Steelergal

Something to post...

2010-01-14T10:42:00.003-05:00

Yes, I know it's been ages since I've blogged. It's also been ages since I've caught up on my emails. Sorry everyone, but life has been crazy lately. Work is busier than ever as I'm trying to get a handle on my new job responsibilities. And in the middle of everything else at work, we decided to totally redesign our newsroom website. One good thing about that...I'm learning how to build and develop websites.

I'm also determined to get to the gym 3-4 times a week. So far, so good. I mean, the gym is IN MY OFFICE BUILDING. This should not be an issue (though I still have to talk myself into going every time).

I'm also trying to cook more often. I got a wok and some decent pans for Christmas. I'm on the lookout for recipes (so feel free to share!). I successfully made chili last week and my mom's chicken enchiladas this week. My ultimate goal is pie crust like mom and grandma. We'll see.

Here's a fabulous recipe that everyone should make immediately. Thanks Staci, for sharing! It's super easy, but be warned, it doesn't last long!

Baked Corn

Ingredients
1 15.25-ounce can whole kernel corn
1 14.75-ounce can cream-style corn
½ cup sour cream
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 eggs
1 12-ounce package corn muffin mix

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the whole kernel corn, cream-style corn, sour cream, melted butter or margarine, beaten eggs and corn muffin mix. Mix well and pour into 9x13 inch baking pan.

Bake for 35-45 minutes.

Serves 10-12

Magical Night of Music

2009-10-14T09:44:00.013-04:00

Last night Eileen and I had tickets to see Marc Broussard (w/Charlie Mars opening) at the Birchmere. For those of you not in Virginia, the Birchmere is a great little music venue with table seating. You line up for a number when you pick up your tickets at will call and then they let people in based on the number. We were 11th in line and ended up with seats in the very front, about a foot from the stage. And, it turns out, directly in front of Marc. :)

We started a conversation with the others at our table and learned that one of the ladies (Becca) was a member of Marc's fan club and had meet & greet passes for the show. She was a die hard fan and we found out we had both seen Marc in Pittsburgh a few years ago at Mr. Smalls. She left to go pick up her meet & greet wristbands and when she came back, she had 2 extra with her. She graciously offered them to us and we were thrilled! After a quick trip to the Birchmere gift shop to buy a CD for him to sign (since I didn't have one with me of course), we got in line for the meet & greet. While we waited backstage (only about 20 of us!), we heard Marc and his band doing a little rehearsing. Then he walked out, said hello and started chatting with everyone. We took photos, he signed stuff and thanked us for coming. It was over quickly, but he was amazing.

I knew he was fantastic live, but this show was the best I've seen. His guitar player (Joe Stark) is young and talented and amazing and I love him. The band (Marc, Joe and Chad the drummer) seem to be good friends and have a great connection with each other. It was the first show of their fall tour and I imagine they'll only get better as the tour goes on. If Marc Broussard is coming to your town...GO SEE HIS SHOW.

The opener was Charlie Mars...a great singer/songwriter from Mississippi. He's beautiful to look at and listen to. And he has a southern drawl that melts me. :)

A great night of music was enjoyed by all who were there...and it was finished off with a kickass version of Steamroller Blues...one of my favorites. Thanks to Becca for letting us join her backstage and thanks to Marc, Joe, Chad & Charlie for sharing your incredible talents!

Lesson of the Day

2009-09-29T09:28:00.009-04:00

This is correct.

So is this.

And this will work too.

This, however, is NOT correct.

This is also incorrect. Rhinestones? Really?

And this is TOTALLY and COMPLETELY horrible.

To quote from one of my favorite blogs...
"I don’t care if your boyfriend/husband/whatever bought it for you. Shame on you if you bought it for yourself. We are the Pittsburgh Steelers, not some sissy team from Cleveland. You DO NOT look cute when you wear something like this, you look like an idiot who doesn’t know a damn thing about football! If your boyfriend/husband/whatever wants to buy you a team jersey, make sure he knows the official colors. The same applies to Pitt football, whose colors are Blue and Gold."

Listen to me people, the Steelers' colors are black and gold. NOT PINK. If you want to follow this team, you must wear their colors. If you want to wear pink, then pick another team to support. Yes, I know that the official Steelers store sells these monstrosities. Just because you can buy it, doesn't mean you should wear it. I mean, stores sell spandex in size XXL...does that make it okay for someone who's XXL to wear spandex? NO.

There is one exception to the pink rule...you may wear the pink Steelers baseball cap because proceeds from those sales go to breast cancer research. That is all.

I'm proud to wear the black and gold. LET'S GO STEELERS!!!

Blowin In The Wind

2009-09-16T23:08:00.001-04:00

Such a loss. RIP Mary...your beautiful voice will be missed for sure.

Lists

2009-08-23T23:31:00.002-04:00

It's been ages since I've updated the blog and I'm pretty sure no one reads it anymore, but I'm in the mood to make a few lists. And who knows, maybe if I start updating this more often, I'll get my handful of readers back!

Driving Way Too Much
1. The threat of rain and being on I-70 seem to be two things that make people forget how to drive
2. Yelling at stupid drivers makes me feel better, even though they don't know I'm yelling at them
3. Just because you flip on your turn signal, does not make it okay to cut me off at 70 MPH
4. EZ Pass is the greatest creation...EVER
5. The best Sheetz is in Breezewood...people should go there just to check out that Sheetz
6. Diet Coke, Junior Mints and Broadway cast albums are must haves when dealing with traffic

Current Obsessions
1. Any and all things associated with the current Broadway revival of Hair
2. Cooking shows (even though I don't cook)
3. Neil Gaiman
4. Finding the perfect shelves to organize the kitchen
5. Pushing Daisies: Season 2

Music I'm Listening To
1. Hair (New Cast Recording) (see above)
2. Ray LeMontagne
3. Marc Broussard (to prepare for his concert in October)
4. Otis Redding
5. Annie Lennox
6. U2 (to prepare for their concert in September)

The Actions of Cowards...

2009-07-17T10:10:00.002-04:00

Our deepest sympathies go out to the victims of the tragic bombings that took place earlier today in Jakarta, Indonesia. Immediately following the incident, police and hotel security responded and sealed off the area. Our guests at both properties were evacuated and moved to other nearby hotels. Injured guests and hotel employees were taken to the hospital for treatment. Both hotels sustained damage, but it does not appear to be structural. At the time of the incident, extensive security procedures were in place at the Ritz-Carlton and the JW Marriott. We continue to work closely with the authorities and hope to reopen the hotels soon. As always, the safety and security of our guests and associates is our top priority.

http://www.blogs.marriott.com/default.asp?item=2400925

For guest information, please contact the Marriott Family Assistance Hotline at 866/211-4610 or 402/390-3265.

'Hair' 'Let's the Sunshine...

2009-06-26T16:24:00.001-04:00

Just another reason I'm wishing I lived in New York.

'Hair' 'Let's the Sunshine...

Shared via AddThis

Praying for Teague

2009-04-20T10:18:00.002-04:00

My cousin Sara found out last week that her sweet little boy Teague has a brain tumor and he was admitted to the hospital on Saturday to have it removed. The surgery was successful, all of the tumor was removed (initially, they weren't sure they could remove it all). Now the waiting game has begun to find out what type of cancer they're dealing with. They found out today that he's healing well and the brain doesn't seem to be at all damaged. The tumor was attached to the brain stem right in the area that controls swallowing, but he's been eating ice chips and having no trouble). Please remember little Teague in your prayers (and if you're going to the temple, adding him to the prayer roll would be a great help!). No one should have to go through brain surgery, but especially not a 2-year-old who just wants to be haulin' dirt in his trucks!

Here's the blog that Sara set up - http://sweetteague.blogspot.com/

Thanks!

Reason #761 why I love Stephen Colbert.

2009-03-18T11:10:00.001-04:00

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Stephen's Angry Mob Will Crush AIG

Colbert Report Full Episodes
Political Humor

Mark Sanford
NASA Name Contest

My newest obsession.

2009-03-10T23:27:00.002-04:00

http://www.earthcam.com/usa/pennsylvania/pittsburgh/falcon/

I totally stole this from Anna's blog, but I felt the need to share.

2009-03-09T17:54:00.003-04:00

"I just wanted you to know, it's not your fault"

SIXBURGH!

2009-02-18T23:13:00.005-05:00

I can't believe I haven't taked the time to blog about the BEST Superbowl EVER! The Steelers are now the ONLY team with SIX Superbowl rings. We have a lot of room on the "Steelers Nation" bandwagon if you'd like to jump on!

Here are some images from my mini-Superbowl party. I decided not to have a big party because I wanted to actually watch the game and not have to deal with people talking. Plus, I tend to get a little bit, well, insane when I watch a Steeler game...especially when it's a BIG game like this.

I have to admit, I was worried for a second, but they pulled through at the last minute (like almost every other game this season) for the win! GO STEELERS!

THE FOOD...which included Pittsburgh favorites such as Sarris candy and pierogies.
Ready for the 3D commercials!
Jen's 1st Superbowl party. Oh yeah, and I've turned my not-caring-about-sports friends into crazy Steeler fans. Yes, my job is done.

Staci's photo of me during the game. I'm on facebook, talking to my family and friends in PA. I really missed being in Pittsburgh for the excitement during playoffs. I was a bit nervous here and trying not to yell at the TV. We had to cover Liz's chair with a blanket because it's red and there was NO red allowed (Cardinals colors)!

Back to Blogging

2009-02-18T21:55:00.007-05:00

Yes, it's been a long time since I've blogged. Things have been busy. First it was the holidays (which were fun...it was nice to be home for over a week and see friends & family). Then it was work. Then it was work again. And it's still work. I can't believe it's almost the end of February already! Yes, work is busy, but I'm really not complaining. I have a job. That's a huge blessing. I found out today that Ford had yet another round of layoffs this week. I'm so grateful I made that hard decision to leave 2 years ago. I've had great opportunities with Marriott and I hope that continues.

If you're interested in checking out what's been consuming my life for the past 3 weeks, go to www.marriottalohatour.com. We have our event at headquarters on Tuesday and then it's onto the next project. Though I think there will be a week or two of breathing room first!

I did manage to find time last weekend to go into D.C. to the National Archives to see the display of the Emancipation Proclamation. They had it on display for Lincoln's birthday. I'm sorry to say I'd never been to the National Archives, so we stuck around to see some other amazing documents...the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Magna Carta and the Bill of Rights. They we headed over to the National Gallery of Art (one of my favorite places to go) to see the Dutch Cityscapes exhibit (which was AMAZING). We finished off the afternoon with some gelato. YUM.

Here are some photos from the afternoon...

The actual last page with Honest Abe's signature.

Entire Emancipation Proclamation
Declaration of Independence

"We the People..."

Bill of Rights

Tina Turner is my Idol

2008-11-25T10:28:00.003-05:00

I know it's been a long time since I've posted...and I couldn't pass up the chance to rave about how FREAKING AWESOME the Tina Turner concert was last night. She turns 69 tomorrow, but she's still got it. Wardrobe by Bob Mackey, stilettos by Manolo Blahnik and an attitude all her own. She still has the moves, the voice and the class that makes her "simply the best".

Over 2 hours of Tina dancing, singing, running around. In addition to rocking out to her own songs, she included covers such as "Let's Stay Together", "Help!", "The Acid Queen" and "Jumping Jack Flash". I'm sorry, but anyone (let alone any woman) who can successfully cover Al Green, The Who, The Stones and The Beatles is my hero. Especially when done in a red sequined mini-dress with matching heels. I'd kill for her legs. And did I mention she can dance?

Not only is she supremely talented, but Tina is one classy lady. Towards the end of the show she introduced her band (which is typical), then went on to introduce, by name, her back up dancers, her production crew, lighting & sound, hair & makeup and the stage manager (which is not typical). She took the time to give everyone their chance to take a bow. She could be difficult and act like a diva (she's certainly earned it), but she chooses to give credit to those who help her look good. And boy, did she look good! At the end of the show, as the lights came up, full credits ran on the screen onstage. Everyone, down to the bus drivers were mentioned. That's class.

I've been to many, many concerts in my lifetime and I have to say that this one is in my Top 2. Prince and Tina Turner are two shows NOT TO MISS. She won't be touring for long and this may be the last time, so if Tina is coming to a city near you, RUN don't walk to catch this incredible show. You'll thank me later.

