The Reasons Why...A...B...C...

Who doesn't love a fun project?

2012-01-30T15:13:00.000-08:00

Lately I've really enjoyed having a project to work on. In the last few months I've:

1. Canned Apple-Cranberry Jam (I felt so domestic!)

I think it turned out pretty well. Check out the recipe here.

2. Made a Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

If you are a pumpkin lover like myself, you must check out this recipe!

3. Painted Pumpkins! This was one of my favorite projects. Melissa, Lisa & I got together for a painting party. I am really happy with how they turned out. Thanks for the idea, Les!

4. Scrapbook Paper Frames. This was my Oct 2011 General Conference project. We used to have a nice sized tv on this media console, but unfortunately Chels took it with her when she moved. None of my roommates were ready to invest in a TV, so this is what I came up with to fill the space. I think it is a great way to add some color to a room. Although it took me a couple of months to actually nail the frames on the wall, I am very pleased with the finished product.

5. Cut my own bangs (with the assistance of Melissa). This is what happens when you're sick for consecutive days, and your hair is driving you crazy. I mean, who really needs to get a professional cut anyway? Don't look too closely. Overall, I am happy with my bangs and think it is a fun change!

6. Pintrest inspired outfit. So this may not be defined as a "project," but I've been obsessed with Pintrest lately, and find so may fashion ideas to try and re-create. The model below inspired my Sunday church outfit. I however, substituted the gray sweater for navy. I am loving my orange skirt!!

What kind of projects have you been up to? I know so many of my friends/family are much more crafty than I. I'd love to hear what you're working on! With Brian's wedding coming up, I have a couple project ideas I am going to start. I also have been working on my DC Bucket List "project" which I will share more about in a future post.

Here's to 2012 and more projects to be completed!!

Talk'n Derby

2012-01-28T18:49:00.000-08:00

Have any of you ever seen the hit movie, Whip It? The movie takes place in Austin, TX where young Bliss discovers a roller derby team. Her mother wants her participating in beauty pageants, while her passion lies in the rink. Before watching this movie I had no idea what roller derby was, and that it was even a real sport. I am here to tell you it exists and DC has their very own league--The DC Roller Girls! A year or so ago Chelsea thought it would be fun to start our own team. Unfortunately our Stormin' Mormon team never formed. One exciting aspect of the roller derby subculture is the chance to pick an alter ego stage name:

a. sharp shootah (it's also my go to bowling name)

b. brunette bombshell

c. Sporty Splice

AND MY FAVORITE for you Bach fans:

d. Michele $$$

Soooooo what will your derby name be?!? See you on the rink!

Ticket Purchased

2011-04-18T20:06:00.000-07:00

I'm headed to Seattle in a month to meet this new beauty, Kylie Elizabeth Huff. Not being there is killing me. I called my mom every day last week to get baby updates. Today was Lesley's first day on her own with 3 girls under the age of 5. Impressive Les! It has been fun to watch my older sister experience motherhood. She is such a great mom!

Haley and Nat are getting so old! They are loving their new little sister. I know grandma Mick enjoyed playing with these two crazies last week. My favorite story was when mom took them to McDonald's to get lunch and play on the toys. Nat got stuck, and started screaming. Mom/grandma had to climb up the slide to get her. Needless to say, grandma stayed pretty busy last week.

Let the countdown to Memorial Day weekend begin...

Thankful List

2010-11-16T12:26:00.000-08:00

I love the month of November. Really, I just love this time of year. So many things to be grateful for:

canned pumpkin (there are an endless amount of desserts you can make with 1 can of pumpkin)

well timed phone calls from family members

new job position

old and new friends

prayer

nuts 4 nuts

opportunities to progress

i-pod car game (best road trip game ever!)

Today I am especially thankful for three specific things:

1. sleep

2. zicam tablets, even though they leave an awful taste in your mouth

3. orange juice

National Adoption Month!

2010-11-12T09:43:00.000-08:00

Every November is National Adoption month, a month set aside to raise awareness about the adoption of children and youth from foster care. This year's focus is directed towards adoption recruitment and ways to retain parents for the 115,000 children and youth in foster care awaiting adoptive families. This year's theme is, "You don't have to be perfect to be a perfect parent, kids don't need perfection, they need you."

In efforts to bring awareness to the foster care program in the District of Columbia, join in on the BET Documentary showing of eight beautiful girls and their journey to South Africa. If you have interest in going, let me know!

NYC Bound

2010-11-12T08:23:00.000-08:00

Today I am headed to the big apple with a few friends. I have a meeting that starts in 30 minutes. As soon as that is over, I am off. I get super nostalgic whenever I visit the city. I love driving through the Lincoln tunnel, and as soon as you're out...bam! You've arrived. The nuts 4 nuts on every street corner, gray's papaya, the city lights, china town--dvd, dvd, dvd, coach, prada, you want? follow me-- empire state building, streets lined with skyscrapers, stores that I wish I had money to shop in, Bryant park, street vendors selling random junk, potential celeb sightings, corn-on-the cob from Cafe Habana, rats in the subway. The list could go on and on. I love this place. I can hardly believe it has almost been four years since I lived there. Many of my friends have since moved away. Thankfully, my friend Sarah is there and agreed to let us come visit!

On the Agenda:

Brooklyn Bridge/Brooklyn Farmer's Market

Shopping at my favorite department store, Century 21.
Banana Creme Pudding at Magnolia's Bakery--oh, it's been so long!
Hopefully tickets to see this great show!
I can't think of a better way to ring in the holiday season!! NYC here I come!!!!!!

BET Documentary

2010-10-04T21:52:00.000-07:00

Watching the clip below brings back so many wonderful memories of my South Africa trip. BET International documented the girls journey from the US to South Africa and captured the experience in a 30 minute, two-part docu-series which is scheduled to air Sunday, October 3rd and 10th at 7:30pm. The series will air in 54 countries (including Europe,Africa and the Middle East). Although the program will not air in the United States (yet), you can visit the XOL webiste: www.extra-ordinarylife.org –where the 30 minute clip will be posted.

I MISS SOUTH AFRICA!!!!!!!!!

This makes me happy

2010-09-13T07:48:00.000-07:00

There is something about little girls with pigtails on the first day of school. It's a must. And of course a princess backpack, also a must. According to my sister, my little niece Haley, was so excited for her first day!! I think back to all the preparations that went in to the beginning of a new school year. Often times my family would take a trip to Seattle or Portland to go school shopping. We each got to pick out a few new outfits for the upcoming school year. We would take our purchases back to the hotel and have a fashion show. My sisters and I loved that. I kind of wish that tradition continued in my professional life. Don't worry, items of clothing are definitely still purchased, just on my own dime, unfortunately.

I loved when teachers would mail home the school supply list, and we got to go pick everything out at the store. My favorite part was picking out my Lisa Frank or Hello Kitty folders. Why I thought unicorn art was so cool, I don't know. It just was (is).

So Haley, I share your excitement! I remember those days, and being a student was the best!

Saturday is a SPECIAL day

2010-09-03T08:35:00.000-07:00

BYU Football 2010 TV Commercial from BYU Athletics on Vimeo.

"Happy Days Hawkins, Happy Days"

2010-08-30T20:14:00.000-07:00

Mickelsen Family goes to Washington...and Gettysburg, and Palmyra, and New York City!!!

I love my family. I love that they come to visit me. I will admit however, I was a little leery when they started sharing some of their ideas about our east coast family vacation. When they said they wanted to visit DC, Gettysburg, Palmyra, and NYC in a week, I got a little nervous. Did they know that DC to Palmyra was at least an 8 hour drive? Did they remember they were only visiting for one week?? I gently reminded them that we would be spending a decent portion of our trip in the car. Turns out, this was one of the things they were looking forward to most of all. Now that the trip is over, I would not have had it any other way. Mickelsen's go big or go home. Thus I share with you, what turned out to be a week of 7 adults acting like we were children again.

Case in point #1: Dad sporting his "bug face" for the camera. This face never gets old.

#2. We could totally pass for some Bronx ballers. On our train ride to Yankee Stadium we strategized how we could teach our bronx brothas a lesson or two on the court. We are such dreamers...but it sounds so realistic in our heads!
#3. I made Stephen practice taking pictures showing his teeth. After a few trial shots, this was the grand finale. He looks pretty good to me. Don't you just love older sisters?!
#4. The Bug Kingdom will never die. Whether it's singing a hymn at church and chuckling as we sing the word ear, or seeing an actual ear artifact at the Statue of Liberty, the boys can always take a moment to feel ears. I know this may sound a little crazy to you, well, it is crazy.
#5. I promise we took Gettysburg seriously. We just got a little distracted in the gift shop.

We had a wonderful visit while in Palmyra, NY. It was neat to share this experience with my siblings.

Other highlights of the trip included:

Going to the top of the Empire State Building (this was a first for me!). (Tangent: we may or may not have played, Jay-Z's, "Empire State of Mind," when we first drove into the city. The modern version of Frank's, New York, New York).

Seeing the Lion King on Broadway.
Seeing Phantom of the Opera on Broadway.
The Manhattan Temple right by Lincoln Center.

My parents fell in love with Nuts 4 Nuts. Who can't help falling in love with them? They are a nyc favorite. We also stopped at Rice to Riches, Carmines for some yummy Italian, Deluxe Diner (my old Columbia stomping ground), and made sure to have nyc style pizza, a couple of times :)

Thanks to Mom & Dad for making this trip happen and coming to visit me! I heart our family!!!

This is NOT okay!

2010-08-30T20:03:00.001-07:00

One thing I will NOT miss about the summer--mosquitoes. These pictures do not adequately describe the discomfort I've experienced this past week. Thank goodness for Chelsea and her after bite relief stick.

Just a thought...

2010-07-29T18:41:00.000-07:00

I spent July 5-17 in South Africa with the girls pictured above. It was a long trip. By the end, I was dreaming of my own bed, and trying to remember what it was like to be by myself. I felt so far removed from my life here. In the midst of late nights, teen drama, and emotional overload, I was reminded of an important lesson: recognize the divine nature and individual worth of each and every youth. It is easy to lose sight of this. Too often my interactions with youth are focused around what they didn't do, or should have done. Why didn't you enroll in school? Why didn't you meet with your probation officer? Why didn't you come to Court? Why can't you show more gratitude? While these are important tasks and goals to review with youth, I would suggest it is of greater importance to recognize their strengths and show them an increase of love. The beautiful women I interacted with on this trip are fragile, and have had tragic/horrific life experiences. Their lives have lacked the stability and outpouring of love we far too often take for granted. It is amazing how much influence an adult can have on a child. Something as simple as a compliment, would change their entire mood for the evening. I am not married and do not have children. I attend a single's ward, and rarely get to interact with youth in my stake. Although I interact with the youth on my caseload, I must abide by appropriate boundaries. With that said, I think it is important to seek out ways to influence children/youth for good. An insignificant amount of time spent with a child more than likely will yield immeasurable results; both for the child and the mentor. As my father often reminded me, "Where much is given, much is required."

The Reasons Why I've neglected my blog...

