Today I am Happy

Today has been a good day. Besides the fact that I have had a headache all day... this seems to happen a lot on Sundays, and I really don't appreciate it. Christmas is in the air and I couldn't be more excited. Here are a few of my favorite things....

- Sacrament Meeting Christmas Program. They really are the best. The primary program is a close second.

- Christmas Trees! My mom and I decorated ours the other day and it is so fun. Although I call ours the Christmas Bush because well.... it looks like a bush.

- Sipping hot chocolate with whipped cream.

- Turning all the lights off except the Christmas Tree and the Village. So cozy.

- Elf, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Tiny Toons Christmas, The Night Before Christmas, It's a Wonderful Life, The Holiday, and an array of cheesy Christmas movies on It's a Wonderful Lifetime.

- Santa Hats

-Ice Skating

- Zoo Lights

-Temple Square

- NO SCHOOL (Although I am on Campus everyday anyway)

- All the wonderful food

- Fireplace

- Christmas Decorations. I am probably obsessed. I am going to have such a cute house when I grow up.

- Last but not least, thinking about Christ. Watching the Christmas Devotional was inspiring as always. I love this time of year.

Hopefully in the next few weeks I will take some pictures of all the fun things I have planned. This really is the most wonderful time of the year.

Nostalgia

Do you ever hear a song and you get a wave of memories and feelings from listening to it? I get that when I listen to this song. It brings me back to good old Summer 2009. This was the best summer full of late nights, no summer school, camping trips, St. George trips, New York, chick flicks, Donner Park, side walk chalk, four square, junk food, and fun. So much fun. Mostly it makes me miss 3 certain girls that I pretty much spent every day with. This was the summer we made a list of activities and we tried to do something from it everyday. Basically we're all grown up now and this summer was one of our last hurrahs. Don't get me wrong, we had fun after this summer, but I will always remember this as one of my favorites. Here's to a feeling of nostalgia of the most carefree summer.

One of my favorite memories. We lost the key to the St. George house at 11pm at the park with no wallets, no cell phones, and no car. LUCKILY Jess found it after we searched for 15 minutes. I tackle hugged her when she found it, and we all laid on the ground for quite a while after feeling SO relieved. Then we took this picture.

The Fray comes out with a new album, "Scars and Stories" on February 7, 2012. I can't wait to make more unforgettable memories.

Fall Happenings

Happy Birthday to me! I can't believe I'm 23, it sounds so adult. I basically celebrated my birthday for 4 days straight and was spoiled with too many presents.

Halloween. Neo and Trinity.

I like these two. A nerd and a red crayon.

Pumpkin carving. I carved a neat-o ghost, and Kevin carved a cool monster pumpkin.

Hollywood Connection. (Thanks Mark Todd and Anji for the tickets!) Here we are on the merry-go-round. I am riding a panda bear, and Kevin is riding a dragon. Of course. We look rather creepy. We also played Mini-Golf ( I lost, but had the best hole in one), and went on some other fun rides.

I had a great fall!

Microwave Courtesy

I know I should be blogging about Halloween but I have to complain about microwaves. Yes, they are very, very nice to have at work and in the dance building but they are both SO disgusting. What's up with people leaving their mess? I mean, if your food spills over, it's common sense to clean it up right when it happens, right? No. They leave it for another good samaritan to clean it up hours later, which is 19374862 times harder to clean becuase it's dried on and sticky. Come on people, I'm just about fed up.

Anyway....

Halloween was fun, and I'll blog about that soon. Happy November!

High School Dance Day + Random School Thoughts

Yesterday I taught two jazz classes at Cottonwood Dance Day. It was a mixture of ability and age but it was so fun. I feel so lucky to already have opportunities to teach, especially in High School. All I did yesterday was go to my technique class, then go teach. If only everyday could be like that. It makes me want to fast forward this next year and a half so I can finally do what I want. Too bad I have to sit through all these teaching classes that never reference any sort of art class, especially performance art class. At least I'm learning something, right? Except in Linguistics, I'm positive I have learned nothing in that surprisingly hard, boring class. 6 more weeks of the semester. I think I can, I think I can.

