Hello and Goodbye

Well, my 9 followers, it has officially been 1 year, 1 month, and 4 days since my last posting. If you're still out there, desperate to know what's going on in my life, check out my new blog-or rather our blog. http://prydefam.blogspot.com/

It has one post, with the promise of at least 2 more (wedding/honeymoon posts). I can't guarantee anything beyond that however. I learned in my psychology and sociology classes that the best indicator of future behavior is -you guessed it- past behavior. So with that in mind, I can promise to try harder. Just don't get your hopes up too high, and soak it up when you can. Happy reading!!

Words of Affirmation

This YouTube video never fails to make a bad day (or even a good day) better:



I hope you all have a GREAT day!!

Rachel Takes a Trip to the Beach

Rachel grew up in Idaho, and had never been to the beach before, at least not that she can remember. She has a picture of her and her dad when she was only 2 years old. Her dad is holding her hands as she is walking along the water in her nightgown and cowboy boots. Rachel was too little to remember that day though. Rachel wanted to go to the beach so much.

When Rachel heard about a place called Assateague Island, she decided she needed to explore it's beach. Rachel took her roommate, Holli, and her friends, Justin and Lee, with her.

They backpacked for 4 miles along the beach until they reached their campsite. Rachel saw lots of little crabs in the sand as they walked.

The first thing Rachel did, after applying a heavy dose of sunscreen, was jump in the ocean! She soon discovered how fun it is to play in the waves! She giggled and giggled as the waves tried to carry her to shore.

Rachel knew a trip to the beach includes playing in the sand, so she built a sandcastle, but she couldn't get the princess tower to stand very tall. Justin could see that this made Rachel sad, so he helped her turn it into a sea turtle. The princess tower became its head. It was the finest sand sea turtle this side of the Mississippi.

Rachel had heard of people burying each other in the sand with only their heads poking out. Rachel thought this sounded funny, so Justin let her bury him while he took a nap next to the sea turtle.

Rachel also heard that this island had wild animals living on it that most beaches don't have. Can you tell what they are?

Wild horses!!!!!!!!!
Rachel wanted to pet the horses even though she knew they were not safe. She also knew the park rangers would make her pay $100 if she got too close to the horses. Rachel decided not to pet the horses.

Rachel quickly learned that the wild horses brought horse flies with them. They bit her so many times that she counted 20 bites on her feet and legs. She ran out of fingers and toes to count on, so she stopped counting.

There was also a big rainstorm when they were visiting the beach. Rachel and her friends had to go into the tent to stay dry, and the rain made the tent really loud. There was so much wind, Rachel got scared that they might blow away into the ocean. Rachel's friends decided to play cards in the tent, and Rachel had so much fun she forgot she was scared.

The next day, Rachel and her friends went back to the ranger station. Rachel could see dolphins waving goodbye to her and her friends as they walked so Rachel waved back. This was the best trip to the beach Rachel could remember in her entire life.

THAR SHE......doesn't blow

(All pictures borrowed from Google Images)

The excitement of the earthquake did not last long as we were forced to prepare for the treacherous hurricane, Irene. And, yes, she was just about as scary as she sounds. Allow me to fill you in on the details, per Aunt Rachel's request.

I was blissfully planning a getaway to Ocean City with "the girls" (insert finger quotations) when my roommate informed me Irene was brewing. Our trip was hastily canceled the day Ocean City mandated an evacuation (insert frown accompanied with head drooping). I then began to think about preparing for the impending doom.

(Irene smiling for the camera at Ocean City on Saturday)

When Friday rolled around, I thought perhaps I would squeeze my preparation in between work and volleyball. It turns out everyone else decided to prepare just then too. The store was swarming with people. However, the water isle was vacant due to the lack of water on the shelves. I grabbed the last two cans of chunk light tuna in water, some grapes, some bread, a can of soup, and about 7 bottles of water found in the deli section where no one thought to look. (insert triumph pose) I figured that would be sufficient in addition to my 1 dehydrated meal and gallon of water at home. I then went home, filled my freshly cleaned bathtub full of water, and went off to play volleyball with friends.

