OH the Anticipation… I Can Hardly Wait!!

I am anticipating so many things!! And I just have to say – happy anticipation puts me in a very good mood. I don't know why. It's almost better than getting what I was waiting for. Almost.

Let me share with you all the lovely things that are coming my way:

1) A vacation to Utah in only TWO WEEKS!!!! And we get to spend time out at a cabin with Ben's family. YIPPEE! And I get to see my family! And I get to meet my sister's new twins!! And I hope to have some time to see some good friends who I haven't seen in a long time! And I get to take a break from work! I get to go back and do some Bikram Yoga at the studio in Sugar House! I get to go out to dinner at Jean Louis' with my folks! I get to go hiking in the mountains! I get to go running in Sugar House Park! I get to! I get to! I get to! Was that all just really annoying to read? I felt like a little kid tugging on her mom's skirt, gushing over an upcoming trip to Disneyland, as I was typing. And as immature as it may be, it's a pretty accurate description of how I feel about it all.

2) The end of the quarter is coming, and it comes this time with a very long BREAK. HELLO SUMMER! I have been working on the MBA relentlessly since January 2010. With 3.5 hour long classes twice a week and all the coursework and exams, I am pretty sure I am swearing off collegiate pursuits indefinitely once I'm done. But, I still have more work to do. Regardless, I have managed to schedule my classes this summer so that I have absolutely NO evening classes. I have 4 full days of classes, 8-5pm, and the rest of my work is going to be done via independent study. I'll still have work to do, of course. But it's so nice to have control over my schedule for a little while. Just the reprieve I needed to make it thru the homestretch.

3) Did I mention I'm almost done with this MBA thing? At least, I consider 6.5 months equal to almost done. And all of my financial coursework will be behind me in just 2 short weeks. That means all of my upcoming classes are ace-able. That also means that there is a new phase of life fast-approaching for Ben and I with so many unknowns I can't even count. I can't even day dream about it because there are too many options. Will we be in Ohio or will we move? Where would be move to? (The answer: we have no clue).Will we buy a home or will we continue to rent? What new job will I get? What new job will Ben get? Will I start getting back into community theater? What other hobby might I pick up? I pretty much have no idea what our lives will look like once I finish the degree. And while I can't wait to have a clearer picture and see how things take shape, I am really excited for whatever it is.

All this anticipation might lead one to think I don't like my life just as it is. I don't mean to say that. I am actually quite content these days. I love having a gym on campus where I work so I can go running on my lunch breaks. I enjoy the people I work with and office life has been much less tumultuous lately than it was during my 1^st year on the job. I have met some great friends in my mba program and I have really valued what I have learned in my classes so far. Ben and I love our ward. Cincinnati itself is actually pretty cool. It's got great restaurants, theater, shopping, sports and all sorts of stuff to keep us entertained. I think the only thing we don't love is the apartment we live in and the fact that so many of our friends and family are so far away. And of course, despite the fact that I like everyone at work, I am looking forward to getting a new job at the end of all this. So don't get the wrong idea. I'm totally happy. And waiting for all that is to come only enhances that fact.

Double Take

Facebook is awesome. I love finding old friends. Adrian used to laugh at how I love to collect people. I don't really keep in touch with people on a frequent basis, but I love to keep track of people and just have them not too far away. I like to know they're alright. I don't know why. It makes me feel better.

I found another old friend this week. It's been years. Probably since middle school. We used to do plays together. I was so excited to have found her! After we were officially "friended", I was snooping through all the things she's been up to and looking at all the pictures, and suddenly I was smacked by the most shocking revelation. This girl was ME! No, seriously. Me, but being me much better. It was like that episode of Friends when that chick steals Monica's identity. But how is that possible?! I thought I was doing a pretty good version of me up until now!

It took me a little while to think through it. How could she be doing such a better job at being me. She is knee-deep in all the things I absolutely love -- plays, swing dancing, photography. And I don't do ANY of that stuff right now. Why am I not her? We clearly love the same things. And that WAS me for a while, but it was me like 5 years ago. Look what has become of me! How did this happen? Where did I go wrong?! Where am I?

