This weekend we had mom and pop McLaws come visit. While driving around town, my mother in law commented that all these cute couples blogs are 80% the wife and 20% the husband. I would have to agree as Camille is an incredibly steady blogger and I'm glad because she is really good at it. So here is my 20%

The title is a line from the song in the Prince of Egypt. So imagine that song accompanied by six killer whales performing a show of epic proportions. I don't know if it was because I had my cute niece asleep in my lap, the music, or I just love whales, but that show just made me think about all the miracles in my life and how grateful I am to have them. Yes, the Shamu show at Sea World blew me away. I loved going to Sea World with Benny and Lucy.

I mean look at that face! How could you not have a great time! I couldn't believe it, but Lucy passed out during the show and slept through Shamu.

Previous to the Shamu show, we saw a Sesame street Christmas. It was a musical show with all the sesame street characters singing and dancing. The contrast between the two shows was huge. Sesame street didn't mention Christ at all as the reason for Christmas. They skirted around the real reason and focused on Santa and gifts and family. I really admired Sea World for focusing on Miracles, Christ, and the reason for Christmas in their main show with Shamu. There are few institutions that still do this and I am glad to see that Sea World does.

When we weren't at Sea World, we were playing rockband and cleaning out Nordstrom Rack. Benny loved singing "Don't let me down" and Anthony can really jam on the drums. We loved having them visit, and can't wait to see them again.

Here is the first part of the show for those of you who can't come down to see it. I'll pay $1 million dollars to anybody who weighs 18,000 lbs and can do a front flip on cue.

From our kitchen to yours...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Please note the following

Pandora: I love you and the station I created. (Ray LaMontagne + Wilco + Dave Matthews = Beatles. Who knew?)
Glee: I look forward to you every week.
Wicked: I want to see you sometime. Glee's episode two weeks ago made me addicted to "Defying Gravity" via Youtube.
Visitors: WE LOVE YOU! Keep coming! Marcella left on Sunday and my parents get into town tonight!!
Weather: You are fantastic right now -- 65 and sunny.
Work: I wish it wasn't so slow, but then again, I have been very up-to-date on my friends' blogs.
Camera: I don't know where you went...
ShabbyApple.com: You have beautiful dresses, but I'm not sure I want to keep the dress I received in the mail yesterday. Exchange? Possibly.
Turkey in my freezer: I'm excited to roast you and eat you this Thursday.
Friends: I am so grateful to have made some here in San Antonio
Letters from Jace: I love them.
Traffic: I hate it.
Sea World: We love you. We have now attended the fantastic park that you are 3 times since we bought our season passes about 1 month ago. We especially want to see your Shamu Christmas Miracles show again.
Christmas music: I started listening to you earlier this year than normal, and I like it.
Kashi: I like your frozen meals (especially the Southwestern Chicken number you created)
Running: I have a love/hate relationship with you.
Wedding Picture DVD: I want you... like now. I have been so very patient.
Christmas decorations: why are you so pricey?
Thanksgiving: You are one of my favorite holidays, and even though I should do it more often, I love that you make me stop and think about what I am grateful for. So many things. Watch this.
Life: You are good.

Workin' for the Weekend

I know it's Tuesday, which I think officially makes it "mid-week," but I still can't get over this weekend. It was everything a weekend should be... relatively unplanned, laid-back, stress-free and no tax accounting involved. It consisted of:

Hanging out with/making new friends
Hiking in a park
A smidge of holiday shopping
Eating
Sleeping

Oh and plenty {and probably too much} of this:

I've always been kind of anti video games, but our apartment complex gave us a Wii as a "welcome gift" (I agree with my sister when she said, "random!"). I found this little time zapper of a game for 60% off on Amazon (score!) and two days later Russ and I found ourselves taking a ride through Beatlemania. This really is as close to my childhood dreams as I have come (I literally used to dress up as Ringo at the age of 10 while my two other girl friends and I recorded ourselves playing Beatles songs along with their cardboard guitars). Thank goodness I followed my dreams. Although, we better slow down or else we will have beaten the whole game before Thanksgiving.

To be honest, I shouldn't really complain about this workweek... I'm taking my first vacation day this Friday when we get our first visitors! Russell's cute sister Marcella and her family of 4 are coming down to play with us and our friend Shamu. I can assure you that updates will come as needed.

Until then, I will keep on workin' for the weekend.

On Creativity

By no means do I consider myself an artist, but I have always loved CREATING. There is something so satisfying about starting a project with random scraps of something, a blank canvas, a silent room, or raw ingredients and ending with a work of art, beautiful music, or a hot, fresh meal to enjoy. I feel accomplished.

Recently I have felt like I was letting some of the talents I have developed over the years slip away. I needed to be creative again. So, with some help from my friend Sada at work, I have created some really fun projects via Heritage Makers during these mega slow times at work. The result is nothing jaw-dropping or life-changing, but it is creating something.

First page of my "recipe swatch book"

I have also really missed making MUSIC. We don't own a piano, so playing gets pretty tough to near impossible. However, just yesterday after church we got pulled aside, and I was asked to be the "ward accompanist" at church. I couldn't be more happier.

So here's to creating.
Get out and make something happen -- it feels good, I assure you.

He says it best:

This Is It

Lewis & Lewis give it 5 stars.

No seriously, totally awesome movie. It's like the MJ concert you never got to see.
That man sure knew how to dance.

Go see it!

The Green Drink

I made this the other day, and was surprised when I liked it. A great way to start my day!

1 cup orange juice

1 apple, sliced

1 banana, sliced

tons of spinach

1/2 to 1 cup of ice

pour orange juice into blender, add apple and banana. stuff as much spinach as you can into the blender. blend. add ice, and blend a bit more. voila, green drink. you can always add pineapple or peaches, however berries not so much.

Give it a try -- you might just surprise yourself.
picture and recipe found HERE