Come With Me!

Friends, it is time.

Time to close down this blog.

Time to start a new one.

Entitled, "Little Red."

So, come over to my new space, I will keep updating, probably as much as I do now. Hee hee. I would love to see you, and share my thoughts, randoms joys, awkward moments, and adventures!

www.nicoleriding.blogspot.com

See you soon!

-Nicole

Dirty Little Secret

Want to know my dirty little Halloween secret? (OK, it's really not that dirty, but I just like saying "dirty little secret"). I will tell you. Put all the nasty candy on top, and give that to kids before anything else. Case in point:Whoppers, Almond Joy, 3 Musketeers (the dumbest candy bar ever invented), plain M&M's, and Kit Kat. I will take the Reeses' PB cups, the Snickers, Milky Way, and Twix, and proceed to eat myself into oblivion. Thank you.

Our actual Halloween celebration had nothing to do with being dirty, or little, and was not secretive in any way. But again, it's the phrase. Be honest. The innuendo is fun. Anyway...
We had our first official cousins' party, and it was a success! We all decided it was totally stupid that there were a bunch of us Ridings within 1 hour of each other, but we NEVER get together. Truly. So, this is the first changing of that tide. Complete with yummy soup and bread bowls, as shown here by my lovely assistant, Emily, as she samples the feast with grace. Laura brought some pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting, and I may or may not have eaten half of the 9 x 13" pan.
OK, so, not the cutest of me, but what can you do when it is a self-taken picture? You know you all have them. I love cousins. This is Kelly and Dan, and I like us. A lot. (Does my face look fat to anyone besides me? Don't answer that. I blame the pumpkin bread.).

Super Inappropriate...

I had a really inappropriate moment today. I was in the temple, and a lady that I was interacting with looked just like she could be Amy Poehler's mother. She even made some of the exact facial expressions. I swear, it was like Amy Poehler in 30 years. So, all I could think about was Saturday Night Live and the movie "Baby Mama" in an environment when that was NOT OK. And try really hard not to laugh. I don't know how successful I was. Sorry.

Fall!

I love this time of year. I made applesauce with my mom last Friday, which I have not been around to do in a long time, and that, combined with the yummy fall weather and pretty trees outside, made for a great fall day. I just love the change in seasons, and Halloween is part of that. I kind of think of Halloween as the day that really starts the party that lasts the rest of the year. I am super excited because this weekend, my cousins are all getting together (with cameo appearances by my parents and aunt and uncle) for a party on Sunday. We all live within an hour of each other, and never get together. We are finally doing something about how crazy that is. I also love costumes on children. For some reason, I am not one to be very eager to get in costume myself. I think it takes too much of my small supply of creative juices to think of anything, and to actually put it in action. But still think everything about Halloween is super fun.


These are pictures my dad took outside our windows. Beautiful, huh? I love it.

This morning, as I drove to work, I saw that the crossing guard at the elementary school by my house was wearing a costume. I remembered that on Monday I noticed she had a witch's hat on, and today she was a princess. I was really impressed that she wanted to make the whole week really fun for herself and the kids she helps across the street every day. I don't know, maybe she just gets really bored. But I prefer to think she is just a really cute lady who wanted to get into the spirit of the holiday. I wonder if at Thanksgiving, she will come dressed as a turkey.

This is a picture my sister in law Becca took last weekend on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. I almost can't look at it, I am so jealous I was not there seeing it. But, you know? Utah is great in the fall.

It snowed this morning; I am not quite ready for winter. I just stopped wearing flip flops a couple of weeks ago, and I would like some nice in-between weather before settling in for the duration. But I love fall in general. I have to say I am in a much better mood about the seasons since I left Las Vegas. Can you tell?
Actually, these are pics I took to wish Becca a happy birthday, because I am obnoxious like that. But I thought they were applicable to today's post as well. Happy Fall!

Trio Sings Telephone by Lady Gaga in Concert

Awesome.

I've been absent. I keep meaning to post pics of my awesome South Carolina reunion with my fam, and I keep forgetting. I promise I will get there. But I am still alive, I just don't have much to say at the moment. So, in the meantime, enjoy the above video of some amazing HIGH SCHOOLERS. I died when I saw this.

See you soon!

Things that make me happy.

These are just some pictures from the last year of my life that I love, in no particular order.

The alley next to my apartment in Clinton. Pretty cool, huh? My photographer friends, eat your heart out. A great location. Never saw anyone using it that way except me and my sis-in-law Becca, however.

Below is the Harmony House, in said alley. Come commune with God and a cup of coffee! Works for me...? I love the South.
My niece Ainsley at McDonalds. And yes, that is her bib on her head. Not some cute head scarf.

My girl Steph. It has now been 10 years since we met, the two youngest company members in Les Miz. She was 19 and playing Cosette, I was 21 and an Eponine cover. She is still one of my dearest, most loyal friends. I adore her, and it was SO good to see her in March.

Sibs. The two oldest, Gary and Carolynn, and the two youngest, Dave and me. Not a combination that happens often, but so fun. Sibs make me very happy.


