Welcome Summer

I'm glad you're here, summer. I'm glad I got to celebrate your arrival this weekend. Quite the festivities.

1. Teahan applications are done and mailed!
2. business clothes shopping adventures with Whitney, including the biggest Forever 21 we've ever seen... and new perfume
3. tie dying with Kylie...we're pretty rad and pretty pro tie dyers4. there's nothing better than the Special Olympics, baseball and snowcones. We cheered the Richfield Jazzies on to their gold medal win and loved every minute of it. They were the sweetest people I've ever met

5. Harry Potter bananagrams
6. Sunday afternoons on the grass, soaking up the sun and enjoying a good book
7. Memorial Day ward breakfast, Park City trip with the Barlow Girls, complete with a picnic, shopping trip and the human elastic game. people thought we were crazy.On my run tonight I saw American flags, kids eating popsicles and a couple setting up their barbaque from the box.
Welcome, Summer. It's about time you got here.

spike does it best

whenever people ask me what to do in DC, near the top of my list is to get a toasted marshmallow shake at Good Stuff Eatery on Capitol Hill. It is divine, like drinking toasted marshmallows. Probs one of my favorite things about DC.(sure, this picture is incredibly unattractive. but see the joy? that's what Good Stuff does. also, the shake)

Well, yesterday my roommates and I decided to test out Chef Spike's official recipe (he was on Top Chef--he's legit). It wasn't as good as the Good Stuff shakes, but it was pretty good for homemade. Well done, Spike. And thanks, Rachel Ray.

• One 1-pound bag jumbo marshmallows
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups vanilla ice cream
• 1 tablespoon sour cream

1. Preheat the broiler. On a foil-lined baking sheet, place half of the marshmallows in a single layer; broil until charred, 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. Place the remaining marshmallows on the sheet and roast just until toasted, 2 minutes; let cool.

2. In a blender, mix the milk, ice cream, sour cream and charred marshmallows. Serve topped with the toasted marshmallows.

(p.s. Spike just opened "We the Pizza" next door to Good Stuff. I know where I'm going when I'm back in DC in October)

flashback

exactly one year ago today, I was arriving in Guatemala for the trip of a lifetime. that night, we were driving lost through Guatemala City in the dark, stumbling across drunk mariachi bands and not sure where we were going to end up. tierra divina.

Guatemala was an adventure, and so often I am so grateful for how things worked out and that we were able to go, meet the people, experience the culture, and help them in any way we could. though I'm pretty sure I learned more from them. especially when I passed out in the field and they gave me some tico.today I am celebrating with black bean salad and some spanglish.

thanks for the memories, Guate.

mother nature...I'm not a fan

I promise this isn't a dwelling blog, but...

I spent last night with some Barlow boys, reminiscing about DC for a class project. We all ended the night ready to get on the next plane and head back. I was so ready to be back here... ...and would have kept those feelings inside and gotten over it, until I woke up to this...

Snow. lots of it. on May 24th. It was not a happy Monday morning.

life update picture post.

recent spring adventures...hiked Squaw Peak with the ward last Saturday. super steep through the snow and mud almost put me off hiking, but it was a beautiful day and the view was amazing. the run down the mountain wasn't bad either.Ashley and I have deemed ourselves the "Flava Felons" with the goal of trying all the frozen yogurt places in Provo and blogging about them (it's a work in progress). Rebekah came to visit and we tried a new place (good, but not our favorite)We had old roommate k/craft night. lots of kraft, not lots of crafts but lots of laughter and fun. plus cynthia, who took the picture.Then I sprained my wrist in a fight with a cougar.


...or my roommate Brittany had to practice taping for her athletic training class.
but the first story is better.

dear little blog,

I am so sorry I forgot your birthday yesterday, but I was a little pre-occupied with my fruit and veg diet (something I gave up around 7 last night).

But can you believe it's really been two years of blogging?
We've come so far in the past two years and had some great adventures. Remember when we busted a laptop thief or when I got bangs? I'm still sorry for leaving you for the media fast. In the past year, we've gone some pretty cool places, from Guatemala to San Diego to Las Vegas to Washington, DC. And of course, home.

From the mundane to the adventurous, thanks for sticking by side as my trusty, online companion.

I don't know where the next two years will take us, but I'm sure it will be blog-able.

so, happy two-year blog-iversary to you. and me.

keep it real,
michelle

fruit out my ears

In a fit of insanity around midnight last night, maybe due to the way too many peanut butter bars I ate, I decided to do a body detox. (somewhat reputable) websites say its a good thing, and Rachel did it last year, so it can't be that bad. The plan? eat only fruits and veggies for 3 days to cleanse my body of all the crap I eat.

Today was day 1.

8:00am: I woke up, ate a banana and walked to the store, spent buying out the produce section. pack-muled it home. There are now two huge bowls of fruits and veggies on the counter. My roommates applaud my healthiness. This feels good.

10:30am: I go to work, where my boss offers me trailmix. I politely say no. I can totally do this!

12:30pm: I eat (somewhat frozen) mango chunks for lunch. Not the best mango, but manageable

3:10pm: I go get an all-fruit pomegranate strawberry smoothie at Jamba. My entire walk back to work, all I can think about is how badly I want a piece of toast. Only 2.5 more days of this.

5:30pm: I come home, actually have time to make dinner, but eat another banana and some 100% organic grapefruit juice (I hope that's ok) instead. My eyes momentarily feel like they will fall out of their sockets, but it passes. I can do hard things. fruits and vegetables are my friend, and the internet says I will be rejuvenated and refreshed if I stick this out.

oh boy.

true age

some people in class this week told me I act like I'm 24, but guess my real age to be 20.
Flattering? I think so.
However, internet tests reveal my true age to be a teenager. And we all know how accurate Internet tests are.

