{LiViNg iN rEaLiTy}

Bridal Pics + Sleepover

2008-05-09T19:25:00.002-04:00

Last weekend my mom, sister, grandma and I drove to Eldorado Hills for my bridal pictures. I was nervous in the beginning but it ended up being so much fun! My photographer took 1000 pictures and did an awesome job. You can check out their work (not of me) at now-eternity.com.

After the pics were over I was dropped off at Steph & Ash's apt and to my surprise Whitney was there!! It was so great to finally have all of us roommates together...it had been about 2 years. That night we went to eat to celebrate my birthday and we had a blast.

This is a pic before we went to the mall...oh ya, when girls get together, they have to go to the mall :)

Birthday Girl

2008-05-09T19:05:00.003-04:00

Last Thursday, May 1st, I turned 23...wow how did I get to be this age??? I feel like I am still 16 hanging with all of my girlfriends and dreaming about what we would be when we grew up. Well we are still dreaming...but hopefully getting close to what we hoped we'd become.

My birthday was one of the best ones in my whole life! When I got to work my cubicle was decorated and my co-workers had gotten me 2 plants! They always joke with me that I need more "life" in my cube :) Later I received a delivery...tulips from Matt with the cutest note. Then my boss gave me the papers to become a REAL employee instead of just a temp (this means benefits and time off, yippee). That night we went to Casale's which took forever and wasn't even that great but it was fun to spend time with family.

New Blog!!

2008-04-10T15:24:00.000-04:00

We are FINALLY kicking off our NEW BLOG! Initially, this blog will be used to keep our friends and family informed of our wedding plans!

As most of your know, weddings can be stressful and overwhelming, so we hope that you will become a part of our blog and assist us with our decisions and planning.

Check it out at: http://keelerlife.blogspot.com/

{ENGAGED}

2008-03-27T19:26:00.007-04:00

That's right, Matt and I are ENGAGED!!!! How exciting I know...he is honestly everything I have ever wanted and he treats me like a Queen...and I love him (whoa!)

Matt proposed on March 19th after playing Ultimate Frisbee...which explains how beautiful we look in the following pic. He was so cute and it was definately one of the best days of my life.

Matt and I are going to start a new blog that explains how we met, how he proposed and it will keep you up-to-date on our wedding plans. So please stay tuned...

A Little Easter Humor

2008-03-14T14:31:00.004-04:00

Scrapbook Layout Winner!

2008-03-14T01:21:00.002-04:00

That's right I submitted one of my scrapbook page layouts and I won 3rd place! You can view the newsletter where they announced that I won at the following link:

http://www.treasuredmemoriesreno.com/Newsletters/MarchApril2008.pdf

The theme for last month was "Love", so I submitted a page of my friend Sara's wedding, it was titled, "Love of my Life". Cute huh? I think I could have gotten 1st but I turned in the layout a few days late and then the store numbered my layout the same as another layout and then when they noticed it, they assigned my layout a new number...So really I think I did do better than the results showed!

Yesterday I submitted another layout for a contest, the theme is "Clearly Creative" using clear acrylic or transparencies on your layout. So if you are in Reno and would like to vote for me please visit Treasured Memories Too at 5150 Mae Anne Avenue Suite #406 in Reno between March 21st and April 10th!

Make-Up Work: Sacramento

2008-02-28T17:43:00.004-05:00

At the beginning of February I went with my parents to Sacramento to watch my sis play softball and to visit my old roommates. I hadn’t seen Ashlee or Stephanie for a year and half, it’s crazy how time flies! Even though Ashlee had Mono, we still had a lot of fun going to dinner and hanging out, just like the old days. I even fell asleep during the movie…hmm that isn’t me is it?!?!

Blurb!

2008-02-28T17:10:00.001-05:00

Have you heard of Blurb??? It’s this cool site where you can make your very own book and have it hardbound and printed…real book quality! It also has this amazing feature where it can locate your blog and automatically insert your blog into a book. Then all you have to do is format it how you want and print it out! Way cool huh?!?!?!

You can also purchase books that other people have made, so CHECK IT OUT at: www.blurb.com

Make-Up Work: Travel

2008-02-28T17:08:00.005-05:00

I’ve kind of slacked in blogging about trips since I’ve been home…so here is my “make-up work.”

In January my friend Janelle and I went on a GIRLS ONLY road trip! We left on a Thursday and headed up to Rexburg, Idaho (our old stomping grounds). Luckily we didn’t hit much snow and we made it safely in 10 ½ hours. My old roommate Kristin let us stay with her, so Janelle & I laid the couch cushions on the ground and made a small bed for ourselves. That night I found out that Janelle makes some pretty WEIRD noises when she’s sleeping, but she didn’t try to put her arms around me or punch me, like she did to Darin during their first night together! We had tickets to go the Rexburg Temple Open House at 8 am…too bad we didn’t wake up until 7:50 and decided to try and go later. So at about 10 am we finally went to the open house. It was so amazing to be able to see inside the whole temple. The temple is 5 floors and has a theme of wheat running throughout it. Definitely a fulfillment of prophesy. After the open house we visited some friends and observed how much everything had changed (even though I’ve only been gone for about 9 months). I am so grateful for having the experience of attending such a great school with such a wonderful spirit. I actually miss it.

