April is over, already?

Wow, I can not believe how quickly this month has passed. It seems like it has only been a week since I last posted. I guess that just goes to show that time flies when you are having fun. I am thankful for the changes that I have had in my life that has made the time fly.

I was able to go to Washington for Easter and spend time with my family. It was great to see almost everyone that lives there. Thanks to everyone for dropping what you were doing to come over to Moses Lake. Even though my mother didn't know who I was it was good to be with her.

After spending a few days in Moses Lake I went to Seattle to see James and Kailey. I played with Reilyn and Kedrick...oh and the magots too (some imaginary friends).
It was fun to see their new house. It pretty much rained the whole time I was there. We were shopping at the store and came out to hail...it kind of hurt to be pelted by it. I started my job and have been super busy. The first week there I had to get everything ready for the move into the new building. There was a lot of coordination that still needed to take place. I had to buy furniture, art, plants etc. After working all day Saturday the place looked pretty good for the big meeting that was taking place Monday morning at 8:00 in our new space. I hope they don't keep expecting me to perform miracles like that.

I am now working on the convention which is coming up July. They had decided on the location already so now I need to plan everything else. There is a lot of work to go into this!! I hope I think of everything and can make it all work within the budget. I am used to the big productions that Tahitian Noni had at their conventions...but their budget was likely 10 times what mine is. So, it will be interesting to figure all that out. I am sure that it will be July before I know it!

I have enjoyed working here, everyone has been nice and positive about my abilities. I have REALLY enjoyed being busy and twiddling my fingers trying to find ways to sell furniture. I feel that this is a much better use of my talents then where I was. I am grateful to Heavenly Father for the way he continues to guide my life.

The winds of change

You never know with the wind when it will start or stop or how hard it will blow. So it is with change, you never really can predict when it will begin and how it will long it will take to adjust. It has always been interesting to see how change effects your life. Change always brings reflection, which always makes you stop and recognize God's hand directing your life. This has been the story for me this last week. I am so grateful for the blessings that Heavenly Father has given me.

I am once again changing employment. When I started my last job I was grateful for having a job but felt that it would be temporary. As you all know the economy has been in the dump and well it has made it quite difficult to sell furniture. I have been trying to find people who need furniture, but I was not having much luck.

Back in December I was approached by a friend from my Noni days and asked if I would ever want to do events planning. I said well, never really thought about it, but that could be a lot of fun. He said maybe in the future we will need that at my new place of employment and I will let them know you would be interested. So, in the back of my mind I kept hoping that may happen.

Last Thursday they extended an offer to me, I told them that I would get back with them. The following day I couldn't reach them to accept the position. That afternoon before I left work I was told that my salary was being cut in half due to the economic times. Wow, talk about timing...pretty unbelievable.

Today was my last day of work and I will begin my new job on the 20th. My first responsibility at my new job is moving to the new building. I will be overseeing the installation of furniture, move and the decorative elements. I will also be planning the product launch in June. I will help out with over flow customer service and compliance.

So, on to a new chapter of my life.

Shirley J seasonings

Last June I blogged about the wonderful Pantry Secret enrichment that I attended and learned how to make the yummy bread. Many of you are also making the incredible bread and pizza. I know that I have raved about the pizza and the pizza seasoning that they used from Shirley J. This seasoning truly is the secret to making the pizza taste amazing!

I was so impressed with the seasoning that I tried to find out more about this Shirley J company. What I found out was it basically was a wholesale only company for the food industry. I was a little disappointed that I would not be able to try any of their other products.

The other day I discovered that Mike Olson, who was the director of the Tahitian Noni Cafe, is now affiliated with the Shirley J company. They are taking the amazing products and making them available to the public! Hooray!!!! They have opened a location in Orem and are having an open house, right now. Not only can you buy the products but you can watch some demonstrations on how to use the product and there will be some sampling. The open house runs through the 11th of April and I don't believe it will be open during general conference.

For those of you who don't live in Utah and would like to try their products check out their blog page http://shirleyjsoupbasesandseasonings.wordpress.com/ or go to their web site where you can place orders. www.shirleyj.com

I can't wait to try out the soup base and the other seasonings. This will be a great addition to your food storage. I am thinking the soup base will be similar to the "magic mix" but is already made for you.

If you have not ever tried the pizza seasoning, it is so easy to use. You mix one Tablespoon of the seasoning with one can of tomato sauce and you have your pizza sauce. No longer will your pizzas taste homemade but they taste just as good if not better then your local pizza place. I have gotten my sisters and a sister-in-law using it now. The can of seasoning will last you a long time as you only use a tablespoon. Pizza anyone?

