Life a little more elevated

Yesterday we had the grand privilege of riding the brand new elevator in building 1 of Soldiers Field Park. The experience was certainly refreshing and I could ride it from the 1st floor to the 6th back to 1st just to enjoy the smooth and quick lift. This is quite a different ride from our previous elevator which would randomly stop and try to decide which way it was going "up or down"--leaving you with a sort of Labyrinth experience. I now step into the mod elevator and bask in the fresh new, clean smell and then reality hits when I step out into the 70's hospital-structure-like building with the scent of global cuisine down the hallway to my apt. Needless to say, I look forward to pressing that glowing button made of chrome every day. It's the small things that make a difference.

Tribute to Dad

Today is Dad DeYoung's 50th Birthday! He is such a great father and I respect him so much. He has always provided me with the best counsel and has always helped me realize who I really am. I will never forget the father to daughter, heart to heart chats we've had while driving home in the good ol' red Toyota. Dad has always helped me feel confident in reaching my goals--ever since I can remember. He seems to be inspired in everything he says. Dad has such an incredible testimony of the gospel and lives this testimony every day. Dad, you are a great example to many. Happy Birthday!

Bawstin Definitions

Frappes have ice cream, milkshakes don't.
If it is fizzy and flavored, it's tonic.
Soda is CLUB SODA.
"Pop" is DAD.
When we want Tonic WATER, we will ask for TONIC WATER.
It's not a water fountain; it's a bubblah.
It's not a trashcan; it's a barrel.
It's not a spucky, a hero or grinder,... it's a sub.
It's not a shopping cart; it's a carriage.
It's not a purse; it's a pockabook.
They're not franks; they're haht dahgs; Franks are money in Switzahland.
Police don't drive patrol units or black and whites they drive a "crooza". If you take the bus, your on the "looza crooza". It's not a rubber band, it's an elastic. It's not a traffic circle, it's a rotary. "Going to the islands" means Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket.

The Sox = The Red Sox
The C's = The Celtics
The B's = The Bruins
The Pat's =The Patriots

Things not to do:
Don't pahk your cah in Hahvid Yahd .. they'll tow it to Meffa ( Medford ) or Summahville (Somerville).
Don't sleep on the Common. ( Boston Common)
Don't wear Orange in Southie on St. Patrick's Day.

Things to do:

Enjoy Bawstin!

Dinner with J

J is for Corey's section at John Harvard's for dinner! It was fun to meet again with some of the partners from the section--they are all so nice! I had a pasta dish with a little Italian sausage, chicken, fresh tomato, and tips of asparagus while Corey enjoyed a chicken pot pie. We had apple crisp afterwards, but it was NOTHING like homemade apple crisp.

Skiing in Stowe

Picture (from left to goggle reflection): Patricia, Alisa, Corey, & Patrick

Although we brought a little shame to Utah with our not-so-professional skiing/snowboarding, we had a really fun time! It was kind of rainy, but ya know, sleet feels quite refreshing on the face. The highlight of our trip was to see our really good friends (who live downstairs) Patrick and Patricia, who were also on their section ski trip! It felt like seeing family! Thank goodness there were people who could appropriately demonstrate black diamonds and respresent good ol' Utah!

Welcome to Bawstin (Boston)

This intro to Boston was so great I've decided to share it with you all a few segments at a time--starting with basic info surrounding this fantastic city! Enjoy!

For those of you who have never been to "Bawstin", this is a good guideline. I hope you will consider coming to "Beantown" in the near future. For those who call New England home, this is just plain great!

Information on Boston and the surrounding area: There's no school on School Street , no court on Court Street, no dock on Dock Square , no water on Water Street . Back Bay streets are in alphabetical "oddah": Arlington , Berkeley , Clarendon, Dartmouth , etc. So are South Boston streets: A, B, C, D, etc. If the streets are named after trees (e.g. Walnut, Chestnut, Cedar), you're on Beacon Hill . If they're named after poets, you're in Wellesley .
Massachusetts Avenue is Mass Ave ; Commonwealth Avenue is Comm Ave ;
South Boston is Southie. The South End is the South End.
East Boston is Eastie. The North End is east of the former West End . The West End and Scollay Square are no more; a guy named Rappaport got rid of them one night. Roxbury is The Burry, Jamaica Plain is J.P.

How to say these Massachusetts city names correctly:
**Say it wrong, be shunned**
Worcester: Wuhsta (or Wistah)
Gloucester : Glawsta
Leicester Lesta
Woburn : Wooban
Dedham : Dead-um
Revere : Re-vee-ah
Quincy : Quinzee
Tewksbury : Tooks berry
Leominster : Lemin-sta
Peabody : Pee-ba-dee
Waltham : Walth-ham
Chatham : Chaddum
Samoset: Sam-oh-set or Sum-aw-set but nevah Summerset!

Theh awh mowah great ways to get to know this place called Bawstin... so stayed tuned.