Getting Ready for Christmas Eve Party

Time to wake up: Leave me alone! I don’t wanna get up….just let me sleep, I’m tired!
Finally got up: I don’t want to eat breakfast, I just want to clean and be done with it.
1st hour into cleaning/baking: This isn’t so bad…we’ll be done soon anyway.
2nd hour into cleaning/baking: I should have eaten that breakfast…
3rd hour: My feet hurt, my head hurts, and I want to lie down and die.
3 ½ hours: Why do we even celebrate Christmas?
3 ¾: WHY?!
4th hour: *laying on the floor, face down*
1st hour of party: I am so happy that we have friends here to celebrate Christmas!
2nd hour of party: FOOOOOOD BABY......
3rd hour: I’m not cleaning the kitchen when they leave.
4th hour: When are they going to leave?
4 ½ hours: They’re finally gone….
1st hour of clean up: What is that smelly wasteland? Oh…it’s the kitchen.
1 1/2 hours: I need a hasmat suit.
2 hours, fifteen minutes: ALMOST FINISHED….
2 ½ hours: *dead on the couch*

~La vie est belle, Bri~

Can you believe it?

Can you believe the year is nearly over? Christmas is almost here, and I'm sad that we missed out on several things we usually do this time of year. Twelve Days of Christmas (boy, could I tell some great stories), ward Christmas party, pictures with Santa (I can't remember the last time we did that), and just relaxing.
It's been pretty hectic.
I can't believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve. It just snuck up on me and is tapping me on the shoulder, brewing excitement in my tummy, Marshall. We have family coming tomorrow for our annual Christmas party, where we'll perform the Nativity, and exchange a couple gifts. We'll eat and sing and laugh and in general have a good time. A child or two will break down, fall into a sugar coma, and the older kids might play Ghost in the Graveyard outside.
Life is good.
I'll post pictures from tomorrow, I swear (it'll probably have to wait until after Christmas though, but it WILL get done). For now, good night.

~La vie est belle, Bri~

ACBA Christmas Show

This post is going to be a little scatter brained, just to warn you before hand.

Last Saturday I went to see one of my best friends, Helen, perform at the The Alaska Center for the Performing Arts in Anchorage (the PAC for short). It was a hectic day, trying to make sure I had my ticket (my daddy called in to get it. The silly online site didn't register that the address we typed in did indeed match the credit card number), getting my clothes washed (hey, I didn't have time at home!), shopping for the perfect gift, and getting to the theater on time. In the end, I was dressed in one of my favorite dresses (black strapless with a maroon shirt underneath), and waiting awkwardly in a lobby-like area upstairs where the ticket vendor had directed me.

So, I'm standing there, feeling extremely lonely, hoping Helen could for the love of nature and all things pretty text me back, when I hear somebody call my name. I turn and to my delight, I see MRS. LINDAMOOD!!!!! Yes, I was super excited to see her, and promptly glued myself to her for the rest of the night, except of course during the performance. When I was pointed to my seat, I sat for around 10 minutes before I was informed that I was sitting in the wrong seat, and moved back a row. The family that took my place were hilarious to watch and listen to. Parents and two daughters (one probably 17-19 year old, and one stubborn 5-6 year old). The conversation we had went along these lines:

Dad So, you're coming to the ballet alone?
Me: Yes. I've come to see a friend.
Mom: Oh, is she a dancer?
Me: Yes, she is. *smiles sweetly*
Dad: And whats her name?
Me: Helen Lindamood.
Them: Ooh.
*pause of a couple minutes*
Dad: So, are you a ballet dancer too?
Me: yes, I am.
Mom: Oooh, were you in The Nutcracker?
Me: *rolling eyes inwardly* No, I didn't audition in time.
Them: *sympathetic look*
Me: *smiles and looks back at program*
Little girl: *stubbornly not sitting in front by her sister* Mom I want to dance for flowers!
Mom: You can, but we need to sit down and watch this first,.
Dad: Hey, why don't you go sit by her? *nods toward me* she's a REAL ballet dancer
Little girl: *doubtfully sits down*


It kinda sorta made my day right next to Helen's birthday present.

