a utah 4th of july

The way things ended up this year it happened to be that Utah was the destination for the 4th of July festivities. It was a quick trip but I managed to get a lot of visiting in as well as a few fun activities. I drove to Utah, leaving after work on Friday. I went about halfway and stayed a hotel in Mountain Home, ID. (Weeehooo) But I was able to drive the rest of the way to Utah Saturday morning and be there to do some things during the day.

First up, I visited my Grandma Carr in Layton. I hadn't seen her in awhile and she just turned 88 years old that week! I realized that I am not really any taller than my Grandma Carr which was a little weird to me because I always felt like I was taller. Read: I am so going to need a cushion when I am old and driving around.

Next I drove to Provo to hang with my Washington peeps who currently live in Utah. I went to Kira and Austin's place (Austin was flying home from a conference so we didn't see him until late Saturday night), where I played with Kira, Jace, Ryken and Megan McShane. Kameron and his lady friend Stephanie came over for a visit and we had a good time just chatting it up. It was hard for the kids because they wanted to play while the grown ups (what?!) were chatting so Kameron spent a good 20 minutes wrestling the boys. They liked it. We decided to do a picnic dinner and wanted to go up Provo Canyon. After a hectic trip to Macey's (did you know they have Dole whip now?) we managed to piece together a pretty decent picnic and headed up the canyon. Unfortunately, it was the night of the Stadium of Fire concert in Provo and I had forgotten how crazy and bonkers Provo gets around all their 4th of July activities. We drove up to Vivian Park in Provo Canyon and it was so packed there literally wasn't room to turn the car around. So we cut our losses and went back to Provo and had our picnic dinner in Kiwanis park instead. Which turned out to be pretty swell anyway. We had fried chicken, fruit, potato salad, chips and these scrumptious brownies that were topped with cream cheese frosting. The sun was barely setting and it made the mountains look all magical with that pink light glow they get in the summer. I do miss that about Utah-those mountains. People were setting off fireworks and we showed Jace and Ryken how to throw Pop-its. I also brought candles to celebrate Kira's birthday/Kira, Kameron and I being friends for 25 YEARS. TWENTY FIVE PEOPLE!! holler.

After our picnic got cleaned up we walked over to BYU campus to find a spot to watch fireworks. It was going to be Jace and Ryken's first year to watch fireworks, we were a little nervous because Ryken was saying the fireworks were loud already. We walked to this area in front of the Marriott Center and just put our blanket on the sidewalk, it was as good a place as any and we were able to get most of the show from our vantage point. Jace and Ryken loved the fireworks and I did too. Stadium of Fire has a pretty good fireworks show and Austin was able to find us and caught the last half of the show. And since he drove he was able to give us a ride home, doing some fancy driving moves to get us out of the parking lot by circumventing the line. The boys fell asleep on the way back home, they were such troopers.

I stayed at the Miller's that night and spent Sunday morning with them. Played with the boys, chatted with Kira, it was GOOD. Then we all went to Kameron's YSA ward because he was going to be teaching Sunday school for the first time. It was funny to me to drive down University Avenue because everyone had their chairs and pop-up shelters saving their spots for the parade the next day. It reminded me of the summers I spent in Provo hating all the people who were camped outside my apartment complex all night long and especially the year they stuck 2 port-o-potties on our front lawn. It's just a parade people! And then I passed about 16 chapels on the way to the actual chapel that was what we wanted and then the building we went to had TWO chapels. Oh, Utah. It was funny though because we traipsed in a wee bit late and had two kiddos in a YSA ward. It was fun. Ryken would not whisper for the life of him. And then he got taken out to go to the bathroom and then when he came back into the chapel he announced loudly "I didn't have to pee!" and everyone cracked up. It's very noticeable when you have the only kiddos in a YSA ward. We went to Kameron's Sunday school lesson and it was funny when in the middle of the lesson the boys were like "Hiiiiiii Kameron!"

Then I raced over to the MTC where Julianne, my freshman and sophomore roommate from BYU, was. We chatted for awhile under a tree and got caught up. It was good to see her. Then I raced back to the Millers who had yet another great picnic packed up for dinner. We went to try Vivian Park again and this time it was successful! It was spectacular being up in the mountains and I loved the nature. The picnic was fun and we had a great time. I really enjoyed seeing my old friends.

Rain started as we ended our picnic and I actually headed up to West Jordan to hang with Bonnie and Stacey (friends from the TC) for the night. We had some chats and drove around to a place where Bonnie may buy a house someday.

