My parents' visit

Well, my parents left to fly back home about 4 hours ago. Actually, at this very second they are boarding their connecting flight in Detroit. I think today Ryan really saw how much I hate goodbye's... I was very sad, to say the least.

But this past week was so much fun! My dad got to go to Alta to ski on Monday, which was the perfect day for skiing. A quote from a text I got from him that day... "I didn't know skiing could get this good!" Here are some pictures my mom sent me on her phone from their day at Alta.

My mom and I tried to perfect chocolate chip cookies.. UNsuccessful. BUT she did make an amazing new cookie recipe.. chocolate macaroon cookies with big hershey kisses in the middle! Yummo! And we also did a ton of shopping, AND she got a makeover :) We had a lot of fun girl time.
Tuesday night, we all piled in the car and traveled up to Brighton for some night skiing/snowboarding. The boys went out and enjoyed the snow while my mom and I ordered some bottomless chips and salsa and relaxed by the fire in the lodge. It was nice because the lodge was all windows so we could watch my dad and Ryan come down the trails! Here are some pictures from our night at Brighton.

On Wednesday night, the four of us went to the Jazz/Timberwolves game in Salt Lake after going out to dinner at the Gateway. My parents were so excited because it was their first NBA game, plus my mom is becoming a pretty big Jazz fan. Thanks to Renee and Brent for giving us your tickets :)
My parents, who just happen to be very handy, actually showed us why our outlets on one side of our kitchen haven't been working! All I had to do was push the reset button (I felt so dumb... and to think I was about to call an electrician). And we also have a whole new underneath of our car! It sounded terrible because of a hole in our muffler... but now our car sounds much better. Last night, for their last night in Utah, we drove to Park City for dinner and a little shopping. It was such a fun week, and it went by way too fast. But, we will be home in 3 months for the cruise! This little visit was just the half-way point between Christmas and the cruise. I hope these next 3 weeks go by quickly! Thank you for everything Mommy and Daddy! Ryan and I appreciate everything you did for us while you were here and we miss&love you!

Tamara's weekend with us!

Tamara left about an hour ago, and we got back to our regular, homework/cleaning/studying lives. But Ryan and I had a blast while she was here! As she said, we "visited" places all around the world... Friday night we had Indian food at India Palace (only the BEST Indian restaurant in Utah!), and Saturday we had sushi for lunch and Mexican for dinner! So, India, Japan and Mexico in a weekend! Everything was so yummy! Also, Bailey came and stayed the night with all of us on Friday night, which was wicked fun. It's always nice to see family!
Also, Tamara showed me how to organize my food storage. For those of you who know me, like REALLY know me, I like to keep things organized. So, organizing my food storage closet was a blast! What used to be our "junk" closet where we just threw books and old bills became a food storage closet! Going through the closet when I was cleaning it out, I found old wedding presents that we didn't even remember we had received! I even put a piece of paper inside where you have to write down anything you take so I know what to buy next time I'm out to keep things stocked up. I think I'm getting the hang of this. Ryan and I just stand in front of it in amazement. At home, one wall of our basement is closets... HUGE closets. From the time I was little up until now even, my mom has filled those closets will tons and TONS of food! Bev always called it our grocery store... and now I have my own! My gramma has what looks like a bomb shelter in her basement back home that REALLY looks like a grocery store! I'm so happy that I finally don't have to freak out if I have no pasta or cereal to feed my husband and I :)

Tamara, thank you for a great weekend! And this Saturday, MY parents fly in from CT to spend a week with us! SOOOOOOO excited!!! Ryan and I are so grateful to have wonderful parents who will fly out to see us.

Good things to come!

Tamara is coming tomorrow for the weekend... and my parents are coming next saturday for a week! I am so excited I can hardly contain myself! We haven't seen our parents since we were home for the holidays. Today at school we got on the topic of who would have the longest drive to their hometown, and I won :( It made me a little sad when everyone was like "WHOA I don't know how you live so far away, don't you miss your family?... blah blah blah" YES I miss them...

In my ESL class yesterday we watched this video. Why do I want to be a teacher? For this reason! Look at the passion in their faces as they sing. Music and the arts can touch childrens' lives like nothing else. Check out on YouTube the other PS22 clips. This teacher is amazing with the way he engages his students. You want to see something way funny/cute? Check out their Lady Gaga one! It makes you wonder if they REALLY know the words they are saying in that one haha anyways.. check out this video. And just look at the children's faces. Amazing, huh?! If this video doesn't melt your heart, then you need help.