Painting Kate

Delicious Salad

My mom and I improvised this delicious fruit salad yesterday. Extremely simple. Mangoes, halved grapes and an avocado. Topped off with poppyseed dressing. It was scrumptious. It would be tasty with a little chicken and mayonaise on a sandwich.

What Would i Do Without Nail Polish?

Happy National Sucker Day

There's a sucker born every minute!

Magical Moment 20:07 20.07.2007

Today Friday, July 20, 2007 would have a magic time at sharp 20:07 when your Date+Month, Year, and the time would all be 2 0 0 7. Yes, this would happen this year only today, and this happening is said to be very lucky for new deals, starting up something, buying new things and more. It would show ... 20:07 20.07.2007 ... which is believed to be a magic moment. If you remember the 07.07.07 magic moment earlier this month, you can relate to this very easily.So, set yourself an alarm and set your time in 24 HR digital format along with dates on your watch or cellphones to enjoy the one minute which would show this magic moment. That would make it 8:07 pm... right?

Today is the First Day...

This commercial is so freakin hilarious. I laugh out loud every time I see it.

Wisdom from Eleanor

"Do one thing every day that scares you." - Eleanor Roosevelt

Snevy

Sean got his mission call! Sacramento, California. What a great place to go on a mission Sean. Here's the catch.....Cambodian speaking! What a thrill. Congratulations Sean! The mission was made for you.

The World's Game

Last summer, during the World Cup, I read the most amazing article in National Geographic about soccer, The World's Game. It was about how soccer is the most popular sport in nearly every single country on the globe--except the United States. The "beautiful game" that unites and divides countries around the globe. Soccer rules the world. And we're the only ones who think that statement is absurd. In my lifetime and culture, soccer is somewhat looked down upon. Sad. Well, as you've probably heard, the U.S. Men's Soccer Team has just added a new member: David Beckham-- the ever-handsome, married to Posh-Spice, best soccer player to ever live. This is a ploy to get Americans to fall in love with the romance of soccer as the rest of the world has been for centuries. I'm excited for it.

{UPDATE: I heard a piece on NPR this morning about the Beckhams moving to L.A. Apparently, the L.A. soccer team is not happy about Beckham joining the team. He is injured and won't even be able to play in the first (sold out) game. His team members wished they had someone younger and more able. Beckham told a story about how he walked into the locker room for the first time and introduced himself. Then one team member said "What's your name?" to what NPR called the best, most famous athlete of all time. Despite his jaw-dropping good looks and his wife's new reality TV show on VH1, he seems SO down to earth. The british accent helps a lot too.}

Adorable House of the Week

This house is adorable. It is located on 100 South in St. George. It resembles the feel of all the Historic District homes, but has a modern touch as well. I love the red doors & shutters; always a welcoming choice. The trees that surround it are the best part, however. The house would not be so adorable without them.

{If you follow Oh Happy Day, this may look familiar to you. I am doing a spin off of her Affordable House of the Week. I cater to my own needs!}

Diamonds...A Girl's Best Friend?

I have been raised to always question diamonds. Since early childhood, my mom has impressed upon all her daughters to seriously question whether to get a diamond at engagement and marriage. Alternatively, she suggests turquoise or rubies, or something else. There is a lot that is up in the air about blood diamonds and conflict diamonds. I once questioned the owner of Sierra West in Draper about them. He gave me such a phony salesman answer that turned me away from diamonds further. A good friend now works at Morgan Jewelers and we've chatted about conflict diamonds on several occasions.
I've always assumed the worst and believed that only a small portion of diamonds were conflict free. I did some research today and this is not so. Here's what I found.

What are Conflict Diamonds?
Conflict diamonds are diamonds illegally traded to fund conflict in war-torn areas, particularly in central and western Africa; diamonds used to fund military action in opposition to those governments These diamonds are sometimes referred to as "blood diamonds."

While diamonds have been used to fund conflict, the problem is not the diamonds themselves but the rebels who exploit diamonds (along with other natural resources) to achieve their illicit goals. The vast majority of diamonds come from countries at peace. These countries have been able to invest the revenue from diamonds into the development of infrastructure, schools and hospitals for the good of the communities in which diamonds are found.

Today, more than 99% of the world's diamonds are now from conflict free sources and are officially traded under the UN mandated Kimberley Process


To Shopping Lovebirds

As a consumer, you should feel good about your diamond purchase. Ask your friends and family for recommendations to find a jeweler you can trust. Make sure that the jeweler is willing to spend time providing the information you need. A reputable jeweler should:
Only use suppliers who can provide a guarantee that their diamonds are from sources free of conflict
Have a conflict diamond policy
Be able to answer a customer's questions about the topic
Ask questions to get the assurance you need
Ask : How can I be sure that none of your jewelry contains conflict diamonds?
What is your company's policy on conflict diamonds?

