So I am here in Northern California, in a small town called Alamo. This is where I have lived for most of my childhood. My parents thankfully still have this house, and it is so nice to come back to. I realized that I have not been in this home in over a year.
I asked my dad if he wanted to go to Laurence's for lunch, it is mostly this butcher shop where everyone in town gets their meat, but they also make great BBQ on Saturday afternoons. Since I haven't been there for a while I was really looking forward to eating my turkey sandwich. We get our meals and more then half way through I bite into something hard. At first I thought it was a bone, which is weird because it's not ground meat, it's just a fillet of turkey (I am not sure if that is culinaryly correct, but I am using it anyways...I don't know if the word I just made up was grammatically correct). I pull the sandwich away from my mouth to see what this hard thing was. IT WAS A PENNY! A penny was in my sandwich...right between the cheese and the meat. My dad and I just start laughing. We were not mad or angry we just thought it was really interesting.
I took it to the cook who was working the grill and he looked at me and said, "How did that get there?" I replied, "I don't know, but would you like to show this to your manager?" He did and said he would get us a refund. My dad and I really didn't care. It did no harm and the meal was still great so we did not leave offended or unsatisfied. When I returned to the table my dad said, "You know that's really funny, that means good luck," and I said, "That must be true because we are getting married in 7 days, exactly a week from today."
When I shared this story with my mom, she too started laughing and said it means good luck. She didn't even know that that was what my dad had said earlier.
I guess it really must mean good luck...I mean what are the odds of finding a penny, heads up, in your food?
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
For Your Information
Travel Directions
From Little America Hotel to La Caille
1. Head out of Little America towards West Temple Street
2. Turn right at West Temple Street
3. Turn immediately left on 500 South, continue west on 500 South
4. Follow signs Las Vegas/I-15 South and merge onto I-15 South
5. Take Exit 298 and merge onto I-215 East
6. Take Exit 6 for 6200 South
7. Follow signs for UT-3000 and merge onto E 6200 South/UT-210
8. Turn right at Wasatch Boulevard
9. La Caille is about 2 miles down on the left hand side
Turn left into the magical gardens of La Caille
From Temple Square to La Caille
1. Head to West Temple going South
2. Turn Right on 500 South, continue west on 500 South
3. Follow signs Las Vegas/I-15 South and merge onto I-15 South
4. Take Exit 298 and merge onto I-215 East
5. Take Exit 6 for 6200 South
6. Follow signs for UT-3000 and merge onto E 6200South/UT-210
7. Turn right at Wasatch Boulevard
8. La Caille is about 2 miles down on the left hand side
Turn left into the magical gardens of La Caille.
Suggested Hotels in Salt Lake City
Super 8 Hotel
$58.00 per night
Continental Breakfast
Marriott Hotel
$99.00 per night
Continental Breakfast
801 238-3000
shs.slch.sales@marriott.com
**Little America
$89.00 per night Courtside
$119.00 per night Garden
$159.99 per night Tower
800 453-9450
www.littleamerica.com
Grand America
$259.00 per night King Bed
$279.00 per night Suite
800 621-4505
www.grandamerica.com
None of the hotels mentioned above have transportation from the airport. A taxi fare is about $22.00, or an express shuttle is $7.00 per person from the airport. Only Grand America charges for overnight parking. All of the above mentioned hotels have internet and exercise rooms. Little America has a swimming pool and Grand America has a spa.
All four hotels are near Salt Lake City’s Trax public transportation system.
Rides to the Temple, shopping and restaurants are free on Trax.
We do recommend you have a rental car if possible. If you do not rent a car let us know in advance and we will get you rides to the events with family and friends.
**We highly recommend Little America, rooms are large, beautiful and
luxurious. Grand America is next door, it’s spectacular but pricey.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Wedding Registry
What a fun and glorious thing to do as a couple!!! When we were registering, there were at least 5 other couples with scanners and a list of things that they needed. WELCOME TO PROVO, UTAH!!!!
I don't know if you have ever registered anywhere... ever, but did you ever feel overwhelmed? Well I did. We were there for a total of 4.5 hours!!! It's so funny because all I could think about is what we need and don't have and then all of a sudden we were scanning everything we saw. It was like playing a very exciting game of laser tag, or Christmas with this giant remote...but nothing was wrapped or free. Anyways getting back to the reason why...between the two of us, we have a plastic draw case thingy from Target(mine), and a bookshelf (his). Hahahhahahahahah we have so much! If there is anything, and we mean anything, that you are trying to get rid of, we would love to take it off your hands. Just let us know and we will be there with in a matter of min.
