"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; love leaves a memory no one can steal." ~ From a headstone in Ireland

I'm posting now and not after this weekend because I know that there will be so much to report on Monday and there is already so much.

A week ago I went to see Beauty and the Beast at an outside venue with my wonderful sister Lani. Can I just say the set design was amazing? Like freaking amazing. Amazing as in I wish I was that artistic and that clever? At first I was not sold on the idea, but as soon as I saw how the set was used I was excited. Here is a very lame attempt at explaining the set design. The west wing and Belle's room were set up the whole entire time, but what were they set up on? BOOKS! Huge books. There was about 4 under each "wing" with a staircase made of books in the middle. The genius part of the set design was that the books came out, opened up and became the sets! Talk about stories coming to life! There were books with different languages for titles, even an arabic titled "Kitab" meaning book. I think the most fitting title was Dante's Inferno which was used as Morese's prison in the Beast's castle. It was so sweet and I only wish I had the words to describe it better.
The acting was pretty good too, though I did have some qualms. I was afraid that Lumier would not live up to Ethan who played him in my high school's rendition but he did really well. Everyone kept there accents too. At first I was worried about Gaston because his voice was not as deep as you would expect but he made it work. Oh and Belle was really good. She sounded almost exactly like the broadway singer. The only part I didn't like her in was when she made Belle sound whiny when she didn't get to say goodbye to her father instead of distressed.
Oh and then there is Beast. I didn't like him... Okay so his makeup didn't help at all there. His face looked yellow and like a skull to me, his voice wasn't scary when he tried to yell just horse and high, it only sounded cool because of the effects they but on it. His acting was good though. But this is just me
All in all I would give this rendition an A-. Oh hey look<.< there's my theatre class coming out.
Jumping to Friday night I went to my first club ever! I was kinda disappointed but hey it's teenagers with hormones out the wazoo, whatcha gonna do?
It was pretty sweet though. It was a white out dance. Basically everything and everyone was in white so when the black lights turned on the place glowed. I went with some pretty cool people and laughed most of the time. Oh and I got hit on by some random dude before he got politely nocked away by the guys I was with. I also saw some of the popular girls from my high school and I can truly say now I'm glad I wasn't in that group.
Saturday I went to a water fight and that was pretty fun. Towards the end we played ultimate and it started to drizzle then it started to drizzle just a bit harder. We finished our game, I love nothing more than playing in the rain, and while Mal and I were driving home it started to rain buckets. The rain drops where huge! But as usual for utah weather it lasted for an hour or so.
That night Mal and I went to the Pike's house for a fun night of games. Who knew Jenga could be so fun? Me, Mal, and another girl played for an hour! Rach was going in and out of games because she was supervising the Ping Pong tourny. I played against, and lost, a guy named Brane. Pronounced Branay. This then led to a discussion between Mal and I how it may be cool for the parents to name their kid something off the wall but the kid has to explain their name over and over all of their lives. Brane had to explain his at least 5 times within an hour, and that's only what I overheard.
And this Monday night I went TPing my Bishop's house. It was cleaned up by the people in our FHE group but it was still way fun and worth it. Even if the Bishop's wife caught us in action. OH and did I mention He has PERFECT trees for this kinda thing?

Helloooo Amanda

"If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up some place else." - Yogi Berra
Yesterday, Saturday the 13th, was a 9 stake single adult party at 5pm. The day started of really nice but around 2 pm it turned into a tropical storm. You may think I'm over stating things but the wind got pretty fast so the rain sounded like rocks hitting the windows. It lasted for about an hour and then totally cleared up. I mean you couldn't tell anything had happened expect from the smaller branches from trees everywhere. It was totally crazy!
Well around 5 I picked up Mal and we went to Lion's park for the party. It was alright, I mean I got to see some people I haven't seen in a year and talk to some old friends but the actual event was kinda lame. That is until me and Mal got an ultimate frisbee game going, then it just rocked. I made some pretty awesome catches too. On one i had my cell phone in hand trying to take a picture of the double rainbow, two in two days how cool is that, that appeared after a light sprinkling. Someone threw me the frisbee, I caught it and then threw it to a teammate in the end zone who also caught it one handed. Sweet huh? There was another one where I dived for it but just missed it, the roll I did was pretty sweet though. And then there was Mal's catches. On the first she dove sideways, skidded on her side getting grass burn, rolled and still caught it. That was pretty much amazing. And on the second one Brian caught the frisbee after it bounce off of the fence, threw it to Mal but first it bounced off a branch but she still caught it.
Oh and through the game I kept hearing "Amanda I'm open!" or "Here Amanda!" I didn't realize they were talking to me until an acquaintance from high school said that she had almost gone along with everyone and called me Amanda.... Um what? How did people get the idea my name was Amanda? Oh well its all good. I just told my team after that to call me any name and I most likely would respond. After all for two months of powderpuff practice I was called Sam. For a Month I was called Amber in the main office, and for 4 months after that I was called Amberla.
On the drive home Mal and I decided that I should just introduce myself as Amanda to the rest of the ward and see how long I could keep it up. Probably for a long time if I got the people I know in on it.
Well gotta blaze!

