Amazing Ideas

Have you ever thought up an idea, on a whim, and then completely and utterly fall in love with it?

Yeah, that happened to me this past couple of weeks. Four times. It’s kind of ridiculous. This would have fit perfectly with last month’s theme. Did you realize it’s March and that means there’s a different theme? Kudos to you, I didn’t, which is obvious by my last couple of posts containing the title “Change”. Let’s just assume that it was supposed to be like that, okay? Okay.

Anyway, I digress. The four perfectly perfect ideas I came up with, in the order which I came up with them, are;

1. We should go to Disneyland this fall. 
2. I should do gymnastics and figure skating when I return home this fall.I should also find somewhere that teaches how to use those giant silk things.
3. I should go to Paris next year, or in 2014. With Renaye. 
4. Dude. I SHOULD WORK AT DISNEYLAND AS A PERFORMER AND A PRINCESS. 

Um hello, how amazing are these ideas? Guess what the best part is. They are all achievable.

My parents suggested they drive down with the family and pick us up, and on the way back we’d stop in Disneyland and have some magical fun. I then called my mom back a week later to confirm that this was indeed happening, and that I was seriously looking forward to it. So now that is a plan. I plan on saving lots of money this summer, to enjoy Disneyland as much as possible. Food, souvenirs, etc. I am SO EXCITED. I freaking love Disneyland.

As for gymnastics and figure skating, that’s really not hard. Except the fact that I might die of over exertion. I WILL PREVAIL. (Note that ballet and other forms of dance will also be taken.) I just need to find somewhere that teaches how to use the silks...
The whole inspiration for this is Disney on Ice. Just look at it...so amazing.

 Okay, you might think that traveling to Paris is kind of impractical, and you’d be right. But it’s also worth it. I’d probably want to raise somewhere around $6,000-$8,000 so I’d have plenty of spending money and as well as money for museums and trains and such. But hey, that’s not so bad. It’s pretty accomplishable.

HELLO. IS THIS NOT THE MOST AMAZING AND FANTASTIC IDEA EVER?! My plans were always go to college, possibly get married, open a dance studio. That sounds pretty vague, but for me it was kind of a straight shot. Accomplish this, then that, and then this. But how BORING is that? I mean, I enjoy teaching dance and dance in general, but how incredible would it be to perform at one of my favorite places on earth, helping create the magic that happens there? I think on a scale of 1-10, it’s probably in the millions. That’s how excited I am about this. I’ve looked up tips on how to get hired, positions being offered, college programs…you get the idea.

WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS?! IT'S THE BEST JOB EVER.

I want to be a part of one of those families who goes to Disneyland every year or so. Not enough to wear out the magic, but it enough to make it special. I’ll probably spoil my little girls rotten with princess things. I want to own ALL of the Disney movies, and AHHH can you just IMAGINE?

Better marry a rich guy. Ha ;)

Anyway, there’s my thought for the next couple of days.

~La vie est belle, Bri~

Subtle Captivation, Change: Hair

I read a post last week (yes, I tend to do this a lot) while seriously considering a pixie cut. The post talked about how we make hundreds of decisions a day; who to date, what we’re going to wear, and places to spend our hard earned cash, but how reluctant we are to take risks when it comes to our hair.
“We make decisions one of two ways; the safe way or the risky way.” We often take risks when it comes to dining and dates, so why don’t we do the same with our hair? After all, hair grows back at a remarkable rate.
 The writer of this post quoted a psychiatrist who said that women with short hair “take risks, are independent, and are more comfortable in their skin” than their long haired counterparts. Vince Smith, a salon owner in New York City, agreed with this statement saying, “Wearing your hair shorter allows your true beauty and confidence to show. A short hair style can really accentuate your best features, like your eyes, lips, or a graceful, long neck.”

This came at a great time because I honestly needed a little push to cut my hair. I didn’t get great support from close friends who were stagnantly close minded and seemed to focus more on how much I would regret it then how much I would love it, and were concerned that it wouldn’t look great. Although they did have a point, I needed a bit more open minded discussion about it, so I developed a bit of a pros and cons list.

Pros:

• Because my hair has such bad split ends and breakage, getting a pixie cut would be a new, healthy start that would not only help my hair grow faster, but also be altogether healthier than it is now. 
• A short hair cut is ideal for the hot summer in Utah 
• Getting ready for the day is a lot easier and faster with less hair 
• There are lots of styling opportunity for short hair using gel and a bit of creativity 
• It could look amazing 

 Cons:

• No elegant up dos 
• It’s risky, people might not like it 
• It could look awful 
• You could look like a lesbian (brought up by a friend) 
• You’d probably have to dress more girly so people don’t mistake you for a guy (or the aforementioned lesbian) 

Altogether, I decided pros were better than cons, and took the plunge to chop off 9 inches of light brown curls into a short pixie cut and dye it a deep red. I love my new haircut, but am iffy on the color. Ah well, it’ll fade.

