visitors

May was a fun and busy month for us - we had two sets of visitors come and see us.

First the McCulloch's came out to see us and it was so fun having them here.  It was Nate's first time in the city and I think he liked it, despite the bomb scare in Times Square and the Staten Island Ferry crashing:)  Julienne has been here before so she pretty much knew her way around and they were able to discover the city while we were at work.  We were able to show them around Central Park that included a ride on the row boats.  And if you know the McCulloch's you know there had to be a sporting event in the trip, the Yankees weren't in town so we made it out to Queens to see the Mets.  I have never met a girl that knows as much as Julienne does about sports.  I think she knows more than most of the men I know:)  While they were here, Nate celebrated his birthday and we had to make sure he had a NY cupcake to celebrate his special day!!

Shortly after the McCulloch's left the Theurer's arrived.  My mom and dad came out for a weekend visit and this was my dad's first time to the city.  I had been planning their arrival for several months and I couldn't wait to show my dad around.  Although I was very nervous this country boy wouldn't like the big city.  I took two days off work and spent the time taking them all around.  We did the double decker tour bus so my dad could see the best of the city from the top of the bus.  My mom had several orders for purses so we even dragged him back in the secret rooms to pick out hand bags along Canal street.  One morning we went to Regis and Kelly and got to see Anderson Cooper and Kristin Davis, and I was so glad they got to see some good celebrities.  It was quite the experience and I was so happy to hear my dad liked the city and was surprised by how nice and clean they keep it. 

The highlight of their trip was seeing the Yankees play.  My dad got us amazing seats right behind third base and we got some great shots of A-Rod.  Before the game we met up in Central Park, had brunch at the Boathouse, saw the row boats and got a little lost but enjoyed seeing the beautiful park while trying to find our way out. We did and saw almost everything in 4 days and the last day they came to see our apartment and we ended with a nice dinner out on the pier along the Hudson. 

We loved having visitors and we are so glad they liked NY and now that they've seen it we hope they will come back and see us more often.  Thank you for coming and seeing us!!

virginia is for lovers

For Memorial Day weekend Jason and I rented a car and drove to Virginia for Michael and Lizzy's wedding. Michael was one of Jason's friends from law school and we were so excited to be invited to share their special day. They were engaged last summer and we received their "save the date" back in December so, needless to say, I have been waiting a long time to attend their wedding. Michael's mother is a party planner so we knew the wedding would be fabulous, and it didn't disappoint.

It was a weekend wedding that consisted of a rehearsal dinner on Saturday night, the ceremony, reception/dinner and dancing on Sunday and a send off brunch on Monday morning. We stayed at a beautiful resort just outside of DC and then the ceremony and reception were held at a manor near the resort.

We left bright and early Saturday morning to avoid the traffic and got to Virginia in just over 4 hours. We settled in quickly and went straight to the pools for some sun. That evening we met up with some of Jason's other law school friends and enjoyed a night of toasting the bride and groom. It was so fun to hear stories and see pictures of their childhood days when we didn't know them. Michael and Lizzy both have the sweetest families and it was so fun to meet them all. I may have mentioned this before, but one of my favorite things about living on the East coast is the air kiss while touching cheeks. Instead of a hand shake we were air kissed all night long - and I loved it! I don't know what it is, but it's so much more personal than a hand shake and coming from their families it felt so inviting, as if we were part of the family. I suppose if it were coming from someone I didn't like or someone who's face I didn't want coming that close to mine than I would probably feel differently.

The next morning we spent more time by the pool and then we were off to the Whitehall Manor later that afternoon. It was a beautiful old manor out in the rolling hills of Virginia. The ceremony was outside, the bridal party was lovely and the bride was stunning. It was so fun to learn about their Jewish traditions. The bride and groom gathered under the Chupah with their families while the Rabbi read a few passages in Hebrew and then asked the congregation to join him in a chant. We didn't really know what we were doing but it was fun to hum along with the crowd. At the end of the ceremony it was all Mazel Tov's as the groom broke the glass.

