Robert and Lindsay

Bangkok

2011-10-17T01:34:00.000-07:00

So we changed our plans for the weekend and stayed inBangkok. We still had a list of things we wanted to see and with the threat ofall the floods we decided it would have to be sooner rather than later. I amglad we did because things we saw on Saturday are under water today! We took ariver boat to all the historical monuments like the Grand Palace. On Sunday we wentto the Bangkok International Ward. It was nice to hear things in English. Greatweekend! Next weekend we are headed North.

I felt more like taking the pictures than being in thepictures ....

Southern Thailand

2011-10-11T23:12:00.000-07:00

Thailand has been treating us well! We had an amazing weekend in southern Thailand this weekend. We flew into Krabi and took a ferry to the Phi Phi (pronounced pee pee.. hehehehe) and then to Railay (cute name huh? ). It honestly was one of the most beautiful places Robert and I have EVER been. I felt like I was in heaven all weekend… or at least what I hope heaven is like………Islands in all shapes and forms, turquois water, tropical fish (you could see without snorkeling gear), bungalows on the beach for $16 a night, monkeys, long tail boat rides, yummy food, fire dancing, caves, kayaking, hiking, limestone cliffs, stalactites (stalagmites???), $6 hour oil massages (can you tell I am flabbergasted by how cheap everything is?). I wanted to freeze time and then bring everyone I know here! It should honestly go on everyone MUST SEE list. Write it down Phi Phi Don, Phi Phi Leh and Railay

(I put lots of pictures up on Facebook if you care to see)

Robert went back to work Monday afternoon. He really likes his rotation. It has nothing to do with what he is going into but he says it is interesting and informative. He has seen some rare things that you only read about it text books. Not to mention it has been really relaxing. He goes in at 10 and is home by 3. I spend my days reading, laying out at the pool, working out, roaming the neighborhood.. and of coarse blogging …. Rough life huh? I feel kinda guilty with all this ME time but I know when real life picks up again I will long for these days.

Bangkok is an interesting place… traffic, pollution, crowded, dirty… (“Wait don’t you live in NYC?”.. you ask.. YES but NYC has my heart)

We are planning to go to Northern Thailand this weekend (Chang Mai) and am excited to ride and elephant and see the long neck tribes.

Thanks for reading!

We made it to Thailand!!!

2011-10-03T23:38:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Thailand with a flawless trip! I guess we wereexpecting the worse and were pleasantly surprised. We had the entire row toourselves so I sprawled out and slept the entire 12 hours... so did Robert ...except when he was playing the in-flight trivia game and beat everyone :) Theflight in was beautiful. The landscape is thousands of acres of rice fieldswith sporadic extravagant Buddhist temples. We took the air train (muchnicer transportation than NYC) to our hotel. Our room is on the top floor(21st floor) and overlooks all of Bangkok. We are rightnext to an elementary school so I feel right at home:) I can hear the kidssinging and chanting all day. I seriously could look out this window for days..there is so much going on. Our room is basic but nice and clean. We have 3 Americanchannels on our TV but I think I prefer the Thai channels.. they are hilarious.We spent the first day sleeping, unpacking, and eating! The food is… well maybeI just haven’t ordered the right thing yet?!?! (I hope) It seems all the fishstill have the eyes, the chicken stillhas the skin and everything else is coated in a film of slim. The breakfast hasa few more American options so I will survive J We worked out this morning.. Robert is determined on getting inshape for the iron man. There is a pool on the top floor along with a nice workout facility. We are noticing how large we are in comparison to Thai people.The pool is very shallow on one side and gets deeper on the other side. Ilaughed when Robert got in because the water went up to his shin J I must have created bad karma cause when I got on the bike Iskinned my knee because my legs were too long. Robert went into work today. Hesays the hospital is really nice. It isabout 2 miles away from the hotel so he takes a tro-tro (a colorful four wheeler????) Everything is SOOOO cheap. Robert camehome for lunch so we went to the local supermarket to stock up on H2O and DietPepsi (equally important J). Walking through grocery stores in foreign countries is one ofmy favorite things to do (very interesting). I just spent the last hour talkingto the front desk (everyone in Thailand speaks decent English and most of thesigns are in English) about all the things we should do while we are here… I amso excited. Now I just need to convenience Robert to play hooky from work J

California

2011-09-21T10:37:00.001-07:00

Smith girls know how to travel! We took a lil' trip to southern cal and had a blast. We initiated our newest girl to our girls trips'..... Hailey!

She is a great addition.

I overlooked my vendetta against Disneyland and actually enjoyed it. The perfect weather and no lines helped!

And of coarse spent time at the beach.....

It was a great trip! Thanks mom and DAD for everything!

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Friends

2011-09-15T08:41:00.001-07:00

My latest trip to ut I really wanted to make an effort to see old friends. I have been really bad about it on my last few trips. But .... It made for a GREAT trip. I was a little apprehensive about contacting some of them because it had been so long but I am so glad I didn't let it hold me back. I have some of the greatest friends that have made a huge impact in my life. If I ever write a book they will each have their own chapter!
I am so mad that I didn't get pictures.... Grrr!
- Ashley and her great husband ( who I finally meet)
- Staci and her adorable little boy
- My high school friends.. And their crew!
- Becca... Is the best!
- John and Melanie... Could talk to for hours (oh wait I did)
- Jen.... Would love to be just like her
- My Redwood Elementary family... Amazing teachers (who are the only reasons I survived my first 2 years of teaching)

- Sarah ... My amazing sister in law!
( our trip to the aquarium)

I also enjoyed spending time with my family and enjoying the out doors.

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For real this time...

2011-08-26T03:22:00.000-07:00

Robert asked if I would make our blog private... at least until residency applications are done and over (March).

So anyone and everyone.. leave your email and you will get an invite!

If you left your address last time I tried to go private you will get an invite!

http://robertandlindsay.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2010-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2011-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=50

Working out in the city...

2011-08-22T08:27:00.000-07:00

Working out in the city (summer only) is one of my favorite things to do... (too bad eating is also my favorite thing to do in the summer!)

Tribute to the Sun
Riverside does free yoga classes several times a week. This might be may favorite. We lay our mats right along the river and pay tribute to the setting sun!

Yoga in Fort Tryon
Fort Tryon is a hidden jewel of NYC. Most tourist don't make it up that high on the island so it is quiet. Sometimes I think I like it more than Central Park. All the trees and bushes are over grown. During yoga I have seen skunks, beavers and bats.

style-span">Thai Chi in Bryant Park
It seems like Thai Chi has been the new "thing" lately. Bryant Park has free classes on Tuesdays. Thai Chi is a lot like yoga (holding one positions for long periods of time) but you are standing the entire time. Occasionally you get to yell things out and make karate sounds!

Jackie O

This past month, Robert has been commuting to the East side for his internship. I ride the subway with him to Central Park and then dodges taxi's on his classy Huffy bike to the East side. I go for a run around the Jackie O. It is amazing to watch the sun rise over the city!

Bryant Park Yoga

Free yoga in Bryant Park. Over 500 people attend. Beautiful view of the city sky line. Kinda weird to have so many tourist watching and taking pictures.

Summer Streets
The last 3 Saturdays of August they shut down 5th ave from the Brooklyn Bridge all the way up to Central Park. Robert and I ran the whole route. It was amazing to run in the middle of what is usually a busy street.

Park under the Brooklyn Bride
This one is on my list for this week!!!

This has been Robert's idea of working out lately. Poor kid, he is working around the clock!

The other day I was on the subway going to Central Park for a run. I was watching some kids break dance on the train and noticed one of them looked like an old student. He looked at me and his eyes got huge. I ran over and gave him a hug infront of all his friends. He was embarassed! Haven't seen him in over 2 years. Totally made my day!

