Note:

(Lindsay's announcer voice)
Contrary to popular belief,

The drama that we all came to know and "love" in high school does not end, and/or cease to exist, and/or stay tucked away in your gym locker for the next unfortunate victim to stumble upon as soon as they hand you your high school diploma.

Oh no, my friends!
It'll be back!
Just you wait!

*phew*

Ah-hem.

Please proceed with caution
And enjoy the ride.


Thank you.

Chugga Chugga Choo Choo

That's my train of thought.

Right now I'm thinking that I will never call my future significant other Boo...

(No offense to those of you who like this song. I just like to mute it and watch his shirt sparkle and change colors, haha!)

And now I'm thinking that "Darlyn" is not a good name for a man.

And right about now I'm thinking that I don't know what to think of customer service! One second a guy's blaming his stupidity on me and I think,

"BAH! I really need this shift to end!" Then a lady comes up and tells me I look like a model and I'm thinkin, "Hm. I could get used to this..."

Now I'm thinking, bless the Mom who packed leftover Almond Chicken in my Disney Princess lunchbox this morning.

And now I'm thinking, "Self, aren't you little old to be having your mom pack your lunch?"

Now I'm thinking it's been way too long since I last touched a treadmill.

Now I'm trying to remember the last time I laughed so hard I cried and I'm finding that it's been WAY too long. This must change.

And now I'm thinking that I don't give mandarin oranges enough credit.

Now I'm remembering this game I played with my sister on instant messenger when we were both bored at work. She'd write a word and then I'd write the first word that came into my head and so on, i.e. "Bob" - "Squarepants"...Haha!

Now I'm thinking that I need a nap. Then again, I'm always thinking that.

And now I'm realizing that I better print my catalogue for class in a half hour.

Now I'm thinking, I better end this post.

And now I'm copying and pasting my signature at the end of this strange and completely random train of thought...

And now you're thinking, "Why did I just read that?"

When Snow is Like School

Hoooo boy.

I knew today would be hard after that beautifully long weekend of family and holiday fabulousness...but I never could've anticipated how hard.

In short, I'm tired.

And sometimes, when I'm tired, I'm short...

...tempered that is.

Oh, and that to do list of stuff I had for this weekend?

Not done.

Heh heh.

It snowed quite a bit this week, which phenomenon I love. I have never lived in a warm tropical climate before (Northern Utah's about as far from palm trees as I've ever seen), but I imagine that I'd cry when December 25th rolled around without a healthy heap of Mother Nature's Christmas confetti. Sad day indeed.

This morning however, I was not feeling so lovey dovey toward the wet cold stuff.

In fact, my Facebook status right now reads:

"Snow is like School: It's great in theory, but you still have to drive through it ;)"

But you know what? I think I'll be ok.

Happiness is a choice made significantly easier by counting ones blessings.

Here's the biggest "for instance" I can think of:

I'm going HERE on Friday!

Ah. Yep, that makes everything better.

I might just need to carry this picture with me everywhere I go this week to instantly transform my gloominess into ecstaticness. Yes, I think I shall!

photo via

Life is Beautiful.

Snow and all.

Feasting with My Favorite Family

This Thanksgiving I volunteered to make an apple pie and the mashed potatoes...a domestic leap of faith indeed. Especially when you take into account the culinary expertise of the women in my family...

ShaBAM! Pretty good lookin' huh? For a pie. It tasted pretty dang yummy, too!

Here are all the fabulous chefs in the kitchen.

We had our get together at a church building this year, because, well, I've got a huge family...and I LOVE IT! I wouldn't have it any other way.

We sure missed Steve & Sarah's family this year. And Joseph & Feathy's clan didn't come till pie time, but it t'was still a blast to be with everyone.

"Mmm, these mashed potatoes are SOoo creamy" - "Mary mashed 'em."

Name that movie! :)

Kim and Madre tasting the gravy. Dad - our designated turkey carver.

The rest of the guys were out in the gym, gettin' their game on...as usual.

And VOILE! Here we all are, giving thanks and digging in. I love my family!

I am one blessed girl.

Hope you had a fabulous Thanksgiving, friends!

Latelies

I haven't been great at updating lately, so...

