UTAH fun!

In between Christmas and New Years, I took a little excursion to UTAH!. I miss it there. I miss the mountains, the easy to navigate streets, most parts of the culture, and my many friends that live there!

The weather did not disappoint... snowy and cold as I would expect. The drive from Ft. Collins to UT was a bit harried as the weather in Wyoming was worse than the forecasters predicted, but I felt blessed to have been given a free upgrade to a small SUV when I went to pick up my rental. I felt much safer in it!

I had SO MUCH FUN!

I spent time with a mixture of BYU, Boston and DC friends. I also got to explore some of the new things that have been built since I graduated from BYU... as well as enjoy some of the things that have stayed the same but are always enjoyable to see...

like the Temple Square Lights in SLC!

Aren't they just magical!!

Such a pretty walk. They do an amazing job with them.

It was a very chilly and windy night we were there... so we took every opportunity to scoot inside a building to warm up! (Personally, I think I have become more susceptible to the cold as I've grown older. Brrrr! ) The group I was with wanted to go to the top of the Joseph Smith Building and this was our view! Again - Magical!!

I absolutely LOVE this photo. The temple in the background with the opportunities inside to be able to be with our families for eternity... and then a manger scene on the water outside the temple reminding us that because of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we can return to live with Heavenly Father once again. Such a blessing that knowledge is. It fills me with peace and comfort. I could have starred at this for hours... if it wasn't so darn chilly!

Before we toured the lights, we went to the most amazing restaurant for Mexican Food in all of UT - I would say. It was SOOOO yummy! And, the fact that we had to wait about 40 minutes for a seat confirmed its popularity with us! Red Iguana... Yes PLEASE!!

Such a fun group of people!

Jill and I stopped by to visit a friend and meet his new dog. I just had to post a picture because this thing was INCREDIBLE in size. Almost like a little bear! Probably 5 feet tall or more when standing on its hind legs. But, it was the sweetest, most gentle dog I had met in a long time! It is very playful... but it's HUGE! Name is Sampson... definitely fitting.

One morning, Rebecca, Jill and I had the opportunity to drive out to The Homestead (a resort) in Midway, UT, to go for an hour swim in "The Crater." I had never done this before, or heard about it. I had been to "Hot Spots" while I was a student at BYU, but this was MUCH cooler!

See that mound in the distance... that's "The Crater." Learn more about how it formed naturally HERE. Basically a geothermal spring hidden within a 55-foot tall, beehive-shaped limestone rock located on the Homestead property.

It was very foggy inside because the water always fluctuates between 90-95 degrees, but the air outside was maybe in the teens... maybe. This is a picture at the top of the crater which has a screen over it, but air can come in and out. There was also a door on the side to let us in and out.

It was very dark inside but they had lighting along the walls. Again, the air was SOOOO cold! This is a picture of me before I dared to take off my outer layer and jump in with my swimsuit on!

It was awesome! The few moments of standing in a bathing suit in the cold was worth the sauna temps in the water. The Crater was very unique as we examined its walls and just enjoyed the beauty of the "natural wonder!"

On the way home we passed by this snowman. I thought it was creative and hilarious. I feel like this sometimes. :)

My trip would not have been complete without some Nancy time!! We had a great visit and they can never be long enough. I look forward to seeing her again... hopefully sooner rather than later! It was fun to also see her beautiful girls, husband and her parents who I had been able to get to know a little when Nancy and I were roommates at BYU! Such a fun time whenever I am with Nancy!!

Loved my time in UT! Loved every minute of it!

I just can't get enough of these guys! :)

 I feel so blessed to have such an incredible family... that continues to GROW!

This holiday I was able to spend time with all my immediate family members, and I could not have asked for anything better for Christmas!

I first flew to RI and stayed with my dad and Chris. On the 23rd we got to spend some time with Chris's immediate family and it was nice to meet them. Then, on Christmas Eve, Evan, Madison and Holland came to visit and I just could not get enough of this little one!

 She melts my heart!

