Savannah's Real Life Stories

Go Jazz!!!!

2012-01-02T19:00:00.000-08:00

What better Christmas gift than 2 Jazz tickets from your girl?!? Well that is what Candice and I were hoping Josh and Brady would think.

Just as excited as any boy to be at a basketball game!

I haven't been to a Jazz game for the past couple years and I had forgotten just how much fun they can be. I felt a little guilty giving Brady 2 tickets to the Jazz and basically telling him that one of them was actually for me. Although I think he still enjoyed it. Candice and Josh are hard core Jazz fans so even if I was basketball stupid at least he would have them to talk to.

We got to the game and sat on the first row of the upper bowl. Seriously awesome view and so much fun. I made sure to wait for breaks in the game before snapping some pictures.(Although I some how missed the Jazz cheerleaders, dang it!) After all I didn't have a death wish. The score went back and forth the entire time. Everyone sitting on the edge of their seat, applauding every time we made a point and making "Boooos" every time we missed or handing the ball over to the other team.

You can see the excitement in every one's faces. We were all so happy to be there and even better...the Jazz WON!!!

Thanks Josh, Can and Brady for such a fun evening! I had so much fun and I can't wait to do it again!

Lights, Lights and More Lights!

2011-12-28T19:00:00.000-08:00

The was one things that Brady and I nearly missed doing due to all the other fun activities that we had planned and that was to see Christmas lights. Thankfully I don't consider the Christmas season over until December 31st so we still had some time.
Our first venture was to temple square. I didn't feel like it was necessary to post every picture that I took but this one was my favorite of them all.

Temple square was decorated with an extraordinary amount of lights and looked as beautiful as usual. There was also one other place that I had wanted to go and that was to see Zoo Lights at Hogle Zoo. Brady and I picked up our favorite set of twins and headed on up. The evening was eventful and nearly exhausting. Two babies do not equal easy times but non the less. We had a great time.

My favorite part was when the twins heard the music playing through out the zoo. They would bounce in their strollers and kick their feet. They looked so excited.

This is Brady's secret smile...I've been lucky to get as many pictures as I have with him smiling that occasionally I have to settle for one of his secret smiles. Non the less we had a great time.

Merry Christmas to You

2011-12-25T10:36:00.000-08:00

This year Christmas was as wonderful as the whole month had lead it up to be. The entire month of December had been crammed full of fun family and friend events. I was determined to feel the joy of the Christmas spirit all month long and I feel like I did a pretty good job at that. So once the big day rolled around I was all sorts of cheerful and ready to go.
Christmas Eve was spent with Brady's wonderful parents. Whenever I'm around they always go that extra mile to make me feel comfortable. They are so incredibly sweet. We had dinner and then proceeded to watch a Christmas classic Christmas Vacation staring Chevy Chase. I'd never seen it before but found it pretty humorous. The next day was spend entirely with family. Hoping from house to house and greeting every family member with a hug and warm wishes of a Merry Christmas.
My Grandma Laney had obtained a GIANT box of chocolate. The box sat on my brother Cody's lap for longer then it should but thankfully there was enough for everyone.

Cody taking his sweet time with the 40 oz box of chocolates.

There was still plenty of fun to be had with every single person. The twins as per usual were adorable and although they didn't completely understand the whole concept of tearing the wrapping paper they still managed to have a good time.

The day ended as wonderful as it had begun. Plenty of family and fun was had. Another amazing Christmas season. I am so grateful for my family and friends. Merry Christmas !!

Angels We Have Heard on High

2011-12-20T18:00:00.000-08:00

What is Christmas without a ton of Christmas music?! Sarah participated in a combined men's and women's choir this year and you could tell by the glow on her face that she enjoyed every bit of it. The performance took place at the University of Utah Libby Gardner Hall. Not very difficult to find but incredibly difficult to find a good parking spot.
Brady and I ended up at the stadium where we ran into Sarah's parents. The four of us walked to the concert hall to arrive right on time. We took our seats and enjoyed the concert. Here we have Mama and Papa Nolan supporting their daughters. Go Sarah!!

When we got there I scanned to see if I could find Sarah. Thankfully I did. It was a very big choir so I'm glad I was at least able to get this picture.

The concert call was beautiful and the choir did great! My only regret is that Brady and I weren't able to stay until the completion of the last song. I had promised to pick up my Grandparents from the airport and therefore had to make sure I left on time. Regardless the concert was great and I was so glad that I was even able to go. You did great Sarah! Thank you for inviting us and I can't wait for your next one.

Hark The Herald Angels Sing

2011-12-19T12:35:00.000-08:00

Yet again....another wonderful Christmas weekend!
Friday December 16th
This weekend I had the great honor of going to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert which featured special guests Jane Seymour and Nathan Gunn with one of my bestest friends Sarah as well as with her sister Rachael and friend Natalie. Downtown was busy as per usual around this time year and despite that Sarah was cut off by a one horse carriage we still managed to find some very special VIP parking. So special that we even saw members of the First Presidency in the same parking garage. The concert was amazing and it never ceases to amaze me how wonderful the choir sounds.

The conference center was decorated to perfection. Once the concert was finished my first breath taking view was the temple that was right in front. It looked so beautiful that I had to take a picture.

Saturday December 17th

The morning started by taking my dear little Nanny around to our families grave sites where a Christmas wreath was placed with care on each of their headstones. Then right after I dropped Nanny at home and proceeded to Jerry Seiner where I purchased a new car!!! Say hello to my 2011 Chevy Cruze! Did I mention that its fully loaded!!! :D My little cavalier was starting to fail me and since I've got a long commute at the moment I felt like this would be a good investment! So far she hasn't been named but hopefully soon! She is too wonderful to not be named something! So I'm open to any recommendations

After the purchase I drove to my South Weber home where Sarah, Brady and I went to see the new Sherlock Holmes movie. Seriously Loved it!!!! Although I think I need to go again just to make sure I can understand the entire movie. That Sherlock Holmes is a quick chap and I was a bit confused in a couple places. Still awesome movie though!!

Sunday December 18th

This day was spent hanging out around the house with Brady. We watched the Green bay Packers play against the Kansas City Chief's. Brady kindly explained to me the rules of the game and what a down is! I'm getting to know football! ha! We then ventured to his parents house were they had us for dinner and a couple Christmas movies! Great times! I have really enjoyed getting to know Brady's parents! They are really so much fun. Another wonderful weekend for the month of December. Only two more weekends in December left. Lets hope that they turn out as wonderful as the previous! I LOVE this season!!!

Here Comes Santa Claus

2011-12-15T10:45:00.000-08:00

What is the Christmas Season without a visit to see Santa Claus! This year I couldn't resist and made an appointment to take the twins to Foto Fly and do a special photo shoot. Its different than anything I've heard of before but so adorable.

First they start by dressing up Mommy or Daddy as Santa Clause. Curtis decided to play the role of Santa this year for the twins. We handed the twins over to him so that they would be use to Daddy wearing all this get up.

Then came the photo shoot. I was very pleased with the pictures that we got of them. I think they turned out really cute. The photographer quickly discovered Brylon's sweet personality.

We were able to get 7 pictures of the twins. Below are two of my favorites. Overall I think that the pictures turned out really well. Have I mentioned that I love this season?!? :)

Deck The Halls

2011-12-14T10:29:00.000-08:00

Activity #2
This weekend was filled with lots of Christmas joy. I started the fun filled weekend out by hosting a little Christmas movie night and some delicious hot chocolate. Sarah, Angie, Russ and Kailee came over to Nanny's house to enjoy the evening with me. We started out by watching classic Christmas favorite The Christmas Story. It was so much fun to hear the laughing and everyone chiming on what their favorite part was. We then went to the kitchen we I set up a hot chocolate bar. It had all the trimmings which included the ready made hot chocolate, pirouettes, marsh mellows, candy canes, white chocolate mints , cookies and some chocolate covered spoons. Who could ask for more?!? :D Then we continued our movie watch with The Santa Clause with Tim Allen. Two of my favorite Christmas movies. I love this time of year!

The next day was spent running around town to get ready for our Annual Friends Christmas Party. Sarah and I were co-hosting it at her club house. We had such a wonderful turn out and thanks to Kristie and her family. The decorations were to die for! The evening included a wonderful dinner that everyone helped with, a super fun and yet intense partners wrapping present game (Thanks Becky!!) and a "name that candy bar" game (Thanks Kristie...again!). We concluded with a $1 white elephant exchange. Very interesting gifts were received which is needless to say. I always enjoy spending time with my friends and am very grateful for everyone of them.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2011-12-05T10:33:00.000-08:00

Activity #1
Its the time of the year to get in the Christmas spirit. The Christmas Tree is up and decorated at Nanny's house. As of December 1st I've started listening to Christmas music and I've even changed the ringtone for my phone to a Christmas song and placed a super cute snow flake background on it. I'm all about the details.
This month is going to be packed full of fun Christmas Events and I couldn't be happier about it. To start the month of Nanny, Curtis, Carisa , Ambree , Brylon and myself drove down to Price to visit with my Grandpa and Laney. The purpose was to watch the Helper City electric light parade. Sadly due to the terrible weather in the canyon we totally missed it. So we went to dinner and spent time just chatting and spending time together. Even though we missed the parade it was still so much fun to spend time with my family. Here are a few pictures I took. As per usual they are of the twins. I need to get better at taking pictures of the other people at events too.

The twins did a pretty good job when it came to Santa. I was surprised that they didn't cry. They basically sat in his lap and stared him down trying to figure out why in the world did their family hand them over to a bearded, jolly man. Regardless they did well. One activity down and a million more to go!

Turn That Frown Upside Down

2011-11-29T21:38:00.000-08:00

Its been no secret that ever since Wednesday night that I've been a bit down in the dumps. A gentlemen backed up into my drivers side door while I was at dinner with my family the day before Thanksgiving. The accident broke my car door so that it not only has this unsightly dent in it but also has prevented me from opening my door at all. I had to crawl through the passenger side door just to get into the drivers seat. Since this all happened the evening before a holiday and a weekend the insurance company had no claim adjusters available to assist and start my claim. It was obvious that I would be crawling in and out of the car for a while. Needless to say this put me in a pretty grumpy mood. My friends and family did the best they could to pull me out of this horrible funk that I was in but every time I had to crawl in or out of my car I would just get upset all over again. I ended up staying in all weekend just to avoid the embarrassing crawl in and out of the car when I was in public. I had managed to make myself feel like a less than adequate person because of the whole thing. Its amazing how one small event can cause so much grief. Monday morning came and off to work I went. Still in a grumpy mood. I realized that it was useless to get upset about something that I had no control over however I was angry anyway. I made a call in the afternoon and argued back and forth as to who was responsible for the accident. I won't even get into the details of what I went through with the insurance and what I am still fighting with them about. Regardless my mood didnt' seemed much improved. That was until I received a beautiful display of roses with an adorable white and pink teddy bear and two boxes of chocolates. That frown I had been sporting for nearly a week had just turned up side down. My co-worker sat the gifts down on my desk and my face lit up. Two of my other co-workers instantly gathered around to see what I had gotten. As I looked through the cards that were attached they read simply "Have a good Monday". My eyes starting welling up with tears as did my co-workers. The sweet gesture had not only made my day but my week. Someone cared.

