Practically Perfect in Every Way

I should have posted about my adventures before I left for my family vacation. Because I didn't, I will post them now and do another one on my vacation when I get pictures from my momma. So, the week before I left I realized that I am a lot like Mary Poppins. I am there when people need me, but when the wind changes and they move on to bigger and better things I am left behind without even as much as a goodbye. This has been happening a lot lately. I wanted to feel better, so I made this summer bucket list to keep me occupied. The first item on my summer bucket list was to go to the Mormon Miracle Pageant in Manti. Well, with the help of Alanna and one of her friends, I was able to cross it off. On our way, we saw a cow painted like Iron Man. So weird, but kind of fun. It was definitely picture worthy. When we got to Manti, the first thing I saw was the M on the mountain. What is the big deal with Utah putting letters on mountains? The Y on the mountain is one thing, but the U,M,G, etc. are kind of odd (no bias here). I loved the pageant. It's cheesy glory preceded it. Yes, it was cheesy, but it was amazing. You could feel the Spirit even sitting wrapped up in a blanket, because it was for some reason freezing in the middle of June, in a grassy field. 

 The next day was mine and Makenna's last day in Provo. We decided to have a little fun. We first went to Seven Peaks. No one told us it was the summer solstice so the sun was at its highest and hottest. Being there from 11 to 1, needless to say we got fried! Then we made a trip to the Red Barn and got the biggest "small" ice cream cones I have ever seen! We ended the night with a movie with Meghan and later Dani and Tyler, and our day was made the perfect last day. I mean, there isn't much better than Seven Peaks and a huge serving of ice cream. Knowing the two of us, you know there were good laughs. I already miss that girl. Spending the last day with Makenna and Meghan was the best thing ever.

Adventures and a Summer Bucket List

Finals week always has to be packed full of adventures, mishaps, fun, and stress. They just do. I thought maybe since it is spring term it would be different. I thought wrong. Sunday was just the beginning filled with a mission farewell, Father's Day, a dessert party, running into a friend, and staying up super late. Monday was your average Monday... Nothing special there. Tuesday I took my first final... on reading day. That's just wrong. I think I did well though. I also got to go to lunch with Eric which made it all worth it! I have said it before, and I will say it again. I am really going to miss that kid. We even got to do a group text with our BYUSA group. I missed seeing that group at the top of my text message list. Then, a trip to the park with Mak from which I have sore muscles, four broken nails, yet another bruise, sore feet, and I smell like dirt. We then went on a two and a half mile walk. When I got home I read scriptures and collapsed in my bed still dirty and in my clothes but too tired to care. That brings us to today. I woke up still dirty and in my clothes. I woke up way to early. I took my last final that did not go as well as I would have hoped. I went to sell my books back and ran into Andrew's older brother. I made things awkward, blushed, and ran away. Didn't sell my books back. Finally got home and went to the temple with Mak. We were in and out in less than an hour which was nice, but I left feeling like I wanted to be there for longer. I felt a lot better afterwards though. I also spent some time getting ready for my trip. I then got to go out with my dear Kennedy. The more I spend time with her, the more I just love her. We had a ton of fun, and I got the privilege of taking her in her first car ride with the top of the car down. She laughed in excitement the whole way home. She is just the cutest. Then, on my way home I picked up Meghan who was walking our way, and we went out with all of the freshman roomies. Best. Thing. Ever. Having all of them together was nothing less than a night filled with good food, better laughs, model poses, boozy shakes, awkward hand touches, and oh so much more that you wish you could be a part of. It was a blast! Also, while I was studying for my finals and my mind was wandering, I realized there are a few things I want to do this summer. If some of them have to go into the fall, I guess that would be okay. I just know I want to do them. I want to make the most of the time I am at school. So, here is my summer bucket list. 

1. Mormon Miracle Pageant in Manti

2. Utah Arches National Park

3. Yellowstone National Park

4. Salt Lake Seven Peaks

5. Mona Rope Swings

6. Olympic Park in Park City

7. Spanish Fork Hot Springs

8. Thanksgiving Point Gardens

9. Visit Las Vegas or California

10. Do baptisms for the dead in the Logan Temple
And... Here are a few pictures from the past week. Okay, maybe more than a few.

