The LA Opera and... incredible missionaries

Please excuse the gross picture, (those silly bangs won't behave.) I wanted to document my wonderful opera experience but this was all I was able to get. Let me tell you all about getting there. I left early enough so I could pick my ticket up from will call and have time to enjoy being there before the production began but.... I put the address in my GPS with the wrong ZIP CODE. The right street name and everything so I end up in some scary part of who knows where, pull over and call my mom and have her read me the address and this time I type it in right. So I start driving again really hoping that I would make it on time. Well I didn't. I ended up being stuck in Saturday night LA traffic. I was so frustrated as I sat in the car pounding on my steer wheel because traffic wasn't moving, LA drivers are HORRID and MEAN and I was late for the Opera that I was so really excited for. I end up taking the wrong exit, heard the phrase "Recalculating" one too many times, but I finally made it there. I pull into the parking garage and just happen to have nine dollars in cash to enter and park ( I love those little miracles.) I found a parking spot on level six, which was fine but that meant that I had to go up six flights of stairs. In high heels. I ended up running through the parking lot barefoot and ran up to the will call box out of breath. As I'm taking my ticket the man kindly reminded me "You know the show has already started?" I wanted to say to him "No really? I like running as fast as I can to be half and hour early!" but I simply smiled and told him "Yes thanks." Then I went inside to be reminded that my seat was up another four flights of stairs. So I ran some more, took the first open seat as I was told to do so and sat down 20 minutes late. When I finally calmed down the show as simply incredible. I saw Cosi Fan Tutte and really loved it. But then again, Mozart is incredible. I knew I would love the music but the story was so funny and the singers voices simply enchanting. Luckily the show had English subtitles so I was able to really follow along. At intermission I let myself enjoy an over priced Diet Coke and sat and looked at how beautiful the building was. And also noticed that I was probably one of the youngest people there. I saw a few young couples, but mostly older people. When it was over I returned home safe and sound. I would love to see another opera!

The other thing I want to blog about is missionaries. I'm really missing my friends that are on missions today. I'm so proud of them, but really miss them at the same time and can't wait until I can sit down with them and tell them all about life and hear all their stories as well. We do write letters and I hear from them from time to time and I love doing that. Those letters make me so happy and if I can write them to help lift their spirits from time to time, then I'm happy to help! What incredible young men I know. Even the ones I wasn't super close with, I still think about them and how incredible they are. They have been such great examples to me of love and service and through there willingness to share their testimonies and serve the Lord has helped my own testimony to grow and has helped me want to share this gospel more. My cousin James has the most amazing attitude. Reading his letters always make me smile and remind me to find the good in things. My friend Trent has been a good example to me and I love sending him letters and hearing all about the Netherlands. Finding people to teach there can be really difficult he tells me but also tells me about ways that are overcoming difficulties. My good friend Craig has helped me so much. His funny letters and our words of encouragement back and forth to each other have really helped me want to become the best person I can be and help me to realize that I can do difficult things. I was also thinking about my friend Mitch the other day. We were never really close friends but grew up in the same ward. I don't think he knows what a wonderful example he was and still is to me. He has one of those personalities that just makes you laugh and I always looked up to him. Reading his letters home is really uplifting and helps to remind me to serve others. So grateful for these young men!

And the magic 8 ball says...

Sometimes I wish I could shake a magic 8 ball and all of lives difficult decisions would be made for me. Unfortunately when I asked the magic 8 ball today it told me to concentrate and ask again. I am concentrating! I need an answer. I guess I'll have to be a big girl and decide on my own this time. Sometimes being a grown up isn't very fun.

ummm..... very yummy dinner. German pancakes!

As I was deciding what to make for dinner tonight, it came to me. German pancakes. One of my favorite meals. Then I saw a picture that someone had made them in a cupcake pan. What a brilliant idea! So that is what I decided to do. They turned out sooooo yummy. And cute!