2010-07-20T16:50:00.000-07:00

A. Brian's presence. Yes, we have a 5th roommate who happens to be my younger brother. Brian is camping out in my basement and working for a political think tank. Brian enjoys facilitating political discussion in the household, especially with Chelsea aka "Buzz". Although his stay is temporary, Brian has successfully managed to dazzle the ladies of the Colonial 1st ward. He has vigorously played the role of "protective brother", relying on his intellectual superiority and whit to intimidate potential men in my life (Brian maybe had something to do with that sentence). In the beginning, Brian was skeptical of living with four other women. Now he claims to have adopted three additional sisters. He especially enjoys the Sunday afternoon cooking lessons with Mel, dating debriefs with Al (Allison), and restlessly laboring away his Saturdays mowing the lawn we like to call our "forest". Naturally, Brian has gravitated towards the "georgetown" nightlife. Arriving in D.C. alone did not phase young Brian. The first of his friends was a sorority girl named Jamie he met on the metro and a Pakistani he befriended in the GW[U] library. Let's just say he occupies a lot of our time and attention.

B. A visit to WA to visit my fam. While I was home, I got to attend Jeff's graduation. We made sure Jeff knew his family was in attendance by sporting Southridge Sun yellow t-shirts, including our individual family nicknames. I think he was at least a tad bit amused. I thought we were funny. I also got to spend time doing what I do best--maintaining my role as favorite aunt. Do you see how they light up in my presence?

C. Mt Hood. We were determined to get on that mountain. Not even an avalanche warning could stop us. The countless days spent at Gold's on the stair stepper in our hiking boots, multiple trips to REI, and preparation hikes in the Shenandoah's all paid off. It was absolutely breath taking on the mountain. The climb itself, was actually not as physically demanding as I expected. However, there were a few moments when I questioned my decision to climb a mountain. When were were harnessed together on our rope, climbing what seemed to be completing vertical, along side a cliff, I maybe started to freak out inside. Thankfully, we all made it down the mountain safely and lived to tell the tale of the Hood Ratz. Much thanks to Papa Smart for his patience, expertise, and mountaineering gear. We could not have done it without him.

D. MV. When a friend asks you to accompany her on a weekend trip to Martha's Vineyard to stay in her friend's beach house, you don't turn that down. After pulling an all night drive to the cape, and sleeping through our entire ferry ride, we finally arrived to MV. Shandi and I took full advantage of the opportunity to sport our prepster/nautical outfits. It was a perfect, relaxing weekend get-a-way.

E. Birthday BBQ Bash. My roommates planned a great birthday bbq for me and my dear friend, Regina. It was a great summer evening with friends. Highlights of the night: the photo board including my Rihanna haircut in the 4th grade, Adriel's famous blueberry cupcakes, and the best gift ever--BOCCE BALL! Brian, keep mowing that lawn, b/c we have some bocce ball to play this summer!

F. South Africa. I feel as though this trip deserves its own post. I LOVED it. Most definitely an experience of a lifetime. I loved the people and was touched by their humility and generosity. The trip was a perfect balance of exploring the tourist hot spots, and getting a feel for everyday life in SA. Joburg was alive with fans from all over the world visiting for the World Cup. I loved meeting with professionals from the Joburg Child Welfare System and sharing/comparing experiences. I loved observing our girls (8 DC foster care youth) experience a new place. A favorite moment of the trip had to be on the safari, watching a female cheetah devour an Impala with her four cubs. I was literally 5 feet from this animal.

I would say these are pretty good reasons for neglecting my blog.

You know you are friends when...

2010-05-03T15:33:00.000-07:00

You come out wearing matching pj's --FNL t-shirts, and navy sweats. Love it. We got a good laugh over this. Jake, we miss our 5th roommate already (and have ran out of diet coke). Can't wait for July!

Hi. I'm 12-years-old

2010-04-12T14:30:00.001-07:00

Yep. Went with the blue polish today. Pretty sure they won't be asking me to be a hand model anytime soon :)

Tis the season of birthdays!

2010-04-12T08:18:00.001-07:00

My good friend Amber started off the birthday season in March. What better way to celebrate with great girlfriends, and a night out on the town! For this celebration we headed to OYA. I can't get enough of this place. Best sushi in the District, in my opinion.

In the month of April, we got to celebrate Chelsea! "The girls" got together for an evening at National Harbor, to try Grace's Mandarin. This dining experience entailed steaming hot hand towels before and after dinner, along with a great view of the harbor. The food was enjoyable, however, I recommend this place more for its ambiance/location.

Happy Birthday Chels!

On deck: Melissa's bday on May 1st!!!

Needing a little Nat time!

2010-04-07T19:50:00.001-07:00

Nat, add a spoonful of peanut butter to that treat, and I promise you won't be disappointed. It's the only way to eat Jell-O pudding :)

Mickelsen Maddness

2010-03-23T19:53:00.000-07:00

Dearest Siblings and Members of the 2010 Mickelsen Family March Madness Bracket Tournament:

The following is a list of rules and regulations we would like to remind you of:

Each player will be permitted to fill out 2 brackets. Brackets will need to be turned in to Tournament Headquarters by Wednesday, March 17th at 8:00am via fax or email.

Winnings:

First place - $100
Second place - $60
Third place - $40

Each family member will be required to pay their respective amount in order to participate:

Mommy and Daddy - $110
Lesley and Jared (combined) - $30
Michele - $20
Brian - $10
Stephen - $10
Jeff - $10
Lauren - $10

Total: $200

Point System:

1pt 2pt 4pt 8pt 10pt 12pt

Scoring will be performed by the Council at Headquarters. If you wish to follow along and grade your own you are encouraged to make copies.

Thank you &
Good Luck,

Jeffrey E. Mickelsen
Lauren C. Mickelsen

Don't worry. In case one may be interested in the tournament standings, Mr. Gumble has taken the time to update us:

It appears as though I will not be taking any money home this year. Jeff & Lauren, you crack me up. Jeff I especially liked your guitar jump at the end. Hot. Lauren, nice jersey :)

My New Home

2010-03-20T13:49:00.000-07:00

In February I moved to a new house, about a mile away from my old place. I am finally posting pics of the place as I promised. My new home is great, and I am enjoying all the space! Meet the roommates: Allison, Chelsea, Melissa, & I. Here we are anxiously awaiting for guests to arrive to our housewarming party. I've never seen our house look so clean!

What greater way to celebrate the move, then a house warming party with a candy bar!

Here we have the sitting room/library. Melissa found these great chairs on craigslist, and made our pretty, purple pillows. Nice work Mel.

Chels had great plans for the library, as it is organized by topic: religion, fiction, chick lit, fantasy, dating/relationships, travel, politics, children's, etc. We are a very educated group :)
The day the snow storm started, all of my roommates and I got out of work early. Most people rushed home to comforts of their warm and cozy homes, or to the grocery store to stock up on food for the weekend. Not us. We went shopping. We couldn't go an entire weekend without a few "necessary" items: a flat screen tv, media console, and of course clock for the library.

This room is the Jungle/Safari room. It is still a work in progress. It's nice to have additional living space downstairs, as well as upstairs (for all those men we will be having stop by!!).

The gym. Yep, that's right, we have a gym. No excuse for me not to be in shape for my Mt. Hood hike. The sad thing is, I have yet to use this baby. The owner of the place felt it was a hassle to move it, so we gladly offered to keep it around.

One of the best things about this house is the fact that I have a closet. I know that may seem strange to many of you, but in my last house I had a make shift closet, with tension rods that would collapse every month. Look at all that space!!!!!!
And here we have my bedroom. Pretty much looks the same as it did in my last place. When you move, you want to buy all new things, and re-decorate everything!! I can't tell you how many times I've been to Ross, TJ-Maxx, Pier 1, and World Market in the last month. Unfortunately no funds to do that now, so this will have to suffice. I am happy with how it turned out!

And there you have it. My new home.

I'm an aunt again!

2010-03-09T18:23:00.000-08:00

Okay. So not really. But, I claim this is my little niece, Adelyn Marie Bales. Isn't she beautiful! I am so proud of Erika and her little one. I've met this little girl twice, and can't get enough of her. She is just perfect. I could sit and hold/stare at her for hours. It is fun to see one of my favorite friends in her new role, as a mother. Erika is one of the kindest people I know, and will make an excellent mommy! Congrats to Erika and Brian!

I don't know why these commercials make me laugh so hard...

2010-03-02T20:25:00.000-08:00

BUT THEY DO!

Where to begin?

2010-03-02T17:04:00.000-08:00

Tonight is the first night in a while that I've been in the mood to blog. Over the last several months, I've kept myself busy:

Hosting a red & white Christmas party

Traveling to WA to visit my nieces

enjoying the company of my dad and brothers

playing in Natalie and Haley's new house (that took over our family room, just teasing Les!!)

wishing I lived closer to my sibs

I moved houses!

survived snowpocalypse 2010 with my new roommates, Chelsea, Allison, & Melissa

Cheered on the bulldogs with Bishop Lybbert, Matt, Jake, and Brian at the Verizon Center!

Co-hosted a baby shower for Erika! She is due any day now!!

Danced the night away with New Kids on the Block, Tiffany, Duran Duran, Beastie Boys, Tom Petty, Madonna, Def Leppard, & Van Halen atthe legwarmers concert for the third time!

Traveled with the girls on flight Air Bachelor for the most dramatic season finale EVER!

Stayed up way too late every night watching the Olympics. Go team USA!

It was a very eventful winter, and now I am ready for summer. Why couldn't punxsutawney phil have seen his shadow?? Bring on the warm weather!

A Job Well Done!

2009-12-30T10:50:00.001-08:00

I need to congratulate my cougars on their respectable 2009 football season. We started the season off right beating no. 3 ranked, Oklahoma, and ended the season with a celebratory stomping over no. 18 ranked Oregon State in the Las Vegas Bowl. Is it bad that I wanted BYU to keep running up the score? I love pounding a PAC 10 team. There were some rocky moments throughout the season, but overall an 11-2 record is pretty impressive (including a Utah victory)!

My New Year's Goals for BYU football:

1. revert back to the classic byu uniforms (royal blue), they are much better. Navy just doesn't stand out in the stadium. I need to see a sea of blue cheering on the cougs.

2. An invitation to a bowl other than Las Vegas.

3. significantly limit the number of penalties in a game.

I. MISS. YOU.

2009-12-29T18:37:00.000-08:00

I miss you, but I can't have you!

2009-11-02T19:35:00.000-08:00

"Bidi Bidi Bom Bom"

2009-10-27T17:30:00.001-07:00

My love for the Spanish language originated in high school with Senora Sanchz y barr. One of my favorite projects in this class was when my friend and I made a Spanish music video to Selena's, "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom". Our outfits were right up there with Selena's--jeweled hats, sparkles, and pleather pants.

I studied the language for three years in high school, but we all know that doesn't mean too much. One of my biggest regrets was not pursuing the language in college. So when my friend Lisa asked if I would be interested in taking a conversational Spanish class, I jumped at the opportunity. On the first day of class we received our syllabus. One of our assignments was a cultural project. We had all of these grand ideas to have a fiesta, bring our friend's in that served mission in spanish-speaking countries, make a movie/music video. Unfortunately our enthusiasm dwindled as time went on. However, we did learn to make some yummy espanol dishes: Tartas de manzana (creamy apple tart), and tres leches cake. It was a hit. We were a hit. We are a hit! Basically our professora loved us. She told us we went above and beyond her expectations for this culture project. Luz and I were proud students. Here we are with our yummy spanish desserts.

