I did it. I redid the site. I did a new layout and redid some other things. Stay tuned, because I am determined to make this "new & improved".

Music is an amazing gift that has been apart of my life since I was in seventh grade. At that point I picked up the flute for the very first time and started to play (it wasn't all that pretty at that point). Since then music has always been an important part of the person that I am. I have played in high school orchestras & marching bands, received a scholarship to college and played in choir concerts and church activities and sacrament meetings. Since returning from my mission I haven't really played much and last night I realized just how much I miss it. Over the past week I have attended two Christmas concerts and a fireside that dealt with music and my spirit was touched. I believe that Heavenly Father has given us this beautiful expression to touch people's souls and to uplift us. And that is what happened to me. I hope to be able to start working on expanding on that talent again.

Another thing I thought I would mention, I am sure you have noticed that I haven't done much updating lately, there are multiple reasons for that. I hope to change that very soon and with that will also come a new and improved site.

The site has been updated with TONS of new pics from this past weekend, and other events over the past 6 months (thank you Scott!) There are pics from Thanksgiving, Looking at Lights @ Gardner Village, FHE - November 29, 2004, My 27th Birthday, The Teachings of the Living Prophets Retreat, Waffles @ Sarah's, This is the Place concert, and some random pics. And there are a few new videos. Keep in mind that the videos take a little while to load. Plus if you want to see our new family Christmas portrait go here. On to the things you might or might not know about me.

31. When I was little I told people I was allergic to peanuts, even though I had no problems eating peanut butter.
32. I was on the high school swim team when I lived in California.
33. I never broke a bone in my body until I fractured my foot while serving my mission in Indiana.
34. I once dreamed of being a Marine Biologist.
35. I couldn't ride a bicycle without training wheels until I was 9 years old.
36. My favorite holidays are people's birthdays - I love to celebrate the day God gave us life.
37. My favorite television show is Alias. I have never missed an episode.
38. The longest my hair has ever gotten is to my shoulders.
39. I have been doing websites & webdesign since 1998.
40. I own all of Counting Crows albums.

And happy belated birthday Ben!

Last night my friend Katie and I watched the movie Raising Helen starring Kate Hudson & John Corbett. If you haven't had a chance to see this film, I highly recommend it. It is funny and totally clean. It is about a girl who is a total city party girl that gives up the life she knows and loves to raise her deceased sister's three kids. In the process of all of this she meets Pastor Dan Parker, a principal at the Lutheran school that the kids attend. Anyways ... the two kind of you know - hook up. In the process he makes a comment about being a sexy man of god. (Go here to see the scene)

This scene got me to thinking ... okay so my thinking pattern might be a little random. My friend and I were talking about the various men that she has had relationships (romantic & otherwise) with over the past year or so. Well this of course got me thinking about mine. I have been pretty dang lucky in most regards. The men in my life are "Sexy Men of God." They have strong testimonies about the gospel, love for their families, and confidence in who they are. And these men have elightened my life and helped me to see the Beautiful Daughter of God that is within me. So to you men that are in my life ... thank you! Thank you for being "Sexy Men of God."

I finally got around to getting the pics up from the retreat last weekend. Unfortunately I don't have very many due to the fact that I left my memory card at home on Friday night, but hopefully I will have more soon thanks to Scott. I will email you all and let you know! Until then go and enjoy! (P.S. There is also videos!)

Fetishes... I think we all have them. We all have things that make us happy and excited. That we love reading about, learning about, doing, etc... I have been thinking a lot the past few days about what mine are. I love music! I love the way music can make me want to get up and dance (even when I am driving my car) or help me relax. It can take me to a time in the past. I have developed a strange fetish for limes ... I love them! Love them in cherry limeade, in diet coke, mixed in a Jamba Juice, I just love limes! Then there are books, escaping in them. From Harry Potter to The Work and the Glory to C.S. Lewis to Max Lucado. Then there is Michael Phelps. I won't say more about that one. ;o)

I think it is so good to have fetishes and I am grateful for the ones that I have.

Friday was a great day and I got lots of fun pics of it. Here you go: Waffle's At Sarah's. Plus I have a picture from Friday Forum with Nancy Hanson.

It has been a while since I have really taken the time to put how I feel and the things that are actually going on in my life on to this site. I have been trying to hide everything that I am deep inside. And the more I store in there the more it is all starting to bubble up and come closer and closer to the surface. The truth of the matter is I am not sure that I can be the person I am anymore. It doesn't feel like I can be open with people and let them see who the "real" Allison is. Because that Allison isn't one that people really want to know or be friends with. Instead the girl that everyone sees is a girl who is too passionate about things and therefore too moody and defensive. She is a girl who expects too much from people and is always getting let down and disappointed. In fact that girl has been told this more than once recently and always by people that she cares about a little too much. There - she is someone who cares too much. Unfortunately that girl is the girl that I am the majority of the time lately and I am not sure I know how to be anyone else. And even if I did, would anyone let this other girl come out and play.