Here's some pictures for you to enjoy :) 

Before hair dye

~La vie est belle, Bri~

Subtle Captivation: Change: New Years Goals

I recently (aka, just an hour or so ago) read a post by a friend (check her out over at A Novel Life) about New Year’s Resolutions. Here, read the post and then come back. Don’t get lost in her amazing and thought jerking posts quite yet.

Read it? Good, let’s continue.

I agreed with basically everything she said, and realized that I actually haven’t written and New Year’s Goals (if you didn’t read her post you’ll probably be a bit confused here). I have “flimsy” thoughts of basically what I want to do. So here I am going to show you how to break down your flimsy goals into achievable ones.

Flimsy Goals: 
Lose Weight 
Get in shape 
Get closer to God 
Get Tan 
Become a Beast 

Let’s break ‘em down.

Lose Weight 
I want to weigh 115 by May

Get in Shape 
I want to be able to run a half marathon, have my splits, and have defined abs.
  
Get Closer to God 
I want to read the entire Book of Mormon again

Get Tan
I want to look like an Oompa Loompa. Just kidding, I’d like to get a nice golden tan to make all my Alaska friends jealous.

Become a Beast 
I want to be able to do pirouettes en pointe’, a vertical penche, bring my leg up to my ear, and do a back hand spring.

Now the goals are a little more defined, but they can get even better. Let’s make a little plan.

Lose Weight 
 I want to weigh 115 by May.

• Do the Smoothie Detox Diet we do smoothies instead of juice because you get more out of it.
• No juice/soda in March 
• No sweets of any kind in April 
• Go on daily walks/runs 

Get in Shape 
I want to be able to run a half marathon, have my splits, and have defined abs.

• Daily walk/run and Tinkerbelle Half Marathon Training 
• Stretch splits every day (wall stretch, splits, etc.) 
• Do the Fab Ab challenge, combine with regular core work out
• Amanda Russel Work Outs

Get Closer to God 
I want to read the entire Book of Mormon again

• Read three chapters of the Book of Mormon every day 

Get Tan 
I’d like to get a nice golden tan to make all my Alaska friends jealous.

• Sunny days at the water park 
• Tan in the back yard 
• Go on walks on sunny days 
• Spend time in the sun, reading or doing homework 

Become a Beast 
I want to be able to do pirouettes en pointe’, a vertical penche, bring my leg up to my ear, and do a back hand spring.

• Practice balancing on one leg, core engaged, on demi pointe and then with pointe shoes 
• Continue ab and core training 
• Stretch all the time 
• Practice back hand springs, maybe find a studio doing tumbling classes  
• Take private ballet classes 

You can add so much more detail to your goals. I have work out plans written up and placed all around the house to remind me to do them. I’m going to add more detail to my plans and print them and pin them to my walls, that way I won’t forget. By breaking your goals down into detail and specifics, they become more achievable and you’re less likely to say “It’s too hard” or “It’s not that important”. Pick things that are important to you, and stick with it.

Well, there ya go. That's my tidbit for today.

~La vie est belle, Bri~

Subtle Captivation, who cares what day anyway?

Seriously, I don't know how long I can keep this up. I might just have to post erratically. I really want to do this though! I want to remember what went on this year, here in Utah....
But dang, seriously, it seems like I never have any time. I guess I'm just lazy. And really, every detail of my life is rather boring. Whatever.

Follow meh on Instagram here. I wonder if you can even make an account without a phone...interesting. Yes, but I honestly love posting pictures there, probably to the dismay of my followers. So you can keep up with me there, as well as at my dance blog, Dancing Day By Day.

Oh, and every now and then I'll post on here or here. That's extremely rare. I mean, especially the clothing one. I still have purple nail polish left on my left hand from my date in January. Although, we did just go shopping for new clothes and I got some pretty amazing clothes...maybe I should go post? Maybe.

Anyway, maybe I'll post tomorrow. That seems to be the keyword here....maybe.

See ya!

~La vie est belle, Bri~

Subtle Captivation, Week Eight/Nine: Change

Oh change…how I loathe you. So much change in the past two weeks! 

Our internet was turned off, so I was unable to post. So I kind of didn’t bother writing…or taking pictures. Well, it’s not just because I didn’t bother! I didn’t really have much time. You see, we moved into another house. Well, we’re in the process of moving into it. I think all of our stuff is here now, but…well, it’s not really ORGANIZED. Which is driving me crazy. Then again, I’m too lazy to do anything about it. 

Because we are moving, I have to make new friends. Yay...

