For it's 1..2...3 strikes you're OUT.....

So a few weekends ago, I went to a Mariner's baseball game with some of my roommates and people from church. I haven't been to a baseball game in.....I don't know like 15 years or something. And the one I went to was hot and boring! So I didn't know quite what to expect from this game, but I ended up having a good time. I froze, but I had fun. As you can see from the first picture, we weren't seated super close. I know that the picture below it looks like it was just night time but it wasn't quite that late. The weather was really cold and rainy that night. Because this is Seattle, they built this stadium with a retractable roof but the rain still gets in especially if you are sitting really close to the top! About an hour into the game it started raining on us so some of the people in our group decided to see if they could move down to the lower seats. We watched them stealthy sneak into a pretty empty section and get all comfy. We also watched as one of the ushers approached them wanting to see their tickets. We all thought he'd kick them out but he let them stay....so the rest of followed suit and moved to the better seats!

This is the view from our new seats...as you can see, we're much closer to all the action!

 Just a few more pictures from the game. It was fun and the Mariners won! I feel lucky to have seen them win since they've been losing more than winning the last few weeks!


Towards the middle of the game there was a Ranger running to 2nd base and he slid to base and was declared safe. It was pretty clear to the crowd that he was OUT and even more apparent when they replayed to scene on the big screen. The call stood and he was SAFE but oh...there was some Unhappy Mariner's fans in the crowd. They BOOed until the inning was over. Luckily, the Ranger's didn't score any more runs that inning but the crowd definitely let their displeasure show! This game was also pretty intense because the Texas Rangers were hitting everyone. So many Mariner's took hits from the ball that night...and they looked super painful! I felt bad for anyone getting up to bat because I'm pretty sure most of them got hit.

Duly Noted

This is a break from the catch up I've been doing. I just want it noted that I am no longer Lost in Tucson! I listened Kiersty. I changed my heading to reflect where I currently am! And I'd just like to point out that while you did change your heading as well to match your blog...it took you almost a year! So I'd say I'm doing pretty well when it only took me a few months...we won't dwell on the fact that had you not called me out on it, it probably wouldn't have changed!

More posts to come on what I've been up too! Just so everyone can be happy with me..This weeks forecast  had all suns with minimal clouds and rain! I can't tell you how excited that made me! It might even be hot this weekend! I'll let you know if it was an accurate forecast or the weatherman's idea of a cruel cruel joke!

Green Lake Park

The sun has been a little shy since I've been here. When the sunny days and my days off coincide it's a joyous event! This Saturday was one of those glorious days! When it's sunny, everyone comes out to play. This is Green Lake Park. It's only a few miles from where I live and it's beautiful. When I got to the park, there was SOOOOO many people there. I couldn't believe how many people were out walking, playing croquet, frisbee, baseball, etc. So many people out enjoying the sun! I'm excited to see it this summer. You can go swimming and rent paddle boats! It sounds like lots of fun. I just walked the trail this time and enjoyed the nice weather. I got a few pics of the lake and the city behind it. I really love being so close to so many bodies of water. Do I wish that it was warmer so I could actually enjoy the water...yes! A resounding YES! But, sometimes we just have to learn to live with certain hardships!

 This is my favorite! I love that the trees are starting to bloom. The flowers are starting to come out as well and I am really loving spring! I pass some of these trees on my way home everyday. There is one street and they just line the block. The colors are so beautiful. Someday, I'll get some pictures of those.

"I know you can be overwhelmed and you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed?"

"I think you can in Europe."

I hope someone out there got this movie reference! If my sisters don't get it, I may have to think about disowning them....We saw it quite a few time! For those who didn't know it, it's from the movie Ten Things I Hate About You. I referenced it because I'm seeing so many of the places they filmed it at. It was filmed in Seattle and Tacoma and one of the scenes was shot here at the Fremont Troll! 

I found this guy under the Aurora Bridge a few weeks ago. I was told to watch what shoes I wear because he likes to steal shoes and apparently VW Bugs. Thankfully, I don't drive a VW so my car is safe and sound. It was fun to see this place that I never thought I'd see. I never thought I'd be in Seattle...yet here I am...living the dream. I am glad I found him during the day because I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to be wandering around here late at night. If the sleeping bags and stuff by the stairs is any indication, there are a few people sleeping with the troll at night.....

 I got a little to close and you can't really see the troll...but I got close and he didn't eat me so...win some, lose some!

Anyways, here's another adventure done! I'm enjoying getting to know the city and all the fun things there are to see!

Pike Place Market

This was my first order of business when I had a free weekend. I went to Pike Place Market with two of my roommates. We visited the gum wall....which is a pretty disgusting thing. Someone thought it would be a great idea to stick their chewed bum on a wall and then continue to do it! Now people spell names with their gum and make art...all sorts of fun things. But, now I've experienced it. I also experienced the best donuts! They were quite delicious and I'm glad I'm not closer to Pike Place!

