Chocolate Lover's Paradise

Yesterday I got a very special package in the mail.

You see, sometimes, business transactions are not about money. They are about trading services. You have something I want, and I have something you want so let's figure something out.

Of course getting paid for doing work is always great. But sometimes when in the music biz, trading talents is equally valuable as money.

I have done several trades over the years. I'll teach your kid piano lessons if you babysit my Preston. Or, I'll add orchestration to your song if you would sing vocals on mine. If you do artwork for my cd cover, I'll play the violin for yours. I'll let you use my song in your ski film if you send me a new pair of skis.

Trades are great. Everyone wins.

Well, I just experience the coolest trade ever.

Chocolate.

A big huge box full of Swiss and German Chocolate.

Several weeks ago, a woman named Marion from Switzerland wrote me and told me that she really wanted to purchase my sheet music, however she wasn't able to do a monetary international transaction, and wondered if she could instead send me a box full of Swiss chocolate.

I only had to think about that for about 2 seconds before I said Um Yes.

So now I have enough Swiss chocolate to last me for at least a year, and a new lovely friend in Switzerland who is playing my music on her piano.

Here is a better shot of all the diferent varieties of chocolate she sent me. The coolest one by far I have tasted is the chocolate covered strawberry yogurt bar. Delish.

Utah in a Flash

In case you were wondering where we've been for the last 8 days...

Actually, it wasn't a vacation at all.

Will's dad had some complications from Parkinsons and Alzheimers Disease and the family was afraid that he may pass soon. So many of the the kids (including us) went to UT to be with Dan while he was in the MICU at the SLC VA Hospital.

And then, miraculously, he improved. He came out of his coma and started making small improvements each day. He is now out of the ICU and into a regular hospital room and trying to recover day by day.

It was great to see a lot of Will's family, even if it was for downer circumstances.

We didn't take many photos on our trip, for obvious reasons. In fact, the only pictures we took were on the day we visited Temple Square.

Aside from spending time at the hospital, some things we did get to do were:

Visit with the Cunninghams

Visit my brother, Mike, and his family

Will went running up some canyon where he chased some herd of elk and got lost, and 3 hours later told me he would be home soon.

I got to play my dream piano - a Fazioli. I drooled.

Go to Temple Square.

We got to hang out with our friend Michele and watch lots of movies and eat lots of ice cream :)

We got to read lots of billboards, see and experience lots of rude crazy Utahn drivers, see it snow and be completely unprepared for it with the way we were dressed, see the Joseph Smith movie at the JSMB on temple square (and I cried lots), go to some fun new restaurants (Cafe Gelato, and, um, can't remember the name but an Italian Restaurant at the Gateway Mall), and visit family.

We are happy that Dan is recovering slowly but surely. And we are also happy to be back in the Northwest.

Going on impromptu trips can seem endless when you didn't pack enough underwear, clothes, diapers, shampoo, or you forgot your cellphone charger. Thanks Michele for letting us crash with you for an over-extended stay :)

An Early Valentine's

Last night we had an unexpected free night since my parents, the nice grandparents they are, took Preston for the night so that I could get some things done.

But if you didn't catch that, I was supposed to be getting things done, but instead went out on a Valentine's date with my hubby. Haha. Sorry Mom and Dad!

It ended up being a really really nice evening. I can say that it's been a while since we've had an evening to go out on a date without Preston.

We started off by going to "That's Amore!" on Capitol Hill in downtown Seattle. I believe I blogged about that little cafe in the past - but it has an amazing view of the city and great food too.

We dined on seasoned bread with olive oil/vinegar. Then enjoyed an appetizer of crusted risotto in red sauce. Then I enjoyed the pear/walnut salad, while Will had the ceasar. Then for dinner, I had Fettucine Alfredo with Italian sausage, and Will had the Wild Bore Pasta.

It was all very scrumptous. :)

Afterwards, Will surprised me to something I've been wanting to do for a long time...

We went to a Gold Class Cinema.

If you don't know what they are, they are high class cinemas where you get to sit in huge comfy recliners that have subwoofers underneath, while snuggling with pillows and blankets and having your own personal server bring you food that you order from a fancy menu.

I believe they only have a few of them across the U.S. right now, and lucky us we have one here in Seattle.

Here is Will while we are in the "lobby" waiting for our personal server to take us to our recliners in the theater to watch "Avatar" in 3D.

It was great. We just ordered Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Mousse and water for the movie, but it took me like 45 min to eat it because it was so rich. But soooooo good. :)

Definitely not an every-day kind of place to watch a movie, but a really nice special occasion place for certain.

All in all, we had a really nice relaxing evening. We love each other very much and are more in love now than on our wedding day. I know that sounds so cliche, but it's true.

Happy early Valentine's day! Will, I LOVE YOU!!!! Honeybucket. :)

Rest in Peace

It was a sad, sad day.

I do aplogize that you had to see our kitchen garbage with all of our delightfully disposed foodage, but I wanted you to see the final resting ground for my absolute favorite pair of flip-flops.

Even though I do own a large collection of various flip-flops, because they are the staple of my shoe wardrobe, these were my favorite.

As you can see, they suffered much injury this week. And even though I'd been able to salvage them back to life in the past from other various accidents, not this time. Sadly.

So it with a heavy heart, that I bid these fair flippies good bye. As well as the great heights I acheived (5'9") while wearing them.

I still refuse to wear shoes though. Even in the rain.

Sleeping

Some days are just like this. If you're lucky.

Although, I hate to admit that today was not really like this. I did only get 5 hours of sleep last night, went to the gym this morning, didn't get to take a nap at all to make up for my lack of sleep, and then taught piano for 4 hours straight.

These photos were taken AFTER all of that.