{Vintage Button}

a long while {and shoes}

2012-01-24T14:20:00.001-08:00

... it has been since i posted!
and i honestly don't have much to say.
school.
dance.
dance.
school.
the usual.
i did audition for the byu summer ballet intensive on saturday!
and guess what the odt show this year is!!!
RAPUNZEL!
i'm so excited!
auditions are feb 11th {lyle's birthday}
yes'm dance has been a pretty big thing lately!
and can i just say that i need these shoes:

and these:

oh, and THESE:

preferable the top ones.

and these:

I MUST HAVE THE YELLOW ONES AND GRYFFINDOR ONES.
the others are decent.
BUT THOSE I MUST HAVE.

-J

3 more sleeps and a shopping trip

2011-12-22T11:36:00.000-08:00

3 more sleeps til Christmas!!!
super excited.
we just went shopping at XXI Forever.
it was pretty fun.

there is still a lack of snow here.
hence the snow pictures:

-J

4 more sleeps

2011-12-21T16:04:00.000-08:00

4 more sleeps til Christmas, gals!
it still hasn't sufficiently snowed, although it was snowing this morn.
which i am thoroughly grateful for, but more snow would be much appreciated.
especially if it looked like this:

or this:

or perhaps this:

or even this:

wait. is that the snow chorus number from Nutcracker ballet?
yes indeed.
can you tell i want it to snow?

-J

the chimney game

2011-12-20T16:58:00.001-08:00

april and i discovered "the chimney game" a little bit ago, in computer tech.
{friv.com christmas games}

and it is soooo extremely difficult, but...
APRIL AND I BOTH FINISHED IT!!!
all 10 insane levels!
it was so hard!
but so worth it.
we. are amazing.

-J

let it snow... let it snow... let it snow...

2011-12-19T19:37:00.000-08:00

i want it to snow.
i've been praying quite fervently... as we all have.
i am soooo freaking excited for christmas!!!
i might die.

-J

winter moon

2011-12-12T13:50:00.000-08:00

Mindy Gledhill's new Christmas CD: Winter moon.
My favorite song is Winter Moon.
I enjoy the original better, but this is humorous so...

the puppeteer lives down the street from me!
hooray!

-J

c'est decembre

2011-12-02T20:06:00.000-08:00

it's december!

i have such a joyous feeling inside of me.

it's time for snow.

for lights.

for singing.

for ugly christmas sweaters.

for santa hats.

for ear muffs.

for gifts.

for storms.

for no school.

for sledding.

for sicknesses.

for blessings.

for hot chocolate.

for christmas movies.

for nativity scenes.

for christmas cards.

for the nutcracker.

for snowflakes.

for complaining about walking places.

for boots.

for marshmallow coats.

for chills.

for fireplaces.

for the Savior.

-J

ballet

2011-11-29T14:56:00.000-08:00

i'm workin' on it. ;)

-J

{insert school bell ringing}

2011-11-28T19:18:00.000-08:00

school is back in!

not that we had much of a break but... you know...

when we reentered the dreaded school building, april and i were both found crying.

yes, you heard me correctly:

crying.

but do not fret... we have our mockery!

april and i walk pretty non-chatty down the hall, all the while, listening to other people's convos so that we may mock them...

hence us surviving high school.

but no more wailing and gnashing of teeth over high school,

for i have a video to show y'all!

isn't it mah-velous?!

-J

favorite

2011-11-24T10:36:00.000-08:00

here is my favorite song:

-J

officially

2011-11-22T18:20:00.000-08:00

this is officially my 100th post.

and i thought that that deserved to be a special post.

unfortunately.

i have nothing special to post about.

except for the fact that tis break!

and that's good.

i thought that these little brooches were pretty cute.

including the turkey one in the back {the reason that this was posted}

and so...

Happy Thanksgiving!

-J

for april

2011-11-15T14:38:00.000-08:00

this post is for april.

who apparently reads my blog although i was unaware and thought i was posting to no one.

woooohooooo!!!! my blog is actually read!

{insert gasp}

i honestly don't have anything to write...

except that this is our {aprils and mine} song:

yes do not mind the video

it's just the song that is ours... although...

one day that will happen.

except april will be the one driving.

and i will be trying to get pictures of her {aka ugly pictures, but april is gorgeous and is physically incapable of making ugly faces}... unfortunately, i am QUEEN at ugly face contests

and, as april now knows, finding ugly hair clips quickly.

yes'm.

well... this was my post for april.

i lurv you :)

-J

every teardrop is a waterfall

2011-11-15T14:32:00.000-08:00

"Every Teardrop is a Waterfall" is my favorite song on Coldplay's new album.

and so.... ladies and gentlemen,

the video:

-J

for megan

2011-11-10T12:27:00.001-08:00

alright. sorry. it didn't work before...

but.

now i know that i actually have an audience {meggy} and so i should probably step it up.

i really honestly don't know what to post... not much has been going on.

i am freaking obsessed with coldplay's new album! can't get enough!!!

and i very much enjoy this song:

my favorite is the acoustic, but i think the original is still fun!

it's super cute!!!

Mindy Gledhill has her new christmas album!! Winter Moon! it is sooo amazing!

i am in love!

-J

lame much?

2011-10-29T13:12:00.001-07:00

I am well aware that I am the lamest person ever that never blogs.

