Numbers Do Not Quantify Love

I left Alaska on October 12th – just 39 days ago.
Since that time I have called my brother roughly 1,000 times, desperate to stay connected with my 2 nieces. And I received 22 mobile photos, lest I not forget how beautiful they are.

I miss them terribly. Can’t wait to hug them at Christmas…

Reflections On Being In Texas: A List

1. I used to think that Dallas was so spread out that it just takes forever to get anywhere. Since being back here, I’ve come to the realization that WHERE I LIVE is just really far from everywhere. Shoot…
2. All I’m saying, is that I have driven next to more semi trailers in the last two weeks than in the last four years combined. And I didn’t miss them.
3. Remember how I used to use this blog as an outlet for my Alaskan Weather Woes? Don’t think for a minute that just because I no longer live in Alaska I’m not still going to point out that it’s still cold there. It’s still cold. As in negative 10. And I think I moved to Texas at the perfect time of year.
4. The journey of this year? The changes I’ve been anticipating and experiencing? All of the unknowns? In case you were wondering? None of that has changed…
5. I love living in a place where everything is so new and yet so familiar. I am in such uncharted territory, and yet I feel so at home. 

A Pumpkin Kind Of Day

It snowed all day here in Colorado. I love snow. Seriously. Amie and I took the opportunity to spend the day baking and doing all kinds of fall-y/winter-y things…  We baked SO much. Firstly, our ingredients:

We made a pumpkin pie, caramel apples, and toasted pumpkin seeds. (For some reason the toasted seeds are the “bad seed” of the picture world today, cause I didn’t get a photo of them pre-baking, and the picture I have of them post-baking is all squashed and upside down. Hmmmm….)

And bonus? We carved pumpkins as well. Mine’s the one on the left.

Less Than Impressed

The only three books on the music business in the whole of Barnes and Noble, Grand Junction:

Mountain Envy

It’s official, I am going to miss the mountains.

I spent the last weekend in Colorado Springs, and it was great. It snowed! And can I tell you how excited I was about that? I LOVE snow. Probably the only winter I’m legitimately going to get this year.

Amie and I went walking downtown, got coffee and perused the shops.

Here’s the thing – I had a good time. And I loved the views of the mountains and the wintery feel in the air. While I am stoked about the community I believe waits for me in Texas, I am seriously concerned that the geography is going to feel a little not right to me. I did just move from Alaska after all!

Perhaps a regular visit to the mountains will be required.

Flash Back

A week and a half ago, we had  an MJ and the Groaters reunion.

Who are MJ and the Groaters, you ask? Oh, just me, Paul, and Jon. A nice little name for our trio of musicianship.

This is where it all began…  The three of us rehearsing to play a Jars of Clay song at church, 2 1/2 years ago. Not actually our first performance, but the first documented evidence of our friendship and collaboration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is where it brought us…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And we celebrated our music together by having breakfast at my favorite restaurant and going for a drive. Thanks for being a part of my music for the last 3 years, you guys. I’m definitely going to miss you….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One Girl Thinks it’s the Best Day of the Year

My niece Jordan is the best 12 year old around, and here’s why: she’s a full on 12 year old. She’s a kid. The only thing she wants for her birthday is “My Littlest Pet Shops.” She talks a lot. She wears her hair in pig tails, and she likes it when I read to her. She’s claiming her independence as a “big kid,” wants clothes from American Eagle, but still refers to them as “big kid clothes.” She’s soft-hearted and sweet, but still learning how to listen.

Of all the things she could be at this age, I couldn’t be happier she’s exactly as she is. Even if she does talk A LOT.

 

Happy Birthday, Jordan! Hope your 12th year is the best…  You deserve it.

I couldn’t resist this photo because of Audrey peeking around the side…  

The Loves of My Life

I spent some time with my favorite girls tonight (Don’t worry, James and Logan… your time is coming next!).  I love them so much, I can’t even explain it. I won’t try to defend my position on why they’re more precious than anybody else’s nieces. I’ll just say that having practically lived with them for the last 3 years – I’m fairly certain I couldn’t love them more than I do.

And as a special gem – let me just share with you a joke told to me by my favorite 2 1/2 year old today…

Her: “Knock Knock..”

Us: “Who’s There?”

Her: “Vanilla”

Us: “Vanilla Who?”

Her: “Vanilla Sitting On a Microwave.”

 

haha. so awesome.

PS something about me blogging every day and having an 11 pm bedtime is obviously not mixing well. what’s a girl to do??

This Can’t Be Real Food

Okay. I made this dessert tonight..  nothing fancy, I just had a sweet tooth so I dug it out of the pantry:

(Except in real life the writing isn’t backwards... ha)

When I opened the box it was basically just brownie mix.

So then HOW, after adding water and microwaving it for only 30 seconds did it turn into this?

 

That’s cake! Or a brownie or something..  It was good!

But it can’t be real food, right?? It totally cannot.

I’m kind of freakin’ out over here a little bit.

Trying to Figure It Out

There’s really no good answer I can give you…