8.29.2007

Leaving

Today the world changes so quickly that in growing up we take leave not just of youth but of the world we were young in.
- Peter Medawar


I am all packed up. And I've finally got my emotions all packed up too. I've been exceptionally sad these last couple days. I couldn't help bawling while trying to pick out a mug from my parents' cupboard. Can I really say that? 'my parents' cupboard' I guess it's not mine anymore. I've said goodbye to some of my very favorite people. Part of me feels like I'm dying. I feel urgent about seeing everyone I ever knew to say goodbye. Like Charly.

My iPod 'leaving' playlist conists of:

The Night Before Life Goes On - Carrie Underwood
Don't Forget to Remember Me - Carrie Underwood
I'm Leavin on A Jet Plane - Jewel
Stop this Train - John Mayer
Breakdown - Jack Johnson
Letter to Me - Brad Paisley

I do have my emotions all packed up. I can't convey the melancholy I've felt over the last few days; because i've replaced sheer nostalgia with something else. Excitement? Maybe. Nerves? Definitely. Trudging forward? Most likely.

Tedesca


Me {2nd violin} Vicki {viola} Tracie {cello} Bonnie {1st violin}


The concert was a success. Thanks to all who came. It was wonderful. I love the music dearly. I am very sad to be done with the quartet, as fortunate I was to even belong. I learned a ton from such skilled and seasoned musicians. Thank you.

The Best Day of Our Lives

Haven't posted forever. I've been busy busy busy. Here are some pictures of my Mom's birthday from Sunday, Aug. 26. Enjoy!



Can never go wrong with a lovely pashmina for mom. Since we have the family tradition of telling the story of the day we were born each year on our birthday. Well this is the first year we have had the chance to hear the story of our own mother's birth because her dad is living with us. There wasn't much depictable detail; something about driving and 2 am. We did catch the last thing Grandpa said. "....the best day of my life." It echoed the feelings of everyone at the dinner table. And stretch wider I'm sure. I love you mom.



My grandma has owned LOADS of crystal. We were using some of it at the birthday dinner, and of course each of our inner-child got the best of us, and we started 'ringing' our goblets by pressing a circle on the edge. My grandma was just mystified! She kept saying "Now, how are you doing that?"



The lovely Kate.



The cake was beautiful & delicious. Way to go Dad!

8.26.2007

Wisdom from Steve



"Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."
– Steve Jobs

8.24.2007

12 Reasons I'm Excited for College


{image from j.crew}
12. The whole persona of a totally dependent independence.

11. Use a public laundering service.

10. To legitimately use the sarcasm in college-girl and college-boy.

09. Possibly keep my space remotely clean.

08. A lot less driving. A lot more walking.

07. Learn things and stuff.

06. Decorate my apartment. {I'm trying really hard not to go overboard}

05. Continue to use my 'I'm a late bloomer' excuse to all dates and personal questions.

04. P-Town! Not to mention the northern Utah shopping.

03. I am hoping my demanding classes will help me take my mind off the material-focused blogland.

02. Sibling affection. All 5 kids will be within 50 miles. Yipee!

01. Mostly I am just excited to be me in a new environment.

LiebeMarlene

I came across LiebeMarlene on flickr. She is so rad. She sews and buys all these vintage clothes. I love her style. I thought she was just going to be a shopping inspiration until I did more investigation and found her photo pool, blog, and ebay shop. Check it out.

Published

About a year ago, I wrote an article for the LDS Church magazine, the New Era. It is a column/section that readers can just send in stories and whatnot. I just wrote up a little experience I had and my reflections on it and what do you know? They bought it. They sent me a check and the Church has ownership and copyright of it now but they didn't tell me when or even if it would be published. My bishop told me Sunday that they called him and told him it would be published! Yipee. Do not judge too harshly on my writing skills, but look for it soon {sometime in the next few months I would guess}.

8.23.2007

Will You Come?


As you have already been informed, there is a wee concert coming your way {if you live in the St.George area}. The Tedesca Quartet is presenting a performance on Saturday, August 25th 2007 at 4 pm at the Presbyterian church by D.I. in Washington {please do contact me if you need directions}. The selection is splendidly varied. Will you come?

We are playing:

String Quartet No. 1 Op. 20 by Ginastera
Now. If you thought you had an open mind {and not just about music!} you must hear this. It is extremely contemporary. It is a wild blast to play and would be fun to watch. It is also difficult with a range of techniques...so it should be mildly entertaining and hopefully...musical. It is a modern take on the rugged cowboys of Argentina.

Quintet in C, D.956 for Two Violins, Viola and Two Cellos, I, Allegro Ma Non Troppo by Schubert
It would be worth sitting through the Ginastera {I love it but you might not like it} to hear this. It is absolutely enchanting. La la love this piece.

