Six Months of Love

I love love. I love to love. I play for keeps. There is nothing in the world like loving another person regardless of whether they love you back. There is nothing like the warm joy of thinking of a person, wondering if they had a good day, and finding out they have; or the tender ache that comes when they haven't. We all know with love there is pain. We fear the pain and so we often hold back a portion of ourselves and our capacity to love to protect ourselves from that pain. But I have come to believe this only increases the pain. I believe loving with all your heart, allowing yourself to love to your full capacity increases your joy and lessens the pain.

It was through the life and the example of a dear, dear friend that I came to this conclusion. I came to know my friend towards the end of his life, but at a point when his life was full of hope and promise. He was the father to four beautiful children. His daughter once took him to school for show & tell as the best Christmas present she ever received. He had a wife he loved, cherished, and adored. She was his best friend and his life. He loved life and everything about it. He loved everyone he met and he made everyone feel like his best friend - and they were.

He was also living with terminal cancer.

Now before you start thinking he had this positive approach to life because he knew it was ending and he wanted to enjoy every minute. He didn't. For eight years he unknowingly lived with the disease that would take him from everything he loved. When I met him, he was cheerfully, hopefully, fighting for his life. He faced this most terrifying future with a smile. Rather than seeking for love, support, and comfort from others he gave it. When I last saw him, I knew it would be the last time I saw him - though I hoped against hope. With my eyes full of tears - my heart breaking - He gave me a hug and a kiss. He gave me his love.

Three years ago this October he left this life his legacy of love. It is in his honor I am sharing with you my love. For the next six months I will highlight many of the people I love and why I love them. So don't be surprised if I tell you....

i love you.

Winter

I walked through the frozen food section of the grocery store today and got really excited for winter.

....Let me rephrase that. I got really excited for California winter. Brisk days, cool nights, cute coats that aren't really necessary - nothing more than sweater weather. Rain storms, white puffy clouds and green hill sides. Driving in my car, heater blasting, and a large Diet Coke by my side.

It is the life.

Decorating Advice

I am looking for a small table to put in my bedroom to use as a desk/vanity/bookshelf etc. Which of these would be the best? Anyone have any other suggestions?

Ikea Markor Table

Crate & Barrel Kingston Console

Pottery Barn Chloe Console

Birthday Countdown!

I also LOVE this!

Birthday Countdown!

LOVE this bedding! It is not nearly as pretty in this picture as it is in real life.

BIrthday Countdown!

How beautiful are these monogrammed necklaces? I love how delicate they are. I also love that they are 20% off through the end of July. (Thanks for the heads up Heather!)

necklaces by Albeit. Made of 14K gold,

Birthday Countdown!

I LOVE THIS IDEA! & I WOULD LOVE ANYONE WHO GAVE ME A GIFT WRAPPED IN A SCARF!

Weekend Guide

500 Days of Summer

Birthday Countdown!

Love this Tennis Dress. But click here for the one I love even more!

Birthday Countdown!

I have a feeling I will not be receiving this ridiculously beautiful purse. Click here and you will know why.

Birthday Countdown!

47 days until my 29th birthday! Woot! Woot! Here is one of 47 birthday present ideas. >wink< >wink<

Apologies

Sorry about the last post. I was only teasing and I have a feeling it didn't come across that way.

Secret, secrets are lots of fun!

Message to My Parents

Secrets, secrets are no fun
Secrets, secrets hurt someone.

I'm just saying....

Friday Favorites #7

Global Warming - I don't really believe in it, but if it is real it is causing the coolest weather in California - ever!

Incredibly unusual cloud formations......

....thunder & lightning storms...... ....and rain!
Everyone has heard of June Gloom but NO ONE has ever heard of weather like this - ever!

I suck! I suck! I suck!

there is a little song that goes through my head when i read that title (if you want to hear what i hear listen to the Audition Song from The Last 5 Years)

but i digress.

I suck at blogging. I am sorry. I am. I want to be better but I have no time. Or maybe it is that I am not stuck indoors for half of the year anymore. One of the two.

Anyway, the reasons I didn't post last Friday is one of my Favorites - My Favorite Theme Park

DISNEYLAND!!!

Friday Favorites #6 Adendum

Here are the photos to go with my last post. Mom and Dad kyaking
Claire, waiting to become besties with the dolphins

Dad, talking to the animals

Waimea Falls

Claire and Dad mid water fight

Hiking to Waimea Falls

Claire, the photo diva :)

Friday Favorites #6

Family Vacation

...and I am not joking!

My family may vacation a lot but it is not often, or at least it hasn't been lately, that we go on our own. The whole dynamic of a trip changes when it is just your family. It seems as though personalities and family dynamics are dramatically enhanced on a family vacation, which makes every event 100 times more memorable. In my family Claire is the entertainer-shopaholic-photo-fiend, My dad is the golfaholic-jokester, my mom is the enthusiast, and I....I....well I don't really know what I am. You'll have to ask my family.

