October~

October is one of my favorite months of the year. Clear blue skies, cool breezes, and natures changing colors signaling Fall is here and Old Man Winter is on the way. 

Thriller

October 13, 2011

  Julie, Kimberly, and I kicked off our month of right by going to Odessy Dance Company's production of THRILLER at the Covery Center for the Arts. It was a goulishly good time! During intermission, as Julie and I perused the lobby, she suddenlty started giggling....one of the undead had been sniffing my back for a good 15 seconds and I'd never noticed!

Tuacahn

October 15-17, 2011

  Every year I say I want to go to Tuacahn, only to have the season's end sneak up on me again. This year I was determined that wouldn't happen. For Mom's birthday I got us ticket to see both Grease and The Little Mermaid. Megan and Jeremy were kind enough to let us crash as their cute little home, giving me the chance to spend time with my Brother-from-another-mother. While I loved both productions, the best part of the trip was chatting all through the night with Jeremy and Mom! 

Halloween River Cruise

October 28, 2011

  What could be more fun than a group date floating down the Provo River where haunting pumpkings glow from the shore as your pirate captain recites a spooky bit of poetry? NOTHING! We girl (Bekky, Kimberly, and I) grabbed some good lookin' fellas and headed out for a night of good 'ol fashioned fun. After crusing down the river, we headed back to our house for ice cream sundeas and a movie. After much deliberation, we settle on the 1989 classic "Little Monsters" -- Two hours of our lives we will never get back. Overall, a fun time was had by all!

Family Halloween Party

October 29, 2011

Halloween is a big deal in our family...a BIG deal! Costumes are planned for months in advance (well, maybe that's just me?) and kept secret until the big day. Our annual family picture is taken each year at Halloween while we are all dressed up!

Me - The Gypsy Woman

 

The bun baker, the bun in the oven and a cute little witch

 Gatsby Family with the cutest little flapper EVER!

Great minds think alike...The flapper era was twice the fun this year!

Darin and Ren are out to find the treasure!

Mom and her girls

Next Halloween may be 11 months away, but I'm already planning my costume!

Graduation....Part Deux

I GRADUATED.....AGAIN!

Granted it was back in April, but I haven't updated in a while.

 Tiffany, McKell, Aburee, Me, and Courtney

Waiting for the ceremony to begin. I seriously don't think I would have made it through the program without these fantastic friends!

 Sandy presented my diploma along with Dr. Rushforth.

 Me and the family. It was so cold and windy outside we only got one picture of us together. I was glad I got pictures with my mom, sisters, and dad before the ceremony started. 

After the ceremony we went to The Brick Oven for dinner. It was so fun to celebrate with my entire family....and to finally get my very own song from the Smith Super Star Singers. 

Sung to the tune of Beauty School Drop-Out:

You didn't drop out.

It's graduation day for you.

You didn't drop out.

Passed your midterm and finals too.

So crazy that you've had no time

to wash or clean your clothes up, 

After spending hours at work and school

you'd sometimes want to throw up!

Somie you did it!

It's not a dream, your still alive!

Completed your degree, 

you had a goal and lots of drive.

You went for your diploma, 

but you'll skip the hiring pool

Cause you're the nurse at Discovery Ranch School.

You didn't drop out! 

A slave to school, never more!

You didn't drop out! 

So much spare time you might be bored.

Since student loans have buried you, 

for relief we know your lookin'

We guarantee you'll find a way

that doesn't include hookin'!

You don't have to sweat it, cuz you have the perfect job

Lucky to get it. Here's hopin' it's not run by the mob!

Throw your books away, stand up and say

"It's now my time to rule!"

Please promise us that you are done with school!

  We love you, you know it!

We will sing praises to your name!

Now you're a grown-up,

Our lives will never be the same.

We think you're hot, get off the pot,

it's time to find a guy!

Get goin' girl, your limit is the sky!

I pretty much cried through their entire little performance....and I'm sure the other people at Brick Oven enjoyed it as well! Just another reason  I love my family!

You're Havin' a Baby, Baby, Baby...

Princess Sparkles will be here before we know it!

What better way to celebrated her pending arrival than with a musical number... 

I can't even express how excited I am to meet this little girl! Britney, the momma-to-be, may be my niece but she is also one of my best friends! I am so blessed to be her aunt and to have her in my life. I love our girls nights, sleep overs, movie time, lounging in our jammies and giggling our guts out. I love that we can talk about anything and everything...and we do! 

