Well, I guess I've waited long enough. Things have changed quite a bit since my last post, so it may be longer than a paragraph. So. First, I have a new job. It is awesome. I pretty much get to do things I'm good at all day, and then I get to play with fun things, like Pampered Chef products. I like to call myself an executive assistant, but really I'm just a personal office assistant for an Executive Director with The Pampered Chef. I love it, and she hasn't figured out that I have no idea what I'm doing yet :) Just kidding. I mostly know what I'm doing. Sometimes.
Anyway, the next new thing is my calling. I was first called into the FHE committee as a council member. three weeks later, they made me the head of the committee. Great. I actually really enjoy it. I get to help plan and execute the activities, and I have a great co-chair who is very patient (he would have to be to put up with the likes of me). One thing this calling has really helped me with is making friends and getting to know the other singles in the ward. Usually I try to hide as much as possible, but there is no hiding in FHE. You are up in front of everyone every week. It's weird, and fun, and a little bit scary, but I am learning a lot and hopefully others are enjoying the activities and such that I have planned so far.
I am also dating. Granted, nobody I am really interested in has asked me out, but I have been on a few dates, which is pretty much a record for me. Usually I go out with someone once, and then they move on. But I've been on a few dates with this one guy, so that is new.
That's really everything. Boring, right? I keep hoping things will get more exciting, but maybe I'm due for a lull in my life after a year in Europe being a travel bum. Meh.

Life is...

Well, boring. Nothing very exciting is going on for me lately. I am doing a little bit of Christmas shopping, a little bit of baking (like always), a little bit of dating (don't ask), a little bit of singing, and a lotta bit of working. Work is going okay, I no longer make mistakes while cashiering, and I very rarely feel overwhelmed. Which is a great thing. I have found a few girlfriends to talk to, but I REALLY miss my friends. I wish everyone lived close so I could have friends all the time, and not just when they decide to visit! But I realize that life is tricky that way. Everyone has to go their own way at some point. Hopefully I can get some more posts up now that I have a CAMERA! Yay! So until then, arrivaderci!

Life is funny that way...

Isn't it funny ho some things in life can surprise you? Just when you least expect it, BOOM! POW! It hits you. Most of the time, in my experience, it has been a good thing to be taken by unawares by life's little surprises. I can't complain. I have had it easy compared to many, many of God's children. I am so blessed to be alive and healthy with a college education, a loving family, and a job. How could I possibly complain when I have been so tremendously blessed? I have to say, it makes me so full of joy to look back on my life and reflect on the trials I have come through with my faith in the Lord intact. I am so grateful for my parents' example, for the opportunities I have had to learn and grow in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so happy that I have great friends that also have a knowledge of the Savior, and of His atoning sacrifice. I love Sundays with the chance to meet other Saints and to increase in my knowledge of the Gospel, and the many opportunities to share my own personal talents and testimony with others. I sincerely hope that if I can continue to live in a way that is pleasing to my Heavenly Father, that I can continue to see the blessings unfold in my everyday life. I love you all, and goodnight!

Bored at Home

Saw this on a friend's blog and decided to try it! In italics are the things I have done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a Mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a Lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (I've been to Venice, so I'm counting it.)
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper (BYU-Idaho paper)
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (Jessica Simpson)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Graduted from College

Having Faith

It's been an interesting few weeks. I am still waiting to hear back about a job rolling burritos at Chipotle, but I am almost positive that I got it. Not that it's my dream job, but it pays, and it's busy most of the time, so the time goes fast. Hopefully I can move up in the ranks quickly! In the meantime I am still applying to government jobs, hoping to make more than $8,000 a year. Because I do have a degree, however unmarketable it is. I still don't really know where I'm headed in the job department, but I do know I want to possibly go to Grad school sometime in the near future. I just love the idea of being a librarian! I love books, I love talking about books, analyzing books, and just the feel of a solid block of paper in my hands! So I think that may be a good thing for me to work toward.

Singles Ward is still...interesting. Most of the people there are either close to 30, or barely 18. So being in the middle is weird. There are a few people here that are in the middle with me, but it's going to take some time for me to get back into the "in" crowd. And by that I mean the crowd that hangs out outside the designated activities. So far all I've gotten is the weird guy who hits on every new girl, hoping he'll get somewhere before they figure out how odd he is. But I am determined to be nice and try to be friends with him, without giving him the wrong idea. Why do I always get the weird ones? Seriously? Oh well.
On the plus side, I have a wonderful family, great friends (who happen to be far away...) and a loving Father in Heaven. So all I need now is the faith that He will help me to figure out where my life is headed, and the strength to endure to the end. I know that the Church is true. I know Christ atoned for my sins. I now Joseph Smith was a prophet of the Lord, and that Thomas S. Monson is the Prophet today. I know that He loves me, and that I am a child of God. I am so grateful for everything that I have been blessed with in my life, and I am so grateful fr a Heavenly Father who knows me by name!

