Why the Heck Not?

The title for this post is sort of my motto throughout this whole process of applying for the Mormon Bachelorette. Why not?

We were asked to make a video explaining why we should be the next MB.  We were told the following: "Have fun and be creative!  We really want to see your personality in this video and we want you to stay true to yourself."  So, I asked Lane to help me on the guitar and we came up with a little Honky Tonk music video.  It was only allowed to be 2 minutes long.  I wasn't going to use it because I thought it was too unprofessional, kind of silly, and might make me look dumb (my biggest fear being that people would think I actually thought I was a legit country singer!), but in the end, I decided to go for it.  I'm not particularly high tech and the video I made really is "me." Even if it is a little quirky! (Or ESPECIALLY because it is a little quirky!).

Here is the final video, followed by a blooper reel.  Thanks, Lane, for being such a trooper and sticking with it until the bitter end! P.S. This is the first time I have ever used iMovie so I don't exactly know why this is sideways.

Lesson Plan: Mash-Ups

1) Show clips of mash-ups that have different characteristics:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BulXil2ROy4 (For the First Time in Forever. Frozen)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lExW80sXsHs (Evolution of Music, Pentatonix)

You can pick any other mash-ups you like for demonstration. My students introduced me to the Pentatonix one.  I loved it!

2. List together on the board characteristics of mash-ups.  Here are things you might come up with:

• 2+ songs mixed together
• Can be woven together or sung in succession
• Sometimes one song has the right words but the melody is altered slightly to match the other song
• Can be a cappella or accompanied
• Songs are usually related to each other in some way
• Works best when songs have similar chord progressions.
• Not all of both songs has to be used.  

3.  Print off lists of songs with the same chord progression.  Refer here and here for lists. There are two very popular chord progressions that many songs use. The first is I-vi- IV-v.  The second is I-IV-vi-V.  Play both progressions for students and show them a couple different songs that fit those progressions.

4. Have kids split in to groups (or assign groups) of 2-6. Give the lists of songs with the same chord progressions to each group to help them brainstorm. They don't have to use the songs on the list. In my advanced classes, I showed at least one kid in each group how to play the chord progression to assist them while practicing.  That really helped!

5. By the end of the first class period, they should have their songs chosen and should have ideas for their mash-ups. Be sure to circulate among groups to help give them ideas.

6. Second class period, they should finish mashing their songs (should take at least 45 minutes).

7. Have students perform for each other at the end of the period.  

Twighlight Zone

Anyone notice anything curious about our picture at BYU Idaho from Memorial Day weekend, 2013, and our picture at BYU Idaho from Memorial Day weekend, 2014?

2013

2014

Nope. Not planned.

Memorial Day Weekend 2014 Part II

Sunday morning, we went to Sacrament meeting in a ward where Holly's uncle is a bishop! The talks were really fantastic. It was a great meeting! We took some pics after outside of the lodge where we stayed! It really was a beautiful place. Thank goodness for hotwire.com or we wouldn't have been able to afford it!

On this very day, Anna and I realized how different our skin tones are.  My sister got the yellow from my mom and I got the red from my dad. It's crazy how genetics work!

We visited Mormon Row, which was settled by members of the LDS church in the 1890's.  There were 27 homesteads and an intricate irrigation system dug by the settlers there.  By the 1950's, most of the homes were sold to be part of the Grand Teton National Park.

I'm assuming theses are for saddles.

Picture to come of the Moulten barn (from Holly's camera because mine turned out dark), a popular landmark to photograph because of the majestic Tetons behind it.

This is not the Moulten barn.

The ditches remind me of my granddad.

Inside one of the old houses.

Anna had to go to the bathroom really bad while we were visiting the homesteads.  This historic outhouse (pictured above) was locked up (and probably has been for decades).  It was also the only "bathroom" for miles.  You do the math.  She told me I could tell that story as long as I included the part where I gently sang a hymn to her as I covered her from sight. (She was feeling anxious about the situation.  I was trying to calm her.)  But I couldn't hide her from the buffalo.

We ate a picnic lunch on the same grounds where members of our church established their lives well over 100 years ago. 

Jump for JOY! The top picture of Anna is one of my favorites from the whole trip.  At what other time can you take a picture jumping in front of mountains like that?!

Outtakes

We continued on to see more of the Grand Teton National Park.  For more information on how the Grand Tetons got their name, ask Holly. These mountains are incredible.  They are more jagged than any I've seen before, making them uniquely beautiful.

We went for a little trail walk by Jenny Lake.

Anna taught me the yoga pose for tree.

Anna, our photographer, directed us to look off in the distance.

We saw a bunch of cars pulled over to the side of the road so we stopped to see what the commotion was all about.  Sure enough, we had the honor of seeing a bear and it's child looking for food.  We were quite far away (which is a good thing), but they were definitely visible. 

I love this statue in Jackson Hole.

I was first introduced to Moo's on Prince Edward Island.  It doesn't disappoint!

Don't worry, Anna and I shared this banana split.

I wanted his arm around me.

We went for a walk around the enormous (and incredibly scenic) golf course on the grounds of where we were staying.  We composed a fairytale aloud as we strolled.  The views nspired it. It was about Princess Anna, who didn't know she was a princess, and how she and her guardian fairy went to the top of the Grand mountain to talk sense in to Queen Katie.  The queen was not making good choices as a ruler and didn't know her twin sister was alive.  It was quite a story.  It was full of romance (thanks to Anna) and field forces and so forth.

When we got back to Rexburg, Holly's complex was adorned with flags, which we though was really neat. I gained a much greater appreciation for Memorial Day this weekend.

Before Anna and I left town, we had the opportunity to see my sweet Brazilian friends, the Goncalves family.  Their daughter, nine, formed a band last week with the neighbor girls called "Awkward Awesome."  They sang us a couple songs and it was darling! Her English almost has no accent now. 

This little guy (four) is just too cute for words! I've missed their family so much! He is starting to speak English now!

I miss my dear friend Isabel! She whipped up my favorite Brazilian dish, estroganofe, in about 10 minutes. It was crazy! Food just appears in Brazilian kitchens before you even realize what's happening.

I am so, SO grateful I had the chance to see this family who have been such a great support to me. I'm so glad they love BYU-I so much and I can't wait to see them again soon!

What an amazing weekend! I'm so glad Anna and Holly were willing to go on this adventure with only a few days notice.  It was a blast! I've missed spending time with them both. These are memories we'll have always!