Autumn Weather Calls for... Sweaters.

October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came -
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band.
~George Cooper, "October's Party"

Autumn is officially here, my friends. I love it. Th crisp air is refreshing.

I have acquired three new cardigans in the past couple months to prove it.

Remember last fall when I was so excited for sweaters? Well, I did end up getting one of the sweaters that I featured.

This is the picture that lured me in:

And here I am modeling it:

Family. Christmas 2009.

Doesn't my dad look really short here? Haha. He was sitting in a sunken in section of the sectional and I was sitting on place where two sections meet.

Happy autumn weather to you. I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am. Oh... and Walktober was a success!
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Honda Fit. Now Driving on a Highway Near You.

"The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers".
~Dave Barry, "Things That It Took Me 50 Years to Learn"

So, as I mentioned about a week ago, I got a new car. My brother's been hounding me to post some pictures of the actual car and not the stock photos I posted a week ago. So here they are.

The car is finally starting to feel like my own and not just a loaner. And I kinda like it.

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Tonight, You Will Be Mine!

"Tonight's the night we're gonna make it happen
Tonight we'll put all other things aside
Get in this time and show me some affection
We're goin' for those pleasures in the night

I want to love you, feel you, wrap myself around you
I want to squeeze you, please you, I just can't get enough
And if you move real slow I let it go

I'm so excited and I just can't hide it
I'm about to lose control and I think I like it
I'm so excited and I just can't hide it
And I know I know I know I know I know I want you"
~"I'm So Excited" by the Pointer Sisters

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Wish List: This Kitchen.

"You should always be the best decoration in your own house."
~Phoebe Howard

I love everything about this kitchen. Everything. Beautiful.

Love it.

Photo found here.

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A Memorial Day Birthday in California.

"If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors. All of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people."
~Thich Nhat Hanh

Leave it to the smell of jasmine, the sound of Disneyland's nightly fireworks, the beauty of magnolia and jacaranda trees, and a healthy dose of Botts' dots to remind me why I love being from California!

Last weekend, we (Mom, Shep, and I) were in southern California visiting Grandpa T for his 91st birthday! Ninety-one years. Grandpa was actually pretty excited that his birthday fell on Memorial Day this year so there were flags out all over just for him. I sure love him, and it was great to spend his birthday there. Having Mom and Shep there was an added bonus!

Happy birthday, Grandpa!
Here's to many more!

Jacaranda photo found here.

Photos of Grandpa from Christmas 2007.

The Future Is Bright.

"The future is as bright as your faith."
~Thomas S. Monson, "Be of Good Cheer," Ensign, May 2009

Siblings.

"To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters.
We know each other as we always were. We know each other's hearts.
We share private family jokes.
We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys.
We live outside the touch of time."
~Clara Ortega

Spring Has Sprung.

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade."
~Charles Dickens

Today was the first official day of Spring, and I'm so glad that it actually felt like it. For some unknown reason, I woke up at 5:30am and was WIDE awake for about an hour or so. Just me. Alone with my thoughts.

Mercifully, it being Saturday and all - the only day I really do get to sleep in, I fell back asleep for a couple of hours.

Shortly before nine, and much happier about the hour, I awoke and started my day with blueberry cornflake cereal, got dressed, went to the gym, worked out (HARD), then went to the grocery store and successfully stuck to my monetary limit while still buying lots of delicious fresh produce.

The middle of the day brought a rousing rendition of "Tradition," when I saw a great local production of Fiddler on the Roof. I must say that the fact that the fiddler was actually a woman, really threw me. I never really got over it. They're all double cast and her MWF counterpart was male... but she most certainly wasn't and it was a little distracting. But overall, the show was quite enjoyable.

The middle of the day also brought the warm sun. My steering wheel was actually hot when I got in the car. Nice change, as long as it doesn't continue to get hotter.

The first official day of spring ended with an indoor picnic. Yes, indoors. Yes, a picnic. In March. But the abundance of delicious salads quickly took my mind off the fact that it might have been a little weird to be having a picnic indoors in March. :) Mmmm... I love salad.