When Saturday rolled around there was a constant pouring of rain (typical of any ol' summer storm) accompanied by a breeze. Irene was teasing us with her calmness. As Irene not-so-swiftly approached, we received word that church was canceled. I called Levi some time between 4-6 pm. When I asked if the hurricane hit yet, I heard a laugh and "Has it hit yet? (insert sarcasm) Since 8 o'clock this morning!" He then proceeded to report how many trees were down and how many hours the power had been out. They were ignoring the storm at a friend's house playing cards and having a grand ol' time. (insert jealousy) I couldn't wait for Irene to visit so we could have a party! All I could do was wait for it........
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
......................................wait for it................................................................
......................................................................................................................
...............................................................................(sigh)........................
....................................................................................................................
..........wait for it...........................................................................................
...........................................(huff).............................................................
Well, I assume there was some wind and probably more rain that night, perhaps some thunder and lightning. (I wouldn't know, I'm a heavy sleeper.) When I woke up, the trees were standing, the sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the parking lot was dry. (insert birds chirping) No sign of Irene except for a few leaves and small branches on the ground. With no church to go to, my roommates and I went for a walk and played Rummikub for a while. It was a slightly boring day. (insert finger drumming) Thanks for nothing Irene.

(I have no clue who this kid is, but this is how I felt.)

Fight (stand-in-doorway) or Flight

Tuesday was an interesting day. My plan was to visit a few clients and then get a LOT of paperwork done at my 8th floor office on Massachusetts Avenue, in spite of the air conditioner that causes me to wrap myself in my baby blue Snuggie with clouds on it. (Don't be jealous.)

I was feeling good about my efforts to enter data, sign here, file papers, and send emails. As I stood to go get something off the printer, I heard a faint rumble and felt a small vibration coming through the floor. I looked at my coworker (#1) through the doorway. She looked at me, both frozen with an expression that said, "Did you feel that too?" Then the walls and floor began to shake more and the rumble came back louder. Something fell on a desk. My coworker and I both calmly stepped into the door frame. No words were spoken.

Just then, coworker #2 came running around the corner saying, "What's going on?!" We told her there was an earthquake and she should step into the door frame. She then began to walk hurriedly in circles not knowing what to do. Coworker #1 grabbed her and pulled her near the door frame. Coworker #2 then began hugging the wall, her leg trying to wrap around it, all the while hysterically crying, "NO!" Coworker #1 wrapped her arms around coworker #2 and told her it would be OK. I concurred by awkwardly patting coworker #2's shoulder, but really wondering how Laverne (my car) was doing in the basement.

As this is happening, coworker #3 steps into the middle of the room starring at the scene and, in his monotone voice, states "Coworker #2". Of course coworker #3 was ignored by all as he stood tempting mother nature in the middle of the room.

When the shaking ended (less than a minute after it started) coworker #3 states, "I think we are supposed to evacuate." We then calmly gather our cell phones and descend all 8 flights in a hurried manner. (Note, none of our coworkers are to be seen.) As we exit the building, there are crowds of people lining Massachusetts Avenue including all our other coworkers. My supervisor looks at me and shouts, "You're OK! I couldn't get a call through and didn't know where you were. What were you doing in there?!" As coworker #1 and I explain that we were standing in doorways, we were informed we should have evacuated by our supervisors whose eyes were glazed over with crisis. Coworker #1, from the shaky state of California, then informed everyone else that we would have lived in our door frames while they all died in the stairwell had the quake been anymore severe. As she stated this, a handful more of our coworkers exited the building with a similar report involving desks and door frames.

When we reentered the building over an hour later, I noticed I took the time to turn off my office light upon evacuation. No sense in wasting energy. Coworker #1 also noticed that she somehow found the time to pause her internet radio station. No sense letting it play if there's no one there to listen to it. It's funny what habits we pick up.

I didn't get done near as much as I had planned, but it was one eventful day!

Visitors

I have had so many visitors lately! Jesse and Calder (cousins) came in March, my parents came in April, and a friend from Wyoming, Kory, came in May. We covered a LOT of ground! (My parents' feet can attest to that!) Here is what we did in a nutshell:

My favorite part of DC: The Awakening


This is a sculpture of a giant coming out of the ground at the National Harbor. What an entrance he's making!!

Also part of our stop at the Harbor: Peeps

This is a really fun store (if you can get past the sugary nausea that hits you once you get two steps into the store). They have a Hot Tamales meter that tells you how hot you are. The last time I tried it I was SMOKIN!

The National Cathedral


Emily and I had great fun learning about the meanings behind the towers, the pictures in the gates, the chapels, etc. And the murals were beautiful!

The Mall:

(Me and Dad in the Jefferson-I love this picture because it truly captured a funny moment.)

We saw them in the daytime and the nighttime. My favorite stop is the Jefferson Memorial. My friend from high school, Brad, gave my parents and my cousins a tour of the capitol. It was a lot of fun. We got a one-of-a-kind tour of the capitol!!

Arlington:


We watched the changing of the guards at the tomb of the unknown soldier. It rained but Arlington is always a good time!

