Dear Baby E, This Christmas

Dear Baby E,

You aren't so much a baby anymore--you are almost 18 months! After you and your parents moved to Utah, I've seen you grow and change so much!

Here are a few highlights from our Christmas together:

You were sick the whole time, but there were still moments of sweetness.

You LOVE helping to clean. You actually just love helping. First, you help make dinner. After dinner you want to help wash the dishes. You like to vacuum and sweep. Basically, if someone is doing something, you want to do it too. And you are so quick at learning! I'm not biased or anything, but I'm pretty sure that you're one of the smartest kids around.

Speaking of which, we worked on your animal sounds. You know cow (mmmm) and sheep (aaaa). We also taught you what sharks say (doo do. doo do. doo do doododododododo) and sea turtles (duuude). We're still working on the sea turtles.

Then I taught you how to "touch" like Gr. Grandpa does, and how to fist pump and explode it. It's basically the cutest thing ever.

Except for one. We were playing one time, just you and me. And you picked up your little Hello Kitty bag and walked toward the hall. You stopped part way there and turned and waved. I waved back. Then you came back toward me and gave me a kiss (the first time you had ever given me a kiss!). Then you walked back toward the hall, turned and waved at me again. After I waved, you came back and gave me another kiss before walking all the down the hall to see what Mommy and Grandma were up to. It was probably the highlight of my weekend.

Even when you are grumpy and won't eat or sleep or wake me up before 6 am, I still love you, girl.

Your Auntie

Conversations with my Mom

For President's Day, I went home after church on Sunday and spent the night and the holiday with my parents. One of the best things of being around my parents, is that I can just talk to them about things as I think of them. Another "best thing" is that I can just be and still be loved.

It's hard to do this with a phone--I can't be calling home whenever something pops in my head that I want to talk about, or when I do call home I don't even think about certain things. But while I was home this weekend, I got to talk to my mom about things happening in my life right now, and about whatever we happened to talk about.

One of the conversations we had lead to us talking about how I was when I was a kid (I'm not exactly sure how we got on this subject, but I think some of the previous conversation involved the 3-year-olds my mom teaches at church, what my siblings were like in utero, introvertedness, and making friends). Something I found really interesting was how my personality was so apparent at such a young age. Though I have changed and grown, the core of my personality was there. My mom talked about how I never just jumped into things, but instead observed first--which is exactly what I do. I feel that I spend a lot of time just observing the interactions of others, instead of just jumping into the fray of social situations. When I mentioned that I was always confused as a kid when my mom would say that I "made friends easily" because I never felt that was true, my dad jumped in and said, "You were always  friendly." Which is something I still try to be, though sometimes I feel that I may come off as aloof because I'm not as social as some others.

It was kind of nice to learn that I've always been the pretty much the same, and that the way I am isn't something new and different.

Welcome to 2013!

Well, we made it! The world didn't end, and aren't we glad? It's amazing how many times I have survived the apocalypse. I'm very excited for 2013--amazing things are going to happen, I can feel it. And 13 is my lucky number, so it's got to be amazing, right?

Anyway, since it's the beginning of the year, I guess it's time to take a look back at last year's resolutions and make some new ones for this year. So, let's start off with last year's resolutions. In short, I resolved to:

write everyday
read 200 books (or, more than 182)
find a job

I didn't write everyday. And I read 142 books. For the first, there really is no excusing that not happening. But I have finished revisions to my first draft (still doesn't have an ending, but I'll get there), so hopefully I'll be more motivated to write that novel, and when I get tired of working on that one, I have several more I can always turn to for a break.

As for the books. Looking back at last year I realized something. I had 3 weeks where I didn't have a job. And then almost 4 months when I only worked 3 days a week. So I had a lot more time to read last year than I did this year. So, it's really not my fault. Life got in the way of fiction.

BUT! I did find a job! It's part-time and temporary, but it's a job. One out of three is not bad, that's what I say!

Now, a look forward to 2013.

Like I said, amazing things are going to happen this year. Unfortunately, the ones I know about, I can't say anything about at the moment. :( But, definitely look forward to some updates throughout the year (which, now that I think of it, is completely normal, but you know . . . just keep reading). I'm sure some other amazing things are going to happen this year that I have no idea about, too, because that's how life is. I'm sure there are going to be hard times, and sad things, too.