Two weeks

So I'm two weeks in, and nothing. Nada. Zilch. When it comes to good jobs, I might as well be living in employment Siberia. Really. (Those of you who know me well know that I tend to exaggerate. But seriously, I am having a rough time.)
One of the biggest problems is that I really have no idea what I want to do right now. Do I want to take another dead-end job? Not really. But do I want to settle into a job that pays the bills, if I hate every second of it? Nah. What about just settling for anything that pays decently and has benefits? Maybe, if there were any jobs like that. But there aren't. And it's beginning to look like I may have to just settle for anything. Even if I hate it. Even if going to work every day makes me sad. Because let's face it, I have student loans. And a cell phone bill. And I am going to need a car at some point that isn't a huge red van that guzzles mid-grade gas. So what do I do? Wait for a better job to come along, or take whatever opens up, regardless? I don't know yet, but I hope to find some direction soon! In the meantime, I am trying to stay busy by getting back into the single's scene! I attend one of the local single's wards, and I have tried to show my support at FHE, ward choir, and all other activities, as well as attending Institute choir and classes. It has helped a bit, to be anxiously engaged in something. But I have still felt really lonely here at home. Hopefully I can make some new friends and visit my old friends soon! I miss having friends! It's a good thing I have so many all over, because I could practically drive cross country and never stay in a hotel! I may do that one day, just so you guys know... :)

Colorado

It is so beautiful here! I forgot how amazing the sky can be, and how sunny Colorado really is. I am grateful to be back, although the same lingering fear of having to make big decisions looms over me. I have had a few opportunities open up, and then close just as abruptly. Live and learn, right? But hopefully something will open up at the right time, in the right place. For now I am content with getting back into the Institute scene, and I am excited to attend my first class tonight.
Well, nothing much else is going on at the moment, except I really miss my friends. All of you! I hope to be visiting soon enough, just as soon as I get an amazing job that pays 100,000 dollars a year...haha. I'll make it happen! Love you all, and see you soon! <3

In the End is a New Beginning

So I am at the end. I have exactly one day left in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the German town I have called home for the last 13 months of my life. And boy, has it been a roller-coaster! I started out HATING it...and now I'm a little bit scared to leave. Over the past year I have learned a lot about people, and even more about myself. I have learned some of my weaknesses, and also some of my greatest strengths. I have seen a lot more of the world, and I am much better for it. I thought I would make a short list of the things I will miss, as well as some of the things I will NOT miss. I'll start with the things I am going to miss the most-

1. People-I have made some incredible friends here, and I hope that I can stay in touch with all of them for the rest of my life. I have been truly blessed by their friendships here in Germany!

2. Food-Bakeries especially, but also chocolate, Schnitzel, and many other European delights!

3. Walking everywhere- Colorado Springs and most other big cities in the west have very little public transport, and it's impossible to walk everywhere. I have loved being able to get anywhere without a car!

And now some things I will not miss-

1. Drunk People- I'm pretty sure it's a German hobby to see how drunk you can get at any point in the day.

2. Beer- the smell of it, how it transforms people from normal to stupid in one pint flat, how it is such a huge part of the culture here.

3. The two hour commute to church- Woof.

I am so grateful for the experience of living in Europe, and getting to travel so much. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to broaden my horizons a little bit more, and learn so much. I hope that the next chapter in my life will continue to help me learn and grow, and that I can be an influence for good wherever I might be!

Funny Story...

So as I was reminiscing over my three years at BYU-Idaho, I came across a random memory from one summer semester when I worked at the BYU-Idaho catering bakery. I was a sophomore, and loved my job. I got to go to work every day and make hundreds of dozens of cookies for the meal plan buffet as well as all the catering orders for school and community functions. This particular summer we made a lot of extra rolled sugar cookies that required icing, and no one ordered enough to deplete our supply, so we decided to decorate then and send them out to the buffet line. Because there was little supervision and my coworkers and I had some extra time, we decided to have a little bit of fun and write our phone numbers on a few of the cookies. We figured it was harmless, and we might get a funny phone call out of it. What we didn't account for was the large number of EFY kids that ate every meal at the buffet. Oops! So the next day, I had a message on my cell from a seventeen-year-old, asking if I could meet up with him!! Ghaa! I figured I could just ignore it, but then I answered the phone the next tome he called without realizing it! He asked me how old I was (at the time I was three years older than him) and if I could meet him by the dorms at midnight. Of course I declined, but he was persistent. Little bugger. He called me every night that week! I never met up with him, and he eventually got the hint, but it was my first lesson in thinking through my ideas before acting upon them. It is still a really funny story, and one that I reflect on fondly, just becuase it was such a funny situation! How could I have forgotten about EFY with hundreds of teenagaers on campus making my life difficult? Getting in my way? So funny!

To Do List

I think maybe I'll make a list, half for myself and half for you three readers, of things I still want to do and places I still want to see. Read on if you're interested, or just skip this post for the next one, also done today!

Things to do:

-Go to a really fancy restaurant

-Wear a really gorgeous dress

-Skydive

-Paraglide

-See several more Operas, Broadway shows, Symphonies, etc.

-Surprise someone

-Have a grown-up dinner party, with grown-ups

-Drive a really nice car


Places I want to go:

-Maldives

-China

-Australia

-New Zealand

-Israel

-Morocco

-Turkey

-Egypt

-Canada (yes, Canada.)

Things I would like to buy-but I don't really need. (I know, I need to be less material. )

-A real cashmere sweater

-a power suit

-a nice camera

That's it. My to do life list. Somewhere in there I want a husband and kids. But they will want to do all that stuff too, right? I hope so!

Four Weeks!

It's truly amazing how quickly the time passes. Just Twelve short months ago I arrived here in Garmisch, Germany, and now I am preparing to leave. Of course, at the time, I felt that a year was an intolerably long time. But looking back, it was an incredibly short amount of time. So, being one month from my leave date, I decided to do a quick recap of the past year.

From August 10, 2009-August 10, 2010 I have:

-visited nine countries (Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, England, Scotland, France, and Spain.)

-ridden the train to Munich approximately 50 times (1 and a half hours each way.)

-Sledded down a mountain at midnight.

-Purchased two Dirndls (traditional Bavarian dresses-think bar wench.)