There will also be a a Mozart trio. Excluding moi. It should be very articulate and delightful as well.

p.s. if you wouuld like to know what the above sounds like type the name/composer into a Google or iTunes search and you can hear it.

A Comment on Comments

Well, I know it is a pain to have to type the funny words and then wait for me to approve your comment and the whole shebang. But I had a few putrid comments by a cowardly anonymous so I had to persist that my comments be kind and curteous. The commentors have disappeared for the moment, but just in case, I am going to go one more month with the extra hassle. If my critics do not return, you can comment away to your heart's desire. Until then...I just get to see your lovely thoughts before the rest of the world!

8.22.2007

Precious Package



I ordered Marta's hand written one-word-answer m.tags. {I purchased two for good measure!} I love them so much. I also can't wait to own my personal m.diary. And that Marta. I just love her. She even somehow knew it was my birthday and sent me the darling cupcake-note. She is so sweet.



She also included this adorable card from her collection. Lucky me!

Crafties

You know how you get the munchies and just want to munch til you die? Today I have the crafties. I've been doing crafts. The hardest part about crafts for me is: buying my supplies. I just hate it. I love doing crafts when I just have the resources right in front of me. But my inkling to crafts was so strong today that I went to the store...twice!

Craft 01: Picture Board



It was relatively easy & quick. You may have seen a similar version with a scrapbooked frame. I downloaded and printed this wallpaper from Kate Spade{click on summer reading, and then downloads}, and then mod-podged it onto a simple wood frame from Michael's. I just staple-gunned some coark board in there and voila!

Craft 02: Bracelet Holder-Thingy


This one was one of those things you just dream up in your head--and it turns out fine, but just, was in your head to begin with so it is never going to be the same when you create it in....3 dimensions? {I suppose everything ever was once dreamed up in a head. And those which we most adore are ones that are created closest as possible to the dream through patience and perseverance.} But simply enough I just took a small pole {actually it was a tube I got in the mail but it could be replaced with pvc pipe, a wood cylinder, or anything really.} and I stapled batting to it, sewed a sort of slip-cover out of gold satin and lace. It isn't entirely functional or even fashionable. It did occupy a couple of hours. Ha.

Craft 03: Tacks

I haven't done this one yet but I've long awaited this mood to do it. I found this thumbtack tutroial several months ago over at HowAboutOrange. I will post the results soon!

First Day of College

I made these good-luck-on-the-first-day-of-college flags more for myself than I did my friends. It was too easy and way too much fun! Megan started at Dixie State yesterday, and my oldest and dearest friend {since joy-school} Cami flew to Pennsylvania to go to Point Park University. She is a theatre major at the conservatory for the arts. I'm so jealous! She has to be the bravest person I know. I'm so proud of them both!

8.21.2007

umErica

I'm sorry that this is the best quality picture I have {from my phone} but I just wanted to say congratulations to Erica. She is going to dental hygiene school. And she already has a degree. I am so happy for her! Isn't she amazing. Way to go girl. I love you.

{UPDATE} Erica is doing her pre-requisites for dental hygiene school. Same diff. Ha. Still quite admirable. Yipee.

..and more

Megan also made me these bracelets! Ah! Can you believe it? They are truly fabulous. I love them so much.
My favorite thing from my cute mom was this darling ticket stub diary. I couldn't love anything more. She is so intuitive because I seriously have thousands of ticket stubs just waiting to be creatively displayed. Thank you for this and for everything else mom. I love you!

eighteen



This is the darling book Megan made me. I have no clue how she did it {and so fast!} It is of our excursion to California. What a wonderful gift. It truly is absolutely wonderful. Thank you Meg.



Convictions

There have been several things in my happenings today that make me want to stand up in church or write a letter to the editor. I still may very will do that, but for now I will say this: Convictions are all-important. We must have them. And while it may be true that convictions often or even always hurt someone, it is also true that they need not. Shouldn't we all have a strong conviction to make life better or easier for the people around us?

Wisdom from Charlie

"That's the secret to life . . . replace one worry with another."
Charles Schulz

Michael T. Benson

At the Region Sterling Scholar banquet at SUU, Michael T. Benson, the new president of Southern Utah University, gave a speech. It was so good. It seriously made me want to go there. It is a way good school. I love him.

8.20.2007

Homemade

Last night we made vanilla ice cream in this churner from the 50's that my mom bought at a garage sale for $4. Kate, Parker and Jon had a contest to see who could keep their hands on it the longest. As one would expect, Kate withdrew quickly and Jon & Parker had to make a truce to share the glory. Then we played speed scrabble. Fun evening.

Happy Birthday to Me.


"We turn not older with age, but newer every day."
-Emily Dickinson

8.19.2007

Surprise

Parker surprised Kate on Friday night by showing up at our door. They've been having a grand old weekend.

