Ashes and Snow

These are free divers. And yes, they are in open water without any wetsuits or oxygen tanks—just the oxygen in their lungs! Amazing.
For more from this photographer, visit this site.

Farewell

Death is but crossing the world, as friends do the seas; they live in one another still. For they must needs be present, that love and live in that which is omnipresent. In this divine glass they see face to face; and their converse is free, as well as pure. This is the comfort of friends, that though they may be said to die, yet their friendship and society are, in the best sense, ever present, because immortal.
—William Penn, More Fruits of Solitude, 1702

A fond farewell to a most beloved man.

President Gordon B. Hinckley
15th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

(full story)

For those of you who are interested, Glenn Beck from CNN did a tribute to the Prophet. Here is the link for that: http://www.glennbeck.com/

Peas and...

You would think that this phrase would end with "carrots." But not in Finn's case! Finn has discovered 2 new favorite flavors as of today. Finn is a happy eater, as long as he is eating grown-up food in little Finn sizes. No baby food please, Mom. Today I discovered, quite by accident, that Finn LOVES sugar snap peas and marshmallows. And he eats them like this: Pea for me, pea for puppies...Marshmallow for me, marshmallow for me, marshmallow for me...pea for me, pea for puppies.... :) I couldn't believe he would eat them together like that, but whatever works, I guess. (And I don't plan to keep up the marshmallow habit, but I was eating them and Finn started yelling at me because I wasn't sharing.)

Why Wes is perfect for me

Wes bought me this for my birthday. He knows I hate laundry. Probably because it's the last thing I ever have time to get done, and it piles up. And ironing is the worst for me. So he bought me a commercial steamer! And as I was marveling at its super steamy capacity while I was steaming a shirt today, I was reminded of why Wes is perfect for me. Wes isn't a flowers and jewelery giving guy. (Don't get me wrong—when he does give those things, they are always beautiful and very unique.) But he much prefers to give thoughtful presents at just the right moment. And this moment happened to be when we were getting ready for our Christmas trip to TX and I had mountains of laundry to iron (cue dread-inciting music). So when I got out of the shower that morning, a large box was waiting just outside the door with this happy number inside:


Maybe it's a sign that I have fully entered wife and motherhood when this becomes the most romantic present! Nothin' like new laundry equipment to steam things up in a relationship...

A few of my favorite things p. 2

Today I came across this:

It's super cute for a teen, but not for me. I do love the idea of hiding all of your electronics while they are charging. So I hunted around and found this:

Just my style! I found it on this awesome blog. (Are you sick of my modernist aesthetic yet?)

UPDATE:
So my friend Nichole commented on this cord-keeper and referred me (thank you!) to "Woofy." I love Woofy! I am going to see if I can bring him home with me. He will play nicely with Finn, and keep all of our cords hidden! Here he is:
http://www.normann-copenhagen.com/woofy/

Finn's First!

Happy Birthday, darling little boy! I love you!

(If you have 3 minutes and 45 seconds, you can check out the first 365 days of Finn's life.)

Happy Birthday to me!

I am having a fabulous 28th birthday! Wes started my day off with breakfast in bed. And here is a sample of some of the goodies I was graced with this year: A milkglass serving bowl (I am now collecting them, and this one sparked the whole idea when I found it in an antique store over Christmas—so my mom sent it from Texas); A green cast iron pot (also from my parents); Very beautiful orchids (many thanks to Camille); And Kimmy made me the cutest cupcakes I have ever seen! They are in half of an orange peel!! So clever. I can't wait to try to re-create them, myself! And as I type, I am enjoying Alice in Wonderland, which Tiffany gifted me (the mind reader that she is).

Last year on my birthday I went into labor. So thank goodness I don't have to go through that on this birthday. Next up: Little Finn turns 1 on Monday!

Home Stretch

Lately I have been quite the hermit. I stay in all day, sitting on my couch, creating goods for Glitz. What is Glitz? Glitz is a scrapbook company founded by Ginger John, Laura Funk and Erin DeSpain. And I design most of their products*. Season 2 is almost finished, and I am in the home stretch. Finn is seeing days at the Zoo with mom ahead. The laundry is doing a dance of joy. And the dishes are getting ready for a nice, hot bubble bath. And I think Wes will be much happier with me after I am out of the thick of it. Hmmm...I just might get to bed before 1 am every night! BUT I can't complain too much, because the process is terribly creative. I learn new Photoshop and Illustrator techniques daily. I get to be a digital Illustrator—something I minored in in grad school. And the end result makes lots of scrapbookers very happy and hopefully inspired. So check out Ginger's blog here, to see some of the products that we are coming out with for Season 2. (Click on the images on her blog to see close-ups of all the paper.)

