2010

Today is the last day of 2010. It has been a crazy year! Thought I would put together a few pictures to document my year....

I spent last new year with Alayna! I miss her!

I was asked to be a girlfriend! Jan. 10

Gave a recital with my friend Kendra. February

Initiated 8 girls into SAI

took a road trip to Salt Lake City with Daniel. March

soloed with CYS playing Mozart Violin Concerto. May

Quartet was asked to perform at the Lamont Showcase. May

went fishing and camping with Daniel's family

Counseled at the Lamont Summer Camp.

Went to Michigan for Carrie's wedding and rode my first jet ski!

Decorated my first apartment for Christmas!

turned 21!

went to Chicago with mom for the Northwest Clinic.

Spent some great times with my wonderful brother, John!

became unofficially part of  new family!

Met the love of my life!

Discovered the joy of family!!

It has been a great year! I can't wait to see what 2011 holds!

Update

I suppose before the new year I should catch up with what has been happening in my life over the last month.

First of all, I turned 21 on the 13th. I had a wonderful day! My quartet took me out to lunch at a thai restaurant and then took me to Whole Foods to buy two pieces of cheese cake and a candle. It really enjoyed spending time with my great friends! They made me feel so special and loved. I really have wonderful friends! For dinner that night Daniel took me to an Indian restaurant. I was initially skeptical but it turned out to be really delicious and romantic. We then came back to my apartment and watched Titanic. Daniel gave me beautiful diamond earrings for my birthday!!

Then, mom and I went to the Northwest Clinic in Chicago. It was an orchestra and band teachers conference. We had a wonderful time! We went to several really interesting clinics led by amazing people. My favorites were by Tim Lautzenheiser and Larry Livingston! I feel so led to be a teacher. I will write more about this in my next post. This trip was probably the best trip I have ever had with mom. We really connected and got along. I really had a great time!

Finally, Christmas!! I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!! Daniel and I had a great time swapping back and forth between families. We spent Christmas eve and morning at my parents house. Its more fun when there is a kid who is excited about santa. John was so excited! Mom got us matching pajamas and we had a slumber party in Johns room. Then later we went to Daniel's parents house and enjoyed some quality time with his family. His brother, Micah, is in town for the holidays and we are having a great time hanging out!

Christmas Song of the Day

Dominic the Donkey  "The Italian Christmas Donkey"

Hilarious!! Check it out, it will brighten up your day!

Christmas song of the Day

I'm Gettin Nuttin for Christmas!

Food Frustrations!

Today I am frustrated by how expensive healthy food is. It's just wrong!

As a poor college student, I don't have a lot of money to be spending on food. However, I am trying, desperately, to lose some weight. I have been doing Weight Watchers for about 2 months and have lost 10 pounds. They recently changed their plan to be more up to date with today's science. (For more information on Weight Watchers and their plan click here) Their new plan encourages the consumption of more fruits and vegetables and proteins. Their goal is to limit the amount of sodium. Sodium is found in most (if not all) processed foods, so their new idea is to move away from processed and towards more fresh foods. This is a little bit of a change for me. I have not been eating poorly, however I was finding soups and frozen meals were cheaper and less time consuming than cooking everything for myself.

So today I went to the grocery store. I was determined to get healthy foods and really commit to this new program. I made a list of some foods I felt I could easily cook for myself. My emphasis was on fruits and vegetables. I was willing to forget my $25 weekly grocery budget and spend whatever I needed to make good food for myself this week. Surprisingly, the produce didn't seem too expensive. Items were generally priced around the $1 or $2 per pound mark. I was feeling enthusiastic....until I got to the register. Apparently $1-$3 items quickly add up. I ended up spending $40 on 4 bags of groceries.

As I was walking out the door I though, "well hopefully that will last me a while", but then I got to thinking. I had bought one cucumber, one tomato, one bunch on bananas, one bag of grapes, one container of raspberries, one pepper, one bag of salad, .......ONE. I had planned my meals for ONE week worth of meals. Does this mean that I am going to have to spend $40 again next week? I can't afford that!

It's no wonder to me why America has a obesity epidemic! The average American cannot afford to spend that much money on food. So instead, we opt for (seemingly) cheaper fast food or $1.50 bags of chips and pop. An entire family can buy two $5 hot and ready pizzas at Little Ceasars and feed their entire family, or they can spend twice or triple that much to MAKE the pizzas at home with fresh veggies and meats. Our lives are about quantity, not quality. We want the most for the least amount of money. I realize the flaws in this system, however, this is where we live. This is the culture we are stuck in. I can choose to spend my money on fewer quality items but I can't sustain that. Money isn't coming in and I can't live without eating.

Now, for whoever is reading this, I don't want you to think that I am giving up. I am determined to enjoy the food that I purchased today. I am also going to figure out a way to eat better without spending so much money. I'll let you know what I come up with!

Getting into the Christmas Spirit!

This week I decorated my apartment for Christmas. It's the first time I have decorated anywhere but my parents house. I enjoyed shopping, finding new things and being creative. 

My first little tree. I don't have very many ornaments
so I tied bows to the branches with my extra ribbon.

Christmas lights around the window!
Christmas lights are my favorite part of the season!

Stockings with my name, roommate, and roommate's dog

I borrowed this from my parents house.
He's so cute!

I hung the stockings in the hallway with a new
wall decoration. It says: Snow Place Like Home

Can't go wrong with a snowman throw pillow! 

These smell like cinnamon. I put it next to my bed so I can
wake up smelling the wonderful smell of the season!

This week I also baked peppermint brownie cookies and took them to Daniel at his work. They were so yummy and great for the season! I just made brownie batter but added peppermint and vanilla extract and made them into cookies instead of a big pan of brownies.

