The Stevens of Brookshire Manor

James is cruising!

2011-09-28T17:24:00.004+01:00

So much for my "more updates later". It's a busy time for James' parents! Anyway. James is 8.5 months old, large, very mobile, sturdy, handsome, sweet, and cruising (walking whilst holding on to something) along the couches and trying to stand on his own. Ahh!! He only started "officially" crawling 2 weeks ago. He is very busy and has advanced verbal skills (of course I would say this, right? ;) He enjoys the stars at night. Sometimes I rock him to sleep at night outside and he is calmed by the night sky... a boy after my own heart! James currently has two teeth (bottom front) and is working on more. He is a happy boy and loves peaches, peas, green beans, apples, rice mum-mums, non-pureed pears, sweat potatoes, squash, carrots, etc. He is generally not picky about his food which has been nice. He'll even eat/drink things when they're cold. :)

Meanwhile - work for me is busy and school is busy and modeling is busy. Of course. But, I'm grateful for the work to support my family and to have medical insurance. I am looking forward to finishing the Master's degree next June. So close!

We found a family that raises goats and we buy raw goatmilk from them to make homeade Kefir. This is useful for Nathan's gut!

I will be turning 30 this October. However, my 31st birthday is going to be the big celebration next year in New England (hopefully) and Disneyland... it's my Halloween birthday! A most sacred event. Looking forward to that!

Although I look like I've aged 20 years, life is good. :)

6 month stats...more to come later

2011-08-12T19:56:00.003+01:00

I'm so behind! James is now 7 months but here are his 6 month stats and pictures:

6 month stats:
length: 28.5" (96th percentile)
weight: 18.1 lbs. (68th percentile)

more updates to come in the next few days!

The many faces of King James at 5.5 months

2011-07-23T16:01:00.003+01:00

4 months old!

2011-05-31T02:26:00.007+01:00

So this post is a bit late, but James turned 4 months old on May 11th! He continues to delight and amaze us. We took him to his 4 month appointment and all is well!

4 month stats:
length: 26 1/4" (88%)
weight: 16 lbs (63%)

James has discovered his lips and is constantly making bilabial babbling sounds. He squeals in delight and is completely and utterly gorgeous! Life is crazy but we're managing to enjoy baby James during this stage in our lives. James is very alert and has many, many expressions that cross his face daily. We try to capture them as frequently as possible! Here are some of James favourites (and not so favourites):

Likes:
nappy changing
sitting upright (with help from either myself or Nathan)
eating
sleeping
books
smiling/cooing/laughing/squealing
having his clothes changes (he loves this!)
my hair
his fists
sucking his finger and occasionally his thumb
splashing during bath time

dislikes:
not liking his binkie so much these days but will still take it once in a while
the teething process
being immobile
startling sounds
boredom

I have officially finished work until the autumn! Hooray! I am now gearing up for my crazy summer semester at Utah State. Last year during my crazy summer semester I was in my first trimester of pregnancy feeling very ill. I wonder if this summer will be better (not being ill) or worse (having an almost 5 month old)? Hmmm. I'll let you know. ;)

In sad news, my best friend moved back to Southern California a few weeks ago. :( I am still mourning. I can't even talk about it. Feel bad for me.

I had another best friend get married to a brilliant man. I am so thrilled for their new life together. They make me happy. :)

Jessica and Joel, May 6, 2011

James is my little Slytherin. He can usually be found smiling with his tongue out. He may even speak Parseltongue, we don't know yet. ;)

In VERY GREAT NEWS, my most excellent and brilliant mother graduated with her Doctorate in Educational Leadership! She is now officially Dr. Taylor. This is a tremendous accomplishment. She is a mother to seven children, a grandmother to 26 children, works full time as an Education Specialist for USOE (specializing in Autism and Communication Disorders), is a full-time professor in the University of Phoenix (UOP) special education department, and is also a lead faculty for UOP... all this whilst working on her Ed.D. Amazing.

Being announced.

Receiving her diploma. :)

Week 12

2011-04-06T02:33:00.005+01:00

Baby James is 12 weeks old today! He is very active, alert, and a bit fussy at night time. He fights his sleep. We're working on this! Although, once he does settle, he gives us 6 - 9 hours of sleep before waking to eat again. Thank you, son!

Likes:
books
his nappy being changed (this is new!)
mum and dad face time
cooing
eating
sleeping (when he's not fighting it!)
bath time
being massaged with Dr. Christopher's Bone & Tissue ointment
going on walks
his carseat
his mobile
quiet cousins

dislikes
20 minutes before bedtime
20 minutes before naptime
loud cousins

James with dried milk next to his lip - I must not have wiped him very well the previous night after feeding him. Oops!

James smiles and coos constantly. We love having conversations together. :)

Not much else is going on here. Nathan's brother Simon and his wife Lisa are visiting us for a week. We're looking forward to seeing them on Saturday. I've not seen them for almost 2 years! We're sending them off to Arches and Canyonlands to get a flavor of Utah. :) James is getting blessed this Sunday - will post pictures. I'm nearly finished with this semester of school - thank goodness!

Big Baby Boy

2011-03-25T02:19:00.006Z

James is getting huge! He is just over 2.5 months old and is nearly grown out of his 6 month clothing...he's just so long! He is giving us 6, 7 and 8 hour sleep nights for which I am grateful! My maternity leave is over. I'm adjusting okay with having to go back to work - it's nice being able to leave James at home with dad rather than having to take him to a sitter. Still exhausted though.

We (me, Nathan and mum) had a good time shooting our commercial a few weeks back. It's nice to make some quick money when you need it most! I did another maternity catalogue the other day. Although this time, I wore a fake belly which was far worse than a real belly.

So I'm typing one-handed and I'll finish this post later when James is asleep.

james at 2 months. he is smiling and cooing consistently!

Stats at two months:
weight: 13 lbs

Mum getting her make-up on for the shoot

mum and me rehearsing with a stuffed animal. fun!

Lilac Clothing Fall/Winter 2011 Maternity shoot

Week 7: Lots of poo, more smiles, and... we got the job!

2011-03-02T01:59:00.004Z

James is 7 weeks old today. I still can't believe how lucky I am to be his mum. He is such a gorgeous baby! This week, James has pooed and peed MANY times outside of his nappy. Hmmm. He peed on his face yesterday and had a little "taste" (i.e. licked his lips when he felt the pee sprinkling his face.) Oh, dear. I guess we still haven't figured out that certain grunts mean "I'm about to poo and pee all over you." :)

James has been smiling more and more! He continues to be sweet and happy. As I mentioned in an earlier post, we (me, Nathan, Nana Jocelyn and James) auditioned for a commercial a few weeks ago. Well, we heard yesterday that we all, with the exception of James, booked the job! They wanted a brand new baby and James is just too big and tall to look like a newborn. :( So, I'll be working with someone else's 10 day old baby instead of my adorable 7 week old baby. Nevertheless, it's still exciting to be working with my mum and husband on a commercial.

