San Fran New Years!

I love having adventurous friends.  Makes for some pretty random and spur of the moment trips.  San Francisco for New Years was one of those.  There really are perks to not having a full time job.  So I packed up some stuff and met up with JoAnna and Blair in NorCal. Blair has a sister that lives just North of the Bay area so we stayed with their family for part of the time and then the rest with one of Blair's friend, Wes that lives right in San Fran.  So fun!  We had a blast and took lots of pictures.  Here are some of the highlights.

Golden Gate Bridge! 

Marci and B

Marci and JoAnna

Blair, Jo, and Marci

The Pacific Coast--- I love the ocean! 

Marci trying to look Hot! 

Jo and Marci at some random Lighthouse. 

This was our rental car.... haha.  We loved it. 

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Jo and Blair. I volunteered to take pictures....  The swings are def. not my thing. I would have been so Dizzy and Sick.

Marci and Blair on the Giant Dipper Rollercoaster. I was not going to opt out of this. 

Santa Cruz Boardwalk with Blair.  Such a nice day.  

 Fisherman's Wharf in San Fran.

Ghiradhelli Squre.... Marci and JoAnna

Yes it was a good as it looks. 

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Just hanging out/AT&T (SF Giants) Park

 Here we are on New Years Eve... The city was crazy busy that night. We had dinner somewhere and then wanted to go down by the Wharf to watch fireworks.... so we hailed a taxi and had quite the adventure with our awesome taxi-chic driver.  We almost made it to our destination but instead we made the countdown in the back of the taxi...... good times. We made it in time to watch some of the fireworks. Def. a New Years to remember.

Jo, Marci, and Blair--- HAPPY NEW YEARS

Such a fun vacation!! Love these girls.

2008.... really was amazingly GREAT!

When I sit back and think of the the year 2008 I know it will be packed full of nothing but good memories and adventures. I couldnt have asked for anything better and was truly blessed in every way. So here is a recap of some of the good times from 2008.
-Jan: Became an Expert on Guitar Hero. So fantastically pathetic.
-Feb: Finally took part in the great New England activity of Candlepin bowling. and ventured up to Maine and more importantly Costa Vida!
-March: Turned one year older... in style. 26 years old and no complaints.
-April: I walked for a cause, attended my first soiree, partied with Blue Men, and most importantly continued my love for my Sox at Fenway.
-May: Ran a half marathon, Got circus crazy, showed my family my life in Boston,

and became a MASTER! oh... how could I forget White Trash Road Trip part 2.
-June: Spent lots of time in the sports bars cheering for the Big 3, got Witchy, partied it up boston style with Jenni, Melissa, and Buffy. Relived Boston year one with Erica when she came and visited, Did as much site-seeing of New England that I could possible fit in, and said Goodbye to my home of 2 years. ...and had a little bit of a cross-country road trip!
-July: Arrived back in Santa Clara UTAH, spent the greatest few days ever at Lake Powell with the family, and became a hardcore fisherwoman in Alaska!
-August: Dont think I slept more than one day in my own bed... lots of travels... Family Reunion to bryce canyon, Zions hiking with Melissa, Salt Lake to hang with USU friends, and Visiting Tyler/Erin/Jackson in NJ and NY. Best month ever.
-September: Began much the same of August... Relaxing in COSTA RICA with Blair, Joanna, Robin, and Emily! Erica and Nick tied the knot! RED SOX TRIP DREAM COME TRUE, Boston revisited, and a Paris Sighting.
-October: took a break from traveling, hung with the family, and transformed to a hot 20's flapper girl.
-November: Got my family active, realized what love is, ate lots of delicious food, and took time to be grateful!
-December: Spent lots of time with my Mom celebrating the holiday season, had a white christmas for the first time in my life, reunited with College friends that I love so much,
and ended 2008 in SanFranciso!

I am BLESSED and I love my life! I hope that you all had a great 2008 and your 2009 is just as fantastic!

Christmas Events

Christmas was a fun, busy time.  

