onesies

listening to: edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros

::: still sick. sitting in this onesie below, tummy too full, it's 8:30pm on thursday, vapor rub on my chest, lavender oil on my neck, sitting warm - about to fall asleep.

i hope everyone enjoyed their thanksgiving.

our family's was very quaint, mellow and easy-going.

i do need an opinion or two.

when jack gets home, next week we will be taking our family pictures.

i have two outfits:

1. a nice dress and him a button down flannel with his leather tie and cords

2. matching onesies: red with rockets on them.

i want to have branches behind our heads like our head...

weird?

like rudolph but not really...

i should try to make them since i have searched far and wide for them.

something like this but shorter...

ideas? thoughts? different ideas?

traditions

happy thanksgiving!

here is how my day will go as it does every year....

sleep in a little...

go for a run...

maybe throw a cartwheel in the mix.

usually i run the dana point turkey trot, but i'm too lazy this year.

{photo of me by her}

{photo by: them}

the whole family meets at the beach while the turkey cooks

and we play in the water with our longboards.

feel lighter until...

mom makes her special hot chocolate or wassail from scratch

we bake, mix, cook, cut, wash, stir...

while the boys play football or watch it.

dinner around two or three o'clock

the whole family is here, devines come every year but they are out of town...

we talk about what we are grateful for.

be fancy.

then unbutton those ...

trousers or change into pajamas --->

nap.

we climb into that yukon XL and go to the movies all together.

dad talks about the classic movies... ie: top gun, cinderella man, amadeus, etc.

then we head over to newport beach and see the fashion island tree get lit.

sometimes we walk around lido island to see the train sets people set up outside of their little beach homes.

{photo by myself the other day}

drive home just in time to see the sunset on the way to my parent's house

drink peppermint tea, play board games with all the sisters, maybe watch a few more movies, start a new book, all while the younger siblings get the christmas decorations out.

... will feel like christmas is here?

side note: today i realized i have never spent a thanksgiving with jack.

never. is that sad? not even when i was pregnant with him. thanksgiving is not a big holiday but a great one to reflect on the things we are grateful for. maybe i will have him next year.

i tried to explain to him the meaning of this holiday but not too sure how much he will remember. i miss my little buddy already.

** also mitch and lindsay are gone so it will be the quietest holiday. no jack, no micah, no jade. it will be very weird to not have thanksgiving with them but excited to hear about their trip when they come back!

{all pictures without tags by: this girl}

bag me

listening to: the beatles on the history channel

sitting with the family... talking about how my parents sold their beatles vinyls at at garage sale in the 70's. what!!!!

if you want to see what three hours of sleep and an "oops" looks like,

look no further...

bowl cut maybe?

not even a good bowl cut.

the stylist told me to not worry - bangs grow fast. ah sad.

jack needed a haircut badly... if you scroll down here, and i thought he could do my bangs. no he cannot.

get crackin'

this past weekend i was casted in a commercial for wonderful pistachios. i know the talented producers/videographer/director and writers that entered the contest and asked me to be the girl who opens pistachios with my teeth. it's not the most flattering i must say but whatever. it was fun to be back in LA to shoot a 15 second short commercial that took four something hours...

i am so random.

the funny part about the end is that it was written differently but while they were trying to have the actor crack the pistachio with the model teeth, the inside of the nut flew on my bib. i picked it up and ate it. after doing so, i was laughing at myself for the play by play {how ridiculous i am} and told them what happened... one of them saw and thought it was hilarious. for around twenty minutes, the crew positioned themselves around me and the chair, throwing half bitten pistachios aimed at my chest while the camera is rolling. i tried my best to hold the biggest smile in between each miss and them making a tepee out of my bip.

new moon - according to me

finally saw new moon.
loved loved loved the soundtrack. can't wait to get it.
missed the crowds and the 145 million dollars it brought in this weekend and thought monday night works. a group of my married girlfriend neighbors invited me, but jack wasn't asleep yet so i waited to go with my friend chris later.


we sit down. the seats are scattered with bodies; mostly teenagers, some older moms and some couples. the previews... so sappy and dramatic... although two stuck out. chris is reading "the lonely bones" and explained how rad the storyline is. i can tell that movie is going to be great; but i am going to read it before hand. then "dear john" by nicolas sparks came on. i have read that book twice & loved it. yes, i am a nicolas sparks junkie.


the movie comes on. intro movie title name... very long pause. (oh wait, i am no movie credit by the way... remember this is new moon according to me - cliff notes: sorta)... so i should back up and start with i was repulsed by all the people obsessing over this book years ago while living in san francisco. when i heard what it was about, and how women were trying to get their husbands and boyfriends to read it, i though, blah... dumb. i'll never read it. so last year my roommate had it laying around and within an hour or two i got sucked in and read 75

pages. in a week, i closet-read the first two. it happened to be in february, or march, not sure when, but i was in san francisco visiting, staying at the westin... i was secretly reading the third one, holding it in hand, then took the elevator down to the second floor to the gym. i happened to land on the "twilight" floor. filled with loads of women with shirts, paparazzi, cameras, and the smell of obsession... in my hand, their book. i looked like i was there for the convention so i soaked it in for a second. i walked over to the conference room, there were all the actors on stage. it was so amazing how people flew from all over to see them and i just happened upon them. i didn't talk to anyone, but went back to the hotel room to get my sister to see what was going on.


anyway, so back to the movie... it was good. i liked it. it was dramatic like the first. lots of slow walking and long stares. in the book i wanted edward so much but in the movie, i was drawn to jacob. (am i really writing this... i am) i thought it was good but left out important points that help build character and describe the surroundings but whatev. it was amazing to see italy. i have never been there before and was planning a trip to go soon. (oh man i am rambling)


so here is my idea about why there is such an obsession of twilight. i think it's because stephanie meyer appeals to that feeling every girl has had for their first love. edward and jacob aren't like most men but they could be that imaginary perfect man that every girl would/could want since they start getting feelings for guys. edward is the soft spokem, sweet, loving man who is posh, well put together, well spoken, educated and has a lot of money. jacob is rough, lives in the woods, has a sweet face, is cuddly, loving, teddy-bear-like and the survival type. i think each girl no matter if they like one or the other more, are attracted to both.


i remember the first guy i fell in love with that feeling. stephanie meyer is a genius. she positively knows the emotion associated with that emotion that is almost tangible. that love makes you feel like they are the only person in the room, nothing else matters, you think about them when they are gone, each kiss is memorable, butterflies non-stop, the new-ness feeling every time you see them... etc etc. i think when you read this book, or see the movies, you experience those feelings which is attractive. everyone likes to feel that way; especially if they haven't had that feeling. also, jacob and edward are very protective over bella which every girl loves - even if they don't say it. every girl wants to know they are safe with a guy, protected and loved of course. throughout the books and the movie, that seems to ring true.


anyway, i can't believe i talked about this for so long. not meaning i am too good for it at all, it's just that i don't know much about it except reading it and seeing the movies. but i am fascinated by how much money it has brought in all by a woman of three kids who discussed this story with her mom and had the courage to write it down.

thanksgiving came early

listening to: the new MEW

sitting by the fire

one of my highlights from the weekend was having thanksgiving early with jack. we went to a park in san juan capistrano by the mission, and hung out with our root beer and beautiful weather. he will be going to arizona with his dad soon.

sharing a child for the holidays tears on a heart string or two...

it was a lovely day.

yoga web

another blog?

indeed. bla bla bla bla...

this world can do with less blogs, but this one will be beneficial to many.

this one is for my business partner and my company YELLOW LOTUS.

we have our website but it's under construction.

we have our eye on a few places but haven't placed bids yet.

we {lisa and i} wanted to start out with this part of our road....

so if you would like, please visit this new blog when you can and enjoy.

i hope you will learn something new, feel refreshed and want to take better care of yourself.

pictures both credited by: ffffound

apple of my eye

listening to: the football game as background noise

so cold!

being a parent just seems natural.

like what i am suppose to be doing.

it is so nice to come home to someone who runs up to you every time you come through the door, telling you how much they missed you, what the plan is for the night, what they learned that day and what they want for dinner.

the other day, he came home from preschool with this painting of his handprint. it's still so small.

some simple reasons why i am grateful for jack:

-i always have someone to serve.

-the new freckles he is getting on his nose.

-a little buddy i can teach through love.

-someone that i can invest my whole heart in.

-the many blessings that come from being a mother.

-having a child being single is a blessing so i always think of someone besides myself.

-waking up every morning knowing i am the lucky mom of jack. it's truly great.

orphans in need

a weekend coming up soon, i am going to mexico to hang out with some cool little kids. its to benefit the kaiizen foundation. i am really looking forward to it. i haven't done any fundraising, so i am going to just donate money and time but if you are looking for some organization to give to this season, even if it's a little bit or if you have some presents you want me to bring down to them, let me know.

growing up our church would build homes for an organization called corazon and i would remember the weekends down there how families were waiting in line just to receive blankets and baskets of food. then to see the homes we would build, small, yet big enough to keep their families warm would just humble all of us.

questions i keep asking myself lately

listening to: your ex lover is dead by stars

sitting next to my dad

{ffffound} again.

so lately i have had a lot on my mind.

not really about important things, but things in general.

like how to get my child to stop peeing the bed?!

++ i bought these expensive special diapers that have cold creme in the front so when he decides to wet himself at night, it would wake him up. they don't work. square one again.

or why i am always cold?

++ always. i dress like i live in the snow and still stay cold. someday i want to own a car with dual air adjustments.

why i seem to have the same conversation everyday?

++"oh you have two blackberries?" M: "yeah." ++"you must be busy."

or how come it smells like hazelnut bonfire?

++there was a canyon fire the other night that is making south orange county smell like a smokey-housed coffee place. oh, i'm not complaining.

why people feel comfortable saying ANYTHING to me?

++like the lady that waxed my eyebrows told me, "you looked so beautiful walking through the doors and we all were gaulking over you, but as you lay here, you aren't so pretty."... great thanks. now i never want to lay down. or... "gee, i thought you would for sure be married now. way before the other girls. weird you aren't."... ah, sad. or "you need to eat two big macs to look normal." thank you old lady who is stuck in the marilyn monroe era and who is very blunt. not sure to thank you or want an apology.

why california legislation signed the A.B. 17 that now increases payroll for wages being withheld by 10% starting from all increases from October 31st... starting today - the 19th?