 

It was all warm and then the day we were moving things out of the house and into the new place, it hailed. And then snowed. It’s now windy and cold. What have I done by coming down here?!

I started private ballet classes with my teacher at the studio. Man, is she kicking my butt. My self-esteem about dancing is rather low at the moment. But hey, I’m getting better! Maybe. I don’t know….

Pointe is killing my feet. 

Toodles! 

~La vie est belle, Bri~

Subtle Captivation, Week Seven; Change

2/5/13 Change

Change. That’s the topic of this month. The thought behind this is that I would be going through some change, adjusting to life in Utah, and that the seasons would be changing as well. There’s still snow outside, but that’s part of the change. It’s melting, and the sun is shining through the branches of the trees, slowly warming up the world.

2/6/13 Change

I’ve been trying to get integrated into the ward and the stake, meet people. But I’m so scared that I’m going to scare them off. I don’t feel like I can be myself and as open and fun loving as I am. It’s weird.

2/7/13 Change

Today was warm, and I could smell summer in the air. I feel as if it has been winter for a hundred years, like in Narnia, and the world is finally waking up.

2/8/13 Change

Speaking of change, the world is bipolar. Yesterday the sun was shining and grass was poking through, and today the sky si full of dark grey clouds dumping snow on us by the gallon full. Yay.

2/9/13 Change

I really want to write something. Not this kind of something, a book or story kind of something. But my idea was shot down as impractical and fairy tale like. That’s what I want though! I want a fairy tale ish book, a happily ever after. What I would really like to do is write it in a more “romantic” era. But I don’t have the knowledge to do that, which means a bit of work and research. And then again, I wouldn’t WANT to portray the past eras as dirty and unhygienic (which in reality, they were). I’d want to portray the rolling hills and green scenery, the towering trees and fresh air and clear blue skies and sunshine. I want to write about writing letters instead of texting or emailing, wearing long pretty dresses, reading from a large library. I want to write about something completely impractical while still staying practical. Is that too much to ask? I made a list of what I want to write about, or rather, what I associate with the time I would like to write about (it’s not a complete list).

A castle

A farm

A beautiful girl

Long flowing dresses

And horses galloping through fields

Trees blossoming with flowers

And fancy dirt roads

Books bound with leather

And barefoot toes snuggling green grass

The smell of fresh flowers

And sunshine

And clean air

Strong old men

Women and children

Dogs frolicking and barking

A handsome prince

Birds singing in the tress

A forest tall, wide, and dense

Baths in a trough

And little cottages with gardens out front

Carriages and wagons

Smocks covered in dirt and soot

Small hand sewn dolls

And rough wooden fences

Candles light the night

And fires provide warmth

Thick homemade bread

And cheese

And milk

Subtle Captivation, Week Five: People Around Me, Change

January 22^nd-31^st People Around Me

Hello Monday. We meet again. The day when you’re supposed to be getting back into the routine of things. Kimber went to school and Ben and the kids left. I spent part of the day trying to clean up and the other part being lazy.

Tuesday…it snowed. A lot. The roads were awful. Kimber’s school was cancelled so we took some pictures in the snow for her Beacon application. Woot. It was cold. I didn’t go to ballet.

Wednesday we decorated journals for mutual while watching Pride and Prejudice. I didn’t catch much of the movie, so I borrowed it from my leader.

Thursday….what did I even do on Thursday? I think…I helped watch Miles…and then cleaned Elizabeth and Allan’s house with Grandma and Grandpa. I think we ate pizza that night…or was it Taco Bell? I think it was Taco Bell. Lavish, right?

February 1^st-3^rd Change

Friday I dragged my feet a bit. I wasn’t really inclined to go to Youth Conference. At all. A little bit of a pep talk form Mason (hardly a pep talk really…more of a “you’re gonna go. No matter what.” That’s not exactly what he said, he actually said “Have fun choosing Youth Conference!” but…same thing), and then I watched Pride and Prejudice, which kind of made me giddy (I am a HOPELESS romantic.) So I went. I actually ended up having a pretty good time.

Saturday was a long day. It was fun, but also tiring. We went cross country skiing, and can I just say that that is a MAJOR WORKOUT? I applaud those who do it and regular skiing for fun. That is hard stuff. I got to know some of the young women in the ward a lot better, which was nice. All in all, a pretty good day. But coming home was definitely one of my favorite parts. I laid down on the couch and almost fell asleep.

Sunday…today…ow. Just ow. I hurt all over. Push-ups on Friday night and skiing on Saturday…makes for some pain. We went to sacrament meeting, and then came home because my stomach wasn’t feeling well and Kaleb was being a buttmunch. Kimber did my hair and make-up and we did another one of her pictures for her application. Woohoo, only four letters left.