I instantly felt better and was grinning from ear to ear. Someone knew that I had been upset and wanted to cheer me up. The gesture spoke volumes. My sweet gifts were given to me by none other than Brady. What an incredibly sweet and thoughtful thing for him to do. He is such an amazing guy and I am SO grateful to have him in my life. Thank you Brady for the beautiful and thoughtful gifts. XOXOXOXO. :)

Happy Turkey Day!

2011-11-29T13:35:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving has always been a favorite holiday of mine. I love the quality time that I get to spend with my family and all the amazing food! Nanny is the best cook and always has been and she always makes one amazing meal for our family. This year I was still happy to be around so much family but my holiday did have a slight damper on it. Just the night before I was in a small car accident that left it impossible for me to exit out my drivers side door. Nanny kept reminded me that I was lucky that no one has harmed. I appreciate the optimism.
On a brighter note I was surround by my family. I awoke that day hearing all the chatter in the kitchen with my Grandpa, Grandma Laney and Nanny. As I walked into the kitchen I could already see that the cooking was already underway. The stove was already covered with pots that had food just waiting to be cooked. The oven was on and the smell of an amazing honey glazed ham was cooking in it. It would obvious that Thanksgiving was here.
The morning went fast. It was in the afternoon that we were expecting for family to come by and visit. With as big as our family has gotten its become near to impossible to host everyone so most the family will call or come by to visit with Nanny a bit before they head off to other Thanksgiving obligations. The first to come by was my Uncle Ryan and his family. My Uncle Ryan is hilarious and he has passed through his quick wit and sarcastic personality down to each of his kids.

Left to Right: Rylie, Kenley, Xander, Gunner and Zach

Its never a dull moment when my cousins come over. I enjoy each of their personalities and their banter back and forth. They may not realize it but they are so lucky to have each other while they are growing up.

Typical sibling torture

Uncle Ryan and Nanny

My Dad and Cody did stop by as well to say hello but sadly I missed their photo op. Nanny, Grandpa, Laney and I then enjoyed our Thanksgiving feast together. Once the Turkey was out my Grandpa basically had to stand guard. Everyone kept going after it for a little taste here and there.

Don't mess with Grandpa

It was shortly after dinner that Curtis, Carisa , Shariah and the twins came over to hang out.

Everyone loves their picture taken with Nanny.

Grandma Laney with the Twins

Grandpa and Brylon

Shariah and Ambree

Shariah remembering the days when Ambree needed to be held like this all the time. This photo was taken quickly because these adorable 1 year olds don't actually stay still for very long. Shariah bribed Ambree with Root beer to keep her still...Shhhh don't tell. It wasn't a lot though.

My picture with Ambree

Trying to hold Brylon still for a picture.

After spending some wonderful family time I hurried off to Ogden so that Brady and I could spend some time with his family. We got there just in time to finish up one of the Fast and Furious movies. I really have enjoyed getting to know Brady's family. They are so welcoming. I am so thankful that I got to spend some of this holiday with them.
Thank you to all my wonderful family and new found friends for making Thanksgiving such a wonderful day.

So Much Fun...So Little Time

2011-11-21T16:02:00.000-08:00

When the month of October ended I thought for sure that this would leave a few weekends for me to simply relax and chill out at home. In a way I have but then again I've never been much for just sitting around. I usually find something to do, somewhere to go and someone to hang out with. So of course November has gone that way too. To start the month off Angie and I did a double date. I had sooo much fun even though I basically froze to death. We went in this order of activities. We started off at Wingers for dinner. Their diet cherry coke is awesome!!!

Then onto Boondocks where Fun is in the cold months. We played miniature golf out in the cold. After about the 6th hole I had lost feeling in my fingers and it didn't seem so cold. Brady won in miniature golf but Russ and I weren't far behind. Then onto the go-carts where I kicked butt! I was so good that I lapped Angie! It was then to Denny's where I was in much need of some of their amazing hot chocolate. Over all it was a great evening.

The following weekend it was Jonny and Angela's long awaited 11's party. We celebrated 11/11/11. So much fun and such a great idea!! Here is our group picture from that evening. We weren't allowed any practice shots for this one. We had to get it right the first time!

The next evening was Josh's 30th Birthday. Happy Birthday to Josh! I did not take any pictures but it doesn't mean it didn't happen. :) It would seem like there are a few of our close friends that are turning 30 all along the same time.

Brady and I also took my niece and nephew to the Discovery Gateway. I was a worried that they were a little too young but I believe they still managed to have a great time.

Here Brady was trying to get the twins to rock climb. Got to start them young.

The twins had Brady and I running all over the place. With them being so little we had to make sure that they weren't being pushed around by some of the older kids there. What actually became the biggest problem was them putting everything they touched into their mouth. As you can see from the pictures below that everything from the fake veggies to the steering wheel were fair game to the twins. Nothing was safe.

There also happen to be this massive fake horse that stood in a coral. Brady couldn't wait to get them up there.

Last but not least was a Belated Birthday Cake for Brady! He turned the big 30 this year and I had wanted to do something for him. Unfortunately Brady had his reserve the weekend right after his birthday so I had to put off the cake for a couple of weeks. Some friends and I did manage to attend Kobe for his birthday but he needed a real birthday cake. So just last Friday I invited his parents over for cake and a movie. It was so much fun to spend time with Brady's family. I totally should have taken more pictures but here is what I did get. Happy Belated Birthday to Brady!! One absolutely amazing guy! :)

The month is just over half way and already it has been busy. Its times like this that I am so grateful for all the wonderful people in my life.

Happy Birthday Ambree and Brylon

2011-11-02T13:06:00.000-07:00

My sweet nephew and niece turned one year old on September 1st 2011. As a belated birthday present I took them plus my brother and their mommy to do a photo shoot at FotoFly. A cute photography studio in Draper. I highly recommend them for anyone that might be wanting family pictures done. The twins were slightly less than cooperative but they still managed to get a ton of cute pictures of them. I have been in love with making collages. So here are my top pictures that were taken of the twins.

It is amazing how quick the time has flown by since the twins were born...it honestly doesn't seem like its been 13 months since they were born. Its already clear how different their little personalities are.

Ambree Marie Booth

Ambree is the calm one. She shoots the breeze and is content with anyone and anything. Ambree is fine with letting her brother Brylon take all the attention and because she is so mild mannered she does get plenty herself. Carisa's family has remarked that they see similarities between Ambree and myself. I think that is the sweetest comment. I think she is absolutely adorable and hope that someday I can have a little girl that is just like her. However she has her moments where she likes to get especially loud and makes the most adorable squealing sounds. I had no idea that a little girl could be that loud. Regardless of her cute little squeals I adore her. I had no idea that I could love someone so much until her and Brylon were born.

Cute squealing face

Brylon Michael Booth

Brylon is the attention seeker and he has so much personality. He was known as the fussier of the two for sure and it was for that reason that whenever I would be watching the two that I would always grab Brylon. Others figured it was because he is my favorite but I will tell you right now that I love them both the same. He is a daddy's boy through and through. I love how much he loves Curtis. I also love seeing the similarities between the two. When Brylon was only a few months old he was my sweet little cuddle buddy. He would always put his head on my left shoulder. I'm so excited to see how they change and grow but I'm a little sad that he has grown out of that cuddle bug phase. On the flip side this little boy can throw a fit like none other and even though I know he is extremely upset I can't help but laugh. For what he thinks is the end of the world really isn't.

One upset Brylon. Someone didn't want their picture taken or to be told to stay still and smile.

I've always heard that its amazing the love you have for a child when they are your own. I don't have my own so I've never completely understood. I've always loved kids but have usually been pretty happy to send them back to their mom and dad. That was until Ambree and Brylon came along. When I am lucky enough to be blessed with my own children I only hope that I will love them as much as I do these two. For them I would do anything for.

Happy 1st Birthday my sweet niece and nephew. I Love You!

October 2011 Run Down

2011-10-31T15:06:00.000-07:00

So this October was for sure one the busiest ones that I've had yet. Here are a few pictures to sum up our events!

October 7th 2011

First was the Off Broadway Theater to see Dracula vs. Dr. Jekyll /Mr. Hyde. My hilarious co-worker had a main part. So much fun!

October 8th 2011

Next was the first Haunted House of the season which was the Haunted Circus in Riverdale. Freaky clowns were all over the place.

October15th 2011

The following weekend was a scary movie and caramel apples at the Isom's home. Becky did an awesome job at hosting everyone. We watched a scary movie, decorated some delicious caramel apples and played a game that none of us will forget.

October 22nd 2011

Here we all ventured on the Salt Lake City Ghost tour. So different then going to a Haunted House. It was fun to change it up. We had a really good turn out for this one too.

October 29th

Last but not least was the Halloween Party! Everyone looked amazing!!!! I seriously loved spending so much time with my friends! I've got an amazing group of friends!

So there it is. An entire month full of Halloween events wrapped up into a few pictures. I can't wait for what is in store for next year.

The Salt Lake City Ghost Tour

2011-10-22T22:00:00.000-07:00

Through out this entire month my friends and I have been doing Halloween themed activities. This October has probably been one of my favorites yet. The first weekend we all ventured to the Off Broadway Theater were we saw Dracula vs. Dr.Jekyll/Mr. Hyde. The following weekend we had an awesome scary movie night with caramel apples over at Becky's and then our most recent was the Salt Lake City Ghost Tour. I've been on a ghost tour in Seattle and loved it so much that I thought that the Salt Lake would be just as fun.
The evening started out with a few of us enjoying dinner at the Rio Grande Cafe which legends has it is haunted. The Rio Grande is an old train station in which part of it has been converted into the Cafe.

