May 12 - Sunshine!

Today was great. Bright and sunny and relaxed. Here are some highlights:

Beautiful, colored, coastal buildings.
Fruit, vegetable, flower market.
Boat tour.

Crazy Lisa Frank-ish dress in Galleries Lafayettes.
Remember the science fair project? This street seller is collecting similar data...
Wedding dresses.

Do you need an antique piece like this?

I think it's time for this woman to go inside...

May 11 - Brussels Antiques

Today we spent the morning finishing up our time in Bruges, everyone had a couple last stores to scope out. I bought some chocolate and cool kitchen stuff.

Then we headed on down the road to Brussels for some quick antique shopping before our flight to Nice, France. It was the perfect situation because mom was driving back to Frankfurt and could transport our treasures safely to her house. There were some seriously awesome chandeliers. I may have secured 4 of them... Such good deals, and such beautiful pieces. (The pictures are all on my phone which is internet-less for the moment so I'll have to post them later. But they're awesome!)

I also completely fell in love with a couch. Mom and I are scheming about the best way to get it to Frankfurt so it can be moved home with all their stuff later this summer. I could cry because the thought makes me so happy. If you saw the couch you'd cry for me too.

We parted ways with mom and boarded a quick flight down to the Cote d'Azur. When we walked into the hotel lobby MELISSA was standing right there!! She bravely made her way down from Paris on the train today, being all alone on her very first trip to Europe. We're very glad to have her join us.

I don't know why this picture is so red and crazy looking. Oh well!

May 10 - Bruges 15K

Today we headed out early for a 5 mile bike tour of Bruges. Our guide was hilarious and extremely informative.

While riding around I saw the makings of a race in the city... I hopped on a patch of wifi and found out there was a Bruges 15K starting at 3pm. Perfect!! (Oh how I wished you could join me... because I knew you would!)

I took this pic over my shoulder without looking. Not too bad huh!

I rushed right to the hotel, changed, made it to the train station, secured a race-T (technical!!) and headed off with the pack. Because I was a bit delayed in getting started, I was at the BACK of the pack along with 1 other lady who must have been stuck in the bathroom during the start or something. The round up car followed directly behind us during the entire race. And while we ran along canals too small for a car to follow, a police motorcycle was right on our tail. Definitely not the most pleasant way to run, I'm already fully aware of the fact that I'm slow, nothing like an idling car to make it painfully obvious.

Nonetheless, I'm thrilled I was able to participate. Running a race is my favorite way to explore a city. Between the bike tour and the run I feel like I have a complete picture of Bruges (and a great excuse for an indulgent Belgian dessert).

May 9 - Delft

Today we visited the porcelain factory in Delft. It was so interesting to learn about their process and how to distinguish a real Delft hand painted piece from a imitation. Does it seem like I love factories? I know it's strange, but I do...

Afterward, we had lunch and wandered around the charming city of Delft. I highly recommend it. The city if full of little antique stores. Makes me so happy.

Check out these flower prices from the Bloomenmarkt in Amsterdam. 50 tulips for 10 euros?! And 20 peonies for 15 euros!! That is amazing. No wonder everyone rides around on their bikes all day with giant packages of flowers. I'm sorry for all the flower talk...

After a morning canal cruise in Amsterdam we did some shoe shopping. Aren't these cute?

Did I mention how windy it was yesterday? The city is covered with these blossoms off the trees, similar to those popcorn trees all over Utah.

May 8 - I love canals.

Oh how I wish I could take up permanent residence in a city with canals. Canals and bikes. And cobblestones. Just so charming and lovely...

May 7 - Giant flower mart!

I'm quite tired tonight so this will have to be brief/potentially boring...

I'm so glad Annee encouraged us to go check out this floral auction house. It was so impressive. I loved watching and analyzing both the flowers and the company operations. They use an inventory system similar to Wal-Mart. So smart.

Plus, this visit made me miss my Asia 2007 days where we visited manufacturing plants all over while enjoying witty commentary from Chad and Joseph.


Here is some brief info about the auction house (Court and KHill - this is summary info I would share in the pre-visit presentation meeting in Chad/Joseph's hotel room while we secretly analyzed whether or not they shared a bed):

Every day Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer sets the world price for flowers and plants.

