Allen and Rachel

Fresh Start

2011-04-28T05:27:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends.

I have a new blog and will discontinue updating this one.

Daily Dose of Chocolate

Take a look!!

Cheers, Rachel

I love stuff like this!!

2011-04-01T07:56:00.000-07:00

http://www.cnn.com/2011/LIVING/04/01/successful.imaginary.friends.mentalfloss/index.html?hpt=C2

Briefly in Boston

2011-03-24T18:19:00.000-07:00

A lovely weekend with the Read Family in Bolton, Ma. They live in the most serene neighborhood. Allen and I basically run from sun up to sun down during the week and a calm weekend with the Reads was just what the doctor ordered. Jack and Caroline were such gracious hosts.

Adam was anxious to show us his really cool bike that is motorized.

Sweet Amelia is a girl after my own heart. She is all girl. The more stuffed animals and sparkly shoes, THE BETTER.
David reminds me of my brother Marc. He is always running, inventing, talking, moving, creating, jumping, examining.... all with a smile on his face. Just so active. I love it.
We made an afternoon trip to Walden Pond. Thoreau was not home.

We would have stayed and just .....thought..... longer.... but it was really cold, evident by the sheets of ice covering the famous pond. There were some guys still ice fishing.
Then we drove to Concord for some small town strolling.

This lamp kept scaring Allen. I want to get it for him for his birthday.

We wandered into a few bookshops, a kitchen store (dream come true), a chocolate shop (second dream come true), and then found a cheese shoppe (I mean, does it get any better?). The cheese shoppe was very european style. They also had a deli where we dicided to feast for lunch.

Our sandwiches were superb to say the least. My sandwich on a fresh baguette had turkey, brie, apples, and a champaigne mustard. I don't remember what Allen got becuase mine was occupying all of my thoughts. It was love and lust all mixed together for this sandwich.

See my grin below.... that is how excited I was to indulge.

We finished our lunch with a thick frappe from a local diner. Lovely.

Concord is/was the home of Ralph Waldo Emerson as well as Mary Louise Alcott. You can imagine Jo and her fellow little women walking the streets arm in arm as they sing at the top of their lungs.

On to the main event. Hello Boston. We only spent only one day in Boston. It snowed, but it was beautiful.

I love visiting a new city and feeling the energy that it radiates. Each city has it's own feel and makes you feel different. Boston's energy is a very deep, rich, and fulfilling energy that is full of ambition. You can almost feel the generations that have come before that have left their mark in some way or another. I know, enough. I will stop rambling.

Lovely weekend filled with lovely people.

Hello Old Friend

2011-03-18T11:43:00.001-07:00

Welcome Spring. It has been too long.

All the trees turn pink and white around these parts.

Beyond Beautiful and I can't get enough of it.

Ikea

2011-02-17T16:06:00.001-08:00

Can I tell you why we love Ikea....

Besides that Ikea has furnished half of our apartment, it provides for a delightful lunch.

Swedish meatballs, french fries, 2 hot dogs, chips, lingonberry juice, and a cinnamon roll.

For a grand total of - $7.

I mean, really?

Quick Trip

2011-02-01T16:35:00.001-08:00

Allen and I have what you might call wander lust. We have a hard time staying put. Sadly, reality prohibits us from puddle jumping from here to Beijing like a full time job. We whole heartily welcome any excuse to explore. Allen got an interview Georgetown University for their MBA program. So North we go.

Road trips call for "stay awake" tactics. Allen uses fruit by the foot. Whatever works right?

Lay over in Richmond includes some tasty italian

and some Missy and Greg. We laughed, we ate, we napped, we HGTVed. Just what the doctor ordered.

On to Rockville for our Dabney fix. They live on the most charming farm.

Picturesque. Wouldn't you say?

I got to hold sweet new baby Blake. We played with our favorite curly haired little man. It was an excellent evening indeed.

Forward March.

Georgetown is beautiful. Here is my favorite Grad School applicant. Georgetown looks good on him.

A few reasons why I love DC.

1. The Sidewalks.

2. The housing.

3. Cupcakes.

I expected that Allen would want to share a cupcake. To my delight Allen takes a look at the glorious cupcake display and says, "Shall we EACH get TWO?" Ask me how much my love my husband-o-meter went up?

A little lunch and then back on the road. Short and sweet. (Get it? Sweet cause of the cupcakes?)

The drive home required two different Sonic Limeade trips. One more than a little out of the way and more than worth it.

Keep your fingers crossed for Allen.

Bill

2011-01-25T07:33:00.000-08:00

This morning I had an little embarrasing moment. There is a cabinet by my cube that holds office supplies. People frequently stop by to grab a pen or a notebook. So this morning someone is looking into the supply cabinet and with his back to me I recognize him. Let's call him Bill. I say, "Oh Bill, I am so glad you stopped by I need to talk to you." He turns around and looks at me and I immediatly say, "Oh I am so sorry, I thought you were Bill!". He looks confused and says in response, "I am Bill".

I certainly fumbled for words after that.

Happy Tuesday!

Snow Day

2011-01-11T10:04:00.000-08:00

We have heard about a huge snow storm moving toward the southeast for the past week. Sunday night the colossal storm hit. We got about 4 inches of snow. The city SHUT down. School cancelled for two days, nobody goes to work, grocery stores sell out of bread and milk. It happens every year. The bottom line is that the city doesn't have the resources to deal with snow. So, we have snow days after just a few inches. Don't get me wrong, I am certainly not complaining. Allen and I love snow days. Dream come true. We go on walks, watch movies, and drink hot chocolate. Why would I complain about that?

The BEST part was our hot chocolate. Thank You Max Brenner my favorite bald man. There is this fantastic restaurant in New York called Max Brenner, Chocolate by a bald man. He is like a modern day Willy Wonka. He recently published a cook book that I so joyously opened Christmas morning! We made his recipe "Wannabe French hot chocolate". It was like taking a trip to Paris. Seriously, this was the real deal. Bliss.

Thank you for coming snow. Thank you Max.

since you've been gone

2011-01-05T18:18:00.000-08:00

Holidays came and went blissfully. I love setting up the holidays and all the cheer that accompanies it. I also love getting back to normal.

Here is our tree that claimed 6 Feet and is really only 5'. It is from Walmart... what did I expect? A little tree fits perfect in our little apartment.

Some of my favorite little girls from church came over to make Christmas cookies with me. I put the Bosch on the floor so they could help with every step. We had a fantastic time adding ingredients, eating the dough, cutting out the shapes, eating more dough, frosting the cookies, eating the cookies, frosting, and toppings..... and then cleaning up the vomit because one of the little girls apparently had too much sugar let it all come back up. I get it. There is a reason why little kids shouldn't have a ton of sugar. I am a work in progress ok.

