BFF

Liz got back last night from three weeks in Asia. Because her sleep is a little off, she was awake at 4:30 this morning. I was awake at the same time (for no good reason). Around 5:30 I walked past her bedroom on my way back from getting a bowl of cereal (pre-breakfast breakfast) and I heard her say "Heather?" with this tone of voice that only she and I think is funny and have been doing for years. I poked my head in and we laughed big time about the ridiculousness of the hour...and then hung out for the next two hours...in the wee hours of the morning.

And that's why she's one of my best friends. Ever.

Just something I've been thinking about

I think my commute on some days wouldn't seem so bad if I were not in a car at all, but was in fact riding a horse. And wearing a cape.

Does anyone else have a difficult time remembering all of the things we're suppose to do in the morning? Like comb hair, put on deodorant, try not to eat apple crisp for breakfast? The list is just too long.

Sweater Anxiety

With winter approaching I've been thinking a lot about sweaters...and getting really stressed out. I am a sweater basket-case. I hate bulky sweaters. Hate them. I also hate hooded sweaters. Hate them. I can't explain it. They just feel too constraining and I know at any moment that I could get too hot and bulkiness seems odd for my body shape and the thought of all this is just too much for my psyche. Am I the only one here, people? In years past I've just tried to make it work and reconcile myself to some serious thread count, but I got fed up this year and took all of them to Good Will. It felt awesome.

I'm free as a bird.

Sista time

Happy Birthday to Marni Sue.

This picture was probably the last time that she was taller than me.

But definitely not the last time that she's had better hair than me. (What's with my earlocks, Mom?) I adore this sister of mine. There's no one who seems to put things into perspective for me better than her...because she is totally for real. And always, always has been. She's the only one in the family who thought Napoleon Dynamite was as genius as I did. And the only one who gets how awesome it is when rednecks store water bottles in the back pocket of their jean shorts. She ratted my hair for me back in the early 90's, let me drive her red Mustang, and never made me feel like the dorky younger sister. That means a lot to me. She is absolutely golden hearted. And I'm grateful that we share so many memories. Many more to come...

I love you, Sis.

Graci Lee

I spent a lovely weekend in Richmond with the Burkes. We celebrated Graci Lee's 5th birthday, which resulted in a number of awesome moments. Just imagine a group of kids between 5-8 years old playing charades. So funny.

I got us matching shirts for her birthday gift. Darci and Brandon fashioning Graci's birthday cake

(Simkins favorite cold cake. YUM.)

The finished product.
Graci with her miniature cooking supplies sent by Grandma Sue. Why are miniature things so adorable? (except miniature rats)
And finally, the inspiration for my hair (see here).

I can't get enough of this picture.

Darci and I also took Graci to see "Where the Wild Things Are." I loved it, but it's not really a kid movie.

Before I left, I hugged Shaydon and Graci tight and promised that we would make paper boats the next time I came...and then we cried because I had to leave. It's nice to know that they love me like I love them.

Thanks for the great weekend Burkes!

Love it.

I'm loving the "Mormon Messages" on lds.org. This is the newest...and I think it's really inspiring:

Have a great day!

It's come to this

It's time to reveal my new crush. Everyone 14 and younger will be very familiar with the hunks below.

So what if I've been watching the Disney channel with the kids I nanny? So what if the past 5 years of not watching TV is keeping me glued to junior high sitcoms? So what if Joe Jonas is a heartthrob?!

Back off, ladies.

Tutoring gig

The 14-year-old autistic boy I tutor is awesomely adorable. He's given a writing assignment almost every day, with a specific topic that he has to write one paragraph about. Last week he got the topic, "What is one of the worst mistakes you have ever made?"

I couldn't WAIT to see what he would write:

"The worst mistake I ever made was when I became a Boy Scout. It was the worst mistake because I hated it. I hated it because it was horrible. It was horrible because it was terrible."

I tried not to laugh. Actually, no I didn't...and then I had to explain that he was saying the same thing over and over again, so he needed to give some clear reasons. Here's what he added on the end:

"I hated it because I had to sleep in a tent. It was horrible because I had to learn all that boring stuff."

