beauty pagents and sugar consumption.

Hey team! :) So, I want everyone to be proud. I made a REAL dinner today. Trust me, it doesn't happen that often...if ever, so today is a real milestone in our lives. What did I decide to make? They are called chicken -rollups. It involves an 8oz. thing of cream cheese, a can of cream of chicken, chicken cut up into cubes (which I did so well, even though Aaron told me that in the future "cubing" chicken shouldn't take 15-20 minutes, that in reality it is a 2 minute tops job...grrrrr), and croissant rolls. Mix it together and what do ya got? deliciousness in every bite.

Seriously, Aaron can attest, whenever I do spend the effort making something REAL, it NEVER works or tastes right or it burns...or something. Then I am left upset crying into a sink full of a million dishes! So, today...my friends, a real victory was won. If nothing else, I am totally full of pride. :)

Now, I am going to give you this link. I worry in some ways, I'm not trying to make fun of this Miss Teen Contestant from South Carolina, it is just the saddest thing. Truly, as I was watching it, my heart broke for her. It was so awkward and sad, yet a tinsy bit funny at the same time.

Hmmm....with that said, see for yourself. Aaron found it and showed it to me a few minutes ago. And, you know, with all new and interesting things I find, I love to pass it along to ya'll. Let me know what you think, okay? good.

Also, another tidbit I just found out from Aaron...In colonial times, sugar consumption for americans was 2lbs. a year. Guess what it is now? 3 lbs a week!!!!

What do I have to say to that? Pass me those left over chocolate chip cookies and let me finish that bowl of Fruity Pebbles!

this is me, updating our blog.

well, I took a look in my history book and realized, wow, I haven't posted for a long time. Even more, I haven't checked my email in a few days. What is going on? Is this Melissa-esque? I think not. Weird. Sorry team. I guess I am becoming that word...hmmm...what is it? oh, busy. Sheesh. Lo siento (for all my non-bi-lingual friends, that means "I'm sorry" in spanish).

what's new? why am I not making time for these normal "essentials" in my life? :) well, the fact that Seminary starts Monday (dom dom dommmm---can you picture me saying/singing that?). The fact that I'm heading over to the new store (for those of you who don't know the ins and outs of my life, I have been working at a stationery store as their graphic designer for the last year, and the owner is opening up a new store and I get to go and be there in a brand new space and be the graphic designer over there). This next week we are going to be unpacking boxes, organizing and literally, "setting up shop". And then, just life. You know? Sometimes it can get crazy in a "blink of an eye". (i feel like I am using so many colloquial-isms today).

I mean, it is 5:40 a.m. right this minute. I have been awake since 4:37 a.m. Don't feel bad, I don't. Actually, it is kind of nice being up so early and being able to do whatever I want, because normally, I would be asleep. It's just one of those times where you wake up because you have so much going on in your mind. I'm sure you've experienced the same thing. It's a nice thing to use the brain more than I normally do. :)

Anyway, I just wanted to drop a few lines. Say, "hey!" and apologize that it has been a while. I know what it's like to click on the blog link and say, "Come on, update your page already!"

Before I leave, I wanted to give a personal SHOUT OUT to Adam, Aaron's brother. He just got home on Thursday from Brasil (they spell it that way down in South America, so I should too). :) Even though I was asleep when Aaron was talking to him and the rest of the family that night (mind you it was 8:45 ish p.m.---see I told you that I'm not normal right now), I am so glad that he is home and the Wood family is complete for a minute. So, Bienvenidos Adam! That is in spanish, not portuguese, sorry...but it's all I know. :)

aNtS!!!!!

eww. so, you want to hear a sick story? I'm sure you are saying to yourself, "Yes, please." ok, i'll tell.

So, it was about 2:00 this afternoon and I was typing via Google Chat to Aaron at school. He was telling me that he was bored in class, and I was telling him about all of the billions of things I've been scanning into my computer.

I told him, "Huh, I guess I haven't eaten lunch yet." (is that even a word? "eaten") We both agreed that I should go eat. Nuff said.

Not!

