The year that ran away with me.

I took this picture in March. Yesterday. 2009 was surreal. A roller coaster. In a good way. A beautiful way.

Welcome new year, always glad you came.

So don't knock it, don't knock it.

Today Meagan gifted me with this poster. And I found this hilarious quote from the drummer, Nathan:

"When we signed the deal with RCA, it was just me and Caleb. The label told us they were going to put a band together, but we said, 'We're going to buy our little brother a bass, he's a freshman in high school. Caleb will teach himself the guitar. Our cousin Matthew played guitar when he was 10 and I'll play drums.' The record label agreed".

Note that none of them were currently playing anything at the time.

Also, apparently they kidnapped their cousin, Matthew, in order to get him to join the band. Classic.

Now you can't get enough...given a chance, I wanna be somebody.

You look like money.

I got an electric blanket for Christmas. It is an absolute dream. I can't fathom how I slept without it. My life is basically complete. You know, except for Bear World and such.

Also, Traci gave me these headbands. I love them so much that it hurts. And I know that love is for people and not for things, but that is very difficult to remember when I look at these.

Kimberlyn gave me a ballerina barbie for Christmas. Which is pretty great. Especially after we had this conversation, two days before Christmas:

Kimberlyn: I got you a Christmas present.

Me: You did?

Kimberlyn: Yes, it's a princess barbie. No wait, it's a ballet barbie. Don't tell.

Me: The only person that you aren't supposed to tell is me.

Kimberlyn: Oh...I won't tell you again.

So I got her "Beach Party Ken" for her birthday. She is currently trying to guess what it is. I'll never tell.

And I bought these shoes as a birthday present to myself. Which is tomorrow. My birthday, that is.

I want to have a pillow fight.

A conversation that I had on August the twentieth. A Thursday. Driving back to Pocatello after Iron and Wine, as it were:

Matty: I made you a pillowcase.
Me: You made me a pillowcase?
Matty: Yes.
Me: Why?
Matty: Because that is what you do when people go away.
Me: But I haven't gone anywhere. You are the one who left.
Matty: Exactly. I'm surprised that you haven't made me one.
Me: You want me to make you a pillowcase?
Matty: Well, yes. Of course.
Me: Okay then.

So I made him a pillowcase. Unfortunately I never photographed it before I mailed it to him. But it is pretty great. It is a crazy mess of colors and has a large yellow cut-out of Idaho on it. However, I was beginning to doubt the existence of a Matt-made pillowcase for me. As he always "forgot" to give it to me.

I doubt no longer. Apparently yellow is a theme.

He also gifted me with cat band aides, tights, and a mug with my letter on it. He knows me surprisingly well. As these are all things that I use daily. Especially with my aversion to pants. And, of course, my love of cats. And remember when I broke my cow mug? Parfait.

The trees were on fire.

"I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness." John 8:12

Crazy on you.

Sometimes Sarah likes to pretend to be asleep. So today when Melissa and I pick her up from school she gets in the car and we go through the routine a couple times.

Me: Sarah, are you sleeping?
Sarah: Giggle, yes...giggle, giggle...
Me: Are you faking?
Sarah: No...giggle...
Me: Yes you are.
Sarah: No, you are.

Until she really does fall asleep.

Me: Are you sleeping?
...No answer
Me: (after poking her) Are you faking?
Sarah: No!
Melissa and I laugh.
Sarah: Leave me alone!
Melissa and I laugh harder.
Sarah: Stop laughing!
More laughing.
Sarah: Stop laughing! It makes me crazy!

She also likes to ask me "What are you doing here?" so I ask her right back and she always says "I live here" and I say "I live here, too". And then she just laughs at me.

Back home again.

I'm going home today. At last. Melissa told me that I come home so much it's like I never left. But believe me, I left. And now I am coming back. Just like the plague.


Where I will sleep in my bed.

Where I will work at Down East.

Where I will walk Clive everyday.

Where I will go to "Smith's" every chance I get.

Where I will get eaten by this couch.

Where I will do all of my favorite things, and be with all of my favorite people.

Fights were for fun.

I have all these tiny cuts all over my hands. And I haven't the faintest idea as to where or what they came from.

So far around the bend.

Candy canes carry very positive associations for me.

So positive that I did a mini photo shoot with a candy cane and myself. I call this one "coy candy cane". Alliteration rules the world. That and boredom. Obviously.

Also, I very nearly tripped on a blind guy's cane this afternoon. He was tapping about and I just barely escaped with the help of some fancy footwork.

Please read the letter.

Postcards are a dying art form.

Which is quite a tragedy, really.

They are so beautiful. And getting mail is beautiful.

My sister, Melissa, taught me to love all things postal. Especially postcards.

So recently I have been making my own postcards. Here are a few of my latest batch. Each carefully crafted with a specific person in mind.

Last week I received the loveliest of surprises from my dear friend Matty. I perfect postcard made by him for me. I have also been making friendship bracelets and I taught him over Thanksgiving. I am so proud of my pupil.

We are starting a postcard revolution. Spread the love.

Send a postcard.

I keep my pack together.

I played Parcheesi for the first time last night. I was the tigers.

And I got doubled pounced by Tanner. Two of my tigers sent crying home in on fell swoop.

Also I had a hard time remembering the rolling doubles rules. But Robbie and Tanner were kind enough to remind me. After I had already moved my tigers.

Oh, and the little green guys are yaks. Not wildebeests. Because wildebeests do not live in India.

I always hear about Parcheesi and people playing it. Naturally I was very curious. I didn't even know it was the classic game of India.

So last night was like a fulfilling of a life long dream.

White girls of the north.

There is ice on the inside of my window.

My world is a slip 'n slide.

Literally. There is so much ice. I am afraid.

So there is this random armchair that moves around campus. This week I managed to convince darling Debra that she should sit in it. And I would take pictures to document.

So here she is, giving her best "come hither to my armchair" look.

Also, I just made myself pancakes. And they were absolutely supreme. The pancakes of dreams. On that note, I had a dream last night that my Marmee dearest decided to give me a middle name. And that name was "Ruthotti", not "Jane". Which reminds me of biscotti.

Emily Ruthotti Roberts. I guess at least it has alliteration going for it.