So if you would like to see all the wonderful things that we are needing, please visit our favorite stores in which we are registered at:
and
Saturday, July 4, 2009
...Then Comes a Baby in a Baby Carriage
Ok, just to clarify... by no means are we about to have a baby... I just wanted to finish the rest of the saying.
While I stay working at my wonderful, amazing job, Gian will finish up school at BYU. Once he is done with that he will go on to law school. That location is not yet determined. So it looks like he has about 3-4 more years, I am sooooooooo happy I am done with school.
As far as kids go, we would like to wait two years so we can enjoy time as a married couple, and so we can wait until he is almost done with school. But what ever happens will happen. And if things change then we would be thrilled, after all its not our timeline, it's the Lord's.
We don't really know where we want to live long term, or where we want to raise a family. As of right now, we are both agreeing on Southern California. I said it's up to wherever he gets the job he wants, and that I really want to live by the ocean. I would like to live next to my sisters, because I love them so much and I would want my kids to be close to their cousins.
Yep, we are going to have a great life together! He makes me laugh like no other, and he is one of the most thoughtful people I have ever met. I feel like I am the luckiest girl in the whoooooole wide world. I don't mean that to sound to cliche, but I am absolutely telling the truth. I couldn't ask for more!!!!
Come visit our blog at www.gianandmckinley.blogspot.com to hear more about wedding plans and to catch up on all our funny stories as we grow together!
While I stay working at my wonderful, amazing job, Gian will finish up school at BYU. Once he is done with that he will go on to law school. That location is not yet determined. So it looks like he has about 3-4 more years, I am sooooooooo happy I am done with school.
As far as kids go, we would like to wait two years so we can enjoy time as a married couple, and so we can wait until he is almost done with school. But what ever happens will happen. And if things change then we would be thrilled, after all its not our timeline, it's the Lord's.
We don't really know where we want to live long term, or where we want to raise a family. As of right now, we are both agreeing on Southern California. I said it's up to wherever he gets the job he wants, and that I really want to live by the ocean. I would like to live next to my sisters, because I love them so much and I would want my kids to be close to their cousins.
Yep, we are going to have a great life together! He makes me laugh like no other, and he is one of the most thoughtful people I have ever met. I feel like I am the luckiest girl in the whoooooole wide world. I don't mean that to sound to cliche, but I am absolutely telling the truth. I couldn't ask for more!!!!
Come visit our blog at www.gianandmckinley.blogspot.com to hear more about wedding plans and to catch up on all our funny stories as we grow together!
...Then Comes Marriage...
...So I gave him the word. We told our parents that we want to get married. Gian pulled off a lot of secrets that I had no idea about.
Just a few days after our big talk, Gian flew to San Diego where my dad was for a business trip to meet him for lunch. He left Salt Lake City in the morning and arrived in San Diego just in time for my dad's lunch break. Gian, my Dad, and sister Kachina all grabbed lunch for a total of 60+ minutes, so that Gian could turn back around and catch his flight back to Salt Lake City so he could get back to work on time. It was really neat that he was able to meet my sister and fly all the way to San Diego, just to ask my dad for my hand in marriage. He truly is amazing!!!
Many weeks go by since our "love convo" and every single day I thought "this is the day... he's going to propose." How wrong I was... I waited 5-6 weeks before he could pop the big question!
One Sunday afternoon Gian asked me if I could help out his friend. His friend Jacob works for BYU by giving tours around campus, and Jacob needed help practicing his tours, before all the students start coming. So I agreed to attend his mock tour along with 6 other friends. I thought I would enjoy this since I have never attended BYU. So we all met outside the Hinckley Building (which I cant remember what the building is used for... sorry), to meet Jacob and his girlfriend. He picked us up in an 8 seater golf cart. We all piled in and started our tour. Along the way we see this really pretty deer (which happened to be one of my favorite parts) and Jacob explained what each building is used for and what kind of majors would attend each building... he did a very good job!