Here are my resolutions:

Write often!
Go to Canada! I almost have enough money for a plane ticket to Prince Edward Island! I'm very excited, I've been wanting to go there since I was about 12 and first started reading the Anne books. I never thought I would go, but here I am! Another stamp in my passport and a new adventure!
Exercise with some frequency. For Christmas I got 26 DVDs of Doctor Who and I found a "Doctor Who Workout," and I'm thinking that maybe the motivation of being able to watch DW while exercising will help me actually do it. Also, M likes working out, so maybe she'll help with it.

So, there you go. Those are my three new resolutions this year. Hopefully, all three will be fulfilled (notice that I made to of them pretty vague, with the hopes that it will help me fill them! ;) ).

Happy New Year!

Christmas Luminaras

About a week or so ago I decided I wanted to make some luminaras--you know, tea lights in paper bags.. But instead of using real tea lights I wanted battery operated ones (I was worried about the whole fire hazard thing, you know, safety first!). 

On Friday night, while I was at Joann's getting something else for a super secret thing, I decided to take a look around. Low and behold, what do I find, but some battery operated tea lights!! So then I started thinking about where I could get some paper bags, when I saw mason jars! And I thought, I have glitter at home, I could go to the dollar store for some glass drinking cups, and make some glass luminaras! Well, the dollar store had some mason jars, so that's what I used instead! 

Here they are:

And here's what you need to make them:

glitter (I just used silver)
tape
4 tea lights (come in packages of 2)
4 mason jars
modge podge
foam brush
sand (or, I use kitty litter! [Unused, of course] also from the dollar store)

I decided to make my jars "gradiate" with the glitter, so I used masking tape to mark how high up the glitter was going to go. Then I applied the modge podge with the foam brush, and poured the glitter on. Remove the tape and let dry! After they are dry (about 30 minutes of wait time), put a little bit of sand in the jar to nestle the tea lights in, turn on the lights and put them in the jar and set outside! So easy! And they are really cute out on our little "porch" area.

You could even use stickers to make fun shapes (just take them off like you do the tape before the modge podge dries). Just have fun with them!

12 for 2012

Instead of a "Christmas Letter" this year, I decided to do a year in review. For each month I'll recount something exciting or different that happened to me, as well as a book from that month! Cuz that's that way I roll!

January
I started the 8-week experiment! It was an interesting peek into what my future as a wife will be. ;)
Book: Austenland by Shannon Hale (this was a reread)

February
I drove into Salt Lake City for the first time, which made me so nervous, which is funny to think about because I do it everyday now and it's no big deal.
Book: A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute

March
I went to see Vocal Point live for the first time! Great night out with the fam!
Book: Everneath by Brodie Ashton (Utah author! Support local artists! [Unless you aren't from Utah, then she isn't a local artist, but you should support local artists wherever you are. And still feel free to read this book.])

April
I went to the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple! It was great to have my entire family there with me.
Book: The Fault in Our Stars by John Greene

May
My friend Michael Ann did a craft month and I did it along with her! It taught me that I can be crafty.
Book: Persuasion by Jane Austen (I was grinning like a fool on the train while reading the ending to this!)

June
The JSP asked me to stay on part-time!
Book: Shane by Jack Schaefer (my first western!)

July
I bought my first car! His name is Perry.
Book: Bellfield Hall, or, the Observations of Miss Dido Kent by Anna Dean

August
I took Perry and bro and we headed down to California for a week to visit the sis and bro-in-law. Great vacation! I got to go to San Francisco, which was definitely a highlight.
Book: The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society by Beth Patillo

September
I did a no spend month in September. It was a good exercise in self control! I should do it more often.
Book: I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

October
I had a pretty rockin' Halloween costume!
Book: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (my Banned Books Week book this year)

November
I moved out of my parents' basement! That was HUGE! Probably the hugest thing I've done in the past two years!
Book: I started rereading the Tortall books by Tamora Pierce (Song of the Lioness quartet, The Immortals quartet, Protector of the Small quartet, and the two Trickster books).

December
I can't think of anything really huge happening this month, except Christmas!
Book: I'm very excited to get Princess of the Silver Wood by Jessica Day George. It's her new book in the Twelve Dancing Princesses series and this one is supposed to be better than the second (Seriously, read the first book, Princess of the Midnight Ball--it's AMAZING!)

Halloween Costume

Inspiration:

Execution:

This photo was a happy accident. The flash didn't go off as it was supposed to, so my Dad took another photo with the flash. But when I looked back at it, I realized how great it looked! Sort of like an old poster!

