Category: Uncategorized

I thought I’d make a short post/ sort of tribute to Steve Jobs, who died today.

And by tribute I mean that I’ll say how much I love Apple, and also what an incredible creative genius this man was. I mean, think of it. Think how he changed the world (really) in such a COOL way! John Lasseter and Ed Catmull (awesomely creative dudes themselves) said,

“Steve Jobs was an extraordinary visionary, our very dear friend and the guiding light of the Pixar family. He saw the potential of what Pixar could be before the rest of us, and beyond what anyone ever imagined. Steve took a chance on us and believed in our crazy dream of making computer animated films; the one thing he always said was to simply ‘make it great.’ He is why Pixar turned out the way we did and his strength, integrity and love of life has made us all better people. He will forever be a part of Pixar’s DNA. Our hearts go out to his wife Laurene and their children during this incredibly difficult time.”

– John Lasseter, Chief Creative Officer & Ed Catmull, President, Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios

*watch this: special video

I love this!!!

There are 3 amazing buildings in Provo: the temple, the library, and the tabernacle, and I have a slew of memories in each of them. I went into the temple for the first time on my 12th birthday with Lucy and Anny and my mom and dad. Since then, I’ve had times that I went every week, times times that I went with groups of friends or by myself, times I was constantly looking at my watch and timing each baptism to figure out how much longer I’d have to wait, and times I was able to listen to the Spirit and have some of the greatest experiences of my life.

However, one thing that stayed the same every time was the exceptionally long wait. I love being in the temple! I love the organ music that plays as I watch those sacred ordinances taking place, I love seeing a full (yes, FULL) room of kids dressed in white who are worthy to enter the temple of the Lord and do His work, and I love the Spirit that is there in His house. I don’t love waiting, though.

This morning when President Monson announced our new temple, I gasped in surprise and excitement and joy, along with the audience in the Conference Center. We’re getting a new temple in Provo! I then proceeded to cry for somewhat inexplicable reasons for the next 5 minutes or so. We’re getting a new temple in Provo! We’re getting a new temple in Provo!

The library is amazing. Remember the old library with all the stairs in front? I have memories of reading Junie B. Jones and Boxcar Children books on the floor while waiting for my mom. And then it closed, we were transferred to Orem for a while, and then our new and beautiful library opened. I’ve been to many receptions there, I played for Syd’s wedding there, I watched the Timpview promenade, I’ve had study groups and personal homework parties, and many relaxing reading sessions. I love our beautiful library.

Memories of the Tabernacle abound as well. Years of Stake Conferences, for one thing. Back when Stake Conferences were long and boring and hard to listen to (we all know how wildly entertaining they are now…) I had been sitting for AGES, and had become restless and maybe not as quiet, if you know what I mean. If I’m remembering right, my mom asked me why I had been so noisy, and I responded, “If you knew how much I wanted to yell at the top of my lungs ‘I AM SO BORED!!!’, you would be proud.” Oh, and the benches aren’t exactly sofas either. But the stained glass is beautiful! I sang the Mozart Requium with Mac Wilberg, I watched Lauren solo with the Utah Symphony, I sat through several (very long) concerts, and I even heard President Monson speak there. This is a very special building, and it was heart-breaking when it burned down. The apprehension and speculation of what would happen were great, and this announcement is the absolute best-case scenario. We’re getting a new temple in Provo!

Although I don’t live in Provo anymore, it will always be my home. And now we’re getting a new temple! I can’t wait!

A REPRESENTATION OF LIFE AS I KNEW IT
I made this list a few months ago, just before Finals were starting to get under way. I thought I’d post it just for the memories. Of course some things have changed, but this is what I loved at the end of my Freshmen year.
1. Nutella

2. Mexican food
3. Carmellos

4. The Office
5. Running on the beach in the morning
6. The New Testament
7. My family
8. Uncle Spence
9. My friends
10. Good teachers
11. Dr. K
12. Great music
13. Presh movies
14. getting packages
15. sleep
16. my bed and couch at home
17. general conference
18. Christmas
19. Skiing
20. Inspiring movies
21. Netflix
22. Sundays
23. Practicing with Ben
24. Vocal Point

