New.York.City.

Best weight loss plan ever? Go to New York City on a budget. You eat nothing and walk everywhere!! Haha it was so much fun and I am definitely reaping the benefits of four straight days of walking with little to eat. Not that we didn't eat at all. We had some famous New York pizza and some cheesecake! The subway there is also so much more confusing than the one in DC. In DC you have five lines...that's all! They get you anywhere you need to go, and each station has trains leaving in each direction. In NYC however, you have different lines that are coded in colors, numbers, letters, and destinations. If you go in the wrong entrance to a station you are in trouble, because you already paid to get in and it may the the wrong entrance. To say the least we had quite an adventure with that. The first day we went to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. I loved Ellis Island the first time I went and I loved it this time!! It is such an interesting place to visit. We also got to see Trinity Church (National Treasure) and Ground Zero, which isn't so much ground zero anymore in the sense that there are two enormous buildings there. They are already the tallest buildings in New York, and they are not even finished yet!! I think it is a beautiful tribute to our nation's recovery. We didn't get to see the memorial but just being there and seeing the progress that is being made is enough. We met up with Susannah's friend David and ate at John's Pizza just off Times Square that night. Times square dazzles me, with all the colors and lights. Everywhere you look there is something interesting to see. The pizza was great, and after that we hit up an "indy dance party" at a local club. It was free, which was the best part. It was interesting. We had some funny confusion because when Suze first told us about it I thought she said "indian dance party" and I was like, " DO I have to dress like an indian?" She looked at me like I was crazy and we all laughed when we finally figured it out.
The next day we got to do some shopping on Fifth Avenue as well as walk through Central Park. We visit Fordham, where Lauren has applied to law school. We also got to go back to Times Square and look into some shows as well as do more shopping!! We met up with Lauren's friends for cheesecake at Junior's.
Sunday was my favorite. We got up early and got tickets to Mamma Mia for 30 bucks!! Sure, they weren't the best seats, but the show was AMAZING!! Everyone was so talented and it was so much fun to watch! We also got to go to the Highline Park. It is an old railway that they made a park out of. It goes through the city and it is beautiful. You get to see some really cool areas of the city that you wouldn't get to see otherwise, not to mention an amazing view of the sunset over the harbor on the Hudson.
Monday we ate brunch at this great little place called Alice's Teacup on the upper east side. Everything is themed after Alice in Wonderland. It is absolutely adorable not to mention delicious!! After that we just rode the bus home, which took FOREVER! haha but all in all, it was a fun trip!!

Nothing But the Truth

Well! This weekend certainly was interesting! Friday we didn't have class in the morning, so I took the opportunity to go running. I ran down the mall, past the Lincoln Memorial and up around the Washington Monument. On this run I passed the Korean, MLK, and WW2 memorials. It was a great run. It is so much fun to see these landmarks everyday. Class that afternoon was at the tax court. Now, you may be thinking, "Oh my gosh. What a boring place to be!!" Well, you are wrong. After a small speech from Judge Swift, we proceded to the court room. Our professor had assigned roles the night before, and we held a mock trial. In this trial, I was the injured plaintiff who was sueing my fellow classmate for running me over with his car. I pretended to be injured the whole time, even while giving my testimony of the events. The only things that were assigned were the roles. The story was ours to create, and each person took it a different way. It was like those stories where each person adds a new line. By the end of the trial, the defendant was gay, I was legally insane, and the attorneys were bullying the witnesses. The judge loved her gavel, and the jury was corrupt. It was a riot and so much fun!
On a less happy note, I went to the Holocaust Museum with some friends. I cried the whole time. It's one of those things that makes you so sad, but you have to go, just to see it. Before you begin you get an identification card that describes someone who really lived during the Holocaust. My girl's name was Rebecca. She lived in Greece. At the end of each floor you turn the page. She was married at 19. She was 21 and pregnant when the Nazis invaded Greece. The Red Cross saved her and hid her in a hospital where she safely delivered her baby. A few months later she was betrayed and executed. The baby was hidden in the hospital and lived. This made me so sad because she was my age, and she also had a little sister and little brother. The museum has many actual artifacts, such as the bunk beds, shoes, uniforms, and dishes from Auschwitz. They also have an actual railroad car that they were transported in. More importantly, they have a movie you can watch at the end of survivors telling their story. I remembered when the holocaust survivor came and spoke at SCHS. I got to meet him and talk to him, and his is an incredible story of overcoming his anger and abuse and putting it to good use by educating people. In school I feel like the holocaust was censored a little bit. At the museum they spare no detail. They have photos and video footage that I had never seen. One video showed a US solider helping an inmate to walk after liberation. The inmate was literally skin and bones. It was so sad. I can't describe what it was like in words. It made me so grateful for where I live, the United States where we have religious freedom and tolerance.

