Frocks, French and food

Well- as an answer to the title question, my sister. Red sat me down a year ago and was like, LOOK AT THIS!! FRENCH PEOPLE SINGING, DANCING AND DOING PARKOUR! And I was like, silly Marin- parkour is for suicidal boys, not performers. And kind of brushed it off. Several friends through out the year have been like, "Sarah, have you heard of Notre Dame De Paris? You would love it!" But I thought, silly people, I am way too busy loving last five years, in the heights and next to normal. Oh me of little faith- it had been quite some time since I'd had a new musical obsession. Guess it was about time. Man this one is so good. I have a new goal to learn french- or at least to memorize most of the lyrics and be able to pronounce/sing them enough to not make a total fool of myself.
So this is turning out to be quite the week of cooking, despite lack of funds. Saturday night, the predicted snow FINALLY showed up. A note on the differences of east coast snow driving and Utah snow driving- mainly, east coast, particularly Maryland snow driving, doesn't exist. The second they predict an inch, people buy milk and bread, and hunker down for this tiny bit of powder like it was the apocalypse. And if they do get caught out in the snow, its common to see people slide of the road, etc. Not so much in Utah- while the snow was coming down, I saw a recipe and decided that then, right exactly then, I needed to make pretzels. So I bundle up and go out to buy a few ingredients. The parking lot of the local grocery store is packed. I thought to myself- maybe people are preparing for the Utah apocalypse! No. People were buying ridiculous things like frosting, ice cream and flowers. Utah people are just nonplussed by the snow. But pretzels turned out well! The next item on my baking wish list is a drying rack. (Along with a donut pan- did you guys know they make those?!? Check it out.) The pretzels turned out a bit soggy on bottom, and thus stuck to parchment paper- if any of you ever have that problem, give up now. All you can do is peel it off. But even though they were missing a bit of bread on the bottom- they tasted great, with their beautiful, and beautifully easy jalapeno cheese dip. (Recipe here) And this is what they looked like!

(a bit blurry- too bad I don't live with Red and her 

beautiful beautiful camera)

The next night two more friends invite me to a dinner party- I volunteered to bring a dessert. I tore my house apart looking for dessert ( I am missing chocolate! I need candy coating, and baking chocolate and chocolate chips. Don't judge me.) But I found a great recipe for improving upon a store bought cake mix, which I had, and several store bought frostings. So I made this very good recipe for white cupcakes, and we made 6 different kinds of frosting with different syrups and extracts. 

From left to right- raspberry- bananna-lemon-chocolate almond and chocolate banana.

Cupcakes before

Cupcakes after. And frosting after.

Good times.

Things that make me happy this week-1. I finally finally got my EFY application done!

 2. I have beautiful wonderful supportive friends, who help me when I have sucky days.

3. The tailor lady says she might be able to fix my skirt. So- I zipped this skirt to the top of my waist, and then the metal piece broke off and the rest of the zipper came apart- so I couldn't zip it back down, and thus couldn't take it off. It was a disaster. But the tailor lady got it off me. And says she might be able to fix it.

4. Firefly. 'nuff said.

5. Some stores are bringing out their spring stuff. Hooray online window shopping!!

What a Week!

So rather than repent for my terrible lack of blogging sins, for the moment I will act like nothing happened, and just write about this week, because this week has been fairly eventful.
Events of this week- in ascending importance- (Not necessarily in how fun/enjoyable they were. Just in life changing-ness)

5. Lots, and lots and lots of dominion was played. With recent events, I have far too much free time, and far too many things to ponder over why I am a terrible, terrible person. But I have friends who understand this- or at least understand my driving desire to trump this free time with and fill my thoughts with this wonderful new game called Dominion! I bought a copy for my family for Christmas. But it is nice, to be back in the land of people where I am not the person who has played this game the longest, and where if my siblings win, usually they're cheating. Which sort of brings us too......

