Rambling

On a beautiful and golden November afternoon in Utah...I took a walk with my amazing family.Up this path into sacred Rock Canyon --Where native people once gathered to sing to the stars.How lucky to walk in these mountains togetherand carry our children up to explore rocky caves,and wander up narrow trails through scree and brambles, looking down upon the glowing valley from high upon a cliffside perch.
Gazing out upon the life and magic spreading over the earth below,
we are mesmerized, until the sun falls.

Jarom turns SEVEN!!! (best age in the world)

Here's my amazing nephew Jarom who turned SEVEN yesterday. And we had enough fun for seven families, all in one day.
First we went to lunch at the new little Italian bistro on the corner, Gloria's Little Italy for some yummy lunchy and homemade birthday dessert. Our waiter sang "Happy Birthday" to Jarom in the most stunning operatic Italian! Such a treat.

Here's Bella slurping her

Amy, sweet mother of these gorgeous children, and Orion the youngest who is obviously ravaging that creamy alfredo pasta!

Came back for an afternoon of running amok outside, the boys having a massive nerf gun war. A bunch of seven year old boys....WOW...it's pure chaos. Shrieking, silly, wild, ridiculous chaos. Oh yeah, a bunch of seven year old boys plus MY TWO RAD CRAZY BROTHERS.

Kids!

Meanwhile Mattie (my brother) and I donned our super-fab costumes to gear up for the TREASURE HUNT!

I decided that treasure hunts are good for first graders because they force them to read as quickly and enthusiastically as possible. WOO HOO!

Divvying up the treasure. One activity to the next. Now it was time to decorate little robot-shaped cakes. The kids were pouring mounds of pure sprinkles then gobbling them up...mmmm, you know it sounds good.

Present opening time! Thanks aunty Addie for the fun skeleton puzzle toy!

And now, the real robot cake comes out with yet another birthday song.
Someone was SO excited.

Momma and son, a beautiful pair.

We closed out the night going to the dollar theater to see Ponyo which was wonderful as all Miyazaki films are! My favorite parts were the moon and the giant mermaid and the fish and whales swimming down the streets.

Jarom used his own money to buy treats to share.

Came home to YET ANOTHER cake delivered while we were gone by the kids' neighborhood babysitter. A pretty little blue and white cake specially for Jarom. One more wish!

It was quite the day. Kids finally in bed, us adults ended it snuggled up watching episodes of Big Love on the couch with bellies full of all the sweets in the world. Sounds like a good birthday to me.

Road Trip!

I'm on a road trip to Utah with my brother Joey and his lovely lady Emily to visit my other brother Matt and his family. And it is cold and crisp and beautiful and every moment is a new adventure.

Only thing is, I miss my big handsome cat Stormy (aka Bubber Gup) who fell ill, dreadfully ill the day before we left. I am super worried about him and worried for sweet Darin taking care of him all on his lonesome.

Other than that, we're having pirate treasure hunts, stepping through snow (!), eating tons of cake and candy and treats, having girl talk, planning hikes and having pure celebratory fun!

Much Madness is divinest Sense--

I just have to say...our dance party was off the hizook. Adam stretches out, pre-dancefest: ma and pa bought me a cake! a little later, this thing got DESTROYED.happy birthday girl and hub:girlies! oh how i love them.eager partyers tripping on in!i like the fuzzy ones: but it's kinda fun to see the real action!

oh glorious dance parties. big shout out to our own dj: DDJXAQ4000. you rule dude.

Birthday Bliss

Happy birthday to me! If you want to see what my lovely and amazing FAMILY HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT GO HERE.

(it's all so true, i promise)

Today I plan to:

• buy a new camera (lost mine Wednesday night and I'm going crazy, it's a good self-birthday-present)
• have a beautiful fall picnic with my sweetheart
• have a MASSIVE DANCE PARTY here at my house (can't wait!)

Lucky me...

I live in a beautiful town, surrounded by family and friends I love so dearly (a few are far away but I'll see them so soon!) I am healthy and strong and have free time and energy and plans and so much love for everything that it breaks my damn heart!

the brothers bloom

Have you seen it?

There was a lot I loved about it, especially the fable-like quality and their hats. Not so sure about the ending, though...

Also, I realized one thing: I could never be a conman.

Could you?

Painting a Dreamworld set to Music

have you ever heard of painting a FLOOR?

cause that's what i did. (well, walls too)

we have this gross old linoleum floor in the big room (i like to call it the "rec room" in honor of old fashioned basement playrooms where preteens had awkward spin-the-bottle parties) that we are having our dance party in on my birthday this friday. also, it's soon going to be our bedroom as my momma is moving in with us and taking the master bedroom. so yippee, after so long of the rec room=gross room, we are finally going to make it uniquely OUR OWN and snazzy!

so in addition to WAITRESSING all weekend, i also spent a pretty solid chunk of time doing another of my very favorite activities, painting.

okay, not really my favorite. BUT, it really does produce a good sense of accomplishment. And secretly, as you might remember from last year, i sort of love it. because in all honesty the thrill of changing up my house overwhelms my urge for lazybones.

so now we've got a big bright turquoise room with dark brown painted floor. so that i can drift further into my dreamworld in which i dwell in a tropical cottage with the aquamarine sea whispering outside my open window, a typewriter on my table, a headfull of wild ocean mermaid hair and in my hand, a pina colada made with fresh coconut water.

also, i listened strictly to bob dylan and neil young albums during the whole procedure. rekindled those flames if you will. painting is rhythmic and oddly mind-freeing, a good time to really take a good listen to old albums. so here are the ones i spaced out to:

bob dylan: greatest hits vol. 2

bob dylan: desire

bob dylan: blood on the tracks

bob dylan: love and theft

bob dylan: time out of mind

neil young: harvest

neil young: after the gold rush

neil young: harvest moon

yeah, and in that order. seriously that much dylan and that much neil young in the space of two days. and it was perfect, the perfect soundtrack to painting and daydreaming.

doesn't it feel good to get stuff done?!