Thanksgiving Oh Nine!

This Thanksgiving Scott and I drove up to Eden to spend some time with Scott's Uncle John and Aunt Jana, their kids, and all of Jana's extended family. It was great to spend my favorite holiday with a huge, chaotic family! I felt right at home!!! Eden was gorgeous, the food was delicious, and Jana's family was so nice to us. They made us feel right at home, and I was comfortable the whole time. We had a great time getting to know the extended family better, and especially spending time with our Bilton cousins. I love spending time with Sarah, and Scott loves messing around with Tanner and Blake. A bunch of us woke up and went for a morning turkey trot. Everyone who didn't go was in their pj's till one or two. Jana, Sarah, all of the girl cousins, and I went to the gym to work out while Scott went running outside (it was a beautiful beautiful day... perfect weather!). I've never had a Thanksgiving so full of exercise! Ha ha... I guess it did make the pigging out a little bit more enjoyable. Scott went with John, Blake, and Tanner after dinner to go shooting. He said it was a lot of fun, but shooting isn't quite his thing! That makes me happy... I'm not big on shooting. It was a really laid-back Thanksgiving Day, and we really enjoyed ourselves.

One of the things I look forward to around Christmas and Thanksgiving is my friends coming home from college! This year Em came into town, and I was so excited to see her! Scott and I went up to the Kerns to spend a night with John, Sharon, Tucker (for a bit), and Em. It was SO GREAT to be back in this house and just have fun laughing and talking. One of the things I love about getting together with Em is that we don't have "catch up" conversations. I feel like with some friends I spend a lot of time catching each other up on our lives, which is important, but I love when we can just dive in like we haven't missed a beat. It brings me back to that natural and easy feeling of friendship that we've shared for years. Em and I have been best friends since seventh grade... since we were twelve or thirteen. That is incredible to me. I've been so blessed in this friendship, and I know it will last forever. I have very few memories that don't include Emily. She's always been my other hip!

And I have to say that I am so grateful for Scott. It's great to be married to someone who makes the people who are important to me just as important to him. I'm so thrilled that my two best friends get along so well! I really lucked out there. Scott was so sweet to come with me to the Kerns and just fit in as if he grew up there too! You know when girls get together they take a million pictures of themselves, holding the camera out themselves while they make ridiculous faces? It's the classic shot. I love being married because my fantastic husband takes those pictures for us! I love him because he knows I'm ridiculous, and he loves me anyway... and even better, he joins in! He's even been searching flights lately to send me up to Colorado to visit Em on her turf.

Hopefully we'll all get to do some climbing before Emmy heads back (slash skiing if we can get some more snow).











We need to get Amelia and Sydney back here in December, and then I will have the merriest Christmas ever!


And guess who comes home tomorrow, who is on a plane to return to the homeland as we speak? MY MOM!!!!!!! I can't wait to welcome her back! Scabies and all!

WEIRD-BIRD

Salt Lake can't make up its mind. Emily went to Snowbird today and said it was "scrapey" but decent. But outside I'm wearing slippers and a windbreaker. It's hardly winter, but I'm so ready for it. I always get frustrated this time of year. It seems like when I'm ready for winter, It takes its time, and when I want to hang onto Fall a little longer, the snow falls in October. Last year I was in sunny Santa Barbara for Thanksgiving. I thought it strange to have a Thanksgiving without snow, one where I could wear shorts and go surfing. Snow-less Thanksgiving is fantastic in Santa Barbara, but I will not tolerate a snow-less Salt Lake Thanksgiving. The weather gods better kick into gear.

I complain about the weather not being able to make up its mind every year. I've spent 21 of my 22 winters in Utah. I should probably let it go and get used to it.

Birds are flyin' south for the winter.
Here's the weird-bird headin' north,
Wings a-flappin', beak a-chatterin',
Cold head bobbin' back n' forth.
He says, "It's not that I like ice
Or freezin' winds and snowy ground.
It's just sometimes its kind of nice
To be the only bird in town.

Shel Silverstein

This poem is not relevant. I just liked it.




















And this weird bird just makes me think of Doug.

Okay... that bird has taken me on an extremely unexpected journey (thank you google...isn't it about time google be part of the spell check dictionary) and break from my day to gaze upon a website filled with Doug-like drawings. This BreadWigGuy might be related to me.

CUTE MOM!

Here's mom doing medical exams for the at risk kids in the red light district! She's doing great and having a lot of fun. She's pretty tough... she's living in the jungle... with SCABIES! Ha ha ha... she probably doesn't want me to tell anyone that. Can't wait to have her home (where my dad will probably make her sleep in the garage until the scabies have gone far far away).

Check out what they're doing on their YMAD Blog

"I have been having some amazing opportunities here in India. Dr. Paul and I were able to work with 20 midwifes. These women are very smart and were so excited to learn. They asked us some great questions and we were able to teach them some things that will hopefully help save some of the babies they are delivering. We are going to talk to two other village groups of midwifes today. It feels very rewarding. I’m grateful to be here.

Yesterday a small group of the medical team went into the red light district to check on the children of the prostitutes. Nishtha has a shelter for these children. Stewy, Dr. Paul and I examined 42 children. I was overwhelmed to see the children. Overall the children were physically healthy. But, I can’t begin to comprehend all the many struggles they face each day."

Your hand opens and closes and opens and closes.

If it were always a fist or always stretched open, you would be paralyzed.Your deepest presence is in every small contracting and expanding, the two as beautifully balanced and coordinated as bird wings (Rumi).

