juris doctor

It's official ... Jason graduated on Friday and now holds the degree of Juris Doctor.



As I sat in the theater at Madison Square Garden and watched Jason and all of his friends march past I couldn't help but get a little emotional. I was so proud to see him in his purple gown, knowing what an accomplishment it was to be graduating from one of the top law schools in the country. The convocation started with a procession of the graduates marching down the isles through the audience down to the front where they were seated and I was lucky enough to have an isle seat on the second row and got to see each graduate as they passed. Jason has made so many great friends at NYU and it was a little sad to think that they would now be scattered across the country.

The speakers did great but my favorite was the hooding ceremony, where each graduate walked across the stage as their name was read as one of their professors then placed a purple velvet hood around their neck, patted them on the back and crowned them juris doctors (or at least that's how it felt to me).



I know it's blurry but doesn't he look so happy?


I loved their purple "doctor's" gowns. They were so much better than the bachlor gowns. First, the fact that they were purple was my favorite, it just made them look like royalty, which in my eyes(after all his hard work) he should be. On the sleeves were three black velvet stripes and the front was faced with black velvet strips with what resembled a crest with the NYU torch and the year 1835 on the chest and then of course the black velvet cap and purple velvet hood.



After the hooding of most of the graduates they then had the hooding of those who's family members were alumni of NYU law and it was so fun to see fathers and mothers hood their children, grandparents hood their grandchildren, siblings hood each other and even husbands, wives and fiances hooding each other. I couldn't help but secretly hope that perhaps someday Jason will be able to hood one of our children/grandchildren.

I am so proud of Jason for graduating from law school; however, I feel like law grads kind of get the shaft in the title department. I mean, if they get the doctor degree then how come the title doesn't come with it? I would prefer seeing Dr. Jason Larkin to Jason Larkin, Esq. and when do you ever see someone placing the suffix with their name? In my eyes I think they are just as important so I am just going to call him My Juris Doctor.

It was such an honor to be the wife of a graduate and I was touched when people congradulated me as well, I was truly proud of Jason. He has worked harder over the last three years than anyone I have ever known. I have never seen anyone as dedicated to their studies as he was and I feel like it has finally paid off. He continues to thank me for helping him through it but I am the one that needs to thank him. So thank you, Jason, for moving me to this amazing city; for learning what law school is all about; for always working so hard; for the stressful interview process and landing a job that alows us to stay in the city; and for still remembering to make time for me while you did it all. I love you!

Jason's family came to town to celebrate his big day




Some of Jason's law school buddies




Around the law school



**Fun Fact: Jason is the first USU alum to graduate from NYU Law**

color coded

As law school draws to an end I want to document some of Jason's studying habits/quirks. Jason has never studied at the library, (except for the day we were evacuated from our building last year) instead he prefers to lay on his stomach on our bed with his books scattered around him as he types away on his computer. He sometimes has to stop because his arms have gone numb because all the blood has left them but he still prefers the bed to the desk. As finals get closer he can spend an entire day on the bed with a cup of sunflower seeds to keep him awake and a huge bottle of water to quench his thirst. Jason likes to drink caffeinated beverages but before he gets into his finals crunch he has to give it up so he won't get headaches during finals from the caffeine withdrawals. Each night after he has studied all day he has to take a break and watch at least a half hour of TV before going to bed to help his brain unwind. Sometimes he studies quite late right before a final so he also has to wear the headphones when I am trying to sleep - so don't feel too bad for me, I'm not the only one that has to wear them.

But my favorite of all his many quirks are his outlines. In law school a good outline is key to doing well on an exam and I believe Jason has mastered the sport. Some students wait till right before finals to draft an outline but Jason starts working on his from day one. I have no idea what the colors mean but he has his own system that helps him find exactly what he is looking for during an exam. Not only are his outlines color coded but his text books are covered with different colored tabs and the pages are splashed with neon yellow, blue, pink and green. I like to tease him about is highlighting fetish but I guess I can't mock it if it works.

work in progress

We got the keys to our new apartment last weekend so I was able to do a little painting before our furniture arrives from Utah. A lot of you have helped me with paint colors and ideas so here are some pictures of how it looks so far.

