Dinner with friends

While I was home for Christmas, I had dinner with some of my favorite GOGO friends! It had been way too long since we've been together and I had a great time. Hope we can do it again soon!

Michelle, Jessica, Sylvia, Liz, and Celeste

Bible Cats 2011

After what seemed like a longish day at work, I came home and checked the mail. I had a few Christmas cards (yay!) and a large envelope addressed to Nathan, me, Kathryn and Mal. All of us. Bible Cats, based in Orem, had sent us something special. I was hoping for at least a crazy free brochure, but what we received was so much more. Because I can't carry this calendar with me at all times and show you each one by one, here they are:

BIBLE CATS 2011!

January:

So innocent...

February:

I'm not going to lie, this picture made me wonder about the innocence of our own kitties. They sleep in the living room now.

March:

He's so big and proud. All he's missing is four golden shoes and some heavy eyeliner. Ruth, Jon...a little help??

April:

Skank.

May:

I love his concentration. And his beard.

June:

This is probably about right for June in Las Vegas, right? At least someone else will feel our pain.

July:

I love that Catsheba has been placed in water, yet is still washing much like a kitty.

August:

So many things I could say; I'll just let Candace think them.

September:

One of my favorites: David is so tiny and determined. GoLion is so creepy looking. This teaches me that non-creepy always wins.

October:

A must have in every kitty home.

November:

Who knew being spit out of a whale would be so fun??

December:

Bible Cats wouldn't be Bible Cats without this one.

Special thanks to Marc and Candace for this lovely gem!! Candace is one of few who truly understands and indulges our ridiculous kitty love, so I love this calendar even more.

Jamaican me tired

This past weekend, I headed to Jamaica for a learning conference. GOGO holds a conference like this every year during December. I was lucky enough to be in Jamaica over our wedding anniversary...at the same hotel. Sarcasm. Throw sarcasm all over that.

Sarcasm aside, Sandals Whitehouse will always be one of my favorite places, so even though I was solo this time, it was fun to visit our honeymoon spot.

After a very long night that suddenly turned into day again, I arrived at the hotel around 4:30pm. I started flying/traveling at 11:00pm the night before. Just sayin'. Upon arrival at the hotel, we were welcomed by these lovely Jamaican singers:

And this banner. I liked the singers better than banner, but it was still fun.

Sunset on the first night after it had rained a bit.

Me and my new friend Linda. This was during our tacky 80s wedding party. I thought my costume was awesome, but it was considerably less skanky than most. I think it stands to reason I would be just as modest at an 80s wedding as I would now, right? ps-the yellow beads are for a tribute to my mom. :)

Me and one of my new co-workers, Waquita. She talks fast and is good at her job. She also might have stolen this parasol.

Me at the main pool after breakfast. I didn't so much get to swim in this pool as I did get to look at it. But beautiful, eh?

Ditto on the ocean.

My second evening and its lovely sunset.

One of my favorite pictures from this trip.

Outside of the front door of my room. When the wind blew through these plants, it sounded like it was raining.

Vivian, Me and Vera (also new co-workers). We bonded at the White Party.

A beach walking bird.

This trip lasted a whole of two days. It was much too short and tiring, but I heart Jamaica, so I will take it in any amount, in any opportunity given to me. Until (hopefully there will be a) next time.

GOGOing Again

I'm back to work. I think I've officially been there a month or so, but with training, I've been in the office for three weeks now. Settling in is my most least favorite part; it's seems especially awkward because I'm coming back to the same position, but not really. I keep feeling like I should know what I'm doing, because I sometimes know, and sometimes I have no clue. It's a good test of my memory and self-esteem, but it's coming along nicely I think. I've already had a chance to talk to a few of my old favorite agents, and they give me moments when I feel like it's home. My co-workers are very nice and are helping me feel more comfortable. However:

Every time I've started a new job, I've compared it to my SLC GOGO job. I spent so much time there; during those years I went through a lot of things that my little family there helped me with, so I can't help but be attached. I can't help but be nostalgic and a little dramatic when I now talk to someone from Trips, and there's no one around to really giggle about it, or when I have yet another awkward conversation with Pete, no one really gets how funny it is, or when no one has never even heard of Tonda.

So anyway, this is my little tribute to them; I found some old pictures...I unfortunately don't have some of everyone, but we always had fun on our trips, either at someone else's expense:

Jessica and I loved this woman for wearing her conference name tag at the beach. True dedication.

or maybe sometimes our own:

Sylvia, Jeff, Me, Jessica, Michelle

(Soon after this picture was taken I found a tea light in my Diet Coke. Just thrown right in. Thanks, Ritz Carlton. )

Me and Jess relaxing in the Xcaret park in the couple of hours of spare time we were given. Maybe we should've left our name tags on too?

Celeste, Me, Michelle, Jessica and Lisa; my last (full time) day at the office.

This weekend I'm on my way to Jamaica for a GOGO conference; I'm excited, but I know it won't be the same without Sylvia taking pictures of me while I'm doing my homework while at the beach, throwing the undesirable hors d' oeuvres over the balcony with Jess, or Sylvia taking care to point out the "hot" waiters during dinner. :)

Bennifer: November 2010

For those have you who haven't met Bennifer, you're missing out.

Ben and Jenn came to visit us a few weekends ago! I had just flown back from NJ, and it was fun to be welcomed back by Nathan and friends. I mentioned to them that we aren't great tour guides yet, in fact, we got more turned around than we usually do, but they are our very first visitors, so they had the pleasure (I'm sure) of breaking us in. First on the list was walking through the Stratosphere, I think mostly so we could see the Asian men playing the "Kitty Glitter" slot machines. I need to get a picture, but just believe me for now. We had a delightful dinner at IHOP (pumpkin pancakes=heaven), and I tried to make sense when I spoke. My body was still on Eastern time, so it was about 3-4am according to me and my mushy brain.

After an exciting morning at the DMV, we met back up with Bennifer and decided to head to Hoover Dam!

This is the part of the day when we still didn't know where to go. Impressive power lines though.

I think this is Nate and I being lovey, but it looks very similar to a few family pictures when Tom (that's right, I'm telling) was grabbing my wrist in a like (but brotherly, mean-hearted) fashion.

Me and Jenn with the Hoover Dam worker tribute. If we look awkward, we felt awkward; there were about 3 people (we didn't know) also taking photos we were probably in.

Looking down scared me every, every time. It probably always will. I take comfort in knowing that most everyone else is at least scared by heights like this.

View of the new bridge. Yes, the bridge is scary too.

After spending most of our day at the Dam, we walked along the strip and had a lovely dinner.

From the top of the Venetian. This reminded me of our kitties in a "really mischievous gargoyle" type way. It was a beautiful night to see all the lights on the strip. It was also a beautiful night to see all the bachelor party morons doing their thing* on the strip.

*see next image for some idea, but their thing usually=being stupid

It's lucky we are such fans of Halloween; Vegas is kinda always Halloween. Drunk Halloween, but Halloween nonetheless.

View of Paris from the Bellagio fountains.

We had a such a great time with Bennifer and hope they come (all 3 of you next time?) back soon!