Klane went camping with the scouts last weekend. I was busy busy with meetings, appointments, babysitting, etc etc etc… but I spent a few charmed hours in Central Park with Alexa on Saturday afternoon. We enjoyed Shake Shack by the lake and a few rain-sprinkled hours of wandering, azalea discovering and good conversation. An afternoon [...] Read more – ‘Walking in the rain’.
Annie came to visit this week! It was really fun, especially because it was a spontaneous surprise visit – she decided last week and bought plane tickets on the spot. It was awesome! We had a fun few days eating (lots of eating!) and walking the city. I took a lot of pictures of food…. [...] Read more – ‘Spontaneous visit’.
The annual stake street fair was a huge success! The girls did their usual nail salon and we had a steady stream of customers. The girls were so cute as they painted people’s nails. Klane and the young men did a gold fish toss that was super popular. Kids tossed a ball into cups to [...] Read more – ‘Street fair’.
On Saturday Klane came with me to scope out this awesome old building I want to use for a themed photo session with a friend. He was nice enough to let me take test shots of him around the building and in the gorgeous lobby. Check out the subway entrance outside! It was beautiful. Afterward [...] Read more – ‘Art Deco’.
Today was a really good day. We’ve been so lucky to be surrounded by really great friends in New York. Friends become like a big family, since most of us are far away from our own relatives. We really feel blessed to be in the Harlem ward, which is full of so many warm, welcoming, [...] Read more – ‘Anniversary and a Sunday Picnic’.
For the past month, the young women (and their leaders!) have been working to plan and carry out our fundraiser for Girls Camp this summer. We sold homemade cookie dough to our ward members to help fund the girls’ camp fee. It’s been a huge undertaking and I am so grateful for my presidency for [...] Read more – ‘Cookies for Camp’.
I just can’t get over how beautiful springtime is. It makes me so happy, especially after such a long, cold winter. I’ve been enjoying walks through the park after work. This week I walked across the park to meet the young women at the temple to do baptisms. It turned out that only one of [...] Read more – ‘Springtime walk to the temple’.
Hey ‘yall…… I’m still here! It’s still springtime! Klane is hoooooome! It’s so great to have him back!! That said, he’s working late tonight so now that I’ve watched a whole lot of YouTube and eaten a whole lot of cereal and toast, I am turning to blogging to entertain me. I am obsessed with [...] Read more – ‘A lot of exclamation points.’.
My run on Saturday was beautifully random. I usually plan my route in advance but this time I decided to just wander wherever seemed right at the time. It made for a very beautiful and really fun run, winding through the entire park and back, on smaller paths past a lot of gorgeous flowering trees. [...] Read more – ‘Blossom Run’.
After working all week, Klane usually likes to relax at home on the weekends. I, on the other hand, am usually itching to get out of the house. So I took advantage of Klane’s absence today and went out for once! I ran a 6.5 mile loop through Central Park in the morning. It was [...] Read more – ‘Union Square Greenmarket’.
I just have nothing to say, you guys! I am so over this blogging thing! So, lately……. Well, Klane is out of town again. Lowe’s liked his work for their Spring campaign (seen a Lowe’s commercial on TV lately? Klane probably did it! He’s so cool!), so he is back in California for another two [...] Read more – ‘I am so sorry.’.
I recently started training for the Wasatch Back Ragnar in June. (It’s a 200 mile relay race that I’ll be running with a team of 12 family and friends in the mountains in Utah. I am SUPER EXCITED about it.) Today I did a 4.5 mile run. My favorite way to run is from point [...] Read more – ‘From Midtown to Harlem: a Saturday run’.
On our last day in Costa Rica, our car-mates had to leave on an 8:00 am flight (the airport was two hours away). The rest of the group was flying out together at 7:00 pm. So Klane and I got up at 3:45 am to drive to the airport with Bryan and Ashley. This turned [...] Read more – ‘Costa Rica – Volcan Poas’.
We left Friday open when we planned the week. Friday morning came around and I really wanted to find another waterfall hike. I’d found another one online back home, but it was a little more uncertain whether it would be possible or worth it if we went. We couldn’t find much information online, even after [...] Read more – ‘Costa Rica – Bijagual Waterfall Hike’.
On Thursday we left the house early again for our visit to Manuel Antonio National Park. On the drive down we stopped at a fruit stand to get a few things for lunch. While we’re on the subject, let me just mention that the fruit in Costa Rica was awesome! We had the best melons, [...] Read more – ‘Costa Rica – Manuel Antonio’.
Wednesday we went on a little cruise on a catamaran out to an island off the coast. We were fed lots of fresh fruit and yummy food and unlimited free soda!!! It was great. We had a good time. On the island there were lots of activities to pay for do, but Klane and I [...] Read more – ‘Costa Rica – Tortuga Island Cruise’.
In my research on things to do in Costa Rica, I came upon a lot of tour companies charging lots of money to take people to beautiful waterfalls. It looked amazing, but $140 per person to go on a hike sounded a little ridiculous to me. I knew there must be a way to hike [...] Read more – ‘Costa Rica – Nauyaca Waterfall Hike’.
On Monday morning, Klane was nice enough to come with me for a run on the beach. It was gorgeous! The tide was way out so there was a wide stretch of hard, flat sand perfect for running. You could close your eyes and run on and on just listening to the sound of the [...] Read more – ‘Costa Rica – Waterfall Rappel and Zipline’.
We had the best time in Costa Rica. It was a really well-rounded vacation, with just the right balance between relaxing at the beach and exploring to find exciting adventures. We really enjoyed the group of friends we travelled with as well. I want to remember it all, so I’ll do a post about each [...] Read more – ‘Costa Rica – Esterillos Oeste’.
This week I was lucky enough to spend a few days visiting Johnny and Joanna and their new baby Sally in North Carolina! It was such a great time! The Galbraiths moved away from New York about a year and a half ago, and I was really sad to see them go because they’re some [...] Read more – ‘Visiting the Galbraiths’.
Klane is home from California!!!!! It’s so good to have him back. I can’t believe he was really gone a whole month. It went by slow and fast at the same time. It was hard having him gone, but I gained independence and learned things about myself, and I also gained a greater appreciation for [...] Read more – ‘Valentine’s weekend’.
I scheduled my flight out on Monday afternoon, thinking I’d stretch my weekend as long as possible since I have Mondays off. Then once I got to California I realized Klane would be working on Monday and I’d be on my own! I was bummed at first, but it ended up being a great day. [...] Read more – ‘Flying solo at Venice Beach’.
Poor Klane got sick over the weekend, so on Sunday morning I let him sleep in a bit. It was nice to take the morning a little slower, do a little reading and enjoy the view from the balcony. Thankfully I came up with a plan for the day that was enticing enough to get [...] Read more – ‘Primo’s at the beach and the Gamble House’.
I had the best (THE BEST!) weekend with Klane in LA. I almost didn’t get to go at all due to a huge snowstorm that hit NYC Friday – my flight was supposed to take off Friday night – but by some miracle I was able to reschedule the flight for Friday morning and I [...] Read more – ‘Runyon Canyon, Malibu and Santa Monica’.
Well, it’s over. So that’s good. No, no, I don’t hate January. It’s just not my most favorite month of the year. I always go through a period of post-holiday blues for the first week of January, and then things start looking up again. But it is definitely altogether too freezing for my liking. I [...] Read more – ‘Let’s have a talk about January’.
We had such a great Christmas vacation in Utah. I was completely thrilled that it snowed so much while we were there. It snowed all day on Christmas Eve, so we definitely had a white Christmas! It was magical. Here are some pictures of the sledding day we had with some of Klane’s family. Lynsie [...] Read more – ‘Sledding’.
Our parents’ houses decked out in Christmas best: We saw the reindeer at Thanksgiving Point! I was really happy we were able to be in Utah when baby Coleman was blessed. That’s the same outfit Klane was wearing when he was blessed. So cute. Mike showed us how to do the Tim Tam Slam. It [...] Read more – ‘Lots of random Christmas Break pictures’.
We went up to the Cabin the day after Christmas for some fun times. In the morning, Klane and I went snowshoeing! It was my first time and I thought it was quite fun. We brought Chase, Kyle and Michelle’s dog, along with us, and unfortunately he couldn’t make it through the four-foot deep snow [...] Read more – ‘Cabin’.
Christmas day with the Grafs included… presents (including a few surprises)… snow (and 4-wheeler rides in the street for Dad and Kaylie)… Kaylie’s first sledding experience… and a movie with the fam. It was a good day. Read more – ‘Christmas’.
We woke up on Christmas Eve to falling snow, and did didn’t stop the whole day. It was beautiful and magical and so festive. One of my favorite parts of the day was watching Kaylie, our little Arizona girl, experience the snow for the first time. The day went a little differently than planned, since [...] Read more – ‘Christmas Eve’.
My goodness, I have been terrible about posting lately. Things have been crazy busy around here, so picture-taking and the blog have taken the backseat and I have released myself of any and all guilt about it. I did, however, start compiling blog books to print so we have a hard copy of our family [...] Read more – ‘Crazy life.’.
When my family video chats, funny and ridiculous things happen. Unbeknownst to anybody else, I usually try to take a quick screenshot when these priceless moments come along. I was just looking through some of these screen shots and laughing again, so I thought I’d share. This is Kaylie demonstrating her belly-roll skills. We have [...] Read more – ‘Video chat’.
We went to a rockin Christmas party on Saturday night. There were lots of fun people, delicious foods of all kinds, and the night was topped off with the Simmons’ traditional Christmas Jell-o Toss. This tradition involves making a giant jello mold, posing with the beautiful Christmas Jello, then throwing it out the 5th floor [...] Read more – ‘Annual Simmons Christmas Party and Jello Toss’.
Friend Joanna and I walked through the Christmas market at Columbus Circle (my favorite of all the Christmas Markets in the city!) after work the other day. We sipped hot apple cider as we admired the handmade crafts, yummy treats and art displays. So many fun things to look at. After seeing all the booths [...] Read more – ‘Christmas market’.
My parents had yet another excuse to come to New York (this time it was an orthodontic seminar – score!) so we got to have them for the weekend. It was SO much fun! I love that they’ve been here enough times that we don’t have to do anything while they’re here, and we can [...] Read more – ‘Mom and Dad visit – again!’.
I was on my way to jury duty this morning and passed this perfectly festive fire station. It made me really happy. I also wandered around Tribeca a little on my lunch break. I’ve never been down there and it was fun to explore. It seemed like there was a lot of construction going on [...] Read more – ‘Festive’.
We had a full house over the weekend. Cousins Heidi, Krysta, Ashley, Matt and baby Jake stayed with us while they enjoyed a holiday weekend in the city. It was fun having them here, although I regret that Klane and I were both super busy and weren’t able to spend as much time with them [...] Read more – ‘Cousins at the Park Avenue Tree Lighting’.
The Saturday after Thanksgiving (i’m a little behind, yes), we took a day trip to Philly. It was freezing freezing cold but we bundled up and spent the day walking around the Old Town. It was really, really fun. My only goals were to eat a soft pretzel and a cheese steak, and to see [...] Read more – ‘A day in Philly’.
I got all christmas crafty last night and made a bunch of snowflakes for the windows. We played christmas music, lit a seasonal candle and hung twinkle lights. It was such a happy, festive night. Now I’m working on making these little trees, which may take until next Christmas to complete. But I’m having lots [...] Read more – ‘decking our halls’.
This was our first Thanksgiving as just the two of us, without our families visiting. I was so happy the Simmons invited us to have Thanksgiving dinner with them, because first of all I love the Simmons and they host the best parties, and second, it meant I wouldn’t have to try to cook an [...] Read more – ‘Thanksgiving in CP’.
Klane totally surprised me this year by giving me a climbing harness and taking me to a rock climbing gym for my birthday! I had so much fun! We got tired really fast and only lasted about two hours. But we want to take this up as a hobby, so hopefully we will be back [...] Read more – ‘26th Birthday’.
Joanna, Erin and I escaped work early to get tickets at the Newsies lottery. We dashed out of the office, jumped on the train, and then literally ran through Times Square to make it to the theater on 41st street in time. The deadline for the lottery was 5:30 and we arrived, out of breath, [...] Read more – ‘Newsies lottery’.
There’s so much to love about New York in the fall. It’s gorgeous. It smells like fallen leaves. I love the cooler weather and the excuse to wear layers, jackets, boots and scarves. Read more – ‘New York in the Fall’.
The church organized a multi-stake relief effort last weekend to help people affected by Hurricane Sandy. Klane was sad that he had to work, but I was lucky to be able to go, along with several friends from the ward. Hundreds of Mormons from the stakes around our area rode buses out to Staten Island [...] Read more – ‘Hurricane Relief in the Rockaways’.
Last night the first snow of the season blanketed the city. When I first saw the snow falling outside the window at work, driven by whipping, freezing winds, I was none too pleased. But when I stepped outside into the snowfall a few hours later, I couldn’t help but feel a little thrill at the [...] Read more – ‘The first snowfall.’.
Our ward had our annual chili cook-off on Saturday. This was planned weeks in advance, but in light of the hurricane earlier in the week, the ward decided to take advantage of the soup being made and use it as a service opportunity. We took a bunch of hot chili up to the Bronx to [...] Read more – ‘Harlem 1st ward chili cook-off’.
Life is a little different this week in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Klane and I returned to work on Wednesday, but the public transit system was still shut down. This made for horrible traffic all over the city, which meant that I walked the 3.5 miles to work. Crazy thing was, walking that distance [...] Read more – ‘This week’.
Our Halloween was pretty uneventful. We decided to watch Young Frankenstein at home, and at about 10 pm we also decided we needed Halloween candy, so we went to the store to buy some. We fell asleep in the middle of the movie, waking up at 1:00 am to relocate to the bed. I promise [...] Read more – ‘Halloween’.
I just wanted to post here and let everyone know we are safe and sound! We didn’t lose our electricity and we are just hanging out at home waiting for everything to get up and running again. Thanks for all the concerned texts and messages we’ve received! We feel very cared for and loved. :) [...] Read more – ‘Aftermath of Hurricane Sandy’.
Hey everyone! For anyone who is concerned for our safety as hurricane Sandy approaches the east coast, I just wanted to assure you all that we are safe and sound in our apartment! We are not in an evacuation zone since our building is on high ground. We’re prepared with food, water and flashlights in [...] Read more – ‘Hurricane Sandy: We are safe!’.
My parents were planning to come to New York for a long weekend, but Hurricane Sandy had other plans, and so their three day trip turned into a 24 hour blitz. It was great to have them here though, even for just a day. We had a nice day walking around enjoying the fall weather. [...] Read more – ‘24 hours with Mom and Dad’.
The day after the BYU game, we spent some time in Chicago before flying home. It was fun to walk around and tour the city a bit. I will always love New York the best, but Chicago is a beautiful city, and so clean. Actually, I find that I always say that when I visit [...] Read more – ‘Chicago for a day’.
Last weekend we flew to Chicago, where we met up with my parents and Brandon for the BYU vs Notre Dame football game in South Bend, Indiana. We are loyal BYU fans, and attending a game at historic Notre Dame is something you just have to experience at least once in a lifetime. Klane and [...] Read more – ‘BYU vs Notre Dame’.
You’re all in for a treat because we actually left the house on Saturday and I actually brought the camera along and took some pictures. Woot! I’m a regular blogger again. We went to brunch at – where else? – Extra Virgin with some new friends, the Wilsons, who we know through mutual childhood friends [...] Read more – ‘Saturday’.
I took myself on a little field trip today. I’ve been dreaming of a great homemade pretzel ever since we started planning a daytrip to Philly (famous for pretzels), so when I heard about the Sigmund’s cart at the Met I devised a fun little lunch break trip. It was chilly out and I felt [...] Read more – ‘Field trip.’.
We do have a life post-vacation. It just doesn’t seem exciting enough to post about. I’m struck by how much later autumn hits in New York than in Utah. It was in full swing there, but we got here to find the trees still green and the weather still pretty warm. Thankfully, it has cooled [...] Read more – ‘We are still alive.’.
The Matheny’s are moving to London! It’s very exciting and very sad at the same time. On Sunday evening Alexa and I went to a going-away party for them (Klane had to work. Boooo). The British-themed food and decor was so cute. The rooftop views were incredible and it was a gorgeous night. And it [...] Read more – ‘London calling’.
Our trip to Utah and Lake Powell was so great! I love being with our family. They really get me, you know? And when I’m with them in the places where I grew up, I find myself again. Being back home just makes me really happy. We got back on Monday morning and this week [...] Read more – ‘Lake Powell preview’.
In Utah, Fall seems to come and go in the blink of an eye. I’m so glad we caught a glimpse of it during our short time there. We weren’t able to spend much time in the mountains, but we did drive up to the cabin on Sunday, and the leaves were GORGEOUS. I was [...] Read more – ‘Utah Autumn’.
I am so happy we were able to be with my mom on her 50th birthday! I can’t believe she is 50, she doesn’t look her age at all. I love her attitude about growing older. After fighting cancer at 45, she is just so grateful for every year she gets to grow older! You [...] Read more – ‘Mom’s 50th birthday’.
Ever since Mike got a shotgun for Christmas, Klane has been bugging me about getting a gun. He reeeeeally wants to get one. He says it’s for home defense. (I suspect there is some manly motivation there, something about owning a gun that makes a guy feel extra macho. I don’t know.) I’m pretty sure [...] Read more – ‘Shooting practice’.
These pictures are from a girls lunch we had with Klane’s mom and sisters and my mom. I really do feel like they are my very own sisters/mom and I am so grateful I married into such an awesome family. Especially since I didn’t have sisters growing up, it is so special to me to [...] Read more – ‘Family time’.
I’ve heard about Antelope Canyon for years and never been, so this year we made plans to go through on our way off the lake. It only takes about an hour to go down through, and it was SO incredible. Such a unique and beautiful place. It was also neat because the Navajo guys who [...] Read more – ‘Antelope Canyon’.
The second half of the week it was just my parents, Shaun, Klane and me. It was a little quieter, but still lots of fun. We toured Navajo Canyon, went hiking a couple times, surfed, and did a lot of waterskiing. Relaxing and really fun. On our last night we had a fire and roasted [...] Read more – ‘Powell part two’.
We went on a couple really cool hikes this year. The first was in West Canyon. You boat to the end of the canyon, then hike up about a mile, where it turns into a slot canyon that is filled with water in places. Some parts it gets deep enough that you have to swim [...] Read more – ‘Hiking at Powell’.
The week at the lake was so, so great. It’s incredibly relaxing and incredibly exhausting at the same time, in the best way possible. I prepared for the waterskiing this year by working out and trying to build more muscle and I think that actually helped a lot – I wasn’t nearly as dead tired [...] Read more – ‘It’s all about the fun.’.
I had the chance to see my sweet grandparents on the way to the lake. I really miss them and wish I could see them more often. Phone calls and blog comments just aren’t enough! It was wonderful to be with them, even if just for a few minutes as we stopped in on our [...] Read more – ‘My sweet grandparents’.
My cute brother Justin and his wife Andrea came to visit us this week! It was so, so great to have them here. We haven’t seen them since their wedding in March, and since then they’ve spent three months living in Thailand, so there was a lot to catch up on. I so enjoyed spending [...] Read more – ‘Justin and Andrea’s visit’.
Lately it seems like everyone I know is having babies! It’s so exciting to watch so many of my close friends and family members announce their good news, go through their pregnancies and have their babies. It makes me so happy to see them go through this life-changing experience. Plus, it’s really fun to attend [...] Read more – ‘Lindsay’s baby shower’.
We spent Labor Day weekend in the Poconos mountains in Pennsylvania with a whole bunch of friends. We rented a couple houses and spent the weekend relaxing and appreciating the quiet and the fresh air away from the city. It was so much fun. We spent an afternoon at the lake, swimming, reading, paddle-boating, and [...] Read more – ‘Labor Day in the Poconos’.
This week we got the first real taste of fall in the air. It’s cooling down at night, the humidity all but disappeared yesterday, and the past two mornings have been crisp. It’s wonderful. I am so ready. This summer somehow flew by and dragged on at the same time. I’m surprised it’s the end [...] Read more – ‘Finally fall’.
the week i finally got some farmer’s market peaches, the week i tried herbal tea for the first time, the week of date night at the soul food place around the corner, the week the days felt shorter and the nights felt cooler, the week of crepes in the morning and rainy afternoons. it’s been [...] Read more – ‘this week.’.
I’ve been meaning to post pictures of our place for a long time, but never got around to it. These pictures were taken in February so some things look a little different now (the bookshelf is cleaned up and arranged a little differently now, and I like it better), but it’s mostly the same. I [...] Read more – ‘our apartment.’.
Well, Alexa was playing hooky. It was my day off anyway, so I was just along for the ride. And now I can’t think of a better way to spend a Monday afternoon than a long lunch at the Great Lawn, a wander through the Ramble, and a ride on the carousel to top it [...] Read more – ‘that time we played hooky and ended up on the carousel’.
Friend Kelsey gave birth to a cute and very tiny baby boy in June. Ollie came early, at 28 weeks, so there wasn’t time for a shower for Kelsey before he was born. This weekend Kelsey’s wonderful, talented friends and sister threw her a beautiful shower, just a few days (hopefully!) before Oliver gets to [...] Read more – ‘a luncheon for ollie’.
My office was closed for construction this week, which meant that I got the whole week off work. It was fantastic. And now I want to quit my job and stay home all the time. (Since I enjoy having money, I guess I will keep working.) I had so much time to do all the [...] Read more – ‘Time off’.
Saturday we took a last-minute day trip to Swartswood Lake in New Jersey with friends. We picnicked, played wiffle ball, had swimming contests and canoe races, played catch in the sand and relaxed the afternoon away. I am so, so glad we went. I had no idea how beautiful New Jersey was, or what beautiful [...] Read more – ‘Swartswood Lake’.
We rode bikes, I baked 40 cupcakes for the Primary kids, and we relaxed at home. I also have a picture of Klane playing Battlefield with his shirt off and gaming headphones on… but I don’t think the internet wants to see that. I feel like I haven’t had a lot to say recently. The [...] Read more – ‘Scenes from last weekend.’.
I spotted these roses glowing in the evening light reflecting off the buildings across the street. Sunlight shines from all angles in the city, off skyscrapers and cab windows and the like, and sometimes I think I like it best this way. It’s unexpected, a little whimsical, and makes you look twice. I feel like [...] Read more – ‘On Columbus Avenue’.
We got a Blendtec blender and it’s the best thing ever. So far I’ve made pesto sauce, bread crumbs, banana soft serve, protein shakes and smoothies in it. We’ve been drinking lots of smoothies around here lately, most of them green! They are so delicious and a great way to start off the day with [...] Read more – ‘blending’.
Summer Streets is one of my favorite events in the city. Open streets, everyone out enjoying the city, free stuff, fun activities… I love it. And this year Klane was able to come! Which made it even better. And any day that starts with caramelized banana french toast is bound to be a great day. Read more – ‘Summer Streets’.
This week I took my camera along and tried to channel Alexa and notice things more. I want to be better at slowing down, counting my blessings and appreciating the little details that make life interesting and beautiful. This summer is flying by (did anyone else notice it was August already? Seriously. How did that [...] Read more – ‘Hello, again.’.
Alexa and I met up for a leisurely Saturday brunch at Fred’s, then went for a little exploring at the Merchant’s House museum. It’s this great little 19th century house in NoHo that was turned into a museum with the original family’s furniture and decor left intact. Walking inside was like taking a step back [...] Read more – ‘the merchant’s house.’.
Klane went on a camp-out with the scouts on Friday night. We both had the day off work, so I watched/helped him get ready for the campout. Making lists, getting groceries, running errands, and getting packed. I asked him if he remembered to pack deodorant and he actually laughed at me! I guess a boy [...] Read more – ‘friday night in williamsburg’.
Mike and Sara left last weekend. I was really sad. Our apartment felt so empty without them. At first it was weird to have just Klane and me alone in the apartment. We both looked at each other like, “now what?” haha. But it’s been good; this new void in our lives caused us to [...] Read more – ‘Bittersweet’.
The rest of Bryce and Ryan’s visit. We went shopping, ate food and froyo, and went to the met. and watched baseball. Lunch at the Korean Taco Truck in Midtown The first Fro-Yo. It was incredibly hot and humid the week Bryce and Ry were here. So, Fro-yo was justified. We went to the Nike [...] Read more – ‘bryce and ryan’s visit’.
Klane’s cousins Bryce and Ryan were visiting the city this week, so they were here to celebrate the 4th of July with us. It was a fun, patriotic day. We grabbed lunch at Num Pang and then headed downtown to check out some of the historical sights from revolutionary times (reminded me of Boston!), see [...] Read more – ‘The 4th’.
I made these ridiculous s’mores brownies yesterday in a fit of Fast Sunday cravings. Oh my, they were delicious. (Don’t worry, we broke our fast first.) Last night Klane jokingly played Call Me Maybe, and somehow we all ended up dancing around the apartment (Harvard Baseball Team style, with embellishments), and laughing really hard. These [...] Read more – ‘June’.
Here are a few things I’m loving lately….. Colored jeans. I got turquoise ones at Uniqlo for $13. For a trend that obviously won’t last too long, I feel good about such a cheap buy-in. Mini Peanut Butter Cups from Trader Joe’s. Wow, these are addicting. Seriously. Essie Nail Polish. It stays on, FOR-E-VER. The [...] Read more – ‘a few of my favorite things’.
June is the busiest time of year at my office. All the wealthy Upper East Side parents (which make up our clientele) ship their children off to 7 week sleep-away camps for the summer so they can enjoy their beach houses in the Hamptons uninterrupted. The departure date for camp was June 25th and everyone [...] Read more – ‘good riddance.’.
Some of Alexa‘s photos from a late-June evening spent chatting with her and Sara over cupcakes and other sugary treats in the park. We stayed at Sheep Meadow until dusk settled in and the lawn closed for the night, then walked home along Central Park West while thousands of fireflies danced around us. It was [...] Read more – ‘till the fireflies came out’.
I met a lot of strange people today. First was at the post office. While my laundry was in the washer I walked over to Lexington to the post office on 124th to drop off a package. I was innocently standing in line when the 50-something-year-old man behind me tapped my shoulder to ask if [...] Read more – ‘New York, what a strange place.’.
Saturday morning we went to a $7 matinee of Moonrise Kingdom at Lincoln Square. The movie was fantastic; beautiful, interesting, whimsical, and just a wonderful escape. I highly recommend it. Afterward we were feeling adventurous, and the weather was perfect for picnicing in the park. We got takeout and strolled over to Sheep Meadow for [...] Read more – ‘Saturday outing with our favorite roomies’.
Klane turned 28 today! I love my husband. He is pretty awesome. This year I wanted to make his birthday extra special to celebrate all this awesomeness. I tried to get Klane to plan out a really epic birthday for himself. On my birthday I always want to choose whatever I want to do and [...] Read more – ‘Happy Birthday, Klane!’.
On Friday afternoon Sara found out that Project Runway would be filming the first runway show of Season 10 that evening in Times Square. We’ve had a busy week with something scheduled pretty much every night, but when an opportunity like this comes along, you do not pass it up! And we are SO glad [...] Read more – ‘Project Runway in Times Square’.
The Apollo Theater is one of the oldest and most famous music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with African-American performers. Every Wednesday night is Amateur Night, famous for launching the careers of performers like Ella Fitzgerald, Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, The Jackson Five, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, [...] Read more – ‘Amateur Night at the Apollo’.
One summer evening each year, a section of Fifth Avenue known as Museum Mile closes to traffic and the museums open their doors to the public for free. And as a wise woman once told me, “if it’s free, it’s for me!” :) I’ve always wanted to go to the Museum Mile Festival, and this [...] Read more – ‘Museum Mile Festival: the Guggenheim’.
Sunday night we were chilling at home, watching Top Shot. After a couple episodes we were tired of watching tv and trying to think of something to do. That’s when someone had the idea to have our own Top Shot competition. What followed was a couple hours of solid entertainment, tons of laughs and a [...] Read more – ‘Top Shot’.
There are several summer activities that I always want to do, but I never realize they’re happening until it’s too late. Camping in the Hamptons, the U.S. Open, and the Belmont Stakes are a few examples. Well, on Thursday evening Klane informed us that the Belmont Stakes was on Saturday, and we all decided that [...] Read more – ‘A day at the races’.
Shakespeare in the Park has been on our summer must-do list for three years. Tickets are free, but you have to wait in line in Central Park in the middle of the day to get them, which is pretty impossible for people with 9-5 jobs, like us. But this week some of our stay-at-home-mommy friends [...] Read more – ‘As You Like It’.
Annie and Lynsie have both been to the city before, so it was nice this trip to have less of a sight-seeing agenda and kind of just hang out and play it by ear. Saturday we had tickets to the Mets game in the afternoon, so our morning was open. We went to Uniqlo and [...] Read more – ‘wandering + eating + mets’.
This past weekend we had a little Harding sibling party in NYC. Klane’s sisters Lynsie and Annie came out to visit and spent the weekend with us. It was so much fun! They couldn’t have picked a better weekend to be here; we had absolutely perfect weather (sandwiched between muggy warm humid rain last week [...] Read more – ‘Girls day: Sugar overdose + Newsies’.
On Saturday Sara and I had a fun shopping trip. We went to Uniqlo and Kate’s Paperie, with a stop at Levain for giant delicious cookies on the way home. That night we met up with Klane’s cousin Chase and his wife Jessica, who is here for an advertising internship, for dinner at Pio Pio, [...] Read more – ‘Memorial Day Weekend’.
We heard about a free screening of Top Gun on the deck of the Intrepid and went to see if we could grab a seat. We packed snacks and a blanket and picked up Chipotle along the way, all the while preparing ourselves for the strong possibility we would be too late. This ended up [...] Read more – ‘Friday night.’.
{1} the city was sparkling on this crisp morning walk {2} gelato after work with friend joanna {3} cookies for breakfast take the sting off going to work {4} beautiful wednesday evening sunset Read more – ‘Lately.’.
Mike and Sara are here for the summer! (!!!!!!!) They arrived Tuesday and it’s been really, really fun so far. We arranged our furniture to recreate a little bedroom/nook for them in the front room, and we’ve spent the week staying up late watching movies, having dinner together, eating out, watching Vampire Diaries (the girls) [...] Read more – ‘hip-shots of hipsters’.
Saturday was the annual Street Fair at the 87th Street building. The church closes down the street and hosts an awesome street fair, with the youth groups from each ward in the stake running booths to raise money for their summer camps and youth activities. I always miss this activity, this was the first year [...] Read more – ‘Saturday Street Fair’.
I love Central Park in May. It’s so lush and green, but there are still flowers and it’s cool in the morning. I had a lovely walk to work this week which reminded me that it’s not so bad being back from vacation. :) Read more – ‘May’.
Our trip was amazing! We got home yesterday evening and I have been daydreaming about all the fun we had ever since. We took 1,300 photos in Italy. I feel like I have my work cut out for me. There’s also a pile of laundry to do, a house to clean, meals to cook, and [...] Read more – ‘We’re back!’.
We rode the mid-lake ferry to tour Lake Como. We saw the towns of Menaggio, Bellagio, and Lecco, admired the Swiss Alps, and tried to decide which giant lakeside villa was our favorite. We walked through the town of Bellagio and had a picnic lunch in a park nearby with incredible lake views. Next we [...] Read more – ‘Como’.
On our last day in Italy, we slept in and then enjoyed one of the best breakfasts of the trip at our hotel. We made the hike up to Castello di Vezio again, excited to actually see the castle this time. It’s also a breeding and training center for birds of prey, and we happened [...] Read more – ‘Castello di Vezio’.
Our arrival in Varenna was similar to our arrival in Cinque Terre. It was breathtakingly beautiful and so peaceful and quiet. It was unbelievable and more picturesque than I could have imagined. We felt so lucky to be there. We walked along the lakeside trail to get from the train station to the hotel, taking [...] Read more – ‘Varenna’.