Mourning the End of My Humanities Class

So, my Humanities class is over. I do not think I have ever been this sad to say I am done with a class. Ever. I loved my teacher, and even though the class was two hours long three days a week and had an assignment due almost every class I loved everything I learned. I feel like I got cultured in that class. So, because I am so sad that it is over I am going to show some of my favorite pieces of art or music we talked about and tell you why I like them. 

I will attack the music part first. Mother I Will Have a Husband. Go listen to it if you ever need a good laugh. "Mother, I will have a husband... Mother, I will sure have one, in spite of her, that will have none." Second, Bradenburg Concerto No. 2. I honestly just think this is beautiful. Well done, Bach. Listening to La Mer by Debussy, if you close your eyes, it is almost like you are on the beach listening to the waves. Then, Nocturne by Chopin. I could fall asleep to this every night and feel wonderful. And, I know this is weird, but I really want to go and see the opera La Traviata when the Utah Opera performs it next year. It is in Italian, and I love the story it tells. Bucket list... 

Now for the art. I have told you that I love the painting Madonna of Loreto by Caravaggio. You know why too, but I will put it up again because it is really my favorite. 

Renoir... I love how he depicts the different classes doing the same thing. Dance in the City (upper class), Dance in the Country (middle class), and Dance at Bougival (lower class) are all beautiful even if the women look strangely alike... And, I love this Rodin statue called The Kiss. I am kind of upset with BYU for not displaying it when they had it... I know old people would be like, "What is happening to The BYU?!" (They always call it the BYU. I don't know why.) I think it deserves to be shown. Anyone who can work marble like that and make something this beautiful deserves the credit. 

 Cassatt with Maternal Kiss just reminded me of my momma. Got to love a little ginger baby. 

 Eakins and Maude Cook. Not everyone is perfect, but there is beauty in everyone. 

 Salvador Dali and Christ of St. John of the Cross. I usually don't like Dali, but I like this one painting of his. The Angle is just beautiful, Christ has no nails showing this sacrifice was made willingly. 

Once again, Renoir made the list with Portrait of Irene Cahan d'Anvers. His technique with her hair allows him to be on the paintings I love list more than once. It looks real. Then come Love Letters and Reverie by Boucher. The story behind these is sketchy, but the paintings are lovely and kind of whimsical with the weird cloud trees and all. 

 Monet with Boulevard des Capucines and Nympheas. These are beautiful and prove to me not everything always has to be perfect to be beautiful. If you get up close to these paintings, they are awful. You have to move back to appreciate the true beauty. 

 Irises and Starry Night by Van Gogh. Just classics. 

 Okay, so Renoir made the list three times. I'm really not showing favoritism, but the lighting in this next painting is remarkable. Seriously. Also, I am pretty sure he was sexist. Have you realized that men are always turned away or not in the picture at all? Suspicious. Without further ado, this is Le Moulin de la Galette which depicts a nice Sunday afternoon. I wish my Sunday afternoons looked like this much fun!

The Scream. Let's face it. If you have nightmares tonight, this will be there. I hate this painting. It is beyond disturbing. I do like the meaning it has though. Munch wanted to show an overwhelming sense of anxiety. This is an external conveyance of internal feelings. The whole painting rather than just the person is a scream. I know I have felt like this before, so I can connect with it... I would rather keep it internal though. 

The Empire Light by Magritte. Weird lighting, but I just love it. You don't always have to follow the rules. 

 The Milkmaid by Vermeer shows that simplicity is beautiful too. 

New York Movie shows that one can feel alone surrounded by tons of people.  

 Georgia O'Keefe... I never really liked her before because she was Mrs. Demmick's favorite. Well, I got past that and realized how beautiful her paintings are (before she went to New Mexico that is). They remind me of some photos I have taken from Thanksgiving Point. She said she wanted the busy New Yorkers to see flowers the way she saw them. 

The last artist we learned about was Pollock. I would not necessarily like his work in my house, but I like the meaning behind it. He said rather than just painting an object, he liked the idea of expressing how he felt. A technique is just a means of arriving at a statement. Now, look at this and tell me you have not felt like this at some point in time... 

So, these were the ones that stood out to me the most. I hope you can enjoy them as much as I did. Don't ask yourself if you would want it. Ask yourself if you can look at it and enjoy/connect with/ understand it.