"Are you sad because you're on your own? No, I get by with a little help from my friends"

So my TWO weekends have come and gone in NYC and it was AMAZING!!!!!!!! Diane and I had lots of fun and I'm so glad that I was able to go! :D My highlights are put mostly into pictures but the few that aren't are these: my TWO new pairs of shoes, the TWO broadway shows I saw (Avenue Q--so funny!!--and Mary Poppins) the TWO new purses I got ("gucci" and "burberry"). Are you noticing a trend? I did a lot of this weekend in twos...haha. Oh and if you notice from the pix, we also got TWO kinds of cheesecakes...
Anyway, this was so fun and I have decided that I truly LOVE new york! I wish I had more time/energy to write more about the FABULOUS weekend, but I don't, so I won't. But understand that it was FANTASTIC!

and yes. the person above in the bottom left corner is JEFF DANIELS! My requested celebrity sighting was fulfilled!!!

Di, I decided we needed a collage of just our moments--with one of mike! haha :D
In the Di/Abbey collage I was cut out of these pictures. It is MY blog and I was cut out. How rude. oh well, I fixed that problem by posting them again. :D haha

"Life is a maze and Love is a riddle"

In the attempt to blog more, this post is just going to be pure randomness. zero real point!
I AM GOING TO NEW YORK CITY TOMORROW MORNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love that I live so damn close to NYC and that I can get there for $40 dollars (and a 4 hr bus ride...) AND that I have somewhere to stay so I don't go into debt with hotel charges.
I LOVE that I am going to be able to spend 2 weekends in a row with my FABULOUS cousin Diane.
I love that I can truly say for probably the first time in my life that MY life is drama free. I am just pure happy--sure, I wish some things were different (who doesn't)--and it rocks. Hard core. Ha.
I love who I'm becoming and I love that I have an exciting future ahead of me.
Okay, I'm done for now.
I still have to pack! haha luckily it is just over night...
haha...

"She said I think I'll go to Boston... I think I'll start a new life, I think I'll start it over, where no one knows my name"

To start off this post, I just have to ask--has anyone ever found a song that PERFECTLY fit into their lives at that moment so amazingly that it has somehow become the "theme" for your life?
I have.
Okay, so with that said: I have been here a YEAR! Today April 5, 2009 is officially the one year mark. And wow. what a year it has been. I have come a long LONG way since I left Utah. And yes folks, this does mean a list! :D
In the past year I have:
-been to VT, RI, NH, ME, and of course MA (and on Saturday, NY (again) )
-been whale watching (so cool!!)
-lost 40 lbs
-figured out what my next few steps are in life
-found some AMAZING friends
-found me
-become happier than I think I ever have been

I am THRILLED that I get to stay here until early August and it will be really hard to leave but I do honestly believe that when August comes around it will be time for me to go home. I have had a great time here, gained some wonderful experiences that have shaped who I am and will continue to be, and I have had the opportunity to watch two beautiful, wonderful, and crazy boys that I just love.

Also over this past year I've been able to have wonderful people come and visit me while I have been out here (in order of visit): Rachelle--best friend from college from those who don't know; DIANE--beautiful! wish you were here!; MAMA--so glad I got to show you my world!; Dad & Dana--i'm so glad that i got to show you my world as well!

I have narrowed down my favorite places in MA to 3 places:
1) Salem, MA...the history there is mind blowing and the actual city is beautiful...
2) Concord, MA...it is just awesome...
3) Regina's Pizzeria in the North End (Italian Boston)--Leonardo DiCaprio ate there while filming the Departed and I have now taken a picture of his picture hanging on the wall AND sat in the same booth as he has!!! *if the pathetic-ness of this one is a surprise, you haven't talked to me since I was 11. :D haha

There is so much to say about my last year here in Boston but it is to much for a blog post so I have ATTEMPTED to narrow it down to the highlights which are as follows:
Me and Rachelle at Martha's Vineyard; my closest friend out here Suzzie and me in VT; WHALE WATCHING!!!!; me and Diane in Ogunquit, ME; me and Mom in Provincetown, MA; a group of friends in Portland, ME over thanksgiving; thanksgiving at the Pritchetts; my ward's sub 4 santa presents; a group of friends at the Waltz and Schmaltz held at Wellesley; me holding a baby alligator while visiting dad/dana in LA; mom, isaac, and Lesley (and will!) at Mesa Falls; Dad/Dana in front of the Bunker Hill Monument.

me 1 week before I left UT

ME NOW.

