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perfection

Snuggling in bed for 30 minutes after our alarms ring.  Making pancakes from scratch.  

Listening to Nick Drake.  Watching highlights from October's General Conference.  

All while watching the b e a u t i f u l snow fall from our windows.

do these effectively hide my thunder?

what show rules? this show rules.

Neal A Maxwell: The hippie of the spiritual giants

Good news everyone!  After a little over 7 weeks (more like 6 due to pneumonia or something of the like plaguing me for 1 of those weeks), I feel semi comfortable (what?) as a full-time, speech teaching, schedule planning, meeting attending, classroom leading Speech-Language Pathologist.  I'm finally able to complete most of my paperwork, planning, and scheduling before or after school and still get home to make dinner at a decent hour.  Unfortunately, because I come home so exhausted, I turn on the tv and veg until I realize it's 11pm and I should probably go to bed.  (Getting cable was not a good thing for me, apparently...)  Yes, this may be an exaggeration, but in retrospect I know there are so many better ways my free time at home could be spent.  Thus we reach my new personal goal: Read all of the uplifting/spiritual/revelatory, scripture-supplementing books I have always kept on my reading list, including but not limited to The Collected Works of Neal A. Maxwell, Jesus the Christ, Preach My Gospel, The Screwtape Letters, etc. etc.

I started Volume I of Neal A. Maxwell's Collected Works and have had a great (but weird at times) experience.  The first book in the volume is called "...A More Excellent Way".  This is about leadership.  While it was interesting to parallel his thoughts on leadership to the upcoming election, but it felt sort of outdated and not really applicable.  So I skimmed it.  Now I'm in the middle of the next book, "For the power is in them..."  I love how Maxwell finds a way to be poetic and straight forward.  I also love his interesting and unusual comparisons to spirituality and doctrine to make his point more clear, relatable, and memorable.  I have also been surprised by some of his interests and passions that peek out every now and then.  For instance, I found his tree-hugging, Al Gore side today!

"Man is acquiring a new respect - almost too late - for the wondrous order and ecology of nature, in which the relationships of organisms and their environments reflect natural cycles and rhythm.  The pollution of our atmosphere and streams, the denigration of nature's mountain wonders, and the general loss of man's direct interface with nature (which may be greater a spiritual need than we of the asphalt age realize) have suddenly shown us, more clearly than many of us have ever known before, that the order of nature is violated at our peril, and that man may not walk on earth without interruptional impunity...This concern with man's developing a more harmonious relationship with nature by abiding by its physical laws that are as immutable and as inevitable as those breeched laws of nature for which we now beginning to pay a terrible price."

Basically, I love Elder Maxwell.  I love his eloquence.  But most of all, I love that he's a nature lover.

wide awake

Love her, hate her, you have to admit:

1. Her hair looks amazing
2. She's honest

and most importantly...

3. This is such a sweet, important (albeit obvious) message to younger girls

maybe the only thing that could ever make me want twins

thanks, ellen.  this is fab.

i missed you

I missed the John Mayer who wears cargo pants and cowboy hats because he likes them; who uses his guitar as a second melodic voice; who sings about neil young and joni mitchell.  He found himself again.  Enjoy!

Tip on the Tightrope

Don't know how I've missed Jenelle Monáe thus far, but I owe Luke a big thanks for the introduction last night.  I've been jammin' to this tonight.  Can't get enough of her dance moves or her funky beats.  Listen:

may i brag for a minute more?

1.  Graduation is next week.  Unreal.
2.  My internship has been/continues to be the best experience!  The Children's Center is such a beautiful program.  The administration is dedicated and flexible.  They continue to push the program to be better. The TPS's are motivated. And. Need I even mention how cute the kids are?  If it wasn't illegal, I'd have pictures of every one of my 81 kids on here.  I miss them over the weekend.  I hate to think that May 31st (the last day of my internship) is soon approaching.  I want to adopt each and every one of them.  I may or may not have already looked into how to become a foster parent.  I learn so much from these kids each day I am there.  My 2-4 year old kiddos have witnessed/been a victim of such shocking and horrifying experiences.  If I think about it too long, I have to stop myself from crying.  Needless to say, I love my internship.
3.  I got a job!  My dream job!!  Starting August 15th (yes, I get my summer off! Sort of...), I will be working for Spectrum Academy.  It is a charter school for children with autism.  I CANNOT WAIT.  I had the opportunity to work with a nonverbal young boy with autism at the clinic.  He was my favorite client!  I loved my autism class.  I love everything about working with kids with autism.  Could my life get any better?
4. Enough about me.  Turn off pandora and listen to this right now.  You won't be disappointed.  Gretchen and Georgie's voices were meant for each other.  I have the most talented friends.

5.  George has such a brilliant mind.  Or, as George would say, a "brill-balls 9000" mind.  Not only can he sing like an angel, paint like a master, make me laugh til I cry, BUT he can also design and create the most beautiful clothes.  He has orchestrated a fashion show to display his and Honey Shoe's work on May 11th.  Info is located here.  Here is a little preview of what you will see/what Georgie has accomplished!  He might get mad at me for posting this, but whatevs.