Halloween Costume Ideas

I got a Pinterest account last week and proceeded to spend a lot of time looking at websites that certain pins led me to. One of those is Disney Bound, which I think is so creative! After spending about four or so hours on it, I had tons of ideas for Halloween costumes! (Yes, I know Halloween is still two months away, but I want to be prepared in case I have somewhere to go this year. Or whatever.)

I'm not fond of going all out for costumes, so Disney Bound is perfect. What I like about Disney Bound is that 1) it's clothes that you can wear over and over again, 2) a lot of the clothes are probably ones you already have in your closet, and 3) it's subtle. Here are three "costumes" I have been thinking about for Halloween this year (and thanks to Polyvore for having a great site!):

Eeyore:

I would have to buy a pair of gray pants and a sweater. But I think this is a very cute idea! I'd wear my hair up in a ponytail with a pink bow.

Female Superman/"Clara" Kent (Not Supergirl, because, let's be honest, she wasn't that great):

For this one I would just need to buy a Superman t-shirt. 

Female 10th Doctor:

Polyvore didn't exactly have exactly what I wanted. I could either wear my brown skirt or some slacks, and maybe get a brown tie to go with it. And maybe just a plain white or blue button up shirt instead of what's pictured here. 

Anyway, I'm obviously having way too much fun with this, but it's been a fun way of thinking of outfits and putting together things. With my blue dress and black flats I could be doing an Alice in Wonderland outfit; or with a green dress and purple shoes, a Little Mermaid inspired outfit. Anyway, have fun looking through the Disney Bound site and thinking up your own character inspired clothes!

Movie Review: The Amazing Spider-man

I actually saw a movie soon enough to make a review seem reasonable! Yay me! (And Yay Dad! for paying. :) ) We decided to spend Pioneer Day (a good day to be a Utahn) at the movies, which is a real treat as I don't get home in time to catch a matinee and we're all too cheap to spend the money the a full priced ticket.

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man
MPAA rating: PG-13, for violence
My rating: **** (this rating is completely bogus, by the way. I've never actually come up with any kind of rating system, so this could be four out of four, or four out of ten. I don't know. I've never decided and I think it changes every time I review something. This time, it's four out of four.)

To prepare for seeing The Amazing Spider-Man (TASM), a week or so ago I watched Spider-Man (SM), so I had that fresh in mind as I was watching.

I really like Spider-Man, so I'm not going to bash it or the actors in it, but there a lot of things that I think TASM did better.

Caution: May contain minor SPOILERS (depends on how "in the dark" you want to be)

To start off, I feel like this whole movie was to give the viewer a true understanding of Spider-man's "origin story." Where he came from (dad was scientist, parents died, raised by aunt and uncle), how he became Spider-man (spider bite), why he started fighting evil (Uncle Ben), and what is he getting out of it (at first, freedom from guilt, which then changes to knowledge of doing good). In comparison, SM went quickly over the origin into a different storyline making the movie cover at least a year (if not more). Because TASM only covers a few months, I feel like I got a better feel for all the characters.

That leads me to point number two. Compared to SM, I feel that TASM had a more complex storyline and deeper characterization. Even Flash, a minor character, shows growth and depth after Uncle Ben dies. Because of the shortening of time, I feel that we get to see more about Peter accepting what has happened to him after the bite. We get to see him as the super intelligent person that he is, which I feel like was only alluded to in the previous films. And then when Ben dies, we see the transformation of Peter's motivation from vengeance to genuine heroism.

This leads me to point number three. Gwen Stacy and her father. I felt that the real turning point in Peter's motivation comes from these two. First, when Captain Stacy argues with Peter about Spider-man, and then when Peter tells Gwen that he is Spider-man. A side-kick/confidant is key to a lot of hero stories and I really feel that it helped Peter to have someone he could talk to. In SM, Peter is trying to deal with everything himself, and he ends up losing multiple jobs, and the girl, and his best friend, and fails school. Not that Garfield's Peter Parker won't have issues, but having someone who knows who he is, is going to help ground him, and keep him from losing himself to Spider-Man.

As for Andrew Garfield, I know that there are very differing opinions about him as Spider-Man (as there are of the whole movie). For me, I thought he was great. He was able to play the awkward genius teenager really well (loved the scene in the school hallway with him and Gwen), but he was good looking enough to make me want to be saved by him. :) Though Tobey Maguire was a good Spider-Man, I think Garfield was the perfect choice to play the new one. In fact, I thought all of the actors were great in their roles. I also really appreciated the smaller amount of CGI; it made everything feel much more real.