(Michael breaking the glass)

Next it was on to the dance floor. I have seen in movies the Jewish weddings where the bride and groom are hoisted up on chairs while the crowd dances around them. Well they really do this and because Jason was one of the bigger guys in the crowd, he was quickly recruited to help with the lifting. Let's just say Jason was much taller than some of the other guys in the crowd and did most of the lifting on his own:) He not only got to lift the groom, but the fathers of the bride and groom as well. I was laughing and clapping so hard that I missed a shot of Jason in action. This dance was followed by a few other traditional dances involving the families of the bride and groom. After the dinner the dance floor got a little crazy and after some coaxing by friends, Jason finally got on the dance floor and showed us all his moves.

Also, can I just tell you, this bride/mother-of-the-groom duo thought of everything. From the welcoming gift when we checked in, to the little sweets and treats along the way, to the slippers the women were given for the ceremony so our high hills wouldn't get stuck in the grass.

The next morning we said our goodbyes (that involved more air kissing) to the families and wished the bride and groom well on their honeymoon in Maui. We were so lucky to be able to attend their beautiful wedding and we are so grateful to have them as our friends.

dallas

(Some of the ladies I work with)

I know I have a TON of catching up to do. I will start way back in April. For my new position at work KPMG flew all of the ESA's across the country for their annual training in Dallas. It was only for two days and most of our time was spent in trainings; however, we did find time to have a couple of nice dinners and explore the only thing Dallas is famous for - The Grassy Knoll! There really wasn't much to it. There is a JFK memorial down the street that looks like a giant Lego and in my opinion they could have done a better job of honoring a president, and then you walk down the street to the grassy knoll. We saw the building where they say Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shots (or is it all just a conspiracy?) and watched cars drive down the road where JFK's motorcade travelled. It wasn't a very exciting trip to the Lonestar state but it was fun to get away from the office for a few days.

brooklyn flea

Last weekend we ventured out of our borough and explored a little of Brooklyn.  We've been looking for some fun treasures for our apartment so we decided to give Brooklyn Flea a try.  It was just what you would expect a Brooklyn Flea market to be - gritty vintage, old New York.  There were some great finds and we looked at everything several times and came home with a painted old ceiling tile for our wall.  The other great thing about the Brooklyn Flea is the food.  I had a fish taco with fried Mahi Mahi that was incredible and Jason tried the lobster roll - CT style.  There were homemade popsicles, coal oven pizza and even a stand with all the ingredients needed to brew your own beer. 

13.1

Last weekend I ran the NYC Women's half-marathon in Central Park, my first half-marathon, and after 3 months of training, I can't believe it is already over.  When Megan first talked me into signing up there was still snow on the ground.  We would wake up early every Saturday morning and run in the freezing cold while the ice cold wind smacked us in the face as we ran along the Hudson.  In fact, one morning our path was covered in sheets of ice and we had to hold on to each other and slide across the path most of the way.  So I guess it was too much to ask for a sunny nice race day in April.  Instead we got pouring rain the ENTIRE race.  I'm talking the kind of rain that is pelting you in the face so you have to close your eyes while you are trying to run up steep hills with thousands of other women; meanwhile, hoping you don't slip in the water that is puddling up under your feet.  But we are two tough woman and we didn't let the rain stop us!

A lot of people told me before the race that their first half-marathon was the worst and then it got better as they did more.  Hearing this made me nervous and I was scared to know how I would be come race day, but on race day I was so mad at the rain that I didn't even think about the nerves.  Our theme song for race day should have been something empowering, instead we found ourselves humming "Blame it on the Rain".

Despite the pouring rain, soaked shoes and socks and blistered feet from the soaked shoes and socks and the fact that I could wring out my clothes at the end of the race, I felt really good.  We did two laps around the big loop in Central Park which was no easy course.  Overall we think we had roughly 20 hills.  Some not so big and three or four long steep ones.  Luckily my smart running partner suggested we train in the park along the loop so the hills were no surprise; unfortunately while training we only did the loop once on our runs so the second time around on race day was even worse because we knew what to expect.  I am so proud of us, we pushed through the steep hills and made it to the finish line.