This happens by bringing supply and demand together by means of the auction clock- a fascinating process during which large and small batches of flowers are sold within fractions of seconds.

Each day, 19 million flowers and two million plants are sold through 13 clocks at 'Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer'. It takes place within an area of almost one million m2.

This means that Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer has the largest trade building in the entire world! (Much bigger than all of Frankfurt airport as mom kept mentioning.)



P.S. Check out this sweet hotel chair!! I want to take it home with me...

May 6 - Keukenhof Tulips

Visited the tulip festival in Holland today. So amazing. Many more photos to post but this is the only one on my phone right now.

Just got to Haarlem and people want food so we're back out the door. So glad our hotel room doesn't smell like weed like everything else.

Giant shoes.

Don't these ones look like peonies? You can guess which were my favorites... Parrot tulips are the way to go.

Of course a jumping pic.

Masses of tulips.

When they think the tulips are past their prime, this guy goes around and snaps them off. Sad!

Mom made me do it, I swear.

May 5 - Frankfurt

Low key day here.

View of the rainy back porch.

Dinner at the very German Altes Zollhaus. CZ is alive.

The good ice cream place on Romer Square was closed. But look what a perfect Dr. Laura message the gate revealed! Love it! (Please excuse the profanity...)

Headed to Holland first thing in the morning. Goodnight!

May 4 - en route.

I wouldn't normally be that person who takes a photo on the airplane
but by the time I land Monday will be over.

CZ and I are on our way! We connected up with Haley for a short
layover in Cincinnati. The flight is very empty thank goodness.

Cabin door closed. Gotta go!

Test post from my cell phone.

May 3 - Sunday BBQ

Today we joined the Wiley's for a lovely Sunday family BBQ. (Remember the buns from Hire's?)

Christine, Nate, me, Scott, Sarah, baby X.

Just as is always the case, the minute we sat down to eat, it started to rain. But as you can see, bad weather has never stopped us from grilling before. See Scott below:

Photo taken January 5, 2009

It all ended up being a lot of fun.

Thanks for always inviting us over Sarah and Scott!

• June was on a roll tonight, serenading us with "happy to you" while quite anxious to eat her "coooooo" (corn).

• Oliver tore it up in Phase 10.

• Brenden displayed his mad guitar hero skills and bike tricks (I was busy on the phone with Delta at the time but I hear the stunts were wild).

**Another side note: These posts are short, but the goal is for them to be consistent, and a complete picture of what I do this May. I hope they're not annoying!

May 2 - Miss Saigon

Tonight Ken and I ventured up to SLC with last minute tickets to Miss Saigon.


Having explored Ho Chi Minh City in May 2007, the story was especially intriguing.


Of course we also made a stop in at Hire's Big H. And brought buns home, in case the family decides they should be part of dinner tomorrow. Sweet.

P.S. I really need to replace my camera ASAP. I can hardly stand the fuzzy/grainy/iphone-ness for one more day...

One photo a day in May.

This is my goal. It may be a bit of a challenge, since Monday I leave on a European adventure that may mean limited computer access. But I'll try.

Here are just a couple from graduation. I know I owe a full photo update to those who are afar off (Annee) but I forgot to download photos from Mom & Dad's camera before they left so I don't really have very many. But I will see them soon and remedy the problem.

Thank you for everything parents!

Here is the whole group at Sundance for a pre-graduation lunch. It was perfectly lovely.
June, Scott, Sarah, Brenden, Ken, Rachel Zack, Oliver, Stephen, Steve, MeiLi, IeLi, Christine, Mom, Dad, Grandma Z.

School is over, grading is over, law school Law Review write-on is over, and apparently all the good weather in Provo is over just in time for me to skip town. Today (now Saturday) is the first day I am finally free of everything. What a relief.

Here's to a wonderful summer up ahead!


**Correction: (At least) one photo a day in May. Thanks.

And with that...

It's over!

I finished my last final at 11:30pm and I am now home free!
All that's left now is some pesky grading to finish up....

I don't feel relieved quite yet, but I assume that feeling will follow shortly.

Now that my life has been seriously freed up, I anticipate a return to blogging. Thank goodness.