:)
This is James being cute. :)

James having had his face and body cleaned of pee; a very tired mum.

James with his great grandmother Lula Anderson.

Working on smiling. :)

Week 6: Cooing, Smiling, Eating (loads!), etc. etc.

2011-02-24T18:10:00.004Z

James turned 6 weeks old this past Tuesday. He is working on smiling and cooing - not quite mastered but getting there! He is also demanding a lot of mummy and daddy face time (what a clever lad) which is an indication of his little brain developing normally! James eats...and eats...and eats. He is now weighing 12.5 lbs. and is long, lean, and lovely! When he was 4 weeks, we FINALLY moved him into his own room. Wow. What a difference. We also have a video baby monitor that is completely brilliant! What a time we live in to have such amazing baby paraphernalia! James had his first commercial audition this past week. He did a fine job sleeping whilst I pretended to bathe him. No word yet as to whether or not we did a fine job auditioning. Nathan and Nana Jocelyn also auditioned with us - the client wanted to see a real family. :)

Likes:
Mum
Dad
Nana Jocelyn
Papa Reed
Skyping with his English family
Being held
The piano (I need a resident pianist to play...James wants to be held when I play thus rendering any attempts at proper playing useless)
His Tournee du Chat Noir art poster above his crib
Dr. Quinn (mostly through classical conditioning...I watch this whilst he eats. :) I can’t watch any other programs because they are not relaxing enough. I find that “Quinny”, as Nathan has named it, is easy to watch whilst nursing.)
Light from outside
bath time
pooing
sucking his pacifier

Dislikes:
nappy changing

Well, I only have 3 weeks of maternity leave left. Then, life will become more challenging! Up all night (mostly to feed - James really is a great sleeper), work all day! Ahhh!! In addition, I am preparing for a few modeling gigs coming up which requires me to start exercising again (it has been nearly a full year!) Ah, well. This current semester of my master’s program has been a blessing in that my professor is allowing all of our exams to be open book...*sigh*...God certainly has been merciful!

We absolutely adore James more and more everyday. Parenthood is amazing.

This is James at 1 month. He looks like Max from Where The Wild Things Are. :)

We took James to my dear friend Regina's wedding a few weeks ago. He was a champ - slept the whole time! James and I did, however, do one session of breast feeding in the corner of the 9th floor lobby at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building... THAT was exciting.

James' first photoshoot (one of many, I'm sure)

2011-02-03T23:41:00.005Z

My friend Amy Hess took these lovely pictures of James when he was 2.5 weeks old. He is so gorgeous! Amy did a brilliant job! I will post more when the rest are finished.

Week 3 with the lovely James

2011-02-02T04:51:00.002Z

James getting ready to visit the doctor. :)

James had his 3 week doctor visit yesterday and we are happy to report that he’s doing a fine job of being a baby. :)

Week 3 stats:

Weight: 9.8 lb. (70%)
Length: 22.4” (91%)

James is developing some definite “likes” and “dislikes.” Here are a few:

Dislikes:
being cold
having his head washed
having his nappy changed (he really does not enjoy this and fights us with strong legs)
floor tummy time

Likes:
being warm
napping
eating
being held
music
interaction
interesting patterns
his pacifier

We finally purchased a baby monitor! This is to allow us to sleep in a different room to James. Although, I still think we’ll be just as paranoid and find ourselves dashing into his room at the slightest sound. *sigh* If only he was a quiet sleeper. We’re considering changing his name to "Grunter" Stevens. :)

Nathan is doing a fine job of being a dad! He is does well changing nappies and can burp James with ease. I’m still trying to figure out how to accurately swaddle James. It’s always obvious who put James to bed based on the neat appearance of the blankets (Nathan) or the jumbled, flailing appearance of the blankets (Britney).

We are continuing to enjoy being parents. It’s quite the adjustment but we are coping with the transition. What a wonderful experience it is to have a child. I HIGHLY recommend children! :)

Can anyone tell me how I will know when to move James to the next size of nappies (diapers)?

Weeks 1 & 2 with the most gorgeous boy on the planet

2011-01-26T16:48:00.011Z

Well, we have survived 2 weeks with James! He is absolutely delightful and SO lovely. James is a good sleeper but his parents are light sleepers - this makes his grunts, snorts, whimpers, sighs, loud dreams, constant hiccups (a souvenir he brought along from the womb), toots, and poops difficult to ignore. Therefore, we take turns with night duty. Well, Nathan is mostly the one sacrificing his precious sleep. He lets me go into another room for the night whilst he attempts to “sleep”, only waking me for feedings, or for an emergency projectile poo clean-up operation. Actually, upon reflection, I think I’ve only awoken him for emergency projectile poo clean-up operations.

James had his first outing to visit the family doctor for his week 1 check-up. The boy is doing great! He had lost some weight in the hospital (to be expected until mum’s milk came in) but has been gaining it back. :)

Stats at birth:

weight: 9 lb. 2 oz. (89%)
length: 21.5” (97%)

Stats at week 1:

weight: 8 lb. 8 oz. (68%)
length: 21.25” (85%)
head: 14.9” (78%)

James is the greatest blessing in our lives. We adore and love him deeply. We stare at him constantly marveling at his perfection. What a treasure he is and as all new parents do, we resolve to provide the best mortal life we can for him.

His eye colour seems to be remaining blue, even when wearing brown. There are moments when James looks like me, but his features are very much Nathan at the moment. I expect we’ll be seeing a nicer mix as James grows. :) James has been a great eater since day 1, which has been brilliant. My milk arrived on the Thursday morning the week of his birth. I’m grateful that I seem to be able to provide enough milk to satisfy him. Yay! Oh, his umbilical cord came off after only 8 days. Now, we take regular baths instead of those awful sponge baths (he didn't like those).

James, my boy, you are the best!

Here are some new pictures and video of the little man. :)

1 week! James and Mum

In this one, he looks like me in one of my baby pictures! Yay! I'm in there somewhere!

Beautiful, sleeping babe.

First bath in his new tub!

Short video of James being swaddled by his dad. I LOVE his huge pacifier and sucking sounds.

Our New Arrival

2011-01-13T07:52:00.012Z

James Barrie Taylor Stevens was born on 11/01/11 weighing 9lbs 2oz and was 21.5 inches long. With Britney's final check-up on Tuesday it was deemed necessary to take James early as he was not looking happy in there. This was instead of waiting until the scheduled date of Thursday 13th. Being a Halloween enthusiast Britney was hoping for a baby delivered on the 13th but still thinks a birth date of 11/01/11 as quite cool (01/11/11 for those in The US reading this). Mother and baby are well. Both came home on Friday evening and are sleeping as I write this update. James is, as you can see, utterly gorgeous and kept his Mummy up with him from 11pm - 3am and his Daddy up with him from 3am - 8am on his first night home. Despite the usual discomfort associated with a new baby's gut James is quite a content baby. We feel tremendously blessed that he and Britney coped well with the caesarian.

