Life so far in Texas

Hey this is Fuzz. Channing is letting me help her for the first time with her blog post. These past couple weeks I've been teaching her the ropes- literally. I was introduced to climbing by one of my best buds (Billy) down here in the Paso about 8 months before leaving to Iraq. Since then i can't go enough. I don't plan on ever giving this up, so I'm working on getting Channing to fall in love with it too. I just bought her some of her very own awesome climbing shoes. I'm hoping that it will make her feel obligated to go with me all the time haha. So far it has worked, and I think she really likes it :) ...

We went up to Albuquerque last week with some friends to our favorite climbing gym. Then this week I took her to Sneed's Cory.

Me, Channing, & my buddy Webb



And then in the middle of writing this post we decided to make a quick run to the amphitheater to scathe the walls. I'm so proud of her, and how quickly she is picking up climbing. Just look at her mad skills!

It's Official!!!

So it's been a wild weekend-- I know that there is no excuse for it taking so long for me to finally post this-- other than I've been on cloud 9. . . trying to soak this all in!

Friday night, Fuzz had asked me out on a date. . .

He took me to Texas Roadhouse-- one of our favorite restaurants, that we hadn't been to together yet since I'd moved to Texas. We had an awesome dinner, and then left and headed to the mall. . .

We went ring shopping for a while. . . and had found some beautiful rings. . . really beautiful. . . but neither of us were totally feelin' it with any of them.

After that he took me to play with puppies at the mall-- and they were so cute! (We went back again yesterday-- because puppies are just so much fun-- even more so when you just get to play with them and not clean up after them!)

Next, we went and played miniature golf together at a place close by where I live- Fuzz put's Tiger to shame-- he's so awesome at golf! And even cooler than that-- he's so patient with me because I am clueless when it comes to golf-- regardless, we had a blast!

After that, we came back to my place for a second, and went on a walk around my neighborhood. It was so dark it made me nervous-- I would never have been on streets that dark, that quiet, that late, in New York-- but here with Fuzz, I totally felt fine. We walked for a while and then finally found this lit grassy hill where we could just sit and talk. But Fuzz wasn't saying anything. I was pretty sure he was going to ask me, but he even made me check his pockets before we left to make sure that he wasn't. ;( I was still nervous though. So nervous that my tummy was all tied up in knots. And he still wasn't talking. Finally, I said-- "Hey, ya wanna tell me a story?" He liked that idea ;) . . . he started to tell me this story about Morgan, this kid-- that really liked this girl named Channing . . . he went on to essentially tell our entire 4 1/2 year dating adventure in 3rd person. . . for about 30 to 45 min. This was a good, long story. . . and I was starting to wonder if he was just trying to get my hopes up trying to be funny. . . and then he got to the end of the story, where he began speaking first person. . . said lots of cute things. . . got down on one knee as he pulled his dog tag chain out from around his neck. . . and there, dangling on the bottom of it. . . was the most beautiful ring!

He asked me. . . and the second he did. . . all of those knots went away and I felt a flood of excitement, rush right through me. It felt so good and so right for me to say "YES!" and then I started bawling, a happy cry though ;) he gave me a piggy-back ride back to my place- and that was it;) Best date of my life!

So now I'M ENGAGED!!! I still get so excited saying that! Fuzz and I were asked to speak on Sunday with our buddy Webb, and we were so excited to hear bishop announce our engagement at the pulpit. We couldn't stop smiling. . . we still can't! We had kind of an engagement party dinner with some of his buddies after church-- we made a big home cooked meal with yummy dessert-- which was a fun treat for all of us. We've been crazily wedding planning and just enjoying being ENGAGED! I still get excited when I look down and catch that sparkle out of the corner of my eye. . . not just because that sparkle is coming from a ring-- that's gorgeous-- but so much more, because it signifies that I'm getting married to the neatest guy in the whole world-- I can't believe I'm so lucky!
Wow-- I guess this is the one kind of blog post that I'm allowed to get a little giddishly carried away on. We've set the date of June 19th, 2010. Hope to see you all there!

