Fun Stuff

Thinking Things

I had the wonderful opportunity to go with my family to the Pioneer Day concert on Saturday featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with guest singers, The Osmonds! Now I'm not a huge "die hard" fan of The Osmonds but they actually put on a great performance. The transitioning was a little awkward though. The choir would sing a couple of their songs and then The Osmonds would come out and the Conference center broke out in disco lights and psychedelic flowers, and the pipe organs were lit up in tie-die colors. I didn't know if I should jump up and join them...or if I should just smile and laugh. People were screaming and clapping...don't get me wrong it was very entertaining and I loved it. But then the lights and flowers would go away and the choir would sing a couple of other songs. It was really cool to see The Osmonds all together, still singing. And I just found out that Donny is 50 and a grandpa! Every time I see him I think of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolored Dream Coat and Mulan! But the last song they sang with the choir really got to me. They choir started to sing Come, Come Ye Saints and The Osmond joined them on the last chorus. I stated to cry because whenever I hear that song I think of when my own family did the Trek and how that was such a touching experience to be able to do that with them. I am so grateful for my ancestors and what they went through so that we could live in the great valley and worship without being prosecuted. To be able to stand up for their religion and be able to say with a gun pointed to their head, "Yes I am a Mormon." What great courage and strength they had. After the concert was over, I made my way to the FrontRunner. I love trains. Every time I get on a train I feel like I am on the scene of White Christmas singing, "snow, snow snow!" with Bing Crosby,Danny Kayne, Vera Ellen, and Rosemary Clooney. I got on and pulled out my book. I only lasted a couple of minutes when I stated to doze off. My ears suddenly tuned into every one's conversations and the noise just seemed to grow louder and louder. After a couple of minuets, all the conversations turned into white noise and in a weird way acted like a lullaby, singing me to sleep. I felt like I was only a sleep for a couple of minutes when they announced that the train had reached Ogden. I dragged myself out and sludged my way to my car, drove home and then passed out on the couch...still in my Sunday clothes.

Slinky Jr.

I got this wonderful, fantastic idea from a friend
of my sisters on the coolest letter to send to a missionary. It took me forever to finish and actually made me dizzy trying to read it, but I hope he enjoys it as much as I enjoyed making it :)

Llama Grooming

Who can say that they have been to the Llama festival held at the Krishna temple in Spanish Fork? Twice now I have been! This time we, (my family and another family) went before the festival to help groom the llamas. My little sister quickly became comfortable with the llama, grabbed the lead and started grooming. My brother on the other hand...squealed when one started coming towards him. Okay maybe a couple started to come towards him but still! I got to groom a couple, but mostly I was the picture taker, capturing pictures of the timid youngsters, and the brave ones. While taking some pictures, a black llama come close to me and started to nibble on my hair. YUCK! So I quickly moved away and kept my eye on him. But he just kept following me around the pen. I would move to one end, and he would slyly move to the other end as well. There was a llama that must have had allergies or something, because it kept sneezing. Needless to say, no one really groomed that llama, unless they wanted to be covered with llama snot.

Looking out a window
Llama grooming service how may I help you?

This one kept making faces at us

Picturesque

Mom and neighbor grooming

Grooming a baby llama

My new friend

The surplus amount of llama hair

40 Days and 40 Nights

Okay so today in relief society, our ward mission leader came in and told us that our ward was going to be doing something a little different. He asked if anyone knew how many times a 40 day fasting was referenced in the scriptures. No one knew...so he told us. It was twice. Once with Moses and the second with Christ. Then he explained how our own ward was going to fast for 40 days. Now I'm thinking...that's pretty cool....wait....40 days! I'm going to die. I guess if I pray about it...alot....maybe I could do it....40 days? Is he serious? Then I hear him say "so gorge yourselves now." Now I'm thinking "he can't be serious! Unless he wants to kill off the whole entire 16th ward." So after he gives his little shpeal, I walk down to talk to Chopsticks and ask her if he was being serious. I soon find out that yes, our ward is going to fast for 40 days but not in the way that I was thinking. I guess we are each going to sign up for a time or day that we are going to fast. Thereby we can fast as a ward for 40 days. I'm really excited!

So apparently, in another month and a half, I will be around to post a another blog!

Early morning run

Usually when I go running I have someone with me, to talk to, keep me going, push me harder, or just to distract me. But this morning I decided to head up the trail by myself. I rode a bike up to the trail then got off and started to run. Quiet and peaceful I began to ponder while I ran. I love moments like that when you are all by yourself, early in the morning, surrounded by nature. I just pondered and ran....ran my heart out! I soon came to my marker where I stopped and started to do some crunches. After I was done, I just sat and tried in inhale everything around me. The smell of the trees, flowers, a nearby stream, even the soil seemed to fill my soul. My ears tuned to the wind winding through the tall grasses; my eyes adjusted so I could take everything in, the bees flying from flower to flower, the clouds roaming along, I even saw a butterfly or two. I sat there, senses full, and myself full of gratitude for the nature that surrounds me. It's nice to take time away from the hustle of bustle of life, and to just sit and think. It puts your mind at ease, and in a different perspective.

