the prettiest present...

I forgot to post the picture of the prettiest present I received for my b-shower. I can't wait to cook!

cake-tastic

I wanted to post a few pictures before I crash into bed... literally - I can't bend my knees very well right now.

I went home to Florida few days ago and got to have a bridal shower and hang out with Mariah during her spring break. The b-shower was lovely and tea-party themed, and I got to see all the dear ladies of the Cocoa ward, along with a few other wonderful friends. We ate delicious finger sandwiches and cakes, and drank hot tea from china cups. M made the delicious chocolate hazelnut cake (the third one).

We spent most of the time eating and laughing, and it was wonderful to see so many familair faces. And thanks to Susie, Phillip (our tea boy), and the rest of the Dornellas/Seibert family for helping me have such a special evening with dear friends.

Also, there was a birthday. And I celebrated it with good friends and several Kroger grocery store baggers and a security guard. I wouldn't have had it any other way.

And then there was a half marathon in Charlottesville thrown in the mix.Before the race with our NC friends. Right before the finish line.
After the race with our NC friends.


The view of the mountains from our cabin just outside C-ville.

the molar of the story

This week was fairly momentous in the almost-Olsen household. Jordan turned 28 on Tuesday, and we celebrated our one year anniversary (better known as Step Up to the Plate, or SUP, day) on Wednesday.

Jordan and I had a nice candlelight dinner at home for his birthday, and then had a tasty strawberry cake (per Jordan's request... it's one of his mom's recipes) for dessert. Just the two of us. As we settled in to watch a movie, a few friends who were "just in the neighborhood" stopped by and said happy birthday. Jordan was gracious enough to offer them some of his strawberry birthday cake, but didn't think any more of it. We chatted for a few more minutes, and then welcomed a few more friends who were also "just in the neighborhood." After the fourth friend, Jordan realized he had been reverse-surprised, and I went to fetch the real birthday cake I had made for him: a cake in the shape of a giant molar.


The tooth cake was a hit aesthetically, but our friend Steve loved the strawberry cake so much that as people walked in, he would point to it and say emphatically, "eat that cake."

It also might have had something to do with the fact that Jordan struggled a bit blowing out his 28 candles. Needless to say, I have a lot of left-over tooth cake in the fridge. I don't mind too much though.

I also found out I got into the global health masters program at Duke this week! Decisions will have to be made, but right now I'm just going to keep on eating funfetti cake.

heels, heels and more heels.

For some outlandish reason, I decided to fill out yet another application for yet another post-graduate program. But the good news is, it may be the last. I found out recently that I was accepted into the Epidemiology program at UNC! I also applied to a masters program at Duke and am waiting to hear back, but I decided that the winner of last week's game would determine where I went to school in the fall. Looks like I'm going to be a tarheel, and will be spending the next few years studying "what is upon the people" and trying to understand the theory behind causal pies. Go Heels!

In other UNC news, Ms. Dillingham came to visit me in Chapel Hill! She was my calculus teacher at Cocoa Beach High, and had UNC pendants hanging from nearly every ceiling tile (not to mention a life-size cut-out of Tom Selleck next to the filing cabinet).

It was her first time watching a game from inside the Dean Dome... and mine too.

Ms. Dillingham is one of the most enthusiastic people I know, and was one of the best teachers I ever had. I couldn't think of a person with whom I'd rather watch my first live UNC basketball game!

pretty unfortunate

Jordan and I saw this tonight while we were out (s)hoe shopping...

Perhaps the recession has hit DSW pretty hard and they can't afford to pay their electricity bill in full... but maybe they would have been better off leaving the last 's' unlit instead.

Point Abetushka.

I love my brother-in-law and his mad Photoshop skills.

This is way better than any MormonAd I've ever seen!

deflated/inflated

Jon Stewart managed to stymie (humourously) my uplifted and inspired post-inaugural state:



Also, Jordan and I had a spontaneous engagement session this past Saturday. An aspiring wedding photographer who knows we are getting hitched called up and asked if she could take some [free] photos of us to beef up her portfolio. We agreed and I, of course, got a large lime green balloon. It was more fun than we anticipated, and I think we got some fun pictures.