25. Hot tubs
26. fireplaces
27. rock canyon
28. chocolate milk
29. our blog network
30. my YW leaders
31. pay day
32. the PCC
33. Seasider sandwiches
34. My old XC team
35. Matchmaking

36. Missionary letters
37. Pandora
38. Those brown sugar bars
39. 3-4 Nephi
40. Mormonads
41. Calvin and Hobbes
42. Jerusalem sandals
43. Sunday naps
44. Our temple
45. The Visitors Center
46. Good test scores
47. Fidays
48. Finals ending
49. Sus. Tueller’s rolls
50. Tangled

51. Pres. Hinckley
52. My Patriarchal blessing
53. Cookie dough
54. Pres. Uchtdorf
55. Pres. Eyering
56. Pres. Monson
57. Chocolate pudding
58. My green blanket
59. When class is canceled
60. Coconut rice
61. Cold Stone

62. Pam and Jim
63. Sunset Beach
64. Skype
65. Snorkeling
66. Cheese
67. Cori’s bed
68. Good piano lessons
69. Getting 19 work hours
70. Sweet potato fries
71. The music department
72. Nice pianos
73. PCC dresses
74. Laying in the sun
75. Denzil’s voice
76. Cheesecake Factory
77. Sun rises

78. Our sky
79. the Luau
80. visitors
81. Surfin’ Tacos
82. Break-the-fast
83. Haleiwa Eats
84. Hukilau Café
85. Broadway music
86. Sugar cane
87. Melissa
88. Seasider muffins
89. Mormon Messages
90. Kristen and Riley
91. Cracking my back
92. M&Ms

93. Pixar

94. Opening mission calls
95. Facebook (for now…)
96. Barefoot running
97. The Lord
98. LIFE
99. Going home
100. Living in Hawaii

A REPRESENTATION OF LIFE AS I KNEW IT
I made this list a few months ago, just before Finals were starting to get under way. I thought I’d post it just for the memories. Of course some things have changed, but this is what I loved at the end of my Freshmen year.
1. Nutella

2. Mexican food
3. Carmellos

4. The Office
5. Running on the beach in the morning
6. The New Testament
7. My family
8. Uncle Spence
9. My friends
10. Good teachers
11. Dr. K
12. Great music
13. Presh movies
14. getting packages
15. sleep
16. my bed and couch at home
17. general conference
18. Christmas
19. Skiing
20. Inspiring movies
21. Netflix
22. Sundays
23. Practicing with Ben
24. Vocal Point

25. Hot tubs
26. fireplaces
27. rock canyon
28. chocolate milk
29. our blog network
30. my YW leaders
31. pay day
32. the PCC
33. Seasider sandwiches
34. My old XC team
35. Matchmaking

36. Missionary letters
37. Pandora
38. Those brown sugar bars
39. 3-4 Nephi
40. Mormonads
41. Calvin and Hobbes
42. Jerusalem sandals
43. Sunday naps
44. Our temple
45. The Visitors Center
46. Good test scores
47. Fidays
48. Finals ending
49. Sus. Tueller’s rolls
50. Tangled

51. Pres. Hinckley
52. My Patriarchal blessing
53. Cookie dough
54. Pres. Uchtdorf
55. Pres. Eyering
56. Pres. Monson
57. Chocolate pudding
58. My green blanket
59. When class is canceled
60. Coconut rice
61. Cold Stone

62. Pam and Jim
63. Sunset Beach
64. Skype
65. Snorkeling
66. Cheese
67. Cori’s bed
68. Good piano lessons
69. Getting 19 work hours
70. Sweet potato fries
71. The music department
72. Nice pianos
73. PCC dresses
74. Laying in the sun
75. Denzil’s voice
76. Cheesecake Factory
77. Sun rises

78. Our sky
79. the Luau
80. visitors
81. Surfin’ Tacos
82. Break-the-fast
83. Haleiwa Eats
84. Hukilau Café
85. Broadway music
86. Sugar cane
87. Melissa
88. Seasider muffins
89. Mormon Messages
90. Kristen and Riley
91. Cracking my back
92. M&Ms

93. Pixar

94. Opening mission calls
95. Facebook (for now…)
96. Barefoot running
97. The Lord
98. LIFE
99. Going home
100. Living in Hawaii

If this was a mom blog or something, I would write about how I

*a very special treat awaits the reader who makes it to the end of this post. Trust me.*

Alexander’s Amazing Adventures is a collection of stories about a young lad named Alexander, which teach a new value with each amazing adventure he goes on.

