the blog novel

Grandma Mimi

2012-01-02T00:08:00.018-05:00

Before leaving California, Bryan and I made a visit to see his wonderful Grandma Mimi. Like Grandma Jackson, Grandma Mimi is a legend. She is so fun and witty, and she means the world to Bryan. We visited, played Scrabble, and visited some more.

She is an angel. And seeing as she couldn’t make it to our wedding last year, she had some wedding advice for me this year. As we were readying to go she pulled me close and whispered, “The sweeter you are, the easier it gets”. How true that is in every aspect of life. “The sweeter you are, the easier it gets.” It may sound very simple, but in reality it is quite profound. And though I’m sure in theory we all know that, it is in the practice of her words that really counts. What a wise and wonderful woman. I feel truly blessed to have finally met the infamous Grandma Mimi.

1 Year Anniversary

2012-01-01T00:05:00.199-05:00

Seeing as we were already in Southern California for Grandma Jackson's funeral, we decided to stay for a few more days to celebrate our one year anniversary (which was actually the same day as the funeral)! And so we played some at the beach, the San Diego Zoo, and of course Disneyland! It was wonderful. The beach:

The San Diego Zoo:

"Jungle Bells" as they call them... get it?!

And, of course, Disneyland... which turns out to be even more magical over the holidays!

First stop: Indiana Jones!

I'm not kidding when I say that Indiana Jones is my favorite ride! Really though! I love it! And again, I'm not kidding when I say I have many fond memories surrounding Indiana Jones.

1. Growing up my Dad often worked abnormal and long hours. He's a surgeon and in the early days of training I didn't get to see him every day. And while I'm so appreciative for his hard work and love for my family, I also loved my Daddy-daughter time. Now, at my home growing up we never watched TV and seldom would watch movies. On occasion, however, when my Dad would get home late he would watch a movie in the basement to unwind. Lucky for me, the room with the TV neighbored my bedroom so I often was able to give him a late night hug. It was always very brief. I'd say hi, give him a hug, receive a kiss, and then I was back to bed. Then, one evening I went in to say hi to my Dad. It was the usual routine then back to bed, only this time when I neared the door my Dad asked, "Want to watch this with me?"
I was shocked! But I far from hesitated, "Yes!" I exclaimed.
"Want some ice cream too?"
Now I was shocked! Ice cream, movie, late night, and a daddy-daughter hang out. I felt like I was dreaming! "Really?"
He wasn't kidding. I received a beautiful serving of ice cream and sat down with my Dad for a memorable evening. And as I'm sure you've guessed, the movie was Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark. At that point in my life, that was probably the most "grown up" and relatively scary movie I'd ever seen. But I loved it. I was Dad's buddy! I knew that he now viewed me as a big kid: ice cream and a movie! This was big! It was epic. I've never forgotten that night! I loved my Dad so much, and I love him even more now! He will always be one of my best friends.

2. After watching Indiana Jones with my Dad I soon discovered that my cousin, Michael, too loved this movie. As did my hilariously awesome uncle, Russel. And so growing up Michael, Russ, and I would watch the trilogy at cousin sleepovers! Sometimes, if we were really lucky, we'd even do a marathon and watch all three in one night! I loved hanging out with Michael and Russ, and watching those movies. Russ would make the most hysterical impersonations and Michael and I would laugh and laugh. It was wonderful! Cousin sleepovers were the best!

3. And finally, a story regarding the ride itself. In 2007, my dear cousin and sister made a Disneyland trip with me. It was just Laura, Rebekah, and me. And it was amazing! Truly amazing! Two of my best friends and blood at Disneyland with me. It was all perfect. Well, the three of us loved the Indiana Jones ride. A lot. And we were there at a not too busy time of year: aka short lines. Very short lines. So short, in fact, that we were able to ride Indiana Jones 11 times in a row before noon! Yes, 11 times. It never got old! And after riding it so many times we may have even memorized the ride soundtrack... the somewhat operatic part... And well... we may have sung along a couple of times... It couldn't be helped. And well... after one of our epic Indiana Jones adventures we began to exit the car when a very grumpy middle aged women--obviously there with some friends--called us a nasty four letter word due to our singing. It was both shocking and hilarious all at once. I had no response. Neither did Bekah. Laura, my dear and witty cousin, however, piped back "So glad to see you're having fun at the happiest place on earth." And we left. It was hilarious. And memorable. Don't some people scream during entire rides, including the Indiana Jones ride? I know I have before. It seemed a few notes here and there would be nothing compared to shrill screaming. Well, I've never forgotten that moment: the shock and the humor. Ok, so maybe we shouldn't have said anything. But it was still hilarious. Haha. And I still love that ride!

The Haunted Mansion was even decked out in The Nightmare Before Christmas decor!

Story: I don't know if you've been to the Haunted Mansion... or even Disneyland before. But this is the Haunted Mansion in which you first have to go into a creepy "elevator" for your initial "instructions". For an adult, it's comically creepy. For a child, however, it's terrifying. And this isn't even the ride yet. Well, we got into the "elevator", the lights dimmed, the creepy voice/music starts, and a child begins to scream. My first thought was, Hmmm I don't remember this screaming child being part of the soundtrack. Then it hit me: it was a real child! A poor, terrified little girl had lost it with shear terror! "GET ME OUT OF HERE!" she kept screaming! "GET ME OUTTTTTTT!" It was the saddest thing I've ever seen. I almost cried for her. Luckily, she didn't continue to the actual ride. But when Bryan and I exited, we passed by the still crying little girl. Note to self: do not take young children into the Haunted Mansion.

Who knew you could get so wet from Pirates of the Caribbean!

Happiest place on earth!

Captain EO aka Michael Jackson's most epic adventure and performance!

How had I never seen this before?!

Now for the Buzz Lightyear ride...and another story. It took quite a lot of convincing to get Bryan to go on the Buzz Lightyear ride. He wasn't sure if it was worth the wait (which surprised me seeing as he is the Toy Story fan whereas I'm not). I, on the other hand, knew this was a must ride! After all, you shoot things during the whole ride with the intent of getting as many points as possible! It's fantastic! But finally, Bryan humored me.

I loved it. A lot. Bryan seemed to enjoy it some. We then moved onto other rides for a time. Then, some hour or so later Bryan turned to me and asked, "Can we do the Buzz Lightyear ride again?"

I was confused. He liked it? "You want to?" I asked.

"I have to beat my score! I have to get above a Space Scout."

Oh my adorably competitive husband. Ha! Tell me you don't love him. And so we returned. We shot. And again, we both got Space Scout. Had it not been getting so late I am convinced he would have insisted we try again. He was brave, however, and has tucked away his need to move up a level... until next time.

It's A Small World at Christmas:

Tell me that's not magical?!

This ride was one of Bryan's greatest childhood fears:

Oh and I have to share the story of Space Mountain. Simply put, I've never heard Bryan laugh as hard as he did during the entire ride! And that's the truth! The ride started: a roller coaster all in the dark... or Space. Then, in but seconds, my husband began to laugh... and laugh... and laugh. Hearing him laugh made me laugh... and laugh... and laugh. He sounded like a lunatic! It was hilarious! Finally, when back in the lighted unloading area I looked over to see his cheeks covered by tears of laughter! He was crying he was laughing so hard!
"That is the stupidest ride in the entire world!" he laughed. "Think about it! You're being thrown around in the dark! How stupid is that?" he kept laughing. And crying. And I about died too! The whole concept of a roller coaster... especially in the dark is hilarious! The whole idea of rides! Humans are ridiculous! The fact that we allow some machinery to throw us around for the sake of entertainment is downright hilarious! And I love it! Love my husband!

Look what a year of marriage has taught us: teamwork! Isn't that what marriage is all about? Working together! How precious! Ha. I am kidding.

We ended the evening watching the beautifully magical show, Fantasmick! It's fantastic! Mickey dominates his nightmares in an epic show with music, fireworks, fire, water, ships, villains, dancing, many of the Disney characters, and so much more! It may very well be my favorite parts of Disneyland!

Happy One Year Husband! You are the best thing that's ever happened to me! Love you sooooooooo much!

Grandma Jackson

2011-12-28T00:05:00.010-05:00

Bryan’s sweet Grandma Jackson passed away last week, and today was her funeral. Consequentially, we headed down to Southern California to say goodbye to her with her loving family. It was a beautiful setting for a funeral. The weather couldn’t have been better: warm and sunny. The actual service was held at the cemetery. We then gathered under a tent where we had a wonderful program. It was truly one of the most beautiful, yet simple funeral programs. There were a few musical numbers and then time enough for anyone and everyone to share their favorite memories and stories of Grandma Jackson. It was particularly warming for me to hear about this revered woman who has played such a big role in Bryan and his family’s lives. It was truly wonderful. She was, and is truly wonderful. I didn’t share a story as I never had the chance to meet her. Still I have a story I’d like to share here. The story of how she lived life to the end.

Following the funeral, the ladies of the Jackson family went through Grandma Jackson’s large collection of jewelry. I was invited to select jewelry myself, however, I declined seeing as I never actually met her and I felt her daughters and granddaughters should have those items. Only when everyone had taken everything they wanted was I then persuaded into taking just one piece myself: a ring. A beautiful ring. Upon picking it up, one of Grandma Jackson’s daughters shared that the ring was actually ordered the week of Grandma Jackson’s death. The ring itself, however, didn’t arrive until after she had passed away. I knew this was the piece of jewelry for me. To me it demonstrated how she not only endured, but that she lived right down to the end. What a wonderful example. What a wonderful woman. Thank you Grandma Jackson for not only the ring, but the reminder to live.

The Cabin

2011-12-27T00:07:00.103-05:00

The day after Christmas, Bryan and I joined my family for a lovely cabin escape at my Grandparent's cabin. It was lovely. We drank hot cocoa, played games, and sat by the fire.

We snowmobiled, hiked, went sledding, snow wrestled, and bum slid down the mountain.

Brave Tina even hiked some though she'd had surgery just a week or so earlier!

And we of course visited the haunted cabin (dun dun dun). It's become a cabin tradition to visit this creepy, rundown, and abandoned cabin late at night with but a few flashlights. It was... creepy. Ha. Matt and I went back in daylight for some pictures of the epic site.

We were just about leave the haunted cabin when we noticed a new window! An attic! We had to see in. We first tried to see in by me standing on Matt's shoulders...

That didn't work too well. Next, the roof. Yes we climbed up top the roof and leaned over attempting to see inside.

Fortunately for us it was cold as the attic was full of beehives! And though we didn't quite make it in the attic, it was still an epic adventure! Love my brother! I missed him quite a lot those two years he was gone!

Escaping to the cabin was truly phenomenal though! It was wonderful being able to spend time with my family. My whole family! It's been a while since all of us have been together, and I loved it! I love my family! Family = another reason I love the Holidays!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T12:47:00.008-05:00

...a quick scan of our Christmas Card

Christmas Eve

2011-12-25T00:04:00.122-05:00

Christmas Eve we spent at my parents house. It was a wonderful evening! We started with making hygiene kits for LDS Humanitarian Services to be distributed around the world.

We then ate a most scrumptious meal.

Following dinner, we had an epic talent show with a whole lot of flair.

Bekah whistled the theme songs from Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, and many more. Have you ever tried that? Not easy. Not easy at all.