++thanks for the heads up. i can't wait to pay it. {sarcasm inserted if you didn't catch on...}

why i seem to date the same kind of guy?

++why?

how i have so much energy all the time?

++again, no complaints. i do sleep hard and well.

why i crave pinkberry?

++it probably has that same thing in it that diet coke does where you feel addicted instantly. i'm allergic to milk even and i still want it. thanks to landon for introducing it to me.

why this song/dance got me emotional tonight?

++but really, watched it a dozen times, teared twice. dang.

why for dinner i made my dad kung pao chicken over rice, me indian naan bread with hummus and veggies and jack bow-tie pasta and didn't think twice what i was really doing.

why britney spear's new song and video is so raunchy.

++doesn't she know she has two baby boys that will see/hear them someday? she is going to be so embarrassed. every time those songs come on, i get a sick feeling in my stomach.

why this post is still going on....

++goodnight!

ring-a-ding-ding

my friend showed me how to turn your music into a ringtone...

if you have an apple click here

if you don't have an apple... bummer.

maybe ask me and i can do it for you.

picture found here

old fashioned ways of living

{click on picture to make it bigger + prepare to be amazed}

weak - ending

oh hi monday.

you came quick.

this weekend wasn't my busy usual.

it was spent mostly doing this

------------------->

{photo by: them}

and a little yoga-yoga with the business partner, a little more laying around, seeing a movie, taking jack on a few little mommy dates, running at the park while he played, attending a hoe-down with a mechanical bull and line dancing, reading a new book, detoxing confusion, making pumpkin cookies for jack's preschool class, ironing 3-weeks worth of clothes, bleaching the house, then trying to figure out how to air-out the house for all that bleach, 5 loads of laundry, not taking showers until 4pm, church, spending time at the beach but my highlight is spending time with dad. the rest of my family is in hawaii so he and i sat on the new couch, eating peanut butter out of the jar while we watched military movies.

great weekend.

east vs. west

listening to florence and the machine
sitting next to my dad

if i am to make time for television, it would be these three categories:
military/nategeo (they are the same to me), dancing shows (only these two: SYTYCD + America's Best Dance Crew) and Hospital Shows ... ie: Grey's Anatomy + now Three Rivers.

this show opened in the beginning of october and i love it. greys can be a little too dramatic but this one seems a little more mellow, about ethics, no soap opera feel and has some of that crime investigation that i like.

... i think watching this doctor helps me enjoy the show because he is close to perfect.

man i wish my taste would change. for now it will be the jims from the office, the christian bales and this man. so beautiful + seem to play the dreamy, perfect character for my liking.

i got caught up tonight and found myself so emotional at the end. these hospital shows get me all girly. my dad and i were wiping tears, talking about it when it was over and then rewinding it back to our favorite parts.

these medical shows also trigger the memory of my last brain surgery. how much peace and comfort i felt prior. i remember the procedure they did the day before my surgery. they took a catheter through my anterior artery, had me awake, strapped to the bed with 12 nurses/doctors and about 10 flat screens to my left. the bed was cold, my body was shaking, i felt the tube go through my groin artery, through my lungs, yet i somehow didn't feel it go through my heart but when it entered my neck area it felt like a straw was going up the wrong tube. it shot this contrast dye that allowed the doctors to see my cerebral aneurysm. it lasted for over an hour of discomfort, a sweet nurse telling me i was doing well and wishing i could sleep through it.

the next day, they said they lost those films and had to do it again. 5am, they do it all over; opening up a large wound that was expecting to heal and doing the same poking... asking me what my name was multiple times. somehow this one was more painful. i felt like i was being tortured.

an hour or so later, my family came to say goodbye to me before i went under. i felt such peace that is hard to describe. i had the firm faith that nothing bad was going to happen. everyone else seemed stressed out but i knew i would live despite everything the doctors told me. they had me sign three waivers for the certain procedures that at worst i would not survive.

1) they had a metal tub full of large ice cubes (like the ones you go ice-blocking on) and told me they were going to take off all my clothes and place my body in there right after i was out. it would help my brain tissue to shrink so when they drilled through my temple, they wouldn't hit my brain. it would also bring my heart to a slower pace so i wouldn't bleed too much. i felt more nervous about this one because they kept telling me it could kill me since the water is almost frozen.

2) the surgery itself was invasive. they cut from the top of my head-hairline, down to my ear. peeling off my face and then drilling through my temple, carefully going through the front left side of my brain (where memory is) and getting my aneurysm. hearing the drill before is when i felt my last wave of nerves. they were testing them all out in front of me before i went under.

when i woke up, i had my parents and friend there. i was married at the time but separated so seeing those faces there, happy that i woke up six hours later, was so comforting. i was in pain that is hard to describe. i remember feeling like someone hit me with a bat over and over to my head. ashlee likes to remind me that i specifically asked for yellow cake with chocolate frosting while in the ICU.

i recovered almost fully in a week and ran a 10K 4 weeks later.

i had staples to help me heal and they were taken out early because how quickly i was healing. the nurse practitioner talked to me about how i was a miracle for healing at the quick pace i did and how there was something about me that she felt was different, special and that my faith saved me. she asked to say a prayer with me before she left the room and told me she knew i had a great purpose.

i will never forget that. maybe that support she gave me and how i took care of myself after allowed me to recover so quickly.

{pictures by jamie's husband - san clemente pier, the day after i got home from the hospital}

.:eastern vs. western medicine:.

practicing yoga and teaching it opens ones' mind about natural homeopathic ways of healing. after my surgery i only had fruit, vegetables, brown rice and low sodium. i healed very quickly, ran and continued this was of eating, running and care that i felt great all the time. i continued to go to all natural wellness doctors that it made me skeptical of western doctors. i formed opinions on how wrong they are just to medicate every patients pain - like putting on a bandaid on a wound that needs more nursing to allow it to heal.

after many discussions with both doctors, sharing my bluntness about this, starting classes for nursing school; i came to a conclusion.

eastern medicine: to prevent from having to use western medicine.

i wouldn't call my eastern, all natural doctor for a broken leg... but i will go to him for ways to manage small things that come up before they become emergencies.

kind of an interesting thought to chew on. i love thinking about ways to fix problems; especially medical issues.

nursing school - still on the back burner for now, but i am hoping to change that when the time is right. for now, i'll be ready to cover my little boy's bumps and scratches from his rough-housing with camo bandaids, keep up on my CPR certification, stay healthy and watch my hospital shows...

artistic bliss

there is this photographer that i am so stoked i stumbled upon. she is incredible. you will never believe this, but she is 16! so creative, talented and original.

i want to buy so many of her pictures, print them on canvas, frame them, and nail them all over that house on the cliffs that i dream about... well not the obscure ones, but a lot of them...

isn't she straight talent?

found

listening to: my little monster snore...

happy weekend!

found: child with large feet, asleep in the corner.

reward: he gets to be woken up soon for a ho-down of his wee-bitty life. all he needs is his cowboy hat and tons of kisses!

here's to a long mommy and son date that is lasting all day long.

what would life be like without little boys? i'm glad i don't know.

bottom picture found on: fffffound.com

carbon-copy

oh my goodness gracious.
my manager showed me this commercial and i couldn't close my mouth - awe-struck.

i have worked for several hotels and one of my positions i oversaw the guest relations department that solely took care of our high profile guests such as; every sports player, top ceo's of large corporations, almost every important celebrity as well as other v.i.p.s there to celebrate their wedding night, anniversary, etc.

i think i can write about this... i won't get to specific...

mariah carey stayed at our hotel for a couple nights. every high profile celebrity comes with a contract. certain hot spots, things they expect, things they need, things they would like - odd requests. it was great when i received her contract that requested the following (and i am not exaggerating one bit...)

a pink comforter, special water i had to ship to us, orchids (they were fancy fancy), roll out the red carpet when she arrived and this part is my favorite, she ordered live puppies. that's right, puppies! i had to go to a local pet store and hire puppies. you can imagine what the pet insurance for the carpet bill was.

most of the celebrities would be escorted through the secret halls with security and me, but no, she wanted everyone and anyone to know that she was there.

i wasn't anxiety-ridden like this gentleman below, but it was so funny to relive that past time in my life. working that career path i think made me more less maintanance. luckily.

ditto

"I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles"
- Audrey Hepburn

someday if i have the chance to raise a little girl, i will teach her this (except the kissing part...)

spongey

listening to: the yeah yeah yeahs

Melissa

Nice, Neat and Cool

Daughter of Vic and Cindy

Lover of dancing, dogs and cats

Who feels happy, playful and great

Who finds happiness in toys, playing with friends and having birthday parties

Who needs to have fun, make new friends, and make people more happier

Who fears spiders, snakes and lizards

Who wants to see Disney World, cousins and my grandma and grandpa

Who enjoys dancing, gymnastics and friends

Who likes to wear red, white and blue

Resident of Laguna

the end.
i made this in kindergarten when i was four. its all tie-dyed and laminated.
it's ironic that not much has really changed... i would say i have changed just a little since then...

my friend is a child therapist and told me that children decide how they make decisions by age eight and that the brain is fully developed with your basic knowledge about life, personality, etc. by age three.

i love learning about this kind of "stuff"...

... things that aren't still ringing true is i don't like birthday parties for myself anymore, i like lizards now, i could care less about disney world, and wearing red, white and blue? not sure, but that was awesome how patriotic i was at four.

after reading this, i thought of jackson.

my mom sent me this forward email the other morning.
i usually automatically delete them before opening them {guilty} but i took a few minutes to read this one today.

WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING

A message every adult should read because children
are watching you and doing as you do, not as you say.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my
first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately
wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you feed a
stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind
to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my
favorite cake for me, and I learned that the little
things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I heard you say a
prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always
talk to, and I learned to trust in Him.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make a
meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I
learned that we all have to help take care of each
other...