If you want something a bit more "comic book-y" I would recommend the Tobey Maguire franchise. It's a bit more faster paced, a little bit more cheesy (in a good way). But either way, see The Amazing Spider-Man. It's got some moments of cheese as well, but it's got a good plot and good characters.

Valentine

Well, it's that day again. Valentine's Day. The day to celebrate love.

I've come a long way since the first time I ever blogged about the day five years ago. I have tried to celebrate all the love I have in my life. The love of God and His Son. The love of my family and friends. And now that I no longer have to be around love sick college students on this day, I feel that I can turn my attention more fully to the people in my life who love me for me.

But, in my silly, stupid, hopeless romantic heart, I still wish. I think, maybe, just today, something great could happen to me. Maybe, just for one day, I can be that girl walking around with the flowers, and the giant teddy bear. I can be the kind of girl that gets surprised at work, and gets serenaded to. In the sensible part of my brain, I know that those things would all be extremely awkward in real life, but that little secret desire is still there.

I think my parents understood me--their romantic little girl, on the most romantic of days, having to come to terms with a life unromantic. Starting in high school, my dad always bought me something on Valentine's Day. My junior year I got a carton of ice cream. My senior year, a set of fairytales. A couple of years ago I got balloons in my favorite color. Last year I got roses. This year I got a card and candy. I love my parents, and I love that they seem to understand me so completely.

But the fact of the matter is, other than these gifts from my parents, the only thing I've ever gotten on Valentine's Day was an e-card and a sucker. I mean, really? Even the most unromantic person could surely come up with something better than that (especially considering that roses were being sold at school the entire week leading up to the day. Kind of a brainless choice right there.).

I don't mean to complain. I have so many people in my life who love me. I have a wonderful family, and a great group of friends. Valentine's Day is only once a year. I get to be loved every day of the year. Just because I'm single doesn't mean I don't have people who care about me. I will always be a romantic--it's part of my personality, and I love it! I love getting all teary eyed and feeling giddy during movies, or books. I love hearing stories about people who have been married for 70 years and how they still love each other. I may not have the life I imagined at 12, or 16, or even 20, but it's been a pretty good life so far. And I hope that when I do get romance in my life, it will be forever, and not just for a day.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! Remember the people who love you and show your love for them in return.

Week 4: Halfway!

Well, here I am, halfway through the Experiment! Four more weeks to go and they are going to be good ones (I really don't know if they are or not, since I have no idea what I'm going to make next week let alone four weeks down the road . . . ). I've actually really enjoyed making dinner, some nights more than others. It's a time to unwind, listen to my music, sing out loud, and dance, all while feeding "my man" (ie, Dad). I think the key to enjoying this is just deciding that it's going to be enjoyable. Probably my least favorite thing is coming up with the weekly menus.

Sunday

Sunday dinner probably used the most pots, pans, and dishes than any other meal I have made so far! We had a pot roast made in the crock pot with a packet of dry onion soup on top. Mashed potatoes and gravy (Dad's the gravy champ), steamed carrots, and a spinach salad. This spinach salad is one of my favorites: toasted slivered almonds (I forgot I was toasting the first batch and had to start over again. oops!), craisins (dried cranberries), red onion, and light raspberry vinaigrette. Yum!

Monday

I found Monday's recipe this last summer as I was trying to think of ways to use up zucchini from our garden. This tortellini and zucchini soup is pretty hearty--lots of veggies, and the yummy tortellini. It's even better if you sprinkle some shredded parmesan cheese on top. When I came home today I had the start of one of my stress headaches, but I put on some music, and in the process of chopping up veggies, the headache started going away (rare for this to happen). This is something that I've liked about cooking meals: most of the time it's a more productive way to wind down after the work day; just me in the kitchen making a meal. Anyway, to complete the meal we had strawberries and blueberries (I love it when berries are on sale during the winter!).

Tuesday

Tin Foil Dinners was the menu for Tuesday (when I was a kid we called them "hobo dinners," but maybe that's not considered PC?)! Anyway, really easy, fast clean-up. Put a hamburger patty, sliced carrots and potatoes, with some onion on tin foil (make them individual sized). Wrap the tin foil up. Stick it in the oven at 350 for about an hour (this is the only hard part about this--waiting an hour for them to cook). Pull out of the oven, dump on a plate or leave in the tin foil, and smother with ketchup (I love ketchup--just not this much)! Yum! To make a full meal we had orange slices with it.

