Live A Crazy Dream {ASL project}

Hey guys!

I just wanted to share with you a project I've been working on for the past few weeks!

We've been studying American Sign Language over the last two years and it has been an awesome journey learning about this amazing language and the culture about the Deaf Community. I've truly learned to appreciate the language and it something I hope to be able to continue to be a part of.

Since we are graduating in a hand full of days we wanted our final ASL project to be something that will inspire others to become interested in this awesome language. So we decided to make a music video to the song Whole Wide World by Mindy Gledhill!

We hope as you watch this video you are inspired to learn a few signs in sign language, as well as remember to live life to it's fullest and don't be afraid to live your dreams.






feel my sunlight



p.s. My Stake President is submitting my mission papers to the Quorum of the 12 Apostles TODAY... now isn't that a crazy dream?!?

we believe in enjoying good food

Hiya friends!

The other day we were hanging out with some of our family friends and we were discussing how when people you really like get released from their callings in the church you feel like you want to do more than just raise your hand to thank them. One of the younger boys offered his opinion on the subject by saying; "ya I always want to clap or do jazz hands or something!"

Can you imagine the bishop saying "Sister Smith has been released from her calling as the primary president. All those who'd like to show their appreciation for her service make it manifest" and then the entire congregation breaks out in jazz hands?!

haha That would be priceless!

I am so ready for Sunday tomorrow. I've spent too many days without leaving my house. Although it's been a good break, I can't wait to be busy again.

I was reading in Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage today and I came across an awesome quote that I wanted to share.

"We believe in enjoying good food... 

we believe in getting all the 

enjoyment out of eating that we can."

I think that I'm going to put that in vinyl on my wall in my kitchen when I'm old and married and have a house. Isn't it just the greatest?

But I really do love the context behind it. Many people wonder why Mormons don't drink alcohol, or Coffee, or do other things like drugs. The answer can be found in the 89th section of the Doctrine and Covenants and is known as the Word of Wisdom.

The Word of Wisdom was a revelation given from God regarding what was made for the human body and what was not. It outlines what should not be put in the human body, but what I love about it is it also outlines things that are good for the human body.

Mormon's may not drink alcohol, but we sure do enjoy some good food!

On an unrelated note, check out these fantastic covers done by Maddie Wilson. I first became obsessed with her music when one of her tracks was on the EFY soundtrack and I have been listening to her ever since. What I love about her music is she always chooses clean songs, or changes them to make them clean. And often times I like her covers better than the original. 

 

feel my sunlight


p.s. Check back soon for an AWESOME guest post coming soon on New Years Day! I am so excited about this and I know everyone will love it!

invisible lies

This post rests a little more personal than I usually prefer to sit. This blog post is a letter addressed to the teenage girls of the world, but the message is for everyone. To the girls who read this I hope you realize just how great you are, and to the boys I hope it changes the way you see and treat God's precious daughters.

The world is mean to teenage girls. The world is mean to all, but currently I reside in the time of life that one would call "teenage girl years". These years are filled with messages that tell you that "you aren't good enough" and while they haven't been as mean to me as they have been for some, they have indeed been a mountain to climb.

You know how medicine bottles will say "GRAPE FLAVOR!" like it is going to be some kind of amazing, delicious drink, and then come to find out the actual flavor of the medicine is "death, and the tears of small children?" Yet, somehow that disgusting spoonful of medicine somehow manages to make you feel better? This is an accurate description of what it is like to be a teenage girl living in the 21st century.

Satan feeds lies about what we are expected to be. Teenage girls are among the most receptive of these deceitful messages.

Hank Smith is one of my favorite motivational speakers. In his CD Break Up With the World he talks about how the world is obsessed "with comparing, competing, and never feeling that we are enough." As teenage girls we are bombarded with the message that we need to be taller, skinnier, healthier, more outgoing, more involved, smarter, prettier, more loved, richer, and stronger.

"take a girl to the grocery store, and let her look at the magazines. What will happen to her self esteem? It will fall. Why? Well she looks at that, and lets say she's standing next to a boy, and the boy says "Oh, that girl's so hot", and the girl looks at that and looks at her and says "I look nothing like that, so apparently I'm not." and her self esteem falls."

I, being a teenage girl, know exactly what this can feel like.

Just today we were sitting in our seminary class when our teacher asked the boy who sits behind me "When you're playing for keeps what is one quality that is non-negotiable for your future wife to have." The immediate, non-hesitant response that came out of his mouth was "tall." Now, this comment had nothing to do with me and he was in no means being rude at all, but being the fact that I stand roughly 4'10" tall this stung a little bit.

Now, Satan is very good at seizing these kinds of opportunities. He began to plant thoughts into my mind like "maybe all boys prefer tall girls", "you will never be tall enough", "this is why you have never been asked on a date", "you will never find someone because you lack vertical inches."

lies.

Satan is very good at lies.