We spent the holidays with Allen's family in Utah. Lovely. Here is the whole crew. You can't tell, but Catherine (with the pink scarf) is pregnant. We have a nephew coming in May. Just wonderful!

While the boys hit the slopes, the girls hit the salon. I really needed to catch up on my Vogue Magazine. You know, life is just good.

We also went to a scuba class. Turns out I couldn't make it past the shallow end of the pool and after 30 minutes, I was done. Who knew I would panic under water? It was fun to try and everyone else loved it!

Allen's good friend Dave Sorenson came for a visit. He has been in basic training down in Fort Jackson, South Carolina and decided to hang with us before going home for the holidays. He wore his army uniform to church and was a celebrity. It was cool to see how many people wanted to shake his hand and thank him for his service.

While he stayed with us we promised not to yell or curse at him, a dramatic change from his drill sergants. He also taught me that you are not supposed to salute while indoors... who knew?

Naturally, we took him to Mac's for some good BBQ while in he South.

Are you ready for this??

The Ritz Carlton in Charlotte had a LIFE SIZE, REAL gingerbread house on display for the holidays in the lobby. This is really like a fantasy of mine. I can't even begin to describe the aroma that filled your entire being upon entering. Let's just say I have a new life goal. Someday I will build a life size gingerbread house.

They even have a gingerbread mail box...

Welcome 2011. We have high hopes for what you will bring. Grad school, new place to live, things to learn, things to see, people to meet .... possibilities are endless. I like it that way. Happy New Year Friends.

Highlights from the District

2010-12-01T17:34:00.000-08:00

Allen and I both took a break from reality for a while. We followed our patriotic compass until we ended up at the heart of our nation. The Wonderful District of Columbia. I just can't get enough of this place.

We had a lovely evening with Brian and Danielle at the National Cathedral.

Seat for two.

Cute.

It is no wonder George Washington wanted to spend so much time at Mt. Vernon. The place is a dream.

David and I with the legend.

Lunch with the intern and staff assistant.

David gave us a fabulous tour of the Capitol.

He may have given a better tour than I ever did... maybe.

Jeff Flake interns for life!

The most memorable part of our trip was chatting with these Holocaust survivors at the Holocaust Museum. We had the opportunity to talk to them for about 20 mins. I wish I could have stayed all afternoon. They were all from Warsaw, Poland. This couple below was married in 1947.

He was so excited to show me his wedding picture.

This is Estelle. She spent from 1939 to 1943 in the Warsaw Ghetto. She then spent from 1943 to 1945 in a work camp. She survived with her Mother and sister. We asked her what Allen should tell his 8th grade students when he got back to school. She responded very sincerely,

"You tell your students that I survived the Holocaust with love, hope, and joy. To be young is a gift. Live your life and be happy."

How sweet is that?

Sadie Sadie Married Lady

2010-11-06T15:59:00.001-07:00

If you could imagine the most romantic, dreamy, detailed, beautiful, and original wedding.... I bet you would end up thinking about Katie's perfect day.

She was a vision.

Her dress was stunning.

The reception was bliss.

I will post a link to see more pictures as soon as said pictures are ready for viewing.

In the mean time, How about a trip down memory lane?

In no specific order..

Katie and I have been buddies for a while... we are going on around 15 years of buddydom. She is a fiercely loyal and thoughtful friend. I am lucky to call her mine.

Another Pumpkin Post

2010-10-23T19:17:00.001-07:00

I know that it is the end of October, but Fall is finally settling into Charlotte. It has been 'unseasonably' warm, so they say. All I know is that it is just beginning to get cold. I like the cold. Mostly because my wardrobe is much cuter in the colder seasons. Also I love me some good hot chocolate. Does that surprise anyone?

Allen and I plowed into to a patch to pick out some prime, plump pumpkins.

Upon principle, we must get pumpkins from a patch and NOT from the grocery. I stand firm on the grounds of tradition and reason.

We discovered a few mutant pumpkins. I wanted to buy one, maybe two of each.

The bubble top.

The Albino.

and, The Swan.

So I know they are not mutants, but they are foreign and super cool looking to me. Call me crazy, but I always thought a pumpkin was just orange and round ish. Unless a little magic is involved. This I learned from Cinderella and her magical night with a pumpkin.

We have yet to carve the pumpkin we did buy. As soon as life gives us a night off.....

Lovely evening full of Fall to say the least.

Matthew and Kelley's Big Day

2010-10-20T10:06:00.000-07:00

Isn't this BEAUTIFUL!

Matt and Kelley picked the most gorgeous place to say I do.

Flat Rock, NC is just two hours away from Allen and I in Charlotte. So naturally the Arizona Favreaus made the trek back across the country.

Allen and I would like to formally thank Missy and Matt for deciding to get married while we live in Charlotte. We love being so close to the action and it has given my family two different occasions to make the long journey.

The boys...

Tell me those aren't two of the cutest faces you have ever seen?

I see a lot of myself in them.

My Mom and Suzy

Dad and Mich

Besides my charming niece and nephew, David is the 3rd cutest kid alive.

Good looking group.

Even better looking group...

Short and Sweet

2010-10-08T14:56:00.001-07:00

My parents, Michael, Kim, Addie, and Matthew flew to Orlando to visit Marc and Mickey. We simply could not stand to miss out! So down to Orlando we drove for the weekend. Marc, as usual, was an excellent host.
Marc knows the girls who is Princess Aurora above and got us a private visit with the princesses. Addie was in shock the whole time.

The classic shot in front of the Magic Kingdom. Can you come to Disney without taking this picture?

The whole crew.

Disney is always a good time. Disney with the family is an excellent time!

New to Us

2010-09-09T11:42:00.000-07:00

Allen and I bought a second car yesterday! A little gem. '98 Corolla. (No, it is not the Bentley pictured above) Allen and I have been sharing a car for the past year. Sounds awful, I know. However, it has been a blessing in disguise. Life is busy, ours are no exception. Becuase we shared a car and drove each other to and from work every day, we have had an extra hour or so each day together. You can't do much in the car but talk. So we talked, no distractions. We welcome the change, but don't regret the past.

So today for the first time I drove to work by myself and Allen did the same. I think we already miss that extra time, because he drove uptown and took me to lunch. :)

PS. I was late to work today.

Here's to us.

