Sunday, December 4, 2011

To Lindsey another birthday post, and it is she who will understand it the most!


Twas the eve of her birthday and it was probably prudent
That I had no gift to give the miss minimalist student
I must do something for her to show her I care
So I put on my thinking cap and sat in my chair

Suddenly it came as quick as a flash
An idea that was brilliant, I’d thought of it fast.
“I’ll throw her a party,” I said with a grin.
And I laughed and I thought “I’ve outdone me again!”

With the help of my magical friend Harry Potter
My invites went out as a quick as penguins in water.
By the next evening, the venue decorated with glee
Was glowing like Christmas garnished with holly and wreaths.

Ding-dong! Went the bell and the first guests had arrived,
We gasped as we realized they weren’t even alive!
Oh the undead Cullen couple crashed with ease,
 
I guess Mr. Potter had a joke up his sleeve.

I rolled my eyes but saw Lindsey was delighted
Then came in Atlas and we all got excited.
Ariel and Mike became the first present givers
And then Greg came a-sailing on the great Boise river!

Cindy and Jim were already there!
Cindy was taking great pictures with all that love in the air.
Aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, and friends too (sigh)
All came to show up for dear Lindsey poo-poo-pie

And that, my friends, is where it all got exciting
Because more unusual guests were arriving.
In came the band, all their members intact.
Jesse began warming up so his voice wouldn’t crack. 

Then two freaks jumped out from behind the curtain, 
Lindsey fell down to her hero Tim Burton.
As soon as they hugged in came another crowd!
And we stood in awe as the ringbearer’s fellowship gathered round.
 
Trevor and I got a little carried away,
But came back to our senses when Gandalf started to say,
“I found this package that’s message is revealed only by fire,
but I fear, little Lindsey, it comes with evil desire.”

A threat rang out from the fire that ended the fun.
It said “I want to kill ever-y-one”
Then a crack and a boom and there appeared,
Lindsey’s evil twin who was widely feared. 

A green woman who was strangely obsessed with shoes
Screamed, “I’ll get you my pretty, and your little man too!”

 
She spit and she cackled and got on her broom
And set about terrorizing the room.

Everyone panicked but Lindsey said with a yawn,
“Ricky Butler says just douse her with water, and then she’ll be gone.”
If Ricky Butler said it, it must be true,
But that wicked old witch had turned all water to glue. 


When all hope was vanishing someone amazing hovered in.
The Flaming C had come and he brought his friends with him!
 
His fishnet stockings were making all of us double over
But he looked so daring with that flaming pot holder.

He said to the witch “We will end this tonight”
“Haha,” said she, “but I’ve brought your kryptonite!
You see up above in my tower,” she sniggered
“Is a cat with his finger carefully on the trigger!”
 
He shakily said, “A cat sniper!  I’ll die in an instant, I swear!
And with that the Flaming C and his friends disappeared.
Everyone held their breath as the witch simply smiled.
Trevor stepped forward, his eyes looking wild.

She snarled and said, “What do you want, my pretty?”
Surprising us all he cried, “AGUAMENTI!”
In his hand he held his homemade wand,
And water shot forth, enough for a pond!

The witch melted and cried, “What a world! What a world!”
But that’s what you get when you mess with his girl. 
He hadn’t forgotten about that kitten, refusing to fail.
He showed him a picture of this girl as blackmail.  

So Trevor saved the day, though he says this story is too long.
I still claim that I can do nothing wrong. 
We clapped and we cheered and Lindsey kissed him with pride,
But then we all hushed when someone else came inside.

A figure walked in from the storm,
The lights came back on and we all cried, “NORM!!”
He dropped off a present and sat down for respite
He said, “Happy Birthday to Lindsey!  Now bring me a pint!"
 

Happy Birthday Lindsey!  I can't give you a gift so let me give you an idea.  One of the most precious things I learned from you was to do what I love because I LOVE IT and do it when I want to.  You always encouraged me to "sing" (for example) even if I knew there would never be an audience.  Let me try to encourage you with that same inspiring care.  Now please, go pick up your guitar.  Write a song!  Sing it as loud as you can!  Know that there are so many of us who would love to be your audience at anytime, but distance separates us.  I hope you have a wonderful birthday!  I LOVE YOU!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Baby Surprise!

 It began Friday afternoon.  We drove to St. George to stay with Shanna's old missionary companion (where great stories were told).  We spent the night and then took off for Vegas.  Passed the most beautiful and amazing path through rough and red rocks.  Gorgeous.  The whole drive (with the exception of the time during our breathtaking view of rocks and ridges) we entertained ourselves by the reading of The Hunger Games.  I read to Shanna as she drove.  It was my second and her first time.  It is all I can do from not shouting out everything that happens to her.   
 We made it with the sometimes untrusty GPS to the house of the shower.  Hands shaking, stomach flipping, I walked through on tip toes to try to catch her at an ultimate surprise.  It came as a surprise to us that she wasn't there yet.  Shanna said, "I am going to go get my purse" and not 5 seconds later she was back at my side saying "Rachael's here!" We hid in the pantry and waited till she had said a few hellos.  I walked out and timidly waited till she saw me.  Love, hugs, happy sounds, more trembling with excitement.  I was stunned with happiness to be in the same room as someone who I consider one of my greatest friends again.  The same room as one of the special persons who I feel shaped me.  One more moment to always remember. 
*Video for Snickers . . . is not working.  :(
For Ashley
 

We kind of ended with "they get to be the jealous ones this time!"  It might be a little mean, but it was kindly meant.  What I mean by it was that we all have to take our turns sometimes to be the person that couldn't be there.  But who are we fooling.  We are all there in spirit!  

