let's hear it for new york

Friends! We just got home last night from New York and we are so excited to share with you our fun. Confession: we can't get enough of the Jay Z Empire State of Mind video. Feel free to watch it as you view these photos.

Brian's parents and his sister Kim are serving a mission in Queens, New York. They teach classes to young adults on scripture in the evenings and during the day they visit families from a ward they have been assigned to. We spent Christmas day with some of their friends from that ward.

Above: Tim and Alice.

Below: Anita, Mark, and Kim!
While visiting Bob, Carol, and Kim we got to:

Ride into the city and see the Off Broadway Show "Ragtime".

Eat the yummiest Japanese ramen, Kim seriously dominated the chopsticks.

The next day we got to go to church and meet all of the members of the Jamaica Queens ward where our "fearless threesome" serves. They were all as friendly and darling as Briana, Brian's new friend shown above. It touched our hearts to see how they truly love Bob, Carol, and Kim. But it was even more touching to see the way our missionaries loved the people in Queens. We are so proud of them for serving.

We left NYC for a few days to take a short trip to Puerto Rico on the Jetblue. We LOVED Puerto Rico and highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for sunshine, warm water, quaint cities, and an easy getaway. While there we found:

Adorable cobblestone streets filled with little boutiques in Old San Juan. It reminded me of Espana!

The old Spanish military forts.

We were amazed that I can do this!

Beaches, beaches, and more beaches.

We headed back to New York after a small 24 hour detour at the San Juan airport. A volcano erupted on Montserrat, an island nearby in the Caribbean. Our gentle Utah skin was so scorched we couldn't dare brave the beach another day but with some persistence we got ourselves back on another flight to New York so we could spend the New Year with our New York family.

New Years dinner with cute Kirk.

And like true New York tourists, we decided to go to Times Square to watch the ball drop. We didn't go down into Times Square area until almost 10:00 p.m. when there were already 1 million people there. Fortunately we made a few friends and we were able to get close enough to at least see the ball at midnight. Embarrassingly enough I got all choked up at midnight. There were so many people from all over the world with their loved ones, celebrating together. It was really sweet!

I already said it: We are alright being tourists!

My cute cousin Matt let us stay in his apartment in the city (shown above) and so we spent a few days there playing with Kirk and Bob, Carol, and Kim as well. We got to go to the temple, the Empire State Building, dancing in the city, and to H&M of course. We also were invited to eat a traditional German meal at the home of the Bishop out in Queens. It was so delicious it blew my mind! Don't let Brian's face fool you here.

And now we are home, feeling really good about 2010. We can't wait to spend it with you here, or wherever you are vicariously through your blogs! Love, love, love to you this New Year!

i wish you a safe flight and a merry christmas too!

We have been in code yellow for the last few days at JetBlue. Turns out the week before Christmas wasn't the best week for 15" of snow in NYC and 20" in D.C. Although my I'm sore from sitting in my recliner for so many hours I am happy to say that Jetblue and I fell in love this week.

First there was Teoman, a Marine, his flight from Charlotte to JFK was cancelled and his wife was in the hospital going into labor! He called me from the car to cancel his return flight because although he had already been awake 48 hours he wasn't going to miss the birth of his baby boy waiting for the next flight. He drove all the way there in the middle of the night to see his birth and will be with them for the next two weeks before leaving for a 15 month assignment in Afghanistan. Me+this story=love.

Then there was Grisel, I helped her with seat assignments and she in turn invited Brian and I to come stay with her on our trip to Puerto Rico this next week. She gave me her phone number, and beach recommendations. What a dear.

Michael and I found the only flight open from White Plains to Orlando together, the last seat, we grabbed it right up and both cheered. His job is on the line! He was so relieved that he would be able to be at his work meeting tomorrow, aren't you relieved as well?!? I am very relieved. Very relieved indeed.

Those are just a few of my favorites from the last 48 hours of flight changes. My first few weeks of price quoting to 18 year olds flying between the Dominican and NYC to visit their babies mamas made me a cold hearted reservations assistant. But I think I'm coming around. And after our upcoming trip to NYC for Christmas, Puerto Rico for an overnighter, and then back to NYC for New Years I am sure I will be committed to the jet setter lifestyle.

In other news, Brian Todd turned 29 this week, Stephen made us a headboard out of a door from our basement, I got my GRE scores back, and we have a secret Santa! Brian sums up how we feel about all of these things right here:

Merry Christmas to you and yours. Love, The Williams

its turkey time

Brian and I leave in just an hour for San Diego for Evan and Megan's wedding. Unfortunately I have not whitened my teeth, developed the necessary tan, or gotten the appropriate Spanks for my bridesmaid dress. Hopefully I will still succeed as a bridesmaid. I just wanted to say I have been so excited all week I can hardly stand it. This year I feel so thankful for Megan, that we have yet another addition to the Faulkner family. On Sunday we were able to have many of the Williams over for dinner to celebrate Jenny's birthday. They are our favorite people, we feel so lucky on to have them close. We are just gobble gobble thankful. So thankful that I got choked up during the Skippy commercial today. You know... the one where she makes her Dad a sandwich? Either way, I am a complete mess. A complete thankful mess. Have a happy week.

training

Two weeks. 8 pm- 2 am. First the economy, then the swine flu, and now this! 2009 is full of it. I sware.

Don't worry! Solitaire on the iPhone will get me through. Thanks for your concern.

I still love you all so much.

Andrea

enough said

remember sprinkles?

Do you have Sprinkles cards yet? I am loving Sprinkles more and more as time goes on, I think it is time gave him a try.

but remember when WE got married?

Dear lovelies,

Tomorrow is our one year anniversary. We are going on a little get away to Midway tonight to celebrate- thanks Brufords! This past year I have read, talked, and thought a lot about marriage. I can say that in one year I feel like my heart has changed forever. I have become a different person with different opinions, emotions, and a different perspective on love. Can I just say something about marriage for a minute? I just wanted to say that marriage is wonderful. It is hard, confusing, and humbling, it is absolutely wonderful. And can I say something else? I really love Brian Todd. He has made me better, accepted me, and brought so much good into my life. Brian, do you remember when we had 5 jobs, 6 callings, took 200 bike rides, remodeled 1 house, ate 30 $5 pizzas, made 300 trips to Home Depot, and 50 trips to IKEA all in one year? That was fun huh? I'm sure we'll have just as much fun this next year- don't worry. Hopefully less stress and emotional break downs... but we will just have to see.

And so here's to marriage, not the kind they talked about in Julia Robert's movies and Beehives, but the real deal. And for your viewing pleasure, a trailer to our wedding video. I've only watched it 33 times...

Kisses. The Williams