Ketchup, Catsup, Catch-Up

However you spell it, it's been FAR too long since I posted. Believe me I know, my mother reminds me of this on a weekly, if not daily basis. So I'm going to attempt to catch up a bit since last JULY. Oh my goodness here goes with some highlights...

August: My mom and sister and a couple friends came out to hang out with us in NYC for a week, we had so much fun!

September: I found out I was pregnant and we are so so so so so excited!!! When I told Michael that I thought I was pregnant he had the biggest smile on his face, and all he could say was, "Really? Wait, really???" I kept telling him yes and then he just looked at me with this huge smile and couldn't think of anything else to say. Obviously he's super excited to be a dad! :) 

October: Michael surprised me with plane tickets to UT for my birthday. I was so excited to see my family and to hang out with everyone! It was such a fun trip!

November: I started having morning sickness quite a lot so I tried to rest and take it easy, because walking around NYC with all the different smells etc contributed to what was quite possibly the WORST nausea I've ever had. 

December: Christmas in UT! Such a fun trip, while we were there we went snowshoeing and it was awesome!

January: We found out we're having a baby BOY and we couldn't be more excited! (And he will most definitely be a BYU fan!)

February: This month has been great! At the beginning of the month Michael got tickets through work and we were able to go see a taping of the David Letterman show! It was really fun. :)

We are super happy, loving living in NYC still and we're getting all ready for our baby boy to join us in June!

Apparently I married Prince William?

Michael had to run to the grocery store to grab some items for me for sharing time (isn't he soo nice to go out in the 100+ heat?) Anyway, on his way into the store two older ladies smiled at him and then proceeded to say,

"Hi Prince William! Has anyone ever told you, you look just like Prince William?"

He of course said, "Not often..."

Then while he was walking into the store he heard, "Well, we're single!!"

Ha! What do you think? (Personally, I totally don't see it)

Where do I even begin?

Hello again! It's been six months since I've posted. I didn't think it had been that long...my goodness. Well I'm back! I've been working an incredibly busy job at a hedge fund and I've had no time to even think about catching up on blogging. Well to my great relief my crazy busy job is over and a new one will begin in a week! I will now be nannying for a good friend of mine for two months while she goes back to work. I'm so excited, her little boy is 3 months old and just a sweetie pie! So, now that I'm back here's a quick update...

Michael is still working at Citigroup and really enjoying it. NEWS: We're STAYING in NYC! He just started a new rotation in the Financial District downtown and is excited to learn the ropes of a new role. He's also serving as the Stake Assistant Clerk and doing a fantastic job of helping the stake stay organized :)

I am excited to have a normal work schedule with no late nights and no checking my blackberry all the time like a paranoid IBanker. I'm still working with the kids in primary and I am loving it! They're so funny, I love going to church and being so entertained.

This year has gone by so fast, it's absolutely crazy! Michael and I officially celebrated our 2 year anniversary in April and we couldn't be doing any better, marriage really is the best, especially when you're married to your best friend :) I'm so lucky! We celebrated by taking a long weekend and going to Mystic, CT, what a cute little tourist town, loved it.

We just recently returned from the best vacation ever. We went to Lake Powell with my family and had so much fun! See for yourself...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBzq6hToTYk

We're both doing well, just loving life and trying to stay cool in this disgusting 100+ heat wave in NYC. Seriously, humidity is gross, I keep telling Michael that's why I love UT, I think this heat is making him see things my way. Happy Summer to you all :)

The promised more cheerful post...I belong to someone :)

I got called a couple months ago to be in the Primary Presidency. I was sad to leave my adorable nursery kids but so excited to be with the Primary kids! They are so smart and they have definitely taught me more than I think I could ever teach them. It's been such a fun calling. I still miss my nursery kids. And I try to say hi to them when we're in the hallway. I always try to give them hugs and let them know I still love them. :) So on Sunday we were sitting by our good friends who have two kids. One in primary, one in nursery. I'm seriously in love with both of them. They are so funny. The one in primary is the smartest little boy ever. We'll call him G. And the nursery girl has such a funny little attitude! We'll call her B. So on Sunday we're sitting by them in Sacrament meeting and B passes her mom on the row and says, "I want to sit by my Siri." (only she says my name Siwi. so cute!) So, that just made my day :) Thought I would share.

Great Expectations...and no, not the book.

Dear Blog,

Allow me to apologize for not giving you the love and attention you deserve. Allow me to say how truly sorry I am for not keeping you up to date on my oh-so-not-happenin' life. And also dear blog, please just for a minute let me vent.

