Gone to Indiana

New post at the new blog!

Come follow over there. It's kind of lonely.

http://maddieandmichael.blogspot.com/2012/07/up-and-moved.html

Moved!

New post at the new blog:

http://maddieandmichael.blogspot.com/2012/07/confession.html

New Blog Address!

Alright people, this blog has moved!

Come check out maddieandmichael.blogspot.com.

Come follow me there :)

SLC time

Did you know that we just barely went to City Creek?

The newest SLC attraction that everyone B-lined to opening day?

Whoops.

But it still had its opening-day greatness.

We didn't even go inside a store though...the water/fire show was too entertaining.

And then we got distracted by the Cheesecake Factory.

But before all that, we did manage to cross an item off our Utah Bucket List. 

Michael had never been up on the roof of the Conference Center -- 

that is not ok, considering his thumb is greener than any other out there.

He walked around loving it all. 

I'm wondering if he's going to attempt to put fields and gardens on our roof someday.

His sisters used to call him Father Earth. I kind of love that. 

His biggest concern about our move is how to get his orange tree to Indiana.

I kind of place "finding a job" above that, but don't tell him.

 Other Bucket List highlights include:

• Seven Peaks
• Hiking Timp
• Eating at Sammy's
• Eating at Sammy's again.

So many things to do!

Another Happy Couple!

We had the happiest occasion last week!

My beautiful Aunt Tanya married her best friend Dan, and we are so happy for her.

Tanya is an angel, and I have memories of her being that way as long as I can remember.

 

She is one of the most selfless people I know. 

All her time goes to serving others, whether it's my grandma,

her students, or children she helps when she travels the world.

She has been to waaaaay too many countries. 

If I didn't love her so much, I'd be completely jealous.

But that's just another thing I love about her -- she's always up for an adventure.

  My family was so happy to celebrate her wedding with her. We all love her SO much.

The biggest compliment I ever get paid is, 

"Hey, you kind of look like Tanya did when she was your age."

That just makes my day :)

We love you, Tanya and Dan! Congratulations!

A message from a Mrs.

Sorry I've been MIA!

Watch THIS VIDEO and forgive me.

And this goes out to every single person in that video

(we have the BEST family and friends):

More pics and details to follow...

Probably sporadically, and forever. Because it was a really good day.

An Easter Declaration

"In our hour of deepest sorrow, 

we can receive profound peace from the words of the angel 

that first Easter morning -- 'He is not here, for He is risen.'"

-Thomas S. Monson

He is risen! He is risen!

Tell it out with joyful voice.

He has burst his three days’ prison;

Let the whole wide earth rejoice.

Death is conquered; man is free.

Christ has won the victory! 

-He Is Risen

I know that Jesus Christ lives. Easter Sunday is so special to me.

I hope you enjoy watching this as much as I did:

Loving my weekend.

I highly suggest getting in on this.

Philly and back again

I think I've had my fill of solo flights. 

Planes and airports are so much more fun when 

you have someone to watch people with.

And someone to watch your stuff when you go to the bathroom.

It's the little things, you know?

But I headed out to Philly solo for a week, and people-watched by my lonesome.

I was out there to work a conference -- I sure love those.

Plus, we had cool neighbors.

They gave away flashlights that double as pencils.

Leave it to Google.

The best part of the experience was repeatedly walking through and eating

at this adorable market.

I'd say 85% of the food I ate in Philly came from this busy place.

I almost just listed all the yummy things I ate there...

but I'll save both of us from cravings and skip out on that.

Being gone for a week when you're getting married in three is no bueno.

Felt good to get back to the people I love!

p.s. If you knew that Fun. was coming to Utah on Saturday,

and you didn't let me know...

we're fighting.

This is the best song ever to belt out in your car.

And we're back...

A post-less month. Whoops!

I've been a little busy getting ready for this April 21 deal. 

And when I'm not doing that, I'm with this guy.

We're happy people.

Happy people that will be married in one month!

And as it gets closer, some new worries come to mind...

What happens when he realizes just how much milk I drink?

What if he snores? What if I snore?

What if every single married person in the world is right, and marriage is really hard?

But then we laugh about something and I'm not so worried about the worries.

He'll love me through all the gallons of milk I go through,

there's no way he snores louder than my dad,

and marriage will be great and hard. Mostly great.

Especially because I got such a catch.

He didn't even complain through this invitation-envelope-stuffing madness.

Getting Sammy's pie-shakes eased our pain.

And it felt good to get all those invites in the mail!

"I'm in love, I'm in love, and I don't care who knows it!" - Buddy the Elf.

April 21 is coming fast.

Then we'll be happy people, with the same last name.

Face Time

Lydia loves phones.

Preferably phones that work, but she's also happy with hers. Which doesn't work.

But, you can't get her off of it. ?

 She discovered the turn-around camera on my iPhone, and went to town.

I'm seeing some family resemblance.

And she's seriously cute. So I'm ok with that.

Toby Keith disappoints. Again.

Dear Dad,

Look where your girls went this weekend...

...and it only further convinced us of the annoyingness of Toby Keith. Four thumbs down.

Drive time: 30 min

Wait time: 150 min

Mason jars of beer: 1,278

Leaving to go to the Outback: Priceless.

Keith Urban forever.

Love, 

Your Daughters

p.s. Actual wait time listed. No exaggerations used in the writing of this blog post.

Next year...

After working in DC for the week, I made sure to get a few days of Ali and Boston in before my return to Utah land.

We were so ready for the Super Bowl, predictions and all.

Maybe the final score didn't turn out quite as planned... But at least I got some prizes!

