Delicious Donovan's!

Last night, we went to dinner with some co-workers to a wonderful new restaurant, Donovan's on Pierpont Avenue. Donovan's had invited us there for a marketing gimmick, to get the word out on their restaurant. (sign me up for free food at a delicious restaurant any day!) This was also a chance to see my husband in a tie (which only usually happens at funerals).We were in a private banquet room with about 25 other coworkers and their plus one. Trav and I got seated at the "kiddie" table with Ashley (from the booger experience), her plus one, Nate, and Heather (from Hookah lounge night.) It was a perfect table for us to try to figure the whole fine dining thing out. The waiters brought around water (which as we were told numerous times throughout the evening they bottle themselves at Donovans) and delicious crusty bread. First course was salad wedge with bleu cheese dressing (or little balls as our table mates commented). I am sure it was pretty entertaining to watch us try to delicately break into the salad without looking like a complete animal. Trying not to flip remnants of iceberg lettuce throughout the room, concentration was needed for this dish. (the salad was great, but the highlight was definitely their bleu cheese dressing, seriously so good) The main course was a bone-in New York steak with steamed veggies and smashed garlic potatoes. We were all convinced that the steaks were going to be tiny and we were going to have no problems eating them. We couldn't have been more wrong. The steaks were HUGE. I have makeup bags at home that were smaller than this steak. Oh and they were so juicy. Yum! Out of the 5 of us at the table only Nate finished his. We washed it all down with more glasses of their self-bottled water and the meal was finished off with a piece of strawberry cheesecake. Delish.
Before this restaurant, our fine dining experience had been at the Timbermine in Ogden. While it is a good restaurant, I think we all learned that nicer restaurants usually don't have a theme and taxidermied animals and do have filtered water and linens on the tables. It was a great evening with lots of laughs (which at times seemed that we were the only ones laughing and making noise.) Thanks for letting us sit at the cool table!

Come On Down!

This last week I have learned the happiness that daytime television can bring. I had a little totally minor surgery (which is a story for another day.) and was lounging last week, spending my share of time in front of the television. My morning started off with the BEST game show EVER, The Price is Right!!! I am sorry, Loritab you didn't make me nearly as happy as the girl that won $12000 playing Plinko, or the guy that won BOTH showcases with an awesome bid in the showcase showdown (he was only off by like $40 or something crazy like that). My afternoons were filled with movies and travel shows. I had no idea what I was missing, working the days away. I also love how at the beginning of the day all they show is "old people" commercials (Scooter stores, mean old Wilford Brimley yelling about diabetic supplies, and drug adds) then as noon approaches more food commercials and the afternoon is rounded out with commercials about going back to school. (catchy jingles and ways to make more money quickly. ) Man, when I was younger I didn't pay nearly enough attention to wasting days away and now I can't just sit and watch it unless I have some medical proceedure done. Well I guess I am willing to sacrifice myself in the name of science if it means more of those wonderfully wasteful days in front of the boob tube.

What happens when a 10 month old puppy realizes there is a kiddie pool? They look like this...

Then afterward... the car ride home was very quiet.

Is this a sign...

This was actually the light reflecting off my phone at work. I thought it might be the universe calling to give me a sign.... I let the machine get it.

New Edition for our family

Today we went in to the dog park and was having a really great morning. We decided to stop by Petsmart to get Kimi some treats and see the pups up for adoption. (We have been looking for Kimi a friend, but hadn't found the right pup yet. We adopted Kimi and she has been the best dog.) Kimi walked right up to one of the kennels and sniffed the dog in it. (His name for the last two weeks has been Liam, but I didn't really think that was a great name for a dog so I named him Ratchet.) Kimi is really great with other dogs, but for some reason she really attached to this pup. They started playing right off the bat and acted like they were best friends. We decided that Ratchet was the puppy that would complete our family for the time being. There is a lot of training to be done, but he has been really great so far. He is a good boy!

The next step.

I am in my last classes at school. (It is just a community college and it is just a certification) I have been working on trying to make my logo and my "brand". It is a lot harder to try to create something that represents you. I have been racking my brain trying to come up with something that could be my logo.

This is the first draft of what I came up with. I like it but it is missing something, I can't quite put my finger on it....

Sunday Afternoon Activities

In the 'Tah, we like to do things old school. This afternoon we hung out about as old school as you possibly could. We pulled out the little kiddie, plastic pool and were having some nice cocktails (Malibu Rum and Lemonade) while enjoying the afternoon sun. As if our little pool party wasn't ghetto enough, but we were able to get my dad to help with some more entertainment. That's right, after pulling a huge piece of plastic sheeting, we had ourselves a slip-n-slide. I didn't take a turn, but I had a great time watching and reliving my youth when a slip-n-slide was the prime entertainment for the summer. I would spend hours playing on it until all the spikes would rip the cheap plastic and you would end the day with a bloody knee or elbow after hitting a sprinklerhead with your extremities. Good times! Man, I loved all the 'unsafe' things we got to play with when we were young! I think it is officially summer when you spend a hot day next to a swimming pool, even if it is a 6 foot wide, one foot deep plastic one from the neighborhood grocery store.

Back to Reality

Sorry, I have lagged in the blogging department this last week. I have been a little burned out over coming home and trying to get back into the swing of things. I went off the grid for a bit because I had run out of things to say. No exciting stories, no funny antidotes, nothing to really report. I wasn't experiencing anything new, but actually the opposite. I guess I could have reported on how my skills as a receptionist didn't abandon me while I was away. I still am able to answer the phone lightening fast! And those dockets don't have a chance when they come across the outlook account. And as far as giggling smiling receptionist go, I think my position is safe and I am glad that I am back to fulfill my current calling in my life. Thanks again for all the well wishes and welcome backs. I am making a goal to resume my blog-stalking this week.

Paris state of mind...

Got home after a long 10 hour flight, sitting next to my mother (who I love dearly but sometimes drives me nuts with her questions.) I was so happy to land but a little less happy to wait in a line through customs for an extra 20 minutes.  When we arrived home, my little puppy was so happy to see me. She acted like a little kid when I opened my bag. She loves stuffed animals and that is what I brought her home, a stuffed animal of a raven from the Tower of London.  I will miss Europe and all it had to offer, but am happy to be home.   

Paris Paris Paris

My favorite thing at the Louvre, Winged Victory. 

The most famous woman in Paris, the Mona Lisa

Today, we went to the most famous of all art museums, The Louvre.  It was so amazing and surreal that we were actually there. It was also so big with tons of rooms tucked away. Even the rooms that the art is in is impressive with so much detail in even the ceiling. I am exhausted from this trip and today as well. I was disappointed a bit because some of the French paintings were closed. (My all time favorites are the Impressionists)   The sculptures definitely made up for it. It was amazing that so many wonderful works of art have survived so much.  

Thanks for everyone who have followed me during my trip.  I will be back to my normal blog-stalking once I am safe and sound in NSL.  :) Also I will have some videos that I have taken and will post that when I get home too.