A love affair with ballroom dance

My first love is, of course, my husband. Then comes ballroom dance. And I guess I love other things too, such as the gospel and the season of autumn and chocolate-covered strawberries...

But ballroom is high on my list. Very high. In fact, almost scandalously high. You might go so far to say that I am in the middle of an affair with ballroom dance. I just can't stay away from it and find any excuse to break out into a smooth dance or move some Latin hips.

We had a dance lab for all of the ballroom classes offered during summer term here at BYU. I'm in 3 different classes right now, and so I was very busy all night long rocking out to dances such as rumba, samba, paso doble, waltz, tango, foxtrot, cha-cha, west coast swing, and mambo. One of my favorite parts about dance labs is having an excuse to dress up. Bring on the red lipstick and flowing skirts! It makes me feel so elegant, especially when swinging across the floor doing a classy foxtrot routine.

^^^ And you've got to have that awkward moment where your TA comes over and photo-bombs your selfie pictures, claiming that you need to have a cute guy in at least some of your photos. I didn't know how to respond to that without being awkward, since I'm married (I'm just naturally an awkward person anyways), so I just made some funny faces in the mirror and this is the result. Well, I agree that cute guys are great to have in pictures, but I'd rather have it be the cute guy pictured below. I am married to him, after all. Even if I am having an affair with ballroom dance, this ginger boy remains my priority.

Doug is such a sport, letting me do all of this ballroom stuff without him. We're going to do some dancing this Friday though, and that makes me excited! Doug, I'll make a dancer out of you yet!

In other news, I'll be certifying in medals exams this Friday and next Wednesday... and then I have a competition next Friday! I'll be competing in rumba and waltz, and possibly west coast swing if I can teach my dance partner the steps in time, since he hasn't learned the summer term gold-level curriculum. Perhaps we'll just improvise! Or do the spring curriculum because he knows those steps.

Speaking of dance partners, my partner for rumba/waltz was wearing this tie today. The nerd inside me died.

And I unintentionally matched him today. Which is fine because we were doing video recordings and it made us look shnazzy. Yes, I said shnazzy. It IS a word. Deal with it.

Oh, how I love my new Latin sandals. Even though they gave me horrific blisters that my feet are still recovering from. But it is so worth it! Ballroom dance is worth sacrificing my heels for...

Are there any other ballroom fans out there?
Don't you just LOVE it?!?!!!

To dance... to express... to live.

Every time I go to a dance concert, I remember.
I remember how beautiful the human body looks when it twists, turns, leaps, and reaches. I remember how it touches my soul. And I remember how badly I wish I could dance like those people.

I dance 18 hours a week, but that's so small compared to the years that people spend on their technique, form, flexibility, and expression. And it shows. Every movement has meaning - a meaning that touches me and moves me. I went to a ballroom concert last night, and they performed a waltz number dedicated to men who are in service; I was in tears. They did a Disney medley and I felt like a little girl again. The flowing dresses, the graceful lifts and twirls - it is all so beautiful.

A picture from the BYU Ballroom Company's European Pre-Tour Showcase that I saw last night (source)

Expression. Emotion. That is what I love about lyrical dances and contemporary numbers. I went to a Contemporary Dance Theatre concert a couple months ago, and they showed this animated video part-way through the concert. I've always really liked this video, and it's a great example of the passion and emotion that goes into dancing.

Human movement is a beautiful thing. I'm obsessed with it.

The good thing about going to dance concerts = they inspire me to keep trying and to work harder. Someday, I'll feel ready to truly call myself a dancer.

On a different note... for those of you who might not come here often enough to notice... I have a new blog design! I got on a random "re-design" kick yesterday, and I even (finally) made a facebook page for my blog and changed my twitter handle so it's less random and actually relates to this blog!

I finally feel excited about blogging again!

Book Collecting

I had long forgotten about the fact that Barnes & Nobles has "Collector's Edition" books. That is... until I made the fateful decision to walk in that store on Friday evening.

When I emerged from the book aisles an hour later, I had this beautiful specimen in my hands and a newly-realized ambition to create a home library filled with Collector's Edition novels.

My camera doesn't do it justice, I promise. This little beauty is more gorgeous in person.