A few shots from Pike Place of the water and the new Ferris Wheel

                       I just thought the picture behind my roommate was awesome...so we had to get a pic with it! I had a fun trip to the marketplace and will go back again to explore more. There is a place where you can watch them make cheese...and that sounds awesome and worth watching. I've also heard they have the best mac and cheese...so I definitely have to try that!

Sorry......More Pics

These are the pictures from my cell phone! I finally got them to work with me! Sorry they aren't in order, I didn't feel like fighting with it so, they're backwards. The top ones are more from my drive through Oregon and into Washington. I just loved the water to the side of me, it was so pretty.

 

Here is some of the fog I talked about...so gray and dreary but unlike any weather I'd been dealing with for the last 6 years!

      

This was the very beginning of my drive...just outside of Boise. The pictures don't really convey just how foggy it looked! I was sad because I knew this is what my life would be from now on in Seattle!

The Scenic Route

Ok, so I'm still having some issues getting all of the pictures from my drive...mostly because they're on my phone and it's not working with me...But here are some of the pictures from my drive here. This river was present for pretty much the last half of my drive from Boise to Seattle. I loved looking over and seeing all the water! I stopped a few times to take pictures of the water and as you can see, it was quite windy....and super COLD! This whole trip i was freezing! It will definitely take me some time to acclimate to this weather. I'm always cold and work and they make fun of me. There is definitely a different perception of what is hot and what is cold here. I'm of the perception that it hasn't been hot at all. The sun out means it's even colder than when it's raining! But I do love the area and I'll get used to the cold...I hope anyways. I'll post some more pictures soon, if i can get them off my phone! It show a little better just how cold and dreary the day was.

The Drive...

Ok, so I'm going to rewind a little and play catch-up here.Sorry if this one is a little boring but I just want to get it on here so I don't forget!

 As you all know, I moved from Arizona to Washington at the end of February. For those who aren't aware....it's a long drive! I think my total was like 1,700 miles or close to that. I took about 5 days to make the trip. I worked my last day in Tucson and then drove to Mesa to stay with my parents before starting the longest leg of my trip. I had a great Sunday with Mom and Dad. We just relaxed and enjoyed the day. On Monday, I started the drive to Utah. I just want to take this opportunity to mention what an awesome sister I am. See, Utah is not really located in a direct path to Washington at all...and it was also February which means, bad weather was possible. BUT...since I'm such an awesome I went out of my way to see Kiersty, Brittany, Seth, the Bodines and.........this adorable girl! It was a short stay, I got there on Monday night and left on Wednesday afternoon. In the middle of that, I had a great visit and got my haircut. As you can see from the picture, Michelle, does a great job of cutting my hair. If only I could afford to fly her up to cut my hair all the time!

Wednesday I drove to Twin Falls and caught up with some old friends. I haven't bee back to Idaho in a few years and haven't seen some friends in a looonnngg time. So it was awesome to see some of those friends. I was sad that I was only there for a day so I didn't get to catch up with everyone that I wanted to . I saw quite a few people on Wednesday and then planned to leave Thursday afternoon to drive to Boise and stay with my friends Bethany and Ty. I visited a few people on my way out of town Thursday and as it usually happens, the visits were longer than planned. But I got to catch up with a good friend I haven't seen in over 5 years and see her family. I also saw my Aunt and a few cousins that I haven't seen in about that long also. It was really nice to see everyone and I'm glad I stopped! I drove up to Boise Thursday evening and saw Bethany and Ty and met their son AJ who I hadn't met before. He's such a cutie and it was so fun to visit with them. I even got to babysit AJ briefly on Friday morning before I left. He's such a cute baby, it wasn't hard to watch him! Then, I started the last leg of my journey...Boise to Seattle. This was also the part of the journey that I've never done before. I'v never driven past the Boise area really, so it was fun to see all the new things. I was really bad at taking pictures throughout this drive but I did get some on this last day. I had too, since this was all new to me! So, I left Boise and started the drive out of Idaho and into Oregon and then Washington. For those of you who haven't made this drive, I'd definitely recommend it! It's beautiful...even though it was pretty foggy and cold through my drive. I took quite a few pictures of the scenery on this leg of the drive, mostly because it was so different than what I've been used too. Coming from the desert for the past 6 years, it was like a whole new world! I loved seeing all the trees and the water...oh the water! There is so much water here! The river beds actually have water in them...all the time! It's such a crazy concept for a girl used to the desert and river beds being dusty and dry! I didn't take quite as long as I could have making this drive. There were so many places I could have stopped and explored a little further but I had to get to Seattle and get somewhat settled before Monday. So I stopped a few times and took some pictures and mostly just enjoyed the scenery from my car! I'm hoping this summer I can take a little more time and explore some of the places I passed. 

Anyways, I did make it to Seattle and only got lost once.....I somehow got in an Exit only lane in the heart of downtown on Friday night and it was TONS of fun! I was not happy with all the one way streets and the craziness that creates. But, thankfully GPS got me out of there and back on the road. I found my house and moved some stuff in that night, but mostly I just wanted some sleep and to get used to a new house! 

My pictures aren't up loading tonight so I'll have to try again later....darn internet!

Soapbox, Conference and BBC!