*Although I am currently designing the majority of the printed and digital products, we are hoping to find me some help! So if you, or someone you know, would like to design scrapbooking products, e-mail me at lyndsaywjohnson@yahoo.com. This designer needs to be creative, proficient in Photoshop and Illustrator (or the equivalent), and not afraid of fancy flourishes and doodles. So you'll have to get your "align to baseline" fix elsewhere. :)

Gregorio

This is my very cool brother, Gregory Stephen Beauchamp. He lives in NYC, and works for a production company, and gets to read and write screenplays and scripts. He is altogether one very hip fellow. Yesterday was Greg's birthday! Back in the olden days, we would have joint rollerskating parties for our birthdays which are only 2 days apart. I think we make a good pair. To put my own spin on what 'Group X' might say, "You are the same thing I am, only in a different way." Happy Birthday big little brother! I love you!

P.S., Greg—Start a blog! :)

A few of my favorite things

From modernseed.com:

Owl clock

Owl mobile

Chalkboard circles

Calendar with a different famous typeface for every month.

The end of an era

Tonight marked the last night of nursing baby Finn. He developed an infection in his mouth, and long story short, it was best for me to stop nursing. My plan was to nurse for one year, and seeing as Finn's birthday is in one week, I'd say we did pretty well! He was a champion nurser from the start, and it has been our most special time of day together for the past 12 months. I didn't plan on today being the last day, so when I heard that it was best to stop, I admittedly got a little sad. I didn't expect to, though! I thought by now I would feel "done done done," and a little relieved. But instead, I found myself crying at the dinner table into my plate of Chilaquiles. Wes was very sweet and said that I hadn't looked as beautiful all day as I did right then. And then we agreed that it was time for me to head on over to Victoria's Secret and buy a real bra again. :) Ha! It'll be interesting from here on out, though. Finn hates formula and refuses to drink real milk. Wish me luck!

Le Cinéma

Last night I saw this movie:

It was funny, sweet, charming, unexpected...and it made me think about other movies I truly enjoy.

The following 20 movies (number just by chance) are a sampling of some of my favorite flick picks. I can't say I have one favorite, but I know that I could be in the mood for any of these movies (or series) at any given time. (I didn't include cartoons, documentaries, or any of the Baby Einstein videos—which comprise Finn's "favorite" list.) I alphabetized them so as not to discriminate, of course!

Clarity

As many of you know, I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 5 years ago. It was one of the biggest and most important decisions I have made—it has changed my life. It was not something I did lightly, and I take it very seriously. I have learned, in my own way, how to deal with the the criticism and judgment surrounding the decision I made. There are many misconceptions about the Church, and I am glad I was not really aware of them when I was first learning about the Church. I was able to keep an open mind and heart, and listen carefully to that still, small voice inside all of us that tells us when truth is present. Recently, the Church produced this 10 minute video clarifying common misconceptions, and explaining some of the wonderful things about our religion. If you are at all interested, take a look. (Click on the link below. Inside the article there is a tab for photo and videos—click on videos to play):

http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/video-challenges-public-misperceptions-explains-myths-vs-reality

Mesa, AZ LDS Temple

I couldn't resist

I just had to post this. I get the warm fuzzies when I look at it.

A word of wisdom

My friend, Melanie, sent me this as a forwarded e-mail. I enjoyed it so much, I thought I would post it as a blog.

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a crèche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this happen?" (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response.
She said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?"

In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.
Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW."

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in. My Best Regards.
Honestly and respectfully,

Ben Stein

The aftermath

Thanks to all who made our party such a success! It was a great time, and wonderful to see so many friends! In the crazy whirlwind of the event, I didn't take a single photo. But my good friend Amy (pictured below holding Finn) took many, and I stole them for my blog. :) Thanks, love! And Wes took a shot of the aftermath of the "kids room" (uneaten cake, dried playdough, capless markers—the whole nine yards). We ate cake, raffled off prizes, opened presents, visited, admired, and even cooked some s'mores over the fire pit in the backyard. Smashing time! Happy 2008!

Party at my crib!

No plans for a Saturday night? Party on with the Johnsons tonight! Be there or be square.

Who: Everybody who's anybody

What: A celebration of the new year, all of our January b-days, and a newly finished backyard (there will be s'mores!)

When: Tonight!!! 5pm-9ish.

Where: Our pad. I am not posting our address on the internet. But if you do want to come and need directions, e-mail me from my profile.

Why: Why not?!

Hope to see you tonight! Now if you'll excuse me, I have floors to mop...