Remember THIS shoot? I needed a couple more pictures of the antiques by themselves for my project, so I did this shoot. I love reflective objects. That sounds strange, but they're my favorite kind of object to "capture"...Exhibit A.

Madre was emptying out our ghost soap dispenser from Halloween into our high-tech automatic everyday soap dispensers. I did a double take after seeing it, then I laughed, then I took a picture. Hahahahaha! How could I resist?

My lovely/handsome N&Ns all came over for FHE and let me take portraits of them. This pic is just for fun, but I bet you can't tell who's NOT a sibling.

We had raspberry cheesecake for Madre's birthday. Yes, I caved.

Don't I always when it comes to cheesecake? YUM!

My sister Heather is enjoying her new handsome witto baby.

And, holy adorableness, I am too!

My 'nother sister, Kim and I went on a shopping spree and hung out for the weekend. Always a good time! Isn't she stylin'? :)

 

And, her kids have beautiful eyes...

...and they can fly!

  Ok, I have to tell you this touching story: As I turned the corner onto their street I saw 5 little specks at the bottom of the street jump up and down and start running up the street toward me. Those specks were her kids, running to see their Aunt Lindsay.

I think my heart nearly burst open at the seams with love! Thankfully it's still in tact.

I feel for the person that has to ride this home.

Insert angelic choir here:

 

Nicole and I struttin' our stuff for the midnight showing, Potter style!

Ah, the last moments of Fall. I saw these three trees on campus and had to get a picture of their unnaturally perfect gradation, i.e. orange, yellow, green. Love it!

(Trav, this is the picture I was telling you about)

Happy Wednesday, cute people!

Since We've No Place To Go...

I happen to really like snow!

Happy Blizzarding to Utah!

I Just Love This

Are you ready?

This is fabulous.

Probably because I'm just so darn obsessed with HP at the moment.

And, c'mon, how many of us can say that we don't practice using accents from other countries? I do it all the time. Seriously, like everyday...without even thinking.

It just makes me happy to see "English" people try to speak "American."

Hahahahaha...

*sniff*

*sigh*

Good times.

Temporary Solution

If end of semester projects are driving you insane, bang head here:

...or take a break to go shopping at Target. Whichever!

Heartstrings of the Week: I'm Not a 'Soul'dier

I'd like to share with you my favorite scene and song from Sister Act II. If you don't want to watch the whole thing, just forward to the part when they sing together toward the end. My brother John shared this with me a couple of years ago and I never cease to get the chills. If this doesn't give you chills, then you better get your chill-o-meter examined. John and I try to sing this like them, but who are we kidding?

Yeah, seriously! Don't stop.

Dang, girl! She does those runs like they're nothing!

BAH! I love soul music!
This song is definitely one of the favorites in my "Mmmhhmm" Mix on my iPod :)

For the full version, go HERE
(for some reason I like the movie clip better than the recording)

Can't Wait

…to graduate!

{Let's be honest, if I had time this would look a lot better}

I'm convinced that May could not come any slower!

Then again, it makes me sad when the holiday season flies by...

BUT, as soon as January 1st hits, I'm expecting a pick up in the pace!

I can't wait to have time to do stuff again. This'll sound weird, but I want time to do graphic design...Like my OWN projects and most likely some for...my CAREER! GASP!

I can't wait to have time to draw! Holy cow, I miss that! I'm oil painting for the first time tonight and I have a feeling I'm gonna want more time to do that, too.

I can't wait till I have time to write again. There are stories and poems itching in the back of my brain, just waiting to be written down!

I can't wait to have time to clean my room...and actually master how to keep it that way, for once. Sheesh!

I can't wait to have time to "kidnap" each and every one of my n&ns and spoil them (and myself, I'll be honest) with a day of unending fun.

Oooh, I can't wait till I have time to bake/cook. BUT, I am making the mashed potatoes and a pie for Thanksgiving. I'll post pictures! I'm so excited to be in the kitchen!

I can't wait to have time to read. Oh yes. So many books, so little time.

I can't wait to have time to sleep in for a couple more hours...till, I dunno...7am?

ah.

I'm so anxious.

I just can't wait to have time...period.

But for now...

