birthdays and bum taps.

this year, adam and i gave seth weezer tickets for his birthday, only to realize later that the concert actually fell on adam's birthday. so, in honor of adam's birth, we went above and beyond mere concert attendance. we decided to play tourist and hit up a couple of california landmarks before headin' off to the concert. as usual, hilarity ensued.
after we got our fill of the hollywood sign, we tooled around beverly hills a bit. dinner in westwood revitalized us for the trek to inglewood for the concert. the relationships, tokyo police club and then angels & airwaves opened the show. during the breaks, we had some fun with the camera. adam took a time or two to get himself in the shot. while we waited for him to figure it out, seth and i got fresh. don't judge. it's how we roll. oh, and please note our matching t-shirts. that glow in the dark. hell-O! awesome.
and finally, along came weezer. they killed it! it was one of the most energetic concerts i've been to in a long time. the crowd went crazy the entire time - it was out of control. if you ever get the chance to see weezer in concert - do it!

things are lookin' up.

iron(ing) maiden(s)

i was lucky enough to score a few tickets to the rock band live concert in la this weekend. we kicked it in a sweet suite while listenin' to the cab, plain white t's, dashboard confessional and panic at the disco. it was good times. the best part was when we got the chance to compete for some stage time. we got our band of four together and gave the rock band 2 our best shot.


here we are. the iron(ing) maiden(s). get it? it's okay if you don't. most people didn't.


we took our places. see how i settled right into the drums and was ready for my closeup? that's what you call a natural. yeah. i'm kind of a big deal. people know me. our bass player was a girl krystle managed to coerce into playing with us at the last minute. and the rockin' began.


in those first bars of music, we WERE the all-american rejects and the dirty little secrets were ours to keep. see how i'm singing AND drumming? like i said, natural.

after about 4.7 seconds...we failed.


i was sad. really sad.


but we walked away with our heads held high. krystle was most sad but perked right up when she saw the plain white t's at the table down from us. it took a bit to tear her away, but we made it back to the suite just in time to catch dashboard and panic. we drowned our sorrows in hot dogs and nachos. good times.

tall drink o' water.

okay, okay. i'm a little late on the tribute, but i came across this photo again today and just had to post it. that paul newman. what a babe! seriously, it's rare that i lose my cool over a man, but he's got me all kinds of overheated. ridiculous enough for you?! i hope so. yeowsas! i'm considering a newman night - cool hand luke, maybe. any takers?

the divine institution of marriage.

tonight, we had a special satellite fireside with elders ballard, cook and clayton regarding proposition 8: the amendment to protect marriage. elder ballard specifically asked the young adults of the church to utilize the internet to encourage others to support prop 8. the campaign needs callers, sign posters and anyone willing to chat, but all of that will be worthless if the californians don't get out and vote! for more information, visit: http://www.protectmarriage.com.

halloweenie.

i heart halloween. which, given some of the horrifying experiences i had as a child, is mildly surprising. werewolves and boogeymen be damned, the affinity remains. mostly, it's just because i love dressing up. cocktail parties or monster mashes - if it requires a new outfit, i'm there.

angel and i have started putting together our costumes - yes, plural - for this year. oh, man. i'm so excited! we may or may not be roping two find young men into the insanity with us. poor suckers. they're gonna love it. you are, too. just wait. to hold you over in the meantime, here's a quick recap on the past few years' costumed delights. like a fine wine, my costumes are gettin' better with age (can you SAY that about halloween costumes?!). or more ridiculous. you be the judge. but keep it to yourself. my self-esteem is not particularly high this week. i can't handle the criticism. oh, enough of the emotion! let's recap.

my first halloween in the oc, i kicked it old skool and adopted a fringe and feather look. i'd always wanted to be a flapper. the hair, the pearls. good times.


the next year, marge and i had a great time paintin' the town. granted, i've never actually SEEN star wars, but even i know who princess leia is. home sewn? yes. totally awesome? you betcha!


and then last year, angel and i whipped these babies up then roped jared and kombod into sporting my latest creations. i may or may not have been sewing fred's spots on into the wee hours of the morn before the party. but, at the end of the day, when we had the award for best group costume and everyone was wantin' to meet the flinstones, it was totally worth it.


next up: it's a secret. for now, let it suffice to say that you're gonna LOVE it! be excited (or afraid)!

blast from the past.

you know how when you're a pre-teen, you think you're so cool? like, rockin' the side pony, the boys all love you 'cause you roll your socks and peg your pants cool? yeah, that was me. as far as i was concerned, i was the hottest little thing on the block. and my family wasn't far behind on the cool scale. we had it goin' on.

exhibit a.