On with the show! They had guest dancers from a ballet company in Idaho. They did a Pas De Deux, and it was beautiful, but because I didn't have light enough to read my program (and hadn't had enough time anyway), I totally assumed it was Alex Lammon who was dancing....*cough* this IS a compliment, by the way.

(The above picture isn't the Pas De Deux I saw, or even the same dancers, but you get the idea.)

I was delighted when, during the Waltz of the Snowflakes, "real" snow fell onstage. It added a magical touch to the performance, and I could hear people whispering around me "It's snow!" "SNOW!" "Look, snow!". I smirked subtly to myself. Helen did a pas de deux with a guy named Oscar Gonzalez. It was beautiful, despite what she keeps saying, even though I think it's kind of awkward, a 16-year-old dancing with a 40-year-old guy. The Christmas Extravaganza was HILARIOUS. That's all I have to say about that. The Trepak was absolutely amazing as well.

But, what remains my all time favorite though was Drumming Song. That would be Helen's modern/lyrical dance. It was freaking AMAZING. And I looooove it. And I wish I could have recorded it...because it was AMAZING.

~La vie est belle, Bri~

New puppy

Okay, I know I said in the last post I'd try and get some pictures up, but I haven't had the chance yet. Maybe I'll get some from Christmas morning? We'll see. I did get ONE picture though, even if it's not the best. We got a new puppy for an early Christmas present, and to prove it to Renaye I had to take a picture, so here it is.

Just call him Oliver, even though we haven't officially decided yet.

~La vie est belle, Bri~

My Favorite Birthday Wishes

Here are my favorite "Happy birthday"s I got yesterday(and yes, I am actually gonna post al these fantastic compliments and stuff that I got because I feel like it).

I woke up to this text from my best friend, Helen:

My dearest Sabrina, it is now your birthday. You are now fifteen. OH MY GOSH FOR THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS WE'LL ONLY BE ONE YEAR APART!! but I digress. Anyhow. Happy birthday my dear. You are beautiful and sweet and freaking hysterical and now you're old. Congrats. Being 15 is not like the coolest thing in the world, but hey, people can't confuse you for a middle schooler anymore. Any yes. Now I'm just saying whatever comes to mind. Just know that you are beautiful and I love you and you should stop putting yourself down and post on your blog because I love reading it. I hope you have the best birthday EVER and I shall give you your present on Saturday. (: Happy birthday love <3
Oh. Any my mother says, "tell my goddaughter I say happy birthday, too."

This is a wall post from my wifey, Beka:

My darling wife. I love you more than green tea, more than hot cocoa, more than bacon and more than all things chocolate. I may call you today, so pick up yo phone! By the way, sorry about the dorky sounding message and the many missed calls. Sorry that you don't have your present, but I do have it and am still attempting to send it to you. Today I was going to send it but had to go study at the c...ollege for finals. I am going to send it to you, maybe after finals are completely over. I'm setting a deadline for myself as far as those go; by midnight tomorrow at least two of my finals have to be completely finished and then I'll do the last one of Friday before 3. Blah.
Anyways, I'm trying not to make this Happy Birthday message drag on to long, I've already failed, so...I may call you today and sing you Happy Birthday, but prettyful like. It won't sound like a Williamsburg Happy Birthday song. I. Promise.

I love you, wife o' mine, with every single one of my organs!! ♥

This one, from my besty that lives close to me, made me laugh because she seems more excited that I'm fifteen than I am:

I loves you! Miss ya bunches! Sorry I can't be there. :(

YOU'RE FIFTEEN! Ahhhhhhhhhhh!

She later posted this picture that she took and edited on my wall:

 That's right. She's the bomb.