My apologies.

these are fun. :)

I have absolutely no clue what to be for halloween...

I'm thinking angel...?

I have my huge feathery {with gold} angel wings from my dance performance and those are pretty fantastic.

they're not as cool as these though:

those are glorious.

-J

'tis been a little busy 'round these parts

2011-09-23T17:43:00.000-07:00

Well, friends. things have been pretty crazy!

school.

homework.

dance.

piano.

etc.

and all that jazz... so i'll have to figure out when i can post.

but until then... enjoy one of my favorites:

-J

i am...

2011-09-10T13:58:00.000-07:00

thoroughly peeved.

-J

yet another one for audrey!

2011-09-02T17:03:00.000-07:00

‎"For attractive lips, speak words of kindness...For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people...For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry...For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone...People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed; never throw out anyone...The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides...
- Audrey Hepburn

-J

who you wish...

2011-09-02T14:40:00.000-07:00

"Be the person you wish to be.

Not the one everyone wants to see."

-J

beautiful girl

2011-09-02T14:16:00.000-07:00

“People always ask me, ‘You have so much confidence. Where did that come from?’ It came from me. One day I decided that I was beautiful, and so I carried out my life as if I was a beautiful girl … It doesn’t have anything to do with how the world perceives you. What matters is what you see. Your body is your temple, it’s your home, and you must decorate it.” —Gabourey Sidibe

-J

tiger's curse

2011-08-30T16:26:00.000-07:00

I am in l.o.v.e with these booky books!

so if you need anything to read... here's a suggestion.

unfortunately... the 3rd book doesn't come out until november!!!!

so i'm DYING!

just had to share my feelings.

-J

high school

2011-08-25T14:36:00.000-07:00

High school.

Not much else is needed to be said.

-J

"It All Ends"

2011-08-20T17:04:00.001-07:00

I cried and cried and cried and... did I mention I cried?

-J

skyscraper

2011-08-16T14:35:00.000-07:00

I do not like Demi Lovato. And this music video is really stupid {in my opinion}, but.

I really do like this song.

Enjoy.

-J

school?

2011-08-16T14:19:00.000-07:00

Alright.

Sorry for the no-blogging...

High school is coming up. Blech. One week from today is the first day of school, but of course, I have to attend sophmore day the day previous. :P

Not. fun.

I'm not really scared for high school... just annoyed. You know?

-J

lake powell

2011-08-03T20:07:00.000-07:00

-J

Family Lake Evening

2011-07-26T07:15:00.000-07:00

Last night, for FHE, we went to the lake!

It was so much fun! We stayed until it started blowing so hard, the sand cut our legs and it started raining! It was awesome!

-J

They have arrived...

2011-07-25T09:05:00.000-07:00

The cousins have arrived and have been here off and on for quite some time now.

We've done so many fun things with them! Like go to BYU and see many a thing! Like the art museum, bookstore, and scientific-y things! HOORAY!

It was so fun!!!

-J

Thank You, Martha!

2011-07-19T12:30:00.000-07:00

"Some men {women} have thousands of reasons

why they can't do what they want to,

when all they need is

one reason

they can."

-Martha Graham

Couldn't have said it better!

-J

It Was Glorious

2011-07-15T09:55:00.000-07:00

That's all I have to say.

We waited in line for 6 hours, just chilling.

I cried sooo hard in the movie...

I cried when people died, but I cried the hardest at the very end when they are all together holding hands... it took EVERYTHING I had to not break down in sobs there and then!

So sad.

It's over.

-J

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

2011-07-14T09:16:00.001-07:00

Watch this. Now!!!

I'm dying!!!!

This will be my last post before Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 comes out tonight at midnight!

So... this is a Harry Potter #7 Part 2 post!

Hence the trailer and pictures:

INTENSE!!!!!

-J

Temple Thursday!

2011-07-14T08:36:00.001-07:00

Today, Mom, Tali, and I all went to the temple! :)

Normally we go on Friday, but we can't tomorrow so we went today!

It was very joyous and peaceful!

-J

Thank you, again...

2011-07-12T11:10:00.000-07:00

Thanks again, Oh So Rosie...

I found this video.

Enjoy!

-J

Only 4 More Days? Yesssssss

2011-07-11T10:17:00.000-07:00

Only 4 more days until Harry Potter Deathly Hallows Part 2 comes out!!!!!

Who is freaking stoked?! I know I am!

Mom, Tali, and I are all going to the 12:19 showing of it {so not midnight showing, but close enough}...

I'm freaking excited and super sad at the same time... it's over! :'(

Ok... I need to stop... It makes me cry just thinking about it.

-J

Trips

2011-07-09T19:03:00.000-07:00

We went on the family reunion over 4th o' July...

It was sooooo super fun!!!! :)

-J

Quick Post

2011-06-30T21:27:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to me!

Yupp folks... today is my birthday! This will be a very quick post though because we are packing for the family reunion!

This morning I woke up and opened presents and ate muffins!

And then I had piano and got ready and then Dad took me out to lunch!!!

After lunch, Mom and I went thrifting and I got some FANTASTIC things...

Here are my awesome boots that I got:

Then we went out to din din and then came home and had my brownie bite tier cake!

