Found

Hidden in my stack of California pictures. Dog beach from our San Diego stop.

Currently enjoying...

these...

Regina Spektor's Begin to Hope LISTEN HERE

Battlestar Galactica Season 2 soundtrack LISTEN HERE (I LOVE a good instrumental soundtrack and this one is surprisingly amazing!)

Curious George soundtrack LISTEN HERE (my sweet roommate got me this for Christmas. It reminds me of driving down Alaska's highways through the wilderness with Steph and her two little ones asleep in the back seat. Love that!)

Wicked Original Broadway Cast soundtrack LISTEN HERE (can't get enough of it!)

I'm terrible at finding new music. Each of these, except for Wicked which I discovered for myself about 3 years ago, was recommended or introduced to me by a friend. Wanted to share the love.

Holiday tradition

Last year it was 24. This year it's Heroes.

I've been wanting to watch this show since I saw the first one on my vacation in California. However, it just didn't fit into my schedule, and I was begged not to jump in after missing so many episodes because it would "ruin everything!" So I waited.
Thankfully, NBC takes pity on those of us who miss it on network TV. I watched all the past episodes on their website. The wait was worth it. LOVED IT! Go and check it out for yourself. My favorite characters are Hiro and Peter Petrelli (loved that actor as Jess on Gilmore Girls). Love me some good, new sci fi!

While I'm at home...

with the family, I'm using their computer. The one with all our pictures from the trip to the west coast in September. Since I haven't taken any pictures today, thought I'd post some of these. I realized that I still haven't finished posting about that trip. Shame on me. It was so amazing. One of the best I've ever taken. Here they are....oh, and these were all taken by my mom, so I can't take any credit for how good they turned out. Enjoy!

Getting back on the boat in Astoria, Oregon. Nerds? You betcha.

Our tour trolley took us across the Golden Gate and let us get off to take pictures before doing the rest of the city.

Cannon Beach, Oregon. We rented a car when we did the stop at Astoria and drove here. It's SO BEAUTIFUL here. The cutest little sea town. The weather was perfect.

On the tour trolley. Hello, Golden Gate Bridge! It was amazing. So much more beautiful than I expected.

Oh, yeah! I forgot about this shot! At the end of the day, we had about an hour left in San Fran before we had to be back on the boat. We decided to take a street trolley to Lombard Street. I HAD (one thing I've always wanted to do) to ride on the outside hanging on to the poles. SO NEAT. This was one of my favorite memories of this city.

The Roosevelt Hotel across from Grauman's Chinese Theater. I LOVED this wall paper. Not really this picture though. Yuk!

As many of you know, I've spent many an hour in the "Mystery Machine" at camp. Got to see the real one from the movies when we did the Warner Brothers tour. It's much smaller than the camp one!

Totally cool shot. Me at "County General Hospital" from ER. I've been an ER fan for years and years, so this was super fun. Recognize this entry way where the doctors go in a out as well as the ambulances?!

The "front door" of the ER. The doctors come in and out of this door all the time on the show. There is a rain machine way up by the roof of the building to change the weather.

On the cruise boat leaving Vancouver.

The tar pits in LA. Smelled absolutely horrible.

Veronica Mars Studio. They were filming that day too. Too cool!

Catalina Island off the coast of LA. I went kayaking with Mom, Dad and Timmy went diving. This picture makes me laugh cause we look like major tourists. Look at those expressions...

Kodak Theater, where the Oscars take place every year.

Happy Christmas!

I decided to make my own Christmas cards this year. Most of them have been mailed out and to those I may have forgotten, or you haven't gotten them yet, here's sneak peek. I didn't feel like sending out 6 pictures of me, so I decided to use shots of a couple of the places I have been this year. What a crazy year it has been! Reading back over my blog entries and my handwritten journal is such a lesson in God's provision. There are so many things that He has accomplished in my life, and so many things that I know He still would love to do if I would just get out of the way and let Him. I've been blessed greatly and grown. Still so much left to learn. That's what makes life exciting, right?! Who know what the next year may bring.....

I'm be home with my family for Christmas (except my preggo sis and her hubby. sniff, sniff.) and will post when I can. I hope that you all have a wonderful holiday, eat lots of cookies, enjoy your time with loved ones, and bask in the miracle of the God in heaven who came to earth. That thought has been giving me chills lately!

These are a few of my favor-ite thi-ngsss....

This post brought to you by my wireless internet. Love it...Mmmmmm...
A new headband from South Moon Under. If I only had the $$ to buy what I really want in that store. Everything!

Nothing better than a pile of new books to read. Thanks, J for the fun present!
I posted about this before. It sits on top of my computer and I look at it a million times a day. It still makes me smile each time.

I just have to have all of my favorite pictures near me. This fun mix hangs above my bed.

A new shirt from Forever 21.
Big Ben keychain I got from Harrod's in London. I LOVE this thing.

