7 Things I've Been Loving This Week!

1: Thanksgiving. All the family, food and togetherness was fun.

2: My new TobyMac CD. My favorites are Lights Shine Bright and This is What Love Feels Like.

3: A week off school. I like holiday breaks, but typically we don't get this long off.

4: We helped my grandmother clean out my great grandmother's house. The cleaning itself wasn't fun, but I left with 3 dollars, 6 shirts, 4 rings, a snowflake pin, an umbrella and a meat cleaver.

5: The library. One of the best inventions ever made.

6: CoCo Wheats, one of my very favorite breakfast foods.

7: Joan of Arc. If I had to chose a role model, it would have to be Joan. Her courage and faith is inspiring.

Happy Thanksgiving!

   I love Thanksgiving. A food centered holiday is something everyone needs. Today we're going to my dad's side of the family for Thanksgiving dinner. I have to get ready to go, but I just wanted to wish the internet a Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm Thankful For...

• ...every horrible musician that ever lived. Don't get me wrong, I love the great ones too, but this is thankfulness for anyone whoever had the guts to try, even if they failed.
• ...my brother. Even though he's a pain in the butt most of the time, I still love him and I'm glad he's around.
• ...ice water. I drink several glasses of it a day. I don't know where I'd be without ice water. My dad grew up on soda. They never drank water. I don't think I could survive on just soda. I need my water.
• ...my mother. She's a fantastic lady and a wonderful mother. I'm glad to have her.
• ...the basic necessities of life that I take for granted. I don't really understand what it's like to go without food or water. I'm blessed to have all those things.
• ...my father. Dad is an amazing guy, who I inherent most of my traits from. He's funny and kind and I'm lucky to have such an amazing guy for a dad.
• ...Readers Digest magazine. I love Reader's Digest. I have a stack of them that reaches from the floor to my knee. Those are some awesome magazines.
• ...all my extended family. Even though they all aren't the best people, they're still my family and I'm thankful that (even though I dread going to some of them) they try to organize family dinners and such.
• ...being homeschooled. I love being homeschooled. Yes, I have friends. Yes, I'm educated, I just do it at my own pace, in my own home. I have a flexible schedule, and I don't have to wake up early. It's a win-win.
• ...my homeschool group. They are a group of fantastic (and some not-so-fantastic) people that enrich my life. I'm so thankful to be able to attend.
• ...all my readers, commenters and followers. You guys make blogging worth it! I love and appreciate every comment I receive. Thank you so much for what you've contributed to my blog.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. In two or three sentences tell us what Veteran's Day means to you.

   To me, Veteran's Day means respecting those who bought our freedom with their lives. Several of my close relatives have served, and that is something to commend them for.

 2. What's your favorite film with a patriotic theme woven into the storyline?

   This is a hard one. I guess I would have to say Molly. It's an American Girl movie about a girl on the home front during World War II.

 3. Flu shot-yes or no? If you answered no, do you plan to get a flu shot? If not, why not? Have you ever had the flu?

   Definitely no. Our family stands strongly against vaccines. I've had the flu before, and it wasn't fun. Sickness is never fun.

 4. I've seen lots of people posting pictures of their Christmas trees up and decorated. Many stores have had Christmas on display since well before Halloween. Red cups are back at Starbucks, sans the holiday decor, and that has some people up in arms. What are your thoughts on all the holiday ruckus this second week of November?

   I don't mind early Christmas stuff. Some people get bent out of shape because 'we're ignoring Thanksgiving' but I don't agree. When Thanksgiving comes, we celebrate it, it isn't as big of an event. I attend several Thanksgiving dinners. Just because Christmas stuff is out, doesn't mean we don't celebrate Thanksgiving too. We just don't put up Thanksgiving trees.
   On the Starbucks cups, I like the minimalistic look. I honestly think people are just overreacting. Whether the cups have the décor or not, the overpriced coffee inside is still they same.

 5. What 'critter' are you most afraid of encountering unexpectedly? Why that one?

   I don't have one that I'm most afraid of. I'm not unnecessarily skittish about snakes and spiders and stuff, but I'm not searching out encounters with them.

 6. Do you like building things? What's the last thing you 'built'?

   I do like building things. I helped my dad install windows last weekend, and though it wasn't really building anything, it was a project that's related to building.

 7. In keeping with this month's theme of gratitude...what are you most grateful for that brings beauty to your daily life? 

 

   An essential oil diffuser my mom bought. It changes colors and emits a cool vapor that diffuses the oils. It adds a little splash of color to our living room and a soothing scent to the air.

 8.  Insert your own random thought here.

   I've recently gotten into a cooking phase. Yesterday, I made Lemon Butter Herb Pasta, turtle brownies and a potato thing. Today, I hope to make something else delicious. I made an All Recipes account yesterday and I'm quite excited to get to use it.

 

Bits and Pieces

   I've never liked to cook or bake, but last weekend I was watching Food Network. I marveled at how wonderful the food looked and how simple the recipes were. I was inspired to cook, so I grabbed a favorite recipe book and started flipping through the pages. I decided on Chicken Tetrazzini.
   I started making it, and only then, did I remember, how much I disliked cooking. I continued with the recipe and threw it in the oven. I cleaned up the kitchen and set the table. Fortunately, it turned out okay. Though now, I've decided that Food Network isn't the channel for me.