Mount Vernon

(Andy, Levi, Emily, Moi)

Beautiful countryside with nice little nature trails that wind over the sloping hills and through the thick woods. This was the only way we could keep Andy happy because he kept wandering off.

James Town and Williamsburg:


The Governor's Mansion at Williamsburg had BEAUTIFUL gardens and bowling greens that seemed to go on forever! I was picturing myself in an empire waisted dress having romantic yet innocent rendezvous with my forbidden love. (Count of Monte Cristo style?) One of the gardens felt like the hedge maze in Harry Potter. We never would have found them if it weren't for Jesse and Calder's curiosity and bravery!

The Nationals:

(Me, Barrett, Holli, Kory)

We also went to a Nats game. I still haven't been convinced that baseball is America's greatest past time, but the company was sure fun!

That's it in a nutshell. We did a few more things, but I don't want to bore you with our painful story of the free show at the Kennedy Center (Jesse and Calder know what I'm talking about.) You should all know I haven't had visitors in June yet. I'm still waiting for someone to book it. Any takers?

(P.S. Thanks Google for the images!)

Gettysburg

On our (Levi, Emily, Andy) Pennsylvania adventure, we also saw Gettysburg. What a fun place to visit! I am currently reading a novel based on the events at Gettysburg, The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. Due to my inability to read quickly, I am only into the second day of the battle now, but I'm absorbing every detail I can! It gives me a great visual to have seen the actual ground where the battle took place. I can see the advantage of high ground that was so obvious to the soldiers. It brings the strategy behind the battle alive! It is fun to read the personal details of the story behind each of the main players in the battle as well.

These are my favorite generals so far:

• General Pickett (Confederate) was a "perfumed" man with bouncing curls and in love with a girl half his age, for whom he vowed ne'r to touch liquor and gets teased for it. He is quite entertaining!

• General Chamberlain (Union) was an eloquent, inspiring man with deep convictions. As a professor of philosophy, he gave spur-of-the-moment, inspirational, and motivational speeches to his men with an air of humility. He makes me want to enlist!

• General Robert E. Lee (C) was a man greatly respected by both sides of the war. I can see why as I read about him. I can't help but root for him even though I already know the outcome of the story.

• General Longstreet (C), Lee's "old war horse," loved to be on the defensive and advised Lee to do so. Lee did not follow his friend's advice. Longstreet and Lee seem to be so opposite, yet Longstreet seems to be Lee's ray of sunshine.

• General Reynolds (U) was a polished and dignified gentleman and military man who respectfully declined the offer to command the Union Army, believing he would not be of much help by leaving the front line. Just reading about him paints a very detailed picture in my head of a distinguished, handsome gentleman atop his trusty steed that any woman would swoon for.
  

It's so interesting to read about the relationships and the respect the generals had for each other on either side of the war. They were friends who simply chose different sides. They even waved to each other from a distance before battles commenced. They were truly sad when learning of their opposing friend's deaths as well. I am loving my book, and I can't wait to finish it and then go back to Gettysburg for the full visual! Gettysburg is by far one of my favorite sites that I've visited.

A day without chocolate is a day without sunshine. ~Anonymous

If that's the case, it must be sunny all year round in Hershey, Pennsylvania! Last weekend Levi, Emily, Andy, and I went on an adventure to Pennsylvania. We took no pictures because the paparazzi would not leave us alone, and we figured we could just get pictures from the tabloids. All the pictures in this post came from the paparazzi via Google Images.


Hershey, PA was established by Mr. Milton Hershey himself to sustain his factory. (Apparently the paparazzi wouldn't leave him alone either.) He even brought in entertainment and built nice homes to keep his employees happy, although you'd think chocolate is all they needed, right?? I thought it was interesting to know that Mr. Hershey and his wife could not have children so they supported a boys' orphanage and left their wealth to the orphanage when they died.


We thought it was really cool that the roads had a brownish tint to them, but apparently the paparazzi didn't. I couldn't find a good picture. I wonder if they put real chocolate in the roads? Afterall, they put real chocolate on their street lights!

You may notice there are no pictures of us. It seems we are better at hiding from the paparazzi than we thought!

American History Quiz

Whip out your number two pencils everyone! This weekend I explored our short American history at the National Museum of American History. See if you can guess whose artifacts I saw.
(All of the pictures came from the Smithsonian website: http://americanhistory.si.edu/exhibitions/index.cfm


I had the privilege of learning all about a particularly influential individual. Above is a picture of the hat he wore the night he died. I feel that he could fit in with the Pontipee brothers; a scroungy backwoodsman as tall as a church steeple. Who was he?


