Veterans Day

Thank you...

...to all of the men and women who serve and have served in protecting our American freedom.

...to the families.

...to the dads who aren't there for their precious childs birth.

...to the moms who don't see their children for months.

...to the wives and husbands who sacrifice daily in being apart from their other half.

...to the soldiers who never return home.

...to my papa.

...to my brother.

You are my heros!

My "Non-Laboring" Labor Day Vacay

Every year, my moms side of the family gets together at a State Park and vacays for the week.

We reserve the spots for about a week and everyone comes when they can.

Since this is the last year before the cousins (minus Brother) leave for college and go their separate ways, it was a super special time for us all to be together :)

The highlights for me:

1. Seeing my mommy and daddy relaxing after a stressful summer.

2. Family bike ride! :)

3. The blue, blue ocean.

4. Street art.

5. Building a couple rock towers with my Uncle on a cement block. We came back later and there were tons that other people had built. Rock revolution? I think yes.

{Our towers.}

{Their towers.}

6. Cousins <3

I loooove my fam :)

dream the dream

There are two plays that, in my opinion, are the greatest. Cosette and I went to see the Phantom of the Opera at the Paramount Theater in Seattle a couple/few years back. {All the years start to run together after awhile.} What I do remember though, was that it was an experience of a lifetime. I would pay oodles just to see that performance again. After having a grand time at the Phantom, there was only one other thing to do. See the second play.

Last night, my bestie and I, along with our awesome families, had the priviledge of attending

Les Miserables

by Victor Hugo.

Talk about best thing ever. And, you know, I got to sit next to the real Cosette throughout the entire play.

We started out the evening at The Cheesecake Factory, where the waiter sang Happy Birthday to the kids since our birthdays are so close.

{Tristan, Cosette, and I at The Cheesecake Factory}

Earlier in the day my parents and I were real tourists and did the whole Seattle thing: Pikes Place, Gum Wall, shopping, eating, and snapping photos.

{Dad and Mom eating on the outside deck at Pikes Place}

{Flowers, duh, at the Market}

{Gum Wall! So nasty.}

It was such a wonderful day-vacay. :)

As Of Late

Wow, time really has flown since I last wrote.

Here are a few pics that pretty much sum up the last three weeks:

One of my cousins got married so it brought the whole family together. Which means I got to see some of my other cousins who live far away :)

The next weekend I spent in Seattle with more cousins! In this pic we're all with our uncle, he's awesome. Spoils us to death.

Brother even got to come home for the weekend, so that was a HUGE HUGE HUGE blessing. It was soooo good to see him!

Go Mariners!!

The cousins :)

They think they're pretty macho.

And now it's back to the grindstone = cherry harvest.

We Made It

...through the first year that is.

We've got three quarters down & three more to go.

And summer is finally here.

Yay for no homework on the weekends.

Yay for just plain work and makin' some moo-la.

Thank you summer, for arriving. The only bad part about you {really, I didn't think there could be one} is that you won't let me see my dearest friends everyday. I'm so glad we all live close.

First day of school last fall

This little missy, Es, graduates tomorrow with her AA. So proud of her!

:)

Cheesin' :D on the last day of school

Let the sunny days and fun times begin.

:)

11 years and counting

My best friend of 11 years graduated over the weekend.

She's an over-acheiver and received her AA degree and her high school diploma.

I'm so proud of her and all that she's accomplished and learned over the past two years.

Not to mention that we've learned a few lessons together in the past too :)

And, she's the one who told me to start this blog.

Here are some pics from her party:

Cosette with her friend Kristin

These girls were so great to meet! Cosette made some awesome friends this senior year!

Coleman and Austin. They're kind of hilarious.

Let's see. Um. We go way, way back. I love these ladies :) FYI: Cosette and Sarah are "kind of" related. I'm jealous. They share a first cousin, but they are each on opposite sides of the family. They still like to say they're cousins. But really, they're not. :)

Only the best :)

I love her to death. We'll be friends foreva.

I'm Thrilled

TOMS now added something to the One for One Movement....

Sunglasses!

You can get some shades and support TOMS in helping repair vision at the same time.

Can't wait till some of these babies are sitting on my nose :)

Picture via TOMS website

Go check out the movement and the promo video at: http://www.toms.com/eyewear/

This Weekend-Remembering

To all the men and women who have dedicated their lives to serving our country so that we can live freely...

THANK YOU!

Wandering Thoughts Wednesday

Slacking:

Yes, I know I have been on the W.T.W. posts.

Every Wednesday it just seems to slip my mind. Actually everything seems to be blowing out of my mind. All I can think about is when I won't have to look at anymore of this:

(notice the random spool of thread:...um..k?)

for three whole months.

I'm ecstatic for that day. It means summer will be here.

Only 12 more days to go!!

Finally

Yay!!!

It's the end of the week, or end of the school week for me. And I'm oh, so excited!

Nothing extraordinary is happening for me this weekend.

After last weekend, it might be hard to beat. The parents were gone to GA to visit my brother, and despite what might be going through your head right now, the excitement at home did not have to do with throwing a party and wrecking the place.

Instead, Jesse and I spent Friday taking a day trip to watch some of my friends compete in a horse competition. The trip consisted of getting lost (my fault), eating lunch at a picnic table in the sunshine (my favorite), and laughing so much my tummy hurt later.

