Dusten's Top 5 Albums of the Year

This might be the first year since I got back from my mission where I didn't buy whatever album I wanted whenever I wanted it. So I may not have covered a respectable amount of area in the music industry this year. However, I would like to give props to the albums that did get me through the year. They are in no particular order.

WILCO - Sky Blue Sky
Wilco fans give Jeff Tweedy a lot of well deserved crap for reforming his band every time they record a new album. I loved their previous album A Ghost Is Born so much that when I first heard this one, it felt empty and week and I blamed it on the new line up as well. But then I saw them live in Denver and it blew my mind. In fact, it was one of the top 3 best shows I have ever been to. After the show, I couldn't get enough of it. Walken is my favorite song.

RADIOHEAD - In Rainbows
This is probably an easy one to pick. How could Radiohead ever go wrong when they are all together? Sorry to Thom Yorke's forgettable solo album. I felt like they took a good step back toward their Kid A sound from their previous album on this one. I was most blown away when I heard track 5 All I Need on my new favorite T.V. show of the season, Life. I can't wait to get my hands on a hard copy of this album.

DR. DOG - We All Belong
I will preface this by saying that I know these guys have ripped of The Beatles/Paul McCartney's sound. But it is one of the happiest, pump-me-up albums I have heard in a while. This album is a nice change to the slower, ambient music that has been so popular from bands like Iron and Wine and their sad album Shepard's Dog. If you want to be happy and clap along to some fresh yet vintage sounding music, give this one a try.

PINBACK - Autumn of the Seraphs
I fell out of love with Pinback a while ago. I regained interest with their album Summer in Abbadon and recommitted myself to them completely with this album. It made me want to listen to all of their stuff over and over again. It shows progression and maturity which I though passed them up a while ago. A lot of people disagree with me, but I feel that this album validates all of their previous work.
ARCADE FIRE - Neon Bible
This one is as obvious as Radiohead. A solid album with enough variety to please my siblings, my co-workers and even my wife, this album is nearly flawless. Everyone can listen to this and enjoy it. The only thing I didn't like was the track order. This was another album that to me was 100 times better after I saw the band live.


Honorable Mention...
Here are some other albums that were close, but not top five:

MODEST MOUSE - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
FEIST - The Reminder
LES SAVY FAV - Lets Stay Friends
THE SHINS - Wincing The Night Away
KANYE WEST - Graduation

Those Books

Before I begin I must preface this post by saying, if you have not read these books yet and don't want to hear anything about them then you shouldn't read this. I am not going to spoil anything but there are some weirdos out there who like everything to be a mystery. Of course I don't even know how this book series could be a mystery to any woman 12-75 but you never know. Okay with that said I have finally finished the third

book, Eclipse. I finished New Moon months ago but wasn't able

to jump into Eclispe right away. You see New Moon did something to me. I couldn't put that book down. I read it in one day (for a mom that should be doing other things then reading a teen romance novel about vampires that is very fast!). I absolutley devoured that book. I cried my eyes out in that book. I talked and talked and talked about that book to anyone who would listen. For the record, Dusten was a good sport and listened. I dreamt about that book and when it was over I felt empty. Even knowing that Eclipse lay on my nightstand waiting for me I could not pick it up. I was not emotionally ready for it. So after a few months (seriously) and a bunch of prodding from those who have already read it, I picked it up. I am going to go out on a limb here and risk judgement from those who nudged me...I did not like Eclipse (Sorry Ashley). It did nothing for me. I mean after what I felt from reading New Moon I was expecting alot and but still I got nothing. For those of you who loved it, I am sorry. Maybe I just missed something. I think I need to add that the biggest reason I did not like Eclipse was that Bella is just so freakin whiny. I can't handle how she complains when people want to buy her things, and throw her parties and worst of all that her hot boyfriend wants to make an honest woman out of her and marry her! (Sorry) Oh poor you Bella, two hot dudes love you and while they may be part of the fanatsy world they still want plain boring you and would die for you. Yet you just sit around and complain that you have to go to your own graduation party. UGH! You seriously bug me. Enough with that.


For those of you who didn't know they have cast Edward for the movies, here he is. I don't even care to remember what his real name is but he played Cedric Diggory in the Harry Potter movies. Boring. Does this look like a sexy hot vampire to any of you? Me neither.

After hearing who they chose for Edward I am less irritated about the choice for Bella. I think Kristen Stewart is all wrong but I don't really like Bella so they can cast who ever they want. Lindsay Lohan might do a good job.
















I need to give props to my friend Kelly and say that all though I wasn't a fan at first I am now on board. Hayden Christensen would have done a great job as Edward. I mean look at this picture. Is he not a smoldering vampire?

Christmas Time!

I hope you all are enjoying this season. It has snowed a ton here in Utah the last few weeks and everything is just so pretty. I really do love the snow. Oliver...not so much. But he does love Christmas decorations, especially lights. I am still shocked that he is barely interested in the Christmas tree. Every once in a while one ornament will catch his eye, but he is over it before I can snag it from him. We are trying to just enjoy these few weeks before Christmas, time in December just seems to vanish! Hope you all can do the same.

My Favorite Song

This may be old to some, but it is new and dear to me.

One More

For some reason I couldn't include this picture with the others but I had to share it. If you look at his eyes you can see him slipping into a sugar coma. Oh the power of sugar. Happy Birthday Olie!

Oliver is 1!!!

I have to first begin with my apologies to Oliver's Grandpa LaBonte and G.G. (his Great Grandma Caldwell). Sorry it took me so long to get this up! Oliver has made it one whole year! We can hardly believe that it has already been that long. Time goes by way too fast. His birthday was on November 21st and we had a little shin dig for him on the 24th complete with presents, cupcakes and grilled cheese (of those three things grilled cheese was his favorite, go figure!) We had an owl themed party for him, which was cute in theory but very hard to find things owl related for a first birthday party. Luckily my husband is super creative, and crafty I might add, I mean he works at a scrap booking company for goodness sakes, so he helped the party to be a smash hit.

We made over sized cupcakes that looked like owls. I have to say they turned out pretty cute, which is crazy since they were my idea! For dinner we served soup and grilled cheese sandwiches which were quite a hit with the kids and adults (the key is to use sourdough bread...delicious). Oliver had a great time although he was very uninterested in unwrapping the presents. Luckily his best bud Jacob helped me and we got those presents opened in no time.

Can you believe that Oliver wore his hat! I am shocked!

Here he is digging into his cupcake. Can you tell that he ate all the icing off first? Smart kid!