Love videos

During some of my blog walking/Facebooking/Tumblring escapades yesterday, I ran across some very delightful videos, some new to me music (now playing at the top of my playlist player) and meet some new (very delightful) people. I thought I would share a bit of the sweetness with you.

How cute is this couple? Make me want to grab Mike and smooch him and then go on a date with him. :)


Amy & Dan Engagement Film from IRIS AND LIGHT on Vimeo.

I found the video from this blog (Hi Sheena!), to this blog, and finally to Vimeo it's self.

And then I found this one on Tara Whitney's blog. It's a family one and oh, such a good reminder to make life sweet and do fun stuff with your kids.


Zawadzki Family Film from Michel Sandy on Vimeo.


Some day, I would love to do this. But, until then I will enjoy watching everyone else's. :)

Some days

Some days, it's all in the process. Doesn't always matter what the end result "is," just that there was a process.

Soften the butter
cream it with sugar
taste it
add the eggs
add the flour
and the milk
mix it well



spoon it into muffins cups lined in shiny silver
bake it
check it
bake it some more
cooling time

soften more butter
add some sugar
and homemade vanilla,
cocoa powder,
the darker the better
milk
blend
yum
3 girls fighting over who gets to like the 2 beaters
one settles for the spoon and spatula

yummy
delicious
good-looking
cupcakes
all in a row
on a white platter
set on a counter,
just to look at and admire
maybe a bit torturous to small ones,
but oh well
it made my day

some days it's the process and not the end result
that makes you smile
{but the end result was pretty sweet too, no?}

West Coast trip Take 2

the food
oh, the food

We nearly drowned in delicious
yummy over-the-top meals

Every table setting for breakfast and lunch
was beautiful.
Candles in jars,
flowers in glasses,
napkins, a candy bar,
little boxes of sweet words
of encouragement and love,
desserts,
fruit, fruit, and more fruit
Salads and cookies
lots of giggling
a little glass that kept being passed
full of slips of paper,
each one funnier than the last
a pause to say
"thank you Jesus
for bringing us all together"
lots of food photography

See what I mean?
(and do you see Nikki's legs stand on the window seat
taking pictures too?)


the hysterical game of "randoms"
some of us got quite tickled

dessert!

Our beautiful cooks, Dawna, Katie, and Nikki
and their meal below.


the candy bar
comprised of all of our favorite candies

the chocolate covered gummy bears that
our west coast girls are always raving about

oh so yummy
I was so busy enjoying the food I think
I forgot to talk during the meal

Yummy breakfast spearheaded by Courtney.
Some very funny quotes came about because
of the amazing strata.
And Andi's now-famous zucchini muffins.
I think I ate 4 of them.
I wish I could post the pictures of all of us
sitting around the table sharing this breakfast
but we made a promise to not share
no-makeup hair-not-fixed, tired, no-bra
pictures on blogs and FB.
It is one of my favorites though.
Heart you girls!


Our beautiful last dessert
fixed by Dawna and Katie.
A traditional Aussie pavlova with fruit.
It was divine and will probably
become one of our favorite summer standby's.

West Coast Trip Take1

It's hard to put into words the events of 8 days, 6 cities, multiple car trips, 5 airports, 11 amazing women, 4 homes, 3 husbands, 7 children, 1 hotel, and no sleep schedule.

It truly was amazing. Getting to hug good friends who's voices and faces I know and love, but have never touched in person is so amazing. Holding babies who you prayed for and anticipated all through pregnancy and then birth is wonderful. Meeting children whose lives you've seen chronicled for years, and seeing them in person finally, is fantastic. I was in tears.

Things I loved about this trip:
Chelle's enthusiasm when she saw us at the airport (she jumped out of an {almost still moving} vehicle and ran across 2 lanes of traffic people!)
Aminta's smile
seeing everyone's creativity abounding
creating meals for people you love with people you love
hearing stories that are too hard to tell on a blog
sharing bedrooms
giggling way too late into the night
2am hot tub ventures
Pike's Place Market
being asked what magazine or newspaper we were with because of all of our huge cameras
Courtney's tackle box of embroidery thread
eating macaroons for the 1st time ever
wearing an apron made just for me by 2 dear girls
seeing Courtney arranging all the flowers bought at the market
the candy bar on Sat. night
riding on vintage style beach cruisers with Chelle, Leslie, Katie, and Dawna
loving on some people who just needed to be hugged and told that they matter
crying so many tears
watching fears become lessened
laughing till our cheeks ached
learning some astounding (and hysterical) random facts about certain people
our large collection of quotes
Nikki and Amanda's laughter, the best ever
Andi, standing on chairs to get our attention and giving us direction
a 3 story Anthroplogie (need I say more?)
kissing on 4 sweet babies all weekend
sharing hearts on a 7hour car trip
Ikea in the rain
Misha's quite grace and understanding, though her questions were hard. :)
sunshine for 4 days on the cutest beach house
finding 4 complete sand-dollars, on for each of my family
Leslie's honesty
Starbuck's stops
Trader Joe's
sharing lunch with 2 sweet ladies and a 3 hour car trip later we were really good friends
Dawna's mothering to all of us, she has been dubbed "the Queen Mum"
quinoa, spinach, and pomegranate salad
Katie's Aussie accent and sweetness about everything, our resident "sleeping beauty"
sharing breakfast and jammie time with friends
getting to see Chelle, Andi, and Courtney's beautiful homes in person
praying with some special ladies on a Sunday afternoon
the sound a multiple cameras all firing at the same time
Quinn's dimples and sweetness
Jack growls and love of adventure and moving
Jillian's ultra sweet disposition
Sadie-Rose's complete inhibition all week long
sunset's on the beach
seeing a winter wonderland on the drive to Spokane
flying over the Rockies
flying in general
hugging so many sweet women in person, holding their hands, and hearing their laughter