I made these CD's as a Christmas gift. Used this amazing wrapping paper that I LOVE as the cover.
My grandma sent me a yummy warm Christmas quilt. Thanks so much, G-ma!

What things make you smile right now?

Happy Birthday,

to you, little brother....

I heart NYC ***updated

More to come....

wickedly speechless

Yes, I was. I still don't really have the proper words to articulate how amazing this musical is. I sat with a huge, goofy smile plastered on my face for most of the performance.

Want a little taste?
You can listen here.
Or see pictures here.
And if you can go see it, DO IT!


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gave it a good ol' try

So, you've all heard of scrapbooking, right? Yeah, me too. Never been into it. I always thought it was silly cause there was no way that I would ever be able to scrap the bazillion pictures I take. Then I found a whole other world of scrapping that I had never known about. (thank you Elsie, Tara and Ali!!!)I'm still not 100%, but it's definately is fun to play around with.
This is my first try at 100% digital. Paper, ribbon, stickers, journaling, photo. Everything is done on the computer. Want to try? This is where I got all the supplies FOR FREE! Pretty cool. I love Creating Keepsakes magazine. It usually makes it's way with me up to the check out counter at Barnes and Noble once a month or so.
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picture fun

playing with Photoshop last night. love these.
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Links to amazing stories

As I go through my day, I usually think of at least 10 different things I could blog about. Problem is I usually forget by the time I get home and have time. So today, I decided that I would do it now while I'm thinking about it.
As you all know, I am a BIG advocate of adoption, especially China adoptions. My blogroll is full of blogs from families that have adopted or are getting ready to do so. I love, love, love following along and seeing their little ones grow and blossom. Several of the families that I have been following for over a year now have decided to adopt again. It was so exciting to open their site for the day and read the fun news. So I wanted to share their fun stories with you. Each of these sights are public sights and I found almost all of them on a site (www.chineseadoptionstories.homestead.com) which is in my "Links" section on the right.
So, if you are looking for a good read, forget the book and click on one of the links below. You won't be disappointed.

http://www.twotwinterrors.blogspot.com These are Emma and Esther's stories. Their oldest sister is the one who writes the blog. On the right side, they have a link for their individual stories plus their "movies." I LOVE this site. They are in the process of adopting a boy. Their 7th (!!!) kid! Be sure to click on Esther's blog to read her fun story. She just came home this summer.

www.waitingforsophie.blogspot.com Sophie was adopted from China a year ago. Right now, the family is in Guatemala adopting 2 more. Her new little sister's site http://princessisabella.blogspot.com/ is full of fun news. They are waiting for their little boy now.

www.always-in-myheart.blogspot.com today's post was a tear jerker. This family has adopted 4 little ones from China. And wait until you hear the story for their 5th. I just love the quote under "about me." Their videos are under the link "our family website." So neat! If you don't have time to read everything, watch the videos!

http://www.jazzieandtahlia.typepad.com/ 2 little cuties. Both from China. The pictures of these girls are priceless. Be sure to watch the videos under the Videos links. I've watched them several times.

www.familyalwaysandforever.blogspot.com The first site I found. Start HERE. Miyah's story grabbed me from the first picture. They are in the process of adopting their second.

And if you are touched by the stories and want to get involved, head on over to Shaohannah's Hope. It's an amazing organization that gives grants to Christian families who need funds. You can donate $$, pray for specific kids, or buy a Christmas ornament which all the proceeds go towards adoption grants. Plus, it has great info if you are wanting to adopt but don't know where to start. I've LOVED being a part of this ministry.

Enjoy reading!

Been thinking

and working lots lately. Our staff was on a staff retreat for the last 3 days.

Been thinking about lots of stuff: friends.... it's December and the year 2006 is about over (does anyone else think that this year went by quicker that normal?!).....enjoying the Scrubs premiere last night (this clip from the upcoming musical is hilarious!)....contemplating spending an enormous amount of cash on a new camera....thinking about where my life is going.....thinking about the things I see in myself that I need to change....being more confident in who I am as I get older(which is huge for this introvert)....realizing how much my life has changed in the last 2 years....feeling guilty for things that I fail to do. I guess it's just one of those days/weeks when I feel more caught up in my own head than I do in the world around me. Always good to re-evaluate and take inventory. I don't ever want to be at a point where I think "I am there. No change needed."
Also feeling the need to create something. Just don't know what it is yet. It's exciting to anticipate what it may be though.

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And I'm thankful for...

• Moments like this (camera dorks happy in their element)
• Family. I have the best one.
• Friends. They make my life sparkle.
• Job. It's the most challenging, frustrating, glorious, amazing experience I've ever encountered.
• My cottage. I never get tired of the water view.
• The Bible
• Blogs
• Email
• My imagination.
• Chocolate
• Cheese
• VCR's
• TV
• My many travels this past year.
• Pictures
• Water
• Babies on the way
• Comments on my blog (hint, hint, hint!!!)

