Books I Love

A few weeks ago my sister-in-law asked me to recommend some of my favorite books, with a short description of why I loved them. (SO DEMANDING, Shelby!) Depending upon where I am in my life, various books have impacted me in a way that caused me to open my mind, shift my thought process, or just delve into a different world in a way that is essential and necessary to all of us. Books are firmly placed on my list of favorite things, close to Tina Fey and pizza from Sottocasa in Brooklyn (I'm the worst, hahaha, I know). I thought I'd share the list here (not included are books I read and loved as a child), because it is very important to me that everyone knows I am a bibliophile and all I do is read and expand my mind and think deep, intellectual thoughts and have never watched the entire season of Orange is the New Black in two days because what even is Netflix?

The View from Saturday: Newberry Medal winner, after she won it twenty-nine years before for From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. (I remember teaching my second-graders the meaning of Caldecott and Newberry awards, and then on our library day, they'd race around the room to find copies of books with the medals emblazoned on the covers, while I stood silently and proudly survey the kingdom I had created, knowing my work was done.) It's a story of four 6th-graders put together for a trivia competition, and deals with physical disabilities, blended families, bullying, racism, the environment, all the things we need to teach and discuss with our kids. (Our kids, Candice?! OUR??? I know, if I had kids of my own I wouldn't have the time to type this post or watch the newest episode of RHONY, uh, I mean, make my own almond milk from scratch. It's easy to have lofty ideas of child-rearing when you're not doing it. I know. But I don't.) It weaves their different lives together in a way that is simple and beautiful and refreshing, and gives you hope for the rising generations. (Plus lots of fun trivia!) It's one of my go-to gifts for the younger crowd, but I think all adults should read it. Konigsburg is one of those authors who speaks so much truth through her young characters. (Roald Dahl is another.)

Middlesex: Opening sentence: "I was born twice: first, as a baby girl, on a remarkably smogless Detroit day of January 1960; and then again, as a teenage boy, in an emergency room near Petoskey, Michigan, in August of 1974..." I find that authors who identify strongly with their heritage create the most intriguing and beautiful stories; Jeffrey Eugenides, of Greek descent, has written a book that takes us from a family's beginnings overlooking Mt. Olympus to the influx of immigrants and the age of industrialization, through the race riots of Detroit and beyond. History is best learned from a personal perspective, and in Middlesex you get this. Moreover, it offers a new look at how we identify, how this motivates our interactions, and the importance of nature vs. nurture. Poetical prose at its finest. I think it is more important than ever to have a better understanding of gender identity, and this book really helped set me on that path.

Open: Andre Agassi's autobiography. Incredible sports stories and just an amazing life with some real insight. The following quote is my greatest takeaway from a page-turner: "Remember this. Hold onto this. This is the only perfection there is, the perfection of helping others. This is the only thing we can do that has any lasting value or meaning. This is why we're here. To make each other feel safe." If you love sports, especially tennis, read this. Pop culture fanatic? This is a great pick. Autobiography buff? You won't regret it. 

How Green Was My Valley: A gorgeous tale of a family in a Welsh coal-mining community. It tells of their lives and struggles in dealing with the changing landscape, both literal and social, as years of mining have wreaked havoc on the land and family.

Circle of Friends: Fiction that I read once a year. Irish authors and stories are among my favorites. It's the tale of two unlikely friends, Benny and Eve, one the overly-cared for daughter of helicopter parents, the other an orphan raised by nuns. It opens when they're about ten-years-old, following them through their college years. It is set post-WWII Ireland and deals with the rich vs. poor and Irish vs. Protestant clashes that were so prevalent, but in a more personal, everyday manner. Also, friendship, betrayal, relationships, new love. It's my comfort book, the mac 'n cheese of the literary world. Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man is another favorite comfort read, but set in the South. So maybe THAT is my literary mac 'n cheese and Circle of Friends is my shepherd's pie.

The Alchemist: You may have already read it, as it is everywhere, but this deserves the hype. It's an allegory of a shepherd traveling to Egypt to find treasure, and that "treasure" means something different to every person. I first read it when I moved to SLC and was rediscovering myself and creating a new life. (That sounds very Eat, Pray, Love, but I must LIVE MY TRUTH!) I wish I had my copy with me, as I'd include some of my favorite passages, but that's kind of the beauty of it; depending upon where one is in their own journey, it speaks to all of us in different ways.

