Fun Times and Good Friends in the Last Week of February

Life is pretty good. In fact, I'm in a constant state of feeling overwhelmed by the many blessings that the Lord has poured out upon me. I am so grateful for how wonderful my day-to-day life seems to be. However, some weeks are even better than average. Last week was definitely one of those.



MONDAY: The week started off super well with a large gathering (Stake FHE--see "Cookies" to hear a little more about that adventure) and a movie (I saw Push. Has anyone else seen that yet? I don't think I would have gone by myself, but it was my friend Tessa's birthday).



TUESDAY: The next day I had work (which is always good) and then, on the way home, I helped an old friend, Shawna, pack up her apartment. It was so nice that we got to chat and catch-up. I ended up inheriting 6 new purses, cleaning supplies, and a bunch of brand new make-up from Victoria's Secret (she didn't want to stick it in storage). It was like Christmas all over again!



WEDNESDAY: American Idol! I watched it at my friend's house just so I could see my cute cousin (Kai Kalama) perform. He did well, though he didn't make it to the Top 12. I had to stay up late so that I could vote for him (my cell phone is a CA number, and the voting system is somehow related to your time zone. Yawn!). It was awesome seeing someone I love and adore on national television.



THURSDAY: Rachel Ray Show! Yes, so I went to a taping of the Rachel Ray show. It was fun. By the end of the taping, I was hungry and ready to go, but I definitely enjoyed myself while I was there. Jeff Foxworthy was one of the guests and Tom Allen (from the Food Network?) was the other guest. During the real life spot (whatever that is when they do a spot on viewers and their real life challenges), I was sitting next to the three guests. So, I should definitely be in the shot. Other fun times from that day include a visit to Grand Central Station, Hip Hop Class, and going to Cafe Lalo (anyone seen You've Got Mail?) to meet up with my friend, Kevin. Since he was staying with us for the weekend, he treated my roomies and I to dinner and dessert. I can't remember the last time I laughed so much. We were all so tired and loopy (especially Kevin with his 2 hours of sleep), and it was like being back in Provo... but cooler since it was NYC. :)



**Okay, I need to take a moment to mention that Kevin is one of my dearest friend's from BYU, but we haven't actually seen each other since his wedding reception. To give you an idea of how long ago that was, his wife is currently pregnant with their 2nd child and they waited a bit to start having kids. He was staying with us for a few days while he hit some auditions and met with work associates. Thus, he's mentioned for the next few days, though there is obviously no romantic interest since he's happily married**



FRIDAY: First, it's important to note that the weather was AWESOME! I didn't wear a coat at all (day or night). Woohoo! So, Kevin's friend, Nicole, is currently playing Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway. Though we'd both seen it before, Kevin felt like he should see it again, and didn't really want to go alone. So, we played the lottery and won (I know--I love my luck!). Since we... okay... he won, I met him in the Theatre District after work so we could grab dinner. While in that area, I ran into a bunch of friends, including my friend Daniel with whom I did a show in San Diego. Crazy! NYC is seriously the biggest small town I know. Anyway, Wicked was very good (though there was one character with pitch problems--NOT Elphaba or Glinda) and we went backstage after the show to chat with Nicole. She is super sweet! After we left the theatre, we went to Serendipity and put ourselves into serious sugar highs. No wonder we stayed up talking til 3 am.



SATURDAY: Saturday I had a stake meeting (very inspiring and informative) and then came home to get a bunch of work done. Then, I got all gussied up and went to our Stake Speed Dating Event. Yes, you read me right. I went Speed Dating. I only went because I promised my roommates and friends that I would go, and I LOVED IT! There were 115 guys and 115 girls. It was sooooo fun! I don't know if anything dating-wise will come of it, but it was great to meet so many new people. After we (my roommates and me) got home, we stayed up til 2 telling Kevin our speed dating adventures and laughing our tails off...again.



Well, I think that's where my tale of February ends. Sunday started a new month (Hurray for March!), and a brand new week of adventures. I am grateful for extra fun weeks. It was exactly the stress relief I needed and that I've been praying for.