Random thoughts...

First, I was watching So You Think You Can Dance tonight and it was really awesome. There was a samba at the end that was amazing! So you should really watch this season. The only downfall to that show is the stupid woman judge! She give women a bad name. All she does is scream in a really high pitch. I want to strangle her as do the other judges, contestants, audience members and others watching the show I am sure. I usually just mute it for about 5 minutes until she is done screaming after each dance. It's not so bad if I do that.

Second, I am trying to study but I can't stop listening to the Black Eyed Peas new song "Boom Boom Pow." It is so catchy and has a really awesome beat. Makes you wanna dance. Hence, studying + Boom Boom Pow = getting nothing done. I am nervous about my Mass comm law test in the morning wish me luck.

Thirdly, I made a really good lemon butter cream sauce to go over the salmon and risotto we had for dinner. I know fancy. It was good and so simple. It was also my first time cooking with wine. I have been kinda afraid to until today. It only had a tablespoon so I didn't feel to bad.

That's all right now. Just some things I was thinking about and thought I would share. I don't ever do posts about what I am thinking about and I want to start more often.

The Work and the Glory

So I am reading the Work and the Glory books for about the 100th time...ok maybe not 100 but it is at least my 5th time reading them. There are nine books and I am currently on the fourth book. The saints are now living in Missouri again (this is the 2nd time after they had been kicked out of Ohio...or rather chose to leave because there was so much opposition to the church). Govoner Bodds has just issued the Extermination Order and the Missouri milita is surrounding the Saints in Far West. I just got through reading about the Massacre at Haun's Mill. This event is horrific...it is really the only way I can describe it. Basically there was a settlement outside of the main body of Saints in Missouri and one day a group of Missourians with painted faces like Indians storm into the settlement on horseback and massacrea many of the saints living there. The author talks about how many of the men and boys run to the Blacksmith shop because they could not make it back to their home before the mob hit. So they thought they would be protected there but it actually turned out to be a really bad idea. There were 3-4 inch holes between some of the logs, just enough space for the mob to put their guns in. So many men adn boys were shot in the Blacksmith shop and were not able to get out. The author also tells of a few other stories such as on older man being killed with a corn sheer. The mob was just vicious and murderous.
Every time I get to this part of the series I know ahead of time that I have to be in a quiet place where no one else is. Whenever I read this part it is definitely a cathartic moment. Tears are inevitable. And although a lot of those tears are from the fact that the men who attacked Haun's Mill killed innocent children, men and women, I also cry because of the poor Women who lost husbands and for the children who lost their fathers. I cannot begin to imagine what would posses someone to shoot a child but thats what happened at Haun's Mill. It is also hard to imagine that something this attrocious happened in the United States of America.
I am so thankful that things like this don't happen to Latter-Day Saints in America anymore. I know how blessed I am to live in America and have all of the freedoms that I do. I know that America is not perfect and that we don't have perfect leaders but we are still more blessed than other countries. It is very comforting to know that we are completely free to to believe what we want and worship whom we want.

Camping in Spanish Fork Canyon

In April Chad and I decided to plan a camping trip on Memorial Day Weekend. We originally wanted to go to Moab but that didn't really pan out so we decided upon a campground up Spanish Fork Canyon called Diamond Campground. And we were so glad we went there because it was a really beautiful place to camp. Here are a few pictures of the drive up the canyon to the campground. I love Spanish Fork canyon. It really is one of my favorite canyons in this area.


This cute little stream/river ran along the whole canyon

And this was our campsight. It was actually really nice. There were a ton of trees and bushed around so the guys rigged up a huge tent over our main camping area with some tarps we had brought. It worked out really nice because it ended up raining about 50% of the time we were there. It started on Saturday and rained a lot Saturday night. It also rained Sunday afternoon off and on and Sunday nght off and on. Of course we had perfect weather on Monday...the day we left. Oh well!



I tried to get a few pictures to document just how much it rained. They aren't the greatest but they will do. We left some cups out one night and in the morning they were filled at least 2 inches. It rained a lot! But Chad and I really didn't mind it. I actually liked it. Our tent stayed nice and dry and the sound of the rain on the tent at night was actually really comforting. It also stayed pretty cool and didn't get really hot which was nice. As you can see in the picture below some of the tarps were pretty old and leaked. More than a few times I walked in a certain place and received a nice drip of water in my eye or down my back.

