happy halloween!

Love the one and only Black Eyed Peas.

Har har har.

how to survive a hurricane

(Disclaimer: I hesitate to write this post as I normally would due to the topic.  I feel so much for those who received the rough part of the storm, especially those whose homes and lives were damaged.  I understand the somber/serious point of the hurricane, and it makes me sad.  With that being said, anyone who reads this please understand that I am not ignorant nor am I trying to make light of the situation--I am simply explaining how Christian and I dealt with the storm.)

Step 1: first and foremost, definitely DON'T go to work, like this guy here.

Chances are you wont even have the option because, OH WAIT, all the public transit is shut down.

Step 2: Sleep in. A must.

This works best if you have a cuddle buddy.

Bonus if he will also rub your back for you.

Step 3: Eat cookies for breakfast. Also a must.

Step 4: Check the weather 8 thousand times.

Also read every article about FRANKENSTORM that you can get your hands on.

Make sure you tell anyone who will listen (read: Christian) literally everything you read.

Step 5: Watch a lot of movies.

Netflix becomes your best friend.

Some examples of ones you might enjoy are:

Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein

Signs

Catch Me if You Can

Charade

Dial "M" for Murder

Vertigo

Maybe we watched 3 of these yesterday......

Step 6: Play Scrabble.

Play Banana Grams.

Play Quirkle.

You can even play Werewolf if you like!

This works best if you dominate every game like a champ.

Step 7: Give yourself a bangin' manicure and pedicure.

Complete with cuticle trim.

Step 8: EAT MORE COOKIES.

Also, cereal.

Step 9: Have a spaghetti dinner banquet with everyone in the Barlow Center.

Complete with Jazz music.

And never mind the fact that you've been eating all day already....

Step 10: Stay up super late because GUESS WHAT.

You don't have work again the next day.

And THAT my friends, is what to do when you are stuck inside for 24 hours straight.

Courtesy of Frankenstorm.

another weekend post, sorrynotsorry

Last weekend we:

- strolled through Georgetown and got stuck at H&M in a downpour.

- ate at Shake Shack

(this is how we feel about that place.)

- toured a destroyer turned haunted house at the Navy Yard
Aka the worst thing ever.

(here's a few tricks I learned so that you don't pee your pants in potentially horrifying situations....

Make your husband walk behind you, gripping your waist the whole time,
laugh, even if it's a fake laugh, a lot, 
and talk to the people trying to scare you!

Freddie Krueger can suck it because I know what's up in haunted houses.)

- biked through the city, visited the Newseum (AMAAAAAZING!!) and had a caramel-apple -Hocus-Pocus-party with fellow Barlow Center residents.

Oh weekends, we love you!

fall in the district

I figure I should probably document all this beauty before FRANKESTORM comes this weekend and ruins everything with cold weather and rain.
(I swear to you I saw a headline in which they gave that misnomer to hurricane Sandy.)

So when cooler weather started setting in a few weeks ago, I was gushing to a friend here about how much I love fall, and how much I miss being in Provo right now, as all things autumn are befalling that little city.

I mean hello, those glorious mountains?! Kill me!

THEN she went on to say that fall here in DC is way better than in Utah!

My initial reaction to such an audacious statement:, and I quote:

"PSSSSSHHHH"

However, I might have to eat my words a bit.

Because fall here IS beautiful.

It certainly doesn't compare to the majestic beauty of Provo canyon, 

but it lasts WAY longer here than in Utah! 

I mean, more than 2 weeks of legit autumn weather?!

It's awesome!

I mean, it's still pushing 70 degrees here most days, but all of the leaves are still glorious!
(Plus, it DID snow in Utah today so.... we win.)

So let's just say, I could never stop loving fall in Utah.

But fall in DC has not been disappointing in the least.

hooky spooky

Keepin' Halloween real....

.... since 1989.

And since it's only a week away,
H a p p y   H a u n t i n g!
Now get in the spirit and go listen to Thriller or something.

sunday funday

Here's the thing:

Sometimes when I get tired and hungry, I also get REAL grouchy.