Just so everyone knows - yes I heard that Michael Phelps got arrested. Yes I am quite upset about it. I have posted an official statement about my feelings on my Michael site. I have received dozens and dozens of email from friends, various fans to my Michael address, and had tons of hits on my site. This is very disappointing, now I just have to move on.

I have been letting my mind wonder a lot this morning and even last night and yesterday. My mind is wondering over my life, my insecurities, the things I love, the people I care for, the things that make me happy, the things that make me sad. So I decided to do another

21. My favorite color is orange.
22. One of my role models is the late Marjorie Pay Hinckley.
23. I enjoy wearing ponchos.
24. Eating or drinking anything with lime in it makes me relax ...especially Sonic's cherry limeaids.
25. I am a HUGE fan of Michael Phelps!
26. I am not a huge fan of gold jewelry, but love wearing silver.
27. My favorite ways to eat chocolate are either on raspberries or cinnamon bears.
28. My favorite flowers are white daisies and orange roses.
29. I still believe in Santa Clause.
30. My favorite book growing up was Charlotte's Web. I still have my first copy and it is falling apart.

Added pictures from Heidi's bridal shower this weekend and new pics of Sammy, Travis & Shiloh's new baby boy.

First off, before I get into the things I want to talk about I have to say that I am so happy that President Bush has been re-elected! Way to go people!

There is a movie called "Finding Neverland" that I have been waiting to be released for the past two years. It is the story about J.M. Barrie, the author of Peter Pan and how he came to be inspired to write the story about the boy who never grows old. J.M. Barrie is played by Johnny Depp and the mother of the boys in the movie is Kate Winslet (one of my favorite actresses). The two were interviewed on Oprah's show yesterday. I think this is one of the best entertainment interviews I have ever seen.

I have always believed Johnny Depp to be a superb actor, but didn't know much about him as a person. He talked about how he is just a normal person with a weird job. He talked about how strange all the attention is that he gets. He also said that he wanted to be a musician, and then friend Nicholas Cage told him that he thought he would be a great actor. Johnny needed money to pay the bills and decided to give it a try. Can you imagine? What a sad thing it would have been if he had never considered being an actor and how much talent we would all be missing.

Anyways my favorite part was where he was asked about girlfriend, Vanessa Paradis. When asked what his favorite part about her was, he responded with: "She's a great mommy. mean, one of the most beautiful things in the world is to see a mommy with her kids. There's nothing more beautiful." I thought that was great. And when asked how fatherhood has changed him he said, "It gives you perspective—instant perspective. You know, suddenly, what the important things are. … There were a number of years where I was sort of freaked out about that strange, you know, word, 'celebrity'— just being followed by photographers and stuff like that. But, once you have kids and you're sort of rooted in the earth and you understand what's important, all that stuff around you, the other things, become just insects." Family is what is important. It is what makes the world a beautiful place. To love someone so much that you want to create life with them and share that magic with them. The family is our center. Our support system. The reason we are here.

The other thing was that Kate Winslet talked about how the press has always had issues with her weight. I loved this quote, "I'm just going to hold my head high and I'm just going to be the person that I am." The last few years I have really struggled with my weight and how I perceive myself and what I think others are thinking because I am not stick thin. Kate mentioned that Leonardo DiCaprio once told her, "There are so many girls out there who think that to be successful and to be beautiful and to be loved and respected it means you have to be thin." I am glad that there are people like Kate out there that help to remind us that beauty is nice but what is important is who we are, what we fight for, and the fact that we put the important things first, like our families and friends.

I am so glad that I was able to watch this interview. It was really refreshing to see "celebrities" who have the site of what life is really all about. I plan to be in the theater on November 12th to see this wonderful film.

Today is election day. The day to make a difference and let your voice be heard. I went this morning and voted right as the doors opened at 7:00 a.m. I love voting because it is one of the greatest parts about being an American citizen. Helping to decide who will make the decisions and run our country, state, county, & city. I hope that all of you will go out and vote today!

Yesterday, it snowed for the first time this year. I love how it looks when it snows. I love the peacefulness that the world takes on when it is covered by a blanket of white.

Here is my new winter layout. Enjoy! And let me know what you think.