Sister Friends

Knights of Mayhem!

2011-10-31T14:08:00.001-07:00

Tune In Sunday! Knights of Mayhem on CBS Sunday Morning

2011-10-28T13:43:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone!
My new show "Knights of Mayhem" is premiering soon and there's a lot of buzz about it! Our main character and Captain of the knights Charlie Andrews will be on the CBS Sunday Morning show promoting the series, and it's bound to be entertaining.

If you can't see that, definitely tune in for the premiere on Tuesday Nov 15th at 9pm on Nat Geo Channel!

Thanks everyone! And HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL

Tune In Sunday!

Sunday, October 30, 2011

CBS Sunday Morning

Airs 9-10:30 AM ET/PT

Charlie Andrews sits down with CBS Sunday Morning correspondent Bill Geiss to promote "Knights of Mayhem"

ahead of the show's premiere Tuesday, November 15 at 9 and 10pm ET/PT on NGC. Footage and tune-in provided.

Check Local Listings for Channel #

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DC fun with the one who looks like me

2011-10-17T10:03:00.000-07:00

Shelby did a fab blog post about her trip to visit me... see it here!

:)Sisters... sisters...

Shelby is coming to DC!!!!

2011-10-07T10:15:00.000-07:00

And I can't wait!! :)

I love it when she visits me on the East Coast. Here is a pic from when she first visited me in NYC back in 2006 when I had just moved there. FIVE YEARS AGO! Time flies. We make excellent tourists. :)

Hello Fall!

2011-10-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

This is another cool shot from Nat Geo.

I like this horse.

2011-09-28T13:48:00.000-07:00

Nat Geo photo of the day.

The Washington Monument

2011-09-27T12:19:00.001-07:00

During the earthquake that hit DC back in August, the Washington Monument was cracked on the pyramid part. When I drove in to work this morning, as I do most mornings, I get a great view of the monument.

Today, I noticed something... do you see it? That little bump near the point IS A MAN. There are riggers up there examining the structure, they've secured ropes down each side of the monumnet. I have NO CLUE what they're holding on to! The view must be incredible, but talk about scary!! I almost missed my green light, I just sat at the light staring as the man moved around the top!

Why are baby animals SO CUTE?!

2011-09-27T11:58:00.000-07:00

Cookies ~ Zoo ~ Cookies

2011-09-26T23:00:00.000-07:00

Mint Chocolate CrinklesThese turned out nicely. Next time I'm going to add chocolate chunks so they'll be nice and melty and make the cookies 3 inches across (instead of one inch).

I used this recipe but added a teaspoon of peppermint extract, and found they didn't really need to sit in the fridge- I tried it both ways and both resulted in the same amount of tastiness.

My recent trip to the ZOO
My friend Jon and I went to the zoo. Before we even walked in the gate I made him help me come up with a contingency plan in case any of the lions or tigers were able to escape from their enclosures. This quickly became the how to escape a gorilla attack when an obnoxious child threw a stick into the gorilla enclosure, waking a sleeping gorilla who leapt to his feet and starred at the stick that entered his domain. I thought that gorilla was gonna jump out of the enclosure. Scary! The funny part is, we actually were involved in an animal attack of sorts at the zoo. Jon himself got a little too close to a flat billed pink bird that came up to our knees. The bird had free reign of the Amazon house, and when Jon tried to pet it, it tried to eat Jon.

Here is Jon with the bird, before things got dicey...

Honey Peanut Butter Oatmeal Zoo Cookies
Named Zoo Cookies in honor of my recent Zoo trip, these cookies were more along the lines of Shopping Mall cookie bars than anything else, as I threw in several random ingredients. It was about 9pm when I decided to make these cookies, and I just wasn't feeling super inclined to using measuring devices with the sticky ingredients. Therefore, I mostly just guessed with my eyeballs and tossed stuff into the Kitchen-Aid Mixer that belongs to my roommate (the fastest way to mix anything and saves you from a tired arm). I sort of followed this recipe but made several changes, here are the ingredients I used:

3/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups quick cooking oats
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon

I couldn't really taste the cinammon in the finished product... Next time, I'll half the honey and double the cinnamon. These cookies turned out super moist- with the perfect filling, they'd make an ideal oatmeal cream pie cookie. :)

I flew!

2011-09-21T10:46:00.000-07:00

My friend Jimmy had a birthday back in May, so Andrew and I pitched in to buy him flying lessons! We got some for ourselves, too... :)

It was a pleasant morning, light fluffy clouds int he air. I've never felt so free as I did right when we took off from the airport in Maryland and headed to the Chesapeake Bay. I took this picture on my iPhone of Jimmy in his place (Andrew's plane was on the other side of me).
That was also quite fun, flying side by side with my buddies. Our instructors did some tricks around each other right here in our planes, and it was super neat. I definitely recommend flying to everyone!

(of course, the last 10 minutes I felt extremely queasy, but the guys could have flown for days- they loved it).

Happy B-day Jimmy!

BYU Football

2011-09-21T10:40:00.000-07:00

I missed the BYU vs Utah football on Saturday because of the wedding... only to hear later that they lost tragically and horribly to Utah by some absurd score (10 - 50?)

Anyway, it was still a surprise to me when I got to work and found THIS on my desk!

Seriously, I have no idea (and still don't) of who put this on my desk. I grilled a few people, but no one is fessing up! So I retaliated in the only way I know how...

No hard feelings, U of U... but mystery insulter deserves a taste of mischief right back at him (or her... seriously, who did it?!)

Binh's wedding

2011-09-21T10:30:00.000-07:00

I flew to San Francisco for a day for my friend Binh's wedding! I was literally in SF for 11 hours total, the entire trip equaling approximately 26 hours total with flights.

Binh and Lexie!
Derrick and me

Me and Abby
The venue was City Hall in SF, they got married in this same room under the rotunda, Lexie walked down the stairs and looked like royalty! It was so beautiful! Bryce was there too, but I didn't get a pic with him on my iPhone... it was great to see everyone! Glad I could be there for the celebration. :)

Watch my knights!

2011-09-01T10:30:00.001-07:00

And why not a pie

2011-07-20T14:11:00.001-07:00

What do you get when you cross all the left-over dessert makings in Ashley cupboards and fridge (with help from friends)? Toasted coconut crust smothered in melted milk chocolate topped with chilled sugared strawberries. YUM.

Birthday TWO

2011-07-20T13:58:00.000-07:00

So, it turns out my roommate Erin is a REALLY GOOD LIAR. Last Sunday afternoon, the day I got back from my two week vacation, which also happened to be 3 days after my official birthday, Erin managed to throw me a party without my knowing, even though she managed to prepare for it RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY FACE! She would be making goodies left and right and I'd say "what is that for?" and she'd give me some line about people at work or, trying to use up the rest of the lemonade mix, etc, and I TOTALLY bought every line. And then suddenly all these people were at my house being nice to me in the name of BIRTHDAY all over again. :) It was definitely a surprise. Definitely a good one!
We thought we'd all get a pic with the cardboard cut-out the guys surprised me with before I left town. I nearly had a heart attack when I walked into my room and saw a strange "man" standing there. Glad it was just a cut-out! :)
And here's a shot with me, Jimmy (front) and the twins- back L Andrew, back R Jon. Kinda feels like a weird family portrait...