Wednesday

We had breakfast for dinner on Wednesday. The great thing about this is that in a couple of weeks, we could have breakfast for dinner again and it won't be a repeat because there are so many different things you can make! For this breakfast we had bacon, hashbrowns (the shredded kind, they're my favorite), scrambled eggs (part egg substitute to watch out for that high cholesterol!), and a fresh pineapple.

Thursday

Since this was Groundhog's Day we bought a pizza, and as per tradition, we got sausage on it. What does sausage have to do with Groundhog's Day? Well, what's another name for a pig? Hog. What is sausage? Ground up pig. Therefore: ground hog. And now you know how twisted my family's sense of humor is. This actually worked out perfect for me because I had a department meeting at work on Thursday that went late, so I got home, we put the pizza in the oven (Papa Murphey's Cowboy pizza), and I put together a quick salad.

Friday

We did something on Friday that we call at my house "Good Sport's": if there is something edible in the refrigerator, it's fair game. Basically, it's leftover night. Now this is not breaking the rules because . . . well because I say so and I made the rules, so I can do that. But I can't do another "Good Sport's" for the rest of the Experiment. This actually worked out pretty well because I spent most of my time at work today standing in on spot, resulting in an aching back and sore legs (it kind of took my back to my days at the CONE . . .) and the idea of having to stand to chop, mix, and cook something would probably have had me dissolve into tears. The clean up is pretty easy too. I guess this week of cooking has been pretty easy.

Saturday

I tried my hand at Greek food today--not one but TWO new recipes! The first was chicken for Greek pitas made in the crock pot. They probably didn't need to cook for as long as the recipe said, and I added a bit of fresh lemon juice at the end. I also brushed the pitas with a light coating of olive oil and heated them in a pan before we ate them. The second new recipe was Lemon Rice Pilaf. I had to cook this for about 15 minutes longer than the recipe says and the last 5 minutes I did it without the lid on. I think I would have about 1 cup less liquid in it. We finished off the meal with artichokes.

Looking Forward to 2012

Last year I posted at least one picture for everyday of the year. This was such an interesting experiment, mainly because it forced me to look for something to post about everyday. I had to find something unique, different, exciting, funny, or interesting that happened that day. This was hard, but it really made a difference to me. The experiment also changed as I went on. At first, it was going to be a photo that I took, and just a photo. Then I started writing a short explanation every once and a while. A few even got paragraphs worth. Then I started just putting a picture on--this could be a photo, or something from the internet that stood for something. It was a really cool experiment, but I'm glad that it's done! (Though I still have thoughts about taking pictures and what I'm going to put on my blog. Habits die hard.)

Looking forward at 2012, I've been trying to think about what I want from this year. What I really want is to write something everyday. Whether this is working on my novel, or writing on this blog, I feel like this is something that I need to do. I'm never going to get any better unless I try. I think I'm going to start by going over what I've already written in my novel (the ending will have to wait) and making revision notes.

I had a goal to read 200 books by the end of 2011; I read 182. This year, I will make it!

Big goal for this year? Find a job!! I've got four months left on my internship and I'm pretty sure I exhausted the internships I can do.

So, here's to 2012 and all the adventures that will come this year!

Christmas Eve Recipe

Every Christmas Eve, we have clam chowder for dinner. This year was the first time that I had ever made it, and my dad called it a "sacred undertaking" and warned me not to mess it up. :) I thought I would share this recipe with you all. Merry Christmas!

Bratten's Clam Chowder

1 cup onions, finely chopped

1 cup celery, diced

2 cups potatoes, diced

3/4 cup butter

3/4 flour

1 quart half and half

1 1/2 tsp salt

pepper

2 T red wine vinegar (optional)

Drain juice from clams and pour over vegetables in saucepan. Add enough water to barely cover vegetables. In another pan melt butter, add flour and cream, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until smooth and thick. Add undrained vegetables, clams, and vinegar. Heat through.

Christmas "Letter" 4.0

Dear Family, Friends, and Random Strangers in the Great Abyss of the Interwebs,

Well, another year has passed by! I think the theme this year has been change, and constancy. Which, I know, are two completely different things. But we'll get to that later.

