a GRADUATION day in the life of me...

My sister, Jenny, graduated from BYU this past Thursday!! The commencement speaker was Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
He was pretty funny and gave some good advice. I'm going to quickly re-cap.

He told us a secret - if you want to wake up with a smile on your face each and EVERY morning, go to sleep with a coat hanger in your mouth :-)

He gave us a list of 10 things that will help us lead a happy/better life:
1. establish a set of principles that will guide your whole life
2. don't make exceptions to your standards/principles
3. be loyal
4. live so the Lord can guide you to where He wants you to serve
5. serve others
6. smile
7. don't complain
8. always have a church assignment (always offer your services to your presiding authority)
9. go to the temple
10. use the Savior, Jesus Christ, as your example to life

His whole address was amazing and this was just the last part. If you have time, I suggest you read it.

a SATURDAY IN SEATTLE day in the life of me...

10am

Pike’s Place Market

People. Tulips. Yummy Smells. Tulips. Awesome Lobster Tail. Tulips. Crowds. Tulips. Smells. Tulips. Fish. Tulips. Colors. Noise. Pirozhky. Tulips. Vibrance. Excitement. Tulips. Knick-Knacks. Tulips. More Sea Fish. Cheese shop?! Yes Please. Yum!!! Totem Poll Copying, Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar Buying, People Watching – EXCELLENT MORNING!

These nuts smelled SO good.

Talk about a wicked lobster tail!

SO MANY TULIPS!

Just gotta love this face!

What am I looking at? No idea. That's some great vinegar though.

Seattle Underground Tour: Seattle was built on hills (as previously mentioned in older posts) Originally it was a 47% grade and they were able to get it down to an 18% grade after much sluicing and hard work. The city of present day Seattle was literally built up around Old Seattle. For a more comprehensive history see link.

Our tour guide was fantastic. She had punch, pizzazz and I’m quite sure is a big name in Seattle’s theater productions. I was laughing so hard that it almost turned to tears – especially as she so “delicately” explained why there were so many women in Seattle who claimed to be “seamstresses” and yet there were no sewing machines to be found. Oh dear…tisk tisk. Ken had never gone on the tour. That made it even better because neither one of us knew exactly what to expect while walking around down there: gross water falling on our head, stories of ghosts, entertaining stories and a seeing room that had been converted into a set for a movie were just some of the delights. :-)

hello eerie tunnel

ingenious sky lights

Not going to lie, after such a full morning and early after noon we were just a bit tuckered. After returning to Ken’s place we decided that he was super tired :-). A 45 minute nap and he was ready to rock-n-roll. At first we were thinking a bike ride, but alas I am too short for his bikes. Well never fear, there is still plenty to do in this city …. Let’s think …. Grocery shopping!! Off we went to Trader Joe’s. It’s a cute little market. Ken bought some YUMMY treats and then we headed off to the VW dealership across the street.

VW GTI ? – yes please.

Hatch back? Check. Manual? Check. Sun roof? Check. White/Black/Grey? Check. Second hand smoke? Check …. Um …. Do we want that one checked? OK – will look into further. Good bye dealership.

Went to get pizza. Definitely not enough time before the movie. OK. We’ll just have to get some when Ken comes to Utah (after all, the Pie is the BEST place for pizza). Chipotle did the trick. Race to the movie theater (thank you Boeing), find a wicked parking spot (thank you Shelley), race up the stairs – close race, but Ken won (thank you heels – hahaha just kidding – he’s just faster than I am regardless of how much I tried to cheat by blocking him.) Met up with Stephanie and Christian to see “The Conspirator.” Interesting – sparked good conversation.

Finished the night at Ken’s house eating delectable cookies and milk. What a great Saturday night!

a FRIDAY IN SEATTLE day in the life of me...

Alarm ringing. Why? Oh right. Must run. Training for a half marathon isn’t easy, but will be worth it. OK. Must be quiet. Don’t wake up Stephanie. Take phone? Yes.

Walk down one street and encounter a San Francisco hill – yep I’m on the right street. OK, quick walk to the lake and then a good hour run. Here I go.

Why is my phone going off so much?! Oh wait. It’s my birthday!!! 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 “happy birthday” text messages – loving this run. How many times have I been around this lake? No idea. Buzz, buzz, buzz – dad’s calling! He’s mildly alarmed that I’m answering my phone completely out of breath. Quickly reassure that I’m fine and just out for a beautiful morning run before heading into the city. He tells me HAPPY BIRTHDAY and how much he loves me. Off to my run again. Wait. I see 65^th street. Cross street, run up hill – literally up. This isn’t right. It can’t be. Call Ken – sets me right. Off around the lake I go again. Correct street. Run up – wait … can’t r.u.n. u.p. ---- ugh. Stupid hill.