Michelle did an interpretive dance with juggling.

Grandma shared homemade candy for her talent.

Bekah and I sang a Christmas duet accompanied by Sarah.

Christina played Jingle Bells by tapping her crutches together (did I mention she had foot surgery just a week or so ago! She’s so brave.)

Matt sang a Christmas song in Spanish.

John smiled.

My Dad played the piano.

Sarah led us in the song Christmas Is Upon Us, actions and all.

Michelle and I played a duet of Sleigh Ride… sort of…

Grandpa and Bekah played a clarinet and flute duet.

Just about everyone participated in a number with “Boomwackers”. Hitting these sticks against your head makes music. It’s hilarious.

As you can see we take our talents very seriously.

Following the talent show we moved on to our portrayal of the Nativity. It was wonderful. Everyone was given a part, a script, and a basket of costumes to choose from. It was lovely.

Mary and Joseph...and donkey

Angels

The shepherds (using Christina’s crutches as staffs)

Wise [wo]men

Herod

Bryan also played the accompaniment for the Christmas songs throughout the Nativity.

And the crew

...with Liz as the Inn Keeper and me as the narrator

Following the Nativity we all shared our favorite things about the Christmas season and what we love about our Savior, Jesus Christ. There was such a beautiful feeling in the room as we discussed the true meaning of Christmas. I am so grateful for moments like that, those moments when you feel a little bit of Heaven right there with you. I am so grateful for my family. I am so grateful for my husband, parents, siblings, and grandparents. I am so grateful for all the wonderful people I am so lucky to know. And I am so grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ and my Father in Heaven. I love the Christmas season because it reminds me how I can have that feeling of heaven with me all the time so long as I remember Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father in everything. What a wonderful season.

We then finished the night with the annual sibling gift exchange in which we each give a gift to one sibling. It’s one of my favorite parts of the season: giving something meaningful and with love to a sibling I love so much. And then: one big family slumber party in the family room. What a wonderful night!

Elder Matthew Price Homecoming

2011-12-20T16:32:00.000-05:00

Guess who's home? My brother, Matt! He's been serving a two-year mission for the LDS Church in Uruguay, and he's back! Naturally we (family, cousins, grandparents, uncles, friends, etc) all went to greet him at the airport!

The Moms:

Ps...Look! We even saw President Eyring at the airport!

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert

2011-12-18T12:46:00.028-05:00

Bryan and I accompanied my Mom and sisters to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert featuring soloist Nathan Gunn and actress Jane Seymour.

Choir, bells, dancers, solos, narration, "snow", orchestra... it was absolutely breathtaking. I was near tears the entire time! Loved every second of it!

Christmas Lights

2011-12-14T04:08:00.000-05:00

Please, oh please appreciate this super decked out house!

They should be proud! We met the people who live there and apparently there are well over 100 statues/lights. I’m far from surprised. They also gave us candy canes. Candy… from a stranger… wait a second… dun dun dun… Ha. Kidding. No it was amazing to see! Apparently they’ve been doing this for 19 years. Every year they just add a bit more!

Unexpected Reunion

2011-12-12T03:25:00.021-05:00

Growing up I found myself being raised alongside seven of the most upstanding ladies: Missy, Anne, Grace, Kimberly, Alison, Karen, and Mary. We grew up in about a two block radius, attended church and school together, and made countless memories. It’s been so fun to see where life has taken each of these amazing gals since our youth. Between us we have attained bachelors and masters, danced professionally, begun "grown up" jobs, traveled from Argentina to Mongolia and Switzerland to Mongolia, dated, married, served missions, lived abroad, and now gone down the baby road… which is what inspired this post as we recently had a baby shower for Ms. Anne—the first to get pregnant! She looked so good! Love her to pieces! She was my first friend when I moved from Boston to Utah so long ago! We went out for McDonald Happy Meals one day and our friendship was sealed. Love her. In addition to being able to see her I was able to see six of the seven girls I adore! Great turnout right?!

...this one was taken just before Mary showed up.

Now the 7 of us! MP3 for life!

Left to right: yours truly, Karen, Mary, Grace, Alison, Kimberly, and Anne)

Ms. Missy was the only one missing as she lives in San Fran with her cute husband. We missed her! Still, I loved seeing my girls. Aren’t they all so beautiful! Seven of eight! I was elated. Oh, and congrats to Anne!

The Nutcracker

2011-12-10T23:08:00.005-05:00

I want to say that it was almost a year ago when I mentioned to Bryan that I wanted to see The Nutcracker. I was maybe eight the last time I saw it and have recently yearned to experience its magic again. Well, he did one of those halfway dude answers where you wonder if he really heard you… that or you wonder if he didn’t want to hear you. Ha. You know the one? Well, now fast forward to today…or at least this holiday season. Let’s see, about two weeks ago my husband sent me an email invite for a surprise date. Now you have to know that I am one tough cookie to surprise. I have a knack for figuring things like this out. In fact, I can’t tell you how many times I have figured out surprises before they happen. And it’s not even because I’m trying! Really though, I love being surprised! Love it! But for whatever reason I always seem to stumble upon the answer. Kind of bummer right? This time, however, I couldn’t for the life of me figure it out. No idea. Bry gave me but one clue: “A holiday cultural event”. In retrospect it seems pretty obvious, right? Keep in mind, however, that I had no idea that he remembered I wanted to see The Nutcracker, let alone that he would actually humor me by taking me to this ballet! Well, I am married to a real man for The Nutcracker was exactly what he had planned! I was ecstatic! Truly ecstatic! In fact, I think I was as bouncily giddy as all the little ballerinas who also attended! So am I married to a stud or what? (rhetorical obviously) I love how thoughtful Bryan is. And I love how appreciative he is of the arts… and really everything. I mean, this is a ballet! But no, he didn’t complain. I think he was as excited to take me as I was to go! I’m sooooooo lucky!

Aside from the fantastically thoughtful company, the ballet was to die for! It really is such a magical production! I loved the dances, the music, the buffoons, and of course the Sugarplum Fairy.. can I be her? Oh wait, dance and I don’t really mesh. The performers really were so talented though, and had such amazing control over their movements and bodies. I was truly awestruck. And I was in heaven. What a lovely date thanks to my amazing husband!

Candy Making

2011-12-08T02:16:00.044-05:00

Another one of my favorite Christmas traditions is candy making. This tradition goes back at least as far as my great grandmothers and accordingly my grandma and aunts have all kept it up. And so each year we make batches of anything from caramels, caramel nougat pinwheels, English toffee, truffles, fudge, turtles… you name it. Then with the candy my mom, grandma, aunts, and now Bryan and I deliver platefuls to friends and neighbors to spread Christmas cheer… and sweets.

This year we made caramel, fudge, and turtles. Bryan and I made the fudge. Our first batch… struggled. Ha. What I mean is we had a learning experience. It was really quite hilarious actually. We used my Grandmother’s delicious yet super easy fudge recipe which is…

Fudge (naturally gluten free)
1. In a large pot place the following:
1 12oz pkg of milk chocolate morsels/chips (If you want it more chocolate-y add a bit more.)
1 lb Hershey bars grated or chopped up
1 7oz jar of marshmallow cream or 1 pkg marshmallows cut in small pieces (If you don’t like yours too marshmallow-y then add a bit less. I usually do a little less.)
2 tbs butter
1 tsp vanilla
Set mixture aside.

2. In another pot place
4 ½ c sugar
1 large can evaporated milk.
Stir until sugar is completely dissolved then place on stove. Wash the sides of the kettle and cover for a few moments. After a full rolling boil is reached continue boiling for 7 minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Remove from heat and immediately pour over the prepared mixture from step 1. Stir rapidly to melt the chocolate and marshmallow. Beat for several minutes until fudge begins to set.

4. Add 2 cups nuts if desired.

5. When thick, pour on a large, buttered sheet pan (like a deep cookie sheet) and allow to set until firm enough to cut. If you plan on chocolate dipping this fudge, make it the day before.

(Note: Both my Grandma and Grandpa grew up making fudge with their mothers and each have excellent recipes. Hilariously enough, the two of them have an annual fudge off where they each make their respective fudge to determine which is better. My thoughts: they’re both delicious. I’d take either one. My Grandpa’s recipe, however, isn’t written down anywhere so I can only share my Grandma’s now.)

Well, Bryan and I got to minute 6 in step 2 of the recipe (stirring the boiling mixture) when Bryan asked, “Can I stir?”
“Sure,” I responded.
At that moment he asked, “What happens if you stop stirring?” And he stopped stirring. Before I could answer the milky mixture filled with gobs of black nastiness…
“I guess that’s what happens,” I answered. Then we both started laughing.

Don’t stop stirring wasn’t the only lesson we learned, however. We also learned that you have to be patient and not use too high of heat when making candy. Luckily we had back up supplies just in case… do I know us or what? Haha. Our second attempt worked out wonderfully! I’m in love! Bryan and I also made the caramel which was a delicious success. They literally melted in our mouths. I just love homemade candy!

As for turtles, I made those with my amazing Grandma ZoBell and dear cousin Morgan.

Stirring the caramel.

Isn’t she a babe?

Grandma selected the position of supervisor, which she did just wonderfully. What a classy woman!

And do you like how we ended up making the lazy kind of turtles? …meaning rather than perfectly place four nuts as “turtle legs” we just sort of dumped them out, plopped some caramel on, topped them off with some chocolate, and were done . Yummy!

Our First Christmas Tree

2011-12-05T02:17:00.008-05:00

Our 12" Christmas tree...pre-decorated and everything!

We're never getting rid of this beauty!

Gingerbread Houses

2011-12-04T02:15:00.053-05:00

Just so you know, I’m about to let you in on what may very well be my most favorite family tradition: gingerbread houses. I know, this is big. After all, “favorite” is quite the label. But it is true. I have so many fond memories of the time I have spent with my family baking, preparing, cutting, gluing together, and then decorating these masterpieces. Thus, let’s discuss gingerbread houses. For as long as I can remember my parents have annually hosted gingerbread decorating, and I love it. We love it. They’re a lot of work… but the fun kind of work. After all, they’re made completely from scratch! The windows are even made of lollipop! We’re legit. And each year we each get to create our very own masterpiece. We have had all wrapper houses, traditional candy houses, houses with army men catching Santa, all frosting houses, you name it… This year was another fun filled decorating year of an assortment of designs.

Kix! Brilliant! Not to mention the smiley face! Love it Michelle!

Each year my cute sister Liz meticulously makes this lovely patterned roof of green and red m & ms. She spends literally hours on hers. And they are always so beautiful.

Isn't Sarah's roof sweet?! Not to mention her spikes! Ha. Love it!

I love Tina's roof! It's gorgeous! Her house is like a winter wonderland.

Steph's path is so fun! I love her landscaping! Especially her "wood" pile made of pretzels.

You can't help but love Bekah's creativity! Hers are always so fun! What you can't see in this picture are the many ice cream cones she has placed up side down on her roof! Epic.

This bridge was no easy feat!

The chimney was Bryan's creative genius.

Ours was a team effort.

Aren't my siblings all so creative?! I love the variety and uniqueness of each house! By the end of the night the table, floor, chairs, faces, clothes...everything is coated in sticky sugary goodness! We make a big mess and love every second of it. It's all worth it!

