the holidays 2011 :)

now that fall semester 2011 has finally come to an end,

i am currently back in draper with the family for the holidays :)

it was so nice to come home to a real christmas tree instead of having to to stare at the dinky and unlit excuse of a tree in my apartment. 

and as much as i hate living in the state which claims the greatest snow on earth,

i'm actually surprising myself by wishing for at least a bit of snowfall come christmas morning.

it would seem that i may never want to leave this quaint draper home.

however,

next week i will be leaving for a few days to a faraway land i've never visited before.
a land vast with evergreens, wannabe mountains, and football crazed fans.

it's a surprise though for a certain someone,

so i can't say much for fear of whispering readers ;)

you'll find out soon enough though!!
 should be exciting :)
xoxo.

you know it's finals week when..

is it really any surprise that i have a comprehensive exam tomorrow morning at 8 am,

and for the past 3-4 hours i have found literally every excuse to not study, like..at all?

negatory.

however, i have been productive in a few other departments over the past couple of long, and grueling hours..

shall we go in order of occurrence?

• spent some needed quality time with myself in the shower, razoring away at already shaved legs and wasting Dove conditioner (which i now am out of and have to buy).
• grocery shop with money i actually do not currently have
  (so long debit account..)
• engorge myself in the fbook as well as the adorable puppy videos that happen to grace the top of my news feed.
• successfully remove all existing nail polish, and proceed to repaint both my fingernails and toenails, complete with a sparkly top coat as well as a rapid dry top coat.
• text the boyfriend for some helpful tips on motivation.

i think it's safe to say i haven't been studying for this final..

so here i sit,

freshly showered and with a stomach gorged on cheap tortilla chips and spinach dip that i really shouldn't have bought,
exhausting my last effort before the last 4-5 hour (tops) crackdown,
followed by a good two hours of useless sleep.

so, if you happen to be one of those sad excuses of a college student,
 who we all know is quietly suffering alone in your apartment, dreading what you know you really can't avoid any longer,

here's a little something to distract you for a good 59 seconds.

omggaaaaawwwwshhhhh so cuuuuute :)))

okay. now get back to work.

wishmeluck! <3

xoxo.

imma be under the mistletoeee ;)

the biebs seems to know what he's talking about these days.

good for him.

now push play and scroll.

feel free to adore this blossoming romance. 

he even lets me dress him in uggo sweaters.

it really is the most wonderful time of the year :)

xoxo <3

jff (aka. just for fun.)

this is what i look like today.

i am so bored.

funny how i have nothing interesting to blog about?

i'm listening to john mayer on repeat.

am i avoiding homework?

it's possible. 

i bet you thought that was interesting enough.

i'll provide a better update soon.

also thanksgiving is coming up.

so in the spirit of thanksgiving,

i present to you my good friends.

i'll be spending turkey day with these little buggers :)

it's gonna be a good time i just know it.

xoxo.

this song, this is for you.

so there's this guy that's increeeedibly talented,

and his name is shawn.

we wrote a song together and webcammed the shit out of it.

i look like a nervous wreck.

but he looks like a cutie hahahah :)
so check him out!

ENJOY.

xoxoxo.

fall break as the vibrant sees it.

fall break calls for exciting and silly times.

allow yourself to be consumed for a moment by a few as-of-late pictures if your noggin is yearning for a bit of a mariss-update.

just a few things i did this week :)

spent some quality time with these guys :)

i drove through and around all sorts of rainbows on a little road trip to Logan :)

homemade caramel apples with the best friend. 

maggie moo's ice cream with the chummet.
just as good i remember it being the day i quit 3 years ago :)

wasting away days with the booboo <3

& attending "classy" parties :)

but the best part had to be visiting with very much missed and loved friends :))

looking forward to the next few days and more good times.

dedications:
to the danish boys i've missed so very much:
i just know i will revert back to as sad as i was when you left last time.
it won't be pretty.
so just stay :)

xoxoxo.

if you're a bird, i'm a bird.

everything about this past week has been

bat shit crazy.

the nice thing about college is that each and every direction you turn,

another life lesson awaits your nervous arrival.

however, this week i learned a few not-so-nice life lessons.

shit always seems to hit the fan.

