Our Holiday Break

You know how they say that as you get older, time starts to go faster? Well boy if that ain't true. I didn't even put up my tree this year! I mean, I was totally, definitely going to (cough cough), I just ran out of time. 

Perfect sunset gradient in Montana 

And do you know what happens when you're short on time? I do. You get really bad at remembering to take pictures of your beloved family while on vacation. Sorry family. But here are a few pics from our trip to Canada for Christmas and Idaho for New Years. 

Hand-hewn tree from the Rockies

 Strange rainbow almost-halo driving to the border. This doesn't really do it justice.

Sharing this solely for that snoot. Meet Ruby the Snuggler.

 The most recent photo of us! Idaho, January 2018

Happy New Year, friends! 

What Even Is My Life?!

I feel like I've been vague-posting on Facebook, and I wanted to let you know what I've been up to. There's a lot to cover, so hang on and here we go!

But before we get too far in, I just want to say thank you.  If you're reading this, thank you so much for your support! Whether it's in-person encouragement or an online boost, it means so much to me to have you in my corner. 

So, what's been going on? Long story short, I'm finally {finally!} pursuing my writing dreams. I was laid off from my office job back in February. After floundering a little bit and applying to a bunch of jobs without getting any interviews, I decided that I was going to go for it and put my college education to good use. Since then I've been writing like crazy, building up my portfolio and looking for opportunities. 

Most recently I entered a short script hosted by NYC Midnight. The draw is that you're given 3 story guidelines - a genre, a subject, and a character - and a week to turn in a 12 page script. It was tricky, and I was writing way out my comfort zone {fairy tales are hard, yo!} but I feel good about the story I submitted. If you're interested in reading it, let me know and I can send you the file. I'd love to share it and get your feedback. 

I'm still trying to figure out my next move, but I've set some lofty goals, and I'm excited to work towards them. 

Again, I want to thank you for sticking with me. And if/when I have news to share, you best believe I will be sharing it everywhere. 

August Recap

I think that August has been the craziest month we've had in a long, long time. It started out simply enough - we were settling back into a routine after traveling in July, no real plans, just hanging out and enjoying the summer. 

Then we got a call. From our landlord. He wants to see the condo we've been living in for the last year and a half. Upsetting, but not the worst possible thing that could happen. We tell him we need 3o days to move from the time it sells. Long story short, it sold in about two weeks. I thought we'd have a couple months. So we had to figure out something fast. 

After browsing KSL.com for hours, trying to find something in our area and price range, I still wasn't having any luck. So one Sunday afternoon I decide to drag Luke around the neighbourhood so we can scope out For Rent signs. We found nothing. As we're walking the last block before home, we find a house, but it's for sale. We think about it, we call, and we set up a showing for the next day. 

Long story short, we bought a house. And we closed on it in less than a month. And we moved with days to spare. 

Our house!!

We moved on the 18th, which meant that we spent our anniversary unpacking. Months ago, I had been thinking we could go on a weekend getaway. Instead, we stayed home and unpacked, and celebrated with a giant ice cream cake. 

Right now, the only pictures of the inside of the house that I have are ones I took with the previous tenants stuff. Once we get more settled and set up here, I'll have lots of pictures to share. 

Not everything in August was moving-related. I celebrating my birthday {cupcakes at work!}, I filed more paperwork with the gov't for my Green Card, and kept up with things at work, mostly. 

As a bonus, my grandpa was in town, and I got to have dinner with him!

And to end on a funny note, here is a picture of Lukas climbing into our attic so he could rewire the house with internet. 

July Recap

Almost caught up! July was the busiest month of the year. 

We spent the first week visiting my family in Canada. We even made it in time for Canada Day fireworks! It's been years since I've been home for that. 

Look, it's a maple leaf! Sort of.

Turns out iPhones can handle fireworks pretty well

I woke up to this sweet face every morning

Took this awesome photo with my faves

Kittens!!