See new pictures above =)

Ps. I think it is wonderful being a Daddy!

And the winner is...

2010-12-24T15:14:00.005Z

In fact, there were five winners. =)

Here is the hastily cobbled together poem I submitted for a geeky online poetry competition. I know the punctuation leaves much to be desired and perhaps I'll fix that at some point but for now, here it is:

http://www.geekmom.com/2010/12/winners-of-the-fantasy-freaks-and-gaming-geeks-contest-with-ethan-gilsdorf/

http://www.geekmom.com/2010/11/geek-author-ethan-gilsdorf-talks-names-games-and-giveaways/comment-page-1/#comments

GEORGE LUCAS IS GOING IN MY AXIS OF EVIL

There once was a galaxy far, far away
Where sunsets were binary, Jawas would play

The story was epic and struck all the notes
Pulling on heartstrings and winning my vote

It told of a Jedi: young, noble and brave
Who fought with the rebels. Their chances were grave

We were captured as viewers by dazzling sights
And immersed in the cause and the allies great plight

We cared for the characters, thrilled at the plot
But then there were new films which set in the rot

The prequels destroyed all the intrigue and fun
George Lucas thought “Cash cow! Take money and run!”

Did he think “They won’t notice as long as I use
Lots of special effects to charm and amuse”?

We baulked at Jar-Jar and the painful screenplay
And even the actors all squirmed in dismay

Explaining the force was quite hard to take:
Replacing the mystery with science half-baked

At least Lucas left the first three films alone
Oh wait no he tinkered – now Solo will moan

“I once was quite edgy – ask Greedo he’ll state
I shot with my blaster and sealed his fate

Before he could blink, before he could twitch
My quick trigger finger had scratched on the itch

But Georgie, he just couldn’t leave it alone:
“Let’s make Han more “goody” – we’ll have him go prone

To dodge Greedo’s bullet…Yeah! Have him shoot first
Then Solo responds with an accurate burst”

“No, no!” We all cried, “You’ve ruined it G!”
We liked it already. Why can’t you see?

The great “No way!” moments like “Luke I’m you’re Dad”
Are ruined forever oh this is so sad!

Watched from the beginning we all then would see
What’s coming because it was Episode III

That told us Luke Skywalker’s Darth Vader’s son
And Leia’s Darth’s daughter. George, what have you done?

You took what was precious and heavenly sent
And turned it into a Star Wars Fan’s lament

october/november bliss

2010-12-03T02:57:00.007Z

i'm a slacker when it comes to posting updates. so whilst i'm on a 10 minute break from class, i will post a brief update with some pictures. :)

my dear friend kristen bought me a ticket to the alice cooper/rob zombie concert in october for an early birthday present. it was divine! we were able to sit in the disabled section because i was pregnant - sweet! this allowed us to sit down the entire concert with the perfect view of the king of shock rock (alice) and the king of vulgarity (rob). it was a brilliant. i think james enjoyed it. ;)

mr. cooper

mr. zombie

the lovely kristen - thanks woman!

i celebrated my 29th birthday on the 26th of october. i asked for the ultimate gift from nathan to celebrate the last year of my 20's... the entire series of dr. quinn medicine woman. i know. it's just that i've had a crush on jane seymour since i was a teenager. i met her once *sigh*. nathan was a good husband and indulged this particular oddity. i plan to watch the entire series during maternity leave. suh-weet!

halloween was lovely and perfect. i must confess that this is the first time EVER that i've wanted it to be over... JAMES completely occupies my mind (and uterus) and i can think of nothing else. speaking of james ~ he is currently 5.5 pounds with 6 more weeks to go! i've now gained 37 lbs. and feel like a bloater. nathan rubs my back every night (literally every night - he's so lovely!) to help me relax. i wake up about every hour to "turn over".

this year was the "away" year for my siblings during thanksgiving. since nathan's family does not celebrate thanksgiving (though they should because it's awesome), our "away" year consisted of porking out with my parents, my brother and his family, and our dear friend kristen. we also saw harry potter on that day. :)

there are currently 4 women in my family that are pregnant (me, brianna, kathy, joni). my parents will have gained 6 grandchildren within one year (jane and treyson have arrived already!), bringing the number of grandchildren up to 26! they certainly have joy in there posterity.

Fright Night

2010-10-16T19:31:00.005+01:00

I meant to post these pictures back in April. Our friend Tyson invited us to a night at Club Sanctuary ~ a night in which people wear their most extreme goth clothing and dance to industrial/goth/metal music. After much convincing, Nathan allowed us to apply make-up for the special occasion! We had a grand time.

Here we are reuniting with the lovely Krisanne and the lovely Brittany.

25 weeks

2010-10-03T17:17:00.002+01:00

Here is baby James!

2010-09-10T03:12:00.005+01:00

When people think of me, it seems they imagine either faeries or witches, as is evident a la facebook - (i was tagged as being this poppy faerie...

and this disturbing witch.

In other news, we are having a BOY!!! The child shall be called James. I am currently 22 weeks (give or take) with a due date ranging from January 4 - 16. I LOVE getting chunky and my inner thighs are almost touching! Not to mention that I now have proper "melons." ;) Pregnancy was rough the first trimester during my first semester of grad school, but physically, things are much more pleasant. :) Emotionally, however... hmmm.

Our nephew Sam visited from England for 5 weeks. Nathan, Sam and Reed (father) visited 6 National Parks - Yellowstone, Tetons, Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce and Zion. I'm completely envious! Although, I did tag along to Arches to do a bit of light hiking and eating of ridiculously expensive food. I highly recommend the Desert Lounge. Okay, I know I am completely lame for what I am about to admit here but... we packed the second complimentary loaf of bread from the Desert Lounge into my purse. (hehehe). We were planning to hike to Delicate Arch at midnight but didn't. The bread stayed in my purse for a few days. I have yet to clean out that purse.

If you haven't added "A Broom With A View: Music from the Halloween Carols" to your collection for this festive Autumnal season, you must. Otherwise I will haunt your soul. Go to www.halloweencarols.com or simply click on the link under my "wonderful websites" heading.

Nathan is doing a bit of work teaching art/music for elementary aged school children. He's also recovering from eating Carl's Jr. everynight with Sam.

More news to come... sometime!

