Purple Mountains

♥ my name is marisa. make-up artist turned graphic designer. wife, daughter, sister, aunt and californian. this blog is a culmination of my life, what inspires me, makes me smile and our adventures.

[jonandmarisa-blog]

Moving.

I'm saying good-bye to tumblr and hello to www.marisamarie.com

go there if you want to keep following me and hey! you can actually write comments! i think. i actually haven't tested that yet. 

xo

[jonandmarisa-blog]

As you get older, you develop (at least I think you should) your own sense of reasoning, opinions and views. They can be in line with that you were raised with or they can be completely opposite, either way they should be yours. I do think that one is more inclined to grow into themselves or be challenged if they move away from home, befriend people outside of the usual circle and see other ways of life. I grew up in a conservative Christian home and like most Christians in America, that home is Republican. It was only after living abroad and seeing through the eyes of others (even if that sight was humbling at times) that I saw that there is more to life then what I was raised with. Now, I find myself a political nomad, wedged right in the middle of two very difficult and arrogant parties with even worse followers. I see things in the Democratic party I agree with and I see things in the Republican party I agree with. I don't think I should be called a hillbilly or an idiot when I agree with Republicans and I don't think I should be labeled as a liberal or a red-coat if I side with Democrats. I think I should just be looked at as someone who stands in the middle and who makes their voting decisions based on whats best for the country, not whose side they think should win. 

If you're surprised about this revelation from a former staunch Republican, don't be. We all grow and change in life, so don't think you're the only one who has. Just don't peg me as one or the other, ignorant judgments are no fun.

Thank You.

[jonandmarisa-blog]

"I now know that, yes, I am powerful. I'm more powerful than my mind can even digest and understand."

-Beyonce

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[jonandmarisa-blog]

heaven.

I have an assortment of birds outside my window feeding from the new feeder I hung last week. 

Now, off to the store to buy more feeders because this girl can be just as much as a crazy bird lady as she is a crazy cat lady.

[danceabletragedy]

Gardening by  aamanddacc

[jonandmarisa-blog]

Rebooting

Jón and I are on day 1 of a 3 day juice cleanse. We fell off our pretty healthy semi-vegan let´s actually call it plant based diet in late October. As anybody knows, the holidays are tough, basically from Halloween-January it's complete euphoria on the taste buds and total annihilation to your body. Moving cross country and eating out for a month didn't help! By the time January rolled around both of us were more than ready to be clean! So, thus the rebooting juice fast followed by living healthy again. I can't imagine it is going to be the most pleasant experience as I am fairly sure we will become well acquainted with our bathroom over the next few days....yikes...but it will be worth it, right?!?

[jonandmarisa-blog]

HEYTHERE2013

[jonandmarisa-blog]

Happy New Years

Happy New Years! (or New Years Eve for the very literal folks out there)

We don't have any grand plans for the evening. Jón gets home early today (:-D) and we plan on ringing in 2013 with relaxation and food. We don't know anybody yet to celebrate with aside from ourselves and after the very busy Christmas we had, we look forward to spending this evening with ourselves and our felines. 

Wishing you all a very happy new year and stay safe in your celebrations. 

XOXO, 

Riss

[jonandmarisa-blog]

So visually stunning it makes you want to cry? Must be Terrence Malick. 

[jonandmarisa-blog]

My grandma took me to see Les Misérables in London when I was 16. I had heard of the book and the musical but didn't know much about the story. My grandma though, she has always been crazy for this story. Being the typical anti-musical person that I am, I was skeptical to say the least and couldn't wrap my head around my grandma's determination to see the Les Mis, especially in the west end. I remember waiting outside the box office as we didn't have tickets and grandma was working out to see what we could get. All they had left was front row, center. "We'll take them!", grandma said. I don't even want to know how much they cost. That night, we had a lovely London dinner, I don't remember what I had but I do remember that grandma had a plum duck pasta and it was delicious. Afterwards we walked to the theatre and took our seats. I asked grandma what kind of musical it was. 

"Grandma, is it a love story?"

"Yes, there's a love story in it"

"Oh, so it's happy?"

"No, not exactly"

"Am I going to cry?"

"Yes, we're both going to cry. A lot."

Needless to say, a couple hours and many tears later as the curtain dropped, grandma and I turned to each other with our faces buried in tears. And that's where my deep, deep, love affair with this spectacular story began.

It's the only musical I can see and listen to over and over. I'm not sure if it's the story itself or all the memories that arise with it. It marks so many decisions and futures in my life. Maybe it's because I saw it with grandma and she and I share this love that keeps the fire burning. Maybe it's because that was the first of many trips to London for me and that city is so dear to my heart. Maybe it's because it's that trip that I decided I wanted to go to school in Europe and that's where I would meet my husband. I'm sure it's a variety of factors, from Hugo's inexplicable capability to capture the angst of human nature to Mackintosh's ability to create a musical out of a piece of literature as mighty as Les Misérables.

Needless to say, I'm really excited about this movie. I'm even more excited that I get to see it with my sweet grandma. 

Tom Hooper, don't let me down. 

P.S. People, read the book. It's the only thing that blows the musical out of the water.

[jonandmarisa-blog]

and we're here.