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of
your time and money to help people who had nothing,
and I learned that those who have something should
give to those who don't.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you take care
of our house and everyone in it, and I learned we have
to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw how you
handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't
feel good, and I learned that I would have to be
responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come
from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things
hurt, but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you
cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I learned most of
life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and
productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked at you and
wanted to say, 'Thanks for all the things I saw when
you thought I wasn't looking.'

i want to teach jack so much.

he keeps growing too fast; i hope to keep up.

the past few days i have been trying to write down the funny things he says:

"i am a bouncy boy"

"mimi, i don't like your new rug"

"________ (friend's name removed)... your house is messy."

"i sleep better with my elephant" (the elephant is this huge, hard figurine)

"mom, i'm too tired for your kisses" as he continues to sleep in (7:25 am)

"the monster (yoda) on my underwear is scary! i don't want to look at him all day."

"mom, your hair is too long. you need to cut it like mine."

"mom, you are pretty. i love you soooo sooo sooo soo much" (as he hugs me around my neck)

"when i come out of this bath, with you pick me up in the towel and hold me like a baby?"

"applesauce makes me so so so so so tired."

"mom why don't you text my dad? see what he is doing."

"mom, when did i grow in your belly?"

"can i have that?" (as he is watching the barbie commerical)

"when i burp i say 'excuse me' right mom?"

"i don't want to kneel down for prayer. my legs are tooooo tirrrred."

"mom what's my middle name"

"i am not buddy, i am jackson abernethy"

"no her name is melissa" - as my friend called me some nick name

"did you bring me home a present?"

"i am batman tonight, and batman wants to watch wall-e not shrek"

"the fish wants milk, so i gave him some. i didn't poke him that much mom."

"i didn't make that mess, it was my friend jack." -

grey giveaway WINNER! and company name!

first and foremost, i would like to thank everyone who participated, emailed me or sent me text messages with ideas for a name. you guys really are so great.

i also want to apologize for taking so long to announce this.

this was like picking out your child's name; knowing we will be saying this name over and over and over and over, seeing it everywhere, printing it everywhere and once again, saying it over and over.... and still like it.

after many meetings, lisa and i decided to name our company:

LOTUS

(in Greek mythology) a legendary plant whose fruit induces a dreamyforgetfulness and an unwillingness to depart.

• the flower of the sacred lotus as a symbol in Asian art and religion.

not our actual logo:

so LINDSAY you win!

a private yoga session of your favorite type or level

as well as a party of up to ten girls on the beach with lisa and i!

congrats!

just let us know when you want to coordinate it.

lotus is a position everyone can do which will reflect our company.

it also brings peace, reflection and helps others gather their thoughts.

she suggested "playful lotus"

the word lotus is also a pose used in different variations

lisa and i are both "yellow" personalities and playful but we wanted to keep it short.

we will use just the lotus but the domain we will be purchasing will not be just lotus...

it will coordinate with whatever city we land in.

stay tuned, more fun is coming...

EL -C

listening to: rolling stones.

sissy was in town for the weekend.

since i was in big bear, i didn't get to see much of her except the night she came in and right before she went to the airport.

her hubs drew stayed behind because he had a concert he was playing at. he just signed on with joshua james' label.

she was there for a wedding in newport she took pictures for.

she is such a joy to have back in california.

it's only time until they come back.

little jadey bug has an appetite for sure...

double-fisting it... no big deal.

such a cute little boy.

love him.

jumping on a trampoline with toddlers is top ten favorite things to do.

can't wait to see you soon elise...

here is an email she forwarded to the family recently:

hello. please do not go see the movie- Disney's A Christmas Carroll- with Jim Carey, because that will be one of our Thanksgiving activities.

Thank you,

Elise & Mom

....

here is my dad's reply:

Victor Lundquist to Elise, Bree, Drew, Grandma, me

show details Nov 7 (2 days ago)

Already saw it. No need to see again. And I ordered on NetFlix to see in March. Thanks tho.

- Show quoted text -

--

Victor Lundquist

simplicity with ladies and gents

we left for big bear, california... stopping to get mexican food of course. wendy needed some time away from the city as well, so her and her 4-year-old kaden came. they are lovely.

after driving for an hour 1/2 up windy roads with our sleeping babies, we settled in, loving all the treasures that came with the cabin....

you would think we were setting us candles and a display like this for something but no, just wanted to make it feel at home.

i found a nasty, hairy spider in the sink. wendy caught me talking to it... trying to figure out why there were two others crawling around.

she is holding our new beta fish i gave to jack - migosh (3) ... but this one will live.

a lot of sleeping, fires, and healthy food. wendy also read "disease proof your kids" so we feed them likewise.

always keeps me smiling.

local market. almost bought that mug for one of my clients...

so we did a little fishing, and walking.

oh and playing at the playground with the local folks.

picture of kaden on the left shows all four of us!

fishing with your boys is a treat for sure.

we left our poles because it was so cold and we wanted to focus on the boys learning to fish.

after fishing we went into town for food at the teddy bear restaurant and then drove to the chair lifts to see the mountains.

we love our little boys.

(never mind jack's halloween tattoos that i can't scrub off...)

dessert: s'mores from the fireplace... on forks.

1,000 piece puzzle. i could do these for hours and hours.

wendy, in fact cannot.

that fire took a lot of effort. a lot. 67 matches, anthropologie magazine, environmental duralog, real wood from our tree... and it kept us warm!

last week i was out on a date and told him i needed to buy jack and kaden these from rocky mountain in laguna. they are huge gummy animals. 'twas a hit!

morning.

tea parties are for grown-ups too.

bye cabin.

the island we want to retire on someday, talk about being old, sip herbal tea on the porch and ride our bikes into the village ... is behind me.

such a beautiful day.

lovely.

traffic: pic op.

the best is jack so asleep in the back.

no road trip of ours in the past have been without mustaches.

we are just keeping it real... yo.

wendy is such a great person.

she has witty lines, random things to say, beautiful, great mother but most of all to me,

is an incredible friend.

she said to me today: "whats the point of having a best friend if they don't inspire you."

she also said something that will always stick...

"i never get mad at my kids because i want them to remember me as beautiful. when moms get mad or yell at their kids, their face gets ugly."

she and i are sisters from otha mothas.

thanks for coming to them mountains clevelands.

its a nice day, for a white wedding + woods + ashes

as i have mentioned most of my friends got married recently.

here is some sweetness from the recent ones...

lisa + rodney ASHton

click here for all pictures by rachel thurston.

she is pretty much amazing...

these pictures will be in a soon edition for "real and simple" magazine

amber and bryan WOODS moved from utah, met at a BBQ we went to and got married back in the timeless salt lake city, utah temple.

their wedding was beautiful

such a trooper; meeting all new people.

the girl in the grey skirt next to erin was one of the nurses from my run that morning who helped me and then it was great to see her again!

then....

ashlee and jason WHITE sealed the deal recently...

but... i didn't take any pictures of just them.

vroom vroom

game plan: halloween night
first jack and i went to the mall to see all the trick-or-treaters.
of course he was so excited... thinking the ballerinas and monsters were his favorite... because he told me and would follow them, asking me if he could be their friend.
we had dinner at nordstrom cafe and then went home to get our flashlights ready.

jack talked to his daddy for a little bit.

we all went over for a family trick-or-treatingness at mitch and linds' house. world series was on.; making it hard to get out of there right away.

mitch and jade
adorable micah - spiderman. ryan devine and mitch kept saying that this is what micah is all the time; but when a four-year-old wants to be spiderman, he is spiderman.

linds and jade
jadey bug was a bug! she had a russian hat with buds at the top. she was so cute all night following the boys to each house and lighting up when she saw the candy.

jackson - lightning mcqueen. he loved yelling out "trick-or-treat!" to all the doors. i kept telling him and his cousins.... "the houses with 'bank owned' signs will not be giving candy out this year."

all that running around and candy made this little man sleepy and thirsty.

he wanted to be both a car and batman to sleep.

the only real picture of us together in our matching outfits.

bedtime song: the nightmare before christmas theme song.

he knows all the words somehow.

he made this at preschool.

after a group of us (mostly people who didn't want to dress up) went to a friend's house to watch scary movies and eat loads of food. i stayed dressed, adding jack's car costume. no big deal.

halloween is done! yeah.
he still thinks everyday is either his birthday or halloween.
not too interested in his candy. i am a lucky mom.

moon

listening to: monsters of folk
sooooo busy.

the moon and the tides have been interesting lately. as well as the mysterious, thick and heavy fog that is starting here around 6.00pm.

my lack of interesting posts are tied directly to how busy i've been with responsibilities but i promise some fun ones that are worth reading are coming...

i think i am in love with this website/ photography website... oh man, too much fun with the arrow and exciting pictures to come from them.

upcoming: sister in town, post about MJ, post about halloween, + fishing in big bear this weekend in a log cabin...

ahhhh, cannot wait.
{happy face}

sounds like...

picture press

here

a few more days and i will be announcing our yoga company's name!

we hired a photographer, a graphic designer, a commercial real estate broker and all of our mats.

it will take a few weeks to get our website up, but i will be making a blog were we will give yoga, dance and pilates tips, healthy recipes and ways to "go green" DAILY!

we also will be announcing the winner in a few days...

thank you all who have participated! we know it's been hard to find a name because most are taken already...

but we really appreciate it!

this is going to be great!!

we are so excited.

mobile uploads

listening to: random music and some lady talk

at a cafe doing work and this...

lunch breaking it.

here are some pictures from my blackberry with a few tid-bits from the past few months...

this is an exciting day for me...