2010-09-05T15:22:00.001-07:00

One year later. Flowers, chocolate, dinner, Festival of India, sleeping in, Mary Poppins on Broadway, strawberry cupcakes, neighborhood BBQ, sparkling cider, fabric shopping, a carnival, and a Monday with no work makes for a lovely Anniversary Weekend. Cheers.

Allen's First Roller Coaster

2010-08-20T06:30:00.000-07:00

I figured, between Jason, Kristen, and I, we could get Allen on a roller coaster. Not only did he go on ALL of the roller coasters, he loved it! What's not to love?

Kristen and Jason front row.

We also went to visit the Lotta Plantation.
The South really is beautiful.

A trip to Charlotte is not complete without some BBQ from Mac's.

It was a lovely weekend!

6 Days and Counting...

2010-08-15T15:09:00.001-07:00

The Graduate

2010-08-08T16:58:00.000-07:00

Happy Graduation!!

Kristen Knight

Brighton High School

2010

I know what you are thinking....

High school graduation was several months ago and Kristen is leaving for Dixie tomorrow.

So what is with the Graduation Post?

Allen and I missed all the graduation excitement back in June. So when Kristen and Jason (Allen's siblings) came to visit Charlotte, we thought it appropriate to celebrate her graduation. Graduation from High School is a BIG deal and deserves to be treated as such. So here is our graduation party for Kristen! (several months late). I made her wear a cap and gown and take pictures. (You are a good sport Kristen :) She is heading off to Dixie to play soccer this fall. Kristen is an incredibly talented soccer player, full of energy, loves to laugh, has a beautiful contagious smile, an intelligent woman, and is a treasured friend to all. We are so very proud of our girl.

I tried FOUR times to get a good picture of these three...

You can tell Allen is used to me taking pictures and knows that am serious about taking pictures. The others will just have to learn.

Isn't life just lovely.

Work Chocolate

2010-08-05T06:51:00.000-07:00

I arrive at work by 7:15am. By 9:30am I hit a wall. The 'I stayed up past my bedtime last night, been staring at my computer screen too long and my eyes are beginning to droop' wall.

I read somewhere once that dark chocolate can give you energy. That sounds like a solid scientific fact to me. 9:35am brings me to Dean and Deluca. Most people are getting their (2nd) coffee, but just a bar of chocolate for me please.

I feel as if I am now equiped to conquer this day.

Showering Katie

2010-07-25T17:37:00.001-07:00

My dearest Katie is getting married.

Jason is one lucky guy.

Cause a picture says a thousand words....

Love you Kate.

Bye Bo Bo

2010-07-19T17:20:00.000-07:00

You know, I don't really miss Mesa, AZ. I mean, I can get by without Mexican food. I don't love that it is brown. So brown. and flat. The desert is pretty from a distance, but once you get up close it is just dirt. (My parents totally disagree by the way).

What I do miss are these people......

Addie and her Uncle Marcy.

Canoeing at the lake. Addie and her chair.

Marc and David enjoying some breakfast next to the lake.

Aaron and Marc

The race.

Marc and Aaron VS. Michael and David

Guess who won?

Matthew's post under the table, which meant that Grammy's post was also under the table.

Guess who DOESN'T want to take a picture?

Lovely Parents.

How cute is this picture?

Father and son.

And to the airport....

Addie watched Aaron walk away realizing that he was really leaving. She began yelling "Bye Bo Bo"in her sweet little voice. When Aaron didn't turn around she continued to yell louder, "Bye Bo Bo". It was probably killing Aaron. We are going to miss him but are so proud of him!

The wedding of the century

2010-06-27T17:42:00.000-07:00

Charlotte was invaded by Favreau's and Mathe's this past weekend.
My delightful cousin Melissa tied the knot with the wonderful Greg. Mom, Dad, Aaron, John, and Marc flew in for the special occasion. Missy definitely knows how to throw a party. No detail was too small, nothing was overlooked, and she was a dream bride.

Congratulations Missy and Greg!!

Darling David and The Godfather.
Mom, John, Matthew, Aunt Mich, Dad, Kelly and Aaron
Brother and Sister.
The Three Stooges.
The Favreau Gentlemen

Meg and John
The Brothers.

The Favreau Crew.

Lovely people. Lovely weekend.

A few things of note

2010-05-31T06:34:00.000-07:00

First happy news: I GOT A JOB!!

I am joining the Bank of America crew.

Bank of America is headquartered in Charlotte.

So I will be at the corporate center uptown, tallest building in Charlotte.

Isn't she beautiful!

This is really such a tender mercy for Allen and I.

I have been looking for a good job for a long time. So after a several nightmare-ish interviews and a few horrible part-time jobs, I have found a solid job.

I am going to be the Patti Parrish of Bank of America. Every company needs a Patti. Somebody has got to bring a little class and organization.

I also get to go shopping for my corporate attire.

Happy.

To continue my efforts in learning to be a better cook, I am baking my way through this book. I got it at Williams Sonoma and love it!! I have been baking something new once a week. Yesterday was Sour Cherry Scones.

Please take note.

Now take note of my Sour Cherry Scones.

You can laugh out loud if you want. We certainly did.

They are not pretty like the picture.

They are lumpy.

They are blue.

But they taste FANTASTIC!!

We may or may not have had them for dinner last night.

Please Enter into

Allen's Garden

Our apartment complex, which never ceases to amaze us, has garden plots for tenants who wish to garden. Allen put his name on the list 2 months before we even moved in. The management provides all the seeds, tools, and whatever else you need to garden.

Behold.

Tomato blossoms.

Fresh Basil.

Allen has planted parsley, basil, cucumbers, tomatoes, and one mystery plant.

Obviously he has a magical green thumb.

We picked some basil and parsley yesterday and wanted to put them to the test.

This resulted in

Midnight Salsa.

The only reason it is called midnight salsa is because we made up the recipe and made it at midnight. clever huh.

Boy was it delish.

And since we live so far away, here is a picture of us so you don't forget what we look like.

Hey.

Proud or Disappointed?

2010-05-16T06:48:00.000-07:00

My name is Rachel Marie Favreau Knight.

and I am a chocoholic.

(That is my assumed term for being addicted to chocolate.)

Allen and I have been making some changes to be healthier. We have really increased our fruit and veggie intake and decreased our sugar and chocolate intake.

Which brings me to my question:

Proud or Disappointed?

Please examine example A

When I say I am addicted to chocolate, I specifically mean really good chocolate. I could really care less about Hersheys, M&M's, Snickers, ect. But when it comes to the good stuff... I am talking European, rich, smooth, REAL chocolate.... I have zero control.

