Megan Jane

DisneyWorld

2011-11-29T19:18:00.000-08:00

In September, I went with my Mom and some of her
awesome co-workers to DisneyWorld. It was our 1st
time there. My mom and her friends, Terri and Karen
had a NICU conference in Orlando, so we made it into
a fun trip too. We did the dining plan while we were
there, and let me tell you that was the best idea ever.
Instead of just eating the fast food they sell throughout
all the parks, we ate twice a day at sit down meals. Each
restaurant had a fun theme. We left each meal completely
stuffed and full because we got an appetizer, entree and
dessert at each meal. We ate some excellent food. I fell in
love with creme brulee on this trip. I loved Animal Kingdom.
I still can't believe how big DisneyWorld is and how long it takes
to get to each park. I can't wait to go back....when there is less
humidity!

Karen, mom and me

Cooling off at the hotel pool.

Eating at the Sci-Fi Diner Restaurant in Hollywood
Studios.

Eating at my favorite restaurant, The Brown Derby
at Hollywood Studios. I ate the best cobb salad and pork
chop of my entire life. They had great creme brulee and
this white chocolate, bananas foster thingy for desert.

Our costumes for Mickey's Halloween Party

Great restaurant in Epcot. We had a little too much
fun with our chopsticks. This dinner was like Benihanas -
they cooked the food in front of you.

Dancing to the live band :)

We got these awesome wands at our lunch with Cinderella
and all the princesses. We liked to play with them....as you
can see.

Minus the awful humidity, it was s super fun trip!!!

Jessica's wedding

2011-11-29T19:07:00.001-08:00

One of my awesome co-workers, Jessica got married in
August. A few of my co-workers and I drove up to Idaho
for the wedding. The wedding was at a beautiful vineyard.
We got bussed from the hotel to the wedding 'cuz it was about
an hour away. We danced the night away after the ceremony.
It was a fun celebration. Congratulations Corey & Jessica!

Kema, Holly, Candice and I

Bus fun

Becky, Candice and I cooling off in the cold
bathroom -taking a break from all of our dancing.

Having fun while the happy couple was taking pictures.

Kenny Chesney

2011-11-29T18:55:00.000-08:00

So, the day of Kenny Chesney this summer, we decided to
have a last minute GNO. My Mom, Jen, Destinee (Jared's
girlfriend-for those that don't know), and me. We had a lot
of fun! We went early and tried to win backstage passes.
Des got an awesome shirt, but didn't win :( We had fun
fighting with drunk people, singing and dancing, and just
acting silly to awesome country music all night.

My Mom will be mad that I posted all of these photos of her.
She had worked the night before and was sleep deprived, but
that is when my mom is hilarious and acts all silly. These are
some of my favorite memories of her..... so sorry mom.

Peeing in the woods :(

2011-07-10T19:32:00.000-07:00

I went camping in June with Candice. We went up by
Flaming Gorge. It was lots of fun, and we acted like
goofs with our new awesome 'geek' glasses. We went
to this beautiful overlook called Red Canyon.

Trav's Graduation

2011-07-10T19:29:00.000-07:00

My brother-in-law, Travis graduated from SLCC with
his degree in Non-Destructive Testing. Congrats Trav!!!

Mexican Riveria Cruise

2011-07-10T18:43:00.000-07:00

I went on my first cruise in May. It was a 7 day
Mexican Riviera cruise. The 3 ports were: Cabo,
Puerto Vallarta, and Mazatlan. But Mazatlan was
closed, so we went to Cabo for 2 days. I went
with my good friend, Candice. The 1st day on the
ship we relaxed, started our drinking pina coladas,
and went to the piano bar. The piano bar was really
fun. People sat around the bar - a guy sat in the
middle and played the piano, and we all sang along.

The 2nd day on the ship we layed out in the sunshine,
played bingo, swam, and layed out some more. That
night was our 1st formal night.

The 3rd day of the cruise was our first port in Cabo.
We went snuba diving. Which is a combo of snorkeling
and scuba diving. You are attached to oxygen and you
go down to a depth of 20 feet. We did that for about 30
minutes, and it was awesome!!! We saw lots of fish's
and held a seahorse & a sea urchin. I want to learn to
scuba dive one day. Then we went and walked around
Cabo and played on the beach. Candice and I got Henna
tattoos. And Candice got an awesome lap dance from a
stranger. I got a kiss on the cheek from a guy selling
dresses.We met some girls from our cruise who spoke
Spanish and were totally drunk, so they added some
laughter to our afternoon.

The 4th day of our cruise was another day in Cabo.
We went para-sailing, and then took a glass bottom
boat tour to lover's beach, and the infamous arch. We
also went to a bar where they hang you upside down.
The rest of the day we walked around Cabo and did
some shopping. I gut also offered to be my 'Mexican
Boyfriend.' Good times in Mexico!!!

The 5th day of our cruise was our port in Puerto
Vallarta. We went on a jeep and beach excursion.
We got to see the 'real' Mexico. We drove in a jeep
with 'Mexican Air Conditioning & Mexican Massage."
( This was the wind in our hair and the bumps
in the road, in case you couldn't figure it out yourself.)
We stopped at a tequila factory and then ended at the
beach.

The 6th and 7th day of our cruise we were at sea,
on the way back to Long Beach. We drank more
pina coladas, sang karaoke, went to comedy shows,
stalked a guy that played country music & played the
guitar (we called him our cowboy), went to the piano
bar again. And ate to our hearts content. Food is
available 24/7, including all you can eat soft serve ice
cream. We loved the guys (Mario, Marcel, and Eduardo)
that served us dinner every night, and the guy (Jimmy)
that cleaned our room and made our awesome towel
animals every night.

We didn't want our vacation to end, so we went to
Disneyland for 2 days. My favorite place!!! We also
stopped in Las Vegas on the drive home.

PIPPIN

2011-03-16T21:37:00.000-07:00

My adorable puppy....that is, when he
is not barking. He turns 'one' this month.
Happy birthday my cute little guy. Your
birthday present is going to be a trainer
to teach you to be quiet and obey!!!!!

AUNT BA

2011-03-16T21:19:00.000-07:00

My good friend, Candice took these adorable pictures
of Bailee & Burton. I had to post my favorites of all
of them. Bailee was a silly, pain in the butt and would
not smile. And Burton was just a fat, adorable cutie.
They are both adorable and I am glad that I am their
Aunt Ba (as Bailee calls me).

NEW YORK CITY

2011-03-15T10:56:00.000-07:00

I got the chance to go to NYC in February. My friend,
Taylor lives in Harlem. Cheap airfare + free place to
stay = happy Megan. Times Square was my favorite
place in Manhattan!!! I love all the lights and the busyness.
There is so much to see and do. I love that there a ton of
Broadway shows to see. We saw Wicked, Mary Poppins,
The Adams Family, & American Idiot. It was my 3rd time
seeing Wicked. I have seen it in LA and London. So of course
I had to see it in NYC too. It was freezing!!! We had a few days
of warmth, but most of the trip we had to bundle up in scarves
and hats. That darn humidity makes it so much colder!!!

