Larsen Update

Here are a few of this years cherry blossom pictures. Of course I had to work the day all our friends went down town, but I didn't want to miss the flowers altogether, so we took a nice little day trip into the city. It is always amazing how pretty the blossoms are, you just don't see any other trees with quite the same unique color!




For Dane's birthday I just happened to have a 4 day weekend so we decided to go out of town. Of course the weather also happened to be terrible, as in pouring literally the entire time, but we decided to go camping anyway. Anything to get away right?! So we went camping at Virginia beach. It was cold but we had a great time! The camp sites are beautiful and we were just about the only ones there, which was nice. Chloe, who loves to swim had a great time running around too.



So my brother Darren works at this cool place called Sport Rock and is a really good climber. He took me, Dane, and Danielle climbing a few weeks ago. Here are a couple pictures of us giving it our best. It's a pretty good feeling once you make it to the top, but you just can't be scared of heights cause it looks a lot higher from the top than the bottom!

Amazing Audition

Maybe everyone has already heard of this guy, but my parents showed me this video and I thought it was amazing! I'm not into American Idol at all, I didn't even know that it came from this show Britain's Got Talent, but watching this audition made me realize that it can really give some people a chance that deserve it. I was really moved by how humble he was and how, against all criticism he showed that he really had some serious talent. I love his voice, it would be great to have such an innate talent like that. So, hope you enjoy it. It was a really touching story to me.

Fall Fall Fall

So it's about time that I caught up again.  We've done a few fun fall things lately.  A few weeks ago we drove to the Shennandoah Mountains for the day like we've started doing each year when the colors change.  Last year we were a little late, and a lot of the leaves had fallen already, but this year we were right on time.  It was beautiful!  We went for a scenic drive throughout the park, took lots of pictures, and went on a few little hikes.  

We took one hike up this cliff right as the sun was setting.  It gave us a really pretty view of the Shennandoah valley from up top.  It was a little freaky because it was pretty much a straight drop down.  We found this little mountain pool that I thought was so pretty and Chloe liked it for the refreshing cold water.   

So right before Halloween we went on a ghost tour of old town Alexandria with the Voges and the Chaffee's.  I didn't realize how much history there is in that town, our guide told us all kinds of ghost stories that had taken place there in colonial times.  She was hilarious and made it really interesting.  Alexandria is a pretty fun place to hang out!  

These pictures represent the last real day of summer.  We took Chloe to the Shirlington dog park.  It was hot and sunny, but the very next day got cold and has been ever since, so we made it just in time.  The Shirlington dog park is way better than the one by our house.  So if you're into pets like us, which probably isn't many of you :), it's the place to go.  It's huge and right by water so the dogs get to swim.  After about an hour of running up and down the bank barking at the water, Chloe finally went in farther and learned to swim!  It was a lot of fun.  

Family Family

Well now it's been OVER a month since my last post!!  I have been lucky to have a lot of family in town lately.  

Me and Jenny in Georgetown

It started when my brother Darren got home from his mission in Moscow last month!!!  I am so glad that he's back and it's awesome that we can share our love for Russians! My grandma came into town to see him home and stayed for about a month.  My cousin Jenny also came down from New York for about a day.  

Grandma with all five of her grandchildren, plus Dane and Anne

Here is Darren showing us some of his mission pictures.  He had some really cool videos too.  Man it made me wish I had had a nice camera on my mission.  He really had an awesome mission and got to know some really neat people.  

I had to add these pictures of my grandma playing Wii.  Who has a grandma who's so cool that she can play Wii bowling, and be good at it too?!  She is game for anything and sooo fun!

Isn't she cute?!

Me and Darren

Danielle and her adorable boyfriend Ryan

Everyone just chillin

 

Yoga!

So I guess it's about time for my monthly post!  I really need to get up to date here!  I guess there isn't too much to say, I started working finally a few weeks ago.  That's going alright I guess.  It is fun but definitely a challenge being the one who can do things by myself and having to have the judgement to know what to do all the time.  And my patients are so little too, they all seem to be babies.  Anyway i don't want to talk about work, here is something I am excited about.  I recently got a new gym membership at Golds and I love it!!!  

