Bella Tres Chic: What's On My Happy List?

I’m a 53 year old mother of five amazing daughters and wife to a caring, sensitive AND sexy husband. I adore my family. I’m dedicated to my faith. I enjoy a good laugh. I'm nostalgic and love to reminisce. "Remember" is my favorite word in the English language. I love life! I’m passionate about music, food and {dreams of} traveling the world. I wanna be a castle and waterfall chaser. I’m fascinated with anything European. {PARIS! Hello!} I love celebrating anything and everything! I love to read, especially a good biography, mystery, Regency Era Romance or Historical fiction novel. I love thoughtful gift giving. To me the gift wrap is almost as important as the gift itself. I have a bit of an obsession with gift boxes and gift bags. As well as old world maps & globes, apothecary bottles and jars! I love being creative…bolts of ribbon, coordinating scrapbook papers, producing a table scape, or planning décor for a themed party puts a smile on my face. I love the details! I’m a freak for anything theme oriented. I enjoy event planning, but oddly enough do not like to host or entertain. I enjoy fashion, but have to really be in the mood to clothes shop. I love purses and funky costume jewelry. Especially big rings! I’d rather wear wedges or heels any day than flats. I enjoy decorating and searching for the perfect decorative pillow or picture. However, you’ll never see me frequent high-end stores. I'm more of a Ross, TJ Maxx, Tuesday Morning kind of gal. My favorite decor style is an old world rustic Italian chateau/Spanish Villa look with a hint of bohemian! OR a vintage shabby chic French country cottage/English cobblestone farmhouse. My #1 cookie-Molasses! Autumn is my favorite season. I’d go through childbirth a million times. I enjoy biking with my man, Pilates, and power walking. You’ll never find me in a gym working out. I love movies, whether watching them in the theatre or cuddled up on the couch with my family. I enjoy a good chick flick or real life drama! I'm a sucker for movies on the Hallmark & Great American Family Channel. I have a tender heart for the elderly. I adore Disneyland. I enjoy being in the canyon on a summer or fall evening at dusk. I love my friends. While I have some extroverted characteristics. I’m a self proclaimed introvert. I’m generally quiet, calm, reserved and pretty darn private. Why in the heck do I blog? It’s a creative way to record family history. I enjoy photography. I really don’t like to write, although I write in my journal often. My journals, patriarchal blessing, scriptures, quote book, and beloved Christmas tree filled with ornaments of family memories, are among my prized possessions. I love the beach. I enjoy WWII history. I love a clean, orderly house, but ours usually looks lived in. ;) PBS Masterpiece is my friend. I adore Jane Austen films. They transport me to another time and place. If I had to choose another time period in which to live, early 19th Century England would be my pick. "Sense and Sensibility" is my all time favorite movie. My 3 favorite TV series are...BBC's Larkrise to Candleford, the 1950's Spanish Drama "Velvet," and the travel/food show "Somebody Feed Phil." My biggest pet peeve is people who blow their noses in public. So gross! {Take it to the bathroom people.} I’d go on a wine tasting vacation if it wasn’t against my religion. I’ve always wanted to adopt a baby from a foreign country. I’m an avid BYU football and basketball fan. I'm a Educational Support Professional. I tutor elementary kids in phonemic awareness, phonics, reading, fluency and comprehension. I love our campfires at Scofield Lake. I have a 'thing' for fairy gardens, Gallic French roosters, fresh flowers in a vase, pretty bowls & plates, yummy smelling candles & soap. I love summer rainstorms and warm baths. I'm a scripture podcast fanatic. I'm also a fan of several Fox News shows. I enjoy politics. I'd rather clean 20 toilets than give a talk or prayer in church. I do not like attention directed at ME. lol I have quite a collection of Madame Alexander Dolls, children's books, Disney pins, and quotes. My favorite quote is "Don't underestimate me. I know more than I say, think more than I speak & notice more than you realize." True True LOL! I always prefer sitting in a back row versus the front. {I'm sort of a seat snob..yikes} I also have high expectations for my lemonade, salsa, and french fries too. HA! I work well behind the scenes. I love a good Dateline, 20/20 or 48 Hour Mystery. I’m a night owl. I'd rather be cold than hot. I love to budget our finances! I enjoy being a chauffeur to my children. I hate when my kids have homework. I'm not a huge fan of social media. I don't snap, pin or tweet. All I want for Christmas every year is a ticket to the Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert. It's my FAVORITE. I’m an Anglophile…a royal watcher who loves anything English! Especially tea parties! I would like to serve a church mission to England with Jaren someday. I'm queen of paper towel, used kitchen dishrags and sponges kinda make me squirm. You’ll rarely find me out of the house not ready for the day, except when driving the kids to school on the days I don't work. I feel naked without lipstick or lip gloss. Mismatched socks, chipped fingernail polish, and chapped lips drive me nuts! I like to organize and BE organized..but not saying I always am. ;) I enjoy hiking to waterfalls, ATV’ing with my family and snowshoeing with the hubs. Although I enjoy collecting recipes and occasionally watch cooking shows... (Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade, Paula Deen, Jamie Oliver, and the Pioneer Woman are my favorites) I’d rather not cook. Eating out is so much more fun. I'm a foodie. I live to EAT! There really isn't a food I don't like. LOL Trying new foods and restaurants is a favorite past-time. I'm always on the hunt for yummy gluten free food though as I am gluten intolerant. Ugh! I'm not good at a lot of things... but gosh, if you need help with a themed celebration or someone to enjoy good food with, I'm your girl. I love the joy of anticipation and the celebration of holidays. Family traditions are important to me. I'm a memory preserver. I'm a pathological picture taker and documenter ;) a visual storyteller, and a lover of happy lists!