-Been to three traditional German festivals-Frühlings Fest, Garmischer Fest, Partenkirchen Fest

-Seen BMW World-and sat in a brand new BMW-5 series.

-Seen more churches and cathedrals than I can count!

-Been to a Monastery where the monks spend one month out of every year extremely drunk.

-Done the majority of my grocery shopping at Germany grocery stores-which is more difficult than it sounds!

-Eaten five Doner Kebaps-if you've had one, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, that is the reason you have that empty feeling in the pit of your stomach sometimes.

-Eaten at least five pounds of the finest European chocolate.

-Seen at least four castles (Schloss Linderhof, Buckingham Palace, Edinburgh Castle, and the Rezidence.)

-Seen two Operas (Jenufa and Il Turco in Italia)

-Seen one West End show in London (Wicked)

-Had more amazing Italian food than is strictly healthy...oh well.

-Had at least two gallons of Gelato. Per summer. Mango is my favorite.

-Discovered Stroop Wafels. Thanks Angela. They are Belgian waffles with caramel in the middle. 'Nuff said.

-Had two dinner parties.

-Tried Buffalo Burgers. Yum!

-Started charcoal all by myself! It doesn't matter that it went out...

-Befriended some incredible people in Munich and Garmisch. Just to name a few: Munich-Angela, Melanie, Kay, Andreas, Nate, Elodie and Isabel. Garmisch-Ben, Tyane, Katie, Kelly, Emily, Ryan, Renee, Jen, and Zack.

-Had some incredible days and nights with amazing people!


I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to meet so many awesome people an see so many amazing places. Not many people have had the luxury of traveling so much so early in life, and I am so very thankful that I have had this experience. I hope to continue to travel, as theer are many more things I would love to see. But for now, I am ready to see what kinds of adventures I can have back in th good 'ol US of A!

A Car and Castle

The other day, my friend Ben and I decided last minute to rent a car and go up to Crazy King Ludwig's summer Palace, Schloss Linderhof. I had been before, but it was winter, so the beautiful gardens the Palace is known for were dead, and the incredible fountains were all boarded up. I was so excited to see the gardens, and to ride in a car! It is funny how much I am getting sick of traveling by train. The freedom of jumping in the car and just going is something I dearly miss!
So we went down to the local car rental agency and rented a brand-spankin' new VW Passat. It was SWEET! Of course Ben drove, as my 6-speed skills are severely lacking. We headed up to Linderhof and walked around the beautiful gardens, saw the fountains and statues, and just had an all-around great time. After we had taken in the gorgeous gardens and scenery, we headed to Oberammergau to see the Passion Play Theater and walk around town. We stopped at a bakery for breakfast, and I had a really good plum torte. Ben had almond cake and some coffee to get him started for the day. I had some of his Almond cake and it was divine! I am really going to miss German bakeries! After breakfast, we walked around the little town, stopping to get Ben a authentic Bavarian sweater vest, which he had wanted for quite a while. He looks very sharp in it, if anyone is wondering ;) We went and looked at the theater where the Passion Play is performed every ten years, and saw some of the history in a picture presentation set up in the lobby of the theater. I had been to the play already, but Ben hadn't seen it yet. When we left, he was vowing to find a ticket to the play.
After Oberammergau, we headed down to Ettal, a tiny little town that houses a huge monastery known for their liqueur and cheese production. We saw the ornate Rococo-style chapel, and toured the grounds when we accidentally got lost. It was so funny, because we couldn't figure out how to get back out o the front of the monastery, so Ben decided to try to jump the wall that surrounds the back of the place. He gave the woman on the other side of the wall quite a fright! He stopped trying to jump the wall after that! We had a good laugh, and did eventually find out way to the front of the monastery. We had a wonderful lunch at a local restaurant, and then headed back to Garmisch. But the day was FAR from over!
When we got home, we went to Post (the U.S. Army garrison) and ran some errands. Then we went to watch a softball game which ended up being canceled. Earlier in the day we had looked at movie times at the English theater in Munich and saw that Inception was playing at 10:15. We thought it would be fun to go and see it, as I hadn't seen a movie in theaters since before I came to Germany. We asked our friends Ryan, Emily and Zach to go with us, and we headed up to Munich at around 8. When we got to the theater and picked up our tickets, we had about an hour to waste time so we walked around downtown Munich. The movie was great, (although I had really weird dreams the next morning) and we just had a great time in general. My favorite part of the night was driving home, because I convinced Ben to go really fast on the Autobahn. We got up to 200 kph (about 124 mph). It was awesome! At this point it was 2:00 in the morning, and I was ready for bed. But it was such a fantastic day! I hope I can have some more great days like that before I have to leave this dreamworld I live in!

