What do you get when you add 8 colors of frosting, m&ms, skittles, redhots, candy corn, licorice rope, mini chocolate chips and three 7 year old boys? Oh, and of course, sugar cookies!

~Funny looking, frosted to the extreme, cookies for the bishopric!~

Music...

Isn't music funny? It's such an amazing thing, how the music in a movie or tv show lead your emotions. For example, if in Psycho instead of the high sliding strings they had a soft flute going on, you wouldn't be scared when he was stabbing. It would still be a scary picture, sight wise, but your heart wouldn't be racing, you'd just be sitting there. Or if on Driving Miss Daisy they had the haunting music from What Lies Beneath, while they were driving down the little road, you'd totally be expecting some horrible thing to happen. I do have to admit that I haven't seen Psycho for a very long time, and I don't know if I ever saw Driving Miss Daisy, but you can see the comparison, right?

Other funny things about music, is that you can hear some song from the past and remember exactly where you were, what things looked like, what things smelled like when that song meant a lot to you.

For example, I was just listening to Pandora and it was on one of my country collection stations, and Cowboy Take me Away came on, which brought back good, fun memories. One memory was of Collin, ALee and me driving in one car while Mom, Grandma, Grandpa and Orpha Sue drove in another car up and back to Hillsboro for Tyler's (?) wedding. We listened to Earl every hour on the hour, and then we'd listen to Cowboy Take me Away. For any of you who don't know, it took us what seemed like 22 hours to drive home. So we heard a lot of those songs! There was one part of Idaho that was so beautiful; the sun was setting, we were driving past a huge field of wheat or something in that color that just spanned on forever, and that is the scene I picture every time I hear Cowboy. The other memory that comes back every time I hear it is sort of bitter sweet. I was driving up American Fork Canyon with this guy that I totally loved in highschool, the radio was on, and we were singing to it. Cowboy came on, and I was singing, and he said, "You are singing this about me." At the time, I totally was, but we see how life changed for both of us. I'm lucky to not be involved with that whole situation.

Another example is everytime I hear Everyday, by Rascal Flatts, I can see the DWTS where Apolo Ohno and Julianne Hough were dancing at the end of one of the seasons. It was right at the same time that he was shopping at SFD to get furniture for his home, and everytime he came in was total excitement for everyone. I had so much fun, because some of the girls were all shy around him and the other customers were giddy and would follow him around. It was so much fun, and he's a great guy to talk to.

Then my last example for tonight is I'm Already There, by Lonestar. This one doesn't exactly bring back memories of where, when, who and how; instead, there's not a time that I listen to it without thinking of my dad. I know he's around to help me, so in a way he's already here, without physically being here.

Anyways, guess that's enough for now!

Today is my dad's birthday. It, generally, was a really good day. He would've been 54 years old. It's crazy to think of him being in his fifties, but I can imagine, his hair would've been quite thin and graying. He was such a loving, fun, and amazing guy. I wish that everyone that has joined our family since Oct. 17, 1987 would've had the chance to know him. They would all have loved him. They would know what an honor it was to know him. They would all remember him today and honor him and celebrate his life.

The day started with Collin and his boys coming over for a few minutes. It was really nice to be together, if even for a short time today. You know, days come and go, but there are days like today and days like a week from today, when we need to be together to feel that support for each other. Then, we went and got flowers for him and headed to American Fork. Grandma JaNae, Mom and I spent some time at the cemetery, and then when to the temple. It was a perfect way to celebrate his birthday! After the temple, we went to Parkers and then ate at Grandma's and Grandpa's. Great day!

I miss him so much! Sometimes, the missing him is just a dull pain somewhere in the back of my mind, and sometimes the missing him is almost tangible. I'm grateful for a Heavenly Father that has a plan for all of us. I'm so grateful that I'll be able to be with him again someday. I just wish sometimes he could just tell me what he's thinking about me, and my choices, and what I'm doing with my life. I wish that he could give me advice when I need it, but I know that he's there, when I need him, and I can feel comfort and peace from that.