The Salt Flats were the plan for the 4th of July-we wanted to ride our bikes out there. We woke up and Bonnie had made us a delicious breakfast of pancakes with fruit, scrambled eggs and bacon. Nice and hearty! Stacey was able to get all three bikes on her bike rack and we drove out to the Bonneville Salt Flats. It was a bit of a ways out, the salt flats are all the way on the other side of the Salt Lake and you can actually see Wendover, NV from the parking area. It was kind of cool to see the salt flats. It looks like a huge desert but instead of sand it's actually all salt. They test drive cars and airplanes there because it's this huge space with nothing in it. Our goal was to get on our bikes and toodle around for a bit. It was actually harder than we thought to ride our bikes on the salt. There were some areas where there was still a lot of moisture under the salt and it was kind of like trying to ride through slushy snow. It was hard! Then we finally got out to an area that wasn't as wet so it was easier to ride bikes on. We Cranked it Slow on the salt flats. Did some photography. It was hot and it was a little hazy, so the pictures weren't as cool as I wanted but they were still good. When we were done we biked back to the car and had our picnic lunch as we tried to cool off a little. For some reason, we weren't able to get the bikes back on the rack in quite the same way so the set up was a little sketchier. And there was salt encrusted on everything, the bikes, our shoes, I even tasted salt a little on my lips when I licked them. Then we drove all the way back to Bonnie's place. We ran a few errands, picked up some bikes the other two had bought, got some Tillamook ice cream for later and then washed the salt off the bikes. Bonnie's neighbor generously gave us an extra garden hose he had. We got In N Out for dinner. Festivities for the night included the West Jordan rodeo, G came with me, Bonnie's friend Ian came, and Stacey's sister Shelly came as well. The rodeo was fun. I think the mutton bustin' is my favorite. Those kids are awesome. Some stay on those sheep for a really long time! After the rodeo the city of West Jordan had a pretty nice firework show that we watched. It was cool too, a ton of people were shooting off their own fireworks all night long and they were the big ones. Fireworks are legal pretty much the whole month of July in Utah and all those mormons get pretty patriotic so = tons of fireworks. After the rodeo I drove over to G's house to spend the night with her.

The next day, most people had to go back to work. G had to work until noon. So I got up and went down to Provo to do a temple session at the Provo City Center Temple. It was so beautiful!! I loved how they stayed true to the time period of the original Provo Tabernacle with all the decoration, textiles, and colors. It very much looked like the "pioneers" designed it but it still was new and modern. They used a lot of green in the carpets and the upholstery. The artwork on the walls was amazing, they used a lot of scenery from the Utah county area, think Utah lake or the mountains or canyons. Such pretty artwork. It was also weird for me to be in a temple that big, I felt like I was getting lost all the time! The Columbia River Temple is too small to get lost in...It is a very special building and I have my own memory of attending Stake Conference there one year while I was at BYU. I got to shake President Uchtdorf's hand right outside the Provo Tabernacle. I felt the spirit as I did my session and I was grateful that I was able to make it down there. Afterward I walked around the grounds to check out the building as well. If I had to get married in Utah, I think I'd pick the Provo City Center Temple to get married in.

My next goal was to get me some Graham Canyon ice cream from the BYU creamery. I drove to campus and went to the BYU bookstore (which was bonkers) and then tried to get some ice cream from the Cougareat but they were OUT of Graham Canyon. Whaaaattt???? That was not acceptable. So I cut through a huge mob of EFYers and walked myself over to the creamery on 9th so I could get my Graham Canyon. Oh it was soooooo good! Then I drove back up to G's house in Murray.

We decided to go on a hike that was up the canyon near G's house. The hike is called "Dog Lake" and it was just what I needed. Not super long, but long enough and hard enough for the out of shape Meagan, (I blame the altitude). The views and nature were gorgous, I felt like Maria Von Trapp, only it was the Wasatch mountains instead of the Alps. And we even came across a moose! The hike ends at a small lake. I also saw some pretty wildflowers. It was beautiful and I was satisfied that I had gotten my nature fill. It always amazes me how close all that is in Utah. I'd have to drive a couple of hours to get something like that here in WA.

After our hike we cooled off with shave ice, yum! Then we watched a movie and had cafe Rio for dinner.

