giraffes and portraits

I just read an email from my parents and in it they asked to see the portraits Bry did for my Christmas gift. So here you go, plus a bonus preview of your Christmas gift mom and dad. I love this image of Grandma and Grandpa, I hope you do too! (sorry for the not as good as the original copy. Just wait until you see the real deal, it's as awesome as Grandpa Awesome himself!)The series Bry made for me looks like it was made to go right there doesn't it? I didn't know how much I would like them, nothing to do with the supreme talent of the photographer, but more the idea of having portraits of just me with out cute kids in the photo, or an animal or three for distraction. I love it though. He has a way of capturing heart and soul. I tied up my money tree yesterday and I'm always surprised after I add another twisty tie how big it has gotten over the last five years. It was barely a foot tall when I moved into my teeny tiny apartment by the river and bought it as a house warming gift for myself. I loved that apartment because it was purely mine and the bike trail ran right outside my window. My funny little tree reminds me of that time, and all the moves it has made with me, this one being the hardest for us both since it hardly fits in my car anymore.

My parents also mentioned that they had been out shopping for giraffes like mine. I laughed when the said they ended up at the same stall where I had bought mine at a huge outdoor market called Bruma.

It was a quiet day when we were out looking for my long necked friends. I had already priced them at another market so I had an amount in mind that I wanted to spend. I was walking down a small alley alone while my dad looked for his apron. I passed a stall without giraffes and when the guy asked me to come in to take a look I told him politely that he didn't have what I was looking for. This didn't slow him down, he was very helpful and fun. Once he knew what I was after his friend ran off to get me a bunch to chose from. I told him I was very particular about what I wanted. The first batch weren't anything special so the friend went and got more, and more, and then even more when I still hadn't found any I really liked. They didn't act put out at all by how picky I was being. We talked prices all the while. Of course he started extremely high and as we negotiated he wouldn't go as low as I wanted. More haggling and more giraffes and soon we had a deal that both of us could live with. I didn't mind at all hand carrying these bad boys home after all that hard bargaining.

Mom and dad did find giraffes at the same stall, and the guy remembered me even, but didn't give them as good of a deal! Tough luck there guys!

Do you see what book I'm reading? I spent a large part of the day in bed getting thoroughly involved in the world of wizards. I'm purposely limiting how much time I can read because I want to make it last.

my best pet

Bet you all thought we got a kitty right? Nope, that is what Casey calls our little visitor. His name is yet to be decided. Blue, King Louis, and an array of Mexican themed names are the top choices. The final decision will be Jared's since this fur ball is his gift from Coree for Three Kings (Mexican Christmas)
Casey hasn't let the kitty out of his sight, or grasp for long. In fact, I just saw him (kitty in tow) run by my room for the hundredth time, caught up in some kind of game including this super secret hideout. (aka the karaoke machine box)

If kitties stayed kitties that would be to coolest. I love tiny paws, tiny meows and unsteady exploring.

Happy Boxing Day

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! I did. I knew it'd be a little bittersweet with out my parents or brother and his family but we are pretty used to not being together for Christmas for whatever reason and I was surrounded by family and friends so I can't feel too sorry for myself! I got to talk to my parents, spend time with the family and feed my addiction to guitar hero. All in all, a really nice holiday.

I love seeing the kitty's footprints in the snow. She must wander around quite a bit, there are bunches of tracks weaving around the house in the mornings. My favorite prints stopped abruptly in the driveway, completely vanishing with out a trace. What happened there? Brrr... Stay inside scary old kitty.

I woke up this morning with the intention of going to work. I got ready, but very slowly watching the snow outside and wanting more than anything to stay inside. I checked in with the guys and it's a pretty slow day so I've been working from home. YEA! Now I can go do some returning if I feel the need to join the masses. I talk like I don't like all the craziness involved in the holiday hustle and bustle but somehow I think I would feel some kind of void if I didn't return just one thing. It's tradition. And to clarify, it isn't because I don't like my gifts, it's never about not liking them. It's a sickness. I love returning things. Kwona understands.

