Anthro Love

My friend Genette is talented. So talented it's intimidating. Not that she wants you to be intimidated, of course, but she's amazing--it can't be helped. She designs purses and handbags for a high-end company named Lockheart. Before Lockheart she designed for Isabella Fiore (I liked them better before she left). Her designs have been featured in magazines and carried by celebs.

Here are a couple of purses she designed recently. Anthropologie loved them and ordered them en masse. You can find these in your October and November Anthro catalog. Aren't they gorgeous!

Frill-Seeker Satchel

Embroidered Heaths Bag

Vintage Love

We didn't do much today, what with the kids so sick and all, but I did have the chance to go with my mom and Katelyn to the Orland craft fair. Katelyn had a blast. She went from vendor to vendor, touching every piece of jewelery and interesting craft. She would've bought it all if she could...even the wooden snowman in the camouflage scarf that read, "Proud to Serve".

I fell in love with the old fashioned wooden cars, trucks, trains and planes. They were handmade and painted by a cute old man who was there with his adorable old wife, selling their adorable toys. I loved it all! Katelyn chose a Red Baron fighter plane for herself and I chose a blue logging truck for Littleman, with real (mini) logs.

They both love their new toys...

...but I still think I love them more!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had an excellent Thanksgiving yesterday with family, friends and about a half dozen LDS missionaries. The weather was just warm enough that we were able to eat outside in my parents beautiful back yard. The trees were bursting with leaves in all shades of brown, yellow, orange and red. I feel like I am finally getting my fall. (Did I mention the weather was in the 80's when we left SoCal Wednesday? We're experiencing and endless summer!)

After dinner, the boys all gathered for a game of frisbee golf. My brother-in-law set up a course around my parent's 25-acres a couple years ago. It is one of their favorite pass-times when they are here. I also ventured out and caught a couple pictures of my Littleman, who LOVES all the space to run around at grandma and grandpa's. Sadly, all the cold air did him in. He and Katelyn are both coming down with something nasty, and are no longer allowed outside. :(

Today we ventured out for a little Black Friday excitement. Kohl's was a madhouse. There were people everywhere and the lines wound throughout the whole store. Katelyn got lost. She was with her grandma. One second she was there and the next second she was gone. Because it was so crowded and Black Friday, my mind was in a panic. I thought the chances were good that someone had snatched her. Code Yellow was announced over the speakers. I told the workers her description. I could remember every single detail of the clothing she wore that day. I had helped her pick it out myself. I doubt more than three minutes had passed (but it felt like an eternity), and they had found her. She told the worker who found her that she was looking for her mom, and that she was very brave. Then she helped herself to another complimentary candy cane.

After that big adventure we headed to the mall, where Katelyn met Santa Claus. After some hesitation and waving from a distance, she went up and told him that she wanted a princess doll for Christmas, and that was all. He gave her a coloring book and a hug, and she decided that Santa was a nice guy and not at all scary like she had thought.

Tonight my kids have fevers and barking coughs. Zach has rosy cheeks, which has my mom convinced that he has 5th Disease. That sounds scary to me, but she says that all kids get it and it's no big deal. Either way, I have a feeling that tonight is going to be a LONG night!

SIRIUSly Rad!

We spent all last night and on into the morning driving from the south of California to the north. It is a drive that our family is all too familiar with. When we are lucky, our children sleep, and Adam and I are left to our own long, deep conversations. We look for shooting stars and drink Rockstar to stay awake. Once the Rockstar kicks in, my husband's mind goes into overdrive, and then the conversation gets REALLY interesting! Ahhh, fun times!

Last night's trip was going along quite as usual as ever. We were struggling to get some fuzzy AM radio reception somewhere between the Harris Ranch and Coalinga, when all of a sudden I noticed the dash button on our rental car--a button I had never seen before.

SIRIUS, it said.

I was excited. I immediately pushed it....It worked!!