And FINALLY a shot with the world famous Erin, my roommate extraordinaire. (and Damon, the cardboard cut-out again, of course). :)Thanks E!

HOME and CARPINTERIA

2011-07-20T13:52:00.001-07:00

Shopping in Roseville! Me Shelby Jon. They are awesome. :)

I did another excellent job this year by taking only 5 pictures at the beach. But they are a really good five I swear! Proof below. :)

Me and Jessica at Cajun Kitchen. I know you can't see (in this picture) but Billy Baldwin is standing 10 feet to the right. Fo real!

Courtney and Luke getting their beach on.

Luke giggled and covered his mouth! SO adorable, this kid is a champ. My immediate family! ie bro's and sis's and 'rents. L to R: Ryan, M-A, Alyse, Court, Mom, Dad, Jana, me, Shelb, Jon. I like it when we snap one of the ten of us. :)

Me and Shelby!
Sunset.
The End!

Birthday ONE

2011-07-20T13:47:00.001-07:00

My friends took me out to dinner at PF Changs for my birthday before I left town. They are so nice and fun! :) L to R: Heather, Midge, me, Jimmy

I think pics of people blowing out candles always looks weird. That dessert was mighty tasty. L to R, Midge, me, Jim
(My wish DID come true, btw)

Here was the bday crew- minus Jimmy and Erin- Erin is not in any of these pics! She was the photographer.
Thanks friends! I heart you all. :)

Wedding Weekend

2011-06-28T23:26:00.000-07:00

My pretty nieces! Marissa, Talia, and Tristan.
The newlyweds, my nephew Justin and his wife Allie with their flower girls and groom's munchkins- which also happen to be most of my nieces and nephews (3 are missing, and 1 little girl is no relation)
Mom, Lucas James (LOVE the bow tie), me
Jon and me.

Birthday

2011-06-28T23:25:00.000-07:00

He may be a cardboard cut-out, but I certainly do not mind.

Baseball

2011-06-23T08:11:00.000-07:00

I went to a National's game with friends and we actually WON!
AND I filled out a survey and got a free shirt. Woot. L to R: Jenny, Shanna, Jimmy, me, Andrew
(Not pictured: Jon and Keith)

Harses Harses Harses

2011-06-20T14:21:00.000-07:00

It is really hard to take a picture with a horse and have you and the horse both look good (or not blurry!)
Thor is a jousting horse in training.

Las Vegas

2011-06-20T14:18:00.000-07:00

While in Vegas for work last week I was lucky enough to see Alyse and family TWICE! Here are a few of us. It was so great to spend time with them and I can't wait to see them and the rest of the family in less than a week!

Pie-tastic!

2011-06-20T13:58:00.001-07:00

I've been on a pie kick lately... and not just any pies, STRAWBERRY! I decided to make a strawberry pie (or FIVE) because it was my friend Scott's birthday. And he likes strawberry desserts on his birthday (I hope this is true, as for two years in a row we've gotten him strawberry, but it just occurred to me that I may have made this up...). Anywho, bring on Pie number 1!

Berry Truffle Pie
Almost entirely homemade (minus the crust) this pie features a layer of chocolate cream cheese covered in whole strawberries and topped with fresh raspberries and blueberries, then coated with melted red currant jelly. Serve with homemade whipped cream. Happy Birthday Scott!
(I know you think you see a cool whip container, but that just happened to be the vehicle for the 100% homemade whole whipping cream)

Pie number 2.... Which also happens to be a crowd favorite...

Strawberry Chiffon Pie
This pie takes the longest to make, but it's well worth the wait! Starting with crushed juicy strawberries, then add to a sugary gellatin mixture, cooled and eventually folding in homemade whipped cream and served cold, this pie is divine. Fluffy, light and sweet. I wish I had some right now, yum!

Pie number 3 was the prettiest, in my opinion, and probably the funnest to make. The lighting for this picture was not so good, I had to bring the pie over to the window cause our power went out in a lightning storm!

Strawberry Meringue Pie
This pie features a meringue siding and bottom. The meringue is VERY delicious, especially before it gets cooked :) and the strawberries get coated in lemon curd (it's like sweet lemon jelly) which makes this pie quite tasty. The only downside? It doesn't last long- it will taste pretty good for a day or two after it's made, but it starts to look real ugly and gray after just 12 hours. This is definitely an "Eat immediately" creation. And I'm alright with that! :)

Enjoy!

PB Wars

2011-06-20T13:30:00.000-07:00

Who would win in a fist fight?
The jury is in.
JIF. Preferred by 5 out of 5 of Ashley's friends.

Pirates!

2011-06-09T12:30:00.001-07:00

I saw Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides last night, and it was fantastic!! I really loved it. I hope they come out with another couple films, it was really good! It might even have been my favorite of the entire series. I saw it in IMAX 3D, which is so fun, with my friends Stacy and Erin. :)

Country Strong

2011-06-09T12:29:00.000-07:00

I've been on a movie kick lately or something... Here's another flick I saw and liked. I downloaded the music, it's pretty fun. Plus I really like Country music a lot in general.
Shelby, I think you would like this movie. Interesting story, I think the acting is pretty good too. It's a little sad, but also fun.

Making the Most of a Sunday Afternoon

2011-06-05T23:59:00.000-07:00

With church at the bright and early hours of 8am-11am, I find that all I have is TIME come Sunday afternoon. This Sunday it was kinda muggy and overcast, so I made the most of the day by dedicating several hours to the following entertainment.

I started out with a little bit of this... and I really liked it...
Then I thought, maybe some of this would be good too! It was. :)

I followed that with a nap...

And followed the nap with this... cute movie, but not the Gulliver's Travels I remember! I kept waiting for the horse island/Yahoo's! But no dice. It did make me chuckle though, and I do love Amanda Peet and Jack Black, so that was a plus.

After that, I decided I needed THIS. Again! I really liked this movie. If you haven't seen it, it's a good one!

X-Men: First Class

2011-06-04T23:59:00.000-07:00

This was a great movie! I highly recommend it. :)

And hello, this is one sexy man.
Probably thanks in part to my memory of his playing this brooding complicated man in Jane Eyre... either way, I'm smitten.

Friends

2011-06-03T08:39:00.000-07:00

A few of my friends and I grabbed dinner the other night, when one of my friends noticed that we are just like the gal's from Sex and the City! It was hilariously accurate.
L to R: Me, Erin, Robyn, Jill Me- Carrie: Loves to discuss her dating experiences and especially chatting with friends.
Erin- Samantha: Bold in her pursuit of men, power woman who knows what she wants.
Robyn- Charlotte: The most laid back of the four, still looking for love, rule follower.
Jill- Miranda: Woman power! Successful lady who won't take crap from anyone.