Here we are with Professora on the last day of class! Please note: a). our certificates of completion (we didn't just pass, but we received a P+!!), the laminated notebooks in our hands, with spanish advertisements, actors, just like the good ole days! Thank you Chelsea. My Zac Efron folder was also a hit :)
Adios amigos!! Me Encanta Espanol!

Go Cougs!!!

2009-10-24T12:46:00.000-07:00

Introducing Strebin and the Lost Brothers

2009-10-16T15:02:00.000-07:00

My Brother Jeffrey performs for his high school homecoming assembly. Got to miss

those days J He's the one playing the guitar, and wearing the big white shoes?! Jeff,

you're so dreamy!!!! I bet all the girls were swooning over you!!

"Forever"

2009-10-16T13:17:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went with a group of friends up North to visit the great state of Vermont, and all its beauty! It really is one thing to see pictures in a magazine, and another to actually see it in person. It was gorgeous! We made it just in time for peak foliage season. It really was a perfect weekend. We stopped to explore random bridges, towns, monuments, hiking trails, ski resorts, and festivals. We also found time to watch an entire season of the Office. We traveled through eight states and the District: Virginia, DC, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire. Check, check!!

We had some good times in the car...maybe, just maybe, we played a few rounds of would you rather, and marry, make-out, or kill. Peter's face is pretty great in this pic.

Shandi drove us into the big apple, to pick up Kyle's favorite nyc style pizza.

Right after we picked up the pizza, we noticed a ton of people waiting outside the theater showing, Hamlet. Shandi and I both realized at the same time that people were waiting for the one and only, JUDE LAW, to exit the theater. In a matter of seconds, the boys took over driving, and we joined the other Jude fans in hopes to see the dreamy star. And YES, we did see him. Here he is driving off...

We stayed with Kyle's parents Friday night, who are currently serving a mission in MA.

Here we are checking out a fall festival in Vermont. I love the church in the background.

Fun times in the cabin...we even got to watch a romantic comedy :) If that's how they are categorizing Blood Diamond these days. I cried through the entire movie.

We had to stop for this dam picture....

We hiked up a trail in Mt. Ascutney State Park, that overlooked the valley, and into New Hampshire.

We even traveled to Brigham Young's birth place in Whitingham, Vermont. Several monuments were placed throughout the town, but this had to be my favorite,

"A Man of much courage, and Superb Equipment."

Thank you Shandi for organizing a wonderful weekend!

"Do you need me to hold your hand boo?"

2009-10-15T20:36:00.001-07:00

This week I am participating in training all week at an off-site location (an especially safe neighborhood in SE DC :). Back when I interned in DC in 2005, a classmate once told me if I ever ventured to the southeast quadrant of DC, I would get shot. Fast forward four years of my life, and here I am, spending at least 50% of my time at work in the southeast quadrant. But hey, I am still around, and getting very accustomed to my second home.

Today the local fire and police department joined forces to provide community members an opportunity to get vaccinated for the H1N1 influenza where I was attending my training. With as many youth and families I interact with on a daily basis, I thought it would be a good idea for me to get the shot. I joined a few of my colleagues and headed upstairs to face the needle. After hearing the story about the NFL cheerleader who now experiences a neurological condition brought on by a flu shot, I was a little nervous to go through with the shot. As I walked up to the large man who would soon administer the vaccine, I started to chicken out. My co-worker proceeds to ask, "Do you need me to hold your hand boo?" I put on a strong front and looked away from the needle, only to find out he was all done. And there you have it. No swine flu for me. Go get vaccinated!!!

Unified Yoggers Rocked the Ragnar

2009-10-01T19:39:00.000-07:00

Years ago I thought runners were kind of ridiculous. Why would you run when you could pick up a basketball or Frisbee? Why would you put yourself through the misery and boredom? Confession. I. LIKE. TO. RUN! I enjoy the challenge of pushing my body and mind to do something I originally think is impossible. It is such a satisfying feeling when you complete a race. Last weekend I participated in the Ragnar Relay with 11 other friends. We started in Cumberland, MD and ran along the C&O canal, in to West Virginia, and ended in DC for a grand total of 200 miles. I was a little apprehensive at first, when I heard we'd be running 200 miles. I am still a sane person, and that does not sound fun to me. But when you divide the mileage amongst 11 other people, it isn't too bad. My team started at 1:00p.m. Friday, and ended the race a little after 5:00p.m. on Saturday, which put our time at 29 hours. The official results posted, and were were 21st overall (out of 150 or so teams), and 4th in our division! Our average mile time was around 8:30. Each person ran three separate legs. The craziest part was running by yourself, with a headlamp in the middle of the night. My second leg was at 1:30a.m...with practically NO sleep. My first leg was about 7 miles, and definitely my strongest. We rented a couple of 12 seat passenger vans, slept when we could, and survived off of trail mix, jelly beans, water, and bagels. We did rent a hotel half way through the race, so that we could stop and shower, and attempt to get some rest. I think I got a total of three hours :) Anyway, so glad I participated, and would definitely do it again next year. Here's how I feel about running,

Meet the Unified Yoggers:

Yes, you see that right...at my final exchange, my teammate decided to run his last leg in an American flag speedo. Classy.

My van consisted of: Travis, Colton, Justin, Katie, and Destiny

Ready for the race to begin!!

Here we are at the finish line with our medals!

We ran into our friends from the other teams

"I'll Go Crazy, If I don't Go Crazy Tonight"

2009-09-28T20:42:00.000-07:00

I've been reading people's blog posts about the U2 concert for weeks now. Finally, it is my turn to go!!! This will be my first U2 experience, other than their performance on the National Mall during the inauguration celebration weekend. Oh, and does the virtual U2 concert count, that I saw at the IMAX theater?!! That was one of the greatest nights of my life, so I can only imagine what tomorrow will be like. Don't you worry, there will definitely be follow up posts on my U2 experience. I can't wait to spend the evening with Paul, David, Adam, & Larry!!

REMEMBER HOW...

2009-09-12T09:11:00.001-07:00

BYU BEAT OKLAHOMA last week??

BYU is now ranked 9 !!!!!

Ain't No Party like a Scranton Party!

2009-09-09T18:53:00.000-07:00

Last weekend my co-worker and I headed to Scranton, PA for another co-worker's wedding. Meet the Bride:

She looked absolutely beautiful! The entire day was just perfect. After the wedding ceremony held at the church, we went the Woodlands Inn and Resort for a cocktail hour, and reception. This picture doesn't give it justice, but the atmosphere was stunning.

After Kate & I awwed the wedding group with our dance moves, we decided to get our priorities in line. Find the PA Paper & Supply Company. This familiar Paper Company is what we view every Thursday night, and recognize as, "Dunder Mifflin."

I felt so close to JAM (JIM & PAM). It was as if they were right there with me strolling the streets of Scranton, PA. I am definitely ready for the season to begin!

Yeah Jeff!

Finding Hope

2009-09-07T19:45:00.000-07:00

This touching video was posted on lds.org:

Wedding Bliss + San Fran Fun!

2009-09-04T16:25:00.001-07:00

Earlier this summer we held a bridal shower for our little Sarah!

Then we attended an Engagement Party...

Next, we headed to Oakland for the big day! She looked absolutely beautiful!

It was a VERY warm day in Oakland

I love this girl!!

The Wedding Party...Meliss and Chels did such a great job fulfilling their bridesmaid duties :)

After the wedding festivities, we ventured into San Fran. Chels at the wheel, Michele as navigator.

We rode a cable car through the city...

Went on a audio tour at Alcatraz, which was so cool. The island itself is gorgeous, with such great views.

We'll pretend this was Al Capone's Cell block. Do you think I pass as a prisoner?

Drove down Lombard street twice!

Paid the toll to cross the Golden Gate Bridge. Totally worth it!

We stayed with my aunt and uncle in Walnut Creek, CA! It was so fun to visit with them. They were so great to let us crash at their place. My cousin Denae and her family came over on Sunday to visit. I just love being around my family! We also toured around fisherman's wharf, ghirardelli square, ate at In n Out Burger, and had some fabulous Italian food in North Beach. We even ventured to Berkley to attend a ward there on Sunday. I am pretty happy to be in DC :)

Next weekend will be wedding #2 for my friend, Emily in Scranton, PA!

Emergency Grocery List

2009-08-22T05:24:00.000-07:00

It was Friday night, pouring rain, and I needed to go to the store desperately to buy the following items:

1. cupcake liners

2. Frosting

3. chocolate chips

4. cream cheese

5. TAMPONS

I chuckled to myself as I reviewed the items in my bag. I love being a girl :)

Love is a Battlefield

2009-08-19T18:33:00.000-07:00

Please tell me you know who this great woman is?? That's right, it is the one and only Pat Benatar!!! This last month I went with a group of friends to Wolf Trap to listen to Patricia and Blondie! As a young girl, I would take out my mom's pat cd's and dance around to, Don't Roll those Bloodshot Eyes at Me! It doesn't get much better than, Heartbreaker, We Belong, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, and Love is a Battlefield!

Please note the mom pants on our fellow pat fans! So great.

We Love You Pat!

I survived my first trek!!

2009-08-11T18:18:00.000-07:00

WARNING!!! Do I even dare post pictures of this experience? Let me give you a little background before you think I am completely crazy. An important part of my church's (Mormon) history, is the westward journey of Latter-day Saints. In the state of Utah, there is an actual holiday dedicated to celebrating the early Mormon pioneers entry to the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. Just as we honor and learn from past leaders of this great nation, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints celebrate and express gratitude to our ancestors who trekked many miles, and endured unthinkable hardships in their journey westward. The sole purpose of this westward movement was for the Saints to find a land where they could settle in peace, and worship how they wanted. A modern day Apostle, Dallin H. Oaks states, "It is not enough to study or reenact the accomplishments of our pioneers. We need to identify the great, eternal principles they applied to achieve all they achieved for our benefit and then apply those principles to the challenges of our day. In that way we honor their pioneering efforts, and we also reaffirm our heritage and strengthen its capacity to bless our own posterity and “those millions of our Heavenly Father’s children who have yet to hear and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ." We are all pioneers in doing so."

So there you have it. Crazy? Maybe a little (I am referring to the dressing up part, and trekking in the DC heat and humidity)! However, such a neat opportunity, and one I would definitely do again. I was a "ma" for a family of 7 youth. I absolutely loved getting to know each and every one of them. I love their energy and excitement for life! Aside from pushing a handcart for miles, we participated in a hoedown, played in the lake, cooked tin-foil dinners, and challenged other families to beat us to the end. My family was a little competitive with the other groups...does that surprise you?? A little healthy competition never hurts anyone :) I am sure that is one of the characteristics we learn from the early pioneers. Meet my pioneer trek family:

Allison and I pre-trek. We actually look somewhat decent at this point.

Sleeping under the stars with other "ma's" on the trek. It was so beautiful there!

We are looking pretty rough at this point.

There you have it. I survived my first trek experience. I am grateful for modern conveniences provided to us today. I am grateful for the hot shower I took as soon as I walked in my door. I am grateful for deodorant, and make-up. I am grateful for access to antibiotics in the event I get Lyme disease. Yes I found a tick on my upper leg when I got home (I am feeling A-Ok). I am grateful for an experience that renewed my faith, strengthened my testimony, and inspired me to share more with others the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

"She's Gone Country"

2009-08-02T19:40:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning, I joined a few friends to go horseback riding an hour or so out of the city. I hadn't been horseback riding in years! Horses are a powerful animal. I was a little timid at first, but found myself pretty attached to "freddy" by the end of the day. Charlee's friends were so nice to let us come and ride their horses. They also fed us, and sent us home with fresh vegetables from their garden. I think I need to spend more time in the country!