It was a fun trip! I got to see a lot of peeps and do a lot of fun Utah things in my favorite season in Utah, summer. I love the 4th of July holiday!!

at the ballet

My mom and I went up to Seattle again a few weeks ago to see the ballet and we had a most fabulous time. We drove up the night before, we went the Vantage route and it was so beautiful. The summer light, the orchards and vinyards, and the Columbia River and the Gorge. It's just Eastern Washington in its finest.

Anyway, our day in Seattle started the next morning by hitting up our favorite bakery for some goodies. Not a complete trip to Seattle without the Dahlia Bakery! We picked up some cookies: chocolate crinkle, oatmeal apricot, cherry chocolate, I got a strawberry rhubarb danish, a loaf of french bread, and ate toasted and apricot jammed english muffins. So yummy. Always a good time at Dahlia Bakery.

Then we drove over to Pike Place Market to see what treasures we could find. We keep going to Seattle in the winter so we've missed out on the market the past few times. Gotta love all the colorful flowers by the bunches and bunches, and so cheap! The peonies were in sea-son! (Read that like Oprah).  It was so crowded but we manged to find a few things to pick up. I got some flowers and fresh mini doughnuts. Delish. Mom got flowers and a magazine in French, and then decided she wanted some fresh raspberries-they were huge and so sweet, not a sour one among them. We also hit up Sur La Table and I got some red and white and blue and white seersucker napkins and a new America banner. For the home I don't own, haha. But I could seriously get into linens tho.

:)

I talked mom into finding the gum wall. It's just right beneath Pike Place Market, you can actually take an elevator down to the alley and walk out the door. It's so gross to see. All that chewed up gum and saliva...the wall was actually power washed about six months ago for the first time in like 20 years because there were too many rats infesting the alley. I chewed my piece of gum as quickly as I could, stuck it on the wall and got out of there. I was so glad I've had all the hepatitis vaccinations.

After our public market wanderings we went to wander the Seattle Center, possibly go up the Space Needle, since we've never done that before. But I took mom a long way around things and I tired her out and it was really hot. So we got a small lunch and hydrated ourselves. Then we went to McCaw Hall to get our seats for the ballet!

The program we saw was called "American Stories" and had three different ballets. They were "Fancy Free" by Jerome Robbins, "Square Dance" by George Balanchine, and "Waiting at the Station" by Twyla Tharp. Three very important choreographers in American dance history. It was such a wonderful production!

"Fancy Free" was the first ballet. It was choreographed by Jerome Robbins (who also choreographed "West Side Story") and was the inspiration for the movie "On the Town" staring Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra. It tells a story of three sailors on leave for a night on the town in New York City, set around the end or a little after WWII. The three sailors meet two women and spend the night hanging out, trying to impress each other, and fighting over who doesn't get the girl. It was playful, funny and flirty. It was fun to see such strong male dancers and they did some amazing leaps and turns. At one point the three sailors have a "dance-off" of sorts, and they try to outdo each other with their moves. At then end of the night the two girls leave and none of the sailors gets the girl only to have a third gal show up  and all three run off to chase her down. This ballet is important because when it was created it was truly "American" and showed what our style could be.

The second ballet was "Square Dance" by George Blanchine. All I can say is I need ALL THE BALANCHINE in my life. Stat. This piece was more traditional/classical ballet. It had partnering, a pas de deux, male and female solos. The style was influenced by Balanchine studying american folk dance, especially square dance; he replicated some patterns and partnering of square dancing in this piece. I did do a week of square dance in high school PE, "Burgers and fries and cherry pies!" It was interesting to see how he blended the folk with the ballet styles. The male solo was amazing. It was a slow dance so at first I was a little disappointed because I love all the jumping and turns the male dancers do, but his solo was so graceful and strong. I just loved it. The pas de deux was sublime. Even the corp de ballet parts were sweet. It also didn't hurt that both the leads were principal dancers, so you get the cream of the crop. I was trying to count the entrechat at the end and I think the guy got up to five but it was probably six because I always miscount them. The whole style was just intended to be beauty and it worked, made me think of Greek statues or something. And because the costumes were on the simpler side, just grey leotards, it really made you focus on the movement, strength and agility of the dancers. The music was a classical piece and even though  Vivaldi doesn't make you think square dance, it totally worked.This one was great.