If this was a mom blog, I would write about how I used Alexander’s Amazing Adventures to teach my children about the value of honesty, and because of it, none of them have ever told a single lie. Then we kept listening, and now they’re perfect angels because of the way the stories changed our lives and taught each value so thoroughly. I feel like a very successful mother, and all the credit goes to the brilliant creators. Buy these tapes to have perfect children just like me!

Um, yeah. Can’t make that claim quite yet.

But let’s pretend like I am a mom, because I fully plan on using these fantastic tapes with my future children (who are the only thing I ever plan for). I’ll spare the synopsis and raving reviews, so you’ll just have to take my word for it, but I honestly (haha) think these stories (including the 11 I have yet to hear) would be an excellent teaching tool for children. (I am desperate to hear the others!!!) Those values include Honesty, Loyalty and Dependability, Respect, Love, Unselfishness and Sensitivity, Kindness and Friendliness, Courage, Peaceability, Self-reliance and Potential, Self-discipline and Moderation, Fidelity and Chastity, and Justice and Mercy.

These are some of the most amazing parts of the adventures:
1. Very clever storyline
2. Incredible voices (speaking voices)
3. Great message, obviously (made by LDS folks, no less)
4. Very good songs
5. Enjoyable!
6. Teach your children important life lessons and values, in a way that the whole family can enjoy and be highly inspired!

In case you aren’t sold yet, here’s my last word: Alexander’s quest begins with the value Honesty, the foundation for all other values. Through music, drama, and sound effects, young Alex time travels from his schoolroom to the ancient country of Inlandia where he is the lost prince. There, guided by “The Lightkeeper” and his tortoise companion, Theo, he learns that honesty can save the day. Back in his classroom he finds that honesty works just as well in the real world. To listen to the remaining 11 adventures, sign in and register for the Alexander’s Amazing Adventures program.

And as a special treat, I have included links to the Honesty tape!!!
Alexander side 1
Alexander side 2

Canceled class
Missionary letters
Running on the beach
Real grated cheese
Seasider sandwiches

Guess Who?

“We honor and remember the the nearly 3,000 men, women and children killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and aboard Flight 93, as well as the six people killed in the February 1993 World Trade Center bombing.”
-Washington DC State Legislature Leaders Foundation

You know how old people used to always say, “Back in the good ole days…” “Back when I was a kid…” “I remember when…” and they were things like the Great Depression and World War 2 and times before electricity and such? Well, turns out that for me what seems “current” is actually history. Like, I swear Sept. 11 was like 3 years ago. But it was 10 years ago! And the ’90s are no longer current either. Weird!

So now my “I remember when…” is I remember when I heard about the attack on the Twin Towers. I was in 4th grade, and my teacher Mr. Rencher gave us a very important talk about it, with personal connections due to his experiences in the Vietnam War. I will also never forget the recurring image of the Towers blowing up, shown over and over and over again. And watching live news of the families and friends of those in the buildings, as they waited anxiously to hear any news at all. Then seeing cemetery gatherings of tribute, commemoration, and extreme sorrow.

It affected the entire country, (I remember when airports were entirely different than they are now. Back in the good ole days we used to be able to meet people right outside the terminal. And we didn’t have to hand over our entire lives and beings as we went through ‘security’.) but individual lives even more. Imagine the family who lost a father, or a mother, or a brother. Maybe the newly married wife who would never see her husband again. It’s interesting to think about how all the history we learn about is actually a collection of many personal histories. And that’s what it’s all about.

I will never forget, and I’ll try to remember each year about the magnificent effect this event had on individual lives.