Brynn & I

Fun new fact I learned: there are 2 of those
tower thingys in Times Square. The one with
the Diet Coke screen was of course my favorite :)

Ground Zero and one of the new Towers that
is being built.

We took the Staten Island ferry to see The Statue
of Liberty.

Taylor, me & Brynn on the Subway. Taking the
subway instead of driving a car is so different. I
kind of like that you can sit and read or listen to
music and not get road rage! We all went to high
school together and have still remained good friends
through all these years. I love my old besties!

Serendipity-----need I say more!

Frozen Hot Chocolate = Heaven

Brynn won us tickets to see David Letterman.
We saw Elton John & Anderson Cooper.

Manhattan Temple

MET (Opera)

Rockefeller Skating Rink

Rockefeller Center.....around the corner was the
best bakery....Magnolia Bakery....it had the yummiest
banana pudding.

The original Gray's Papaya.....there are many others
around the city.

Yummy....and this is one of my fav pictures catching
us laughing.

On top of The Empire State Building.

Thew view from The Empire State Building. It cost
$21, and you ride the elevator up 86 floors in 45
seconds. Kind of crazy!

Looking up at The Empire State Building.

Grand Central Terminal

The LOVE sign, which took us forever to find and
sadly had some construction going on around it. We
went to The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The
National History Museum. We also ate lots of yummy
food. Pizza, bagels and some excellent Peruvian food
at a place called Pio Pios. Check it out when you visit.
Another place I had to go eat at was Rice to Riches. It
is a yummy place with tons of flavors of Rice Pudding.
It is in Soho and was in the movie Hitch. Soho was another
one of my favorite places in NYC. It is full of fun shopping,
and I went to see DASH store, which is owned by the
Kardashian sisters. It was a really fun trip and I want to go
back when everything is green to see Central Park in all its glory.

RAT dog

2011-02-28T20:09:00.000-08:00

Pippin getting a bath.

I found out that I am allergic to everything: mold,
dust, weeds, trees, pollen, dogs and cats. So I need
to bath him weekly to keep his pet dander at a minimum.
This is what he gets to look forward to every week. Poor puppy :(
I get to look forward to weekly allergy injections. I just hope that
they help since I appear to be allergic to the world!!!

PrEciOuS

2010-11-23T23:15:00.001-08:00

Burton George Brohm

My new nephew. He is just the sweetest thing!
Jen & Trav sure know how to make the cutest kids.
Notice he is wearing a Utah hat, even though his dad
is a BYU fan.

PiNk CaKe

2010-11-23T23:11:00.000-08:00

My 1st fondant cake. My friend, Candice
helped me make this for Bailee's 3rd birthday.
We had a few bumps in the road, but it turned
out pretty cute! Those cake shows make it look
easier than it really is.

HaLlOwEeN fUn

2010-11-14T10:36:00.000-08:00

Mom, Jen & I at dinner in our witchy outfits.

October was a great month this year! I got to dress up
multiple times and go to some great parties.
The 1st - Witches Night Out @ Gardner Village.
We made these excellent hats with our friends.
We went to dinner and then walked around and enjoyed
the atmosphere & the shops.

With my friends, Ashley & Amber.

Mine & my mom's awesome hats we decorated.

Check out my super long eyelashes ;)

Witchy mommy

Goofy pose of me & Stac

2nd event- Halloween Party @ Brett & Brittany's.
We had a fun evening of food and games. Thanks
for the fun night everyone!!!

Tricia as a jack-o-lantern & Staci as the color PURPLE.

Torg, Halie, Jessica, me & Jill

3rd event- Jessica's annual Halloween party.
My co-worker throws a party every year. I
love my co-workers! We all get along so well at work
and outside of work. Plus, I think it is fun to watch my
drunk co-workers do silly things all night. And Jess
always has a brew of root brew for those of us non-drinkers.

Me & Tiff. I helped with her make-up.

Back row: Me, Halie, Meiganne, & Candice
Front row: Ashley, Jessica & Shannon

Grace, Ashley, Jill, Halie, me, Tiff, Shannon, & Candice
Evan is the mad scientist in the front of us ladies.

Shannon, Kema, Natalie, Grace & I

Back row: Candice, Tiff, Halie, me & Natalie
Front row: Jessica, neighbor guy, & Becky

5K RACES

2010-10-18T10:37:00.001-07:00

I have been trying to get in shape and have done
a couple of 5K's that last 2 months. Staci & I did
The Night of The Running Dead. It was the hardest
race I have done yet. We didn't want to finish the course,
because you had to go around twice. But we gave it our all
and did it. It was all hills and mostly unpaved roads. But we
got to dress up as zombies, so it was fun! Plus, we both won
stuff in the raffle. Staci won an ipod shuffle & I won tickets
to the Haunted Symphony.

Our new friend, Tim.

These zombies had awesome make-up!!! RRrrr

This race was for The American Heart Association.
It was fitting to do this race with my CVU3 co-workers.
Candice, her rommie, Angie, and Evan. (Top row)
Danielle, Me & Tiff. (Bottom row)
This race was at Sugarhouse Park, and it was pretty hard,
but I was pretty darn close to my time for the SLC
5K I had done in April. I feel that this race was harder.
(More stinkin' hills.)

More concert mania

2010-09-27T20:40:00.000-07:00

Colors concert at Sandy Amphitheater. These guys
are awesome! They are a local band from Logan, and
they have an annual concert in the fall every year.
They finally had some great new songs.
I went with friends: Megan Pitt, Jill and Mal.

Colors

The "real" colors guys.

Opening act, Ryan Innes. He has a killer voice!

Brad Paisley H20 Tour! It was an awesome evening.
I went with friends and BFW's (best friends at work).
Candice, Angie & I enjoying all the craziness at Usana.
We enjoyed all the drunk people around us doing stupid
things. Most of all, we loved the great show put on by Brad
and all the other openers!!!

Brad had like 6-7 guitars. My friends decided it
is like outfit changes for a girl.

Darius Ruker. He even sang some old Hootie & the
Blowfish stuff!

Steel Magnolia; cute husband & wife duo.

Shannon, Aubrey, Me, Tiff, Candice, & Tiff's cousin.

Michelle, Me, Jill, my roomie Paige & her boy, David.

DeMoLiTiOn DeRbY !!!

2010-08-08T11:42:00.001-07:00

1st demolition derby = awesome !!!

I didn't know what I was missing. I went with Staci,
Gregg, Lacey, and Jeff ( he didn't turn around for the pic).
It was such a great time!!! Cars crashing into each
other. Dirt flying towards us (Gregg and Lacey got
the worst of it; they were sitting closer).
Cars flipping. Cars crashing, oh wait I already mentioned
that. I can't wait to go again!

Gregg & Lacey

The red care, X3 flipped the blue car over.
Luckily, nobody was hurt in all the fun.

This was one of my favorite cars. It made it to
the final round. It looked like a tin can or
aluminum foil. It had a little problem, antifreeze
was spraying all over the poor driver.

This was the winner of the evening, 311. He was
one of my cars too. I actually had 3 of my cars in
the final round. (By my cars....I mean we each picked
a car every round for who we thought was going to win.)
He took home $5300.oo! Awesome, awesome, awesome!