After a week in Canada we set off to Idaho. Luke went backpacking with his family, while I hung out at home with his mom. We worked on crafts and tried new recipes. He had a good time, even though they came back early because it rained the whole time. 

Two days after getting back from our adventures, we headed off again, this time for a work trip. We rented a cabin up by Park City. Turns out a lot easier to talk about timelines and project management when you look out the window and see this: 

So, story time! The work trip wraps up, and finally, we're back and settled into our routine again. Then we get a call from our landlord. They want to sell the condo we've been living in for a year and half. So we figure it'll be a couple of months. False. It look a week. So we had to find a new place. And we think we found one we really like! Further updates in the next post. 

June Recap

Still playing catchup over here... June was low on pictures so this will be a quick one. 

Early in the month we had a work BBQ. Lots of planning and stress on my part, but it came together well. 

Luke's family had a little reunion down near Manti. We went camping and hiking, and I slept in a tent. I also didn't take any pictures. Rats. But we had a really good time!

For the past year, I've been working on an embroidered quilt. I finally finished sewing up the night before we left for Canada. I still have to add the back, but the hard part is over! 

Yes, I mentioned Canada. We planned a week at home for a family reunion, then Luke's hiking with his family in Wyoming. But I'll get to that in the next update.

And, here's my favourite pin from the month. Rather fitting, I think.

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May Recap

I'm so far behind, but I'm working on catching up! With 4 months of recaps, plus random thoughts to write about, plus some fall goals, I have a lot to say. So I'm just going to dive in. 

May was the first month all year that I didn't get to see someone in my immediate family. There was a wedding lull, I guess. But we did make it up to Bear Lake to see Luke's side of the family and celebrate his birthday! 

Luke and his birthday/graduation blanket 

Probably his favourite present ever. The clock parts came from his grandpa's "junk pile", and his dad helped him make the shelf from marine wood

And here's Rufus the lap dog, just for fun

We also celebrated with all-you-can-eat sushi from a place down the street. Luke loved it, but I'm not convinced that fish is ever a good idea. They have fantastic fried rice and potstickers, though. This was my fortune from the end of the night. 

Happy birthday, Lukas!

Work was super busy for me this month, so I made a little reminder. I'm not sure if it helped, but it did make me smile. 

I also had my first spa facial in May! I live just a few blocks from the Aveda school, and figured that I try out a reduced cost treatment. It was the best thing ever. Super relaxing, and very affordable. 

Work's been crazy - we're shipping, which takes up most of my work day - and so I haven't had a ton of time for reading or doing other fun things. I worked on my quilt for a little while, and I'm pretty much caught up now. And that's May!

Coming Up For Air

The last few weeks have been a crazy whirlwind. Work has kept me so insanely busy I don't even know how to describe it. I have worked Saturdays. I have come in early and stayed late. I put in a 17 hour day. 

And now, things are finally slowing down. For once, I came home with enough energy to clean my kitchen. I feel like a real person again. I can spend time on house projects. Maybe even make plans with friends. I could decorate for Christmas! 

It feels so good to slow down and catch my breath. I'm definitely not one of those people who can push themselves to their limits day after day. I like working hard, and I like to be busy, but I don't like my life to be taken over by one thing. Balance is key for me, so I'm hoping that this is a long-term change, not a short-term lull. 

Calling Myself a Writer, Redux

Well, it's been a bit more than a month since I wrote about whether or not I feel like a real writer. I've done some serious thinking about it, and a very small smidgen of doing something about it. I've come to an important conclusion. 

I'm calling myself a writer. 

Not a good writer, mind you. But a writer all the same. I feel like I have strong writing voice, and I'm pretty decent at putting some sentences together. I just need to get more words out of my head and down on a page. 

So here's my plan: 

1. Write something, anything. Work emails and memos do not count. Other than that, there are no rules. It could be an email to my grandparents. It could be a blog post. It could be a short story. No length limits, no time limits. Just a bit of writing every day. 

2. Read something, anything. Again, work emails and memos do not count. Mostly I've been reading interesting books I found at the library, and fun blog posts that I found around the internet. I enjoy what I read, I just want to read more of it. 

