The Big Apple

Last Christmas, Derek gave me a plane ticket to New York City for mid-May. The trip was to be two fold, one for Kebra's (Derek's sister) graduation from Yale and two to see Manhattan, which neither Derek or I had been to before. Finally after months of waiting, it was time for the big trip to the big apple! Here are a few pictures of our time back east. 

The pre-planning process. If you know me, you can understand how much fun I had putting this together. 

We have arrived! 

Excited that we made it! Out and about. 

While getting lost in Greenwich Village, we stubbled upon a "Cheese Bar". Set up just like a sushi bar, with a specific person cutting the cheese (no pun intended).

 Strolled down Wall Street

Empire State Building 

Zero visibility at the top of the Empire State Building, due to the rainy spring day, but that didn't stop us. We hung out in a cloud!

More Empire State Building, beautiful. 

Walked down the High Line for a bit, very cool.

 More High Line, over looking the Meat Packing District

 9/11 Memorial, a very moving experience.  

Concrete Jungle

America

 Grand Central Station. Gorgeous. 

 Blocks and blocks of skyscrapers.

Derek loves 4 hour graduations.

Stoops.

This happened.

The Bull on Wall Street.

Rockefeller Center.

 NBC Studios.

 Radio City.

Hot Dog on the streets on NYC.

Congrats Class of 2013! Way to go Kebra!

Balls of Steel.

Manhattan Bridge.

Gelato... Yummy! And seductive. 

Home sweet home.

Happy Anniversary

Happy 30th Wedding Anniversary to my parents! Today, mom and dad have spent the last 30 years happily married to each other. 

Danette, a junior cheerleader at Blackfoot High School, couldn't help but notice a tall Snake River basketball player entering the Broncos' gym in a "Tootsie Roll" hat for the cross county rival game that night. She whispered to a fellow cheerleader, "He's cute" and it was in a sense, love at first sight.

The two dated the remainder of their junior year and senior year of high school. It was a forbidden love, or at least I like to think so (much more romantic). The cheerleader and the star athlete from opposing schools... together.

After two years of serious dating after high school, the two decided to spend the rest of their lives together and tied the knot on August 25, 1979! They have since been blessed with 3 children (including yours truly). They have lost loved ones, sent kids to college, traveled, had work promotions, been to countless sporting events as the number one fan of their all star children, and been there for each other when times were hard.

I have never seen a couple more in love and happy, even after 30+ years, than my parents. They are each other's best friends and are so excited to spend each day with each other. I hope to have the kind of relationship that they have one day with my future husband. I have asked them what the key to a good relationship such as theirs is. Communication and trust.

Congratulations Mom and Dad! I am so happy for you!