why don't we live in utah?

It was an idea Jilly and I have kicked around every summer since we've known each other, so this summer when {Shelly} asked if we wanted to rent her adorable little cabin in Midway Utah, we didn't have to think it over.  What could be better than a get a way with my bestie for eight days and seven glorious nights without obligations, media, or the cares of the world?

We decided to take these three just for kicks.   My little {Nino's} cute face has to be blurred for privacy purposes.

As always, me and Jilly love to re-cap the highlights and low lights of our trip.  Please enjoy.

Highlight
Traveling with Jilly for 2,339 miles, not tiring of her for one minute, and not running out of something to talk about.  As a bonus, she drove the WHOLE way!

Highlight
The boys were three well behaved peanuts all the way to Utah, due in part to something I introduced called the FUN bag.  Every hour on the hour, I pulled out a new game and treat from the $ store to keep the munchkins entertained.  On one condition.  F stands for flexible, U stands for understanding, and N stands for nice (and I threw in NO whining).  As long as these boys were obeying the rules of F.U.N, they were rewarded with endless surprises and two very happy moms.  We'll talk about the ride home later.

Highlight 
Meeting up with Mandi of {Vintage Revivals } on our way to Midway in her home town.  We stopped for lunch at her family owned restaurant and devoured yummy, sweet pork salads while we talked about our latest and greatest projects, laughing ourselves silly.  Mandi is the fun bag.  Win. Win. 

Low light
Thinking we could rely on the i phone for directions to Utah and wondering how the heck this happened....

Yes, the boys were slightly bitter when we told them it would take an extra hour to reach our final destination. Until....we told them we'd be covering four states in just one day.  Who would be able to top that on the first day of school?  Pretty soon they were thanking us.

Highlight
The gorgeous weather and the scenery in Utah.  Me and Jilly spotted this quaint little cottage and thought we had arrived in heaven sooner than anticipated.  I'm sure the people inside started getting nervous about the white mini van that kept driving by, dying to spot someone sitting on the porch waiting to give guided tours.

Green fields and little farms as far as the eye could see.  We both agree, Utah is a photographers dream.

The beautiful mountains and light rain fall almost every afternoon.  We hadn't seen a jacket since February and each night when it was cool enough to put on our hoodies, we were giddy with excitement.

Highlight
Meeting up with family and friends we don't get to see very often. 

Enter Uncle Bob and the Nino playing their 76th round of UNO on the 4th of July.  My uncle Bob and Aunt Neva live in a beautiful cabin near Park City, with a million dollar view of the country.  Lucky.

We had dinner with the adorable Katie Hughes and her sis of {Vintage Rose Wraps}, ate at the {Blue Iguana} (best Mexican food in Utah) with Jilly's brother and his family, watched fire works with some great friends that used to live in AZ, and even spent time with Jilly's friend and her family from Denmark.  

Lowlight

Drawing an exorbitant amount of attention while trying to parallel park on the streets of Salt Lake.  Between me peeing my pants laughing and others honking, we were a scene.  Jilly drove every single mile on our trip.  She's always said driving is not my best gift. 

Highlight
CRAFT WARS PARTY!!!

I don't even know if it's legal to have as much fun as we did on the eve of July 3rd 2012.  From getting up close and personal to 150 of Utah's finest DIY-ers and bloggers, to the food, the venue, OH MY GOSH, it was amazing.

It's true, Jilly and Mandi got kicked off the show before their time.  But let's be honest, they're going to do something bigger and better, and I'll still be their biggest cheerleader. 

Now that I think about it, I'll have to compete with the woman who was in tears when she found out they didn't win.  THAT is a fan. 

Can you believe this cake? 

One of the funnest parts (is funnest a word?) about the party was seeing some friends who have moved to Utah from our home town.  Meet Shenise, one of the cutest things you've ever seen.  She came and brought her mom, her sister, and sis-in-law.  They were everything, and more.

We got to meet the freakishly amazing, and sweet, and hilarious, Bridget of {Bridgey Widgey Parties} who hosted the whole thing at her parents mansion.  Jilly and I pulled up to the place and had a pow wow about being on our best behavior so we didn't blow our cover.  We'd only seen places like this on TV.

