McDonalds world wide

So on Thursday night I was alone with the girls and I really didn't feel like making anything for dinner. After dropping off their grandma back at her house I stopped by McDonalds to get a couple burgers. Mimi was in the car with me and I asked her what she wanted, hamburger or cheeseburger and her reply basically blew my socks off. "Was ist ein cheeseburger? Ist dass nur ein hamburger mit Käse?" Translated that means "What's a cheeseburger? Is that just a hamburger with cheese on it?" Never in my life did I ever think I would hear a seven year old ask what a cheeseburger is. I mean I can kind of understand since they say cheeseburger but the word for cheese in German is Käse (KAY-suh) but still. It was crazy. Then when I ordered the guy that took my order asked me where I was from, which kind of surprised me because usually people just switch automatically to English. He spoke to me the whole time in German though which was nice. That means my language skills are getting better, I just need to work some more on the accent. Any way, I just thought I would I would share that with you all. Not everyone knows exactly what a cheeseburger is.

Disneyland for the holidays

So I spent Thanksgiving in Disneyland. It was a trip. I couldn't believe how many people were there. I wanted to stand up and shout, "why aren't you people at home eating Turkey?!" but I felt I would be a little hypocritical. My mother and I decided to go because it is now just the two of us and it seemed like a waste of energy to make a big dinner for two. So we decided to spend our turkey day in the happiest place on earth. A friend of ours invited us over for dinner so we took a few hours break from the ride and ate a wonderful meal. I made a cake and a pie for the occasion. the cake was good the pie was iffy.
So all in all it was a fun holiday until we came home that evening and found our downstairs celing falling in on us. that is another story and quite boring. let's just say there is a great big hole in our celiing and industrial fans running nonstop (water leak) But we're dealing with it and keeping spirits up. 'Tis the season to be Jolly after all. Have a wonderful holiday season and I hope to see some of you when I come back to Utah on Jan. 4th. (same day Greg gets back, if any of you are interested) Happy Holidays.

Thanksgiving

Yet another holiday is around the corner. And yet again it's a holiday that isn't celebrated here in Germany. Well that's going to change. I'm getting together with a friend who is here with an internship program thing and a bunch of her friends and her host parents are having a Thanksgiving dinner for us. Granted we can't do it until Sunday because of schedule conflicts, but still. I'll get my turkey and mashed potatoes none the less!
What are your plans for Thanksgiving? Any turkey day traditions?

Hey everyone!!! I like this blog idea. It just took me awhile to figure it all out. As most of you know I am going to school at CSU in CO. I have been here for the past 2 1/2 years. I love it here. There are so many fun things to do. I love to go up to Rocky Mountain National Park. Beyond gorgeous in my opinion. Next semester though I will be at another school. My options are between Montana State, Western Washington, and Eastern Oregon. I am switching because I want to become a P.E. teacher and the program at CSU sucks. Also, a new environment is always good. I am leaning towards Montana State because it has a great program and it is completely gorgeous. Another great bonus is Big Sky is only a half hour away! If you don't know that is a ski resort. I hope everyone's Halloween was fun. I hope to see most of you over Thanksgiving week.

Caitlin

Halloween

No one said we could only post once, so I'm going to do another one just because I'm cool like that. Or maybe it's because I have no life like that. What ever the reason, I don't care.
So today is Halloween. For the past 6 or so years I have been going trick or treating for UNICEF, collecting money for people in third world countries to have vaccinations, clean water, and school books, but this year I won't be able to do it. I'm not really doing anything for Halloween this year. It's not such a big deal here in Germany, it just hasn't taken hold. I think my two kids (remember, I'm a nanny) are going trick or treating but I don't know if they're going to dress up. My guest mom bought some candy but it was just two little bags. Back home we buy two or three of those Costco bags and still usually end up running out by about 8:30.
I went to a haunted house last weekend and it was... different. You just go from room to room and get little pieces of a story about how the house is alive or something like that. I didn't really understand what was going on. But the thing is when you are between rooms you are in this pitch black maze with narrow corridors full of dead ends. You have to walk in a group holding on to the person in front of you (unless you're in front like me because I was the only one out of all seven of us that had ever been to a haunted house) and hope that you don't let go or else you'll be lost forever. It was just a very different experience. No one in a bloody, scary mask jumping out at you. No Freddy Kruger. No Grim Reaper. No Scream ... thing. Just really bad costumes and a lot of darkness.

Well I am not doing anything exciting like living it up in a world away, Germany or Beijing, or even on the west coast. I am just kicking it up in good old Utah. I am attending SLCC, because it is cheap. I am just finishing up my generals and maybe I will do some prerequisites before I transfer up to the U of U for my bachelors, which I have not decided exactly what it will be, in either athletic training, sports medicine, or exercise physiology. My ultimate, oh that reminds me of playing Frisbee with Maren, goal is to do Physical Therapy, which is a doctorates program. With PT school I hope to go out of state so I can experience the world outside of Utah, I really need to get out of this bubble, Maren you know what I am talking about, and live my life.
For work I am a CNA/PCT (Certified Nursing Assistant/Patient Care Tech). A little side note there is not a really big difference between them except for it depends on where you work. I started out at LDS Hospital as a CNA on their orthopedic unit. I ended up working there for about 16 months, when I decided that I was sick and tired of working with adults. So I went and applied for a job with a younger patients. Well I ended up getting a job at Primary Children's Medical Center as a PCT. I work on all the units so I get to see everything and I love it.
So that is my life in a nutshell.