I am so glad I was able to run in this race and even more so with my wonderful friend, Megan.  We trained together the entire time, talking every step of the way.  Each week as we increased our mileage I was amazed at what I could do.  The thought of training for a half-marathon was frightening but I honestly didn't feel like it was that bad because I had someone to do it with me.  I will admit there were mornings I didn't want to get up but once I did I was feeling great.  Megan was so encouraging, she always made me feel like I could do it.  She was there to keep me at a could pace, she mapped our runs, forced me to ice and stretch and even carried water for me on her life belt while we trained.  So thank you, Megan.  This was an amazing experience and I never could have done it with out you!!

map of our course

The lovely Kristin Davis was at the starting line to wish us luck

morning run

I know I haven't posted in a while and some of you are starting to harass me, but we haven't done anything lately that is blog worthy.  However, we are still alive and doing well.

I am currently training to run my first half-marathon with the lovely Megan and while it has been a challenge, I have very much enjoyed our runs.  Here are a few shots she took during our 11 mile run this weekend.  The cherry blossoms are in full bloom around Central Park and they look so pretty around the Reservoir. 

Hopefully I will be alive next week with details of the race!!

mohonk mountain

Last weekend was the first nice weekend we've had in a long time, so we decided it was time for a road trip, and took a little ride.  Jason loves Anthony Bourdain, in a recent episode he explored the Hudson River Valley and one of his stops was Mohonk Mountain.  After learning that this is the resort where Steven King frequently stayed and got his inspiration for The Shinning, Jason had to see it. 

It is a magnificent resort tucked away in the beautiful mountains of the Hudson Valley with everything you can imagine.  We explored the grounds and saw everything from cross country skiing and ice skating to snow shoeing.  Right when we walked into the main entrance we were welcomed with the smell of wood burning fireplaces and we were in love.  We walked around the castle and then walked out on the veranda overlooking the lake and relaxed in rocking chairs while enjoying the view.  While it was just a quick day visit we have definitely added Mohonk Mountain to our list. 

bagel day

Last week I took a new position at KPMG and my group hosted a bagel party at my desk so everyone could come and say goodbye before I moved to the 38th floor.  I can't believe how quickly time flies.  Four weeks after moving to the city I started working at KPMG and have worked in the same group for 3 1/2 years.  I have loved getting to know all of the wonderful people in the FS group.  I started as the country girl from Utah and they quickly helped me adjust to big city life.  They joked that before no time I would be a mean NYer and in some ways I feel like my experience at KPMG has helped me discover who I really am.  I've had to work with many different personalities and in doing so have seen what type of person I want to be and how others see me.  Before KPMG my work experience had always been amongst family members and it was definitely an adjustment not having them by my side everyday, but because of this, I feel like many of my colleagues have become my second family.  I am now working in the Risk Management group as an Engagement Setup Administrator, and while it's been very busy and a lot to learn, I am looking forward to a new challenge..

happy valentine's day

I hope you had a lovely day with your special someone! 

The red velvet heart cake I shared with mine.

snowpocalypse

It seems like every winter we get warnings of a huge storm that is going to hit the city - you would think the end of the world is coming the way people talk.  Well yesterday snowpocalypse hit the city, and we survived.  Emails were sent out at work the night before telling us that if it was unsafe, to not come to work and that our safety was more important than our jobs.  The news on every channel updated us on the severe weather alerts and after all of that, we got a measly 8 inches.

Walking down Park Avenue

However, I will admit 8 inches in the city is not the same as 8 inches in rural UT.  Millions of people plus millions of taxi cabs and buses with 20 mph winds and snow equals one big mess.  Pretty much all the white stuff gets sloshed around, creating huge puddles that make it impossible to walk in (which is what everyone has to do in the city).  I'm not complaining.  I made it to work (one of the 5 in my group that did show up) and at noon they sent out an email telling us they would be closing the office at 1pm.  So I got to trudge back through the messy stuff and read all afternoon.  Even as I get older I still look forward to a good snow day!!

The view from our apartment

highline

A couple of weekends ago we had a warm Saturday so we headed down to the Meatpacking District for brunch at Vento and some shopping at Chelsea Market.  It was such a nice day that we decided to walk around the Highline and people watch while we soaked up the sun. 

swearing in

Yesterday Jason was sworn in and can now officially practice law in the state of NY.  I keep posting these "It's official"  (he is done with school, he graduated, he took the bar, he started work, he passed the bar) posts but I believe this will be the last of the officials.  His signature on his work email has read "Law Clerk" but today he gets to change it to "Associate" and call himself an attorney! 