Set List
Steamy Windows
Typical Male
River Deep, Mountain High
What You Get is What You See
Better Be Good to Me
The Acid Queen
What’s Love Got to Do With It?
Private Dancer
We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)
Help
Undercover Agent for the Blues
Let’s Stay Together
I Can’t Stand the Rain
Rolling Stones Medley
Jumping Jack Flash
It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll
Goldeneye
Addicted to Love
The Best
Proud Mary
Encore
Nutbush City Limits
Be Tender With Me Baby

Losing my mind...

2008-10-09T16:18:00.002-04:00

It's t-minus 12 days until I leave for Thailand. Guess who's still not ready. Yep, that would be me. Most of the International PR team is in "final exam" mode. For instance, right now, I'm wearing slippers because my feet hurt from running back and forth to the editing suite (which is 5 floors down and on the exact opposite side of the building). We've all been working late hours, trying to get it all done and somehow more work keeps being added on top of everything. My desk looks like a hurricane hit it and it's amazing that I can actually find anything.

Today is a particularly scatterbrained day. I think my brain is just sick of it all and threatening to shut down for good. It doesn't help that my diet today consisted of Diet Coke, half of a scone from Starbucks (I had a meeting in DC this morning), ice cream from the group b-day party in our department, Diet Dr. Pepper and candy corn. I might eat some pretzels soon because I'm getting a little bit shaky. Should I really wonder why I can't think straight?

Lesson learned: Stress + sugar = can't really function.

Free Handbags!

2008-10-01T13:22:00.003-04:00

I saw this on Libby's website and stole it. Any chance at all for a free designer handbag is worth taking. Handbag Planet giving away a handbag an hour as a site launch gimmick (and viral marketing campaign, which I totally respect). Just sign in with your email, pick the bag you like and hope for the best.

It's October

2008-10-01T09:14:00.003-04:00

It's October, which makes me have a panic attack a little each time I think of it (which is why I haven't switched over my calendar yet). This means that I only have 3 weeks until I leave for Thailand. Am I ready for this meeting? No. Hence, panic attacks.

Things that have happened in the past 2 weeks.

My baby sister turned 22. Yikes.
I turned 34 + 1. Double Yikes. But I got a Kate Spade gift certificate from my roommates. Nice.
I survived our crazy 4-birthdays-in-a-row weekend. And ate a ton of great food in the process.
I took a day off of work and spend the afternoon at the spa. This decision caused me to have to work super late the rest of the week, but it was totally worth it.
I scored tickets to see Tina Turner. I'm ridiculously excited about that.
I taught my first Relief Society lesson in about 3 years. It was scary, but I think it went okay. I'm slowing getting into the swing of things, thanks in large part to our awesome RS Secretary. She's incredible.
I saw the final Broadway performance of Rent on the big screen. Incredible. That musical never ceases to amaze me. Or make me cry. I really hope they release it on DVD. The stage version is so much better than the movie version.
I went to the Kennedy Center to see the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Then hung around afterwards and met the band when they did a CD signing. That rocked. I've loved PHJB since I was little (thanks Dad!) and it was a thrill to meet some of them.
I get to go see New Kids on the Block at the Verizon Center tomorrow night. Don't make fun of me. I loved them as a 14-year-old and even though they're super cheesy, I still love them. You all have secret guilty pleasures too, so back off.

So there's a little catch-up for all you blog readers. Sorry no photos this time.

Confessions...

2008-09-18T12:22:00.004-04:00

Hello, my name is Sara and I'm a blog-stalker. Yes, I admit it. Though it's not entirely my fault. I have funny friends who have cute kids. And these friends have funny friends, sisters, SILs, almost SILs, etc., who also have cute kids. Plus, they develop trendy ways to write blogs. It's too much to resist. I only wish I could be that funny...and maybe I'll make up some cute kids. :) I'm also too tired to be trendy, so I'm sticking with good old fashioned bullet points.

It's been a LONG week. I've been at the office until 8:00 every night with no end in sight. Plus I have to teach (my first Relief Society lesson in two years) on Sunday. I'm not ready. At all. And yes, I am freaking out about it. It kind of makes me miss teaching in Primary where I could fill up the left-over time with coloring. Somehow I don't think that'll work in RS.
When I'm stressed out I crave chocolate. My current cravings include Junior Mints and Ben & Jerry's cake batter ice cream (with a fudge frosting swirl...WOW).
I'll be 35 on Monday. There, I finally said it out loud (well, not out loud, but you get the idea). That number makes me panic a little bit. It's my "scary age" and I never really thought I'd get here because it always seemed so far away. My life is nothing like I imagined it would be when I hit 35. In some ways it's better, in some ways, not better. But it's here so I have to face it. I know I still have some time to get married and have kids, it'll just be a little harder now.
I wish someone would explain the traffic patterns on the beltway. One minute I'm cruising along with traffic at 70 miles an hour. Then, all of a sudden we all stop. Then we start and again, we're at 70 MPH. There are no accidents, no cops, no lights, no bad weather. Traffic just slows down randomly. It's painfully frustrating. I wish I could view it from the sky so I could see why this happens. And if there's rain (or as my dad calls it, "liquid stupid"), forget it.
The only guy I've been remotely interested in over the last couple of years is 7 years younger than me.
I think I'm addicted to Diet Coke.

Catching up...

2008-09-13T00:09:00.002-04:00

It's been a while since I've blogged. My life isn't all that interesting right now, just really busy. We're gearing up for our annual PR meeting, this year it's in Phuket, Thailand. I'm ridiculously excited to go to Phuket. Plus I get to stop in Seoul on my way home to see my brother. Also very cool.

As you may have read in previous blogs, our stake was reorganized and I'm now in a new ward. With a new calling as the 1st counselor in Relief Society. This is both exciting and terrifying. I've actually done this calling before, both on a ward and stake level. But in a small singles ward, not in a huge family ward. It's quite intimidating. I have to teach next week and I'm a little rusty. I just hope I don't lapse into Primary-teacher mode and start talking to the sisters like they're 8-year-olds.

My latest little mini-vacation was to New York for a weekend with one of my roommates and a friend. We went to a Yankee game (last year for the old Yankee Stadium) and to see The Little Mermaid on Broadway. I got a sweet associate rate at the Marriott Marquis. Gotta love that. If anyone wants to go to New York, let me know. I'm in.

I'm NOT excited about my upcoming birthday. This is the "scary age" year and I seriously wish I could just skip it this year. 34 has been pretty nice. Can't I do it again? I know it's silly, but I'm still freaked out about it. I don't feel that old...where did the time go?

I have some fun concerts/shows coming up in the next few months. I love always having something to look forward to. At the end of this month I'm going to see The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, then New Kids on the Block (don't laugh, I'm reliving my teenage years and proud of it), then Tina Turner (can't even put into words how excited I am about that), then the revival of West Side Story that's previewing here in D.C. before it hits Broadway. Plus I plan on going to NYC before the end of the year, so hopefully I'll see something then. I have kind of a great life sometimes.

Enjoy the photos!

2008-09-13T00:07:00.000-04:00

Mourning the loss of a great talent...

2008-08-20T15:03:00.012-04:00

I've been very fortunate to have seen LeRoi perform many times wtih DMB. He was a brilliant talent and will be sorely missed. His spirit will most definitely live on in his music.

As best said by a fan, "Jerry just got one hell of a horn player to jam with up there".

RIP LeRoi Moore

From the DMB website...
08/19/2008
We are deeply saddened that LeRoi Moore, saxophonist and founding member of Dave Matthews Band, died unexpectedly Tuesday afternoon, August 19, 2008, at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles from sudden complications stemming from his June ATV accident on his farm near Charlottesville, Virginia. LeRoi had recently returned to his Los Angeles home to begin an intensive physical rehabilitation program.

From the DMB Road Crew notes...
As we sat this afternoon contemplating the loss of our brother, we wondered how we could possibly do a show today. Dave put it into perspective stating, "There's no place I'd rather be than here with you guys right now." We cherish special memories of our lost friend. Tonight, Dave told a story about LeRoi at a bar in Virginia where the cash register was near the stage and LeRoi leaned on the register because "standing had become a chore". Roi proceeded to play the most beautiful version of Somewhere Over The Rainbow. Dave said, "that was the day I fell in love with him. And I'm still in love with him." It's safe to say we all were in love with him. "It's always easier to leave, than to be left." -DM
The DMB Crew
Wednesday, August 20

Withdrawl...

2008-08-19T11:30:00.000-04:00

I'm going through Michael Phelps withdrawl...this helps.

I LOVE MICHAEL PHELPS

2008-08-11T21:47:00.006-04:00

I know everyone thinks they love Michael Phelps because he's an exciting, fabulous, extraordinary athlete. But I really, really, really love him. I've watched the replay of the 4x100 relay at least 15 times today. It still gives me the chills. Especially this photo, which is one of the reasons I love Michael Phelps.

Yes, I know I have a problem. But how can you not love this?

Today is a good day because...

2008-08-04T11:38:00.002-04:00

I found out last night that I have to leave my McLean 1st Ward family behind to attend a new ward (in a new building) due to boundary changes. I'm pretty sad about it (and I admit it, kinda mad too). I'm hoping I can learn to embrace this change, but right now I'm pretty much dreading going to church on Sunday. Being in McLean 1st has been a huge blessing for me and I've met a lot of people who have touched my life. I guess my biggest fear is that they'll just forget about me and move on (esp. since their ward isn't changing much other than a few people leaving), like it really didn't matter that I was in that ward. I guess I want to believe that I had as much of an effect on some of them as they did on me.

Anyway, I've done this before, but I needed to remember some good things about today...

* It's a bit cooler and less humid out today
* It's quiet in the office and I'm getting a lot done
* Two of my roommates are out of town, so the house will be quiet this week
* I finally booked my flight to Phuket and get to stop in Seoul to visit my brother
* I'm trying out a new deli near my house for dinner tonight
* I'm not sick
* My brother and sister-in-law celebrate their 1st anniversary today
* Pre-season football starts this weekend!

See, there's a lot to be happy about (this is what I'll be repeating over and over in my head all day as I try to convince myself).

Happy Being Single

2008-07-27T23:27:00.003-04:00

I'm single. And I'm happy. Why do people have such a hard time believing this? Well, not all people, but married people. I had a member of my ward tell me today that she had the "perfect" guy for me. She thinks we'd be great together. And do you know why we'd be great together? We're both single. Yep, that's right. It doesn't matter if we have the same interests, goals, ideas about marriage and children or if we're attracted to each other. Apparently, the only criteria for finding the perfect guy once you're over 30 is that you're both single. And here I've been wasting all this time looking for someone I could be happy with and love for all eternity. Silly me, I just need to pick the next random single guy I see and get that marriage license.

I've really been focusing lately on myself and it's been fantastic. I'm finding out more about myself, what I want out of life and what I want in a spouse. Of course I'd love to get married. But I'm not letting that desire take over my life. I refuse to let life pass me by while I sit and wait for Mr. Right to come along. I realize how much freedom I have right now and I plan on taking full advantage of that freedom. There's a lot to do and see in this amazing world and I intend on seeing all I can. So, dear readers who happen to be married, please know that it truly is possible to be single and happy. If you have a guy who is actually great for me for other reasons than just also being single, feel free to introduce us...if not, that's okay. I'm not crying myself to sleep every night.

I've also been thinking a lot lately about having kids. I'm not getting any younger and I know that I don't have much time left to have babies of my own. I'm okay with that...I was never one who wanted a huge family. I'd love to be able to be pregnant, but I'm also very interested in adoption. I have a few friends who have struggled with infertility and my heart aches for them. My heart also aches for me...I sometimes wonder if I'll ever get the chance to find out if I can have kids. But then, as I read some of my friends' blogs, part of me is kind of okay with not having kids. Doesn't that sound horrible (please don't judge me)? I wonder if this happens to other people that are single and "older". Am I too selfish to have kids? I love children and I know my friends love their children and wouldn't change anything, but I also see how much they sacrifice for their kids. No sleep, no time alone, no sleep, no freedom to do things they want, no sleep. And did I mention no sleep? I have many friends with kids and I can get my "kid fix" anytime I want. Then I can go home and take a nap. Or go see a movie. Or go to New York for the weekend. Is that enough for me? Some days I'm sure it is. Other days I'm not. I teach the 8-year-old class at church. There's one boy, Blake, who is my favorite. I know I shouldn't have favorites, but this kid is seriously hysterical. Last week we talked about how important it is to say thank you to people who do nice things for you. Like your parents, teachers, siblings, friends, etc. I gave them all a blank thank you card to write on and send to someone they wanted to thank. Blake gave his to me. My name was spelled incorrectly and he drew me a picture of a flying dragon. It was one of the best cards I've gotten in a long time. It was a tiny little taste of the rewards you get as a parent and I was hooked. I imagine that the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to having kids...it's just hard for me to imagine making such a drastic change in how I live my life. I guess that's why it's better to marry young...before you know what it's like to be single over 30 and get to be this selfish. :)

I had a great weekend...we went to Eastern Market on Saturday for a fantastic breakfast and some shopping. I found a killer bracelet. Saw a movie and went to a dinner party. Then today at church we found out that our stake is being reorganized with a new ward being added. Next week we all find out where we'll land. I'm pretty sad about this news. I love my ward, even though it's enormous and after almost three years here I'm finally feeling like a true part of this ward. Like I'm finally getting to know people well. I'm not excited about starting all over with new people in a new ward. I hate change, even though it's usually good for me. So I'm trying to have a good attitude. I kind of wish I could make a list of people I love and have that be my ward.

