Camelot

So... most of you have already seen this but I felt it deserved a spot. :)

I'm directing this summer! It's going to be a thrilling new adventure. I am so excited and cannot wait to get started. I've had a couple of meetings already and looking forward to a couple more before auditions. Ah! Auditions! I'm so nervous to sit through auditions. And glad that I don't have to prep a song this year. Hahaha.

I'm grateful for this opportunity and if you guys want to come - you definitely should! We'll put you up...maybe at a new house. ;)

Triss

The first time Triss appeared in my blog was in my 4th ever post found here. Crazy. Very fitting that it was about all things working together for good.

The best cat ever died on Sunday night. Really, if ever you should have been hesitant to get a pet, I would have said "Try Triss for a week. You'll want a pet just like her." She was a huge part of our family for 12 years. We'd had her since she was a tiny kitten who was so feisty and full of spirit you had to be careful to not dangle you hair over the couch or she'd play with it. I remember her tearing down the hall to play with someone danging a string over the couch on the opposite side of the house. She was very smart and was able to communicate what she needed very easily with us. 

One of the best parts about Triss in her later years, at least to me, was how patient and good she was with Hannalyn. She left Hannalyn climb all over her and pet her and be "soft" with her. She was the sweetest and the best and I miss her so much.

We're not really sure what happened - my mom heard her fall down the stairs and then she lay there and didn't move until she just stopped breathing. She seemed to be in perfect health and we all had thought she'd outlive the rest of us. It was a total shock. I still have a hard time believing it. I miss her more than I thought I ever would. Hannalyn didn't understand why Triss was laying down and not getting up to play with her and kind of freaked out when we put Triss in a box to bury her in. It was really sad but I was grateful to know that Hannalyn loved Triss too in her two-year old way.

I'm very grateful that I believe in eternity - even for pets! And I know she is frolicking through fields of butterflies with her partner in crime Ebony. I'm grateful that Triss went quickly and didn't seem to be in any pain. She really was the perfect pet. Even Daniel liked her. :) Thank goodness she was the first one we ever had or we probably would never have had another.

We love you Triss & can't wait to see you again someday.
<3

March Resolution

I never shared these pictures of when Hannalyn was TERRIFIED of Santa Claus (who was her grandpa, shhhh don't tell). 

She was so very confused. It was hilarious.

Remember how I had a February resolution to be better with my time? Well I've finally come up with my March resolution:

FIGHT.

Fight the evil in the world by spreading goodness through social media.

Fight the depression trying to take over my mind & body by praying praying praying.

Fight for my rights as an individual.

Fight for love and truth and righteousness.

I'm not going to give up. I'm not going to surrender. I'm going to be better. I'm going to try harder. I'm going to give it my all and FIGHT.

Weekend 2 - Gentleman's Guide

We took a day trip out to Salt Lake to see this show. I got Daniel tickets as a Christmas present and we were SO excited to finally get to use them.

Ok, first, it wasn't even a day trip. We left Vernal at 11:30, the show was at 2:00, we grabbed dinner at 5:00 and made it home by 8:00-ish. Less than twelve hours. I think it's our new record.

Second, despite being exhausted from the travelling and other parts of life that are just draining, we really enjoyed the show. I forgot how much I appreciate shows done professionally. I have been blessed to see a lot of different shows in many different venues over the last year and I finally remembered how much I love and appreciate a good sound tech. Seriously. The sound didn't sound canned at all. It wasn't blasting my ear drums out, it wasn't too quiet. I could hear the conversations as though they were standing by and conversing with me. I am sure everyone in the audience felt that way. It was so wonderful. I appreciated the lighting, too. GORGEOUS! There is so much more to lights than just up and down (on and off for you non-theater peeps). The colors were constantly changing to fit the mood. It was fluid and beautiful and made me actually miss working on a light crew. I never have said that til now. The costumes, of course, were immaculate. I love the early 1900s. The actors were very accomplished. The stage! There was a second proscenium arch behind the first from which an elevated stage floor would roll forward and back and a curtain would drop for the scene changes. *sigh* I miss it.

So there is my review. A very fun and fantastic show. I didn't love all of the direction - at some point there was unnecessary crudeness which I believe was chosen by the director. But overall, a show that I'd like to see again someday.

Since I know you care so much about my critique. ;) Ha!

Happy Weekend you peoples.

Weekend 1 - PCC, Jacksons

The morning after the Alex Boye concert, we got up at 5:00 and drove to Provo. We stopped first to have breakfast with my friend Winona and spend some time catching up with her. Then we went to see my aunt & uncle & cousins before going to lunch with Daniel's family. His dad and sister Lorraine & husband Jack were in town from Texas because Lorraine arranged 'Abide with Me' and entered into the Church's music festival and it was chosen to be played at the Tabernacle. SO COOL. Daniel's brother Eric & family also came down from Idaho for the event. So even though we didn't get to go hear Lorraine's song, we got to spend time with them which was wonderful. It was so good to be with them. We had lunch and wandered around the Provo City Center Temple until we had to take Hannalyn and put her down for a nap. We napped, too.

