Happy Birthday, Bro...

Look man, that's us right there, seriously 20 years ago. TWENTY YEARS. Can you believe it? Man, we've come a long way, huh? I am sure in twenty more years, this picture will still be hanging at Mom and Dad's in the exact same spot...Your sweet face in that picture has grown sweeter with time...and more teeth of course. :) I love you bro, and on this special day, I just wanted to share some of the things I love about you the most...

You're willing to try new things...even if they make you look like an idiot. :) You're a great adventurer, for sure and I can see you traveling all around this great country and many more over the course of your long life...
You're freakin' hilarious and I miss your laugh all the time. You're always in a great mood and your good attitude about things is definitely contagious. You take time to appreciate the little things and you always want people to be happy, no matter what's going on, and you try your hardest to make them laugh. I know I've benefited from many a phone call from you--when I was way down in the dumps and your humor lifted me up...

Every time I watch Billy Madison I miss you :). 
You are a great pilot, so focused for someone so young. You have a lot to accomplish in this life but you've gotten a pretty great head start. I know sometimes it's hard to know if we're on the right path and it's a constant struggle to stay focused...but you do a great job of visualizing what you want and you get it. I'm so proud of all you've done and I know the next 100 years on earth (yes you will outlive all of us) will be full of successes.
You love me even though I was a jerk to you for most of our young lives. I'm so happy we're friends now. I'm glad we're both in good places in our lives and we can share all the joys, sorrows and struggles we go through. We have seen so much family drama in our lives and I'm glad you and I have seen how hard it is for people to get along when they don't want to. I'm glad we're not like that. You accept people with all of their faults and try to look for the best in everyone and are genuinely concerned about people. That's one of the best parts of you, ol' boy. 
I have missed so much of your life by being far away...I just hope that you know how much you mean to me and how much I love you. You know I had to venture out on my own, and you don't hold that against me. Thank you for that. Plus, you get a sweet place to visit...and, hey, you could always move here, you know?? 
I can't wait for you to be an Uncle, either. This year is big for our family...I just wish I would have waited to get married until you were 21 so you could really participate in all the debauchery that is coming up next month. :) I'm sure you're still have a great time and be the best designated driver this town has ever seen. It's just how you do...
I love you, bro. I am so lucky to have you as my brother. I hope you have the best birthday ever...well, next year, I'm coming up to Idaho to celebrate for sure, or we're going to Mexico...something spectacular will happen and Dad will not be allowed to pick you up from the bar. We're not letting that happen again... ;)

I can't wait to see you in a few weeks and give you the biggest hug possible. I miss you every day. 

So much love,

J

The Natives Have Become Restless...

And by natives, I mean my mother. And Mr. Travis Dodd, the two most loyal readers I've got...

Sorry, guys, it's been a busy few weeks. But I'm gonna hop back on the blog here...let's see if I can condense the past month into one post...

I went to New York for almost two weeks. The trip was long, but Jonathan and I had a great time...selling melamine and meeting new friends. It was definitely a difficult market with the economy in its current position, but we persevered...Of course, we had to go to Anthropologie (a wee scene above full of delicious succulents...) and we walked around a ton. You'd think I would take a thousand pictures but I was so sweaty most of the time, I could barely do anything but move straight ahead!

So much good "street art" up there...Little vignettes everywhere. 

