Home for the Holidays Baby!

I am not going to wait till a month after Christmas to post about my Christmas. That usually seems to happen to me with most holidays. But no, I am turning over a new leaf!

A few weeks ago me & Heather (a.k.a. my roommate) went to this live nativity in Salt Lake. It was in a beautiful gorge with a river. Perfect spot for the nativity but dang it was cold.

I got really close to the camel: (my first close up camel experience)

This year for the Perkins family party we went to Bella's Mexican Restaurant. It was a good change up. Santa still knew where to find us!

There is also a video of the kids singing a Christmas song. Well sorta. If you watch Mia closely she sings the whole thing but all the boys just giggle.

Christmas at my parents is always wonderful. I love it! And since we have a new baby we did the nativity. (I am not sure I mentioned I got a new nephew on Dec.17th. Baby Tommy!). It was pretty much ciaos but its the thought that counts. Mary (Mia) only lasted when she was on the donkey's (Casey) back. We don't know where she went after that. Not a good mom!

I must also put out there that I have my camera to my brother Chad so I could be a shephard and the pictures didn't turn out so well. He needs some practice with my camera!

Joseph isn't caring for the baby either. He is just laying on the ground!

Perfect shot of Garet's head!

Garet asked after if Tommy was really baby Jesus. It was so precious. We told him no but that he just came from being with Jesus. He liked that!

Some shots of the evening:

 

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

Book & Music Update - Episode 11

I haven't done a book & music update in a really really long time. I have been in a not reading much phase so there aren't a ton of books but my music isn't lacking.

MUSIC:

ColdPlay
Mylo Xyloto

Rating: MMMM1/2 (out of 5)
Genre: Alternative Rock
Top 3 Songs: Hurts Like Heaven, Paradise, & Up in Flames

I have never been a huge Coldplay fan but than all of sudden they started playing like 4 different songs from this album on the radio and I was really digging them. They were different from there past songs. There are still a couple of songs on the album I don't dig but most of them are awesome!

Grouplove
Never Trust a Happy Song

Rating: MMMM (out of 5)

Genre: Indie Rock

Top 3 Songs: Love Will Save Your Soul, Colours, & Itchin' on a Photograph

Grouplove is new to me. They play Colours on the radio so I tested out the album and was kind of digging it and than bought it! I really enjoy this album, the songs have nice beats and catchy tunes.

Kelly Clarkson
Stronger

Rating: MMMMM (out of 5)
Genre: Pop Rock
Top 3 Songs: What Doesn't Kill You, You Love Me, Alone, or maybe Let Me Down, oh wait maybe The War is Over

Haha when you can't pick a top 3 you know it is a good album. And the fact that there is 18 songs on this album. You get a real bang for your buck with Kelly. I have been a fan of her since album 1 and this one is at the top of her favorite albums. I love the sassy, angry rock chick songs. This album is a must and one that is so awesome to sing along at the top of your lungs in your car!

Mat Kearney
Young Love

Rating: MMM1/2 (out of 5)

Genre: Folk Rock

Top 3 Songs: Hey Mama, Count on Me, Young Dumb and in Love

My Mom loves Mat. I have never really been a fan but her and my sister always burn me his CD for my collection. I listen to this album and was kind of diggin it. His first album well shall we say bored me. But this one is pretty sweet.

Panic! at the Disco
Vices & Virtues

Rating: MMMM (out of 5)

Genre: Alternative Rock

Top 3 Songs: Ready To Go, Let's Kill Tonight, Trade Mistakes

Everyone knows the Ballad of Mona Lisa. Whoooaa Mona Lisa... You know, that one?? That is from this album and the rest of the songs are just as good. Panic! never disappoints me.

Paul Cardall
New Life

Rating: MMMM1/2 (out of 5)
Genre: Piano
Top 3 Songs: Gracie's Theme - Favorite

I couldn't tell you the names of my other favorites! With no lyrics and always listening to the album on shuffle I don't know which is which. But I can tell you this is a beautiful album. I go to bed every night wishing I could play beautiful music like Paul Cardall. It calms the soul.





BOOKS:

Uglies
by Scott Westerfeld

Rating: MMMM (out of 5)

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

This book is about this town that lives in control of there government and at the age of 16 the teenagers get a surgery that turns them from ugly to pretty. But of course there has to be some rebels... I liked this book. It is a series of 4 but I haven't jumped out to buy the rest of the series yet. The story was good but it wasn't one of those books you can't put down. I will definitely read the rest but I am not sure when!

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter
By Seth Grahame-Smith

Rating: MM (out of 5)
Genre: Mashup Novel (pulled from Wiki!)

This is a book about Abraham Lincoln's life. His True Life. Waahahaha (evil life). It seriously is about Abraham Lincoln as a Vampire Hunter. It pretty much takes his life and adds the twist of this secret Vampire Hunting Life. To be honest I couldn't tell what was real and what wasn't in this book. Obviously he wasn't really a Vampire Hunter but the writer throws my off in a few different things. I have yet to finish this book though. I started in October... I am not one that really likes to read biography's and I feel like this is what this is. There isn't a strong story for me to grasp on too.. Look it up though. It will interest you.

30 x 30 Update

I haven't update by 30 x 30 list (see sidebar on the left) in quite awhile. I have a few things I can mark off the list! Wahoo!

First is one I can totally mark all the way off. "Move out of parents basement" I thought marriage is what was going to get me out of that one! But no, an awesome job has helped me accomplish that!

Next, we have "take multiple photography classes". I can halfway mark that one as I have taken one photography class. It was pretty good. I bought a deal off Groupon and I have to say I was impressed and learned some cool things about my camera. I need to work on taking more photos (which there while be some to come soon...) and than take another class to keep on improving and officially mark it off.

Next, is a small portion of one but to "move forward in my fear of public speaking". I am not going to mark this one off yet but I think my improvement is coming. I gave a talk in church about a month ago and wow, I was not near as scared as I thought I was going to be. I was very comfortable with what I was talking about but I had a lot of people tell me I looked so comfortable up there which boosted my confidence with that a lot. I think with getting into my career and all the other things thrown at me lately I have grown in that area. I am going to wait till I have to speak a couple more times to get that one checked off.

And last, is "increase my piano skills". I am happy to say I am back to loving the piano once again. About 4 months ago, I got a calling in church to be the ward pianist. I had to start playing for Relief Society & Sacrament. Talk about scary, especially since I only knew like 4 Hymns! I have learned a lot more and really grown to love the piano again. I am kind of sad not having one anymore. I always play when I come home and hope someday I will get a keyboard and a nice baby grand when I get my own home!

I think I owe a lot to my Heavenly Father on some of these goals. He put me in places to help achieve these goals that may not other wise been accomplished!

Hair Today... Gone Tomorrow

Merry Christmas!

I probably should be blogging about my Christmas day right now but nothing has really happened yet. My sister works until 1:30 so we wait for her to open presents and than everyone else comes over at 5. So this is my time to sit, relax, and catch up on my blogs!

I was thinking the other day about how long my hair was getting. I use to have long hair as shown in the pictures below:

Then about 5 years ago I cut it and have never gone back. Than I started thinking about how many different hair styles & colors I have had within that time. I think I was changing it about every 2 or 3 months. I decide to do a collection of those photos because I am thinking the hair may start going long again. (according to my Dad, it is how I will get married!) And hey this is my blog and can post lots of pictures of myself.

I do want to give a shout out to all my wonderful models in these photos. Also some of the hair styles may look the same but the color is different.

Talk about ADHD!