Christmas 2010 in Alabama

We are having a great time at my parents' house in Alabama right now. The following are some pictures from our trip so far:

my parents' dog, Bear

Christmas decor

the tree

my boy and me

the family on Christmas Eve

Christmas morning

snow---in Alabama!

It snowed all day Christmas day. We had a white Christmas! Because of the two inches of snow, church was canceled the next day :)

taking pictures in the snow

My Two Besties

As I'm fixing dinner, my two favorites are zonked out on the bed.

p.s. Christmas in 8 days!

The New York Life

I love our life out here. On this blog, it may seem like life in the Big Apple is exciting and picturesque. At times it is, and I feel very lucky in those moments. But there are sacrifices and not so idyllic facts about life out here. Just so non-New Yorkers realize, let me enlighten you:

• We don't have a dishwasher or a disposal.

• Our heat comes from a metal pole that pushes hot water into the radiator, which then heats up our apartment by emitting steam. Oh, and we have no control over it.

• Our groceries are quite pricey, and we get them delivered because our closest grocer is more expensive than delivery. Stores like Walmart and Target are far, far away.

• We walk a block and a half to the laundromat each week. Each load costs $3.00 and the dryers cost $0.25 per 5 minutes.

So there ya go! I could even add more to that list if I wanted but I won't. We love being out here. Sometimes I can't imagine leaving! But the next time you think the New York life looks more picturesque than your own, just go and turn on your disposal and listen to its beautiful sound.

Well, Hello!

The above video is me documenting one of Persie's favorite playtime activities. We love our funny little girl.

I have been all about the Christmas movies lately. It's been cold outside, and it's about this time every year that I realize how much I despise the cold! (I may possibly hate it more here than anywhere else.) Despite living in Utah for the past 5 years, Johnny and I had to purchase new winter coats in order to brave the cold out here. That is how awful it is. That being said, I have been... let's say... less than motivated to go outside. So Christmas movies have consumed most of our nights as of late. It's amazing how much can be gotten done with a Christmas movie on: knitting, cleaning, wrapping gifts, organizing closets, and eating lots of chocolaty goodness.

I cannot believe that Christmas is coming so quickly! Here's what I'm looking forward to:

• snow. New York, SNOW already! Come on! There were flurries last week one day, and I about lost it with excitement, but now I am ready for the real thing.
• going to visit my family in Alabama
• getting more Christmas cards from family and friends (They make my day!)
• getting my hair done in AL... my hair is a disgrace. You can all feel better about yourselves in knowing my hair has not been touched by a trained professional since April. APRIL. 
• presents!!! (both giving and getting!)

On a less secular note, I am also excited to read the Christmas story this year. I have literally always just read Luke: 2, but our church's Ensign this month gave the following list of other places in the scriptures where the Christmas story can be found, and I am excited to read them all with Johnny.

Old Testament	New Testament	Book of Mormon	Doctrine and Covenants	Pearl of Great Price
Isaiah 7:14; 9:6–7	Matthew 1–2	1 Nephi 10:4–6; 11:13–21	D&C 76:41	Moses 5:57
Micah 5:2	John 1:1–14	Alma 7:9–13	D&C 93:1–4
		Helaman 14:1–9
		3 Nephi 1

Our Trip to Glens Falls, NY

Yesterday afternoon Johnny and I hopped in a rental car and drove up to Glens Falls, NY, for the BYU basketball game. Glens Falls is the hometown of Jimmer Fredette, and he's one of the best players BYU has had in a long time. Johnny and I just couldn't resist going to see our boys play.

 First off, let me say that it was weird to see wide open spaces again. I had kind of forgotten that not everywhere is like Manhattan.

The trip was about 3 1/2 hours, and it was so nice to just be in a car again. We drove by communities and I would say things like, "Look! A mall!" or "Look at all those houses!" It was just so fun. We listened to Christmas music and just enjoyed the drive. I have always loved road trips.

Glens Falls itself was literally in the middle of nowhere. I mean, seriously. It was very rural, with a very small-town feel to it.

It was freezing up in Glens Falls. I think NYC is cold, but up there it was SO COLD. The game started at 7:00, and we got there at 5:30, right when the doors opened.

Aside from the occasional Vermont fan, everyone there was rooting for BYU. It was so neat. Many people had bought BYU gear just for this game. The whole town showed up to watch Jimmer play! Johnny kept commenting on how weird it was to see people wearing BYU gear and holding a beer!

BYU shirt + Budweiser in lap

The game was great. Jimmer played great. All our BYU players played great. When they announced Jimmer at the beginning, everyone gave him a minute-long standing ovation. The same thing happened when he left the game at the end. It was a really fun atmosphere and we won big time!

Johnny and I got back to our apartment at 2:30 in the morning after we stopped at a super Walmart on the way home. I was freaking out at how cheap everything was. I almost loved that part of our trip as much as the game itself :)

Park Avenue Tree Lighting

On Sunday night Johnny and I headed up a few blocks to the Park Avenue tree lighting. Many people around the city meet at a church on Park Avenue to sing hymns and watch the lighting of the trees.

 

I'm not gonna lie. It was freezing cold, but it was really neat to sing hymns and feel the Christmas spirit with our neighborhood.

We met up with the Hardings and Alexa, and we also saw some of our church friends at the event. Although our faces were frozen, at least they were smiling.

Afterwards, the Hardings and Alexa came to our house to watch our church's Christmas devotional and enjoy hot chocolate and Christmas sugar cookies!

 

It was a perfect Sunday night. Isn't Christmastime wonderful?

pictures thanks to Angie and Alexa :)

The most wonderful time of the year...

Johnny and I have been a bit reclusive lately. He took two days off work this week, and we have been cozied up in our little apartment all week. Really, it has been wonderful. I've been needing a breather from constantly going and doing. Today, however, we ventured out to do some Christmas shopping around the city. I was not aware of this, but apparently Saturdays in December mean Christmas shopping in the city for everyone!

Here is what we did and saw along the way:

We stopped inside St. Patrick's Cathedral. It was full of people, some walking about, some just sitting and soaking it up. Others were offering silent prayers. Isn't it beautiful? I had never been inside. It was finished in 1878... Sometime I will take a picture and post it of the outside, which is just as amazing.

We walked past the Rockefeller tree! See all the people? Yeah, no more Saturday shopping this month. The tree is even more marvelous at night, although I failed to bring my camera when we did our nighttime stroll by it.

Lots of NYC policemen were directing traffic. Everyone had a shopping bag full of Christmas gifts (I'd like to think!). Johnny was like a man on a mission. He got us through these crowds in no time.

I LOVE the Christmas decorations throughout the city. This is just one of many we saw. Christmas, Christmas, Christmas!

I don't know if you can tell from the picture, but those are carolers in front of the library. I think they were school-aged children. I can't remember the song they were singing, but I loved it.

Anyway, the city is magical at Christmastime. We still haven't been to Macy's on 34th Street, but when we go, I will sit on Santa's lap and take lots of pictures.

I sent out our Christmas cards today! Look for them in the mail!