Country Fever

2010-08-08T10:45:00.000-07:00

Shayla, Melanie, Candice and I went to Usana for some
awesome country music. Tim McGraw was the main act.
Opening acts were: Love and Theft & Lady Antebellum. I love
all 3 acts, check out their music if you haven't already!!!
We were dumb, and didn't go early. So we were at the very
back of the grass. The music still sounded awesome, we just
couldn't see very well. And they didn't let Candice bring in
her nice SLR camera, which made us sad & angry. (She had
brought her zoom lens.) It was a fun night sipping pina
coladas and listening to great tunes:)

Lady A

Tim McGraw.....mmmmmmm

Scentsy

2010-08-08T10:43:00.000-07:00

During August everything is 10% off!!!!
The new Fall/Winter catalog will be coming
out in September. Check out my website for
any item that will be discontinued; this month
will be your last chance to get it.

www.scentsy.com/18118

Snake River Rafting Adventure

2010-07-27T21:42:00.000-07:00

Jackson Hole Part 2
Dad, Mom, Me, Destinee, and Jared
This is right before our big adventure.

This was our biggest rapid, a class IV.
Big Kahuna
The picture doesn't do it justice!

Paddlin' away

Jared & Destinee

Mom & Dad

This is where they filmed...
A River Runs Through It

Jackson Hole

2010-07-26T22:11:00.001-07:00

Old Faithful in Yellowstone

My mom had a conference for work, so some of
the fam tagged along. It was my first time to Jackson
Hole. It was lots of fun. The Tetons were magnificent!
We drove through Yellowstone & Teton National Parks.
My parents, Jared, his girlfriend, Destinee, and I went
on a river rafting trip on the Snake River. It was my
1st time rafting and we went through class III & IV
rapids. It was awesome and we all survived, and none
of us fell out!

The grizzly bear we saw after it crossed the road
& picked up a cone

Signal Mountain

The Tetons & Snake River

Sibling photo-op

July Scentsy

2010-07-26T22:10:00.001-07:00

Start of summer

2010-06-27T20:26:00.001-07:00

Backstreet Boys came to town, and Jennie and
I were so excited to go!!! I loved them when I was
13 and I never saw them in concert in the 90's. So
of course we had to go. They are minus 1 member
now, Kevin. But there is still Brian, Nick, AJ &
Howie, AND they were awesome!!! They danced
and sang the night away, and I loved every minute!

Jen's co-worker, Michelle joined us.

I was going to marry Brian when I grew up.
Too bad he is already married and has a little
boy. But he is still hot and can sing & dance.
Did I mention he is HOT!

Brian again :)

My co-workers - Halie, Tiff, Candice, and I went
to Diamond Rio at Country Fest in South Jordan.
It was a hilarious and fun-filled evening. We had to
climb a fence to get there, but I crawled under instead.

I ripped my jacket and Candice ripped her jeans :(

A drunk lady peed her pants as she was dancing on
a speaker. It was hilarious, and kind of sad. We had
so much fun. I can't wait for the other concerts I have
planned for this summer.

June Scentsy

2010-06-03T09:31:00.001-07:00

Besides the new scent and warmer of the month,
Scentsy is offering a two in one warmer for July.
You can have 2 different warmers for $35.
The Candy Cane warmer now has a new lid that
will turn your warmer into a different holiday.

Keep a look out for July. Scentsy is bringing back 20
retired bars for the month of July ONLY. Look at my
website to see the yummy scents that are coming back
for 31 days only. Let me know ASAP what you will want
to order.

PUPPY

2010-05-27T20:52:00.000-07:00

I got a puppy! Meet Pippin. He is a Pomchi or
Chiranian. Half Chihuaha....Half Pomeranian.
He is adorable! I named him after a hobbit,
obviously because he is little. He weighs 1.8 lbs,
and he probably won't get bigger than 4 lbs. Isn't
he adorable!?!

Sugarland

2010-05-27T20:39:00.000-07:00

Sugarland came and it ended up being on my birthday! I
went to dinner with my friends. Then Shannon, Shayla
and I went to the concert after. Country concerts are my
favorite & I LOVE Sugarland!!! Jennifer Nettles has an
awesome voice :) Thanks girls for the fun evening.

Shannon enjoyed her beers. Shayla and I
enjoyed our non-alcoholic waters :)

The cool stage

Disneyland again......we still LOVE it!!!

2010-05-18T16:02:00.000-07:00

Pierce, my Mom and I went to California one last time before
our annual passes to Disneyland expired. We went to Hollywood
one day and went on a tour of "Bevewee" Hills, at least that is
how our driver pronounced it. We saw Rodeo Drive, many famous
houses, and all the stars on the sidewalks.

Did you know that the letters are 5 stories high!?!?

Shout out to MJ

We could all never smile at the same time and get a
decent picture. So we decided to just make goofy
faces for our pictures.

My mom and her favorite person....besides
my dad.

Sleeping Beauty/ Aurora

The giant turkey leg. This was our first one, even after
all of the times we have been .

Gotta love Johnny Depp. This was our attempt at a
serious Mad Hatter pose.

DAD's BIG BASH

2010-05-18T15:49:00.000-07:00

Jen came up with the great idea to throw my dad a surprise party
for his 50th birthday. We invited all his friends, got some themed
decor and ended up having a great time!

Glasses and a cane with a horn.
Watch out for this old man.

Bailee loves her Papa and her 'B.' Now they
both have one.

Love you Dad!!!

MAY SCENTSY

2010-05-03T21:12:00.000-07:00

5K

2010-04-18T09:21:00.000-07:00

I walked/jogged my first 5K! I did it with 5 of
my cousins: Lisa, Ty, Staci, Gregg and Lacey.
It was an awesome feeling to finish!!! I wasn't
quite ready to jog the whole thing and I was
a little nervous to do it. But now I want to
become a better runner and complete more
races. My goal was 45 minutes, and I
completed it in 44 minutes and 22 seconds.
Thanks Stac for asking me to do it with you.

Buble

2010-04-02T19:06:00.000-07:00

I went to Michael Buble the other night. It was
one of the best concerts I have been to!!! (besides
Josh Groban) It's because he has an amazing voice,
and he's easy on the eyes. He sounds just like his cds.
Men that can sing are so HOT! He also had some good
moves while on stage. It was such a fun night!

My co-workers Brandi and Candice.

April Scentsy

2010-04-02T19:05:00.000-07:00

EXCITED!!!!!

2010-03-12T10:51:00.000-08:00

SCENTSY

2010-03-02T09:46:00.000-08:00

This is the new warmer & scent of the month for March.
It is 10% off for this month only.

The new Spring/Summer Catalog has arrived. There are
some yummy, new scents and some really cute, new warmers.
Check out my website www.scentsy.com/meganchristensen
Let me know if you want me to mail you a catalog too.

My favorite way to get all sweaty......