Fast and Furious!!

A year ago, if you had told me in a year I would be one of 5 white girls in a bar with black people no younger than 30, giving a tour to the LA Lakers, or being at a hearing where the attorney general was testifying, I would have said you were smoking crack. The funny thing is, all of those things happened this week. I was at the Fast and Furious hearing, where attorney general Eric Holder testified to not knowing about the gunwalking. I AM giving a tour of the Capitol to the LA Lakers at the end of the month. I WAS at a bar where I was one of 5 white people, and at least a 7-year age gap. My friends sang karaoke and had the whole place on their feet, dancing and singing along. It was so much fun!! I also got to see the Declaration of Independence for the first time ever!! It was a neat experience. I am still having so much fun!! The weather is different every day, so it is always an adventure to see what that will be like!! I do miss my family so much, though!! And also Chelsie Reichmann and Makenzie Croghan!! I can't believe it is already February!! I guess time flies when you are having fun, which is why I am trying to live every moment here to its fullest. Even when I was hesitant about the karaoke bar at first, I thought, " I will likely never do something like this again, so enjoy it!!" and I did!! xoxo

Just For Laughs

So this will be a quick little post but I thought most of  you would enjoy this!! So as an intern, it is my responsibility to answer the phone. Well on Monday when I answered it, the guy at the other end was being confusing. Then he asked, "is this the DC office?" Which it is, but for some reason I said no. I thought he was asking for the district office for some reason. Then he was like, "oh can I get the number to that?" I was all alone in the front office so I said, "I can transfer you!" I waited a minute, then got back on and said, "This is the DC office!" He was like "Wow that was fast!!" haha I think he was suspicious, but as soon as I hung up I started laughing my head off. Why I did that I don't know...but it makes for a good story!!

