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.

Good Morning, Starshine

The Earth says Hello!

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.

Return From Wonderland

Wow, where have I been?

Down the proverbial rabbit hole.

March and April were not kind months. We had some pretty big changes, I faced a few new health issues and we received some grim news. Something about all this...be it the events themselves, the combination of so many things happening at once or just a roll of the dice...triggered some major anxiety. I found myself in a constant state of amplified stress and anxiety. This completely snowballed, building on itself and intensifying as the days went on.



The thing about anxiety is that it tends to amplify everything. Even the smallest tasks can seem like a mountain to climb and all logic, like Elvis, has left the building. I had no means within me to make even the simplest decision or to enjoy the things I love most without becoming completely overwhelmed; I hadn't picked up my camera or a spatula in weeks. Furthermore, the smallest changes (like a new haircut, for example) was enough to trigger a full-on panic attack.

The specifics of how this process gets triggered is still a mystery to me and I have yet to discover a solid pattern. But I do know that my predisposition to this disorder is entirely biological. It goes back generations.

But it is what it is. I could feel it coming on and attempted to prepare myself and my husband, but had no inkling as to how intense, or how drawn out, this episode was going to be. It's been physically and emotionally exhausting. I resorted to relying on a combination of Valium and energy drinks to make it through the day. I was listening to a lot of Morrissey.

Ultimately, some events resolved. Conversations were had. Tears were shed and a weight was lifted. And at last I can feel myself coming down off this bastard of an emotional roller coaster.

* * * * *

Today I went out to my garden and picked some Tulips. A little friend came too.

We laid on the grass together, relishing in the sun and the earth, and I heard a little voice say ever so quietly "ah...there you are!".

And I smiled.

Aw, Baby Photos!

As I've said before, I can't get enough of my little nephew. He's just getting to that stage where he's starting to smile a bit and become curious with the world.

Just look at this wee little smile.

He can't get enough of that hand. Looks tasty, no?

Whoa, kid packs a mean right hook. Put up your dukes!

Dude, are you guys seeing this? It's trippin' me out, man!

I don't know what he was looking at there, but all I'm looking at are those nomable cheeks. I want to chomp on them just a little!

Candy Canes!

Nick snapped this fun shot of some Christmas candy canes! Though I'm not personally a fan of peppermint, I love Christmas candy canes. I don't eat them, I just like to look at them. Nick takes care of the eating part.

Indian Dude

It's been a while since I posted one of my photos, so here's a little snapshot I took around midnight at the U of U campus on one of the last nice evenings of the season. I really like the texture here and the bright yellow leaves.

Also, I've started a new blog dedicated to my stitching and crafting. Niki McStitchy! Cute, huh? I know, I'm a goon. But I can't help it, stitching makes me giddy. Check it out!

A Couple Of Cuties

Would ya look at these happy little faces! I captured these unbelievably adorable smiles a few days ago while doing a small photo shoot for a good friend; her children were lots of fun to photograph!

This young man is nothing less than a miracle. He was born three months early, weighing less than two pounds, and deaf. Thanks to modern science and the grace of God, he not only survived but can hear with the aid of a cochlear implant. You would never know he was born deaf. Truly amazing.


And I've never met a little gal with more spunk than this adorable little peanut.

Thanks for a lovely afternoon, friends!

State Fair 2008

We took a jaunt over to the Utah State Fair tonight. We hadn't been for years...it's sure a lot more commercial than I remember. More vendors and less entertainment. Kinda lame. Though we did get some Dippin' Dots. I loves me some Dippin' Dots.


Our main interest was in the photography exhibit. I had entered three photos for judging in the "amateur" class, my first time submitting any of my photographs into a competitive environment. I was banking on this being a good learning experience and was interested in observing the other works submitted.

Much to my surprise, I received a Fourth Place ribbon for this photograph. This is one of my favorite and most treasured images, as this typewriter belonged to my grandfather. Typewriters were his passion and this machine, circa 1934, is the only relic I have of him. I find it very interesting that this image was chosen for a ribbon, and am also very gratified. My grandfather always reminded and encouraged us to follow our passions. I know he's smiling about this.


So I realize fourth place isn't magnificent, but I placed and for a first-time that's not too shabby. I definitely learned a lot from the experience, and the lessons learned are much more valuable to me than the ribbon. Still, it's something to smile about.

Where Have I Been?

It's been a mother-fudging hot couple of weeks (yes, I said mother-fudging!) and as a result, I haven't been feeling my best. As I've said before, heat wreaks havoc on my internal workings and between the vertigo spells, the extreme fatigue and the spasticity, I haven't been up for much. It's about all I can do to make it through the work day, but thankfully I have a wonderful husband to come home to. Nick's just great about making dinner and helping me get comfortable after a rough day. He sure makes a difference!

Today, however, we enjoyed much cooler temperatures and I was glad to be able to stay home and take it easy. I caught up on a few light household chores and did some photo editing I had been meaning to do. I also went here and ordered my embroidery starter kit! I've really enjoyed cross stitching, but embroidery seems to have a lot more potential. You can embroider on just about anything. And check out these designs! I've got so many ideas, I can't wait to get started!

I've also been working on printing and framing some of my photography. I've been learning and improving all the time and I wanted to enjoy some of the pieces I am more proud of by displaying them in our home.


