Christmas Wish List!

I can't remember the last time that I wrote a Christmas wish list, but when my friend asked me for my christmas wish list I figured I would give it a go. So this is a true wish list, I WISH I could get all this for Christmas!!!

1) A New Car, a pearl white Subaru legacy

2) Chanel Chance perfume

3) Cute new work clothes

4) New Nordstrom wardrobe 

5) Rose Gold Watch

6) Gym pass with a personal trainer

(helps if he is good looking) :)

7) New socks

8) Reese's Holiday Trees

9) New ski mittens/gloves

Of course this is unrealistic stuff but I would love it all. As for realistic..... The normal stuff. Clothes, ski stuff, gas money. I am TOO not picky! :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Ideas PLEASE

So I am going to start a different blog, considering the fact that this one is from my mission and I can't change it from "Lauren in Cedar" and it has all my mission pictures on the side.

SO... This is where you come in... I need some ideas for my new blog instead of "i-mtheboss" even tho that was brilliantly decided by Heather. Please help me out.

London!!

So I finally have a second to breath and can update you all on my life!  This update will pretty much be through pictures, After all, that is all people care about anyways!

 (Jenny, Jennie and Carter at the top of St. Paul's Cathedral (Jennie was awesome hiking up over 500 stairs with Carter strapped on)

Tiffany Roberts came to Ireland and stayed for three weeks.  Going to London was only one of our adventures. We went mainly to go see my sister Jennie and my other sister Jenny Beck (well she should be my sister) and my adorable little Carter! We had a lot of fun meeting up with JJ&C.

(Jennie and I matched without planning it or even seeing each other in two months)

We had a lot of fun taking lots of pictures especially with the phone booth.

Lets count how many chins I have!

Now looking at all the pictures its like Carter is our little prop. 

But he doesn't seem to be enjoying himself :(

 Never too old for a jumping picture!

Tiffany looks like a japanese cartoon with her hair

 Went went to WICKED!!!

The seats were the best in the house! We are sitting in our seats just turned around! 

Unbelievable Show!

What Europeans think of America

So my Italian roommate started laughing at her e-mail and said she had to show me it.  This is what her friends in Italy send around about americans.  Of course I translated it...

After 2 years in the United States, Michelangelo's David returns to Italy.

                     Thanks to our sponsors 

Going to church is hard

Today I got ditched by the bus.  I was just about to the stop when my bus passed me.  I thought if I run I can make it when he stops. But nope, he didn't even stop, just blew right through the stop. So I wait for 30 minutes for the next one to come.  I just pulled out my scriptures and started to read (JW saw me and decided to pull out his Watch Tower magazine right next to me) I waited and waited and finally the stop said 8 minutes till the bus would get there and then right in front of my eyes it went to the bottom of the list and said it would come in 34 minutes.  My bus hadn't come or anything! I couldn't believe it.  Walking would take too long, so I flagged a taxi and went to church that way.  I made it there in time and all was well except that I had to pay more for my taxi than I did for my tithing and fast offerings combined!!! So the first week we took a car, second I walked (an hour and ten minutes) and third I took a taxi.  Can't wait to see how next week is, getting to church.

Oh the people you meet.

Today I go yelled at by a transvestite.... Yes enough said.  I was walking down the street with some friends when I saw him. I apparently gave him a smirk as he passed.  To be honest he was a terrible transvestite because I didn't think he was trying to be a woman.  I just thought he was wearing way to tight golden spandex pants.  After he passed me, my friend yawned and said "Oh my gosh"because she was really tired.

I knew right then he thought it was about him.  I didn't expect for him to turn around and start yelling.  He looked at me the whole time and not to the girl that actually made the comment.  He went on to tell me I had no respect, I didn't understand people, I couldn't tolerate the modern lifestyle and it was people like me that made it hard for him to live in this world.  I was baffled.  I wasn't even the one that made the comment.  So Yes I am fitting in just great in Dublin.

YOU'RE GUNNA LOVE THIS!!!

Oh do I have a story to tell!!!!

So a few days ago dad and I found this awesome B&B. The guy there told us that we could rent bikes for the day at the next won over. We rented bikes for a few hours and the guy gave us a map for a little trail to take.  I was so excited after seeing so many people out riding bikes during our travels.  So we set off on our adventure!  It was amazing.  I started getting tired on the hills, because I NEVER ride bikes.  We saw some amazing country side and it was probably one of the most beautiful days we have had our whole trip!!

We went really far to two cities over and then crossed over this really big river and headed up the hill.  I was DIEING up the hills.  I do not have any muscle for biking yet!  (don't worry I will with time and riding) So we get up to this beautiful green side of the dales.

Okay that is just the background but here is the story!!!

So we are going on the side of the hill and all of a sudden it starts to get muddy. and I start to slide around a bit.  I start my nervous giggle, those of you that know me well enough know exactly what I am talking about.  We keep going through and I watch dad sliding around in front of me as well.  He is hooting and hollering like he does when he skis. All of a sudden time almost just stops.  I watch my tire turn a little too much to the left and that makes the back of the bike slip to the right.  I start to see the muddy ground get close and closer so I put my arm out to catch it while an "OH NO!" comes out of my mouth and then SPLAT!! I slide unto the mud.  Dad turns around and yes whoops as he just busts up laughing at me!

