Playing Ghostbuster ...

Every year, the LDS Church (which I belong to) puts together a great Christmas Concert for the community in Salt Lake City. They usually invite a couple of guest artists to sing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. This week, the infamous Mormon Choir performed with Santino Fontana and the Sesame Street Muppets. I didn't get tickets so I didn't get to see it this year but I got to go inside the venue where the concert was held to clean up after the first night of the concert. Several members of the LDS church volunteered every night of the concert to clean up to prepare for the next day. We were there from 10:30 pm till 1:00 am.

I had a lot of fun! I am glad that I was a part of it. And most of all I got to wear one of those vacuums that looks like the one in the Ghostbuster movie. Here are some pictures ...

This Conference Center seats about 21,000 people

One of the volunteers was the Mayor of SL County, Ben McAdams.

Don't I look like a Ghostbuster?

The Stage of the Concert

What is cool about living in Utah?

A few months ago, I run into 3 backpackers on Temple Square. These guys were covered in dirt and they looked like they could use a shower and some rests. They were from France (Oui! Oui!) I actually speak French so it was fun to speak to them. Their Greyhound bus stopped in Salt Lake City on the way back to San Francisco to catch a flight home to France. They were in the U.S. to explore Yosemite National Park. I told them about Utah and its great National Parks. They said if they knew that there were more to see in Utah than California as far as National Parks, they would have changed their destination. A la prochaine!

I went to my two favorite parks this year -- Zion and Arches. I went to Zion in early Spring and Moab this late Fall. 

SAN FRAN !!!

I love traveling! Who doesn't? I have visited San Francisco on a couple of occasions before but I went again to celebrate one of my good friends' birthday. We explored lots of attractions from Chinatown to Napa Valley ... This was my first time to Chinatown. Very interesting place! I felt like I was actually in Asia. It was also nice to breathe and feel the ocean.

I made a collage of some pictures I took.

Surprise for Mom's 60th Birthday

I have moved away from my home country for over 10 years, but I have gone back to visit a few times. I have always wanted to surprise my family on these trips but I never found the best reason to do so until this last time -- my mom's 60th birthday.

They usually expect me every other year and my trip was expected to be around December. I told them except one of my brothers that this year wasn't going to work out because of my work schedule. Little they knew that I postponed my trip to January when my mom had a birthday.

I showed up the day before her birthday and stayed at my brother's place. She was determined to come to his house to celebrate the next day. We had everything planned until half an hour before the party. She had run into one of the neighbors who happened to notice me in the area. This neighbor ran into my mom on the bus on her way to the party and asked her how her guest is doing. My mom became suspicious and called my brother right away if it was true. Darn nosey neighbor! Mind your own business.

We still had a fun time celebrating. Here is a picture of my mom and her grandkids!!!

Joyeux Anniversaire Maman!!!