This is the first set of photos on display here at the Brooks Gallery. The top image was taken at Wheeler Historic Farm earlier this year and then altered in two additional hues. Larger versions of these images can be seen here, here and here.

More photos coming soon! For now, back to rest.

Arthritis Walk 2008

The 2008 Arthritis Walk to benefit the Arthritis Foundation kicked off at Wheeler Historic Farm this morning. Despite the unseasonal chill, there was a great turn out and over $16,000 raised to benefit arthritis support programs and research! Thanks to Nick, Lissa and Angie for their support and sponsorship of my walk today!

I walked in support of my dear friend Mindy, who is affected by rheumatic arthritis. Up until I decided to take part in this event, I didn't know much about arthritis. I knew it caused inflammation and pain in the joints, but all those Aleve commercials lead me to believe that it was relatively minor and a few OTC pain pills could get you back on the go. Not quite, it seems. In addition to affecting joints, it can also affect internal organs, skin and the eyes and is the number one cause if disability in America. What's more is that of the 46 million Americans living with arthritis, an estimated 294,000 (that's 1 in every 250) are children. It's been quite eye-opening.

Mr. Burns joined Mindy and me for our mile walk today, as did dozens of other awesome pups, and he even made some new friends. Check out this trifecta of sniffing and the delectable schnoz action on this mini Spuds McKenzie pup.






And take a gander at this little dude, named Bandit, who is missing his rear left leg. It's obvious, however, that hasn't slowed him down one bit. He's loaded with spunk and attitude and was enthusiastically dragging his owner all over the trails.


The walk through the grounds was very enjoyable. It's been years since I've visited Wheeler Farm and I'd forgotten how lush and beautiful it is. Our mile walk probably took twice as long as usual, because we were stopping along the way to take pictures of the landscape and some of the animals.


Little Cottonwood Creek























Moo.











Whoa, huge cock!









It was a fun day spent with a good friend for a good cause. I really learned a lot and gained a whole new perspective.

Christmas Day is in our grasp, as long as we have hands to clasp.

See this guy?

I love him.

He makes me smile every single day.

We spent some time today taking pictures of our family out in the snow. I was rather disappointed by the performance of my remote shutter, as I couldn't get more than a foot and a half away before I was out of range. Still, we got some pretty fun shots and it was an enjoyable afternoon all around.

Though Christmas is just over a week away, I have found myself still struggling to find the Christmas spirit. There was a time when it was all so magical, I could feel it in my tummy. These days, with all the commercialization, obligations and the hectic rush to get to everyone and to get everything done, the holidays feel like one big hassle. Working in a retail store certainly doesn't help anyone find any magic, holiday or otherwise. So we spend this time of year "just trying to get through it", which is really quite sad.

Still...it's days like today when I can be surrounded by those I love most, out in God's beautiful winter wonderland, that I feel some sense of heart and spirit. Simple acts...tossing snowballs, laughing, and capturing moments...that is what Christmas is about. Simplicity and love. And taking joy in it.

Although we have a busy busy week ahead of us, it will be spent getting in touch with the people we love, our friends and family, for an opportunity to experience some real Christmas spirit. And also, maybe some pie.

There may be hope yet for some magic.

The Storytellers - Part One

A clear, brisk Friday morning found me and my dear friend Willow on the road, heading to Boise to worship the Goddess Tori Amos in concert. To say we are merely fans is putting it lightly. We are enthusiastic followers.

Tori is more than a musician, she is a weaver of tales. She marries her words with the music so beautifully and her spirit embodies passion, love and what it really means to be a woman. Her music has long been a place for me to escape and take solace or simply just to rock out. It often reminds me of where I have been and also where I am going.

Willow and I have traveled to see her in concert before, but as it had been some years we decided a girls road trip was definitely in order. Our girl trips are always the best.

Getting out of town was a bit of a comedy of errors, forgetting pillows and directions and also the tickets, but eventually we made it onto the highway. A storm was set to hit any time, but our five hour drive to Boise was clear sailing.

Once we arrived, we decided to stop first at the venue to see what the meet-and-greet looked like. Much to our surprise and delight, there was hardly anyone there which meant it was most likely we'd get a chance to talk to Tori. And we did. Well, Willow did. She and Tori shared a good ten minute conversation while I stood by and took photographs. I have met Tori several times in the past, and I felt that I have said everything I needed to say to her and that I didn't have anything else to say that she hasn't already heard a million times. I was quite content to shoot pictures and just observe. She is an amazing subject, I love to photograph her.

The concert was extraordinary, she played most of the songs I had hoped to hear and some I never dreamed I would hear her perform live. Willow had made a request of her at the meet-and-greet...a song that was very special to her...and Tori played it. I really enjoyed sharing that moment with Willow as I knew how much that song meant to her and how much it meant that Tori played it. We both got a bit teary...it was so great.

Despite being exhausted after a long day of travel and excitement, we were still on far to much of a high to sleep once we got back to the hotel, so we stayed up talking. I love just staying up talking.

Again, despite the storm warnings, the drive back home was smooth sailing and we arrived back in Salt Lake about 5pm Saturday evening, just having missed the huge snow storm that dumped six inches of snow in the valley.

It was a brilliant trip. Good Karma was with us all the way, and so was a cherished friend.