The most kind airport I've ever seen...

Have you ever been to an airport who's bathrooms had an attendant? I HAVE!

I'm in charlotte, NC. At least I think it's North Carolina not South. I'm afraid to ask someone for fear of offending them. Are Carolinans defensive of that? I could look it up but that wouldn't due for the sake of this paragraph ;)

Charlotte, wherever it is, is SO nice. I didn't notice it at first. Maybe I've lived in the city long enough I don't look up and smile as often as I use to. Though I still do that more than typical Washingtonians. I started noticing when the restroom attendant was there. She had mints, mouthwash, lotion, and she was wiping the counters. What airport does that?!

More of Charlotte's Southern hospitality:

1. Rocking Chairs with electrical outlets near.

2. Ask Me people stationed around the airport, just waiting to be nice and call you darlin'.

3. A piano playing Christmas music.

4. People smiling at me left and right, and saying excuse me sweetheart.

Maybe I'd fit in in the South?

A boost in my confidence

How sweet is this comment:

"When I tried to remember what you looked like (without having seen you in a while) I had just assumed that I had exaggerated in my mind how beautiful I remembered you being (not in a bad way, but just that sometimes I embelish certain things in memory).  As it turns out, however, you really were as beautiful as I remembered."


Just thought I'd share, as sometimes we blog about the hard things, I thought I'd post something sweet.  And no, this doesn't not mean I'm dating someone, I'm still looking ;)

Fall and Redecorating...

Is there any better friend than one who will spend 3 days redecorating / remodeling my room, helping me make it the coolest bedroom I've ever had, and definitely the best place to live in my whole apartment complex?  Thus follows the story of Lindsey, her bedroom, and Brian.

First there was Lindsey.  

I moved to this apartment in April, I painted in April.  I LOVED my paint.  I had big plans of organization...and then as usual, life got busy.  Travel, work, every cool things to do in D.C. I could get myself too...you know the story.

So there was Lindsey's bedroom.

I wish I had taken a before picture, but let me paint it for you.  One steal utility storage shelf full of mismatched projects, two well used bookshelves stuffed to their brim, intermixed with antique furniture and storage tupperware, again with projects.   I loved my bed, dresser, nightstand, two chests, rocking chair and armoire, but none of it was positioned to be aesthetically or functionally pleasing.  And life was still busy.

Enter Brain.

Lindsey:  "Mom and I came up with a plan for my room.  Here's the general idea..."
Brian:  "Okay, we can do that.  Let me take some measurements..."
Brian:  "Here are three options that you can alter or use..."
Lindsey:  "Oh my this is going to be amazing...to the IKEA!!"

If you didn't know, Brian's a master planner.  You can give him an idea, and he'll figure out all the angles, options, concerns, fallbacks, yes's and no's when asking about options and measurements, and then gives you the final decision power- because it's still your project - because he's awesome.

So off to IKEA, when we got everything on the cart...well remember how I have a sedan?  I'll let the pictures do the talking...

It was a close one, but smarts and luck triumph again.  Yes, that would be a 3 6 foot boxes from the front of my passenger seat into the back seat.  Brian graciously sat in the back behind the driver's seat. Home we went, and 5 hours later, poof - it's all built!!

And by poof, I mean, Lindsey cleared the work space, held things where she was told to hold, and basically let the master of IKEA builders work.  It was awesome.  So if that isn't enough, I leave my master planner alone for a few hours to grocery shop, and I come back- and it looks like this!!  Hello!

I thought I was in for hours of sorting and organizing to get to this point, but no, master planner comes to the rescue again.

I LOVE it!  I never want to leave my room, I want to play my beautiful guitar (Jimmy) all the time, I want to stare at the light behind the friends sign as it changes colors (yeah, that's right, it changes 7 different colors.  It has fade, blink, and single color options), and read a great book in my rocking chair.
The hanging lamp, the guitar hanging, the light behind, all my master planner's ideas.

I'll send better pictures of the whole room once I've hung pictures, etc.  But for now, can we all revel in the fact that the whole piece looks amazing, and that it was done in 3 days with no fights, no crying, only laughing, teasing freaked out faces, and lots of hammering.

I wish you could all see it in person.  Better and more pictures to come...the goal is done by Thanksgiving...

Jake and more baseball!!

I'm SO proud of Jake! He has worked very hard to be very good at baseball and I wish I could see him play.

Local Little Leaguer earns first place in Aquafina Pitch, Hit & Run at Safeco Field

Go to the following to see:
http://www.nwnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1669:local-little-leaguer-earns-first-place-in-aquafina-pitch-hit-a-run-at-safeco-field&catid=49:valley-view&Itemid=94

A Baseball Kind of Summer

What is baseball?

Encyclopedia Bretanica says it's a game played with a bat, a ball, and gloves between two teams of nine players each on a field with four white bases laid out in a diamond (i.e., a square oriented so that its diagonal line is vertical). Teams alternate positions as batters (offense) and fielders (defense), exchanging places when three members of the batting team are “put out.” As batters, players try to hit the ball out of the reach of the fielding team and make a complete circuit around the bases for a “run.” The team that scores the most runs in nine innings (times at bat) wins the game.