Festival of Trees

2011-12-03T02:14:00.063-05:00

Bry and I went to the Festival of Trees—an ever growing benefit that raises money for Primary Children's Hospital—this weekend. Bry and I each have good memories of this event from our youth. And yet, funny enough, we have entirely different memories. You see, Bryan’s family was all about appreciating the trees, whereas my family was more the gingerbread house type. So this year, we soaked in a little of both.

Trees:

Gingerbread Houses:

...you realize that's the weasley's burrow?! phenomenal!

And Rapunzel's tower. Easy right? Ha! I can't imagine how much time that must have taken!

I'm speechless.

My junior year of high school I submitted a fairly large gingerbread house myself! Tragically I can’t find a picture of it at the moment… but it was fun. Nothing compared to the White House, but a gingerbread house nonetheless.

Misc:

The displays—trees, wreaths, quilts, ginerbreadhouses, etc—are donated individuals or groups and then are sold to raise money for the hospital. And it is astounding how many entries the festival receives, and how many of them are sold. I read somewhere that they receive over 500 trees each year in the festival. Can you believe it! Each display is so fun too and spout an array of personalities. If you haven't had the chance to visit this wonderful benefit than I highly recommend it.

Savior of the World

2011-12-01T02:12:00.021-05:00

Bryan and I saw the musical Savior of the World tonight with my Grandparents down by Temple Square. It was the perfect way to start the Christmas season. The first half of the musical details the miraculous story of Christ’s birth; it is essentially an elaborate portrayal of the traditional nativity scene. The second half then accounts the happenings following Christ’s death and resurrection. It was an amazing performance: inspiring, spiritual, tear jerking, full of love and at times pain, but ultimately it was a play professing hope and charity. And throughout the whole production there were angels watching from above—visible to the audience but unknown to the characters—reminding all how close heaven really is.

I love how much life and depth this immaculate musical portrayal gives to those who knew and loved the Savior: Mary and Joseph, Mary Magdalene, Elizabeth and Zacharias, the angels, the Apostles, the shepherds, and so many more. The intimate interactions and cherished relationships the different characters shared with the Savior helped me to better understand the connection I too can have with Him. Thus, though the play was about how the Savior influenced individuals years ago, it was also about how He can lead and guide each of us today.

Temple Square Lights

2011-11-30T03:02:00.009-05:00

Following my sister's choir performance last night my sisters Steph, Tina, and I took a stroll through Temple Square to appreciate their emaculate annual display of Christmas lights surrounding the Salt Lake LDS Temple.

Absolutely breathtaking.

Elizabeth’s Jubilation Choir

2011-11-29T02:11:00.029-05:00

My sister's Special Needs Jubilation Choir had their annual Christmas performance at Temple Square, Salt Lake City this week. They did a fantastic job! I mean it when I say there is nothing more beautiful and spiritual than hearing her choir! They truly are angels.

My Mom and Dad

Grandma and Grandpa ZoBell

Grandma Price

The Fam

I am so lucky to have Liz as an older sister and friend. Knowing her is one of my life's greatest blessings.

My Fair Lady

2011-11-26T02:10:00.009-05:00

Bryan and I attended Hale Center Theater’s My Fair Lady this weekend and loved it. In fact, we found it downright hilarious particularly because we had shared a comical conversation just before about the sometimes annoying (but mostly hilarious) differences between men and women. So of course when Professor Higgins started to sing, “Why Can’t A Woman Be More Like A Man” we both lost it. Please appreciate the words.

PROFESSOR HIGGINS:

Why can't a woman be more like a man?

Men are so honest, so thoroughly square;

Eternally noble, historically fair.

Who, when you win, will always give your back a pat.

Why can't a woman be like that?

Why does every one do what the others do? 

Can't a woman learn to use her head? 

Why do they do everything their mothers do? 

Why don't they grow up, well, like their father instead?

Why can't a woman take after a man? 

Men are so pleasant, so easy to please. 

Whenever you're with them, you're always at ease.

Would you be slighted if I didn't speak for hours?  

COLONEL PICKERING: Of course not.  

PROFESSOR HIGGINS: Would you be livid if I had a drink or two?  

COLONEL PICKERING: Nonsense.  

PROFESSOR HIGGINS: Would you be wounded if I never sent you flowers?  

COLONEL PICKERING: Never.  

PROFESSOR HIGGINS: Well, why can't a woman be like you?

One man in a million may shout a bit. 

Now and then, there's one with slight defects. 

One perhaps whose truthfulness you doubt a bit, 

But by and large we are a marvelous sex!

Why can't a woman take after a man? 

'Cause men are so friendly, good-natured and kind. 

A better companion you never will find.

If I were hours late for dinner would you bellow?  

COLONEL PICKERING: Of course not.  

PROFESSOR HIGGINS: If I forgot your silly birthday, would you fuss?  

COLONEL PICKERING: Nonsense.  

PROFESSOR HIGGINS: Would you complain if I took out another fellow?  

COLONEL PICKERING Never.  

PROFESSOR HIGGINS: Why can't a woman be like us?

Why can't a woman be more like a man? 

Men are so decent, such regular chaps; 

Ready to help you through any mishaps; 

Ready to buck you up whenever you're glum. 

Why can't a woman be a chum?

Why is thinking something women never do? 

And why is logic never even tried? 

Straightening up their hair is all they ever do. 

Why don't they straighten up the mess that's inside?

Why can't a woman behave like a man? 

If I was a woman who'd been to a ball, 

Been hailed as a princess by one and by all; 

Would I start weeping like a bathtub overflowing, 

Or carry on as if my home were in a tree? 

Would I run off and never tell me where I'm going? 

Why can't a woman be like me?

Hilarious right? We about died!

I'm Grateful For...

2011-11-25T02:09:00.021-05:00

In honor of Thanksgiving I'm thankful for...

My Father in Heaven

My Savior

My faith

My husband

My Mom and Dad. You couldn’t ask for better parents! They are the most amazing examples to me and so loving!

My 8 siblings! Elizabeth, Rebekah, Jonathan, Matthew, Michelle, Sarah, Christina, and Stephanie!

Grandparents

Aunts, uncles, and cousins….

In-laws (I’m so lucky! I have the best In-laws! So much so that I forget they’re “In-laws” and I think of them more as brothers, sisters, etc)

Shelter

Warmth

Friends

Books

Love

Clean water

Mountains

Chocolate

Temples

Celestial and Eternal Marriage

Holidays

Culture

Scriptures

Music

Teachers

Date night with my husband

Education

Flowers

Waffles

Bookstores

Autumn leaves

Forgiveness

Authors of my favorite books

Traditions

Sun

Peace

The Holy Land

Missionaries

Parks

Laughter

Prayer

Electricity

Life and mortality

Ancestors and their stories

Nail polish

Musicals

Yellowstone

Bears

Snow

Clouds

Time

Café Rio

Tasty gluten free foods

Airplanes

Fresca

Seasons

Scavenger hunts

Family dinner

Beaches

Children

Christmas lights

Food

Galilee

Jerusalem

Clothing

The free couch Bryan and I got off of craigslist

My parent’s wisdom

Health

Bonfires

Boating

Street performers

Denali

Audio books

Rainbows

People with a sense of humor

Phones that keep us close when miles away

Stars

My husband’s employment (and that he loves it)

Transportation

Internet

Snow tires

A love of history

Dreams

Goals

Nativities

Art

Sundays

Hiking

Toothbrush and toothpaste

My Mom’s Creamy Tomato Soup

A bed

Museums

Health Insurance

Travel

Water and Snow Skiing

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Camping

Southern Utah

Orderville hike in Zion

Senses—sight, touch, feel, hear, smell

Fresh fruit

Costumes

My country

Sleep

Cuddling

Fireworks

Cheesy movies

Bbqs

Sledding

Lake Powell

Memories

Sugar eggs

Alarm clocks

The Hill Cumorah Pageant

LDS Church History sites and events

Hug mugs from Max Brenner’s

Hot cocoa

My grandpa’s cabin

Extended family parties

Beautiful photography

711 slurpies

Costco rotisserie chickens

The sound of church bells

Road trips

Cemeteries. I find them to be one of the most grounding and peaceful places

Homemade caramel

Board games (especially UpWords)

Trees

Sunsets and sunrises

Musical birthday cards

Second chances

Brighton Ski Resort

Wishing on shooting stars

Disneyland

Long boat rides on the Sabbath at Lake Powell

A listening ear

Comfy shoes

The deer in my Grandparent’s backyard

Speed Scrabble

The ability to cry

Country music

Spontaneity

Sufficient for our needs

Pioneers

Homemade salsa

Paved roads

Homemade slow cooker steel cut oatmeal

Razors

Literacy

Gingerbread Houses

My husband’s slow cooker skills and meals

Refrigerator and freezer

Family vacations

Service

God's Plan of Happiness

A close until the end sporting event

Easy recipes

Guardian angels

Imagination

Use of my limbs

Word searches

My Mom’s chicken noodle soup when I’m feeling sick… or my Dad’s rice with milk

Girls nights with nails, magazines, masks, food, and movies

Surprises

Warm rain

Christmas Trees

BYU Jerusalem Center

Religious sites—Jerusalem, Varanasi, Lalibela, Rome, Salt Lake City, etc

Family Home Evening

Christmas music

Beautiful architecture

Smiling

Energy and passion

A good hamburger with avocado

Gratitude

Breaking Dawn Part I

2011-11-18T01:59:00.071-05:00

I think I have discussed my love of midnight movie showings before? If not, let it be known that I have a hobby of midnight movie showings. Yes, a hobby. Lord Of The Rings, Harry Potter, and now even the vampire…Twilight… series. It has gone from a love of the actual movies to a hobby meaning...

LOTR = love
HP = love
Twilight = terribly pathetic but comically entertaining (especially when seen with die hard fans). Really though, if you’re not a hard core fan of a movie than midnight showings with true fans are the best time to go! True fans make any movie entertaining as such lively and dedicated audiences are the entertainment. They're hilarious!

So I went. My sister and her friends, some cousins, and I went. And we dressed the part.

Volturi

Vampire

Jacob and Renesmee

Renesmee

Volturi

Bella

Volturi

Volturi, Jacob, and Baby Renes

And the crew!

Tragically Utah "Twi hards" are pathetic! Not kidding! We were the only ones who dressed up! The only ones! …and we looked awesome! Still, what’s wrong with those "fans"! I haven’t even read the books! Ha!

Note: While I'm not a "Twi hard" myself, I’m really not a Twilight hater. In truth I just find it hilarious how little actual happens in each movie. And what is this Edward vs Jacob thing anyway? Hello! Jasper all the way! What a fun night! Can’t wait for the experience of Part II!

Christmas Shoes

2011-11-15T01:52:00.010-05:00

You know the whole—can you listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving—debate? I couldn’t care less. There are far more important things to fret about in the world. So if you don’t listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving, good for you. And if you do listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving, good for you too.