Later that day we headed down to Utah to visit Sara & Eric. It was a lot of fun hanging with our pregnant Sara, it’s amazing how we all grow up and life changes, but we can still come together and have friendships that are still so STRONG! Thanks Sara & Eric for letting us bum around with you. On Saturday we went to Zupas (amazing paninis/soup/salad) and then to see Dan in Real Life (great flick), and on Sunday I was able to visit my old roomie in Palmyra, Kelsy! It was so great to see her and catch up on school, boys & life. On Monday Janelle & I headed home, what a fun weekend!

{Baking Fiasco}

2008-02-25T13:03:00.006-05:00

So Matt & I decided to create our first batch of cupcakes this past weekend...and what a catastrophe! Well, not really. Everything was going really well until we tried to eat them! They didn't taste that bad, they just didn't taste like good ole chocolate cupcakes. So we reviewed the recipe and talked to my mom, come to find out we used UNSWEETENED cocoa powder...no wonder there wasn't that deep dark choco taste. We did learn a lot though: 1. Don't make a full batch of cupcakes, cause we don't want to get FAT! 2. Make sure we have correct ingredients 3. My dad will eat anything as long as it has enough frosting on it.

On the subject of frosting....we made confectioners frosting, but getting the consistency right was another hard part! At first it was so thick I could barely squeeze it out of the tube, so Matt added some more milk and then it was too thin! It basically dripped out of the tube...leave consistency up to us...not! But all in all, it was a fun time and we look forward to making A LOT more cupcakes!

{CuPcAkEs}

2008-02-15T18:32:00.004-05:00

For a few weeks now I have been thinking about starting a grourmet cupcake business. I know you are asking yourself, "Does this girls even know how to bake?" and believe me I'm asking the same question. But baking is like learning anything right...it just takes practice! For Valentine's Day my boyfriend, Matt, (yes bf, we've been dating for 2 1/2 weeks now) got me this amazing cupcake cookbook called, A Baker's Field Guide to Cupcakes. And it is just what I need to start the learning process. (Thanks Matt I owe you.)

So this is a REQUEST for all of you CUPCAKE lovers or KENDALL lovers:

Will you promise to lend your taste-testing abilities whenever I so request?

If you are willing to accept the request please comment on this post and provide your name and what your dream cupcake would consist of, and hopefully I'll be able to make your dreams come true!

2008-02-14T18:22:00.004-05:00

I want to wish each one of you a Happy Valentine's Day! I found this funny pic online...it made me smile :)

A JOB!!!

2008-02-11T18:43:00.000-05:00

Yep that's right, I finally got a job! With the economy as bad as it is, it's been hard finding a job (especially when I don't know what I want to do!) So I decided to contact a previous employer and see if he had any openings. He passed my resume around and I was interviewed for a Billing Specialist position. After seeing what it entailed I decided that it was a little TOO boring for me, and the same day my previous boss offered me a position. So now I am a Customer Service Specialist at Mitel...well actually Inter-Tel but they just merged. Basically I provide online support via Instant Messanger. My friend Tyler said that I do basically what half the population in India does...which is true. But hey, it's a job, right?!?!?!?! At least for now.There is a lot of room for growth in this company, but who knows what will happen. I really wish that I would have studied something a little more specific than just BUSINESS! I'm working on my baking skills though, so maybe you will see some delicious creations from me in the future...CUPCAKES maybe :)

Farewell to our Prophet

2008-02-02T18:19:00.000-05:00

President Gordon B. Hinckley

1911 - 2008

Last Sunday, the President and Prophet of our church, Gordon B. Hinckley passed away at the age of 97. I received the news from about twenty friends through a small text message, at first I was stunned and saddened but then filled with joy and peace. I know to many of us President Hinckley has been "our" prophet, the one we have looked to for guidance and have modeled ourselves after, especially during the crucial early years of our lives. I hope that as we continue through our journey we can "stand a little taller" and "try a little harder, to be a little better" because of his example. He will be missed by many.

The following is President Hinckley's Testimony from a recent General Conference:

"I hope that all of you will remember that on this Sabbath day you heard me bear my witness that this is God's holy work. The vision given the Prophet Joseph in the grove of Palmyra was not an imaginary thing. It was real. It occurred in the broad light of day. Both the Father and the Son spoke to the boy. He saw Them standing in the air above him. He heard Their voices. He gave heed to Their instruction."It was the resurrected Lord who was introduced by His Father, the great God of the universe. For the first time in recorded history, both the Father and the Son appeared together to part the curtains and open this, the last and final dispensation, the dispensation of the fullness of times."The Book of Mormon is all that it purports to be—a work recorded by prophets who lived anciently and whose words have come forth "to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations" (Book of Mormon title page)."The priesthood has been restored under the hands of John the Baptist and Peter, James, and John. All the keys and authority pertaining to eternal life are exercised in this Church."Joseph Smith was and is a prophet, the great Prophet of this dispensation. This Church, which carries the name of the Redeemer, is true."I leave you my testimony, my witness, and my love for each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