you gotta love the color coordinating pictures, right? right?! RIGHT?!?! oh, please. don't act like your mama didn't make you do it. mostly, i have to laugh at the looks on each of our faces. apparently, i am ecstatic to be there at olan mills. and i love that i'm a head taller than both of my brothers, one of which is just older than me. yeah. it was an awkward stage.

and then there were the visits to gram's.


i'm pretty sure my little sister is in a nightie. and i'm mildly embarrased to think of my darling gram in sassy red high heels, let alone trompin' around in that slinky little number. and mr. stetson in the back there is freakin' me out with his crrraaaazzzzyyyy eye. next to the gangsta cowboy, ramona's wearin' enough layers to run the iditarod in perfect comfort. far as i can tell, brittney and i are the only ladies of the group. although, i am lookin' pretty scandalous in my off the shoulder confection. thanks for the memories, gram!

and last, but certainly, not least, we've got the davis family photo (parentals included). oh, man. aren't we a bunch o' hotties? we've got fullets, flat tops and flowy necklines. that's right folks. we're a family o' lookers. always have been.


you know, after awhile, the chokers (that i DISTINCTLY remember my mama sewing minutes before the photos were taken) and crazy hair styles (doesn't ben look like that guy from kid 'n play?) kinda grow on you. besides, ruffled necklines and chokers were the fashion du jour. thanks, mom, for keepin' your finger on the fashion pulse. otherwise, this family photo would've been SO embarassing.

and the coolness lives on. just try to deny it. i dare you.


mind you, we're not perfect. just super cool. crazy eye is now crazy hair. and yes, that's miss red high heels in the front row. ben traded the bandanas and general gangsta-ness for striped buttondowns (a marked improvement, i might add) and ramona abandoned the iditarod gear for a happy grin and general awesomeness. we've got lots more babies now - ben, brice and little regina have all contributed to our growing numbers. all in all, my family is lookin' GOOD. always have, always will.

viva le davis clan.

two thumbs way, way up.

two thumbs, you say. lemme 'splain. michael cera is adorable. and his co-star ain't bad neither. there are some pretty great one-liners in this movie delivered as only michael cera could. yes, he's a bit of a one trick pony. but as of right now, the trick's not old yet. i've talked to a few people that HATED this movie. i can't understand why. i mean, sure it's totally teeny-bopper. but it's not like we don't know that going in. it's adorable. in fact, if you need a movie buddy, i'm in for part deux. call me.

fun while it lasted.

after a wonderful week together, it's over. and all i'm left with is this emptiness. isn't that just the way love is sometimes? buh. lucky for me, unlike my last boyfriend, i can just run to the grocery store and get a perfectly satisfactory replacement. wait a minute. hmm.

a hobby, if you will.

i love to spoon. anywhere, anytime and with anyone. almost. okay, maybe not ANYONE. but i do love it so. there's just something so absolutely delightful about it. okay, so now that you think i'm a total freak. moving on.


last night was nat's final evening at the granite palace. the eternal slumber party had come to an end. we wrapped it up with a trip to powell's sweet shoppe for some delicious gelatto and then headed back to the granite palace for some project runway. martha got me addicted to it when we lived together, so it was the least i could do to pay it forward.


oh, natalie. have fun in utah. we'll miss you here in cali. the beaches'll miss you, too. and the awesome restaurants. and powell's sweet shoppe. and all the boys bangin' down the door to take you on a date. and our tivo will miss you. but most of all, i'll miss you. yep, it's true.

ain't he cute?

miss martha.

in honor of martha's birthday, i'd like to make a list of the things i love about her. well, some of them, anyway. we both know there's way too many to count. here we go:

1. getting lost in LA everytime, and i mean EVERYtime, we went there
2. the plethora of pet names (po-po, honey, pau, bunny, mar, muffin, peanut)
3. coming home and busting her watching the hills after months of her ridiculing me about the fact that i was totally addicted. along with the fact that she STILL watches it. even though she has to sneak it from her parents.
4. our mutual affinity for queen latifah
5. her crush on zac effron (a la hairspray, not hsm)
6. zz top
7. the christian bale shrine
8. martha poppy corn
9. rock band
10. saturday spoonin'
11. project runway
12. piano duets
13. peralta/archuletta '08
14. rob & big

i'm sure there are many more things i love but forgot to mention, but that's just a short list of the delights that have been my life with martha so far. she's the best bestie ever ever EVER! yep, it's true.

happy birfday, peanut.

california dreamin'

in a race against the clock, i hauled buns to laguna beach from my office trying to catch some backlighting to fulfill my latest photography assignment. i was too late for much backlighting but i managed to make it just in time to catch the last few minutes of the sunset.