Now. My Grandma’s kitchen radio is literally always on. Always. Music, news, talk shows… but always on. So last night my Grandma’s radio was on to FM 100.3, on which they were playing Christmas music (thus my intro). Having grown accustomed to this constant radio noise, I paid little attention to it. That is until one of my all time favorite tear jerkers, Christmas Shoes came on. The tears came even before the singer had sung his first line. The lyrics read,

It was almost Christmas time 

There I stood in another line 

Tryin to buy that last give or two 

I'm really in Christmas mood 

Standing right in front of me 

Was a little boy waiting anxiously 

Pacing around like little boys do 

And in his hands he had  

A pair of shoes

And his clothes were worn and old 

He was dirty from head to toe 

And when it came his time to pay 

I couldn't believe what I heard him say

Sir I wanna buy these shoes for my Momma please 

It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size 

Could you hurry Sir? Daddy says there's not much time 

You see she's been sick for quite a while 

And I know these shoes will make her smile 

And I want it to look beautiful 

If Momma meets Jesus tonight

They counted pennies for what seems like years 

And cashier says son there's not enough here 

He searches is pockets frantically  

And he turned and he looked at me 

And he said Momma made Christmas good in our house 

Most years she just did without 

Tell me Sir What am I gonna do? 

Some how I gotta buy her these Christmas shoes

So I lend the money down 

I just had to help him out 

And I'll never forget The look on his face 

When he said Momma's gonna look so great

Sir I wanna buy these shoes for my Momma please 

It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size 

Could you hurry Sir? Daddy says there's not much time 

You see she's been sick for quite a while 

And I know these shoes will make her smile 

And I want it to look beautiful 

If Momma meets Jesus tonight

I know I won't regret some help as he thanked me and ran out 

I know that God sent that little boy to remind me 

What Christmas is all about

Sir I wanna buy these shoes for my Momma please 

It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size 

Could you hurry Sir? Daddy says there's not much time 

You see she's been sick for quite a while 

And I know these shoes will make her smile 

And I want it to look beautiful 

If Momma meets Jesus tonight

I want it to look good If Momma meet's Jesus tonight

Beautifully emotional right? Geez, my eyes leak just thinking about it. To be honest, however, this beautiful song evokes more than just tears for me. In fact, I confess that hearing this song may also make me laugh… Before you view me distastefully, however, let me explain.

Setting: It was my sophomore year at BYU. What was I, 19? Anyway, in my apartment there was a long counter with two sinks that ran the length of an even longer mirror just outside the bathroom. Now each morning, my cousin/roommate and I prepared for the day while sitting in the adjacent sinks. It was the perfect position to apply our makeup, do our hair, chat… all while listening to “getting ready” music. And as I’m sure you have guessed, on one particular morning near the holiday season we were listening to Christmas music and Christmas Shoes turned on. It was beautiful.

Touched by the song, we were both overcome with emotion and couldn’t help but to tear up. And a lot… So much so that by the end of the song we each had long black streaks down the entire length of our faces from where our wetted eyes had carried our freshly applied mascara down to our chins. It was an embarrassing spectacle. Seeing how truly ridiculous we appeared, however, we broke out laughing so hard that we again began to spout tears...this time tears of joy. It was a most comical occasion and one of my dearest holiday memories. As for class, well… unable to simply touch up our disastrous appearances, we quickly washed our faces, reapplied our makeup, and only arrived slightly late to class. Oops.

Please note that we removed Christmas Shoes from our getting ready Christmas mix.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II Release

2011-11-12T01:57:00.042-05:00

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II came out on DVD/Blue ray just recently, which of course meant: edited Harry Potter showing party thanks to Clear Play! Many in my family don’t watch over a pg rating… which is most commendable seeing as most media over a pg rating has unnecessarily derogative material anyway. So we had our own Harry Potter party complete with costumes, themed treats, and of course the movie…which was fantastic! Well, all except for that awkward moment when Voldemort hugs Malfoy..? Ok I kind of appreciate the awkwardness of that scene. Love the Harry Potter series!

Muggle and Luna

Making butterbeer

Mcgonaagall

Hagrid and Umbridge

Hermione and Luna

Trelawney with the food... potions, treacle tart, butterbeer, bertie botts every flavored beans, and more

My Half Birthday

2011-11-10T01:51:00.017-05:00

So. Remember how yesterday was my brother's brithday? Well, it was also my half birthday! Yes, yours truly. Now, you should know that I like half birthdays. I just don’t think that 1 out of 365 days is enough to celebrate me. Or anyone. So in my family we halfway celebrate half birthdays. That's 1 1/2 out of 365 days!

Anyway, in honor of my half birthday dear Bryan surprised me with half sized Diet Cokes, half a bag of chocolate, and half a birthday card… the card was literally cut in half making it rather difficult to read... But I got the message. Isn't he great! What a splendid day!

Matty's Birthday

2011-11-09T01:50:00.044-05:00

In honor of my brother’s birthday, we had a little celebration. Only, without him seeing as he’s currently serving a two year mission for the LDS Church in Uruguay. Right. So we baked him a cake. An awesome cake. And with the amount of batter we whipped up, we ended up with three tiers. And what did we do with those three tiers? Why, we did what’s only natural: we made a volcano cake! Brilliant no? Well, we thought so. Christina, Sarah and I even used fondant (not because we like the taste, but because we wanted to say that we’d used it) as the "rocky" exterior. Now, before we go on about this cake, can we discuss this fondant.

Fondant: That’s some pretty tricky stuff. First, there’s the whole smoothly flattening it part. Which we did… while kneeling on top of the counter in order to get enough pressure to spread the blasted stuff thin enough. But we’re pretty relaxed at my house so being on the counter wasn’t really a big deal. The problem came, however, when we realized that we hadn’t the foggiest as to how to transfer the beautifully rolled out fondant to the cake. It was a large piece of rolled out fondant too. You see, wanting to make the volcano look as awesome as planned, we half brilliantly and half foolishly decided that we would cover all three layers with but one ginormous piece of fondant. Hmmmmmm... We thought it over a bit. Plotted. Considered spatulas. Considered shovels. It all seemed so complicated. So out of nowhere I swept the flattened fondant up with but my bare hands and daringly tossed it (literally tossed) onto the cake. Somehow it worked! It was completely careless and entirely hilarious all at once. But it worked! Fondant problem solved. Moving on...

Then of course there was the decorating. And though we were running low on food dye, we pulled off some nice reds and oranges—the lava of course. And alas, we set our cake amidst the only logical backdrop: plants and dinosaurs (ok and perhaps a random Disney character or two...). Pretty cool, I know. And it was good!

Normally I don't recommend jealousy... but in the case of this epic cake I don't think it can be helped. I mean really, who wouldn't want a volcano cake surrouned by dinosaurs? Happy birthday Matty!

The Lion King 3D

2011-11-04T01:21:00.002-04:00

Bestie Bekah and I took my amazing sister Liz to see The Lion King in 3D this week!

We loved it! I loved it! Bekah loved it! And Liz LOVED it--the movie and the glasses! How great is The Lion King? Definitely one of Disney's finest! Can't wait for Beauty and the Beast in theaters come January 2012!

The Wizard of Oz

2011-10-28T02:35:00.013-04:00

I am so lucky to have a husband like Bryan who plans all sorts of fun and creative dates! This weekend he surprised me by taking me to the Salt Lake's Grand Theater's production of The Wizard of Oz! It was marvelous!

Truly marvelous! Each of the actors held their own both as actors and singers! They even had a live dog for Toto! We were truly impressed! As my first Grand Theater performance I am sold! Thank you husband!

Stephanie's Show Choir

2011-10-26T01:48:00.016-04:00

Stephanie is an alto in her schools infamous 8^th grade Show Choir and I was lucky enough to attend their first performance of the year!

They did an amazing job! Talk about a talented group of teens! It brought back so many fun memories of when I was in this very same choir. Though they have a new choir teacher, they still wear the same outfits and still sing a lot of the same fun songs. Love it!

After the performance I then got to drive Steph and some of her friends down to the traditional post choir hang out: Hires Big H. The same place we hung out after performances when I was in the choir. Got to love traditions!

Jonathan's Birthday

2011-10-21T01:47:00.021-04:00

My sweet brother passed away from SIDS at two months old in 1989. And so each year we visit him on his birthday.

I am so grateful to know that there is life after death and that families can be together for forever. I am so grateful to know that I will see him again. Death really is but a beginning, a step, and a graduation.

Bryan's Thumb

2011-10-20T01:47:00.047-04:00

Bryan and I have a new favorite kitchen devise: our salsa maker. We were suckered into buying it at the Utah State Fair last month and have yet to regret our decision. Well, this fantastic devise also came with some accessories for chopping, slicing, etc... anything from potatoes to meat. It’s great. So. Slicing. This slicer is sharp. We're talking really sharp. So sharp, in fact, that it sliced off a good chunk of poor Bryan’s thumb while making Sunday dinner last night. Aka his thumb is gone. Ok it’s not gone. But there's a nice piece of flesh missing. But he handled it like a champ. Though it was bleeding….a lot… he merely said, “Rach can you look at my thumb and tell me if you think it needs stitches.” Until his calmly stated question, I had no idea that anything was wrong! Can you imagine if our roles had been reversed?! I'd be screaming from the beginning!

Anyway. Bryan's thumb. I couldn't tell if it needed stiches. It was a... big piece of lacking flesh and a whole lot of gushing blood. So what did we do? We definitely did NOT go to the hospital. Nor will Bryan ever suggest a hospital visit again for mere stiches... not when related to me. My entire family is medical—doctors and nurses. AKA, in my family the hospital is the last place you go… So we sought out family to look at his wound. As for stitches, they were a no go seeing as the cut was too wide due to the missing piece of flesh. Instead it was decided to coterize his thumb that stubbornly refused to stop bleeding despite the constant pressure. Please appreciate that at this point I think Bryan said “Ouch”…maybe once. He’s much braver than me. Honestly though! Do we realize what it means to coterize?! Burning! Yikes.

As for Bry’s thumb, he’s just fine. He’s healing. Why, he's even become a true member of the family now. I mean, you can’t be part of the fam until you’ve been injured and treated by a fellow family member…. Trust me.

And we’ve since learned how to safely use the slicer…it actually has something that keeps your hand from ever coming in contact with the blade. Glad we figured that one out...

Ps: When at my Grandma Price's the other day I mentioned to her that Bryan had finally become a true member of the family, to which she responded, “Did he crash his car?” I about died of laughter.

Why Wax Paper Doesn't Go In The Oven

2011-10-19T01:45:00.027-04:00

My baby sister, Stephanie, and I decided to make gluten free goldfish crackers the other day. Well really, I happened upon Steph making goldfish crackers the other day...she's creative like that. She had made the dough perfectly by herself, but couldn’t find the required parchment paper. Being the “wise” and most “intelligent” older sister that I am, I concluded that wax paper was the same… Well. It’s not. But I didn’t know that. So I helped her use the miniature goldfish cutout to form hundreds of little fish shaped, cheddar flavored crackers that we most carefully placed on wax paper to cook.

Once they were in the oven, however, I left. My job was done and my bed was calling. As I arrived home still feeling warm fuzzies from helping out I received a phone call. Stephanie.

“How’d they turn out?” I ecstatically asked.

“Great…” she replied. Only, there seemed to be a hint of irony far from disguised in her voice.

“Great…? Are they gross?”

“No. They taste great… the parts that aren’t coated with wax..." she laughed.

“Wax…? It... melted!” Comprehension flooded my mind as I realized my mistake. Wax paper! Wax! Wax melts when hot! Oh dear. Lucky for me she is extremely positive and has a great sense of humor.

