Just in Time

Thursday evening we are off to Moab for the Jeep Safari weekend, and it couldn't come soon enough. Brad and I have been dying to get out of here and DO something for a while now, but with school and work tying us down we haven't had much time (aside from weekend trips to dinner and a movie).

Between loads of homework, seemingly never ending work days followed by hours of classes and homework each evening, and the lady downstairs (just as an update on that...she called the cops on us for "pounding on the floor" early Monday morning because of her snoring again. I don't know what this woman's problem is. No matter how bad she wants us to, we don't hear her snoring, therefore we don't pound on the floor at all hours of the night. Cops showed up at our door looking for us Monday while we were both at work, according to management. It's just too bad we weren't here....darn!), I dare say we definitely deserve this vacation.

Spring fever has been kicking in and we are just itching to get out, away, and play in the red dirt. Brad has installed a locker in the 4runner for this trip with his share of the tax return (amongst a few other things I can't recall right now) and I know he's excited to get out and give it a try.

So, in a few days (assuming we make it that long) it's "good bye" worries of the world and "hello" fun, dirt, relaxation, and good company! Ahhh....

Dear Neighbor

Dear Downstairs Neighbor,

We realize that some people just never have enough things to do, which is why Brad and I believe those types of people really should invest in some sort of a hobby to avoid or suppress the urge to make up absurd stories about their neighbors, and then complain to managment about us on multiple occasions. We also realize that sometimes complicating your own life just doesn't give you satisfaction enough so you base stories that involve other people to keep things exciting. This is most likely the reason you've dragged us into your fables, as well as the lawyers that you've threatened to get---on what grounds? I'm not sure.

I have a few (friendly, of course) suggestions for you, to make both of our lives easier. Perhaps you see an otolaryngologist as neither your nose or ears seem to be working properly. Maybe he can find some explanation as to why you are smelling cigarette smoke coming from our apartment above you, where we--two non-smoking mormons--happen to live. And while he is at it, maybe have him take a look at your ears as you seem to be hearing us "pounding and throwing things on the ground above your bedroom (which happens to be below a room we NEVER use, other than for storage) to get you to stop snoring (cause we can apparently hear it through the floor) at 8:30 pm every night". In fact, I just had another fabulous idea! While he is looking at that nose of yours in regards to our cigarette smoke, perhaps he can FIX that snoring problem in and of itself since it seems to make you so self-conscious that you make up these stories about us causing a ruckus over it, when neither of us even heard it.

Most of all, please please please (for your sake and the possibility of me spending time in prison) do not make me come down there and solve this problem on my own. It will not be pretty, and I may provide you with a peacefully- everlasting, non-snoring sleep and solve both of our problems.

Sincerly,



(Sorry for the intense sarcasm, but SOME people! Give me a break)

Grandma + Grandpa: 50th Wedding Anniversary

This week my Grandma & Grandpa VanAusdal celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. We held a party for them on Saturday and it was great. We had a wonderful dinner of Prime Rib, dutch oven potatoes, rolls and green salad. Followed by a video compiled of photos of my grandparents through the years, their children and the grandchildren. It was so fun to watch and see how much people have changed. It's crazy how fast the time flies, there were photos of our cousins together when we were young, and you don't realize how much older everyone has gotten. You still imagine everyone the way they were back then.

After the video we gave them a book containing letters of memories everyone had wrote about grandma & grandpa and a hardbound photo album. After the tears and laughter died down we played a fun Newlywed game where the grandkids and grandma & grandpa were put up against their spouses and had to answer questions about their relationship and try to guess the same answer their spouse did in order to gain a point. Brad and I won (wahoo!) and were the lucky winners of some NERF dart guns to duke it out with each other. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time, some of the answers were hilarious (thanks Kyle) and it was fun to learn some things about my grandma & grandpa's story as they were dating and such. Following the game Grandma & Grandpa cut their wedding anniversary cake togher, which I thought was a fun idea. Overall we had a great time and it was so fun to have everyone together as a family and celebrate with Grandma & Grandpa. Family is awesome.