Me & Freddy

Charles & Patch

Here we are cleaning out the stables. That was some serious dense horse droppings!

The End.

"Love Don't Come Easy"

2009-07-31T09:53:00.001-07:00

Many of you know my not so secret obsession with the Bachelor. It's not so much the reality show itself, but the time I get to spend with my favorite girls, and Brian! Every Monday night for FHE the group gathers at our place to watch Chris Harrison, and ABC's attempt to help two people fall madly in love. Past parties, have been quite a success so each year we have to come up with something even better! This year we decided to make a video montage of a bunch of guy's confessing their love to each girl. If only I could post the confessions of love! Future governors did not want the video posted on the Internet :( And don't worry, Chris Harrison (AKA our friends Kyle, and Peter) delivered a fantasy card to the girls Sunday evening, should they choose to fore go their individual rooms. Yes, a little cheesy. Yes, a little obsessed. Yes, tons of fun! Not to mention we had a bachelorette trivia competition courtesy of Lisa and Adi every Monday night.

WHO WILL THE NEXT BACHELOR BE!?!?!

The Pot

2009-07-27T21:31:00.000-07:00

Tonight I received a late night text from my brother. This is how the conversation ensued:

J: Expecto patronum you little hippogriff! Shesh!

Me: Excuse me?

J: Avada kadevra-from he who must not be named.

Me: Keep the change you filthy animal!

J: Try again. You have to do Harry Potter.

Me: I don't do pot.

Me: Never read a book, or scene a movie.

J: Dumbledork

Me: Go toss a wand around, or pretend your a wizzard :)

J: Go watch a chick flick and tell yourself that's how love happens :) crucio!

Got to love the late night, random text conversations. Perhaps one day I will give in to the HP craze.

WWRY

2009-07-23T18:17:00.000-07:00

My parents are visiting my brother in London and they purchased tickets to this show:

I am jealous. I heart broadway. I heart rock n' roll. I HEART QUEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Endurance

2009-07-22T19:14:00.000-07:00

Tonight book club was held at our house. This month's book was, Endurance, an excellent and remarkable account of Shackleton's voyage to Antarctica. The story of Ernest Shackleton and his men was incredible, and exhausting. I definitely recommend it! I was impressed by the caliber of men on the boat, and their continued optimism throughout the miserable journey. I was also impressed by the leadership qualities held by Sir Ernest Shackleton. It's a quick read, and one I think you would enjoy!

God Bless the USA!

2009-07-19T20:03:00.000-07:00

So I am a little behind. I haven't been super motivated lately to take the time to blog. I headed to Philadelphia, PA this year to experience, yet another patriotic Independence day. We started our weekend trip with a Philly food tour. We tasted some original philly cheese steak sandwiches, pretzels, chocolate covered pretzels, tomato pie, and some yummy cookies from Reading Terminal Market! I kind of struggled with my tomato pie. I kept dropping it on my plate...so pathetic!

We toured Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross Home, Benjamin Franklin's grave, Reading Terminal Market, monopoly park, ran to the rocky steps with Erika Saturday morning, Lincoln exhibits, Penn's Landing, and Logan Circle. It was definitely an eventful weekend. Although it felt like all I did the entire trip was eat philly cheese steak sandwiches, at least we got plenty of exercise!!

please note the sick tattoo on my arm. I thought I would join all of the nine-year-olds and wear a patriotic tattoo all day. classy.

It wouldn't be the 4th of July without some kind of musical number! Melissa and I decided to do a little performance to, "Your A Grand Old Flag". Please note our very patriotic outfits!

Love these girls!

Family Time

2009-07-06T08:49:00.001-07:00

This past week I had the opportunity to go home and visit with my family. During my lay over in Minneapolis, I received a phone call from my dad informing me of my Uncle Bob's passing. This came as a shock, as it was entirely unexpected. I was now especially grateful to be going home at this time. I had extended family travel from all over to attend the funeral services for my uncle. All of my cousins except for 2 were able to come to WA and be together. Although it was very unfortunate circumstances, I felt the power of eternal families as we gathered together to support and strengthen each other. The funeral service was a very spiritual experience for me, as my cousins, and uncle talked about their dad/brother, and the atonement of Jesus Christ. It also made me especially grateful for this wonderful family I have. It was nice to be all together and reminisce the good ole' times, and memories of my dear uncle.

Also while I was home, my brother returned from serving a two year mission in Taiwan!!! It is so fun to have him back! He loved, loved, LOVED his time in Taiwan, and grew to have a deep respect and love for the Taiwanese people. He brought back some really beautiful scrolls, and other gifts given to him by the people. His 6'5" build only made him stand out a little :) It was fun to listen to his stories, and hear him speak the language! Jeff continued to ask him if he liked rice, the entire weekend. It was pretty comical.

A lady at my dad's office taught us how to write, "Welcome Back" in Chinese. Nice work on the poster Lauren!

Other reasons that made this trip home so great: Dad & Mom hit up the coach outlet and surprised all the girls with new purses!

I got to spend some time with my old, frail dog. She is losing all of her hair, and I am not sure I will get to see her again! She was such a beauty in her younger years!

Got to watch my all-star brother play in a summer league basketball game. Look out Big 9 Conference, this is one you'll have to guard closely.

SPEND TIME WITH MY NIECES. Haley and Nat are getting so old! Haley is into reverse psychology right now, so you have to ask for everything in the opposite. "Haley, don't give me a hug." Then she comes running at you with open arms. Kind of cute, kind of annoying :) Natalie is the most precious thing in the world. I couldn't stop kissing that little girl. She is seriously the happiest baby. Nat is so close to walking! I was hoping she would take her first few steps while I was there, but no such luck.

I Heart NYC!

2009-07-02T21:18:00.000-07:00

I was missing NYC this summer. Fortunately, I am only a short distance from the big apple. I get so giddy every time I come out of the Lincoln tunnel! A couple weekends ago I jumped on the Bolt Bus to go visit my favorite friend in NYC! Let me take a brief moment to describe how much I love the bolt bus. It is 10 times better than any other bus I've taken from DC to NYC. The bus left on time, had wireless access, it was clean, there was plenty of room, normal people rode this bus, we went straight to the city without stopping, and the seats were comfortable. Does it get much better than that? I think not! Okay, I am done going off about the bus. It was a bonus to have my other favorite friend visiting from Arizona for the weekend. Here we are walking the streets of NYC!

It wouldn't be a complete NYC experience without a stop for purses in China town. Karen & I were determined to find a summer purse or two :) After much sneaking around through back doors, and following anxious Chinese men with walkie talkies, who were ultra paranoid about getting caught by the cops, victory prevailed! What do you think?

It wouldn't be a weekend in NYC without brunch with my girls! I miss this so much!
It also wouldn't be a weekend in NYC without this delightful piece of corn on the cob from Cafe Habana. DELICIOUS. It doesn't get much better than this. I will continue to recommend this dive of a place to all who visit NYC. The best Cuban food around!

After our tummies are full, we shop. We headed to the British chain clothing store, Topshop. As you can see, the clothing was amazing. We found some great ones. So great that we had to capture these outfits.

In case you didn't get the full scope of this acid jean jump suit...please see below. Yes, I am wearing a body suit underneath.

Finally, we dined at Patsy's with some old NYC friends. I recognize a good portion of this post is dedicated to various restaurants in the city. What can I say, I like me some tasty food!

Thanks so much Mel, Davis & Lyla for a wonderful weekend!

Confession #2

2009-06-24T06:48:00.000-07:00

I can't stop listening to this song!!! It is the cutest version. Yesterday I listened to this song 6 times on repeat in my car. That is a little obsessive. It is almost as bad as my obsession with Toto's, "Africa," last fall. Thank you Adi for introducing this gem to me.

I am also obsessed with this song:

Let us not forget where my obsession with Jenny started...TROOP BEVERLY HILLS!!!

I'm So Excited & I just Can't Hide It!!!!

2009-06-23T15:19:00.000-07:00

MY YOUNGER BRO RETURNS IN 3 DAYS FROM SERVING A TWO YEAR MISSION IN KAUSHUNG, TAIWAN!!! GOODBYE DC, HELLO WASHINGTON!!!!!!!!!!!!

Confession

2009-06-18T18:54:00.000-07:00

This is what I ate for dinner last night:

Don't judge me!!

This Land is YOUR Land!

2009-06-16T16:05:00.000-07:00

Today I was a member of the day club and loved every minute of it. I miss my day club days. However, I am very grateful I have a job. I took the day off to spend time with my brother while he was in town for an extended layover, on his way to Cambridge. I love when I get family to visit me, even if it is for one day.

We decided to take a stroll in Arlington Cemetery. I LOVE this place. Every time I go, I wonder why I don't go more often. The grounds are beautiful.

He's ALL ready to go spend a couple of months at Cambridge! Good luck B-dawg!! I am excited for you and your upcoming adventures in Europe!
Don't worry, I made him listen to patriotic music on the way to the airport, since he will be missing Independence Day! Keep dreamin' on the British accent brother :)

Welcome Mr. Heaps!

2009-06-09T19:11:00.000-07:00

Dear Jake,

I wanted to officially welcome you to the cougar club. I already like you for many reasons: Not only are you the top QB recruit in the nation, but you are from the great state of Washington, which makes you that much cooler. Washingtonians breed excellence, and humility from what I hear. I also like that you choose to play at BYU because you were looking for an environment that embraces education, faith, family and football. Well my friend, you've come to the right place.

I hold high expectations for you. BYU football desperately needs a winning season. I expect you to give 100% to the team, fans, and most of all for the love of the game. If you give 100%, I will match your dedication, and continue to support you through the good and bad times. I don't expect perfection. I expect effort, a positive attitude, integrity, enthusiasm, and W's. There is one area in which I expect perfection. Whenever you play the runnin' Utes, DESTROY them. I expect a perfect record when participating in the holy war. I don't think that's too much to ask, do you?

Sincerely,

Your fellow Washingtonian, Cougar, and Friend,

Michele

p.s. Mr. Sarkisian will get over it.

"It never rains in southern California"

2009-06-06T20:04:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I escaped the office, and rainstorms, and headed to San Diego, CA to attend a conference for work. It was beautiful! Thank you DC government! The conference itself was pretty interesting. The conference focused on how to better prepare our youth in the Child Welfare system, for adulthood, and have them experience a more successful transition from care. Meet the group:

Here we are at our hotel. I loved staying in the Gas Lamp district of SD. It was a fun night life, and there are plenty of good restaurants. SD knows how to do seafood right!

Site seeing in Old Town SD.

Their public transportation system is so much smaller than what we have in DC. I became quite fond of the trolley rides!

My final day there was well spent at Pacific Beach...

AND...A trolley ride out to San Ysidro, the last stop in SD before the border. Here you see the Mexican flag waving in the city of Tijuana and the fence that divides the US from Mexico.
The highlight of my trip had to be meeting up with my middle school bff
It was so great to see you Kristen!

Remember this great song?!