Up Until Now. . .

One thing that I really wanted to see before I left New York was go to the Moth. The Moth is a storytelling night, where there is a designated theme, "Green" was the theme the night I went. Anybody that wants to can put there name in the bag and then if they are drawn, they have 5 minutes to share their story with us. It has to be true, and go with the theme, and can't go over the time limit, or they get points deducted off of their final score. The judges are randomly selected out of the audience-- Lex and I, along with her buddy from work, were selected to be judges (well, one of the 3 judge teams). We had to stand in line for over an hour to even get in, and there were so many people there that most people just had to stand the whole night-- and it was a few hours long! We were lucky and got their early enough that not only did we get in, but we got seats too! It was fun hearing all of the different ways green was used in the different stories; to some it meant new, or environmental, or even marijuana-- it was just fun to hear people tell their own stories. The stories are recorded and are avail on podcasts and some of them even on the radio! The host of the night who's picture is above, (totally looks like Snape from Harry Potter!) is actually a writer for GQ magazine, and had an article in April's edition about moving home after like 20 years when he'd moved away without any intention of coming home for anything more than a holiday here or there--- it's really a hilarious article.
The Moth is really such a great idea! Here's the site: http://www.themoth.org/

So I had just discovered one of my favorite new restaurants, Room Service with my buddies Dana and Nicole, and then headed home to meet Lex. Lex and I were suppose to go clear up town to the top of the island to meet our friend Bobbi for dessert at a new restaurant we'd never been to. We got up there and Lex asked if we could maybe stop by our buddy Brook's house because she needed to pick up something from her-- and since we seldom came up in those parts for anything besides church it made sense that she'd want to run over there while we were already so close.

It took us a sec to find the right building-- they all look the same. We went up and shared our little submarine elevator-- you know what this is if you've ever been on one--- way old school, with a older gentleman carrying home some groceries. When we finally got to Brook's floor, we hopped off and started heading down the hall towards a dead end of all red doors. Lex and I were confused which one was actually Brook's as they all looked the same, all except this one with a big Jewish symbol on the outside of the door that said God Bless. I turned to Lex, "I have no idea which one is hers, do you? Well, hmm... It could be that one, or that one, . . . I know it's not that one!" I said pointing to the God Bless door---- just as the man I'd forgotten was behind me shuffled around me and said, "Yes, this one is mine." I was SO embarrassed! I was trying to say something to fix it when the door in front of me opened and, SURPRISE!!! It was my buddies-- they'd thrown a surprise going away party for me, and had a camera in my face-- haha we had to watch the replay later because I told them how I had already frozen my tongue with embarrassment and then the shock of the surprise too--- had me completely speechless! haha it was hilarious. My friends were so nice! It was so fun to be able to have a night to say goodbye to everybody. Below are some of the pictures that were taken towards the end of the night. You can see all their cute decorations.

This is my bishop, Bishop Orton, and his adorable wife-- I was so lucky to know such amazing people!

Melissa, me, Kelly and Lex-- I'll miss those girls!

Furrr fun!!!


So my moms been begging me to chuck these shoes for soo long. . . and finally, they just up and fell apart on me. I was at the party with my buddy's and looked down to see part of my shoe just dangling. I loved those shoes--- but I just can't make them work anymore. They were so pieced out--- it was time.

I took advantage of my last Saturday in the city. It was gorgeous weather! I went walking all day all through my favorite parts of New York. . . saying my goodbyes to my second home. I went shopping, for the first time since I'd been there-- I went shopping for me! Not for toilet paper, or toothpaste, or milk and eggs. . . but for the fun stuff! It took me a while to get back into it, I used my winnings from the fitness challenge for a lot of it-- even though that's what I'd gotten the money for-- it was still hard not to have buyers remorse. . .