Beautiful weather. Spring, oh Spring, please stay. For. A. Good. Long. Time.

Photos courtesy of me.
(The first one was taken in May 2008 on the Manti Temple grounds after my friends Andrea and Mark got married. The second one was taken in April 2006 at the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point.)

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Šiandien, aš pasiilgau Lietuvos.

"Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose."
~Tennessee Williams

Šiandien yra Lietuvos nepriklausomybės diena. Kaip aš norėčiau būti ten, tarp savo draugų. Pasiilgstu draugų. Pasiilgstu Lietuvos. Tik pažiūrėkite į šias nuotraukas... Ar galite mane kaltinti?

All photos à la moi.

Random Photos: I'm a Goofball. The end.

"I also found child's play - stuff that was not considered serious, but goofy - was the stuff I liked to do, so I still do it as an adult."
~Matt Groening

Please laugh. Yes, at my expense. It's funny. Laugh. :)
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Life's fun.
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Perhaps the best Yuletide decoration is being wreathed in smiles.

"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love."

~Hamilton Wright Mabie

For me, Christmas started when I received a beautiful Christmas swag all the way from Maine Wreaths in early December, from my Grandpa. It smelled so wonderful that I decided to keep it in the house for a couple of days before I hung it, as the sole Christmas decoration we put up this year, on the front door, where it's still hanging. I know Christmas is over, but it's a decoration that is more seasonal for me, as opposed to strictly holiday, and I love seeing it every time I come home. (Picture to come.)

On December 19th, we (SLCA) sang the works of  Rachmaninoff, Respighi, Ramírez, and Rutter to a sold out house in Libby Gardner Hall during our holiday concert. Read the rave review here. SLCA requires a large time commitment with rehearsals, individual study and practice of the music, and extra rehearsals before concerts, but it's always worth it once we're on stage and singing. It really is rewarding and I just love adding all this exceptional choral music to my repertoire. Not to mention, singing with a great director like Dr. Brady Allred, and with such wonderful singers and friends.

The Christmas season would not have felt complete without attending the evening Christmas Carol service with friends or the noon concert with my mom of Benjamin Britten's Ceremony of Carols, both at The Cathedral of the Madeleine. The choristers of the Madeleine Choir School truly fascinate me with their poise and discipline. Great concert atmosphere, great singing, and a great way to celebrate Christmas!

Then off to Dad and Nancy's or as we like to call it, Resort Montrose. I arrived on the 23rd and had a full day with Dad and Nancy to myself! Loved it! We talked, ate Phở, talked, shopped, tried a new frozen yogurt bar down the street, sat by the fire, talked, read, wrapped presents, talked, and talked. It was great! The next day, Christmas Eve, Marina and Shepherd arrived separately (Marina flying in from NYC and Sheppo driving down from San Francisco) in time for a Christmas Eve dinner of tamales (yum!), traditional opening of Christmas pajama pants, and a hilarious showing of Hangover.

Christmas morning brought the unveiling of so many fun gifts (future posts on these). Isn't it fun when you're so excited for everyone else to open the gifts from you, almost as excited about opening your own gifts? That afternoon, we drove over (in Shepherd's new car) to Auntie Vicki and Uncle Hank's for the traditional family Christmas Dinner.

Enjoyed delicious fare including: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans with carrots and pine nuts, southern pineapple casserole (delish! -- Thanks Amanda!), shrimp cocktail (I could live off this), and a bunch of desserts that I didn't even try.

Saw cousins who have grown a foot since the last time I saw them. Held my newest baby cousin, Henry, born in November. Enjoyed catching up with everyone. We ended the night at home reading. All in all, a great Christmas day.

Since the five of us don't get to see each other often enough, we spent the rest of the weekend just spending time together talking, reading, enjoying new Christmas gifts, listening to music, walking around The Americana at Brand window shopping, seeing Up in the Air, and going out to Min's Kitchen for a delicious Thai dinner.

Sunday, I flew home. And Monday, it was back to work. But like I mentioned in one of my previous posts, I still felt like I was on vacation this week. Work was quiet since so many people were on vacation. I just felt a whole lot more relaxed at work than I have in awhile. It was nice.