This morning I did this...



...for the first time in almost a YEAR (Well, not ALL of this. My headstand is pretty rusty! And although my dad has always called me "Pretzel," the one in the top right corner looks a little unnatural... even though I will definitely be trying it out when I'm done with this post). I missed it so much, and it felt amazing to get back into it a little. I have done yoga at a studio a couple times a week ever since I was sixteen... at least until I left the Y. On the river, I'd do it every once in a while on my own... but ever since marriage, my yoga-ing has been non-existent. I'd love to be part of a studio again, but I remember enough to get by on my own for a bit. Today felt amazing. Something I definitely need to bring back into my life. I love yoga because it is the most simultaneously relaxing and energizing time in my day. It is filled with Wordsworth's spots in time, and it helps me let go of my day, or help my day let go of me. I love that it takes concentration and conscious effort, but at the same time feels effortless.

I BROKE ONE OF MY RULES

LIFE RULE: Never listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving...

Except last weekend I did all the way home from Provo. And I was way too excited about it!

INDIAN MOM

So mom called yesterday from India! She sounds great. It seems like living in the jungle really agrees with her. I stole this picture from their YMAD blog. She'll be back in three weeks!

Officially the first time I've ever included a link in my blog... took a minute to figure it out... but I got it! Click on it, or else I did all that for nothing.

Medias or Calcetines?

We did it! We are finally settled in our new place! It feels like a real home now that the boxes are cleared out... books are in cases... frames are on ALL horizontal surfaces... and my one Thanksgiving decoration is in our kitchen. Now I just need to stock up with food in the fridge and it's official!

I cannot believe how much stuff we have. I have no clue how it all fit in our last place!! It is such a blessing to be able to move, have a little more room to put all of our toys. This apartment is going to be a fun adventure for us.

Scott is at day two of Goldman right now! Yesterday was a big orientation day. Today, hopefully, he'll get to know his team and finally figure out what he's going to be doing! I'm excited to see him excited!


So pictures are coming of the new place... but here's a little sneak peek into our strange world of moving. My entire life, my dad has teased me that I can't match my socks. I'd wear a holiday Christmas tree sock that sings jingle bells with a "matching" Halloween pumpkin sock. (By the way, Scott and I weren't sure which Spanish word is correct... medias or calcetines?) I thought they looked nice together. But I did decide when I entered to great expanse of BYU that I would finally match my socks. So I wore white ankle socks. White ankle socks match! No matter what brand they are... at least they're the same color and the same height!

But that's not good enough for Scott. He was very frustrated with me during our moving process. He has a fear of unmatched socks. I told him ten years of owning all these socks, and not managing to have any two socks that match, is a HUGE accomplishment. He didn't agree, however.

Alright... the tradition stands... I couldn't get our video to work. I never can! But Scott can, so unless anyone out there in the blog world wants to fill me in on whatever I'm doing wrong, I'll ask Scott to post the video when he gets home tonight!

OH LIBRARY...

These days I read and write all day in the comfort of my own home... but tonight I am here at the U of U library.

I love studying at the library. I actually get a ton more done because it gives me that familiar feeling of studying at BYU until the wee hours of the night (I have to say the BYU library is a lot busier... I think the reason for that is because the library at the Y is used about 60% for facilitating our educational experience and 40% for social interactions, while the students at the U apparently do their socializing elsewhere). I have been studying up here during the daytime on occasion, but this is my first return to evening library study since my days at BYU when I was highly committed to my specific spot in the LRC (I sat there for years! Scott and I remember seeing each other in the LRC all the time my sophomore year. Apparently my schedule there was so regular that he knew exactly when to swing by the LRC to bump into me for a quick hello).

I feel like I came very prepared for the evening. I even packed a little ziploc baggie of Apple Jacks (well, Scott prepared it for me upon my request... isn't he nice?). I sat in a strategic zone of the library. South AND north facing windows so I don't feel like I'm underground (periodicals at the Y was never my thing). I can't see out the windows... just reflections in them... but it makes me feel better having windows even if I don't know what's beyond them. Clearly the north facing ones must separate me from another room. I'm near the restroom... but not so near that I'll look up whenever someone comes to use them. I've chosen to sit strategically far from the drinking fountain for this same reason, but just close enough so I can dash for a sip of water without having to worry about my stuff getting stolen (something I never considered at BYU. Not because of the honor code or the fact that everyone there is Mormon and likely has been taught that "thou shalt not steal," but actually because the chances were that I would know at least 30% of the people who had randomly assembled in the desks near me. I knew one of them would keep an eye on my stuff). And the final positive point of my seating choice... I'm in a cubical. A little cell! If I want to look around at anyone or anything that might distract me from my work, I would have to seriously strain my neck.

The one problem I failed to foresee... I chose a cubical near a computer outlet plug-in. I don't need the computer for my particular assignment. While this blog post has only taken a total of three minutes so far, in the future I will have to avoid this oversight. It's not as big of a deal as this would have been back in the day. I used to have email correspondence with a ton of people. So when I was in the groove of my work, I'd pop onto my computer, and there! Distraction! I'd have at least one email to read from someone. I guess one more good thing about getting married is that a lot (okay... all) of the email socialization goes away... and with it... distraction.

Don't check your email Lindsey... no one has written you!