I was partial to having dinner at this restaurant because I've heard stories about the Rio Grande Cafe and its Hauntings. The story I was most interested in was the one of an engaged couple. Legend has it that an engaged couple got into an argument. As the train was leaving the man threw the engagement ring onto the tracks. The woman went for the ring and was hit by the train. This woman has been sighted in the women's restroom. I wanted to see myself although I knew I probably wouldn't see anything. Sometimes its the eerie feeling that's worth the trip. So I totally made Sarah go in with me. If I was going to be haunted then I wasn't going to be haunted alone. Here is the bathroom we went into and Sarah and I with our scared faces.

After dinner we waiting for everyone to get there. Everyone had a pretty awesome scared face. What good sports they all are.

Okay so perhaps some people weren't that scared for the ghost tour. This spooky tour took us on a bus all around the Haunts of Salt Lake. One in particular was the Salt Lake City Cemetery. They even allowed us off the bus to walk around. Pretty sure that we weren't suppose to be trespassing though.

Overall it was a very fun evening filled with friends and some spooky stories. Thanks to my great friends that helped make this evening a lot of fun.

Zoo Time Fun!

2011-10-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

Ever since I moved to South Weber I haven't had much time with my two favorite babies. So Brady and I decided to take a special trip down to Salt Lake so that we could take Ambree and Brylon to Hogle Zoo. My dear friend Sarah decided to join us with her two adorable nieces. Lily who is 4 and Tessa who is 3. Both incredibly adorable children.

The weather was gorgeous and warm. We couldn't have asked for a better Saturday afternoon. We tried to make our way through the entire zoo but its amazing how easy it is to get hung up in one area. Such as the monkeys. Comparing the children's size to the Ape's size has always been one of my favorite things.

We then made our way to the felines but on the way Tessa and Lily found the carousel. Their very nice Auntie Sarah decided that since the girls had been so sweet that they could take a ride. I figured that Brylon and Ambree were still a little too young for it so we sat that one out.

Brylon and Ambree were still a little jealous that Lilly and Tessa got to go on the carousel. Regardless we still had a wonderful time. After finally making our way through the lions, tigers, giraffes and elephants it was time for us to leave. The trip wore us all out and I know I was ready for a nap. Right before we left though Brady went into the gift shop and surprised Ambree and Brylon with two stuffed animals. A very cute pink and white tiger for Ambree and a blue and white tiger for Brylon. Thank you so much Brady for their Zoo Gifts.

I loved the zoo! Thank you Brady, Sarah, Brylon, Ambree, Tessa and Lily for coming with me this year!

Happy Birthday to Angie!

2011-09-28T08:50:00.000-07:00

I happen to have one incredible friend name Angie and today is her birthday! Angie is without a doubt one of the most adorable and lovable people I know. I don't know of anyone that hasn't instantly loved Angie when they first met her. She has a wonderful family and simply captivating daughter. Angie is charming and kind so its no wonder that she has so many friends that love to be around her. She is a very popular girl and always has been. Just look at her! She is stunning!

In a few simple words here is what Angie means to me.

A is for Amicable
Characterized by friendly goodwill: peaceable. Any time that I've had a confrontation with anyone I try to think of how Angie would handle it. Angie is a very peaceable person. She isn't one to start or even invest any of her time in a unnecessary argument.
N is for Nice
Its obvious that Angie is nice. Its one of my favorite things about her. She is nice to everyone she meets and its a quality that I think is easily over looked. Being nice as placed Angie is the sweet girl next door category. And who doesn't love the girl next door.
G is for Gracious
Angie has always been incredibly gracious in every aspect. She is always kind and pleasant to be around and she handles every situation with the utmost care.
I is for Irresistible
Her infectious personality makes her irresistible to anyone!
E is for Enjoyable
My experiences proves that my amazing friend Angie is very enjoyable to be around. She has a way of making her friends feel at easy and always provides the fun to a party.

Happy Birthday Angie! I hope that you have an outstanding day. You are very loved by your family and friends. Thank you for being such a wonderful friend to me!

Kailee's Magical Wand Adventure

2011-08-30T11:50:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there was a an angelica little girl named Kailee. She lived in a beautiful town called Lehi with her Beautiful single mother Angie. Kailee had gorgeous blond hair and an adorable side kick named Zoe that followed her around everywhere.
One evening Kailee's beautiful single mom Angie had a date with a tall, dark and handsome stranger. Kailee knew that she would not be able to stay at home alone and she immediately called for her beautiful, talented, intelligent and charming Fair God-mothers to come to the rescue. Kailee knew how important it was for her Beautiful single mom to get out there and meet her own prince charming. After all Kailee wasn't allowed to search for her princes charming till she was the mature age of 16 years old.
So on one very beautiful and starry evening Angie proceeded to get ready for her date. She looked absolutely breath taking as usual.

Once Angie had left for the evening it was time for a very special and magical project for Kailee. Her beautiful, talented, intelligent and charming Fair God-mothers Savannah and Sarah knew the perfect activity for Kailee to keep her mind off missing her mom. Kailee's little face lit up and could hardly contain all the excitement on what the evening would bring.

With one crazy dash to the store they picked up the perfect ingredients to make Magic Wands! This project would take the efforts of all 3 of them and probably take most of the night. They knew that they could do it though. With a few preparation and some magic pink fairy dust the magic wands processes had officially started.

Kailee became the best little helper around.

It was finally time to put on the finishing touches to these Magic Wands. Some wands had a few more magic sprinkles than others but then again not every magic wand is made the same.

Once these magic wands had been dipped and chocolate and sprinkled with love they were ready for the tasting. Enough magic wands had been made to share with everyone and anyone who came to visit. Soon Kailee's beautiful mother Angie would be home and see what a good job she did.

Ransom...one cute puppy named Zoe

2011-08-23T14:22:00.000-07:00

Last week my friend Angie and her daughter Kailee went on a family vacation to Moab. They were unable to take their cute little puppy Zoe with them. So Angie entrusted me with the care of Zoe for a whole week! I haven't had to tend for a dog since my dog Mitzie (Susan as Andrew called her) died about 5 years ago. There was a bit of convincing that I had to do in order for Nanny to think that this was a good idea but because she loves me so much and I believe that she secretly loves animals she agreed that we could entertain our four legged furry friend for 1 week.

This is picture was taken of Zoe the first day that I got her from Angie's.

Look how cute she is!!!! I honestly had such a fun time taking care of her for the entire week. She was incredibly well behaved and only had one encounter with the two ferocious dogs in the basement. I ended up taking Zoe to the groomer where she obviously needed a hair cut.

Zoe showing off her cute pink blinged out bows and pretty glitter pink nails!

I realized that during the week that I had grown a little attached to Zoe and was becoming sad at the idea of not getting to see her every day when I came home. Little Zoe lit up the house. Nanny even seemed in a cheery mood. So it was on Sunday afternoon that I realized that I had to try and keep Zoe. I would devise a plan to give Angie an out if she didn't want her when she got back from her trip. It was decided with the help of my Aunt Lisa who had also grown a small attachment to Zoe that we would ransom her.
A ransom note was created and placed on my front door for Angie and Kailee. They were to follow directions exactly as listed or else they would not receive their precious little puppy back. I feel like I was probably not as strict with my request as I should have been but none the less it was a demand and it was to be met if they ever wanted to see her again.

I soon saw Angie walk to the door and read the note. She immediately hurried back to her car and drove off. I was hopeful that she was leaving for good and that this precious Zoe was all mine. After a few minutes I received a text from Angie that said "Nice work Savannah. lol". I knew she wasn't leaving Zoe to be mine and that she had probably hurried off to the gas station to retrieve by demands. So I decided that since I was obviously not keeping Zoe and that I would now be receiving my Diet Coke that I would try to hurry this process along and I sent the picture below to Angie of Zoe. Zoe was in obvious need of her original owners and who was I to keep a cute family apart.

It was soon after that I saw Angie and Kailee drive up for a second time. They stepped out of the car and a beautiful iced cold fountain 44oz Diet Coke in hand. Angie had also taken the liberty of picking one up for herself which I did NOT include in the ransom note.

Since Angie was successful in providing the item requested I had no other choice but to allow the happy family to be reunited. Angie and Kailee headed to the living room while I sadly stepped closer to my room to release Zoe from her kennel. She ran right to the living room and and properly greeting her family.

Zoe was obviously just as excited to see Angie and Kailee as they were to see her.

The ADORABLE Andrus Family.

I made sure to get my picture with Zoe before they had to leave. I was going to miss this cute little pup and had to give her one last hug. She had been my little buddy all week. I had never seen anyone so excited to see me at 6am as Zoe was.

Kailee decided she wanted in the picture too. She loves me.

We all sat down together and made peace. After all Zoe had enough love to share with everyone. Zoe was so good and if Angie ever needs a puppy sitter again then hopefully she will keep me first in line. Thank you Angie and Kailee for sharing Zoe with me this week. Love you guys!

Our silly faces!

(No animals were actually harmed during the ransom or production of this post.)

Double Date Night!

2011-08-18T14:46:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love themselves a Double Date?! On Friday evening Brady and I joined up with great friends Sarah and Jameson for dinner and a movie. The evening started out at the Mayan at Jordan Commons. The atmosphere was great and the food was decent. It was difficult to enjoy the company of each other due to the loud music being played but who goes on dates to talk anyway.....ha ha. Totally kidding. After dinner we ventured over to a favorite Frogurt for some delicious and low fat yogurt. It was here that I decided to play with some of the features of my camera. Notice the abnormal head shapes? Yeah...I thought it was pretty funny. We were just about to enjoy a movie when we got the sad news that Sarah was being called into work. Sadly Sarah and Jameson left right before the movie started. Although Brady and I did run into our two friends Craig and Angie that were also sharing a very romantic evening together. Overall a very good evening. Thank you to Brady, Sarah, Jameson, Angie and Craig for making it such a fun evening!

Lava Hot Springs 2011

2011-08-08T12:00:00.000-07:00

I believe that this was the 5th year that my friends and I have traveled to Lava Hot Springs Idaho together. We had a slightly smaller crew than usually but it was just as much fun if not more than the years before! I believe that pictures can speak louder than words so here are a few that I've put together! Thank you to all my wonderful friends that made this trip so much fun!!!
Attendees were:

Angie

Sarah

Craig

Josh

and last but not least is...

Candice

11 Months Old Already..

2011-08-01T07:26:00.000-07:00

It really is amazing how time flies by and how quickly those little ones grow up. They say that as you get older it seems that time goes by quicker. As of right now that seems so true. So in tribute to my ever so sweet niece and nephew I've put together a small time line of their first year. They are officially 11 months old and too soon will be a whole year old.