Of course, we're the conservative versions of these ladies... :)

Beach

2011-05-31T09:27:00.001-07:00

As a last minute decision, I decided to head to Duck Beach, aka the Outer Banks, Corolla, North Carolina for Memorial Day weekend. Here I am with my friend Beth road-tripping! It took us a good 8 hours to get there... lots of traffic... but we were in good spirits with excellent company (and matching outfits)!
Here I am with my friend Bill from the ward. These were the only two photos I took on the entire trip of myself with people. Others not pictured were the McDonald sisters (Midge, Sarah and Ann-Marie) whom I ADORE and the rest of our married/engaged housemates. Talk about a low key no drama weekend! It was great. :)

Here is the one and only shot I took of the beach...everyday hundreds of LDS singles would show up here and hang out. I ran into several of my New York friends including Colin Wheeler, Courtnie Checketts and Krystal Walker. I love my New Yorkies!
I'm glad summer has arrived, opening my pool until Labor Day, but it is HOT! I'm definitely looking forward to the dry heat of Sacramento and the cool breezes of Santa Barbara... less than four weeks and I'll be there!

Bridal Shower

2011-05-16T10:12:00.000-07:00

My friend Dixie (in the green stripes) is getting married! We gathered to celebrate her awesomeness and hear delightful stories about her and her lover.
Mom, I know you've been wanting to see pictures of what I've been up to, so here you go! :)

Thor

2011-05-09T12:20:00.000-07:00

This was a really enjoyable movie... and not just because the guy who played Thor was extremely sexy. I like comic book movies, and this one was right up there. On top of which, I have a thing for Norse mythology, so seeing those stories and characters brought to life was extremely fulfilling. I loved the special effects, and the story was pretty good too. And did you know that Kenneth Branagh directed this movie? Nicely done!

Don't worry about it, when this shot of Thor appeared on screen, every woman in the theater giggled intensely... talk about a sexy man!
If I could have had it my way, Thor would have ended up with Sif instead of the obvious Natalie Portman. (I think Sif and Thor get together in the comics...) Could be a potential Halloween costume!

Happy Birthday Jim!

2011-05-09T12:14:00.000-07:00

In celebration of Jimmy's birth we showered him with gifts and "shopping malls"... a cookie bar with several layers of deliciousness including:

peanut butter chocolate
marshmallow
chocolate
toasted coconut
caramel
oatmeal cookie base

:)

Epic

2011-05-03T08:55:00.001-07:00

I think this word is overused in an inappropriate manner.

EPIC:
–adjective
1.
noting or pertaining to a long poetic composition, usually centered upon a hero, in which a series of great achievements or events is narrated in elevated style: Homer's Iliad is an epic poem.
2.
resembling or suggesting such poetry: an epic novel on the founding of the country.
3.
heroic; majestic; impressively great: the epic events of the war.

Today, I realized I'd worn a pair of epic earrings all day long that were epically not the same, i.e. they looked epically similar, but were epically different. (True story!)

Astronaut

2011-04-26T11:03:00.001-07:00

Last night I dreamed I was an Astronaut training for a mission to space. The final seat on the shuttle would either go to me or a veteran astronaut woman who was my friend. We waited to find out who would be chosen, and I hoped it would be me- but at the same time I was apprehensive about the mission. I closed my eyes and could see myself, rocketing away from my home, the Earth getting smaller as I flew further from it. It made my insides hurt, I did not want to leave my home. I felt that my soul belonged with Earth, close to it. For all the hopes and excitement of flying into outer space, I could not shake this apprehension. Though, I felt sure I would choose to go if selected, however wary I felt. I awoke before the final decision was made.
I've never dreamed of space before.

Movies!

2011-04-21T08:35:00.000-07:00

The King's Speech
I saw the PG-13 version of The King's Speech, and it was REALLY GREAT!!! They re-released it for language, and it is an EXCELLENT movie. Deserved every award and accolade. I really loved Helena Bonham Carter!

Morning Glory
Good movie! I thoroughly enjoyed it. It actually makes me want to go back and work in News! Who'd have thought I'd ever say that...

New Blog on the Radar

2011-04-20T12:33:00.001-07:00

Folks, I stumbled across this fantastically funny blog today (thanks a friend's feed on facebook) and it literally rocks my world. Here is a little treasure- click link below.

Reminds me of... me. :)

Hyperbole and a Half: This is Why I'll Never Be An Adult

Enjoy!

Boston

2011-04-17T22:00:00.000-07:00

My friends and I headed to Boston for the weekend. Here we are at the start of the Freedom Trail!
Walking down the street I had a strange feeling there should be a statue of a Donkey... we turned the corner, and VIOLA!
Midge, Andrew, and Donkey.
Heather and me (and donkey...)
Boston Common
Heather, Andrew, Midge
Walking the Freedom Trail- a convenient red line shows the way. Midge and Jimmy...
On the US Constitution with our Sailor friend...
me, Heather, Sailor, Midge.We were feeling very ambitious one afternoon and climbed 297 steps up the Bunker Hill memorial. My legs are still feeling it, 36 hours later...Jimmy, Midge, Heather, me...
At the end of the Freedom Trail! We finally made it!
Andrew, Heather, Midge, JimmyI jumped for joy... this picture captures more of the "landing" for joy moment... Heather, Midge, me.We didn't just Boston it up... here I am with Scott in Salem. Those Witch trials were bizarre! These are colonial hats of some sort...
Heather and I decided... while in Boston, we should probably run in the Boston Marathon. Here we are at the finish line!
Don't forgot Cheers! They totally knew my name.Super fun trip with great friends- Me, Jimmy, Scott, Andrew, Heather, Midge.

Okay to GO!

2011-04-12T13:09:00.001-07:00

Today, Google's home page features an animated tribute to the 50th Anniversary of the first human space flight. When you run your cursor over the image, you see a little rocket take off, it's pretty neat. I took a screen shot for you:

When I clicked on the image, I was lead to space flight articles about the first Russian astronaut, which made me think of some questions I had- so I started Googling. I found articles that talked about the previous space race, how many manned NASA missions actually made it to the moon (6), the future of space flight, and one article talked about Russia's intent to build a base on the moon by the year 2030 with plans to visit Mars after that.

I've never felt confined by years or time, but when I started to read that article, I suddenly wished I would be around for the next couple hundred years to see what advancements science makes and how deep into space humans are able to take themselves. I find the possibilities quite fascinating.

And then yesterday someone mentioned to me that NASA currently has only two shuttle launches planned for the future. April 29 and June 28. Anyone feel like road tripping to Florida??

