"it's a new dawn, it's a new day..."

Happy New Year everybody!  We drove down to celebrate in Las Vegas, and got there just in time for fireworks in front of the Bellagio fountain. We even made some crazy friends who led us over to an awesome drum circle with a hula hoop dancer.

Start your new year off with a kiss...

Whew! Christmastime has come and gone and I am left with the feeling that I have so much to be grateful for. I went up to my parent's house for Christmas and got to see my little niece Carly and my nephews Isaac and Nathan. They are all adorable, and I loved getting to spend time with them. 
To backtrack a little, Logan and I decided it was high time we went up to Zion again because we haven't been in forever, so we went up last week. It was super pretty and in the middle of the road we found reindeer! or...sheep...

Friday was the last day I worked before Christmas, and I dressed up for the occasion. Everyone loved it; I had people coming around the desk admiring my outfit and bringing their spouses over to see. I know, I'm so cute. ;) 

I drove up to my parent's house on Friday after work, and Saturday morning my mamma took me and my sisters to the spa where we got massages. ....ahhh......wonderful. It was relaxing and fun and I really don't see why I shouldn't be able to go like once a week. :) I'm already ready to go again. 


While I was in town for a few days, we went to my grandparent's house where my Grandpa busted out his ukulele and played and sang songs, we had dinner with my cousins, I got lots of playing time in with the little ones, and I never wanted to go back to work again. Ha ha. 

I was sitting with Carly and Isaac and Nathan one day and I got out some crayons so they could color. A few minutes of hard work later, Carly turned to me and asked "do you know who the 'inja tuytles are?" (Her "r"s come out as "y"s and it makes everything she says cute) I told her I did know who they are, and she held up this picture and said "Its us! we'ya 'inja tuytles!" How awesome is this picture? I love our little eye masks. 

We also went up to see the Christmas lights in Salt Lake while I was there, and on the last day we went to Ogden and went...indoor skydiving! It was the hidden present this year for Christmas and we got clues that led us to it. (which was funny all in itself- especially if you were there to see curtis' high-stepped running.) Flying was super awesome, I've been wanting to go for years and I'm so glad I finally got to. :)

They gave us a movie afterward of all of us flying, which is sweet, and you should watch the end to see the instructor flying around. he was nuts. I wish you could see how high up the tunnel we were in went. It was super cool. 

One last thing before I wrap this up- I made this dress for Sofia (Logan's little niece) and I was all excited about it until about a week before Christmas when his sister posted a picture of her and she suddenly looked doubled in size! I was convinced it wasn't going to fit, but in the end he sent me this picture of her in her dress (and the hat I made her forever ago) and she was absolutely precious like I knew she would be :) hurray!

"i'm shippin' up to Boston, whoooaaa..."

Oh hello again. Don't worry, I'm not dead. If you haven't heard from me in awhile its probably because I've been terrible at blogging, been working my life away, been traveling across the country, and switched phone carriers and got a new phone that I hardly know how to use. But it is fancy, and that's what counts. Sometimes I just forget its supposed to actually be for communicating- not just taking pictures, playing games, and trying to figure out swype typing. Goodbye iphone, hello Epic Touch. I named it Ginormica...it's huge.
Also, Logan got an audition at Berklee School of Music in Boston last week, so we flew out there with his parents and his sister Shanda and had a blast. I've wanted to go to Boston for so long, and let me just say- its everything I knew it would be. It was amazing. I love-love-loved it, and I didn't want to come back.
When we got off the plane we took a shuttle to a boat, and a boat to our hotel. As soon as we hit the boat dock and saw the city I suddenly had this feeling of being home. Which is strange, because I'd never been to Boston. Something about that city, though- I felt that way the whole time I was there. Every little building we passed I just fell in love with and I was constantly pulling out my camera or my phone to take pictures. We went last Friday and came back on Monday evening, spent Tuesday in Vegas, and got back late that night. It was a good little trip, even if it went by super fast.
While we were in Boston, we took a trolley tour and also did a walking tour of a lot of the historical sites. We also ate at some amazing places. The first night we were there, we went to this Italian place surrounded by a bunch of Italian stuff, and I'm pretty sure the owner is part of the mob. He looked pretty legit. The food was delicious- so yummy. The last night we ate there the concierge recommended an Irish pub. It was on a street with a bunch of other pubs, and when we walked in I fell in love with it. There was a guy playing his guitar and singing in an Irish accent, and another guy playing a wicked violin next to him. The waitress spoke with a crazy thick accent and the whole place was amazing.
I have a whole album of the trip here: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150475125864653.393835.656354652&type=1&l=303ee23b42
aaaand I'm pretty much ready to go back. Here are a few highlights in case you don't feel like scrolling through facebook pictures.

Horsey the Elf

I got this on the trip, and now I bring it to work for lunch. It makes me smile every time I see it.

i LOVE this park. so pretty. 

USS Constitution

These old buildings are just mixed in with all the modernized buildings. it's so cool to see them still hanging on.

old city hall

check out how cool that building behind me is. 

site of the boston massacre

trolley tour!

on our way home we stopped at the Venetian in Vegas. They have this huge tree and its made out of bubbles!

In case you don't hear from me again before the holidays are over- Merry Christmas everyone! :)

"maybe light a candle..."

the tree is up! it's officially Christmas season.

Bah Humbug to you Scrooges and Happy Holidays to everyone else.  :)

"how I spent my Thanksgiving vacation"

and by vacation, I mean the two day weekend after Thanksgiving that I spent in celebration of no work since I had to work on Thanksgiving.

My neighbor Dustyn across the street is super cool. This might be the first time in 10 years I've even known one of my neighbors, and its a nice change. He just started a business where they take people on ATV tours around here. On Saturday he invited me and Logan to come along for fun with some of his family who was in town for the holiday. We had a blast. I'm so happy its still warm and sunny here, and so pretty.

me and logan about halfway through the trip

first time ever making a duck beak out of pringles

Dustyn and his sister

I took this real quick as we were driving by. Everything we passed was gorgeous

My camera came out a little dustier than it went in but with a little polishing its as good as new! I had a ton of fun- hurray for weekends off, sunshine, and cool friends! :)