My Life in a Collage: Number One.

This idea came to me recently. I make a lot of picture collages and I decided I could just use one as my entire post some days. It's been fun. So, here's a glimpse of this past week, in a collage. Enjoy.

My 100th Post

This is blog post number 100. That's crazy. Probably a very small number for someone who's had a blog for about four years, but an accomplishment nonetheless. So, I think for my 100th post I will write about when I turned 21. Two milestones in my life. I spent my twenty-first birthday in Boise, ID with the Day family and it was an amazing weekend away from school and work. Blake and I took a picture before we left:

Turns out Blake is a little bit tall.

The second take was better.

We got some snacks and drinks and we were on our way.  After a couple hours we were in Idaho.

 We went straight to Mason(Blake's brother)'s basketball game in Les Bois and met up with Blake's parents. We had some pizza for dinner and then headed to Tyler(Blake's other brother)'s Varsity basketball game. We arrived back at Blake's home and started watching Despicable Me with Mason in the media room, but I soon fell asleep, so we decided to call it a night.

Friday started out with a morning walk with Diane. She told me lots of fun stories of how she met Stephen and stories about little Blake that melted my heart. After we got ready for the day, Blake took me on a mini tour of Boise and we picked up Tyler from high school for a little lunch date. It was so weird walking through the halls of Capital High School because it was nothing like my high school. First of all, there are boys there. Second, there aren't uniforms. Third, everything else was different. I told Blake it was like a kind of high school you see in the TV shows with inside hallways and lockers and sophomore couples walking hand in hand in the hallway. WEIRD.

We went to a cute little ice cream/burger joint called Delsa's.

I love ice. Delsa's has good ice. I love Delsa's. 

We went to Sakura for dinner that night and had some sushi and tepanyaki. I'm really good at catching the shrimp. I'm 3 for 3. We went to see The Eagle and then finished Despicable Me. We made an executive decision to celebrate Mindy's and my birthday starting at 7 AM and then I went to bed. Blake woke me up at 7 AM sharp and everyone sang happy birthday to me as I walked into the kitchen. I had candles in my homemade cheesecake and I made a wish as I blew them out. There were two piles of presents on either side of the kitchen table. One for me and one for Mindy. After we opened our presents some of us got ready for the Worldwide Leadership Training and enjoyed that meeting for a couple hours. 

We played some fun games in between lunch and dinner: The Game of Things... and The Wrong game. I would recommend them. They are pretty fun. Then it was time for the special birthday dinner at The Mona Lisa. I've never been to a fondue restaurant, but it was simply wonderful. I ate way too much, but I'm allowed to do that on my birthday. 

That's our pot of turtle fondue. Delicious. My favorite chocolate was the white chocolate with vanilla caramel and toffee bits. 

Throughout the day I received so many wonderful messages and phone calls from my wonderful family and friends. Thank you all for making it such a special day. I love being twenty-one!

On Sunday we had some homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast and went to church. We were able to hear Diane say a few words during the combined Priesthood/Relief Society meeting and I met so many family friends. The ward members couldn't say enough nice things about Blake. It was such a wonderful weekend and one I will always remember. 

I like food...

especially when it is homemade. Last Friday, Blake and I took on the task of making a homemade BBQ chicken pizza, all from scratch. We even made our own dough! After mixing the dough, we went for a quick run in the Smith Fieldhouse on the indoor track and we let our dough rise. We came back STARVING, so instead of being patient and letting the dough get to the right size, we just decided to flatten it out onto the pan.

Blake did the most wonderful job. I was so impressed by his cooking skills. I hopped in the shower real quick while the pizza was baking and came back to a beautifully set table. We DEVOURED our pizza and my oh my it was delicious! Some of the best pizza I've had. Maybe I'm biased, but it was just so incredibly good. I'm craving it right now as I type this at work...

Then we made some delicious great harvest cookies and ate some graham canyon ice cream from the BYU creamery. I think it may be my new favorite ice cream flavor.  Graham cracker ice cream with chocolate covered graham cracker bits. Try it next time you're at the Y. WONDERFUL.

We ended our night by watching The Sandlot. Blake is really good at quoting movies, but The Sandlot is one of his favs. He looooves baseball. We actually didn't even need to watch it, because he can just quote the whole movie. (A little bit of an exaggeration, but not much.) It was a great date.

Virginia is for Lovers: Take Two

Well, remember how I just raved about Virginia? Well, I missed it so much that I just had to go back. I didn't record my experience nearly as well the second time around, but, I'll try and make up for some lost time and write a good summary of my trip.

I arrived in Baltimore, MD on Wednesday night. Steve was nice enough to stay at his office late and pick me up in Maryland. As we drove, we passed the Washington D.C. temple and it is indeed a beautiful sight to behold. 