I say baseball is a warm summer evening after work, sitting in slacks and a red Nationals t-shirt, waiting to hear my favorite batter's song as he walks up to the plate, staining my fingers chili pepper red with adicting chili smoothering a half smoke hotdog w/ onions and cheese.












I say baseball is sitting with a good friend talking about who's pitching and why we love Pudge (Ivan Rodriguez), the crack of a bat and the cheer of the crowd when it's a home run, watching the presidents with their oversized heads run to make the finish line, and cheering Teddy on even though he never wins.

2 of the 4 ;) I'll get the 4th, don't you worry! Teddy (my fav., and George)




I say baseball is watching fireworks over the water, doing the actions to 'Take me out to the ball game', and being skwished on the metro after the game between a dad and his little boy decked out in Nationals Gear, a guy with his arms around his girlfriend, and the plastic partition near the door. Seeing history in the making when Strasburg pitched his first major league game, feeling the excitement of the crowd when he finished with 14 strikeouts!!




Being with those I love and watching something exciting and hometown comforting, that is what baseball means to me.    



I credit part of my family for my first experiences in baseball. So I also say baseball is sitting in the evening sun, down the street from the house, on the camp chair Rob brought for me because he knows I'd forget, watching Nick and Josh through the chainlink behind homeplate- running, batting, catching and throwing- all to their hardest and best no matter what the score, the smell of sunscreen Becky made me put on because she knows I'd forget. Chating with Gayle and being teased by Gary in between inings. Being so proud of the character Nick and Josh show when they compete. And the view of the setting sun over the mountains.



I guess I've expanded an old interest ;)        

My lung capactiy and the smell of rain.

Moving here let's be honest- I wasn't in amazing shape but I was doing okay right? I did have one thing going for me- a high altitutuds lung capacity. Growing up at 5,000 feet makes your lungs work hard for the air they need!

I decided when I moved to a low altitude that I would make a conscious effort to breath deeply often in a effort to prevent my potential oxygen deprivation when I go back to Utah to visit family and friends. Does this have any scientific validity? I have no idea. 

What it has done today though, seems beneficial enough. As I walked to the metro and then from the metro to my apartment I began to breath as deeply as my lungs would allow.  What was the result? The wonderful smell of the air, grass and cement all being given a spring wash by the rain. 

So breath deeply. Breath deeply to keep your lungs healthy, breath deeply to appreciate the world we have been given. 

13 clothing items for $89!!

What do you think when you hear thrift store? I use to think...

D.I.
Out-dated clothing
The sketchier part of town

Now that I've gone to "The Recycled Clothing Store" in Alexandria, Virginia and this is what I think when I now hear thrift store...



Ann Taylor Loft
Banana Republic
Coldwater Creek



That's right! All this stuff for $89. I think they get it from the stores when the stores have just one of something so they can't really sell it, and it's mostly the season before, but really, I'm so excited. I love love the long jackets. I have to build up my work wardrobe so I'll be visiting every couple months.

Cherry Blossoms and Fish

The Cherry Blossoms have blossomed! I actually went to see them about a week too late, but those that were there, beautiful.
The picture below, correct me if I'm wrong, are actually magnolias. They are currently in full bloom and are so aromatic! They have the most tantalizing smell.



A friend and I this past week walked around the tidal basin to see the blossoms and enjoy the wonderfully warm, not too humid yet, spring. As we were walking I see this man with a fishing pole. Now we are thinking- ha, yeah right, like you're going to catch anything in the basin. Oh how we were wrong! This man starts to fight with something that is pulling his pole into a arch that I've only seen with large trout. Now I don't have a lot of experience with fishing, but what I have tells me, this is no small fish he's trying to catch. After about 2 minutes, he reaches down and with both arms, pulls this massive carp out of the water! What?!



Apparently the basin has a bunch of them. I never in my life thought I would posses a picture with a carp and the Washington Monument in it. Hahaha. It was a unexpected event on a fun day downtown.

The more I explore and experience this area the more I like it. I'm starting to feel successful in my job, I'm making friends, transitioning to my new apartment over in Arlington, and yes, going on dates. I think this is the beginning of good things.

Bear River Mutual - highly recommended

How often is it that you say, "man, I wish I could have stayed with that insurance company- they were so cheep and treated me so well!" I haven't heard it, except with Bear River Mutual. Kudos to Kimi for the recommendation.

Bear River is unique in the fact that you have to sign a document saying you will not smoke, drink or do drugs, ever. Not just while driving the car, but the entire time you're insured with them. This apparently allows them to provide insurance for an awesome price. I understand why this company thrives in Utah, and I'm sad it only exists out there in the West.

Is that all you might say? Is that all about the company you can recommend? That their prices are cheep because they discriminate against vices? No! They have good service too. I cancelled my renters and my car insurance and they did it with no questions, easily, and sent me the prorated premiums with no problem.

