Two more reasons to drive to L.A.

1-Fish tacos at Taco Surf in Seal Beach. I wasn't there but anything that gets raves out of Chad (the opposite of drama queen) MUST be that good! The recommendation came from my dad. Every time we visit the family in California, not a day goes by without the beloved TACO SURF somehow getting sneaked into the conversation. If we're ever wondering where to eat, it's best not to say it around Papa Surf, or it's his tacos or the highway. So Chad knew just where to take the guys when he was in town, and he was beyond pleased. Now I'm definitely getting some of the infamous tacos next time I'm 10 hours down I 15.

2-Bonbons at MILK, an adorable, corner deli/ice-cream shoppe in West Hollywood. Artie knew just the place to go after our fabulous day in L.A.! We shared an amazing triple chocolate shake, topped generously with whipped cream and the cutest itty bitty chocolate covered malt balls, a yummy veggie sandwich (though, so does not even come close to the wonderment of Staci's now famous veggie sandwiches, but nothing ever will) with tomatoes, roasted red pepper, goat cheese, and BONBONS- the best! Different varieties made fresh, daily. I could say bonbons all day-"just going to Beverly Blvd. for some bonbons"! Now I almost wish I lived there. And we even finished it all off with some homemade butterscotch pudding!!!

thoughts on memorial day

Memorial Day. I was in a conflicted state, stemming from a mixture of deep appreciation for the enjoyments I have and sadness over the enjoyments others do not. It started out happily as ever with consistently light rain, oven keeping me warm enough to allow the windows to stay open so I could smell the rain and enjoy the breeze, while I baked the day away, singing with Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, and Roberta Flack.

Yet soon, my domestic bliss was intruded upon by thoughts of others who were not indulging in such pleasures at the moment. In China, thousands of babies, grandparents, mothers, all the loved and special ones still being frantically searched for with hope only to find a body to bury. Iraq. Another soldier killed, one who loved the children deeply, who said they made it all worth it. Tornadoes right here in the homeland. Families suddenly homeless, possession-less. Eunice Kennedy Shriver, 86, recovering from a stroke, says she still must save Darfur. She doesn't have time to lay around. I am a jobless, healthy, 33 year-old capable person. Why am I not doing anything? I know, I take care of my children but I have hours to spare that are currently being spent blogging, baking, and reading, reading, reading. Not to mention the priority given to catching up on my shows that are maxing out my DVR minutes, while I blog, bake, and read.

There are times when I feel guilty for the enjoyments I have. How can I be happy when I know that at this very moment someone in the world suffers in a way my cognition could never grasp? In the day or two following China's earthquake, Chad and I were having dinner at Cheesecake Factory, our biggest problem in life being how we were going to squeeze an appetizer, entree, and cheesecake into our bellies. Then it occurred to me that at that same moment, in China, mothers were sick to their stomachs with horror, waiting desperately for rescuers to find their missing babies, buried under piles of collapsed homes and schools. In Africa, right now children cry in hunger to mothers who have nothing to offer. I shared this thought with Chad, tears could have welled up. Instead, after only two seconds of contemplation, all was disturbingly forgotten. Back to savoring the eggplant sandwich and fries! I know, really, what could I do to help China right now anyway? What is the point in letting world atrocities and calamities kill your appetite? It's just unsettling to realize how many comforts I take for granted daily. The freedom, safety, and contentment that I did nothing to earn. Perhaps the nagging guilt is my conscience telling me that I can and should do more. But where happiness is reachable, it shouldn't be wasted, because who knows when we will be the ones who suffer beyond measure while people across the globe eat their lobster.

I decided to turn guilt into gratitude and savor the easy, attainable joy in my life now, taking nothing for granted.

Chad and I bought a huge salmon that we were excited to grill on the cedar planks we purchased recently. Now, it doesn't happen often that I cook a huge meal. I don't want to leave the impression that I actually cook every night. I don't even cook most nights. But when I do, it tends to get a bit overboard so we decided to enjoy it with the Doddridge family. We hadn't seen them for way too long, and it was a wonderful visit. There's Julie with Jack and Allie, making fun of my "fancy" cheeses!

