ODE TO WINTER'S END

Dear last day of winter, I am so glad you are here

You've lasted too long, it's seemed like a year

I won't miss your dark days or dark nights

Your freezing mornings, slashing snow storms, or other blights

No longer will I be scared to drive

With more sunshine and warmth, I finally feel alive!

You won't be missed

You can be done, I insist.

winter, I'm done with you! 

LEHI RODEO

awkward rodeo pose...

Since Owen's from Lehi, I decided that we needed to experience one of his hometown's longest-standing traditions - the Lehi Rodeo! I've never been to a rodeo before (they aren't exactly popular on the West Coast), and was excited to see why everyone in Utah seemed to love them so much. It was definitely an interesting experience. We had front row seats, which was fun because we were super close to the action, but everyone kept walking in front of us to get hamburgers and such, the smell of which thankfully helped mask the aroma of manure. It was all very very stereotypical Republican - cheers all around for guns and America and cowboys. And I was shocked at how sexist it was too -- especially the rodeo clown (I think that's what they are called) Liesel, and how hilarious everyone thought all of the totally sexist jokes were. I guess I fall into a stereotype too - the overly politically correct, peace-lovin' Washingtonian that I am, but it was just interesting for me to see that there are still lots of people who are way into the whole cowboy thing. One thing we found really hilarious was how the announcer kept tacking on the phrase "here on a Saturday night" to everything he said: "We've got a sold out crowd here on a Saturday night!" "Check out those Texas Longhorns, here on a Saturday night!" "There's no wilder place to be than here on a Saturday night!" "I'm eating a hot dog here on a Saturday night!" "I love NASCAR and guns and Rush Limbaugh and God and the Pledge of Allegiance and AMERICA HERE ON A SATURDAY NIGHT!!!" (okay that one was a bit of an exaggeration...but he did passionately mention at least 5 of those 6 things) I really think he believed we would forget what day of the week it was if he wasn't reminding us every 3 minutes. Also, I've never seen so many short shorts with cowboy boots combos in my whole life. Nonetheless, it was still a fun cultural experience and I was glad to share it with Owen as I learned more about the life of the Mountain West!

Tis the Season

Who cares that it is the last week of classes and that I should be studying for finals? Not me! We've had our first actual ground covering of snow and my mind has hopped aboard the Polar Express. Cheesy, I know. But you know what, many things about the holidays are cheesy. And I love it. 

To start off our cheesy holidays celebrations, we went to Christmas Around the World on Saturday. Owen and I have gone to this the past three years and I love it every year (despite the fact that most of the dances are disproportionately from Northern Europe). This years they totally added many more dances from other cultures which was great, including Israel, Africa (yeah somehow the whole continent was lumped into one dance, but at least it was included!) and my perennial favorite- India. This year the India dance was totally Bollywood style and it was pretty fun. Somehow the World Dance department has turned down our offers for Balinese dance workshops, but one year my friend, you shall see...

the folk dance people LOOOOVE the ukraine dances. photo from byu. 

Then last night, we had the chance to watch the First Presidency Christmas Devotional (on tv, yeah definitely the coolest part of being in Utah). I loved hearing the wonderful sweet Christmas music of the choir and feeling the love that the leaders of our church have for us. Here was my favorite tweet from LDSNewsroom during the devotional:

“When we keep the spirit of Christmas, we keep the spirit of Christ, for the #Christmas spirit is the Christ spirit.” Pres. Monson 

And these new videos from the church are lovely! Definitely going to be using them for FHE tonight!