2009-05-30T22:23:00.001-07:00

Thank you Nat for providing me with this entertainment. This has to be one of the best videos ever!

I love me some crab legs!

2009-05-24T13:49:00.000-07:00

Last night I went with some friends to Annapolis, MD. I love it there. It was fun to get out of the city, and enjoy ourselves some yummy seafood. I am kind of embarrassed to admit how giddy I get when I order crab legs. It's not only the taste I enjoy, but the feeling of satisfaction in having to work for your food. I love to tear open the shell, and find delicious crab meat awaiting my consumption. Dipping the meat in butter is icing on the cake! Apparently there isn't much to preparing crab legs, just choosing your preferred reheating method. I may just have to drop by Costco and pick some up! Anyway, it was a lovely night with friends, enjoying this beautiful summer weather!

Happy Birthday D-dawg!

2009-05-24T09:22:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to YOU! What a great day to celebrate one of my favorite people ever, my dear father! While the rest of the family was home enjoying the memorial day weekend together, swimming, golfing, bbqing, eating, celebrating, etc., I was here in VA. Dad, I wish I could have been there to live it up with you guys. Only one more month and I get to come home to celebrate Stephen's return! I love you dad! Happy Birthday!

A fun little treat to wake up to...

2009-05-12T20:24:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning to find a cockroach in my hallway. I really don't like them. They just lay on their backs helpless, acting as if we should do something for them. Well, I will do one thing for you. Grab my handy bottle of Raid, and spray you. Got to love bug season!

I heart Howie

2009-05-11T18:14:00.000-07:00

Today I had the day off of work. I love my work schedule. I get every other Monday off, because I work 9 hour days. Seriously, it was one of the best decisions I made to get an alternative work schedule. I am sure you are all thinking how nice it would be to have a day off to schedule medical/dental appointments, grocery shopping, run errands, go to the gym at less busy time of the day, etc., etc. Typically, I would agree, and try to get all my errands complete on my Monday off. That wasn't so much the case today. I am currently wearing the pajamas I wore last night, and decided not to leave the house ONCE today. It's amazing how much you can get done when you force yourself to stay at home! I paid bills, wrote thank you notes, sent emails, choose our next book for book club, vacuumed my room, purchased my ticket to go home in June, did the dishes, and read. Exciting, huh?! Well, maybe not so much, but definitely relaxing!

Tonight I was passing through the living room, and the television was on. I haven't been watching too much tv lately, but saw that one of my favorite game shows was on, Deal or No Deal! Have you seen it?? With the one and only Howie Mandel?? I think he is pretty great. I soon found myself plopped on the couch, engrossed in the fate of this woman from the bronx. Will she make the deal, or keep going and lose more money? I find myself getting very passionate about the choices the contestants make on the show. Most of them are just too greedy. They share their story of how they have a ton of student loans, car & house loans, and how their mother raised them on welfare. But, what do they do? They are offered $160,000 and they turn it down for the small, VERY SMALL chance they will win the 1 million. I don't get it. Plus the family members there, always encourage the contestant not to settle, but to keep going. If they had any smarts, they would encourage them to play a little more safe. If you had the opportunity to get out of debt, and leave with more money than you started, why don't you take it?? We always want more, and are never satisfied with what's given or provided to us. Let me just tell you how I really feel :) As ridiculous as some contestants are, I still find myself hooked, waiting for the next case to open! I may just need to research how I could become a contestant on the show! Thank you Howie, and greedy Bronx woman for entertaining me tonight. At least you went home with some money :)

My roommates and I got talking about old games shows we used to watch. Supermarket Sweep anyone?? Hollywood Squares? Win, Lose, or Draw? Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? The Price is Right? I am kind of a game show nerd. I don't watch too often, but I can see myself in 40+ years, sitting in my recliner, shouting at the contestants to do what I think is best!

Reasons Why I love My Mother

2009-05-10T07:57:00.000-07:00

Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal
after you've had a baby ... somebody doesn't know that once you're a
mother,"normal" is history.

Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by instinct ... somebody
never took a three-year-old shopping.

Somebody said being a mother is boring .. somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a driver's permit.

Somebody said if you're a "good" mother, your child will "turn
out good"...somebody thinks a child comes with directions and a guarantee.

Somebody said "good" mothers never raise their voices.
Somebody never came out the back door just in time to see her child hit a golf ball through the neighbor's kitchen window.

Somebody said you don't need an education to be a mother. Somebody
never helped a fourth grader with his math.

Somebody said you can't love the second child as much as you love the
first ... somebody doesn't have two children.

Somebody said a mother can find all the answers to her child-rearing
questions in the books.... somebody never had a child stuff beans
up his nose or in his ears.

Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labor and
delivery...somebody never watched her "baby" get on the bus for the
first day of kindergarten ... or on a plane headed for military "boot camp."

Somebody said a mother can do her job with her eyes closed and
one hand tied behind her back ...somebody never organized seven
giggling Brownies to sell cookies.

Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her child gets
married....somebody doesn't know that marriage adds a new son or
daughter-in-law to a mother's heartstrings.

Somebody said a mother's job is done when her last child leaves
home....somebody never had grandchildren.

Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so you don't need to tell her ... somebody isn't a mother.

What a beautiful day we have to honor and celebrate motherhood and the women in our lives who have had great influence on our testimonies and the road to becoming more like our Savior. When I think of my mother, I am overcome with emotion. My mother truly is my best friend and the best example to me of living the gospel of Jesus Christ. My mother testifies to her children that she loves the Savior and Book of Mormon. My mother calls me frequently to check-in and make sure I am doing okay. My mother supports me in the decisions I make. My mother often times puts others needs before her own. My mother loves people, and does what she can to lighten their load. My mother is a woman of faith. My mother loves to laugh, and make her children laugh. My mother taught me correct principles. My mother is beautiful. My mother tells me often she loves me. My mother makes others feel comfortable around her. My mother is energetic, and optimistic about life. My mother places her family first. My mother's love comes nearer being like the love of God than any other kind of love.

I love this statement made by the First Presidency issued years ago. It really captures the importance and eternal nature of motherhood. “Motherhood,” they wrote, “is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels.”

Mom and I at graduation in NYC

Mom & I in Time Square

Mom & I over the holidays 2008

Lauren, Mom & I in DC 2009

Mom celebrating her 50th birthday

I LOVE YOU MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What would your memoir be titled?

2009-05-05T20:45:00.000-07:00

For book club this month, I've been reading, Barack Obama's book, "Dreams from My Father: A story of Race and Inheritance." Overall, I've enjoyed the book, and enjoyed learning more about our current President's life experiences. It helps give me a better understanding and insight to who he is.

Sunday evening, Brian & I were still in Utah, and stayed at our friend's cabin in the Provo Canyon. We took turns reading a loud Obama's book. We though it would be funny to come up with memoir titles for each member of our family. What can I say, we are easily entertained. These are all kind of family inside jokes...Here's what we came up with:

Dad: A Giant Among Men: Reflections on the Plan of Redemption

Mom: 6 Children, 1 Coach: A Mother's Take on Sports Psychology

Lesley: Tricks of the Trade: How to Cope with Radical Children

Jared: The Professorship: Mugs. Prestige. Service

Michele: Unsung Hero: Bridging Gaps of Social Injustice

Brian: A Defining Moment: Childhood to Manhood

Stephen: Adventures in a Foreign Land: Calling on Angels

Jeff: Overcoming Standardized Tests: An Insider's Look of Gaining an Extra Few Points

Lauren: The Art of Decision Making: Preference vs Principle

Haley: Unanswered Questions: What It's Like to be Me

Natalie: It's A Hard Knox Life: Enduring Sibling Dominance

Mollie (dog): Bug: Perhaps I had a Wicked Childhood

We are so funny!

p.s. Inflight Trivia saved my life. I went from SLC, to LA (waited 3 hours) to Atlanta, and finally to Baltimore. What we will do to save a few pennies. MRM was kicking some trash on the plane.

Family Time!

2009-05-05T19:17:00.000-07:00

Why is it that every time I visit with my family, I come home rejuvenated, and determined to be a little better. Family time is seriously the best! I went to Utah this past weekend to attend the funeral services of my grandpa Mickelsen. All but two grandchildren (my brother, Stephen serving in Taiwan, and the other Stephen in New Zealand) were able to attend. It was so great to visit with my extended and immediate family. My coworkers asked me how the services were, and how I was doing. I went on to describe how wonderful and fun it was to be with all of my family. Although funerals can be sad, and a time to mourn the ones we love, it is also a time of gratitude, and family togetherness. I am so grateful for the knowledge I have of the Plan of Redemption. It provides us with so much peace and hope!

This picture has to be one of my favorites. Aren't they adorable?!

Don't worry, in true Mickelsen fashion, we gathered at Chuck-A-Rama to honor our dear Father/Grandfather. The great grand kids were loving it! I have to admit, it wasn't as bad as I remembered. It was Chuck-A-Rama, Golden Coral, or the Sizzler. Take your pick :)

I love this picture of my grandparents. Married in the Manti Temple in June 27, 1946.

My two handsome brothers, Brian & Jeffrey. Of course, the most handsome is in Taiwan :)

Friday night the four of us siblings stayed at a hotel. I love late nights with your siblings. Everything is always so much funnier :)

We didn't even plan the semi matching outfits. We must be sisters. And yes, we love our flower clips.

My cousin Cara! One summer Cara and I met up at BYU basketball camp. Cara and her husband Kyle came to visit in NYC when I was in grad school. Cara, it was so great to visit with you and your adorable family!

Michael, Brian, Me, Linda

The Mickelsen Family at the Cemetery in Spanish Fork, UT

Thank you family for a wonderful visit and the support you are to me!

I get to see my girls today!!

2009-04-30T07:05:00.000-07:00

Moving Forward

2009-04-27T13:00:00.000-07:00

Many of my thoughts are with my grandpa Mickelsen today. What great life he lived. Grandpa knew every little fact about everything. He knew his geography, his agriculture, his science, he was a great poet, he knew how to have fun, and most importantly he loved his family, and the Savior, Jesus Christ. Growing up, grandma and grandpa would like to take the grand kids out to Chuck-a-rama!! For those of you who enjoy buffets, you may just enjoy this smorgasbord of food. Grandpa would always remind us to eat our vegetables first! My grandpa and grandma did an excellent job of teaching their children and grandchildren how to serve. One year for Thanksgiving, my extended family on the Mickelsen side decided to serve Thanksgiving Dinner at a soup kitchen in Salt Lake City, UT. I remember my grandpa making friends with everyone there. At one point he was over at the piano singing and laughing with the homeless individuals. We couldn't go anywhere, without grandpa stopping to talk with someone. He loved people.

Another great memory I shared with my grandpa was when I was a student at BYU. My relationship with grandpa strengthened in those years I lived in Provo. I would frequently go to their house for Sunday dinners. Grandpa would quiz me on my geography, and I always felt a little sheepish when I didn't know the answers! "You're a college student!" he would declare, teasing me a little.

Grandpa continually reminded his grandchildren to, "Keep their nose clean", and "keep the family chain linked". Grandpa, thank you for the legacy you lived, and the lessons you taught me. I love you!

Done & Done!