Kelly Clarkson Concert

"Pleasure is the flower that passes; remembrance, the lasting perfume." ~ Jean de Boufflers

A birthday gift from my parents was tickets to the Kelly Clarkson concert today. My sister's gift was to go with me.
I looked forward to this with great anticipation because 1) It would be my second concert, 2) time with my sister, and 3) it was Kelly Clarkson. That may sound dorky but hey, I like her music.
I was worried because this past week has been very rainy and the concert was in the baseball field at UVU. This morning it looked clear but as the day went on the cloud came and so did the rain. By the time I went to pick my sister up it was pouring rain and I think I hydroplaned once going through a deep puddle. It didn't let up as we headed back to UVU either.
My sister was a genius and brought ponchos and camping chairs while I brought umbrellas. We set up the chairs in line and were pretty comfortable in our protection while everyone had to stand in the rain. There was a group in front of us that was completely soaked cause they didn't have umbrellas. It did stop raining around 5:15 is though.
Once we were allowed into the park, a hour and a half of waiting in line, we found a good spot on the right of the stage, not to far back but not to close, if there is such a thing ha ha.
Then we waited for the pre shows to start. It was the final show of Utah's got talent. Basically it was something no one cared about but there was one good band that played. Then it was a lot of talking from the UVU people because the concert was celebrating UVUphoria, but everyone kinda just went for Kelly Clarkson.
After the UVU people finished talking it took another 30 minutes for Kelly Clarkson's people to set up the stage but when it started it was well worth it. When she first came out it started to drizzle again but the Sun was coming out in the west so a rainbow appeared over the stage and then another one showed up too, so she had a double rainbow over most of the show. How cool is that?! Not that she knew about it but it was cool for me and probably most of the audience. It did stop drizzling at some point in the show but I didn't really notice when it did. The important part is that the worst of the rain happened while we were in line =}
Kelly Clarkson is really good at connecting with the audience and being funny. When she was introducing "Never Again" she asked "Has someone you've been in a relationship with ever pissed you off? I have a microphone so I wrote about it =}" she just had some funny moments like that. Like at one point she couldn't hear anything in her ear pieces and said something to the effect of "Hold on I don't have ears... Well I have ears I just can't hear myself, and if I can't I'll suck" Just fun stuff. And she has an amazing voice! She played all her hit songs and a few others.
I think my favorite part of going to a live performance is that the artist can change the songs if they want to. It's not set in stone. Kelly Clarkson did that a lot but it made the songs new and exciting, and made me like some that I hadn't particularly liked before.
I'm really glad I got to go and spend time with my sister too. We had a blast and I hope we can do something like this again sometime soon.
Oh and I saw two of my FHE family there, and I saw some people I knew in High school. Random tid bit but thought you might like to know.

Songs Sung:
Walk Away
Behind These Hazel Eyes
Beautiful Disaster
Whyyawannabringmedown? (Yes that is how the title is spelled)
Because of You
How I feel
Never Again
If I can't Have You
Save You ( I'm Pretty Sure)
MIss Independent
Up To the Mountain
BreakAway
I do Not Hook Up
Since U Been Gone
My Life Would Suck Without You

I don't think I missed any but if I did sorry!

6:47 a girl was born

"Strange as it may seem, my life is based on a true story".