My favorite moments from our recent family vay-cay are:
1. Golfing with my dad - We were at the driving range and I hit a really good 100-120 yd drive. After I hit my ball my dad said, "Now Sara, watch this." Thinking he is going to instruct me on my swing I watch him hit his ball about 250-300 yards. He then turned to me and said, "I hit it WAY farther than you!"
2. As we were driving to go swimming with the dolphins Claire turned to my mom and asked, "Do you think they'll want to be my best friend?"
3. Every time we walked past the stingray pool Claire would say, "Look, they're waving to me!"
4. Getting stuck in horrendous traffic driving through the mountains in the rain.
5. "Hiking" to Waimea Falls
6. My dad trying to talk to the peacocks

So Much More

Sometimes I think I am doing pretty well for myself, that I am a fairly creative and accomplished person...and then I see something like this......

....and I realize I could be so much more.

(if you want to see more go here.)

Here Fishy, Fishy, Fishy!

Isn't this cool?!

Friday Favorites #5

Sorry for the absence (not that anyone reads my blog anymore anyway!) Life got busy and then I went on a little vay-cay, but I will try to make it up to you!

Today's Friday Favorite - is random reunions.

Have you ever had people in your life that you absolutely love but for whatever reason you lost contact with them? For me, this happens more often than I would like to admit. But nothing beats the joy of randomly reuniting with long lost friends. Luckily for me this has been happening surprisingly often lately.

No, these reunions were not done the easy way through facebook or blogging (well - okay there is one exception to that). They were truly random reunions.

Example #1
A few days ago I went to my voice lesson, as I do each week, and was greeted by my voice teacher telling me there was someone he would like me to meet. As he let me in the girl who was waiting in the room behind him slowly turned around and I immediately realized I knew her from long ago. Allison Appleby. About five years ago she and I did a crazy play together called "This Must Be the Place"
This was an incredibly fortuitous reunion for me. Because Mahlon (my voice teacher) made her wait to meet me that day Allison and I are now doing an in-concert version of Sweeny Todd together in about 3 weeks!

Example #2
Years ago there were three sister missionaries serving in my parents ward (yes, you read that correctly -three). These were the best sister missionaries ever. I became very fond of these sister missionaries, particularly Sis. Peterson and Sis. Gefeke. I would dare say we were good friends except they were on a mission and I was not. When I returned to BYU that year I lost track of all three of the sisters. Just this week, completely out of the blue, I found out that Sis. Peterson was not that lost at all but the sister of a friend I have known (or known of) for years.

Friday Favorites #4

It's a fact. I'm obsessed. I know. Franklin Covey finally got smart and came out with a wire bound day planner. Then they got smarter and made one that has the perfect amount of space for everything. Now they just need one that has an aesthetically pleasing design.

Ps. I bought this. For some reason I thought I NEEDED it. Don't worry that I have an iPhone that comes with a calendar, and a To Do list, and a Note Pad that all synch to your computer and notify you when you need to do something. AND I have three calendars on my wall (at work)....and one next to my bed. Don't worry.....I know I am crazy

The Halls are Alive with the Sound of Music

Guaranteed to make you smile!

Create Something New Everyday!

Friday Favorite #3

Favorite Refreshment....

Friday Favorites #2

Favorite French Foreign Film

A Little Story about this movie........Amelie was release in 2002 while I was living in London. The week I returned home from London my family went on an overnight trip somewhere without me, so I was left to entertain myself. Completely jet lagged and alone I decided to order Amelie on Pay Per View. I ended up staying up ALL night long watching the movie over and over again. First thing the next day (well, when I finally woke up) I ran out to buy my very own copy.

I love Amelie!

Friday's Favorite #1

I love journals, diarys & dayplanners!
You may say, "That is three things -not one" but for me, they are one in the same. They all are means by which I can organize my thoughts, feelings, goals, aspirations and LIFE! (and if you know me - which I'm sure you do - you know how I love to organize.) I am always on the hunt for the perfect journal or dayplanner. One has yet to be found, but here are some of my favorites so far.

Pottery Barn Journal Set I'm using now. (I'm hoping the smaller journals I can carry with me everywhere will help me to write everyday.)

Everytime I see this dayplanner I am tempted to buy it and then I remember - I'm not a Mom..............someday!


Have this one. Still wrapped. Still sitting on my nightstand.

My sister bought me a much prettier version of this journal for Christmas. I am still waiting to use it because I love it so much I don't want to spoil it!

(There is one more image to come but I can't find it online - it is the Agenda at Anthropologie. It is like a hippie version of Bridget Jones's Diary)

I love, love, love journals, diarys & dayplanners!! I have far more than I will ever use and yet I am always buying more.

Friday Favorites

Anyone who knows me knows I have a slight problem with indecision. So I have decided to make a decision. I am making my decision. Decision made.

Every Friday from now until forever will be Pick A Favorite Friday.

(pathetic huh? I can't even decide on my favorite things!)

Weekend in Review

Happy Birthday Claire!!

I spent this past weekend in Utah throwing a birthday extravaganza for Claire. It was one fun crazy weekend! Thanks Heidi, Steph, Mark, Jordan, Scott, Adri and Everyone for everything!

Happy Belated Birthday Chuck!

I Need a House and Here are the Reasons Why...

Anthropologie Twill Sofa

Stratton Bed

Porter Desk

Porter Shelving

Montego Bed

Cherry Blossom Centerpiece

PB Chairs (the green one)

Casa Mila Bed

Blithe Rug

Bathroom Bureau

Lovely Anthro Towel