A People's History of the United States: Howard Zinn is a master historian, and whatever you were taught in school was not enough. This is something every American should read to learn what really went down since Columbus landed, and to remind us that the authors of history have long dictated the stories that are told and the people and events remembered. It tells of the birth of a nation from the perspective of women, Native Americans, enslaved peoples, immigrants, and others who for so long have not been heard.

Gilead: Okay, so I have not finished reading this, but it is amazing. If you're looking to feel the way that Steinbeck is making Ricky feel (email specific note to Shelby, it stays), this is it. My friend gave it to me based upon my love for East of Eden and How Green Was My Valley, and she was on target. She told me it would take a while to read, not because it is that long, but because you need time to digest what is being said and to reread passages. I've marked up my copy. The words just stop you in your tracks. Truly sacramental.

The Crucible of Doubt: Religious book by Terryl and Fiona Givens. It has really helped my to find a more comfortable place in the Church, and brought me closer to what it means to be a true follower of Christ. Navigating the waters of being Mormon when not everything the leaders say sits well with you is very tricky, but this has helped me have a better understanding of the Gospel. The Givens are THE BIZNESS, and this needs to be required Mormon reading.

East of Eden: Steinbecks's finest. About it, he said, "It has everything in it I have been able to learn about my craft or profession in all these years...I think everything else I have written has been, in a sense, practice for this." Indeed, John. Indeed. If you grew up in CA, you did a lot of assigned reading from Steinbeck, even in Kern County, where some fools were always trying to place The Grapes of Wrath on the list of banned books. I didn't read this until a few years ago, although I DO think it was based on the recommendation of a fellow Golden Hawk. It's the story of a family that parallels the Book of Genesis, so breathtakingly written, and painting a beautiful picture of the Salinas Valley. Within this family's history is the idea of the Hebrew word Timshel, "thou mayest," meaning that mankind is neither compelled to pursue sainthood nor doomed to sin, but rather has the power to choose. I think that in a world where it is becoming so easy to indulge and take the easy way and become focused on the trivial, this lesson is so empowering. It is hard, effort is required, it takes self-control, change is necessary, but we are in charge of our own destiny. 

One Summer: 1927: Nonfiction that may be one of the best I've read. Bill Bryson will never steer you wrong. Focuses on the flight of Lindbergh, Babe Ruth's big season with the Yankees, and Al Capone's rise, which all coincided "one summer." With each of these, Bryson takes you back to events that led to the aforementioned three, and you'll find yourself enthralled by Babe's life, the xenophobia surrounding the Sacco and Vanzetti case, President Harding's love child, everything that sets the stage for the summer of 1927. THIS BOOK IS INCREDIBLE and an entire history class could be taught from it alone. Between the two of us, I believe AJ and I have read eight of Bryson's books. He is a favorite.

Tender at the Bone: Autobiographical book (she has four that, when all read, fill in the various parts of her life, but this is my favorite) from Ruth Reichl. Former NYTimes food critic and editor of (now defunct) Gourmet magazine. She was a part of the farm-to-table movement in Berkeley and has really LIVED. The chapters are interspersed with her favorite recipes, but not in a cheesy, self-promoting, Food Network star kind of way. I've given this book to some of the important food people in my life, and I have NO REGRETS. It's also just kind of about finding oneself in culinary discoveries, and how important of a role meals play in our lives in bringing people together and creating memories.

The Joy Luck Club: The story of four Chinese-American women and their mothers who immigrated to America. It's a fascinating history of China in the 20th century (it is fictional but based in truth), and it's crazy to read of all the drastic changes that country has experienced. (Wild Swans has a similar feel, but IS nonfiction, more in-depth, and a little more daunting.) Moreover, it tells of the daughters and their attempts to find their place in America while still retaining a sense of their past. It's a good reminder that our mothers had lives before us, while also highlighting the difficulties inherent with being a woman and facing the ever-evolving stages in life.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X: This was assigned reading in my last quarter of college, and that term was one of my best. I had two classes with Dr. Meriwether: African-American Studies 1865-Present and Africa: From Colonialism to Independence, and I was shaped in ways that continue to help me evolve. Malcolm X's life is one of the most heart-breaking and triumphant, and a perfect example of the power within us to open ourselves to the perspectives of others and to do better and be more. Because he did that. I think in the wake of the current social upheaval and the Black Lives Matter movement, this is a must-read. 

