Little Big Town Concert

If you've read the previous post then you already know that I went to see Clay Walker at the county fair. Then a couple days later some friends and I went to see Little Big Town there. The Clay Walker concert was just so amazing that we couldn't help but get our (and everyone who went with us) hopes way up. The humongous difference was that the security wasn't letting anyone close to the stage. We were still really close to the front but just shoved all the way to the side. Then a big factor in the funness was that the crowd was just not getting into the show. Standing on the side I had a really good view of everyone in the crowd, and they looked like they were sitting at home watching the news. I wished that was exactly where they were so I could have a front row seat and party with the band and my friends. The crowd didn't stand up and sing and dance until the last song and then for the encore. Ridiculous! Actually I was really grateful that they stayed in their seats because it let me get better pictures. Speaking of pictures...

Adam, Krystal, Julia, Paige, Eric and Kyle


Little Big Town!!!


See what I mean about the crowd?



Karen was the one who took control of the show and spoke the most to the audience. She was funny and really cool.


Kimberly is her name and she has a great singing voice, but I'm pretty sure she shocked everyone when she spoke regularly because she has a tiny little girl voice that is annoying and adorable at the same time.





Desirae and me


Julia, Desirae, Kimberly, Eric, Paige, Adam, Krystal and Kyle



If you look closely on top of the corn dog stand, on the left, you can see two people who were watching the concert from the raised vantage point. Karen noticed them too and pointed them out to everyone and named them "The Corn Dog Couple." It was pretty funny.


Phillip had his little. less than a year old, daughter there with him. She played off to one side of the stage with giant pink head phones on to cancel out the loud noise. It was really cute to see his family.




Singing along!


Finally the crowd got off their butts! I love the four totally different poses that each of Little Big Town's singers are in.


Desirae and Paige thought Jimi was really cute and made me take a bunch of pictures of him. He only came over on our side of the stage a couple times so I had to work quickly and around the people in front of me. Hence the arm in the next two shots.





My favorite songs they performed were "Life In A Northern Town" and "Boondocks"



Julia, Desirae and Kyle rode one ride after the show.


Look at their screaming, red faces! Haha!


Me and my sister Kimberly.

Clay Walker Concert

Clay Walker came to the Stanislaus County Fair in Turlock on July 25th so I rounded up some girls to go see him with me. Some friends and I saw him perform several years ago when he came to another county fair, so I knew he put on a good show. Ever since that first concert I have been a huge Clay Walker fan! And this show has made me even more of a fan. We were right in the middle and super close to the stage. There were guard rails in front of the stage so people couldn't get too close and then I was only one person back from the rails. We could make eye contact with every band member. I brought my camera and got a ton of great shots because of being in such an ideal position. I got so many fabulous pictures of the concert that it was really hard narrowing it down to the 27 I've posted here. But these are my favorites and tell the story of the concert the best.

Me, Maddi, Julia, Kelsey, Desirae, Elizabeth and Kimberly


Schedule of events for the fair


Clay Walker!!!


Guitarists and bass player



One of my favorite photos from the night.




His adorable smile!


He really plays to the crowd and they love him



Maddi caught one of his guitar picks! Lucky!


This guy was right in front of me almost the whole time. He was super adorable and he and I would catch each other's eye and smile every once in awhile. Maybe it was because I kept taking a million pictures of him! This one is my favorite of him.


Slowin' it down.





Shakin' things up with leis and giant beach balls!





I swear Clay is looking right at the camera in this one!


Confetti!!!



I just had to go on one ride while we were at the fair...the swings! I love flying smoothly and freely through the air with my arms, hands, legs and toes being cooled by the night air. It is relaxing and exhilarating at the same time.

Twilight Movie Goodies

My new favorite band!!!!!!!

I heard these guys on the radio and instantly fell in love.

Saw their music video and fell in love even more.

It would be easy for me to predict great things for these guys.

Ladies and gentleman, Thriving Ivory...

Introducing Missy Higgins!

My friend Janae played me a couple of songs sung by Missy Higgins while we were shoe shopping and showed me some of her videos on YouTube and I was hooked. She has a couple songs on the radio so she might be familiar to some of you but she isn't that famous...yet. I downloaded a bunch of her songs and got really familiar with her music and style and then Janae told me that she was performing in an Underground Lounge that B93 radio station puts on every so often. An Underground Lounge is always an exclusive, small venue concert. Janae and I tried to get put on the guest list for several days but had no luck. We decided it would be totally worth it to drive to the location in Modesto and just try our luck at getting in. The venue was Tresetti's World Cafe. A great little bar and restaurant with fabulous wall art. We spoke to the girl inside at the doorway to the long, narrow room that the concert would be taking place in. We had her check the guest list even though we knew we wouldn't be on it. Then we explained our situation, told her we tried to get on the guest list, but obviously couldn't, but came hoping we could get in anyway. She said to take a seat in the waiting area and she would have the people in charge come talk to us.

