BIOSPHERE 2

Yesterday I went to Oracle, AZ.  I know, I know, now  you all think I have the answers.  I don't.

We toured the Biosphere 2.  Rob was like a kid in a candy store!  It was so interesting!  In the early 90's they had a team of 8 live in the sphere for 2 years, it was completely closed off to the rest of the world.  They did research on different ecosystems, grew their own food, recycled their waste for fertilizer and it worked very well!  Now it's being used by U of A for water research.  I feel so much smarter now, thanks, Rob!!  It's pretty incredible to see in a very vivid way how utilizing natural resources wisely can sustain life...and the circle of life continues.

People dancing in the street!  This older man was boogey-in away to some fabulous trombone playing, jazz singing and hand clappin!  What a city!!!!  So much life, incredible food, wonderful music and art.  Next time the trip will be much longer!  And Madi loved the stairs!  She just loves walking!!!  It's a good thing Shan is closer to the ground than Ryan to avoid the back issues.  :)  Love ya girl!!

It was such a great weekend with two of my closest friends.  Time doesn't change anything with these girls.  Every time I get together with either of them it's as though there were never any distance between us at all!!  I love the way they know what I am thinking without saying anything!  Thanks for a great trip and the never ending friendship!!

Yeah for friends in the south!  Kasia and I took a little jaunt down to visit Ryan and Shan in Jackson, Mississippi.  It was such a blast!  While we were there we spent a day in New Orleans.  It just so happened that the same weekend we were there they were having the French Quarter Festival.  It was great!!  They had jazz music on every corner and artists all over the place displaying their work.  The weather was perfect!  AND we even got to see a wedding!!!  HA!  

Okay, so funny!  So after dinner we went to walk on the dock behind "The Cock on the Walk" and I wanted a picture of all of us so I asked this teenage guy to take our picture...Ryan does have more head and I am on Kasia's left.  Moral of the story...don't include more than 3 people in a group photo and only allow them if they are under 6 feet tall.

It's been a while.

Life is wonderful in AZ!!  January has brought MANY changes and wonderful opportunities!!  I was semi-promoted in the beginning of January and then fully promoted two weeks later.  It's been stressful, but great!!  I now work with children from 0-3 yrs.  I am the Director of the Early Intervention Program.  The women who work with these kids are so fabulous and so dedicated!  Even though things are a little hairy right now, in light of the budget cuts, I am so grateful and excited to be a part of something so great!!!  The Lord truly does open doors when He sees fit!  I have also booked a plane ticket to visit one of my most favorite people in the entire world...WITH another one of my most favorite people in the entire world!!!  LIFE IS GOOD!!  The people and friends and family we share life with it makes it's all the sweeter!!!!

The talent of this family is endless...

Fabulous Valentines in Reno!

I just love hanging out with my family!  We all got to play at home this last President's weekend, which never happens, especially with all of us in different states.  We hung out, ate, stayed up late talking, played games, and made a wonderful Valentine's Dinner, thanks to Stephie.  My Mom, as you can see, attempted to catch snowflakes on a black piece of paper so she could see the shape of the snowflakes, but it turned out they were so wet and large that they looked like wet blobs.  Nice try, Mom.

Happy Happy January and Very Hearty V-Day!

January 2009 brought with it change, change and more change!  It also brought another Birthday for my dear roomie, Carly!!!  We had a wonderful evening of crown wearing, skinny-dip talking, Truth or Dare Jenga and What If playing, and yummy cake!  It wouldn't be complete without good friends and laughter!!!  Happy Birthday Carly!!!  One year older and wiser too, Happy Birthday to you!!

Christmas Day celebrations!!

  Christmas Day was wonderful!!  I spent Christmas Eve at my Aunt Charlotte's house.  We slept in and then went to Deann's house for brunch and then off to Uncle David's and Aunt Cheri's!!  The day was full of fun, food and family!!  Doesn't get much better than that!!

Adoption/Foster care plug

Tonight I watched the annual Christmas special "Home for Christmas".  It's sponsored by the Dave Thomas Foundation.  It's a special that has been on the air for 10 years now promoting adoption.  They highlight families who have adopted and children who need homes.  I pretty much cried through the whole thing.  Especially since it all hits so close to home now with the field I am currently employed in.  These kids need us!!  One of these days I plan on opening my home to foster kids and possibly work towards adoption.  It's such a wonderful thing!!!  We are so blessed to have family nearby for the holidays!

Weddings, Pottery Painting Places and Adoption

Since moving to AZ, I've been attending a few "Meetup" groups.  On this website you can find groups in your city that gather together to attend local events, dinner, or movies.  It's very popular for people who are new to any given area.  It's been so much fun getting to know various people who have attended the get-togethers.  There is a small group of girls who have been pretty regular in attending several of the recent meetups.  We have all hit it off!  SO, the four of us will meet monthly to have dinner and some of the great places around town to talk and catch up.  It's a blast!  This past Thursday we met at a local pottery painting place.  One girl did a candle holder, another a candy dish.  I decided on a bowl.  I'm simple.  I don't do knick-knacks.  I also don't do stuffed animals.  (that was for you Cara, Roselia and Shan)  I think the skull and cross bones I picked out as a little ornamentation works rather nicely to compliment the bottom of the bowl, don't you?



Side note: **My secret santa, Mike (as pictured to the right, sporting the Christmas vest), has excellent taste, I must say.  For my final gift he picked out a beautiful, snowman covered, Christmas Cardigan.  I'm already for next year's party!!

Last weekend I was privileged enough to attend a sealing at the Portland Temple.  It was wonderful.  Short and sweet.  Jared and Emily were married on Saturday, December 20, 2008.  They were both so calm and collected.  I guess that's how things go when it's in the right place, with the right person.  I'm so happy for them!!!  Now she can get freaky... finally, after waiting so patiently for so long!!!!  CONGRATS!!!  Yee-haw!

(Come on, it's me, did you honestly NOT expect that?????)

The weekend was quite an adventure.  In fact, I think today people are finally returning home to their respective cities and states.  The weather in Portland this weekend was a bit out of the ordinary for the area.  They got about 9 inches of snow and after that they were blessed with freezing rain.  Then, more snow.  And it was Southwest and Alaskan who couldn't get people where they needed to go.  Alaskan, HA!  That's irony for ya!