Paris

On November 20th, my roommates (Kim & Julie) and I jumped on a plane and headed to Europe for a little Thanksgiving vacation. We started and ended with my parents in Paris and it was perfect, absolutely perfect. Since we had all three been to Paris before, we shopped, hung out with my parents and ate and ate and ate...oh and managed to get up the Eiffel Tower. I do love Paris in the Fall.
Julie and Kim bundled up atop the Eiffel Tower.

The Eiffel Tower all lit up. It really is amazing.

Walking the streets of Paris and enjoying a crepe or two. How I love crepes...

Paris in the Fall.

There's not usually a large Ferris Wheel in Paris, but I'm guessing they brought it in for the Holidays and so of course we got a few great shots with it and the Eiffel Tower. It was gorgeous!

These pictures are a bit out of order, but it's all Paris. Here we are on top of the Eiffel Tower, we literally turned the corner and almost lost our hats! It was so incredibly windy!

How cute are we? Julie, Kim & I on top of the Eiffel Tower. It was a great moment.

Another attempt at being a photographer. I really do love this shot.

Will work for Florida

Alright, so I've been on the road for an entire month. Yup, November..gone. On the road. It all began though, with 2 weeks back to back in the beautiful state of Florida, so really, who's complaining? I got in Friday night and Saturday I got together with friends I've had since high school and we just reminisced and caught up and basically had a wonderful time. I love these girls.
Left to Right: Amanda, me, Aubrey, Cortney, Sarah, Ashley and Shelley. I've known them all since we were in 8th grade..how the time flies.

As soon as lunch was over, I drove up to Jacksonville to see Melissa and the boys and my parents who were in town for a couple of days before Dad began classes in Toronto- ya, they were on the same continent so they figured they'd come down. Gotta love it.

Here's Vince making use of a sleeping Papi.

Mama and I. She's so cute and wonderful.

Melissa with her handsome boys. That would be Vince in the Megatron costume- I did a Wal-Mart run before getting there and it was right after Halloween, so I couldn't pass it up. It was a hit as you can see. And yes that would be Baby Clyde..he's not even 4 months in this picture! He's such a chunky monkey with a full head of hair! Too freaking cute.

You can defiintely tell who got all the looks in the family- sorry Melissa..hahaha.

36 years and they act like they're on their honeymoon. I love my parents. They are so incredibly wonderful.

Vince and I baking cookies-this would be the next day and he is still wearing his Megatron costume! He is such a Ham for the camera. I can't get over how stinking cute he is!

Baby Clyde. Check out those blue eyes...so beautiful. I adore this little man.

Baby Clyde and his favorite Aunt. Yes this is his real hair..he was born with it...out of control I know!

Even though I had to work 2 straight weeks on the road, it was all worth it, getting to spend both weekends with Melissa and the boys. The second weekend they came down to the Novaks and we had such a great time just kicking it. I do love going home and I love even more getting to play with my nephews. Being an Aunt is honestly the most wonderful thing in the world. I am so blessed.

Gone Country

Alright so it wasn't quite the hit that EMO Halloween 2008 was, but going country definitely had its perks too. I mean I did get an excuse to buy a Bumpit, and I mean what girl doesn't want more volume? ;)

Plus I got to wear my cowboy boots..yup already had a pair. I ain't no joke. (To be honest, I purchased them for a Cowgirl costume I did a few years back in Arizona..what can I say, my creativity is pretty shot these days).

Either way, it was fun to be dressed up (ya I said it...it's fun to dress up...though Halloween is still on my Dislike Holiday list) and to party it up with friends. Country, 80s and Hippies, all enjoying the love together!

No real theme here, we as roommates just made did with what we had..though I did purchase that sweet vest for the costume. Craziest part..the vest was at Target in their accessory aisle, not Halloween...so people actually wear it around on days that aren't Halloween?! Sometimes I don't get my generation.

Matilda & The Prince

Once upon a time there was a silly girl, we'll call her Matilda, who had a large, unstoppable, high school type crush on a boy..no a MAN named..Prince Charming (*names have been changed to protect the innocent*).
Every time she saw this man, her knees went weak and though they had a few brief encounters, there was nothing, really, to bring them together. He was shy and gorgeous..and she, well an intimidating beauty that could not find the words to catch his attention.

After months of glances at parties, coincidental run ins and just absolute agony. The answer came in the form of a Home Electronic. A Microwave..or was it? ;)

Prince Charming needed to sell this microwave and well...Matilda, she needed an excuse to talk to Prince Charming. She responded to his ad and showed a little interest in the microwave. Emails, texts and an eventual meeting ensued.

No she never really needed a microwave, but he didn't need to know that. She showed up absolutely radiant and they were alone. Just the two of them. The microwave was discussed but other topics trickled in and before she could realize it, it was time to go.

Matilda kept her wallet in check and even with his rugged jaw and heart stopping smile, she did not buy the unneeded microwave.

She did however, lay the foundation for future interactions. They were acquainted, he knew her name and they could share at least one talking point (yes microwaves are not the best topic, but they are a start).And today...well today Matilda's effort paid off. Prince Charming, in all his manly handsomeness, watched her enter the room and when their eyes met...he smiled and said hello. She nearly fainted from the realization of it all- he acknowledged her, they had exchanged a greeting, the faked interest in a home electronic had paid off.

He had said hello.

And they lived happily ever after...