2009-04-19T14:49:00.000-07:00

My friend Erika and I trained for the Charlottesville, VA Half Marathon. Saturday was our big race! What a perfect day to run 13.1 miles :) The weather was beautiful, the run through the countryside was gorgeous, and we finished our race without stopping! We both were a little nervous when we learned this course was rated one of the steepest courses. It was difficult to train during the winter, but I am so glad we did. It was definitely worth it.

Here we are before the race...6:30am and looking our finest!

Our Cheerleaders! They were troopers to drop us off so early!

Ready for the race to begin!

We did it! We survived the hills!!

p.s. I LOVE CHARLOTTESVILLE!!!!!!! What an adorable city!
p.s.s. I will not be running a marathon...EVER!!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-13T12:57:00.000-07:00

Grandparents & General Conference

2009-04-13T10:31:00.000-07:00

Also while visiting Utah, I got to hang out with my brother, Brian, and my grandparents. What a treat! Brian and I headed to SLC Saturday afternoon to attend General Conference at the Conference Center. It had been a while since I was last there. I love conference. I always feel motivated, and recommitted to try a little harder in my efforts to live the gospel of Jesus Christ, and strengthen my relationship with the Savior. I feel a great sense of hope, and optimism after listening to the messages relayed by our living prophets and apostles. It is always nice to spend some one-on-one time with my brother, Brian. Brian was a freshman my senior year at BYU. We hit some of our old hot spots including, a j-dawg, and Cafe Rio!

I am also very grateful for the time spent with my grandma and grandpa Mickelsen. What neat people they are. I love them so much! Grandpa is still in the rehabilitation center. It was difficult for me to see him there. It was nice to keep grandma company. There are many qualities in my grandma mickelsen, that I hope to acquire someday. At her age, she is still driving, laughing, and making the most of life. Grandma is also very involved with family histories. She has put many books together of our ancestors over the years. I am amazed at the time, and hard work she's spent compiling all the life history books for her children and grandchildren. It is something I hope to get involved with, in the near future. Thank you grandma for taking the time to go through your books, and teaching me about your grandmother!

Brian & Grandpa

The four of us eating at the dining hall, and watching the Jazz game!

Let's Hear it for the Bells!

2009-04-13T09:41:00.000-07:00

A couple of weekends ago, I had the opportunity to go to Utah for Melissa's wedding. Melissa and I have been friends now for quite some time. The frienship started at BYU, taking social work classes together. We then headed to DC in 2005, to work at the National Council for Adoption. Not only did we share the same bedroom, and internship, but we soon found that we shared many similar interests: the gospel, social work, traveling, shopping, eating, working out, music, and even prank phone calls. After our Barlow Center days, we headed back to the land of Zion for our BYU graduation, and a move to Salt Lake City. It was then, I was introduced to these great girls: Krista, Nici, and Natalie.

Our year in Salt Lake is full of many great memories, including: Cancun Trip, Moab Trips, Harrison Cabin, Sugar House Park, Susana B-r-o-w-n-e and sometimes y, Blue Plate, dance parties, karaoke nights, and late night chats! After a great year in SLC, Melissa and I were not quite ready to part. We then headed to NYC to begin graduate studies in Social Work. It was there we met these great girls: Kellie, Karen & Kristan. Our year in NYC was also full of many great memories: FNL, Deluxe Diner, Isabella's, Broadway Shows, Central Park, Grey's Anatomy on the air mattress, hauling our purchased window air conditioners 10 blocks, because we were too poor to hail a taxi.

It was in NYC, that Melissa met this wonderful boy:

From that time on, I knew something was different about this relationship. Davis & Mel are great for eachother, and I couldn't be more happy for the two of them! Does a bride get more beautiful than this?!

I moved to DC after graduation, and it was sad to leave this girl. Thankfully she stayed in New York, and we made periodic weekend trips to visit each other. Mel is definitely one of a kind. I wish Mel & Davis the best of luck! So glad I could celebrate this special day with her!

The Mickelsen Ladies Go To Washington

2009-03-19T19:03:00.001-07:00

Last weekend my mom, and two sisters came to visit from Washington state. I anticipated this visit for quite some time! The weekend was great--full of shopping, site seeing, eating, walking, touring, girl talk, sleepovers, and rain. Honestly, we could have done without the rain. I loved, loved, loved spending the weekend with my favorite girls.

Here we are in Georgetown, perfecting the credit card swipe. Kidding. Dad you would have been impressed with our frugality.

One of my greatest memories of our girls weekend, was pillow talk at night. Mom and Lesley shared the bed, and Lauren and I on the air mattress. We rarely fell asleep before 1am the entire weekend.

Here we are checking out the First Ladies exhibit at the American History Museum. The First Ladies inauguration dresses were gorgeous!

Lauren and I give Abe a visit. Definitely one of my favorite monuments in the District.

And a visit to the White House...

Enjoying the night life in Georgetown...

Their first full day in the city, was indeed a full day. We started out at the National Archives, ate lunch at Union Square, toured the Supreme Court, Capitol, Library of Congress, then visited the Natural History Museum, took a short break for some hot chocolate at Adam's, and then off to Georgetown for shopping. While they were here we also visited the Holocaust Museum, Mt. Vernon, Arlington Cemetery, National Cathedral, and the DC Temple. Thinking about all we accomplished in the four days they were here kind of makes me laugh, and very tired.

Here we are posing in front of the Capitol.

Thanks for coming to see me! Lauren, I am glad you got to witness a two-story McDonalds :) Know that your always welcome back!! Start saving for girls weekend 2010.

2009-03-09T20:15:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was a first for my Honda and I. We drove together to NYC for Mel's bridal shower. I tell you, it definitely beats taking the bus! Thanks to some dear friends in Brooklyn, we avoided Manhattan parking fees and traffic!

It was so great to catch up with Melissa and Nat! Almost a holla house reunion...I even brought season 1 of the holla house, just in case! We met for brunch in the village, at a yummy place called, blue ribbon bakery. I couldn't get enough of the bread! Two of my girlfriends from graduate school also attended the bridal shower. I love going back to NYC, seeing my girls, and walking the city streets. I get giddy everytime.

Holly, Bryndee, Me, Nat

Saturday night, Adam and I went up 70 stories, to view the city from the Top of the Rock. It was fun to learn more about John D. Rockefeller, and how Rockefeller plaza came to be. It was a beautiful view of the city! You can see the Empire State Building in the back of this picture.

What would a trip to NYC be without a picture in Time Square?!?

One of Adam's good friends was so kind to let us stay with them for the weekend. Sunday afternoon we all participated in a blind chocolate tasting test. We made Adam wear a blindfold to ensure the results were pure, and non-biased. Included in the testing were the following brands of chocolate: Lindt, Symphony, Droste, Perugina, Hershey, Ghirardelli, and Milka. The first round of tasting was simply to get a tast of the variety of chocolates placed before us. During the second round, we taste tested our favorites, to clarify our rank order. The purpose of this taste testing, was to see what chocolate we enjoyed best, without knowing what brand of chocolate it was. My results:

1. Lindt

2. Sypmony bar with toffee/almonds

3. Milka

4. Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate

5. Hershey Milk Chocolate

6. Droste

7. Perugina

I kind of loved this test for several reasons: a. it was an excuse to eat chocolate. b. it was fun to learn my favorite kinds of chocolate. c. it cracked me up at how seriously we took the test! d. As I write this post, I can see that Adam is rubbing off on me...really, an entire 2 paragraphs dedicated to chocolate????? :)

Most Dramatic Season EVER!!

2009-03-09T19:45:00.000-07:00

Last Monday night was the Bachelor finale. Many of you know, that we get a little obsessed with show. Last season we fell in love with my fellow Washingtonian Jason, and thrilled to learn he was our next bachelor! Every bachelor finale, we, or "the girls" host a finale party.

Let me first introduce you to the ladies. Every Monday night we gathered at our place to watch Jason and his quest to find true love. Please note the Seattle Space Needle in the background. I didn't want to throw it away. I think it could be a good addition to the decor in our home. I don't think my roommates were fans of that idea :)

Instead of the usual greeting with roses, we each got a Washington Apple (Jason is from Kirkland, WA).

It couldn't be a Washington state themed party without Mr. Rainer!

or Pike's Place Market...

During the commercials, we took a timeout to play some party games. First we have, pin the sideburns on Nicci:

Secondly, we have the game, "Who is Who". I was pretty pleased with my performance in this game!

A little bubbly to celebrate the 2 minutes of excitement, until we learned Jason, one very confused man, dumped his fiance of 6 weeks for the runner up.

Finally, there had to be a shout out to our Canadian girl, Jillian. Bring on the bachelorette!

2 reasons why my weekend was so great....

2009-03-02T15:39:00.000-08:00

1. Two of my favorite people came to visit me from New York City, and London. These boys are like family to me!

2. BYU beat up on the UTES Saturday night at the Marriott Center (63-50)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A BYU victory, and UTE loss always brightens my day :) Ra-ra-ra-ra-ra- GO COUGARS!!!!!!!!!!!!

" No Your Not Hardcore, Unless You Live Hardcore!"

2009-03-02T14:34:00.000-08:00

Can anyone guess what movie the following quotes are from?!

"I pledge allegiance to the band..."

"Nice pipes Tamika"

"Now raise your goblet of rock. It's a toast to those who rock!"

ANYONE??? I maybe felt like I was in the movie, "School of Rock" last weekend, when a group of friends came over to play Rock band. My dreams of becoming a rocker came true Saturday night!! We busted out some Jon Bon Jovi, Fleetwood Mac, and Steve Miller Band, to name a few. For those unfamiliar with Rock band, it is a music video game, that allows players to perform in a virtual band. Check out the intensity on these faces!!

WYR

2009-02-26T18:01:00.000-08:00

Have any of you ever played Would You Rather?? Well if not, you are missing out. Lately my roommate has been emailing a WYR for the day. Let me show you how the game works.

Would you rather have an indelible grape Kool-Aid mustache

have permanent Doritos residue on your fingertips?

Answers:

1. I would rather have permanent Doritos residue on my fingertips!! If

you were starving, you would always have access to a little taste of

Doritos!

2. dorito hands, imagine a guy going in for a kiss and the guy is like it smells like grape cough syrup or something and then he would just not kiss you...TRAGIC! I would just wear gloves to cover up the cheese residue and smell! ;) Ohh and are these cool ranch doritos or normal?

3. Definitely doritos hands. You can't mess with the perfection of the face!

4. I have to agree with you...as much as it disgusts me to think of Doritos fingers, having a Kool-Aid mustache is unacceptable. But how sick is it that my keyboard would be icky w/ Doritos-ness all over it. SICK. But its the lesser of the two. I think you can choose which kind of Doritos...afterall, its a sign of your eatting them.

5. I would have each finger be a different flavor:

A. Salt and vinegar

B. Nacho Cheese

C. Cool Ranch

D. The spicy salsa one

E. Plain Corn Chips

F. Honey Soy Chicken

G. Spicy Thai

H. Kimchee

I. Cheese Curry

I can't believe that no one considered the money savings from licking your fingers for lunch or just the sheer pleasure of it all. It would certainly stop me from picking my nose… I would go Doritos for sure. That’s a no brainer.

6. Uhhhh.. that is an ingenious idea, though some of those flavors are sick and more importantly i think the issue warrenting discussion is that you need chip flavored fingers in order to stop picking your nose! :)

"Country Road, Take me Home!"

