introducing: aunt peggy

now that i've completed the encyclopedia of me, i think a new series is in order...one that's not about me. so here's one about YOU.

have you met my aunt peggy?

no?

well let me introduce you.

(peggy and my dad, circa 1960-something)

who she is: aunt peggy is my mom's youngest sister. she came to live with my parents when she was 11-years-old (i think?) and stayed through high school graduation--we even graduated from the same high school, about 20 years apart. so this was before i was born, but she's always seemed like just a part of the family.

more about her: she's married to johnpaul, and i was able to go to her wedding and her sealing in the manti temple. she lives in denver, colorado.

why you should know her: she's one of the friendliest people you will ever meet. in fact, i bet she reads all of your blogs, knows you and your kids and dogs and cats and pet snails, too. her laugh is infectious. she says things like "groovy" and "whatcha buildin'?" when you're fixing a sandwich or something like that. she has funny jokes, she's really smart, and super generous. remember when she gave me a magic wand for my birthday, because i had mentioned it in a blog post a few days earlier? and what about when she sent me two gigantic boxes of size 1 diapers before zoe was born...and then a box full of clothes after. and then two weeks ago a surprise package was delivered: not one, not two, but THREE bottles of the vanilla flavoring i've been unable to find for the past ten years. she gets my mom and her sisters and my girl cousins nearby together every christmas for a girls lunch out, which is one of the highlights of my holiday season. i could go on and on.

a happy memory: christmas 1994 she came to our house for christmas, along with her and my mom's brother earl. we got the game guesstures for the family present on christmas eve, and played it for hours that night. for some reason, it was incredibly funny, and i don't remember why, i just remember laughing our heads off that night.

a funny story: once when we lived in my parents basement, some of our friends were over. my parents have all of our old family pictures displayed downstairs. one such picture is of my parents and aunt peggy, when peggy was an older teenager, along with my sister alice and brother delos, who were very young. my friend looked at the picture for a long time, and i could hear her whispering to her husband. finally i go, "what? what is it?" and my friend timidly asks, "was your dad a polygamist?" at which point i BURST out laughing. because clearly this wasn't their daughter, she could only be a sister-wife? heh heh heh. i still laugh when i think of that. mostly because they were in our ward and my dad was in the bishopric and to think of him as a polygamist is just hi-larious.

her favorite singer: garth brooks. before she was married she would come to our house for christmas with loads of presents wrapped with tags that said "to: peggy, from: garth". just one more thing i love about her. she recently went to see him in vegas and she said it was completely awesome.

her favorite vacation spot: i'm just guessing here, but i think it would be maine. she's been there at least once but possibly more and i know she loved it, but you'll have to ask her why, because i don't know (besides the lobster, of course).

get to know her better: sadly, her blog is private, but you can get to know her better in the comment section. so peggy, here are the questions you should answer in the comments so we can all get to know you a little more: favorite color? favorite movie? most embarrassing story? favorite food? anything else you want to share??

i hope you've enjoyed getting to know aunt peggy. stay tuned for who i'll be introducing next. it could be YOU!

encyclopedia of me - xyz

x:

• xerox - i know this is a stretch, but it was either this or xavier roberts from cabbage patch kids, and i liked this one better. my first job ever was working for the copy center in office max when i was 15. i had zero training and was left alone on my first day with a $100,000 xerox copy machine. i was terrified of that thing. but within a few days i knew it better than the other copymax associates (but not before i did 5,000 copies wrong for senora dai zovi, the spanish teacher at my high school). my strongest memories from working there are of daryl, my manager (think: big mike from chuck) dancing to "car wash" in the aisles after the store was closed and we were restocking shelves; the day the power went out when i was in the back crushing boxes and it was pitch dark; and singing red hot chili peppers songs with the cute red-haired stock boy, whose name totally escapes me now.

y:

• yogurt - i love yogurt, but only if it's yoplait. i was sad to discover it has high fructose corn syrup (thanks to a high school friend on facebook), but not sad enough to stop eating it. it is so delish. my favorites are the orange creme and key lime pie, but i won't say no to a peach or strawberry either.

z:

• zoe - thank goodness we gave this baby girl that name, because there is no other "z" thing i can think of, and i've been compiling this list for 2 years now. i love my baby girl. you all know how nervous i was to have a girl and that i was afraid of the change after two boys. i don't know what i was afraid of. this girl brings sunshine and happiness and laughter and goodness every day of her life. her pretty blue eyes, her infectious laugh, her adoration for her brothers, her chubby legs, her vicious fingernails, her fuzzy head, her kisses and smiles for mama, her excitement and squeals for dad, her stranger anxiety, her uncontrolled body movements when she's happy, all of it make up the sweetest baby girl on this earth.  i cherish every moment with her. i don't know if she'll be my last baby, but if she is, i am thoroughly enjoying her. i didn't have any visitors in the hospital when she was born aside from my dad and dave and the boys, so we spent a lot of time together just the two of us, and now that the boys are in school we get to hang out alone. as a result, she really wants just me all the time. i'll allow it...i know it won't last forever, even if i wish it could. i love dressing her up, i love that she has two older brothers that love her, to play with and protect her, and i love that she has her dad completely wrapped around her finger. i thank God every day for giving me this amazing gift in the form of my daughter.

