Potential Shrine Photos

I noticed a startling trend in my parent's home last Christmas. All of the kids in my family have multiple photos in my parent's house...except for me. I think it's a hazard of being single and in your late twenties. The younger kids, the sister on a mission, and the three marrieds all have photos up - and the grandchild...well, suffice it to say she's represented. My Mother offered to put more photos up of me...a shrine if you will to her lovely daughter Erica. I have a few photos that I think might be good candidates (see below). Let me know what you think.








**Okay, so I might be exaggerating and I do have equal representation at home... :)

Boys With Initiative

This post is dedicated to all those boys out there who take initiative in asking out girls. You are my heroes! Today I got a surprise call from a guy at church who I had chatted with at the opening social a few weeks ago. He asked if I wanted to go for a drive to enjoy the fall leaves. We took a drive up the Alpine Loop and went to Cascade Springs. It was so amazingly gorgeous. Now is the time to go check out the leaves!! I had a great time with the boy, **b, and it felt really comfortable and great. **b is 1 1/2 years younger than me...not sure if that will be an issue for him or not, but I was just stoked to be asked out on a date!

Another guy who showed initiative was Mr. Vanilla Ice (see photo in prior post...he's cuter without the wig :) ). He came over and sat down by me during the dance at the Mid-Singles Conference and stayed by my side the rest of the night, he invited me to the after party (where he again stayed by my side for 2 hours), he stayed by my side during church, dinner, and the fireside, and he even called me that night (after the conference) and asked me to stay another day in California so we could hang out...pretty dreamy!! Let's hear it for the boys!

Vanilla Ice and the Gang

Last weekend I attended a Mid-Singles Conference in the Bay Area of California. It was a great excuse to take a vacation and see my grandparents and a college friend. I had a wonderful time! Driving wasn't too terrible (thank you GPS) and I didn't hit very bad traffic. Also, the place where I stayed in Santa Cruz was totally beautiful and fun...and also on the beach! Great views, but not very good waves. Mental note - do not plan on boogie boarding in Santa Cruz...you will just be disappointed!!

They had a dance Saturday night and did this whole red carpet event where some people dressed up like stars (i.e. Vanilla Ice, Cher, Lady Gaga, Elton John, Michael Jackson, Hulk Hogan, Bjork with her fowl dress, etc.) and there were multiple photographers who took photos of everyone. They then posted the pictures online. It was really a fun idea. Here's a shot of me, my friend Brittany, some other people at the conference and some of the stars!


Vanilla Ice actually came and talked to me that night. We hung out for the rest of that night and also at the after party from 1:30 am - 3:30 am. More on that later!

I'm Baaaaaaaaack!

Well, after a five month hiatus I'm officially back. It's the season premier of my blog, if you will! :) I recently took a trip to California (more on that later) and a friend of mine mentioned that she liked to keep up with other people's blogs to see what is happening in their life. I too enjoy reading my friend's blogs to see what's going on in their life, so I thought maybe I should update my blog in case any one was wondering what I've been up to. Stay tuned to see what I've been up to!

Who Needs 30 Days?

A New Thirty Day Challenge

I've had a wonderful birthday! A weekend long celebration, lots of fun movies, breakfast made by my roomies, gorgeous flowers, swimming with my cutie petootie niece, pizza from Papa John's, steak by Alisa, funfetti cake with rainbow chip frosting from the roomies...who could ask for anything more. The only downside was a nice breeze I received today on my backside...my favorite pair of capri jeans S-P-L-I-T in the back. Luckily I didn't notice until I was practically home...however some folks at Wal-Mart may have gotten a pretty funny posterior view. So the new 30 day challenge...let's see how many old clothes Erica can fit into (you know, the skinny clothes). Wish me luck! Hopefully there will be less of me to love after the next 30 days! :)

Thirty Day Challenge

My hair is about as straight as a board...what a tired simile. Let's try this again. My hair is about as straight as the horizon in the desert with no mountains...hmmm, not much better but you get the idea. (What cool things are straight?) So for the show I'm in right now (shameless plug - come see it Mon, Fri, or Sat through Mar 21st at the Springville Playhouse at 50 S Main Street), I have to pull off a 40's do. So I use my cheap-o curlers and lots of Redken Spray Starch (best stuff EVER) and get the following...



