Spring has sprung

Can I just say I love spring? Here's some fun pics from the tulip festival I went to with Brooke last week at Thanksgiving Point and from Temple Square yesterday. Love the tulips, love all the new plants, love the sunshine...love it, love it, love it!

My humble abode

Well, here you have it, a picture of my new apartment. I would like to especially point out the lovely bookcase, assembled by yours truly. I'd also like to point out the paper lantern in my little sleeping nook, installed by the lovely Rebecca. Anyway, I still don't have all the boxes and stuff put away, but I'm almost there.

I moved!

Finally, I moved! Pictures of my new place are soon to come. I'm living in downtown Salt Lake City, and so far, so good. If you want to come visit, call me and I'll let you know my address. I would post it here, but I have to take stalker precautions you know.

Anyway, my apartment is one of those old historic homes that have been turned into apartments. Rumor has it that the house was built in the 1860s by Joseph Smith's brother, Henry John Smith. (I've never heard of Henry John???) He supposedly lived there with his 4 wives, hence the simplicity of turning it into a 4-apartment house. It's supposed to be one of the oldest buildings in Salt Lake City. Pretty cool, eh?

Oh, and hibernation is over. I'm open to social activities now.

Happy Easter

I love dyeing Easter eggs, it's one of my favorite traditions. Even on my mission, I hunted long and hard for something to use to dye the eggs, and for white eggs for that matter. It's the best!

Me and Allison.

Now we REALLY know he's obsessed with mate...he made a mate Easter egg.

Hard at work.

At least he's excited.

I'm done

I'm going into hibernation...see you next summer.

I will be coming of hibernation on Saturday, April 22. I will also be moving that day (finally!). It's also Earth Day. It's a busy day.

Sin la locura no hay grandeza

I thought ya'll might enjoy a few pictures from my trip to Argentina and Uruguay...it was fabulous!

Lighthouse in Punta del Este, Uruguay

Happy St. Paddy's Day to all! Yep, we were three Americans and one Urugayan celebrating an Irish holiday in South America. Gotta love it!

Swimmin' in the rain, just swimmin' in the rain.

Las manos del ahogado, Punta del Este, Uruguay

La rambla, Punta del Este, Uruguay. Nathan, me, Andrea, Caron

Anyone for some lawn mulch tea? (aka... mate) Disgusting!

Gotta love the tango. Buenos Aires, Argentina

Hiking in the Andes. Nathan swinging from the swing bridge.

My stick shift driving....a wild success. Thanks Stephen for the driving lessons. I only stalled about 4 times and almost rolled off a mountain, but I'm still here to tell you about it!

South America, Part 2

And there's more....

Having a picnic on this really cool stone table out in the middle of the ocean.

Welcome to the land of the Catholics. The border between Argentina and Chile in the middle of the Andes mountains.

Playing video games with Brandon Tello.

Washing our laundry by hand with Adriana.

Gooooooool!

Top o' the mornin' to you!

In honor of my upcoming favorite holiday, I'd like to share a few pictures from memorable St. Paddy's Days of the past. Stay tuned for this year's fabulous celebration.

The original St. Paddy's Day celebration, started in 1998 and inspired by my lucky leprachaun shirt.

The Atlanta celebration. Clay did an original Irish jig for us and we had a traditional Irish feast of garlic pork chops, potatos and soda bread. We completed the evening by watching the Atlanta Thrashers go for the gold!

Year #2. It was so great the first year, we had requests for a sequel. And each year thereafter.

The college years. Note my roommate displaying the gorgeous green cupcakes.

Batteries not included

So I went to Seattle last weekend for my cousin's wedding. I brought my new digital camera. I was really excited because I could take tons of pictures. I took a few pics on the plane before the battery died. Then I forgot to take any pictures the rest of the weekend. So much for my new camera. So here's my documentation of my weekend in Seattle.

Single Awareness Day

On this February 14, I wrote an original Valentine’s Day poem to share:

Roses are red
Bananas are yellow
One of these years
I'm going to catch me a handsome fellow.

So, today I'm celebrating yet another Single Awareness Day. I used to hate Valentine's Day and envy those who got a bunch of roses delivered to school or work from their honey. But I'm reminded of the year I started to like this wonderful holiday. It was when I was in college, and my roommate Teri and I decided to throw a fabulous Single Awareness Day party for all of our fellow SAD celebrators. Our slogan was, “You can’t come with a date, but you might leave with one!” It was such a hit that the following year, we had requests for a sequel months in advance.

Or, what about the year I had two Valentine’s Day dates? That was a good one, too. My friend Tim, his roommate Jon, and I all decided to go out to dinner to celebrate this festive holiday. We sat in the middle of the restaurant surrounded by couples celebrating their love and spent the whole night making fun of the cheesiness all around us. It was hilarious! Then, within a few days after, both of them called and asked me out using the line, “I felt jipped that I only got half a date for Valentine’s Day.” So, not only did I get two dates for the big holiday, but I got two follow-up dates as well.

So, Valentine’s Day or Single Awareness Day, whatever you want to call it…have a happy one!