**phew! it only took two years, but this concludes the encyclopedia of me. you can read more of my encyclopedia here.**

encyclopedia of me - w

top row:

• weddings - of all the beautiful wedding images i have found and loved over the years, i ended up using my own, because it's the most meaningful to me (obviously). i love reading about weddings, seeing images of what people chose for their colors, reception, and especially wedding dresses. my dream job would be to be a wedding coordinator. i love the happiness you feel at a wedding and remembering how i felt at my own wedding. i loved the planning and seeing it all come together and being with family. weddings just make me happy.
  
  
• weekends - so i have no idea what this house picture has to do with weekends, but it would be nice to spend a weekend there, right? i love weekends. spending time with family, eating out and relaxing at home, weekends are the best. (house image via)
  
  
• white - i love the color white, especially in kitchens. i love how bright and clean it is and it makes me feel so happy. i would love to have an all white kitchen (and someone else to clean it).

bottom row:

• windows - my dream house has to have lots and lots of big, open, bright windows. i love these windows in my friend natalie's new house.
  
  
• writing - i've loved writing ever since i was a little girl. i started writing in a journal when i was young and discovered early on that writing helped calm me down when i was upset, and could cheer me up when i was sad. i wrote my first story about a beautiful queen when i was 4 years old and spent hours writing stories growing up (cindy and her dog sisters is the one that most often comes to mind, a real gem of a modern cinderella story). i never thought much about it until i had an assignment in high school to write a parody, so i wrote about my experience at the senior prom. when i read it out loud to the class, everyone was dying (laughing), even the teacher, and i hadn't embellished even one little bit of it. i just told the story how it happened, and later my friend brian told me i had a funny "voice". i had never thought of myself as having a "voice" before but it was nice to hear. writing is a great outlet for me. i don't write stories anymore, but the blog is good enough for me.
  
  
• warm weather - i just realized this a few years ago, but i despise the winter. give me warmth and sunshine and i'll give you...a smile? whatever. i just want it warm all the time. i am basking in the last few warm days of the utah summer this week and bracing myself for the 9 month winter that is surely on its way.

(you can read more of my encyclopedia here.)

p.s. who knew i could come up with so many w words? i thought i only had 2 when i started this post.

encyclopedia of me - v

• vanilla - i love vanilla flavoring, particularly in drinks (vanilla coke, vanilla rootbeer--have you tried it? it's a real treat) but cannot find it anywhere. i've been to liquor stores and grocery stores, specialty stores, and even requested from the bar in restaurants a bottle to purchase, to no avail. i even love plain vanilla ice cream. some call it boring, i call it delish.
  
  
• verdi - i love opera, and la traviata is my most favorite. i don't really love the story or the sad ending, but the music is spectacular. any woman that can play violetta well must rank in the very top of the best singers in the world. listen, you'll see. it's amazing.

(you can read more of my encyclopedia here.)

encyclopedia of me - u

• umbrellas - i have a thing for cute umbrellas. i always have to look at the fun umbrellas if a store has them (gap, anthropologie, eddie bauer) and i always want to buy one...but guess what? i don't even own one umbrella. i guess it doesn't rain enough here to justify the purchase (although the last few weeks would have been reason enough).
  
  
• up - the first fifteen minutes of this movie are some of the best i've ever seen. i know it's animated, and the rest of the movie isn't my favorite, but the beginning of this movie had me sobbing. i blogged about how it changed my perspective on life (seriously) and i am still grateful for the adventure my life has been so far.
  