Some good friends of ours recently returned from Belgium where they were visiting his parents. They were kind enough to bring home some Belgian chocolate for me.

My heart was singing with pure joy!

So I immediately open it up and began to savor each delicious morsel.

Heaven. Like velvety heaven.

I finish just one piece of the chocolate when I feel.... how do I describe it? Full? I could not eat another bite. What?

Just 6 months ago I could polish off the ENTIRE bar and feel a satisfying glow. But now, just one piece and I am done? Is this what eating healthy does??

So I ask,

Am I PROUD because I am leading a healthy life and my body no longer CRAVES chocolate on an hourly basis?

Am I disappointed that my passion for chocolate has decreased to only a mere PIECE of chocolate?

Through the Eyes of an 8th Grader

2010-05-07T12:40:00.000-07:00

Allen wears these Sperrys to work most days.

A few days ago a student asks him
"Mr. Knight.... are those shoes comfy?"

Allen says
"Well yeah they are."

Student replies
"I thought so, cause they are UGLY!
Why don't you get some Nikes?"

Allen says
"Well because I need to wear nice shoes to work."

Student thinks....
"Can't you just get some nice Nikes?"

Book of Mormon

2010-05-03T15:38:00.000-07:00

Maybe I wasn't as good as I thought I was.

2010-04-21T05:23:00.001-07:00

Allen says to me this morning
"So maybe I wasn't as good at rugby as I thought I was in high school."

I reply
"Why do you think?"

Allen's logical response
"Because I keep having dreams about rugby and I am AWESOME. Don't you usually dream about things that you're not good at in reality and in your dream you are amazing?"

........ well yeah, usually.

"it was all started by a mouse"

2010-04-14T08:45:00.000-07:00

One of the benefits of being a teacher is Spring Break. Hey OH. BYU deprived us of this time honored tradition for too long.

We decided to drive down to Orlando to visit Marc and Mickey.

We had a great time hanging out with Marc. He is always a good time.

(notice how Allen and I look like we are having trouble standing up..... we are recovering from a Disney hangover)

Splash Mountain

Believe it or not, this was Allen's 1st roller coaster ride. I know, Thunder Mountain Railroad is not a REAL roller coaster.

We have to start somewhere.

He LOVED it.

It tasted so yummy. Can you tell?

Allen told me I wasn't allowed to buy these ears, even though I NEEDED them.

This was waiting in line for a ride.

We never waited more than 30 min, still I felt like half of the day was in line.

20 min. in line for a 4 min. ride.

Yet, somehow, it is all worth it. Huh.

Some Classics.

(photos that Allen took)

We went to Clearwater Beach (avoiding Daytona with no small effort).

I worked on the aesthetics of the sand castle while Allen worked on security.

Security from the tide that is. It is a phenomenon with all boys. They could care less about the actual castle, but want to dig a giant hole in front to catch the tide. Then they need a moat around the castle. Then we need a wall, just in case.

Sadly, the tide never came up high enough to test Allen's efforts.

He was so proud of the hole.

It was such a lovely, relaxing week! And now back to the real world.

Year 25 and the best is yet to come

2010-04-14T08:05:00.000-07:00

Allen just celebrated his 25th birthday.

It was indeed Happy.

St. Patrick's Day plus some

2010-03-18T17:19:00.000-07:00

Allen's parents came into town!

We attended Charlotte's fantastic St. Patrick's Day parade. I love me a good parade. Especially when the parade includes this little boy below. . . .

This little guy was shaking his booty like there was no tomorrow. Disturbing slash the funniest thing I have ever seen. I love the South.

We tried some of the most amazing homemade root beer and cream soda. HayBale Bob sold them in tin cups. We were hooked.

Side Note: Look at these funnel cakes!!!

Funnel Cake on steriods. "I'll take two please."

Next we drove to S. Caroline to Brattonsville. This is where they filmed "The Patriot"(Thank you Mel). This is where the real Patriots from the South won their first battle against the Red Coats. It gave them the hope needed to win freedom. Really cool history!!

It was only about 1 hour away. This was my lap on the drive down.

Tell me honestly if you are surprised.

Beautiful Scenery.

Below is an actual house from the revolutionary period. Really breathtaking.

Lovely company. Lovely food. Lovely weekend.

Curious

2010-03-09T06:33:00.000-08:00

Kind of cute folder.

I came home to find this on the floor.

R: "Where did that folder come from?"

A: "It's mine."

.......?????.......

R: "It's what?"

A: "I keep papers that I need to grade in it."

R: "It's kind of girly isn't it?"

A: (shoulder shrug) "It was free."

Two Thoughts.

One- Never a dull moment with Allen around.

Two- Impressive that he is comfortable enough to carry it around. Ok cool. Just don't start showing it off or anything.

Six Months

2010-03-06T17:24:00.000-08:00

We celebrated by going to see the Cinderella Ballet. Just lovely.

P.S. Is it too late to be a ballerina when I grow up?

A Picnic to Rival All Picnics

2010-02-25T08:30:00.000-08:00

Charlotte has been freezing lately. And RAINY. So when there was a moment of sunshine last weekend we decided to seize the moment.

Carpe Diem.

We decided on a delicious picnic.

We started with a trip to the farmers market. (one of our favorite NC spots. ) Fresh strawberries, blackberries, tomatoes, and apples.

Then a trip to DEAN & DELUCA. We are classy picnic-ers.

We got cheese, bread, raspberry chipotle sauce, and soda.

Allen made the most delicious paninis. Ciabatta bread, cream cheese, raspberry chipotle sauce, tomato, turkey, provolone, and slices of apples.

They were an inspiration.

We also had two dips. One was a roasted red pepper/cream cheese dip. The other was the raspberry chipotle sauce poured over cream cheese. We dipped pita chips in the delightful mixtures.

Then a spinach salad with blackberries and candied nuts.

Chocolate covered strawberries. Made especially by Allen.

Some of our favorite sodas from DEAN & DELUCA. We like trying all the different flavors.

And the MOST IMPORTANT dessert. A strawberry cupcake and cannoli.

Heaven.

We read books. We ate. We napped. We talked. We ate some more. We people watched. We had a marvelous afternoon.

Amour

2010-02-15T08:06:00.000-08:00

Nothing says holiday like something yummy to eat. So we decided to make Chocolate Salted-Carmel Cupcakes. They turned out delicious! The cupcakes were ultra chocolatey and filled with carmel and sprinkled with sea salt. Then covered with chocolate frosting. Fantastic if i do say so myself.

