Playing with Roommates

It's great to see my good friends.  We jumped right in and the conversation and laughter were just like before.

Well, except for one small addition.  He was eager to get in to everything.


These girls are definitely in the plus column when I think about my move back to Utah.

Temple Square

The family is gathering.  This is the first wave that arrived.  Some flew in from Brazil, some where picked up from Provo... all where grateful to be home.

Family night at half-strength...
Beautiful lights!

SNOW!!

The best part of coming home to Utah, besides my family, has been the weather.  

Snowball fight with my W* cousins.


It's great to have my siblings back from Brazil.   Poor dears they went from high 80s with flip flops to high 20s with boots.  

Coming Home

I just thought that I should announce that I am flying home on Tuesday night. I can't wait to celebrate Christmas with y'all!

Christmas at the White House

The walk past the White House has changed for the season.

Not only do they have up the Christmas wreaths and ribbons, they are also building seating for January's big event.Merry Christmas! Enjoy your preparations where ever you are!

Bathroom Humor

I was wandering through my picture folders and found these gems from the Newseum bathrooms...

I realized that I have taken several pictures of myself in various bathrooms this year. Some are better than others, but it is fun to play... especially if there is no one else there to give you weird looks.

I would pay good money to hear a panada lecture.

What can I say? When even the bathrooms are cool you have no excuse not to visit DC!

Ocean in a Box

My world is full of surprises as familiar places and people reveal secret sides that I don't catch on the first or fiftieth time around. For example, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) or as I like to think of it, that building that I walk by everyday on the way to the metro has this fountain on its far side. I found it when I came to cast my vote early this month. How cool is that? It was so cool that I had to grab my camera and go back again. I learned from a cartographer who works here that the rock formation is modeled after part of the coast up in Maine.

Everything is Under Control...

in the kitchen when I have a box (or more) of Ziplock bags. You can do all sorts of things with plastic bags. They are great for sandwiches, cheese, leftovers, and have cross-over appeal in the bathroom, craft area or packing for your next trip. And they come in so many sizes!

Random, but let me explain. I was reading Cathy Zielske's scrapbooking book Clean & Simple. She did a fabulous page about paper towels. The one thing that she has to have in the kitchen. I have to say that paper towels are nice, but Ziplock baggies are so much better. What's your must have?

Call of the Wild Sounds Familiar

I was up early enough to hear the birds this morning.  Right outside my bedroom window was a bird happily chirping away.  I was shocked, appalled and amused when the darling mimic started his car alarm impersonation.  Spot on with at least three different kinds of alarms.  Definitely a new kind of city bird... 

New Hair Cut

I got a new haircut and a new color last week.   I love the color... and I am learning to love the haircut.

8 Cow Outfit

I had my last day at the National Gallery of Art on friday.  Sigh.  My boss gave me this scarf as a going away present.  I got so many complements at church today, that this is automatically going on my list of things to wear when I need a confidence boost.

The Danger of Netflix

I love lists. As in I adore making them and then crossing things off. I have even on occasion, written tasks on my list that I have already done so that I can have the pleasure of crossing them off. That's why Netflix is so dangerous for me. Netflix makes it incredibly easy to make an online list, too easy as I am always adding more than I watch. It's turned into a list that I can't cross off and a source of stress in my life. My roommates and I have shared a subscription this past year and besides my inability to finish the list it has been fun to share our favorite movies.

Lunch Date

I have meet some bold gentleman in my time, but none more so than this one.  He walk up to me, all but sat in my lap and expected to share my sandwich with me.  Absolutely no shame.

Or fear for that matter, until I pulled out my camera...
Even my sports setting shutter wasn't fast enough to capture him.
That is until I shared more than 1/4 of my sandwich.  Who knew that squirrels have a soft spot, or at least of slow spot for chicken salad?
P.S. For all my ice cream buddies... Ben & Jerry's has a new flavor Chocolate Therapy that lives up to its name.  Chocolate ice cream, chocolate cookie and chocolate pudding... my new favorite!

Alaska

I applied to an amazing job as Instruction & Reference Librarian for the English & Creative Writing department at the University of Alaska today. If I moved to Anchorage, would you come visit me?

Cow Appreciation Day

Chick-fil-A recently hosted free sandwich day.  All you had to do was make a cow mask, and wear it to claim the prize.

I thought that sounded like fun, so I recruited a few friends to come with me.  The sandwiches were delicious.

Steve, Me, Chrissy, and our friend Kate

Weekend Trip

Steve and I drove up to Valley Forge, PA for the 4th of July weekend.  We stayed with his Uncle Lowell and Aunt Joan.  I also meet his younger brother, Mike, who spent the weekend too.  Uncle Lowell and Aunt Joan bent over backwards to ensure that we had a great time.  We toured the historical sites, window shopped at the King of Prussia mall (2nd biggest mall in the U.S.), watched world team tennis, ate way too much, celebrated Mike's birthday, and visited Steve's high school stomping grounds.

Mike is pro at skee ball.  With the tickets that the three of us won, we earned these rocking vampire teeth... and candy bracelets.
Washington's Crossing of the Delaware River.  
Memorial Arch at Valley Forge.  It was humbling and thought provoking to visit Valley Forge on the 4th.  I have not had to sacrifice much for the multitude of blessings that I have. 
For all my Provo girls...  I had to take a picture of these store because we all know that "if the shoe fits, buy one in every color!"

As much fun as I had, my favorite part of the weekend was when Uncle Lowell let me know that I had won the popularity contest.  He said that I should stop by anytime I was in the area.  Steve was invited back too... if he brought me!

Preparing for the 4th of July

The clear is sparkly... hard to see in the photo but fun in sunlight!

Brazil

It's official my parents and the three youngest are moving to San Paulo at the end of the summer.  My dad's company has a branch office down there that is struggling.  They will be there for a year.  How crazy fun is that?

Beth's Visit

Beth came to visit.  It's always fun to spend time together.  I enjoyed focusing on her... catching up with what she's been up to and what she's dealing with.  Not to mention shopping with her, laughing with her, touring with her and just plain goofing off...

A nice guard at the Renwick Gallery offered to take our picture, thus giving us a larger perspective. 
Marriage to Gabe has changed Beth.  We went to the Natural History Museum.    
Of course we had to stop and pay homage to the bugs...  Beth, all I can say is I am so glad that I am not the one with all the dead bugs under my bed.
One of my favorite things about summer in DC is the Jazz in the Garden.  Every Friday night there is a free concert in the National Gallery of Art's sculpture garden.  We packed a picnic and dipped our feet in the reflecting pool.  Yes that is the National Archives in the background. Have I mentioned recently that I love my life?
Mount Vernon, George Washington's plantation.  This is my roommate Doan.
And this is my boyfriend Steve.
Beth holding baby Beth.

Tourist Season

You don't have to look far to see the different tour buses that have flooded the Mall.  

I amused myself during lunch by counting the different bus companies.  I made it past 17 before I lost interest.