On top of all of this.... I have been using Scott's computer while waiting for my new computer cord to arrive (which works by a HAIR better than the last one)... and now I suffer Mac withdrawals. I don't miss the Mac. I prefer the PC... but I keep trying to scroll down with two fingers, and I keep pressing alt because it's where the command key is supposed to be on the Mac. It's crazy how your muscle memory conforms that quickly. I am also failing to appreciate having the right click button back in my life.

And for those of you who are reading this, don't write some sort of comment on this post to the tune of "Get back to work," because by the time you read this, I will have already done just that.

s

MOVING DAY(S)...

I was delusional before. I have realized that every day this past week has been "Moving Day." Evidently, every day of this week will be "Moving Day" as well.

And Happy Ten months, Scotty!

TO AUTUMN

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep,
Drows'd with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers:
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cyder-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours.

Where are the songs of spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too, -
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.
(John Keats)























I used to have this memorized. Where does all this knowledge go?

MOVING DAY!!

That's it.

SCOTT...

...brought me a pack of skittles when he came home for lunch today! He is wonderful!!!! These little things absolutely make my day!!!!

THINKING ABOUT THANKSGIVING

It's not really too early to think about Thanksgiving. Scott and I are having our first Thanksgiving celebration at Ingunn's on Sunday.

I've always been someone who can't let traditions go. I'm getting better. I remember the first time I had to ditch out on my favorite family holiday. By this time, I had missed weddings and reunions. I had missed my birthday at home.... but I had never missed Thanksgiving until Thanksgiving 2006 I was in London. I found this email, addressed to Emily while I was over there.

"this day is a different kind of thanksgiving. at home it's all about family, food, warmth, and thanking God for the blessings we have been given. Here...i feel like i have really personalized thanksgiving... and i've put a whole new spin on it. This morning i got up at six to play American football in Hyde Park. It was so strange to pass joggers and strollers, and i looked at these people and just thought, "no one here knows it's thanksgiving!!!" ha ha.. it was weird... like i had some secret delight. so... on the way home i was crunching in leaves (snowless still) and it just felt like Autumn, the kind of Autumn Keats would describe or the kind you would paint if you could perfectly transfer thoughts to paper. And strangely enough... even with dish duty... even with dressing up in a skirt and autumny tops (whereas thanksgiving is usually spent in jeans and a sweater)... it still felt like thanksgiving. Even without cooking. Without chaos. without cousins. It still feels like thanksgiving! (i actually am going to go downstairs and help cook after this email). The American Community living in London was invited to St. Pauls Cathedral for an American Tributary Thanksgiving service. This really fortified my Thanksgiving spin this year. Here i am, listening to Catholic sermons, feeling so compelled to be greatful for the gift of life and all the many blessings i receive without even thanking God for them so much of the time, but i also felt empowered as an American. This Thanksgiving was like a 4th of July! I feel patriotic, proud of my home, and proud that my country was founded on that premise of a belief in God. It all kind of came together again for me today. I'm proud of our country (living outside of it has made me realize that), and i attribute the strength of our country to God as one of our greatest blessings that we should give thanks for at Thanksgiving. It was a little awkward though, to think that we are celebrating a holiday that exists because a huge group of people were divinely inspired by God to leave England and seek out a better life. I felt weird sitting next to a British friend thinking, "i'm celebrating people escaping the corrupt and inhibiting religious institutions that your country imposed upon them." strange... he he"

It's fun to look back on that Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving hasn't been the same ever since that year!!!! In 2007 I drove to Saint George with Kyle, and we had Thanksgiving with the Petersen side. In 2008 I had Thanksgiving with the Hannays in Santa Barbara. And this year we'll be with the Biltons. For someone who has always been such a traditionalist, I'm surprised that I love all the changes! Thanksgiving is still my favorite holiday, and it's for the feelings associated with it, not the food or where I eat that food. I think I've come a long way from crying when my mom told me that Santa Claus was going to start leaving presents upstairs instead of downstairs. That was a very big deal to me.

There's so much coming up!

1. We're MOVING! We're staying in the Aves, but we are moving. So I've spent the last few days boxing up all of our stuff and cleaning out our new kitchen with my mom, getting it ready. We're so excited to get all settled and have people over! Now they'll be able to come in and hang out without having to walk in through our bedroom, and they'll also be able to use the bathroom with the door CLOSED instead of cracked open with the faucet turned on so they can feel like no one can hear them. Oh geez.... what wonderful memories have filled this last year (This is the longest I have lived in one place since my senior year of high school).

2. Scott's wrapping things up at UW to transition into Goldman. We're so excited to make the switch next week!!! I think the change is long overdue. And Goldman opens so many doors for Scotty with school and progressing in his job. It'll be fun for him to have a change in scene and be working with Andrew, too. Fun changes in the works.

3. I'm taking such fun classes! "Writing for Children and Adolescents" and "Studies in Poetry" It's so nice to take the time to write... and I don't need to feel guilty about it because I'm doing it for a class!!!

4. Scott's still doing his GMAT classes. Lately we've been having those days where we walk in the door when it's dark out and we crash minutes later. Last night we actually got a chance to sit and talk for about five minutes before we crashed! It was so great to actually be able to spend some time talking to my husband!!

5. Scott and I have Thanksgiving on Sunday. Ha ha ha.. My family is going to be all over for the actual holiday. So we're doing it this Sunday. Scott and I will probably spend the actual Thanksgiving up at the cabin with John and Jana's family. I'm actually really excited about this! Scott will have to work on the Friday after Thanksgiving, but I'll probably stay and hang out with the Biltons. We love spending time with them, and it's nice to have at least a small part of Scotty's family so close. Either way... it's great to have two Thanksgivings!!!!! Especially since Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE holiday!