Mini German Pancakes
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray muffin pan ( I had enough batter for two pans)
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
6 eggs
1/4 cup melted butter
And a dash of salt


Blend all ingredients together. A blender is actually the fastest and best way to do so because it takes all of the lumps out. Luckily I have my handy dandy Ninja blender (hi ya!) That did just the trick! Then pour into muffin pan.
Put in the oven for 15 minutes for until golden brown on sides. They come out puffy but then will die down and sink into the center. Making a perfect little spot to fill with fruit or whatever sounds good to you.
Then enjoy your yummy, breakfast, lunch or dinner, whenever you choose to eat them. While making them and thinking of breakfast for dinner I thought of Mitchell from Modern Family
" I'm loose. I'm fun. Remember breakfast for dinner last week? My idea."
Modern Family starts this week. And The Office. And Parks and Rec. Woohoo!
And on a side note. This weekend the Opera. Next weekend, Real Salt Lake game. The weekend after that I teach Relief Society and the weekend after that you ask?.... Lord of the Rings The Fellowship. In. Concert. I'm going. So excited! They're playing the movie while an orchestra an choir bring "middle earth to life." Ya I know, I'm a bit of a nerd. But I'm excited for the next few weeks. Time is flying by.

Happiness is a fingerfull of nutella

Don't you love dipping your finger into a jar of nutella? I came to the bottom of the my jar the other day and felt like a little kid dipping my finger in so I could all that I could out of it. I cleaned it pretty well too. Luckily I bought a new jar and dipped my finger into that one. But it really is the little things in life that make us happy. It's a really cold diet coke in the middle of a long day, a phone call from a friend, receiving a handwritten letter in the mail, and silly weekend plans. I love the little things. I found the cutest plaque on sale the other day and had it buy it. It has Audrey Hepurn on it and it says

"I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calories burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong with everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles."

I agree with Audrey. Happiest girls are the prettiest girls. And I believe in kissing as well :) Find what makes you happy, and go with it.

patience.

This is my Patience Bottle. You may notice it is Empty.

Well that was stupid.

You know those stupid little things that shouldn't hurt your feelings but totally do anyway? Why do we let ourselves get hurt by things like this? I can tell myself "Haley. It doesn't matter. That's so stupid." But deep down somewhere it does matter, and it does hurt your feelings. So old friend, best of luck in all your endeavors, I still want nothing but the best for you.

22 hours on the road. 48 hours at home. One perfect weekend.

My friend and I decided to take a road trip to Salt Lake over Labor day weekend. I didn't have to work Friday or Monday so we packed up the car and left Redondo Beach at five am Friday morning. We made excellent timing as we only stopped three times (once at a yummy 50's diner, once in St. George.... I miss it there!, and once to stop and go to the bathroom) and made it to Bountiful Utah in about ten hours! I was so excited to be home and hug everyone and sleep in my own bed and cuddle up with that one blanket on the one spot on the couch that I have "claimed" and simply spend time with my family. We shopped at Swiss Days in Midway Utah where I purchased two more headbands
(yes, to add to my collection of 40 but they were so cute and so....me)

, a few new necklaces, a pair of pants and a new wallet. The rest of the weekend was restful as we took naps, chatted, colored my hair, went to the singles ward (I miss Aubrey and Ashley!!) and had a huge family dinner in my background. It was one of those sitting in a big backyard in lawn chairs and forgetting about time kind of evenings. I remember looking around and seeing both sets of grandparents, two sets of aunts and uncles, nine cousins, another uncle, my parents, my two little sisters, and three of my best friends. All in one backyard. And it hit me again, I am so blessed! I don't know what I did to deserve all these wonderful people in my life, but couldn't imagine anything better. We left Monday morning just not as early, stopped a few more times and hit some bad traffic and made it back to Redondo at about eleven pm. But the conversation was great, and the weekend was FANTASTIC.