Bridget immediately made us feel at home as she bounced around setting up cupcake vignettes, Italian ice bars, and swag bags for all 150 guests.  She didn't stop smiling once.

Before the fun was over, 50 ladies walked away with awesome door prizes.  Seriously cool stuff from Krylon paints, treats from local bakeries, Rose Wraps, Purdy paint brushes, and all kinds of other great give-aways.  The whole thing was unforgettable.

Lowlight
Arriving home after the party around 3am and sleeping through one of the best 4th of July parades of the year.  Again we told the boys they didn't miss a thing and not to fret about the candy they didn't get to catch off the giant, sparkly, floats.  Instead we bought a quarter pound (of every single kind) of fudge at the BYU bookstore. WAY better. 

Highlight
I enjoyed my one hotdog of the year at the beloved {J Dawgs}.  Even thought Jilly had been on a meat fast for three months, I talked her in to eating one and she was not disappointed.  If you go, order the polish with everything on it, extra special sauce. 

When it comes to eating establishments I always admire the place that does one thing, and does it good.  Congratulations Mr. J.

As we made our way back to AZ we Googled Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and realized we'd be driving right by the highly recommended Salsa Brava in Flagstaff AZ.  I tried slow-cooked pork glazed in its own juices and fresh orange, Jilly had the lobster and shrimp enchiladas, and the boys swear they've never had better mini chimis.  Wow!

Lowlight

On our way home we realized we'd never stopped bragging about Arizona's weather in November and invited EVERYONE we met to join us for Thanksgiving 2012 in Jilly's backyard. 

We secretly hope everyone makes it!

Thanks Shelly for the most extraordinary time we had at your cabin this summer.  It was so great to meet you and officially give you the title "Slip Cover Master"!  Seriously, if you live in Utah and need anything slip covered, Shelly is your girl.

A LIL SUM'N FOR OUR READERS

If you happen to follow me and Jilly, you could win {Shelly's Custom Pillow e-book}.  If you've ever wanted to learn how to make 5 different kinds of custom pillows including zippers and piping, Shelly will show you how!  She makes it fast, easy, and so simple to learn, anyone can do it.  If you "like" her on FB this month, she'll give you $5 off and you can download instantly.  How sweet is that? 

To enter, please leave a comment at the end of this post.  A random winner will be chosen on Aug 15th.  New followers always welcome!

New York, New York. Part 2.

Narrowing down our top ten was a challenge, but without further ado, here are the last 5 highlights and lowlights from our fabulous trip.

 
Anyone who is anyone has heard about the Naked Cowboy in Times Square.  Naturally, a group of women were interested in spotting him and maybe getting a semi-scandalous photo with him.  We had high hopes, until we saw him...... back it up Cowboy.  He was old.  He was vulgar.  He had no taste.  No deal.

Lowlight:  The Naked Cowboy

It was Fashion Week in the city, and there were all sorts of model hopefuls roaming the streets.  None caught our attention quite as fully as the one standing opposite us waiting to cross the street in a teal Speedo.  Why couldn't HE have been the Naked Cowboy? 

Highlight:  Speedo Man

One fateful evening, we found ourselves famished at 10:00 p.m. and were on a mission to find some good food, fast.  You don't have to look far in NYC to do that, and so we very innocently popped into a charming little Italian place for some authentic New York pizza.

As soon as we were seated, we realized we were in trouble.  Seated directly across from us, in very close proximity, were two highly intoxicated men.  One of them tapped Ann on the shoulder and asked if she would tell his mother (whom he was talking to on a cell phone) that he was not in a bar, but at a nice restaurant.  Of course Ann obliged, and started a conversation with "Ma".  Ma simply made Ann promise that her son would not be arrested that night, because she had already bailed him out four other times. We were able to capture some conversation with him on video, however, it's not appropriate for all audiences so we are unable to include it.  Our apologies.

 Lowlight:  Having dinner with the drunks.

Our friend insisted that for spoiling our quiet evening and interrupting us several times during our meal, he would pick up the tab.  He slapped a $100 bill down on our table before he left, which made all the unpleasantries suddenly worth it.

Highlight:  Dinner for free!