2010-02-26T11:16:00.001-08:00

This is my new FAVORITE workout!!!! I gave running a break and decided to try something new. It is so much fun! An hour workout is over in the blink of an eye. It is Latin dance mixed into aerobics. Check out the website to find classes in your area :) http://www.zumba.com/us/

Exhausted

2010-02-11T21:31:00.000-08:00

I am on week 3 of my running program, and all I have to say is.....

"Running is HARD!"

SCENTSY

2010-02-01T08:40:00.001-08:00

For February the entire catalog is 10% off.
The spring/summer catalog comes out next month.
Now is the time to order!!!!

Goals

2010-01-24T19:34:00.000-08:00

So, I'm not normally a "journal" blogger, but I figure it will help keep me motivated if I post this on my blog. I have made some goals for the new year. One of them is getting in shape. I have tried to lose weight multiple times but I have a problem being consistent. It is going to be hard, but I am going to do it. Watching The Biggest Loser has been motivating, and I know working out all day is not realistic, but obviously eating less and working out is what I need to do. I have seen family and friends over the years do it, and now it is time to stop talking about it and and just do it. I need to make myself a priority, and I want to fell better about myself. I want to have energy, wear skinny jeans and wear a swimsuit without shorts.

I needed some extra motivation, so I am going to do a Biggest Loser contest at work for 3 months. We are all chipping in $20 to the pot, and whoever wins gets to keep the $$$$. At the end of 3 months we are going to have a spa day to relax. I have ordered the Body Bugg to help me count calories and keep track of how much my body is burning. I have decided to do home work-out dvds, aerobics classes and start a 13 week running program. I should probably add some weight training too. By the end of April, I hope to be able to run a 10K. I cannot live without Diet Coke, but I am going to cut down and drinks lots of water. I figure it will take 7-9 months to lose my weight, so my prize to myself will be a cruise or some exotic vacation, like Hawaii or Mexico at the end of this journey. Wish me luck.

January's Warmer & Scent of the Month

2010-01-15T20:26:00.000-08:00

My Home

2009-12-27T13:15:00.001-08:00

Many of you have wondered if this post was ever going to happen. I finally got some decent pictures to post on my blog. Here is my cute condo! I moved in about two months ago. It has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a patio, and a storage/laundry room. I just posted a few photos. I will be having a 'late' house warming party in January once all of the holiday craziness is gone. You will all need to come visit me at my place.....the pictures don't do it justice!

December Disneyland

2009-12-27T12:58:00.000-08:00

The biggest tree ever. It was at the beginning of Main Street.

My mom and I got these great Tink glow lights at dinner one night.

All 3 of us on Main Street enjoying the lights.

The castle was awesome! It was covered in snow and icicle lights. There was a firework show every night and it was followed by snow falling. The were kids in the park that were so excited, I was guessing they had probably never seen snow before.I sometimes wish that our snow here at home wasn't cold either.

It's A Small World was covered in lights! The inside was all Christmasy too. We waited in the longest line ever to get on this ride, but it went by fast :)

Scentsy

2009-12-12T22:13:00.000-08:00

December warmer & scent of the month.....

Disneyland Halloween Style

2009-11-22T19:20:00.000-08:00

In October we had a girls trip to Disneyland. I had never been during a holiday season before. The decorations were super cute. They had all the villains out for the Halloween season. All the characters were in their Halloween costumes. Space Mountain was turned into Ghost Galaxy and The Haunted Mansion was decorated in Jack Skelington from The Nightmare Before Christmas. This was Bailee's second time to Disneyland and she loved it! When we would get off a ride she would say "more." It was a fun trip and I can't wait to go back!

My mom and I rode Splash Mountain in ponchos so we wouldn't get soaked like every other time we have gone on this ride. We made some great faces for the camera, and so did the guy in front of us. It was great!

November & Holiday Scentsy Goods

2009-11-12T13:25:00.000-08:00

I'm excited for the new holiday stuff. There are more options for some super cute warmers and plug-ins. Check them out. Call me or check out my website to order. http://www.scentsy.com/11818

This is the new warmer and scent of the month.

These are the new holiday warmers and plug-ins.

'Ode to Bailee

2009-10-26T20:05:00.000-07:00

My cute niece, Bailee has been so fun to watch grow over the last two years. I am amazed at how smart she is. Children learn so fast. She does lots of silly things and I wanted to share a few of them. I seem to be her favorite person and she calls me Ba. I will take advantage of this because I know it will change one day. I love you Bailee!

Jen wanted to take family pictures at Silver Lake. It turned out to be freezing and Bailee did not want to cooperate. There were ducks and puddles that kept her attention. Here are a few pictures from the event.

Bailee likes to wear my necklaces and shoe when I babysit her. She is such a girl! She loves jewelry and shoes already....I can't wait until she is older!

She touches soft things with her head...the cats, laundry, and blankets..

Condo

2009-10-05T11:08:00.000-07:00

I am 'suppossed' to close at the end of this month. Lets cross our fingers! It is now all ready to be painted, the exterior is finished, the carports are in, and I am getting really excited. I have bought my fridge and found some cute dishes and silverware on clearance at Target. Love that store!I can't wait to move and decorate.

Scentsy October Warmer

2009-10-05T10:36:00.000-07:00

Condo Update

2009-09-20T16:18:00.000-07:00

Yeah, they have stuccoed the exterior and the insulation is in. I hope they start sheetrocking this week!

This is my porch. I am excited to sit and read a book on it!

Scentsy

2009-09-05T09:56:00.000-07:00

Just in time for football season! Starting October 1st, Scentsy is now going to be offering college themed warmers. They will be adding more as they get licensing rights.

This is Scentsy's September warmer of the month. I am so excited to use it during the Halloween season. There is a new Fall/Winter catalog. Check out my website to look at the new products and scents. There is a new midsize warmer and decorate-your-own warmers. The link to my website and the link to the new catalog are below.

http://www.scentsy.com.18118

http://www.scentsyonline.com/Fall09Catalog_sm.pdf

July Holiday Fun

2009-08-31T19:24:00.000-07:00

Here are the rodeo pics. This is Mal and I on our way up to Oakley.

This is me 'trying' to click my heels. I have never been able to do it, and it always makes my friends laugh.

We always go to the 24th of July parade. My dad stays out all night and is security for KSL's equipment. He saves us good seats in the shade, and we get there right before it starts. It's a great tradition.

My friend, Meghan came with us this year.

Bailee's nap time.

High School Musical Party

2009-08-31T17:50:00.001-07:00

So my friend, Mal decided to have a party at her house one night, and we watched all 3 High School Musical movies. We are kids at heart and decided to go all out for this party. I made a "wildcats" themed caked. We had cafeteria food: chicken nuggets, pb & j, fruits and veggies, pizza, tator tots, and cartons of milk. It was a fun-filled evening full of singing along to the movies! Go wildcats!

E for East High School

Notice the East High colors of red & white.

BIG NEWS

2009-08-17T20:00:00.000-07:00

I am buying a condo! I really feel like an adult now. I am really
excited, but also slightly nervous. I am staying in Daybreak
because I love it out here. I am building with Garbett Homes.
Mine is the top left unit. It should be done sometime in September.
For pictures of the models go to www.garbetthomes.com and then
click on the Terrace Condos.

