First Timers

This weekend was a weekend of firsts.

Michael watched The Notebook all the way through for the first time. Sorry, Michael. I just told the world that you actually did view an entire Nicolas Sparks romantic film - and watched me cry through it.

It was the first time I had to run out of sunday school frantically because I couldn't get a workout app on my iPhone to stop screaming out new work outs. Just imagine the sound of a work out video going off in the middle of church - embarrassing.

And... it was the first time I ate Hummingbird Cake. And it was love! I have been dying to try this cake every since I saw it on Pinterest. I still remember the first time I laid eyes on it - "Hummingbird Cake - the number one requested recipe on Southern Living." So, when we were invited to a January birthday celebration, it was time to turn that virtual pin into a reality.

Feast your eyes on the mouth-watering, moist, most delicious cake I've ever made/eaten. And I say feast your eyes because lets face it, unless you want an extra 5 lbs on your tummy, you should look, not touch.

Hummingbird Cake

via Southern Living

And that's all that was left. It's safe and sound in the freezer for me to enjoy come Saturday - junk food day.

No Sports for Staley

I wasn't going to post about this blasted game. 

I hate losing more than I love winning, and you guessed it, we lost. Without any help from those dang refs! However, Michael suggested we take a picture above the stadium, and where there is a picture there is a blog post.

My conclusion during the game was it's a good thing I never played competitive sports. Watching all those unnecessary calls on the court, it brought me back to my glory days playing young women's basketball at church. {And when I say glory, I mean the opposite.} I still remember my frequent "unnecessary" fouls.

Mom - "Staley, you can't do that. It's called "reaching," and it's a foul"

Staley - "But then how the heck am I supposed to get the ball!" 

So... I was basically kicked off the YW basketball and volleyball team. They had me sing instead.

Overall, the game was a success because of free seats, great company and Farr's Ice Cream to cure our sorrows.

Mondays

Thankfully, my Monday was far from this depiction. Pst. Dare I say it, it was great!

I got a lot done at work, I went for a walk with my dear friend Katy Laine Kenealy for a quick replacement lunch break (what an awesome name!), had some pitching success, chatted with my mama for the whole ride home, filled up my gas tank for a mere $50 bucks (that's an accomplishment for an Xterra - thank you Costco) AND I am snuggled in my happy, blue and yellow painted home. Things are good.

Except for the fact that I'm stalling going to the gym... Ya ya. I'll get there.

Naturally, we will have (and oh I've had them) Mondays like Hoops and Yoyo, and that's when we eat a big bowl of Fro-Yo. But for all the other times, I'm grateful for good days.

The Non-Awful Waffle

Remember our very first blog post ever? Well, it's that time again! Time to reenact our first date, the first time we met, the blind date of the century, the best day of Michael's life... and all that jazz. A few things have changed since then. Ok, a lot of things have changed, but we still love waffles and each other. Hey, at least we are consistent with the important things in life.

2011

2012

Staley - "Why didn't you smile?"

Michael - "I was eating."

Men.

Happy Saturday!

First two weeks of work, and counting

It has been 14 days since I started working. Whoo! Here's a little part of what I have to show for it.

#1. MY BYU PRIDE! Just today, I got an email that my diploma has been mailed, and in 7-10 business days people, I will post about being a graduate. But up until then, here are all the things I love, sitting sweetly on my cubicle shelf. I am the only one in the whole office with any BYU paraphernalia and I get a little crap for living in Provo, but I can't deny that I bleed blue. White family, I need a picture of you guys in the following blue, yellow, orange color scheme before I can add you. haha jk. I'm working on printing out some more pics, because besides this corner of lovin', Staley's cubicle is very sparse.

And a lot of work goes on in that 4x4x4 box covered in post-it notes. Google is my best friend, and I basically track down journalists everyday. However, one of the other things I do here is my eating. Here's to my second instagram ever (below)! haha sad. But yes, I was so excited to recreate a favorite salad that I craved in London. A little thing about London, they don't know what a real salad is. Zupas doesn't exist there, and dare I say it, but the salads they bring out are lettuce and dressing! What? No delicious croutons, or Feta cheese?? No candied almonds to spruce up those greens? Nope.