8.17.2007

You Bet


As most of the country knows, High School Musical 2 comes out tonight. And you bet I'm pumped. Who can blame anyone else and everyone else for totally falling in love with the Disney channel original movie? My first exerience was about a week after the movie came out...I had stayed home from school with the flu that day {the first and last time I ever got sick on a school day!} and was drowinging in pounds of blankets that evening, putting off my homework for the next day I would return. I watched it out of less than desperation, but nothing close to admiaration; mere interest. It floored me. I called up my friends at midnight to cry how much I loved Troy. How much I love HSM. They all fullheartedly agreed. I burned the CD immediately and listened to it for the duration of probably..i don't know... one year. To this day, I still find myself totally---in love---with High School Musical. Despite crowds of irritating obsessives at school, stores and everywhere in between. Also despite the overwhelming obsession with it here in St. George because... well HSM2 was filmed here. I have several friends that were in it. Always got invites to go to HSM cast parties. Regretfully, I never attended. But I did eat my Jr. Prom dinner with two ensemble members. I even spotted one of them dancing in the background in a photo featured in the USA Today article. {sort of a sorry excuse for a claim to fame...} I think my most recent love aroused from the fact that Troy & Gabriella {Zac Efron & Vanessa Hudgens} are together in real life. They are so cute! The story is also, dare I say, inspiring. I mean who can't relate to "Stick to the Status Quo?" No one can deny having an inkling to be something someone else won't allow them to be. And I would bet that 99% of people really wanted to be in their high school's musical. It's just sweet. I've watched some clips and instantly---the chills. I don't know what about it, but it's undeniably......good.

So Yipee! Happy High School Musical to all of you,

p.s. In no way do i attempt to make the notion that I am original or unique in my adoration for High School Musical. It is widely awesome. I join an entire army of HSM lovers for sure.

What to Get Me for my Birthday #4




Love these political graphic tees from Urban. {I also am contemplating those bangs...}

8.16.2007

WAR!

This is way funny. ha. I'm such a brunette-power person.

Consumed



I'm just about halfway through the nationwide epidemic that is Stephenie Meyer. Oh Edward, sigh.

{photos from flickr..no those are not my toes}

Missing



I miss high school today.

{photo from flickr}

8.15.2007

Wisdom from Mr. Darcy

"A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment."

-Mr. Darcy, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen page 28

New Finds



01.$24.95 @ H&M {Had to buy the last one even though it's several sizes too big. Like wearing a tent in the summer, but I couldn't help myself.} 02. $9.50 {Picked this piece up at the only vintage booth at the Orange County Swap Meet.} 03. The fabric is extremely rad. A bunch of red poeple with breifcases. 04. $14.00 @ GenX {GenX is one of my favorite unlikely's. It is rare you don't find one unexpected find. At a good deal too!}

Truly Fabulous People


Oh my. I am drooling over these bangles I saw on the back of this month's Anthropologie catalog. This one says: Truly fabulous people never get dressed before lunch time. The others say Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! and Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Only $128 each. I beg someone, please make a knockoff!

Back to School

{My mom made this darling cake for a back2school party she had for all the little neighborhood girls. Isn't it darling?} Today, August 15, 2007, is the first day of school for Washington County School District. How delightful. The day's weather is acquiescent of what a first day of school should be. Even the sunny, cumulonimbus cloud-filled skies seemed to succumb to school teachers and bus drivers everywhere. On my day off, I went for a morning drive for the sake of slowing down in the school zones. My eyes beheld tiny children with over sized, action-hero backpacks, kissing their mothers goodbye at the crosswalk while younger brothers and sisters watched less than resentfully, for the day when they would be permitted to cross the street could never be soon enough. A challenge for today{or whenever your first day is}: Take a drive around 2:30 or 3:00 to watch the newly transformed youth of summer arrive home after being nourished all the day long.

8.14.2007

Say Cheese


Have you ever noticed that little kids around 4 or 5 yrs. old don't really know 'how to smile'? When I was about 14, my sister and I were trying to take some last pictures before our cute neighbor Issy moved. We would take a picture, look at it, laugh and tell Issy to just smile! She said in her little voice "I don't know how!" We finally got a real grin out of her by tickling her on the count of 3. Look at the progress she made :)
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What to Get Me for my Birthday #3

I've coveted these quote journals from Marta for months. I love her personality integrated into all her products...so humane.

Conan

Had a dream I was on Conan O Brien last night. Wahoo!

One More Day

I listened to this song first thing in the morning, every single day for almost six months. As enduringly cheesy as it is, it got me through some hard times. Got me out of bed, into the shower, and to school. Seriously, any time you start to feel sorry for yourself, listen to this song. I bask in its weeziness.

