simply amazing

I'm loving listening to the Annie Moses Band. When I found out that the "worship band" at several of our ACSI conventions was going to be a "family band". I cringed. But these guys are absolutely incredible. They are a family of 6 kids and all of them play string instruments - 3 are graduates of juliard. The parents compose the music and they are just incredible. If you don't want to listen to this whole song, at least go to 4:15 where the violin and viola duet - it is amazing.

hm...

i don't know about you, but this is one of the last things i would put on my bedroom wall. haha. funny. i really like the wall decals from badass custom decals usually. This would look really great on a Matatu.

Current Guilty Pleasures:

(in no particular order)
1. coffee

2. Lipstick Jungle
3. Facebook (VERY funny short video by the way!)

4. Etsy

5. Duvick

6. Autumn

7. Christmas Music

8. Eyeshadow

9. Your Blogs
10. Sweaters

my comfort blanket

Do you have a movie that you return to over and over again? One that after a long day, you know you'll feel much better if you could just watch it? I have a handful of favorite movies that are not in this category: "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, "Legends of the Fall", "Out of Africa", "A River Runs Through It". I think it's because the movie that i'm referring to is one of those easy watching movies that make you feel good at the end - none of these aforementioned favorite movies do this. Yesterday when i got home from an 8 hour day at Starbucks and my feet hurt like crazy and i was sleepy and hungry, I looked over our lawn full of leaves and thought to myself, "While you were Sleeping." And that was it.

I put together Teresa Bolton's recipe for hot apple cider and while i was patiently letting it brew for "a minimum of two hours", i nestled up with a good friend. This is the only movie in the world that i can only listen to and still picture each expression, not missing a thing. The only movie that i know all the words to. And i still laugh out loud, come near tears, and LOVE it! Especially now that we live so near Chicago, i enjoy this movie even more! In fact, my VHS died this summer, so i took my parent's DVD home. I knew they would understand - it's "While you were Sleeping", after all, and they know how i love it.

The joys of the day

After i woke this morning, the first thing i did was bake a pumpkin cheesecake (EVEN before i made a pot of coffee - i'm not kidding). I had meant to make it last night, but i got tired pretty early and went to sleep. I loved working at my computer as the smell permeated the rooms in my house. Landon woke and said, "It smells like Martha Stewart in here!" I'm not sure how he knows what Martha Stewart smells like. It turned out really nicely. So delicious! I got the recipe off of Nestle's recipe website.. I have also made a pumpkin soup recipe from this website that was so so very delicious.

Once we got a good amount of work done, we took a break to shop for our Operation Christmas Child boxes. This was so much fun! Landon put together a box for a boy ages 10-14 and i put together a box for a girl ages 10-14. it was so so sweet to do together and so much fun. What an amazing thing to be a part of.

Duvick was so curious and jealous of this little puppy that i put in my little girl's box. It was a teachable moment - to tell him that this is momma's baby, not Duvick's toy. Well, he's a dog, so maybe he didn't understand a thing...yeah, probably.

Just a reminder to those of you who are considering doing this, boxes need to be dropped of by mid-November, so... get on it! See the OCC link that i have posted on the right column of my blog if you want more info.

Minerals

So a few weeks ago i bought these mineral eye shadows on Etsy. I received them in the mail today and am loving them! I got to choose 6 shades for 4.50 (click here if you want some!)

I have had problems lately with eye shadows. I don't wear much eye makeup, but i have been wearing eye shadow to ACSI conventions and by the end of the day my eye lids are red, itchy, and flaky. The next morning the lids are almost swollen shut - weird! I haven't been able to figure it out. It's not just my revlon mascara, but maybelline and clinique and everything. So i decided to try the mineral thing. I put it on this morning and my eyes feel so great! the color is so pretty! The seller even sent me a free sample of her lip gloss and i'm loving that as well!

"Change has come to America"

I'm terrified.

But hopeful.

And i hope Obama is right...that the victory is really ours, and not just his. I hope he will be the man he says he is. I hope that this election will inspire our country. I hope that our nation will move into the future united. I hope he keeps his promises. I hope when he said "A new dawn of American leadership is at hand," that the leadership he speaks of will preserve the ideals and foundation of our country. I hope that having our government over dominated by the democratic party will bring about good change, and not just change.

I will tell you, this is not what i wanted. This is not who i thought would be the right man for the job. But he is it. This is our future.

I'm terrified.

But hopeful.

A Simple shoe

I had been wanting these shoes for a long time. Then, this summer, Mom was shopping one day and just happened to see a pair of shoes that reminded her of me (she is so sweet - a lot of things remind her of me, but don't always remind me of me). Eureka! They were these amazing shoes. So now i wear them with everything that my Chacos don't go with, like.... well, i can't think of anything that Chacos don't go with, but the good 'ol reliable sandals are finally enjoying some shelf life due to these Simple shoes (which are only $19.90 on their website right now!)

So, i won't write a poem for Simple like i did for Chaco - i don't quite have a love-affair with this company yet, but i do terribly admire them. This is another company that is SO SO very eco friendly and conscious.


See their video to see what i mean:

Halloween in Cali

This was my second Halloween in California. The first was 7 years ago in Melrose. It was only a few months after I left home, only one month after 9/11 and I was enjoying the adventure of my new-found freedom. Some girlfriends and I went to downtown Los Angeles to a nice dinner, went to a ritzy mall and then on to a "Freak Show".

I remember the dinner was delicious and expensive. The waiter was cute and one of my friends flirted with him mercilessly as she flashed her fake ID for a glass of wine. We didn't buy a thing at the mall, but we wondered if L.A. would be attacked by terrorists - because it was Halloween (hm...not sure the reasoning of that one). The Freak Show was actually terrifying (I looked up pictures on flickr to accompany this post and i could not get myself to post any of them - they were all too vulgar and awful). One of the major streets was blocked off completely and there were huge stages on both sides of the street with live music. Between both stages, the street was packed with people...well, freaks. Everyone was dressed for Halloween (except us) and intoxicated (except us). I was absolutely terrified as i witnessed people enjoying themselves within the freedom and craziness that being disguised and drunk allows. I think we stayed for 15 or 20 minutes until one of my friends got groped and i insisted we leave. That night i was exposed to a world i didn't know existed, and went home praising God for his redemption in my life.

This Halloween. The contrast - HA! I spent the entire day working at our convention. Then i went out to dinner to P.F. Chang's with a friend and colleague of mine. I was still dressed in a suit and tie (not really, but very formal business attire). The town was pretty quit except at each street corner there were people in costumes carrying signs and screaming chants about "no on 8" and "yes on 7". I got to the hotel early and watched "Lipstick Jungle" on NBC before i went to bed.

My life has changed so much in 7 years. Even when i look back on my former self, it's like thinking of an old friend - was that really me? But one thing that remains the same in my life then and my life now is NOT California (THANK YOU GOD), but that i am in desperate need of God's amazing grace. And that I continue to live a life of joy and freedom because of the redemption of Jesus Christ. I am so grateful.

I voted

This post is not to sway your vote for the dude that i voted for. I trust that you will vote for whomever you see represents you best, as i have. And that is your business, and i respect your freedom. I have been talking with friends lately and have been devastated to find that many of you are not voting.

VOTE

Not because it is your DUTY (it is), but because it is your PRIVILEGE.