Grace In Small Things - Part 12

I've neglected this for far too long, but received some MAJOR blessings the past couple days that have prompted me to revisit my list of things that have graced me today...

1. My sister Amy. She is my best friend, my family and my everything. Recent events have reminded me just how much I love and treasure her and how terribly lost I'd be without her.

2. My brother-in-law David. He loves my sister and takes care of her, for which I am extremely grateful.

3. My nephew William. He's perfect. And he has changed my life forever and in ways he'll probably never know.

4. My husband Nick. His unconditional love and dedication is seen every day and he will always rise to the occasion when friends and family need him. I'm so grateful to wake up next to such a wonderful man every day. He's also incredibly good at surprises and keeping secrets! :)

5. My surprise today. How wonderfully pleasant! I'm very grateful for this presence right now.

After an eventful couple of days, and a rather emotional week, I am breathing much easier and feeling much peace. I am grateful for new friends and new discoveries, family, and for all in my life that is good. Which is much.

The Pioneer Woman Meets Salt Lake City...and Me!

Last Wednesday night Ree Drummond, (aka )The Pioneer Woman, was in Salt Lake City on her first ever book tour for her very own cookbook: The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes From An Accidental Country Girl. That's the official title, anyway. I call it my bible. I sleep with it under my pillow and pray with it every night.

Okay, not really. But perhaps I should back up a bit....

Ree Drummond is my absolute idol. I came across her blog just over a year ago and I've been following her ever since. I was instantly smitten. Her recipes are nothing short of outstanding and her photography is absolutely stunning. She writes simply and from the heart about life as a wife and a mother, and life on the ranch she calls home. She graciously shares all of her knowledge, tips and tricks on cooking and photography and persists that if she can do it, so can anyone else. I have learned so much from her about so many things. She is really everything I want to be and I look up to her immensely. So when I heard she was coming to town for a book signing, I knew I simply had to meet her!

My dear friend Willow is also a huge fan, so we decided to make it a date. She was signing at the Kings English Bookshop, first giving a small talk and a Q&A at the gallery next door. The doors weren't opening until 6:30, so we figured arriving about an hour and a half early would be more than sufficient to give us time to grab a bite to eat and get in line. How popular could she be?

Oh. Very popular, it seems. Forget dinner, we got right in this line that was wrapping around the block! There was a Starbucks right there so my dinner consisted of a slice of coffee cake and an iced chai latte, which I ate while standing in line. But really, I didn't care...I was going to meet The Pioneer Woman. Small price to pay for a good spot in line.


We also ran into my darling friend Bekah, also a huge fan. I love running into friends, always a pleasant surprise. Bekah is one of the most creative gals I know...if you haven't already, you should be checking out her Etsy store. Very fun. Christmas is coming, folks!

Anyway, when we all filed in, it was becoming clear just how popular she really is....

What a turnout! We estimated that there were easily 200+ people there. I think I counted five boys.

When Ree finally appeared, the crowd went nuts. It was neat to be in a room full of people who have all been brought together by this amazing woman. She talked for a few minutes, and did some Q&A. She even A'd one of my Q's!

And she even did her Ethyl Merman impression.

Afterward, we made our way over to the bookshop for the signing. We had been sorted into groups earlier and Bekah, Willow and I were in the fourth group. It was quite a long wait, but we had fun chatting and winding our way through the narrow bookshop and looking at all the unique books that are characteristic of The Kings English.


Finally, we made it to Ree. She is so adorable in person, and very gracious. She said 'hello' and 'how are you' with a huge smile, then paid me a lovely compliment about how pretty I looked in my scarf. I have no recollection from that point on, as I think I probably blacked out from the excitement.

Eventually I came to and was able to capture my friends having their moments with Ree as well...



And then it was over. An unforgettable night! The three of us giddily headed out of the bookshop and back to our cars, reminiscing about our meeting with The Pioneer Woman.

On Turning 30

So last weekend I turned 30. 30! Can you believe it? The idea that I've been alive for 30 years is somewhat mind-blowing. 30 years is a long time, even though it really isn't.