But then I got a grip. And I realized, this was not me. First of all, I don't have her fabulous legs (I never do have those legs). But I also have other loves. And I have this incredibly serious side. And while I've left some of my loves for a while, I was planning to dive back into fun-loving hobbies I used to know as soon as this MBA mumbo jumbo is over.

Phew. Mid-life crisis averted. But she really is pretty darn awesome. I admit it. I did harvest a little bit of jealous. That doesn't happen often, so it took me by surprise. But I can embrace my jealous tendencies. They're a form of flattery, right?

Jeep! Jeep!

I think that is what the roadrunner should have said in all the WB cartoons. As some of you already know, Ben and I have finally graduated to becoming a two car family. Ben seems happy to have more freedom (since I always stole the Subaru and left him stuck at home)and he gets an impish grin on his face every time someone stops to ask about what's under the hood of that car. Below is the article that featured it in Diesel World Magazine, in case you are also wondering what is under the hood of his car. And also to brag for Ben that his car was featured. Thanks a gazillion to Ben's dad, Dad Young, for taking all the pains and time to oversee it's never-ending need for attention until it was all finished. We are so glad to have it!

It's What Month!?!?

Seriously? March? Impossible. I must have been in a coma for the last two months, because it totally seems like January to me. And it's not just because it snowed yesterday (although that helped).

Life has seemed at a standstill for the beginning of this year. This is mostly due to having too much to do and not having any time to do anything fun. I haven't worked out since January. I haven't traveled. I haven't really been home. It's been, shall we say, a little busy.

Classes have been grueling. And for the 1st part of the year I took on an extra project that consumed a couple hundred hours of time I didn't have. And then I have spent the rest of my weeks catching up. In addition, it is recruitment season at my work, which has required a lot of overtime and working on weekends. Or what used to be known as weekends and what is really just a very long week running into other very long weeks.

This next week is finals. I have to bear my head down for 7 more days and then, I will have done all I can do and the Spring Quarter will be over, as will recruitment (at least most of recruitment). And then maybe life will feel like it is moving again. Come to think of it, it's really not so bad to have your head in January and then wake up the next day to find it's almost April. I like April. It's very springy.

AND these months have not been without cause for celebration. This month we got our tax return back. Happy, happy return. And with it, Ben & I paid off the rest of my car loan and his student loan in one fell swoop. Yeah!!!! I can hardly believe they're done. They were our two remaining loans (aside from the mortgage, of course). I was incredibly delighted. When I get done with all of this winter craziness, I may even throw a party just to celebrate. But now that those are taken care of, I have to admit that I feel a loss. I looked forward to this day for so long. Now what do I look forward to? Never fear. We have enlisted the help of a financial planner. Hopefully he will give us some guidance on what to do next. My guess is he will not tell us to pay off the mortgage quickly, though I kinda wish he would. I hate loans of every kind, really.

There were some other highlights from the past few months of inertia. Ben & I celebrated Valentine's by going to one of our favorite restaurants in Cincy, Daveed's. We actually remembered to make a reservation early enough that we didn't have to choose between eating dinner at 4:30 or 10pm. And it was lovely (and delicious). Other rare news, I impulsively bought us 2 sky-diving tickets with a groupon offer. So, expect some future posting on that adventure, when we get around to it.

Well, It's not over yet, so I must be getting back. The chain at my desk is tugging me to pay attention, reminding me that I really don't have time for this. At least not for 7 more days. Till next time.

What a FLAVULOUS Trip to London!!!

Is it gone already?! Ahh, it was so great. Great indeed. Here are the details about all the wonderfulness that was our November trip to London:

I love London. It loves me. That's all you need to know. But I'll share all the intimate details anyway. We arrived Thursday, Nov. 11th in the afternoon, found our way to our lovely hotel near Wembley Stadium, took a nap, showered (I probably would have held out for one more day, but Ben made me do it)and then went down to Covent Gardens to see all the Christmas decorations and grab a bite to eat at a local pub
Ben at the pub


One new thing I learned about London which makes me love it even more than before -- since they don't have Thanksgiving (not that I DON'T love that holiday), they start decorating and prepping and celebrating the Christmas Season right after Veteran's Day. AWESOME. Can't we Americans just skip the turkey decor and go for the glitter and lights? We could still celebrate Turkey Day, just forgo all the gourds. Right?!?!? Anyone else in on this?