I am currently reading Gilead (see above) and American Gods. Also amazing - American history, mythology, religion, intrigue, etc. A copy of it was left in a pile of books on our neighbor's stoop, and Lee was all "YAAAAASSSS, read it!" I was never much into fantasy, but Game of Thrones and Harry Potter (which is so obvious that I shouldn't even need to put it on the list) opened me up to a new genre. Thank you, Jo and George. Waiting in the wings are James Baldwin's The Fire Next Time and Mary Beard's SPQR: A History of Rome.

Spring Breakers

Growing up, my family spent the week of Spring Break at Leo Carrillo, where we would camp, body surf (not me, PASS), do dutch oven cooking, scrounge up quarters for the coin-operated showers, read stacks of Baby-Sitters Club and Trixie Belden books, and basically be at the beach (in our cove) from 9-5. It was a full-time job, and the Urmstons were willing to do it. Living on the East Coast has allowed me to explore new beaches, and this past March I found myself on the gorgeous shores of the Sunshine State.

Mural on the way to our cove

URMANIUM 2015, Leo Carrillo State Beach

When AJ started at UVA Law last year, he was placed in Section G, the group of fellow students that became his crew and classmates for the year. I love them all. Within that group were the Backrow Bandits (direct all questions regarding this to him), which included Jasmine, who is a native Floridian; her family generously offered to let us stay in a condo they have in Melbourne. This perfectly fit in with the our family motto to always be "Ballin' on a Budget", and we leapt at the chance to get out of Charlottesville. (But I can't emphasize enough how gorgeous it is in the spring and fall. Family and friends, we will be there just one more year, plan accordingly.)

My first experience with Florida was through reading Judy Blume. Judy Blume is the BIZNESS. Kids these days need fewer Disney Channel characters in their lives and more Sheila Tubman, Tony Miglione, and Rachel Robinson. (There was recently an "Are you there ---? It's me, ---" reference, and someone was all, "Oh, like the Chelsea Handler book!", and I wanted to slap them silly.) In Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself, Sally's family temporarily relocates to Florida to help with her brother's health problems. The story is set just after World War II, and opens with her family sitting shiva for a great aunt and cousin who died in a Nazi concentration camp. (Look at Ms. Blume, spreading knowledge and understanding to unsuspecting ten-year-olds!) It's a perfect balance of heavier subjects with the imagination and daily observations of a young girl missing old friends and finding new ones, all the while looking to her idol, Esther Williams. Obviously the Florida of the 1940s is different from the Florida of today, but as we explored the various beach towns, I saw the pink and turquoise stucco buildings that Sally described, and I audibly yelped. Those are interesting moments, when something brings you happiness because of what you are experiencing in the present, but a deeper emotion is felt as you are pulled back to something joyful from your past...and yet there is a yearning ache you can actually feel inside. Childhood nostalgia is something else. (This helps explain the success of Fuller House.)

Our drive south (listening to Bill Bryson's At Home) took us to Florence, SC, where we indulged in some bbq at Wholly Smokin'. Hands down, the BEST baked beans (spicy and with chunks of bacon) I have ever had. I also highly recommend the baby lima beans and roasted corn, as well as the warm loaded baked potato salad. The brisket and pulled pork were gold stars all-around, but those sides? LIGHTS OUT. (Look, I'm fully aware that none of you will ever roll through Florence, so this food journal is basically for us, because it is usually in those magical culinary moments when I am most overwhelmed with my love for AJ. This is either a very healthy OR unhealthy revelation, we really can't be sure.)

We began our stay cheering on our (current) home team, the Washington Nationals, in their spring training game against the Marlins. Getting to watch Ichiro Suzuki and Bryce Harper play was legit, and AJ even chatted up the Marlins bullpen, much to the chagrin of both me and the old dude working security, whose shouts and gestures AJ failed to notice.

In a league of his own

Our second night there, the Esmailbeguis had us over for a delicious home-cooked meal (shout-out to Seeta!), after which we were introduced to what became our favorite vacation hot-spot, Dell's Freeze. A towering pile of peanut butter soft serve dipped in chocolate? Don't mind if I do...three nights in a row. Ice cream is my favorite thing ever, and the house I grew up in was about a mile away from a chocolate-dipped soft serve stand that we would walk to in an attempt to find respite from the triple-digit summer heat of Bakersfield. (We also tried to make some fresh-squeezed orange juice with our cousins one time, using the citrus from the surrounding groves, but all I remember is a lot of sticky pulp and someone cutting their hand on broken glass.) Otter-Pops and sprinklers in the front yard were also very dependable, but Grandma's pool was the best.

