Thursday Thoughts

• My work has been doing a month long fundraiser for the United Way. Yesterday was a mini garage sale and I purchased this little beauty.

• This is a picture of my work wardrobe hanging in the hotel during my Utah trip.

I think I may need to spice things up. haha!

• I finished Sarah's Key earlier this week. A-mazing.

I have been interested in the Holocaust since reading The Diary of Anne Frank as a young girl. I had the opportunity to visit the Holocaust museum in DC a couple of years ago and it was so interesting and heartbreaking. When I learned this was an option for the book club, I knew I had to read it.

De Rosnay's U.S. debut fictionalizes the 1942 Paris roundups and deportations, in which thousands of Jewish families were arrested, held at the Vélodrome d'Hiver outside the city, then transported to Auschwitz. Forty-five-year-old Julia Jarmond, American by birth, moved to Paris when she was 20 and is married to the arrogant, unfaithful Bertrand Tézac, with whom she has an 11-year-old daughter. Julia writes for an American magazine and her editor assigns her to cover the 60th anniversary of the Vél' d'Hiv' roundups. Julia soon learns that the apartment she and Bertrand plan to move into was acquired by Bertrand's family when its Jewish occupants were dispossessed and deported 60 years before. She resolves to find out what happened to the former occupants: Wladyslaw and Rywka Starzynski, parents of 10-year-old Sarah and four-year-old Michel. The more Julia discovers—especially about Sarah, the only member of the Starzynski family to survive—the more she uncovers about Bertrand's family, about France and, finally, herself.

• Speaking of the book club, Book Beginnings and Bookends, did I tell you all I designed this button for them?

• Remember my post about these gorgeous books?

My copy of Little Women came in the mail yesterday from Amazon. It is really nice looking and I love it! (I ordered it months ago, but it wasn't available until the end of September.) I'm hoping to add more to my collection.

Utah

As I mentioned in my last post, I spent 8 days in Utah for a work trip. I had been once before a couple of years ago and it was gorgeous. The beautiful state did not disappoint.

My boss and I traveled all over the state, but our main bases were Salt Lake City and Provo, where BYU is located.

Dinner at Pizzeria 712. Some of the best food I have ever had. Oh so yummy!

The Chocolate--A Dessert Bakery

My hotel and the pathway directly behind it.

Train ride!

The train ride was 3 hours and incredibly long and you went about 10 mph, but the views were gorgeous!

A trip to Ikea was a great way to stretch my legs after the train ride! I love that place!

Ignore the horrible picture from Ikea. I love when restaurants leave water on your table. I drink a lot and love being able to refill my own glass. I decided we needed one at the house.

Thank you google for a better picture!

A beautiful drive on the Alpine Loop on the way to Ikea.

An eventful trip to the Great Salt Lake in a pencil skirt, a silk blouse and a cardigan. It was on the way back to the hotel from a career fair. I wish I would have been in a bathing suit. The water was amazing!

The water was so smooth.

The water was extremely clear. I was standing in the water looking down at the sand. I think the water was about mid-calf. I loved the pattern in the sand.

My legs looked like I had a bad case of dry skin after they had dried off from the water. They were covered in dry salt. So weird!

Yummy mexican food at the Red Iguana.

I love the iPhone app, Hipstamatic!

I was told to go to Hatch Family Chocolates for the best hot chocolate. It was AMAZING! Hands down the best hot chocolate ever. What my sweet blog friend forgot to mention was it was owned by The Little Chocolatiers! I was so shocked when I walked in to see them standing in the store!

picture via

My favorite chocolate was a peanut butter truffle with sea salt. Oh so good.

Big thanks to Emma for all the great restaurant recommendations!

I didn't edit a single picture for a couple of reasons.

1. I'm lazy.

2. The landscape is so beautiful. It really doesn't need anything extra.

If you are interested in more Utah posts you can read about my trip two years ago here, here, and here.

weekend recap

I returned late Friday night from an eight day work trip in Utah. I took waaaay too many pictures and have yet to decide which are the best. I took Nuts to stay with my parents while I was gone.

My mom watches Mason while my sister is at work, so I got to spend time with him when I dropped Nuts off. I promise he was happy to see me. haha.

I was actually comforting him. He loves to face out and be bounced. He always gives my arms a workout.

I dropped Nuts off on Tuesday the 14th, left for Utah on Thursday the 16th and returned late Friday the 24th. I woke up Saturday morning and headed to my hometown to pick up my puppy. My parents had gone out of town for the weekend and my MIL was kind enough to keep Nuts Friday night. Beverly spoiled Nuts and even let him ride her on her lap while she mowed the lawn.

I got to see Ty's brother, SIL and the boys.
Baby Wade


My MIL and Nathan


I had such a good time hanging out with my sister and of course, Mason!


He loves bath time!


LeAnn and Justin live in such a pretty area and have great views.




I spent most of today catching up on laundry. I'm so exciting.