Hello Blog, it's been a while

Wearing my Real Salt Lake team shirt to support Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando on USMNT!

It's been about a week since the last time I posted on here. Which isn't too bad considering I've been going about 2-3 weeks between posts lately. But it's been even longer since I posted any day to day kind of stuff.
I guess my day to day life hasn't been all that interesting lately. Unemployment can be like that. I don't have the funds to go out very often. But I've been making an effort to do something fun at least once a week, to try and stave off unemployed depression. Some weeks I succeed, oftentimes I don't.
Next week I leave for my big Eastern European dance tour trip. Which, by the way, you can follow at Clog-America.blogspot.com, and on Instagram and Twitter as @ClogAmerica. I'm the social media person for the trip, so I'll be the one posting on those accounts. GO FOLLOW US!
I started packing tonight, but I started preparing for this trip weeks ago. I learned a trick before I went to Cambodia to beat jet lag, and I'm doing it again. A lot of people make the mistake of staying up all night before a big trip, and then try to sleep on the plane, and assume they can wake up at their destination, and "be on the right time zone." This usually backfires, and instead you're sleep deprived and groggy, and it takes a few days to adjust.
Because I want to be able to hit the ground running on this trip, particularly during my layover, I'm applying this little trick again. Instead of staying up all night, you plan to wake up earlier and earlier in the days prior to your trip. Since I have a 7 hour time difference ahead of me, I start 6-7 days in advance, waking up one hour earlier each day. (And hopefully going to bed earlier each night as well. This part takes a few days to kick in, I've noticed.) On the day I leave for the trip, I'll wake up at midnight (and hopefully go to bed around 4-5 pm the night before). When I get to my destination (in this case, Moscow) I will already be on their time zone, and not need to adjust or be sleepy.
Which reminds me- I'm going to Moscow!
My real destination is Belgrade, Serbia and Timisoara, Romania. But due to a lack of direct flights to Belgrade, I have a 25 hour layover in Moscow. And I land in Moscow at 6 a.m. (which would be 11 pm in Virginia). I got my Russian visa so I can leave the airport and tour around Moscow for the day. I'm very excited about getting to see Moscow. And actually, I get to see it twice because I have the same long layover on my return flight as well.
The real pressure this past week hasn't just been sleeping at strange times and packing. I WROTE A NEW BOOK! And if all goes well, and I'm hopeful that it will, it will be available on Amazon on Sunday. The title is, "Sharing the Gospel through Social Media." It's non-fiction (obviously), and is a guidebook for Mormons who wish to do missionary work online, and share the Gospel through social media. It's only about 30 pages, and fairly easy to read (I hope). It's in the hands of editors and reviewers right now. Fingers crossed that all goes according to plan.
Oh and then there is this little thing called the World Cup. (If you recall I've been a soccer fan for a very long time. How many blog posts have there been about Real Salt Lake games?) I've watched more ESPN in the past 2 weeks than I have in the past 2 (4?) years! I have to admit, I've watched more soccer than I should have. I find it very hard to multi-task or write when soccer is on the TV!
That all being said, I have to wake up in 5 hours. Time for bed!

Extreme Makeover Home Edition - UTAH!!

Things I Love (in no particular order)-
1. Real Salt Lake soccer (I love them so much I have a whole blog called Footballer Fan Girl! (which needs serious updating))
2. Utah
3. People who do good things and ask for nothing in return
4. Little boys and girls with huge smiles and good manners
5. People who save lives by donating blood and/or bone marrow

Which is why when I got asked out of the blue this week via email from a total stranger if I would like to see a sneak peak of ABC-tv "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (EMHE) and I wrote back an email practically begging to see it.

It is also why I have spent the past hour in an non- air-conditioned internet cafe crying like a baby.

This Sunday, while I'll still be sick in Cambodia, you will have the awesome opportunity to turn on the one tv show my father ever allowed us to watch on Sunday nights. (TV was absolutely off-limits in our family as kids. But we eventually convinced him that EMHE was a good, wholesome, family activity.) This Sunday you will be privileged to learn the story of Jonah, an incredibly sweet and adorable boy who lives in Utah. If he had an easy life with two parents with good jobs, no major illnesses, and everything you and I have been blessed with, he wouldn't be on this tv show. Instead, he doesn't have just 1 rare illness, he has 2. And he needs a bone marrow donor.

A few months ago when this episode was actually filmed back in Utah I really enjoyed following the twitter feeds of several of my favorite RSL players as they shared their real emotions about being involved in building the house and meeting Jonah. I have been looking forward to seeing this show for months now. Thank goodness for online streaming when I do get back home!

Hey, and remember this time last year when I was inspired by the completely awesome Rylee Ewing and the wife of a Real Salt Lake player (hey, @hotwifeofbomma!) to register to become a bone marrow donor? Well, if I didn't convince you back then to become a donor, Jonah's story will convince you now!

I should warn you - I was crying at exactly 3 minutes into this episode. And not just because all 5 of my favorite things listed above were in this episode. I was crying because this time, I know the viewing audience really can help make a difference for Jonah (and for HotWifeofBomma and for my sweet little Rylee)!