April 1, 2006, Sunday morning session of the 176th Annual World General Conference

Here is a link to the news story from the church website (lds.org): http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/beloved-church-president-gordon-b-hinckley-dies-at-97And here is an article from the Deseret News: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695247765,00.html

PFC Hawley Arrived {a while ago & has returned}

2008-01-09T14:41:00.000-05:00

Most of us were able to go to the airport for Casey's long awaited arrival...those who weren't there got to see him soon after! Again I teared up and didn't expect it at all...but so did my mom so I didn't feel so bad. The pilot let all of those in the armed forces exit the plane first, which made us very excited, but was also so touching to see how many young people are giving the early parts of their lives to serve our country. So many people greeted them and said thank you for the service they were doing, it was really cool to see so much support.

Special thanks to Trina for the great sign she made :)

I'm certainly glad that so many people are willing to fight for what our country believes in: FREEDOM.

Last visit to NYC

2008-01-08T16:50:00.000-05:00

NYC was great this time because I got to act more like a TRUE New Yorker! I was able to show Jason around to most of the tourist attractions, we hung with amazing people, and even went to Phantom of the Opera on Broadway!

Here are a few pics from the mini-vacation:

The Statue of Liberty

NYSE & Rockefeller Center & Tree

You live off Starbucks when in NYC...burr

Amazing Italian restaurant next to Letterman Theater.

Me, John, Annalise, Ben, Heidi, Jason

Chinatown: McD's & shopping

Phantom of the Opera

This place serves PB&J sandwiches as their specialties. Madison Square Garden

We almost got into Martha. Inside the original Macy's

Ferry to Ellis Island

Now back to reality :)

{Snow and Flying}

2008-01-08T16:34:00.000-05:00

Ok these two words DO NOT work well together!

Kendall and flying don't work together either...When Jason picked me up to take me to the airport it looked like this outside:

Thanks to Orbitz I was given up-to-date information on my flight and found out that my flight was delayed an hour, which allowed me to have more time to pack and say goodbye!

I said goodbye to my friends:

My fish:

And my home for the last 6 months:

As I drove away of course I cried but I hadn't really expected that reaction from myself....that just lets you know that even WE surprise our own selves sometimes :)

Anyway, when I got to the airport I got another phone call from Orbitz letting me know it would be another hour. So Jason & I went to Quiznos (YUMMM) then I got another call so we watched a movie on my laptop. Finally the airport said everything was good to go, so Jason left and I sat there. Of course a half an hour later my flight was cancelled :(

Jason & his parents were nice enough to let me stay at their house in Rochester, especially since Jason & I would be flying out at the same time the next morning...that's right Jason was coming to NYC with me for the weekend. Too bad we were flying into different airports or our cost of travel and the opportunity of getting lost would have been minimized! The next morning we both arrived safely.

One last round for Palmyra!

2008-01-01T15:57:00.000-05:00

So I know I am quite behind on my postings...but you know how the holidays are!

My last weekend in Palmyra we, Emily, Kristin, Heidi, Jason and I, went around to all the sites and saw everything one last time. I am so grateful for the people that I have met and the things I have seen. My testimony has definitely been strengthen and I have grown and learned a lot about myself. So here are a few pictures from the last go around and my last days in Palmyra.

Trudging through the Sacred Grove

Emily, Kristin, Me, Jason and Heidi

BOM Publication: Em, Heidi, Kristin, Me, Jason

We made matching Ultimate Frisbee shirts!

Last frosty run at Wendy's after frisbee

Eating Tips for the {Holidays}

2007-12-10T16:13:00.000-05:00

TIPS FROM ME TO YOU.....
Eating Tips for the Holidays

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving chocolates as hors d'oevres.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can and quickly. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an 'eggnog-aholic' or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it! Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think.

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand-alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that pitcher of eggnog (or diet coke, depending on your preferences).

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, pumpkin and mincemeat - have a slice of each. Or, if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert -- Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards!!!.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Reread tips: Start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember: "Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body. But rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO-HOO, what a ride!"

Washington, DC

2007-12-06T18:18:00.001-05:00

So DC was AMAZING! There is so much history and so many things to do and it is all FREE!!!!! Because of my hurt ankle we road on a double decker tour bus and it was great because we got to learn random facts about the places and were able to hop on, hop off where ever we wanted. There were only 3 "not so great" things about DC. First, our hotel was like 2 miles from the subway, uphill again. Second, it was so so cold. Third, a homeless person slept on my shoulder at the bus stop. I definitely learned that I need to become a more charitable person...and share my shoulder, once in a while. Ha ha. But overall it was a lot of fun. Going on all of these trips makes me which I lived somewhere with a lot of history like Boston, DC and NYC. I feel very blessed that I've had the opportunity to do and see all of the things I have...definitely a blessing!

Well enjoy the pictures and details of Washington...I hope it makes you feel like you were there too!

Washington Monument, Holocaust Museum (way cool)

Where they print bills...not coins. I'm worth a lot of money too.

Capitol building. White house at night.