4. I was successfully social, even outside my friend group! Last weekend, there were two birthday parties, filled with people, food, fun, rockband and balloons within balloons! I had the time of my life at both. Sunday, there was church twice- a new ward for a farewell, and a party afterwards, than catching the last hour of sacrament at my ward. Then this week there was Family Home Evening- another mormon social event (at our age, a desperate plea for us to meet and actually talk to potential marriage partners. It works for some- some girls flirt at FHE- Lorilei and I randomly break into ballroom and say Rargurgurgle a lot. So less flirting for us) Oh! And also, threw a party of my own. There was food. Well, there was cake. This cake to be precise. Observe photos of cake below. It was my first attempt at a layer cake- I learned a lot of things for next time.

3. I finally, FINALLY set up my UVU audition! After trying and failing not one, not two but THREE unsuccessful email addresses, I finally found one that worked to reach head of music over there. Who, miraculously enough, is a man who transferred from our school last year, who knows me, and more importantly knows and I'm pretty sure likes my voice. Finally finally, lets take my career/ life plans OFF pause. 

2. I got glasses! For the first time in my life, I can see straight lines, and not just fuzzy blurs everywhere. I am trying to decide if I like it. I love it during performances, and while driving. I have no idea how I ever drove without them. But- I think they make me look kind of like a cute hipster hippopotamus. You be the judge! 

(Please ignore my tornado of a room in the background!!)  

1. I MET CHRISTIANE NOLL LAST NIGHT!!!
Ok- no one who is not an A plus broadway nerd will get this- but she is so cool. Like pass out talking to her because she's your hero and you've listened to her since you were twelve and she got to play one of your dream roles and sing that song on national television *has a mini hyperventilating session*
So my beautiful fabulous friend Julienne mentioned that the arts department was doing a gala last night. I probably would have gone even had Christiane Noll not been there. Lots of cool choir performances. Even if Dr. Evans changes the words so they fit USU and makes them ridiculously cheesy (We're rocking the Kent tonight..... Hey Logan, stay cool! Hey Aggies, You Rule!)  But then she came out, and just sang favorite, after favorite of mine. Everything from Waiting for Life to Begin from Once on This Island, to Defying Gravity to Once upon a Dream (From the role Emma, which she Originated!!! SHE IS ON MY ITUNES!! AH) to Back to before, one of my favorite musical theater songs of all time! She did Glitter and Be Gay from Candide- and introduced it by talking about how this american composer had written for both stage, opera and film. I leaned over to Julienne and whispered "Copland?" And she points right at me and says, "You! Your whispering, do you know who it is?" And I do not go completely blank because a broadway star just addressed me in front of two thousand people, no no! I manage to say, "Copland?" And she says no, Bernstein...  But the point is she talked to me! Ah! And beyond my obsession with her as a person, she talked to the students about their art- and about life as a musician. I stole the advice, cause even if I'm not a student at the moment, I am a young, very confused musician. Right before she sang Back to Before, she talked about how everything happens for a reason- take whatever opportunities you can find and run with them. And I suddenly understood my situation a little bit better. Utah State was great- but it was stressful. The program was highly competitive and they sing nothing but opera and classical. Even if I had graduated here- I would have done so as a half decent opera singer, and a nervous wreck. But at UVU- where the program is not as well known, and a little more casual- I could thrive. I could be happy and unstressed. And most importantly- I would be allowed to study Broadway music. My first love and I could be reunited! So between meeting a personal hero, and that tiny piece of probably divinely given clarity- this event tops the list. And then we went to Becca's and played more dominion :)

And I have decided to end my blogs with a suggestion from a friend. She suggested I keep a happy journal. Eventually I will probably get an actual cute little book, but because I'm poor right now, a digital log of things that bring me joy it is!

1. The and step we get in the rhumba we're dancing in ballroom team. Cause I could not have done that sliding door in just one count. But apparently, we get to sneak in a prep in "and one."... dancers'll get it. 

2. I left my favorite blue dress at home over christmas break- and mom just mailed it back to me. Because she loves me that much.

3. My mom. Because even if she is scared that now that I am twenty three and single and will never get married- she is super supportive and loving and gives good advice. And reminds me that she didn't get married til 25. I have two years!!! 

4. My little sister. Because one year later she is still keeping a blog called ten nice things, which I think is half an effort to try to keep in touch and half an effort to convince herself that she doesn't hate me. But- she forgives when I say mean and awful things to her. So I am grateful, and love Marin deeply. On that note- 

Bahaha. It brings me joy. Love you red!