I mean, I'm pretty sure that qualifies as a terrible mistake.

Rogues

Our Rogue FHE group had a cold cereal eating contest last week. Before we started, Liz pointed to me and said to the group, "Don't let this skinny thing fool you--she can put it away."

And I did.

Victory is sweet.

The activity was documented by another rogue in our rogue family who has a very well-known blog. See pics here. Now about 15,000 people know about our gluttonous activity.

What I am faced with in the morning

Rat's nest.

I haven't showered in three days. I've also worn the same shirt...and socks...for three days.

I seemed like I needed to admit that so I didn't go to sleep tonight feeling like I was fooling everyone. Because I don't know that this pattern should continue--regardless of how oddly liberating it has been.

Last time I was at Darci's home, we stayed up late talking in her big king size bed. For some reason my heart has relished in that moment over and over again. I spend a lot of time with friends who I think know me really well. But there's no ONE friend who played barbies with me every day in the summer, pulled weeds on the farm with me, woke up with me for 6:30 am scripture study, attended every last boring minute of my college graduation, put my crying head on their shoulder when my heartache was heavy, spent hours with me in hospital waiting rooms, went camping over and over again in the ridiculous heat of Lake Powell, slept in the same room with me on Christmas eve, understands the significance of Leatherby's caramel topping, knows that calling someone a "weasel" is a compliment, will miss me if I'm not at their child's baptism, will laugh to tears at childhood memories, will know me as a mom...and a grandma.

These sisters and brothers of mine will know me longer than any other person on earth...and that fills my heart will a rush of tenderness.

Happy Birthday to one of those constants in my life--Darci Lee. I'm so glad you are only a hop, skip, and jump away. It really helps me face this big old city. And this big old life. Thanks for your overwhelming beauty--inside and out. You are one of the most authentic people that I know. I love you, sister.

I need to confess something. Today I googled "how to pet a dog." I'm not sure how I'm this old and don't yet understand basic pet etiquette. But this dog I know is onto me, and it's embarrasing.

The end.

LOTR Forever

Sorry my last post was so exceedingly boring. But listen, life is filled with a lot of not so tantalizing things.

This announcement, however, is on the opposite end of boring. I'm about five years behind the times, but I wanted to tell the world (or the three people who read this blog) that I'm obsessed with "Lord of the Rings"!!

Good vs. Evil? Check
Plenty of symbolism? Check
Beautiful scenery? Check
True and good relationships? Check
Masculine energy? Check, Check, Check

I don't know what I was spending my time on when this was all the rage...probably working through some kind of quarter life angst and listening to a lot of subdued folk music.

However, life is in its proper place in many ways and that includes the pure enjoyment of a good story and Aragorn's face.

Oh, joy...

I'm in love...

with DC.

Like way down in my gut.

It's about time.

Vampire=Mormon

This was the conclusion of Erin, Liz, and myself after we watched the movie Twilight last night.

Let's look at the evidence:

The Cullens are a big, tight-knit family

Their countenance glows

They have a life that those outside the fold don't understand

They don't believe in sex before marriage

They have a special diet

They play baseball for family home evening

They believe in immortality

They say things like "Remember who you are"

Bella represents the nonmember who wants to become a Mormon, but only because she's in love with a Mormon. Not because she's converted to the weird stuff that they do.

The bad vampires represent the "world." There's the trashy white vampire couple who feed off the weak. They are from the great and spacious building (Classic 1 Ne. 8)

Then there's the wise, black vampire who is distracted by the world for a while because he feels misunderstood by Mormon culture, but then he sees his hometeacher out playing baseball with his family and ends up having a PPI with Mr. Cullen. He's back in the fold.

Nice one, Stephanie Meyer.

p.s. we also made our own impromptu version of Twilight that will hopefully be coming to you soon...

Biblio...

I'm excited to announce that this morning I finished reading the Old Testament for my first time ever. I started two years ago...TWO YEARS! It's obviously been a little slow-going. I kind of quit for a few months and then decided last January that I could stick to two pages a day. And I did. Guess what? I think that I'm not afraid of the OT anymore. It finally feels like a friend.

