from kitchen to garden.... literally.

behold: cookie jar lawn ornament on fire island.

two birds: one stone.

reason #427 why google is awesome

cause when you're flirting with a recognizable public figure

(politician, a-z list celebrity, whatever...)

and he keeps his hands in his pockets

(so you can't see the ring-0r lack thereof),

you can always pop into the ladies room,

and google him on your iphone to find out how available he really is (or isn't)....

thank you , technology, for outing attempted cheaters everywhere!

utah randomness...

so i'm not super great at taking pics... ever, really.

specially in utah. i generally leave the snapping to sussy who isn't motivated to capture our family's shenanigans (you know what they say about the shoemakers children...)

so i captured, like 3, pics of my 3 wks in utah....

kara's bridal shower #1 of #3.

it was beautiful...

i'm pretty sure if i'd thrown it, there would be domino's pizza in a box....

her bridesmaids, abi and madison, did a bang up job... including, but not limited to, the personalized napkin & oreo milkshakes!

and kudos to mom for wearing her colors (blue and green)

in fabulous ensembles at EVERY event.

"russ"* and me

*anybody seen "christmas vacation" we call big al "russ" cause somebody's always yelling for her to do something.. she's quite competent, that russ.

bil trying to ventilate his cast right after surgery.

lots of jimmy-rigged air situations with this guy...

this attempt is straws....he later graduated to a homemade funnel with a water bottle and a hair dryer.

double-double & driving with my knees en route to the due west gig.

safety first!

live for a fountain drink & samplings of the new coconut m&m's & pretzel m&m's.

gondola rides to cousin emily's reception.

so cool.

preggers, nina, and papa

cousin jonathan's baby b is spooning sussy's fetus.

i'm sure they'll be great friends.

and stellie & i spooning baby b...

she's

a) incredibly jealous

and

b) loves human nuggets

more pix to come once i fix my computer glitches and return from this week's trip to

fire island!!

(gotta keep my tan, yo!)

Shabby SALE!

shabby apple garden party & dress sale!?

why, oh, WHYYYYY did i leave utah?!

maybe i should put in my order with one of you!

i'm totally jellycat.

who is going??

i'm totally snagging this (from their new collection)-

it's named after my favorite music venue!

kara kimball

kara married jeff kimball.

ironically, i dated his older brother and nina was formerly engaged to his OTHER older brother (that's what happens when you come from a family of 10)...

needless to say, third time's the charm!

finally a Hill girl is now a Kimball woman.

kara and jeff were married in the SLC temple by elder neil l anderson (dad's high school friend) who performed a beautiful and unique sealing.

since i was busy partying down at the reception, i only snagged a few pics on my iphone.....

see more on sussy's blog- she'll be posting throughout the week...

my dear auntie donna who is seriously stunning.

sorry for this strange format, folks.... blogger hates me.

due west

my darlings, do you know due west?

they're certainly the most exciting rising country group.

tight harmonies, talented pickers, and cute men.

my kind of fellas.

i was lucky enough to catch their show when i was in utah after lunching with due west's resident mexican hottie, matt lopez and his darling (one of my long- time favorite girls) cardin.

lemme tell you, they kill it live....

seriously.

can't wait for them to record their "stuck on you" cover. brilliant.

enjoy.

their album is fantastic!

cardin. me. nina

yo.

i'm trying to blog and these jerks aren't letting me.

i am, indeed, alive...

a wonder, to be sure...

wedding was spectacular, but not without a whole lotta blood, sweat, and tears... literally.

i'd like to show pictures, but idiot blogger hates me.....

i'm back in the big city... again, not without blood, sweat, and tears.....

and i'm chubby from eating with sussy and her fetus (but not those nasty trucker nachos cause those are rank and remind me of classic skating parties when i was in elementary school....)

must wake early and physique my bod (and other peoples as well)...

hopefully blogger doesn't hate me tomorrow....

and if i owe you an email, i'll work on that.

besos,

n & the nugget (who is literally sleeping with her head on my pillow.... who does she think she is?!)

LP

lake powell was completely awesome.

james taylor

rook

5 star meals

physique 57 on the roof of the houseboat

red vines

wackee 6

trash mags

late night talks

shooting stars

body surfing

stunning firework show

bonfire

sister harmonies

bikini bottoms ripped off in the waves

slalom rooster tails

tan lines

water wars

protect the bride and groom!

potty breaks

diet coke

big sticks

bat invasion

happy times had by all.

see you next year, powell.

i { heart } you.

ollibird

sussy's friend (and mine), mike, did a sweet portrait of me for his amazing online gallery!
see sussy and john heder's pix { here }

i think you should have one too.

cruisin' powell

this week....

my ENTIRE family plus a few randoms

captive on a houseboat for a full week.

could be awesome

or

absolute hell.

see you later.... and with a sweet tan.

xo mim

who do voodoo?

so sussy has decided not to find out the sex of her fetus.

(which i think is fun, by the way)

but she's not above conventional folk guessing witchcraft..

our family puts a needle into a sharpened pencil and dangle it by a thread over her wrist if it goes in a line, it's a boy; if it circles, it's a girl.

the cool thing is that it predicts the entire litter she'll eventually have...

it even works retro-actively...

mom's pregnancies were all predicted correctly.

according to this, she's having a

boy child.

ooh no! what will we do with a boy child?!

we only do girls!

turns out the pencil said i'm not barren....