Thursday we woke up and got the kids ready to go on some errands. After going to the flooring store, Mei Li had a little tantrum. Ie Li documented it and it's quite funny. You should take a look. 

That night I got a call from my friend Preston Redd informing me that he had returned to Virginia from his adventures in New York. He picked me up and showed me some of his old stomping grounds in Ashburn from his younger years. We then headed to his lovely home in Great Falls and played with his family. We were able to squeeze in a game of pool and a movie. We watched The Ghost Writer with everyone which was somewhat entertaining, but overall, not my favorite movie. 

On Friday we spent some time at the pool with the kiddos. It's sad to think that summer is coming to an end and that I don't have many more pool days left. After a little while Barrett came to pick me up so we could head out to Purcellville for a fun get together. All the Redd boys came over and we enjoyed some burgers, hot dogs, pound cake with strawberries, s'mores and togetherness. 

On Saturday we spent the day in the city. Our first stop was the temple. I watched the three little ones while Ie Li and Steve went inside. We entertained ourselves at the wonderful visitors' center and with snacks.

Ie Li and Steve were out before long and then it was time for lunch. We headed to We, The Pizza and Good Stuff Eatery which are two restaurants owned by a guy named Spike Mendelsohn. He was a contestant on Top Chef at one point in time. I never saw him on that show, but this is what I've read using one of my favorite tools, Google. Anyway, I ate this:

And it was delicious. It could've used a little more BBQ sauce though. If you're ever in D.C., I'd check it out. 

We attempted to get some cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcake, but 

decided against it. 

Sunday was beautiful and we spent the morning at church. After church I took a little nap while everyone else went on a walk. When they got back, Stephen and I had a little webcam photo shoot. 

 

Monday was my last full day in Virginia, but we made it a good one. 

 

IKEA was an adventure. After we bought the stuff we came for, we realized that there wasn't quite enough room inside the car. So, we managed to tie some string around this box in every way possible and just hoped that it would stay on the car. I never did learn much about knots, but the box made it home in one piece, and that's all that matters. 

So, after our failed attempt at Georgetwon Cupcake on Saturday, I looked it up on Google and found out that there was a store in Bethesda, MD which isn't too far from IKEA. So, we headed over there and were delighted to find a very calm Georgetown Cupcake. We decided to take our cupcakes to go and ended up at Wolf Trap National Park. It really is lovely there.

 

 I'm a sucker for wide, open fields of grass. 

 

It was the perfect ending to my second Virginia adventure.

I said goodbye to Barrett one more time. This really is this last time I'll see him before he's a missionary. I don't think I have time for another trip to Virginia before school starts. So, after this second trip to Virginia, I still love it and hope to visit many more times, if I don't end up permanently. Virginia, I will miss you.

Virginia is for Lovers: Day Twenty-One

What? I've been here for 21 days?! Crazy, I know. I feel like I can't even remember what I've been doing every day. Good thing I've been blogging everyday. I am quite proud of that. As I've mentioned so many times before, I've become friends with lots of kids from Virginia. One of them is Preston Redd. He has a wonderful mother named Cindy who I have become well acquainted with. We first met in California when I saw the BYU vs. Chapman lacrosse game. We met again in the spring when she came out to Provo to see her son, Taylor, play one of his final lacrosse games.

 

Well, long story short, Cindy and I are good friends now. She lives just a little ways away from Ie Li and was kind enough to invite us over to her lovely home today. Barrett picked Jonathan and me up and we headed over to the Redd's home. Barrett is such good friends with them that we just walked in through the back door. It reminds me of being back at BYU when people would just open our door and say hello. I miss those days. Anyway, back to Virginia.

 

When I walked into the kitchen I saw Cindy, Dillon, Becca, and Becca's friend, Frank. After meeting Becca I can say that I have officially met the entire Redd clan. They are indeed a wonderful family. We spent the afternoon lounging in the pool and playing pool volleyball. Jonathan and I joined up with Cindy and made a wonderful team. In terms of points, Barrett, Dillon, and JD won, but our team had a winning attitude, and that's all that really matters, right? Later on, Frank joined our team and Becca joined the other team and once again, we had winning attitudes =).

We talked and laughed as we dried off and then it was time to go. It was a beautiful afternoon. The weather was perfect, the pool was perfect, and the company was perfect. Thank you, Cindy, for a delightful afternoon.

Barrett dropped us off around dinner time and we decided that Five Guys was a good idea. So, Jonathan and I headed out to Five Guys and returned home with burgers for Ie Li and ourselves. I don't like to argue, so I'm not going to play the, "oh, In-N-Out is so overrated game." All I'm going to say is that I respect your right to enjoy Five Guys more than In-N-Out, and in return you can respect my views on In-N-Out as the greatest burger ever. 