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Around town

I adore "downtown." It's old, quaint and charming. Today in the brisk cool fall weather, I walked around downtown with friends. It was fun to show it off to someone who had never been there before. (We walked down this fun little alley that was too narrow for 2 people side-by-side. The bro decided that he wanted to scale the walls. Of course he had to have proof. There you go.) I know lots of towns have cool places, but I've never been anywhere like this. I was telling my gal pal that if God ever decides it's time for me to move away, I'll cry buckets. As many places as I've been too, this place is still my favorite. And being surrounded by friends that I love too makes it seem even more like the perfect place to be...

cause it's been a couple days

Been sick this week.

Also, started swimming at the local pool. I'm really excited about it. Love swimming, but not good at it at all. Can't wait to be better at it.

Got fun stuff in the mail. Paper stuff. Yummmmm.

Loved the Office and Veronica Mars this week. Oh, and ER. I'm addicted, like back when I was in high school/college in the George Clooney and Anthony Edwards days.

Working this weekend, but definately making time for Battlestar.

Realized the other night that I really watch a lot less TV than I did last year. I know, I know. Hard to believe isn't it!

I recommend this for viewing pleasure. You won't be disappointed.

And this for listening pleasure. Ooo, and this too. They've been on repeat lately.

Been thinking about a bloggy friend lately. Praying for her. I have no reason to complain in life. Truly.

There you go. No pictures, but I PROMISE there will be plenty next week. The whole clan is going to be home for the holidays. Oh, yeah!
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FYI

This week is adoption week on Focus on the Family. Today's broadcast was a replay of an amazing interview with Steven Curtis Chapman. He talks about how his family became involved in adoption (from China) and about the organization he started with his wife Shaohannah's Hope (they, along with many other things, give grants to families who are wanting to adopt, but don't have the $$). It's a really great interview. I am usually teary eyed by the end of it and I"ve heard it several times! You can listen

HERE

BACK

Okay, so tonight was amazing. Now, I know I've poured out my thoughts here often, so I must have talked about how much I hate living so far from all of my gal pals. I usually have to jump on a plane or drive a-ways to see any of them. Well, this past week, something really cool, yes, truly, amazingly, incredible happened. One of them moved BACK!!
So here's the story of me and Mel. We grew up together. Youth group trips, camp, Bible studies, coffee shops, shopping trips. We have a million and one stories. She wrote me letter after letter when I was in college (this was before the wonderful, easy world of email) . I LOVE this girl. She is so kind and generous and taught (and still is) me amazing lessons in life. She got married a couple years ago and moved away. We still saw each other every once in a while when she came home for holidays (not nearly enough). A couple months ago, she told me she was moving back. And, this is the coolest part, they moved back 'cause her husband is going to start a church. They were happy and content where they were...serving and growing, but they felt like God was calling them elsewere. They went. They followed. That's just amazing to me. So brave and so trusting that God has a perfect plan for them. She's about to have a baby in a couple weeks. I don't even need to tell you how excited I am that I get to be around for new little one! I went to get coffee (our old standing "thing to do") with her and her husband tonight. We laughed (oh my gosh, that girl makes me laugh! I missed that so much!) talked and just enjoyed each other's company. I was again reminded how there is nothing better in life than someone who loves you for who you are and just enjoys that God brought you together to learn from each other.

So any of you other girls feel like comin' back.......

Photoshop practice

inspiration found

I love it when I feel inspired to create. Here are a couple things that have created that spark lately.

• this post from Elsie. She has been a big inspiration for me since I found her work in the pages of a magazine a couple months ago. She's an amazing photographer (and scapbooker by trade). So when I found her post, I decided to pull up a bunch of my shots and play with them a little bit (hence the above shot).
• The new Disney commercial with the kid's that are doing something normal like jumping on their beds and then they start to fly like in Peter Pan (probably my favorite childhood story). Everytime it comes on, I stop whatever I'm doing and watch with my imagination running wild.
• The weather has been crazy the last few days. Yesterday, the fog (still loving those pictures). Today, sunny and warm. The colors are amazing in the trees. No humidty and great light. I see the world through the viewfinder of my camera when it's this pretty outside. If only it wasn't DARK when I get off work at night.
• Remembering my trip to Europe last year. It was a year ago this month. I've been looking at my pictures again and remembering all the sights and smells.
• Writing, writing, writing. I go through phases of wanting, no, needing to write. To get my thoughts down on paper. To create through words. I love it! Been filing up my journal lots lately.
• And Big Ben. The first time I saw it I had to catch my breath. Crazy how something so simple just "captures" you sometimes. Pictures don't do it justice.

What have you been inspired by lately? Have you created anything? Share the wealth and maybe you'll inspire someone else....