I love you Brit Brit and know you are going to be an amazing momma! I am so in love with your little bundle of joy already and I can't wait to meet her!
(PS...I think we gave Justin Bieber a run for his money! And, yes, family. This video is now on YouTube. I couldn't get it to load any other way)

Smith Super Star Rally 2009

It's like the Olymics...

Only {Messier}

Giddy-Up!

Let the Summer {OFFICIALLY} Begin...
It's Rodeo Time!

BBQ. Family. Friends. Tradition

Tory Lee & Me

Tory and I have started a new tradition... Every Thursday after school I go straight to her house. We've both been trying to eat better and be healthier, so we do dinner together. Sometimes we hit up a movie or run errands, but usually we just hang out. Thursdays are definitely the best day of the week.

Hold On Tight Spider Monkey

When life offers you a dream so far beyond any of your expectations, it's not reasonable to grieve when it comes to an end.

After months of waiting and anticipating the day was finally here....TWILIGHT on the big screen. Over the past 9 month, a dose of Twilight has become part of my daily routine. As each character was cast, I grew to love them and see them in the role. I watched every preview, read every interview....all in anticipation for the big screen debut of the world I get lost in and the story of a love women long for. Now, after all is said and done, the question remains: What did I think?

Casting: Overall, I loved the entire cast of Twilight. There were, however, a few standouts... those who were the embodiment of my imagination brought to life. Rob Pattinson as Edward was AMAZING! The cautiousness with which he moves, the cadence of his speech, his facial expression speaks novels to the inner struggle of love vs blood lust. Bluntly, and childishly, put... he can bite me any time! Billy Burke as Charlie was genius! He captured the uneasy and awkward emotion and excitement of Charlie at Bella's return seamlessly. The stunned, broken hearted look on his face when Bella tells him she doesn't want to get stuck in Forks brought tears to my eyes. The scene of Charlie cleaning his gun before meeting Edward is one of my favorites! I totally love Mike Newton and could see him in the characters I call friends.

Storyline: Two thumbs up! I really got caught up in the world of emotions created by the screen writer, director, and actors. While it hit every key point from the novel, it seemed at times to jump the plot forward too quickly. It was like, "I know who you are. You're a vampire." "Yes I am...and here's how I run, what I look like in the light, how I was changed...." But, at the same time, how do you convey all of those things without dragging the movie on and on? There were also some elements from the storyline of the novel that I missed. I wish the fact that Bella's heart beat played such a big role in both she and Edwards actions was added to the movie. I also wish the blood typing scene was left in as well. After all, it is quite ironic that Bella hates not only the sight, but also the smell of blood...and yet fall head over feet for a blood sucker. More ironic still is the fact that in Breaking Dawn she comes to love the smell and the taste. While I understand that the movie was released with an uncertainty of the reality of sequels, it's the little things that are built upon throughout the Twilight Saga that endear me to the characters.

Overall: While I've only seen it twice, so far, but would be happy to watch it over and over. I loved the movie in itself, as it's own entity in the Twilight world.

So the waiting is over, and I'm kind of sad. But, Stephenie Meyer said it best: When life offers you a dream so far beyond any of your expectations, it's not reasonable to grieve when it comes to an end.

Halloween Spooktacular

I love Halloween! In a family full of traditions, some of my favorite are found at Halloween. Running to beat the sunset, we strike a pose for pictures...I think it's the closest thing we have to an annual family portrait. I think my favoritest thing is our family Halloween parade! Since Kierstan lives just down the street from Harts, we walk dressed in costume to get Big Chills. As we walk, people honk and wave...watching Kaicee is the cutest. She thinks it's all for her. Game time always includes BINGO, and this year we added pictionary, and a game kinda like Big Budda. Hocus Pocus is a staple in the tradition...we've seen it so many times I think we all know the lines by heart! Alas, it's all over until next year. However, it's never too soon to start thinking about a costume!

On An Endless Quest For The Perfect Jazz Square

One of my favorite family traditions is going together watch a movie on the big screen. The first time we all met Keayra {My future-sis-in-law at the time} was at the midnight screening of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Three years later and our tradition is still going strong with the viewing of HSM3. Instead of going at midnight, we opted for a Saturday matinee so we could take Kaicee along. The movie wasn't half bad, in fact it's my favorite of the three, but the best part was watching Kaicee watch the movie. With popcorn galore and her Gabrielle barbie in hand she was completely engrossed in the movie. I absolutely love watching her interact with my little brother as he fills his role as her daddy. When he told her we'd pause the movie so she could go potty, I have to admit, I got a little teary. I am so blessed to have such a wonderfully crazy, strong, loving, and united family. Up next...Madagascar: Escape to Africa!