Long Lost Summer

Where has summer gone?!

Seriously, my heart is breaking.

Yes, it is nice not to be sweating to death, but I also know that Fall is just a nice little way to ease us into the misery of Winter.

Oh well... it was another great summer and since I sorta slacked on the blogging (at least since June), here's the highlights:

My friend Deana is a wiz at the grill.

She loves it and I love her. We make a good pair.

Anytime I was in town, we'd get together and she'd grill me up something delish. A new summer tradition has officially been born.

Yes, I can still cook! Or bake. Whatever.

It's a super easy recipe I put together to try and impress these friends, yeah see her blog, I mean I knew I had to up the ante. But its really super easy and delish. Check it out.
Oh my babies. How I adore them.
They were here in Virginia and because I love them so, I had to go and have a play date.

They are just too stinking cute.

Kat and I at the MINI Cross.

It was a rally for MINI Coopers.

Kat has a MINI and she loves it. So we had to go and rally with other MINI lovers.

It was awesome!

MINIs!!

Finally.

My moment has arrived.

I was Guest of the Day at The Hampton Inns.

Yes, this is my sad little life. Hahaha.

Heaven.

Who knew it was in Madisonville, KY?!

If it weren't for that silly 3oz rule, I'd have carried the whole crate on.

My little Ham. Another wonderful weekend in FL with the family.

Love it.

The reason for the trip...

Our Baby Clyde (yes we do still call him that) turned 1!!!

And yes his Aunt Mimi bought him that adorable little onesie :)

I. Could. Eat. Those. Cheeks.

Girls Dates. Oh how I love them!

Tried a new Vietnamese place.

Delicious!

My one true love (forgive me DDP).

Cafe Rio. Cedar City.

Had a work trip in Southern Utah and spend the weekend with Grandma and the family in Parowan. It was perfect.

Sharing my love with my Cousins.

They are now addicts too :)

My incredible Grandma.

Utah Sky.

You really do impress me sometimes.

This is what friendship looks like.

Couldn't make the trip up North so my BFFs met me halfway (somewhere in Beaver) and we just hungout on the side of I-15.

It was hilarious and perfect.

Michelle, Tiffany and me.

So blessed.

Blurry shot but hey, its the 4th of July in DC!

Melissa came up for the 4th and we had the best weekend.

Seriously it was an absolute blast.

Waiting for the Concert on the Capital Lawn.

Go Reba!

Sneaking up on Abe.

Sisters.

Just leaning on the Washington :)

The Jersey Shore.

Made my first (and possibly last) trip to Atlantic City.

Held a Workshop there for work.

Still better than Vegas, at least we had the ocean.

My co-worker ET gearing up for the drive to Atlantic City.

It was a fun little Road Trip.

(This actually took place in June, so the pictures start with the most recent and go backwards)

So that was my summer up until Labor Day, which considering I hit up Paris again, will have to be its own post :)

Life is good.

Charlotte to DC in 18 hours

I really am blessed to love my job, I love traveling around and working with loads of different people.

BUT

Every once in a while it can be just down right rough.

Such was the way of things Thursday when my quick 55 minute flight from Charlotte, NC to DC became a 18 hour delay with a sleepover in Norfolk.

Yup, you read that right 18 HOUR DELAY.

Let me explain.

Thursday afternoon, my team and I finished our school visit early and headed to the airport to jump on earlier flights home, I had some things I wanted to do, so I jumped on the 2:30 flight out of Charlotte, which was scheduled to land at 4:00pm in DC, the key word being scheduled.

We take off and everything's fine. I'm reading and just enjoying the First Class upgrade (the only real perk in this whole ordeal was that I did get to ride First Class- still such a novelty :) ) when the pilot comes on and says that there is bad weather in DC and we are unable to land, so we're going into a holding pattern.

Basically flying around in circles until we're given the go ahead at DC.

About 30 minutes go by and the pilot comes on again... Still unable to land at DC, yet we need to refuel and so we're being diverted to Norfolk, VA airport.

Mind you, Norfolk is about a 3 1/2 hour drive from DC.

Noted.

We land in Norfolk, pull out on the tarmac and refuel and then we wait...and wait...and wait...

2 hours go by.

Nothing.

Pilot tells us we still cannot take off and there's been a "ground stop" at DC- which means no one can fly in or out. It's shut down.

Well he pulls to the gate and allows us to get off the airplane.

It is now 6:00pm.

If any of you have been in the Norfolk airport you know its pretty small. There was only one restaraunt in our Terminal and they had already closed down the kitchen.

Yeah..I know, it's only 6:00pm.

