Monday, August 27, 2012

Bittersweet Farewell..


Goodbye New York, Washington D.C, Philadelphia, NEW JERSEY and our other new favorite big cities..
Good bye my sweet fireflies.. 
& BEAUTIFUL green trees.
We love you.


& We really will miss you.
Hopefully someday we will be back.
But either way.. we are so grateful for this chapter in our life.
What a fun blessing it's been..

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Rough'n It..





So we are definitely ready for Real Life again..
[schedules.. and seeing each other.. and eating before ten..]
Don't get me wrong.. we feel extremely blessed every day to be out here and experiencing the other side of the country.
But our jobs are just exhausting.. and everything has been so hectic and busy.. these last few weeks we have been reminiscing on weekends and relaxing Sundays..
& As I was looking at our book lists and comparing prices I started getting so excited to be learning again..
[When I am stressed out with school in a month or two.. quote this back to me and don't let me complain about homework..]


 

But anyway..
Since these last few weeks have been probably the hardest to get through..
I planned a little surprise date for my cute husband to lift our spirits..
[Oh yes.. and this date went late into the night since we don't get off of work until like.. 10.. haha so even thought we were both exhausted the next day, dates are definitely worth it]

So any guesses on what all of this is for?!


Yes. Blake and I got to have a little Camp Out in the Living Room!
[We didn't realize our tent was as big as it was.. it took up the whole room and we were lovin it!]


At work they gave all of the sales reps what they called P Cash.. but it was like a "point or money system" so that they could save up and get what they wanted for free!
And one of the things on Blake's List was a tent and sleeping bags for us so that we could go camping!
So I thought we might as well test em out before we took them out in the real wilderness!


This is the proud husband after setting up our tent..
[oh yeah.. I waited for him to come home to set it up.. haha one big perk of being married.. is you have a man that likes doing things for you now.. so my motto is just let him. You will both be happier. ]
& While he was setting it up I got to barbequing..


So we chowed down on hot dogs and hamburgers, 
[And ate all of our working sorrows away.. :)  ]


&Then once we got everything all ready in their I had another surprise for Blake..

His favorite candy! & I Red Box'd Mirror Mirror because we had been laughing that they were making two Snow Whites and we wanted to know which one would be better..
[& This one I think is better than you'd think it would be.. Blake would probably be better to ask seeing as I may have fallen asleep right there at the end.. darnit.]
& Then we got to cuddle and love our tent all night as I lit candles every where and played nature sounds haha and pretend we were camping for real and that we didn't have to go to work in the morning..

[I write this however.. on our LAST day of work out here! So I really shouldn't be complaining.. just ignore me..]
I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend and that the first week of school was everything you'd ever dreamed it would be!

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Rain Rain Don't Go Away.. We Loved Going to Work Late and Playing Today


So last Friday I got to work..
And probably was met with the best.. rainiest day.. ever.
And by rain I mean.. just pouring like nothing I've ever seen before.


[Now are you wondering if I'm reffering to this rain as the best was the best because it meant I got to be romantic with my cute husband in the downpour? Because oh yeah.... that definitely didn't hurt my opinion of the rain.. haha]


And since we all work for a big sales company and the salesmen, and woman, have to knock outside..
It meant they couldn't work until it passed over!
[The same feeling as a SNOW day.. but.. in this case we got a RAIN day!]

 

Are you also wondering if I.. as an office manager/intern should have been working since obviously I manage the OFFICE inside?!

Oh yeah.. you guys always seem to wonder the right things..

And the answer unfortunately is probably.. yes..
But my boss was a saint and let me go hang out with my husband while he had a morning off!

[And.. I just need to explain we NEVER get time off.. ever.. it rains all the time here, this here was a torrential down pour, and yet.. I am STILL amazed that we got work off..
If you want an awesome summer on the east coast of lots of sight seeing, fun friends, no sleep or extra time, and to be a work aholic.. this is the job for you.]