Venice is intriguing. It’s so strange that people decided to build a city here in the first place, in the middle of a muddy, marshy lagoon. It was fascinating to learn about the construction of the city. In order to build on top of the mud, the Venetians drove 15-foot wooden poles deep into the [...] Read more – ‘Venice’.
Oh, Venice. Venice is a strange place. Strange and beautiful. We had one day in Venice and I felt that was just about right. The only things on our list for Venice were St. Mark’s Square/Basilica, the Rialto bridge, and just walking around and exploring. Venice is a sight in itself. Our hotel was really [...] Read more – ‘Venezia’.
After a few mediocre meals at expensive restaurants, we developed a new strategy for eating in Italy. A lot of times, we found the most delicious, authentic, amazing food at the tiniest little shops with the lowest prices. For lunch on Friday we decided to wander the streets of Florence, picking up a little of [...] Read more – ‘Florence’.
Big, colorful, strange, beautiful. I really liked the Duomo. We went inside to see Brunelleschi’s renaissance dome that inspired all domes. It was pretty cool. Once again, we loved learning more about the history of Florence, the Medici’s, and the Renaissance. We ended up on the steps of the Duomo several different times, to rest [...] Read more – ‘Duomo’.
Friday morning we got up early and walked to the Accademia to see Michelangelo’s David. In the quiet of the morning, Florence’s empty streets were more charming than ever. We passed the Duomo and enjoyed the piazza in it’s gloriously empty state (knowing that the afternoon would bring the crowds). The David was amazing. It’s [...] Read more – ‘David’.
After our quiet, relaxing time in the Cinque Terre, our arrival in Florence was a bit shocking. Even though RS warned me, I was not prepared for how crowded and intense Florence was! There were hoards of tour groups, and the streets were packed with people. Europe’s high schools also seemed to be on Spring [...] Read more – ‘Firenze’.
The Cinque Terre is a group of five seaside villages cut into the cliffs along the Mediterranean Sea. They are just a few miles apart and normally you can hike from one end to the other in about four or five hours. Due to some serious floods and landslides last October, many of the trails [...] Read more – ‘Cinque Terre’.
Our time in the seaside villages of the Cinque Terre was absolutely magical. We LOVED the Cinque Terre and we loved Riomaggiore, the town we stayed in. One of my favorite memories from the entire trip was our arrival in Riomaggiore. We were welcomed by the sweetest old Italian man named Andrea (aka “Tuba”), who [...] Read more – ‘Riomaggiore’.
Next was St. Peter’s Basilica, which was also VAST. So incredible. We did an audio guide, saw Michelangelo’s Pieta and then climbed to the top of the dome. That was fun and rewarding when we saw the beautiful view of the city from the top. I’m really glad we climbed the dome. After coming back [...] Read more – ‘St. Peter’s’.
After our quiet morning exploring Trastevere, we rushed off to make our reserved time at the Vatican Museum. Once again, RS saved the day by telling us exactly how to skip all the lines. We were especially grateful since it was raining and the line to get into the museum was literally a third of [...] Read more – ‘Vatican’.
Day three in Rome we slept in. It was fantastic and much needed. Around 10 we decided to check out Trastevere, and I’m so glad we did. It was this lovely little surprise, such a beautiful little neighborhood with twisting streets, ivy covered canopies and more cobblestone. We explored the neighborhood and got a crepe [...] Read more – ‘Trastevere’.
Our B&B in Rome was run by this sweet Chinese lady named Isa. She brought us a delicious breakfast in our room each morning at whatever time we requested. It was awesome! Hard boiled eggs, warm nutella-filled croissants, fruit, juice, and yogurt. The hotel also had double paned windows, so it was super quiet at [...] Read more – ‘Ancient Rome’.
I’m still completely overwhelmed thinking of condensing this whole amazing trip into a series of neat little blog posts. There is so much to show and tell! Where do I even begin, and how do I decide what to cut out? I know myself and I know I am not going to be able to [...] Read more – ‘Roma’.
(source) bags: packed. itinerary: planned. every detail. weather report: checked (and re-checked, and re-checked…) rick steves’ italy: memorized. toenails: painted. We’re ready to fly to Rome. TONIGHT. It’s really happening! I can’t believe we’re really going. We are SO. EXCITED. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more prepared for a trip. I couldn’t sleep Wednesday [...] Read more – ‘See ya later!’.
It was a friends weekend for us. On Saturday night we met up with Robby and Kelsey, Pat and Lindsay at Casey and Todd’s apartment for pizza and games. It was really fun to get together and catch up. There’s so much happy news going around lately with our friends. Casey and Todd have their [...] Read more – ‘Friends.’.
After a particularly stressful morning at work, I went to the park for lunch today to take advantage of the beautiful weather. I found a nice spot on the grass next to the lake and plopped down to eat my sandwich, lay in the grass and soak up the sun. After a lovely, relaxing hour [...] Read more – ‘oh, isn’t that nice.’.
These pictures have nothing to do with this post. Just go with it. We went on a date on Saturday night. We decided to try a Moroccan place some friends told us about. It’s on 70th and Columbus but it had a definite downtown feel. The entrance is below street level, at the end of [...] Read more – ‘Moroccan date night’.
We had a little taste of summer today. It was HOT outside! I had an appointment on 71st and Broadway first thing in the morning, and afterward I walked down to Whole Foods at Columbus Circle for groceries, enjoying the warm weather. On the flip side, after hauling my hot laundry home in the middle [...] Read more – ‘summer preview’.
I have a confession. It’s about why I haven’t been very good at blogging lately. It isn’t because I’m super busy with important or time-consuming things. I haven’t been out exploring the city, I haven’t been hosting dinners with friends, I haven’t even been spending my free time blog-surfing. The truth is that all my [...] Read more – ‘lately.’.
I love the pink pom poms that appear late in the blossom season each year. This year I looked forward to them and was so happy to see them when they showed their colors. This, my friends, this is the best time of year in New York. Read more – ‘64th Street’.
Tonight I decided to walk home from work. The reservoir is always surrounded by pink pom poms this time of year, a spectacle I would hate to miss. It’s about 3.5 miles from the office to our apartment, which would take about an hour to walk. I ended up taking the train to stop at [...] Read more – ‘a long walk home’.
We had a really lovely Easter. I always forget how much I like Easter, but I think it’s actually one of my favorite holidays. I love the time of year, when everything is blooming, alive and new, and I love everything that the holiday represents: rebirth, life, resurrection, salvation, and celebration of our Savior’s triumph [...] Read more – ‘Easter.’.
There is a man who sits on the same Central Park benches every morning at 8:30 am. He has two yellow labradors, one usually lays on the bench next to him, the other lays at his feet. I first noticed this man two years ago when I started adding a crosstown Central Park walk to [...] Read more – ‘strangers.’.
Conference was so good. There were several times that I felt like the speaker was saying just what I needed to hear (but doesn’t that always happen? This is why I love Conference). This time I noticed a lot of talks on the family, and a lot on sharing the gospel. Oh man, it was [...] Read more – ‘Conference weekend’.
Alexa and I met up at Totto Ramen for dinner Friday night. Klane had a combined youth activity to attend at the church, so I was free to talk Alexa’s ear off all about my trip to Utah. It was good to get out and try something new, and good to see my friend. The [...] Read more – ‘Totto’.
I’ve officially become one of those bloggers who doesn’t post for weeks at a time and then does a bunch of posts all at once and back-dates them so they look like they were posted when they actually happened. Yes. I’ve become a back-dater. I figure that the purpose of this blog is to keep [...] Read more – ‘Spring’.
One of the best things about the wedding week was just having the family together again. I especially enjoyed hanging out with Michelle this trip. We went to lunch, went shopping together (which was so much fun and I can’t believe we’ve never done it before now), and had lots of time to chat. Thank [...] Read more – ‘Family’.
A trip home wouldn’t be complete without a trip to Sundance to visit the cabin. I went up with my parents and we spent a few hours cleaning the place, getting it ready for the honeymooners, who were heading there after spending a few nights in Salt Lake and a few in Park City. I [...] Read more – ‘Cabin’.
We always seem to end up at one BYU event or another during these trips. This time in was a spring practice for the football team. The stadium was open and there was quite a good turnout of fans eager to see what awaits us this fall. We ate hot dogs and enjoyed being outside [...] Read more – ‘Go cougs.’.
Every day at work, I think about my old job at my dad’s office. It was so much fun. Part of that was all the effort my dad puts in to making his office a happy and team-oriented place to work. But another big part was the group of girls we had working there. I [...] Read more – ‘Shower’.
On Friday, along with the rest of the state of Utah, it seemed, we made a visit to the new City Creek center in SLC. Turns out it is basically a giant shopping mall. I don’t know what I was expecting, haha. Some kind of community center or cultural arts center…? Anyway, it really was [...] Read more – ‘City Creek’.
I was thrilled when I found out the Hunger Games movie came out the same week of the wedding. We planned a Girls Night to see the midnight premier with the Harding girls and my mom. It was so much fun! I think we all felt a little like school girls as we stayed up [...] Read more – ‘Girls Night’.
Andrea and Justin planned out every detail of their reception together and it turned out beautifully. It was held at the Provo Library at Academy Square. The colors were perfect for spring and I loved all the little details, from the table runners to the desserts served on picture frames to the yellow tutus for [...] Read more – ‘Justin + Andrea, the Reception’.
Justin and Andrea’s wedding day was pretty much perfect. Just 48 hours earlier there was six inches of snow on the ground (okay, maybe 4) with more falling… then, miraculously the clouds parted and the big day arrived with blue skies and plenty of sunshine. It was a beautiful day for a spring wedding. Justin [...] Read more – ‘Justin + Andrea, the Sealing’.
Tuesday evening, Sleepy Ridge Golf Course clubhouse. The food was amazing, the company was even better. The happy couple and both sets of parents said a few words. It was great to gather the family together and have a nice, relaxed evening together before the big day. Read more – ‘Justin + Andrea, the Wedding Dinner’.
I made it to Utah after a long day of travel. Stephanie Nielsen’s new book, Heaven is Here, kept me company on my journey. Friend Alexa got an advance copy since she works in publishing and she kindly lent it to me for my trip, but I will be buying it for my own shelves. [...] Read more – ‘Home’.
I leave for Utah on Saturday morning and I’m a little sad I’m going to be missing a week of springtime in New York. Yes, the spring season lasts much longer in the east than the Utah springs I was raised on, so it’s not like I’m going to miss everything. But even so, each [...] Read more – ‘Post titles are the worst part of blogging.’.
Today I went to the park to eat my lunch and sit in the sunshine. It was marvelous. I forgot how amazing the sun feels on my skin. After sitting there eating my sandwich for five minutes I noticed the street performer/statue guy sitting across the way, dressed completely in gold. It seriously took me [...] Read more – ‘Park-sitting, watching the world go by.’.
The weather is gorgeous out and it makes me feel incredibly cheerful. Tonight I took my old walking route and went to Best Yet for some groceries before heading home. I really love our old neighborhood and it makes me happy to visit, even though I’m a little sad I don’t live there anymore. It’s [...] Read more – ‘Warm.’.
PEOPLE!! IT WAS SEVENTY DEGREES OUTSIDE TODAY. I am SO happy. I had to go to the office for CPR training (which turned out to be provided by a large man with a yamaka and hilariously awesome story-telling skills – DOUBLE BONUS) and I decided I would run home after the training was over. It [...] Read more – ‘The hills are alive and so am I’.
Our weekend was spent mostly at home. I buckled down and spent a few hours of planning and got our trip completely mapped out and booked. We’re SO excited. We celebrated by eating homemade coconut Samoas ice cream (I love you, girl scouts. And your cookies). Klane and I are doing this new thing where [...] Read more – ‘Makin plans. Eatin ice cream. Lovin life.’.
The Doc was out of town the past couple days at a conference, and as usual they scheduled construction in the office while he was away and instead of seeing patients we spent a couple days cleaning, catching up on inventory, and – let’s be honest – just hanging out. It’s nice that our boss [...] Read more – ‘A good start to the weekend’.
It was 70 degrees outside today. No, I am not kidding you. I remembered what it’s like to walk outside without a jacket on, and it was glorious. This happens every year, but I’ll say it again. I never realize how depressing winter is until spring comes and suddenly I am deliriously happy. The warmer [...] Read more – ‘Welcome, Springtime.’.
Klane borrowed a bike from his friend Pat and has started riding it to and from work. This is awesome since an unlimited monthly metro card is $104, so riding the bike will save money! Plus Klane gets a little extra exercise. I wish I had a bike now too. This morning Klane took off [...] Read more – ‘i heart mondays.’.
Klane and I have different expectations for what our weekend should be. After a long work week, his idea of a relaxing weekend is chilling out at home. My idea of a relaxing weekend is going out to explore. Neither of us tells the other what our expectations are, and I often feel a bit [...] Read more – ‘Communication is key’.
I can’t seem to stop taking pictures of my food. This week it was honey lime enchiladas, an addicting craisin quinoa salad (which I’ve made THREE times I love it so much), and my morning steel cut oats. Trying to increase the veggie intake and decrease the sugar intake around here. This has naturally led [...] Read more – ‘This week.’.
I just have to say how much I love this show. I finished season two and I can’t tell you how much I loved the closing scene. Was this not the greatest moment?! The falling snow… the lighting… the way Mary made Matthew get down on one knee, and that perfect look he gave her [...] Read more – ‘Long live Downton Abbey (Spoiler Alert!)’.
I had an especially productive Monday. Each Monday when I wake up, I make a list of all the things I hope to accomplish with my time off work. Usually it includes the following: -Laundry -Clean apartment -Exercise -Meal Planning/Grocery Shopping -Blog -(fill in the blank with extras like errands, visiting friends, video chats, etc) [...] Read more – ‘monday monday’.
I’m still grabbing the occasional free cupcake on my way home. I just can’t seem to help myself. Klane decided he “needed” this Afghan shemagh scarf… he showed me pictures of it online and tried to tell me about the many uses of a shemagh… camping, skiing, keeping warm in the winter, going to battle [...] Read more – ‘Life lately’.
After getting all pumped up about running from reading Born to Run, I really wanted to get back into running more regularly. I decided to run another half-marathon with friend Joanna in May, and our training schedule starts February 27th. In preparation for this I’ve started getting up early and running more regularly. I was [...] Read more – ‘Benched.’.
We didn’t go away for the long weekend, but we did have a nice, relaxing time with some fun activities mixed in. Friday night was a scouting night at the church. Klane was with the boy scouts as usual, and I went to the Blue and Gold Banquet for the cub scouts. We love being [...] Read more – ‘Presidents Day Weekend’.
I read this book and I think it changed my life. Below are a few of my favorite quotes. “You don’t stop running because you get old. You get old because you stop running.” “We were born to run; we were born because we run. We’re all Running People, as the Tarahumara have always known.” [...] Read more – ‘Born to run.’.
Abbie and I only have the chance to get together every few months. But when we do, we make it count. Like Thursday night. We met at Beard Papas and as soon as our cream puffs were purchased, it was like hitting “play” on a conversation that had been temporarily paused for the last six [...] Read more – ‘Sweets + girl talk.’.
Our Valentine’s gifting was pretty low-key. I hid little sticky-love-notes around the house, in Klane’s shoes and coat pockets and on his toothpaste for him to find throughout the day. Klane surprised me with a dozen red roses (he isn’t usually big on flowers so this was a fun surprise!). We spent the evening on [...] Read more – ‘Valentine’s Day’.
I have a new friend. Her name is Harper Lu. She’s pretty much the cutest thing ever. Seriously, look at that hair! I’m obsessed. We’re already on good terms, Harper and I, since she decided to come right on her due date, which happened to fall on my day off. Presumably this was so that [...] Read more – ‘Harper Lu.’.
Split a caramel hot chocolate and a pretzel croissant upstairs at City Bakery. Shopped at the sporting goods store around the corner (Klane tried on shoes, I offered opinions), and both got some new cold-weather running gear. Found a great little spot nearby with amazing Japanese sandwiches and wings. Enjoyed good conversation and the feeling [...] Read more – ‘A Saturday date.’.
We invited the Egans, Koellings and Mathenys over for a little Super Bowl party on Sunday. I made slow-cooker bbq pulled pork and baked mac and cheese, and everyone brought a little Super Bowl snack to share. It was really fun to have friends in our home – the first time we’ve hosted in this [...] Read more – ‘Super Bowl Sunday’.
Alexa and I met on a sunny Saturday afternoon on 18th Street to celebrate her birthday. If anyone deserves to be celebrated, it is this girl. She is a wonderful person and a great friend. We celebrated over the Banana Peel hot chocolate at City Bakery. Their hot chocolate is notoriously rich and ridiculously good [...] Read more – ‘Alexa’s Birthday’.
We had the opportunity to go to a concert at Carnegie Hall last night. My friend (and visiting teaching companion!) Jihea happens to be a concert pianist and is part of the Ardelia Trio. She was nice enough to get us tickets for her performance at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall last night, as [...] Read more – ‘Night at Carnegie Hall’.
Klane started his new job today! His new office is actually right around the corner from his old office, just a five minute walk through Rockefeller Center between the two buildings. His first two days have been a little slow, just getting settled in, but he’s really happy with the change so far. He’ll still [...] Read more – ‘First day at BBDO’.
Our Saturday started with breakfast in bed and a run around the park. Have you ever tried broiled grapefruit? You should. It’s amazing. We had ours with poached eggs and toast. It was Klane’s first day in his new barefoot shoes, so we did a shorter run (and I’m going to spend the rest of [...] Read more – ‘I love a good weekend.’.
One of my Christmas gifts was a Barnes and Noble gift card. I love an excuse to wander the isles of a good bookstore. I love the smell, like new paper and bindings with a hint of coffee mixed in. I love having my eyes opened to just how much there is to know on [...] Read more – ‘What I’m reading lately’.
I cut Klane’s hair for him on Wednesday night. I am getting pretty good at it, I use the clippers for the sides and we got some good quality hair scissors that I use for the top, and it only takes me about 45 minutes now (it used to take well over an hour). Klane [...] Read more – ‘Haircuts.’.
It’s a constant battle. I love sweets. I love baking. I have my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe memorized and can whip it up in about 15 minutes flat, a skill which is both useful and extremely dangerous. But I know that sugar is bad for me. I often tell myself that it’s not really [...] Read more – ‘Goals.’.
It’s been a weird winter, with more rain than snow. It hasn’t been too cold, and I swear I saw some buds on the trees the other day. We’re either in for an early spring or a winter that strikes late in the game. Despite the rain, I had the most productive day today. It [...] Read more – ‘Rainy day off’.
It’s January. Blegh. Because it’s January I haven’t taken many pictures lately. Which means I haven’t thought about blogging much. But I wanted to jot down a little update. It finally snowed for the first time this winter, on Saturday. This January is so different from last year, I can’t believe it. I was beginning [...] Read more – ‘January + Casey’s baby shower’.
I was beginning to wonder if it was ever going to snow this winter! I will admit, it crossed my mind that I would not be disappointed if it didn’t snow… but actually, I’m glad that it snowed at least once. It’s always fun the first day. And now this winter is validated in my [...] Read more – ‘Snow!!’.
Just a pretty picture from this evening in the park. I got out of work early when there was still enough light to walk through the park, and the sky looked beautiful over the skyline. Right now it’s hard to believe that there are times of the year when it’s still light out after 9:00 [...] Read more – ‘Light.’.
Alexa and I met for girl talk over dinner at Parm on Tuesday. The chicken parm sandwich was messy and delicious, and it’s always great to catch up with Alexa. I’m inspired by her; she has such a lovely outlook on life, finds beauty in everyday moments, and approaches each day with purpose. She makes [...] Read more – ‘Dinner downtown, dessert uptown’.
I agreed to cover for someone at work today. When she asked me in December, I didn’t realize that the day I was agreeing to was a holiday and that Klane would have the day off. (This same thing happened last year, why didn’t I remember that?) Normally I don’t mind covering for someone on [...] Read more – ‘Martin Luther King Day’.
I love technology. Tonight we got to “attend” Ethan’s birthday party via Facetime. We sang Happy Birthday to Ethan along with the family, watched him blow out the candles, open presents and cut the cake. It’s so fun to look through that little window into a room filled with family, thousands of miles away. We [...] Read more – ‘Facetime birthday party’.
This week was frigid! It still hasn’t snowed, which is strange compared to the insane amount of snow we had last January. I enjoy the chaos that a good snowstorm brings, making the daily routine funny and out of the ordinary. New Yorkers can’t be so serious and hurried when they’re slipping and sliding and [...] Read more – ‘Cold… and a Great Jones date’.
For Christmas, Klane gave me the ice-cream maker attachment for my Kitchenaid and a Ben & Jerry’s recipe book. We have been eating a lot of homemade ice cream around here lately. So far we’ve made oreo mint and chocolate chip cookie dough. Both were delicious! A blogging note: when used with our blog template, [...] Read more – ‘Ice cream and resolutions’.
We are back in New York after a Christmas vacation that was nothing short of wonderful. We were in Utah for over two weeks and I loved it! It was so nice to have so much time. We didn’t feel rushed at all, which made for a much more relaxing and fun trip. We had [...] Read more – ‘We’re home!’.
We spent New Year’s Eve up at Sundance with our good friends the Markham’s and their cabin-neighbors the Moe’s. We had delicious fondue, it was like the Melting Pot! Kevin and Lisa did a deep fryer and a broth fondue to cook steak and chicken and scallops, and a yummy cheese fondue, and we did [...] Read more – ‘New Year’s Eve with the Markhams’.
2011 was a great year! After looking through my photos and remembering all the fun we had, I am feeling so grateful for the wonderful year that was 2011. There were endless opportunities for good times with the people who mean the most to us: our amazing family and friends. A little look back at [...] Read more – ‘2011’.
The Grafs and Markhams met at Magleby’s restaurant for a delicious breakfast buffet. I saw Santa on State Street A shot of Mom’s Christmas tree on Christmas Eve Went to Annie’s house a couple times. Caught a bit of Jimmer playing in the NBA Sara and I wore the same color sweater – and the [...] Read more – ‘Moments from Christmas Break’.
I secretly hoped Justin and Andrea would ask me to take their engagement photos in Utah, and I also thought that pictures at Sundance in the snow would be great. So when Andrea asked me to take their photos, I was really excited! And then when she suggested we take pictures at Sundance in the [...] Read more – ‘Justin and Andrea’s Engagements’.
Annie and Lynsie brought their kids down to the house for the afternoon and we spent the day playing. Our nieces and nephews are so cute and so much fun. We miss them when we’re away and it’s so fun to catch up on all the time we’ve missed. I’m just happy when the younger [...] Read more – ‘Just hanging out’.
I had this idea that I needed to see the Christmas lights at Temple Square this year. Klane was less than enthusiastic, saying he was satisfied seeing them once every five years or so, but I persisted and a trip was planned. We went up to SLC with Mom, Dad, Justin and Andrea to see [...] Read more – ‘Temple Square + Red Iguana’.
Christmas morning we got up bright and early and drove up to the Graf house to open presents with my siblings. Justin and Andrea finished up with her family and came over around 9:30 so we could open presents. The raddest present: The tiniest present: My cute dad had to keep his foot elevated because [...] Read more – ‘Christmas Day’.
Klane and I spent Christmas Eve at the Hardings home. We enjoyed a delicious dinner of cornish game hens, among other things. Each of the little hens was given a name, which was hilarious. The kids were adorable and funny and we all sat down in the family room to watch some of the church’s [...] Read more – ‘Christmas Eve’.
The Magleby’s generously offered their front row tickets to the BYU game, so Dave and Kaylene brought Klane and I to the game. It was such a different experience sitting on the front row! I kept imagining how amazing it would have been to be in those seats during Jimmermania. It was a fun game [...] Read more – ‘BYU Basketball Game’.
Klane spent four days with his dad Dave and brother Mike on what they dubbed a “Ski Safari” in Idaho and Wyoming. They had a blast and I am so glad they got to go, because it turned out that this was the only skiing anyone did over the break since there was pretty much [...] Read more – ‘Ski Safari’.
When we returned from our trip to Cedar City, Klane was still up in Idaho on his ski trip. Missing him, I pulled out my old journals to re-read about when we first met and started dating. I’ve always been quite the journaler, and have a large collection of journals full of details and drama [...] Read more – ‘Like old times’.
While Klane was on his Ski Safari up north, I headed south with my parents and brother Brandon to Cedar City to spend some time with extended family. We spent two days in Cedar visiting with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. It was a great time! I especially loved our Family Home Evening at Grandma [...] Read more – ‘Cedar City trip’.
One last sunrise in the city on my way to work this morning. I worked a half day and in a few hours I’m heading to the airport for my flight to Utah! Klane has been there since Thursday and I’m getting quite jealous of all the fun he’s been having without me. (Plus, eating [...] Read more – ‘Utah here I come’.
hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream. twinkle lights in the windows. gifts wrapped in paper and tied up with string. catching up before parting ways for the holidays. alexa and i met up at cafe lalo for a last hurrah before christmas vacation. we had a lovely time, as always. we exchanged christmas gifts; [...] Read more – ‘Cafe Lalo’.
It’s been a lovely Christmas season so far. The weather has been unseasonably warm up till now, and I am not complaining one bit. It’s made for nice nights out with my honey, strolling along Fifth Ave, Christmas shopping and browsing, and admiring all the lights and holiday cheer of New York at Christmas time. [...] Read more – ‘Loving the holidays’.
After work on Monday I strolled down to Klane’s office to meet him for some Christmas shopping. We had plans to search for a pea coat for him (one of his Christmas wishes). He was just finishing up at work, so I told him I’d go wander around Rockefeller Center and take pictures for a [...] Read more – ‘fhe date night’.
I’ve been asked how I got my hair this color. Well, it has been a long and arduous process (insert sarcasm here) involving two dye jobs, 15 months, a couple weeks of solid sun exposure, and whole lot of laziness. Let me give you the deets. Five Steps to Natural Hair color: Step 1: Highlight [...] Read more – ‘Five Steps to Natural Hair Color’.
What was that you said? You said you wanted to see a gazillion pictures of Klane and me frolicking in Central Park? Well, fancy that! I happen to have a gazillion pictures of Klane and myself frolicking in Central Park, just laying around on my computer. So here you go. (In all seriousness, I was [...] Read more – ‘Christmas Card Pictures’.
On Sunday evening we finished up dinner, bundled up and ventured out to attend the Park Avenue tree lighting on 92nd street. We were a bit late (and I was a bit upset), but it turned out for the best. As we were walking there, we heard music echoing through the quiet streets and slowly [...] Read more – ‘Park Avenue Tree Lighting’.
Walking through Columbus Circle last week, I had a vision. Klane and I would come here for a romantic holiday date. We would wander through the Christmas market, sipping hot apple cider and tasting fresh gingerbread along the way. We would grab a treat in Time Warner Center and stand on the 2nd floor balcony [...] Read more – ‘Holidate’.
It was so warm the week of Thanksgiving. Unbelievably warm. On Saturday it was 65 degrees and sunny, so we spent a good portion of our time wandering some of my favorite parts of Central Park. It was such a nice day. Of course our park adventure was surrounded on both sides by delicious food [...] Read more – ‘Saturday in CP’.
After a leisurely Thanksgiving day, we went for a walk down 5th Avenue to see the holiday windows. Bergdorf Goodman’s windows were spectacular as always. We should have saved them for last, because after starting there, everything else was a bit of a letdown. :) It was a fun night though. We were so lucky [...] Read more – ‘Holiday Windows + Empire State Building’.
I had a vision of my whole family gathered around a big table for Thanksgiving dinner in our apartment. So I sent the boys four blocks up the street to the church to borrow a table. They dutifully carried the table and four chairs to our apartment for dinner, and then brought them back to [...] Read more – ‘Thanksgiving’.
Kyle, Michelle and Kaylie arrived Tuesday evening just as we were getting home from seeing Memphis on Broadway. It was so fun to come home and find them there! Justin and Brandon arrived early the following morning. It was so great to have my whole family together in the city. I loved it! Klane and [...] Read more – ‘Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade balloons by night’.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Christmas in NYC is truly magical. The lights, the music, the holiday markets, the feeling of cheer on the streets, and the way exciting, magical things unexpectedly happen. My parents and I were on our way to meet Klane and go to the Radio City Christmas [...] Read more – ‘Christmas. Spectacular.’.
I have had the most exciting, happy, exhausting, delicious, fun, best week! After my birthday (and it was a great one,) my parents flew in on Saturday night. We continued my birthday celebrations and started into holiday celebrations, and the rest of my family arrived a few days later to spend Thanksgiving at our home [...] Read more – ‘My family came to visit’.
I can be a bit obsessive. I get on these kicks where I cannot stop thinking about something for several days until I get it out of my system. Be it a recipe I want to try, an article of clothing I want to buy, or a project I want to do, it will consume [...] Read more – ‘My latest obsession’.
I celebrated my 25th birthday on Friday. It was everything I could have hoped for; a really perfect day. I took the day off work and spent it doing only things I wanted to do. It was wonderful. I don’t think I’ll ever go to work on my birthday again. I started the day off [...] Read more – ‘A perfect birthday’.
This made me laugh really hard today. I don’t know, for some reason I just thought it was hilarious. The longer I look at it the more I laugh. It’s like, the exact same picture. Except one is a cat and one is a baby. And they were posted right next to each other. What [...] Read more – ‘Instagram’.
In the middle of last summer, I went with a bunch of Klane’s coworkers for drinks after one of their softball games. His friend Colin showed up a bit late, and said he had been at a Quidditch match. I was floored that there are actual Quidditch leagues, and eagerly asked Colin about it. He [...] Read more – ‘Quidditch World Cup’.
We had a real date on Friday. Complete with dinner out and entertainment other than Netflix on our couch. It was so romantic. We went down to the Lower East Side to finally try the Meatball Shop. We’ve been hearing great things about it for a very long time, so we put our names on [...] Read more – ‘A real date’.
It seems that every other day lately, I come home and say to Klane, “Today was the peak of leaf season. It is beautiful out there! Today was definitely the peak.” Then a couple days later I come home and say, “No but really, today was definitely peak. For reals. It was amazing.” I think [...] Read more – ‘Peak’.
The New York City Marathon was on Sunday. Turns out the marathon route goes right past our apartment, at mile 22. We heard cheering and screaming on Sunday morning, so we went out and walked down to the corner to take a look and see what there was to see. Lucky for us, we happened [...] Read more – ‘NYC Marathon’.
Friend Lindsay shared this video on her blog, and I couldn’t help but copy her and share it here too. I love how it clearly explains what the Book of Mormon is, and how the man in the video shares specific verses of scripture and what they meant to him. In my interactions with people [...] Read more – ‘The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ’.
I was scheduled to work early this morning. Like, leave the house when it’s still dark outside early. But i was excited because the leaves on my walking route are just about perfect right now, and early in the morning is the best time to take pictures. I brought the tripod along and left myself [...] Read more – ‘The early bird catches the best light’.
Happy November! I really cannot believe it’s already November. Time is flying by so quickly. But I love autumn, and I’m happy to welcome one of my favorite months. The month of gorgeous fall leaves, the month of hot chocolate in the evenings, the month of boots and scarves and coats and layers, the month [...] Read more – ‘Welcome, November’.
Because most New Yorkers live in apartment buildings, traditional trick-or-treating on Halloween becomes difficult. Some kids trick-or-treat within their building, some go door to door at stores and restaurants, and some hit streets lined with mostly single-resident homes which open their doors to trick-or-treaters. On Halloween night, I headed down to just such a street [...] Read more – ‘69th Street Trick-or-Treat’.
Ila invited me down to help decorate the front stoop for Halloween with her and Mira. It was a fun, festive Halloween activity! The result was pretty fun! Read more – ‘Halloween-ifying the stoop’.
Because of the snow, the Magleby’s went to TWO broadway shows on Saturday. After the matinee of Wicked, they came outside to discover that it was still snowing, so they went over to get tickets for that night’s performance of How to Succeed. Klane and I met up with them for dinner at Shake Shack [...] Read more – ‘How to Succeed’.
