A new nephew...

Earlier this month, a new nephew joined our family. He was given the name Isaac Desmond by his adoring and ecstatic parents. We are excited about him too, and want to extend our "welcome into the world wish" in his direction. May these next few days and months bring them all lots of magical moments of discovery and happiness. Congratulations L.'s!

Happy Birthday Lindsey!!!

One year ago on this very day,
Lindsey was found wandering the streets as a stray.
The pound became her new home for a bit,
until we met and knew that our lives together would fit.
Since that time we have come to realize,
it is really us that has gotten the prize.
Today we honor our best doggy friend,
and pray that the fun for this girl will never end.

Happy Birthday Stinky! We love you!

A surprise concert...

We went to the Arlington Theater this evening to watch the premiere showing of the new movie, "Jack Johnson En Concert." The film was amazing, a great balance between actual live performances and a collection of snippets of the realness of each band member. At the end of the movie, Jack Johnson came onto the stage in Santa Barbara and proceeded to play a series of very raw, unfiltered solo acoustic songs. It was unbelievable. Kyle and I couldn't believe our luck. Who knew that we were actually going to a see Jack Johnson in the flesh this evening. Wow! Oddly enough, when we first saw him we didn't really recognize him because he is growing out his hair at the moment. Craziness. Life in Santa Barbara is never dull!

Give me an S, give me an O, give me a U, give me a P...

What does that spell? Soup! Rah, Rah for soup! That is my cheer for the day. Inspired by the cooler weather and a newly acquired cookbook, I exercised my culinary creativity this afternoon in the kitchen. My concoction was a chard and yam soup, with a little feta sprinkled on top. Delightful! I adore soup, especially when it's loaded with lots of healthy and colorful veggies.

If you are looking for a new book to add to your library, you should check out the book that inspired me today. It is called, "Love Soup." It has soups for all seasons. I think it will keep me amused for quite some time.

Today, it feels like fall...

Moments ago, Lindsey and I were out on a morning stroll. As we walked, crisp wind gusts blew our hair around and caused our eyes to burn from the dirty debris it stirred up. Leaves swirled in the air. My decision to wear shorts and sandals was a mistake, though I was grateful for the fleece I put on at the last minute. This is the first day of fall in Santa Barbara. It is likely that the weather trend won't last for long, though while it is here, I think I'll celebrate it with some hot tea and squash soup. Maybe I'll even press a few leaves. I love the fall, and I feel thankful for this cool reprieve from the regular sunny and warm weather.

A fun new musical experience...

This past Thursday night I enjoyed a performance by an Oregon based band, "Pink Martini." Their songs and style are infused with both creativity and global pizazz. I felt quite inspired by their musical talents, as well as their comical stories about the song writing process. If you haven't checked them out, you should. They are fun and wildly entertaining.