Love,

M. Jean

Sunday, October 23, 2011

happiness is a warm gun . . . OR it's a UKULELE

I just love my uke.  I got it because after 2 years I finally realized I don't live with Lindsey anymore.  I have to make my own music.  Despite my lounge wear, a sickly voice (the worst part about being sick for me is not being able to sing-it has been four weeks . . . ), and nails not long enough to pluck very well, here is a little song for y'all.  



Saturday, September 24, 2011

The Help

 Today I have the flu and have spent most of the night watching movies online in between bathroom runs.  I watched this movie in theaters with a group of women from my family and have wanted to watch it again since.  This was a great debut book from Kathryn Stockett.  I certainly loved reading it.  I was initially so angry about the fact that the film rights were bought before it had even been out a year.  Later I learned that the author's roommate is the director!  I love it when good friends work together.  That is the reason that this movie is THE BEST book-to-film that I have ever seen.  There are a few things I could pick at, but I won't even do it because it was so well done.  First, the performances by Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer were so inspiring.  They have actual connections to these maids.  Viola Davis said when asked about how she prepared for this role: "My grandmother was a maid, all of my aunts were maids!" It is just about a time that is not too distant. 

I was also so pleased with Bryce Dallas Howard as Hilly Holbrook.  Hilly is a villain.  In the book, as well as the movie, you just hate her.  Bryce did an amazing job.  In fact, when I first found out that she was cast I was so sad.  I really wanted Anne Hathaway to be the villain so I could hate her without anyone asking why.  However, after the movie I said to my mom, "It is a good thing that Anne Hathaway wasn't in it.  I would have hated her no matter what she did with the role.  Bryce is an actress I like, and she MADE me hate her."


  

And finally, my favorite person in the movie brought a character to life for me.  Jessica Chastain was so amazing.  I think she is my new favorite actress.  She was so darling in the role as Celia Foote.  She was tough but charming and delicate.  I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen it, but she had a few parts that just sold me.  I think she put 100% into expressing the character in every movement.

So here is to a great book and a great movie.  Emma Stone was asked what she thought was the number one thing people should take from this movie.  Without a breath she emphatically said, "Courage!"  I completely agree. 

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Right place Right time

What a wonderful life I live.  As you all know by now,  I suddenly got a job at a preschool in Salt Lake City.  It has been a whirlwind couple of weeks, but I am in the groove now.  Without details, I just set up snacks, different centers, take pottiers, change diapers etc for two year old kids.  I love it.  I don't want to do it forever, but I think I will be here for a year or two.  So that is work. 

Now on to life.  Well, nine months in Europe pretty much wipes you out financially, so my choices of where to look for work were limited to Boise and Salt Lake (free rent).  I really did try to make Boise work.  I love it there and I have great friends and family there. And honestly, I pray all the time that Lindsey and I can live in the same town again someday, as I do with all you girls.  For some reason, it just wouldn't work out.  And, my heart wasn't in it.  I think I just knew I would be safe there. 

So I get this time to be near SHANNA!! She is the best and I love her. And Anna, and Sofia, the most beautiful baby in the world.  Seriously.  Except she always smells like puke. 

As soon as I moved here, I just felt like I was where I am supposed to be.  It is so much more than a mental thing. It is just my privilege at this time to feel so whole and connected.  Everything feels like it is exactly the right place at the right moment.  I feel the chi all around me.  Every step I take is happiness.  When I run, I just have so much more energy.  I have no trouble sleeping (a first for me).  I am just so grateful to be me.  To be Megan Whitlock.  More than ever, I feel like I was supposed to struggle through this past year so I could learn serenity and happiness.  Often I think, "Italy was so much harder than this.  I can do this."  I can't describe it.  I will probably blab more to get my point across.  I wish I could imprint this feeling onto something tangible so you might all know.  But I am sure that you have all felt the same, so all of this really isn't necessary.  So here is to a new chapter, as I like to call it.  I can't wait to see what it brings. 

Saturday, August 6, 2011

“Design for Shabby Apple”

Megan Whitlock presents flapper chic for "Shabby Apple Dresses" (www.shabbyapple.com). This design was inspired by the flapper dresses in the 20's. I like to take busy things and simplify them. The color palette was chosen when I saw a little girl in a blue dress holding a pink pig. I hope that anyone who wears this dress chooses pink as their accessory color. The dress on the left would be made out of a matte polyester satin. On the shoulder seam and down the center of the sleeve I have embellished it with a silvery, beaded trim to add richness. The same design on the right is an example of how the dress could have a sheer overlay with a bold print with a little bit of lace sticking out the bottom. A small detail to the design would be to fray the edges to give the impression of a fringe look, a shout-out to the flapper fringe.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Sew-tacular!

I have been looking at Pinterest and the Cotton&Curls blog and it just made me rush to D.I. Which then made me get rid of some stuff. Anyways, I went in to get a large floral print something and came out with more stripes (counted up to 8 striped shirts already in my drawers/closet, tsk tsk.) Here is the before (I was already halfway through pinning when i remembered to take a before pic.


and now the after (photography by Lindsey-pie)




I love these shoes (straight from Italy) and the sand on the bottom. xoxo roma


So then I was going through stuff and you know what I found? Fabric. Specific fabric for Lindsey. Flashback to 2005 Christmas. I dragged Lindsey to the fabric section and had her pick out some fabric so that I could make her a purse. 6 years later I am pulling it out of a plastic bag. I got a FANTASTIC blue purse from D.I.


So I copied the pattern and finally made Lindsey's purse. I hope she likes it. I might have gotten a little carried away with the frill.




This is a tiny braided strap just for fun. I guess she can take off one strap or another if she wants to.



Thanks for attending this episode of SEW-tacular. Hope you enjoyed it!