We unwindulaxed at a different beach every day, including a nature preserve, and the calm Atlantic Ocean, with its sandy white beaches, continued to give as only God can. The indigenous flora and fauna is unlike what you'll see in the rest of America, and it's as though you've taken a trip to a new country, but without having to deal with getting new passports because both have expired and been misplaced and someone can't seem to find their birth certificate.

We hit up Cocoa Beach, home to the world's largest Ron Jon Surf Shop and Kelly Slater. Kelly has been crowned World Surf League Champion a record 11 times, and was the youngest (20) and oldest (39) to win that title. More importantly, he dated Pam Anderson (whom I saw a couple times filming Baywatch at Leo Carrillo! It all comes full circle...), and voiced a character based upon himself in Surf's Up, one of the greatest animated films ever made. While there we went to Yelp, our trusty travel companion, to track down some tasty eats. We were guided to The Tiny Turtle, where we grooved to 311 and Bobby McFerrin while stuffing our faces with Caribbean-inspired tacos and hot dogs, two of man's greatest contributions to the world. Sorry, Jonas Salk. Afterwards, we headed to Ron Jon, where AJ flashbacked to his puka shell necklace-wearing days and reminisced about the vacations his family took to the land of the hanging chads.

On our drive home we stopped in Savannah, GA for dinner and a quick exploration. That city is unreal. The architecture is so varied yet all breathtaking, and heaven is walking the streets and avenues under a canopy of trees dripping with Spanish moss languidly floating in the breeze. (Yes, I DO love and adore Southern literature and its descriptive cliches, WHY DO YOU ASK?) Dinner was outside at Sly's Sliders and Fries, where you absolutely cannot go wrong - see menu below. Also, free Mortal Kombat arcade game to play while you wait! (That means nothing to me, but I can appreciate a good throwback gratis distraction when I see one.)

 Now Imma let 311 sing this one on out. Amber (Click on link to the left!)

And the day came...

...when the risk it took
to remain tight and closed in the bud
was more painful
than the risk it took to bloom.

Watch Adele's Hello

Adele will always have a special place in my heart. I had just moved to Salt Lake when 21 came out, and Jillian​ and I listened to it non-stop, first belting out Rolling in the Deep at the top of our lungs in the car after I'd picked her up from the U. It's the kind of album where you find a place in your life for each song, connecting lyrics to different people and experiences over the years. Someone Like You is for the regrets of ghosts of relationships past, while One and Only is for the hopes of relationships future. It's like a favorite book where, depending upon where you are in your life and what you're feeling, it will resonate with you in a new way. I'll be forever grateful to Jillian for being my first roommate and friend in Utah. (And shout-out to cousin Petey-Pete for inviting me up for a visit the summer before.)

Adele issued a statement a couple days ago about her new album, 25: "My last record was a break-up record, and if I had to label this one, I would call it a make-up record. Making up for lost time. Making up for everything I ever did and never did... 25 is about getting to know who I've become..."

I've learned in life that it's never too late for now. 

That there is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered. 

I know that growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don't belong. 

I can affirm that however late you think you are, however many chances you think you may have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don't have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have NOT traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ's atonement.

And I testify that Pinterest is WHERE IT'S AT for quotes.

Sometimes in life we have to remove ourselves from everything familiar in order to become familiar with ourselves. My Danish ancestors arrived in Utah in the mid-1800s to start over; in 2010, I did the same. But, like, with a lot less hardship and fewer dangerous voyages across the sea and open prairie.

Sitting in church one day in Salt Lake is where I was struck with the thought that I'd been living in two different worlds for years, not fully committing to either and thus always feeling torn. I made the decision to be all in, to humble myself and turn to Christ, to do the work, to seek the Lord's help in fixing myself rather than struggling in vain to do it on my own. 

It's where I taught a class of second-graders who were most mostly first-generation Americans, interpreting for their parents who worked multiple jobs to give their kids a better life than they had in Bosnia, South Sudan, Iraq, and Mexico.

This is the time that I was pescetarian for two years, annoying a handful of friends and family, but at the same time helping change my perspective on our consumption of the earth's resources. And becoming sick and tired of salmon after the first year.