Now, with that being said.....

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NYC: Week 10, Plus Monday and Tuesday Morning

This last week in the city was stressful. I had lots of little loose ends to tie up, plus packing, and a brief move {don't worry, I'll get to that}. 

Monday: Since we leave in a week, I need a new suitcase {the one I brought to New York got damaged by the airline}.  I considered just mailing everything home, but then thought better of it. I looked up a few places, then headed out around noon to begin shopping. I looked at JC Penny and a few boutique-ish places in Midtown, but I didn't have any luck. I met up with Luke for dinner, and went home empty handed. 


Tuesday: Day two of the suitcase search continues. I looked up a few more places, and headed out. I heard that there were some good shops in Brooklyn, but I didn't have any luck. In Manhattan, after striking out at a few more stores, I finally found one at TJ Maxx. It's blue and shiny, making it look kind of like a mermaid. But it suits my style, it's super light, and I'll be able to find it on the baggage carousel. 


Wednesday: I talked with our "landlord", who asked us if we would be willing to move to a different apartment for the last few days of our stay. He had some other people book our apartment for after we had gone, and then they changed their dates, and wanted to come in sooner. Since there was only two of us, and we didn't have that much stuff, we agreed to switch apartments for a few days. We decided that we would move over on Sunday. 


Thursday: Souvenir shopping! I went back to the NY Public Library and a few spots nearby, before heading down to Chinatown and Little Italy. I got what I needed, plus a few things for myself. Then I went back home to do a little cleaning and get the laundry done {last time at the laundromat!} Sad story: I left my quarters at home, and had to go all the way home and then all the way back again. 


Friday: A little more shopping! Mostly I stuck around Midtown. I wandered, shopped, and got myself a little lost. This was also Luke's last day of work! We talked about going out for dinner, but decided to just stay home and eat whatever we had left {I hadn't been grocery shopping in about a week}. 


Saturday: Today was pretty uneventful. After working so hard for the last 10 weeks, Luke just wanted to have an easy day. So we sat at home for most of the day. I did a bit of packing and cleaning, since we're relocating tomorrow. I also may or may not have started a countdown until we get to go home...


Sunday: Today was the day of the switch. Our new place is just a few blocks away, and much bigger than where we'd been staying this whole time. It has three bedrooms and has two floors {I guess it's kind of a split level}. We missed church because of the move, so we just bummed around all day. We napped, and then later we went out on a walk in our "new" neighbourhood. 


Monday: Our last day! I can hardly believe it! We straightened up, then went out for one last trip around town. We went down to the Brooklyn Bridge, saw the Statue of Liberty {sort of}, walked around the financial district, visited the World Trade Center memorial garden, and stopped for dinner in Times Square. Late in the day, we headed back to get ready to go home. We packed up, and decided that we'd be better off staying up all night, since we had to leave for the airport at 3am. 


Tuesday: Our "landlord", as a goodwill gesture for making the apartment switch, offered to drive us to the airport. He picked us up a little before three, and dropped us at La Guardia. The rest of the day really deserves it's own post, since it was a bit stressful. 

NYC: Week 9

Our time in NYC is winding down. But the weather is warming up, so I finally feel like I can go out and explore. Here's how I spent the last 7 days 

Monday: Once again, the start of the week starts with chores. I cleaned the apartment and went off to Target for groceries. With our time here winding down, I didn't buy too much. Most of Luke's co-workers were out of the office today, so he took the day off. We went down the road to try a new burger place, and then I dragged Luke along to get the groceries. 

Tuesday: The weather is finally starting to feel like spring! It's still a bit chilly, but not nearly as bad as it was. I went into the city to meet Luke for lunch. We ended up just getting sandwiches at Subway. Afterwards, I dragged all our laundry down the block. I'm really hoping that this is the last time I have to do laundry while we're here (but I think I might need to go one more time next week).

