In the Next Life. Maria Taylor

This song is from her brand new album. I love her. I love her music. I have for 14ish years! Her beautiful voice and talent and thoughts. When I started listening to her music I was 19 and adventuring and finding myself. She was a young woman too, a young musician with something beautiful and special to sing about with her friend, Orenda Fink. Then it was about love and loss and redemption(winky ML). Now it's about her maturing and life and marriage and two babies. Her take on motherhood. Such an unexpected love for her.  I relate. I didn't grow up dreaming about my wedding or becoming a mother. I never have really enjoyed kids much, besides my awesome little brother. But marriage and love and motherhood found me and I love it. I love my life. It's hard and stressful and not really rewarding. But I feel it's why I have come to this place circling all around the sun.

"So I'll live until the livin's done. Got a feeling there's another one."

Dear Rose

"Dear rose, I misplaced
Everything you gave me
You gave me everything
Everything

And i do apologize
And hope you'll think of me
As someone who'd do anything
Anything for you."

-Nina Nastasia

Just listening and singing and weeping because of no explainable reason. My daughter Ella is sleeping in my bed, Harriet is beautiful and in my arms and Frederick has eaten 5 carrots and still going. We will probably go outside in the beautiful sunshine after eating.  Collin walked in the door and my happiness overflowed. 

Santa Claus is coming coming

We've been asking Freddie for months, "Freddie, is mommy going to have a baby??" He finally got wise and today answered, "nope." 

Haha! I promise Fred! He or she is coming soon! 

We are all doing well. If you wonder how I'm feeling and what I'm thinking, read this article:

http://www.mothering.com/community/a/the-last-days-of-pregnancy-a-place-of-in-between

And here are some photos of my love a doves. 

Birthing playlist

Here are links to each song on my birthing playlist. I listen to them and all anxieties float away and I'm left happy, comforted, confident.

You are My Sister, Antony and the Johnsons

Spiralling, Antony and the Johnsons

Beautiful Things Can Come from the Dark, Azure Ray

In My Life, The Beatles

Puet-etre que je t'aime, Francoise Hardy

I Can't Help Falling in Love with You, Elvis Presley

Birthing affirmations, Marie Mongan

^^buddies already 

^^^Above was this morning, at Collin's work. They had a sweet little Happy Baby Smith party and breakfast and invited Frederick and me!! It was so nice to meet Collin's new co workers and see the office. It's so beautifully decorated for Christmas, which warmed my heart even more. 

cool stuff; sunny stuff; sleepy stuff

Trip to JC Pennys to buy Uncle Joe school clothes. DID I MENTION THAT MY BABY BROTHER STARTED HIGH SCHOOL TODAY???!!!??? I mean, you guys, I was 14 when he was born and Freddie is almost 2 and I remember Joe as a baby. I MEAN he was right here, in my arms, just yesterday. It has gone by so quickly. What does that mean about Fred? He'll be in College, rooming with Ollie, in no time. (which will actually be awesome.) Joe is such a great Uncle. If you haven't noticed, Freddie has a slew of Uncles, and yes, they are all incredible. (Not to mention 2 amazing Aunts whom I would trust with Fred's life.)

Frederick, these are our songs (so far)

Edelweiss (from Sound of Music)

Spiraling (Antony and the Johnsons)

My Boy (My Girl) (the Temptations)

I Lived in Heaven (Children's Hymnbook)

La La Loo (Lady and the Tramp)

Bluegrass and teeth

Fred and I have been listening to bluegrass music for two days. We love it so much.
Oh! And guess who is having his first ever dentist trip today???!!! He just grew his 13th tooth while we were in Monterey for Christmas (his first canine!) I love these milestones.
Wish us both luck!!!!

song

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/music?lang=eng#d

Click on Does the Journey Seem Long?

Its very beautiful.