Now if I could just stay away from Levain Bakery, all this working out would make a difference :)

summer favorites

2011-08-22T07:40:00.000-07:00

We have less than a week left in the city before we head out on our 2+ month adventure. I am excited for our adventure but I am sad to leave the city. I love this place. We have tried to get the most out of the city before we leave. Here are a few of our favorite things....

American Idol Concert in Central Park

I couldn't think of anyone better to go to this concert with than Ashley. She is an American Idol guru. I have spent several Tuesday nights at her apartment watching American Idol for girls night. It was fun to see the AI crew up close. There is nothing fake about their voices.

Pia... aka... Robert's BFF! The story is told that she came into Columbia's hospital to do a benefit concert. Robert passed her in the hallway and she winked at him. Back off girl... he's mine!

Tenement Museum

This has been on my list of things to do for a long time. I was excited that Robert planned it into one of our dates. They take you through old apartments from the late 1800's and talk about the history of NYC.

Summer Stage at Lincoln Center
Live music and lots of dancing!

Shakespeare in the Park
Every summer they put on FREE Shakespeare plays in Central Park. The theater is pretty amazing. It overlooks the pound and castle. It is pretty hard to get tickets but if you are persistent enough it is possible.

Food Truck Festival
On Saturday a group of our friends got together and went to South Sea Port. All the gourmet food carts from around the city invaded the streets. It was delicious!
*** pictures from Maddie's blog and yahoo

Our good friends, the Hansen's, are headed off to Boston.. sniff, sniff.. Jonathon is like Robert's brother.. seriously. They have gone through the ups and downs of medical school together. Ashley and I have conquered the city together! We will miss them dearly!

2011-08-20T13:52:00.000-07:00

In between Robert's rotation at Columbia and Hospital for Special Surgery he wanted to get out of the city. We decided to take a trip to Gettysburg and knock it off our bucket list. We made a pit stop in the Amish Country and Hershey. We had a really good time.

Amish Country

Hands down.. the best pretzel..... I have ever had... Robert and I still talk about it!

buggies rides

Gettysburg

These guys are die hard civil war fans. We sat and talked to them for over an hour about the Civil War!

Beautiful, wide open spaces

Robert listening to the history of physicians during the Civil War

adorable little restaurant

Hershey, the sweetest place on earth!

The second you get off the Hershey exit you can smell chocolate in the air.. no joke!

Chocolate tasting

Chocolates from around the world.

2011-08-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

July's Trip to Utah
I spent 2 great weeks in Utah. ( I'll be back there in a 2 weeks :) Robert spent 1 great week in Utah.
We spent our time....
with the nieces and nephews....

in the mountains....

in the car....(this is a BIG deal when you don't drive 11 months of the year!)

at the pool...

cheering Julia on at her dance recital...(she did amazing, I'd like so say she takes after me but she is so much better than I ever was)

at the STAPLES' FAMILY REUNION 2011 IN ST. GEORGE...
hiking in Zions.....

water basketball (wouldn't be a complete staples reunion without a little competition).....

saying goodbye to my brother (in law) Matt (heading to the Philippines for 2 years)....

SMITH trip to Lake Powell (I am a obsessed with this place).....

getting rescued by the Coast Gaurd during a storm...
Stadium of Fire (Julia and I made the shirts, impressed?) ......

See you soon Utah!

2011-08-16T09:22:00.000-07:00

i am going to get better at blogging... promise :)

Back in June....
7 best friends (since middle school) met up in Upstate NY. We had such a great time. Once again I am blown away with how blessed I am to have such an amazing group of friends. Beautiful, talented and inspiring girls... that I get to call my BFF.
We are all in different stages of life (well at least I am :) , we live all over the country (Ohio, Utah, Rochester, NYC) but we still manage to get together for our girls trips (last girls trip was in NYC). When we get together its as if we have never been a part. Love you girls!!!!!

We:
- stayed a Ericka's place
- ate Ericka's delicious cooking
- laughed until we cried (thanks to Ericka's neighbor)
- visited church history sites ( Hill camora, Joseph Smith's home, Sacred Grove, Printing Press)
- went to Niagara Falls (Canada side:)
- stayed up until ridiculous hours talking...
- danced in the street lights... we still got moves:)

*** Pictures were taken by everyone but me :)

2011-08-15T09:49:00.000-07:00

8 years ago I came to NYC with my mom. We took a red bus tour bus through Harlem. My mom asked me if I could ever teacher here. I don't remember my answer but I do remember looking through the old school windows and seeing a teacher talking to her class. Something ignited in me. I can't believe how blessed I have been. I have had opportunities working in the top schools, with top teachers. I still get giddy with I look through my old school windows and realize I am living my dream.

So here is a tribute to another year of teaching... the BEST year of teaching! It really was a magical year. Starting off the year.. nobody ever would have thought. We went through a lot together! They are beautiful, amazing kids. If you look in their eyes you can see how special they are. Take their life and put it next to yours, you will never take anything for granted again.

Things I have learned while teaching:

- RAISE THE BAR. Sometimes my administration would have high expectations that seemed so outrageous that I didn't even think it was possible... but my students continuously blew my mind away. There was NEVER a challenge that they didn't eventually meet. I think all kids (down deep) are a little thirsty for challenge. Not that I need test scores to prove how great these kids were but they were one of the top preforming classes in the state!

- Sometimes it is alright to tell your students how YOU feel. Even if you are the adult and they are the kids. I really think my heart to hearts with my kids is what made this year so amazing. It taught them to identify their emotions and express them.

- Do as you say! Easier said than done but it is a MUST. I was around people who talked down to these kids. It was almost comical. They would scream in a kids face "DON'T YELL AT YOUR SISTER". I can't blame them because sometimes it is REALLY, REALLY hard to let your emotions get the best of you. If you practice what you preach the kids will see it and mimic your actions. My assistant teacher and I would always laugh at how impressionable my students were. If I was grumpy... they were grumpy. If I was silly.. they were silly.

- It's ok to be crazy. The longer I teach the more I loose all inhibition. I worked at a very high stress and intense school. I had to forget about it sometimes and just let loose. If you came into my classroom you might see me jumping on furniture, talking in a(horrible) British accent, singing the read aloud opera style or anything else to switch things up. The kids ate it up...it kept them on their toes... they thought I was pretty funny.. Jokes on them!

- Be consistent. Kids catch on really fast if you don't follow through on your word. That goes for rewards and consequences. If you say they are going to give them 5 extra minutes of recess you better do it. If you say you are going to call their parents... you better do it. Especially with my kids, you could lose their trust really fast so had to do your best to not give them a reason to not trust you.

- Keep Clam and Carry On.... It wasn't out of the ordinary if in the middle of a lesson a little mouse would run across the classroom or in the middle of a test a cockroach walk across your paper. The first time I experienced this I FREAKED OUT.... and so did my kids. I quickly learned that if I didn't compose myself my classroom would turn into a hot mess. I got to the point I was so composed about it my students started to believe these rodents were our classroom pet :)

I am still far from the teacher I would like to be but I have come a long way. If I could I would like to find each student from my first year of teaching and personally apologize to each of them I would :)

Cheers to 5 great years of teaching and many more to come!!!

2011-08-14T17:32:00.001-07:00

What better reason to break your blogging hiatus..... than your sister's birthday!!!!
I am so lucky to have Taren as my sister. It was just the two of us most of our growing up. We are 16 months apart..... our sisterhood bond is special. We can pretty much read each others thoughts, we laugh at the same things (even if nobody else is laughing), and we have shared great memories together! Taren is a special person. She would do anything for anybody. When you are around her you always feel loved and good about life. She is an amazing mom and I couldn't ask for a better sister! Happy Birthday TT!

A much needed update

2011-06-03T19:02:00.001-07:00

I am about to upload a large amount of photos from my phone. Please excuse my randomness!

Broadway
We have been spending a lot of our time seeing Broadways. I have had to work some weekends so Robert (being the great guy that he is) has waited out for rush tickets while studying!!!! He is the world's greatest! Here are a few of the latest. They were all amazing. "How to Succeed" was our favorite. We are officially Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) fans! We have already seen it twice.

We are no longer serving in the deaf branch :( it was an amazing experience and we grew a lot. I bet you will never guess what our new calling is ?!?!?!

Visitors!!!!

My grandma surprised my mom and four sisters with a trip to NYC. We were lucky enough to have them stay with us. This is a far away picture of Robert rowing the ladies around central park. (I promised not to put any close up pictures)

Elias and Brittany!!! - over memorial weekend our two favorite people came to visit from San Francisco. Elias is Robert's bff from college and I couldn't love Brittany more. We talked and talked the entire weekend!!!

Politics in Harlem- Harlem success is in the middle of some intense movements. It is fun to be part of it. Recently we rallied in the middle of Harlem at the NAACP's headquarters.

If you look close you can see a big kiss on my cheek! My parents often greet me with big wet ones!

UvU class of 2024 - The other day my mom said "you talk about them like they are your children". She is right! I love these kids like my are mine. It has been such an amazing year and I am sad to see it end.

Pj day

Slamming the state exam

Relaxing in central park

Posing for a class picture because their teacher said so :)

Signing off for now!

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2011-04-28T15:17:00.000-07:00

He published! I have absolutely no idea what it is about but I do know he spent a lot of time on it and he was super excited when he found out it was published!

Birthday Bash!

2011-04-16T15:10:00.000-07:00

Robert pulled out all the stops for my 27th birthday! He surprised me with a fancy dinner cruise around the island. The night was filled with gourmet food (I had truffles for my first time and they were amazing!), great conversation (always is ), breathtaking view (have 5 million pictures to prove it) and dancing (well, Robert danced and I laughed at him) to a live band!

Great way to start off my 27th year of life ( we have one more thing checked off our bucket list)!!!!!!

Her race, His race

2011-04-03T18:21:00.001-07:00

Her race....
Last week I ran the NYC ING half. It was one of my favorite races I have run. I was a lucky chica to get into the race. I have heard that one in ten people actually get into the race?!? We looped around Central Park, through Time Square, and down the West Side Highway to the Financial District. I ran behind Hugh Jackman the entire race. Robert missed me crossing the finish line because he was distracted by all Hugh's media attention. He stole my thunder!

My class made me this card before the race! Have I mentioned how much I love my class this year???? ;)

His race.....
Robert has had I.T. Band issues the last few weeks but he had already signed up for this race and was determined to finish. It was a cool race. He ran through the world fair grounds and by Flushing Meadows. I still can't believe he finished. I could tell he was in a lot of pain. It must be that stubborn German blood ;)

Cheers for a great start to the race season!

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Our Little Sister

2011-02-26T06:04:00.001-08:00

"Oh, No you didn't"

*** Front page of the SL Tribune

*** This pictures was in this mornings, Deseret News!

Robert's little sister will be playing in the State Championship today! She is in 9th grade and already plays varsity basketball and soccer! She is the definition of Rockstar! If you get a chance send some good karma her way! We are so proud of you Samantha! We love you.

Rainy day

2011-02-25T15:53:00.001-08:00

One of the many great things about working at Harlem Success is that they plan and pay for monthly field trips. Today we went to the Harry Houdini exhibit. I was a little stressed because we had to walk there ( 20 + blocks ) and it was a deluge outside. But my class embraced the adventure and I fell in love with them all over again!

Aren't they So cute?!?!

Cheers to a great weekend!

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Staples' Update

2011-02-15T09:38:00.000-08:00

Life caught up with us and blogging was pushed aside! I haven't even figured out how to make my blog private. Here is a stab at a Staples' Update:

1. We went to our first East Coast wedding! It WAS just as glamorous as the movies!

Michelle and Gene married at Riverside Church

Robert and classmates .....

2. We went home for Thanksgiving instead of Christmas this year. It was a breath of fresh air to see everyone. I miss my fam!

I have the most beautiful family!

Turkey Trot 2010

Uncle Robert and Baby Benjamin

3. We spent our Christmas in Brazil visiting Robert's mission. Best. Vacation. Ever! We stayed with a family Robert baptized a few days and spent some time traveling around his mission. I could only dream of having the hospitality of Brazilians. After two emergency landings our flight arrived 4 o'clock on Christmas morning (10 hours late). The entire family had waited up all night to greet us. They did everything possible to make our trip as wonderful as possible. I really do feel like they are part of our family!

Torres, Brazil

Porto Allegro

Our Brazilian Family

Iguazu Falls, Argentina! Amazing Wonder of the World

4. We were invited to the Ambassadors' Ball at the United Nations. So. Freakin. Cool. We dolled up and mingled with world leaders!

5. Robert had two mellow rotations over the holidays and it was bliss! We spent a lot of quality times together and did a lot of really fun things.

Back stage tour of Radio City

6. Robert now has a really intense rotations but he LOVES it! He comes home every night with a huge grin on his face! I am so happy for him. We have been little stressed picking a specialty and planning 4th year but it has also been fun to let our imaginations run to all the possibilities.

7. I adore my class this year. They are the most beautiful group of kids and so eager to learn. They work hard and I LOOOOVVVVEEEE them! Don't get me wrong, they can be HUGE stinkers but they have my heart.

Field Trip to the Statue of Liberty.. The little girl in the middle.. it's her first time on a boat! Could you imagine?

8. As you have probably heard, NYC has received butt load of snow this year! Before we knew what a wacky winter it was going to be we promised each other that we were going to make embrace the winter and make it the best. Regardless of the snow we have managed to make it fun!Snow day!!!

9. Now that Robert is back to slaving long hours I have spent a lot of time at the NYC Ballet! I seriously think I am addicted. It is so easy and cheap for me to get tickets that I just can't help myself. I like to go by myself.... is that weird? I have my favorite ballerinas and sometimes the dances make me cry. TMI?

Maria Kowroski

10. I am training for the NYC ING Half marathon in March and am toying with the idea of doing another Marathon?!? Doing my long runs have been tricky because of all the snow. But I have had some memorable experiences running around Central Park without a soul insight or running (more like skating) around the Jackie Onassis Reservoir.

Have a great day! Stay warm!

My favorite Valentine!

Going Private

2010-12-10T19:29:00.000-08:00

Going private! Leave your email if you want to be invited!

Falling in love with Fall

2010-11-05T18:28:00.000-07:00

For the last 3 weeks (and for two more weeks) Robert has been living here......
And practicing internal medicine here........

So I went to visit him and take in the CT leaves! It is always a breath of fresh air to be in suburban life... real life! Here are some pics from our weekend:

Yale's Campus in New Haven, CT

Connecticut's shore
Driving in the car (very exciting for somebody that doesn't have a car!)

Pumpkin' Pickin'

and Apple Pickin'

I LOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVEEEEEEEE east coast falls!!!!!

Best Halloween Ever!

2010-11-02T18:10:00.000-07:00

one of the .... BEST Halloweens Ever!

I fell in love with my class all over again when I saw them in their adorable costumes.

"There is no place like ..... school! There is no place like school!"

M.J. was one of my favorite costumes... his wig was killin' me! I thought he looked more like Willie Wonka, his mom said he looked like Reverend Al Sharpton!

Robert's favorite...

He even had a few tricks up his sleeves :)

Good times... but exhausting!

Our trip to the Met!

2010-10-24T18:11:00.000-07:00

Just an F.Y.I. if you take a group of 3rd graders to The Met don't walk into a room full of naked Roman sculptures.... they will be traumatized! SO FUNNY!!

Riding the Subway

The Bamboo Exhibit

Egyptian Tombs

Lovin' my kiddos...

Celebrating Women!

2010-10-22T18:02:00.000-07:00

I was invited to a concert celebrating women and all our accomplishments!
Patti Labelle serenaded us with "Somewhere over the rainbow"

We heard uplifting words from:

Sarah Jessica Parker..

Michelle Obama
All politics aside... She is an amazing speaker!

Playin' ball in the hood

2010-10-19T17:40:00.000-07:00

On Saturday,
UVU class of 2024
challenged
U Penn class of 2024
to a soccer game.....

Getting warmed up for the big game

Cheese!!

Motivating us before the big game...

Who are we?
We are the Utah Valley Wolverines
We are...
Wise
Optimistic
Loving
Valiant
Educated
Remarkable
Interesting
Notable
Efficient
Scholars

P.S. WE WON!

2010-10-17T08:04:00.000-07:00

There has been a trend through our marriage..... CHANGE! Just when we get comfortable with an aspect of our life, the big guy throws us a curve ball! We have loved, loved our NY ward, more like our NY family! It was a place we could go every week and feel like we belong.

We just received a new calling as stake specialist in the deaf branch. We have only attended a couple of times but already...... we love it! No, we don't know ASL (other than the alphabet) but the members are so loving and welcoming. It is like no other experience I have ever had. Robert says he feels like he is back on the mish. The missionaries meet with us once a week to teach us ASL and we have been learning to sign the Hymns. I miss our Inwood Ward dearly and hope our friends won't forget about us but we are excited about our new adventure!
***Our new meeting house in Union Square!

Busy Week and Governor's Island

2010-10-14T08:46:00.000-07:00

Our week was busy, busy, busy! We had an exciting night at a party with all the board members of my charter school. I was excited to introduce Robert to Eva Mosqowitz and we even bumped into (literally) Chancellor Klien and Senator Sampson. We also spent a night out with Robert's classmates and professor. We have been so blessed to work with such intelligent, passionate people. It is exciting but extremely humbling.

After the event we walked out to see fog over the Empire State building. It almost looked like it was on fire.

Governor's Island
Before Robert headed off to Connecticut for a 5 week medical rotation we had the perfect weekend. We rode our bikes all around Manhattan. Here are some pics from our bike ride to Governor's Island and South Seaport!
South Seaport- We had lunch and ice cream and enjoyed the beautiful weather!
Taking the ferry out to Governor's Island. Governor's Island is a small island that has an old army base. It is a 10 minute- free- ferry ride from the point of Manhattan. There is a bike trail all the way around the island. The view of the city and Statue of Liberty are amazing!

Getting ready to take the ferry back to the city

Great view of the Statue of Liberty
Great view of OUR city!!

East Side.....

2010-10-11T08:32:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went for a run on the East side of the island. We have always been loyal to the West side trails but I am glad that we tried it out. Robert runs A LOT faster than me, so I rode the bike and then we switched. We couldn't run all those miles without rewarding ourselves with some DeLIcioUS doughnuts from Doughnut Planet! Great day to be a New Yorker!

Teaching!!??!?!?

2010-10-07T11:26:00.000-07:00

Awwww.... teaching?!?!!? About every other day I ask myself... (or Robert).... Why did I go into teaching??? When you see this pictures you will see why it is all WORTH IT! Isn't my class the most beautiful bunch of kids you have ever seen??? I think so! I LOVE these kids SOOOOOOOO much! I would do just about anything for these kids!

I have the best Alma Mater EVER! UVU has gone beyond Z in supporting me again this year! My classroom is named Utah Valley University and I couldn't be prouder. My kids LOVE the shirts!!

Random Pictures from Summer 2010

2010-10-06T11:03:00.000-07:00

Random Pictures from Summer 2010

Jersey Boys on Broadway... i love $25 tickets!!

Playing ball at Long Beach... btw i love Long Beach!

Remembering September 11th
Beams of light where the towers once stood

Yankees game with amigos

Memphis on Broadway... SOOOOOooooo good!

South Pacific on Broadway

Brighton Beach... ghetto but very entertaining!

Goodbye summer!

2010-09-26T18:27:00.000-07:00

If pictures could speak they would say... Clothes are easier to find when they are sprawled all over the floor.. Right?! Clean Dishes... who needs em' anyway! These last couple of week have been insane. Robert hadn't had a day off in over 2 weeks and I have been pretty much living in my classroom. I just keep telling myself that there is a time and a place for everything... and now is not the time for a clean house and lazy weekends. Good thing we love what we are doing.

Work
Work has been pretty exciting! This week I had some education celebrities visiting my classroom (Chancellor Klein and Eva Moskowitz). Since the movie "Waiting for Superman" (which EVERYONE should see) came out my school has been getting a lot of publicity. (If you go see it you will see my school, coworkers, and some of my students!) We went to a special viewing this week for Charter School teachers. We were greeted at the doors by our friends the AFT (Teacher's Union). They aren't very happy about this movie coming out. Reality hurts! The film made me rededicated to teaching and even more passionate about reform.

This weekend Robert finally had a much needed day off. He has been working so hard. I don't know how he does it. We enjoyed the beautiful weather and went on an ALL DAY bike ride. We rode up Riverside to Central Park, and back on Riverside down to South Ferry. Our buttocks are a little sore! Oh yeah, did I mention that I saw Leonardo Dicaprio riding his bike on Riverside. I made Robert chase him down with me! (I have been a huge fan of his since Titanic!)

We needed some calories so we stopped by Levaine Bakery. YUMMMMMMMMY!!!
Enjoying a little lunch while keeping an eye on our bikes. Those Huffy bikes go for a lot now days... NOT!

Great day! Now I am just waiting to get a gimps of my husband before it is time to go to bed! Night!

It's what keeps me going......

2010-09-19T16:04:00.000-07:00

The names of the people in this story have been changed to protect the identity of the innocent and not so innocent.

Girls like Diamond are what we call K.W.L.M's (Kids We Love The Most)! She needs A LOT of LOVE and attention. I told her she is going to give me gray hair by the end of the year. Here are some funny and not so funny stories about Diamond:

Diamond story #1
Diamond loves food. She talks about it, reads about it, writes about it, and even lies to get it. In fact the first week of school the front office pulled me out of class and asked if I was still hungry and needed anymore food. I was really confused and asked what they were talking about. They said Diamond had been coming to the front office for the last week asking for a box of granola bars.... "Mrs. Staples is really hungry and needs food fast."

Diamond story #2
Diamond idolizes another girl in our class named Destiny. Destiny is Muslim and wears a scarf to cover her hair for religious reasons. One day Diamond showed up to school with a pillow case over her hair. I asked her what was on her head and she said it was a hat just like Destiny's. I guess it pays to be cool!

I love my class this year but they kick my butt. They are an exact reflection of what I am feeling that day. If I am happy and energetic... so is my class. If I am sluggish and tired.... so is my class. They are giving me a run for my money but I love their guts!

Vermont Teddy Bear Factory

2010-09-12T06:51:00.000-07:00

We had way too much fun in the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory. We are lucky they didn't kick us out!
We tried to find a bear to represent every member of our family. Can you guess who is who??

#1

#2
#3
#4

#5
#6
#7
#8

"GRANDMA'S my name. SPOILING'S my game!"

"Bear-foot and Pregnant!"

#10
#1 The Doc- Robert
#2 The Bikini Beach Bum- Anyone that love the BeACh ...aka ME!
#3 The School Teacher- Denice, Great Grandma, Betty, ME!
#4 The Business Man/Lawyer- Blaine, Jon, Josh, Ryan
#5 The Dentist- Matt, Kendall
#6 The Nurse- Jaime
#7 The Basketball Jock- Chris, Matt, Samantha, Steph, Josh
#8 The Grandma- Mary, Betty, Jamie, Denice
#9 The Prego- Taren, Steph, Sarah
#10 The Princesses- Julia, Karlie, Hailey

When I graduated from graduate school, Jon and Denice bought me a Graduation Vermont Teddy Bear! This is his cousin :)

Someday, I would love to collect these for my kiddos!

Labor Day Road Trip

2010-09-10T06:03:00.000-07:00

Friday evening Robert and I jumped in our rental car without any directions or plans, other than the fact that we knew we were signed up for a race in Montreal, Canada that weekend. We have both been so busy that we didn't have much time to plan for it. Ironically, this was one of our favorite trips ever!
We pulled over late Friday night and found a camp ground. We set up our 2 person tent and slept. When we woke up we realized we had just slept next to the most beautiful lake (Lake George) in a cute, ritzy sailing town. It was adorable and I can't wait to go back.
We took the long route through Burlington, Vermont and Lake Champlain. I had never been here but Robert came as a child and has raved about it since. We stopped at the famous Vermont Teddy Bear factory.

Burlington is also the birthplace of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream. We ordered their "Vermonster". We couldn't even make a dent in the bucket, it was HUGE. We have been on a no sugar agreement since April and this was one of our first indulgences! Go big or go home.. Right??!?

We love, love, love Vermont. Ps Lake Champlain was so beautiful I couldn't spare a minute to take a picture of it.

Montreal
(cute little skyline.. I know... NYC has warped reality)

The Race

We woke up 30 minutes before the race
Ran 3 miles to find the starting line
Luckily made it before the gun went off
Couldn't understand anything people were saying to us because everything was in French!
Perfect crisp running weather
Ran right through the city
Laughed all the Nordic Walkers
The race ended in the gigantic Olympic stadium
Ran 4 miles back to our car

We did it!

I felt like I was in France all weekend. Other than no Eiffel tower, there weren't any differences. I stuffed my face with my favorite .... Banana and Nutella crepe!
Robert stuffed his face with Montreal's famous fritz, gravy, and cheese curds... yuck!
Mark Twain once remarked of Montreal that "This is the first time I was ever in a city where you couldn't throw a brick without breaking a church window." Cosign. There were beautiful churches everywhere.

Bye Montreal and Vermont! Thanks for the best weekend ever!

JRWS in Utah

2010-09-09T05:39:00.001-07:00

Robert could tell I was really bummed about not being able to go home with him this last week so He did his best to make me feel included by sending me pictures of all his activities.

Robert and his beautiful mom! She's lookin' young and gorgeous as always!

Part of the Staples crew. Welcome home Elder Staples!

Hanging out with the bros on their first day at BYU!

Reading and playing the piano with Karlie

Visiting the in=laws! Sniff, Sniff... miss you guys!

Cathing up with Taren and Jaime

Playing at the park!

This picture almost made me cry! Denice doing her magic in the kitchen! Oh, how I miss her cooking!

Utah, thanks for taking care of my husband for the week and returning him safely!

First Day Jitters

2010-08-22T16:47:00.000-07:00

5 years later and I still get nervous before the first day of school. This last week was pure madness trying to get my classroom ready for tomorrow. With Robert's help and lots of long hours I think I am as ready as can be. I am really pumped about my new school. The stars aligned in order for me to land this job. Things that I love already:
-It is a lot closer to my house! (hooray for no more 5 AM walks to the subway!) Anyone that comes to visit is welcome to stop by!
- My school is located in the heart of Harlem, only 7 blocks from central park.
- My favorite soul food restaurant is just around the corner.
-I love all the culture in this neighborhood. Lots of people walking around in their African wardrobe.
- Harlem Success is the top preforming charter school in NY state! I am excited to be part of it.
-I am excited that my classroom will be named after UVU once again!
- I love my classroom!
- I love my coworkers!

It should be a really good year. Well,I have 24 rascals waiting for me to fill their brains with knowledge for college!!! Wish me luck!
Before

After

Thinking of you.....

2010-08-14T18:23:00.000-07:00

Thinking of you.....
On your Birthday!!!!

Happy Birthday Taren Michelle

***picture

Taren is one of my most favorite people on this earth. She is hilarious and is the only person that can read my mind. She would do anything for anybody. She keeps us laughing at all times.

***Being the corky girl she is, on one of her visits to NYC she pointed to a police box near my place and said "Every time you see this box, think of me." I laughed at at her and rolled my eyes. But without fail, every time I walk by it I think of her and smile.

This world would not be the same without you! We love you Taren!!!!

Charter Schools

2010-08-09T15:55:00.000-07:00

For the past 2 years (going on 3) I have been working in NYC Charter Schools. I actually landed in charter schools by default. My Utah teaching certification wouldn't transfer over to NY so I applied for charter schools. I consider it fate that it ended up this way because I believe in charter schools' missions and my experience these last 2 years has been life changing. As of the last couple of years charter schools have been making a huge difference in education reform and frequently make the headlines. Recently two movies have come out about the charter school I work in! In the trailers you can see some of my students, my school, and my boss (Eva Mosqowitz).

http://www.waitingforsuperman.com/

http://thelotteryfilm.com/

And if you get a chance to see the movies, DO IT! Enjoy!

OBGYN! It's over

2010-08-01T17:32:00.000-07:00

Well, it is over, my first rotation...and what a rotation. I saw just about every phase of life (from births on obstetrics to diagnosis of terminal ovarian cancer on gynecology). It was an amazing experience to interact more closely with patients and feel part of the team that took care of them.
I loved the residents that I worked with. They were all incredible teachers!!!
I really enjoyed the OR and in particular cancer surgeries...I have plenty of great stories but I think HIPPA would not be to thrilled if I shared them with you. However, I did get to operate which is extremely rare in medical school. I was so excited while operating that my facial expressions during the surgery became the topic of several jokes during the following week. I also worked three 24-26hr shifts. It was a great insight into what happens to my brain when I am severely fatigued. I do okay until I sit down and once I do sit down... sounds feel like I am underwater and it is like running a marathon to keep your eyes open...I just can't wait for the rest of this year. I can honestly say that I love medicine.(BUT...full disclaimer, I do love Lindsay more)...Next up the other crotch specialty...Urology

Hailey Jane is 2!

2010-07-26T07:58:00.000-07:00

Princess Hailey Jane turns 2 this week! I love this little girl! Glad that we were able to celebrate before I left!
Love,
Your favorite Aunt Lindsay
xoxoxoxo

22 things I did in Utah

2010-07-23T11:46:00.000-07:00

Family is the BEST! There is No denying it. As much as I love our adventures in New York, it is a breathe of fresh air to be around loved ones. While Robert slaved away in the hospital, I enjoyed 2 wonderful weeks with my family.

My parents did exactly what I told them not to do .....ENTERTAIN ME! Every day was full of fun. If I didn't know any better, I would think they were trying to entice me to move back West! ;) Well, it is working! xoxoxo

***In no particular order

1. Splashing at the pool
2. Weekend trip to Park City

3. Hiking in Bell Canyon

4. Four wheeling in American Fork Canyon

5. Shooting practice with dad

6. A day with Hailey!
7. A day at Cowabunga Bay

8. Sleepovers with Julia
9. Smith Family reunion

10. Dinner with the Staples
11. Visit with Great Grandma and Clair

12. Lunch Bunch with H.S. friends
13. Sunday Steak dinner at Grandma and Grandpas

14. Getting nails done with mom

15. American Fork Carnival

16. Symphony at Draper Amphitheater

17. Girls Night to Ghost Falls
18. Movies (Inceptions :))
19. Hair cut with Julia
20. Draper Days

21. Tearful Goodbyes
22. Returning home to a husband that missed me!

I seriously have the greatest family in the world. I know this because it wouldn't be so hard to say goodbye if they weren't! xoxoxo

Bikes ..

2010-07-13T09:07:00.000-07:00

Bikes in the city are the best! I had several people tell me this but now I know they are right! We bought some ghetto-fabulous bikes from Walmart and have been on bike rides almost every night since!

(Robert turns into a 8 year old when he gets on his bike. He loves to jump curbs, ride with no hands, and race! I think I need to get him a helmet!)

We rode our bikes to this great Brazilian Concert.

1st Annual...

2010-07-07T08:57:00.000-07:00

When boys get together, they come up with some brilliant ideas like.......

It was disgusting but at least we had a good laugh!

Take me out to the ball game...

2010-07-06T08:41:00.000-07:00

What better way to spend a summer night than a baseball game? The Staten Island Yankee stadium has an incredible view of Manhattan. It was a fun summer night.You can get there by taking the free Staten Island Ferry. I thought the best part of the night was the ferry ride back. The skyline, bridges, and Statue of Liberty was beautiful.

The night ended with several firework shows!

Shakespeare in the Park

2010-07-06T07:01:00.000-07:00

Shakespeare in the Park (Central Park) is a popular summer activity in the city. The only problem is that it is really hard to get tickets. I have been trying to win tickets online for the last 2 years. I was about to dedicate a 6 hour wait in line to get tickets when finally we won tickets online!! I was so excited. We saw A Winter's Tale. It is one of Shakespeare more unique scripts but we loved it. The outdoor stage is incredible. Birds fly over the stage and at night the fireflies come out. Perfect summer night!

My boy!

2010-06-30T07:20:00.000-07:00

WoW! I can't believe Robert just started 3rd year. Medical school has gone by so fast and has been a lot less painful than I was expecting. It helps that Robert is so giddy about medicine.
He had his Student Clinician Ceremony last week! I was emotional watching him and his classmates take the Hippocratic oath. I am so proud of this boy. He is so passionate about medicine and helping others. I know he is going to do amazing things. I love him so much and am lucky to be married to my best friend.

These two have been attached at the hip for the last two years. They have been through it all together. BFF!

He started his rotations this week. His first rotation is OBGYN ! He was so excited/nervous for his first day!

World Record

2010-06-28T07:14:00.000-07:00

Last week, Ashley and I were joined by 10,000 other people in Central Park to break the world record for the largest yoga class. It was rudely interrupted by a downpour but still counted as a world record! They gave everyone a yoga bag and mat! SWEET!

continued....

2010-06-24T07:05:00.000-07:00

We then stopped at:

The big city of ....

And probably my favorite place...

when we couldn't take another night sleeping in the car we slept at this cute little...

On the way home we made a stop in:

The trip is over and we are really going to miss:

Good times, Good times!

Nova Scotia

2010-06-23T06:50:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday Robert and I jumped into our rental car for a 8 day road trip to Nova Scotia. We had such a good time. Lots of laughing, eating seafood, singing to the radio, camping in the car, hiking, and just loving every minute together. Here are some pics (I'll post the rest later):
First Stop:

and we ate:

Next Stop:

Home of :

We slept here:

to be continued....

G.W.

2010-06-16T04:23:00.000-07:00

You are the first thing we see when we wake up and the last thing before we close our eyes at night.

We love you George Washington Bridge!

Philharmonic (love of harmony)

2010-06-15T04:45:00.000-07:00

Dr. A (*)and I love to partake of the goodness at Lincoln center. ABT Ballet, NYC opera, NYC ballet, and most recently the NY Philharmonic. Dr. A is a talented violinist herself and wanted to see the famous Lisa Batiashvili accompany the NY Philharmonic. Lisa Batiashvili did not disappoint. Coming from somebody that knows nothing about music, It literally took my breath away.
*I hope you like your new screen name I chose for you :)

Concerts in the park!

2010-06-13T04:30:00.000-07:00

Early Friday morning I went to .......

With.......
(really bad pic of me, P-Money, and Dr. A)

To see........
(have always been a huge fan, she puts on a great show, is amazing live, and is very personable with her fans)

and.....
(I LOVE Norah, her music put me to sleep every night when I was living in Africa, she is so cute and tiny in person, we couldn't decide if she was really shy or a brat... I'll go with shy)

And had a really great time!

Bacon on Saturday Morning!

2010-06-12T03:29:00.000-07:00

Robert finished his medical boards yesterday!!! WaHooo! After the test I asked Robert how he felt..... "It feels like smelling bacon on Saturday morning!" (Whatever that means!)
Way to go babe! You worked so hard and now it is time to PARTAAAAAAAY!

Red Sox and family!

2010-06-04T13:23:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer *** We are NoT cheating on our Yankees!
It wouldn't be a complete Boston trip without a little Red Sox! Everything about Fenway was angelic. The stadium is timelessly stuck in 1914. I was just waiting for Babe Ruth to come out and pitch. We belted "Sweet Caroline" at the bottom of the 7th and did the Irish Jig in the ninth. What a great Boston moment.
00594086754" />***Dan was a brave man wearing his Yankees hat!

We finished off the weekend with a magical night in the North end with Erin and Dave. We ate Italian food, talked, laughed, talked, ate, laughed, and everything about it was perfect. Erin and Dave, thanks for the cheering, air mattress, pedicure, conversation, and company. We love you guys!

As you can tell I am kind of obsessed with Boston. Robert and I already found our future house in Beacon Hill! Boston, until we meet again you'll be in my heart!

13.1 in Boston

2010-06-03T14:19:00.000-07:00

Two half marathons in one week = a marathon.... Right??? Ok, it doesn't but nice try.
For memorial weekend a group of our friends took a bus up to Boston to run "A race to Remember Half Marathon". It was SoOoOoO much fun!
It was fun to train and run with everyone. It was some of my friends' first half and they did Awesome! I am so proud of everyone!
My cheer section waiting for me. Between Robert, Erin, and Dave, I had the bestest cheerleaders EVER. They even made me signs! Love them!

Slowly but surely I finished! One of these days I am going to start caring about my time and not just finishing.

xoxoxoxoxo waiting for me at the finish line! He is so supportive of all my crazy ideas!

Finish off the day with some of Boston's best seafood!
** more Boston posts to come! (not like you care)

Brain Food!

2010-06-01T06:31:00.000-07:00

I feel helpless watching Robert study 14 hours a day studying for a test that could alter our life! I wish I could study for him (ha ha not really)! I am trying to help him out in every way that I can, so I am feeding him Brain Food! I used some of these techniques for my students before their State Exams and it seemed to help. I know a lot of my readers have spouses, roommates, or kids that take big exams, I hope this is helpful.

Leading up to the test/the night before the test – Omega-3 fatty fish (or lean meat) with spinach or broccoli, and potatoes or a few pieces of whole grain bread. Remember to drink plenty of water!Try to have your dinner at least two to three hours before you go to bed to ensure a good nights sleep without an overly full stomach.

Breakfast the morning of the test – Eggs, oatmeal (or whole grain cereal, or a piece of wheat toast with peanut butter), and fresh fruit or juice.

During the test-Suck on something peppermint. It supposedly keeps your mind awake and alert. Also keep protein bars and fruit in your bag to munch on between tests. Keep your energy up without resorting to sugary treats, which may cause quick bursts of energy leading to a crash. Drink plenty of water to keep hydrated before and during an exam. Dehydration may cause you to loose focus or feel sick during the test. This can also be caused by over eating before a test.

11 days and counting until the big test! Wish us luck!

Delightful Weekend

2010-05-24T06:53:00.000-07:00

My BFF (Lindsay Bagley) has been in New York for the past month. We had fun taking her 2 munchkins around the city and reminiscing on old times. Our husbands think we are officially crazy but what can you say "Lindsay+Lindsay=Double Trouble"!

We went to a romantic Italian restaurant in the West Village to carb-load before the race.

Saturday morning a group of friends and I woke up at 5 AM and journeyed to Brooklyn. The Brooklyn half was two laps around the angelic Prospect Park to the Costal highway and on to ocean breeze and Coney Island Boardwalk. It was a great run and day!

We couldn't pass up a free night at the Guggenheim and a night out with good friends. All these modern museums and creepy artwork is giving me some funky dreams. We finished the night off with SHAKE SHACK!

Sunday was filled with church, Skyping, and the finale of LOST! Hayley melted our hearts with her version of "Twinkle Little Star". I am not sure how I feel about the LOST finale.

Great weekend but we have a busy week ahead. I am looking forward Boston and a long weekend!

Juilliard

2010-05-24T05:19:00.000-07:00

Like I have said.... we love free things in the city! We have been spending lots of time at Lincoln Center attending Julliard's year-end performances. They are FREE and they were obviously extremely talented! WE loved their production of Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice and I loved the Senior dance performance (it wasn't Roberts cup of tea).

Moma

2010-05-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

Robert has been studying crazy, long hours for his next big test.. the BOARDS! Dun Dun Dun....My job has been to plan fun evening dates to get Robert's mind of the Boards!

The city can be VeRy expensive place to live... if you let it! If there is a free or discounted event out there... we know about it... or want to know about it!

This was a freaky-live-modern art.... The artist sat in a chair and volunteers would sit in the adjacent chair and they would stare at each other for hours! I don't get what is artistic about this but... whatever.

Book Review

2010-05-18T06:35:00.000-07:00

In my opinion, two thumbs up!

Past its prime....

2010-05-12T15:00:00.000-07:00

To CeLeBraTe Robert finishing his 2nd year of medical school we took a trip to Coney Island. Coney Island has a "creepy abandoned carnival" feel but we managed to have a great time.

Boardwalk and Beach

Coney is the home of the Famous Nathan's Hot dog and H.D. eating contest. The record to date is 68 hot dogs... gross! We stuffed our faces with some of the goodness and then called it quits.

It wouldn't be a complete day without some jumping pics. I am very impressed with Robert's technical jumping skills.

It was free day at the aquarium so we took a stroll and checked out the fascinating fish.

Coney.. you are past your prime but you still gave us a good time!

Everlasting

2010-05-09T07:57:00.001-07:00

This year for Mother’s day Robert wanted to do something different to show his mom and mother in-law how much he really loved them. He wanted to do something everlasting, something permanent………

Book Review

2010-05-06T06:51:00.000-07:00

I have 26 books to read before my next birthday so I need to get going.
#1 The Guernesey Literary and Potato Peel Society

A tale of the island of Guernesey during the German Occupation, and a society that strengthened a imprisoned community. The story is told purely through letters. Great book, recommend it for a light but sweet read. It inspired me to find a pen pal!

Romance in CP

2010-05-03T07:47:00.000-07:00

It was Robert's turn to plan our date, so we spent a romantic day boating in Central Park! We can't wait to do it again (if they will let us in after Robert's painful opera singing and bumper boat episode).
"Don't worry Linds. I have my canoeing merit badge!!"
CRASH

I love to see...

2010-05-02T17:05:00.000-07:00

I love to see the (Manhattan) temple!

2010-04-26T17:36:00.000-07:00

Our date to the NYC Gardens...

2010-04-23T14:11:00.001-07:00

Night at the Opera

2010-04-21T11:01:00.001-07:00

This past week our friend Nicholas was the leading in the NYC Opera, Madame Butterfly. He/it was amazing. It is a good thing we are friends with him. He keeps us country folk cultured.

Oh Martha!

2010-04-20T06:21:00.000-07:00

My friend Linda got us tickets to the Martha Stewart show. I have only watched her show a hand full of times but it was awesome to see such a huge celebrity up close. She is known for giving out awesome prizes to her audience and she didn't hold back with us. We walked away with a $50 gift certificate to a new clothing store, a cookie, and fresh water pearl earnings, and a really good time. The show airs May 7th. I think we made it on the camera several times (the camera guy had a crush on Linda..heheheheh)! Martha, I will see you again really soon!

Elder Staples

2010-04-20T06:11:00.000-07:00

**** Can you tell which one is Robert's brother?

My brother in-law has been serving his mission in Conception, Chile for the past 20 months. We love getting his emails and hearing the stories of the earthquake, aftershocks, clean up and I am sure he will have a lot more stories to tell when he gets home! My mother in-law sent me this article about his experience. Check it out:

Meridian Magazine

**** In case you couldn't see the obvious resemblance, he is the Elder in the grey shirt on the bottom row!

"26"

2010-04-16T05:54:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking a lot about turning "26" and what it means to me. 10 years ago, I wonder what I thought I would be like at "26". I don't know exactly what is in store for me but I have a feeling my 26th year is going to be the best one yet!
Why?

Because this is going to be the year of:
26 miles
26 yoga classes
26 dates with my hubby
26 letters to people I love
26 new restaurants/bakeries
26 books
26 new friends
2.6 pull ups :)
26 new words to my vocabulary
Can you think of anything else?

Jewish Heritage

2010-04-15T07:15:00.000-07:00

For institute we have been studying world religions. I have always been fascinated with the Jewish culture so Robert and I went to the Jewish Heritage museum at the tip of the island. It was really cool! They have an exhibit where you sit in a room overlooking the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island while listen to the stories of Jews immigrating to the United States.

This last weekend we went to a Jewish Seder put on by our stake. I am really impressed with their traditions and customs and appreciate the values they stand for.

Missionaries

2010-04-15T07:10:00.000-07:00

Robert and I love having the missionaries over for dinner. They make us laugh and bring a sweet spirit into our home. One of our Elders is big into photography and took these pics of the G.W.

Turning 26 in the West Villiage

2010-04-14T05:17:00.000-07:00

Robert has been gleefully planning my birthday for the last couple of weeks. With Robert it isn't your birthDAY, it's your birthWEEK, or birthMONTH. He loves any excuse to celebrate. My birthday's theme was "Traveling". (It is embarrassing but when I talk about traveling and the places I have been mostly I talk about the FOOD!) So Robert thought it would be fun to have a little taste of all the places I have been. He even sneaked in food from our future travels! Seriously.... I am crazy about that kid! Here is some of the food we tried....
Fish and Chips (England)

Nutella and Banana Crepes (France)

We hung out at Washington Square with all the hippies....

But we were so full we decided to take a nap under this tree!

Robert spoiled me yet again. I am so in love with that boy. I am glad to know that it is him and me together forever!

Easter Weekend

2010-04-11T19:08:00.000-07:00

I spent Easter weekend with my parents and sister. We had a blast talking, playing at the beach, talking, eating, talking, going to Sea World, talking, movies, talking, and just enjoying each other! Thanks fam for a fab weekend! xoxoxoxo
ps Cali... I'll be back real soon!

2010-04-11T19:07:00.001-07:00

I think....

2010-04-11T14:13:00.000-07:00

When I got back from Cali Robert has signs up all over the house with reasons why he missed me. I think he loves me!!!

Voice of an Angel, Cath

2010-04-09T20:49:00.000-07:00

Wow! My BFF and college roommate just finished her first album. I have been waiting for this day to come for years. I have always known that she was meant to do great things with her music. She writes the most incredible/inspiring music with lyrics that I could only dream of writing. When we lived together I was spoiled enough to listen to her on a daily basis. Listening to her album brings back all sorts of memories. Buy her CD you WON'T regret it!

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/cpututau

Derek and Danielle

2010-04-09T07:04:00.000-07:00

My good friend from college and his wife are trying to adopt. They are a wonderful couple! Check out thier blog and see if there is any way you can help!

2010-03-20T06:08:00.001-07:00

2010-03-19T07:19:00.001-07:00

This is what NYC looked like the day we left for our cruise. You could imagin how happy we were to leave and how sad we were to come home. (Don't worry, NYC is back to its beautiful self)

2010-03-19T07:15:00.001-07:00

Olympic Blues

2010-02-26T17:57:00.000-08:00

Oh, Olympics! I am not sure what we are going to do now that the Olympics are almost over. We have been glued to the TV for the last 2 weeks. It has been fun to watch the excitement of the games and better yet it has been a good distraction from the gloomy weather. I feel a bad case of the "Olympic blues" coming on!

Olympic Highlights:
* Shawn White's 2nd run in the medal round... Sick!
* Alta High Alumnus and Cheer leading teammate, Lacy Schnoor, placing 9th in the aerials
* Rochette skating for her mom
* Lysacek taking the gold for men's figure skating
* Woman's Bobsledding
* Of coarse Apolo Ohno!!!

2002 SLC Olympics

***Senior year my high school had a lottery to win tickets to the 2002 SLC Olympics. Ironically, Robert and I both one tickets to the Woman's Biathlon. It was a very memorable day.... I would like to say that's where our love began but it still took us 5 more years to figure it out!

"Great" Grandma!

2010-02-17T09:50:00.000-08:00

This week was my Great Grandma's 103rd birthday.. (I know.. I am going to live forever)! She is such a sweet and special person. Growing up we called her "Garden Grandma" because she always (and still does) had a beautiful garden in her backyard. When I lived in Provo I would visit her every week. I miss our visits but I love thinking back on all the stories she told me about her years as a teacher. She is truly inspiring. Love you grandma!!! xoxoxo

NYC Moment

2010-02-17T09:07:00.000-08:00

My friend and I decided to hit up a Broadway last night. Everything was sold out because of the winter break so we put in our names into the West Side Story lottery. My name wasn't pulled out (my lucky streak is OVER) but lucky Carissa pulled out so we had front row seats and it was INCREDIBLE. We decided it was one of our favorite NYC moments!

Girl/Cousin Time

2010-02-17T09:06:00.000-08:00

I convinced my beautiful cousin Erin to come down (or up??) from Boston for a girl's weekend. Our boys were studying/working and we were in need for some girl time!!! It was a blast ....
(Ellis Island, Kitchenette, Nyc Library)

Valentines

2010-02-17T09:03:00.001-08:00

One of the best Valentines yet.....

I will survive....

2010-02-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

Just when I thought my kids were going to drive me crazy... my coworker whispers in my ear "school. cancelled. tomorrow. snow day"!!!!!!! I gave her a big hug and yelled I WILL SURVIVE!

Chancellor Klein Announces Schools Closure Tomorrow
Due to anticipated inclement weather conditions, all New York City public schools will be closed tomorrow, February 10, 2010. All after-school activities, PSAL events, and all other events taking place in school buildings will also be cancelled. While travel conditions to school in the morning may not be difficult, the weather is expected to worsen as the day progresses, complicating dismissal. We are making this decision today to give parents as much time as possible to make alternative plans for tomorrow.

Princeton

2010-02-07T09:22:00.000-08:00

Our friends planned out a surprise group date for several people in our ward. They wouldn't tell us what we were going to do but they did tell us to dress warm and to be prepared to have fun! The surprise ended up being a visit to Princeton and a ice hockey game. We were definitely surprised and we had a lot of fun. Princeton's campus is by far the most beautiful campus I have ever seen. Robert enjoyed the hockey!

Quotes.. Anybody????

2010-02-02T10:23:00.000-08:00

I love this girl (my sister in-law)! She is beautiful and has a heart of gold. You will never see her or leave her without getting a great big hug. For being so young she is already so driven and self motivated. It makes me love her even more that she loves quotes and has quotes all over her room. She emailed me for some more quotes to put on her wall. I thought it would fun to get my fellow bloggers favorite quotes to give to her. So,

ADD YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE... YOU KNOW THE ONE THAT YOU HAVE READ A THOUSAND TIMES AND IT STILL INSPIRES YOU! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! XOXOXO

Unattainable Beauty

2010-01-30T08:28:00.000-08:00

Check this out (my friend at work showed this to me)
Newsweek

Abraham Lincoln and Korean Food

2010-01-27T10:59:00.000-08:00

One of our favorite museums so far and great night out with friends and Korean Food (yummmm)

Toys R' Staples

2010-01-27T10:57:00.001-08:00

I told my kids that I am going to open a toy store and make MILLIONS by selling all the toys I have taken away from them this year.
Any takers.......?

East New York

2010-01-27T10:35:00.000-08:00

I have worked in East New York for almost 2 years now. I am so used to everything that I forget what a crazy place it is. I needed to get some pictures of the neighborhood for one of my lessons so I hid my camera inside my coat with the lens sticking out. (You need to be careful... I have seen people get shot for less than a stick of gum in this place.) I can't even begin to tell you the not-normal things I have seen and experienced here.

Haircuts, Staples Style

2010-01-27T10:18:00.000-08:00

**** Yes, those are kid-safegard scissors :)

Robert and I don't live by the saying "You scratch my back... I'll scratch yours" but ours is more like "You cut my hair, I'll cut yours". Being poor sucks sometimes but sometimes it is so much fun! For the last year Robert has let me cut his hair!!!! This is a big deal for me because when I was little I either wanted to do hair or be a teacher .. and now I get to live my other life! Don't worry, my cousins and I used to pretend we were hair stylist and cut my grandma's lawn... so I have lots of practice! For the most part his hair turns out pretty good... except the time I cut it in dim lighting, opps! Also, Robert is really good at coloring my hair .....and he's cheap!

Project Sleep.... I mean Happiness

2010-01-22T18:20:00.000-08:00

My cute friend Tamara invited me to be part of "project happiness".. click here to find out what the heck project happiness is!!

Day one:
Sleep hasn't been in my vocabulary for the last 2 years.. come to think of it.. sleep has never been part of my vocabulary! Since we moved to NYC I have started all my days Monday through Friday at 5:05AM. Saturdays it is 4AM (to work in the temple).. "Well, Lindsay at least you get to sleep in on Sundays"... not usually! I am not complaining because I have always wanted to be a morning person and this has helped me .. but I do miss sleep very, very much! I have dreams about sleeping.. catch my drift :)

So for day one of project happiness I took and long, unexpected nap!!!!!!!!!!! It was lovely and I was very, very happy when I woke up. I look forward to day two of project happiness.. I have some great ideas!

2010-01-17T09:37:00.000-08:00

How cool is he... President Holland (the president of UVU) sent me a personal letter and some extra copies of the newspaper article about my class. This guy seems awesome and I would love to meet him one day. I bleed green now.. I have true UVU pride.

He wrote me!

2010-01-13T10:44:00.000-08:00

Lately, my class has been pen pals with the 3rd graders at my old school (Redwood Elementary in West Salt Lake). It has been really neat to see the kids exchange information about their communities. You can see the enormous differences in their cultures. AFENY is 100% African American and Redwood is mostly Hispanic.

One day I was handing out their long-awaited letters from their pen pals. One of my KWLM's (Kids We Love the Most.. aka.. pain in the butt kids) started screeching "Mrs. Staples! Mrs. Staples". I ran over because I thought he was going to hyperventilate. I asked what was going on and he screamed "JESUS wrote me, Mrs. Staples!!! He wrote me!!!". After I roared of laughter for a couple of minutes I explained to him that sometimes people use that as names but pronounce it differently. I think he was relieved that god wasn't writing him personally... he knows what kind of letter that would be.

Yup....

2010-01-11T13:39:00.000-08:00

Yes, those are Marti Gras beads. Yes, that is a happy birthday cap. Yes, I did MAKE Robert wear it all around NYC on his birthday. Yes, people did stare at him. Yes, he was extremely embarrassed. Yes, I did spoil him BIG time on his birthday! This is going to be a good year for him.. I can just tell!!!