Through A Scanner Darkly

2010-06-10T03:35:00.002+01:00

We had our first baby scan... Machel said the baby's heartbeat looks brisk. :) Baby is due January 19th ~ a winter child. Nathan believes the child is a boy. I believe whatever Nathan believes because he is more righteous than me. ;)

Today I had one month's worth of grad school instruction crammed into 8 hours. Oh, boy. Sucks to be me, right? Because the summer's are condensed into 5 weeks, coursework and lectures are crammed into small amounts of time. So... have I learned anything yet? Nope. I feel like I don't know my own name anymore.

Nathan is looking forward to the England vs. USA game on Saturday for the world cup- go USA! Just kidding. Come on England! ;)

Baby News

2010-05-31T15:34:00.002+01:00

To those of you who read our blog (sorry for the lack of updates)...

Nathan and I are expecting our first child this winter! We are elated, ecstatic, thrilled, intrigued, nervous, happy, etc. etc. etc.

Pregnancy should be fun as I embark on my M-F, 8-5, 1.5 hour commute one way Master's degree starting next week - ahh!

We'll be better about updating our blog. :)

There and Back Again, part 2: a snake, a bear, a death, a swarm

2009-10-20T04:39:00.004+01:00

Although it is nearing the end of October, I'm still reveling in the events that happened on our wanderings throughout the mountains and deserts of Utah, Arizona, Idaho and Wyoming this past summer.

Sebastian, our 18-year-old nephew from England arrived with us as we stepped onto the desert soil of the stunning and sacred state of Utah.

Our first journey began as we drove to Moab/Arches National Park and camped in sweltering heat for 3 nights. We hiked to delicate Arch and spent two hours alone there...alone! It is highly irregular to find oneself alone at Delicate Arch in the month of July but it happened for us. It was breathtaking to be amongst nature's artifacts and play around like Indiana Jones. Later, we spent some time in Devil's Garden looking at some of the arches. Sadly, I was feeling pretty poorly (lack of water) and waited the men out in a mysterious shadow being created by one of the large standstone cliffs. We signed up for a tour of the Fiery Furnace. It about blew my head off to see the perfect formations and kryptobiotic crusts that were in tact. Simply stunning! We spent a quiet evening at Dead Horse Point, cooking dinner on the cliff edge as we waited the stars to appear. It was a perfect evening.

After Arches/moab, we ventured to Mexican Hat, Utah. This has to be one of my favourite places in Utah. We stayed at the San Juan Inn (I highly recommend it) and purchased loads of Navajo crafts and medicines. There was a lovely and quirky native man that shared many stories of all the Hollywood actors that would film nearby and get absolutely smashed with the locals. Apparantly, he was also a famous artist. Quite amusing. :) We also "cliff" jumped in the shallow San Juan River. That was refreshing and a bit creepy as we had to crawl up the hot rocks with shedded snake skins mingled throughout the stones.

Off to Monument Valley we drove. Wow. This is another place my heart felt the vibrations and heard the echoes of an old generation of people and memory - the Navajo. We stopped at their mini side street huts to admire their crafts, stories, and the view. Such good souls!

~ a snake ~

Passing through Monument Valley we made our way to the Grand Canyon - Finally! The Grand Canyon is definitely not overrated. Our first full day we spent hiking around the Grand View trail amongst a thunderstorm (not a good idea as the lightning was within striking distance!)
We never intended to hike to the Colorado River and back out in one day on this trip. However, that is what our adventureous spirits concluded would be the BEST experience...heh. We were told by many people and read many warning signs that we should not attempt to hike to the bottom and back out in one day. Apparantly, about 250 people are pulled out of the canyon each year "that look like us" because they suffer from heat exhaustion or dehydration whilst attempting this task. Hmmmmmm. We were certainly determined not to be rescued and packed well for the journey. After seeking advice on how to hike smart from a canyon employee, we began our excursion at 3:00 am on the South Kaibab Trail, after having slept only 3 hours. HMMMMMM. I have to thank the South Kaibab trail for giving me my awesome calf muscles. The trail is steep and all down hill. With a heavy pack of 5 liters of water, 3 peaunut butter sandwiches, 4 pears, 1 bag of crips (chips), 1 apple, 10 cereal bars, 10 strips of fruit leather, toilet paper, 3 bottles of sunscreen, 1 first aid kit, 3 large sticks of beef jerky and a few other items, my calves were shocked.
After 6 hours (I think) we reached the Colorado! We were so grateful to dip our toes and dunk our heads in that river. We made our way to Phantom Ranch to rest our bodies during the heat of the day. The advice we were given instructed us to wait until around 3 or 4 pm to begin the journey up. Glad we did! It was unbearably humid (due to the vastness of the Colorado) and hot. The temperature reached a record high... 112 degrees! The heat completely drained us as we desperately sought shade and relaxation, none of which was in abundance. Did I mention that we had a double layer of clothing? (*wink*)
We set off for the ascent at 5:00 pm, much later than expected.

(again, i'll continue to update this over the next few days)

There and Back Again, part I

2009-08-29T23:03:00.015+01:00

We have experienced many things (!) since the end of May. We celebrated 3 years of marital bliss and 32 years of Nathan’s mortality.

This post will consist of our travels back to England ~

Arriving in the British Isles, we were soon off to Northern Ireland for 5 days. Finally ~ my feet touched ground on the most enchanting of lands! I could ALMOST feel the vibrations from the old faerie folk shooting through me like an ionospheric lightning storm *sigh*. I got hold of a map and was immediately drawn to the nearest set of stone circles. So, we drove to the Beaghmore (bay-more) stone circles and played around with the Ancients for about 4 hours. Eventually, we continued driving through the glorious countryside, then puttered north to Portstewart on the northern shore, and finishing the day at Dunluce castle. It was absolutely breathtaking. The following days were spent hiking in the Mourne Mountains and driving the lovely Antrim coast to Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge and Giant’s Causeway.

Our lovely hostess completely wore us out. Well done, Diane!

Each day our diet consisted of pub food, snickers, bread, cheese and tomatoes. Delicious! I was able to detect Nathan’s Irish ancestry, mostly in his eyes, as we met many Irish natives (not all, but quite a few).

We loved N. Ireland's old and gentle beauty and long to visit again someday.

The rest of our time in England was spent enjoying our old favourites ~ Canterbury, London (we finally shopped goth in Camden and visited the Tate Britain!!), Hythe Coast, the countryside, and many others. Oh, and I spent one solid week packing and shipping boxes of our “stuff” ~ (mostly clothes and dvds). Phew!

Stay tuned for more posts about our adventures in Utah! For now, here are a few images from Northern Ireland.

enjoying pub food, superb Irish drunks and lovely music

feeling a bit magical

nathan feeling a bit magical like us

we three gargoyles

Portstewart

Dunluce castle

enjoying a rare sunny day at Carrick-a-Rede

more Carrick-a-Rede (my favourite)

along the Antrim coast

Antrim coast

a beautiful eveing at Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway

My Cat Substitute and Other News

2009-05-09T06:06:00.004+01:00

I want a goat. As Nathan is extremely intolerant to cats, I believe a goat could satisfy my cat deficiency. I attended my twin nephews' second birthday party yesterday and met "Baby" - a lovable, bleating bundle of goaty goodness. She was absolutely adorable.