I have never been one to put much stock in numerical age. Jack Benny was once quoted as saying "Age is a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." Too right. The truth is, I don't mind. Oddly, I sort of feel younger than ever at this point. Suffice it to say, 30 is not going to be one of those "hard" birthdays for me. Though I felt I'd be wasting a perfectly good excuse if I didn't buy a shitload of booze and get wasted. Hey, the last drink I had was a good four years ago in Las Vegas. I'm fairly certain I was over due.

I'm not big on celebrating my birthday much, mostly because I don't care to be the center of attention. We usually just group my birthday in with the rest of the October birthdays in the family (there are two others) and that's good enough for me. But hey, 30 is a big milestone. I've come a long way in life and made it through some pretty big trials and I figured this year was a good one for celebration. And by celebration, I meant drinking. And eating. And partying it up with my nearest and dearest. Really, over indulgence in every way, shape and form.

On Friday my sister Amy and nephew William treated me to a lovely lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. I love the Cheesecake Factory! Talk about the perfect place to over indulge. If I thought it prudent at 11am, I probably would have started boozing it up right then. Instead, I chose to intoxicate myself with flavorful iced teas, oat-crusted rye bread with far too much creamy butter,

this amazing shepherds pie,

and, of course, cheesecake.

This, my friends, is an orgasmic combination of two of my most loved confections: red velvet cake and cheesecake, covered in a cream cheese frosting and white chocolate shavings. To. Die. For. I almost did, too. Between the delicious food, the dessert and the always wonderful company of two of my favorite people in the entire world, it was one of the most enjoyable birthdays I can remember.

Thanks, Amy! Love ya, sis!

In contrast to my usual tradition, I also decided to throw a party. For once I wanted to gather my closest family and friends together all in one place and celebrate. Since my birthday falls just before Halloween, I opted for a costume party. I can't remember the last time I dressed up for Halloween. Most years I just throw on a witch hat while wearing my pajamas to answer the door to Trick-or-Treaters. I don't mind, but this year I wanted to go the extra mile. Something fun and humorous, yet easily recognizable. I went through countless costume ideas before finally settling on.....

...Amy Winehouse.

She was perfect! Totally outrageous and very distinctive. And it was such a fun costume to wear, from the wig down to my rub-on tattoos.

For me, one of the best parts of Halloween is seeing the fun, humor and creativity that is put into the costumes. It's also what I love about my friends and family. They're an amazing group of fun and creative people and I took enormous pleasure in ringing in my 30th year of life with them.

After a rough few years of distressing issues with my health, it felt indescribably good to let my guard down and let go of inhibition and just have fun. That night, I didn't have a care in the world. Forget my physical limitations, forget work and to hell with MS. We ate too much and drank even more. We sang and danced along to Michael Jackson, Peter Murphy, Oingo Boingo...even Beyonce'!

I caught up with friends old and new, getting a chance to chat with those I don't see as often as I'd like. I received some very lovely cards with some lovely things written inside. I'm a big fan of the greeting card, especially when one takes the time to write something heart-felt inside. I keep all my cards, I have shoe-boxes full of them. The ones I received for this birthday are all still up on my fridge, a daily reminder of what amazing individuals I have in my life. I kinda don't ever want to take them down.

It was a really fantastic birthday this year. Better than I could have expected. I thank all my friends and family (you know who you are) who made a special effort to make this event what it was...terrific! You guys are the best. I love you!


I feel as if a new page has been turned over in the book of my life. I welcome my thirties with open arms and look forward to the adventures this new chapter of my life will bring. Something tells me it's gonna be good....

One Crazy Summer

I've been meaning to write about my Summer...well, all Summer! But it was a hectic Summer indeed and every time I intended to sit down and write, something else came up. So even though we're already well into Fall, let's take a look back at the Summer of 2009...

In March I participated in this years MS Walk, my first time since getting diagnosed with the disease in 2007. My amazing friends and family joined me in fund raising for this worthy cause and together we raised nearly $400! My brother-in-law, who is quite the talented artist, also designed t-shirts for our team. The day of the walk was chilly and brisk, but we all bundled up and had a really great time walking through the streets of downtown Salt Lake. Even the Empire came out to support our cause! The three-mile walk was more of a physical challenge for me than I expected, but I was determined to finish. And I did. But I couldn't have done any of it without the support of my friends and family. Can't thank you guys enough!



