belated

so, i'm a really bad sister.


it was brother j's birthday a couple of weeks ago and i totally spaced it, until just a few days ago. i even saw him the weekend after his birthday and still didn't remember. i have no excuses, just that i was dealing with some personal stuff that was pretty big and wasn't thinking much of anyone or anything outside myself.


so, i just want to say that i'm sorry i forgot your birthday brother j. you're a pretty great brother.


you... 
and your son video chat with me often, which always makes me laugh and feel loved.
text me photos of your sons all the time, which i totally love.
work hard for your family.
make me laugh.
live in a really cool place which i want to come and visit again. columbus day work okay for you?
are my favorite brother in all of utah... (shhhh, don't tell anyone, okay.)


thanks for being such an awesome brother.

Angel's Landing, Zion National Park, Oct 2010

so, happy belated birthday to you. and may you have lots of cake in your face!
love ya, jonny boy.

things that made me smile a lot this week

- my whole family was in one place, all together for the first time in almost five years. yay! one of my wishes for this summer came true.


- a campfire. chili verde. fire roasted corn on the cob. georgetown cupcakes (for breakfast too). stars, so many stars. mountains.


- hugs from all my nieces and nephews, brothers and sisters, mom and dad. (and to all my in-laws you are simply my sisters and my brother.)


- my niece's story about the titanic and a romance. she's quite the author.


- an early morning thunderstorm, a double rainbow and family breakfast under a canopy tent in the rain. heaven on earth.


- a bear lake sun burn.


- playing rodeo in the backyard with my two nephews. i got bucked off a bull a couple of times and landed on my behind.


- sleeping on the trampoline with my nephews who decided they loved their mom too much to be outside with me, so they went inside. later mom, my sister, came out and we got sister time.


- stars! shooting stars! satellites!


- long car rides with mom, talking and listening to beautiful music.


- seeing kp and kh two friends i haven't seen in ages. i loved catching up with them, and just sitting and talking. (sorry, to the other friends i missed. next time, i promise.)


- visiting temple square for the first time in years. i love the christus statue.


- i bid on my hotel for san diego and ended up staying here. it was awesome!


- seeing friends from my team in afghanistan. especially one who survived a suicide bombing. he is getting stronger and healthier every day. thank you, god, for this miracle.


- watching as a friend stepped up to meet her destiny. when i grow up i want to be like her: compassionate, strong, a true friend and leader.


- singing with the best pianist i've ever met. listening to him play, to his brother sing along and watching people's faces as they listened or sang along also. what a fabulous night.


- making new friends.


- dinner at an amazing french restaurant with an inspiring group of people.


- listening to the ocean and a steel band play as i fell asleep with windows of my hotel room open.


- coming home to dc. it really is home here now.


- seeing that everyone is safe and sound from the earthquake and hurricane which i missed while out west.


photos to follow.

thoughtful thursday: music under my feet

By reading the scriptures I am so renewed 

that all nature seems renewed around me 

and with me. 

The sky seems to be a pure, 

a cooler blue, 

the trees a deeper green. 

The whole world is charged 

with the glory of God 

and I feel fire 

and music 

under my feet. 

~Thomas Merton

someday i will see this with my own eyes

landscapes from

national geographic photo of the day 

home & family

 so, i've loved coming home to a house full of people the past couple of days. my new roomie has lots of friends who just love her and she loves them. they are her family. they have been here helping her set up her move, unpack and set up furniture. it's been so fun to meet them and be immediately accepted into her 'family'. the love is amazing and just what i needed.


 that's not to say that i don't have my own circle of friends who love me and whom i also love, because i really couldn't ask for better friends here in dc. it's just that my circle is expanding and while i'm finding it a bit scary, i'm so excited to be diving in and experiencing it. i can't wait for more!