  
• utah - i moved to utah when i was 18 to go to college. i never expected to stay after i graduated...i just figured people go to college, graduate, and then move wherever they get a job. well, dave got a job in salt lake, and i had a job in south jordan, so we stayed, and i have now lived here for 12 years. my parents retired and moved here, my sister and her husband moved here for residency (and then left us for texas), my brother moved here after graduating law school, my other brother moved here after an east coast adventure, my sister moved south so her husband could teach in a school he wanted; it seems like utah is the place, at least for now. there are things i don't love about it (the 9 month winters, the inversions, the crazy drivers), but there is lots to love:
  
  
  
  • i love the beauty of this state. from the lush greens (in spring) up north to the amazing red rock down south to the hills and valleys and enormous mountains and lakes, i think this might be one of the most beautiful states in the country. the scenery in provo canyon could rival any european countryside.
  • i love the people. some of the best, kindest, most service-oriented people i will ever know live here, and i'm grateful to know them.
  • i love that there are 13 temples, which makes it easy to get to the temple often.
  • i love that it's easy to get around because of the grid system.
  • i love that even though it's hot in the summer, the nights cool off to make it bearable.
  • i love that dave and i hiked to delicate arch in moab when i was 7 months pregnant with isaac.
  • i love that i learned to ski at sundance.
  • i love to shop in park city. i love to shop in provo and murray and salt lake, for that matter.
  • i love that it's a place most of my friends visit at some point, so that i don't have to travel to see them. :)
  • i love that the 24th of july is a holiday.
  • i love that utah was founded by mormons because of religious persecution and that it was mostly a place of peace and protection for those early members.
  • i love that i have a lot of family here.
    
    
  i love utah. i'm happy to live here.

(you can read more of my encyclopedia here)

encyclopedia of me - e

top row:

• emily - can i list myself in my encyclopedia? i guess it's my blog, i'll do what i want. i like my name, even if it is the most common name in the world these days. i only knew one other emily until i went to college, and then everybody and their dog was named emily, at byu at least. and now whenever there are kids around at a park or playground, i hear a million of moms call for "emily". but i think it's a pretty name, and i'm glad it's mine.
  
  
• elliot reed - i love the show scrubs and elliot is my favorite character. in fact, zoe was this close (my fingers are very close together) to being named elliot. for real.

bottom row:

• enya - not my favorite artist, but every once in a while i'm in an enya mood. my favorite album is "a day without rain" and the song on that album, "flora's secret". every time i hear it i can picture it. somebody should listen to it and write a screenplay based on that song. it would be the best love story ever.
  
  
• east of eden, by john steinbeck - my favorite book ever. it shows the difference between good and evil as it retells the story of cain and abel. cathy ames was evil incarnate, and she was so well-written. my favorite character was lee, and when he talks about choice: 
  
  

  Don’t you see? . . . The American Standard translation orders men to triumph over sin, and you can call sin ignorance. The King James translation makes a promise in ‘Thou shalt,’ meaning that men will surely triumph over sin. But the Hebrew word, the word timshel—‘Thou mayest’—that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open. That throws it right back on the man. For if 'thou mayest'--it is also true that 'Thou mayest not.'

  that quote is what makes this book my favorite of all time it gives me chills every time i read it. you can choose to be good, or you can choose to be evil; we were all given free will and agency when we were born, and regardless of our circumstances, we can choose to be good and triumph over sin...or not.

(you can read more of my encyclopedia here.)

encyclopedia of me - q

• quilts - my first introduction to quilting (aside from tying a quilt) was in an amish quilt shop in intercourse, pennsylvania (insert lame joke here) when i was 10 or 11 years old. my mom bought loads of fabric there and made an amazing quilt that i am in awe of. quilting is a skill i don't have...yet. some day i hope to be able to. there is something so satisfying about being wrapped up in a beautiful quilt, or putting one on your bed. i bet it's even better if you made it yourself.
  
  
• quiet - i couldn't think of a picture for this, but i guess a sleeping baby will do. some people don't like to be alone, but i love it. i love the quiet. i like getting up in the night to feed my baby because the house is silent. i like when dave takes the boys somewhere and i'm doing laundry or cleaning or even just sitting in the quiet. i don't always want things quiet--being with my boys when they're rowdy and loud is fun too--but every once in a while, quiet days are just what i need.
  

(you can read more of my encyclopedia here.)

encyclopedia of me - k

top row:

• kids - i always wished for a younger brother or sister to take care of, and started baby-sitting for $1 an hour when i was ten years old. my first niece was born when i was 13 and i could not get enough of her. i've always loved kids and was so excited to have my own. motherhood does not disappoint--it's hard, to be sure, but seriously fun. my kids are a crack-up and i love having them.

bottom row:

• kentucky derby - one of my life goals is to one day attend the kentucky derby. wear a fancy dress, a big hat, and bet on a horse. you can read previous posts about the derby here.
  
  
• key lime pie - yum. need i say more?
  