For the last two years it has not snowed in New York until mid-December. People in Utah posted pictures of early snowfall in October and I kind of laughed and thought, Boy, I’m sure glad that doesn’t happen HERE! Well, I was wrong. That does happen here. Saturday it snowed all. day. long. It was [...] Read more – ‘Snow??!’.
For the last two years I have always wanted to attend the Procession of the Ghouls at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. I’d heard about it from several different people as one of the coolest Halloween activities in the city. It also happened to fall on the weekend that Steve and Dayna were [...] Read more – ‘Procession of the Ghouls’.
Our landlady, Ila, invited us to a dinner she hosted to celebrate one of India’s most important holidays: Diwali. Ila is a great cook and she created quite a feast for the occasion. Diwali means “Festival of Lights”, and I helped Ila light candles on the steps and front courtyard in honor of the holiday. [...] Read more – ‘Diwali : India’s Festival of Lights’.
Our friends Shane and Alyssa Markham came to visit the city and stayed with us over the weekend. It was so fun having them here! On Saturday night the four of us when to dinner with Pat and Lindsay at Ovest Pizzoteca in Chelsea. The pizza at Ovest was delicious and the nutella dessert pizza [...] Read more – ‘Markhams come to visit’.
Klane and I went for a run on Saturday morning. He had a genius bar appointment at the 5th Avenue Apple store, so we decided to run there since it was so gorgeous out. The park is looking gorgeous right now with the leaves starting to change, and we really enjoyed our run. Klane pointed [...] Read more – ‘Saturday morning in Midtown’.
Klane and I had a real live date on Friday night. We went out in search of a good bahn mi sandwich and ended up walking from 27th and Lex down to Washington Square Park. It was perfect fall weather out and a great night for a walk. We got sandwiches at Num Pang (Cambodian [...] Read more – ‘Date night’.
Andrea tagged me, and I am in a huge blogging slump so I am going against my usual protocol and doing the tag. Seven random things about me… 1. I’m not a fan of things like email forwards or blog tagging. I usually refuse to participate on principle. (This means I must really be in [...] Read more – ‘7 random things’.
Tell me this house is not the most spectacular Halloween-ish thing you’ve seen today. Seriously? Seriously. I was speechless. I love New York. Read more – ‘Nightmare on 69th Street’.
It rained all day today. The leaves are starting to change. It was so pretty in the park this morning. It makes me want to plan fall activities like apple-picking and attending Halloween-ish events. Love this time of year! Read more – ‘Scenes from my walk this morning’.
I don’t really have a lot to say lately. Life is good. But I haven’t taken any pictures so I don’t have anything to blog about. The leaves are starting to change. It’s been beautiful weather this week, even with the rain the past couple days. I am remembering that I really do love Fall. [...] Read more – ‘same old same old’.
I’m not sure if the reason I haven’t blogged for so long is because so much has been going on, or because nothing has really been going on. Life has been busy lately with lots of regular, everyday things. Babysitting for friends and neighbors, hosting a leadership training meeting for Primary, lunch with friends downtown, [...] Read more – ‘Catch up’.
We were shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Steve Jobs (founder of Apple) on Wednesday night. I knew his health was deteriorating, but he was one of those people who you never imagine will actually die before his time. I was surprised by how sad I was when I Klane told me [...] Read more – ‘Thanks for everything, Steve’.
General Conference was so great. I really felt like so many of the talks were meant for me and what I’m going through in my life right now. There were two major themes that really stood out to me. One was the Book of Mormon, that it is true and because it is, it is [...] Read more – ‘General Conference’.
I got tickets to a Mets game from my work, so we hopped on the 7 and rode out to Queens for a night at Citi Field with the Galbraiths. Citi field is really new and nice, we ate yummy food from Shake Shack, and Joanna and I caught up after a long time of [...] Read more – ‘Mets Game’.
We packed up and left Lake Powell first thing on Wednesday morning. (Well, second thing. First thing my parents and I had to take one last great ski. I caught a nasty flu bug midway through the trip which had me flat on my back for about 36 hours, so I needed to make up [...] Read more – ‘Two extra days in Utah’.
Evenings on Lake Powell are beautiful. The sunset light reflects off the red cliffs, and the whole place glows. We usually ate a delicious dinner, then watched a movie on top of the houseboat (using a projector and a sheet for a giant screen), lit fireworks, or had a fire. I slept on top of [...] Read more – ‘Evenings on the lake’.
One of our most exciting adventures of the trip was rappelling. Kevin set up a small 50 foot rappel by our campsite for us all to practice on Friday, and then on Saturday we loaded into the boats and headed up Navajo canyon to do a couple bigger rappels that Kevin had done before. We [...] Read more – ‘Rappelling in Navajo Canyon’.
You guys, I’m really not motivated to blog right now. But I still have lots of pictures from Lake Powell that I want to post. I just don’t know what order to put them in… so I think I’ll just dump a bunch on one big post. My parents own a timeshare on a houseboat [...] Read more – ‘More fun at Lake Powell’.
It started in Phoenix and ended in Salt Lake City and it was better (and longer!) than I could have hoped. I had so much fun at Lake Powell that on the way to the airport Thursday morning I didn’t want my trip to end, so I rescheduled my flight for Saturday (with Klane’s blessing) [...] Read more – ‘Lake Powell’.
I was lucky to be able to start my trip in Arizona with Kyle and Michelle. Michelle and Kaylie picked me up at the airport around noon and it was so fun to spend the day with them. We went to lunch and then hung out at their cute new house. I love what they’ve [...] Read more – ‘A day in Arizona’.
Over the weekend I babysat friend Meghan’s dog while she was away for a wedding. The original plan was to pick up Penny and bring her to our apartment, but my landlady vetoed that idea as soon as she got wind of it. So instead, Klane and I went over to Meg’s apartment on Roosevelt [...] Read more – ‘Roosevelt Island’.
Fashion show! Fashion show! Fashion show at lunch! (10 points to whoever can name that show.) Eliana is getting her masters in fashion design from the Academy of Art University, so she scored tickets to the academy’s runway show. And lucky for me, she decided to take me along with her extra ticket! On Friday [...] Read more – ‘Academy of Art University runway show’.
This week is New York Fashion Week. Models walk the runways at Lincoln Center showing the Spring 2012 collections of top designers, celebrities are out everywhere, and special events and parties take place all over the city. Admission to runway shows and special events is by invitation only, but the biggest party of the week [...] Read more – ‘Fashion’s Night Out’.
This week has been so busy. September is the busiest time of year at my office; all our patients return from their summer vacations and “absolutely need to be seen” before school starts. And since I do most of the ordering of supplies in the office now, that has consumed most of my lunch hours [...] Read more – ‘Summer fades’.
Labor Day weekend always sneaks up on me. Summer flies by so fast and before I know it it’s September. I’m not ready to say farewell to summer quite yet. Cooler temperatures definitely sound appealing, and I am looking forward to all the great things about fall. It’s just that after autumn comes winter. And [...] Read more – ‘Labor Day Weekend’.
I’m going to be honest, this week wasn’t my favorite. For a three day work week, it sure seemed unbearably long. Work has got me feeling overworked and under-appreciated, and I’m getting tired of the way my office runs. I miss working at my dad’s office where everyone was best friends and we all worked [...] Read more – ‘This week’.
Klane and I went down to Grand Central late Wednesday night during the final hours that his ads were up to take some pictures. I’m so glad we went – I liked these ones even better than the ones at Penn Station. It was fun to wander the station with Klane as we set up [...] Read more – ‘Tropicana in Grand Central’.
I finished my little Book of Mormon Challenge last week, so I thought I should report back with what I learned. Our trip to Hawaii kind of threw me off and I ended up finishing in 6 weeks instead of 4… but still, reading the whole book in 6 weeks was faster than I’ve ever [...] Read more – ‘BoM Challenge – Finished!’.
Everyone was prepared for the worst. Hundreds of thousands of residents evacuated their homes. Professional sporting events, Broadway shows and thousands of flights were cancelled. Everything from stores to airports closed for the weekend. Windows were boarded up. Our church services for Sunday were cancelled. Hoards of New Yorkers crowded into grocery stores and Home [...] Read more – ‘Come on, Irene.’.
Klane isn’t one to toot his own horn… so I will toot it for him. :) This post will probably embarrass him… sorry babe! Klane’s latest big project at work was a New York specific campaign for Tropicana. They bought out all the ad space in Grand Central Station, Penn Station, and covered the inside [...] Read more – ‘Proud wife moment’.
It’s going to be a wet, windy weekend! Hurricane Irene is headed for NYC and everyone is talking about the approaching storm. Including, apparently, the national news – which has got some of our relatives in Utah very nervous about Klane and I being blown away by the storm. To assauge the fears of my [...] Read more – ‘“Batten down the hatches!”’.
Every summer, on three Saturdays in August, the city’s streets turn into a playground for New Yorkers to bike, run, walk and play. Park Avenue and connecting streets close to traffic and open to the public, creating a pedestrian walkway all the way from Central Park to the Brooklyn Bridge (over 5 miles). It’s called [...] Read more – ‘Summer Streets’.
Klane was away at Scout Camp for four days last week. While he was gone, I spent my evenings watching my shows (Project Runway, Friday Night Lights, the Bachelorette), getting reacquainted with Jillian Michaels workout DVD, blogging about Hawaii, and staying up far too late reading blogs. It was nice to have some time to [...] Read more – ‘Caught in the rain’.
As the trip’s end drew near, I started experiencing the all too familiar last-day-of-vacation blues. I always get kind of sad at the end of the vacation knowing I have to leave soon. I start to feel a little panicked, like, “Did I really make the most out of my time here? Have I done [...] Read more – ‘Maui 2011 – Until next year…’.
Every evening we went to dinner somewhere, and usually enjoyed a beautiful sunset. From our hotel we walked along Kaanapali Beach to get to Hula Grill and Leilani’s. The night the video was taken, Kyle, Michelle, Justin and Andrea went to a Luau. Here they all are on the night of family pictures. (By the [...] Read more – ‘Maui 2011 – Evenings on Maui’.
One of the things my family loves to do on our vacations is find and enjoy the best food from whatever place we are visiting. We definitely love to eat! We discovered The Gazebo and their ridiculously amazing breakfast last year, and actually ended up eating there twice in one trip because it was just [...] Read more – ‘Maui 2011 – The Gazebo’.
Another of our favorite spots to visit on Maui is D.T. Fleming Beach. In December, the waves there get huge and are amazing for boogie-boarding (we have yet to take up surfing), but the rest of the year the boogie-boarding is still good. We had a great time catching some waves at Fleming on Thursday. [...] Read more – ‘Maui 2011 – D.T. Fleming Beach’.
After traveling to Maui together for several years, my family has discovered our favorite things to do and spots to visit. We still try new things or travel new places almost every trip and hang on to the favorites. It’s interesting to see how things change on the island as time passes. One of the [...] Read more – ‘Maui 2011 – Honolua, Deep Sea Fishing, pool time and Family Pictures’.
Our family trip to Hawaii was amazing. In the car on the way to the airport Klane asked me what my favorite part of the trip was. It was hard to pick one thing, but I decided that the best part of the trip was just being with my family. It was so much fun [...] Read more – ‘Maui 2011 – Road to Hana’.
We are home from Hawaii and readjusting to normal life. I have over 600 photos to sort through, edit and narrow down before I post. I’m working on it! It was strange to come home from our trip to an empty house. Mike and Sara are gone. I am sad! It’s kind of lonely around [...] Read more – ‘Farewell, dear roomies’.
Sara was nice enough to take Mike and I on a tour of the Martha Stewart offices on her last week there. We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside, but I did take some out the windows and from the roof. It was AMAZING! The offices are huge, clean, open and white. With a million [...] Read more – ‘Tour of Marthaland’.
I arrived at JFK at 5:30 am Monday morning after a red-eye out of Salt Lake Sunday night. After a long train ride home, I crashed into bed at 8:00 am and slept till noon. I was a little bummed to be away from the family, and totally exhausted from the flight. But then! I [...] Read more – ‘Afternoon with Abbie’.
Traditionally, when a missionary comes home, he or she gives a talk in church soon after their return. It’s a way for them to report on their two years of service to the ward family, and for the ward to welcome them home. Justin spoke on Sunday and his talk was awesome! He has gained [...] Read more – ‘Luncheon at the Graf house’.
A smattering of random photos from my Utah visit…. aaaaand go. Thursday night after I flew in, my parents, Brandon and I drove up to Midway to visit Willie Holdman‘s gallery at his house so my parents could pick out some pictures for the office. It was totally awesome!! It was so inspiring to see [...] Read more – ‘Randoms’.
The thing I miss most about Utah is all of our family and friends there. But a very close second is the beautiful mountains. I really do miss the endless opportunities to be out enjoying nature that you get in Utah. Flying into SLC I love when the plane banks over Utah Valley, offering a [...] Read more – ‘A taste of nature from the Beehive State’.
My weekend in Utah was nothing short of wonderful. My younger brother Justin returned from his mission in Toronto Canada after two years of service, and the family gathered to celebrate his return and welcome him home. I don’t like to over-dramatize things, but it really was a perfect weekend. Filled with family, friends and [...] Read more – ‘Homecoming’.
It’s been a slow week. My office is closed for construction, which means that we’re not seeing patients but if we still want a paycheck we can go in and sit there listening to saws and hammers and inhaling paint fumes and finding things to pass the time. This is where I’ve been hanging out [...] Read more – ‘A real live post. Are you proud? You should be proud.’.
A heat wave hit NYC last weekend and it was intense. Walking outside felt like stepping into a sauna. Or an oven. A sweaty, sticky oven. Imagine you closed the bathroom door, took a 30 minute shower, then blow-dried your hair, and maybe you also decided to bake a cake in there and cook some [...] Read more – ‘Day of Food’.
Suddenly this week we realized that our time with Mike and Sara here is quickly slipping away. We only have two more weeks! It’s time to seize the day and check some things off our list before they have to go home. With this in mind, we decided to see Catch Me If You Can [...] Read more – ‘Catch Me if You Can’.
I’ve been loving all the chances I’ve had to be in the sun at the beach or pool this summer. This week Dr. Salzer (one of my bosses) hosted a pool party at her house. She lives in a gorgeous home about an hour’s drive outside the city, in Long Island. Jen and her husband [...] Read more – ‘Office Pool Party’.
Recently I read that Natalie was doing a little Book of Mormon challenge. Read the BoM in 31 days – 8 chapters a day for a month. I’ve never read it through that quickly before and decided to go for it. I’ve been reading for a week and it’s amazing how far you can get [...] Read more – ‘Book of Mormon challenge’.
- 85 degrees and sunny with a slight breeze - took the A all the way from 125th to the beach, zero transfers, 75 minutes (!!!) - followed a friend’s recommendation to a less crowded surfer beach - salt water taffy, sandwiches, apples and crackers - soaked up the sun, body surfed in the waves, [...] Read more – ‘The Perfect Saturday:’.
Summer has been good to us here in the Harding house. My opinion of summer in NYC has improved greatly due to the addition of central air conditioning in our apartment. It has been hot hot hot and humid, but our apartment is our safe haven. I’ve been walking in the park as usual, taking [...] Read more – ‘Lately’.
there really is nothing like fenway. the oldest ballpark in the country, it has so much character and history and style. i love that it’s so small. even the worst seats are still great. it feels so personal. i love the red brick everywhere, it is so boston. i love the signs throughout the park, [...] Read more – ‘fenway makes my heart melt like a popsicle on the fourth of july’.
i am obsessed with beacon hill. we walked around there for a few hours on the fourth of july. it was humid. and also quaint and patriotic. and beautiful. so beautiful. we said we wished that people still built houses with character and that we would love to live in a house like this one [...] Read more – ‘Beacon Hill’.
First thing on the Fourth of July, we went to City Hall for a flag raising ceremony and a parade. We recited the Pledge of Allegiance and listened as the National Anthem was sung. It was so patriotic! I felt proud to be an American and so grateful to live in this country and enjoy [...] Read more – ‘Independence Day’.
We started out the day the touristy way with a duck tour. It was really fun! It did however make us realize how awesome our audio tours had been, because we already knew a lot of the details the tour guide pointed out from our audio tour. It was fun though and a great way [...] Read more – ‘Sunday in Boston’.
Sara said something to that effect at some point in our trip and I couldn’t agree more. It really felt like Disneyland. There are well preserved historic buildings everywhere so you feel like you’re in a 1700′s theme park, people were running around dressed in costume doing reenactments and having photos taken with tourists, there [...] Read more – ‘“Boston is like the Disneyland of American History.”’.
Boston Harborfest is the annual Fourth of July celebration for the city of Boston. This year it was held June 29-July 4, and there were so many awesome activities going on all around the city as part of the festival. It was an amazing time to be in Boston. We attended several of the Harborfest [...] Read more – ‘The British are coming!’.
We went to Boston for the Fourth of July weekend. It was AMAZING! I can’t think of a better place to celebrate Independence Day. Boston is so full of American history and patriotism. There were so many fun activities going on around the city for the holiday, and we did and saw so much over [...] Read more – ‘Bahhhston’.
I went to a baby shower for Lauren, a friend from our ward. She’s our Primary president and I don’t know what we will do without her when she has her baby! But I am really excited for her. The shower was hosted at Mary Silvera’s amazing apartment on 110th street. She has the most [...] Read more – ‘Baby Shower’.
Rubi planned a girls night since it’s her last week before she and Stanton move to Paris. I was sad we missed their amazing bon voyage party on Saturday (you want to click on that link, trust me), so I was excited to party on Monday night! I have never been a huge fan of [...] Read more – ‘Girls Night: Karaoke in Korea town’.
The weather was great on Saturday. We had a low-key picnic on the Great Lawn while watching a coed softball game, which was actually quite hilarious. Afterward, Mike and Klane played catch while Sara and I met up with Joanna at the Met to see the Alexander McQueen exhibit. Alexander McQueen was a famous fashion [...] Read more – ‘Great Lawn picnic + Alexander McQueen at the Met’.
Sharing our apartment with Mike and Sara has been super fun so far. It’s like a constant party around here. It helps that Mike and Sar are so easy to live with. They’re so considerate and clean (thanks guys!). Half the time they cook, half the time I cook. We’ve been splitting dishes and cleaning [...] Read more – ‘Midnight snacking’.
Ever since I started running in high school, I’ve had to deal with injuries. I got horrible shin splints and saw a podiatrist who made me custom orthodics to use for running. They helped for a while, but the problem kept coming back. I was told to buy ultra-supportive running shoes to correct my problem [...] Read more – ‘Barefoot’.
Yesterday we had a little combined birthday celebration in honor of Casey and Klane. Good friends, yummy snacks, great conversation and a slice of double chocolate birthday cake from Amy’s made for a perfect Sunday evening in the park. This is becoming a tradition and I love it. Walking home as night fell over the [...] Read more – ‘Birthday Party in Central Park’.
To the man who raised me from birth, taught me to ride a bike, and took me on camping trips with the boys, shared with me his passion for waking up at first light to catch the glass at Lake Powell, guided me into the profession I practice and love, and taught me through example [...] Read more – ‘Father’s Day’.
The birthday festivities continued on Saturday with a trip to Rockaway Beach. We got a late start on the day and arrived at the beach later in the afternoon. This was probably for the best since our lily-white skin couldn’t have handled a full day in the sun. It was so relaxing to lay on [...] Read more – ‘Beach Day’.
Klane turned 27 on Friday! Happy Birthday to my cute husband. You’re my favorite. I love you so much and I’m glad you were born, all those years ago. ;) I made Klane breakfast crepes in bed to start off his day right. He isn’t exactly a morning person and he went back to sleep [...] Read more – ‘Happy Birthday, Klane!’.
It started innocently enough. One day a few weeks ago I learned that Sprinkles was giving out free cupcakes to the first 50 people to say a secret phrase at each Sprinkles location, and went in to try it out. And they totally gave me a free cupcake! No strings attached! I thought, Well, that [...] Read more – ‘I think I have a problem…’.
Being loyal Red Sox fans, seeing a Boston vs. New York game at Yankee Stadium was at the top of our list of things to do with Mike and Sara this summer. We got tickets for the last game of a three-game series on Thursday night. After watching Boston beat the Yankees in the first [...] Read more – ‘Red Sox sweep the Yankees’.
A while back, Klane flew out to Los Angeles to film his first TV commercials. He and Johnny were the art director/copy writer team behind the new campaign for Know How 2 Go, the Ad Council’s website designed to help teens prepare for college. It was so cool to see the making of the TV [...] Read more – ‘Know How 2 Go’.
Sara and I went to see Memphis on Wednesday. It was incredible!! We had the best time! We got student rush tickets for $25 (how did I not know about this before now??!) and they turned out to be FRONT ROW seats!! The show was AMAZING! The music, the dancing, the costumes, the acting, it [...] Read more – ‘MEMPHIS!’.
It had been far too long since I’d seen Alexa’s face, so we planned to get together this week. Alexa, Joanna and I met up for a cupcake picnic at Sheep Meadow. The orange cupcakes were surprisingly delightful (maybe they tasted better because they were free) and it was great to catch up on some [...] Read more – ‘Cupcakes in CP’.
Mike and Sara arrived on Saturday! It is so fun having them here. Everyone probably thinks we’re crazy for sharing our apartment for so long, but we think the next 10 weeks are going to be a complete blast. We started the summer off right with a super fun day. The stars aligned and Annie [...] Read more – ‘They’re here!’.
I’ll admit that I was a little wary going into our backpacking trip in southern Utah. I had never really been backpacking before (just one quick overnighter at Silver Lake), so I felt kind of unprepared and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was open-minded though, and thought I would probably really enjoy it [...] Read more – ‘Backpacking: Bullet Canyon and Grand Gulch’.
Our main purpose for our trip to Utah was to go backpacking through Bullet Canyon and Grand Gulch with Klane’s parents and Mike. But that took all of 2.5 days, so the rest of our time was filled with family, a few friends, and a whole lot of food. Utah County’s restaurant scene is rockin [...] Read more – ‘Good Eats in Utah Valley’.
We love playing with our nieces and nephews when we go home. Kids grow up so fast, and I feel like we’re missing it. Sometimes I worry that the littlest ones will forget who we are since they only see us a couple times a year. Thankfully their moms have been vigilant about showing them [...] Read more – ‘Maybe I’m biased…’.
One of the things I miss most about living in Utah is the family gatherings. Birthday parties, Sunday dinners, and sporting events were all great excuses to get together and enjoy each other’s company, and both of our families get together often. I was so happy that we were in town for Tessa’s birthday party [...] Read more – ‘Tessa’s birthday’.
We got back from Utah on Monday morning. It was an awesome trip! I want to post all about it. But we are so busy getting our apartment all ready for Mike and Sara’s arrival on Saturday. We’ve spent the week building furniture and hanging pictures and ironing drapes and going to Ikea and so [...] Read more – ‘Alive but busy’.
I feel obligated to update the world on the fact that we are currently on vacation in Utah. Kissing babies and taking pictures and hanging out with family and preparing to go backpacking in Grand Gulch on Tuesday. Here is my cute nephew: Over and out. Read more – ‘We are in Utah’.
Klane started his summer softball league with DDB, so Joanna and I went down to the lower east side to be supportive wives and watch the game. The fields where they play are in the middle of nowhere, as far from public transit as you can get. It’s quite a hike to get there and [...] Read more – ‘Summer Softball’.
Several weeks ago I noticed the famous Sprinkles dots being put up on a storefront around the corner from my office. I was so excited. I have heard about Sprinkles (the original cupcake bakery) for years, and had never tried it. I walk by the store every day on my way to the train, so [...] Read more – ‘Jumping on the bandwagon never tasted so good’.
I went to Chicago for the weekend! It was fun. I didn’t bring the camera, so there you have it. The best part of my trip was hanging out with my parents. A close second was all the good food I ate, including two instances of deep-dish pizza. I also enjoyed touring the city with [...] Read more – ‘I went all the way to Chicago and all I got were these lousy iPhone pictures’.
This week…. I hung out with Abbie and kids at Union Square on Monday. We chatted at the playground, had falafel sandwiches for lunch, and went to Strand. It was so fun to catch up. Abbie is one of those friends who you don’t have to see often to maintain a great friendship with. We [...] Read more – ‘This week’.
Oh, hi. It is also Mother’s Day! Hello! Yes! Important thing! I love my mother. She is my best girlfriend. I am realizing more and more how blessed I am to be able to say that. Not everyone has a great relationship with their mother! I am so lucky. My mom is so great to [...] Read more – ‘Happy Mother’s Day’.
We’ve had such a great weekend! Klane was here and we got to hang out the entire time. It was so great. We went running together Saturday morning, and we stopped at the Conservatory Garden to walk around. It was amazing! I had never seen it in full bloom and it was gorgeous. Later on [...] Read more – ‘Better together’.
I love them. They’re wilting fast, though. These pictures were taken last week, and already about half of these flowers have lost their petals. Each stage of springtime is beautiful, though, and I am loving the full, green trees. Klane is still busy busy busy, working late each night this week. Tuesday night I decided [...] Read more – ‘Park Avenue Tulips’.
Oh my gosh you guys, life has been CRAZY lately! Can I tell you about it? If I promise to show you pictures afterward? Okay. First of all, we’d been waiting to set up our living room until 1) we had the sofa professionally cleaned (seems like a good idea when buying something off craigslist) [...] Read more – ‘Crazy life update + Saturday Street Fairs’.
On April 28th (last Thursday) we celebrated 4 years of marriage. It was a really low-key “celebration”, since we aren’t settled into our new apartment and Klane has been working till midnight or later most evenings. In fact, things have been so hectic that we both kind of forgot about our anniversary until the day [...] Read more – ‘Anniversary’.
I recently started using instagram and i love the look of the pictures it turns out. It's so fun! These are a few from this week so far.
I was so productive on Monday. It was awesome. I think I checked 20 things off my to-do list. Changing our address, a massive trip to Target (you know it's big when I, the most frugal person ever, decide to take a taxi home), scheduling appointments, organizing the apartment, dropping off old stuff at Goodwill, doing the laundry, cleaning... and much more. Read more – ‘Busy busy’.
The move went so well! A big fat thank-you goes out to all our wonderful friends who came (in the pouring rain, no less) and helped us on both ends. They were amazing and together we got the job done so quickly and relatively painlessly – I’m sure I’m not the only one who is [...] Read more – ‘Moving day!’.
We currently have half our lives packed into a growing stack of boxes in the corner behind me. It’s weird to be in our apartment all half-empty like this. I think if I pack a few more tonight and a few tomorrow, we’ll be all ready for Saturday morning. Klane had a softball game tonight [...] Read more – ‘Hangin out with Joanna’.
It’s been rainy on and off lately. Days of perfect weather mixed with chilly, rainy days. That’s springtime for you. It’s been nice. I took these pictures last week after work when I decided to wander a bit instead of going straight home. We have been busy the last week. I’ve worked the last two [...] Read more – ‘Rain.’.
My Grandma Marilyn is a beautiful person. I try to call her fairly regularly to catch up and get a little taste of her goodness in my life. She’s one of the most loving, selfless, Christlike people I know. I miss her and I wish we lived closer and could see her more often. One [...] Read more – ‘For Grandma Marilyn’.
Next Sunday we’ll join with the rest of the Christian world in celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. No wonder we celebrate Easter in springtime, when everything is coming back to life. This week I’ve been struck with the powerful symbolism of the world waking up from a long, cold, dead winter to a beautiful, [...] Read more – ‘Thoughts on this Sunday’.
i love new york in the spring! hurray for blossoms and fire escapes and buildings and blue skies and happy people! i had this glorious moment yesterday where i walked through a cool sidewalk clothing sale, then as I stepped into the street a flock of pigeons glamorously rose into the air in front of [...] Read more – ‘yesterday was a pretty perfect day.’.
I have a renewed goal to lose those pesky last 10 pounds before our trip to Hawaii this summer. I’ve been using LoseIt on my iPhone to track my progress, and to add to my motivation I’ve set up a rewards system. Every few pounds I lose, I get to buy something for summer! (As [...] Read more – ‘My summer 2011 must-haves’.
I took the camera along today, despite the rain and wind, because the blossoms come and go so quickly I was worried I would miss them! Klane will get after me for posting so many pictures… but obviously being selective is not my strong point. Oh well. There are worse things in life than posting [...] Read more – ‘Springtime is beautiful!’.
I have become seriously disillusioned with blogging lately. I know that I should keep a record of our lives. But the fact that I feel obligated to do this makes me want to do it less. I don’t want to blog because I feel like I have to. And life seems so mundane lately, I [...] Read more – ‘Here is a new post for you to read.’.
What was that you said? You said you wanted to see a bajillion pictures of the cherry blossoms? Well, okay then! (They are the reason we came on this trip in the first place, after all. Well, that and the food. But mostly blossoms.) 10 points to the first person to spot Klane in the [...] Read more – ‘Cherry Blossom Festival’.
After a continental breakfast at the hotel Sunday morning, we walked around the corner and up the street to Eastern Market. Plenty of pretty things to admire and interesting things to look at and yummy foods to taste. I love a good market. Especially one with free produce samples. ;) Does anyone else think cauliflower [...] Read more – ‘Sunday morning at Eastern Market’.
I will be honest with you. Our only plan for this trip looked something like this: 1) See the cherry blossoms 2) Eat food That was about it. So we found our restaurants of choice and then filled in the blanks in between. After lunch on Saturday our only other plan for the day was [...] Read more – ‘Library of Congress’.
We’re back from our whirlwind weekend trip to DC! The Matheny’s were the perfect travel buddies, and we had so much fun hanging out with them. It was a quick trip – we were in the city for about 28 hours – but it didn’t feel rushed and I think we made the most of [...] Read more – ‘Weekend in DC: Capitol Hill’.
I have felt so out of it lately. My brain and body are like Sheep Meadow: “Closed for the season.” I am super tired and unmotivated to do much of anything when I get home from work. On my days off I stay in bed until noon and don’t get much of anything done. Can [...] Read more – ‘Thoughts on a Thursday’.
Generally I try to keep it positive on this blog, while still being realistic. I’ve heard criticism for people who portray their life as “perfect” on their blog, but I also don’t think anyone wants to read my complaints or see my dirty laundry hanging all over this web space. Especially because so often those [...] Read more – ‘Date night makes everything better’.
BYU lost. In overtime. I can’t talk about it. I weigh as much as I ever do and I feel so discouraged about the 15 pounds I want to lose before Hawaii this summer. I smashed my head on the corner of the bathroom mirror so hard I thought I’d split my head open for [...] Read more – ‘Terrible horrible no good very bad day’.
Can you feel it? Central Park was full to capacity with people yesterday as I walked home from work. It was warm outside. WARM! It felt so surreal to be walking outside without a coat on. Sheep Meadow is still closed for the season, forcing people to sprawl out on every open surface of rock, [...] Read more – ‘The first signs of Spring’.
Staying up too late Pizza with friends Jimmer lovin’ Watching four basketball games at once Glued to the TV instead of working Smack talk with coworkers, patients, family and friends It’s MARCH MADNESS baby! Read more – ‘Let the Madness Begin!’.
The weather warmed up just in time for thousands of people to swarm the streets of NYC for St. Patrick’s Day. I took advantage of the sunshine and took a stroll over to 5th Avenue at lunchtime to check out the parade. It was crowded and green and festive and filled with shamrocks, bagpipes and [...] Read more – ‘St. Patrick’s Day Parade’.
This morning it rained. I was feeling a little gloomy as I trudged into the park in my rainboots with my rickety umbrella, bracing myself against the persistent chill lingering late into March. Stupid March, I thought bitterly, Isn’t it supposed to be springtime already? Why is it still so freaking cold? I am so [...] Read more – ‘Dear Spring, Please come now. Best, Angie’.
Good MORNING everyone!!! This is the extent of my recent obsession with Absolute Bagels. I strapped on the old running backpack (I got it last year to carry my clothes when I regularly ran home from work) and mapped a three-mile course which conveniently stopped by the bagel shop around mile 2. I even packed [...] Read more – ‘Week in review’.