It's hard to believe that this whirlwind of a move has happened. It's even harder to believe that we are once again West Coasters, although...can one ever stop being a West Coaster?

We arrived Friday afternoon to a very wet and rainy California. Although, after being on the East Coast with lows in the 30's the week before we were all too happy to be welcomed by the kind California winter. Grandma and Grandbob greeted us with open arms and we couldn't be happier to see them. Last week was a whirlwind of good-bye's and last minute NYC chaos that a night in the presence of sweet Grandma and Grandbob was more than welcome before our final drive west to the city by the bay. 

And...because you all are wondering...yes, the cats did great...AGAIN. These little furpanions of ours never cease to amaze me. I know it sounds silly, but I have never known of cats that adjust as easily as they do-I'm just so proud of them. :-) Not a peep on the way. I just lied, occasionally Joy would look at me and say "MEOW", just to let me know she was still there. Aside from that, heavenly cats. On the way to our little home in the hills, Joy did beg to be out of her carrier. Because I am a cat mom with no will I obliged and she happily sat on my lap looking out the window. So weird. 

We're still furniture less which I am less than thrilled about but if that's my biggest worry there is not too much to be upset about. I just want to decorate for Christmas! I have had a nasty stomach flu the last few days, so I am looking at it as a blessing to be able to just rest though.

Until next time kids. 

xoxo

Joy looking out the window on the ride in. Silly kitty.

Meeko being mommy's little snuggle buggle at grandmas.

[funnyordie]

Local Versions of Santa Claus From Around the World

Santa comes in all shapes and sizes. 

[jonandmarisa-blog]

Obviously.

[jonandmarisa-blog]

Two Weeks. TWO WEEKS.

I still can't believe (and forgive me for my repetitiveness) that we are moving. AGAIN. CROSS COUNTRY. 

Yikes (!!!)

Two weeks from today we will be getting ready to land in Sacramento with Grandma and GradBob's open arms greeting us and our two little furpanions. I wish we could fast forward past the next two weeks. -EDIT-I wish we could fast forward through the packing, not our final times with friends. Final is a rather dramatic word to use since we will be back here in February. I just feel we are in the strange zone between homes. We have been bombarded by onlookers in our apartment and it's starting to feel less and less like home and more and more like a place to sleep. 

Through this all, Thanksgiving has been quickly approaching and I had resigned the idea of having a Thanksgiving dinner, everything would be mostly packed and our lives would be too upside down to make that happen. That did not sit well with my holiday loving heart though, and I told Jon we just have to have Thanksgiving. It just wouldn't sit well to not have Thanksgiving dinner, especially when there is so much to be thankful for. He agreed, so...Thanksgiving 2012 is back no in the Kjartansson home. Although small, Thanksgiving will be spent in a warm home with warm food in our belly's and thanks will be to our good Lord for his ever present provision in our lives. 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

[jonandmarisa-blog]

Coming Home.

Tule Fog by Jim Meehan

I am sat here in a hotel room, our clothes scattered every which way across the room (we've really made it feel at home here), the hum of the maids vacuum in the next room and the buzz of the freeway not too far from us is ringing in my ears. Our week in the bay area is coming to an end, but our life in the bay area is just about to begin. 

Tonight, we will head east and stay with grandma for two nights. I can hardly wait to hug my dear grandmother, possibly my favorite member of the family (don't worry, most of the others know this). I can also hardly wait to sit at her table, with the familiar smells of her cooking lingering in the air accompanied by the warmth of her presence and the joy of her smiles. Then, early, early, early, Sunday morning, we catch our last flight to New York City as home. I have an array of feelings flowing through me about all this. New York has grown on me, and even watching Good Morning America with the buzz of the city as the backdrop, my heart missed it already. I know we will be in New York again, we will even be there for a night to enjoy our friends and familiar haunts when we are coming home from Iceland in February, but not having it be our home anymore is...strange. 

However, as we walked to the car after signing on our cozy cottage yesterday, the unmistakable crisp California winter air struck us. Jon has always said that air reminds him of Kenya, I told him it's a smell I have missed in New York. There is a certain freshness that cannot be captured. It was between the crisp air, the drives through the windy roads of California hills and the low laying fog that we felt at home once again. 

Above is a photo of the highway running through the town of Orinda which is being hidden by the coastal fog. This little town is our new home, and it sure feels like it. 

[jonandmarisa-blog]

I'm having one of those really adult days. 

The days where there seems to be a million things to do and so little time to do it. And those things are all really adult things like finances, apartments, packing and too little time. If I start to think about it all my head begins to fog over with stress.

Jon's words are ringing in my head right now...

Just take a deep breath, Riss. Just breathe and take each thing one at a time. 

His method might actually work for me this time. Ssshhh...don't tell him.

[jonandmarisa-blog]

I'm going straight into Christmas mode.

Thanksgiving is two days before all our stuff is picked up and shipped to California, therefore...we won't be having a super cozy turkey day. Because of this, I'm going straight into Christmas mode. I'm not even looking at Thanksgiving recipes this year since I won't be cooking (sad face) but I am looking at Christmas recipes! 

I am pinteresting the heck out of Christmas this month.

[davghter]

[jonandmarisa-blog]

Our new move has prompted the repeat of this song endlessly in my head.