8.13.2007

Don't Worry Baby

01. See ya in LA man! 02. Gateway to Death Valley: Biggest thermometer 03. Cheese Puffs! 04. my view. 05. Santa Monica 06. Pier Photobooth 07. Buoy 08. Pantages 09. Wicked! 10. The Historic Mayfair 11. City Slickers 12. Angels' Caps. 13. Bats & Balls 14. Funny angle--our seats. 15. Dr. Sparks! 16. Crowd 17. Up close. 18. Fanzzz 19. Hall of Famers 20. Red 21. Huntington Beach 22. As far as we went 23. Newport Beach Temple 24. Closed for Maintenance 25. Big Top world

California. Our trip was some of the most fun we've ever had, while simultaneously being a rise to rebellion. The true kodak of our independence. The Journey. We set off on Thursday at 6 am. Thanks to Magellan, we got to downtown LA by 12 noon. I do not think I stand without Megan when I say---I was scared. Our hotel was right downtown. The neighborhood was...scary. The value of our belongings left in car parked the side of a busy street left a deal of fright and responsibility bearing on our shoulders. Our small-town eyes were also widely opened to the cost of parking. $10 a night at our own hotel. Who heard of such a thing? Well. We couldn't check in until 3, so we made our way to a random beach. When we had arrived at the hotel, it seemed as though our bad luck was no different here in the great state of California. But as Magellan guided us to our last turn toward Santa Monica Beach, we realized: Santa Monica Beach. The Golden State had put Karma on our side. We had the best of luck. Muscle Beach was highly entertaining, the weather and area were gor-geous, the pier was fantastic. We couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised. We stayed as long as it is humanly possible to stay in direct line of the infamous UV's and got stuck in Los Angeles traffic. Barely enough time to find parking at the Historic Mayfair, check in, take an itty-bitty shower, and head off to Pantages. WICKED. We walked down the Hollywood stars of Billy Joel and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and right into Oz. Our seats to WICKED were fantastic, and the show proved only more so. I was not disappointed in the least. We drove 15 miles to the nearest Applebee's and watched drunk Californian's close down the bar. Shopping. The next morning, we woke to an incessant drilling into the ceiling right outside our room, at which point I called the concier desk and relayed the message with...force? :) Our hotel accommodations were --- comical. We took a brief and delightful 11 am walk downtown, and left for the Beverly Center {mall...} where H&M and XXI held much in store {excuse the pun} for us. We surreptitiously bypassed Sephora, D&G and Bloomingdales and were chased out of MAC...{they were not as friendly as they frequently are at the Nordstrom counter.} After a gas station, an EZ Cheez accident and some wrong turns, we made our way--once again through hard core traffic-- to Anaheim. Anaheim. Alas! We found the land of happiness! Tears welled up in our eyes as vegetation flooded over the walls of Disneyland. If only. Our Anaheim Hotel was blissful! We could both fit in the bathroom comfortably, and we cooked up our Mac&Cheese in our very own microwave. Angels! We drove a short distance to the Angels Stadium of Anaheim, where we encountered an unexpected flounce of hyper-activity, as we of the female gender so often experience. Sitting next to Dr. Sparks, catching the grand slam on video and meeting Richard who delightfully informed of us Hooters, Logan, Utah and the fireworks show. The game was as fun as could be --- as baseball games always are. Swap Meet. We woke up on Saturday morning, made our way to my first ATM use, then drove to the Orange County Swap Meet. Not knowing exactly what to expect, it was an interesting experience, not as promising as one {I} would have hoped. I picked up a couple vintage pieces. We backtracked and had a hard time finding Newport Beach, so drove to Huntington. Huntington Beach. There were masses of people on the Saturday afternoon beach. Eating our cheese-filled lunch and listening to Waiting for a Star to Fall on the tiny speaker coming out of my phone while the sun beat down on our SPF 30-protected skin, all the world seemed right. A mere five hours later, we stopped for gas and hit the Newport Beach Temple on our way out. Home. The drive home was long, but fun; filled with traffic, Brad Paisley, the would you rather marry game and an emotionally draining {and thankfully infrequent} girl-talk. We made it home again, home again, jiggity jig. In life, as in baseball, it's the number of times you reach home safely that counts.

I'm proud of the house we built. Sweet. Because of you. Daisy. Brooks & Dumb. Double arm pump. Cheese. We don't mess around. See ya in LA man! Faithfully.

More photos here on flickr.

8.12.2007

What to Get Me for my Birthday #2

I still recieve gawks and gafaws at the fact that I still use a Hot Tools straightener. But hey! It works. And I figure, as long as it works, I won't upgrade to a Chi. But--as long as it is my birthday in 7 days.... no hurt in asking for it right? right. Whenever I use a friend's I can't help but covet!

Finally


I recieved my long awaited MacBook. I can't imagine anything more brilliant. "Congratulations. You and your MacBook were made for each other." - Apple