Ambree Marie & Brylon Michael

Happy Birthday to Sarah!

2011-07-25T19:58:00.000-07:00

So instead of risking duplicate pictures stolen from Sarah's bog here is the link to her blog that provides all sorts of fun information on her own birthday. Sarah's Birthday (Bring it on 27!). Happy Birthday Sarah! I hope you had a great day!

To read more fabulous things about Sarah please refer to previous blog post of mine My Friend Sarah! .

Happy 27th Birthday Sarah!

One Fabulous Birthday!

2011-07-21T20:13:00.000-07:00

I have to say that this year I had one of the best birthdays ever! I thought the best way to start was to set my ringtone that day to my very own Happy Birthday song. With every text message, Facebook notification and phone call I would hear this lovely reminder that it was my birthday and chances are someone was wishing me a happy birthday! I know....sounds ridiculous but it made me smile every time I heard it.

The morning started with Pedicures at Nailed Salon with my adorable sister Shariah.

After a very enjoyable morning I then met up with two of my best friends Sarah and Candice for lunch at one of my favorites The Cheesecake Factory ( Thank you Sarah for lunch! )and then to the hilarious movie Horrible Bosses. Yes...I had seen the movie before but it was just so funny that it was totally worth it to watch my friends crack up laughing. Candice and Josh put together a absolutely beautiful present for me.

Thank you Candice and Josh for the beautiful present!

My present from Craig that became more fun than I realized.

Thank you to all my wonderful friends for the FABULOUS birthday!

Birthday covered desk!

Also I had a surprise when I cam into work the next morning. My cute co-workers Wendy and Evelyn had decorated my desk with streamers and Happy Birthday signs. Thank you to EVERY one who made my birthday so great!

P.S. Here is a link to Sarah's blog where she posted a very nice blog about my birthday too. Thank you so much Sarah! Sarah's Blog

All Because Two People Fell In Love

2011-07-13T22:47:00.000-07:00

For those who don't already know I had the great privilege of being raised by my Great Grandparents whom I refer to as Nanny (Elizabeth Elsie Harrison) and Da (Ernest Booth). Two absolutely remarkable people that I love very much and appreciate everything thing that they have given me. They not only raised me but my brother Curtis. They single handily took on the responsibility of raising both of us right as they became Senior Citizens. Instead of taking that time to travel the world and finally spend that time together child free they choose to give Curtis and I the opportunity to live a "normal" life with a loving family at home. Nanny quickly became the mother that Curtis and I were missing and Da the father figure that would teach us valuable principles and many life lessons. It is because of this that I would like to pay a small tribute to them by my simple blog. Today would be their 72nd Wedding Anniversary. Their marriage is a classic example of love and how truth love does conquer all. So as usual the best place to start is at the beginning.

Nanny and Da were each others only sweet hearts and met in small village in England. Da being 5 years Nanny's senior and in the early 1900's was the classic gentlemen. I am often reminded of the strict dating rules that Nanny had to obey while dating Da. Da was not short on respect and integrity. No wonder Nanny fell head over heels for this charming man. She often remarks "They just don't make men like that anymore." After years of courting they married quickly before Da was to be send off in the military for World War II. Da dressed in his charming military uniform and Nanny in a simple yet beautiful flowered dress. She didn't have the time or money to pay for an actual traditional wedding dress. At the beginning Nanny following him around, moving from one place to another. Providing him with the support to continue this battle. It was when she became pregnant with their first child (Joyce) that she had to slow down. Nanny and Da ended up having two beautiful children Joyce and Bryan. After Da's battle in the Battle of Normandy and the end of World War II they listened to L.D.S Missionaries and were converted to the church. The packed up all their things and decided to move their family to the United States where they would become citizens and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Their family continued to grow and grow quickly. They have 4 grand children, 17 great grandchildren and 5 great great grandchildren. Not to mentioned the wonderful spouses of all these children.

This is only a brief description of their adventurous life together and how they became the remarkable people that they are. The love that Nanny and Da share is one that I can only dream to duplicate. I admire them and hope that I can have a marriage just like theirs. Its not everyone that can last for 72 years.

Although Da is no longer here and has been 9 years this August that Da passed away. He is missed by all who knew him. I love you Nanny and Da!

Weekend ReCap

2011-07-12T12:09:00.000-07:00

For only having 2 days off work it really seemed to fly by. Its feels like I was basically running around the entire weekend. Although I did have a blast doing it! I got to spend some quality time with my sweet niece Ambree and have a day full of fun with my friend Sarah. Here is a summary of how my weekend went. :)

First was a sleep over with Ambree. I picked her up on Friday evening and brought her home. We played with family, watched The Mentalist together then went to bed.

The following morning we both woke up bright and early to start the day. We dropped of Nanny in Orem with my Grandpa. Then headed to Lehi while I got my hair done. Thankfully I was able to get my wonderful friend Angie to play with Ambree while I got my hair done. A token self shot of me under the dryer....I know...I look ridiculous. When I went to go pick up Ambree after my hair appointment I saw a note on Angie's front door. My sweet Ambree was being ransomed for 2 beverages. Sarah and I jumped back into the car to obtain 44oz of diet coke and 44oz of coke just as the letter had requested. I knew I couldn't put anything at risk. I had to get Ambree back. However in the fun of it all I decided to split of the 44oz into 3 cups. Two 16oz cups and One 12oz which equaled 44oz. He he he. I thought I was so clever.

After finally obtaining Ambree, Sarah and I decided to go to lunch with the Ransomers. After all they did give her back even though I had left strict instructions to make her leave her head bow on. The day was moving fast. It was soon time for me

to take Ambree home. We packed up her things and I took her back. I love my weekends with my niece and nephew. I always look forward to spending as much time as I can get with them.

Sarah and I were then suppose to get ready to head to the Kenny Chesney Concert that Sarah had won free tickets to. Although neither of us really seemed in the concert mood. So instead of throwing them to the side we gave them to someone we knew would love the concert 10 times more than ourselves. The tickets were very graciously accepted by my Aunt Lisa! The excitement she had was absolutely indescribable. She was a die hard Kenny fan. Knowing the tickets were going to someone who really loved them made it that much easier for us to give them up. Instead enjoyed a lovely dinner and ventured to the local movie theater where we saw Super 8.

Sarah has not actually stopped talking about this movie since she originally saw it a few weeks ago. I finally caved and told her that we would see it. I would disclose much information about the movie because the not knowing is what made it so good.

The following day I ended up going to another movie with Brady. We saw Horrible Bosses. It was super funny! I was very impressed. Normally Brady and I make it to some action flick that he claims I picked. ha ha. Which of course if anyone knows me, knows that action flicks are not top on my list. Although this time he totally came through.

The weekend was packed full of fun, friends and family. I can't wait to find out what is in store for next weekend.

Ambree Marie Booth

2011-07-06T15:00:00.000-07:00

This adorable infant is my oh so lovable niece Ambree. I felt it only fair that if I took the time to post a blog on Brylon that I should include one of Ambree too. Its incredible how different her little personality is from her brothers. She is known to be the "easy" baby of the two. She is usually calm and pleasant and doesn't do much crying.

This little girl likes to put what ever she can get into her mouth. You really have to watch this little one.

I adore this little crooked smile of hers.

Although this picture goes to prove that when she doesn't get what she wants she can and will turn on her serious face. Its kinda of like a stare down.

This is my favorite picture of Ambree. I had to post this one.

Brylon Michael Booth

2011-07-05T12:10:00.001-07:00

This is my precious nephew Brylon Michael Booth. He was born on September 1st 2010 along with his twin sister Ambree Marie Booth. On occasion I like to volunteer my Aunt duties to helping out my brother and taking one of the babies for the night. This usually gives him and his girlfriend a break from the two of them. Taking care of the two of them at the same time is a handful for sure. Plus I like to have quality Aunt time with me and the babies.

This last Friday night was no exception. I told my brother that I would take one of the babies over night to help him out. He happily handed over Brylon to my care. Once Brylon and I got back to my house I thought it would be fun for us to take a little walk.

Brylon happily in his stroller! You can tell he is thrilled!

This was taken the following day. Just about to get ready for nap time.

I found out that one of his favorite places is right in his toy box. This picture makes me think of my brother (his daddy). Its so crazy when you can see your siblings in their children. Its like Mini Me's! It still totally blows my mind.

Swimming Time with the Twins!

2011-06-27T12:25:00.001-07:00

On Sunday I was invited to join my Brother and Carisa to go swimming with my adorable niece Ambree and nephew Brylon. It was their very first time swimming and I can't tell you how excited I was to be included. I just adore those babies. Thank you so much Curtis, Carisa, Brylon and Ambree for letting me come with you.

Kailee's 1st Adventure to a Red Box

2011-06-26T18:22:00.000-07:00

Today I got to go on an adventure with little Kailee Andrus and her wonderful Mommy Angie. The adventure was to take Kailee to pick our her very first RedBox movie. When these movies are returned on-time they can be the best value around.

There were so many to pick from that she had a hard time just choosing only one.

Eventually a decision was made. Thanks to Mommy a movie was picked. Kailee got to pick it all by herself.

The anticipation was almost more than a 3 year old could bare.

Mommy seems just as excited for Kailee's first movie rental as she did.

The purchase was made and its only obvious how excited Kailee was about her movie.

Of course no movie is complete without a little soda to enjoy the movie. She is now set!

Finally time to watch the movie. With Mom by her side she couldn't be happier. Yay for Kailee and her very first RedBox movie!

My friend Sarah

2011-06-23T15:40:00.001-07:00

I have this absolutely fabulous friend name Sarah. So fabulous in fact that I've decided that she deserves this random blog about her. I couldn't possibly put into words what her friendship has meant to me over the years but I'll do my best to summarize.

First of all Sarah and I met in a singles ward about 7 years ago. It is hard to believe that its already been that long. It was as if we were almost friends at first sight. I thought she was stylish, funny and very sweet and I knew instantly that I wanted to be her friend. Now the trick was getting her to think she wanted to be mine. Over the course of a few months I found out how wonderful of a friend Sarah truly was. She has been a strength , a shoulder to cry on and a best friend to me. I can honestly say that knowing Sarah has made me want and strive to be a better person. I am so very grateful for her friendship and the example that she has been to me.

There are many wonderful things about Sarah. So to mention just a few here is what Sarah is to me. :)

S is for Stylish.