Thanks to April, Jon, Sydnee, Nana and Papa, Mom and Dad, Tali and Sol, and everyone else who gave me presents and birthday wishes!!!

-J

p.s. I'm going to the family reunion tomorrow in Colorado and then straight to girl's camp, so this might be the last post for a long while... sorry!

The Good and the Bad

2011-06-28T10:11:00.000-07:00

The good:

Pool time!!!!!

Yesterday was a great pool day!

We swam and I got a tan and it was glorious!

The bad:

Today we had to wake at 8am to go to le dentiste. :(

Not fun! I hate the dentist...

Everytime I go he tells me that me teeth are perfect, but I still hate it.

-J

Dangggg...

2011-06-25T19:32:00.000-07:00

EFY WAS SICK!

I don't have many pictures because I didn't really want to take any this year... sorry!

I do have a few, but they are from my phone, so they aren't too good!

Here are just a few highlights:

~great company!

~cute guys

~there was a fire and we all had to evacuate

~won banner and cheer

~attractive men asking me to dance

~feeling the spirit

~etc.

Yupppp.

It was so much fun!

I'm so sad it's over, though! I love EFY!

Me and Shayla waiting for the fire

April and me waiting outside for the fire

Me and April on game night

Taylor with the warm fuzzy jar

Shayla and April at the Friday Morningside

-J

p.s. I don't know why the pictures are all retarded... I tried to fix it, but it won't work...

Excursions

2011-06-17T16:14:00.000-07:00

Today, {at 6:30 in the morning, mind you!} Mom and I went to the temple! HOORAY! What a grand way to start out the day! :)

Then we went out on several excursions including: dropping off kids to 7 Peaks, some thrifting, target, Taco Bell, and getting the car washed {which is my little brothers FAVORITE thing}.

-J

The Results

2011-06-16T11:03:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the results of our yuduing...

The Process

Glow-in-the-dark pillowcase

Our T-shirts!!!

Pretty grand, right? Right!

-J

Deathly Hallows YUDU

2011-06-15T15:49:00.000-07:00

We are YUDUing on this lovely afternoon. Deathly Hallows...

I'm doing silver on my black T-shirt, Sol is doing a T-shirt and then I'm also doing a T-shirt for my great friend Jon's birthday prezzie. HOORAY!!! But wait--there's more! If I call now then I get to do my pillowcase with glow-in-the-dark ink free!!! Yes, that's right! We are doing glow-in-the-dark pillowcases! I'm sooooo stoked!!!

-J

Dear Old Audrey

2011-06-13T14:01:00.000-07:00

She's fantastic.

The End.

-J

Plans

2011-06-09T14:27:00.001-07:00

Today was pool day! We went for only an hour and a half, but it was still super fun! I love swimming with my brother! :)

Now, Tali and I are going over to our grandma's house for a girls night with our cousin! I'm really excited!!! Here is my back pack for our slumber party!

Yes. I like Star Wars... Just a little bit. ;)

Enjoy your summer night!

-J

Hot Air Balloons

2011-06-09T10:31:00.000-07:00

{found: Mom's Pintrest}

Alright. So, Mom's new thing is hot air balloons... and so it's sort of my new thing, too. I like them, a lot. These are just a few of some of the hot air balloons that my mom has used for inspiration.

I find them very inspiring as well.

-J

Oh So Rosie...

2011-06-07T19:52:00.000-07:00

Alright, for some reason, I have an urge to blog today. So even though I've already blogged today, I'm going to blog again--deal with it!

Oh So Rosie is the most divine blog ever. Basically. I get all my inspiration from here. I know that I will never measure up to her glory, but still... she's fantastic!

{found: Oh So Rosie}

Pretty glorious is what I say! What say ye?

-J

Good Ol' Summer!

2011-06-07T17:01:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, we ran our annual 5k! It was really fun! My time will remain a secret, but let's just say that I did pretty good!

The summer days have begun! I love it! E'ryday=wake up, scriptures, eat, chores, work out... It's fantastic!!! Today was library day... I love the library.

Maybe a little too much! Haha! After the library, we went to Target to get some T-shirts 'n' such.

And then onto sonic. :)

We came home and we've just been playing Lego Harry Potter the video game!

But now, we are watching Harry Potter No. 2... Glorious!

-J

Yes. yes it's summer.

2011-06-04T14:21:00.000-07:00

Summer has started!

It's been pretty fun, already.

I like it.

Basically.

That's really all I have to say.

Yupppp

Enjoy your summer!

-J

Summer... summer...

2011-05-24T19:15:00.000-07:00

Alright...

so as you all probably know:

SUMMER IS COMING!!!!!

I'm so excited, it's not even funny!

I've been working on my summer reading list of all the books that I want to read this summer.

Here are a few on my list {for anyone who would like to start a list}:

~Trapped

~Tiger's Curse

~Angel

~Fahrenheit 451

~Jane Eyre

~Veil of Darkness

I've got a giant list!

Those are only a few.

So...

Make a list!

Read some books!

I'm so excited to just be able to read all the time!!!

Although there are some sad things about summer

like the fact that dance classes are no more...

But.

Do not fear.

We are doing these little summer workshop things.

They are hard to describe, but let's just say that I'm not going to stop dan

cing.

And I kind of love that there aren't any normal classes,

because then all summer I can work my freaking butt off and

make a notable difference in my flexibility, strength, etc.

