Moving Home

Well, it's that time of year again - the time in between Spring and Fall in which I move home to live with my parents for a month or so.

My mom tickled me yesterday. I felt like I was five. And yet, when I live with my parents, that's not such a bad thing. Every summer I spend back with mom and pops could be my last one to live at home, and I treasure the opportunity. As the youngest child, I know only too well how quickly care-free toddlers become teens and how teens become grownups. I for one am not growed up yet.

Another bonus to school being done - family vacation. We leave for Lake Powell at 5:30 AM next Tuesday and we'll be there for the remainder of the week. I'm actually losing sleep over this I'm so excited! Of course, I'll tell you all about it when I get back.

Just looking at this picture makes me giddy. I can't wait!

Living the Dream.

Why I am smiling today:

- I have worked hard all semester long, and the day before finals, I am not stressed out. Rather, I'm happy to have learned what I have learned, and actually excited to take my tests tomorrow.

- I just listened to John Mayer's Room for Squares, my anthem album, all the way through last night as I drove back to Provo from the SLC airport. I took the long way home, and I sang every single word.

- Lake Powell is a week away. This is the family vacation that I look forward to every year. Skiing, exploring, jumping off cliffs, rock climbing, fishing, reading a good book, getting really really dirty, building sand castles, playing with my nephews, swimming, etc. And doing it all with my brother and sisters and parents who I love so so much.

- I got a job at a dentist's office again for the summer, and I get to shadow an endodontist and possibly an orthodontist as well. This is big for me: I want to be a dentist too.

- I'm moving back to Salt Lake tomorrow. Check out a previous post or to see exactly how I feel about that.

Andrew Smith Comes Clean.

This is why I love my roommates:

"You think I'm in the shower for thirty minutes every morning?
I flex in front of the mirror for twenty-seven."
- Andrew Smith

What I Learned.

Today, the warm afternoon sunshine flows softly through the window onto my parent's kitchen table, and once again my thoughts turn to the past. One year ago today, I did the hardest thing I thought I'd have to do: take of my name badge for good.


It's a funny thing, coming home from your mission - for two whole years all you do is serve and help and teach about Jesus, then all of a sudden you go back to normal life, which in stark contrast feels selfish. It gives me anxiety. I think I need to volunteer at a boys and girls club.

But I've learned a lot in a year. I've learned that things are never as bad as they seem. I've learned that self-development is a self-motivated process. I've learned that a lot of good things don't last, but the most important things in life really do last forever. Also, the most important things demand enough sacrifice that you have to give until it hurts. And I've also learned that God takes care of His kids, no matter what. All you've got to do is ask.

Of course, having a wonderful life isn't done by living life alone. It's the people and relationships of every kind that make it special. I was cleaning out my room today and I found a letter from a dear friend named Sam. I just want to quote a bit of it:

" 'Truly loving another means letting go of all expectations. It means full acceptance, even celebration of another's personhood.' (Karen Casey) I hope I may live like this quote."

So, to Sam and to everybody else, thanks for being a part of my life! You've made it worth living.

Base Painting.

I have never tracked my own progress on a piece of art before, but I thought it might be fun to do it on my blog, so in between regular posts, I'll upload the weekly progress of my painting so I can show you what I've done. Hopefully, this will motivate me to put in some time every week, and also be a good way for me to see how I might improve my technique. Here is what I've got after my first 3 hours.



I selected a photo of a man, laughing after being covered in colors at the Hindu Holi Festival. I'm painting from a black and white printout of the photo (seen taped to the canvas) and a full-color image on my computer screen itself, in hopes that it will maintain the integrity of the colors. As you can see, so far I'm just laying in the base color. Looks like our Hindu friend got blasted with blue-green the most.

And She Swears That She's Artsy...

I used to do a lot of painting, but in three years, I haven't started a single project. Well, that streak ended today! I can't tell you how excited this makes me. I don't have a photo to show you, but I'll post again when I finish up.

I love portraiture. Here's a couple that I've done:

a little self portrait - when I was 16

my nephew - a quick study in oils
(I had to complete the picture from sketched-on gesso in 3 hours)

my personal favorite - a 4'x4' oil painting that hangs above the piano back home.

With all the news of horrifying events that threaten to engulf a hope for a peaceful future, it's a blessing to use my hands to create.

I wish I knew who my late grandfather was quoting, but he loved to say,

"Art is man's attempt at imitating the hand of God."

Closet Hobbies.

You may be surprised to hear this,

but I really love to cook.

For the past month, I've been going home to be with my family on Sundays and I've been helping my mom prepare Sunday dinner. Thus, I can prepare asiago-lime chicken or top ramen, but nothing in between. It's either gourmet food or the microwave for me.

I learned about this on my mission: bbq corn - it's amazing. The corn husks often catch fire, but I take it in stride - after soaking for an hour in water, the part you eat just steams inside and never gets burnt.

vegetables are sooo good.

Preparing food stimulates each and every one of the five senses: the sizzling sound of oil simmering in a pan, the aroma of butter-basted chicken as it bakes in the convection oven, the menagerie of color in a vegetable dish, the light and flaky texture of lightly baked, paper-thin phyllo dough, not to mention the purpose of the whole activity - eating your finished product!

feta cheese in a salad = amazing

my favorite dessert thus far - phyllo pastries - they've got a little yogurt, orange juice, and zested orange peel in a sugared phyllo cup, topped with chopped fruit and another spritz of sugar. I want to try it again with some honey. (That's a mint leaf on top - don't eat it)

I hope I've inspired you. You don't have to like cooking, but if you don't remember to stop and take a look around you every once in a while, life is going to pass you by. Find the things you love and then do them.