Christmas Time!

I just want to mention a couple of my favorite things about Christmas Time.

First of all, the happiness. I love how the Spirit helps to make people so happy! I love seeing people walking around with a smile on their face because they've tried a little harder to keep their thoughts focused on the Savior and on helping others. I wish people would always stay so focused so that happiness could always be so thick in the air.

I love the lights. Christmas lights are so wonderful and beautiful. They help to remind me of the Savior, and that He is a light for us; that looking toward Him will help us to be happy and help us to see through the darkness.

The music. Songs about Jesus Christ that are sounded all across the nation, gladdening hearts everywhere and bringing the spirit into many lives. Music that can soften the heart and turn people to look selflessly outward.

People. People everywhere, with thoughts on their minds of giving instead of getting. People who are focused on others are so beautiful to see, to talk to, to watch, to hear. It is so wonderful to see people with a smile on their lips as they walk with a close friend or family member, eager to see their face when they unveil the wonderful surprise they have for them. People laughing, skipping, running, smiling, singing, holding hands, handing off presents, presenting surprises, surprising each other with acts of kindness. Adventuring. People who get that it doesn't matter where you go, what you do, what you gift, what you get, as long as you are focused on other people and the savior. People who would sing even if the Grinch took all their presents and fancy decorations because they can feel the Savior's love and they have each other.

Laughter. Hearing people laugh, seeing people smile. It just shows that people are happy, and it makes others happy as well! Laughing is literally a way to share your happiness!!

Food. Food is good. And candy. And Chocolate. Oh, and pie; we mustn't forget pie.

The cold. I'm not sure why, but around Christmas Time, I love the fact that it's cold outside! The chill in the air is so refreshing! And it helps people to be grateful for their warm cozy houses and their delicious hot chocolate. It gives one another reason to be close to loved ones. It helps one remember the humble circumstances of Christ's birth.

The stories. Stories are so beautiful. I love to hear touching tales of the lives of people; a time where somebody made another's Christmas though selfless service and charity. I love to hear reminders of the true meaning of Christmas. I love to get to know people better through tales of their lives.

The love. To see a general shift from people being grumpy to people being grateful. For people expressing their love for the Savior, for each other, for Christmas, for friends, for family, for food. I love hearing that people love stuff!!! It's far too easy to dislike something; and around Christmas Time, we realize that liking that very same thing leads to much happiness! It's too easy to say, "This song is dumb. It's cheesy, and it has nothing to do with what Christmas is really about." But it's far for enjoyable to let it make you smile, and to dance about to it, and say it's cute, and then remember what Christmas is about anyway!! Why would you let yourself be unhappy in such a time of love? People love things for a reason, and if you can figure out how to love the things they love, you come to love them more as well. That's what Christmas is about. Learning to love as Jesus loved.

Folks, I love Christmas.

I have a blog?

Happy December everybody!
How in the world has it been a whole month since that crazy Milkshake party? How is the semester over? It's weird, ladies and gentlemen; it's a strange thing.
I'd like to take just a couple weeks to say "thank you."

Thank you to my fantastic roommates, Seth and Jordan. You guys are the greatest ever, and you've been an amazing example to me. You two have helped me to grow in so many ways, and to become such a better person. I really could not have asked for better roommates, because they simply don't exist. Your tolerance of my ridiculousness as well as your kind and giving spirits have been essential to my survival this semester. I am very confident that wherever you go, you will always exceedingly bless the lives of those you come into contact with.

Thank you to one of my best friends in the whole wide world, Kristen Blair. Kristen, thank you for being such a light. You have helped me to see so much; about myself and about others. You have helped me to grow and learn and find the way from places of strugglement to higher ground. You have helped me to smile through sadness and to find joy in the little things of life. You have helped me to have a much greater focus on the gospel in my life and you've helped me to see the music in everything. You are so kind and loving and just all around perfect.

Thank you to Taylor May. What in the world would I do without this wonderful girl in my life? Taylor, it has been so fun to get to know you this semester, and I'm so very glad that I decided to sit by you and Eva in church at the beginning of the semester. You always know just exactly how to make me happy, and I don't know what in the world I'd be eating if you didn't feed me so much good food. I'm pretty sure that over half of my smiles of this semester came from you and your perfect loving kindness. You're going to be the best missionary that Oklahoma has ever seen!
Thank you, of course, to Eva Jane as well. Eva, Thanks for being so much fun. Everything's always a party with you around. Thank you for singing for me and playing your guitar for me and for always being so outgoing and happy. You have fun in India, okay?