This is looking at at the kitchen and the front door.
I love the archways!

This is my favorite part. The fireplace with some
decorative alcoves.

This is the Southeast view from my patio.

July Concerts

2009-07-25T10:44:00.000-07:00

My first concert of the month was The Fray & Jack's Mannequin. I went with Katie & Candice. Candice and I work together, and our co-worker, Melanie and her husband met up with us too. It was quite the show, but we had more entertainment then we paid for. There was a group of people next to us that were drinking all night. They gave us their own little peep show. It was interesting to say the least. The concert was a lot of fun!

The second concert of the month was Kenny Chesney!!! I was so excited because I have never seen him in concert before, even though he comes every year. Sugarland was supposed to come, but Jennifer Nettles had lost her voice. Lady Antebellum & Miranda Lambert opened and they were both great! Kenny Chesney was awesome! His encore was the best encore I have ever seen. He did another 35 minutes and they were fun cover songs. Someone gave him a U of U hat, and he wore it for the encore. Jen, Trav and my friend, Meghan went. It was super hot, but a lot of fun. Jen and I are excited because Trav is starting to like country music..... They are my favorite concerts to go to. I am glad he will be joining us from now on!

Oakley Rodeo

2009-07-25T10:34:00.000-07:00

For the 4th of July I went to the rodeo with one of my best friends, Mal. We have know each other since we were like 5. I went last year and I think I want to keep this tradition going. The rodeo is great. I can't believe the things these cowboys do. It looks painful to get bucked off animals, not to mention the whiplash they get from the ride. Ouch! I think my favorite event this year was the Bronc riding. I will be adding pics later because they are all on Mallory's camera.

Projects

2009-06-10T16:53:00.000-07:00

I started to make some fun projects last November. For Christmas
I made Jen & Trav the 'FAMILY' & 'BAILEE' letters.

I made this fun magnet board for my room. I made all of these

fun crafts in the last week. I have many more projects I want

to make in the future!

I made this frame for some cards I got in Vietnam that

some children at an orphange painted.

Another sign for my room. My mom said I needed

this saying because I am obsessed with shoes :)

I helped my friend makes this for her room and it turned

out really cute!

Disneyland

2009-05-17T18:09:00.000-07:00

So last year we were in Sea World on my birthday, and this year we were in Disneyland for my birthday. I think this a tradition I want to keep up...going on vacation for all my birthdays! Our goal was to meet as many characters as we could. Here's how we did.

I got a "Happy Birthday" pin and Pierce got a "First Visit" pin.

Cruella Deville told us to strike a pose with attitude.

The Incredibles. My mom wishes she was elastic to control my brothers :)

Minnie Mouse

Sully

Walle

Buzz Lightyear

Mary Poppins

Fancy cakes

2009-05-17T17:59:00.000-07:00

So Jen really likes to make and decorate cakes. For Alex's birthday in February she made a guitar. For my dad's birthday in April she made a Harley cake. It turned out super cute. I love to watch Ace of Cakes and see all of the amazing creations they make with cake. I would like to learn how to decorate cakes in the future. Maybe when Jen has her own cake shop she will hire me one day to be a decorator.

St. Patties at the Zoo

2009-05-17T17:53:00.001-07:00

On St. Patrick's Day I went with Jen, Trav and Bailee to the Hogle Zoo. It only took us 1 1/2 hours to walk through and see all the animals, which kind of surprised me. We saw the gorilla, Muke, who is dying of ovarian cancer. She was eating all of the cards that kids have sent her, it was sweet. Then we went to McCool's for an irish lunch. It was a fun day! Pictures will be coming later.

Arizona

2009-03-20T09:29:00.000-07:00

So I have to start with a story that happened last August. My good friend Jill was moving to Mesa and my friend Mallory and I decided we would help and go on a little road trip. We had many mishaps on this trip and it is a good thing Mal I know each other well! The first truck broke down on us, the trailer liked to swerve a lot if we drove too fast, and on the way home (in a different truck) the brakes went out on us on the freeway. We came to love the Beaver Dairy Queen & the Yuma Lake Exit. Those were our infamous stops when the trucks didn't want to work anymore. We were blessed that we arrived home safe, and yes we did get Jill moved.

We named this truck Johnny Diego and the trailer Stewart.

Me & Mal in our new truck, Spartacus.

This is one of my oldest and dearest friends, Danean and her son, Julius. We have been friends since we were 5. She now lives in Mesa with her family.

The next part of this story........The last weekend in February I drove back with Jill to Arizona and then flew home. She had come up to spend a little time and Salt Lake and I wanted a little vacation...so I was on the road again. We stopped in Vegas to hit Sephora and H&M. Stores that we don't have here at home. We also had to go to the M&M factory and the Coke factory. I was so excited because I got a Diet Coke shirt!!! This trip went a lot smoother than the initial trip I took in August. I got to relax and have fun the second time around. Thanks friends!

We stopped at Hoover Dam along the way. It is amazing to me that they built this so long ago!

Mesa Temple

Celine Dion

2009-03-20T09:11:00.001-07:00

At the end of February, Celine was at the Energy Solutions Arena.
My mom, dad, sister and I went. It was AWESOME!
Celine has an amazing voice and she knows how to put on a
show. She had like 6 costume changes and danced around the
stage with her dancers. Thanks for the fun night fam.

25 Random Things About ME

2009-02-15T20:42:00.000-08:00

1. I am absolutely addicted to DIET COKE!!!!

2. I love to travel and my goal is to visit all 7 continents, so far I have been to three: North America (obviously), Europe and Asia. And yes, I plan on going to Antarctica. Maybe I should change this to the 7 wonders of the world, or add it to my list of goals.

3. I wish I wasn't so shy when I first meet people.

4. I wish I was better at eating healthy and working out.

5. For those that don't know me well.....I have a shopping problem. I can't seem to stop---- I love it! 2nd addiction, refer back to #1.

6. I love accessories. headbands, jewelry, shoes, purses, scarves, and hats. Just ask my brother-in law, he thinks I'm crazy.

7. I love going to movies or just watching them at home. I have a growing collection of 200+ Its a great way to escape into another world and to relax.

8. I also love to read. For the same reasons as watching movies...escaping into another world.

9. I watch TOO many tv shows...it is somwhere around 13 shows every week. Thank goodness for DVR! Another reason I need to get my butt to the gym!

10. I really miss singing in a choir, but don't know where to start since it has been so long.

11. My favorite color is PINK with red as the runner up.

12. I love polka dots right now. I have 5 sets of scrubs with dots and they are also in my room decor.

13. I love having my nails painted; mani & pedi. I do my own 90% of the time to save $$$.

14. I love reading US Weekly.

15. My favorite store is Target, you can get everything there.

16. I don't like to cook, so my hopes are to marry a chef.

17. I don't mind that I am PALE. I will have great skin when I am older and I actually hate tanning or laying out in the sun! When I go to the beach I have to have an umbrella :)

18. I am a neat freak.

19. I have never gotten a ticket or been in an accident that was my fault. (I hope I didn't just jinx myself).

20. I wax my own eyebrows and mustache :) Come on over for a beauty bash. (Thanks Lisa for the start with this, she used to do it for me).