It's totally reasonable in price and it's just down the street from my house.  I've been spoiled with totally amazing yoga classes at the YMCA, but it's too far away now, and the classes at Mason are just, well, they just don't quite cut it.  But the Golds on Ox Rd is brand spanking new with beautiful equipment and great classes!  I've been into yoga now for about 4 or 5 years on and off.  I would definitely recommend it to anyone.  

I love that you can work muscle strength (it's freakin hard and kicks my butt), balance, and flexibility all at the same time, while also clearing your mind and relaxing in much needed meditation.  You really walk out of class feeling like a new person, having stretched muscles you wouldn't have normally stretched and harmonized your body in a much needed way.  Anyway I'll get off my soap box, but this was a fun post for me cause it's something fun I do for myself that I can get excited about.  

Now that nursing horror, I mean school, is over my next ambition is to become a RYT (registered yoga trainer).  It's actually a lot more comprehensive than I expected after looking into it, so I'll probably just pick at it here and there.  But I figure, once i get done, I could go to the gym on my days off for a nice hour long work out, and hey be the teacher getting paid for it!  A nice little side job.  Anyway there are my ramblings for now.  This is a cute mat and bag from jcrew that maybe I'll get some day.  :)

Happy Fourth of July!!

Well I guess I'm catching up for lost time by posting a lot of pictures since I haven't put up that many lately.  I do get really excited for the forth of July, it's one of my favorite holidays!!  I like to get all into it and feel really patriotic.  

I am very grateful to live in America!!!  I'll find any opportunity to brag about it.  I've been other places, and there ain't nowhere like here!!!!  There's nothing like a good American BBQ and some good classic rock like CCR or something.  

This year we had a really fun time with some of our friends.  We started the day off by going to breakfast at the church and a parade in downtown fairfax.  Chloe had a good time playing with all the kids from the ward.  

My patriotic AMERICAN pit bull terrier.  So cute!!

Later we walked around Burke Lake with Chloe as she sported her American colors.  I love going to the woods on the 4th.  There are lots of people hanging out and having picnics, and everyone is really friendly.  

            Cool little cars at the parade     Dane and Chloe at Burke Lake

The Voges and the Chaffees came over later for some intense Rock Band Wii.  What a band!  Dane on vocals, Pam on drums, and Mandy on guitar!  And of course Christian is there, our wonderful band manager!!

Then we went over to Fairfax High for a concert and some awesome fireworks.  We got pretty soggy as the rain that had been predicted all day finally decided to start pouring right before the fireworks.  Our original plan was to go to DC but we chickened out due to the expected rain.

     

Well we got rained out either way so I guess it wouldn't have mattered if we had gone into the city or not.  In any event, we had a wonderful time, I guess the rain just kind of added to the excitement.  

Us under our little umbrella while everything around us is getting drenched 

Go Dane!!

Take Me Out to The Ball Game

Last week we were able to go to a Nationals game with the Voges and got some really good seats thanks to good old Walt Disney.  None of us had a huge interest in who won, the Nationals or the Angels, but it was really fun to watch and hang out.  The stadium is amazing and we had a really great time!!!  Dane's Uncle Wayne just happened to be in town, so he decided to crash the game and scalp some good tickets.  It was really cool that we got to see him!

Yellow Xterra

Well I haven't posted in awhile and I don't have much to say, so I figured I'd just put a picture of my new car.  We've had it for over a month now, but I'm still pretty excited about it.  I love driving it around, the visibility is so much better when you're higher up.  I've never driven a big car before so I wasn't sure how it would go, but I love it.  And yes I totally love the sporty yellow color!!

The "Bomb"

So I felt like posting this recipe just for fun.  My in- laws have asked me for it before, but i never had it written down to give because i usually just eye-ball it.  So I actually measured it out today, but the portions are really just guidelines, you can put more or less of anything as you like.  It's a pretty easy meal and makes great left overs.  

Chicken Pasta Salad (or as Dane calls it, "The Bomb")

About 3/4 of a 12 oz box of bow tie or shell pasta

1 20 oz can crushed pineapple, well drained

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 cup chopped cashews 

2 1/2 cups red grapes

2 chicken breasts cooked (I usually just boil) and chopped into small pieces

2/3 cup mayonnaise 

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

1 tbs any italian dressing ( just to help the mayo go farther)

Salt and pepper to taste

Just combine everything in a big bowel and let it chill in the fridge for at least an hour.  It is much better cold.  This will serve a family of two for about two meals, so it will probably be enough for one good meal if you have kids.