Wrong train, snow, Wicked. What do these 3 have in common?

These week was spring break and the family I nanny was on vacation so I decided to have a fun week.
I went to Times Square and met up with a friend from when I live in Baltimore and we did some shopping.
We walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and we also found Jane's Carousel which was so much fun. It's a carved, wooden, 48-horse carousel that was built in 1922.  When carousel closed to the public in 1984, the carousel was bought at auction by Jane and David Walentas and moved to Brooklyn, New York for restoration. It was opened to the public at its new location in Brooklyn Bridge Park on the East River in Brooklyn on September 16, 2011. We went clothing shopping and went to sephora. We got lunch at McDonald's. 

Jane's Carousel 

Jane's Carousel 

Brooklyn Bridge 

Brooklyn Bridge 

I saw my first Broadway play Wicked. 
      "Wicked, the Broadway sensation, looks at what happened in the Land of Oz…but from a different angle. Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another girl, born with emerald-green skin—smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships…until the world decides to call one “good,” and the other one “wicked.” With a thrilling score that includes the hits “Defying Gravity,” “Popular” and “For Good,” Wicked has been hailed by The New York Times as “the defining musical of the decade.” Time Magazine cheers, “if every musical had the brain, the heart, and the courage of Wicked, Broadway really would be a magical place.”  From the first electrifying note to the final breathtaking moment, Wicked—the untold true story of the Witches of Oz—transfixes audiences with its wildly inventive story. It will send your spirits soaring to heights you’ll never forget. " -https://www.broadway.com/shows/wicked/story/
We sat up in the back and I brought binoculars and it was fun to watch it up close and see the different parts moving and the band. I could see the costume up close which was cool. I like the popular songs. 

Saturday, for as part of my LDS religion, we have General Conference twice a year and where we listen to the prophets of our church, online or at the meeting houses, where we can listen to them speak. There are five sessions two each on Saturday and Sunday and one for either the men or the women on Saturday night.  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Conference_(LDS_Church)) 
Saturday I listen to General Conference with my friend Melissa for the first session. After she left and i enjoyed the Saturday. 

On Sunday I visited with my cousin, on my dad's side of the family, and her husband. I went to her place in the city to listen to conference. I got the opportunity to hear the prophet announce 7 new temples and change the Visiting Teaching/Home Teaching program to Ministering. 
Since we have a 2 hour break between sessions we went to Central Park and played Frisbee. It was my first time visiting it and it was fun. 
Monday through Thursday I took a bus and visited my last family I nannied and just had fun playing with the kids. We went to Port Discovery, a children museum. 

I did get to go to Chick-Fil-A, as there isn't any close to me in New York. 
On my travel back home I made it to Grand Central Station. I've never taken a train back from Grand Central back to my New Rochelle. I look at the list of trains on the signs and I get on the Stamford train. Well, what I didn't know is that there is a express train to Stamford and I got on that train by accident. Well, what I did is got off and then got back on again. Luckily I explained to the train conductor and I didn't have to pay again. 
  

Empire State Building 

  

Happy Ending!

I got to go home for Christmas break, which was fun. I flew home December 23.
I loved that Christmas Eve was on Sunday. I like it since Sunday went  to church and can think more about Christ.  I was able to go to my church services at my family's  LDS church. There was several beautiful musical numbers and several talks about Christ and  After church  my sibling came over and we had dinner, and did our Christmas traditions of opening presents from siblings and listening to Christmas stories.

Got my Nephew a Christmas Present

As the girls of the family we got matching Pjs.

Matching Pajamas

Christmas we opened presents. I got a special presents from my grandma that passed away that I really liked (what was it?). When I was a child and would go visit my grandma in Idaho I would play this game that had geometric pieces and put it together called Mosaic Mystery. It reminds me of my grandma. I got a special present from my grandma that passed away this year. When I would go visit her, I would play this game called Mosaic Mystery in which I had to put pieces together to form a geometric shape. This game reminds me of my grandma.
During the week I was home I hung out with my sister in law, nephew,brother, and sister. It was fun spending time with them. During that time, I got a haircut and love it. They live in Orem,Utah. My sister and I drove down and spent the night with them.

New haircut 

Later during the week I met up with some old college friends. We had a gift exchange, dinner, hung out, and just had a fun time.

Friends from Snow College

I did get to go see Temple Square, which was amazing. Its fun to see the lights and seeing the Nativity, Christus and  I love seeing the temple during Christmas Time. I love the feeling around Christmas. I did see the vending machines talking about as part of the Light the World Campaign #Lighttheworld.

Light the World

Light the World 

 On my flight home I ended up going home January 1 instead of December 31, due to my first flight was delayed making me miss my second flight. The airline rescheduled me and I got to Phoenix and flew over the Grand Canyon.

Grand Canyon

Camille 2018 

Adventures in the City

Recently I just moved to New York for a new job. I work in upper Winchester county of New York. I nanny for 4 kids. 
I got the opportunity a couple of weeks ago to spend the weekend with my cousin who is living in New York for a year. Its nice having family around. I went up early Saturday and I took the subway for the first time by myself. I was very proud and didn't get lost. I got to her place and after we went exploring. 
First we went to Governors Island. Governors Island is a 172-acre island in New York Harbor, approximately 800 yards from the southern tip of Manhattan Island and separated from Brooklyn by the Buttermilk Channel. We walked around the island and from part of it we could see the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. 

