Boston Day 1-I don't to Weather

And for that mater.. I don't do red eye plane flights either (which I may have forgotten when I booked this trip).. we arrived in Boston after a 5 hour overnight flight. It seemed like a fabulous idea in my head.. things always seem to go much better in there!

We actually arrived in Boston ahead of schedule at 7am... a little tired…it started to rain…and we're homeless for a couple hours with all our luggage (while our vacation rental apartment was being spruced up). After our very first ride on the T, a nice subway attendant took pity on us,told us where to go for breakfast, and then since we look dazed and confused after walking out the door followed us out, and pointed out the place again.. As we tried to go further down the street to use the crosswalk she exclaimed.. “Where are you girls from New York or something.. here and Boston we just walk accross the street” And she boldly walked in the middle of on coming traffic and posed as our personal crossing guard. Apparently no ones heard of jaywalking and pedestrian traffic receives all sorts of preferential treatment in these parts. Already what is not to love about this place!

Sanctuary was found in the Prudential Mall and I made myself right at home on a park bench. .. yes it’s true.. I can now say I have actually slept on a park bench (and it is fully documented.. by my so called friends :)) ….dont' judge me...rolling all my belongings with me over cobbled stoned and puddle streets for hours is hard work

Me-mastering the art of Homelessness

You could immediately tell we were not equipped with necessary accoutrements to make this weather thing work.. Hello.. We’re from San Diego.. We DON’T Do Weather! Among the 4 of us we didn’t even have a decent umbrella that could withstand the wind. It had started a torrential down pour by the time that we needed to leave the Pru to get to our apartment, basically everything was soaked, and we were pulling our suitcases on this perilous journey to safety. We had just had a lesson on the pioneers in church the other week.. and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe for those amazing people.. I can’t even pull a 50lb suitcase ½ a mile without complaining… seriously I’m sure they are appalled. The Arrival in Boston.. Homeless ... and Very Colorful

In the space of about 5 hours we went from rags to riches as we arrived at our penthouse apartment, which turned out to be the most fabulous idea.. (I even thoguth so after I made it up 3 very narrow and crooked flights of stairs with my luggage) it was like actually living in Boston.. or at least very convincing pretending.. full kitchen, dining room, living room, library, two bedrooms.. and even a neighborhood black cat.. pay close attention to what I am holding in this picture! One Day Later-In front of our Penthouse Appartment

After getting the luggage situated we met up with our fellow Bostonian traveler (Jake-he was in town for a couple days checking out elitist grad schools) and went on a duck tour of Boston. The transportation was pretty fabulous in its own right.. you can not go wrong with a real life transformer. If you haven’t heard of them before they are ex WWII land/sea vehicles-Look them up!. Ours was very appropriately bright pink.

That night we were off to Fenway Park the home of the famous Boston Red Socks. For avid baseball fans this might be a dream come true.. Although that’s not me.. I must say it was pretty great… but after not sleeping for a whole night.. I might have dozed off a couple times…it’s pretty much sacrilegious I can’t remember who won right? Hmmm... so how 'bout them Red Socks

Boston Vacay

I recently finished up a 9 day vacation in Boston! An Amazing trip! More details later but here are a few pics to show you how gorgeous it is over there right now! Walden Pond

Marblehead

Cape Cod

Lexington

iheart the iphone

The iphone and I had a rocky start to our relationship.. first off BFF gave me a gift card for this lovely purchase for my birthday.. Amazing Gift! So first thing I did after I got home from work on Wednesday.. also first day back from my Maui adventure (More about that later).. was of course to pick up my gift at what I like to refer to as iStore… so the card said to register online and then you could go to the store and pick it up.. deceptively simple enough..