Every last one of the beautifully shaped crackers she had made were glued to the wax paper! Somehow it hadn’t occurred to me that wax melts when hot…then solidifies when cool. Oops. Lesson learned.

October ZoBell Birthday Bash

2011-10-17T23:44:00.019-04:00

In honor of my Grandpa ZoBell’s birthday we had a lovely dessert party with all of the aunts, uncles, and cousins. I just love my fam.

I am so lucky to have such a close extended family that gathers often for small and big events. We’re just a big happy family with the most hilarious quirks and more love than you can imagine! Really though, my relatives are some of my best friends! Love them!

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

Footloose

2011-10-14T00:17:00.004-04:00

Christina's Volleyball

2011-10-13T23:43:00.031-04:00

Christina is a member of her school’s volleyball team! She plays on the Varsity, JV, AND Sophomore teams as a sophomore! Yeah she's a rock star! And seeing as I now live near the fam again I have been able to attend a number of her games!

Did I mention she has a killer serve! We're talking deadly!

And passes don't get more accurate than hers!

...after beating their arch rival!

We love our talented sister!

It's kind of fun being back in that gym where not too long ago...and yet seemingly so long ago...I played on that very team! Time sure does fly!

Ensign Club

2011-10-12T01:42:00.041-04:00

My Grandparents are part of the Ensign Club…a club that meets monthly for intellectual and spiritual enrichment, all over a good meal. Meaning, they gather monthly at the Lion House (a fantastic restaurant in downtown Salt Lake City) to listen to an assortment of speakers over dinner. And this month my Grandparents invited my Dad to speak, so some of my siblings, my Mom, and I went along for support. It was wonderful! And I’m not just talking about the food…

My amazing Dad spoke on his global surgery initiatives and service in less developed countries. And let me tell you, he is one phenomenal guy—one who is actually making a difference in the world through a combination of determination and love. Aside from working fulltime as an MD and raising a family of nine children, he somehow manages to fit in hours and hours of service in every form—writing textbooks (Global Surgery and Public Health: A New Paradigm), setting up surgery centers, teaching teachers, enhancing medical systems, operating… you name it. Likewise he (along with my most loving and endlessly serving mother) has instilled in each of his children a similar passion for service and love. Together, my parents demonstrate compassion in the rarest and most sincere form. They are exquisite examples of selflessness and love. They don’t know the meaning of hatred or dislike. To them, everyone is not just a friend but family. Don’t believe me? Just stop by their house and you’ll see. Growing up all of my friends called them “Mom” and “Dad”… Even now, many of them still call my parents for advice or just to say hi. I haven’t met a person who doesn’t feel inspired and uplifted by them. My parents teach through the most superlative form: example.

Anyway, my Dad’s presentation was fabulous. Although he does service from Mongolia to Ecuador, and Ethiopia to China, he helps everyone believe they can make a difference today, now, in your very own neighborhood. Which is true. You don’t have to go any further than your own block to find someone in need. All you have to do is open and train your eyes, and more importantly your heart to see through the lens of compassion.

My cute grandparents with my Mom.

...I guess I didn't quite make it in that picture. Ha.

The amazing examples and parents themselves! Love them!

It was a fabulous night. Everytime I hear my dad speak I can't help but recommit to serving and loving a little more in every facet of my life. Like I said, you couldn't ask for better parents and friends.

Sarah's Homecoming

2011-10-08T23:41:00.020-04:00

Beautiful Sarah attended her school’s homecoming dance this weekend. As you can see getting ready for dances at a house full of girls is always a party!

I'm so lucky that my sisters allow me to help with their hair and makeup for dances and other such events! I love it! Times like this remind me just how much fun it is to have so many sisters! Sisters are the best of friends! ...so are brothers. Let's say family are the best of friends! And don't I love mine!

Finishing Touches

2011-10-07T23:40:00.013-04:00

Living at the ZoBell Hotel is truly such a blessing! Aside from a place to live for a time, I get to hang out with my Grandparents all the time! Life doesn’t get better! And when I behave (kidding obviously) they even invite me on fun outings…such as the Utah Symphony’s “Finishing Touches” dress rehearsal. A few times each year the Symphony allows people to come to their final rehearsal for a greatly discounted price usually on Friday mornings. Only, it’s better than the real performance: you get to hear the music, see them perform, and you get snacks! Yes, food! Loved it! The music was simply marvelous! And my favorite part was the pianist! Talk about phenomenal! This 25-year-old Russian guest pianist played a 16 minute…I repeat 16 MINUTE piece by memory! Wow!

Just one of those wonderful mornings at the symphony, with the grandparents… a great start to the day.

Girls Night

2011-10-01T23:37:00.039-04:00

Twice a year LDS (Mormon) men gather for a Priesthood Meeting. This meeting is part of a group of meetings called General Conference where members of the LDS Church receive counsel and instruction from Church leaders. And, since Priesthood Meeting is for men, my Mother hosted a fabulous "girls night" for my Mom, sisters, and me. Party! We did facials, nails, and painted Halloween decorations... all while watching the University of Utah football game. A fantastic combination.

We're so cool. Love girls nights.

Cupcake Sundaes

2011-09-29T14:16:00.007-04:00

A few weeks back, we realized that my brother returns from a two year LDS (Mormon) mission in Uruguay in oh say… exactly 100 days. SO exciting! Thus we celebrated (we love any excuse to celebrate). And, well… we also love making cool creations out of cupcakes. So we celebrated by making “Cupcake Sundaes”.

They’re cupcakes… that look like ice cream sundaes!

...not sure what my hair is doing? Ha. Oh well.

You know you want one.

Rollerblading

2011-09-28T15:01:00.008-04:00

Why yes I did purchase $4 rollerblades with my sisters.

It was/is fantastic! Ok so I struggle with stopping, but I’ll get the hang of it… eventually… Ha. Honestly though, how do people jump, spin, flip, etc on these things! I just do not understand! Anyway, it had been far too long since I’d rollerbladed! Loved it!

Ps: Who knew rollerblading was such a great workout! Me rump still aches!

Cabin Escape

2011-09-25T23:46:00.001-04:00

So... it's been a good while since Bryan and I have been able to spend some low key one-on-one time with each other. We're talking a good long time. I mean think about it: I road tripped for a week, then we went to Boston where we hung out with my Pops and sister, then I vacationed in NY for a week while he worked obscenely long hours, then to Utah where he again has had ridiculous hours (though they're getting better) compounded with wanting to spend time with our families who we haven't seen in quite awhile... [deep breath] And even before all that, poor Bryan has been swamped with work. Needless to say, we've been lacking on some quality Rachel-Bryan time. Solution: a spontaneous cabin trip.

The tale: One lovely Friday afternoon Bryan and I determined that we needed some one-on-one time. Naturally, we concocted a brilliant plan to run away to my grandparent's cabin for the weekend. Thankfully, the cabin was available and my grandparents generously let us take it over. Thus we headed up to the mountains to their lovely cabin that's so perfectly tucked away from the nuances of everyday life. Isn't it quaint?

It was everything you could ask for: relaxing, serene, fresh, grounding. We explored, hiked, bbq'd, star gazed, sat by the fire, roasted marshmallows, read, chatted... It was perfect. I la-love my husband!

I showed Bry the fort the cousins have long worked on. It's a bit... well it's kind of falling over. But that's ok. Ha.

We also attempted to hike to the beaver dam by Smith and Morehouse. And by attempt, I mean we almost got to the beaver dam. Still a turn or two away, however, we turned back seeing as some hunters had just seen a bear hanging out there. And though one of the nearby campground workers offered to let us hike with his shotgun (not joking), we thought it best to rain check on the beavers and their dam. But it was still a lovely adventure... We picked fluffy flowers, made wishes, then blew all of the fuzziness to ensure they’d come true.

We raced leaves under the bridge and down the river.

Bry borrowed my glasses... super sexy dearest.

And I just love Fall. Sure it's early, but the leaves are already beginning to change. Everywhere we looked was a painting! Look at how gorgeous.

And please appreciate my handsome husband manning the grill. He's one fantastic cook! Ladies be jealous!

Now, a few more fantastic items about this cabin. First: they have they coolest bird clock! It makes bird noises at each hour.

My siblings tend to leave awesome art:

And, there is a haunted cabin nearby. Really though. The creepy cabin is situated deep within the trees, can only be reached by an eerie overgrown path, it’s rundown, mostly boarded up though the front door always remains ajar, and the first time we went there were knifes literally stabbed into the table! I can’t remember ever staying more than two minutes in the place… if that. It’s full of the most dreadfully petrifying noises. Aka haunted. And lest you think I’m the only one who believes it’s haunted, please appreciate some of my sibling’s/cousin’s maps.

Like I said. It’s haunted. That’s why we call it the Haunted Cabin. We're really mature... Tragically I didn't even take Bryan there… to this haunted cabin, that is. Why? Well I didn’t want to be scared.

That being said, one of my favorite memories was when my dad and I snuck in through the woods and hid near the cabin to scare my siblings who were coming to brave the haunted structure. The snow was deep—waist deep. They approached on snowmobiles and parked them ready for a rapid escape. It was dark. The snow muted all but their crunching footsteps, though even those were faint. Slowly they approached. And then,
"AAAAAAAAAAAH!" my dad and I jumped out!
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" they screamed as they bolted away in the snow.
Oh it was hilarious! Only once they had recovered from their fear did they forgive us for our prank. It was epic.

Another of the infamous haunted cabin pranks was the time my “innocent” mother turned off all the lights on our cabin—inside and out—while we were gone! Instead of fleeing from haunted to safety, we were doubly scared! I mean, talk about creepy in a dark and snowy forest in the middle of the night! Ah the haunted cabin. Anyway, Bryan is going to have to be inducted into that frightening tradition another time...

Finally, it is a tradition to stop for milkshakes in Oakley sometime during every cabin trip. This trip was no different.

Delicious and fun!

First Day of Fall

2011-09-23T23:08:00.003-04:00

In honor of the first day of fall, Bryan and I were determined to locate changing leaves. Well… a changing leaf—just one. Thus, went on a leaf hunt. A red leaf hunt.

Success! HappyFall! Coziest season of the year (in my opinion)!

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

2011-09-20T03:47:00.039-04:00

Following our 2007 winter break, my sister Bekah and I carpooled back to school together to take on 2008 at good old BYU. It's always hard returning to school after so much fun, family time, holiday parties, and of course no homework. So there we were somberly driving into Provo on a cold January 8th when we passed by Provo’s Center Street Theater. "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat... auditions 6-9pm January 7 and 8. Call # to set up an audition," their sign read. Now, you should probably know that a long standing life goal of mine entailed being in a community musical theater production. And I love Joseph. That being said, I am terribly shy of performing and though I can carry a tune here and there, my dance experience is... well nonexistent... ...hmmmm.

"Let's try out!" I exclaimed.
"What?" Bekah responded?
"Let's try out!"
"Are you serious? …you are serious."
"Why not?"
"Rachel! The auditions are tonight..."
She did have a point seeing as it was already 6:40pm. By then, however, that spontaneous adrenaline that makes my life so exciting had set in and I pulled out my phone and started dialing.
"What are you doing?" Bekah asked.
"Seeing if they have any more audition times... "
"What! [laughing] Oh my gosh this is so funny."
"Hi, I was just wondering if you have any more audition times available? ...No...? Tragic... Really! ...Yeah that works great... Uh huh.... 16 measures... Wonderful thanks! ...Oh right, Rachel and Rebekah Price... Great. Thank you. We'll be there."
"They did?"
"No. But they said they'd squeeze us in if we came around 7."
"What! That's in 30 minutes! Rachel we don't have anything prepared."
"I know. Ha. Isn't this exciting."
After a long and thoughtful pause she laughed, "Oh my gosh we're such dorks. Let's do it!"
"YAY!" And we ran to the apartment with just enough time to grab some music and head back.

