These are a few of my favorite things...

Organic cereal...delish! We were looking for a good healthy-er box of cereal the other day at Costco and this guy saw us checking out the Kashi and told us that it's "SO GOOD"...so we totally took his word for it and bought it...now it's our BEST friend! If I could quit cooking dinner and just eat this, I would...ok, I wouldn't but I'm trying to prove a point! It's yummy! It's got a naturally sweet flavor to it and provides you with good fiber and is made of whole wheat! Try it, you'll be hooked like we are too!

Let me introduce you to Chocolate Covered Cinnamon Bears. Yes, they are devine! I love love love them! There is a chocolate/candy company called "Startup Candy" that makes THE Best ones! My Grandma used to work there back in the 40's and probably made $0.41/hr but that's not my point. If you haven't tried these, go try them! Gary brought me home a pound of them on Valentine's Day and told me that I had to share them with people so I didn't eat the whole thing by myself. Of course I totally see his point and of course I ate EVERY LAST ONE by myself. I don't even think I gave one to Gary! :) (Don't tell Gary that)

No, this body is not mine. Yes, I think he legs are just so cute! No that's not the featured 'favorite thing' the bathing suit is, do you think if I wear this same suit that my body will cute like hers?! I'll let you know soon because I BOUGHT it! (Don't tell Gary this either!)

Not only do I love WATER, SUN, SAND, and FLOATIES but the BEST combination of those four is Lake Powell! I love it! Absolutely LOVE it!

I'm VERY VERY excited to be running the Wasatch Back in June! I've talked to MANY MANY people who have ran it and can't stop thinking about how fun this is going to be (I've blocked out any negative thoughts)! For those of you who don't know what this is, it's a relay run with teams of 12 (or less if you're C-R-A-Z-Y-!) who each run three legs of the run creating a total of close to 200 miles! There is a lot of planning involved in this race and I just can't get enough information, so if you've ran it...let me know! I want to pick your brain! For more information (I know, I've got you all interested now haven't I?) click on the picture and you can be connected to the Ragnar Site...or see the link on the side of my blog (ANY of the pictures in this blog will provide you with links to more information about the featured product)

I LOVE my Asics! Now, just because I love my Asics doesn't mean you have to go out and buy yourself a pair (although I'm sure Asics wouldn't mind) choosing a running shoe is a very personal thing! I used to be a total New Balance Nazi and then for Christmas one year, my Dad wanted to buy me a new pair of running shoes. Well, we went to the store and as I was trying on the newest New Balance model, I spotted this PINK pair and wanted them SO badly but they weren't New Balance (they were Asics). After being so torn and feeling guilty for wanting a pair of running shoes ONLY because they were PINK, I got over it and picked the pink ones! Well, I can't even tell you how AMAZING Asics are! I'm a very very LOYAL fan! In fact, I'm due for a new pair sometime this week and I can't even wait!

Uh, did you EVER think I would write a blog about my favorite things and NOT include Scentsy? I'm OBSESSED! I'd like to take the opportunity to introduce to you right now, the new spring/summer 2008 Catalog (well, I can't really show you because it's technically not available until March 1st but I have them!). This includes EIGHT new warmer designs and 15 new scents! If you want me to mail you a catalog! Email me your address and I'll send one out today! tarafears@gmail.com

I know! I know! We're hooked! Gary and I just so happened to turn it on during the first episode or two and now we HAVE to know what's going on! We're kind of addicted! (So much that if for some BAD reason, we're going to miss it, we have Gary's sister record it for us!) Don't START!

MoNsTeR TrUcK JaM!

Way back in December at my work Christmas Party, where they give out awesome prizes to those who get lucky enough to have their name drawn out of a big hat (or something like it)...I was drawn! And while I thought I was walking up on the stage (yes, I said STAGE) to claim a Dyson Vacuum, which I was VERY excited about, the CEO of the company asked me if I like Monster Truck jams when what he SHOULD have asked was if I like to vacuum my carpet. I was confused...for a brief moment, until, I realized that he's NOT talking about the vacuum...

...I'm sure you can guess how this story ended. I won six tickets to attend the Monster Truck Jam and enjoy it from the Nu Skin Suite in the Energy Solutions Arena (Still bugged that they changed the name to that). Well, that event happened a few weeks ago and it was SO SO much fun! I have a sweet little movie that I took on my camera but I can't figure out how to put them on here...without it taking FOREVER! Help!

Proud is an Understatement

Many of you know, I'm the oldest of EIGHT children. When I reflect back on the time of each new addition to our family, there is a similar memory for each birth. It went something like this: At the appropriate time, Dad would take Mom to the Hospital leaving me and whatever additions had come at home. In the earlier years, there was a relative there to watch us, in the later years, I was the one that watched. After what seemed like an eternity, due solely to my own excitement, He'd call to tell me that Mom had the baby. My first question everytime would be "What is it?" (My parents never wanted to know the gender before the moment of delivery) My Dad would answer my question with one of his own, "Well, what do you want it to be?" to which EVERY TIME, I would answer with "A GIRL!"
You'd think he would have learned not to go about this routine because every time he'd ask me the question he KNEW what I was going to say, which would only make me more disapointed when he would proceed to answer my original question with the news that I had yet another brother. Of course I got over it quickly and love all my brothers, but there would always be a part of me that desperately wanted a sister. I even remember praying for a sister every night for as long as I could remember!

