A Photo Post.

Hey Everyone! Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been so busy with finals and college visits and school and everything else that time has kinda gotten away from me. But today, I want to share a few photos from the last few months with you, just for fun. So, lets get started!

First, the headscarf. I found this on pintrest, where how to tie a scarf around your head for a headband. So, I tried it one day just for fun.

Next, we have some writing time. My cozy little nook is not complete without tea (chai) in a cute (homemade) mug bought at a craft bazar, equally adorable coasters with pieces of maps on them (also from the bazar), spice cookies, homemade muffins, and of course a journal and pen. :)

Beautiful sunsets are always a must...

Then we have this little guy that I put together for a secret santa gift. I found the reindeer, and wrapped up reese's peanut butter cups into packages. Santa's little helper was ready to go!

The cat: her favorite and second favorite spots. She loves to sit on the grill and looks inside, but it's through the back door when it's time for food.

A large, empty cello case makes the perfect storing spot for those wrapped up presents before they are taken to the tree.

Under the tree! :) My sister wraps the cutest little "brown paper packages".

More recently, on my college visit trip to chicago, i took some sunset photos. They all turned out blurry because we were in the car, but I think this one looks really neat. However, it rained pretty much the rest of the weekend, so I didn't get many other photos. But here is this one! :)

Hope you enjoyed these! Hopefully, I will be putting up more words and pictures soon, so keep watching!

Childhood.

Today is the last day of my childhood. I have been alive for 18 years.

Yikes.

I don't know why I'm finding it to be a big(ish) deal. It really shouldn't be. Its another day. But at the same time, a new season of my life is opening. Like I mentioned in my last post, this is a year of changes. And tomorrow is one of them.

One of my new favorite songs (given to me on a mix cd recently! yay!), is Dream by Priscilla Ahn. Here is the first bit:

I was a little girl
Alone in my little world
Who dreamed of a little home for me.
I played pretend between the trees,
And fed my houseguests bark and leaves,
And laughed in my pretty bed of green.

I had a dream
That I could fly
From the highest swing.
I had a dream.

Long walks in the dark
Through woods grown behind the park,
I asked God who I'm supposed to be.
The stars smiled down on me,
God answered in silent reverie.
I said a prayer and fell asleep.

I had a dream
That I could fly
From the highest tree.
I had a dream.


I think I like this song so much because I identify with it. The first stanza makes me think of all the times my best friend and I made fairy houses out of bark and twigs and leaves and grass and pinecones. Sometimes I want to return to those days and never leave.

The first chorus makes me think of swinging under our deck when I was young. I would close my eyes and tip back and pretend I was flying. It was glorious. And I miss it.

The second stanza makes me think of camp. Kids camp, youth camp, you name it, but I loved walking through the wooded area, canoeing and tubing down the river. Spending time with my bestie, walking through the dark and figuring out the meaning of life by the "Narnia ruins" and the spring, in the afternoon and during night games.

And the last chorus makes me think of climbing trees. Even recently, I have climbed a tree in our backyard. From it I can see the road and the fields. I sit up there and think, and sometimes wish I could fly away.


I think sometimes we forget to take joy in the simple things in life. We forget to live as little children, flying on swings, imagining creatures and worlds that exist with our own, talking about anything and everything all the time, climbing trees and just sitting. We get caught up in our everyday routine and forget that the beauty of these small wonders. Little things that make such a difference.

As I step into my adult life, I wonder who I will become. I wonder what sort of things I will do, where I will go in life. I want to accomplish many things. I want to be a better person, live for God. learn to love God more. I want to be more responsible and display more maturity. But even as I make this transition, I want to remember to take time to live like a child. To take time and swing high, climb trees, and make fairy houses. To play pretend and walk in the woods aimlessly, for no purpose than my own satisfaction. To sometimes set everything aside and forget about it for a while, not worrying about anything.

I want to never lose that childlike spirit, even if my childhood is behind me.

I want to keep dreaming.

New Year Resolutions (and other fun stuff)

So, its the new year. the big 2013. It's going to be a pretty big year for me and my family, so hang onto your hat, everyone, cuz this little girl is ready to rock.

To start it all off, I'm turning 18 this year (in 3 days! Eeep!). Then, I'm graduating from High School, and heading off to college (where is still unknown, but hopefully not for long!). My sister will also be transferring to a new university, leaving my parents 2 for 0 pretty quickly.

So much is happening, and I can't believe this year is here! Everything seems to be happening uber fast these days. I feel like just yesterday, I was a scrawny, little, 12 year old kid, headed to my first day of 7th grade (and public school), extreme tomboy with an awful haircut and weird ideas about the world. Back then, my biggest wish for my birthday was to get a skateboard and a cardinals cap (both of shich I received), and I didn't ever think i would like to wear dresses. Ever. (much to the dismay of my girly sister ;) )

I am, however, thankful that I have changed since then. I ditched the only-t-shirts-baseball-caps-and-boy's-pants style (for the most part; b-ball shorts are really comfy for lounging sometimes...), grew out my hair, got bangs, and decided that skirts and dresses are not all that bad. I expanded my style, and even left behind ideas of becoming an engineer (what was I thinking?!?), and decided I liked english much better. I started wearing more flannel and plaid and sweaters and thrifting and drinking hot drinks from mugs and listening to indie music, and overall just exploring ways to grow and just be me. (photo cred. (for both haha, but mostly the bottom one) to my amazing sister)

But sometimes I still feel like that insecure little girl that awkwardly made her way through life, not really sure what to expect. I'm getting better at it though. :)

Anyway, this post was supposed to be about my new years resolutions (and it is quite a list), so I guess I should get onto some of that too... here we go:

-Write something (journal, blog, part of a book, a poem etc.) every day
-Read the Bible more often (like every day often, I've been slack on that)
-Practice music (violin, piano, guitar, cello, voice) with purpose. Aim to improve.
-Study more effectively. Stay strong on the last semester of high school (!!!!)
-Learn to do some new, fun hair-do's
-Learn to knit, crochet, sew, etc. Make things!
-Cook more
-Drink more tea :)
-Keep room cleaner and more organized!
-Clean out all the unneeded JUNK (in my room, etc.)
-Obtain a new wardrobe (ie get rid of stuff I don't wear, and find more hipster/indie/boho clothes) Find my own style
-Find 1 thing to be thankful for every day and WRITE IT DOWN! (In my journal. this does not count for daily writing)
-Find a flaw to work on/ improve/ keep improving every day, also journal about it
-Talk to Jesus often
-Be a better friend, and work on better social skills/small talk skills.

Thats all I could think of for now, but I'm sure there are more things I will find to do with my year ;) haha. anyway, thats all for now, I think, so enjoy the rest of your break (those of you that don't go back to school tomorrow, like me :( ) and I look forward to more blogging this next year. Much love, everyone!