Klane is working late tonight. He worked late several nights last week. He worked all day Sunday and into the night. And he has informed me he will be working late pretty much every night this week, too. (It should be mentioned that contrary to what might be assumed, my husband is not a crazed [...] Read more – ‘Just killing time over here’.
Sara came to town! She took time out of her busy schedule touring exciting design studios, etc to spend the day with us on Saturday. We lucked out with a beautiful, sunny, 60 degree day, sandwiched between freezing 25 degree temps on Friday and buckets of pouring rain today. It was the perfect day to [...] Read more – ‘Sara visits + my new calling’.
Levain Bakery opened their newest location yesterday. It is two blocks from my apartment. Naturally, I went straight there after work to pick up some dinner on the way home. The cookies were amazing as always. Warm and gooey and huge and rich and soft and delicious. It was every bit as satisfying as I [...] Read more – ‘Levain’.
Let’s hear it for the weekend! Hip hip hooray! After our magical trip to Absolute Bagels on Presidents Day I could not stop thinking about bagels all week long. So on Saturday morning we went back for more. I decided we should be healthy and run there and back (it’s about a mile each way), [...] Read more – ‘Bagels, BYU & Brunch’.
On my weekend trip to Utah in January, our beloved little Canon became quite ill. The poor guy’s shutter was locking up and he was out of commission as far as picture-taking duties were concerned. Klane has been telling me for weeks that he was going to send the camera in as soon as he [...] Read more – ‘He’s baaaaaaaaack!’.
Friday evening a fierce wind swept into the city and blew so hard it made the fire escapes rattle and the windows creak, and with the wind came a cold front that slapped us in the face and brought winter back in full force. All day Saturday the arctic wind howled and the apartment walls [...] Read more – ‘Thanks for the bagels, Mr. President’.
Last month Klane and I were released from our callings as Sunday school teachers for the youth. Klane still has two callings to keep him busy, but I have been floating along blissfully in that space between being released from one calling and called to the next. There is this funny thought process that goes [...] Read more – ‘Called to serve him, heavn’ly king of glory’.
Saturday morning is probably my favorite type of morning there is. We wake up slowly and stay in bed until 11:00, reading or playing on our phones or snuggling. This morning I made the best french toast in the world!!! And then we sat in bed looking over our finances on Mint while making electric [...] Read more – ‘I do love breakfast in bed’.
Today was glorious. Miraculous! Beautiful! Gorgeous! Unbelievable, even! The people that swarmed the streets soaking up the sunshine seemed equal parts elated and befuddled. Many people were eager to jump into this premature Spring with both feet, donning short flowery dresses, sandals or shorts. Then there were the people walking around in coats and scarves, [...] Read more – ‘A taste of spring to come’.
I left work ten minutes early the other night and the sky was sort of still light! It was surprising and amazing! Temperatures rose suddenly to the mid-50′s this week, and New York is coming out of hibernation. There’s a hum in the air, you can feel everyone’s excitement that the end of winter is [...] Read more – ‘Spring is in the air…’.
this weekend i…. facetimed with lyns and the kids – mollie was so cute, waving and saying “hiiiiii!” went for a run in cp with klane – first one in months, omg we’re out of shape made cake bites with alexa – overdosed on sugar sugar sugar read harry potter – getting toward the end. [...] Read more – ‘lazy weekend recap’.
This blog is getting a little bit ridiculous. I was thinking about it this morning while I was cutting out little notes and taping them onto little boxes filled with little cake bites to give to my little visiting teachees at church today. Remind me why I’m doing this, again? (Not the visiting teaching notes, [...] Read more – ‘What I am doing here.’.
My morning routine is pretty set in stone. The alarm goes off at 7:00. I turn it off and lay there with my eyes closed, drifting in and out of sleep for a few minutes until the guilt sets in strongly enough to push me out from under the covers. After making myself presentable and [...] Read more – ‘It’s the little things’.
I often see these trailers set up in the streets around my office. They’re a sure sign that a TV show or movie scene is being filmed that day (this time it was Gossip Girl). The neighborhood where I work is really picturesque, so a lot of filming goes on there. One day a few [...] Read more – ‘A post about celebrities.’.
I had a dentist appointment this morning. Can I just take a moment and say how much I love my dentist? When Dr. Schneider does the exam at the end of the appointment, he releases a barrage of positive affirmations about your teeth the entire time. As he’s poking around in there he says in [...] Read more – ‘Wingardium leviosa!!’.
Friend Joanna posted the story of how she and her husband Johnny met, and I so enjoyed reading it and seeing their old pictures that I thought I’d do a little “how we met” post of my own. Thanks for the idea, Jo! … In December 2005, my brother Kyle returned from his mission in [...] Read more – ‘Our love story’.
I don’t know what that Shake Shack post was all about. I think it happened because it was Friday night and Klane was away at scouts and I was searching for something to entertain myself besides finding and eating every piece of chocolate in the house. Which was also very entertaining, I must admit. It [...] Read more – ‘Weekend’.
What is it about Shake Shack that has us all so obsessed? This is not a criticism. I am as obsessed as the next person. This is a reflection on the amazing-ness of this NYC institution we all love so much. Mmmmm. Sooooo much. Klane and I went to the Galbraith’s last Saturday to watch [...] Read more – ‘What’s shakin?’.
My dad is in the bishopric of a singles ward. Those kids love my parents. (And who wouldn’t? My parents are pretty dang fabulous.) Recently, one of the guys in their ward approached them about being his subjects for a film competition. The challenge: Make a video answering the question, “How is lifelong love possible?” [...] Read more – ‘Keep that love alive’.
I am currently reading blogs on the floor while attempting to stretch out my legs. Monday I got reacquainted with Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred after a four month break. Jiiiiiiiiiillllllllllllliiiiiiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnn………. So. Sore. I waddled (rather than walked) across the park to work this morning, since my legs felt kind of like jello. Things got interesting [...] Read more – ‘Ice is nice.’.
In a fit of Monday afternoon boredom, after exhausting the entertainment value of cleaning every corner of our 375 square feet, grocery shopping, dropping off clothes at Goodwill, reading Harry Potter in front of the space heater until I passed out for two hours, and eating two servings of individual chocolate cake, I finally resorted [...] Read more – ‘This is not a pity party post’.
Welcome, February! It’s about time February showed up, I started to think January was going to hang around forever. She certainly left her mark; there are seven foot high snow piles on every street corner. Since it is now the month of love, this post is about the guy I love the most. What a [...] Read more – ‘My husband is the man’.
Well, it is official. My camera is broken. So we’re sending it in to get fixed. That smart husband of mine, always thinking ahead, got an extended warranty on the camera when we bought it three years and one month ago. So we’re safe. (Whew!) Since I don’t have any glorious high-resolution photos to display [...] Read more – ‘The many faces of me’.
Has anyone seen The Day After Tomorrow? In the movie, NYC gets buried in snow about 50 feet deep. I remember a scene where the New York Public Library is almost completely covered in a giant snow drift. That’s kind of how we’re feeling this month here in NYC. It has snowed like CRAZY. Record-breaking [...] Read more – ‘The day after tomorrow’.
Last night around 9:00 I headed across town to Johnny and Joanna’s place for the BYU game. It was just starting to snow again, and hard! There was lightning and thunder while I was walking to their apartment. I have never seen that in a snow storm before, it was the weirdest thing. We thoroughly [...] Read more – ‘Man vs. Wild’.
It snowed most of today and yesterday, and it is supposed to keep going for the next couple days as well! The snow is beautiful, I just love it. Tuesday morning there were huge fluffy flakes floating down all morning. My favorite kind. :) I am back in New York and life is good. Klane [...] Read more – ‘Snow!!’.
I’ve had such a fun time in Utah this weekend! I’ve crammed so much fun and so many people I love into such a short amount of time. I’ve loved every minute. I wouldn’t say I’m completely ready to go home today, but I can definitely say I made the most of my time here. [...] Read more – ‘Fun weekend in Utah’.
This week I came on a super secret trip to Utah. I haven’t been able to blog about it because I wanted to surprise my sister-in-law Annie. I came to meet this little guy: I guess it wasn’t too super-secret, since most people knew I was coming, except Annie. She was the only one I [...] Read more – ‘Surprise!’.
The first two weeks of January we were kind of in hibernation mode. We didn’t see any of our friends (except at work and church, which is a given). Last Saturday everyone started to come out of hibernation and began making plans to see each other. I had a fun day full of reunions with [...] Read more – ‘Reunions’.
We had a pretty good snow storm this week. We woke up to 8-10 inches of snow, which is a lot for here! As I was getting ready to walk out the door in the morning, I thought, I should probably bring the camera…… And then I shrugged and rushed out the door. I have [...] Read more – ‘10 inches of the white stuff’.
Today was my day off. This morning I was getting ready to tackle some major cleaning and needed something to distract me for a bit. I was listening to this song while looking at some pictures from Christmas break. Then I decided the two should be combined. So here you go. Kind of fun. As [...] Read more – ‘Random happenings and a video, just for fun.’.
Here is how we rang in the New Year…. On New Year’s Eve, we went skiing at Sundance. The canyon had been closed the previous day because of an avalanche, which meant that we got plenty of delicious powder that was relatively untouched. It was one of my favorite days at Sundance that I can [...] Read more – ‘Happy New Year’.
Harding Family Theme 2011: SIMPLIFY “Let us simplify our lives a little. Let us make the changes necessary to refocus our lives on the sublime beauty of the simple, humble path of Christian discipleship—the path that leads always toward a life of meaning, gladness, and peace.” -Dieter F. Uchtdorf This year’s family theme was inspired [...] Read more – ‘2011 Family Theme’.
Started the year off right by quitting my job at the dental office in midtown, greatly increasing happiness in keeping with our 2010 family theme). Got a new grocery store that changed my life Went to Utah in March Started walking in CP to get to work, saw the first signs of springtime Celebrated our [...] Read more – ‘2010: Year in Review’.
Here are some random pictures from our trip. Lots of family, lots of presents, lots of dinners, lots of playing with the kids, and a whole lot of Kaylie. She is the first and only grandchild in my family and we are kind of obsessed with her. Kyle and Michelle (Kaylie’s parents) moved to Arizona [...] Read more – ‘Images of Christmas break’.
We have had such a great vacation in Utah so far. Sleeping in, losing track of what day it is, playing with adorable nieces and nephews, hanging out with family, eating lots of good food, enjoying the big sky and the huge, majestic mountains. When we first got here it felt a little weird to [...] Read more – ‘Utah, sledding, good times’.
There’s a baby and a puppy at my house this Christmas… And a new wide angle lens (that sneaky husband of mine…) So maybe this is the best Christmas ever? Merry Christmas! Read more – ‘Happy Christmas’.
Lynsie and Nathan left at noon Wednesday, so Lynsie and I spent her last morning doing a little more exploring. We started at Columbus Circle and walked up Broadway to see Lincoln Center and the temple. After grabbing a toasted bagel and hot cocoa for breakfast, we enjoyed a nice stroll through Central Park to [...] Read more – ‘Lincoln Square and CP’.
After a delicious Chinese dinner at Chef Yu (good food/bad service, if anyone was wondering), we convinced Nathan that paying $20 tickets to go to the top of the Empire State Building was actually a good idea. Because it was freezing cold outside, there was no wait to go to the top. Dashing through the [...] Read more – ‘Empire State Building’.
Lynsie and I did so much on Tuesday. We covered a ton of ground and checked so many things off our list. Christmas shopping, sight-seeing, food-eating… it was great. I’m sure we walked a few miles. I met up with Lyns in Times Square (they stayed at the Marquis thanks to Nathan’s work conference, which [...] Read more – ‘Doughnuts, and how we burned them off’.
I have been really into sugar lately. With all the patients bringing treats to our staff at work, and all the treats I like to make at home in honor of the holiday season… there has been a lot of sugar in my system the last month. So when an opportunity to have cookies for [...] Read more – ‘Christmas cookie exchange party’.
Lynsie, Klane and I spent the afternoon at the American Museum of Natural History looking at a lot of really cool stuff. (I am having a hard time writing lately, obviously. “Really cool stuff”? Sometimes I just want to write nothing and let the pictures speak for themselves. Anyway.) Top on my list of really [...] Read more – ‘Really cool stuff at AMNH’.
Klane took Monday off to come play with Lynsie and me. We wandered the Village, which was charming as ever decked in holiday style, then did some Christmas shopping in SoHo and on Canal Street before having lunch at Nyonya, a yummy Malaysian restaurant. It has been so fun having Lynsie and Nathan here this [...] Read more – ‘Christmas in the Village’.
We went for a walk up Fifth Avenue to see the windows with Lyns and Nathan. Good times, lots of crowds. Especially at Rockefeller Center! We should’ve known better than to go on the Saturday night a week before Christmas. Push and shove, people, push and shove. There were masses (MASSES.) of people at Rockefeller [...] Read more – ‘Christmas in Midtown’.
Saturday I worked in the morning, so Klane showed Nathan and Lynsie around Central Park for a few hours. I met up with them in the park and we walked over to The Met. I seem to end up visiting the same exhibits when I go there with visitors, but it’s always amazing. We hit [...] Read more – ‘Central Park and The Met’.
Klane’s sister Lynsie and her husband Nathan are in town! It’s been so fun having them here and showing them around the city. Lots of fun adventures, lots of yummy food, lots of pictures and hopefully blog posts to come. We’re only halfway through their stay so there is more fun to be had. Saturday [...] Read more – ‘Angel Tree at the Met’.
For the sake of documentation, here are a few photos of me and my friends from work at our Staff Christmas Dinner last week. The Doc treated us all to a delicious Italian dinner at Gemma in the East Village. I really like my friends at work. We have a pretty large staff of over [...] Read more – ‘Staff Christmas Party ’10’.
The Cathedral of St. John the Divine is practically in our backyard. It is a beautiful, massive structure; the fourth largest Christian church in the world. We’ve enjoyed visiting, exploring the halls and chapels, hearing choirs singing on Sunday afternoons, and just standing in awe at the sheer size of the place. So when my [...] Read more – ‘Christmas Concert at St. John the Divine’.
After breakfast on Saturday, Klane split to go work on a freelance job he’s doing and Amanda, Alexa and I went for a little walking tour of the East Village. It’s such an eclectic, funky neighborhood. We found some cool little holiday shops, second hand stores, and boutiques. It was a lot of fun! We [...] Read more – ‘East Village’.
Saturday morning we went for brunch at Clinton Street Baking Company. After hearing about this place for a long time and then reading glowing reviews on yelp, we had to try the blueberry pancakes. Apparently they would change our lives forever because they’re the greatest thing on the planet. We waited in the cold for [...] Read more – ‘Clinton Street Baking Co.’.
I have great luck. The only two times I’ve randomly decided to walk through Strawberry Fields in the last six months, it happens to be the anniversary of some milestone in John Lennon’s life. Which means that I expect to stroll through a semi secluded spot and instead find myself surrounded by masses of people [...] Read more – ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’.
Have I mentioned I love this city at Christmas? There are so many festive things to do and see. Sunday evening we met up with friends at the red brick Presbyterian church on Park Avenue for caroling and the lighting of the trees. I loved this event. We got there a bit early; it was [...] Read more – ‘Park Avenue Tree Lighting’.
I met up with Alexa and Amanda to check out Eataly, a fancy Italian market owned by Mario Batali. Martha Stewart actually recommended it at her show on Monday, so when Amanda suggested going there I was excited. We saw Emeril Lagasse there, drinking wine and shopping for ridiculously expensive groceries. Alexa and Amanda even [...] Read more – ‘Eataly + Christmas Market + Max Brenner’.
I loved Winter’s Eve last year. It came at the perfect time; we had just returned from Thanksgiving break in Utah and I was feeling a little homesick. Winter’s Eve was my first introduction to Christmas in the city, and it was just what I needed to welcome me back to New York and get [...] Read more – ‘Winter’s Eve 2010’.
Kaylene and I went to the New York Public Library to see the Rose Main Reading Room. It was spectacular, maybe even more so than I remembered. The woodwork and detailing is just gorgeous. And the room is huge. We also loved seeing the Christmas decor throughout the library. This city is magical at Christmastime. Read more – ‘Christmastime at New York Public Library’.
I have a lot of blogging to catch up on. I still haven’t finished Dave and Kaylene’s visit and they left almost a week ago! Klane has been busy with some freelance work, so he has needed the computer in the evenings when I would usually blog. As usual, life has been crazy busy and [...] Read more – ‘Grand Central Holiday Fair’.
Monday morning I had tickets to a taping of the Martha Stewart show. Joanna graciously gave up her ticket, which allowed Kaylene and I to go together! We had so much fun. We were worried we wouldn’t get in (a la Rachael Ray), so all the way there and while we were waiting in line [...] Read more – ‘Oh, Martha’.
Saturday morning we headed downtown to explore my favorite neighborhood. We went to Extra Virgin for brunch and had the BEST caramelized banana french toast, among other things. (Must figure out how to recreate that taste. Kaylene and I brainstormed about it for the next three days.) Maybe the best brunch I’ve had in the [...] Read more – ‘West Village Walking’.
I loved having Klane’s parents here this week. I think Thanksgiving might just be the best time to visit New York. You get the last of the fall leaves, the Thanksgiving parade, and the beginning of all the Christmas festivities! We took full advantage of all this and enjoyed a great week together. Thankfully the [...] Read more – ‘Holiday Windows Walking Tour’.
This Thanksgiving was one we will always remember. It was the year we transported a 17-pound turkey, stuffing and yams (fresh out of the oven and HOT) out to the street, into a cab and across New York City for dinner. It was the year we shared Thanksgiving with our New York family – our [...] Read more – ‘A Memorable Thanksgiving’.
We are celebrating Thanksgiving this year with Klane’s parents, who are in town for the week, and some of our best friends. Right now we’ve got a turkey in the oven and yams boiling on the stove, and I thought I should take a moment to sit down and tell you what I’m grateful for. [...] Read more – ‘Thankful’.
Let me just start by saying I am blessed to have the best girlfriends a girl could ever ask for. Let me also start out by saying that Friday night was the most fun I’ve had in a long time! It was definitely one of my favorite all time NYC nights. I forever want to [...] Read more – ‘Night out with my girls’.
Klane has a way of making birthdays special. He’s a surprise kind of guy. I love surprises, so things work out just perfectly for us. All I knew about the evening of my birthday was that I was supposed to meet Klane at a specific time at Bryant Park. I killed time after work by [...] Read more – ‘My Birthday’.
Wednesday started out with beautiful weather and beautiful leaves on the walk to work. The morning at work flew by, and the doc bought lunch for the staff to celebrate the November birthdays (me and three other girls). Free birthday lunch! Score! That afternoon we had four tickets to go to a taping of Late [...] Read more – ‘On Wednesday we saw Jimmy Fallon’.
Tuesday’s birthday celebrations included dinner with my good friend Joanna from work. She’s also a November baby so we treated each other to dinner, and more importantly, to chocolate at Max Brenner. Over delicious appetizers, and then churros dipped in chocolate fondue and raspberry sauce, we discussed the perils of the dating world and Joanna’s [...] Read more – ‘Max Brenner with Joanna’.
Well. What a WEEK! Whew! I could blog about this week until the end of next week, but with Klane’s parents coming to visit for Thanksgiving, next week is sure to be completely packed with bloggable (I just decided that’s a word) material too. So let’s just get right to it. Monday started with an [...] Read more – ‘Birthday week begins…’.
This week has been an absolute whirlwind! I have been so busy celebrating my birthday and have been out late pretty much every night. I've taken a lot of pictures and will be blogging soon. It wasn't until this morning when I was at work that I realized I completely forgot to announce the winners of the Buttoned Up giveaway! Read more – ‘Whirlwind week + giveaway winners announced!’.
375 square feet + 8 good friends + 1 BYU game + 2 TV’s + 1 giant pot of chili and 1 pan of cornbread + 5 girls decorating 30 sugar cookies = a really fun Saturday. I am amazed we can fit this many people in our apartment without it feeling totally crowded! Saturday [...] Read more – ‘football + friends + food’.
I have talented friends. Take Casey, for example. She works in advertising in both creative and account management, she’s worked with startup restaurants and clothing lines, and now she has started a style consulting business! Amazing, right? Last weekend I was privileged to spend the morning with the lovely ladies of Buttoned Up style consulting, [...] Read more – ‘Buttoned Up + our first Giveaway!’.
6:05 pm. The crescent moon hovers over the lights on Park Avenue. It always looks so much bigger in real life than it does in photographs. Today was a weird day. Joanna and I had tickets to a taping of the Rachael Ray show. I took the morning off work and got all spiffy for [...] Read more – ‘me and the moon’.
It has been getting dark earlier each day, and I’ve been soaking up my last evening central park walks of the season. Now with end of daylight savings time, darkness falls at about 4:30 pm. I try to avoid walking through the park alone in the dark, so my evening route has officially changed for [...] Read more – ‘saying goodbye to dusk over sheep meadow.’.
I have a lot of friends who are November babies. Four of us got together to plan a little birthday celebration for each other. Rubi, Ashley, Candice and I had fun planning our party, which evolved into a rainbow-themed soiree when Rubi suggested a rainbow layer cake. The party turned out to be totally fabulous [...] Read more – ‘The rainbow soiree’.
The Koellings hosted a fun little gathering at their place Sunday night – a Bring Your Own Mug hot cocoa party. :) We love Pat and Lindsay, they are so fun and such good hosts (oh, and they have the cutest apartment EVER). This was a great excuse to get together with friends, and a [...] Read more – ‘Hot Cocoa Party – BYOM’.
Klane went on an exciting trip to Los Angeles last week to film his first commercial! (I told that to someone at church and they thought I meant he was an actor in the commercial. HAHAHAHA! No no. Of course, he is dashingly handsome enough to be, but no, he is definitely not an actor.) [...] Read more – ‘Klane went to LA. I ate lots of chocolate.’.
Strand sells books on the sidewalk on 5th Avenue. Some for a dollar! I think it's quite a beautiful thing. I will be back, next time with cash in hand. Anyone have a good book recommendation? Read more – ‘Sidewalk bookshop’.
I have been trying to take more "city" pictures, to more accurately document my life. Despite how it may appear on my blog, I do not actually live in Central Park. Read more – ‘This is where I live’.
The weather the past few days has been ridiculously gorgeous. Sunday it was downright warm outside, a balmy 68 degrees. It was honestly a perfect day out. So we met with friends at the park for a picnic and fall leaf tour. The park was busy busy busy which made for lots of activity and [...] Read more – ‘Park. Friends. Picnic. Leaves.’.
What better way to get in the Halloween spirit than a trip to Sleepy Hollow? On Friday night we went on a little excursion there with friends. Sleepy Hollow is a quaint little town along the Hudson where Washington Irving lived when he wrote the famed Halloween tale, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Under the [...] Read more – ‘Sleepy Hollow + The Blaze’.
Well, I didn’t get up in time to photograph the sunrise, but I did leave for work about 20 minutes earlier than usual so I could take some pictures of the changing leaves in the optimal morning light. It was nice. I really should take more pictures of the city. You know, buildings and such. [...] Read more – ‘The first leaves’.
I went to Free Friday the MoMA with friend Amanda while Klane was at the church teaching and making trail mix with the scouts. Amanda and I had the most delicious pasta at the MoMA cafe (oh, and walked around and looked at art, too). I was up before the sun on Saturday for a [...] Read more – ‘This weekend…’.
I walked in the park during lunch on Thursday. I was on the phone with my mom, solving all the world’s problems (you wondered what we have to talk about for an hour every day, that is it.), while watching the seals playing at the Central Park Zoo. It’s been noticeably cooler this week, and [...] Read more – ‘Come what may, and love it’.
We have been busy busy lately. Working, eating, sleeping, watching movies… yeah, our life is totally CRAZY! Let me tell ya. I do have some pictures of a walk we took in the park last Sunday between sessions of Conference. I’ll show you those. You will see that the fall colors haven’t quite hit us [...] Read more – ‘Pictures of us frolicking in Central Park’.
Conference weekend was wonderful. We loved chilling out at home, eating good food and watching the sessions. This is always such a great time to relax and take the time to refocus our lives and make sure our priorities are straight. I loved the wise counsel we received from our inspired church leaders and I [...] Read more – ‘General Conference + Sunday Brunch’.
Fall is slowly coming on… the trees are just starting to change. It’s been really rainy and humid this week, and finally this weekend it’s feeling nice and cool! The first fall leaves are starting to appear. There are hints of yellow on a few of the trees. These beautiful fallen leaves look like stars. [...] Read more – ‘Leaves + rain’.
I have been using this wonderful little iPhone app called LoseIt to help me fit into my jeans this fall. Within the first two weeks I magically dropped five pounds! Amazing what a little self-restraint will do. But then I hit a wall. A week went by and nothing. Then another week and I gained [...] Read more – ‘Use it and Lose it’.
Last Saturday Klane spent the day with the youth of the Harlem 1st Ward at the annual Keepin' It Real activity. The 2011 Youth Theme for our church was the guide for the activity. Read more – ‘Keepin it real 2010’.
Saturday evening I went to the Lincoln Square building for the General Relief Society Broadcast. It was a perfect evening spent catching up with friends and listening to inspired counsel from our church leaders. I was reminded how grateful I am for the support system of the Relief Society and the church. I am so [...] Read more – ‘General Relief Society Broadcast’.
Yesterday I went to see my ultra-talented friend Aubrey at Whittemore House in the West Village. Salon of the stars. ;) It was really awesome. The salon is on the ground floor of an amazing historic house, built in the 1800′s, in a beautiful neighborhood. And Aubrey is an amazing colorist. I love her. Before: [...] Read more – ‘Natural.’.
With this week marking the official arrival of Fall, Alexa and I decided to celebrate the season we’ve been waiting for all summer. We went for dinner at S’Mac in the East Village. Gourmet mac and cheese seems a fall-ish food. It was deeeelicious. So is the East Village. A good place to wander. Then [...] Read more – ‘Celebration of Autumn’.
Saturday we watched BYU lose with Johnny and Joanna at their apartment. This is a building season. We still love cheering for our cougars and had a good time with the Galbraiths. Plus Joanna made these delicious cookies which tasted just like autumn and eating them made me feel better. :) After the game, we [...] Read more – ‘BYU + West Village with friends’.
We received two surprises in the mail this week. First, a package from my amazing younger brother Justin, who is serving as a missionary in Toronto. He has been called to teach the Persian people there, and has spent the past year learning Farsi, teaching, serving, and just being awesome! I really look up to [...] Read more – ‘Special Delivery’.
I was excited to see this display of fall produce outside my grocery store. Crisp apples from upstate New York! Pumpkins! There is a chill in the air today. It’s really here. I think I’m making chili and cornbread this week to celebrate. Read more – ‘Looks like Autumn’.
We’re welcoming beautiful fall weather, sleeping with the windows open, and wearing jackets and jeans. I keep changing my decision on which season is the most wonderful in New York, but right now I’m leaning toward New York in the fall. It is beautiful! I can’t wait for the leaves to change! There was a [...] Read more – ‘This week…’.
We love the Harlem missionaries! We have them over for dinner once a month, and it’s always so fun. Elder Palu (next to Klane in the picture) is from New Zealand, has an awesome accent and is hilarious. We like to discuss the finer topics in life, like Twilight and blogging. Elder Duran (next to [...] Read more – ‘Missionaries’.
As I’ve said before, blogging friends make some of the best real-life friends. This was once again proven to me yesterday when I met up with blogging buddy Alexa for lunch at Bouchon Bakery in the Time Warner Center. We felt like old friends as soon as we met, and had such a lovely afternoon [...] Read more – ‘I love making new friends’.
Going for brunch sounded like a good long weekend activity, and I had heard about Bubby’s and their delicious brunch and amazing location. So Monday morning we headed to DUMBO for brunch. (“DUMBO” = Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, and yes, we New Yorkers actually do call it that.) It was fun walking through [...] Read more – ‘Brunch at Bubby’s’.
Saturday was rockin. We went to a matinee of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World with the Koellings. It was a trip; crazy stylized and totally awesome. Okay, there were some odd parts. But Klane and I loved it. We’re weird like that. After the movie we went for lunch at – where else? – Shake [...] Read more – ‘Saturday, in the Park’.
This weekend has been fabulous so far. Part of what makes it fabulous is that we are on day three of the weekend and it’s not over yet, folks! Let me just tell you about Friday. Klane and I went to Nolita to try Cafe El Portal. It’s hard to find good Mexican food in [...] Read more – ‘SoHo’.
Klane and I both have Friday and Monday off for Labor Day. Even though we didn't think ahead and plan an exciting getaway (camping in Maine or the Hamptons or a trip to Boston were a few ideas), I am just excited to spend the weekend with Klane. Read more – ‘Thoughts + a video’.
We met up with four other couples on a Saturday night for Malaysian food at Nyonya in Little Italy. I love that area, I loved walking through SoHo to get to the restaurant, I loved the food and I love our friends! We also walked through a street fair on Mulberry Street that was so [...] Read more – ‘Night on the town’.
Central Park hosted an outdoor film festival last week. They showed a different iconic New York movie each night, all for free. Central park + movies + free + date with Klane… lots of my favorite things all in one! It was such a fun evening; chilling on the grass, eating a picnic dinner and [...] Read more – ‘Film Festival in Central Park’.
Klane is the scoutmaster in our ward, so he got to go up to boy scout camp last week. Klane is an eagle scout, grew up participating in Boy Scouts of America, and is a huge believer in scouting. The camp is a little over an hour upstate, so a lot of arrangements were made [...] Read more – ‘Scout Camp 2010’.
I am currently eating peanut butter and nutella straight from the jar, on a spoon. I just needed to get that off my chest. Thanks. This past weekend my friend Rachel from dental hygiene school came to NYC with her sister Andrea. They stayed with us in our cozy little apartment and I think (I [...] Read more – ‘Tour Guide’.
I have a friend and her sister staying with me this weekend, and top on my list of food to experience in NYC was Shake Shack. So we went to the UWS location for a Friday night dinner. When I got to the front of the line I saw that yesterday’s custard flavor was basil. [...] Read more – ‘Basil’.
My boss gave out free Yankees tickets last Tuesday, so we invited Johnny and Joanna and hopped on the train up to the Bronx after work. Klane and I are Red Sox fans, but we love a good baseball game and it’s always fun to be there in the stadium and eat a hot dog. [...] Read more – ‘Yankees vs Tigers’.
We finally made it out to the beach! Johnny and Joanna met up with us on the A train and we rode to the end of the line… Rockaway Beach! It was such a fun time, and sort of surreal to hop on a train in the city, then find yourself at a beach. In [...] Read more – ‘Rockaway Beach’.
While the big camera is fun to take on planned excursions, the little camera on my phone captures more of the everyday moments in my life that make me smile. Here’s a round-up of recent pictures taken on my phone in the last few weeks. I think it’s a pretty accurate representation of my day-to-day [...] Read more – ‘Strictly iPhone’.
Saturday was beautiful. We got a break from the humidity for a day and had to take advantage of it by getting outside. Klane and I decided to visit the High Line, one of NYC’s newest parks (opened about a year ago). The High Line is an old railway track, raised above the city a [...] Read more – ‘The Highline plus an Ikea adventure’.
This video is sort of already going around the blogosphere right now. I was so touched while watching it that I just had to share. I am amazed by the strength of this family in times of trial and of this man’s incredible ability to forgive. Seeing the difficult trials other people go through really [...] Read more – ‘Inspiration for the day’.
Klane’s summer softball league has come to an end. It was a fun season and I enjoyed going to watch his games after work. Most of the games were held in Central Park at the Heckscher Ballfields, but one was at Riverside Park, clear up at 107th street. It was out of the way, but [...] Read more – ‘Softball on the Hudson’.
Check out this amazing video of a day in New York City. Multiple exposures shot on a tilt-shift camera makes everything look miniature and kind of fake. But it’s all totally real! Amazing and really beautiful. You can sneak a peek at the corner of Klane’s office building at 3:11. See if you can recognize [...] Read more – ‘A day in the life’.