 

/\/\/\/\

 

   The weather is beautiful today. It's so lovely and enjoyable. We have the windows and doors open, letting the fresh air in. It's also inspired a small cleaning spree that's freshened up the indoors, too. Everything's cleaned up and fresh. It truly is a wonderful day.

 



/\/\/\/\

 

   Yesterday, I had a hair appointment. It was a rather late birthday gift that we never got around to doing. My appointment was at twelve and we didn't leave until 4:30. My reddish-brown hair is now a very dark brown with blue and orange streaks.

   I love it, but I must say, it doesn't feel like my hair anymore. The shampoo from the salon made my hair crazy soft, and it still smells vividly of flowers. It's also several inches shorter, which makes it all the more different. It feels weird to see a lock of hair hanging beside my face appear orange or blue, but I truly do like it.

 

/\/\/\/\

 

   I've been enjoying the leftover Halloween candy that we didn't give out to the trick-or-treaters. We have a few that come around our area and we always buy candy in excess. We don't celebrate Halloween, but we did go trick-or-treating for a few years when I was younger.

   Mom hated doing it, so she made a deal with us: we don't go trick-or-treating and she would buy us a bag of candy. That's been the tradition ever since, and I have to say, I'm too old to go trick-or-treating, but she still buys us a bag of candy regardless.

 

 



Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. October 21, 2015 is Back to the Future Day. Did you see the movie? The sequels? In the second film, Doc takes Marty into the future to prevent Marty's future son from making a mistake. They leave 1985 and land on a 'skyway' on October 21st, 2015. So tell us, what were you doing in the fall of 1985?

   I've never seen the movies, though my mother says I would probably enjoy them. I wasn't alive in '85 and I applaud those who remember what they were doing 30 years ago in the fall.


 2.  If time travel were possible, would you want to go to the future? The past?

   This is a discussion my friends and I have had several times. I would go to the future, if I could. I think it would be fun. Time travel seems very risky, though. If you go to the past, one little thing could distort the whole future. If you go to the future, you could find out something terrible you would try to prevent, and you could mess up things even more. I think it's best that time travel hasn't been discovered yet.


 3. We're not flying cars, but some of the technology imagined in the 80's film has indeed come to pass in real life 2015-flat screen TVs on the wall, tablets, fingerprint recognition, video conferencing, online banking, 3-D movies, motion controlled video games, drone cameras, and smart glasses (Google glass).  Do you worry technology is growing at a rate so fast we'll soon be unable to keep up with it's demands? Do you think the Internet does more harm than good? 

   Technology is growing at a very rapid pace, and I think that is both a good thing and a bad thing. The internet is convenient, but it also is the dumbing down of our nation. So I guess its beauty is in the eye of the beholder.


 4. Your favorite dish prepared in a slow-cooker? Your favorite fast food?

   My favorite food prepared in a slow cooker is macaroni and cheese that my mom's friends makes. It's wonderful. My favorite fast food is sausage burritos from McDonalds with hot picante sauce.


 5. No time like the present, down time, face time, pressed for time, in the nick of time, make time, mark time, or just in time...which timely saying most relates to your life right now? 

   Either no time like the present or down time. On Sunday, I removed a dresser from my room. I had no plans to get rid of that dresser anytime soon. I was sitting on my bed strumming guitar when I decided that I wanted it out. So I removed all of its contents and pushed it out into the hall. Long story short, there was no time like the present.
  On the other hand, I've had a lot of down time recently. No deadlines and only one early morning. Quite the opposite of pressed for time.


 6. Tell us about a place you went as a child or younger person that's no longer there or is now something else. How does that make you feel?

   I don't really have this problem. I guess I'm still too young for this, with not being alive in '85 and all. I can report that one of our gas stations is being torn down to be rebuilt into an IHOP. How do I feel about that? I'm feeling invigorated. Excited. I feel like it's about time we had America's favorite pancakes nearby. Sarcasm heavily implied.


 7. Describe your comfort zone.

   I don't really have a comfort zone. There are things that I won't do, and things that make me uncomfortable, but there is no definite line that clarifies what's okay and what's not.


 8. Insert your own random thought here. 

   Question #6 reminded me of a word I learned a while back. Hireath is a Welsh word that has no direct English translation. It's closest English meaning means 'longing for a home you can't return to, or never was'. It's a beautiful word.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. It's October so let's get this out there first thing...have you jumped on the all-things-pumpkin bandwagon? How so?

   I haven't jumped on the pumpkin bandwagon. Firstly, because I don't like pumpkin and secondly because you can get pumpkin all year round. Not just in the fall. It's ridiculous. Yes, pumpkin is harvested in the fall, but a lot of pumpkin things use canned pumpkin. Not fresh.


 2.  "We have more power than will; and it is often by way of excuse to ourselves that we fancy things are impossible." Francois Duc De la Rochefoucauld  

What's something you once thought impossible, but in hindsight see as more a matter of lack of will?

   Math? It's not impossible, even though it feels like that, but I also hate it, so my lack of will doesn't make it better...


 3. The rose is America's National Flower, but every state also has its own (click here to see the list). Are you happy with yours? If you were in charge what would you declare your state's flower? If you're outside the U.S. what bloom would you like to see labeled as your country's national flower?

   Our state flower isn't my favorite, it's nice enough, but if I was in charge, I would make it Forget-Me-Nots. I like the little blue flowers.


 4. What have you lost interest in recently?

   I don't think I've lost interest in anything recently, if anything, my interests have been growing.


