I definitely have not taken advantage of all the amazing hikes in Utah in the last 7 years.
(Yuck has it really been that long that I've been here? Sigh...)

Rock Canyon was introduced to me, oh, a month ago by Sean. And I will be forever thankful. Because Rock Canyon is beautiful. And peaceful. And secluded.

Last week, I decided to go up before FHE and hike as far as a could (in my allotted time) and then sprint down the canyon. It was fun!

I took some pictures with my phone on the way down:




And this week, Kjerstin came with me.

We hiked down, though, we did not sprint.

"Women don't eat at all. They just look at food then jump on the treadmill."

Quote from Gilmore Girls.

But seriously not true. Well, maybe for some women. But definitely not this one...

I'm a little obsessed with this website recently:
http://picky-palate.com/

I found a recipe for this chicken roll thing on her website and thought it sounded delicious.

the before:

(sorry it's sideways, you get the picture)

the after:


(yes, those are my grandmother's plates from the 50's...)

The only bad part about trying new recipes is I can never judge how long it will take me. This one took two hours, but now I know the process and it will be MUCH shorter next time.

Oh, and it was super delicious, in case anyone wanted to know.

Find the recipe here.

She likes basketball, isn't that wild?

Dear Hayley,

Note to self: when you stop playing basketball for extended periods of time, you do get hurt.

(ring finger is bruised and swollen)

Remember how you couldn't type? Play more!

Love, you know you want to play more, so just do it. And don't be a pansy about your finger. You like showing off battle wounds.

This is my sister. She is silly.

My conversations with Jenny after she had taken a muscle relaxer the other night:

j: "hayley, i just did my nails, and i totally forgot my stuff is in the wash. can you move it to the dryer?"
h: "sure" and i went and did just that.

30 minutes later:

j: "hayley, i forgot, i have stuff in the wash. can you move it to the dryer for me?"
h: "jenny, i already did that..."
j: "really? how did you know to do that?"
h: "you asked me to..."
j: "really? i dont remember..."

20 minutes after that:
h: "jenny, go to bed."
j: "but that means i have to move."
h: "yes but you don't want to sleep on the couch, it will hurt your back."
j: "oh, you are right."

10 minutes later:
j: "what day is today?"
h: "sunday."
j: "are you sure?"
h: "yes, we had church today, and break the fast."
j: "what day is tomorrow?"
h: "...monday"
j: "are you sure?"
h: "yes i am."
j: "do i have to go to work?"
h: "jenny, yes you do."
j: "...what time?"
h: "well you are supposed to be in at 7am..."
j: "oh, ok."
"no don't turn my lights off yet, i have to look for spiders. dont laugh."
h: "i'm not laughing, i do the same thing."

and then i get this gem of a text this morning...
"I'm dead today. Also I don't remember anything I said to you last night."

of course not. that is why i'm such a nice sister to document this wonderful conversation.

also, she apparently called our friend Alex after she went to bed

good thing i'm honest. i didn't exaggerate anything. which i definitely could have...

love you jenny!

Oscar the Grouch

Dear Neighbors,

My backyard, despite what you may think, or may have convinced yourself is a good idea, is NOT your personal garbage dumping ground.

I seriously find crap like this all over my backyard, every day. It's disgusting.

Also, (you know who you are), letting your kids play with fireworks in your backyard is a TERRIBLE idea. I really don't want the entire neighborhood to burn down.

Sincerely, Oscar the Blonde Grouch

...and I can almost see, through the dark there is light

On Saturday after the incredible Idina concert, Kjerstin and I decided we were going to hike up to the Y before she left for California this Thursday.

(thank you google images)

So we did.

And may I just say, it did not take me as long as it normally does to get up the Y. Thank you 24 Hour Fitness membership...

The view at sunset is breathtaking.

We were the only ones at the bottom of the Y, everyone else was at the top, so it was almost like we were the only two on the mountain. So I'm going to pretend we were. It was awesome!

Black and white

Nothing like having a best friend that will hike super slow with you ;)

P.S.

If anyone can spot the moon, I'll send cookies.

Handprint on my heart

I don't have an awesome way to preface this, so I guess I'll start at the beginning.

Kjerstin and I went to Park City on Saturday. We got there just in time to get food, grab our tickets, find a tiny patch of grass (where we sat on her daughter's grocery cart cover thing) and hear the Utah Symphony warm up.

(before the show)

The symphony played a few pieces and then intermission. And then...


We got to see Idina Menzel live!!!!!!!!!!

I'd add more exclamation points but I think you should have gotten the point by now...

Be jealous. She was phenomenal. And hilarious. And I wish I was best friends with her. Or that I could nanny her adorable little boy.

Really, though, she is quite the entertainer. Not only does she have an incredible voice, she is goofy and silly and an elaborate story teller that gets distracted easily and I greatly appreciate that. Because that is how I am too.

Some of my favorite things she said:

"My husband complains that I see the glass half empty and he sees it half full. We spent 3 months in couples therapy arguing about it." and then she giggled.

"I had just had a baby and felt fat and like I'd never work again, and then Glee calls me and wants me to play the mother of a girl who in real life is only 15 years younger than me! Glass half full right?"

"We write songs for our little boy, and sometimes argue about 'verse, chorus, bridge?' or 'verse, bridge, chorus?' and then my husband complains that we never highlight his lovely baritone voice..."

Talking about the Jeep tours through Moab: "The drivers were crazy! You are going and you see a huge boulder in front of you and you think, 'Oh that's nice, they are going to stop and let us get out and take pictures' and then they go up and over the boulder with one tire! ...The boys were more scared than the girls, just so you know..."

"I found the sexiest Cole Porter song I could. I thought I could, you know, kill two birds with one stone. Fulfill my assignment and seduce my teacher!"

Also, she may or may not have called Beyonce a naughty word...

Among other songs, she sang a couple of songs from Wicked, one from Rent, a couple from Funny Girl (she said Barbra Streisand is one of her biggest inspirations) and she did Poker face, which she sang on Glee with Lea Michele.

She also sang a few of the songs her and her husband, Taye Diggs, wrote for their little boy. And let me tell you, watching Idina rap about a poopy diaper face is something I will never forget.

Sunday was fun, too. Kjerstin and I made a really yummy dinner


and watched a really funny movie.

All in all, a great weekend.

I still cannot get over hearing Idina Menzel sing Defying Gravity live. LIVE! Amazing.