But I don't anymore! Every once in a while, it's okay to buy some nice things to make you feel special! ;) After that, I met up with my girls to go for pedi's and mani's! I just did a pedicure though because I knew that I'd muck up my nails with all the cleaning and packing I was in for and I didn't want to waste it. Everyone's nails looked so springy and fun! We had such a good time together. Later, Melissa and I stopped by one of my favorite places on the upper west side, it's called Caesars Pizza-- but they have awesome gyro's too! I mean-- like the best I've ever had awesome! Melissa had never had one before-- but she loved hers! The weather was so perfect outside that they had all of the windows open, and we were so close to them that we could just about reach out and grab people walking by. . . hahaha well, if we had wanted to. It was the perfect place to people watch! We actually got someone to take our picture -- we just handed them our camera through the window-- haha that was weird, but so cool!

So I've decided that I just LOVE Tai food! I went here with some of my friends and decided it was so amazing I just had to bring some more of my friends back to enjoy it! It's called Room Service, and it's located in Hell's Kitchen, a part of New York filled with fab restaurants.

I enjoyed one of the most amazing chicken pot pies ever created at the Houndtooth restaurant, with my colleague Alan White-- it was my last supper ;( on my last day of work, but it was a new restaurant for both of us and the food was awesome!


I had never made a Lemon Meringue pie before-- until now! I tried to do a flat meringue, so it would be easier to transport. . . but it kinda didn't work-- well we live and we learn, right?

Here are two more new recipe's;) my last two. There is cornflake chicken on the left, and ranch chicken on the right! Yummms!

My last day at work was tough. I went to go and get my regular at the Pax restaurant in the lobby of my building, and starting crying when Jose handed me my whole wheat-scooped-out-bagel, lightly toasted, with butter on the side. He would have it in the toaster sometimes I swear before I even walked in the door! He always knew just how I liked it, and I'd never have to say a word, but "Thank you." It was the best way to start out my day! Such sweet, smiling faces, always super efficient, but in such a great mood! The manager couldn't have been nicer! They always treated like I was such a valuable customer when I'd buy about the cheapest breakfast they offered, a bagel and banana. When they told me to have a wonderful day, I knew they meant it, and I think that they played a huge part in making it just that. Poor Jose couldn't understand my tears. The Manager came over and then the girls, wondering what could have caused this. I just told them that it was my last day. It took me a second to get the words out, and Jose asked me if I'd just gotten fired. Haha that's probably what it looked like, but I told him that my boyfriend had just gotten back from Iraq. "Is he injured" he inquired? He was so sweet. I just told them that I was so grateful for them always taking such great care of me and that I would miss them. They were so sweet as I spoke through my sobs and wished me the greatest happiness, and promised I'd be missed.

I had to hurry and clean my tears up before I got back up to my floor. I couldn't start off my day like this! I knew it was going to be hard, and that the tears would only make it worse.

Later that day, after my lunch, I was surprised again, this time by my colleagues, who had surprised me with some yummy cake, and sweet going away gifts in the conference room. I couldn't keep my tears in any longer. I will, and do, miss all of them! I'm so grateful for the blessing it was to get to know such great, brilliant people!

So I moved to UT for one week, and Morgan surprised me by driving the entire night-- 13 hour drive up from El Paso to come and see me! Mom let him wake me up-- It wasn't the reunion I'd imagined, me and my makeup-less, bed head, morning breath mess! haha but Morgan didn't seem to care much-- and I was just so happy to see him that none of that really mattered. We went to 3 Easter picnic's that weekend-- one at his house, one at the Iverson's, and one at mine.

We got to listen to the beautiful messages given at General Conference, (click here for the audio recording of all four sessions):

http://www.lds.org/conference/languages/0,6353,310-1,00.html .

The messages are so profound, that I dare say, anyone whether they be of our faith or not, would become a better person by listening to the talks and testimony's born. I feel so inspired every 6 months as I listen to the prophet and other church leaders stand and bare witness that God is so aware of our needs, he is so mindful of us, and so willing to help us if we will but turn to him. Each conference session, I feel only replenishes my resolve to just try a little harder to be a little better.