Union Station (food, shopping & transportation)

Pretty Capitol building. National Cathedral (pretty)

Look how beautiful. I learned about cathedrals in school but didn't know they were so breathtaking!

The Nevada seal on ground of cathedral. Georgetown.

Heidi, Kristin & I at the White House

WWII memorial. Lincoln Memorial & Reflecting pool

Lincoln Memorial & Pres. Lincoln himself :)

Korean War Memorial...this wall is etched with faces of soldiers.

Vietnam Memorial...so cool to see.

Arlington Cemetery. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, we got there for the changing of the guard.

Kelly: this ones for you, I thought you might know this boxer that is buried in Arlington.

Iwo Jima Memorial...we walked a mile and a half to see this and got there right as the sun went down, it was beautiful.

Where to now...Washington, DC

2007-11-28T11:01:00.000-05:00

That's right now I'm off to DC! I leave Thursday at 12:20 am, riding Greyhound again, and will get there about 11:30 am. I am quite excited but am worried about my ankle. I can walk on it but it's not very strong and still hurts!

So here is the plan:

When we get there on Thursday we are going to probably go to the Smithsonian and see all of the cool museums & monuments...this is fun but is quite boring after a while! I don't know if I can handle paying for another natural history museum though, so my plan is to go to a gallery of some sort. And then check out the city and early to bed! On Friday we are going to go on a trolley tour because of my bum foot. The trolley is cool because there is unlimited reboarding and it goes to almost all of the sites...even the really far away ones! That night we are going to watch the show Babes in Toyland at the Atlas Performing Arts Center. When I was younger I used to beg my parents to rent the movie all the time, so I'm very excited to see it live! Then on Saturday we are going to spend all day carrying our luggage around and finishing up what ever sites we need to and spend some time shopping of course! Then it's back on the bus at midnight for a long ride home! Sounds exciting huh? Well, I hope so!

floralDESIGN & THANKSgiving

2007-11-23T22:49:00.000-05:00

In order to decorate for our Thanksgiving feast my boss, Tricia, held a little floral design class. A few girls from the branch came and we all created a flower arrangement of our choice... Tricia studied horticulture in college, owned her own floral business and worked for the Church in decorating the SLC Temple, the Conference Center and President Hinckley's office! It was a lot of fun to learn tips of the trade...especially the amazing tape florists use to section off the bouquest to make the flowers flare out of a vase instead of just straight up. Anyway, here is what mine turned out looking like:

And then for Thanksgiving we teamed up with a girl from our Branch and her parents and their neighbor. We also invited Lawerance that is going to school in Buffalo because he didn't have any other plans. Also, we all pitched in on the feast and it turned out quite well. We also had Sparkling Cider (which I have learned is NOT a tradition for everyone...but should be :), and we went around and said what we were thankful for.

Because I wasn't able to spend Thanksgiving with many of you, I want you to know that I am especially thankful for my family and for the opportunity I have had to explore this part of the country. It is amazing how large the world really is and is great to know that we are free to go where ever we desire! I hope that you had a happy Thanksgiving and that you are able to take time out of the hustle and bustle to really enjoy the Holiday spirit of this time of year!

SPRAINED ANKLE

2007-11-22T21:07:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday night the girls and I played Ultimate Frisbee at the church with all the boys just as we have EVERY Wednesday & Saturday since I have arrived. We play in the gym and usually we get some bumps and bruises but there aren't many serious injuries...until LAST NIGHT!

Mark threw me a pass but it was too far so I kind of gave up, then I decided to try for it again so I turned, and ended up twisting my ankle. Don't worry though, I was a tough girl and didn't cry but it hurt really bad...I even heard it crack! But I was able to get up and hobble to the stage with the help of some friends. Jason took me home and I followed the advice of my mother and took Ibprofen and iced it!This morning when I woke up my foot was more swollen but am able to walk on it pretty well, I'm just a little SLOW!!! But I'm hoping for a quick recovery so that I am able to go shopping tomorrow (the day after Thanksgiving)! We will see...I'll keep you updated!

And yes I am wearing Halloween socks :)

{bOsToN}

2007-11-20T19:46:00.001-05:00

I've currently decided to be lazy...mostly due to a sprained ankle and my lack of patience so please click on the link below to view pictures from my fabulous trip to Boston!

http://byui.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2067302&l=08278&id=193303594

If you are having trouble viewing pictures at this link please post a comment or email me to let me know. I want everyone to be able to enjoy this amazing historic trip.

Boston is now pretty much one of my favorite places. I am kind of a sucker for historic things, not really learning about history in school, but being in the places where the events happened and knowing the details. Plus, Boston is home of the Boston Red Sox...World Series Champs! So who wouldn't absolutely LOVE Boston!!!

In order to get there we had to ride a Greyhound bus for 10 hours, sit on the subway for 20 mins and then walk 25 mins up hill in the rain to get to our hotel...I'm impressed we don't have pneumonia. The last part is partially the hotel's fault because they were supposed to have a shuttle but it just happen to not run at that time, then they offered to call us a taxi but we didn't have any cash...that part was our fault!

