So long, 2011!

Dear Reader,

2011 is over! Sometimes it's hard to believe. And then other times I feel like it's already about October 2012, since that's where my brain is at Highlights. (We work 10 months ahead.)

This year has been exciting. Let's relive it!

January:
I began my LAST SEMESTER OF COLLEGE. This was both exciting and terrifying, partly because I'd missed school during my eight-months-of-internships break and partly because I would be graduating soon, and mostly because I had no idea what I was doing with the rest of my life after graduating happened.

February:
February was slow. Like Februarys usually are. But I did make lasagna with Natalie.

March:
I participated in the Divine Comedy music video "Firebolt" which proves that wizards are real. If wizards are college students running around with sparklers and stuffed owls.

April:
I GRADUATED!!! And then left Provo for Michigan. And then had an interview with Highlights for an internship, which I guess went well because they gave me the job!

May:
I moved to Honesdale and began my internship at Highlights! I also took a trip to DC to visit Natalie on my birthday weekend when I turned 23. And I found the apartment I was going to live at in Honesdale which meant I didn't need to live in the Highlights cabins anymore:

June:
I went to NYC with Natalie and Amber! And I adopted Bailey.

July:
I hit up DC for the fourth. Nothing like Independence day in the capitol! Especially when it rains really, really, really hard. I went to Chautauqua Writer's Conference for work where I spent 8 days on staff working really, really hard while mingling with awesome people.

August:
I went to Philly to a Death Cab Concert and then visited Natalie and the temple in DC.

September:
Natalie came to visit me in Honesdale!! And I went to pick her up in Philly.

October:
It was finally fall! My favorite season. And I went to a pumpkin patch, ate cider donuts and drank cider. It was the perfect fall experience!

November: 

I went to Portland to go with Natalie through the temple! This trip was long-awaited and sooo worth it! Yay Powell's!!

December:
I helped plan and throw the ward Christmas party, oversaw the craft room at Highlight's Holiday Open House, and then drove home to spend Christmas and New Years with my family!

So I got a college degree, landed the most awesome internship, and traveled to some of the country's most awesome cities all in one year! I think it was an excellently productive year. Here's to 2012! May it be just as exciting--and even better (if that's even possible!).

Giving Thanks

Dear Reader,

Last year I made a list of things I am grateful for, in honor of Thanksgiving.

So, as I promised this time last year, here are more things I am grateful for:

Children's magazines
Working at a children's magazine
Hidden Pictures
Getting to do Hidden Pictures at the children's magazine that I work at (That's what I was doing today. Can you tell?...)
Fluffy kittens named Bailey
My surprisingly resilient car, Jacques, who has been my faithful travelling companion these last 6 months
Being a "real" adult, with my own apartment and everything (even if that comes with my own bills and everything)
Aunt Kerstin and Uncle Mike for hosting Thanksgiving this year
Living close enough to my parents that I can have Thanksgiving with them for the first time in 5 years
The Book of Mormon
Temples
Airplanes
Airplane trips to visit friends named Natalie in Portland
Children's books
Children's books at Powell's in Portland
Finally living somewhere that has tons and TONS of green trees
Treadmills and ellipticals
30 Rock
Texting
Will-power
Crafts
Being a legit college grad
Not having homework (it's seriously THE BEST THING EVER)
Netflix
Warm clothes
Heaters
When the sun sets at a reasonable hour like, say, 8 at night instead of 5 in the evening when I'm still at work
Finally getting to see NYC
Cupcakes
Ice cream
Caesar salad
The baking section of JoAnn's and Michaels
Christmastime
Platypuses

I have more things to be thankful for than is reasonable for one blog entry. So we will have to continue this again another year.

Until then!

And the name is--

Bailey!

It's actually the name he came with, and it just seemed to suit him. I appreciate all the name suggestions though. :) They were good ones.

Also my parents came through town this week and were here the last couple of days. About 78 percent of their visit was spent doing some home improvement stuff in my apartment. The rest of the time we spent cruising the town of Honesdale.

One stop was at the Cliff--where you can see the town from above.

And my house!

When the Parents Come to Town

Dear Reader,

This last week my parents and little brother and sister came into town for a visit. Mary's birthday was on Sunday (the 25th), so Wednesday (when they got in town) we went over to David and Cassie's for cake. (And so my parents could see Naomi. Let's be honest, we all know that's the real reason they wanted to go over.) The cake was a cat, per Mary's request. I forgot candles.

Of course.

But at least it tasted good.

And here's Naomi! She's so cute! She was also super mellow that night. She basically let anyone hold her, and she slept the whole time. This worked out really well for me because I finally got to hold her without her bursting into tears. I have bad luck, I guess.

If I didn't know any better I'd say the parents are wanting some grandkids. . . .

(This is the proof she let me hold her.)

And now we segue to my cousin Cami's wedding. She got married on Saturday (July 31) in the Salt Lake Temple. The fun part was, like 86 other couples were also getting married that day.

It was like herding cattle.

But the busy-ness aside, it was a really beautiful wedding, and really well done. She had her temple ceremony (most of the following pictures are from the wait outside) and then pictures very briefly (mainly because we were running late and only had the JSMB reserved for 2 hours), followed by a luncheon in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. She seemed pretty happy, so I'm guessing it was a success with her. Which, honestly, is all that matters.

My little cousin Cate. Yes, she is that cute. (And yes, in the background is Mary. That's what she was doing like all weekend.)

I love love love the converse!

My cousin Savannah's baby, Lily. We like to abuse children while they're young and can't fight back. It's easier that way.

My cousin Sabina (Lily's aunt) and Mary.

Brother and sister (X and Cate). Love it.

The happy bride!

Okay, I kid you not, this piece of chocolate mousse cheesecake may have been the best thing I have ever eaten. And I'm not really crazy about mousse or cheesecake.

Was a Christmas miracle? I would say so.

The centerpiece.

Savannah, Lily, and me. Clearly the child was annoyed she had to be in ANOTHER picture. I don't blame her. Sorry for adding to your pain, Lily. . . .