I ran my first half-marathon here, finding a love for running that I never had in the four years I did cross-country, where my sister was a top varsity runner while I was a middling JV athlete, sometimes diverting a practice run to the convenience store where we'd buy La Rosa bars instead. (Always coconut.) I was less about cutting my times and more about increasing my socializing. When I became a coach years later, every time an overly-chatty swimmer would sit out a drill at the other end of the lane because their shoulder hurt (LIAR!), I'd feel pangs of regret for the times I'd pulled the same nonsense on my own coaches. Sorry, Coach Jones. I'm the worst.

Utah is where I worked at Communal, where I met some of my best friends and all-around greatest people in the world, and became a sucker for the farm-to-table movement. Alice Waters forever.

It was at a BYU football game that I saw AJ again. We had been set up by our siblings, who'd been going out at the time, six months previous; first date at a Mexican restaurant and second on Valentine's Day, eating pizza and watching Election. It didn't take the first time around-I talked a lot about Ron Paul and he wouldn't stop with Chris Brown. I also ordered the shrimp quesadilla (pescetarian-see above), "the most expensive thing on the menu" (it was $12, slow your roll), which took AJ aback. The fact that this was our first date did not stop him from finishing my leftovers. 

Since 2010, I've changed my driver's license from CA to UT to VA. Come May 30th, we'll be residing in New York City for the summer while AJ interns in Midtown Manhattan. (Side note: when we found out we'd be in NYC a couple months ago, it was then that I decided my baseball loyalties would be with the Mets. So stop your "bandwagon" accusations now. Besides, I'll always bleed blue for the Dodgers. I was watching Kirk Gibson, Fernando Valenzuela, and Orel Hershiser with my dad BACK IN THE DAY. That 1988 fist pump. Relive it here.) So many choices, big and small, have brought me to where I am today, all the while preparing me for life's next great hurdle. Because with every new experience, good or bad, there are lessons to be learned and growing pains to be had. 

I know it's just a song. But hearing her words, and her voice, so much of the past five years came back to me. It has been said that "great art takes us to a place where we realize the need for another kind of language to capture the deepest realities." (The Crucible of Doubt: Reflections on the Quest for Faith, Terryl and Fiona Givens. If you are looking to explore and expand your relationship with God and one another, I IMPLORE you to read this book.) This is the art Adele gives me. 

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!

As I am mainly Danish and English, while AJ's family hails from Germany and Wales, we don't have many celebrations or traditions tracing back through the generations that we practice. When kids come into the picture, I’ll do my research into our own backgrounds and incorporate the traditions of those countries into our lives; but until then, we've decided to celebrate holidays and rituals of others, even if it means simply making Kung Pao chicken and reading Amy Tan for the Chinese New Year. (By the way, it is on Thursday, and I'm a rooster while AJ is a rabbit. Based upon those animals, we are NOT a match, but JayZ and Beyonce are both roosters, while Blue Ivy is a rabbit, so WE WILL SEE.) I don’t look at this as cultural appropriation, but cultural APPRECIATION. It’s a great way to explore different customs and beliefs and learn more about others. So don’t come at me, HATERZ. It’s the Year of the Goat/Sheep, during which there are three lucky signs, including my Rooster. Hurrah! I’ve been advised to not sit around selfishly enjoying my good fortune, but to use it to help others, being generous with my time and attention. I should build relationships, as these very well could help me in the future. Also, serving others is important just for the sake of serving others. Obviously. (All Chinese New Year information comes from Elaine Lui of Lainey Gossip, the source for all my biased opinions regarding Tinsel Town.) But I’m getting ahead of myself.

The last time I did a themed event was years ago, in celebration of Harry Potter’s birthday on July 31st. I’m telling you, I BROUGHT THE WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA. Character costumes, homemade butterbeer, cockroach clusters, pumpkin pasties, the works. (Henceforth, Neville Longbottom will be included in Harry's party, because I NOW KNOW THE TRUTH.) 

AJ was in the Big Easy a couple weeks ago for a national baseball arbitration competition, so we are now basically experts in all things New Orleans: beignets, jazz, beads, you name it. He did Cafe DuMonde, clubs on Bourbon Street with his new Teach for America friends from the hostel, caught a Pelicans game, the works. I thought it would be fun to use the opportunity of this week to try my hand at some traditional Mardi Gras dishes while studying more in-depth the religious background of Lent. Fat Tuesday on Arlington Boulevard was a more low-key event, but a celebration nonetheless. 