"Waiting at the Station" was the third and final ballet. It was my first time seeing a piece by Twyla Tharp, so I didn't really know what to expect. Well, I'm totally a Twyla fan now! WATS is a piece that was made especially for the Pacific Northwest Ballet. They are very proud that it belongs to them. The story is set in the 1940s in New Orleans, LA. The premise is that there is a father and a son, the father knows his time on earth is short and he wants to impart a few last things to his son. The urgency of  his time grows as the piece goes on. And the three gold fates appear from time to time to remind the father of his mortality. It is set to jazz music by Allen Tousssaint which is very interesting to see ballet to. But it worked, and the dancers actually did ballet, not just fakey ballet because they were trying to be more modern. The gals wore their point shoes. What I liked about Twyla's piece is that it was relaxed but it was still very much ballet. It was not modern dance trying to pass off as ballet. There was also a lot of style and funkyness that made it fresh and fun. I also noticed there was just a lot more going on onstage, a lot more to look at and a lot more background dancers all doing interesting things. The lifts and jumps and turns were just updated and made to look new and exciting. It broke ballet out of the mainstream but still counted as ballet, if that makes sense? I really enjoyed this piece and it helped broadened my idea of what ballet could be.

All three pieces were different, but they were all very, very good. I was elated at having three such renowned choreographers to see all at one time and I enjoyed being able to compare and contrast their styles. I wouldn't be able to pick a favorite from the show. My mom had just as much fun as I did, and she overheard this lady say to another lady, "well, another good season at the ballet" and we were totes jelly that that is their life. We are sad posers.

After the ballet we hit up Queen Anne: Nancy's Sewing Basket and Paper Source. Then we tried to find gas in the big city (not as easy to find as you might hope), and then we drove ourselves back to the TC. It was a successful lady day in the city!

pope

Pope Francis gave a mass this Sunday dedicated to the disabled and their caregivers. He said some poignant words that have stayed with me all day after reading an article about it in the paper this morning. Here are some of his words:

"Pope Francis has slammed the pursuit of the perfect body, stating that such obsession results in the disabled being “hidden away.” The comments were made during a mass dedicated to disabled people and their caregivers.
"It is thought that sick or disabled persons cannot be happy, since they cannot live the lifestyle held up by the culture of pleasure and entertainment," Francis said during Sunday's Jubilee of the Sick and Disabled mass in St. Peter's Square.

"In an age when care for one's body has become an obsession and a big business, anything that is imperfect has to be hidden away, since it threatens the happiness and serenity of the privileged few and endangers the dominant model,” he added.

He decried the mindset of those who believe it is better to keep disabled people “apart, in some 'enclosure' – even a gilded one – or in 'islands' of pietism or social welfare, so that they do not hold back the pace of a false well-being.”

“The world does not become better because only apparently 'perfect' — not to mention 'made-over' — people live there," but "when solidarity and mutual acceptance and respect increase,” the pontiff said.

The mass involved many disabled people, including a blind woman who read an excerpt from the Bible using Braille. The service was translated into sign language, and saw mentally disabled people in costumes acting out a parable.

Pope Francis hugged and chatted many of the participants and guests at the end of the service, AP reported.

The Sunday mass is the latest instance of the Pope using his papacy to advocate for those who find themselves marginalized in societies where wealth and other financial achievements are valued over inner worth."

Right on, Pope Francis.

Pic of The Pieta by Michelangelo-PC: Me! 2012

new favorite

Dudes, I have a new obsession. I got into the show "Fixer Upper" on the Netflix and I am hooked. For those who haven't seen it, this husband and wife team in Texas help people buy houses and fix them up into their dream homes. Besides being a home remodel show, they actually take these really old and crappy houses and turn them into these amazing, cute, and better functioning homes. The wife, Joanna, has great taste. I really like her style and she is really good at what she does. Also, Joanna and Chip are really cute and they don't ever fight or nag each other...at least what's taped anyway. 

So now that I'm about 7 episodes in I naturally feel that I'm totally capable of remodeling a house. Hahaha. But seriously, it's amazing what opening up a doorway or giving something a fresh layer of paint can do. My parents are starting the process of getting their kitchen and living room remodeled and it totally has me thinking about all the things they could do. Our house is very funky shaped and sized so it will be interesting to see what they do. Also, their style is very different than mine, so my goal is to keep my mouth shut as much as possible. Let's see if I can do that. It also has me daydreaming about what I'd like in a house someday. And then I cry myself to sleep because it's hard to imagine myself ever being able to afford buying a house let alone a cute one. JK, LOL, but seriously. Debt is scary. 

Anyway, I'm totally a disciple of Magnolia Design now. I love them and the projects they've done. I don't know why I ever would, but if I ever find myself in Waco, TX, I am totally hitting up the Magnolia Market.