Longest Month Ever

Though shortest in days, February feels like the longest month and this year proved no exception. Cold and snow and cold and snow and more cold and more snow. I'm a Utah girl so I should be prepared for winters like this but this year was pound you into the ground until you're bruised and bloodied and forgotten what warmth feels like. It didn't help that I had to travel to Toronto twice. Yes I may be being a bit dramatic but I don't care. This year's winter tested all my sanity.

A few highlights:

Captured a perfect sunset at the temple

Visited Lincoln's Cottage (missed the tour though)

Found 1st National Cemetery (aka Arlington Light)

Additionally my friend Mel came to town for a week so I spent a few days driving to Leesburg after work to play with her and Cheryl. One night we went to Cheryl's gym and did pilates. I wish someone had a camera as we looked quite uncoordinated at times.

The biggest news that happened in February started from a Sunday morning message from my boss's boss asking if I'd seen his email the day before. I hadn't since I don't check my emails on the weekend. Quickly looked and he asked if I would come up to Toronto for leadership meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday. Having no idea why I was singled out but also knowing I'd miss an important opportunity at work, I logged onto my company's travel site and booked a trip the next day. My boss chatted with me the next day and mentioned that the org changes that we all thought were going to happen were tossed aside for a new plan from the VP. After two days of meetings, I still had no idea why I had been asked to join. An hour before leaving for the airport, the VP pulled me into his office to chat. What he suggested was exactly what I had been hoping for and immediately accepted a new role. The catch: I had to fly to Toronto more often. Gratefully it's such a quick flight that going once or twice a month wouldn't be too problematic and the weather is getting warmer so here's hoping to better things.

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.

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

A Time of Thanksgiving

With November comes the colors of Fall. I loved driving around the small, narrow roads near my house seeing the arrays or orange, red, and yellow.

On November 11th, HBO sponsored the Concert for Valor on the Washington Mall. I met up with a friend after work and we were so far back that we had to watch on one of these screens. Not a big deal because the concert was fantastic! I later showed my 14-year-old niece the picture of Carrie Underwood and asked my niece if she knew who was in the picture. She responded she didn't know but that the woman looked familiar. I then showed her the picture of the guy in the second picture. My niece replied simply "That's Metallica." You can see how my brother has influenced his kids' taste in music.

After the concert, we walked around the monuments. The lighting was perfect!

The warm weather quickly cooled right in time for the half marathon. Start time was 25 degrees and it was only 30 degrees at the finish. I've never run a more frigid race, but I finished in 2:01. I had mixed feelings because I really wanted to see 1:59. Oh well. I'm going to keep pushing myself and try again next year.

Thanksgiving involved a 4K turkey trot with friends. We ran from Gravelly point to the Jefferson Monument. Though we are bundled up, the weather cooperated with minimal wind and tepid temperatures.

The day after Thanksgiving I met up with friends at the botanical gardens to see the train and monument displays that were created all in natural materials (bark, leaves, stems, plants, etc.) I wish my nieces and nephews were around because they would love the displays. And if I'm honest, my dad would have loved the trains too.

Plowing Forward

I'm so close to getting caught up on life I can't stop now. September can be summed up in one word: adventure. I'd get bored sitting at home and would be afraid to call others to see if something was going on, so I'd pick a place to visit each weekend. I didn't want to feel that my life revolved around sitting: sitting at work, sitting at home, sitting at church, sitting. So off I went.

Weekend One: Fort Necessity Battlefield.
When Kath and I drove into the Maryland we kept seeing all these historical signs but it was dark and had no clue what we were seeing. I knew that I'd want to travel that same road in the daylight and I finally got my chance. Fort Necessity was my destination but...wow! So many unexpected landmarks and historical sites: Cumberland, the first National Road, Fort Necessity (Washington's only surrender), Braddock's road, first shots of the French and Indian War, and the most beautiful scenery I could imagine.

Mind the Gap

Cumberland

Cumberland

Fort Necessity

General Braddock grave (French and Indian War)

Remains of old 1700 roads

First shots of French and Indian War fired here

I loved this lake!

Capping it all off with a visit to the temple

Weekend Two: Antietam
The following week was the anniversary of the Battle of Antietam. I didn't want to be there during the anniversary because I hate crowds. This way I had the place mostly to myself. I also discovered the Appalachian Trail and did a bit of hiking as I found the first Washington Monument.

Cornfields of Antietam

Found the spot this where this picture was taken

Sunken Road

Appalachian Trail

Iwo Jima at sunset

Weekend Three and September 11th: Mount Vernon and Pentagon Memorial

Pentagon 9/11 Memorial

Pentagon 9/11 Memorial 

Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon

What's September without a little baseball?

Weekend Four: Utah!
I had meetings in San Francisco and spent a few days in Utah after that.

Meeting Jack

My mountains

First selfie

I asked him to smile :)

Creating mischief

Weekend Five: Fort McHenry
The week before was the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Fort McHenry and the Star-Spangled Banner lyrics but once again, I didn't want to battle the crowds and the rain was pretty bad in Baltimore. I'm glad I went this weekend as the sun was bright and the skies were clear. I loved being here and need to come back and explore the surrounding areas.

Fort McHenry

Fort McHenry

Fort McHenry looking towards Baltimore Harbor