Volume Two

P.S. I just bought She & Him: Volume Two.

It is the combined greatness of 

M. Ward 

and 

Zooey Deschanel.

$5.99 on lala.com. Can't beat that.

One of those days

It's been one of those days. One of those days where you are bitter and cynical, but at least kind of funny. Where you need to drink a Diet Pepsi before your 2:30 meeting. Where you'd rather call your mom and talk about drug addiction than read heaps of letters to the editor complaining about everything. People should just keep their opinions to themselves. I am the opinion page editor, I get to decide.

Luckily the day will be capped off with Zupas and company that doesn't irritate the hell out of me. Yes, I said the h-word. Like I said, it's been one of those days.

At least it's raining... often miss the rain here in the desert. Oh, and I bought fabulous green fingernail polish at Honk's Dollar Store with Natalie. Good things.

Maxy

 

From 9 lbs. 14 oz. and 20 some inches long to 145lbs and 5'10" in 14 years.

Happy birthday to my tallest little brother! 

Sorry I'm missing out on that chocolate cake... I really am. I love cake. But, I love you more! 

See you in a few days!

Va va voom.

Found a swimsuit.

It's on sale for $125.

I'm taking donations.

March Shout Outs

Feeling left out? Shoot me a comment.

One more thing

My friend Crystal has been serving a mission for our Church in New York City since August 2008. Today, she slides out of her full-time missionary service and back to life here on the western front. Our last correspondence (via letter) was the end of January. So many things to tell her! And excited to hear her stories! Though, I have to admit I will miss having someone to write letters too. For a long time I wrote to Jordan, then Crystal. Getting snail mail is still something I love. And will miss.

Welcome home Sister Kevan!

Sorry about the flash spot on the color photo. It is one she sent me a while back with her short hairs...

Once roommates....

....always roommates.

Newly-wedded Kathryn and her husband Jake hosted a March Thanksgiving dinner for a host of family and friends. Complete with turkey, stuffing, yams, rolls, potatoes & gravy. 

During dinner Neisah commented that it felt like we were still roommates and that it didn't feel like it had been months since we'd seen each other.

It was a lovely dinner, though we definitely missed Miss Baxter, who would've made us a complete four.

(Not sure why the picture is distorted)

Si & G

Dear Si & G,

How is it that you are sooooo dang good? I mean seriously, I am a Rock, Cecilia, The Boxer, Baby Driver, Homeward Bound ..... just a few that have made me so happy in the last 25 minutes.

Love you guys. For eternity. And that's a big commitment.

Love, 

Me

A merry welcome to Spring

Today is the first day of spring and here in Utah, it is glorious. My Grandma called me while I was still in bed at 10:37 a.m. She asked me how the weather was, so I told her to let me see as I peeled the blinds away from the window. My irises have never seen such gloriously blue skies! It's a little chilly, but still a beautiful day.

I've been quite anxious to go check out the fabrics at Joann's. To the point where I had a little bit of a melt-down because I didn't have a car to take myself, and was dependent on the not so dependable kindness of others. But, my gracious cousin, McLain, came and got me Friday afternoon, kindly running me to the post office, the gas station for some much needed caffeine, and then even walked around with me as I gazed upon the rows and rows of fabrics at Joann's. I was overwhelmed, and even said so to Mac a few times. He was sweet enough to offer his opinions from time to time — honest, sincere fabric opinions! Suci raised him right! I tentatively picked out these two, which will grace my trailer, either in the form of curtains or pillows.....

Yay! So excited! Now maybe I can focus on other things, but probably not. I'm just so ready to be out of school for awhile and working on fun projects.

Speaking of working, I interviewed via phone for a job in Pendleton at The East Oregonian newspaper. It went really well and could be a good thing ... like to buy a car. So, if you could cross your fingers for me, that'd be nice.

After fabric shopping McLain and I went to his Grandpa & Grandma's for dinner. Elk steak...mmmm.... Then we went and saw 'Bounty Hunter' with Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston. It was pretty funny. A little long, but still good.