First, I want to mention something that has been on my mind a lot the past few days. This is my first year, in five years, that I have not had to go through finals to get to Christmas. As all of my friends have been stressing and counting down on Facebook, I have been hit with this strange sense of nostalgia. Not that I want to have to take three-hour tests, and study my butt off in between, but there is something about having to take finals to get to Christmas which made Christmas Christmas, ya know? I don't quite feel like it's Christmas as I just go back to work everyday same as any other month. I think it was the semester ending, and finals starting that just let me know Christmas was right around the corner. I also miss ABCFamily's 25 Days 'Til Christmas. I love cheesy made for TV movies, as well as the Harry Potter marathon, and old Christmas favorites.

Now to this past year. It has almost been a year since I graduated from BYU and moved into my parents' basement (I know, such a stereotypical thing to do). I started off the year with a big change in my life--my first internship! This meant working 40 hours a week, in an office building, with my own office. Working at the New Era was such an amazing experience. And now that my articles have started being published, it is like the gift that keeps on giving! After four months there, another change came in my life. After three weeks of waiting, I was offered an internship at Deseret Book! While I only worked part time here, I had a great time. I was reading books, and editing, and learning, and source checking. After 16 weeks that affirmed to me that editing was really what I want to do with my life, I left there and started at my third internship at the Joseph Smith Papers Project.

I'm back to working full time, and really loving it. I like the people I work with and the things I get to do (though they do get tedious sometimes, but what job doesn't?). The great thing about all these experiences is that they built upon each other--each one prepared me for the next. When I took the editing test at Deseret Book, I just got this peaceful feeling that God knows what I need and if I trust in Him, everything will work out. And it has! It is so amazing!

Another wonderful change this year was that my brother got home from his mission in the Dominican Republic! It's so good to have our family all in one country again!

I also took an acting class! That was very interesting, and good for me to do--got me out of my little shell for a little bit.

So, those are all the changes that have occurred in my life this year, so what about the constancy? Well, though I have changed jobs every four months, I have remained in my parents' basement. That's a constant, as is their love and concern for me. God has remained constant, though I have changed (for the better) in regards to Him. Though I am serving in a different capacity at church, the gospel has forever remained constant, and will ever remain constant. It may not seem like much constancy, but these are the things that are really important.

Also, I'm still single. That has been very constant these past few years!

What am I looking forward to this coming year? I'll continue at JSPP until April-ish, and after that . . . who knows? Hopefully I'll get a "real" job, move out of my parents' house, and start another new chapter in my life. It'll be an adventure, I'll tell you that!

Happy Christmas!

Whitney

On the Event of Mother's Day

Mother o' Mine by Rudyard Kipling

If I were hanged on the highest hill,
Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine!
I know whose love would follow me still,
Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine!

If I were drowned in the deepest sea,
Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine!
I know whose tears would come down to me,
Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine!

If I were damned of body and soul,
I know whose prayers would make me whole,
Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine!

Love Day

First, I have to say that not being at BYU for Valentine's Day is AWESOME!! No icky couples kissing all the time, no seeing everyone else get flowers, no sitting at home alone eating ice cream and watching a chick-flik . . . Pretty much a good V-day on my end.

Last year I posted about how Christ is my Valentine, and with Him I have no need of anyone else. Well, you want to hear something really cool? I have a friend on a mission in Austria right now and she sent me a letter last week. She says that there they call Valentine's Day the Day of the Pure Love of Christ.

Kind of makes you think a little differently about it, huh? I never have loved Valentine's Day, but I've realized that it is more than romantic love, it is love for all people, all things, all creation. It's the love that Christ has given us by everything that He has ever done for us. He and the Father created this beautiful world, Christ lived and died, all for us. For everyone, no matter who you are or what you believe or what you've done. That's love for you.

So, here's wishing everyone a Happy Day of the Pure Love of Christ!

An Adventure in Baking

About a month ago I found a recipe for thin mint cookies. I decided it would be a nice thing to make some and take them to my co-workers for Valentine's Day. Little did I know what an adventure it would be!

I doubled the recipe, which was not necessary at all. I am including the regular recipe which I got from the internet at The Family Kitchen, posted by Brooke McLay.

Cocoa Wafer Cookies

3 T butter

1 egg white

1/4 c brown sugar

pinch of baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 c cocoa powder

1/2 c flour (plus 1/4 c)

2 drops pure peppermint oil

Combine all ingredients together (I ended up using a pastry cutter, and then my hands). The dough shouldn't be sticky, and you should be able to roll it out. Preheat the oven to 325. Use your favorite cookie cutter to cut out shapes. I found a really cute heart one at the store. Roll the dough out. The recipe says "verrrry thin" but I don't think that's accurate. Just do what you think it best. Bake for 4-7 minutes until cookies have firmed and browned slightly. Let cool.

