New York

Aw. Happy sigh. New York was an incredible experience and I've felt overwhelmed every time I attempted to collect my thoughts on it. I did so much, saw so much, tasted so much, SMELT so much. I loved, LOVED that place. I mentioned on Instagram that I felt like I had found my people there. Someone asked what I meant by that. I one-finger-typed a response, but I'm not sure I truly captured exactly all I thought and felt by that comment. I'm going to try to do that here, interspersed with pictures from my trip.

New Yorkers are fast. I loved the speed with which they walked, transacted, entered and exited. It filled my impatient heart with a great big love for people who matched the pace at which I barrel through life.

New Yorkers are stylish and well-dressed. I don't think fat or frumpy people live in Manhattan. Or maybe they do but they weren't the same places I was. Either way, it was fun to watch all the people walking by and try to guess by their attire whether they were locals or tourists.

New Yorkers utilize public transportion. One day, Danylle and I rode the subway from Manhattan to Coney Island to Queens and back. Not on purpose, but only for TWO DOLLARS. We walked almost everywhere. Or took a shuttle, a taxi, or even a pedicab. (I don't recommend the latter. I felt so guilty the whole time our skinny little bike peddler sweated his way up the street). Did you know that Penn Station is like the airport of trains? Well it is. For $12 you can go to Boston from Manhattan, which we almost did, but changed our minds at the last second. But you could.

New Yorkers eat well. Did you know when I eat preservatives, I get a little sick for a few days? (Like, need to stay near a toilet sick. Ahem.) I loved not having to worry about that, because everywhere we ate the food was fresh and made from scratch. Not only that, but within walking distance there was ANY ethnicity of food we could ever imagine. And at the food carts I could get falafel or a fresh fruit smoothie or a spinach apple ginger fresh juice. In New York, I could eat ANYTHING I WANTED, WHENEVER I WANTED IT. And I didn't have to drive or cook or clean up after myself to get it.

New Yorkers appreciate art. I think I could have used a full week to explore the Met. The MOMA was incredible, even if I did feel a little traumatized by some of the exhibits. Some works of art must be seen in real life to fully appreciate them, and New York is a great place to do that.

New Yorkers value architecture. We saw an old prison converted into a library. A Dunkin' Donuts in a building that rivals anything in downtown Salt Lake. The Brooklyn Bridge. Grand Central Station. And my favorite, the New York City library.

And can I just give Central Park its own paragraph? I sat on a park bench there, the day after arriving, and just cried. Because it was so quiet and hushed compared to the bustle of the city. Because I was with two friends who were the perfect travel mates. Because the little yellow ice cream cart beside me was playing Band of Horses and they had hand painted drawings of herbs on the side of the cart and WHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD WOULD THEY HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

Nowhere else. There’s nothing like it.

Midlife Crisis In Two Parts

Part One: Hair Extensions

So, I've been keeping a secret. A few, really. I've been taking some supplements to help with hormone levels and energy levels, and it's really changed my life the last year or so and allowed me to feel like myself again.

But.

The changing/adjusting hormone levels made my hair fall out. Not just the "Oh gross, l've created another hair ball in the shower" type, but the balding type. 

Yeah. Bald patches.

So for about one day I decided to stop taking the medicine. Because I am at least half vain. Then I realized that was ridiculous. So I decided to do another ridiculous thing. Can't you just see the excellent logical thinking I have! I decided to get hair extensions.

And so I did. They are super long and I love them and hate them. I'd love to answer any questions you may have about them in the comments. That is the end of Part One. 

Part Two: NYC

This isn't a secret! I am headed to NYC early, early Saturday morning to spend a week with two girlfriends. I am ecstatic. I keep thinking of that saying: She turned her can'ts into cans, and her dreams into plans. It's taken a lot of work and saving and patience, but it is happening!

And what better way to celebrate than with another completely ridiculous post about what I'll be wearing. It's my midlife crisis. I can do what I want.

1. Saturday: Plane ride. Hot pink Isle Esme shirt. Something book-related seemed appropriate since we are headed to the world's largest publishing expo for a few days.

2. Sunday: Church, then the Met, the Moma and the NYC Public Library.

3. Every day: Running. Would you be brave enough to run alone in central park?

4. Monday: Bike riding, Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge at sunset.

5. Tuesday: BEA! and the Teen Author Carnival. Hoping to pick up an ARC of Ally Condie's REACHED, Maggie Steivater's THE RAVEN BOYS, and of course, Shannon Hale's PALACE OF STONE.

6. Wednesday: more BEA shenanigans. Meeting John Scalzi, Jerry Spinelli, and Libba Bray. 

7. Wednesday Night: BOOK OF MORMON MUSICAL. Okay, I might be more excited about this than anything else. Orchestra seats. Fourth Row. Sparkling/sequins dress that I never wear anywhere.