 5. In your opinion, who's the best living musician?

   I couldn't pick just one. I think every musician has something different to bring to the table, because everyone has different taste and style. I love the fact that we have a ton of different artists out there with the same goal (making music) that each one is achieving differently. Though I like some more than others, I couldn't pick a "best".


 6. S'mores-love 'em or no? Ever make them indoors? Last time you sat around an outdoor fire? Are making s'mores and sitting round a fire pit on your autumn bucket list? Do you have an autumn bucket list?

   S'mores are okay. We've made them indoors before, but they're not as good as campfire-made ones. I typically don't have a s'more when we have campfires. A few weeks ago was probably our last campfire. I don't think we will have another one this year. Our family isn't the type to think, "Hey, let's go outside and sit in crappy lawn chairs that are falling apart. We'll build a fire and pretend we aren't freezing our butts off!" I don't have an autumn bucket list, or plan on making a bucket list just for a season.


 7. Your favorite small town? Why?

   I don't have a favorite small town. I live in a small town surrounded by other small towns. It's not really a competition.


 8. Insert your own random thought here.

   The changing of seasons has brought my mind into the past. I remember, when I was younger, my brother used to bring his roller skates, skateboards, pogo sticks, scooters and occasionally a bike into the house during the winter. Amazingly, mom tolerated a lot of it.
   At one point, we only had one pair of roller skates, which wasn't bad because I couldn't roller skate with both of the them on. I still can't. Anyway, he would take the left skate and I would take the right, and we would skate around the house, pushing off with our bare foot and gliding on the skated one.
   The skateboard was also fun. One of us would sit on the skateboard and the other would push. It was horrible when you had your fingers ran over. The scooters were fun to ride too. I still can't believe mom tolerated everything in the house, but looking back, I'm glad she did.

Parking

   This past Friday and Saturday I was privileged to strap on an orange vest, Muck boots, and receive a special dose of authority. Braving the cold and rain that October brought, I ventured out into the early morning light for a new adventure. For today was the day I was going to be directing cars where to park for one of our local festivals.
   Typically, they ask the public schools for kids to come out and park cars. No one signed up, even though the pay was great, you received free lunch and admission and it wasn't supposed to be super busy, unlike other years. The lady who directed it came over to our house, asking if my brother and I could help, and if we knew anyone who'd like to help as well.
   My mother sent out an email to our homeschool group. She received one response from a lady who said one of her kids could help. Mom said she could do it Saturday only, Dad and my brother said they could help on Friday only, and I could help both days. We also recruited one of my cousins for both days.
   So came Friday morning. I woke up at 6:15 and ate a bowl of Macaroni and Beef for breakfast. It was good. I had picked out my clothes the day before, so I wouldn't be running around like a nut trying to find clothes. A pair of leggings under a pair of black pants and a tee shirt under a long sleeved shirt with a winter coat over that. I pulled a hat over my head and socks over my feet. I stepped into my boots and got in dad's car.
   Mom picked me up a Starbucks Frappuccino at a convenience store, so I drank that. The lady assembled us and gave us places to be. I was assigned parking people in the first main lot with my dad, my brother and another boy. We formed a line and directed people to where they needed to be. Another girl joined us in the line as we worked. Parking people in the first main lot went fast. Once we filled that lot, we started in on the next field.
   When we switched fields, I lost track of my brother and the other girl who was with us. This was a bigger field with more space for us to mess up the lines. And mess up the lines we did. The first line we did went very crooked. We were starting to fix it when this crazy lady with a parking vest came and started directing everybody everywhere. I felt bad for the first car she did, because she was yelling at them and being a utter whack job. The boy we were working with actually went and apologized to them when she wasn't looking.
   Crazy Parking Lady might of lacked class, manners and tact, but she could park cars. She fixed the crooked lines and made it work well enough. After a while she left, and I didn't see her again. We broke for lunch and then returned to our post to find our positions obsolete. No one was parking in our lot. After that, we walked around the festival, saw what we wanted to see, and then after a while, we left. Some of my brothers friends came over for dinner, and by the time they left, the day was spent.
   Saturday morning was pretty much the same as Friday morning. I ate Macaroni and Beef for breakfast again and then dressed in the same clothes. Unfortunately, I forgot my parking vest so mom had to turn around and get it. Luckily, we weren't far from the house when we realized my memory lapse. I was assigned the same place as before and did the same work as I did on Friday. Everything went well. After we finished, we had go home immediately because we had a wedding to attend that afternoon.
   If I learned anything from parking people, it would be that people are ridiculously self-centered and rude. Everyone has their own opinion about how I should be doing my job. The one lady almost ran over my foot in her torrent of unkind words. Now don't think that everyone was a complete diphthong, there were kind people too, but the rude people made the job more interesting.
   Another thing I realized is how self-centered I can be. People would get mad at me for doing what I was supposed to so. I had orders to park everyone as close as they could be so we could fit more people in. People were so inconvenienced by pulling forward another foot. What? Did they think I was pulling them in there just for fun? So I could ruin their lives? No, I was trying to fit as many people as possible in. I was under orders. If I was in the driver's position, I could be irritated by something that stupid. But why? It wasn't a big deal. It was pulling in a few more inches. Sigh. It's really something to think about, isn't it?
   Overall, I hope I get to help with parking next year, because it's interesting enough to do and you receive people skills only difficult people can teach you. I enjoyed parking, got paid and learned something from it. What's better than that?

