Thanksgiving and Christmas 2014

My sister got an Airedale Terrier last year named Sally, who I met for the first time at Thanksgiving. Steve was working nights, so I decided to drive up to North Carolina and leave Steve to fend for himself. Obviously, I was very excited to meet Sally.

I am not sure if she has her mouth open because she is excited or I am inadvertently straggling her.

Sally was very excited to help us make rolls by trying to steal the dough.

And what's Thanksgiving without your roll dough rising to look like a butt.

Steve was jealous about not meeting Sally, so he was very excited to meet her at Christmas. So much so that he was carrying her like a baby. And at one point, I am pretty sure I saw him nuzzle her.

Five of us six sisters for a post-Christmas lunch

Glenn Family Reunion May 2014

Somehow, Steve bamboozled me into going to a family reunion. The conditions of me going were that he take me to the Bodies exhibit and that he take me to a magic show. In hindsight, I should have been more clear about what constitutes a magic show as Steve bought tickets for an amateur magic show with a guy who trains cats (for reals) and dogs. Not that it wasn't an interesting show, I was just hoping to see someone get stabbed through a box. Steve also decided to take a few liberties by buying a Groupon for shooting Zombies, as pictured below.

If you want to see Jodie freak out, go back to last year's Go Pro Video and you will hear her scream after she GENUINELY believed that she was bitten by a Zombie. At least now we know who not to choose for our post-apocalyptic team. Also, as it turns out I can be quite the fast runner with the proper motivation. 

I honestly do not know how I have had this picture for over a year and not realized this until now.

Steve was so excited for that cotton candy. Bless his heart.

Outside the Las Vegas temple

I think my favorite part of the reunion was the Bodies exhibit. It actually came to Cincinnati while I was on my mission, but it left before I got permission (thanks for nothing, P-Robb). The coolest part was the vascular system, but since they don't let you take pictures I am borrowing some from the internet.

After the family reunion, we visited my sister Jenn and her family in St. George for a couple of days. Her kids seem to be the only kids that actually like me and I don't seem to make them cry. And they're still too young to realize I'm not cool, so I have that going for me too.

We went on this 6-7 mile hike and her kids actually made it most of the way without being held. It made me look bad because I was thinking about asking Steve for a piggy back ride, but I like to avoid being shown up by toddlers when possible.

I think the best part of this trip was feeding the ducks. That white swan kept pecking the other ducklings to steal their bread, so the kids started chucking bread at the swans head and they hit it with surprising accuracy. I was waiting for the swan to come chasing after us and a clip of it ending up on America's Funniest Home Videos.

I think this is the one picture I got of Steve wakeboarding. Never ask me to man your camera. There will likely be nothing on it.

That time I went to NYC...Over a year ago

Yep, I am finally getting around to blogging about that trip. Mostly because I am transitioning in my job, so I don't have a lot whole else to do during the day for the next week and I need proof for Steve that I did not sit around using Netflix all day watching shows about conspiracy theories or blowing out our sound system while watching Inception. Although, if I'm being honest, I am surprised our speakers have made it 5 years.

About a month before I graduated last year, my mother-in-law wanted all the "girls" in the family to go on a group trip to New York, which I had never been to (unless you count that time I had to go through customs on my way back from Armenia that was super awkward). Anyway, I never go on vacation while in school EVER, but I consented to go and I somehow convinced people that we should go see After Midnight starring DULE HILL!!!!! This was the highlight of the trip and I may have accidentally shouted "Gus" from the audience. And I'd like to believe at one point he stared right at me (and knew that I was the biggest Psych fan), but there's a good chance he was staring at everyone in the audience.

And I also got to fulfill my life dream of eating a cream-filled Cronut. I ate this on the plane ride home and used my finger to wipe the bag clean because I don't believe in wasting good food.

This was all of us after our sweaty Central Park bike ride and before I ate a pretzel the size of my face.

I can't believe Steve and I have been married over 5 years and he has never told me that I look like Quasimodo when I ride a bike. Not that it would motivate me to change my posture, it just would have been nice to know.

9/11 Memorial. I was surprised that people were as quiet and respectful as they were.

Another sweaty picture after we climbed the Statue of Liberty. I'll be honest, I was a little surprised the statue was not bigger.

And of course, New York

There were a couple things I was bummed about. One being that I did not get to go to the Chip Shop in Brooklyn where they BATTER AND DEEP FRY PIZZA AND TWINKIES!!!!! I told Steve that I needed him to take me back so I can eat there. I am also sad that I did not take the bread basket at some Italian restaurant we ate at. The bread was amazing and if I had been there with Steve, I would have made him request a doggie bag that would have been full of just bread. But seeing as how this was my first vacation with Steve's family, I was trying to make them believe that I have good manners and I don't always think with my stomach (both of which are lies).