Helen posted on my wall on Facebook:

I was going to come up with an interesting way to say happy birthday, but I think last night's text drained my creativity (shocking, I know). But anywho. Happy birthday, love. Eat lots of cake and ice cream for me and I shall see you on Saturday. ♥ ♥ ♥

And that is all folks, catcha later :) (hopefully with pictures of moi as a new fiteen year old).

~La vie est belle, Bri~

Benefits of Ballet

(Note: this wasn't written by me, although the picture is of me.)

Whether you're looking for an activity for yourself or for your child, ballet offers many potential benefits for both body and mind. It's a total body workout that requires both discipline and focus but is also quite enjoyable. Plus, ballet is usually taught in a group setting which gives you the opportunity to interact with other dancers. Here are some of the many benefits of ballet:

Ballet benefit: Promotes better posture

Ballet exercises require the use of good posture and alignment. For this reason, many ballet classes teach postural alignment exercises which help to promote good posture and create awareness of good alignment as you carry out your daily activities.

Ballet benefit: Sculpts and tones your body

The movements taught in ballet classes are designed to tone and firm muscles without developing bulk so you develop long and lean muscles as opposed to thick, bulky ones.


Ballet benefit: Develops poise and body awareness

When you take ballet lessons, you're taught a series of simple exercises called the barre. These exercises are designed to help build poise and grace which are necessary traits that a successful ballerina must have. These exercises are repeated at each class to help build balance, strength, and poise.


Ballet benefit: Helps to relieve stress

When you perform ballet exercises and movements, it relaxes your mind and removes you from the cares of the world. Your focus shifts to concentrating on each movement and the placement of your legs and arms. Many people report they can actually feel their stress melt away when they focus on ballet.

Ballet benefit: Promotes creative expression

Ballet is not simply a form of exercise, although it does provide many of the health benefits of exercise. It's also a form of artistic expression. You interpret each dance movement in your own unique way and it becomes your own personal expression. This can be quite therapeutic for both mind and body.



Ballet benefit: Promotes flexibility.

The movements of ballet are quite effective in promoting flexibility. Ballet uses muscles that are seldom used in other sports, giving you a total body flexibility workout.

Ballet benefit: Strengthens the back and abdominal muscles.

Ballet is an excellent form of exercise to strengthen and develop the core muscles of your back and abdomen. This may result in less back pain and a flatter abdomen. Ballet participants often notice that their waistlines become more defined over time.

~La vie est belle, Bri~

I don’t want to diet; I want to get in shape.

So, if you’ve ever danced, you know that natural instinct that insists you do everything perfectly immediately. It’s unavoidable. Even if your teachers are pushing you hard (and believe me, teachers can be super harsh sometimes), the one who’s really pushing is you. Dancers have a tendency to be extremely unforgiving of our mistakes, even when we don’t have to be. It’s a mental glitch placed the moment you step into a studio for your first class.


I used to think it was hilarious how my friend Helen would look at pictures of her dancing and call out every little thing that was wrong with her technique. I would tell her how it looked great, stop fussing, and she would in turn glower at the picture some more. I would think to myself how she’s just over exaggerating.

But now I’m

Just.
Like.
Her.

I notice every single thing that’s wrong in any videos or pictures taken of me while I was dancing, and I just end up feeling down and depressed.

Why do we do this to ourselves? 

When I first started dancing again my mom confiscated the scale. She insisted that dancers have an unnatural fixation with their weight and are prone to getting eating disorders. My first reaction to this was annoyance. I argued that, hey, you’re over reacting. I don’t need to lose weight, I’m skinny enough. I am not going to get an eating disorder. I love food too much!

But, after a whole semester at the dance studio? Yes, those last two statements are the only two I still believe. Don’t go all psycho on me though, hear me out. If you could see all the girls at the dance studio, you’d understand why I started feeling out of place, or “fat”. I can’t help looking at pictures and watching videos and all the while lamenting the fact that my hips look funny and my shoulders always seem to be hunched over (IMA HUNCH BACK!). I’m not fat, by every day standards, so why do I put myself down?