Graphic Novels

    My latest reading obsession has been one of graphic novels. A graphic novel is pretty much a lengthened comic book. One day, I hope to write my own graphic novel, but until that day, I will just enjoy reading them.

   The first graphic novel I ever read was the Big Nate books. They aren't full graphic novels, more like novels with graphics, if that makes any sense.

Here's what I mean:

 

 

 

   So those are some examples of what I mean. Big Nate, Dork Diaries and Diary of a Wimpy Kid are all written similarly. Normal graphic novels are written more like comic book in those regards.

   Our library has a small selection of graphic novels, so I cleared a shelf and started reading. I've read several now, and the best one I've read so far was one about Dracula. I never thought I would love a book about a vampire before I read this one. I was even tempted to not read it, but the way it was drawn compelled me, so I did. Graphic novels don't take me long to read. I finished Dracula in a half in hour.

    Have you ever read a comic book or a graphic novel? Would you if you had the chance? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

 

Until I think of something else to post about,

Kat

 

 

Finally, I Posted!

   Hello readers! My apologies for the lack of posts this month. I've been busy, I've been sick and I haven't had any fantastic ideas for a post. Finally, I'm back and posting.
   What have I been doing this month? I've been doing school. A lot of school. The past week I was sick, so I had no motivation to do anything until today. Now, as part of getting my life back on track, I'm writing a blog post. (My chickens probably suffered the worst while I was under the weather. I'm their sole caretaker and they were left to the hands of my family for food and water. Poor things.)
   School has been great so far this year. We haven't been learning anything especially interesting, but it's been easy enough to learn. Our homeschool group is back in session as of last Friday. My favorite class is guitar.
   I enjoy guitar class. I already know some guitar, but I was happy to take a class to help me along. There are only three of us in the class, a girl who is about as advanced as me, and a boy who has never played guitar before. We learned some basic, yet interesting things. We have homeschool group again tomorrow, so I'm excited for that.
   I've recently been reading a lot of graphic novels. I want to write my own graphic novel eventually. I find it difficult to draw the characters. I tend to add too much detail and they end up looking creepy or I mess up the lines and they become wobbly and once again, creepy. I just have to keep working on it until I get it.
   We went to several festivals this month. I purchased an awesome dragon necklace that my mom hates and some health and beauty products. We saw interesting things and people, had tasty food and had a fun time at each of them.
   So that is a small recap of some of the stuff I've done this month. Once again, I'm sorry for the gap between posts. I hope to post again soon!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What's on your September calendar? Anything fun? 

 

   The festivals, for one. Where we live, we have several different festivals and jubilees and such. They're always fun. Our homeschool group starts backs in September too, so those are some fun September activities we have planned.

2. You might be described as a natural born _____________________?

 

   Leader. I am a take charge kind of person. I love to lead, and it comes naturally.

3. September is National Courtesy Month...what one act of courtesy would you most like to see more of in your home, town, or the world at large? 

 

   Holding the doors open for people. It's a simple thing to do that people in the cities can't seem to figure out. On a related note, September is National Courtesy Month? Seriously? We have a month chosen to represent courtesy?

I have no idea why it bothers me so. I have to say that these 'national day' things are getting out of hand.  

4. Eager beaver, chicken out, clam up, or let the cat out of the bag...of the phrases listed, which one have you related to most recently? 

   Clam up, unfortunately. I'm not scared to get up on stage and sing, act, perform, etc., but this time it wasn't so . We were at the nursing home where we go to volunteer, and I was playing my guitar and singing. I started on You Are My Sunshine, a song that I'd practiced everyday, multiple times. I got through the chorus, and BAM! I couldn't remember any of the lines. My mother started singing the words and it came back to me, but wow. That wasn't very fun.

5. What's your movie theatre snack protocol? Do you chow down on snacks during the previews or wait until the movie begins? Do you buy snacks or refuse to pay those kind of prices? What's the last movie you saw in a theatre? How many thumbs up would you give it?

   I don't have a movie theatre snack protocol. I've only been to a real theatre once, when I was seven, and we saw Charlotte's Web. I don't remember a lot of it, but it was probably pretty good. I've been to a drive-in theatre several times. The last movie I saw was Inside Out, and it was pretty good. 4 thumbs up.

6. Henry Ford is quoted as saying, "Nobody can think straight who does not work. Idleness warps the mind." Agree or disagree? Why?

   I don't agree or disagree fully on that. Being lazy doesn't mean you can't think, but being active and doing things definitely helps keep your mind sharp.

 

7. What's the last job you completed or task you performed where you had to 'work like a dog' until it was finished?
 

   Collecting Monarch caterpillars. That was tiring. It was also hot and humid.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

   So now for the story of the monarch caterpillars. (I mentioned it here yesterday.) Some of our fields were to be limed. We didn't know when, but when my mom and brother discovered how many caterpillars were in the fields, we decided to go rescue them. We called some of my brothers friends and asked if they would like to come back and collect Monarch caterpillars. They did. While we waited for them to arrive, I had a snack. They arrived and we went up into the first field. I didn't see many at first, but by the end I was spotting them left and right.
   We collected and collected, field through field, until we had gotten a ton of them. We came back and counted them. 265 caterpillars and one chrysalis. My brother's friends took a little over 20 and took a few for a friends of theirs. Mom sent an email out to some of her friends regarding the caterpillars. A couple people responded, they would like a few. A few, meaning not enough to really ease our load. 
   One of my mom's friend's has a daughter that works at a discovery center, where they have animals and stuff like that. They said if we had more than we could handle, we could give them to the discovery center and they would raise them and tag them. They are coming to pick up 200 later today. I wanted to post pictures, but they are on my mom's phone and I can't get them off right now. I apologize.