21. I wish I was a few inches taller.

22. I love decorating & organizing. If I wasn't a nurse I would be an interior designer or something being artsy & craftsy.

23. My favorite flower is a gerber daisy.

24. I love taking pictures. I want to take a photography class and learn to develop my own film.

25. I love Disneyland! I am probably getting an annual pass this year. Everyone really is a kid again and it is the HAPPIEST place on earth, besides the temple.

SNOWBOARDING

2009-01-24T15:25:00.000-08:00

I went snowboarding for the first time yesterday.

I found out that I am goofy. Let me just say that

snowboarding is really HARD! It took me 90 minutes

to make it down the bunny hill my first time. Travis was

very patient with teaching me. Surprisingly today my

upper body & butt is sore, but not my legs. I am shocked

that my legs don't hurt. but since I fell a ton and pushed

myself up with my arms, I guess that is why my arms are

sore today. I had fun and want to go again so I can

eventually go on a run. Thanks Trav & Jen for a fun night!!!

Happy New Year

2009-01-10T22:41:00.001-08:00

I believe that New Years Eve is over-rated. I am not a big party person, so I decided to have my own party. I invited my friends over for a fun night of Fondue & playing on the Wii that Santa brought the fam. It was a great night! We stuffed our faces, played Mario Kart (I discovered I can't play this very well), and Guitar Hero World Tour. We rang the new year in with Martinelli's and freezing on my porch watching the fireworks all over the valley. I am grateful for my wonderful family and friends. It was the perfect way to bring in the new years...with the ones I care about!

Merry Christmas

2008-12-28T10:45:00.000-08:00

The annual Alexander Christmas Party was at our house this year. It was a lot of fun seeing and catching up with everyone. I think my mom was excited that we have a house that everyone can fit in now, we just didn't have enough chairs. You had to be 40 or older to sit on a chair. We traded white elephant gifts this year. My dad got a great picture of Uncle Tim in his Uof U gear at a game. My mom got a Twilight poster. They were hot items among the family. Of course, Tim & Sheila won the hat contest. The kids got some fun gifts in the traditional fish pond game. I look forward to next years party. FYI: I just finished updating my entire Europe trip, so check out my England, France & Italy posts. (They are back-dated.)

Halloween

2008-12-28T10:20:00.000-08:00

I have found my camera! After being lost for 6 weeks, I found it in my room, of all places. I hid it very well! So, here is my Halloween. I decided to make my costume this year, since it is so hard to find a modest one. I was a butterfly. Ashley & I made our skirts, wings and our attenae. I think we turned out pretty cute! I have to say, don't go to a singles dance with giant wings!!!

Here is my mom's costume. It came from her favorite place. Bailee was a cute kittie. Jen decided to be a butterfly as well. It was a bug theme this year.

This was Andrea, Ashley and I at Witches Night Out at Gardner Village. It was super fun and I would recommend going next year. We used our cute skirts and made hats. It was a cold and fun night!

FYI

2008-11-26T13:59:00.000-08:00

So am I still updating and adding pictures from my Vietnam & Europe trips.I am back-dating them, so check my "old" posts if you want to see them. My camera is also missing at this moment in time, so I can't add anything new :(

TWILIGHT

2008-11-24T20:13:00.000-08:00

I know there are many of you out there that love Twilight, so I know you won't think that I'm crazy for posting this. I absolutely loved reading the Twilight series. I love fantasy and romances, so you combine the two and I was in la la land. Not having a current love interest/crush I need to live vicariously through books & movies. So reading about Edward & Bella falling in love was a great getaway. It really reminds you of when you fell in love for the first time...aahhh memories.

I have to say the I wasn't in love with the cast when it was first announced. I was worried about the movie and wasn't sure I wanted to see it. I just have to say I LOVED IT! I am now in love with Robert Pattinson. He did such a good job! I want a guy to look at me the way he looked at Bella. And he can sing, play the piano, and play the guitar in real life- Yummy! I will end my silly post, but I had to add some pictures where Edward had some great facial expressions.

2008-11-24T18:35:00.000-08:00

I am now selling Scentsy products. They are a wickless, smokeless, and flameless candle. They are heated with a 25 watt light bulb, so they are not a fire hazard. The wax does not get hot enough to burn children or pets. The wax also doesn't evaporate, so when the scent runs out you just dispose of the wax in your garbage. There are many different warmers and scents to choose from. The wax bar lasts 50-80 hours.

If you would like to host a party you can earn free and 1/2 off products. If you would like to have a "safe scent" party or sell this great product yourself, let me know. You can check out everything and order throught my website: www.scentsy.com/18118. If you would like to see a catalog or have questions, call me 910-9797.

I got tagged

2008-11-12T10:27:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

8 T.V. Shows I love to watch:

1. The Office
2. Desperated Housewives
3. Brothers and Sisters
4. One Tree Hill
5. Gossip Girl
6. Heroes
7. Fringe
8. Grey's Anatomy
(Sadly I have more than 8)

Favorite Restaurants:

1. Texas Roadhouse
2. Red Robin
3. Happy Sumo
4. Spaghetti Factory
5. Cafe Rio
6. Chiles (for chips & salsa w/the girls)
7. The Magic Wok
8. Cheesecake Factory

8 Things That Happened Yesterday

1. Played with Bailee
2. Went to Target (gotta love that store)
3. Got my Scentsy starter kit (I am now selling it and you will all be invited to an open house SOON)
4. Took a nap
5. Watched my Tuesday night shows (90210, Priveleged, House and Fringe) but I fell asleep while doing so.
6. Went to Cafe Rio for lunch
7. Went to Harmons to get "work lunches"
8. Worked on my blog ( I am still figuring this thing out)

8 Things I Look Forward To:

1. Christmas
2. Going to the Dominican Republic next Spring (hopefully)
3. Twilight movie
4. Finding my best friend/love of my life
5. Figuring out how to scrapbook online and work photoshop elements
6. Sleeping in
7. Thanksgiving Dinner
8. Going to Carrie Underwood on Nov. 19th

8 Things I Love About Fall:

1. Jacket weather
2. Halloween
3. Wearing warmer clothes
4. Cool breezes
5. Leaves changing color.....beautiful!
6. Good excuse to cuddle up in a blanket and read a good book (when the weather gets gloomy)
7. Did I mention the clothes: sweaters, boots, scarves, cute coats, mittens.....
8. It's my favorite season and I love the temperature, not too cold, not too hot.

8 Things On My Wish List

1. Meet a great guy, fall in love and get married
2. Own my own home
3. Continue to travel the world
4. Learn to scuba dive
5. Own horses
6. A one day unlimited shopping spree
7. Lose weight
8. Have my student loans paid off

2008-10-13T20:49:00.000-07:00

I've decided to start a blog. I have been done with school since last December and I figured it was time for a new hobby. I believe it is a good way to see what is going on in each other's lives. Life is very busy and it can be hard to keep in touch with everyone. I love reading my friends and families blogs to see current photos and hear what is going on in their lives. So, here it goes! Some of my posts are going to be back-dated. I have gone on some really great trips in the last year and wanted to share them with everyone.