Wednesday: Today was so nice, I didn't need a coat! It was fantastic! To enjoy the weather, I took the subway all the way down to Greenwich Village (it's around a 40 minute ride). I walked around for a while before heading to Washington Square Park. I LOVE the Village. It's an older part of the city, so the buildings aren't quite as tall. The people seem more off-beat, which also means that they seem more friendly. If we were gonna live in NYC for a while, I think this is the neighbourhood I'd want to live in. 

Thursday:  After thinking on this for a while, I decided to sign up for an embroidery club that's hosted by my favourite crafting blogger. So I went out to pick up supplies. Trying to find a craft store within a reasonable distance is kind of tricky (all the good ones are out in Brooklyn, sadly), but I found one only a few stations away. Despite the rainy weather, and getting a bit turned around, I found a Michael's. Go me! 

Friday: To get ready for my project, I also needed a bit of fabric. I found a pretty good fabric shop in Chelsea, and got what I needed. I also found a few thrift stores, and poked around a bit. I don't usually have much luck thrifting, and that's continued to be the case out here. Average stuff is marked up way more than I think it's worth. Oh well. 

Saturday: Luke's been working so hard the entire time we've been here. It finally caught up to him, and he felt pretty sick today. Instead of going out, we just spent the day at home while he recovered. We did order in Chinese food. Getting food delivered is a serious perk of living here. 

Sunday: Sunday's are our quiet days, so I don't have any good stories. We did make cookies, though! We don't have any bowls, so I had to mix the dough up in a soup pot. 

NYC: Week 8

Well, I'm officially caught up! Here's what I did last week. 

P.S. Two whole months have already gone by. I almost can't believe it! 

Monday: I went out to Target to go grocery shopping. The whole thing takes about 3 hours, from the time I leave until the time I get back, so this is the only adventure I had today.

Tuesday: More chores today. I cleaned up the house and went out and did the laundry. I guess I'd been letting it pile up because there was a lot to carry all the way to the laundromat. Oops. 

Wednesday: The weather has started to warm up a bit {meaning the temperature is hovering around just below freezing}. So I sort-of went out. I walked down to Starbucks to get some work done. I ended up not staying very long, as it was very busy and distracting. 

Thursday: Today was actually nice, so I went out for a bit of adventure. A branch of the library was putting on an exhibit about The Beatles, so of course I had to go see it. They had some neat memorabilia, but it was a smaller exhibit that I was expecting. There were some costumes on display, and some set lists, which I thought were the coolest things to see. Although I have to say I enjoyed going through the museum in Liverpool a lot more. Afterwards I met up with Luke and we had dinner together. 

Friday: My neighbours got their kids together in the morning, and they invited me to come along too, so I spend the morning chatting and playing. Afterwards I spent some time working, then went into the city to see Luke and have dinner. 

Saturday: Luke didn't have to work today, so we took it easy in the morning, meaning we got a late start to our day. In the late afternoon we went to the Manhattan temple, which was really nice. Afterwards, we walked around and enjoyed the first nice evening we've had. We stopped at a place called Holey Cream to get a snack. Apparently they specialize in fancy doughnuts, but they also have fantastic milkshakes and smoothies.

Sunday: Today was Daylight Savings, and I'm never sure how I feel about it. On the one hand, I hate loosing an hour of sleep. On the other, I love that it gets dark later. 

NYC: Week 7

Monday: After a nice weekend, the temperature dropped quite a bit, so I spent the day working and hiding inside from the cold. I'm always amazed at how cold it feels even if the temperature is only a few degrees below freezing. I'm not used to a humid cold, even though it's been two months.  

Tuesday: I went and got groceries in the morning, then went into The City to have lunch with Luke. We went to a little Italian place called Pomodoro, which was super good. Afterwards, I was going to go home, but then I decided to go on an adventure instead. After a few train transfers, I made it to The Strand bookstore. It's huge! Three levels, and there are rows and rows of shelves on every floor. I spent almost two hours just browsing around. All was well until I was waiting for the train. I saw rats #2-4. Yuck.  