Boxing Day has always been one of those obscure holidays that I thought Canadians were the only ones who observed. Not true. I checked it out today here. Even South Africans celebrate it in a pretty neat way.

waffles and pajamas

As predicted I was out with the rest of the last minute stragglers pulling things together this afternoon. As I left Sugarhouse we got hit by a monster snow storm that only lasted a couple hours but it dumped so much snow Jamison and I both had to park our cars at the church down the street. He walked home and I got lucky and timed it perfectly to catch a ride with Michele. I wouldn't have minded the walk, it was the pile of presents that made walking up the hill in a blizzard sound a bit daunting.

Before I set out this morning I got an email from my folks saying they would be online at noon if I had time to chat. I wanted to, but had a list so long I couldn't. Instead I figured out the IM on my phone and took my parents with me as I ran around town. How many other people had moral support coming from Africa as they got their oil changed, sat in traffic jams, navigated costco even more crowded than usual and sat in long lines all over town? Nobody!

Tonight Tony made us waffles and then we opened our pajamas and one other gift. We all changed into our new pj's and when I walked in wearing mine everyone laughed and laughed. What's so funny? I love them. Coree got some really similar to mine so we both look like big little kids. Totally cozy and warm.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!

distance means nothing

I LOVE when I get to see my friends! The reoccurring topic on my blog is: 'I love my friends and family and this is why...' I doubt there is anything I'd rather write about actually.Sarah is in town on her way to Kansas City to meet her soon to be in laws for the first time and Amy is here with her babies and Nick to get in some family parties, snow and the must have cold weather to get into the real Christmas spirit.

The Christmas party seemed to be a success even though a bunch of people didn't show up. Dinner was catered and really good. I smoked Bry in ping pong. Twice. ;) And I'm going to say right now that even though I had it in my mind when I didn't get The Dream Job that all things happen for a reason, every day since has been proof of this because I'm really glad I've found myself in such a good company. It is a challenge and I am so happy there. Who would have thought?

Snow. It's growing on me. (Not literally.) I'm starting to like it more. Even driving in it. I had a good time on deserted roads last night doing some sweet moves James Bond could be proud of. Brought on by xbox I'm sure.

All I want for Christmas is a nap.... well, and maybe some hugs from Cari, Devin and Dillon but can't have it all right?

why I'm blogging when I said I couldn't...

I had to show off the book RC1 made of my trip to deepest, darkest, Africa. So very cool.
And it is even more great in person. Looking through it made me so happy. My trip was completely perfect and now I have a great book to remember it by.
My dad gave me a hard time when I was taking pictures of that blue wall. I absolutely loved it. Who's laughing now? It ended up in my very own book.

Now I have an itch for travel. Where to next?

Thank you Bryan. You'd still be my favorite boy friend even if you didn't make me books and fabulous dinners from scratch.

why I'm not blogging

• I have barely begun to Christmas shop. I'm 1% done.
• Planning the company Christmas party
• Making invites for Sarah' bridal shower, planning planning... I love party planning.
• Dinner with friends last night at Cheesecake Factory which is not an in an out kind of thing. Normal waiting time for a party of eleven: 5 HOURS! Our waiting time: 2 hours. Knowing the manager: Priceless. Thanks Jared!

Now that I've gone a few days without messing up travel planning or my other duties (too badly) I've moved on to helping with measures. I went out on a job to measure 2 floors of windows at a Fairfield Inn. We measure every last little thing, as you can see by the photo. Then with those measures and photos we make architecturals out of them to send onto our manufacturers. We don't take pictures of every window, just one of each kind. That way they have a visual of the window when they make the drapes... I have a never ending supply of these things and when I make a dent in my pile, more pop up magically.

• Plans with RC1 tonight, a banquet tomorrow, Temple trip saturday morning, company party saturday, I guess I'll be one of those stragglers out Christmas Eve day finding everything left on my list... or maybe I'll hand out cash and stay home and blog?

River

Here is the link to listen to the song I talked about yesterday. It is so pretty, and a free download so even better.

a river to skate away on

Did you think I had given up the blog? I have been feeling a void where my blogging obsession normally goes but I couldn't think of anything to say. Blogblocked.

Still, with the amount of work email I have to sift through every day I thought that I might potentially get burned out on blogging/emailing for fun and it hasn't happened in the slightest, it is just finding the time to come up with something you might actually want to spend time reading.