Because I could be better. 

Along with tossing the scale, my mom also forbade any “dieting”. The problem with this is that my mom has a significantly loose definition of what a “diet” is. Even the most discreet suggestion of maybe eating more fruit and vegetables (“eating healthier”) is always met with a suspicious look and opens up a lecture on how I am perfect the way I am.

But seriously, what’s wrong with trying to improve myself? Everyone can be better, so why not me?

There are so many diets out there in the world right now, some healthier than others, so naturally when someone tells you they need to get skinnier and lose some weight, the first thing that pops into your mind is a diet, right?

That’s why I like the phrase “get in shape” better. It’s more centered around exercising and eating healthier things than limiting what you eat and not eating too much in one day. Obviously, I’d have to make sacrifices (such as; not as much sugar, McDonald’s, etc.). If there is one thing right now that I want to learn more about, its nutrition. This is going to sound really stupid, but I have no idea what calories are and how they affect our bodies. When I was younger, sitting at the dinner table, my sister and mom were talking about how many calories our rolls had. When I inquired what they meant, I was told that I was too young to worry about it.

Now, even If I were to ask, it’d be the simple version intended to make it sound like not a big deal so I wouldn’t worry my pretty little head about how much I weigh. Can you imagine how many times I roll my eyes a day?

I don’t want to diet; I want to get in shape.

As a last thought, I’d like to go back to what I said about dancers being over dramatic and self-conscious. Almost every dancer you could ask, they would say that they have made this or that mistake. In the words of Bekah Cornell, “If we did everything perfectly, no one would come to our recitals because they’d have seen it all before. Our mistakes make us unique and original.”

~La vie est belle, Bri~

Physical Fitness

Great way to get into the habit of running without completely killing yourself first!

Week 1: Run one minute. Walk 90 seconds. Repeat eight times. Do three times a week.

Week 2: Run two minutes. Walk one minute. Repeat seven times. Do three times a week.

Week 3: Run three minutes. Walk one minute. Repeat six times. Do three times a week.

Week 4: Run five minutes. Walk two minutes. Repeat four times. Do three times a week.

Week 5: Run eight minutes. Walk two minutes. Repeat three times. Do three times a week.

Week 6: Run twelve minutes. Walk one minute. Repeat three times. Do three times a week.

Week 7: Run fifteen minutes. Walk one minute. Repeat three times. Do three times a week.

Week 8: Run thirty minutes. Walk one minute. Repeat three times. Do three times a week.

Starting Monday. *rubs hands together in anticipation of the cold weather, the burning ears, the runny nose, the dry throat, the sore legs, and most of all, a skinnier, more in shape body*

~La vie est belle, Bri~

Five and Ten Year Plans

In Five Years I will have…

• Graduated from high school in the spring of 2014
• Been accepted to a college (an arts college or BYU) and attended my Freshman and Sophomore years (2014-15, 2015-16) studying dance, business management, and creative writing.
• Attended church diligently 

I could have…

• Taught at a local studio of dance for extra money
• Visited my family for holidays
• Gotten tan 

In Ten Years I will have…

• Graduated college with a (doctorate? Bachelors?) in dance.
• Gotten married in the temple.
• Opened a dance studio (with Renaye?) in (a state that’s not too warm but not too cold). 

I could have…

• Held a calling in the church.
• Visited with old friends.
• Watched Helen perform an amazing ballet piece with a ballet company.

