Pork and Potatoes

Who doesn't love a good home cooked meal?  And when that meal is pork chops, homemade mashed potatoes and corn on the cob, you'd be crazy to turn it down.  So goes my life Tuesday for dinner.  My fabulous friends Hank and Cameron needed a nice air conditioned apartment to hang out at and they offered to come cook dinner if I'd loan mine.  I was quite pleased to do so.

My Mini Me!

Let me introduce you to Abbigail Anne!  We are practically the same person as my full name is Abigail Anna.  This cute little button is the week old daughter of my coworker, Drew.  Even though I know she's not named after me, I still find it quite an honor that someone could know me and still name their child Abigail.  It means that the name Abigail doesn't leave a bad taste in their mouth.  She is actually the second baby to share my almost exact name (that I know of).  One of my high school drama teachers named her daughter Abigail Ann as well.

We also thought we'd get a picture of her first trip to dad's work.  As you can see, Drew is an excellent multitasker! (PS- we staged the picture...he's actually a very responsible dad)

Home, Sweet Home

I apologize for taking so long to update the story I like to call my life.  This entry is much more of a journal entry that some posts so it could get a little boring.  Apologizing again.  Feel free to just scroll through the pictures :)


I'd like to start off with an amusing picture of a man I'll refer to as Dumbledore.  We were on our way to my birthday dinner at Panera Bread when we saw Dumbledore in the distance.  From a distance, it seemed he really was Dumbledore, long beard especially.  As he neared our car, we noticed he did have a beard, but the majority of it turned out to be his open, hairy chest.  Gross.  Magic.Gone.

Dinner was lovely.  I branched out and got a turkey bacon avocado sandwich and some chicken lime orzo soup.  I usually enjoy a ham and swiss on rye.  It was delicious and I didn't even overstuff myself!  A rare occasion for Panera.  After dinner, we went to the fair to see Meredith march in the band show.  Oh, how I miss band!!  You can call me a band geek, I don't care.  This show made me miss my saxophone and miss performing.

Saturday was the fair parade in the morning.  Seth, Noah and I sat right on the curb and those people just kept throwing candy at us!  I was like "can't you see how big of a pile they already have?!  THEY NEED NO MORE CANDY!"  Nevertheless, we took home quite the stash of cheap candy.

Ohhhhh Sunday, what a great day!  One of the main purposes of this trip was to surprise two of my high schools friends, Nathaniel and Taylor, who just returned home from serving two year missions in South America.  It was a tough secret to keep because both had been asking if I was coming back to Ohio before starting school...and I lied shamelessly multiple times.  My brother ruined the surprise for Taylor and told him I was coming but I got Nathaniel good!  On Tuesday, Nathaniel and I went to Cedar Point to ride the roller coasters we haven't ridden in two years.

The Tucker grandparents came and spent a few days with us!

We have a garden this year!  There's all sorts of delicious veggies growing and I went and picked the first of the tomatoes.

 I went to Seth's Court of Honor on Wednesday...I may have forgotten to take my camera out until he was walking back to his seat so this is the only picture I got...

On Thursday I returned back to the west!  Here's a glimpse of my homeland.

 I met my dad in Salt Lake and we went to see Eli's BYU freshman picture be taken.

 Friday morning Dad and I hiked the "Y" overlooking Provo.

 Friday afternoon I was going to head back to Rexburg and then I thought "why am I going back to Rexburg when I don't have to work until Monday?!"  So I extended my Utah stay for a few days and crashed at my Peru roommate, Noelle's, place in Riverton.  Our Peru brother, Aleksi, just returned to America a few weeks ago and we had ourselves a little reunion.  It was great to see him again and the only thing that could have made it better would be to have had Breet there with us!  And Liz and Miguel would be icing on the cake, but they're still in Peru so it was slightly impossible for them to be there. 

 Inside joke with this picture.  We aren't totally crazy.