Remember those Junior High Valentines filled with Romance? Allen and I were reminded of those lovely days by his students. There were 13 year olds walking around with dozens of roses, teddy bears, chocolates, candy, and balloons. One of Allen's student even got down on one knee to ask a girl to go out with him. Precious.

Here is the real kicker. One of Allen's students gave him a marshmallow heart on a stick. Looks like I have some competition.

For our Friends in Utah

2010-01-31T17:20:00.001-08:00

Friday night brought a winter wonderland to the City of Charlotte. 1 1/2 inches of snow. I wrote that correctly. ONE and ONE HALF INCHES of snow.

Allen and I thought ..."cool, snow".

The rest of the city completely panicked!

The whole city totally shut down. Literally. Grocery stores, restaurants, and small businesses; all closed. Church was cancelled. The freeway was shut down. School for Monday was cancelled. Our neighbors saw us leave our apartment Saturday night and thought we were CRAZY.

Let me remind you again. One and one half inches of snow. The South is funny.

I really like to make chocolate chip cookies. We have them every other week.

Allen will often bring them to school and give them to other teachers and some students who stay after for tutoring. The students who got to eat one told ALL the other students the next day at school. The kids are always begging Allen to bring in MORE cookies.

Somewhere along the line the kids named the cookies "Utah Boy Cookies"????? And now Allen can't get them to stop.

So Utah Boy Cookies they are.

Side note: We went to see La Boheme last night. Simply delightful. Allen surprised me with Opera tickets last week. He knows how to make me smile!

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

2010-01-12T06:42:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting the Martha Stewart Cupcake Book for ages and ages. And now that I have it, I have been experimenting with all the many delicious cupcakes. Last night I attempted to make Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes.

They look pretty good huh.

I followed the recipe exactly. It took me over an hour from start to finish. A special kind of cupcake batter filled with a pastry cream and topped with chocolate ganoche. The plan was to deliver them to members of our ward.

Well.... we didn't deliver them. They tasted less than yummy. In fact, I took one bite, made a sour face and had no desire to take another. They tasted kind of bland and eggy. ( is eggy a word?)

Too bad. C'est la vie. Next week I will try my luck at another recipe.

Utah Reception.

Christmas in Charlotte.

Marc.

His and Her Snuggies.

Spirit of Christ

2009-12-13T16:13:00.000-08:00

Charleston

2009-12-02T12:26:00.000-08:00

Over Thanksgiving we went on our belated Honeymoon to Charleston. It was simply fantastic! We stayed in a lovely old hotel that was built in the 1800's. This first day we walked around the city for hours. We were really taken in with the architecture and the layout of the city. The following days we went to Fort Sumter (where the Civil War began), Magnolia Plantation and swamp gardens (we saw three alligators that made Allen's day), Charleston market (fantastic outdoor market), angel oak (1500 year old tree), Magnolia Cemetery (one of the oldest cemeteries and home of many civil war soldiers), ate a crazy amount of delicious food (including chocolate; hot and in the form of truffles), and slept in every day (keep in mind sleeping in for us is only till 8 ish). It was a welcomed and happy vacation. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Original Thanksgiving Proclamation: 1863

2009-11-23T18:20:00.000-08:00

Worth reading all the way through.

"We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these may years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown.

But we have forgotten God.

We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.

Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace,

too proud to pray to the God that made us.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that God should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as one heart and one voice, by the whole American people.

I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of United States, and is every part of United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent father who dwelleth in the heavens."

- Abraham Lincoln

Amen.

While the world was watching New Moon...

2009-11-23T17:37:00.000-08:00

It is no secret that Allen and I are pretty big dorks. We were so excited for this movie to come out. Indeed, it was Amazing. Sandra was excellent. We laughed, we cried, we cheered, we left happy- All the ingredients for an outstanding film. (It was clean too) It has been so long since we have seen a great movie like this. I highly recommend it.

All in a Weeks Work

2009-11-13T08:55:00.000-08:00

Volleyball season is over. Bitter-sweet.

The girls won their last game, perfect end to a season.

I was the coach if you hadn't guessed.

In classic "Rachel-fashion", I did not give fancy certificates or brass trophies.

Each girl received a giant cupcake "trophy" if you will.

I think they were pretty happy with the change.

Scandinavian Festival

Charlotte hosted a fantastic festival. There were all kinds of demonstrations and booths. This was part of the dancing demonstration. They went on and on about this amazing folk dance that originated in Finland.

Turned out to be the Bunny Hop.

Funny to watch a bunch of adults do the bunny hop.

This delightful old man was the best part.

Danced his little heart out, bless his soul.

They also had viking fights in the courtyard.

Allen was a happy and mesmerized man.

We also got to take some of Allen's students to a Bobcats game.

They loved it.

They taught me how to jerk. Sort of.

As I was practicing the jerk one of the students

said with a very confused look, "What she do'in?"

I think that explains how good I am at jerking.

We had really good intentions...

2009-11-01T17:58:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we drove to Chapel Hill to run a 5k.

We ran about 30 yards and then ....... didn't run.

We were quite taken in with the fall scenery.

We walked the rest of the course and had a wonderful time!

My good friend Jen is in the purple and her boyfriend Eric is right next to her. We worked together at fat camp several years ago and have done several runs together since.

Hopefully more to runs come....

Carolina Blue.

We found this amazing cemetery to explore.

We have such fascination with old cemeteries.

It was beautiful and so peaceful!

Technology

2009-10-21T19:27:00.000-07:00

As I write this, I am approximately 36,000 feet above the ground.

I am sure that I am not the first to experience wireless

while on board an aircraft,

however can I just say, "This is really cool!"

It certainly makes my long flight much more pleasant.

Sadly, this is probably the one and only time I will enjoy such a luxury,

as it is a promotional first time is free deal.

The few hours we had together were wonderful.

I would like to thank my wireless friends and Delta Airlines.

Dear Arizona Friends,

2009-10-19T11:43:00.001-07:00

I know that some of you have been

wondering and questioning.

No. You did not miss my reception.

And yes you are invited.

It is this Saturday!

For Utah friends...

We are having an open house

December 29th in Salt Lake.

Your invitation is coming.

Don't fret. We still love you.

Living across the country made all the wedding plans unique.

We hope to see y'all soon!

Love from the South.

A few more favorites.

2009-10-15T05:45:00.000-07:00

We were kind of excited to see Addison.

Can you see why? She is pretty cute.

The Brothers. All of them together.

Part One.

Part Two.

Part Three.

(Those are Aaron's legs at the bottom)

Not sure.

Bridezilla?

Beautiful Kristen.

Happiness.

We painted on our first date. We painted an emotion. It now hangs by our front door.

