it's been snowing here, and my heart is at home

i was starting to worry that fall wouldn't be as crisp and cool as normal,

but this week's two snowfalls have my heart rejoicing. it just wouldn't

be the same if it didn't snow sometime before halloween. 

the down coats and chunky scarves are out, and i've been coming in

with the smell of cold on my clothes. love it.

happy fall weekend everyone!

my boy is back in town...and he showed me this:

Home - Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros

EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS | MySpace Video

don't you just love it?!

and...

maybe we went to see this movie last night...

again.

pretty dang awesome

saw this movie with my sister today. amazing. want to dance. want to sing. want to rock.

Christmas Tradition: Miracle

Last night we watched this hilarious show. There's so so many good lines! You know, the old-fashioned kind of lines that make you laugh. Anyway, this movie is always a real treat. Remember when Fred Gailey says this:

Look Doris, someday you're going to find that your way of facing this realistic world just doesn't work. And when you do, don't overlook those lovely intangibles. You'll discover those are the only things that are worthwhile.

Christmas Tradition: For Laughs

"A Christmas Story"

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Homemade eggnog (don't worry, the eggs are not raw!).

Every year I am truly amazed at how well this movie captures what Christmas time feels like as a kid...especially the scenes of Christmas morning with new fallen snow, and Christmas night when all the hooha has settled down. It reminded me that Christmas Day really feels different from every other day of the year. Now I'm all excited to wake up Christmas morning...though we don't focus on presents as much any more (it's much more fun to have a yummy breakfast and to laugh with family).

A few lines from the movie to remind you how good it is:

Mr Parker: [after Mother "accidentally" breaks the Old Man's leg lamp] Why did you touch that? You were always jealous of this lamp.

Mother: Jealous of a plastic...

Mr. Parker: Jealous! Jealous because I WON.

Mother: That's ridiculous. Jealous. Jealous of WHAT? That is... The ugliest lamp I have ever seen in my entire LIFE!

Ralphie as Adult: [narrating] Now it was out.

Christmas Tradition: 1965 & Cider

A couple of nights ago we watched A Charlie Brown Christmas. I L-O-V-E this show! The classic one-liners, the sweet dancing moves, and, of course, the music of Vince Guaraldi. Man! I think this is the perfect time to say, "they don't make 'em like they used to."

Mulled cider. Mmmmm. Cinnamon chips, orange rind, whole allspice, whole cloves, cinnamon oil, orange oil. Perfect to warm the soul.

CJ hard at work blogging...but about something important: the land auctions happening in Utah, thanks to Mr. President. Boo. I hope you haven't been discouraged yet...we're winning small battles, but we need to win bigger ones! I am oh so tired of fear rhetoric used to convince us to make hasty decisions. Let us not be too hasty.

Anyway, I hope you get to see A Charlie Brown Christmas soon...you can get it for free off of youtube. And, perhaps you'll be lucky enough to taste some cider within the next couple of weeks!

Taking Things Into My Own Hands

In an attempt to force the holiday spirit into my life, I did a couple things last night. First, I made these delicious apple streusel cinnamon swirl cupcakes that I randomly found on this blog (made mine vegan-style: substituted apple sauce for eggs, and left out the butter). They are some pretty amazing cupcakes. I would definitely try them if I were you. Then, Ceej and I snuggled up to watched some Charlie Brown holiday specials. Thanks, Charlie Brown, for bringing the holiday spirit to us here in sunny California.

photo via hostessblog

Film: In This Wood

So I've just met a most wonderful woman via email/blog (must meet her in person someday!). She makes films. This one looks oh so beautiful. The music on the site is great too. Check it out here. It just looks like something I need in life. More beauty.

Favorite Lines

A few of my favorite lines from a few of my favorite movies. Enjoy.

Shadowlands:
(Jack) Why love, if losing hurts so much? I have no answers anymore: only the life I have lived. Twice in that life I've been given the choice: as a boy and as a man. The boy chose safety, the man chooses suffering. The pain now is part of the happiness then. That's the deal.
(Joy) Are you TRYING to be offensive, or merely stupid?



Bottle Rocket:
Anthony) Grace thinks I'm a failure. (Dignan) What? What has she ever accomplished in her life that's so great?

(Kumar) Man, I blew it. I blew it, man. (Anthony) Kumar, what were you doing in the freezer? (Kumar) I don't know, man, I lose my touch, man. (Dignan) Did you ever have a touch to lose, man?

Chocolat: Once upon a time, there was a quiet little village in the French countryside, whose people believed in Tranquilité - Tranquility. If you lived in this village, you understood what was expected of you. You knew your place in the scheme of things. And if you happened to forget, someone would help remind you. In this village, if you saw something you weren't supposed to see, you learned to look the other way. If perchance your hopes had been disappointed, you learned never to ask for more. So through good times and bad, famine and feast, the villagers held fast to their traditions. Until, one winter day, a sly wind blew in from the North...

The Darjeeling Limted:I'm gonna mace you in the face!

Emma: (Emma) Good heavens! Go back!

Pride & Prejudice:(Mr. Darcy) Yes, but that was only when I first knew her, for it is many months since I have considered her as one of the handsomest women of my acquaintance.

Me Too!

Tonight I'm going to watch Miss Potter as my last "at home" moment. For those of you who haven't seen it, it's beautiful and charming indeed, and is a must see. The scenery itself is tear-jerking. I'm about to reveal part of the ending, so if you haven't seen it yet, and don't want to have it spoiled stop reading here.

I love love love love love that Beatrix buys up thousands of acres of land in the Lake District of England, preserves them as working farms, and then gives them to the English public as a nature preserve. This is something Ceej and I dream of doing (especially in Utah). It is disturbing to see so many developments going up where there used to be beautiful farm land or land that was simply untouched. I sometimes feel discouraged and that every beautiful piece of land we have will some day be bulldozed over to make way for cookie-cutter homes. On the other hand, I am inspired by stories like Miss Potter's...there are good people in this world who value natural and untouched beauty.