...

and in case you were wondering, 

i've spent the last few hours weeping over the notebook,

and throughout the next few days i think i'll soak myself in some nickel creek.

they somehow always seem to cheer me up when i'm lost in the pitiful depths.

on a lighter note:

the new season of ghost adventures premiered this week :)

holla!

xoxo.

a new chapter.

literally,

a new chapter.

i pledged a sorority this week,

and by new chapter, i mean,

the newest sorority at the university of utah,

which actually is called a chapter.
a new one.

you may be wondering which sorority it is that i'm speaking of?

well.

it's alpha phi :)

pretty stoked.

also weirded out.

never thought i'd be the girl to get into that.

but take a look for yourself.

that's me on the right. 

by the alpha phi letters.

in an alpha phi v-neck.

with my new "sisters".

(a.k.a. roomies.)

...

i'll always be a kappa sig girl at heart,

and i will always be their dickless pledge..

but this could be kind of cool too.

;)

xoxoxo.

part of me hopes my mother doesn't read this.

i'm pretty darn sure of what i'm getting for my next tattoo.

it's gonna be beautiful.

i may have ripped off one of my long-time friends by stealing the inspiration she used for her first tattoo,

but i have a feeling she won't mind. 

i refuse to disclose any further details,

however,

if you happen to follow me on pinterest you might get a little teaser.

in the meantime, i'll give you a hint.

(a.k.a. the inspiration.)

-Psalm 118:5-

"In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he answered by setting me free."

xoxo.

just thought you should know,

that my favorite holiday is just around the corner.

the first day of september is when the decorating begins. 

and costume shopping?

get excited.

xoxo.

because i'm egotistical like that.

you will notice some pretty sassy photos of myself in the heading.

yeah.. i know i look good.

and just for your liking,

i have one or two more photos i'd like to share:

this here is my dear friend cade.
i don't believe i've ever mentioned cade on the bloggity,
but we have recently become quite close.
this is us at the Bright Eyes concert :)
i do love him!

this is katie :)
she was my baking assistant at one point in time on the bloggity.
it was her birthday yesterday :)
holla!

and i know your ears are longing to hear something truly lovely,
so don't worry.
i've provided that little something that will surely vibrate your tympanic membrane.
(part of your inner ear.. get your mind out of the gutter.)

i'm currently working my way through learning this by ear on le piano,
because as it turns out,
you can't purchase the sheet music in this country..

it's a bitch,

but ain't it a beauty?

xoxoxo.

the power went out tonight.

so now i live in an apartment. 

it's a good time.

except for the fact that you could say my room,
which really isn't a room,
is actually a sauna.

lucky for me they make fans for that sort of thing.

and just in case you were wondering,

i've noticed that this kitchen hasn't experienced the baking sensation yet.

i'll be getting on that shortly.

xoxo.

already?

hello fall semester!

i start school again tomorrow.

college round two.

this is how i feel about it.

on a brighter note, 

this is my new backpack!

no more insults from random college-goers.

i have a feeling this backpack might improve my self-esteem,

not destroy it.

one more thing.

the other day, this girl took some pictures of me.

my oh my.

she's a lovely lady and boy, is she talented.

follow miss alex saxton's photography blog here and set up an appointment.

i know she would just love to take your picture.

xoxo.

just thought i'd show off.

my latest baking experiments were a complete success.

this is what i like to call show and tell time.

creamy caprese pasta.
you could say this was a hit.

and these babies?

peach cupcakes with brown sugar-cream cheese frosting.
hellz yeah.

i wish i could say i can completely take credit for both of these insanely delicious recipes,

but alas,

i cannot.

however, if interested, you can find them

here & here.

i seriously recommend giving these suckers a shot.

i found them well worth the long hours in la cocina.

(aka. the kitchen.)

-brushing up on espanol via blog post is never a bad idea in my opinion-

now for the juicy bid-ness.

as mentioned a few previous posts ago,

i made a comment about a certain thing involving something along the lines of a man.

and i realize i promised updates.

so as promised,

update #1: ?

