somethingcharmingtosay

ta-da!

2010-09-26T18:26:00.000-07:00

i got married. obviously!

we started a new blog!

head over here to share in our adventures!

love,
-lauren

delighted. and delayed.

2010-09-02T21:19:00.000-07:00

first off;
august 14 2010 was the best day of my whole dang life!
i was sealed to brian in the temple! we will be a family forever.
it was a beautiful day full of family and friends and lots of love.
we shared it with so many people. we were pleased to have them there!
we feel blessed with our families and the people who love us.
and with how much we love each other!
life is beautiful.

dear brian.
i love you.
yours,
-mrs. thomson

secondly;
words can't sufficiently express my feelings for that day,
so,
lets supplement with some photos?

heres a sneak peek of our wedding photos.
my sister took them. isn't she the bomb?
seriously, sister.
thank you.
there is no one else in this whole wide world i'd want to take my wedding photos.

love,
-lauren

tomorrow!

2010-08-13T12:54:00.000-07:00

tomorrow! tomorrow, i get to marry my best friend!

he is my favourite. he makes me laugh & smile everyday. he is friendly & happy. he is a good talker & an even better listener. he is faithful & strong. he loves the gospel & life. he is adventurous & funny. he loves me & i love him.

and isn't he just the handsomest?

tomorrow!

rad

2010-08-04T21:33:00.001-07:00

i think this is awesome.

hi!

2010-07-31T19:19:00.000-07:00

i'm alive!

just so busy planning this delightful little wedding of ours. there will be little girls in frilly skirts and baby boys in bow ties. there will be green and yellow flowers. there will be plenty of family to help celebrate our day with us. there will be sunshine. (fingers crossed.)

oh, AND! my dress is here!

...i may have played dress up every night since its arrival.

love,
-l.

more!

2010-07-12T21:25:00.000-07:00

so so delightful.

my very favourite...

bo & kimmy

2010-07-11T22:39:00.000-07:00

its fun to have friends getting married this summer, too!

i was so lucky to be able to photograph this wedding. kimmy, an old roommate of mine, is a delight of a lady. she likes all things lovely. the wedding was gorgeous.

here's a little teaser. more to come, i promise!

hi!

2010-07-10T08:40:00.000-07:00

thick into wedding plans.

all i think about these days are dresses & colors, flowers & songs, apartments & packing.

and.

this guy...

engaged!

2010-07-05T22:03:00.001-07:00

its true! you've heard correctly!

brian & i are engaged! and so happy & excited to tell it!

we got engaged last wednesday! brian asked me to be his as we watched a perfect sunset on the road back home. it couldn't have been more perfect. we are happy & excited & looking forward to this new adventure. we were able to be home for the long weekend to celebrate and plan with our awesome families. we love them so much and are grateful for their support!

this boy is my best friend! i'm so happy we get to be best friends, forever!

isn't he just the handsomest?
i love this man!

singles ladies

2010-07-02T22:14:00.000-07:00

i am not one.

he likes it, so he put a ring on it.
(more to come.)

mmm.

2010-06-28T18:46:00.001-07:00

fresh salsa, baby.
the most delicious dinner to have on a day you don't feel much like cooking.
or a hot day.
or for a snack.
or any day, really.

absolutely delicious.

one can of black beans
one can of corn kernals
two tomatoes
one or two avocados
one lemon, freshly squeezed
some salt
fresh cilantro

rinse, chop up, squeeze, sprinkle and mix those up.
eat on tortilla chips or on thinly sliced zucchini.

enjoy!

delightful

2010-06-23T19:06:00.000-07:00

also yesterday.

birthday bash with this little delight.

how cute is this kid?
she's so fun.

...and yes. that is giant cupcake.

p.s. i'll get 'em to you right away, jenny!
thanks for letting me do this!

in memory

2010-06-22T07:26:00.000-07:00

in memory of my dear red bike.

we bought you second hand.
you had rust on your body and you squeaked when i went too fast.
you had a bell that i rung and brian put a basket on you so i could go to the grocery store.

i went outside to take you for a ride this morning and you were gone.
i'm sad and i'll miss you.

sincerely,
-lauren

p.s. to whoever stole it?

....you're a jerk.

lately

2010-06-01T12:01:00.000-07:00

spring has sprung!

brian & i were cleaning out his backyard a couple of weeks ago when we found an old pink toilet. we had the genius idea to take it to the front yard and plant flowers in it.
its hilarious!

we had so much fun doing it, and the flowers are growing so big and beautiful.
i still laugh every time i see it!

because

2010-05-18T16:06:00.000-07:00

because these are hot off the presses.
because mike & sarah are just so dang cute.
because this is love.

enjoy!

p.s. mike?
these last few are for you...

and last, but not least...

look-alike

2010-05-12T23:28:00.000-07:00

so, a couple of weeks ago, my friend andrew texted me to tell me he'd just seen a bus stop with a picture of a girl that seriously had my face. he told me it was an ad for the grant macewan arts campus, which is weird, because thats where i attended.

fast forward a week and a half. bri and i are driving down 109th, and we pass this bus stop.

brians jaw literally dropped. how is it even possible that a cartoon version of me ended up on a bus stop? on a poster? in grant macewan?
we joked that it was a sketch that some boy in my class must have done while i watched the teacher. ha.
in actuality, its not me.
really.

but the resemblance is uncanny.

even bri thinks so...

what do you think?

teaser

2010-04-26T22:09:00.000-07:00

rachael & kevin got married last wednesday.
best. wedding.
i loved it.

here's a sneak preview.
more to come...

sharing

2010-04-20T14:46:00.000-07:00

yesterday was a good day.
i baked cupcakes. like, a lot of them. and i made the icing NEON.
everything is cooler in neon.

plus, i rediscovered ben kweller.
i love him.
you should too.
he's a delight.
here's a ben kweller playlist for you!
and YES, he does cover vanilla ice's hit "ice ice baby."
awesome.
enjoy!

old bananas.

2010-04-16T11:20:00.000-07:00

this week, i am so thankful that old bananas have an use...a delicious use!

oh, banana bread. the love of my life...

four eggs

five over-ripe bananas (you know. when they're yucky and brown.)

one cup of shortening (half & half with margarine, if you want.)

two cups of white sugar

four cups of flour

two teaspoons of baking soda

one teaspoon of salt

one cup of chopped walnuts (this is optional. i'm poor, so nuts are a treat!)

beat eggs until thick. add mashed bananas. beat until smooth and liquid; set aside. (this mixture looks so gross. don't worry. it'll be delicious.) in another larger bowl, cream shortening and sugar together until fluffy. beat in egg and banana mixture. add flour, baking soda and salt. stir until mixed.

put into two bread pans and bake at 300 degrees for 75 minutes. watch them after 60 minutes. mine usually finish around 70 minutes, so be sure to keep an eye on them.

next, eat at least two slices fresh from the oven, with butter.

oh, YUM.

enjoy!

remember?

2010-04-14T06:23:00.000-07:00

hey sister.

do you remember when we loved this song?

it made me laugh to think of it.

love,

sister.

news!

