Dancer for Life

• I danced for a good portion of my childhood and LOVED IT!

• I cried for three days when my Mom pulled me out of Tap (because it was too hard on my knees.)

• I have a not-so-secret-anymore secret wish to be a Rockette.

• I fell in love with every dance movie I have ever seen the first time I watched it.

• After watching Burlesque I want to buy lingerie...and lots of it. (don't know what i'd do with it)

• If I hear music I walk to the beat.

• Every Christmas I wish I could dance at the Dickens Festival in Salt Lake again.

• The song "All I want for Christmas is You" makes me want to tap dance.

• Michael Jackson's "Jam" makes me want to have attitude.

• I make up choreography in my head to EVERY piece of music I hear.

• I remember pieces of a dance I did at Disneyland when I was in elementary school.

• I practice them in my head.

• That dance was to Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun."

• I still have my Tap and Jazz shoes that I haven't used in over five years.

• I put them on occasionally just to make sure they still fit.

• I found a dance studio in town that has adult classes.

• I'm going to observe a Jazz class tomorrow to decide whether or not I want to sign up.

• I want to sign up.

• I miss dance.

Life's Little Instructions

Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated - Watch a sunrise at least once a year - Never refuse homemade brownies - Plant a tree on your birthday - Learn three clean jokes - Return borrowed vehicles with the gas tank full - Compliment three people everyday - Sing in the shower - Keep it simple - Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them - Leave everything a little better than you found it - Think big thoughts but relish in small pleasures - Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know - Never leave the toilet seat in the up position - Floss your teeth - Ask for a raise when you fell like you've earned it - Be forgiving of yourself and others - Overtip waitresses - Say "thank you" and "please" a lot - Buy whatever kids are selling on tables in their front yards - Wear polished shoes - Avoid negative people - Remember other people's birthday's - Commit yourself to constant improvement - Carry jumper cables in your trunk - Have a firm handshake - Send lots of Valentine's Card. Sign them, "Someone who thinks you're really wonderful." - Stop blaming others and take responsibility for every area of your life - Look people in the eye - Strive for excellence, not perfection - Be the first to say "Hello" - Use the good silver - Return all the things you borrow - Make new friends but cherish the old ones - Keep secrets - Plant flowers every spring - Have a Dog - Always accept an outstretched hand - Wave at school kids on buses - Be there when people need you - Feed a stranger's expired parking meter - Don't expect life to be fair - Never underestimate the power of love - Live your life as an exclamation, not an explanation - Don't be afraid to say "I made a mistake" - Don't be afraid to say "I don't know" - Compliment even small improvements - Always keep your promises - Marry only for love - Rekindle old friendships - Call your mother

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Okay, I know i'm a week early...but let me explain.

My brother-in-law is leaving on Monday for basic training, and my dad is leaving on Sunday for work...so we had our Thanksgiving today.

Well, in order to be on time to dinner I had to switch shifts with another cashier. My manager, Josh, stated that he would only allow that if I bring him pumpkin pie tomorrow. He doesn't believe that i'll do it....so I baked him a pumpkin pie!

This is definitely the first time I've ever made any kind of pie...it looks good doesn't it?!

Oh, I can't wait to see the look on his face when I show up with this beautiful pie tomorrow morning! I'll let you know how it goes!

MUFFINS!!!

The perfect morning snack food!

This morning I woke up early enough that I decided I would make a batch of muffins to share with my co-workers...we can only eat so much Taco Bell!

With a delicious mix my sister gave me from Alison's Pantry I got started...they're a real quick make. I decided to use my silicon Mini Muffin pan. (love the magic of the silicon!) I usually have more than 12 people working with me at once...this was to ensure that everyone got one. Ya know, for mini muffins they're actually a pretty decent size!

Turns out...EVERYONE LOVED THEM! And of course it was nice to eat something that wasn't Taco Bell.

A co-worker did ask if I could make a specific kind if I ever wanted to do this again. Banana Nut Muffins sound YUMMO!!! I'll have to look up a recipe but I told her I would do it.

Any suggestions? And remember my address and my email are to the left if you would like to send me recipes of your own...or cookies. :D

Til then.

The Grocery List

I need to buy a notepad. I am constantly thinking of things that I need to buy at the grocery store but when it comes to writing it down I don't do it. And when I'm at the store I always forget!

Every time my mom made a grocery list I remember thinking, "How hard could it be to remember what you need! I'm never making a grocery list, I wont need it."