8. Thursday: Go Yankees! I know almost nothing about pro baseball, but I'm going to a game and so naturally I'm wearing my FDNY shirt. Totally makes sense, right? Also, these are maternity pants. I predict this will become the new hipster trend as soon as the loaded diaper/harem pants phase out.

9. Friday: No idea. Perhaps we should get a plan together? Regardless, I kind of want to wear my cowgirl-ish boots in the city. What should we do Friday? Eat ourselves sick?

10. Saturday: Plane ride home, in my hippie dress of course.

Please pray for us that we don't get mugged, lost, or too much rain.

I'll be documenting my travels on Instagram. My username is rachelandcompany. Peace out.

gratitude day 20: family vacation

it's been a long time since we took a family trip all together. this one was practically perfect. a quick trip to yuba lake for 2 days. wakeboarding, tubing, boating, playing in sand, watching movies on the ipad, sleeping on the boat, laughing with old friends.

making memories.

clara's bunting quilt

this really is a recap of my vacation. for the first week i was in arizona, the only thing i did was quilt and eat. (possibly there was a small amount of swinging and playing at the park. more on that later.).

here's the first quilt i finished while i was down there, for my niece clara. i'm already missing all that green grass.

the front:

the back:

details:

i love you, clara jane. i hope you are enjoying your brand new baby sister.

st. george marathon + a warning to my peeps

friends.

i have returned from the valley of the shadow of death.

i spent the weekend in st. george with some friends who ran the marathon. no, i didn't run it. instead i made merry with friends who i can just be myself around. it was joyous and relaxing.

on the return trip i got a little sick. then sicker. i got home just in time because, well, let me tell you.

i have spent the last 24 hours shaking and sweating and reacquainting myself with the toilet on a face-to-face level if you know what i mean. i told mr. coleman i was dying.

i lost 7 pounds. which i could have done if i'd run the marathon. so, i'm glad i didn't and i'm glad i've lived to tell. i am feeling much better today except the weird newborn-giraffe-like legs.

a huge apology to all my peeps if i spread my germs to you. prepare for the worst.

photo swiped from flikr since i apparently had too much fun to take a single picture of st. george

travelogue

best vacation of my life, so far. so many memories made, so many people i love, and so many miles driven. my van and i are on a break.

worst drivers: nevada. also, people become hard of hearing when you show up to the breakfast buffet with 1 adult and 4 children. ONE adult? yes. FOUR children? yes, people. i know.

to attract attention, i like to borrow my nephew as well and head to the beach.

then take them all to sea world, BY MYSELF.

it's okay, because a few days later we headed to one of the most beautiful places on earth: hawley lake, az.

where i sat and did nothing for about 4 days. surrounded by the people i love best in the world. best family reunion ever.

mr. coleman flew in for the event, where he had a narrow escape from dying of boredom, but i like to think it was worth it because it prevented him from missing us to death the 3 weeks we were gone.

the last week we spent in mesa, az at my parents' house, because really, can you think of a better time of year to spend a full week in arizona? actually it was pretty amazing: monsoon lightning storms, haboobs, bahama bucks, swimming, all-you-can-eat-crab (!), and qt.

i have to confess that the best part of my trip was when my brother ryan shared this double rainbow video with me. and then this song. it is still making me laugh everyday. go check it out. then come back. i'll still be here.

after sunday family dinner we were entertained by a magic show

and then glow sticks. never gets old.

the ride home was gorgeous. i love the little peek of the north rim of the grand canyon here. {photo by micah}. it is great to be back. i love my state and city and grocery store* and home more than i ever have. it doesn't hurt to have had incredible weather every day since we've been home.

utah summer: i just can't quit you. next year we're staying home.

*does your grocery store have men in dress shirts and ties that carry umbrellas and escort you to your car in a summer rainstorm? mine does. i love nice people.

See ya.

We are leaving tomorrow for our annual Summer Sabbatical. So I stole some pictures from my sisters' blogs to show you what I'm looking forward to, since I am busy washing every article of clothing we have and doing all the things I've procrastinated doing all summer and clearly don't have time to take my own pictures.

We are headed to:

1.) The Sin Capital of the World

2.) The Avocado Capital of the World

3.) The Kidnapping Capital of the United States (debatable)

4.) The Jewel of the Fort Apache Indian Reservation

I will offer a souvenir from my trip to the first person who guesses all 4 places correctly. It will be totally rad. You'll have to trust me on that. Family: you cannot vote. Which could be bad since I don't know if anyone else is reading this blog during the summer.

I can't wait to see everyone.