The entry way


The living room


The Bedroom



The kitchen


I flew home for a few days last week to pack up our stuff and while I was there I was able to spend some much needed time with the fam. Most of the time was spent packing but my grandma and aunts came up and it was so nice to be together with everyone. And I had so much fun playing with Shae, as you can see, she loves her Hello Kitty.

in bloom

There are so many beautiful trees around our neighborhood that are in full bloom and every year I say I'm going to take pictures and then they all fall off before I get around to it. So to help me remember Mercer and Bleecker streets in the spring time I went out last night and took a few shots.

The trees in our buildings courtyard



This is my favorite little row of trees that I walk by on my way to the grocery store everynight.

reflections of christ

Mark Mabry's exhibit "Reflections of Christ" was on display at our church last weekend and we had the pleasure of seeing his incredible art work. My mother-in-law gave us the book for Christmas and I love all the photos but it was amazing to watch the documentary and learn of his inspiration for each photo and to see them in person. I loved hearing the story of the man who played Christ and how he prepared himself for the shot in the Garden of Gethsemane so that we could all feel his pain and be touched by his sacrifice.

For any of you in the NY area, I would highly recommend seeing the exhibit on display at the Stake Center this weekend. And for those of you who can't, here is a clip of his beautiful photos set to my favorite hymn. The accompaniment of this version of "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" was written for his exhibit.



This was one of our favorite photos from the exhibit


**Thanks for telling me about the video, Kimber**

darcy vs. thornton

Has anyone ever seen/heard of the movie North & South from the Elizabeth Gaskell collection? I just finished watching it and now I am obsessed. Mr. Thornton is to die for and I'm still trying to decide who is the bigger hunk, he or Mr. Darcy. I have always been a HUGE fan of Jane Austen's stories and I have seen Pride & Prejudice at least 50 times and I still love it as if it were my first time watching it. I never thought I would love anything more than P&P but I believe it has met it's match. I can't believe I've never heard of Elizabeth Gaskell until now. If you love Jane Austen you have to watch North & South (the BBC version) and tell me what you think.

movin on up ...

to the West side. To a deluxe apartment in the sky.

Jason and I have officially signed our lease and will soon get to call the Upper West Side our new home. It's a little sad to think that I will be leaving my 500 square foot home/room of almost 3 years. I can't believe our studio is the place we have called home for more than half of our marriage. In Utah we never lived in one place for more than 9 months at a time, so it was nice to have been settled in one place for a little longer.

There are definitely a few things I will miss about good old Mercer. I will miss having Jason right there by my side every minute of every day. I will miss seeing him laying on our bed/couch as he studied while I cooked in the kitchen 10 feet away. I will miss living in the Village, it has been so fun trying all the wonderful restaurants and discovering so many amazing gems. I will miss running around Washington Square Park in the mornings. I will miss Mike, our friendly doorman and I will miss riding our bikes to church every Sunday up 5th Avenue. But most of all, I think I will miss always being in the same room with Jason. I know you think we would lose our minds never being apart but it has truly brought us together and helped us really get to know one another.



But there are even more things I won't be missing. I won't miss having to watch tv with headphones. I won't miss not being able to do things while I'm watching tv because the headphone extension only allows me to go 3 ft away from the tv (and heaven forbid I miss part of my show). I won't miss having to go out in the hall and sit in front of the elevators while I talked on the phone so Jason couldn't listen in on my entire conversation. I won't miss having only the bathroom as my place to go when I was mad and didn't want to talk and just needed a door to slam. I won't miss living on the 2nd floor on the busiest street in NY. I won't miss having to open my window every night because it's boiling hot in my apartment in the middle of winter. I won't miss having to turn the tv volume up to 50 so I can hear it over the honking on the street because I have to have the window open because it's too hot in our apartment (if I go blind and deaf at a young age we will know why). I won't miss our dorm-style furniture, comfy lounge chairs and matchy matchy wood furniture, and I won't be missing my kitchenette and 6"x6" counter space. But more than anything I definitely won't miss washing the dishes by hand everynight - I will never live without a dishwasher again.

But all in all we have enjoyed our time in Mercer and will remember it as being the place we lived during one of the scariest, craziest and happiest time of our lives. We have so many memories in our studio and I know in 10 years I will look back and wonder how I ever lived in that much space for that long without going crazy. But I am also very excited to begin this new chapter of our lives in our new apartment we will call home.

dr. laura

The one thing I miss about not having a car is listening to Dr. Laura on the AM everyday. Her talk show was by far our favorite program and we loved when a road trip was planned around the time of her show (Yes, Jason is a HUGE fan).