(And sometimes actually means all the time)

So last Sunday when both befell me, all I wanted to do was curl up in bed all afternoon and let my pancake lunch settle.

(So gross right?)

Anyways, thankful I have a husband with an insatiable desire to see things, and after much coaxing, we ventured out on a bike ride through UNBELIEVABLE weather down to see the monuments.

Thank heavens for a convincing man like Christian, because it was the most enjoyable Sunday afternoon we've had here so far. And biking around the city is quickly becoming our favorite past time!

candid conversation

Lately I've been reminded of some very important principles.

First: we CANNOT and WON'T EVER understand things people are privately going through. 

So we must not be judgmental, for better OR worse

(none of that "why does she act like that?!" and "his life is perfect" stuff)

And second: Christlike love for our fellow man is the best way to help us avoid the unreasonable judgement of others, AND to be happier.

Since we moved to DC, we've gotten comments from people about how fun and perfect 

our lives must be right now.

It definitley HAS been a blast thus far.

And certainly we are making memories that we will hold dear, for forever.

But just to keep things in perspective..... there have also been some very difficult days.

I've been having a bit of an identity crisis, in a lot of ways, since Christian and I got married. 

The last few weeks have been especially trying. 

You know like when you wake up from a really long nap in the middle of the day, and you are really grouchy and you can't figure out where you are for a good 2 minutes?

Yeah, well basically that's been me for the last 6 months haha!

So I guess all I'm trying to say is everything is NOT sunshine and rainbows over here all the time.

There are days I would like to kick Christian in the shins, and I'm sure he'd like to put on a nice pair of soccer cleats and do the same to me. 

And maybe there are other days when I just want to quit life and move to a remote island and be a fisherman for the rest of forever.

But we all have days like that.

And that's just real life, isn't it?

And as I evaluate ours from an insider (mine) and outsider's (yours) perspective, I've come to appreciate the lives of everyone else around me.

Does that make sense? 

I'm learning more and more to be patient with other people's "craziness", including my own.

And just as equally to be patient with other people's perceived "perfection".

Because no matter what, no matter who you are and no matter the life you live......

Everyone is struggling. 

And everyone needs to feel a little less judged and A LOT more loved. 

gettysburg

Last weekend, we were privileged to visit beautiful Gettysburg Pennsylvania.

It was a gorgeous fall day, and the spirit there is unbelievable.

A must see if you are ever in this neck of the woods.

Didn't get the memo that we were taking a serious picture with the cannon, obviously.

 Just me being cool taking landscape pictures from the bus.
Barf.
But I just couldn't help myself. This field was so pretty in real life.

'Murica.

it was totally serendipitous

Last weekend, we had a fun little date night.

We went on a boat tour of the Potomac with some friends from the program

(which was kiiiind of pointless since we could hardly see anything.

But the company was great, so we still had fun)

Followed by a trip to Georgetown Cupcakes

(I thought nothing could be as delicious as Sprinkles, but I was wrong.....)

A stroll through Dean & Deluca
(to my fellow Felicity fans, it was AWESOME!)

And then dinner at Serendipity.

(Which was a little pricey but delicious.

And no we didn't get the famous frrrrozen hot chocolate... we figured since we had dessert BEFORE dinner that another was a little uncalled for.

I know. I'm surprised at our restraint.)

Anyways, it was fun

We love the friends we've made here.

And Georgetown is magical in the fall.

The End.

tales from my childhood: the titanic

If you were in elementary or middle school during the 90's, I'm sure you remember the tremendous hype that surrounded the movie "Titanic".

I was not spared from that phenomenon. 
Which actually makes no sense to me in hindsight.
Did I know ANYTHING about the Titanic, except for that it sunk?
Did I know who James Cameron was?
Did I yet appreciate the music of James Horner?
I mean, did I even know who Leonardo DiCaprio was?