2010-04-11T19:59:00.000-07:00

remember rachael?

she's ENGAGED!!

this is pretty dang exciting! i love love love these two!

they're delightful & fun & just good good people.

congrats, dear friends!

p.s. i'm throwing rachaels bridal shower on tuesday.

games ideas, please?

and thank you!

i am who i am

2010-04-05T18:26:00.000-07:00

i belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and i am so thankful i do.

this past weekend was general conference, a time when the leaders of our church speak to the members. its ten hours of instruction over two days, and its always incredible. this past weekend was no different.

"we are who we are.

we know what we know.

we must go forth and preach the Gospel."

-boyd k. packer

if we keep the commandments and pattern our lives after Christ,

not only will we gain eternal life,

but we will also leave the world more wonderful than it would have been

if we had not.

-keith b. mcmullin

"to qualify for

and learn

how to receive personal revelation

is the most important thing

we can learn in this life."

-julie b. beck

' "what you do speaks so loudly

that

i cannot hear what you say." '

-ralph waldo emerson, via m. russell ballard

it is so important to be strong in things such as

values,

morals,

ethical standards

and my faith in the gospel,

for,

one day,

these are the most important things

i will teach in my home,

to my children.

-l. tom perry

' "when the Lord commands, do it." '

-joseph smith, via bruce a. carlson

"the only real control in life is self control."

-jeffrey r. holland

"no matter the situation,

our response can reset the course of your life

...

never let an earthly circumstance

disable you spiritually."

-donald l. hallstrom

"learn what we should learn,

do what we should do,

and be who we should be."

-henry b. eyring

just a few of the things that stood out to me.

this is gospel is my heart, my soul, my mind and my life.

love,

suggestions?

2010-03-30T19:58:00.000-07:00

...got any suggestions?

for the name of our girl band?

because, seriously, we're legit.

band photos first.

development of musical talent later.

(dibs on the tambourine.)

take a look-see.

we had so so much fun being vain & getting our photos taken.

ha. don't judge.

thanks, amy!!

enjoy!

yes, amy is actually in the air. awesome. so awesome.

greatest graffiti wall in our city. i've loved it since i moved here.

why yes, we did climb from this dumpster to the top of a building. thought we'd stop for a little photo op on our way down.

(gah. i so wish i was serious faced in that one. can you say cd cover?)

loved this spot. i want engagement photos here. and wedding. the color is RAD.

"pretzel of love."

and here's some more that we took on cathys camera...

i love me my britt.

yup. she's gettin' fresh.

our fearless photographer. we love you!

...because intensely frightening facial expression weren't allowed on the professional camera...

girls. girls. girls.

2010-03-25T09:30:00.000-07:00

roommate weekend.

we did the EQ basketball tournament,

hair,

pizza,

car dancing & singing to "don't stop believing"

(i can't believe we haven't been signed yet.),

cabbage salad,

nail polish,

ice cream,

girly movies

AND,

the cherry on top...

...a photo shoot.

enjoy!

(we did. really.)

i really, really, really like my roommates.

p.s. the photo shoot photos will come in another post.

soon...

BANGS, baby!

2010-03-21T18:07:00.000-07:00

this is my face.

this is my face; with BANGS.

real & serious bangs.

de-lightful.

i like 'em. a lot.

they're not the greatest photos, but they're something.

welcome, bangs!

p.s. yup. these photos were taken in the kitchen, and yup, i am wearing an apron.

deal.

hey!

2010-03-15T22:48:00.000-07:00

in my defense, i was incredibly over-tired the first time i watched this video.

however, i just watched it again.

and yup.

it's funny.

i don't care if you don't think it is;

i think it's hilarious.

lauren; 634,983 . oven; 1

2010-03-08T08:19:00.001-08:00

the kitchen is my place of therapy.

when i'm feeling stressed, upset, sad or otherwise less than joyous, i remedy that by creating something in the kitchen.

a pan of cookies, a giant pot of chili, cinnamon buns, a delicious stir fry are all examples of things i've made to get my mind off of other things. i like making things that are meticulous. things that take a lot of chopping, stirring, mixing; things that take a lot of time.

i made cinnamon buns on saturday night, something i haven't done in a long time, but something my roommates and friends have always looked forward to. i don't mean to brag, but i have really great buns. (i had to. i had to!)

anyways. no matter how many times i make the cinnamon buns, i always forget to leave more space between them. they get all big and puffy in the oven, and when they do, the caramel underneath them gets pushed up, and out, and into the oven. making things smokey. and kinda yucky smelling.

so, inevitably, it happened on saturday night. i went into the kitchen to get on the buns, and when i opened the open, smoke poured out. i put a big cookie sheet under the pan of buns, hoping to catch future caramel drips, closed the oven, and thought nothing of it.

five minutes later. i hear something funny in the kitchen. i open the oven, and there are FLAMES! flames, people. flames, orange & frightening, licking the bottom of the cookie sheet.

holy bananas!! i screamed, "there's a fire in the oven!!"

after laughing and panicking and a general hub-bub, i put it out.

whew.

seriously.

a fire.

in my oven!

good news; the cinnamon buns turned out absolutely delectable.

maybe the flames did 'em good. a little final broil for those babies.

p.s. i actually cannot believe i missed the entire month of february.

i'm absolutely ashamed of myself.

and i'm back.

i'm back.

curry, baby

2010-01-31T20:06:00.000-08:00

i looooooove curry.

like, a lot.

so does my friend russell.

on wednesday, he came over and made a huge pot of curry.

like, giiiiiigantic.

we loved it.

and have continued to love it, day after day after day, because of the ridiculous amount of leftovers!!

i even made fresh naan bread! for the first time! all by myself! and it was de-lish.

(i'll even share the recipe. go here. so good!)

oh, curry. how i love thee...

p.s. we've been enjoying an awesome fort in our living room for the past week or so.

SO RAD. we have sleepovers. and watch movies.

i feel like i'm twelve again, and i love it.

peace out, january. see you in eleven months, friend.

baby mittens!!

2010-01-22T20:03:00.000-08:00

do you know what this means?

he's HERE! baby boy henrie!

he arrived around 10:30 this morning, a delightful little bundle with dark hair & big lips.

he's such a good mix of jordan & dani.

really; such a beautiful little man.

i was lucky enough to be able to meet him when he was just a few hours old.

presenting,

HAYLEN J.

welcome, beautiful boy haylen.

love you already.

sunshine and smiles. and angels.