Hammocks Governors Island

Governors Island seeing Statue of Liberty

Brooklyn Bridge from Ferry 

Manhattan from Governors Island

Statue Of Liberty

Cousins 

After Governors Island we went to Wall Street and saw the Bull. Charging Bull, which is sometimes referred to as the Wall Street Bull or the Bowling Green Bull, is a bronze sculpture that stands in Bowling Green in the Financial District in Manhattan, New York City.Then we went to dinner at a fun little restaurant. I don't remember the name. It was a bar style restaurant. We took the subway to get everywhere we need to go. While on one subway I noticed that the subway car was empty so my cousins and I went in. We noticed a potent smell. Their was a homeless man on it and since he was stinky the lots people got out and went to another car. 

Lastly we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge to the Twin Tower memorial sight. I really enjoyed the 9/11 sight. I remember to this day how old I was and what I was doing. I was in 5th grade and my teachers turned on the TV and we watched the news. 

Brooklyn Bridge with my cousin

Statue of Liberty from Brooklyn Bridge

Brooklyn Bridge 

New York City at Night 

9/11 Memorial at Night 

Lastly my LDS YSA ward had a special Stake Conference at Lincoln Square which was cool as I got to see the Manhattan Temple.

Manhattan Temple

The next week my LDS YSA ward did a ward activity and we went apple picking on Long Island at Hanks pumpkin patch.

Pumpkins 

A cow

It's Never Goodbye, It's See You Later

"I never like to say goodbye so instead I would like to say see you later" Grandpa Allred. I’ve been nannying with this family for almost two years and it makes me sad to say goodbye. I’ve been able to work with two families over the past two years. One I did part time and the other I live with. I'm grateful that I could have met such an amazing family and grow and loved them just like my own. I got to experience some of my firsts in life with this family. I love that they’re a different culture and got to experience events with them including Kosher, holidays, weddings, and growing up. I grew to love that family and their extended family which was a great thing for me. I even got to nanny for a cousin and that was fun.  

I got to experience up and downs. For example I learned how to be more patience with the children. I got to see four kids have birthday, experience life events, and much more. I loved the experience I got to have by bonding with each child and getting to know them each one by one. I got to experience some trials in my life and I grew from them.

I met some really amazing people in my Baltimore YSA ward which was such a fun experience.Nothing will be quite like this amazing ward. I participated in three  different callings and got to grow and meet some amazing people. I love all the friends I got to make and got to take some amazing adventures with them. I even met another fellow nanny and bonding over the same thing. I loved getting to go to Washington DC and experience a life here on the east coast.

It’s been a fun two years and I’m hoping to see the family again. The family will always have a special place in my heart. It’s not over yet I get experience a new adventure in New York!!

The four best F words ever: Food, Friends, 4th of July, Fireworks

For the 4th of July weekend I usually go back to Utah and spend time with my family.
This year was different, I stayed in Maryland and I took the opportunity to see the fireworks at the National Mall.
A group of girls from my ward decided to go together. We met up at the metro station in College Park, Maryland and rode the metro to the Archives stop in DC. We walked around and went into some of the museums. We went into the Museum of National History. We went into the Museum to since it was earlier enough and we wanted to see Dinosaur exhibit. 
It started to rain and I forgot to pack a rain jacket, so I bought a rain poncho.
After enjoying the Mall we found a place to sit near the Washington Monument. In choosing this place we had to go through security. I packed a blanket to sit on. The fireworks didn't start until 9:00, so we just sat and talked.
As I was sitting down a friend of mine, that I know from Baltimore, approached me and we had a nice conversation. It's a small world seeing people at unexpected places. The fireworks were amazing. They had fireworks in the shape of smile faces and they had some in the shape of squares.

Washington Monument

 

This lady was all dressed out for the 4th

look at all the people

My friend from way back

Friends-Madi, Amy, Me, Sydnie 

I Looked out the Window

Saturday I woke up in a good mood. My friend texted me and asked if I wanted to go to the DC Cherry Blossoms Festival and I said, "YES!".
"The National Cherry Blossom Festival is Washington, DC’s and the nation’s greatest springtime celebration that annually celebrates the gift of the cherry blossom trees and their symbol of enduring friendship between the citizens of Japan and the United States. Timed in conjunction with the peak blooming period of the trees, the city-wide event attracts visitors and area residents to hundreds of events in partnership with more than 30 local organizations."
http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/visitor-information/faq/
She picked me up and we drove to DC. We had a fun time on the drive, seeing DC. We parked and sat by the Jefferson Memorial while we waited for another one of our friends.
While sitting there I was people watching and I thought I recognized someone in the crowds. It was an old friend from my home ward I grew up in. Her name is Beka Stevens Coleman. What a small world!

Later our friend came and we walked and saw all the pretty blossoms. We got amazing pictures.




After we were craving ice cream, so we got soft served ice cream cones. We sat and talked, while we devoured our cool treat . Later, after we let our feet rest for a bit, we decided to go to the Museum of National History. Once there we went the Butterfly exhibit, to the Butterfly Pavilion.
"The Butterfly Pavilion is a brightly lit space filled with living plants and many different butterflies. The climate-controlled environment is kept at 80^oF, and 80% humidity. It is handicap accessible. However, neither strollers nor tripods are permitted in the space.  Once in the Pavilion, there is nothing but air between the visitor and the butterflies.  They fly freely around the enclosure landing on plants and sometimes people, and they feed on fruit and nectar.  The butterflies come from a variety of butterfly farms located around the world.  Visitors can get very close to these beautiful creatures, watching them fly and feed.  A case of hanging chrysalids makes it possible to see crumple-winged butterflies emerge as adults, pump fluid into their wings, and eventually fly off."
https://naturalhistory.si.edu/butterflies/tickets/
We were in that room where we could see butterflies flying all around us. They even landed on other people. I must confess, I found out I was afraid of them landing of me.


After  I drove home, I went to the Women's General Meeting of the General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.