Baked cookies, cooling.

Peppermint Buttercream Layer

2 c powdered sugar

4 T melted butter

2-3 drops peppermint

1/2 tsp milk (the recipe says heavy whipping cream, but I didn't want to buy a whole thing of whipping cream for 1/2 tsp.)

Mix all ingredients together. The buttercream layer will be stiff, and not sticky. You will be able to roll it out. I was going to make them pink since it is for Valentine's Day, but I forgot. I realized this after I rolled them out.

Cut with the same cookie cutter you used before. To make the cookies and the buttercream layer took me about an hour and a half. I have no idea why. AND! I was trying to make the buttercream layer, and measuring out the milk and I was trying to not spill a whole bunch of milk so I got this great idea of just sticking the measuring spoon into the milk carton. Well, the spoon is now in my milk carton. And I ended up with too much milk anyway, so I had to put more powder sugar in. But it all worked out and I got it rolled out.
After you cut the buttercream, put it on top of the cookies.
The next step is to dip it into chocolate. The original recipe said to use Candiquik, which I don't know what that is. I just used confectioner's chocolate from the grocery store. I bought two pounds (since I was making a double recipe), one pound milk chocolate and the other dark. Follow the directions for melting on the package. I did the microwave directions.
Dip the cookie in the chocolate and cover. Set on parchment/wax paper to cool. This step took FOREVER! My hands got all chocolatey and I kept licking the chocolate off, which meant I then had to wash my hands, and I got sick of chocolate. For the time being.
Here's the finished product. I don't think I will be making these again in, like, ever. They were majorly time consuming and frustrating. I spent all afternoon on them with very few breaks and I finally finished them at around 8. My parents said they taste good though--I was so disgusted with them by the time I was done that I haven't even tried them yet.

Anyway, if you're up for it, try them. They look cute and I really hope that my co-workers like them.

An Electronic Christmas Card

To read the last two years' Christmas letters, click here and here.

Hello family and friends! Merry Christmas! Here is my year-end update.

I started this year as I do most years, by waking up on January 1. I went back to school and enjoyed having my own room for most of Winter semester. I had two amazing roommates who both got engaged then. During that semester I was able to take a Writing for Children and Adolescents class that I really enjoyed. Not only did it spark my love of writing, but it also led me to being a part of a writer's group and to finding a MFA program that I would like to do someday. I have already written over 200 pages in my novel and will be finishing it in the next 100 or so. :)

In that same line, I just had two articles bought from the New Era! If being a professional means that you get paid for your services, I guess that means I'm now a professional writer! I hope that they actually get published.

After that semester ended I decided to celebrate by taking another class during Spring! I just worked and read and studied, all the while getting excited for my trip to California in June which I took with my roommate two weeks before she got married. What a great bachelorette party, huh? Aren't I a great friend? We were able to visit the sis and bro-in-law in Monterey as well as enjoying being outside of Utah (but mostly just Provo) for 5 days. I enjoyed not having to go to work.

The rest of the summer was me working three days a week, with every Friday being a 14 hour day. That was an adventure. I also walked in Commencement and Convocation at the end of the semester! Even though I knew it wasn't "for real" it was a great feeling to get my diploma (cover) and have my family and friend there to support me. The only problem with that was that I had to go back to school for four more months!

I only took two classes this last semester, the last two I needed for my minor and for real graduation. One I wasn't look forward to was my design class, but despite some minor pitfalls I really enjoyed learning about InDesign and creating some really cool things. I finished the semester strong, I believe.

I had spent about a month training my replacement as Front-end Manager at work, but when my last day or work came I was sad to leave. In fact, I was sad to leave BYU and Provo in general. Mostly I think it is because it is comfortable, and known. In January I start off on an unknown. I got an internship with the New Era at LDS Church Magazines in Salt Lake! It is a wonderful opportunity, one that I am very grateful for, but it is also scary and "nervousing." I hope I do a good job!

That was just a quick review of my year. Merry Christmas to you all! Love you!

Week of Giving Thanks, pt. 7: Trials

I saved this for last because it is probably what I am least thankful for. Considering this, I do have to show some gratitude for my trials.

