Temple Grinding

Has anyone seen Temple Grandin? Oh my gosh. I just finished it and I loved it! I am trying so hard not to start it over and watch it again. Claire Danes was wonderful!! Everyone, please go see it. I sent a text to Janelle to ask if she had seen it and this was her response, "What does that mean? I wish I was there for temple grinding." Ha ha. How is everyone doing? How is the bogging world? It's been a while since I've made my way over to this blog. Lot's has changed, well, not really that much. The most exciting thing for the moment is my trip to England with the one and only, Juje. We are going to have quite a time over there. I just read about a park in the Lake District that has grass courts that you can rent out for the hour. We will definitely be all over that. I feel like I need to catch up but that would take way too long.

Since it is Sunday, I'll share a quote that I just read and really liked:

"The happiest men and the happiest women that you know in the world are those who are conforming their lives to the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are those who have the assurance of eternal life; they are those who understand the purpose of our being. … As I have traveled to and fro in the world bearing this message, my soul has been filled with joy, and my eyes have been dimmed with tears, when I have seen how perfectly men’s lives may be transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ."

—George Albert Smith, in Conference Report, Oct. 1927, 48–50.

See ya around.

I don't blog anymore. I don't really know why. I don't really take pictures anymore either. Those who know me probably don't believe that, but it's true. I see more beauty in the things around me than I ever have before but I don't feel the need to capture it. And i'll be honest, without pictures blogs are boring to me. I thought maybe there was something wrong with me but then I read this quote.

At some point in life the world's beauty becomes enough. You don't need to photograph, paint, or even remember it. It is enough.

- Toni Morrison


Well that explains it I guess. I'm sure that in a few months I'll get back into photography and taking pictures of everything I do, but for now, I'm just going to enjoy my surroundings and take it all in. It's quite nice.

Hope you are all doing well.

Bye.

Truth and Tolerance

Dear Everyone,

Make a little time to listen to Elder Oaks.

Great Devotional.

Ohhhh myyyyy goooshhhh.....

Summer is definitely here and life is soooo good. I just got back from a bomb California trip with the Lewis'. I'm not used to relaxing vacations but Ann and John sure taught us how to relax and kick back. Our days consisted of sleeping in, laying by the pool, laying by the beach, boogie boarding, playing tennis, reading, reading, reading, eating like kings all day, games all night, repeat. I felt like I was living someone else's life. The Marriott Villa's were delightful. It was really hard to come home.

If you are not enthralled with tennis, you are crazy.

Look at these beautiful men. They are all in the Quarter Finals at Wimbledon.
I end up planning my whole day around their matches. Ugh... I can't get enough.

Best Best Best.

I just returned from THE greatest trip. Ever. I didn't think any trip would compare to my Europe extravaganza with Janelle but NYC blew our minds. My Mom, her sister Terese, her daughter Katie and Janelle and I fell in love with The Big Apple. We wore ourselves out every single day, ate WAAAYY too much and saw everything there is to see. I'm serious, we did it all. It would take forever to document everything but here are a few highlights:

-Finally saw Wicked. LOVED IT.
-Got a high-five from Meredith Vieira on the Today Show and Jimmy Fallon in the the same day.
-Yankees/Redsox game in the Bronx. (Scariest subway ride of our lives. Janelle was wearing a Red Sox hoodie and got chewed out by some sketch Yankee fans.)
-Taking the NBC Studio tour, meeting a real life NBC page, seeing the SNL studio.
-Watch Celebrity Apprentice in our hotel at night knowing that Trump Tower was only minutes away.
-Checking out the Trade Center progress. It was very humbling to be there.
-Riding bikes through Central Park. I love that park with all my heart. I wish you all could meet our bike tour guide. He changed my life.
-Taking a boat ride around Manhattan.
-Watching the sunset from the Top of the Rock. (The top of the Empire State wasn't as good.)
-Taking a Movie Bus tour. (Gnomes, guess what? I went to Dean and Deluca from Felicity. It was great.)
-Went to a wax museum for the first time. Weirdest thing I've ever done. Confusing real humans with wax is super weird and very embarrassing.
-Visiting the Manhattan and Palmyra Temples. Wonderful.
-Joining a gay parade. ...by accident.
-Going to the Met. Going to the Alexander McQueen exhibit at the Met. Going through the Alexander McQueen exhibit at the Met with Tim Gunn. He was everything I thought he would be.

These pictures are all out of order. Between the 5 of us we had 3,000 pictures. I'm not kidding. I was tired of sorting them so here are a few random ones that I liked.

"I'll be there for you", recognize this?

Do you see the man doing yoga in his underwear in the bottom right corner in the above picture? Priceless.

What you look like after a rainy walk all the way across central park.

NYSE

'One Fine Day' Spot puddle scene spot.

Top of the Rock.

Alexander McQueen exhibit.

Gay pride parade we were forced to join to cross the street.

This song means so much more to me now. Especially now that I know where Jay-Z and Beyonce's apartment is. Everyone should go to New York right now. I mean it. You will love it.