Until next time!

 

7 Things I've Been Loving This Week!

1: The beauty of remembering (before midnight) I had a blog post to write.

2: Fixing my Kindle Fire. Something was wrong with the battery, but luckily it was a quick fix.

3: Collecting 265 Monarch caterpillars in our fields. I'll post pictures and more information tomorrow, but until then, I'll leave you wondering. :)

4: Reading some interesting books.

5: One of my favorite tee shirts; a navy blue, loose and comfortable shirt that reads, "Dear Math, I have no intention of finding your X. Grow up and solve your own problems."

6: Freshly washed sheets. They smell so nice. We washed sheets today, so I'm sleeping on freshly washed sheets of glory tonight.

7: Our family had a large campfire and invited several of our family members back. That was fun.


Care to know what I'm not loving this week? Bug bites. They're all over my legs and they itch like crazy. Sometimes, I can't wait for winter, but I know it will be back and bitter before we know it.

7 Things I've Been Loving This Week!

1: Hanging out with some of my friends at the park.

2: Ramen noodles.

3: Watching Sumo of the Opera with my brother.

4: Canning.

5: Biology and art.

6: Learning new guitar songs.

7: This

 
 

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Way back when (the Hodgepodge bicentennial to be precise) several of you submitted questions as part of a giveaway I was hosting. I went back to that list for inspiration today and found a question submitted by Marla, who blogs over at Marla's Musings. Thanks Marla!

She asks-At what age did you feel like a 'grown-up'? What keeps you young now? 

   I'm not a grown up yet, but I do feel grown up when people mistake me being older. I remember when I turned 10, I felt very grown up. I probably won't feel grown completely until I move out. It's hard to feel grown up when mom doesn't believe I can do anything on my own. She still gives me instructions on how to boil a pot of water.


 2. When did you last buy a vehicle? Was this by design or because you had no other option? Was the car/truck purchased for your own personal use or was it bought for someone else to drive? On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being delightful and 1 being 'pass the Excedrin') how would you rate the experience?

   I've never bought a car, so don't have any experience with that.


 3. Corn bread, corn chips, corn pudding, corn on the cob, cornflakes, corn chowder-your favorite of the corn-y foods listed? What needs to be served alongside your selection?

   I like corn bread, corn chips, corn on the cob (sometimes), cornflakes, and corn chowder occasionally. Popcorn is the only corn food I would want to add to my list. Corn isn't my favorite food, but I really like popcorn.


 4. What's something in your life that regularly requires you to 'put your thinking cap on'?

   School, currently. While I enjoy school, it's a challenge. More and more challenges arise in my everyday work. But the fun subjects, like Art and Biology, make it tolerable.


 5. Share a favorite movie set in a school or classroom, or whose theme relates to school days in some way.

   Sky High. One of the best Disney movies ever filmed. If you haven't seen it, (which you probably haven't) it's a not-so-true story about a superhero high school. While their school day is nothing like actual school, it's an awesome movie.


 6. Reading, writing, and 'rithmatic' are commonly referred to as the three R's. What are the three R's in your life right now?

   Rearranging and organizing, reaping the benefits of work and canning and retrieving information from the back of my brain to put on a test.


 7. What's something you've learned or tried recently you can say was as 'easy as ABC'?

   Learning the seven taxa, most recently. Kingdom, Phylum or Division, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species. Those were really easy to memorize.


 8. Insert your own random thought here.

   Old people talk of the good old days. What exactly are the 'good old days'? What makes them so good? Are they good just because they're old, like an antique? When I grow up, will this time of my life somehow become the 'good old days'? What's going to make these days preferable to the future? What about right now am I taking for granted?
   Unfortunately, I don't have answers for these questions, just ideas on how they might be answered. First off, were the good old days actually as good as they claim to be? Or did people just forget the old problems they used to have in order to make room for new ones? Because something I do know, is that problems are everywhere, in every timeline and every country.
   As for my 'good old days', what will follow up my, "Back in my day,"? Selfie sticks? Instagram? Pop music? What about skinny jeans, booty shorts, crop tops and straightening the life out of your hair being considered fashionable? Will I look back on all the trends I didn't follow and be glad? I think I will be.
   The future is unwritten, and I have no idea what is going to change. What or whom I'm taking for granted. I guess that old saying is true, "You never know what you got until it's gone." Even though it should be 'have', instead of 'got', the principle remains the same. So until I lose something, I'll never know what I had.
   As of today, I'm going to try and start appreciating what I have, before I lose it, because nothing lasts forever.  I'm blessed in many ways, and I'm glad to have as many opportunities as I do.

7 Things I've Been Loving This Week!

1: Cleaning off our canning shelves, gearing up for canning season.

2: Canning peach jam. It's delicious.

3: This reality



4: Getting a new pair of dark gray jeans that actually fit.

5: Inheriting 4 pairs of hiking boots from my aunt.

6: This

 

7: Doing art and biology in school. Art is my very favorite subject, but biology is a close second. My favorite subject use to be Language Arts, now, we're studying word etymologies, and it's the worst.