My Goals

My Goals (Summer 2012)

1)      Dance at Sonja’s

a.       Ballet 2b

b.      Jazz 3b

c.       Lyrical 2

d.      Modern 1/2  

2)      Get through Pre-Algebra

3)      Catch up in Seminary

What I need

1)      Dance

a.       $700+ for classes and gas/food

b.      Advance in my classes during spring semester

2)      Math

a.       Workbook

b.      Time

3)      Seminary

a.       Scriptures

b.      Manual

c.       Time

My Plans

Dance

1)      Advance to the higher classes (mentioned above)

a.       Be more attentive in class

b.      Workout/Stretch Daily

                                                               i.      10 minute jog

                                                             ii.      50 crunches

                                                            iii.      Ballet ab work

                                                           iv.      Other stretches  

c.       Practice more

                                                               i.      Barre work

d.      More outgoing in class

                                                               i.      Ask questions (at the end of class, preferably)

e.      Eat healthier

                                                               i.      Not a diet, just healthier food. No more McDonald’s and soda all the time!

2)      Money

a.       Penny Per Page

                                                               i.      “I’m working towards a scholarship for dance”.

                                                             ii.      Maybe make a video of me dancing, and explaining what I want?

b.      Babysitting

                                                               i.      For gas/food money

c.       Photography

                                                               i.      Ask mom

Pre-Algebra

1)      Do an hour a day

a.       Stay on schedule

Seminary

1)      Do a lesson a day

a.       Extra when I can

2)      Read my scriptures

a.       Every night

Meet Ziva

Meet Ziva, my new camera. Or, my mom's new camera that is for my use.

Yeah, I like the sound of "my camera" better. My camera is a Nikon 5100 DSLR. perty amazing, right?

 

Here's some pictures I took of Katie the day after I got the camera, edited in Photoshop. 

  

 

~La vie est belle, Bri~

The Man of My Dreams

Another "click on the picture to see the post" from my Auntie Amy. She is by far my favorite Aunt in the world, and she inspires me so much. I love this post about her husband, and hope someday I'll be lucky enough to find someone like him :)

~La vie est belle, Bri~

You may live in Alaska if....

Since I live in Alaska, I found this hilarious:

You may live in Alaska...

Forget Rednecks, here is what Jeff Foxworthy has to say about Alaskans:

If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you may live in Alaska.

If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you may live in Alaska.

If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you may live in Alaska.

If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Alaska.

If you know several people who have hit a moose more than once, you may live in Alaska.

If you have switched from 'heat' to 'A/C' in the same day and back again, you may live in Alaska.

If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you may live in Alaska.

If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you may live in Alaska.

If you carry jumpers in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you may live in Alaska.

If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you may live in Alaska.

If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph -- you're going 80 and everybody is passing you, you may live in Alaska.

If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you may live in Alaska.

If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction, you may live in Alaska.

If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you may live in Alaska.

If you find 10 degrees 'a little chilly', you may live in Alaska.

If you actually understand these jokes, and forward them to your entire Alaskan friends & others, you definitely live in Alaska..

~La vie est belle, Bri~

Marriage

Married or not, you should read this.

“When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, I’ve got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes.

Suddenly I didn’t know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the topic calmly. She didn’t seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, why?

I avoided her question. This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man! That night, we didn’t talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer; she had lost my heart to Jane. I didn’t love her anymore. I just pitied her!

With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company. She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said for I loved Jane so dearly. Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now.

The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table. I didn’t have supper but went straight to sleep and fell asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Jane. When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again.

In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn’t want anything from me, but needed a month’s notice before the divorce. She requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple: our son had his exams in a month’s time and she didn’t want to disrupt him with our broken marriage.

This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into out bridal room on our wedding day. She requested that every day for the month’s duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door ever morning. I thought she was going crazy. Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request.

I told Jane about my wife’s divorce conditions. She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce, she said scornfully.

My wife and I hadn’t had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mommy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly; don’t tell our son about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office.

On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn’t looked at this woman carefully for a long time. I realized she was not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her.

On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me. On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again. I didn’t tell Jane about this. It became easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger.

She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger. I suddenly realized that she had grown so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily.

Suddenly it hit me…she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head.

