Spring Break

This is the first year that I was unable to go home for spring break. Instead, my sister Angie and her husband Jordan came to Austin to visit us! We had so much fun together. I really miss having my sisters around all the time, but I guess it makes the time we do get together that much more special. We did everything from going to a movie at the Alamo Drafthouse, walking around Town Lake, stuffing our faces with Salt Lick BBQ, going to the outlet mall in San Marcos, and even doing some sealings in the San Antonio Temple. It was a wonderful trip and I miss them already.

One night when Angie and I were running some pizza boxes to the trash, she said "You're so lucky that you get to live all these places and experience things that most people don't get to do." This really struck me and I had to think, yeah, I am pretty lucky. Sometimes I get so bogged down in wanting to be done with school, moving home, wanting things that I can't have, that I forget to live in the present and be so grateful for the opportunities that I have. Not many people have had the experiences that I have and it was nice to have a reminder of how lucky I truly am.

I didn't take a single picture while they were here, Bryce actually took some but I haven't seen them yet, so as soon as I do, I will post away. I did make some pretty amazing cupcakes though that I will post pictures of soon. Here's hoping that this Spring Break was the rest I needed to get me through the rest of this semester!

End of February

Two weeks ago we got something very rare for Austin... snow! The flakes were seriously huge and it snowed all day leaving a couple inches on the ground. It all melted the next day but it was so pretty while it lasted.
We also made our first trip (hopefully out of many) to the San Antonio temple. It's a smaller temple but it was so beautiful. We went with our new friends Tash and Keith in our ward. It was a great experience and I can't wait to go back!

So a couple posts ago I talked about The Idea Room and how I wanted to be crafty. She posted this free pattern for a knitted headband and I immediately knew this was going to be my new project. I had just enough leftover white yarn from a past project and I'm really happy with the way it turned out. It was pretty easy too!

See, I told you I'd post photos!

Olympics and such

I love the Olympics. I could sit home all day and watch them. It's a good thing we don't' have cable or else I'd be in big trouble. I get so excited about each sport and the stories behind each athlete. I probably love the Winter Olympics so much because of my experience with them when they came to Salt Lake. I had the opportunity of being in the official band for the games so I got to be in opening and closing ceremonies, play at a ton of different events, and even get to see some of them. That was one of the best experiences of my life. So magical and inspiring. I really wish we had the Olympics every year so that I can get inspired by the determination of these athletes more often. Team USA is doing amazing so far, let's hope they keep it up in week two.

School is going pretty well for me although I feel like I'm way busier this semester than last. Probably because I've taken on extra projects and stuff. We had our first orchestra concert this past Wednesday and it went really well. I got a lot of compliments, including from my teacher, which is always really gratifying. Although she did say that she thinks I need a new flute... urg... I'm playing in a woodwind quintet for a composer's concert on Monday night and both times that we've met together to rehearse, the composer was late to the rehearsal. Yesterday, he was almost a full half hour late to rehearsal. I was so annoyed. I just feel like if we are taking time out of our busy schedules to play your piece, you better show up on time. So lame. If it sounds like crap it'll be his fault.

Did you hear about the guy that flew a plane into an IRS building in Austin? Yeah, that was like two miles from my apartment. The building is right off the freeway and I drive by it on my way to work. When I was driving home on Thursday (the day of the accident), I saw the building. It's even more crazy in real life. Sometimes when we see things like that on TV it doesn't really feel real, but seeing it in person is just crazy. And I found out that his wife is a collaborative pianist at the music school. I've never worked with her but I know who she is. Crazy stuff. I really feel bad for her and her daughter. I can't imagine having to deal with something like that. Please keep her in your prayers.

Everything else is going well for us. We've gotten closer to a few couples in our ward and have been hanging out with them and had a lot of fun. We're getting so excited for Spring Break because Angie and Jordan are coming to visit!!! That'll make not going home not suck so much. Haha. Sorry for the long post with no pictures. I'm really terrible about getting my camera out. Maybe next time...

Craft Me

I am not a super crafty person. My one crafty claim to fame is that I can crochet like my grandma. Last year in Santa Barbara, I worked at a specialty yarn store called Knit and Pearl Boutique. It was a lot of fun and made me want to do more crafty things.

Through my blog stalking I came across this blog. theidearoom.blogspot.com.
She has some of the cutest ideas I and I want to make about 50 of them. I really want to make the glass tile pendants and the fabric keychain. I just need my sewing machine. Too bad it's in Utah...

Jinx

Andy lost the day I made that post. In 5 sets. So sad. Maybe next year.

School is already so crazy busy. I'm in extra rehearsals for a concert of the Rite of Spring by Stravinsky. I'm playing the alto flute part and it's really fun, just makes for really long days. Like today, I had class at 9, practiced til 12, had orchestra from 12-2, went to a masterclass with the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet from 2-4, took the bus home and ate some toast and a diet coke and then grabbed the alto flute I left at home and went back to school, Rite of Spring rehearsal from 6-7:45 and the Berlin Phil Quintet concert from 8-10. Woof. I'm exhasted, and I will be for the next two weeks. I did find out that I have an extra week to make a recording for a competition so that's happy news but I'm still stressed out about it. I just want to sleep all the time.

Up for tomorrow- teach in Leander from 8:45 to 3:15, practice during the time I don't have students, and then go visiting teaching. At least I have The Office and Project Runway to look forward to.

Dear Andy

You know how much I adore watching you play tennis. It broke my heart just as much as yours when you lost the Wimbledon final. You are playing awesome in Australia and I would really appreciate it if you could win the title and shut those nay-sayers up. I would do the best happy dance ever.

Sincerely,
Ali

P.S. When you get back to Austin, will you give me a call and teach me how to play tennis again? I promise I won't drool too much.

Winter Break in Utah

I am, admittedly, a horrible blogger. I haven't posted in such a long time because of busy schedules, finals, and being in Utah was full of so much fun that I waited until now to post something. I didn't take a whole ton of pictures, but here's a snapshot of what we did.Picture from our plane just about to land in Zion.Spent time with wonderful friends who I miss like crazy.Snuggled with my puppy by the fire. She slept with Bryce and I just about every night.Saw my best friend get married.Watched the boys play video games while Angie and I slept.

Met Shawn Bradley. He's 7'6". Wrap your head around that.Helped Bryce celebrate turning 25!Saw the Dew Tour halfpipe competition up at Snowbasin.
Along with all of this, we got to go see a free Dashboard Confessional concert, went skiing, watched the National Championship game (too bad we lost...), and spent a lot of time with family and friends. My favorite thing about this Christmas break was that I found out I'm going to be an aunt in July! I couldn't be happier for Maren and Kevin, they're going to be amazing parents.

All good things must come to an end, and we are now back in Austin with the start of a new semester. Of course, the minute we left Utah there was a huge snowstorm that dumped fresh powder in the mountains (after weeks of no snow at all), and my car batter was dead when we got here, but oh well. Back to the real world. We can't wait to come back to Utah sometime soon!