6.  I know I already talked about Luke and his craze-balls musical talent, but whoa!  MATTEO is blowing up the intraweb!  They have been featured in city weekly, several popular blogs, oh...and they were on the front page of this little site called BOINGBOING!!  Whaaaat!  Listen to their amazing Talking Heads cover and go here to support them on their China adventure!!

PEACE.

may i brag for a minute?

Yesterday, I sat in my last graduate level lecture.  I am well on my way to becoming a master of science in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Utah.  I will have credentials.  Granted, I still have to do a clinical fellowship year, but I will have credentials!

Simon?  He whizzed through school, Magna Cum Laude as an undergraduate.  After graduating with his masters, he was offered a job at every place to which he applied.

WOOT!

I have a dear, dear friend who just had the most beautiful baby boy, and two other dear friends with babies on the way.  All three are/will be the most beautiful, kind mothers.

Luke, Megan's adorable 3-week-old boy.

Cameron, Danielle's smiley13-month-old. Baby #2 is arriving in May!!

Gretchen is working for AmeriCorps, using her Spanish she learned while on an LDS mission.  The service she renders is inspiring.

WINK!

Kat is the assistant director for Oakcrest this summer.  It is incredible to think of the hundreds of lives she will bless. I couldn't be happier for her and those who she will meet this summer.

Man, I love this girl.

Luke has become one of the most accomplished musicians over a timespan in which most could only dream.  Each project or band he takes part in offers so much to the musical world.

This is the 3rd song from Luke's solo project.  Check out all three.  You won't regret it.

also...http://matteomusic.com/

Linds just received this message...She's studying art therapy and aims to design academic curriculums that access and rely upon the right hemisphere.

I have other dear friends who are working toward law degrees, doctorate degrees, art degrees, psychology degrees, friends in medical school, friends on the east coast working hard to get our economy back on track, friends working with the elderly to improve their quality of life.  

I am so proud to be part of such a strong, beautiful force of accomplished people.  We live in an exciting world!

Why Hello

Well, it's me, Simon.  I don't know if Kimberlee ever told you that this was supposed to be OUR blog. She's definitely reminded me about that from time to time.  I have a strange relationship with blogging -- it's something I've always thought might be good to do, but I've never been sure I really have much to say. But I know in the back of my mind that the way you find your voice is to use it, so use it I will.

See, I've been thinking a lot lately about producing and consuming creativity.  Most of us consume the creativity of other's all day every day; we listen to music, read books, go to galleries, watch tv shows, read articles, pin things, watch youtube videos, read facebook updates, watch sports, even shop for things.  And sometimes we produce creativity too: we play music, film something, dance, write a blog post, sew clothing, mix music, take photographs, craft trinkets, build a home, or sing in the shower.  Some of what we consume is memorable, and some we wish we could forget.  And some of what we create is wonderful, some is trash, some things catch on and are seen by hundreds or thousands of people, and some stay in a notebook or under the bed, never to be seen by anyone: and those four come in all possible combinations.

So what is the right balance? Producing in a world void of consumers lacks meaning, and consuming just isn't possible without makers.  But how much is too much?  I think it comes back to those two little bits of wisdom that always sneak into these questions.

1. It depends on the person
2. All things in moderation

I believe that we all have some of each in us.  And I believe that many of us are drawn to one and have to struggle not to let it stomp out the other.  And that's as true of the person who spends 20 hour days making a movie as it is of the person that spends 20 hour days watching all 6 seasons of whatever.  I'm not saying never do it. I'm saying keep your perspective.  And maybe err a little on the side of creating.

And finally, when I sat down to write this post tonight, I wanted to share a video with you, and I have to apologize to whoever it was that shared this with me -- I just can't remember who it was, but thank you.  And thank you to Bon Iver for being willing to create in public.  If you have a half hour, use your ration of consumption on this:

herein lies the quality of the internet

Two posts in one day? Must be my blog revamp. Or my inability to do anything productive today.

There are several times in life where I turn to youtubes (or clips on hulu/other tv sites) when I feel particularly overwhelmed or grumpy. For instance. The night before the praxis? I watched these for the 1,975th time.





To get through my last-ever finals week last semester? Dearest Ellen saved the day:



Lately? To get through my longer weeks and last class ever? This sweet honey boo-boo (good find, priscilla!):



Thought I'd share for your future reference when life gets tough.

Prayer for Our Daughters - Mark Jarman

Simon's dad (I started writing 'my father-in-law' but that sounded WAY too stifled) shared this beautiful poem with the family not too long ago. For the first time, probably ever, it made me excited to have a little girl. I will have this painted or printed on a canvas and hung in my little daughter's room one day. I will.

May they never be lonely at parties
Or wait for mail from people they haven't written
Or still in middle age ask God for favors
Or forbid their children things they were never forbidden.

May hatred be like a habit they never developed
And can't see the point of, like gambling or heavy drinking.
If they forget themselves, may it be in music
Or the kind of prayer that makes a garden of thinking.

May they enter the coming century
Like swans under a bridge into enchantment
And take with them enough of this century
To assure their grandchildren it really happened.

May they find a place to love, without nostalgia
For some place else that they can never go back to.
And may they find themselves, as we have found them,
Complete at each stage of their lives, each part they add to.

May they be themselves, long after we've stopped watching.
May they return from every kind of suffering
(Except the last, which doesn't bear repeating)
And be themselves again, both blessed and blessing.