HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Halloween Party!

Ryan and I hosted a Halloween Party on Saturday. We invited a few people over from our ward that we've gotten to know and played games, had treats, visited and had a spooktacular time.



We played the Name Game where everyone got a sticker with a Halloween character's name put on their back. Then they had to discover who they were by asking the other players yes or no questions. It was a really great start to the party to get everyone to mingle.

After everyone discovered who their character was and had some snacks, we played Mafia. It's such a good Halloween group game. When we had played quite a few rounds, it had gotten late so people started heading home. Though Monica Crews stayed and she, Ryan and I played Settlers (Ryan won, darn him) and watched the movie 'Clue'. Overall, it was an awesome night and definitely a lot of fun. I can't wait for the next excuse to have a party!

Party Goers:
Ned & Melissa Resch (and son Lucas)
Brandon & Whitney Hale (and daughter Rachel)
Curtis & Niyireth Strong (and son Bennett)
Mark & Natalie Hendricks
Josh & Barbie Madsen
Monica Crews


As you can see, dressing up was optional but there were still some that did! Ryan and I dressed up as a couple from Tortuga (Pirates of the Carribean). He was a pirate. My red dress was complete with lace gloves, and a big feather boa, though it's not in the pictures above.

Things about me Tag!

TV Shows I Love to Watch (IF I had TV, these would be the shows I'd like to watch)
1. Prison Break
2. America's Next Top Model
3. So You Think You Can Dance
4. Supernatural
5. Anything Disney (esp. Wizards at Waverly Place)
6. Heroes
7. The Ellen DeGeneres Show
8. I just can't think of any more.

Things that Happened Today
1. Woke up and taught aerobics to the RS exercise group
2. Got ready for work
3. Made Ryan lunch and dinner
4. Started making the new applicants files at work
5. Had lunch with Monica
6. Read some of 'Specials'
7. Held sports night for the RS exercise group (played one-ball poison since not enough people showed up to have a game.)
8. Went to bed

Favorite Places to Eat
1. Cheesecake Factory
2. Costa Vida
3. Home
4. Wendy's
5. Panda Express
6. Giordanno's
7. My parents house
8. Subway

Things I'm Looking Forward To
1. Ryan Graduating
2. Moving to Alexandria
3. The Twilight Movie
4. Going to Utah and Colorado for Christmas
5. Seeing Family
6. Getting a horse one day
7. Getting a car one day
8. Make-up school

Things on My Wish List
1. To be more caring and patient
2. To pay off all student loans
3. To vacation in Europe
4. To buy a house with a yard
5. To have more time
6. To finish projects I've started
7. To live closer to family
8. To have my horses sooner than later

My list

A little while ago(on my birthday to be exact), I got the idea to come up with a list of 10 things I would like to do before I turn 30. I've decided to share it with all of you so I have to be accountable and actually try to accomplish them. Now some of them will be harder than others since some include large amounts of self-discipline, money, etc. But I have my list and only 4 years to go, so now it's time to get started. Wish me luck!

10 personal goals to do before 30

1. Run a Marathon

2. Fit into my ‘skinny’ jeans

3. Become a make-up artist w/ clients

4. Eat no candy, sweets for a year

5. Buy and design/decorate house

6. Scuba Dive

7. Hike to Machu Picchu

8. Have a child

9. Tour Greece or Italy

10. Grow hair long; donate it when I turn 30

Must Read!

Anyone that knows me, knows that I love to read. When I was younger, my mom would get after me for reading and not doing my chores. It even got to the point where she would hide my books from me until I finished my chores. Talk about good motivation!
I mostly read fictional novels: historical romance, LDS fiction, adventure & thriller, classical, teen novels (yes, one of my fav.), etc. My favorite classes in high school and college were my English classes, not for the grammar, but for the books and discussion. I joined our ward bookgroup here in Hyde Park and even organized it during the summer. I just can't get enough of those books that I can totally get lost in and forget about reality for a while.
I admit I'm a huge Twilight fan and am totally going to see the movie opening night! I will even indulge in reading the celebrity gossip on occasion, don't tell anyone. I already have 2 bookshelves full of books because if it's a good book, I don't just want to read it, I want to own it. It's just the way I am.
Lately I have found a new series that rocks my world and I wanted to share them with you.


If you haven't read these books, you should! And if you have any book recommendations for me, please tell me! I am always looking for a new, good book.

Fall Harvest- Apples and Pumpkins

This last weekend Ryan and I went to County Line Orchard in Indiana. We had a blast! It's definitely one of my favorite fall activities. It was also great to get out to the country, I miss it.

We started the morning by picking apples! Lots and lots of apples!

Ryan and I perfected the picking process! After all, aren't the best apples always at the top?

