You guys...Canada is cool!

 I love Vancouver! I know as an American, I'm not supposed to admit that I love Canada, but I really do.  I would live there if I could. Gasp! I know. But seriously, Vancouver is like a cooler Seattle (and I probably shouldn't say that either).

I've been up north a handful of times. In high school, my band director was cool enough to let us go there on a band trip. My friend Alana and I were determined to get a picture with some cute Canadian guys. By the time we had the guts to actually ask, it was our last day, right before we had to board our bus. They were definitely cute, but definitely not Canadian. "We're not Canadian, we're Norwegian," the boys told us. Bummer. But not quite.

Three summers ago I attended the LDS Temple open house for the Vancouver Temple. My friend Joseph, whom I taught with in Taiwan, came out from Spokane and we drove up with my lovely friend Lyndsi. We spent most of our time in China-town, which I definitely did not oppose. It felt like I was back in Taiwan.

A few weekends ago I went up again to BC with some of my friends.My friend Kyle is an amazing artist and put together this gem of a video of our experience.

    

Highlights of the trip included"

•  A super cute and tasty creperie
• Catching an awesome sand volleyball game
• Testing my hands-free metro skills on our way into the city
• Everyone crossing the street and leaving me on the other side.
• Empenadas
• An amazing suspension bridge
• Great gelato (I made sure I had some!)
• And an epic geography game on the road trip home
• A drunk 20-something jumping off his balcony (it was on the 1st level) to evade some cops. He landed in some bushes near where we were staking out our spots for the fireworks show, and he couldn't understand why the police would want to arrest him. He was scratched pretty badly, and was oblivious to his wounds. It was funny and sad at the same time. 
• Visiting the Vancouver singles branch
• Eating poutine (it's actually quite good!)

Oh, and did I mention the fireworks? They were better than the 4th of July!! Way to go Vietnam!

Here's to Vancouver and all it's great goodness!

A Few Things...

I've been thinking about this list for the past couple of weeks, and have been meaning to write it down. There is so much to be thankful for! I'm grateful for:

• Blackberry picking with my mom. I think blackberries are my favorite. Add them to greek yogurt...enough said. 
• Fans that keep me cool at night. Had it not been for my fan the last couple of weeks, I wouldn't have been able to sleep. At. All. It's been hot up here!
• Vegetables. I'm recently obssessed with roasting bell peppers and sprinkling them with Mrs. Dash. No oil needed!
• Living near an LDS Temple. 
• The love and support of family, friends, roommates and church leaders.
• The peace that comes from reading the scriptures.
• The enabling power of the Atonement. Still don't understand quite how this works, but I know that it does! And it's blessed my life tremendously. 

And that's about all for now!

3 golds!

source

I think this was my favorite Olympic moment of this week--Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings winning their third Olympic gold medal. Amazing!

Both teams played incredibly well (and both were from the USA!). There were a few times I wasn't sure if Misty and Kerri would pull ahead, but never fear! They always did.

It's hard to believe that Misty is retiring--what will Kerri do? In the interviews you could see how close they've become over the years, and how this is going to be a MAJOR change for them both.

P.S. It's a bit ridiculous how easy they make sand volleyball look. Seriously. Running in the sand is not easy. Can you imagine jumping in the sand? These athletes don't get all the respect they deserve.

P.P.S. Did I mention that I love the Olympics? 

Sometimes I go to the movies by myself...

It's true.

Sometimes I do go to the movies by myself.

But it is a rather recent occurrence. It wasn't until I read this blog post from Joanna Goddard of A Cup of Jo, that I had the guts to try it out.

My first movie: Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1.
I know, I know.
I couldn't find anyone to go with me, and I really wanted to see it. So one evening I decided to just do it. I was a little self-conscious at first, sitting all by myself, but it ended up being the most enjoyable experience. I was able to enjoy the movie without wondering if my friends were thinking it was dumb or lame, because it was a bit. But I think that's why I liked it so much.

Last night, I was really in the mood to see a movie. I'm waiting to see Dark Knight with a roommate, and she wasn't feeling it last night. As I was looking at what films were in theaters, I saw that Step Up Revolution was still playing. It's another one of those movies that I knew I wouldn't find anyone to go with me, so I went on my own.

The acting was bad, but the dancing was amazing. And that's all that really matters in the Step Up series anyways. Even better, a ton of dancers and choreographers from So You Think You Can Dance were involved. Twitch! Mia Michaels!!! Need I say more? There is one scene that is filmed in a museum, and swear I almost cried it was so cool. Dance makes me emotional, okay?

The more I go to the movies on my own, the less awkward I feel. It's empowering!