  
• knee - (no, those are not my legs, in case you were wondering.) my junior year of college i took the beginning ski class with my roommate jessica. i fell on our second-to-last class, right at the bottom of the hill by the lift. embarrassing, yes, but even worse was the fact that i could not get up, nor could i walk. jess drove me to the hospital for x-rays (and as i tried to walk into the ER i fell in the parking lot, so a kind citizen brought me a wheelchair), where they found nothing wrong... but an mri a few days later showed a torn acl. i was still in school so i used crutches for a few days but that was so awful i finally just started walking on it. i thought it was fine until swimming in the gulf of mexico that summer, and i somehow re-injured it. when my knee swelled to twice its normal size, my dad decided it was time to get it fixed (before i got married later that summer so his insurance would pay for it). i was so sad because my doctor told me i would still be on crutches for my wedding. he was wrong. while i couldn't quite kneel with that knee on the altar in the temple, i was thankfully crutch-free for the big day. but i do have a big scar and a knee that cracks with every step to show for it.

(you can read more of my encyclopedia here.)

encyclopedia of me - j

first row:

• jamba juice - i liked it better when it was zuka juice, but my first introduction to these types of drinks was at byu. it opened in the wilk and i wanted to get one every day. then, when i was pregnant with zoe, i did get one every day. well, not really, but i wanted to. the mixture of fruit and sherbet and ice was just right for my sick tummy, and always sounded good, even when nothing else did. i love jambas. my favorite is the strawberry surfrider.
  
  
• j.crew - this is no surprise, i'm sure. i wish the prices weren't so outrageous, but somehow it still doesn't stop me from shopping there (at least the sales). i started buying clothes from j.crew my freshman year of college and still wear some of the things i bought then (the shoes and cardigans mostly, as i'm like 3 sizes bigger now than i was then). the clothes are classic, well-made, and fun to wear. i feel happy just walking inside the store. and i especially love their cardigans.
  
  
• joshua radin - i started listening to his music a few years ago. i don't really listen to music a ton unless it's on the radio in the car (dave hijacked my ipod ages ago) and he doesn't get a lot of radio play, so it's fun when i hear his songs. they still seem new to me and i love the lyrics.

second row:

• jell-o - this is very mormon of me i suppose, but i really do love jell-o, especially with whipped cream mixed in. i love jell-o no-bake desserts, pudding, pie filling, and plain old jell-o. i make it every sunday to have with our sunday dinner (a tradition brought from my childhood) and i still love it. black cherry is my favorite, but peach with sprite mixed in is probably a close second.

• jason mraz - i became a fan when i saw him perform on saturday night live. i watched him sing "i'm yours", a song i had heard a hundred times and liked but didn't think much about, and i was hooked. all i could think as i watched him was "he is incredible". that his voice is pitch perfect, even live, is remarkable. i became an instafan after watching his amazing talent that night.

(you can read more of my encyclopedia here.)

encyclopedia of me - r

top row:

• pierre-auguste renoir - my favorite of the impressionists. i'm the first to admit i don't know much about art, but i know what i like. i bought a print of "a girl with a watering can" at the national gallery of art in washington, dc when i was 9 years old and it hung in my room until i went to college. these 3 paintings are my favorite by renoir: "a girl with a watering can", "dance in the country", and "on the terrace".

bottom row:

• reading - i could read a good book all day long and never think about anything else. finding a good book to read, one that really captures my attention and my imagination, is like striking gold. i don't have sophisticated taste--most of my favorites come from the juvenile literature section. and that's okay with me. can i call reading a hobby? a pastime? a true love? whatever it's called, it's one of the top priorities in my life and i like almost nothing more than reading a good book. you can read about some of my favorites here, here, and here.
  
  
• rain - i love the sound, the smell, and the feel of rain. i love gloomy, cloudy days with hot soup, sweatshirts and socks and a book by the window. i love rainboots and umbrellas and raincoats. i love thunder and lightning. love rain.

(you can read more of my encyclopedia here.)

encyclopedia of me - n

from top left, clockwise:

• nativities - my mom has at least 50 nativities, and growing up one of my favorite holiday activities was watching my mom set them up in the living room. there was one or two we were allowed to help with, but mostly it was her job. i don't have a nativity of my own; no place to put it, and i'm afraid my kids would break it. but i hope to someday have a nice nativity to display at christmastime. they invite the true spirit of christmas, and i love them.
  
  
• new mexico - born and raised there. wonderful friends and family there. married there. incredible food. scenic mountains. love it.
  
  
• noah - my second son. he makes me laugh every day. he has no medium setting--everything for him is either hot or cold. he's either extremely happy or extremely sad. he's clever, he's sweet, he's friendly, he's mischievous, and he makes our family better just by being in it. i have 84 posts with the label "noah" so here are just a few of my favorites: the sign said no shirt, no shoes, no service; no-man; thank you, mama; dirty sticky kid; my little chef; did somebody drug my cheetos?; baby curls.
  
