find me!

Hello dear followers! Thank you for reading. I've actually started a new blog, so I won't be posting on this one anymore. Here's the link:

onawhimandafancy.blogspot.com

I'd love to see you all there!

i miss you!

every time i think about this blog, i feel a little guilty because i never post anymore and i wish i did! the fact that i'm maintaining two other blogs for classes this semester may have something to do with it, but i still miss my little blog. let me share a few things about my life currently:

1. i am now 27 YEARS OLD, as of yesterday. it feels so WIERD. 
2. i had a delightful president's day weekend with my roommates and my family. my roommates and i went down to zion national park for a day and a half, and then went down to st george for the rest of the break. it was lovely, save for the flat tire. ah, mi vida. 
3. this weekend has been great because i've actually gotten consistent sleep. let's see if i keep the trend coming throughout this week. 
4. i'm probably going to get a kindle for my to take to england with me. i have to bring a ton of books with me, and rather than pay extra money to bring all my books with me in my incredibly heavy suitcases, i'm going to get a kindle. this actually makes me cry inside a little because i really don't like the idea of reading without the book. i am 100% an advocate of the printed word so i feel like a hypocrite. please don't make fun of me. 
5. i love my students so MUCH this semester. they are my favorite class so far. granted, it's only the second semester i've taught, but so far, these kids are so fantastic. don't tell my last semester's class that they are now second best. 

i'll stop there (: oh, one last word: 

downton abbey second season season finale = FANTASTIC. it made most of the mid-season eye rolls worth it. 

i hate to admit this, but...

i have a few obsessions. yes, yes, i know that you know that i'm obsessed with school and that's why i am putting myself through a master's. but i also have two obsessions i'd like to confess.

first:

meet benedict cumberbatch and martin freeman, stars of bbc's tv show "sherlock." think csi + london + impossible cases that only holmes can solve, and you've about got it. it's delightful, really. i always hate to admit that i'm obsessed with tv shows but this one i can't seem to get enough of--which is why my roommate paige and i were happy to find a less than reputable website where we could watch the second season (it already aired in england, but doesn't come to the usa until MAY. why in heaven's name would we wait that long?)

one more thing before i move onto obsession two. i was watching the commentary last night for one of the season one episodes, and the commentators were talking about benedict cumberbatch (sherlock) and said that he's so much different than his character in sherlock, that he has more of a "gentle occupation of the alpha male role." ah, benedict. benny. sign me up!

okay, obsession two:

i think it's just british drama that really gets me. downton abbey is in its second season (i'm watching this one legally, folks), and i love it. it might get a little soap opera-ey at times, but in a more distinguished, high-class british kind of way.

so now you know what i'm doing when i'm not slaving away doing schoolwork or teaching.

like i did for most of today. i was sitting in the SAME SPOT on our couch from 10:30 till maybe 6:30 doing homework. and surprise, surprise, i still have more! it's times like these when i have to remind myself that i'm doing this because i want to. nope, no one is making me but myself. and i'm off to do more reading!

mostly pictures

i'm just now (sheepishly) posting pictures from thanksgiving break. also, there are a few pictures of jessi's wedding (how sad is it that i didn't take any pictures around christmas? that i'm ashamed about)

(my nephew) gavin's birthday is the day before thanksgiving, and he had the day all planned out: first, carousel, second, the yoda/count dooku fight from start wars episode II. here are some carousel pics: 

st george recently renovated an antique carousel--so neat!

lori's not going to be happy with her face in this picture, but i love it nevertheless! here are the thayns.

my cherry cardamom pie for thanksgiving! holy cow, yum. it got a little too brown on top (i didn't cover it with tinfoil, but it still turned out pretty good)

drumroll, please! yes, ladies and gentlemen, i cooked the turkey this thanksgiving. i commandeered the job from my dad, who did a lot of the dirty work for me (: i brined it, which was great and made it super moist and absolutely delicious. if i do say so myself. 

how often is it warm enough to eat outside for thanksgiving dinner? i love southern utah!

yummy thanksgiving food

here's one of gavin

ashton, me, and sorry gavs, your face got cut it half

jessi's reception! the saga of the 1,000 paper cranes. yes, we folded them all, and yes, we hung them all. there were actually more like 1,050

here's the lovely bride! i love the skirt of her dress, and the veil is my mom's! lovely lovely

jessi's sequin jacket and taylor's shiny suit. razzle dazzle bride and groom

the cute little cranes on her cake! also, the cake stand is cut off in this picture, but it was a tree stump.

mindy and me

lastly, a full shot of jessi's cake and her bouquet.

that's all for now! new year, new semester, and new resolution to post once a week. i can do that, right?