3 nuggets (one set of twins) are coming my way-- someday....

what are your baby predictors?

what not to wear

during a rain storm in nyc... see the dirt splatters ?

eeshka.

those flip flops'll get you.

" the bachelorette" { final rose }

1. i'm so bored of ali and this entire story... please dear gods of bachelorette, give us something exciting tonight.
2. essentially, ali feels like roberto likes her only AFTER their sexy time?
3. chris is THE MOST AWKWARD KISSER ON THE HISTORY OF THE BACHELOR.
4. oooh her weight has fluctuated.... love the FULLY shaded body.
5. why is roberto in long sleeves on an island?
6. good heavens, Roberto's easy on the eyes.
7. so grossed out by Ali talking about Roberto..
8. Ah.. a lot of talk about "Journeys"
9. Mom thinks Roberto stepped out of a romance novel.
10. Roberto gives Mom AWKWARD comfort.
11. STOP it with the spanish! The man was born in our country!
12. She treats him like an illegal alien.. the dude's from Miami!
13. Dad's not having Roberto
14. Is Dad wearing his bowling team shirt?
15. "The blessing?".. didn't see that coming
16. Her mom is living out her fabio dreams
17. Chin zit
18. Ugh.. Bad hair
19. Did she just wipe her lips off after Roberto's kiss?
20. Welcome basket
21. What is with that crazy hair? Chris looks like such a gomer
22. foot in mouth on the mom issue
23. sooo much in common.. so much
24. i dont see the family resemblance between ali and those... people
25. chris looks like he saw a ghost when ali's mom asked about his mom
26. "how have you and ali been connecting?" um.... sexual.
27. why is his shirt unbuttoned so low..... why do guys think that's sexy?
28. i really can't take this crap seriously anymore...
29. how many cliché's can you string together in 2 hrs?
30. and how many times can these people talk about the "journey?"
31. i'd really love for one of these dads to say no, he can't ask her to marry him.
32. oooh .. you have to be a special brand of skinny/flat to wear a bandeau swimsuit....
33. dirt on the butt. dirt on the butt.
34. yikes...what is that lipstick color? dead person by MAC?
35. ali's entire family wants to sleep with roberto.
36. her mom is living in a bodice ripper.
37. seems like her sister is the only sensible person in the family.
38. "ali, so great to see you again.".... hm... awfully formal goodbye from dad, don't you think?
39. roberto date: how many straps can one girl wear on a single shoulder....
40. i'm desperate for ali and robbie to fall over in the jet skis..
41. uh... minor league benchwarmer isn't so bright.... sting rays?
42. there is NO WAY ON EARTH that i would swim with a bunch of fish, sting rays, any kind of aquatic situation...deepest fear..
43. i'm surprised al didn't slip on some leather shoes or boots to frolic in the rain/water... that's her usual MO..
44. phew. that roberto is a dreamsicle .. even if he is a bit boring and they're so totally not a match..
45. cheeeeese!
46. she's ALWAYS fishing for him to compliment her....
47. is that a necklace? or a brooch?
48. i wonder what the producers tell them to do for their "gifts"... "something cheesy, preferably with pix or memorabilia, tie it into your trip somehow and make sure it looks like you made it in arts and crafts at day camp. "
49. lip smackers.
50. this music makes me vim...but it's still better than "on the wings of love" ad nauseam.
51. woah. she's going to dump chris right now.... right here!
52. she's talking a mile a minute.
53. does she know what she's even saying?
54. woof. this break up is really awkward to watch.
55. and awesome that he doesn't have to go thru the rigamarole of the ceremony.
56. "i'm gonna miss you"......"thanks"
57. nice teary eyed look up from the hug.
58. highly effective, al: we all think you're genuinely torn up.
59. oh my heart is breaking for chris and his little broken heart.
60. "can i have a hug?" ew. you selfish cow.
61. "hang in there, ok?" gross.
62. like.. like..like...like..
63. "blow your nose and THEN talk"- ali
64. "i love HUGGING him" (cause heaven knows NOBODY likes kissing that awkwardness...)
65. oh i can't take it with the mom and the rainbow talk!
66. he's surely most upset that he has to leave bora bora a day early.
67. ugh. that canary setting is fugly.
68. neil lane is a jeweler. not a therapist.
69. oooh shower scene!
70. please! just take off the man jewelry!
71. hmmm... please let him not propose!
72. good ring.
73. are we preparing for a wedding? or a rose ceremony?
74. love that the gay styling and totally in the shot.
75. decorated ski boat.
76. that's a good dress... wish her hair didn't clash...
77. ali calls him "roberDO"
78. why does roberdo have to talk first?
79. like that he took control of the ceremony...
80. how big is that collar on him? is the shirt from the 70's?
81. sweaty sweaty!
82. ook that's a good ring.
83. and a great proposal!
84. ok. i'm into it.
85. "can you feel the love tonight".... aaaawwww.
86. vim! in espanol?! sick.
87. oooh matching plaid!
88. please let him trip running down the aisle!
89. oh i'm terrible.

kids, i give.

can't do the " after the final rose " tonight..

i'm exhausted.

must teach more small children in the am.

were you surprised?

i sort of was... even though roberto (as i've said from jump) is the only dateable option..

hello, utah!

sunday sunset

i'm in utah!

this week i'm teaching @ center stage.

next week, i'm cruising powell.

and the following week,

we're getting kara all married and stuff.

be sure to say hello!