There is no doubt in my mind that Sarah has got some amazing Style! Right from her hair down to her toe nails. It is for this reason that Sarah has got to be one of my favorite shopping buddies! Its as if we have a routine of how to shop and for some reason it just isn't the same when she isn't right there next to me. I've always admired her ability to throw things together and make them look amazing. This doesn't just go for her wardrobe, hair and make up but furnishings as well. She is 110% completely Style savy!

A is for Articulate

Sarah happens to have one amazing ability to put things into words that I would never imagine. I am happy to report that I am currently caught up on everyone of her blog posts but it more than just her writing. Its the way she says things and portrays herself. She is classic and so incredibly smart. It never ceases to amaze me the wondrous things that Sarah continues to articulate to me.

R is for Red Nails

When I think of Red Nails I think of Sarah. She wears them was style. A color I don't believe I can actually pull off. There was one evening in particular when Sarah and I were having a movie night at her house. We were watching Mrs. Winterbourn (one of our favorites!). There was one scene where the trashy and down trodden character is wearing red nail polish. As per usual, Sarah and I feel as if it is our right to narrate these movies on every thought that pops into our heads. At this moment in the movie it pans down to the characters hands where you see her chipped red nail polish. I announce out loud in a very disgusted tone "Look at her..." and I stopped. Then realizing that Sarah was wearing a very similar color. We laugh to this day about the incident of me accidentally blurting things out. However I will admit that she wears the color very well. I don't feel as if I've actually been able to give the story justice however if Sarah reads this she will know what I mean that that is what matters for this particular story anyway.

A is for Altruistic (Totally had to look that word up but it doesn't mean its any less true.)

Definition is" unselfishly concerned for or devoted to the welfare of others". Anyone who knows Sarah can testify that her calling in life has been devoted to the welfare of others. She's an amazing therapist and I couldn't imagine a more perfect person for her job. She has been there countless of times for not only for me but to other friends and to her family. She has a great ability to help others through their own thoughts. Sarah is caring, unselfish, thoughtful and devoted.

H is for Heart

Sarah has one of the biggest hearts. She shares her love with her family and friends...and not to mention the random pup that comes strolling by. She loves with all her heart and isn't afraid to give that love. I've witnessed on more than one occasion that her family means the absolute world to her and I envy the great relationship that she has with her parents, siblings and numerous nieces and nephews. I've been very lucky to have been allowed to spend time with this wonderful family and been to see first hand the love that she has for them and that they share with each other. Sarah loves with all her heart.

So here is to my dear friend Sarah! I'm so very grateful for you and your friendship. I just love you and am so happy to be your friend. :)

~IKEA Day of FUN! ~

2011-06-01T11:53:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that one of my favorite stores is none other than IKEA! My dear friend Angie and I found that doing a bit of shopping would be the perfect way to spend our Memorial Day.

This is a short summary of our lovely shopping adventure. Needless to say

IKEA is not a short trip.

I can see the excitement in our eyes! Can you?

As we make our way through the store each item must be carefully looked at and examined. Most of the time when an item is being considered for purchase must it needs to be thoroughly tested for quality and comfort before the final purchase is made.

Once we finally made it down to the bottom level of IKEA we realized quickly that each of our baskets were already full. This would be considered the 1st bitter sweet moment of our trip. Realizing that we are about to purchase more than are wallets allow.

As our journey ends we reach the 2nd bitter sweet moment. This is where we have realized that our purchases were bigger than our car. Oops!

Thankfully our friendly neighborhood handyman Mark was at our

rescue. Mark has helped out on more than one occasion when it comes to moving heavy objects.

If you notice there isn't a picture where Angie and I weren't grinning ear to ear. The trip may have made for a very long day but the final product of decorating a room to your style is priceless. Thank you Angie for a fabulous shopping day and thanks to you Mark for being our very own courier. Until next time!

Jimmy Eat World!!

2011-05-17T11:07:00.000-07:00

I love going to concerts!!! I couldn't pin point exactly what it is that I love the most. It could be a lovely combo of many things such as the atmosphere of the venue, hearing your favorite song being blasted and knowing every word, the idea that you and everyone else share the love of that music (because lets be honest, that probably the only common bond you share with half the people there.) Even the ringing in your ear you get at the end of it.

I've also been super lucky to have half the concerts I go to be free. Call it dumb luck but I've been very lucky.
My last concert adventure was at In The Venue to see Jimmy Eat World! I don't exactly have a favorite band besides my adolescent crush of N'SYNC however Jimmy Eat World is certainly top of the list. I was exposed to them because of my dear friend Sarah when we first met. Here are some of the photos I got while at the concert. They aren't great quality but the time was very memorable! :) Jimmy Eat World on Stage!!!
By the looks of this picture you would have thought that Sarah and

Josh were together.
However this picture goes to prove not to cross Sarah when she

thinks you stole your man back.
They learned to share Josh. All is well!

Beautiful Babies

2011-02-25T15:28:00.001-08:00

On September 1st 2010 my family was blessed with two adorable babies. I feel so lucky to be their Aunt! Welcome to the world Ambree Marie and Brylon Michael! I love them both more than words can say.

Sarah's Point Game

2010-05-13T12:03:00.000-07:00

There's a new game in town! However I warn you ahead of time that this game is not as easy as it may seem and if you wish to engage in the game you must be prepared to fully invest in it. Partial players are not acceptable. For the game it seems as easy to lose points as it is to gain. Which is why if you aren't making any effort to gain you will find yourself losing. Just ask Candice. Candice shamefully holds -2 points at the moment. Jeff at .5 points and myself at a proud 13 points. I had 14 until I missed Sarah's call last night. So in attempt to gain more points and keep all those updated on my success i have posted a little point Calendar on the side. I was told that when I get to ten I get a prize and then another prize when at 20!!! I'm almost there!!! Wish me luck!

Haven't Met You Yet

2010-04-30T20:10:00.000-07:00

So it has been many months since my last post. I was finally inspired to write this when I heard this lovely song from one of my favorites, Michael Buble! This goes to show that music can sometime say it all. I've been dating many lately and this song might possibly be a theme for it all. I've learned a lot about myself, about what I want, what I deserve and when it is ok to compromise. It can be very discouraging to thing that through all of this I still haven't met that one special person that I will get to spend the rest of my life with. Although this song has a very cute way of putting a positive spin on it. So I will press forward, he has got to be out there somewhere.

~Savannah~: That Song on the Radio

2009-11-11T21:19:00.000-08:00

~Savannah~: That Song on the Radio

That Song on the Radio

2009-11-11T20:47:00.000-08:00

Ever been driving down the road contemplating a particular situation you are in or what you would like to say to someone? However you can't seem to put all these words in your head into once sentence that makes sense? Then that's when you hear "that song on the radio". You know what I mean, that song that is saying exactly how you feel. That song on the radio that knows exactly what you are going through and exactly how to put what you what to say. Its like you were meant to hear that song, and you automatically love it because it already knows you. Well even if you don't know what I'm talking about just pretend anyway. Ha.

Today was that day were I heard "That song on the radio". It said exactly what I was thinking however alot better than I could have put it. Still I related to that song and I had to download it immediately. I tend to use music to help me get through situations. Something about it helps me get out any negative energy that likes to store up inside and help me think just a little bit clearer. Although the song I heard today was to help me get through a difficult situation , it also goes the other way. "That song on the radio" applies to many different situations. Including falling in and out of love, appreciating the ones you love or for life and even for the silly mood that you get in when everything seems to be going right for a change. There is a song out there for everything.
Below is the link to my song. Sometimes it all in the music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PGQHqIxb6o

Random Can Be Fun!

2009-10-11T09:49:00.000-07:00

So one of my dearest friend Lizzy was up in Salt Lake for a few weeks. While she was up here she came over one evening and we started to snap photos. Some of the pictures were very funny and it just goes to show you that some of the most randome pictures can turn out to be the best. I had a blast with Candice and Liz and can't wait for us all to get together again.

3 Girls + Camping = GOOD TIMES!!!

2009-09-07T12:32:00.000-07:00

I've never been much of a camper. Don't get me wrong, I love the out doors and I've been quite a few times with family and friends however I always seem to get out of putting up the tent and making the fire. Call me lucky! ha. So I was a little stressed when Candice, Sarah and I went camping alone a few weeks ago. That's right, NO boys! Just us girls. Turns out that we are not so bad at our camping life's. Although it did take two attempt to put up the tent but I'm pretty sure that we laughed the whole time. Here are the attempt we made. Above is attempt number One. Clearly doesn't look like its suppose to. You can see Sarah and myself on the right side. I think we were holding the tent up. ha ha. Below is the second attempt looked a little better. It was sleepable. For 3 girls that have never set this tent up before, I think we did a pretty good job. However don't ask how long it took to get it up.

1.
2.
3.

Whenever we go anywhere we have to make sure we get a cute picture of the 3 of us. Although it sometimes takes a few attempts. Here are our attempts. Picture number 1. didn't work due to the fact that we only got 1/2 of Sarah's face. Picture number 2. was no good because Sarah's face is now in the way. Although 3. was the one that we finally decided to call it good. Every one was all smiles and in the picture.

Next part of our adventure was the campfire! It was now time to fix our amazing dinner of hot dogs and then dessert of smores and roasted starbursts. Its not camping if you don't have marsh mellows over an open fire!

It was so nice to go camping with them and I had the blast just sitting around laughing and making our dinners. I couldn't ask for a better camping experience. After we stayed up for a while we decided to call it a night. The fun continued to the wonderful tent we had set up. Sarah decided to bring a sleeping cot so watching her set it up was a ton of fun. But she did manage to get it up and it didn't collapse, not even once! Good job Sarah!

Thanks to my two great friends for braving the wilderness with me. I can't wait for next time! Three girls can go camping and come back alive!!

Movie Night!

2009-07-29T20:14:00.000-07:00

So this last Monday night was the first time that the Booth kids have gone out all on our own. I took my 3 younger brothers and 2 younger sister to the movie "Up". I've been wanting to do something like this for a long time and am glad that it finally came through. Every moment spent with them is even better then the one before. Each one of them have the most amazing qualities and I love them more than words can say. I had a great time spending time with them. Here are a few photos we got after the movie.

Shariah, Sloane and Me
I absolutely adore these girls!