Thank you, Dallin, Nathan, and Tyler. You guys are all so good. You've been a great help to me this semester. I've had a grand time eating Milkshakes with you guys, and learning valuable mission lessons from Dallin, and planning hiking with Nathan, and attempting to speak Afrikaans with Tyler. Thanks for just being awesome and for being our friends.

Okay, there's at least ten thousand more people that I need to say thank you to, but I have to go right now. Just know that there are more to come!

I love you all!!!

When I tell you you're perfect.

Everybody’s perfect. That is not to say that they don’t make mistakes, but it is to say that without them, there is no way that the perfect plan of salvation could be complete. It needs everyone, every piece, every bee, every note, every letter of every word, and it has them. That’s what makes it perfect. Sometimes they make mistakes, but what kind of a picture has every line going in the same direction? 

You are perfect, because perfection needs you; imperfection and all. 

Everything is Beautiful

Everything is beautiful if you care to look. The things that people have done are absolutely amazing, and this world that God has created is far more incredible than most realize. Why be sad when you live in such a fantastic place and time? Smile. Look outside; look how incredible everything is. Get ye into the mountains and look at the amazing autumn colors, and feel the cool breeze making that beautiful rustling sound among the trees. Look at your phone, your camera, your computer; how can they even exist? Do you know how it works? Do you know how complicated it is and how much time and effort has gone into that? Look at the magic around you, the magic that we have been allowed to use and create; fresh water from the sink, preserved food in the middle of summer due to a refrigerator, fruit that grows on trees, vegetables that spring up out of the ground. Look at the people. See them give when they have but little for themselves, see them do silly things just to get others to smile, see them love each other; what greater gift could there be? The love of Christ is most precious and desirable above all other fruit, and it's growing on a tree in front of us. Why be sad? 2 Nephi 9:52: "Let your hearts rejoice." It does not say "make your hearts rejoice" it says "let your hearts rejoice." You know deep down that there is so much happiness, so much goodness, so much joy and perfection around you, and you want to be happy, you're naturally inclined to be happy. Let yourself be happy. Why would you let something get in the way of that?
So much beauty in the gospel, in the world, in others, and in yourself. Let it shine through the clouds. You're all beautiful. I love you.

Mocktail Party = Classy

It's pretty late, so I'm going to keep this post short, but just know that everything tonight was at least fifteen and a half times as wonderful as I make it sound.

Basically Josh Brewer threw a Mormon Cocktail party this night, and it was absolutely splendid in every way. Everybody that came dressed up classily, so naturally we all looked super good and felt amazing. The food was outstanding; everybody who came contributed in some way, and there was delicious salad, soup, cucumber sandwiches, shrimp, cheese with crackers, and cocktails consisting of fruit juice and sprite. There was both live music, provided by John Wilson rocking out on the little electric piano, as well as some sweet jazzy music playing on Josh's speakers. Naturally we all danced, mingled, and had deep philosophical conversation. The venue was perfect, the night was crisp, and overall everything was exactly as it should have been. I love people.

Thank You, Ralph.

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success." -Emerson

I just needed that right now. Maybe you do, too. I don't know.

All you can do is love them with all your heart, and hope that they love you back.

Sometimes you meet people and fall in love with them, but then they go away. Wizard of Oz at the Scera just ended and, as much as I wanted a break from sticking mic tape on people, I almost feel like weeping because this cast that I have fallen hopelessly in love with has dissipated and many I may literally never see again. Here's a little tribute to some of the people that made it all worth it.

Jessica Sundwall, Mark Gordan, Travis Hancock, Phillip Varney, Shoni Winkel, Lauren Anderson, Emily Hill, Rob Holcombe, Whitney Call, Melisa Daley, Acelynn Fulton, Suzannah Osmond, And most of all, the two little punks who made my life infinitely better every time I saw them, Austen Bigelow and Sarah Osmond.

I'll not be forgettin' you any time soon you lovely, lovely, people. Thank you so much for your perfect kindness and joy.

Here are some people that, if we don't hang out soon, as well as throughout college, I shall surely die

Bread, Kat, Kate, Kristen, Whitney, Katelyn, Josh, Henry, Michael, Miriam, Karli, Tanne, Yon Soo, Claire,  Aubrey, Nicole, Wendy, Cami, Nick, Rebecca, Jane, Zoe, Miranda, Mary, Gwen, Sarah, Lauren, Abi, Merlin, Acelynn, Jessica, Michaela, Shelbs, Dani, Dania, Jennifer, Emma, Kenzie, John, Maren, Maren, Sarah, Chrissy, and my Missionary Friends!