...gotta go live it up,

Homework style!

I have a feeling I'm actually going to miss that someday, too.

Lindsay's Life Lessons - Part I

1. Never eat something now that was boiling in the microwave just seconds ago.
2. Avoid public transportation at night.
3. Exercise fixes nearly everything.
4. If exercise doesn't fix it, shopping will.
5. Children's storybooks with minimal words usually fail as full-length movies.
6. If you wouldn't say it in person, for heaven's sake, don't text it.
7. There's nothing quite so nauseating and mysterious as finding a hair ball in the middle of your muddy buddy (true story).
8. "He's single, you're single" is not a good enough reason to set someone up on a blind date.
9. If you're discouraged, reading the news won't help.
10. The best kind of ballroom is the kitchen.
11. Happiness doesn't require money, just creativity.
12. Sunglasses: The power to stare in secret.
13. Recognizing someone from your first grade class after 17 years tends to freak them out.
14. School is much easier when you love what you're studying.
15. You know the world is corrupt when animated movies are rated R.
16. Hats: The easiest way to not do your hair.
17. The toilet is not a garbage disposal.
18. If you want to know the true character of someone, observe their behavior at the gym.
19. There is nothing quite so fulfilling as creating something out of nothing.
20. Relying solely on technology to run your life is completely unhealthy.

To be continued...

Deathly Tired

So, the good news is:

I totally saw the midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 last night and it was absolutely brilliant, mate! So well done and much more serious than the last movie, but if you've read the book then you know why.

(Voile! How do you like the back? I think it's safe to say I had way to much fun with this.)

The bad news is:

I'm here at 7am for 7 hours of work and I'm Deathly tired. 3 hours of sleep isn't cutting it this time I'm afraid. MERLIN'S PANTS I'M EXHAUSTED!

Oh yes. I did.

Remember THIS?

Well, I liked it SO much I did it again.

Hand-painted Tshirt and all!

shaBAM!

Yep, I'm hardcore like that

And SO excited for tomorrow night!

:D :D :D

Long Live Pottah!

(wait till you see the back)

Be Safe

Tonight for our RS meeting, OPSGEAR came and presented their Women's Self Defense Seminar to us.

Ok, can I just say...Elizabeth Smart is EXACTLY my age! Like same birthday, year, everything...and I have to admit, that I haven't opened my bedroom windows to this day, because what she went through is truly my worst nightmare. I think I would rather die. But wow, I love that girl. I'm so impressed by her strength. Blessings in heaven for her. She's seriously my hero.

Anyway, because of what I learned tonight concerning self defense and awareness I feel more confident, which is a big deal for me. If I were to get into a dangerous situation, I could get away. Can you say that? I don't know who here has seen the movie "Taken"...but that WILL NOT happen to me. Because a) I don't talk to random guys in foreign countries, b) I don't travel alone. Like, seriously, you can avoid these situations by just being smart, most of the time.

So, be safe and watch this and the other free, beneficial tips provided by OPSGEAR, mmmk? Much much better SAFE than SORRY.

Thank-Full

I saw this video and it reminded me of my motto, aka the title of this blog:

Life is Beautiful.

3 words that encompass what I strive for each day - remembering to see the beauty in life, cause it's always there if we take the time to look for it. That sounds corny, but it's my survival mechanism. I'm serious.

In fact, I've noticed one way that has helped me maintain this attitude - carrying a camera with me everywhere. Maybe as an artist, the ability to "see beauty" comes more naturally, I don't know, but I do know that taking the time to notice the beautiful things that Heavenly Father has created all around me brings substance to my life on days that would otherwise feel empty.

The phrase "Life is Beautiful" isn't just a frilly statement or the title of an amazing movie, it is a belief that is embedded in my heart each time I count a new blessing and witness the hand of God in my life. A personal testimony that He loves me.

You know? I am simply thankful to be happy.

That makes all the difference in every second of my day-to-day life.

What makes me happy? Well, that is a thankful list that I could write an entire series of books on, I'm sure of it! But here are a few, because I'm feeling particularly blessed right now...blessed AND happy. Happily blessed.


I am thankful for (in no particular order)...