My Dad.

Kevin and Catherine.

Paul.

And one more of Addie...

Wedding Pictures

2009-09-24T09:09:00.000-07:00

Here are a few gems from the wedding day. To me, it was perfect.

The classic group picture. This turned out to be one of my favorite pictures. I love seeing everyone that was there.

My favorite picture. I think you can all see why.

Also no explanation needed. My brothers. Aren't they wonderful.

Addison.

Knight Family. Love being a part of it!!

Don't be fooled. I was complaining that my heels were sinking into the grass and making my feet hurt. He was sick of my whining. Not as romantic as it looks.

This guy stopped us as we were taking pictures and whispered, "Don't do it" before driving off. Thanks old guy!

More to come...

I am a Mrs.

2009-09-10T07:57:00.000-07:00

Allen and I are married and happily settled in Charlotte. I don't have the photos yet, so here is a teaser for your taste buds. I hope every bride thinks her day was as perfect as mine!

For those of you who didn't get an invite, that is because the reception in Arizona is October 24 and the Open House in Utah is December 29. Living across the country makes things a little difficult. We still love you dearly and you will get your invite soon!

If you absolutely must see more.... then Lacy posted more pictures on her blog of Allen and I.

http://lacyranephotography.blogspot.com/

Queen City

2009-08-28T09:14:00.000-07:00

Charlotte is beautiful! We love it! It is so green and full of trees. Our neighborhood is a dream!

Less words and more pictures huh...

Our townhouse.

We don't have a table yet, so we have been using a T.V. tray. Classy.

Love/Hate Relationship.

We bought a chest of drawers from Ikea. It was a great price. Now we know why.

40 pieces of wood, at least a million little screws and nails.

Directions: no words. Pictures only.

Two hours: realization we used the wrong piece.

Forced to take it apart and start again.

Total hours: around 6.

At least $200 worth of labor, no wonder it was so cheap.

Conclusion: the Swedish are crazy.

We get married in 8 days.

Happy.

2009-08-15T06:40:00.000-07:00

Oh what a beautiful morning!! Oh what a beautiful day!!

7:00 am - Panic. I jump out of bed. Why didn't my alarm go off?? My paper, I need to finish my paper!

7:05 am - Oh yeah. I finished it... I don't have to write this morning. I don't have to research. I don't have to cite anything. I don't have to edit. I don't have to review. I don't have to RE-write.

7:06 am - Back in Bed. Not sleeping, just relaxing. No headache, no twitching eyelid.

Simply Bliss.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am finished with college. I am finished with a BA degree in Political Science. I have endured and crossed the finish line. Oh what a beautiful finish line.

I can do this.

2009-08-12T11:51:00.000-07:00

I know you all thought I had graduated. The truth is that I am finishing up one last class. It is my final thesis paper. The title of my paper is

External Influence leads to Internal War:

A closer look at the roles Vietnam and United States

played in the Cambodian Civil War

Now call me crazy, but I actually enjoy learning about his stuff. It is what I studied all through college for crying out loud. However, I am having a hard time focusing on said paper when I have so much going on. Remember how I am planning a wedding, moving across the country, and looking for a job?

The paper is due Friday. It is half way done. And I am sitting in the Cougareat.... blogging. I have blog stalked everyone I have ever heard of. Now comes the time to get back to work. I am reminded of the ever inspiring Little Engine that Could. "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can." Sadly I keep replacing it with, " I don't want to, I don't want to, I don't want to." Positive thoughts Rachel. You can do this. Plan of attack includes buying chocolate and sneaking it into the Library.

On the happy side, this is the LAST time I will ever have to endure food from the Cougareat. Happy day.

The Engagement Pictures.

2009-07-24T09:56:00.000-07:00

Check out johannaleephotography.com

Johanna was wonderful!

She knew how to handle Super awkward Allen and Rachel.

September 5.

The Windy City

2009-07-14T14:20:00.000-07:00

After a lonesome 3 weeks of being Allen-less, we caught up in Chicago for a simply fantastic weekend. What a great city. We absolutely loved it. More than anything else, it was just great to be next to Allen and not half of a country away chatting on the phone. PS. Bless technology. Specifically cell phones and video chatting.

Navy Pier by night.

Afternoon of strolling around the city.

Wrigley Field.

Cubs won. I unfortunately ended up in the soak zone. The beer guys kept pouring the beer right over my head. Awesome.

Lunch on the 95th Floor of the John Hancock building. Yummy food, even better view.

Millennium Park.

Institute of Art.

Allen and I were blown away by the amount of art they have on display here. One of the best collections I have seen! And I have seen a lot. There was so much to see. Suddenly two and one half hours had passed away without us blinking an eye. They had all my favorite artists in abundance. It really was amazing.

I didn't love the modern/contemporary section. I have major issues with modern art. I will give credit to very few artists in this movement. Forgive me, but drawing a line down a blank canvas does not constitute a masterpiece. Nailing a tub to a wall or glueing a urinal to a pedestal isn't genius in my book. Poor Allen had to listen to my bitter commentary for a solid twenty minutes.

We stayed with Jenae and Clayton Nylander. What a wonderful couple. They were so generous and hospitable. Jenae knows that city backwards and forwards with her eyes closed. We really had the best time with them. I miss having Jenae so close. She will always be one of my closest and best of friends. We have known each other since Jenae was born two weeks after me. I am so lucky to remain a good friend of hers.

Allen and I are down to a month and a half. Holler.

Teaching America

2009-06-27T08:52:00.000-07:00

Allen is still in Chicago in an intense teaching course to get him ready for his full time teaching job in the fall. It is great to hear about all the things he is learning and people that he is meeting. He is there with an amazing group of really hardworking, intelligent people. I am very proud of all that he is working towards.

Allen at a Counting Crows concert.

(They played a Simon and Garfunkel cover... my favorite, Cecilia)

Major Metropolitan areas are just cool. There is so much to take in and experience. People from all over the world gather in big cities and without conscious decision add something to a city. They add diversity through culture and religion. It makes the cities alive with unfamiliarity. You heard me I said ALIVE, because new and different is wonderful. You just never know what you are missing! (At the moment, however, I am missing Allen)

Allen at a "Taste of Chicago" food festival.

Being a part for this long is not fun. What did I do before Allen? Did I stay home and watch a movie by myself like I am doing now? I'll tell you what, I have not been to the gym this much since we started dating.

For my own pleasure.

I like pictures with both of us, not of just him 1500 miles away.