She's an active, happy and sweet little girl! She's starting to walk and just starting to formulate words. She loves to smile and laugh and to explore the world around her. She also loves to play with anything that has buttons... a remote, a cell phone, a calculator... whatever. She's easy to please!

 Here she wants my phone!

 She also loves books. For Christmas, one of the things I got her was a book about Little Sisters and how wonderful they are... because Holland is about to be a big sister in a few weeks!

Holland with a phone in one hand and a remote in the other

Heaven for her.

We took some pictures around the tree.

 Next year I can be in this picture holding two adorable girls :)

On Christmas day I flew from RI to Denver so I could see Justin, Becca and their boys! They are so cute. I arrived form the airport in time for catch "ELF" (one of my top five fav. movies!) and dinner. It was their first time watching "Elf" and I hope it becomes one of their favorites too! After dinner, we all played "Pounce". I had never played it before but I am now ADDICTED! Such a great game. But, we stopped for some yummy dessert. Jace loved the new hat he got for Christmas!

 My brother, Justin, got one too. Way cute. But, he would not be happy with me if I posted the picture I took of him and his hat! Although... it's going in the family calendar for next year :)

Here's another hat Jace got. The thing looks heavier than his head, but he loved wearing it.

I had so much fun spending time with all my family and thinking about the many blessings I have been given. My thoughts also turned to my mom, who wasn't with us. While I miss her terribly, I know that she is happily reunited with her parents and family members who have also passed... and that someday we will all be reunited again. Knowing this brings me so much peace and comfort.

In the meantime, I cherish the time I can spend on this earth with my family members and am so grateful for their love, encouragement and support!

December Holiday fun... and not so fun... in DC

I can't believe 2012 has come to an end, and more importantly that the holidays have come to an end! I LOVE, Love, love the holiday season. And, I felt like this year was extra special because Thanksgiving was a little earlier than usual so we had some extra time to enjoy it! 

Thanksgiving weekend I continued my tradition of putting up my tree. It's very modest, but it makes me very happy! I love lighting it up when I get home from work and sometimes just sit there and look at it sparkle before turning the other lights on. I like to let my mind wander for just a few moments about what the Savior meant when he said he is the "Light of the world" and how there was a new star in the sky the night the Savior was born. Light.... in many secular ways I take it for granted. I realize how much I depend on it when the lights go out, or when I am trying to find something in my car at night and there's not enough light! I also love to think of knowledge as "light" in a way. Knowledge opens my eyes. Makes me see things in a new way. Helps me understand others better. And overall, helps me in my relationships. 

This is how I see the Savior. In one way he is the LIGHT because he has shown us how we are to treat others, go about living our lives and has taught us many things about Heavenly Father and life beyond mortality. The holiday season gives us reason to stop, ponder, and wonder. 

To wonder: -->
Edward Rothstein of the New York Times offers the following thoughts on it: “Wonder, he explains, is not puzzlement, bewilderment or confusion. But it is also not satisfaction, completion or understanding. It is more open-ended, even a little unsettling. There is an element of calm, poised detachment in wonder but also a restless amazement. In the wake of wonder, we are literally moved. We cannot remain still. We are spurred to explore.”

I love that definition!! I want to wonder about the Savior... the gospel... and many things about life in general all year long! But, for December it was a focus on the Savior... and that made ALL the difference in my holiday season. I had been a bit worried it would be a tough time because it was the first one without my mom... and I have been missing her a lot recently. But, though a series of blessings from Heavenly Father, and a focus on the "wonder" of the season, my holiday was wonderful!! ... more to come...

Back to the tree...

 It has many ornaments that have special meaning to me on it...

 This was an ornament given to my mom the year I was born :)

 My tree would not be complete without something from BYU

BYU had a HUGE impact on my life!! HUGE!!

 And my Macy's "Believe Meter" ornament from my mom. 

I don't care how old I am... I'm always a believer!!

I also have an ornament from Ireland that my mom bought me and White House Christmas Ornaments for each year I have lived in DC... amongst others!