But for real, I may or may not act my age. In fact, I may be a middle aged woman.

I wear cardigans as much as possible
I don't prefer loud car music
I drive slow
I call people "honey" and "dear"
I shun immature people
I am going blind and could possibly have arthritis

should I take up knitting or raising cats? perhaps.

wise words.
i'm working on it

the women in my life...

I think Uncle Jesse says it best:

My darling mother is the best lady I know.

Everyone loves my mom because she is so kind and works with so many types of people. From our neighborhood association to her book club, she is always making other people happy.

She is adventurous and outdoorsy. She loves riding her bike to work and working in her gardens (yes, she has more than one).

She is awesome at Guitar Hero, obviously. She is so much fun!

She has an incredibly strong testimony and shares it everyday through her actions and great attitude. She is always looking out for everyone and taking care of everyone in our family who needs help. In the last few months, she has selflessly flown all over the country to help so many people in our family whenever they need it.

She is the best mom and an awesome example to my sisters and me. She and my dad have always given us the guidance and support we need, but the freedom to learn who we are and be independent.She plans awesome family gatherings, like this one. She is the best grandma and is always doing cute things for her grandkids. She is a wonderful friend and is so good at listening!
I love you, Mom!My sisters are also amazing mothers and great examples. Once they were pregnant at the same time (hence the picture). Their lives aren't easy, but they always have such positive attitudes and have shown me how to raise a strong family and have a great testimony.My grandmas are also incredible.
Grandma Treasure makes everyone feel like the most important person. Everything thinks they are her favorite grandchild, but we all really know its me. She gives great care packages and get super into playing games. Grandma T is the sweetest lady, but the most competitive grum player there is!Grandma Balzaretti is always doing something for other people. She loves her grandkids and great-grandkids and is always thinking of things for them. Grandma B is facing a tough fight with cancer, but has been a trooper through it all. I got to spend a week with her and Grandpa a few weeks ago, and she is still thinking about others and worrying about her lovely garden. Get better soon grandma, we are praying for you!

"Motherhood is near to divinity. it is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels.”

-Gordon B. Hinckley

Happy Mother's Day!

i am ironman

saw Iron Man 2 last night. it was good, not as great as the first, but still action-packed and entertaining.
Today, I am wishing I had my very own Jarvis personal electronic system to read me my political philosophy textbook. Reading Machiavelli in my head with Paul Betany's English accent will have to suffice.

party pooper

story time.
slightly disgusting.
names have not been changed to protect the guilty...I want everyone to know who they are.

today was cinco de mayo.
tonight, dear ashley and I go looking for our ward's cinco de mayo party, but it was m.i.a., so we headed over to matthew's apartment, but by the time we found out he wasn't home, it was too late to make a quick exit.
His (somewhat creepy) roommates asked if we wanted to see they chickens. we were intrigued. who grows chickens in a provo apartment? well, these guys do, in a big plastic bin on their balcony. for the eggs, they said. two birds, one month old--Buttercup and Titus. Roommate #2 asked if I wanted to hold a chicken. Intrigued and wanting to commune with nature, I picked up a bird (Titus, the more dominant of the two). Its beak was super close to my face, and there might have been some freaking out involved, but I held the bird for quite some time. I thought we bonded, but apparently not.
All of the sudden, I look down and am covered in chicken poop. honestly, probably chicken diarrhea. The grossest thing I have ever smelled and way too much from a small bird.
All down my shirt, my new tan skirt and on my feet.
sick nasty.
Ashley left, doubled over in laughter, and I took toilet paper from creepy roommate #1 to "clean up the chunks" as he put it, before running home to soak my clothes.
I think its safe to say matthew can come visit us from now on. Even now as I type, the smell of chicken poop still haunts my memory.

I might not ever be the same.
but it gives a new mean to the phrase "party pooper"

in which I am a runner...

I'm trying to be a runner.
In DC, I ran to the White House every night. In Provo, I run sometimes.
Now I have a goal:
Heck no, not the marathon, but the Utah Valley 5k. Sure, it's only 3.1 miles, but it's something to work towards. My roommates (2 of whom are on the track team) + other "I want to be a runner" friends are doing it. and not just for the free tshirt, though it's a perk.

If you'll be in Provo on June 12th, come join.

and the good news is I think I'm getting that runner's high thing. Tonight at the indoor track, I just couldn't stop running and ended up doing 2 more laps after when I told myself I would stop.
what is happening to me?

happy sabbath

good (cold) weekend.

today I am grateful for rainy day runs, public libraries, great roommates, the Barlow family, new wards, karate kicks, testimony meeting, sample picture frame families, and new callings.

speaking of new callings, I am on the friendship committee. Somehow it morphed into the Cookie Monster for friendship, then "F is for friendship" and now we have been talking in cookie monster voices all day. quite delightful. so, on this unseasonably cold Sunday, I am grateful for this as well:

on crafting

my new apartment is bland. lovely, but bland. kind of like an asylum. (on the plus side, it's 6 minutes from the door of my apartment to my desk at work. score. and my roommate are lovely)

so I decided to channel my inner crafter and follow Martha's lead to make tissue paper pom poms. Easy to make and fun, even if my roommate Ashley said it feels like we live underwater. They do kind of resemble sea anemones, but I promise they look better in real life than these pictures.
Next project: something for the walls!