Creepy Decorations at Michaels Crafts

I was shopping the other day at Michaels Crafts for glue and ribbon for a gift that I was making someone, when I came across this amazing, creepy, slightly strange- Halloween decoration.
I was totally creeped out by it at first, but the longer I looked at it the more I like it. I want to buy 2 of them and make them talk to each other. If I was the wreath making type, I would nestle them into a fall leaf and twig wreath and then, every time I saw them perched there, this is the conversation that I would assume they were having.

"Buzzie: Hey, Flaps, what we gonna do?
Flaps: I don't know. What you wanna do?
Buzzie: I don't know, what you wanna do?
Flaps: I don't know, what you wanna do?
Buzzie: So what we gonna do?
Flaps: I don't know. Hey, now don't start *that* again!"

Ten cool points of you know what I am referencing here. ;)

Red Rock, Bellagio Garden & Ethel M's Adventure With Dad

In early January of 2012, my dad came to visit for a few days. One of the many adventures we had was driving up to Red Rock, just west of Las Vegas, to take a look around, look at the petroglyphs, and to see the beautiful bright red rock piled on top of the white sandstone.


I know that  my dad doesnt really like the parts of Las Vegas that most people like, but I knew that he would like the Musical Bellagio founatins and the Bellagio Gardens.  He really liked the unique fall display they had up.



The day of my dads flight we stopped by the Ethel M's chocolate factory and cactus garden. We had a free sample and then got a chocolate/carmel covered apple to share while we walked around the cactus garden.

Romney Rally 2012

MITT ROMNEY

I have no idea why this didn't get posted right after I did this, but.... here it is. Only a few months later :)

Back a few months ago I was made aware of the fact that Mitt Romney was going to be making an appearance at a shipping center in South West Las Vegas. I was talking about my attendance with my visiting teacher when she told me that she was actually working for the company that was setting up the event. She then told me that if I ended up going to let her know and that she would try and get me into the back room after the rally to possibly meet Mitt.

After the Rally I made my way over to the edge of the room where she was able to let me into the back room. There were several Las Vegas Republican leaders with their families and then me. Mitt finally came back and spoke a few words and then we were all able to go up and meet he and Ann. I met Ann first, she asked me about myself and what my name was, then she turned and introduced me to Mitt; relaying all of the information that she had just learned about me to him. He asked me about being a teacher in Las Vegas and what my job is like in this economy as well as the challenges we are facing in education. We spoke for a few minutes longer then took a few pictures and then said farewell.

It was so AWESOME!!!!

Paris Convention Center

So awhile ago, Amie and I decided that we wanted to have more adventures. We were hanging out at the Paris when my roommate Shanna took us on a behind the scenes look at the Paris Convention Center. Amie danced and cartwheeled in a massive empty ballroom. Can you say that you have danced inside a giant empty ballroom? We also took in a few songs at The Dueling Piano Bar located inside the Paris Casino.

The Girls Are Back In Town! - Aug 2012

Roommate Reunion August 2012

 We made a pact during this reunion. "If no one gets married in the next 5 years, thus pulling us together for that celebration. The next reunion time that must happen, with no excuses is in 2017 - 5 years from now."

  Hopefully we wont have to wait that long to see each other again!

The weekend started with a meeting at Ikea with lunch and a stroll around the store. Always love seeing the new styles and ways  to organize and the new color combinations. Followed by heading over to BreAna's house where we spent the next few hours catching up and visiting while we waited for Amy to get off work and join us. Alton came home from work and then proved to us how amazing he is. Without anything being said he made us all smoothies.  Such a sweet guy! Then after a few more hours of talking and laughing we decided that we needed real food and we drove over to Cafe Rio for dinner. So yummy!

Pam watching BreAna's girls while we got pedicures.
Krystal and BreAna got theirs first and then Leslie and I.

After our pedicures at the Aveda salon school we were all craving some yummy Arctic Circle.  Yukon Gold fries, fry sauce, delicious shakes, and ranch burgers. I would have a problem if I lived near a Arctic Circle.  Good thing the closest one is about 2 hours away. While we ate, an employee came over and gave BreAna's girls a courtesy cone - little baby cones for free. How fun!

After lunch we went and walked around the Provo Mall, BreAna and her girls went on a ride on the train around the mall while Leslie shopped for Mormon girl clothes - apparently they are hard to find in Albuquerque.

