Last week, during our "annual springtime picnic" (which, unfortunately, went undocumented for the first time in history because sometimes you get to the age where you just don't care enough to take pictures of your picnic!) we somehow started talking about documentaries we've seen, and let's be honest, how some of those are actually the most interesting shows to watch on Netflix. At least I think so. I have a hard time really getting into television series, and most movies on there (besides Titanic, of course) I never want to watch anyway.

My best friend Sara, who graduated from BYU with a media arts degree (and just got accepted into Northwestern's documentary grad program!! So, so excited for her!) is the queen of knowledge when it comes to these kinds of things. So by the end of the night we decided on starting a documentary club where we get together once a month + in sweats + and watch/discuss whatever documentary we've chosen, Sara leading the way. For anyone who has Netflix and an open night, I just want to recommend the following:

Queen of Versailles
This film won't change your life, but it's definitely an entertaining two hours worth your time. It's about the Siegel family with millions and even billions of dollars, in the midst of building the largest home in America (90,000 sq. feet! that is literally over 100 times bigger than where I live!) ... and then the stock market crash of 2007 hits. The entire time all you keep thinking about is how unsatisfying all of that "stuff" is, or would be, I guess. Money does not buy happiness, but good relationships with family and friends do. I really, really liked it, and found the wife, as extravagant as she was, to be really likeable and endearing.

Ken Burns: The War
I hadn't heard of him before, but apparently Ken Burns is an amazing world-renowned filmmaker, and this 8 hour documentary is absolutely incredible. It took me a few weeks to get through, but Max, whose never been into this kind of stuff, watched all of it with me. If anything about WWII is fascinating to you, I'm sure you would love this. There is so much I learned, and some of the footage is simply unreal. I heard his other documentaries are just as good too!

Blackfish
You may have heard of Blackfish before, or maybe at least of the famous performing "killer whale" Tilikum at SeaWorld. Truthfully, I've never given much though to "animal rights" or activists until I saw this movie. It's really sad and at times even disturbing, but it is so well done with an argument so compelling you want to do something about it by the time you finish it.

Mitt
Surprise, surprise. If you're not a Republican/conservative, you will probably only watch this and be grateful he never won, and maybe (maybe) at least walk away thinking that their family values and relationships are worth mirroring in your own home. If you are a Republican or a conservative, you will be genuinely depressed about the 2012 election all over again and secretly hope your sister marries one of his sons. And maybe hope that you can be as classy as Ann Romney one day too. I feel like this documentary shows a really honest and real side to politics, and yes, of course I'd recommend it.

That's it. My coworker tells me that anyone who signs up for Netflix should automatically be required to buy a gym pass too :) (she has a point)

Have a great weekend!

Because of Him

Oh how sweet the joy this sentence gives: I know that my Redeemer lives.

I'll never forget sitting in a small hospital room with an entire family of brothers and sisters and cousins and aunts and uncles and spouses and children, all gathered together around my Grandpa whose time left on this Earth was not long. We knew it would probably be the last time we would be able to say goodbye, the last time he would be here with us, the last time we would be together as a family with Grandpa in the room. I remember the sadness I felt, of course, you could see and feel the sadness of everyone in that room. It was the first time in my life someone who I knew and loved so much would pass away. But I also remember the feeling that this would not be the end. This would not be it. I just knew it, just like I knew anything else. I felt it. We would, each one of us in that tiny hospital room, be together as a family again one day with my Grandpa there too.

Today, I still know that there is life after death. There is life after mistakes that take us down a path we don't want to go. There is life after heartbreak. There is still life when you feel that all is lost. Because of our Savior, nothing is no longer impossible, nothing ever will really be "the end." There is always hope. We all have a Savior, the Savior of the world, who is never going to give up. Not on you, on your neighbor, on your best friend or on me.

How grateful am I again this Easter that He paid a price none of us could pay, and how grateful I am for the joy this sentence gives: I know that my Redeemer lives.

random thoughts on a friday morning

99% of the pictures of Max on my phone are of him a. sleeping or b. waking up. If I send you a snapchat, it is most likely one or the other.

I don't know how many of you decided to stay up late to see the lunar eclipse on Monday night, but wow! How amazing! I wish I would have remembered my summer stargazing kit and made a date out of it with Max, but unfortunately we decided to just set our alarm for 12:30 AM because we wanted to go to bed earlier on a weeknight ;) When we woke up and walked outside to see it ourselves, I kind of felt like I was in a scary movie because it was so eerie to see the moon red. But really neat too!

Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose! So I finished Friday Night Lights a few weeks ago, (honestly I was addicted for the first two months of the year) and all I can say is: Texas Forever. Max has looked into med school at Baylor - and Tim Riggins can be our friend and/or neighbor ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. Max loves him as much as I do. And Coach Taylor is quoted in my quote book.

I'd like to issue a public apology that I ever financially supported Justin Bieber by going to his concert/movies/and/or bought his CD's. I'm real sorry about that.

I made tilapia the other night (who would have thought I'd like fish?) and I went on my first outdoor picnic of the year and had a minor sunburn for all of 12 hours. It's feeling awfully cheery around these parts, and I think the good weather + food might have something to do with it...

TGIF

what the whole year's all about

Because Friday we have a high of 75 and John Mayer said it best,
"a little bit of summer's what the whole year's all about."

1. I Wanna Get Better - Bleachers

2. Secret Garden Party

3. Huckleberry lemonade (here) // chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches (here) 

4. Liiibrary trips

5. Twilight Zone marathons

6. Camping (once)

7. 25 (twice)
8. Wildfire - John Mayer
9. Wallowa Lake
10. Otter pops + Beach Boys (anything)
11. Max