Yes. Yes, it took me a whole hour to decide on one book. I was going back and forth between the Sherlock Holmes collection or getting Anne of Green Gables and The Secret Garden. I had to keep reminding myself that I already have copies of those two books... but these were Collector's Edition.... gah!

Now I know what I can tell people to get me for Christmas and my birthday. Whoo, books!

It was so satisfying to stick that Sherlock Holmes collection right next to my other Collector's Edition book - Jane Austen's novels, of course - and envision the day when the whole shelf would be covered in pretty novels with embossed covers and gold-leaf pages.

Book collecting. I can add this to my bucket list now.

And check this out! Collector's Edition, gold-leafed, beautiful, gorgeous Harry Potter novels. I'm gonna die. Really. It's too bad that this one book is 55 buckaroos. I'd have to dish out $400 for the whole collection. Not gonna happen.

source

In other news, I've spent my Saturday and Sunday watching General Conference. I watch it every April and October, and I always look forward to it. You still have a chance to tune in for the Sunday afternoon session! It starts at 2:00 MST... I'd recommend checking it out, especially if you've been wondering what Mormons are all about.

Potter Nostalgia

The first time I read Harry Potter was during the month of March in 6th grade. Now when March comes around each year, I get random urges to go read the books again, particularly the first book because that's where the magic all started. For the past month, I've been yearning to re-read the series for the zillionth time, but I had to tell myself to resist. Too much homework, plus work, plus rehearsals, plus who knows what else...

Today I picked the first book up. Flipped through it. Suddenly, I wanted to be a young girl again so that I could re-experience the magic of reading those books for the first time. I wanted to feel the anticipation of waiting for the next book to come out; theorizing with my friends about what might happen in the next book, buying it as soon as it hit the shelves, and reading all day. Unable to put it down. Flipping out as the plot progressed and more twists and turns were thrown in.

Yes. Yes, I'm a Potterhead. If you couldn't tell.

Thank you so much, JKR. This series is just... so... magical. I am so glad that I grew up as part of the Potter Generation. It was such a great time to be a teen.

By the way... the Stage Manager of the play that I'm working on right now has a custom-made sweater with the following words on the back of it:

It has images to go along with the words, and at the bottom of the sweater are the words "All was well".

I want that sweater.

You guys, I'm feeling huge waves of nostalgia. No joke. Ohmygoodness, I love being able to say I am the Harry Potter generation. Yes. My mind is decided. I'm going to go start reading the first book all over again. There are only two weeks of classes left anyways...

Impromptu Singing

Once upon a time (last school year), I was really involved with acappella singing.

I went to rehearsal for the BYU Acappella Club Choir every single week.

I was a co-founder for a new acappella group called Asymmetric,

which has now grown into a thriving, successful group

and I wish I still had the time to be a part of it.

I have an obsession with acappella music.

Especially when it's done right.

Tonight was the BYU Acappella Jam.

The Club Choir - Audacity - was in need of more female voices.

I just happened to be there

(the Hubs is in an acappella group as well, so I was supporting him)

And so I volunteered to sing with them.

Very last minute.

And I loved doing it.

It has definitely been far too long.

I really miss singing in something other than church choir.

The night ended perfectly with waffles smothered in Nutella and ice cream.

Plus an episode of Doctor Who.

Yes, I'm a bit of a nerd.

Get over it!

OH... and this girl had a bridal shower last weekend.

Did I not mention that?

Oops.

In less that a month, she'll be a Mrs.

Weird...

Yet so awesome! I love it when people get married!

Love ya, Emilee!

Celebrating October, HP style!

October is my favorite month EVER!!!!!
I have a full 31 days to go googly-eyed over this month, and there are plenty of fall things to post about... but I figured we may as well start this month out right and make the first day Potter-related!
Yes. I'm a ginormous Potter-head.
Aren't we all, though?
Maybe not. But there was no way I was going to miss out on this Potter link-up that Ashley from "Simply, Ashley" put together! We Ashleys are just cool like that.


Anyways... here are my answers to the link-up questions on Ashley's blog!


1. Your favorite of the 7 books?
This is truly hard to answer. The first book is definitely the one I have read the most. There's just something wonderful about going back to the beginning where the magic all began. However, Deathly Hallows was great. It was so different, since most of it did not take place at Hogwarts, but that was almost like a breath of fresh air. Plus, I just loved hearing Snape's back story.