Source Code

2011-04-11T13:36:00.001-07:00

This is the best movie I have seen in a long time. Right up my alley. I give it 5 stars. It has all the things a good sci-fi action flick should have! Good story line, great characters, little bit of love, heart, smidge of crazy, and did you notice that Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 90% calling it "a smart, satisfying sci-fi thriller." AGREED. I had an inkling who the bad guy was from the first scene (glad I've still "got it") but the movie was filmed in such a way that I literally was shoulder to shoulder with the protagonist in his search. See this movie. Especially if you like sci-fi. Court, you probably won't like this movie. Mom, you'll like it.

Cherry Blossoms 2011

2011-03-28T22:10:00.000-07:00

Cherry Blossoms are here! Brenda was in town and we walked around the Tidal Basin taking in the beautiful sights! Thanks to Brenda for these lovely photos.
Here we are in front of blossoms/Tidal Basin/Jefferson Memorial in background...
I stood by Paddles the beaver, and stuck my hand out and said "stop!" for a silly photo right as a group of Asian ladies was walking by... they all jumped thinking I had yelled at them! Completely embarrassing... totally something I would accidentally do...
Here we are at the Jefferson Memorial.
Washington Monument!
More blossoms...So pretty!

Jon in DC

2011-03-24T12:57:00.001-07:00

Jon stopped by DC on his way to NY to visit me, and we had a grand old time. :)
Kennedy Center was a lot of fun. I'd never been to the terrace before on top, it gave a great view of the city and river. We walked around some interesting exhibits, lots of diamond jewelry that was pretty, and then this pillar- which I thought looked like jenga blocks... like the biggest game of jenga ever! Poor sucker that lost that match!
We checked out the National Cathedral on Sunday. I like our services better (we sat through Mass) but the building itself was beautiful!
Love being tourists...

I like this

2011-03-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

I like whales, blue, and sparkly skies.

The biggest rental car you've ever seen

2011-03-24T12:48:00.000-07:00

I got in a stupid accident and my car's been in the shop for awhile, so I got a stand-in SUV. This is the behemoth they gave me. The darn thing doesn't even fit in parking garages! I've had several turn me away. Poo.

I asked politely for 6 days to get a more manageable SUV that was still an SUV (not a "car") and my results were... nothing. So today I DEMANDED a Jeep Grand Cherokee, which they had PROMISED ME from the beginning and every day since but never delivered, and miraculously for some reason, demanding made one appear. I may need to re-evaluate my negotiation style. But regardless of that, here's the Jeep in all her beauty. I like red.

Ferris Day take 2

2011-03-24T12:44:00.001-07:00

We spent a big chunk of the day hanging out at National Harbor, oddly enough around this interesting statue called the Awakening.

I didn't get a shot with everyone, but from L to R there's Courtney, Kristine and me.
Jimmy and Kristine.Ben.
Andrew was there too.

Birds

2011-03-24T12:34:00.000-07:00

Babysat these three little treasures for a week. Okay, they're quite feisty and fly all over the place scaring everyone, but mostly they just love to be on your shoulder... or head, which is where they'd usually land after flying all over the room.
From L to R we have Mitten, Puddy and Butters is the yellow one. I particularly liked Mitten, doesn't she look so nice?

And then a real treat... at work, I walked into the courtyard, just missing some sort of bird presentation, when I saw an owl in a dog carrier. When the owl people saw me looking they asked if I wanted to hold him. Okay! This was really really cool.
Owl's are the coolest! Look at his big ole orange eyes! So beautiful. They said it's an African Eagle owl.

Dooown the Rabbit Hole

2011-03-22T08:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, much to my dismay, the retractable string that fastened my security badge to my pants snapped. I now have to carry my badge or keep it in my pocket. This was all fine and well, until I went to use the restroom this morning. Big sign on door said "Closed for Renovation" and since it's the only restroom on the floor, I stepped into the stair well to head to the floor below. Realizing, as the door slammed behind me, that the only way to get out of the stair well was with a security badge. A quick examination of all my pockets confirmed my worry- I did not have my badge. I felt suddenly trapped! But then a sign on the wall said "Exit 1st floor" with lots of red arrows pointing down. So instead of waiting for who knows how long for someone else to use the stairs (or banging on the door like a moron) I started walking down... and down... 4th floor... 3rd... 2nd... and then instead of there being a 1st floor, there was a strange turn in the staircase. And where I would have expected the 1st floor exit, there was a tiny door with a lock! I felt like Alice in Wonderland!Knowing this couldn't possibly be the end, I continued down further- where I luckily found a real 1st floor, followed the red arrows as they snaked round this sketchy hallway, and landed at a regular sized door that said:

Exit: ALARM WILL SOUND if you open this door

If you ask me, that doesn't sound like an exit at all! But a big DON'T DO IT.

Conclusion:

My only regret is that Johnny Depp did not appear. It didn't take me long to run back up to the 5th floor, where I had decided to wait until someone used the stair well. And just as I was a floor away, I heard a door open! Free at last! Upon reaching my desk, I used a binder clip to attach my badge to my pants. Special thanks to Louis Baltzley, inventor of the binder clip, for hopefully saving me from all future encounters down the rabbit hole.

Vampire Diaries

2011-02-23T20:02:00.000-08:00

So easy to love... Vamp Di.
I'll take the one on the right.

Baking in 2011

2011-02-23T19:30:00.000-08:00

This year has brought the enjoyment of baking/cooking! Here are the experiments that I've taken pictures of, though there have been a few others. I'll try to keep taking pics from here on out of any creation I create to share with you!

Valentines Day from scratch chocolate cake with sugared strawberries in freshly whipped cream

"Girls Scouts got nothing on me" New York Tagalong experiment

And finally...
Shannon's art show inspired cinnamon caramel smore bars from scratch

Delicious!

Clean Bus

2011-02-23T19:29:00.000-08:00

Imagine how shocked I was to board the same bus I do everyday, only this time the seats (both plastic and fabric parts) were perfectly CLEAN shining and fresh! It was a metro bus miracle, a once in a lifetime experience. I had to take a picture.

The Verizon Center

2011-02-23T19:26:00.000-08:00

I haven't been an active blogger in 2011, but since my Mom made a special request, here's a little of what I've been up to in the new year.