I BOUGHT A REAL CAMERA.

a canon.

so no more blackberry pictures and mac pictures (or maybe very little) from now on. i hope this one lasts longer than the others.

family surf trip to doheny. micah will someday be as good as his daddy.

jack sleeps without a shirt.

lucky boy.

who taught him that?

funny thing is he does this on his own.

he is also very good at downward-facing-dog...

after his yoga sesh, we made cookies with tiffany. his favorite friend on mine.

she is so sweet to him.

i swear he has clothes.

how great is this?

san diego zoo three trips ago.

this is their playground logo.

jackson gardening...

my feet after that hike...

she loved my feet - oh man...

i was on this apple kick where i was having two apples a day.

so good for you.

this policeman was too good to pass up.

he is so legit and serious about his job on the beach.

vespa ride around town.

old mans : stand-up paddle-boarding at sunset

i work close to my brother...

we get to go to this great sushi place sometimes.

grandma's birthday at old mans

(dad and g'pa)

another paddle-boarding-ness.

i just saw a ton of dolphins. amazing.

jack and i love wahoo's fish tacos.

he is obsessed with mexican food.

reading a book with my man on my tummy.

sept. 11th on PCH. they had the angels out paying tribute to the firefighters and i got caught in traffic.

dinner with one of my best friends from childhood - kristi.

she is so fun now that she is married. she cracks me up.

in LA...

i saw this in the public restroom.

makes me feel secure.

swimming at club messick

jack loved the floaties.

work lunch.

never will buy market sushi again.

hmmmm....

dinner at ruby's before jack was going to his dads.

he thought RUBY's was me.

he ran up to her, gave her a huge hug and yelled "mommy!!!"

a shoe company with "melissa" in it.

i don't know why i take so many of these.

they all seem sort of pointless.

i think i am going to do something with them but i don't until now i guess.

escape

i am traveling somewhere this weekend...

an attempt to escape from technology... in hopes my phones have no reception...

making plans for a cabin, piles of burning wood, mittens, jackets, more mittens and possibly snuggies.

lots of movies, naps, healthy food and exploring the mountains...

big bear's air sounds so fresh and clean.

fingers crossed for snow. it's time.

g-g-g-grey giveaway.

photo by :her

the give-away is delayed...

stay tuned...

sorry it was a busy busy busy weekend for me.

please think outside of that four-cornered thing.

** if you spark something, you will win even if it's not exact.

thank you!

halloween cars tattoos

listening to: thriller! -mj

just saw that movie two nights ago... post coming soon about it...

happy halloween!

{hit+miss}

from:

me and jack

today was full (friday)

i think jack and i had enough sugar to energize a small town for an hour.

so brushing of those baby teeth was a five-minute-necessity.

although jackson and i have been wanting to camp, we decided to stay in tonight and think about how cool it would be to have made this pumpkin.

today i was able to bring jack into my office and visiting my clients around orange county. we had a company party. jack was the entertainment for sure. we dressed up...

but here's a sneak peek....

.... we are sort of matching...

this is only a glimpse...

i want to keep the entire costume anticipation going

jack with be a CAR. get it? get it? car...jack!

i'll be the driver?

before bed...

we took all those above pictures.

and i was able to capture him on a video.

{caution: scary faces and belly rolls

{post script} - another one...

{sorry, we couldn't contain ourselves...}

hope you have a safe and fun weekend!

i want more

there are people like this that give me inst-a-smile; every time.

sometimes they have umbrellas...

i see them everyday in irvine.

...and on boats to catalina

.... and all over san francisco.

this was one of my ideas for a halloween costume.

i hope this put a smile on your face...

fall for this food

listening to: coldplay - see you soon

being in the kitchen makes me feel like a woman, like some sort of sexy... lets me feel important and gives me this confidence i sometimes crave at the end of the day when i feel drained.

i sometimes just want to run amok and cook as many things i can with all the ingredients i have.

when i lived in arizona, i would give recipes to my students.

here is one that i especially fancy.

i hope you do too.

i might even use proper punctuation.... just might...

Warm Wild Rice Salad

(to up the protein, add 8 ounces of lean chicken)

1 cup quick-cooking or instant wild rice, cooked according to directions (if organic, get the slow kind and soak it for 8 hours so it sprouts)

1 pear, cored and cubed

1 apple, peeled, cored and cubed

1/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

2 ounces of blue cheese, crumbled

1/3 cups of dried cranberries

8 cups of mesclun or spinach or spring mix

1 tablespoon of olive oil

2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar

In a bowl, toss together the first six ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste. In a separate bowl, season greens with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper; toss to coat evenly. Divide among serving plates and top with a scoop

of rice mixture.

Makes roughly 6 servings.

219 calories, 6g protein, about 30g carbohydrates, 9g fat and 4 g fiber.

Then when you have finished this dish, make sure you leave room for this

{dairy pills not included...}

Hazelnut, White Chocolate and Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust:

3/4 cup vanilla-wafer crumbs

1/2 cup of ground hazelnuts

3 tablespoons of cane sugar

3 tablespoons of butter, melted

Cheesecake Filling:

3 8oz. packages of cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie-spice

1 cup canned pumpkin

4 eggs

1 cup of coarsely chopped white chocolate

1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts (toasted makes it THAT MUCH BETTER)

Heat the over to 325 degree F. In a small bowl, combine the crust ingredients and mix well. Press the mixture into the bottom and a half inch up the sides of a 9-inch spring form pan.

Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then remove it from the oven... set aside. Reduce temperature to 300 degree F.

In a large bowl, blend the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and pumpkin-pie spice with an electric mixer on low speed (so less air gets into the batter and the cheesecake will be less likely to crack while baking). Add the pumpkin and eggs - beat until well combined. Stir in the white chocolate. Pour the filling into the crust-lined pan, then sprinkle on the chopped hazelnuts.

Bake at 300 degree F for 1 hr. Turn off heat after that hour finishes itself up... leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door close for another 30 minutes... or longer. Allow it to set. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it chill.

Makes one 9-inch cheesecake.

... you don't want to know the nutritional value for this.

Mercy Me.... there isn't much nutrition BUT it will make you and your guests pleasantly happy.

Let me know what you think if you can make time for these!

Enjoy!

grey give-a-way!

{photography by elise L photography; pictures of me}

as some of you may know, my friend and i are starting a yoga studio here in orange county soon and we are struggling for a name.

PRIZE:

{winner will be selected non-biasedly based on the best name she and i can agree on}

1 free hour private yoga session catered to your level

1 free class where you can invite up to ten friends to do yoga on the beach! ... with me and another instructor!

++{if you live out of the country, out of the state or even out of orange county, we will arrange the next time we see you or you can give this to someone you know in orange county. everyone seems to know someone here}

so please be as original, as witty, and creative with this name of our yoga studio/company.

lisa and i look forward to reading your responses!

giveaway ends sunday night by 8pm pacific standard time.

thanks!

namaste.

happy faces and forts

listening to: louis armstrong

cold cold cold.

this week like i said previously, has been filled with so much...

on monday, i came home from court to jackson telling me about his time in preschool.

he visited the firefighter station.

he was stoked to see the big red truck, the hat, the fireman sticker and bouncy ball.

he sat on the truck again... but told me he doesn't want to be a firefighter anymore.

he wants to be spiderman when he grows up...

he told me the only problem is, he says...

"...but mama, i don't have my webs yet! no webs!"

whilst he is showing me both wrists; face up.

then that night we made a fort.

right after we played with the army men.

if you are an adult, i highly recommend making a fort inside your house...

and if you are small enough, under the coffee table.

he kept telling me, i'll be there in a sec. i'm just fixing this blanket and moving the pillows...

when i found him jumping from

point A {the top of the table} to point B {the couch a few feet away}

he made this fort all by himself while i helped him pick up the

blankets because "they are toooo heavy"

notice: fly swatter? i wonder what goes on in his little mind.

we watched shrek 2 in the light because he thought the monsters could come...

until we got sleepy sleepy

all that fort making, and army-men playing made us tiiiiired.

this is what he always does when we watch a movie...

checks on my eyes if they are closed or open.

we heart forts and falling asleep to movies.

owls

listening to my new favorite band: owls - air

busy busy busy

hiiiii!

so we have been really busy, really happy and really everything.

i am sorry for neglecting this but i have some good ones coming soon!

i'll make time tomorrow...

loves from me and jack

xx

san diego zoo

listening to: my friend laura jansen

because she is awesome

on saturday jack and i went to the san diego zoo with our friends eric and his daughter scout.
jack was so shy with her for the first fifteen minutes and then warmed up with her over sharing honey-wheat pretzels.

after the hour long drive down to san diego, the kids wanted matching hoodies, matching juice boxes and held hands while in the parking lot. it was so cute to see scout crushing over jack and he kind of knew it...

the rest of the day was filled with a lot of rides. on the shoulders, in tea-cups that floated above all the zoo and borrowed green strollers.

i'm so glad scout was cool with how i pack picnics full of organic pb&j sandwiches shaped as flowers, sunflower seeds, fruit, raisins, carrots, dried mangoes and yogurt.

the kids were so well behaved (as well as three-year-olds can be) so we got them little dinos for the car ride home.

i think we were there for a total of three hours but that was enough for all four of us.

we had just enough time to see the camels, the polar bears, frogs, turtles, lions, elephants, jaguar, fossils, rattlesnakes, dead mice, deer, antelope etc etc etc...

more reasons to love FALLing

jack and i are sick right now, so we are laying in bed... yuck.

listening to: the grinch who stole christmas

born in san diego, raised in southern orange county, i don't get to experience much of a season change. we are given great weather most of the time but here are a few things i've grown to appreciate during these fall months...

willow trees in new york and boat rides with clouds

{photo by my sis aimee devine}

sleeping anywhere and everywhere, early, late... you name it. it makes me sleepy.

{found here}

buildings after the rain, especially in san francisco

{amazing photography by my friend ivan}

utah mountains in october

{photo by my friend rachael clegg}

when jack leaves me his "pet" spiders in places to try to scare me

{photo by my work blackberry millie}

finding a bench that is framed by leaves, old wood and engraved...

{ffffound}

walking over a bridge, looking over at a river like this....

{photo by nate murdock}

of course taking kids to the state fair or pumpkin patch

{photo by my friend robyn}

i hhhhhhhhate spiders, but spiderwebs after it rains, is beautiful.

{she captured it perfectly}

taking the stairs instead of the elevators

{love this picture}

visiting sundance recently and seeing these gorgeous trees in every autumn color

{photo by nathan murdock}

weddings in the fall

{oh sooo good}

being EXTRA spontaneous

{photo by her}

how it gets darker earlier

{photo by nathan murdock}

finding parks with steel slides that are usually too hot during the summer

{photo of her son seth by my friend katie in the u.k.}

reading new halloween books and coloring books

old swings and new relationships seem to always start in the fall...

{album here}

making homemade soup from a vegetable that looks like a chicken.

{photo by macintosh via video talking to family}

picking a leaf that has freckles

{photo by her}

visiting a town with homes that have entry ways like this

{fffffound}

i call this "luck"

{ffffound}

skipping in the leaves

{photo by her}

i hope all are enjoying their fall.