I have been loving this Christmas song, (hopefully I'll have a link for you shortly to download it for free) It is Sarah Bareilles's cover of Joni Mitchel's 'River' It is so beautiful and gets stuck in my head whenever I hear it.

We, the choir, sang today in church. It worked out well that the visiting speaker had prepared a talk about one of the songs we sang. It made me appreciate the words by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. You can read the background here. Cool story.

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And mild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I don't know what brought this line of thought around, not at all related to the music theme of this entry, but I've been thinking about some of my past decisions. Or rather, lack of them. I guess it comes up more and more as I've made a conscious effort to do everything within my power to be better every day somehow.
This attitude makes me question myself. Where was this girl back when I was doing my best to make life as difficult as I could? And succeeding quite nicely, if I do say so myself.
I've finally put some perspective on it. (maybe this belongs in a journal more than my blog?) If I hadn't seen so much ugliness in myself then maybe I wouldn't have the desire to be the best version of myself now? People who seem to have known who they were from such a young age baffle me. I haven't understood my motivations in the past, where was the decisive me, the girl who knows what she wants and makes it happen? Understanding this a little later in life has been something of a mystery. An unveiling. Was I there all along, shrouded in self doubt and some kind of weird desire to make myself miserable? Why didn't I speak up, slap myself around a little and do things differently? "Everything has a reason" so I guess I'll understand at some point. My usual reasons sound like cop outs now so I have decided to leave it unanswered and maybe never understand.
I am really glad that change is such a prevalent thing in my life.

British Idol

When the guys in the office had me watch this I thought Simon was going to rip into this guy. Was I wrong or was I wrong? wow.

peace on earth

Yesterday was another snowy saturday and I woke up really excited about the snow since I didn't have to drive to work in it. The novelty of it hasn't worn off yet (and hopefully won't. I don't need any more excuses to be homesick for my desert.)

I spent most of the afternoon being a total slacker, curled up under my down comforter reading my sad, sad book and watching the snow come down. I kept an eye on the clock and knew I should head up the mountain to the temple but I was nervous that once I got up there I wouldn't be able to get back down. I have yet to master driving in icy conditions and it was so cold I knew the roads would freeze. And they did, Bountiful Blvd was an ice skating rink! I drove 2 mph holding my breath and trying not to panic every time the tires lost traction. Oh my heck, I would love a subway system right about now so I could put away my car until the tulips came out.

Tradition is at the heart of the holiday season. We read the same stories, sing the same songs, eat the same comfort food. Adding layers every year.

Memory flood:

• The smells. The cold smell of unpacking decorations from the attic. Candles, breads, pumpkin pie, cookies, egg nog, snow, winter.
• The year I got two fuzzy hamsters. I loved them to death. Seriously.
• The year I got my purple bike. Ben tried to teach me to ride it in the snow. I ended up in the gutter. Face first in a puddle, or am I making this part up?
• The year Ben was on his mission and the phone rang mid present opening. I have never seen my mom move so fast! "IT'S BEN!!!" We have it on tape. Priceless.
• Christmas Eve clam chowder and the year mom forgot the clams. (We'll never forget!)
• Grandma's house. Hidden presents in the tree. Crawling under the tree to find gifts, watching everyone open gifts and laugh and talk.
• Christmas concerts at school, on temple square, last year with mom and dad at the tabernacle in St. George every friday night. I adore Christmas music. Who doesn't?
• The year in Korea without a tree. We made one out of wrapping paper and had a houseful of friends.
• Driving around looking at lights and Temple Square Lights and ice skating downtown.

the memory keeper's daughter

I've slowly been making my way through The Memory Keeper's Daughter (Kim Edwards). It is one of those sad books that isn't really a fun read but the story is a compelling one and I have to know if it ends how I think it will. With total destruction, that is. Really, it is the only way it can end when it started it out with lies as big as it did. What other outcome is there?



David, (the one who lied) is a bone doctor and an obsessive photographer. He said something that embodies exactly what I've thought a million times.

"...these rare moments where the world seemed unified, coherent, everything contained in a single fleeting image. A spareness that held beauty and hope and motion-- a kind of silvery poetry, just as the body was poetry in blood and flesh and bone."