2010-01-19T10:17:00.000-08:00

if this upbeat, bright, fun little mash-up doesn't bring a smile to your face,

i'm not sure what will.

love,

-lauren

goings on

2010-01-14T13:53:00.000-08:00

january has been busy, and will continue to be.

new year! brand new roommate! there's five of us now, so i share the loft again. i forgot how much i love that delightful little room. its roomy, its got a walk-in closet and brittany and i get the best view of the city. welcome, brittany! its a pleasure to have you in our house!

new age! i turned 22! it feels funny. when people asked me how old i am, i reply, almost without thinking, "18!" but then i remember i'm done school, and i've lived on my own for nearly three years, and sometimes i buy things like kitchen ware and bedroom furniture. ha. it feels good though. i feel ready for the new year, ready for new and exciting things! so get ready friends, this year is going to be a good one. i can feel it.

new baby! my brother and his wife are going to have baby #1 so soon. i'm especially excited for this baby because they live a mere four blocks away from me. i hope dani knows what this means...i will be there, lots. getting my fill of baby time.

new activities! hello, FROST WEEK. the yearly, new year weekend full of dancing, galaxy land and various social events. galaxy land is always a rad night for me. i love ride, a self proclaimed adrenaline junkie. however, i will admit this...the swing of the century makes me a little bit queasy. put me on any roller coaster, flip it upside down and over and go at a warp speed, shoot me up in a rocket-powered seat and bounce me around for a bit at the top, toss me around in a two person cart as i travels around a tiny track, i can handle all that. strap me into a swing that looks like it was made for toddlers and go around and around, and i will always get light headed. weird? yes. but its the truth.

here's a few photographs from the weekend. most of the photo cred goes to cathy, the girl i can always trust to have a camera. one photo i stole from beth, a friend of mine. enjoy!

me, cathy & paula owning the dance floor.

why yes, cathy is talented! i adore this girl.

trick riding!

...trick riding?

trick riding! (and a giant mouth...ha.)

bethany & i on the carousel...and willie in the background.

no idea what he's up to,

what he's expressing,

or just what was running through his mind at this very moment.

fabulous. ha.

willie & doug ridiculousness. always.

more willie & doug ridiculousness. what a delightful pair of friends these two are!

i'm completely devastated this photo is blurry.

whatta rad crew.

hi melissa!

aaaand, my favourite photo/event of the entire night. we got a huge group together,

and piled everyone on the pirate ship.

then we had a yelling contest. every time your side of the ship went up,

you had to scream as loud as you possibly could.

i could hardly yell, because i was laughing too hard, mostly because this is the view i had.

everyone having the time of the life, while derek screams in pain. too much noise, he claimed.

later during the ride, he leaned forward to the middle of the ship and cried out,

"when will this be overrrrr?"

oh, seasickness at the amusement park.

enjoy your january, your start to the new year.

live, love, laugh.

love,

-lauren

the littlest birds

2010-01-07T20:06:00.000-08:00

this lovely little ditty was one of my favourite songs of the past year.

its earned a special little spot in my musical heart,

so i wanted to share it with you!

listen to it.

and then listen to it again.

and again and again.

enjoy!

bookie

2010-01-06T08:14:00.001-08:00

hi. my name is lauren, and i'm a bookie.

for real people. i think i might actually be addicted to books.

i love books.

new books and old books.

funny books and sad books.

books about adventure and books about growth.

metaphorical books and books that are just a story.

books full of characters i grow to love and ones with character i truly and fully dislike.

as i sit here writing this, two new books sit in front of me, watching me, begging me to start reading. they smell fresh, new and none of the pages are bent. they are beautiful, clean and untouched.

as i sit here writing this, the book i'm currently reading sits beside me, open to my favourite page. this book is old, worn and messy. i bought it second hand. i write in it and mark the best passages. i dog ear the pages regularly. this book is beautiful, a little bit of a mess, but beautiful.

my only problem with books is that i always have too many i need to read. i am currently reading three books;

1984 by George Orwell

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

and

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

just looking at that list, it makes me laugh a little bit. none of those books are anything like the other, but i love them all.

so yes, i am a bookie.

and now i want to know, what good books have you read lately?

any that i should add to my ever growing list of must-reads?

do tell, friends.

the hills are alive...

2009-12-27T21:31:00.000-08:00

...with the sound of music.

please.

PLEASE

tell me you love this movie.

i adore it!

i remember watching it as a little girl.

being in awe of the colors and the beauty and the dresses and oh! the singing.

it came on t.v. tonight.

just when my mama was putting halle in bed.

so livvy and i started watching it.

i wasn't sure if she'd last through the whole thing, but i knew i wanted to watch it.

so watch it i did.

and livvy sat with me the whole time.

and she loved it.

it was fun to see her as she watched it.

she giggled when the kids and maria fell out of the canoe, smiled whenever they sang,

and covered her face when the captain kisses maria.

which is, by the way, magical.

it was so wonderful to spend the time with livvy while she saw the sound of music for the first time.

...until eleven o'clock at night.

approximately three and a half hours past her regular bed time.

and she got tired silly. it was hilarious.

she is totally my niece.

she digs old musicals and gets ridiculous when she's over tired.

such a hoot!

so, after the movie was over, we had a tiny photo booth photo shoot.

obviously.

here are the results.

crazy faces. because we're up so dang late.

ha. she actually really does like me!

she wanted to take a "fake sleeping" picture.

this kid is awesome.

and i adore her.

...shh. don't tell her mom i kept her up so late.

p.s. christopher plummer is like, so handsome.

what i wouldn't give to be maria...

also. please watch the trailer.

so long, farewell

auf weidersehen goodbye!

tunes!

2009-12-23T22:03:00.000-08:00

to get your fill of christmas tunes, listen up!

old. new. ridiculous. traditional. a little reliant k and a lot of sufjan.

keep listening to get your fill of james taylor & the jackson five.

and who doesn't love a little mariah carey?

enjoy!

high-low

2009-12-22T10:26:00.000-08:00

i am finally home.

my life over the last couple of days has been like a series of unfortunate events, dotted with particularly bright moments.

high. saturday was rad. amy & i had previously found bacon in the freezer, leftover from old roommates that are now long gone. we fried it up, made french toast, and had friends over for saturday morning breakfast where we discussed the song "i saw mommy kissing santa claus." i was ashamed to admit that i only recently realized that santa is daddy! duh. obviously. but when i did, i found i was actually enlightening two other individuals to the fact.

high. rachael came into the city on saturday night, and we went to see a musical version of "a christmas carol", featuring my aunt and three cousins. it was hysterical, and featured a number of excellent surprises, such as; jacob marleys ghost on the electric guitar, dancers in turquoise spandex lip syncing to abba and an acrobatic double for scrooge. so fun.

low. the car ran out of gas.

high. church on sunday was incredible. amy played a beautiful christmas medley. it was wonderful! we watched mr. krugers christmas in sunday school and shared out testimonies in relief society. i am thankful for the blessings of the gospel in my life.

low. when i got home, a tooth that previously had a root canal cracked.

low. and then came the pain. and a lot of it.

high. after picking up my prescription for pain killers, amy & i wrapped ourselves up in blankets and watched some gilmore girls.

high. i had the greatest night of sleep. a solid ten hours. delightful.

low. i went to the dentist on monday and he ripped my tooth out. really. he yanked on it. pulled it. wrenched it. (but on the way to the dentist amy & i sang glee songs! high!)

low. its gone.

high. its a molar. i don't look like a hill billy! and for that, i am truly grateful.

low. ow. owie owie ow.

high. my christmas present for my mama is all done, and she is going to love it. (photos will be featured at a later date. i am dang proud of my work.)

high. finished packing, with time to spare.

low. got on the midnight bus. with like, a bajillion other people.

high. made friends with a man in line and agreed to be seat buddies. if i have to sit by someone, at least it could be someone nice. and friendly. and who is in possession of all limbs and eyeballs. (the first time i took the midnight bus home, i was a wee babe. just nineteen. in line for my bus i saw a man who strongly resembled a pirate. a scary one. peg leg. eye patch. parrot. ... just kidding about the parrot. the rest is true.) my seat buddy for last night was rad. he's almost done school to be a music teacher for elementary school kids and he's the youngest of seven kids. we had a lot in common and lots to talk about.