We get to the tallest building in Provo which is 12 stories and is called the SWKT building. There was a lot of symbolism about the building and it was really neat to hear all the details of the building. Jacob announces that we get to go up to the roof, but because I have A.D.D. I was talking to Jessie the whoooooole time I missed that tiny detail. We hop in to the elevator to go up 11 floors. We exit because you have to take the stairs to the roof. We get to the stairwell and Jacob says "ladies first" no one was moving as I thought I would lead the way. At the top of the stairs we waited for Jacob because he had the magical secret access key. Jacob opened the door, and I saw Gian standing on the roof with flowers everywhere. It caught me off guard and I just sat there and kind of laughed for a second.... Jacob literally shoved me out of the door way saying "and this is the 12th floor..." then shut the door behind me. I still just sat there, until Gian asked me to walk towards him. I have no idea why I was so handicapped.
I walk towards Gian, and he then held my hands. He gave a very romantic, tear worthy speech and then got down on one knee. He opens the box, and it is the very first ring I tried on and fell in love with. We all know what my answer was despite the gorgeous ring of my dreams... so we go running over to where all our friends were waiting for us in the stairway. I stick my hand through the door to announce it was official! They all screamed with excitement and we all stayed up on the roof for some time hanging out, taking pictures, having fun.... watching Sarah Lacey think she fell through the roof!!! It was so much fun.
We are getting married in the Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on September 19, 2009 and an amazing reception will follow immediately after at La Caille in Sandy, Utah. The reception will end at 3 PM and all of our good friends are invited to attend some more celebration up in Park City after, so we can spend time with those who are traveling out of town, or want to spend some more time with the newly weds.
It really is so amazing, and I couldn't be any happier!
For details of our future see next blog "Then Comes a Baby in a Baby Carriage"
Just a few days after our big talk, Gian flew to San Diego where my dad was for a business trip to meet him for lunch. He left Salt Lake City in the morning and arrived in San Diego just in time for my dad's lunch break. Gian, my Dad, and sister Kachina all grabbed lunch for a total of 60+ minutes, so that Gian could turn back around and catch his flight back to Salt Lake City so he could get back to work on time. It was really neat that he was able to meet my sister and fly all the way to San Diego, just to ask my dad for my hand in marriage. He truly is amazing!!!
Many weeks go by since our "love convo" and every single day I thought "this is the day... he's going to propose." How wrong I was... I waited 5-6 weeks before he could pop the big question!
One Sunday afternoon Gian asked me if I could help out his friend. His friend Jacob works for BYU by giving tours around campus, and Jacob needed help practicing his tours, before all the students start coming. So I agreed to attend his mock tour along with 6 other friends. I thought I would enjoy this since I have never attended BYU. So we all met outside the Hinckley Building (which I cant remember what the building is used for... sorry), to meet Jacob and his girlfriend. He picked us up in an 8 seater golf cart. We all piled in and started our tour. Along the way we see this really pretty deer (which happened to be one of my favorite parts) and Jacob explained what each building is used for and what kind of majors would attend each building... he did a very good job!
We get to the tallest building in Provo which is 12 stories and is called the SWKT building. There was a lot of symbolism about the building and it was really neat to hear all the details of the building. Jacob announces that we get to go up to the roof, but because I have A.D.D. I was talking to Jessie the whoooooole time I missed that tiny detail. We hop in to the elevator to go up 11 floors. We exit because you have to take the stairs to the roof. We get to the stairwell and Jacob says "ladies first" no one was moving as I thought I would lead the way. At the top of the stairs we waited for Jacob because he had the magical secret access key. Jacob opened the door, and I saw Gian standing on the roof with flowers everywhere. It caught me off guard and I just sat there and kind of laughed for a second.... Jacob literally shoved me out of the door way saying "and this is the 12th floor..." then shut the door behind me. I still just sat there, until Gian asked me to walk towards him. I have no idea why I was so handicapped.
I walk towards Gian, and he then held my hands. He gave a very romantic, tear worthy speech and then got down on one knee. He opens the box, and it is the very first ring I tried on and fell in love with. We all know what my answer was despite the gorgeous ring of my dreams... so we go running over to where all our friends were waiting for us in the stairway. I stick my hand through the door to announce it was official! They all screamed with excitement and we all stayed up on the roof for some time hanging out, taking pictures, having fun.... watching Sarah Lacey think she fell through the roof!!! It was so much fun.
We are getting married in the Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on September 19, 2009 and an amazing reception will follow immediately after at La Caille in Sandy, Utah. The reception will end at 3 PM and all of our good friends are invited to attend some more celebration up in Park City after, so we can spend time with those who are traveling out of town, or want to spend some more time with the newly weds.