ain't it purty? some days i can't wait for the next relocation adventure. but most days i wonder how i ever lived without all of the california delights. on days like today, days with waves and the sunsets, i can't imagine ever leaving. california livin' is the way to go, m'friends. until the next adventure, anyway.

nothin' but love

it was a whirlwind weekend - paula style. sealings, ceremonies, and so you think you can dance. good times, good times. i'm exhausted but wouldn't have missed any of it for the world. i guess it all started early this week, with cassie's super fun bachelorette party.


matt and cassie were sealed in the san diego temple on friday night. i had the honor of being cassie's escort in the temple. it was a wonderful experience. the bride's rooms are glorious and i was happy to share that moment with cassie. it's funny, we were talking on friday just before they were sealed, and we realized that cassie and i are friends because of visiting teaching. we were in the same ward for years but it wasn't until i, along with martha and tessa, starting visiting teaching her that we became great friends. funny how that works, eh?


saturday, matt and cassie had a ring ceremony. kim, tessa and i cut and arranged flowers, set up tables and placed food for hours before the ceremony. the culmination of it all was a beautiful ring ceremony. i am so happy for matt and cassie and wish them much happiness in the coming years. they are a great match.


and THEN, on saturday night, we rushed from the reception and headed up to anaheim for the so you think you can dance tour. oh, that was some seriously good times. i was able to score 10 tickets (thanks, angel!) to the show, so i grabbed some peeps and we headed up. a good time was had by all and we clapped, laughed and did a little dancin' of our own. good times, good times.
life is good, ya'll.

some things never change.

i'm holding a picture of myself in the 5th grade. in case you were wondering, yes, i've always been this awesome. i give you full permission to be jealous.

did i mention i convinced natalie to try the look?

i am what i am.

i am many things. athletic is not one of them. i love many things. kayaking is not one of them. what i DO love is making my friends laugh. prepare to do so. during seth's birthday weekend, we spent most of the time at the beach. i was coerced into trying my hand at kayaking. hilarity ensued. mind you, this is only a smidgeon of the delight that was me kayaking that day, but you'll get the gist of the experience as a whole.

seth's birfday

this weekend, the peeps gathered in santa barbara to celebrate seth's birthday. oh, how we laughed.

we went to the beach.

we took pictures in front of the whale.

seth loves whales.

happy birthday, seth! who knew we could have so much fun with a stack of envelopes?!

groupie love.

i've been a not-so-closet fan of jason mraz for years. i regularly frequent his website to peruse his travel journals and tour photographs. look, don't judge me. if you can't be honest with your blog readers (whoever you are), who CAN you be honest with?! anyway. okay, then. the man is a genius. lyrically, dude's got it goin' on. that's all i'm saying. which is why i don't know why i waited so long to buy his latest album. i'm halfway through the first listen and just had to blog about it. yeah, i'm a groupie like that.

love it.

the side effects of singleness.

you know, sometimes i'm pretty good at convincing myself that i'm not worried about being single forever. i'll get all settled into my awesome schedule in my awesome life which includes awesome friends and lots of other general awesomeness. most days, i feel pretty good about my place in this world. and then i read articles like this. awesome.

ain't i domestic?!

over the past few years, i've really developed a love for sewing projects. that may or may not be directly related to my parent's sewing machine gift awhile back. at any rate, i love to sew.
the women in the ward decided to get together to make a friendship quilt. everyone selected 4 fabrics they liked and they felt "represented" who they were as individuals. being ineffible, i had a hard time finding fabric for my quilt. as i dug through my fabric bins, i found this delightful little cowboy print. and, right alongside cowboys, i love polka dots. i have tons of polka dot fabric. luckily, i happened to have a bit in my favorite color - RED! so, i packed up the cowboys and dots and headed on down to tall mouse to find some matching fabrics. two weeks later - voila! i've got a quilt square. oh, so the idea is that everyone makes 24 of their own square and then we all swap. so, at the end of it all, i'll have 24 different quilt squares, one of which will be my very own cowboy, polka dottie number. yea-hoo!

miss natalie

our beloved natalie is back from her european gallivant. she's crashin' at our place for the next few weeks and we are ECSTATIC to have her back - even if it's only for a little while! so, last night, we stayed up until the wee hours of the morning laughing like loons and chattin' with the aussies. our roommates hate us (sorry, paola!) and i'm not exactly at the top of my game today, but there's nobody i'd rather suffer with. besides, it was totally worth it to get my new nickname: spooner! australia, here we come!

rocks rock hard but we rock harder.

