Birthdays and Ski Breaks

I had another name for this post when I was first thinking about what I wanted to write about.  The original title was "So Many Birthdays.  So Little Time."  Then Monday happened and I was forced to change my title.

I went on a little road trip by myself to visit my really good friend Mjillie in Boise, Idaho.  Her birthday was on the 16th so I thought I would go up and say hi, maybe take her out for her (late) birthday or something.  Anyway, so the weekend went great, no speeding tickets on the way up (found a friend to tail who liked to go 90 mph the whole way), and none on the way back.  The way home however, was filled with a little bit of drama all on its own.  Keep in mind this is my first time ever DRIVING to Boise.  I always flew because it was cheaper.  Obviously not the case now-a-day!

I was driving along just great, making good time by finding more speed demon friends to tail, and then somehow I started noticing I was on a different interstate than I remember.  I knew I started out on I-84, but then I started noticing signs for I-86 toward Pocatello.  Apparently the road forked and I didn't notice that I went left, instead of veering right toward SLC.  Kinda started freaking out to myself a little and then saw a sign that said x-amount of miles toward SLC.  

I figured by the time I found a way to turn around and go back to figure out what I did wrong, I might as well just keep going since Mjillie di

dn't answer her phone to find out what I did.  When I told her about it, and said I had no idea what I did, all she could tell me was that I went left instead of right!  So I ended up cutting across the great state of Idaho, and then coming down, instead of just staying on the road which would have intersected I-15 and gotten me home in a much faster way.  About 45 min to an hour sooner than I actually did!  My Dad called me and asked where I was, and then told me he was done talking to me when he found out what I did and that I didn't realize how I had done it.  I guess he couldn't believe he had one of those stereotypical blondes for a daughter!!!

Should have turned here!!!

The thing that really sucked is I had to still go into work for an hour when actually made it home, and then turn around and drive back up to SLC for Shameonyou21's birthday!  The things I do for those I love!  Anyway, it was at The Cheesecake Factory and I was very excited, so I am sure that helped my reasoning along with the fact that I do love Shameonyou21 very much also, and she would hate me if I didn't make it to her party!

I was running late (had to leave work, go home and shower, and then pick up SuziQ to head up to dinner.  I have lived in Orem my entire life so you would think I would know how to navigate Geneva Road after all these years.  I was going from my apt. just south of the Pkwy, to just north of Center.  I was yacking on the phone to Mjillie and all the sudden noticed I am almost to 1600 North!!!  

I was apparently a very easily distracted driver yesterday.  It's no wonder I didn't kill myself or someone else!!!  I apologize to anyone who was on the road at all yesterday!  I will be MUCH BETTER...I PROMISE!!!

Anyway, dinner was great!  A great friend's birthday, great food, and a GREAT Cheesecake for dessert!  It was ALMOST a refreshing ending to a hectic and chaotic and very long day for me.  My restaurant luck continued with the computer crashing at the end of dinner last night, so it took them an hour to HAND WRITE our checks.  If someone would have said it would have taken an hour to do that many checks (6), we would have just put it on one tab, have someone pay for it, and settle up in the parking lot for crying out loud!

In the words of Idyllic Ideas, you all really should just "leave me in the car" when we go places!  All in all, it was a fun evening, and just to give you an idea of how FABULOUS their new flavor is in honor of the 30th anniversary...

30th Anniversary Chocolate Cake Cheesecake

Two layers of our Original Cheesecake and Two layers of our Creamy Chocolate Fudge Cake filled with Chocolate Cream and finished with Crunchy Pearls of Chocolate.

Happy Birthday Nats!

Today is my roommate/friend's birthday.  Happy Birthday Nats!  Anyway, Look what the One-Eyed Man in Park City helped me snag!  Another friend of mine and Nats (her name is Harper), went in on this bag together...let's just say it's a good thing that One-Eyed Man gets me stuff at wholesale!  Harper and I stayed up til almost 1 a.m. blowing up balloons and filling them up with helium.  (Harper bought a little helium tank in a party kit at Wally World).

