the wonder.

I haven't been able to stop listening to this guy all day.  Sure, it's cliche to love Stevie Wonder, but I can remember obsessing over him from a young age.  I grew up in a house where we listened to oldies ALL THE TIME.  You know, The Beatles, Chicago, and, yes, Stevie.  And as I've grown older, I have really come to appreciate him and his music.

For someone who couldn't see, he understood true beauty and he really felt his music.  My favorite song, Ebony Eyes, is so interesting to listen to; he talks about things as if he could really see them.  And for all I know, he did see them, in his own way.  But he saw and felt beauty in a way very unaffected from the world.  I love that.  He has a way of making women feel beautiful and great...to him, beauty was a personality, a way of being treated.

 Now I'm not going to give all the usual BS about how girls hate being called hot, they would rather be called beautiful...shut up.  Women everywhere, unless I'm very very very mistaken, love being referred to as hot.  It's a dream come true.  But when I hear Stevie talk about a "devestatin' beauty", I somehow get the butterflies.  He never complains or dwells on the fact that he can't physically see the beauty, but he sure can feel it.

Sorry Usher and Pitbull.  Talking about thongs and boobs isn't going to make me love you (but I do love your songs, I promise).  Stevie has my heart, and for all he knows, I could have ebony eyes.

Here is my goal: to stop looking with my eyes and start feeling with my heart.  If I was blind for a day, who would I want to be seen with?  Who would I want to spend my time with?  If appearance didn't matter, how different a person would I be?  Just some things to ponder.  Now, go listen to the Wonder. It might put you in a better mood (try Sir Duke, Living For the City, and, of course, Ebony Eyes).

the little smiths.

We take at least two walks a day.  Whenever there is high stress, boredom, or too many people in the house, my dad rallies up the troops and takes the aggressors for a walk.  The aggressors this vacation have been, of course, the two little ones who can't seem to control the urge to scream, yell, cry, and just be kids, so they need to run off their energy and stress (what could they possibly be stressed about? I don't remember the last time they had to pay rent).  So their cute little bodies rush around the house collecting boots, sweaters, and usually a couple toys that they end up handing to an adult when they get too tired of carrying it along in their ever so small hands.  Then Alta, who has every desire in the world to be best friends with German Shepard, grabs hold of the horse leash and chases the giant dog around the house until Bop (my patient dad) helps clip the big guy into his leash.  Walks are our favorite time of the day.  Here are some captured moments.   

see what i mean? it's adorable

my little superhero

my little altoid 

bop, grammy, and the little kitty

I'm obsessed with these munchkins.  Sorry I'm not sorry.  Word to the wise: if you ever find that emotions are high - especially your own - it's never too late to get to know and love your neighborhood.  Leave the phone at home, pick up your camera, and stretch those little leggies.

oh, the guilt.

After a wonderful, simple Christmas where we enjoyed watching the little ones delightfully open their gifts, I was a little disheartened on December 26th when I had nothing from dear old St. Nick that would enhance my ever-dwindling wardrobe.  Now I know that Christmas is about much more than gifts, and I was more than happy to oblige the requests of no present-giving or receiving.  In fact, I loved the stress-free and Spirit-filled atmosphere it brought!  But let me tell you, I'm never one to pass up an opportunity to vocalize excuses to make my closet happy.  Especially with this new little secretary gig I'm going to have to be looking pretty good for from 8-11 on weekdays.  Wow.  What a doozy that will be when, in my eyes, I only have about 3 functioning shirts and a pair of boots I wear almost daily (even though I'm sure they're so last season...who knows what that even means).  

So, I took myself to heaven for a couple hours this morning and perused all my online hot spots.  Good golly.  Then I went to hell when, after a satisfying round of shopping, I checked in on Wells Fargo.  Oh the irony of shopping for work clothes.  This resulted in guilty visits to my laptop every few hours on and off throughout the day to add to my ever-growing shopping list and not-so-subtle hints to the parents about how good I've been and how, oh daddy, shouldn't I have professional pieces in my wardrobe for the workplace?  I'm going to let them sleep on those thoughts before I go full-throttle in the morning.  Yes, I have been good.  That good?  Only time will tell.  

I can't wait for all these babies to come: these pants, this shirt, and these beauties in the yellow.  I'm obsessed with every single one. 

I can't wait for these to soon make their way into my budget: this shirt and this shirt.

christmas in the big easy

Yesterday, the Smith sibs spent all day in the city.  Literally.  I thought my feet were going to be stuck in my boots for the rest of my life after last night.  Holy cow though it was totally worth it.  Let me show you.

Oh hey.

Jazz at Jackson Square

Those mystics...

Beignets as Cafe du Monde

The sibs at the Mississppi

And last, enjoyed some real jazz at Preservation Hall.

