Day 17: Imagination Time!

A PICTURE OF SOMETHING THAT HAS MADE A HUGE IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE RECENTLY

I've been promoted. My company doesn't allow pictures to be taken, and where I work doesn't need to be on here. So imagine a picture of lots and lots of children's books. Then imagine more children's books. I'm in charge of all that.

Sure I could pick something else, but there really hasn't been any other major changes in my life recently.

Day 16: Little Sister

A PICTURE OF SOMEONE WHO INSPIRES YOU

She inspires me to be a better role model.

She just got her learner's permit! My sister's driving now! Ahhhh!

Promotion!

I got the kid's lead position at my store! I'm so excited! A raise, full time hours, benefits and more to do to keep me busy at work!!!

*happy dance*

Day 15: Italy

A PICTURE OF SOMETHING YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE

I want to go to Italy. All the pictures I see are just beautiful. I want to see it with my own eyes. Steve just wants to go because of Assassin's Creed 2. Haha.

Day 14: Never Imagine

A PICTURE OF SOMEONE YOU COULD NEVER IMAGINE YOUR LIFE WITHOUT

Day 13: Music

A PICTURE OF YOUR FAVORITE BAND OR MUSICAL ARTIST

I don't have a favorite. My taste in music ranges from week to week. I just love music.

Day 12: Love

A PICTURE OF SOMETHING YOU LOVE

Real couples in love - where divorce was never an option, even before they started thinking about getting married.

Day 11: Hate

A PICTURE OF SOMETHING YOU HATE

Puppy Mills

Day 10: MM

A PICTURE OF THE PERSON YOU DO THE MOST MESSED UP THINGS WITH

Day 9: Steven

A PICTURE OF THE PERSON WHO HAS GOTTEN YOU THROUGH THE MOST

Day 8: Laughter

A PICTURE THAT MAKES YOU LAUGH

This is my CC back in 2005. She's such a crazy girl. I have many pictures of her that just make me laugh. I love her to pieces.

Day 7: The Letter "K"

A PICTURE OF YOUR MOST TREASURED ITEM

It's one of the letters from the bookstore I worked at in South Dakota. We each took a letter instead of throwing them away and signed them.

Even though I treasure it, I wouldn't think to grab it in a fire. Although I have a plan of what I would grab. I'd grab Jasmine (the cat) and Steve would grab my external hard drive (without the cords - they can be replaced) and our folder of important documents. The hard drive because I keep all of our photos on there. And there's no replacing those... And the folder because it's hard to get a replacement birth certificate if you have no ID. And you can't get an ID without your birth certificate. So it's a must too. We really need to invest in one of those fire proof box things.

Day 6: Olivia Wilde

A PICTURE OF A PERSON YOU'D LOVE TO TRADE PLACES WITH FOR A DAY

I would LOVE to see Hugh Laurie in action. Going from his bubbly, British self to a grumpy American.

Also, Olivia's just hot. Who wouldn't want to be her?

Day 5: Engaged!

A PICTURE OF YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY

The day we got engaged.

Day 4: AFV and Applebee's

A PICTURE OF YOUR NIGHT

America's Funniest Home Videos, and Applebee's to go with my husband.

Day 3: Vampire Diaries

A PICTURE OF THE CAST FROM YOUR FAVORITE SHOW

Day 2: Close Friends

A PICTURE OF YOU AND THE PERSON YOU HAVE BEEN CLOSE WITH FOR THE LONGEST

MM and Me. We've been BFF for 12.5 years. (Taken in 2006)

60 day picture challenge, day 1

It's a facebook thing, but I decided to make it a blog thing. :)

A PICTURE OF YOURSELF WITH 15 FACTS

1. I'm a terrible writer, but I have a blog anyway.

2. I think I'm the most boring person I know.

3. I sleep 9 hours a day because I'm always so tired.

4. I started running with my husband and hurt my foot. It made me limp for 2 weeks.

5. I'm now scared to run, but I still want to become a runner.

6. I love math. I hated accounting.

7. Cruelty to animals makes me hate human kind more than cruelty to others.

8. I like fairies.

9. I hate cooking, but love the result (the food) and the fact that I made it.

10. When I get new pens/pencils, I have to try them right away! Even when I have nothing important to write.

11. I wish I saw more of my husband.

12. I only sing and dance when I'm by myself.

13. I love dyeing my hair, but I think my natural hair color looks best on me.

14. I only listen to pop music.

15. I'm going to become a photographer. Of people, but certainly not in a studio (gag) and not events either. More senior pics, engagement photos, and the like.

Shredded Apricot Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 cup Apricot Preserves
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon red pepper
1 (3-4 pound) boneless pork top loin roast, trimmed of fat
1/4 cup cold water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
10 to 12 sesame or onion rolls, toasted

1. Combine preserves, brown sugar, barbecue sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and red pepper in small bowl. Place pork in slow cooker. Pour apricot mixture over roast. Cover, cook on LOW, 8 to 9 hours.