Anywho, after the pub, we went to visit my brother Gerry and his family at their flat in London. Sadly, all the kiddies were in bed, but it was great to hang out with them. Laurent and Kerrie were already there as well. Good times. Traveling is great. Traveling with family is even better.

On Friday, we slept in. Ahhh. I LOVE vacation. And then we met up with Gerry & Rachel and Laurent & Kerrie at a fancy shmancy french restaurant named Pied a Terre. Yum. The amuse bouches at this restaurant were divine. They trumped some of the menu items I'd ordered (which could be a good or a bad thing, depending on how you look at it). Carrot mousse, Foie Gras between sesame wafers.... what's not to like? I still dream about that soup.

Then we took a walk over to my favorite museum in London -- the Tate Britain. Tragically the Lady of Shalott (my favorite there) was not on display, nor was April in Love and all of my other damsels in distress from the pre-raphaelite artists.

Lady of Shalott












April in Love

But I made friends with several other lovely paintings, so it's ok.













This picture, which is incredibly detailed, is actually this small:




















This is one of two large, decommissioned planes on display. This one, though you can't tell, had the painted pattern of feathers all over (very cool). But my biggest question was, "How on earth did they get it inside the museum?"

That night we went back to the flat and played Wii until more of the clan arrived. In came Jon & Anne and Emilie & Dustin (along with baby Camille) at last. Yeah!! We ordered Indian food and fried chicken and hung out till we were in danger of missing the last tube ride back to the hotel (around 12).

Saturday -- Th WEDDING DAY!!! I woke up incredibly early. I got up with inexplicable amounts of energy and went running around Wembley Stadium. Then we got ready. Subsequently, numerous hilarious events occurred that could have prevented many of us from making it to anywhere we needed to be. Miraculously, everyone made it to the hotel near Victoria Station for lunch (except the wedding couple, who were out taking pictures). New additions to the party who arrived that morning: Bob, my parents and Erika's parents. Lunch was lovely -- even though the hot chocolate was luke warm. I had a ravioli dish and other people had some kind of a filet mignon kind of dish. Yum.:)
Pictures of Lunch:

A few of my very good-looking brothers


More of the party


Camille, the little food thief under the table

Off to the train we went after lunch and traveled out to Surrey, where the London Temple is. At the temple we waited. And waited. We took an informal (and incomplete) family photo while we waited:


At last the lovely couple arrived and we took some pictures. Erika and Jeff looked cute and lovey. Camille took a special liking to me, for some reason, so I got to carry her around for a while as everyone posed for the photographers. Adorable and endearing. Except less adorable in the 4+ inch most painful and sparkly pair of shoes I've ever owned.See below (mine are the silver one's and Rachel's are the very sassy animal print -- almost as uncomfortable as far as I could tell, but just as fabulous).



Finally, the wedding ceremony! The temple ceremony was the shortest ceremony we have ever witnessed. It took all of 15 minutes. Talk about a quickie wedding! :) And suddenly, they were married. Tada!




Then back to the train to go to the fancy hotel for the wedding dinner/reception. A couple of Jeff's friends from law school arrived, which was delightful. And the food, as you can probably guess, was amazing. As Ben likes to remind me, when my family gets together it's all about the food. Jeff & Erika had a very pretty cake made with a Tiffany's box on top and cute little mini cakes all around.









By the end of the night I was completely crippled by my shoes and my family tortured me unduly by encouraging me to travel with them on the tube to get back to the hotel instead of taking a very civil taxi ride. I was convinced by them, for some unknown reason, and hobbled all the way home. And yes, despite this, I still really like those shoes. Boots are made for walking. Sparkly 4" heels are made for taxi rides.

