Questions for Wednesday

A Capital Idea-The Wednesday Hodgepodge Vol 29

1. Have you ever been to the US capital-Washington DC? If so, what's your favorite site? If not, what would you most like to see on a visit to that city someday in the future? Is it even on your list of places to visit?

Oh yes, I have! I have been a few different times to visit my dear friend Cindy Saunders. Personally, my favorite site is the Saunders home...but if that's not an option, then the Capitol Building. There's something magical about it. It has so much history and history (good and bad) is made there every day!

2. When did you last attend a wedding? Are there any weddings on your summer calendar? Were you a summer bride? If you're single, is summer the season of your dream wedding?

I last attended my friend Julie's wedding. She was a BEAUTIFUL summer bride, and I was a bridesmaid. I don't have any more weddings on my summer calendar...but you never know! Oh wait, my friend told me today that he's getting married August 9th. Looks like I do after all. And yes, I was a summer bride! I always dreamed of getting married in springtime so that I could have tulips at my wedding. I got married at the end of summer -- hardly tulip season, but don't worry, I had my tulips anyway!

3. What is your favorite way to eat strawberries?

This is a hard question, as strawberries are basically the best type of berry. (Except for fresh picked blueberries. I miss those.) Other than all by itself, I think a strawberry is best in a strawberry trifle. Or jam.

4. What is one thing you are especially looking forward to this summer?

Going to Lake Powell with my husband and a family in our ward that we're friends with. Two weeks!

5. Do you use/like the self checker at the grocery store?

NO!!!!!!! I hate them. It always takes twice as long as a human checker. And I would rather stand in line. I get very angry at self checkers and they often ruin an otherwise perfectly delightful trip to the grocery store (which is my favorite kind of store).

6. Share a favorite piece of common sense advice.

Don't curl your eyelashes while you are walking to class on campus. That is just strange. And unnecessarily dangerous.

7. Barefoot, flip flops, tennis shoes, sassy sandals-your first choice for summertime?

Flip-flops for everyday. Tennis shoes for running!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I LOVE SUMMER! I love HOT and HUMID weather (can't wait to get back to Tennessee). I love the sun. I love not having to lug a jacket around with me everywhere. I love being warm. And most of all, I love having time to spend with my cute husband!!! All I do is work for 40 hours a week. Then I get to come home and work out, make dinner, and do other fun things with my husband! Is this what real life is like? Because it is magical. :-)

Funny thing about Mondays

So, I am sitting on my lunch break at work after I tried to go run a couple errands, but half the stuff on campus is closed since there are no classes today. I thought to myself, oh! today I'll do the Meet Me on Monday thing my mother-in-law always does. I went to do so and lo and behold, there is no meet me on monday since yesterday was Easter. Figures. So, maybe next Monday.

here's my dance again!

All right, here it is again! This is the dance I am choreographing for the March 2011 dancEnsemble show! It's coming together really well. I know that the videography is a far cry from professional -- especially since I, once again, did it on my phone. Also, it is in 5 parts because my phone will only film 60 seconds at a time. So you'll notice overlaps between the sections. But mostly, this is just so me and my dancers can remember what the choreography is. There is only 20 seconds left!!!



For costumes we are using some 40's style blue and green dresses -- and a khaki pant, white shirt and tie that matches for the man. The title is "The Sum of the Parts" and I'd tell you what it is about, but that would take WAAAAY too long. Just let me know -- do you see a difference between the movement in the first song and the second song. If you do, what is the difference that you notice?

Obviously it's not completely done or cleaned yet. That's why my dancers and I have three more rehearsals! Doesn't sound like much, but we've done what we have in five rehearsals, so I think adding about 30 seconds of choreography and cleaning this up a bit should be doable.

As for an update on my life -- I have officially lost it! :-) To quote the girl from Oklahoma "I jist cain't say NO!" (It's a song from the play, probably one of my favorites!) Oh and just so none of you get the wrong idea, it's not men that I "cain't say no" too. It's everything else. Every single opportunity that comes my way, I jump at. Whether or not I have time or the sanity to handle it. I'm presenting at three conferences in the next six weeks! I've been teaching 3 times a week at elementary schools for the past month! I'll continue that for the next 2 weeks. Then I'm down to once a week through April! That will be a relief. But I LOVE LOVE LOVE what I'm doing. This little (okay honestly not little at all, I might say HUGE) thesis project is ruling my life. Good thing it is super interesting and it's what I want to do the rest of my life! (in smaller amounts -- otherwise Clayton would kill me).

