Engaged!

I am engaged!

Details forthcoming.

6th Annual A Christmas Story Pajama Party

It's that time of year when my little world of friends gather together to view A Christmas Story in their pajamas.

Every year I throw this party and bake treats galore in lieu of gifts (for most).  There are always plenty of treats to take home after, although most people gorge themselves so much they run screaming the second I say, "If you want to take anything home..."

This year's party was fantastic, back to our home theater venue at Dallas's (Shout out to the most fantastic co-host!).  Many, many people I love, whom I haven't seen in quite some time, appeared through the front door and spread smiles across our faces and hearts.  I was also missing quite a few (you know who you are, so I won't shame you by calling you out), but the hustle and bustle of this time of year gets the better of us.  Blessings abound that as many were able to make it as did - even one from Vegas!  The icing on the cake for me was having my partner-in-crime, his family, and his best friend there - imagine the legacy that will live on as the 3- and 5-year old's create their own A Christmas Story traditions.

I forgot to take photos until the last thirty minutes of the event, so the food is just the carnage of leftovers and more than three-quarters of the attendees didn't get their mugshot. C'est la vie.  This year's menu was more low-key than in the past, but still all homemade and the piggies showed me how they ate: Oreos, M&M cookies, Chocolate Chip cookies, Chocolate mint cookies, Reese's cupcake cookies, Ohhh Fuuuuudge, and Snickerdoodles.     

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

The Son of a B Katydid

This past August I took leave to the Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City with some of my besties and my beau. 

Our last evening there, we walked to the car, gazing upon the twinkling stars and basking in the post-theater glow that us theater-lovers emit.

Upon the car rested an innocent little katydid.  I nudged the insect a little for it to move so as to not get squished in the door.  And move it did.  Lucas inspected his car - no katydid in sight.  This was the all-clear for Melissa to enter, as she has frightful fits about the bugs. 

I hear someone amusedly say, "Oh!  There's the Katydid! It's in the car!"

The next thing I know, I hear the most growly, masculine voice boom, "SON OF A B*@#!" as Melissa flew from the car like a bat out of Hades.

Ends up that exclamation came from Melissa.  Also ends up her fright may have given all of the rest of us laughing fits for at least the next ten minutes...making the extraction of the katydid all the more difficult and amusing.  Rest assured, there was no attack of a killer katydid and Melissa's heart rate has returned to normal. 

Guest Post: Top Five Reasons Why to Date an Artist

Hi everyone!

My name is Melissa and this is my guest blog. In my heart I am a story teller and my blog is a collection of the good, the bad and the ugly stories that I have collected over the years. I met Larissa in the fall of 2009 when our stake was doing a musical and I volunteered to help with the costumes. Immediately I adored her. Since then we have become fast friends over a similar collection of people we love, and the Arts. It’s been awhile since Larissa invited me to be a guest blogger, but I finally found some inspiration this week…

Why should I date an artist?

Over the last week I overheard quite a few rants about why one should never date an artist. I fumed at their reasons. Their top reason? Money. Why? Because they (we) don’t have it, and in all realistic visions of the future we might never have it. Sigh. In my search to combat their asinine thoughts I read a “reasons to date an artist” but wasn’t impressed. So I have decided to make my own list. Not only as an artists point of view, but from one who has dated her fare share of artists. So here we go…

 #1. They are cheap dates. We’ll start with this one, as it seems to be their biggest downfall according to a majority of people. Truth is there is little money here. However the bigger truth is… they don’t need it. You don’t need to be wined and dined to be won over by artists. You see an artists’ creativity extends far beyond the canvas and you would only be lucky enough to experience this. At the very least they always know someone who can get you into places and meet people that will be hard to forget. All on a dime.

#2. They are passionate. You can’t go wrong with this term in any sense of its meaning. Whether referring to the sexual ideas behind being a passionate person or the strength in the ideals of working ones butt off for a cause you believe in—you win! They seek the thrills and chills of weak knees and a fast heart beat when you touch and they work hard if they believe in something, and if that is your relationship you better believe they won’t give up on it!

 #3.You will be part of the art. No matter what medium, you will become apart of it. Whether it is merely inspiration or you are blatantly the focus, you are the art. It is an honor to be an inspiration. Who hasn’t ever wanted a song written for them, a painting done of them or a performance dedicated to them? I have a friend whose wakes up to her husband composing music on the piano about his love for her. She is inspiring art and passion within her husband. One's relationship could not produce anything more beautiful than that.

#4. They love to have a good time! Artists lead exciting lives and with every new project there is something exciting on the horizon. Anything can and will happen. They have great stories and you will share in creating even more to tell in the years to come. Even if your relationship ends, you have epic dating stories. Additionally they find beauty in everything. If you are tired of being around negative people, date an artist.