Have you been to an Apple Store lately?.. that place is pure chaos.. I walked in and all the floor sales people are busy.. so I wander around.. trying to look like I need help.. (huh…you mean mind reader wasn’t in the job description?…odd).. for about 15 minutes before I realize, unlike any other store, I’m going to have to be proactive about searching out the help and will have to beg them to take my money and give me what I want. Then another 15 more painful minutes as I stalked one of the sales people until their actual customer turned their back for one second and I sized the moment…muhahah

So turns out all that work that I did preregistering online was for not a darn thing.. ya had to fill that all out again.. and then I was told that I couldn’t port my number over unless I called ATT and went through some back channels..the days of fighting for your number are not over my friends… I think after being on customer support line for an hour we finally got that all sorted out and I was a first name basis with practically the whole ATT Customer Care Department.. about the 5th time I was transferred to a different department I was really rethinking this change.

As they say no pain no gain.. I now am in love with this little device… I watch movies on it at the gym.. get all my 5 email accounts in one place, listen to music and surf the web for cool apps and million other things that I haven’t discovered yet which I am sure I will love… It has seriously changed my life! I am not longer a slave to my PC and have to hurry home to check messages.. the technological advances of our time are sheer genius.

…and to think just 10 years ago.. I didn’t even have a cell phone.. now even toddlers that can barely speak have one…you’ve got to admit that’s amazing and disturbing all at the same time.

Waking up in Vegas

So last weekend I had the pleasure of spending the most unusual day and half in Vegas for BFF Crystal's Big Birthday Bash.. you know.. the dreaded... turning 21 for the 10th time.. While most worldly people would consider it a very TAME weekend.. it was perfectly fine for me (I pretty much shopped, slept in a fabulous hotel, played in the lazy river and hung out with my darling previous roomie).

We stayed in THE hotel in Mandalay Bay.. where everything is THE most awesome.. and everything is labeled even.... THE tp...it's so true!

I had room service and felt like a rock star... and now that I mention it paid like a rock star for a grilled chicken and brie panini

I found my new favorite pampering bath store.. called LUSH..everything including the packaging is very eco friendly... sadly no store here in San Diego... I guess now there's an excuse to go to Beverly Hills

I got lost trying to find a mall in the many casinos..HOW is this POSSIBLE? all I hear about in Vegas is the shopping and I go off on my own in the morning and can't seem to locate any shopping...luckily at the pinnacle of my frustration I was rescued by a phone call summoning me to the pool

I frolicked in the lazy river with an inner tube.. and no joke.. saw a 20 something girl lick the pool water.. trying to find out if it was saltwater... haven't done that in like... ever

We ate dinner at the Wynn Hotel which was an extremely beautiful Alice and Wonderland like place and wandered through the canals in the Venetian.. and I wondered why a grown man and his two teenage sons would be spending a romantic evening on the gondola...it looked a bit awkward amongst all the other "serious' couples... the money they spend in/on these hotels is just unreal...

I walked quickly through the casino.. and couldn't have been happier that I have never be tempted WHATSOEVER to EVER start smoking, drinking or gambling..in a haze of unnatural light..so much more unattractive!

I ate at a Treasure Island Buffet.. and had the mini donuts and cupcakes that the peeps were raving about.. personally I was partial to the mini quiches and the mini meringue pies.. heaven!

Sadly.. what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.. I forgot my camera.. so I'm at the mercy of those who took pictures.... hopefully I will have some soon!

Fun in the Sun

Me, Jen and Rebecca


Me and Amy

Memorial Weekend is synonymous with Beach Weekend in San Diego

But don't be jealous.. I went to the beach twice and was ceremoniously Lobsterfied...

Saturday I convinced my friend Lisa to write her talk for church on the beach.. seriously I don't know of any better place to get inspiration..it didn't take much arm twisting... but I guess the spirit speaks to each of us a little differently since after her talk on Sunday she said she scrapped all the stuff she wrote at the beach.

