Awk-weird Valentines

Valentines day for us has almost always been weird. I have almost zero romantical expectations when it comes to this holiday, because the universe just does weird things to us on this day. I get giddy with excitement wondering what weird thing will happen to us each year. But I guess for us, its a unique kind of romantic. We bond over laughing at whatever weird thing is happening.

Year 1: We were technically broken up, but trying to work things out and get back together. So just generally awkward already. I made him a valentines day card that was apparently (in Danny's opinion) extremely vague as to how I felt about him (maybe like this:

from this)

and we ended the night at his apartment third wheeling it with his roommate who did nothing but talk about what an amazing husband he thought Danny was going to be (remember the part about how we were broken up? awk.)

Year 2: Engaged. I literally can't remember it. But we were probably weird and awk, because engaged people just are.

Year 3: Spent Valentines in our weirdo apartment in south Provo listening to the crazy lady next door having schizophrenia freak outs, and escaping for a few hours to watch Danny's sisters' high school swim meet.

Year 4: Spent Valentines walking around Chongqing, China. It was our very first day in actual China by ourselves (we'd spend a few weeks in Hong Kong and Shenzhen with a big group of whities). This could have been a cool Valentines, but mostly I just crack up laughing when I think about it.
First, when our plane landed in Chongqing, while it was still going fast down the runway, all the Chinese peeps got up and started getting their luggage and pushing each other. We met our "liason" at the airport, missed the bus to our city by 5 min, and had to spend the next 6 hours walking around the streets with him until the next bus could take us. So straight third wheeling it up. This was also the first day where I got to experience a squatter toilet and in public no less, which are the worst kind. After 6 hours of chumming it up with our liason, we took a 5 hour bus to our city. We got there late at night, it was pouring rain, and there were like 20 happy faces waiting to greet us, which was awesome. They took us to the "Sunshine Inn" where they put us up in a hotel for the night (which was really sweet). Also the hotel room had two twin beds. And a squatter toilet. Pretty romantic. Danny fell asleep about 5 min after we arrived and I stayed up watching "The Notebook" in Chinese. But honestly I've never loved Danny more. I felt grateful to be together on such a funny adventure.

Year 5: Living in Miami, FL. We spent the entire day moving into a new apartment because we had the weirdy-est neighbors EVER who would complain if we coughed. Topped off the night by hitting up "hot pot" (a chinese fav of ours, but thats kinda hard to find authentic in the US). We went with a couple from Danny's school, and it was truly the most authentic chinese ive experience here. It even had Chinese Karaoke playing, so you know that was epic. Our waitress asked if we wanted egg with our hot pot, I naively thought that meant she was going to bring like some scrambled or fried eggs (we ate tons of eggs in CN) but, alas, she cracked an egg open and put it in my bowl of oil. It was apparently for dipping. Probs not the sexiest thing to eat on Vtines.























Year 6: Danny had a tough exam the day after Vtines, and had to spend most of the night at school. I can't remember but I might have fallen asleep before he even got home. I entertained myself by working out, baking stuff, and watching TV, and taking selfies. You may recall, here.

Year 7: I am so excited to show you the card I made for Danny this year, but since he hasn't seen it yet, thought it would be unfair to post it this early. Stay tuned.

What are your best vtines stories? Weird, romantic, or otherwise?

Miami Family Photos

I coerced Danny into taking some family photos while we were in Miami. And that is all I really have to say about this. 

Miami Part 2

On the last day in Miami (also my bday) we kayaked through Oleta state park. Its a park literally 5 minutes away from where we used to live, and is this little jungley oasis in the middle of the city. Kinda feels like central park in NYC but in the water. I was legitimately afraid to fall out for fear of snakes, crocs, and weird bugs.

mangrove trees for days

oh my sweet jelly fish! when we got out into the bay, I looked down at where I was paddling, and there were HUNDREDS of jellyfish. I have seen a lot of jellyfish in my day, but this was like.. fall out of your kayak and die kind of jellyfish brigade. It reminded me of the scene on Finding Nemo where Dori gets capped by the jellies. 

We made it into the middle of the bay onto this island, and there were tons washed up on shore. You can touch the tops of them.. (remember our jellyfish sandcastle christmas tree?) just watch our for their tentacles. 

in the bay, headed to that little island

Some pics of when we flew out: 

the everglades

our city:

Goodbye for now Miami! 

Next up on the blog: San Diego

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Moving on: Miami Part 1

I have millions more pictures I could share with you from Africa, and I still promise a video of the whole experience to make you feel like you were there, but for now, we are moving on.

On our way home from Uganda, we had a quick layover in Turkey. It also happened to be on the last day of Ramadan, and during the time where Egypt went even more nuts than it was when we flew into Africa (and spent forever in the airport instead of seeing the pyramids). Point being, there was heightened security at the airport. During our couple of hours there, we were interviewed a couple of times, went through  no less than 6 security check points-- all of which we showed our passports at. Crazy. There were people everywhere. We were fortunate enough to happen upon some real-ish tasting ice cream. The first in several weeks for me! So I was a happy camper. 

Landed in Miami @ 3am- jumped in a rental car, and away we went. And how I love the sunshine state! We were sad that none of our friends were there (it was summer break for everyone in school = they go see families) but we were stokkkked to get a great deal at the Westin Resort! 

We made a ridiculously low bid on priceline, and it was accepted. And then when we got there.. they had upgraded our room for us. So we stayed in this seriously sweet master suite. Which was such a treat after being dirty for 5 weeks. I remember the first night taking a shower and being in such disbelief at 1) how warm the water was 2) how much water pressure there was and 3) how clean I was. And laying in clean sheets with a thread count of 10000000 with my clean body.. ohhhh it was so great.

Apart from my birthday, I can't even tell you what we did in FL. Oh wait yes I can. Hung at the beach every waking moment. I mean that quite literally. I would wake up at 6-630 ish (jet laggg) and run for like an hour down the beach. Come home, wake up Dan, eat some delicious tasting American breakfast, play inthe waves (there were actually biggish waves! thank you florida! biggest ones ive seen in miami area anyway) then nap for a couple of hours in the sand, then play at the sweet pool. And eat lots of blue bell ice cream and at all our old favorite restaurants. So heavenly. There have already been several moments this semester where I have sat and closed my eyes and just remembered how magical our Miami trip was. 

ok ok, on to pictures. I'll do a separate bday post so as not to picture overload you.

Remember this pose from Koh Tao Thailand?

resort's pool- note the looking glass from the other pool above this one

we miss seeing lambos and farrari's everyday in our neighborhood

danny's dream come true-- a return to Duffy's. Home of the biggest burger I've seen (pictured under that tower of onion rings) 

view of Sunny Isles (our old hood) from Duffys

One of the many spectacular views from our wrap around balcony. 

and another view

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and another view

Why yes I did save the life of this blowfish! That was seriously still living. even though a tiny part of me wanted to keep him. 

We moved to Miami completely homeless without the first clue about how to find housing in the area. We would check out of this hotel every morning, with high hopes of finding our future home, only to check back in @ night. Note the lack of windows. Also the man behind the counter sits behind bullet proof glass. Always makes ya feel good. By the end of our week (maybe more like 10 days? who knows), we were besties with the Indian man who runs the place. And luckily we didnt have to live here permanently and we found an amazing apartment right across from the beach. #blessed

This is Dannys former school. When we found out he was accepted to dental school, we both stood right outside these doors and balled our bloody eyes out. 

this is about the happiest face mine can make. Running on the beach. 

I never saw real waves the entire time we lived there-- but for some reason we had pretty fun little mini body surfing waves the whole time we were there!