low. the couple in front of us insisted on being rude and reclining their seats, even though i asked them nicely not to. meanies.

low. the bus left edmonton an hour and a half late. yipee!!

low. my face still hurts.

high. i'm finally here, home for christmas. home with the people i love, waiting for more people i love to arrive.

high. my sister brought breakfast to the bus depot for me.

high. i got to help my niece pick out a christmas present for her big sister.

high. i really really really like my family.

high. in two days, on christmas eve, we get to eat my mama's homemade perogies and sweet & sour meatballs and mushroom cream sauce. its like heaven...

i'm so thankful the highs outweigh the lows.

they always do.

i am thankful for my family and for christmas. i'm thankful for busses and for pillows. i'm thankful for roommates who take care of me and for pain killers. i'm thankful for baby hugs and funny little girls.

i hope everyone is enjoying this blessed season, and hopefully with their families.

make sure they know you love them. its the most important gift you can give.

merry christmas!!

new + christmas celebrations

2009-12-13T22:47:00.000-08:00

our house is turning over, again.

one roommate finished nursing school, another is moving to utah and the last is getting married in five days! hip hip hooray!

we've moved the two new girls in, and the four of us are having a fabulous weekend, roommate bonding and getting to know eachother better.

we love eachother.

we dressed up matchy-matchy for our ward christmas party!

and these are our friends! singing a song all about the troubles of dating in the ysa wards.

so funny. we enjoy them.

i seriously ADORE these girls...

...like, a lot.

* * * * *

have you heard?

edmonton is the coldest place in the world.

really.

"Environment Canada recorded a frigid -46.1 C, or -58.4 with wind chill, at the Edmonton International Airport at 5 a.m., Environment Canada meteorologist Pierre Lessard said."

go read about it here.

wanna know the worst part about this weather?

i woke up this morning to find my face was cold.

like, real cold.

i could barely pull myself from my bed, but when i finally did, i went downstairs and found

the kitchen flood frigid. skating-rink like. in my bare feet.

i checked the thermostat.

oh heyyyyy.

12 degrees.

wanna know the best part about this weather?

we came home from church, after the furnace man came by and fixed it.

we put blankets in all the doors and hung sheets over drafty areas.

we wrapped ourselves up and cuddled on the couch.

the thermostat was still only at 14.

after napping, resting, we cranked the oven up and i baked cookies all afternoon.

want proof?

(the flour on my arm is a nice touch, huh?)

we invited people over (body heat anyone?)

everyone decorated and ate cookies.

and played games.

aaaaand, this masterpiece emerged...

enjoy!

p.s. stay warm.

girls

2009-12-07T18:25:00.000-08:00

its a late update, but i got to visit my dear sister a couple of weekends ago.

its always a pleasure to be there. this trip was full of talking, christmas crafting, hazelnut milk steamers and cuddles with three of my favourite baby girls...

thanks for having me, sister.

p.s. kisses x 2

seeking employment

2009-12-04T11:35:00.000-08:00

so, as it turns out, i never received the internship position with tanner young publishing.

boo-urns.

but, through the connections i made during my summer internship, i have started my career as a freelance writer. i've teamed up with a graphic designer who's throwing my name at every client he knows needs a writer. things are getting moving, but both my schedule and my piggy bank aren't as full as they should be. oh, the woes of a recovering student.

i've been applying for jobs left and right these days, and i've gotten a number of responses. last week i applied for a job as a part time nanny, and the couple contacted me quickly. we spoke on the phone this monday and arranged for me to come over to meet them and the baby on wednesday afternoon. i arrived and found the couple agreeable, friendly, and the baby ridiculously adorable. he's seven months old and has the widest smile. so cute. we sat and visited and the baby warmed up to me. he came and sat on my lap and pulled my hair and laughed. we were getting along swimmingly and i was sure i was making a good impression on mom and dad. the mom started told me there was something they wanted to discuss with me, and started talking about their childs potty habits. he doesn't wear a diaper. at seven months old, they are attempting to potty train the kid. i know i'm not a baby genius, but isn't it a little early to completely subtract the diaper from the whole equation? its like sending an amateur skydiver out of the plane without instruction on how to use his 'chute. accidents happen.

all of this is running through my mind, while i'm holding the baby and he's yanking my hair (maybe this is why all mothers cut their hair short...). as the mother is finishing the info session on baby communication and how they're trying to teach theirs to learn to tell them he has to use the bathroom from an early age, my leg starts to feel warm. not like, warm & fuzzy-i-love-this-baby-and-want-to-be-his-nanny warm, but like, warm. as discreetly as possible, i tried to maneuver the baby into a position where i'd be able to investigate the situation without making the parents think i'm totally grossed out by holding a baby that doesn't wear a diaper. (side note: it doesn't gross me out. kudos to the family for doing their part to eliminate a pile of disposables the size of a comfortable four bedroom house in a landfill somewhere. really.) the mom mentioned that yes, of course, sometimes he pees his pants, but they have lots of pairs of pants for him. excellent. just then, the mom finishes up her spiel and baby lunges off my lap and toward her.

and there it is.

a big wet mark on my jeans.

right where the baby was sitting.

i tried to make the discovery as un-awkward as possible, and laughed as i pointed out the evidence on my pant leg. i said, "oh, i think he peed on me."

talk about an awkward situation, turned hilarious.

the dad exclaimed, "well, i guess he likes you! he's marking his territory."

phew.

i really did like the kid. and the parents.

but i have to say, its the first time i've been peed on during an interview.

warmth

2009-11-20T08:44:00.000-08:00

coolest.

balaclavas.

ever.

*see more, here.

p.s. balaclava is a funny word.

dearest

2009-11-11T20:49:00.001-08:00

she is home!!

rachael, my dear dear friend from our days of youth conferences and quadruple dates, is finally home from her mission! she served in nashville, tennessee, and spoke spanish while there. she flew in last wednesday, and it's so fun to have her home.

here's some photos while we impatiently waited for her to come out...

tu illumins mi vida. you light up my life. (she does. she really does.)

...and i was so dang excited (as you can tell by the above photo) to see her that hardly any pictures were taken after

she came out.

ha. i'm ridiculous.

don't fret, though. i'm so glad to have her home, and am so looking forward to future adventures that i'm quite certain

you'll hear lots about her in the days to come. she's the bomb.

seriously.

. . . . .

in other, and equally exciting news, my breanna got married!

i've known breanna since i moved to edmonton more than two years ago. (has it really been that long already?)

she's been such an amazing friend, and last year our house adopted her as our sixth roommate.

we sure do love her, but we'll willing to hand her over to trevor. the moment we met him we knew she was long gone.

congratulations, you two! love you lots!

isn't she absolutely stunning? so gorgeous.

me, breanna's little brother tristan and jaylene!

even heather came up for the wedding! i sure do miss having this dear cousin-friend as my roommate.

it's been a lovely week, full of welcomes & celebrations.

early mornings with a returned missionary

and

late nights making wedding favours.

lovely.