Well, finally after going about this routine and conversation with my Dad SIX differnt times, he was finally able to answer my question with the affirmative, He was bringing me home a sister!!!
I could go on and on about how lucky I thought I was because I got to help raise her while my Mom started with night classes at BYU just days after Chandra was born, and because she slept with me pretty much every night until I left on my mission (which, by the way, was VERY hard to get used to sleeping by myself), and because I had a sister to take with me on dates, to other babysitting jobs, to play with my friends, she basically never left my side...and I'm not quite sure if, as she got older, it was because she wanted to be with me or more because I wouldn't give her any other option!

Anyhow, the bottom line is that I STILL consider myself lucky to have a sister like her! Somehow we ended up with SIX brothers and so we girls have had to stick together! I'm grateful for her friendship and for her honesty when she would quickly let me know that her 'genetic reproduction analysis' would NOT create good looking children with whoever it was I was dating...and to move on. (Thanks for approving of Gary, Channy!)
Many of you may have heard it announced last week about the National Letter of Intent Day...which then would have been followed by the news that some well known, highly recruited high school football or basketball player signed with a college/university in your area. Well, it just so happens to be a day for ALL soon to be freshman college athletes not just male football or basketball players! It is the first eligable day that senior athletes can sign and commit to attend a specific college. One of which was my very own SISTER! Chandra plays on a competition league and of the 21 girls on her team, 18 committed with scholarships to various colleges/universities. It was a fun day! Her whole team got together to all sign their letters of intent at the same time! We of course went to watch, support, and of course, EAT! Chandra is going to UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY! Go Aggies! Read more about it here. Needless to say, I'm PROUD of you sissy! Even though you don't read my blog and will probably never, ever see this. And I still love you even though you have the better legs AND are moving way too far away from me to go play soccer!
On a quick side note, I'll have it be known that Chandra's jersey number (33) came from ME! Yes, she won't admit it so don't listen to her. You see, it all actually started with my BIRTH. I was born at 3:33. My Dad's basketball number was 33 (not sure if it was BECAUSE of that or not) but I've always liked the numbers 3 and 33 because of those two reasons...and I'm pretty sure that Chandra admires me SO much that she wanted to use that same number so she could think about me during her soccer games! She's even taking that jersey number up with her to Utah State! Thanks Girly! Love you too!

One down ELEVEN more to go

Confession: I'm not really one to make (or keep) New Years Resolutions each year. Sure, I make goals for myself, but I really can't say that I take time for self evaluation and reflection come January 1 of each year. Occasionally I'll pull something out of my head and with half effort, work on it for about two weeks...but I couldn't really even tell you about any of those goals if you asked.

Not this year! I've done something that I have NEVER been done before! Due to my history of not really keeping with a goal for an entire year, I decided that instead of doing that, I was going to make a goal for each month! So, instead of making ONE goal this year I'm making TWELVE! One for each month!

I'm happy to report that January was a total success! My goal, you wonder? Well, if any of you know me very well, you might know that some of my favorite foods are DEEP FRIED and very unhealthy for you (you'd think that with having a degree in health, I would not be like this)! No, I don't go eat them every day, but I can never go to Wendy's and just get a salad. Who can pass up a serving of hot fries and a chocolate frosty to dip them in? (If you haven't tried this, you're TOTALLY missing out!). But it doesn't stop there...there are other places that have foods I quite enjoy that also happen to be deep fried as well!

Some of the fried foods that I love: Wendy's French Fries, Chicken Nuggets and Spicy Chicken Sandwich, Red Robin's Fries, Potato Chips, Bajio's Chimichanga, Los Hermano's Chips & Salsa, Mi Ranchito's Nachos, Arby's Curly Fries, Guru's Sweet Potato Fries, Texas Road House's Fries, Baja Fresh Chips & Salsa, Onion Rings from ANYWHERE, Magleby's Fries, and the list goes on! (Yeah, I do like fries eh?) Don't think I'm a fast food junkie, because I'm proud to let you know I'm not and I don't eat these foods EVERY day or even all that often...but I just like them...too much, I decided.
So, for the entire month of January...I restrained myself for ANYTHING and EVERYTHING fried! You wouldn't even realize how much fried foods are a part of our (not just Gary and mine, but EVERYONE'S) daily menu! Honestly! Well, I've realized this before, but not been THIS conscious about it until now! The reason I picked this goal? Well, as I mentioned previously, I really love french fries. So, I wanted to challenge myself to go for a month without them. Sort of a detox, if you will. My hope was that if I went without for an ENTIRE month, then when February 1st came (which is has) maybe by then, I'd have it all out of my system and not crave them as much as I have in the past. I'm happy to report that as of today, no cravings!! (ask me again tomorrow!) I'm thirty two days CLEAN! - What do you think? Should I start a FFA (Fried Foods Annonymous) Program?

So, each month I am going to make a new goal. I haven't figured out what ALL of them will be, but I've got plenty of time to figure that all out. For the month of February I am going to study the Book of Mormon EVERY SINGLE DAY...not missing ONE day! Let's hope this habit sticks too! A couple other ones I've got reserved are: to go a month without drinking ANYTHING but water or my Winder Dairy Delight (Milk) - Orange/Apple juice is permitted but ONLY for breakfast. Going to bed by 10:30 every single week night. No Eating Out AT ALL. You know...we'll see what else I come up with!

Fries anyone??