i'm not entirely certain, but rockband may be considered passe these days. at any rate, i still love it and decided it was time for a little rockband partay. so, i rustled up some peeps and resurrected the mohawk. there's nothin' like metal-studded belts and fishnet gloves to make you feel good about life. a shout out to m'girls - tory and summer - for most rockalicious outfits. if only my "sexy face" were half as sexy as tory's. some girls have all the luck.

auk-muh-co

after a bit of a nerve-wracking audition and an eternity of waiting (and by eternity, i mean less than a week), i'm in ocmco for the fall term. yea-hoo! i love being a part of the organization. they re-auditioned all the women 'cause there were too many of us. isn't that always the case?! at any rate, i'm totally PSYCHED to have gotten back in - i love a-singin' so much. yep, i do. see you at the christmas concert!

to the crazy one's genius.

this weekend, i was reminded that people actually read my blog. and by people, i mean non-family members. i'm not gonna lie - it made me a little uncomfortable. it was suggested that if i didn't want people reading my blog then i probably shouldn't have it linked on my facebook profile. good lookin' out. so, i read my entries from the past several months and decided that there's not too much to be embarrassed about. aside from the occasional lament about not being a better writer. oh, to live in the land of the deep. and the link stays.
have i mentioned that i love igoogle? well, i do. i've got a daily literary quote section and this week featured the literary delights of jack kerouac. um, he wrote on the road. it might've been on oprah's book list. he was a very influential american writer in the 60s whose work inspired both writers and musicians - ken kesey (one flew over the cuckoo's nest), the beatles, bob dylan, etc. okay, anyway. seeing kerouac's name reminded me of something he said once:

here's to the crazy ones. the misfits. the rebels. the troublemakers. the round heads in the square holes. the ones who see things differently. they're not fond of rules and they have no respect for the status quo. you can quote them, disagree with them, glorify them, or vilify them. but the only thing you can't do is ignore them. because they change things. they push the human race forward. and some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.

now, i'm not much of a crazy or a misfit or a round head in a square hole. but i can appreciate our need for them in our world. i've loved many a round head and each of them have left their mark on how i perceive the world. how will i push the human race forward? where's my genius? how will i change things? will i change things? until i figure that out - crazies of the world, i salute you.
all this from an app on igoogle. i've GOT to get a life.

jayden.

and here's to the newest addition to the family: jayden leandre. weighing in at a whopping 9lbs 5oz, he's quite the little man! congrats to miss gina. our baby's got a baby!

off to the races.

for the past 3 years, i've been meaning to get down to del mar for the horse races. the closest i got was 3 months ago when i met my friend at the beach in del mar. okay, so that's not really close at all. i mean, it's close geographically, but that's it. anyway, so when a subcontractor offered tickets to their suite at the 4th turn, i was so in! i rustled up m'girls - katie and tessa - and headed on down. because the labor day traffic was RIDICULOUS, we decided to take the train. yeah. it's not as glamorous as you would think. but it was super fun. we made some memories on that trip. good times.
when we finally got to the races, the first order of business was to stuff our faces with the delicious spread. oh, yeah. we watched a couple of races. and we may or may not have placed a bet. not with money, mind you, but with our dignity. that's right, our dignity was on the line people. katie, tessa and i each picked a horse in the race. here were the stakes: whoever had the losing horse had to wear the giant red hat flower to church. for all three meetings. that's right. high stakes, indeed. katie lost. and wore the flower. for all three meetings. the best part was when, in the combined priesthood/relief society meeting, the bishop gave a shoutout to katie and asked her to stand up for everyone. it couldn't have worked better if i'd planned it. oh, by the way, my horse got first place. what's better than cash money in my pocket? why, katie's dignity of course. good times.

blog much?

so, when i was in slc for rachael's wedding awhile back, i had a good amount of bonding time with lady susan. she's been workin' hard to get her business - freshly picked - off the ground. she's doing really well at it. awhile back, she was featured on a mommy blogger's site - dooce.com - and it pushed her sales through the roof! anyway, it triggered this whole discussion about bloggers that make livings maintaining their websites, etc. it's incredible! apparently, it's a big deal and people are making good money blogging about their lives. go figure!
anyway, since then, my friend turned me on to a new website - the pioneer woman - which chronicles the life of a woman who walked away from the city life to marry a cattle rancher and live on his ranch in oklahoma. as some of you know, i'm obsessed with cowboys. this website does a great job of feeding the obsession. i could spend hours perusing the recipes, anecdotes and photos of her hunky husband, marlboro man. yum! apparently, a million other people love it, too. i checked in this morning and pioneer woman had a new post from just this morning that 600 people had already commented on! i wanted to scream, "get a life, people." but then i realized that i'd have to be pointin' the finger at myself. i kept quiet. so, check it out. love it, hate it. i'll be on it.

