How to win friends and influence people

How to win friends and influence people:

Step 1: Team up with a nice slice of pepperoni pizza 

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gab

Step 2: Take your pizza to fun and exotic locals. Console said pizza when the dolphin upstages him. 

The pool! The lake! Giant Slip n’ Slides! Pretty much the only place my floats didn’t accompany me this summer was Seven Peaks [Although it would have been amusing to see a pizza float in the middle of the wave pool].

At Slide the City we had a number of floats with us and while my pizza definitely got reactions, the dolphin float stole the show. A guy came over and offered to pay us to ride the dolphin down the slide while full on monologuing about his love of the dolphin. We leant him Herbert [said dolphin] and thankfully he was returned to us safe and sound despite the dolphin obsessed stranger.

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Me sliding with my pizza [The guy working there asked me if this was a pizza delivery, get it???] at Slide the City in downtown  Salt Lake City [it covered three blocks]. 

Step 3: Assemble a squad of likeminded friends

What makes a float day better? More floats, of course. Not all of these are mine, but I enjoyed taking them out for a spin.

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Lifehack: If you have a large amount of floats to inflate, but only a $3 plastic pump to blow them up, Gilmore Girls help pass the time. Also maybe eventually buy a second electric pump. 

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Stampede.

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Gabby moved to a place with a pool and it definitely changed my summer for the better. 

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Gabby and I living our best summer lives. 

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We had a lovely ward “campout” that ended with a great lake day. Please note Herbert is front and center. 

Step 4: Challenge yourself 

While Herbert is great for giant slip n slides, it’s actually very hard to use this dolphin as a float [There are some serious balance issues involved … annnd the float may have been designed for children]. But the view is worth it.

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Herbert in his [almost] natural habitat. 

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“Have floats, will travel” has it’s obstacles.

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When you’re exerting yourself this much you gotta stay hydrated. My drink of choice: the diet pepperlada. 

Step 5: Repeat 

I think the float addiction may be permanent and it’s definitely contagious. I’ll keep you updated on next summer.

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NOT PICTURED: The latest addition to the fam, a pretzel float. I snagged this baby during an end of summer sale and managed to get in one swim with it at the ward pool party. It has three holes so it’s perfect for floating with friends.

Currently: Excited for the next season of Project Runway to start!

March Madness

In case you were wondering, here is what I have been doing in March instead of filing my taxes, blogging, or filling out a bracket:

Making friends and breads with my first Amish friendship bread starter [Baking day is today!]

Drawing haystacks

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Freeing tourists locked in vestibules of the capital building

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And enjoying the view!

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Decorating my lovely, although very imaginary, mansion at the Vintage Whites Market [where Lily and I found matching french water carafes]

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Catching up with the Waverly sisters in First Frost [By Sarah Addison Allen]

Putting in time at the boxing gym

Vowing to try every Sonic drink combo

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We can cross Blue Coconut Cherry Sprite and Powerade Cranberry Sprite off the list already.

Brushing up on my self defense skills [from seminar at previously mentioned gym]

Being a dancing queen

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Breaking in the recliners at the new Sugar House theater

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Do you see that leg room? Divine.

Hoping this McDonalds all day breakfast thing becomes a reality

Finally crossing “make 120K a year instantly” off my list

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Spotted at 9th and 9th

And last, but not least, welcoming this beautiful, early spring [even though I am sneezing through every day of it]

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From my street in Sugarhouse

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Temple square blossoms

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More blossoms!!!

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The trees surrounding the Capital building

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Currently: thinking it’s time to break out the bike!

Totes Pumpkin

No one does fame quite like pumpkin. No, I am not describing a nonsensical nickname for a reality tv show character you haven’t heard of. I’m talking about the vegetable. It happens every year, but this year pumpkin is especially out of control. Or perhaps, just greedy? I mean, what’s the rest of the cornucopia to do?

In fact, here is an actual list of pumpkin products and/or shenanigans you could accidentally bump into tomorrow:

  • The basics: pumpkins, mini pumpkins, pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin bread, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, adorable pumpkin patches, etc.
  • PSL [aka Pumpkin Spice Latte] [aka the one who got us into this mess]
  • Pumpkin Spice Oreos [That for some reason I have not gotten to try yet! :( ]
  • Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Salted Caramels [Trader Joes]
  • Actually, everything at Trader Joes
  • Pumpkin cream cheese
  • Pumpkin Spice Hummus
  • 92 % of Pinterest [The other 8% is still Mason Jars]
  • Correction: 98% of Pinterest [I just found a whole section of pumpkin mason jar diy crafts]
  • Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Enchiladas … with Caramel Drizzle
  • Pumpkin Spice Coconut Milk
  • Every instagram photo with the hashtag #basicwhitegirls
  • Pumpkin Pie Toaster Strudel
  • Pumpkin Spice Extra Gum
  • Thomas’s Pumpkin Spice English Muffins
  • Gluten free – dairy free – soy free – egg free – pumpkin truffles
  • Taco Time Pumpkin Empanadas
  • Pumpkin Spice Cat Shampoo [For that trendy teen who’s also really into staying home on the weekends with her cat?]
  • Chobani Pumpkin Greek Yogurt
  • Pumpkin Spice JIF Whips. So basically, this is peanut butter and pumpkin pie spice whipped together. Like that whole peanut butter and jelly in one jar thing. Except Pumpkin.
  • NO, REALLY, EVERYTHING AT TRADER JOES
  • Harvest Pumpkin Tortilla Chips
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice Pringles
  • Rossi Pumpkin Spice Fettuccini
  • Pumpkin French Toast

Oh and did I mention Sugar House does giant pumpkin boat racing every year?

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It is called the “Ginormous Pumpkin Regatta.” Which actually is probably a more accurate name for this entire season.

I don’t know how all those Cotton commercials of famous people dancing around in light, breathable fabrics are working out, but they might want to consider doing whatever pumpkin growers are doing. Because, it is working. We are all drinking the pumpkin spice kool-aid, photographing it, and posting it on instagram. #totespumpkin

Currently: Really fixating on those Pumpkin Spice Oreos actually. They sound like heaven.