It really is so amazing, and I couldn't be any happier!
For details of our future see next blog "Then Comes a Baby in a Baby Carriage"
Thursday, July 2, 2009
First Comes Love...
Once upon a time, there was a girl named McKinley who had a best friend named Jessie.... Jessie and I met through work about 2 years ago. She is amazing and fun and funny. After much time together she began to know me inside and out (as most friends do). She knew my likes and dislikes. One day she was walking to campus (BYU, Provo) for what she thought was a dance lab. She got there to find out she was a day early. So Jessie wanders off to the Library where she would spend some time studying. There, she comes across Gian a friend she has known since her freshmen year, but hasn't seen in quite some time.
They got to talking, catching up, sharing old memories, until Gian asked, "Jessie, can you hook me up with any cute Asian friends?" Jessie's face lit up with joy and with excitement she replied "Yes, her name is McKinley!!!!" Little did Gian know that I was actually Caucasian, and was white to the bone. Not one ounce of Asian in me. Jessie goes to show him some pictures and after he notices the fact, Jessie says, "Well she's not Asian...but she loves brown guys. You two would be perfect." Gian was pleased with Jessie's referral and decided we wanted to take me out on a date, despite the fact of my ethnic background.
By February 24 we instantly became a blind date. With or without my approval, Jessie informed me of the situation, and she too showed me pictures and I was very excited to go on this "blind date" (is it still blind if we saw pictures of each other?). Before I knew it, Gian and I hit it off. We spent everyday together, we never missed a single beat. Even within the first week people thought we had kids, mistaken me for his fiance, and were convinced that we were going to get married. We now have to say they were all right. I knew from the moment I spoke to him, that there was going to be more then just "some date."
We dated, and dated, and dated and laughed and dated a little bit longer. It wasn't until one of our dates in SLC I knew it wouldn't be long before we could tie the knot. There was this jewelry store, and as a joke I was dragging Gian in saying, "Let's go try rings on" and he was more willing then I was. He perked up and said OK, seriously lets go in." I fell in love with the first ring we tried on.
I didn't know how committed I really was, until the next day when all I could think about was having this life with Gian. I wasn't excited about the ring, I was excited that he would be the one that I would choose to marry. That same day we talked, and told him all that I was thinking and feeling. Even though we were only dating for a very long time of... three months ;) I knew he felt the exact same way. He replied by saying "give me the word and I will buy the ring"...
To continue reading see next blog "Then Comes Marriage".
They got to talking, catching up, sharing old memories, until Gian asked, "Jessie, can you hook me up with any cute Asian friends?" Jessie's face lit up with joy and with excitement she replied "Yes, her name is McKinley!!!!" Little did Gian know that I was actually Caucasian, and was white to the bone. Not one ounce of Asian in me. Jessie goes to show him some pictures and after he notices the fact, Jessie says, "Well she's not Asian...but she loves brown guys. You two would be perfect." Gian was pleased with Jessie's referral and decided we wanted to take me out on a date, despite the fact of my ethnic background.
By February 24 we instantly became a blind date. With or without my approval, Jessie informed me of the situation, and she too showed me pictures and I was very excited to go on this "blind date" (is it still blind if we saw pictures of each other?). Before I knew it, Gian and I hit it off. We spent everyday together, we never missed a single beat. Even within the first week people thought we had kids, mistaken me for his fiance, and were convinced that we were going to get married. We now have to say they were all right. I knew from the moment I spoke to him, that there was going to be more then just "some date."
We dated, and dated, and dated and laughed and dated a little bit longer. It wasn't until one of our dates in SLC I knew it wouldn't be long before we could tie the knot. There was this jewelry store, and as a joke I was dragging Gian in saying, "Let's go try rings on" and he was more willing then I was. He perked up and said OK, seriously lets go in." I fell in love with the first ring we tried on.
I didn't know how committed I really was, until the next day when all I could think about was having this life with Gian. I wasn't excited about the ring, I was excited that he would be the one that I would choose to marry. That same day we talked, and told him all that I was thinking and feeling. Even though we were only dating for a very long time of... three months ;) I knew he felt the exact same way. He replied by saying "give me the word and I will buy the ring"...
To continue reading see next blog "Then Comes Marriage".
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