Wednesday: Lunch with Luke again! This time, we just went to Subway. Afterwards, I went shopping at Old Navy and H&M for a new coat. They both had a bunch of cute clothes, but no coats warm enough to combat the cold snaps that just won't stop.

Thursday: You guessed it, cold again. For once, I'm actually missing Utah weather.  When it's cold, I really don't want to go outside, but I made myself go out for a quick walk around the block.

Friday: I ran some errands in the morning, but by the time I thought of something fun to do, it was nearly dark. So no adventures today.

Saturday: We had a huge adventure today. We went out and walked around Rockefeller Center. For lunch we stopped at a food truck and had hot dogs. We walked down to Central Park and spent a few hours walking around. We saw ducks, giant bubbles, and cool archways, and only made about a third of the way through.  

Sunday: I made Luke watch the Oscars with me. It was quite entertaining. I like Ellen as a host. 

NYC: Week 6

Halfway there! Here's how I spent the week...

Monday: I spend the day being a professional, and sorted out my work problems. Go me! I {finally} got paid! 

Tuesday: The closest Starbucks is just a few blocks away. I walked down and spent a few hours working. Fun fact: they have the best chocolate chip cookies! 

Wednesday: Yet another arctic chill came through. Since it was super cold, I opted to stay home and watch the Olympics

Thursday: I finally got around to refilling my metro card, meaning I was back to going out and running errands. Grocery shopping at Target, then lunch with Luke at Pret a Manger. After lunch, we went in search of a thrift store - he wanted to find a used computer to use at work. We didn't find it, but we did go on a fun adventure around the Garment district. 

Friday: Worked out some more work problems. Luke came home late, and neither of us felt like going out, so we ordered chinese takeout. I love living near places that deliver! 

Saturday: Luke wanted to put in a few hours of work, so I went out thrift shopping without him. The shops were a dud (mediocre clothing for NYC prices), but I got to walk around the city for a few hours. I started in the East Village, walked up to Union Square, past the Flat Iron building, the Empire State building, then headed up a few more blocks to Luke's work. In total, I walked 3 miles from start to finish. For dinner, we went to Shake Shack, which was super crowded and pretty tasty. On the way home, I found a cute little bakery (Baked by Melissa), which makes the cutest mini cupcakes.

Sunday: I was feeling sick, so we just stayed home and enjoyed each other's company. We watched the Olympic closing ceremonies, which was awesome and sad at the same time. I love the Olympics. 

NYC: Week 5

Hey guys, here's the next part of my weekly updates. I'm still catching up. This is the week of February 10th to the 16th.

Monday: I'd been feeling a bit stuck at home, so today I went out to try and fix that. I went to Barnes and Nobel and picked up a map. When I was in London, I got a really handy pocket map that made getting around really easy, and I wanted something similar for NYC. It wasn't quite what I was looking for {it only covers Manhattan}, but it easily fits in my bag and I don't have to struggle to fold it up. 

Tuesday:  In our neighbourhood, there's a fantastic bakery run by a French-trained baker. It's a bit out of the way, maybe half a mile from our place, but it had great reviews, so I went out with my neighbour to give it a try. The pastries were pretty good, but I think I'll wait until the weather is a little warmer. It was a long, cold walk. 

Wednesday: I had plans to go out and about in the morning, but they fell through when I ended up getting myself lost. Instead, I spend a few hours at the library before meeting up with Luke for lunch. We stopped at a bodega, where I had the worst burger ever. Turns out, bodegas are not the place for burgers.

Thursday: I got asked to do a special work project! This is big news for two reasons. First, work has been really slow lately, so this is a great chance to actually do something. Second, this special project is actually going on the website! For people to read! So I spent my day writing. 

Friday: We didn't have a very romantic Valentine's Day. I had to finish up my special projects, Luke worked late, and since it was still so cold we opted to just stay home in the evening. We ate oatmeal, and stayed up late watching cable. 

Saturday: Luke went in to work for a little bit, while I ran a few errands in our neighborhood. In the evening, we watched some of the Olympics and got burgers. Because those two things go together so well...  