  
• nordstrom - i looove shopping at nordstrom. even if i don't buy anything, i like to walk through it. eat their yummy salads; look at the makeup; look at the shoes; look at the bp stuff; look at the expensive stuff; visit the fancy bathrooms. i love the piano player and their amazing customer service. i miss living in provo where i could stop by whenever i felt like it, just to look around.
  
  
• night - i'm a night owl. well, as much as a 30-year-old woman with 3 kids (including an infant) can be. mornings are not my bag; i'm all night. i used to be able to stay up 'til 2 or 3 every morning no problem. not so much anymore, but i still stay up later than i probably should as a young mom. this is something dave and i do not sync on. he is a morning person and could fall asleep anytime after 8 pm; i get my best work done at night. i love the quiet and peace of the nighttime. i also love sleep and morning comes too soon every darn day. i love the night.
  

(you can read more of my encyclopedia here.)

encyclopedia of me - o

• ocean - i love the ocean. not swimming in it, but sitting by it, and watching it, and being in a boat on it. i wish i was a better swimmer so i wasn't petrified of actually being in it, because i would love to learn how to surf. there is something so calming about the ocean. my dream house would be one that opened right up to the beach so i could watch it and hear it all day long.
  

• organization - my first trip to the container store was several years ago, in portland, oregon. i was visiting for my brother's law school graduation, and i walked in to this store that has since become my own personal mecca. it is my life's goal to get a container store built in utah so i could go all the time. i love being organized. (notice i did not say that i am very organized, but i do strive for organization in my home.) it makes me feel calm in my crazy world. (image from Elfa via The Container Store)

• orange - not so much the fruit as the color. i know it's trendy right now, and maybe that's why i like it. i don't know. i just know that orange makes me happy. it's not the best color for me to wear, so i find different ways to have orange around me - like orange pillows, orange plates, orange ribbon...you get the idea.
  
  
• opera - the only opera i've seen in person is cosi fan tutte, by mozart. it was a student performance at byu and it was translated into english, so i'm not even sure it counts. but it was hilarious, and the performance was outstanding (there are some seriously good singers at byu). i've been hooked ever since. i love la traviata, and la boheme. it astounds me that people can sing opera. it's so hard, and so beautiful. i would love to someday see a real opera, at a real opera house.

(you can read more of my encyclopedia here.)

encyclopedia of me - g

• the grapes of wrath, by john steinbeck - i only read this book once, required reading for high school english. but i knew as i read it that i loved john steinbeck. while this book is hard to read because of all the tragedy and devastation facing this and so many other families during the great depression, i love the way it ends. some--okay, most--people think it's weird, but i see it as a testament to the resiliency and kindness of the human spirit. i loved this book.
  
  
• games - board games, card games, dominoes...i really love to play games. my favorites include scrabble, cranium, scattergories, taboo, rook, clue, rummikub...okay i could really go on and on. i love it when my family gets together and plays. in college my roommates and i held a once-a-week card night where we invited friends over and had yummy snacks and played games and it was the highlight of my week every week that semester. dave and i sometimes play alone, and on sundays when his brother michael visits we usually play ticket to ride or something. i don't win very often, but i still love to play games.
  
  
• green chile - a result of growing up in new mexico, i want to put green chile in everything. i love the flavor and the mild spiciness of green chile. you can get green chile on just about anything in albuquerque--even on cheeseburgers at mcdonald's (and they're good!), but the best green chile cheeseburger comes from blake's lotaburger. oh how i love green chile.
  
  
• the gap - i love the clothes from the gap. i love how everything goes on sale and you can get everything there, from the basics to the dressier things (that i never wear). i love that i get rewards for shopping. i just wish there was one closer to me (the nearest gap is 30 miles away so i rarely go there anymore).
  
  
• garduno's - while clearly not the best mexican food in albuquerque, it's still really good mexican food. it's good variety, great green chile, delish mexican food, AMAZING sopapillas (what you lay people would call scones, but they're much better than scones). we ate there for our wedding luncheon and i try to go whenever i get back there because it's so delish. i really miss gardunos.
  

(you can read more of my encylopedia here.)

encyclopedia of me - f

• family - i've talked about my extended family before, but this "f" is specifically referring to our small foley family. i was only 21 when i got married but as time goes by, i know more and more that i made the right choice. i know that my family can be together forever and i love our happy little home.
  
  
• fast food - heaven help me, i love it. i know it's awful for me, but i just cannot resist it. i love burgers and fries, shakes, nuggets, and spicy chicken sandwiches. i cannot turn it down and it is a struggle not to go out to lunch every single day.
  