Then Saturday was filled with wedding bliss and nummy food and lots of pretty things that normally happen at weddings. :)

Thankfully I didn't have to spend too many nights by myself since Es stayed with me for a few of them. And Sunday, we even got to skype with my brother. SO GOOD to see his face!!!..and hear him jam on his guitar. It's been something I've missed for a long while.

So with all that said, this weekend might not be quite as good.

I'm simply looking forward to laying in the sun.

Doing as little homework as possible.

And maybe washing my car.

Easy enough for me. :)

Happy almost Weekend!!

Happy Mothers Day!

"I regard no man as poor who has a godly mother." ~Abraham Lincoln

ohmygoodnesslastnightwassomuchfun

Goodness, last night was one of the best nights of my life.

Why?

1. Because I was with Jesse

2. Because we got to go see Phil Wickham.

3. We talked to him.

4. He signed our stuff.

5. We got a picture with him. Obviously.

You'd think he was some president or something the way we were shaking when we got out of there. But really, he's super cool, and loves the Lord.

Also last night, Nick Vujicic spoke. He's the guy behind the ministry Life Without Limbs.

It's always so encouraging to here him speak about how Christ is using him. And since I'm pretty sure I can't do a worthy enough job about explaining his story, you should just go check it out.

And tonight, I'm going back to the concert to work at a table called Worth the Wait. The organization behind it is called AWARE: we go to schools and youth groups giving interactive presentations about committing to abstinence and making healthy choices. So over the weekend, we're challenging kids to commit to refraining from sex, drugs, and alcohol throughout their high school years.

I'm so excited to see what God is going to do tonight in Tri-Town!

Wandering Thoughts Wednesday

Something that has really really been in my thoughts and dreams lately is SUMMER.

I love it to death.

So, here are a few reasons I love it so much:

Camping and campfires. I love the smell, the warmth, and the cooked hot dogs over it.

The beach. Ummm....who doesn't love it?

Hiking. I grew up in the mountains and I just can't get away from their beauty. This year I have a goal to go on a hike three times. Which can be a challenge when I now live in practically the desert.

Living off of junk food :)

Harvest time! There's dirt, boots, and tan lines.

Flip flops and pedicures. I believe God gave girls pretty toenails just so we could paint them then find cute shoes to show them off.

I'm praying summer comes before I go crazy and start doing all of these things in my dreams rather than in real life.

Sunshine

Yesterday was a gorgeous day in Tri-town.

It was even warm enough for shorts and a tank.

And there being basically no homework to finish....I got to lay out in the sun.

It almost made me want to go back here:

A week away on a Disney Cruise with nothing to do but order room service at 2:00 in the morning, party it up with cousins, and r-e-l-a-x.

Oh summer, you can't come soon enough.

Disconnected

A couple of days ago my communication with friends was put to a standstill.

My phone died.

Completely went blank so I can't tell if it's on/off, or who is calling, who has called, and worst of all....I CAN'T TEXT.

Which is the worst because it's something I do all. day. long.

It's what I do to seem cool in the halls at school, pass the time at home alone, and talk with my besties who live far away.

The truth is, I've had a hard time finding a replacement. So I'm hoping I can find one soon and will quit having that feeling like I'm walking around naked.

No chicks and bunnies for me, thanks.

Because what Easter is really meant to be about, is this:

...for He has risen, just as He said. ~ Matthew 28:6

Praise God that my Savior is alive!

All that other stuff? (ie. chocolate, peeps, eggs) It's just a bonus.

Easter Agenda:

Wake up before 5 to be up and ready for anonymous boy. We got to go worship our Lord together this morning at Sunrise Service which started at 6. It's so quiet, crisp, and peaceful at that time!

Stop at Starbucks.

Drive to normal church for breakfast, laughs with the gals, and more worship time.

Stop at Starbucks with the fam.

Make Easter lunch and eat.

Then drive and eat with anonymous boy's fam.

(Seriously, is food not the best?)

Finish up the evening with homework due tomorrow. Always having to come back to reality.

In-between church and home I got to go visit these guys:

They were the cutest things to see on Easter!

But it also made me think of the Lamb that was sacrificed for me so that I might spend an eternity with my Creator. Unlike the lambs I saw today, He was unblemished, perfect, and yet He took on sin and died, paying my debts, then rose again.

Remembering His love for His church is my favorite part about Easter.

Wandering Thoughts Wednesday

i miss this.

Because together we are the definition of awesome.

(Notice the girls are so photogenic and the guys are thinking, "When will this be overrrr?")

Apart, we are just the everyday use of the word awesome.

Us four together is the bombdotcom. And even though big brother G (guy on the left) is away doing things that I fully support him in...it's ok to miss him.

And I can't wait till he visits again and we can all laugh hard together.

That will be an awesome day.

My Top 10...

...that go in no specific order except number one.

1. My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord, Oh my soul!

2. Daddy, Mommy, and big brudder.

3. A boy. Who will remain anonymous since his awesomeness is too much for you to handle. :)

4. These ladies

Es from Daily D.O.R.K.

Cosette from Funny Face

5. Mac and Cheese

6. TOMS

7. Chapstick

8. Music

9. My doggy

10. Vintage anything: cars, clothes, pictures, bikes, etc.