Parachute

Before this summer, I had never been to a concert. It really was no big deal to me since growing up I never really had a favorite band or artist that I just had to pay 30-100 to listen to music I already owned. But, this past summer, my good friend Kelsie decided to introduce me and my other friend Jamie to Parachute. I've been in love ever since.

It was a Goo-Goo Dolls concert in Park City and Parachute, along with Michelle Branch, was opening for them. Since all 3 of us were fairly new to the concert scene, we didn't think to pack blankets or extra jackets. We were also late to the concert AND the Goo-Goo Dolls, (while I like their music) were kind of big, fat jerks. But, overall it was a good experience (probably due to the fact that Parachute gave an impromptu after-concert show on the sidewalk and we were an arms length away from them).

(Me, Kelsie, and Jamie. My first concert!!)

A few months later, I found myself at another Parachute concert. This one was at a club in the ghetto of Salt Lake where Kelsie's car got a window smashed in (nothing stolen) and my car had been towed previously that day. But, again, overall it was a good experience. Mainly because their music is so good and they're actually decent, humble human beings while they were on stage.

(With the lead singer of Parachute. Not a big fan of me in this pic)

Not a lot of people know who Parachute is, however they are familiar with the song, She Is Love. But, the rest of their stuff is just as good too. It's clean, it's awesome, and you all should look them up. They are fabulous!

Marcia Lynn Mcclure

A few years back, one of my best friends introduced me to Marcia Lynn Mcclure. She gave me her favorite book entitled The Highwayman of Tanglewood and it was a pretty good book. I recommended it to my sister, who reads about a book a minute, and she then recommended it to my mom. Now we are all going through her books like there is no tomorrow, (I think she has like 40-ish novels/novellas).

Now, an important thing to note about me is that I love a good romance. I am my mother's daughter, after all (my mother got the majority of her kids' names from Harlequin romance novels). But, the important factor with Marcia Lynn Mcclure is that she is an LDS romance novelist. Her stuff is super clean and it's great!!

Okay, okay, so maybe these books aren't some amazing Pulitzer prize that will change humanity, but her books are fun and lighthearted. They always have a happy ending, and even when you're rolling your eyes with just how cheesy all romance novels can get, you can't help but giggle a little bit too. Her books always leave me with a happy feeling. They are what kept me sane through my summer engagement break-off fiasco of 2011. Though it may have created unrealistic expectations in me when it comes to looking for my E.C. :)

So, if your a girl like me who is a sucker for romance stories and need an easy read to keep you sane through the semester, I recommend her. My favorites are The Highwayman of Tanglewood, Shackles of Honor, A Crimson Frost, and The Visions of Ransom Lake. Her historical romances are the best.

To A Beautiful Person

A note that my mom snuck into a sack of things I had left at home read:
To a beautiful person: If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If he had a wallet, your photo would be in it! He sends you flowers every spring. He sends you a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He listens. He can live anywhere in the universe, but He chose your heart. Face it friend, He is crazy about you! God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.

I thought it was such a beautiful sentiment. My favorite part was "He can live anywhere in the universe, but he chose your heart . . . He is crazy about you!" It is just such a comfort to know that when you feel so alone and unloved, Heavenly Father is literally right there and crazy about you.

My mommy is the best ever. She always knows just when I need a huge pick-me-up. I truly know that it was not a coincidence Heavenly Father gave her to me. Just another reassurance that I know He loves me. My mother is one of the greatest gifts he every gave me.

OUAT love

Okay, did anyone see the sneak peak for Once Upon a Time for next week??? OHMIGOSH! I am freaking out. I absolutely LOVE this show, especially the Snow White story. I think it makes it so much cooler! Snow White is actually legit and not this passive, weak, little princess. Plus I think Prince Charming is oh-so-extremely attractive! If you don't watch the show, guys-you need to start. It's awesome. I think I need to find someone with a TV and cable so that I can watch it Sunday night. Who wants to have me over? ;)

I'll Be There for You . . .