I can come back to dance and

BAM!

I'm amazing.

Basically,

I'm stoked for summer

and you should be too!

-J

Stuff 'n' things...

2011-05-18T14:55:00.000-07:00

My apologies for the no blogging...

Lots has gone on.

First of all,

we had TDT auditions...

it was hard, but good.

I didn't make it.

I didn't even bother to check the list...

(this is one post I hope no one reads...)

Then,

the AP test...

Gulp!!!

It was pretty nerve racking.

I spent the whole day previous, studying.

I studied all 418 flash cards,

had Dad quiz me after,

and then I went over to Jon's house and we studied for another like 1 1/2 (ish).

I think I did pretty OK...

But we don't find out until the 3rd week of July...

Grrrr

And yet,

school goes on.

And dance.

And piano.

But at least I have my joy back:

books.

I haven't been able to read because of everything...

and now...

I can!

It's so joyous!

So.

Comment any good books you know.

(preferably happy ones, with romance and true love in them)

-J

"Slow Dance"

2011-04-29T17:25:00.001-07:00

Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

Do you run through each day
On the fly?
When you ask "How are you?"Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say "Hi"?
You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift....
Thrown away.Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.

-J

Cool Things:

2011-04-29T16:56:00.000-07:00

How many of you have heard of a PREZI?

Well, it's this really cool site that helps you put together presentations and it is sooo much cooler than a power point.

At first, I thought it was kinda lame, but I was just experimenting and

I just made the coolest thing ever!!!

You have to see it!

It's amazing!

I LOVE IT.

-J

Spring Break and Secret Garden

2011-04-22T19:35:00.000-07:00

Spring Break was SUPER fun! I loved it!

We went to Sedona, AZ. It was so much fun.

Then we went down to Mesa to see the cousins!

It was great!!!

It was so much fun! I loved it!

On Monday, when we got back, we had dress rehearsal at the theatre from 4-10 (ish)!

It was crazy tiring!!! It was a little rough... we didn't do the best.

On Tuesday night, and 6:30pm, Secret Garden, presented by Orem Dance Theatre, began.

The first number, Indian Jazz Company, started and I kept thinking "remember to smile" because apparantly we all have trouble with that. But once we started, I couldn't help but smiling! I loved it!

I remembered how much I love performing... It is glorious...

The second number, housekeepers, is very strict and regal... so smiling wasn't the best. Normally, it was easy NOT to smile, but on stage, it was so hard! I LOVE performing. It makes me... so happy!

So,

the show went really well.

Everyone did AMAZING!

I did my solo pretty well, too.

I can't wait to see the video!

Haha... We were so tired!

My flowers!

It was fantastic!

I'm so sad it's over, but...

it was the best!

Dance is life...

Enjoy it.

-J

Cousins+Confy

2011-04-02T18:13:00.000-07:00

General Conference has been wonderful so far!

I love it!

Our cousin and uncle came up for it.

So cute!

Now Uncle Jeff and Dad are at priesthood.

Sol and Dallin are having so much fun!

It's super cute!

Now time to watch Despicable Me.

What have you been doing on this General Confy day?

-J

Gen Confy!!!

2011-04-01T18:29:00.000-07:00

Last Saterday, we had an all day dance rehearsal!!

It was really fun, but soo tiring!

Afterwards, we had to run home and get ready really quick because we went to the YW Broadcast!

It was really fun... I loved it!

It was so much fun!

So.

General Conference is tomorrow.

Personally, I've always LOVED Gen Confy...

We always have a question to have answered in the sessions.

I'm really excited!

-J

Movement and stress...

2011-03-25T14:26:00.000-07:00

Dance has been pretty alright. The show is in 26 days!!

I'm so excited!

It's been pretty crazy at the studio.

On Tuesday, I finally got the pique turns in a circle down!

I was so happy!

I had to stay to rehearse with the little girls so I could do my solo:

I don't know what was wrong with me!

I could not do my pique turns, pirouettes, etc.

And when I was standing flat footed in fourth,

I almost fell over!

I scared myself so bad!

Hopefully I do better tomorrow...

We have the big rehearsal with everyone tomorrow!

It's going to be pretty fun!

Yesterday, in pointe class, we learned our entire

dance!

All of it!!!

My brain was so overloaded!

It was so crazy!

We haven't been learning our dance and so yesterday, we had to learn it all!!!!

AHHHH!

It was so stressful, but at least it's choreographed for tomorrow.

-J

Things

2011-03-23T15:14:00.000-07:00

Sorry for not posting.

Lots of stuff has been happening.

I finished personal progress!!!

We've been working on the show a lot!

Right now, we are doing high school registration....

pretty stoked.

-J

A Tad Frustrated

2011-02-25T19:08:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry...

but I just need to write a bit...

all I need to say is:

I AM DONE WITH PEOPLE.

certain people.

yes.

good day.

-J

Audition results:

2011-02-19T14:58:00.001-08:00

Well...............

We found out the results.

I am in the jazz company in India and the solo of the gardener!

I'm pretty happy.

-J

Dance... 'n' such

2011-02-18T16:41:00.000-08:00

All I have to say is that...

Dance has been going grand.

We continued our housekeepers dance and our weed dance.

We finally got a song picked for the weed dance.

