OH.MY.GOSH.

You have to see Waitress. Have to. I'll come to your house and make you. This is my favoritest movie I have seen in longer than I even know. Adrienne Shelly left a beautiful legacy with that movie. That's all I have to say.

Black Appled!

As I reflect upon it, I realize this post would not be possible without Shannon. First she told me about this website, which she knew I would love. It's under my links on the right sidebar, under "Websites I Love" called Inside a Black Apple. (Coincidentally, I remembered my sister Amy had told me about it a while back, but I never got around to looking at it, until it was conveniently linked on Shannon's blog.) You really must go look at it, this girl is so creative with the cutest clothes and she has an Etsy shop with adorable handmade pretties. (And everything in her shop is seriously on my Christmas hinting list. Hint, hint.) I frequently look at it and drool over all of her sold-out items. Shannon also told me about her beloved Swap-bot, which is totally fun. It's mainly for people who craft, but since I don't, I found plenty that had to do with writing stories or letters. So, the two of those websites culminated in perfect harmony today, and I was so excited I had to share immediately.

I signed up for a pen pal swap, where you are assigned five people from all over the globe to write, and in turn you get letters from five different people. I've received letters from Belgium, Germany, America, and Greece. My Greek pen pal has by far been my favorite. I'm writing her back immediately after this. She totally rocked my world today by sending me a fabulous letter, from which I can tell she and I have TONS in common, and she included a little postcard from Black Apple! It's so cute, and it actually reminds me a little of Bryce and I, in our younger, slimmer days. The letter arrived with my Anthropologie catalog, and call me a nerd, but they looked so pretty together after I had opened the letter and laid it down on the catalog, that I had to take a picture. I just love the way letters look with the stamp and handwriting. The warm colors of the catalog and the postcard just looked so 1800s, or vintage, I guess, and made me swoon. I was born 200 years too late, you know.

*Sigh*

Warm weather rant and Christmas Cleaning Fairies

I'm fed up. It's 80 degrees outside! Give me a break. I'm sorry , but no, Jimmy Buffet, I don't want to spend Christmas on Christmas Island. How am I supposed to feel the Christmas spirit when I had to go grocery shopping in a bikini* to ward off the heat? I mean, yeah, there's good will toward men, peace on Earth, yada yada, that's all fine and good. But I want SNOW! ICE! COATS! FROSTBITE! Sledding on a chunk of plywood attached to the back of my big brother's Chevy truck!* Or something equally as ridiculous and fun. The fact that I literally have not owned or worn a coat in over a decade speaks to the sad state of Christmases lately. I had hope on Thanksgiving, but alas, it's lost. I can accept there won't be snow, fine, but good grief, give me at least some rosy cheeks and the need for hot chocolate! (*Disclaimer #1 * I did not really shop in a bikini, that would be horrifying. But I wanted to. Disclaimer #2 * Sledding on plywood attached to the back of my brother's truck really happened, on the icy streets of Grand Prairie. I was probably 12 or so. And it was awesome.)

On another note, after a very busy week where I had something going on every day and had no time for house work, I was having a major breakdown on the phone to Bryce over the ridiculously filthy state of my home, and how I wouldn't have time to clean it properly. Then Mariah, our sister-in-law and Mary Ann, Bryce's mom, pulled up out front. While I was glad to see them, I was distressed because my house was so icky. But oh my gosh, they CLEANED MY HOUSE! Seriously. Mary Ann dusted and scrubbed my bathtub, Mariah vacuumed everything and made my bed, they put up toys and dirty clothes and I was able to clean the kitchen. My house looks awesome, and my major crisis was averted. Thank you so much, ladies. Now the house will be clean for our tree we're going to pick out tomorrow. I am so blessed to have the family and friends I do, and I hardly deserve it.

Good friends

So I go weeks without posting pictures, then I post a jillion within a few days. We visited the Granadas today, who are some of oldest and dearest friends of my sisters and me. I love the Granadas so much, they are literally some of the best people in the world. Every single one of them, the salt of the Earth. I called Grace to tell her I was coming to visit, for the first time in way too long, and I got lucky because Cristina just happened to be in town from Utah. Cristina is my younger sister's best friend, and a very good friend of mine. Grace is also one of my best friends, but she refused to let me take her picture, and the camera was put away by the time Cristina came around. But Grace took pictures of me and the boys, so I wanted to post one.

