Christmas Break 2011

We had a really fun Christmas and New Year's Eve this year! We ended up going to Salt Lake the weekend before Christmas to hang out with Richard's family and take some family pictures. Here are a few of my favorites:





Then, we stayed home in NOVA for Christmas and New Year's Eve. It was a strange feeling not being with either of our families to celebrate these holidays, but it was great to not experience the stress of traveling and to be able to spend it with such awesome friends.

Christmas Eve day, Richard and I headed out to experience our Christmas presents to each other... front row tickets to the Redskins v. Vikings game at FedEx field. It was so much fun to be so close to the field. Sadly, they lost (which will come to no surprise to those of you who follow football). But it was still SO much fun! I wouldn't want to go to an NFL game any other way.


One thing that was really fun about it was that we had a really good view of John Beck, BYU's former quarterback. I kept on loudly yelling, "Put in Beck!!" in hopes that he would turn around and smile at us. Alas, 'twas not meant to be. Also, I think everyone by me was very confused as to why I actually wanted John Beck to play (apparently, he hasn't been that great this season).



That night, we went over to Bethany & Ben's place. B and I have been friends since the very first day of our freshman year of college, so it was almost like celebrating with family. We had lots of fun with our old Alexandria ward friends eating fondue, playing charades and Trivial Pursuit and exchanging presents.



Fast forward to New Year's Eve... we first went to the Bell's house. Gina and I are in the PhD program together and have lots of fun together. It was great! And then we went to the Vigil's to bring in the new year in style (when Britni's hosting, you really wouldn't have it any other way). Check out her post here. Seriously, Britni should quit her job and be a full-time party planner!




The past few weeks have been considerably less exciting. It mostly consists of Richard going to work and then doing 4-5 hours of bar prep every weekday night (plus all day Saturday), and me getting ready for the new semester, watching The Bachelor, and slowly getting addicted to Pinterest. Hope you're having a great 2012!

My Promise

When I was a junior in college, I wrote for our college newspaper, The Daily Universe. [Side Note: the name of the newspaper is about to become a misnomer.] One day, my editor gave me an assignment for a story to write. There was an author coming to campus to host a "literary boot camp," and I was supposed to call him and interview him for the story. So I did, and I ended up talking to this guy, who was very nice. I asked him some questions about the boot camp and what not. Then I asked him the next question on my list, which was "what books have you written?" Now, if I hadn't been a complete idiot (or otherwise distracted, as I had just started dating Richard at the time), I would have looked him up on the Internet beforehand and figured out that this guy was seriously legit. But alas, I was, in fact, a complete idiot.



He answered, sounding a little bit confused: "Well, Ender's Game."

"Ender's Game..." I repeated. "Can you spell that for me?"

Silence. "E-N-D-E-R."

"Okay, thanks!"

I then continued on with the questions for my story. It's been about 5 years, so I can't remember exactly how his part of the story goes, but I think he eventually figured out that I had no clue who he (Orson Scott Card) was, and I somehow ended up promising him that I would read Ender's Game.



This Christmas, I finally made good on my promise! And I actually really, REALLY enjoyed it! So much so that I am now halfway through the sequel, Speaker for the Dead, which is equally good although written very differently.

Anyway, moral of the story is, ALWAYS, ALWAYS Google people before interviews.