a happy homemade wreath...

all you need:

-a craft wreath

-ribbon
-or (my preference) yarn
-some felt to make flowers

(you can find plenty of tutorials on how to make them online)

Wrap the wreath with the yarn, and pin or sew on a few felt flowers.

Make a ribbon hanger.

and here is the final product.

home

• a house, apartment, orother shelter that is usually the residence of a person,family or other household
• the place or region where something is native or most common
• any place of residence or of refuge: a heavenly home

There is something about being at home.

Something warm, comforting, and loving.

When I think of home, most times I think about my mom having warm cookies and fresh baked bread in the kitchen with candles glowing invitingly. I think of blankets piled on the end of the bed, just in case it got cold in the middle of the night. I think of family night in our sweet little house.

Sometimes, though, when I think of home, I think of another building entirely.

During my time at Brigham Young University-Idaho,

I spent about 85% of my time in this sweet, humble building:

it was, quite simply, my home.

I performed on this stage over 50 times during my time at byui;

and had countless more rehearsals to get those performances prepared.

...this was the place I prepared my audition for graduate school.

And since I had a key to the building, (and knew all the secret ways to get in)

I would often let myself in when I just needed to dance off a bad day by myself.

I got kicked out by security a few times...

(except the byui security guard was sweet, not this big, and his name was chad)

I wonder how many magical moments I had on this stage.

...a hundred? A thousand?

I think more.
(yes. that's gideon)

After all, this was the place where I found myself.

I don't know how many times I walked these halls.

How many times I took a delightful sip from this, my favorite water fountain of all time.(perfect pressure, perfect temperature, and the perfecet height)
And right outside Wendy Bone's office
(where I worked for my last semester)

How many times did I run up and down these steps hurrying to and from rehearsal?

Or sit under this lovely tree...

(outside of the kirkham)

to study my homework, chat with a friend, or just take a nap.

This was the door from the stage to the outside world.

But inside the kirkham- it was just home.

It was in this building that I first met Gideon.

Where we became such good friends.

This is the building where Gideon pulled me aside, sat me down,

and told me that he had 'more than friend' feelings for me...

(in this room)

...then, over a year later, after Gideon told me that he loved me,

this was the building where I got my courage up to tell him that I loved him back.

(on these steps)

and, when the most pivitol moment of my life came,

when Gideon proposed to me,

it was in this building.

Because of these memories, Oscar A. Kirkham will always be dear to me.

Gideon and I are still so young; and we have so many seasons of life to experience.

But so far, I think our years on Dance Alliance have been the best of our lives.

Each company became a family.

And when we came to watch this weekend's performance, gid and I just stared (jaws touching the floor) the STUNningly talented dancers as they blew our minds. I cheered SO loudly for people who's names I don't know; people who I've never even seen before. You can bet your boots I also hooted and hollered for those who I do know- and love so much. It's a totally new company- but to me, they've just joined a big family that previous (and future) dance alliances consist of.

That gives me an excuse to hug loved ones and strangers alike (till neither of us can breathe), and babble on and on about how I adore them.

So many memories hit me like a semi bolting at a dangerous speed this weekend.

This was my life during all of my university years. I should say, actually, this was our life. Because Gid and I both were (are) so passionate about dance.

And now, when we visit the kirkham, and rather than perform on the stage,
sit in the audience and applaud the

S-E-N-S-A-T-I-O-N-A-L

current company,

Dance Alliance 2010

"A Night on Broadway"

we're cheering for family.

(whether they like it or not)

And I think we know we're still at home.

I think I can,

...can't I?

No- I definitely can.

...right?

We've been through this.

You know how I'm a dreamer.

Well. Sometimes I'm a dreamer with low self confidence.

Somedays I think I can.

I really really do.

Other days, I think to myself,

"oh alyssa, you're only dreaming"

I'm one of those who is afraid of the possibility of failure.

I've met people like this; people who are so afraid of not succeeding, that they don't even want to try.

I've always felt a bit sorry for those people.

I don't want to be afraid of trying anything.

But I also don't want to be so passionate about my ambitions that I become blinded to that which is of most importance.

But answer this:

How do you know if something is just a constant dream, or if it's something you're meant to do?

Tender Mercies

After a delightfully exhausting weekend,

Gid and I had to come back to the real world. My sweet hubby was able to sleep in, as he didn't have work on monday, but I, not only had work- I had to come early, and stay late. Our office did a special in honor of Independence Day where all patients who came in received a gift certificate for a free massage. It was like a circus from 7 am till about 7:30 PM when I, (defeated) got in my little car to make the journey home. As I turned the ignition on, I noticed my tires are low on air.

I felt equally deflated.

I pulled out of the parking lot, and proceeded to feel sorry for my poor, tired, overworked self.

About 5 miles before I got home I noticed something different about the weather. It looked like it was a little rainy. But there were no raindrops. Then I thought perhaps there was snow in the air (it's possible in Idaho). Nope- not snow.

Something was actually coming down now, like the most magical and least threatening storm in the world. I thought for a moment it was blossoms. But all the blossoms have gone to sleep till spring.

Now it was coming in huge batches, floating weightlessly through the wind and landing gently on my windshield. Piles of it gathered on the curbs of the streets.

I recognized it now. It was cotton.

I grew up in Lubbock, TX -home of one of the largest cotton plants in the world. Texas ships more cotton than any other state, and Lubbock processes 95% of the beautifully while, fluffy product.