2. Transfer pork to cutting board, cool slightly. Shred pork into coarse shreds using two forks. Let cooking liquid stand 5 minutes to allow fat to rise. Skim fat.

3. Blend water, cornstarch, ginger, salt and pepper until smooth. Whisk cornstarch mixture into cooking liquid. Cook, uncovered on HIGH 15 to 30 minutes, or until thickened. Return shredded pork to slow cooker, mix well. Serve on rolls.

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Sometimes I use apricot preserves, but sometimes I mix it up with others. While my family was here, I found an apricot pineapple mix that was delicious! I also use whatever brown sugar I have, not necessarily dark.

As soon as you take the pork out, turn the crock pot on high. It takes a while to heat up that much. I also don't use fresh ginger, I use less ground ginger.

Enjoy! It's super duper delicious!!!

A Week With My Family

Why do you all keep checking my blog??? I've been busy!!!

Because I've been busy... that means you have something to read about now! Aren't you lucky?

My parents and sister arrived Monday night and so we went to meet them at the airport. Steve ended up in the wrong lane and so we actually had to exit the airport and reenter. Haha!

On Tuesday, Steve went to take his ASVAB while my family and I went to Souper Salad. After, we stopped by Staples so CC could see them! She was working though so she couldn't really talk. I invited her to dinner the next day instead! Speaking of dinner, my parents didn't know that I had such good recipes! They loved my pulled pork sandwiches!

Wednesday, we took my sister to see one of her friends and they decided to go rock climbing. While they did that, my parents, Steve and I went to a little cafe/huge gift shop. We were able to talk a little about the things we don't get to talk about in front of my little sister, and I thought that was good. :) 4:00 came around and we needed to head back to get my little sister. I discovered that the school next door was where one of my high school teachers now worked, and so while the girls finished up their rock climbing, Steve and I snuck away to say hello to him really quick. We ended up being late to meet CC at my apartment. Of course, with my dad, we're late to EVERY thing. We went to The Mayan in Sandy even though it's like an hour away, because my parents like how unique it is and we'd only been there once before when they lived in Utah.

Thursday we went shopping in the snow. My parents kept wanting to buy us stuff. It was kind of annoying really, but only because I knew they had spent a bunch to fly out here and get a rental car. Mostly I just felt bad. I did let them buy us some groceries, though. After shopping, my little sister wanted to meet up with her other friend who used to be our neighbor. So we picked her up and went to the mall for an hour. My parents dropped me and Steve off at our apartment to cook dinner while they dropped off her friend at home. After dinner we played some Rummy and my step-mom made Strawberry Shortcake for dessert. Yum! Afterwards, my little sister wanted some more milk, and so she poured herself some. I asked her to get me some too and while she did, my dad drank her milk. She sat back down and moved her now empty glass out of the way so she could play her cards and didn't notice. Only after she was done with her turn, and went to take a drink, did she notice that her milk was gone. The whole time, my family and I are trying not to laugh. So when she finally noticed, we all burst out laughing. I haven't laughed that hard in so long. My eyes were watering. The whole week was full of laughter and I had such a blast. I really miss my family!

Friday, we drove up to Boise to see our old friends from when we were stationed there. PT was my babysitter, and then my little sister's too. We went to dinner with the whole crew and then hung around their house talking for a couple hours before going to our hotel.

Saturday, the night before Steve and I went to bed around midnight, and then after 5:30 kept getting woken up by all the people slamming their doors! Finally I just got up at 7:30 to get ready for the day. My step-mom and PT wanted to go shopping alone, and so we went to the house to meet with RT and RYT. We ended up going to the mall for something to do. My dad and RT split off from the four of us, and then my little sister and I split off from Steve and RYT to go look at girl stuff while they looked at video games and boy stuff. Later, we all met up at the Cheesecake Factory to have lunch and, of course, get cheesecake. We drove back to Utah and didn't bother with dinner, we were so stuffed from lunch. I did take them to my bookstore though, bought them some books and introduced some of my co-workers to them.

Sunday, they got a late start. Once they came over, they used our workout room and I took my sister to the mall to see if we could get a swim suit top for her. Once we were all back, we just hung around the apartment, had lunch, watched Vampire Diaries (except Steve and my dad), watched Hoarders because it's just one of those weird fascinating shows, and then had dinner with smoothies for dessert. We also played Rummy until they had to leave. Their flight left at like 1AM and so they left here at 10 ish. I was super sad to see them go. I have a wonderful family and I really do miss them.

Fingers crossed that Steve's first orders could be Virginia. A girl can dream.

Round and Round We Go