So I say to you Bear River Mutual, a sad goodbye, but maybe a see you soon- I'll come back to you if I ever live where you'll cover me.

Argyle, the only white person in Walmart, and Casserole made me cry...

1. ARGYLE So, a couple weekends ago, I went to an Argyle party. That's right, an Argyle party. The entire downstairs of the house was wallpapered with colored paper that had an argyle pattern copied onto it. It was awesome! Pictures to come, as soon as my roommate emails me them... Everyone was wearing some form of Argyle and some, too many forms. Ha.

I met a bunch of people, salsa danced, and a cute Marine in the Naval Academy (the one I salsa danced with) even got my number. Hehe. Now, he hasn't called, but still it's always a nice time when you get to dance and he doesn't go running the other way.

2. WALMART So I went to the Walmart South of my house- yeah I had forgotten that it's better to go North lol. It wouldn't be a big deal if they had actually had a selection of items, but the things I was looking for, those aisles were a little bare. K, so imagine the following: I walk inside, and immediately notice, I'm the only white person in my line of vision, so I'm thinking, well, there must be some of the minority in here somewhere ... no. I was the only white person in an entire huge Walmart. I thought it was a great/odd experience for this white girl who grew up in a fairly white world ;)

3. CASSEROLE So, this weekend, I thought- I miss the family a little, I think I'll make the sweet potato casserole Liz made for my going away dinner with the Hollands- that will make me feel better. Yeah- it made me cry. I'm sure everyone has experienced this at one point or another- I'm really far from home, everything is pretty unfamiliar, and I just had one of those weekends- I wanted my friends, my family, my local shopping spots, my home. I cried a bit, I talked to someone who made me a feel a little better, and though I'm still feeling a little homesick, I think it will get better.

The thing about making a move this huge is that it needs time right? I think I'll reserve judgement on if it was a good move or not, for a year. It will take a year to get to really know the area, to make friends, to establish some of the things that make me happy and secure right?

I love you all who are reading this. I can't believe how I've been blessed with such awesome friends and family. I'm grateful everyday.

The first of many D.C. posts...

Well here I am in Washington D.C.!!

The snow has been crazy! 55" is a lot for anywhere, but here they don't have enough snowplows and no one knows how to drive in it! Ha! My plan to come a week early to get a bunch of things set up before I started work turned more into a week of playing in the snow, shoveling in the snow, and trying to use public transportation in the snow!

So here's my first of I'm sure many stories from the city:

I learned:
1. I'm living in Washington D.C.! I think it finally hit me.
2. Buses and the metro don't run normally in the snow.
3. If you talk to a single guy for more than 2 minutes he asks for your number. Ha!

So, today I got to the metro, by roommate drop off (two of my roommates go by metro stops on their way to work, so that's awesome and convenient). So I left at 7 am, (needing to be at work theoretically by 8:30), got to the metro, and proceeded to wait for 45 minutes because the metro line had maintenance because of the snow. When I did get to the place I'll be working- that was great, it all worked out so good there right?

So then I decide I'm going to the Washington Monument in honor of President's Day- so I got a ticket and spent the time in between in the Julia Child's exhibit in the Museum of American History- awesome!! So that's #1, that's when I hit me, I was looking between the capital building and the washington monument and it hit me- I LIVE IN WASHINGTON DC!!! That was an awesome moment. I took time to just savor it. :) The Washington Monument is cool too. Oh, and I might become a member of the Smithsonian, we'll see.

So after a day on the National Mall, I decided to head home- well I picked a metro stop with a bus route that I thought was close to home- turns out- no, no, not at all. I get off the Metro - not the best area!! Good thing it was daytime! The Rhode Island Ave stop- yeah. So then after 45 minutes of waiting I get on the bus, it's the correct bus, I'm feeling all good about things, looking at the neighborhoods- yeah neighborhoods I won't be in after dark- and then the bus driver announces that he's on snow routes. SNOW ROUTES?! What does that mean? It means he doesn't go by my house- he doesn't even get near my stop. So I end up at the New Carrollton Metro. Ha! I took 2 hours of busing to get to another metro. Durr! So I call my roommate because there's no bus that goes near my house and see if she'll pick me up at the metro she dropped me at this morning. It's a go. So still making it, but not in style that's for sure. I then proceed to get on the very end of the red line and go all the way back into DC to then get on the Green Line and go to the end of that. Ha! She picked me up and 3.5 hours later I get home. Ha!

K, so when I was waiting for the metro at the New Carrollton stop- this nice looking young man started talking to me. I asked this guy if he was a regular at this stop (to see if it was safe to come home and catch the bus there (when it's not snow routes), and that was it- he talked to me all the way into DC. Very nice- from West Africa, almost done with a bachelor's degree here in the US. And he ended up asking me for my number. Hahaha, oh good times in the city.

So that's my story, I thought it was interesting, but maybe it only is because I lived it, lol. We'll see how I do tomorrow. My first day of work...