i'm thankful for arizona.

i just returned from my very sunny, very warm, very shop-alicious thanksgiving holiday in phoenix with miss jen and her very sweet family.

we shopped our hearts out (at places entirely unavailable in salt lake city), i ate wonderful food, saw lots of great movies, and met wonderful people... especially my new little friend francisco. i miss him already.

the highlights:


shopping at loehmann's was our first matter of business on black friday. we drove for what seemed like forever to get there. well worth it, though. where else can you find my main man michael kors for $20? i knew it was best-friend-at-first-sight when jen told me she shopped at loehmann's. not many people share my shopping love (and endurance) but miss jen's got it.

we definitely had to get in on some of this sweet action.

(insider secret... maybe it's not that big of a secret: utah's next in-n-out will be in orem. and that's not just a rumor... that comes straight from the city planning office)

and what the what!? how's that for a wheel-chair lover's dream come true?


a little mid shopping marathon break photo opp...

jen and i made a sunday afternoon visit to see the ginos fam. such great people! i have sweet memories of sunday dinners with bobby, cindy, alli, and katy EVERY SINGLE sunday for years and years. they are way too near and dear to pass up.

and then. AND THEN... jen took me on the "twilight tour" to visit stephenie meyer's old stomping ground.

you see, jen and stephenie (morgan) meyer grew up together in the same stake. think back to your high school years... think about that one girl who all the adult leaders at church loved, but every girl your age wanted to punch in the face (i've got a couple in mind...) the suck up. yeah, that's her.

a couple months ago, i told jen about a local radio contest in which the winner would have the opportunity to interview s.m. one-on-one. jen sent me a *hypothetical* interview. this ought to sum up her first hand feelings about the sitch:

Jennifer – Hi Stephanie…huge fan.
Stephanie – Thank You
J – So how did you get your inspiration for your book?
S – Well you know growing up I was always interested in the super-natural. Plus you know the typical love story…boy meets girl….
J – Yeah I know love must have a huge part in your life….even in High School
S – Well yeah sure there were the flash in the pan crushes I had
J – Right. So were you sad when Brandon Sexton chose me instead of you?
S – Ummm Pardon?
J – Oh you heard me…remember Jeremy’s party where you told me it was easy for me to steal guys because I dressed like a slut
S – Huh…ummm…what?
J- Yeah or when your mom told the Stake Young Women’s president that I should not be allowed to sing at our fireside because I was a bad example?
S – Jennifer Platts?
J – Or when you told the entire stake that not all cheerleaders were hookers just the ones named Jen
S – Wow that was like 15 years ago….
J – Yeah……remember when I hit your sister? Hey how is my arch nemesis anyway? Still own the studio
S- No Comment
J – No comment because you do not discuss family or no comment because she is in prison*?
S - …………………………….
J – Well anyway….can’t wait for the movie…congrats on all your success

*sister in prison - click here.

so... we went on the twilight tour.

51st and columbine... the cross streets of the morgan family home.

the home s.m. grew up in... and as far as anyone knows, her parents still reside here...

what's left of the dance studio that is mentioned (burned to the ground) in book one. owned by her sister... which may or may not have something to do with the prison bit.

while that was a definite highlight... there are many many more... too many to mention.

but, most importantly... buffy and angel. jen's kids. her dogs. i don't really like dogs. i don't even particularly like these dogs... but buffy liked me... so as we parted ways, we took a few pictures. i'm making the "oh-no-buffy's-licking-me-and-i-don't-like-it-when-dogs-lick-me" face.