2. Your favorite of the films?
Uuuummm... I honestly really liked the 8th film. Sure, there were things about it that I would have liked to be done differently, but it was the film I was most excited to see. I like the fifth one almost just as much... and I love the humor in the sixth. Aaaah, why is it so hard to choose?!

3. Which, if any, of the films made you angry for not staying true to the book?
There was no particular film that I'm angry about. I just get frustrated that various scenes in all of the movies were either changed or left out... for example, I did not like the scene that they added in the sixth movie of the Weasley's house being attacked. Dumb.

4. Your least favorite female character and why?
Everyone seems to hate Umbridge, and I agree that she is an awful old hag, but I love the dynamic that her character brings to the stories. It's a love-hate sort of relationship. Even though I hate her, I would never want to change her character into someone else. You can't have the Harry Potter story without Umbridge and her porcelain kitty plates.

5.Your favorite male character and why?
Snape, hands down. I love his whole story line, and his love for Lily is basically one of the foundations of the whole plot! Plus... as far as the movies go... I just love Alan Rickman.

6. What house would you LIKE to be in? Now be realistic... which would the Sorting Hat put you in?
I've almost always been a Ravenclaw girl. I was Head of Ravenclaw House in my Harry Potter Club in high school. And, sure enough... every sorting hat test that I have ever taken has put me in Ravenclaw. Even the Pottermore test put me in Ravenclaw. There's no question about it... Blue and Bronze is where it's at!

7. Which subject would be your favorite at Hogwarts?
I've always wanted to learn charms. Those spells seem like the most entertaining and the most useful for everyday matters. Potions would be so interesting to learn though...


Now, let me share some HP love with you!

So true.

This is totally me.

Marauders :)

Hmmm... sounds logical to me!

Hipster Snape.

Ashley posted this one on her blog, but I love it, so I'm posting it too :)

Alright, I'll stop drowning you guys with all my nerdy Harry Potter obsessions now.

Happy Fall, everyone!

A Combo I Cannot Resist

If there is one dessert combo I love, it is that of peanut butter and chocolate.
It is divinity in an edible form.
If you want to get on my good side, feed me something with PB&C.
It's a true weakness, and an effective way to get me to consume too many sweets in one day.

My family and I had a tradition as I was growing up of making cookies or brownies every Sunday. The kids would take turns every week choosing/making the dessert. You can bet your britches that when it was my turn, the dessert would be something involving the classic peanut butter/chocolate combo.

No-bake cookies are an all-time favorite of mine. Top of the list, for sure. However, I've discovered a different recipe that is just as yummy... and my hubby definitely has trouble staying away from them.

In fact, we just made these delectable delights this very evening! I just got done cutting them up... the chocolate topping is still a little soft.

Behold... No-Bake Peanut Butter Squares!

Doesn't it make you drool just looking at them?! I've already eaten a couple.

Let me share the happiness with you.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Squares

2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup chopped peanuts (I always leave these out)
For topping:
1 package (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
1/4 cup peanut butter

Line square pan, 9x9x2 inches, with aluminum foil. Beat powdered sugar, butter, 1 cup peanut butter, and vanilla in large bowl on medium speed. Stir in graham cracker crumbs and peanuts (mixture will be stiff). Press in pan.

Melt chocolate chips and 1/4 cup peanut butter over low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth. Spread over bars. Refrigerate about 1 hour, or until chocolate is fairly firm (but not too firm because you don't want the chocolate to break when you cut it!) Remove from pan, using foil to lift. Cut into rows (6x6 is a good size). Refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm. Store covered in refrigerator.


There you go. Now you can have happiness in your life. Unless you are one of those people who does not like peanut butter. If you are... you are missing out on a great-tasting treat. Just saying.

Loving things... like this

Just a few things I'm loving right now...

Outfit combos like this

Cupcakes like this

Art ideas like this 

Shoes like this

 Babies like this (heck, babies in general!)

And more outfits... like this

Basically, I'm just excited to get some fall outfits.

Now that classes are done and I have 2 weeks of spare time on my hands,  I'm gonna need to find some sales and hit some stores.

Can I just say how excited I am for fall??!?!

Whoot.