Travelin' the East

So I made the mistake of telling my family I really like cemeteries, and now every time we pass one (a LOT) I hear, "Anna! Look! A cemetery!"
Every time.

Thank you to the lady at Taco Bell/KFC today that said "Okahy," and made us all laugh.

Brother-in-law is super cool because he plays along with my fish jokes.

Elmira, New York - a hidden gem (sorta). You know the line in It's A Wonderful Life when the bank examiner says "I'd like to get home to my family.... In ELIMIRA."? Yeah, my dad loves to quote that to his friend when he leaves work, saying "I'd like to get home to my family.... In (our town)." His friend thinks it's hilarious. We took a picture in front of the welcome sign. Did you know Mark Twain's remains are in Elmira? Betcha didn't. The best part of driving through was when a man with a shotgun got in his car and started following us. All of us just kept saying "sketchy" and we tried to fit the word Elmira into everyone one of our sentences.

Red-eye flight and then the morning in The Big Apple was pretty good. Except for the muggy heat. But I bought some sweet sunglasses for 5 bucks so that mostly makes up for it.

The Sacred Grove, the temple, and other church history sites were incredible. I love my family. And their testimonies. And mine. I'm so grateful.... for everything.

My little sister had to go to the bathroom "SOOO BAD!" on the way to Niagara Falls. Yeah, I know, not very good timing, huh? As we drove through the city, she kept screaming "Pull over! The bushes! I'll do anything!". We tried to explain that we were sort of in the middle of a city and that wasn't really an appropriate place to do her business in the trees. She continued, "Dad!! You're passing all these places!! There! And THERE!! THERE WAS A DUMPSTER!!!!" Yeah. Not kidding. Also, she's 14, in case you were wondering.

My brother has an alter ego: Shawmp Gilbert. To quote Shawmp: "Thy legs are as a chicken's sternum" (no, no. worry not: we don't understand it either). Shawmp's father is named McDonald DonaldMc, and Shawmp is an aspiring rapper. His father owns a cheese factory in Wisconsin, Shawmp once tried to burn it down. Shawmp has also held cow races for Betsy and Wetsy, and Wetsy failed when they hit the obstacle course.

My family is awesome.

Hello, my name is Anna, and I'm a History nerd.

This evening, I embark on a wonderful journey with my wonderful family to the east coast! How cool. I've been there once before - a trip to the city that never sleeps and a drive up to Connecticut - but other than that, never! You see, my new super cool brother is from New Hampshire. Originally, only my parents were going to go out for the second reception out there, but my siblings and I did enough complaining to convince them to take all of us, and make a vacation out of it. So now I get to fly into JFK airport, spend the morning in Manhattan, drive up a ways, visit Palmyra, the Sacred Grove, Sharon, Vermont, Merrimack, New Hampshire, and Boston! Sweet, eh?

Yeah, It'll pretty super-mega-foxy-awesome-hot (10 points if you get that reference). One of the reasons I'm so excited is because Boston, Vermont, New Hampshire - all those places are full of so much history. I mean, our country began on that side, not this one. And if it hadn't been for Manifest Destiny and all that fun stuff, it probably would have stayed on that one. Last time I was over there (before mentioned trip), I was 12, I believe. Which is cool and all, but the biggest reason I was excited to go was because I got to see Wicked and Broadway. And that was cool and all, but why didn't I just relish Ellis Island?! I don't even know. Oh wait, I do. Because I was 12. And had yet to take AP US History. Why didn't I stand in awe of the old churches and graveyards we drove past on the way to Connecticut? Because I had yet to learn of my love for old architecture.

But now, I can really appreciate all the incredible history. And it might be weird that my excitement for the East Coast isn't "5th Avenue! Shopping!" ... or whatever normal people get excited for, but "The Met! Boston Tea Party! Boston Massacre! Old churches! Gravestones for old men!".

But seriously, I love my fascination with history. It's what makes me enjoy videos like this and this so much. And it's what makes me enjoy jokes like "Beat it, Ginsberg."

Basically, history rocks.

I really needed a pensieve this weekend.

Thursday was stressful preparation.

Friday was my sister's wedding.

Saturday was my birthday.

Oh wait, did I forget something? Yes, Harry Potter was Thursday too.

Want to hear a story? Okay:

[me trying to explain how much i love Harry Potter, yada yada... just know it's immense. can't do it justice.]

Okay so the premiere of the LAST movie is here. THE LAST. And we all realize months ago that the evening of the premiere is the night before my sister's wedding. That's pretty big deal, for those of you who don't understand. Maybe it's just my family (probably not - but i have to say this because i feel like some people will be like, "wow. i've had a family wedding before and i easily could've had made it to the midnight premiere."), but this wedding was really just a HUGE deal. The bride's in my family, which means we get to do the beautiful reception that was a lot of work. Also, The bride and groom returned from Europe 10 days before the fateful day.