After dinner, Ie Li and continued working on a project that we recently started: painting the kids' table. I love bonding with my sisters over crafts. There is something just so relaxing and enjoyable about it. This is close to what the final product looks like.

Next item on the to-do-list: chairs.

P.S. Thank you, Martha Stewart, for this lovely color.

Virginia is for Lovers: Day Thirteen

Sunday was a beautiful day. There was a beautiful musical number played in sacrament meeting called "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing." There was a piano, cello, and flute included in this performance and it was lovely.

Steve made a delicious pot roast and mashed potatoes dinner. He also made a glorious chocolate cake for Ie Li's birthday. I love Sunday dinners.

Virginia is for Lovers: Day Twelve

Happy, Happy Birthday to my beautiful sister, Ie Li Anne Zackrison. Even though we're 7 years apart, she is still one of my dearest, closest friends. You might call us kindred spirits. I am so glad that I get to spend these three weeks with her in Virginia. Words can't describe how lovely she is. Her name means overflowing beauty and it seems to match her perfectly. She is beautiful inside and out. She is a wonderful mother, friend, and sister. Thank you for being a wonderful example to me, Ie Li Anne. Happy Birthday! I love you!


So, in honor of my lovely sister's birthday, my brother-in-law, Steve, made a delicious french toast breakfast. Apparently it's Alton Brown's recipe. There were also fresh berries and cream to put on top. I should've taken a picture, but all I could think about was eating it.

Jonathan and I babysat the two older kids so that Ie Li and Steve could look at some furniture stores. I convinced Mei Li to let me do her hair in a couple French braids. They were very cute. We went to the park for a little bit to play.


I got a phone call from my friend Jon-Michael tonight. It was good to hear from him. He's a good friend.

It's weird that another week has already passed. I'm only here for another week and a half, so I'm going to make sure I continue to live it up in this beautiful place.

Virginia is for Lovers: Day Eleven

Jonathan and I took the kids in the stroller and went on a run down the W&OD trail, which I found out stands for the Washington and Old Dominion Trail. Cool eh? It's a wonderful path that goes for miles and miles. It's lovely.

One thing I'm seriously loving about Virginia is the outlets. Yesterday we went on another family outing to the outlets. It's not quite as fun with 3 kids, but still enjoyable. I've already done enough shopping, so it was nice to be able to help Ie Li out with the kids so she could do some shopping for herself. Note: When shopping at the Leesburg outlets, I would advise you not to eat at the food court--I'm not a fan.

When Stephen woke up from his nap we made a short trip to the pool to cool off. A nice man let Stephen play with a toy boat. He LOVED it.


Mei Li met a friend named Samantha.


Kids are funny. They can meet someone and be friends with them instantly. Mei Li is really good at that. When I told her it was time to go, she decided she needed to hop back in the pool to give Samantha (the girl she had met only minutes ago) a hug goodbye. I wish I were better at making friends. I think that will be a new goal for me. Thanks, Mei Li, for being a great example of friendship.

Ie Li picked up some delicious pizzas for dinner and Mei Li and Stephen had some blueberries for a side. I only got Stephen on camera though. I think he liked them.

After the kids were in bed we all watched Sherlock Holmes. I may or may not have taken a nap during it, but it was ok, because I had already seen it. Once upon a time when I lived in Provo I had a friend named Jon-Michael who would randomly invite me to see movies with him. Sherlock Holmes was one of them. I'm excited to go back to school in Provo and be with wonderful friends.

Virginia is for Lovers: Day Four

Today wasn't necessarily eventful, but I just had the most fabulous day. We didn't have too much planned, so we mostly played with the little children and helped Ie Li and Steve get more settled into their new house. I found Jonathan in the basement watching my favorite movie. And for those of you who don't know me very well, that is Anne of Green Gables. Some of you may remember when I was lucky enough to meet "Anne with an E".

There is just something beautiful about that movie. I think I could watch it everyday and not get sick of it. I love Anne's quirkiness and Gilbert's charm. They are perfect. I can't get through it without shedding just a couple happy tears for them.

The next highlight of the day was getting to put a bow on Mi Na's pretty little head. Seriously, is there anything cuter than this:



We ate at Carolina Brothers for dinner and had BBQ pork sandwiches and baked beans. They were good, but I wasn't blown away. They did, however, have my favorite kind of ice. That maybe made our $12 dinner all worth it.