 #5. They are smart. Artists soak in the world around them. The people, the places, the world. It becomes a part of who they are. For the projects they have worked on, they have done their research. They read. They write. They listen. They know what is going on the world. They are passionate people because they have done all of these things and are sincerely interested in the world. Interested in saving it, and interested in changing it one artistic moment at a time. Conversation will never lack with artists. Because of this they have extremely good taste in music, books, art, movies etc.

So don't be afraid of the passion or the heightened senses. Don't be afraid that you won't be taken to a steak house for dinner because chances are you will remember the homemade chocolates far longer. Artists will change your life for the better if you let them. So date an artist... but don't take my word for it... try it yourself.

Like Melissa's writing as much as I do (Larissa speaking now, obviously)?  Follow her blog here.  

Today I Love Melissa Singleton

Melissa is a babe.

She and I first crossed paths when we both volunteered to help the group of churches in our area put on a musical - me as a performer, she as the costume mistress.  Right after the musical ended, she ended up in my church congregation!  What perfect timing, because right then was when she was particularly reaching out and searching for more people to love who share her passions in all things.  I lucked out!

She submitted my headshot to be used for promotional photos for the Utah Opera and I was selected!  Let me tell you the thrill it is seeing your face on the side of buildings and buses! Shoot, I get to do all kinds of fun things because of Melissa - trips to Saint George, being on the radio, season tickets to the touring Broadway companies of shows, fun movie trips, game nights, symphony nights, random dress-up parties - you need a fun time, Melissa delivers!  I never know what hair color she'll show up with, what random thing may cause her to bust out with the most hysterical laughter, or what will make her so excited she physically starts shaking.  You cannot help but be excited about everything around her - even work!  I have seldom met someone who is a more dedicated, stellar worker than this gal - when she puts her mind to the task, consider it done 200%.  If you need help with anything, Melissa will do all within her power to be that help.  I could not look up to her more as she marches to the beat of her own drummer, and I could not imagine her any other way.

I love Melissa because she isn't into playing games.  She isn't a person who says "walk away cause it hurts less."  She isn't into anything except a person staying true to what will make them truly happy.  She always stays true to who she is.  She passionately supports any decision in life that will make the chooser truly happy.  I recently shared with her that I love being around her - she makes me cry because I feel so loved, versus crying because I don't feel so loved.   She offers counsel when she feels it appropriate, which may be nothing more than, "Larissa, I love you.  I am here for you."  But what more could I ever need or want? 

Melissa, the day you entered my life, my world flipped upside-down to open my eyes to a whole new world of possibilities.  You don't just believe dreams come true, you know they do.  I LOVE YOU!!!

This was our second or third meeting, going through costumes

Halloween this past year a few hours after we returned from Saint George

The Roller Derby.  Oh yeah, we went there.

Melissa's Super Hero Birthday Party in '10

My birthday party in '10

My A Christmas Story party in '10

Melissa took us all to hear these Broadway Divas (Stephanie Block and Julia Murney) in January '11

Melissa's Birthday at the Karaoke place - '11

Why yes, we have season tickets for the Capital Theater together!  Pre-planned good times out with friends four-five times per year - priceless!

Stuff by Melissa

Have I mentioned lately how much I adore Melissa Singleton? 

Well, I do.  A lot.  Not just anyone is cool enough to gift a light-up leg lamp (A Christmas Story) ornament to me!  And just when I thought she couldn't possibly get any cooler, I got in her car and saw a gaggle of these little darlings:

 

I know, right?!

She made them!  I probably gushed a little over-the-top and she probably just gave me one of each to shut me up, but I'm going to hypothesize that she probably just loves me a whole ton too.  I've been wearing my red one on my coat for four days now and I've already had at least a dozen people ask about my adorable flower.   She's even smart enough to include a clip so that you can wear them in your hair.

If you'd like to buy one of her creations, I'd highly encourage you to do so here. You won't regret it.  Really, her Etsy shop is here.  Go.  

Thank you, Melissa!

Santa Vomit

Do you all like how it appears that Christmas has vomited all over my blog?

Oh yeah, it's that time of year:-)

BIG HUGE thanks to Melissa Singleton for being the raddest friend of the week.  What did she do to deserve these accolades?  I mentioned I loved her new blog banner and within 24 hours she had created six (!!!!!!) for me and e-mailed them my way.  I opened the e-mail towards the end of a horrendously long and stressful work day and boy was that like opening a box of smiles.  Love. that. girl.

Don't forget to go make a guess for the contest on this entry.

Santa and Coke - two of my favorites:-)