Favorite verses from the last few pages:

"And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried; they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God." -Zechariah 12:9

"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels..." -Malachi 3:16-17

I

love

this

book.

There's some stuff I need to say

So for about a week I planned on relocating to Missouri at the end of the year. I was going to move forward on my dream of living on a self-sustainable farm, with or without my favorite part of that dream--a husband (damn him). So I got rational over the weekend after a slight meltdown inside and the realization that I've been feeling that odd but familiar mix of freedom and instability that comes with being an unfettered single person. Where to next? It's like the constant question in my mind and I'm exhausted by it. I need to not think about it for now. I want to melt into my couch and giggle about the awesomely quirky people in my ward and buy produce at Eastern Market and talk about world history with my nerdy friends...I need to call this place home a bit longer. I don't know that I've actually done that at all since I got here. So I'm in DC...my little home on C street...until further notice.

I would feel amiss...

if I didn't mention the anniversary of his death today. 

Dear Elvis,

You helped fill in a lot of space in my teenage years where I would have been very bored otherwise. Thanks for that. I really do love your music and I hope to make it to Graceland someday, but you should know that your movie Harum Scarum is one of the worst movies ever made.

Heather  

today i stayed in my bed almost the whole day...i didn't shower, comb my hair, brush my teeth, or change my pajamas. i made one trek out of the house to go to the grocery store, but still didn't attempt to do any of the aforementioned things. i watched three episodes of "the office" and a lame movie with reese witherspoon that i thoroughly enjoyed. i ate my favorite gingersnap cookies. i read a bunch of blogs and listened to the avett brothers. i thought about how i need to spend more time at the monuments at night. i thought about how i've never read 1984 and can't get myself to do it right now...and so instead starting reading stargirl again. for the third time. i thought about how it sometimes feels like people think your life is a joke when you're single and past the age of 25. i thought about how hard it is to know myself well enough to really talk to God. but that i keep trying. i thought about how i don't think i know what makes me truly happy. and then i remembered and that was a relief. i took three naps. i gave up on a lot of attempts in my mind to try to figure out how i should spend my time. and instead just decided to do what felt nice. thus this day. i really needed this lovely, lovely day.

Never use pop culture to emotionally manipulate the testimonies of impressionable youth

Everyone remembers this song, right? 

Do you also remember when someone at mutual played this song and said that we should listen to the words as if Jesus were saying them? I think it happened in almost every ward in America. And I'm pretty sure I probably cried and imagined Jesus looking like Bryan Adams. 

BAaaaRrrrrFfffff!!!!!!!!!! 

Fruits of my labor

I'm happy to announce that a few items survived the squirrel fiasco in my garden this year. One tiny, small pepper, and a few tomatoes. I love them with all of my heart.

Willy nilly in Philly

Pics from my trip to Philadelphia last weekend:

A big attraction in this town

Ed pretending to be the Rocky statue and Erin pretending to be one of the many tourists posing like Rocky in front of the Rocky statue

I love these people

These steps make the most sense if you have "Eye of the Tiger" playing in the background

William Penn is on top of this building

The harbour

City Tavern...where many of the founding fathers ate

Congressional Hall--original cobblestone sidewalk.

Independence Square. Right before we took a nap on the lawn (instead of going on a walking tour)

Independence Hall

Inside Independence Hall

Philly cheese steaks! I had mine on lettuce (BORing)

The world needs more theme parties

I'm really into them lately. Here are some recents:

20's themed birthday party I went to with Liz. Let's be honest, America used to have a lot more class.

Christmas in August potluck with our cute newlywed neighbors that lived downstairs. We miss them. They're holding white elephant gifts. We also sang Christmas carols. 

Summertime woofle ball going away party for our roommate Kim. Some of the locals were getting a laugh out of all the white people playing sports. I totally hit a homerun.

We also recently hosted a surprise party for a couple in our ward...after deciding that surprise parties are widely underused. There were no birthdays--we just decorated with balloons and streamers and shouted "surprise!" when they came in. You know...like a regular surprise party, except no real reason for the surprise.