Growing up, I remember my Catholic friends observing Lent, and I admired the practice of fasting and renewing their commitment to God. (I was also secretly jealous of the Confirmation process and wanted the chance to choose my own saint’s name. Something else I thought was cool? How they would cross themselves with the Father, Son, Holy Spirit. I obviously had a very immature grasp of the religion.) So as Fat Tuesday dawned in Charlottesville, freezing and snow-covered and very un-New Orleans, I hit up Chef Emeril Lagasse online for my jam-ba-laaay-uh recipe (say it in the Elaine voice from Seinfeld), which included making my own Creole seasoning.

Look at the layers, it’s like those bottles filled with multi-colored sand from childhood.  Ahhh, a simpler time. Note the peeling label on the jar. This is an eco-conscious/ultra-frugalista habit of mine in which I save any and all jars, which I then turn into storage containers. Any food AJ takes to school is usually transported in an empty sour cream or cottage cheese container, so I’m sure his classmates think he has some very interesting eating habits.

The recipe is as follows, including directions for the seasoning, courtesy of the Food Network:

CAJUN JAMBALAYA

For the King Cake I got creative, basically eschewing anything remotely close to the traditional dessert. The final result was a stack of multigrain crepes layered with a lemon glaze, topped with rainbow sprinkles because they’re my favorite on everything, with fresh whipped cream on the side. Custom calls for a tiny plastic baby nestled somewhere inside the cake, and whomever receives the bambino in their slice has the honor/duty/drag of hosting next year’s party, but I just put it on top. Because it’s creepily adorable and it was just the two of us. Also, it was conveniently acquired this past weekend during a trip to Philadelphia when my pal Kaeleigh dug it from the depths of her purse while we were sitting in the café of the Fabric Works Museum, soaking up the weird art while trying to thaw from the single-digit weather happening outside, wind chill -22. Blessed.

My two main reasons for going with the stack o’ crepes were 1) crepes cakes are so very tasty and I first encountered them at the 09.08.07 wedding of Meghan Hoetker, who does not mess around in the culinary department and had multiples of this dessert rather than the traditional wedding cake; and 2) I had the necessary ingredients on-hand and was trying to avoid going to the store, because driving a half mile was just too much to ask. (I would have been a terrible pioneer and would’ve definitely told my family to cross the plains without me. Sorry, covered-wagon ancestors, you’re the realest.)

Multigrain Crepes

½ c Trader Joe’s Multigrain pancake mix

½ c whole wheat flour

1 ¼ c water

2 eggs

2 T butter

Mix ingredients and pour into buttered skillet, just a dollop at a time-about 30 seconds on each side. Repeat and stack.

Lemon Glaze

1 ¼ c powdered sugar

3 T milk

½ c lemon juice

Whisk together and drizzle between the crepes.

Cup of heavy whipping cream, sprinkle of sugar, whip it good.  Put all over crepes…and everything.

Next time around, I’ll buy a jar of lemon curd from Trader Joe’s to layer in the crepes. I had it in my basket the last time I was there and questioned whether I would use it. Never doubt your lemon curd instincts and just do it! Trader Joe’s is heaven on earth and any inspiration received there is sent from the angels above.

Light the candelabra, drape beads around the table, and serve up your Fat Tuesday dinner.

May I also recommend Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington music in the background? 

Louis Armstrong's "Dinah"

It was AJ’s contribution, because his true calling is a DJ and he WILL take over the AUX cord and we should really look into hiring him out as a wedding singer. I’ll totally be the Drew Barrymore to his Adam Sandler. (Confession: I was obsessed with Drew back-in-the-day, cutting her pictures out of magazines-YM and Seventeen and Jane!-and even putting daisies in my hair for senior prom [theme: MARDI GRAS!], following her styling at everything in the late nineties. Photo evidence is on my Instagram. Cheers to high school in the late nineties! Preeeetty sure glitter lotion was also involved in my look.) 

The plan was to follow up the meal with a viewing of The Pelican Brief, a great New Orleans-based film, but AJ had papers and monologues to prepare and headed up to the library to do real law work; thus, I indulged in the John Grisham caper solo. It’s like we’re both in law school, amirite?! And if you haven’t seen this movie, I highly recommend it. I first fell in love with Grisham’s tales in 7th grade, when I pulled The Firm and A Time to Kill off my grandma’s bookshelves, two pieces of literature very inappropriate for a 12-year-old, but enjoyable nonetheless.