Well... we made it. As the two halves of a camel! I'll let you guess which end I was. Ok I'm kidding. Well, half kidding. We actually made it as two of the brother's wives, Go Go dancers, and Egyptians! Aka chorus and... dancers? Yes... dancers!

And later we volunteered to be the two halves of a camel; it was Bekah’s dream. I was the rump… of course. Ha.

...it's ok to be jealous.

We practiced from 6-10 Monday through Thursday and 10-4 on Saturdays before performances started. I'd never been busier nor had so much fun at BYU. Come March we then began performances—totaling near 30—which took place Mondays and Thursdays through Saturday. Like I said, we were busy. With work, school, and the play we pushed ourselves to the limit. But oh did we have a blast! We loved [attempting to] dance. No no, let me clarify. Bekah is most graceful. It was I who was doing the attempting. And the singing was so fun! I love the music from Joseph! I love the characters and the story! And I loved being a part of such a fun and wonderful cast.

Well, three years later Bryan and I were able to join my family to see Hale Center Theater's current production of Joseph's wonderful tale.

(One of my Dad’s coworkers and her mother joined us as well.)

And sweet Liz fell asleep…

To be honest, she was actually quite upset that she couldn’t sing along. Can you blame her?

Though I admit, I was a little Joesphed out after those four months of nonstop Joseph, three years more than cured me of that. In fact, the moment I heard the music begin to play I literally got giddy as a swarm of the most exhilarating and fun memories flooded my mind. I was in heaven. I think the hardest part about watching the production, however, was that I wanted join in myself! I'm with Liz! Honestly though, how awesome would that be if there were sing-along musicals!

Oh, but the play was just wonderful. The actors' voices were phenomenal. Broadway quality even (and this is coming from a girl who's only seen Broadway quality performances for the last two years). Not to mention the stage was incredible! Although the theater is small, they do a fantastic job with the space they have. And of course there were the fun costumes! One of my favorite parts about the musical, in fact, is the diverse styles of music with their accompanying dancing and costumes. So much fun! I love spending time with my family. And I love Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I loved it in 2008, and I love it now.

Utah State Fair

2011-09-17T02:55:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite things to do at the end of each summer is attend Utah's State Fair. Sadly, it's been years since I attended... or at least it had been years.

So... this year at the state fair. Well, we appreciated the state art contests: photography, painting, sculptures, etc. We saw loads of animals: sheep, cows, goats, and pigs. Ps: Have I mentioned I want a pet pig? Strange, I know... but it's been a lifelong dream of mine. Someday…

Let's see, we had a shoot out with my sister Michelle and her friend, Sarah, who were also appreciating the fair festivities. Bryan won an awesome rastafari banana, which he gave to Michelle. Such love.

Also of significance... I won a trip to Yellowstone for the husband and me. Not kidding! Um... I'm not really sure what's going on seeing as I'm typically quite unlucky. Really though. My life's winnings include the Wicked lottery x2 and this. Meaning the first time I won anything was last year. The second time a week or so ago. And the third... this.

The details: Bry and I were wandering around one of the fair exhibits when we passed a stand with photographs of Yellowstone. It caught our eye mostly because of the picture of fly fishing—Bryan's other love—that and we have recently been discussing planning a trip to Yellowstone. Well, it just so happened that this booth was doing a drawing in 30 minutes for a chance to spin the wheel of prizes. Though our odds were slim to win the drawing, and then spin to win the grand prize, we thought why not? If we’re still around we'll come by to see.

Well, we were still around. There we stood with at least 50 other people waiting to see if we were the lucky one. Um... so I'm about to admit something that is kind of comical and almost pathetic. Remember how I won the Wicked lottery (here)? As in but a week and a half ago? Well... I admit that while I waited in line I said a lil prayer... something to the effect of "So...Heavenly Father. I know the Wicked lottery isn't really something that I expect you to help me to win... that being said I feel like it couldn't hurt to ask. So I suppose what I'm saying is... if it's right and there is no one else who truly needs it... I really wouldn't mind winning. Kind of like a final New York hurrah. That is... if it's something you think would be good. No pressure..." So I was feeling sentimental about leaving New York and wanted nothing more than to win. I meant what I said: that I didn't expect him to do anything... Ha. I’m pathetic I know. And quite hopeful.

Right, so the State Fair. Standing there as the man was about to draw the winner I thought to myself, Yeah... not going to happen. After all, I won the Wicked lottery just last week! Definitely can't pray to win this too... So I didn't pray. And to be honest, I didn't want it as bad as the Wicked lottery. Not that I'm ungrateful or anything. If anything, I think I told myself that I didn't truly want it because I didn't want to be disappointed. ...Can you tell I didn't think I was going to win? "I have a really good feeling about this," Bryan said. And then I won...

"Rachel Price!" the man shouted. (I haven't changed my name yet...) I was stunned. I didn't move. I said nothing. Normally I scream and jump up and down when I win. I did neither.

"Is there a Rachel Price here?" I merely raised my hand. Ha. How lame am I! What am I in school? Woman you just won the chance to spin for a prize! Show a little enthusiasm!

"Come on up for a spin!” So… I hate being in front of people. And I hate being the center of attention. "Come with me," I whispered to Bryan. No response. He hadn't heard me. Finally I headed up to the wheel alone.

“Alright,” he said. “Go ahead and spin.” So I did. I watched as it went around and around. It began to slow as he was shouting, "...there is only one grand prize, but if you don't get that there's..." He stopped speaking. The crowd started cheering. I won the grand prize! ha! What were the odds! I was floored. Shocked. Even the man in charge seemed shocked. Only once Bryan finally joined me up front for some celebrating did it all finally registered: I really did win! I won a trip to Yellowstone! And I love Yellowstone! And so ensued the jumping and screaming. I'm convinced I was the most awkward winner of all time.

Not a bad day at the fair…

Supernova

2011-09-15T02:42:00.000-04:00

You know how most kids dream of being an astronaut? Yeah, that wasn’t me. I dreamed of being an archaeologist, anthropologist, mountain climber, explorer… but never an astronaut. Leaving the planet when there’s so much to learn here just isn’t all that appealing to me. That being said, I do love the universe. It is so mysterious, and all the while I’m convinced it holds the answer to everything… if only we could figure that one out. I also love the stars. Constellations…not so much. I just don’t see all those “animals” and “people” up there. They’re dots in the night sky! But the stars I love. Who would have thought that a black canvas with a bunch of shiny specs could be so thought provoking and awe inspiring.

Right. So stars. Why are we talking about the stars? You’re probably thinking I’m going to attempt to be profound or something here. Not so. No, no. I’m talking about the stars because it’s the perfect intro to discussing the supernova that has been visible the past week or so! Yes, a supernova! Do you know what that means? Supernova aka dying star that exploded some 21 million years ago and is only now visible! How cool is that! Hearing of this fantastic phenomena I knew I had to spot it. Only… I’m not so good with the stars (remember my inability…or refusal…to make out constellations). So I enlisted my brilliant 13-year-old sister to locate it with her telescope. And she did! It was incredible! Ok… so it looked somewhat like a star. Still, it was a supernova! I saw an exploded star! Tell me that’s not cool? (Sorry no pictures. I haven’t the foggiest how to photograph through a telescope…)

Stars. Another reason I love Utah. It’s difficult for them to make an appearance when they’re competing with the haughty lights of Manhattan.

Fashion Show

2011-09-14T00:01:00.003-04:00

One of the best things about being back in Utah is being able to see family! And with so many family members there is always something going on, someone to see, and someone to support. Love it.

This week Bryan and I were able to see my sister, Sarah, strut her stuff on the catwalk as she modeled for a line of prom dresses with some of her friends! It was a little bit of NYC in Utah.

Isn't she a babe! She walked with such poise and confidence! I would have fallen flat on my face!

Now.... can someone please tell me where she learned to catwalk like that? Cause she made it look good!

The ZoBell Hotel

2011-09-13T02:15:00.004-04:00

The big move finally came. Farewell New York (boo hoo) and hello Utah (yay!)! Completely bittersweet. That being said, is it bad that to some extent I’m out of site out of mind? About places that is… Meaning, I always find leaving extremely hard, but once I’m there—wherever there may be—I love it. And since “there” is now Utah let me just say: I’m in love! Family, mountains, fresh air, driving, easy access to the outdoors, family again… Utah really is a wonderful state! And please appreciate our fantastically misleading welcome party and epic return:

You see why I love my fam? Their goal was for everyone to expect the return of an elderly LDS (Mormon) missionary couple... returning from Chile. And it worked. Everyone was pretty confused when we showed up as we looked far from missionary-like... Bryan might have passed seeing as he had come straight from work. But not me...

And as for our exact whereabouts, let’s just say we’ve checked into Salt Lake’s ZoBell Hotel temporarily while we figure out where exactly we want to live. And by ZoBell Hotel I really mean my amazing and most generous grandparent’s home. They joke it’s the ZoBell Hotel due to their many children who have temporarily “checked into” their residence throughout the years. And it’s a great hotel! We couldn’t ask for better roommates…or do I say housemates? Either way, they are the best company and friends anyone could ask for! We love them and are forever grateful to them!

Now to job searching and licensure studying...

9/11 Ten Year Anniversary

2011-09-11T15:49:00.145-04:00

Before departing from NY, I took the time to wander about Ground Zero and Battery Park in honor of the ten year anniversary of 9/11. It was near impossible to avoid such a stroll when our hotel literally overlooked the site.

Fountains and a beautiful memorial are being built to commemorate where the towers once reigned.

I was far from alone as I silently commemorated those who perished on that tragic occasion. I walked among hundreds who had come to respectfully remember the date, honor loved ones, reverently walk the exterior of the grounds, take pictures, leave flowers, educate their children, and exchange accounts of their 9/11 experience.

As I walked I also happened upon a memorial service in honor of a police force that suffered losses in the attack. They read the names of every one of them who died on September11th or from complications after. It was a beautiful yet somber service.

Battery Park, too, took part in commemorating.

Ten years. I cannot believe it’s been ten years. You know, I don’t remember too much of what occurred ten years ago. I was 15, a sophomore in high school… If I strain I can muster up a few specifics from that year: who my friends were, the activities I was involved with… Most of that time, however, is now but an aged and hazy memory. As I walked about the exterior of the memorial, however, I realized that my memory of 9/11 hasn’t aged a bit. My account remains vivid in my mind.

I first heard of the attack on my way to school. I was in a carpool with my friends and neighbors, Anne and Grace. Anne’s dad was driving and he brought it up. After hearing his account, I was more confused than fearful. I think I even initially missed the whole concept that it was an attack. My juvenile mind was more caught up in wondering how two planes ran into neighboring buildings on the same day! I knew it was dreadful. But as far as I thought, something must have gone wrong with the flight paths... or something equally innocent…

I arrived at school and heard nothing of the events during my first class. Looking back I think I wasn’t the only one to not believe that our country was being attacked. We were all in denial. Come second period, however, too many “accidents” had occurred and these “crashes” were inevitably a well planned attack. Then, during English with Ms. Murdock I watched as the towers collapsed. For the rest of the day each of my teachers televised the news while only half teaching. Still, I felt no fear. Sadness I felt, but not fear. I was still confused. What was happening?