I have a busy week coming up...I hope everyone reading this blog is doing well. I miss you all! Come visit!

Fun Tag

2008-07-15T09:23:00.001-04:00

I stole this from Anna's blog...sounds like an interesting game, even though not many people read my blog! :)

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

The Cactus Cuties sing The National Anthem Old Video

2008-07-10T10:13:00.001-04:00

Some of you may have already seen this, but if not you MUST check it out. These girls range in age from 6-8. WOW.

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-07-06T22:08:00.001-04:00

Catching Up

2008-07-06T20:50:00.002-04:00

Yes, it's been a while since I've blogged. Not much has been going on, therefore not much to blog about. Work is busy, that's about it. Sorry there's nothing more interesting, but if you'd like interesting, feel free to read my brother John's blog about his adventures in Korea.

I went to PA last weekend to spend a few days with the fam. It was Scott's 30th birthday and the Hinckley family was in town. It was a nice, relaxing weekend and it was great to see my favorite kids. I sure do love them and it was hard to leave. I don't like the fact that they live so far away...I'm still of the belief that all of the people I love should live next door.

We had fun at the zoo and finally got to meet the newest Hinckley, Nate! He's just as adorable as the rest of them!

Dana Carvey Show with Steve Carell

2008-06-10T22:46:00.001-04:00

I totally stole this from Anna's blog...it's hysterical. Enjoy!

Not much going on lately to blog about. Work is busy and it's super hot outside. At least there are funny sketches to blog about! I'll take photos of something soon!

He took a polaroid every day: 1979-1997

2008-05-22T10:17:00.001-04:00

This is incredible...

http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/15131

The Penguins WIN!

2008-05-18T17:42:00.003-04:00

For the first time since 1992, the Pittsburgh Penguins will play in the Stanley Cup finals! The soundly beat the Flyers today, 6-0. Exciting game!

Here's the scoring summary...no one can say our team has no depth! P.S. I love Ryan Malone.
Ryan Malone - 2 goals, 1 assist
Marian Hossa - 1 goal, 3 assists
Evgeni Malkin - 1 goal
Jordan Staal - 1 goal
Pascal Dupuis - 1 goal
Sidney Crosby - 2 assists
Maxime Talbot - 2 assists
Adam Hall - 1 assist
Sergei Gonchar - 1 assist
Brooks Orpik - 1 assist
Marc Andrei Fleury - 21 saves

Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building!

Fox Sports Top 10: Worst franchises in pro sports

2008-05-08T15:51:00.001-04:00

And guess who made #1? It's a good thing the Penguins are doing so well!!!

1. Pittsburgh Pirates

Never mind championships, pennants or division titles, the Pittsburgh Pirates haven't even had a winning season in 15 years. One more losing season and the Pirates will tie the record for most consecutive losing seasons among the four major sports. They continually field one of the youngest and most inexperienced rosters in the league and are always rebuilding. The black and yellow team colors fit their plan of constantly being under construction.

Puzzling personnel plays: Signing Derek Bell, Jeromy Burnitz and Tony Armas, Jr.; and trading Aramis Ramirez.

Remember ... 1997: The closest the Pirates have come to 82 wins (otherwise known as a winning season) in the last 15 years was in 1997. They were expected to push 90 to 100 losses, but ended up as one of the league's irrelevant surprises when they finished with 79 wins. The entire team salary was $9 million, which was less than what Albert Belle made that season.

South Korea

2008-04-22T09:42:00.002-04:00

Well, it's actually happening. My brother John is moving to Seoul for a year (we hope only 1 year) to teach English. Like a lot of 26 year old's with a degree in theater, he's been struggling to decide what he wants to do with his life. This opportunity came up and I'm proud of him for doing it. I can only imagine how much courage it takes to make a move like this. I moved only 4 hours away and it was terrifying. He's moving across the world and doesn't speak the language. However, he's excited about the adventure and I'm excited for him. Plus, I get to visit him in a few months on my way home from a work trip to Thailand. It'll be very cool to have him show me around Seoul. He'll be blogging while he's there, so I'll be sure to have his blog in my "friends" list...feel free to check it out!

Good luck Johnny...we'll miss you!

Guess who's back together...

2008-04-03T15:37:00.005-04:00

OH YEAH...NKOTB!!! The 14-year old in me sure is happy today!!! :)

NOW

THEN

Japan

2008-04-03T09:25:00.004-04:00

I've finally uploaded my photos from Japan...I took over 500, so I'll just post a few highlights here. We had a fantastic trip and I loved Japan! In fact, I'd like to post about some of the things I'll miss.

Top Ten Things I'll Miss About Japan

10 - Bowing. I loved watching people bow to each other...such a respectful gesture
9 - Hi-chew, my favorite Japanese candy (I stocked up though)
8 - The precision of the train schedule
7 - Women wearing kimonos
6 - Cool Buddhist temples
5 - The cool vending machines (on every block!)
4 - Everything being individually wrapped (And I do I mean everything)
3 - Torii gates and little neighborhood shrines
2 - The AMAZING level of service EVERYWHERE
1 - Heated toilet seats

Here are a few photos for you to enjoy!

Torii gate in Meiji Shrine

Cool vending machine Torii gate at Miyajima (one of my favorite places)
Pagoda (I'm in there too!) at Toshogu shrine in Nikko

Golden Pavilion in Nara
Heated toilet seat!
Buddah at Todai-ji temple (he was huge!)
Mt. Fuji from the train (we were lucky to see it...no fog!)

American Idol - David Cook - Hello

2008-03-28T14:12:00.001-04:00

My new favorite Idol contestant. This guy has some serious talent!

P.S. Japan photos coming soon!

Today is a good day because...

2008-03-08T20:09:00.003-05:00

I've been inspired by Anna (and her sisters/SILs) to be aware of good things that happened today. I needed this!!!

Today is a good day because...

--It's 8:00 and my primary lesson is finished, so I can relax tonight!
--I cleaned (I mean really cleaned) today and it feels good to look around and not see clutter!
--I washed my sheets/duvet cover and can't wait to go to bed tonight
--I got to sleep in today (and woke up to the sound of rain outside instead of my alarm)
--I got a pedicure and my feet feel great
--My roommate brought home pizza for dinner...YUM
--I'm not sick (thanks to a routine of Airborne, OJ, & Vitamin Water)
--I made a list of things I need to pack for Japan (I leave in 6 days!)
--There's Ben & Jerry's in the freezer with my name on it
--There's a good basketball game on tonight

It's a good day!

Mmmm...brussels sprouts

2008-03-06T14:10:00.003-05:00

I was watching Giada on the Food Network the other day (yes, that's right...I actually watch the food network...stop laughing), I found my mouth watering. Over brussels sprouts. Wierd, I know, but let me tell you...this recipe is incredible. Even when I make it...

I found that I liked it better when I only added between 1/4 and 1/2 cup of broth at the end. 3/4 is too much and dilutes the flavors. But you do need a little bit to get everything off of the pan. I also cut the sprouts in half (and cook them a bit longer to they're nice and tender), they absorbed the pancetta/garlic better that way, plus they were easier to eat. I've used both the paper-thin pancetta as well as the 4oz package of cubed pancetta from Trader Joes. Both work fine. I've also used bacon, but it's not as good.

1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 ounces paper-thin slices pancetta, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup low-salt chicken broth

Partially cook the Brussels sprouts in a large pot of boiling salted water, about 4 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until beginning to crisp, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until pale golden, about 2 minutes.

Add the Brussels sprouts to the same skillet and saute until heated through and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Season with pepper, to taste. Add the broth and simmer until the broth reduces just enough to coat the Brussels sprouts, about 3 minutes. Serve. YUM.

Best performance of the night...

2008-03-05T10:32:00.001-05:00

I was worried when I heard he was going to sing "Hello". Boy was I wrong, he blew me away!

R.I.P Myron Cope

2008-02-27T13:04:00.004-05:00

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Myron Cope, the screechy-voiced announcer whose colorful catch phrases and twirling Terrible Towel became symbols of the Pittsburgh Steelers during an unrivaled 35 seasons in the broadcast booth, has died. He was 79.

Cope's tenure from 1970-2004 as the color analyst on the Steelers' radio network is the longest in NFL history for a broadcaster with a single team and led to his induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2005.

His memorable voice and unique broadcasting style became synonymous with Steelers football," Steelers president Art Rooney II said Wednesday. "They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery and no Pittsburgh broadcaster was impersonated more than Myron."

Beyond Pittsburgh's three rivers, Cope is best known for the yellow cloth twirled by fans as a good luck charm at Steelers games since the mid-1970s. The towel is arguably the best-known fan symbol of any major pro sports team, has raised millions of dollars for charity and is displayed at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

"His creation of The Terrible Towel has developed into a worldwide symbol that is synonymous with Steelers football," Steelers chairman Dan Rooney said Wednesday. "You were really part of it," Dan Rooney told Cope in 2005. "You were part of the team. The Terrible Towel many times got us over the goal line."

"He doesn't play, he doesn't put on a pair of pads, but he's revered probably as much or more in Pittsburgh than Franco (Harris), all the guys," running back Jerone Bettis said. "Everybody probably remembers Myron more than the greatest players, and that's an incredible compliment."

Just as Pirates fans once did with longtime broadcaster Bob Prince, Steelers fans began tuning in to hear what wacky stunt or colorful phrase Cope would come up with next. With a voice beyond imitation -- a falsetto so shrill it could pierce even the din of a touchdown celebration -- Cope was a man of many words, some not in any dictionary.

To Cope, an exceptional play rated a "Yoi!" A coach's doublespeak was "garganzola." The despised rival to the north was always the Cleve Brownies, never the Cleveland Browns. He gave four-time Super Bowl champion coach Chuck Noll the only nickname that ever stuck, the Emperor Chaz. For years, he laughed off the downriver and often downtrodden Cincinnati Bengals as the Bungles, though never with a malice or nastiness that would create longstanding anger.

Cope began having health problems shortly before his retirement, and they continued after he left the booth. They included several bouts of pneumonia and bronchitis -- he smoked throughout his career -- a concussion and a leg problem that took months to properly diagnose. He also said he had a cancerous growth removed from his throat.

"Wherever I go, people sincerely ask me how my health is and almost always, they say `Myron, you've given me so much joy over the years,"' said Cope, who also found the time to write five sports books, none specifically about the Steelers. "People also tell me it's the end of an era, that there will never be an announcer who lasts this long again with a team."

David Archuleta- Imagine (American Idol)

2008-02-27T10:38:00.001-05:00

What a doll! It's risky to take on John Lennon, but he did a fantastic job. I think he's the guy to beat this season!

It's the little things that get to you...

2008-02-26T20:59:00.006-05:00

It's been a while since I've blogged, though really not much is going on. I've been thinking a lot lately about little things in life. How those little things can make you so happy or just flat out make life difficult to live. It's been a rough few weeks for me health wise, nothing too serious, just annoying really. You know when life just keeps piling those little problems on you, one on top of another? It'd almost be easier to deal with one big problem (not that I'm asking for that) than it is to deal with all of these little things. At least with one big problem, you can find people to rally behind you to help you deal. With the little things, no one really has time to be compassionate since they're dealing with their little things. Individually, I could deal with them all, but together it's just too much. I won't list everything because well, that won't do any good. I'm just having a really hard time dealing with life right now. And to top it all off, I got a paper cut today. :(

There are however, a few good "little" things in my life too...see photos!

