God Bless It

I've always been a huge sap for the good ole U.S. of A. I'm not really the type, even, to be too critical of our government or the laws and regulations that exist here, simply because I know in my gut that, while things here are imperfect, there ain't no way the grass is greener. While I acknowledge that humanity as a whole seems to make some pretty lame decisions, overall, I would never trade living here for elsewhere. When I lived in Japan for a year, it was the little things that made me truly realize that, as cliche' as it may sound, I am darn proud to be an American. I will never be ungrateful for that gift. As rough as it gets here - as corrupt as some parts of it can be... and this is generally more in the opinion of others as opposed to myself - I will never take for granted the blessing of living in a country where we actually have a say and we truly can be who we choose to be. If I wanted to, I could hop in my car for $4.52 a gallon and drive down the street for a greasy donut wearing my CTR ring while showing some scandalous female ankle and pregnant with my 2nd child... and no one could stop me. There are billions of people on this earth who can't even fathom that kind of freedom.

And I never want anyone who ever had to die in order for me to have what I have to not be able to look me in the eye out of fear of going unappreciated. God bless our troops... now, in the past, and in the future.

I pray I never take it for granted.

Ok, now off of my soapbox, cause now it's PICTURE TIME!!!

In the morning (after a slow start because Dave was relishing in his day off), we decided to head down to Huntington Beach to kick-off the festivities. We got there literally as the last 1/2 of the parade was doing it's thing, which made me so very happy (I love parades!). Malia is a lot like her mommy and couldn't get enough of anything that passed by with a lot of noise.

This is her excited face.


An adorable shot of Lili & Daddy that I snuck in while checking on our illegally parked car
(which was parked in a temporary Parade No Parking Zone - heh)


Malia enjoying the water... please acknowledge that I am 16 weeks pregnant... so no fat jokes; because along with the tummy comes a lot of hormones, and I don't wanna' hear it.


We headed home for Malia (& Daddy) to have a nap, and then drove up the freeway to see the Andersons! They'd invited us over for a last minute BBQ and I was elated to hang with our old friends. I think we've spent a few 4ths with them, actually. PLUS - I ate a whole steak... meat's been difficult for me lately (courtesy Tim's new grilling skillz). Malia developed a quick and infatuated crush on Weston.

And last, but certainly never least.... FIREWORKS!!!

Gonna be in CA next week?

So, I'm scheduled to perform on July 9th at Citywalk by Universal Studios Hollywood at 7 PM (well, the contest starts at 7.... who knows when I'll be singing).

So if you're bored and it's not too far of a drive, I'd love any & all support!

Wannabe Wicked?

So, about a month and a 1/2 ago, my friend Jean sent me this random e-mail with news about different "Wicked" goings-on in L.A. (Stephen Schwartz getting a star, new performance dates, etc). She knew my whole deal with the audition process a little over a year ago and so she's just cute like that sometimes. :)

On part of the newsletter, there was an announcement for a video contest called "Wannabe Wicked." Basically, you had to send in a tape of yourself singing a portion of 1 of the 5 songs they had listed from the show. They would then choose semi-finalists from those videos. If you are chosen as a semi-finalist, then you will sing on 1 of 5 semi-final nights at the Citywalk of Universal Studios Hollywood. If you are THEN chosen as a finalist, then there is one more night of competition and the winner of that wins a one-night-only walk-on role in the actual show. Sounded fun. And the possibility was a lot more promising then the whole "leaving-my-child-and-husband-behind-to-pursue-my-dreams-just-because-I-can" thing that I considered with the show before. What's one night, right?


Well... I sent in a video just because I already had one of me singing "Wizard & I" from a high school choir reunion a few years back. Yesterday, while I was editing my profile on the competition site, I saw that I'd been chosen as a semi-finalist! How fun for me. If nothing else comes of it, at least I will get one silly little night to belt it out like a diva for someone other then Malia... albeit as a pregnant and awkward diva. And who knows if anything will come of it. But, best-case-scenario, maybe I'll have a contest on my blog for the last 2 tickets of the free 10 for the show that I'd receive if I actually won this thing. (I probably just jinxed myself even just by saying that... oh well). Like I said, the pregnancy thing won't help.

If nothing else... it should be fun. :)

(Below is the video I submitted)

6 years!!!!

Well - our 6th wedding anniversary fell on Father's Day this year... so I kind of wanted to let the majority of the day ride out before talking about it, so that David could enjoy "his" day.

On June 15th, 2002, David and I were sealed for time & all eternity in the San Diego LDS temple by my Uncle Kent with family in attendance. It was a beautiful, clear day. And it was the most important day of my life.... yes, even more important then the birth of my current (and future) children. More important because, without that day, my time with my children would be only mortal and brief anyway. But because of that day, my children are mine (well - ok, technically they're God's... but I get to borrow them) for time & all eternity. And David is truly mine for time & all eternity.

We met outside of the 8th floor elevator at Kaigandori House in Osaka, Japan, where we would both be living for the entire year. We became fast friends. BEST friends, to be completely accurate. We shared secrets and philosophies with each other. He gave me a blessing as my new home teacher before he even knew my last name. I broke down in his apartment about my low self-esteem, and the poor guy hadn't even been around me long enough to understand I was just a basket-case by nature. We discussed the gospel as well as both of our current romantic relationships (I had a missionary and he'd left a girlfriend back at the Y). Despite predictions from all of our fellow performers, we denied it would ever become anything more. It was very "When Harry Met Sally." But after his relationship fell victim to the pitfalls of long-distance, the following week became a whirlwind of unexpected emotions, awkward moments of tension, and a first kiss. We thought we'd keep it a secret in order to avoid "I-told-you-so's," however, the obvious rash left on my sensitive skin from an Italian boy's 5 o'clock shadow made that nearly impossible.

After over a year of dating, making David change his major, and me debating if I could wait 5 more years before marrying him so that I could pursue my Broadway dreams, we did it. And I haven't regretted it since.

Here's to 6+infinity more years!

To the Bestest Daddy in the World

(The above video has music so be sure to turn off the main music at the right)

I couldn't ask for a better person to be the example and strength you are for our children. You work so incredibly hard to provide us with the necessary temporal means needed to survive in this mortal life which gives us the incredibly under-rated blessing of me being able to stay home with our children. Their success in pursuing eternal life is that much more possible because I have you to share the challenge with. And I'm excited to continue the task with you for baby #2. I know the Lord is at peace with sending us His children because of you and His trust in you.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!