  
• faith - i'm a mormon, or a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. my faith is part of what defines me. my life is better because i know the truths taught by my church, and try to live by them to the best of my ability. my life is worth something because i know it has meaning and a purpose. my faith in Jesus Christ is what makes me happy every day to be alive. you can read more about what i believe by clicking on the links down on my sidebar or by going here.
  
  
• fall - such a beautiful time of year. i love the clothes, i love the colors, and the cooler (but still warm) temperatures after a hot summer.
  
  
• finding neverland - my favorite movie ever. i wrote about it once before (here) but it's worth mentioning again. it's beautifully written, superbly acted all around, and makes me cry like a baby every time i see it. my favorite quote comes when peter tells james that porthos is just a dog (not a bear, like james was pretending he was). he responds by saying,
  
  

  Porthos dreams of being a bear, and you want to shatter those dreams by saying he's just a dog? What a horrible, candle-snuffing word. That's like saying, "He can't climb that mountain, he's just a man" or "That's not a diamond, it's just a rock." Just.

(you can read more of my encyclopedia here)

encyclopedia of me - d

• dion's pizza - to this day, my favorite pizza in the world. dion's is a local albuquerque pizza place and when i crave pizza, it's this pizza. green chile with ham, party-cut and a side of their home-made ranch.
  
  
• daiquiris - i don't drink (remember?) but a virgin strawberry daiquiri (frozen, with salt on the rim) is one of my favorite things to drink, especially if it's from gardunos (yet another albuquerque restaurant i crave regularly). delish.
  
  
• david - my husband's name, my dad's name, my brother's name, my brother-in-law's name, two of my nephew's names, my son's name (noah's first name is david)...i think it's safe to say this is a name we like in our family. but i especially like my dave. funny, smart, handsome, sweet, kind, honorable, honest, helpful are just a few words to describe this man i married. i adore him.
  
  
• disney - all things disney. land, world, movies, channel, you name it. i love them all. there is something so magical about disney, especially at disneyland. i can't describe the feeling. when i went for the first time in my adult life (for our first wedding anniversary) i actually had tears in my eyes and goosebumps on my arms as we stood outside the gate listening to jiminy cricket sing "when you wish upon a star". i love the way that place makes me feel. i love disney.
  
  and p.s., isn't that picture of the teacup ride amazing? it was taken by natalie's (who i stole the encyclopedia of me idea from) sister nicole. it astounds me. follow her daily photography blog here.

(you can read more of my encylopedia here.)

encyclopedia of me - h

(clockwise, from top left):

• harry potter - i discovered these books on a road trip from albuquerque to chicago in the year 1999. my sister was reading them to my niece, and when it was her turn to drive, i took a turn reading. it was the middle of book 3, and it was describing a quidditch match. i was hooked. i started back at the beginning and couldn't put them down. these books are sheer genius. j.k. rowling is a master with words. her descriptions of everything from the grounds to the magic to the friendships between young kids are spot on. i know they aren't real but the relationships feel that way, and the battle between good and evil is as real as anything. if you haven't read these books, you honestly don't know what you're missing. they're funny, smart, and can break your heart. i cried at the end of book 6 for a week. i'm not kidding. it was like someone in my own family had died. i have 10 different posts about harry potter, but my favorite one is harry potter by the numbers.

• high heels - i love how classy they look. i love how they can make my legs look so nice, even though i don't have nice legs. i love that you can wear them with jeans on a date and look hot, or with a skirt to church on sunday and look nice. high heels kill my feet, and i honestly own about 2 pair and i barely ever wear them. but i love them just the same.

• house - i love my house. i know it's not actually a house, it's a condo. but it's mine. i love that it's decorated how i want it; i love that the closets have my things in them; i love that i don't have to share a kitchen or cupboards or a pantry with anyone else and it's organized just how i like it. i love that we're not renting; i love my house.

• hagermann's bakehouse cafe - my friend jen brought me sugar cookies from hagermann's after noah was born, and i've never looked back. hagermann's has okay cakes and brownies, but their sugar cookies and sandwiches--in particular the hawaiian hula ham--are to die for. if you're ever in salt lake or draper, make a point to stop. seriously. you won't regret it. you can see pictures of the cookies and sandwiches in this post.

• holidays - the most wonderful time of year! it's cliché , i know, but also true. i love the months leading up to the holidays. i love christmas shopping, i love family get-togethers, i love the food, i love the music, i even love the snow (until december 26th, that is).
  

• hair - my hair is about 8 inches shorter than when i took this picture, but i have loved having long hair. i had short hair through most of high school and all of college, but after isaac was born i decided to start growing it. long hair is an enormous pain, but i love how pretty it looks (when i do it) and how easy it is to pull it back when i don't. i won't have it forever, and it keeps getting cut shorter and shorter every time i go to the salon, but i've loved having my long hair for the past 5 or so years.
  