"weather" it be with someone you love, something you love doing or somewhere beautiful.

.... i hate being cheesy but i think i just was. oh well...

re-arranger

i am currently crushing over these mirrors.

i am no designer, nor an artist. my dad is a published photographer my mom is an interior designer by trade as well as a professional oil painter and photographer so after living with changing walls, changing colors, rooms looking like a museum, a dark room for photos, hallways filled with unique pictures, its rubbed me the right way.

i notice frames.

i like them to be different, unique, fun, but not too crazy.

these frames are interesting for this blog post but maybe not sure if i would purchase them just yet.

aftermooner

from wednesday night: october 21, 2009

tonight jackson and i went for a long drive. as we are driving, he told me he loved me more than the moon. he told me it was a "skinny moon" tonight. we continued to drive from san clemente to dana point, passing people on their bikes. here is how our conversation went:

J: mama, that man is on a red bike. it is not your bike, it is his bike.

M: yes, that is not my bike buddy.

J: mama, my name is not buddy it's jackson. ummm, is the moon shining on the man on his bike?

M: yes, the moon's light reaches many people.

J: mama, that tree is cute.

(as we are passing one of my favorite mexican restaurants with christmas lit trees)

J: mama, do you think those trees with the twinkly lights are cute?

M: yeah baby.

J: i am not a baby, i am a big boy. i wear diapers sometimes at night, but i wear big boy underwear.

M: i'm sorry; thats what i meant. you are a big boy.

J: yeah, and i have strong muscles because i only have one popcicle a day now.

M: ha ha! yeah, you will be tall with strong muscles. i bet if you eat more little trees, they will get bigger.

J: i don't want to eat the trees.

after we met with some friends, i brought him home and we were getting ready for bed. i love to be spontaneous, so i asked him if he wanted to look at the stars with me.

we went on one of the balconies and just talked about the stars. his favorite star was the north star. his second favorite were the ones that moved. i told him they weren't stars but were airplanes.

J: why are they airplanes?

M: because people have to get places quicker than a train or car can take them.

J: they are little einsteins' space machines i think.

M: possibly...

J: mama?

... i like looking at the stars with you.

when we were walking back in the house, i'm struggling to cradle him like the baby he once was, he started looking behind my shoulder and waving "bye" to the stars. then he yelled out of nowhere "GOODNIGHT MOON!!!!!! Goodnight Moon!"

gap casting call

listening to: ray lamontagne ...

hold you in my arms


sorry i have been so busy lately.

my friends that encouraged me to blog everyday had great intentions.

i have been so busy submitting jackson's picture to GAP for their casting call. i do it every year.

here are some i sent in...

i hope he wins!

{no i did not... i think all of ya'll that did are great though. you've got some pretty cute kids!}

dear johns

listening to: time lapse lifetime by maria taylor

years ago, i had the pleasure of dating someone who collected flags.

this post is dedicated to you "john"

these are all from this

australia flag

japan flag

lebonon flag

south korea

spain flag

swiss flag

vietnam flag

italian flag

india flag

greek flag

french flag

argentina flag

so creative! i loved that each of these flags had food from their country.

encore, encore!

charlie

listening to: shrek 2 play while jack snores

{oh he can snore}

at my pilates classes, i teach, i incorporate some ballet on the floor.

one of my favorite series that i do in is the "charlie chaplin" that is like so:

1. lay in prone position (face down on tummy, hips square)

2. open knees past

hip width, bend knees

to 90 degree angle, heels together in first position

3. lift knees off floor, hands next to your side {bent elbows}, pull navel in towards your spine

4. then while your knees stay off the floor, straighten out your legs while

heels stay in that first position.

recipe calls for this 8 times at least one series.

it will make you want to dance with a cane.

or cottage-cheese-back-of-your-thigh-free.

either way, it burns and feels lovely.

on the theme of tipping your hat and being fancy, i found this artist...

she does some pretty neato things...

cards by her

stay

listening to: priscilla ahn - rain

lounging

some people like to watch people.

i do with a twist.

sometimes i find that when they have a prop in their hand, they become that more interesting.

whatever the prop may be, it tells a little spec of what they are about.

my favorite non-living object that i enjoy watching people hold is an umbrella.

i don't know if i will ever understand why people claim they have "weatheritis" or hate it when it rains. it gives me energy. people call a rainy, drizzly day miserable. i think the heavier the cloud, the pretty the sky can look.

there is something that i find so fun about how someone holds an umbrella.

what kind of jacket or poncho they wear, how they walk in their shoes or boots, how they hold their other person under the umbrella, how fast or slow they walk, the expression on their face and if they keep their head up or down while they find their destination.

i also like wondering why they chose the color they did. the contrast of the bright umbrella against the hue of the air is fascinating; subtly attractive.

i think they make great pictures such as these:

photographer by this artist

art by: these people

also done by the f.

photo: by them

picture by: her

kind of peaceful? i think so.

next time it rains, look at people with umbrellas.

it could be fun or release a new interest in the way you see people.

breathe in; breathe out. black lung.

listening to: john vanderslice

wishing i didn't take a 3 hour nap today

8am.
saturday morning.

i wake up... cold.

socks, shoes tied, shorts on, tank supporting nicely, hoodie over the ears, legs all stretched out...

i meet my friend for a little 5kness for getting healthcare in the valley. they give us more "junk mail" as i like to call it whenever i do runs. like hard chewy things that say "all the nutrition one needs for the day in a bite-sized chew", a random key lock, pepper spray (pepper spray? yes, pepper spray!), security jacket, coupons to every place... the bag was huge. then he and i run around to warm up and with watches ready to pace ourselves.

the gun goes off.

there are about four people in front of us: skinny-legged muscly man, speedy Gonzalez-a, taz and another fast-man. about 1/2 mile into it, 6:30 minute mile pace, i feel like someone just punched me in the chest. then tasted some fresh blood. no bother, i ignored it and kept on keepin' on. the one mile mark approaches. i begin to feel blood coming up my esophagus and

coughing it up in my right palm. my friend kept at his pace but my body told me to slow it down. people started to pass, my heart was beating fast, my lungs felt like they were on fire, but i am stubborn enough to keep on jogging. as the second mile is approaching, i felt as though my head was going to drain from my nose, more blood was coming to my tongue, and then i began to throw up blood in the bushes near by. i had already passed a marker, so didn't know what to do. no panicking, just straight logic now. i decided to walk to the next marker, hoping he or she wasn't too far. i didn't want my fellow runners to know what was going on, so i continued to tough it out. i saw my marker. she was about 200 yards ahead. i felt so dizzy and each breath felt like a punch to my chest.

when i saw her, i could hardly talk. i simply told her something was wrong and that i needed help. to my luck, she was an ER nurse. she grabbed the help i needed and they rushed me to the hospital. i was so embarrassed that 1. i was going to the ER and 2. i usually run quickly, and often but somehow i couldn't finish this one.

at the hospital they ran all these tests telling me it could be a blood clot in my lungs or a few other things that were serious. they were surprised how calm i was. i had the hardest time

breathing and then kept on coughing. after all the scans, the hot chocolate being pumped in my IV, they found out i burst a blood vessel in my lungs which released blood in my lungs, burnt them by continuing to run, and the altitude put my body in shock. my cretin levels were high which meant i was dehydrated. once the doctor gave me the okay, i drank a small jamba juice, 4 8oz. glasses of pellet hospital ice water and had a bag of saline pumped via IV. my friend was so sweet waiting with me, getting everything i needed and making sure i was okay. we walked out happy to be out of there, me with a hot pink bandage, sores on my chest and a story now to tell.

not to mention, a smokers cough.

everything will be okay.

loved it

listening to: the heater ring next to my head and my teeth chatter because i'm freezing!

not ready for my run tomorrow...

saw this tonight with family elise and drewbles. i didn't expect it to be like this. loved it. made me smile almost the whole time. very monstery, very warm fuzzy, very sad eyed, made you want to be sipping tomato bisque while wearing thick socks with feet propped up, and makes you want to hug your mom or be thankful for being a mom. i liked it. yay for dressing up and having fun!

have a great weekend friends.

goodnight moon.

goodnight max. you were adorable. i hope jack looks like you someday but doesn't have anger tantrums like you.

sending a little smile

listening to: tegan & sara - don't confess...
over and over

i think this post will be loaded. so if you can handle a lot of letters smashed together, maybe not making sense, possibly digging me in a hole, then lets carry on.

first, i just want to say how good things have been. why? i feel like i was in a swamp for so long. the imagery that comes to mind is that part in "princess bride" when wesley and buttercup are going through the swamp and keep having one bad thing after another hit them after the other out of their control. then they get out and he looses her to the six fingered man. i felt like wesley in so many ways but knew i was going to find peace & reasoning in this all. it's been sooo good for so long. i'm just ready with my dukes up for something crazy to hit me. all i can do throughout the day is be mindful of my blessings of where i am now, how i got here, the wisdom i have gained and remembering that special saying - be humble, don't be humbled...

all aspects of my life are going well. maybe i'm wearing rose colored glasses, or i like to look at each day as the best day so far but i really feel like it's SOO GOOD.

work is going great! things are so good. i am a manager somewhere in orange county {this whole not being private thing freaks me out} and right now i am dealing with the swine flu epidemic. orange county is holding off on ordering their supplies and tests right now but its been a great experience to see the pieces come together. i have been meeting with the big ones at corporate (that word gets me sometimes "corporate" - that and "nylons") they are giving me more and more responsibilities so i feel like i'm doing something right? right?

there has been a project i have been asked to be a part of and i am excited to get a majority of it done in a few days. there will be a few interviews for a magazine that won't be coming out until january but it will be well known. so well known that it is going nationwide for now and soon worldwide. i can't wrap my head around not being a little nervous knowing how many people will be seeing this/reading this/knowing who i am after this.when i threw my friend's birthday "dessert at tiffany's" about a month ago, a bunch of you asked me to post the recipe. the funny thing is, i made it up as i was going off of a few recipes. so if you cook, bake or know a thing or two about mixing ingredients, you could probably figure it out. remember i hate cooking with exact instructions? well, basically it's german and dutch cocoa, cream cheese, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract and baking soda. then after mixing it, putting the cupcakes in the oven for a little, i stuck french truffles in the middle (from trader joes because i was too lazy to make them from scratch)... the frosting is from my sister-in-law's website "sweet and savory" but i probably left out some ingredients and then i sprinkled swiss chocolate on top. sorry for not giving exact. i'm like that driver that isn't easiest to follow because i forget someone is driving behind me (when it comes to cooking...)