For Angela

This weekend I spent Sunday and Monday in Munich. Sunday was for Church and YSA activities, and Monday was to spend time with my good friend Angela. Angela has really been a blessing in my life here in Germany. She works as an Opera singer for the Bayerisch Staatoper in Munich, and she is truly gifted. I had the opportunity to sit in on a few of her practice sessions, and it was such an incredible experience! We had such a great day. After the first couple of practice session, we went to Olympia park for Tollwood, only to find that it was already done and over with. So, we improvised, and went to BMW World. It was so fun! We took some fun pictures in our dream vehicles, and let me tell you, they were sweet! I love BMWs!!! After drooling over the beautiful German machinery, we went to the Olympiaeinkaufzentrum, which is the biggest mall (with the longest name) in Munich. We had some fun trying on clothes and looking at home furnishings. We also ate four scoops of gelato. Each. Yep.
After we were finished trying on expensive clothing, we decided to go somewhere we could actually afford, so we headed back into the city center and went to a little dress shop to look around. We tried on more cute clothes, and Angela even found a great summer dress! Then we went shopping for postcards and a key chain for me, as I hadn't gotten anything in all of my days in Munich. so we did that, and then went back to the Operahouse for a final practice session. After that we went back to Angela's apartment and relaxed for a few minutes before meeting her opera friends for a birthday dinner. Angela's birthday was on Sunday, but they waited until Monday to celebrate. It was a wonderful time at a small Mexican restaurant. After dinner was over, I needed to catch the last train out of Munich to Garmisch. I said goodbye to Angela, letting her know it was definitely not for the last time, and then began the long journey back home. I loved spending so much time with a good friend, and I had such a great time seeing the career she has chosen with her incredible talent. I am so grateful for good friends, and I am blessed to count Angela as one of them. So this one's for you, Ang!

Can I make it?

I don't know! It has become increasingly hard to concentrate on being in Germany when all of my thoughts are of the future. I know I am always one to worry, but I am going a little bit crazy thinking about what I have to do when I get back to Colorado. Get a job, get a phone, get health insurance, get a car, car insurance, etc. I am pretty much freaking out. Luckily, my amazing parents are going to graciously let me stay in their home until I get everything figured out, so I don't have to get an apartment yet, but somewhere down the line I am going to have to do that too. It feels like I have been avoiding life in a dream world where nothing matters except having fun and getting to work on time, and now I have to suddenly grow up and deal with real life. I am ready (I think...) to take that step, but at the same time, I'm afraid of failing at it. But onward and upward, right? I think I am coming off a little bit sad, but that is not the case at all! I am super excited, and cannot stand having to wait the month and a half I have 'til I come home! I am excited to have a real job, drive a car (finally!) and be able to start living a fulfilling life. But it is all a little bit terrifying at the same time. I am so grateful for having parents who prepared me for being a contributing member of society, and I hope I can live up to what I know they expect from me. I am also grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who watches out for me and lets me know when I am going he wrong way, no matter how much I wish I wasn't. I am grateful for the knowledge of the Gospel, and for Joseph Smith, a prophet of the Lord, who was faithful enough to stand up for what he knew was true to bring the truthfulness of the Restored Gospel!

Mom's Visit and Lake Garda

Well, for the last little while I have been kept occupied by my Mom! She came out to Germany for three weeks this month, and we had a blast! She flew to Munich on June 22, and went straight to our friends' home in Mueldorf. She stayed with them until the 6th, when I met her in Munich for church. It was exciting to see someone here from back home, but also a little weird, like my old life meeting my new one. Anyway, we had some fun in Garmisch for a week, taking a three country tour on Monday the 7th through Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. It was along day of mostly sitting on a tour bus, so we were pretty happy when it ended. On Tuesday we hung out with my friend Ben in Mittenwald, a little Bavarian town just before the Austrian border. It was a beautiful sunny day, and it was such a great outing! On Wednesday I had to work for eight hours, a full shift, so my Mom kept herself busy baking and just relaxing in my room, after which we went to a Bible study group with several of my friends. Thursday we went to a softball game and rooted for my roommate Tyane, and Ben. Friday we went to the town Farmer's Market and then got everything squared away with our rental car and hotel in Italy, where we were going to spend Sunday through Thursday of the following week. I also attended a girls night to say farewell to a Bible study friend. There were quite a few girls there, and we spent the night at a married friend's home, for which her husband was sent to spend the night with Ben. On Saturday we all (all the girls, Ben, and the woman's hubby, also named Ben) went to a swimming pond, a super cool man-made pond at the base of one of the mountains in town. The entrance fee was so small we were all very excited to relive childhood memories of swimming in non-chlorinated water.

On Sunday My Mom and I left for Lake Garda, the largest lake in Italy. It happens to be a three hour drive from where I live, so it was a nice ride down to the little vacation villa we had rented for the week. On Sunday we pretty much just chillaxed in our apartment, reading library books, cooking dinner, and watching chick flicks. It was wonderful to finally have a real vacation where I didn't have to run around a huge city trying to see everything!

On Monday we hit a local market, then hit a huge Botanical Garden complex about a twenty minute drive from Cavalcaselle. It was incredible! Not only did it cover 600,000 square meters, but it had everything from castle ruins to koi ponds to an actual church on the grounds! We wandered the gardens for a good portion of the day and then went back to our apartment for some more chill time.

Tuesday we went to a charming little town called Sirmione, where we ate Gelato, took in a Castle and some Roman Baths, and ate delicious pizza. On the way home we picked up some groceries for the rest of the week.

Wednesday was supposed to be the lay-out-by-the-pool-with-70spf-sunscreen-on day, but it rained all day, so we decided to see another little town instead. We walked around a place called Desenzano, and saw some pretty sweet panoramas of the lake. After we got back from that, we went to a street market in the town we stayed in Cavalcaselle, which had some great stuff. Then we ate our last dinner in the apartment and got ready to leave.

On Thursday we checked out early and headed back to Garmisch. We had the car for the whole day, so the afternoon was spent running errands that are much easier with a car. We went to the Army Post for groceries, hit up the library, and went around town with my friends to help them out as well. It was a nice day, and it had finally stopped raining!

Friday rolled around and I had to go back to work, so I did. Mom kept herself occupied with watching movies and baking, and I hurried home as fast as I could. We spent the evening watching a movie and having some dinner together.

Saturday I worked early in the morning, and then we just had a nice walk around town, which ended up in a little shopping at H&M. Boy do I love that place! For a follow up, we watched Star Trek. My favorite! Chris Pine is so...easy on the eyes...haha.