We wanted to surprise Nats when she woke up this morning since today is the actual day, so we waited til she went to bed to start on things.  It was fun though, cause a balloon ended up popping and we totally thought Nats was going to come catch us in the act.  I guess she didn't even hear it!!!  Nats came in my room this morning after seeing everything and was so excited I thought she was going to hyperventilate!  I almost couldn't tell what she was most excited about, the bag or the logo on the bag!!!  Her next response was, "When we going golfing?" Turns out we might take work off and go to St. George next weekend!!!  Hooray!!!

More Goals...

I figured today of all days was an extra appropriate and good day to set some more goals. I have reached yet another year closer to that very bad day that mjillie and I decided today was going to give me a coronary. I realize I really do have things that I want to have accomplished in my life just in case that coronary actually does come 366 days from now (it is a leap year). I promised Kristen that I would for sure put this first one on my list, so my friend, that one is for you!!!

1. More Posts, More Often-I go through these phases of ginormously long posts, and then no posts. Another ginormously long post apologizing for being a bad girl, and promise to be better without any change. With or without anything profound to say, I WILL be better.
2. Being Debt Free-I almost have my car paid off, I have some student loans still, and I have a little bit of credit card debt (mostly from school). I hate seeing my money go down the tubes. I waste a lot with my own habits, don't get me wrong, I would just love to know what it feels like (for what will probably be the only time the rest of my life this will happen) to not have most of my paycheck every month sent to a thousand different places. I would actually like to have a savings account with more money in it than the required minimum. In my last post, I mentioned eating out less. I feel this will help me a tiny bit with my financial frenzy. I know it isn't the cure all, nor is there a cure all by any means. I will be smarter about my habits, but not so strict that I can't have fun.
3. Learn a New Trick/Hobby-I know that Jaime and Shameonyou21 are licking their chops right now hoping they mean scrapbooking of some sort. While that is a possibility, I may want to try something new. I have always wanted to learn to play the guitar, even though I have no sense of rhythm or musical ability. Heck, it could even just be something as dumb as a card trick! Obviously, I hope it might be more than that, but I want to try and better myself in any way possible. I would love some ideas on this as well!
   
4. Have Fun, and Laugh A Lot-My cruise is something that is getting me off on the right foot. Who knows if I will ever go on another cruise ever again in my life, who knows if I will even like it. All I know is that I am hoping this turns into one of those once in a lifetime vacations, that I will never forget. (It better with what it is costing me to go, that's for dang sure!) I have good friends, and we have had great times together. I love those times! This will only happen obviously if I don't lose touch with those I love. I promise to do all those things I love to do, and hopefully enjoy doing them with my good friends. Such things include games, movies, dinner, kicking either Kristeee's trash, or Birdees's trash at deathball, and cooking/baking for and with you all. Shameonyou21 and I occasionally get together for a fun night of making dinner, but she usually just goes behind me cleaning up my spills/messes all over. She comes up with new ideas (or even the old ones), and we help each other figure out how best to accomplish the meal successfully, with the least amount of food all over her stove or floor. It's a win win situation really! Even if it is piling a plate for Randoval a mile high with spaghetti enough for five! Road trips, or veg out times, or even getting a cold beverage in the summer, or getting a hot chocolate in the winter to simply have a free minute to catch up. I just don't want it miss out on even the dumb things that may not mean a lot at the time, but looking back and laughing and loving those times we spent I hope will stay with me forever!
5. Be More Spiritual-I am not going to elaborate too much on this, because I feel it is pretty self explanatory. It is the little things in this area that I find myself slipping in, and therefore not feeling as I think I should. The daily habits that are so hard to form, yet so easily broken must become more of a routine, or it will never work.
   

At the close of this "special" day in my 20th-something year, I'd like to say thanks to all the little people that have kept me going. Especially when I have my fun little ski-breaks like smacking myself in the face with my deathball racket! Maybe I need more help than is actually humanly possible afterall!