But the rest of our time was WONDERFUL! Please enjoy the pictures and the fun facts I have included!

On my way to Boston!!

2007-11-14T16:39:00.000-05:00

Another exciting adventure is about to start....Heidi, Kristin & I leave for Boston, MA tomorrow at 7 am! We are quite excited. I have a friend that works for the Marriott's, as in Marriott hotels, and he is getting us a reduced rate at, what seems to be a beautiful hotel. He has also offered to drive us anywhere we want to go...Salem, Plymouth, etc. It's really cool because I haven't talked to him in about 2 1/2 yrs and he randomly saw that I was going to Boston, as noted on my Facebook status, and totally asked if he could help out and if we could hang...this is a true testimonial of going to school and meeting people from all walks of life!

Anyway, stay tuned for new pics and exciting stories!!

{sHoPpInG}

2007-11-07T20:30:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday I finally got to go to the mall to do a little "Christmas List" shopping! It was pretty much the biggest thrill since going to NYC :) And I even found quite a few things I liked...to my surprise. Usually when one plans on going to the mall one gets VERY excited.

There are so many decisions to make which causes more enthusiasm than almost known to exist. The planning process goes as follows: choosing the mall with the best stores, deciding which stores to go to and ultimately finding when one can put aside the necessary amount of time to complete the task!

The first step was easy, Eastview Mall (It is full of all the best brand names); second, Gap, BananaRepublic, J. Crew, NY&Co, H&M...; but the last one was almost IMPOSSIBLE!!! I mean there are plenty of days to go to the mall; but it's about finding the one with ENOUGH time. Finally we, Emily, Kristin & I, decided on a Saturday with a few hours to devote to SHOPPING!

Here are some of the results:

I super loved this combo from GAP. I put the sweater under the vest...total hit!

I also tried this on at Gap, but actually found one long enough...

The following two I didn't find at the mall but I really like them...too bad they are extremely too expensive! Don't worry, I am keeping my eye out for something similar at a decent price.

J. Crew :

Urban Outfitters :

2007-10-31T08:52:00.000-04:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

We carved our pumpkins on Monday night for family night and they turned out very well!

For work today we were asked to dress up....can you guess what I am????

A TOURIST

NYC on Video

2007-10-31T08:05:00.001-04:00

Here is some video footage of my NYC experience (they aren't too exciting, but oh well!) The first two videos are of the concert we went to and the second one of is Heidi & I waiting for the subway!

The Rocket Summer

The Academy Is...

Waiting for the train

Amazing NYC

2007-10-30T01:01:00.000-04:00

Here are the long awaited for pictures!!! New York City was awesome and it was so great to hang with Heidi and see what her new life entails...and to be a tourist. We flew on jetBlue which I have studied about in school but have never gotten to ride on. Let me tell you though, their idea of flying is spectacular. More legroom, personal tv's in ever chair and 36 channels of dish network and 30-something channels of satellite radio, and chips or cookies! The most amazing part of the flight though was when the co-founder of jetBlue got on the intercom and introduced himself and then he walked down the isles and shook every one's hand. When he came to our row he said, "Thank you for flying jetBlue" and I said, "Of course, we learn about you in school!" He preceded to ask me what school we went to and then said that President Clark is a great guy and that he serves on jetBlue's board. Which none of us knew. He then asked us what we were doing out here and we told him about our internship and he said "Oh that is close to the Sacred Grove it must be quite the hang out." Wow were we impressed...he is LDS! Now sorry for those who already knew that but we were totally surprised and excited! It was a way cool experience.

We finally got to NYC after an hour of delays, walking through the wrong gate for the airtrain and waiting for the subway for 25 mins! The subway popped us out right next to the Trinity church and right down the street from Heidi's apartment. She met us on the way up and it was GREAT to see her after almost 6 months of being apart! The next few days were full of fun and walking. Some of the best parts were going to a great concert that Heidi describes as "better than kissing", shopping in Chinatown, going to a photography museum, eating a hot dog in Central Park, and realizing that I'm totally out of style right now! (ok that part wasn't fun but very enlightening :)

I hope you enjoy the pictures and if you want to see more visit: http://byui.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2067148&l=53422&id=193303594

Fly jetBlue. Brooklyn Bridge.

World Trade Center Memorial Wall

WTC Memorial site. Stock Exchange.

Chinatown & my new Dolce & Gabanna purse (fake that is!)

NYC from Staten Island Ferry. Statue of Liberty

Heidi's apt is right next door to Tiffany's

And down from the Trinity Church. National Treasure??

NY hot dog on Broadway

Kristin, Me, Heidi at The Academy is...and Rocket Summer concert on Times Square in the Nokia Theater.

Natural History Museum on Night at the Museum.

Another hot dog in central park

Pond in Central Park. LDS Temple.

By the subway after doing baptisms. Hidden burger joint.

One last pic before going home. My asst. manager picking up from the airport.

Off to NYC!!

2007-10-24T11:15:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to let you know I am going to be in NYC until Saturday so I won't be posting anything new. But I will definitely have a LOT to post when I get back...so stay tuned!