And

We picked a song and started our orchid dance en pointe!!!

And....

AUDITION RESULTS COME OUT TOMORROW!!!!!!

AHHHHHHH!!!!

-J

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

2011-02-14T18:02:00.000-08:00

IT'S VALENTINE'S DAY!

I love Valentine's day!

(Sorry the photos are uber big... but at least I have some)

This morning, I woke up to our annual Valentine's Breakfast!

Pink strawberry smoothies, heartshaped pancakes, and cute decorations.

Mom gave us each a HUGE Rees's Heart.... yummmmm.

I was all in my pink! :)

I got a Valentine's kiss from my dear April.

(I gave her one too, no worries)

Mom made the BEST dinner!

And then we got some deee-lish heartshaped red velvet cakebites from Sweet Tooth Fairy!

DEEEVINE!!!

I'm STUFFED!

But I absolutely LOVE Valentine's day!

It was a great day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

-J

I'm a Stalker

2011-02-12T19:14:00.000-08:00

Alright...

So I know this will make me sound like the biggest stalker ever...

(which I am)

But there is this girl who goes to my school...

I really don't know her that well...

But i do know that she is an AMAZING dancer!

On her blog

(yes, i look at it often),

She posted a video of her new solo that she's been learning...

AMAZING!!!!

I'm a stalker...

I know things...

-J

AUDITONS!

2011-02-12T19:01:00.000-08:00

Well.

Today, we had auditions!

They started at 10, so Tali, April, and I all left at 9:15.

We walked down there so that we could be all warmed up.

We arrived at 9:30 ish... first ones there!

Score!

No one was in the studio yet, so we just did some basic plies, tendus, etc...

We stretched really good and then people started showing up at 9:50 ish.

We got our numbers... (Tali#1, April #2, Me... #3!)

And then at 10:01 (ish), we began.

Lots of people showed up!

It was crazy!

We warmed up (although we were already warm) and then did stretched and did splits.

After that, we learned a little ballet combination and then split into groups.

Group #1

Group #2

Group #3 (Me!)

Group #4

After we finished performing the combo, we learned a little jazz combo, as well.

Group#1

Group#2

Group #3

Group #4

After we did the jazz combo, we did some leaps across the floor.

Then we did some simple pirouettes... and left.

I think I did pretty good... I did my best at least. :)

We find out who gets solos next Saterday, when she posts it on the blog...

I'll keep you posted!

-J

The Life of a Dancer

2011-02-11T16:18:00.000-08:00

I'm not quite sure who wrote this. I found it on a blog of a dancer... and i love it:

“As I tried the elegant, gleaming shoes on and stepped up, I felt an enormous sense of accomplishment. Mothers,daughters, teachers were all looking at me, drifting down my body to the ends of my legs. I was on pointe. Finally. All those lessons of sweat, all those times I came home crying because I felt I wasn’t good enough, all those times people called me a snob because of my noticeable good posture, they all melted away for those twenty seconds of standing tall on the tips of my tootsies. I was a real dancer. And no pain. Everyone always moans about blisters, blood and gore with toenails falling off etc. What a load of whimps. I went home and immediately started daring them, a timely process and a boring one. But I didn't care; I was on pointe! My precious shoes. Little did I know that in the years to come my dancing life would be full of turbulence and tears.

I made every visitor of our house admire my shoes, whether they liked dancing, knew anything about it, or even cared. I became very protective of my shoes. I didn't chuck them in my bag at the beginning of end of a lesson like other people. I neatly folded in the heel and wrapped the long, silky ribbons around them lovingly. I cared for them, as a parent would a child. I’d waited so long to have these two little shoes. No one would take them away form me; I would treasure them.

Before I was in the hard, two year vocational grade, normally only attempted in professional dance schools, I would idolize the senior dancers, the older girls lucky enough to go on pointe in the shows we put on.I wanted to be them so much. I noticed them crying in their dressing rooms, their pointes coming off and thrown to the floor in anger, as they revealed the blood and blisters underneath the tights that concealed their wounds. On stage they had to put on a front, they couldn't let the audience know what agony they were in. That was the hardest thing to do – to always smile, no matter what. You would’ve thought the sight of their pain would’ve put me off, but it didn’t. I was determined more than ever.

First lesson of pointe work arrived, fifteen minutes until the end of the lesson. We couldn’t wait. We all quickly tied up our pointes in the way which we had been taught and we rose up. After about a minute you could feel the blisters forming. Lamb’s wool wasn't working and I realized this was pointe. That was the longest fifteen minutes ever, and after a two-hour lesson of non-stop ballet we were all tired and sore. As we sat down outside, our muscles aching, we were moaning, some girls even crying. Blood stained my white tights and I was horrified. The teacher was saying all the way through the lesson, ‘I’ve got no sympathy girls; we’ve all been there. You’ve got to get through the pain barrier, don’t stop'.’

Dancer’s all share a secret. It’s hidden under layers of satin, and audiences are distracted from it by the vision of dancers body in motion. Insiders are hesitant to reveal this secret and I knew what it was. Dancers have ugly, unsightly feet. The scars, corns, bunions and calluses tell the story of a girl who once wanted to dance so badly, that’s all she ever dreamed of doing. This pain is endured to achieve performances that look effortless and easy but don't be fooled – they aren’t. Dancers are in better shape than footballers and other athletes, not only have they got superb strength but also incredible, inhumane flexibility.