General Conference was very meaningful to me this past weekend. I received answers to things I was praying for and revelation for myself, my marriage and my family. It really softened my heart. It reminded me that God is mindful of me and that he loves me and wants me to be happy. I have to do my part and he will make up for the rest. Plus ANOTHER Temple in AZ! Tucson! And the missionary age lowered for both  men and women! So exciting!! I'm grateful for a living prophet. God continues to love his children by giving them modern revelation today. Lds.org for more info.

Photos from Conference and the weekend


 

 

 

 

 


downtown adventure with May, Pete, and Francie Costa


 

 

  

 



 

 

Puff Pancakes recipe here.

 
pictionary got intense

night

Man! it feels great to be young and alive and in love! The other night we had another real date. My mom came and watched Frederick and CS and I went and listened to one of my favorite bands, Mount Eerie at Crescent Ballroom. I really like that venue. It's slightly bigger than a lot of smaller clubs but still intimate. Good lighting. Good sound.

Anyway the music was really really good as his always is. I really enjoyed the bands that opened up for him too. The first guy, Ever Ending Kicks, was super pretty.



The next band, Bouquet, was SO GREAT. I love the vocals! her voice was insanely beautiful! and the lyrics so good. The music was so dance-y and gorgeous and haunting. Here's a link to their website and a few songs. When I talked to them afterward, they were such sweethearts and allowed me to gush a little. What a dweeb, I know.

Then Phil Elvrum. It was so beautiful and wonderful. I was so happy and never wanted it to end. These people were totally going crazy after the show and kissing his butt telling him thank you soooooo much for coming, that they lost their brains when they found out he was coming and that they love him soooooo much. It was making him pretty uncomfortable. Hehe. I bought something and just smiled and said thank you; it was beautiful. He smiled, thanked me. It was just great. A great night. And lots of romance with CS.

We got home to find everyone sleeping. Thanks mama, for baby sitting our little rascal. We missed him like crazy.

finished the night snuggled up with Smith, mini hot chocolate and Gone Girl.

Wilco

Listening to the band Wilco. Frederick is dancing naked and reading books, Dot is giving herself a bath, and Montgomery is hunting....something...

Bluegrass

I realized bluegrass is my favorite kind of music. Darin & Brooke Aldridge: you're awesome.

French Quarter

Check out my friend's new tunes:

You can buy the whole album right now for $6, or pre-order an LP.
Click the link above. 

Trip to Tucson

This past weekend, Joseph had his first football game of the season in Tucson so the whole family went down together. We stayed in this awesome beautiful hotel that blended in really perfectly with the mountains and scenery. It was a relaxing paradise. My dad is the head coach, but took it easy due to the surgery. Joe did awesome, and they beat the other team into the ground. It was like 48-0. We were in the awesome car driving down. Roller Coaster Road + the theme from Halloween and then growing pains. dance party in the car. swimming in a really awesome pool overlooking Tucson. Perfect weather at the game. tons of walking. Almost peeing my pants every two seconds because my bladder is the size of a pea. being so in love with collin. eating DELICIOUS "Mama's" pizza!!! So amazing! my mom and I got a cheese with tomato and artichokes. My pregnancy food is artichokes. playing werewolf, watching Chopped, telling ghost stories till 2, 3am. Then being the "OLD" person and telling everyone to be quiet and go to bed. awesome testimony meeting with just the family. (we've never done that, and it was really neat.) Taking a long shower, using a TON of shampoo and conditioner (is not using a lot a stressful thing for anyone else?), and taking a long walk around the hotel with Collin. Running into my mom and dad and friends. starving to death and shaking so my husband ran and bought me chinese food and somehow it was the most romantic thing ever. fun drive back and then home to our darling kitties who SPENT the night by themselves for the FIRST TIME EVER!!!! (Monte didn't kill Dot, phew.)

AND finally arranging the baby furniture and setting everything up and packing completely. yahoo. Still have lots to do for the room, but that's cool.

I took a ton of pictures and was so excited to post them and then...guess what...they weren't there. More than half of them were erased somehow. So depressing for me. Collin even took a picture of me pregnant that I wasn't totally disgusted at because of my largeness. LOST. but oh well...I must move on.....

Here are a few that SOMEHOW made it....