a few lists.

I'm greatful for...

-fall. (football, scarfs, boots, rain).

-the fact that i am able to go to work at a job that i know and love with people that i love. 

-being able to choreograph and teach 13 wonderful little girls as their cheer coach.

-the wonderful, amazing, beautiful, generous friends and people i have in my life (no matter how far away we live from each other). 

-the excitement i have inside my heart to be starting work on a new musical project, October 1st. 

-my good friend Camila, this sweet lady spent 45 days in the hospital figuring out a problem with some leukemia, and yesterday she was released from the hospital! 

-the awareness i gained today of what we, as wealthy Americans and Christians, can be doing to help 'the poorest of the poor' gain healing and jobs in other countries (and got some really cute stuff in the process). 

I'm bumming because...

-i don't live with my sister anymore (i know it's been 2 months... but i'm still bitter about it).

-i don't have my own space. I know how lucky i am to be living rent-free.. but i'm anxious (and trying to be patient while waiting) for that time when i can journey off on my own, hopefully to San Francisco ;) , living my life. 

-i feel like i am no longer surrounded by the strong, close friends i was surrounded by at school. i mean, shoot, maegan and i lived together and Keifer was just 3 doors down.. and i had all my Greek system friends, and theatre people! i was truly surrounded, and it was fabulous... and i don't feel like i have that here. 

I'm praying for...

-peace. lately i've been struggling with this. i've been having some mood swing issues and i've been pretty irritable and i don't like it at all. i can tell when i'm doing it and i don't like it. 

-guidance. i need God to show me my next step and show me what he is doing with me in my 'waiting.' 

-healing and acceptance. i have not been doing well with accepting all of the changes that have been happening in my life (not living with Maegan, therefore living at home, Amanda getting married and moving.. Camila getting sick)... 

-my husband. i have no idea who this man is... i don't know if i know him, or not.. i have no idea when he will come into my life or what he will even look life.. but i know that God has been preparing him for me and me for him, our whole lives.. i pray for the time that he will come into my life and change it forever. i am extremely exciting for this. 

thought upon thoughts.

keep peace..

xxoo

*deep breath*

I don't really know how much or what I really want to say about this...

but I'm moving home from LA this week and I'm actually a little devastated. 

The biggest thing... the thing that's kept me near tears all week is the fact that I'm moving away from Maegan, and won't be living with her anymore. This girl is my sister.. my other-half, my partner-in-crime.. I'm her biggest fan... I love this girl so much. I don't think I can say much else... except I could not have been blessed with a better roommate.. and if I could... I'd probably live with her for another good 10 years or so.. *big sigh* *deep breath*... this is going to be really hard. 

Weekend Happy List!

I was home again this weekend for more festivities... here's a happy list, and some pictures from Casey's 21st birthday party!

1. getting to be home for the brothers' birthday! 

2. getting to celebrate Casey finally being 21!

3. getting to see lots of good friends!

4. getting to spend father's day with my father and my family.

5. getting to be in a loud house filled with people I love and make me laugh like no other.

 (me and the brothers!)

 (Casey and I toward the end of the night...)

 (at the end of the night Casey mumbled, "this couch looks good" and plopped down... don't worry, we didn't leave him there.)

 (me with my mom and my good friend from high school, Maddie!)

 (me with Maddie and some of my lovely VS co-workers!)

 (me and Devan, and old family friend.)

(in each other's lives since he was shorter than me... he's not going anywhere!)

Hope you all had a great weekend and Father's day!

a link up, a happy list, & a song.

Linking up with the bestie for a Thursday Happy List!

1. watching/discussing Peter Pan in my afternoon class.

2. driving home after class.

3. the beautiful weather we've been having.

4. today being both of my little brother's birthday's.

5. getting to be home for Father's day.

6. getting to spend time with both of my little's today.

7. celebrating a milestone (21st) birthday this weekend.

8. new flip flops.

9. tan legs.

10. listening to crooner's like this guy...

my slightly crazy weekend at home (I wouldn't expect anything less).