Also, I've been meaning to show you another treasure I picked up when I got that Campbell Soup book. Collector's who know me well, know that I have an affinity for glass containers of interesting shapes and sizes, usually on the smaller side though. I had spied this guy on a previous trip to the store, and when I went back to the store, that booth happened to be having a sale. So I got it for $4 or something, a little bit of a splurge, but I am happy.

It's an old nut grinder or something. Too rusty to still use, I think, but I love it.

Speaking of finds and such. Check out my Mom's two blogs for recent great finds here and here!!!

Now, I have to walk to the store and buy stuff to make yams for a "Thanksgiving" Dinner tomorrow at my friends' Kate & Jake's.

What are you doing with your weekend??

(post soundtrack: 'I gotta feeling' by Black Eyed Peas, 
'Marry Song' by Band of Horses and 

'Hey, Soul Sister' by Train) 

DIY-er in the making

I like to do things myself. I'm not sure if it's that stubborn blood that runs through every woman from my Grandma Maur through my mom and aunts Steph and Suci down to me, Morgan and Mckinna. You marry a Littig/Lee girl and you're gonna be in for daily battles. But, I think we can be quite cute and endearing whilst in our stubbornness, so, I'm not worried. I digress...

Mom and I have taught ourselves a lot. We've learned how to check the breaker, caulk windows and I even contrived a way to fix the flusher in a toilet at an apartment with little more than thread and needle.

Now, I'm looking forward to using those skills to FINALLY learn how to sew - like on a sewing machine. Mom bought a new sewing machine and I am anxious for those blissful teaching moments where I know we'll both bite each other's heads off and then reconvene on the back porch with Diet Pepsi's in hand. I want to make my own curtains for my trailer. And possibly do some pillow covers and maybe eventually an ottoman cover for my $5 ottoman find during my last Sister's trip up in Wallow County.

Who wouldn't want to learn how to sew with this lady?


I got particularly excited when I happened upon the blog Design*Sponge and their Sewing 101 tutorials with pictures and everything!

I called my mom in excitement, hoping she'd gotten the sewing machine she'd been eying. I was relieved she'd put her tax return to good use. She replied "Well that was urgent." Apparently I can only call for urgent things, like rolling my car  or something. ;-)

Anyway, I look forward to perusing fabric at craft stores and getting started on personalizing my Carolina! Now.... the sun is out (even though it was forecasted not to be) so I think I'll take a walk (yay for walking) down to the market and pick out a new mag to skim. Happy Thursday!

Oh, I watched 'Fever Pitch' last night.... and this song was on the soundtrack.

Come, thou fount of every blessing

 One hymn that never ceases to stir my soul is "Come, thou fount of every blessing."
 

The whole song gets me, but a few lines in particular feel like my own personal plea:

Jesus sought me when a stranger, 
 wandering from the fold of God; 
 he, to rescue me from danger, 
 interposed his precious blood

O to grace how great a debtor 
 daily I'm constrained to be! 
 Let thy goodness, like a fetter, 
 bind my wandering heart to thee. 
 Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, 
 prone to leave the God I love; 
 here's my heart, O take and seal it, 
 seal it for thy courts above 

There is the line in regards to raising our own "ebenezer" and I wondered what an ebenezer was. So, um, I used the internet to look it up and found this helpful context which has only added to the meaning of this song to me:

The word "Ebenezer" comes from Hebrew and is actually two words pronounced together: Even Haazer. Written in Hebrew it looks like this:

It is usually transliterated as a proper name by dropping the definite article (Ha) from the Hebrew word for "help" (Ezer) and putting it together with the Hebrew word for "stone" (Even) to create: "Ebenezer." The etymological roots of the word, thus defined, should demonstrate that an "Ebenezer" is, literally, a "Stone of Help." (1 Samuel 7:12)

In 1 Samuel 4:1-11 and 5:1, the Ebenezer is strangely identified with a particular site, about four miles south of Gilgal, where the Israelites were twice defeated by the Philistines and the Ark of the Covenant was stolen. These battles took place, however, before the site was actually named Ebenezer. It was like someone saying that Dinosaurs once lived in Dallas county -- they did, but not when this area was called "Dallas." Likewise, the two battles mentioned in 1 Samuel 4 and 5 took place at Ebenezer, but some time before it was so-named.