Flight Of the Conchords - Jenny

So my roommate pink tights showed me this and we just laughed our heads off! Apparently they make up all this just on the spot!

Wyoming continued

Four wheeling through a field of dandelions

Isn't Star Valley pretty?

Oh thank heaven for "non illegal" fireworks

Isn't she the most adorable thing?!

Four wheeling family

Ridiculously huge firework

Rows and rows of fireworks!

Looking out into the valley

The cabin that we stayed at

Natala and I about to tear it up!

Freedom

Boston HymnRead in Boston Music Hall - January 1, 1863by Ralph Waldo Emerson

The word of the Lord by night To the watching Pilgrims came,

As they sat by the seaside,And filled their hearts with flame.

God said, I am tired of kings,I suffer them no more;

Up to my ear the morning brings The outrage of the poor.

Think ye I made this ball A field of havoc and war,

Where tyrants great and tyrants small Might harry the weak and poor?

My angel, his name is Freedom—Choose him to be your king;

She shall cut pathways east and west,And fend you with his wing.

Lo! I uncover the land Which I hid of old time in the West,

As the sculptor uncovers the statue When he has wrought his best;

I show Columbia, of the rocks Which dip their foot in the seas,

And soar to the airborne flocks Of clouds, and the boreal fleece.

I will divide my goods;Call in the wretch and slave:None shall rule but the humble.

And none but toil shall have.

I will have never a noble,No lineage counted great;

Fishers and choppers and ploughmen Shall constitute a state.

Go, cut down trees in the forest.And trim the straightest boughs;

Cut down the trees in the forest,And build me a wooded house.

Call the people together,The young men and the sires,

The digger in the harvest field,Hireling, and him that hires;

And here in a pine statehouse They shall choose men to rule In every needful faculty,

In church, and state, and school.

Lo, now! if these poor men Can govern the land and sea,

And make just laws below the sun,As planets faithful be.

And ye shall succor men;'Tis nobleness to serve;

Help them who cannot help again:Beware from right to swerve.

I break your bonds and masterships,And I unchain the slave:

Free be his heart and hand henceforth As wind and wandering wave.

I cause from every creature His proper good to flow:As much as he is and doeth,

So much he shall bestow.

But laying hands on another To coin his labor and sweat,

He goes in pawn to his victim For eternal years in debt.

Today unbind the captive So only are ye unbound;

Lift up a people from the dust,Trump of their rescue, sound!

Pay ransom to the owner,And fill the bag to the brim.Who is the owner?

The slave is owner,And ever was. Pay him.

Oh North! give him beauty for rags,And honor. O South! for his shame;

Nevada! coin thy golden crags With Freedom's image and name.

Up! And the dusky race That sat in darness long—Be swift their feet as antelopes,

And as behemoth strong.

Come, East and West and North.By races, as snowflakes,

And carry my purpose forth,Which neither halts nor shakes.

My will fulfilled shall be,For, in daylight or in dark,

My thunderbolt has eyes to see His way home to the mark.

Wyoming Jaunt

You know, I was slightly disappointed when my parents informed me that our Crosland family reunion trip to Oregon couldn't work and that instead.....we were going to Wyoming. These are the things which ran through my head at this moment.

• Why are we going to Wyoming?
• Do we even have relatives there?
• What is in Wyoming!
• Stupid gas prices!
• Where are we going to stay...out in the middle of nowhere!

Well we all got up early Saturday morning to start our journey to Wyoming. Mom had supplied us with many movies so I wasn't worried about being bored on the trip up. Half way there we stopped in Evanston for a little purchasing of "not illegal" fireworks! As we walked in, I passed a man with two grocery carts chuck full of these "not illegal" fireworks with a huge grin on his face, telling me that this is probably a little overboard and that I should not follow his example....hmm....YA THINK! Well when I walked into the store, that's when all logic flew out my ear. It's like being a kid in a candy store but with rows and rows and huge storage areas full of fireworks! I think the most expensive one I saw was around $400.00! But I wanted to buy them all! I am such a pyro and this wold probably satisfy my need to light things on fire. My sis and I got out cameras and started taking pictures because we have never seen this many fireworks in our lifetime! People probably thought we were retarded but that's okay. We later got to the cabin which was actually really really nice! And Wyoming is actually a very pretty place! The landscape was beautiful. I spent most of my time driving our four wheelers around the rugged terrain, getting dust in my face, eyes, teeth and swallowed a bug at least twice. It was grand fun! And the stars! Oh the stars! I sat outside and just looked up to the sky, feeling so insignificant with all the stars surrounding me. Basically I told my parents we need to get a cabin up in Wyoming so we can come more often! Their reply was...."Okay make sure you marry someone with a cabin!" Of course they were kidding but I was like...hmm okay! I take that as a no! haha well the place was awesome and the Crosland family reunion was a smash! Pictures still to come.