GG

I love that these two are friends now.

State Fair

September 2010



September 2011

Last year, we went on the ferris wheel because I had never been on one, this year we went to get this picture. The state fair is always fun, but the food is always way too expensive. funnel cake was $8 and a piece of fudge was $7! So instead of buying the delicious fudge, we made some the next day.

Fall

I absolutely love this time of year. The weather starts to get a little bit cooler, but not too cold yet. It also gets me thinking a lot about spooky and mysterious things. (I know I know I'm a huge nerd.) Well, a couple years ago there was this show on ABC called 'The Witches of Eastwick'. I loved it so much and I was so sad when it got cancelled. I just barely found out today that there's a book:



I'm off to the library to go pick this up. I'll let you know how it is. I'm also way excited to watch Hocus Pocus and go to the Haunted Village. I love Halloween season.

I need to see these guys Live.

Senior (Finally!)

Well folks, I made it. I am about to start my senior year in the modern dance program. In two short semesters I will have my BFA! As much as I hate Spring Semester, fall is quite fun. Here are a few good and bad things about fall semester 2011.

- My number one favorite thing about senior year in the modern program is that I do not have to take an improvisation class. As much as I know that it has helped me I can't help but still cringe and get a little nervous when I know that I have to improvise.

-If I get too burned out with technique, I can do alternative technique in the Spring. (Jazz! :)). I'm 75% sure I'll do it.

- I'm so excited to see all my dancer friends! Summer is a long time to go without seeing them.

- The least favorite thing (aka worst) is that I know it's only a matter of time before I get sick and stay sick until May. Something about dancing everyday, taking other classes, working, and lack of sleep makes my body hate me.

-Fall is fun in general! Pretty colors, football games, warm weather, haunted houses, and scary movies. (horror films are only okay September - October.)

-I get to choreograph a dance for the spring modern senior show. This is a good and bad thing. I finally can do whatever I want, but I'm scared at the same time.

Here's to an incredible final year! As happy as I will be when I graduate, I know I will miss it like crazy. I'm going to live it up the best I can.

Photoshop Fail

Don't get me wrong, I like make up, I like to do my hair, and i like to look my best. (except I hate curling irons now. Yesterday there was an accidental drop of a hot curling iron on my face. = big maroon slash across my cheek) But when I look at any magazine I absolutely hate what I see. Photoshop is everywhere and creates an unrealistic ideal of what women should look like. It makes me worried for my nieces and possibly my future daughters. The beauty and fashion industry are ruining what real women look like and are creating negative body image.

Confession: I have freckles. When I go out in the sun, even with sunscreen my face and body become freckled. I hated these little brown skin 'blemishes' when I was little, and I just have barely come to grips that I will always have them and that I love them. I'm 22 and have barely come to this conclusion. For the most part this is from my own insecurities, but I bet the the fashion industry did not help with photoshopping plastic looking skin onto the models.

Maybe this whole thing is on my mind because I just finished a research paper about eating disorders and negative body image, specifically in adolescent dancers. But for real!!! Stop photoshopping! http://www.beautyredefined.net/physically-photoshopping-ourselves-out-of-reality/

Summer Favorites

Summer semester ends today, fall semester begins in two weeks. Summer is rapidly coming to a close. Live it up.

Untrained

Thanks to Facebook's newsfeed, I was reminded of this awesome video I watched in one of my dance classes last year.

Doll Posin'

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is my all time favorite late night talk show. I think he's hilarious and he plays funny games. One of these games is called "Doll Posin'". and I love it. Here's a clip. Enjoy.

Bubbles is getting hitched

That's right, the "sweet" one is getting married and I'm so happy for her!! She's been one of my best friends for years and I'm excited that she's found her soul mate.

Even though her wedding isn't until August, we had her bachelorette party because Alexis is going on study abroad. (How dare she!! :)) So we had a little shin dig and made her wear granny lingerie while we took her picture. It was a fun night to spend with the girls because we are all so busy!! Congrats Jess! I'm excited to be there with you on your big day!