So since there was no working for a few hours we all decided the most logical thing to would be to put our swimming suits on and go play volley ball in the park in the rain!


& Of course after our logical decision we get to the park and it is absolutely clear..
Except for the muddy run off from the rain that has flooded the park..
So that obviously means..
We must celebrate  this once in a summer experience of not being at work.


& It was so fun/funny..
There were parts of this water that were so deep that the guys were litterally doing the breaststroke accross..
& Everyone was cannonballing and DIVING into this giant puddle..
I couldn't help but laugh out loud when I saw all of the kids in the park walking by and taking pictures of us on their phones!

We then invited them to come play..
but  I guess they were just really busy..
[because.. really now.. who doesn't like to splash in puddles..]




We literally played hours of mud water splashing/mud water diving/ mud water throwing volleyball..

[This was at the end of those hours if you can't tell.. all of the excitement completely wore us all out.]





But don't worry playing [rather than working] seems to bring second winds..
& We got to have a few more water fights and water competitions before we had to reassume our life.. and jobs.. and those kinds of grown up things..



[Alex definitely wins the "most happy to not be at work award" haha I've never seen such a happy man]




And yes..  that is most definitely Blake drowning me in really clean puddle water..
He just really loves me.
But thank goodness for the little moments that help us keep going through the harder parts of life..

I hope everyone is having a great week.
Love you guys.
Happy Thursday!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

One Last Hoorahh.

So for our last day off of our employment on the East Coast..
& Our last  sunmmer adventure with our sweet friends..

We decided to take a trip out to Washington District of Columbia, Maryland..
[aka.. Washington D.C.. isn't it funny the real name sounds so funny.. I couldn't stop laughing about how that was what it was in our GPS..]


And our first stop was the beautiful over 600 acres of Arlington Cemetary..
[Where the soldiers who were casualties in war or Presidents are buried]


Places like this really tear at my heart..


I think that it's so important to realize and be shown how much has been sacrificed for each of us..
& How absolutely real and selfless these soldiers are.
It was overwhelming for me to think of each of these grave stones (& trust me they never ended..) as a person with friends, and family, and people they had touched.


We are so blessed..
& it is so easy to take it for granted.



We saw the tomb of the Unkown Soldier..
[Which we learned there isn't actually a body in there it is just a symbol of those who have died for us and hadn't been identified]



And the Changing of the Guards.



Then after one last heart tearing walk through..
I promised myself I would remember these soldiers and families and try my hardest to not take this beautiful free country for granted.


Then we headed out to the heart of D.C
[Where I must tell you.. that I found the LASSTT license plate for my license plate finding game I have been playing for the last year! All 51.. yes 51.. plates PLUS a considerable amount of Mexico plates, Canada Plates, AND an ITALY. & it feels.. so good.]
Oh yeah.. and how cute are these little twins.
They were prettty.. proud of themselves for looking so good together.
:)


We got to see the [construction on the]
White House..



& Take a really flattering picture with it thank goodness..
I'm not sure that one will be going on our wall..
But it was really cool to actually see the building that you hear so much about.

Then we headed out to the Washington Monument..


Where since I have been growing obviously..
Blake thought I would be tall enough to stradle it..
He was correct of course..


And then to top my incredible tallness..
[which if you don't know me.. you would probably find this much more funny if you did and saw how not incredibly tall I "really" am..]
Blake thought he would show off his muscles..



Okay but seriously now guys..
It was really neat.
The Washington Monument, besides for just being incredibly famous, is the tallest stone structure in the world.
And as you can kind of see by the changing colors on the bottom, it was started and unable to be finished for a while because of insufficient funds.
[I know.. incredible.. we would ever over spend in this country?!]
And then when they started it again the stones they started with were no longer made so they had so use a more redish color.


Also, something I really loved about this area in Washington D.C is that everywhere you turn you can see a monument..
& Here is the Lincoln Memorial!
ah.