My Grandmother's Etiquette

Of course, not all of this stuff is crazy and outdated. Much of it is still very sound advice. Take this bit on dieting, for instance. I have been guilty of thoughtlessly elaborating on my latest diet strategies to people who probably did not appreciate it. Original post is here.

Dieting, while not exactly a habit, is included for convenience in this chapter because, like smoking, drinking, and gum chewing, it requires consideration on the part of the dieter to keep his diet from being a nuisance or a bore to others. The same etiquette might well be applied to people who have allergies.

The points are very simple. Few of your friends want a blow-by-blow description of what you should and shouldn't eat, or how many pounds you have lost or gained. Certainly none of your acquaintances wants the details. So just let your appearance speak for itself, and be satisfied with your own feeling of virtue.

When you are being entertained, feel perfectly free to refuse a dish you can't eat, with a simple, "No, thank you." There's no need for an explanation...

Songs by Artie O'Daly

This is my friend Artie's new CD that I am LOVING. He's written and composed the songs his talented friends Theresa and Matt perform on the CD. I love every song! It's brilliant and inspired. And available on iTunes! Go here to listen. Artie, you're dazzling! SO very talented, driven, passionate... I'm your friend and adoring fan!

Nellie McKay. What?!?! Crazy Amazing Fun Music

My new high-speed internet has led to hours of blogging, online reading, and serious DVR back-up. I was planning on a night to catch-up on some t.v. but discovered a new artist on NPR that once again cut into my Larry King Live and America's Next Top Model episodes (I still have not seen one ATM this season, starting to lose interest I guess). I know I am late in discovering that NPR is the coolest thing since sliced bread. Guess I just got a little busy with having babies for 5 years, not that Baby Wise and the What To Expect series didn't make for some fascinating reading. I've been slacking. Child Wise is still waiting for me on the bookshelf, and is there a What To Expect: The High School Years? Early preparation is a good thing I've learned after three unexpected pregnancies. I've never been a planner.

ANYWAY, this new young singer/songwriter is just so incredible that I had to share. Below are links to her song Gladd that is so beautiful, and a video (17 minutes and so cool if you have the time) of two days with her in the studio where you get to witness the creative process she goes through in composing and recording a song that she starts only after being given photographs from which she chooses one that inspires her. The resulting song is called Cavendish and it is so hauntingly cool, it's as if the past is being channeled back through her creativity. She is like a blend of Judy Garland, Joni Mitchell, and Patsy Cline.

Cavendish

Gladd


Lane, I saw on her website that she will be in New York May 2nd!

BTW, I had to stop in the middle of the road for a turkey today. It was awesome. Made my day.

Oh, and who saw Carrie Underwood last night on Idol Gives Back? How sweet and super awesome was that?

33 years of happy music moments

I'm already having the best birthday and it's only 10:00 a.m.!
I decided a few years back that every year I would make the
most of turning one year older by doing things that I love for
my entire "birthday week".

On my list this year:
bowling (inspired by Across The Universe)
visit an art museum
out for gelato with Chad and the kids
dinner at Red Rock with our friends Kalli and Justin (Justin and I share the same birthday!)
a photo shoot of myself (sounds narcissistic , but I want some pretty pictures of myself as a young person! I stole the idea from Staci)

Last night Chad and the kids gave me my presents because they just couldn't wait. I got some pretty red and pink Gerber daisies, a pot with seeds to grow my own cherry tomatoes and basil, a Starbuck's gift card, and an iTunes card!
My honey knows me well.

I know I am a little late in discovering the wonderful world of the iPod. I just got one a couple months ago. But I hadn't used the iPod store yet and what a high that was! I was so consumed with downloading songs from my past, that Chad cleaned up almost the entire house and I didn't even notice. I shocked him by using up my entire gift card in less than an hour. He walked by every 10 minutes and reported my diminishing credit aloud to me. "$17.78, $13.88, $7.22,... $4.31!" I couldn't help myself and it was so much fun! So today I will be driving to Salt Lake listening to the songs that take me on a trip back 33 years to some of the sweetest memories of my life.

My new tunes (I would love to share so just ask!)