Lake Powell

About a month ago the Bowen clan was nice enough to take me on their annual lake powell trip. Although I am not part fish, like everyone else in their family I was way excited to go. I am proud to say that I did not drown and we had a great time. Thanks to the Bowen's for an awesome trip!!

Update

Well, it finally feels like summer!!! Except the fact that I'm in summer school. Kind of a bummer. Sitting through a 3 hour class four times a week? Not so fun. Everyday I remember why I'm a dance major. I have the hardest time sitting still in class.

Memorial Day weekend in St. George. It was a nice little getaway from cold SLC. We had a good swimming day at the Howcroft's on Saturday, and the other two days were a little chilly so we just hung out.

One of my favorite things about summer time is going to concerts! Last weekend Kevin and I went to Earthfest. It went from 3 til about 10, but we didn't get there 'til like 4:30. We saw the main guy from Boys like Girls, Downtown Fiction, Shontelle, Iyaz, and my favorites... All time Low, and Cobra Starship.

Welcome summer, I missed you.

Good Will Hunting

Today I was reminded that I had only posted twice on my blog so i decided to change that. (two in one day!!) I also realize that I haven't posted any pictures yet, but I'll work on it.

The other day I watched Good Will Hunting for the first time. Usually I am very good about not watching rated R movies, but I have to say that this one was very good. Besides all the F bombs it was totally worth it. I loved this monologue by Robin Williams, so I will edit any possible swear words and share.

So if I asked you about art, you'd probably give me the skinny on every art book ever written. Michelangelo, you know a lot about him. Life's work, political aspirations, him and the pope, sexual orientations, the whole works, right? But I'll bet you can't tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. You've never actually stood there and looked up at that beautiful ceiling; seen that. If I ask you about women, you'd probably give me a syllabus about your personal favorites. You may have even been laid a few times. But you can't tell me what it feels like to wake up next to a woman and feel truly happy. You're a tough kid. And I'd ask you about war, you'd probably throw Shakespeare at me, right, "once more unto the breach dear friends." But you've never been near one. You've never held your best friend's head in your lap, watch him gasp his last breath looking to you for help. I'd ask you about love, you'd probably quote me a sonnet. But you've never looked at a woman and been totally vulnerable. Known someone that could level you with her eyes, feeling like God put an angel on earth just for you. Who could rescue you from the depths of hell. And you wouldn't know what it's like to be her angel, to have that love for her, be there forever, through anything, through cancer. And you wouldn't know about sleeping sitting up in the hospital room for two months, holding her hand, because the doctors could see in your eyes, that the terms "visiting hours" don't apply to you. You don't know about real loss, 'cause it only occurs when you've loved something more than you love yourself. And I doubt you've ever dared to love anybody that much. And look at you... I don't see an intelligent, confident man... I see a cocky, scared kid. But you're a genius Will. No one denies that

Mormon Message

Patience

....I would have eaten the marshmallow.

Happy Sunday!

Skinny Love

Confession: I find a lot of my music from TV shows. Today, while I was simultaneously checking in PARs and watching Vampire Diaries, I heard this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNzCDt2eidg

Bon Iver plays the original song with guitar, but I think it's pretty with the piano too.

I Blog Now.

... Well I decided to get a blog today. I've been thinking about it a little, and on a whim today I decided to actually do it. A few reasons why...

- I am awful at documenting my life. Whether it be in a journal or taking pictures, I am terrible. So I'm hoping this blog will help me document my life a little more.

- This summer is full of change. A lot of my friends are graduating college (Not me, I love school too much), going on study abroads, interning, and beginning their "real" lives. I am hoping blogging will help us stay connected through this crazy transition time.

- Blogs are kind of fun.

- I am a little ashamed to admit this, but I really wanted to get a blog so I could design my own page. Not sure if I'm happy with it yet, but I love collages!

So in my very creative titled blog, I will (hopefully) be writing about my everyday adventures. Whether it be vacations, school, music, or the occasional favorite youtube video. (I love me some failblog!) Let's see how this goes...