Food Dehydration

I was so happy when my Aunt let me have grandma's dehydrator. I have finally put it use and tried my hand at dehydrating food. I watched some very informative videos on Youtube that taught me how to dehydrate various foods. It really truly inspired me to dehydrate more then I would have. If you would like to check them out follow this link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxVpIHre2ao

There is a great store in Provo that has produce for really cheap on Wednesdays called Buy Low Market. It is by Cafe Rio in Provo, for anyone who lives here and is unfamiliar with the store. So, last week I got 16 lemons for $2, 3 lbs of zuccini for $1, 3 lbs of tomatoes for $1, Broccoli for .50 and 3 lbs of oranges for a $1. I thought this was the perfect price to try out various items and see how I like them. This shows my lemons, broccoli, zuccini and strawberries.

So far they have turned out pretty well. I don't know that I will ever dehydrate oranges...they didn't taste very well after they were rehydrated. But, the rest I think I will enjoy. I think the jars are kind of cute with the different colors and textures...they make my pantry cute. Like that is important.

Book Binding Class

Last month when I received my utilities bill I decided to read the enclosed newsletter for upcoming city events. I saw that the Lehi City Arts Counsel was going to have a beginning bookbinding class. That sounded like a lot of fun so I signed up for the class.

I really enjoyed the class and learning the book binding techniques. We learned how to make 5 different styles of books. I have completed 3 of the 5 books. When I finish the other two I will post those.

The first book has handmade paper and is bound to a dowel.

The second book has a fabric spine.

The third book is a fabric envelope book with a ribbon closure. The center portion of papers can be removed and you can refill the envelope with more paper.
The other two books that we learned how to make is a Japanese Stab book and a photo album. I am excited to complete these. It was a fun class to take and I can't wait to practice and make more books.

35 years

As another year has come and gone, I have to say I am a little in awe at how quickly time flies! I can't believe that I have been alive for 35 years...it really does not seem like I can possibly be that age. I definately do not feel like I am 35, I would have to say I only feel about 28.

So, in honor of my 35 years of life I decided to make a list of 35 things that I have discovered that I love. I don't know if I can document these items in the order that I learned them...they are definately not in any order.
1. I love to sleep. As a baby,I slept the whole night through the first night I was home from the hospital.
2. I love my parents and all that they have taught me and all the sacrifices that they have made for me.
3. I love my family, I love to spend time with them and talk with them. I think they are pretty funny, I love to laugh with them.
4. I love chocolate, pretty much in any form.
5. I love spring time, I love to see the flowers blooming and bringing color back into the world after winter.
6. I love good food, I always have a hard time choosing my favorite food...because I just love food. I will never have an eating disorder because I like to eat.
7. I Christmas, I love the way people are around christmas and I love that we think of Christ more.
8. I love playing volleyball and softball.
9. I love to laugh, I would have to say that there is rarely a day that goes by that I haven't laughed at something. Usually, it is at myself...becuase I do some silly things. Okay, that image just made me laugh. Not everyone can crack themselves up. :)
10. I love interior design, I love to play with color and textures.
11. I love to travel and see new places, new cultures, new sceneries, try new foods.
12. I love that I live in a time where it is easy to keep in touch with people: cell phones, email, messenger, facebook, blogs, airplanes, cars etc.
13. I love the friends that I have made throughout my life and remembering the fun times and memories that I have had through the years.
14. I love the way my dad loves and cares for my mom.
15. I love cream cheese...it just makes so many things taste so good.
16. I love how beautiful this world is.
17. I love the mountains and how when you are up in the mountains you tend to feel a little closer to God.
18. I love that I am able to make friends realitively easily.
19. I love that I have been able to go to Europe twice and spend time there with friends and family.
20. I love Switzerland and European chocolate...it just is better over there.
21. I love shoes...I just can't help it...I don't think you can ever have too many.
22. I love to cook and bake and try new recipes.
23. I love finding the perfect gift for someone and seeing their expression when they open the gift.
24. I love to watch or read a good love story.
25. I love my town house, I do... it just makes me happy.
26. I love to learn and just wish that I could retain and recall everything that I learn.
27. I love cranraspberry juice.
28. I love to be creative.
29. I love that Heavenly Father loves us inspite of ourselves.
30. I love to scrapbook and do crafty things.
31. I love to watch lighting storms.
32. I love waterfalls.
33. I love the smell of air after it rains.
34. I love winning a hard fought ball game.
35. I love that I live in this free country.

If my computer was working better I would have posted some photos of me through the years... but since it is not you are missing out. Maybe if you are lucky I will do that later on.

Heart Attack

This evening I went to my neighbors house to watch American Idol. As I was walking back to my house I saw one of the Young Women run up to my door. I thought, I am going to sneak up on her and scare her. As I got closer to my door it ends up that one of the leaders were with her so I decided that I couldn't really scare them.

So, I started to say hello and they began to scream...and they wanted to know where I came from. Then I saw that they were decorating my door and had brownies for me. I am a victim of a heart attack for Valentines Day.