Happy Birthday Dad

Today I stupidly said aloud, "I love to just take random pictures."

And Erik looked at me and said, "No, really?"
Wise ass.

Burgers and ice cream with our peeps...and my favorite movie of all time (on BluRay)
Friday night: rendered successful.

It all started a couple years ago when I heard Kathy Griffin talking about her homemade cake batter ice cream. One gallon of ice cream with one box of cake mix. Blend and enjoy.

My favorite version is vanilla ice cream with white cake but you can mix up any flavors. Tonight we're having chocolate ice cream with butter recipe yellow.

A whole box of cake mix will probably make it too rich for many of you. When we make it for company we usually only add a little over half of the box. A little goes a long way.

What's this "we" talk? See what marriage has done to me? :) "When WE make it for company..."

Ciao ya'll.

Now even your Kleenex can be cute! Buy these adorable covers here.

(via Supermarket) Choosing not to deny the state of our economy?

Then you can run out to your local drugstore to get my favorite soap! Cheap AND functional!

I heard about it on the Dr. Oz radio show (ya...so Seattle traffic compels me to listen to the lamest crap on the radio...and I blog about soap :)) Anyway- the only ingredients are olive oil, salt and water and the dermatologist Doc Oz interviewed said it is the best cleanser for your face. And its just a little over a buck for an entire bar.

extra challenge: use this as an expression the next time someone gives you crap.
"KISS MY FACE"

When I was in high school I painted and beaded my own version (pictured above) of Chagall's Man With a Violin. It took me months to complete and I loved every minute of it.

Tonight I had the exhausting privilege of hanging out with a group of sixteen/seventeen year-old girls I volunteer with at church. The more we talked, I learned that two of the girls are avid writers and have started several book projects. They told me about their manuscripts: the characters, plots, and themes. I was struck by their passion for writing but even more by their eagerness to participate in a hobby- not for money- but because it is fun.

I spend a lot of time thinking, "I should paint. I should write a song. I should volunteer."

I spend a lot of time working, sleeping and watching tv.

Hmmm...

What is something you once loved to do in those wonderful high school years? When all you were resposible for was sitting in class all day and eating your parents' food?

Take up an old hobby. Buy a fashion magazine. Do something silly. Make a collage. Waste time. Doodle.

Its refreshing.

Happy Chinese New Year! We celebrated by going to Molly Moon's for ice cream where I sampled the "Maple Bacon" but went for the "Salted Caramel" instead. If you haven't been to Molly Moon's yet-go. And if you don't live in the Seattle area-make a special trip just for their ice cream. You will not be disappointed.

This afternoon we went to see Irvin Mayfield and The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra perform at Benaroya Hall. It was a lot of fun. I had an epiphany: for every 6 or 7 movies we see we could go to a concert at Benaroya instead-not that movie-going isn't fun- but nothing beats a good live show.

A wonderful weekend...

Do you see me?

A lovely party gift for game night! The post-its are by Shannon Martin of Madison Park Greetings.

This really happened the other day as we walked into Nervous Nellie's to grab a coffee...

Its hard to believe that an entire year has passed since Kelsea's accident. Last January she was riding along with a friend when their car hit a patch of black ice and they went rolling.

Kelsea broke her neck in the same place as Christopher Reeve and had to wear a metal halo for several months.

Today she is healthy and happy. Her recovery was a tedious, painful, and terrifying experience but no one could have handled it with the grace and positivity that Kelsea did. She is truly an extraordinary and beautiful person and I'm so lucky to be her sister. I love you Kels!

Reason #234,982,734,982,374 why I love my sister:

She buys cute boots and lets me wear them. a lot.

See? I'm not the only dork that color-codes my bookshelf. I found this while thumbing through this month's Martha Stewart Living.

Somehow blasting music, cleaning the house, and making a trip to Starbucks in my sweats were all I wanted to do today. Bonus.

Illuminate to follow.

So I picked up The Principles of Uncertainty by Maira Kalman in print. I adore her illustrations. (See her NY Times Blog Archive here.) She depicted a year of her life in pictures. I'm inspired to do the same...

I could probably create an entire blog called "Mom's Place" filled with all the little curios she has around the house. Her home is always impeccably clean- with beautiful furniture I cross my fingers that I will get one day when she's tired of it (she's practically already stocked our entire house! haha)- and then, in a little corner somewhere you'll find something like this little guy. He's from Fireworks (one of my favorite local stores). Be sure to check them out online!
We are off for coffee! Ciao!

Today is a bit of a blur...I was up every 30 minutes or so last night with some kind of stomach virus. Now, it is 6:30 p.m. and I'm feeling like I'm in a time warp. Yuck. Has anyone ever noticed that 99.999% of commercials in America either promote food or involve food in some way?

God must be encouraging me to read...

While I was in Denver I took my cousins to see Marley & Me (the movie aimed at children that was full of inappropriate sexuality and language for a kids' movie...ahem). Anyway, at the end of the movie Owen Wilson's character does a little monologue about dogs and how they love you no matter what and they don' judge you (blah blah blah) and he asks, "what person do you know like that?" My mom and I giggled and rolled our eyes. (I'm so glad she was there with me.)

Today at school I was sitting on the floor reading a book to my class and one of my little girls walked over and hugged me and rested her head on my shoulder and I thought of that line from the movie. I thought about how uplifting children can be. They are forgiving and positive and loyal. I love teaching and I'm so grateful I get to be around my students everyday.

In other news...

I met Ruth at JJ Mahoneys tonight in Redmond. Its a fun little pub on the Eastside with great service and yummy mudslides!

Great Job!

Tim and Eric were in Seattle last night!
They did a show at the Showbox SoDo and my oh my- it was so great.

I found them on late night cable a few years back and knew instantly that Erik would love their comedy. Now- I've seen so much of it that I love them too!

For some of you it may be too late for warning- but don't click on their website unless you have a truly weird sense of humor. I mean it. Weird.

Anticipation...

MYBESTFRIENDISPREGNANT!!!
and this video represents how her and her husband feel today

Monoptik from Lutas on Vimeo.

I LOVE YOU 2 (well, 3)((or 4! Ruthie- what if you have twins? triplets? i'm getting a little ahead of myself here)

Too bad, so sad...

I wasn't going to post tonight...
and then I checked the mail!
My dear friend Jamie from South Korea sent me a Happy New Year package. A Starbucks Journal- and we are both wondering if these are even sold in the U.S.


There is nothing as special as a true friend.
Jamie and I met a couple years ago in college when she was studying in the U.S. We became friends instantly and she got to observe the pre-wedding process of an American girl(Bachelorette parties-oh my- and Bridal Showers "Are we all going to help you shower or something?" she asked me.)
Even though she has gone back to Korea she still keeps in touch and sends me letters often! Erik and I plan to visit her one day soon.
Jamie proves that distance cannot stop love.
I am so grateful to have her as a friend!!