Xochimilco

So I have this awesome sister. 

She is currently studying in the foreign land of Mexico City at the school that is soon to become the new MTC.

We miss her lots, but how much cooler is her life right now??

The wide world of Everything-Fascinates-Talia

Today, we had a nice family outing. We wrapped Talia up and walked to the next neighborhood.
The nice thing about having a baby is that she doesn't care where we're going. She adores the outdoors. She even let us hold her hands.
Jake took this opportunity to teach Talia a little of what we know of the world.

"That's a fire hydrant. Dogs pee on it."
"That's a mail box."
"That's a tree."
"That's a pink jeep. I feel sorry for whoever drives it."
"That's a map of where we live."
"That's a No Parking sign. In Provo, they actually mean it."
"Those are workers. Don't talk."

As you can see, it was a very good outing. :)

If any of you have ever read "The Elegance of the Hedgehog", guess what.

I observed a Movement of the World last weekend.

Yes! I did!
It happened when I was watching the xx live at Coachella.
I mildly liked their music before this moment. I mean, I thought it was okay. But as I watched them, something was happening. Especially in/around the girl. She doesn't have the build of a supermodel or anything, but she was breathtaking.

I think maybe it's because she was in her music; performing what she created in a perfect way. She seemed elevated, ethereal.
Watching her, I felt like I do when I put a stroke down on a painting that was right. Like I do after I have been searching for a color for hours and finally found it. And suddenly the painting is finished and it is right.

They really are a good band. And now I can say that I listen to minimalist goth music. 

"Love you. Over and out."

I absolutely love surprises.
So naturally, one of my favorite things about Jake is that he likes surprising me.

About a month ago, he kidnapped me and took me on a date. He even provided a babysitter (thank heaven for sisters).
He called five minutes before he got home from class, and when he had hung up, I ran to my closet and frantically began pulling clothes off the hangers. It was like a first date; I had no idea what to wear.
Thankfully, I had experimented earlier that day with a hairdo I found on Pinterest.
We ran around the mall like teenagers, walked in and out of stores and restaurants, ending up at McDonalds with a new pair of printed jeans in my shopping bag.

Maybe it's materialistic, maybe it's youthful. All I really know is that I got a heck of a good husband. 

Just a reminder

I have a really cute baby. 

Near and Japanese

I have a week left, including 1 essay, 3 tests, and 1 project.
The worst is over, though.

This is a little photoshop animation for class I did yesterday.

It is taken from a How To sketch I did for my sister Betzy, since she won't get on Pinterest.

Try it: it will last at least a couple hours. If your hair is anything like mine. 

I did a similar one today.

 As I walked to class in the frigid morning, 

I reflected on how, in a historical context, my outfit and hair combination made me resemble 

a Japanese Bonaparte. 

A lick.

We are at breaking point.
Or at least close to it; Talia + midterms = no bueno.

On the way to class today, I thought, "But 'motherhood is so rewarding!'" Echoing the throngs of people that have said that over the years. I never knew what they were referring to exactly; there are few vaguer phrases.
So I came up with a more concrete image:

Imagine yourself on a very long bus ride in July. It is sweltering, the bus stinks, and you are not sure how the driver passed the driving test. Just when you are sure you have whiplash and are about to suffocate... there are still three more stops. Finally, the bus stops and you take two steps and enter a clean, cool ice cream shop. That feeling you get when you take the first lick of a chocolate-covered-orange-creme-swirl cone?

That's what it's like when Talia laughs.
Only about a thousand times better.

The Luggage Line

School this year is kind of different.

I'm married (which makes my personal bubble about five times bigger than most of the other students).
I have a baby (so all I talk about is spit up incidents and how I need to get home because my baby is starving).
I'm an artist (and some days I hate my life/career/stupid paint that won't do what I want).

Fortunately, most days, I love my classes and get some projects in with great sacrifices to wife and mother responsibilities. Unfortunately.

 These are samples of a line I made up in one of my classes for a licensing project. The design is tailored towards bags, backpacks, suitcases, and makeup baggies.  I used legs because it is a little weird and other people probably wouldn't do the same thing.

Meh. I most likely would not buy one, but it was fun anyway. All twelve hours of it.