On Tuesday night when I got out of class my little sis, Amanda and I ventured to her home in Arroyo Grande. Wednesday consisted of a (3 hour) meeting with her DJ for her wedding, and her final dress fitting (it's getting close!) and then me driving the last 2 hours it takes me to get home from there. 

Wednesday night was some good family time, complete with UNO Attack and tequila shots (my mom's idea!), 

Thursday was my tiny (or not so tiny) brother's 8th grade graduation, followed by family dinner at Olive Garden, then I went out with some friends in Monterey! 

Friday was a mellow day complete with laundry, a relaxing bath and dinner out at my favorite hometown pizza place Angelina's.

Saturday was my first in-person cheer coaching meeting (getting excited for fall!), then the family headed off to San Jose to watch tiny brother play some crazy good baseball games and CASEY (other little brother) got back from Florida and is now home for the summer!

Sunday was a little scary, my mom got a tear in her retina and had to have laser surgery on the spot to fix it, then we sat and watch "Joyful Noise" (a fun, light-hearted, musical with Queen Latifa and Dolly Parton... and Jeremy Jordon) and finished the night with a family BBQ, complete with my grandparents and my mom's uncle and his wife!

and Monday got a little crazy... my computer seems to have a virus that I'm trying to get wiped out (Best Buy wanted to charge me $200), and I took my car in to get a few things looked at and found out I have cracks in my front brakes and my back pistons are leaking....

based on this news, and also finding out it wouldn't be done for a few days, I thought I would be stuck home for another day or two (and would have to miss my summer school classes) and later, after thinking about it a little more, mom decided it'd be best if I just took her car... so at 9:40pm.. I headed out on the 4 and a half hour drive back to school so I could make it to my 9am class... I got home around 2am (OY!)

Aside from the craziness of all this, I was able to spend some good time with the bestie, playing pool, drinking beer, getting lunch and catching up (in no particular order) and I got to hear all about her wedding that is also quickly approaching! 

 (family UNO/tequila shots)

 (Cameron and I all set for his 8th grade graduation.... yes, he's taller than me)

 (home.)

 (Cameron, Mele (my cousin) and I after Cam's graduation)

 (all 3 back together!)

(yummy lunch with the bestie)

*big sigh*

Happy Tuesday!

a Tuesday happy list & a promise.

(my little lettuce growing town)

today I had both of my classes and after class I am heading on an adventure. 

here's a happy list for the day...

1. going to Pismo Beach with my Little, Amanda, tonight.

2. going home tomorrow (for 4 days)!

3. having some mellow time between classes with Mae.

4. knowing i'm going to get to spend some time in the beautiful Monterey in the next few days.

5. getting a phone call from my manager at Victoria's Secret in Monterey asking me when I will be coming back! (it feels good to be a valued employee).

6. getting to be home for tiny brother's (or the not so tiny Cameron's) 8th grade graduation.

 (the beautiful Monterey)

and here's my promise. I've come to realize lately that Kim Kardashian and I have a similar body type (lots of woman curves) but she is still able to have toned arms and a flat stomach...

so... with her body type as an inspiration I promise to give myself the body I've always wanted (diet and getting my butt moving) as soon as possible so that I can frolic around in a bathing suit and love my body (because bathing suits aren't exactly my friend right now). I promise.

That is all.

Happy Tuesday. 

Today..

Today is the first day in a long time that I can think of where I haven't had anything I've had to do. I woke up mildly early to finish up some baking with my mom, then went to lunch with a friend and now I'm relaxing and watching "Harry Potter" with Cam before I have some dinner and go out with Amanda Noel and some friends to celebrate her sisters 21st birthday! Yeah for Christmas break!

the perfect "Christmas" day

Today was such a relaxing, cozy "Christmas" day. This morning I got my hair done by my brother's girlfriend then I went over to the church to watch the end of the Christmas musicals dress rehearsal and hang out with Amanda Noel after. We went to get lunch at the mall then we went back to Amanda's house. For a good hour or so we all just sat around the kitchen and talked and laughed and laughed some more. Then we watched the "Beauty and the Beast: Enchanted Christmas," that Amanda loves and I had never seen. It sounds like a simple day, and it was, but it was so nice. The tree and mantel were all decked out and lit up and it just felt very Christmas(y). I always love spending time at Amanda's house, it always feels so homey and it is always filled with love and laughter.

