Friday Favorite: Sweet, Sweet Potato Chips

I almost didn't even make it two weeks on my new blogging goal, but to at least prove I'm trying, I'm squeaking a post in 15 minutes before Friday ends.  Today I want to share a favorite food: Trader Joe's Sweet Potato Tortilla Chip Rounds.

Tasty!

These tasty chips are good with salsa, hummus and just plain snacking.   And I pretend that because they include sweet potato, they are a little healthier than your average tortilla chip.

If you have a Trader Joe's near you, you should give them a try!

Here's to you and your favorite snack!

Love,
Mailee

Friday Favorite: Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens

To encourage myself to post more regularly, I'm going to try sharing some of my favorite things each Friday.  Hence the "clever" alliterative title of Friday Favorite.

My post today is on one of my favorite books, Charles Dickens Our Mutual Friend, which I just finished reading for the third or fourth time. I've lost count. The first time I read it, I stayed up til the wee hours of the morning to finish it, slept for an hour or so, ran to class up at USU and then returned home to nap between classes.  Normally when I stay up late to read, I am aware of the passing time, yet so captivating was this story that I was so completely absorbed by it  that I remember the surprise I felt when I closed the cover and discovered I had only a couple hours before I had to be on campus.

Our Mutual Friend in the simplest terms is a discussion of money.  Those who have it, those who don't.  Some who seek it by any means or those who know the burden of not having it, yet accept their life with dignity. To some degree, money drives the actions of nearly every character in this story.

So many characters are dear to my heart in this story, but I want to share my thoughts on one character in particular: John. Throughout the book, John is quiet, responsible and methodical. In a phrase, he gets the job done.  He can be gushingly romantic (much to his credit) and at times, annoyingly furtive. While he is a main character, there are moments that you might forget he was there, because he has faded into the background, losing even his name and becoming simply the Secretary.   Yet towards the end of the book, another side of him is shown -- a strong and vengeful side. He defends those dearest to him from a wicked and devious character with anger and violence.

Although I have read this book several times, I am always awed by this change in behavior, which to me speaks of Dickens brilliance that I still find the complexity of this character intriguing.  While we learn through hints that John was once a seaman, which would require strength and stamina, his present profession of secretary indicates a bookishness and softness that mask the hardy seaman within. 

I think the reason I  continue to love this character so much is because his development mirrors life.  Often we form an opinion of someone and then when we see them outside the context in which we associate with them, we are surpised by aspects of their character that were unknown to us. People are far more than they seem on the surface. 

There is so much more I would love to tell you about this book, but I don't want to give away the ending, so I will have to stop now.

Have a fabulous Friday,

Mailee

P.S. If reading an extremely wordy 800-ish page book is not really your cup of tea, in 1998 BBC did a miniseries that I feel does justice to book. Being a mini-series, it is still a somewhat lengthy time committment, but you get to the end a little sooner.

A California Adventure

Hello Friends,

I know it has been awhile, I'm not really sure where all my time went (oh, yeah, that Netflix binge might account for some of it), but I wanted to share with you my latest adventure, which definitely transported me out of my normal wilderness.

My little sister, Kenra, graduated from high school this year, so per family tradition, we all got to go on a trip.  She chose California, so for the second time this year, I got to go to San Diego. After three days in San Diego, we spent three days in Disneyland.

The whole crew was in attendance, Mom, Dad, Rexton, Carson & Janae, Kenra, and of course, me.

San Diego Temple

One of the highlights of the trip was that we spent the morning of May 26^th at the San Diego Temple.  Mom, Dad, Rexton and I did an endowment session and Carson, Janae, Kenra and Dad did baptisms.  The San Diego Temple is really beautiful and it was a fabulous way to start off our trip.  

Journal writing at the temple

Our visit to San Diego also included the Mormon Battalion Visitor’s Center in Old Town San Diego, the San Diego Sheriff’s Museum, The Whaley House (which is reportedly haunted),  the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and obviously some time on the beach.  Rexton may have found his calling: beachside ukulele performer.

Rexton playing his uke

At Mission Beach

Cheetah

Hungry Giraffe

Baby & Mama Elephant

Our first day in Disneyland, Janae & Carson bought Kenra (and all of us) a character breakfast in the park.  So we headed over to the Plaza Inn just off Main Street, U.S.A to enjoy our meal in the presence of Minnie, Chip & Dale, Captain Hook, Tigger, Eeyore and the Fairy Godmother from Cinderella.

It’s a good thing we had a hearty breakfast, because after that we ran around doing everything we possibly could in Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure.  I was able to ride Indiana Jones three times, Radiator Springs Racers twice and Pirates of the Caribbean twice also. Star Tours is great, although our 2 randomly generated rides ended up being almost the same (oh well). I did Tower of Terror, so I’ve crossed that off my bucket list and I never have to do it again.   I loved Cars Land.  It is almost possible to believe you’ve walked into the universe of Cars (and I got to eat at Flo’s V8 Café!!!!!).  California Screamin’ was great, but as I’m not really a roller coaster kind of gal, once was enough.  Soarin’ Over California won my heart when we drifted over the orange groves and part of the simulation included the scent of the oranges.  Mom (surprisingly) loved Toy Story Midway Mania even though she got the lowest score both times we went on the ride (hint: go for speed not accuracy).

The last afternoon in the parks, we all divided up to do the things we wanted to get in before we left, so Kenra and I rode the Pinocchio ride (just because), explored Sleeping Beauty’s castle, and rode the train all the way around (and we loved the displays in the tunnel between Tomorrowland and Main Street, U.S.A.). And we got our silhouettes cut by the neatest lady at the Silhouette Shop on Main Street.

Kenra and I also forced our way into the closed snack shack at the Grand California Hotel to each get a Chip and Dale smashed penny (what’s a vacation without a little trespassing?!) and then finished off the night with fresh, hot beignets from Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen, courtesy of Rexton.   

Hope this post finds you well and enjoying your own summer adventure!

Love,
Mailee

(P.S. I got tired of trying to artistically arrange the photos, so here are the rest. . . )

Minnie and the Boys

Minnie and the Girls

In addition to breakfast, I also got a proposal from Dale.

Kenra and I in Sleeping Beauty's Castle

Me, Eeyore, Janae & Kenra

Kenra, Rexton & I on Radiator Springs Racers

Dad, Mom, Mater, Me, Rexton and Kenra

The Silhouette of Me and Kenra