The World's Greatest Sport

Feeling a little out of the soccer loop since the world cup ended last July, I have been wanting to become a more regular spectator of European football. We have the New England Revolution -an MLS team- to root for and we even have semi-season pass tickets to their matches this upcoming season, which we are stoked for! But their season doesn't begin until March. So how to scratch that soccer itch during the cold and dreary winter months?

In January I had the chance to visit Jeff while he was working in Ohio. We went out to dinner with his manager and friend, Corey, who plays soccer with Jeff on a weekly basis. Corey is a huge Bayern Munich fan, a team which I discovered has many of my (as well as Jeff's) favorite players who we grew to admire during the world cup games. It's basically the German National team with a few other stars from various countries, which means they are fun to watch and actually have a shot at winning often. Corey and Jeff watched some of Bayern's matches together during their month-long stint in Ohio and Corey showed Jeff how to access a station that airs all of Bayern Munich's games! And there it was. Suddenly an opportunity presented itself to follow a European team who we already have an affinity for, that we can watch on a regular basis! We've already become saturday morning regulars for Goal TV. Say hello to Bayern Munich's new biggest fans.

As a brief aside I'll share (for posterity's sake) why I think Soccer, or rather real football, is the best sport:

1. It's 90 minutes of uninterrupted athleticism and drama. There are no commercials, few delays, and no annoying halftime shows with bothersome cheerleaders or performances to be subjected to. It's about the game. It's simple, intense, and action packed.

2. The game commentary is nice to listen to. The commentators are usually British and therefore not only have lovely accents, which gives this "gentlemen's sport" a touch of sophistication, but they also say hilarious things like, "DYNAMITE! Absolute DYNAMITE!" or "...the ball bounces back, and he'll get another bite at the cherry!". They get so excited when a big play happens and it adds to the charm and energy of the game.

3. Best looking athletes. Without a doubt footballers are the most attractive athletes. And it makes sense. They're out there on the pitch sprinting around and working hard for ninety minutes unencumbered by bulky pads or helmets . They're not calling constant time-outs, switching lines, or taking excessive breathers. Soccer players have to be truly in shape and athletic. The sweet as jerseys are an added bonus.

4. It's "the beautiful game". The fluid movement of the game and pure athleticism of the players (in the form of jumps, sprints, headers, and goals) is stunning. Additionally, one of football's most pleasing thing to view is a series of good passes between one team. As author Nick Horby articulates, "there is a pleasant geometry about [football]". It's easy to be passionate about such a beautiful looking game.

5. Different teams have different styles, which makes it even more interesting to watch. From the English Premier League to the Spanish Liga, Europe to Africa every nation has a different way of playing the game. This is one reason it's fun to watch Bayern Munich play in the Bundesliga - the Germans tend to play with such discipline and intensity which leads to big plays and lots of goals. Mia san Mia!

So there you have it. Soccer is my fave and I'm excited to have more of it in my life. The end.

A Dash of Panache

Jeff returned after a month long stint of accounting busy seasoning in Ohio and we were both thrilled! We made it through January, the month we had been dreading, and it wasn't even that bad. The weeks went by surprisingly fast (thankfully) and I even got to visit Jeff during one of the weekends in between, which made the separation more bearable. When he got home we partied! Actually his flight was a bit delayed on Friday night due to all of the snow and wintry weather we're having here, so we started the party on Saturday.

We ventured into Harvard Square with our pals Jake and Rose to eat a delectable belgian waffle breakfast at one of our favorite Boston eateries: Zinneken's. It was most enjoyable and delicious as always. We noticed several people in the restaurant wearing those Canadian Goose coats, and started talking about how expensive they are and whether the coats really merit the hefty price tag. Jake asked one girl where she got hers and she said The Tannery, a boutique just down the street. Just for the heck of it we decided to pop into The Tannery to check out these extreme weather jackets for ourselves. Jeff and I both tried a Canada Goose jacket on and can say that they will for sure keep you toasty, at least when you're indoors lol.