Shower. Breakfast. Purse check. Key check. Gone. Bus driver so helpful. 3^rd and Pike – wow that was fast. OK. Here I go. 30 minutes spent just walking around. Familiarizing myself with the city that is going to be my friend for the next few hours. OK. Let’s go see something. To the Seattle Art Museum. Out comes my phone and the handy navigation system. Sight to see: me, head pouring over phone, checking street signs, looking up, checking street signs, pouring over phone. Found it. Delighted by it.

To the water front. Walk. Up hill. Walk. Down hill. Walk. Up hill. Walk. Down hill. Walk. Up hill. Walk. Down hill. Seattle is built on hills – only.

RAIN!! Popped into Borders. Dang it. :-) 30 minute conversation with Emily.

Walk. Up hill. Walk. Down hill. Walk. Up hill. Walk. Down hill. Walk. Up hill. Walk. Down hill. First hill – um, maybe shouldn’t be here. Turn around.

2pm – feet exhausted. Look here – Barnes and Nobles. Stopped to rest. 2:45pm Ken honking on 7^th and Pike. Jump in car and we’re off.

Walk. Up hill. Walk. Down hill. Walk. Up hill. Walk. Down hill.

Old Curiosity Shop – seriously weird. Mummified Merman. Skeletons, whale bones, octopus, spiders, knick knacks, slap wrist watches – hello childhood, sharks, swords

Walk up hill

Seattle Public Library - wow! Enter. Head to escalator. Up and up and up. Floors 7 through 10 are literally a spiral. You just keep walking and you get higher and higher. Awesome architecture. Floor 10 – look over gated ledge and experience vertigo. Ken not loving it. Quick picture and head down in elevator. Floor 4 – red floor. So worth seeing.

Smith Tower

Park – love the view of Seattle.

Confession to Ken – feet DEAD three hours ago.

Off we head to meet with up Stephanie and Christian for my birthday dinner. Crepes are the menu – what?! The restaurant is closed until 8pm for a private event. Well never mind. Drop off Christian’s BMW 2002 at the mechanics and head for Indian – yum!

Fun stories: craziest place traveled, craziest thing eaten, missions, Europe, South America. Loving it. Laughing hard. Quick pics and then head back to Ken’s place.

Movie time, story time, article on French catacombs, foot rub, more stories, laugher, more stories, back popping 25 times, more stories. 1am – must go back to Stephanie’s.

Saturday is going to be another busy day!! Bring it.

a THURSDAY IN SEATTLE day in the life of me...

1 hour ride to Salt Lake City

1 hour to get through check-in and security at the airport

2 hours and 4 minutes flight to Seattle, WA

1 awesome weekend!!

7pm my flight lands in a city I’ve never been to before, but one I know that I will become very familiar with over the next three days. I make my way down the winding corridors to baggage claim. Buzz. My phone goes off. It’s my friend Ken telling me that he’s there and to call him when I’ve got my bag. Standing at the carousel, standing, standing. “Attention passengers from Salt Lake City. They moved your luggage to carousel 11.” Oops – another short walk later and … there is my bag! Oh wait. It’s heavy. OK. I’ll just ask nice man next to me to pick it up. Smooth sailing from here. Out side I go, calling Ken as I walk. I explain where I am, he’s coming to get me. Oh wait. It’s FREEZING out here. What the heck?! Am I not on spring break? Oh wait; it’s Seattle.

Here comes a car that I know. OK. Maybe it’s not him, no I really think it is, maybe? Oh it is! OK. Stay calm. No need to get all excited until he’s out of his car. After all there are many people around you and what good would that do to freak out right now?! None. He’s out of the car, walking towards and yep … there’s the hug! I’m here.

He opens the car. I get in. He loads my bag and then, with an unsure voice says, “Shell. The name on your luggage isn’t yours.” Oh right. Yeah it’s my roommates bag. (so never fear. I would not have left the airport with the wrong bag!)

Off we go to Seattle. He decides to take the scenic route – through industrial Seattle so that I get a chance to see the city. How thoughtful! I LOVE it. I love everything about it. The buildings, the industry, the ocean, the docks, the sunset, the conversation, the music, the spaz moment (that was done by me) … all of it.