In other news, I finally completed my licensure program to certify as a Speech-Language Technician. I've already been delivering speech and language therapy to kids in five schools for the past few months. Now, I can do it for more money. :) I work with regular education students in addition to special education students.

Nathan will begin his first degree in Creative Writing this fall. He's somewhat anxious but eager to develop his promising writing talent.

We are now gearing up for our month long excursion back to the UK in June. We'll be taking a most anticipated holiday to N. Ireland whilst over there. :) Perhaps I can convince Nathan of the awesomeness that is Michael Flatley?! Which reminds me ~ I have now officially begun my journey back into the world of Irish dance. After having taken a few years off, my calves, hips and thighs are happy to receive the agonizing pounding of the leaps and hop-two-threes they once knew. *sigh*

Updates...anything else?

2009-04-21T05:17:00.009+01:00

Finally meeting Mr. Mel Hays - a student of my mum's from nearly 15 years ago. He is a very nice bloke. Don't mess with Texas!

Nathan's mission reunion in Salt Lake.

BATney and some friends after a recent fashion show. Should I refer to myself as Lady Bats or Batney? I can't decide.

Brit the cat model. My agency called me up and asked if Nathan would like to join the agency as a model AND an actor... Heck Yes! Looks like I may have some new competition... ;)

The delectable Kristen with our close friend mr. ahi.

Delicious Nathan. He is outrageously gorgeous. Mmmmmmmmmmm.

yayayayayayayayayaya ~ nathan's arrival and my...departure?

2009-02-18T05:44:00.005Z

Nathan arrives this weekend! I was planning on arriving at the airport, heart thudding, sushi in hand when suddenly I was booked for a fashion show. Do-oh! After some deliberation we decided the money (though not much) was worth it so I have arranged for my mum to fetch Nathan... sort of like she did the first time he flew to meet me...if you ever want to know THAT story, come to dinner with Nathan and I and we'll have a productive laugh.

One Wedding and a Tuna Roll

2009-02-02T12:29:00.006Z

Much of the family descended upon Ross-on-Wye near Wales over the weekend to see my cousin Jared marry the lovely Catherine. As Catherine goes by 'Cat', my nephew Matthew, 'Mat' and my gorgeous wife by 'Bat' it has the makings of a nursery rhyme!

The wedding was lovely. The vicar struck a good balance in being warm & friendly without losing the reverence of the ceremony, the setting was beautiful and the speeches at the reception were both amusing and touching. It was evident that the happy couple were exactly that, as they beamed smiles all day. =)

My brother Simon and his wife Lisa couldn't make it so that was a shame and I missed Britney a great deal. She would have loved it.

On my return home to Kent, we discovered snow had settled on the ground as arctic weather had moved in. We hurried inside the house and I checked the post as I have been every day. Thankfully, it has arrived! I finally have a visa application interview this week. Normally I welcome the snow but it has been causing travel chaos, particularly into London so I'm a little worried that it will interfere with my travelling in for my appointment. Hopefully it will clear by Thursday. That's what I'll be praying for!

I think I'll be hard pressed to make it in time for Valentine's Day but the end of our separation looms on the horizon and that is most welcome.

Britney has been revelling in having been able to eat lots of sushi since returning to Utah and I hope it won't be too long before I'm tucking into an Inside-Out Tuna Roll =)

For those of you in Utah, I look forward to seeing you soon!

Intimate Exams, Sundance, Imbolc and Lord of the Dance

2009-02-01T05:57:00.004Z

Nathan had his VISA medical appointment this past week in foggy London town. Heh. I guess I failed to mention to him that the doctors would be checking a lot more than his pulse. Surprise!

I attended the BMI roundtable discussion at Sundance last week with my dear friend Kristen. The panel consisted of several directors of Sundance films and their composers – a very interesting group of people! We hobnobbed a bit, introduced a few key people to Kristen’s Halloween Carols and found a lovely bookshop that featured a most frisky character - Dolly the cat! Yes, there is a bookshop in Park City that has a cat. She wanders around the shop doing what cats do, I guess. I believe this was the highlight of my Sundance jaunt. We spent a few hours chasing, purring and playing with our silky-black feline friend. *sigh* I miss my kitties.

For those who celebrate Imbolc (which is probably none of you as it is a pagan holiday...heh), happy Imbolc! Well, the TRUE Imbolc is the first full moon in February...

On Friday Mr. Sarlo called me, as he remembered my obsession for all things Michael Flatley, and offered me his Lord of the Dance tickets. Muah! My mum and I had a lovely time. For those of you who don’t know, I’m a massive Irish Dancing fan. In fact, I’ll soon begin the An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha’s (The Irish Dancing Commission in Ireland) TCRG certification program. The TCRG certification allows me to teach Irish Dance.

Let’s see…what else…

We’re still not sure when Nathan will be arriving in Utah. I am being deprived the presence of my Mediterranean Prince! Soon he will wake me from this winter sleep…

p i c t u r e s

2009-01-11T01:25:00.010Z

Sunset 11 January

Moonrise 11 January
the battle for light has begun

Late sunrise in Syracuse. The Southeast of England certainly did not have regular snow days. I missed how glorious the snow can make the land appear.

Ben Lomond Peak glowing from the last light of the day. I missed this mountain! Nathan and I visited the 1st Ben Lomond Peak in Scotland ~ equally stunning. :)

Our newest nephew James in England doing what babies do best... besides pooing.

Cayde's son Isaac paying homage to Liverpool FC. This one's for you, Nathan. ;)

Cayde with his adorable twins.

Giving my future niece the kiss of death. Brianna is ready to give birth any day.

changes

2009-01-08T16:44:00.004Z

We had a lovely Christmas and a not so lovely New Year’s Eve, for Nathan and I bid farewell to each other on the 31st. I have mixed emotional associations with London Gatwick Airport for either I’m coming home, eagerly awaiting the embrace and sweet kiss of my true love, or having to leave his divine presence. *sigh*

We expect Nathan to be granted his Visa sometime in February. Surprisingly, the notorious American Visa process has moved very quickly for us – perhaps because we have fervent prayer on our side? :)

Nathan had a very successful knee surgery the Sunday before Christmas. According to the post-op appointment, the surgeon indicated that Nathan will be in perfect condition come February.
Nathan was instructed to arrive at the Hospital at 8:00 am. We arrived at 7:30, before the nurses and surgeons, just to be safe. It turned out that 7 other patients were instructed to arrive at the same time. Hmmmm. Then we found out that Nathan was LAST to be operated on, which meant he'd be seen to at 2:30 pm. HMMMMM. The unfortunate thing was we had to drive an hour from home to be at this particular hospital so we couldn't easily go home and wait a few hours. The fortunate thing was this hospital had reclining chairs! Bless the NHS for their idiotic scheduling but for their reclining chairs.