So, growing up in the Lone Star State, when you saw white fluffies floating down softly in a warm sunny downpour, you simply knew it was harvesting season.

Most days, I don't miss Texas as much as I just miss my family. But lately, I've been missing collectively everything about Texas.

I don't miss the unbearably hot days, or the crazy drivers, or the lame drama that somehow lingers among people who seem to be forever stuck in high school.

But I do miss the sunrises and sunsets.

I miss my backyard, with the huge trees

(which I seem to remember as much bigger)

and the colorful leaves that adorn them every fall.

I miss my friends.

I so miss my family.

And sometimes, I miss the wisps of cotton in the air during the harvest season. I miss the magic of snowlike things floating during summer.

Even if they do make me sneeze.

I thought cotton only flew like snow in Texas. Apparently it does in Idaho as well.

There are two explanations of this miracle:

-On the week that I happened to be missing my home and family more than I have since being married, someone, somewhere in Boise Idaho happened to be harvesting cotton close enough to my little home that it happened to shower me in a most welcome ambush.

-My Father in Heaven loves me so much that he allowed me the most lovely tender mercy of being reminded of home, and even, transported me there for the tiniest moment as I went through memories of years and years of Texas Summers.

I think it was the latter explanation.

"The Lord's tender mercies are the very personal and individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance, loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Truly the Lord suits his mercies according to the conditions of the children of men."

-David A. Bednar

My Country Tis of Thee...

...of thee I sing.

How grateful I am for the wonderful country that we live in.

I'm so grateful for the freedoms, the blessings, and the divine inspiration that is the foundation of the United States of America.

I'm not always proud of what some Americans do.

But I am always proud to be an American.

And as I count my blessings every day, my country is always very high on the list.

Recipe for a lovely, stupendous, WONDERFUL weekend:

-2 hours of pure, undistilled silliness (with a pinch of dangerous childishness)

-1 good sized puddle of mud.

-Several handfuls of family to laugh with when you "accidentally" fall in the mud...

-1 little river to swim in, swing over, or wade through...

-Plenty of soft towels waiting for the aftermath of the previous ingredients..

-2 visits with a tall, hairy friend with 1 large nose. (And an appetite for adorable little heads)

- 1 good book by someone worth reading on this, such a lovely day

-add a sprinkle of imagination

-and as much love as you've got in your cupboards.

(fireworks are only the icing on the cake.)

And that, my bloggie buddies, is how you make a wonderful day.

Happy Canada Day!

Oh Canada Oh Canada- of all the trees most lovely...

Canada.


It's a country loved all over the world for it's maple syrup, geese, and beautiful people.


Oh. And because of Anne of frickin Green Gables.
(I was so going to marry Gilbert Blythe from the time I was 3 till abouuut the time I married Gideon)

In honor of Today, I have put up a small banner by my desk that says:

'A Happy Canada Day to All, and God Save the Queen!'

Lots of our patients have made comments on it. I've also been trying to use a Canadian accent all day (though I think it's coming out as a weird english accent). That's how much I love Canada.

5 facts about this wonderful country:

-Canada has the l--o--n--g--e--s--t coastline in the world.
Good for romantic walks, staring out into the distance, or going for a chilly dip.

-Canada is the 2nd largest country, (in size) in the world.

-Winnie the pooh is Canadian. I checked it out- it's true.

- At age 32, President Thomas S. Monson was the president of the Canadian mission from 1959-1962. He still speaks with fondness of those years.

-Toronto, the largest city in Canada, is the home of over 5 million people. Toronto dwellers hold more University degrees than any other city in the world. That's right- Canadians are smartie pants.

My Relationship to Canada:

-My 1st dance tour was to western Canada. The experience was life changing; and strongly influenced my decision to continue dancing on company. 2 years later, I went on another dance tour to eastern Canada. I can't decide which part I like better; as they were both spectacular!

-My best friend in the world is from Canada. I'll probably write a post specifically about her within the coming months. Till then, all you need to know is that she is THE loveliest, sweetest thing on the face of the planet, and I can't wait till the next time I get to visit her in the motherland of Canada!

-Gideon and I went on our honeymoon in Canada. We visited different national parks, shoppes, and loved every minute of it!

- I know I already mentioned Anne of Green Gables, but seriously. She was my role model growing up, and I watched those movies countless times growing up. Anne grew up in Prince Edward Island, and someday, I'm going to do an 'Anne Tour' and visit all of the places she goes throughout the book series. That will be a good day.

-My family has always been big into backpacking and traveling. I'll never forget my dad putting a canadian flag patch on his backpack because he knew when he traveled around the world with a Canadian patch, he'd be loved wherever he went.

Let it be known that I love America. I'm so proud to be an American, and you can bet your boots I'll be super excited to be an American on the 4th of July(in 3 days) !!!

I just also really really love Canada.

In days of yore from Britain's shore

Wolfe, the dauntless hero came,

And planted firm, Britannias flag

On Canada's fair domain.

Here may it wave, our boast and pride,

and joined in love together,

the thistle, shamrock, rose entwine,

The Maple leaf forever!

The Maple Leaf, Our Emblem Dear,

The Maple Leaf Forever!

God Save our Queen and heaven bless,

Our Maple Leaf Forever!

So Happy Canada Day to All of you!

And God Save the Queen...

ps- I love you, BrittanyNelson.