I'm really glad we made the decision to stay at BYU an extra year and a half because the opportunities that I've had recently and will continue to have are incredible! I've had some disappointments, but WAY more victories! Can you believe that I am going into schools and teaching dance and most of the teachers and students love it??? I feel like I just weaseled my way in -- doors just opened up to me! Here I am, constantly teaching and creating an incredible resource for Utah teachers. People ask me how I got in to all these schools to teach -- how I got this opportunity, and to be honest, I have no idea! But I'm having the time of my life (when I'm not crying about how I have no time left in my life...).

I've spent a billion hours designing the below poster. Cool though, huh?



There you go. A lengthy blog post full of information, thoughts, jokes, and giggles. Okay, maybe I'm not as funny as I think I am... But the above explanation is why I almost never blog anymore. I'm doing my best people... :-)

And here's the link to my cool website:

https://sites.google.com/site/dancingcurriculum/

Watch out...it's another blog :-)

Okay, don't get excited. It's nothing much, but here is a video of the choreography I'm working on for this semester's dancEnsemble concert. I'm very happy with where it's going, and can you believe these dancers and I have only had about 4 hours of rehearsal?!?!?! They're amazing. I know the ending is a little rough, but we're working on it, and we've got another two months before we are performing. This is the first half of the piece. The second half is to swing low sweet chariot. Any ideas for costumes?


YAY!

upcoming show

Friday and Saturday my dance company, dancEnsemble, has its fall performance and to promote it, Clayton made a commercial to air on the TVs in the Wilk.

This weekend!

Well, here's my last report on my no-homework Sundays project. I've enjoyed it, but it sure makes my Saturdays stressful. I've decided it's worth it, though. To have a day to yourself without the homework nagging. Saturday I went and hiked "Angel's Landing" in Zion's National Park. It's ridiculously tall and you have to hold on to a chain for your dear life for the last half mile unless you want to slip off the shear cliff face to your death (all the signs tell you so). I was so scared I didn't want to finish, but the group I was with pushed and pulled me along.



Yesterday I got up and made cookies for my young women. They were fantastic!!! I'll post the recipe at the end of my post. Then I finished preparing my lesson and went to church, where I was released from my Young Women's calling and called as a choir director. I'm very sad to leave the young women and I'm very scared of going to Relief Society, but I think it will be good for me. I will have to learn how to talk to adults. The scary women in relief society kind of adults! :-) I was invited by my visiting teacher over for dinner, then talked to my grandpa on the phone, because it was his birthday. I video chatted with my family and went home and did some reading of conference talks. Then, I talked to my best friend Hollie that I haven't talked to in FOREVER until 12:30 this morning. Hence, I am tired. But it was a good day. It was ever so lonely without Clayton and I was stressed out because I didn't get laundry done or the house clean on Saturday because I was gone all day and I have homework and finals to prepare for and a project due tonight. And I'm trying to get in as many hours at work as possible. But, I just have faith that Sundays are for churching, and being with friends, and talking to your families. And it's a good day just to chill. And make cookies. Here is the fabulous recipe. (I just tweaked the quaker oat recipe you get on the bottom of the lid for a tub of oats).

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 - 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup craisins
8 oz (2/3 a package) of Hershey's dark chocolate chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats, chocolate chips, craisins, and vanilla; mix well.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. I like to roll the dough in balls and flatten them. It makes a more compact cookie.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

YUM!!!

I made these because Clayton doesn't like oats or craisins. So, it was perfect timing. At least his being gone is good for something...

Another Report

Well, last Sunday I just had a major headache and felt sick all day... I had to stop fasting a few hours early... :-( Clayton and I went to church and enjoyed our day together. Nothing really exciting. I did have a Chinese test coming up the next day and it was ever so SUPER tempting to study. I managed to refrain though. And I think I did pretty well on the test after all! I'm glad I don't study on Sundays, but sometimes it makes me nuts! We also ended up asking some friends over for dinner and watched Psych with them! It was fun. We don't get friends often and I had made ribs which were yummy! Otherwise though, I went to bed early to get up early to study for my test. :-( And now Clayton is gone and I miss him. And my break is just about over. So back to work. I love you all and I'll be extra special glad when school is over next wednesday!