Mmmmm....

SOBRINOS

I stole these pictures from my sister. Look how cute my nephews are!!!! Andrew was a farmer for Halloween, and Ben was his cow!!! I love these boys!!!






We were having a tutorial on how to stick out your tongue in pictures. Scott is an excellent teacher of this art.






And then we had a sword fight... of course. Typical activity of the Sabbath Day. Dueling....


Ben was so funny following Andrew around. Scott tried to show him how to hold the sword the right way, but he was sure that you are supposed to hold the wooden sword by the blade.
What funny boys. We had a blast chasing them around the house and toasting to King Andrew during dessert. Little Baby Girl to come is going to have to learn how to hold her own with these two.

HALLOWEENY NIGHT

It was a Happy Halloween! I have pictures of us in our costumes (we wore to our YM/YW costume party). I'll have to post those once my new computer cord comes. I've been using Scott's and I'm not completely mac savvy. But here are some pictures from our Halloween night courtesy of Annie and Jon.

Scott was very nice to help me get the last of the gunk out of my pumpkin. You know, everyone tells us that we look like siblings. This is the first time that I look at a picture of us and can kind of see what everybody's talking about. But Scott's cuter.

Matt and Loral. Matt looks extremely intense. He must be working very hard. We have to thank Matt for turning twenty-six. Last night Scott, Andrew, and I drove down to Matt's birthday dinner at TUCANOS! I haven't been there in a couple years, and I mentioned to Scott three days ago that we should go sometime... and we got to last night. It's ten o'clock the morning after, and I still haven't eaten anything, I'm so full from last night. It was delicous.

Jon and Annie. On their front porch. Jon had a fog machine he loved to use on the trick-or-treaters. I loved that he was so into the Halloween spirit.

The whole group outside Jon and Annie's. Celeste, Kevin, Scott, me, Annie, Jon, Adam, Beckah, Matt and Loral. This is such a fun group of friends. It's a bunch of Scott's Santa Barbara guy friends and all their new wives! We always have fun with these guys.



Jon and Annie have the cutest house and go all out with all of their goodies. There's always a million delicious things to snack on! I can't ever have parties at my house because I won't be able to match the parties at the Kimball house!!!

MY DEMISE

I finally get the guts to attempt this Canadian treasure of the Hannay family.... and OF COURSE I mess it up somehow. I had never made these before... I didn't even know what they were supposed to look like. They tasted delicious, but how sad... the middle layer was a yellow, runny, goopy-looking slime. Lynne... HELP!!!? What did I do wrong?

I'm going to need some hands-on tutoring over Christmas!!!

IN THE MOMENT

It was a day in June, all lawn and sky,
the kind that gives you no choice
but to unbutton your shirt
and sit outside in a rough wooden chair.

And if a glass of ice tea and a volume
of seventeenth-century poetry
with a dark blue cover are available,
then the picture can hardly be improved.

I remember a fly kept landing on my wrist,
and two black butterflies
with white and red wing-dots
bobbed around my head in the bright air.

I could feel the day offering itself to me,
and I wanted nothing more
than to be in the moment-but which moment?
Not that one, or that one, or that one,

or any of those that were scuttling by
seemed perfectly right for me.
Plus, I was to knotted up with questions
about the past and his tall, evasive sister, the future.

What churchyard held the bones of George Herbert?
Why did John Donne's wife die so young?
And more pressingly,
what could we serve the vegetarian twins

who were coming to dinner that evening?
Who knew that they would bring their own grapes?
And why was the driver of that pickup
flying down the road toward the lone railroad track?

And so the priceless moments of the day
were squandered one by one--
or more likely a thousand at a time--
with quandary and pointless interrogation.

All I wanted was to be a pea of being
inside the green pod of time,
but that was not going to happen today,
I had to admit to myself

as I closed the book on the face
of Thomas Traherne and returned to the house
where I lit a flame under a pot
full of floating brown eggs,

and, while they cooked in their bubbles,
I stared into a small oval mirror near the sink
to see if that crazy glass
had anything special to tell me today.

Billy Collins

RENDEZVOUS SERVICE RANCH

One of my best friends has gotten involved with this new Rendezvous Service Ranch. It is a break-off from the original Bennion Boys Ranch that I visit in Victor during the summer. Dave, my friend, has grown up working at the Boy's ranch and is trying to help get this ranch up and running. I haven't been to Rendezvous Service Ranch yet, but I love the concept behind it and what it can do for the boys and all of the adult leaders. They're having a service project soon to spread the word. Check out the website.
http://rendezvousserviceranch.org/

October

And all the lives we ever lived
And all the lives to be,
Are full of trees and changing leaves.

Bold all of the things that you have done...