This is Andrew and Lorna during breakfast the first month. This was at like 7:30 so we were all still half asleep.
Brittney and Hannah after breakfast on Saturday. Brittney looking, Hannah not...

Hannah looking, Brittney not...

My cute hubby playing frisbee. He is still a kid at heart. Thats why I love him!

This picture was right after we finished lunch on Saturday.




Saturday night we all roasted marshmallows and made smores. It really wouldn't be camping without doing that. Chad really likes his roasted mallow.




Johnny and Lorna fixing us lunch on Sunday. Thanks guys!

Chad and Lily waiting patiently for lunch to be done on Sunday. Lily was really good the whole weekend. She is such a fun little girl to be around.

Sunday afternoon/night it started rainging again and started to get colder. Lily had to put her big coat on because it got so cold.

Lorna and Lily. I just thought this picture was so cute!

Overall it was a really fun camping trip and Chad and I really enjpyed ourselves. Although at the end of the three days I was definitely ready to use a toilet that didn't have a breeze when you sat on it (they had toilets that were basically a hole in the ground. It was a somewhat nicer porter potty. At least they didn't smell to bad. Most of the time though I just preferred to pee in the bushes! Too much information? Sorry.) I was also really ready for a hot shower, good home cooked food and my comfortable bed. Camping is fun but not for longer than 3 days. That is my max.

My 21st Birthday!

Wow I have had so much to catch up on! I know there have been a lot of posts in a short time. Thanks for the faithful readers that read every blog! This is the last one for a few days hopefully. This past week, on Thursday, the 28th, I had my 21 st birthday. It really wasn't all that different from any other birthday except that I can now legally drink. Except that I don't drink. So really nothing more changed except for another year in my life passing. I feel older than 21 but I am glad that I am still young and have a lot to look foreword to in my life. It's also nice that I have already found my husband and have so much to look foreword to with him!

So my birthday was on Thursday. Chad and I got to sleep in together, until 8, it still felt like sleeping in. That was nice. We don't get to do to that very often but Chad recently changed jobs and now doesn't have to get up quite as early. So I woke up to him wishing me a happy birthday. It was a nice way to start my day. Then I had to go to class. My day unfortunately didn't stop just because it was my birthday. I got on the 15 to drive to class because my class was in Bountiful. Of course it took me 40 minutes to get to Bountiful (which usually takes me 15) becuase they had closed the 15 from 600 N almost all the way to Bountiful. Uggg... I hate traffic. So I was 45 minutes late to class and felt like a loser walking in. But I heard after that I wasn't the only one late so I didn't feel quite so bad. So that was not great but oh well. After that I got to work on my pottery which is always fun and relaxing.

Then I went to work and came home about 5:30. When I got off work I had a bunch of voicemails and messages which is always nice. I had three people sing me happy birthday on my voicemal (Thanks mom, dad and Emily- I'm glad your not afraid to do that because it made me smile!) . I also had one voicemail that said I should go out and buy and drink and give it so someone else because I don't drink. Haha Thanks Blair, I will do that. I also had many other people call me and wish me happy birthday throught out the say. My sister called me first. My brother called me too and two of my best friends from Cali, Danny and Eric. Also my mother-in-law called me on my birthday and the day before! lol She was thinking it was the day before. So I got two calls from her. Beat that everyone else!

It was so nice to know that I have such wonderful family and friends. They all remembered my birthday and made be feel loved. I really appreciated everyone's calls and texts. Thanks!!

After work Chad and I hung out together and just relaxed. He have me my presents and they were great. Very thoughtful.

He got me this scrapbook organizer. I really wanted it and I think he was tired of seeing all of my scrapping stuff on the coffee table. Either way I love it. He also got me a few scrapping things.


And he got me this scrapbook and a book I've been wanting. The book is great so far and I highly recommend it to anyone that wants a natural birth control or to just know more about your body (This is for women by the way. I suppose a man could read it but might not get much out of it. haha)


And he got me flowers. I know flowers don't last like the other gifts but they still make a girl feel loved!


Oh and this is what my mother-in-law gave me. I have wanted one for a while and was so excited to get it. Thanks Michelle!



On Friday we went to the Gateway after we got off work and grabbed a bite at Hot Dog on a Stick and then I got to go shopping for some new clothes. My dad sent me some money for my birthday and I chose to get clothes. Duh. Chad also got to get some seat covers for the Jeep. On his birthday he let me buy something so I had to return the favor. Well not had, wanted to return the favor. After shopping we went to see Terminator: Salvation. It was awesome! I am so not a Terminator fan, especially if Arnold is in it, but this one was soooo good. Christian Bale was good as usual but so were everyone else. It was just good all around. I highly recommend it.

