Because I'm a Nerd.

So I have a serious problem.  It is called Les Miserables.  I'm sooooooo obsessed!!!! I CANNOT wait for the movie to come out in December, but I've also been a huge fan waaay before all this movie hype.  My brother Logan and I sat and watched the 10th anniversary concert of Les Miserables on PBS with our Mom when I was like 7 and he was 5 or 6... and since then, our family's been hooked! 

(and I'm pretty sure Logan's still as big of a fan as me, if I recall correctly, he "freaking wants to see that movie so bad!")

And as we became completely fascinated by the story, and the music, and the sheer epic-ness that is Les Miserables, my dear mother, ever the mom to support her children in any artistic endeavors, let us listen to the CD all the time.  I'm not kidding you, I could sing you the whole musical from start to finish.  Musical interludes included.

So as I've been preparing to go see it live this weekend for the second time in my life, and as the movie teaser trailer was just recently released, I've watched all the clips of all my favorite performances over and over these past few weeks.  And I feel like, before you get a chance to see the movie when it comes out in December, I have to show you some of the most noted and memorable performers in these beloved roles.  Obviously, these ones on my blog are my  favorites, but seeing as I'm such a huge fan and have seriously scoured the internet for as many different performances as I could possibly find (including even, Ricky Martin as Marius...), I feel like I can confidently tell you these really are some of the best.

So here goes:

     1. Ruthie Henshall as Fantine singing "I Dreamed a Dream" in the 10th anniversary edition.  I distinctly remember mocking her hair with Logan when we watched this for the first time... but this has become my FAVORITE recording of this song EVER.  Fantine also happens to be my favorite character and this is my favorite song... (therefore when I tell you that I'm not a fan of Anne Hathaway and I'm more than a little disappointed that she's cast as Fantine in the movie, you might understand why.)

     Honeslty though, I think Ruthie Henshall's voice is one of the most beautiful voices.  And she's got incredible control.  If I could choose, I would want my voice to be a combination of hers, my mom's and Billie Holiday's...   just sayin.

     2. Lea Salonga as Epoinine.  Ahh, Eponine, so romantically tragic and my favorite Les Mis character throughout my teenage years. (ha)  Lea Salonga though is just brilliant and super talented... you might recognize her voice... she's the singing voice of Jasmin and Mulan in the Disney movies.  Her tenacious style of singing though also does the character of Eponine justice and I love it!

(look out on this video... the music starts with a kind of loud boom!)

3. Next, you have to watch the newest Valjean, Alfie Boe.  He has one of the silkiest tenor voices I think I've ever heard (and I'm a fan of pretty tenor voices like my Grandpa Merlin's or Mandy Patinkin's), so you just have to listen for a bit to his version of "Bring Him Home".  It's really rather lovely.

4. But as for the best performance of Valjean, you must see Mr Colm Wilkinson.  He was the original Valjean at the Barbican theater in London.  He was Valjean at the 10th anniversary at the Royal Albert Hall.  He made a guest appearance at the end of the 25th anniversary, where he kind of out-sang Alfie Boe when they sang "Bring Him Home" together... and Colm was just like 67... no big deal.  Aaaand, he'll be appearing as the Bishop in the movie version.  Whew!  He's soooo good.

Obvs.

I cry every time.

So it's alright, don't worry I know I'm a nerd.

And I recognized that I'm obsessed.

And believe me, this only scrapes the surface of all I could tell you about this musical.

Grateful for: Tickets to Les Miserables on Saturday.

And YouTube.

So, California is a little bit rad.

Once upon a time (as in, a few weeks ago), I went to California with my mom.

I'd never had any desire to go to California before.

It just haven't ever appealed to me as much as a place like London or Paris.

And I'm dying to have an East-coast adventure,

so I just wasn't feeling this California thing.

But when my mom asked me to accompany her to my Aunt Tracy's graduation,

I thought, well why not?

And now that I've been,

I'll admit it....

California is pretty rad.

For starters, the weather is the definition of PERFECTION. 

Aaand, California is also the home of my very super adorable cousins.

Check out Mr. Ben and Zak at their mom's graduation.

The weather was so pleasant in the middle of the day,

that it was even a bit chilly in the morning.

It was May and we had to get some hot chocolate!

That's fine.

Zak and Ben had no complaints.

It was a marvelous little weekend with the whole extended Forster family too.

Complete with dearest Grandma Rosie.

And the lovely aunt Tracy and uncle Daan of course.

Tracy just got her masters degree and is all accomplished and stuff.

No big deal.

But, actually it was a big deal,

and we are all sooo proud of her!

(and I  especially love her because, as you can see,

she thinks I'm funny and laughs at my jokes...)

And we got to hang out with my favorite Angie in the whooole wide world!

Look at these beautiful ladies!!

I LOVE them!

And seriously, Tracy is a bit of a rock star.

She got this crazy, extra long cheer from her fellow graduates

when they read her name.

They just love her so.

And then because California is so lovely, and has such glorious weather,

we got to go have a big ol' party at Daan and Tracy's after graduation.

Complete of course,

with plenty of scrumptious food.

And also,

some hilarious "Olympic games".

I can't even remember who won...

Oh, it was such a lovely little weekend.

And, did I mention that Tracy's house looks like something

straight out of 'Vogue Living' ??

So, props to California.

You're way cooler than I anticipated.

List of Twenty Four: Things I love about being a "grown up"

Being a "grown up" is the best.  Now, I feel as though I should use this term "grown up" loosely as I still treasure (and usually am the one perpetuating in the children and adults around me), childhood.  I live for opportunities to use my imagination and strive to appreciate my life with a child-like wonder... but I also really love some things about being a "grown up"...

