"And I like to party."

Love this picture. It's in one of the dance department offices. Whenever I see it, it just makes me smile. :)

Oh My Holy Snickers Bar....

I discovered a new blog. I'm not super into blog stalking, (except for family members) and people are always talking about these great crafting/baking blogs that apparently every girl in the Mormon world knows about except me. So, doing a little digging on Pinterest, (of which I'm now slightly obsessed) I found a blog with the name: Eat Cake For Dinner. I'm already in love. Looking through her blog, I've already found a bajillion recipes I'm just dying to try . . . if only I had oodles of time to spend cooking . . . :/
Anyway, I was going to wait to make these before I blogged about them, but I'm just too excited to wait. And, the blogger RAVED about them, and they look fantabulous, so I said, why not?

Homemade Snickers Bars
adapted from: Mrs. Bettier Rocker
(Printable Recipe)

1st layer:
1 c. milk chocolate chips
1/4 c. butterscotch chips
1/4 c. creamy peanut butter

Melt together all ingredients in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Spread into a lightly greased 9x13 inch glass pan. Put in fridge to cool.

Filling:
1/4 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. evaporated milk
1 1/2 c. marshmallow cream
1/4 c. creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. salted peanuts, chopped

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat, add sugar and milk, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil and stir for 5 minutes (I only did 3 min.). Mixture will start to follow your spoon. Remove from stove and stir in marshmallow cream, peanut butter and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Spread over first layer and sprinkle peanuts over top.

Caramel Layer:
1 (14 oz.) bag Kraft caramels
1/4 c. whipping cream (I used evaporated milk)

Unwrap and melt the caramels with the cream in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Carefully spread over filling layer.

Top Layer:
1 c. milk chocolate chips
1/4 c. butterscotch chips
1/4 c. peanut butter

Melt together in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Spread evenly over caramel layer. Store in the refrigerator until cooled and hardened. Cut into small bars. Keep refrigerated.

Jenn's Notes: This is very easy to make, it just takes a little time to prepare each layer. I cut this in half and layered it in an 8x6 inch glass dish. I had to make the nougat/filling recipe twice, because the first time I cooked it the entire 5 minutes like the recipe suggested, but it ended up being too hard and crumbly. I tried again, but this time only cooked about 3 minutes and it was perfect. When it slightly thickens and starts to move around with your spoon while you stir it, I would quit cooking. Remember, it will be thicker when you add the mallow cream and peanut butter. I also used evaporated milk instead of the whipping cream in the caramel, because I didn't want to spend money on a carton of cream to only use a small amount and I already had a can of evaporated milk open for the filling. I added slightly less than the recipe called for, so it would still be as thick. I like these right out of the fridge. I think they taste most like a Snickers when they are cold and chewy! When they get to room temperature, the chocolate gets pretty soft and melts all over your fingers (I don't know if that is a bad thing)? You will LOVE them!

here's her address if you want to find more!
http://eatcakefordinner.blogspot.com/

"I've got a dream! I've got a dream!"

At my first concert with Jamie and Kelsie.

Okay. So I've kind had to re-evaluate my life and what/where/who I want to be since the whole mishap with me not getting married shook up all my plans. That's what happens when you plan your life around someone and it falls through. I won't make that mistake again. Nope, from now on, I'm living my life for me. Until I get married and start having kids. Then I'll live my life for them. Anyway, I've found that a lot of my conversations lately have included things like "At some point in my life, I'm going to do this..." I've started to create a bucket list without even realizing it. So, here is my [developing] list:

1. Write a book. I've got to put my English minor to good use, right?
2. Become a painter. Like really. Tons of oil paintings!!!
3. Master the guitar and write a song.
4. Go to India. It's a strange new attraction I've developed.
5. Skydiving. Maybe a graduation present???
6. Own a bakery. Cupcakes make me happy.
7. Run a marathon. I'd even settle for a half marathon.
8. Eat sushi. I hate fish. But you've gotta do it at least once right?
9. Drive a motorcycle
10. Surf/SCUBA in Hawaii
11. Be in a flash mob
12. Ride the Chunnel.
13. Learn French. Enough to feel comfortable ordering food.
14. Kiss someone at the top of the Eiffel Tower.
15. Make a build-a-bear.
16. Go to a concert. Oh wait . . . I've already done that! SCORE
17. Take a Yoga class. Or Zumba.
18. Meet Will Smith. A girl can dream.
19. Make a quilt. A legit quilt.
20. Hit every temple in the state. If that's too easy, I'll try the country.

The end is...somewhat near

Wow. School. Life.

How the heck am I supposed to do this?

So school started. And I don't think I've really slept since. I decided to keep both my jobs because, if I can balance it all, by the end of the year I will be in pretty good shape financially. As good as a recently-graduated-with-a-student-loan student can be. This is my typical schedule:
Wake up at 4:30
Leave for work at 4:45
Work until 8
Go to school from 8-3 (my first class is a dance aerobics class)
Break time from 3-4:30
Head back out to work from 5-10:30

With homework and trying to have a semblance of a social life, I typically get 4 hours of sleep each night. I know. When I graduate, I'm take two weeks at least and spending them on a beach in California and not doing ANYTHING.