It has been wonderful to fly back to the glorious snow-covered Utah. The mountains never fail to impress. I'm hoping to go skiing/snowboarding but as we're desperately poor, no chance this season. :(

I have entered my final semester of licensure to become a Speech Language Technician. Finally! I’ve decided to post-pone my graduate studies for a few years. I have NO motivation to continue my education at this time.

I’m trying to get Nathan to write a few blog entries because they will be far more detailed and interesting to read. Until then, you’re stuck with me.

Christmas morning.

While I was away...
Nathan has become a scruffy scavenging man. Heh. Not really. I made him grow his hair and beard out and send me a picture - sexy! grrr, baby. very grrr!

Sweatheart Tag. Can I name it Lover Tag instead? ;)

2008-11-24T12:22:00.004Z

so elvin~esque

I tagged myself to do a sweetheart tag about my spouse.
Here's how it works: each person answers questions about their sweethearts. At the end of the post the person then tags 6 people and posts their names.

*What is your husband's name? Nathan. Or Nath. Or, if you're from the South East of England, "Nafe."

*How long have you guys been married? 2 years, six months, 1 week, 4 days

*How long did you date? hmmm. good question. well, we probably had several hundred first dates via the internet (you know, "so...what do you like to do? how many people are in your family?", etc., etc.) from the time we met till the time we were married we dated 11 months. we've known each other 4.5 years.

*How old is he? 31

*Who is taller? Nathan. 6'3" when he stands up straight.

*Who can sing the best? hmm. we're equal.

*Who is smarter? depends. i have more subject knowledge in specified areas but he is definitely a better critical thinker.

*Who pays the bills? we share.

*Who does the laundry? we share.

*Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? seriously? it's much healthier to sleep in separate beds. seriously. you sleep better - especially two, long, lanky humans like us, cramped on a queen and waking at any sudden movement. there are several scientific studies that prove this is much healthier. :) this doesn't mean one can't still do what married couples do best... ;)

*Who mows the lawn? no lawn.

*Who cooks dinner? we share. nathan prepares lovely salads and knows how to cook meat properly. my specialty is gourmet soup.

*Who is the first to admit when they're wrong? we've never argued or fought. i usually admit i'm wrong first because, well, i'm usually wrong! this is a very true statement. :)

*Who kissed who first? nathan kissed me first. :) dare i reveal under what conditions?? :)

*Who wears the pants? i hate this statement. we both "wear the pants."

I tag: whoever reads this blog entry.

A Proper Autumn

2008-11-21T13:27:00.016Z

I found the cable and have finally uploaded photos. I know you've not been able to sleep at night because you're all SO desperate to see them. ;)

Fall is only just still thriving in England. The land is quickly becomming barren and cold. Here are some images we captured during the season.

beautiful, nutritious, decomposing leaves ~ part of what captures my soul

leaf art - the conjurer and the spirit (aka nathan and britney)

our place of tranquility at the deer park. we come here often to feed the ducks, the fish, and wander around aimlessly. we feel closest to the Godhead in nature.

just another day ~ the deer would not pose for a picture so i stood in

our halloween evening ~ on the road to canterbury ~ nathan the photographer

the crazy in-laws ~ alison, stephen (nathan's brother) and alison's mum mary

decorations

keeping the Old Ways alive

It was down in the woodland on last Hallowe'en,
Where silence and darkness had built them a lair,
That I felt the dim presence of her, the unseen,
And heard her step on the hush-haunted air.
(Madison J. Cawein)
~ ~ ~
Fear not that sound like wind in the trees:
It is only her call that comes on the breeze;
Fear not the shudder that seems to pass:
It is only the tread of her feet on the grass;
Fear not the drip of the bough as you stoop:
It is only the touch of her hands that grope -
For the year's on the turn and it's All Souls' night,
When the dead can yearn and the dead can smite.
(Edith Wharton ~ adapted)

The haunting in Pluckley. We decided to visit the Pluckley cemetery as it is the most haunted village in Britain. Well, we weren't the only ones! Loads of intoxicated youths decided to spook themselves. Steve and Alison spread the word throughout the cemetery that the Ghost of Lady BATS was around. I'm pleased to report that we indeed frightened quite a few people. :)

the lure of the moon

Samhain Night

2008-11-15T22:47:00.009Z

I'm a little slow posting pictures from that blessed night, that rapturous evening that is Samhain (pronounced "Sow'en"). Well, fooled you! I'm not posting anything new at all. Yet. Muah! I'm too lazy (well, really I can't find the correct cable) to upload the photos so please enjoy some pictures from Halloween past.

With Love,

Batty BATS

the burning eve. this was taken on halloween just out the front door of my parent's old home in harrisville

Visiting the grave of Rebecca Nurse in Danvers (Salem Village), Mass. She was accused of witchcraft and then hanged.

My kitty Cleo. Pictures of cats must accompany any blog posting about Halloween.

My other kitty Sophie.

my good friends posing as the stepford wives (michael is top right with the blond wig, jason is the very top with a brown wig, and morgan is front left standing up with a brown wig. bless them.)

Just me and Jessica, you know, sucking each others blood ;)

our very own nightmare on 13th street

kristen, tia, bats, nathan

TAG I'm It. Okay, I'll play along.

2008-11-06T20:47:00.003Z

Tag I'm it

8 TV shows I love to watch:

1- 24
2- the office (american version)
3- frasier
4- dirty sexy money
5- heroes
6- lost
7- bbc
8- simpsons

8 things that happened yesterday:

1- obama was elected 44th president
2- england burned effigies of Guy Fawkes (remember remember the 5th of november)
3- listened to my online lectures
4- reread new moon
5- studied for an anatomy exam
6- watched frasier and the office
7- took a nap
8- wrote in my journal

8 Favorite Places to eat

1- happy sumo
2- osaka
3- marlowe's pub
4- eastwell manor
5- boho cafe
6- mikado's
7- hop kweng
8- the chili bite

8 Things I'm looking forward too

1- sleep
2- reuniting with friends in utah
3- finishing the school semester!
4- my mother-in-law's capama meal
5- halloween 2009 and forever
6- christmas
7- twilight. yes, please!
8- being able to work out again!

8 Things on my wish list

1- reclaiming my abs
2- children
3- graduate school
4- reclaiming my butt
5- sarah brightman as my slave
6- £1,000,000
7- britney for president
8- xena for president

if you read this, tag you're it!