My tree, however, could never compare with the Gregory's! It's 14 feet tall and who knows how wide but I've been told that this picture doesn't quite do it justice... it's even bigger than this picture makes it seem! It took two people standing on top of ladders (me being one of them) to light it. Then, everyone decorated it. And, it will take me probably a whole day to take it all down. Fun, fun times, eh?! It's pretty while it's up. But, man, it's a lot of work!

 The winter temps also inspired me to cook more. I try and stay away from treats... or should I say making treats... but people gave me tons so I had more than I needed! But, I got this recipe from the lady I work with (and she's an amazing cook!!) It turned out so yummy! Butternut Squash Soup. Mmm...mmm.mmmm

 I had a few people over for dinner and one guy made this bread - Black Pepper Parmesan Bread - and it was SOOOO yummy! So yummy. I asked him so many questions about it and the thing I loved most is that you didn't need to let it rise before baking! That never works for me. So, I asked him for the recipe! He emailed it to me with a little disclosure... he had left out one word in the title. It's really Black Pepper Parmesan BEER Bread! Ha ha ha. And, he wanted to know if I was OK cooking with alcohol. I know that burns off... and so I said if it takes beer to make bread taste that good... I'm all for it! So I asked a few people on good beer recommendations and got one to make the bread... 

AND

IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT!!

IT WAS SOOOO YUMMY!!!

I had the chance to attend a number of holiday performances. One highlight was going to a concert at the DC Temple Visitor Center with these awesome ladies! The lights at the VC are amazing and the concert did not disappoint either!

 Mer also had the great idea to invite us to get tickets to Handel's Messiah at the National Cathedral. It was amazing. Hmmm... wish I knew how to rotate the picture!

 It was my first time in the Cathedral and it was amazing! The stone glass windows, the architecture, the massiveness of it!! Amazing!

I also had the chance to go to my tradition of the Living Christmas Tree Performance at the local Baptist Church. My 3rd or 4th year doing it and I love it! A bit cheesy with the lights and "skit" they do, but well worth going!

Now on to the NOT SO FUN... 

In Oct 2012 I switched my car's plates from PA to VA. The DMV told me I just needed to take it to get emissions and then I was all set. So, I did. Easily passed since it's a 2012 car! Long story short... there was a glitch in their system and they never updated my registration when I thought they had. So one snotty police officer pulled me over as he was driving behind me because his computer said my car wasn't registered. He was SO rude and such a dud. I was his golden ticket that day and there was no stopping him giving me tickets. He wouldn't look at any of the documents I had in the car to prove I had registered it. 

THEN - my fault. I had forgotten to print out my new insurance cards. So even though I could have showed them to him on my smart phone he gave me a $500 ticket for driving an uninsured car, $130 for failure to show insurance and $100 for not registering a car - total $730. YEP! Merry Christmas to me!

Well, not totally. I just have to take all documents to the DC Courts and show proof of it all and hope that the judge is nicer than the officer. We'll see how lucky I am. But, I after I let the anger settle, I took it as an accomplishment that I was able to accumulate so much in just one shot! Ha ha...

What a bizarre week... but lessons learned.... and that's the America I love

 This time last week I could not have even guessed what the coming week would look like. The hype of Hurricane Sandy was all over the news, but deep down I didn't really think it could possibly be true. However, as the storm came closer on Sunday and the forecast didn't change much, I started to get slightly nervous.

On Friday I had purchased a new flashlight and found a store with batteries (after stopping by 4 that were sold out!) but I didn't really do any of the other preparations. I have a 72 hour kit, but I didn't really stock up on canned food and things that don't need to be refrigerated. Our apartment complex sent around a note with a list of things to do, one of which was to fill your bathtub with water for when the power goes out because this can be used to help flush toilets! That was a new one to me.

By the end of church on Sunday, basically everyone had been told they had off on Monday. The Federal Government, the DC metro system,... everything was shutting down. Everyone prepared to "hunker down".

