tub scrub

Since I've been nesting as a new housewife, I've been in a cleaning/organizing frenzy (trying to fit two people in a place where one has been living for years is interesting). I've also been on the hunt for great cleaning tips. Well, it's no surprise that one of the best ones I've found (thanks, Pinterest!) is from the great Martha Stewart people. 

You know how tubs have that little grippy texture stuff on the bottom of the tub so you don't slip and die (and sue the tub company)? And all that nasty dirty soap that takes up residence and you can never get it to move on out of said grippy stuff? This ridiculously simple recipe destroys it! You don't even have to let it soak. What's great, is that it's completely non-toxic too. 


1 t liquid soap

1 C baking soda

Several drops of an antibacterial essential oil (such as tea tree, eucalyptus, rosemary, or peppermint) 

Just enough water to form a paste

Use sponge or brush to get that grit up!
(I used a rough sponge)


How I wish I had taken before and after pics, because it was night and day. Thanks, Martha!

confessional: craft store poo

That's right, folks, craft store poo. Mr. G insisted that I blog about this, because it is something I suffer from and he witnessed for the first time today. 

WARNING!!!!! TMI ALERT!!!!! 

You have been warned. Continue reading at your own risk!!!

Since you've decided to continue on, I will confess to you that every time, not just most times, every time I go to a craft store, I have to poop. Literally. Every. Single. Time. It's usually about 5 minutes in. Even if I have already had my daily BM, somehow, another is coming down the chute and needs to go swimming. It's usually preceded by the most FOL (Fresh Off the Log) gas that has ever been emitted.   

I'll be standing there deciding what shade of coral is the best for the sea foam green I have at home when the poofs start. It's only a matter of time after the first reekfest fart has involuntarily vacated my body that another customer ALWAYS rounds the corner. There is no question that I am the source of the ungodly smell. I pretend like the stench doesn't exist and meander down the aisle to round the corner and beeline to the ladies room. 

You guys, what is it about Hobby Lobby and Roberts that creates this urge within my bowels to release?!?!? PLEASE HELP ME!!!!

I can only think of two things:

1.) Crafting is relaxing
2.) Crafting is stressful

Either way, I have to poop. The upside is, if I'm ever feeling backed up, I know where to go....

i'm on etsy

SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT!!!!

Welp, I've decided to try my hand at the old Etsy thing. There's only one item up right now (with shady pictures. Don't judge. I'm gonna take better ones ASAP), but I'm planning on adding other items at some point. I figured, one friend already asked me to make some necklaces for her, why not send it out there for the whole world! If you wanna check it out go here. 

copycat nyc levain bakery chocolate pb cookies

OK, so when I moved to NYC I had a slight/major obsession with Levain Bakery. They are some of the best cookies in the world. No joke! One is basically a meal since they are the size of a toddler....OK, maybe a newborn. Since I've been back in Utah, I've had LWS (Levain Withdrawal Syndrome). I searched and searched the internet in hopes of finding a remedy for my illness. 

Praise be to the cookie gods, I found one!

I made them last night and they are about 96% the same. The only things I would change is, it needs is a hair more cocoa powder and a little less chocolate & peanut butter chips (blasphemy, I know, but I want the dough to stick together a little better). Also, I'm gonna mix the chips together before I add them to the dough to have more uniform distribution. 

Here it is:

Sift dry ingredients together.

• 1.5 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup bread flour
• 5/8 cups (1/2 cup + 2 T) cocoa powder
• 5/8 teaspoon (1/2 t + 1/8 t) baking soda
• 5/8 teaspoon (1/2 t + 1/8 t) salt

Beat cold butter until pasty. Add sugars and beat until incorporated. Add vanilla and eggs. Don’t over beat at any step here; stop when ingredients are incorporated. Extra blending doesn’t improve flavor; it just warms the butter.

• 1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces.
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk

Add dry ingredients until just incorporated. Add chips and fold in until evenly distributed.

• 1 cup peanut butter chips
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Roll the dough into a cylinder about 2 inches in diameter. Cut into twelve 1.5 inch or so segments. These cookies are supposed to be big. 

Rip each segment in half and conjoin the smooth ends, leaving the ragged ends exposed. The whole point is to increase the raggedness of the surface area to maximize crunch in the final product. This step really does improve the cookie.

Place all the uncooked cookies on parchment paper and cover loosely with plastic wrap.

Freeze for 1-2 hours.

Cook in center of oven for 17-18 minutes at 375. Adjust oven racks as needed to make sure the bottoms don’t burn.

Cookies are done when they are mostly firm on top (as opposed to doughy. They will still be delicate.) There should still be some darker spots here and there of not-quite-done cookie dough in most of the cookies.

Place on rack immediately.

rc willey commericial

A week before Mr. Greg and I got married, we got to film a little RC Willey commercial together. It was the quickest/easiest film shoot I've ever done. With paperwork, wardrobe, hair/makeup, rehearsal, and the actual filming, we were in and out in an hour. Those of you who work in the industry know that is lightning fast. They were filming 25 different spots that day and had about 50 actors. Way to go, RC! It was so fast, I forgot to take any pics. Whomp whomp. 

So here it is!

(Hint: click the link. It won't let me put the actual video on my blog. Lame.)

No, we did not get to meet Paige Davis (Page). Also, I have my signature hair elastic on my wrist. Why do people never tell me to take it off?!?! 

What's ironic is that Mr. G and I were ready for an upgrade minus the 3 children just a few weeks after we filmed this. Art imitating life.  

living it: cheesy alert!

Recently, I posted the pic above on my Instagram and a friend asked for the story behind it. It's not much, but here it is.

Husfriend was leaving to go backpacking with the scouts over the weekend. The morning he was heading out with the sad saps, I had to leave earlier than usual for work. When he realized I would be gone before he came back from taking Chancho out for his morning pees, he gave me a big hug and whispered in my ear:

 "I love you. I'm glad we got married." 

After a fairly long (8ish years) roller coaster ride of a relationship (the last few years have definitely been less coastery) those tender words were, like I said in my Instagram post, music to my ears. I was so relieved that he thought that way. It truly melted my already buttery heart.  

Remember a while back when I said Broadway wasn't my dream? Well guess what? I've been living my real dream! Honestly. Maybe it's because I'm still in the "honeymoon" phase, but my dream to be married and be a little homemaker is exactly what I hoped it would be. I know some may think it's a silly dream, or that I'm not fulfilling my performing potential, but to those I say, "#$SDJ$%#A#$".

Even though our house isn't perfectly put together (mostly because I'm still moving in, ugh), we're busy and so tired at the end of the day, I don't know what I'm doing, we didn't sleep well the first month because we weren't used to sharing a bed (he's a flopper and a snorer and I simply exist in the bed which is enough to disturb him. We took the plunge and got a king bed. MUCH improved), I don't know what I'm doing, we still find each other annoying sometimes, I haven't been able to make as many dinners as I want to, etc. I. Am. Loving. IT!!! Mr. G is even better than I thought he was. I know life together isn't always gonna be rainbows and sunshine, but I'll take it while the getting is good. Also, I'm gonna do my best to remember this wisdom nugget:

Jeffrey R. for the win!

I, too, am glad we finally got married and that I get to be Mrs. Mr. Greg. 

PS. Still working on the official wedding post.....