We were not the only flight diverted. The terminal was packed with people, whose flights had been cancelled, delayed or were diverted like us. The poor newsstand had a line wrapping around the entire store.

Chaos.

2 more hours pass and still nothing. No one is taking off and we're just camping out.

I talk to friends in DC and they say the rain is long gone (it has begun raining in Norfolk now however) but there are power outages in the area.

Finally they call my flight and we all start to board. Yipppppeeee!

It is 9:15pm.

There is buzz about our crew however, something about their work hours and having to land in DC by 10pm at the latest (its a 30 minute flight from Norfolk). We're all too excited to worry.

We load up and roll out.

It's 9:34pm.

We're heading down the runway and picking up speed and then...

well then, we're not getting enough speed. I'm realizing that we don't have enough speed to takeoff....

and then it happens.

He makes a U-Turn on the runway.

Yes, a straight up U-turn.

It is silent.

We pull back into the gate and we're all just staring at one another mystified.

After about 5 minutes, the Pilot comes on and says "You may have noticed we're back at the gate. It is illegal for me to operate the aircraft at this time."

That's it. That's all he says.

We unload.

It's 10:00pm and the next flight isn't until the morning. The Gate Agents start rebooking and I'm booked on the 8:00am out of Norfolk.

We were on our own for the night (Airlines don't cover hotel costs if the delays are due to weather) and luckily I know some people in Norfolk. My friend Alisabeth's Mom lives there and she let me crash at her place. We had a quick little sleepover, but it was wonderful.

I finally landed in DC at 10:00am on Friday after another Crew delay that very morning. And yes, it was my same crew from the night before.

What joy.

Those of you who know me well, may ask, why didn't I, the Road Warrior just rent a car and drive the 3 1/2 hours home?

Work. That's why.

When I usually fly in on Fridays I don't have to go into the office.

What was I rushing home too? Ha ha ha..

It was madness, but it was an adventure.

10 Years

Alright, I just blogged about my actual High School Reunion.

But that got me thinking....

10 years.

Since High School.

And what do I have to show for it?

Hmmm....

Okay, here goes...

here's what I've done since High School,

in no particular order

and truly only to proof that I have not wasted a decade of my life:

1. Survived on gelato alone.

2. Slept in a castle.

3. Ran a marathon.

4. Read the Bible- Cover to Cover.-On my Bucket List.

5. Graduated from BYU.

6. Taught school in Mexico.

7. Studied theater in London.

8. Watched the sunset from the Eiffel Tower.

9. Fallen in love.

10. Broken my heart...over and over again.

11. Hiked Camelback- hey it was a big deal to me! Haha.

12. Started a blog.

13. Fulfilled my dream of becoming a teacher.

14. Taught 4th, 6th and 8th grade.

15. Quit teaching with no other prospects.

16. Lived in UT, AR, FL, AZ and DC

17. Walked the streets of Morocco

18. Paid off my car.

19. Became Debt Free!

20. Made some of my dearest, sweetest and lifelong friends.

21. Fallen in love with the job I never knew, I always wanted.

22. Became an Aunt, twice over.

23. Backpacked Europe solo (much more fun with friends I must say)

24. Been a bridesmaid...many times over...

25. Flown coast to coast in 24 hours for weddings (they're important)

26. Become almost nearly an equal in my big brother's eyes- still trying Nathan!

27. Been a U2 groupie

28. Held fast to my faith and standards in a world bent on destroying them.

Wow, well there you have it.

Figured I'd stop at 28, since, well, that's my age.

I may not have the career or the family life I thought I'd have at this point...

But my life has been blessed and I wouldn't trade the last 10 years for anything.

Here's to the adventures of the next decade!

Reunion in Florida

10 years ago I graduated from high school.

10 years.

Woah.

Think I'll have to do a whole other post on that.

Anyhow, so yes there was a Reunion and yes Tiffany and I made our way home for it.

The weekend was absolutely perfect.

So perfect we both cried and didn't want to leave.

I love this girl and I love this town.

Home sweet Home.

In front of Durant. 10 years later, still BFF.
Visiting Sarah and Baby Harlow!
Only one month old and she is just too precious.

Tiffany and I out to dinner with the girls from high school.

A little Pre-Reunion festivities.

Ladies of Durant. Oh how I love them!

Melissa and the boys came down for the weekend as well.

Which was just the cherry on top of the already perfect weekend.

This kid is just too cute.

See those curls!! Baby Clyde melts my heart.

We played by the pool all day.

The Novaks were the greatest hosts- as always.

Seriously so wonderful to have them in my life.

I love you Novaks!!

Heading out to the Reunion.

After an emergency shopping trip, apparently my previous outfit was unacceptable.