We went on a tractor-pulled ride around the orchard. We also got lost in the corn maze.
They have a different pattern in the corn every year. This picture is last years. This year woven into the maze were the words 'Hobart, Indiana' the location of the maze.

Our spoils! Lots of apples, peach syrup, and a 23 pound pumpkin.
Don't worry, I'll post pictures of all the fabulous treats I'm going to make with this lot so you can all be jealous!

All for Four! - Tag

Four places I visit over & over:
1. Utah
2. U of C Gym
3. Produce store
4. Navy Pier (my favorite place in Chicago)

Four People who e-mail-txt me regularly:
1. Ryan
2. Mom
3. Monica
4. Hyde Park Relief Society Group

Four favorite foods:
1. Pizza
2. Cereal
3. Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
4. Bread, rolls, biscuits, breadsticks...

Four places I'd rather be:
1. Hawaii
2. Disney World/ Knott's Berry Farm/ Sea World
3. Europe
4. Caribbean Cruise

Four movies I'd watch over & over:
1. Classic musicals: Annie, Newsies, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
2. Disney Movies: The Little Mermaid, Mulan, Hercules are some of my favorites
3. Chick Flicks: Notebook, Pride & Prejudice, Ever After, Moulin Rouge
4. Adventure: Lord of the rings, Indiana Jones, the new Batman's, the Wizard of Oz, Princess Bride

Four Bands/Groups I love to listen to:
1. Snow Patrol
2. Michael Jackson
3. Journey
4. Metallica

Four People I am tagging: (I want to see what the guys have to say:)
1. Brandon
2. Brian
3. Adam
4. Robe

What's new this weekend

Fall is such a fun time! The weather last weekend was perfect. Ryan and I took full advantage of it and made a trip up North. We went to Lincoln Park were we did some window shopping and went out to eat.

Here's one of the stores we found that definitely speaks of the North side. We just had to take a picture. (Not where we ate)

We ate at Oodles of Noodles. It was really yummy, but the service was really slow. I guess it was a good thing we just wanted to enjoy our time together no matter what we were doing:)

We finished our day off by going to one of my favorite parks:
Oz Park!

I just love these statues! Makes me want to watch "The Wizard of Oz."

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

Still a Twilight Fan!

I took this quiz.

Then I made Ryan take it

Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!
I guess we really are perfect for each other!
Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!

Weekend trip to St. Louis

This past weekend Ryan took me on a trip to St. Louis for my birthday. He made all the preparations for our trip. We left Chicago early Saturday morning. We took a train so we went to Union Station, which we had never been to before. It's a really cool building.

Union Station and on the train.

While in St. Louis we went to the Gateway Arch. It is really cool and we got to go all the way to the top, all 630 ft. We toured around some of the shops and old fashion stores. It was really fun to go and get away from Chicago.

Gateway Arch (the gateway to the West). Views of the Arch, inside the Arch, and from the top of the Arch.

Here was a major highlight of the trip and birthday celebration!

Ice cream sundae bar at Max and Erma's

For the trip home we rode the Greyhound bus. Not my favorite way to travel. But I was able to sleep for a few hours and Ryan and I started reading a book together.

On the bus and at the station.

All in all it turned out to be a good trip. I think Ryan's favorite part was playing in the hotel pool and hot tub. Ryan, thanks for my birthday presents.

Think a happy thought

"I'm not young enough to know everything" - James Matthew Barrie (author of Peter Pan)

Today is my birthday! I turn 26 and really can't believe it. But I can believe that I'm no longer young enough to know everything. I find myself wondering what happened to the days when I knew what I wanted to be, where I wanted to live, and why I wanted to grow up. Now that the choices are upon me, I don't have any answers. I don't want to grow up.

"The life of every man is a diary in which he means to write one story, and writes another" -James M. Barrie

But I did grow up. I moved away from home, graduated college, and got married. I found my own path and took it without looking back. I accomplished some of my childhood dreams, while others were lost along the way. But now I have new dreams and goals. I've found that I can change my mind and because I am grown up, I have the ability to actually make those dreams a reality. "The most useless are those who never change through the years." -J. M. Barrie. Yes, I did grow up.

“Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others, cannot keep it from themselves.” -J. M. Barrie

And the longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Happy thoughts are not just for children. There are a lot of things I can't change in life, but I can always change my attitude. Instead of focusing on the bad, what I'm lacking, or my inadequacies, I'm going to stay focused on what matters: my eternal happiness and joy! I found my path when I married Ryan, now I just have to stay the course. Just think of it as flying to Neverland: Second star to the right (the celestial kingdom) and Straight on 'til morning (the morning of the 2nd coming)!

"Dreams do come true, if we only wish hard enough.You can have anything in life if you will sacrifice everything else for it.” - J. M. Barrie

Even though I'm now 26, I still have a lot of growing up to do. Which means I still get to dream! And I will be thinking happy thoughts.