year recap

This year has gone by super fast but SO many things have happend. So let's just jump straight to it. Here's some photos and a list of major things that happened to me this past year.

January- Finished my mission and came home exhausted but tan :) My parents and brother came and picked me up. Visited people from the mission (my favorite part) and toured  some cities in Brasil-Rio de Janeiro, Manaus and Iguassu!

February- BYU started. I was trying to get acclimated and not too acclimated knowing school would end that semester if I got an internship. Got the internship. Got to see old friends for the first time and even see friends from the mission in real clothes!

Worked as a graphic designer for the College of Physical and
Mathematical Sciences on BYU campus. One of my jobs was to manage
 the digital signage and this is just a minor example.

March- Finally went to the movie theatre for the first time with Amanda. Was loving work. Landed my internship in DC post graduation. Road trip to Vegas with Hannah who had never been. Saw my sister and the newest edition to the family..Gage! Road trip to CA for Kerali's wedding. First beach experience with Dan Dan.

Meeting little Gage for the first time.

My virgin missionary eyes officially were corrupted in Vegas.
But this didn't stop me from taking a picture with them. 

First reunion with the beach in CA.

April- Saying goodbye to projects and schoolwork. Saying goodbye to best friends. Parents came to Utah to celebrate me graduating. Went to my first party or hang out that had more than 4 people ( Up until this point I didn't have any desire to do things in big groups).

JC party. 

May- Took a trip back to Brasil. Saw 2 old companions who came home early for health reasons (is it bad that I was happy they were home??) Got to go around my mission on a scooter...no walking! Said hello and goodbye to Marco. Starting my new life in DC. Girls trip in DC with my mom, sister and niece.

I didn't have to have a companion so Inajara and I fit just perfectly.

Meeting my 2 companions for the day in Sao Paulo.

My new job!

The perfect trip at the time I needed them the most.

June- Figuring out the metro system. First truck experience. Getting used to saying hi to the White House every day. Becoming best friends with my GPS on my iPhone even if the place was less than a block away.

July- First and last time I saw the metro completely empty. Went to DE for the first time to see Brandy and all her kids. First swimsuit experience post mission. Touring DC with my new friend Amanda. Dad visits. Derek visits. Best friend comes to visit.  NextGen event at Govloop.

 

 

Had to go to Cheesecake factory.

August- Visit Bets in Philadelphia. Finally had the DC Cupcake experience. First interview with National Geographic. Trip to New York with Amanda and her friends. Got to see Lauren! Goodbye to the Govloopers. Celebrating my birthday with my loves in Delaware.

September- Landed the job at National Geographic. Getting used to the new work space. Enjoying the perks of my new job. Lindy came to visit.  Moved into a new place just down the street from my last place. 

First time in the National Geographic museum.

A couple weeks into the job I was already enjoying my time on
a yacht for the annual work party. NBD.

October- Hurricane Sandy hit. Finally hanging out and meeting my Brasilian People :) Kayla and Julie visit. Met me new dear friend Ashley. My work at NatGeo was hitting television and being displayed behind home plate at the National Baseball World Series.

November- Election day. Saying goodbye to this boy. Spending Thanksgiving in Connecticut at my sister's new house. Grace's baptism and first baptism I've been at since the mission. First time in a suite at the NBA Wizard's game. Seeing my work on the big screen.

December- Taking Erica to the temple for the first time.  Moving once again. Flew home to CA to enjoy Christmas/family/friend time. First Christmas home in 2 years! Finally met baby Ash. Bry visits.

My decorating shows I don't intend on moving anytime soon!

Hope you all had a very merry Christmas and wishing you and amazing new year! This past year I have grown and learned so much from the many different life experiences that came my way. I wouldn't have changed a thing. I can't wait to see what this next year holds, what challenges I might face and what joys I will experience. Thanks to all of you who have played a major role in my life and made this past year simply unforgettable!

top favorites

Since I have been out here in the DC area I have been able to see and do so many things. Yet there are still a million things I have yet to do or even see. Too much to do. Too little time. I keep telling myself that I have only been out here a short amount of time and still have all the time in the world but that time is ticking! I still haven't walked and seen all the monuments. Like what?! That's the first thing people go and see when they are here. And there's really no excuse with this one because I have officially been out here for a little over 8 months! I just moved to Arlington so I have yet to see what this town has to offer but I loved Alexandria. It is the cutest little town. When people ask me what have been my most favorite things I have done since I have moved out here I'd safely say it was this.. 

Both of these were local right off the harbor in the Old Town Alexandria just 15 minutes from my house. The first was Alexandria's birthday. There was a live symphony that played in unison with fireworks! It felt like the 4th of July all over again because a week later we had amazing fireworks show that was more impressive! The other one I did more recently. It was a Christmas light boat parade.  There were over 30 boats that were all decked out with lights. This one was one of my personal favorites. The lights on the boat flickered with the music. And these are just 2 things out of a million that this area has to offer. So many festivals, concerts, historical sites, museums, etc. I love it. At times I am in awe in all there is to do and am convinced that no where else in the United Sates at least that even compares. What's even more beautiful about all these things is that they are free! Doesn't get better than that right? So glad I took that risk in moving across the country to experience something new. I thought this was going to be a temporary summer experience but am so grateful I stayed. I would've been missing out! So here's to making memories. 

the giant

So this past week a selected number of people got to go sit in Suite 118 at the NBA Wizards game. During the middle of the game this man walked into the our room. I haven't seen anyone so tall in my entire existence. He was HUGE! As we inched our way closer to take a picture with a man who looked familiar but I couldn't pin point from where, I was getting a little nervous. Why might you ask? Because he was so incredibly tall!! And for those of you that know me, that's saying a lot. I like my men tall. I will marry someone taller than me, but this man was beyond tall. He is what we define as a giant!  He was ridiculously, abnormally, freakishly not even human-like tall!

So I eventually got over myself and got this picture. He was squeezing us all in together and even made James put his arms around us girls. Again..this guy was making me more and more nervous.

I don't even know if this picture does justice and shows off his height. Maybe this one is better?

Once I got the shot and heard his accent that was enough for me. I just wished I had known his name. It wasn't like I could go up to him and ask him....Hey I know you are famous. I know you are super tall, I know you probably played basketball (maybe you played for the Wizards since we are at a Wizards game) but wait...I don't know your name could you please tell me? Ya, I wasn't going to do that.

So when I got home, I sent out a mass text to my family. I asked my sisters to ask their husbands as to who the myserty basketball man was. The answer? George Muhresan. Funny thing is that my Dad who is the sports wiz and even my brothers and nephews didn't know the guy.  WHo guessed it right in the family? My sister Brandy. Impressive, I know.

So even with the name, I still had no idea who this man was but thanks to Wikipedia I found out all I wanted to know. Supposedly he is 7'7 and remains one of the tallest players in NBA history tied with Manute Bol,who is also 7'7! I told you he was TALL! He is from Romania so what I thought was an accent was indeed an accent. He founded the Giant Basketball Association, how fitting right?He played for the Bullets and the Nets and even starred in the 1998 featured film My Giant starring comedian Bill Crystal. Anyone recognize this?

I'm pretty sure this is where I recognized him from. Not because I know all NBA players and not because I remember ever detail from the movie but I do remember this movie poster. But either way, that was my claim to fame even if it took me 24 hours to learn his name and figure out who he was.