Cody, Curtis and Cole

The boys try and pretend that they are tough but they are actually very sensitive. Don't let them fool you. :)

I love their smiles!
The end of the evening we able to get someone to take a photo of all of us however it didn't turn out well but here it is anyway. Before we parted ways for the evening I told them that I want to do things like this again. Hopefully this is the first of many more evening with my siblings.

Painting Fun

2009-07-26T21:33:00.000-07:00

Curtis, Me and Cody

So tonight started out like any other ordinary evening. Candice and Sarah came over to paint our nails, watch a movie and chat. Everything started as planned however quickly shifted into another direction. My little brothers Curtis and Cody decided to join us. As I finished painting the last petals on Sarah's nails I thought it might be fun to paint on my little brother Cody. This lead to alot more paiting on myself and others. Here are a few pictures that were taken of every ones new "tattoos"/paitings. Its been a great evening sitting around and trying to watch "Valkyrie." Nothing makes me happier than spending time with friends and family! Not sure how Sarah managed to espcape the paint brush on skin. No worries though, we will get her next time.
Curtis' leg painted by Cody

Cody's back painted by Curtis

Cody's leg painted by Me!

Candice's leg painted by Cody

My leg painted by Cody. I let him do whatever he wanted. My leg was the canvas.

The Little Things

2009-07-26T16:05:00.000-07:00

How often do we go through life just trying to hurry and get things done? Do we ever stop to smell the roses or appreciate the small things that life has to offer? Often I am guilty of working simply to get to tomorrow. It can make for alot of frustration and disappointment. I've recently rediscovered some of the little things that I love. Here are the best things that have happened to me.

Great Family

Wonderful Friends

I love you guys!

Mothers Day

2009-05-18T22:39:00.000-07:00

I will admit that Mother's Day isn't usually my favorite holiday. Since its been about 14 years that I've seen my mother I have a hard time appreciating what she ever did for me. However as the years have gone on I've learned that although my Mother hasn't been a great mother to me , I still have many women in my life that have been. My great-grandma (Nanny) has been one of the biggest Mother figures in my life. She took care of me when I was sick and still does. She is there for me no matter what happens or how bad I seem to screw things up. I admire her generous heart, spirit, spunky personality and the ability to help me view the other side of a argument. I couldn't possibly explain what she means to me in one Internet entry. Any one who has meet Nanny can testify of her infectious personality. My Step-Grandma Laney has also played a significant role in my growing up. She has been my grandma and best friend. Its been her open minded view and life experiences that help give me perspective and appreciation for life. She will always be known to me as my "Groovy Grandma". Laney has been an inspiration to me more then she will ever know.

Last but certainly not least is my Step Mom Shauntel! She is sometimes more like a older sister then a step mom but that's what I love the most. Shauntel is very easy to talk to and I know I can come to her with any problems that I may have. She is beautiful inside and out and her sense of style is classic. I hope that Sloane and Cole realize how lucky they are to have her as their Mother. I know I've been very lucky to even have her in my life.
I've been working on viewing Mother's day as a positive rather then dwelling on the negative of it. I know that I'm very lucky to have these wonderful Mothers in my life. I can only hope that I someday become a mother just like them. When I have the honor of being a Mother I will make sure that my children know how much their Mother loves them. For those of you who already have these wonderful influences in your life, I hope you took the time to say just how much you love and appreciate everything they do for you. Mom is truly a special word.

Apple Juice??

2009-05-18T17:55:00.000-07:00

KMy friend Angie has the cuttest daughter around! I finally got her on video this last weekend. Whenever she says Garbages is sounds like apple juice. However whenever she says apple juice it still sounds like apple juice. Check out the video! She is soooo stinkn cute!

Oh Sarah!! What Have You Done Now!?!

2009-03-15T21:31:00.000-07:00

Sarah has really done it this time! My dear friend Sarah has started a group on Facebook called "Savannah and Bailey should DATE!!". This is no joke. Lets start at the beginning....

This all began on Friday the 13th! How fitting if you ask me. Sarah, Brad Harper and Myself were sitting around my living room just chatting when the idea was brought up of why don't my friend Craig Bailey and I date. I laughed at the idea but it was too late! You could hear the wheels turning in Brad and Sarah's head. They continued to jokingly push the idea when one of them suggested that a group be started to convince me how great of an idea it was. Brad had first mentioned that they could get 10,000 to join however the number quickly lowerred to 500. We made a deal that if they could get 700 people to join such a group that Craig and I would go out on a date. We all had a laugh about the matter and I thought it was over. However the next day Sarah came strutting into my house with a grin that amazingly resembled that of the Grinch

I knew at once that she had done something deserving of that smile. She shortly disclosed that a group at been established and invites had been sent out. Here is word for word what information was included on the group info.

"Here's the tale of two great friends of mine.Savannah and Bailey (Craig) were both raised in West Valley City, living no more than 3 miles apart. Savannah grew to love Bailey during her years at Granger High but kept her feelings concealed. Bailey was a scrawny popular kind of guy with frosted-tipped hair and an infectious personality.Bailey served a mission while Savannah recovered from her adoration unrequited. Upon his return, the two met up again...Over the years since Bailey's been home, the two have maintained their sweet bond through phone calls and texts. Bailey moved to St. George and even California, and again, Savannah endured.The two now both live happily in the Salt Lake Valley in their respective homes. Their bond grows stronger daily! Savannah's now met Bailey's extended family and sees him on a regular basis. The question remains: when? When will the two understand that love cannot wait? That once was lost is again found? That the union of these two souls would e a joyous sight to not only them, but so many others?If this group reaches 700 members (we CAN do it!) then the two will go on a date. Please help this cause!"

You may access the facebook group HERE to view for yourself or if you feel so desired as to join. It has been a little over 24 hours that this group has been established and it has already reached 49. I can't even imagine what it will look like in a couple more days. However please realize that this group was not my idea or an indication of feelings that I may have toward Craig. We are but friends and that it the way I would like to keep it. Although the whole thing has become very humorous.

Viva Las Vegas

2009-03-14T14:59:00.000-07:00

So it was time again to take what seems to be a annual trip to "Sin City", the "City of Lights", "Lost Wages" or Las Vegas!!
This time it was just Sarah, Candice, Lydia and myself. We had a great time and played in Vegas like never before. After the past few years I think we have finally learned how to do Vegas right so here are some of the tips that I've learned.
1. Walking IS over rated!- It takes just as long to walk from Casino to Casino as it does to Self Park or Valet the car each time. This has been learned through much trial and error.
2. Enjoy the Night life - Vegas is known for its Night life therefore I enjoy Vegas alot more at night then I do during the day. If you go during the summer your average temp about 100 degrees. If you simply wait till night to see those amazing lights the temp will drop about 20 - 30 degrees. Just a thought
3. Nothing in Vegas is FREE or Cheap- With the few exceptions of those dang flash cards that are passed to every person as they walk the strip. I like to call those "Boobie Cards"
4. Wear comfortable Shoes- This one is a must!! I made the horrible mistake of wearing some awesome looking black high heeled boots. I figured they would like to look nice for a night out on the town and thought there would be limited walking so I should be okay. I was wrong!! There are not short distances in Vegas therefore wear shoes you know your feet won't kill you for later. I had to dance in my socks because my feet were in so much pain.
5. Prepare to Sweat! - Every time I go to Vegas I try to wear my hair straight. If you know me at all you know that my hair is naturally very curly. Why do I go against the natural forces??? I don't know. My hair starts out cute and strait but by the end of the evening it is up in a pony tail and bangs are pulled back. Its not good times.
6. Never Expect to win BIG- This just won't happen. Those machines are rigged I tell you. I figure that I will put $20 aside and just expect it to be wasted on gambling. If you go into it thinking that you will win twice the money you put it all you will leave with is a bad attitude.

So there are a few things to take in consideration before you take on the Adventure that is Las Vegas. For a more in dept view of the trip you can refer to Sarah's Blog. (For those who have been granted access.)

What Once Was Lost Is Now Found!!!

2009-03-02T15:00:00.000-08:00

Ever lose something and go absolutely frantic looking for it? Well that is me on a daily basis. I use to lose my keys ALL the time until I got this cook gadget from a store in the mall. I hook a round thing to my keys and then push a button and it beeps. Too bad they don't have something like that for everything I own.
Within the past two weeks I managed to lose a $70 tanning lotion and my make-up (which most women can say it priceless.) I torn my room,car,bathroom and desk apart looking for these things. I decided to wait for a couple of weeks before I purchased another expensive lotion however the make up would not wait. The next morning I headed to the local Walmart and bought the necessities i.e eye liner, mascara, blush, foundation and eye shadow. I shopped smart so I didn't end up paying a whole lot. These would do until I ether found my original make up bag or broke down and repurchased the whole thing. I hate losing things!! No only does is bring on stress but it usually costs $$$! Nanny would always tell me that lost items were " In the last place I would look." Duh! Clearly they are but it took me a while to figure that out. ha ha. I hate losing things and anyone who has ever lost something can relate to the pit in the stomach you have when you can't find it.
I am happy to report that my lost items have now been found. Nanny was right. They were in the last place I looked. She is full of wisdom!

Dancing!

2009-02-07T09:02:00.000-08:00

I love to go dancing! I don't always get the opportunity to but when I do I always have an excellent time. So last night they were having a competition and I thought it would be a great opportunity to see all my dancing friends. I tried to get a decent picture of the floor but it didn't turn out so well.
My love for dancing all started when I was about 4 years old. I started to dance in a creative dance class which I did until I was about 13. I quit dancing due to memories and emotional attachments that had happened and didn't enter a dance class till I was 18. I know that doesn't seem along time for most but to me it was forever. So my first year of college my dear friend Candice talked me into taking a Country Western Dance Class. We thought it would be a great way to get that 1 credit hour for gym. It wasn't the typical Country Western Dance class that I was thinking of though. In the class we learned Night Club Two Step, West Coast Swing and Night Club Two Step. My love quickly grew for dancing and I wanted to go out again. Since then I've made some excellent friends at the dancing center.
I'm so glad that I got to go out last night. I usually end up looking pretty rough by the end of the night. Which was the case last night but still wanted to post this picture of my friend Breezy and me.