turnin' heads.

i recently moved to an area that borders what's known as leisure world - it's a GIANT retirement community. what that means is any local stores are usually swarming with geriatrics. it's good times. this morning i was doing a little grocery shopping and met the most adorable man. as i was standing behind him waiting for him to select his bunch o' spinach, so i could move in for my own, the conversation went a little something like this:

old man: is this spinach?
me: yes, sir, it is.
old man: i've got that macular degeneration. i don't see so good.
me: well, lucky for you i was here, then!
old man: you said it!

i had a bag in my hands and offered it to him. as we bagged his spinach and i turned to get my own bag, the conversation continued.

old man: in world war 2, i was a sniper. i could shoot a man's heart out from a mile away. and now...well, i'm getting old.
me: but you're as handsome as ever!
old man (chuckling): now, now, a pretty girl like you will turn my head with that nonsense.
me: maybe i wouldn't mind that. either way, it put a smile on your face, didn't it?
old man: that it did, little lady. that it did. you have a wonderful day.

that conversation put a big smile on MY face. you know, there's just somethin' about conversations with strangers that is so much fun. the older, the better. you just never know what you're going to get!

vm

i feel the urge to blog. and, having partaken of a most delicious bowl of dreyer's best, i'm ready to settle in. i can't help but overhear the dulcet tones of miss kristin bell's voice coming from the living room as my roommate ploughs through season 3 of my latest obsession. that's right, veronica mars. having spent the past several weeks drowning myself in episode after episode, it's official: i'm addicted. i, too, am working my way through season 3, but i'm only on the first disc of the set. and to think i once scoffed at my beloved martha when i walked in on her getting her vm fix. those were the olden days - i was young and stupid. now i'm up late and obsessing.
my developing crush on jason dohring fed naturally into another television obsession: moonlight. think twilight meets veronica mars. yeah, it's good times. it only made it one season, but i've been chompin' right through those episodes, too. the gods were smiling upon us the day we were given itunes.
and guilty pleasure numero tres starts up this week. yeah, it's tv watchin' time.
oh, to be logan's veronica.

i love my job.

so, i walked into my co-workers office the other day. he's a really nice guy. super smart and pretty reserved. he loves to golf. this is the conversation we had:

me: is that a golf tee in your mouth?
jason (looking sheepish): yeah. sometimes they just end up in my mouth. i don't know how.
me: really?
jason (laughing): yeah. so, if i were you and i saw it laying around, i wouldn't touch it.
me: noted

and scene.

only one.

there's nothing like the fall lineup to make you realize you're addicted to television. between pushing daisies, the amazing race, gossip girl (yes, it's a guilty pleasure) and a myriad of other shows, i'm simply not going to have much free time. although, it's pretty safe to say that "free time" hasn't really been in my vocabulary these days. then again, the fact that i'm spending a good amount of time getting caught up on the past 3 seasons of veronica mars would say otherwise. or blogging, for that matter. ah, well. priorities, i guess.
in other news, my darling new roommate, natalie, packed up and moved to utah. yeah, i guess i was too much for her to handle. hee. she's headed to europe before the big relo, but not before she found us a new roomie. named paula no less. yeah, insert some joke about there not being enough room for two paulas in one house. in case you're wondering, there's only ONE paula peralta. that's right, baby.
well, veronica's calling. go neptune high.

possession is 5/7 of the law.

today i realized that i live for the weekends. wait, let me restate that. i've always known that i live for the weekends, but today i realized that my obsession with "making it" to the weekend permeates every aspect of my weekday experience. i'm never satisfied with the weekday because i know that the weekend is coming up. and i spend all week wishing the days away in anticipation of the weekend. it's terrible. although, i shouldn't say i'm wishing the week away. 'cause by "wishing" i mean that i'm running from church meetings to class to church meetings to random errands...to...to...to...you get the point. anyway, what kind of life is a life that discounts 5/7 of the week? no life at all, i tell you. so, in a quest for a happier life, i'm going to make more of an effort to enjoy the weekdays. yes, it is a herculean task, but i'm up for the challenge.
viva le weekday!
in other news, we had a wack-o earthquake today. 5.8 they tell me. whoever they are. and whatever 5.8 means. all i know is that men in my office that are normally very self-possessed had looks of abject panic on their faces as they scrambled for the nearest door jamb in our swaying building. good times, indeed. i heart california.

makin' it work.

so, i hoped that changing my blog template would inspire me to kick up the blogging activity. we'll see how it goes.
in the words of sam cooke: a change is gonna come. or, in my case, the change has arrived, honey! i've moved out, moved up and moved on. and life is good.
in other news, tonight was the first episode of project runway: season five. it's not the same without my martha but it's still good times. my new roomie is a trooper and stuck out the late night viewing - and loved every second of it! i can't believe it's time for another season. i can't wait to see how it goes!
oh, and i have a new boyfriend. his name is facebook. the longer we're together, the happier i am. the best part is that he's not one of those boyfriends that takes me away from my friends; on the contrary, i'm closer than ever to my friends. in fact, he's encouraged me to get in touch with so many people that i haven't talked to in ages.
well, i've got a paper to write and no time to be sittin' on the computer. more later.

