New York

This is obviously VERY late. 

Since Boston and New York City are "so close" we figured that we would visit the big city after spending time in Boston. We have a friend who lives in New York that we hadn't seen in a long time so we figured it would be a great idea. Let me tell you... best choice every. 

Here is a picture of our friends.

Susan, Fionna, & Dustin

I did take this picture and I am not going to lie, this is a photo that belongs on their next Christmas card. We loved staying with them and their cute daughter Fionna. At this point I feel like if my children don't come out like Fionna I will send them right back where they came from. :)

Matt & I knew Dustin in college and when we found out he lived there we thought it would be fun to take a trip from Boston to New York. Dustin was probably the BEST guide to New York. I dont think I could have paid anyone to do what he did. We would say something like, "Dustin we really want to see site A." Dustin would then say: "Okay we can do that but let's also see Site B, C, and D. Oh wait.... Site E is right nex to site C so we can see that site too!" Dustin also shared with stories of specific sites. I feel like I had the most complete tour of New York City in 3 days because of Dustin.

I actually dedicate this video to Dustin because I saw a lot of what Jay Z is dancing in because Dustin took me there. No joke as I watch this video I say: "WOW! I've been there!" I feel like my connection and relationship with Jay Z is better just because I went to New York and I saw this video.

                                        

Also another part of New York that I LOVED was....

Ellis Island

Time Square-- So many lights!

Statue of Liberty 

While site seeing I asked Dustin, "Hey, does New York City have it's own Arc de Triomphe?"
Dustin: "Yeah it's close by let's go see it." I may never go to France but at least I can say I've posed next to
the Arc de Triomphe. There is also a grand piano sitting in front of it in an open court yard for anyone to play.
How cool is that?

If you watch the Jay Z video you'll see a big bull made out of metal. Apparently
everyone wanted to get a picture with it and there was a HUGE line. I saw it, waved, and kept walking.
We found this rat across the street from it. No one was standing in line to get a picture. So I thought I'd
take advantage of the moment. I love this picture mostly because Matt usually doesn't pose but here he did. :)

Fionna--- I really hope my kids are like her.

Boston

For the two weeks off I have for Christmas we decided to go down to visit my sister in Boston. Also, because we were so close we also decided to go to NYC too. It was a lot of traveling! It was also a lot of fun.

Highlights of the trip in Boston:

Matt visiting Walden's pond and the mini house Thoreau stayed in.

Going to Longfellow's house!

He wrote the lyrics to the Christmas song, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day." Aline's chapel was across the street from his house and for sacrament we sang that song, it was a tender moment. :)

Boston Cream Pie

A Boston cream pie is definitely on my list of delicious cakes! It's texture reminds me of tres leites. So delicious!!!

The site of the Boston Massacre

We took a walk a long what is called "The Freedom Trail". You basically follow a red brick line that shows you around to some historic sites in Boston. We saw Paul Revere's house, we saw where the Declaration of Independence was first read publicly, we saw Bunker Hill, & so much more! It was more fun than I thought it would be. It was fun to take a walk through history. 

 

We didn't have a christmas tree or proper wrapping paper to wrap our presents. I went to Staples and I bought some construction paper to make a tree. I did want the tree to be green but I didn't have enough paper so I decided to make it more fun. With the extra wrapping paper I did have I decided to use that to wrap presents. :) Aline said it wasn't really a Christmas tree but a Kwanzaa tree. :)

It was so fun to visit Aline and we're excited that in March she'll come and visit us!

Aline being friendly with this penguin at the New England Aquarium, which was also
another highlight of our trip. :)

Salad In a Jar

I LOVE CARBS! 
Oh, how I crave them! 
I must always have crackers at my side! 


However, I recognize that if I decreased the amount of carbs I ate I could probably loose a few pounds too. (I can easily eat 4-6 pieces of bread in a day.) So I started looking into salads. Matt mentioned how he saw something online about salad in a mason jar. Not only did this probably seem like a cute idea, but a practical one. (Anything in a mason, besides juice and pureed fruit, looks really cute. For example imagine water in a mason jar. *Cuteness* j/k)

So I did some googling and on Sunday night I created my salad in a jar! I've made enough for lunches for the next week. Wahoo!!