& If you look past the Washington Monument.. there is the capital building!
uh way cool.


& Those are just our cute friends on our journey over there..
We are sure going to miss them in a week.


So here's the truth.. I'm not even sure what this monument was..
[I think the WWII memorial?]
But I will tell you why it's awesome..
It has all of the states circling around a beautiful fountain..
AND.. it put New Mexico, Utah, and Idaho right in a row.. probably the most meaningful states to me right together.
Where I grew up and my family and friends are, where we were married and my mom and that side of my family are from and of course our new friends live there, and where Blake grew up and now my sweet in laws and our dear Idaho friends are from.


So yes..sometimes our camera doesn't like to focus on us..
& Obviously today it thought that the Lincoln Memorial was cooler than us..
Which it was.. so I'll be understanding this time..

But this was my favorite thing I think that we saw [so maybe next time we can get a good picture] I loved it!





Way better than seeing it on a penny huh?!



Then we got to see the Korean War Memorial..


I hope it's as amazing to you as it is to me that these men fought and died for people in a country that was NOT their own.. for people they had never known or even met.
Now.. those.. are true selfless heroes.



Oh yeah.. quick sneak peak back at the Lincoln Memorial.. because it was just that cool.



Then this is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall..
There are 58,195 names on this wall from people who died in this war..It definitely was extrememly humbling to see. What amazing men.



We got to see a little bit of the Holocaust Museum..
[Let me just tell you so you don't have to find this out yourself.. ONE day is NOT enough to see everything in Washington D.C.. And the main part of this museum that you will want to see closes at 4:30]

And then.. dun dun duh..
After much searching and wondering around..
A security guard leading us astray..
& Some men trying to tell us this was in Phillidelphia..
[Don't let them tell you these things.. it IS in D.C and it's on Constitution St. in the National Archives.. in the Rotunda]



We got to see the actual Constitution, Bill of Rights,



& the Declaration of Independence!
And oh man.. I thought Blake was going to pass out from excitement.
They are written on Sheeps Skin.. and actually preserved really well.
Awwee.. some.

And then..
[Another drum roll please..]


We finished our long day with the Natural History Smithsonian Museum..


& Yes.. if you were wondering why we had the drum roll..
[Because I wasn't even quite sure about this until actually after we had left!]
It is the one that is in the Night in the Museum.
How funny is that..


It was really cool though..
Those museums have EVERYTHING and they are extremely well done.
I would definitely suggest giving yourself a few days to go through them all..
I think it would be worth it..
& It's definitely something Blake and I are planning to come back someday and do if you want a couple of travel friends.
:)


Blake thought that the Gems and Minerals section was awesome..
And loved that he got to touch kiss a real meteorite that had been in space!
Who needs to go to the moon after that.
:)
& Then my husband had to almost drag me back to the car with our friends I was pretty dang worn out.
What an.. exhausting.. eventful day D.C will give you..
Let me repeat.. if you have more than one day off a week.. unlike us this summer.. take more time to see all of the history here. It really is a cool place.

I hope that everyone is having a great week and if you're going back to school good luck!
My sweet sister started HIGH SCHOOL this week..
:(
[Good luck Mar .. I looooove you & get so sad you're growing up so darn fast..]
Happy Tuesday Everyone!

Thursday, August 9, 2012

We Had Serious Plans..


& None of those serious plans worked out..
We were late.. [for once.. oh.. ever.. of course ;) ]
The train was late.. [how dare it be late on the day we wanted to be late..]
Then [surprise surprise] we didn't know where we were going..

And needless to say.. we just did not make it
Then to make the most of our day since we had traveled out to the city..

We made new plans..
& Brace yourself because boy do these new plans hold some devastating news for those of us who like Madagascar..
[But more on that later]


We got to go to the Central Park Zoo!
[Because my husband is a sweetheart.. and I had been really hoping we would get to go before the summer was over..]