And now it's Christmas Eve, and after a night of driving around looking at lights, eating Mary & Joseph finger food, reading the Christmas Story from Luke, and trying on outfits for church tomorrow with my sister-in-law, the Smith's are settled in watching Miracle on 34th Street.  We were going to watch It's a Wonderful Life, but SOMEONE forgot to bring it...
For some reason, I've found it hard to get into the Spirit of Christmas this year.  Perhaps it's because I had to focus on finals for the first half of the month.  Maybe I should write a letter to BYU to complain?

we are so merry.

We all gathered to give Gabriel a quiz.

We must teach the babies which animals are ok to approach in The Household.

My little Alta Noelle

Never the holidays without wassail!

We got a little creative with our fourth meal.  No judgment.

Our last batch!

Nate took things into his own hands...he wanted a "special" cookie.

My little blond mama.

Stay safe, my little angels!  Remember to be jolly this week.  

i cried so many times.

People. Is this for real? I have forever resented being as young as I am for many reasons, one of the main ones being I was too young to experience this masterpiece in the theatre like the rest of humanity did.  I have since made up for that tragedy by watching this movie time and time again, fast forwarding and rewinding to make sure I didn't miss the full glory of my favorite scenes.  So touching.  Wonder of wonders and miracle of miracles, I will get to sit back in front of the big screen and fall in love with Jack Dawson for what could be the millionth time.  Move out of the way, Rose.  You let go of him, and this is what you get.  April, come sooner please!  

So this is what it comes down to.  I have watched this preview - full screen on a desktop with the lights off - so many times and I still tear up when I hear Celine's powerhouse-voice kick in and hearing that bell and seeing that old couple crying on the bed...my goodness.  Good work, James Cameron. 

You know, every time I go up a grand(-ish) staircase, I try to picture Jack Dawson waiting for me at the top.  Ok, so I'm a romantic.  I get it.  If you can't accept that, then you're not invited to the movie with me.  

it's always awkward when...

I made it!  My skin is so happy that I can rely on the humidity instead of 18 gallons of moisturizer and that it's in the 60's.  My goodness.  Is it really December?  I slept until noon, woke up to Christmas music in the kitchen and multiple Christmas tasks with my name on it - hanging up my ornaments on the tree, making treats, and showering. Wait.
Anyways, we then got a treat!  Relaxing in a movie theatre for 2 hours with our cool glasses to see this in 3-D.  Not my favorite, but Scorsese sure has a way of making things magical and weird.

A true appreciator of French culture.

Holy moly me oh my.   Soon after arriving - in fact, it was as we were waiting for our baggage - I was made aware of a Christmas party in my parent's ward for tonight.  I just got back from it.  What a night.  You know how you can walk into a room and know people have been talking about you?  It's a horrible feeling.  I felt the curious stares and I also felt the daggers piercing into my back when I wasn't looking.  Wow wow wow I know this sounds dramatic.  But let me tell you, I broke up with the boy everyone thought I was going to marry, and he just so happens to be a member of this ward.  A long time member.  He's one of their own, and I'm just some teeny-bopper whose parents just happened to move into the ward last year. AWFUL.  I mean, all in all, tonight wasn't as bad as one could have expected.  And he wasn't even there, that greeting will come tomorrow.  I know I hurt him...I tend to do that.  I tend to let my feelings get away with me then I don't know what to do.  Yikes it's miserable what I've done to people and what it, in return, has done to me.  I need to be careful!  I'm not sure my feelings for this boy will ever go away, and I still feel so comfortable around him and trust him more than anyone, but I have no idea what the future holds.  For right now, I feel just right and that I'm doing the right thing.  I just like boys too much.  I constantly have a crush list, extending sometimes to 10 names.  But this is all beside the point.  The point it, I'm not exactly wanted here.  Take me back to Colorado?

homeward bound.

The end is in sight! I'm sitting in a very busy airport, plugged into my compy listening to Beethoven, and I have never been happier with life.  The only thing that's missing is a man...or a ring.  Either one.  Listen.  I finished my finals yesterday, I got the job I've been wanting with all my little heart, and the Smith Family will be reunited in just a few short hours.  And I just received word that we passed cleaning checks.  Oh, and I've gone to bed listening to Mistletoe every night for the past week.  Talk about good dreams.

But all of this has come to pass with nothing short of crazy, hair-pulling nights of occasional studying (oops).  As much as I hate to admit it, I will miss dear MR5 for the next two and half weeks while I'm spending some time in The Big Easy.  I guess I will have to indulge in beignets and pralines and long-night talks with Mama Smith to soothe my soul.

This is what finals drives us to do.

So this week has been good.  Let me tell you, I didn't stress about finals nearly as much as I should have.  I stressed more about what I was going to pack for home.  I passed (kind of) all my finals, though, so don't you worry.  I'm still responsible.  

Well darlings, expect to hear from me often in the next couple weeks.  I will be having so much glorious down time I won't know what to do with all my joy.  Hallelujah for this luxurious break from school, I need it!  Stay safe.