A pre-Sex and the City Cynthia Nixon to the left

So as of today, Lent (Latin: Quadragesima; English: Fortieth) is upon us and, although I’m not Catholic, I look at it as an opportunity to incorporate some of its tenets into my life. Because truth is everywhere. In modern times, observers give up an action considered to be a vice, add something that will bring them closer to God, and donate time and/or money to charitable purposes. Done, done, and done. Well, doing it.

I’ll leave you with a fun fact regarding the impact of this observance on capitalistic enterprises. Until the 1960s, practicing Catholics were not supposed to partake of meat on any Friday. Pope Paul VI loosened the rules in that decade, applying it to only Fridays of the Lenten fast, but a few years before that occurred, Lou Groen, a McDonald’s franchise owner in a predominately Catholic part of Cincinnati, was trying to find ways to drum up burger business on Fridays. The result? The Filet-O-Fish. (Source: npr.org)

XO

Thanksgiving is upon us and, while our families are enjoying the sunny skies in CA and AZ, we're experiencing our first snow of the season. Still, grateful. And going through the photos and videos from our wedding day only serve to remind us of all that we have and the love of the friends and family who celebrated with us that lovely September day. Thus, this post will be heavier on the viewing and lighter on the reading. The perfect treat for when you are crouched in a corner, scrolling through your phone or laptop while hiding from being asked to help with the Thanksgiving dinner dishes. Grab your third piece of pie to enjoy while you walk down memory lane with us.

This summer was a whirlwind that kicked off with emergency ulcer surgery the day before my birthday; followed by a proposal two weeks later, which led to furious packing and planning; culminating in a day filled with love, family, friends, big hair, butterscotch pudding, and our pre-reception meal of Red Bull and beef jerky purchased at a gas station in Midway. (Thanks for the bonus can, Gibby!)

For those who weren't privy to the proposal story, here's a quick recap: the first of July dawned clear and bright. The night before was a perfect date of dinner at Mamacita's, a trip to the bookstore, a surprise gift of a Harry Potter Marauder's Map t-shirt, and dessert of frozen yogurt. (Side note: while we love Cups in Charlottesville, Provo has cornered the market on frozen yogurt. The quality and variety of yogurts is incomparable, and the toppings are stacked. So, go you, P-Town. But Cups does offer Cinnamon Toast Crunch, which I highly recommend on EVERYTHING. Update: Cups has closed indefinitely. What a world...) I had booked a hair appointment with AJ's sister (she's currently attending school at The Forum and is EXCELLENT-I'm holding out for winter break to get it done and these roots are kickin'!), so of course I took the opportunity to NOT do my hair, because hell is filled with washing, drying, and styling my own tresses. Courtney greeted me at the front desk, then proceeded to take me to a room to get my hair washed. OR DID SHE?!?! As the door opened, I saw the space was filled with photos of AJ and me. The door opened wider and, as my eyes swept the room, I saw my boo standing there all handsome in a suit, while the smooth sounds of Primetime played. Below is the video. (Don't watch the whole thing, it goes on for awhile. Thanks to Skyler for the camera and video.) I was shocked. Very, very shocked. And happy, elated, overjoyed, and in ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can't-live-without-each-other love.

AJ + Candice Proposal

Puttin' a ring on it was followed by lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings for the U.S. vs. Belgium World Cup game, because of course. While wings were had and American hearts were broken, texts were sent and phone calls were made to our loved ones. (Shout-out to Kirstie at Communal for picking up my dinner shift that night!) The day was wrapped up with a trip to the gym and dinner at Pizzeria 712, because every engagement day should conclude with a pile of heirloom tomatoes and hand-pulled mozzarella.

Insert two months of wedding planning, 4th of July at Payson Lake with Lee, Andrew, and Gibson; the BEST trip to San Francisco with Lee and Lindsay for the On the Run tour and delectable food (Chez Panisse, what-what?!) galore; engagement photos with Kelly; bridals with my Aunt Leslie in a beautiful dress lovingly sewn by my Aunt Teresa; packing up AJ, moving him to VA to start school; leaving the people and job I dearly love at Communal (singing Adele's "Someone Like You" on the back bench with Kirstie and Lee as we closed is one of my best memories); packing up my apartment (my brothers and their friends are THE BEST); crashing on Lee's couch for a few days; four bridal showers (thank you to Nicole, Aunt Jill, Andrea, Courtney, Angie, and the women of AJ's home ward)...and I was in Salt Lake, checking into a hotel with my BFF Andrea. She is an absolute saint for being my righthand gal those last few days, bringing me caffeine every morning, driving up and down the I-15 with me while I tied up odds and ends, and telling me to chill during my 2 AM freak-outs. There's a reason she's a Marriott Events Coordinator-the girl gets stuff done. And there is no one I'd rather be having a sleepover with on my last night as a single woman. I love you forever, lady. We'll always have TLC in our Honda Civics. NO SCRUBS.

