In Remembrance

As you probably have all heard, Michael Jackson died today. I'm not really sure what to think of it, but I've decided to post this video in remembrance.

I give you the Bratsigovo, Bulgaria orphanage dancers:

Rest in Peace, Michael.

Featured:

Mummy: Hollie Anderson
Skeleton: Monica
Boy in Red: Stanimir
Crazy-haired blonde girl in back middle: Mariana
Crazy-haired blonde girl back left: I feel horrible for not remembering her name. It will come to me...
Zombie back right: Pepa

And They Said It Couldn't Be Done

Back in February or March I started some cute little tomato plants inside (you can read all about that here). When I transplanted them into large pots everyone was telling me that they probably wouldn't survive. I wasn't about to give up on my precious baby tomatoes because I loved having them! When it was safe, I put the pots out on the porch and at first I thought they weren't going to make it. They kind of turned brown and wilted a bit, but perked up after about a week, but I was still certain they would die.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, feast your eyes upon this!

I give you...my baby tomatoes!

Aren't they so cute?! I love my babies! Don't worry, I haven't named them yet.....though I've been tempted :)

Rumor Has It

Today at about 1pm I got an interesting email from the Relief Society President. It read:

"Hi, Hollie,

I'm sorry I didn't get your email until just now. You can always call me.

I had heard that your husband moved out of the ward, but I'm glad you're still with us.

Love,
*RS PRES*" (I won't put her name)

My first thought? AWESOME! There are saucy rumors going on in the ward about me and Tony! I think that's hilarious.

My second thought....wow I need to talk more. People don't realize my husband didn't leave me.


Aside from the church scandal, updates of our real life:

Tony and I went golfing! Tony was pressured into signing up for a golf tournament with his work and was paired to play with the Vice President of his company. Tony has never really played golf before. So, he borrowed his dad's golf clubs and we decided to go to the driving range during the 2 hours it wasn't pouring rain here yesterday.

Tony asked me for a lot of advice (if you didn't know..I played varsity golf in high school. I was a dork!) but I wasn't really sure what to say as I whiffed balls left and right. After we hit 90 balls and chipped and putted around, Tony is feeling much better about playing golf tomorrow. Especially since thunderstorms are in the forecast.

Silver Lake Hike

Saturday Tony and I decided to try out a new hike. We found a hike in American Fork canyon because it's close, and neither of us had been up there! Tony found a good-sized one called the Silver Lake hike. It was about 4 miles roundtrip, but you gain a lot of elevation (1,500 feet to be exact) so it's a little more strenuous than most 4 mile hikes.

Here are some pictures!

This one's for you, mom. We were in BEAR COUNTRY..and survived.

Amazing view. This was during a break in the middle of the hike.

We got to cross a river on some logs :).

This one is for Morgan, proving that you can find good picture opportunities in Utah!

Here we are, at the top. There was snow!

And, of course, it wouldn't be an Anderson trip without a dorky video! (We know you love them)
It was FREEZING at the lake, that's why I am talking all funny. Plus, I sprinted to the top once I realized we had reached the lake. I was very hungry and very excited to eat my snacks.

I would recommend this hike to almost anyone! It was so fun! There are some tricky log crossing parts and the end of the hike gets pretty rocky, but other than that it's fairly easy. Just the drive to the trailhead was spectacular. It was totally worth it!

Indiana Trip!

Tony and I took our annual trip to Indiana this past week. We would have gone at Christmastime, but we decided to wait and go when my sister, Andrea, graduated from high school. We got to see my family's new home, and it is beautiful! It was nice to have our own space in the basement even though Baylie, the golden retriever, was scratching daily on the door for our attention :).

The second night we were there we had a big family get-together. It was AWESOME! We made delicious kebabs and salad. There was yummy fruit and a delicious dessert made by two awesome sisters (pictured below).

This is my sister, Morgan and me. We make one mean trifle! It was her idea to add the artistic strawberry slices and blueberries on top of the whipped cream. She'll be a great chef when she's older. (Isn't she the cutest?!?!)

Because Andrea came and visited me in March, I promised Morgan that we would do something special, just the two of us. A few weeks before I came out I mentioned something to her about how I needed to get my eyebrows waxed. We eventually came up with the idea that I would take Morgan to get her eyebrows waxed for the first time ever. We went Friday morning to our friend Alene (thanks again Alene, you did an awesome job!) She was super nervous probably because she made ME go first and watched it, but she survived. I could tell that she really liked the way her eyebrows looked.

Here's a picture, post-waxing, to document this momentous occasion, haha.

Friday night was Andrea's graduation. It was neat to be there and see it, though I am not sure if she realized I was even there, haha! It was sweltering hot in the gymnasium and we were all dripping in sweat when we left. To cool off, we HAD to head over to Steak 'n Shake for some refreshing milkshakes! Mmmm.

Tony left us on Sunday because he had work and so we saved all of the mega-girl party stuff for Monday and Tuesday. Monday my mom and I took Morgan downtown to get a makeover at the MAC cosmetics counter. She was really hesitant to let them do her makeup, and didn't really want a makeover, but once they started doing it she lit up and thought she was hot to trot (and she was!) I got a picture of her "smokey eye" look so she could remember how to do it.

Wow, she looks like a supermodel!!!!

I was glad we got to visit with my family, and I'm especially glad I got to spend so much time with my sister, Morgan! Andrea was mostly out with her friends (typical teen) so I didn't see much of her at all, but I really got to spend some good, and much needed, sisterly time with Morgie Porgie! She's so much fun :) Good times, good people, good food, good shopping, and good fun! I can't wait for them to come out to visit Utah!

A Thank You Note

I would like to say "Thank You" to Dr. Conrad, my former Indianapolis Youth Wind Ensemble director. I would like to thank him for educating me on nearly EVERY John Phillip Sousa march out there, and also for making me play them all once a year. Because of Dr. Conrad, I have most of these marches nearly memorized and could tell you quite a bit about them.

I was especially thankful for this last night at rehearsal for Wasatch Winds. We are preparing for our Freedom Festival concert in Provo the week of the 4th of July. Can you guess who the star composer is? I suppose it wouldn 't be the 4th of July without a heaping handful of Sousa marches.

It's really a shame that it annoys me to play these marches. After all, John Phillip Sousa's marches are probably some of the most recognized pieces out there. It mostly annoys me when we play 3 or more in once concert, which is what typically happened in IYWE, and of course, is what is happening this concert. Maybe I'm the only one out there, but the marches get harder to play the more of them we rehearse. Not harder technically, but it seems as if gradually each one is getting slower and slower and takes longer to get through. Yes, I said "get through."

Just FYI: we are playing five or six sousa marches on our next concert. That's more than half of the performance. Ugh.

Also, I love listening to these marches, and I'm a big fan of John Phillip Sousa. I have a nice award from high school with his picture right on it! I've just been over-exposed to these marches, I think. :)

Marseilles Dress SHABBY APPLE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Marseilles Dress SHABBY APPLE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

One of my friends told me about this, and I had to jump on it. I love Shabby Apple dresses and I've always wanted to get one!

Wish me luck!