Here are a few more pictures from Utah (that blessed state we love). Did I mention my trip was awesome? It was. It was perfect. Summer in Utah is the BEST! Delicious dry heat, cool mountain air, barbecues, pool time, hanging out with family… I had the best time. To start off, here’s a particularly [...] Read more – ‘Utah Summer Trip ’10: Pioneer Day + more pictures’.
I have a love/hate relationship with New York (I’ve heard fellow New Yorkers agree with this sentiment). Coming back to New York from Utah is usually hard, especially after a really great trip like I just had. I’m usually angry at the world for about 24 hours, and then I get over it. So it [...] Read more – ‘Love/Hate’.
I really want one of these. This woman makes these beautiful, trendy camera bags by hand. Why carry around an ugly black camera bag when you can carry one of her gorgeous handcrafted pieces? Love them. They’re hard to get your hands on because she only creates a limited number of each design, which kind [...] Read more – ‘Ketti Handbags’.
Well, it’s official. I am obsessed with my niece. Kaylie was born at 1:14 am Friday, about 12 hours after my plane landed. She was a little overdue and I thought she’d be a week old when I got here, so I am so happy I was here in time. I took a bazillion pictures [...] Read more – ‘Utah Summer Trip ’10: Baby Kaylie’.
I got to Utah Thursday afternoon and by mid-morning Saturday I had already filled up the memory card on the camera. Obviously I’ve been very busy having lots of fun with family! So far I’ve welcomed a new niece into the world, had a barbecue, gone swimming, traveled 540 miles down the state and back, [...] Read more – ‘Utah Summer Trip ’10: Whirlwind Weekend’.
Oh, hello there. Are you still reading this? I'm sorry. Between vacations our life seems pretty ordinary, so lately I haven't bothered to tell you about it. But, lest you should think our entire life is spent on vacation, I think it's best if I give a solid update on life here in NYC. Read more – ‘An update.’.
Friday we slept in and then decided to cancel our plans to go back to St. John because everyone was tired and/or sunburned. I sort of totally regret not going back. What were we thinking?! We’re a 15 minute boat ride away from one of the most beautiful spots in the world and we’re too [...] Read more – ‘St Thomas: The End’.
Everyone was tired and/or sunburned after our day at the beach, so the next morning we slept in, hung out in the villa and watched the World Cup. That afternoon we went on a snorkeling trip on a sail boat. I’ve never been on a sail boat that small, it was really cool. When the [...] Read more – ‘St Thomas: Snorkel Sail and Peterborg Point’.
Wednesday was our beach day. We spent the morning at Lindquist Beach and the afternoon at the famous Magen's Bay. Lindquist Beach was AMAZING. This was what I imagined when I thought of beautiful Caribbean beaches. There were only a couple other people on the beach, the sand was white and so powdery soft, the water was unbelievably clear and had that amazing turquoise color. Read more – ‘St Thomas: Beach Day’.
Tuesday morning we drove our car onto the ferry to spend the day on St. John. I was so excited to visit St. John. Annie went there on her honeymoon and my parents have gone a few times, so I’ve heard a lot about this beautiful island. It’s less commercialized than St. Thomas, and most [...] Read more – ‘St Thomas: St. John’.
We started off Monday morning with breakfast at Gladys’ Cafe in Charlotte Amalie. The setting was cool, it was sort of hidden in these old-looking alleys behind the shops on Main Street. We packed a lunch at the hotel and headed off to Brewers Beach for some snorkeling. We saw a couple sting rays and [...] Read more – ‘St Thomas: Brewers Beach and Mermaid’s Chair’.
Our trip was amazing! We had so much fun hanging out with our siblings. We laughed a lot. We ate good food. We explored off the beaten path. We hiked. We snorkeled. We sailed. We drove. We relaxed. We slept in and laid out. Watched movies and played cards. Inside jokes were born. Sunburns and [...] Read more – ‘St Thomas: Sunday on St Thomas’.
Klane turned 26 on June 17th. We celebrated by having the missionaries over for a Cafe Rio feast. (Klane temporarily forgot about his birthday when he signed up. He’s funny.) It was okay because our missionaries right now are way cool and hilarious. After they left Klane opened his presents. Mountain Dew and Swedish Fish [...] Read more – ‘June birthday celebrations’.
I’ve been in a huge blogging/photography slump the last month or so. I don’t feel inspired or motivated to do it at all. So sorry. Let’s hope my desire to document life returns soon. Here are a few more pictures of my family’s visit last weekend, along with some pure, unedited, candid commentary. I am [...] Read more – ‘They came. They ate. They conquered.’.
On Saturday I participated in a women’s only 10K Race in Central Park. It was really cool to be a part of, there were record-holding olympians there, it was a big deal! I ended up finishing in a really great time (for me), 51 minutes. It was so much fun! Thanks to Abbie for getting [...] Read more – ‘10K in Central Park’.
My parents and brother came to visit this weekend! They left a couple hours ago and the apartment is feeling pretty lonely. The weekend went by so fast, but we had a great time while it lasted. One of the highlights was the Big Apple BBQ Block Party on Saturday. It was such a fun [...] Read more – ‘Big Apple BBQ Block Party 2010’.
I’m just dumping the rest of the pictures into one post. You can click them and read the captions as you go. There is one thing that everyone needs to know about. Audissey self-guided walking tours. The best choice we made on our trip was definitely downloading these free walking tours onto our iPods. We [...] Read more – ‘Boston: the rest’.
I almost forgot the whole reason we went to Boston in the first place was for our half-marathon! On Sunday morning we participated in Boston’s Run to Remember, a race in honor of Memorial Day to remember fallen Massachusetts law enforcement officers. This was our second half-marathon we’ve done together. Our goal was to finish [...] Read more – ‘Boston’s Run to Remember 2010’.
One of the things I was most excited about in anticipation of our trip to Boston was the chance to see the Red Sox play at Fenway. Klane has always been a big Red Sox fan, and when I married him I got more into baseball and also became a fan. The Sox are just [...] Read more – ‘Boston: Red Sox Nation’.
This was one of our favorite areas in Boston. The window boxes! The cobblestone streets! The red brick sidewalks! The homes there are historic and beautiful. We took a walk through on Saturday morning, then again Monday after eating a delicious breakfast at Paramount on Charles Street. It was just lovely. Here are a few [...] Read more – ‘Boston: Beacon Hill’.
We went to Boston for the Memorial Day weekend. Oh, how we loved it. So, so much. It was such an incredible, perfect trip. We are definitely going back. I want to go this weekend! Read more – ‘Boston’.
Friday will be remembered as “the day we all got sunburned.” What else happened Friday? I don’t remember (whatever it was, it probably involved food). I just know we laid in the sun by the pool for hours on end, and the sunshine + wind + sprinkling rain combo kept us cool enough that we [...] Read more – ‘The last days (of our trip)’.
Another day in Hawaii and what did it bring? More great food, of course! We found this ah-MAZE-ing breakfast place appropriately named The Gazebo. It’s well, a gazebo, on the edge of Napili shores. There is a line out the door for a reason. Their banana mac nut pancakes were incredible. And I had eggs [...] Read more – ‘The one with the sea turtle’.
We drove up the coast to Honolua Bay to do some snorkeling. The bay is so pristine, the coral is bright, the fish exotic and the water clear. It’s also amazing because to get to it you walk through this incredibly beautiful jungle. Brandon swung on a vine, then this native surfer dude drove by [...] Read more – ‘Honolua Bay Snorkeling’.
Monday brought a day of relaxing and playing at the pool. We started out with breakfast at Beachwalk, then hung out at the pool until afternoon. Klane and I went on a sunset sail (a.k.a. “booze cruise”) in the evening. It was so fun! We had pineapple juice and appetizers, enjoyed gorgeous views of the [...] Read more – ‘Pool day + Sunset sail’.
Klane will have a fit when he sees how many pictures I included in this post. Especially because it’s only covering one day of the vacation. He’s always trying to teach me the “less is more” concept. Today I told him that “I’m trying to take people on a journey! How can I take them [...] Read more – ‘Sunday on Maui – 3 days in 1’.
We’re back. Klane and I are back from Hawaii, and I’m back from an unannounced (and much needed) two week blogging hiatus. This past week we had an amazing trip to Maui with my parents and brother Brandon. I have lots of pictures to share, and starting tomorrow I will. Right now Klane and I [...] Read more – ‘We’re back!’.
I hugged an Apostle yesterday. The Harlem 1st Ward was lucky to have Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, one of the twelve Apostles, in attendance at our sacrament meeting Sunday morning. Elder Holland attended a religious event at West Point, came to visit the city and wanted to come to our ward! He joked that attending [...] Read more – ‘Weekend recap’.
Happy Mother’s Day! Klane and I are so grateful for our amazing mothers. They are both incredible people who have always been and continue to be such strong positive influences in our lives. Kaylene, thank you for your deep goodness and for shaping Klane into the wonderful man he is. Mom, thank you for your [...] Read more – ‘Happy Mother’s Day’.
The night Klane left for New York, my parents and I went for dinner at Old Ebbitt Grill, then went to see the monuments at night. Everything looked so beautiful all lit up. The next day we had a last hurrah on Capitol Hill at Good Stuff Eatery. Read more – ‘Last day in DC’.
I had no idea DC even had a southwest waterfront until I saw Naomi’s post about it a few weeks ago. I’m so glad we made it down there to try some of the fresh seafood. And it was FRESH! Half the seafood for sale was still alive and trying to escape. It was a [...] Read more – ‘DC’s southwest waterfront’.
We went up to Capitol Hill to check out the neighborhood. We grabbed some lemonade and sweet treats at Eastern Market. While we waited to get hungry enough for dinner, we wandered the neighborhoods admiring pretty row houses and sat in front of the capitol building for a while. What a pleasant afternoon! Read more – ‘Capitol hill’.
We took a trip across the Potomac to see the Iwo Jima memorial. It was much bigger than I imagined. And much more affecting. It was also sweltering hot outside. But we had fun. Read more – ‘Iwo Jima’.
We’re back from the District! We had such a fun weekend hanging out with my parents, seeing some sights, and eating lots of good food. More DC posts to come. First off I’ll tell you about the fun experience we had on Capitol Hill at Seventh Hill Pizza. We’d heard great things about Seventh Hill [...] Read more – ‘7th Hill’.
One Saturday our plans to go to the MoMA fell through, and when we walked outside we heard loud bagpipe music. We followed the sound to 6th Avenue and found a random Scottish parade. There were tons of people in kilts. And lots of bagpipes. Most of them played a song that sounded like Praise [...] Read more – ‘Scottish.’.
We celebrated our three year wedding anniversary at a cozy little Italian restaurant on the Upper East Side. The atmosphere was romantic, the food was incredible, and the company couldn't have been better. I'm so grateful to be married to my best friend. Life with him is pretty much perfect! Read more – ‘Three years’.
The Central Park Zoo has some of the prettiest flowers and blossoms inside. I walk through the zoo each morning on my way to work. It's nice to take a peek at the seals and admire the flowers and blossoms, and don't forget to plug your nose when you pass the penguin house (those guys stink). Read more – ‘Walking in the zoo’.
Last month I had the fun opportunity to meet one of my dear blogging friends. In my experience, blogging friends always turn out to be great real-life friends. This meeting was no exception. Katherine and I had such a fun evening together. I'd dare say it was one of my most memorable NYC nights. Read more – ‘Night out with Kathy’.
The lovely Yelena over at Style My Happiness did the nicest spotlight about little old me on her blog! It totally made my day. Yelena is a beautiful lady with an awesome sense of style and a big heart. She's going to change the world, just watch. Read more – ‘This just made my day.’.
I like to fold the laundry while watching something entertaining. Today's something was a new show my aunt Annie introduced me to. She is creative and amazing so if she recommends something you know it's good. And this is good. So I need to share. It's called 9 By Design. Read more – ‘Laundry day + something to watch’.
Saturday was our one year NYC anniversary. To celebrate, we slept in, ran 8 miles to the World Trade Center, ate delicious streetside barbecue, cut Klane's hair, baked cookies, and went to a birthday party. It was a perfect NYC Saturday. Read more – ‘NYC anniversary’.
Klane joined a softball team at work, and Friday evening was his first game. They play at the baseball diamonds in the park around 65th street. I meandered through the park after work to come watch them play. I felt so American, watching a baseball (ok, softball) game in Central Park on a Friday night. [...] Read more – ‘DDB FTW’.
You know that scene in Lord of the Rings when Pippin says he wants breakfast, and Aragorn tells him they've already had it, and Pippin says, "Well yes, we've had one. But what about second breakfast?" I totally relate to that. Read more – ‘The daily ritual.’.
I bought a hair cutting kit yesterday. Clippers, scissors, combs... I looked up tutorials and tips online for cutting hair at home. I was ready. Klane had granted permission. I was tired of the shag and ready for a fresh, clean-cut look for my husband. But... that hair! He's so... cute.... I just...can't... I don't know if I'm ready yet. Read more – ‘Cold feet’.
We're still alive and life is good! Here is a little update of what we've been up to lately. Maybe someday soon I will get out and take some pictures with something other than my phone... maybe not. :) Read more – ‘Lately…’.
This is just something that needs to be shared. Watch the video, visit the site, learn, share, donate. Save the world, one girl at a time. Read more – ‘The Girl Effect’.
Maybe this was one of the most exciting packages I've ever opened. It could have had something to do with the fact that I was expecting cookies and was met with an explosion of colorful confetti. Or just that I was so thrilled that the amazing Morgan had chosen little old me to send one of her amazing packages to. Whatever it was, I loved it! Read more – ‘Let me introduce you to Morgan. She is amazing.’.
The perfect spring weather demanded that we take a picnic outdoors to enjoy the pleasant temperatures and sunshine. The Great Lawn was full of our fellow city-dwellers soaking up the day. We admired pink blossoms on the reservoir, which reminded us that our NYC anniversary is fast approaching. Read more – ‘Sunday Picnic’.
Klane and I went on a romantic date to the temple. I love going there. It's amazing that they figured out a way to completely block out all sounds from the streets outside. I bet it's the only place in the city where you can find complete silence. It's wonderful. Read more – ‘Temple date night’.
While walking the other morning, I was once again amazed at the perfect scene created by the morning light, beautiful blossoms and friendly exchanges between strangers. Morningtime in the city really is magical. Alexi Murdoch was the perfect soundtrack for the picturesque scene. I thought, “This is like a movie!” then I thought, “Hey… I’ll [...] Read more – ‘A little film by Angie’.
My first Monday off in three weeks. I met up with Abbie and kiddos at Central Park. It was so warm out today, and late morning was the perfect time to take a leisurely stroll through the Conservatory Garden. The blossoms on the trees were pretty, but we decided that the gardens will be really [...] Read more – ‘Conservatory Garden’.
So I have been feeling really nervous since we put up the new blog. I need some major feedback so we can make it just right. So tell me what you think! Is it too confusing to get around? Did you get here and have no idea what to do? Can you even tell it’s [...] Read more – ‘Growing pains?’.
We’ve been looking forward to this weekend for a long time. General Conference weekend is always a nice break to relax, eat good food, spend time with each other and friends, and of course receive lots of great counsel from inspired church leaders. The gorgeous weather we enjoyed all weekend was just icing on the [...] Read more – ‘Conference weekend’.
We’re now coming to you in giant format! We’ve been looking for something a little more roomy and this seemed like just the perfect fit. There’s sure to be more giant noses and other vivid displays in the near future. Klane set me up with this nice new blog. It’s a little different, but take [...] Read more – ‘We’ve moved!’.
Today’s evening run brought to you by Museum Mile—A lovely stretch of Fifth Avenue peppered with museums and beautiful architecture. And today, lots of orthodox Jews out and about on their passover holiday. (Should’ve taken a picture, didn’t want to be disrespectful.) Here are some of the sights I enjoyed on my way home from [...] Read more – ‘Museum Mile Run’.
Okay people, okay. I know. I KNOW. I have posted about the same thing over and over lately. “So the other morning I was walking through the park and it was rainy and my, look at those flowers and blossoms! Yay, spring! Here are some pictures!” But this is my life, people! I do the [...] Read more – ‘More park, more rain, more red boots’.
Last weekend we got all fancied up and went out for a date in NoHo. This is us on the train. I even wore lipstick. (I know. It was a big deal.) We went to Great Jones Cafe and stuffed ourselves with delicious cajun hot wings and burgers. Then we came home and watched a [...] Read more – ‘Date night in NoHo’.
Check out this great project by artist/photographer Nicole Kenney. I think it’s inspiring. Nicole also has another cool site, where she takes a photo every day to document the last year of her 20s. It’s called Diary29, and I think it’s worth checking out. It gives a real look into everyday life in New York. [...] Read more – ‘Before I die…’.
Why didn’t someone think of this sooner? Purse meets camera bag. I think I need one. I might actually take my camera with me if I had one of these handbags. I want one! Read more – ‘Genius.’.
They don’t get me down.This rainy Monday started out with a misty walk in the park. Friendly new buds on the trees. Spotted some happy tulips (yes, these really were tulips… I think) just off 5th Avenue. And how could a day not be great when it ends with a Shack burger and an Upper [...] Read more – ‘Rainy days and Mondays’.
What a beautiful day it was! The high was 73. We started out with a 4 mile run through Central Park (training for the Half in Boston is on!). Afterward, we set out for a hard-earned Shack burger, only to discover what should’ve been obvious: Of course the line was horrendously long. Everyone in New [...] Read more – ‘First day of Spring’.
Each day I can’t wait for 1:00 to roll around. I grab my lunch and head for the park to enjoy the sunshine. It has been just gorgeous. 70 degrees and sunny! Today I found a nice spot on a hill with a good view. I soaked up some Vitamin D while listening to live [...] Read more – ‘Lunch in the park’.
You were right! They are indeed crocuses. It’s quite obvious now. Aren’t they pretty? Another sign of spring: March Madness is in full swing. I entered an office pool and am currently in first place, thankyouverymuch! Don’t worry, I will go down in the second or third round. This always happens to me. Gotta love [...] Read more – ‘Crocuses’.
in the park this morning: TULIPS! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you as excited as I am?!(post edit: I acknowledge my horticultural ignorance. They are, in fact, crocuses.) These are the first flowers I’ve seen this spring. In fact, aside from a few buds on the trees, I think these flowers are the first signs of life I’ve [...] Read more – ‘Look what I found…’.
Today I am a little bored and a little lonely and missing Utah a little. One little thing I really miss a lot is driving my car with music blasting, singing at the top of my lungs. You just can’t do that while listening to an iPod on the subway. Well, you could. In fact, [...] Read more – ‘Appreciate the little things. Like singing in the car.’.
These are the flowers Klane gave me at the airport last week. They have found their home on our windowsill, and I think they’re quite pretty. Unfortunately I seem to bring bad weather with me wherever I go. Manhattan finally had a week of beautiful weather on the exact days I was in Utah, then [...] Read more – ‘Rainy weekend’.
Being at this house. Waking up to mom’s whole wheat banana pancakes. Morning runs with mom; breathtaking mountain views. Preparations for the shower, hanging out with the girls being creative and chatting Oh and watching Brandon pipe frosting. That part was awesome. BYU Volleyball Game – beating #1 Pepperdine Jazz Game with Dad, Mom and [...] Read more – ‘Utah Highlights’.
On my way out of town, mom and I went to Kneaders to pick up a classic turkey on focaccia (favorite!) for the road. Then we stopped by the Busy Biddy, the cutest little boutique on 1600 North in Orem. It’s in this tiny little house and it’s absolutely stuffed with cute things. Mom told [...] Read more – ‘The last hurrah’.
Cafe Rio. At first I wasn’t that excited to go since I’ve had it a million times, but when I tasted it I remembered how truly amazing it is. I’d forgotten how good it is. Long live the sweet pork salad with cilantro ranch! And those homemade tortillas? And the salmon tacos? It’s all so [...] Read more – ‘Angie’s must-have Utah County food’.
Michelle’s baby shower was a huge success! Everything was beautiful, the food was yummy and the company was great! So many people came to show their love for Michelle. She got the cutest presents – so many adorable baby girl clothes! Every few minutes the din of female voices was punctuated by a loud group [...] Read more – ‘it’s only a little bit of pink.’.
I’ve been in Utah for just one day and it’s already been such fun! I receIved a warm welcome, complete with a beautiful bouquet of flowers from dad waiting in my room! It started snowing as soon as we arrived at my parents house, and kept on for 24 hours. Now THIS is snow! I [...] Read more – ‘News from Utah’.
I made homemade bread for the first time last week, and it made me feel like such a grown-up woman. Mondays are now my day for catching up on homemaking duties, and for things that make me feel relaxed and happy. And I’ve found that those two overlap quite a bit. I love being a [...] Read more – ‘On homemade bread and happiness’.
Took a picture for a tourist. Got the same one taken in return. Ate messy, delicious burgers and fries at Five Guys. (Thanks Kaylene for the gift card!) Walked through our neighborhood. (He’s cute.) Took a picture in front of my current favorite place on our street. I baked cookies for our Sunday school class. [...] Read more – ‘Saturday.’.
Since our husbands were on a scout campout together, Rubi, Marci and I got together Friday night for some girl time. We made yummy s’mores cupcakes : and watched Amélie: What an absolutely darling movie. Loved it. I should watch more foreign films. We should also have more girl’s nights while our husbands are at [...] Read more – ‘The Campout’.
Here is yet another post with pictures in Central Park. It looks different every day! And, I brought the camera this time. The city is covered in over a foot of snow, and the park was absolutely gorgeous this morning. In the snow, it really takes on an almost magical quality. I’ve always loved how [...] Read more – ‘I guess I just can’t help myself.’.
I’ve had a lot of joy in my heart lately. True, honest, can’t help but smile, squeal and jump around, hug someone tight as you can, thank God for your blessings type of joy. Joy in homemaking; in folded laundry, clean floors and freshly baked bread. Joy in my husband; in simple things like waking [...] Read more – ‘Joy all around’.
This week’s NYC forecast? Rain and lots of it! Although it’s more difficult to get outside when it’s raining, I’m loving it. Rain feels like spring. I love being outside after it rains. Everything smells and feels and looks so fresh. It makes me think of the green leaves and flowers and grass this rain [...] Read more – ‘Misty morning in the park’.
This is a phenomenon which occurs in all New York City subway stations. People constantly lean out of the crowd to peek up the tunnel and see if the train’s coming. (As if it’s going to make any difference in when the train actually comes.) I find it quite humorous to just watch them do [...] Read more – ‘Things that amuse me on the subway…’.
This weekend after catching up with LOST on hulu, we browsed through the free movies section and found Super Size Me. Of course we’d both heard a lot about the film over the last few years, so we watched it. I am so glad we did! I think everyone should watch it. For those who [...] Read more – ‘Super Size Me’.
My good friend Andrea from work is Hungarian. She grew up in the former Soviet Union, and emigrated to New York 20 years ago as a young woman. She found such great opportunities here, and eventually her family followed her and emigrated to the U.S. as well. She lives in Queens with her husband (also [...] Read more – ‘A night in Hungary’.
I’m looking forward to Spring and the weather warming up. March is coming in just two weeks. March equals Spring, right? Spring equals warmer temperatures, right? Right…? Sure, it’s snowed twice in the last week. But in the city it gets shoveled and salted and cleaned up so quickly that you kind of forget about [...] Read more – ‘A realization.’.
I used my new mixer for the first time! I was surprised at myself and just how excited I actually got. Don’t get me wrong, I was excited to use it. But I just didn’t expect that I would involuntarily start jumping up and down and squealing as I watched it knead my dough for [...] Read more – ‘The Maiden Voyage’.
I love Klane. He is the perfect husband for me. He is so patient and his personality balances mine so well. I love being married to him. In honor of Valentine’s day (and since I sort of spaced getting him a present…) here’s a little list of some things I love about Klane. Well, I [...] Read more – ‘This husband of mine…’.
I have a confession. I am officially bloggerwhelmed. I can’t keep up with reading and commenting on everyone’s blogs, not to mention posting on my own blog. I am just too busy to do fun and interesting things, and I think this time of year there’s not a lot going on to take pictures of [...] Read more – ‘Valentine’s Weekend Recap’.
I received a sweet surprise on Thursday when a Valentine’s package was delivered to me at work. I love my in-laws. Thank you Kaylene and Dave! We feel so loved! Also among this week’s surprises, the doc gave us all Valentine’s gifts: cute pink boxes with lipstick and perfume inside. I like my boss, he’s [...] Read more – ‘Valentine’s things’.
The snow came! (And it’s still falling!) I don’t think it was a big enough storm to close schools, but I am also from Utah so my perception is a bit skewed. Back home it has to snow four feet in a day for school to be cancelled. Took a couple pics on my way [...] Read more – ‘A few snow pictures…’.
(photo from the storm that dumped 6-8 inches on the city in December) A storm is coming to NYC. Hopefully it’s for real this time. (We are skeptical.) On more than one occasion the weathermen have promised us the “storm of the decade”, throwing out random large inch amounts, and then … nothing. I am [...] Read more – ‘Snow Day’.
Today was my first Monday off. I changed my schedule around a bit and will now be working Tuesday through Friday. It worked out perfectly for my office and for me too! Long weekends! It was a nice, relaxing day. I got to sleep in with Klane and kiss him on his way out the [...] Read more – ‘Just chillin’.
Klane heard about a free concert in Chelsea last night. Free? In NYC?! Yes, please! We’d heard a couple songs by this band before and liked their sound. Even though we had to wait in the cold for over an hour to get in (I hate waiting.) it was fun once we got inside and [...] Read more – ‘Free Energy and Cajun food (worth the wait)’.
This was me when I left work Tuesday (for the last time EVER!): Can you picture me in that moment? It honestly felt that good. (I love this scene. I also loved (500) Days of Summer. Thanks MB for reminding me of this clip.) Read more – ‘Happy Tuesday!!’.
We went to City Bakery on the recommendation of several friends to try the famous pretzel croissant and hot chocolate. We also tried the caramelized french toast and macaroni and cheese. The unique/salty/crunchy/soft croissant and the french toast were our favorites. The hot chocolate was about twice as chocolatey as we could stand; we brought [...] Read more – ‘City Bakery + Union Sq Greenmarket’.
whoooosh! Did you hear that? That was the sound of January flying past. Where the heck did it go? I don’t know, but I think we got some pretty good things done this month, so I’m happy. Aren’t you? January was fun. I was treated to some bluesy guitar tunes while waiting for the train [...] Read more – ‘Guitarist at Lex/63rd Station’.
Here are the stairs out of the the Lexington Ave/63rd Street station. In an effort to put some physical activity back into my daily life, I’ve started taking the stairs out of the subway. This is an especially big accomplishment at my station! The first set: four flights. Set number two: three flights. Set numero [...] Read more – ‘Take the stairs’.
I looked out the window this morning and saw snow falling! I was unbelievably excited! Not just wimpy flurries either, we’re talking big, fat, fluffy snowflakes, and lots of them! It reminded me of home and made me so happy. I really miss the snow! I took some pictures on the way to work. A [...] Read more – ‘SNOW!!!!’.
We got a call on Sunday morning telling us our speaking assignment had been postponed for a week! Perfect! It was a fun day at church. My lesson on the Fall of Adam and Eve went well. The students liked my brownies. After church we had a ward Linger Longer. The activities committee leaders in [...] Read more – ‘A rainy, happy Sunday’.
True to his word, Klane took me ice skating at Bryant Park. It was on my to-do list this winter. Turns out we were just in time, because this was the last weekend for skating! I haven’t been out with the camera in a while, so we took quite a few pictures. It was so [...] Read more – ‘Ice skating at Bryant Park’.
Klane promised to take me on a date Friday night. I walked down to his office after work to meet him. Then we walked to the restaurant, which was near Bryant Park (we thought we might go ice skating there after dinner). Our original plan was to go to this place with Mongolian BBQ, but [...] Read more – ‘A long walk, Chef Yu and homemade brownies’.
I’ve been going for walks on my lunch break every day the past week. I can’t believe I didn’t start doing this sooner. There is so much to see and explore. I’ve walked mostly different places every day and seen new and interesting things each time. You can cover a lot of ground in 45 [...] Read more – ‘Lunchtime Walks’.
I spend almost an hour down there every day. A lot goes on in the subway. Here are a few little moments. One perk of working on a holiday like MLK day: Look how empty the train was in the morning! No problem getting a seat! The other day on the way home (on another [...] Read more – ‘Stories from the Subway’.
Remember my Tuesday job? The one at the office where I had my very first interview in the city? The one that seemed really nice, then as soon as I got hired, started going downhill? The one I’ve wanted to quit since the first month I started, but I thought I should be positive and [...] Read more – ‘I DID IT!!!!!!’.
Going back to work this morning was hard since it seemed like everyone else had the day off. But I still really enjoy my job at the orthodontic office. An example: the cutest thing happened the other day. I put on a little girl’s braces, and when I asked her if she knew what colors [...] Read more – ‘Designer Braces’.
This was the first Saturday that I haven’t had to work since the beginning of December. Yes, Christmas break was in there, but still! I’ve worked way too many Saturdays around here lately. So I was very excited to have a real weekend, especially since the weather was supposed to be so warm. The high [...] Read more – ‘A Real Weekend!’.
Mrs. Harding is back in the kitchen. Rather, Mrs. Harding has been in the kitchen all along, she has just been too busy to post what she’s been up to. Either way, head on over to Mrs. Harding Cooks and see what’s been cooking. Read more – ‘Mrs. Harding Cooks (and finally blogs about it)’.
I’ve posted so much less lately. I’m sorry. But it’s because there’s not a lot going on around here besides commuting and working to post about. We’ve become accustomed to life in New York, now it seems normal that we live here. But I realized that to a lot of you, riding the subway to [...] Read more – ‘A Day in the Life’.
Klane’s inspiring aunt Annie shared a great idea on her blog. Inspired by other blogs (like this, this and this), she is choosing one word to be her motto for the year. I think this is such a great idea and a simple way to set goals and improve. So Klane and I chose a [...] Read more – ‘2010 Family Theme’.
You may never realize how much you love something until you leave it. Living somewhere so different from Utah has made me appreciate where I’m from, and realize all the things I love about it. While in Utah we squeezed in as much as we could, trying to get our fill of the things we [...] Read more – ‘Utah Highlights’.
You probably didn’t notice the new posts down there. Scroll on down, they’re kind of buried. Then get on over to google.com/reader and discover what you’ve been missing. It will change your blogging LIFE! You don’t know it but you probably already have an account. If you have a blogspot blog, you automatically have a [...] Read more – ‘For those who don’t use Google Reader…’.
New Year’s Day. We awoke to beautiful mountain views and homemade waffles with strawberries and whipped cream. The combined powers of the Harding/Graf women produced a delicious breakfast. We also successfully blew the circuits about five times with the combined powers our waffle irons, mixers, skillets and hot cocoa makers, but finally found a plug-to-outlet-to-wall [...] Read more – ‘Morning Glory’.
Klane and I grew up about a mile away from each other. We were just far apart enough in age to never have met in high school, but our families have always known each other. (I’ve known Klane’s brother Michael since second or third grade, Klane has known my brother Kyle just as long.) And [...] Read more – ‘Our Rockin’ New Year’s Eve’.
The Smith family came to Sundance a few hours before our New Year’s Eve party for some quality sledding on the hill in front of the cabin. There was a lot of snow and we had so much fun! I am bias, but I think these are some of the cutest kids in existence. I [...] Read more – ‘New Year’s Eve Sledding’.
After a night at the cabin, Brandon, Michael, Klane and I went for a morning of skiing at Sundance. It was cold but a lot of fun. I love skiing so much and wish we could do it more than just once a year. It was five degrees when we got in the car. But [...] Read more – ‘Skiing at Sundance’.
My family’s best friends (who aren’t relatives) are the Markhams. (I’ve mentioned them here and here and here.) One of the big events I was looking forward to over the break was going to Foundry Grill at Sundance with the Markhams for the famous brunch. They’ve been telling us for years how amazing it is [...] Read more – ‘Sunday Brunch at the Foundry’.