Sunday we attended the local Prodestant service as we were both a little drained from so much traveling. After the service we had a little girl time coloring our hair, painting our nails, and baking some more. We Smiley girls sure do love to bake! At nine, we met up with Ben, who had his parents in town for dinner at Zum Wildchutz, a great Bavarian restaurant in town. We had a lovely evening, and I tried Wild Boar for the first time. Yum!

Monday was Mom's last day here, so we went to the local swimming complex and sat around in the hot tub. After that we went home, baked some more, and then watched one last chick flick before she went back to our boy-infested home in Colorado. She left early the next day, and we said a groggy goodbye, then she left! sad day. But on the bright side, I only have a couple of months left here! Then it's off to the real world!

Barcelona

Well, time for another late update! About two weeks ago I had the opportunity to go to Spain, and the Catalunya region in particular. So let the chronicling begin!

Day 1: I went on this trip with a guy named Jeremy because I had heard that Spain was a dangerous place. We took a later train to Munich and caught our plane to Barcelona. We got to the city pretty late, and had a forty minute train ride to the area our Hostel was in. I had directions, and it seemed simple enough. It was easy to find, at the very top of a very steep hill that seemed to stretch on forever at 12:30 at night. We finally made it to our room, and crashed.

Day 2: We woke up in time to eat breakfast, then headed out to a famous park in the city that was designed by it's most famous artist-Gaudi. The park was owned by a man named Güell, who was a patron of the artist, and even had him design his home. The park was beautiful, and we enjoyed hiking around it and seeing all the different installations by Gaudi. After taking in our fill of beautiful scenery to a soundtrack of local musicians, we headed into the heart of town to see the famous cathedral Sagrada Familia, also designed by Gaudi. We took a round-about route, taking in more of the local flair. We marveled at one of the most unusual and magnificent cathedrals in Europe, and thought it was quite the sight. After that we went to see a big building that looked a lot like the Gherkin in London, and walked a bit more around town, including the famous Las Ramblas shopping district. By this point, we were both pretty tired, because all this sightseeing entailed several miles of walking. So we got on the train back to our hostel and called it a night after once again braving what came to be known as "The Hill".

Day 3: Our first task of the day was looking for the Picasso Museum. When we finally managed to find it, it was closed! Sad! So instead we went to the Choolate Museum. I thought it was a suitable substitute. We ate some chocolate (our tickets were actually small bars of dark chocolate), looked at some amazing chocolate art, and then ate more chocolate. After filling up on that, we headed back to the shopping district to actually do some shopping. For the rest of the day we wandered around looking into interesting shops and such until we were ready to head back to the hostel.

Day 4: We both agreed that we needed a break after ll that walking, so we headed down to the beach on this day. Once we located a suitable spot(which, incidentally, involved quite a bit of walking), we laid out for a good four hours. Of course, I slathered on tons of sunscreen and did not get the least bit of color. But its okay, because pasty is my favorite color. When we were finished baking, we went straight back to the hostel.

Day 5: This was another busy day! We began by heading up to the top of Mount Tibidabo to see a huge church on it's peak. We had to take two trains, one bus, and one funicular(small, one-segment train) to the top. Once there, we paid two euro to take an elevator to the middle floor of the roof, and from there climbed to the very top of the cathedral. The view of the city from this platform was incomparable to anything we had previously encountered, and we took a lot of pictures. It was cool to see Barcelona from that point of view, because we could also see all of the surrounding countryside. When we had taken in the beauty of the Catalunyan countryside, we made our way bak down the mountain, using all of the aforementioned means of transportation. When we were back in the city, we went to the National Museum of Catalynan Art. We walked through a teeming mass of Futbol fans gathered before the biggest game of the season, and incidentally, the stadium is located directly behind the museum, so they were completely surrounding the place. Once we fought our way through, we saw some amazing art from the Byzantine era all the way up to the most modern art. When we had finished at the museum, we went back to the hostel and were in bed by 8:30. We were bushed!

Day 6: Going home! We woke up, got packed, took one last jaunt into town for a few last minute items, and then made our way back to the airport, and eventually rain-sodden Garmisch! Yay!

Paris

What can I even say? Paris was...indescribable! But for the sake of all my dedicated readers (Hi Casey!) I will try!

Day 1: There were five of us going to Paris together, but we left a different times. Two girls left early Monday morning, and the other three (including me) left Monday night. We took the four o'clock train to Munich, and caught our plane at around 8:55 p.m. Upon arrival, we bought five day train passes, and headed into the city. Our hotel was in the financial district of La Defence, and was really, really inexpensive, considering we were going to shove five girls into a four bed room. But it was cozy! We got to the hotel at midnight, and went straight to bed. Before retiring, Kelly and I decided to get up early to catch a bike tour of the city that we believed started at 7 am and went until 11:30 at night. We had to meet the tour at the Eiffel tower, so we needed to get up at five in order to be on time.