A great Christmas season it was for me. And after finals, it really was relaxing and most enjoyable. I hope yours was too!

Photo of The Cathedral of the Madeleine found here.
Photo of the organ at Libby Gardner Hall courtesy of Tom Sparks.
Photo of Southern Pineapple Casserole found on a Google Search.
All other photos courtesy of Nancypants.

Skype-tastic.

Have I ever mentioned my complete and total love for Skype? No? Well, let me begin now.

First off, for those of you who have yet to use it, Skype is communication tool whose features include: instant messaging, video conferencing, and telephone calling (voice only). You can transfer files directly, as well share your computer desktop (meaning you can essentially show the other person via video conferencing, everything that you see on your computer screen.

Computer-to-computer calls are free. Yes, I said free. Instant messaging is free. Video is free. The only cost associated with Skype is if you truly use it as a phone and have a telephone number associated with your account. This allows you to call other land-lines, which would then incur a cost. But for all intents and purposes (my intents and purposes), it's free.

Skype was written by Estonia-based developers and founded by Swede and a Dane. In case you don't know, I come from (as in my ancestors are) Swedes and Danes and more recently, have an adopted place in my heart for Estonians. Plus. Plus. And plus.

Why else should you love it? Well, when I say you can communicate for free, I mean... you can communicate for free. Now we all know that the instant messaging tool is one that can be found and used for free just about anywhere. You have GoogleTalk, Yahoo Instant Messenger, MSN messenger, etc. But it's the video conferencing that gets me excited. With a few hiccups here and there, based on your internet speed, it really is a great way to keep in touch and truly feel like you're just sitting next to the person on the other end.

I have to remind myself more often than not (the me, who forgets that I should be more modest sometimes) that when I click to make a video call, I should probably already be fulled clothed, instead of waiting for the connection and seeing a picture of myself on the screen in my underwear! (The larger part of your screen is the other person on the other end, but you see a very small square of what the other person sees -- you in your underwear.)

Luckily, I use Skype most often to talk with Agnė in Lithuania and Lindsay in Qatar. And they already know my dress code.

So, have you started thinking about all the people you wish you could see more often? You live far away from family and you just want to see them or they want to see you... or see your babies? Just download the software at http://www.skype.com/. It's easy to get started and quite user-friendly once you get going. Just make sure you have a webcam.

Now if all of this hasn't convinced you, let me share with you the concrete reason I believe in Skype.

This face.

Enough said.

Photo of Leoni courtesy of Lindsay and Travis.

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Soon, people. Soon.
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Gingerbread Creations.

"Creativity comes from looking for the unexpected and stepping outside your own experience."
~Masaru Ibuka

My mom and Stephen hosted a Soup Dinner and Gingerbread Party the first weekend in December. An annual tradition of theirs since they got married in 2001, the event brings in relatives and friends, both far and near. Now, this is no ordinary gingerbread house making party; in fact, only a few houses are even made each year. Typically, we see more aircraft carriers, weapons, space stations, lighthouses, and vegetable gardens. (The vegetable garden was my last year's idea gone bad. Don't ask.)

Two years ago, I was quite please with my cityscape, though if given more time, I would have made several more skyscrapers.

But this year, I outdid myself. (Which wasn't hard to do, considering last year's vegetable garden mishap. There are no pictures for a reason.) Really though... I put some thought into this one. So did my eye doctor. "Your eye doctor," you ask? Yes, he and I sat down and discussed the matter that morning because I needed to redeem myself. I needed something that was recognizable. Something interesting. Something unique.

So, in keeping with the tradition of eclectic gingerbread creations, I built a gingerbread outhouse. Yes, an outhouse. Laugh if you must. But at least everyone knew what it was as soon as they saw the crescent moon. You can't deny it's unique. And every gingerbread village needs an outhouse of some kind, right? And those trees? Aren't they fantastic?!

Yes, I'd say I redeemed myself from last year.

Now maybe next year, I'll need to redeem myself from this year and make something a little more... refined. :) Maybe.