Summer Reading...

Every summer I have a huge "must read" books to get through. I am never able to start/finish books during the school year so I always rack up the reads in the summer. It's been about 2 weeks since my official summer started and I have already finished THREE BOOKS!

This is quite an accomplishment for me.

So here are the three I have already gotten through.

Number 1:

Tina Fey's book (pictured)

I saw this at the store the week it came out and immediately bought it. Ever since Mean Girls I have LOVED Mrs. Fey. She is my comic hero. If you love a good laugh, you MUST read this book.

Book numero Two:

Now, I actually started this book last summer during my European vacation. August came around and I had yet to come to the end. So, I got put on hold. After I finished Tina Fey, I picked this up right where I left off last summer. It was good, but I am not hooked enough to immediately start the second one.

I finished this fantastic one instead...

Book Three:

picture
In honors of the final movie coming out I wanted to read the last book to remind myself of what happened. I listened to the first couple chapters on my drive up to WA. I may have had my nose in a book all day, every day, but I finished it! I am pretty sure I just skipped ahead and read the epilogue when the book came out and never finished the book. (Just like when I watch the movies at midnight).

Never have I realized how much I enjoy reading.

I have already started my next book

ONE DAY

by David Nicholls

all in preparation for the movie coming out
AUGUST 19th

Survivor...

I survived a grueling Summer Term.

Never again will I take 7 credits in 7 weeks. Or I just wont take Pathophys with Stats.

I just about DIED.

I pulled out of it though. Yes, I am proud of myself.

The day of my last final I tired myself out at the gym (thanks body pump class, I can't move any part of my body now) and then came home to melt by the pool with my Tina Fey book (LOVE YOU TINA!)

Summer is going to be fantastic..

Some of this... A little bit of this...

...and a whole lot of this...

Washington here I come

Guess what...

This little letter came in the mail the other day:

No...I did not receive my mission call (yet).

I made the DEAN'S LIST!

I owe my success to my snowboarding class.

If it wasn't for snowboarding, I wouldn't have had 12 credit hours.

Go easy A classes.

No, I haven't framed and posted the letter on my wall...

...yet.

Happy Feet...

Today is National Tap Dancing Day!

HOORAH!

In honor of such a magnificent day, here is a video of my favorite tap dancer.

Probably one of the reasons I got into tap too.

ENJOY!



Now everyone go learn to tap dance

To shop or not to shop...

The most fabulous bag I have ever seen:

...is sitting all alone at Nordstroms just waiting to go home with me.

Anyone have $500 I can like...have?

Hoorah...

I just received this in my e-mail today:

DEAR JAMIE,

CONGRATULATIONS on acheiving a high GPA for the Spring 2011 semester! We want you to know that we recognize the time and effort you gave to acheive this GPA. Good job and keep up the GREAT WORK!

Sincerily,

Michelle Kearns, Director
Office of Student Success and Retention


UVU is so cool. I never got any e-mail like this from BYU.

No, it's not because I never "acheived" a high enough GPA to get a recognition e-mail like this.

Also, do other Universitys have an Office of Student Success and RETENTION?

UVU is so packed full with students I wonder if they have an Office of Student DIMINUTION.

They don't.

I just checked...

A tribute...

This one goes out to all you Mamas and Grandmas out there...

You are the greatest. I sure do love you...

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

Can't Touch This...

Since March I have been teaching tap at The Pointe Academy in Highland, UT. On my second day my boss asked me if I wanted to choreograph a piece for their show. WHAT FUN! I knew just the song I wanted to use. The only problem was I only had four weeks until the performance and for one of them the studio was closed down for spring break.

Let's just say it was the craziest/stressful three weeks in dance hisory.

I was told before I started teaching that the group was an advanced level. Most of them were. For four of them, though, it was their first year of tap dancing, EVER!

After 4.75 hours of teaching a dance that was WAY to hard for half of them show day was here. During the dress rehearsal their head director took out three people and one poor girl sprained her ankle while on pointe (ballet). 11 down to 7.