That’s what my sweet Grandma Marilyn always says. Our Christmas Eve was wonderful, filled with fun and family and laughter. We saw Avatar in 3D (highly recommend it) with the family, then went shopping for some last minute gifts, and socks for us to wear while we’re here. :) In the evening we enjoyed a [...] Read more – ‘Stars Delight! It’s Christmas Eve Night!’.
I have lived 23 years on this earth. And I can confidently say without reservation that last night was absolutely the worst night of my life. I am not being dramatic. It really was the worst, scariest night of my entire life. Let me tell you the condensed version. Our flight home for Christmas had [...] Read more – ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’.
Before we leave the city for Christmas, I wanted to catch one more glimpse of the tree at Rockefeller Plaza. It’s really spectacular, and I actually like the crowds of people gathered at Rockefeller to admire the lights. They add to the energy there, the spirit of Christmas you feel while walking around. I love [...] Read more – ‘One Last Look’.
On my walk to work this morning. I love where I work. The neighborhood is so beautiful and so clean. I love the snow. I love the beautiful houses. I love how they decorate for every season. I love New York! I’m so happy here. I’ve found it remarkable that every time someone says, “New [...] Read more – ‘I think I’m in love.’.
Klane and I jumped out of bed bright and early this morning and put on our snow clothes. After last night’s storm, we wanted to get back outside and capture some pictures of our first New York City snowfall. Stay inside on a beautiful morning like this?! Fahgetaboutit!! We headed for Central Park around 72nd [...] Read more – ‘Central Park in White’.
After bundling up and heading to the church, only to find out the stake dance had been cancelled due to the approaching blizzard, we decided we couldn’t waste the evening. We were bundled, we were outside, it was snowing, and we were excited. I wanted to be outside in the storm, to run around and [...] Read more – ‘Snowy Night Out’.
Here’s our local christmas tree lot, around the corner on 110th street. I love seeing the trees all lined up on the sidewalk, walking through under the lights, and smelling that evergreen smell. We were on our way for tacos last weekend and walked through. So festive. A snow-storm is coming to New York. Today [...] Read more – ‘Wintery Weekend’.
Klane’s subway stop for work is the Rockefeller Center station. I transfer at that stop on my commute every day. Sometimes we meet below ground on the subway platform and ride home together. This is tricky since there’s no cell service down there. We have a secret special meeting spot on the platform where we [...] Read more – ‘Subway Tunnel Love’.
Get ready to be inspired. Stephanie Nielson’s story has been published online here, and it is amazing. Head over and read the details of the crash and Stephanie’s long hard road to recovery. Also included with the article are photos and audio slideshows narrarated by Stephanie. I am so inspired by her attitude and her [...] Read more – ‘Climbing Back’.
I love my job. One of my coworkers has a connection with Bobbi Brown and somehow managed to get a team of makeup artists to give us all free makeovers after work! We transformed the clinic into a makeup salon. It was a party! There was music and food and even wine, which seemed so [...] Read more – ‘After hours at the office’.
Klane and friends at work. Shooting arrows. Into the boss’s office. Don’t worry. His boss happens to be really cool. Like the day he was dressed up as an angel. There must be constructive reasons for all the craziness that goes on there. Right…? (klane loves his job. a lot.) Read more – ‘What really goes on at DDB NY’.
I already loved the giant snowflakes covering Saks.But then I saw this: It made me giddy. I love Christmas! Today I got off work early, so I took the long way back to the subway to see some holiday lights. The lights in Midtown are beautiful. Most trees are lit up and there are Christmas [...] Read more – ‘Light Show and other "Holiday" Things’.
The final ‘stache. Fully grown. Raising money and lookin good doing it. Well, sort of looking like a pedophile. But whatever. After 30 days (and a few extra since Klane’s been too sick to shave), Klane’s face is finally moustache-free again. I will admit, I was proud of him for growing such an established moustache. [...] Read more – ‘Movember comes to a close’.
Wednesday night was the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony. For the past several weeks, Klane and I have walked through Rockefeller Plaza on the way home, watching the progress on the tree decoration. I’ve been so excited every time I see it. So of course I wanted to attend the lighting. (And the fact [...] Read more – ‘Christmastime on Fifth Avenue’.
I told myself I wouldn’t feel sad about leaving Utah. But then I did. I cried when the plane took off, thinking of all the people we were leaving behind to go on living lives that don’t include us. But after crashing into bed at 2:00 am Monday morning and waking up a few hours [...] Read more – ‘Winter’s Eve’.
One of the things I was most looking forward to when we visited home was the BYU vs. Utah game. I really love watching football. Especially BYU football. And as a true blue cougar fan, I also love watching the University of Utah (our rivals) lose. I won’t be as publicly emphatic about my hatred [...] Read more – ‘Sweet, Sweet Victory’.
Cousin Shannon asked me to take some senior pictures of her while we were in Cedar City last week. Our little photo shoot was so much fun. I’m really happy with how they turned out and hope she is too. It helped to have such a willing and photogenic subject. Shannon is just beautiful. Check [...] Read more – ‘Shannon’s Senior Pics’.
Over Thanksgiving break, Klane’s family met at Nathan and Lynsie’s for a fun Friday evening together. (I just realized this was the first time everyone has been together since the night Klane and I flew out to New York last April. Crazy.) Needless to say, it was really great to be back together again. We [...] Read more – ‘Party at the Smith House’.
We’ve had a whirlwind week and I’m finally taking a second to blog it. Our trip to Utah was so wonderfully perfect and filled to the brim with fun activities and people we love dearly. I only wish it could’ve lasted longer. I can’t fully express how great it was to be home and see [...] Read more – ‘Thanksgiving at Grandma’s’.
There are so many things we are thankful for. Here are just a few: Our wonderful family and good friends who love and support us. The gospel of Jesus Christ and the peace and joy it brings into our lives. We’re grateful for our home, to have a roof over our heads and food to [...] Read more – ‘happy thanksgiving!’.
The bags are packed.The countdown is finished.We are coming to Utah.(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)I absolutely cannot contain my excitement. We leave our apartment at 4:00 am and I’ve never been so excited to get up so early in the morning. I love New York but I also miss home. Family! Mountains! Utah! I cannot wait!!!! Read more – ‘we’re coming…’.
Abbie and I are both November babies. So we’ve started a tradition of celebrating our birthdays together (this being the first year). :) Our celebration involved many of our favorite things; shopping, dessert, more shopping, good wholesome entertainment, twinkle lights, Shake Shack, candles, singing… and more dessert. I love Abbie. Our birthday month is just [...] Read more – ‘birthday celebrations, continued…’.
I shamelessly admit that I LOVE being celebrated and loved and remembered for a day (or a few days). Whoever invented birthdays was a GENIUS. I loved hearing from so many of my close family and friends on my birthday. Thank you so much for all your well-wishes you sent my way all day. I [...] Read more – ‘i love my birthday.’.
I’m excited for winter, more specifically the holidays. We got our puffy down coats. I’m now the owner of several scarves. And I got a 30% off coupon for Gap/Old Navy and went crazy this weekend stocking up on sweaters. Lots and lots of sweaters. (Happy birthday to me! That is my excuse.) I look [...] Read more – ‘holiday lovin’.
Sometimes Klane and I get off around the same time in the evening. The other day I walked down to his office to meet him after work and head home together. We were walking past Rockefeller Center and came upon a fun surprise… 30 Rock from Angie Harding on Vimeo. So basically we saw Tina [...] Read more – ‘30 rock’.
I’ve dragged out posting pictures of Dave and Kaylene’s visit because doing it all at once was overwhelming and this week has been quite busy. And it was such a great weekend I want to drag it out as long as possible. But this is the last post. Please excuse even more Central Park pictures. [...] Read more – ‘wrapping up…’.
On Saturday we went downtown. We had goals. Doughnuts. Pizza. Shopping. USS New York. Shake Shack. We managed to accomplish all our goals with time to spare. We even had time to catch the BYU game that night! Doughnut Plant. Would it be wrong to say my life has changed for the better since experiencing [...] Read more – ‘sometimes i love new york’.
Dave and Kaylene left yesterday morning. We were sad to see them go! We had such a fun and relaxing weekend with them. We ate at a lot of delicious restaurants, enjoyed great conversation, laughed a lot, went to Shake Shack twice and Central Park three times. The weekend was definitely a success. Here are [...] Read more – ‘day one with dave and kaylene’.
Klane’s parents are in town and we are having so much fun hanging out with them. We’ve taken quite a few pictures in the last three days, but for now I will post our visit to the Doughnut Plant Saturday morning. It was a highlight. Oh my, it was amazing. I can’t stop thinking about [...] Read more – ‘doughnut plant yum’.
You know when you get something new and you just can’t wait to use it? I finally got my shiny red rain boots this week. I’ve been wearing them around the house. You know, for baking, and other activities that may require rain boots. Like watching baseball. Or blogging. In other news, Klane has joined [...] Read more – ‘movember is here!’.
We’ve been so so busy lately. At the end of the workday all I can think of is getting to bed to prepare for the next workday, and by the time the weekend comes we just feel like chilling out and taking time to breathe. I wish I had more time to take pictures, do [...] Read more – ‘saturday in the park’.
I can’t help posting this. Blog friend Morgan shared it and I am obsessed. Watching these videos from Iris and Light makes me want to get married all over again, and use them for my videography. If you are in Utah and are getting married soon, please use them and I can live vicariously through [...] Read more – ‘i love wedding things, so…’.
Sunday afternoon wanderings in Central Park, near the Pond and in the Ramble. I want to go back there and get lost. Oh! And we saw three raccoons! I’ve never seen a raccoon in my life, and I saw THREE! In Central Park! It was awesome. Read more – ‘we love new york in the fall’.
Monday night. Spontaneous FHE date night. Shake Shack. I love the shack at night, because I love the lights hanging from the trees. I also love the fall leaves. And I loved that there was almost no line, but it wasn’t too chilly out. Every time I eat that burger I love it more. Mostly [...] Read more – ‘monday night at the shack’.
Is it the dance moves? The faux leather pants? The electric violin music? Or the high kicks? We can’t decide. We can only stand and watch in awe. We googled “electric violin subway” after this, and it turns out we are not the only fans. This guy is all over the internet. Go check him [...] Read more – ‘best subway performer. ever.’.
We are gearing up for a cold winter here in New York, so we went shopping near Union Square to try on a bunch of warm coats. It was raining like crazy but the fall leaves looked beautiful! This is me clicking my heels in the rain (it seemed appropriate): The farmer’s market looked so [...] Read more – ‘rainy saturday and coat shopping’.
The high today was 72. Seventy-two degrees! Amazing! It may have been the last warm day we see until Spring. So of course I took advantage, and escaped to the park to eat lunch. It was so pleasant that after work I decided to walk across the park to my subway line. I took a [...] Read more – ‘changing leaves’.
I saw the sunrise on my walk to work this morning. It was almost a nice moment. Then I realized I was outside, walking to work,early enough in the morning that I was watching the sun rise. Not okay, kids. Not okay. I also almost quit today. But then I didn’t. But I really almost [...] Read more – ‘sunrise in midtown’.
I forgot the camera this day. Yet somehow we ended up with way more pictures. I attribute this to the ease of taking iPhone photos. We had a lot of fun though. Please excuse the obscene amount of photos on this post. I’m really sorry. I just can’t help myself. Started the morning at a [...] Read more – ‘angie’s family visits: day 3’.
I took Friday off work and we had such a fun day. We were sooo lucky it didn’t rain Friday or Saturday, although it was a bit chilly! We slept in, had hot chocolate, walked through Bryant Park and the New York Public Library, went to the top of the Empire State Building, ate delicious [...] Read more – ‘angie’s family visits: day 2’.
I had the best time with my parents and brother here! It was such a fun weekend. My only regrets are that they couldn’t stay longer and that I didn’t take more pictures. Here are some of their shots from day one: Their flight got in very early and they were at our apartment by [...] Read more – ‘angie’s family visits: day 1’.
On my walk down Park to meet Klane for lunch, I saw these cops on horses. I’m sure there’s an official name for the cops on horses. I don’t know what it is. (“Mounties”…….?) I love horses. So of course I chased them and took pictures: Last week I was in the middle of a [...] Read more – ‘random things happen in this city’.
Love Michael Buble’s voice. Love the song. Love the grocery store erupting into song and dance, complete with confetti. Love this video. Read more – ‘love this.’.
I walk down this lovely street in the historic district of the Upper East Side every day. I think it’s just beautiful, especially in the morning. I finally stopped to take a couple photos. Read more – ‘morning on 62nd street’.
A lovely Sunday evening was spent with the White family. We met up at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine with Forrest, Abbie, their kids and Abbie’s adopted mom Sallie + her son Logan. I’m so glad Abbie thought of going, I can’t believe I hadn’t been yet! The cathedral is only a couple [...] Read more – ‘sunday with the whites’.
I finally found someone to do my hair. She’s in the singles ward and she is an amazing colorist. Yay for LDS networking. Aubrey likes making things look very natural, which is great. She matched my color really well and toned it down a bit so I’ll be able to make it till Christmas without [...] Read more – ‘hair story’.
A the end of a long, tiring week, we both agreed that picking up a pizza and staying in with a movie sounded like a great Friday night plan. Giovanni’s is just a few blocks away. Hurray for huge greasy pizzas! Read more – ‘let’s stay in tonight’.
I couldn’t miss this today. So I’m watching the recording at my parents house, via video chat. Oh I love technology. And Stephanie Nielson. Watch it if you get a chance. The Nielson’s are such an inspiration. They’re such a good example of a great marriage and family. Even after everything that’s happened, they still [...] Read more – ‘nie on oprah’.
That’s right. This handsome devil officially has a real live JOB. I’ve been waiting for the right time to do this post, and today is the day. Today is Klane’s first official day as an Art Director at DDB New York! That is right, he got the job. We are thrilled and feel so blessed [...] Read more – ‘he’s HIRED!!!’.
We’ve had such a nice, relaxing weekend. General Conference was so full of encouraging words and inspired counsel from our church leaders. I noticed a lot of talks centered on love. I especially loved what President Thomas S. Monson said about Christlike love and service toward others, and David A. Bednar’s words about consistency in [...] Read more – ‘weekend review’.
There are many things we do differently here than we did in Utah. Buying a couch is no exception. None of this “buy a couch, put it in your truck and take it home” business. No, we bought a couch in a box! We ordered our couch online from Home Reserve, the perfect solution for [...] Read more – ‘the way we do it in manhattan’.
On Wednesday night Abbie and I got together with the intention to watch Glee and SYTYCD. The shows didn’t end up happening. Which is great, because this happened: We created the most delicious cupcakes on the planet. I’m not joking. Make these this weekend between sessions of General Conference and you will be so happy, [...] Read more – ‘when we hang out, chocolate is usually involved. and i love it.’.
I did a good deed for a friend yesterday. Luckily for me, the “good deed” just happened to involve attending a posh release party for a book by one of my favorite photographers. Mallory sent me on a mission to the release party for famous New York based photographer Rodney Smith‘s newest book, The End. [...] Read more – ‘win, win’.
Tuesdays are not my favorite lately. My job at the dental office stresses me out. The office manager is evil (really), and I worry about not knowing everything or getting behind my schedule, and I tell myself I hate cleaning teeth. Most of the stress is in my head. I psych myself up for it [...] Read more – ‘ohhhhhhh tuesday. i kind of hate you.’.
You can click to enlarge these pics from the stake Court of Honor on Sunday. It isn’t too hard to point out the Harlem 1st ward. Oh boy, do we love our scouts. Even though they forget their shirts, make loud comments during the Stake President’s closing remarks, and are physically incapable of all holding [...] Read more – ‘can you spot our ward’s scouts?’.
We love the temple. I’ve been here twice this weekend, once for the General Relief Society Meeting broadcast last night, and again tonight with Klane and the scouts for a stake Court of Honor. (The building serves as a temple on some floors and a stake center on others.) I want to get a good [...] Read more – ‘urban temple’.
Painting was so fun. And so exhausting! We started at 10:00 am and finally wrapped up around midnight. I’m waiting to post photos of the finished product until it’s actually finished. The couch is coming this week, and hopefully soon we’ll have some stuff to hang on the walls. So excited! Read more – ‘paint paint paint!!’.
So, I have been extremely busy lately. But the fact that I haven’t posted for three days is really nagging at me. I will not feel complete until I post. So, here is an update: ~ I think I forgot to mention that I’m now working full time. I decided to work four days a [...] Read more – ‘i think i need this post more than you do’.
Abbie and I had the most fun girls night on Friday. I love that girl. I just knew I would. I think we might have been friends in the pre-existence. (I’m only sort of joking.) And what could make an evening more filled with girly fun than a picnic in the park, followed by dessert [...] Read more – ‘girls night out!’.
We had the most… interesting and fun experience at the Tyra Banks show this week. Casey got us tickets and it was so fun and crazy! I was mostly surprised by how fake it was. After getting us all seated on the set (front row!!), they filmed the audience doing different reactions. They told us [...] Read more – ‘the tyra show’.
One morning last week as I approached my office, I noticed gates closing off Park Ave. Kind of normal, they do that from time to time to film movies and stuff around that neighborhood. Turned out this time, the Avenue was closed for 10 blocks, making a path for President Obama and his entourage to [...] Read more – ‘obama came to town’.
We like to meet up for lunch around 54th and Park. That’s between our offices.Monday there was a free jazz concert across the street from our usual spot. Sweet! What could be better than hangin out with your best friend,in gorgeous weather,with pb&j’s, a banana and sodas,listening to live music? Oh, and speaking of live [...] Read more – ‘live jazz on park ave’.
Waiting at the 125th street station on my way home last week, my fellow commuters and I were treated to some sweet harmonica tunes: The best part was that he wasn’t a performer playing for money. Just a regular guy who prefers making his own music to zoning out on an iPod. Love it. Read more – ‘harmonica blues’.
There are a lot of really awesome churches in Harlem. Not exactly sure what this is talking about. Kind of funny though. Me and my lover. Sunday best. Inner City. Read more – ‘on our walk to church’.
Another rainy, lazy Saturday. We love that. I spent all summer going stir crazy without employment, wishing I had a job to keep me busy… and now that I’m working full time I can fully appreciate a day dedicated to doing nothing at all. :) At 5:30 we suddenly remembered the BYU game, threw on [...] Read more – ‘burger joint’.
I’m laughing. I just uploaded pics from my little camera and remembered this one of my purse, on the bus ride to DC. I’m laughing at myself for feeling the need to pack so many treats for a three day trip. I just thought we should be prepared! What if we couldn’t find food? Between [...] Read more – ‘be prepared…’.
Isn’t it funny how you don’t appreciate what you have until you’re away from it for a while? I was shocked by how much I missed New York and how ready I was to go back after our DC trip. The whole time we were gone, we talked about how different DC was from New [...] Read more – ‘there’s no place like home’.
It’s hard to find words to describe the Holocaust Museum. But here are a few:Disturbing. Moving. Educational. Horrifying. Life-changing. After that we hit the Museum of Natural History. And now, a series of pictures in which we have wayyyy too much fun in the mammals section: We stopped by the National Archives to see the [...] Read more – ‘our last day in DC, or a bunch of random photos’.
The National Symphony Orchestra played a free Labor Day concert on the lawn in front of the Capitol on Sunday night. After a long day on our feet it sounded like the perfect way to end our day. Right when we got there it started raining and most people left their spots and hid under [...] Read more – ‘national symphony orchestra at the capitol’.
The Subway system in DC was incredible. We could not believe how clean and well-designed it was. Everything was uniform, there was no trash anywhere (amazing!) and no graffiti. The subway cars are carpeted with cushioned seats! And no one defaces the inside of it! It’s like everyone in DC has respect for public property [...] Read more – ‘it was like epcot. or space mountain.’.
Georgetown was definitely one of our favorite parts of the trip. We spent hours walking around the streets, shopping, taking pictures, eating in little restaurants, and admiring the gorgeous buildings. An afternoon well spent. Goofing around in Restoration Hardware:One of the main streets with shops and restaurants and tourists. I loved the flower baskets. Read more – ‘georgetown’.
This was our cute hotel. It’s in a “historic” old building, and we absolutely loved it. Quaint, within walking distance of the monuments, and free breakfast (with waffles!) every morning. We spent our first evening in DC in our room eating Chinese takeout and watching BYU beat Oklahoma. (WOO HOO!!!! Go Cougars!!) It was so [...] Read more – ‘arlington and lincoln memorial’.
I felt sad that the president’s family has to live there, since there are tourists roaming around their house all the time, and Klane assured me that they don’t actually live in the parts of the house the tourists see. :) Oh. Dept of Treasury A pretty rooftop. We kept comparing DC to NYC and [...] Read more – ‘whitehouse, capitol and such’.
It was such a great time and a much-needed vacation with just the two of us. We loved it! We’ll definitely be planning another weekend getaway somewhere else exciting. The problem is, we took over 300 photos in the three days we were there, and they have to be processed before posting. I have now [...] Read more – ‘we went on a trip to DC’.
This made me smile so much today: I love that they did this. Thanks guys!(It’s also funny since it used to be the Obama “Change” Jar.) Oh, also favorite was Mike’s response in the comments: Oh my gosh, our family is awesome. Read more – ‘not to repost someone else’s post, but…’.
I love my mother. She sent me some of her famous peaches from the tree in our back yard. Have you heard of the famous Graf peaches? They are incredible. Truly amazing. Pretty much world-renowned. One of my favorite times of year is when the peaches come on at the Graf house. There’s a two [...] Read more – ‘smells like home’.
Klane and I had such a nice, relaxing Saturday together. We woke up late to the sound of rain outside, then had yummy oatmeal blueberry pancakes with peaches and cream. (They were amazing. Definitely keeping that recipe around.) We spent a lot of the day inside since it was raining, but we are loving this [...] Read more – ‘a walk in the park’.
I was just looking at these and wanted to post a couple more. I haven’t seen many sunsets this summer, and I can’t get over this one. After storms and clouds all afternoon, that sky was just unreal. Gorgeous! from our window. from the roof. I’ve been missing nature lately. Okay, I’ve been missing Utah [...] Read more – ‘i can’t help myself’.
Recently we discovered that there’s a farmer’s market practically in our backyard at Morningside Park on Saturdays. We headed over last weekend for a morning stroll. The temperature dropped a bit the last few days and the humidity has let up a little, and it has been fabulous. It was nice to be outside. I [...] Read more – ‘our neighborhood farmer’s market’.
We heard that in the big storm last week, trees were blown over in Central Park by wind bursts. I didn’t think much of it, until this morning when I went for a run. I could not believe all the damage; the park looks like a total disaster area. And this was after a few [...] Read more – ‘central park is looking sad’.
I’ve mentioned Klane’s favorite band is Brand New. His second favorite band is Third Eye Blind. On Thursday, they came to DDB and played an acoustic set for a small crowd. They played some new songs and took requests for old favorites. Klane loves his job. Stephan Jenkins and Tony Fredianelli playing “Summertown” from their [...] Read more – ‘third eye blind at ddb’.
On Thursday my office was offering free Mets tickets to all the employees, so I snagged some and Klane and I hopped on the train right after work and headed to Citi Field in Queens for a night at the ball game! It was kind of spontaneous and so fun. Oh, he’s handsome. Turned out [...] Read more – ‘let’s go mets!’.
Another big thunderstorm rolled through the other night. From our third floor window, the buildings around us block a lot of the sky. At the moment when the lightning seemed to be striking all around us, the thunder was so loud and buckets of rain were slamming against the windows, I suddenly decided it would [...] Read more – ‘we went on the roof in a lightning storm’.
This is what happens when your strategically planned dinner falls through at the last minute when you find out your pita dough has to rise for two hours. Klane came home to find me sweating in our hot apartment, trying to do a million things at once, my hands covered in warm dough, just at [...] Read more – ‘culinary adventures in nyc’.
This is absolutely beautiful (and while we’re on the subject, so is this). It made me want to cry, tears of joy and sadness and sympathy and admiration and inspiration. Over the past year I’ve come to love this family I don’t even know. I’ve donated money, I’ve participated in events, I’ve posted about it [...] Read more – ‘inspiration’.
…of a girl who just got hired! That’s right, today I went back for my working interview, things went well, and they offered me the job! I’m so glad. This is my first job as a real hygienist and it’s in such a great office. This is where I had my first interview, and I’m [...] Read more – ‘this is the face…’.
This morning we had these for breakfast, again (they are amazing!): And then Klane and I spent a few hours here: I love summer. P.S. If I were in Utah today (and not also at Bear Lake with the Hardings), I would absolutely be hiking the Y at 7 pm with Nie. If you can, [...] Read more – ‘perfect summer saturday’.
Another pizzeria claiming to be “the very best in New York”. This one was actually really good though. We went to Keste last night with friends Carly, Casey & Todd, Kylie, Kelsey & Robby for a farewell dinner for Carly which turned into a celebration after she was offered a job at her ad agency! [...] Read more – ‘search for nyc’s best pizza: keste’.
One of the fun things about the city is the performers in the subway stations and trains. I like to snatch Klane’s iPhone and take video when people perform. I wish I would’ve had it the other afternoon on the way home from work, there were these three black guys singing gospel music and they [...] Read more – ‘subway performers’.
Well, I survived! Thanks to all your prayers, well-wishes, and thoughts coming my way all day. I could definitely feel it, and I love you all. I am pretty tired but things went really well today. I saw a full day of patients, so I cleaned eight people’s teeth. I was surprised how I was [...] Read more – ‘angie harding, rdh’.
Pat and Lindsay are leaving this week. Boo. We’re sad to see them go. We had Sunday dinner together and then went to see a little-known wonder of upper Manhattan: the Little Red Lighthouse under the George Washington Bridge. It was beautiful and we were lucky enough to be there during the most gorgeous sunset. [...] Read more – ‘the little red lighthouse’.
We heard that Stand serves one of the best burgers in the city, so we went to check it out. Loved the sweet potato fries, the delicious burgers, and an apple pie shake!We’re searching for a thick ice-cream shake like you get in Utah, such as at JCW’s…nothing so far has even come close, but [...] Read more – ‘stand burger’.
We had a fun night out with friends in the East Village. A bunch of us went to Momofuku Milk Bar for dessert. It was so delicious! I’m so glad Lindsay had her camera to document the evening. And that she lets me steal her pictures. :) Carly Casey and Todd. We’re glad they live [...] Read more – ‘momofuku milk bar’.
For some reason I don’t feel complete without some kind of baked treat readily available in the apartment. Scary. Today it was oatmeal cookies. I wanted to give a quick update on the job search. Yesterday morning I went to a dentist’s office who invited me back this week, after an interview in June. I [...] Read more – ‘baking… the way to calm my nerves (theoretically)’.
Nate and Meri are leaving the city today, so a bunch of us went for Indian food last night. Sort of a farewell party. We met up at the crazy block of restaurants in the East Village, where we went with Casey and Todd. This time we tried the restaurant on the top left, called [...] Read more – ‘a night out and some great news’.
I’m excited; I just learned some stuff in Photoshop. I’m really really intimidated by that program so this is a big step for me. :) Klane keeps sending me tutorials and I keep procrastinating looking at them because I think they’ll be way over my head. I finally decided to go for it and tried [...] Read more – ‘playing with photoshop’.
First we walked to Brooklyn where we got in line at Grimaldi’s and prepared to wait for the greatest pizza in the five boroughs. Klane went to find an ATM and stumbled upon a boxing match. One of the fighters was from Salt Lake! Cool! On your mark, get set… After a two hour wait, [...] Read more – ‘journey to grimaldi’s, mecca of pizza-lovers’.
On the last day of the month, we looked at our budget on Mint and realized again how expensive it is to live here. So instead of a night out, we had an inexpensive gourmet dinner at home: To complete the “six-year-old” theme, we built a fort and watched movies. A double-header:10 Things I Hate [...] Read more – ‘getting creative’.
True to my word, I went back to the Village to wander around. Check out these great doors. I especially love the one that’s crooked. That’s not all camera angle; it was built that way. Click to enlarge them and get a closer look. The buildings there have so much character. Many of them were [...] Read more – ‘wanderings in the village’.
I’m quickly learning that there is no shortage of perfectly lovely parks in this city. Each one I visit is different and beautiful. I think they’re my favorite part of New York. This park’s most famous feature is the Washington Square Arch. I remember visiting here with my parents the first time I came to [...] Read more – ‘washington square park’.
I wandered around SoHo a bit this morning. Oh boy, that place is just lovely. I love the beautiful buildings and I love that there are so many stores I like to shop in. I should’ve taken more than six pictures to try to capture it. This one’s for you, Mom and Dad! I went [...] Read more – ‘dear soho, i love you.’.
I’m feeling much better today. Thanks for your nice comments. Something else that cheered me up last night: a party at Casey’s with a lot of the BYU interns. Many are going home in the next week. It was fun to get together with everyone and celebrate an awesome summer in NYC. We had brownies [...] Read more – ‘going away party’.
I just wanted to thank all of you who blogged today. After a long, boring, partly humiliating, awful day at work, it was fun to come home to open up my Google reader and find 18 new posts. Eighteen!! Thank you, faithful bloggers. I don’t know if I could’ve taken the disappointment of finding zero [...] Read more – ‘thanks, bloggers!’.
Here’s where we go to church every Sunday. It’s pretty great. We like it. Today we helped some friends move into our neighborhood; they’re fellow BYU transplants. There was a cool thunderstorm this evening. Thank goodness the rain didn’t start until the moment the last item was unloaded from the truck.Someone up there was watching [...] Read more – ‘happy sabbath!’.
Highlights: ~ Klane teaches scouts how to cook a perfect hot dog over ideal cooking coals. Scouts decide it’s taking too long and cook their dogs over the camp stove instead. ~ Klane teaches scouts how to toast a perfect marshmallow over above-mentioned coals. Scouts become impatient and burn marshmallows. However, a few catch on [...] Read more – ‘klane’s first ny scout campout’.
Klane had a scout campout last night. Pat and Lindsay invited me to come hang out with them around the West Village. It was so fun; I didn’t even feel like a third wheel! (Thanks, guys.) We watched a free showing of Ghostbusters on Pier 46. The Hudson River Park, with winding paths, trees and [...] Read more – ‘single for a night’.
Sometimes I get sad and wonder why anyone would ever want to live in this big, stinky, noisy, crowded city. (It’s usually on days when I’ve been cooped up inside the apartment all day. Tuesday it rained. All. Day. Long.) But then I get to go to work, on Park Avenue, for heaven’s sake. My [...] Read more – ‘counting blessings’.
Casey and Todd took us to the most awesome restaurant in their neighborhood. We had so much fun! There are four Indian restaurants that look exactly the same and their entrances are right next to each other, and they each have a guy outside persuading you to come to their place. They’re all loud and [...] Read more – ‘east village indian place’.
but I’m actually pretty excited for Glee. This is kind of embarrassing, but every time the trailers played during American Idol, I couldn’t help but get chills watching their rendition of “Don’t Stop Believing.” I saw another preview the other day and I have to admit I will be watching this come fall. Even if [...] Read more – ‘i don’t know if i should be embarrassed about this…’.
I went running here this morning. I found these pictures of it on Meg‘s blog today. I definitely want to go back soon to take some photos of my own. It’s a beautiful place. You may recognize the garden from this famous scene in You’ve Got Mail. I thought it looked familiar when I ran [...] Read more – ‘riverside park’.
Sunday afternoons in the park. Good friends, yummy food, lots of laughs. Robby and Kelsey Carly and Casey: like peanut butter & jelly Lindsay doing her thang. We’re photo buddies, you might say. a little frisbee Klane and Tommy a little bocce ball Pat and Lindsay I think this little house is just lovely. We [...] Read more – ‘this could become a tradition’.
After running past Dinosaur Saturday morning, we were both craving some barbecue. We decided to try something close to home, so we went to Dallas BBQ on the Upper West Side. The food was pretty good and the portions were huge. We’d choose Dinosaur over Dallas any day though, because their barbeque is better and [...] Read more – ‘dinner and harry potter: a saturday date’.