Guess who's kitchen this is! Any takers?? You might be interested to know that the two cook books on the shelf that appeared to be the most worn (everything in the kitchen is original) were Joy of Cooking. I also spotted a quote from the owner stating, "We all have copies of Mrs. Joy." You will also be interested to know that there was a small tile on the counter top that stated "I wasn't there. It didn't happen. It was the little people."


Consider this the equivalent of those questions your teachers always put in the test to guarantee that no one completely fails. Who's slippers are these? I'll give you a hint: there's no place like home! Fun fact: the slippers were actually supposed to be silver but the producers felt that silver did not give the impact they were looking for with technicolor screens.


These dresses were worn by the first ladies. Any takers on who wore which ones? The one in the middle is my favorite, but unless you really know your presidents and the years they were in term, it may be difficult. (These were really fun to see by the way. I think you should all look them up on the Smithsonian's website. Laura Bush's was quite amusing :)


This is the Philadelphia, a gunboat which carried a "wretched motley crew" (in Arnold's words) under the command of Benedict Arnold during the American Revolution. It is the oldest surviving fighting vessel in American history, measuring 54 feet and 29 tons. It fought and sunk in Lake Champlain, where it sat until 1935. I just know you're all dying to know how many men it carried but I'm not going to tell you. Mwahaha! That is your question, how many men did it carry?


Last but not least. This is the flag that inspired our National Anthem, the original star-spangled banner. How big is it??

There is much more to share with you but I don't want this to be an epistle. I would encourage you to go to the Smithsonian website to learn more. (And you should all look up Audie Murphy to learn how he earned the Medal of Honor in WWII.) But don't cheat!! I do not tolerate cheaters!

Monument Hunting

This last week I tried to visit the Iwo Jima memorial in Arlington National Cemetery. You know, the statue of the 5 soldiers hoisting the American flag. I actually tried to listen to a book about it once on CD as I traveled to and from work. The first chapter was interesting but the reader was putting me dangerously to sleep. I decided it was not worth my life and gave up after several attempts. The only thing I really remember from it was that it occurred on a volcano.

As you may have noticed, I wrote that I tried to visit the memorial. It was a chilly night and my small group decided not to take the trusty Metro. We drove instead, taking the trusty, heated car. The good news is we found it. It looked like this:

(Thanks Google Images!)

The bad news is we could not figure out how to get the car to it. It was a beautiful sight from the freeway though! Instead of patiently figuring it out, we just kept driving. You're bound to run into a monument at some point when you're in DC right? RIGHT!! We discovered this beauty:

(Thanks Google Images!)

The Air Force Memorial! It is SO HUGE! According to one of the people in our group, it supposedly represents three jets taking off. We even got to get out of the car and see it up close. (Not that you really need to.) The view from there was gorgeous too! We could see most of the major monuments from the platform. Really cool.

Afterward we walked around Old Town Alexandria and drank hot chocolate. I think this sums it up:

(Thanks Google Images!)

The moral of this story: you should all come visit me because we are bound to find SOMETHING to do!

Puffin Billy

I spent my day with a friend I met about a year ago. His name is Puffin Billy and we met when I decided I wanted to play the harmonica. I found him on Youtube and I just know you guys would love him too. Without further ado:



It was this video that made me first realize Billy and I would be bosom buddies. How can you not love that eyebrow action?




Billy showed me this little number for the first time tonight. I think I'll ask him to play it at my wedding someday.

Unfortunately my harmonica playing skills are nowhere near Billy's, but he has taught me everything I know. I hope you enjoyed meeting him! Back to practicing!

Happy Veteran's Day!

I went to Arlington National Cemetery to honor our vets this week. (Having national holidays off is an excellent perk to working in DC.) I want you all to see what I saw, which may be difficult since I don't have a camera, but Google Images and I will do our best.


My intention was to attend the wreathing ceremony conducted by Vice President Biden, but I realized that 45 minutes early is, apparently, not early enough. I was bummed about not being able to attend, because only ONE section of the cemetery was open while the VP was present. It was the Iraq/Afghanistan Section. Boy was I glad I missed the ceremony and went there instead!


Passing through the never-ending rows of headstones was humbling. Reality hit a little harder with each step as I passed the newly-created graves that had not yet been tucked-in tight with sod; as if they were children put to bed without their blankets. There was one grave that hit me HARD. His name was Scott. Scott was born only two years before me and died just a few months ago while I was on Spring Break visiting my family. Below his name was engraved Beloved Son, Husband, and Father. Just below that, on the grass, was an awkward arrangement made of fallen leaves and a stick; evidence of a grieving child. I was glad to be wearing sunglasses to hide my tears.