Who needs a boy on Valentine's Day when you have GREAT roommates?

Grilled turkey salad from Aladdin's in Squirrel Hill...it doesn't get any better than this!

This is what a REAL fish sandwich looks like.

Ice storms that = "working from home"/snow days.

Lesser of 2 (or 4) Evils

2008-02-13T11:19:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was the Virginia/Maryland/D.C. primary. In spite of the lovely ice storm, I made it to the voting location before the polls closed, still not sure how I was going to vote. I've never voted Democratic in my entire life, but this time I was tempted (open primary and all). Since Romney is now out of the race, who is there left to vote for? I'm not crazy about any of the candidates right now. Huckabee is plain crazy, McCain is a loose cannon (and bordering on too liberal), Obama is likeable, but inexperienced (and a Democrat) and Hillary is, well, terrifying. So, do I still vote Romney (which means nothing now, so why even bother) or do I vote Obama to help keep the Clintons far away from the White House?

Romney vs. McCain

2008-02-01T10:18:00.000-05:00

Interesting article if you're still on the fence between Romney & McCain. And I agree with it!

Christmas & Fun

2007-12-27T21:09:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas! It was a fun few days in PA...even though I managed to get sick the day before I drove home. A week and some good antibiotics later, I'm feeling better, though still coughing way too much! One thing's for sure...I miss that week off that I got when I worked with Ford. It sucked to have to go back to work the day after Christmas! Santa (or "Stan" as he's known at our house) was good to me again this year. I also got to see my brother Scott's new house (I forgot my camera though).

Here are some fun photos from the past couple of weeks.

This is Scott & Dani's "baby", Indy. He was showing a lot of love and attention as dad carved the turkey. He was rewarded with more then a few bites...

Here he is with a cardboard tube...that entertained him for a good 1/2 hour. He's such a funny dog and I'm totally going through withdrawal!

Here are a couple of new photos of Amberly & Rafael's cute little Nico!!!

And finally, we had a little visit from Spiderman. John finally landed his dream role...Marvel Comics hired him to play Spiderman for a mall tour they're putting on. He was in heaven...an actual MC costume!!!

Why I hate commuting in D.C.

2007-12-05T10:23:00.000-05:00

I work less than 9 miles from my house. In theory, it should take me only 15-20 minutes to get to work.

Today there was this much snow on the ground (and I could have simply blown it off of the car).

I left home earlier than usual anticipating the usual bit of traffic that rain or snow causes (we refer to this as "liquid stupid" falling from the sky). Here's the beltway on-ramp.

And here's what I had to look at for the next couple of hours as I sat there, waiting to move.

No accidents, no snow on the actual road and it wasn't even snowing at the time. Say what you will about Pittsburgh, but at least people aren't afraid to drive when it's anything less than sunny. I don't know what it is about rain/snow here that turns people into scared crazies who forget how to drive. I'm already dreading my commute home...

The Legwarmers

2007-11-17T22:50:00.000-05:00

Last night a group of us went to a club to check out a great little band called The Legwarmers. These guys ROCK. They're an 80s cover band and it was a fantastic, fun, crazy show. It started at 10:00 and they were going strong until about 1:00 a.m. Full of energy and amazing 80s hits. Everything you could imagine and songs I'd totally forgotten about. They played all of my favs. More than half of the audience was decked out in their 80s finest and we're all dressing up the next time we go. I, for one, am very excited to crimp my hair, peg my jeans and wear big earrings and bad makeup!

Here's a photo of this great band...

From their website, www.thelegwarmers.com. Check it out!

"Remember the Eighties? Sure, we all do...but the Legwarmers don't just remember the Eighties - they relive them. It all started back in May 2001 when Gordon Gartrell and Cru Jones had just seen yet another cover band butcher the decade that they loved, and they decided to do something about it. They assembled a group and vowed to give the world's most hedonistic decade the tribute it deserved. Joined by Chet Reno, Rikki, Lavaar Huxtable, and Cyndi Sindee, they locked themselves in the basement with a shoebox-full of dusty 45's and an endless supply of Tab. One year later, the Legwarmers emerged. They quickly took the DC area by storm with shows becoming events for those in search of a simpler time when everybody was just working for the weekend and it was hip to be square. "

Tan & Happy...

2007-11-06T23:43:00.002-05:00

I. LOVE. MEXICO. I'm not sure what else to say about my trip other than it was FANTASTIC!!! It was a lot of work, but I had a few days of free time at the end. I sat by the pool, swam in the gulf, toured Chichen Itza, swam in a big natural sinkhole and ate a lot of great food. So, if anyone's interested in going to Cancun, let me know because I can't wait to go back!

It was also cool to finally meet our PR Agency people from all over the world. I had some incredibly interesting conversations with a lot of them. It continued to amaze me to think I was sitting at dinners with people from 15 different countries. All of whom invited me to visit. I love having international friends! Traveling is definitely in my blood...I'm just sad I didn't realize it sooner in my life!

I have a ton of stories...if you're interested, give me a call and I'll fill you in on the details!!! :)

Cancun Photos

2007-11-06T23:43:00.001-05:00

Off to Cancun

2007-10-25T09:04:00.000-04:00

I'll be gone for the next 9 days...don't miss me too much! I'll hopefully have some fun stories/photos to post when I get back from Mexico!

In the meantime, here's where I'll be hangin' while I'm in Cancun!

Dark Road

2007-10-14T23:20:00.001-04:00

Do yourselves a favor and listen to this incredible song. Then go out and buy (or download) the CD. You can thank me later...

Riding Horses

2007-10-14T22:44:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was AMAZING. Our former Bishop and his wife have some land out in the country and on that land are their horses. These horses are incredible. A few of them a broken and the rest are still wild. They're gentled and they're no longer skittish around humans, but they haven't been broken...yet. We did a lot of riding and spent some time with the wild horses, getting to know them a bit as well. It was interesting how we were all drawn to different horses. Here's my favorite, a wild Mustang named Shadow.

He's gorgeous. And not too big, Just right for me. We bonded a bit and Bishop Johnson wants us all to come often to help get these horses ready to be ridden. I'm game! I don't realize how much I miss interaction with animals until I'm around them. My camera battery died, or I would have had more photos of us riding the other horses, Billy, Freddy and Dallas (who I bonded with big time!). We went out to the fields and enjoyed the great views while riding. I'm definitely a city girl, but I also love the chance to be outside, dirty and riding horses! I'm anxious to go back!!!

Here are some more photos of the horses including Samson, the horse Staci chose. He's in a lot of the photos because he's the pushy Alpha male who always managed to be front and center!

To all those who said the Steelers shouldn't have won the Super Bowl...

2007-10-09T14:12:00.000-04:00

Steelers shut out Seahawks
Monday, October 08, 2007
By Ed Bouchette
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Depth chart takes a hit right up until kickoff, but reserves come through on a hot day at Heinz Field

The day turned hot at Heinz Field yesterday -- and the temperature rose as well. Nothing on a sweltering October day burned brighter than the Steelers. If the Seattle Seahawks claimed not to see a Super Bowl performance by the Steelers 20 months ago in Detroit, they witnessed one yesterday in Pittsburgh.

Crushed by injuries right up to the final minutes before kickoff, the Steelers ground the Seahawks like Seattle's Best on the way to a 21-0 victory and their first shutout in the seven-year history of Heinz Field.

"We got it handed to us pretty good," Seattle's Mike Holmgren acknowledged after experiencing a shutout for only the second time in his 245 regular-season games as a NFL coach. The Steelers (4-1) did it with some of their best players on the sideline -- Pro Bowl defenders Troy Polamalu and Casey Hampton did not play, nor did four-time Pro Bowl receiver Hines Ward, all injured. Then, about an hour before kickoff, Santonio Holmes, their other starting receiver, injured his hamstring during warm-ups and joined them on the sideline.

It turned out to be no problem all the way around.

"We take a lot of pride as backups," veteran backup nose tackle Chris Hoke said. "We don't look at ourselves as second-teamers. ... We feel like we can step in and keep this thing going." They never stopped, dominating the Seahawks (3-2) everywhere. Willie Parker ran for 102 yards as the Steelers outgained Seattle on the ground, 163-38. Ben Roethlisberger completed 18 of 22 passes for 206 yards and a touchdown as Seahawks' quarterbacks managed to complete less than half of their passes for 122 yards and an interception. Seattle's offense barely worked up a sweat as the Steelers held onto the ball for nearly 41 minutes of the 60-minute game.

Steelers' Report Card for Week 5

Quarterback: A+

Running Backs: A

Receivers: B+

Offensive line: A

Defensive line: A

Linebackers: A

Secondary: A+

Special teams: C-

Coaching: A

Another Birthday...

2007-09-27T23:50:00.002-04:00

Last weekend I celebrated yet another birthday. Funny how they have a way of coming around every year, no matter what. At the Maynard House, we celebrate a lot of birthdays in September. My sister's is the 19th, Susan's is the 20th, Amy's is the 21st, mine's the 22nd and Staci's is the 23rd. So we're busy! For Susan's birthday we had a cooking class/demonstration by Debbie where we made some fantastic manicotti. Then we had a dinner for Amy's birthday at Maggiano's. So we were ready for some different cuisine. My wonderful roommates (and Staci, the LSU grad) surprised me with a Cajun feast! We had gumbo, shrimp creole, maque choux, cornbread and cherry pie for dessert. I was pretty much in heaven. It was so fun to have a nice, relaxing day which pretty much consisted of sleeping in, getting my hair done (I have such a crush on my stylist...even though he's 24...and gay), shopping and eating! My fabulous roommates got me the external hard drive I've been wanting (I know, boring gift, but I need it!) and tickets to a jazz concert at Kennedy Center and we're all going tomorrow night. Oh, and my wonderful sister Anna sent me some chocolate covered cinnamon bears from Utah (why can't you get those anywhere else?). What a great day!

No other good blogging topics this week, I've just been working too much and trying to get over a stupid cold. Susan and I are going to the Pitt/UVA game in Charlottesville on Saturday, so hopefully I'll get some good photos to post. GO PITT!!! :)

Fall has finally arrived! I love the smell in the air and the cooler mornings as I leave for work. The leaves are starting to change...summer's over!

Cajun Birthday Party

2007-09-27T23:50:00.001-04:00

The Beach

2007-09-23T23:29:00.001-04:00

Eileen and I went on a little road trip last week to Virginia Beach and Raleigh, NC. We both needed some R&R and decided to combine a beach trip with our trek to yet another DMB concert. So, we packed our swimsuits and a lot of snacks and set off. We were excited to be heading into Sonic country (I hate it that Sonic advertises here, even though the closest Sonic is 3 hours away!). We stopped for lunch and I got a cherry limeade (the best drink EVER). We arrived at the Courtyard by Marriott (gotta love that associate discount!) and then headed out to get pedicures. We had dinner and vegged out in the hotel room. Day #2 started out with yet another visit to Sonic for more beverages and then we hit the beach. It was VERY windy (sand was everywhere) and chilly because of the partly cloudy skies. But, we were troopers and stuck it out for a couple of hours, then we switched to the pool. We caught part of the Steeler game and then got ready for dinner. We found a GREAT pizza place and then went back to the hotel. Day #3 was CLOUDY. Only about 10 minutes of sun all day. And it was way too cold to enjoy the beach or pool (though the ocean was the warmest place to be outside). We put on sweatshirts and took a walk through town. Of course, we stopped at Sonic again for drink #3! We took it easy again and just enjoyed listening to the ocean. Why is it that whenever I'm at the beach, I start to feel really nostalgic and wish I lived at the beach? What about it makes me want to quit my job and move into a small apartment with a view of the water? I could be a waitress or something like that and have a nice, simple life, no car payment, no worlkdly distractions and just enjoy falling asleep to the sound of the ocean every night? I love living in the city, but I really want to live by the ocean, it's the most calming place in the world for me. Day #4 we decided to get up early and head to Raleigh (after stopping at Sonic of course!). There were no clouds there and the temp was warm! We got there in time to spend a few hours at the hotel pool soaking up the sun. SO nice. Then we got ready for the concert. We enjoyed our short time in NC, people are so nice there! The concert venue was smaller than Starlake and our seats were decent. Not too many tall people in front of me! However, the girl next to me was a dud. During the AMAZING concert full of fun, upbeat songs, she just stood there. Why go to a DMB concert if you're not going to sing along?!? So annoying. But Eileen and I had a blast as usual and we glad we made the trek. We got up on Day #5 and drove back to D.C. (one last Sonic stop!). It was a fun road trip and a great way to spend a long weekend! We love DMB and can't wait until the tour next summer to do it all again!