The Big 2-7

I turned 27 last week. I must say, it was a most delightful birthday. Better than I expected, to be sure. Life is good. Since the blessed day, I've been wracking my brain trying to think about what goals I would like to set for my 28th year. I just don't know. Until I figure it out, my goal is to do more blogging. Stay tuned. Oh, and thanks for making my birthday super fab!

Paula the Dummy

Sometimes I feel like my blog makes me sound like a such an idiot. I guess I only have myself to blame for that, eh? That is all.

Rediscovering California

I went to the beach again this weekend. Utah Peeps, you have my permission to be so jealous. The weather was gorgeous and, for a few hours, life was so good.
So, I'm a woman on a mission. I've decided to dedicate my summer to rediscovering the joys of California. Right off the bat, it's pretty safe to say that I'll probably be spending in inordinate amount of time at the beach. Whut?! It's what we do here. Don't hate. Seriously, though. There is SO much to take in here - museums, plays, concerts, game nights and even the occasional rodeo thrown in. Good times, indeed. Anyhoo. I'm pretty pumped about the whole shenanigan. Even if I'm doing it all in hope that it will ease the pain of my Martha leaving me. Buh. Moving on. If you're feelin' adventurous, you give me a call or come visit. There are good times to be had in SoCal with Miss Paula!

Herding Cats.

There's a reason the phrase, "It's like herding cats," is used to communicate a sense of fruitless labor. Today, I'd like to make the blanket statement that Young Adults are like cats. And, for the past several months, I have been the shepherd. Lucky me. It's no wonder we're all single - we can't commit to the most basic of events or responsibilities. Buh.

California Livin'

I just realized that this month is my 3-year mark of California Livin' - livin' the dream and just livin' it up. I can't believe that it's been 3 years! I am dying right now! It's been an interesting few years, to be sure. There have been a lot of crazy goings ons (yes, it's a grammatically correct phrase) but they've all combined to teach me a lot of really great lesson.
And what better way to celebrate than going to the beach! Yes, indeedy. The Golden State seems to be holding a celebration in my honor with the weather this weekend! I went to the beach and had a most delightful time. The air was warm, the beach was packed, the water was freezing and a good time was had by all! It was a fantastic reminder that even though the cost of living is ridiculous and the Joneses are WAY too hard to keep up with, I sure do love it here.
And to those of you that aren't lucky enough to permanently reside in California (ahem, UPs), I say to you: "Get off your duff and come visit!"
You won't regret it. I'll make sure of it!

Miss Kyra

My little baby niece, Kyra, is sick in the hospital. She's had one surgery and it's lookin' like she'll have another in a few days. Our family has initiated a fast for her today. As I prayed for her this morning, I was reminded of Elder Bendar's words during his Conference address about praying for the mighty faith that can work miracles. I am so proud of my family for rallying around and calling upon the powers of Heaven to heal this little one. I'm grateful to have the gospel in my life - it instills peace and comfort in tumultuous times. I just want our little baby to get better.

American Idol is the Devil

Okay, American Idol isn't really the devil. But I basically spent the past two hours watching "American Idol: Idol Gives Back" and bawling over all the stories of the children and families in New York, Africa, New Orleans, Tennessee and a host of other places that are ravaged by crime, poverty, AIDS, lack of education, malaria and other horrifying things that are beyond my ability to comprehend. It makes me so sad to see the things that children are forced to deal with simply because they are victims of circumstance.
At the same time, I can't help but be so grateful for the fullness of the gospel that teaches us that this life is such a small part of our eternal existence. I know that, long term, those children that suffer will be the first to be enfolded in the loving arms of our Savior.
The other thing that always strikes me, is how incredibly happy and resilient these "suffering" people are. I once read a quote that said, "Pain is inevitable, but misery is optional." These people suffer from illness, fatigue and lonliness but there is a joy and hope in their faces that is incredibly inspiring.
I often feel helpless in my attempts to make this world a better place. The problems are so large and I am just one person. I have spent many hours traveling to Mexico to volunteer at orphanages and participating in ONE rallies to help fight the spread of AIDS. I don't doubt that these things contribute to the greater good, but I always think that it's never enough. Fortunately, there is something I can do, something we ALL can do that doesn't take too much time. Just a little paradigm shift. We can be grateful. We can pray for an understanding that less really is more and that we are too abundantly blessed to be unhappy over unfulfilled wish lists. And, as much as I hate to say it, there's always someone that has it much worse than we do. Always.
As for American Idol, I'll continue to dedicate a couple of hours a week to watching these talented people fight for their dream of making it big. Maybe American Idol really IS the devil. Well, add it to my list of flaws. What can I say? I love pop culture. David Cook is my one true love.