SIDE NOTE: I was supposed to be giving a talk on Sunday as well but.. I was fired from that job the week before.. seriously have you ever heard of someone retracting a call to give a talk?.. It's never happened to me before and it was AMAZING! Apparently they wanted the New Relief Society Presidency to speak..and so I was removed from the lecture circuit.. my day is coming though.. as I was told that my speaking assignment was "on hold" until future notice. Which I can't decide if this is worse than knowing the exact date and getting it over with...Here's to hoping they forget!

It was pretty much the perfect couple hours at the beach until when I got home I noticed the backs of my thighs and half of my back was on fire.. the price you pay.

On Monday went to the beach activity for the ward. Again fun times! And Again Lobsterifed.. it's pretty much all turned into a slightly more tan shade of white now.. just not in the genes to be tan I guess.

Again with the Flowers!

Apparently I didn't get enough the first time around..and you didn't either.. This post was supposed to make it out about a month ago but due to technical difficulties.. is now just being posted.

I have been talking up the flower fields to my fabulous cousin Moranda.. for a whole year.. since I discovered this bunch of amazingness.. and finally convinced her to come down from the OC to see it.. so we gallivanted in the flower beds, tried on some very fancy hats, and snuck on to the drivers seat of a tractor.

They also have the best strawberries there! And we bought a bunch, and surprise visited our Aunt Roseanne with Flowers and Strawberries.

It was a fabulous time! Anyone want to go again?

Lakeside Rodeo (More than you could bargain for)

So this weekend I spectated at my very first rodeo. I must say it was an interesting event. I hardly ever venture very far south east of San Diego proper..

I like my North San Diego Bubble just fine thank you.

Apparently it was destined to be a night of firsts.. and a few that probably will be lasts as well.

1. I bought a cowgirl hat.. and it is dang cute! Don't have much need for it here.. maybe Halloween this year?.. or do I feel the need to take a trip to Texas?.. hmmm.

The Cowgirl Hat and the Infamous Kettle Korn

2. I ate dinner at Wienerschnitzel. A brilliant menu meal centered around hot dogs? There are hardly words.. OK... here are a few ...

Holy Pig Guts... I haven't eaten a corn dog since I was like 10 or something and Not many improvements have been made.. pretty much exactly as I remembered. In fact on the corn dog wrapper it says that they are foster farms corn dogs.. I wonder if they get theirs from Coscto?. Luckily I shared the Corn Dog meal and I only ate one....my life will only be shortened a couple of years.

Also.. little known fact.. their strawberry lemonade.. is just strawberry syrup squeezed into your drink cup and then you go to the soda machine and put in regular lemonade.. so blah! Luckily I did not order this.. others in my group not so much

And another thing.. since when is the girls bathroom more disgusting than the guys? Well all I can say is... Jenny was traumatized when she opened the door.. and then promptly opted for the guys bathroom...

Not the finest hour to be an employee at the Wienerschnitzel.

3. I saw the Lakeside Rodeo. Which is a very popular event around those parts, cars for miles. People even selling parking spots for $20 in their front yards. Most of the cowboys were from Utah, Montana, Idaho.. etc. The host said that one of the contestants families has a indoor coral area so that they can still practice when it's gets cold outside. That is dedication. And boy those cowboys and live stock can move! I felt so bad the calves that got body slammed to the ground and hog tied. Supposedly Rodeos are not cruel to animals.. but I can't help feeling a little sorry for them. They did have a cute event where all the little kids (3-4 years old) came out with their stick horses and had a race around the coral. They were hilarious.. some were really confused about what they were supposed to do.. and chaos ensued.



4. I stood in line for Kettle Corn. For like 50 minutes! I should have know better! Nothing is that good. After waiting for 20 minutes I started to wonder if it was really worth it, but had already waited that long and to get nothing seemed like such a waste.. so I sunk another half hour into it.. and ending up realizing that I don't like kettle corn that much.. too salty... I was thinking it was going to be sweeter. Jenny waited with me in line and we ended up missing a few events..(Sorry Jenny!) by the time we got back it to the stands it was nearly over. Dang it!

All in all it was a good time! An Experience with good friends is never time wasted! YeeHaw!