Things get hard sometimes. Everyone knows this. But I think that all of us forget that at the end of our hard times we come out stronger, braver, older. Whether we like it or not, our trials help us to grow, and teach us valuable lessons.

When I think of who I was four years ago and compare that to who I am now . . . wow. I mean, I'm basically the same. The framework is there, the foundation intact, but the rest of me has undergone a major renovation. And not all at the same time. Each trial took a little bit of us, tore it up and rebuilt it into something new--bigger and better.

I wanted to end this week with a little thank you to my trials. You suck, but thanks for making a better me.

Week of Giving Thanks, pt. 6: Music

You know that one song? The one that seems to describe your situation perfectly? You know how you love to listen to that song in your room, or sing aloud with it when no one is home? Or how about that one song that you just belt out in the shower? And those songs that you dance to in your room?

I love music. I have annoyed my family my whole life by singing just about every song I came across. My poor mother had to go through years of badly played piano and a couple years of my complaining how much I hated it. Then after I got over hating it, they all had to listen to me play it.

There is something about music and how it can reach the soul. It can make you happy, it can make you cry. It can make you think, dance, and laugh. Listening to music can make a tedious task slightly more bearable. It can make you feel closer to God and understand Him better.

I'm glad that my mom forced me to continue piano lessons. I'm so happy that she saw my love for singing and paid for my voice lessons. There is something about being able to possess a skill in music. No one can take it away from you. They can take away my piano, but I will always have my voice (though once they hear it they might give me the piano back! ;) ). I will always have the songs I have heard in my head.

Music makes life more interesting. Have you ever watched a movie that had absolutely no background music in it at all? It's boring. It is so hard to have an idea of what is really going on. Life may not have background music . . . well, not the kind of background music that starts up with no source whatsoever and lends dramatic interest to each situation. But, how about that really bad day when you just needed to listen to some Secondhand Serenade because they are just totally tear inducing? Or when there is that one guy and you're sure that you are in love with him and you just can't stop smiling and listening to "your song". Or you just need to scream it out and you put on some Metallica. Or it's a lazy, rainy day so you listen to some folksy music, like Microwave Jenny. We each create our own background music, and while it may not give us clues about life (like if something bad is coming in the future, or that person is "the one"), it does make it more interesting.

I'm very grateful to have music in my life; both in the form of artist's albums, and in my own fingers and voice.

Week of Giving Thanks, pt. 5: Imagination

Have you ever met anyone who didn't have an imagination? And they give you that really strange look when you tell them about the dragon living in your pipes? Yeah, what's up with them?

Ever since I was little have had an active (sometimes too active) imagination. I was (and sometimes still am . . . what? I didn't say that, that's embarrassing!) constantly involved in my "stories"--a game of make believe where I created a life for myself either as a character I made up, from a book, or just as me living and amazing life. Two of the earliest instances of this were when I made believe I was in the Babysitter's Club, and my little imaginary family: my husband, Thomas Benjamin Franklin, and my three daughters, Meghera, Polly, and Charity. To my knowledge I didn't use my imaginations in the way most kids used them. I didn't talk out loud to them, or blame things on them. I did talk about my little imaginary family, but I never thought of them as real or insisted that they were.

As I grew I would use my "stories" to take my mind off of unpleasant things. I would be Cinderella during our weekly cleaning, for example. They became more and more complex, and there were times when I had several "stories" going on at the same time and then I would pick and choose which was best for the situation. I would revisit certain scenes and change things about them as I learned more about the world (or if I just wanted to change something).

So, why am I letting you all know about something that is actually kind of embarrassing? Because I'm grateful that I have such an active imagination. Sure, sometimes I need to wake up from these stories and face life as it is. But, I think that the stories have given me a good outlet for all of my secret desires, hurts, and needs. I don't like getting mad at people, so instead I will play out a scene in my mind where I do get mad at them. After that, I feel better. It's cathartic. And it is an escape. Sure, I read and watch movies/TV to escape too, but there are times when you just need to put yourself in a complete different situation, one where you are the star.

Also, my imagination has given me a gift: the gift of writing. I know that I'm not the best writer out there and I may never be published, but taking my stories out of my head and putting them on paper (read: little metal complicated pieces belonging to a computer that I have no idea how they work, but they do and for that I am grateful. As long as they don't crash) is such a wonderful feeling. Maybe someday someone will read my writing and it will be an escape for them just as I have used other authors' imaginations to escape.

So, yes, I am very grateful for my imagination. And am very sad for those who don't have one. What do they do?