Day 2: So Kelly and I get up super early and head to the Eiffel tower. When we arrive, we see that the area is completely deserted, and cannot see anything even remotely resembling a bike tour. So we sent a message to the friend that told us about the tour, and he told us it began at 7 PM!! So we went to get breakfast and rest before meeting up with the other girls to take a free walking tour. On the way to meet them, we saw the Arc de Triomphe, a famous monument in Paris. It was really cool to see the monuments in person after seeing them so many times in movies and in pictures. We met up with the girls by the town hall, and discovered that our map had listed the incorrect meeting place for the tour. By the time we found the actual meeting point we had missed the tour, so we went to eat lunch and wait for the next tour to start, around 1pm. We had some amazing Chocolate Banana Crepes, and met up with the tour just in time. The tour covered quite a bit of the major sights in the city like the Louvre, Notre Dame, Champ E'Lysses, the Eiffel Tower, The Arc de Triomphe, and many more. It was a great tour, and it helped us decide what we wanted to do the next day. After the tour we went to the Eiffel tower as a group and took the elevator to the top. It was such an amazing experience! The city was all lit up, and we enjoyed seeing it together. After descending the tower, we ate another Crepe (I know, I know. But we were in Paris!) and headed back to the hotel.

Day 3: This day we split up for the morning. Kelly, Jade and I went to the Montmarte district to see the Sacre Couer, and amazing basilica right in the middle of the tourist area. Before seeing the church, we stopped and saw Moulin Rouge, a famous sight in the red light district. It was...interesting. The place itself was cool to se, but the area was a little sketch. But we quickly vacated the area for the basilica. It was a very beautiful sight, and we really enjoyed seeing it. After that, Jade left to do her own thing, and Kelley and I went to the Orangerie, a museum that houses several impressionist masterpieces, including work by Monet, Degas, Picasso, and others. It was amazing! Monet did some incredibly beautiful work, and I was reminded of how much I enjoy impressionist art. When we were done there, we headed to Champ E'Lysses, the most upscale shopping street in all of Paris. Kelly had her heart set on a Louis Vuitton bag, and she would not leave without getting it. It was one of those things that I thought was crazy, buying a handbag that cost upwards of $500, but the heart wants what it wants, I guess! After her purchase, we went to meet Jade at the catacombs. Unfortunately, they had closed, so we were unable to see them. At 5:30, we headed for the Louvre, and saw some of the most famous works of art of all time. We saw the Mona Lisa, Victory, Venus De Milo, several Michelangelo sculptures, and countless other masterpieces. It was breathtaking! When the museum closed at ten, we headed back to our hotel for the night.

Day 4: DISNEYLAND PARIS! That is what Kelly, Jade an I did on our last full day in Paris. I know, why would anyone want to go there? I don't know, we just did. And it was a blast going on rides and seeing characters from our childhood. We went on Space Moutain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Pirates of the Caribbean, It's a Small World, Phantom Manor, Indiana Jones, Star Tours, and Tower of Terror. We had a blast! Half-way through the day we got a message from Katie and Erin, who were supposed to catch their flight that afternoon saying that their flight had been canceled due to and erupting volcano in Iceland. In disbelief, we wrote it off until we got back to the hotel and talked to them about it. We found out that not only had their flight been canceled, but ours had as well. That is when we went to bed.

Day 5: In the morning we headed straight to the airport to get the lowdown. We found out that our only option to fly out was the following Monday (This was on Friday). Obviously, we could not afford to stay in Paris for another three days or longer. So we tried to rent a car, but they were all rented out already. So then we headed to the main train station, only to find that all the trains were booked until Monday as well. In desperation, we went to the platform of the next train to Munich and asked the conductor if we could get on the train at all. He aid we could, but we wouldn't have seats. At this point, we didn't care. So for 6 1/2 hours, we sat on the floor of the bar on the train. And paid 150 euro each to sit there. It was interesting. But we made it back!

Don't forget to check our my post on Rome, right below this one! ;)

Roma

Rome was an amazing trip! I had such a good time seeing one of the first great civilizations that once covered a huge portion of Europe and the Mediterranean. It was also my first solo adventure, and it turned out to be so relaxing to just do whatever I wanted whenever I wanted!

Day 1: I flew out of Munich and straight into Rome. The flight was only about an hour long, so I got to Rome with some daylight left, around 2 p.m. The first thing I did was locate my hostel (which took a while, as I got lost-no surprise there) and check into my room. The room was nice, and I was sharing with four other girls. I always pay a little extra to have a nicer room, and if I can find it, a girls only dorm. I dropped off my things and headed out toward the Spanish Steps to find my tour guide. I had booked three tours before I left, knowing that seeing the city by myself would not be as cool as knowing some of the history behind the places I was seeing. This tour covered most of the city's main sights and was very informative. We saw the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, Valentino's house, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, and Campo Di Fiori. Our guide was a very knowledgeable Brit who once came to Rome on vacation and never left. At the end of the tour I took a bus back to the main train station, which is a few blocks from the hostel, and went to bed, knowing I had to be up early for a tour in the morning.

Day 2: Woke up early and had breakfast in the hostel, which consisted of rolls and jam. I guess that's what you get for 15 euro a night ;) I got an early start, and made my way to Piazza Del Poppolo, the main square in Rome where three of the main streets converge, and the Vatican can be seen straight down the road. It took me a while to find it, because maps are confusing, but I made it there in a round-about manner. After seeing the famous piazza, I wandered toward the Vatican, where I would eventually meet up with my tour of the Vatican. I wandered around by the Vatican, buying postcards and other souvenirs, then found a Pizza shop (I found one every day) and took a break. After some delicious pizza and a Gelato chaser, I met up with my tour. We saw some incredible works of art in the Vatican Museum, learned about St. Peter's Basilica, saw Pieta by Michaelangelo, and learned about the Country of the Vatican. It was very informative, and such an interesting place to see. When the tour ended, I made my way back to the Hostel for dinner, and went to bed early.