On Saturday we went to the Brigham City temple open house with a bunch of the YSA from Noelle's ward.  I hadn't been to a temple open house since the Nauvoo, IL temple was dedicated so it was a treat!  And I even ran into an old neighbor who is now serving as a Sister missionary in the area.

It was a great trip.  The perfect amount of relaxation and craziness.  And I didn't even mention how the airline lost my luggage and I ended spending $100 on new clothes that Delta ended up paying for. 

Another One Bites the Dust

Okay, no one died.  BUT Alexis got married...leaving me as the last of the three amigas who's single.  I'm not complaining.  At least not at the moment.  Thankfully, my friends don't forget who I am once they get married.  We're planning a reunion at this very moment!

At the luncheon.

Jared and Whitney.

I just couldn't stop taking pictures of them...they're adorable.

The Peterson clan.

Roomies

Helping with the reception.

I just realized after posting these that I didn't put up any of Marc.  So here's one of the handsome groom and my best friend who is now his beautiful bride.

And None Will EVER Compare

I am seriously, majorly, completely, missing my Peru kids right now.  I just want to look at pictures and videos all night.  Actually, I just picture this big reunion in my head with me surprising them at El Bichito and 30 kids all screaming and yelling my name and vying for my attention.  It's a nice dream.  Let me just remind you how incredibly adorable my ninos are.

Ester.  We didn't see much of her, but the few times she came I just couldn't get enough of her!

Luzelena and her brother/ cousin/ nephew/ some-sort-of-relative

Erlita:  She would play Chutes and Ladders everyday if we'd let her.

Juan Carlos:  The freaking BEST dancer you've ever seen.  This kid can shake his hips like it's no one's business.

I can't even remember her name, but it took me DAYS to get her to say anything to me. I LOVE this picture.

Benjamin...o Jose?!

Aurora: Occasionally dressed like the older peasant women.  She was never far from any of us.  A quite girl, but such a strong spirit and will.

Alessandro: He wants to be a singer when he grows up.  And he sure has the voice and moves to win over any lady.  Oh, and just looks at those dimples!

Milagros (her name means "miracle" in English):  The most beautiful girl ever.  She doesn't take a bad picture.  Contagious smile.  Terrible at the card game BLINK though...

One of the happiest girls, although her eyes always made her look tired and sad.

Sonja and Fredi.  She was the best big sister to him...most of the time :)

Eli, Damaris and Ester.

I think we got a picture of the only time Fredi ever smiled!

WHERE HAS THIS PICTURE BEEN HIDING?!  Elmer's such a punk and to have a good picture of him makes me happy :)

Rodrigo:  The class clown so this picture is quite fitting.

Marco:  He's in his mid-twenties but suffers from polio and uses crutches to walk.  He loves art projects and drawing.

Antoni!  This boy was always dirty and his pants were never fully pulled up but I never saw him without a smile.  He's a little ball of energy and would yell at us from his house in the mornings.

Christian and Luzelea.  One of my favorite pictures of the entire trip.  He looks like a little man and she took care of him like an older sister...although I think she was his aunt...

Junior and Alberi.  Alberi was the spoiled, fat child that we resented...but tried really really reaaaalllllyyyyy hard to love.  He grew on us, but we had our moments of wanting to yell at him in angry Spanish.

Keiko: The youngest of three kids.  She had a sunburned face that was always cracking and her clothes were some of the dirtiest.  I loved when she's curl up with me and read a book outside in the sun.

Anna Maria:  Best friend of Luzelena.  Look how beautiful she is.  She wrote us all some of the sweetest notes and was a girly girl. 

If you can honestly say that you've met a cuter group of kids...you're lying.  No one can say that.  Ever.  These are the sweetest, most thoughtful, humble, absolutely amazing kids in the entire world.  Sure, we grumbled over a few of them and we sometimes got tired of their endless yelling of our names and needing our attention in five places at once.  But they gave me the best hugs I've ever had.  They are what made Peru worth all the time and money and struggles.