Okay...that is enough for now because nothing can top that picture....

"I heard he controls the weather and wrote the screenplay to Glitter!"

Two weeks ago my friend Christy was worrying about who was going to make the ward dinner for what is now last Sunday's dinner. So because I am a good, caring, nice person I offered to be in charge of making the dinner. Why not right? I mean, what could be an easier meal for 65-80 ppl than taco salad? Brown some beef ("some" being 12 lbs), chop up some lettuce ("some" being 8 heads), chop up tomatoes--really small (6 toms), throw some already grated cheese in a large bowl ("some"=3 bags), and put corn (3 reg. cans), kidney beans (2 big cans), and black beans (2 big cans) in 3 respectively separate bowls. Set out 2 bottles of ranch, 2 containers of sour cream, and a large bowl of salsa and 4 bags of tortilla chips and you're good to go right? Oh and make roughly 75 chocolate chip cookies (yes mia, pre-made).
In theory yes.
I honestly thought I could do it alone. HA! I like to pretend I'm superwoman but let's face it I'm not. But I had 3 (4 at one point) fabulous people help me out and the dinner turned out GREAT! I was surprised by how many people were impressed that I organized it alone, did the food shopping alone (seriously. that is a difficult task. food shopping for roughly 75-80 ppl..HARD), and that it all turned out as awesome as I thought it would. I'm not gonna lie, it felt good to get a little praise. :D
It was fun. I am glad that I was able to help my friend (who is overall in charge of organizing who does the dinners each week) and that it all turned out as planned.

Other than that, things are pretty good for me. Happy, healthy (hell ya!), and not stressed out (well, no more than normal; a little less in fact)! The Nervous System in the body is complicated and annoying, but surprisingly interesting. Still sucks to read 55 pgs about it, make flash cards, and type up 8-10 pages of notes BUT I am enjoying it (again, surprisingly). I am so freakin' ready to be back in school, but I'm not going to pretend I'm not nervous about it...I am. But it is also what is next for me. I know it is.
Also, in roughly 2 weeks it will be one year since I arrived in MA and I CAN NOT believe how fast it has gone or how wonderful it has been. I am THRILLED that I get to stay until August--summer here will ROCK because I actually have tons of friends to hang out with and I actually know things to do this time around! yay!

Okay. I'm done for now.
laterz!

p.s. I have almost officially used up most of the GOOD Gilmore Girls quotes for my blog post titles so vote in my poll so that I can figure out what to do next!

"Dewey, Cheatham, and Howe. That was very immature."

Last weekend was a surprisingly fun time. I honestly didn't think that I'd have as much fun as I did! The reason I was surprised is because it was a dance. Called the "Waltz 'N' Schmaltz". As we waltzed and then we schmaltzed.
Further explanation you say? Well okay.
The girls of Wellesley College who are in my ward currently (and girls in the past) throw a semi-formal dance each year where the people who go get taught the basic waltz steps and then for the first 10-15 minutes of the night, we waltz. And then for the rest of the night we just dance--or schmaltz. :D
It was surprisingly fun because I am NOT a dancer and I usually don't enjoy dances but I had never been to the Wellesley campus before and so many people told me to go I figured why the hell not. I am really glad I went (even if my feet hated me for most of the night and next day...LOVE my red high heels...). It was fun to get ready (I borrowed a friends super sassy dress) with a bunch of girl friends and then I WALTZED with the 2 boys I'm crushing on most out here (NO QUESTIONS pleas cuz there is NOTHING to tell...) so that was fun. And the rest of the night was just fun fun fun. The pictures below are just some of the few from the night, go ahead and look at the rest (plus the rest of the pictures from dad/dana's visit) on my flickr.
I am LOVING life out here, but stressing (hence the limited blogging time) about my Human Anatomy class, which I am actually doing alright in...















don't i look super skinny here???? LOVE this super sassy dress!