Not having a "taboo Christmas music" rule. Birds that aren't scared to sing out. Having "spare" time. Fluffy blankets. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Italy and everything therein. Laughter. When reality is sweeter than my dreams. Having a clean room. The Plan of Happiness. Regal bald eagles. My wonderful, patient, encouraging and loving family. The brave men and women who are now or ever have served our country. Education. Being a woman. Disney & Pixar. Faithful missionaries. My hands. Patient parents. Memories. Home videos. Cold water to drink and hot water to shower in. Winter clothing. Good books. Teddy Grahams. The brilliance of Apple's products. Strong and exemplary friends. Honorable young men. Mini Coopers. Patience. The rejuvenation of a good nights sleep. Good music. Freedom. Shampoo & Conditioner. Old people. The satisfaction of working hard and accomplishing goals. Orange nail polish. Technology. The gifts I've been given and the joy of sharing them. Health and the motivation to maintain it. Smiles. The scriptures. The loving sisterhood of women. Whoever discovered the decadence of putting coconut in desserts. U32. My GD friends who aren't nit-picking about all the rivers running through this fully justified paragraph. Cheesecake. Butterflies inside and outside of my tummy. The miracle of the human body. Being the youngest. Love. Rocking chairs. Doctors. My favorite kids on the planet - The N&Ns. Flirting. Experiences, good or bad, that have made me who I am today. Any excuse to get together with my family. Poetry. The combination of creative minds and hard workers. Reading old journal entries and laughing at myself. Having hair, despite its unwillingness to grow quickly. The Miracle Drug - Ibuprofen. The holiday season. The many beautiful temples. The majesty of the stars in the sky. My SLR. My institute teacher, Brother Hardy. Just thinking to myself. The fact that I will never run out of things to be thankful for.

What are you thankful for?

I now deem it fitting to thank YOU.
You know who you are.
You know what you've done.


Thanks for being my friends, whether virtually or literally.
I just heart yer faces, hope ya know.

Time For Change

As you may have noticed, I tried to spiff up my blog a bit…

But all it really accomplished was me getting really sick of the current design.

It's been a while since I've designed a new header,

And well, that's because the current one took forever to illustrate...

But I think I'm ready to let my creative juices flow in a different direction.

So wish me luck as I undertake a new blog design in my spare time...

Which means I'll be done in a few months probably.

Haha.

But seriously.

Heartstrings of the Week: Delightfully Dissonant

You might be upset that I've started to introduce Christmas tunes to you in November, but I can't help it. Christmas is my favorite holiday and it never stays long enough, so I like to "stretch" it out a bit. I don't want to get into the ethics of this topic too much, but let me just justify my reasoning real quick:

If Thanksgiving had a sibling, it'd be Christmas. Am I right? I can't think of a more relatable holiday. And so, because Thanksgiving doesn't have it's own music, what better kind of music to listen to than the Christmas kind. Besides, Christmas music is truly the most "thanksgiving" kind of music I know. There. I'm done now.

So, "Lux Aurumque" - I first heard this song performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in a past Christmas Concert with the talented Norwegian soprano Sissel Kyrkjebø (and no, I do not know how to pronounce her last name). You probably know her voice best from this (I apologize in advance for the corny captions).


Anyway, it was one of those songs that nearly pushed me off the edge of my seat, I was listening so intently. For some reason I am drawn to the complex beauty of these crazy dissonant chords and I love the tranquil resolved chords at the end. This dissonant-to-resolved kind of composition style just, GAH, kills me. Plus, seeing as the song is about the Savior's birth, I found it to be very symbolic...as this wonderful blessing resolves so much dissonance in my life every single day.

Ah. Yes, this is one of those "meditation" type songs... So, if you want the full effect, I recommend that you take a second, close your eyes, and just listen.

LUX AURUMQUE

Latin Translation ©2001 by Charles Anthony Silvestri

(English poem by Edward Esch)

Light,

warm and heavy,

as pure gold,

and the angels sing softly

to the newborn babe.

*sigh*
So beautiful.

Because our Savior, The Prince of Peace, was born to fulfill the plan of our Heavenly Father, we can enjoy peace and tranquility each day through His Atoning sacrifice.

That is what this song means to me.

Happy Holidays!