-lauren

here it goes

2009-11-09T09:51:00.001-08:00

...i can't believe i'm actually doing this.

here they are, ladies & gents.

the photos you've been waiting for, asking about.

brian & i, as white trash.

so legit, its scary.

doing a little shopping at the local 7.11

please, mock us.

we deserve it.

i'll feel better about posting these if every single one of you tells me how ridiculous we look. ha.

....honestly.

haunting!

2009-10-31T15:21:00.000-07:00

happy halloween, everybody!

brian & i may have dressed up as a white trash couple for the dance last night.

ha.

photos to come...

p.s. what is your favourite halloween movie to watch?

i need some ideas!

craft day!

2009-10-30T11:00:00.000-07:00

my sister-in-law and i had a craft day!

we bought these hideous frames for dirt cheap.

the pink ones are magnet boards! the frames were so banged up,

but they were the perfect size, and we loved the idea of a magnet photo frame!

after

four hours,

twenty mod-podge plastered fingers,

seven albums on my iTunes,

one severe mistake

and one batch of sweet potato fries,

our creations were finally finished.

and they look so dang cute!

here are dani's! for the babys' room!

and here are mine! i love them, and they look incredible with photos in them!

happy creating!

strings

2009-10-29T17:13:00.000-07:00

when you were little, did you ever pretend that there were strings attached to your lips?

and then you'd pull those imaginary strings, distorting your lips into grotesque and hilarious shapes and sizes?

please tell me you did it, and i'm not just crazy. (erin?)

today while i sat on the bus headed downtown, i laughed quietly to myself at the boy who sat at the very front, pulling and stretching his lips with the imaginary strings. it made me giggle, think of silly childhood things and smile as i got off the bus and walked in the bitter autumn wind.

then i got home and had a mug of white hot chocolate.

so yummy.

what made you laugh or smile today?

dance

2009-10-23T11:44:00.000-07:00

happy friday!

here's a happy video to share.

because hall & oates rock my world.

because you can't help but smile when you watch it.

and because every good movie should include a choreographed dance with strangers in a park.

would you please share your happy songs with me?

finally

2009-10-21T18:26:00.000-07:00

after practicing bikram (hot) yoga for just over a week, i am proud to announce that early this morning, i finally mastered all of the poses for the specified period of time.

including, this one. (i don't know the name. something i can't pronounce. ha.)

it felt good; pushing my body & mind past the limits i've placed upon them.

the room is kept at about 40 degrees celsius, a temperature i'm used to lounging on the beach in.

i now have a whole new definition for the word "hot."

did you do something new today?

what did you accomplish that made you feel glad or proud?

p.s. if you've never tried hot yoga, you gotta.

try and find a local studio. it should have some sort of one week trial period.

do it.

today

2009-10-20T11:33:00.001-07:00

"nothing in the past or future ever will feel like today."

every day is new.

each sunrise is fresh.

every day is a different opportunity.

i am thankful for each new day, unknown at dawn.

what will i do today?

who will i be?

what can i accomplish?

who can i love or help?

what can i create?

i'm not disregarding the importance of learning from the past, or the hopes we may have for our future. i understand that each is vital to a full and vibrant life.

but i am thankful for today.

i am thankful for each new day.

foxy

2009-10-13T22:48:00.000-07:00

who's excited for this?

i'm excited for this!!

summmmmer

2009-10-02T12:02:00.000-07:00

i finally got my hands on the greatest photo of the summer.

mud baths in the clay pits at wanasing beach, manitoba.

love it.

more!

2009-10-02T08:29:00.001-07:00

...and baby makes TEN!

My big brother Jess and his Jayna had baby number brought their THIRD baby into their family at 1:30 a.m. September 30. A baby boy, Evan Jess, brought the grand boy-baby count up to three! (There are seven girls. Apparently my family only makes girls!)

Evans big sisters love love love him.

Doesn't that just make your heart melt?

My brother has a seriously beautiful family...

...and I love them.

Love you, baby Evan! Can't wait to meet you!

Love,

Auntie Lauren

ukulele

2009-09-28T21:05:00.000-07:00

Main Entry: uku·le·le

Variant(s): also uke·le·le \ˌyü-kə-ˈlā-lē, ˌü-\

Function: noun

Etymology: Hawaiian ʽukulele, from ʽuku flea + lele jumping

Date: 1896

: a small guitar of Portuguese origin popularized in Hawaii in the 1880s and strung typically with four strings

I like ukulele's.

They are tiny, seemingly insignificant and terribly underestimated.

Last Thursday, I went to the Second Annual Ukulele Festival!

And let me tell you; it's getting better every year!

The festival is incredible, and raises money for a charity called Ukuleles for Peace.

I wrote a news story about the festival last year, and was able to learn about this incredible cause.

Paul Moore created Ukuleles for Peace as a way for Jewish and Arab children to meet each other and become involved in their daily lives.

Last fall, with the hard work Mathias Kom (who plays in Toronto's The Burning Hell) and Doug Hoyer, a local musician, Edmontons First Annual Ukulele Festival! It was a success, and I was so excited to hear it was happening again this year!

I got together with a group of roommates and friends and we headed downtown.

And seriously people, if you've never been to a ukulele festival, then you will never know the reason why I believe this tiny, seemingly insignificant is so dang underestimated.

I wish I had videos from the event, but I know even that wouldn't have sufficed.

As I listened, I was amazed by how differently each of these musicians wielded this little guitar.

I was impressed by what you can do with just four strings.

French music, gospel music, folk music, hip hop music, old music, new music, simple music, complex music; all played on the ukulele.

Some of my favourite moments of the night came from the local celebrities, The Be Arthurs.

(Go look them up on YouTube!)

Three grown men, two of them on the ukulele, one on the drums.

They played Toxic, they played My Heart Will Go On.

They played Bohemian Rhapsody.

They played Single Ladies.

AND DID THE DANCE.

Hilarious, fabulous and totally entertaining night, and all for a good cause.

So, next fall, come visit me in Edmonton, and we shall go Ukulele Festival'ing together.

P.S. Please, please, please do yourself a favour a click on the Doug Hoyer link, and listen to the song called "Tattoo." Such a quirky, unconventional love song, and I absolutely adore it.

for my mama

2009-09-23T23:21:00.000-07:00

this, is my mama.

(and baby jane!)

today is her birthday!

my mother is wonderful.

she is talented & kind & athletic & devoted.

most especially, she loves the gospel and her family,

and for that example,

i am most grateful.

every year i find i am thankful for something new & different given to me by my mama.

this time around, its all those hours she clocked as my "editor",

helping me to perfect speeches and essays of every genre.

it is, very much so, from my mother that i first learned to write, and to love the art of it.

so, thanks mama.

you're the best & kindest editor i've ever had and (i'd bet my life on it) ever will have.

but seriously.

can you believe she was born in '55?

do the math.

it doesn't make sense.

i know.

love you, mama.

pieces

2009-09-19T20:45:00.000-07:00

here they are ladies & gents,

little pieces of my life,

tiny bits from the last few weeks or so.