July welcomed a new member of our family, Penny! She was an unexpected addition, but her unique spark and pizazz has filled our home with love and laughter, and a bit of chaos....there is never a dull moment with Penny around. But we couldn't picture our lives without her.

July also saw the return of Tori Amos to Salt Lake City to promote her latest album. As passionate devotees of Tori's music, my best friend Willow and I resurrected our tradition of attending the meet and greet as well as the show at Abravanell Hall. It was another one for the scrapbooks! We got to meet Tori again and her performance was nothing short of electrifying. I actually took the time to post some photos and details about this one because, well, it was so damn awesome.

September brought with it mine and Nick's 8th wedding anniversary. Eight years...I have no idea where the time has gone. I love this man more and more each day. He is my soul mate and we are so blessed to be able to share our lives together. We celebrated by having a lovely dinner at Bomby house restaurant. Indian food is amongst our favorite cuisines and the Bombay House is one of the best in Salt Lake. After dinner, we attended a performance by our favorite comedian, Jim Gaffigan, at Kingsbury Hall. He did not disappoint and we were laughing until we could barely breathe. Sharing great food, good conversation and lots of laughter...I can't think of a better way to celebrate our life together.

September also saw the return of the Utah State Fair. I enjoyed amazing luck last year when one of my photos took 4th place in the amateur category of the photography exhibit and was looking forward to another opportunity to submit some of my photos. I was honestly not expecting a win this year, but was looking forward to repeating the experience. As predicted, I didn't place. But I thoroughly enjoyed viewing the work of some amazing local photographers. I also took time this year to view some of the other competitive exhibits, including the culinary and stitching categories, and was quite enamored with what I saw. I plan to submit pieces into these two categories next year, as well as photography.


The last week of September, my dear friend Mindy moved to North Carolina. This is a good move for her, and I can't wait to hear about all her new adventures in this new chapter of her life. I knew I would miss her, but I don't think I realized how much I would miss her until she was gone. We still stay in touch, of course...she is only a phone call away. And honestly, with the goings on of these last few weeks, I probably wouldn't have even seen her anyway. But there is something about knowing that she is not here, and that I can no longer just drive over to her house or meet up for an impromptu coffee that has just left a little bit of a void. I guess 12 years of friendship will do that. Still, I am happy that she is following this path. And now I have an excuse to visit North Carolina!

This Summer also saw a bit of a decline in my health. Some new symptoms appeared as well as the exacerbation of some old ones. Heat is a known aggravator of Multiple Sclerosis, and I am hoping this rough spell was a result of the Summer temperatures and not an indication that I am progressing. I have noticed some improvement with the cooler temperatures, but a few of the new symptoms seem to be lingering and I am still struggling with some day to day activities.

I confess myself disappointed, as this onslaught of symptoms spoiled my plans for all my Summertime baking and crafting and outdoor excursions. I also took significantly fewer photos than I normally do and I am disappointed that I missed out on capturing some moments. But, such is life on the roller coaster ride that is MS...lots of ups and downs.

Overall, it was a decent Summer. I still enjoyed quite a bit of fun and we received a few blessings as well. I am VERY much looking forward to the remainder of Fall and my favorite holiday, Halloween! I see some serious fun on the horizon.

Kennecott Utah Copper

Took a trip out to the Kennecott Copper mine last weekend. Oddly enough this was my first visit, despite growing up in Utah and living only a 30-minute drive away. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but found it fairly impressive and surprisingly educational.

Kennecott is the largest copper mine in the world and has produced more copper than any mine in history (18.1 million tons to be exact). It is also one of the only man-made wonders that can be seen by the space shuttle astronauts as they pass over the United States.



I never really thought about all the vast uses of copper. It's used in a myriad of electronics such as phones, computers and televisions. It's also used in automobile and airplane construction, as well as in the construction of our homes in our pipes, electric wiring and fixtures. None of this was actually news to me, but I never really appreciated how much we depend upon copper in our day to day lives.

Copper is even used as birth control in modern-day IUD's and is currently used by 160 million women world wide. That's not actually on the tour, I learned that somewhere else...but just goes to show that copper really is everywhere!