Jonathan was kind enough to accompany me to this little place which can be found at the end of The Dark Tower series by Stephen King (which I am currently geeked about)...This spot is the home of the Rose, which represents the Dark Tower. In the book, Hammarskjold Plaza is built over the rose to protect it from destructive forces. I couldn't go to New York City, reading this wonderful series, and NOT venture here. So here  I am. At the beginning and end of it all. 
I do wish I would have been sucked into some parallel universe, but  guess since I'm not done with the series, I'm not equipped to live in such a place...Soon, though...I did venture home the day after this little adventure. And it did feel like a parallel universe compared to the weeks we spent in the city.
My man built this wee fence at the front of our house to give our side yard some room to grow. We put that little path in, as well. Things are shaping up for sure. The wedding is officially 31 days away!
That's our sweet Reebsie, trying it out. She's the only one who will walk on the rocks, the others go around...
And we've been manicuring and planting as much as we can to get ready for the big day...
And, mom, I'm sure you want to know. No, no eggs yet. And it's a point of contention. They need to get layin'...Everytime I buy a dozen eggs, I curse them...Maybe that's the problem...
Despite the chickens sad performance, the garden is doing pretty well. Some harvesting here and there. No gourds yet, unfortunately. They were going to be my pride and joy, but they've turned into my biggest enemy. I'll know better next year, for sure. It's all about beans next time around. 
Skyler turned 9 yesterday and my mom turned 40...Kidding. but she could pass for it. We went to a party at Trina's all day Sunday...little girls, presents, cake, family, friends...it was a great way to spend the day. And yesterday, I got the pleasure of going out on the boat with the whole gang, which for me, is a big step. Boats and I have always given each other the stink eye...Or maybe I just thought the boats all hated me...I fared well yesterday and had a great time, though I came home with some crispy red skin...A little aloe vera and I'm all set.
It was so beautiful out there. Very peaceful...I'm so glad I got to go. It was nice to sit and talk with family with no phones, no computers, nothin' but chatter and laughter and little girl squeals!

It has been a great month and I'm sorry I don't have more pictures to share. I promise I'll start documenting a little more...Wasn't my last post about how I suck at taking pictures? Ah well, I'll try again! Happy Birthday, Mom! I'm sorry I didn't do a special shout out...You know I love you more than words can explain. I can't wait for you to get here...xoxoxo

I Never Take Enough Pictures...

(Side note: At this point, we migrated and the camera swam around in my purse while we enjoyed ourselves..We drank and danced until the wee hours on the morning and headed home with smiles on our faces and sore legs...I awoke without a hangover, which was a great birthday present indeed.)

My 9,490th day...

We slept in a little.

My man kissed me Good Morning.

He wished me a Happy Birthday.

He went to work.

I fed the dogs. 

I took a shower and brushed my teeth.

I tried to do something with this mass of hair.

I got dressed.

I made the bed.

I swept the floor. 

I walked around outside and looked at my plants.

I picked some leaves and fed them to the chickens.

I went to get coffee.

Skyler called and sang me happy birthday.

My heart melted.

I hugged 20 people in less than 10 minutes.

I sat and talked and laughed and drank.

I drove to work.

Julia called and sang me happy birthday in Finnish.

I wrote some e mails.

I printed some papers.

I checked Facebook.

I couldn't stop smiling.

I shared earphones with Megan and listened to new music.

I got a call from my mom.

I got a call from my dad.

I got some work done. 

Not enough, probably.

But my boss let me go home early. 

I went to lunch with a good friend.

We talked about food and religion and the past and the future.

We went to get more coffee.

It was drizzling when we came out.

My favorite kind of weather.

I got a call from Eddie and Mary Kate.

I sang my favorite song in the car on the way home.

The dogs greeted me and licked my legs with fervor. 

I sat down in my favorite chair.

I read a beautiful story from a good friend.

I cried a little because I'm so lucky.

And thought about how many days I've already had.

And how many more I will have.

I got a call from Trae.

He's on his way home.

In the rain.

On this, my 9,490th day.

I Must Have These...

And I want hundreds of them. I just saw these lovely book jackets on DesignSponge and I had to post them.

Made by Brooklyn's Book City Jackets.  They are $9 each, made out of kraft paper. How delightful. 

I can't help it...

I'm a podcast junkie, that's no secret. I became a junkie through another addict, Ms. Sari Gunderson, who introduced me to the boundless beauty of National Public Radio, and Public Radio International. And ever since that day, two years ago, when she told me about This American Life, my own life has never been the same. Now, that may seem over-dramatic to some, but I think that just means you've never listened to it. :)

Some of you may not even know how to get these podcasts...so we'll start there. 

You can access most podcasts through iTunes, or often times, the NPR and PRI websites have these podcasts available for download or you can just stream and listen to them while by your computer. I use iTunes mainly because I like to change out the podcasts daily on my iPod. 