Sunday, we walked to the church, stayed for sacrament meeting at Gerry's ward and then those of us that were staying at the hotel high-tailed it back so we could grab our bags from our rooms and check out before noon. Off to Gerry's flat we went to eat, nap and play for the rest of the day. Everyone else arrived and joined in too, of course-- just a little later. Then off to Gerry's rental flat, where we stayed for the rest of our trip.

On Monday, Ben & I went to the Tower of London to see all kinds of things. Among them -- the fancy crown jewels, the lawn where Ann Boleyn was beheaded (along with a host of other unlucky people) and the inside of a proper old church. You can't go to Europe and not step inside an old church.

Panorama of the Tower of London from the outside


A memorial at the tower green for everyone who'd lost their head there.




carvings made by the prisoners locked inside the towers.


Ben looking handsome at the Tower of London (he dressed up so we would be allowed in to the restaurant for lunch afterwards)

Then we met some family for lunch at Claridge's Gordon Ramsay restaurant. All about the food, all about the food. I ate pork belly and cheek for the first time.. and LIKED IT. Weird, I know. The rest of the meal wasn't so bad either. And the toilets were very pretty. If you ever go, don't miss visiting the loo. Later, we went shopping around Covent Gardens again with Jon & Anne and I bought a delightful knock-off Armani handbag. Yeah for useful & good-looking souvenirs!

I forgot to mention before, but we also went to go see Wicked that night. What a show!! Loved it. I want to see it again. Not just because it was good, but also because everyone we went with was comparing the cast we saw to previous casts they had seen. They made me incredibly curious about all these other casts they were talking about. Loved, loved, loved it though -- I'm more than happy to "need" to see it again. :)




Tuesday Ben and I went to Bath. William Wilberforce and Jane Austen used to live there (not together). We saw the roman baths (quite incredible).





This was over the temple inside the grounds of the Roman Baths; a tribute to Minerva.


Steam rising up from the baths below


Ben & I having a lovely time


These bricks were constructed like so underneath the floors to allow steam to pass through and heat the floor that would have been placed right overtop of the piles of brick.


One last look at the naturally steamy baths


A video of me giving an educational tutorial about the drain at the roman baths. I should be an educator. I'm so good at video tutorials.

We also ate soup & sandwiches in the Pump Room. And I had Egyptian peppermint tea. Mmmm.

Ben in the Pump Room

We also napped at the library (we were tired). We shopped. It was all very lovely. But then we realized we should have booked our departure train much earlier. We were done by 5 and couldn't leave until 8:30. And the shops were all closed by 6pm. What to do, what to do. We milled around and then got dinner. And then we at last went back. Not the best way to spend your last night in England, but oh well.

Wednesday -- you guessed it -- we traveled home. I got to see the movie, "Temple Grandin" on the flight home -- SO GOOD!! I also sat next to an older missionary lady who was traveling back from Africa. She was very nice. Unfortunately, she also smelled like old lady, so it took me the first couple hours of our 8 hour flight to stop noticing. Not so nice. You win some, you lose some.

And then we were back at work on Thursday. How quickly it comes and goes. It was so fun to see everyone. So nice to have a break. So nice to be back in London. I can't wait till we do it again!

Of course, I would have expected my co-blogger to post something on HIS trip to London, being that it WAS his wedding and all. However, he seems to be otherwise occupied. Go figure.

Update for October

Ok, I have been chastised for not updating. It's not going to be pretty or poignant, but since my blog posts are neither of those things typically, I won't feel bad about that.

Happenings Over the Last Month:

1) I took a blast class. It was a 4 credit class in marketing and I had to go to school from 8-5pm on Friday & Saturday, two weeks in a row, and then finish a somewhat large, consuming marketing plan project by the end of the following week. It really wasn't so bad and I liked studying marketing. Of course, it's easier to say it wasn't so bad now that it's over.

2) I went to SLC on a whirlwind tour for my soon-to-be sister-in-law's bridal shower. It was a very quick trip. Sorry for not seeing anybody. I flew into SLC at 12am Sat. morning & went to my parents' house and went to bed, woke up at a more reasonable hour, got supplies, set up for the party, visited my in-laws for a 1/2 hour, came back, hosted the party (with my family, of course,who helped out immensely), went to my already-sister-in-law's house for family dinner, went to bed, woke up on Sunday, went to church and then flew home. it was fun to see everyone and, believe it or not, I felt like that was more of a weekend than a lot of other weekends (see prior happenings for the month for reference).