Day 3: I had a nine a.m. tour of the Roman forum and Colosseum, so I got up early and headed out. I had met some people in the hostel the night before, and one of the girls decided to take the same tour I was on, so we went together. We met up with our tour and made our way past the Constantine arch and into the Roman Forum. The Roman forum was the seat of government for Rome back in the day, kind of like an ancient Washington D.C. We saw Mussolini's home, which he had built among the ruins, old temples to the pagan gods, homes, palaces, and so much more. In it's glory days, the Forum would have been incredibly magnificent to behold! After seeing the Forum, we went to the Colosseum and learned all about the epic battles between Gladiators, lions, and prisoners that provided entertainment for the Roman masses. It seemes very barbaric to me, but I suppose that humans have been doing horrible things to other humans for a very long time (Cain and Abel anyone?). That Colosseum was very cool, and the tour ended on a high note. After the tour, my new friend and I wandered the city, and I showed her the big sights like the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and Piazza Del Poppolo. We walked quite a bit, and had a great time seeing more of the city. After we couldn't walk any more, we headed back to the hostel, where I met up with another girl from my room to go to dinner. I had wanted to have a nice Italian dinner, but didn't ant to go alone, so we decided to do it together, both of us being solo travelers. We took the bus back to the Trevi Fountain, and ate at a cute little cafe down one of the side streets surrounding the plaza. Our food was excellent, and we had a wonderful time. After dinner I headed to the airport, where I had to spend a horrible night trying to sleep on a bench before catching my plane at six in the morning. It was not the best night I have ever had, but all in all, I had such a fantastic time in Rome that it didn't matter!

Venice

As requested (by Casey) I will continue to chronicle my adventures travel-log style. So heeeeeeeere's Venice!

Day 1: Tyane (my roomie) and Andrew (a friend) decided to rent a car and drive the four and a half hours to Venice, Italy for a weekend. We left on Saturday night and drove non-stop all the way. When we finally arrived, we checked into our hotel and crashed.

Day 2: After discovering that our bathroom and shower were one whole unit and marveling at the flood that resulted from taking a shower, we headed out to the train station. It was a little bit chilly, but much warmer that Garmisch. We took the train onto the island and decided that instead of taking the water taxi, we wanted to explore by walking the city. So we started by finding Piazza San Marco, the most famous Piazza in Venice. The view was incredible! Venice is such an amazing place! We wandered around, going into random churches and shops as we pleased, and I even took in my very first Catholic Mass in a Benedictine Monastery. It was such a neat experience to see the people of Venice in their everyday lives. We saw so many cool things, and the city is truly a beautiful place! Every picture I took was a postcard! After a substantial amount of walking, we decided to call it a day. Venice is a very small city, and perfect to see in a day or two. We took the train back to the mainland and took a nap on the rock-hard mattresses before setting out to find dinner. We all wanted to experience some good Italian food, so we asked the front desk clerk to recommend somewhere. He pointed us toward a great little seafood joint, where we had amazing food and great conversation. After that, we decided the day couldn't get any better, so we went to bed.

Day 3: This day we decided that rather that having to rush home, we wanted to take the day slow and meander back. We had seen that the next town over had an Ikea, so we thought it would be a great idea to take advantage of having a car and stop in to see if they had any good deals. They DID! Tyane and I got some shelves, a rug, and lamps for our bedside tables, as well as some picture frames for the great oil paintings we bought in Venice. We loaded our loot in the car and set off through the beautiful vineyards of northern Italy and steadily made our way back to the German alps we call home!

London, Extended Version

Okay, so here is how it went down...

Day 1: Katie and I went to Memmingen (west of Munich) to catch our Ryan Air flight to London-Stanstead. We got into London at around 7:00, and took a bus into town. Because we weren't sure about where our hostel was, we wandered around the Liverpool station a little bit before we found the right place to go. We ended up being able to walk there in around ten minutes, so we braved the streets and got acquainted with London right away. We decided to be crazy and both dyed our hair in the hostel that night, although we both did colors we had done before, so nothing drastic (although Katie's was pretty red...). Then we crawled into bed and crashed after our long day of traveling.

Day 2: Both Katie and I really wanted to do some shopping an such while in London, so we decided to go to Camden Town, which is the market district in London. We found some really good deals, and ended up getting our hair cut as well. We both cut a lot of hair off! I cut off about five inches! It was a fun change for both of us. Because my hair was taking such a long time, Katie decided she wanted to go see a museum of Modern Art, so we chose a meeting time (7:00) and place (outside the entrance to the Museum). Unfortunately, there were several entrances to the museum, and we lost each other for about two hours. I have to admit, I thought she was taken by white slavers. But we are both very responsible people, and thought that going back to the Hostel was a safe bet, and we found each other there. After vowing to never separate again, we set off to meet up with a tour of some of London's best Pubs. Because I didn't want her to go alone, I decided to tag along, and just be the designated bus/cab finder at the end of the night. Plus, I got all my drinks free! Water is usually free, but even if I had had to pay, there were plenty of willing parties to do that for me ;) We ended up meeting some cool people, and having a good time, even though it is tough to find your way back to a hostel with four semi-drunk people in tow. I am now very confident that I could be the designated driver/bus/cab-finder anywhere.

Day 3: The best day ever! We began with a free tour of the most famous sights in London, including Buckingham Place, Big Ben, and Westminster. After this tour, we had a great lunch of Fish and Chips with Smashed Peas, and made our way to the afternoon tour of Old London. That was a great tour that took in the Lawyer's area (it's a city within a city within a city!) the church of the Knights Templar, Covent Garden, and more. We ate dinner at our favorite restaurant (Pret Manager) and discovered Love bars (best things since chocolate bars). After this tour we rushed back to change into our finery for the best part of London by far, which was seeing Wicked!!! It was amazing and so much fun!