Let's start here...

This American Life, hosted by the delightful Ira Glass.

Definitely my number one Podcast, but it only comes out once a week, so I've been through the archives a few times... Each week, they choose a theme and put together different kinds of stories on that theme. Each episode has a theme because "a theme makes it seem like there's a reason to sit and listen to a story about a contest where everyone stands around a truck for days until only one person is left on their feet...or a grown man trying to convince a skeptical friend that not only has he heard the world's greatest phone message, but that it's about the Little Mermaid...or a man who's obsessed with Niagra Falls..." (taken from This American Life's website) Basically, it's a story about people of all sorts, in situations that sometimes we can relate to, and sometimes we can't, but that's what makes it so incredibly fascinating. If you've ever broken up with someone, this one's for you. If you have ever wondered what your hormones mean in the grand scheme of things, this episode will shock you...And I have to note this one, for my hubby, about the Chairman of the Board...I'm telling you, there's something for everyone on this podcast. And I challenge you not to fall in love with Ira Glass. I'm smitten.
Radiolab airs on WYNC and is hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich. They describe their show : "Radiolab believes your ears are a portal to another world. Where sound illuminates ideas, and the boundaries blur between science, philosophy, and human experience. Big questions are investigated, tinkered with, and encouraged to grow. Bring your curiosity, and we'll feed it with possibility." I encourage you to listen to their piece on Morality as a starter and ask your friends what they would do if posed with these situations dealing with right and wrong. I guarantee you'll be surprised which side people lean toward... My favorite of all time is the episode about Memory And Forgetting, mostly because my memory is so terrible and this podcast shed light on why I can't remember, and why I sometimes do...I recommend any episode of this show--and you'll want to listen to them again and again...In this podcast, I was also introduced to Oliver Sacks, a scientist who has written some pretty incredible books about how our brains work and how they sometimes fail us. My favorite is called The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat.
The StoryCorps project involves a group of people traveling around America in an AirStream, talking to people about their lives and encouraging them to share their stories. These podcasts are usually short, so I like to put about 5 or 10 on my iPod at a time...they are all so different. It's kind of a sounding off for people about important issues in their lives. One man talks about his Alzheimer's disease while his wife discusses their 60-year relationship...Another man talks about his time in Vietnam and how he feels about his son's stint in Iraq...A woman discusses her decision to put her child up for adoption, and re-connects with her 40 years later. I dare you not to cry while listening to these podcasts...they aren't all so serious, I promise...

All Songs Considered is my brand new obsession, and I think it might overtake a large part of my music collection in iTunes. All Songs Considered is hosted by Bob Boilen and focuses on an eclectic mix of fresh music by emerging and breakout bands and musical icons. They just covered the Newport Folk Festival and recorded some of my favorite artists. The recorded concerts are crisp and clear and it really sounds like you are there (without all the hassle of crowds, which I love)...I recommend listening to this wonderful performance from Iron and Wine, then perhaps have a sultry moment with Lucinda Williams, or perhaps you'd like to mellow out with the iconic Radiohead for an hour or so...The concerts are great and the interviews are even better.
And of course, what would NPR be without this lady...The fabulous Terry Gross, the host of Fresh Air, a daily show consisting of interviews with political leaders, entertainment icons and general interest stories that are sure to make you think. I usually finish up my day with Mrs. Gross, she's got a nice, mellow voice and asks some great, off beat questions of the folks she interviews. I love her interview with Stephen Colbert and there are some great new episodes this month with Judd Apatow and Ben Bernanke. And you'll love how she says "I'm Terry Gross and this is Fresh Air." 

So that's a start. I know this is kind of a random post, but I have been feeling kind of overwhelmed by the awesomeness of NPR lately and I think many of you will be, too. I hope to gain some fellow addicts with this post, so give these shows a few hours of your time and see what happens. 

The PEN Story...

I am addicted to stop motion...I wish I had the patience for something as complex as this, but alas, I don't. So I'll just enjoy other people's patience. :) Happy Wednesday.