Our son came in at the moment and said, Dad, it’s time to carry mom out. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life. My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day.

But her much lighter weight made me sad. On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. I held her tightly and said, I hadn’t noticed that our life lacked intimacy. I drove to office, jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind…I walked upstairs. Jane opened the door and I said to her, Sorry, Jane, I do not want the divorce anymore.

She looked at me, astonished, and then touched my forehead. Do you have a fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Jane, I said, I won’t divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn’t value the details of our lives, not because we didn’t love each other anymore. Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death do us apart. Jane seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away. At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, I’ll carry you out every morning until death do us apart.

That evening I arrived home, flowers in my hands, a smile on my face, I run up stairs, only to find my wife in the bed - dead. My wife had been fighting CANCER for months and I was so busy with Jane to even notice. She knew that she would die soon and she wanted to save me from the whatever negative reaction from our son, in case we push through with the divorce.— At least, in the eyes of our son—- I’m a loving husband….

The small details of your lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, property, the money in the bank. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves.

So find time to be your spouse’s friend and do those little things for each other that build intimacy. Do have a real happy marriage!

If you don’t share this, nothing will happen to you.

If you do, you just might save a marriage. Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”

~La vie est belle, Bri~

Blue Butterfly

Butterflies make me happy. You know, I've only ever seen orange butterflies? Until I found this picture among my friends album on Facebook "Reeeeeeeeally old pictures" (<---or along the lines of that). I edited the picture so it looks like this, and I am thoroughly in love with it.

Blue butterflies are the ones the flit around in my stomach when I'm nervous or excited. They're special. And This is my new background on my computer.

~La vie est belle, Bri~

Broken Binky

Click on the picture to view a post from my Aunt Amy that inspires me. I love my Aunt Amy,a nd want to be just like her when I grow up.

~La vie est belle, Bri~

Vaccines

This is Ian Gromowski 9 days after the hepatitis b vaccination. It caused a serious reaction, which proved fatal. Ian's parents set up a website to warn other parents about the harm vaccines can cause.

Visit 'Ian's Voice' here:

http://iansvoice.org/default.aspx

When I saw this picture circulating on Facebook, I wanted to cry. This is so awful! Vaccines are not safe, and I am never vaccinating my children. 

Child Abduction

Click on the picture to view a video that is being passed around Facebook. The video is about child abduction.

This signature seems almost silly to attach to this post: ~La vie est belle, Bri~

I'm an Auntie!

I'm an Auntie!! This little boy is Kimber's, Kaleb Charles born 1am on October 19th. 8lbs 7oz, 21 1/2".

~La vie est belle, Bri~

*silently laughing*

~La vie est belle, Bri~

My Photography

~La vie est belle, Bri~

Classical Ballet vs. Modern/Lyrical

I spent Thursday and Friday with my amazing friend, Helen. The whole point of the trip was because it was "Bring a Friend" week at her studio. I got to watch her classical ballet classes and her modern class.

I easily figured out which I prefer.

Now, my brain was impaired by lack of sleep, therefore impairing my ability to judge, but the thing is....ballet put me to sleep and modern didn't. My theory is that the reason I was falling asleep was not only because of lack of sleep, but also because watching ballet barre work with classical music in the background is...repetitive and somewhat...soothing? Eh, well, either way watching Helen's footwork (which was amazing, so all of you know), was just...so...peaceful...and...*yawns* zzzzzzzzzz.............

I like lyrical and modern because they're not as stuffy as classical ballet, more free in their movement. Ballet is all about perfection. The right angle to hold your foot, straight lines for your arabesque, square your body, don't sickle your foot, make those calves burn with your precision in moving your foot across the floor.....who am I kidding? I don't think I'll ever get to that level. Those girls are amazing, and I am supremely jealous.

Maybe when I get a little farther along? I love ballet, but at some times I just get so frustrated with it. I can only do so much at a time.