 tonight, when i got home, i found that roomie's sisters are here visiting. (i had forgotten--oops.) they are lovely, beautiful and so caring. they greeted me with hugs and laughter. they all look similar and love each other so much. when they found out i was going to pick up cupcakes for my sister from georgetown cupcake, they also wanted cupcakes. it was too cute! (yes, i have 2 1/2  dozen cupcakes sitting in my house right now! seriously, if you're thinking of breaking in tonight's the night... but please don't.)


 here's what i've learned: that it's the family that makes a house a home. that fills it up to over flowing with love. that pushes out all negativity. that fills in all the blank spaces with exactly the right pieces. that accepts you just because you're someone important in their loved one's life. that volunteers to help with the smallest jobs. that keeps the lights on for you. finds ways to assist and asks what you need help with.


 you see in the time i've lived on my own here, i had forgotten all this. the time alone was valuable and i enjoyed it, but i'm so ready to be with family. and i think my new family is gonna be lots of fun in my new home. i'm looking forward to learning how to live with family again. 


 p.s. i get to see my true family soon. utah here i come!

i'm a ferrari

a good friend said to me recently that i was a ferrari.

and this is the ferrari that reminds him of me.

i'll totally take it, 'cause that's one fine lookin' car!

seh-eh-eh-eh-xy

it also requires special handling,

has classic detailing,

and requires lots of work and upkeep.

(i'm not sayin' i'm high maintenance, just that i take a little work.)

i think i want one... seriously, i think i found my dream car.

and in the words, of my friend, 

someone needs to recognize that you're a ferrari and want you for that.

and i said, the right man will and that's okay with me.

in the meantime, i'll try not to get pulled over for speedin'...

hooks

i bought these hooks years ago, because i fell in love with them.

then, i never used them because i didn't live in a place that was right for them.

this house is different...

i hung these hooks in my entry way the other day and i just have to say that i LOVE them.

by the way, the wall color is more pink than orange. the top photo shows the true color.

more to come.

things that made me smile lately

- key lime coconut cupcakes (thanks SS) and good conversation with friends
   p.s. i really must have that recipe!

- plans for the boyer family reunion and buying my plane tickets

- a wake up phone call

- making arrangements to rent a piano for the new house. it will be delivered tomorrow.

- hanging my antique looking coat hooks in the entryway hallway. they look so pretty.

- hanging the art work in the house

- rain!

- sending rsvps for two specatular events for friends.

- the temperature droppping to below 70 degrees at night. can you say sleeping with all the bedroom windows wide open?

- this conversation with nephew L:
   me: guess what?!?! we get to go camping togther next week.
   l: i know.
   me: and then guess what?!?!!? i'm coming to your house to play with you.
   l: how long will you be there?
   me: i think i'll be there for 2 days.
   l: that's not long enough.
   me: how long should it be?
   l: you need to come 6 days.
   me: i wish i could, but i can't.
   l: why not?
   me: i have to go to a party for a friend in san diego.
         (the party is a change of command ceremony, but l wouldn't understand what that is)
   l: why?
   me: because she asked me to sing for her party.
   l: oh. okay....... can you come for three days?
   me: yes, i think i can.
   l: okay! bye!
i seriously love this kid.

- deciding to switch the dining and living rooms, because i want the living room in the bigger room.

- baking cupcakes and making this frosting. seriously good stuff.

- asking for space and getting it.

- and now it's friday! happy weekend.

thoughtful thursday: you want

"Be the change you want to see in the world." ~Ghandi

thoughtful thursday: the great art of life

To improve the golden moment of opportunity and catch the good that is within our reach is the great art of life."
— Samuel Johnson

happy birthday brother r2

brother r2 is one year older today. i remember as kids we fought a lot. and for a long time i didn't like him very much. but now he is one of my favorite people and a best friend. he has a knack for making me laugh. making me think. making me glad i'm single. making me feel loved. i'm so glad he's my brother.

this was too good to not share again.

h a p p y   b i r t h d a y  b r o t h e r  r 2 !

l o v e  y a !!