MoTab seats without the red snuggies...

How do you sum up an experience so incredible in one blog post? I'm not really sure. But this is an attempt nonetheless.

Let's just say I have this thing with amphitheaters and performance venues. It's the choir nerd in me, but acoustically speaking, some places are just better to sing in than others. For example, the shower is always a good choice. My laundry room is not...believe me, I have tried.

Well, let's rewind to back when I was in 6th grade, and the first session of conference was being held in the new conference center that April, I told myself I was going to sing there some day. Now, of course this initial dream came from the kid version of myself thinking that it would be when I am 60 and in MoTab with my super awesome husband of some sort. Thank heavens I didn't have to wait for THAT to happen.... it only took 12 years, but I finally made it to those cush-y, perfect posture, burgandy seats. This place is incredible. This was not my first time inside the conference center of course, but every time I step foot in this place, something else literally stuns me.

We could talk about how this place is over 1.4 million square feet, or how it is the largest auditorium IN the world. (#iknowweirdfacts) We could talk about how it seats over 21,000 people, and every time I have been to an event here, there are not many an empty chair in sight. We could talk about how the organ ranges 9 1/2 octaves, and the pipes alone range from a couple inches in height, to over 32 feet. We could talk about the gorgeous pulpit coming from Hinckley's black walnut tree, and how my heart aches a little bit whenever I see it.

I could keep going...but instead I will just have you know, that this was way more than just something to cross off my bucketlist. It was way more than just singing in a choir, and it was way more than a Relief Society broadcast.

I spent basically the whole month of September rehearsing for this, and each and every single rehearsal was been overwhelming, rejuvenating, and so rewarding. It sounds so cheesy, and I apologize since I normally don't get too preachy on this here blog of mine, but I have to document this somewhere, and this place just kind of works....

I had been hoping and wishing and praying for something to happen lately. I don't know what exactly I was wanting, I just knew I needed to be inspired somehow... and then this opportunity was literally handed to me.

It's funny how things work out, you know?

Let's just say it was perfect and I am a changed person. Highlights include, but are not limited to the following:

• Our director...I basically worship the ground she walks on now. A junior high choir teacher from Bountiful, and my new favorite person for real. So funny, and so inspiring. I asked her if I could be in every choir she directs....
• Having this be a 3 stake dealio meant I got to see old friends from my Holladay days, friends from college, and even make new friends. Who knew spending time with over 300 women could ACTUALLY be fun?
• Singing. Performing. Working my vocal chords. Ohhhhh how I miss the days where this was a constant occurance. Man, it felt good to be back at it again.
• Getting to sit in the MoTab seats WITHOUT wearing the red snuggies.
• Buying a new skirt. Hey, it's the little things too....
• Diving into the words of familiar primary songs, and making them come alive again. I never thought I could be emotional while singing "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus" but boy was I surprised when the waterworks started up, especially during the end ...'have faith, have hope, live like His son...'
• Singing my favorite hymn of all time "I Need Thee Every Hour," and trying to 'cry pretty' while doing it.
• learning that you can fight a sneeze by saying the word purple, and if you have an itch, just squish your toes together in your shoe. It works. I'm sold. 
• did I mention that organ? How about the digital button that plays 'Les Cloches de Hinckley.' That gave me chills 
• All the 'Sister Wives' jokes.... sick. Yet funny. But not... I still would like to know who decided on white button down blouses and black skirts for a group of women...
• Finally seeing the teleprompter....Don't ask me why, but this was a REALLY exciting moment for me.
• Sister Burton and I are pretty tight, (serious, we have inside jokes and everything)... so it felt kind of stellar to be there for her first broadcast
• FINALLY GETTING TO SING IN THE MOTAB SEATS!? Seriously people. Dream. Come. True. 
• Being within feet of the prophet
• Feeling the immediate sense of peace. Everything that was said that night was tailor made for me. Seriously. 
• Adding this to my future MoTab resume....just kidding...kind of?
• Getting the thumbs up at the end from Elder Uchtdorf. 

Obviously, September was a good month. That it was. 

Check out the main events:

Midvale YSA 

I Won't Give Up...

Today I have come to the most interesting of discoveries.

Flirting gets you places.

Now don't get me wrong, I have realized this for many years, but have never taken into consideration that I have this power. 

Until today.

It was a simple January afternoon in Park City, Utah. Katie Jane and I were on a Sundance adventure. And two security guards were telling me I needed to be 'someone special' to enter this old building on Main Street. This old building on Main Street happened to be the 'Bing Bar.'  