Check with me this time next year and see what I think then....

~La vie est belle, Bri~

Boatlift

"If you wanna do something, you do it."

~La vie est belle, Bri~

Too Funny :)

I couldn't wait for tomorrow, these had to be shared!

~La vie est belle, Bri~

The "B" Students

Click on the picture. Do it.


Do it.

~La vie est belle, Bri~

How To Debate

So, I like politics, right? Right. And I thought I had a pretty good hand on what my views were. I knew I didn't like Barack Obama. Why? Well, he's a Democrat....and he's wasting money...and...and....well, he's just not right for the job...right? Well, I was made a member of a group on a site called Goodreads, and it had a thread called "Barack Obama". Of course my thought is that hey, I should post in there.

So I did.

Every couple days someone would respond to me, and we had this nice little chat about Barack Obama; I got slammed a couple times, but it never bothered me. Well, since I had so much fun with that, I decided "hey, why don't I start my own political group where we can talk about this stuff all the time?"

So I did.

My mistake was naming the group "Political Debates HERE". Notice the word debates in the title. I didn't really mean debates, I meant having discussions and learning from each other, finding the truth. Agreeing to disagree. I should have named the group "Political Discussions HERE", and avoided the "How to Debate" lessons I received from a fellow member.

How to Debate:

1) Sarcasm is a great way to undermine your opponent's confidence while putting on the image of being superior and more educated than they are.

2) By ridiculing your opponents intelligence, you will gain confidence yourself as well as the support of other less confident members.

3) Remember to insult your opponent every chance you get.

4) You're not looking for the truth, you're just trying to win.

I'd advise not engaging in political debates. They never end well.

~La vie est belle, Bri~

Per. Fec. Tion.

This video is sheer perfection. Kept me laughing the whole time, and it's easy to follow. I hope I will someday be able to pull something like that off.

~La vie est belle, Bri~

Unusual Treats

Like many people, I enjoy several "unusual treats", something you would usually think would be gross. Some of the more usual unusual treats are brownie batter and cookie dough, chocolate covered strawberries (hey now, I know this isn't QUITE unusual, but I love them), but there are some more weird ones I and other friends enjoy.

This is peanut bitter graham crackers. It is HEAVENLY. All you need is a jar of peanut butter and some graham crackers, and you've got a quick snack.

More graham crackers and a thing of frosting. Oh yes.


Peanut butter banana sandwiches. Do I need to even EXPLAIN this?

Another thing one of my friends enjoy is mixing ice cream flavors, such as pistachio and mango. I have to try that one.

Last but not least, chocolaty ballerina boys.

If you are not Helen or Aurora, you will probably never get this and may think it is very inappropriate. don't really care.

I love food.

Here is a conversation about it with my friend Renaye:

Me: I like butta

Renaye: I like syrup...

Me: me too...

Renaye: I like food...

Me: Oh my gosh, me too!

Renaye: Food is so good! Who wouldn't love food?

Me: *raises hand* OH OH OH O H PICK ME OVER HERE, ME!

Renaye: Okay?

Me: Anorexic people *giggles* Oooh and bulimic people!

Renaye: Bulimic people like food, they just choose to throw it up

Me: Oh you're right....

Yes, we're weird, but we just love food, okay?

Are there any unusual treats you enjoy that you'd like me to try? Feel free to comment!

~La vie est belle, Bri~

Aspiring and Envying

My desire to become a dance coupled with my interest in photography makes me not only envy but aspire to these pictures.


I just love this.

Seriously gorgeous picture!


This picture reminds me of this next one that my friend took.

My friend took this, isn't it amazing? This is at a performance, I think...it may be at a rehearsal.

Bokah is pretty cool, and this picture uses it in an exquisite matter.


Flexibility: something I am in desperate need of.

This last one is definitely my favorite. The flower as a skirt just makes my stomach tingle with the desire to capture a photo like this.


~La vie est belle, Bri~