Happy Valentine's Day!

You Are the Very Best

In honor of the upcoming holiday on which we celebrate all those we love, I have come up with a list. I thought for a solid two minutes about the things that I love the very most in my life, and although my ADD-prone mind got sidetracked once when I glanced up at the counter and saw an open bag of Trader Joe's Powerberries calling to me (no, forcefully commanding) that I get up and eat some, I realized for the umpteenth time that I have an almost mind-boggling amount to be grateful for. I'm lucky to have lots to love. Read on for my love list if you feel so inclined (and I won't be offended if you decide not to read because truthfully I won't even know. So we're good.):

- Let's be honest, those aforementioned Powerberries are usually at the top of my list.

- Gertie & Gus

- 72 degree weather

- My Mom's laugh

- Campfires

- Slight breezes

- the smell of saddles

- When my jeans finally get broken in

- Feeling inspired and motivated

- Jogging on the beach path

- Listening to my Dad sing

- the color camel

- Oil paintings

- Beach Hair

- being home with the entire family

- crossing off every item on a to-do list

- Nose freckles

- Freshly-cut Peonies

- Yellow Labs & Golden Retrievers (either to be named Copernicus)

- Saying exactly what you meant to say

- Laughing with those who know you best

- The click of computer keys

- A good card game

- Smile wrinkles as evidence of a life lived happily

- Books you wish never ended

- Hawaiian Tropic Sunblock

- Sisters

- Fresh Papaya with Lime Juice

- Settebello's Caprese Salad

- the new 8mm camera app

- Writing letters

- Brick courtyards

- A good stretch

- Feeling the Spirit

- Trader Joe's

- Exact Change

- A perfect-fitting t-shirt

- Sitting Close

- Going on Trips

- Emails from Grandma

- Horseback rides

- Afternoon Walks

- Sandy calves

- Sunday mornings

- Eden & Charlie

You'd be surprised how much your brain comes up with when you let it wander around in thoughts of the very best things in life.

Besos,

Cami

I Had a Farm in Africa

She's At It Again

I've got a fever and the only prescription is more iVideo slideshows.

I noticed that my friend Molly (wassssup!) recently posted a link to this very blog and it made me think two things in particular: 1) Awesome! People read my blog, and 2) Crap! People read my blog. I felt an immediate sense of pressure that I needed to post something cool, but then almost just as immediately realized that I'm really not that cool, and ran into a bit of a roadblock after that.

I have been doing some cool stuff as of late but have neglected to put any photo evidence of it online. A post will follow soon documenting my business trip (yes, I documented it), and my trip up north to San Francisco to visit both your friend and mine, Miss Jamie Everson.

I have been obsessively listening to a new song on repeat, much to the chagrin of those sitting near my cubicle I'm sure, and whenever I really love a song, it seems that an iVideo creation follows rapidly. I'm not one to break with tradition, so here you have it. This song makes me happy; it makes me think of dancing, flowers, family, travels, sunshine, good books, food, and friends. So naturally, all of the above are included in some way or another. It gets a little dizzying at times but you win some you lose some.

Life is good, ladies and gentleman, and Elvis can prove it.

All sorts of warm regards,

Cami

If You've Got Four Minutes to Kill

Lisa Mitchell - Coin Laundry

One of my Resolutions for the New Year is to use what I already have. My over-consumption over the past few months is a little ridiculous, and I've decided to put a more-than-worthy effort towards dejunking my trunk. I went through my closet the other day, sold some clothes, donated some clothes, and reduced the clutter on my desk.

Speaking of things I already have, iVideo. I began a love affair with this program earlier this summer when I decided that I needed to document Eden and Charlie's life through my measly iPhone lens. I'm going to utilize this program more and more in the future, since naturally I'll be involved in all sorts of things that deserve to be preserved and bettered through sepia tones and sped-up video.

I started working on a new video last night simply because I'm also having a love affair with a new song. (Yes, I'm 'affair-ing' with many these days...)

I'm not going to reveal the song quite yet. But I will reveal another song that makes the rainy-day bluesfloat happily, and speedily, away.

A Tale of Two Cami's

I’m feeling a little Dickens today; it really is the best of times and was the worst of times not too long ago. Today I am grateful for the opportunity to turn over a new leaf. Today I am grateful for my window at work, and remembering something my mom once told me about finding happiness in the little things. I am grateful for the blue sky and the promise of tomorrow. Who knows how many tomorrows I’ve got, but I’m going to assume I’ve got thousands. Thousands of opportunities to make every day a really good day.

Someone told me once that I have no idea how happy I’m

going to be. I think I’ve taken that as a challenge, so that every night when my head hits the pillow, I can wonder to myself if I made it that day.

I found the Dana Point newspaper online today (not that it was hard…) and was reminded why I want to be a freelance columnist so badly. I have never had political aspirations per se, but there is something really cool to me about being a fixture in the community. I want to be active, involved, and ultimately remembered in my city. For now, that city is Dana Point- a quaint and charming beach town known as the Lantern Village. I plan on making

decisions based on the community events calendar, visiting all the little shops and markets, and really planting some roots. Just another step in building my life! I want an outlet other than my legal pad scribbling and a weekly column seems like just the thing.

In other news, the holidays have arrived! This is my first Christmas season away from the crisp cold and snowy streets of Utah and while I definitely miss that, I am really into the LED-wrapped palm trees at the Ritz. I’m also really into the pen I’m writing with right now. I’m really into Spanish terra cotta pavers and designing a home with them all over the place. Design blogs are my weakness, and I’m on the lookout for estate sales that I can find a cowhide rug at. I’m into committing to a trip to Peru because I want to go and I can go. And I’m really into good home décor. I like reading magazines and pretending I’m going to make the recipes I read and buy the outfits I see. I like making dinner plans and taking trips to LA to see the symphony and latest art installations. It’s as if I all of the sudden grew up. I have to admit that the feeling of having the world at your fingertips yet still feeling like you’re in control is one of the best things I’ve experienced lately. I’ve got a burning feeling in my chest and I feel excited about everything. It feels so good to be at this point and in this place and I am truly lucky that everything worked out the way it has. It is an almost overwhelming feeling, like I’ve got to do something with it or I’ll burst. But I welcome the nerves, and I welcome the unknown because it all means that I’m going to go somewhere and do something. I’m on my way to somewhere else, and I’m willing to bet that that somewhere else is going to be astonishing.