I really like Fridays around here lately. Yesterday I enjoyed the most gorgeous run in the park; the early morning temperature is cool and perfect. And on Fridays Klane and I both only work till about 2:00. Then we get to meet up, ride home and spend the afternoon together. I love it. Things are [...] Read more – ‘weekend, i prefer the weekend’.
Took a walk around Harlem today, so you could see what our neighborhood looks like. I got a little nervous flashing this huge camera around, so a lot of these shots are from the hip. (I don’t know what my problem is with that. Someday I won’t be so paranoid about people seeing me taking [...] Read more – ‘welcome to our ‘hood’.
The NY Philharmonic does a few free concerts in Central Park during the summer. I think it’s so cool that 80,000 New Yorkers crowded onto the Great Lawn to hear Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 played live. What a neat experience to spread out your blanket, hang out on the lawn and enjoy classical music in [...] Read more – ‘philharmonic @ the park’.
Our Sunday school class was so fun yesterday. The kids were so cute. Maybe it was because we bribed them with cookies, but they were really good. And I love watching Klane teach; he’s really great at engaging the kids, making them laugh and teaching principles in a way they understand. I’m so excited about [...] Read more – ‘a lovely sunday in manhattan’.
Brand New is Klane’s all-time favorite band. He’s been a fan since their beginning, and saw them way back in 2002 at a tiny club in Lindon when they were first starting out. When Klane and I met for the first time, we were getting together to exchange music. I remember that night he told [...] Read more – ‘brand new in brooklyn’.
It’s maybe a little bit unfortunate that I find baking so entertaining. Because I’ve been bored a lot the last couple months. I’m sure there are a lot of really productive things I could be doing. It’s just that when I’m trying to think of something to do, none of those things occur to me. [...] Read more – ‘saturday baking’.
Rascal Flatts performed live on the Today Show this morning, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see them for free. Especially since I transfer subway trains at the Rockefeller station anyway, so it was pretty much on my way to work! I’m not a really avid country music listener except for a couple [...] Read more – ‘the today show’.
Today was my first day at the orthodontic office. It was overwhelming and exciting and exhausting and frustrating and fun all at the same time. I knew working at a new office would be different from working at my dad’s, but I had no idea just how different it could be. Just like pretty much [...] Read more – ‘angie’s first day’.
After hours of laundry, ironing, cleaning, meal-planning, and grocery shopping, Chinese takeout for dinner sounded fabulous. There’s a great little place around the corner, which could eventually prove to be a little too convenient, if you catch my drift. :) I love cooking, but i also love the nights I get a break when Klane [...] Read more – ‘fhe with my man’.
Mom knows just the right time to send a package filled with treats. I needed some of my tan pants sent out to wear to work, and aside from getting all the plaster stains from SmilePerfect out of them (a small miracle in itself), she turned the package into a treat extravaganza. That woman, she [...] Read more – ‘highlight of my day (i love you, mom!)’.
Mike and Sara are gone. I am sad. Now it’s back to real life, where Klane goes to work and I’m alone all day. Real life isn’t as fun as life when Mike and Sara live with us. We all decided that someday when we have houses we’re going to live on the same street. [...] Read more – ‘i think i’ll eat a lot of ice cream for a few days’.
We packed an awesome picnic and found a great spot to eat, chill and watch the fireworks. We got a perfect spot on a pier at about 70th street. Lots of good food, good company, perfect weather, relaxation, surprisingly not too crowded, and a spectacular fireworks display to top it all off. It was a [...] Read more – ‘4th of july in nyc’.
Maybe we’re ignorant, but we didn’t really know what to do in NYC on the fourth. Coney Island or the beach seemed too far away. So we slept in, had a relaxing day, got cheap pizza and ate it on a pier, and took a walk through the park. Although it was different than what [...] Read more – ‘a walk in the park’.
After a long day of walking, we went to Dinosaur Bar-B-Que for dinner. There was an hour wait, and the restaurant is on Riverside Drive, so we gladly took the opportunity to chill out in a little park by the water. It was so relaxing to take off our shoes, sit on the grass in [...] Read more – ‘evening on the hudson’.
One of the things on our must-do list was the MoMA. We took advantage of the free admission on Friday night and wandered around the museum for a couple hours. Sara and Klane probably appreciated it more than Mike and I, since they know about good design and Sara has studied art. For me it [...] Read more – ‘free friday at the moma’.
Yesterday we split up. The girls spent some quality time shopping and eating cupcakes (Butter Lane). Sara got chocolate cake with coconut frosting, I got banana cake with cinnamon frosting. That place never ceases to disappoint. We then wandered around Midtown shopping, and found some great deals. The boys bonded while viewing war paraphernalia on [...] Read more – ‘boys vs girls’.
We love arepas so much, we had to take Mike and Sara to Caracas to try them. It was sooo delicious. This is one place that I will surely miss when we leave New York. Sara and I went to sample frostings at Butter Lane while we waited.decisions, decisions… there are a lot of yummy [...] Read more – ‘trip to caracas’.
On Thursday, we…shopped around Midtownsaw lots of cool stores but didn’t buy anythingmet Klane for lunch at Goodburger (“home of the goodburger”). It was delicious.(did anyone else watch Kenan and Kel as a kid?)grabbed a raspberry chocolate curl cupcake from Crumbs, then headed to Times Square where we planned on waiting in the Tkts line [...] Read more – ‘thursday, and a tkts booth disaster’.
What could be better than a giant toy store? Never too old to play dress up. Especially with Harry Potter hats. He’s made entirely of legos. Amazing! Read more – ‘fun at f.a.o. schwartz’.
We got delicious sandwiches at Toasties in Union square, bought yummy juice and fresh cherries from the Farmer’s Market, and had a picnic on the grass. Grilled Pastrami, Corned Beef with Swiss Cheese, Cole Slaw and Russian Dressing on a roll. I highly recommend it. Then we walked around the Farmer’s Market taking in the [...] Read more – ‘union square farmer’s market’.
In Utah, we liked going to Hello Yogurt with Mike and Sara. (And sometimes I would go by myself if I’d had a particularly hard clinic day…) If you’re in Utah, get yourself on down to University Parkway and treat yourself to some high quality frozen yogurt bliss. Here in NY, Yogurtland is a good [...] Read more – ‘frozen yogurt: the way to any girl’s heart’.
After grabbing some pizza on the UWS, we walked across the park to go to the Met. That place is absolutely ginormous. It is huge. You could get lost in there. You could spend days and still not see everything. What we did see, we liked. Mike’s favorite were the suits of armor, helmets, swords, [...] Read more – ‘museum day: the met’.
Mike, Sara and I went up to The Cloisters. It was amazing. There are all these artifacts that date back to the 1100-1500′s. We felt like we were in Europe for an hour or so. If you’ve never heard of this museum, here is a paraphrased description from their website: “The Cloisters has been described [...] Read more – ‘museum day: the cloisters’.
We went to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx this morning to get tickets for a game this week. Let it be known that we are loyal Boston fans and therefore hate the Yankees. We love baseball, however, so we’re going to watch the Yankees vs. Mariners tomorrow. Here is Mike showing his distain for the [...] Read more – ‘this one’s for cousin bryce’.
We met Klane for lunch at a Halal cart on 49th and Park Ave. Yum! We hit Battery Park and saw the Statue of Liberty (no pics)… …then visited Trinity Church …the New York Stock Exchange …then visited Federal Hall on Wall Street. This is where George Washington took his oath of office and gave [...] Read more – ‘day one with mike and sara’.
Sunday was such a wonderful day! We got to spend so much great time catching up with family and friends. It was so so good to see all of you! I love that we’re able to keep in touch through our blogs. Justin gave such an awesome talk; I am so impressed with what a [...] Read more – ‘justin’s farewell’.
Boating is definitely one of my favorite things. My parents are so awesome; they made sure the family went out on the lake while Klane and I were in town. I love the dry heat in Utah, it’s so much more comfortable being outside when there’s no moisture in the air. It’s so relaxing riding [...] Read more – ‘saturday on utah lake’.
So far, our visit to Utah has been fabulous. I love it here. We arrived late Thursday night and woke up Friday morning to take family pictures with the Grafs, then had a delicious breakfast together at Magleby’s Fresh. Michelle did Klane’s and my hair in the afternoon, and we had a barbeque and hung [...] Read more – ‘drive to the cabin (i love the mountains!)’.
I love waking up to this lovely valley view from my window at mom and dad’s house and i love catching up with our little buddies. Read more – ‘oh utah, i’ve missed you’.
This week I dropped in on Klane at the office and had the good fortune to be there when there was free sushi! They have free food brought in at least once a week. I’m thinking we could get used to this. :) Read more – ‘why we like ddb’.
The Steve Nash Foundation put on an event to benefit underpriviledged children called the Showdown in Chinatown. They get famous athletes (basketball and soccer players) to come play a soccer game. They asked Calle to be one of their sponsors and provide all the gear for the players to wear. This was a HUGE opportunity [...] Read more – ‘showdown in chinatown’.
Met Klane for lunch today. We were trying to decide a place when Klane got an idea and said, “Hey, want to try something weird?” Well of course! Weird food is much more fun than regular food. He brought me around the corner to this small deli that sells paninis in the funniest flavor combos. [...] Read more – ‘do you want fries with that?’.
Tonight we had a wonderful candlelight dinner. We got our first electric bill and guess what? Even the electricity in New York is more expensive! Imagine that! I sort of thought all electricity was created equal, but what do I know? So we’re conserving. Besides, who wouldn’t want to have a dinner by candlelight with [...] Read more – ‘dinner by candlelight’.
I had another interview on 40th street this evening, so I stopped at Bryant Park and snapped a quick photo in the fading evening light before hurrying home for dinner. I just love this park, I think it’s gorgeous. I should’ve lingered to take a few more photos of the carousel, the people filling up [...] Read more – ‘bryant park and more interviews’.
I’ve been extremely blessed with an incredible father. Looking back over my life, I can see just how much I’ve learned from him and how he has impacted my life and the person I’ve become. I’m so grateful for that! My dad has made quality family time a huge priority even with a busy work [...] Read more – ‘happy father’s day’.
This morning we went for a lovely run through Central Park, around the reservoir and back. We worked up an appetite and had a big brunch at home of eggs, bacon and chocolate chip pancakes. But we weren’t finished there. This evening we went to Corner Bistro in search of what we’d heard was a [...] Read more – ‘corner bistro’.
And it’s about time, too. As you can see, Klane’s old phone has definitely seen better days. He is so excited and is synching his iPhone with the computer as we speak. Last night we were laying in bed and he said, “I can’t sleep! I can’t stop thinking about getting my iPhone in the [...] Read more – ‘out with the old, in with the new’.
Last night Klane said that after paying $2.75 at Butter Lane, he felt kind of cheated walking out with one little cupcake. “But they’re so delicious!” I said. “How many cupcakes could you make for $2.75?” he retorted. “It doesn’t matter, I couldn’t make cupcakes this light and fluffy and perfect,” I said. He challenged [...] Read more – ‘cupcake challenge’.
house: decorated.complete with drawings all over chalkboard wall.gift: permission to take the plunge and get an iPhone.also, favorite treats.klane: extremely unbelievably excited.(if anyone should have an iphone, it is definitely klane. those who know him will agree.)dinner: caracas arepa bar. east village.what is an arepa? delicious messy venezuelan goodness. worth the trip downtown.dessert: cake and [...] Read more – ‘birthdays are some of the best holidays’.
We are unbelievably excited. Mike and Sara are coming to visit us. In 12 days. Sunday night they called to tell us they were throwing caution to the wind and buying plane tickets. I absolutely cannot wait. There will undoubtedly be soft-serve, frolicking in the park, shopping, late nights, museums (at least the MoMA, right [...] Read more – ‘oh happy day’.
An HD antenna, so now we get all major TV channels. This could be dangerous… tonight I’ve already watched The Bachelorette and Here Come the Newlyweds. By the way, I think Jillian is being a tad bit overdramatic about the whole thing. She’s got to realize that everyone is going to be eliminated eventually. That [...] Read more – ‘our favorite new toy’.
Klane served his mission in Tennessee, so he’s a barbeque connoisseur of sorts. So when we saw the annual Big Apple BBQ Block Party on a list of NYC summer events given to us by a friend, we knew it was a must. It ended up raining, but we were brave and headed to Madison [...] Read more – ‘big apple bbq block party’.
Today was my favorite day in NYC so far, hands down. It was perfect. First the fantastic job interviews, then Klane got off early and we packed a picnic dinner, walked through Central Park, and went to a free concert. Klane loves Josh Ritter, so we were super excited when we found out he was [...] Read more – ‘the perfect end to a perfect day’.
Bryant Park and the New York Public library. Found on Flickr. I am LOVING this!! I had such a great day. I had two AMAZING interviews and I am so, so happy with the way things went. This is going to be so great! One interview was with an office on 40th street. I love [...] Read more – ‘two awesome interviews!!’.
I don’t have a problem with mice. I think they’re cute, actually. I just don’t want to live with them. I don’t want to share my food, or find their poop in my house. A while ago Klane saw a mouse dash across the floor, but we hadn’t seen or heard anything since then. Tonight [...] Read more – ‘if you give a mouse a cookie’.
I went to my interview this morning. It went great! Thank you all so so much for your love and well-wishes. Your encouragement meant so much and helped a lot! I met up with Klane afterward for lunch and he insisted we do a little photoshoot in my outfit. What a cute husband! I was [...] Read more – ‘the first interview’.
I went searching for grown-up job interview clothes today, and found this lovely little ensemble at Ann Taylor LOFT for a screamin deal. All three pieces for under $100. Oh yeah, that feels good. Since I was a block away from Klane I went to visit him and hung out for a little while. Following [...] Read more – ‘grown-up work clothes’.
I have my first job interview on Wednesday morning, at a real office. I am really excited and really nervous. Pray for me a lot! I also found this talk on being positive, and am trying to think positive thoughts. Give it a read, it’s a great one! Read more – ‘everybody freeze.’.
Our friends Pat and Lindsay came over for Sunday dinner, then we all went for a walk in the park. We explored the North Woods a little; it is so cool in there! You would never guess you’re in the middle of New York City. If you stopped and listened, I don’t think you’d hear [...] Read more – ‘on a sunday’.
the apple store. amazing, beautiful design. kids in a candy store we really want one of these A trip to Midtown today took us by the Apple store. Klane is like a kid in a candy store there. Too bad it’s all quite a lot more costly than candy. It was fun to look around [...] Read more – ‘new york is good for browsing’.
Amy Ruth’s. Famous for their authentic Harlem soul food, and of course, fried chicken and waffles.Usually they serve the chicken right on top of the waffle, but since Klane ordered it smothered, they had it on a separate plate.Either that or they thought the white boy couldn’t handle it.I ordered a slightly safer waffle option, [...] Read more – ‘friday night in harlem’.
Yesterday it rained. A good excuse to stay inside and maybe get a little bored (hence the oreo/peanut butter episode). I did catch up on some reading, had a couple good long phone conversations, and took this picture of the raindrops hitting the railing on the fire escape. Seemed really cool at the time. Today [...] Read more – ‘the forecast’.
image by the incredible justin gaynor I found this great talk today and thought I would share it with you. It’s about adjusting to changes in our lives. Those who know me best know I usually resist big changes in life. I make a big deal and think the world is going to stop spinning, [...] Read more – ‘inspiration for the day’.
If you’re into weddings like me, check out this one, captured by one of my favorite photographers, Jonathan Canlas. Besides the great photography, I thought the wedding itsself was really beautiful, interesting and very unique. They had an intimate reception where everyone ate dinner at tables set up on a beach. No shoes allowed, and [...] Read more – ‘something beautiful to see’.
After having a slight meltdown this morning at the prospect of searching for an actual job in a big scary city, I decided I needed a good healthy dose of husband to calm me down. I packed turkey sandwiches and headed for midtown. I finally got to see Klane’s office; when I got there he [...] Read more – ‘ddb & subway etiquette’.
That’s the great advice Klane’s mom, Kaylene, gave me before I left Utah. I loved being there with family and friends and the mountains and everything familiar. I was having mixed feelings about leaving Utah: happy to be with Klane again, sad to leave “home”. I cried when the plane flew over the mountains and [...] Read more – ‘home is where your husband is’.
My family stayed at the cabin last night. It is so beautiful up there. Here’s my picture of this morning. I woke up early and hiked to the falls. The skies were blue, and the morning air was refreshing; cool and damp from yesterday’s rain. Pillars of sunlight streaming through the trees left pools of [...] Read more – ‘i didn’t have a camera so this will have to do’.
Klane took this awesome picture of a bridge in Central Park and I think it’s pretty amazing, don’t you? Looks like a romantic spot to visit with your lover. :) I can’t wait! Read more – ‘a photo from klane’.
After a run this morning, I gave our cars a much needed wash. I think Klane would’ve wanted his car to get some attention. I’ve realized I love our cars now that we’re thinking about planning on selling them if we stay in the city. I’ve been driving Klane’s truck and it’s so fun. I [...] Read more – ‘surprise for husband’.
I am so excited, I just wanted to share with all of you. I’ve finally received all of my scores from the various board exams I took the last few months. I passed all of them, and actually did really well! So here is a recap. National Board (written exam) : 93% (but my scores [...] Read more – ‘the report’.
We had a nice (although short) trip to So UT for Miralva’s bridal shower. I’m so excited for her and Mason to be married in June, they are going to be a great couple. It was so fun to visit with family we don’t get to see as often as we’d like. I really enjoyed [...] Read more – ‘back to our roots’.
{No, this is not me. I don’t have a camera at the moment.} In Klane’s absence, I have taken to playing the guitar late at night. Preferably acoustic songs that make me think of him… and tear up a bit. Oh gosh, I am so emo. Read more – ‘it’s short for "emotional"’.
Video chat. (Husband, it was so good to see you last night.) Last night we “hung out” for almost two hours while Klane cooked himself dinner and I made brownies and cookies for a bridal shower tonight. Video chat is almost as good as being there. Almost. :) Tonight I am taking an excursion with [...] Read more – ‘lately we’ve been grateful for…’.
I miss you. The sunsets in Utah are beautiful! I went up in the hills above my parents’ house to snap a picture, and it reminded me of when we used to drive up in your truck and look out over the city and eat treats or watch movies. I miss your hugs. Be safe.Love! [...] Read more – ‘dear husband,’.
Before Mother’s Day gets too far past, I want to do a little tribute for another wonderful mother in my life: Klane’s mom, Kaylene. She is such an amazing person in so many ways. I’m grateful to her for raising Klane to be the perfect man and husband that he is, and she has been [...] Read more – ‘another mother (and just as special)’.
My mom is an amazing woman.I’m copying a couple friends and making a little list of reasons why I love my mom.Because she deserves to be honored. 1. She is absolutely beautiful and could pass as my sister, but has always lived by her favorite scripture: 1 Sam 16:7 “For man looketh on the outward [...] Read more – ‘happy mothers day (a little late)’.
This was one of my very most favorite things we did. Klane and I will definitely be back. We walked the bridge Saturday evening, then watched the sun set over the city. There is this lovely little park on the water’s edge when you get to the other side, and while you are there you [...] Read more – ‘we walked the brooklyn bridge’.
We did a ton on Saturday. Here is part of our journey in pictures. The World Trade Center Tribute Museum. It was very moving to remember that day. Trinity Church New York Stock Exchange, quiet on Saturday Little Italy. Goal: Pizza, Gelato. Those are our very best “Lukey” smiles, standing outside Lombardi’s. Best. Pizza. EVER. [...] Read more – ‘places to go, food to eat, things to see’.
It’s true. I’m back in Utah. I’ll be here for almost three weeks, working and wrapping up loose ends and soaking up time with family. Everyone thought we were crazy when we’d tell them I was going home randomly for three weeks. Just believe us, it makes sense and there are good reasons. Although, I [...] Read more – ‘i’m back!’.
I honestly got emotional during the opening song when we went to see Wicked on Friday night. It is just that amazing. Kind of nerdy I know, but I really love that play. Especially in contrast to the one we saw on Wednesday, Wicked is just unbelievable. The music, the acting, the story, the sets… [...] Read more – ‘wicked’.
The weather was beautiful Friday, so we were able to enjoy a ride through Central Park. We really loved the beautiful scenery and in two hours we saw almost the whole thing. At least we went from the bottom all the way to the top and back. Central Park is pretty big, about 2.6 miles [...] Read more – ‘central park bike ride’.
We tried to make reservations for Peter Luger and were told they were booked two months in advance. Dad called on the off chance that there was a cancellation and we were in! We made the trek to Brooklyn for the “best steak in New York”. I’m so glad we went because the food was [...] Read more – ‘peter luger: best steak in new york’.
Vacationing with my parents is the best. One of the many reasons is that they like to experience what tastes that place has to offer. New York is a great place for doing that!! I have compiled a 9 page list of restaurants to try from recommendations of others, and we’re attempting to check some [...] Read more – ‘eating our way through the city’.
Last night my parents kindly took us to John’s Pizzeria (recommended by our friends Kelsey and Robby, very delicious), and then to see Billy Elliot on Broadway. It had great dancing, but unfortunately we can’t recommend it. There was a lot of really bad language. We’re excited to see Wicked on Friday night since we [...] Read more – ‘billy elliot’.
One of the things on my mom’s to do list was running in Central Park. So we did! And also took breaks for pictures. Excuse the sweaty shine on my face. Read more – ‘running in the park’.
My parents and I met Klane for lunch, then spent the afternoon in Midtown. We went to the American Girl store since I used to be obsessed with those when I was little and found out the one I have is now retired and is probably a collector’s item. (So… if I’m ever short on [...] Read more – ‘midtown madness’.
My parents are here! I’m so happy. They flew in this afternoon and I met them at their hotel. We wasted no time and visited Magnolia Bakery on the way back to my apartment for some cupcakes and hot chocolate. (For the record, the oreo cupcake Klane and I shared from Crumbs was probably better [...] Read more – ‘i love my parents’.
All right, all right, I did it. I finally broke down and made a recipe blog. I posted a new recipe on it tonight, along with all the previous ones that have been on this blog. I can’t guarantee it will be updated too often, but I will certainly try! I’m still not sure about [...] Read more – ‘i hope i don’t regret this…’.
All that’s left to do is get a couch (we’re waiting to see if we can survive without one…), hang new drapes and repaint the walls. We might leave the brown, but we’re entertaining the thought of a really light blue instead of the teal and yellow… any suggestions from all you decor experts out [...] Read more – ‘home improvement’.
After a trek to IKEA yesterday to get furniture (pictures coming once it’s built and arranged), we had a more official anniversary dinner at Celeste, an Italian place on the UWS. It was amazing. It’s very small, some of the tables are seriously 5 inches apart. They don’t take reservations but are in high demand; [...] Read more – ‘anniversary celebrated, and two blurry photos’.
This is our subway station. It is our gateway to the city if you will. We’re becoming a little more savvy with the subways, which is kinda fun. Read more – ‘this is our stop’.
Klane and I met up at the Rickshaw Dumpling Bar truck for lunch today. If 25 people are standing in line to get something, you know it’s gotta be good. We were pleased with our decision after tasting the yummy dumplings! Klane liked the pork, I was torn between that and the chicken basil with [...] Read more – ‘meet me at the dumpling truck’.
Friday night is coming, and that should mean Macey’s soft serve and LOST at Mike and Sara‘s apartment. Unfortunately we are thousands of miles away. We will have to find something else to do… maybe we will find soft serve and watch LOST and imagine we are still in Utah, in Mike and Sarbe’s apartment. [...] Read more – ‘friday night’.
I just got back from the grocery store. I walked 1 mile total and passed hundreds of people, and six of them were white. None of them were even close to blonde. I was wearing a skirt with lace and my gold shoes, and I felt completely ridiculous. It was kind of terrifying. I stick [...] Read more – ‘i’m definitely not from around here’.
They help each other move boxes, bags and furniture into a fifth floor walk-up. Our friends Casey and Todd rolled into town yesterday evening, and we went down to the East Village to help them move in. A lot of our BYU friends were there helping, enough that they had quite the assembly line going [...] Read more – ‘that’s what friends do’.
I went running yesterday morning on this path. It was gorgeous and sunny with a cool breeze, and there were lots of people out enjoying the good weather. So beautiful! I will be back. Read more – ‘i like the park. quite a lot.’.
Today was our two year anniversary! It was also the day to move into the apartment. Valecia Green drove us all the way into the city so we didn’t have to transport 200+ pounds of luggage between trains, buses and subways. She is a saint. (Quick, someone think of a way we can thank the [...] Read more – ‘two year anniversary… to be continued.’.
This morning Klane and I went into the city, me for one more test and him for his first day at DDB! It was very exciting. DDB is kitty corner from the famous St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and is in a beautiful part of town on Madison Avenue. While Klane was at work, I wandered over [...] Read more – ‘Klane’s first day’.
Everybody loves this salad. I brought it to the DH Graduation party and a few people requested it be put on the blog. So here it is! It makes a lot so half it as needed. 8 cups spinach1 lb. bowtie pasta, cooked3 cups cooked shredded chicken¼ cup toasted sesame seeds¼ cup chopped flat leaf [...] Read more – ‘Spinach Pasta Chicken Salad’.
I knew before we ever went into the exam what I wanted to do afterward to celebrate. We walked the few blocks to Madison Square Park to grab a shack burger at the famous Shake Shack I’ve heard so much about. I was even happy to wait in the 45 minute line. The verdict? I [...] Read more – ‘celebrate with a shack burger’.
I can’t believe it really happened, but it did. I survived the clinical board exam! I feel great, because this sounded like something that I could never do. Fly a patient to an unfamiliar, huge city, to a college I’ve never been to and take a rigorous clinical exam??! I really did that? It is [...] Read more – ‘North East Regional Board – DONE!’.
subway the statue is behind me Me and Carmen, who I will forever be indebted to for helping me become a hygienist handsome hub, times square shot from the hip while jay walking in little italy we saw these pigeons bathing in a leaky fire hydrant and about died. “that’s so new york!” really cool [...] Read more – ‘new york in 24 hours’.
We had the best pizza today in Little Italy. I asked the guy behind the counter in a perfume store where to get good pizza and he pointed us to L’asso. We will definitely be going back! It was small but they had great pizza, homemade sauce and fresh mozzarella. And a cool big brick [...] Read more – ‘Pizza at L’asso’.
We made it to NY and we’re staying in Pelham for the weekend until our apartment opens up next week. Bishop Green’s son and his family are letting us stay with them. Hooray for the gospel family we have through the church! We are so grateful for kind people who are helping us along in [...] Read more – ‘pelham, new york’.
We made it! Packed up, moved out, graduated, finals finished and hopping on a plane. A HUGE thank you to all those who helped us out this week. You made it happen! Read more – ‘graduated!’.
It’s no secret that I’m totally and completely ready to be done with school. But there have definitely been some fun times, and the girls I’ve been able to know through this experience are what have made it great. We have a great class. Thanks for the good times, ladies. Here’s to the UVU Dental [...] Read more – ‘the class of 2009’.
Klane and the boys enjoyed some spring skiing yesterday. I didn’t know they had a retro day until i turned on the camera and saw the pictures. Mike, Ryan, Blake Klane doing a “gaper roll”. Apparently a “gaper” is a tourist who comes to Utah for a ski vacation and isn’t good at skiing (a.k.a. [...] Read more – ‘who says boys can’t play dress up?’.
We are moving in four days and we haven’t even started packing. I have only acquired one lonely cardboard box. We’ve just been so busy, soaking up all the time we can with family. And I was occupied with the anesthesia exam yesterday. Check one thing off the list! Unfortunately, the list is still very, [...] Read more – ‘not that i’m stressed or anything, but…’.
we were nervous before the test! me with my notifications that i passed!! I can now legally give oral anesthesia injections in the western states! Anesthesia boards went very well. I only shook a little and the examiners were so nice. I was surprised when I did the injections as planned with no mistakes! Somehow [...] Read more – ‘anesthesia boards’.
Meatballs:1 lb. ground beef½ cup bread crumbs1 egg, beaten1 small onion, finely chopped (or grated on a box grater)A few drops Worcestershire sauceSalt and pepper Sauce:1 can cream of mushroom soupmilk Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix ingredients for meatballs in a medium-size bowl. Form bite-size balls and place on nonstick baking sheet. Bake for [...] Read more – ‘Swedish Meatballs’.
Many of you already know, but we found the perfect apartment in New York. I am so excited. In all my searching I was only comparing other apartments to this one that I had seen on Naomi‘s well-known blog. When she announced she was moving I thought, if only they were leaving at the end [...] Read more – ‘our new place!’.
My parents are in Rome this week. They’re visiting their friends the Acersons, who are mission presidents there. Then they’re going to Switzerland to see the land of our forefathers. More about that on their blog soon, i’m sure. Anyway, i spent most of today with the boys. It has been a very nice day. [...] Read more – ‘hangin with the boys’.
i somehow forgot about the beautiful spring blossoms that take over the trees for a few weeks every year. it was a pleasant surprise when they showed their faces this week. taking photos today seemed like a good excuse to procrastinate studying for anesthesia boards (a week away) just a little longer. this rainy saturday [...] Read more – ‘a rainy saturday and a bit of news’.
two more loads of laundry.six more clinic days.one more lesson to prepare for sunday school.one more fill-up for the car.eight more drives to school.three more gallons of milk.two more sunday dinners with family.fourteen more days. there are a lot of ways to count down, but the point iswe are moving to New York City just [...] Read more – ‘the count-down’.
because after a hard week, he let me soak his shirt with my tears. and after a long day, he called me telling me tomeet him at the wymount office for a car wash. he greeted me with a big smileand it felt good to be in shorts in the nice weather.and to be sprayed [...] Read more – ‘why i love my klane’.
i had another chance to play photographer today. justin’s friend ryley leaves on his mission wednesday, and my mom volunteered me to take his photos. moms are great for that kind of stuff! ryley was a very willing subject, which was great. he helped me think of poses. someday i will get better at this [...] Read more – ‘another missionary’.
I always look forward to General Conference weekend. Listening to counsel from our church leaders and spending the weekend with family is so relaxing. It’s just what we need at this crazy time of our lives! This morning we had breakfast with Mike and Sara and we’re watching conference together at their place. We’re headed [...] Read more – ‘we’ve been waiting for this for 6 months’.
i’m taking a bubble bath, eating chocolate chip pumpkin bread, blog surfing, and watching the office. at the same time. i need some relaxation. yes, it has been a long, tough week. pray for board patients to materialize out of thin air. pray. Read more – ‘it’s one of those weeks’.
our trip to vegas for the wedding was so fun. the wedding was beautiful, it was fun to spend time with family, and we had time to hit the strip for a few hours, ride the NY NY roller coaster, and blow $15 on the nickel slots. not to mention singing potter puppet pals, pushing [...] Read more – ‘vegas baby’.
because everyone is so beautiful and happy. such easy subjects! Coleman and Mandy were no exception. they’re an adorable couple, and it was so fun to see them so happy on their day. we love the Parkers. it was good to see family we don’t see very often. it was great to be in the [...] Read more – ‘taking pictures at weddings is fun’.
a last minute snowstorm rolled in this week. probably the last of the season.we couldn’t pass up the opportunity. i am so glad we didn’t.i haven’t had many powder days in my years of skiing, and this was the best i’ve ever had. i’ve only had fresh tracks once before, but this morning we did. [...] Read more – ‘and i felt like i could fly’.
Tonight we all gathered at the house to watch Justin open a very important letter. He is going to be spending two years as a full time missionary in the Canada Toronto East Mission!! Congrats Justin!!! I know Justin is going to be one awesome missionary. (And he let me pretend to be a photog [...] Read more – ‘the little guy is growing up so fast…’.