The site wasn’t named Ebenezer until after the Israelites finally defeated the Philistines, and took back the Ark of the Covenant. To commemorate the victorious battle, Samuel set up a marker-stone, named it "Stone of Help," and thereby the site became identified with the stone and with the place where God’s miraculous help aided them in their victory over the Philistines. The stone, standing up-right, was called "Ebenezer," and the site naturally took on that name as well.

Literally speaking, an Ebenezer is a "stone of help," or a reminder of God’s Real, Holy Presence and Divine aid. Spiritually and theologically speaking, an Ebenezer can be nearly anything that reminds us of God’s presence and help: the Bible, the Sacramental Elements, a cross, a picture, a fellow believer, a hymn – those things which serve as reminders of God’s love, God’s Real Presence, and God’s assistance are "Ebenezers."

Thought provoking, right? Or, you all probably already knew this and I'm just behind the curve. Anyway, there's my midweek spiritual thought for you, but mainly for me. 

Old School Campbell

I found this gem of a cookbook a couple weeks ago on a discount rack at an antique store. I didn't buy it but kept thinking about it over the next four days. So, I went back and bought it. Worth all 94 pennies or whatever it ended up costing. Think I'll actually use it someday, and it'll probably take residence in my Carolina trailer.

Check

[X] Ride a motorized scooter for the first time. Thank you Spencer, darling.
[X] Get the rest of my crap out of my officially "totaled" baby. Don't worry, I rescued my      Garth Brooks "Double Live" and "Ultimate Hits" disc sets. Unfortunately, my black aviators weren't so fortunate. Tear.
[X] Take better quality pictures. See said pictures here.
[X] Drown my grief in a can of Diet Pepsi. 
[X] Go to work. 
[X] Appreciate a beautiful walk home in 60 degree weather, with the sun on my skin and not a cloud in the blue blue sky.
[X] Waste hours watching bad TV and gabbing with lovable, crazy roommate. 
[X] See my beloved Kathryn and receive a much appreciated therapeutic massage for whiplash while discussing the in and outs of many subjects. Ahem.
[X] Burn Garth to my iTunes library and allow him to swoon me into a completely relaxed state. Shameless. 
[X] Imagine blissful spring days in the back yard wearing this $6.99 hat.

Today was a good day.

A taste of mortality

For those who may not be aware (though, thanks to Facebook and my mother, I'm not sure anybody is left) I got into a bit of a pickle on Friday.

In less time than it takes to blink, I found myself not navigating an unexpected curve. I could feel my tires being pulled by the side gravel and as much as I wanted my tires to reconnect with the pavement, they did not. Next thing I knew I was upside down.

There are things I can vividly remember, like telling myself to bear down so as not to get my skull crushed and the fact that RuRu was playing on my speakers. But, there are other things I can't have the faintest idea of knowing, such as where I put my hands and feet during this briefest of nightmares.

I don't think I've ever felt so much adrenaline pumping through my body. And, I know there are so many other details to give, but right now, I'm at that stage when I really think about it I literally and instantly become nauseated.

Considering my car (with me inside) rolled twice, I feel beyond lucky that I walked away from that wreck with little more than some whiplash, a cut on my lip and a bruised and swollen left knee.

My car isn't pretty. Only two of my windows survived, and one windshield wiper. Neither of my side rear-view mirrors. But, the engine was still running. I think it may just be salvageable.

(These are the crappy pictures I took with my razor phone camera)

I am definitely shook up. And I am still trying to comprehend my little tete-a-tete with mortality. I'm not sure about you, but I think before this I never really realized how fragile life is. How in one glance downward your world can be literally and figuratively flipped upside down. Altered. Or even gone. It's surreal.

I definitely feel blessed and feel that there was divine protection with me during those few nightmarish seconds.

Love you all.

