imminent updates and MUSIC!

Whoa, Blogger dun gone and redun themselves... It just took me 15 minutes just to find the 'New Post' button! Good thing I'm a fast learner (once I'm done being confused for a really long time) and the events of the past 6 months should show you that I do not fear change, so it's all good. 

I have so much to talk about, and I have been slacking in the blogging department, mostly for the lack of photographic evidence of all the events and experiences I want to tell you about. I have the pictures, I just can't seem to get them from the camera onto the computer just yet, which makes me sad. And patient, I suppose. So today I want to do two things.

First, I want to share a list of all the aforementioned (my autocorrect keeps wanting to change that to 'air conditioned') things I want to share on the blog. Here goes.

1. The Gym. 
2. Elliot's talking progress.
3. Movies I have recently seen.
4. An Education (nothing to do with the movie of the same name, because if it did it would have fallen under 3, duh).
5. The LDS General Conference.
6. Houses.
7. Bathing Suits.
8. Easter Egg Hunts
9. Funny Walmart Sign
10. Amazing weather & yardwork.
11. Antelope Island.
12. Kid's Yoga.
13. My recent knitting projects.

Second, I have GOT to share my latest music finds, because I am so excited about them. I've been listening to each and every one of them a ton (I feel like I'm totally cheating on Sander with Spotify) and they make me happy. Very, very, merry and happy. So check them out, and hopefully they'll do the same for you (though I think you would have to be a soulless, joyless sourpuss to not feel positively affected by these tunes..).

1. Mikhael Paskalev

2.White Label - Stolen Voices
This album of remixed voices sounds like an apple pie and ice cream party in the garden in July.

3. Gary Clark Jr.

This is one of those musicians/bands that I feel stupid for only finding out about now - you've all probably been listening to Gary for ages. But just in case you haven't... you need to listen to this. Especially if you enjoy music from the likes of The Black Keys or Jimmy Hendrix.

4. Jonas Alaska

You might recognise the male backing vocalist on this one - it's Mikhael from earlier! I'll let you figure out for yourselves how I may have come across the enchanting Jonas Alaska. Thank you Mikhael.

5. Mirel Wagner

So dark and haunting. So beautiful.

6. Alabama Shakes

YES!! This is what the world needs more of! These guys and especially this girl have got it going on with their soul, attitude, and honest lyrics. Some really really great songwriting here, can't wait to hear more from the Shakes!

I believe that about covers the most important ones for now! I suppose I could also tell you about the overwhelming girl crush I recently developed for this chick...

(skip the first 90 seconds or so, unless you really love to listen to guitar tuning, in which case, enjoy all of it. You freak.)

.... but seriously, don't get me started on that. Sigh.

Have a lovely weekend everyone. Hope you all are planning lots of fun in the sun like we are!

dressed in white

March was a pretty important month for Lara: it was the month in which she was baptized! We waited a while to try and make sure most of the family could be there for the event, but she was getting really impatient. Sorry opa! Luckily uncle Mike was able to be there, and record the confirmation on his iPhone - lucky because thanks to all the bustle I completely forgot to bring pens and paper to the church. Baptisms in our stake are a totally different experience to the ones in Den Haag. Because there are so much more children being baptized each month, and to keep costs and hassle to a minimum, all the children who have a Birthday in the entire stake all share a baptismal date on a set Saturday once a month. There were 7 other children being baptized in March, and let me tell you, the chapel gets extra crazy when you try to fit in the families and friends of 7 children. The service also didn't start until 5pm, and celebrating was not allowed at the church building, so we had to do ours beforehand. I personally thought it greatly took away from the experience and would advocate going through the extra trouble to have each child have a more personal and spiritual experience. That said, Lara remembers her baptism well, and beamed all day long! Lots of sweet folks came to share the experience and show her they love her, and she felt pretty proud. Just check out these smiles, courtesy of my amazing sister in law and her snazzy camera.

Oma Diane made that gorgeous baptism dress completely by hand. Thank you so much for going through all that trouble mom, it really made the experience that much sweeter to us to have Lara wear a dress so personal and beautiful. You are one talented lady.

This is Lara and Brendan. As you may be able to tell from the body language, these two are nuts about each other. When Lara came home after her first day of school we asked her if she met anyone she liked, and she told us all about Brendan. We then asked her if he liked her too, to which she matter-of-factly replied: 'Yes, he just doesn't know it yet.'... Can I just skip her teenage years please?

Thanks so much to everyone who came and shared this day with us, and helped make it special for Lara. And to Lara: congratulations sweetheart, may you always remember how you felt on this important day. I am so proud of you!