I wish you all could see the families who were there to visit someone specific. My favorite family was a couple in their 50s (?). They were camped-out in their red lawn chairs facing one of the many plain, white headstones. Neither of them said more than a word or two or even diverted their eyes to much else. They just sat in their solemnity, eyes forward. As I passed by, I noticed the individual to which they were paying tribute had died earlier this year and was only a few years older than myself. It was beautiful to see their tender love and respect, yet heart-wrenching to witness their sorrow.

As I wandered through the hundreds of thousands of graves, I couldn't help but think about why so many men and women had to die. I came up with multiple answers, but they all ultimately came back to one thing, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This nation was founded and has been protected so that the Gospel could be restored again and have a place to thrive. Our country has had to interfere with other nations' conflict so that the Gospel could continue to roll forth throughout the world.

I think John F. Kennedy said it all:

The energy, the faith, the devotion
which we bring to this endeavor
will light our country
and all who serve it,
and the glow from that fire
can truly light the world.

I am truly grateful to those who have sacrificed so much for this great cause. Both those who are selfless enough to risk their lives, and those who are selfless enough to let their loved ones risk their lives. Thank you Veterans!!

My Good Friend Norman

I went to an exhibit featuring Norman Rockwell at the Smithsonian American Art Museum today. It was delightful! Norman Rockwell truly had a gift for telling stories by capturing expression. As a result of this gift, he stirs all sorts of emotions in his audience. Not only is it fun to see the expressions captured in his paintings, but also to see the expressions of those viewing his works. Of all the paintings they had on display (which I am guessing is only a small collection), I have decided to share my favorites with you. Just remember, I am not an art critic, I am a 24 year old girl who loves to laugh and dream. We'll save the best for last, shall we? (All of the images in this blog post have come from Google Images.)

7. The JuryI just love the variety of expression and body language. My favorite is the female juror. You can just see the frustration she is creating in that room, yet she is standing firm.

6. Peach Crop

One word: Romantic. I must tell you the story behind this one: The young man is a medical student, working to earn his last year's tuition on a peach orchard, while his wealthy, beautiful, socialite fiancee is away in the city. In this scene the sharecropper's daughter has injured herself and the young man comes to her rescue only to realize she has stolen his heart. I feel like Anne of Green Gables when I think about it, putting myself in the place of that poor, distressed damsel.

5. Window Washer
How can you not chuckle at this one? I would love to be on the receiving end of that wink. I like to think they have met before, but she wants a guy with more class. Luckily for her, he's persistent, and they'll eventually end up together. Doesn't it seem like a scene from Thoroughly Modern Millie?

4. The Flirts
I absolutely love this one. I didn't just chuckle at this one. I full-out laughed. I just love the expressions of the two men in the truck. I think she made their day, and I'll bet they made hers too; she's just not willing to show it.

3. Three Gossips
This painting is hilarious to me. I wish I knew the details of the background better. Apparently Norman had a difficult time finding models who were goofy-looking enough. He eventually settled on a male model who posed for all three of the women. Apparently Norman thoroughly enjoyed watching his friend prancing around the studio dressed as a woman. The best part though, is the expression of the woman standing next to me. I don't know if I can put it into words: confusion, repulsion, weirded-out? I don't think she had read the background of it yet.

2. Boy Reading Adventure Story
I do this when I read. I have lived on prairies while Captain Jack tried to steal my heart; I have worked in potato fields in Poland while hiding from Nazis; I have lived in a bright pink house and harvested honey with black women; I have ridden down a hill in a Red Flyer with my good buddy Hobbes; I have been the Italian heiress of my deceased mother's fortune; I have rejected the proposal of Mr. Collins, but not without laughing; I have attended Hogwarts; I have escaped from the Chateau d'If, I have survived in the wilderness with nothing but a hatchet; I once made a sponge cake with real sponges on accident; I have survived the Fire Swamp and R.O.U.S.s with my true love.

1. Going and Coming
Oh the expression! I love to see the changes in everyone's (except for Grandma's) expressions. This one strikes home. Family vacations always seem like a good idea, but they are exhausting on so many levels!

After going through this exhibit and reading all the personal stories from Norman Rockwell's life, I truly feel as though I have made a dear friend. I just kept thinking how much he would have loved to see the many expressions of his admirers: reminiscent, jolly, proud, touched, content, weirded-out, sympathetic, analytical, patriotic. It was as if you could see the child within each individual by the looks on their faces. The expression I repeatedly found coming to my face was pure delight with a full, toothy smile.