Sunday: Luke's been working with a friend of his from high school. Tonight, that friend's brother was in town, so we went over and had dinner all together, which was a really good time. Luke got to catch up with friends, and we played some games. 

NYC: Week 4

I know, guys. I'm super, super behind. And I haven't even been doing that much. I just got cold during the superfreeze (what I'm choosing to call the storm after the polar vortex) and didn't want to do anything except hide under blankets. So here's what I did our fourth week in The City. 

Monday: Did a load of laundry, went out to dinner with Luke at the Georgia Diner, and then bought him some pants at Target.

Tuesday: I did some work in the morning, then did a deep clean of our house in the afternoon. Our apartment gets dirty quickly here. Not like, cluttered, but actual dirt. If I don't sweep every other day, the floor gets pretty gritty. 

Wednesday: I went out with the other wives for lunch. We had a really great time and ate some really good pizza. It was all the way on the Upper East Side, so it took about an hour to get there, and then an hour back. Which doesn't seem like it's a big deal, but when you've got three kids who are out past nap time, things can get a little crazy. 

Thursday: Groceries and laundry again. Yay! Not every day is glamorous. 

Friday: I spent the day bumming around at home. In the evening, I went into the city and we had dinner with our friends at another diner (there's a lot of them out here, okay? And they have really awesome extensive menus). They had the best risotto. Also, black and white milkshakes are awesome! I always thought they'd be just so-so. They're just chocolate and vanilla, but man! So good!

Saturday: Luke put in a few hours of work today, so I met him in The City for dinner. Just a block away from his office is this great restaurant. It's called Wok to Walk, and it's awesome! It's like a Mongolian grill, but more Japanese style. It's probably my favourite place so far. Afterwards, we tried to go to Serendipity for dessert, but there was a line, and it was cold. So we walked down the block and went to Dylan's Candy Bar. We didn't get any candy, but we had fun wandering around. We got ice cream before leaving, and it was super delicious. 

Sunday: We went in for church, and then spent a relaxing afternoon at home. Tonight was also the night that The Beatles tribute aired on TV. Yes, I love The Beatles. Yes, it was awesome. Yes, I might have cried a little at the awesomeness. 

NYC: Week 3

Well, I'm almost caught up with my weekly updates. Hooray! Here's how I spent my third week in The Big Apple. 

Monday: I was brave and set out to find the New York Public Library. I took a few pictures, but I feel like this adventure deserves it's own post. I got a library card, but because I'm not a resident of NYC, I can't actually check out any books. Which is why I got the card in the first place...  I also got lunch at Pret a Manger, which was one of my favourite sandwich shops when I was in London. So that was awesome. 

Tuesday: the weather turned cold again, but I didn't want to sit at home. So I went out with a friend to check out Grand Central station. Again, I feel like this deserves it's own post, but I'll tell you one thing: when you first arrive at the station, it's doesn't look like what you see in the movies. It just looks like a regular subway stop. You have to go through a series of hallways to get to the recognizable part. 

Wednesday: So, there's a good story from today. I found this restaurant, called Best Wingers, that claimed to have the best buffalo chicken in the city. Since I left one of my favourite restaurants back in Provo {Winger's, in case you were wondering}, I hoped that this new place would be similar. I mean, the best in the city sounds pretty good, right? Wrong. So wrong. And sad. It was nothing like it promised. In fact, I didn't even finish my dinner. To make it worse, Luke and I had to walk several blocks in the cold to get there. It may be the best in the city, but it's definitely not the best in the country. 

Thursday: Grocery shopping day. Whee. It's a much bigger adventure when you don't have a car to carry you and your groceries. I went with my friends and their kids, and I think it's fair to say we all miss driving to get groceries. 

Friday: Luke had a doctor's appointment in the morning. For lunch, I went out with some of the other wive's whose husbands are working with Luke. They're all super nice, and we had a good time. I spend the evening at the laundromat because I'd waited too long in between trips, and had a ton of stuff to wash. 