ITALY

2008-05-19T10:46:00.000-07:00

The last stop on our trip was Italy. We took an overnight train from Paris to Rome. I never want to experience that again. There were 6 girls and all of our luggage crammed into one room. To add to the crowded quarters, it was hot and noisy the entire night. We had some good laughs though. Our first day in Rome we went to see The Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, & The Pantheon.

Another food collage. Gelato, gelato and more gelato. We couldn't get enough. I had to add pictures of Diet Coke. An Italian meal goes as follows: appetizer (ante'pasta), pasta dish, then the main course (meat, potatoes, & veggies), and then dessert. We went to 2 nice restaurants with our tour group and we were rolling out of there after dinner. It was so much yummy food. Of course we still ate more gelato after that. It is a good thing I walked everywhere to compensate for all the food I ate!

We went to The Vatican our 2nd day in Rome. I didn't know it was its own state, crazy! We saw St. Peter's Basilica, and to enter you have to have your shoulders and knees covered. (No problem there!) Michelangelo's Pieta is behind a glass wall because someone broke off Mary's nose already. Then we went to The Vatican Museum where I saw The Sistine Chapel. It was absolutely incredible! You are not allowed to take pictures of the chapel.

We went dancing at a bar one night in Rome and the music was horrible. We had fun anyway.

Our last day in Rome we took a day trip to Pompeii. The Romans built this incredible city and one day Mount Vesuvius erupted. It covered the city and killed everyone. The ruins have been uncovered and remarkably preserved by all the ash. There were brothels all over and "man symbols" pointed the way to the brothels so sailors could find them. Not everyone spoke the same language, so there were pictures on the wall that the men could pick which position they wanted. Look at the comfy stone bed. The Romans were so intelligent. They created the drainage system at The Roman Baths, and it still works. They added broken up marble in the road to reflect the light at night, so the road could be seen.

Our tour group went home after Rome, but we decided since we were so close to go to Florence & Venice. We only had one day in each city before our return home. Our hostel in Florence was at the top of a building and the elevator was creepy and only one of us could use it at a time with our luggage. If I ever travel to Europe, then I am only taking a backpack. And I thought I had packed light, but I got tired of lugging it around on cobblestone. I also got bedbugs at this hostel. On our flight home I started itching and then all these little red bumps started to appear on my arms & legs. Ashley didn't get any. I guess the bugs liked me better. We went to The Uffizi and saw Michelangelo's David. It is huge. We couldn't take pictures of the real one, but I took a picture of a replica outside in a square. I am eating ice cream in front of the Ponte Vecchio Bridge. We also saw the Duomo & Baptistry doors. We took a train the following morning to Venice, and we almost took the wrong train. We were getting off the wrong train as the whistle was blowing for it to leave.

Venice was phenomenal! It is full of bridges that link everything together over the water. Our hostel was crazy. We got no sleep that last night because we shared a room with 20+ girls. Plus everyone else seemed to want to party to techno music the whole night. We went to Murano Island and saw glass blowing and all of the things they make with glass. I wanted to buy so many things, but then my suitcase would have brought the plane down. We saw St. Mark's Basilica, St. Mark's Square, and Rialto Bridge. We also took boat taxis everywhere. It was so surreal. It was an awesome trip. I am grateful for the experiences I have had traveling over the last few years. I hope to have many more.

FRANCE

2008-05-18T09:24:00.000-07:00

We spent 4 days in Paris and it was mostly rainy while we were there. The Eiffel Tower was absolutely incredible. It is huge! We took 1 elevator to the first level and took pictures. Then we got in a long line, took a 2nd, scary elevator ride to the 2nd level and took more pictures. At night it is lit up, and they change the color of the lights during the year. We went to Notre Dame Cathedral, but we were too late to go inside. The first night we took a cruise down the Seinne River.

This collage is all of the delicious food I ate in France. The best food during the entire trip was in France, 2nd was the food in Italy. Pastries, crepes, baguettes, and even gelato was here.

We went to many different museums while in Paris: The Louvre, The Musee d'Orsay, & Musee de l'Orangerie. I have never seen so much art in my life. I got to see the Mona Lisa, which was awesome! The Louvre was the original palace for France's Kings before Versaille was built. The pyramid was added later and looks very modern against the architecture of the museum.

This is a picture of an arc outside The Louvre and through this arc you can see a monument with a gold triangle on top. This is where Marie Antoinette was beheaded. This is the actual Arc de Triumphe. We walked THREE miles in the rain from The Louvre to see it. We didn't realize it was that far away. It made for a great adventure. We then walked to see The Sacre Cure. It is a beautiful church on the top of a hill. We climbed many, many steps to see this church. But you could see all of Paris from this hill. It was cloudy, but still a great view. We also saw the Moulin Rouge on this long walk. We did take the Metro in Paris, it was just more $$$ than the tube in London.

The Sacre Cure & the infamous Moulin Rouge

We took an hour long train ride outside Paris to go see Versaille. It was so beautiful!!! Pictures cannot even describe how lovely it is. We were there most of the day and did not have time to see all of the gardens or go see Marie Antoinette's cottage. We did get to go through the main palace of the Sun King. The Hall of Mirrors was incredible. If you haven't seen Marie Antoinette with Kirsten Dunst then I would suggest doing so. It shows how beautiful this place is.

ENGLAND

2008-05-17T09:58:00.000-07:00

Ashley & I met with a tour group in London. We took an overnight bus from Scotland, and it was not the best of our ideas (but cheap)! We spent our first day in London walking all over. We found platform 9 & 3/4 at the train station. We went to the Florence Nightingale museum, go Nurses! We then saw Big Ben, the London Eye, Trafalgar Square, the National Art Museum, and Westminster Abbey. That afternoon we met our troup group and went to see Wicked that night for 25 pounds ($50). We also rode the "tube" that night for the first time. Taking public transportaion was a different and fun thing to experience during my trip. It was an exciting 1st day in England!

We were lucky enough to see two broadway shows while we were in London. We saw Phantom of the Opera our 2nd night. I had to get a classic picture in the red telephone booth. We had some ice cream that had a chocolate flake on the top, I guess this is a English thing. We rode the underground and walked a ton! We had to get a picture of a smart care because they are everywhere, though I have started seeing them at home.

These pictures are from our cruise down the Thames River, London Tower (Castle), and the Tower Bridge, which I always thought was London Bridge. London Bridge is actually a very plain, normal looking bridge. There is also a picture of Picadilly Circus, Abbey Road, Buckingham Palace, and Ashley and I on the tube.

These pictures are from Bath & Stonehenge. We took a day trip outside of London to see the Roman Baths & Stonehenge. I am a huge Jane Austen fan, so I was looking forward to see Bath. This city is featured in some of her books: Northanger Abbey & Persuasion. She lived here in the later part of her life also. We saw Bennett Street and The Circus. We drank warm water from the baths. The Romans and English believe it has healing powers. The water wasn't as nasty as I thought it was going to be. Stonehenge was super windy. There is a rope surrounding stonehenge so you can't get close. It is amazing that they made this structure so long ago!