Of course while we were in the city, we planned on seeing a Broadway show. While we were chatting with one of the ticket vendors on the street, one of the best things EVER happened.  My very own Mia was propositioned by a man of a different ethnicity who boldly announced, "I love you."  I was super impressed with the way Mia handled herself, she is a true lady, and only turned one shade of crimson.  The rest of us were quite amused, especially when he asked her if she had "ever had chocolate" and asked her to "blink twice if she wanted some."  Poor little Mia opened her smallish eyes as wide as she could so there was no mistaking her intent.

Lowlight:  Mia's proposition

 He lost interest pretty quickly after that, and after Mia regrouped, we decided to see Mary Poppins at the Amsterdam Theater.  The theater was beautiful, and the show was even better.  We all fell in love with the the singer/actor who played Bert, but really everyone in the show was magnificent!  We had prime seats in the orchestra section, and truly enjoyed the whole experience .  If you are headed to NYC and need a clean show, this is the one to see.

Highlight:  Seeing a Broadway show in New York City!

And now, a story that probably won't surprise you at all..... We missed our flight home.  I could bore you with all the details of how it happened, but to save you some time, and to save our marriages, suffice it to say that we were late to the airport, and they wouldn't even begin to entertain letting us on the plane.

Lowlight:  Homeless in NYC.

What we thought was a lowlight, actually turned into one of the biggest highlights!  My man booked us a room at a lovely hotel near the airport, and we got ourselves right back into the city the next morning.  We hadn't found any time to go to Central Park during our trip, so we took advantage of the extra day by having a lovely meal and spending some time there.  It was more beautiful than I had even imagined, and we were so happy to be able to experience it.  Gracious thanks to our families who had to deal with us being gone an extra day.

Highlight:  Skipping through Central Park on a beautiful day.

On our way back to JFK  (several) hours before our scheduled flight home, we finally figured out how to use the subways/buses.

Highlight:  Proficient use of the subway system.

Lowlight:  Figuring this out the last hour of our trip.

Years ago, Mia and I went to Vegas to see Celine Dion and met up with Minda's cousin, Robbins.  He introduced us to a ingenious system he likes to use when traveling with friends.  We have used it ever since, and have decided it is crucial to a successful trip.  Everyone makes a list of their expectations and priorities for the trip.  You put your lists together and attempt to make a plan so that everyone is happy in the end.  If it works effectively, everyone gets to check off their wishes by the last day, which really makes the trip enjoyable for all.   

Wow.  What an adventure, full of fun and sponteniety.  Mia is the funnest traveling companion ever, (which is why I try to never leave home without her) and Ann and LeAnn, although only acquaintances to me when we left, are now truly friends.  We laughed until we cried, ate until we were sick, walked until we had blisters, and dropped into bed every night with huge smiles on our faces.  Thanks ladies, for a trip that will never be forgotten.  Where are we going next year?  Seriously?

 

New York, New York

Jilly and I recently returned from our trip to the Big Apple.  The idea was proposed when two ladies I served with at church found a good deal on airline tickets.  The three of us were ready to go, and I realized it wouldn't be the same without my girl, Jilly.  So the four of us set out into the wide, wide world for a high adventure.  And adventure is exactly what we found.  I've been to the city a few times before but for Jilly, Ann, and LeAnn, it was a first.

There were too many good times to count on our fingers and toes, so we took a good part of the 4 hour plane ride home trying to narrow the trip down to our top 10 high-lights and low-lights.  Please enjoy.

As soon as as the plane touched down in NYC, we were giddy with excitement.  We jumped into the first cab we saw and started our 45 minute journey to the upper west side of Manhattan.  Enter our new BFF Kevin.

I wasn't about to miss the opportunity to get to know a true New Yorker, and by the time we were 20 minutes into the ride, we knew he had one 18 year old daughter, a wife named Jacqueline, where he lived in Queens, what kind of food he liked, if he was a good cook, where he grew up, and that he belonged to the Pentecostal church.  I was SO excited about the church because I've never been to one, so I asked if the four of us might join him for Sunday services.  He was delighted to have us, so we exchanged information. 

Highlight: Going to church with Kevin and his family, the electric guitar, the dancing up and down the aisles, experiencing the gift of tongues, first hand.





Lowlight:  The loudest rock n' roll concert for Jesus that left our ears ringing until midnight. 