Grandma & Grandpa and their children:
Cutting their anniversary cake together:
Look how excited everyone is over the cake! :0)
My aunt Kim. How can you not love a face like that?! This photo is her to a "T" and sums up our family parties:
All of the grandkids (minus McKenzie)....some things never change, and I like it :
Brinlee, my cousin Ronni's daughter:

Hop on over....

to Purple Paisley to see my latest wedding invitation for Alicia & Seth!

Typography Portrait

Okay, I was pretty excited about this project in typography, it's not an uncommon project for design students to be assigned, but I was excited at how well this turned out so I thought I'd post it here as well as Purple Paisley. Everything in this self-portrait is made from the word "erica" (unique. yes, I know.) either big or small. (There are a couple exceptions to add emphasis, but are made from type characters). I thought it was pretty sweet and amazingly it actually did end up looking like me.


In other news, I noticed it's been a long time since I did any posts about our lives. Probably because as of right now there isn't much to them other than work and school. (Yup, it's that time of year again...which it always seems to be). We are busy but are doing well and are looking forward to our trip to Moab in April for the Jeep Safari with my parents. Actually...we are REALLY looking forward to that, its probably the greatest motivation to get us through the next couple months. A break will be nice. Real nice. Brad and I have a tripped planned over Valentines/President's Day weekend in February but still have not decided on a place to go. Perhaps St. George. Anywhere will be nice though, that's for sure. It seems like forever since we've been able to "get away" and I know it's something we both need right about now. Anyways, I hope to have some photos or something decent to post of Brad and I in the next little while...I can't believe I haven't put photos up in so long, that's gotta be a sign to get out and have some fun!

I LoVe Cake

My love for cake probably first started with a love for carbs. Then came the love for frosting. Rich, creamy, buttercream. Mmmmm.....And then, as I got older I began to realize that not only did cake TASTE delicious, cake can be really beautiful as far as design/decorating goes. This discovery of course only increased my love for cake.

Seriously, there are so many amazing cakes out there, and that's exactly why as part of my New Years Resolution of following through with what I sometimes refer to as my "big ideas" (sarcastically speaking in a way of not having time to do any of these ideas, but I like to talk about them, and dream about them, and then never do them) I am going to enroll this cake-loving,frosting adoring girl into a cake decorating class this year. Not sure when, perhaps during the summer since my last class I need to graduate is only going to be offered in the fall and I'll have all summer long to work on my "big ideas". And to be honest, I can hardly wait! Check out these cakes below that I found in a few short minutes....I could search for cakes all day and never get bored...interesting enough, I could probably also eat cake all day long and never get bored. :0)



Peacock cake. Not so sure I love all the feathers that are acting as a "tier" in the center of the cake (it almost looks more grungy than elegant...which is what I envision with peacock feathers) but definitely love the feathers that have been piped onto the cake.


Simple Modern & Geometric cakes:


(photo from: mysweetandsaucy.com) (photo from: soontobekoo.blogspot.com)


Of course, Damask cakes. I love damask, and apparently so does everyone else because it is everywhere now.


(photo from: sarahlambersky.wordpress.com) (photo from: maidavaleinvitations.blogspot.com)

Countdown to Jack --- 6 days

It's that time of year again....and I am so pumped! Jack Bauer will be back for Season 8 starting with a 2 hr premier Sunday and Monday next week. If you recall, Brad and I have quite the thing for Jack. Last season's cliff hanger left us wondering if Jack will survive another season, and I have been dying to find out since last season ended. I keep telling Brad that if they kill Jack Bauer off, that I will have to go see a shrink. What a sad day that'd be for all 24 fans.....I can't bare the thought.....if you haven't started watching this show you really should. I was so positive I would not like it, but after a few episodes you can't deny the fact that Jack Bauer is THE MAN.