VERIZON CENTER #1
In January I spent what seemed like an entire week at the Verizon Center! Okay, just two nights :) ... but they were two very fun nights!
Last year 3 friends and I bid on Caps Hockey tickets at an auction, and when the game finally came around I had almost forgotten about it! I realized that I didn't even have a cute RED shirt, so I wore sparkles and a red scarf. You are correct in thinking these guys made fun of me... but not as much as they made fun of the guy that wore BLUE! (the dreaded Ranger's color)Hockey fans take the game VERY seriously. You aren't allowed to leave or enter during active plays! My (slightly obnoxious) friends spent the entire game screaming "FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!" anytime there was a slight tussle. I suppose even I was hoping for a little bit of this... :)While we saw little fighting, we did see lots of this guy, Ovechkin the Russian. He may (as you can see) be missing a few teeth- but he's the best Hockey player in the world! (or say my friends told me).
VERIZON CENTER #2
My friend Jeff who recently moved here from NYC invited me to a Monster Truck Jam! It was tight, I attempted to dress white trash (though you can't tell), wore my ear plugs, inhaled lots of exhaust, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. :)Last Monster Truck Jam I attended was almost 20 years ago! When I asked when we'd see the tranformer trucks come out, I realized my first experience must have been unique. While "The Grave Digger" was the biggest draw at this jam, I vividly remember seeing Truck-o-saurus eat a few cars and breathe fire back in the day. Good times! :)

Another SB commercial worth a mention...

2011-02-23T17:00:00.000-08:00

Too Cute

2011-02-11T11:10:00.001-08:00

Baby owls = adorable

Um... I want an Alpaca. Aren't they cute?? The grown-ups are even cuter than the babies!

Best Super Bowl Commercials

2011-02-08T21:39:00.000-08:00

I think these were my two favorite commercials... with a bonus third because it came with a dragon ;)

bonus third place

Shut the door!

2011-01-20T20:28:00.001-08:00

Will it blend? Yes. Yes it will.

Uh huh... yeah...

2011-01-20T18:46:00.000-08:00

I was reminiscing with a friend about crushes on movie stars. I never crushed hard core on any as a youth (real boys have always been more my style) but I did have some preferences- enter Ben Affleck (thank you Armageddon)and Clive Owen sometime around 2001 when he started appearing in BMW commercials. I had this ad pinned to my wall in the freshman dorms at BYU. Then in 2002 Clive appeared as The Professor in "The Bourne Identity" (I totally loved that movie) though Jason Bourne kills him in a field. Tragic. But hot. Who were/are YOUR celebrity crushes?

Busboys & Poets

2011-01-04T10:08:00.000-08:00

Last night I went with two friends to open mic poetry night at Busboys & Poets in Shirlington. It was quite the experience... and despite some rather racy poems we had a very good time!

Me, Shannon and Heather.Click here to read Shannon's post about the evening and check out the haiku she wrote on the spot! The best submission in the haiku contest, if I do say so myself.

Snap, snap, snap!
:)

Tron Legacy

2011-01-02T17:30:00.000-08:00

I loved this movie. When I walked out I felt like I had been at a dance party- the entire movie is really dark with neon lights, and the electronic music by Daft Punk was awesome. I saw it in Imax 3D- Imax makes everything better! :) See it!

True Grit

2010-12-28T21:11:00.000-08:00

True Grit is truly gritty. I didn't know whether to cover my eyes at the gruesomeness or laugh at the humorous dialogue, so mostly I just covered my eyes. Enjoyable, but I'll let you decide for yourself. I heard someone said Jeff Bridges is the new "Sexy" or something along those lines. I must say he played the role very well, though I'll need to see Tron for the final word on whether or not he's deserving of the title.I myself would just as soon give the sexy title to Josh Brolin. He may have played one of the bad guys, but you must admit... he's hot.

The Washington Chorus

2010-12-18T23:07:00.000-08:00

Today a couple friends came with me to see our other friend perform with The Washington Chorus. Here we are the Kennedy Center. Me, Shannon (the one in the chorus), Beth and Cindee. We had a great time, the music was awesome!

Theory: Black Holes Contain Universes

2010-12-13T21:54:00.000-08:00

"According to a mind-bending study released this past spring, a black hole is actually a tunnel between universes—a type of wormhole. The matter the black hole attracts doesn't collapse into a single point, as has been predicted, but rather gushes out a "white hole" at the other end of the black one, the theory goes."

Christmas in DC

2010-12-12T20:06:00.000-08:00

At our ward Christmas party, here I am with Santa and my friend Emily...
Got another shot with Santa and my friend Shannon!
Thursday night I attended the National Christmas Tree Lighting with some friends! Me and Amanda...
Zack, Carmen, me, Amanda, Amanda's two friends (forgot names), and Brandie!

Tragedy

2010-12-12T08:51:00.000-08:00

Two cameras in two years. I took my camera to a parade last weekend and snapped some brilliant shots of a Scottish Santa with bagpipes (you heard me right) but ever since then, my camera has decided to stop reading my memory cards! I think the cold was just too much for them. :(

My friend's blog

2010-12-07T16:39:00.000-08:00

My friend John is an amazing photographer. Check out his blog here or by clicking "John's photo blog" on the right hand column.

Christmas time is here!

2010-12-02T21:45:00.000-08:00

I got a tree. :)

Thanksgiving

2010-11-30T22:30:00.000-08:00

This year the winds took me to New York for Thanksgiving to visit Brenda. And what would a trip to New York be without a stop in to Macy's and the wooden escalators!
Check out Brenda's cute hair! Some of my DC friends also came to the Big Apple... L to R, Brenda, Heather, Chad, Andrew
I forgot to snag a pic of me at the parade... this is what it would have looked like, obviously...For breakfast on Thanksgiving we went to Crumbs. That's right, we ate cupcakes for breakfast. Well... I actually ate a muffin (mom).
Central Park! Two things- I'm short! and- Central Park is pretty.
Yellow anything in nature is the best.
As are my sneakers...
Thanksgiving dinner- my people plus 8 of my closest friends I'd never met! Sweet potatoes are totally the "new" mashed potatoes (in my opinion).
Happy Thanksgiving!

GO PRO

2010-11-22T18:30:00.000-08:00

A friend and I hit the trail this past weekend to test out his new toy. Aside from discovering that I am a terrible off-road biker, it was super fun and we got pretty muddy (which is also fun). For now, a couple choice screen shots. (video is forthcoming)The tiny video camera has no screen, and the record button is on the front... so every time we hit record we get a nice shot of ourselves (some better than others!)In this shot, we set the camera on the ground pointing straight into the sky and rode by it. I love the angles!

I almost made it.

2010-11-18T09:43:00.000-08:00

Well, it took some real effort this year (as it does every year) to stop myself from listening to Christmas music the day after Halloween. I had been doing really well... until this morning. A great song came into my head and I couldn't resist! By the time I got to work I was belting "Sister's" at the top of my lungs. At least I made it to one week before Thanksgiving!

It got cooooold!

2010-11-04T20:13:00.000-07:00

All of the sudden and without warning (considering a week ago it was hot and humid and my hair was outa control) the weather dropped into Fall bordering on Winter temperatures! Well, my hair is under control again (thankfully) but the rest of me is quite cold! I wish I had a fireplace.This is my fireplace in my imaginary/soon to be real home. By next winter, I'd like one of these for myself. There. I threw it out to the universe. Let's see what happens...