the company my friend and i are pulling together is going to be great. it's that yoga company but right now we are in the process of looking for the best location for a studio, equipment, make sure it's the right time but most importantly, i need help with a name... something catchy. i am a huge beatles fan but no yoga names have came from their songs... seriously if someone can think of a name of the company or studio i will work out free privates or a yoga party. my wit is running low. maybe i'll do a giveaway...

this weekend i really want to relax. i get to see a lot of friends and family but i totally want to lay in a hammock snuggled up in a blanket drinking apple cider. i am running an easy 5k on saturday morning, then a friend's wedding that night. i do want to camp under the stars with all the leaves. this autumn is too pretty this year to not take advantage of. life is meant to be lived to it's fullest. (that was ramblish)

there is a quote i read today that fit my mood perfectly. "its only with the heart that one can see rightly what's most important is invisible to the eye." - little prince.

also, i have been feeling sick. i am allergic to everything. there is a website i found... i think it's a solution for now.

i have wanted to read a new book. politics is one of my favorite topics to either listen to or discuss. the reagan library in semi valley is incredible! incredible! i have been there for a law conference, a work conference and a wedding and each time, it's been almost enchanted. the entire experience is memorable from driving up to the parking lot, the gardens, the paintings, the LARGE plane inside and the feeling you get knowing it's dedicated to our belated president. i want to read "the reagan diaries" edited by douglas brinkley. i am waiting anxiously for my dad to finish it. it looks so interesting.

~~~ remember this picture? if you are a friend from a few years ago, i posted this picture on my blog from the strawberry fields dinner my dad and his friend hosted for mitt. my dad wanted a picture of him, so he asked me to stand next to one of his sons, and HIS kids and you all freaked out that i should marry him? i am cleaning off the desktop to my laptop and noticed it. it made me laugh.

my love story: my mac has got it's first scratch. i must say it was a sad day for me. kind of like when your new car gets it's first scratch? so i am going to sew a cover for it. i have looked for some padded foam ones and can't handle them. i want to make my own. kind of fun.

it's pretty obvious that i am a passionate person... especially about those that i love the most so jackson is always on my mind.

about a month ago, i had the wonderful experience speaking with a friend of mine who happens to be a family/relationship specialist. we were talking about jackson and i began to ask her question after question about what works best.

+++++ there is something she said that has stuck; how would be like to be a mom who teaches not out of fear but out of love, support and allowing your child to tell you what they see?

an example she gave to help me understand this concept was, when you and your first expectation didn't fall through and others found out did your perception change? did they focus on negative attributes? did you focus on sad times? or would you prefer others to tell you your many other options you have, point you a different direction or tell you what great qualities you might have for future experiences?

then she continued to say how nice will it be for jack to have me place a pinky on his shoulder, he can tell me what life is about, how he is experiencing it and if he sees something wrong (this is as a parent) then you can warn them but if you see something that isn't harmful, let them understand pain, heartache, separation so they can appreciate the sweet and satisfying times. it sounds so easy but as a parent, you can only hope it all works out that way.

i cannot imagine a life not serving a child. i am so grateful for him and for all he teaches me. like that movie "yes man" where he says as a child we view the world as a playground then as we grow to be adults, we forget.... or something to that affect.

oh my, i wrote a lot.
i don't know how i feel about it.
you all know what's going on in my head.
i sorta feel naked.

give-me-give-me

listening to: pollen by mirah
mood: happy!

yesterday one of my friends calls me to tell me i was on this well-known blog rockstar diaries. i didn't know what she meant...
naomi is having a giveaway for an item of the fitness line of shabby apple's !

i forgot about it.
their clothes fit really well. i remember putting on most of the line, doing crazy poses on rocks, thorns and thistles, leaving sweaty in 113 degree weather in Newport Beach and full of those stickers that puncture the skin...
i'm glad the other model wore shoes...

i normally wear lulu lemon when i teach my yoga, dance and pilates classes but i do have to say, i liked the material with this line. it's similar but more breathable and elastic if that makes sense? i wanted to keep most of the things i tried on but usually you can't after a shoot. i always wonder what they do with the samples...

i hope one of you that i know wins!
good luck!

pajamas or pajmommas?

listening to: johnny cash

comfortable as can be.

i am a huge fan of being comfortable.

could be the fact that when you are a dancer, you wear loose/soft-tight clothing while practicing and then while teaching pilates/yoga etc. you wear 'de stretchy pants... it plays a large factor in this urge to crave this goal of comfort.

anyway, i have these new jams.

i think target is great sometimes.

some other great ones are HERE and i reallllllly want them.

i also bought matching feetie jams for me and jack. for myself - boys size 12-14 and jack boys size 4-5. his will be too tall, mine will be too short but nonetheless we will make do. the clerk was cracking up when i told him it was for me and my son. he first was shocked i have a kid, and second thought i was a cool mom for dressing up with my child... what's the purpose of having kids if you don't have fun with them? ... yes of course there is more purposes but the tangible purposes...

today was so great...(monday) busy but great. southern california gets this sweep series of heavy clouds, cold mornings and nights and gloomy afternoons. it surely could have been one of my favorite days in a while. almost like a love story... a beginning, a middle and the feeling of no end. soy candles manipulating almost all five of your senses, vanilla warm herbal tea, new socks, hoodie in the house, smell of wood burning, and blankets that feel like stuffed animals. fall is lovely.

so was this bonding moment with jack before bed.

i guess this has been added to our nightly routine...

he loves it more than me.

sorry if this is getting old. this new mac thing is still NEW...

he kept saying, "make two of jacksons!" or "make me look like a frog" or "rainbow us!"

loves.

interview with my little man

listening to: enya

trying to catch up on emails...

if you are a parent, have you ever interviewed your child? my dad use to sit my older brother and me in a chair, set up the video camera, my mom would dress us up (put the biggest bow, poofy dress) and ask us a bunch of questions. luckily my aunt found them all and made dvds for us, but at the time we hated them. we would talk about our lives and say the most ridiculous things. out of subtle tradition, i have started doing it with jack and wanted to share his interview. and i'll try my best to capture exactly how he talks:

M: how old are you?

J: i'm free many

M: where were you yesterday?

J: at my nana and papa's house.

M: did you miss me?

J: ummm, yeah. i mean, yes, not yeah.

M: how much?

J: this many {holding his hands out as stretched out as far as he can}

M: what's your favorite color?

J: red.

M: i thought it was blue.

J: uh, yeah, blue.

M: who is your best friend?

J: micah.

M: who do you love more, me or your pet frog?

J: froggy.

M: what do you want for dinner?

J: pizza. no, macaroni pizzaaa.

M: what's that?

J: maca-aroni pizza mom!

M: who is scarier: a spider or a shark?

J: a shark! raaaar!

M: who is nicer thomas the train or percy?

J: percy but she whines a lot.

M: who do you like better... mickey or barney?

J: barney.

M: how come?

J: cuz he has a nice song about loving you.

M: how many fingers do you have?

J: uh, i dunno.

M: are you done?

J: yes.

the inseparables

listening to: my hypocritisisiam (sp?) wreak or insomnia and regret that will come ringing tomorrow morning when i wake up with a headache from staying up this late.

yeah i wasn't going to blog, but i can't sleep...

just about to throw up all of my photobooth pictures on here...

so...

after i picked up jack from pedros' tacos parking lot after not seeing him for a week.

we took his tricycle to two different parks since he'd been in the car all day.

when we arrived home, i gave him all of the gifts i prepared for him but also thought of how to introduce jack to his new sibling...

i wanted to give jack

and my niece jade

and my nephew micah

a proper introduction to my laptoppitty

what better way then to spend an hour on photobooth?

jade was obviously mesmerized.

ha ha ... i don't think her face changed yet.

we'll call this one: tongue

she moved!

and she loves me...

because i gave her food.

and she talked to nate.

hmmmm....

doll face.

boys.

we had a pillow fight and then started back again...

jackson directed these shots. he told me, "do this mom"

"and this mom"

he's looking at me like... what is she doing...???

INTERMISSION:

we did our family things.

before bed.

i gave him batman pajamas...

he wanted to get back on here.

i created a monster.

i like it.

post bath, post hair cut in the bath, post-shock of going crazy that he has a cape connected to his jams and then i am putting my cape on...

oh, it's time to get to business...

he is happy batman and i am the kissing fairy?

fancy.

another tongue one. it's a popular one...

i think we have the same fat percentage on our cheeks...

imaginary "POW!!!" shot. we just got punched.

fake sleeper.

am i really captioning these?

i'm too lazy to put it in the middle.

peace out from the inseparables!

oh twelve year olds...

still obsessing over my mac...

yes.

why you say?

here is the documentation of me breaking the ice of the

introduction of blake becoming the uncle to my maccity mac.

dedication to disney mixing it's blood with marvel comics?

yeah, he didn't get the memo... right...

collide.

loves.

there is a huge age gap between us.

oh vic and cindy...

this is blake's favorite.

i can see why.

i look ammmmazing.

i told blake, "blake, the economy is getting tough. here is your rollarcoaster ride for the year with me. we'll go to six flags next year."

weeeeeee - e - e - e e e e

alright this is getting old.

last one...

and we're finished!

vwah -la!

sparrow

listening to: nothing

laying in my bed

just saw the movie whip it... pretty great.

photo by: design by humans at military forts in el toro

his one-year-old shots outside our home; photo by my dad.

at the house, he wants up!

pudding time?

irvine park; photo by beckie

these pictures put the biggest smile on my face!

i get to see him tomorrow and can't wait to get him in my arms!

i will be taking a break from blogging until monday, so i hope you all have a great weekend.

hugs from us:

melis and jack

flower

listening to: bring me flowers by hope

at a local coffee shop, getting organized....

sitting next to a creepy guy that keeps clearing his throat

{he probably can see this}