1. Started your own blog (Eh hem. Yep)
2. Slept under the stars (For five months in a row!)
3. Played in a band (No official band... sadly. But plenty of good ol' bluegrass and folk jams)
4. Visited Hawaii (Twice: once in fifth grade, once in seventh. Thanks Mom and Dad!)
5. Watched a Meteor Shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland (Happiest place on Earth! Especially taking your three year-old nephew! I'm still trying to convince Scott we should make a stop next time we're visiting the family in SB)
8. Climbed a Mountain (Wouldn't be living this life I love if I hadn't climbed some mountains)
9. Held a praying mantis (Can't say that I can remember a specific time but I'm sure... at some point...)
10. Sang a solo (I think it started when I was Jiminy Cricket in the fifth grade play)
11. Bungee jumped (I. Wish.)
12. Visited Paris (Once in ninth grade with my mom, cousin Paul, and aunt Trisha. Again in college for study abroad. I LOVE FRANCE)
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea (Does the ocean count?)
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (The violin? Quilting?)
15. Adopted a child (Eh. No.)
16. Had food poisoning (Blasted Costa Vida Pork Salad. Claimed half of my apartment complex as victims! Three days later I was so fatigued that I passed out one night while sitting in the bathroom sink... just something I do... and I fell to the ground and dislocated my shoulder. Luckily a friend who was an EMT happened to be across the street and popped it back into place.)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty (In middle school.)
18. Grown your own vegetables (Can I count sprouts in a jar in my kitchen? If not... then the veggies I grew at the ranch)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France (Twice. Smaller than you expect)
20. Slept on an overnight train (Wish I could say yes. Feel like I should be able to... but can't)
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked (Standard practice in Moab)
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill.
24. Built a snow fort (These are a few of my favorite things.... doo doo... doo doo.)
25. Held a Lamb (Baby goat. Close enough?)
26. Gone skinny dipping (Yes. My favorite time might have been at the Cysco put-in while Brenna and I waited for someone who could tow our van out of the river. We had to kill the time.)
27. Run a Marathon (Park City!)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset (I'd be ashamed if I had to write no. Most beautiful artwork ever)
31. Hit a home run (In my case, the equivalent for this would be hit a baseball in general. I have done it!)
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person (from the America side)
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (Stood right at Liverpool thinking of family members who came through there. When I was in Scotland, I visited the castle of the Burnett Family, Crathes Castle. These are my dad's ancestors who settle in Eden. Their cabin now stands at This Is The Place Park. Isabel Burnett had brown curly hair, played the violin, and was a writer. I love family history. I was excited to visit the castle. I asked for a family discount, but the person didn't so much as snicker.)
35. Seen an Amish community (Yes. While on a church history tour in high school. I can't remember which one though or where we were. I know it was a large, well known community.)
36. Taught yourself a new language (Spanish. I also feel quite fluent in "Guy" thanks to my many guy friends over the years)
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (I'm pretty satisfied. There's always that one Anthro skirt or that one sexy backback... but I'm pretty happy, generally.)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person (Yes'm. About all Pisa had to offer me, though)
39. Gone rock climbing (Weekly.)
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David (Yes! In the most jamb-packed three-day trip to Florence and Rome ever!)
41. Sung karaoke (Moose's Grill, Park City. I don't think we were actually old enough to be in the bar, but it was after night-skiing in eighth grade... waiting for my dad to pick us up... Amelia, Sydney, Em, and me. We sang "Splish Splash I Was Taking a Bath!")
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt (Yellowstone Family Reunion trip. I think I was in middle school)
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant (Bought a stranger a meal on the streets of Rome.)
44. Visited Africa (Wish I were my husband sometimes... that's an adventure I want to catch up on).
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance (put a friend into an ambulance and met him at the hospital. Closest I've gotten)
47. Had your portrait painted (when I was a little kid. It's hanging at my ma's house. Scott has also doodled me now and then)
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person (Incredible)
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris (Yes'm. In day and night)
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling (snorkeling in Hawaii. Wish I cold scuba)
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud (This is where I want to insert a picture of my trip to Moon Lake with Amelia, Syd, and Em. He he he! Or my picture of Scotty and me in Tahoe with the black sand... see top of our blog on the right. I love mud.)
54. Gone to a drive-in theater (In high school. I think we saw "The Village." We sat in the bed of Steve's Tacoma.)
55. Been in a movie (youtube! and Scott's homemade creations)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China (Someday)
57. Started a business (Rock the Block Foundation!)
58. Taken a martial arts class (I won a free intro course. Em and I couldn't stop laughing and man was taking his Koji tree way to seriously!)
59. Visited Russia (oh, man. Someday)
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies (I've eaten them. I didn't make it to Girl Scouts. I couldn't even last in Brownies)
62. Gone whale watching (Planning on it. Almost did it in SB over Christmas.)
63. Got flowers for no reason (I've been treated VERY well by my wonderful husband and some wonderful friends)
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma (Can't. Don't weigh enough. And I might have Mad Cow from living in England. What?)
65. Gone sky diving (Someday)
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy (many... so so many. Poor Scott had to have teddy bears on his bed for the first few months of marriage)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar (No interest)
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job (lay off...)
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone (my arm three times... and MANY more)
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle (On a motorcycle, yes. NOT a speeding one.)
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person (Best view ever... from the RIVER! For THREE WEEKS!)
80. Published a book (Someday)
81. Visited the Vatican (Wonderful memories.)
82. Bought a brand new car (I've loved my Monty and my Mr. G)
83. Walked in Jerusalem (Coming soon...)
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible (Not from cover to cover. But I"m sure by the time I add up the pieces.)
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (A fish.)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life (I feel like NOT KILLING people on the river was a round-about way of saving their lives. I pulled plenty of panicked souls out of the water)
90. Sat on a jury (Will dodge as long as possible!)
91. Met someone famous (Jerry Seinfeld)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit (I sort of wish I were in one now. I want my deposit back from our scummy landlord!)
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

AUTOMATIC DOORS

I need to stop believing that objects and fictional friends have actual human emotions. I know my sister understands this...