Jonathan and I started watching Center Stage and Ie Li joined us soon after. Despite the horrifically cheesy lines and bad acting, I love watching this movie. Maybe it's because of the awesome dancing, or the way that Jonathan, Ie Li, and I burst into song when we hear Mandy Moore's, I Wanna be With You in the background. Either way, it was a lovely evening with my siblings.

Tomorrow we will be united with our beautiful sister, Ie Mei and her family. It'll be fun to have four Wests under the same roof this weekend. I'm hoping that this 4th of July weekend will be filled with fun and laughter and that I'll have lots of good things to report on.

Ice, ice baby

Some of you may already know this strange little fact about me, but some may not. I have a strange addiction to ice. For some reason or another I really like chewing on it. It's not unusual to catch me sitting on the couch with a tray of ice, eating each cube one by one. Although it may be strange to say this, I have a favorite kind of ice. It's pebble ice that can be found at Sonic, Hi-Life in South Pasadena, and Cafe Rio on occasion.

Today was finally sunny, so I thought I'd stop at Sonic for some ice. I always feel funny asking for just a cup of ice, so I usually get a small drink and a large cup of ice. And then I spend the afternoon chewing on it with delight. Strange, eh? I know. Mama West says that ice is bad for your teeth, so one day I'll shake the habit, just not today.

New Obsession

Tomato sandwiches.

Previous thoughts on tomatoes: a side for burgers, salads, and sandwiches.

However, my Canadian roommates have opened my eyes to a delightful new way to enjoy tomatoes: the tomato sandwich.



Who knew that tomatoes between two pieces of toasted bread could be so delicious? I certainly did not. My favorite part about these sandwiches is the mayo and lemon pepper. I think it makes the sandwich. It's so tangy and zesty (and one day when I become a critic on Iron Chef, I will use more creative adjectives). I think it's the perfect lunch meal for these beautiful spring days. Therefore, I will continue to eat them every day, until I get tired of them. Give it a try =).

Food Preparation in the Home

SFL 110.

This is one of my favorite classes this semester. It doesn't even feel like a class because it's so fun. This is one of my creations. Apple pie. I made the crust from scratch, peeled and sliced the apples, made a lattice top, and here is the finished product. It was delicious, and I think it looks quite lovely.

Look what I created...

Home made egg rolls for my dinner group:






I thought they turned out pretty good for my first time all by myself.

On Thursday I had the opportunity to watch my best friend's a Capella group sing at the a Capella jam and she did such a great job =) Love you, Cassie girl!

i love you, in-n-out!

Hello everyone! So, I realize I haven't posted anything in a super long time, so here is something that I thought would be nice to blog about. So I'm pretty sure ya'll know about austin keith. So, he's helping out his brother in Las Vegas for a little while before he leaves for the mish. Anyway, I said to him, "austin keith! Promise me you'll eat an in-n-out burger and call me immediately and tell me what you think!" he agreed. So anyway, he messaged me and told me that he had one and I asked him what he thought. These were his words: "it was good. Wasn't anything special for me though."

WHAT DID HE JUST SAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?

I definitely took in-n-out burgers for granted when I lived in california. And now that austin keith has told me that they're nothing special, I just want to eat one even more, because I appreciate them!

A few thoughts about in-n-out burgers and why they rock:
1. There aren't so many options that you have to decide what you want. There is the classic burger with or without cheese and if you're really cool you know about animal style.
2. All the ingredients are fresh
3. They always taste exactly how you expect them to: fabulous!

Final thought: next time I step in california, first stop:


IN-N-OUT BURGER

p.s. don't hold a grudge against austin keith, he's still learning. but i'm sure after he's lived in california for 2 years he will appreciate them. =)

thanksgiving at 512

well, its turkey day once again. only three people left at home. so you can imagine how much mom has cut down on the cooking...none at all. we still have a giant turkey...a HUGE bowl of soup, stuffing, twice baked potatoes, a couple salads, delicious raspberry jello, and yams. that's all i can remember right now. and that's only on mom's side of it. i dont know what everyone else is bringing. so yeah. should be eventful. but now i must go and help mom so this thing can maybe happen. talk to you all later. have a wonderful thanksgiving!

ginger: the new cure all

so i've come down with a little cold and the new cure all is ginger. mom made me drink ginger tea today for my sore throat. it does help but it does not in anyway taste good. do you all remember that one new years when everyone got stomach flu and the remedy was ginger gummy bears?? yeah...gag me. then tonight we went to dinner at won tin and got soup. mom got some porridge something or other. later on she said, "ie ling you should have gotten this porridge...it has ginger in it." so yeah...anyway. if you ever dont feel well, try and consume something ginger-ish. well, i'm done writing a ten page paper...thats a first for me. hopefully i dont have to do that too many more times. k. well goodnite to all. x's and o's!