I survived all eight hours. And I think I may have passed. Here is what got me through all the studying: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies ½ cup of butter (1 stick), softened¼ cup of brown sugar¼ cup of white sugar½ cup of peanut butter (I used creamy)½ teaspoon vanilla extract1 egg1 ¼ cup of [...] Read more – ‘the National Board Dental Hygiene Exam was today…’.
(Commercial currently airing on local television, created by the BYU Ad Lab) World Water Week is here! Go out to eat this week for a good cause. Globally, a total of more than 2.5 billion people are living without access to a safe drinking water source. But for people like us who are fortunate enough [...] Read more – ‘here’s to life’.
We watched this little squirt for a few hours the other day. Oh my. He kept us hoppin. We love little Ry guy. Thanks Ann for trusting us to keep an eye on him, we had fun. Sometimes having a baby scares me because I wonder if I’ll lose my sense of self when I [...] Read more – ‘thoughts on babies and things’.
This is pretty much all that’s going on here the next few days. Eat, sleep and STUDY. After Tuesday I will be a free woman. And I will try not to think out about whether I passed or not until May when I find out. We’ll try to do something entertaining after that. Like, maybe, [...] Read more – ‘we’re going to be boring for a few days, i think’.
The Rex Lee Run is an annual event for my family and the office. By running we donate to cancer research. This year was extra special because my mom was back in the race. Last year she sat on the sidelines because she was in the middle of chemotherapy. She showed cancer who’s boss. She [...] Read more – ‘we showed cancer who’s boss’.
I kept thinking I just had a little sore throat and that it would get better, but it is getting worse. So I skipped out on our planned trip to Snowbird today and let Klane go on ahead. On a lighter note, I’m sipping hot cocoa in bed, surfing craig’s list looking at apartments in [...] Read more – ‘i’m sick in bed today’.
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour3/4 cup sugar1 teaspoon baking powder1 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt1 egg1/2 cup vegetable oil1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used sour cream, they were great)1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about two bananas)3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda [...] Read more – ‘Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins’.
we went to lynsie’s to hang out with everyone saturday night and were surprised to walk in and find a surprise congratulations party for klane, nyc themed and all. it was awesome. thanks everyone, it meant so much! and even the president was there! we think he should make appearances at every family gathering from [...] Read more – ‘klane’s first surprise party ever’.
We are so excited. Klane got the internship with DDB. The one we really wanted! After looking over his portfolio, they called him for a phone interview today and they want him! We have somewhere to go!! Officially! I am so happy. It’s been driving me crazy not knowing. This is a worldwide agency that [...] Read more – ‘we say yes to DDB’.
I went snowboarding with my dad this morning. He is getting really good! I’m proud of him for having the guts to try something new and hard, and he’s conquering it! I’m kind of proud too that i was his teacher. :) It was fun to be up on the mountain, just me and my [...] Read more – ‘morning at the ‘dance’.
Utah Tap TV Spot from Mike Morris on Vimeo. Everyone needs to know about this! The Ad Lab was chosen to promote the Tap Project in Utah (a huge deal since real live, grown up, not part of school agencies out there are covering it in other states). The week of March 22, go out [...] Read more – ‘something we can all drink to’.
Here’s something you can do with that extra romano cheese and prepared pesto you bought from Costco when you made the Creamy Chicken Pesto. (You made it, right?) And heck you can use more of the romano for Stuffed Peppers! This sandwich tastes more gourmet than a regular old grilled cheese. Romano has this intense, [...] Read more – ‘Grilled Cheese with Pesto’.
This evening, husband Klane is working on his portfolio till the wee hours. That guy stayed up all night last night. And yet, right now he is singing to me, along with Killing Me Softly by Roberta Flack. I love him. He’s my favorite person. Speaking of Klane singing songs, after Stake Conference yesterday we [...] Read more – ‘Harding house on a school night’.
Pedersen’s Sports is going out of business. Everything is at least 50% off. My parents gave Klane a Pedersen’s gift card for Christmas. Klane just got brand new amazing ski boots for $79. Regular price: $579. He is celebrating. I’m happy for him. Also, I got to sit next to my honey at church today. [...] Read more – ‘reasons to celebrate’.
Oh, yes. If you do not groan when you take the first bite, well, you do not fully appreciate food. This is so delicious. And honestly it is really easy. The only catch is that Romano cheese and prepared pesto can be spendy. I bought mine at Costco, saved money and was able to make [...] Read more – ‘Creamy Chicken Pesto’.
It’s as official as it’s going to get before it’s actually official, ok? photo from davenyc2007 on flickr So I’m officially announcing that Klane will be going to NYC for an internship this summer! We still don’t know what advertising agency he’ll intern for, but we’ll let you know when we know. Jeff Sheets, the [...] Read more – ‘well, folks…’.
The latest project in my photo class was portraits. This first one is what I actually turned in; the others were in the running. Maybe it was the subject matter (handsome husband’s face…?) but I enjoyed this assignment way more than the first one. On Tuesday I was really panicking about boards and entering the [...] Read more – ‘Portraits’.
We left our apartment tonight to take Justin birthday treats and returned ten minutes later to find three cop cars, an ambulance and a fire truck outside our apartment building. Huh? How did they all get there so fast? Anyway, apparently smoke was coming out of our neighbor’s vents. This was about an hour ago [...] Read more – ‘Smoke…’.
This is the recipe on the Quaker Oats package, and it’s so good. Thanks Sara for the tip. 2 sticks butter, softened1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed½ cup sugar2 eggs1 tsp vanilla1 ½ cups all purpose flour1 tsp baking soda1 tsp cinnamon½ tsp salt, (optional)3 cups oats1 cup raisins or chocolate chips Preheat oven to [...] Read more – ‘Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies’.
It’s okay to have a missionary when you’re married, if that missionary is your little brother. Look at this guy! He is just adorable! I snapped a few very quick photos for his mission papers. This kid is going to be one incredible missionary. I’m so excited for him! I love my little brother Justin [...] Read more – ‘My Missionary’.
1 lb. ground beef1 egg1/2 onion, chopped finely1 cup dry bread crumbssalt and pepper to taste1 cup water½ cup cider vinegar½ cup ketchup2 tablespoons cornstarch1 cup brown sugar2 tablespoons soy sauce In a large bowl, combine beef, egg, onion, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Roll into meatballs about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in size.In [...] Read more – ‘Sweet and Sour Meatballs’.
Klane and I went up to Midway for an overnight getaway for Valentine’s. We shared a delicious dinner at the Mountain House Grill, then went to Inn on the Creek to spend the night. It was so much fun. We watched a movie on the amazingly comfy king size bed, which had a down mattress [...] Read more – ‘Mountain Escape’.
FYI: I posted all my Recipes of the Moment as regular posts, back-dated them to when they were originally put on the blog, and labelled them as “recipe of the moment”. You can now access recipes past and present in the sidebar. From now on this is how I’ll be posting my Recipes of the [...] Read more – ‘oh no, i’m becoming a food blogger’.
I’m taking a photo class this semester so my brain doesn’t turn to mush from only thinking about teeth. This is my first print that I did my very own self in the darkroom (with the help of a kind stranger who took pity on me when I realized I didn’t remember anything the teacher [...] Read more – ‘First Attempt’.
I know it seems like my blog is turning into a food blog… but cooking is the most fun thing I’ve done this week, so there you have it. And things keep turning out really photograph-worthy and then what am I supposed to do with all these pictures but share them with you?! Maybe this [...] Read more – ‘yes we love our pizza’.
Who knew it took four hours to create 4 dozen cupcakes? But it was fun. And the result? Delicious. Thanks for the tip, Martha. And I apologize for running out of confectioner’s sugar so my frosting wasn’t as beautifully plump-looking as Billy’s Bakery‘s frosting (it still tasted fantastic). Thanks to Annie Porter for referring to [...] Read more – ‘Sweet Success’.
I had a lovely idea today. In light of the valentine’s day spirit, I was going to make these for you: So I got home from a long afternoon of teeth-cleaning ready to bake. I was even going to make them heart-shaped! With white frosting and pink sprinkles! Can you just feel the love? I [...] Read more – ‘Dear Visiting Teachees,’.
something different (for me) and sooo delicious. 4 italian sausages, casings removed1 (28-ounce) can Italian tomatoes2 zucchini, grated1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano, plus more for sprinkling1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil3 cloves garlic, minced1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper4 cups chicken broth1 1/2 cups orzo (rice-shaped pasta)6 sweet bell [...] Read more – ‘Giada’s Orzo Stuffed Peppers’.
We had a great time at the Jazz game last night with my cousin Sheralee and her boyfriend Casey. Dad was nice enough to let us sit in his 3rd row seats! It was fun getting to know Casey and spending some time with Sheralee, who I never get to see anymore. Thanks for coming [...] Read more – ‘Jazz Game’.
It pays to know someone in the sign business. Sara got us a couple huge sheets of plastic sign material which we took up to Sundance and used as a giant sled. Four people on a huge sheet of plastic so slippery you can hardly stay on it when it’s stationary?! Craziness. I promise you [...] Read more – ‘Extreme Sledding at Sundance’.
This quick treat can be whipped up in under 30 minutes. Thanks Danielle for the recipe! 1/2 cup sugar1/2 cup brown sugar1 egg1 cube butter (1/2 cup)1/2 cup peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)1 tsp vanilla1/4 tsp baking soda1/8 tsp salt1 1/4 cup flour1 cup oats1/2 cup more creamy PB1 cup chocolate chips Preheat oven to [...] Read more – ‘Peanut Butter Bars’.
after 5 months of recovery, Stephanie Nielson is back in action. And I couldn’t be happier for her and her family! How exciting. Check out her first post since the crash here. If you haven’t heard of the Nielsons’ story, check it out, it’s a story of love, faith and courage and it will inspire [...] Read more – ‘the Nie is Back!’.
I know it is silly but oh i just love american idol. i think watching people make fools of themselves on tv is just so entertaining. I love laughing at the ridiculous people and I like hearing when someone has real talent. Right now i’m watching this boy who totally looks like a girl, wears [...] Read more – ‘guilty pleasure’.
From the kitchen of Stephanie Nielson (Nie Nie). 4 tsp olive oil1 medium onion, chopped4 garlic cloves, minced2 tsp ground cumin1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, rinsed and drained2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoessalt1 package (10 oz) frozen corn1 cup water In a large saucepan, heat oil [...] Read more – ‘Black Bean Chili’.
This is Klane on Christmas Eve Eve at his parents house. My view today looks similar so I’m posting this since I don’t have a camera at the moment. The view is a little different in that we are at Michael and Sara’s apartment and Michael is also playing a war game with Klane. Klane’s [...] Read more – ‘My view of today’.
we were crazy enough to drive up to the cabin at 10:30 Christmas night in a total blizzard, but we felt adventurous. this is how deep the snow was up there my dad was kind enough to dig us a path to get into the cabin. That is his head poking up through the snow [...] Read more – ‘winter wonderland’.
Get ready for some pictures… this is Christmas morning with the Hardings: Opening “fresents” as Ethan would say. Ryan was more interested in the paper than the present inside. This is Tessa’s “don’t touch my present” face. Ryan’s favorite present: Tessa’s music-playing jewelry box or maybe Tessa’s stroller… Luke with the 1000 piece puzzle we [...] Read more – ‘From our Christmas to yours’.
you forget how old you are. This is the conversation we just had: A: how old am I?K: uh….. 21.A: are you sure?K: yeah.A: oh, good. I was worried for a second that I was 22.K: i’m…. 24 right?A: yeah. (thinking, “If he’s 24, that means I’m…..”) Wait, I AM 22!K: oh, yeah.A: DANG it!!! [...] Read more – ‘You know you’re getting old when…’.
The annual Porter family Christmas party took place last night at the Magleby’s house. The highlight of the evening was either the delicious food, great company, having all 9 Porter children (with families) present, or possibly the Christmas nativity pageant. With something like 40 grand and great-grandchildren, there were many costumes to wear and parts [...] Read more – ‘Porter Christmas Party: the pageant’.
Last Thursday night I did the craziest thing! I stayed up all night in the freezing cold on the streets of SLC, waiting for Wicked tickets to go on sale. It was COLD, it was tiring, at times it was frightening… but actually it was kind of fun! I went with my mom and little [...] Read more – ‘The things we do for love… and WICKED’.
We put up our tree this week and it’s quite festive. There’s nothing like turning on the Christmas tree lights, curling up with a cup of peppermint hot cocoa and… studying for finals. :) I can’t wait for that last part to be done, which it will be in about a week. Then it’s on [...] Read more – ‘It’s beginning to look a lot like…’.
Korean stir fry. Didn’t have ginger. Still tasted good! 1 1/2 lbs ribeye steak, excess fat trimmed1/4 cup soy sauce1 Tbs hot chile sesame oil2 Tbs brown sugar6 garlic cloves, minced1 Tbs finely grated ginger2 medium red onions, cut into wedges1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch strips4 tsp oil1 small head Boston lettuce [...] Read more – ‘Beef Bulgogi’.
Klane is awesome. I just can’t get over it. And he just keeps getting more and more awesome. This post is to tell everyone that he got in to the New York/Chicago internship program for this summer!! We won’t find out for another little while which city they’ll place him in. But we are excited! [...] Read more – ‘Yes, He Is’.
November hasn’t been my month to blog. We have been busy and haven’t taken many pictures, so I haven’t thought of posting. But we are still alive and well. My 22nd birthday came and went, with much celebrating, eating out, cake and ice-cream, surprises, presents, and the traditional shopping trip with mom. After the big [...] Read more – ‘Update:’.
Graf family + Harding family + the cabin … all of our favorite things in one evening! Everyone got together this weekend for a very fun night. We love spending time with our families and to have everyone together was so fun! We had a yummy dinner, played with the kids, had a few rounds [...] Read more – ‘Two Families at the Cabin’.
This is Klane on the beach with Santa Monica Pier behind him. On his quick trip to LA he was able to visit and tour four of the top advertising agencies in the world; now he’s thinking he would love to work there after our internship. Possibly at Deutsch or Chait/Day (those would be dream [...] Read more – ‘He’s still alive!’.
Say hello to delicious antioxidant and vitamin packed goodness. They’re yummy with ketchup, fry sauce, ranch or by themselves! 1 1/2 lb sweet potatoes1/4 cup olive oil1/2 tsp salt1/2 tsp paprika1/4 tsp cinnamon Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel potatoes, cut into strips about 1/2 inch wide on each side. Put them in a plastic [...] Read more – ‘Sweet Potato Fries’.
I don’t usually like to post about politics, but I am glad Proposition 8 passed in California. There has been so much controversial conversation going on about this, both with members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and nonmembers, and I wanted to clarify for anyone out there that is confused about [...] Read more – ‘Marriage: Between a Man and a Woman’.
(insert picture here of Barak Obama) At first I posted an actual picture but I couldn’t stand to have that face on my sacred blog. Hopefully I don’t offend anyone, but I am genuinely afraid for what may happen to our country. Not that either candidate was really such a sparkling option… i am bummed [...] Read more – ‘DANG IT.’.
…but i found a link to this blog and once i started reading I got seriously sucked in and read for an hour straight! Its basically a blog-novel about this girl who’s in love with her best friend… it was a way fun read. Check it out but be ready to waste some time. It’s [...] Read more – ‘Okay so maybe this is nerdy…’.
I love these women. They are what make work enjoyable. They are my friends! We also have an amazing boss (maybe i’m bias) who takes us to lunches and conventions and makes sure we have a staff play day twice a year. This time was a BBQ, hike and games at the cabin.Three amigasAubrye’s princess [...] Read more – ‘Staff Play Day’.
I love the Provo Temple. Well, any temple, really. But this one feels like “ours”. I get to see this view driving home every day (except maybe not with the sky looking so photograph-worthy). I can’t believe how lucky we are to live within two minutes walking distance from the House of the Lord. How [...] Read more – ‘I Love to See’.
I seriously have the cutest nieces and nephews ever. After I took some family pictures of the Smiths on Sunday, the kids had to take advantage of the leaves in grandma’s yard. I love these kids. They are hilarious. I couldn’t get a picture of Ethan without him pulling some crazy face, and they were [...] Read more – ‘Fall Leaves = Joy’.
I recently stumbled upon the most beautiful blog. It’s the blog of Stephanie Nielson, all about her love and passion for life and her family and her husband. She writes so beautifully, posts gorgeous images, and creates this magical fairytale life out of the everyday occurrences of being a wife and mother. It’s fabulous. Two [...] Read more – ‘I Ran for Nie’.
…listened to every song i have by The Weepies. Skipped working out on purpose, even though i had time. Read my latest favorite blog. Did some work and spent most of my day on a project I will describe below. Made enchiladas for Klane and his team. It is fall break for me and UVU, [...] Read more – ‘Today, I…’.
On Sunday we got together with our best family friends, the Markhams, for our Alaska reunion party. We go to Alaska with them every August and then try to get together in the fall up at the cabin. They also have a cabin just a few up from us and are the reason we built [...] Read more – ‘Family’.
1 1/2 cups cold milk1 pkg. (4-serving size) chocolate instant puddingwhipped cream14 oreosstore bought oreo pie crustfrosting for decoratingcandy corn pumpkins (optional) Pour milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with wire whick till well blended. Let stand 5 min. Save out 4 oreos but crush the rest. Stir in 1 1/2 cups [...] Read more – ‘Graveyard Oreo Pie’.
Klane and I headed to Sundance for a nice little overnighter a couple weeks ago. It’s always nice to escape up there; there are less distractions and you feel kind of secluded. Any time of year, it is always beautiful at Sundance. We took a hike to see the fall leaves and play with the [...] Read more – ‘Sundance Weekend’.
It finally came! Mike and Sara were married this weekend. It was such a beautiful temple sealing and a perfect day; everything about the wedding turned out gorgeous. Their awesome photographer, Dan Hixson, was nice enough to let me follow him around and take candids of the lovely couple. We absolutely love Mr. and Mrs. [...] Read more – ‘Mike + Sara’.
Klane is starting to compile his portfolio to apply for internships this summer. We will be spending 6-12 weeks living in either Chicago , LA or NYC. Can you guess what my vote is? :) Really we would be super excited for any option. If they offer him a job at the end of the [...] Read more – ‘I heart NY’.
4 breaded chicken breast tenderloins (Tyson, frozen; from Costco)3-4 cups chopped greenleaf lettuce (7 leaves?)1/2 can black beans, drained1/2 can corn, drained1 medium tomato, diced (roma would be best)grated colby jack cheesebroken up tortillla chipsranch dressingbarbecue sauce Bake chicken tenders according to package directions. While they’re baking, prepare other ingredients. Pile lettuce on individual plates, [...] Read more – ‘Chili’s Copycat: Mesquite Chicken Salad’.
Oh, fun! We threw a beautiful bridal shower for my wonderful soon to be sister-in-law, Sara. I love you Sara! Can’t wait to be officially related to this girl, and officially neighbors at Wymount. Anyway, when I say “we” threw a shower, really a lot of the credit for the amazing beautifulness of the whole [...] Read more – ‘It’s all in the details…’.
I’ve never been to Lake Powell on an overnighter, so this past weekend was a first for me! We ran down to the lake with my family on Friday morning to ski and surf for the extended weekend. We had a blast while the weather lasted, but after listening to the weather report Friday night, [...] Read more – ‘Quick Powell Trip’.
2 cups flour1 tsp baking soda1 tsp baking powder1 tsp salt2 eggs1 cup sugar4-5 ripe bananas1/2 cup oil1 tsp cinnamon1 tsp vanilla1 Tbs milkchocolate chips Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, baking soda and powder, and salt. In a large bowl, cream together eggs and sugar. Stir in mashed bananas, milk, vanilla, oil and cinnamon. [...] Read more – ‘Chocolate Chip Banana Bread’.
My favorite chocolate chip banana bread. Oh how i love it! Taking pictures of it afterward was also fun. It almost made me feel better after going back to school today. Almost. Read more – ‘Sometimes I need to bake…’.
Yes it’s true: after months of training, Klane and I – along with his mom Kaylene and sister Lynsie – ran 13.1 miles today in the Top of Utah Half Marathon. It was amazing! Last night was sort of like Christmas Eve, I woke up like 5 times because I was too excited to sleep [...] Read more – ‘we DID IT!’.
We took a weekend trip to Bear Lake with the Harding Clan. Almost everyone – Sara had to work (tear.) – was able to come up! We stayed in the Ross’ condo and spent two days boating and enjoying each other’s company. It was such a good time! We wakeboarded, skied, and tried something new: [...] Read more – ‘Bear Lake 08’.
I got this one from Robin Miller of the Food Network. She’s about keeping things healthy. I only fattened it up a teeny bit by adding extra cheese. 12 oz angel hair pasta1 Tbs olive oil1/2 cup chopped red onion3 cloves garlic, minced2 cups sliced mushrooms1 pound sweet or hot turkey or chicken sausage, cut [...] Read more – ‘Angel Hair with Creamy Sausage and Mushroom Sauce’.
Once again, the Grafs and Markhams headed up to Gustavus Alaska for our annual fishing adventure. This time Klane got to come along! It was his first time visiting Alaska and he loved it. We fished the ocean for halibut, hiked through gorgeous scenery, fished rivers for salmon, saw bears, whales, moose, sea otters, sea [...] Read more – ‘The Last Frontier’.
I went to the midnight release of Breaking Dawn with Lindsey and Michelle Markham. It was hilarious. There were some creepy people there. Don’t get me wrong, we were super excited to get the book and talk about it and everything, but to some of these people, the world Stephenie Meyer has created in the [...] Read more – ‘Dawn has broken’.
Today at work was unusual: we worked a full day even though it is Friday! That may sound normal to you, but SmilePerfect usually has Fridays off, so in honor of our five day workweek we all had a potluck lunch. I just have to say how much i love the women i work with. [...] Read more – ‘Happy Friday!’.
This week Klane was called to serve as the 2nd Counselor in the bishopric of the BYU 24th ward – an off campus singles ward. It was quite unexpected! Today we attended the ward for the first time and Klane was set apart, and we are excited. We will miss the 148th ward (and I’ll [...] Read more – ‘Changes!’.
We went to see John Mayer last night! The concert was so entertaining! We surprised Klane’s dad with tickets for Father’s Day, so the whole family went together. We had such a great time and the concert was amazing; John Mayer is such a talented performer and musician. He can play the guitar like nobody’s [...] Read more – ‘Listen to John Mayer’.
It has been a busy month! I really cannot believe we’re wrapping up July already; wasn’t the Fourth just last week? We have had a lot of fun things keeping us busy. We had a great Fourth of July weekend with Klane’s family. We watched the parade, played Slip N Slide with the boys, and [...] Read more – ‘July’.
Last weekend was mountain lakes and streams, this weekend was dry deserts. But equally fun! We camped in Moab with Dave, Kaylene, Mike and Sara, hiked to Delicate Arch at sunset, ate at yummy restaurants, and on Saturday did a 10 miler through the Needles District of Canyonlands. It was HOT but we had a [...] Read more – ‘Camping down South’.
I’m waiting to get pictures of our camping trip this weekend, so in the meantime I’ll post our pics from the Strawberry Days Rodeo. We didn’t bring our big camera so the pictures aren’t amazing, but we love the people in them and we had fun at the rodeo. This year featured motocross riders doing [...] Read more – ‘Strawberry Days’.
We loved trying out my family’s new boat on Utah lake the other night. The boat is so fun and we had time for some crazy tubing and our first attempt at wake surfing. Awesome! We’re looking forward to many more boating trips this summer. This is the first year in a long time we [...] Read more – ‘Evening at the Lake’.
Annie gets the credit for this one. It’s delicious. 3-4 lb beef roast1 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms1 sliced yellow onion2 packets Au Jus gravy mixwater (a little less than the packets call for)french style hoagie rollssliced muenster cheese Put the roast, mushrooms, onion, gravy mix and water in the crock pot, set on low for [...] Read more – ‘Crock Pot French Dip’.
We had a backpacking adventure with Kyle and Michelle up American Fork Canyon to a place called Silver Lake. Camping, hiking, fishing and great weather. We took our camera and got some great pictures. It was so fun. Read more – ‘Silver Lake’.
I am so grateful for my wonderful husband. He is so good to me and he is such a deeply good person. Klane teaches me every day with his example of patience, integrity, testimony, hard work, dedication, kindness… the list goes on and on. Thanks for being the perfect husband. Happy birthday babe, I’m so [...] Read more – ‘Happy Birthday, Klane!’.
All right everyone, I am doing it. I’m going to run the Top of Utah half-marathon in August. Today was officially “day one” of my training schedule. To those of you who are marathoners, I applaud you, because just doing half will be the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But I’m excited! So cheer me [...] Read more – ‘Day One’.
Rhodes Texas Rolls, thawed & risenPepperoniSliced olivesChopped mushroomsChopped green &/or red peppersChopped red onionMozzarella cheeseHeated pizza/pasta sauce P.S. I didn’t give amounts, just use how much you want Two rolls makes one big delicious calzone which Klane can finish and I cannot. Squish two rolls together and roll out flat into a 10 inch circle. [...] Read more – ‘Calzones’.
We were feeling abandoned this weekend. Annie, Chris, Lynsie and Nathan are on a cruise; Mike and Sara are at Yosemite with her family; Kyle and Michelle are in Israel with her family; my dad, Justin and Brandon were at Zion’s Camp; and my mom went to visit her parents in So Utah. It was [...] Read more – ‘Lonely…’.
This weekend we had some exciting family things going on. First, Mike and Sara got engaged! We are so excited for Sara to officially become part of the family; we love her! Plus, it will be so fun to have another married couple to hang out with. We love you guys! The other fun event [...] Read more – ‘Engagement Rings and Princess Crowns’.
There is no picture because this is so good I ate it too fast to get a picture. And if I made more, I would eat the whole batch. 2 bags popcorn, popped1/2 cube butter1 bag mini marshmallows1 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)1 bag milk chocolate chips Melt butter and marshmallows in pan. Add [...] Read more – ‘Sin Popccorn’.
I had so much fun with the girls from work on our cruise last week! It was so much fun to have a break and just hang out with everyone. I absolutely love the people I work with and we had so much fun together being crazy, ordering room service at 1 am, riding bikes [...] Read more – ‘Cruisin’.
We just can’t stop celebrating, what with our anniversary this week and with a break (however short) from school. What’s not to celebrate? Our actual anniversary was the 28th, so on Monday night I fixed us a yummy ‘gourmet’ dinner – complete with Martinelli’s sparkling cider – and for dessert we shared a piece of [...] Read more – ‘we’re kind of just in love with each other’.
This. Is. AMAZING. (If you hate fish leave it out or use chicken) 3 Tbs olive oil1-2 cloves garlic, minced1 med. onion, sliced1 can artichoke hearts in water, drained16 oz can stewed tomatoes (I got “italian style”)1/8 tsp crushed red pepper1 tsp sugar1 Tbs basil1 lb pasta (I used fettuccini-yum)1/4 cup white cooking wine1 salmon [...] Read more – ‘Salmon Artichoke Pasta’.
We celebrated our one year anniversary by visiting the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point, going to do a session at the Salt Lake Temple, and eating at The Roof. It was such a fun day. We had our reception at the Garden Visitor’s Center on the last day of Tulip Festival last year, and I [...] Read more – ‘One Year Anniversary’.
Exciting news: Klane made it into the Creative Track of the Advertising program at BYU! We broke into the Brimhall building at midnight on Friday to sneak upstairs and look at the list. He was one of 16 that made it in. Go Klane! Read more – ‘He Got In!!’.
Our lives have been absolutely CRAZY lately. Klane’s portfolio to apply for the creative track of the advertising program was due last Friday, plus he has been doing some on-the-side freelance design work in addition to his regularly full work and school schedule. I feel like I never see him! He has been up till [...] Read more – ‘Hardworking man…’.
How fun! I cleaned my cute grandma’s teeth on Thursday! She is just adorable. My grandma is really a celestial person, I just love her. She was nice enough to let me scrape her teeth for a grade. :) Thanks, gram.Sweet glasses, Ang! (Forgot to take them off for the picture…)Three generations: My beautiful grandma, [...] Read more – ‘Sweet Grandma Marilyn’.
We got a much needed break this weekend with General Conference. It was so nice to relax together and with our families and listen to the words of our church leaders. I loved Jeffrey R. Holland’s and M. Russell Ballard’s talks, to name a couple. We had the amazing opportunity to attend the Sunday morning [...] Read more – ‘Conference Weekend’.
Annie brought Ryan over on Saturday and we got to watch him for a couple hours. He is such a cute baby. We had a lot of fun! Little Royce was cool with us turning the visit into a mini photo-shoot. I can tell I am going to live behind the camera when we have [...] Read more – ‘Speaking of Babies…’.
I am awesome. I did the best April Fool’s prank on Klane. I can’t say it was all my own idea, but it turned out amazing. A pregnant girl at work took a pregnancy test for me and I took it home. When Klane came home I told him I had some news for him [...] Read more – ‘April Fool’s!’.
Klane and I went up to Snowbird for my first skiing lesson! Klane was a great teacher and very patient with me. Everything about skiing is completely backwards from snowboarding, it was crazy! I kept trying to use my skis like I would use my board, and I got pretty frustrated with myself. But we [...] Read more – ‘First time for everything’.
Three names you go by: 1. Ang 2. Angiegirl (only by Klane) 3. Angelina (only by mom or grandma Marilyn)Three things you are wearing right now: 1. AE Jeans 2. Yellow shirt from work 3. wedding ringThree of your favorite things to do: 1. Snowboarding 2. Waterskiing 3. Running… with Klane!Three things you want very [...] Read more – ‘Tagged’.
I got bored and searched our names on Google (the top hit for mine was this blog), and I was surprised that the top hit for Klane was on CNN.com! I got all excited and clicked through. I had forgotten about his success earlier this year with CALLE in the Fortune Small Business Competition, and [...] Read more – ‘Old news, still exciting’.
Little Cloud; that’s Mike up ahead. It was kind of snowy! Proof that skiers and snowboarders can live together in harmony :) In the tunnel (I guess I’m hanging loose?) Klane and Mike in the tunnel. Woo! Mike, Klane and I had such a fun day at Snowbird on Saturday! Sorry there are no action [...] Read more – ‘Snowbird’.
I had to get a picture of Klane with his cute hair before he cuts it! (The day is soon approaching.) Isn’t he just adorable?! I am so lucky I get to be married to him. Klane is so thoughtful, funny, smart, talented, spiritual and just fun to be with. He is such a great [...] Read more – ‘My Cute Husband’.
This pic is kind of old, it’s from February 19 when I was lucky enough to be the one to sit with my mom at the cancer center. She had a really great few weeks leading up to this, and was just glowing. (I keep saying it’s not very fair that she looks healthier than [...] Read more – ‘"Remission": What a beautiful word!’.
Klane’s brother Michael came home from his mission on Friday! We thought we were really hilarious with our airport signs: HUGE pictures of Mike’s face. Needless to say it was a really great weekend, with lots of time spent with family. Klane and Mike are great friends and they’re hilarious together so it was fun [...] Read more – ‘He’s Home!’.
This isn’t really my how-to, but I just discovered how to add digital scrapbook paper to my blog and a few people have asked how. So I will pass the word along. This woman has a blog where she gives all the instructions, step by step, for how to edit simple html and [...] Read more – ‘My How-To of the Week’.
Klane and I have been married for nine months now and I just finished putting together our wedding album. It didn’t take me a long time, I just didn’t get around to starting the project until a few weeks ago! But it looks beautiful! I only have one problem. There were so many pictures of [...] Read more – ‘It’s DONE!’.
So tonight Klane and I went up to Thanksgiving Point for dinner and a movie. We’re still using up our spoils from the contest we won at the TP Bridal Fair last year… lots of free food and movies! We had a nice dinner at Harvest restaurant (it tastes so much better when it’s free [...] Read more – ‘Date Night at T.P.’.
Look at my cute mom! If you’re ever having a hard day, I know someone you should talk to. My mom has to be the most positive person I know. Today Klane and I went over to visit her and she is all smiles, even though the last of her hair fell out this week [...] Read more – ‘My Mother is My Hero’.