New Found Loves

2009-02-03T11:36:00.000-08:00

Last night I had the great opportunity of spending time with Tyler, Gillian and Connor King. Little did I know that I would obtain New Found loves that evening so here is how it transpired.
I had borrowed a movie from Gillian back in October and decided to finally return it to her. Anyone who knows me can testify that I seriously suck at returning movies. I have a nice collection of unreturned Blockbuster,Hollywood Video and Red Box movies that I've failed to return and also paid the price for. Literally paid the price. So since Gillian was kind enough to not charge me for the failed on-time return , I saw it only fitting that I compensate with Papa Johns pizza. Hanging out with Gillian and Tyler is not a new found love but a existing one.
So Candice and I headed over with two large pizzas and happiness in our hearts to spend time with the Kings. The evening went great and they both did a great job of making their guests feel at home. At this time I also got to meet their new cat, Connor. For the past 8 years I have had a small fear of cats. Which is no thanks to Angie and her dumb cat Mickey. Who was the devil himself. So when the situation comes up that I must be around them I get all tense and very nervous. This was NOT the situation with Connor. He was so friendly and I quickly grew a love for him. Which is a great improvement. He is No.1 cat on my list. Connor would be my first new found love of the evening.
My Next New Found love not only came as a shock to me but to Candice too. Nearing the end of the evening Tyler and Gillian were all excited to watch a favorite program of theirs called RAW Wrestling! Candice gave a very hesitating glance regarding the program but stuck it out. Not 5 minutes into it I knew I had found my next new found love. I know that this might sound crazy but I was actually very interested in the show. I quickly discovered which wrestlers were my favorites and which ones I found very attractive. :)
The evening brought great company, much laughter and a new appreciation/love for unexpected things. Thank you Gillian and Tyler for a great evening and to Candice for going along with me.

Walking With the Dinosaurs

2009-01-18T16:15:00.000-08:00

My family got a great opportunity of going to see Walking With the Dinosaurs at the Energy Solutions Arena (Delta Center). I had heard about it on the radio but wasn't really sure what it was. So when my Grandma Laney called me last week and wanted to know if I wanted to go I said Yes immediately. So on a lovely Sunday afternoon the entire family headed to the California Pizza Kitchen at the Gateway for lunch then to E.S.A for the show. We got there a little late but was great all the same. Every adult was just as fascinated about the massive dinosaurs as the kids were. I tried to get some decedent pictures but it was difficult due to the dark setting. There was a host who informed the audience about the different time period of the dinosaurs. The show wasn't only informative but incredible entertaining.

I had the best time with my family. Spending time with them is one of the best things that I could think to do. I love them.

Insane Institute

2009-01-15T08:43:00.000-08:00

As a part of a New Years Resolution I attended my first Institute class of the year. I also decided to bring along two great friends Candice and Sarah. However if you spoke to them they would probably say that I dragged them there. Never the less we all arrived to class looking very hopeful of socialization and spiritual fulfillment. The three of us sat down at one of the desks near the back and we waiting for class to start. Class then started as normal with a Hymn (which nether Sarah or I confessed to knowing how to play the piano),a opening prayer, thought then announcements. Our Institute teacher then stood up and introduced himself and also gave the entire class to do the same, however in a more unique style then I've done in a class before. Each person was to go one by one ,say their name and a bit about them self. The interesting part came in where we were to put adjective that started with the first letter of our name. For example Chris became Cute Chris, Jacob became Jumping Jacob then Manly Matt etc... The names we found for ourselves were just as bad, Cool Candice, Sarcastic Sarah and Smiley Savannah. A couple interesting names we ran across where Amazing Aubrey, and Against the Advisory Allison. I wish I was kidding. I will admit that the occasional glance was thrown between the three of us a number of times on whether or not this was actually a good idea. More then half the class seemed to be much younger then we were. Okay maybe not much younger but the teacher generalized the students to be 21 years old.
Our classmates seem very interesting and I'm sure it will make for an exciting class. Besides our Crazy Classmates our teacher seems great. I am really looking forward to what this new semester will bring.

A New Year & New Resolution

2009-01-05T15:48:00.000-08:00

After reading Candice's blog I couldn't help but think about what my New Years Resolutions/Hopes are for the Year 2009. Of course there are the obvious ones like exercise, lose weight, get out of debt, spend more time with family, help others, do something you haven't done before, finally find Mr. Right(ha ha, for me anyway), and Get organized. There seems to be so many to do that it doesn't surprise me that people don't keep their New Years Resolutions. So hopefully this year with the encouragement of my friends and family and my own determination I will accomplish them. I've always believed in setting New Years Resolutions, why not start off with goals? I've created a poll on the side. I would like to know what your top New Years Resolutions are. Here is to a New Year and New Resolutions!

Pre Christmas Fun

2008-12-24T15:27:00.000-08:00

Every year my Grandparents throw a Christmas party for their company Booth Fire Protection which is based out of Price. Just this last year they have expanded the company to Salt Lake and become Booth Fire/United Fire Protection. So the whole United Fired part of the company took the 2 hour drive down to Price for the Christmas Party this year. Since my entire family is apart of the business and I am a Booth I was invited to go.
I had the absolute best time. I spent a ton of time with my family and it makes me look forward to Christmas that is tomorrow. I think that pictures speak louder then words so here are some that I got from the weekend.

Pretty Pretty Princess

2008-12-02T12:23:00.001-08:00

I don’t know what it is but I tend to revert to a 5 year old whenever I’m with my siblings. It may have something to do with them all being so young. So on Saturday night I headed over to my Dad’s house to help my sister Shariah (16 yrs old) to watch Cody (11), Cole (7) and Sloane (4).

we packed all the kids into the Tahoe and headed to Baskin Robins where Shariah kindly got ice cream for all of us. Now that we had loaded the kids up with sugar we knew it would be best to try and let them exhaust themselves. So to a play place called Jumping Jacks was our next destination. They played for about an hour which ended up being the perfect solution to lots of ice cream. We then headed back to the house where they were each given a change to settle down. Cody jumped in the shower, Cole played his video games and it was Sloane’s duty to set up the game Pretty Pretty Princess. Shariah had promised Sloane that we would play. So the three of us sat down and started to play. For those who are unfamiliar with this game it is the goal to move your player piece around the board and collect your jewelry. Once you have collected your ring, ear rings, necklace, bracelet and most importantly the crown you are the Pretty Pretty Princess. Although if you obtain the dreaded black ring you can not win until you get rid of it. The three of us played and a time or two my dear sister Sloane tried to convince Shariah and myself that she should just keep the crown. So sneaky for a 4 year old. Although she is our youngest sister we were not about to let her get away with that one. Ultimately Shariah became the Pretty Pretty Princess. My siblings are blessings in my life and I wouldn’t trade the experiences with them for anything. I consider myself to be incredibly lucky to be their older sister and it is truly my privilege. I look forward to every moment I get to spend with my family and the holiday season has a way of helping me realize how important it is to have family around.

A New Chapter

2008-11-17T13:02:00.000-08:00

Since I was about 8 years old I have made numerous attempts in writing in a journal. I would get one for my birthday and/or Christmas and write for about a week or two then give up. By the time the next holiday came around I would get another journal / diary and do the same. It wasn’t until a few weeks after my high school graduation when my Grandma Laney took me to New York for a graduation gift (I know, Pretty awesome gift!!! Best time ever.) And gave me a journal to document the things that we were seeing and emotions I was going through. The journal couldn’t be more fitting gift for this occasion. I then started to write however this time my summer was full of life changing events and I had a desire more then ever to write about it. These were things I never wanted to forget. I continued to write about the Mormon Pioneer Trek I took with my Stake, The girl’s vacation I took with my best friends, the starting of College and the death of my great-grandfather Da. However after a few months my normal routine set in and soon it was two months plus since I had written. I was getting back to my old ways of journal writing. However this time I was more invested in the journal. I did not dismiss it like I had so many before it. It wasn’t until I meet one of the best friends I could ever ask for, Sarah in a singles branch in 2004 (I know what year thanks to my journal writing.) that gave me the motivation to start writing again. Sarah has a collection of 31 journals. Her testimony of journal writing and continuous encouragement gave me the motivation to some day finish. She helps bring a new light to the idea of journal writing. Too often we forget the details of special events or of an ordinary day. My journal became the best way to vent anger or frustration regarding any number of situations I cam upon or seem to get myself into. It also gave me the opportunity time and time again to bear my testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Going back and reading entries I found how the Lord had helped me along my way and blessed me with great family and friends. So after 6 years and only 200 pages I have finally finished. I think apart of me never wanted to finish. If I finished my journal then I was closing a chapter of my life and being forced to move on. However I have now realized that change is good and everything must progress, including me. I don’t know if I would ever have finished it weren’t for Sarah’s example of journal writing. So here is to a new chapter in my life and a new journal.

Fun w/ the Family

2008-11-07T08:21:00.000-08:00

I know I'm long over due for a blog so here it is.

Last Saturday November 1st my Grandpa and Grandma Laney came up to Salt Lake for a weekend Halloween visit and decided to take as many grandchildren out to lunch as possible and then to a movie. Which is a guarentee for entertainment. Needless to say I was not let down. We all headed over to Chili's and attempted to order food for the entire family. I will probably post more pictures then necessary due to the fact that I think my siblings and cousins are the cuttest things ever.

Sloane and Curtis

Xander

Grandchildren that were present were:
Myself
Curtis
Shariah
Cole
Sloane
Zach
Rylee
Gunner
Xander

Gunner and Zach

Rylee, Grandma Laney & Sloane

Curtis and Cole

Grandpa and Nanny

A Quote I Had to Share!

2008-09-11T15:04:00.000-07:00

So I was browsing around the Internet and found this quote. I wasn't looking for quotes or anything like it but once I saw it I knew I had to post it or I would forget.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain

This quote puts many things into my head. First is of the desire to travel. Second is the knowledge that live is too short to waste away your days with stress and drama. Life is full of unexpected adventures. I truly believe that life is what you make it and its not what happens to you but how you handle it.

I love life and the crazy happenings of it. There is so much to explore don't be afraid to "sail away from the safe harbor."

Gluten Free is NOT for me!

2008-09-08T15:38:00.000-07:00

For one whole week I decided to try and eat foods that did not contain Gluten in them. Now I am sure that you may wonder What, Why and How! I can say with the most certainty that this wasn’t easy. I did this to help give me a better understanding of what my Great-Grandma (who most know as Nanny) and dear friend Liz have to go through, they both have Celiac Disease.
Celiac Disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate a protein called gluten, found in wheat, rye, and barley. Gluten is found mainly in foods but may also be found in products we use every day, such as stamp and envelope adhesive, medicines, and vitamins.

The small intestine is shaded above.
When people with celiac disease eat foods or use products containing gluten, their immune system responds by damaging the small intestine. The tiny, fingerlike protrusions lining the small intestine are damaged or destroyed. Called villi, they normally allow nutrients from food to be absorbed into the bloodstream. Without healthy villi, a person becomes malnourished, regardless of the quantity of food eaten.