In the meantime, check out this site:

http://www.nonphotography.com/

Commitment

2007-10-22T17:18:00.000-04:00

Yesterday in Sacrament meeting, a senior missionary couple that has been serving in our Branch gave their farewell talk. I found myself with tearful eyes as they gave their talks, then it occurred to me that I love these two missionaries! Elder Decker has such a sense of humor and was labeled "The Joke-ster" by all the other missionaries and Sister Decker is quite the opposite, she is quiet and reserved. But during Elder Decker's talk he gave the following quote and it really made me thing about things. I hope you enjoy it and hope that it gets you thinking too:

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness concerning all acts of initiative and creation. There is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans; that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.

All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen events, meetings and material assistance which no one could have dreamed would have come their way.

I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets: "Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now!"

-W.H. Murray

Fall Foliage

2007-10-19T16:39:00.000-04:00

Leaves
by Elsie Brady

How silently they tumble down
And come to rest upon the ground
To lay a carpet, rich and rare,
Beneath the trees without a care,
Content to sleep, their work well done,
Colors gleaming in the sun.

At other times, they wildly fly
Until they nearly reach the sky.
Twisting, turning through the air
Till all the trees stand stark and bare.
Exhausted, drop to earth below
To wait, like children, for the snow.

Fall, Leaves, Fall
By Emily Jane Brontë

Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away;
Lengthen night and shorten day;
Every leaf speaks bliss to me
Fluttering from the autumn tree.

I shall smile when wreaths of snow
Blossom where the rose should grow;
I shall sing when night's decay
Ushers in a drearier day.

I just thought I would include some new pics I have taken of NY foliage. Most of these are from the Sacred Grove that I took while gathering leaves. I hope you enjoy them and these poems I found!

{bLoG hOpPiNg}

2007-10-13T09:26:00.000-04:00

Lately I have found myself in this stage of {blog hopping} it may sound ridiculous but it is quite fun and entertaining! I have found a lot of really cool sites that inspire me to make mine way COOL-er, so I'm working on it. I think I am going to change my posts a little bit, instead of making them just about my trips I'm going to add fun little posts too.

I also encourage you to email me (rahrah723@sbcglobal.net or kendallhawley@gmail.com) with any cool, trendy, exciting, or just plain silly things you find on the Internet that you think others would enjoy.

Sounds like an experiment to meeee...let's make it work!!

Watkins Glenn

2007-10-12T18:38:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago the other interns and I made a little trip to Watkins Glenn which is a gorge at the bottom of Seneca Lake. One thing that upstate NY is famous for are the Finger Lakes, there is some old tale about the "Great Spirit" blessing the Indians after their battles (to see the whole tale check out: http://www.fingerlakes.com/index.htm ) and Seneca lake was part of the blessing. The "physical science" explanation is that there were glaciers up here a long time ago and as they melted they made impressions that looked like fingers, well not really but that's what they say, and so they called them the Finger Lakes. The two lakes that I have seen are beautiful; Seneca is surrounded by wineries and although I don't drink I really wanted to stop by and try some of their GRAPES!

Anyway back to the gorge, there were quite a few paths but we decided to take the one right next to the water. Here are some pictures:

After the walk/hike we were VERY hungry and of course I searched for a good place on Google before we left but came up very empty handed...so as we were walking down main street I popped into a computer store and asked them their favorite restaurant. They recommended an Italian place just down the way, so we went and it was DELICIOUS!!!! And it was enough food for 2 meals! Also, I don't know what it is but up here they have amazing Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing...I have it on EVERY salad I eat! Afterwards, we ventured to a little city by the name of Montour Falls. This city has a waterfall right in the middle of it, so of course I needed to see it. To our surprise it was right in some people's backyard and there was just one little walk way up to it.

I have decided that I have this new interest in Apple Cider mills, and as I have stated earlier, I'm going to try and go to go to a mill on every trip and this one wasn't any different. I found this apple orchard on Google also (what an amazing concept Google is)! I chose Reisinger's Apple Country mill and Map Quest-ed it. (Check out other NY cider mills at: http://www.nycider.com/) If course what Map Quest gave me and the real directions were totally incorrect and no one in Watkins had even heard of this place. So I used my instincts (which I learned from my mom) and eventually got us there! And it was great. I did connect eyes with this HUGE pumpkin and I almost bought it but it was $7, not too much but seeing that that is an hours wage...it is quite a bit.

Anyway, this leads me to the next picture, can you tell me what is out of place?

Yes it happens to be a Dish Network in the middle of field! This picture doesn't show the house that is just beyond the trees but I thought it was hilarious. Another crack up is the sign below, we saw it on our way to Watkins and the second picture is what we saw on the way back from Watkins!

Those Mennonite people!!! ha ha

PNP: Parents 'N Palmyra

2007-10-03T14:10:00.000-04:00

As most of you know my brother graduated from Boot Camp in Georgia the second week in September so of course my parents attended the graduation. And then they showed their love for me by visiting me in Palmyra!!! It was only a short weekend, they arrived on Friday about 1 pm and left early on Monday, but it was definately fun and memorable.