Taste of Charlotte

2009-06-15T12:48:00.000-07:00

Allen left this morning for Charlotte, North Carolina. He is interviewing with schools and getting a feel for the city. Sometimes I find it funny that neither of us has even been there, yet we are moving there for the next three years. It is going to be an adventure. Good thing I love a good adventure.

I only got to talk to him for a moment after he landed, but he said the airport was very nice. I think we are off to a good start. Airports are important. I don't want to be stuck with an airport that is ugly or has a bad floor plan. Like Salt Lake International or Midway in Chicago; those both drive me nuts. Now Sky Harbor... that is an airport. I do realize that there is an unfair bias with my airport opinions. I am usually stuck at Midway for long layovers and Salt Lake has the most ridiculous layout. Sky Harbor is home. But still a masterpiece of moving sidewalks and cool architecture. Regardless, we are off to a good start in North Carolina.
More North Carolina to follow...

I spent a week in Beaver, UT one day....

2009-05-30T10:50:00.000-07:00

Allen and I are so done with Provo. August might as well be a lifetime away. Just get us out of here! We decided to escape to Mesa for a week. My car has been having radiator issues lately, Allen's car does not have AC (love being poor and in college), so we decided to play it safe and take my father in law's car. Safe.... ha. We broke down about twenty miles outside of Beaver. When I say break down, I mean the car won't even pretend to start. We call 1-800-napa-auto and get patched through to a mechanic/tow company in Beaver. They will come pick us up and have on our way in no time!!

In the tow truck.

Brian, our rescuer, couldn't not have been more noble if he rode up on a white horse. He picked us up at 12 pm. After two hours of diagnosing, it turns out that our alternator was bad. Naturally, they do not have one in Beaver. We would have to wait until morning for the part to get there. Allen's mom had another plan. She would drive THREE hours and bring us the replacement part from Salt Lake. However, she could not leave for another hour. So we wait. Did I mention that there is a few hotels, gas stations, and fast food places in Beaver. AND THAT IS IT. We asked a hotel if we could pay half price to sit in an air conditioned room for the afternoon. No luck. But we can hang out in the pool room...

3:00pm.

Random room next to the hotel pool, we tried to watch a red box movie from the local McDonalds.

5:00 pm

Allen's mom arrived by 6:30. The mechanic was finished by 7:00. And we were on our way. SEVEN hours in Beaver with absolutely nothing to do. Keep in mind we still have an 8 hour drive in front of us. We powered through the night, setting new records of caffeine intake, and made it to Mesa by 3:00 am. From the time we left Provo to the time we pulled into my parents had been a total of 18 hours. We could have traveled to Asia in that time. I am happy to say that I NEVER have to make that drive again.

We spent the weekend at a cabin in Payson with my family. It was a lovely weekend.

We stopped to take a picture in Panguitch at the hotel we stayed at when we got caught in a crazy snow storm. We were not even engaged and both of our parents almost had a heart attack.
This is Miao. (pronounced Meow, yes like a kitten) He is a friend of our family. He is at BYU getting his PHD in Analytical Chemistry. (yikes) He spent Christmas with us in AZ this last year. We took him out on a boat for his first time! I captured this priceless face as the boat took off. He was so funny to watch. He LOVED tubing. He kept saying, "It so scary, but so fun." He was like a little kid trapped in a 32 year old body. He told Marc, "When I am rich, I will by a boat".
Every time Marc would stand up and hold on to me, Miao would laugh like crazy, making me laugh, and prevent me from breathing. Such a fatal cycle. We had a great time!

Life is just good isn't it!

The worst part about moving on...

2009-05-07T19:52:00.000-07:00

I love me a new adventure. Change brings me excitement. However, I do not like leaving the people I love. I think the four of us were aware of this inevitable separation in the near future. So we took a last minute trip to just enjoy each other without any disruptions. Haley is off to Palo Alto to work on Meg Whitman's campaign for Governor. I am off to Charlotte with a husband. Amanda is on the hunt for a job/slash dating Prince Charming. Chanel is off to save the world one classroom at a time starting with DC.

I might get more sleep, spend less money, eat less nutella, and watch a few less worthless movies; but who wants to change those habits anyways? Some of the best times of my life.

Graduation

2009-04-28T14:26:00.000-07:00

For those of you who graduated High School around 2004, Remember that song that played on the radio for a week straight during graduation? "As our lives change ... we will still be, friends forever." What I wouldn't give to get that song out of my head for the past week.

Isn't it funny how these monumental moments in life seem so surreal. I know that these moments will come and yet when they do, I am unprepared. I vividly remember thinking, "graduation will never happen". And suddenly, here I am. Graduated.

My parents came up to celebrate. I think all parties involved gained at least 3 lbs. (except Allen who lost 3 lbs. I don't understand boys.) I know that my family loves me when they sit through 2 1/2 hours of pomp and circumstance. Political Science is part of the largest college at BYU. Allen's graduation was 1 hour, however it was at 8:00 am. So I think I proved my love by being there that early. Right?

Rachel soon to be Knight

2009-04-01T14:28:00.001-07:00

Allen and I are engaged!

Allen Knight

2009-03-17T22:22:00.001-07:00

Allen and I have been best friends and rarely spent a day apart since September. We met in a civil war class and started watching old war movies together. We are both super geeks. For months I sat on the other couch being a typical girl that can't make up her mind. He finally got up the nerve to kiss me and we have been dating ever since. Isn't that lovely.

The end of '08

2009-01-04T16:38:00.001-08:00

My niece Addison makes this face more often than not.

Haley's cupcake birthday party. I was pleasantly surprised with the final results of the cupcake table.... over one hundred cupcakes.

Birthday dinner for Haley.

Aaron and Addison

Dad and Addison

Jessica, Jacey, and I

Chanel, Haley, and I

The Girls pre-Masquerade New Years Party

Temple lights with Addison

Mom and Addison

Dad, Mom, Addison, Kim, Michael, and I

Happy 2009! Last semester came and went. I was able to go home to Arizona for two weeks over the break. I am pretty sure I slept over 80 hours that first week home, apparently I had forgotten to sleep during finals. When I was awake I spent time with my family. Christmas was all about my niece Addison! We kind of like her a lot. My favorite gift was a beautiful painting that my Grandmother painted years ago. It is a bust of David hiding from the Lord. (2 Samuel 11:27) Then two of my roommates drove down from Provo for New Years. We went to a masquerade party to bring in the New Year. I am always reminded that I don't love big parties and New Years is often slightly overrated. I would much rather have a small gathering with close friends. Next year... On to another semester! Should be a pretty busy, but fabulous semester! Cheers!

Merry Christmas!!