My mom has asked me so many times, ‘Why do you put yourself through it? Why don’t you give up?’ The truth is, I can’t, I’m addicted. My drug is being on stage, dancing. And all that pain in lessons seems worth the two minutes on stage. When you step off stage it all dissolves away again into the distance and only returns the instant you step or leap on stage again. To see the audiences’ smiles changes everything. The satisfaction when a total stranger walks up to your side and ask if you’re a dancer or not. People you interact with instantly know that you move like a dancer. They may not know even really know what that is but they can tell that you move in ways they cannot.

People think of dancers as cardboard cut outs, but we have the strength to go through innumerable factors such as jealousy, mental abuse from teachers, eating disorders, loneliness, bullying, insecurities. But the audience doesn't see these things. They just see the ballet, not the pain behind the choreography.

The first let down (or rejection as I don’t like to call it) came when a show was coming up. We had a mini audition and some of the older girls were watching too. I didn’t get in, I was too scared to try some of the moves. Some people take to pointe just like that, others have to prepare themselves, pluck up the courage to do something. I’m the latter. I’ve come to learn that instead of thinking what could happen, you should just do it. Whether the outcome’s good or bad, you can always tell yourself you did it that one time, you can do it again.”

I love this.

Because this is the truth.

I love dancing.

I love it.

Just moving to the music.

It's amazing.

And it is the life of a dancer.

-J

Connie's wedding

2011-01-24T14:44:00.000-08:00

April and I are planning our friend, Connie's, wedding.

She is going to marry the most perfect guy for her (even if she won't admit it to herself).

It is going to be grand ;)

-J

Thanksgiving 'n' such

2010-11-27T12:33:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of anything...

I haven't been taking many pictures lately.

It's quite sad.

Thanksgiving was fun.

We ate food.

and then, you know, ate some food.

And then...

Food.

You get the picture.

But besides that, not much has been going on.

I will try to take more pictures and upload the beauties,

But for now,

You're going to have to live without them.

Toodles!

-J

Can I just say...

2010-11-22T16:18:00.000-08:00

Can I just say that I LOVVVEEE dance and that this is my favorite picture ever?

Please?

-J

Young Women in Excellence, pointe shoes, AP geography essays, math homework, etc...

2010-11-17T14:55:00.000-08:00

Welp.

Tonight is Young Women in Excellence!

Pretty fun!

Ashley is gone all this week and next week, so we had a sub for ballet yesterday.

We did no pointe, which means we are going to do the full class tomorrow en pointe!!!

Owww...

Right now I am working on my AP geo essay for the US immigration policy...

It's ok.

Not horrible.

After this, I have to do my math homework,

which is an unusually long assignment today, so that will take a while.

Then I have to finish my AP geo key issues packet.

I have to finish all of this before dance.

After dance, I have to go straight to Young Women in Excellence!

And then after that, April and I have to do our 30 minute French conversation...

Yesssir, I do not have time to be writing this.

-J

Saturdays...

2010-11-13T18:43:00.000-08:00

Well.

it's saturday.

Grand!

I cleaned my household,

got ready,

ate lots of food,

went over to April's,

went to the Rees's,

went to get pizza with Sis Rees,

sufficiently ate their food,

and left.

I am now home doing nothing...

Ahhh...

I do love saturdays...

-J

thanks...

2010-11-12T17:05:00.000-08:00

I was just reading a blog of a girl from school.

I barely even know her.

I was reading juss for funnnn.

She wrote about some random things that made me happy...

And helped me put things into perspective.

And I just want to say thank-you.

-J

Frustration

2010-11-10T15:22:00.000-08:00

Rather frustrated.

Researching AP topic.

Due Friday.

Not finding much...

Wishing I was watching Beauty and the Beast.

My favorite movie...

-J

here you go...

2010-11-10T14:27:00.000-08:00

Yes

2010-11-10T14:24:00.001-08:00

Yes, yes, i know i have not written in quite some time...

But.

Here is a summary:

I got my pointe shoes!!!!! and i have danced in them!!!!

yup.

that's basically it...

I should be working on AP homework as we speak so... you can keep that on the DL.

Oh.

and.

I LOST MY VOICE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVERRRR!

it's pretty strange.

that's about it...

got to get back to the homework, folks.

-J

News...

2010-10-19T18:25:00.000-07:00

Alright folks...

So here's the newest of the news...

I just got back from dance.

I am rather tired, but guess what!

Ashley says that we are getting our pointe shoes next week!!

BAHAHA!

Happy day!

-J

Tis Saturday...

2010-10-09T09:07:00.000-07:00

Hey!

Sorry I haven't really posted in a while,

I've been rather busy.

But...

Today is Saturday!

I'm so happy!

A break from school is very much needed.

Last night, I watched Pocahontas!

I really love that movie...

And...

Guess what I found out!

I am privileged to have the same amazingly darling boots as John Smith... {pix later}

Alright... I will be going.

-J

She

2010-09-29T14:39:00.001-07:00

She stomps in a puddle,

Mud splashing onto her shorts.

She looks at her reflection in a car's window,

her hair plastered to her head.

She takes a deep breath,

Letting the smell of the rain on the street spill into her.