Falling Slowly and Lies (my favorites from Swell Season, and I just bought tickets to see their concert here in Salt Lake in May!)
Erasure (songs from The Innocents. Remember "Yahoo!"...that song was THE BEST. Something about a man in a pink tutu belting "yahoo, ahhhhh find your way unto the Lord", totally floats my boat. I loved that entire gospel-sounding album. It's brilliant.)
A lil' Lionel- Easy, and Three Times A Lady. The best!
Some Michael Jackson of course! Jackson 5 for the kids and a few of my all time favorites-Man in the Mirror, The Girl Is Mine (with Paul McCartney), and P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
Celine Dion- I have never loved her songs enough to buy a CD but I love her voice and I love her. I'll never forget the first time my sisters and I heard her sing in a music video. It was We Are The World or something like that. I love what a cheese ball she is ( just like me) and she sings with so much passion. She is an icon and one of my favorite celebrity personalities. The sweetest person in the world. I am so excited to see her show in November! So I bought two of her songs that I love. I Drove All Night and A New Day Has Come. Wow, I guess I thought I really had to justify my two Celine Dion selections. Ha ha!
Forever and For Always- Shania Twain I love her too and this song is one of my favorites.
Janet-Again and Together Again. Again is SOOOO Rick's College.
The Shins- New Slang, I think I first heard this song in the movie Garden State and it blew me away.
Matt Costa-Astaire and Sweet Rose (a song that we have dedicated to our Rosie) These are such good songs! I love Matt Costa's style. My favorite kind of music I think)
Whitney Houston- How Will I Know (this song reminds me of Jackie. She LOVED this song!)
Carole King- Chicken Soup With Rice. I didn't know she sang that song!
Madonna-4 Minutes (featuring Justin Timberlake!) I guess this is the brand new single off her new album that isn't even released yet. I can't believe how she is still as cool as ever. If that's what almost 50 looks like I am looking forward to it!

I also have several new books that I bought with some birthday money.

The Audacity of Hope
What Is The What
The Looming Tower
Persuasion
Into The Wild
Broken Colors

Happy 33 years to me! :)

love, love, love

I have never wanted to be a character in a movie as much as I want to be Lucy. I can't believe I only now just saw this movie that will forever be one of the dearest to my heart! The combination of Beatles music (the best in the world in my opinion), and depiction of the fascinating, evolutionary 60's era is pure magic! And the bowling scene! All I can say is AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! I feel like a screaming, crying 13 year-old at a Beatles concert when I watch it! Here it is, can't believe I actually found it...
it's just his EYES!

WHY are Easter and St. Patrick's Day in the same week this year? WHO decides when Easter is?

I love St. Patrick's Day and I don't even know what it is really about. Surely its origin has nothing to do with rainbows, pots of gold, or little green men. All I know is that it makes me glad!
Hmmm...now I have to know the stories behind the shamrock. Who was St. Patrick?

Remember Darby O' Gill and the Little People? My family watched it every year when I was a kid.

I hope everyone has some big food and fun planned. To me, the perfect St. Patrick's Day is a big Irish feast and some poker, while listening to my grandma's Irish Pub songs CD. And that is exactly what I will be doing. LUCK!

I have posted one of my favorite recipes for St. Patrick's Day here.

Wishing you all a lucky, glad, rainbow day!

And I found the answer to my question. Want to know why Easter is in March this year? click here.

One more... in case you are also wondering the meaning of Erin go Bragh, here you go

1950's Ettiquette part three: charming little gesture of the past?

BOWING

Bowing for a woman does not, of course, mean a formal deep bend. It is, rather, a pleasant nod and smile, accompanied by a slight bend forward from the waist. Bowing should be a friendly gesture rather than a stiff one. You would use it greeting friends across a room, and some naturally graceful women combine it pleasantly with shaking hands. The only time a woman makes a deep bow is when being presented to a high church or state official.

when did you have your last buddha laugh?

I read this cute thing recently but don't remember where, so I will do my best to explain "the Buddha laugh" .

Sometimes we laugh when we are frustrated, making fun or laughing at the mishap of somebody, at jokes, and even out of cruelty or anger.

A Buddha laugh (named after the ever so jolly, joyful Buddha), is free of all negative thought or emotion. It is laughter in spite of oneself, at the pure joy of LIFE. When this laugh happens you feel nothing but peace and bliss in your heart, and it is often hard to stop it! It can make you cry.

Life should make us laugh like this often because really, isn't it hysterical?