Girls NYC Trip

Hopefully this will become a tradition with the Hall girls. This is the second year in a row that we have all gone to New York together. New York is the perfect location for a girls week!! This year Amy was going to NYC for work. She and Sara called me to see if I could go but John and I had just gotten back from our Europe trip and I didn't think I could pull it off. Well, John is so sweet and he helped me get a free ticket with our miles and we surprised Amy. Sara was able to tell me what flight she was on and I got on the same flight and booked the seat next to her. My plan was to be sitting on the airplane when she got on, but I had a few mishaps with my flight and didn't get there early enough to beat her on the plane. Turns out she was two people ahead of me in the security line. It was awesome seeing her face when I yelled out her name!!

We all got spoiled on this trip. Since Amy was going for work we all bunked up with her at the Marriott on 49th street. It was amazing!! It was just Amy and I for the first night then Sara came the second night and Amanda the third night. Unfortunately, I had to leave a day before everyone else, but it was such a great trip!!

Some of the highlights were:
*Wondering the streets and dreaming of living in one of the amazing apartments.
*Enjoying our Godiva chocolates in Central Park while watching guest arrive for a Gala at the zoo.
*Katz Deli and the delicious Ruben
*Taking taxis (again, thanks to Amy's work)
*Watching three movies in our favorite theater, AMC Loews Lincoln Square
*Getting to the MET just in time for a free sprint to our favorite exhibits
*Going to the MOMA (and being able to just walk across the street from our hotel
*Great FOOD!!
*Going to Magnolia's more times then we can count!
*Witnessing a police sting. Gun and all!!!
*Enjoying the amazing view from the Rock!
*Singing along to "9 to 5"!!!
*Waiting for the cast members of 9 to 5
*Going to FAO Schwarz to buy Eleanor a Middleton Doll
*Searching NYC high and low for a squishy spider
*Buying matching purses with Amy and Amanda
*Sighting John Krasinki while eating at Cafe Havana.
*Amy spilling her food due to the previous mentioned sighting

Eleanor's Arizona visit

While John and I went to Greece, Eleanor got to go on her own vacation to Arizona. And let me tell you, she had the time of her life! When ever we called to talk to her, she did not want to talk, she was always too busy playing. Mimi, Grandpa, Aunt Sara and Aunt Amy were so good to her. They took to her to movies, to get new boots and out to eat. One thing they did not tell us until we got home was that she got in a car wreck with Davey and Amy (they didn't want us to worry about her!). They were taking Eleanor out on a little date and a young kid ran a stop sign and ran right into them. I guess it was pretty bad, causing $12,000 damage to Mimi's van. The funny thing about it is they didn't know Eleanor wasn't wearing any underwear (she is notorious for taking her underwear off when she uses the bathroom and then never putting them back on!). When they took her out of the car and the police officers were checking her out the discovered she had no panties on under her dress. She still talks about the little stuffed animal the "police offefer" gave her.

It was so nice being able to leave the country and not worry about Eleanor. I am so lucky to have such great parents. They really are the BEST grandparents in the world!! So great that when I got to Phoenix to pick Eleanor up, she was not happy to see me. She did not want to come home!!

Italy and greece

I hate that I am so far behind on my blog and that I have to go back and try to remember things from months past. Luckily while John and I were on our vacation we sat down the last day and made a little list of the main things we did each day. I found that list tonight and here it is:

Friday 15th: Flew out of SLC to NYC. Had issues at the airport getting our tickets to Rome.

Saturday 16th: Arrived in Rome. Took train to hotel. Slept for 4 hours. Visited Fountain Trevi while enjoying gelato! Walked to the Pantheon. Enjoyed a delicious dinner outside in a public square.

Sunday 17th: Visited the Colosseum. Very pleased with Rick Steve's advice about the Roma Pass. Walked around Palatine Hill. Enjoyed the sites, not the heat. John walked the Roman form, Julie rested. Finally found our way to the Borghese Gallery. Enjoyed a sandwich and a little nap in the park before our entry time into the gallery. Walked the streets while VERY hungry trying to find a restaurant recommended by Rick Steves. John found it and it was worth the walk! Enjoyed some great gelato on the walk back to the hotel.

Monday 18th: Visited St. Peters in Chains church. Walked to the prison that held Peter and Paul. Noticed my backpack was unzipped, but nothing was stolen. Got a little nervous! Did our one and only tour, the Vatican Museum. Wished we would have not done the tour and just walked it ourselves. Saw tombs of the Popes. Entered St. Peters. Bought and sent Eleanor postcard from Vatican City. Walked around the city. Had a rip off "snack". Walked and waited for restaurant to open. BEST meal in Italy! Beautiful flowers growing up the building. Saw a movie being filmed. Stopped by the gelto stand on the way back to hotel.

Tuesday 19th: Train to the airport. Flew to Athens. Finally found hotel after walking in the ghetto! Walked around Agora. Ate dinner outdoors. Met the newly wed couple. Found coke and candy for hotel room.