Things I am Thankful For in 2010

-My incredible boyfriend, Daniel, who has changed my life in the last year of dating!
-My great family, whom I have become closer to over the last year. I love them all so much!
-My grandmother, who has shown me so much about taking life into your own hands and making the best out of it. She has expressed to me the importance of people and good friends. I value her wisdom and her wonderful giving heart! I am thankful, this fall, that she is still with us!
-Daniel's family. They have all made me feel so at home and comfortable. I feel like a part of their family!
-School. I am so grateful for the opportunity to go to the University of Denver, receive the education I am, and leave debt free.
-Linda Wang, she is an amazing teacher and I am thankful to have become closer to her this past year.
-Financial support from my parents. As much as this is frustrating at times, because I don't like being a burden on anyone, I am so very thankful!
-A good roommate and a nice apartment. I am safe, with a roof over my head and a place to call my own.
-Great students who have helped me see my love of teaching!
-A supportive church community group. I have really enjoyed getting close to a handful of people, from many different age groups and walks of life, who care about me and are involved in my life.
-A church where I see the Holy Spirit working to bring together so many unique groups of people.
-Finally, I am thankful this year for the work that God is doing in my life. He is creating a new identity for me, one that is more independent and strong. It is something that I have struggled with, but one that I am beginning to see the benefits to. He is working in my life and transforming me. I am a different person this year than last year and for that I am the most thankful!

WINTER BREAK!!

Classes: DONE!!
Lessons: DONE!!
Finals:DONE!!
Orchestra Reading: DONE!!
Concerts: DONE!!
Juries: DONE!!

that's right-break time!! YAY!

QUARTER COUNTDOWN

Quarter countdown: 5 days left
Classes: DONE!!
Lesson: 1
Finals: 2
Orchestra reading: 1
Concerts: 1
Juries:1

CAN"T WAIT FOR BREAK!!!!!

staring out the window

When I consider your heavens,
   the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
   which you have set in place,
⁴ what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
   human beings that you care for them?^[c]
 5 You have made them^[d] a little lower than the angels^[e]
   and crowned them^[f] with glory and honor.
⁶ You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
   you put everything under their^[g] feet:
⁷ all flocks and herds,
   and the animals of the wild,
⁸ the birds in the sky,
   and the fish in the sea,
   all that swim the paths of the seas.
 ⁹ LORD, our Lord,    how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Psalm 8:3-9

Yesterday, as I was sitting in church, I glanced out the window and noticed three children playing on the playground at the park across the street. After that my attention was completely fixated on those children playing. My mind began to compare those children to me, as I was now standing and singing worship. Does God view us differently? Is God involved more in my life, because I'm in church, than the lives of those children? Does He love me more? I don't have answers to these questions, nor do I feel like I NEED answers.
 I was, however, overcome with the beauty of God's sovereignty. God had perfectly planned out that mornings events, blessing the children and me. He blessed the three children by giving them each other, providing time for them to play together, providing the tire swing so that they could all swing together, providing a park where they are able to play, and by creating a warm, sunny morning so that they could play in the park. Looking back on my childhood, the times I played with my friends in the park are precious moments. I am sure that these children will also cherish this time together, as they look back on it later in life. I am sure that God will use this moment, later in their life, possibly to remind them how special family is. God was blessing my life by providing a church to attend, a church body to fill the church, a family to feel a part of, a wonderful boy to sit with, and worshipful songs to sing. As I was watching the children, I was reminded how God had also blessed me in my past, by providing family and friends and a multitude of parks so I could also play.
What amazed me most of all, was that God placed these children at this park, me in the pew I was in, and had Jerome open the adjacent window so that these children could touch my heart. Not only had God blessed each of our lives separately, but had gone one step farther to connect us. In my time watching these children, my heart was worshipping God and His awesome work in a more heart altering way than the songs we were singing. Watching these children turned my heart towards God in amazement of His control over every detail of my life.

Being Crafty

A couple days ago I decided to try my hand at earring making. I went to Michael's after orchestra and bought supplies. I decided to make turquoise earrings to make the shirt I was going to wear the next day. Unfortunately I had to buy an entire strand of turquoise beads, instead of just two. I guess I can save them for another time. I ended up making two pairs.I had so much fun putting the earrings together! I enjoy being creative!














Next I think I want to decorate my apartment for Christmas!

Sibelius

Today I am playing the Sibelius violin concerto in performance class at school. I have really struggled with this piece. It is so opposite from the Mozart style that I so naturally sway towards. It requires a passion and a carelessness that is unnatural for me. It has taken me 10 weeks to find that sounds, but hopefully I have found it. My one prayer for today is that I do not receive a single comment saying "don't play it like Mozart" or "you need to give more". I really feel like hearing that would be crushing! My other reservation towards playing this piece is that it seems like it is everyone's FAVORITE piece. They all seem to have their own ideas about this piece. They will all be listening to me from the perspective of "is she doing what I would do?" The truth is that I really DO like this piece, surprisingly. I really WANT to play it well. If that means that I have to put every ounce of energy I have into it, if that means my body hurts by the end and I am exhausted, that is what I am willing to do! This piece is so hard, but I have also worked so hard on it. I am ready! .....let's go do this! :)

SNOW!

It finally snowed this week! It seemed to take FOREVER this year for it to snow. It is already November!

I love snow! It reminds me of my favorite season: winter, my favorite holiday: christmas, my favorite color: white and my favorite thing: family! Snow is God's way of covering the worlds filth in a clean, white blanket. Snow draws people together. Either it pulls them inside together or they all go outside to play in the snow. Snow means blankets, drinking hot drinks, candles, fires, cinnamon, pine, mittens, scarves, boots, slippers, sweaters, and of course: cuddling!