The rest of our trip was anything but normal. We tuned in, exploring this completely new (to us) world of satellite radio. We found the 80's channel and stayed there. The Talkingheads, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, U2, the Cure...it was a blast (from the past)! We both agreed that it was totally rad! And when we arrived in Orland at 5 am I was wearing a side pony and Adam was wearing high tops. (Okay, I made that part up.)

Emily Bear

I just stumbled upon this video and had to share. This girl is so adorable! I love towards the middle when she plays the jazz stuff. And I love how she says "I don't know...the music just comes out of my heart." Such amazing talent. She is too cute!

What can make a bad day better?

Heart cake!!

Katelyn and I baked a couple of these beauties today (one for our neighbor and one for ourselves) to hopefully make a few bad days better. I like to call it compassionate service, rather than "emotional eating". Here's to brighter days and many more heart-shaped cakes!!

Forty Years and Counting

This morning, while Katelyn sat in the living room watching PBS Kids, Zachary and I were in my bedroom playing. We piled up all the pillows and blankets in a mountain on the bed. Zachy was laughing his head off as I lifted him up and dropped him down into the pillows over and over.

He's having more fun than Disneyland, I thought to myself, when all of a sudden he became distracted. He rushed to the edge of the bed and insisted that I help him down immediately, then he took off running down the hallway and in a flash he was gone.

I was confused. What did he hear that could be better than this, I wondered, so I perked up my ears. All I could hear was music coming from the living room:

"...Come and play, everything's A-okay.

Friendly neighbors there, that's where we meet.

Can you tell me how to get, how to get to..."

I laughed out loud. I remember being that excited when I was a little girl, too.

Happy Birthday Sesame Street!

Aaarrrrggg(k)

Whenever we're at the playground, Katelyn usually pretends the equipment is a pirate ship...and today was no different. All hands were on deck when Katelyn asked me...

Mom, are we pirates?

Me: Aaarrrggggh! (that means yes)

Katelyn: Aaarrrggggh!

Zach: Aaarrrggggk!

Kate: HEY! Zach is NOT a pirate!

Me: Yes he is. He said Aargh!

Kate: No! He said ARK!

Speaking of Christmas...

While I'm on the subject of Christmas...

This is what I really hope Santa brings my kids.

Does that make me crazy?

Jingle Bells?

I love Chiristmas--and the music! No, I'm not about to bust out my Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack, or roast any chestnuts on an open fire...but my students are starting to learn their Christmas songs...and I've been wanting to post this for a while...and Halloween is over so...you know...why not now?

This year I am singing in the Anaheim Mormon Chorale (they are the group that I didn't sing the National Anthem with at the Angels game this summer). One of the songs we have been working on for Christmas is "O Magnum Mysterium" by Morten Lauridsen. He grew up in Portland where his dad was a forester (go America!), but outside of the USA, it is the most performed Christmas choral work besides the Alelluia chorus from Handel's Messiah (at least that's what I was told). The textures in this piece are ethereal and beautiful. The words are from ancient Latin chant, and I've included the translations.

I hope you take the time to listen to it, or at least let it play while you clean up your living room or make applesauce or something. Enjoy!

O magnum mysterium,
et admirabile sacramentum
ut animalia viderent Dominum
natum, jacentum in praesepio!
Beata Virgo, cujus viscera
meruerunt portare
Dominum Christum. Alleluia!

O great mystery,
and wondrous sacrament,
that animals should see the new-
born Lord, lying in their manger!
Blessed is the Virgin whose womb
was worthy to bear the
Lord Jesus Christ. Alleluia!

*Yawn*

Right now I am up way too late. I just read my friends blog, about how she met NieNie tonight at the BYU Creamery, buying milk, and how they cried and hugged, and it made me love NieNie even more. There's a special place in heaven for that girl, I tell you.

Now I'm downloading Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words into my iTunes. I like that the songs don't have words or titles, because it leaves more up to your imagination. Anyway, I thought I'd put some Halloween pics on my blog while I waited, but it just finished downloading, so I have no more excuses to stay up. I guess the pictures will have to wait.

If you came here looking for something good to read, you should head on over to Beth's blog. You can read about what an angel NieNie is, even in real life.

NighteeNight!