Monday came. It was raining in the morning, but I went out to do some errands and the gym. It wasn't bad. But, by 2 PM, the wind was crazy as was the rain. My power flickered every now and then and I was so nervous I was going to loose it! I also didn't like the sound of the wind shaking the siding and the windows. But, on the other hand, I was really productive. I had lots I wanted to get done before the power went out and I did it! It was nice to know that I could just stay home. There was no reason to go out (even though I did take a risk and go to a friends for dinner... but they weren't too far away... and it was so much fun!!! However, the roads were SOOO deserted. It was weird to drive on them!)

The winds and rain were consistent over night and it was hard to sleep but I never lost power. I was so grateful for that! Everything was shut down on Tuesday too as there were downed trees, flooding and debris everywhere. It was also still raining and pretty windy. But, I was able to venture out on Tuesday afternoon and people were starting to return to life as normal. Wednesday - everything was back to normal and life moved on. I remember thinking as I was out doing errands on Wednesday and the sun was out... it was hard to believe the previous two days had been so terrible.

It's so sad to hear about NY, NJ and CT which bore the brunt of the storm. I can't even imagine what they must be going through to be without power still, have their roads flooded for days/weeks, and some have truly lost everything. I feel very fortunate and blessed. And, I did learn a lesson - as also taught in the scriptures - If you are prepared, you shall not fear. I could have been better prepared... and then maybe I wouldn't have gotten as nervous as I did on Sunday and Monday!

As I mentioned, there were some local problems with trees and flooding. The majority of people in this area lucked out because we had many days to prepare and many took the warning seriously. However, some things could not have been done to prevent what the wind was capable of.

On a more personal level, I was shocked when I went to work and saw this (I knew about it... but it's hard to believe the actual destruction)

 Can you see the Jeep in that mess?

The tree was prob. 50-60 feet or more. 

I tried to get a picture with the whole distance but couldn't!

 The Jeep is a Grand Cheroke. 

It's quite large, but it doesn't look like it in this picture!

 You can't even see it in this picture... but it's in there!

 The trees in this area are SO tall! Everyone slept in their basements because of the sounds from the storm, but also because they were afraid a tree might fall on their house. And, from pictures of others, this can cause a ton of damage... a ton. So the family I worked for had a sleepover in their basement! Sounds like fun times for the adults, eh?

 Pictures of the Jeep with the tree gone

The damage was incredible. I can only imagine how loud the sound was when the tree fell, but it was at night and with the winds and the rain... no one heard it. 

I loved this Jeep though. It was so big and powerful. I felt very safe in it... and it had a lot of little luxuries :) The car will be replaced... and all is well. I am just more grateful that the tree fell where it did and not on one of the houses.

Hurricane Sandy was powerful. It left its mark. Lessons were learned by all who experienced it. In the end I am very grateful for how the Lord blessed me through it all... and my friends and family. Others weren't so lucky and I continue to pray for them everyday. I love how this tragedy in many areas of the east brought people together. We're in election season and that has been such a "dividing" factor among many... but when tragedy strikes... it doesn't matter who you're voting for, or what you believe, we're in this together. That's the America I love.

Makes me smile :)

A few things recently have made me smile  :)

My list could go on and on... but I'll start with the beautiful weather we've had recently (before Frankenstorm), the colorful Fall leaves, my experiment with cooking (and actually having it turn out OK!), and some opportunities I've had to help others recently...

But, these I actually got pictures of: 

Fancy Nancy coming to town! Totally brought a smile to my face. I wish we could have spent her entire time here together (and then some), but I treasured the time we had. It's so great how we haven't lived together for eight years (or something like that) yet not much has changed in our friendship and I love it!

This little girl. I had the privilege of spending a morning with her last week  and she is adorable. She's so good!! She would say please and thank you... pick up what she was doing before moving on to another activity... loved to laugh... and I loved how she would repeat some things she heard. For instance, the lady I work with said "Bye, Bye, Sweetie" when we were leaving and she replied right back to her "Bye, Bye, Sweetie" as she waved. It was adorable! I also loved her love for animals! Notice her giving a large tiger a hug! She's not scared at ALL! She also loved the gerbils and fish I showed her at the house we were at.