South Carolina Primary

Our little weekend adventure to campaign for Mitt Romney in South Carolina was just that...and adventure! It started at 6:00 Thursday night when two of the girls went to pick up the rented van that would transport seven of twelve friends to Columbia, South Carolina. They got lost...in DC! Haha it was a great start to the trip. We ended up leaving two hours later than we had planned. We only stopped twice during the 7-hour drive, once in Virginia and once in South Carolina before Charlston. I navigated the whole trip, thanks to the guidance of the iPhone I got from my wonderful parents for Christmas! We arrived at the Marriott in Columbia at about 4:00 in the morning. I got to sleep on the chair because it was nine girls to two rooms. It was actually quite comfortable (more so than the chairs I slept on in Florida!). Our room connected to the other girls room so we brought in their chair to make a nice Brielle-size bed. We were up at 8:30 the next morning to start campaining. When we showed up at headquarters, they sent us straight to the rally in Lexington. This was the first time I met Mitt Romney. It was so much fun, and he gave a great speech! He really knows what this country needs and how to fix it. I shook his hand, and held back because I was satisfied. I suddenly found myself pushed to the front of the crowd, and before I knew it, I was getting my picture taken with him! It was so cool, and I was very excited. The rest of that day was spent knocking on doors. We had to put fliers on cars at a circus, then take them ALL off because the police got mad at us. That night we went hot tubbing at our hotel, which was SO nice!!
The next day we were up early to drive an hour and a half to the rally in Greenville. We were on the sides of the streets for a while holding signs in the rain. Mitt and Newt Gingrich scheduled an event at the same time, same place so Mitt came early and Newt came late. We got to shake Mitt's hand again, and we stayed for Newt and chanted "President Romney". He is a short little guy, about my height. He went to shake my hand but noticed I was holding a Romney sign and wearing a Romney shirt so he just waved. It was awkward haha. I don't think he is a pleasant man at all. Then it was back to HQ in Columbia for us. We spent that day holding signs and making calls. After the election was over we got to go to what is called an "election party". That is where Mitt gave his concession speech and the magic happened. We got there an hour early, and one of the campaign workers recognized us from the rallies. She had us pump up the crowd, which we did. That is what you can see in all of the clips on Facebook. That is also when my picture was taken for the New York Times. It is so weird to see that big of a picture of me, of all people, in the NY Times. I don't really like the picture, but my name isn't on it so that is good. Still kinda fun though. Mitt's speech was great, and I finally got to introduce myself. We also got to meet Ann Romney, who is such a sweet lady. After the party we went to a southern tavern for dinner, which was fun. We had a lot of people talk to us about the election. I ordered pasta, which was dumb and it wasn't even good, but I had a bite of my friend's steak and it was delicious! That night we stayed in North Carolina at one of the guys' relatives. Then we headed home. It was fun but it is good to be back!!

Second Session of the 112 United States Congress

These past two days have beem AMAZING! I get to see different bills as they go through the house. We watch on TV as our bill was introduced. I love my office, we have so much fun. I got to go around the house offices getting signatures, and I got to go into several different offices, including Ron Paul's and Michelle Bachmann's!! Things have been busy and fast-paced but thrilling all at the same time. Tuesday we had Occupiers all over the building, and security was heightened. I passed many in the halls, and they were very nice. One even told me I had a beautiful smile haha. However, while I was out of the office they came and were giving our staff members problems. Security didn't have to be called though so that it good. I made great friends with a lady named Carolyn. She is at the House Business desk. She knows so many cool people and she is always so nice to help me find my way, as the tunnels can be so confusing! I am getting the hang of them, however, so I just stop by to chat. I have been all over these buildings, and I am having so much fun!! If you have any questions about SOPA or PIPA, I urge you to check out www.keepthewebopen.com. The OPEN bill was introduced yesterday and you should write to your representative and tell him to co-sponsor it. We are heading to Columbia, South Carolina tonight, and we have our work cut out for us. If you haven't heard, Perry dropped out and is endorsing Gingrich and Santorum won Iowa. Don't worry though, Mitt's got us in SC. We'll get him elected!! More to come when we get back!!

A Good Day In The Hood

Hey all! Today was an amazing day! Martin Luther King Jr. day is not just another holiday here...it is a huge event! We started the day by attending the MLK parade on MLK boulevard. It is located in one of the most ghetto areas of DC called Anacostia. We were the only white people there! Just three white girls, partying alongside people who really do appreciate what MLK did. It was an incredible experience, not just because we were in an area which normally would not be safe for us (mom, you might freak out, but there were policemen everywhere!) but because MLK meant something more to these people. Two guys started to get in a fight, and the guy who broke them up said, "It's Dr. King's birthday guys, let's show some respect!" and the two guys stopped fighting! Completely blew it off and walked away. We became a source of entertainment for the people around us because of our enthusiasm, and we for sure made some new friends! There were many high schools and middle schools that participated, and let me say now, I would never have made ANY of their cheer squads!! They all consisted of black girls who really know how to dance, and I would've looked like a fool! Haha these girls were pop, lock, and droppin' it in the street, moves that would have made our principal and cheer coach faint. After that ,we went to the Lincoln Memorial. It was a busy day there, the busiest I have seen. It was fun to see such a great leader in our country celebrated in a way not many people in Utah can understand!! Saturday we went to the Smithsonian, which is always amazing!!