When I arrived home I remember asking my Mom if she’d heard the dreadful news? She had. (As if she hadn’t…) And though she smiled I sensed her fear. That was the first time I felt nervous. How could my mom be scared? She’s the bravest person I know. Nothing scares her. Then it clicked: my dad was in Manhattan and his itinerary placed him at the World Trade Center the morning of 9/11. My Mom hadn’t heard from him. Still, she pretended to not be worried. Her facade was almost too calm. Rather than panic, however, I knew I had to support my mom in her hidden anxiety. Instead of homework I took care of siblings, cleaned, cooked, anything I could do to help.

Finally… finally my dad’s safety was confirmed. He was shaken, but safe. Apparently he had attended the Michael Jackson concert the night before and so slept through his morning itinerary. I have never been more grateful for Michael Jackson, and I mean that most humorlessly. That day my dad volunteered at a triage planning to help thousands of anticipated injuries. Unfortunately the destruction from the Trade Centers left few in need of triage; the destruction was absolute. It is a day few will or should forget.

For me 9/11 is a memory sculpted by feelings: pain, fear, and love. More than the images of crashing planes, burning buildings, and terrorized citizens, I remember pain and fear followed by overwhelming peace, relief, and love upon hearing from my dad. But I was far from alone in my feelings. Pain, fear, and love swept across the country.

Pain. Pain from the loss of loved ones and the loss of an intact heart. Pain from seeing others suffer and hurt. Pain from feeling helpless to do anything. To those of you who never received that call from your loved ones, my heart aches with you, cries with you, and honors you. I can’t imagine how hard that must be. I hold you in the highest regard.

Fear. Fear of the unknown and loss of security as a nation. Fear of further attack, further death, and further pain. Fear that loved ones would never return and continued fear for those who fight abroad. Fear of the future and fear of a lost past.

But above all, love. Love from those who unified around the world to buoy up those who experienced loss. Love of friends, family, leaders, and the world community as a whole. Love from those who still remember and honor those who died and continue to die for the sake of our freedom. Love for freedom, peace, and love. Though many died on 9/11 due to hatred, love united our country. I believe the preeminent honor we can give to those who passed on 9/11 wasn’t finding Bin Laden, but rather it was and is love.

In fact, one of my favorite displays was the ribbons tied about St. Paul’s church in honor of those who died as it was the perfect depiction of the love that was expressed amongst the people in response to the attack.

Though still incomplete, the 9/11 Memorial is rapidly rising above Manhattan’s skyline as a testimony that we have risen above the ashes of hatred with hope, determination, and above all love. No evil can kill love. Though terrorists ruthlessly killed many, they did not and cannot slay the heart of our nation. .

Fashion's Night Out

2011-09-10T19:03:00.028-04:00

Tell me attending Fashion’s Night Out was not the most fitting way to spend my final night in New York City? And seeing as Bryan had to work much too late, I took on this most fashionable night with my NY bestie—Melissa.

LOVE her!

ps…can you tell it was raining?

Anyway, Fashion’s Night Out (FNO) serves to kick off fall’s Fashion Week. In a nutshell, FNO entails one night of extended store hours, discounted prices, free goodie bags, live music, complimentary food and drinks, exotic window displays (many with live models), and celebrities galore. Quite the party.

Tiffany’s live model display:

Another live model display:

And finally my favorite moment of the night: Natasha Bedingfield performing live in Ann Taylor on 5th Avenue! What an unexpected surprise! Love her! No really... LOVE her!

What a doll! She even performed a favorite song:

(Forgive the quality. I had to make it smaller to get it to load... She's still great!)

Yeah...I was IN heaven! Twas a fun filled fashionable night to remember. Love my NY!

Wicked Lottery

2011-09-09T17:44:00.001-04:00

I'll save you from the anticipation: I won the Wicked Lottery. [Screaming! Cheering! …and composure.] Eh… it’s cool. Totally kidding: it’s SUPER cool!

Details:
I’ve been getting a bit sentimental about leaving my dear NY. Ok, extremely sentimental. Don’t get me wrong, I love Utah. But I also love NY… Well, in order to pay my respects to dear NY before I leave, I determined to make a final attempt to win the Wicked Lottery. And according to my research I had three days—a total of four performances—to win. Hey… last time I won (here) I had but 2 days! Game on.

Attempt #1: Tuesday, September 6. I was second in line to submit my name in the lottery... that’s how excited I was. Unfortunately (and predictably), the line didn’t stay 2 people long. No, it grew, and grew, and grew…and grew… and there was still a good 30 minutes before the drawing! Hope was fading fast. I needed a distraction. Answer: my sister, Bekah. We had a lovely 30 minute phone chat. I’ll spare you the details. Mostly what you should know is that Bekah and I determined that I was going to win. And why not? When 6pm finally rolled around I insisted Bekah remain on the line with me.

Name 1… Name 2… Name 3… and then...

RACHEL PRICE! (Have I mentioned I haven't changed my name yet... ?)

I immediately started jumping and screaming... and I may have shed a tear! (Mind you, I was by myself.) I’ll never understand why more Wicked lottery winners don’t scream and jump… Hello folks, we’re talking $26.50 front row tickets to Wicked! The Wicked! Show a little enthusiasm! Anyway, Bekah thought I was kidding but I didn’t have time to convince her. In fact, I hung up on her. Ha. Terrible I know. But I had to call and see if Bryan would be able to get work off before I paid for his ticket. Luckily he answered. And luckily he was available… fewf… Pretty sure he was not expecting to get a call with that kind of news! Aren’t I the best wife? Ha. (Ps: I did call Bekah back... evenutally.)

Can you believe it though! First attempt! Front and center! I’ll tell you, someone was watching out for me and knew just how badly I wanted to win! I mean, there I was being sentimental about leaving, and all I wanted to do was attend my favorite musical one last time… and then I won? [Sigh] Thank you. I love musicals. I love them. And if there is one musical that trumps all other musicals for me, it's Wicked. Wicked has it all: ups, downs, anger, happiness, power, hatred, love… it’s a rollercoaster of emotional and musical genius! I kid you not, I cry every time. I've said it once, and I'll say it again: in the next life, I will be a Broadway Star.

Happy Birthday Dad

2011-09-08T23:44:00.003-04:00

Today my Dad turned… dun dun dun… 25-years-old! …or at least that’s what he’ll tell you. And who’s to say it isn’t true? Doesn’t he look 25!

What a stud! Best Dad you could ask for at any age!

He is…

always up for a good time
adventurous
loving
comically witty
constantly serving
the hardest worker you’ll ever meet
brilliant
innovative
passionate about saving the world
effective at saving the world
musical
wise
a great listener
the best husband to my mama
the best son
the best friend
and the best dad!

Love you Dad! Happy Birthday!

Outside My Window

2011-09-07T00:06:00.000-04:00

Seeing as Bryan's work needed him in NY for an additional week... and we already moved out of our apartment... we got to play visitors in our own city (yes it's still “my city” until we officially depart... and even then I'm not sure I'll be willing to give it up). Aka, we got to stay in a lovely hotel right near the financial district. In fact, we stayed right across from Ground Zero and the new memorial building.

It was both eerie and yet enthralling, especially with the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 fast approaching.

Boston in 3 Days

2011-09-06T20:35:00.001-04:00

Right. So my 20 hours in Boston. Well, those 20 hours passed quickly. Too quickly. So quickly, in fact, that once Bryan and I finished packing up our NY apartment we spontaneously ventured back to Boston for the Labor Day weekend! You see, Bryan has long wanted to visit Boston, but with school and jobs we just never got around to it. Well, fortunately Bryan's job extended his NY training for an additional week last minute (now through September 9), so we had a spare weekend to fill. And seeing as we successfully accomplished 98% of our NY bucket list, Boston was a given. Thus Boston take 2. This time in 3 days.

First stop: Boston Aquarium
My mom used to love taking my siblings and me to this infamous aquarium when we lived in Boston some 20 years ago, and it’s no wonder why. The entire center of the aquarium is one enormous tank—filled with turtles, fish, sharks, and all sorts of sea life. It was breathtaking. I was so mesmerized, in fact, that I didn’t even think to take pictures! And the tank, itself, is surrounded by a spiral ramp that leads to the different floors. I was in heaven. After all, one of the 7,532 careers I’ve considered and dreamed of throughout my life is a marine biologist. Oh yes, Bryan’s favorite part was touching the sting rays and sharks! They were… slimy.

Fenway Park
One of Bryan's (and most guys) lifelong dreams is to attend a Red Sox game at the one and only, Fenway Park. Well...drum roll… check. You see, Bryan’s and my Boston trip really developed when my Dad, Bekah, and I were looking up Boston activities… for Bekah of course. I mentioned Bryan's Fenway dream and the rest was history; his fantasy became a reality.

After all, you can’t visit Boston without attending a Red Sox games; it’s culture. So following our trip to the aquarium, Bryan and I met Bekah and my Dad (who were still getting her apartment situated) at Fenway Park for one fantastic, all-American ballgame.

My Dad and Bryan were in heaven. Bekah and I obviously were excited to attend as well... only I think for a different reason. Where the boys (yes I'm referring to Dad and Bryan here) were beyond giddy to see the Red Sox play in Fenway Park because of their love of baseball... Bekah and I were more excited to chat amidst our cheering because we knew we couldn’t visit/live in Boston without attending a Red Sox game. And you know, it was pretty cool to see a home run and a grand slam in Fenway Park. Pretty neat. Good work Red Sox (shhhh…don’t tell my Yankees).

Following the game we all went to Legal Sea Foods in the Prudential Center. Deeeee…licious! They even had gluten free rolls…that were good! Who knew! But sadly (but really comically) they were out of every side I requested—potatoes, broccoli, etc. Typical. Ha.

Oh yes, and I tried some of Bryan's lobster. My first lobster experience ever.

It was... chewy. And... not my favorite. At all. I don't get it what the big hype about it is. If you dip lobster in butter (which is apparently how you eat lobster?) it just tastes like butter. Aka it's as good as eating butter only with the strangest and most repulsive texture. "Cook a lobster meal" used to be on my life goals list. Yeah, not any more. I'm more of a fish, shrimp, and other kinds of sea food gal. I'll pass on the lobster. Thanks though.

Museum of Science
When my family visited Boston in 2005, one of my favorite memories was this fantastic museum that makes learning fun! Ok, I’m actually a nerd and really like learning so this museum was and still is right up my alley. What did we learn? Well, Bryan and I attended the Lightening Show in which they made the largest indoor lightening storm. Pretty cool. Oh right, and for those of you who didn’t know cars are a safe bet in a lightning storm… but not because of the tires. It’s actually because of the metal. Yeah, kind of bizarre.

What else? Oh yeah, we then went to a show on Newton’s Three Laws of Physics. Loved that show. The scientist shot a pencil using a pencil gun (who knew those existed) through a wooden board. I was intrigued.