Chad also treated me to a spa day! On Saturday I went to Remedez in the University Mall in Provo. My sister and I got pedicures together first and then I got an hour massage after that! It was heavenly. Thanks babe...I love you.

I had an awesome birthday weekend thanks to my wonderful husband who really spoiled me (It's nice getting spoiked once and a while!) and my wonderful family!

For Nichole

I am having technical difficulties with email so this post is really just to show my sister how the pot I am making her is progressing. Nichole- let me know how you like it. What do you think about the top? Do you want it to go up or out more or do you want me to keep it how it is? It isn't quite finished but close. I am giving you a few different views.





I also thought it might be cool to show how the pot progressed so here are a few of how it started and how it is now.




Also here are a few more pots that I just finished up.


And lastly here is my wheelthrown piece that got an "A."


So I passed my test and started actually throwing pieces to keep. I have a couple done but forgot to take pictures of them. I will post them in the next couple of days.

Pottery updates

So this summer semester I enrolled for my first wheelthrown pottery class. For the last two semesters I have been taking hand building pottery. They are vastly different but I love them both! I am better at hand building because I have had more experience but I am really starting to love wheel thrown. It is so amazing to start out with a ball of clay on a wheel and create a pot.

This is one of the first pots I did that doesn't look like total crap. lol only a little. But I am pretty proud either way. This was just practice though I didn't keep it.

I am just starting to get to the point that I can create a decent looking pot in one try. It took along time to get to that point. I am also going in on my own time to work on some handbuilt pots too. I have started about three pots and have also pressed some more tiles that I did last semester. Here is one that my teacher told me is pretty close to an "A." It looks wobbely in the picture but that is just because it is cut in half. We cut them in half at first to see how thick the bottom and walls are. Also to make sure the walls are an even thickness from top to bottom.



And here is one of the larger handbuilt pots I am working on. I promised my sister I would work on a bigger form for her. This might be it I am not sure yet. I am a little stuck on where to go from here so I am going to get my teacher's advice. I like it so far though.

I am going to detail another pot from beginning to end. Meaning I want to take pictures throught the whole process so you can see just how cool it is to start out with a bag of clay and get something awesome like this:

This was the last piece to get finished from last semester so I didn't get until just a couple weeks ago. It is a sager fired piece and it turned out so good! I absolutely love it. I am going to try and replicate another just like it. Anyways thanks for reading! I am still a beginner at pottery but it will definitely be one of my hobbies for a long time.

P.S. Oh and this isn't a pot I made (though I wish it was). I am posting this for my sister. This is called a multicolor glaze and it is so awesome. I was telling her about it but hadn't showed a picture. Let me know what you think Nichole. I could do your pot in this glaze if you want me to.

Brunch with the Alkires

During our trip to California to Emily's wedding we also were able to spend some time with my family. Sunday morning we had my family over for brunch at my dad's house. Micki (my stepmom) and I spent the morning making a bunch of yummy food. It turned out so well. I wish had taken a picture of our spread because it looked pretty good if I do say so myself. Pretty much everyone came. I didn't get pictures of everyone, like usual I didn't take nearly as many pictures as I should have. But my Uncle Dave came. He is technically not blood, but has been my dad's best friend since high school so we consider him our Uncle. My two aunt's came as well. My Aunt Debbie and her husband Ken and then her son Travis and his girlfriend. My aunt Sue came as well with her son Ryan and wife Kristi and little girl Gracie. My cousin Julie (Sue's daughter) and her husband Matt and son Nicholas also came. My great Aunt Donna and her grandaughter came too. Oh and brother Cody and girlfriend Ariana were also there. Sorry that was long but I want to remember it all later. Here are a few pics from the event.

This is my Aunt Debbie, Micki and me.

Here are Cody and Ariana.

Here are all the cousins. I posted both the pics because they are funny. The guys in the back started the "I have to fold my arms to look like a strong man thing." Everyone is doing it in the 2nd picture.
Gracie wasn't too happy to pose for a 2nd picture as you can see.

And last here are my cousin Julie and her son Nicholas.

I love my family and it is always a party when we get together. It had been almost a year since I had seen any of them so it was nice to visit.