1. as i returned from the incredible month of august, i was hired as a part-time circuit coach at curves, a workout facility for women. i've worked there before, so the job is low stress and quite fun. i enjoy the walk to and from work, and the women i interact with there. i'm also enjoying the benefits of the work-out. my sister would laugh to hear that i think my rear end is, in fact, defying the genes it was given, and is learning to fill out my jeans. hallelujah!

2. i was contacted & interviewed by the editor of tanner young publishing. the office is small, the people are friendly and the publications are interesting. they're all magazine, so i'd never write a story about a break & enter or murder (those cop release stories almost killed me my first year of school. yuck.) and the deadlines are soft. sounds like the place for a lady like me. i'd be doing fact checking, editing, writing, photography and many different things. talk about a great opportunity to flex all the journalism-muscles i started developing in school and in my internship! the interview went well and, regardless of the outcome, you'll hear.

3. brians car decided to stop working for a few weeks, so for the last little while we've perfected an alternative (and environmentally friendly!) form of transportation. i sit cross legged on the front of his longboard, someone managing to take up little enough room that he is still able to ride it relatively comfortably. sometimes he even holds my shoulders like i'm a scooter. ha. a couple weeks ago, we rode to and from the wedding reception for some friends of mine in this manner. (don't worry; it was a casual-house-party-reception-thing so i wasn't wearing a dress.) while there, we played "pass the present" and brian won a box of microwaveable tupperware. so there we were, on the way home; ten o'clock at night, down a busy university student street, me, cross-legged with a box on my lap. when we hit that lip in the sidewalk and went flying, my nose met the sidewalk and my arms jammed into the box. brian leap-frogged, in a manner of speaking, over my head and bit the dust. we both layed there, varying expressions of pain escaping from our mouths. since brian is incredibly accident-prone, he deals with pain well. he came over to inspect my prospective wounds. as i watched his concerned face above mine, i burst into laughter. like, gut busting guffaws. i had all of a sudden realized, really & truly, how ridiculous we must have looked and wished that, somehow, someone could have caught our crash on camera. so funny.

4. my lovely sister turned 26. (am i allowed to disclose your age on the interweb?) how is it even possible that i remember, so clearly, our days together as children, and now she has three little baby girls of her own. its incredible. it wasn't that long ago when we shared a room, and erin put up no less that thirty-two posters of the ever-so handsome jonathon taylor thomas. it wasn't that long ago when we layed on our bunk beds, talking into the night (mostly because i talk in my sleep and erin found it so humorous.) it wasn't that long ago when we took photos while jumping from the porch ledge to the trampoline, attempting to achieve the perfect photo where it would look like we were flying. (of course, there was no such thing as digital cameras back then, so we couldn't check each photo. did we ever get that developed?) it wasn't that long ago when i went with my mama to every basketball game to watch my sister play, and then, wanting to be just like her, started my own little basketball career. it wasn't that long ago that i watched my sister start going on dates, growing up, leaving the house, and then marrying her man. she is more than a sister to me; she is one of my dearest friends. shout out, to my beautiful, wonderful, kind and talented sister.

5. last weekend, i got to head home to saskatoon for the blessing of erins youngest baby and my newest niece, sweet jane. it was a complete surprise and erin was thrilled. it was fun to spend the weekend with family and friends gathered to celebrate the birth of this beautiful and wonderful baby. i got to see laura & darren & baby renae, the cousins who are new to the great land of saskatchewan.

life is good.

i'm enjoying being busy.

and.

for your listening pleasure,

the song i cannot stop listening to.

EFY. round two.

2009-09-05T10:13:00.000-07:00

I am so behind on the blogging of my summer adventures, but one of the best things I did this summer was be an EFY counsellor for the second year in a row.

I had such an amazing time last summer, that I knew I had to do it again.

My co-counsellor was incredible. We had a great time planning and teaching and laughing together and with our kids.

My kids were wonderful. So many fabulously unique and distinct children of our Heavenly Father, with a vibrant love of the gospel and a testimony of the happiness it brings.

The theme this year was "Be Thou An Example." I learned so much, as a counsellor, about being an example, but also about learning from the example of others. It astonishes me, and makes me so happy, when I think about some much I learned from my kids, from the other counsellors there and from the teachers who prayerfully taught the words of the gospel.

All my kids.

Aren't they cute?

Our group was called "Not Puffed Up."

They created this INCREDIBLE cheer on Wednesday night for the competition,

and we placed second in our age group. So awesome!

The girls on Pizza Night. We had a blast!

500 teenagers working on a service project. We got to color car playing mats for

day cares and hospitals this year.

So fun!

My co-counsellor, Steve, having arm wrestles with the boys.

He schooled them, they adored him, and by day two, all called him "Guns."

Probably the greatest photo of our entire group all together.

This was right before the kids placed second in the cheer off!!

Everybody loves banquet night!

Here's a few photos...

Steve & I...

And how we actually felt on Friday night...

I also enjoyed seeing a few of my kids from last year! Oh, my dears. These kids are SO dear to me.

Ashley, MacKenzie, Chris (my co), me and Travis!

Me & Heather, my dear cousin-friend, were counsellors the same week!

Matt has the greatest eyebrows!

(Also, don't you LOVE the fluorescent counsellors shirts this year? SO RAD.)

My dearest friends;

Jaylyn, me, Tiffany, Heather & Cathy.

Me & Max!

Me & Cathy!

Love these girls.

We were all counsellors together last year, and I think they're amazing!

I had such an incredible week at EFY!

Again, severe lack of sleep and sick cafeteria food,

but I love EFY.

-L.

published, baby

2009-09-02T09:13:00.000-07:00

I have exciting news.

Super exciting news.

The internship that I worked on for five intense weeks has, truly, been completed.

The paper that I wrote for that distributed to the people of Edmonton yesterday, September 1.

It's a feature issue, this one focusing on the "Sizzling Twenty Under Thirty."

It was a neat experience to look at it for the first time.

The editors and designers did an amazing job of putting everything together in such a pleasing manner.

It really is so fabulous!

To view the stories and photos online, go here.

There's a light grey box on the right hand side of the page labeled "current sizzlers."

That's it!!

P.S. I was also featured in the magazine, with a little write up about my experience as the profiler.

Raddest glamour photo shoot of my life.

This last photo is one they didn't print...

...for obvious reasons.

I like to call it my "serious journalist face."

Ha!

I promise I am not that scary when I interview!!

baby

2009-08-15T20:10:00.000-07:00

Can I tease you like this?

My sister had her baby very early this morning.

A brrrrand new baby girl; Jane.

Beautiful, with dark hair and the roundest face you've ever seen.

She weighed in at 9 lbs, 9 oz, a big baby for my little-older sister.

The two older sisters love her, and can't wait for mama to bring her home.

I've got photos, but I'm a good 237 km away from my USB cord.

So, you'll have to practice some patience and wait.

.....

Good thing my sister is the blogging queen.

Presenting, baby Jane.

escape

2009-08-01T06:11:00.000-07:00

Ah.

As I sit in my room, completing the very last of all my pieces, I can't help but let my mind wander,

wander over the next three or so weeks.

First off, later today, I head to Calgary to participate as a counsellor at EFY, again.

I couldn't be more excited!

I'm looking forward to meeting my new kids and potentially seeing a few of my old ones!

