Once

"My intention was to make an original film, almost like a visual album, but with a realistic, modern love-story at its heart. We're in a world where a three-minute song is worth ten pages of dialogue; where the characters communicate more through the art of song than by talking or getting involved in traditional plot-points and dramatic situations." John Carney (Writer/Director)

I think this quote most accurately describes the film. I have been wanting to see it for months, but living in a not so huge city like St. Giggity we rarely get independent films. This last weekend in Salt Lake we were finally able to go see it. I recommend it to anyone who is looking for something beautiful and unique. Also it received a 97% on rotten tomatoes.com pretty impressive. For a complete review visit:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/once/

I also highly recommend The Swell Season, the album made by the two lead actors during the filming of Once. If you like "Falling Slowly," and "When Your Minds Made Up" two of my favorite songs on the album you will love the movie.

Wild Weekend

We went to SLC to attend some MWSBF meetings and a couple of ball games.  On Thursday night we went up to Alta to take some family pictures of Ian, Katie, and Grace.  While up there we had close encounters with an Elk and a Deer!  Enjoy the pics

(note: Spencer is our wildlife photographer. )  

why I've had my fix

For the record, I have now been to girls camp 6 years!

Here's the proof, an awesome display of my fashion over the years.

1st year
I didn't get the no boxer shorts memo

2nd year

3rd year

4th year

5th year

6th year

Girls Camp. The Good, The Bad, & The Dirty

" I don't think we should ever try that again." thats what I said to Spencer this morning when I was still awake as the sun was rising on little thunder Campground in the beautiful Cedar Cedar mountains. We finally got back from girls camp this morning. I say that like we had been there all week, but we only drove up yesterday morning. So not even 24 hours and we had had our fix. I always thought I was a fan of camping, but that was before I went camping with Owen. Yesterday actually went pretty well. He ate a ton of dirt, and who knows what else, but for the most part we had a fun time. At the flag ceremony he did have a little spill face first into some gravel, he caused a pretty big scene but handled it okay. In the end we will catch up on our sleep and laugh at our little adventure, but for now I am still yawning.

Uhh Oh Someone's got "sprinkler-face"

For the 4th of July this year we kept it classy.
Who needs fancy parades and fireworks when you've got sprinklers?
We made magic happen all on our own.
Here are some pics illustrating our good times.
Beat'n the heat

Owen making sure the lawn got sprayed down

Sprinkler face himself (every pic we took, Spencer pulled this same face)

example 2

Ladies in song

In high school I was the on newspaper staff. Mainly because I liked having an excuse to take pictures around the school. In order to pass the class you were suppose to "write" at least one article per issue. In the entire 2 years I was on staff I think I had 2 articles published. One was a hike review, and the other was an album review. So to say I have experience in writing album reviews, would be an over statement. But I do read a lot of them. So here goes my 1st blog album review.....

A few days ago I downloaded The Story, by Brandi Carlisle from itunes, I saw it mentioned on a friend of a friends blog so I thought I would check it out. When I went to listen to samples, I noticed that it was only $6.99 for 13 songs, a bargain I couldn't pass up. In looking through my itunes library it is apparent that male artist are the flavor of choice, but lately I have been warming back up to the female songwriters. Not since I attended the Lilith Fair the summer of 98 have women artists been so worth listening to, at least in my opinion.

I have always been more of a lyric person, I think that is why I love the artists that I have loved over the years. Elliott Smith, Bob Dylan(duh), and even Cat Stevens' music is so centered around lyrics. Their melodies, though great, are for the most part pretty simple. In this album Carlisle's lyrics shine. There are times that I feel she sounds like Fiona Apple, and others she is reminiscent of Nora Jones, with a little rock added in. Either way her mellow voice and soulful tone carry this album.

The true test of an album for me is found in listening to it in its entirety, the way the artist intended you to, so you can get the full experience. I have always been a fan of albums, not just songs. This is an entire album I could listen to over and over again. Well worth the $6.99.