Friday, January 30, 2026

What's On My Happy List?

Here are my favorite food finds or products of 2025!

The Milkshake Factory!

Their gluten-free Banana Foster

{pictured on the right}

IS bomb!

{Locations in Holladay and Pleasant Grove}

**********

The Dr. Pepper Ice Dream Spins at the

Chic-fil-A!

******

THIS in the Fall time

from the Trader Joe's!

Best pumpkin ice-cream I've had.

*****

I'm not a real huge candy eater,

although I've always loved licorice.

BUT... haven't eaten normal licorice

in YEARS! It's a headache

waiting to happen. lol

We discovered these GF

licorice medallions at See's.

My goodness they make me happy.

*****

As much as I LOVE ice cream...

I'd probably choose to eat

something savory over something sweet.

Like these GF potato chips!!!

A staple for me.

Just potatoes, salt and avocado oil…

3 ingredients.

Which makes me appreciate them

even more!

*****

I rarely eat baked goods...

cookies, cake, brownies, donuts

or the like, unless they are GF...

So this cake find at Macey's was sorta life

changing! LOL

*****

Also...

Emmsie enjoys baking and will often

use GF flour...

Her GF banana bread is so delicious

as is her GF chocolate pudding cake, and

GF tres leche cake!

*****

Now for the non food items...

A wonderful addition to the pottie!

😜

*******

Digital projection ceiling clock!

If I wake in the night I don’t have to check

my phone to see what time it is.

******

HSIA Minimizer Bra!

*****

These Dr. Scholl tennis shoes!!

So comfortable for trips

where you'll be doing A LOT

of walking....

*****

Halara Jeans!

Sooo light and comfy...

*****

Lastly, hands down, my VERY favorite

purchase of the year

was this pre-lit starburst gold tree...
with warm twinkling LED lights.

It works perfect in what was my

mama's office…now converted

into Gigi's room...

My own little space. My sanctuary.

With vintage French Provincial vibes.

It's so cozy and peaceful.

Everyone knows where to look for me!

😉

***************

January wrap-up!

Temple night with the married kiddos...

Our old YW Presidency still gets

together occasionally to eat and chat.

This gathering was right before our beloved

8th ward was dissolved in momentous ward

boundary changes that took place within our

Stake that next Sunday. 💔

Watching Beauty and the Beast with Bonka!

Jaren and I got to see the

BYU Young Ambassadors

perform at the

Utah State School Board Convention

and had a lovely dinner

at the Little America...

Girl's outing to the Holiday Market

at the end of January...

************

Favorite foods in January!

Our New Year's Day tradition...

along with Via's gluten free for me....

Our reward after taking down Christmas!

Checked out the new Mexican restaurant

in Murray...

La Lola Taco with school board friends.

First time at Menchie's for me!

Kate had to eat at a Chinese restaurant

for a school assignment.

What a hard assignment. LOL

We've made these gf pizza sandwiches

X2!

Dinner Group at this

Salvadoran and Honduran restaurant...

We were impressed.

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