I'm so excited to

dance

and sing

and laugh

and play

and teach

and learn

and grow!

And wear bright polos!

I'm excited to get up early and go to bed late, and wear myself out.

Seriously!

Say whatever you want, I love EFY!

After that, Brian will come meet me in Calgary, and we'll make the journey out to our native land.

We'll go to Saskatoon and see the new baby that's coming...

...right, Erin? (I'm so excited!!)

We'll go to Regina to see my mama!

Then it's out to Manitoba to meet up with Brian's family at their cabin.

It's so gorgeous out there, and I can't wait to swim and sunbathe.

Also, another new baby to meet!

And THEN,

(I know, right?)

we drive back up to Northern Alberta for my family reunion.

And I'm not talking your regular-everyday type of family reunion.

Nope.

The Mendenhalls do it right.

I have 37 first cousins, and a fabulous group of aunts and uncles.

I can't wait to see everyone!

Is that it?

Maybe.

There miiiight even be a trip out to BC to see my brother and his wife and the kids!

And then I'll come home and potentially sleep for 72 hours straight.

Happy summer holidays!

late

2009-07-29T06:32:00.000-07:00

I just found this photo from my New York trip, and it caught my eye.

The Empire State Building.

I took this shot the same day I went to the Brooklyn Bridge,

so it was slightly overshadowed by the majesty of and my excitement for the old Bridge.

But I saw it,

and loved it.

So I thought I would share it.

Sincerely,

-L.

write

2009-07-23T10:11:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce that the internship I was awarded so many months ago is moving along swimmingly.

Although I began a few weeks later than I thought I would, things are going well.

I'm interviewing my last subject later this afternoon. I cannot believe how quickly those twenty interviews flew by.

I'm working on a project for The Edmontonians, a magazine focused on business here in the city. The September publication is "The Sizzling Twenty Under Thirty." Nominations are received, and my editor picked out who she believed deserved to be recognized as one of the cities top business people under the age of thirty.

At first I thought that all of the people who be the same, a cookie-cutter business person, set out to get money and fame and that huge house on the hill.

Turns out,

I was wrong.

(A feeling I'm quite familiar with. Ha.)

I can't tell you how neat its been to interview this diverse and innovative group of people.

I've interviewed a woman who moved to Canada from Yugoslavia at the age of seven and opened her own massage therapy college just 12 years later, at the age of 19.

I've talked to a man who is a world class sprinter, and will be competing in the 2010 Olympics on the Canadian bobsled team.

I've visited with a girl who, after graduating from the University of British Columbia with a major in Asian Studies and a minor in Film, jumped on a plane with a camera in hand and hardly anything else. She's been working on a documentary about the conflict in Southern Thailand called "Same Same But Different." Also, check out this website she's created. It's going to change the world.

I just barely interviewed a young man who, at barely 20 years old, is the youngest of all. He is an internationally recognized musician, who has organized immense musical projects and is currently studying at the Manhattan School of Music.

I've sat down with so many people over these last few weeks, and the interviews have played out differently than I first thought they would.

In school I was always taught to;

"Be a professional!"

"Have your interview mapped out before you arrive."

"Make sure that you're running the show."

...but every time I sit down to do an interview, I forget all of that.

We meet in coffee shops, in restaurants, in peoples homes. They let me into an intimate part of their lives when we visit and I'm able to discover who they are and why they love what they do.

And that's what it feels like; visiting.

I feel like I'm sitting down with a friend, albeit a new friend. The first few questions might be awkward, or forced, but then something funny or personal comes out, and I get to find out the unique things about them, the things that makes them tick.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why I wanted to study Journalism in the first place.

I feel like it's never been just the story for me, but the people within the story.

Who they are, and why they are the story.

Oh, and, the fact that I'm kickin' it in a hammock right now, shaded by my jungle of a backyard, makes freelance pretty dang appealing...

moustache

2009-07-20T22:20:00.000-07:00

Place him among the likes of men such as

Groucho Marx,

Charlie Chaplin,

Freddie Mercury,

George Harrison,

Jimi Hendrix,

Mahatma Gandhi

and even Mario & Luigi;

my boy is a moustache man.

He did it as a joke last week, when both he and his best friend shaved full beards into ridiculous pieces of facial hair. Greg opted for the Handlebar, while Brian tried the classic moustache.

He left it on this weekend when he came to visit.

I couldn't stop laughing, but I secretly like it. It's just so...Brian. If anyone can rock it, he can.

These photos are my favourite thing, ever.

Anyone else think he looks like a news anchor from the seventies?

Ha.

baby Renae

2009-07-13T21:49:00.000-07:00

Remember these two?

Well, I was right about the beautiful babies thing.

Darren & Laura welcomed little Renae into the world, and I was able to meet her this weekend.

She is a beauty; absolute perfection under nine pounds.

She's got Darrens' eyes and her lips and nose belong to Laura.

So, so, so gorgeous.

We caught her in this adorable little thinking pose this weekend.

Isn't she a beauty?

I always love being around newborns.

So calm and peaceful and fresh.

Love that new baby smell.

Welcome, baby Renae!

P.S. Hey Erin?

I can't wait to meet your munchkin.

Aaaand,

while I'm on the topic,

two of my three sister-in-laws are also expecting in the coming months!

So many babies!!

missing

2009-07-04T09:16:00.001-07:00

For the past two summers,

I had the opportunity to work as the groundskeeper for the Regina, Saskatchewan Temple.

I saw it again last weekend, at the end of June when the flowers are reaching their fullest & brightest.

I sure do miss this place.

intro

2009-06-24T10:16:00.000-07:00

World?

Meet Brian.

up

2009-06-21T23:08:00.000-07:00

Do yourself a favour, and go see this movie.

Its incredible.

walkin' round a zoo

2009-06-19T11:32:00.000-07:00

well, in five years time

we could be walkin' round a zoo,

with the sun shinin' down

over me & you.

beautiful

2009-06-10T10:09:00.000-07:00

Life is Beautiful.

If you've never seen this film, please go out and rent it right now.

Be sure to get the subtitled version; you need to hear it in Italian.

It's beautiful.

Life, that is.

And this film will remind you of that.

"What kind of place is this? It's beautiful; pigeon fly, women fall from the sky! I'm moving here!"

backstreet

2009-06-07T09:56:00.000-07:00

If you've ever had a crush on Kevin, Nick, Brian, AJ or Howie D,

(or even if you know who they are...)

you should've been at my house last night.

Two of my roomates and I watched old Backstreet Boys videos for over an hour.

"All I Have To Give"

"I Want It That Way"

"Everybody"

"As Long As You Love Me"

Just a few of the classics we enjoyed.

It was hilarious, and brought back so many memories of my early adolescence.

My first cassette tape, ever, was the first one put out by the Backstreet Boys.

My earliest celebrity crush was, you guessed it, Brian Littrell. (What a babe!)

Oh, the memories.

Backstreet Boys,

you will always have a piece of my heart.

Oh. Get over yourself and admit it.

You love the Backstreet Boys.

oh, home

2009-06-03T17:08:00.000-07:00

Weekends at home,

and why I simply adore them.

My best friends & their beautiful baby...