I laugh it off and get back up on my bike but the fall hurt a little and now I am shaking which only makes navigating through the mud harder.  I continue to fall a few times before finally we get onto a paved road.  Then my arm feels like it is on FIRE! We find a nice lady cleaning some horses and she gets a bucket of water out so I can wash all the mud off my arms and face.  Once I am clean I look down at my arms and it has started to swell up and have welts on it.  I fall into the stinging nettle!

So we had quite the great time out bike riding and I even have some bruises and scrapes as battle wounds.  I think my dad thinks I am the most incompetent woman ever!

I'm in Love!

Yippy! Today my day was made!  I have been in search for an attachment in order to charge my macbook for forever.  Well not exactly but two weeks before I left I started my search.  Unfortunately, they try to gouge you where ever you go for this little lousy piece to attach to your charger box/house thing.  Seriously it was like 50 bucks and the apple story.  Those stinkers! Today we were walking down the streets of York and we passed a little apple reseller story I walked in and told him what I needed and asked if they sell them.  He said no and I was not surprised but then he said that he thought he had some upstairs.  He runs up stairs and hands me one.  I offered to pay and he said it was just left over and that I could just have it!!! What a gent right! I would have kissed him for that! So I am in love with the nice gent at the fake apple store that I don't even know his name!!! Today has been a great day!

PS: Today I officially ate fish and chips and enjoyed it!! and I just had the best curry of my life! Who would have thought I would find the best Thai in the small town, Richmond of North Yorkshire England!?

Tiffer-Wiffer-Taka-Sniff-Tiff

I just need to let you all know what an amazing friend I have.Tiffany has been one of my loges friends I have ever had.  I think she is the coolest and truly miss her. Well being the stellar friend that she is she got me an Ireland gift.  She got me a little bag for inside my purse packed with everything I could need for my travels.

I some how completely forgot to bring lotion on the trip.  I didn't even think about it until my OCD kicked in and I COULD NOT sleep because my hands were so dry.  Surprisingly thats probably one of the highest reasons I can't sleep. Well I opened the hand dandy bag and put some lotion on and went straight to sleep.  When we first got to Ukraine and all our luggage was lost I had my bad with just in case make up and and touched up with some eye liner and mascara.  Just the other day dad and I were out walking and he stepped in a stinky puddle of water and it splashed on his leg. This nasty stench followed us everywhere till I grabbed my little packet of wipes within my little handy bag.  We cleaned him up and smells went away.  On the train just the other day I was really bored and my cuticles were pretty rough with hang nails so I whipped out my mani/pedicure set from, once again my sweet bag, and did my nails and put some great lotion/wax on my cuticles.

What would I have done without here!  She totally knows whats up when it comes to travels! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! You are me hero! Love you!!!!

Planes, Trains and Automobiles.... and Boats

The adventure has begun!!!

We got up Monday morning at 3:45 to take mom and the boys to the airport.  Dad and I  got back to the hotel just in time for me to meet up with Katya Klebingat for a run to the temple to meet up with the sisters.  We were both so excited to see our former companions!  I couldn’t believe I was seeing Sister Stiles in the flesh again on our old stomping grounds!  It was so surreal!  We pretty much eye flirted the whole time!!! 

After our run we did some laundry and headed into center to once again meet up with the sisters at Puzzies (nickname for a Ukrainian restaurant given by the missionaries) for lunch.  It was 5 sister missionaries, the mission president’s daughter, me being a former sister........ and HOWIE! Oh plus another companionship just happened to show up when we were leaving! Howie was such a good sport coming and being stuck with us gals having mission talk!  He treated us all to lunch and ice cream! I sure love my daddy!

One of my dear friends Natasha never believed me when I promised her I would come back to Ukraine.  She promised to feed my family if I really came.  I was good on my end and she invited us over for dinner Monday night.  In traditional Sister Schmidt style, we were late!!!! Surprise Surprise! We had a great time chatting and reminiscing. Then we were off to the train station to hit our next city L’VIV!!!!

So In Lviv I was able to see some friends.  Unfortunately, we were only there for a day and a lot of the people I wanted to see were gone or busy.  I would have loved to see some other members.  We went out to dinner with Ihor Petrichko and his family and I played tag with Ephram for ever!  He is was hilarious.  I love little kids that speak pure Ukrainian!

After Lviv we jumped on a night train to Krakow Poland! Oh my hilarious! So our first train was normal we bought four beds so we were alone. But the night to Poland was more expensive so we couldn’t well we get to our cabin and there is a little Polish lady already there.  She was so sweet but Dad and I couldn’t help but laugh because of the small space!  It was three beds on top of one another.  Naturally I took the top.  I didn’t even have room to make my bed.  I was laughing the whole time!