Wednesday 20th: Visited the Acropolis. Annoyed at the wind and my skirt flying up. Climbed the mountain across the Acropolis and enjoyed a great view. John got pooped on by a pigeon. Rang a very loud bell! Visited where democracy was born. Visited where Paul preached. Walked around Agora and the Roman Forum. Walked to the Temple of Zeus. Enjoyed the Arch. Walked to the stadium where the first Olympics took place. Enjoyed a nice nap and crepe for lunch. Walked around Placa. Had a great dinner and watched a huge dog perform in the street. Honor system of the Metro.

Thursday 21st: Found travel agent and Internet cafe to book trip to Santorini. Climbed to Acropolis again, could not enter. Great fruit from the fruit stand for lunch. Dinner at the same restaurant as night before. BEST baklava ever!

Friday 22nd: Up at 5:45 to catch metro to the ferry. Stole knife and bread from hotel for the ferry ride. 8 hour ferry ride. Met nice couple Kyle and Lyndsay. Did not enjoy the wind, but LOVED the scenery. Great picnic sandwiches. Had no clue how to get to our hotel. Shared the LAST taxi with another girl. Dinner with annoying couple. Walked the black beach. Laid on chairs and enjoyed the view. Enjoyed great baklava from local bakery on our private balcony. Loved the clean/white hotel.

Saturday 23rd: Breakfast at the hotel. A little time soaking in some sun on the beach. Walked around Fira. Bought a great ceramic olive oil bottle. Visited a local grocery store. Great deli meet and cheese and fruit for lunch. Enjoyed a gorgeous view while eating lunch. On the Ferry much too soon. Could have stayed another week in Santorini. Sat on a bench near Goody's on the ferry. Came up with a list of names for the baby. Got smart and moved to the first class section. Never inhaled so much smoke! Metro was closed so we had to take a bus in between stops. Finally got home around 1 am.

Sunday 24th: Up at 6 am for our trip home. John's first taste of wine.

graduation

When I first started college back in 1997 I choose photography as my major. After finishing my Associates from Ricks College, I decided to switch to Business with an emphasis in Marketing. The fall after I finished by Bachelor in Business, I decided to enroll at the University of Utah and get a second Bachelors in Photography. I was enrolled for a year, but with moving back to Arizona and getting married, I never went back. Two years ago I went to Kara Baldwin's graduation at the University of Utah and I was inspired to finish my degree. I started back up that Fall of 2007. I am so glad I decided to go back and finish my degree. I enjoyed having a goal to work towards and I really enjoyed being back on campus and learning. There is just something I love about being a student. It wasn't always easy going to school with a baby at home, but it was well worth it. Most of my classes I was the only one married and forsure the only one with a child. I could not have done it without the help of many. Thanks to all, especially John! During my graduation Eleanor was so excited. When I asked her if she was going to go to college and graduate her response was, "Yes. When I'm a mommy". Let's just hope she gets it done before then!

Eleanor worms

Eleanor and John are quite the little buddies. She loves following him around and doing what he does. Yesterday these two were out working in the garden for hours. John pointed out some earth worms and Eleanor thought they were the greatest things ever! She collected quite the pile. She would get so upset at them when they would crawl away from her their "beds". Her favorite thing to do was rip them in half, disgusting, I know! I never imagined I'd have a little girl that enjoyed worms so much!

kangaroo zoo

Not only did John take off his birthday, but he also took the day after. To continue celebrating his birthday we enjoyed a morning at Kanagroo Zoo. We brought Ashely along with us so Eleanor could have someone to go down the slides with. It's funny how cautious Eleanor is. It took a lot of talking to and bribing to get her to try a few new slides. Of course once she tried them a few time she was having the time of her life and wasn't too happy when we made her leave.

After the Kangaroo Zoo we met up with Blake and Becky at Texas Roadhouse to celebrate John's birthday.

John's Birthday April 14

Today John turned 27 years old!! It's never that much fun teasing him about getting older...he always comes back with the fact that no matter how old he gets, I've got him by three years!!

Lucky for us, John took the day off work so we got to spend the day together. This year I was so happy to plan ahead and have breakfast for him in bed. Years past I always think of it too late and always wish I would have done it. Eleanor was so excited for his surprise that she kept going in the bedroom and telling him we were making him a surprise. And of course, she had to share his french toast with him. It was such a pleasant morning having John home and to make things better, we got to enjoy a nice rain storm all morning!

After breakfast I asked John what he wanted to do and he wanted to take Eleanor down to Thanksgiving Point. What a sweet Dad!! It was really fun watching John and Eleanor together. Most of the time we go to Thanksgiving Point John is at work so it's just Eleanor and I. This time Eleanor was so excited to have John there with us. She wouldn't have a thing to do with me and wanted to take John around and show him everything. I love the special relationship the two of them share!!

Next we headed over to Mi Ranchito for lunch. I'm not sure what it is, but a birthday is not complete with out Mexican food! It's just tradition!

The rest of the day was spent hanging out at home and just enjoying having Dad home with us. Happy Birthday Day, John. We LOVE you!