It was then I realized that flirting was the only thing standing in the way between myself and Mr. Jason Mraz himself.

Yes. Thats right. Mr. A-Z was within reach and I wasn't going to let anything get in my way.

So I pulled out all the stops. I flirted with the security guard, even telling him I loved him... and landed myself in about the 3rd row, at a private, closed name-on-the-special-list, Jason Mraz concert where probably only 75 people at most were present.

Talk about a dream come true!

It was the most magical 70 minutes of my life... so far. Some of you won't understand or appreciate this, but this was a big deal for me. If you know me AT ALL, you understand this for 2 reasons 

A. I LOVE Jason Mraz with my whole entire heart

and
B. I don't flirt. I don't know how, and have been told so by a few people...nice, right?

But I did it today. 

We were led by a security man in all black into a dark a sketchy back alley type stair well, where I could hear Jason's sultry voice in the not so far off distance. Seconds later I stood in awe with my darling friend Katie Jane and we sang along and laughed, and I was just as happy as could be.

Observe:

 

and this new song from his new album, which he announced the name and date of AT this performance, is sure to be my favorite. it was probably my favorite one he did at the concert.

I know right?

Thats how CLOSE I was

I even saw Blythe Danner in her coke bottle glasses walk by later, Melanie Lynskey, and a couple other celebrities that I have already forgotten.

And if that wasn't enough, Liz and I drove back up a couple hours later and flirted our way into a free covered and heated parking spot! 

Cute boys in the parking booth. One had very sparkly blue eyes. Hum.... We also saw Joshua Jackson. That was nice. 

What a fascinating and downright happy day! Love!

Whit and Liz...and a famous person...not really, but thats okay. 

and if you are still confused as to why I love Mr Raz so much, this explains it all:

"Music is the medium I use to recover from life’s often deafening blow. I constantly reawaken thru music. The act of making music is how I tune in and/or tune out to solve life’s puzzles, trying to make the most sense of that which I can’t seem to stop questioning. In life there are problems. In music, if not a direct answer, comes a divine perspective." 

Taken from here. Simply Beautiful. 

the day starts, the day ends...

just crossed off 'go to a jazz game' on my bucketlist. the game was awesome, but the circumstances were semi crappy at times...also, totally bummed i didnt take a picture whilst at the the jazz game. better go back for round 2 sometime soon.

i have another stupid crush and it needs to go away. abra cadabra....somebody help.

totally went to st george last week and had a blast. we werent even their 24  hours, so it was semi ridiculous, but it was so fun. and the temple there is gorgeous.

this weekend included: noodles and co. target pit stop. karaoke. fake tattoos. peaces. justin beiber. a failed zoo trip. red butte cafe. south town mall. stellar forever 21 finds. gasoline spewing out of my car. my attempt at yelling at the texaco people. images in my head of my car blowing up. jamming to my ipod on random (oh the selection...) dinner with kym. and seeing one of my most favorite shows again. i love the weekends...and next week JUST MAY top it off. can. not. WAIT! yay brendan!

i think i need to confess something.
im just going to put it out there.
get it off my chest.
i.
have.
beiber.
fever.
there i said it.
now this is not in the sense that i love him and think he's ooo ahhhh oh, so cute, because thats gross...he's only 17.
but in the sense, that i may or may not have his album, love all the songs, and really want to go see the beiber movie.
i don't really care what you think.
and yes, i realize my little sister has disowned me,
but im working through that and trying to find a solution.

today i got a voicemail from my little bro that said
"how dare you not answer when i call. if you dont call me back, i swear i will slice you with my light saber" boy i love my family.

BEST. PURCHASE. EVER!!!!! i have a feeling i will be buying several pairs...in fact, these are my next ones...

i have thought a lot about happiness lately. and what it is that brings true joy. im reevaluating somethings, and boy is it grand...

can i just say...OBSESSED? totally planning a trip to see this when it comes to NYC. this song is what got me hooked. *drool*

i go off track in 3 weeks! crazy! that means i have a 4 month long 'spring break.' best job ever? i think yes. also, im being rehired to teach next year. who would have thought this semester-long move to SLC would be so long term! love it!

i can't even begin to explain how much i love my friend em, and this particular post she wrote. can you see why we get along so well?