This group of girls will always be so special to me.

Posing by the creek inside City Creek and inside a really fun store.

L-R Merika, Leslie, Pam, BreAna, Amy and Krystal.

City Creek is a really cool place, I can only imagine the construction mess it was to create. The end result is beautiful. This is just a taste of that it really holds.

These girls are so amazing, I really feel like they have become such awe inspiring women.
BreAna is such a good mom and wife. Seeing her with her girls... she is super mom! I love how dedicated to family she is. She is still one of the most beautiful people I have ever known, inside and out. Her husband Alton really puts the bar high for amazing husbands.
Pam is so strong, she has really blossomed into a fantastic person, over coming challenges, taking risks and making differences in the lives of the kids she meets and teaches. I am so glad that she has put up with all of us for so long. She may have been better than us all.
Amy is just as kind and funny as ever, I really look at her and see an amazing joyful brilliant girl who some guy is missing out on. I am so glad she stuck with me after my freshman year together. I know I am not the easiest person to live with and she put up with me the longest.
Leslie is so classy, so put together, this girl has style in spades! I love the care and concern she holds for all the things and people in her life. I really feel like Leslie is so kind and good. I can't remember a time that she spoke a mean word to someone.
Krystal is fantastic. I am not sure I have ever had a friend who has known me and my struggles like this girl has. I think that we have had some similar struggles and that is a huge part of why she gets me like so few do. The second night in the hotel, we were all tired and I am so thankful that she stayed up with me and talked, listened to me cry and told me about how she overcame some of her own struggles. her stories gave me a little bit of strength and the support that I needed. I hope that Krystal sees in herself, the person that we all see in her. Strength, intelligence, woman of God,kind and most likely the funniest person I know.

After walking around City Creek we decided that with the SLC Temple was closed the next closest was the South Jordan Temple. We drove over and then the girls all went in for a session. We were able to grab someone coming out of the temple to take a picture of us. I chose to use my time reading, grabbing a snack, perusing facebook and taking a short nap. The nap was really needed! I had a very difficult time sleeping during the first night in the hotel.

 After the temple we met over at the Cheesecake Factory a few miles away. It was the perfect end to a perfect weekend. We ate, chatted, laughed, smiled, bonded, and then shared some amazing cheesecake.

I could not ask for better friends than these!

"See You Later"... "Goodbye is Unnaceptable."

Saying "See you later!" because Goodbye is unnacceptable! This is my best friend Staci. She is so amazing and over the course of our friendship she has been able to get me to open up like few ever do.  I dont cry, like really cry very often, and very rarely in the presence of others. In the words of Anne of Green Gables, we are "bosom buddies". This summer she got a new job back in Kansas and in a span of 2 weeks she accepted it and packed her house and was moving. She is such a go getter! I wish I could be more like her. She sees a chance at happiness and she takes it!
We went out to Lindo Michochan on DI and Eastern for the farewell lunch with a few girl friends; Ginger, Melissa, and Amie. The waiters sang to her in the tune of "Happy Birthday to You", it turned into "Con-grat-u-lations to you." Then they gave her a free shot of Tequila and churros with carmel sauce. So Yummy!
After lunch she told me that she really needed a picture with the back of the vegas sign where is says "Thank you for Visiting" and then we saw this cool mural and decided that she needed a picture in front of it.

STACI YOU ARE MISSED!!!

Happy Birthday at work to Me!... And 18 others.

This was the email and the picture of the cake that was served to observe all the teachers/staff August birthdays.

"The birthday cake arrived. I would like to apologize to those who came down during first lunch, and the cake had not arrived. Apparently, they thought they had until noon to finish. Who knew lunch could occur at 10:54 a.m.? It also took longer than expected to list all 19 names.

Again, happy birthday to all the August babies."

While I was down getting my piece of cake I was told by the principal that me and a co-worker are the only adults in the whole school who have the same birthday. As interesting as that is, what I find funny is who the birthday twin is... Dave! The guy who I have been assigned to mentor/whip into shape! He is super flirty, I just laugh off his flirts.

I feel like my birthday is kind of rare, Dave is only the 3rd person I have ever known to share my birthday. The others are Tara D. From Lancaster, and the second to the youngest in the Busath clan from Elk Grove.
How strange is that!?