Saturday: I spend the morning catching up on work before heading out to explore Roosevelt Island {which will also get it's own post}. The weather was finally nice enough that we could get out and walk around. In the evening, we went bowling with Luke's company at the swankiest bowling alley I've ever seen. 

Sunday: church in Manhattan again. This time, the trains were running on their regular schedule, so we were able to get there on time. Afterwards, we walked through central park before heading home. 

NYC: Week 2

I'm a bit behind on my updates. Don't be mad. Here's what I did last week.

Monday: I spent the holiday doing chores. I found the closest laundromat, which is down the street and around the corner. I miss my washer and dryer at home. It's much easier to carry laundry down the hall, rather than down the street.

Tuesday: Continuing on with the chores, I spent the day working, working out, and then making a run to the grocery store. Turns out, when you can't pack your car full of groceries, you need to go shopping much more often.

Wednesday: I went with a friend to visit the Fashion Institute of Technology Museum. They had a display on fashion trends for the last hundred years. It was interesting, and more importantly, free. 

Thursday: We were still feeling that polar vortex. So instead of going out in the cold, I opted to stay home. 

Friday: I spend the morning doing more chores {yeah, I'm still settling in}. I went to Target by myself and popped down to the local grocery store. That way, I didn't have to lug home a gallon of milk on the subway. 

In the evening, I went into the city to meet up with Luke and friends for dinner near Times Square. Afterwards, we got cupcakes from the Cake Boss Cafe. While the cake part was good, the frosting was average and not real buttercream. Honestly, it tasted like it came from a grocery store bakery. So don't believe the hype. 

Saturday: After a long week, Luke and I decided we just wanted a low-key day. So we went shopping and had lunch. We spend the evening relaxing at home.

Sunday: This week, we went to church in Manhattan. The trains weren't running on regular schedules, so we ended up being a bit late. Some of the Manhattan wards meet in the chapel that's a part of the temple building. While that sounds pretty cool {if you're a Mormon, at least}, the floor designated for the chapel looks pretty much like any regular ward building. It's got a kitchen and a large gym with basketball hoops. In fact, unless you look out the window, it feels like any other ward building. 

An Update {Sort Of}

I haven't posted in a really long time. Part of that was because our basement flooded. Then we went out of town. And then we went out of town again. I have pictures to share and stories to tell, but not today. So enjoy this instead. Because it's funny. 

Almost Caught Up...

Okay, other things to catch up with...

I came home from my trip. I had two-ish days, and then we were off to visit with Luke's family for a weekend. We had a great time, and got to celebrate two birthdays. I had made plans to sort-of get some projects done while we were there, but instead I just enjoyed relaxing with family. Luke and his dad fixed our car, so that's something. 

When we got back Sunday night, I was exhausted. Travelling can sure take a lot out of you, even if you're only going short distances. At least our car is working now. Did I mention that before? A few weeks ago our car stopped working. But it's fixed now. 

Now that our travelling is done for a while, I get to go back to real life. That means the gym. And last week was the worst. Normally I don't mind going. Sometimes I'm even excited. But not lately. 

Along with our upstairs neighbors, we're starting a garden! I'm really looking forward to having fresh vegetables right outside my door. And I'm also excited that I won't have to do all the work myself.

Perhaps these recaps are only interesting to me. Sorry folks. Maybe someday I'll have interesting things to say. But probably not. Writing about my real life is the easiest thing to write about. 

I've Been Away

I haven't posted in quite a while. And I sort of have reasons as to why that happened. At first, nothing was happening in my life that was worth writing about .Then, there were suddenly a lot of things that were happening, that I probably should have written down. Now I'm not sure if I want to write a huge post about everything, do a quick skim, or break it down into a few different posts. 

Honestly, I don't want to do anything, because I'm lazy. And we're up in Bear Lake, and I don't have to spend the weekend in the basement. 

I'll probably post in a few installment over the weekend. Perhaps I'll even get myself caught up. Who knows.