Magic of Music

My sister has told me I need to update my blog so here I go.

First off something really random in honor of International Talk Like Pirate Day, Sept 19. As I was driving home from work or school whatever you want to call it since I am paying to be there, anyways This guy on a motorcycle squeezes between me and another car and passes me as I drive down Stapley just by the Mervyns on Main St. We then get stopped by the light and I am now behind this guy and I notice something kind of odd, one of his arms seemed smaller than the other, and only saw like one hand. I then noticed that his left arm was fake and he had a hook at the end. He then grabbed his fake arm and took it off the handle bar to give it a rest while we waited at the light, and then he put it back up, the light changed and he drove off with his long brown hair blowing in the wind. I was laughing so hard inside, that was one of the funniest things I have seen in a long time. Arrrrg ye mateys!

Now for the title of my blog. Yesterday in the advanced women's class we had one of those days where it better confirms why I do what I do. They are singing a song called "Think on Me" It has an amazing message of whenever life is going good think on me, when it is bad and nothing going right, think on me. Connie, my mentor teacher started discussing the topic and opened up to hear what the girls thought and what it meant to them. Some of the girls got really spiritual and then we all got emotional. There was such an amazing spirit in the room. To make it even more special, one of the girls in the choir was diagnosed with krohn's disease and spent the first 5 weeks of the school year in the hospital getting everything figured out. She came up and had a moment with Connie and told her that she would not have made it through what she had just gone through with out Heavenly Father. It was so amazing. After school Connie and I discussed what had gone on and how wonderful it was and her philosophy of teaching. I love what I do. Jr High Choir is so fun. you may think I am crazy, but the kids are amazing. They are at such an impressionable stage in life, and I can help make a difference in what they do. Music is so magical, what it can do is amazing.

Rocky Point!

The end of July my family headed down to Rocky Point for a week. It was so much fun. The resort was amazing, right on the beach, and about 20 miles out of town so it was secluded and quiet! We had a blast. Our days would consist of waking up, eating, swimming, going to the beach, eating, swimming, playing games, eating, swimming, watching movies and sleeping. It was so nice to get away and do absolutely nothing!

We took family photos on the beach, they turned out ok, but the wind was blowing so hard. Tiff, Mar and I had fun being fierce. Marilee is the Next Top Model.

Quick Trip

I just returned from a fun family vacation to Rocky Point. I will write more later, first I wanted to document my trip to CALI!

As most of you know, and often make fun of me, I love Disney. I had a free ticket that was expiring on aug 1 so my cousin Lindsay and I decided to make a quick day trip to Disneyland. The sad thing is that we couldn't go to Disneyland, for my pass I had a blackout day, but we could get into California Adventure, so we spent the morning playing there.


Our first ride of the day was the brand new Toy Story Mania, it is now one of my favorites. It is an interactive 3-D game that you go and shoot at targets in five different games. I wanted to ride it again, but didn't want to wait in line because it was a forever long line since it just opened. We strategized and got in line for that first, and only waited about 45 minutes. The use of technology on this ride was amazing, I can't wait to ride it again, especially since I lost to Lindsy.



We rode the fun rides that we wanted to and then just walked around taking fun random pics with characters and just loving being at disney. We then found where the cast store is where I can get amazing discounts on merchandise. We had a fun little shopping spree. Oh how I love the perks of working for the mouse! We then made our trek home, it was a fun quick and much needed getaway!




I don't think I can ever be too old to take pictures with characters!

Party on the Freeway

The last loop of the 202 here in Mesa is finally finished. To celebrate the freeway being finished they had a party on the freeway tonight. It was so much fun and there were tons of people there. With my dad being the Vice Mayor(scary I know!) we got VIP parking and got a nice parking spot with a fun shuttle provided by the Flying Scottsman, which is an airport shuttle where the drivers drive in Kilts with awesome accents, so it was great fun. So we start walking along the freeway and see some fun vendors that are handing out all sorts of free things, like sno cones and other useless things that people like to pass out to promote themselves.



After walking around for a while it was time to head to the stage area for the ceremonial ribbon cutting and other festivities. When we got there we met some other city people and then someone really cool, Ali Vincent, the winner of Biggest Loser. It was fun to sit and chat for a few minutes and hear what she has been up to and what it is like to be in the Spotlight. She said it is kind of weird because she is just a girl from Mesa AZ. When the ceremony was over we walked way down the freeway to where they were doing a hula hoop contest, and had fun trying to hula hoop. When the contest was over Tiffany and I went and got our picture taken with Ali and Bette Sue. They are the funniest ladies. Bette Sue makes me laugh. Earlier in the evening she was riding in a gator and she said she felt like moses parting the waters. what a crack up! Meeting Ali was kind of inspirational and makes me want to work harder at working out, it was really neat. We then came home and had a delicious, yet not too healthy dinner at In and Out.

I love Sundays!

Today was a great sabbath day. I woke up early to go to my cousin Aaron's missionary report in sacrament meeting, formerly known as a missionary homecoming. It was great and really fun to see the changes he has made since he left. We then went over to my aunt and uncles house for a lunch gathering. It was so much fun because my cousins that are married and out of state surprised their parents and came down for the weekend to see their brother. When the Jones family gets together it can be really scary, but mostly just really hilarious! Today was no exception. After a couple of hours of many laughs me and my other cousin decided we should head to our ward for the combined priesthood/relief society meeting to see what fun topic our bishop would be discussing. When we arrived at the church building we were treated to a pleasant surprise, the bishopric had been released and a new one called. We were shocked. I never miss my ward, and when I do, something big happens. Like the last time I was gone, a bishopric member was released and a new one called. I quit! It is so frustrating, but I am excited for the new chapter of our ward and the fun things that will come. I have been neighbors with my new bishop for about 14 years, so it will be good. It is a change I wasn't ready for, and then came as a shock since I was gone, grrrr. How I love family bonding!

What the?

The other day at the pool I work at we had the most random of questions asked. I was sitting in the front of the office doing some paperwork like always and then I over hear a conversation coming from the back of the office from one of the lifeguards and a patron. The patron asks if we have an ax so that he could chop of the legs of a boy that keeps stealing the ball and blocking the basketball hoop. Come on, what kind of question is that? People these days! Yay for the parents of Taylor!

The End of a Chapter and Beginning of a New One

Most of the fam at the lame graduation

So the end of the school year was really crazy. It has been kind of weird to think about because my youngest sister Marilee was graduating, so it was the last of everything. Graduation was really depressing, not that the baby was graduating, but because of Arizona's bipolar weather, only my parents got to go because it was raining and the graduates only got two tickets. It was so sad because we had been looking forward to this day for so long since Marilee is the baby and 5th and last to graduate from Mesa High, we were all looking forward to sitting on the field, and I know this sounds weird, I wanted to hear the recognition that our whole family had graduated from Mesa High. Life goes on and we don't always see the big picture, but we will survive. Summer is now here, or at least it is trying to come. Memorial weekend we went to the cabin and there was snow. What is up with that?

With the high school chapter of our life over, my parents are trying to figure out what to do next. On monday I went to the Mesa City Council meeting in support of my father as the new Mayor and Council members were sworn in. The crazy thing about the night is that my father was elected by the council to be the new vice mayor of mesa. That is weird. We are still trying to think of what all that is supposed to mean. In the meantime I shall stay busy at work. If you get bored you can come visit me at Taylor pool.