Goodness is something you don't have to chase because it's following you

I LOVE Vanessa Carlton. Her song A Thousand Miles inspired me to go out and meet my wonderful amazing husband!!! But this song is so amazingly beautiful. I wanted to be a dancer when I was younger. In fact I would dance up in my room all the time. When I hear this song I wish I could dance. I wish I was a ballerina so I could express what this song makes me feel. Her lyrics and meanings are so beautiful and deep (in all her songs generally) "To all you broken hearted lovers lost, go find another one." "Love comes back around again, It's a carousel, my friend" 

Cupcake Bouquets

I try to be creative. I started scrapbooking, which I think is really fun. But I LOVE cooking! I really love spending hours in the kitchen and creating beautiful food! Plate presentation is huge and I love making my food look pretty. I am going to a FACS conference- I can't wait! and one of the classes was on making cupcake bouquets. So I looked it up and I watched a youtube video and decided I wanted to try this out! I must say my first attempt was successful, but that doesn't mean I won't make improvements. I hope to make more of these until I perfect it :) I used a cream cheese frosting- delicious, but I might try another frosting. Any suggestions? Anyway, I'll continue to post my attempts at pretty food. At some point I will try cake pops! They look so cute, but I don't have a steady enough hand to intricately decorate something so small. Oh and I would totally make and sell these if anyone's interested :)

FLORIDA

I feel lame when I read all my friend's blogs because I don't blog. I just don't feel like my life is that interesting to anyone besides myself.


There are a bunch of funny demotivators and comics about blogging but I relate to this one most.

Anyway, I thought I'd write about our trip to Florida

We left on a Saturday and made it to our hotel and got food and went to bed. Then Sunday we went to church and then walked on the beach with a random couple we met at church also on vacation. Our condo was nice, it had a screened in patio. Please notice that the screen is transparent. It seems our neighbors across the way didn't realize this and walked around without articles of clothing. This was the only day we went out on our patio.

Monday we went to Universal Studios where I was finally able to go to Hogwarts and drink Butterbeer!! I was in Heaven!!! There weren't very many people so we walked right onto all the rides- it was fantastic!

  the sweet Hulk ride

The rest of the trip was spent in the Disney World Parks. Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Magic Kingdom. We spent Thursday in bed because Dave was really sick. It was nice to have a day just to relax though. We had a great time!!

Meals with the Paynes

Chicken Alfredo-Marinara Pizza

Frozen pizza and strawberry or chocolate milk

Garlic-Basil Pasta with tomatoes and cucumbers and poppyseed dressing.

Eggs fried in bacon grease, bacon, peaches, and toast!

Eating David's french toast is like eating a piece of heaven

Pretzels and Cream Cheese Frosting--- AMAZING

Pork Chops with Avacoda, pees, and pasta

Parmesan Chicken and noodles with green beans

Payne Pet Peeves

I thought it would be a good idea to put up a post warning the world of what will drive us Paynes up the wall. I definitely have a lot more than David, I just can't think of them all right now. Enjoy

David's

Chewing with mouth open.
"I don't want to hear what you're eating!"

Slurping.
Aimee- "Oh shoot, I slurp all the time!" (said jokingly)

David- "Yes, yes you do."

Aimee- "What do I slurp?" (said curiously)

David- "Your soup, your cereal, apples..."

Girls wearing flip-flops in the winter
"Did you wake up and leave your brain on your pillow?"

Professors who only read what's on the slide
"I am very capable of reading myself, thank you. If I wanted to be read to I would have gone to story time."

Aimee

"Are you ready?" "Yeah, I just need to..."
THEN YOU'RE NOT READY.

Girls that get married in the TEMPLE then post pictures of their honeymoon and they're wearing a bikini.
You know better.

My computer.
Everything about it.

"THAT" kid.
You know, the one who challenges everything the teacher says. He finishes the tests in 7 minutes (really, we timed him). He always has a dictionary answer... Seriously? Go on a date.

Avica Design

If you've been to my apartment, you may have noticed the giant monkey swinging on our wall! Well, this wonderful monkey on canvas is actually a photograph taken by my wonderful husband David! He then photoshopped it using a special effect and then he printed it on canvas. He built the frame and stretched the canvas all himself! He has connections to print pretty inexpensively on canvas. Here are just a few of his pictures, he has TONS! All sorts or animals and even a few pics of trains. If you are interested in ordering, let us know! Pricing depends on the size of print. He will stretch it for you. Also available if you have a picture you want on canvas, e-mail it to us and he will touch it up and then print and stretch on canvas!

Happiness

What is happiness? Well to me,

HAPPINESS IS...

Your brother asking you to come watch his race

Your niece wrapping her arms around your neck tightly in a hug

Running down the street with a bandana over your face and big sunglasses while your best friend takes pictures of the whole thing

Standing on people’s doorsteps with a plate of cookies in your hands and a traffic cone on your head

Your nephew telling you that your mismatched socks, “aren’t pretty.”

When a cute RM winks at you during church

Chicken pot pie and a brownie for dinner

Your dad hugging you

Watching your pregnant sister come home with cute clothes for her daughter

A baby falling asleep in your arms

Rain

The puppy jumping all over the two-year-old

Running into the person you like unexpectedly

A fun ringtone

Your two-year-old nephew making a book mark for his cousin and holding her hand while doing it

Quiet Sunday afternoons

The warm fuzzy pink bedspread your mom bought just for you

David's blue eyes

Getting two letters on the same day from your best friends

Getting an unexpected check in the mail

Hearing an apology from someone who days earlier announced his hatred towards you

Protective big brothers

Watching your niece point to your picture and say your name (her version of it at least)

Calling your sister who lives half a country away and talking for hours about anything and everything

Quoting Brian Regan, Tarzan, and Emperor’s New Groove

Taking funny pictures and making movies with your younger brother

Watching a baby cry when his older brother walks away

Pictures drawn especially for you by your nephew

A Gingerbread house made into a church

Wearing your dad’s horribly ugly sweater from the 70’s

Going to the DI just to buy the ugliest clothes you can find

Hand-me-downs from Grandma

Finally sewing something that looks decent

A few hours with a just the sewing machine and your mom

A pink and black backpack with your initial on it

Daydreams

Waking up to thunder and falling back asleep to the rain hitting the roof

Painting your nieces nails

The high after a long run

Getting over something/someone that has been bothering you

A pretty flower

Boxes filled with your childhood artwork and poetry

A scarf for every day of the month

Good smelling shampoo

Clear skies

A grandmother’s cooking

A homemade UGLY sweater

A good grade on a test you studied hard for

Cool autumn nights

Laughing with the bishop’s wife

Sitting down at the piano and being able to play a song you haven’t attempted in a few years

A clean, bright room

Laughing until your side hurts

Your Mom matching her plate

Spraying a good smelling air freshener

A good hair day

A cute hat

Waking up before your alarm feeling happy and refreshed

Putting together photo albums

Singing at the top of your lungs along with the radio

Karaoke with your little brother or sister who has bronchitis

Spinning around in circles in the rain

Dad’s waffles

Seeing someone help another person

A warm coat in the winter

The smell of freshly cut dewy grass on a summer morning

Swinging

Playing on the teeter-totters when you’re over the age of 6

Hearing a cute love song

A smile that won’t go away