So, I go to grab my usual for when I'm home and not working, my big bottle of Pace Picante salsa from costco and then the big 3 lb. bag of tortilla strips (also from my favorite store, costco). Today, I decide to get a little gutsy with my sandwich, so instead of pulling out the usual mayo and lettuce, I grab the ranch dressing instead. I know, gutsy, but it was just one of those adventurous days. So, I do that, add cheese and turkey and put it in our toaster oven. Nuff said, right? Wrong!

As I am sitting down at the kitchen table with "Return to Me" on in the family room, I start eating my chips and salsa. Alls well, until I feel a little "tickle wickle" on my hand. I look down at my wrist to see a little black ant. "Huh?" I thought to myself. "How on earth did a little black ant get up here, did climb all the way up my body?" and then I look at my plate!!!!!

CHIPS COVERED IN ANTS!!!!! I was so into the movie and my normal routine that I didn't even LOOK to see what I was shoving in my mouth! WHAT?! EWWW SICK! I notice I have a weird after-taste in my mouth and I think to myself, "How many disgusting ants did I just swallow!?!??!??!"

gag. gag. gag. sick sick sick!

So, I look inside the bag of chips...TONS of ants crawling around inside! Then to my horror, I look at the bottom of my pantry and see even more crawling on some cans of food, my beloved 3 gallon vat of Hawaiian Soy Sauce, and other food stuff. Eww.

So, I chucked a few things in a big black trash bag, including a brand-new-never-opened box of Honey Bunches of Oats...Aaron said that I surely could have salvaged that...and that the bag is sealed inside, but I didn't want to open up the box and wipe off any more ants (see they were crawling out of the little seams of the box). EWWWWGHSHsh galskjgal;sdfkja;lsdjkf!!!!!

sick sick sick! just thinking of it all, makes me itch.

Was there a happy ending? Did I get to eat my delicious sandwich in the end? Well, I ate about three bites and had no appetite. So, I tossed my sandwich in the big black bag with the ants...hopefully they enjoyed it as their final meal....because promptly after I squired a bunch of RAID Ant Killer spray in there to kill those little punks.
Die ants, die.

no...we're not pregnant, are you???

the finished product. even washed too.

the infamous alamo that took entirely too long to stitch.

well, who knew that posting a few random blocks that I embroidered would create such a stir?! not I, folks, not I. I've received phone calls, emails and all sorts of funny comments, and for that, I have to snicker.

Here's the 411...One of my absolute favorite things to do in Utah is to buy more fabric.
Love it. Favorite.
Do you realize how many stores are dedicated to selling ONLY fabric? AND in Utah County alone...it is...well, absolutely wonderful.
My mom, becca, and lizbert (2 of my 3 sisters) were out and about one afternoon and found some clearance fabric at Broadbent's in Lehi (just off of main street). It is that cactus green fabric. So, because we all love a good deal, I bought 3 yards of it. I had some left over brown fabric from a quilt I had made for Kirstin (aaron's sister) and thought to myself, why not make another quilt! I have been making a bright (non flannel) quilt for our bed (try a king size...ahh! way in over my head) and I thought, why don't I practice the actual "quilting" part on this mini blanket before I ruin the one that I'm making for the big time bed. That was my intent. As you look closely, you will notice NO real quilting done. Darn. Yeah, I messed up in the cutting stage. So, I did the old standby "rag quilt".

But is it for a baby? yes.
Mine? Sure, whenever I have one.
Am I pregnant? Nope.
Are you? Let me know.
Should I give it to you? Maybe.
Will I? probably not.

ha! I took those pictures this morning on my front porch. Some of them look like the thread is almost glowing. I don't know why. I am thinking my flash might have been on. They aren't the greatest, but you get the idea. Oh, and don't you love our flag on our front porch? me too.

posted with love, from your non pregnant friend, melissa :)

roar...and other stuff

i have been really into drawing animals lately. Remember how I used to (I asked that question like you were there and remember with me--ok, you don't remember, but I do!)-- get so mad at Jesse (my brother) for making fun of me that I wanted to work at a pet store when I was older. He always would say, "Melissa, that is like saying that you want to work at a gas station when you grow up!" how rude! I thought it would be so cool to hold all the animals and play with them all day... FAST FORWARD to NOW --- I am soooooo not an animal person. Sure, I like the little puppy and tiny kitten to hold for a little bit, then I'm done. and, FYI, I hate HaTe hATe little rodents. eaqsah! Just the thought of them makes me cringe.