Don't stick forks in electrical sockets

Fynn was born with SO MUCH HAIR, as you can see above, and since day one we've had fun sculpting it in different ways:

Exhibit A: Two months old

Exhibits B & C: 11 months old (I just couldn't decide which one was cuter.)

"Once there was a gingerbread man, baking in a gingerbread pan."

Last year I really wanted to do gingerbread cookies and decorate them, but I was nine months pregnant with a David Beckham-like octopus creature, and never felt like it. But this year, I really wanted to do it. I want us to have fun Christmas traditions so that Ewan and Fynn will really feel the Christmas spirit, and remember it all their lives. Of course, being a woman of the modern world, I made them from a kit, rather than making them from scratch. (Bertice would be so disappointed. But I did wash my hands, so that will redeem me.) Ewan had so much fun. Oh, and I'm in the process of redoing my table, so pardon the ugliness in one of those pictures. *Bryce was confused by the "David Beckham-like octopus creature" comment. What I meant was, he kicked me all the cotton-pickin' time, and it felt like he had eight limbs. (Pretty self-explanatory to me.) Have I mentioned what an extremely hard pregnancy that was?

Because I'm not a real baker, I don't own a rolling pin. This is from a Play-do set. I did wash it.

I let him do all the shapes.

Bryce's crazy-eyed gingerbread bear. He's wanted in seven states.

Ewan's crazy-eyed snowman. Wanted in Wyoming.

That's my chocolate-chip covered Christmas tree. I was less concerned with creativity and more with how it tasted.

Ditto.

Save me from the highchair, please, Mommy, please. If you click on that picture, you'll see why it was BATHTIME!

Let's just put it this way...

...Fynn's sneeze while nursing, combined with his recently acquired top and bottom teeth, nearly rendered me unable to nurse future children. If you get what I am saying.

Living Biblicially

You HAVE to read this book, The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs. I could barely put it down. This man, a writer in New York City, spent one year of his life obeying every single commandment, rule and mere suggestion in the Bible. It was fascinating, inspiring, and I learned so much about the Bible, stuff I'm ashamed to say I didn't know. (Shame on me for sleeping in seminary!) I highly recommend it. He's a good writer, without trying to sound smarter than everyone, and he is just so easy to relate to, especially when he talks about his family. I loved this book so much, I am going to check out his other one, The Know-It-All, about when he read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica.

Tagged A-Z

A- Attached or single: Attached
B- Best Friends: Shannon, Sarah & honorable mention to Jill (meep)
C- Cake or Pie: Depends on the cake or pie
D- Day of choice: Friday
E- Essential Item: Coke, chapstick, concealor
F- Favorite Color: technically green, but I love all colors so much. As visitors to my house can attest
G- Gummi Bears or Worms: bears
H- Hometown: where I'm from? Grand Prairie
I- Indulgence(s): formerly Frappuccinos (R.I.P.) Now, long hot baths after all are in bed.
J- January or July: I agree with Sarah, neither! I think April. Soft breezes, baby greens on the trees...
K- Kids: Two boys, Ewan, 3, and Fynn, 11 months.
L- Life is Incomplete Without: My family. And Coke. And CATS!!!
M- Marriage Date: January 25, 2003
N- Number of Siblings: 8, 5 boys, three girls. I'm number 8.
O- Oranges or Apples: oranges
P- Phobias or Fears: Death, mine or loved one. Life itself, sometimes. Oh, yeah, bees. Julie reminded me.
Q- Quotes: Spiritually: Isaiah 49:15 - 16 ...yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
R- Reason To Smile: Christmas is coming. Call me greedy, but I LOOOVE presents.
S- Season: Spring or Fall
T- Tag Three: Ashley, Amber & Mariah.
U- Unknown Fact About Me: I have two tattoos. Is that unknown?
W- Worst Habit: Instant gratification. That's why I'm 40 pounds overweight and spend too much money.
X- X-Rays or Ultrasounds: Ultrasounds. (Who would prefer x-rays?)
Y- Your Favorite Food: Cheese. Avocado. Potatoes. Salmon. Chicken. Chocolate chip cookies. Coke. What was that about being overweight again?
Zodiac: Aquarius

And on Saturday, she bought earrings.

So while browsing through Target, I spotted from afar these lovely dangly earrings. Before I could even have a doubt as to whether or not I should buy them, they spontaneously sprouted wings and began to sing hymns. The picture really doesn't do them justice, and I couldn't find a better one online. But holy moly, this is one of those purchases that make me giddy and feel beautiful.