A New Year

Ringing in the New Year always sounded like there should be an elaborate party when, at the stroke of midnight, everyone would cheer "Happy New Year" and you'd see fireworks or the guy you were magically supposed to be with and this ringing in of another year would create that spark needed to get you two together. Well my life definitely doesn't play out like it does in the movies. First I flew back to Virginia New Year's Eve which didn't give me much time to scope out who was home, who was hosting a party, and who I could finagle an innovation from said party. And I was sick with a wretched cold. I wasn't in the mood to ring in anything as the thought made my ears hurt. A friend invited me along to watch the Alexandria fireworks and even though I agreed, I knew it was going to be an utter disaster as the other friend believed watching the fireworks from her work building by the White House would give us the best view. For those who don't know DC geography, all you really need to know is the White House is not near Alexandria. Oh well. Happy 2015!

Can you spot the fireworks?

On a far more optimistic note, I traveled to California to meet my new niece over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. I'm saving vacation days for an upcoming European adventure so I worked on the plane. Gratefully, the wifi network held strong even when I connected to the vpn. Oh the wonders of modern technology!

Usually when I visit family, I rotate houses to spend time with everyone, but since I was only going to be there a few days it was much easier to travel back and forth between houses. Best plan ever. I spent time playing games with kids, attending my two nephews' Eagle Court of Honor, and holding the sweetest little girl. The trip was short. My jet lag was not. But seeing family was worth it.

Can you spot the photobomber?

She's so cute!

Sisters

So glad I got to meet her

My mountains

January also had me traveling to Toronto and exploring a bit of DC in winter. All good things.

I'll Be Home for Christmas

Getting ready to fly home

Pentagon from the air

Beautiful sunset

Twas' the Night Before Christmas

And All Through the House

Christmas dinner

Christmas dinner

Relaxing together

Took some time but won this one over

Had fun doing a bit of this

And a bit of that

And got to celebrate my brother-in-law's New Year's Eve birthday

Birthday Month

Do you know what's better than having your birthday in December? Actually knowing people where I live when it's my birthday. First on the agenda: Good Eats and free food. Got a free shake for it being my birthday.

Then off to the National Christmas tree. Apparently school children decorated each individual state tree. This year Google helped coordinate all the trees so all the state trees looked the same which made it quite lackluster.

How do you spell Tennessee? (See the generic state tree?)

A real tree exists under there somewhere

The next day we capped off the night with A Muppet Christmas Carol because why not. Day two we traveled to Harper's Ferry for An Olde Tyme Christmas which I thought would be a mix of Charles Dickens + southern charm + Christmas. What it really turned out to be was Civil War 1864 "the city was under martial law" Christmas. Turned out to be pretty cool just the same.

Civil War Santa and me

Harper's Ferry

Then the next week my friend and I went to dinner at Qdoba (one of my favorite quick food places) and then to see A Christmas Carol at Ford's Theatre. I wasn't sure what to expect as I love Hale Center Theatre's version and I didn't want to be disappointed. Well, I wasn't. It was fantastic! I loved it! Plus the setting could not have been better.

The week after my birthday, I gathered at Arlington National Cemetery with a few of my closest friends and thousands of other people to place wreaths on the graves. What a spiritual experience as we were asked to read the name of each soldier before placing a wreath on his or her grave, one by one. This individual act reminded so much of the work we perform in the temple. Very moving!

Afterwards, we grabbed lunch together. While eating, another friend invited me to the Antietam Luminaries that night, leaving around 10pm. I had to teach a lesson the next day and already had a jam packed day so of course I said yes. Once again, my reckless care for my sleep and need to feed my adventurous spirt paid off. My birthday week was top notch!

Antietam Luminaries

Awe-inspiring

Finally, I was not going to go another Christmas without a tree. Craigslist to the rescue. I found a tree for $25 and it was the best money I spent. Merry Christmas!

Yes the tree topper is Mickey Mouse Santa hat

A friend and me at the White House right before Christmas