Thankfully, one day Jess, Megan, Claire and I ran into an american girl working at our favorite salad joint Whole Foods (they actually make a salad big enough to fill you up - for like $20). We were like "where the heck is a salad that can fill an American up?" She told us to hike on over to this little joint called Chopped, and my friends, I got this salad once and never went back. So when I recreated it for my lunch today, my cubicle transformed into a British getaway - hence, I instagrammed it.

Readers, DO try this at home:

lettuce

chickpeas

red peppers

green peas

quinoa or couscous

secret ingredient - canned salmon 

(my friends all make fun of me, but it's 100% better than that chicken of the sea garbage)

Newman's One Asian Sesame Light Dressing

salt and pepper

NOTE: all my instagram followers, I'm sorry for the repeat of my life. These are the top things going on right now! - don't hate. I'll be looking for some genuinely interesting material for this weekend.

double deuces

I am officially 22 years of age. I have a husband who loves me, I ate nutella for breakfast on my birthday, I have a weird obsession with mixing cereals and I'm a mormon.

I didn't take any pictures of my most awesome birthday party thrown for me by none other than Michael White, BUT... I do have a lovely friend who documents EVERYTHING. And she captured it here on her blog: the amazing days of anna hayes. Thank you Anna! And you'll LOVE what she got me.

Have a peek at the fun, and thank you to all my friends and family for making my life superb.
Twenty-two; I'm feeling lucky!

Vacations only make you want another vacation

Well, I just finished my first three days of actual work. Yes, like the nine to five classic job. I'm working at a PR agency in Salt Lake called Method Communications, and since my first day of work I've learned:

1. I love vacations, christmas, sleeping in and school
2. Salt Lake is a long ways away from Provo
3. I am so lucky to have a job that I learn so much from and has already made me grow up a lot

It's a great job, and I'm really excited to keep pushing myself to be a better PR professional.

Considering work makes you appreciate vacations oh so much, here's a little recap on my delightful, two-week long Christmas vacation.

L.A. Temple Trip

every temple trip needs desert. we visited the famous Diddy Rees near UCLA and the line was out the door (after us)

Down to San Diego with the Carters. I got dressed up as a Mormon battalion soldier. Thank goodness I wore my pioneer shirt. #readyforanything

Lucho Libre - anyone who loves Nacho Libre will be obsessed with this Mexican boxers burrito joint.

Christmas Eve! The Sleepy Elf came to town. How does he do it!

Beach time with the Whites

And of course, a wedding! Congrats to my Shannon and Kyle Warr! So happy we could be.

A Mysterious Anniversary

one of my favorite things about michael is that he likes to surprise me and, well, i absolutely love surprises. perfect pair. and this year, he was in charge of our first anniversary plans and he hit it out of the park. after a full hour massage for moi that day, i got dressed for a mysterious outing. i had a hunch it was a show...

he handed me the tickets and i couldn't find the title. i'm slow and the title was small. but surprise surprise - we were off to see Wicked in L.A. dream come true.

first, we dined.

they caught me on the red carpet before the show. actually it was a screen inside the theater that no one was taking pictures infront of - except the nerd you see here. thank you to michael for the best anniversary we've had. next year when i'm in charge i only hope i can mach the magic.

oh. and then we ate the top of our wedding cake. thanks darhyl for making a cake that would taste just as great 365-plus days down the road! 

2012

well, so long christmas lights. you may have been strung insufficiently with painters tape along my window pane. and yes, i may have yelled at you a couple times when you refused to stay up and fell behind the couch. but i didn't quit. nope, i said to michael, "i will not let them win." and you were strung and you did your duty of adding the glimmer of christmas to our block. and now its time to go.

i love starting a new year (hate taking down christmas decor). i love making goals and time capsules. yes i was the only kid in the elementary school who was like "yes! time capsules rock." i may have made one on my own that i'm due to open next year. i think its because i'm a doer. i love to check things off the list, and with 2011 completed i am excited for projects, hopefully personal progression and so many things to unfold this 2012.

Some exciting events that may occur...

half marathon

a cruise?? if we save up for and can find a cheap one

painted walls in our apartment

reading and finishing the book of mormon