 

We did not get the chance to try them in the winter chill, but I'm fairly certain they would stand the test. They come with a lifetime warranty, and I'm told you'll never have to buy another winter jacket lol. Tempting if you live in Boston where it is relentlessly cold and have an extra $800 burning a hole in your pocket : )

After the coat store we saw a really cool looking hat shop next door called Goorin Bros. We all wanted to check it out, and we ended up spending the next hour being charmed by the delightful employees who flitted around us pulling down different hats and letting us try them on with various accessories. The store itself was so cool! Lovely wooden floors adorned with giant rugs, shelves filled with the most beautiful hats you've ever seen, a sweeping staircase, and a couple of sliding ladders to add to the charm. The whole thing was very enchanting, so much so that three out of the four of us left with hats in hand. I mean, they had hat boxes! How could we not get one?

Christmas in Idahohoho

This year found in Boise with my side of the family for Christmas. We arrived in Boise around noon on Christmas Eve and had a full day. My family just opened another candy shop in downtown Boise! So their December was largely focused on getting the building in order, and starting their new business. As a result there was some last minute christmas prep to be done when we arrived. We learned that both of my sisters were planning to spend the evening with their boyfriends' families. So Jeff and I spent the day trying to keep up with my mom. We ran (literally) through the mall, tagged along as she went grocery shopping, stole into the candy store after hours - much like the Grinch - and took all of the christmas decorations so we could have some at the house. My brothers had driven down from Oregon and arrived that evening, and we did get to spend a little time with them in between all of the busyness. We finished the night off by wrapping gifts before watching 20 minutes of A Christmas Story and going to bed.  It was a bit unconventional and a little crazy, but it was still a memorable Christmas eve. 

mom and the freshly groomed christmas pooch

Christmas morning came and I was the first one to wake up! I'm pretty sure it was nine o'clock by then, so not really early by any means. No one had touched their stocking yet. The only other creature that was stirring was our dog, Tiny Pal. I took him for a christmas morning walk and it was really pleasant and peaceful crunching through the snow with a tiny white pooch who was so happy to be outside. When I got back to the house my mom asked if Jeff and I wouldn't mind running to the candy store and picking out some sweets to stuff into some stockings for my sister's boyfriend and roommate who were going to be joining us for christmas. We also needed to pick up some gift cards for them. Jeff and I agreed to go on this secret elf mission. After apologizing to the cashier at Walgreens for bringing business to her store on Christmas morning we returned in time to finish wrapping some additional presents that had been forgotten in all of the hubub, stuff the additional stockings, and settle in around the christmas tree. By the time we started opening presents it was one or two in the afternoon, a record for me and my siblings. I don't think we've ever waited that long to open presents. But I suppose things change once the little kids turn into teenagers and sleep becomes the priority. 

we all love this little dog so much

Anyway once we actually sat down and caught our breath Christmas day turned out pretty nice. We had a fun time passing gifts around the circle and watching each other open them. My brother Brady pulled a prank on our brother Joel that made us all laugh. He wrapped a box up and placed it under the tree with a gift tag that said, "To: Joel" and on the bottom it read "From Dump it to Krumpit". We were taking turns opening presents and when Joel was handed this gift he opened it only to find that it was full of crumpled up trash/paper! We all got a good laugh out of that. Brady made up for his little joke by giving Joel and awesome Chelsea soccer jersey the next time the presents came around to him. We all felt very merry during that Christmas afternoon around the tree.

dump it to krumpit trash gift

Melissa and Trevor

Jeff got a nice running jacket from Miss

boots with the fur

An added bonus was that Bob let us drive his truck to Utah for the weekend so we could visit some of our college friends. It was wonderful to see Nate and Caitie again and to meet little Trey in person. He's adorable! We wanted to leave our mark as auntie Sam and Uncle Jeff and I think we accomplished it. I have the claim to fame of being the first one to get Trey to giggle - quite the honor! And Jeff put in some good training time with the little champ teaching him how to roll over. Trey is bound to remember us : ) 

Jeff and a smiley Trey

We also got to see David and Tanis and their girls and spent a nice afternoon dining at Cafe Rio, our favorite Provo restaurant, and visiting our Alma Mater. We are lucky to have such good friends near and far and feel blessed to have had the opportunity to visit with some of them over the break.

snow covered BYU campus

We returned to Boise after the weekend in Utah and had a fun New Year's Eve together! It was Joel's 18th birthday so we had a fiesta party and watched the Boise state Fiesta Bowl, which the Broncos won! Things were pretty crazy in the house every time BSU made a play. To celebrate Joel's special day we took him outside and fired confetti canons around him and then let him whack a pinata filled with hi-chews (the tastiest candy ever!). We ended the night with an ice cream cake and pumpkin pie - Joel's favorite. 