I love her straight forward approach to every situation and how she is not afraid to tell someone when they are being an idiot, but most of all I love her views on stay-at-home-moms, so I was very excited when I saw her promoting her new book on Larry King the other night. I am not one myself but hope to be someday and I hate that I have to defend that choice when coworkers ask me about my future career goals.

I just thought some of you SAHMs out their might appreciate her new book In Praise of Stay-at-Home Moms.

They number in the millions and they are incredibly important to families and to our society, yet they are underappreciated, little respected, and even controversial.

Who are they?

They are the stay-at-home moms.

These are women who know in their hearts that staying home to raise their children is the right choice for the whole family. Some do it from the outset of their marriages, while others make the difficult transition from career-driven women to homemakers. Either way, it is a choice that is incredibly rich and rewarding, not to mention challenging.

Now Dr. Laura, building on principles developed during her long career as a licensed marriage and family therapist, provides a wealth of advice and support, as well as compassion and inspiration, to women as they navigate the wonders and struggles of being stay-at-home moms.

Learn how:

to hold your head high and deal with naysayers;
to see the benefits of being home not only for your children but also for your marriage;
to understand the changes you see in yourself;
to realize that the sacrifices you endure now will make for lasting bonds and a stronger family, in addition to a more cohesive community.

In Praise of Stay-at-Home Moms is a special book, a profound and unique understanding of how important it is for mothers to raise their own children.

on set

One of my favorite things about NY is that there is always something going on. We are constantly seeing film crews out and about but very rarely do we ever see anything good.

It was rumored that Angelina is filming her new movie "Salt" at St. Bart's church right next to the building where I work so I've been trying to see if I could catch a glimpse of her. They have been filming for a couple of days and yesterday there was a ton of extras dressed in police uniforms and all the paparazzi were out with their cameras, so I tried to stand next to them to see if I could see her but I had no such luck.

Obviously, the rumors were true and someone was able to get a shot of her.

niagara falls

Once again, we took our yearly Spring Break weekend getaway and this year our destination was Niagara Falls. We've always wanted to see the falls, and while they are in New York (and Canada), they are a long 7 hour drive away. But despite how much we love being in the city, every few months we have to rent a car and escape from the chaos, so this year we decided to take a trip across the border.

We didn't really do our research before we left and pretty much just new that it was better to stay on the Canadian side, so that's what we did. I left work early on Friday and we were on our way. After a short interrogation from the border control we finally made it to Canada. We walked around the hotel and the "entertainment district" (a super cheesy kids version of Las Vegas) we found a giant ferris wheel overlooking the falls and got our first sighting of the magnificent wonder.

The next morning we were a little disappointed when we discovered that the Maid of the Mist doesn't open till May due to the big frozen chunks of ice in the falls, but we were able to go on The Journey Behind the Falls that almost made up for it. It was a beautiful day and we had a nice time walking around and enjoying the falls.



(Fun fact: The summer flow is 34 million gallons per minute)



To make up for the lack of grown up entertainment we were able to upgrade our room to one with a view of the falls and a jacuzzi tub. Of course, this was entertainment enough for Jason and he spent the rest of the time soaking. It was a short trip but also educational. Because we were in a different country we did notice a few things that were a little off ...

- Canadian ketchup is much sweeter than ours
- They eat Vinegar with their fries (I don't get it)
- Every attraction cost $9.99 so we would pay $20 to do something and then get two Canadian cents back.
- They would surely take our US dollars but only give us Canadian change.
- Everything is in English and in French
- Everyone is nice and there is absolutely no road rage (the complete opposite of NYC)

While we didn't really feel like we were in a different country it was fun to pick up on the slight differences.

And while I am SUPER excited that Jason is almost done with school forever, I am a little sad that this was the last of our Spring Break getaways.


The view of the falls at night from our room

fuerzabruta, 5K, fish and friends

For Valentine's Jason gave me tickets to Fuerzabruta for Friday night and it was crazy, to say the least. I have seen the theater in Union Square announcing this wild production but never new exactly what it was until Jason surprised me with the tickets last week. After doing a little research before the performance I learned that it was standing room only and that I would need to wear appropriate clothing that could get wet. Pretty much it sounded like a wild rave and that coming a little high was encouraged. After reading this I was a little nervous but also excited to be experiencing something out of the norm for me.