You can click here to see the website where I got the idea for these two recipes. 

It's December!

Although there's no snow (that is not a complaint!) I am doing what I can to get in the holiday spirit.
Last night, spur of the moment, Matt & I decided to check out some Christmas lights. You gotta love Smart Phones and the  information it can relay in seconds, no matter where you are. Matt found this place: Christmas Utah.

Address: 5631 Whispering Pine Circle (5631 South 820 East) SLC, UT


This was absolutely magical. You're looking at a still life view of this but what happens when you enter the subdivision you turn on the radio to  99.9FM and you hear the music and the voices of the trees as they talk. The lights turn on in synch with the music playing. It is absolutely fantastic!

Below is a youtube video that was shot several years ago, but it gives you an idea of the magic of this little house:



Magical! If you live in Salt Lake or even remotely close to it (Provo) this is a MUST see. Apparently this is the last year they'll be doing it!

In other news:
Who ever heard of Christmas Geese?

Angels I can understand... but geese?

Classroom Moments

In my class we were discussing what "migration" means and someone asked why birds fly in a V-Shape formation. I asked the class if anyone knew. I dared them to be risk takes and to take a chance on what they thought the reason was. Without the slightest sign of hesitation, one boy struck up his hand stiff and tall with an eager expression on his face. He looked determined to answer the question. Other children held their hand up and then quickly put them back down, with looks of confusion.

I figured the boy, who was raising his hand up eagerly, had probably learned the answer from his parents and was excited to share his intellectual response with the class. I thought I'd be doing him a favor by calling on him. When I called on him he said: "It's because V stands for vacation! They're going down south for vacation."

Vacation.... :)

75 foot rappel in Birch Hollow

There truly is nothing more enjoyable than time off of work. Two weeks ago we had a full week of vacation. Well, let me correct myself, when I say a full week, I mean the students got to get off for a week while we the teachers had to keep going to school for 3 days. The next sentence may cause you to think that I dont really like my job, but I do. Truth be told, I didn't mind going into work for those 3 days, with no students, it was plenty vacation for me! *sigh* In fact I feel like it was just the thing I needed. I got back to work last Monday feeling absolutely FANTASTIC.

Matt is really getting into this canyoneering thing. He has gone to Zion a couple of times in the past month. He spends his whole week researching a canyon, getting opinions, studying Google Maps. On Thursday night he prints his maps, laminates them, packs his bags, and then strives to get off work early so he can head down to Zion ASAP. Because of school and other commitments I generally don't go. Since I had a holiday I pretty much figured, "Why not?"

We went down on Thursday and went through Birch Hollow on Friday. Eric and Kiley came down with their cute family and we went with Eric on Saturday and did what is called the "Boltergeist"... or something like that. Here are some pictures!

The next day we went to Eric, who sometimes I wonder was a monkey or a lizard in his past life. 

   

 

...see what I mean?

Boltergeist was pretty fun.



Unfortunately because Matt was taking most of the pictures we have little pictures of him... but just imagine him coming down the lines. :) When I took my time, Matt zoomed right down. 

Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer

I really do think about posting....
However, life has become unusually busy. Sadly, summer vacation is over. I keep singing to myself those famous lyrics of Nat King Cole:

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer

Just fill your basket full of sandwiches and weenies
Then lock the house up, now you're set
And on the beach you'll see the girls in their bikinis
As cute as ever but they never get 'em wet

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
You'll wish that summer could always be here

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer

Don't hafta tell a girl and fella about a drive-in
Or some romantic movie seen
Right from the moment that those lovers start arrivin'
You'll see more kissin' <wolf whistle> in the cars than on the screen

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
You'll wish that summer could always be here

You'll wish that summer could always be here
You'll wish that summer could always be here

I didn't really have a lot of soda, pretzels, or beer.... but I would say I do miss the warm air, the freedom, and italian ice. Especially that Italian Ice. Where has the time gone?? Winter is coming... it was pretty obvious when I drove home Tuesday afternoon to this view:

Half of it is melted now.... regardless it's coming. 

I remember the days, when I was a freshmen at the University of Utah, and something like this looked ever so serene and beautiful, as I walked to class in the morning. It even made me feel all giddy and tingly inside. 

It's funny what a little experience and time can do to you.