I am a generally happy person. I don't have any major issues with self-esteem, in fact, I like being short (tumbler perks!), but it is in the moments that I give into Satan's lies that life suddenly becomes hard. I know what you're thinking... "just don't give in." But that is easier said than done when your grades aren't up to par with how your dream college would prefer, you have been stuck at the same competition level in tumbling for four years while your team mates go on to do things you only dream of doing, you have never been asked on a date, your teacher is yelling at you because you were a few days late on an assignment, your bedroom looks like a tornado hit, The group of people sitting next to you are making fun of your religion, and the boy behind you said that being tall is a requirement for his future spouse and you only stand 4'10" tall.

I know so many girls who feel exactly the same way that I do. I also know so many girls who have it even worse than I do.

In retrospect, there is someone who is very good at speaking truth to counteract the lies.

His name is Christ.

He knows exactly what you need, exactly when you need it. He gives comfort in tribulation, strength in oppression, and peace in trial, but he can only provide these things when we choose to listen to him rather than Satan.

He did indeed feel every pain and heartache the world ever has, or ever will face while kneeling in the Garden of Gethsemane. He knows exactly what you are going through and he want's nothing more than to help you in your trials and tribulations. He knows of your struggles and weaknesses and He also knows of your strengths and your possibilities and He wants the best for you and He is always available to help and assist you.

To the daughters of the Most High, I cry that you will turn to Him and realize that "You are a Daughter of your Heavenly Father, who loves you."

You are a Princess who is heir to the Kingdom of God. While things might be hard right now, someday your pain will be invisible.

"Here's to anyone who has ever felt invisible." Listen to the truth, disregard the lies. You a peculiar treasure of great worth.




feel my sunlight



p.s. Shout out to any of you who read that entire thing! I would totally love to give you an ice cream sandwich for completing that task, but because I don't know where you currently are, and because I don't have any ice cream sandwiches, I guess you will have to live with pretending I showed up to your house with an ice cream sandwich to give to you. It seems like a good gesture. Pretend I did it.

p.s.s. I decided I am going to compete in the 2014 US Power Tumbling National Championships. This means I need to do some serious fundraising. Fundraisers coming soon. Fat Boy ice cream sandwiches are my favorite fundraiser, so who knows, maybe I will show up at your door with a box of ice cream sandwiches! I give more info when the time comes. :)

p.s.s.s. Thanks for taking the time to read my writing! This blog would be nothing without you. Without you it would just sit here collecting internet dust if that were a thing.

Come unto Christ 2014 theme

Whoa!  Two blog posts in two days? I'm rockin it!

The year 2013 ends tomorrow. That means we have a new youth theme.

The theme for 2014 is...drum roll.... "Come Unto Christ"

Now I want you to click right HERE and watch THIS VIDEO

(I'm having issues with the embedded code and it won't let me put the video right onto my blog so the link will have to do.)

{Notice the first girl that sings. Her name is Noel and I used to tumble with her. I think she is pretty dang awesome and an incredible singer. Way to rock the 2014 theme Noel!}

 

I think this is a theme that is evenly applied to everyone on this earth. We could all come a little closer to Christ weather you have never heard his name before and are just learning of him, or you have known him before but you have let his presence slip from your life, or even if you have him in your life, you could always use a little more time with him.

I think that by coming unto Christ we are also coming unto happiness. Like I said In my last post Christ brings happiness and he is the only way to achieve true happiness. Like I said before, I know this because I've tried it. Christ brings happiness and who doesn't want to be happy?

One of my favorite stories in the Book of Mormon is when King Lamoni realizes of the truth of Christ and the glory of God because of the example of Ammon.

"The light which did light up his mind,

 which was the light of the glory of God, 

which was a marvelous light of his goodness...

this light had infused such joy into his soul, 

the cloud of darkness having been dispelled."

           -Alma 19:6

Dispel the darkness and let the light into your life. Raise the curtains a little higher and open the window a little brighter, for he wants to shine his light on you, you just have to let him.

 

What are you going to do to let him in?

feel my sunlight

 

p.s. Um, so you know how most people take a break from things like exercise during the holidays? Ya somebody must have forgotten to tell my coach that because I can't move. Good thing we have Steph around to make us work because comp season starts in 20 days and ahhhhhhh!

Long Live, and it's all coming back

This is my BFF Hannah. Her clothes match my blog.

We arived at the Junior High with a whole team of last years students. The dedicated students that brought me mounds of joy last year. I haven't talked to most of the people on this team in a while, but as soon as we walked through those doors as almni, it was as we never left. Still family, but as teaschers this time.
Hannah and I got there first, and as we were waiting a couple of friends walked in that we hadn't seen in a while. Well, of course we ran as fast as we could so that we could exchange hugs. Well as I was runing in my cowboy boots I rolled my ankle. Hard. I lymped over to them and exchanged hugs. I shook off the pain. Maybe it was the fact that I was so excited to see them, or that I was so excited to relive the memories of Dinner Theatre, or the fact that I am a gymnast and I am used to shaking off pain, but none the less I shook it off and acted like it was all good and dandy. And it was! Well...kinda... helping was a blast today. I remember the feeling of stress at this point in time last year, and all the help the high school students were to help me get ready to perform. Today we were the ones who got to be the directores and we were the ones to help the students fix their scenes. It was fun. I even performed my scene for everybody and I can't even tell you how good that felt!
After that we made ginger bread houses {actually we made hotglued-grahm-cracker-houses} It's a tradition with our family, and the Daniels family. We tried real ginger bread one year, but with 9 kids, grahm crackers are the way to go. We built some funky houses this year! It was fun.
Well, here I am in my bed icing my swolen ankle. Yippe! Probubly sprained.

