Have You Ever...

Celebrated your 20th birthday floating down the Seine in Paris
Watched a grown man cry like a baby the first time he prayed and cried right along with him
Branded a cow with a hot iron and watched its meatballs taken off
Ridden in a hot air balloon over Provo
Eaten at Gandolfo’s in your full cap and gown
Watched baby alligators being born at an alligator farm
Pet dolphins backstage at Walt Disney World
Planted the world’s largest baring tomato tree
Sung in the Christmas production at Walt Disney World
Been featured on a live Canadian French TV show
Gone to the top of the snow-capped Pyrenees
Learned to make chocolate in the basement of a jewelry shop in Switzerland
Walked though Ann Franks hiding room in Amsterdam
Seen the Mona Lisa
Seen Cats, The Lion King, Chicago, and Les Miserables in London
Gone to Easter Mass at Notre Dame de Paris
Mud wrestled in nothing but heart boxers and a tank top
Watched Titanic and counted how many times Jack and Rose said each other’s names
Gone on a 2500 mile road trip with your dad, twice
Played air guitar in your living room wearing only your bathing suit
Gone snorkeling and kayaking in the Caribbean
Had a song written about you
Tried pole vaulting
Stood solemnly in the American Cemetery in Normandy while The Star Spangled Banner was played over the loud speakers
Enjoyed Italian gilatto on the bridges of Venice
Hiked through 5 fishing villages along the cliffs of the Italian Riviera
Swam in the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean
Stood in the homes of Leonardo de Vinci and Claude Monet
Sung in a small jazz group, performing and competing all over Southern California
Took off on a spur of the moment 22 hour road trip to Nauvoo, Chicago, and Wisconsin with three people you met the night before
Almost gotten blown off the top of a light house in St. Augustine, FL
Gone on a road trip to Yellowstone to break the news to your old roommate that you had killed her fish
Attended church at a hotel that had elephants and giraffes on the chandeliers above you
Chased peacocks around a park in France so you could have a feather
Been shark fishing

Recorded your own CD in a recording studio

Can you believe I have!! Leave a post if you remember being a part of any of these awesome memories :)

French Cafe Corner

So here is the first product of my nesting :)

This little corner next to our kitchen used to hold a huge pile of empty packing boxes and two broken washing machines (don't ask). Now it is my favorite room in the house!

It makes me feel like I'm back in France at a little cafe :)

I was so excited when I found this perfect curtain material!

Don't you just want to sit and have a cup of tea? Come on over!

This obviously is my garden space and it makes me so excited for spring to come!!

It feels soooooo good to have this space exactly right :)

Nesting

Recently, I have been in this phase where everything has to have a designated space. I've taken one room at a time and organized and cleaned and decorated until I feel that everything is where it is supposed to be. It is such a drive that I feel within, it's almost unexplainable! Maybe it's the coming of spring, maybe it's the drum of winter, or maybe I'm preparing for something in the future that only my sub-conscience knows about?! I don't know, but it's funny how much peace it brings to me, knowing that my storage room is completely organized. I don't even go in there very often!

The term "nesting" has always been intriguing to me. In my biology course in college, I remember learning about bird nesting. The male usually provides the foundation for the nest and the female designs the inner lining. The female is the skilled builder and detailer. Lots of precision goes into weaving and adding to the nest. Almost as if every piece "has a designated space." :) Construction usually starts near the end of winter and is finished by spring when the eggs are laid, but the nest is only used once, never to be used again! Does that fact stop them from making the very best nest possible? Not at all!

And that's when I realized...I'm nesting. We may not be in Texas very long, but dang it, I am going to make the very best nest possible while we're here! No more packed boxes of decorating and craft materials, it's all coming out!

Many Roles of Life

During the holidays, I was talking to my aunt and somehow we got talking about all the roles I've had in my life and she suggested I list them all. I thought that would be fun so here you go. List yours on your blog and let me know so I can see if we have matching ones!

Age 0: Daughter, Granddaughter, Niece, Cousin
Age 2: Sister
Age 4: Student
Age 8: Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Age 9: Best Friend
Age 10: Babysitter
Age 12: Beehive President
Age 14: ASB, Math Club, and Mind Olympics Participant
Age 15: Basketball Player, Pole Vaulter, Choir member
Age 16: Girlfriend, Legal Driver, Laurel President, Receptionist
Age 17: Actress, Jazz Singer, Gym member
Age 18: Roommate, Freshman at BYU, Traffic Dispatcher
Age 19: Bank Teller, Study Abroad Student, World Traveler
Age 20: Librarian, Interior Decorator
Age 21: Missionary
Age 23: Landscape Management Student, Greenhouse Specialist, Relief Society President
Age 24: College Graduate, Plant Science Intern at Walt Disney World, Mary Kay Beauty Consultant
Age 25: Plant Research Assistant at Walt Disney World, Sister-in-Law
Age 26: Adventure Guide, Resort Concierge, Fiance
Age 27: Wife, Daughter-in-law, Landscape Designer, Horticulture Teacher, Health Coach

And I can't wait to add Mother to the list someday :)

Fall Plantings

Just a short little post showing my happy little flower bed. It's got kale and cabbage, violas and mums. Can't go wrong with combinations of bright yellow, deep purple, and calming green. The pumpkins and gourds were given to us by a friend who grew them in her garden! I love fall time :)

New Horizons

While Shanam goes to work every morning, I get to do something a little different...I play :) To some it may be work, but to me, it's what brings me happiness! For the past four months I've been a gardener/landscape designer for a woman in our town. She owns 20 acres and is building a new house and I got to design the new landscape while freshening up her old one. So much fun! However, something new is on the horizon! Together with the county extension agent, I'm putting together a HORTICULTURE PROGRAM for the community! We had our first meeting on Tuesday this week and had a pretty good turnout of about 20 people. I was interviewed on the local radio station to advertise the program and the word is getting out!! I'm so excited and can't wait to do a little movin' and a shakin'!

Raindrops for the Soul

I love the rain...and more specifically, I love rain in West Texas! Do you know why? CUZ IT NEVER DOES!!! But, right now, it's raining and I feel like my life is complete :) Inside my heart, I can feel every green living thing singing! I look out my window and watch the grass, imagining the joy it feels to finally recieve pure, natural water. I watch as the dry, red dirt becomes darker and the green grass gets greener. Rain always brings a sense of peace with it and always leaves behind a sense of new beginning. After a good rain, I love going outside to take in a deep, long breath, filling my soul with new beginnings, then exhaling with a peaceful knowledge that I can keep moving forward.