The Burning Season

2008-10-09T12:23:00.003+01:00

Here we are reveling in the deep, gorgeous colours that and English Autumn brings. In this picture, we had just finished crooning along with the Egerton Folk Club at the Mundy Bois pub in haunted Pluckley.

October has been pleasantly mild. We spent most of yesterday outside and half-naked (in the privacy of our back garden, of course!) One of my favourite aspects of Autumn is the low-angle sun. So magical. So atmospheric. The burning evenings and colours take me far into my childhood days.

Happy Autumn.

Halloween Carols ~ "ALL HAIL OCTOBER AND THE FALL"

2008-09-29T09:12:00.006+01:00

Greetings ~

I have a dear friend that is addicted to Halloween. Like me. This dear friend, Kristen Lawrence, has released her first EP as a prelude to releasing her full-length Halloween Carols album/book next year (2009). As Halloween approaches, I highly and deeply recommend owning this music. I've posted her bio/inspiration below. You can download one of her Halloween Carols for free! Find a link to her website under my caption "Wonderful Websites".

Enjoy!

"In a Thumbelina-nutshell, I love Halloween and I’m an organist/composer/singer.

Like many people, I am thoroughly enchanted by the Halloween season and month of October. And since the organ is the instrument blood-related to Halloween, writing Halloween music came as a big, “Well, of course you need to write Halloween music.”

The Halloween Carols are a collection I have written for the purpose of celebrating Halloween and the fall season. They are each based on a bit of Halloween history and lore. They will soon be available as both a CD and sheet music.

In December we pull out our Christmas CDs, but what do we pull out in October? Cheap, “spooky” sound effects and “The Monster Mash”? It makes me sad.

I think Danny Elfman gave us some great stuff with his music for “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Corpse Bride,” and I love what he creates. But we need more! And I have my own style to give you.

I am a classically trained organist who worships both the “classical gods” and the “rock gods.” My compositional style embraces both worlds – and I should add the “folk gods” in there, too. Folk melodies have a magical way of lasting and lingering (which, by the way, is the true definition of “haunt” – to linger, to visit, to stay with), and many classical and rock compositions are based on these old tunes.

I have always had a love for old Christmas carols – carols that have survived centuries to delight us today. One of my most exciting purchases ever was The New Oxford Book of Carols. I am intrigued by what makes a carol a treasure – these perfect, concise gems of music. Some of these carols survive from the medieval era and are well known today, like “Veni, Veni, Emanuel.”

I endeavor to do the same thing for Halloween. I hope I have created (and continue to create) beautiful, charming, intriguing music that will last for centuries. A bold statement, I know. And just when I think, “I’m a phony, and I’ll never be Bach” – I think, “Well, Bach probably loved soft, chewy bread for breakfast and no doubt had plenty of bummer days just like me, so why not try?”

I first composed each melody as a round (like “Row, Row, Row Your Boat,” it harmonizes itself). I then harmonized the melody into a four-part carol. I made the harmony of the carol differ from the repeating chords of the round to give interest and variety. When I have the sheet music published, each song will be printed in two versions – the round and the carol. The round is more simple to play, the carol more challenging. I want this music to be for everyone. I am currently working on arranging and “fluffing up” the carols and recording them. So the book will include the sheet music, the Halloween history behind each carol, the CD, and illustrations by the talented Daniel Hughes – a fellow Halloween freak.

BACKGROUND AND INSPIRATION

The idea to make each melody a round was inspired by the traditional American tune, “Ghost of John.” I grew up on “Ghost of John” and I remember how neat it was to sing as a round with my big sister, Stephanie, and friends. I had forgotten about it until 2002, when it came back to haunt me (I’ll explain the details shortly). This little tune actually inspired the whole Halloween Carols project …

… which had its beginnings when I was in college. But first I’ll rewind to my early days, growing up with Halloween. I remember Halloweens from my childhood having a dreamy, surreal feel to them. My favorite decorations my mom put out were ceramic pumpkins and a white ghost whose eyes lit up. I loved how they looked in the dark and I remember dancing around them.

As a native of Orange County, California, I was very lucky to grow up with Disneyland. I loved the Haunted Mansion – especially the ballroom with waltzing ghosts and the organ player. I also loved the graveyard where the statues sing in tight harmonies – I would always croon my neck around the “doom buggy” I was in so I could hear them as long as possible before moving out of range.

I started piano lessons at age 7, then organ lessons at age 12, which I took in a cathedral. (This has instilled a love of various forms of cathedral architecture in me.) If my practicing had become sloppy or infrequent, my organ teacher, Robert Cummings, knew how to inspire me – he’d blast out some brilliant Bach piece as I watched. I’d then pant and drool, saying, “OK. OK. I’ll practice.” In high school, he introduced me to the world of Ralph Vaughan Williams and my life is richer because of it.

Many types of music inspire me. My parents played various records around the house – Beethoven, Mozart, the Beatles, the Star Wars soundtrack… I distinctly remember one day, listening to Edvard Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King” over and over. I must have been about 4 years old and had figured out how to set the record needle in the place where I wanted it. I ran around in circles as this music played, first starting with creeping movements, then building to an all-out chase of my own tail. I remember going so fast that my legs were at a steep angle with the floor. As Grieg’s piece climaxed, I collapsed on the ground and watched the ceiling spin, deliriously dizzy, my little lungs puffing in musical ecstasy. And then I’d get up and do it again and again.

Oingo Boingo (Danny Elfman’s marvelous Day-of-the-Dead-influenced band) was introduced to me when I was 10. My big sister’s friend came over with tapes of them after school. The first cassette tape I ever bought was their “Dead Man’s Party.” I had saved some money, gone over to the music store with Stephanie, and she said, “Buy this one. It’s cool.” I listened to it constantly and to this day, “Just Another Day” is still one of my favorite songs. The Halloween-ish aspect of their music has had a pronounced influence on me.

ALL HAIL OCTOBER AND THE FALL

My mom was the first to point out September’s harvest moon to me – gorgeous, huge, yellow, and captivatingly low in the sky. Mesmerizing. It’s what starts the magical fall season in my eyes. Though California’s seasonal changes are more moderate, autumn still has its noble presence. It’s unmistakable. And I have always loved sensing something intriguing in the crisp fall air. The dramatic colors we all swoon at have their effect on me as well. The lower angle of the sun all day and the light it creates give me such a deep joy, a sensation I can’t explain.

Or the glorious overcast and rainy days, which soak and darken the tree trunks to contrast the wet, shiny leaves – these days make me feel I can do anything. And the nighttime. There is something about the night sky at this time of year that seems somehow to stretch out further than usual. There is an alluring smell. And a distant, hollow sound almost. I love what the stars do. I love what the moon does. I love how bare branches frame it from my perspective.