I went to a friend's birthday dinner the other night and had never been down on the Georgetown waterfront before. Most of this area had been washed out with one of the last storms (so I hope they fare well today) but I got to walk around a bit before we met up. It was gorgeous. The lights, the boats... just a really pretty scene. In the back of the picture below is the Kennedy Center.

This is a picture of the Key Bridge I cross at least twice a day... if not more! One day I am going to walk across it :) But, saving that for something special. Ha ha ha!

Life sure does have its challenges, but I feel very blessed to live in the area I do, to have a good job, and to have such amazing friends and family!

What have I been doing lately?!

 I am not totally sure where September went.... and now October... but it's been busy and fun at the same time!

I've been doing a lot... like just hanging out with this fun little girl :)

 Crazy! I don't know how she does it! But she is so strong and has SO much energy!!

For Meradyth's birthday... or as one of the many celebrations during her birth month... we went to Cirque du Soleil and it was A-mazing! I had seen one maybe ten years ago in FL when I was down there with my dad but I don't remember it too much. I am sure each year, or each group, does a different show, but the talent the performers have is incredible. How can they balance, juggle, and do the acrobatic moves so well?!! It is truly amazing and inspiring. They have such dedication and passion for what they do. Made me wish I had some talent in something :) Or, at least the passion that they have for what they do!

 It as right on the Potomac, so we had a beautiful view of the water and the sunset as we left!

 And, what's better than participating in the "Feed The Need" service project in the morning (pic below), then going to a show with some fabulous friends AND THEN off to the RS broadcast afterwards! Such a great day!

As mentioned above - "Feed The Need" - a multi-faith (is that what you call it when a bunch of churches get together to organize a service project?) service project  to benefit the local food pantry took place in the morning. It was a beautiful day for the outdoor event and I think it was a success! We had spent quite a bit of time getting local restaurants to donate bite-sized portions of food for a "Taste of the town" sampling... and participants would come and pay to get in and all the proceeds went to the pantry. We raised almost $10,000. Not bad!

There were many different ways to help out that day, but I got the job of directing traffic. Hence the bright yellow pinny... which was very needed as some of the cars and buses did not care to really slow down or stop when asked... so at least they could see me and not hit me as they sped by! 

It was a fun job though. I've always admired that famous dancing traffic director and wishing I had the guts to do his job!

 One of the best things that happened recently was the opportunity to attend the Kreeger Museum Open House! This might seem a bit silly, but for the past three years I have driven by this museum many times as it's located in the area where I work... and was dying to know what was in it! The kids and I called it the "secret museum" because you needed an appt to see it during the week and because the museum has high, thick walls all around it!

When I heard they were having an open house I knew I had to attend and it was awesome! This is a view from inside the gates :) The grounds were so pretty.

 And this is a picture of the gates that surround the building

Can you see how it just makes you curious... what's on the other side?!

 Well, the museum had lots of beautiful artwork, sculptures and other artistic features. It's an old estate turned in to museum. The back had a beautiful fountain area and it was just a gorgeous day! I was so glad to finally be able to see it!

 Another cool thing I did was participate in a town hall meeting with 200 other Virgina voters. Never done something like this before, but I am very aware that I am in one of the swing states and my vote definitely counts! So, when I was invited to participate, I gladly agreed.

 It was SO interesting. I sat at a table with people from all over the state... democrat and republican, married/single, old/young, wealthy and struggling to make ends meet. We discussed everything from medicare to defense spending...  I appreciated hearing the viewpoints of others, but if anything, it only confirmed my beliefs in who to vote for this fall

 We also got to take "votes" during the meeting to see how others viewed the issues. These little things were so cool!

It was a lot of fun and I felt more informed after it was over.  Only a couple more weeks to go!

So, overall, it's been a great few weeks. Definitely excited to do some more fall related activities in the near future before the winter months hit us!