Happy New Year! Welcome 2012

 I think I may have shared this last year, but I truly love it.  I am ready to move on, 2011 has not been a shining star in the canvas of my life.  It has been hard, and I fear I have lost footing on my climb to overcome life's obstacles.  I've been pondering how to dig in my heels and resolve to be more and become more in 2012.  More will come of that, I'm sure.

For today, Happy New Year, and don't forget to Look Forward

A Stop in the Big Apple

I wasn't sure how it would go, just spending one day in New York City, would we be too tired from the flight, would there be enough time in the city to make it worth it, lots of doubts.  But it was so much fun!  I can not believe how much fun we had just wandering the streets of New York.  It helps to have an iPhone with google maps, but really it was easy and we can't wait to do it again!

We arrived in JFK late Thursday night and crashed for a couple of hours in the airport before we took the AirTrain into the city and hooked up with the NY Metro subway system.  It was crazy, I have a post swirling in my head about what it was like to rid the subway, and the striking realization I had that almost made me cry, yes-cry, right there on the NYC number 6.

We literally stumbled upon the David Letterman show as we made our way from the Subway to Times Square and Jeff wanted a picture.  It would be so fun to go sometime when we had tickets, wouldn't it?

Here I am as we heading towards all the Broadway theaters-another item on the NYC trip list, would love to go and see a musical like Wicked!  Jeff says I really stood out as a tourist because I was the only person in sight not wearing black all gray.  My purse is under my jacket, but it wasn't very fashion forward either.  Next time I'll wear black and gray, I promise!

Here's Jeff in the middle of Times Square, see all the black and gray?  Red was probably the only pop of color we saw most of the time it was shades of black.  Why do you think that is?

 Rockefellar Plaza, I wanted to see the tree and ice rink so much, and it was great!  There were field trips of kids there.  I had nightmares as  I imagined trying to keep track of 30 1st graders ice skating in Rockefellar plaza.  One group all had Santa hats on their little ones, they were so cute! And, easy to spot, I'm sure.

 This is one of my favorite shots from the entire trip.  I think I could go and just look at churches for an entire day.  Incredible beauty.  We saw so many, and went inside a couple of them.  The craftsmanship and detail was incredible.  I have some interior shots I need to get from the other camera, amazing!

 Of course we stopped in FAO Schwartz.  There was a line to get in, not a long one though-less than a minute.  It was fun and crazy to wander around in the store.  I think they have everything, from 1 lb packages of Reeses Peanut Butter Cups (1200 calories in each cup!), to toys from your childhood you haven't thought about in years!  We also saw the Lego store (wish I could have snapped a picture but there were too many people, here's one I snagged off the store's website.)  Legos in every color you can imagine, and some you can't! Plus I never knew there were so many different Lego sets, wow!


We also went to Bergdorf Goodmans, Tiffany, Cartier, Anthropologie, Harry Winston, Diesel, really, there was every store you've ever heard of and dreamt of going into along 5th Avenue.  The only one we missed? Macy's   I really wanted to see the Christmas windows, but I couldn't find it.  Should have mapped out directions ahead of time, by the time I realized it wasn't on 5th Avenue we were ready to head back to the airport.

We went through a portion of Central Park, had a hot dog and pretzel from a stand (and the BEST Hot Apple Cider I've ever tasted in front of the Central Park Zoo).  We even had pizza at a famous pizzeria (didn't know it was famous until later! ) But the pizza was incredible, that's for sure!

Snapped this shot of Jeff in the subway station on our way back to JFK, by that time some of the native's attitude  had worn off on me and I really didn't care that it was dorky or incredibly touristy to be taking pictures in the Subway station.  I just wanted to remember.

When all was said and done we had a really fun time, and I can't wait for our next JetBlue adventure!

More St. Lucia

Okay, so this was our first time attempting to take underwater pictures, let's just say we need more practice! Guess we'll have to take more trips and snorkel more often-such trials!  Here are a couple of my favorites from our snorkeling in St. Lucia.

Can I tell you how much I love this next picture? Jeff was teasing me for taking it, but it relaxes me just looking at it and remembering our fun trip.  Pool side at the hotel....ahhhhh-just sounds nice, doesn't it?

 Another view of the poolside area, and here are a few of the hotel lobby.

These we took from inside the taxi as we drove around.  Here is a hillside full of homes, typical St. Lucia countryside.  This is not a flat island, no biking tours this time.  I'd love to go to an island where we could rent bicycles or even scooters and ride around.

Bananas are the only really big remaining agricultural export.    Inside the blue bags are bunches of bananas.

 Views from the top of our last hike, love the colors of the houses, and the views they must have!

