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. . . ;)