Happy Birthday Joel!

We also spent New Year's Day making some fun Harry Potter wands. The boys really got into it! 

It was great to spend time with my family and see all of my siblings. They are growing up so fast! We love you guys and can't wait to see you again soon! Here's to a wonderful 2015!

Florida Trip

We made a quick getaway to Florida between Thanksgiving and Christmas break this year, and it was wonderful! Early December may not be typical vacation time, but we decided to take some time off before Jeff's busy season at work starts and he gets consumed with accounting duties until the spring. Mary and Dean were our travel companions and we had a great time together! I used to think it would be weird to celebrate Christmas in a warm place, but after this trip I am convinced it would be the best thing ever.

Seriously, high 70's in December? A dream.

A little sunshine therapy can go a long way. I'm hoping it will get me through another NEw England Winter : )

There was a BJ's restaurant right by our hotel, so a lunch stop there was imperative. Love their Pizzookies!

Our main objective for the trip was to see the new extension of Harry Potter World. Walking through King's Cross to enter Diagon Alley was so magical : )

 Most of our pictures were taken at Harry Potter World. Yes we had access to all of Universal Studios, but Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade were so cool that we spent 99% of our time there!

If you dial 'MAGIC' into the receiver someone from the Ministry of Magic answers!

Skulkin' aroung Knockturn Alley

We almost bought Jeff this authentic Weasley sweater at Madam Malkins' Robes for all Occasions.

Platform 9 3/4 was amazing!

An old prop from Half-Blood Prince?

You get to ride the hogwarts express in actual train compartments!

It was fun to visit Hogsmeade and Hogwarts Castle again during Christmas time!



We spent the next day at Disney World! Talk about an action packed vacation. Two parks are twice as much fun! And everything was all decked out for the holidays, it was beautiful.

I loved all of the christmas decorations covering the park

happiest kids in the happiest place on earth

Swiss Family Robinson Tree House makes for a pretty cool tour. 

The spitting camel

Christmas Parade through Disney World

We took a raft across the river to Tom Sawyer Island, which was really cool to explore. You could spend a good chunk of the day just navigating through the trails, caves, and forts that dot the island. We heard that Magic Kingdom hides five Tom Sawyer paint brushes around the island and if you find one you can turn it in to a disney staff member in exchange for a group fast pass. We were searching for a while when one of the "trail guides" told us they no longer did that. We were sorely disappointed. However, the gentleman did inform us that they were trying to reinstate this old tradition, so maybe next time we visit we can find ourselves a paint brush : )

Eye spy one Jeff somewhere in the fort

Shootin' from the fort on Tom Sawyer Island

I was really hoping one of us would be lucky enough to pull the sword from the stone. Alas, it was not to be ... this time anyway.

We rode roller coasters and tea cups until we were sick. Literally. We rode the tea cups so many times and spun that cup so fast that we all had to lie down for a good 25 minutes. But it was worth it.

The only good photo we got while spinning at tea cup lightspeed.

On our last day in Florida we drove down the coast to Cocoa Beach. It was a little overcast, but the beach was still lovely. Jeff and I are jealous of the Florida waves.

bad hair day at cocoa beach

Everything seemed to be in holiday decor, which was funny to see since it looked like summer. We kept the radio tuned to christmas music in our car and it sure put me in the mood for Christmas!

Christmastime in Florida : )

Also got to visit the Barnes while we were in Florida! Merry Christmas to you all!

Now that is what I call a winter vacation. We got back to Boston and it was 7 Degrees and I thought to myself, can we stay in Florida until spring? Glad we had the chance to get some sun and make some warm memories to carry us through the winter : )