Christmas 2008

Temple Square Lights
Once with some of the family, once with sisters from my mission.

Andy and Elliot

Elliott and I

Ell and Cash enjoying the nativity presentation

Rod and Andy

Paul, Ell, Cash, and Grammie

Mysterious, run-away elf spotting

Mission buds: Baker, Moorhead, Olmstead, Jones, Hudson, and me

First ski trip of the season with ski-extraordinaire, Grant

Andy's friends wishing him luck as he left for his mission

Sweater party with high school buds

Mom's Birthday! Dec. 21st

Three Cups of Tea From Tom and I

And Dad suprised Mom with a new digital camera!
"You mean I've become digital???"

CHRISTMAS EVE/CHRISTMAS DAY Dec. 24th-25th

We had a great Christmas Eve dinner with Steve, Shirley and Co. Dinner included Pork, stuffing, red potatoes, green been casserole, crab, rolls, salad, followed by Mom's "snowballs," a creation her mother, Nanna, used to make for her family. There were also tarts of every kind, biscotti, popcorn, baklava, etc.

The lighting of the snowballs!

CHRISTMAS MORNING: Tom and I slept in until Mom and Dad finally woke us around 10am.
We opened some gifts, then headed to Steve and Shirley's.

Tom got some new pants.

Annual Christmas day hike up Rock Canyon

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

BREAKING NEWS: never before seen footage of the polyg at work.

Okay, not really. But I found these on Andy's camera and thought they were worth posting.

Che nostalgia!

I don't know about you, but I can tie specific songs back to specific times in my life. For example:

• whenever I hear All That She Wants by Ace of Base, I'm quickly taken back to my high school years, running around wild with all my girlfriends, making up a dance routine.

• whenever I hear Josh Rouse's Quiet Town, I think of running or riding the bus around the island of Oahu when I was having the time of my life in Hawaii.

• whenever I hear Bach's Christmas Oratorio, I think of the good times learning to sing it for the stake Christmas concert in London.

• whenever I hear the song of a bird or look at the blue, blue sky.......just foolin!
  

I think you get the point and know that the list could go on for pages and pages. However, coming across the songs posted below brought me straight back to Italy. I know what you're thinking, "Why was she listening to this music on her mission!" Let's just say one can only handle listening to EFY and MOTAB for so long! Just kidding. Fact is: you just hear it as you walk around and are immersed in the culture, whether it's blasting out of car speakers or being played in stores or in homes.

These are quite funny and cheesy in retrospect but take me right back to Italy (guess it goes to show you how music deprived I was on my mission!). The first one is a band from the island of Sardenga, so they sing in sard! I know they don't have the same sentimental value for you but take 'em for what they're worth! Enjoy!

Sisters From Sweden
My friend Jenn posted them on her blog and I couldn't resist. They are Klara & Johanna Söderberg and together they are First Aid Kit. This is actually a cover of the song called Tiger Mountain Peasant Song by a cool band from the Northwest called Fleet Foxes.
By the way, I think I'm quiting school....if you can't find me know that I'm gone with my guitar to the woods somewhere to write some sweet melodies.

Song of the Day

Cuz Katy and I work with a music guru, Paul. He showed us this song today at work by Ben Folds and Regina Spektor. I quickly became a fan. Maybe you've heard it, maybe you haven't but regardless, it deserves a listen. Click here which will take you to npr's "song of the day" page, then click on the red speaker and enjoy. So catchy and creative...lovin' lovin' it.

How 'bout three cheers for the happy couple?
Hip Hip, HOORAY! Hip Hip, HOORAY! Hip Hip, HOORAY!

HALLOWEEN
a few pics
(check out Jourdan's blog for complete coverage)

Polyg: props to mom for doing a GREAT job on the hair!
I did my best to avoid mirrors because it freaked me out to see myself!

Mario getting 'flower power'!

Off to see the wizard!

And a few polyg dance routines!
(sorry it's so dark!)

Thanks Jourdan for your hours of labor in the kitchen, yummy food, and for being a great hostess!!!
We look forward to next years party!!!

Two years ago today...

Nov 1st, 2006

It's really quite crazy how fast time flies. I remember the day like it was yesterday!!!

A Few New Tunes

RADIOHEAD - Album: In Rainbows (Jan 2008)
The songs great...don't quite know about the video (it's someones animation vid that won a competition)...but the song gets two thumbs up.


Radiohead - Reckoner - by Clement Picon




SIGUR ROS - (they're from Iceland) Album: med sud ieyrum vid spilum endalaust (June 2008)

listen to this song..."goobledigook"....another two thumbs way up.

http://cdn.stereogum.com/mp3/Sigur%20Ros%20-%20Gobbledigook.mp3

Tagged...
I was tagged by aub

Instructions: go to your fourth picture file, post the fourth picture, and tag four friends.


The fourth picture in my fourth file is this:


This is a picture of a trip to Goblin Valley. I went with Steve, Shirley and Porter ( and maybe Jade? can't quite remember.) while I was living with them before going to Hawaii. Steve and I were climbing around the cliffs right above our campsite! I remember it was really windy that day and scared of getting blown off! Good times.

I tag...(no obligations) : )

Ell
Marg (maybe this will get her blogging again)
Jourdan
Shirley

TEMPLE SITE ANNOUNCED I was right, might I add!
more pictures from when I was there...





If you look near the top of the map in the center, you'll see an area labeled "Cinquina." From there, if you go down about a pinky width from "C" in Cinquina, just below the yellow line, that's where the temple site is. It amazes me how close it really is to all the famous sites in Rome. Where it says "Roma" on the map is where the famouse sites (colloseum, trevi fountain, spanish steps etc.) are located. Also notice the distance from the Vatican.
Now look at the bottom of the map. See where it says "Torre Spacata?" That's where I lived when I served in Rome!



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