Fall

It's coming.  I can feel it.  And it feels so right. 

Today's National Geographic photo of the day - Aspen Forest, Colorado

Italy

Remember that time I went to Italy?  Well I do, and today I feel like reminiscing about it here.  Get ready:

First off, we passed Kanye in the SLC airport.  No joke. Then it was all down hill from there as we had many a struggle getting there.  Lets just say that we spent a few days sleeping in airports.  One of us cried quite a bit while one of us laughed quite a bit, but we finally made it.  

 AND we got to experience first class!  I don't think I can ever go back, which means that I will never be able to afford to fly internationally again...

We saw 100,000 really cool things.

 I love a good ceiling. (That's me in the Pantheon!)

 We participated in a bit of ridiculousness. Obviously.

 

We threw coins in the Trevi Fountain so clearly we will be back someday.

 

We ate pizza everyday.  Mostly delicious, but you can't win em all.

Occasionally we ate things other than pizza.  But only occasionally.

And I had a birthday!  My golden birthday to be precise. 26 on March 26th.

My birthday gift from Jill and Cindy.

 We also had some major struggles coming home.  We were stuck in Venice for 3 days (which sounds like a cooler problem than it is) but when we finally made it, we got first class again!  I'm telling you, this was a legitimate highlight.

I long to go back.  I love traveling and seeing the different cultures and buildings and art and just all around beauty that the world has to offer.  I went with some pretty great people and fulfilled some lifelong dreams.  I couldn't of asked for more for my birthday.

26

So last week was my birthday.  I am now 26, which just really sounds super old, but that's beside the point.  Anyway, with the help of Cindy and Jill I came up with 26 goals for my 26th year.  See what we did there?

1. Go see Wicked with my new boyfriend in August.  Or maybe Jill.
2. Find a boyfriend by August.
3. Find a new hairstyle.
4. Finish a book in time for book club.
5. Go to Italy (this one might be kinda cheap since I was there while making these goals, but hey it was a life goal)
6. Finish more of the projects that I start.
7. Perfect a new skill.
8. Be healthier.
9. Find more time to run.
10. Get a tan.
11. Communicate more.
12. Cry more.
13. Find the perfect nail polish.
14. Cook more.
15. Go to more concerts.
16. Watch the Olympics.
17. Learn every word to Gangsta's Paradise (weird that I don't already know them).
18. Go to the ballet.
19. Go fishing.
20. No unapproved fade outs.
21. Go camping.
22. Drink more water.
23. Leave Italy (and after 4 days of trying we finally did!)
24. Be nicer.
25. Be more decisive.
26. Commit.

And there they are.  I'm feeling pretty good about this year, even if I am now officially in my late 20s.  I really am excited, so bring it on 26, I'm ready.

Art and gelato

You guys, I'm in Italy. We had some adventures (to be expounded upon later) getting here, but now I am here and loving it. I had this moment yesterday, while I was eating some gelato, strolling towards the Pantheon, that I realized just how cool this is, and how much I love getting out and seeing new places. The world has so many things to show me and I want to see it all. So, we're here and we're making it happen. I'm in a beautiful place with some pretty great people and right now, in this moment, life is pretty dang good.

I'm Back

When I get in the habit of doing this regularly, I start thinking of everything in life in terms of blog posts.  I don’t post all of them clearly, but I do think about them and how I would write it or lay it out and what picture I would post or the fact that I should take a picture to post!  But then when I get a new job, and move, and just stop having as much time to do things like this, I get out a my groove.  However, with 2012 being the year of commitment and all (2012 commit-elve, duh) I refuse to give up.  Also, today I have something funny I would like to mention.  Remember that time that I made Jill commit to being the biggest fan of whoever purchased our services (at a church sponsored service auction people) for one week with me?  I do, and this is that week.  And if I dare say so myself, I think the recipient is feeling the love.*  One of my favorite parts of the week is the blog that has been created in his honor.  Jill has taken that one over and the posts are pretty good.  Check it out here. Also, on an unrelated, not funny, but pat myself on the back note, I have finally moved all the way in to my house! You wouldn’t believe how clean my room is.  AND I made my bed today.  I’m such a big kid.

*To be fair, I stole most of the ideas from my friend Lizzy Jones.  She's just so clever.

Review

Well guys, it's that time again, when everyone reflects on the previous year and comments on how great it was (see last year's here).  I wasn't going to post this, on account of I have a problem following the crowd sometimes and also because I've just been kind of busy (let's be serious, that's the real reason), but here it is nonetheless:

2011 in review:

Winter Highlights (split up for you into semesters, I think that I may split up my years into semester segments for the rest of my life. thanks for something college education) - Lava Hot Springs, falling in love with all things Korean, turning 25, the zoo, Just Dance, Earth Day, Tulip Festival, scavenger hunting, Bear Lake

Summer Highlights - Mustaches on Cinco de Mayo, D.C., FloRida, Racing to cure Alopecia, a wedding at the James Madison house, San Francisco, Yellowstone, more weddings, Jackson Hole

 Fall Highlights - Fall was full of a lot of fun and a lot of goodbyes.  Park City, the Serving Time Cafe (so fun/good!), my first attempt at cutting hair, Swiss Days, Demolition Derby, food, eating good food and a tea party.

So that's all for 2011.  Doesn't seem half bad, and it really wasn't. 

 

Happy New Year everybody!

I've always wanted a kid I could name Atticus

And this my friends is why.

Love. This. Book.