Day 4: Caught the bus back to the airport and made our merry way back to Garmisch!

London

Well, it's taken me this long to post about London, who knows when I'll get around to Venice and Rome! I had a blast in England, soaking up the local culture with my friend Katie. We saw everything, and then some! We went to see Wicked on our final night in town, and just had a blast! If you want to see pictures, you'll have to go to facebook, because my internet is too slow to upload pictures on blogspot. Sorry!

Just a Random Update!

Well hello everyone! Just thought I'd drop a line! Recently I have delved into the Garmisch lifestyle, even trying out snowboarding for the first time! It was much more fun that I had anticipated, and I am looking forward to going again when we get some more snow. Right now the snow is pretty melted, and then it freezes into ice at night which would be painful to fall on. I also went sledding with a few friends down a trail on the mountain that we live by. It's called the Kramer, and about half-way up the side of the mountain there is a small restaurant called the Half-Way house. We climbed up the trail in the snow one night, and sledded back down. It was freezing cold, but so much fun! I still have the battle scars from that night! Last night I invited the Elders down from Munich (It's about a 45 minute drive). They came and brought a newly baptized member, and I also invited a few friends from the Abrams (the place I live) to eat with us. We all sat on the ground in my room, and ate some amazing Paella and Milk Chocolate Mousse. After dinner, I asked the Elders to share a short message. I have never done this before, seeing as I went to school with all members, so it was quite an experience for me to share the gospel with my non-member friends. I had expected them to not say anything or ask questions, but they did! We talked about Joseph Smith and the Restoration, then we talked about Moroni's challenge, and my friends asked a LOT of questions! We ended up discussing things for quite some time, until the Elders realized they were going to be late getting home, and we had to wrap things up. I am looking forward to having them down again in the near future.
Everything is going well over here in Pretzel Land, and I am soon going to be traveling to far off places again! February 22-25 I will get to go to London, which I am very excited about! I already have tickets to Wicked, and I am planning on seeing all the famous sights while there. Hopefully in March I will be able to go on a few weekend trips, as my fried Tyane and I have the same days off and want to see some of the same places. Right now we are thinking Venice for a couple of days, which should be a blast! In April I am going to Paris for four days, which I am super excited about, and I have a long trip to Italy planned, hopefully in June. Other than that, I am just trying to stay sane at work! I love you all!

Fitness Challenge

Okay. So over here in Pretzel land, we have a big gym on post. And said gym is having a six week fitness challenge, which I am signed up for with some of my friends. You have to get weighed, check your BMI and body fat content, as well as flexibility. Then, you get awarded points for things like working out, eating right, and giving up things that are unhealthy for you. I have decided to be gung-ho about it, and I am giving up sweets for the duration. That may be the hardest part of the whole thing! However, I have set some personal goals to accompany the challenge, so we'll see how it goes! Wish me luck!

Snow White and the Seven Dirndls

Hello my loyal fans! Or, you know, two or three readers...I am back! I wish I had more to Write about, but what goes on around here is mostly work. So I'll try to find enough interesting things to write about! The biggest thing to happen recently was the purchase and subsequent use of a shnazzy new...Dirndl! For those of you who are not familiar with Dirndls, they are a type of traditional dress worn in Bavaria for Fests and such. I have wanted one for a while, but most are very expensive (~500 euro). So I did what any sane poor person world do. I went to a thrift store. I ended up getting the whole thing for less that 150 euro! I know that is still a lot, but it really was a good deal. I love my new Dirndl, and it loves me. I got to wear it the very next day for a friend's birthday party, and had a blast feeling like a true Bavarian. At some point during the evening, someone mentioned that I reminded them of Snow White with my very pale skin, very dark hair, and peachy complexion added to the Dirndl. I always knew I was a princess. I should have guessed it would be the whitest one. Oh well!


I love it!

In other news, we had an Eighties night here a few weeks ago, and we all dressed up for it. It was a really fun time, and I look forward to doing it again real soon!


Me an Katie in our 80's gear!

Okay! That is all! Stay tuned for my trip to London at the end of February!

Odds and Ends

I have been so busy with work and play that I have neglected my blog! Sorry! I don't feel too bad, because I know only three people read this thing anyway! Okay, so a few things happened since my last significant post...

1) My birthday! I still don't feel 23...maybe I will when I turn 24. Anyway, I had a wonderful birthday, complete with winning an Ipod shuffle at work (which I gave away, since I already have one, you are welcome Joel), and then going out to a fantastic dinner with some amazing friends! It was a blast!


The Roomies! Amy, the blonde one, is my roommate. She's awesome!

2) Christmas! I was super crafty and made Christmas candy and went caroling around my complex. It was really fun, and everyone enjoyed the Fudge and Divinity I made! Christmas day I was awoken by my good friend Tyane, who came bearing cinnamon rolls in a can, so we baked them and joined a breakfast group in the hallway. Later that day we went to work, and tried to spread Christmas cheer by caroling and generally being in a good mood. It was a great day!

3) New Years! I worked on New Year's Eve, but got off at midnight, at which point I rushed downtown to be with Tyane for her birthday (she was born on the 31st). We danced in Marienplaz, fought our way through the crowds at IPub, and then ended up snagging some goodies from Burger King around 2 am before catching a cab home. When we got there, we cut her birthday cake and sang to her. It was a long, eventful night, but one for the books!

I think we are caught up! Now I am busy planning all the places I want to see in the new year. On the list are London, Brussels, any part of Italy, and somewhere in Spain. I am so excited to see the world, and share all my adventures with you! Until next time!