The director thinks my hair is darling and has now told me that I must wear it like this all the time! She's convinced that it might even lead to a marriage proposal for me. She's a little at the end of her rope where I am concerned...she directed me in a show where I was the only female cast member and there were four single guys in it and I still couldn't make something work. I told Mo the other day that I would take a 30 day challenge. I'll wear my hair like this for 30 days and see if I can get a husband. What do you think...is that what I've been missing all these years. :)

This one's for you, America!

So during tough economic times often a paradox will result where individuals do what's in their best interest (save) instead of doing what is in the best interest of the national economy (spend). Because no one is spending, the government has to spend to help pull the economy out of recession. I heard Warren Buffet spends when people are saving and saves when people are spending...I like that strategy, but I think I took it a little too far today. I took my care in to Sav-Mor auto in Orem to have them investigate some funny noises my car was making. Turns out the back right wheel bearing had to be replaced and the clutch had to be replaced. I felt like a very generous individual today contributing $1300 towards my local economy. And I thought to myself as I plunked down my credit card*, "America...This one's for you!"


*I would like to have it known that I pay off my credit card each month when I remember to pay the bill...I've only forgotten once in my life. :) Unfortunately, Sav-Mor didn't take American Express - a pity! I would have liked to have gotten some cash back on that charge!!

Just Say No!

I'm speechless...I can't think of anything to preface this video clip with...it's just amazingly funny. Enjoy!

Best Beauty Find Ever

Ladies, thanks to my roomies I've discovered the beauty find of the century! Cover Girl's plastic mascara brushes are DIVINE! One of my pet peeves regarding mascara is the way it just clumps up your lashes and looks gross. I've tried the "jiggle" trick (jiggle the brush as you apply the mascara), but it just doesn't seem to work.

I'm totally in love with the plastic wands - they seriously work wonders when it comes to mascara. They don't extend my lashes quite as much as the L'Oreal mascara, but I'm willing to take shorter lashes that aren't clumpy. :) Now if I could just figure out a way to take it off easily I'd be perfectly happy...

Establishing Priorities

Last Sunday, the idea came to me to live my life according to my priorities, instead of living life according to what is urgent or fun. I'm such a procrastinator, that often I miss out on the most important things because I'm frantically focusing on the urgent things or so exhausted from my last minute rush that I am recuperating by doing "fun" things. I came across a great talk by Elder Ballard (an Apostle in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) entitled "Keeping Life's Demands in Balance" (April 1987 Conference Talk). He gives eight great suggestions for achieving balance in life. As I was searching for information on priorities, I came across a talk by Elder Oaks (also an Apostle) entitled "Focus and Priorities" (April 2001 Conference Talk). I like the emphasis this talk places on "focus" and I'm looking forward to reading what Elder Oaks has to say about "priorities." Here's to a more efficient and effective life in 2009!

Disney Land - Here I Come!!

Recently I found out about a cool contest KOSY 106.5 is having for the month of January. You can enter as many times a day as you want and they pick a new winner every week day and call them at 7 am to tell them they won a trip to Disney Land! A three day hopper ticket for 4 people and two night's stay at a hotel. (You have to get down there yourself, but it's not too far...) I LOVE Disney Land and the idea of getting a trip for free (AND getting to stay right there at the park) is very tempting.

So how do you win? Simple! All you have to do is click on all the rides on the Disney Land map (of Magic Kingdom and California Adventure) until you find Fisher and Peggy (the DJ's of KOSY's morning show). A little hint for all those interested....Fisher and Peggy are at the Ghost House (in New Orleans Square). Feel free to go log in and start trying to win. All I ask is...YOU MUST TAKE ME WITH YOU!!!!!!!