Some artsy pics Dave and I took on our cross-country drive. This was all on the side of the road in some random town in New Mexico. We loved it.
Even the garbage trucks are fancy in Vail. The phrase at the bottom of the truck says, "Satisfaction guaranteed or your trash back!"

Lincoln's fifth birthday made me happy. And I think the crown that covered half of his head made him happy. It sure did me.

My girls at the Eclipse premiere make me happy. Jenkins, Dean, Tater, Meeks, Boyd, Roch, and Emily.

My cousins Kelly and Andrea at Bryce Canyon. Just ignore the weird angle of my body.
A square dancing tour group busting into a spontaneous square dance whilst singing "Singin' in the Rain" after a storm at Bryce. So precious.



Bryce Canyon again, as a really cool thunder storm came in. Summer storms make me happy.

Also, my cute cousins Jay, Brad and Danny doing something super random but really funny at the family reunion talent show makes me happy.


Old cemeteries in Charleston make me happy. (More on my fabulous vacation in my next post.)

Random servicemen who have the courage to ask to take a picture with us at Patriot's Point in Charleston make me VERY happy. I feel bad, I didn't even get his name, but I am grateful for his service to our country!

Doing Girls' Night with Grandma and Megan and Rachel. While the video rewinds, (yes, rewinds), Grandma plays the piano while they dance in their princess dresses with their painted nails and make up. I don't think they are fighting....

And, lastly, Dairy Queen makes me happy.

What?!

So, last night was my second night of insomnia in a row. I don't usually have insomnia, but my mind will not slow down this week, for some reason. Anyway, this morning, I woke at 3am, and immediately, my brain started going, and I knew it was going to be a long night. At 3:45am, still valiantly trying to go back to sleep, I felt a small crawling on my arm. I turned on the light to discover the largest spider I have seen for a long time, especially inside a house, in my bed. On my pillow. Next to where my face was. It is a good thing I am not a screamer, because I would have caused some civil unrest. I just did the jump-out-of-my-bed-run-to-the-other-side-of-my-room action. With a healthy gasp, I am sure. I am also pretty sure there was a "you have GOT to be kidding me" thrown in there as well.

I stared, and it sat. I knew I had to take care of it, which is sooo not my style. But even in situations like this, I am more grossed out killing a spider than I am just taking it outside. Luckily the little sucker was very slow moving, so I put a cup on top of it, picked up my pillow, and went outside into the black night. I geared up for an explosion, and dropped the pillow on the ground, and ran. It still sat on my pillow, although on the underside this time. This spider clearly had no fear. I almost left my pillow on the back porch. Truly. The only reason I went back out for it was I thought it might rain, and didn't want to ruin the pillow. Luckily, the spider had crawled off on its own by then, and I went back inside. I am washing the pillow case. Gross.

Then I added the fact that my skin was crawling to the many reasons why I couldn't sleep. And I sure didn't sleep.

New Obsession

I just finished the second book in The Hunger Games trilogy, by Suzanne Collins. I loved them. Katniss kicks butt, and I love Peeta. I need Katniss to love Peeta. For any of you who do not know what I am talking about, you just need to read the book. Third and final installment comes out in August. I might die of anticipation.

I love Peeta, and not just because his name reminds me of one of my favorite nicknames, Peetal.

I just love him.

Happiness is...

Happiness is going to BYU Womens Conference with your sisters and mom, going to the concert at night, and looking over to the left during a set by Michael McLean and seeing women with glow sticks. Like they are at a rave. In the Marriot Center. No joke.

Super Random...

So, I have really weird dreams. Often, the kind of dreams that are so weird that I wake up with huge relief. Luckily, I don't put much stock in dreams being a reflection of real life, or I would be one messed up lady.
Last night, I had a dream that I was dating someone. Who would that person be, you ask? I will tell you, and my hometown girls may know this name. The man in my dream was none other than the boy I "went with" for, like, a day, in 7th grade, Mark Robilliard.

I'm sorry, WHAT?!

Huge relief. Seriously.

Still There...

I just wanted to share that there is still a gaping hole in my ceiling. REALLY?!

A Few Randoms....

I went to New York City a few weeks ago, and had a total party. This is me and Jenny Lattimer, my fabulous friend. Please forgive all the pics in this post- they are all from my phone. But this was us at Don't Tell Mama's, a piano bar we went to. Originally we went to a separate room for some comedy show- it was painfully bad, and offensive, so we walked out after the first act. I am pretty sure that waitress hated us. But I don't care. The piano bar part was really fun; I love listening to live music! There were, however, some very nice middle-aged women at the table next to us. One of them, as she got more and more inebriated, kept pouting and trying to get us to sing, since it was open mic. I may have wanted to punch her, by the time we left. Maybe. We laughed so hard all weekend. I love that girl.

We also had a singing party with all my friends who are still in the City- it was so fun to sing with my old friends again! I know such talented people...I have not laughed like that for a long time; I may have cried a few times.

This is my cat Jack. I love him. He is pretty naughty. Always playing with our blinds, and scratching on our couches. We have tried spray bottles, and now we just shut him up in the pantry, like a time-out when he is bad. We are such good parents.
Jack has yellow eyes that show up green in pictures. He looks a little like a demon cat. This bag is his favorite toy.