She looks up and down the lane,

Watching the drops of rain splashing on the black tar.

She cartwheels down the road,

Feeling the wet asphalt imprinting her hands.

She does a leap,

And ends it with a twirl.

She throws out her arms,

Running lightly.

She stops and sits down,

Letting the rain fall onto her foot.

She feels the water dance down her cheek,

Tickling her.

She looks up to the gray sky,

Closes her eyes

And smiles.

-J

essays and workouts

2010-09-21T15:50:00.000-07:00

I've been working on this essay for English that is due tomorrow.

We were supposed to be working on it continually at home while we were talking about it in school... and...

I wasn't.

so... I had to do it all today.

It wasn't that hard... Just not that fun.

Well.

On thursday we had pointe prep...

wait....

did I tell you?

Ashley says she thinks we can be en pointe by the end of October/beginning of November!

I know!!

So fun!

Well anyways.

We have a new teacher for pointe prep and she is so cute!

I love her!

But we did some freaking difficult workouts.

It was insane!!

I'm so happy we don't have pointe prep today...

not ready to do something that hard yet again...

Baha!

-J

Spark the Event No. 2

2010-09-14T18:53:00.000-07:00

Spark was amazing!

It was so much fun to help out with.

These pix were taken by Jefra Linn--she's awesome!

Mindy Gledhill got to come and give a private concert for all of Spark!

It was the best!

I love her music and her style and everything!

She is so cute!!!

So basically:

-Spark was amazing

-Mindy was the best

-We all enJoyed it

-J

Spark

2010-09-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

Well folks....

I am at Spark No. 2!!!

Tali and I are Sparkettes and we've been helping out all day yesterday and today.

It has been so much fun so far.

Last night we got a concert from Mindy Gledhill!

I was so happy!!

I love her!

I'm sorry I don't have any pictures yet... this is just a little update...

But pix are a-coming.

-J

Um.

2010-09-02T14:01:00.001-07:00

School.

that's basically it.

April and i are doing are piano duets and we already have one down.

yesterday, we practiced corn hole all day long so that we could dominate when we played Jermy and Audie but... they didn't play with us. ughh.

and... dance started! yahooo!!!

so.

C'est tout.

that's all.

-J

School

2010-08-27T15:35:00.000-07:00

Well.

Third day of school today.

Lots of homework.

But.

It's the WEEKEND!!!!

HOOOORAY!

Unfortunatley.

I can't do anything til after dinner.

But... after dinner...

so.

Not much else to say.

Bye, folks!

-J

First day of school.

2010-08-25T17:57:00.001-07:00

Yup. Pretty nasty. I very much dislike school with the deepest of passions.

And it NEVER ends!!!!

GRRRR.

-J

Song of the Week...

2010-08-23T15:13:00.001-07:00

Enjoy.

-J

Hey Folks!

2010-08-21T17:32:00.000-07:00

So.

Last night was the ward camp out.

April and I slept in a little bitty princess castle tent that is only for like one little child.

We didn't get any sleep because:

#1 Got pelted with apples all night

#2 Our stuff was taken and thrown in a little raccoon hole thing

#3 Our tent was taken down 3 times... all 3 while we were inside

#4 Got pelted with more apples

#5 Eventually at like 4am the guys HAD to move their tent RIGHT next to ours

#6 Had to hear them blast their music and sing for forever

#7 This was all to the fault of a group of stupid guys

Yup. It was a pretty interesting night altogether.

School starts in 3 days and I'm veryyyyyy depressed about it.

I'm going to wake up the day that school starts and not even know why my parents woke me up so early. :P

Good times...

-J

Great things...

2010-08-16T10:38:00.000-07:00

So.

Sorry I haven't posted the recent happenings going on here.

Let's catch up, shall we?

Thursday was April's birthday, as we all know.

It was pretty great. She said it was good, so that's good, right?

On Friday, for Apes birthday, we went quading with her fam and Jermy and Jason.

It was quite great.

We had fun.

Saterday, we went boating for mutual.

That was very fun.

Then, I helped Mom with Spark stuff for a while and then went to hang out with April.

That's basically it, folks.

Good-bye.

Enjoy the rest of summer.

-J

New Favorite.

2010-08-14T15:01:00.000-07:00

This is my new favorite song.

Enjoy.

-J

Happy Birthday to...

2010-08-11T22:49:00.000-07:00

APRIL!!!

(i know it's everyone's birthdays, huh?)

She is my bestest friend ever!

April-

I love you sooooo much!!

I hope you have the greatest day today!!!

I'm going to make sure you do!

I love you!

I'm glad you pretend to like me and all.

I love that you are so amazing and amazing.

Oh, did I mention AMAZING?!

You are so gorgeous!

You are absolutely beautiful!!!

I'm so terrifically overjoyed that you moved in, what 3 years ago?

(You better not move away, chica!)

I love you a whole big bunch!

I will see you tomorrow!

(or today)

You are gonna have a great day!

I love you!

All my love,

Happy Birthday to...

2010-08-11T10:52:00.000-07:00

SOL!!! (yesterday)

He is my little brother and he just turned 10 yesterday!

I love Sol.

He is so funny and strange and occasionally irritating.

He is the best.

Playlist of the Week...

2010-08-09T09:33:00.000-07:00

Mindy Gledhill will be performing at Spark! I'm so excited!