Secret of Kells

2010-11-02T21:38:00.000-07:00

Cute little movie about the creation of the Book of Kells... I liked the animation, it was original, backgrounds were very pretty and crisp. The story was alright, and I especially liked the characters and the music.
The main girl was Aisling- pronounced "Ash-ling" which sounds like Ashley :) She was a forest spirit. And the kitty was Pangur Ban... suddenly have the urge to get a white cat and name it Pangur Ban.

The Book of Kells is an illuminated manuscript Gospel book in Latin, containing the four Gospels of the New Testament toegether with various prefatory texts and tables. It was created by Celtic monks ca. 800 or slightly earlier.

November

2010-11-01T21:17:00.001-07:00

Can you believe it's already November?! I certainly can't. Where has the time gone...Here's another pic from home last week... Jon, me, Ryan.

Drag Race

2010-10-31T19:20:00.000-07:00

The Tuesday before Halloween, DC has this thing called the "High Heeled Drag Race" where men dressed in drag race for two blocks in high heels. While this was definitely not something I would have gone to on my own, I ended up at the event with some friends and made it all the way through the race where I found myself in complete shock. I'd seen this Tina Turner wig run by and joked that it was my friend Jimmy, only to find out at the end of the race that it WAS my friend Jimmy! He dressed up, not in drag, but as Jareth the Goblin King from "The Labyrinth" movie starring David Bowie. In high heels, mind you (just like David Bowie) and he ran in the Drag Race.

Jimmy and me (still in shock...)

A still from "The Labyrinth" movie of David Bowie and Toby, the baby he kidnaps.
Andrew and Jimmy (and baby Toby)
Jimmy and Toby

Jimmy, Toby and Whitney

Halloween

2010-10-31T19:07:00.000-07:00

So I put together a fun little Halloween costume this year, but didn't have occassion to wear it. Saturday morning I ran a 5K (woot) and when night time rolled around, I felt like staying in and watching a zombie movie with friends instead of going out. BUT in all the excitement of the holiday, I did manage a trial run of my costume. I wasn't going to blog about it (since I didn't actually go anywhere) but Shelby specially requested that I do, so here I am in all my glory. The only evidence that I dressed up as an Avatar (since no one physically saw me) are the following photographs. Enjoy!(you can kinda see my tail in this one...)(I would have blue-ified my white neck on the actual wearing, but since this was a test run I decided the face was enough...)

I carved a pumpkin

2010-10-27T22:15:00.000-07:00

At FHE. Isn't it scary? It was a collaborative effort.

The Count of Monte Cristo

2010-10-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading this book (which has consumed my life for the last few days) and I loved it. Each character is written so well. The best descriptions in the entire book are of people's eyes. The author vividly draws expressions and details that make me feel like I'm actually seeing these people suffer or rejoice in front of me. It's really quite a good read, never a dull moment. Someone asked how I could read the book after already having seen the movie, "isn't it boring cause you already know what's gonna happen?" I would just like to say that while you get the general gist of a book from a movie, the book is always better. And in this case, the book blew the movie out of the water.

If you like scandal, intrigue, heroism, bravery, insanity, love, and living on the edge of your seat, you should read this book.

More Home

2010-10-25T11:09:00.000-07:00

Dinner at Binh's... me, Shelby, Allie, Chris, Binh, Lexie, Bryce, Kyle
Court and Matt!
Sacramento Temple at night
Honey Treat Yogurt- Shelby, me, Binh
Jon and Binh at Honey Treat
Shelby and Stella
Stella!
And now I'm back in DC. It was a great trip, and I took far too few photos! Thanks especially to Mom and Dad for the fabulous week and a half! Miss you all already!

Home

2010-10-15T23:00:00.000-07:00

Me and Shelby with baby Luke
Courtney and Luke

Day 6 Ireland

2010-10-12T19:00:00.000-07:00

Dublin! On day 6, we hung out in Dublin in the morning before catching our flight to Paris. We decided to check out the Dublin Castle first. They were filming a movie called "Neverland"
Lady Hazel Lavery is best known for having her portrait printed on the banknotes of Ireland. One of our friends told us we had to go to this place called Queen of Tarts. We tried to take a picture with the sign, but it was so bright, after this one pic we went inside.
Saint Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin.

Day 5 Ireland

2010-10-12T18:38:00.000-07:00

We departed Galway early Tuesday morning after eating a delicious breakfast that included toast (yes toast) thanks to our favorite B&B host Matt (though Gerty in Cork was equally my favorite...)

This is the Connemara Giant. I saw him and had to take a picture. He was very interesting.
Behind the Giant was a sign that said "on this site in 1897, nothing happened" so naturally we had to take a picture.
We almost hit a sheep! I was sure we were gonna hit a sheep. Driving in Ireland is risky!
Kylemore Abbey! I've had this photo in calendars for years, it was so incredible to see it in real life.
Mad skills with the camera self timer ;)
We all had jobs on the trip. I was in charge of taking pictures, Carrie was in charge of candy, and Andrew was in charge of knowing the history of the places we visited. The castle was built by Mitchell Henry for his wife Margaret as a gift to show his love because they'd visited Connemara on their honeymoon and she fell in love with the place. He really loved her. Fireplace
Carrie skipping rocks.
Chapel on grounds of Kylemore Abbey
The back seat was perfect for sleeping...
We finally pulled in to Dublin on Tuesday night. We took a walk downtown where we ran across a scene that was just like from the movie "Once"! So a picture was def in order!

Day 4 Ireland

2010-10-12T15:39:00.000-07:00

Day 4 was super fun, we started out the day driving north from Tralee to take the Shannon Ferry! Here we are waiting for the ferry. It was very windy and we listened to country music, and we liked it (especially Andrew)
FYI this was our chariot. Andrew and Carrie were rock stars, really great at driving stick on the left side!
Here we are on the Ferry. :)
On our way to our destination, it was SO rainy we stopped for hot chocolate! Ireland is not know for hot chocolate...
The weather cleared just for us as we approached the Cliffs of Moher! Andrew had this exact background on his phone for weeks prior to the trip, and now here we stood!
So beautiful.
I liked this sign. Beware of cliff edge!
Carrie's favorite picture...
Carrie and Andrew humored me quite a bit with my pictures. Furry brown cows!
Despite what anyone says, I did not touch this dog. He walked inside the building!
Gangsta
More driving!

Day 3 Ireland

2010-10-12T14:11:00.001-07:00

By the time I hit day 3, each day had gotten progressively better, and this day was no exception! I had a great time, and here are the pics to prove it.