It was really cool to show my parents where I live and be able to point out all of the "neat" things that I have learned about Palmyra and the surrounding areas. I'm sure they got really sick of me always spitting out things I think are cool...but oh well, at least it was partly educational!

Here are pics to illustrate the vacation:

Palmyra Stake Center

Smith Farm

Inside the Log Home

The Temple resides on the Smith Farm

Sacred Grove and remnants of the rock fence

We had to use a self timer so this is a little lopsided!

NIAGRA FALLS

Horseshoe Falls

American Falls

Kelsey wasn't able to come but was there in "spirit"

The Hershey's store where mom and I bought
a delicious chocolate chunk cookie

Dad and I found these SWEET hats but he wouldn't buy them for us :(

On the American side of Niagra at night

On Sunday my parents came to my singles branch and then stopped by Lock 29 to see one of the coolest things ever: a boat going through a lock!

Notice how low the water is and then how high it gets to enable this boat to go up stream.

Then we ventured to the Peter Whitmer Farm in Fayette. This is where the first Sacrament meeting was held. There is such an amazing Spirit here. A sister missionary challenged me to go on a mission...but we will see about that.

At the end of the day my mom and I walked through the Sacred Grove one last time. It has been an amazing experience to live five minutes from the Grove, but it suprises me that one can even take one of the most spiritual places on the earth for granted.

One of my favorite paths leading into the Grove

Log home at dusk

Palmyra Temple

I hope you once again enjoy these pictures. Thanks mom and dad for coming to visit me and for giving me an opportunity to show you around upstate NY :) I love you.

Trip to 1000 Islands

2007-09-18T22:43:00.000-04:00

Last Tuesday, Heidi, Kristin and I took a trip up North to the 1000 Islands! On our way we stopped at Old McDonald's Farm and saw a CAMEL, which makes no sense because I don't think that camels are farm animals and we stopped at a delicious Cider Mill...which reminded me of Apple Hill!

It took us about 3 hours to get there, including stopping time, and I drove the whole way. Now I know that my parents don't think very highly of my driving skills but let me tell you, I drive WAY better than the other two girls. On our way to a fireside I let Kristin drive and she almost ran us into a semi because she didn't see the red light, and Heidi is way uptight, she "raised her voice" at me while I was trying to answer her questions...YIKES!

Well we made it safely to 1000 Islands where we went on one of Uncle Sam's Boat Tours to see a portion of the 1000 islands. There are actually like 1800 islands, some of which are man made and some of them are natural. It's quite crazy to think that the garages these people have are used for their boats and not their cars...WIERD! The island above is Honeymoon Island.

This is Boldt Castle. During the tour the boat stops here and we decided to get off and take a tour. This castle was built by a man for his wife but she died before he was able to finish it, so there is a restoration organization that is trying to complete it but the first floor isn't even done yet. But it was really pretty. The pic below is of us on the main stairway and the pic of me by myself is on the steps of the children's play house, I wish I was their child (just kidding mom and dad).

These two islands are kind of unique. The one on the left is in canada and the one on the right is in the united states. The smaller island contains the ‘backyard’ of the house on the larger island. The result is the shortest international bridge in the world!

Well, I hope you enjoyed this post, please feel free to comment and check back soon, as I am working on a new post as we speak! Love to all!

Upstate New York

2007-08-30T15:48:00.000-04:00

I've decided that I'm not so good at this posting thing! It's been a little bit busy here at the Inn...my manager went on vacation and I got to be co-in charge for a week and a little bit, which wasn't too bad except I practically was at the hotel all of the time!!! But now my boss is back and things are slower which becomes boring very quickly...oh well only 3 months left! Kelsy, my best-est friend left on Tuesday to go back to BYU and I was quite sad. She is very chatty and exuberant, like me so we got along very well. My other two friends are leaving next week and then there will only be 4 of us...YIKES! Usually the Inn hosts a student program every fall, but of course they cancelled it this year because all the students bailed. So I am left here in desolate Palmyra for the remainder of the year with limited travel potential... So please write me and send me craft projects or something! My parents are coming in 2 weeks and I am very excited to be able to go somewhere without asking permission. I also booked a flight to NYC for December 13th so I can go see my Heidi in Manhattan. I'm going to stay for a week and then we are going to fly home together. We are trying to make a plan so that we can travel to Boston and DC if at all possible; we are keeping our fingers crossed!

Also, I have discovered some pretty amazing outlet stores about 25 mins from where we live, and if you know me, you know I definitely had to drop some of my paycheck there...I hope I can save some :) I have also been called as a Branch Missionary and as one of the Gospel Essentials teachers and am very excited to be included in the branch family. We have graced the Branch with our presence by declaring that every Wednesday and Saturday are Ultimate Frisbee nights. We are pretty die-hard and let me tell you I am getting pretty good. I think I average about 8 points a game...impressive huh?!?! Well, that seems like enough for now. Please leave me comments (I added directions, written by Heidi, on how to comment, so look at the upper righthand corner of the page) or send me an email, it's great to hear from all of you! Much love!

Me with my Cooperstown T-shirt on...dad has a matching one!

My bedroom.

Here I display my decorating skills and my fish.