I work as a temp. Let me explain temping for you westerners who have probably never heard of a temp agency. (Like I hadn't before moving to NY, deciding I didn't want a museum job and got a job at Glocap) Basically it's like substitute teaching, only you're a receptionist going into a million dollar company and doing what receptionists do...whatever they're told. Oh and a bigger paycheck at the end of the week too, and normally a lot less patience is involved. Mostly reception work at large hedge funds in the great big city of New York is fun. Most days I really enjoy my job. Always something new. New subway stop, new street, new sights, new building, new floor, new view out of said building, new people, new desk, new tasks, new...well you get the point. Normally it's great. Really. Normally I really do like having a change of scenery. Except those days when I don't. Because I simply want a schedule. A normal schedule with co-workers I simply adore (not sure if that ever happens but here's to wishing) ok being more realistic...co-workers that I can talk to and have a conversation other than the standard
"What's your name?"
"I'm Siri, so nice to meet you."
"Siri. Hmmm that's different, how do you spell it?"
Which then proceeds to where are you from, why did you move to the city? To which I reply, "My husband's job." Long pause....And then the all too popular, "OH you're married! Wow, you're a baby! I mean you're so young!" To which I reply. "Yes, yes I am, thank you for pointing it out." (Ok not really, I usually laugh it off.) And then they ask where I went to school and then I say BYU (normally I say Brigham Young University--otherwise no one knows where it's at) and then they say "Oh you're Mormon." And I proudly say yes I am and then they normally ask a question about polygamy. Really great first conversation. I absolutely positively honestly enjoy getting in so many conversations about the church. It's so cool to be outside of Utah and tell people what I believe.

But then there are those days. You know the ones I'm talking about. Where there's an egotiscal CEO, CFO, Csomething or other and they treat you like you're an absolute idiot, like you've never even opened a word file or put a binder together. And then there are the other ones. The "mind-readers" as in they expect you to read their mind when you're told to do something, without any instructions, and then you commence said project, and it's not what they wanted, but you were unaware of this problem, because they didn't tell you what they wanted. Like today for example.

Csomething-or-other..."I need these files put into a tabbed binder."
Me...the not Csomething-or-other and painfully aware of it, "Ok. Great."
And I proceed to look at 4 documents, which I put in a binder with 4 tabs. Seems logical, right? Only no. Clearly not logical at all. And then said Csomething-or-other gives me that look. You know the one. The "really, have you even finished high school look?" and proceeds to tell me that clearly a binder this "big" should have at least 31 tabs. Not 30. Not 32. 31. And I apologize. And I switch out the tabs. Commence feeling like an idiot, due to said look of "have not finished high school" and proceed to drown my feelings in a cup of hot chocolate. sidenote: Perk about working in Hedge Funds. Well stocked fridge, hot chocolate, free lunch. Oh, and a great paycheck. End of sidenote.
Here's the thing, I'm really not trying to complain about very successful people who have worked their whole life building their self-proclaimed successful careers, but give a girl a break. When you want her to do something, just tell her what you want, so you don't have to look like one of the "jerky" successful people when giving said girl a dirty look for not meeting your expectations. Ok enough venting. Other than that, great day. Really, great day.

So I'm sorry dear blog about ignoring you for so long, I'm back. Most likely for good. And next time perhaps a more cheerful post.

Roadtrip to New Hampshire and Boston! Thanksgiving Weekend

 We had a great time in New Hampshire....even though we were dumb and didn't take any pictures! We went up to visit Michael's grandmother who lives in Candia. New Hampshire is absolutely beautiful! We had a wonderful visit with Grandma Perkins and were so happy we were able to visit her. The next day we drove down to Boston! We were only there for about 5 hours and it was FREEZING, so we didn't do the whole walking tour that we were planning on. Hopefully we'll be able to get up there on another free weekend when it's warmer and we can continue to explore the beautiful historic city. Here are a few pics from our trip...enjoy!

Painting of Daniel Webster in Faneuil Hall- originally intended for Versailles

Statue of Paul Revere

                                                                                 Michael in front of the Old North Church

 Sitting in a pew

Old Graveyard

delicious!

 

It was a very short trip, but we had a lot of fun! Yay for having a car!

Re-entering the blogosphere...

November and December passed in a whirl of activity....Thanksgiving Day Parade...Thanksgiving Dinner with friends in our ward...work...flying to Utah (me Dec. 8 & Michael Dec. 17), weddings, Noteworthy, family, friends, food, and laughter. I spent a wonderful week with my family in Utah catching up with friends, skiing with my family, and enjoying every minute of it. When Michael joined me, we went up to Rexburg for the wedding of Michael's sister, Karen & her fiance Austin. They were married December 21 and it was a beautiful day! We went back to Utah to spend a couple more days with my family. While we were there we visited the Carl Bloch exhibit at the BYU MOA. It was such a gorgeous exhibit. I was so moved, I'm not ashamed to admit I cried a few different times. The works Bloch painted  were filled with life and spirit. I've never been to an art exhibit that was more charged emotionally and spiritually. I highly recommend everyone go see the exhibit! It's only there until May 7, so hurry and get your tickets! And you should absolutely rent the iPad guided tour. Fantastic! On Christmas Eve we flew to Texas to spend Christmas with Michael's family. We had a really great time! It was fun to spend time with Michael's family around the holidays, and to participate in some Alemany Christmas traditions. After traveling for 3 1/2 weeks though...I was ready to come home! Living out of a suitcase is only fun for a little while after all. We're back in New York and loving it. And we're so excited for this NEW YEAR! That's all for the update for now. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!