(you can read more of my encyclopedia here)

encyclopedia of me - l

(clockwise, from top left):

• larson - my maiden name. i happen to think it's the best last name. i can't fully describe why i love it so much. the kindhearted people my parents are, the legacy left by my larson ancestors, and the fun i have with my larson family when we get together, all combine to make larson my favorite name in the world.

• lladro - my mom got her first lladro on a trip to europe when i was just a little girl. her second was a gift from us kids, a small nativity scene that we went together on for christmas one year. then she got the christus a few years after that, and inherited my dad's mom's lladro's when she passed away. she has passed her love of lladro's on to me. i can't walk through macy's without stopping to look at the intricate craftsmanship of these beautiful figurines. if i were rich, i'd love to have a few, particularly the one shown here called a mother's treasure. wouldn't it be the perfect gift for a new mother? i also love flowers for everyone. each tiny, individual flower is astonishing. maybe some day i'll go to spain and see where they're made in person.

• life is beautiful - i first saw this film at the international cinema at byu. mere moments into the film, i was captured. the story is riveting, the reality heartbreaking, and the end inspiring. i won't ruin it for you if you haven't seen it, but i strongly suggest you do just that: see it as soon as you can, in italian. (i've tried watching it in english and it's just not the same.) the lesson of this movie--that life is beautiful even in the most horrific circumstances--is one that i think about often, especially when i'm feeling unhappy about something trivial. and "bonjourno, principessa!" is possibly the best line of any love story ever made.
  

• letterpress - this is relatively new for me, but i find myself drawn to the art form of letterpress. i am amazed at the creativity of people who do this, and i love the detail. i wish i had a business so i could have letterpress business cards, and i would love to do letterpress holiday cards. it's probably not feesible because of cost, but in the meantime, i like to look. these particular cards are from sweetbeet's etsy shop.

(you can read more of my encyclopedia here)

encyclopedia of me - s

left to right, from top:

• september - the weather starts cooling off, but it's not cold yet. school is starting. the leaves are changing and you crunch them as you walk through the grass. long sleeves. scarves. one of the most beautiful months of the year, and one my favorites.

• strawberries - i have always liked strawberries, but the past few weeks, i can't get enough. i buy a carton, wash and slice them, put them in the fridge, then ten minutes later take them back out and eat the whole bag. they're tart but sweet, pretty to look at, and so good in just about anything (pies, salads, or all by themselves). chocolate-covered, plain, or covered in whipped cream, they are perfection in fruit form.

• sense and sensibility - one of my favorite movies of all time. i have to confess that i've never read the book (i've never read anything by jane austen, in fact) but my sister sara gave me the dvd for my 20th birthday. it was the 2nd dvd i ever owned and i still watch it all the time. i think it is superbly acted, beautifully shot, and heartwrenchingly real. i agonize with eleanor when lucy tells her her secret. i cannot watch the ending without sobbing right along with her when edward comes back. i love this movie.

• seinfeld - i think the show is hilarious, but even more so, i love the actual jerry seinfeld. i will never forget going to see him in salt lake city last summer with my family. it was a pure 2-hour laugh-fest. i don't think i've ever laughed so hard. my face actually hurt when it was over, and i was still aching for more. he is one of the funniest people alive. if you get the chance to see his act in person, do it. i truly admire his talent to make millions of people laugh.

• sisters - i read a blog post once about a girl and her best friend. i loved this post but i felt a little left out. she said: "I am from the school of thought that every girl needs a best friend. Sisters don't count. You need someone that you have chosen and that has chosen you." and i wished and i wished that i had my own ethel. a few days after reading that post i went on a trip with some friends to california and we talked about who our very best friend was. i found myself thinking only of my sisters. then i thought of this blog post and i thought, "sisters do count." because anybody can have a sister, but you have to choose to make that sister your friend. i could easily have grown up and distanced myself from them. but my sisters know me inside and out. they've known me since the day i was born. they know all the most horrible and embarrassing things i've done, and they still love me and they choose me as much as i choose them. they choose me when they call me to cry about their day, and i choose them when i can't wait to call and tell them something that happened in my life. they tell me when i'm wrong and they cheer me on when i'm right. we did choose each other, even if we didn't choose what family we were born into. we choose each other every day. and that is why we are best friends, me and my sisters. (this was the only semi-recent photo i could find of all 4 of us together. my sister-in-law misty is in this picture too, although holly is missing, which would make it complete, but alas, it was not to be. we are not big picture takers. sorry holly.)