He was sworn in at the Appellate court house on 25th and Madison and the courtroom was stunning.  All the furnishings were a rich mahogany with gold platted moldings throughout and a green stain glass dome in the ceiling.  After my jury duty experience I was worried the courtroom would be similar to the civil courtrooms I was in but it was nothing like that.  I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside the courtroom but I was able to find this one from google images.

He was sworn in with 101 new attorneys so it was a little crowded and I was able to snag a seat on the front row so I could see him.  Just imagine 100 young men and women dressed in their suits, standing in a beautiful court room, all raising their right arms and swearing to be good, honest attorneys.  It was quite the sight and I was so proud that my husband was one of them.  After the swearing in the judge shared a few remarks, quoting Job and his patience and ending with a few words from Bob Dylan.

May your hands always be busy

May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
And may your song always be sung
May you stay forever young

100 skills everyone should master

It being the new year, for the first time, I have sat down and put a lot of thought into my 2010 resolutions.  I have made family goals, personal goals, work goals, and things I want to do goals.  Many have posted their lists, which is very brave, but I have chosen to keep mine to myself.  However, I saw this list of 100 skills everyone should master on Design Mom from Kirtsy and thought I would share it.  I love them all; some are obvious, some are practical, some are funny, and some really made me think about what I want to accomplish in my life.  Just thought I would pass it on to help you think about what skills you want to master in the new decade.

christmas

We had a wonderful time in Utah this year for Christmas.  I went home a little early and spent time with friends and family and Jason flew home and surprised his family the day before Christmas eve - it was a Christmas Miracle!  We enjoyed going back and forth between families and it was so nice to visit with everyone.

We met our new nephew, Dylan, while we were home and he was the best baby.  We all fought over who got to hold him next while Shae kept us entertained.  She showed us her dollies, we colored, and she even busted out the tutu and showed us her dance routine to Lady Gaga.  She became my little buddy while we were home and it was sad to have to say goodbye.  She's getting older and remembers us now and she hadn't forgotten me from when she came out to see us.  She is the best little story teller and once she starts talking she doesn't stop.  But our favorite was the excitement of Santa coming.  We got out my dad's sleigh bells and told her that Prancer left them behind and she believed every word.

I only took pictures on Christmas Eve of Shae and Dylan in their Christmas pj's.

It was so nice seeing everyone while we were in UT and we are so sorry if we missed seeing you.

Shae cheesing it

Jason and baby Dylan

Santa's little helper and his little elf

welcome 2010

First off, let me say that I finally have an iPhone and a New York number and I am very excited about it. Jason, on the other hand, isn't loving all of the time I am devoting to my new little friend. Seriously, I didn't know what I was missing.

After the craziness of traveling over the holidays we decided to take it easy and have a low key New Years. We have been dying to see Avatar and since Lincoln Center has the only Imax in the city, almost every show was sold out but the time that overlapped the new year. So while millions were crowded in Times Square freezing, we were enjoying a little 3D on the big screen. I don't even know how to describe Avatar, so I'm not going to try, but I loved it! And I loved Jason in his HUGE 3D glasses. And I love the camerabag app, too.

After the movie we hurried home and went straight to bed so we could be up bright and early the next morning to catch the first bus to Boston. We were very excited about our hotel. A few years ago we went to Boston and stayed at the Intercontinental and since then Jason hasn't stopped talking about how amazing it was. You see, each room has a huge soaking tub that you can slide open the glass windows that separate the bathroom from the bedroom and see the flat screen. This way he could do his two favorite things, soak and watch TV, all at the same time.

So we made it to Boston, did a lot of soaking, walking up and down the quaint little snow covered streets and eating fresh seafood. We have always wanted to go to one of those authentic seafood places where you tie on the bib and crack some crab and that's exactly what we got at the Barking Crab. It was quite the experience, and I would like to point out that I am a much better cracker than Jason, I can crack my crabs and pull out the meat in one whole piece in half the time that he can:)

We had a great time in Boston, it snowed most of the time and the wind was wicked but we were happy. We are strong believers in eating the local cuisine so that is just what we do. When in Philly we eat cheese steaks, when in NY we eat pizza and when in Boston we eat clam chowda! And a we both agreed that there is nothing better than a bowl of Boston clam chowder in a homemade sourdough bread bowl on a snowy New England afternoon. Happy New Year!!