2008-12-05T14:13:00.000-08:00

Introducing:

Finer Things by Haley and Rachel

Check out our blog!!

http://finerthingsbyfineladies.blogspot.com/

Recently....

2008-11-11T16:34:00.000-08:00

Annie and I ran a Half Marathon together. We were certainly not the fastest.... but we finished!
Introducing the new roommates. I couldn't ask for better friends. On the right is Jacey Rogers and in the middle is Jessica Heiner. This picture is when we went up to Salt Lake for the big Republican Victory Party on November 4, wasn't the happiest party. We did get free food though.
I thought that I should throw in my Halloween pic. Jessica and I were Oscars.

Sometimes life is just busy...

2008-09-24T22:00:00.000-07:00

I am officially 23 as I start my last year of school! Classes are going really well and I am enjoying them. My favorite class, which really makes me sound like a geek, is a Civil War and Ethics class. Our discussions really draw me in and set my mind on fire. Sometimes my poor roommates have to listen to me talk about it. Often I can see their eyes glaze over. Speaking of roommates, I really lucked out with these random ones. All three of them are wonderful and so clean! I love roommates who do their own dishes!! Marc is still around, but only for another week. He is moving to New Zealand to work on a Kiwi farm for a couple of months. Just living the dream. (wish I was going with him). I will certainly miss him around here. He has been so good to me these past few years while we were both here in Provo. He was constantly asking me what he could do for me and more often just doing thoughtful things for me! So here is to Marc! Cheers.

In Loving Memory of Leona C. Udall

2008-07-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

My Grandmother passed away this past week, and while I have been an emotional mess, I need to declare my glad tidings! She was truly a remarkable woman. She was a stalwart example of faith, obedience, love, optimism, and dedication. She was a valiant servant of Heavenly Father her whole life.

My favorite and most cherished example that my Grandmother has set for me, was portrayed through her marriage to my Grandfather. They sacrificed and took care of each other. They became a "we" and never said "I". Together they worked toward drawing closer to our Father in Heaven, for they knew they could only draw closer to one another through their mutual love for God the Father and His Son.

The funeral was lovely and provided the comfort that many of my relatives were looking for. I will miss my beautiful Grandma desperately, but I know that literally "God be with you 'till we meet again." To My Grandma and to the day when I will see her again.

Thank you Leah for the touching pictures.

Have A soup eye

2008-07-14T13:43:00.000-07:00

One of my fave vacations! I love Havasupai! A great hike followed by non- stop swimming in waterfalls .... Does it get any better than that?

I went down with a group of 40ish people, sounds great except that most of them were couples. Boo. So five of us single girls stuck together and had a Blast!! We jumped, swam, climbed, hiked, played cards, splashed, tanned, ate, skinny dipped, laughed, and chatted until we simply could not do so any more! Then we took a nap and started it all over again. Three glorious days. Can I repeat, One of my FAVE vacations!

Ma Tante Micheline

2008-06-23T12:48:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite people in the whole world, my wonderful Aunt Mich came to visit Salt Lake City. Marc, Kaeli, and I drove up to spend the afternoon with her. We had a fabulous time! We hiked up to Ensign Peak and partook of the view that showcased the entire Salt Lake Valley. Simply breathtaking!! (And I might be the only person to have ever hiked up in high heels.) We dined at PF Changs, were entertained with a jazz band at Gateway, and then finished the evening with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The choir is just awe-inspirting! I mean, does it get any better than that? We had a lovely afternoon. Aunt Mich is so much more than an Aunt to me, she is one of the women who has influenced my life in more ways than one thought could be possible!

Sister Taylor and Long Lost Best Friend

2008-06-04T15:40:00.000-07:00

Sister Taylor reported to the MTC this morning. She will be serving the Lord in Michigan for the next 18 months. I am so happy for her I could burst!!! We lost touch for the last few years, but have recently rekindled our friendship and I plan on keeping it fresh for the rest of my life!! She is such an example to me in everything that she does. The girl is just on fire! I got to have dinner with Aubrey and her family last night up in Salt Lake. I had a wonderful time just being around her. I forget how much she makes me laugh! I am so proud of her. I officially have a missionary, Sister Aubrey Taylor. (Well two counting Elder David Favreau)

Les Filles

2008-05-28T13:54:00.000-07:00

How do I express how much I love each one of these girls? I am who I am today because of each one of them. We got together this past weekend to play a little catch up and eat girl food. That means a lot of salad followed by chocolate. Hey, I am not complaining. I will eat anything as long as it is followed by chocolate. We had such a great time gossiping, giggling, and gabbing. I guess we are officially adults when all of our Mothers came along to hang out with us and we had a grand ol' time! I just live for moments like this night!

Little Miss Domestic

2008-05-20T20:49:00.000-07:00

After a few (and when I say a few, I mean a lot) failed attempts I have finally made some progress in the kitchen! I made bread and it looked and tasted like bread! Holler! I am so proud of myself I can barely stand it. My dad used to say that I cook like I drive, I am a little too cavalier. No time to be timid or hesitant. Life is too good be timid. I am thinking Culinary School after graduation, don't tell anyone though. Just my little secret dream. I really want to grow up to be my Grammy. She was always the perfect hostess. Something to aspire to. But in the mean time, I can make bread. Next time... Cinnamon Rolls.

Back to Reality

2008-05-02T11:31:00.000-07:00

I am back in Provo! Washington DC will forever be a part of me and my time there was priceless! I learned so much and experienced more than I could have hoped for! I have a new found appreciation for our Government and the men/women that run it. There are good people who genuinely want to make a difference. I had such a fabulous time working with Rep. Jeff Flake and his office staff. If I had to learn the way things work in our Nation's Capitol, they were the perfect example.

However, as much as I LOVE DC, I forget how much I love BYU. I mean it doesn't get any better than this. Marc and I are in the same ward and live a hop, skip, and a step away from each other. It has been so good to have him so close. He is such a valuable example to me. I try to be more like him all the time. (Don't tell him that though)

I am back to taking classes. So far so good! I am taking a New Testament class, learning about the Savior is a wonderful way to start each day! My Prof. is so great. His goal is for each of us to get to know the Savior on a historical basis, his character, his relationships, his teaching styles, ect. with the intention to then increase our personal testimonies about Jesus Christ. How exciting is that?!!! I am also taking an International bargaining and conflict class. This talks about theories and results of war. I do feel like the rookie in the class, we will see how long I let the status quo stay that way. Then I am taking a general political science class. Love it!! We are on track to graduate next April. What a grown up thought... college grad.

Life is good you know?