1. The updated, wiser version of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich; my favorite, delicious, gluten free flax bread, 'smart choice' peanut butter, and agave nectar... It's nice for my taste buds to enjoy such childhood-delicacies, but to also have gained the wisdom to know that I'm putting foods into my body that will make it very happy as well.
2. A degree in Child Development with a minor in Art that gives me a licence for the rest of my life to get lost in a stack of children's books on a regular basis, and have a legitamate excuse.
3. Dating men instead of boys.
4. Dates to places like art museums.
5.Having smart and cultured and wise and adventurous adult friends.
6. My friends having babies.
7. Being an adult daughter and sister and granddaughter.  It's suuuper fun!!
8. Being invited to the adult table when I go to Grandma CC's for dinner.
9. Updated taste buds... mmmm sushi....
10. Owning a kitchen aid.
11. My own little carefully collected library of DVD's.
12. My Toyota Corolla named Eleanor Rigby.  I LOVE her.
13. Traveling. Scary and stressful as a kid... soooo fun as an adult.
14. Kids thinking I know all.  (As I am 24, clearly my wisdom is without bounds!)
15. NOT being a teenager.
16. A new found appreciation for my womanly curves.
17. A few years under my belt spent creating a personal style.
20. A sense of gumption to be myself in my style, personality and relationships gained through the experiences I've had transitioning from childhood to adulthood.
19. The fact that high heels are acceptable almost all the time.
20. Responsibilities.  It's a wonder to be in charge of the aspects of your life; it's a whole mess of opportunities to create that I never anticipated!
11. It's cool to talk about babies and baking and decorating your house.
22. Visiting Teaching (who would've thought when I was in YW??)
23. the Temple
24. RELIEF SOCIETY!! My fave!


Also Grateful for: A bounteous number of wonderful cousins in my life. Like Brandon who is just the greatest and headed off to med school, and who I got to see a few weeks ago! I love this pic from when we got to go out to lunch! (Also, my wonderful Californian cousins who I got to see last week, and congrats to sweet Summer Marie on the news of her baby GIRL due in the fall!!) I am sooo blessed to know them!!

"Men's Hearts Shall Fail Them"

I had a rather glamorous time in California this past weekend.  I took some pretty little pictures of some wonderful people in my life, and some beautiful places, but before I show them to you, I have to tell you a little side story.

On the plane ride back to Texas, my mom and I's plane lost pressurization.  That means it started to run out of oxygen. (Seriously!!) We later found out that multiple seasoned plane-riders we talked to had yet to ever experience this malfunction in up to 30 years of of riding in planes. 

There was a stretch of time that no one really knew what was going on, we just knew we had to turn the plane around and that we had to back track about 35/40 minutes of air travel with this loss of pressurization.  Turbulence was awful, and it didn't help that mom and I were sitting on the emergency exit row.  We heard every squeak and squeal, and due to our lack of understanding about the planes current situation, we thought that the plane would start falling apart at any minute.  It also didn't help that we started to feel light-headed and nauseous from the minimal (but increasing) lack of oxygen. 

It kind of felt like, oh crap, it's a possibility.  This really may be it.

And that feeling lingered for a few minutes as we strained to understand the jabber coming from the overhead speaker.

As I started to get a little nervous, I--thankfully--was reminded of this Mormon message:

I was not calm like Elder Nelson in this situation. Haha, but as my thoughts of stress and worry turned into prayers, I was reminded what brings me true peace, and what a blessing it is to have the gospel in my life.  I felt the peace that comes only from knowing where I come from, and that my life is so much greater and worth so much more than I  think it is.  My life is worth something because of who gave it to me, and my life is also in His hands; I know I'll be protected as need be so I'll be able to accomplish whatever it is I am sent to this life to do.

So no need to worry!  I need to not let my heart fail me!!


Grateful for:  My mom.  I've said that before, but she's a usual on my "grateful for" list.  It was absolutely glorious to have a little trip with her this weekend, and she's quite one of my besties.

Photo Project

So I ended my last post with a quote that I just love so much, I think I'll start this post with the quote just one more time:

"Creation is a better means of self-expression than possession; it is through creating, not possessing, that life is revealed."  -Vida Dutton Scrudder

I LOVE this.  I am a big fan of buying things with the intent to alter and create something with them.  I also equally enjoy re-purposing old things and concocting new creations with them.  It is one of the things that brings me the most satisfaction in life.  That process is what calms me down and keeps me from unravelling from the stress of my day-to-day routine.  I forget how much I need it most of the time, but every once in a while, I do take the time to to work on a project... here's the latest.  It's been in the works for a loooong time.

A collage of my very favorite photos...

Inspired by pinterest of course.

But instead of expensive IKEA magnet boards,

I used a canvas and some little bitty pins.

And photos and trinkets from my trips throughout the years.

And sharpies of course!! (I'm super obsessed)

I have a picture from every trip I've been on,

and then photos of some of the people that inspire me the most;

like my handsome cowboy daddy,

and my beautiful mom and aunt Celia.

And my gorgeous Grandma CC...

And my absolutely lovely Grandma Rosie.

And some things I've picked up in some sweet places.

(this is from Versailles)

I feel like my room is now complete.

It's filled with reminders of the things that mean the most to me.

Like this newly framed photo of my fam.

And John Lennon has joined all the rest of the Beatles on my wall.

Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra also invited themselves to the party.

Party with my ukulele of course.

Ahhh... I am grateful for inexpensive ways to create and design and decorate.  I would be a basket case with out them!!

Grateful for: The chance to visit my family in California next weekend!  I've only been to the airport LAX on my way to other places, so I'm excited to actually have a Californian experience.  Aaand, take a little weekend trip with my mom.  Cuz she's definitely the coolest.