such a random thought that has been on my mind since i woke up this morning. first of all, this song has been in my head since yesterday morning but second, i have been thinking of flowers. my friend wendy does flowers for events and sometimes will have me help. it's beautiful what she makes. she will put flowers inside mason-jars and arrangements that are unique. she started nicknaming me "flower"... after thinking about it, i liked it. i don't really like my real name MELISSA. i prefer nicknames from people for some odd reason....

example:

mom: lis

monti: melly mel

jack: mama/missa

kids i use to nanny: missa

friends: melis

other friends: missy

other other friends: mel...

blah blah i am rambling.

so anyway, another friend of mine that i have only known for a few months tried to get my attention by calling me "flower" so i went into her office and asked her why. she said i reminded her of a flower. sometimes i wear flowers in my hair or have fresh flowers with me from when jackson picks them for me. it was a huge compliment saying the reasons why i reminded her of a flower being natural, very earthly etc. i thought, twice... interesting.

the funny thing is, i don't really like flowers. i really don't.

growing up, i had a boyfriend who gave me lots and lots of flowers to the point where it was excessive. then, all the dances you go to in high school and you have to wear them on your wrist and hair, it can get clique. then i received flowers during sad times in my life so i began to associate flowers to times of death or surgery. it would make me sad when the flowers would die. i never understood the true beauty in flowers or why anyone would enjoy them so much...

until i realized what my favorite flower is...

a gardenia.

they are pure white (sometime a little pale...)

smell devine

small

and almost perfect.

the end.

costumes...

listening to: greg laswell's new covers

what to be, what to be...

i still have no idea what jackson will be. michael jackson is very appropriate. i do have brown paint from when i was flava flav in phoenix years ago, so maybe if i find an afro and bell-bottoms, jack can be small michael?

i am thinking something fun for me...

maybe a baby boomer.

when i was googling ideas, i found this man.

i made some decisions that will contribute to my future...

when i am old and wrinkly, i want my better half to look like this below.

he can snore, he can smell like old man,

he can sleep all day,

can tell the same stories all day long everyday,

ask for me to cook every meal in liquid form except

the days we go to sizzler at 4pm,

hang out with the boys at the bowling alley,

ask me to soak his teeth,

get use to sleeping alone while he falls asleep watching old war movies in the other room...

as long as he looks like this

and lets me play canasta with my sister elise.

how rad is this guy?.

new addition to my family

listening to: santigold

mood: estatic! giddy.

body: exhausted

i am an apple

hi. meet the new me.

i did it! i purchased a macintosh.

a mac pro to be exact.

sidenote: i still like eating macintosh apples... daily. yum. all shinny and then soft in the middle...hmm.

let me tell you what time it is... 1:35 am and i am still up... hence this picture.

i just got done video chatting with my sweet apple-pedia friend who screen shared with me and took this picture without telling me. i was hiding out in my sick-glory after working all day, teaching a pilates class and then intense yoga class.

apples to me are like reading chinese.

this is me without instructions....

this is the after affect....

and after doing tutorials and time with apple-smartie-pants.

i am so happy!

i opened it from the box on the floor like a little kid on christmas and haven't moved since.
i love this thing.

i want to cuddle with it, spoon it, lightly tickle it's outside until it falls asleep and then make breakfast in bed for it in the morning.

then put it on my back and show it the world.

goodnight mac.

goodnight moon.

goodnight people.

meaty

change is good.

i have officially changed over to eating meat once a week.

crazy right? i think so.

i am having chicken once a week. originally three years ago i stopped eating meat after reading a book by Dr. Joel Furman about how to eat well and get rid of headaches. i noticed getting rid of meat in my routine helped, but as i am working out so much, i need the protein.

so here's to meat. cheers!
no longer a veggie or a pescitarian.
it was fun while it lasted yog

santa my ana

the other day, i had a chance to go to santa ana. i am there once a week at least but i got a chance to take the city in. there are a few areas that can be questionable, but there is an old-town feel to it like this cafe...

great service! so great.

and of course the bower's museuem which has a fancy display right now on overweight people from the 1200's.

growing up santa ana was a form of hot winds being brought from the north... it's nice to discover it's beauty.

date with my little love

the other day, jack and i went on a son-mama date. he was playing with his cousins in the morning and then we went to disneyland.

he had been with his dad for so long in arizona, so i wanted one-on one time with my little man.

jackson's thoughts: ... i am going to win my brickbraker score, take pictures of mom and then throw this phone at her when she least expects it...
my thoughts: ...where to park... why are there so many people here today...

we were going to renew our passes but decided not to now.
instead we walked around downtown disney with no plans. just how we like it.
jack and his fountains...

jackson's thoughts: ... i'm just going to splash this guy in the back.
my thoughts: smile jack!

jackson's thoughts: ahahaha! gotcha!
my thoughts: jack! no... that wasn't nice. say you're sorry.
... the little boy's parents were laughing.

then we moseyed on over to the lego store because i have been promising him a thomas train for about a month since he left it at the beach.

jackson's thoughts: "hey mom, can i take this giraffe home?"
my thoughts: "i don't think he would fit in our car babe"

jackson's thoughts: ... perfect!
my thoughts: "jacks, don't you think that's too big?"


jackson's thoughts: ... i won
my thoughts: ... i loose.

walking around....
jackson's thoughts: ...thanks mom for your phone again.
i am going to take pictures and show you my point of view...

my thoughts: anything to make you happy.

walking... moving on....


jackson's thoughts: ... tantrum number one.
my thoughts: he tried to shoplift a frog. i had to buy the frog. i loose again.


jackson's thoughts: ... hungry.
my thoughts: ... i love you.


jackson's thoughts: i want it all.
my thoughts: pick one dude.


jackson's thoughts: "i want WALL-EEEE and EEEVA"
my thoughts: ....tempting...


jackson's thoughts: ...mom people won't mind if i pinch their bottoms when they are turned the other way. don't worry about it.
my thoughts: drop it.



jackson's thoughts: ... no one is looking. i think i've got it...
my thoughts: "jack, don't pick your nose. wash your hands."


jackson's thoughts: ... movies... i'll go if you bribe me.
my thoughts: ...cloudy chance with meatballs movie... hmm, why can't toy story be playing right now? or why isn't where the wild things out yet. oh well. i'll get him candy and cross my fingers he doesn't do anything crazy.


jackson's thoughts: ...i'm tired. i like this. i need to go potty soon.
my thoughts: ...this is actually good. he's keeping me warm.
{bathroom break... mom's hands washed. jack's hands; dirty. jack's feet; dirty}
jackson's thoughts: "mom don't take anymore pictures of me!" ... i'm just going to run around this a few times to get my energy out.
my thoughts: ... typical.
oh and yes, my middle button is unbuttoned.


jackson's thoughts: ... oh so this isn't a 3-d movie with those weird glasses?
my thoughts: ...man i love you. i'm a lucky mama.

then we walked over to his favorite restaurant.
rainforest cafe.
somehow we were lucky enough to only wait five minutes and also lucky enough to see this:

sorry, that is mean.
i'm currently making me and jack matching ones.
he has the stars, i have the moons for this year's christmas pictures.
send me your address.

every twenty minutes it happens to have a thunderstorm.
every ten minutes the snake we sat next to comes alive...
good thing jack hated both of those parts.


jackson's thoughts: ... if this snake comes down and eats me during this rainstorm, i'll scream.
my thoughts: this food is a 5 out of a 10, the service is great, the room is freezing, jack is cracking me up that he loves this place but hates it every ten minutes.


jackson's thoughts: hi friend from beverly hills. let's discuss lego trains.
my thoughts: cute. have a chicken dino. grab a seat friend.

we were both tired walking out.
it was a long day.
a mariachi band was playing next to the ESPN zone.
jackson has been trained to dance whenever music comes on... don't know where he gets it?
so he had me stop and dance with him.
we cha-cha-ed, mering-ed, and salsa-ed to local orange county flavors.

there was this darling little ballerina that was twirling around in her red ballet shoes and purple tutu. jack came up to me and asked me if he could ask her to dance.
i told him to grab both of her hands and say please...

he did and was so shy about it.
it was so cute to watch them dance. he stuck his tongue out and tried to hold back a smile because he was so happy. her mom and i were taking pictures with our phones but unfortunately this is the only one that turned out.

they danced for a few songs and then she had to go.
when she left, jack got sad. he said, "the purple girl left mommy. i like her."

oh no, i'm in for it. heart breaker...

i miss you jackers.
he is with his daddy again since it's october.

num nums

i find this pretty adorable.

as we welcome colder weather wherever you are (even hawaii) we are all drinking something to keep us warm morning or night.

i like to leave sweet nothings in jackets, or boots, or the freezer to remind someone special that i care for them, but when i saw these, on this, i thought... hmmm, maybe this is something new and exciting, eh?

i like it.

maybe not the smiley face but the meaning and the mug.

unique beauty i'm loving on

how great are these? they are chess pieces and cake toppers.
yessss.

photo by: whitney johnson

this image by {bits of beauty}
it makes me want to share the cold with someone special at an old cafe where everyone is talking, it's crowded but there is only one person and two drinks in front of you because that's how good the conversation is.

this artist's blog is great. when i stumbled upon it, i noticed he seems to have so many similar interests. this may sound weird, but you know we all dream differently, but these pictures and the way he thinks are like how i play out the themes in some of the dreams i remember when i wake up.
....the only drawback is i am not a beefy eater...

(oh man, that was a lame attempt to be funny.)

kate towers does it again.
yellow seems to fit my mood or maybe my personality results but either way, i like it.
this dress would be fun to run up dirt hills with daisies or something to that effect, eh?
everything she makes, makes me happy.

how great would this picture be blown up, in a nice frame?
i have this minor obsession for bridges. i think they are mysteriously romantic.
...and i love that these "old fashioned-ers" are jumping in shark-infested waters.

i like their adventurous nature.

get these on my feet.
please.
now.
take me back to my daddy-daughter-dates where i'd dress up in the 50's skirts with pops and we'd dance the night away and he would love the comments that he looks like tom cruise in his leather jacket from top gun...

oblong fat bowl by ImpureVessels
champagne ruffle blouse by DyanaHar
small coffee sack basket by BrinandNohl
moss door hanging initial by SimpleSweetDesign
photograph by DepthsOfYourDreams