Now I am home, and nice and full from the yummy dinner my parents made (chicken parmesan), now we are getting ready to play a board game and watch a Christmas movie. "Christmas time is here... happiness and cheer.. fun for all that children call, our favorite time of year!"

yes please.

today i've been a tiny bit cranky. i don't feel the greatest, i have a yucky stuffy nose, and i just have more homework and responsibilities to take care of than i want to. i've been browsing through pintrest and i've discovered something about myself.. i love forts. i want to build one in my living room, and turn my room into a permanent one. i want to drape my bed with white sheets or sheer fabric and put twinkle lights everywhere. once that has been done, i want to cuddle inside of it with blankets and a book and a glass of wine (or a cup of tea).

i have also been thinking about the qualities, or type of man i eventually want to be with... and along with many other qualities, i want him to be able to be silly with me (when it is appropriate). i want to be able to decide that building a fort in the living room, eating pizza, watching movies and more or less "camping" in the living room would be a really fun idea and have him be as silly about it as i would be!
i found this picture (below) and decided i want this somewhere in my house. it's like a permanent fort that i could hide in and read, or take a nap. i love this!

I want to sit around a listen to Beirut all day.

Pumpkin Carving!

To complete my weekend at home, Cameron, my grandma and I carved pumpkins! (My dad helped cleaning out the insides, my grandpa helped cut off the tops and my mom and Maegan kept us company).

Cameron carved the Colts logo for his football team!
I carved a "boo!" face!

...and apparently my grandma's pumpkin was feeling very sick. = ]

I can't wait for Thanksgiving!! (24 days AND Casey will be home!)

Childhood Treasures!

Today Maegan, Cameron and I took a random trip to Toys R Us.. Which inspired me to dig through some old toys I knew I had up on my shelf in my closet and I found my collection of Polly Pockets! Oh how I miss being a kid.. But walking through Toys R Us made me think of how exciting it will be when I have kids of my own to buy these fun toys for! (ps this is my second blog post from my phone).

Fall nails!

Home for the weekend! Got our nails done, all ready for fall! Ill post more later.. This is my first blog post from my PHONE! :)

Happy Birthday DAD!!! = ]]]

I'm going home this weekend for football, bestfriend/mom/family time, and more football!

I can't wait.

it may not sound like much, but it's where i'm from..

I love my hometown. For so many reasons... I could probably make a list of things with the title "You know you live in Salinas when..."

I have a man that I appreciate so much. I've known him for years.. and when I think back to how I "thought" about him in high school it makes me realize how small of a town Salinas is, and that God can sometimes surprise you with his plans for your life..

Seeing this sign, leading up to the street I take to get to my house, can sometimes bring tears of joy to my eyes when I see it after being away for a period of time, yes.. I love my hometown THAT much..
It is also part of the norm to see a tractor like this on the road, either in the lane next to you, or in front of you causing a traffic jam..

I also LOVE my high school.. It's cheesy I know, but I really do! and last weekend when I was there for my little brother's football game I was so excited to be on the field.. anytime I think about being a high school English teacher, I really only every picture doing it there..

Another thing my town has a LOT of is Chevy trucks.. This is my boyfriends truck, and I LOVE it... I seriously have an attachment to it.

Also, a lot of times, those Chevy's will be driving down the street, and in the front of the truck you can see that they have a cowboy hat sitting there... This always makes me really happy.

I really can't wait to move back home.. I love Salinas... silly I know.. but it's the little things that about it that I love and that make me really happy.. and I might be a little homesick already..