a night with the girls

We had a great time in UT for Christmas this year.  I flew out on Friday and met my beautiful high school friends in SLC for a girls night out.  It was so good to chat about the good old days and talk about our lives and families and how much they've changed.  Two of them have children and it is still so crazy to me that they are mothers.  I've always known them as silly single girls but it only took me a minute to realize we are no longer in high school.  It's funny to think that at one point our lives revolved completely around each other and now our lives are completely separate - a side from the one night a year we get together and completely forget about our husbands and children and go back to our high school days:)

The next morning we went and visited our friend Julie and her lovely family.  She and her husband had breakfast on the table and once again it was so neat to see her interacting with her kids and how amazing she is as a mother.  Her 1 month old, Austin, was so precious and her 3 year old, Brooklynn, was very excited to tell us what she was going to get from Santa.  It was so nice to get together with old friends and I am so grateful for all of the memories we have shared.

The rest of Christmas and New Years to follow.

the nutcraker

I went to The Nutcraker with these lovely ladies last night at the Lincoln Center and had a wonderful time.  I love Christmas time, to bad it doesn't last a little longer.  Thanks, Lizzie!

i'll be home

Since moving to New York there is something about this time of year that always makes me miss Utah.  I don't know if it's the Christmas memories or how different growing up in a small town is to living in a big city but I always get teary eyed when I hear the song I'll Be Home for Christmas.  I love the version by Rascal Flatts but I love watching the video even more.  It shows all of my favorite Christmas spots in the city (Saks' snowflakes and the stars in Time Warner) and while I'm missing Utah it makes me realize just how much I love this amazing city and that it is my home.  So while I love calling NY my home, my parents home will always be the place were so many Christmas memories were created. 

some turkey and a little 311

Jason and I had a wonderful Thanksgiving. This year we decided that it wasn't worth it to go to a restaurant and we could make a much better meal at home. So Jason told me he would help, we put together a menu of all of our favorites, and started cooking. It did help that my parents sent us a smoked turkey again so we didn't have to fuss over trying to figure that one out. But I have to say, I was very impressed with how everything turned out and that we were able to have it hot and ready to eat all at the same time. It was so nice to just sleep in, enjoy the parade on TV, watch Christmas movies and enjoy this wonderful holiday as a family of two. That evening we went to our friends for some amazing homemade pie and enjoyed spending time with some of our NY friends.

We went to the parade our first year in NY and swore we would never go again, but I really wanted to see them blowing up the balloons the night before and since we are within walking distance, we decided to go have a look. They line the balloons up around the Museum of Natural History and then they line up the crowds and you can walk around the block and see all of the balloons almost fully inflated. We thought if we went late that we might avoid the crowds but I am finally realizing that avoiding the crowds around the holidays is not possible. In fact, there were so many people that we were getting claustrophobic and ended up jumping the line after one block. But it was fun to see just how massive the balloons are up close and we even got to see the return of Spiderman.

The day after Thanksgiving we did a little shopping later in the afternoon and then prepared for another crazy evening with 311. This is now the 6th time I have seen them in concert and according to Jason, won't be the last. They played in Central Park this summer but it was the day before Jason took the bar so he couldn't go. So you can imagine how excited he was when I called and told him that 311 was playing at the Hammerstein Ballroom.

The last time we were at the Hammerstein Ballroom was to hear Elder Holland speak to our stake so I knew this experience would be slightly different then the first go around, to say the least. I actually preferred seeing 311 in an enclosed smaller space. We were on the front row and it made the experience so much more enjoyable then last time. If you don't remember, last year I was in the middle of several mosh pits and kept getting slammed and stepped on by a bunch of drunk/high kids. This year all of that was going on behind me and I was able to just hang on to the fence that stood between me and the stage, and enjoy the music. Every once in a while there would be a crowd surfer that would have to get out of the crowd but I had my little protector (Jason) to graciously lift them over my head so I wouldn't get smashed.

This was by far my favorite 311 concert and I will say the only way to see 311 is from the front row. I was so close that I even got my hand touched by Peanut (the base player). So I guess it's finally official - I am a fan, and Jason couldn't be more proud:)