PERSONIFICATION

I'm sure I looked like the paparazzi to my Easter tulips--the way I followed them around with a camera all week. 

Here are my Easter tulips {thanks Mom} watching the sunrise. 

And helping me enjoy an afternoon snack. 

And hangin' with Andrew while he watched a baseball game on-line. 

That is until  I stole them back they soon got bored and chose to help me proofread my cousin's book instead. 

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Heather's book is so fun, and when it's published you'll all want to be the first ones in line to buy it. You won't be sorry.

This is Andrew informing me that allowing the tulips to accompany us on our Friday night date is "out of the question."

I guess he just wanted some alone time without the little ones. But I shared my ice-cream when we returned. 

Sweet dreams.  

WEBSITE WEDNESDAY-- Vivian Maier, street photographer

This story about Vivian Maier has fascinated me to no end! 

Watch the video clip below for the juicy details, but let me fill you in on the basics:

• Thousands of old negatives and rolls of undeveloped film discovered in storage a few years ago
• Man buys them all at an auction and begins sorting through the boxes
• Stunned by the beautiful street photography he finds
• Begins scanning and archiving images never seen by anyone
• Discovers a name: Vivian Maier
• Googles her and comes up with an obituary...from a few days before!
• Through research, finds her to be a private, family-less, old maid nanny 
• She spent spare time on the streets of Chicago with an old film camera during the 60's
• Word gets out about this discovery
• Art exhibitions, documentaries, book offers, and movie offers follow
• Only a fraction of the images have been scanned--there are so many!
• Scanning process continues daily
• Every so often, a new, amazing image will be posted on THIS BLOG.

Her photography captures such a unique life from such a distinct time period. And I am in love with her style: pictures of real people, living real life. No posing, or lights, or editing. Just naturally beautiful.

Here are a few favorites that have been developed thus far: 

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(Check out vivianmaier.blogspot.com for the rest.) 

{lovely}

{Make anyone else think of Charlie & the Chocolate Factory?}

{fantastic!}

{poor thing...}

{fantastic perspective...love the shadow framing the women}

{dramatic}

{hard day? too much to drink?}

{what a coat!}

{classic look}

{lovely silhouette}

{neighborhood fun}

{Now days, these girls would be chatting through Facebook}

{love the light hitting that adorable expression}

{hello there}

{ha!}

{ya gotta go when ya gotta go}

{He looks slightly baffled over what to do with it}

{Isn't the cigar awesome?}

{such sweet, innocent faces!}

{pick a little, talk a little...}

{lovely lighting on the walls}

{Wowza, what a shawl}

{another classic woman}

{wise, wrinkled face}

{oh. my. goodness. absolutely stunning.}

{i wanna hear the music!}

{one of my very favorites}

Each one tells an amazing story. What are your favorites?

WEBSITE WEDNESDAY-- [framed] photo site

I can't even remember how I found it. But I'm sure glad I did! Their weekly episodes are my new guilty pleasure.
Along with Moose Tracks.And maple bars.And those Little Debbie chocolate swirly cakes with frosting in the middle.
But anyways...
Every Tuesday, [FRAMED] posts a 15-minute documentary-style video about a different photographer. They've hit up photographers in the Salt Lake area of various styles: film, digital, high fashion, family, children, etc. Next, they're headed to Portland, Oregon.
It's been fun to learn about what entails a photo shoot, a photography business, and the editing process. I get a weekly behind-the-scenes look at the real deal. SO cool.
If photography is your kind of thing, visit their site and take a look around. When I first found it, I spent an hour at least, getting lost in their older episodes. I dare you to do the same. Have fun!

Well, I'm gonna go now. I wonder if Andrew left me any of that ice cream...

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

1.)

I got a haircut last week. {side view}

I think it's pretty shnazzy. {front view}

shnazzy (adjective)

snazzy, spiffy, cool with some sophistication, a snazzier update on snappy + jazzy 

2.)

Thrift stores are the BOMB. Brand-new $30 belt from American Eagle {with the tags still on it} for one dollar.

     bomb (noun)

1. (before 1995) Something really bad; a failure 

2. (after 1995) Something considered excellent and/or the best (uses modifier "the")

Once, I was sitting in a ward council meeting when the young Sunday school president used the phrase "bomb diggity." The juxtaposition of that phrase in such a serious setting, plus the fact that none of the old, balding brethren surrounding me even batted an eyelid, made me very, very happy. 

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     bomb diggity (adjective)

totally the awesomest, no lie

I encourage all of you to use it in a sentence this week and report back to me. 

3.)

It's still winter in Rexburg. In case you were wonderin'. 

4.)

MMmmmm...There's nothing like leftover pizza for breakfast...

Please tell me I'm not the only one. 

     left·o·ver  [left-oh-ver]
noun Usually, leftovers. food remaining uneaten at the end of a meal, especially saved for later use. Like microwaved for breakfast the next day.

5.)

On a clear day, this is the view of the Tetons from where I work.

     work [wurk] 
(noun) A worldwide slave labour organization run by *The Man. A place where people have to go everyday to get paid. 

     *The Man [th uh man]
(noun) The Man is the head of "the establishment" put in place to "bring us down." The Man wields power and seeks to oppress.  In some cases, it's a male Caucasian between the ages of 60-70, with a buzzed head, and an unnatural love for the sound of his own voice. 

6.)

I thought this sunset from the other night was the bomb diggity. So I thought I'd share. 


That's all. Aren't you glad we had this talk?

TOP 3 CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

Some good things happened at our house on Christmas. Let me fill you in on the top three favorites of the holiday...

#3.) The  family game we opened on Christmas Eve this year was Ticket to Ride. Many hours of cross-country train adventuring followed. 

#2.) Chocolate. Fondue. Enough said. 

Except for one thing. You can't go wrong with chocolate. We dipped bananas, pretzels, brownie bites, strawberries, marshmallows, and dried pomegranates! And the verdict?

All good. All favorites.

And while we're on the topic, just let me add: it only took whipping cream and a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips melted on the stove. I found the recipe HERE and simplified it.

Oh, and I would recommend halving it. Even after the exorbitant amounts of chocolate we ate, there was still a LOT left over.

On a side note--for all those out there who raised their eyebrows at the mention of dried pomegranates--it was just our attempt at recreating this insane sweet (insane meaning TOTALLY FREAKIN AWESOME) shared by some certain fine family members of ours.

Really hard to keep on the fondue forks...but otherwise, delicious.

I think we found a new Christmas Eve tradition. 

And finally...#1) The top favorite holiday moment was opening this most treasured of gifts. Wrapped in tissue paper and mailed from Washington...a necklace and bracelet set handcrafted by my nephew Braxton.

This is Braxton. 
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Five years old and already in tune with what the ladies love. 

Funky, sparkly, made out of pipe cleaners, and completely fabulous. You can't go wrong with jewelry. Thanks, Brax.