As we left the island I was overwhelmed by a sense of how incredibly blessed we are to live where we do.  The people on this island live in such humble circumstances, and to most of us it would be intolerable to live in their place.  I want to take my children to places outside our country in hopes they may recognize what a privilege it is to live in this country.  And how happy so many people are with so much less than we are sure we "need." The people we met were so friendly, and made our stay wonderful.  We would love to go back, except for that taxi ride from the airport to the hotel, wow that was a doozie!

Next...NYC!

Our First JetBlue Adventure....St. Lucia!

Okay, I know you probably aren't sure where St. Lucia even is, so let me give you a little geography lesson.  It's actually part of the West Indes, and is found on the south-eastern edge of the Caribbean grouping of islands.  The West side of the island has the Caribbean Sea washing up on the beaches, and the East side of the island has the rougher Atlantic Ocean both sides are incredible.

Do you just hate taking pictures of youself? I do! My eyes are so squinty in this one it's crazy! This is at the peak of our hike to Ft. Rodney on Pigeon Island.  That's the Reduit Beach behind us- where we swam most often, and the village of Rodney Bay where we stayed.

This is the hotel we stayed at, and my attempt at a self timer picture in the pool, not great of us, but the hotel looks so great had to share.

Beach at Pigeon Island, we had so much fun snorkeling here! Jeff saw a huge puffer type fish, but I missed it.  We got some fun pictures with our underwater camera, but jeffrey put them on his laptop and erased them from the camera! Still waiting to get copies on  my computer.

We had a really great time, it wasn't sunny the whole time, but that didn't even matter.  We enjoyed a few hours each morning of sunshine, and then clouds and light showers or mists would occasionally fall.  One day as we were walking back to the hotel from the beach it poured just as we hit the hotel, it made us laugh.

We hiked, snorkeled, relaxed on the beach, laughed at ourselves and thoughoughly enjoyed our first *ever* trip without kids! (Besides house hunting here last fall, and that was so stressful it can't be counted!)

More to come....

Christmas 2011

Is it weird to say it didn't feel like Christmas because it was so cold (and there was no snow-that's just wrong!)?  That may sound funny, but so true! We missed our annual football games and nerf wars outside.  And my poor husband and boys have been sick, Jeff the most.  He was miserable all weekend, the boys weren't too bad, just a little sniffle or two.  The real truth just may be that I missed "home."  No neighbor gifts, no Christmas Relief Society program, no chat with a Bishop who knows and loves our family, no get togethers with friends.  Moving is still hard on me one year later, but enough of all we missed!

We did have lots of fun together, my kids may not be tiny anymore, but they still have great reactions.... 

I can't tell you how much I love this picture! I snapped it as the kids unwrapped the xbox 360 with kinect. They've been BEGGING for one for  years now---but feels like forever! I've been adamantly opposed, but was finally convinced it's not the spawn of Satan, we'll see how I feel at the end of Christmas Break.

 This one shows Thane's reaction to opening an airsoft gun, another gift I'm not too sure about, but was convinced to give a try.  What has happened to me?  They have epic battles here in our neighborhood, and Thane always has to borrow someone's old gun to join in, so Santa brought him his own, he was thrilled!

 Sage's big request- a "cute" helmet that would match her bike, she felt she clashed and was not looking stylish (her words!) when she wore the black ones we have.  Where did she come from?  Not sure, but she sure is cute and fun, so we'll keep her!  (ps-how come I can't edit the pictures on blogger anymore? Would love to crop Quinn out of this one!)

All ready for Christmas Sunday Sacrament Meeting, I love having that special Church service on Christmas! It was really beautiful, so much music and incredible feelings of the Spirit,  wish we could do that every year!

Merry Christmas

I love this video clip from the Christmas Devotional this year. I hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones near. I can't tell you how much I miss my Mesa family right now! I promise more posts and pictures soon. Love you all!

Where in the world are we?

Right here!

The Beginnings of A Wonderful Christmas Season

I have had the best start to my Christmas Season this year.  First, I discovered this new Christmas album. I have a serious weakness for Christmas music.  I'll let you in on a little secret, I actually started listening on my iPod and in the car waaaay back in October.  Not even the end of October, more like the September part of October, but shhhhh! don't tell my kids, they think it's bad enough I started playing it around them in the middle of November.  Go on, hit the play button, you just might love it the way I do!

The second way I kicked off this holiday season? I spent Wednesday volunteering at The Festival of Trees. What in incredible experience that was.  One hundred percent of the funds raised go to benefit Primary Children's Hospital.  Many, if not most, of the trees, wreaths, quilts, crafts, and centerpieces sold there are created in memory of a loved one who has lost their battle with illness on this Earth.  Some are in honor of someone who won their fight, and a few are just because people are good.

I was able to stand by some of the trees and answer questions about them for people who came by, so I was able to learn "the rest of the story" for some of these.  They made me cry, and overflow with gratitude for my health, and the health and lives of my family.

One of the sweetest stories was for the tree pictured above.  You can't really see the little boy in the frame, but he was just 4 and passed away despite the valient