The performance was in fact - wild, crazy and a little weird. After crowding the large audience into a small space I felt like I was back at the 311 concert. I didn't know if we would all start jumping around and crowd surfing but I was a little surprised when they moved the crowd to bring out a large treadmill with a man in a shirt and tie running as fast as he could. Some of the other crazy moments included a gigantic adult Slip 'n' Slide lowered just inches from the audience's heads, a giant kite that was spun around violently making the two performers pinned to it seem trapped in a tornado and two dancers who cartwheeled vertically across a shimmering plastic wall. After the show we were indeed a little wet and it was definitely an experience I will never forget.



Saturday morning I ran the Al Gordon Snowflake 5K in Prospect Park and I was surprised by how large the park was and it was fun to see a part of Brooklyn that I have never seen before. After the race I hurried home and got ready so that we could meet up with Jason's law school buddy, Frank, for a true China Town experience. We walked down to China Town and started off with some Dim Sum for lunch. The restaurant that Frank took us to was a huge banquet hall with several large round tables where they seat you with other people; however, due to the language barrier, you are not forced to make awkward conversations with the other quests at your table. Meanwhile, little Chinese ladies walk around the hall pushing little carts filled with all sorts of random/crazy goodness. We tried a little of everything and loved having Frank there as our interpreter. Next Frank took us to several little vendors where we found some amazing deals on fresh seafood. No joking, everything we found was half as much as it is at our grocery store. We had fun exploring and came home with some shrimp, crab legs and mussels to cook up for dinner.

That night I got together with some of the ladies in my ward for a girls night out for Laurel, who will be taking a extended vacation to Utah but better be coming back shortly:) We went to Sarabeth's followed by dessert at Kelli's and it was so fun to just sit around and chat with the girls. I have such amazing friends in the ward and I hate that everyone is always moving away.

the city of love

Last weekend we finally got a break from the cold and had a beautiful 55 degree Sunday, so we decided we needed to take advantage of the warmth and take a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Walking across the bridge is hands down our favorite thing to do in the city, there's just something about the amazing structure of the bridge and being able to see the beautiful skyline of the city that just makes you love it.

As we were walking across the bridge and soaking up the sun a woman stopped and asked us if she could interview us for a Valentine's Day special their radio show was hosting on how NY is the city of love. She asked us questions about where we live in the city, our favorite parts of the city and if we considered NY to be the city of love. Of course we agreed and then I proceeded to tell her how much I loved everything about NYC. Jason didn't think it was very manly to express his love for the city so he let me do the talking and chimed in occasionally.

I have always thought of New York as a romantic city, I know others say Paris is the city of love, but I've never been there so for now I'm saying its NY. No matter what part of the city you are walking in, there is always something romantic to be found. After her questions it got me thinking about all the romantic spots I love in the city, and because it is Valentine's, I thought I would make a list of some of the spots I love.

- Brooklyn Bridge
- Southstreet Seaport - Pier 17
- Washington Square Park (when it's not under construction)
- Central Park in the fall and Spring
- Riding the Staten Island ferry past the Statue of Liberty at night
- The World Financial Center promenade at night
- Walking up 5th Avenue when the Cherry Blossoms are in full bloom
- Canoeing in the Hudson
- Our favorite little park on the corner of Bleeker and 6th Ave.
- Riding our bikes to the Christopher Sreet pier
- Walking around the city to see the lights at Christmas
- Canoeing in Central Park
- Picnics near the Belvedere Castle in Central Park
- Walking up the tree lined streets in the West Village
- Sitting outside at some of our favorite restaurants on a cool summer night

Of course, none of this would be romantic if I didn't have Jason here with me and it's because of him that I get to live in this amazing city, so thank you babe - I love you!

What are your favorite romantic spots in the city?

a little bit of soul and a whole lot of climbing

Lately we have been addicted to the food network channel, and of course when any of the food shows go to the south they always showcase the champion of soul foods - waffles and fried chicken. So A few weeks ago when my friend Laurel told us about a soul food restaurant in Harlem that serves the best waffles and fried chicken, Jason just had to try it out for himself.

So last Saturday we made the trek to Harlem to try out the famous Amy Ruth's. It's a small place so luckily we timed it just right and missed the crowd. As we looked over the menu I started to second guess whether or not I was brave enough to try the Al Sharpton (the name of the waffles and fried chicken on the menu), and I made the mistake of mentioning to Jason that I might just get the waffles and he was VERY disappointed that I would come all that way and sell out. So, after a short lecture I decided he was right and I ordered the sweet and salty platter.