Jack, I am sure, is looking at something very interesting.

Finally, it snowed this weekend! Quite a lot, apparently, for this area. This is the view out our bedroom window. It was so pretty, it made me happy.

Ok, I decided I am not quite done, sorry. When I was in Texas over New Years, I went shopping with my mom, my sis Carolynn, and my niece Amy. We had so much fun! I sure love that little Amy. She is 11, super cute and smart, and I am really looking forward to seeing the great things she does in her life.

Amy's little sister Kathryn is a little bit hysterical to me. She got hold of one of the drums my parents brought back from Ghana, supposedly for my nephews Caden and Gavin. However, on New Years Eve, that sucker was all hers. She is even holding it correctly, with the rope over her shoulder. She knows what's up, and she will let you know she knows. I died many times that night just watching.

Well, now I guess I am done. Again, please excuse the poor quality in pictures. My desktop computer is still on the fritz, and that is the only computer my camera will upload to. Boo.

Rain, Rain...

When I left Las Vegas, I was so rain-starved I swore I would never complain about the rain. Ever. I still won't do that. But I just have to say, it would be nice if the rain stopped for long enough that my roof would dry and someone would come fix the still-gaping hole in my ceiling. It would be nice.

There is a play called "Absent Friends."

And I am one of them. It is true. I have not posted for a long time. Our desktop computer is down, so I can't really even post any pictures. Sorry.

Life has not been too exciting lately, so I will just give a quick run down of the holidays, now that it is the middle of January.

Thanksgiving was wonderful. Cristian and I went to the Charlotte, NC area and spent the day with the Cheney family and all their glory, and also my brother Dave and his family. It is always great to be with Dave and Becca, but it was so fun to see old friends again after so many years. We were welcomed and taken care of. Cristian was a really good sport about all the reminiscing going on with the Cheneys. I swear, they remembered things I did that I don't remember. Maybe that is a good thing.
We also helped Dave and Becca pick out a Christmas tree the next day, and that was so fun. Then Becca, Nellie and I saw "New Moon." I am admitting right now that I am a fan of the books, though I have only read them once. I am not a repeat reader. I enjoy the movies for what they are, so it was really fun. It was a great weekend.

For Christmas, Presbyterian College completely shut down for 2 weeks. That's right. I got 2 weeks paid Christmas vacation. It was truly a Christmas miracle. The first week Cristian and I just hung out; we made cookies for a few people and went to Greenville to the Festival of Trees downtown. We spent our first Christmas without any family nearby. We just stayed home, the two of us. It was a very nice, relaxing day, complete with a yummy ham dinner and a viewing of "Star Trek" that C got from my brother Gary and his family. What a great gift.

The next day, my Mom's birthday, C took off to Florida for a stage combat workshop. At the same time, I took off to Texas to see my oldest sibs and their families, and my parents, who were also there for the holidays. They just returned from their mission in Ghana in November, so this was the first time I saw Mom and Dad since coming home. It was so fun! I love my family. I took a few pictures with my phone, but I don't know how to upload to a computer from my phone, so I don't have anything to show for it. But I had a great time. Some of the highlights- sitting in on my sister-in-law Melissa's Sunday School class, (she was awesome), shopping with my mom, my sis Carolynn, and my niece Amy. Amy and I walked around this accessories store doing running commentaries on all the jewelry. It was great. Love that girl. Loved going to the temple with my parents and Carolynn, then meeting Tim for lunch afterward. Seeing Pat and Jerry, Cristian's parents, and of course his brother Brett and sister-in-law Lisa. I love the family I married into. I am lucky. Talking to Melissa, anytime. Talking about BYU with Jen, my niece who is the cutest Freshman you have ever seen. Doing a puzzle with my dad and Caden and Tristan. Watching Gavin, Caden, then little Kathrine play the drums Mom and Dad had brought back for the boys. Seeing Allison and Jen with their friends. Celebrating NYE with all, eating fondue and other yummy treats until I thought I would die, doing a count down at 9:20pm, then being in bed by 11pm. Happy New Year.
I flew back into Charlotte and spent the night with Dave and Becca before coming home. I love talking to them, and we stayed up late doing that. My favorite quote of the whole trip actually came from Emily on the way to their house after Dave picked me up from the airport. She said, "Aunt Nicole?" What, Baby? "When we get home, I want to show you my moves." Awesome. She is a funny little 5-year old. Of course, her current favorite song to dance to is "Dead Man's Party" from Oingo Boingo. Then Caleb got into it by doing his head stands while Emily rolled and shook and writhed around him. How much do I love this family? So much.

It was a great trip, but I was ready to come home. Life marches on, somehow.

I am optimistic about 2010. I have no idea what it will bring. But I am optimistic. Cristian and I are lucky- we both have jobs, we live in a great little town that we love, we have a great ward, and callings with the youth. Even though I am sitting in my apartment (which is another blessing) listening to water drip through a hole in our ceiling into the cooler that C placed underneath, I know life is good. Water drip or no.