I think it is because I was a child of California earthquakes...the ground shifted and the mice came. It's like the song, "The Wise Man and the Foolish Man" tune... "the earth shook up and the mice came out, the earth shook up and the mice came out..." (i love primary). Seriously, it was awful. I remember going with my mom to Ace hardware and learning that ALL of the mouse traps were sold out...we had already been to the grocery store too...SOLD OUT! I remember we would be sitting around the dinner table or wherever and if you stopped to listen at any one time, you could hear several traps going off around our house!!!! agah! Just remembering it gets me sick to my tummy. :) gag. I am deathly afraid of all things that creep, scurry, crawl and scamper (take a time out = Babies crawl...they don't fall into the "hate" category).

Anyway, enough memoirs as to my disturbed childhood (it's not your fault, mom). I have been doing a lot with the computer and animal/bug drawings and stitching...so much so, that I have pulled out my wrist brace. yuck. I haven't really pulled it out since college.

So, here's what we've been up to lately...as in the last two days.

do you have any guesses as to what I might be making? Hmmm...I'll leave you to your guessing. I'll post the project as soon as I am finished...I think it will be done today.

Get excited. I am. Aaron is too.

Now, these cute kiddos are our neighbors. Well, AR-Jenni (I have NO idea how to spell his name, but that is the pronunciation) and TOE-mas (thomas with a Porto Rican accent) is his cousin that have just come to stay for a few months? indefinitely? But we LOVE our cute Porto Rican family next door. They are great! I practice my rusty rusty spanish with arjenni and he practices his english with me (he is really really good for only living here a little longer than a year!)...anyway, they are so cute. Every time they see me and I am coming home with groceries or whatever, they ask if they can help me carry stuff in. And then they give me hugs all the time (which, I am definitely not a "hug" kind of girl -never really have been, but they are just so cute). Here they are playing in the backyard. Aaron took some pictures. Yes, Arjenni is doing a back flip off of the ladder. Here's the play by play... don't worry, as soon as I know backflips were happening in the 3 foot pool, I put an end to that. How UNcool would it be for a broken neck, I ask? Nope, not on my watch. (yes, I am doctor).

oh, and if you haven't heard the new Colbie Caillat cd...get hearin' soon. (click on this link and you can listen to her songs on her website...left hand side). It is pure delightful. I love each song on the compact disc. True enjoyment. Thanks becca, you're the bomb.com.

lots of love to my peeps. adios. oh, and thanks for the birthday wishes. all ya'll were so nice. :)

24th year of life...ahh, memory lane

well, well, well...another birthday has come and gone. Yes, I am now 23. Can you believe it? Wowzas. I decided to take a quick stroll down memory lane. This above picture was taken in Hong Kong when we lived there. Now, they know how to do it right! Don't you love the yellow background? sheesh, me too.

remember how it is now cool to "pop your collar"? well, here is proof that I started the trend.

I just wanted to do a compare/contrast. Look at my face I made when I was four? And then compare it to last year's picture below. Hmmm...is this the same girl? I think so. (By the way, I LoVeD playing with barbie and ken---and look how cute lil' jesse boy looks in the background).

yep, same girl...20 years later.

Here's a picture from Aaron and I going out to eat yesterday night. It was great, we went to Pei Wei's and then to target for some more AwEsOmE basketball shorts (i'm a total baller now...ha!) And saw our friends there celebrating their anniversary. So, we all decided to go to Cold Stone to finish off the evening. (Actually they had planned on it and so had we! what luck!) It was delicious and really fun company. Then we came home and watched "Music and Lyrics"---pretty cute. I LoVe the song from it. Then fell asleep. It was a good day.

We also had some fun tonight (sunday)...it was a party and a half with my favorite Costco "Great American Chocolate Cake" that I have been craving for MONTHS AND MONTHS. It was really fun, I'll post some more pictures and fun stuff later, skaters.