Check out my Slide Show!

2007-09-23T23:28:00.001-04:00

2007-09-13T09:05:00.000-04:00

I got tagged by Anna so I have to put this on my blog. . .

A- Attached or single: single and loving it
B- Best Friend: it depends on the time in my life...Kristi, Gina, Anna
C- Cake or Pie: Pie...preferably cherry, made by my mom
D- Day of choice: Saturday. I get to sleep in (sometimes).
E- Essential Item: My cell phone and Diet Coke
F- Favorite Color: To wear - Black. Otherwise - green
G- Gummi Bears or Worms: Gummi bears, especially chocolate covered cinnamon ones!
H- Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA (GO STEELERS)
I- Indulgence(s): Ice cream and reality TV
J- January or July: Definitely July...I hate the cold and snow.
K- Kids: I love them and can't wait to have my own. For now I'm content with spoiling my friends' kids.
L: Life is Incomplete Without: My friends & family.
M- Marriage Date: ??? (Though I'd like an April wedding when the cherry blossoms are in bloom)
N- Number of Siblings: 3 siblings and 1 sister-in-law
O- Oranges or Apples: Oranges (unless it's an apple pie)
P- Phobias or Fears: Dark staircases, needles, drowning, spiders
Q- Quote(s):
"Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination." ~ Oscar Wilde.
"God does notice us, and he watches over us. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other" ~ Spencer W. Kimball
R- Reason To Smile: Music , being able to travel, living life to its fullest
S- Season: Fall. My birthday is the first day of fall and I love the clean crisp smell in the air. I love pulling out sweaters and being outside.
T- Tag Three +: Michelle B., Melissa, Michele L., Ana
U- Unknown Fact About Me: I hate onions, but love french onion soup.
V- Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animal: Mmmmm...meat.
W- Worst Habit: Spending too much time on the internet when I should be in bed...or working.
X- X-Rays or Ultrasounds: I'll have to go with X-rays (never had an ultrasound). It's so cool to see your bones!
Y- Your Favorite Food: Cajun. And ice cream. And pie. And Primanti's. I'm hungry.
Z- Zodiac: Virgo

Nico's Blessing Day

2007-09-10T22:12:00.000-04:00

Jen, Liz and I drove down to Woodbridge yesterday to see Nico's blessing. Rafael did a great job and little Nico was a superstar! He's getting bigger and is still adorable and such a charmer!

He's such a good baby and I can't wait to go and spend much more time with little Nico!

Check out that hair! You can't really tell in this photo, but he has great highlights. Rafa just gave Nico his 2nd hair cut (and he's not even a month old)!!!

I love New York!

2007-09-10T22:00:00.000-04:00

My roommate Jen and I went to New York last week. I love that city SO much. The weather was amazing and we shared the city with MANY other visitors to the city. We had a lot packed into 2 1/2 days, but we made the most of it. We decided that we wanted to see two shows, so on Saturday, we saw Spamalot (SO FUNNY) and then Jersey Boys (WOW). They were two very different shows, but both incredible. Spamalot made us laugh the entire time and Jersey Boys was full of great music from beginning to end. I loved it! Sunday we went to church (I love going to church out of town) and met up with Susan, Emily H. and Duane, and then hung out in Central Park all afternoon. We had a late lunch at a great Italian place (see the photo of my yummy food!) and then put our name in at Serendipity (the wait was 3 hours) for dessert. I met up with Emily Price and her husband Jonathan (they live in NYC now)...it was great to see Emily and catch up. Plus, I was happy to have Emily meet my D.C. friends because I think everyone should know Emily! On Monday we walked around by our hotel (we stayed near the South Street Seaport (near the Brooklyn Bridge) and it was a fun part of town! After a nice, relaxing train ride (no sitting in Labor Day traffic), we were home. I'm ready to go back and play in that city again!

I love New York!

2007-09-10T21:58:00.001-04:00

MasterCard Commercial

2007-09-05T15:18:00.001-04:00

CUTEST commercial ever.

New Baby Boy!!!

2007-08-22T22:11:00.000-04:00

Amberly and Rafael FINALLY had their baby! Nicolas (Nico) Matthew Hazembuller was born last week and he is ADORABLE!

Nico is clearly a genius. We went to see him the day after he was born and he was awake, alert and his eyes followed our voices.

He has a ton of hair and is basically perfect. We had a great time welcoming Nico and can't wait to go visit soon! Nice job guys!

Home, Again...

2007-08-13T12:52:00.000-04:00

Well, I was in PA for the 2nd weekend in a row. And I'm officially SICK of driving. I'll definitely be laying low this weekend and I'm looking foward to it!

However, this weekend was SO fun. As a friend put it, "a Dave Matthews Band concert and a Steelers game? That's pretty much your idea of a perfect weekend!" It was pretty perfect. And the weather made it even better. It had rained in Pittsburgh for about a week (serious thunderstorms, flooding, etc.) and I drove home Thurs. night through some awful weather. Here I am driving from the sun of Maryland into the dark clouds of Pennsylvania. It was around 6:30 p.m. at this point and once I got into the rain, it was dark the remainder of the trip. Oh fun.

We were really nervous when it was pouring Friday morning, but by 2:00 (an hour before we met to drive out to Post Gazette Pavillion), the sun came out and stayed out! The rain had cooled things off and we had PERFECT tailgating weather! We met up with some of Eileen's friends (who were tailgating experts) and also with Kristin & Michael and we had a great afternoon. Then we headed into the venue for an amazing (as usual) night with Dave and the guys. It wasn't the best setlist I've heard, but the band was INTO it! The new songs sound great and hey brough back "Sweet Up & Down" after a 7 year break! Stefan danced around with his base a lot (I LOVE it when Stefan dances for me) and had a SWEET solo at the beginning of the Watchtower encore! Dave's voice sounds amazing and Eileen and I can't wait to see them again in Raleigh in September! My only setback of the night was the fact that I could BARELY see. It sucks being 5'1" when you're at a concert. I'm glad they had the big screens or I would have had to settle for the backs of heads all night. I think all concert-goers who are tall should have to sit behind me. Or at least not ALL in my section, in my seat, in the 10 rows in front of me. Or maybe I should just get front row seats all the time...it's only fair...I've spent all my life NOT-seeing things because I'm so short! Here's a bad camera phone photo of my boy Stefan Lessard rockin' it out on stage. He's an amazing base player. I. LOVE. HIM.

The Steeler game was great too...even though it's only pre-season, the stadium was packed and the Terrible Towels were out in full force! We don't get to see Brett Favre play in Pittsburgh very often, so that was very cool. He's SO hot and even though he only played for a few minutes, it was worth it! The Steelers lost, but it's okay. The first team looks great and some of the rookies are going to have great careers. I hope they play Ben a bit more this weekend. They're playing the Redskins down here, so I'm going to try to get some tickets!

It was fun to be home, though I need to stop doing it two weekends in a row. It was hard to leave yesterday and I got a bit teary on the drive home. It's so easy to be at home, so comfortable. Not like my life here is that hard, it's just that sometimes I miss the familiarity of being in Pittsburgh, where I know everyone, I know where things are, and I feel needed.

Scott & Dani's Wedding

2007-08-08T23:38:00.000-04:00

My brother Scott was married last weekend to a WONDERFUL girl named Dani. They're very much in love and SO good for each other. They balance each other perfectly. It was a hot August day, but there was no rain and we all had a blast! They were married at a small bed and breakfast north of Pitsburgh. It was a small, intimate gathering and I'm very excited to be gaining another sister! See photos below...and no laughing at my parasol!

Check out my Slide Show!

2007-08-08T23:37:00.001-04:00

NYC

2007-07-24T20:46:00.001-04:00

My roommate Susan and I took a little trip to New York last week and had a BLAST! We both attended our first game in Yankee Stadium...it was SO cool to be there.

You can't really tell because it's so far away, but this is a photo of Roger Clemens pitching! He made it through 6 innings before being taken out of the game and only allowed one run. I felt very lucky to be there on the night he pitched! I'd forgotten what it was like to be at a baseball game in a city where there's a winning team.

Susan and I discovered that all of the hot native New York boys are Yankee fans and many of them were at the game, sitting in our section! They're not only ALL hot, but they're very nice. This photo is of Dave and Vince. They grew up in the Bronx area and Dave now lives in Manhattan. Vince was visiting from Philly. Both had thick New York accents and even offered to buy us a beer! ;)

The next day we spent just walking around, doing a little shopping (I added another Kate Spade purse to the family) and enjoying the city. It was so nice to not have anywhere to go or anything to see, we just enjoyed being in the city and wandering through the Village and SoHo. It rained a bit and was super humid, which was kind of annoying, but it's just nice to be in New York. We ended up in a great little Italian restaurant for dinner and then went up to the theater district to see Curtains.

Curtains was a very funny show, with amazing dancing. We were lucky enough to be in the 3rd row and could see everything...the actors' facial expressions, the spit & the sweat. It was great. David Hyde Pierce is an incredible comedic actor (anyone who's seen the Frasier episode with Niles getting ready for a Valentine's date will agree) and his timing is perfect. It was also great to see Debra Monk & Karen Ziemba!

After the show, as usual, we went to the stage door. Just about everyone in the cast signed playbills and posed for photos. We chatted with a few of them (not a lot of people were at the stage door, which was nice) and one of the actors was a graduate of Point Park (in Pittsburgh) and she was fun to talk to. David took the time to sign playbills and pose for photos with everyone there. He wasn't in a hurry and was very cool! What a great night!!!!!

Cain't Say No...

2007-07-11T14:39:00.000-04:00

I had 3 goals for last weekend (well, I had more, but 3 that I HAD to get done)...
1. Go to Target to return some stuff
2. Do laundry
3. Call the guy who cuts our grass

I had one goal for this week (again, I had more, but this was for my sanity)...
1. Eat lunch AWAY from my desk ONE day this week.

Can you guess how many of these things were accomplished? Yep, that's right...ZERO. Will the world end because none of this was finished? Certainly not. But's it's still aggravating!

Target is 6 miles away. I had dinner about 1/2 mile from it on Sat. night. Did I make it to Target on Saturday? Yes. Did I remember to put the returns in my car? No. My laundry remains in the laundry room, ready to become clean. I hope to get to it tonight, but I'm not holding my breath. I'm sure someone in my house will have a trip they're packing for or something and my clothes will remain in waiting. I couldn't find Matt's cell # (landscaper-guy) and finally asked my roommate where it was..."on the fridge" was her response. Of course. Followed by, "I noticed the grass looked awful and wondered why someone hadn't called Matt yet". Wondered, but didn't pick up the phone and call him herself? P.S. the grass still looks like a jungle 4 days later. As for lunch away from my desk...I realize I have two days left to accomplish that goal, but it's not looking good. Meetings, conference calls, deadlines, etc. Why can't we ALL take the summer off like my three teacher roommates?!? And why am I the one worrying about the lawn?

To my credit, I did get stuff done last weekend, just not enough. Isn't that always how it goes? You can never get enough done. I've learned that the reason I can't get enough done is because, just like Ado Annie, I cain't say "no" (except she's gettin' much more action than I am). I don't know how to say "no" to things I want to do and things I'd rather not do. I couldn't say "no" to my friend's birthday dinner last weekend, to seeing a weekend movie with Jen (Transformers...it was AWESOME. At one point the guy in front of me turned to his wife/girlfriend and said with reverenced awe, "Look honey, that's Optimus Prime". I highly recommend it.), to making posters & flyers for Enrichment night (and we all know how crafty I am...this takes me longer than most), to creating the power point presentations for our team training session, to my visiting teachers coming over, to cooking dinner for the missionaries, to the midnight showing last night of Harry Potter 5 (even though I had to work today), etc. Now my laundry still isn't done, the grass still isn't cut, I still have to go to Target and I'm running on 4 hours sleep. Real smart, Sara.

So, my new goal (to replace other goals I'll seemingly never finish) is to learn how to say "no". But I hate to be more selfish with my time, especially since our Bishop keeps telling us that giving our time in service is what we need to work on, so maybe instead of saying "no", I'll try to put my priorities in better order. Yeah right, I've been saying that since I was in college. Though I guess by now I should know when I'm spread too thin. This week I'm definitely spread too thin. And even though a lot of the stuff I've been doing is fun, I still can't do it all. Lesson learned (I hope).