Oh yeah please ignore how we are dripping with sweat.. and gross..
New York City was only 1000 degrees Fahrenheit.. with only 150% humidity at least. 
[Boy do I miss my dry dessert home some days]
& You may never believe this.. but before we got here my hair was down and cute.. humidity is wonderful.


So yes this may be the most expensive zoo you will ever go too..
AND..
I'm here to save you some grief by finding this out yourself..
There is NO Alex the Lion, There is NO Marty the Zebra, There is NO Melman the giraffe, There is NO Gloria the hippo..
And in FACT there are no lions, zebras, giraffes, and hippos AT ALL!
Everything I've seen in movies is a LIE.

My mom tried to comfort me and tell me it was because they all ran away..
& I am choosing to believe Madagascar did not completely lead me astray and shatter my world and that is the case..


Luckily there were some Penguins..
[AND more lucky than getting to see the penguins.. their habitat was Air Conditioned.. That made them the favorite animal of the day hands down..]


I tried to teach Blake how to be a [obviously very attractive open mouth screaming..] penguin..
But he wouldn't even try to waddle..


He proved himself to be a very nice [cute looking] seal though..
So I of course I forgave him..
& accepted that everyone must just be good to be different things..


Yes these sweet seals WERE located exactly where Alex the Lion should have been..
[& NO.. I am not bitter..]


Luckily.. since it wasn't humid enough today.. they had the Tropical Zone Rainforest Exhibit..
Don't you ever think that it can't be more humid
:)

They definitely had some very beautiful birds however, probably thanks to the humidity..





 As well as some louder angry ones..


& These pretty things we didn't give the attention they deserved.. until we read that they were in a FRAGILE existence..
[We weren't sure if that meant close to extinct? But we decided to be sympathetic just the same.]


I decided that if I were in a fragile existence.. I would definitely want someone to sympathize with me..


So that is just what we decided to do.


This is a red panda obviously..
[& yes.. I said panda not raccoon..]


& This was the cute baboon with a behind that was the color of his pink mouth that you can see.. I thought it was SO cute.. haha
Blake accidentally took a picture of the wrong side.
:)


 Then this sweet Polar Bear bless his heart..
Was I think hotter than we were.
:(
We had to pass by his exhibit a couple of times before he would come out from inside the air conditioned part of this exhibit.. poor thing.


And yes.. after this beautiful fellow that I pray someday I will get to see in the wild.
I have basically shown you the whole exhibit believe it or not.

 

It wasn't quite the San Diego Zoo..
:)
But it was definitely way fun.
& I got so lucky and married this man who seems to make me laugh and happy even when I am melting through our plan B of the day.




Also how crazy is it that there is a ZOO.. right in the middle of the city.
That is definitely a sight you don't see everyday..


Then Blake and I had been wanting to fly kites in Central Park.. so that was our next destination.
[How cute and happy does this guy look.. :) This smile melts my heart.]



  

And then when the wind died down.. We decided we were ready for a nap in Central Park..


[Which being from the South West.. that sounds weird.. but check out that guy in the left corner.. Napping is the thing to do here.. who would have known.]


Then once we were feeling a little more awake we headed downtown to Stone Street
 [by Wall Street.. if you're ever wanting to find it yourself]
Where a kind New Yorker showed us to this AMAZING New York Style Pizza restaurant..
Adriennes..


If you're ever in New York City I dare you to try it..
[We could afford it.. which is saying something.. and.. it's dang good.]


Then when we were done with dinner we were going to see the Empire State Building,
& when we got about TWO buildings down from it..
Out of nowhere it started POURING..
[& if you're wondering no the Empire State Building is not covered.. plan accordingly.. :) ]

So once again..
So much for plans.
But you know what.. sometimes days when your plans don't work out they turn out to be even more fun.
& I can't tell you how grateful I was for just a day with my husband.. with work lately it's very rare to have a day to ourselves..
What a blessing in disguise.
:)

Happy Thursday Everyone.
I sure love you all.