Ken fills me in on Seattle information, work, where I’ll be staying, where we’re going to dinner, parts of Seattle to AVOID, etc. As we wind through hills, streets, corners, etc I find myself incredibly grateful that I’m not driving. I learn that I’m going to be staying with Stephanie for the next three days. The more I hear about her the more excited I am to meet her. In fact, she was so darling and gave Ken a key so in case she wasn’t home, we could get in.

However, first things first. FOOD! Red Mill Burgers. They were so fresh and so good; however my BBQ was a little too good. Within seconds after my first bite I had a delicious stream of BBQ sauce streaming down my hand. I told Ken it felt like warm honey; however I quickly realized that molasses was a better descriptor. Can’t you just see that lovely milky brown ooze :-)

Ken doesn’t like pickles – I do. Quickly taking them off of his burger, I put them on mine. Yum!

OK. Full belly. Next = place to sleep? No. Photo shoot – I think he’s pretty good at this!

Now it’s time for a place to sleep.

Driving a little less than a block I find myself staring at a darling, white apartment. The light’s on. Is she home? Ken begins to unlock the door and quickly realizes that she is there.

Step over the threshold into warmth, light and hugs. It is all delight and welcome. Ken takes my luggage upstairs as I get the tour of her bathroom and bedroom. Silkscreen of flowers hangs on the wall above her toilet – it’s charming – handmade. I’m going to like it here.

We join the men upstairs – her boyfriend Christian.

Two hours of laughing, reliving moments from the 80s, 90s and now, planning out my Friday in Seattle, talking cameras, movies, talking sleep … yep. talking sleep. Another quick hug and Ken is gone. I’ll be by myself until 3pm tomorrow so I’d better get some shut-eye if I’m to tackle the city!

a CALIFORNIA day in the life of me...

I just spent 9 wonderful days traveling throughout the western United States. It was my spring break and I lived it up ... as much as I could :-)
Friday, after work, I took off to St. George, UT to visit my grandma and grandpa Boshard. We spent a delightful evening with me telling them stories, them feeding me and us watching "Pillow Talk."

The next day it was an early "up and at ‘em" with grandpa making me a yummy breakfast and sending me on my way across the desert to California where my good friend, Cecile and her family live. They had their first baby a couple of months ago so it was a doubly good reason for me to go visit. I got to see her and then I also got to spend oodles of time with her BEAUTIFUL baby boy.

Isn't he darling?!

We went to dinner, shopping, watched movies and had a great time relaxing! On Saturday night I went with Cecile and her sister to a friend's birthday dinner. I first met this group of friends when I was 19 years old. It constantly amazes me how FAST time flies. wow!!

Me, Nico, Savannah, Cecile

Cecile teaches 12 year old girls on Sunday. It was so fun to remember what it was like to be a new Young Woman and to think that I was "so cool" and that "I knew everything." After seeing what she went through, I now realize that I knew nothing and I want to give a huge SHOUT OUT to my wonderful leaders who had the patience to deal with the 6 of us who were all in the same year. phew - talk about exhausting.

On Monday, Cecile had to go back to work, so I got to hang out with her baby :-) Actually in the afternoon I went to work with her husband. He works at a local Junior High. I was able to go and see how their special education department runs. Being a teacher is so funny, because when you see something going drastically WRONG you just want to jump in; well at least I did. However, I bit my tongue and just told myself that it's not my place. There are some darling students that junior high and every time I praised them, they lit up. Who knew?! It's a true principle - EVERYONE likes being praised!!! (just do it)

That next morning I was up and at it again quite early to make my way to Las Vegas. My good friend Meghan lives there with her husband and their, almost, 2 year old boy Camden. I am Camden’s “Fairy Godmother.” So, by default he has to love me. He did quite a good job of demonstrating that while I was there. He didn’t mind giving me hugs or sitting on my lap and to make sure that all of the attention was on him all of the time, he demonstrated how much energy he possessed when we went out! However, I must admit that since he’s so cute, he could totally get away with it.

me and Camden

I was there for just a few hours, but it was wonderful. I hadn’t seen them in four months, so we had plenty to catch up on and good laughs to have. I really am so grateful for such amazing friends! That night I found myself back in St. George. My family had come down for a convention in Vegas with my dad’s work. We met up and celebrated my birthday. We were originally going to celebrate it in Vegas, but meeting in St. George and sleeping at the grandparents seemed like a little bit better idea.

Stay tuned for Seattle!!