2009-02-22T14:09:00.000-08:00

Over Valentine's Day, and President's Day weekend I went with a group of friends to West Virginia! I recognize I am a little behind with this post. It was so nice to get away, and spend time with friends. Meet the group:

and our lovely cabin....

Over the weekend, I found a new hobby: Horseshoeing. We split up in pairs, and had ourselves a double elimination tournament. Team MichAdam showed a strong performance. Unfortunately, not good enough to keep up with Reed & Grayden.

We went hiking, played some football, learned how to properly hold a gun with sticks...

The boys cooked up some delicious salmon...by far the best meal of the weekend!

Went Canoeing on the Lake

Somebody has good taste in flowers!! Aren't these tulips beautiful?!?

Participated in a poetry slam...you can never go wrong with Meatloaf!

Played some rather competitive rounds of catch phrase! Definitely a Michele favorite.

I can't forget the heart-shaped pancakes on Valentine's Day. After a few attempts, we produced the perfect heart-shaped pancake.

Thank you Amber & Andy for planning a Wild & Wonderful weekend in West Virginia!!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-01-28T16:37:00.000-08:00

Go-Bama!

2009-01-21T09:47:00.000-08:00

Over the last several days, I've had the opportunity to participate in the inauguration festivities. What a fun, exciting, COLD, and crowded weekend it was. The weekend started off right when I purchased my very own, "I Heart Obama" t-shirt. Don't worry, my shirt was well worth the $14.99 I spent on it, as I wore it Friday night, Sunday, & Tuesday.

Sunday afternoon Adam & I headed down to the Mall to participate in the free, public concert at the Lincoln Memorial. There were projector screens, & speakers set up everywhere. We made it as far as the World War II Memorial. The event honored Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, and other forefathers of this great Nation. We got to sing-a-long to patriotic songs sung by some of my favorite musicians. Those of you who know me well, know that I get pretty giddy when it comes to singing patriotic music. I love events such as this that bring Americans together to celebrate the freedoms we enjoy today.

Some of the celebs that attended the concert: Tom Hanks (at least we got a classy celeb to pay tribute to Abraham Lincoln)
James Taylor
BONO, BONO, BONO, BONO, BONO, BONO, BONO, BONO, BONO, BONO, BONO!!!! I kind of went nuts when he sang, Pride.
Mr. President himself, Barack Obama. Others in attendance: Bruce Springsteen, John Cougar-Mellencamp, Bob Seeger, Stevie Wonder, Garth Brooks, Usher, and singing the closing song, "America the Beautiful, Beyonce.

Monday, we decided to go on a day trip to Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson. We went on a guided tour of the home. I enjoyed touring the house, furnishings, and learning a little about the architecture. Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, was indeed an inspired man.
January 20, 2009: Thanks to my lovely roommate, I got a purple ticket for the big event. A group of us left early Tuesday morning, clothed in many, many layers. Despite the low temperature, we were determined to participate in the excitement going on in our city! We didn't have any trouble getting there, however the madness began as soon as we stepped out of the metro. We stood in line for a couple of hours, and moved only a block or two in that time. During our time in line, ambulances tried to maneuver there way through the crowds to attend to emergencies. I couldn't believe how many people were there. Every direction you looked, masses of people stood, trying to inch their way to the National Mall. Unfortunately, our gate closed when we were about 100 feet from the gate. Ticket holders were quite upset. We were a little disappointed, but it was just fun to be down there amongst the crowds of people. What an exciting day in DC!

Adam, Lisa, & Kevin
Lisa, Michele, & Adam
After we found out the gate was closed, we headed over to Adi's office in the Senate building. We attended a Utah Delegation Party, where food, and hot chocolate was served. It was nice to get inside, away from the freezing cold! The coolest part, was when we watched the Marine One fly away from the Capitol. We had a direct view to the Capitol from where we were. Although I am excited for a new Presidency in the WH, it was sad to say goodbye to President Bush, and Laura. I am very grateful for their service and devotion to our country. I was disappointed to hear people booing the former President at the Inauguration ceremony. As Brian would say, "Respect the office, tolerate the occupant!"
Adi took us on a tour of Senator Hatch's office. I was hoping we could have jammed to a little Hatch/JKP medley (Janice Kapp Perry). A special thanks to Adi for the tickets and a fun celebration at the Hart Building.
Let's hope the next four years bring growth, security, and a better America! I am hopeful!!

Welcome 2009!!!

2009-01-05T12:33:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! It was fun to be in DC this New Year's Eve. I went into work on Wednesday, and was told to go home after my 10am meeting! Happy New Year to me! Later that evening, group of friends came over to our place to celebrate. I love my life in DC. I feel very fortunate to have made such fun, and kind friends!

Chels prepared a fun game for us all to play. There were four categories: celebrities, religion, sports, and politics. Magazine cut-outs of people represented in each category, were displayed on poster board. We had 15 minutes to try and guess all of the photographed people. I did alright in the religion, and celebrity category. I was a little disappointed in my sports knowledge!

Later that evening we made crepes. These were not just any crepes. These were Adam's family recipe crepes, and oh so delicious!

What will 2009 hold for you!?!?! Perhaps, "Wine & Dine, in 2009?" or "Find Mine in 2009!"

"Bye Buddy, Hope you find your dad!"

2009-01-04T14:55:00.000-08:00

Why we take pictures on Christmas morning, I don't know! But every year we take plenty of Christmas day shots, and they are always awful! We didn't have the girls this Christmas, so we got to sleep in a little. Sleeping in a little at my house on Christmas morning was 7:45a.m. After we opened gifts, we ate a yummy breakfast, and enjoyed the rest of our Christmas day.

Brian and I did a little fashion show with some of our new gifts. Brian gets nice, new clothes, and I got work-out attire. What are my parents trying to tell me??! Just kidding! I love my new work-out outfit!

I took this picture before Haley left for Utah. A kid in feety pj's is the way to my heart. Isn't she adorable in her Dora pj's??
Dinner & Movie night with the fam! (Dad, Lauren, Mom)

This is our backyard. We don't usually get too much snow in the TC. This winter we got about 8 inches.
It was so nice to spend some time with my parents and siblings. Living so far away from home can be difficult at times. It was nice to go home and get rejuvenated! Thank you mom and dad for a wonderful vacation! How grateful I am for my family!!!

Vacation Updates

2008-12-20T14:59:00.000-08:00

Day 1: Arrived in Seattle, WA. I fortunately made my connecting flight in Dallas, TX. It was a long day flying, but so worth it to be home!

Day 2: The weather in Seattle was quite stormy. I stayed in the house and played with Haley and Nat. Haley showed me her new tutu Lesley made her. Doesn't get much cuter than this! Haley and I also made sure I toes were painted pretty for Christmas. Natalie is the sweetest, smiley baby! My favorite is when she puts her little hands on my face for a kiss. Brian finally arrived, after his flight was delayed 6 hours!

Day 3: CHRISTMAS for the girls! Jared & Lesley are headed to UT for Christmas, so Haley and Natalie got to open their gifts early. The Huff family doesn't mess around. Lesley and Jared woke Brian and I up at 7:30a.m. They even woke Haley up to open presents!

IV align=left>
Natlie loves her new toy! She was rocking out to the music, and loved checking herself out in that mirror!

Haley is very into Disney Princesses. Here Haley is showing off her new Little Mermaid outfit.

Haley tearing open more gifts!

I absolutely love being an aunt. It really is too much fun. These girls are the sweetest, and I can't get enough of them!

Day 4: Brian and I safely made it over the pass, and arrived home to mom and dad. We were welcomed home with a nice, warm meal! I love going home and spending time with my family! We even decided to do a little bowling...mom takes #1! I noticed this picture hanging on the refrigerator--my parents goofing off in a photo booth! I love it.

Viva Puerto Rico!

2008-11-30T19:06:00.000-08:00

I heart Puerto Rico. The reasons why:

A. Spending time with these lovely ladies: Kim, Mel, Chels, Me, Adi

B. Touring around beautiful, Old San Juan. C. continuous photo shoots throughout the trip...such a good looking group!
Adam, Mel, Chels, KYea, Me, Adi

D. Piña Coladas!!! I consumed at least 4 on the trip.
E. The El Yunque Rain Forest. This was one of my favorite stops of the trip. It was absolutely beautiful. We had fun hiking around, playing in waterfalls, and avoiding monogooses.

F. Driving around with the "Puma" Family. (side note: we names ourselves the Puma Family, after we all went crazy at the Puma store in San Juan. Some of us a little more than others :) Got to love a good sale). I found myself in the backseat for the majority of the trip. The backseat was referred to as the "monkey cage." Yes, at times we got a little out of control. Monkeys just wanna have fun!
G. Condom World was everywhere. Seriously on every block. Hey, at least they are promoting safer sex. Perhaps if this was on every block in DC, my clients would stop getting pregnant. They really need to get a new logo.

H. Riding the ferry to the island of Vieques. Adi and I took a little snooze on the way there, enjoying the sunshine!!I. V.I.E.Q.U.E.S. I loved, loved, LOVED this island. Vieques is a small island east of the Puerto Rican mainland. It was here, that we went kayaking in the Bioluminescent Bay. The "bio bay" consists of water that has four times as much salt as the ocean. The luminescence is caused by micro-organisms, which glow whenever the water disturbed. Swimming around in glow-in-the-dark water was seriously one of the coolest things I've ever done.

J. Navio Beach- I've been to quite a few beaches, (Cancun, Jamaica, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Miami) BUT none of them compared to Navio Beach. Not only was this beach breathtaking, but we had the entire beach to ourselves for a good chunk of the day. Navio Beach is on the island of Vieques. It is a beach that is mostly known by the locals. A little off-roading is required to get to the beach. The water was so warm and clear. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face when we first arrived to this beach. I wish I could do a better job of adequately describing it's beauty!

Cindee, Annette, Me, Chels, Adi, Kim

K. Blessing the rains down in "Africa". Don't worry--we had a little sing-a-long at dinner one night to Toto's, "Africa". I think everyone at the bar/restaurant thought we were a little nuts, or perhaps intoxicated. I tell you, it's amazing what a cherry coke can do to you!

L. Dinner/Lunch with these quality people: Kyea, Mel, Adi, Me, Adam

M. Adi and I maybe stayed up all night before we left for PR, making these crazy shirts for the girls. We had a few problems with electronics that night, i.e. internet connection, and printer. I kind of like the lighting in this pic.

Could have done without: the crazy wild cats roaming around EVERYWHERE! Sick. Seriously, where do they come from, and WHY so many?? I hate cats.

Football Season 2008

2008-11-30T17:45:00.000-08:00

Football season hasn't quite been the same since I left college. Since my time at BYU, I've made it to a few away games: Notre Dame, Boston College, and the University of Utah. Every year during my BYU days, I would gather with friends at early hours of the morning, to get in line for a season sports pass. I always looked forward to opening game at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Students were back from the summer, ready for a new semester to begin. I cannot adequately express the excitement I felt as I entered the stadium for the first time of a season. Almost spiritual. I attended BYU in the days of Luke Staley, Brandon Doman, Reno Mahe, and Matt Payne. My freshman year the cougars went undefeated in our home stadium! It was such a great year. I love winning. I remember charging the field when we beat the U. Such a glorious day. BYU dominated Utah in the 70's, 80's and early 90's. Since the 21st century, the Utes and the Cougars have battled back and forth to win the holy war. Unfortunately, this year ended with a U win. I woke up the morning of the 22nd with butterflies in my stomach. A group of us headed to a local pub to watch the holy war this year. It was wonderful to watch with friends, even though some are U FANS!!! Adi, Lisa, and I made a bet on the game. I regret to post the following video:

I can only hope next year's game will end differently. I suppose I will keep this one as a friend, even though he's a U fan.