Day in the City

A couple of weeks ago Kim (my roommate) and I decided that we needed a little DC time and so I convinced her to follow me on a Book trek across the city, inspired by Delta's Sky Magazine. Yup, I actually did one of the adventures they listed- and you know what? It was awesome.
We started at the Library of Congress which is quite a majestic building. You don't actually get into the "library" with the books, but you do get to wander through the corridors and stare at books through glass windows. Such is life. If you work on the Hill or have connections, then you do in fact get to use the library, but I am but a lowly commoner and do not enjoy such luxuries.

Definitely a must see is of course one of the original Gutenberg Bibles. It is pretty incredible to realize that the first book published on the printing press was the Bible. My how times have changed.

Isn't this place gorgeous? (Still inside the Library of Congress)

Enjoying the view.

The street behind the Library, I just loved the Fall colors. Such a beautiful time of year.

This is kitty corner to the Library of Congress and another museum free to the public (I love this town!).

Shakespeare Library.

Totally random. As we were walking into the Shakespeare library, we were passed by grown men running full speed in Red DRESSES!! It was hilarious. You can kind of see them in this shot, but I was just so startled that I couldn't get a good enough shot at the time. Apparently it must have been some sort of race because there were quite a few people running, but it just made me laugh..I mean only in DC.

This is just one of the engravings outside the Shakespeare Library, all different scenes from his plays. This is from Midsummer Night's Dream- there is a tender spot in my heart for this play, that donkey just cracks me up ;).

The stage inside the Shakespeare Library. I haven't been to see a play here yet but I definitely intend to now that I've been there. I love live theater and don't get enough of it in my life at the moment.

We ended the day in one of DC's most popular independent bookstores, Kramerbooks & Afterwords. I love bookstores, there is just something comforting about being surrounded by the printed word. Definitely a comfy, homey feeling. The day was topped off with a slice of Goober pie in the cafe attached to Kramerbooks, Afterwords-which is in fact the first bookstore cafe in the country. It was delicious, an absolute slice of heaven...peanut butter and chocolate in perfect harmony.

It was such a great and relaxing day. Kim and I joked that it was the perfect "date", it really was; so glad I could at least share it with a great friend like Kim.

First time for everything

I love U2. I mean I really, really enjoy them- as was proven/stated in my 2 previous posts. There are a lot of other things/people/ ideas/ etc. that I love. I think it's important to be passionate about life...even if it's interpreted as being "dramatic"... Either way, life is meant to be enjoyed not just endured (Thank you President Hinckley) and so with that said, I love it when I meet people who have evident passions...because I think it is so contagious. Trying new things is definitely a goal of mine...I'm usually up for most things (eating an entire box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts, running 26.2 miles?) so when I'm given the opportunity to do/try something completely new...well as the following pictures convey..I think I'm usually game.

Ya I paid $20 bucks and watched the Mayweather vs. Marquez fight in a crowded Sports Club with Boxing enthusiasts...learned so much about the sport and thoroughly enjoyed myself- some might say it's my latin blood or just the fact that I have 4 brothers..either way, a good fight is right up my alley.

On the softer side of life..an Ingrid Michaelson concert at the 9:30 Club in DC was so incredibly awesome. Loved it!! Merrilyn turned me onto her and then cousin Lauren and so on and so forth. She is even better live. Such a great show, I'd see her again anytime.

Enjoying Ingrid with a couple of my favorite ladies in DC.

Ubah's wedding. Oh my hilariously complex colleague! We had a blast these last 9 months at work together...we were hired the same day. She an Indian Muslim..and I, well a Mormon..we had some great, great chats. Her wedding was a first for me. I'd never been to either an Indian wedding nor a Muslim wedding.

This is where they sat for their ceremony and for most of the night it seemed. It was very different than what I expected, but such a cool experience.

Isn't she gorgeous?! I love her dress!

Another first...no, not dancing with a white boy. I have actually done that a few times ;). This would be us getting our groove on to Chuck Brown in downtown DC , ya listen to this. You know it. Dan (pictured here) loves Chuck Brown and invited a bunch of us down to appreciate the Orginator of "go-go"Funk.

Another first would be me getting my groove on in public (well I have done that before) and getting hit on by a man half my size and twice my age..he just couldn't resist the hip action I had going on. Haha. It was too funny.

So to all of you readers out there, please, invite me along the next time you're doing something you love solo...life's too short not to share what we love.

U2 Groupie

2 U2 shows in a single week. Does life get any better? I guess there are blessings to being a single lady ;).

MJ & KA didn't get to go to see U2 in DC and so they decided a while back that we should head down to Charlottesville and catch them there- I couldn't pass that up. So Thursday afternoon, a mere 48 hours after seeing them tear up FedExField, we headed South for another rendezvous with the King of Ireland.
It was a much smaller stadium and so we had great seats, front row of the top section, just to the right of the stage. It was perfect. (Aren't these girls just adorable?!)

Our attempt at making a "U2" symbol with our hands..so clever.

Our view of the stage.

The man himself.

Rockin' and Rollin'.

We were on our feet for most of the show, dancing, screaming and just having the best time. It was the first U2 show for the girls, and they were not disappointed. It was phenomenal.

The Edge working over his guitar. He even sang a bit of a solo this tour and melted my heart...

When he sang "One" my heart nearly lept out of my chest...and when they finished the night off with "Moment of Surrender" I couldn't stop smiling. They are seriously amazing live. It was my 5th U2 show and it just never gets old.

Thanks for thinking to go KA, it was such a great night of U2, laughter and just good, good times. Can't wait for Paris.