Aside from their scientifically exciting shows, the museum was filled with interactive experiments and learning of all kinds. We learned about probability, acceleration, engines, machines, space, dinosaurs… it was a blast. I'm convinced one could spend a good couple of days digesting the information and fun of this museum.

Oh, ps... I solved the Tower of Hanoi puzzle they had there in the least possible amount of moves! [And the crowd goes wild!] And not by fluke. I repeated it! Four times! For those of you who have seen the Planet of the Apes—whether the old or most recent one—it is the puzzle with three rods and a number of disks stacked on one of the rods. The object: move the entire stack to another rod obeying three simple rules.

Only move one disk at a time
You can only remove the top disk from any pile at any given time
No disk may be place on top of a smaller disk

As a Planet of the Apes fan (we’re talking the old school films in particular) I wanted to prove my intelligence compared to one of the apes… even if the apes were nonrealistic movie characters… Ha. Like I said, I’m a nerd.

Duck Tour
Next only to Fenway Park, Bryan craved to go on a Duck Tour while in Boston. I'll be the first to admit, I had no idea what he was talking about. A Duck Tour? I was thinking Make Way For Ducklings or something…? Wrong. And funny enough, Duck Tours are unbelievably popular among Boston tourists. So what is it? Ah, well... it's a truck and it’s a boat. A truck boat. Aka one of those WWII trucks that can drive on land one minute, then serve as a boat the next.

Well, a "Duck Tour" is a nice overview tour of the city that takes you around Boston AND Boston Harbor—half on land and half on water. Brilliant.

World's largest teapot.

We went right at sunset and couldn't be happier.

Please note the adorable baby/child that wouldn't stop staring at Bryan. Ha.

Little Italy
For dinner that evening, Bry and I ventured to Little Italy for a to die for pasta dinner. Yum! Now if only I could remember the name of the restaurant… hmmmm…. Well, it was gluten free. And it was good. Lucky for us, they were even able to slip us in without having to wait with the rest of the crowd. We’re still not sure how we managed that… And following our scrumptious dinner we got ourselves some gelato and strolled along the piers. An accidentally romantic evening, no?

The Freedom Trail
Monday aka Labor Day we—Bryan, Bekah, and her roommate—dedicated to taking on the Freedom Trail. After all, the Freedom Trail is Boston. Ok, not really. But a trip to Boston isn’t complete without this walk through history (as if I’m an authority on Boston).

So, I love history. Going back to high school if you were to ask me what my favorite classes were they would include English, creative writing, geography, and… history. True, I passed on taking AP US History... but only because the exam was on my birthday! I'm not even kidding. I was in AP US History for a day... but the second the teacher announced the exam date I was up and out of there. What? I like pampering myself on my birthday. It's the one day of the year everyone is supposed to honor me. Ha.

Right. Well history. I love it. I loved reading the tales and history. I loved the refresher on the stories and sacrifices our forefathers made for our sake. Our forefathers were phenomenal! They are phenomenal! Look at what they built. What I always find truly interesting about US History is the reality that our country was formed on the foundation of God. No wonder it prevailed; with God as their leader and guide, how could it not? And so we have the Freedom Trail.

And don't ask...

Along the trail we stopped for lunch at Faneuil Hall Marketplace. Um...coolest food mall ever! Like I said, Boston is pretty much amazing! After lunch we happened upon rental bikes! Only... Boston has rental bikes you can pick up and drop off anywhere! It's like vending machine bikes! Well, kind of. Anyway, we biked! In fact, we biked the rest of the Freedom Trail and loved every second of it!

That being said, we're still not entirely sure what Boston's bike laws are regarding sidewalk riding vs street riding. We got a fair few nasty glares and comments whether on the street or sidewalk, but we had fun!

And last stop on the Freedom Trail: the USS Constitution. This was third on Bryan's Boston to do list. A naval ship! I really love the boy in my husband.

Right. So, that was "last stop on the Freedom Trail"...not "last stop on our bike ride". Meaning, we’re not done yet. After the Freedom Trail we next ventured back to the Boston Commons to check out Mack, Lack, Jack, Quack, Tack... ok something like that... from one of my favorite children's book, Make Way for Ducklings.

Having grown up in Boston this was always one of our favorite bedtime stories. The story tells the tale of Mrs. Mallard and her ducklings and the reside on this island (or one like this):

Anyway, we returned the bikes then spent the remainder of the afternoon relaxing, napping, chatting, laughing, taking pictures, and playing throughout the Boston Commons.

...ha. I couldn't decide which I liked better.

And finally, our journey came to an end back at Uburger. Um, I love their burgers. As in, they might be the best burgers I've ever had! You see, I can't eat gluten, so normally I have to sit there with a knife and fork and cut my measly meat paddy... Not at Uburger. No. First, they don't believe in measly meat paddies. Second, they have a "bunless burger"—perfect for those with Celiac—in which they wrap the meat, tomatoes, pickles, onions, sauce, etc in a hefty amount of lettuce and compile it in such a way that you can even hold it …like a normal burger and not get all messy. Or...that messy! It was divine! I'm obsessed. Sorry NY shake shack... but you've got nothing on Uburger. And that is no small statement.

Alas, we had to bid farewell to Bekah and her roommate—they had school and we had our double decker bus to catch. What a fun Labor Day weekend! Like I said, love Boston!

Boston

2011-09-05T18:06:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned, our epic road trip ended in Boston where I spent a total of 20 hours (Wednesday/Thursday) helping Bekah get situated in her new Boston setting. Activities included finding her adorable apartment, getting a burger from Uburger (divine), finding a bed and driving with it strapped to the top of her lil car,

adventuring on the T (their "subway"), eating the most pathetic "taco salad" in the history of taco salads (Lettuce, chicken, and salsa...that's it! No beans! No cheese! No chips!), walking through Harvard's medical campus and by the Boston Children’s Hospital (where my mama worked on the 8th floor), stopping by Brigham and Women’s Hospital—my birth hospital (Yes I was born in Boston. Why I lived there until I was 6-years-old.), and the likes.

[Appreciative Sigh] Boston.

Secretly (and yet not so secretly) my heart at times yearns for a long term Boston experience. Meaning, I'd love to live there. Yes, again. Why? ...have you been there? Have you seen the city? It's beautiful! It's gorgeously quaint! It has the perks of a big city while holding to a small town, neighborly feel. Not to mention the accessible and to die for country—lush with greenery and trees—and ocean! Boston is my kind of city. Don't get me wrong, NY is absolutely amazing, but right now we're talking Boston. Doesn't Boston just seem like a perfect place to settle? You get the big city, access to the outdoors, great sea food, East Coast charm, phenomenal international airfare costs (particularly to Europe and the Caribbean), history, four true seasons... I just don't see how you can go wrong. Someday, perhaps. Someday.

Kirtland

2011-09-02T22:13:00.000-04:00

Going on with LDS Church History and our super awesome road trip, we ventured to Kirtland, Ohio—the first real headquarters of the Mormon Church. As the Church expanded, God guided His members through the Prophet, Joseph Smith, from New York to Kirtland. Though only there from 1831 to 1838, many important restorative events occurred in Kirtland: the School of the Prophets, revelations, the establishment of the Bishops' storehouse, and the building of the first temple in these days, and much more.

Now in order to explain all that, let’s start with a story or two. Our characters: Newel K Whitney and his wife Ann. So the Whitneys. The Whitneys owned the main general store in Kirtland. The store was popular, and they consequentially did very well well.

So, the story: “In February 1831 the Prophet Joseph Smith entered Newel K. Whitney’s store in Kirtland, Ohio, and exclaimed to the startled proprietor, ‘Thou art the man!’ Newel protested that he did not know this stranger, then heard life-changing words: ‘I am the Prophet. You prayed me here; now what do you want of me?’” (source)

Well, turns out Newel had indeed prayed him there. Newel and his wife, Elizabeth, had in fact long been searching for a Church to join. But not just any church. No, they sought a true church; the truest church. And so they read the Bible and prayed, but they struggled to discern what church truly contained the fullness of Christ’s gospel; such religious confusion was common in the early 1800s. In their pursuit, they eventually joined what is now the Disciples of Christ for a time; their particular congregation was led by Sidney Rigdon who also later converted to the Church. Then in the fall of 1830, missionaries brought the Book of Mormon—another testament of Jesus Christ and companion to the Bible—to the Whitney family and quickly joined. It was then just three months after they were converted to the Church that Joseph Smith arrived at their home. Neat story no? Kirtland is rich with such stories.

As for the Whitneys, they were truly remarkable people. When Joseph Smith first arrived, not only did they welcome the Smiths with open arms but they insisted they reside with them in their adorable home.

Eventually, the Whitneys even gave the Smith family the upper floor of their store for some time so they could have more privacy.

This “home” above the Whitney’s store proved very influential aside from providing the Smith’s with a place to live and raise their family. It was in this “home” above the store that Joseph received numerous revelations—or heavenly insights and information—from God on how to direct and organize Christ’s Church. Many of these revelations have since been published in a book titled, Doctrine and Covenants which is considered scripture amongst members of the LDS Church. It was also above this store that Joseph initiated and held what was known as the School of the Prophets. This “school” functioned as a place for religious education and enlightenment, particularly for Church leaders and preparing missionaries. The room was holy and set apart and provided a sacred place in which heavenly visitors could visit to teach and restore lost keys and knowledge.

Elizabeth Ann Whitney wrote of the happenings in the store and “house” above, “I remarked to my husband that this was the fulfillment of the vision we had seen of a cloud as of glory resting upon our house.” (source)

As for the store, it too played an important role in the restoring of Christ’s Church. The same year the prophet Joseph arrived, he announced that Newel K. Whitney was called to be bishop over the members or Saints in Ohio. Humble Newel K Whitney felt unqualified for the calling and so Joseph advised him to seek his own confirmation for God. It is written, “Praying alone in his room, Newel K. Whitney heard a voice that said: ‘Thy strength is in me.’ His self-doubt gone, Brother Whitney accepted the calling he had previously feared.” (source) From Whitney’s calling as Bishop came the development of what is now called the Bishops’ storehouse. Bishops’ storehouses are for the purpose of distributing food, clothing, and other needs to the poor and the needy. When persons are in need they go through their Bishop in order to receive access to such commodities. Just as Christ administered to the sick and the needy in times of old, we believe we are to administer to those in need today.

Anyway, you see what I mean about the Whitneys being truly remarkable people! For more on their history, extraordinary service, and lives see here.

Of all the significant events that occurred in Kirtland, however, perhaps the most important was the building of a temple. The Kirtland Temple was the first temple—the place where heaven and earth combine—built in these modern times marking it a sacred monument in the restoration of Christ’s Church. It is in temples that, “Church members participate in ordinances designed to unite their families together forever and help them return to God” (source).

Isn’t it beautiful? The Kirtland temple is special in that Christ, himself, appeared and accepted the temple. Moses, Elias, and Elijah also appeared and restored heavenly knowledge.

Today there are more than 100 LDS temples in use worldwide. And although the Kirtland Temple is now owned by the Community of Christ, it too stands as a witness to the restoration of Christ’s Church. It serves as a beacon of light and indicator that the heavens are, indeed, open. Though no longer used for its original purpose, the Kirtland Temple points to Christ and our Father in Heaven. I am so grateful to have temples on earth again. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be closer to Heaven.