Have you ever been to a movie by yourself?

On my day off...

I saw some of these:

Fed this little beggar some french fries:

And ventured here:

And it was glorious!

Last Friday was declared a company holiday, and I did not protest. My mom and I ventured into the city for a day of fun. Those are the very best kinds of days!

To start out, we headed across the good ol' 520 bridge to Madison, the dwelling place of City People's Garden Store. And boy oh boy what a treat this place is!  I'm a sucker for nurseries, and this one did not disappoint. Beautiful (cheap) plants, cute garden accessories--what more could you ask for? And I happened to find some pretty slick cat-eye sun glasses. Always a bonus!

Our next stop was Leschi Beach to stake out a spot for the BIG EVENT. And by BIG EVENT I mean the Blue Angels practicing for their Seafair show (which is pretty much exactly the same as the practice runs). The planes flew right over our heads!  Dogs barked, children cheered, umbrellas were bountiful (but not because of rain), and most everyone got sunburned.  It was joyous!

Because we were already in Seattle, and already paid the ridiculous toll (I'm not a fan), Mom and I decided to head down town, and act like tourists. With our car parked near Pioneer Square, we strolled along the piers where we watched the ferries come and go. We ate fish and chips at Ivar's, and fed the pesky seagulls. We checked out the new Ferris Wheel, and decided it was a little pricey for what it was.  

Then we hiked up the hill to Pike's Place--quite possibly my favorite place in the city. Tourists were everywhere, and I then remembered why I almost never go down town during the summer. What is it about tourists that make one claustrophobic? 

Mom, a true Seattlite, had never seen the infamous gum wall, so it was a must on our list of things to do. It's pretty disgusting, but amazing at the same time. Don't you love how my shorts match the wall?? 

It was a wonderful day spent with my lovely ma. I'm so glad I moved back, so I could be close to her and the rest of my family!

Here's to family, the Blue Angels, and Seattle in the summer! Hurrah! 

My Olympic Favorites

Oh, how I love the Olympics! Religiously, at 8 o'clock every night, I've been downstairs in front of the TV. I don't know if that means I'm pathetic, or really cool. But it's undeniable that I love the Olympics, I can't bear missing any of the events.

There is so much I have to say about the London games! But if I wrote about everything, you would be bored. Really, I promise. So I've decided to jot down a few of my favorite--mainly athletes and moments.

Favorite Athletes (so far)

I think Gabby Douglas has been my favorite athlete to watch so far in these games. She's an amazing athlete, and has such a positive attitude. I love seeing the pure joy she has when she competes. And did you see her on the bars during the all-around? They don't call her the "Flying Squirrel" for no reason! And I also have to say that I love that when she won the all-around she gave all the glory to God. That isn't something you see very often nowadays.

Missy Franklin is right up there with Gabby Douglas. Not only is she an amazing athlete, but she genuinely seems like a good person. I love how she's so down to earth, and is a good sportsman (sportswoman?). When she hasn't won gold, she's always congratulating those who do win. I love how she lives the with the true spirit of the Olympics. I'm excited to see her in the next Games!

I have to admit that men's swimming has been my favorite event to watch so far. What amazing athletes! And we hardly give them the credit that they deserve once the Olympics have ended. I also have to admit that I like Michael Phelps. So many of my friends dislike him because he was a bit cocky in Beijing. I guess living in Taiwan at the time did me some good, as I wasn't able to watch any of the swim meets. If he was cocky back then, I feel like he's matured into a respectable athlete. My favorite athletes are those who treat their teammates and competitors with respect. He cheered for his teammates in their personal heats. And you cannot deny that he is the best Olympian around--22 medals, and 18 of them gold!

Nathan Adrian.

Need I say more?

This kid is adorable! And he's from Bremerton, WA, and he respects his mama. And did I mention he won gold in the 100 meter free-style? And that it was an amazing? And that he's a smarty-pants as well as athletic and good looking? Well, he is.

Favorite moments so far

The US men's and women's relay swim teams winning gold!
US women's gymnasts winning the all-around.

Duchess Kate talking to the US women's gymnastics team after the individual vault competition. How amazing would that be? She has such class. I would die to meet her!

US gymnast, Aly Raisman's parents. I don't think I've as hard as when I saw the play back of her parents' reactions while she was on the uneven bars. Now that's what I call intense! Watch the full reaction here.

I have to admit that I took a little time off this weekend to enjoy the fabulous weather we've been having up here in Seattle, but I'm looking forward to more women's gymnastics and all the track and field events. What I've seen so far in those events is making me excited!

Hope you all have been enjoying the Olympics as much as I have!