Tanya's Turn!

Hi guys-

So Lauren's been bugging me to join, so I finally did. Fabulous idea, Angie! So . . . here's what's going on with me. I'm working at an elementary school as an aide and going to school. I would really like to be a child psychologist, so that's where I'm heading.
I'm still way into theatre and audition for everything that I can. No takers yet, but my headshot and resume is floating around the theatre community. I've been taking theatre classes at SLCC and have met some absolutely amazing people who have taught me loads. I am enjoying myself immensely.
I was dating this wonderful guy, but we kind of fell apart this summer. We're still friends, but it's been kind of strained lately. It's probably my fault, to be honest. Anyway . . . it's been really hard, but life goes on. Ryan Ratieta gets back in January, though :) We'll see! I'm excited to see him if nothing else. Can't wait for a great big hug.
My birthday's on October 1 and I'm way excited! It's the big 21, so I plan to go to applebee's "bar", show them my ID, and order a virgin strawberry daquiri.
Can't wait to hear from everyone and I am so happy that we're in touch again. Thank you, Angie.

Much love,
Tanya

Whats up everyone. Well like the rest of you lots of things have happened since high school ended. I went on a mission to Tijuana Mexico and have just recently gotten home. It was the best experience I could have ever had. Although I did end up getting extreamly sick on my mission and was sent home due to sickness. I spent about 3 months in the hospitol and am still there about once a week. But no worries things are looking up. I am now working 3 jobs trying to save up some money for school. Which I plan to start next semester. Oh I am going to be moving into an apartment not to far from my house. So if anyone has any desire to stop by and see the new place just let me know.
Well on my end thats about it right now. Sorry I dont get to see much of anyone these days I am just really busy with working. And when I do get to see anyone its always a pleasure. Have a great day everyone. I hope more people start using this, I think its pretty nice(me being one of those people who doesn't like myspace and facebook). Entonces Nos vemos, hasta luego!
Daniel Yates

oi! good bye salt lake

All I have to say is that things sure changes fast and i'm the last one to believe it until this semester! After highschool i went to slcc and then transfered up the U for international studies/Art. Whirlwind after whirlwind has landed me with a one way plane ticket as well hahahah..well i guess i can joing the international club by announcing that i too am taking up a job position similar to Maren's. I'm nannying in Beijing. Long story..but in a nutshell ill be babysitting for my cousin's kids. I'm leaving in a week so everyone keep posting so i won't fall behind in the real world of news!

Sprechen sie Deutsch?

Well a lot has happened since we graduated but I'll just run through the basics real quick. I went to BYU-I for a semester in 2006, decided I didn't like it so I moved back home with my parents and went to SLCC and worked. January of this year I got a phone call (from Angie's mom, none the less) and one month and one day later I was leaving on a jet plane not really knowing when I was going to be back again. Really. Clichè I know but so is it. I'm now living in northern Germany (cold) and working as an au pair. Or nanny for those of you like me that have never heard of au pair before. And "au" in au pair sounds like "oh" so imagine you are at the grocery store and you forgot your list but you know you are supposed to get a fruit so you walk around the produce section for a bit, see the pears, and then you say "Oh! Pear(s)!" Wow, that was cool/random/uncalled for. Any way, I have been here 7 months and will stay another 5. Early warning.... PARTY IN FEBRUARY! With German chocolate!

Living it up in California

Hey all! I don't know if anyone else will be reading but YAY for Angie! I absolutely love this idea. I hope everyone else does too. I am always curious as to what you lot have gotten yourselves into.
So, right now I am kickin' it in Southern California. Still living with my mother(boo) and going to the local community college. I am liking it all right here and school is dirt cheap so I will be here for a little while. I make it back to Utah when I can. Usually once in summer and around Christmas. I was there for three weeks in July so to all those that I didn't get to see....SORRY! I wanted to see everyone but couldn't.
the most recent and exciting news in my life is that I just signed up to study at Cambridge next summer!!!!! It is going to be Rocking Boss!
I really hope a lot of you get into this "blog" thing. It should be tons of funn and I miss you all so much [some more than others :) j/k ] so get to writing and tell us about your lives!

p.s. yes i said "funn" deal with it.

The Intro

Well hello! I probably haven't really talked to a lot of these people for quite some time. So I thought why not make a blog to keep in contact. It doesn't have to be really high maintenance, just something thats done more at convenience. This is in no way like Facebook or Myspace so for those of you who hate one or both of those sites this is completely private and can become even more so once people start posting.

Just an update, Ryan and I moved into Married Student Housing on campus back in May. We love it up here. We are just a hope skip and a trax a way from downtown life and there is always something going on. I am now 21, dang I feel old... but other than that life isn't much different.

I had a lovely Birthday and got to catch up with some people I haven't seen for a bit. Anyway life is good.

Is there anyone I should have added but didn't?