So, here is the finished project. I will admit that I was super nervous about being labeled as an awful tap choreographer/teacher. I was ready to be fired on the stop for having an atrocious dance. I was ready to go through all the programs and black out my name.

I thought it was really fun though. The kids did a great job of hamming it up. My kind of tap.

I am super proud of them.

ps...seeing as I still have yet to get paid by the studio I am claiming this as my only evidence of having the job. This video and my program of the concert.

ENJOY!

Graduations...

A year ago today my name was read off and I walked across (without tripping, thankfully) and was handed an empty diploma case. That was it for my BYU education. The funny thing I remember about making my strut is I thought people were boooing me after my name was called. During dinner I later found out that it was just my brother giving a Chewbaca chant.

THANKS CHEWBACA!

Two weeks ago Chewbaca himself made the big walk across the BYU-I stage. The family gathered up in little Rexburg to see this monumental event. Graig and Nicole showed us a good time watching McIlroy and Tiger crumble under the green jacket pressure, Scum games, 1st grade fun, and delicious KFC. Congrats Graig!

BYU vs. UVU

While all the BYU students who live near me are doing this...pic

...because they are already done with finals.

I am still doing this...

pic

...because my finals don't start till Monday.

This picture is actually pretty accurate to my current situation. Replace the coffee with WIRED, the radio and headphones with Pandora (Sara Bareilles station), and the pizza with leftover candy and you got my set-up at the kitchen table.

It could be worse...I could be starting classes in a week.

...wait second...

rats

Spring Break...

OH BOY!!

It has been a while, hasn't it?

About a month a go I went down to Florida...

Florida=very first spring break my college history!

I got to check off an item from my bucket list...

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER!!!!

It was AMAZING!

All the of the line waiting was worth it. I was living life at Hogwarts and Hogsmeade(OK it maybe was 4 hours, don't pop my bubble)! It was truly a dream come true. I can't wait to go back!

Thanks Mama for enduring the heat and motion sickness to spend the day with me. You are the greatest.

Went to Walt Disney World for the FIRST TIME!

David and I discovered a new little gem in Provo. Provo Beach Resort at The Riverwoods.
This place is pretty cool. They have bowling, miniature croquet course, a ropes course, laser tag, pinewood derby...etc etc etc.

You think those things are cool...they got this too

INDOOR FLOW RIDER!

I thought it was going to be a lot like wake surfing behind a boat. Oh man was I wrong. I fell down a lot before I got the hang of it. Pretty sure I almost lost my suit a couple of times.

Those currents can be pretty tricky.

Dance Concert

I interrupt this blog to bring you a very important announcement.

On March 15, 2011 at the Covey Center for the Arts in Provo, UT, I will be performing in the Percussive Dance Concert with my Tap Company, Foot Poetry.

This is the 3rd year this show has been running. Every year it brings new dances, music, people, and excitement.

Don't forget to purchase your tickets for this show through the Covey Center either online at coveycenter.org or calling 801-852-7007. Tickets are only $10!

So since the ticket price is so cheap, everyone from out of town/state can afford to buy a plane ticket or drive here for the show.

Now I expect it out of everyone.

New York City Christmas Eve...

For Christmas Eve this year the family decided to head into the city to see the Christmas lights, windows, and do some additional shopping before Christmas. It was a beautiful day in New York complete with the sun shining in between buildings. It was not as cold as our Carlo's Bake Shop experience. Here are some pictures of our adventures:

Looked at the famous Macy's windows telling the story of Yes, Virginia.

We went inside Macy's initially get a family picture on Santa's lap but the line was way too long for children over the age of 21. Instead we looked around, but didn't stay long because of all the crowds.Dad and I in Times Square. Instead we went to our families favorite NY store: M&M's World. Is it obvious that we are a candy family from the sitting we are doing? We checked out the Rockefeller Christmas decorations complete with the famous tree. We wanted to try and ice skate for the experience, but being a children of Joni Ward we skipped the line and all the money it would have cost. If only they had coupons.

To be continued...