Swiss Army Folks

Wouldn't it be handy if every person were the same person? Except not really. I mean like how a swiss army knife works. You have all of the gadgets together, and they're all still completely individual and completely unique and themselves, but they're just all there when you need them. You never see the knife without the fish scaler and the can opener. What I really mean is that it's hard to get to know somebody because as you do the other people that you know start to drift away and forget you. You can't make progress and bond with every person at once, because everyone's just shooting off in billions of different directions and you just have to grab a few people and stick with them while everybody else shoots away.
I just want to meet everybody, and be friends with everybody. Well, I won't forget any of you, even if you shoot so far away that you end up on the other side of the universe. That's about all I can do.

Senior Ball (Aren't you proud that I did NOT put a pun in the title?)

I'd better talk about the marvelous events of last Friday.

Basically Senior Ball was a very good way to end high school date dances forever and ever. First off, the guys met at like 8:30 in the morning to finish our preparations, which included making sandwiches and throwing other food together in a way that looked semi-presentable. After that we picked up the girls and went rock climbing. Or at least that's what our plan was before the huge storm schwacked us even though there was a "0% chance of rain." So instead we played board games at Riley's house, and also had our picnic there, which I think was pretty great. The bit of sandwich that I made was most popular among the ladies; mostly because Riley and Michael both added mustard.
Oh, I should probably say who was with who. Michael was with Miriam, Riley was with Kat, and I had the best date ever, Kristen Blair.
And then we dropped off our dates and went home to get ready. Well, Michael took a nap and I had to take Riley to Timpview to interview potential drama council presidents.

Later that day...

We embarked on a further journey to collect our dates yet again. This time we were dressed up fancy. So, we showed up at Kat's house, and she was all ready to go and happy looking. And then we went to Miriam's house, but she was not ready so we went to Kristen's house, and there was nobody there except for a couple of the Blair's neighbors. So we had a party in the car. And then Sophie arrived, but she didn't know where anybody was, so we partied some more. (I have recently discovered that Sophie is probably the coolest middle schooler in existence, but that is a story I shall tell later.) Eventually, Kristen's wonderful father showed up and he interviewed me, which was quite enjoyable. Every Blair is perfect; I'm sure of it. Eventually Kristen arrived and we embarked off into the distance to take pictures.
Ellie Peak took pictures of us, and she is so skilled that she even managed to make my smile not look awkward! All these pictures are on Facebook, so I won't put them here. But they're amazing.

After those shenanigans we went to go eat food. We found Bombay House with no trouble at all (unless you count Riley and Michael, because they're nothin' but trouble when they backseat drive.) And Bombay House was sooooooooooo good! And I normally only put one "o" in "so." I really love drinking Lasses. Especially Mango and Rose and Mango Rose. Yummy. Also I am now a very huge fan of Chicken Tikki Masallah and those other delicious Indian foods that I got to eat. Believe me, Bombay House, I will be back!

After dinner, we drove to the dance. (This sentence was originally in German, but then I remembered that everybody doesn't speak German. Which is lame.)  I like very much to see all of the people at the dance looking all fancy and pretty! (Of course nobody was as pretty as my date, but still.) Also at the dance Kristen and I decided that the music was too loud (and rather unpleasant) so we went for a walk. We managed to get kicked off the gold course (apparently so did the other two couples in our group.) (I'm putting lots of stuff in parentheses.) But basically it was super wonderful to have such a great opportunity to actually talk with Kristen and catch up after her being gone for three months. She's quite the wonderful person. I'm pretty darn lucky to be able to know her.

After the dance, we went to MC's abode the chill, but that only lasted like 20 minutes because we were all so tired. Then we went home. The End. :)

So Many Things Happen

Wendy and Cami's senior recital was the best thing ever. If I had piano skills even half as refined as Wendy's, I would do nothing other than play the piano. I love watching amazing musicians play music. It just makes me happy. I especially liked the bit during the senior recital when Christian burst in dripping with sweat, played Stubernic, then sprinted back to his soccer game. That was a very interesting performance of Stubernic indeed. I shall not forget it easily.

Also the A Capella concert was absolutely magnificent. I love choir concerts so much, because they're basically music parties with all of my very favorite people there. People are so nice.

There's a lot more to say about this day, like my being at school for 15 hours, but I really need to sleep now. If I can go to school tomorrow even though I don't need to, I will have proven that senioritis can be conquered.

Fiesta on Cinco de Mayo

I just thought it was funny that for state band we played Fiesta, and it's Cinco de Mayo today. What a fun thing.