The group at Crystal City Pub.

Soulja Boy

2008-10-31T21:40:00.000-07:00

Photo Shoots in DC

2008-10-25T07:38:00.000-07:00

I am loving DC in the fall! It is gorgeous here, and the colors are breath taking. In the last couple of weeks, I've ventured into the district to walk around the monuments. I love the monuments at night. I especially enjoy the World War II Memorial, and the Lincoln Memorial. Sometimes I stop myself and think, I really live here!! It is fun having friends and FAMILY come to visit, and taking them around to all the hot spots in the district. Adam and I found some great spots to take pictures at the Jefferson Memorial. Why shadows are so exciting, I don't know! Last weekend my dear friend, Natalie came to visit me from Boston. I hadn't seen this girl in over a year! We did what we always do when we get together: chat, eat, shop, would-you-rather, rank order, and prank call. We are very mature. We also participated in a photo shoot at the monuments. We walked, and walked and walked some more...from the Capitol to the Lincoln, then over to the Jefferson Memorial. Nat, it was so great to see you!

Adam is looking pretty buff in this pic

We thought it would be funny to post this picture as a surprise to you all :)

VOTE FOR LINCOLN!!!
Only the coolest pose EVER!! Jeff, I still got hops :)

I. Love. BYU. Football

2008-10-15T19:42:00.000-07:00

Dearest cougars,

I haven't blogged about you yet this season. Please don't feel neglected. I don't know why I've been holding out...maybe to allow for more victories to accumulate. I can now brag ABOUT your AMAZING record!! I direct my friends here to see for themselves your 6 (soon to be 7) straight W's. I want you to know I will be thinking of you tomorrow night. If I may offer some words of encouragement and commentary...

* Play with confidence, you're a cougar, not a horned frog!

*Hall, I need you to focus and play the game you know how to play. You've only been sacked once this season. ONCE. I am not sure ANY other first string QB can say the same.

* Collie keep your eyes on the ball. Make every play count.

* I love you Fui Vakapuna. I love saying your name even more.

* If you don't know how to pronounce Unga correctly, just ask JKP (Janice Kapp Perry).

* Limit your penalties.

* W.I.N.

I look forward to spending the evening with you tomorrow.

Your truest fan,

Michele

I LOVE THESE GIRLS!!

2008-10-12T20:40:00.000-07:00

You know you are getting old WHEN...Part 2

2008-10-07T20:40:00.000-07:00

This is another adult purchase to add to my list! It is much more exciting than a vacuum and ironing board! Thank you Pier 1 for having a sale. And thank you Adi and Kyea for helping me pick this up in the rain! Now I need to work on the wall above my bed! Any thoughts??

GC and Life

2008-10-07T19:29:00.000-07:00

Random thoughts this week...

1. I loved General Conference weekend. I was sad it ended so quickly. I came away with renewed motivation to do a little better, and try a little harder. I loved the messages of hope and prayer. I loved how individual and inspired the messages were. I am grateful for opportunities to feel the Spirit in my life. I know that President Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet of God. For my non-lds blog readers, you can learn more about General Conference, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints here.
And how about 5 new temples?! That is definitely something to get excited about. Hopefully I will still be around to attend the Philadelphia, PA temple dedication. I still remember the conference session when President Hinckley announced there would be a temple somewhere in the Tri-Cities area of the state of Washington! Such a good moment!

I was missing the fam this weekend. They were all together visiting my grandparents; stalking my brother on his date :) Brian, you are a good sport! Final thought on General Conference: My friends and I decided if we played General Conference Bingo this year we would add the word: Lehonti (He was mentioned quite a few times!) Overall, a wonderful weekend spent with friends (the next best to my family)!

2. I hate being a girl sometimes. Guys, don't even try to empathize.

3. I am sick of the elections. Can it please be November 4th already?

4. I wish I had Direct tv to watch my FNL friends. I am especially missing Coach Taylor and Matt Saracen.

5. Did anyone see this movie? I went with a few friends Saturday night, and really enjoyed it! I found myself getting a little choked up at the end...you should go see it.

That's all for now!

"Africa"

2008-09-20T06:18:00.000-07:00

I've been kind of obsessed with Toto lately. Thank goodness for youtube and these amazing music videos. Seriously cracking me up right now.

"I want it that way"

2008-09-16T19:28:00.000-07:00

This summer has been a summer full of concerts. Celine deserved her own post, but I thought I'd update you on the other rockin' concerts I went to in the last few months.

1. AMERICAN IDOL

My friends and I were a little obsessed with this season's American Idol. What a better way to celebrate the season then joining the idols on tour! The best part is that Lisa, Adi, and Amber got to meet the idols earlier that day! What, what!!

Adi and Jason Castro

Lisa and her man, David Cook

Isn't archie adorable?!

My favorite song of the night goes to Michael Johns, singing a couple Queen covers! How did MJ get kicked off so early!? Good times at the Verizon Center!

Concert #2: Maroon 5 & Counting Crows

Lisa, Melissa, Chelsea and I headed to the Nissan Pavilion to enjoy some good tunes. Thanks to Meliss, we got VIP parking and tailgated a little before the concert. Maroon 5 was a lot of fun...I found Adam Levine to be pretty nice on the eyes. Counting Crows was kind of a disappointment. The lead singer was seriously on crack, or something stronger. He was ALL over the place. Lisa and I enjoyed watching the entertaining people around us. Got to love how out of it people get at concerts.

Concert #3: Backstreet's Back ALRIGHT!! Yes, I went to a Backstreet Boy Concert!

You all know you listened to, "I want it that way" on repeat. Lisa got us free tickets to go see the bsb at Wolf Trap. I don't think I've been to this loud of a concert ever. The teens were going crazy. I especially enjoyed the props they used while performing. Nick Carter... always a heart breaker! They sang a lot of their old hits, "Quit Playing Games With My Heart", "Everybody (Backstreet's back)", "Larger than Life" and "Show Me the Meaning of being Lonely". Ladies, get excited, they came out with a new album!
Concert #4: Cheap Trick, Heart & Journey!!!

All three bands hold a special place in my heart. This is my kind of music. Sometimes I wonder what i would have been like as a teenager in the 80's. I love, love, love 80's rock. Adam and I made cd's of these groups before the concert, to brush up on the lyrics. We got to the concert a little late and missed cheap trick. I loved Heart, especially when the sang "Alone". Celine Dion sang "Alone" at her concert as well...such a great song! I think I may have missed my other favorite Heart song, "What About Love." It was interesting to listen to Journey with their new lead singer, who sounds exactly the same as the original lead singer. The band replaced their lead singer in December 2007, after seeing him on Youtube videos doing Journey covers! I got the chills when they sang, "Don't Stop Believing." "Faithfully, "Anyway You Want It" and "Open Arms" were a few more favorites. I love concerts at Nissan Pavilion. It is such a beautiful venue.
Adam and I going a little crazy after the concert!

"My Heart Will Go On"

2008-09-16T18:42:00.000-07:00

I can check off one of my life goals: experiencing the greatness of Celine. I've been anticipating this concert for over a year now. I've heard Celine concerts are powerful, some have even said spiritual. Probably one of the most dramatic concerts I have EVER been to. But seriously, she was so energetic, and a great performer. Mel came to visit for the weekend, which made it even a greater experience. We purchased pink Celine t-shirts...every girl needs one of these by the way!

We were pretty giddy after purchasing our pink shirts!

Before the show we met up with the girls for some pizza at Matchbox. The Canadian star reached up and brought it back down! Thank you Celine for your inspiring words. A new day has come.

good laughs with Jonny

2008-09-08T06:26:00.000-07:00

Melissa showed me this and I thought it was pretty funny. Obviously this happens on both sides of the political spectrum. Thank you Jon for providing me with a little entertainment.

beach withdrawal

2008-09-08T05:51:00.001-07:00

Over Labor Day weekend, I went to Delaware with a couple of friends, Kyle and Peter. We drove to Hockessin, Delaware for the weekend, and stayed with Kyle's aunt and uncle. It was a nice, relaxing weekend. We spent Saturday playing basketball, swimming in their pool, and listening to the BYU football game on the radio. I loved not having to do anything this weekend. I slept in the basement, in a room with no windows, and a california king bed. It was wonderful. So wonderful that the first morning I rolled out of bed at 9:45a.m. to find Kyle and Peter on the couch watching t.v. They proceeded to tell me they had been up since 7:30a.m. They had to deal with the sun and lots of windows, and I slept like a baby! Monday morning we drove to Rehoboth Beach. BUT...First, we stopped at the outlets, which turned out to be a successful stop. It can be a different experience shopping with boys. They were good sports, and allowed me to spend some time in my two favorite stores, banana and jcrew. The best part was when I called Melissa to find out Sarah, Melissa and Chelsea were all in the dressing room at the same store! Of course we had to show each other our potential purchases, so we all piled in to one dressing room. After a while, I received a text from the boys, wondering if I needed a hand with anything. Oops...I guess I lost track of time! Anyway, we had fun at the outlets, then finally went to the beach for a few hours. The only time I thought to take pictures was the day I didn't shower, and had been in the sun all day.

Natalie's Blessing Day

2008-08-26T17:10:00.000-07:00

Natalie all dressed up for her blessing!
What a good looking family I have! Brian, I am still not sold on the pink tie :) Just teasing! However, I do see a resemblance of Jude Law!! Jeff, I think Brian's got you by an inch or two...come on now! Mom, you look beautiful as always. Lauren, tell the Munns boy to stay away, you're too young! Haley, no more cookies and pb&j's for you! Just kidding!!!! I love my Hays and her chubby cheeks :) Natalie is as perfect as can be! I miss you guys. How goes the DC vacation plan?! Let's put those sky miles to use. Get on it.

Weekend in Annapolis!

2008-08-17T19:46:00.000-07:00

There once was a girl named Lisa. Lisa had a birthday in July, but decided to vacation all summer long. Lisa's friends tried to find a time close to her birthday, for a surprise getaway weekend celebration. A few weeks after the big day, Lisa's friends kidnapped her and took her to the lovely town of Annapolis, MD. Lisa was told to pack an overnight bag, and get in the car. Upon arriving to Annapolis, the girls blindfolded Lisa, and led her to the hotel room.

Next the girls went out on the town, for some yummy seafood in their sailor hats. Annapolis is the home to the United States Naval Academy. The girls attracted a lot of attention in their sailor hats, especially captain Lisa.
Here they are at dinner...

And here they are with the only sailor they could find. Sailors must have a curfew.
After a night out on the town, the girls headed back to the hotel for food, movies, nails, and facials. The ultimate girl's weekend, for sure.

These three lovely ladies were very excited about their freshly painted nails and toes!
The next morning, the crew went to brunch and spent the day shopping. What an excellent weekend for a group of friends to spend time together and celebrate someone they absolutely love and adore! Happy Birthday to Lisa!
The End.

Obama's Response

2008-08-11T21:01:00.000-07:00

Ahh, got to love the campaign advertisements!