First I must mention that the biscuit they brought us while we waited for our meal was amazing. Typically biscuits are bitter but this was a sweet biscuit and a good indication of what was yet to come. Finally the Al Sharpton arrived as a large Belgium waffle that filled the entire plate topped with a crispy wing and breast. I wasn't quite sure where to start so I set the chicken aside and started in on the waffle. Jason was the brave one and took the first bite with both the waffle and chicken together and loved the combination, so I hesitantly took a bite of both and I will admit - it was incredible!! There was way too much food on my plate to finish, and I definitely won't be getting this on a regular basis, but I will admit I am a fan. For all those in doubt, you must give it a try.



After our adventure with soul food we headed back down to a rock climbing wall in the city for our YM/YW's activity. Well, it was more like a young men's/young woman activity. Thanks to good old Lisa the YW still have someone to represent us. With 1 girl and 8 young boys you can imagine how crazy it was, but we had so much fun seeing some of them race each other to the top and others as they tried out their strength on the harder walls. All of the kids were incredibly strong and I'm so glad I didn't try climbing because I really don't think I would have been able to get up one wall.





Sunday we went to an awesome superbowl party at the Granum's and had so much fun seeing our old friends Megan and Joe who were visiting for the weekend from Chicago and just chatting with the girls.

she's 2!

Yes, that's right ... this cutie is 2 today. She is such a big girl; I talked to her on Sunday and when I asked her when her birthday was and she told me ... "in two days". I know I am her aunt, but this girl is honestly the smartest 2 year old I know. Everything she does makes us laugh and we are so happy she is apart of our family.

We gave her a NYC counting book for Christmas and Nicole told us that she reads it to her everynight and that right when she picks it up Shae yells "thats where Jason and Sheena live - in New York!", we are so happy she hasn't forgotten us. But my favorite is when I'm talking to her and we are saying goodbye and she says, "I love you, Sheena". That, and each time we give her a hug and she gives us a kiss to follow, just melts our hearts.

Happy Birthday, Shae! We love you!

number 44

Yesterday I sat in the pantry on the 22nd floor of our building with 40+ of my coworkers gathered around as we watched Barack Obama be sworn in as our 44th President. I thought it was a special moment for our country and something I might never experience again. As we all sat in the crowded room I couldn't help but notice the reverence in the room and among the crowds in DC. I was touched by how many times God was mentioned and happy to know that it is he who are country was founded on and that he hasn't been forgotten. I enjoyed the program and thought Obama delivered a very inspiring speech, although I think I could have done without the rhyming conclusion of Rev. Lowery's benediction (and when white will embrace what is right - a little inappropriate don't you think?).



My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many.

it's freezing ...

and there is nothing to do. So I thought I'd add my love songs to the blog to help you get excited for Valentine's Day (that is less than a month away). I don't know what it is about 80's love songs, but they are my favorite. And of course, it wouldn't be Valentine's without a few classic country love songs in the mix. Enjoy!

P.S. Did you see the plane that crashed into the Hudson yesterday? Crazy.

a little behind

I realize we are almost halfway through January and I am just now getting around to posting about Christmas, but it's taken me a little longer to get back into the swing of things this year (not a great way to start 2009).

We had a wonderful time seeing friends and family while in Utah. After being away for so long it's nice to have some time with the ones we love and catch up and talk about the good old days. We spent our time going back and forth between our parents homes with different family parties and dinners and rang in the New Year with old friends. I was a slacker with the camera this year and only took pictures of Shae opening presents.

She was once again the star of the show at my parent’s house. Everything was centered around this little girl and we just couldn't get enough of her. Our favorites were all the hugs and kisses she loved to give us each time she saw us. My favorite was the excitement of Christmas morning. She is still too young to understand who Santa is but she does know that he brings her presents. My dad was dead set on her knowing who was coming so the days leading up to Christmas were spent coaching her with questions on who was coming. He would continue to ask her who was coming and then she knew she was supposed to say Santa. My favorite was Christmas Eve when we were all gathered around the table and my dad asked Shea who was coming and she paused as we all stared at her, waiting to hear her response. After a few seconds she blurted out ... ummm Jason! It was hilarious, and she thought she was so funny when we all told her Jason was coming but there was someone else coming too.

I just want to thank all of our family and friends for making time to spend with us and our wonderful families for spending so much time entertaining us while we were home.

Shae and Papa - waiting for Santa to come


Christmas Morning


Talking to Cinderella on her new princess phone


Wearing all her new presents


Enjoying the paper more than the presents