Some long-time Chapel Hillians who really like the big balloon.

an historic day

No matter who you voted for, you have to agree that
Obama's inaugural speech was inspiring and uplifting.

"We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness."

Amen.

a photo tribute to the man

In the eighth grade, I made the Florida State select soccer team, and I had to travel frequently on the weekends for tournaments. One particular weekend, the tourney tragically coincided with the McNair Middle School Valentine's Dance. I wanted to go so badly (I had a crush on some boy, I'm sure). I told dad how brokenhearted I was that I was going to miss the dance. And he drove the two hours up to Jacksonville to pick me up after my frist soccer game, drove me all the way home for the dance, all the way back for my game the next day, and then all the way home again. He is the most kind-hearted and tender man I've ever known. And he would do just about anything for anyone. Doozer the rabbit. That mud-covered redneck who got his truck stuck in the dirt-roads behind our house in CG. Mindori. The fallen-over trees in the BCC parking lot. All of us.

Here's a photo tribute to Papa J:

Dad, the wee baby.

Dad, the cowboy.

Dad, the even cuter cowboy.

Dad, the oldest brother.

Dad, the dashing husband.

Dad, the bearded papa.

Dad, the unbearded papa.

Dad, the middle generation.

Dad, the son.

Dad, the son, again.

Dad, the Floridian.

Dad, the seaman (this was on the ship).

Dad, the pirate.

Dad, the mechanic.

Dad, the ice cream maker.

Dad, the ice cream lover.

Dad, the cook (and Jen, the nerd).

Dad, the proud father.

Dad, the proud father of a beautiful little girl.

Dad, still the father of a beautiful little girl.

Dad, the gardener.

Happy Birthday Dad. We all wish we were on the ship in the middle
of the Pacific to celebrate with you. We love you.

not exactly Switzerland, but...

It was sunny and 70-80 degrees in Florida for the past three weeks, but for some crazy reason, we decided to spend Christmas in Utah, where it was neither sunny nor 70-80 degrees. We flew in on Christmas night in blizzard conditions (I got to have an unplanned layover in Boise), and spent the next week split between Salt Lake, Morgan, Santaquin, and Provo visiting family and friends. We saw the thousands of lights at temple square and got to see the highly-acclaimed concert pianist Jonathan Bowman perform live in Payson, and then got to eat ice cream in his living room. We also did some skiing and snowboarding at Snow Basin. I was the silly one who chose to snowboard, and my body still hasn't quite recovered. But we had a great time and then an even better time coming home to Grandma J's and eating homemade clam chowder and corn bread. We also spent a lot of quality time with the Thomas Family (our very kind and very impromptu hosts).

The trip was bookended by some lovely weather in Florida. I windsurfed in just a shorty wetsuit on Christmas Eve, and Mariah and I went to Disney World the only way one should ever go -- free. We went on the one chilly day while I was home (a high of 60, which warranted breaking out the sweatshirts), and then went to the beach with Jordan and Mariah when we got home.

Not quite Neuschwanstein, but Walt did the best he could...

Disney doesn't mess around when it comes to tannenbaums.

Frontier-land.
K and M's inevitable reaction to my wedding dress shopping. At the beach on Saturday. Don't worry Alisa and Abby...
we won't use this one for our wedding invitations.

I'm really blogging right now because I wanted to show some of the cute Danny and Rachie pictures I've been sitting on since Switzerland:

My personal favorite of Rachel:

... and to show ya'll where I live now (as promised).

This is the new kitchen table... square and countertop height. We kind of love it. The spacious kitchen... definitely a three- or four-bum kitchen.Our apron (and stocking) hooks and tote bag hook. Our living room with Meg's oversized chairs. One day I will learn to reupholster.
My bedroom... one day I will buy a bed skirt.My great little room-saving desk.

Jordan and I are off to Florida in the morning (I still have to pack) and then to Salt Lake for Christmas and New Years. Can't wait to see snow. For a little while. And then come back to temperate North Carolina!