Tiny moments like these where life seems to slow down just enough for me to take inventory of all I've been blessed with are the kind that mean the most to me. If I pay close attention, the feeling is gone too quick to appreciate so I pretend not to notice and soak in it as much as possible before it fades and the colors aren't quite as vivid, the feelings not quite as strong.

...In all our trials born to be our friend, He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger..."
--Oh Holy Night

does it have sugar in it?

Michele has brought out the Christmas movies! She has a thing where she won't watch any holiday movies except in December. I agree with her, almost. While You Were Sleeping isn't a holiday movie for me. And either is the The Holiday. I can watch those every day of the year, "and believe me, she has". (Who said this line, and in what scene?)

We watched Elf on saturday night after hanging out at Grandmas. I think it is Will Ferrel's best character.

Tonight we watched Jim Carey's The Grinch. Well, I listened mostly. I have had the project bug big time!

• Finally got the brackets on my memo board and hung it up (it once was a full length mirror and although Tony and RCI both made separate attempts to save its life. Sadly, it could not be rescued, and has since been recreated into a memo board (pictured behind my sad graham cracker house if you care to see a bad fuzzy picture of it)



• Wreath for the front door. I have this serious itch to do anything involving Christmas trees or wreaths. It's medical, I'm seeking help. The last few Christmas's have been peppered with excuses to decorate trees galore and make wreaths a plenty so this year is feeling scarce and I am feeling withdrawals.



• Graham cracker row house (with out a row.) FHE tonight. I went there straight from work, then left without getting out of my car thinking I would go find food and possibly return. Only to circle the block and go straight back because I knew I wouldn't go back if I stalled any longer. Trying to conform into my new 'social butterfly' position, and I needed to unwind. Playing with frosting is one way to do it. (lack of photo because it's late and I'm done waiting for blogger to upload. I'll try later.)

Back to the movies. The Grinch reminds me of Uncle Serge, (not because of resemblance in any way, don't put words in my mouth) but because I saw it with him and Vicky in the theater when it came out Christmas 2000 and he loved it. They probably remember that year as the year in the rental but I remember that year as a fantastic year with lots of great movies, warm nights, a rescue attempt on Vicky's part after I spent the semester cutting my own hair at random hours of the night.. (YES, CUTTING MY OWN HAIR! Wow...freshman really should not be allowed to be that stupid)

What is your favorite holiday movie? I want to make sure I see all the great ones this year.

my sister since second grade

December is here and the holiday season has started out in a really great way for me. Jackie and Jeff blessed Lucy today and as I sat listening to the sweet promises given to her by her dad I thought about how her mom has been such a blessing in my life. Jackie will always have a special corner in my heart.

She and I go back to the first day of second grade. My mom had already left and I was sitting on a bench outside feeling dejected and pathetic when Jackie's mom Dixie (Mme Sloan - my french teacher) brought Jackie over to sit next to me and told me Jackie would be new to my class. It wasn't an instant thing, the two of us, it came a little later when we were desk partners and found out we were born a day apart, at the same hospital. We dreamt up all sorts of crazy things like that we had been born only a minute apart 11:59 pm for me, 12:00 am for her, and even possibly that we were long lost twins (it's a fairy tale easier to believe when one party is adopted, the possibilites are endless!) We also believed we were crib partners long before we ever shared desks. We were inseparable from there on out and I am so proud of the fact that I that after the years I still have such an outstanding woman as a friend.

My wish to Lucy today is that she finds someone early on in life who will be as dear a friend as Jackie has been to me.

(We're not in this picture, but that's our math teacher Mrs. Bruerton. She made me cry many times. I hated math even then.)

Once, a silly boyfriend I had years ago accused me of not having any friends... and the funny thing is, I believed him! Was I delusional? I am so so blessed with the friends that I have.

Sorry, no pics of baby lulu. I walked home from church with Jackie and left my camera in my car, but believe me, she is beautiful.

Have you noticed how many babies I've talked about lately? You're not losing count, there were SIX born between September and October, all girls but one.

old post, cool award

I was digging around looking for something in particular in my old drafts and found this awesome award I won. Ok, so there weren't any other people competing but still, I won it.