Cowgirl Camping

So, one day my mom joined this Sisters on the Fly thing. And I thought it was just some cute, quirky old lady thing. She started personalizing her own 1950's camp trailer. She even took us kids up on a "test run" camping trip about a half hour outside of La Grande over Memorial weekend. Then we took it up to our Church's annual Mother/Daughter outing where the cute trailer was adored by all.

Then the unthinkable happened. Mom actually went camping by herself, in her vintage trailer, with a bunch of strangers! She had the best of times. I felt something akin to envy creeping up in my soul. Next thing I knew I was spending a September weekend in the Wallowas with my mom, aunt Steph, cousin Morgan and a handful of strange ladies strangers. We had such a good time! So much good food, lots of gut hurting laughter and the great outdoors! I was hooked. Steph and Mom started talking about how Morgan and I needed to get a trailer or two. I outwardly scoffed, but inwardly desired.

Then I started to look for old, decrepit trailers abandoned in fields. Mom and I even looked at an over-priced shasta over Valentine's Day weekend. I can't remember what spurred my action to get on Craigslist one day and check out the classifieds along I-15 and I-84 (the freeways that take me from Utah, home to Oregon) for old, cheap trailers. I happened to find an ad with no details.... just something about an old trailer being used for snow tire storage... for $175. I e-mailed the ad person and after a week of not hearing back, gave up. Unexpectedly, I found a message from him a week and a half later in my inbox.

Within three days the deal was done due to my mom's diligence and generosity the trailer will have a new home. She was mine for $100. What a deal, right?

It's going to take a lot of work to get 'er ready to habitate in, especially with her living in Oregon and me currently in Utah. But, my goal is to have her ready by August 27th for a Sisters on the Fly trip in Sisters, Oregon. It's being put together by one of those strange ladies I had so much fun with in September, Sherri and her StellarFly.

I made my reservation this morning and my mom and Steph are signed up to go, too, and I'm so excited! And maybe we'll be able to do a reunion trip to the Wallowas come fall. It's absolutely beautiful at the lake during September and October.

So, look forward to future postings as I ready my new old trailer. I've already got some basic inspiration. My mom, in her trailer has this painting that looks like the Carolina beaches. I love that painting! For me, it's so soothing and relaxing. That's what I want my trailer to embrace and epitomize, a day on a Carolina beach.
 

Chuck's

Last night we made our way to Chuck E Cheese's.
Great times were had by all.
We were slightly disappointed that they no longer boast the hungry hippo game or whack-a-mole.
But, the pizza was tastey.
And that robotic animal band really knows how to rock it. We had "Disco Inferno" stuck in our heads the rest of the night.

I got this ring for 140 tickets, but really just 40 tickets.

Thanks Chuck!

Love her.

 Ms. B was so classy in her Oscar win tonight!

".......and my lover Meryl Streep." 

hahahahaha.....if you didn't see their kiss, check it out here for context.

Ikea virginity and more

I went to Ikea on Saturday for the first time in my life. An experience never to be forgotten, especially because I bought an "as is" bookcase without making sure it fit in the car. We had to call our friends Kate and Jake to come rescue us. It was great, and we had a romantic double date at the Ikea cafeteria, overlooking the extensive parking lot. Along with my bookcase, I picked up two pillowcases, one yellow, one green. Ikea inspired me to de-clutter my life. But really just my room. I'll give you a few visual treats of that, too.

 And I most certainly did.

 Here's some of my de-cluttering and decorating in action.

It's been a rough few days for me here in Utah. But, tonight made it all OK. I made dinner with the boy and after having my mouth explode with the many taste sensations of "CrackCocaine Chicken" (his title for it, I prefer "buttcrack chicken") and leaving with a very content stomach, I came home and was able to sit and laugh with roommate and company. It's been just what I needed. Now, I'm off to rest my little head on the heavenly joy of my pillow and memory foam.
 

 (We were supposed to make it together, but boy the Nazi chef barely let me peel the potatoes or rinse the tomatoes. His meticulousness can be quite endearing, though.)

Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight.

 

(Post soundtrack: 'I don't know what to do' by Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson

and '4 and 20' by Joss Stone...look 'em up, they're stellar.)