Last night Scott and I watched a little 20 minute show... his favorite Halloween television show, "The Pumpkin Who Couldn't Smile." We just looked it up on google. It was an old Raggedy Ann and Andy show... it was the cutest little show. The little cartoon boy on it actually reminded me of Scotty as a kid (at least what I've seen in pictures). Anyway.... there's this really sad pumpkin at the pumpkin patch... the last one left on Halloween night. And he's just bawling his eyes out that no one wants him and that he's a reject... I about cried. Poor guy. Luckily things work out for him in the end. But this guy went through a lot.

I have never been able to pack all of my stuffed animals away in a box. I had them ALL sitting on display in my bedroom until I got married. I just can't stand the feeling of guilt. Looking them in the eye as I put them away in a box... I'm sorry, I just can't take it.

I can't stand leaving a bite of food on the plate if that bite is the only one left. A grape... a noodle... I just feel like that last bit of food must feel bad that it was the only one that didn't get eaten. It is just going to be tossed in the garbage or down the sink... never being able to fulfill its true potential.

I don't know if Scott knew what he was getting himself into when he married me.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STOKES!

Not many people are so lucky to be in a Stoker sandwich like this one... especially with a giant French snowman with an inner tube beret.
Although there's probably no chance that they're reading this.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY to two of my best and longest friends. Amelia and Sydney have been amazing friends to me for the last well... ten years now that they're twenty-three! Geez! That's a long time! I couldn't ask for more amazing friends. These girls teach me so much about life and how to be the best version of who you are. They are living exciting lives, and doing so much for everyone they come in contact with along the way. Amelia has a way of always bringing me back to reality and helping me see the world in a different light than my own experiences. And Syd always makes me laugh. She has an excitement about her that rubs off. She is a positive and upbeat person. No matter how much time passes between when we get to see each other, I always walk away feeling overwhelmed that I have such wonderful friends!

Here they are laughing at me cause I got married.... I guess none of us ever thought it would really happen. My life would be completey different if they weren't in it. These three girls, in fact, are a big part of why I am who I am. I love you guys! Happy Birthday Mel and Syd!!!! In middle school and high school we used to do such elaborate birthday celebrations (Em and I are both in May, so we'd have a big October birthday bash and then one in the spring). I don't have a single memory that doesn't have one or all of these girls in it!!!

HALLOWEENY DAYS

Scott and I were just talking yesterday about my thing with traditions and holidays. I feel like I'm growing up quite a bit and letting some traditions slide, but I guess there's still a huge part of me that loves green pancakes on Saint Patrick's Day and making your twenty-four year-old husband go on an Easter basket search. I love this time of year... back to back celebrations. Halloween... Thanksgiving... Christmas.... New Year. Right now I'm looking out my front window and there is a thin layer of snow on my jeep. The snow is coming down steadily, I can't wait to head to the mountains!

Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. My favorite costume as a kid was the year I was Raggedy Ann. Of course I had to wear my winter coat over my costume... but them's the breaks when you live in Salt Lake. It's funny, Scotty was Raggedy Andy for Halloween when he was a kid.

There have been plenty of years when we trick-or-treated in the snow. I always trick-or-treated with McCaye. We had the best time. When I got a little older, I remember trick-or-treating with Sarah Sweeney a few times and then watching a movie at her house. I think fifth grade was the first and last time I watched "Back to the Future."

This is who I'm going to be for Halloween this year. Hopefully we'll find something festive to do on Halloween so I don't end up wearing this costume around the house, just the two of us. I don't know if Scott finds it as amusing as I do... but if I had my way, I'd wear a costume every day of my life.

A few of my favorite memories about Halloween. Number One is carving pumpkins. Scott and I have yet to do this! I can't believe how lame I've become in my old age.

Number Two: It's a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. I should organize an amazing Halloween date night with Scott where we do all the things on my list... Too bad our only free weeknight was last night.

Number Three: Candy corns and pumpkins. Johnny used to buy these candies by the bagful the SECOND they were at Dan's Grocery Store. This year Scott discovered caramel apple candy corns.

Number Four: I used to always watch Winnie-the-Pooh Spookables movie as a kid when Halloween rolled around. Thankfully, my nephew Andrew has been watching this movie ever single sunday when he comes for dinner since MAY... so I've gottent that movie completely out of my system. In fact, I might just lay that tradition to rest from now on.

Number Five: I remember Sue and Doug's Halloween birthday parties. I also remember haunted houses in the Badger's basement. We used to blindfold people and make them put their hands in bowls of spagetti and tell them it was brains.

Number Six: When we were kids and finished our trick or treating for the night, my brothers and sister and I used to lay out our candy in a highly organized fashion. That's the only way to lay out the goods for proper trading purposes. Doug always had the most. Johnny's was always a cute little pile, but he turned into a candy maniac as he got older.

LET IT SNOW....

On Friday night Scott and I went to Provo. Thanks to BYU's two-for-one deal, we came home with a whole bunch of passes to do this...



At this glorious place....


















Woo hoo! We are SO excited!!! I have been an Alta skier for the past seven years, since my junior year of high school, but I grew up on Snowbird, so I'll have fun revisiting the old mining runs. Snowbird will be great for us this year (honestly, we're just happy to be able to go skiing anywhere! Last year we'd either hike the resorts and ski down or we'd try to score some half day passes off people who were leaving early), especially so Scott can strap on his snowboard. I would feel a little guilty if I forced him to stop snowboarding so I could ski Alta. I have completely come to grips with the fact that I married a snowboarder. He is SO GOOD at what he does. He snowboards like he surfs, and it's so fun to watch. I can handle him being a snowboarder. I'm not even ashamed!