Villi on the lining of the small intestine help absorb nutrients.
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov
Some symptoms of Celiac Disease are
• gas
• recurring abdominal bloating and pain
• chronic diarrhea
• constipation
• pale, foul-smelling, or fatty stool
• weight loss/weight gain
• fatigue
• unexplained anemia (a low count of red blood cells causing fatigue)
• bone or joint pain
• osteoporosis, osteopenia
• behavioral changes
• tingling numbness in the legs (from nerve damage)
• muscle cramps
• seizures
• missed menstrual periods (often because of excessive weight loss)
• infertility, recurrent miscarriage
• delayed growth
• failure to thrive in infants
• pale sores inside the mouth, called aphthous ulcers
• tooth discoloration or loss of enamel
• itchy skin rash called dermatitis herpetiformis
Just think. All that could be caused by a simple brownie! No Bueno.
Although I do not have Celiac Disease I thought it could help me be more compassionate to those who do. I think I have done a fairly decent job on accommodating to those who do, but still wanted to walk a bit in their shoes.
Going into this I thought, “How hard can this actually be?” And “Maybe this will make me eat health.” These thoughts were absurd!
What I learned was that with any disease it can be life altering. You are aware of every little bit of food that goes in your mouth. I was able to come up with a couple good ideas of things to snack on but it was not as easy as I thought it would be, as for the “Eat Health” idea. Yeah not so much. I quickly found every day gluten free treats that are not good for me. I.E, M&M’s (I justified buying a massive bag) Breyers or Dreyers Ice Cream, Doritos Chips and the most lethal to me was French fries. Not a good idea. Ha ha ha.

Some of the draw backs were going out to eat. My friends and I love to eat out!!! Way too much. I had to make sure to give special instruction on how to cook my food plus I was very limited to what I could order. With that being said I was also limited to what restaurants I could go to. I received a very sour look from Sarah and Candice when I told them that Leatherbys was not an option one night. But because they are such great friends they quickly suggested another ice cream establishment that I would be able to enjoy with them.  They Rock!!! Candice and I had also tried to eat at Café Rio. I wanted one of the amazing salads but I couldn’t have the Flour Tortilla they put at the bottom of the salad. When I made my request for a corn instead of a flour tortilla the kid looked at me like I was speaking in gibberish. I continued my attempts that I did not want the flour tortilla but a corn one instead. The server was getting impatient; the line grew longer, my temper shorter and my voice much louder and higher. Ultimately I ended up with no tortilla. The kid still didn’t get it, Although Candice and I did leave with food in hand chuckling at the experience.

Here is a list of foods that about killed me to avoid:
• Brownies
• Bread
• Ketchup (Although most fries were ok, this was not)
• Most types of Ice Cream
• Most types of Salad Dressing
• Cookies
• Pizza
• Most Lean Cuisines

So in conclusion, Gluten Free is NOT for me. I have gained some perspective and learned a lot about this disease. I’m very glad I took the opportunity to do this. Celiac Disease affects 3 million Americans with only 3% of them actually being diagnosed and treated. This is not easy to live with and not just because of the food restrictions but for what it does to your body. The average length of time it takes for a symptomatic person to be diagnosed with Celiac Disease in the US is four years: this type of delay dramatically increases an individual’s risk of developing autoimmune disorders, neurological problems, osteoporosis and even cancer.

This Post is dedicated to Nanny, Liz and all those who suffer from this disease

Source: Characteristics of adult celiac disease in the USA; result of national survey, Green, P.H et.al. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2001, 2006

I've Been Tagged!

2008-08-13T11:17:00.000-07:00

Four random things I like about my husband: So I don't have a husband but if I did I'm sure I would like the following things about him 1. Great kisser! 2. Gets along with my family and friends 3. Does random sweet things for me especially when I don't deserve them 4. He likes me even when I wear no make-up.

Four jobs I’ve had: 1. Hires Big H 2. Popcorn Cottage 3. Small World Daycare 4. ARUP Phlebotomist

Four movies I have watched more than once: 1. Stardust 2. Down With Love 3. The Dark Knight 4. While You Were Sleeping

Four TV shows I watch: Well I don't really watch tv shows but I can certainly tell ya some of my favorites 1. Friends 2. Two and a Half Men 3.Sex in the City 4. Home Improvement ( Yup I still love it)

Four places I have been: 1. England 2. Florida 3. Belgium 4. New York

Four places I would like to visit: 1. Italy 2. Hawaii 3. Seattle 4. Bahamas

Four things I am looking forward to in the coming year: 1. Halloween ( I love to dress up)2. Going on a cruise with my friends 3. Getting a Laptop 4. Spending everyday with those I love like friends and family. :)

Tea Time with the Booths

2008-08-10T16:34:00.000-07:00

I had the divine opportunity of attending a tea party hosted by none other then the exquisite Sloane D. Booth. For those who don't know Sloane, she is my 4 year old little sister and the description of sugar and spice and everything nice doesn't even begin to explain her.
The Tea Party consisted of my dad (Craig), mom (Shauntel), brother (Cole), myself and of course our host Sloane. We sat around the kitchen table with our plate and saucers sipping water and chatting. But to Sloane we might as well of been dressed up, sitting at a table in a garden and sipping lemonade/tea. Clearly indicated by the photos we were far from a garden or dressed nice.

Having parties for this little girl is certainly her cup of tea.

Even Dad was thrilled about the tea party.

Although Cole had requested for Dr. Pepper to be the drink of choice he still managed to enjoy himself.

I live for moments just like this where I can sit with my sister and become 4 all over again. I am so blessed of having younger siblings. They allow my inner child to come out and play. Thank you Sloane for inviting me to your party. I hope to come to many many more. I love you.

What Makes A Beautiful Smile?

2008-07-25T12:03:00.001-07:00

Is it the shape of your mouth, the size or the color of your lips? Perhaps it has something to do with those pearly whites or how straight they are. I was recently given this compliment of having a "beautiful smile" so I pose this question. What makes a Beautiful Smile? Is it for the reasons I have listed? Or is it simply the meaning behind the smile?
After much thought I would say that the true beauty of a smile comes from the meaning behind it. There is nothing better then receiving a smile from a loved one no matter what it looks like.

The knowledge that I get from receiving a smile is that there is someone however small a moment is happy to see me. A smile has been known to change the course of my day on more then one occasion. It holds enough power to lift spirits, cause a chain reaction and change the tone of ones voice. So for these reasons alone I encourage who ever reads this to try and smile today. Whether it is at a stranger on the street, over the phone or simply to the ones you love once you walk in the door. Every smile is beautiful! No matter how silly it may actually look. So Smile. :D

Lava Hot Springs!

2008-07-22T16:19:00.000-07:00

This past weekend my closest friends and I traveled up to Lava Hot Springs, Idaho. As usual the trip started off with a lot of stress and most people running very much behind. The goal was for everyone to leave at 2:30 pm on Friday afternoon. However if you know me at all or even some of my friends you can confirm that we are never on time for anything. After what seemed like a million phone calls between everyone we finally made a negotiation of two groups leaving. The first group consisted of Jacob & Angie Andrus, Andrew & Becky Isom, Jeff Johnson and Jen. Group 1 hit the road at 3:30 while group 2 consisting of Brad & Liz Harper, Sarah Nolan, Candice Nelson and myself. Unfortunately Group 2 did not get out of the valley till about 5:30. I’m pretty sure that Group 1 was ready to kill the entire participants of group 2 for the delay. But none the less we packed up Candice cute little CRV with all of our things and hit the road. That poor little CRV carried 5 people, luggage, 4 camping chairs, sleeping bags, lanterns, pillows, a table and a countless number of bags with treats in them.

Obviously we were jammed in that little car but still managed to have a great 3 hour car ride with no stops
Once at a lovely camp resort called Rivers Edge we all headed into town for dinner where Jacob and Jeff found it humorous to switch hats. Clearly they were right. Jeff's head was a bit small and Jacob's was a bit too big.
The fun had officially started. We spent the remainder of the night hanging around the camp fire making smores, talking and playing games. Nothing beats quality time with the friends!

The next day consisted of tubing down the river numerous times. You can certainly tell that by the time lunch hit we were all ready for a nap, which is exactly what most of us did.

After our nap we hit the river for another hour then headed back for some delicious tin foil dinners that Becky and Andrew took the time to prepare. Thank you Becky and Andrew! You guys did awesome.
Again the remainder of the night was spending around the campfire, talking and playing a game called “Psychiatrist”.

That morning we had a great breakfast at a restaurant near by then headed back to the river for another 2 hours of tubing. This time Liz and I decided to sit this one out. Poor Liz had hit heads with about everyone on her raft and wasn’t too thrilled on doing it one last time before heading home. I didn’t blame her and sat it out with my own unmentionable injury. One last lunch was had and then it was the road for us. Another lovely 3 hours drive back home and must I mention that we all looked rather rough.

I had an absolute great time and wouldn’t have traded it for the world! It is times and trips like these that really make me appreciate all of my close friends. They are examples to me in so many ways and I love every one of them. Thank you to everyone who went on that trip for your hard work and your consideration. I love you guys!!

Who's Savannah?

2008-07-17T10:51:00.000-07:00

Well I can't actually believe that I am writing a blog but I have been having so much fun reading everyones Blog that I thought that maybe I could bring joy with my own.
I've always heard that the best place to start is at the beginning so here it goes. My name is Savannah Booth. I was lucky enough to be raised by my great-grandparents who I call Nanny and Da. My Da (great-grandfather) past away about 6 years ago and I live with Nanny (great-grandmother) and brother Curtis. What seems to be three very different people all living in the same house but we seem to make it work most the time. There are 6 kids in my family from ages 4 to 24. The youngest is Sloane at age 4, Cole is 6, Cody 11, Shariah 16, Curtis 22 and then myself as the old maid at 24. If you haven't noticed all the girls names start with "S" and the boys the the letter "C" and yes it is all on purpose. What can I say, we are a nerdy family.
I am currently working full time and thoughts of finishing school are certainly in progress. When I'm not busy at work I love to spend time with those who I love including family and friends. Some of my absolute favorite things to do is simply hang out whether it is watching a movie, going to dinner or simply taking a walk and feeding the ducks. I figure you must always find time to do the things that make you happy.
Well that about sums it up. Now I know that I am not the best writer so be easy on me. :) Till the next blog.