 

 



Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. When was the last time you relocated? Did you move yourself or leave it to the professionals? Are you happy staying put or is there a move in your future? Best thing about moving to a new city or town? Least favorite and/or hardest thing about moving house?

   We moved last when I was a little girl. I don't remember everything from the move, but I remember bits and pieces. Our family moved everything ourselves, with some help from our family. We don't plan on moving and I'm glad. The best thing about moving to a new city or town? I don't know, not having moved a large distance before, but if I could imagine it would be fun to explore, like going on a new adventure. Hardest part? Leaving home. All my friends, family, the places, stores and restaurants. That would be treacherous.


 2. When were you last 'moved to tears'? Explain.

   Hmm... I don't know. I'm not frequently moved to tears. It probably was some book.


 3. Do you have rules about eating in the car...any forbidden foods? What's the last thing you consumed in your car? Your go-to car snack when traveling long distance?

   Rules about eating in the car...we don't have any. Anything is fair game. I ate random food out of our lunch bag yesterday afternoon in the car. Our go-to snack when travelling long distance would probably be junk food we bought to eat specifically then.

 4. Share a favorite song relating to cars and/or driving.

   Getaway Car by TobyMac.

 5. What's your most frequently visited drive-thru...Starbucks? the bank? the pharmacy? some other window?

   The bank, probably. I've never been to Starbucks, and we go through the drive through occasionally, but we try to avoid them.


 6. "He who hesitates is lost"...would you agree? When it comes to making decisions do you generally act quickly or do you more often than not fall into the 'lost' category?

   I make my decisions quickly. I don't agree with the saying, though. Some decisions need to be thought over, and some can be made quickly.


 7. When was the last time you got lost? Was it stressful or an unexpected happy adventure?

   I don't remember the last time I was lost. I do remember one time, though, when I was little, several of my friends and I got lost in a corn maze. It was kind of scary, but a fun adventure the same.


 8.  Insert your own random thought here.

   Yesterday morning I went to the trail to hang with my friends. My one friends and I had a lot of fun talking about writing and resolving plot and characters with the books we are writing. I adore writing, and I have been so busy reading for the summer reading program at our library that I haven't had the time to write. The program ends on Friday, so I'm gearing up to get back into the swing of things. Happy Hodgepodge!

7 Things I've Been Loving This Week!

1: Practicing guitar and learning new chords.

2: Marshmallow fluff, the food of angels.

3: Volcanic lightening. It's beautiful. Here is a link to some gorgeous pictures.

4: Reading the comics in the newspaper and laughing at the ridiculous problems in the advice column.

5: Reading, reading and more reading. I'm participating in the summer reading program our library offers, and every hour you read counts towards it.

6: Hanging out with my little cousin.

7: Watching American Ninja Warrior with my brother.

50 Questions

   While surfing the internet today, I found a list of suggestions for questions. They sounded like fun, so I choose some and made up some of my own. Here's my answers to 50 questions;


1: Were you named after anyone?
No, my name is original.

2: When was the last time you cried?
I can't remember, I don't cry often.

3: Do you like your handwriting?
I do. It's kind of sloppy because I write fast, but I like my handwriting.

4: What's your favorite lunch meat?
Turkey or roast beef, depending on my mood.

5: Do you prefer to read or write?
I love both. I couldn't choose just one.

6: If you were another person, would you be friends with you?
No, I wouldn't. I probably couldn't stand myself.

7: Do you use sarcasm a lot?
I do. I'm very sarcastic.

8: Do you still have your tonsils?
Yes, fortunately.

9: Would you bungee jump?
I would. I think it would be fun.

10: What's your favorite cereal?
I don't have a favorite. I like a lot of them, but I hate Fruity Pebbles. They're nasty.

11: Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
I do. I'm very particular about how I put on my shoes and take them off.

12: Do you think you are strong?
Not partially.

13: What's your favorite ice cream flavor?
Vanilla, definitely.

14: What's the first thing you notice about people?
Their hair or clothes, especially if it's something unusual.

15: Red or pink?
Red.

16: What's your least favorite thing about yourself?
I'm have terrible balance and I'm an utter klutz.

17: Who do you miss the most?
Hmm. I don't think I strongly miss anyone.

18: What nutrition or fitness strategy do you need to work on the most?
I think I would need to have one to have something to work on.

19: What color shoes are you wearing right now?
I'm not wearing shoes.

20: What was the last thing you ate?
French fries.

21: What are you listening to right now?
The air conditioner running, the radio in the background and the occasion flip of the newspaper my mother is reading.

22: If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Probably a dark red-purple.

23: What are some of your favorite smells?
The smell of coffee, new books/paper, the way my cat smells, (it's a really sweet, delicate scent that's she's had since she was born,) the smell of the ocean, (not the dead fish one, the salty 'ah, vacation' one,) and the scent of autumn.

24: Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
My best friend.

25: Mountain hideaway or a beach house?
Beach house, definitely.

26: What's your favorite sport to watch?
Ice hockey.

27: Do you play any instruments?
I play violin, guitar, ukulele and piano.

28: What's your favorite animal?
Cats. I also favor chickens and various aquatic life, especially sharks.

29: Do you wear contacts/glasses?
I wear a pair of brown rimmed glasses. I don't need to wear them all the time, but I prefer to.