Cornerstones of Humanness

I recently read a quote by Sigmund Freud that said, "Love and work are the cornerstones of our humanness." As hesitant as I am to agree with Freud (famous for his sexual repression theories), I must admit that this little psychological tidbit hit home for me. When there is a balance of love and work in our lives, we are happy. I am convinced of it.
As one who works just as hard as she plays (most days), I can tell you that the best times in my life, the times when I am most content and satisfied with the state of my life, are the times when I am working productively and still taking time to show love - to family, friends and myself.
Unfortunately, striking a balance between the two is not quite as easy as you would think. For me, work is a glutton who is never satisfied with the space it has been allotted in my life. It pushes and pulls and encroaches into every other aspect of my life. If I'm not careful, I can wake up to find the love cornerstone shivering in a cold, dark space alone and neglected - sometimes it goes on for months at a time.
I'm sure I'm not alone in this sort of human tug-of-war. It's a lifelong struggle that I'm only beginning to develop inklings of understanding about. That said, I know I can do better. As blessed as I am to have a fantastic job with great opportunities, I have a responsibility to those I love to maintain an awareness of the balance (or lack thereof) in my life.
In the October 2007, Elder Claudio R. M. Costa said, "We can lay down our lives for those we love not by physically dying for them but rather by living for them - giving of our time; always being present in their lives; serving them; being courteous, affectionate, and showing true love for those of our family and to all men - as the Savior taught."
I live a very selfish life. I have no husband or children to tend right now. I pretty much do what I want to do, when I want to do it. I come and go as I please and rarely have to consider other people's feelings when making decisions for my personal life. It's a gift and a curse.
I recently had the opportunity to sit in on a friend's family gathering. I only knew a handful of the people, but I was overwhelmed by the sense of love and camaraderie that was apparent among the group. I was only there a few minutes but everyone was hugging and chatting and laughing from the get-go. And their arms opened wide to a stranger. Seeing so many happy, familial faces that Sunday evening dedicated to taking time out of their day to lift and love the members of their family was a keen reminder that taking time to keep loved ones close is important.
When I spend time with loved ones, I realize that there is a certain satisfaction that comes from being with them that cannot be duplicated in any other way or by any other event. I need to have people in my life. It's part of who I am as a human being. It's the way Heavenly Father intended it. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
And so, to my work cornerstone I say: "Cram it and stay in your corner!" To my love cornerstone I say: "I'm trying. Be patient. I'll get there. Someday."

Giant Rockers and Poker Chips

It was another fun weekend in the great state of Utah. General Conference was the excuse, but the tickets fell through and we all know that I love my Utah Peeps. I kept the date and surely did not regret it.
As tradition dictates, Rachael and I kicked off the trip with some Cafe Rio. Matt and Sarah were kind enough to let me crash the newlywed party, so I called Magna home for the weekend. There were dance parties, poker games and even a giant rocking chair! I had so much fun, I didn't want to go home - even though there were rumors of snow in the coming days!
To all my UPs, I sure do love you! Thanks for all the dance parties, the Scattergories, the green visors, the pasta dinners, the digeridoo lessons and everything else that makes me love you.
I'm comin' back it 2 weeks - let's do it again!

Red Rock and Frisbee Circles

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I heart the Utah Peeps.
This weekend was the annual Moab trip. It was most assuredly a delightful time. We camped, hiked and laughed our heads off. It is so good to be around such a fantastic group of people. It was a comfortable and relaxing trip that was much needed. I spent the first day with Miss Brenda and the Barker Boys. Good times.
The rest of the Peeps rolled in on Friday night and that's when the insanity really began. I just can't even express the hilarious dynamic that exists among such a group.
Yay for friends.

Best Roommates

I entered Martha and me in "Rob & Big's Best Roommate" Search. Vote for us at: http://www.sugarloot.com/bestroommates. The winner will be chosen on March 12, so vote now!