Le Tour

The tour has officially started at our house. We (my dad) are pre-Lance, devoted tour watchers. The live stages occupy our only TV for 75% of the summer each year. It is such a beautiful sport. If you watch a sprint (especially uphill) for 5 minutes, you will see how unique and unusually difficult a sport it is. Riding a bike fast, uphill, and with less than two inches of personal space on either side!

SHeDAISY in Concert

SHeDAISY will be at the Dixie Sunbowl on Friday night, July 20th. I am so excited. First, I love them. They have a really unique style that is sometimes quite funny and also very true. They are also from Utah! Second, it was only about...23 months ago that I went to their last concert in the Sunbowl on my first date! It was so much fun. It was also the night of Homecoming and we ditched the dance and crashed the concert in our formal-wear. It was an undoubtedly memorable evening and I'm looking forward to it once more.

Photobooth Finder

You've all, I'm sure, seen this on Jordan's blog. But it reminded me of a post she did several months ago about Photobooths. Aren't they beautiful? There is a site (and a man) entirely devoted to finding every photobooth in the world. Check it out.

10 Reasons Why I Love My New Haircut

10. I didn't plan on cutting it. Abby just said, "What if we cut it?"
09. So easy and fast, of course!
08. Probably five people over the age of 65 have told me how "sheek" it is.
07. I feel like bursting out into "Thoroughly Modern Millie" every time I look in the mirror.
06. One of the most beautiful and my most favorite people ever did it. I trust her with my life.
05. It is more of a risk to have short hair.
04. It shows off my wardrobe so niceley.
03. Nice and cool.
02. This is gross, but...when I'm at the gym and it's in a pony, the sweat goes all the way to the ends of my hair. (I said it was gross.)
01. I want to cut it again!

Paris & Me

I was put on driving probation for 1 year. One little ticket too many....Everyone at work started calling me Paris Hilton and singing 'bad boys bad boys whatcha gonna do?' Paris and I truly have so much in common. We both are going to jail. We both are just sick of getting our picture taken.

Seeing a Pattern?

I've always thought these four people were really cute. But one of these things is not like the other. Top left...I went to middle school and high school with him. I always had a crush on him.

Back to Our Roots

The power outage in Washington County on Monday was the most fun I've had in a long time.
4:30 pm At the office, with slight warnings of light flickers, the power went completely out. An incessant beeping was coming from all 6 computers in the room. Everyone working marched out of the office and a patient with a propped up broken leg in a wheel chair shouted from a pitch black waiting room. We gave him pain meds and did our best to close out the day without electricity. On our way home, traffic was crazy. While people seemed panicked all the same, treating a busy stop-light intersection as a 4-way-stop is always a gracious reminder that we live in a wonderful place.
5:00 pm I returned home and called Megan, 10 miles away to find their power was out as well. We discussed the rurality of it all. Just as our ancient ancestors had done. 'Back to our roots,' Megan said.
7:00 pm I remained restless in the warm hours of the evening; discovering the breeze and sprinkle outside provided a cooler atmosphere than the previously air-conditioned indoors. We ate a cold dinner: delicious veggie wraps, along with watermelon and salad.
8:15 pm We found out our tickets for Cinderella at Tuachan would not be useful; the show was canceled for obvious reasons. I was surprisingly relieved. My inclination to enjoy irregular weather plays games with my moods.
9:00 pm I sprawled out in a plastic chair on my porch. The light was bright for such a time of night (read that aloud :).) To finish the final fifty pages of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. As I read the dark shocking ending, silver-dollar sized raindrops splattered inches from me. It was pouring within minutes, but only for minutes. And...power!


It seemed as though Mother Nature was reading right along with me. For as my tears wet the page, the rain wet the ground. And as the sun went down, the light came on.

I have not fully recovered from my strange evening.

Wisdom from Audrey

"There are certain shades of limelight that can wreck a girl's complexion." - Audrey Hepburn

Star Sighting

Today as I was pulling off of my street driving to work, I saw a Honda SUV model drive past containing a driver that looked very much like Kevin Nealon (you know the creepy, not-that-funny old guy from Saturday Night Live.) Well I turned after him and sure enough, California plates! I'm convinced it was him. He was wearing sunglasses and talking on a cell phone...how could it NOT be him?