So I had a request by the girl in the picture above to do a post disecting a song that is very dear to us as a theatre class so here it is!

Long Live

By Taylor Swift

 

 



I still remember this moment

{Dinner Theatre 2011}

In the back of my mind

{I am always thinking about it}
The time we stood with our shaking hands

{Right before we performed}
The crowds in stands went wild

{HUZZAH!}

We were the kings and the queen

{Litterally, we had a queen}
And they read off our names

{As we walked in at the start of every performance}
The night you danced like you knew our lives would never be the same

{At the end of every performance...we danced.}

You held your head like a hero

{Because we were confident, and ready.}
On a history book page

{Because Shakespeare wrote the best history books.}
It was the end of a decade

{Our 10th year in school (including Kindergarten)}

but the start of an age

{The start of our lives.}

Long live the walls we crashed through

{We all had to get out of our comfort zones}
While the kingdom lights shined just for me and you

{For a moment every eye was on us}
I was screaming, long live all the magic we made

{Never forget the things we did}
And bring on all the pretenders, one day we will be remembered

{We are actors, and don't for get us}

I said, remember this feeling

{The feelings we had about this class}
I passed the pictures around

{I scrolled through my facebook pictures}
Of all the years that we stood there on the sidelines

{watching dinner theatre in years past}

Wishing for right now

{The day when we get to perform}

We are the kings and the queens

{We had a Queen Elizabeth}
You traded your baseball cap for a crown

{shakespearean costumes}
When they gave us our trophies

{Applause}
And we held them up for our town

{Final bow}

And the cynics were outraged

{The principal didn't like us too much}
Screaming, this is absurd

{Because we didn't do sports}
'Cause for a moment a band of thieves

{We stole the show from the athletes}
In ripped-up jeans got to rule the world

{It was all about us that night}

Long live the walls we crashed through

{We all had to get out of our comfort zones}
While the kingdom lights shined just for me and you

{For a moment every eye was on us}
I was screaming, long live all the magic we made

{Never forget the things we did}
And bring on all the pretenders, I'm not afraid

{Bring all the actors together. I'm not afraid}

Long live all the mountains we moved

{We accomplished some pretty big things}
I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you

{This was the time of my life}
I was screaming, long live the look on your face

{That look of pure joy. We all had it}

Bring on all the pretenders, we will be remembered

{Never forget this acting class}

Hold on to spinning around

{The final dance}
Confetti falls to the ground

{these moments become memories}
May these memories break our fall

{When this has to end, it will live on in our memories}

And you take a moment
Promise me this
That you'll stand by me forever
But if God forbid fate should step in

And force us into a goodbye
If you have children someday
When they point to the pictures
Please tell them my name

Tell them how the crowds went wild
Tell them how I hope they shine

{my final wish to all my theatre friends}

Long live the walls we crashed through

{The things we accomplished}
I had the time of my life with you

{This was one of the best prarts of my life}

Long live the walls we crashed through

{We all had to get out of our comfort zones}
While the kingdom lights shined just for me and you

{For a moment every eye was on us}
I was screaming, long live all the magic we made

{Never forget the things we did}
And bring on all the pretenders, I'm not afraid

{Bring all the actors together. I'm not afraid}

Singing, long live all the mountains we moved

{All the things we went through}
I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you

{I had the time of my life overcoming fears with you}

And long, long live the look on your face

{That look when we realized we were finially done}
And bring on all the pretenders, one day we will be remembered

{One day we will be back together, and we will remember the memories}

Now if you want to know about the song for the rest of the year listen to this one

 

 

 

 

 

So here is the story of my 9th grade year. The year I became a theatre nerd. That time may have passed, and I may never do theatre in school again, but I will never forget, and it will always be a part of me.

 

 

 

Feel my Sunlight

 

 

 

p.s. my ankle hurts.

 

p.s.s. I got my schedule changed for next semester and GUESS WHAT! I have photography now! YAY! So I will finially start posting pictures on my photography blog again!

Have I done any good?

Click HERE and watch this video!

 

 

Now listen to this song.

 

 

 

Now I don't know about you but I really want to go do service right now!

Swifties

{picture via Google}

You know those nicknames that fans of certain singers call themselves? Like Beliebers, or Directioners? Well, I guess you could call me a Swiftie.

All of the Taylor Swift music I own would take a total of 6 hours to listen to if I listened to it back to back with no breaks. And I'm proud to say I have all 6 hours memorized.

The first song I ever learned on the guitar was Speak Now by Taylor Swift.

So guess what....



Her new Album RED comes out in exactly 1 week! Ahhh!



I.

can't.

wait.


Feel my Sunlight