Kelsy and I made these frames, it's a collage of Sacred Grove leaves

Mt. Hope Cemetary, where Susan B. Anthony & Fredrick Douglass are buried.

Eastman Music Hall, 1 of the best in the US

Accomplishments:Kelsy and I beat Super Mario World w/ Yoshi

E. B. Grandin & Moroni on Cummorah's Hill

Lock 29 of the Erie Canal

Eating a NY Hot = white meat = Interesting!!

Girls at one of the 4 churches, Palmyra Temple

Martin Harris Farm, Alvin Smith's Grave

We tried to get all of us and the lighthouse in the pic, w/out asking someone to take it...Smart?!?!

At the beach, okay not quite the beach but Lake Ontario

Home Sweet Palmyra

2007-08-05T21:48:00.000-04:00

I wanted to show you all a little bit of where I live so I decided to post some pictures! Palmyra is quite a small town...or village as it is called. I thought there would be a lot of LDS people but the ward stretches 1 hour by 1 hour, that seems far for us Westerners. It is also a slow moving town, except for the tourists who try to get through all of the Church History sites in a day, and everyone goes to bed early. There isn't really a lot to do but there are a lot of different places to eat, which is what you enjoy the most if you belong to the Hawley family, or are around us very much! Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

The Palmyra Inn, where I work the front desk; My house, I have my OWN room now.

The Inn is just a short walk from the house; Me on my bike ride around Palmyra!

This is the Erie Canal at Port Palmyra; Gravestones in the cemetary that are WAY old.

Joseph Smith's brother, Alvin's grave, the new headstone encompasses the old.

Some of the old houses have been refurbished but most haven't.

Famous four churches, each one is on a corner of the intersection.

Some of the girls and I at the Hill Cummorah Pageant

The Sacred Grove; Me, Kelsy, Amy and Karolynn striking a pose!

The Smith Farm; The Palmyra Temple

Cooperstown: The Birthplace of Baseball

2007-07-28T19:03:00.000-04:00

On Thursday three of the interns and I traveled to Cooperstown, NY to see The Baseball Hall of Fame. As some of you die-hard baseball fans know, Cooperstown is basically a DREAM COME TRUE! This weekend Cal Ripkin Jr. and Tony Gwynne are being inducted into the Hall so there were a million people there, but it was really neat to be around so many people that hold baseball as America's favorite pastime! I have included a few pics so I hope you enjoy!

If you click on the pic then it will expand so you can see it :)

These pics take a while to load...so more will be arriving shortly...stay tuned!

In the Hall of Fame Gallery are plaques dedicated to baseball's

greatest heroes, upon whose shouldersthis game has been built.

We are indebted to the individuals also recognized for helping

sustain this institution - and the excellence it represents

Hill Cummorah Pageant

2007-07-20T15:27:00.000-04:00

The second night I was here, Friday, I was able to go to the Hill Cummorah Pageant with some of the interns.

The stage was huge and they set up 9,000 chairs and most nights the pageant is packed! Crazy, I know. There are also 800 cast and crew members and they are all volunteers. There are also senior couples that come as volunteers to work at the different church sites. A lot of couples and pageant families are staying at the Inn and are racking up quite the bill. Something that is really cool about the Pageant process is that volunteers have to apply in November to be in it and then they are issued a call, much like a mission call, to serve as a participant. During their time in Palmyra they are given a companion and before each performance they pass out programs and talk to non-members about the church. Rain or shine they are still there. The Pageant shows some of the main stories in the Book of Mormon. It

starts with Lehi and his family, then Nephi, Abinidi, Alma, Samual the Lamanite, Mormon, Moroni and then end with Joseph Smith finding the plates where Moroni
hid them. It is really an amazing show.

I made it!

2007-07-19T17:13:00.000-04:00

I finally made it to Palmyra after 19 hours of traveling, one cancelled flight and lost baggage. I left at midnight on July 12th and made my way from Reno to Houston, Houston to New York City (La Guardia) and then I found out that my plane to Rochester was delayed a half hour. As I got off the plane I asked for directions and had to walk about 5 mins to the US Airways terminal. There I went through security and walked through the shops. After getting something to eat I went to the gate and to my suprise my flight was taken off of the screen and I was changed to Gate 8. After about 10 mins it was announced over the intercom that my flight to Rochester was cancelled. As I stood in line to find out how I could get to Rochester I met a lady, Diane, that traveled from Rochester to NY for a day-long business trip. She called her travel agent and found out that all flights to Rochester were booked even out of the JFK airport. So she got a flight to Syracuse and then was going to drive to Rochester (about 1 1/2 drive). So she said I could ride with her if I wanted to. So we both got on a flight for Syracuse at 7:55 pm, which meant we had to wait another 6 hours, and on a standby flight at 5:30 pm. So we ended up getting on the standby flight we was delayed until 6:00. When we got to Syracuse my luggage didn't arrive so Diane took me to Kmart so that I could get some essentials. After an 1 15 min drive I arrived at the Palmyra Inn!

I saw this shop in the airport and it had more magazines in it than I have ever seen and reminded me of my dad...So DAD this is for you!