Inside the visitors center are many artifacts and relics from the mine's history. This is a miners paycheck from 1917.


Carbide gas lamps were used to provide underground light in the mines.


General Electric manufactured locomotives that were used in the copper mines from 1928 until the last one was phased out in 1980.


This was probably my favorite part of the visitors center....the Victory Flag Society Correspondence Collection from 1943-1946. The Victory Flag Society provided World War II service persons with news from home and of friends stationed around the world.

This collection of letters from service people was stored in a copper time capsule and buried beneath a war memorial that stood at the entrance to the Old Bingham High School in Copperton, Utah. When the school was closed, the memorial was moved and Kennecott Copper took possesion of the letters. They were very captivating to read, as I noticed that a some of these correspondence letters turned into romantic love letters as these men and women wrote back and forth.


I also loved seeing these old World War II propaganda booklets for women. So classic.

Kennecott definitely has that "field trip" kind of feel about it, but I really enjoyed learning about our states greatest resource and also some of it's history. If you've never been, it's definitely worth checking out.

Sinful Attraction

Tori Amos was in town Monday night, a stop on her Sinful Attraction tour for her tenth studio album Abnormally Attracted To Sin. As passionate devotees of Tori's music, my best friend Willow and I took the day off work to attend the meet and greet and the performance at Abravanell Hall.

Willow and I have been fortunate enough to have met Tori a few times previously at meet and greets and a couple times backstage (with passes won on the radio). Still, we never pass up an opportunity to interact with this incredibly generous and compassionate artist. She is well aware of her influence and how her music has impacted so many of us emotionally and spiritually and is extremely open to connecting one-on-one with her fans.

So we sat around outside behind the Abravanell Hall building, chatting with other fans and getting sunburned in the shade-free 100 degree weather. The heat was ridiculous, but I really enjoyed hanging out with my best pal in this tradition that is going on nearly 10 years.

And, of course, it was so worth it!

The concert was, as always, nothing short of dazzling. Tori is passion personified; she is quite uninhibited on stage and radiates an intensely high energy. She played a generous set list, much of which was devoted to her latest album. She did, however, pull out a few rarer songs from way back and played several of my favorites including Bliss, Body and Soul, China and a gorgeously revamped version of Cooling.

(audio only..but well worth a listen!)

It's difficult to describe just how much Tori and her music means to me. I have never been so emotionally and spiritually moved by any other artist. She has a gift for taking the emotions of the human experience, particularly the feminine experience, and putting them movingly to song. I often find solace in her lyrics, a reminder that none of us is ever alone in that we all share common ground and experiences....as women and as human beings.

I first heard Tori's music as a high school sophomore. I had just met Willow, who introduced me to her music. Little did I know that was the beginning of a life-long friendship and the discovery of something so deeply inspiring. It was a bit of a slap-in-the-face, the revelation that hey, shit happens but you're not in this world alone, honey. At that time, it was a lesson that I very much needed to learn.



As time goes on and I continue to follow Tori's music, I still find wisdom and solace in her words and relate much of her music with my own experiences.



Additionally, her strong feminine representation and her ideal that, as women, we can all wield the power of the ancient goddesses within us is (at least to me) a refreshing breath of air in this sometimes stifling patriarchal society. We can be wives and mothers and still be sexy, strong and powerful.

And we can completely rock (leather pants optional).

Good Morning, Starshine

The Earth says Hello!

Bring That Face Over Here...

Charming

I love this charm necklace. It has a whimsical and somewhat vintage appeal. I decided to hang it from a tree to photograph it...it seemed perfectly at home there. Though it looks just as lovely hanging around my neck.

The Fourth

Enjoyed a very laid back and very relaxing Fourth of July this year. Spent the day out and about, just the two of us, running a few errands and having a nice lunch. It was nice to be out and just relish the lovely weather.

Later that evening we hung out on the deck...

...enjoyed some grilled burgers and some sweet summer cherries....

...and a few beers. Summer done right.

When it got dark, we wandered across the street to watch the neighbors little firework show...

Just a lovely day, spent with perfect company.

Hope everyone enjoyed the weekend!