This post is going to be a little different for me. I usually keep my opinions to myself unless I feel very strongly about it. It's not that I don't care about things enough to argue them, but I've found that it never works....or rarely works. I'm not saying that you shouldn't stand up for the things you believe in, I just tend to be a little more silent. With that said, I'm going to share some opinions that I've been holding in for a little while and just want to put them out there. 

I was slightly nervous that the focus of conference this April would be that a woman finally prayed. While I think that is great, I can honestly say that I never really noticed that women weren't saying the prayers. I don't think this makes me anti-feminist or anything but I just didn't care that much. I have never had a situation in church or regarding the gospel where I felt I wasn't being treated equally. I realize that in our church women don't hold the priesthood and therefore have different callings than men. I have never had an issue with this...but this is just me. I have always been fine with men holding the priesthood and in recent years I have been very grateful for it. I struggle letting people help me or depending on others for things and this is one area that helps me overcome that. I don't want to be fully dependent on others but I have to realize that I'm not able to do everything myself. In having to turn to a worthy priesthood holder it helps me remember that I have to turn to God and ask for help also. I really struggle letting go of control sometimes....! Anyways, This was just a random little side note that I've been stewing over since the whole wear pants to church day...that to me was just ridiculous but again...that's my opinion and it's coming from someone who has never felt forced into wearing a dress....although, when I was younger it was a struggle because I would've been happy in my holey shorts...I didn't have much style as a child! I still don't feel forced into a dress, in fact, I like dressing up on Sunday and having so many options of what to wear. 

Alright....I have stepped off my soapbox and now will talk about something nice! I worked today, so I didn't get to watch conference. I  watched yesterday and have started listening to today's session. I started with Pres. Uchtodorf and WOW! What a talk! I mean, WOW! I loved it, and I still have more talks to listen to. I love talks about light and darkness and how it relates to our lives and Christ. It doesn't matter how many times I've heard talks similar to it, it still hits me. For quite a long time, I've had a love for lighthouses and parallels between them and Christ. I love the hope, relief, and peace that I think come with lighthouses. That might be more of the feelings that one one a ship would think when seeing a lighthouse. If I was lost in a storm or trying to navigate my way home and I finally saw the lighthouse that would guide me home then, those are the feelings I would have. Those are some of the feelings I have when I think of my Savior and the light that he is in my life. I'm never sure if the thoughts I want to share are properly conveyed or if things just sound better in my head...I try though! I love how he said, "Start where you are." I know that I sometimes feel like I have to be at a certain point before I can start over. How silly is that? If you're trying to move past something, whatever it is, you have to start where you are and go forward. I think I needed to be reminded of that simple yet powerful truth. The rest of his talk was just amazing and I will listen to it again. I still need to finish the rest of the Sunday sessions though. 

Other random thoughts from the day. I started watching the BBC show Emma with my roommates. I've got say, I have a weakness for BBC shows and a weakness for Jane Austen BBC shows. They just do such a good job and I always love watching them. I'd say I'm a closet romantic but I don't know if that's truly a secret...who knows. I did love the show. It was full of a little humor, heartache and good old-fashioned romance! I just love how well Jane Austen wrote women...full of quirks and craziness! Just kidding.....Every time I watch those shows I very briefly wish that I lived during that time but it quickly fades and I'm grateful that I live now! If you love those kinds of shows, I highly recommend it! Also, if you love British humor, I'd also recommend a show called Spy. It's hilarious, and the episodes are short, I LOVE IT!!!

Movin' on up...

                                                                                            ......LITERALLY!


So, it's a new year, why not make some changes? This year is definitely going to be a year of changes. Big change will be acclimating (again) to a much cooler climate than Tucson.

Other changes may include:

• wearing jackets
• buying some sweet galoshes and a rain slicker!
• learning to like seafood...or at least try some different seafood
• learn to live without the sun shining daily
• no tan!
• DEALING WITH TRAFFIC....BOO!
• driving/moving cross country (south to north)
• making new friends 
• having more responsibilities at work
• packing (most hated thing ever!)

These are just a few of the new things I will have to deal with this year. If you haven't guessed yet or deduced what's happening...I'm moving. Some of the details are still being worked out but in the near future I will be leaving Tucson, AZ for a much cooler climate. For those of you who know me well, you'll know that I'm not a huge fan of cold climates. But this is a year for changes and I'll just have to adjust again. Fortunately, where I'm off too doesn't get a whole lot of snow...it can just be pretty cold. I don't know which is better! I have been applying for different jobs through the company I work for and I was offered and am accepting a better position in...............

...........SEATTLE, WA!

                                                           

While I am excited for this change in my life I'm still a bit nervous. It's such a big move all around and so naturally it's a little tough on the nerves. But, despite some nervousness, I'm really excited. I've never been to Seattle but there is so much to see and do there! I'm already making my lists of things to do when I get there!  

I'm really excited about this opportunity with my job and for the chance to see new places and meet new people. I'm sure there will be challenges ahead as well as changes but I think I'm ready! I hope I am anyways...So stay tuned for more details!