3) I got a job offer from another department at UC. It was the position that I had originally applied for when I first interviewed here -- grant administrator 2. Glamorous, no? I was very excited about the offer. Unfortunately, they made a dismally LOW offer and I decided that I would turn it down and stay in my lowly position of program coordinator for now. What can I say? I've had better offers. I anticipate I will have better offers in the future. So, yes HR. You can keep your ever-so-generous, mandatory 5% raise and give it to somebody else who values themselves as little as you do. Good luck with that(Me, bitter? NOooooo. Ok, maybe a little. but I really was glad to get offered the job. I swear.).

4) I am still in an accounting class. I have a midterm tomorrow and while I have studied for it somewhat, I have been spending exponentially more time procrastinating my studying. I can't wait till tomorrow night when it's over, stress goes away and I can go back to not procrastinating until my next test/project.

5) I am still totally stoked to be going to London in less than a month. Jefe and Erika are getting married! And we are going on VACATION!!! :) I need silver close-toed pumps, however, and am having the hardest time finding a cute pair that is reasonably priced. Dilemmas, dilemmas. Finding the dress was so much easier. Funny -- I encountered the same exact problem before MY wedding. It seems apparent that I am, most definitely, a shoe girl. (in case anyone was doubting that fact)

6) Ben's parents have bought tickets and they are, for SURE, coming out to visit us for Thanksgiving!!!! I am SO stoked. We hardly ever get visitors. And for Thanksgiving! I've never really had to prepare a Thanksgiving meal before, so it should be interesting. I find it all very exciting -- the turkey, the stuffing, gravy. Oh, and having Ben's parents around to hang out with. JUST kidding - that's actually the best part. I think it's going to be totally fun. Can't wait!

7) I had a birthday and, lucky enough for Ben, my favorite present is to go shopping. I know, I know. I require so little thought & effort from my husband. What can I say? I want what I want. And I happen to believe there's a 99% chance no one else knows exactly what I want better than I do. I went shopping last week and victoriously came home with more than I should have. I heart successful shopping trips. Now I just have to return half of it. :) (Oh, and thank you for all the happy birthdays. If you texted me or called, I'm sorry not to have gotten back to you in a more timely manner. I left my cell phone at the store during said shopping trip and didn't have it around for two days).

8) I drove up to Granville, Ohio last Friday to promote our graduate program at a grad fair. it is one of the most beautiful, sleepy towns and it has AMAZING fall colors. It's much more drabby down here in Cincinnati, so the drive up there was a great treat.

9) Okay, so this isn't something that's "happened" really, but I'm still excited about it. Ben & I have been doubling down on our car payments ( I took out a 60 month loan on my Subaru when I bought it in 2008) and we are now only 7.3 months away from being car loan free! I love, love, love this prospect and I can hardly wait.

10) My dear renter, Earvin, decided he was leaving me last month after his lease expired. It kinda stressed me out a little because I was afraid we wouldn't get another renter right away. And I was afraid we would go back to doing shortterm rentals, which is a lot more to manage. Good news -- we found a new renter and with multi-year renting potential and the rental periods are seamlessly close. I love it when things work out this way. Whenever stuff like this works out this well, I can't help thinking, " I'm so glad I pay tithing." It may not be a direct blessing of tithing, but you never know. It just might be. And, in any case, I'm very grateful that investment hasn't blown up in my face quite yet. :)

If I Just Talk Enough You Will Give In And Agree With Me

Dan Gaffney Audio: Christine O’Donnell for Senate Interview

Making the Most of It

This week, I had the honor of hearing a presentation from Julie Isphording. She was a marathon runner in the Olympics. Her life story was one of perseverance, hard work, optimism, tragecy, struggle and victory. Her overall message was one of taking risks, accepting reality, changing, finding new goals and living a life that accommodates your need for happiness and passion in life. It was INCREDIBLY cool. It's nice to encounter inspiring people who show you how it's done. Thanks for that.