weird bowls; always catch my eye. i think i get it from my mom.
ruffles on the chest, i dig.
the N... hmmm... i like N now. its so the new pink for me.
i miss my record player. i still collect vinyls and give them as gifts but to not have my baby around is hard.

where the wild things pillows!?!!
i'm in heaven.
at urban outfitters.
i want to decorate jackson's room in this but subtly.

: please download the correct files here

you eat food?

no way?
or maybe you don't.
well if you do, you NEED to check out this girls' website. SPROUTED KITCHEN.
it's incredible. i tried one of her recipes and am sold. i love how she spells out everything for you and the pictures make it so professional.

i know she will be famous.
okay, okay, i know her. i have been on her dance/cheer team since we were twirling in our tutus but that doesn't change the fact of her talent she is so willing to share. it also helps that her boyfriend is a professional photographer... the pictures look straight out of real&simple magazine.

i am no genius like her but i have a treat to share:
it's just not edible, yet.

PUMPKIN CRISP
1 egg
1 yellow cake mix
1 cube butter melted

mix cake mix with 1 egg and 1 cube of melted butter.
reserve one cup of mixture you just created.
press cake mix on the bottom of a 9 x 13 lightly greased pan.

1 large pumpkin can (not pie filling)
2 eggs
1/2 c. sugar
2/3 c. milk
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 tsp. margarin (softened)

mix pumpkin, eggs, sugar, milk, cinnamon and softened margarine in a bowl. pour pumpkin mix over top of the cake in pan. crumble 1 c. reserved cake mix over pumpkin.

bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes.

i bought jackson a baby pumpkin today and it made his day. he named it "organgee"
happy baking.

falling quickly

listening to: mazzy star fade into you

yoga tip for the day: downward-facing dog produces blood to the head
which helps men who are going bald. random but useful, eh?

i'm ready to fall in love with fall.

snuggling in down-comforter-themed bedding.
wool skirts
silky pajamas
new socks
rain, the clouds... swoon
traveling
chai
fall concerts
yoga classes in long sleeves
coconut vanilla lotion
my birthstone
pomegranate tangerine soy candles
adding cinnamon to everything
warm herbal fresh peppermint tea
and continuing this whole falling thing...

it's lovely.

i also love to bake as those of you know who know me.
my favorite bread to bake is this easy breezy family recipe:

{zucchini bread}
normal version
3 eggs
1 c. oil
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 c. flour
3 tsp. cinnamon
6 zucchini

melissafied but still yummy
4 egg whites (will be less dense)
1 c. coconut oil
1 c. organic cane sugar
3 c. organic flour (1/2 white, 1/2 wheat)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. dark brown sugar
1 tsp. potassium
3 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 zucchinis

optional:
1/2 cup almonds
2/3 cup of flaky coconut

shred zuccini in blender until you have shavings and add.
bake at 325 for 1 hour.

you will want to love me forever after you taste this.

500 hours of hiking

objective a: airplane ride to utah from california
expectation: sleep. not talk to anyone.
reality: sit next to an aa guy. no sleep. we talked a lot; but it was okay. he was interesting.
notes: i got picked up by nate who also took this on his iphone. he is rather excited about it. he surprised me by being at the airport.

objective b: hike mount timpanogos right after the airport to make it for sunrise
expectation: a romantic hike nate planned. play by play. he figured it would take maybe 6 hours round-trip. he also said he had plans for us to relax at certain spots and enjoy the scenery.
reality: .....

we started at 11:30 pm friday night

2:00 am saturday morning
expectation: the running shoes i came with would work.
reality: they didn't. i had to use flats.

but... the stars were incredible.

no, they were indescribable.

4:00 am
expectation: nate found a fire pit and suggested we could sit and relax for a moment. we also found a shed next to the fire.
reality: the fire was shooting ambers. too much smoke. the shed was creepy.

nate, is an adorable mountain-man.

expectation: glaciers, soft, snowballs? fun!
reality: no. hard. no balls. slippery. cold cold cold.

expectation: when hiking you wear hiking gear.
reality: not when hiking with this GQ-er. cashmere is in folks.
he never once looked anything less than perfect
while i looked like a mountain-woman in flannel with mosquito's loving my skin.

expectation: get there at 6:30am
reality: the elevation was so high that vegitation doesn't survive. there were rocks everywhere and made the walk longer than expected by an hour. we missed sunrise at the top top.

6:00am
expectation: nate first took this of me. it would work.
reality: it didn't. he obviously nailed it, and i was better behind the camera.

oh and we are not even near the top yet.
still on the rocks.

expectation: sunrise was coming. people wouldn't say hi...

reality: we weren't at the tip top yet even though everyone kept telling us we were "almost there"

everyone was so so so so nice.

7:15am
expectation: it wouldn't take us so long. we wouldn't be this tired. it wouldn't be so cold.
reality: it felt good taking this picture together.
expectation: we would have a pen to write our names inside the hut.
reality: we didn't.
but...
cliff bars tasted so much better at the top.
writing your name in the booth on the paper of people who finished was shaky yet fun.

expectation: doing this pose would be easy. done it loads of times. it would look like the rest.
reality: it was hard. if i would have slipped, i would have fallen 12,000 ft. it was freezing without the layers.

it felt so good to take off the shoes. i love how nate risked his life to get a good shot... wait, no i'm not happy about the life-risking-part but the good shot part is unexpected.

expectation: that it takes a long time to put these panoramas together on the programs.
reality: watching nate edit this was fun and quick.

he is talented.

expectation: these rocks wouldn't take too long on the way back.
reality: they took us two hours to get across.

nate still took amazing pictures.

9:00 am
expectation: we would have grip going down this hill.
reality: we didn't. we both slipped on this mountain.

12:00pm friday afternoon; we haven't stopped. four cliff bars into it...
expectation: we were hot, so nate said he was going to jump into this waterfall.
reality: he didn't.
he still looks adorable.

expectation: i wasn't going to go in because i just wanted to go home.
reality: i did because we were hot. it looked so refreshing.

expectation: we would see this sign much earlier, be skipping, holding hands and kissing...being our typical selves together.
reality: we were exhausted, sore, tired, delirious, wondering why it took so long, saying we would never do this again, mad at how negitive we were yet lifting each other when one was low, thinking how thirsty we were, how nice technology is, how comfortable it would be to be clean, how nice it would be to sleep and much more.

expectation: i expect you all to feel like i am negative right now. also wonder if we would do it again. we also expected to not be this sore. we also thought we were in such good shape being a yoga, pilates instructor as well as we both like to run around the streets sometimes.
reality: sorry, maybe it was a little negative; we talked about it. we were glad we did it. we were glad it is something we have marked off our list of things to do together but will most likely never do it again. looking through the pictures though, makes us happy we did it. our bodies are JUST now recovering. i don't know who can really be prepared for a 13 hour hike?

vogue

linds, i will totally see it again.
so... saw this tonight...


and it was so good.
one of my favorite series they do is the textures series. the colors are incredible as well as the body language of the models in each phase.

i love love loved the 20's theme. i too, am a fan of Brassai whose photography inspires them in this century. every girls dream to wear bussels, pale makeup, big hats and corsets with a purpose under a fancy schmancy dress with fabric padded walls. amazing.

the fashion industry is vain, pretentious and sometimes pointless. i loved the conflict between the wife from princess bride... i mean, grace, the creative director and anna. classic.

grey give-away winner is...

congratulations LANNI

i will need you to email me your information as well as

a picture that you would like her to paint.

melislundquist{at}gmail.com

so exciting you won!!!

thank you all for participating.

this was a fun give-away.

another will be coming soon but it could be hard to top this one.

thank you little shop of shavs for offering such a great one!!

on location

listening to: no more i love yous

annie lenox
tired. beyond tired.

i am in utah right now working and visiting some people.

so much has happened but that will be for a future; soon future post once we get the amazing pictures back.

i first want to remind you that you have less than 24 hours to find your witty, your fun, your favorite or greatest movie quote to win the grey give-away. i do have to say that i am amazed by how many people have good, no great taste in movies and selection. i have my blackberry with me so when i have time to check my email, i can see comments. i would be in public places throughout the day, laughing aloud at your movie quotes. there are about ten that i couldn't control my laughter for some reason. if i could participate, i would put quotes from the chevy chase movie :: fletch:: so i'm surprised no one has mentioned it. also, shauna has said that one of you has mentioned her favorite movie but not her favorite quote yet so if no one gets it she will pick from her favorite ten that you've commented.

also... i'm trying to figure out what to dress jack in for halloween this year.

he was born in august, so his first halloween he was "jack jack" from the incredibles and i was elastagirl. we had another party to go to so he was a "jack-o-lantern"

year 1 - he was "jack sparro" from pirates of the carribean. mustache and all.
year 2 - his dad had him in arizona and he was a hamburger... (jack?... a jack-ham..burger?...)

now as year three approaches, i am searching for wit. anyone have suggestions? i surround myself with funny people; so if you had a child every other halloween and his name was jack, what would you do? i have a few up my sleeve... but not sure if i can get him to be anything besides a shark this year. he does like trains and there is a jack-thomas train but that seems like too much work.

any help would be much appreciated.

Grey G-g-Ga-Giveaway

listening to: matt pond
happy happy happy

oh man, never done one of these before. {pause. deep breath. here we go...}

Little Shop of Shavs
is sponsoring a giveaway. on my blog? such an honor.

this company is known for their {INCREDIBLE}
and extraordinary ... totally unique hand painted Andy Warhol-like posters.

their paintings have been ordered by rockstar diaries author for her kitchen.
i fell in love with them the first time i saw one in real life.
i have picked out some of my favorite but if you go to her blog
you can see her other creations.
she is giving away a 10x10 painting (normally $110) of whatever picture of your choice by SUNDAY NIGHT.
she will pick the winner and i will announce him or her sometime that night or monday morning as i will be traveling.


to win:
you must comment by Sunday
the comment must have your favorite movie quote
the artist will pick her favorite quote SUNDAY NIGHT by 8pm

you may comment as much as you and your friends would like.
ready,
set...
go!
let the grey ga-games begin!