SCOTLAND

2008-05-16T15:36:00.000-07:00

Scotland was our second stop on the trip. Edinburgh was my favorite place the entire trip. The city is old and has a great historical feel. We only spent like 36 hours of our entire trip here, so we had to make the most of it. I had to stop in Scotland because this is where my Grandma Helen is from. I want to go back and spend time in England and Scotlands' countryside when I have more time and $$$. We found the best hat shop. I wanted to buy the one I am wearing in the picture, but where would I wear it back home. We also found the Elephant House (by total luck). This is where J.K. Rowling started to write Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone. It was close to the castle, and I can just imagine the influence that Edinburgh Castle had on her book.

We spent hours at Edinburgh castle. It is bigger than you can imagine. They built it on a rocky hill overlooking the entire city. It is quite the fortress! When we walked in they were taking down a ton of bleachers from some event. The great hall totally reminded me of Harry Potter and the hat sorting scene, the floating candles and all the crazy food they eat in the dining hall at Hogwarts.

This was my favorite
hostel the entire trip because it was the nicest. And we had our own room, but it was at the top of the hostel. So like in Vietnam, we had to climb a ton of stairs and carry our heavy luggage. (Ashley has video of me doing this.) Our room was decorated and had Ikea sheets. There was also a common room that had a million couches from Ikea. The bathroom was the best part. We had to share with the "Gents" to shower and use the toilets, but it really wasn't that bad. Look at the door carefully, I didn't even realize it until the 2nd day.

We took a day trip out to see Rosslyn Chapel. I was so excited, did anyone see The Davinici Code or read the book? It turns out that Rosslyn Chapel has nothing to do with the Knights Templar, they just used it in the book/movie. The chapel has also had a tent cover over it since 1996. The stone has been so wet over the years that algae was growing on the inside of the roof. This tent is helping the stone dry out. So, in the movie they had to use a mini model for the aerial shots. I couldn't take pictures of the inside, but the symbloism and all the carved stone was incredible! (The Davinci Code also had me excited to see The Louvre in Paris!)

IRELAND

2008-05-16T15:13:00.000-07:00

In May & June I got the wonderful oppurtunity to go to Europe with my friend Ashley. We work together & our manager could only give us 2 1/2 weeks off work, so in 19 days we went to Ireland, Scotland, England, France, & Italy. It was an awesome trip. I got to see so many historical sites. I also have never walked so much in my life, luckily I took good shoes. We also rode tons of buses and subway systems. Europeans live so differently than we do. I am so used to hoping in my car and going wherever I want to. They walk everywhere!!! I also got to eat some really yummy food: baguettes, crepes, gelato, and authentic pasta & pizza. I hope I can go back some day and spend more time in each country. This first picture is in Dublin Castle. Have you ever seen such a big lamp? The other picture is outside Dublin Castle.

This is Temple Bar, it is the most popular bar in Dublin, Ireland. Of course we had to check it out. It was so crowded! We pretty much walked in, walked around and then walked right back out.

We went on a day trip to Cork. We went with a tour group called Paddywagon Tours. Our tour guide had an awesome accent! Gotta love cute buys with accents. We got to see a lot of the countryside covered in sheep. We went to the Cliffs of Moher. It was incredibly windy but had breathtaking views. In the one picture I got a wee bit close to the edge. Ashley & I actually crossed the path that said "do not cross." I'm such a rebel! We stayed in 2 different hostels in Ireland. The first was excellent. We shared a room with a mother & daughter. The second hostel was in a bar. We got Diet Cokes in glass bottles, which I totally brought home! Great souvenir. The 2nd night in our bar hostel we shared a room with 2 girls from London. They strolled in around 3 AM & with a boy. The 2nd night we shared a room with 2 naked Germans. Hostels are cheap and you come home with some great stories!

Disneyland with the Family

2008-05-04T15:31:00.000-07:00

My mother and I graduated in May. I actually finished my BSN degree in December '07, but I didn't walk until the next year. My mom is finally finished with her NNP Masters degree and it was fun to be able to graduate together. For her graduation present our family went to Disneyland. It was my moms first time. We had tons of fun and didn't want to leave. I really enjoy Disneyland and I love getting to feel like a kid again. We also went to Universal Studios and Sea World. We were actually at Sea World on my 25th birthday, so I got to suit up and play with a dolphin named Maggie. It was a great trip!

VIETNAM

2007-08-01T01:44:00.000-07:00

I have been to Vietnam twice. First in March 2005 and second in August 2007. This was my first trip out of the country in 2005, and it left me feeling very humble and blessed.It was such a wonderful experience the first time that I wanted to go back 2 years later. I got school credit for my Associate and Bachelor Nursing Degrees. I went with a group called, Children of Peace. A lady named, Bihn, started this group. She left Vietnam when she was 18 and goes back constantly to help the people.

I participated in medical and dental clinics. We would stay all day to see as many people as we could. This was the only time most of these people ever get to see a doctor or dentist. I helped with taking vitals, listening for heart mumurs, cleaning ears (some had dead bugs), and cleaning and dressing wounds. I saw many sad things that could easily be treated quickly in the US, but that is just not how it is in 3rd world countries. It is too expensive to go to the hospital. It was disheartening for me to see these people and know that they die from simple accidents and diseases. We also went to a lepresy colony and dressed their wounds.

The hardest thing for me during the entire trip was the food. I could deal with the incredible humidity, but I was so sick of eating rice when I got home. We got fish and shrimp WHOLE. You had to peel off the scales and eyes and everything, and I just couldn't stomach it! So instead I ate a ton of rice!

The best bonus about the trip was that there are tailors and inexpensive shopping everywhere. I had clothes made and brought many fun dishes home for souvenirs. The people were very kind and thankful for everything we did. I got a lot of attention for my white skin and bluse eyes. The rich people wear masks and long gloves to protect their skin. If your skin is dark then it means you are poor and work in the sun. I guess they thought I was really rich!

The pictures are from my second trip in 2007 and my good friend, Ashley went with me. I have great memories and would love to go back again. These were some of the children awaiting us at a clinic. They put on a show for us at the end of the day. Diet Coke Light was so much better than Diet Coke here. It seems sweeter :)

Obviously too much fun shopping!

One of the many rice fields.

A squatty potty. Luckily we only had to use one of theses 2-3 times.

Ashley and I chilling on the boat at out clinic in Halong Bay.

This is one of the dentists, Ashley, a girl in a classic Vietnamese outift and I. This outift consists of silk panks and a silk dress that has slights upto the stomach. We were waiting for our ferry ride to visit a school.

This was Halong Bay. The are rock formations all over and my pictures do not describe how beautiful it is. We went to do a clinic for the boat people.

Here is the shrimp. Feelers, eyes and all.

This was the triage group : Ashley, Adele, Me and Nanette. Some of the cute old ladies. Most of them had black teeth.

This was the view from one of our hotels. Ashley and I were on the 8th floor and had NO elevator. The poor little Vietnamese boys had to carry our heavy suitcases. We felt bad but had a good laugh from their grunting.

A cute baby that played with my stethescope .

This hot picture of me was how I dealt with the incredible humidty and heat!