Not Paris

So today was the big day for the favorite Nephew's Mission call. Although I prayed mightily for a call to Paris, France it was not in the cards for KJ. Taichung, Taiwan is a lucky place to have this kid for 2 years.

I am so incredibly proud of this boy - who is actually taller than me and is technically considered a man now. It is going to be so much fun getting him all ready to go!

This time next year this is where he will be:

Just look at all of the shopping potential!!!

Congratulations Kage!

How can you not LOVE this

My favorites are North Korea and India...

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

The passing of Summer

I love the seasons - all four of them. Some more than others and some aspects of some seasons I really do not care for - like when it crosses into triple digit temperatures in the summer. But, if it never got hotter than 99 I would have to wonder if those lazy summer evenings hanging out on the patio eating good barbecue and drinking the famous Fresca-Grape-Juice-concentrate drink would be as near as enjoyable and relaxing - nothing feels better than the chill of the evening after a scorching summer afternoon.

I could do without snow as well but I do think it is really pretty while it is snowing and after a good storm has blown through and there isn't a cloud in the sky and the sun is shining bright. And it makes Christmas that much better. If I just didn't have to drive in it I think it would only be a good thing.

I always look forward to each season so eagerly. I get so excited when I see the Talbots Fall catalog in my mailbox and it is only the end of July. Thinking about Christmas stirs up so much anticipation - I know it is only Labor day weekend but I want to call my Sister-in-Law and start planning the Christmas Eve menu (which will include those blasted mushroom pop-overs that I always swear I will never make again)

I do try to enjoy the seasons while they are actually happening around me - this summer, although it started off with a bang when I lost my job, actually turned out to be a really good one. I spent a lot of time with friends and family, made a trip to LA that included an amazing day at the beach and I made the conscious decision last winter that this was the summer I would read Gone with the Wind - and I did and loved all 1,042 pages of it.

Seriously, this book was so captivating. I have heard others say that they just couldn't make it through the first one or two hundred pages - what is wrong with you? I bet that if I read it aloud to you your experience would be very different. And that Rhett Butler fellow... all I have to say is, "Edward who?" This book solidified the fact that I want a real man, not some pasty pretty boy with messy hair.

I felt it only fitting to watch the movie as an appropriate tribute to the end of summer. Good bye Scarlet and your 18.5" waist. So long Mammy and your red taffeta petticoat. And a tearful farewell to Mr. Butler - your memory will help keep those chilly Fall and frigid Winter nights nice and warm.

Oh, and good bye summer - until next year....

Of course I had to buy it

I saw the movie and La, La, LOVED it and tried to buy the cook book right away, just like everybody else. I had to order it on Amazon and it came today! I am so excited to start learning how to cook like they do in France! Ooh - la - la!

I certainly won't be cooking from this book everyday but I promise to post my attempts --

I'm in Love

I am sure that many of you are letting out a sigh of relief that I have finally found love - I certainly am letting out a great big sigh

Through my nose!!!!

I have discovered the netti pot!!!

It was mentioned on Oprah and my brother has used one for quite some time - I purchased one awhile ago and decided to dig it out last night. My hay-fever was in rare form and I knew that I needed to try something before I went to bed.

I followed the instructions and was impressed with what my sinuses had been hiding.

If you would like to see a demonstration of how to use said Netti pot, click here. Don't be frightened, I promise it is easy and it really works!

Favorite Nights

Now that I am not working, I no longer look towards Friday and the light at the end of the tunnel of the week. Now it is Wednesday and Thursday nights that I live for.

A couple of years ago, Jennifer-june turned me onto So You Think You Can Dance and I never really looked back. I did protest at first complaining that I already had too many shows I was watching and I didn't need another one. Silly me.

This season has been GREAT so far - So Much Talent! And my favorites are still in the running.

Evan is my #1 favorite guy. I fell in love with him last year but he didn't make it to the top 20. He is more of a Broadway style dancer - he reminds me of a Gene Kelly or a Fred Astaire.

This year he auditioned with his brother (who choreographs for him) and they both made it to the final cut and, for drama sake I'm sure, it came down to the two of them but Evan prevailed! (if you were worried about what became of his brother, never fear, he auditioned for the fall season and made it pretty much straight through to Vegas week. Hopefully we will see him in the top 20 in the next go around).

I wouldn't say that Evan is the best dancer of all the guys but I just love his style and hope that he sticks around for a few more weeks.

Choosing my #1 girl pick is much more tricky - so far all of my favorites are still in the running. I should give a shout out to Randi who just happens to be from Utah and was Evan's partner up to this point in the season. She is adorable and a great dancer.

Kayla is just amazing - a completely flawless dancer but I must admit that I like some sass to my dancers and she doesn't come across as very sassy. She can still prove me wrong however.

I am loving Janette but I am trying to decide if it is her I love or the numbers she has been given to dance - she completely nails everything they throw at her which has to say something.

Jeanine is also very strong and I have loved watching her and Philip together. (Philip, not surprisingly went home this week - he is an amazing popper but wasn't near as strong in the other styles. He will be going on tour and I can't wait to see him again)

Just a thought

So I was reading my blog roll this morning and on Michelle's blog she had her Sunday thought - that being,

"I know Heavenly Father loves me by the people He puts into my life."

This really hit home for me today. This last couple of weeks has been hard - losing your job at any time is hard but losing it while the economy is so 'stellar' is just the sugar on top. I can easily say that I am doing as well as I am as a result of the people in my life. I am so incredibly blessed with amazing friends and family. I am very grateful.

Bitter Sweet

Well, just to keep all of my readers up to date on my life, I must let you know that I am unemployed - not by choice - a fabulous time to loose my job, isn't it? As I had mentioned in a previous post, there was some serious stress I was dealing with so I can't say that it is an entirely bad thing. I did like my job - I really liked what I did and I didn't mind the stress that accompanied the tasks and if you were to ask my clients they would tell you that I did my job well - one of my clients (the one with a reputation for being difficult to work with) asked one of my coworkers... past coworkers that is.... for my home address so they could send me something.

I am trying REALLY, REALLY hard not to beat myself up - I wasn't the only person severenced this week and I get the feeling I won't be the last.

Lucky for all of you, now I will have the time and the desire to update more often - HOORAY! I know you just can't wait for what I have to share with you. Actually, I have lots to share. I never posted the pictures from the cruise I took in January and a couple of weeks ago I took my studly nephew to New York for his Graduation trip - there are some great pictures from that trip.

Stay tuned dear readers and if you happen to know of anyone looking for an amazing Project/Account manager tell them that I'm their girl!