BFABB. kym, you totally know what im talking about. yes!!!

i unpacked all my flip flops and organized them in their little spots. i smiled the whole time.

this is a dumb video, but i had this done today. trippy! doesn't hurt, and im definitely a new fan.

okay. now im going to bed, because its way past my bed time.
peace and love folks!

p.s. this is my computer background. i love it a lot...

true blooded aggie

i quite enjoy crossing things off my bucketlist

it brings me great satisfaction 

in knowing that i have accomplished something that is significant and important to me.

and here i am.

just crossing off 'graduate from college'

done there on the side of this here blog

like its no big deal.

wow.

who would have seen this day coming?

not me.

yet here it is.

done. and done.

wow time sure does fly eh?

boy 2006 seems like ages ago...
i am pictured somewhere in the second U

first visit to USU as a senior in high school.

who knew of all the glorious things that were to come...

p.s. since apparently the thousands of dollars i gave to the university is insignificant, they canceled december commencement. so therefore i have to wait till may to get the 'legit' graduation commencement pictures and blah blah blah. so patience ducklings. thanks.

remember to cross 'watching bucketlist' off our bucketlist...

i still have yet to see that movie.

which is kind of ironic

because i have a hefty bucketlist

and have for some time.

ahh well. im sure i will see it someday.

maybe i will add that to my bucketlist....

the point is, have you seen part of my bucketlist

posted down yonder?

well. i got to cross an item off :)

hoorah!

Kasidy and I hiked Mt. Olympus yesterday

and it was wonderful!

beautiful view

beautiful weather

beautiful.

we want to go again in a couple weeks

because it got dark a little too fast and we were rushing down the mountain on our way back.

wondering whether or not we were going to die

haha just kidding...

but it was definitely wonderful!

hooray for bucketlists!

love like its all that we know.

1. a few days ago i was sitting in my room, taking a break from homework, jamming to glee, and painting my nails with my favorite purple-y polish. all of a sudden dream on started play. this makes me quite happy, cause i heart this song and i heart matthew morrison like there is no tomorrow. well a few seconds into the song  as im belting away, i randomly look at my nail polish and see that it is named 'dream on.' few things in life could have made me that happy....

2. today as i was doing homework, i learned all about baroque period of music. you know the lively flute playing music? well, just so you know, the entire time i just kept laughing  because the whole hour lecture i listened to, all i could think of was this....

3. had the most fantastic weekend!.... bffs. sharis. giggling. sleep talking. bringing bffs to work. shopping. more shopping. seeing the best movie ever. new favorite song. shopping. yummy dinner in BODO. gallivanting around the river. picture taking. driving. random band on campus that was quite awful. mosquito bites. zac efron. sleeping in. pioneer day. BSB youtube marathon. finding my BSB cd. random short bus shuttle to the park. arriving at the park 6 hours early. cotton candy. funnel cake. sleeping in the shade. new awesome band. two of my campers showed up. watching a random cat fight right before macy gray comes on stage.  being surprised by how much we enjoyed macy gray. anxiously waiting. still waiting. BACKSTREETS BACK ALRIGHT. falling in love with 2 new BSB songs. shape of my heart. 'they still got it!' feeling like a twelve year old dream came true. best lemonade of my life. short bus shuttle back to the car. off to merritts. jukebox selections of the night...'dream on,' 'fat bottomed girls,' and 'does your mother know.' so tired and sunburned. must sleep. ahhhhhhh. soooo happy.

4. almost done with class #1. then...gotta get going on class #2. gahhh summer is going by too quickly. someone make it stop?

have a cup of sunshine

Well the newest obsession, courtesy of MUSIC 1010 is Camille Saint-Saëns: The Carnival of the Animals, particularly The Swan Movement...or The Aquarium. crap The Finale is pretty awesome too. hard to decide.

i didnt think it could ever happen, but Viva la Vida has been passed up by TWO songs on my itunes play count. coming in at number one is Glee version of Poker Face and number two is Hey Soul Sister. What am i saying, im really not that shocked...but its quite intriguing.

well, David has done it again. <3 <3 <3 well, i love it anyways :)

funny things kids said today: 

6 year old girl-'i never want to get married! that would be soooo embarrassing being in front of so many people. i wish i was a boy too so i wouldn't have to get pregnant."

13 year old boy- 'why don't girls have adams apples?'

10 year old girl-'being 21 is a fun age, there are lots of things you can go do in vegas.'

ok this suite is pretty fantastic too. just sayin.

some of you probably know that my 2 favorite foods happen to not really be foods at all. call me 4, but i just get complete satisfaction over snowcones and cotton candy. its basically total happiness to me. so when i saw this, it immediately was put on my bucket list of places to visit. i mean, COME ON!

dont worry september 21st is already marked on my calendar

AND i intend to make a paper chain this weekend :)