(you can read more of my encyclopedia here)

encyclopedia of me - i

(from top left, clockwise)

• itunes - i got my first ipod for christmas a few years ago. until then, i never understood the draw of itunes. but whoever thought of it was a wizard...a genius (name that movie). selling entire albums or just individual songs along with movies and videos, it has made it very easy to add just the songs i like to my playlists. i could spend hours (and lots and lots of money) on itunes.

• ice - particularly sonic ice. you may not know this, but you can actually go to sonic and purchase bags of the tiny little ice that makes my life complete. it is perfect to munch on. my boys love it when they get an owie in their mouth or on their fingers (putting their fingers in a bowl of ice and then in their mouths makes it feel better) and i love it all day, every day. it's yummy, fat-free, and only $1.27 a bag.

• intelligence and national security - this seems lame, i know. but for a very long time i was convinced i was going to be a spy in the fbi or cia. part of the reason i majored in political science in college was all of the intelligence classes i got to take (FOUR!). the information was fascinating, useful (if you wanted to be a spy), and oftentimes very funny. my favorite professor was on the senate intelligence committee and had some awesome cold war stories. i wasn't the best student, but i loved those classes and they were the few that i actually had A's in.

• italy - it's no secret that the first stop on my international travel itinerary is italy. i've never traveled outside the united states, and sometimes i kick myself for not studying abroad in college, but what's done is done and what i focus on now is the future: and my trip to italy is going to be a dream come true, whether in the next few years or not until i'm 70. whatever. but i'm going. and it's gonna rock.

• isaac - dave loved the name isaac but i wasn't so sure during my pregnancy. then he was born, and it was the only name that seemed to fit. isaac is my boy. i don't know what else to say about him except that he is mine. i love him to pieces. we've had our share of problems, but i agonize over the thought of him going to school, growing up, going on a mission, and college, and then, horror of all horrors, marrying some chick. i can tell you this: nobody will be good enough. i adore my isaac. there are 73 posts with his label so i'll just list a few of my favorites about isaac here: about isaac, that kid, overheard, interview, cinderfella.

• it's a wonderful life - i had never seen this movie until christmas 2000. dave and i were dating and were at our respective homes for the holiday. one night when we were talking on the phone, it was on tv. neither of us had seen it before, so we watched it together...on the phone. it has since become one of my favorite movies. the middle gets a little long, but i love the message of this story and how his friends rally around him in his time of desperate need. i love that his life didn't quite work out how he wanted but that his life was still wonderful. i love this movie.
  

(you can read more of my encyclopedia here)

encyclopedia of me - t

from left, clockwise:

• travel - though i haven't gone anywhere of note, really, i have a passport. and someday, it will have stamps in it. i dream of traveling all over the world, but the first stop? rome.

{photo by Nicole Hill Gerulat (nicolehill.blogspot.com) for Rubberball (Rubberball.com), used with permission}

• tulips - my favorite flower (though peonies are edging their way in). one of my favorite things in the world is the thanksgiving point tulip festival each spring. it starts again this week and i can't wait to go. millions of tulips (literally) cover the gardens, and it's one of the most beautiful sights i've ever seen. you can see pictures from previous tulip festivals here and here.
  

• tupperware - the real stuff. i love the cute designs, the different products, and pretty colors. it's just so handy, and i want to own it all. (plus, have you seen all their new orange stuff? to die for, people). i probably don't love it as much as my sister alice, who has an entire room in her house called "the tupperware room", but still, i like it a lot.
  

• target - i didn't really get the beauty of target until i had kids. i can actually say i never even stepped foot in one until my senior year of high school. my best friend michelle loved it, so i tagged along. still didn't get it. now i do. that place is a wonderland. there is so much great stuff--cute kid clothes, cute mom clothes, great house stuff, everything there is great. i especially love their baby stuff. that's really when i got into target, when i was pregnant with isaac. and now? i can't step foot inside a target without spending at least $100. it's ridiculous.
  

• tv - watching tv is one of my favorite things to do. i know that sounds bad, but really, at the end of a long day, losing myself in a good tv show is just what the doctor ordered. there are lots of shows i love, but my favorites include life, lost, friday night lights (did you see the season finale? i totally called it. ask dave), samantha who....i may as well stop there. you get the picture. but for further proof, my "tv" tag category on my blog has 32 posts. wow. aside from tv in general, i also love our actual television. our old one that we bought when we were engaged was dying. when you turned it on the screen was totally white, and then after it warmed up you could see outlines of faces but that was about it. so my parents combined our birthday/christmas gifts for the year and got us a tv at christmastime. i love it. it makes watching tv so much more fun when you can actually see it.

(you can read more of my encyclopedia here)