Happy Valentine's Day!

(From L to R) Lindsy, Alison, Rachel (center), Amanda, and me

GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN! Happy Valentine's Day to us, living it up being single!

So I spent Valentine's Day doing my favorite things: studying, cleaning, running 7 miles (I am training for a half marathon in May and I am so excited to be training for something and to have a reason to increase my running mileage :), etc. Then I went with my friend, Alison, and her friend, Lindsy to a yummy Tex Mex restaurant in Harvard Square called Border Cafe. We observed couples around us and tried to determine at what point they were in their relationships-1st date, several dates, about to be engaged, etc. After, we got yummy, healthy frozen yogurt at this place nearby called Berry Line-it is so good, sweet, and a small one only has like 125 calories! We burned that off just walking around. Then we were going to see a chic flick but decided that everything was probably sold out, so we headed back to Alison's house. A few minutes later, her roommates and my good friends, Rachel and then Amanda got home from work. So we ate more sweets, chatted, and then watched Emma-a classic chic flick! We decided to have a sleepover, so we put all their mattresses in the living room and we all were very warm and cozy. I don't hate Valentine's Day really, I never have, but I especially enjoy it when spent with fun girls! I love my Boston girlies!

Super Random Friday the 13th in Salem, MA

So my friends and I had good intentions of going to Salem, MA for their festival the week leading up to Feb. 14th for their So Sweet Valentine's and Ice sculpting event. There were supposed to be tons of window decorations, ice sculptures throughout the city, lots of free prizes and free chocolates all over. We thought it sounded fun. So without realizing, we ended up there on Friday evening...yes, Friday the 13th in Salem, MA. Nothing scary happened, I promise, but it was definitely one of the most RANDOM nights that I have had in a while. We get in town around 7 pm, and it's like a ghost town. Everything is closed and deserted, and apparently most of the ice sculptures were melted (we actually had several warmer days this week, yes, above freezing in Boston in the winter-a true miracle). So we wandered around, and ended up spending most of the night at this place called Gulu-Gulu Cafe. We had an assortment of meats, cheeses, and bread for starters. We had yummy smoothies, and we had crepes or paninis for dinner. They had an old Godzilla movie on a big screen-horrible movie, totally weird. There was also a DJ playing 80s music. Then there was a cabinet filled with games. Andrew and Alison chose to play Scrabble...we played twice. The first picture (above) is of the 2nd round-we were struggling with too many short words.

Me, Andrew, Amanda, and Alison (L to R) at Gulu-Gulu Cafe, after eating our yummy crepes and smoothies.

Our first round of Scrabble...we did ok, I lost this round. Yes, we are all members of the Church, and yes, that is the word exalted in the center of the board; Alison played this first word to get us started!

Before deciding on the Gulu-Gulu Cafe to spend a random evening of food eating, Godzilla watching, Scrabble playing and all of us being in weird moods, we stopped in this Comic store. Here I am posed with the KISS doll...I would fit in with the band a little too well, due to my tongue fetish.

Alison and I posed with our Be*witched friend, a little Friday the 13th like. We laughed on the way home that we had driven the 20 miles to Salem with good intentions of particpating in the festival events, and instead playing Scrabble, listening to 80s, watching Godzilla, and yeah...it sounds like a freaky dream...We had a good time, but it's not an excursion that I plan to make again anytime soon.

Michael Phelps

Ok, many of you know that I am a huge Michael Phelps fan...I guess we should define fan?! He is an amazing swimmer, and I love watching him swim; he is my athletic hero. I might also have had a slight obsession with him, and I might have gotten way too excited when he showed up at the Celtics game back in December. It might be the case that all of my family and friends referred to him as my secret boyfriend. This picture is me posing with him on his box of cereal at a random convenience store here in Boston. This picture was taken before all of this "news" came out about him doing drugs, and smoking bongs and what have you. Was I sad? Was I hurt? Were all my dreams shattered? Well, I was disappointed, but he knows what he did is wrong, and once I can teach him about the Word of Wisdom, he won't even consider doing anything dumb like that again. Haha. I still admire him as an athlete, but I guess I will now have to seriously re-plan my future life with another man by my side. :) Kidding...I deserve better than him, right?!