There is much family in town but I have yet to intersect with the children during their waking hours (so sad!). Tomorrow graduation festivities begin.

I don't have a cap and gown yet (oops!) but I'm assuming I am smart enough to get that figured out since I am now smart enough to be a college graduate. Woohoo!

Last day ever...

It's a very strange feeling you know, attending class on my last day of school for the rest of my life.

I found myself thinking at times what I think at the end of every semester...

"Next semester I'm going to start studying earlier for finals..."
"Next time I take a class from this teacher I'm really going to work hard from the start."
"I'm glad I only missed 2 quizzes in this class this semester, but next semester I'll aim for missing zero."

But then, oh wait, there is not a "next semester."

I called the health center today about scheduling an appointment for some blood work I've been meaning to do for a long time. Apparently I only have one more week that I am allowed to enter the BYU Student Health Center because, oh yeah, I will no longer be a student.

I know there are wonderful things to come, but I am leaving very wonderful things behind. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of my time at BYU. I do not misspeak when I say ALL.

I still have a ways to go before I'm done (I think I heard someone say we have 1 million seconds left?) but it is a bittersweet time.

Flowers!

Spring is slowly returning (what? it's snowing outside?) and with it my desire to be surrounded by fresh flowers. I may even be able to get a job in a flower shop that is hiring to fill summer vacancies. That would be a good use of my last summer of freedom right?

I signed up for a flower arranging class on Thursday nights taught through University of Utah's community outreach program. It's taught at The Rose Shop in Sandy-ish and is lovely so far. Haley is kind enough to join me on this adventure.

For our final project we get to choose exactly what we want to do. We tell her which flowers we want and bring pictures of some type of arrangement we like and she helps us make it happen. I'm quite excited for that. I really hope the wholesaler has peonies in stock by then...

I had to reshape my parrot tulips once the arrangement started to fall apart and all the greenery died. I picked up some ranunculus at the wholesaler which I arranged in a tight bunch that I plan to dry once they've all fully bloomed.
This class is a lovely way to spend some Thursdays between now and May.



This certainly isn't the comprehensive update you all deserve, but it's a step in the right direction. Part of my reluctance to post over the last few weeks stems from the fact that my life was filled with so much of this:

and this:

and this:

so posting in a completely positive light is a challenge...

I will post this photo of a flower arrangement I saw in a Las Vegas casino. What? Rachel went to Las Vegas? Why yes I did. Details to follow...




***Please forgive the general grainy-ness of all these photos. They were taken with my phone. I don't need to remind you why...***

The storm has passed.

Phew. I made it.

I just returned from the testing center after completing my partnership tax test (awesome Saturday activity right?). The upcoming week will not be nearly as hard and scary as the last few have been. Thus my return to blogdom.

It's been an eventful month. And I have photos to prove it. Just you wait and see...

At this exact moment I must be off to the gym, but an update will occur within the next 24 hours.

Just so you know...

It's still winter here.

Despite the sunny skies.
Despite the late evening sunlight.
Despite what others may be telling you.
Despite the lovely spring items mocking you at Banana and Nordstrom.

Do not venture outside without a coat and leg coverings.

I literally had to RUN to my car from the library on Friday because I was so freezing cold in my "let's all pretend it's appropriate to wear this cotton dress already."

Boo.

While on one of the aforementioned trips to Banana, I kinda fell in love with this trench coat. A trench is a classic that is completely justifiable right?

Turns out, the price tag on the trench is the exact amount I paid to have my window replaced a couple weeks ago.

Darn criminal stole my trench coat...


Oh well. Maybe Lauren will hook me up with her sweet banana discount before it goes on sale. (hint hint! ;-) )

In other news, last Saturday was PWC Ski Day which Ken and I attended. Thursday last week we skipped class and took up Nate's generous offer of free tickets to Deer Valley. That resort is awesome. And that makes two ski days in one week. Go us.
Later that night CZ, Haley and I ventured out to Ashley Anderson (Kirkland)'s wedding reception. It was small and lovely. And had the best yogurt covered pretzels I've ever tasted.




















P.S. My DI browsing continues. This couch is slightly awesome. But don't you want to know it its story so badly?! I can't help but wonder.


That is all.