We tried to get tickets, but due to the fact that I sort of didn't think about it because I had other things on my mine (work, wedding, etc.), I missed the date they started selling tickets for the epic (as in real epic) event (and yes, i'll admit i did sort of drop the ball on this one, not focusing on getting tickets). I turned down an invite with friends, because we had the family dinner the evening before the wedding, and I knew that I was going to go to the movie with my younger siblings and the siblings of my soon to be (who is now) brother-in-law. Since we had things going on all day Thursday, I knew I had to get tickets at a theater with reserved seating because I didn't have the time to wait in line (which is truly such a tragedy because waiting in line is the best. ever).

So I go to the theater, and the only thing available is 3D tickets. I purchase them reluctantly. Only as we're driving home do I realize I REALLY don't want to go see it in 3D. It wouldn't seem... right (hopefully other true fans can understand this mentality). So I try to find other ways of seeing it. Maybe hoping we can get them at a theater without reserved seating, and have a family in the ward wait in line early then see it with us? Yeah, that doesn't work out. We have so much going on in June with wedding prep.

Enter my angelic late Young Women's president, who texts me one day and says she had tickets to an early showing on the evening of Thursday - 9 o'clock. She knew of my love and invited me as her "particular guest".

I'm gonna skip the part where I think I can go then try to see if we can get tickets for six people because not only are we bridesmaids and groomsmen going but my best friend is in town too then have my mom tell me no if it's far away which it is then have a big long talk with both my parents trying to work out going then shed a few tears then have my mom talk to the husband of the young women's leader because his work is the only reason we have tickets in the first place then finally getting six tickets and being able to leave the dinner a tad bit early to drive 30 minutes and see the movie. The movie of a lifetime.

We literally ran into the theater, and the movie started seconds later. I was still panting for the first 3 minutes.

The movie was.... ah. Hmmm... I just... I can't.... words are inadequate. I cried. I laughed. I cheered with fist pumps when no one else did. I cried some more. I clenched my fists. My jaw dropped. I looked on with awe. And then the movie ended and the screen went black and I cried because it was over.

No, I didn't see this movie how I would have loved to - waiting for 12+ hours in line with other crazy fans, dressed up, playing games, laughing, counting down the minutes to the movie, etc.

But what matters is I saw it, and it was perfection.

I love Harry Potter, okay? That's really all I'm trying to say with this post. And excuse me for not posting it earlier, at least now it's not as swallowed up in other similar posts of the blogging world. I was just a little busy this weekend.

And for those of you who think I'm insensitive for focusing on Harry Potter and not my sister's wedding, that was incredible too. Better than Harry, because it will last forever. I'll post about that soon, I just want some good pictures to go with it.

When did this HAPPEN?!

.....No seriously, it's Neville.

Conquered.

Remember this post?

Yeah, well the lucky outfit must've worked or something.

Yeah I Know

It's kinda been a while since I posted. And an even longer time since I posted anything good. Maybe something spectacular is coming in the future - I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

For now, I'm just trying to keep up with all the blogs out there that I read, because I enjoy it. And I sometimes feel guilty for not posting myself, but my life is pretty busy.

As in, my best friend/sister gets married in 5 days. Yeah I know, awesome, right? I'm a bridesmaid (woot!). We also had a very nice bridal shower yesterday. Yeah I know - totally great free food (speaking of the word totally - what is with this new trend to abbreviate it to "totes"? i feel like my iq drops a few points every time i hear someone say "obvi i def totes love you." Yeah well obvi i def totes hate you when you abrev like that).

Oh, also as in I occasionally work. And by occasionally I mean whenever I can and whenever my managers decide to schedule me. Which, unfortunately, can't be way too often as of late due to wedding plans and such.

Another as in is my determination to finish the Potter series again before 7.2 comes out, which I gratefully got early showing tickets to Thursday evening (otherwise, there was a good chance i wouldn't have gone, what with the wedding and such. so don't be jealous). It'll happen, don't worry. Did you know Watergardens theater is showing Deathly Hallows part 1 this week? Yeah I know, def totes cool.

I also will be an official adult a week from today. Well, the day of birth celebration is a week from yesterday, but I wasn't trying to say the day of my birth, rather just stating the fact that next Sunday I'll have already reached the age of 18. Yeah I know - dry ice!

Anyway, hopefully there will be some pretty cool posting in the future. Including my graduation, which, yeah I know, I never posted about. But I promise it happened. I also am thinking I may throw in pictures of Preference (yeah i know that was back in january) and Prom, because I said I'd post that, and I'd hate to be one who doesn't follow through.

Not much more to say, so have a lovely day.

Here Ya Go

Watch this.

Hopefully you'll laugh as hard as I do.