Happy Birthday Mom!!

Happy Birthday Mom! You are the best mom ever!

Just For Mom...:)

Here is your typical Treble and Base Clef. "Oh you play the violin, the piano? ......just like everyone else in the world? Thats cool!" Let me introduce you to something better than the norm:

The Viola

Now, if you are wondering what a Viola is, just look at the picture above. You know, it sure looks like a Violin, but of course ITS NOT. It is only better. Not only is it beautiful, but it is unique.

Above, is the Alto Clef. This is the clef that we violists use every day. What is the treble clef? I'll never know. This is where my heart lies....right here. With this Alto Clef sign. No treble for me.

There are actually several differences between the violin and the viola. Not only is the viola just plain better, but it also, like I said, has a unique clef and has different strings than the violin. The violin has an E, A, D and G string. The viola has a A, D, G and C string, making its sound deeper and-in my opinion-more lovely. The viola is also slightly larger than the regular violin.

What would music be without the viola? I answer this question every time I step into my Orchestra classroom.....Music would be nothing. At least orchestral music. I am the only violist in my whole orchestra. Alone, but important. The viola provides the harmony and the accompaniment. Think about it this way....

Say you are sitting in your home, either listening to your iPod, or listening to the radio, perhaps even watching weird commercials on the television. How would all of that music sound if it was just the voice, or just the main tune, no background to enhance the melody. Pretty boring I would say. It's like playing just the right hand to a hymn or a familiar song, its nice, but everyone would agree that it sounds better with all of the parts. (The Viola)

The viola-sadly-gets overlooked, and gets runover by the popular violin. The Alto Clef gets smeared by the fancy ways of the treble clef....oh if only everyone understood.

The whole point of this definately wasn't trying to persuade ANYONE that the alto clef is better than the treble clef....Mom :)

Summary of A While

Wow....it has been a REALLY long time since I blogged anything. I enjoy reading people's blogs, but I never really have much to say for myself. So....



I am in the choir for the Young Women's General Broadcast. It is probably one of the best experiences of my life and I'm really grateful that I'm in it. I can't believe that it is almost over. Tomorrow is the actual broadcast and I am going to be so sad when it is over. I wish it would last forever.



Practices were every sunday from 5:30 to 8:00pm. They were long practices, but they went by all to quickly. There were some of the most amazing thoughts given and they were so fun. We were able to go the conference center last saturday and see what it was like to sing there. We all had to line up accoriding to height...me being as short as I am ended up closer to the front, which means that I'm on the third row of my section. I'm a second alto which is exciting because I love to be able to hear the harmony. I can't wait until tomorrow. I hope it goes well!!

The two pictures above are of posters that I had to make for my spanish class. Extra credit to be specific. Without them I would have gotten less than I would like (meaning less than an A) This is just what I have to do to keep my grades up......good thing I like to make posters :)

This week we also went to my Grandma Raines's Funeral down in Dallas Texas. We ended up driving and that was a looooooooooong (but fun) trip. It was nice to see family again. I'm just glad to be home.

Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving this year, my whole family (on mom's side) got together. They all came to our home this year and it was really a lot of fun. It was good to see everyone together again. Unfortunately Lauren and Jake were unable to come and we missed them, but it was still a good Thanksgiving.



As tradition (started by Laura and I) us girls make the mashed potatoes. I must say, they turned out rather well this year. Last year the potatoes weren't completely mashed, but this year we had a goal to do better...and we did :)



On Friday, we went to the Lights at Temple Square. It was really crowded because it was the first night the lights had come on for the year. It was a lot of fun to see the lights again. Especially with my cousins.



The Salt Lake City Temple looked so beautiful.



Everyone who had Thanksgiving dinner with us....Not inculding Ben who was playing a video game down stairs and we forgot to get him and Natalie our other cousin who was taking the picture.



Us girls went down to the park and took some fun Thanksgiving pictures together. We had a ton of fun. I wish the break would have lasted at least a little bit longer, but I'm "Thankful" for the time I had. :)

October 2009.....

Fall Break was wonderful. No school, no homework, no stress. Tons of fun, family, friends...what more could I ask for? :)



Halloween was fun. These are the pumpkins that we carved. Margaret and Scott carved a Harry Potter pumkin, and mine is just a little somthing random.


Yep...thats me. Take a good look. I went over to my friends house a girl, and came home a man. I got into the car to be picked up and Dad gave me a funny look and just smiled. Oh....Good times.

General Conference- October 2009

It has only been the first two sessions and already I have learned so much. I absolutely love General Conference. I am so grateful for the lessons that I learn and for the time that I have to spend with my family. Being together as a family and enjoying the talks that are shared is just about the best thing in the world. I look forward to conference time all year long, and when it is over I can't wait until the six months are over and we can do it all again.

Getting Better

Ok....knowing that I have a facebook, a blog, a cell phone, and and E-mail...sometimes I wonder why people ask what I am doing....?? :)


Anyway, today (I am proud to say) I made another cake. A rather good one if I say so myself! :) Yesterday, I bought a small cake decorating kit with the icing bags and tips and things. I was so excited to start that I did last night and I finished this afternoon.

The flowers were hard to do, and I had to teach myself how to do them with an old cake decorating book that we have. I was rather pleased with the outcome of the majority of them.

Take a look at my previous posts about cakes I have made...this ones is the best I think...:)