So, I figure if our apartment is going to feel like a freezer, we might as well get some snow on the ground and enjoy it! I know a lot of people will hate me for saying that... especially since it's been such a beautiful fall with gorgeous weather. But at the Hannay home, we're living in an ice cave. I'll walk around our apartment in slippers and a down coat, all bundled up. Then I'll step outside and I'm WAY overdressed for the temperature. I have to shed a few layers. We're losing the battle with our landlord to get the heat turned on. Cold is no good... but if there's snow, it makes the cold totally worth it. I'm definitely getting the itch. I am ready to go skiing!!

OINK OINK...

In honor of my nephew Andrew. This is how you get the swine flu, right?



















Kirst, you shouldn't take him to the zoo so often...

PS...

I don't want to be giving anything away... but I just have to say that I have the best Halloween costume of all time this year!!

Okay... It's the same one I wore last year. Last year Scott wanted to bike around Antelope Island on Halloween and I insisted we do it in costumes. So I may not be getting originality points this year for my costume (however I don't know how many other 22 year-old Buzz Lightyears you're going to see running around come the 31st). But can I just say how happy I am that my mom saves these gems from our childhood?! I distinctly remember Doug wearing this costume in Miss Selberg's 5th grade class. Lucky for me, it fits me like a glove... a tight, spandexy glove... but a glove. You better believe I put it on the second we walked in the door after getting it from my mom's house.

TO THE LIGHTHOUSE

For some reason tonight I was thinking about the rhythms to which we live our lives. Right now (when I stop typing for a second) I can hear the crickets outside. I can hear Scott turn pages, clear his throat, and slide the desk chair across the hard wood floor. I can hear the faucet in the kitchen flow wildly, and I can hear the radiators in the living room, bedroom, and bathroom clank clank clank as if someone is banging on the pipes below us with a crowbar. All of these sounds made me think of this passage I read last year about Mrs. Ramsay living her life to the rhythm and timing of the surrounding noises, most particularly the waves. Sometimes I feel like it is almost impossible to live with this sort of metronome in our lives right now because there are simply too many sounds to hear. I picture my friend Tyler on his way to Disney Land and the headache that awaits his ears. I couldn't live my life to the rhythm of the noises at Disney Land. But there is something soothing about this idea. I do this at the Ranch. I live by the timing set by the rooster and the wind shooting through the aspens. I do this on the river. I live by the timing set by flying Tammy Beetles and the distant "shhhh" of rapids. I do this late at night when I finally indulge myself by sitting back, relaxing, and reading a book. Something about the timing set by the nighttime crickets and the buzz of my laptop tells me that it's okay to read a book in the evening. I can't read books of my choosing during the day. I can't even hear the buzz of my laptop during the day over the sounds of cars screeching and zooming along South Temple or the recess bell ringing at Wasatch Elementary next door. There's too many sounds; there's a rush. So I too am rushed during the day. But at night, when the sounds calm down, I calm down. I never noticed how often I take my cues from the sounds of the world around me. I was going to say the sounds of nature, but I take so many cues from the sounds of the city. All of these sounds drive and steer my own rhythm. Without me realizing it, they dictate for me my day.

"But here, as she turned the page, suddenly her search for the picture of a rake or a mowing-machine was interrupted. The gruff murmur, irregularly broken by the taking out of pipes and the putting in of pipes which had kept on assuring her, though she could not hear what was said (as she sat in the window which opened on the terrace), that the men were happily talking; this sound, which had lasted now half an hour and had taken its place soothingly in the scale of sounds pressing on top of her, such as the tap of balls upon bats, the sharp, sudden bark now and then, "How’s that? How’s that?" of the children playing cricket, had ceased; so that the monotonous fall of the waves on the beach, which for the most part beat a measured and soothing tattoo to her thoughts and seemed consolingly to repeat over and over again as she sat with the children the words of some old cradle song, murmured by nature, "I am guarding you—I am your support," but at other times suddenly and unexpectedly, especially when her mind raised itself slightly from the task actually in hand, had no such kindly meaning, but like a ghostly roll of drums remorselessly beat the measure of life, made one think of the destruction of the island and its engulfment in the sea, and warned her whose day had slipped past in one quick doing after another that it was all ephemeral as a rainbow—this sound which had been obscured and concealed under the other sounds suddenly thundered hollow in her ears and made her look up with an impulse of terror (Virginia Woolf)."

LA COCINA

I know Scott and I are a long long long long long long way away from having a home anything remotely close to something like this. But this is my new dream kitchen. Is it weird that I'm planning things like this in my mind??? I just love all the white. and I LOVE the giant square shelf.

I'M REALLY FAILING WITH THE CAMERA THING

I have been so bad about taking my camera with me lately. I don't really like looking like the high school historian all over again, but I always end up being sad I didn't take pictures. One thing I've loved whenever we have friends over is that they always end up commenting on all of our pictures. I love that. I always want to have a ton of pictures throughout our home. I don't think I've printed any since our wedding, so all of the pictures in our apartment are from dating and being engaged. I need to start printing some more.