I love her music! I've been listening to it a bunch!

This is her new album: Anchor.

Enjoy.

Create a playlist at MixPod.com

-J

Happy Birthday to...

2010-08-05T16:28:00.000-07:00

MY GRAND FRIEND, JASON & MY AWESOME AUNT MILLY!

I just want to say that I love you guys to death!

Jason, you are a great person, even if you bug me. ;) You are one of my greatest friends!

Aunt Milly, you are so great! I love that you always put up with me and Tali sleeping over at your house all the time. & I'm glad that you can actually do my hair, too. Haha. :)

I love you guys!

-J

Why?

2010-07-31T13:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we all got our school schedules. Yup. So now, everyone is freaking out about classes and it totally makes you remember school. Ew.

Everyone is talking about school shopping and everything else.

It just makes me miserable. I dislike this a lot.

Good-bye summer.

UGH.

-J

Hobos in motion

2010-07-30T16:59:00.000-07:00

Yessssir. So lately, I haven't really been doing anything... Just hanging around & such. Today Leia came over!!! She moved to Cali last year and she came to visit today!! We played CLUE and stuff. It was really fun!

Now, I'm at Apes's house and we are trying to figure out what to do. We wanna go to the mall, but we don't have a ride. Haha. Well... Not much happening.

-J

Song of the Week

2010-07-28T17:05:00.000-07:00

Here is this week's Song of the Week. Brought to you by Jaya. Listen.

The River Trip

2010-07-27T17:44:00.000-07:00

It was sooooo much fun! I loved it! We swam and went on some serious rapids too... haha. JK. Only a class 4. But it was way fun anyway!

On Saterday, I was sitting at the front of the raft so that the water would splash onto me. It was really fun! We were going down a rapid and my dad thought he was far enough away from the rock but.... I didn't see the rock until it was right there and by then it was a little too late.

My foot and shin got crushed between the rock and the boat. We thought it was broken, but luckily, there was no bone damage. But my foot and shin are still scraped up really bad and bruised like heck.

But besides that, the trip was really fun. We all missed Tali and Mom so it was good to come home last night. :)

I'm at April's house right now and we are about to go to mutual soon. Summer has been great so far... we are dreading school. :P

Cosmically yours,

Dive in... the water's great!!

2010-07-21T09:33:00.000-07:00

GUESS WHAT, FOLKS!!! I AM GOING ON A RIVER TRIP!!! YESSSSIR! I'M SO STOKED!!

We are leaving in a bit and right now I'm kinda supposed to be packing... but...

So. Just a short summary:

Pack
Drive the 3 hour drive to the put in
Camp at the put in
Get on the river
Have fun
Camp
River
Fun
etc.
etc.
etc.

We are sleeping 5 nights and staying 4 days. I didn't get to go last year so I'm really excited for this year. We are going to be in Desolation Canyon on the Green River. :) I'm so excited. We are going with our grandparents and cuzzies. I'm so stoked!!! I'll be gone till next Monday so don't expect any posts... toodle-oo.

-J

Summer fun...

2010-07-19T14:16:00.000-07:00

All the regular summer happenings going on around here. Swimming, friends, TV... etc, etc.

Last week our friends from Cali came and we got to go swimming with them. It was way fun.

On Friday, different friends from Cali came and stayed with us. It was way fun.

On Saterday, we went down Provo River with them. It was quite and adventure.

We got pulled off the river by a ranger because we didn't have any life jackets. And then the second time we went down, one of our kayaks got wrapped around one of the pole things under the bridges. So then we had to drop off some people and then continue.

It was a pretty adventurous day. It was really fun though.

That's all I've got to say.

-J

Confessions of a Ballerina

2010-07-15T15:23:00.000-07:00

I love pointe shoes. I really do. Almost everytime I get on the computer, I look for black & white photos of pointe shoes. No joke. I love ballerinas. I think they are so pretty. I don't know what it is about them, but I love them.

-J

Song of the Week

2010-07-14T18:47:00.000-07:00

a hunt for yellow

2010-07-14T18:07:00.000-07:00

I love this site!!! I couldn't resist looking for the yellow things!!! EEK!! love this stuff!!!I'm loving the all the headboards in all these pix! They are amazing!! I love the walls too. the damask and the stripes are deeelish. I just love everything about these pix... too great... tee hee. hope these inspired you too.

-J

Photoshoot with Syd 'n' Bailey

2010-07-13T13:54:00.001-07:00

I am pretty legit, huh?? Well... it was fun when Sydney and Bailey were here from AZ. We had a blast. Party every night!!!

Wish we could do it all the time.

Love you guys!

-J

I found it!!!

2010-07-13T11:05:00.000-07:00

I found my camera cord, everyone!!! I'm so happy! Now I can actually upload all the photos I took at EFY and with Syd and stuff!!

EFY:

Me and my cutie, Matt... who I now hate {long story}

My girl McCall!!!

Me & Payton {this is a bad foto but he is adorable}

Me & my darling Casey

Me& Casey

These are the guys in our company.

Me, McCall,Cali, and Casey

The girls during scripture study

All of us at pizza night!

The morning of Day 2.

So... those are some pix from EFY. I'll be uploading some more from the photo shoot from me and syd and tali... but for now... ta-ta!

-J