Personal

Times Square Family / New York / Travel / United States

Staying Sane in the City: Family-Friendly Tips for NYC

by Dec 15, 2015 10 Comments

If I had to describe Manhattan in one word, it would be “energetic”. This intense place is buzzing with activity and excitement. Mammoth skyscrapers, throngs of diverse individuals, flashy advertisements, and the noise and smells of a big city. During our ten day trip there, we found ourselves feeling awed and engaged, but also exhausted and overwhelmed. It was a bit surreal to visit landmarks we’d heard and seen in countless movies, stories, and music...

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Playing House in Victoria Canada / Family / Travel / Victoria

Playing House in Victoria

by Dec 10, 2015 11 Comments

Ah, Victoria. You’re kind of our favorite. We spent July through September in this magical, perfect-sized, quaint, and oh-so-friendly place. It feels just like a warm hug with really delightful and cozy people. There’s seemingly always someone available to give you a smile, a helping hand, or a congenial chat. I’m beginning to think that many of the residents are actually angels incognito. I would go out...

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Oaxacan black mole with cheese and dozens of other ingredients including chocolate, chili peppers, onions, and more at La Cocina restaurant in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Food / Mexico / San Miguel / Travel

Taste of San Miguel

by Nov 20, 2015 7 Comments

One of our best-loved things about traveling to so many different places has been experiencing the culinary delights available in each one. We’ve been thoroughly enjoying Mexican cuisine ever since we first arrived in this festive country a couple of weeks ago, and it’s certainly one of our favorites! So, we thought we’d look into savoring a food tour while we’re here, and we enjoyed such a lovely...

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Northwestern Delights Family / Oregon / Travel / Washington

Northwestern Delights

by Nov 11, 2015 5 Comments

As you may recall, when we left Paris in July, we were headed to Seattle for a much anticipated visit with our Grandma Alli. Along the way, we flew through the Calgary airport, where many of the senior citizen employees were dressed in cowboy attire and welcomed us with a lively musical performance, complete with a lassoing of Marie at the end, and some gifts...

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6 Tips for Taking Great Photos Personal / Photography / Travel

6 Tips for Taking Great Photos

by Sep 30, 2015 3 Comments

In the past 5 years, I’ve traveled to over 30 countries, which has brought a constant opportunity to practice photography in unique settings. What started out as an attempt to document our journey as a family keepsake, has become an engaging and artful hobby that I love to indulge in. Having taken tens of thousands of photos, I can see how my skill has improved with time. And while I...

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To all the Mormons – I’m Sorry Family / Personal / Spirituality

To all the Mormons – I’m Sorry

by Sep 20, 2015 15 Comments

It’s hard to know what to say when starting an apology. But I’m feeling a kind of tugging sorrow in my heart for the pain I’ve caused my LDS family and friends, and likely many others I’ve never met. If you feel you’ve been affected negatively by something I’ve written, said, or done over the years, then please accept my sincere apology. This post is...

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Living Your Life Purpose Education / Entrepreneurship / Personal / Productivity / Spirituality

Living Your Life Purpose

by Sep 13, 2015 14 Comments

“It’s messing people up, this social pressure to ‘find your passion’ and ‘know what it is you want to do’. It’s perfectly fine to just live your moments fully, and marvel as many small and large passions, many small and large purposes enter and leave your life. For many people there is no realization, no bliss to follow, no discovery of your life’s purpose. This...

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Fun with Music Education / Family / Music / Personal

Fun with Music

by Sep 08, 2015 2 Comments

We’ve really enjoyed having a couple months to settle here in Victoria, BC. One thing we’ve all appreciated having more time for is music. The day after we arrived, I rented a piano keyboard from a local music store, and finished putting out recordings of some new pieces I started writing back in Bali. These involve piano, as well as my voice, and other ambient sounds. Have a listen below,...

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My Journey with Ayahuasca Personal / Spain / Spirituality / Travel

My Journey with Ayahuasca

by Jun 22, 2015 20 Comments

Over my birthday this year, while the family was in Ronda, Spain, I took a train to Madrid for a 3-day retreat where an Amazonian plant mixture called ayahuasca was used to facilitate greater self-awareness. I first heard of ayahuasca in 2012, shortly after arriving in Bali for the first time, and have been intrigued by the idea ever since. Over the years, I’ve met dozens of people...

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My Solo Trip and Silent Retreat Bali / Indonesia / Personal / Spirituality / Travel

My Solo Trip and Silent Retreat

by Mar 24, 2015 9 Comments

I don’t know about you, but there are a lot of thoughts swimming around in my head, and sometimes I get really tired of the inner noise. It’s easy for me to get caught up in preparing for the future, reliving the past, or the constant chatter of labeling and critiquing everything in my present experience. Sometimes, I wish the voice in my head would just shut up...

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