Okay. I'm done! :D

"You can't take her. She's trained in Krav Maga."

Me at Bunker Hill Monument (Charlestown, MA)









One of the 4 possible views from the top of Bunker Hill (221 feet up/291 steps). It was really really cool.












Dad and Dana at Bunker Hill Monument!












My favorite shot of Bunker Hill Monument. I had never actually been there before so it was great to finally see it up close instead of from the freeway like I normally do. It was very interesting and entertaining to me.
Dad and Dana have been here visiting me this past weekend (and the might be here today if they'll ever turn their phones back on... jk, love you dad :D) and it has been lots of fun! It was different than from when anyone else came to visit (although all were tons of fun for different and equally great reasons) because Dad and I are very similar in the way we see things we've seen before--we actually like to read the signs/boards/plaques/etc. We like to take in the spot we are looking at. Like the Freedom Trail throughout Boston I have walked 2 or 3 times before but the times before I was with ppl who were definitely interested in seeing the places but I never got to spend as much time as I would've liked at the places. This time however, we stayed for as long as the 3 of us wanted too. I got to experience Fanuiel Hall in a way I hadn't before so that was fascinating! (A mini "tour" was going on so I got to hear about the actual place).
Friday and Saturday nights I stayed with D&D at Diane and Lant Pritchett's house and that was a lot of fun because even though my usual weekend nights are spent out and about w/ those visiting me these were spent in playing games and chatting and having good old school fun.
On Saturday we also were able to get an ACTUAL tour of Harvard University INCLUDING the Widner Library which has been a dream of mine for years (no i can't explain why...)!!!! It was awesome because non-Harvard students are NOT allowed into the main school libraries. Lant works there so he gave us an awesome tour of Harvard and I really do mean it made my experience to MA complete. :D Thanks Lant!

and my last brief note is this--i LOVE watching the Academy Awards every year especially for the clips shown of the actors/actresses nominated.
So with that said. I am pleased with who won what award (GO KATE WINSLET!!!!!!!!!! FINALLY!) but i am thoroughly disappointed and annoyed that they did the very weird 5 former winner things...it was dumb. stupid stupid stupid. Ask Diane (orme that is) I was majorly unhappy.
grr.
but again--go kate and go SLUMDOG!!! :D

"Here’s an idea – it’s a retirement party, yes? Okay. So what happens after you retire? You die."

Before anyone comments on it--yes. February has not been a good blog month for me. I simply had nothing to say. I am sorry. I will be better I promise. :D
So the point of this one is to just mention a few random things to tide you over until this weekend is over (cuz dad is coming and you KNOW there will be posts about that..)!

An update on my New Year's Resolutions:
#1 -->2 months and going STRONG!!! Not a single one. Not even with the picture below to mock me everytime I open the fridge (which is a ridiculous amount).










Oh. and there are 4 more 12 packs in the garage...but still. NOT A SINGLE ONE! :D

#2 --> not so good. i have only lost 3 (maybe 4) lbs since being back. and that is just what I (may have) put back on. But I started working with a trainer again so i'll do it! I know I will!
#3 --> I suck at this one. I really really do. Luckily I knew before hand that it was unrealistic. But actually, what this one actually ended up becoming is that I basically stop living in an unrealistic world about the things I overanalyze about. I am now able to take those situations and see the reality of them and adjust my emotions (for the most part) accordingly.

Next, "Mutiny on the Bounty" (1935 version) is an amazing amazing movie. I was quite impressed with how much I liked it.

Anatomy is gross and hard but I am confident I'm gonna rock it!

And last (for now) Dad and Dana are coming to visit! They leave Baton Rouge today and will get here LATE so I'll see them tomorrow. I hope. ;) just kidding. I have no clue what we'll be doing, but it will be just fine. We will have fun I know it! hopefully we can go to my favorite place--SALEM! :D

Okay I'm done. Happy now M and A? you know who you are... ;-)
Comments please! Love you!!