Advice?

Kevin and I have been having a blast online shopping for our first home together. We're moving to Grand Junction, Colorado in May after he graduates. After careful consideration, we've decided to become first-time home buyers and are trying to "ejumucate" ourselves on the finer points of purchasing real estate.

To those readers with a little (or any) more home-buying experience than we: Tips? Things to avoid? Dirty secrets? Recipes for success? Pearls of wisdom? Nuggets? Bite-sized... um, ok, I'm done.

Mawwaige, That Bwessed Awwangement

Yes my friends, I'm back. Back to single life in Montana. Kevin's back in Virginia. I'm back in a deep depression... just kidding. I just wanted to say "back" again. I'm back to work, diagnosing back-terial infections and teaching people how to prevent low back ache in pregnancy. BACK.

Here are a few of the pictures of the wedding that were captured on my camera (mostly by Duncan -- Thanks!). The professional proofs just became available online, so I've been re-living the wedding for the past few days. It's got me all nostalgic and teary-eyed...

the happy couple, just after emerging from the temple

my studly husband. [grrr]

the other men in my life :) i love these guys!

no explanation



my wonderful sister-in-law, Autumn, who took care of me and my train (shout out to Scott too for bringing me hot chocolate - although not pictured here)

In my own defense: I have not been posting much lately for three reasons. 1) I was spending the month of December with my husband. 2) After he left, since I had taken so much time off work, my schedule was abnormally heavy -- and I only have internet access at work. 3) My computer is dying* and pictures have been randomly disappearing from my hard drive. Let's be honest, who wants to read my blog without pictures!?! I sure don't.

*Good news - I backed up my pictures and documents to an external hard drive and by the end of the week, not only will I have a new hard drive and fully-functional computer, I will ALSO have the internet in my house! Let the blogging resume!

New York is a crowded place

The weekend before Christmas, Kevin came with me to NYC for a Women's Health Conference I was attending. He only had to find things to keep himself occupied for 1.5 days while I was in the conference. The rest of the time we got to go exploring together.

The weather was less than ideal, hence the serious lack of pictures. We tried to stay indoors, mostly. And we had a super cute picture of us in front of the big Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, but alas, it has disappeared. I'm thinking it might be on the external hard drive. Let's hope.

Times Square

Out in front of Macy's: The world's largest department store.

Yes, I do believe that there were more people inside Macy's at this particular moment than were probably in any other part of New York City combined. Kevin and I wanted to seek shelter from the harsh elements, so we came into this ginormous store. Apparently everyone else had the same idea. The decorations were pretty cool...

The kids toy section was fun. It was decorated like a big circus scene. Kevin and I were shopping for toys for our unborn children.

He even found some friends. I think they have a lot in common, except Kevin needs more eye makeup and a spandex suit. :)

Other fun activities: Going out to eat with Kevin's cousin Jason and his wife Bethany and their friends, drinking non-alcoholic drinks at Hard Rock Cafe so we could get the souvenier glasses, elbowing our way through crowds in Toys-R-Us and seeing the giant indoor ferris wheel, watching Tale of Despereaux in the theater, and BEST OF ALL seeing In the Heights on Broadway. Loved it. Need the soundtrack now.

Things we learned in New York: We never want to live here. People, people everywhere. We're not so much the big city types.