We got to Krakow and had an amazing morning looking all around the city.  We then headed off to Auschwitz, the WWII Jewish concentration camp.  That was such an amazing experience.  I really couldn’t believe it all.  It felt so weird walking on the grounds of where all those awful stories took place.  Looking at the rooms where people had been tortured and starved to death were all most too much to take in.  They real heartbreaker was going into one building where they had the hallway full of hair that they buzzed off of everyones heads to make money off of.  That really was awful and then the case of children's’ shoes that were collected from the people that went to the gas chambers really got me.  I am so grateful I was able to go and see the place I have learned so much about.  I was able to pay my respects but most importantly be reminded and never forget the things that people have gone through.

After Auschwitz we hit the night life of Krakow!  Howie and I couldn’t get enough of the town.  There were people everywhere street performers on every corner!  It was incredible!  I would recommend traveling to this city! I think my favorite was the fire dancers with all the drums! Howie loved this band of all super old men and then one really pretty young gal singer!  They drew the most attention on the main square!!

In the morning we went for an amazing run around the city, saw the cool old town center and then headed on a bus to a different city to catch our airplane to the Netherlands. Once we got to the netherlands we jumped on three different trains in order to get to Brugge Belgium where we then jumped a taxi to take us the the sea area.  Yes in one day we truly did planes trains and automobiles.  Get this tho,  Tonight we jumping a ferry boat to cross the sea to Hull England!  Yes we are using ever means of transportation, that is except for a bike.  Hopefully, we can hit up the bike today as we find out what Belguim has to offer!!! Apparently chocolate is the thing to eat!!

Not very missionary like!

I love Ukrainians!  I love members of this church!  I was able to go to the ward by the temple where I served 9 months of my mission!  I was so excited to see so many people that I love so dearly! 

Funny story.... I had just bought a dress from Old Navy (Yes Tiff, I went back and bought the same drew as you! I just want to be you!!) Well the dress got pretty wrinkly in my suitcase.  At out hotel they do an ironing service and so we paid quite a bit of money for our sunday clothiers to be ironed.  Well those little sneaky people just put them in the dryer not ironing them at all.  Well my dress comes back still wrinkly but it shrunk so I was wearing a pretty borderline inappropriate dress to church! Not very return missionary appropriate!  I was totally feeling awkward but what can you do!? so anyways, my heart was pounding when I got there.  I was warming welcomed by Katya, President’s daughter and some of the sister missionaries that I met when they were in the MTC.  Sister Moore and Sister Daniel!

Left to right: Sister Daniel, Me, Katya, and Sister Moore!

After the first sacrament meeting with the international branch I went to the Borshahivskiy Ward where I was able to see many people that I love so much including Layra and Lyuda

Picture with Layra

As well as Polina.  I wish I would have been able to take more pictures with the members but it was pretty crazy!

Picture with Polina (who looks adorable but I need to stop talking.  My tongue looks crazy!)

After church my family was able to go over to Frank and Oksana Plashel’s.  They are the coolest family ever!  Every member of their family speaks english amazingly, even little Fruktik who is about four can speak in English. Fruktik loved to play with Braden and Garrett.  I think it was because they were still in their dress clothes so her thought they were missionaries.  I giggled all night long!

Best goodbye I got from a boy....  too bad he is four!!

Greg, Fruktik and Bubs (Braden)

Kossac and his Celo

Saturday we left Crimea and came back on a little plane to Kiev.  We met up with Natalie, a member from Borshahivskiy.  We started the day with going to Peregov!  It is a HUGE outside museum.  They took real houses from little celo’s (Ukrainian Villages) and restored them and put them in the same area.  There were a ton of houses.  It was out in the boonies with trees everywhere.  It had the coolest feel to it.  

They even had Kossacs to take pictures with.

He was kinda mean tho.  We got ripped off by some random guys which was totally lame but Howie came to mine and Natalie’s rescue and paid the guy off. What would we do with out Howie!?? 

We then headed to andreevsky spusk.  I was so happy the church was all repainted and absolutely beautiful.  For my whole mission it was covered in scaffolding getting it refurbished.  

After the Spoosk we were able to go to the best Ukrainian restaurant in Kiev.  I had never been there but walked past it all the time not knowing what it was, because it is right by the church on Shota, in center. Of course I got Verenikiy z kopustoyu (dumplings with cabbage) They are my favorite!!

Fat guy in a little speedo!

I will start with my apologies to anyone that actually reads this, or those that hope to read it but never can because I never have put anything up.  My computer died and I haven’t been able to but I have been writing things down a little hear and there for posts. 

So we went down to Crimea to find some the sun and some warm weather.  We got there and I had some pretty high expectations for the Black Sea. This is what I was looking for.....

That wasn’t exactly what I found.  Instead we found two small triangles of “beach” that were covered with half naked people showing a lot more of themselves off than anyone would wish. The beaches don’t have sand but have big rocks that kill your feet when you try to walk on them.   I will include some of the pictures.

Well the first day we just pushed our way onto the beach just to say we did it and we actually started to enjoy it and then the rain came.  Everyone booked it off the beach before you could say “RAIN!!” 

At that point the family decided that was too much fun and we would have to go back to the black sea to hang out for our last day.  It was the best choice thus far!  We even tok it to the next level and laid out at the black sea in style!!! Loved the black sea!!!