And I think I'm done with midnight movies on a work night...

Gabe & Lauren's Wedding Reception

2007-07-02T22:04:00.001-04:00

Saturday was Gabe & Lauren's wedding reception at the LeMont in Pittsburgh. It was a beautiful day and the view of the city was amazing! Aren't they a gorgeous couple?!? Congrats to them as they start their life together!

Here they are being announced for the first time as the new Mr. & Mrs. Mosey!
And here are the three HOT single girls...it was fun to catch up with Aimee (who I haven't seen in ages) and Kerri. Great bridesmaid dress choice Lauren...they'll actually wear them again!

HOME!!!

2007-07-02T21:25:00.000-04:00

I spent last weekend in PA. It was great to be home, see family & friends and eat some great Pittsburgh food!!! I really miss those fries on my salads!

I also went up to Erie for a couple of days to see Eric & Gina's new house (it's SO nice) and to celebrate Josefina's 2nd birthday. I got her a new baby w/a stroller and she loved it!

Here's Gina with the birthday girl after dinner...can you tell they're related? We went out for gellato. YUM!

And here's the little Bean with her birthday cannoli!

Even though I did a TON of driving, it was great to go home for a few days! Why can't everyone I love live in MY CITY?!?

Heinz 57

2007-06-25T09:42:00.000-04:00

I know that most people do the "100-things-about-me" lists, but I couldn't come up with 100. So, in honor of my awesome hometown of Pittsburgh, I decided to list 57 things about me!

I’m a very passionate person. When I’m “into” something, I’m in 150%.
My favorite place in the world (so far) is Central Park.
I love dogs and I’m allergic to cats.
I wish I could tap dance.
I have an addictive personality…I’m also a bit obsessive/compulsive.
I love Johnny Depp. In everything he’s done.
My favorite color is green.
I sleep with books. I’ve done it all my life. I love to fall asleep reading.
I listen to sports talk radio on the way to work. I never thought I’d turn into someone who listens to AM radio, but there it is.
I have two dream jobs. One is to work for the FBI, studying serial killers’ behavior. The other is to sing & dance on Broadway.
My best purchase ever was a navigation system for my car. Now I’m not afraid to drive anywhere.
I talk to myself. Sometimes I wonder if I said the thought in my head out loud.
I love daisies.
I’ve been to over 20 Dave Matthews Band concerts. Their music makes me so happy I can’t even explain it.
Washing dishes is very therapeutic for me. So is playing solitaire online.
If I can’t remember something, I have to look it up asap or it’ll drive me crazy. I love researching useless trivia on the internet.
I’m addicted to Diet Coke
I’m extremely self-conscious. I don’t like when everyone’s looking at me.
I love cheesy TV shows like Charmed and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I’m also a reality TV junkie.
I want to live on the water. Ocean or lake, it doesn’t matter.
I’m terrified of needles.
I hate crowds. Tall people never understand that fear.
I over analyze just about everything.
I like to go shooting with my dad, even though I’m bad at it.
I have over 800 CDs. I’ll go to just about any concert, except country music.
My roommate thinks it’s amazing that I can crack open eggs with one hand.
I love to watch sports…any sports. And I hate it when people (guys) assume I don’t know anything about sports just because I’m a girl.
I talk in my sleep…and I kick people when I have to share a bed.
There was a time when I’d see someone famous every time I was in New York City. Then I started to expect it and now it doesn’t happen anymore.
I recently started learning Russian. Just because. And now I can count to 10 in five languages.
I suck a miniature golf. And I once hit a squirrel out of a tree when trying to play real golf.
I’ve never seen the movie Titanic…and never will.
I hate mushrooms. Who in their right mind would eat fungus?!?
I like to be tan. It makes me feel better about myself. Yes, I know that I could get skin cancer, but I still like to be tan.
My first kiss was at the Lincoln Memorial when I was in 7th grade.
I will not sing by myself in front of other people. But I always sing at the top of my lungs when I’m alone in the car.
I can be a tomboy, yet also very “girly”.
When I was 7 I wanted to marry Terry Bradshaw. When I was 15 I wanted to marry Gene Kelly. Now I want to marry a Marine.
I love to travel and have a huge list of places to go. I want to own residences in Manhattan, New Orleans and Venice.
I love cherry limeades from Sonic and it infuriates me every time I see a Sonic commercial on TV because the closest Sonic is about 2 hours away (with no traffic). Why do they advertise in my area?!?
I’m not good at verbally expressing my emotions, which is why I love greeting cards.
I like giving and receiving a mix CD.
As a teenager, I was a fan of New Kids on the Block. I still secretly like them.
I constantly check my email…it’s just another obsession I have.
I’d kick butt on the Price is Right. I’m very good at guessing the actual retail price.
I internalize my emotions. And my stress.
I’m a very conservative Republican who actually likes George W.
I love the Steelers. Meeting Rocky Bleier was one of the best nights of my life.
If I could be any superhero, it would be Wonder Woman. At age 6, my best friend and I would spin around, hoping to “turn in”.
I can tie a cherry stem into a knot with my tongue.
I cannot keep plants alive. Even the so caller “impossible-to-kill” spider plants.
I used to play the trumpet. I sometimes wish I still did. Because of that I love jazz, brass music, etc. Especially Louis Armstrong and Wynton Marsalis.
I love trees. I think they’re very interesting and could sit and stare at a cool looking tree for hours.
I kinda want cupcakes at my wedding instead of a wedding cake. Or maybe cherry pie…
I’m a sucker for a guy with a southern accent, but hate country music.
I’m NOT a morning person.
I’ll do just about anything if you give me ice cream.

Pink Martini - Hey Eugene

2007-06-20T12:49:00.001-04:00

And here's another one. This song isn't their "typical" sound, but I love it. I guess they don't really have a "typical" sound. They sing songs in many different languages (french, arabic, italian, portugese, etc.). This is a good video though.

Pink Martini - Donde estas Yolanda - Live at London

2007-06-20T12:43:00.001-04:00

I saw Pink Martini on Monday night with some friends. This band is worth checking out if you haven't already. And if you knew about this band and didn't tell me about them, you're in BIG trouble!

Soup

2007-06-12T13:34:00.000-04:00

Lately I've been eating a lot of soup. Why not? It's good, there are many varities, it's low fat, low in calories and fills me up. It started with the Marriott cafeteria. It's been a busy few weeks, with many lunches spent at my desk working and soup is an easy choice. Plus, there are three different kinds served each day and they're different every day of the week. And they're GOOD. Last week alone I had some great soup...tomato basil, potato leek, butternut squash, lentil and good old fashioned vegetable. Soup & Diet Coke have pretty much been my meals at work for a while now.

So I decided to not only eat it in the cafeteria, but to try to make some at home (less expensive). Last weekend I made some great (if I do say so myself) vegetable/bean soup...full of tomatoes, green beans, chick peas, black beans, zucchini, celery, carrots, etc. I ate it most of the weekend and again for lunch today. My roommates enjoyed it as well.

Now I'm on a mission...and this is where all you blog readers come in! I'm looking for some good soup recipies. A few rules though...I'm NOT a good cook, so please make the recipies easy. Skip the heavy, creamy soups (too many calories). Cold soups welcomed. I'm dying for a good (easy) borscht recipe. And no mushrooms allowed! Thanks!!!

National Race for the Cure

2007-06-06T11:34:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, my roommates and I participated in the 2007 National Race for the Cure. This year marked the 10th year in a row I've been to one (or more) of these races, but this was the 1st time I've actually been able to walk/run in the race! I'm usually at the Ford booth handing out bandannas and fighting off crazy people who can't seem to understand that they do not, in fact, need an entire box of bandannas (probably to sell on Ebay). I was excited to be able to walk in honor of my friend Cecily (diagnosed in her late 20s) and my mom's boss JoAnn (a two-time breast cancer survivor!).

We got up bright and early (6:00 a.m. to be exact), packed on the metro with thousands of other race participants and headed downtown. After a quick sweep of the "good" vendor booths for give-aways (i.e. salsa, Sunchips, visors, foam bunny ears (I live with teachers, remember?), cereal bars) we stopped at the Ford tent so I could say hi to my old co-workers. It was fun to see people and even more fun to not have to fight those crowds over bandannas! We then headed towards the start line. Here's a glimpse...and this was before it got crowded!

Here's a nice shot of the Capitol building before the crowds started arriving.

And here's our favorite part! At the end of the race, we were hot and tired (and those of you that know me, know how I feel about big crowds!). So we hurried to the "food/water tables", which were piled high with bananas, juice, water, cereal bars, Yoplait, etc. It's a great way to end the race!

This year, the National Race for the Cure had over 45,000 participants and raised over $2.7 million for breast cancer research. It's a great cause and I'm proud to have supported it now for 10 years!

Bad Knees

2007-05-31T11:28:00.000-04:00

Okay, I've accepted the fact that I've been cursed with bad knees. Even before I broke my patella in high school, I've never been much of a runner because of my knees. As I've gotten older and embraced my knee issues, I've learned what exercises work to strengthen the muscles around my knees. I've learned that swimming helps and the elliptical machine at the gym is my friend. The treadmill and aerobics class are NOT good for me.

Well, when I joined Marriott, I was thrilled to find out that there was a gym in the building. The previous few months of stress-eating (due to having to make career decisions) and the many "farewell lunches" when people left Ford left me without much of a wardrobe...nothing fit anymore. Plus, I've been hit with the "once you hit 30" curse. My body has definitely changed the way it distributes fat. And to top it off, my brother's wedding is in August and my bridesmaid (an entire other tangent) dress is very unforgiving. So, I made a decision to work harder at exercising and eating right. I started going to the gym after work and I cut back on sugar and ate more veggies, fish and fiber. Things were going well, I was feeling healthy and had more energy. My clothes started to look better and I started to hate my body less.

Until...

The dreaded "phantom knee problem" has returned. My right knee (formerly known as "my good knee) has decided to rebel. Big time. It started with a little swelling after a workout. I iced it down, took some Advil and thought I'd be fine. That was almost 2 weeks ago. A few days after that, it decided to randomly give out on me throughout the day. So I pulled out an old Ace knee brace for some support. All the while walking past the gym on the way out of work, wishing I was in there sweating away the pounds. Today's the first day it's felt somewhat normal (knock on wood) and I'm wearing heels. The real test will be walking in the 5K Race for the Cure on Saturday. If I can make it through that, I may be ready to head back to the gym. Wish me luck!!!

P.S. If anyone has any good weight loss tips, feel free to pass them along!!! I need other options besides starving myself! :)

Rolling Thunder

2007-05-28T23:15:00.000-04:00

What a fun, fun weekend! My roommate Liz and I started Saturday with a fantastic breakfast at the Original Pancake House (almost as good as Pamela's) and then hit the outlets for some much needed shopping. I did some damage, but got some great deals!

On Sunday we headed into D.C. after church with two other friends for the Rolling Thunder event. For those of you who aren't familiar with Rolling Thunder, here's some info from the newspaper...

"It's all part of the annual Rolling Thunder Memorial Day tradition. U.S. Park Police said over 300,000 bikers from all over the nation rallied Sunday. The event began early Sunday at the Pentagon, with a thunderous parade to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and out to the National Mall. The parade, now in its 20th year, is intended to provide moral support for troops. The ride began as a post-Vietnam protest of American POW/MIA policy and has blossomed into an annual rally drawing thousands of bike-mounted veterans from across the country. The patriotic display is usually mostly made up of Vietnam vets in their 60s, but some elderly Korean War veterans and even some younger ones who served in Iraq and Afghanistan were seen Sunday."

It's quite a moving event. If you ever get the chance to come to D.C. for Memorial Day, I highly recommend it. It's amazing to see all the bikes and talk to the big, burly, tattooed biker dudes, who are very tenderhearted and love their country and each other. They're like a big family and they support each other fiercely.

Here's part of the parade on Constitution Avenue.

This is a cool guy we chatted with at the Vietnam Memorial.

This is also part of the parade. Notice the lone Marine who stood there most of the day to salute the bikers/veterans. It was 90 degrees and humid and he didn't move a muscle. Yet another reason I'd like to marry a Marine!

Here I am on one of the bikes. So fun! I had a skirt on, so it was interesting to get on it without flashing everyone!