A Concert Virgin No Longer

Yay! I went to my first concert on Thursday! Kelsie decided a long time ago that for our, (mine, Kelsie, and Jamie's) annual birthday get-together would entail going to a concert in Park City featuring Michelle Branch, the Goo-Goo Dolls, and Parachute. It was definitely an interesting experience.

Highlights:
Spending time with my besties
Sitting 5 feet away from Elizabeth Smart
Watching the people of Park City dance drunkenly
Running into Parachute after the concert and being the first ones to surround the band while they played out in the street
Hot tubbing

Lowlights:
Getting old, almost rotten food at Panda.
Getting lost. (Kind of a Highlight too)
Being late to the concert (well to see Parachute anyway)
Being surrounded by old people wearing booty shorts. Yes, old men too.
Sitting out on a dewy lawn with no blanket to sit on. Our rears were pretty damp.
Forgetting jackets. Yeah. Who knew PC still gets cold at night in the middle of August?

Overall it was pretty fun . . . and interesting. I have a feeling that the people at concerts in Park City are VERY different from people at normal concerts...

My Perpetual Blonde Moment

Oh the joys of being homeless.

Because I'm moving into new apartments this fall, (which I'm slightly nervous for, but whatevs) I'm spending some quality time with mom and dad, (who are not here) at the house. While I'm up here, I've decided to take care of some essentials like a trip to the dentist and getting my oil changed. I was able to get an appointment at Spring Creek Dental at 8 yesterday morning. Apart from the dentist appointment, yesterday was supposed to be amazing. I was going to have the house all to myself and I was going to take advantage of that. Tanning, running, watching a couple of movies, reading my books, and maybe baking a little something, something were just a few of the things on my to-do list. Too bad I walked out of the house without my keys, effectively locking myself out for like, the billionth time.

I slightly panicked as I walked down the the health center, (excuse me, wellness center) but I assured myself that I would find a way in like I always did. No big deal. I called Mom. I called Dad. They both told me the same thing: try the bathroom window since it's always open! Okay, no problem. Except I'm a little more curvacious than I used to be and I was dubious that I would actually fit through the window. But, I still attempted it. I was a bit worried about how I would dismount the window, as the chances of falling into the bathtub below resulting in a concussion or a broken ankle were pretty high. But, as I pried the screen off the window, tearing my nails and disturbing several spiders, I discovered that the window pane, for the first time in forever, was latched. Great.

I started to panic a little bit more as I retried every door and rechecked every reachable window in the house. No such luck. I called Dad again. Several swear words later he had me walk to the garage door to try sending the garage door opener signal through our phones. That's a myth if I ever heard one. I checked Mom's car, (which I had distinctly left unlocked the night before) to use the other garage door opener. Too bad Clint moved her car that morning and locked the doors after he finished.

So then, Dad gets this brilliant idea. You can make house keys now by merely giving the number on the key to the guy who makes they keys! So I walked downtown. The Merc directed me to the auto parts store, assuring me they could do it. So I walked over to the auto store. Nope. They can't do it. They have to have the actual key to do it. But don't worry! Park City can do it! Too bad my car keys were also locked in the house.

I was stuck. Every nook and cranny into the house was locked and every option I had failed. Goodness, you would have though we lived in the city! Who locks up their house in Coalville anyway??? Luckily, Dad was able to leave his work early so I only had to sit outside for like, 3 more hours. Oh well. At least I got a tan! . . . a farmer's tan . . .

Inspiring Quotes

Yes I am giving up on the 30 day blog challenge. I failed. Darn.

Some quotes I just found that I'm in love with:

The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
-Thomas Paine

When was anything worthwhile easy?
-Richard G Scott

Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
-???

When words cannot provide the solace we need or express the joy we feel, when it is simply futile to attempt to explain that which is unexplainable, when logic and reason cannot yield adequate understanding about the injustices and inequities of life, when mortal experience and evaluation are insufficient to produce a desired outcome, and when it seems that perhaps we are so totally alone, truly we are blessed by the tender mercies of the Lord and made mighty even unto the power of deliverance.
-David A. Bednar

Life's journey is not traveled on a freeway devoid of obstacles, pitfalls, and snares. Rather, it is a pathway marked by forks and turnings. Decisions are constantly before us. To make them wisely, courage is needed: the courage to say, 'No,' the courage to say, 'Yes.' Decisions do determine destiny. The call for courage comes constantly to each of us. It has ever been so, and so shall it ever be.
-Thomas S. Monson

It's not so much what happens to us but how we deal with what happens to us.
-James E. Faust

To reach a goal you have never before attained, you must do things you have never before done.
-Richard G. Scott