Anyway, my life just basically ended, but not in a bad way. We just had our very last ever Symphonic Band performance at state band today, and it was a beautiful performance indeed. I really can't say how much I love band, or how much it's changes my life, or how much I love all of the people in band, who have helped me to learn and grow so much that I feel like a completely different person than I was four years ago.

Sigh. And now it's over. But everything I learned will live on inside me forever, there's no way that I'm done improving. More importantly than helping me to get better, band has taught me how to get better, so I can continue doing it my whole life, and then help others to do it as well. One of the major reasons why I love people so much is because of band, and the love that people have shown me there.

Plus we did the name game in 1 minute and 22 seconds, which is the all time record.

My joy is full.

If Ever There Was a Time for Tears

That was very likely the last time that I will ever perform on the Timpview Stage. I'm leaving. Graduating. Hundreds of my brothers and sisters will I never see again. This was so beautiful, too. Everything was so perfect, and so happy, and so sad. I am of course looking forward to meeting new people and everything, and I know that I really will see these people again someday, but it's very emotional for me nonetheless. I just wish I could do something more for each of these people. Something that they will never forget, and will change their beautiful unique lives for the better forever. I wish that I could really show everyone how much I love them, but no matter what I do is not enough.

I can't give them a real gift by just setting up lights for their shows. It's not even enough to pour my soul into the music we play, so that our musical gift is the best it can possibly be. But what can I do? I'm so very small. Just a tiny dot in a world that billions and billions of people have lived and will live on. Most of them I will never be able to see, or help, but I want to! What can I do? I want to know.

Sometimes I think that what I've done is special, or that I do a lot for other people, but I don't. I feel terrible when I look back at how many people I could've helped, but I was too caught up in my tiny little world of my own to notice. I was too selfish, or too "busy" to help one of my eternal siblings in a time of need. And here I am again, being "tired" when there's so much work to be done--that needs to be done and needs me to do it.

My thought train sort of ran away from me there. Basically, I will very much miss the Timpview Band when I have to leave, and all of the people in it. And all of the other people that I've ever met. I even miss the people who I haven't met yet and it's driving me insane! I know that there are so many people out there who I know and love, but I don't know how I'm going to find them!

I'm so very excited to serve a mission. I want to find my brothers and sisters, and make sure that we can get back to the celestial kingdom together. 

Things I Really Like Right Now

Scholarships
Letters
Chalk
Frisbee
Phone Calls
Music
People (Rye, Jesp, Kat, Kate, Miriam, Maren, Karli, Cami, Tayla, Zoe, Wendy, Miranda, Shelby, Woodruffs!) Of course that's not all, though. I like many many more people than that. Just particularly those people right now.

Symphonic Tour Number the Last

The itinerary:


Monday, April 2 

7:30am  Everyone please help load the trailer (chairs, stands, percussion, heavy metal)

8:05am  GO TO CLASS!!!
Yeah, right........

12:20pm  Load buses

12:40pm  Meeting in bandroom (have your  itinerary on you and be ready to name everyone in SB)

12:50pm  Leave Timpview, sack lunch from home

2:30pm  Arrive Wellington; rest stop at park (snacks?)

3:00pm  Leave Wellington

5:00pm  Arrive Moab; dinner ($)

5:45pm  Arrive Grand CountyHigh School; section rehearsals

7:00pm  Full rehearsal

8:30pm  Meeting (snacks?)

9:30pm  Leave Moab

10:30pm  Arrive in Monticello; Check in at Inn at the Canyons 435.487.2458

11:30pm  Lights Out    

Tuesday, March 29 

7:00am  UP!

7:45am  Leave the motel; walk to the temple
It was soooo windy and freezing cold, so a very nice man let us into the church next to the temple and we ate in there.

8:00am  Arrive Monticello Temple; Breakfast (P)

8:30am  Leave the Temple, walk to MHS

8:45am  Meet the equipment truck at Monticello HS

9:00am  Clinic with Mr. Erickson

10:30am  Combined rehearsal with Monticello HS

11:15am  Leave Monticello; sack lunch (P)

11:45noon Arrive Blanding; Tour Edge of the Cedars State Park
Fun stuff

1:00pm  Leave Blanding

2:00pm  Arrive Goosenecks State Park
Wonderful place.

2:15pm  Leave Goosenecks

3:00pm  Arrive Montezuma Creek; rehearsal at Whitehorse HS

4:00pm  Combined rehearsal with Whitehorse Band
They were so very cool. I miss them.

5:30pm  Dinner (P) with Whitehorse students 

7:00pm  Leave Montezuma Creek

8:30pm  Arrive Monticello; attend "Wassermusik" recital
We went swimming.

10:30pm  In rooms

11:30pm  Lights Out

Wednesday, March 30

6:30am  Augen aufmachen!