Check us out at Blarney Castle! Located in Cork.
Blarney Castle is very tall...
Love it!
Again, super tall!
Someone's afraid of heights!
Me kissing the Blarney Stone!
The old Irish gent convinced me to kiss the stone 3 times... prob cause no one was in line and I was hanging upside down...
House on Blarney Castle estate...
Wishing steps! If you walk up and down these steps with your eyes closed repeating a wish in your head, it is said to come true in a year! I am excited for my wish to come true... ;)
Blarney Castle grounds...
My absolute FAVORITE town in Ireland, Kenmare, located in the southwest.
The Ring of Beara! Thanks to our host Gerty at the B&B the night before, we got a tip to drive here, and we were not disappointed.
Another rainbow! This one was a full arc!
Loved this bluff where we could see in every direction, it was quite beautiful!
Me.
Andrew.
Carrie!
Look close... dead picture number 3!Uh huh. Yeah.
Beautiful!
It's the little things that excite me. Sheep from a distance are much cuter than sheep up close (they have devil eyes that I don't like so much...)

Day 2 Ireland

2010-10-10T22:23:00.000-07:00

Day 2 in the Emerald Isle! In Ireland, people drive on the left side of the road. As you can imagine, that took some getting used to! I manned the back seat at times, and other times the map!
Stop number 1 for Day 2 was Jerpoint Abbey, where monks used to live and study and worship and stuff.
The site was very pretty and very old. We were surprised they allowed us to just walk up and touch anything and everything we wanted.
Carrie and me dead on the battlements. Taking dead pictures was one of our favorite games on the trip.
It rains a lot in Ireland.
This is when Andrew told me about his picture rule. I was only allowed to take 10 pictures of him a day.
more ruins at Jerpoint...
Despite the rain, the weather was lovely! And rain is totally Irish, so duh I loved it.
a little museum with things to imitate...
(this definitely counted as one of his 10 for the day)
By George, a flat tire!
Andrew was a total man and fixed it no problem.
We checked out a Tudor house known for its plaster. Andrew was really excited about the plaster.
Our next stop was Cahir Castle!
I liked this castle. So did they...Don't worry about it, Carrie and I manned the canons!I loved this gate!Andrew was a total man again and saved us from the falling gate with his brute strength...This one is funny :)Woot Cahir!
Next stop, Swiss cottage! Local nobility used this house as their playground, never actually spending the night. It was located just outside Cahir, and meant to blend in to nature.
It was surrounded by the most beautiful scenery. We felt like we were in "Northanger Abbey" or some other book of that time period.
And don't worry about it, on day 2 we saw our first Rainbow! I was more than just a little excited.

Day 1 Ireland

2010-10-10T21:54:00.001-07:00

At the airport in Philadelphia... so excited I can hardly stand it!
Andrew is super excited too, as you can see... I look a little crazy!
When the sun started to rise on our red-eye flight, I was so excited I could no longer sleep!
Finally in Ireland! Andrew and I met Carrie at the airport in Dublin. None of us got much sleep but we are raring to go.
Powerscourt Gardens outside of Dublin.
Carrie in a really old tree!
More gardens...
My favorite tree at the gardens! :)
On top of a look-out tower at Powerscourt
The look-out tower from the ground... those tiny bumps are mine and Andrew's heads.
The first of many dead pictures. :)Pretty Ivy on tower...
Waterford! We arrived too late to tour the factory, and when walking around the city, I only took one picture of this bizarre cross-walk. I don't reckon they get many zebra's in Waterford, Ireland... but one never knows these things!
Our first pub. Irish don't have Ginger Ale persay... Ginger Beer tastes like pure ginger root, and Andrew loved it!
This night we walked along the ocean for a bit, the stars were so bright! We stayed at a little B&B with Avery, our first Irish host, who was actually from Oklahoma... though he had an authentic sounding Irish accent. Go fig!

I'm back! ... Paris

2010-10-08T20:00:00.000-07:00

Ireland was a blast. I've got a bazillion pics from there, so I'm going to start blogging with "Wild Card" day (also known as "Paris rocks my world") to keep things simple for tonight.

Bus into Paris from airport- Andrew and Carrie, my travel companions. The three of us had more than a few good times.
And then there were four. Jimmy surprised us all by showing up in Paris for a night.
French Onion Soup at a Cafe
The Eiffel Tower

Pont Neuf, oldest bridge in Paris (also in a scene from the Bourne movies)
Notre Dame at night on the Seine

Notre Dame in the morning

The Louvre
Mona Lisa
Persian genie guardians
The Code of Hammurabi
Venus
Cupid and Psyche
Champs Elysees
Arc De Triumph

We also ate Croissants and the best Hot Chocolate I've ever tasted at this place called Josephine's. A total must if you head to Paris any time soon! Andrew opined the best food on the entire trip was at the Paris airport. Baguettes are good. :P

See you on the other side!

2010-10-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

Got Ireland?
I sure do. ;)

Ashley is in Ireland!

2010-09-30T15:07:00.001-07:00

Well, will be soon anyway! Farewell ash! Have a great trip and be safe and kiss a cute frenchman!

Hopefully you'll have MANY pics posted when you get back! Au Revoir!

Final Countdown. Within the week, I'll be dancing in a meadow with leprechauns! (and Andrew and Carrie...)

2010-09-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

And I will capture the magic with THIS! I finally did it. I got a new camera! And I think I LOOOOVVVE it. Isn't it pretty? It has lots of good reviews and fancy features. And I got a sweet deal cause I went to Costco!

8 DAYS!

2010-09-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

With only 8 days left before my long awaited DREAM trip to Ireland, I have just three things to say.

ONE I went camping this weekend, and I had a great time! I did not take one picture :\ but for the superhero themed breakfast I dressed up as this:
*my costume had slightly more coverage... ;)

TWO I am in LOVE with Cherry Coke Zero. If you took a blood sample from my arm, I have a feeling it would come out CCZ.

THREE
In 8 GLORIOUS days I will FINALLY be in

IRELAND!!!!!!!!
Is there anything better than that?

no.

The world is right.

"The Office" + Treadmill =

2010-09-15T20:01:00.000-07:00

Literally almost fell off when I watched this segment...

Living for it

2010-09-13T20:37:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been decided.

Ireland for 6 days...and Wild Card day in...PARIS!!!!

Happy Anniversary Star Trek!

2010-09-10T10:14:00.000-07:00

Forty-four years ago yesterday, a legend was born! Star Trek aired it's first episode on Sept 8th 1966. That episode began the original series that (get this) lasted for ONLY 3 seasons. By today's standards, that is NOTHING.Even my fave SciFi show Stargate Atlantis lasted for 5 seasons (and Stargate's original TV series lasted for 10!). That being said, Star Trek had a huge cult following that developed into many successful films and other TV series including (my favorite of the franchise) Star Trek: The Next Generation. Also at the top of my list, the new Star Trek films. Talk about a great re-imagining of the franchise! I loved that movie- and so did all of you! :)

Funnies

2010-09-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

So, the internet was barely working all day yesterday at work, making it impossible to do the interesting parts of my job... and forcing me to focus on expenses (blah). Then around 4:30, a person attempted to exit the floor by way of the security door leading to the elevators, when the doors would not open! My co-worker shouted "Oh no, we can't be trapped in here with no internet!" So funny as it was exactly the first thought that crossed my mind, too!

