Music and Lyrics

Simply put-It is 7:30pm on a Thursday night. Homework for tomorrow? - Check. Homework for Tuesday? partially Check. And yes, I did already start making flash cards for a test far off somewhere in the distance. Basically, I am looking for something to do that is a little more productive than watching a show or looking at Facebook = CUE BLOG TIME! 

So I have this thing about music. I love to pick out what I call "the best part" of a song and highlight what makes it great. For instance, it might be a subtle change of tempo, syncopation, or just really great poetic phrases. If you've ever been in a car with me listening to music, you might understand this all too well. But here's my question I wrestled with the other day: 

WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF A SONG - THE MUSIC OR THE LYRICS? 

The Romantic Comedy, "Music And Lyrics," puts it like this:

" A melody is like seeing someone for the first time. The physical attraction. But then, as you get to know the person, that's the lyrics. Their story. Who they are underneath. It's the combination of the two that makes it magical. "

As much as I cannot turn down a beautiful melody, I have to admit that I am a sucker for good lyrics - but what is it that makes lyrics good? For me it is all about the imagery, if it's relate-able,  clever, telling a story, and poetic to a degree. But, that definition truly isn't good enough. It's much more complicated than that...and yet much simpler as well. 

In my Humanities class last year, we studied Joni Mitchell one day (I love my major!). I heard "A Case of You" and really liked it. Flash Forward to this year where my sister Tammy said, "Jenny, I think you would really like Joni Mitchell." And you know what? She was right...so so right. 

I have had "All I want" by Joni Mitchell stuck in my head all day and I couldn't be happier. Those are some great lyrics! But, don't take my word for it. Why don't you listen to it yourself, look up the lyrics if you'd like, and come up with your own conclusion. That's the fun part about life isn't it? 

Happy Birthday Alex

My niece Alex turned   5 Years Old on December 27th. I remember the day she was born, holding her beautiful tiny body in my arms. She was the beginning of what now has become my four adorable nieces and nephews. With her newly pierced ears, she is excited to take on the life of a 5 year old. She is already awaiting her first loose tooth and the beginning of Kindergarten. She sure is a cutie. Some people say she looks like a Mini Me. What do you think? 

Here comes the Bride...

I will admit that I am a grown woman who still occasionally loves to have a sleepover with her best friend. I cannot remember how many countless times Megan and I have dragged a mattress into her room to set at the foot of her bed. The night before her wedding dinner, we decided to have our final sleepover together. Sadly, in the middle of the night, the bride woke up feeling very sick to her stomach. Yup, she got a slightly different strain of that dreaded stomach bug (I promise it was not me who gave it to her). We spent the rest of the day trying every remedy we could think of to get her better for her wedding dinner that night. She made it to the dinner, but  spent much of the evening feeling quite under the weather. Luckily, she had a great fiance to take care of her.

Even being sick, she still looks good

Luckily, she woke up feeling nearly 100 % better for the day of her actual wedding. It was a MIRACLE. The whole wedding day was lovely. It was a very warm December day and the Bride and Groom looked wonderful. (I sadly did not take many pictures of them with my own camera because I knew the Professional Photography would trump anything my camera could do)

It was a SOMETHING BLUE wedding complete with Blue boots peaking out from under the bride's dress.   The reception at Heritage Gardens was breathtaking and the whole night ran smoothly. It was the perfect mixture of food, friends, dancing, and a hot chocolate bar. I even got to dance a Daddy-daughter dance with my own Dad who happened to be there at the exact right time. My parents also won for being the couple on the dance floor married the longest. Way to go Mom and Dad!

Details of the Decor

Megan's bouquet

Detail of the bridal bouquet 

The Bride and Groom and I devised a tremendous plan in order to keep Andrew's car from being decorated/ trashed by Megan's brothers/ Andrew's friends. The plan was to hide Andrew's car down the street at a park, and then I would go later and tastefully decorate it with paper flowers, vinyls, and a "Just Married" Sign I had made. With his keys in my coat pocket, I proceeded to lie to a few fellows who questioned me about the car, but felt it was for the greater good. However, somehow a rumor started that I was going to drive the couple to the hotel. (That would be a bit awkward don't you agree?) Subsequently, my car was the one decorated! 

Sadly, the cottage cheese and cake smeared on my car was all for not since Andrew's beautifully decorated car still received handfuls of cake pegged at it as they drove away to their new life together. So there I was. In a black dress, all alone, driving home in a decorated car with the words "Hitched" smeared on the windshield. I am sure this confused my fellow drivers. Two car washes later and I believe there may still be remnants of cottage cheese on the windshield wipers. What we do for those happily ever-afters. 

My mother wanted a picture of my sister and I by the tree after the wedding 

I love weddings and luckily I have had the blessing of being a bridesmaid or flower girl at six of them. Sadly, I have yet to catch the bouquet, so I assume I'll be a bridesmaid a few more times before its my turn to wear the white dress. 

Christmas Smells and Wedding Bells

Christmas Break with a mixture of wedding bliss-that has been my last few weeks. It all began with a magical carriage ride around temple square with some of my roommates to see the lights.

Then I rushed from helping the new Bride pick up her wedding dress to going to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Concert with my family. As always, the concert was a magical experience and very well done.

My next mission was to successfully throw a beautiful bridal shower for Megan: our Bride-to-be!

STEP 1. Serve Great Food

With a little help from my Mom and my friends, we had a delicious brunch complete with homemade quiche and Lemon poppy seed cake.

STEP 2: INVITE GREAT FRIENDS

STEP 3: PLAY FUNNY GAMES

STEP 4: GIVE GREAT GIFTS

STEP 5: MAKE THE BRIDE BLUSH

STEP 6: MEET THE GROOM

That is my recipe for a perfect Bridal Shower! 

The next mission was to celebrate the beautiful birth of our Savior! Christmas is one of my favorite times of year. And it is not quite complete without...

 The Christmas Story and Nativity Scene

This year was the Christmas of illness. My Mother came down with a terrible stomach flu a couple days before Christmas and was quarantined to her room. This left me and my sister to take care of the last minute shopping and my father to take care of the big Christmas Eve dinner.

I came down with the bug on Christmas Eve morning and spent the whole day in bed or on the bathroom floor. Although this was not fun, it gave me some time to catch up on some missed T.V shows.

My family always has a big Christmas Eve party that I look forward to every year. I knew my stomach was not ready for the Prime Rib dinner, but I did get the opportunity to lay on the couch and participate in some way with the festivities. I felt much better on Christmas and was even able to eat our annual Christmas Brunch. (I stayed away from the stocking candy though)

I woke up Christmas morning to a silent room. My father was at church (we decided it best not to infect the congregation, so the rest stayed home), Mom was still sleeping, and Grace and Tammy were asleep as well. I sat on the couch soaking up the beauty of the tree. I took advantage of those peaceful moments by reading a few of my favorite Christmas books around the tree. I chose A Christmas Dress for Ellen, The Christmas Oranges, & The Miracle of Jonathan Toomey. Nothing like a good Christmas book and a beautiful tree to bring a few joyful tears down your cheek.

The rest of Christmas morning was joyful as we all shared cherished memories of Christmases past over a feast of pancakes, eggs, sausage, and Hot Chocolate. Oh and there were presents too.

Grace Got a Wiggle Car from Santa!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!