Tune in this week, folks. You won't regret it.

Oh and if you are cold and calloused and only watch the show for the decorating and the new houses, you won't be disappointed. I LOVE what they did in the children's bedrooms. Absolutely freaking adorable and perfect for Jonah and his sweetheart sister!!

Erin and Little Reunited!

Dear Everybody in the Whole Wide World:
As you may remember, I'm in Utah on vacation this week! Today (Saturday) was one of the best days EVER! And here to help me tell you about it is my favorite sidekick, "Little!"

On our way to Little's dance recital

First, Little wants to tell you about Wednesday!
I stayed home from school due to an allergic reaction. I was at home in bed all day with a swollen face. My mom left to go get us some lunch and pick up my brother, and i heard some knocking on the door. I wasn't expecting anybody so i figured it would be the ups guy or someone. The knocking continued so i went to see who it was. As i peeked through the window i saw blonde hair, and i thought it looked like Erin. i opened the door and i saw Erin holding a camera and i freaked out. I had no idea that she was coming, and i started crying!
We went out to eat, and talked a lot. We had a whole year to catch up on, then i asked her if she had seen my favorite movie, which is Tangled. She hadn't so we came back to my house to watch it. I had a dance recital that night so she curled my hair for me, and off we went. But mostly we were just excited for our big plans for Saturday (today).

Now, it is my (Erin's) turn to tell you about Wednesday!
Little's mother and I have been planning for over a month to surprise Little when I came into town. But then the night before she got really sick, so we had to change our plans at the last second. I liked our backup plan even better. Getting to surprise Little at home was really fun. It was just like she said- I knocked on the door (a couple of times!), she answered, and she yelled, "What are you doing here?!" We hugged, and then we just started to cry!!
Here's a not so flattering picture of that moment-

:-(

After we stopped crying and I got a good look at her face it broke my heart to see how bad she still looked! Her face was all swollen (she wants to make sure you understand she is NOT fat), and she had a subsiding rash on her neck. It made me so sad I hadn't been able to get there sooner to help her!
But we had a great afternoon together, and it was a lot of fun to get to go to her dance recital! But like she said- Saturday is the more important day!
Which brings us to-
TODAY!

Today started out with me (still Erin typing) going to pick her up from her dad's house. He was very kind to let me steal her away on his weekend. And even nicer of her little sister (no, really, her REAL little sister) to let Little leave her birthday party early.
We planned our day to be our version of a perfect day- a Real Salt Lake game, mani pedis, shopping, eating, and a sleepover! Can you think of anything better? I think not!
So we went to the RSL game first. We got there right as the game was beginning. A man sold us his SECOND ROW, CENTER FIELD seats for half price! Best seats we've ever had! (Even though it wasn't section 13, row 13, seat 13, which is our preferred place to sit in honor of our favorite former player, Ian Joy.) But we have to admit- second row in the center of the field is a pretty great place to sit.
Loaded down with the necessary foods from the concession stand, we took our seats, and watched the game. It was a pretty great game, minus the fact that one of the best players suffered a very serious injury. (Erin will talk about that on her soccer blog later. This blog is about us!)
Here's a picture of the awesomeness of our seats-

Johnson and Beckerman, and Beckerman's facial hair

As Little points out, we were sitting so close you could see their facial hair and Beckerman's dreads.
After the game we posed with a few of our favorite players for a goal shot-

Girl's got skillz!

Little also points out she jumps as high as Beckerman and Johnson too!

White girls can't jump!

After the match- which RSL won, but was very sad because Javi got hurt, we went to get mani pedis at our favorite place. Little is now sporting hot pink toes and purple fingers. Erin has bright blue toes and soft pink fingers. Every time we go there Erin gets creeped out by the finger things.

WTF?

Seriously, what are they?!
After that we went to the mall where Little finally got to cash in on getting straight A's. (Erin has been promising her money or clothes for straight A's for a very long time. Conveniently, she hasn't been around to pay up!) She picked a very cute little sundress and tank tops from Aeropostale. We only bring this up because Erin is happy she no longer has to be subjected to shopping in Justice anymore. (And because Erin is sad that Little is growing up and is too mature now for the silly styles of Justice. Peace signs? Who wears peace signs anymore?!)
After doing our part to support the economy, we headed home for a movie, giggling, and naturally, blogging. Ooh, and if you- the whole wide world- can keep it a secret from Little's mom for the next 5 hours, we'll tell you this part too! We made Little's mom a surprise Mother's Day breakfast she will get before she leaves for work way too early in the morning. (Just try not to spoil the surprise for her okay?)
Tomorrow we will be split up again- Little has to go back to her dad's house. And Erin will be doing something (she just doesn't remember what right now). But don't worry, we'll have a video of our reunion ready for you soon. Its so cute it will make you cry. And we have plans to continue shopping together in a few days. After all, we haven't emptied out the mall yet!
Here's a picture of our cuteness to tide you over-

Little and Big

Beckerman v Beckham!

5-4 

Real Salt Lake- thank you for an awesome season, and congratulations on winning the MLS Cup. I am proud to be a "Real" fan. And I hope to never witness a PK shootout ever again. That was a real nail-biter!