Happy Birthday Mommy!

My mommy is my absolute best friend in the whole wide world and I don't know what I would do if I couldn't talk to her all the time and if I couldn't see her regularly!!! Even though she lives in Tokyo, Japan I get to see her quite frequently. While I was living in Salt Lake City, she would come almost every 3 months to see her mom, my Nana, and she would always stay with me! I miss all of our drives around the Salt Lake Valley, listening to my favorite tunes, and talking about anything and everything! Mommy-I LOVE YOU, and I thank my Heavenly Father every day that He allowed me to be your daughter. I am grateful that Heavenly Father knew so well what I would need. Thanks for keeping me happy and for helping me keep things in perspective. Thanks for listening so well, for being my personal cheerleader, and for being an example to me of what kind of mother and wife I want to be. Happy, Happy Birthday to you! Know that I love you for now and forever!

(August 2008-Alex and Stacey's wedding) I am always flattered when people say that I look just like my mother-she's beautiful!

(August 2008-At the Sacred Grove in Palmyra, NY) I love being with my mom, we both like driving, we both like listening to good music, and we both like talking to each other-it was the longest road trip I had ever made, from Salt Lake to Boston-but by far, my favorite road trip so far! Thanks, Mom!

(July 2008 in Provo, UT) We had lunch with Alex and Stacey and were just being silly...

This is what I decided I might look like after the long road trip out to Boston; my Mom is the best for willingly doing the drive with me.

(Christmas 2006 in London, England) I have a tongue fetish in photos, and this photo is so funny because my Mom is sticking out her tongue the way that I usually do, and I am sticking out my tongue the way that she usually does it.

(September 2007 in Tokyo, Japan) My mommy will always call me her baby girl, and I am glad that she still lets me me that baby sometimes. I am glad that she lets me need my mommy...and even lets me sit on her lap from time to time.

(September 2007 in Tokyo, Japan) My Dad took the best picture ever of us...he doesn't give much warning, not even a 1, 2, 3...

(July 2007 in Park City) My mom and I spent a day in Park City when she came to visit me and my Nana one time. We spent the day walking around, shopping, eating a yummy meal, and I convinced her to do the zipline at the Olympic Park-it was such fun!

(January 2009 in Yokohama, Japan) My mom and I spent part of the day in Yokohama exploring while my Dad was at home in Tokyo a little under the weather. I love doing anything with my mom!

(Christmas morning 2009 in Tokyo) My mom, or "Santa," got me these fun, fake glasses, this pink scarf, and the cool hat...she is so good to me!!! In my glasses, it makes us look alot alike!

(September 2006 in Tokyo) My mom and I at a park in Tokyo; I am wearing a hat that my mom convinced me to buy...she loves me in hats and I love her for buying me hats.

(August 2008 in Boston, MA) My mom helped me get safely to Boston, she helped me unpack and paint some furniture in my room, get things set up and moved in, and we did have a little time for some sightseeing. Here we are in the Boston Public Garden. Mom-you need to come back and visit me very soon here!!!

(December 2007 in Salt Lake City, UT) Here we are on Temple Square right before Christmas. Alex and my mom came for a visit. One of my favorite things to do with my mom is to go to the temple; it is my faovrite place in the whole world.

(December 2007 in Bountiful, UT) My mom and I had just been to visit my Nana in her assisted living home. I know my mom always came to see my Nana, but I was so glad that it meant I would get to see her lots....now that I am in Boston, it will be another extra stop that isn't very convenient.

Mom-I love you so much. I am sorry that I am not there in Tokyo to help make your day super special. But I hope you know that I would love to be there, and I will be thinking about you all day. I love you so much. You are my best friend in the whole wide world, and I am the luckiest girl ever to have someone like you. Friends never understood how I could be so open and honest with you, and literally tell you everything...but I always found it sad that they couldn't have those same bonds with their moms. Thanks for being my mom and a best friend all at the same time!!!!! Happy Birthday to you!!!