30: What's your favorite food?
I don't know if I've mentioned it on my blog before, but I love macaroni and cheese with a passion.

31: Scary movies or happy endings?
Both? Some movies are good with happy endings, but scary movies are fun, too.

32: What was the last movie you watched?
Open Season 2.

33: What color shirt are you wearing?
Royal blue.

34: Summer or winter?
I like summer and winter. Winter lasts too long, and summer isn't long enough.

35: Hugs or kisses?
Hugs, from people I like.

36: What's your favorite dessert?
I couldn't pick just one.

37: Would you rather strength train or do cardio?
Neither? But I guess if I had to choose, I would do strength training.

38: Do you prefer to be on a computer or watch television?
Computer, most of the time, unless I have a new episode of one of my favorite shows to watch.

39: What book did you read last?
A murder mystery, entitled Ten. It's was really good.

40: What's a few of your favorite sounds?
A wave crashing on a beach, the pages of a book being turned, my kitty meowing, and a solid rock-and-roll scream.

41: Do you like your mattress?
I do. It's pillow top.

42: Rolling Stones or Beatles?
Rolling Stones.

43: What's the farthest you've ever been away from home?
A twenty three hour drive.

44: What's on your mouse pad?
I'm not using a mouse pad, thanks to my laptop.

45: Do you have any special talents?
I don't think I have anything special, just normal talents, except this really cool trick where I can trip and fall over just from standing in a normal position.

46: Do you have any special things about or around your house?
Other than some antique furniture, we have Christmas lights strung around our living room. Does that count?

47: What color is your house?
Red, with a blue roof and white accents.

48: If you had to get a tattoo, what would you want the tattoo to look like or say, and where would you want it?
Hmm, I would want something music or fire related done above my right ankle.

49: What was the last song stuck in your head?
Strutter, by Kiss. I woke up with it in my head, for some reason. Crazy, cause I haven't heard that song in months.

50: Did you enjoy answering the previous 49 questions?
I did.


So there we go. I hope you enjoyed the answers and feel free to answer some or all of them on your blog. If you would happen to, please comment, because I would love to read someone else's answers. Thanks for reading!

7 Things I've Been Loving This Week!

1: Going to the library after the trail. One of my friends picked out several books for me, and some of them turned out to be really good.

2: Hanging out with my cousin.

3: Reading like a crazy person, trying to fill up my summer reading program chart.

4: Picking blackberries and huckleberries with my mom and brother.

5: Meeting my uncle's girlfriend's parents. We went out on the lake and I went tubing. My arms are still sore.

6: Bagels. Many bagels.

7: Helping with childcare at my church. The kids were super sweet and I built countless block towers for them to destroy.

BONUS!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

 

 

1.  I recently read here about four secrets to happiness from around the world. They were-

Overcome your fears by facing them head on, allow yourself to relax and reset, work to live versus living to work, and find the good in life. Not sure if these are the actual secret to happiness, but which of the four do you struggle with most? Which one comes most easily to you?

   While these aren't bad rules to live by, I don't think that they are truly the secrets to happiness. Work to live, versus living to work? I don't think that makes you happy. I don't think that living to work is a bad thing, depending on your definition of work. Sometimes it's okay to stand in the rain of the storms of life, instead of searching for a rainbow that doesn't exist. Use the rain to grow something, instead of trying to find your way out of it. I think some people relax too much. Now I'll step away from the podium I have built for myself and answer the questions.
   Hardest one for me? Finding the good in life. I'm not a overly peppy, positive person. I don't have a negative perspective on life, just more realistic than optimistic. Easiest one? Overcome your fears by facing them head on. I'm a straight to the point person. I don't beat around the bush, especially when I'm scared.

 2. How would you spend a found $20 bill today?

   I wouldn't spend it. I would save it. If I spent that found 20 dollar bill, I wouldn't have a 20 dollar bill anymore. Instead, if I keep it, I earn 20 dollars.

 3. Ego trip, power trip, guilt trip, round trip, trip the light fantastic, or trip over your own two feet...which 'trip' have you experienced or dealt with most recently? Explain.

   Trip over your own two feet. I'm incredibly clumsy. I just tripped yesterday, while running into a lake with my friends.

 4. If you could master any physical skill in the world what would it be, and how would you use that skill?

   Swimming. I love to swim and I'm a pretty strong swimmer, and I'd love to master all the techniques and such. How would I use that skill? Probably lifeguard somewhere. I think that would be fun, whistling at people who are disobeying the rules. My only problem is that I'm nearsighted, and even with my glasses, I still don't have 20/20 vision. So I guess you're on your own, if don't see you.

 5. As July draws to a close, let's take inventory of our summer fun. Since the official first day of (North American) summer (June 20th) have you...been swimming? enjoyed an ice cream cone? seen a summer blockbuster? camped? eaten corn on the cob? gardened? deliberately unplugged? watched a ballgame? picked fruit off the vine? taken a road trip? read a book?  Are any of these activities on your must-do-before-summer-ends list?

   I just went swimming for the first time this year on Sunday, I've gotten other ice cream, but I haven't eaten a normal ice cream cone. I've eaten a cone, but without the ice cream. They taste like cardboard, but it's a good cardboard. I've seen Inside Out, I'm not sure if that's considered a summer blockbuster or not. We set up a tent in our living room and slept there one week, not true camping, but close enough for me. I haven't eaten corn on the cob, I hate gardening and I haven't deliberately unplugged. I haven't watched a real ballgame, but I have watched my brother and one of his friends play in a backyard. I might of picked a strawberry off the vine in June, but other than that, no. I haven't taken a road trip but I have read many, many books. None of these things are on my summer bucket list, except I would like to swim some more.