The answer is a resounding NO to all the above.
I just knew all the words to "My Heart Will Go On"
(because literally 40 kids sang it that year at our school talent show.
also, didn't everyone know all the words?)
and that Leo was so dang handsome that my 7 year old heart throbbed at the sight of him.

Thus, I was determined to see the movie just like the rest of my friends.

You guys. 
I just have to tell you the depth of my obsession.
I remember one night going to bed crying because my mom wouldn't let me see the movie with my cousin Natalie. So instead I just listened to the soundtrack on repeat.
(Still jealous, Nat)

this is how old young I was when that happened. Such the emotional baby! Literally I was like 7!

Also maybe sometimes I would even wear red tights on my head and pretend I was Rose, because I thought she was the most beautiful woman ever.
(That was before I knew Kate Winslet was actually blonde. All I can say is RUDE hollywood.)

AND. 
When the Titanic exhibit came to the Arizona Science Center when I was in 6th grade, my best friend Nicole and I were the number 1 and number 2 people in line.
Our life long dream was now coming true.
WE COULD BE APART OF SOMETHING TITANIC RELATED EVEN THOUGH WE STILL HAD NEVER SEEN THE MOVIE AAHHHHH.

The best part?
She bought a Titanic chocolate bar and I bought the Titanic board game at the end of the exhibit.
Which we proceeded to play immediately upon our arrival home.
All while listening to the soundtrack.
And pretending to write letters to Jack.
While holding a fan in front of our faces so the "wind" would blow our hair around dramatically.
Other times, we would put on an old wedding dress and butler clothes and pretend we were actual travelers on the Titanic.
(Sorry for always making you be the boy Nicole. It's about time I apologized for that)

But this was also coming from the girls who played with Mary-Kate and Ashley Barbie dolls until they were in 8th grade, so maybe that's not surprising at all.....

apartment tour

So when we first moved into our shoebox apartment, I was beyond excited.

You guys. 

It's seriously so cute.

And even though it's totally itty-bitty,
it's perfect for us right now.

And all the dorm-room-furniture-and-stake-center-like-feel of the Barlow Center is oddly comforting.

So without further adieu, I give you our little space of the world.
(And try not to cry over our lack of Halloween decorations.
I know.
It kills me too.)

feeling blessed

This weekend, I am thankful for the temple.

Thankful for conference.

Thankful for prophets who truly speak for God in this day and age.

Thankful for fall, the most exquisite time of year.

Thankful to have enjoyed it out on the Potomac river this morning with my sweet husband and sweet friends.

Thankful for this beautiful country we live in.

Thankful for my family.

Thankful, simply, just to be alive.

So undeserving. But oh so thankful.

welcome to the zoo, zoo, zoo

When I was a kid, I was ALL about computer games. 

My two favorites were Freddie Fish and Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo. 

Did you ever play those games?

And did Putt-Putt make you as obsessed with the zoo as I was?

(I mean, it's no secret that I was an animal loving child, but that computer game was the straw on the camel's back, let me tell you.)

Anyways, the big secret of the day is that I am actually STILL rather obsessed with the zoo.

Which is why when Christian suggested we pay a visit to the one here in DC, 

I was on that like an ape on bananas.

(nice animal reference eh? eh?)

*Tip for future DC visitors, zoo fanatics and the like: this was a STUNNING zoo. 

Totally free of charge.

And TOOOOTTTAAALLLY worth it!*

Check out the goiter on that Iguana.

Someone needs an iodine supplement, and fast.

(attn: I know it's not really a goiter. But for reals. It might as well be.)

Enthralled because the lions wouldn't stop roaring. 

SRSLYMYFAV.

This is what happens when you let Whole Foods name animals.

Here's what I don't understand:

Kevin????

I mean come on.

So much love for the zoo!

 We also went back to the National Portrait Gallery, and naturally Christian had to take a picture with his man Henry Ford.

(which explains the random, non-zoo related picture)

And then Sunday we walked down by the Potomac River.

Beautiful DC, we love you so.