Yesterday I had a really good birthday. I woke up early and talked to my mom for a while. I dinked around on the computer for a while then got ready for the day.
At 11 Mom, Da, and I went to Los Harmonos for lunch. We were the first ones there and I'm pretty sure the only ones there for half an hour. It was great though.
Then at noon I took Holly's graduation present to her. When I gave it to her I believe the quote was "What's this? You can't be given me presents on your birthday" We then talked for a bit and then I headed home for a quickly thrown together birthday party with the friends.
See it was hobbled together because the family party that was planned for last night was cancelled due to the swine flu breakout in the MTC. How this is related? You may ask, "the answer is simple" I might reply. My brother works at the MTC as a programer and didn't want to take the chance that my dad might get it.
So the wednesday night I texted a few people and asked if they could come. The people that did come were Em, Hols, Will, PJ, and LJ.
It was a lot of fun. We went up the canyon to Bridal Veil Falls and played for a couple of hours. We kicked a soccer ball, threw a frisbee and football around, at the same time mind you, before Pj had to leave. The rest of us then proceeded up to the little pool of water at the base of the mountain. Will and LJ went up the rocks and river coming down the mountain to the base of the falls. Us girls stayed at the pool thinking the boys would be back soon. We were wrong however, because I got a phone call from Will, who know phones worked in the canyon, and asked if we were going to come up. It was kinda funny because at that moment we were heading to the trail that led up there, after a few minutes debate about whether we should leave the boys stranded in the mountains.
I told Will that we would be there soon by going up the trail, which he apparently didn't know existed. When we reached the base of the falls we took lots of pictures, then went back to my place for some treats before everyone went home. In the meantime we had come up with nicknames for the boys. PJ is Scooter because he has gotten one, to everyone's shock. LJ is SpiderMan because... well you'll see the picture and Will is Marine because he is going into the Marines.
I then ate dinner and went into the back room to relax before 6:47. This is the first year I actually knew what time I was born at so mom wanted to make it special by eating my cake then. When it was time mom called me into the kitchen and what a surprise I got! My whole family was sitting there! Apparently they had all come when i was sitting in the back, and they were all feeling well enough to come!
It was a wonderful day all in all and I'm glad I have the family I do!


Scooter trying to stop Marine from getting the football



Me, Hols, and Em


Scooter charging me and Spiderman looking confused


Bridal Veil Falls


Spiderman, Em, Hols, and Marine with Bridal Veil in the backround


Spiderman, Hols, Me, and Marine with Bridal Veil in the backround.


A shelf protected from the falls with beautiful flowers on it.


A tree trunk stuck on some rocks with water flowing over it. (at the base of the falls)


Spiderman, me and Marine


Spiderman, Em, Marine, and Hols on the gate between the parking lot and the start of the trail


Spiderman, Em, Marine, and me on the gate between the parking lot and the start of the trail


How LJ got the nickname Spiderman

Ode de Pillow

"Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything." – George Bernard Shaw

I have had a certain pillow officially since I was 4. Before that I would steal it off of my mother's bed until she was sick of that and gave it to me. I have slept with this pillow every night except when I am traveling(sometimes I bring it sometimes not) or camping.
It was my great grandmothers so not only has it seen most of my life it has seen greater. The two of us, the pillow and I, have been through a lot. It received multiple rips when I was younger because I hated how hot it got when it had a pillow case, so it usually went without one. These rips were repaired with tape until I finally took it to my mother and she sowed them shut. Now I keep two pillow cases on it because it still leaks feathers.
Well yesterday I went to the doctor and learned I have a small allergy to feathers. Hopefully this will clear up as I go through tests and treatments for other things. But that means for now my faithful friend of a pillow will no longer be there at night when I lay down to read and to sleep. Goodbye for a while friend.


And you thought this was going to be a birthday post didn't you? That comes tomorrow ;}

Makes you think huh?

"Publishing a volume of verse is like dropping a rose petal down the Grand Canyon and waiting for the echo."
- Don Marquis

There has been something on my mind ever since I heard it mentioned up at school, and even more so when I hear someone else say something about it. This is not intended to offend in anyway and I'm sorry that I am not that skilled of a writer, this is just meant for you to start thinking about it.
The thought is that all things are spiritual matters, there is no "worldly" and "spiritual" things. It's all spiritual. When I first heard this I was taken back, especially since my science teacher said it, but as he continued to explain it started to make sense. We usually say that things of knowledge, like science, are secular knowledge, and things speaking of Christ and God as spiritual. But didn't God create it all? Couldn't, and why not, He use physics, laws of nature, and so forth to hold the universe together. Why not use math to create perfect proportions that humans find pleasing to the eye( this being the Golden Rule). And so on and so forth. Plus, this being a total Latter Day Saint view and can be ignored by others if wished, we are instructed to learn all that we can because it has been hinted that we will need it in the future.
As my teacher put a spin on the normal view it started to make sense. Sure we humans can pollute stuff so it's not really of the right spirit but if all was created by God through Christ why can't it all be spiritual?