The little brother I never had...

Cute little red-haired babies...

And the celebration of the marriage of two of the best people I know...

brooklyn bridge, baby

2009-05-27T23:10:00.000-07:00

Tonight we did a couple of different things,

all fabulous,

but the only thing I feel like posting right now is photos of the Brooklyn Bridge.

We went right around sunset,

when the lighting was perfect.

Absolute perfection.

I'm not going to say much,

and I'm also not going to be very picky about what photos I post.

Enjoy the walk.

We did.

P.S. More photos of today,

coming tomorrow.

memorial memories

2009-05-25T21:13:00.000-07:00

I scored big time in my trip to New York, and have celebrated long weekends for the past two.

So today I wish you a Happy Memorial Day!

Yesterday was a really lovely Sunday. I almost felt like I was at home.

First of all, I got to see the temple on Sunday afternoon.

We drove into the city for church, and went to the chapel thats inside the temple.

It was beautiful.

Incredible.

A dedicated House of God in the middle of a bustling city.

The day was so chill.

We went to Battery Park and saw the boats going out and coming in from Ellis Island and The Statue of Liberty.

Then we met up with our new friend Danni and went back to her place.

She lives on Wall St., just next to the Trump Building and The New York Stock Exchange.

We had such a fun, easy, normal Sunday night.

Danni's roomate, Brenda, kindly offered to fill our needs and baked us these delicious chocolate chip cookies.

We filled ourselves on home baked goodness and played Speed Scrabble together.

Then we fell asleep to Chocolat and spent the night in the city.

We had the leisure of sleeping in the next day, and got ready so slowly.

We ventured out and picked up some bagels & juice for our picnic in Central Park.

I adore Central Park.

I would love to spend more time there.

Maya & I, with our new friend Danni.

All the girls in Central Park.

The Trump Tower.

This thing is huuuuge.

An absolute monstrosity.

Then the four of us headed to SoHo,

met up with a few more friends,

and went on a chocolate tour.

Yes, you read that right.

A CHOCOLATE TOUR.

It was so rad.

We only got to a couple of the shops, because a few were closed for Memorial Day.

The first one was alright. We sampled a bunch of chocolate bars.

Weird chocolate bars.

Like, chocolate with bacon in it.

And chocolate with black sesame seeds & ginger & wasabi in it.

Weird, weird, weird.

The second shop we went to, Mariebelle,

was closing right when we arrived. But the owner and a couple of her employees were just outside.

We somehow begged them to let us in, and I'm so glad we did.

The place was incredible.

Beautiful, artsy, lovely, colorful.

Her chocolates were just so dang cute.

The owner, Mariebelle, was so neat.

She opened her shop just after September 11th, when a lot of businesses were struggling.

She started out in New York as a clothing designer, and evolved into a self-taught baker and chocolate maker.

We sampled gelato & talked & laughed & had a glorious time.

Finish the night off with some lovely Italian in SoHo, and you've got yourself one top notch day.

P.S. Meet Stephen, the man who just had the best day of his life, hanging out with six lovely girls all evening long.

saturrrrrday in nyc

2009-05-25T20:30:00.000-07:00

Oh, Saturday.

What I wouldn't give to have another Saturday in NYC.

It was glorious.

Glorious.

We started bright & early, headed into the city around 10:00.

We made our way to the Lower East Side to the Clinton Street Bakery for an amazing breakfast.

Hello, buttermilk biscuit sandwich with homemade tomato jam and hashbrowns on the side.

Shortly after stuffing ourselves silly with wonderful breakfast foods, we went to the Upper West Side, rented bikes, and rode to Central Park.

It was beautiful. Beautiful.

At the end of my day, when I thought of my highs & lows, the high, high, highest point of my day was cruising through the park with the wind blowing through my hair. It was the best possible day for bike riding, and Central Park was amazing. I've never seen anything quite like it; this little piece of turf heaven tucked into the biggest & busiest city I'll ever be in.

Then we stopped by the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park,

and a bit of a photo shoot ensued.

Maya & I, loving life.

Amanda, Maya & I.

Then a man approached us, and asked us something about a picture.

Maya asked him if he wanted us to take a picture for him, by the fountain.

No, he shook his head. "I want a picture with her", pointing at me.

Maya laughed, took his camera, and moved away to take the photo.

Amanda managed to snap one on mine, a photo that we've been laughing at ever since.

Honestly.

Maya just pulled it up a few minutes ago and we had a good giggle.

Oh. My. Goodness.

I was laughing, because I didn't know what else to do. But if you look closely, you'll see that I'm close to tears.

He grabbed me so tightly. (See that vice grip on my arm?)

He tried to kiss my cheek, and definitely told me he loved me.

More than once.

In New York for less than 24 hours, and I've already got my crazy New York story.

On the way out of the Park, I saw the building John Lennon was shot at.

Go listen to "Imagine", just to commemorate this moment.

Then we went to Dylans Candy Bar, this sweet little shop. Three stories, ALL CANDY.

(Sorry the coloring is so weird on these next couple of photos. They need to be enjoyed anyways.)

Bathtub full of gumballs. No big deal.

"Candy is a delicious food. Enjoy some everyday!"

Aaaaand, tables made of gumballs.

Then we headed to the Met to see all the beautiful art.

Photos don't do any of it justice, so I didn't attempt much.

So much neat stuff, and I resorted to silliness.

Obviously.

How did they make such perfect circles?

Our guess?

A giant protractor.

Ha!!

Then we finished off the night with dinner and a show close to SoHo, featuring some friends of Maya's.

Shakedown at The Majestic. So rad. Check them out here.

I know this post is huge, I know.

But here's some good, solid New York City photos to finish her off.

Oh, and, theres another post coming, as soon as is humanly possible.

here i am

2009-05-22T21:15:00.000-07:00

Oh, WOW.

I am a little fish in a big pond.

Today was incredible.

We went to the Museum of Modern Art, (MoMa) and although we only had a few minutes before it closed, we found some good stuff.

Then we walked Manhattan. Up & down. Back & forth.

Maya took me to this fabulous little burger joint, hidden inside a fancy restaurant.

Posters on the walls, loud music and food wrapped in paper.

It was a time warp; I felt like I was in the seventies.

Times Square, baby.

Big.

Bright.

Crowded.

So far,

NYC.

spring

2009-05-16T19:30:00.000-07:00

Everything is blooming most recklessly;

if it were voices instead of colors,

there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night.

-Rainer Maria Rilke

love

spring.

Always have, always will.

The fresh new start; bright beginnings.

Happy Spring!!

just

2009-05-13T11:57:00.000-07:00

I'm embarrassed that this is so late, but I needed to say it anyway...

...Mommy; Happy Mothers Day!

She is strong & vibrant & loving & faithful.

I want to be just like her when I grow up.

She is just the mother I needed.

. . . . .

Last night, Heather has this fabulous idea to watch Peter Pan.

We drug the extra mattress into her bedroom, piled it high with blankets and pillows.

Four out of the five of us roomates played a round of Dutch Blitz, our favourite card game,

and then we settled down for the movie.

Four girls on one double-sized mattress is quite the squeeze, but we made it work.

I fell asleep, warm & content.

They are just the roomates I needed.