7:15am  Leave Monticello

7:45am  Breakfast at Wilson Arch (P)
We didn't eat there, but it was a wonderful arch.

8:30am  Arrive Hole in the Rock House

9:00am  Leave Hole in the Rock

10:15pm  Arrive Green River; rest stop

10:45pm  Leave Green River

11:45noon Arrive Price; Lunch ($)

12:30pm  Leave Price

1:45pm  Arrive Maple Mountain HS; change into black

2:30pm  Symphonic Band warm up

3:00pm  Symphonic Band performance; Concert Band listens
I think we did well. :)

3:30pm  Both bands listen to Provo

4:00pm  Concert Band warm up; Symphonic Band listens to Orem

4:30pm  Concert Band performance; Symphonic Band listens

5:00pm  both bands load buses; both bands leave Maple Mountain HS

6:00pm  both bands arrive Timpview HS














I am going to miss band a ridiculous amount. This tour was so fun! And basically it just made me amazingly happy to be with my awesome and wonderful band friends. Especially Asher, Nate, Kate, Cami, Wendy, Mary, Allison, Macy, Ree, Nick, Christian, Kent, Bao, Etc... 


And playing frisbee with Joseph and Josh and people was awesome. And me and Ree chilling whilst the band rehearsed Elsa's, exactly like last year (we even talked about the same exact things.) And I enjoyed the bus rides, where we listened to Mr. Tippetts tell us stories for hours, and I told riddles to Cami and Nate and laughed to myself as they figured them out. And the good weather (well, mostly good weather) and just the wonderful happiness that band brings. 


And of course game night was glorious. Playing Indian Attack was absolutely classic. Oh band, how I shall miss thee. What a wonderful thing. 


There's really nothing like band tour at all. Nothing out in the whole wide world. 


I love adventuring, and I love people. 

The Bald Soprano

Lauren, Chase, Miriam, Parker, Aubrey, and Matthew all did a wonderfully fantastic job at performing the play for Region One Act. They got first place and straight superiors from all 3 judges, making us eligible for state! The Bald Soprano is a very interesting and exciting play, and you should go read the script because the entire thing makes about as much sense as one of my own thought processes. With lines randomly thrown in such as "Let's go and slap Ulysses!" the whole thing turns out to be rather entertaining. Everybody should come watch the play at state during spring break. It'll be fantastic.

Small People Count

It's been a while since I've last made a "people that I'm especially grateful for" list. So here it is:

(Note, this list is not comprehensive, it just mentions a few people who I'm especially grateful for at this particular moment.)

Kristen Blair
Katherine Moulton
Cousin Lauren
Karli Ellis
Claire Neilson
Both Labits
Mackenzie Nelson
Lauren Blair
Riley Budd
Lauren Pope
Wendy Nelson
Christian Garrett
Kent Schmutz
Matt Tippits
Kate Cutchins
Miriam Bay
Shelby Woolf

There's a lot more, really, but I can't type them all right now because I'm exceedingly tired.

I love you all!

One Day, This Will Be My Life

The world is so beautiful. 

I want to see all of this so badly. And one day I will. Whoever my future wife is, you'd better like to travel, because this is where we're going, and more.

 I love dolphins. We get along well.

 Look at that water.

 Parrots are cute.

 Wow.

 Ice palaces. Almost as great as ice cream palaces.

 I have to see the Aurora Borealis. 

 Ice skating, anyone?

 This place is real.

 Northern Iceland, not a painting.

 The World is my favorite color.

 All of this is so amazing. I hope it's making you contemplate life more deeply.

 I love temples! I want to go to all of them.

 And there's more. So much more.

 Remind me to play a grand piano underwater some day.

 I've always liked marble.

 I also want a castle

And now you love the world more. Hopefully. If not, go look at all these pictures again. While listening to rain http://www.rainymood.com/ and listening to inspirational music. 

This post was inspired partially by Kristen Blair and her awesome Austrian adventures that she's been having without me. 

Disclaimer: most of these pictures are not mine. I may not have rights or whatnot to put them on my blog. If they are your pictures, feel free to revoke them or something if the fact that people are enjoying your wonderful photography and living ever grateful to your wonderful soul because you anonymously shared these wondrous gifts with the world bothers you. That's the end of my disclaimer. I'm done. You can stop reading now. Most people don't read the small text anyway, so whatever's possessing you to continue should probably be ignored. You're free to go. You know, I really don't want this to detract from that beautiful post that I just posted, so if you just had to keep reading this and finish it, go look at your three favorite pictures again, and then go do something else.