While we were waiting we heard someone say "Okay, bring her in." Who else could they be talking about but Missy Higgins so we kept a look out for her while we waited. Then one of the B93 DJs, Angie Good, came and introduced herself to us and we asked if there was any way we could get in even though we weren't on the list. She told us she'd check if there were seats available and came back a minute later and said there were but they weren't in the same row. We thanked her profusely as she started to lead us to our seats. When we were walking in Missy Higgins was just walking in also through a different door. I nearly ran into her, seriously. Our seats were super close to the front. Really every seat was super close because of the smallness of the room. Janae sat just one row in front of me so we could talk to each other despite not sitting next to each other. Missy started out with one of my favorites of hers, Sugarcane. Her set also included Steer, Wrong Girl, Going North, Secret, Where I Stood and some others I can't remember but were incredible. She accompanied herself on either the guitar or keyboard for each song. Missy is this small little person who sings at the top of her lungs perfectly and effortlessly. Her talents are spectacular to watch. The concert really only lasted about a half hour and when it was over Janae and I politely pushed our way to the front while everyone else was heading for the back, the opposite of where Missy was. What were they thinking, Janae and I told ourselves. We waited next to a couple other people who were talking to her and waiting to talk to her. When finally it was our turn her "people" took her away so she could autograph posters and take pictures with everyone. So just as we were first in line to talk to her we then had to go to the back of a huge line to wait to talk to her again. When it was our turn she asked us our names and signed cute posters of herself and let us take pictures of us with her. I apologized to her for not wearing makeup because we were in such a rush to get to there. And she said that it probably wouldn't matter anyway because we were using cell phones to take the pictures and they never take very good pictures.

Janae and I then left in fabulous moods because we made it into the concert, got to see an amazing performance, met and talked to Missy Higgins, got signed posters that said "To Christina <3 Missy" and to top it all off we didn't even have to pay for parking in downtown Modesto!

This music video is of the song "Where I Stood" one of my favs and played on the radio around here. If you're interested in hearing more from her then go to YouTube.

Twilight Obsession

I never saw the allure of them. I never understood the reason my sister Kimberly made my parents take her to Wal-Mart at nearly midnight to go buy the second book. I never understood why my friend Janae came over every week to pick up the next book after she'd finished the first and then the second, too excited to wait to read them with her friend who started the series with her. I never understood the reasons for the constant, hushed whisperings about the characters and plot that I was never allowed to hear because people didn't want to spoil it for me. I never understood why I would come home late from hanging out with friends to find Kimberly still up reading with no intention of going to bed soon. I never understood how Desirae (who never reads!) would stay up all night to read the books too. I never understood why all my friends just had to see the movie trailer every time they came over. I never understood why they picked apart every scene and every actor. I never understood how everyone spoke of Bella and Edward as if they were close, personal friends.

To say I understand now would be an understatement.

After most of my friends and half my family had already read the Twilight book series by Stephenie Meyer I felt compelled to read them. Okay, it was more like forced to read them, by Kimberly and Desirae. Boy am I glad I did! I really had no idea what I was missing out on! Now I am exactly like I described them to be and worse! We all enable each other actually. We always talk about the books. What our favorite parts are. How we feel about each character. What their clothes and jewelry are like. Who we wish we could be. Who we wish our boyfriends could be. What we think is going to happen in the upcoming fourth book. What the movie will be like. Our conversations are inexhaustible.

And I've never felt so emotionally attached to any other book I've read. I seriously feel every emotion that each character has. I laugh out loud, smile hugely, giggle like a little girl, get angry, frustrated, scared, bawl like crazy, fall in love, get my hopes up and my heart broken. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Twilight is astoundingly refreshing. New Moon is good but I hated it. I cried through the whole book and still cry when I think of it. Eclipse is breathtaking. Breaking Dawn comes out August 2nd and I'm sure it will not disappoint. If you haven't read the books I greatly recommend them. Come borrow them from me. I now own a copy of all three, as does my mom and sister. I'm also reading Stephenie Meyer's newest novel, The Host. I'm a third into the book and I love it. Stephenie Meyer is a fabulous author and I can't wait to read anything and everything she will ever put out!

It's been 6 months.

That's right, 6 months ago today I was in a serious car accident with both my parents in Idaho Falls. A lot has happened since then and I just thought I'd update everyone with how we have been doing since then.

The van was totaled but we bought a new one. A mini van. A silver Toyota Sienna. It's beautiful and my parents love it. But we all really miss the big old van.

Lori inside the van demonstrating that there is no roof after the accident.


A picture I found on the internet of the inside and outside of the new van.


My mom was the least hurt in the accident, just bruises, lots of ugly, colorful bruises. They are gone now except for a shadow of one on her leg.

The beginning of her bruises. Believe me they got much, much worse!


My dad hurt his shoulder and whole left side of his body when the van rolled. It took him several months to work through the pain of his shoulder but he's doing good now.

The morning after the accident, hanging out in the hotel room.


Dad taking Mom for a ride on Brittney and Job's scooter.


Dad beating Kurt on the rock wall.


I sustained the most damage and have been paying for it ever since. I was in a back brace for almost 3 months to allow the compression fractures in two of my discs to heal. I have been in physical therapy for almost 3 months now to strengthen my muscles. I was out of work on disability for almost 5 months. I returned to work a month ago but only on half time. I am still in a lot of pain and on a lot of medication, but I'm doing a million times better.

Me in the hospital just after they brought me in.


Wearing my brace while walking with my mom at Caswell.


No brace!




I want to thank everyone, all our family and friends and ward members and even people we don't know, for all of their support and prayers and love and understanding. It means the world to me. Thank you.