 6. The Republican Presidential candidates will debate on August 6th. What's your question?

   I don't believe I have anything to ask the candidates at the current time. If I come up with anything, I'll edit this post.

 7. What's your most listened to song so far this summer?

   I don't have a most listened to song. My mom plays the radio in the kitchen all the time, so whatever plays I listen too, and I have a bunch of CD's that I play. No song in particular has been singled out.

 8.  Insert your own random thought here.

 

   I love to write, from blog posts to books, from journal entries to lists. This morning, I went to the trail and I talked with one of my wonderful friends about books we were writing. That was very enjoyable. Later today I will be heading to the nursing home to volunteer, then heading to the library. As of today, life is great.

 

 

Here are a few puns until next time. Some of them are original, and others are ones I've heard.

 

You can't lose a homing pigeon. If your homing pigeon doesn't come back, what you've lost is a pigeon.

 

My brother has the heart of the lion and a lifetime ban from the local zoo.

 

Whiteboards are remarkable.

 

I refused to believe that my road worker father was stealing from his job, but when I got home, all the signs were there.

 

I was walking down the street when I saw an advertisement for a cheap TV with a broken volume knob. I thought to myself, "Wow! I can't turn that down!"

 

The man who created knock-knock jokes deserves a "no-bell" prize.

 

I went to a really emotional wedding yesterday. Even the cake was in tiers.

 

Someone stole my Microsoft Office and they're going to pay.

You have my Word.

 

 



7 Things I've Been Loving This Week!

1: Having my cousin K.D. over on Thursday.

2: The peace and quiet of the house so I could read on Friday. I read many hours that afternoon.

3: A fun family reunion on Saturday.

4: Beating my dad, brother and cousins at basketball at the family reunion.

5: Swimming at a lake on Sunday with my dad and brother. That was the first time I've been swimming this year.

6: Going for ice cream with some family yesterday.

7: Going swimming with some of my friends at another lake today. I had a lot of fun.

BONUS! 8: This pun:

7 Things I've Been Loving This Week!

1: This pun

 

2: Yesterday I started my school year. It's been awesome so far.

 

3: I signed up for the summer reading program at our local library. I've already read several hours and I only signed up yesterday.

 

4: My new Art curriculum. It's awesome. Instead of having to answer questions on what you've learned, you have activities. Fun. :)

 

5: Finding out one of my favorite books is releasing a sequel this fall.

 

6: Watching the Alvin and Chipmunks movies with my brother again.

 

7: This gem

 

 

 

Wednesday Hodgepodge

 

 

1. Is your home air conditioned? If it's not air conditioned, is that by choice? Did you grow up with air conditioning? If not how did you cope with the heat? Share about a time or place you remember as being too hot-the temperature kind of hot, lest anyone be confused.

   My home is air conditioned and I love it. I think it would be terrible to go without, and thankfully our home never has. A place that is too hot? Our driveway. It's blacktop and you can actually fry an egg on it when it's sunny. I've burnt the bottoms of my feet on it every summer I can remember living here.

 2. What's something in your life right now that falls under the heading 'up in the air'?

   I have two things that are always up in the air for me. What I'm going to eat, and when I'm going to do school. Unlike normal people, I do my school whenever I have the time, not on a certain schedule. I try to have it finished by noon, but that doesn't always happen, especially since I'm a night owl.


 3. Your favorite light and airy dessert?

   Peanut butter pie. I don't make it often, but my friends and I were just talking about it yesterday and I think I'll be making one soon.


 4. When did you last feel like you were 'floating on air'?

   Last evening when I was doing a science test, I got a perfect 100 percent. I was delighted for the rest of the evening.


 5. Airport, airmail, airtight, airhead...which have you most recently encountered? Explain.

    I encountered an airhead earlier today. Seriously, I don't understand how some people can be so dense.


 6.  Have you ever been to the Alps? If so where did you go? If not, is this a destination on your must-see list? If you were headed that direction this summer, which of the following would be your preferred activity...a gentle walk, a serious walk, a bike ride, a boat ride around one of the lakes, or summer snow skiing?

   I've never been to the Alps and I don't have it on my list of things I like to see. I think I would like to go for a gentle walk the most. Isn't a serious walk a hike? All I think of when I think of the Alps is Heidi, a book I had to read in third grade.


 7. What is one saying or phrase that was considered 'cool' when you were growing up?

   I can't think of a cool phrase or word that was cool then, and isn't now. Give me twenty years and I can say that words like hashtag and selfie were popular.


 8. Insert your own random thought here.

   I just returned home from bowling with my brother and two of his friends. We had quite the time. When we arrived, I asked for the wrong size shoes, almost dropped a bowling ball on my foot and tripped over the floor. That was in the first five minutes. One friend tossed the ball and it managed to end up in the lane beside us. We had several problems with the pins, and I tripped over my shoelaces. I only got one or two strikes, but I had a blast.
   I had to laugh, because my brother was getting cocky with his spares and as he jumped to celebrate, he went for a heel click type thing, and all of the change in his pocket fell out and littered the floor. We called it the Spare Change. We all had fun and made some memories that I hope last a while.