin chauffeuring. 

I like that they don't waste anytime introducing JJ Feild aka Mr. Nobley as the "one of those Mr. Darcy guys". 

Should I mention Ricky Whittle aka Captain East's abs? Alright you twisted my arm I will mention his abs. 

And if you haven't heard Shannon tell the story about signing his underwear YOU SHOULD. 

Any fan of the book would or I guess I should say love the Tally-Ho reference. 

I am also just as excited for the scenes I have no clue what is happening, other than it looks funny!

Oh man I am so excited for this scene! That little double blink Mr. Nobley gives making him look vulnerable makes me swoon, not to mention how adorable Bret is!

Mr. Nobley reminds me a lot of Captian Wentworth from the newest Persuasion adaption.

Don't you love the original songs Emmy The Great wrote/performed for the soundtrack as well?

Tally-ho indeed!