So, Dr. Coyne presented a great question for us today in class. What does my favorite TV show fulfill in terms of my life? Naturally, I started to think about Friends. I mean, seriously, this has been my favorite show since I can remember. While I know the show may have some questionable scenes, (thank goodness for the fast-forward button) it still has taught me a lot, and has helped me to cope in many different ways.

I found a picture on Pinterest that represented my relationship (as well as any other die-hard Friends fan out there) with the TV show extremely well:



I guess the biggest thing for me is that when I watch the show, it reminds me of when I was younger, at home with my family, during simpler times. Also, no matter what mood I'm in, Friends never ceases to make me laugh. A few nights after my engagement got broken off, one of my very good friends came to stay with me. She brought all her seasons of Friends and we watched it all night long. Even though I was so broken hearted and depressed, I still laughed all night long.

Another Playlist

Since my mixpod does not seem to be working anymore, I thought I'd create a list of my all-time favorite songs. You can look them up on your own time.

Keep in mind, these are in no particular order.

The Get-Up-And-Dance playlist:
1. Footloose. Kenny Loggins style. You do not need to deviate from the original version people.
2. This Will Be by Natalie Cole. A classic.
3. Hot N Cold by Katy Perry. Will always remind me of Troy doing Just Dance. HI larious.
4. Jump Down the Line (Shake Senora) by Harry Belafonte. Beetlejuice. 'Nuff Said.
5. Club Can't Handle Me by Flo Rida. Great for those aerobic workouts. Trust me.
6. Dog Days Are Over by Florence + The Machine. Though it reminds me of a recent breakup, I still like it.
7. Take Over Control by Afrojack feat. Eva Simmons. Do the extended radio version. Just discovered it and I LOVE IT!
8. Fake ID by Big and Rich. Makes you wanna put on your boots and go country dancing :)
9. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. Now you can do the classic with this one, but I do like the Miley Cyrus version, too. I know. I have no shame.
10. Ain't Nothing Wrong With That by Robert Randolph and the Family Band. If you haven't heard it, LOOK IT UP!!!
11. Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne. The Lil Mama version is fun too.
12. You Can't Stop the Beat. Featured on Hairspray. If that doesn't get you to dance, then you don't have a soul.
13. Canned Heat by Jamiroquai. This is totally my theme song. P.s. it was featured on the movie Center Stage before Napoleon Dynamite and it was much better then too.
14. Brighter Than the Sun by Colbie Caillat. Love her.
15. Pump It by the Black-Eyed-Peas. *Sigh* brings me back to my freshman year on drill...
16. I Want You Back by the Jackson 5. Oh MJ...
17. More by Usher.
18. Do Your Thing by Basement Jaxx. It's a fun one.
19. Yeah 3X by Chris Brown. Good energizing song.
20. Jump, Jive, an' Wail by the Brian Setzer Orchestra. Loved it in high school and I still love it.

For happy, dance music, I'm all about the songs that make you feel happy. Go figure. Music has a way of influencing who we are. Especially our moods. Pick your music wisely.

New Beginnings

Hey everyone! I hope you had a fantastic Christmas and New Years! Mine was quiet and busy all at the same time. But it was great to be around family as much as I could. I just can't wait until next Christmas when I won't have finals to stress over and I can just enjoy the season. It did not feel like Christmas at all to me!


One of my fav Christmas presents . . . and Lacey photobombing it . . .


I'm also really happy that it is 2012. 2011 could not have gone any slower for me. It was a rough year with a lot of hard lessons to learn. I'm grateful for the trials I had and for the people there who carried me through, but I never want to look back at that year again. I'm moving forward now and I'm not dwelling on the past or what "might" have been. I'm excited for the new adventures and friends that I will be having in the future.

So, in this new, (and hopefully LAST) semester, I am in yet another class that requires blog posts. It's my Media, Family, and Human Development class and I'm really excited about it. This is a topic I'm really passionate about and I can't wait to learn more about it. So, you all will be hearing a lot more of my random ramblings and ravings. Lucky you!! :)