And here's Liz on the same bike, but with the biker dude...he had quite a few tattoos!

Music from one of the coolest people I know in real life...

2007-05-22T15:33:00.000-04:00

For those of you who were in the Oakland Ward when Emily Price was there, you know what I'm talking about. For those of you who never knew Emily, it's not too late! She's amazing. And it's not just my opinion, it's a fact. Like the fact that Clint is hot and Tim R. has great arms. Anyway, check out her myspace page...four of her original songs are posted for your listening pleasure. And believe me, it will be a pleasure.

www.myspace.com/emilyhopepricecello

New Music

2007-05-21T11:45:00.001-04:00

I love it when I discover new (to me) music! My friend Jeremy introduced me to Martin Sexton this weekend. He played me "Diner" (which was featured on Scrubs...Anna, you'll like it!) and I thought it was interesting, so I looked him up on itunes. The rest of the album Black Sheep is amazing as well, especially "I Can't Stop Thinking About You"...WOW. I also downloaded a live album Live Wide Open because anyone who's spent time with me knows that I prefer live music to anything. Martin is one of those musicians who sounds better live...I highly recommend that you all check him out! (P.S. He'll be at the Three Rivers Arts Festival on June 2nd!)

"Martin Sexton is ripe with ... raw, expansive talent. His voice comes in a hundred impossible shades. His songs are sweet and spirited and soulful. His repertoire is like a cross-country tour of the American musical vernacular." – Boston Globe

"Martin Sexton is one of the most talked-about recent arrivals to the "new folk" acoustic music scene. The guitarist, singer and songwriter has an amazing vocal range and makes effective use of it in his live shows. Unlike so many other contemporary singer-songwriters, his vocal style can best be described as soulful, combining the best qualities of singers like Van Morrison, Al Green, Aaron Neville and Otis Redding." -- AOL Music

Besides my new musical discovery, the weekend was pretty laid back and relaxing. I slept in, got my hair cut, ran some errands, re-watched The Office season finale (SO GOOD), went to church and we had a potluck last night. It was a fun weekend. My weeks are so busy lately...I love it when I don't have that much to do on the weekends! I've discovered I watch too much TV. Tivo is wonderful, but dangerous. I get home from work, class, whatever and then I have to catch up on TV. Tonight there are THREE season finales that I'll be watching (Dancing with the Stars, The Bachelor & Heroes)...pathetic! I'm kind of glad that the summer is full of reruns...I'll be outside more! I'm looking forward to the upcoming long weekend. I'm excited that I'll be in town this year for Rolling Thunder's "Ride for Freedom"! Last year there were an estimated 250,000 bikes in attendance. It's a very cool event. I'll try to get some good photos to post!

Spirit to Serve

2007-05-17T12:35:00.000-04:00

As part of Marriott's Associate Appreciation Week, we participated in the Spirit to Serve our Communities program yesterday. It was a really fun day. My department went to the Izaak Walton League (a 53 acre conservation organization) to help clean, weed, paint, clear land, put up fences, etc. Luckily the rain held off until we were just finishing up and we had a blast! (And I got a tour of the shooting range...it's cool! I may try to go back and do some shooting there!

My group was sent to the "old homestead" where we cleared trees, sticks, weeds, leaves, etc. from a very old foundation that was discovered a few years ago. They're hoping to get funding to excavate the area and do more research to find out what was there and how old it is. Here we are after clearing the area.

And here's a photo of a little baby fox we discovered near the site we were clearing if I get better photos, I'll post them). She followed us around a bit (we had to be careful not to touch her) and then took a little nap. When we left, we heard (and our guide saw) mama fox come and get her.

Marines

2007-05-11T23:47:00.000-04:00

I was wrong in my last post. Tonight I really found my new love...Marines. I've decided that I'd like to marry one. And I saw quite a few tonight who would be perfect! ;) Why are they all so hot when they put on that uniform?

My friend Marcia and her husband Ralph were in town this weekend with Ralph's parents for a Marine Corps weekend tour of D.C. & Quantico. Ralph's dad is a retired Marine. They invited me to go with them to the Evening Parade that's held every Friday night at the Marine Barracks downtown (who knew?). It was AMAZING. I love the tradition and honor that's displayed. There were a lot of retired Marines there, who were saluted by every Marine who walked past us. During a time when so many people are anti-war, it's so nice to feel patriotic and spend an evening celebrating this great country surrounded by men and women who are proud to serve. I have the utmost respect for them all...I can't even put it into words. I got all choked up every time the crowd stood and clapped & cheered for the Marines as they marched past. The event lasted just over an hour and included performances by the U.S. Marine Band, the U.S. Marine Drum & Bugle Corps, the Marine Corps Color Guard, the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon and the Ceremonial Marchers. We even got to hear the Drum & Bugle Corps play Ode to Joy with the cannons! My all-time favorite part was definitely at the very end when the bugler played Taps (which always gets to me), while standing on top of the barracks in the darkness with a single spotlight on him. Incredible.

One of the most amazing parts of the evening was the Silent Drill Platoon performance. These men are GOOD. The crowd (which was pretty rowdy) was completely silent...and it took my breath away. But really, I could watch Marines perform their drills all day long. I still can't get over the precision...

From the Marines website..."The United States Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon is a 24-man rifle platoon that performs a unique precision drill exhibition. This highly disciplined platoon exemplifies the professionalism associated with the United States Marine Corps. The Marines execute a series of calculated drill movements and precise handling of their hand-polished, 10 and one-half pound, M-1 Garand rifles with fixed bayonets. The routine concludes with a unique rifle inspection sequence demonstrating elaborate rifle spins and tosses. "

According to the Marines website..."The Evening Parade, held every Friday evening during the summer, has become a universal symbol of the professionalism, discipline, and Esprit de Corps of the United States Marines. Using the resplendent setting of the Barracks, wistful imagination and the Marines' flare for showmanship, the parades were to be a showcase for the ceremonial prowess of Marines and the musical eminence of the U.S. Marine Band, which had achieved international renown under the premier military band leader of all time, John Philip Sousa."

At the end of the night, Ralph took my picture with a really HOT Marine. I'll post it once they send it to me. I'll definitely be going back to check this out again! :) This was the best time I've had in a while! I LOVE MARINES!

A new love...

2007-05-09T21:33:00.000-04:00

I've discovered a new love. Liz came back from a trip to Utah with chocolate covered cinnamon bears from the Rocky Mountain Candy Co. HOW have I never tried these before? I've been to Utah many times...WHY haven't any of you taken me to this place? I'll admit, at first I was skeptical. I love chocolate...I love cinnamon bears...but would I love them together? The answer is YES. I. love. them. These bears are GOOD. I've also discovered that you can't order them online. What's that all about? So, the next time anyone comes to visit from Utah (or goes to visit Utah and comes back to D.C.), I'd be happy to accept some of those chocolate covered cinnamon bears! :) YUM!

Russian

2007-05-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

I had my first Russian class last night. There are only 5 of us in the class, which is nice because we'll get extra attention, but also can be bad because we'll get extra attention. I think I'm going to enjoy this instructor, if only I can get used to her thick, Russian-accented English! We learned most of the alphabet last night and did a lot of repeating words. I've found that forming some of the sounds is a challenge for my mouth, but I'm confident I'll get it eventually. I think I'll feel better once I learn this new alphabet...right now it's pretty overwhelming. But, I'm really excited about this class and hope to learn enough to get around when I go to Russia. Anna, I may be calling Chase for some assistance with pronounciation!

Here's a little Russian for you all!

Привет мои друзья! Я тоскую без Вас всех!

Dave Matthews - Stuck On You

2007-05-04T09:50:00.001-04:00

I've been listening to a lot of DMB lately (in preparation for the summer/fall tour!) and I stumbled across Dave singing this Elvis cover that was too great not to share! Enjoy!

Weekend

2007-04-30T09:18:00.000-04:00

What a nice, relaxing weekend...we really needed it! We all had crazy weeks and just needed some time to relax. I ran some errands (and cleaned) on Saturday and then hung out with Michelle B. who was in town visiting from Colorado. It was great to see her and get to catch up! On Sunday I had to teach the rugrats (I mean 6-year-olds), which was good, but I'm always exhausted afterwards. We all relaxed in the afternoon, had dinner with our friend Jamie and then watched "Extreme Makeover Home Edition", which we all love. And now it's Monday again...oh joy.

And of course, Friday was the big steak dinner at Ray's the Steaks. We had to wait in line for an hour and a half (they don't take reservations), but it was SO worth it! Hands down the best steak I've ever had. The restaurant is great. It's super tiny, nothing on the walls, plain tables & chairs, but great service and amazing food! They were quick to get our food out to us, which was nice because we were STARVING by the time we got seated. We started with soup (I had incredible crab bisque), then had our steaks (I had a filet with blue cheese sauce), enjoyed the sides (mashed potatoes and creamed spinach) and finished with dessert (I had strawberries and cream, which was to die for!). All that, plus a soda and a generous tip and I walked out of there only spending $40! I'll definitely go back and anyone who comes to visit MUST try this place out!

The NFL draft was very interesting. Brady Quinn had to wait until pick #22 and then ended up being drafted by the Cleveland Browns?!? Poor guy. I think the Steelers had a successful draft. We picked up some good defensive talent and I'm anxious to see what Mike Tomlin does with the team this year. I love the summer, but I'm excited for football season!

Idol Gives Back - Stars perform

2007-04-27T18:03:00.001-04:00

If you haven't seen yet...it's pretty funny! Needless to say, I just figured out how to post youtube videos to my blog. :)

NFL Draft

2007-04-27T16:10:00.001-04:00

Okay, I know I'm a dork, but I'm really excited about the upcoming NFL draft this weekend. I love the prospect of new players and waiting to see who the Steelers will draft. Right now they need to beef up their offensive line as well as their defensive line (and linebackers, with Joey Porter leaving for lame Miami), so I'm curious to see where they'll start. There's also a great cornerback who I think would fit in well and anyone who's a Steeler fan knows we can always use help in the secondary. Not since Rod Woodson (10 years ago) have we had a pro bowl CB! I mean, poor Troy Polamalu can't be EVERYWHERE!

I'm going to a potentially great restaurant tonight called "Ray's the Steaks. Yep, a steak place...and it's supposed to be amazing. We'll see. Though after 2 weeks of salads everyday for lunch (I'm not going to the gym 3 times a week for nothing!), I'm ready for a good steak! I'll post my review this weekend.

P.S. The Office was hysterical last night! Anyone who doesn't watch it should start. Now. It's one of the funniest shows I've ever seen. I have a big crush on Jim, but I love it when Dwight is on a lot...he makes me laugh out loud. My current favorite Dwight quote (in an episode about someone getting decapitated), "When I die, I want to be frozen. And if they have to freeze me in pieces, SO BE IT. I will wake up stronger than ever because I will have used that time to figure out exactly WHY I died. And what moves I could have used to defend myself now that I know what hold he had me in." :)

Another great scene from The Office

2007-04-27T16:09:00.001-04:00

Amherst

2007-04-22T20:08:00.000-04:00

Miles traveled - 826
Hours spent in the car - 16.5

States we drove through - 7
Police we spotted - 29
Hours Dave & Tim spent playing - OVER 3!!!

Eileen and I went to Amherst, MA (UMass) this weekend to see our first ever Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds show. We packed the car and left early Saturday morning with plenty of snacks and enough Dave & Tim music to last the entire trip. We were happy we left with plenty of time to spare because we were stuck in a long line in Jersey to get gas. Since you can't pump your own gas in Jersey you have to wait in long lines because they only have 2 attendants available. 16 pumps and only 2 were available. If that makes sense to anyone, please explain it to me.

An hour later, we were on our way again, only to hit more traffic near NYC. Here we are getting ready to cross the GW bridge. Are you starting to sense a theme here? :)

We FINALLY arrived at UMass 9 hours later. Tired, hungry and sick of the car, we checked into our hotel (which was right on campus...SO nice). We drove around Amherst to find food...it's a very cute little college town...and then got ready for the show.