I loved being close to family and being able to do all the fun traditions that I grew up doing!  Here are just a few pics from the holiday season! 

I went with Adam to Las Vegas to visit his Brother and his family.

 Adam and I with his niece Sammie! So cute.

 Our annual Christmas Eve Goofy PJ pictures.  I love my family.

Normal??? 

Now that is more like it! 

Mom wanted the attention on this one.  

A WHITE CHRISTMAS!  That never happens.  It wasn't too cold though... seeing that we were fine wearing our shorts and slippers. 

I love you Whitney..... Sisters and Friends Forever. 

After Christmas I headed up to SLC to hang out with Adam. :)
-Adam's Brother Brian and his wife Julie got sealed in the SLC Temple to their cute little Sammie.

I always love going to Salt Lake because I get to see and hang out with some of my USU college buddies. It was so good to get together with Kim, Whitney, Sabrina, and Melissa.  Thanks Sabrina for letting us come chill at your house.

Kim Martin and Marci

Marci and Whitney Blake

Sabrina(Leah) and Marci 

From SLC I headed out to SAN FRANCISCO to party it up with JO and BLAIR for New Years. More to come on that!

when it SNOWS in Dixie....

...you build snowmen!

So the past 6 years of my life I have lived in areas that get a lot of snow. In both Logan and Boston, the winter months correlated with a blanket of white snow. But I think in all those years I built but one little snowman. So why build snowmen now? Well you see, it rarely snows in St. George like it did the past few days... (the last it snowed like this in Southern Utah was over 10 years ago)... So when you see the snow sprinkled on the red rock and red sand, you have to go out and play in it. The opportunity might come just once a decade.... the public schools even shut down... gotta love that you get a snow day for a few inches of snow!
So anyway back to the snowmen, I talked my little Sister Whitney into helping... so we got to work. It was great fun. My Mom then got to dressing them. Don't they look good? I thought we did a fantastic job.



This is my backyard! I'm not sure if I have ever seen it this white and snowy. So pretty.

I have also loved being home during the Christmas season... and can't wait for Christmas!
This is the night the big storm hit! I think this is as close to a white Christmas we are ever going to get.

This is my little bro Jordan and I getting in the Christmas Spirit.

MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!

raNdoM tHouGhTs...

As I was running today, my brain was thinking nothing but random thoughts.. so I thought I would share some of them with you.

-Glenn Beck's new book, The Christmas Sweater is a must read this holiday season. Go get yourself a copy! Glenn's a pretty rad guy as well.
-Rachael Ray is pathetically fantastic, and makes everything look so easy to make. I am a pretty good cook, but even I cant make it seem that easy.
-I still drink out of a straw if at all possible. My teeth don't like the cold.
-Who knew time could fly by so fast.... even without a job or school to occupy it with.
-Those who decorate for Christmas 34+ days before the actual holiday have a little too much time on their hands.
-Living at home, with the parents, def has its perks...
-George Washington was a very good man.
-Sweet Potatoes are better (in taste and nutrition) than your typical white russet potato. So eat em' up this Thanksgiving!
-I think it is odd when you run past another runner and they don't even acknowledge you.
-Why is it that I dread every moment of running til I actually get out and do it... Why can't exercise be easier?
-I would never be able to live all on my own... too lonely.
-Why is it that when you look back on college, it seemed so easy, yet at the time it was next to impossible.
-An average stick of gum for me lasts only ~10 min... that may be an under-exaggeration but really I go through gum like it is candy.
-I am very sad that Coco is no longer a Sox.... but really we needed pitching.. and at least we still have Jacoby to cover center field and wiz around the bases.
-Beginning to get LOST all over again. Second time through is almost better than the first. If any of you havn't been LOST... please do so. You won't regret it.
-Wished that I had money.. only because I could take advantage of all the cheap cheap cheap cruises this time of year. (When you don't have a job you have all the time in the world to travel, yet you don't have the money to do so, but when you do have a job, you don't have the time do travel.... go figure?)

well I think that is enough randomness for you all today.