I'm not bitter.

Haha.

And yes, it looks like we're going to prom together.

More Prom Shots!

Which is even funnier considering Tiff and I did actually go to prom together!

Best. Date. Ever.

Me and Shelley.

Sunshine in my life.

Jenny St. Martin aka Jenny Morgan.

So great to catch up with her.

She's going places and I told her I'd show this picture to everyone,

proving I knew her back in the day,

before she won her Tony.

It's all you girl. I have faith.

Me and Cortney.

Such a great friend. Seriously.

Get back up her and visit me Cortney!

We really do have fun together.

So grateful for good friends.

Tiffany catching up with old friends.

Me and Becky! Homeroom Buddies!

I haven't seen this lady since HS.

So fun to catch up.

New friend and I already adore her.

Amanda's baby girl Calleigh.

Woke up early just to meet this little lady.

Totally worth it.

Lt. Dan!

Haha. Baby Clyde was cracking us up.

He crawls like this all over the place.

Never seen anything like it.

Too stinking cute.

Awkward Family Photos!

We were laughing so hard.
Vince is out of control.

Awww...family.

I love this picture.

It was such a perfect weekend.

Being home with family and Tiffany and the Novaks and good friends.

I can honestly say that it was the first time in a very long time, that I truly did not want to get on the plane to come home.

Florida has my heart.

That is just the way it is.

I heart FL.

LOST in Heaven

On the way back from Guam, I had a whole day in Hawaii.

There were only 2 things I wanted to do:

1. LOST Tour

2. See Wheeler and the old neighborhood.

Well I had done some research and found that tours left from Kualoa Ranch and so I headed there bright and early Friday morning. My colleague Nick came with me- he is also a big LOSTie.

To my total despair...the tours were booked. I honestly almost started crying I was so frustrated. I kept it together and began to wander the store aimlessly. Out of nowhere one of the LOST tour guides comes up to me (and he was totally adorable fyi) and says how bad he feels that we can't get in a tour and says he can give us a few sites that we could drive to. I was ecstatic and we busted out a map and he gave us the 4 BEST sites for a LOST fan to see (one of which you'll learn they don't even see on the tour-AWESOME).

The moutains at the Kualoa Ranch where they did quite a bit of filming.
Walking towards our first site: the beach where the survivors camped from Seasons 2-4. Also known as Papailoa Beach.

The LOST beach!

Their campsite!! There was nothing left but a "Private Property" sign and an orange fence. But you can tell it's their site!!

The view from their site. Gorgeous ocean!

Another shot of their campsite. It was so awesome to be there.

Just a little proof that I was in fact there :)

2nd Site: The beach where they filmed the plane crash!

The original site of the Pilot episode! Also known as Mokuleia Beach.

Crash Beach.

Reveling in this memory. Oh LOST how I'll miss you!3rd Site: Dharmaville!

Kept searching for the Dharma Initiative.

All we found were YMCA kids.

Dharmaville = Camp Erdman.

Which I stayed at when I was in 3rd grade and living in Hawaii!

We did an overnight field trip there. How awesome is that?!

Yes...it is true...the 4th site: The Chapel where the Finale was filmed!!

Also known as Sacred Hearts Academy.

Just sitting in the same place Ben was in the finale when Hurley came out to see if he was ready.

The door Hurley came out of to speak to Ben.

"You made a good number two."

Statue of Christ and Chapel shown in the Finale.

Alright so here's where this experience is going to blow your mind... Nick and I tried the door at the Chapel, it was of course locked. Well I wasn't going to leave it at that... the chapel is connected to a school and there were people still around. We walked into the administrative building and I just asked the first person I saw if there was any way of getting into the Chapel. She seemed confused and I explained that we were big nerds and fans of LOST and had heard the finale was filmed inside. She smiled and laughed and then went to get the woman in charge. Haha. The woman in charge turned out to be one of the greatest ladies ever...she totally opened the door and then told us about how the Locations people had contacted her and checked out the site. It was the highlight of my day...week..year..wow, maybe even my life! :)

The door to Heaven!!

Opening the same door Christian did!!

And there's even light coming in!

Does it get any better?!

The Chapel and Pews where everyone was sitting together.

I could almost feel them!

Just taking my seat at the pews where everyone else sat.

LOVE IT!

Isn't it beautiful?!

All in all it was the best tour I could have ever asked for. I mean it was lightyears better than the organized one we would've done. No one else has been inside the chapel since the filming! It's not a part of the tour. Andrea (the school lady) said she didn't even notice the tours coming by outside. Oh it was just amazing. I am still giddy over it.

I.N.C.R.E.D.I.B.L.E.