Boy, was I wrong! I hardly remember ANYTHING that I need to get. Even, if not especially, when that's the only reason I went to the store to begin with!

Now, however, my dilemma is finding a cute note pad to make my list on. (come on it has to be cute!)

Okay, my task for this week is to go to the Dollar Tree Store (they always have good stuff right?) and find a cute and functional note pad that I can keep in my purse for the ever elusive Grocery List!

Wish me luck!

Martha Everyday

Okay, so the other day a friend of mine posted on Facebook that she has a bunch of Martha Stewart magazines laying around and asking if anyone wanted them. All I could think was...RECIPES!!!! So now I have a stack of 20 or so Martha Stewart Living magazines! LOL

She was also telling me about Martha's Everyday Cooking magazine that has more simple recipes...I can't afford a magazine subscription but....MARTHA HAS A BLOG!

http://www.marthastewart.com/everyday

I'm soooo excited for this you don't even know! Hopefully, Martha can teach me some new tricks. Cross your fingers!!!

JUST IMAGINE....

Pumpkin cream cheese roll with White chocolate?! yes? i think so! (and possibly with nuts) lol Oh, its so difficult to pick something for dessert when you don't know what the entree is! SOMEBODY HELP!!!

Dinner Party

Okay! Today was the first ever official Dinner Party that I have had and I would like to say that it was quite the success! I made baked chicken spiced with Mrs. Dash Original Blend (which is fantastic by the way). We also had salad and Herbed Chicken flavored Couscous...and if you've never had Couscous before? Well, shame on you! I took a photo of my dinner plate and aside from bad lighting and the fact that I took the photo with my cellular phone...it looks pretty tasty doesn't it?

Unfortunately, the salad came from a bag and the brownies came from a box. But hey, progress is progress right? I think I did rather well! I COOKED! I would like to make this a monthly, bi-weekly, or even weekly event and just invite different people. My next feat is to make a completely Gluten-Free meal for my dear friend Andy. He was able to have the Chicken and the Salad tonight but, unfortunately, could not partake in the Couscous or brownies. How sad is that? He missed out on the best part! Well, needless to say, I do need recipes!

I would like to branch out, expand my horizons! So if you have anything that you could share that would be great! I would like to learn how to make foods from different cultures as well! And right now I am looking for Gluten-Free recipes...any suggestions?

Also, I am looking for a great Christmas Cookie recipe for a cookie exchange that I've been invited to next month. I haven't come across anything thats changed my world yet. If you have any ideas for that as well, that would be great.

I'm going to try to get a link set up with my email address. Or even just a little something on the side with my email and home address so that, hopefully, you all can start sending me your favorite recipes!

I can't wait to see what your favorite eats are!

Ciao!

What makes Christmas time special?

Yes, I am perfectly aware that it is only the day after Halloween. However, I have been waiting for this holiday for eleven months now. So we will disregard the afore mentioned fact.

What makes Christmas time special? Well, of course it is a wonderful time to reflect on Christ's Atonement and all He gave for us. I love Him and everything He did for me and I try to remember that and thank my Heavenly Father for it daily. But this topic is for a later time. Because right now, what makes Christmas time special...are Danish Butter cookies.

Any other time of the year if you were to ask me, "Holly, what is your favorite cookie?" I would probably say, "White Chocolate Macadamia Nut"...while this is partly true, you also broke my heart a little by bringing up the subject. (how dare you?!) You see, my ACTUAL favorites are only sold (to the best of my knowledge[which isn't much by the way]) around Christmas time in those beautifully decorated Christmas tins. So, it is during the rest of the year that I must settle for a less than perfect tasting cookie.

Earlier this evening as I was walking through Wal-Mart (the second best place on earth) I noticed something so beautiful, so breathtaking that I could not look away. And I knew, that no matter what that I would leave that store with one of those tins or I would die trying. They are pretty cheap so naturally, I am still alive and at home enjoying the perfect cookie...with a perfect cup of hot chocolate! (hot chocolate details are still to come)

I do hope that you know or may come to learn the great story of the wonderful Danish Butter Cookies. After all, it is only a mere few dollars away! (really, buy a tin and there is a quaint little history printed on the a lovely piece of paper inside the tin) Either way, I do challenge you to buy at least one tin of royal Dansk this Christmas season. Then you will truly know why Christmas time is special!! (at least for me :D)