We met up with the family later for dinner and again the next day to chat and hang out. It was a wonderful weekend. We stayed with my grandparents and got to see my sister & brother who live in Salt Lake, too. Family-filled, adventurous and perfect.

On Monday, we had reserved tickets to get a tour of the new temple. We went with Daniel's dad and my friend Kendra. It was absolutely gorgeous. So much stained glass and beautiful hard wood floors. I was blown away by the beauty. Not just the beauty though, the Spirit in that building is immeasurably strong. I felt so blessed to be there and be there with my favorite people in the world.

Kendra had a good experience, too, for which I am so very grateful. It was wonderful to go through the building and share some of my knowledge with her and watch her soak it all in. The temple is a place for everyone and I loved being able to watch her feel that.

We left after the tour to get some lunch and then drove home while Hannalyn napped making it just in time for my first piano lesson of the afternoon. :)

A wonderful weekend, and one that I won't soon forget. I am so grateful for the blessings of my Heavenly Father. I know that He loves me.

Alex Boye

We had the awesome opportunity to sing with Alex Boye a couple of weeks ago. We sang this song and had a blast. The choir rehearsed for about a month getting practiced (it was a 10-part song at the end CRAZY) and memorized. I forgot how much I have missed singing in a choir setting with others who excel at their craft.

I think one of my favorite parts was just being able to dress up in all black to perform. The last time I did that was before Hannalyn was born and we sang in the Forgotten Carols. The time before that was two years earlier when we sang at Video Games: Live in Salt Lake City. It was a great feeling.

The concert was a lot of fun. It was THREE HOURS and so even though Hannalyn had a blast and was really well behaved, my dad took her home to put her to bed. I would have taken her but the choir still hadn't sung yet and so needed to stay.

Let me tell you what I loved the most about the concert: Alex Boye. Truly. He radiated goodness and kindness. All of his songs were incredibly positive and uplifting. He shared personal experiences and was very encouraging to everyone no matter their stage in life. He had so. much. energy! He did three hours all by himself - singing and talking in between. Well, he had a guitarist (who was great), but the pianist didn't say anything. I wish that my siblings could have been there to hear the things that Alex had to say. It was like being at a very casual fireside, or even like attending a speaker about being happier and more positive in life. I wish I had taken more notes. ;)

I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to be a part of this choir (and sing the second solo!). I made some new friends and had the most greatest time being with old friends, too. It was a wonderful experience.

How we celebrated 26

So... I'm 26. It happened so fast I'm not really sure it has sunk in yet. I don't feel different this year but it's weird to say "26" and know that it is me. Funny how that works, isn't it?

It was so long ago, it took looking at the pictures of the day to remember what we even did. It was a very full and busy day. It started with a meeting at Cold Stone, then we ran to a practice for the Alex Boye concert, and then went to look at a house (oh yeah, we're going to buy a house someday soonish...but not the one we looked at). I bought myself some sunglasses cuz my old ones tragically broke. But Hannalyn enjoyed driving in the sunshine.

My siblings were in town (though not for my birthday - for the drill team review) and Taylor napped on the couch with the cat because clearly being at home is not very entertaining. ;) The drill review was hot and long and crowded, but it was great to watch my sister dance.

I think we spent all of an hour at home on that day. So it was crazy and I ended up with a major headache from not eating lunch and not having enough to drink. But it was a good day overall. I think I'm ready for this new year. I'm not sure that I've embraced being 26 yet, but it will come and it will be a good year full of changes and growth. At least I'm kind of prepared for it this time. Well, as prepared as one can be for life, you know.

Happy birthday to me. And Happy Tuesday to you!

too many words

Have you ever felt like you have too many things to say and so it all stays bottled up inside unsure when and how to release and it almost becomes torture? That's me.

I have a lot of words stored up inside me right now and I'm not sure what the best way to release them is. I do know that when I figure it out, it's going to make one (or three) awesome blog post. So I guess there is always that bright spot in the future to look forward to.

In the meantime, while I'm sorting through my words, here is a picture. Because a picture is worth 1,000 words, yes?

Sometimes you just have to let it all out. (PC: Larissa, Oct 2015)

Speaking of pictures and words - I am currently gathering all of the pictures I took last year on the various devices I owned and putting them together in a printable format. I have narrowed it down to 500 pictures from 2015 that I'd like to print. Not bad - my goal was 50 from each month which would have been 600. I think I'm going to try to narrow it down a little more. Isn't it fascinating the pictures that you find that you forgot were there? And the memories they stir are so real! I love it.

Until next time, Hannalyn wants YOU!

She wants you to pick her up and carry her around cuz her mom's arms are tired from this two-year old who suddenly decided that nothing is good enough except being held by mom all. the. time. 

But I do get free snuggles!