Design by Etsy shop Printable Wisdom-she was a dream to work with and has great items! Immense gratitude to my sister and brother-in-law for gifting us our announcements.

Andrea and I swooped AJ from the airport on Friday afternoon, and he surprised me with this day-before-the-wedding shirt. He's pretty cool.

That evening, AJ's parents generously gave us a dinner filled with our nearest and dearest, where speeches were made, slideshows were viewed, and Michael Jackson (Mason DuPaix, you're unreal) made an appearance. (I think my friends are still confused...) AJ went bowling with his crew while I was able to spend a couple hours afterwards with my besties from CA, and it was basically a scene from Sex and the City...we like to think.

Cosmos and Manolos and Fendi, OH MY!

I awoke on Saturday, September 6th, refreshed and welcoming the sunny skies. Hahaha, no. I got about three hours of sleep and, as I sat in front of the closet mirror to do my hair and makeup, I heard an "Uh-oh, don't come over here!" from Andrea. So obviously I had to. POURING RAIN. (But TWIST! I managed to stay calm and, by the time we left the hotel, there was literally a rainbow arching o'er us.) My wonderful, amazing, talented, and cool-as-a-cucumber photographer (Cheneil Garrett Photography) arrived early to shoot some boudoir shots (ooh-la-la!), then we were off to the Bountiful Temple. Andrew greeted me at the entrance in all his stylish and creative glory with my bouquet and flowers for the parents, and then I went inside to see my man. Smiles times infinity.

And then we were wed.

Being surrounded by our loved ones as we were married for time and all eternity was one of the most important and precious moments of our lives. I am so grateful for the gospel in my life that has led me to this man to whom I will be with for always.

And then we partied.

First things first, we're the realest

It's turnt, but so are we

Treat yo'self

Communal's butterscotch pudding, prepared by Lindsay Blue Ivie

Birch stands by Dad, gorgeous cake by Jennie Rasmussen of Let Them Eat Cake

Ladies with an attitude, fellows that were in the mood

I literally CAN'T EVEN

                                     

Our DJ was THE BEST. Carter "King Darius" Hurst, your mixing skills are like no other. The dance floor just wouldn't quit. Find him on Instagram, iTunes, Twitter, Facebook, and give him big love. House party? Hit him up. Sweet 16? He's your guy. Opening for Tinashe in SLC? Did it.

Lindsay KILLING some Robyn

Show Me Love sing-a-long

AJ started law school at UVA (TOP TEN!) this year, a few weeks before our wedding. This meant he flew out of UT on August 17th, after a glorious few days at Bear Lake with the Jones-Swartwood crew. He and I woke up before dawn and we drove to the airport, all the while singing along to the greatest songs of Mariah Carey, Babyface, and other R&B hitmakers of the '90s for two hours. Go listen to Always Be My Baby IMMEDIATELY. And wear some cut-offs and a denim shirt while you're doing it. While we had the three weeks apart, AJ took the opportunity to choreograph (thanks for the help, Lena!) and perfect a dance for me that he surprised the crowd with at our reception. This man...143

My boo's got moves YOU'VE neva' seen

And then the skies opened up, the thunder boomed, and the rain poured. Can't stop, won't stop. This rain dance culminated in a group of us gathered on the dance floor under a tablecloth, AJ and I in the middle, surrounded by our people, while Rihanna's Umbrella played. Hollywood couldn't have planned a better ending. (But thank you to my sister Courtney who traveled all around northern UT to gather sparklers that were never lit!) 

Quick good-byes were had, my amazing family cleaned everything up amidst the downpour, my Kimisha whisked the gifts to safety, and we raced to the car. AJ and I had a late dinner of tapas at Eva in Salt Lake in our soaking wedding attire, and it was perfect. Thank you forever to everyone who contributed their time, energy, and efforts to making 9.6.14 so special and such immense fun, especially my parents. So many people came from near and far, and it really meant the WORLD to us; I am continually overwhelmed when I think of it and you. Being across the country for the next three years as AJ finishes law school and I complete my novel is allowing us to struggle, grow, learn, and love together; but this day, with everyone, will always be a part of us. 

XO