...

i think that about covers it.

xoxo.

fixed.

FINALLY.

this will have to do :)

xoxoxoxoxox.

dedications:

to Jesus: thank you for patience. <3

oh that's weird.

so i decided i'm tired of gagging myself every time i look at my incredibly boring/ugly/permanently screwed up blog,

and that i should just get on with my life.
don't get me wrong, i still hate it.

& i am doing everything i can to possibly figure out where i went wrong and what the hell button i pushed.

however,

there are more important things to be discussed.

for example,

boys.

and by boys, i mean men.

obviously.

i must be discreet,

because a smart blogger is discreet about such things.

but can i just say dayum?

like really.

hello sir.

and that's about all i can say about that.

but do not fear that unfulfilled suspense is in your future,

(if you give a damn about what i talk about)

but i will give updates.

discreet ones obviously.

but seriously,

i have to stop talking about this now.

in other news:

i am having a blasty blast this summer in case you were wondering.

work is work.

but the funny thing about work is that after the work is done,

magic money suddenly appears in your checking account.

so that's pretty awesome.

just got paid tonight.

probably spend it on some furniture because i am

MOVING!

into a condo on foothill with my buds in about dos semanas :)

(two weeks for you non-espanol speakers.)

 you could say i'm stoked.

anyhow,

i had a lovely evening at one of the many twilight series concerts this evening.

(not the book/movie. get your head on straight.)

but these concerts are the bomb.

not only because they're free,

but because they feature bands i have never even heard of in my life.

and then i fall in love with them.

so i guess you could say this summer truly has been a romantic one thus far.

i'll post some pics soon :)

but not now.
xoxo.

umm ew.

so today i destroyed my blog.

my bad.

i'm working on it..

sorry for the ugly.

xoxo.

that one place i love.

as mentioned previously,

i recently returned from nearly two weeks in the lovely cabo san lucas.

you could say it was a good time.

i swam with dolphins, went snorkeling & jet-skiing, and went on a fun little dinner cruise.

and for all those times in between,

i was treated with ocean playing, pool lounging, swedish massages (ikea, holla!)

and the hot, mexican sun tanning my pasty, winter body.

also, my cute little ex-roomie kenzie came, 

so that was really just awesome of her to do that :)

it was a really grand time. 

also, if you're ever looking for a confidence boost, 

mexico is the place to be.

i had so many boyfriends.

it's really unfortunate that none of them spoke english,

and even though i weirdly gave them my email

(they asked for it, i'm really not that self-centered i swear)

they never ended up adding me on the fbook..

so now here i sit back in my cozy draper home,

with flaky, once-bronzed skin that now suffers from the lack of humidity.

and i have returned to my fun little ikea job,

with more hours than i had when i left.

but my puppies were stoked to see me.

so that was neat :)

anyhowz, here are some pictorals from the beachy vaca.

i will be returning soon.

my boyfs must miss me terribly..

csl.

aka.

cabo san lucas.

i just got back from 12 days of magical tanning and beachy activities.

i will do an update of the trip asap,

but seeing as i am actually somewhat popular with the friends

(for reasons which i am unsure)

they would like to see me after my lengthy hiatus.

so deets later ;)

xoxo.

i cinnybun, you cinnybun,

and now,

we all cinnybun.

(say hello to my special assistant katie!)

if you frequent my blog,

you may have seen this.

and you may have been wondering how to create those tasty looking

cinnamon roll things.

i don't blame you.

they're fkkin delicious.

well would you like to know a secret?

i bet you would.

which is why i am about to share the recipe with you.
so have a happy few hours in the kitchen,
and impress all your friends and fam with your cinnybuns.
it's so worth it.