Cheering for the Patriots felt depressingly similar to being a Jazz fan during NBA playoffs.

Can't catch a break. At least Ali took Monday off to play with me - saved her from spending a day with an entirely grumpy, bad-mood city.

Now I'm heading home with a box of cannolis in hand!

Pretty sure those need to be refrigerated.

But Michael needs to try one, and Rachel will still love one regardless of temperature standards.

Hopefully it's a fast flight!

Full Time Fun

My second home. Sometimes first.

I love my job, and I love event planning -- but sometimes when event time comes around...

...this is lunch. And days are crazy.

But hey, you'll never catch me complaining about chocolate on chocolate.

Sometimes I pinch myself to see if I'm really getting paid to plan events. Best job ever.

Except when I come home and plan my own wedding, part of me feels like I'm still getting paid.

Nope.

You've probably heard...

...but it's exciting enough to say it again.

I'm going to marry him!

Then we'll have the same initials. That will be fun.

Saturday I played with penguins.

See that necklace-lanyard-badge of a ticket? 

That baby gave me direct access to feed my love for penguins.

(Not to feed the penguins. That's not allowed.)

This family came with Michael and me to spend some quality time with the birds.

Jaren and Lydia were told multiple times that if you are loud or you move a lot, 

you have to leave.

They sat wide-eyed and dead still the entire time.

But... they still said they loved it :)

And how could you not! Look at this little guy.

The eleven penguins at the Sandy Aquarium have their own names and personalities.

And their own mate. Except for Ghost Rider. None of the other penguins really like him?

He was kind of a bully. But I thought he was cool.

Lydia got a little freaked out when he came over to nibble on shoe laces.

You can't touch the penguins, but they can touch you.

Jenny had a dream that I put fish oil in my shoes before the aquarium,

and the penguins attacked my feet.

Wasn't a bad idea, really.

This man knew everything about those little guys.

Best job ever, right?

Except for the smell, the 40-degree water, the "bruises the exact shape as their fins" (true story),

the bites from serrated beaks, and cleaning up poop.

Almost the best job ever.

Here's a little sample of the experience:

Such a blast. Throw in lunch at IKEA and putting up a Christmas tree that night,

and life is seriously, seriously good.

Dream Come True

This will be me on Saturday.

I really did buy a Groupon to meet penguins. 

And I am so, so (ridiculously) excited about it.

The Big Easy

There was a day in July when I mourned the end of field trips.

...but that was before I had ever experienced a business trip.

A little more work, a little less bus -- but still, good deal.

Enter New Orleans.

Last week I headed down to the Big Easy for an education conference.

Dirty city, good food.

Here's the famous Bourbon street, with golden boy dancing for all the drunk people.

I think he made more money than I did that day? But it's cool, I can't dance like he can.

He does have the benefit of being black, though.

We watched another group of street performers in front of this cathedral.

They were hilarious and filled with racial comments that white people could never get away with.

That night we headed to Mulate's for some southern Louisiana cooking.

There was a sweet old man almost half my height that danced every dance that night.

He asked me to do a little country swing number. I was honored.

I found out his name is Bill, he travels around with the band and dances every song,

and after our duet he gave me a little certificate that said I was an "official Cajun dancer."

Even dirty, smokey cities have cute, old Bills.

Over the week I ate (or was talked into eating):

Alligator gumbo, barbecued oysters, fried calamari, Louisiana redfish,

crawfish stew, jambalaya, red beans and rice, bread pudding, dirty rice...

...and beignets from the famous Cafe' Du Monde!

I've been craving one of these since I saw the Princess and the Frog,

and I didn't even know what they really were until I ordered one.

Deep fried dough loaded with powdered sugar.

Yum.

Deep fried (almost anything) loaded with powdered sugar.

Yum.

We ate that healthy (right?) snack while walking along the Mississippi River,

and listening to steamboats play music.

I wanted to be Tom Sawyer.

Ok, maybe Becky Thatcher.

And that was my week of southern hospitality.

Plus, #38. And counting.

Easy as 1, 2, ......3?

Last night I caught the Michigan GOP Presidential Debate that I missed earlier this week.

Then I threw up.

Flu? Probably. Or maybe my interest in current events doesn't keep politics from making me literally sick sometimes.

You should still watch this though...I don't think it's contagious.

Let's Go Fly...

Two things always happen when I drive past the Point of the Mountain.

First, my cell phone calls drop. Always. 

Do you think they mess with signals around the prison? I could be persuaded to believe that. 

And second, I see people flying. 

Paragliders of all colors soar around the mountain and give me air cravings.

Recently my friend said she was getting a group together to go experience this driving distraction firsthand. 

Had to go!

Michael & I went for his birthday -- unfortunately we had very different experiences, and his was not the better one.

Take-off fail = Birthday present fail.

But he lived to tell the story (of how he and his guide bounced down half the mountain in their attempt to fly), 

and he's up for trying it again. 

My guide had me climb the top half of the mountain and chase down some better wind.

Thank you, Mr. Guide. I'm all for skipping the bounce experience.

We climbed up the ridge of the mountain, then took off from a steep incline. 

He had me stand in front of him, told me I would be jerked backwards, then to sit back. I figured he gave me that instruction as a prep, but he was talking real time. 

Before I had even imagined worse-case scenarios, we were flying!

He taught me how to pull the canopy and maneuver the turns. Then he took over to do some fancy 360s and other tricks I could have enjoyed forever. It was like a roller coaster with no rickety track or jerking head.

Bliss.

I risked the life of my phone to capture it all on video,

so be grateful! 

Warning: May cause dizziness.