Bowling for Spiderman

Everytime I see the Blogger.com bookmark on my web bar, I feel a flash of guilt for the lack of blogging. And, I occassionally get the non-confrontational guilt trip from the blogamaniacs I call friends. So, even though it's late, I still haven't read my scriptures and I have to get up in less than 6 hours, this one's for you.
Okay, so after class, I met up with some friends to go bowling. Why is bowling so fun? I'm not sure. My personal opinion (and Johnny Durmeier concurs), is that it's the large amount of high fives that are given and received during the course of a game. There's nothin' like gettin' a high five from those you respect and like a great deal, but don't know well enough to hug. Although, that doesn't really apply to me 'cause I've never met a stranger that I didn't want to hug. 'Cept maybe that freaky Spiderman wannabe on Hollywood Blvd. that Rachael took a picture with. But that's a story for another time.
Between work, school, piano lessons, Activities Committee, OCMCO and this craziness that we call life, I sure do miss you! If you're reading this, it means you love me. And that means I love you. Yeah, I'm fickle that way. But that's why you love me.
Until next time.
P.S. I bet on 4 games of bowling tonight. The good news is I won a dinner and an ice cream. The bad news is I lost two dinners. Serves me right.

Back in the Saddle

Shameful! I just realized that I can count on one hand the number of times I blogged last year. Okay, I don't know if I can count on one hand; the truth is, I didn't actually count. I just know that I didn't blog very much last year. But y'know, in an age of that insane busyness that is my life, it just hasn't been a priority. That said, here's what's up:
I'm pretty sure that 2008 is going to be the year of reconnecting for me. I've gotten in touch with a TON of old friends in the past few months. It's been very exciting for me. It gives me an opportunity to reflect on the kind of person I've been in different stages of my life. I've made a lot of mistakes in my relationships with people and I'm sorry to say that I haven't always been the kind of person I needed to be, but I'm lucky that real friends learn to love us despite our weaknesses and less than endearing qualities. The more people I get back in touch with, the more I realize that each of them had a decided affect on who I am today. It's pretty amazing to think about. It blows my mind, actually. And so, to that small number of you that read my blog, I want you to know that I love you and appreciate your contribution to making me the woman I am to day. Your suffering was not in vain! I'm happy to say that this point is probably the happiest I've ever been. Now, don't get me wrong, my life is most definitely less than perfect and I've got a fair share of problems, but amid all the fuss and bustle, I've learned how to be happy. It's the accomplishment I'm most proud of.

No Place Like Home

Ah, the Holidays. After months at the grind, it's been nice to spend the past few days bickering with my sisters and kissing my mom with ridiculous gusto. I love my family.
I'm totally diggin' on The Pierces right now - it's a couple of girls that hail from somewhere down South. They have a very avant-guarde, Frenchy sound. It's different but nice. It suits me right now.
What is it about the Holidays?

Gone in a Flash

July, August and September were all a blur. I started piano lessons (a life long dream of mine), went to a concert or two and celebrated a few birthdays. Work has been crazy but I'm trying not to let it get to me. Most days it does, but, all in all, I'm just livin' the dream and remindin' myself I'm a lucky little girl.
October was a flurry of material and plans for Halloween. And, boy, was it worth the tizzy! Four wigs and a few yards of fabric later, The Flinstones were in town! I still can't believe I was able to con our boys into wearing the costumes! I made the Wilma, Fred and Barney costumes and left Angel to work her Betty Rubble magic. It was seriously good times. We even won a Best Costume prize at the party we went to! Yabba-dabba-DOO!

Runnin' and Runnin'

Better late than never, eh?
Life is good, my darlings. Not as good as the UPs, mind you, but good enough. It's been a busy past few months and I thought my blogging days were over. But all that changed with a quick weekend trip to Utah. I was reminded how much I love the UPs and their blogging ways. And so here I am. Here's the latest and greatest:
March - missed out on Moab but made a trip to Vegas to see my auntie get hitched by Elvis. Good times, indeed.
April - scheduled a trip to Arizona, got stuck in the airport and ended up right back where I started withou actually going anywhere.
May - had a visit from my baby sister and her friend. Naturally, we hit DL and a few other prime SoCal locations. I tell you, this place never gets old.
June - headed to Washington for my sister's graduation and some family pictures. All the siblings were together for the first time in 6 or 7 years. Throw a game or two of RISK in the mix and you've got a recipe for a rip-roarin' good time.
July - headed up to the Hollywood Bowl in LA for an evening with Riders in the Sky. It was a tribute to Gene Autry and John Wayne. It's okay to be jealous - it was pretty much the best thing ever! Follow it up with a weekend trip to Salt Lake City and I'd say life is pretty close to perfect. Well, maybe not perfect, but good enough.
And here we are, mid-month and back to blogging.