This was a fun weekend for us, but we also had a ton to get done. Initially we planned on driving down to Moab on Thursday night, but we decided we should stick around and catch up this weekend since we were gone last weekend (Scott took his scouts camping on Friday night, I went to a wedding reception for my roommate, Callie (Cockrell) BOWERS, and then we spend the rest of the weekend at my parent's cabin in Midway). Yesterday (Friday), we were able to do some studying, get new tires on the Jeep (thank you Dad!!!!) at Costco, do a massive build-up of laundry, help my mom get ready for her dinner party, get groceries (I know all this doesn't sound better than Moab), and then throw together a dinner for our friends. We invited some friends to go to the Warren Miller premier with us, and Matt and Loral ended up coming up so we decided to dinner before the show. This meant a mad cleaning job before they got here (hopefully they didn't notice we had broken a sweat running around and cleaning before they got here). It was fun for us to have friends over for dinner. It was the first time actually. we'll have to come up with another arrangement for future dinners. Our teeny kitchen doesn't fit four people for dinner very well! Matt and Loral were good sports, even through we had to block them in to their seats near the wall.

After dinner we drove to the show in hopes of winning some new K2s or something. No go, what a shock. But the movie was great and got us way too pumped for ski season. I'm realizing more and more how lucky I was to get ninety-nine dollar season passes in high school. Scott and I keep trying to justify how much we can spend on skiing this year. The Warren Miller movie made us temporarily lose perspective and want to blow all our savings. We're back now.

After the show we went to Jon and Annie Kimball's house for dessert and games. Jon is from Santa Barbara with Scott and Annie and I are both from Salt Lake. They couldn't make it to the show so they invited us to come over afterwards. I felt bad because it was pretty late, but I'm so glad we were able to go! It was so fun! I'm glad we got a chance to hang out with them. We haven't seen them since they're wedding, but they're always doing great game nights at their house. We talked about plans for Halloween, so hopefully we'll get to hang out a lot more before we all head out our separate ways.

It was one of the latest nights we've had in a while. But Scott got off for his class on time this morning, and I was able to catch a few extra hours of sleep. Today is jamb-packed with homework and getting all of the requirements straight for grad schools... application due dates, letters of recommendation, etc. It's exciting that we're diving into the process now. We're excited to see where we end up next!

We had fun with some friends this weekend, and we're happy to have such great friends. It's funny how almost all of Scott's Santa Barbara buddies got married at the same time, and most of them live here in Utah. We've had a lot of fun getting together as often as we do. The holidays will probably be pretty busy, but they'll also be fun. This year Scott and I will probably head out to Santa Barbara for Thanksgiving again. We'll spend Christmas here at my parent's cabin, and then spend a week in Santa Barbara with the Hannays. We're pretty spoiled to have the best of both worlds... skiing AND surfing for Christmas.

BOO FLU SHOT

I am not a fan of the flu shot. I don't mind shots. When I was getting my shots caught up for my mission papers, I got six shots in my arm while standing in the waiting room where they weigh you before an appointment. I don't get scared, and I don't feel nervous or queezy. I was just hesitant about this particular shot. I've never had a flu shot before. I said no no no no no to it for weeks, and then caved and got it because several sources informed me that I would not get sick. One in four hundred get the flu from the flu shot. One in a thousand! There's nothing to worry about... HA! That'd be me... one in a thousand. A couple hours after the shot I started coughing a dry, painful kind of cough. All of a sudden my lungs felt tight and sore, like I had gone running in the middle of the night in winter. This is the feeling I get after asthma attacks. This is not fun. So I went to my trusty inhaler for a quick little puff. This thing is my best friend. It has accompanied me on all of my many adventures. We're great, together, really. Well this is the one time that my inhaler decided it was going to coat my throat and cause my throat to swell and be sore, making it difficult to swallow and breathe. This, combined with my sore and tight lungs, equaled a nap sitting upright in my bed. When I woke from this forty-five minute nap, my head had joined the party and felt like a ton of bricks were stuck inside my head where my brain is supposed to be. That's where we left off. I haven't felt this sick in a long time! Here I am in bed, with nothing better to do than complain... and blog.

I'm writing this all while in a humorous mood. I'm not really trying to complain... I just find this pretty funny. Hopefully a good-night-knock-out-sleep will help me feel as good as new tomorrow.



On a much happier note, congrats to Margy and Oliver who are celebrating four years of marriage today! We can't wait to hang out with you guys over Christmas break.

I totally stole this picture from their facebook profile. Hope that's okay!

FAVORITE QUOTES REMEMBERED

"We can have it many more than both ways (Margaret Mead).”

"We know time and we know that everything is really fine." Then he whispered, clutching my sleeve, sweating, "now you just dig them in front. They have worries, they're counting the miles, they're thinking about where to sleep tonight, how much money for gas, the weather, how they'll get there- and all the time they'll get there anyway, you see. But they need to worry and betray time with urgencies false and otherwise, purely anxious and whiny. Their souls really won't be at peace unless they can latch on to an established and proven worry and having found it they assume facial expressions to fit and go with it, which is, you see, unhappiness, and all the time it all flies by them and they know it and that too worries them no end (Kerouac).”

“God left the world unfinished for man to work his skill upon. He left the electricity in the cloud, the oil in the earth. He left the rivers unbridged and the forests unfelled and the cities unbuilt. God gives to man the challenge of raw materials, not the ease of finished things. He leaves the pictures unpainted and the music unsung and the problems unsolved, that man might know the joys and glories of creation (Thomas S. Monson).”

"I live not in dreams, but in constant contemplation of a reality which is perhaps the future (Rainer Maria Rilke).”

“After the thaw, build a shelter of light and air.”