This is the Mullins Center. We walked about a block from our hotel and got there in time to buy t-shirts and find our seats, which turned out to be amazing. Dave & Tim came out and started the show. Dave was in rare form and told a lot of funny stories. He wasn't feeling great and said he had a "fever", which I'm sure was partly because he was high as a kite. Tim never speaks, except through this incredible guitar playing. He had a solo called "Stream" and rocked out with a bit of Led Zepplin's "Kashmir" at the end, which earned him a much deserved standing ovation from the crowd. Dave's voice was great and it was nice to see him in a mellow, laid back setting where he could tell stories and make fun of obnoxious drunk guys in the audience. Why do people feel the need to yell our during pauses or quiet moments in the songs? SO annoying! Note to guys...DON'T yell out, "I love you Dave"! Dave doesn't want to hear it and neither so we! But this show was definitely worth the long trip and we're glad we went!

The ride home was uneventful and much faster than the ride there. We were smart and got gas before Jersey and enjoyed my car's sunroof and the beautiful weather. Here we are back home with our new shirts...only three shows on this mini "tour" and we were at one of them! I hear that there's a DVD coming out about the weekend's shows...can't wait! Now we're going to bed because we're EXHAUSTED!

Here's the setlist in case anyone is interested.

Saturday Apr 21 2007
University of Massachusetts - Mullins Center

Bartender
Dodo
Stay Or Leave
Crush
Old Dirt Hill
Grace Is Gone
So Damn Lucky
Gravedigger
The Stone
Sister
Lie In Our Graves
Oh
Save Me
Stream *
Kashmir * (Led Zepplin cover)
Corn Bread
Down By The River (Neil Young cover)
The Maker (Emmylou Harris cover)
Intro
Jimi Thing
Pantala Naga Pampa
Still Water
Don’t Drink the Water
#41
Dancing Nancies
__________________

Improv +
Some Devil +
Little Thing
Where Are You Going
Two Step

Show Notes:
Dave And Tim appear on all songs except where noted
* Tim Solo
+ Dave Solo

Crazy Bird Lady

2007-04-19T20:41:00.000-04:00

This is my mom. She's turned into the crazy bird lady and I mean that in a very loving way. She's babysitting two birds for a friend in her ward and she loves it (just as much as dad pretends to hate it). She has always loved watching birds, she gets it from her father. I remember Grandpa sitting in his chair by the window with binoculars, watching the different bird feeders they had in the backyard. Whenever mom's home she's playing with these birds. I called her the other night and could hear them chirping away. The bigger green bird is Scooby. He's trained to say a few things and do some tricks. He's pretty moody, but when he feels like it he'll sit on your finger and let you pet his head. The little blue bird is Birdie. He's new and Scooby isn't crazy about him. Birdie flies around and lands where he pleases (Scooby can't fly and I think he's a bit jealous). Birdie is very hyper and doesn't stay in one place very long. He doesn't talk, but makes little noises that sound like R2 D2...pretty funny. My mom has really been enjoying having the birds around, and I have to admit, it's cool to play with them. I mean, I'm actually holding birds!

Dad feeding the birds...they loved the bread! I knew he didn't really hate them!

When I was home last weekend I finally got to meet Abby, the daughter of my good friends Darron & Robyn Billeter. She's so adorable!!! We had a great time and it was so amazing to see Darron with his daughter. I knew he'd be a great dad and it's always fun to be right!

Eileen and I are headed up to UMass this weekend to see Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds play. It's our first Dave & Tim show and we're VERY excited. It'll be a whirlwind weekend (7 hour drive up on Sat. and 7 hour drive home on Sun.), but we don't care...it'll be worth it. I'll be sure to take a lot of photos to post!

Easter Kitchen Aid

2007-04-08T17:02:00.000-04:00

Susan and I colored Easter eggs last night and had a blast!

My favorite egg.

Susan's favorite egg.

Here's the whole gang!

This year, the Easter Bunny was very, very good to me...I finally got my Kitchen Aid mixer! Okay, the EB didn't bring it to me, but I got such a fantastic deal at the Williams Sonoma outlet that I just couldn't pass it up. So, here it is! I love it SO MUCH...isn't it gorgeous!?! I can't wait to use it, so everyone should come visit soon!

The DMB Dilemma

2007-04-05T10:54:00.000-04:00

Okay, I need some help! Eileen and I are in the process of deciding where go this summer to see our favorite band. We're only getting one night in Pittsburgh, so we need to travel to see them more than once. (Yes, we already know we're insane, but you all love us anyway!) We've narrowed it down to three options.

Option #1 - Raleigh, NC & Charlotte, NC
This is the closest option to home and the least expensive, but also the least glamorous. We'd head to Virginia Beach for a couple of days on our way to Raleigh, then Charlotte, then home. The plus side to this option is that it's the week before my birthday.

Option #2 - Gorge Ampitheater, George, WA
This is Eileen's 1st choice because the Gorge weekend is legendary among DMB fans. This is probably the most beautiful venue out there and there are 3 nights of concerts. The downside to this is that it's 3 hours from Seattle and the only place to stay (other than a hard-to-get-into motel) is the campground. If you know me at all, you know how I feel about camping...especially for 4 days. Plus, we'd have to fly there, rent a car and then find some camping gear. It's kind of a logistical nightmare. However, it is a once-in-a-lifetime DMB experience and we're not getting any younger! :) Anyone out there have a nice RV they'd like to loan us (and operate for us and drive there for us)?

Option #3 - Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA
This is the most glamorous, but also expensive. We'd fly to LA, go to Laguna for a few days (provided the Griffith's will let us crash at their condo) and then drive up to LA for one or two of the shows there. Then we'd fly home. I've never been to LA and it's tempting. This is also the last stop on the tour so the shows are guaranteed to be AMAZING. But even with my Marriott discount, LA is expensive and we'd have to rent a car as well. But October in California is tempting...

So there are our options. We have until Monday to put in any ticket requests on the Warehouse website (DMB fan website where we can request tickets before they go on sale to the public). We can only request 2 tickets for each show, so if you'd like to join us on any of these adventures, you're on your own for tickets. But we'd love the company (as long as you abide by "Sara & Eileen's DMB rules"). Yes, we're snobs about it, but we take our concert experiences VERY seriously! :)

Anyway, the voting is now open...let us know what you think we should do this summer!

NCAA Champions

2007-04-02T23:24:00.000-04:00

And Florida Repeats! Florida - 84/Ohio State - 75

Now I have to begin by saying that I'm not a Florida fan...except for tonight. Of course, this is because I picked Florida to go all the way and win the NCAA Championship for a second year in a row. And with this win, I am finishing the tournament in 1st PLACE in my pool!!! Not only did I pick Florida to win, but I guessed the final score would be 84-76. Off by only one...boy am I GOOD. I ended up picking my bracket with 96.5% accuracy. This just goes to show what can happen when you make your picks with your head instead of your heart (sorry Pitt!). It was a fun tournament and now I have bragging rights for an entire year!

The Beach

2007-03-22T20:49:00.000-04:00

Last weekend we went to Virginia Beach. Some friends were running in the Shamrock 8K race and the rest of us went to support them. This is what the weather looked like when we left...freezing rain and snow. Nice.

This is the beach the first day. It was FREEZING (though the seagulls didn't seem cold). We wanted to take a walk on the beach but had to bundle up completely. It was still nice to be at the beach though. We rented a big house and relaxed. We played games and watched the NCAA tournament all day. My kind of weekend!

Here's the beach the last day. The sun had come out and it was a bit warmer. I was sad to leave and go back to real life. It was fun to hang out with friends and get to know some people better. And it's always nice to be at the beach...even if it's cold!

Dallas

2007-03-09T13:22:00.000-05:00

I spent the last few days visiting Anna, Chase and the boys in Dallas. It was great to see everyone and I miss you guys already! Dallas is gorgeous this time of year, 70+ degrees and sunny skies. I could get used to that! Anna and I had a chance to go to the Dallas temple (see below) and afterwards had some yummy Texas BBQ!

Here are two of my favorite boys, Cameron and Miles! Cam kept us safe all week and here he is practicing his web slinging. Is "slinging" a correct Spiderman term? Anna and I were wondering, so if there are any Spidey experts out there (aka John), let us know! Cam and I played in his tent a lot and he helped me unload the dishwasher for mommy!

Here's a great photo of Miles. This was my first time meeting him and we hit it off well. I also got to meet two of Chase's brothers and his sister-in-law Kathleen (thanks for the hair advice!). Anna is lucky to have married into such a great family (especially when she gets a flat tire...)!

I'm glad I had the chance to visit Texas. I lived there once upon a time, but it was a while ago and I was pretty young. I enjoyed seeing some of the state when I drove just past the Oklahoma border to meet up with a friend. It's beautiful down there, very flat and open and I can see the attracting to living in that part of the country. I'm definitely a city girl, but part of me is still drawn there (and not just because of Sonic's cherry limeades). Though I'll NEVER like country music! :)

End of an Era

2007-03-02T20:28:00.000-05:00

Wednesday was my last day at Ford Motor Company. It's been 10 mostly good years. I'm still not sure what I'm feeling and I'm sure this won't really hit me for a while. I'm thinking it may hit me once I start my new job at Marriott. Right now I just feel like I'm on vacation or something. Ford was good to me and I was given a lot of great opportunities. But it was time to go...and hopefully I'm off to bigger and better things!

New York City

2007-02-19T20:10:00.000-05:00

My roommates and I went to New York last weekend and had a BLAST! We were really afraid of the weather, but got lucky. It was cold, but certainly not miserable...the sun was out most of the weekend and we were able to be inside enough to stay warm. Here's a great photo of the "literary walk" in Central Park...one of my most favorite places in the world. Don't you just love the trees? I can't explain how beautiful it is there. I took a ton of tree photos...yep, I'm a dork.

This is the Imagine memorial in Central Park...it's a beautiful place to think and reflect and has become a very special place to me. My dad told me about it a long time ago and I visit it everytime I'm in NYC.

This is our ghetto hotel room in NYC. Yes, that's it, no tricks or mirrors, you're seeing the entire room. There's a TINY bathroom next to where I'm standing (only one person can fit in it at a time). Now that I'll be working for Marriott, I'll NEVER have to stay in a hotel like this again!

One reason we went to NYC was to see "The Apple Tree" starring Kristin Chenoweth. She was FANTASTIC. The show is separated into three one-act plays. It was funny, witty, full of great music and a perfect showcase of the actors' talents. I see some Tony awards in the future for this cast!

Of course, I had to stop by the stage door afterwards. I've had some great stage door luck and this was no exception. We were right in the front and got some great photos of Kristin and Brian D'Arcy James (the male lead...so adorable). They were both very nice to everyone and we got to chat with them a bit. Kristin smiled and talked to everyone in that huge crowd. We told her what huge fans we were and that we loved how she commanded that stage so well (and she's only 4' 11"!). She thanked us and even told my roommate Jen that she had seen her in the audience!

I'm also back on my "see-a-famous-person-in-NYC" kick (besides at the stage door). We saw Carson from "Queer Eye for a Straight Guy" at the show! I also enjoyed some fun window shopping on 5th Avenue...I went to Tiffanys and also to FAO Schwartz, where I got to watch two really funny guys play the big piano!

V-Day

2007-02-14T22:23:00.000-05:00

Here's who I choose as my valentine this year...and I want to be surfing in Australia with him rather than digging my car out from under snow & ice!

We did have a fun day today. My roommates all had a snow day and I couldn't make it into the office (see above about snow & ice). Liz made us a great breakfast and we went to a friend's house for a yummy dinner. We came home to a totally plowed driveway, courtesy of our wonderful neighbor Matt's snowplow truck! So sweet!

Here we are with a V-Day present from Jen...pucker up!

Love Sac

2007-02-10T00:35:00.000-05:00

This is our lovesac. Well, not really ours, we've just been babysitting it for Brandon for the past few months. And as you can see, it has taken over our living room. It's a total fire hazard, but we love it. SO MUCH. He's coming tomorrow to pick it up and we're sad. We had a movie night tonight so we could sit in it one last time.

Here I am in the lovesac. This photo might give you an idea of how huge this thing is. It takes two of us to move it around. It's worth it though...this is the most comfortable piece of furniture EVER. It sucks you in and you seriously can't get up once you're in it. We'd buy one, but it's just too big for our house. We need a "love sac room" where we can have a bunch of love sacs and a big screen plasma TV.

This is Liz being annoyed that I took her picture. She's working hard on her sudoku puzzles. And this ends your inside view of an exciting night at the Maynard house. (don't judge us...it's 5 degrees outside!)

Sports update: My boys at Pitt won again on Wednesday night. They're ranked #6! I just got tickets to see them play Georgetown in a couple of weeks! Other good news...Marriott called me today and want me to come in for a THIRD interview next week. Everyone keep your fingers crossed!