Happy Halloween

I know I am a grown up, but I still love dressing up. It's the funnest thing to be a new person for an evening. I totally got into my role as Pocahontus.

No worries me and my friends don't go trick-or-treating. We do know where to draw the line.

Happy Halloween and have a good weekend!

SpOoKy

October is the month of everything scary. Well I guess not everything is necessarily scary, pumpkins are cute right? But you know all that goes along with the Halloween spirit. Ghosts, witches, men in scary white masks. I actually love Halloween and all it entails. I've been getting into the spirit of it all as usual. Apparently so has my family. Let me tell you a spooky story.

Last week I went over to my parents house. I wanted to show my mom my sweater I got for our family photos on Saturday-to make sure it coordinated with the color scheme she had chosen.

I walk in the house, the lights are on. I yell, "Mom!" Nothing, not a sound.

I thought to myself, "Hmmm...Marta is going deaf, I should yell louder."

"MOM!!!"

Nothing.

So then I started yelling other names of family members.

Nothing.

I look down the basement stairs, it was dark. So I thought, "I bet she went on a walk."

I decided to warm up some food and wait for her. While warming up the food I hear very loud music coming from the basement. I look down the stairs and see the lights on and the computer on playing super loud music. At this point I was wondering if I was going crazy, because I could have sworn the lights were off a second ago.

I thought it was a fluke thing. So I run down the stairs turn the music off and lights off and run back upstairs to eat my food.

Two minutes later the music starts back up again and the lights are on again.

That's when I began to freak out a bit...okay actually a lot.

I called my brother Peter's cell phone. The convo went something like this.

"Peter where are you?"

"At the neighbors, why?"

"There is something freaky going on here at home, where's mom?"

"She's with me."

"Get home now, I am freaking out!"

At that point I hear two people coming up the stairs chuckling. Who else but my lovely mother and Peter. They were laughing and laughing and oh-so-proud of their prank achievement.

I could have killed them, but of course I had to laugh at the joke as well.

See everyone's getting into the Halloween spirit this year-including my 60 year old mom.

Well it started off the weekend on the right foot. Last Friday night I went to another spooky but amazing event, Thriller put on by the Odyssey Dance Company in Salt Lake. It was spectacular!

{These zombies were everywhere before the show, don't they look scary? They were, trust me.}

Feliz Cumpleano's Dad

I think this picture alone explains quite a bit about my dear father and his sense of humor. It's his birthday today and in a bit I'll be heading over to my parents house to celebrate.

A few things about him that make him the greatest are:

• He is like a walking encyclopedia. If you give him a year, he can spout off about who the President was, what wars were going on, music, etc. Us kids are still trying to get him to go onto Jeopardy.
• He has a passion for reading and staying up on current events. He is the one that got me hooked on NPR.
• Quirkiest sense of humor and he laughs at his own jokes.
• Loves to name his cars. When I was in Jr. High my dad bought a VW camper bus. He loved her so much he gave her the name Helga-he thought it appropriate that the name be German since it was a VW.
• He is one of the kindest people I know. If I need anything-I know hands down that he would help me. He is like this with family, friends, strangers. If he sees a need-he is always there to help.

These are just a few of the reasons I adore my dad. He is a man that I admire.

Happy Birthday dad-Love you!

Happy 35th Anniversary Mom & Dad

Happy Anniversary to the parents!

These two lovebirds have been married for 35 years, my goodness longer than I have been alive. I have been lucky to witness such an amazing marriage from my parents which is a rarity this day in age. They adore one another and my mom still thinks my dad is the funniest man alive-she laughs at every corny joke and giggles when he teases her. My dad thinks my mom is the most beautiful woman he has ever set his eyes on and could go on and on about how wonderful a woman she is.

I agree-I think they are both pretty great people. So here's a toast to mom & dad, to their beautiful marriage and to many more years of happiness!

Dream

Isn't her voice so angelic?  Her voice is dreamy and she is clearly a multi-tasker...singing, harmonica, guitar.  I heart Priscilla Ahn!

Fall Looks I'm Lovin'

{Pictures from The Sartorialist}

{J.Crew}

{Anthropologie}

I am loving the layers I am seeing this season and now I am coveting that J.Crew blazer and the Anthropologie sweater coat.  Since I can't afford them, I will just continue coveting and admiring from afar. {Sigh}

Dear Universe

Dear Universe,

I don't usually write you letters complaining about single-hood because for the most part I do enjoy my life and the stage I am in.  I try to always live in the moment and make the best of what I have. I can honestly say I am happy.  I am not a bitter old maid, and since I don't like cats, that cliche won't ever be me...feew!  I even laugh off the older ladies that say, "Sweetie your time will come." I laugh it off because I think, "My goodness, my time is now, am I supposed to begin my time of happiness when marriage comes." That's just WRONG.  

Bear with me as I vent.  

There are times when I do have to ask myself a few questions.  Why is it that I continually attract the same type of guy?  The guy that has major baggage, used to be a bad boy, trying to reform or come back to church, shady type guy.  Or there's the other type I attract-the guy I am simply not attracted to.  At least the first type I am usually attracted to, but let's be honest-they are always bad news.  The second type has it together but there is no chemistry.

UGH. UGH.

Chemistry is huge.  Without chemistry how can the rest be?  My single girlfriends and I have discussed how there is just an X-factor.  You know when you meet a guy when it is there and when it isn't.  You can't explain why you two tango so well-you just know it's there.

Tonight dear Universe I hope the next guy you send me won't be the same types I usually attract.  Or better yet, it'd be great if the next guy I was attracted to just had it together spiritually.  That's all I'm asking for.  If he has that and we have chemistry and he likes me back-we'll be golden-golden I tell ya!

Well enough about my little plea.  I know there are many other ladies in the universe with similar complaints and pleas-but if you could consider mine that'd be great.

Sincerely,

Beverly Silvana Santamaria 

Red Lips Va-Va-Voom

Bright red lips make a statement-oh yes they do.

Today I walked out the door and felt classy and sexy with my new red lipstick. I must admit, I did not think I could ever pull off red lipstick. In fact I thought to myself, "I will look like a cheap latina!" Now who wants to look cheap? Not I.

There are a few key elements to wearing red lipstick. It's got to be the right shade of red for you or big surprise....

YOU WILL LOOK CHEAP.

So I made sure it was the right shade for me and I must say I love it. It's the perfect acessory for fall and winter. You can play down your other make-up to a mimimum and even your jewelery. Red lips are character enough that you don't have to fuss with the rest.

If you were a scared red lip wearer like I was just make sure you get the right tips from here and here before you go get sexied up with them red lips!

{Check out these red lips...so chic and simple}

He Makes My Soul Happy

It's like good soul food. Hits the spot and never disappoints.  I have fallen in love with Mr. Lidell's rough voice and good beats.  Go ahead take a listen and before you know it you'll be tapping your feet.  Good music just does me right every time!

{I will say his dancing and mannerisms in this music video are a bit odd-but he's just feelin' the groove-can't blame a man for that!}

To The Moon And Back

{Hot chocolate. Good friends. Moon lift ride.}

A night to remember!

One Of My Favorite Weekends

I look forward to this weekend twice a year. It's General Conference weekend which means not only do I get to listen to the good word, I also get to stay in my pj's for two days and eat some comfort food.

I also plan on baking a bit, perhaps making some monkey bread and some apple cake. It's a full moon this weekend so I am taking advantage of it. I am going to do the Sundance full moon lift ride.

Do weekends get better than this? I think not.

PS. {I just bought my ticket to g0 here for Thanksgiving week, I can't wait!}