At the end of this beautiful Easter weekend, it was time for some more goodbyes; goodbye's to my family, and goodbye's to my beautiful St. George. . . but just for a short time.

It took two days for Morgan and I to get down here to El Paso. The road trip was so much fun! I live on the other side of the city from Morgan, we're about 40 min. away, but I was lucky enough to have a place to stay, that the commute we feel like is absolutely worth it. I live in a beautiful neighborhood with a roommate that couldn't be nicer. I'm still trying to figure out what exactly I'm going to do here for the next month or so. . . besides date my adorable boyfriend. So far it's been super exciting. . . hopefully soon I'll have some even more exciting things to blog about! . . . We shall see. . . ;)

Tara and Trav; New York First-Timers;)

Wow-- it's been one month to the date since I last posted anything on my blog--- soooo much has happened! It started off with a fun visit from Tara and Travis-- it was their first time in the Big Apple;)


They arrived on one of the most beautiful mornings we'd had in New York since before winter! This was the only full day that I would have to explore the city with them, as I would be working the majority of the time that they were there. We saw lots of fun things together and they had lots of fun on their own too exploring the city together. Tara even won the lottery and so they got to go see Wicked together!


I had to show them the Union Square Farmers Market-- one of my favorite places in the city.

This performer was amazing! He was playing the banjo, singing, using his foot-pedal on his suitcase as a base with one foot and simultaneously tapping his other foot on the tambourine. Awesome~!

Pommes Frites is a restaurant that sells only Belgium Frys and their own fry sauce combinations:

My favorite is the Pomegranate Teriyaki-- Tara and Trav were a little bit sceptical, but they were super sports and actually loved it!


It's kinda got weird decorations inside-- it looks like a shack, with old fashion pictures and decor-- so random. . . so perfect for New York!

We came upon the Carl Fischer publishing building-- that Tara and I (well, mostly our parents) helped pay for as they have purchased numerous Carl Fischer publications for our music library over the years.

It was fun exploring the city through Tara and Trav's eyes. There were lots of fun colored dorm buildings around NYU. I'm sure it makes it a lot easier for students to find their friends buildings. . . I can hear it now. . .

"I'm the yellow one". . .

"Look for the pink brick. . . ya can't miss it!"

Look at what the sun brought out! So many people just sitting around-- no festival or big concert going on. . . just people excited to finally be able to get out and sit in the park!

I work very near Madison Square Garden and I'd wanted to see the Nick's play ever since I'd lived in the city-- I told my colleague Alan, and his son was able to hook us up with some tickets for Tara, Trav and myself-- it actually was an awesome game! Thanks Andy!!!

We were sOoOo excited!

It took us forever to finally leave because there were so many people trying to get down the escalator at the same time. We stood by this sign for a while. . . it was starting to make me thirsty!

Here's the Empire State Building--

I took Tara and Trav to one of my favorite restaurants-- Sook! This is a Tai restaurant-- they loved it!

Another fun place that we went to. . . and a first for all of us. . . was the Stardust Diner. It was awesome! All of the servers are performers-- they told us that lots of them actually end up on Broadway. . . I wasn't surprised, they were stellar performers! It had such a fun atmosphere! We felt like were were sitting on the set of Grease! The food was yummy too;)

Our last day together, we went clear downtown to see the New York Public Library. . . I would have taken pictures. . . but they weren't allowed. We got Soaked! It was pouring rain and soooo windy. . . there were broken umbrella's everywhere! We struggled finding a cab that would save us from the storm and take us where we needed to go, but we finally found one-- and we were ever so grateful!

Tara and Trav safely made it to the airport. . . but due to inclement weather. . . their flight got cancelled! I felt so bad for them. . . haha no, selfishly I was so glad to keep them for a couple more days!

Later that week, I experimented with a few more recipes. . .

Here are some dried edamame's. . .

And egg drop soup! Both were so easy. . . and so yummy!