When I went to study organ performance at Brigham Young University in Utah, I enjoyed a more pronounced change of seasons. Though these changes are not as dramatic as on the East Coast or other places in the world, they were still remarkable to a Californian. As I spent countless hours in the basement practice rooms at the Harris Fine Arts Center, my mind would reach to the outside world, especially in autumn, thinking of all those gorgeously colored trees I had just passed on my way into the building.

THE HALLOWEEN CAROLS TRANSPIRE

In the fall of 1995, I studied a semester in Vienna, Austria. It was there my desire to track Halloween through time and cultures really began to bud. Though most Halloween history comes from the British Isles, the common threads of forest folklore carried my thoughts into Austria. I took frequent walks through the enchanting Vienna Woods, which inspired many Halloween ponderings, and I later based some of the Carols on my experiences there. While in Vienna, I began my practice of asking locals about their Halloween or Day of the Dead or All Saints’ Day/All Souls’ Day celebrations, if any. I do this in every country I visit – it fascinates me.

My walks in Austria and back in Utah and California (especially the ones just to take in October itself) propelled my thinking. I wondered why I like Halloween so much, wondered where it came from, and imagined the celebrations of earlier cultures. That’s when I started to collect Halloween-related materials from the library. I like getting lost deep in the belly of the library where it’s quiet and you’re alone, and when you have the luxury of losing track of time. I made two research folders full of fascinating gatherings to start my little quest. I graduated in Organ Performance and Pedagogy in 2001 and then put my personal Halloween studies in the forefront, knowing I wanted to do something with Halloween history and music.

I wrote songs about cats, pumpkins, old Halloween superstitions from the British Isles, trick-or-treating, and so forth. But the cohesive Carols project didn’t occur to me until one afternoon in September 2004 when I played the organ for a funeral. Maybe it was the dead being the focus of attention or the autumn equinox being a week away, but I found myself going directly home to the piano and writing four Halloween rounds inspired by the afore-mentioned “Ghost of John.”

“Ghost of John” wasn’t brought back into my life until a ride home from the beach with friends in 2002. Out of nowhere, a friend starting singing, “Have you heard of the Ghost of John …” and I exaggerate not – I went INSANE with delight. I felt like I had recovered a lost treasure.

“Oh, oh, oh!!!! I KNOW that song! Oh, oh, oh!!!” I breathlessly asked, “What are the words? What are the words?” No one could remember them all, so another friend called his sister who set us straight with the words …

Have you heard of the Ghost of John?
Long, white bones and the rest all gone!
Oooooooh!
Wouldn’t it be chilly with no skin on?

Just one verse and a simple tune, and it was enough to nearly hypnotize me. I went home and played around with it on the piano for a long while until I had my fill. It really was a feast for me. Pure brain/heart pleasure. That Halloween 2002, I taught it to two friends and the three of us went trick-or-treating, singing “Ghost of John” at every doorstep. People loved it and it sure sweetened them up to give some Halloween candy to three twenty-somethings.

While singing from porch to porch, I made an inner vow that one year from that night I would put on a big Halloween concert at my home. So a year went by with my face in the organ and piano, writing and practicing. The 2003 Halloween Concert was such a fun night, with friends, friends’ babies, piano students, and their parents attending. There were pumpkin cookies, candy, homemade bread and soup, cider, and other fall treats everywhere with a Magical Hanging Donut Garden in the backyard.

I kept studying and writing, and as I mentioned, the project became clear after that funeral in 2004. That afternoon, “Ghost of John” came to haunt me and I thought, “Why aren’t there more Halloween rounds like this? We need more Halloween rounds! We need carols for Halloween!” I’ve spent these recent years refining them and writing, writing, writing, like a gopher burrowing in its blessed dirt.

To date, I have over 50 Halloween carols and songs written and plan to release them in volumes of 13 each, plus separate CD singles and EP’s. I hope to start a tradition of quality celebrating for this magical, enticing holiday. I hope more artists, as well, will write Halloween-specific music for us all to enjoy. I hope my Halloween Carols, like Christmas carols, will appeal to all ages and make people happy."

Not that anyone actually reads this blog...

2008-09-25T23:18:00.007+01:00

...but just to let you know why I've not posted anything for a while:

1. Busy
2. Can't think of what to write
3. Can't write
4. Still Busy

Okay. Here is a small update:

Nathan and I are moving back to Utah! There is a lot to fill in here but we are being directed back to the States (By God? By Britney's insanity? By Britney's sanity? Not sure.) I have a job working in Weber County School District and I'll be continuing my education. This is a major change of direction for us! Nathan is still wrapping his brain around the whole thing but is nonetheless looking forward to being near my family for a time.

I've posted a picture that captures the essence of...well, I don't know. I just really, really love this picture. It's perfect for reminding one of the upcoming Halloween festivities. Muah!

a mosaic of bats

2008-07-09T19:13:00.002+01:00

this is a mosaic of images that represent britney. enjoy.

Magical Talisman Anyone?

2008-06-21T09:32:00.005+01:00

My agency in London called me one evening in March and said, "Prediction Magazine wants you for their June cover." Suh-weet!! I was thrilled, not because I would be on the cover of a widely sold UK magazine, but because it was a MYSTICAL publication. How fitting. I have been on covers before but nothing to this magnitude.

Read the following that applies to me in a Zoolander-ish way: "I learnt a tremendous amount about cover-shoot body positioning. It may not appear in the photo but I had to pull several different angles in my head, neck, shoulder, chest, arms, hips, etc, to achieve a "confident" look. I had to maintain this for nearly 200 different shots."

It seemed fitting that I post this today, as it is the Summer Solstice. Bliss.

Germany

2008-06-20T22:34:00.003+01:00

Nathan and I had the fantastic opportunity to visit Cayde, Brianna, and the twins in Germany this past April. We savored delectable dishes of bread, cheese, and raw meat. De~Lish! We also came to the realization that we would like to have children... in 10 years. Okay, not really that long, though it was a wake-up call to my broodiness as we were awakened each night by the twins. So little sleep.

The highlights were Hohenzollern Castle, Heidelberg, and the Marriott Hotel's PC lounge. The twins were a joy to be with (except at night) and we miss them dearly. Cayde and Brianna were very accommodating and provided me with Commissary goodies! --> gushers and Capn' Crunch. We look forward to seeing them in England!

Stonehenge

2008-03-01T11:08:00.004Z

If I was not raised a Christian and if the doctrines of my church were not true, I would be Pagan. Or a witch. Both.

Stonehenge was supremely enchanting! We journeyed a great distance to see these beauties. Our spirits quaked, well atleast mine did, as we stood in the presence of these ancient artifacts. I felt the need to conjure something...but resisted.

It was pleasant having my Mum accompany us on this adventure. Though the day was windy, overcast, and frigid, the experience was absolutely wonderful.

When I die I will be the one haunting Stonehenge.