Do we really live in a world where you can't survive without internet? I'm considering getting an iPhone, but do I really want to be so connected?

And then there's this random delight. Totally takes me back to my New York days...

Boise State = Champs

2010-09-07T20:00:00.000-07:00

Last night Andrew and I went to the Boise State vs. Virginia Tech football game, and it was AMAZING. I have been known to tolerate football in the past, but last night I became a believer.
The evening started with Andrew convincing me that we would get beat up by V-Tech fans if we wore our Boise shirts. At first I didn't believe him, but as we got closer to the game, I got a little nervous! First of all, we reside DEEP in the heart of V-Tech territory. At the stadium in our bright blue I started to feel uneasy when a massively huge V-Tech fan approached and wrapped his arm around a little old woman in Boise blue. We had packed back-up shirts in my purse (in a neutral Green color of course) and at this point, I seriously considered switching into it.

Things got better inside the stadium, though walking through hundreds of Hokies we ran across several who had something "friendly" to say to us. When we reached our seats (very back-row nose bleed section, center field) we agreed that cheering vocally was out of the question. Most of our people were located on the OTHER side of the stadium. By the time the guy in front of us starting dancing the Hokie Pokie at half-time (V-Tech tradition) things had definitely lightened up. And despite the fact that we couldn't cheer at all, the game was fantastic. When we scored the winning touch down, Andrew was in complete shock, and I was jumping up and down. It was SO exciting, with the Broncos down by 4, they managed four clutch plays in 51 seconds (with only 2 minutes left in the game) culminating in a perfect touch down pass to a receiver in the end zone. Unbelievable. With only a minute to go, V-Tech had nothing to offer and folded under the pressure. And the #3 nationally ranked Broncos tasted victory! Completely amazing! At this point Andrew was still in shock. Here is Andrew. As we exited the stadium the Hokie fans were cordial, though all of them insisted they'd never eat another potato as long as they lived.

The game was SO fun and SO entertaining. And today I was SO exhausted. But it was SO worth it. All of it. And after all these years as a feigning football fan, I finally get it. Boise State made a believer out of me. Go Broncos!

The Desk

2010-09-07T18:56:00.001-07:00

Our neighbor gave us this old desk for free. It's a cool desk, and we both determined that I would make it BEAUTIFUL! (having convinced Erin to let me have the desk, I got to do all the work)
Nothing like painting with white oil-based primer and then realizing you forgot to purchase the scrub hand wash to get the oil primer off your hands. In your pajamas. Nice.
And the finished product!
Isn't is beautiful?!

Erin's Birthday fun!

2010-09-07T17:36:00.001-07:00

We had a lot of fun on Erin's birthday, here are some if the highlights! (aka the things we took pictures of).
Birthday breakfast... delicious pancakes!
Bike ride! SO fun...
We didn't make it very far (have you ever ridden a beach cruiser?!)
And GLENN! We love Glenn, he is fantastic. From the Palm Tree family... and Home Depot.
Happy Birthday!!! :)

The McOmbers in DC!

2010-09-03T18:00:00.000-07:00

Courtney, Matt and Luke came to visit me this past week! We had a very good time, and ate WAY too much ice cream (thanks to a certain McOmber who shall remain nameless)....
It was a blast having them here!
Sisters!Capitol Tour! Having a stroller means they put you in a group with all old people so you can ride the elevator. Here our feet are in the exact center of DC! Everything outside this star is either NW, NE, SW or SE.Washington Monument...We spent some time in Old Town Alexandria, and it was great! Cute smiley Luke!
We miss you already (my roommate Erin won't stop talking about Luke). COME BACK SOON!!!! :)

September!!!!

2010-09-01T12:24:00.000-07:00

Well folks, we are in SEPTEMBER!!!! I know what that means, and I want to tell YOU what that means. We are finally within the month that I will be leaving for IRELAND!!! When I realized this today I jumped for joy! (figuratively... though if I wasn't driving it prob would have been literal...)

So yeah. I can't wait. :)

Brothers in DC!

2010-08-25T20:40:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics from when Jon and Ryan visited me! Thanks Jon for sending me a bunch of your pics! :)

First stop was the DC Temple! It's so beautiful!Lovin' the shirts- "Let's Hug it Out" and "Jarhead" :)Iwo Jima Marine Corps Memorial
I'd say this is one of my favorite monuments. I drive by it everyday, but it's neat to see it up close. Touring Arlington National CemeteryArlington National CemeteryThe Marine Corps Museum is totally great! The Corps has a rich history filled with heroes. One of the displays- a Marines pack weighs like 60 pounds! It's ridiculously heavy, I could barely lift it!
And of course, the Capitol!
We had a great time! Come back soon!!! :)

Funny News

2010-08-23T12:26:00.001-07:00

Nothing like a little silly news to lighten the afternoon!

Robber nabbed after mocking police in email

(Reuters) - A German bank robber led his pursuers straight to him after taunting police in an email over their efforts to catch him. Authorities in the southern city of Wuerzburg said on Wednesday the 19-year-old sent emails to police and two newspapers to point out factual errors in the report of his bank raid in the town of Roettingen a week ago.

According to daily Bild, he mocked the police for getting his age, height and accent wrong then pointed out he escaped in a car, not on foot.

"His game of cat and mouse went all wrong," a Wuerzburg police spokesman said.

Police traced his email and arrested him in a gambling hall in Hamburg just a few hours later.

"He was completely shocked," the spokesman said.

Canadian police find bears guarding pot crop

(Reuters) - A pair of marijuana growers in Western Canada appear to have been using bears to protect their illegal crop, but the well-fed animals proved to be a bit lax in their guard duties, police said on Wednesday.

Officers were dismantling two large outdoor plots of marijuana near Christina Lake, British Columbia, when they realized there were 10 large black bears wandering around the farm property, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said.

Officers were initially worried the bears might be dangerous, but quickly realized the animals were actually very docile and content just to sit around as the marijuana was seized, police said in a news release.

Two people were arrested in connection with the drugs.

The bears, which were apparently being fed dog food to keep them on the property, may eventually have to be put down, police said.

The Real Slim Shady

2010-08-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

The Cassini spacecraft has been out there (in space) since 1997 taking pictures and probing. An article caught my eye today called "This Summer’s Sexiest Images From Saturn" which, number one- great name for an article... and number two- I just had to see these images! Because, since when are planetary objects sexy? Well, I wasn't disappointed.
The moon Tethys makes its way around Saturn.

The moon Janus is above the rings, and Saturn’s second largest moon Rhea is below, partially obscured.

The larger Rhea looms over its sibling moon Epimetheus with Saturn and its rings in the background.

And, I thought I would do a little SHOUT OUT to Saturn's tiny moon named 'Pandora'.
Although notso sexy, this 50-mile-wide moon is the original Pandora. For those unfamiliar, the NEW Pandora is the alien planet in "Avatar". It looks like this: