Thanksgiving, Black Friday Shopping, Wedding, The City!

Thanksgiving was in New York this year.  It was kind of weird to be away from my family, but they didn't seem to mind.  My mom kept telling me to have the time of my life...Well I did have fun and Gregg's family is the best.  Such good people to just welcome me into their family like no big deal.  I even have a stocking at his mom's house this year.  My family is not into the stocking thing...so I never really thought much about it, but it did warm my heart to see it there.  I gained like 7 lbs from eating...Gregg's mom is an absolute great cook...I don't think that I have ever disliked anything that she has cooked.  She has the best Italian food...yum yum.  After dinner and I was slightly comatose from gorging on everything from cheese and crackers to rainbow cookie cake, but Gregg's bother and sister in law had convinced us that we needed to go to Toys R Us to help Santa shop for the little rug rats.  I was excited...this is what my shopping career has always wanted to do.  Gregg was dreading it, but then got excited...well the excited for all of us wore off when we saw this line. 

It wrapped in front of a DSW, PetCo, Office Max, and some other store down the side of that other store to the back of the building. 

Seriously.

That is what I was thinking...I knew I was going to have to wait in line, but that was ridiculous.  I was not prepared for this.  After waiting in line for 1 hour we finally made it inside.  I immediately got my shopping hat on and went and got the items that I was in charge of.  I found Gregg, he was empty handed.  So I made him stay with my stuff while I tried to find Michael (Gregg's bother) and other items on the list.  I found a few things on my way, I figured if Michael already had them we could just put them away, but when I found him he had two wrestler figurines.  I thought REALLY! that is all you found, I then went into panic mode because we didn't even get half of the items.  Janeane was going to kill us.  He was so disappointed that we didn't get this bowling set for Little Michael.  He was totally defeated and gave up all hope.  So we started to get in line to check out, even though I was completed disappointed with what we found so far.  Then we found one of the items in the middle of the isle.  I was not about to give up.  I had the guys stay in line while I wondered the store and search every bin and fisher price isle for the items that we were to get on the black Friday sale.  I was very successful.  There was only one thing that we didn't get and I believe that amazon.com saved us with the bowling set.  Yes another Christmas saved by my ability to be stellar at toy shopping...now I have to worry about my niece. 

We were suppose to attack Walmart that night too...I was thinking there is no way we were doing that.  If Toys R Us was that insane, I couldn't imagine Walmart.  (Apparently it was a good idea, there were horror stories on a NYC radio station on Monday morning.)  We went to the mall the next day, but it was just kind of crowded...I didn't find any super fabulous deals, but I got a couple of must haves at H&M. 


The main reason we were in New York for Thanksgiving weekend was for a fabulous wedding.  This is a glimpse of my dress...I will post the photo booth pics that we have as soon as I figure out how to do that! 

The wedding was for friends of Gregg's from college, Joe and Ashley.  It was absolutely gorgeous.  And the food was to die for.  They had a buffet of different types of foods for the cocktail hour and then a full course dinner and for dessert they did a board walk theme that had probably 20 different desserts to choose from. 


The next day it was city time.  We saw Promises, Promises.  Absolutely fabulous.   I love the city even though it involves hours of walking, train rides and freeze cold winds in the winter.  They have the best bakeries there...So many yummy sweet treats that are hard to say no too.  This is time square at night...they already have the New Year's ball lit and ready to go for 2011.

We then walked into the winter wonderland that Gregg's mom transformed her house into.  There is Christmas stuff in every nook and cranny.  Every room has something festive.  The bathroom is transformed into a snow man shrine.  So cute.  This little guy helped decorate: 

He is a good little Santa helper.

So now it is the season of giving, sharing and merry happy thoughts.  My favorite saying of the season is this:



All your Christmas dreams and wishes can't come true unless you BELIEVE!

  

Welcome to the holiday season,

Hugs,

T

Halloween 2010

This year has been all about Lady Gaga and the Jersey Shore...well at least in mine and Gregg's world it has been.  So after using a half bottle of self tanner for Gregg and a tube of mascara for me this is how we turned out for Halloween!

Gaga Style 2010

I can't get the pic of Gregg to load...but it his fake tanner doesn't really show in the pic...so really it would have been disappointing...but he was wearing a really sweet Ed Hardy shirt with rhinestones. 

Pretty Flowers

Well since Fall/Winter are finally here, I figure that I will bode summer farewell with some of the awesome flowers that are grown in Utah's very own Red Butte Gardens.

Can't believe that I was able to photo that bumble bee too.

Loved the Rose Garden

I almost got bit by a snake trying to take this photo.

Where are the frogs??

Gregg was not as big of fan as I was of all the flowers.  Every time he saw a bee (which was about every 20 seconds) he would scream and attempt to run away.  Bye, Bye Summer...now bring on winter and let the snowboarding begin!

Peace and Love.

Welcome to New York



I {heart} New York

 We recently went to New York to visit Gregg's ever growing family.  We met the newest addition Mr. Zachary Taliercio.  Boy was he a cutey.  He was the sweetest little baby, but he was always hungry.  It was so great to finally meet the little guy.  But as always I fail to bring my camera, so I will have to wait until there are some photos on Facebook. 

We also went to New York for Gregg's sister's graduation party.  She graduated in June, but was so sweet to hold off having her big party until we could visit.  It is a huge adjustment and sacrifice for his family to not have him live back east.  We wish that we could visit every month, but the cost of plane tickets never seem to drop.  Can you believe that we paid $1000 to fly us there for Thanksgiving.  We both wanted to visit during Christmas too, but that tickets are already the cost of one arm and one leg.  So we will probably have to spend Christmas apart from each other or his family, both are heart breaking. 

Going to New York a second time has made me realize that there are certain things that you absolutely have to do when we are in New York.  I have created a list of things to do, the list keeps growing, maybe when the list is long enough it will be time to move back east.

1. Pizza.  I don't care where it comes from as long as it is not Pizza Hut or Domino's.  We have to have pizza...multiple times is preferred, but sometimes other people want to eat something besides pizza.
2. H&M.  I know that I could go shorter distances for this great find, but cannot compete with the multiple floors that the New York stores have.  I think that it is absolutely absurd that we can't get one of these in SLC yet...maybe with the City Center they will cave and I will be able to spend my pennies on a monthly basis rather than a quarterly basis.
3. Bagels.  I am the first to admit that I have a carb problem, but I can resist any bagel or donut on any given day now.  Some people can't imagine passing up an Einstein bagel, I mean the smears alone are so delicious.  (I have a slight addiction to cream cheeses.)  I have to admit that I was once in this place, then I discovered that Einstein Bros is a fraud and they are not serving real bagels.  I can't describe what makes a New York bagel better, it just is.
4. Chicken Parm.  I added this to my list because it is on Gregg's list.  He won't go home without having this at least 2 times.  If his mom doesn't make it, he orders it from various Italian restaurants.
5. Trader Joe's.  I love this store.  There is just something about natural, whole, real not processed products that I just can't get enough of.  Plus they have the best darn chocolate ever.  Not that I need chocolate, but you sometimes you just need chocolate.

Some things that may make the list for next trip, Italian Ices, mom's lasagna, Broadway, other shopping finds, who knows what this city will bring us next time.  I am almost certain that if we go to the city Magnolia's Bakery will be on the list.

Thanks to all of Gregg's family for a great trip and yummy food.  (I don't think I need to eat pasta with ricotta for months.)

Summer Catch Up and Fall Beginnings

I just realized that I did not finish my summer by taking any pics of anything...so I guess there isn't much to blog about today.  I kind of hate days like this.  Most of the time I am thinking oh I should blog this or that, but then when it really comes down to it, I either forgot to capture the moment to relive it on the blog, or I decided that I want to keep that memory for just me.

I spent the rest of the summer being a bum.  After school got out for the semester, I was totally exhausted and spent a week in recovery.  I don't think that I had watch that much TV, YouTube, Facebook crap in the past year.  I of course spent most of my days at work, blah, and spending time with my family (my parents got a new puppy).  I didn't think that I would ever want summer to end, but oh course they say "All good things come to an end."  I think that it should be extend to say, "All good things come to an end, to make room for better things to come along," but that is a different story.  I was pretty excited to start school and get yet another semester under my belt. 

I was motivated to the max.  I had my planner set, I started early on my online class.  I had all of my school supplies and new back pack (THANKS GREGG!), and I was super excited about being on campus while people were actually there, not at 7:30 in the morning, when nobody in the right mind should even be trying to function.  Then it happened.  I stayed up late one night, I think that I was watching Jersey Shore...damn those Guido's and Giudiette's.  And it has been a slippery slope and surviving ever since.  I lasted 2 school days and then I was back to my normal trudging along on survival mode.  But every weekend I try to change my attitude and get back on track.  I should try this tactic everyday.  Maybe it will actually happen sometime...like tomorrow. 

So it seems that is my life yet again.  *SIGH*  Like I said tomorrow will be a better day and I will get my motivation back. 

Peace and Love.

Central Park

Central Park is amazingly beautiful.  In the heart of the city, it is hard to image that this beautiful garden could exist in the "concrete jungle." 

An overview of Central Park

I really only wanted to see the part of the park that is in the movie One Fine Day, the fountain.

 

First Glimpse

The "Other Side" 

It was really cool to walk under the bridge that is in so many different TV shows and films.  It was like, "Well this is strange, I have seen this before," but I really hadn't.

Even with seeing pictures of Central Park, there was no way I would ever be able to explain to you how breath taking it was.  The history that is in this park is astounding.  I can't believe how many trees there are.  There were only a few spots that were not covered in shade, and it wasn't because of the lack of greenery.  Every where I looked it was green.

Center of the Park

 The trees in New York are different then they are here.  I know you think, a tree is a tree, but these trees have a story.  Each of them. They all have character.  They even have trees surrounding the highways.  Not like driving through Utah and seeing dirt and tumble weeds.

Paddle Boats...so romantic!

My next favorite part was the water.  No it was not clean and pristine water, but it was so cozy.  There were little sail boats on one part of the lake and then on the other side there were paddle boats with cute couples in them.  I really wanted to do a paddle boat ride, I thought it would be very romantic.  Then Gregg reminded me of how hot it was and that I would have to help paddle...I immediately changed my mind.  I did not want to melt any more than I already was. 

I wonder if these boats have drugs in them like in Gossip Girl

Gregg:"I won't take you on a paddle boat, but smile I'll take a picture with you."

Right before we were going to head to get a hot dog and cup cake and trying to navigate our way out of the park I caught a glimpse of this.  I will forever remember and {heart} Central Park.

Zion's National Park

Gregg has this thing about going to the National Parks here in Utah...I however, think it's for the birds, but because I am the best girl friend ever, I told him that I would go to Zion's with him.  I have never been, and I heard that it is absolutely beautiful.  Well I was amazed!  I can't believe that we really do live in a beautiful country.

Cactus Flower

Gregg's so EXCITED!!!

We hiked Angel's Landing.  It is one of the more difficult trails, but not too extreme and totally worth it.  The different views of the canyon is just crazy.  My favorite part was "refrigerator canyon" because it was the only cool part of the hike.  It is at the very beginning and just before the "wiggles."

WE MADE IT!!

I love stars!

The "Wiggles"

After the long hike, I talked Gregg into sitting near the water and letting me soak my toes and just kind of enjoy nature for a bit, plus I am fascinated with rivers so I just wanted to watch for a bit.

Zion's National Park 2010