After church, we headed down to the financial district to have dinner with my amazing cousins, Robbins, Brian, and Hanover.  We got a tour of their luxury apartment, then they took us to the popular Stone St. where we enjoyed steak frites and caught up on all topics form hurricane Irene, to the latest Hollywood scandals.  Brian is an entertainment lawyer you see, and has insight that common girls are not privy to.  In case you didn't know, Will and Jada have an open marriage, Julia Roberts is mean, Tom and Rita are the real deal, and Oprah is gay. 



Highlight:  Meeting the delectable Hanover for the first time and staying in Brian's parents apartment in the city at no cost to us.

Lowlight:  Running into a riot on Wall St. headed up by 200 NYU students on our walk home.  I really wanted to grab a sign and start marching with them for a good photo, but mama Ann wouldn't hear of it.  She insisted we avoid trouble and head straight back to our apartment.  It's a good thing someone is responsible.

We all agreed the food in NYC is some of the finest we've ever had.  From the fresh lobster, to the authentic Japanese and Chinese food, brick oven pizza, the banana pudding at Magnolia's, and the creamy Gelato, it was all delish!

I only eat one hot dog a year (mostly because they're not good) but I figured if there was ever a time to have a dog, it was at the wildly popular Shake Shack.  I got it loaded with sauerkraut, pickles, onion, hot peppers, and special sauce.  It was tasty, but I have to say the best hotdog I've ever had was at {J Dawgs}.  Just sayin.

Highlight:  Sharing meals every day and trying over 25 authentic dishes at all different kinds of restaurants. 

Lowlight:  Overhearing the couple in line at the Shake Shack go into graphic detail about their romantic plans for the evening.  They were both men.

One morning we set out bright and early for the Brooklyn Flea market.  Let's just say that getting there was a bit of a undertaking that four girls who aren't familiar with the subway system probably should not have attempted.  Thank goodness for the kind hearted people along the way who were so sweet about helping us find our destination after we got on 4 wrong trains. 

Highlight: Experiencing Brooklyn first hand, tasting the $16 lobster roll LeAnn and Jilly split, the most perfect overcast weather, finding a butterfly print for Jilly's library for 10 bucks.

Lowlight:  The cramp in Jilly's hand after she toted the butterfly print all over NYC for the next 10 hours. 
I think she might be done with it.

It goes without saying, the shopping in the NYC is magnificent.  From the 20 story Macy's and the H & M's on every other corner, to the deals found on Canal St. 

Jilly and I managed to sneak ourselves into the private viewing of Century 21's newest location, just 4 blocks away from our apartment.  I found Seven Jeans for $36.00, a skinny tie for my boy, and a few adorable scarves for fall.   

Lowlight: Running feverishly through town on the last day of the trip, trying to locate FAO Schwarz so we could bring back requested lego sets and transformers for the children.

Highlight:  Running into Mariah Carey, diva extraordinaire.  I asked if she and I could have a mini photo session but her 250lb, muscle bound, body guard told me it wasn't a good time.  Looks like the twins she gave birth to aren't the only ones she should be concerned about. 

Jilly will be bringing you the last five highlights and lowlights of our trip next Tuesday.  Until then, you can try the banana pudding recipe from Magnolia Bakery.  Enjoy!

 

• (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 cups ice cold water
• 1 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix (preferably Jell-O brand)
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 (12-ounce) box Nabisco Nilla Wafers (no substitutions!)
• 4 cups sliced ripe bananas

1. In a small bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat together the sweetened condensed milk and water until well combined, about 1 minute. Add the pudding mix and beat well, about 2 minutes more. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight, before continuing. It is very important to allow the proper amount of time for the pudding mixture to set.
2. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the pudding mixture into the whipped cream until well blended and no streaks of pudding remain.
3. To assemble the dessert, select a large, wide bowl (preferably glass) with a 4-5-quart capacity. Arrange one-third of the wafers to cover the bottom of the bowl, overlapping if necessary, then one-third of the bananas and one-third of the pudding. Repeat the layering twice more, garnishing with additional wafers or wafer crumbs on the top layer of the pudding. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours - or up to 8 hours, but no longer! - before serving.