ENJOII.
-----
this recipe requires a few things.

if you choose to make your own dough

you're going to need:

- 1/2 cup warm water

- 1/2 cup warm milk

- 1 egg, beaten

- 1/3 cup butter (softened)

- 1/3 cup white sugar

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 3 3/4 cups flour

- 1 pkg. yeast

 &

one of these babies.

a.k.a. a bread machine. 

if there is no way in hell you're making your own dough,

or if you just don't have the necessities, 

you can use 1 loaf frozen white bread dough, thawed.

for the filling your going to need:

- 1 cup of brown sugar

- 1 tablespoon of cinnamon

- 2/3 stick of butter

and for the icing you're going to need:

- 1 cup powdered sugar

-1/3 cup cream cheese

- 1 teaspoon vanilla

- pinch of cinnamon

let's get started :)

dough:

- put all dough ingredients in bread machine in order listed.

- after you've done that, select dough cycle & press start.

this will take most likely a little over an hour to let the dough knead and rise, 

so in the meantime, continue with steps below to make filling and icing.

filling:

in a bowl, mix together cinnamon and brown sugar.

i chose to use nutmeg in mine as well :)

after you're done mixing, set aside.

if you choose to use nutmeg, mix in about a tablespoon with the brown sugar and cinnamon.

icing:

in a medium-sized bowl, 

combine powdered sugar, cream cheese, vanilla, and cinnamon,

and mix together until creamy. 

set aside.

when the dough has finished rising,

preheat oven to 100 degrees,

and sprinkle counter-top with flour and place dough on it for rolling out.

roll out dough to about a 15x7 inch rectangle. 

spread butter over dough, and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar-(nutmeg) mixture.

pat the filling down onto the dough firmly. 

roll up the dough tightly from long edge like a jelly roll! :)

cut into one-inch slices and place in buttered pan.

cover with saran wrap and place in preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes or until rolls double in size.

remove rolls from oven,

and bump up the heat to 400 degrees.

place rolls back in oven for about 10-15 minutes,

or until golden on top. 

when rolls are finished, 

let cool for about 20 minutes, 

and then while still warm 

frost rolls with your already prepared icing.

the end result is an ooey-gooey, warm & chewy sensation that you may just have to have seconds of..

or thirds..

.....or fourths.

 ....or fifths.

xoxo.

dedications:

to kevin: this one is for you. oven mitts and all. 

<3

say hello to your kitchen's newest addition.

ME.

i went on a baking rampage today.

i guess that's what happens when you work 3 days a week,

and all your friends are unavailable for one reason or another.

however, 

no one in this family is complaining.

because my latest hobby took over my life this evening,

and the end products were quite tasty to say the least.

a little something called pumpkin pie bars.

and these little suckers in the oven are called oatmeal cranberry white chocolate chunk cookies. 

and yes.
they are delicious.
all 24 of them.

so maybe i'm a baking machine.
but we're okay with that.

coming to a kitchen near you.

xoxo.

me and you.

taner and i finally did a song together.
gosh i sure do love him.

just call me chef miller.

so i've been baking a lot lately.

i couldn't tell you why,

but for some odd reason, i've recently decided i am the next iron chef,

or cupcake wars champ,

or some other food network up-and-comer.

these days, 

i'm operating my own in-home bistro, pastry shop &
 up-scale restaurant. 

i've suddenly got this urge to spend all of my time in the kitchen and on stumbleupon hunting for new recipes to add to my ever-growing collection of favorites.

not to say that every one of my food creations has exceeded expectations

(the chili gruel concoction i whipped up the other night was less than okay)

but for the most part,

i must say i am quite impressed with myself. 

for example,

the other night mother and i made homemade cinny buns.

(and just so you know they were DAMN good.)

and if you were to ask me if we made our own bread, i would say
heeeelz yea we did!

so check it out.

absolute perfection.

and because i like showing off so much,

here are a few of my other successes. 

so you should look at them.

bre and i made these the other day.
i can't take all the credit because that would be cruel considering how delish they were.

steamed asparagus.
who cares if it makes your pee smell funky?
uhh yeah. not me.

so i like food and i like making food.

have i put on 10 lbs in the past 3-4 days?

maybe.

IN OTHER NEWS:

GUESS WHO'S HIRED BITCHES?!

HEJ!!

(that means 'hello' in swedish, aka the native language relative to my new place of work.)

i'm bi-lingual and bi-cultural now.

get on my level.

xoxo.