A Vegetarian Adventure

   My brother is a vicarious meat eater. Almost everything he eats contains meat. I am the exact opposite. A vegetarian for six months, I can live just fine without meat in my diet. We were at a local restaurant, and it came to the topic of my vegetarianism (which my whole family does not support, but deals with, because they're pretty relaxed people).
   Since my brother is cocky, broke and vicarious carnivore, my mom said he couldn't survive without eating meat for a month. My brother, (cocky, as already mentioned) said he could easily do it. Mom said she would pay him a dollar a day (that's where the fact that he's broke comes into play) if he doesn't not eat meat the entire day for a month. The offer was also extended to me, if I would eat meat everyday. I declined (I'm as stubborn as my brother is cocky.)
   I think this arrangement was settled on Sunday, and today's only Thursday. I know he failed once, with pepperoni pizza. He didn't even think about it as he shoved the slice into his mouth. I never really ate a lot of meat before I was a vegetarian, so it wasn't that hard of an adjustment for me. Thanks to my brothers incompetence, my mom won't be spending that much money after all.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. It's officially summer (in the northern hemisphere anyway). Which summer month is best and why?

   All the summer months are good. I like June, because of the beginning of summer and all that, I like July because the days begin to get shorter and I like August, because that's when we typically start school, plus it's the beginning of festival season and it's very close to fall. So I guess if I had to pick a favorite, I'd say August, because it's pretty close to fall, but summer isn't over.

 

2. Can you swim? How did you learn? June 27th is National Sunglasses Day. How many pair do you own?

   I can swim, and I love to do it. My grandparents got a pool when I was two years old, and I've been in the water ever since. I rarely wear sunglasses. When I got my glasses, I easily broke the sunglasses habit. Even when I wear my contacts, I hardly wear sunglasses. I had a pair a while back and I have no idea what happened to them. If I would ever need a pair, my mom has a pair I can borrow.

 3. What characteristic do you judge most harshly in yourself? How about in others?

   I can't think of a specific characteristic, although I can be insensitive at times, without even thinking, so I typically judge myself for some stupid things I say. I think the characteristic I judge most harshly in others is whininess. I can't stand when people complain about things, especially pointless things. I think it's even worse when they can do something about it, but instead sit and complain.

 4. Robert Frost wrote the now well known poem entitled The Road Not Taken. What's a road (literal or figurative) you've always wanted to travel, and where do you hope it takes you? 

   I don't have a road (literal or figurative) that I've absolutely wanted to travel. I do love that poem though.  

 

5. Popsicles-yay or nay? If you answered yay, what's your favorite flavor? 

 

   I don't mind popsicles. My favorite flavor is definitely whatever red is. Red popsicles are the best. (Unless it's watermelon in disguise. Watermelon flavored things are mega disgusting.)

 

 

6. Brexit-on a scale of 1-10 how knowledgeable are you on what's involved here? (1=very knowledgeable and 10=what's Brexit) Is this news you'll follow or is it something you think won't impact your life in any way shape or form?

   I think I'm a 9. I know what Brexit is, but I have no desire to learn anything more about it. I think it's going to impact life in the State's, but I'm not really sure how.


 7. Share a favorite song on your summer play list.

   Probably Ruby, by the Kaiser Chiefs. That song has the bad habit of getting stuck in my head. Click here to listen and watch an interesting music video.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

   I have been reading like crazy these past couple days, filling in every extra spot with words from anywhere. The last book I read was utterly horrendous, so I'm hoping the book I'm currently reading will turn out better. The book I read before these two, was a book of short stories, and most of those were good. A few of them were terrible, but they were mostly decent.
   I really don't like to read books with stupid endings. I mean, you read hours into these characters lives, love with them, hurt with them, breathe with them, and then, all of a sudden, everything comes crashing down and they are left perpetually hanging without any hope, because they are merely a character in a book.
   I guess that's one of the reasons I love to reread books, even ones I didn't like the first time. Just so I can live with the characters again, and experience their story. I often play out the rest of their story in my head, making sure they get a happy ending, especially if the creator of their lives was so cruel to let them go happy-ending-less.

 

7 Things I've Been Loving This Week!

1: Swimming at my grandparents with my aunt and her boyfriend. Her boyfriend is not my favorite person, but he's funny, so I tolerate him.

2: Finally being done with school for the year. It's good to be done.

3: Getting a stack of random comic books at a yard sale on Friday. I love graphic novels, so comic books are probably going to be awesome as well.

4: We went to a parade on Friday, too, and I got a decent amount of candy, unlike my brother, who was not the crowd favorite. For some reason, everyone was offering me candy, over my brother. It was hysterical. Well, not for him.

5: Getting coffee at my favorite coffee shop. White Mocha's are the best, hot or frozen.

6: Seeing my fish swim around in their newly cleaned tank.

7: Having a lovely picnic with some fabulous friends. It was a wonderful time.

Evaluations

   This morning we had our evaluations, so we are officially done with school for the year! My brother and I both passed without any issues, so that's good. It was the typical evaluation; our evaluator flipped through our portfolio and asked us a few questions all while her and my mom discussed everything that was wrong with our world.
   After we left (mom and our evaluator talked forever!) I drove us to a local coffee shop that we all love. My brother and I both got drinks and bagels, and they were good.
   If you are unfamiliar with the process of evaluations, it's pretty much the school holding you accountable for your child's education. It's different in every state, so it really depends on where you are, as for what you'll do. I'm just glad to be done! I'm already ready for next school year.

   For the record, this is my 100th post! It doesn't seem it was that long ago I started blogging.

Routine

   I don't really have a daily routine. I have a list of things I accomplish on a daily basis, but I don't do them in any certain order. I have more of a routine in the winter, during the school year, but during the summer, the only routine I keep is at least a minimum solid hour of reading sometime during the day.
   This summer has been slightly boring, considering the lack of interesting activities. To be honest, I slightly miss the routine of school. I'm quite excited to start this school year.
   I have all my new curriculum for this school year, and this year I'm determined to keep a solid reading list of all the books I've read. The school year officially starts on July 1st, so everything that I read and complete until June 30th of the next year, counts towards that year of school.
   I love summer, but I'm already bored of these simple summer days. The humid, hot, hazy weather and the long days. Oh well, no point in trying to rush it. Fall will be here before you know it, so might as well soak up the sun now.

Bits and Pieces

• This evening my mother and I attended a cookout with some family friends. It was fun, and the food was delicious. I also held my 4 month old cousin, which was enjoyable, considering he didn't bawl the whole time I held him.

• I have the song Hollaback Girl stuck in my head. I've been trying to get it out for like two days now. It's driving me crazy.

• Speaking of driving crazy, I drove my dad to town this morning and a large truck for a local feed store tailgated me from the middle of town to more rural roads (which are still fairly busy), which he then immediately passed me on a tight curve. No one was injured, thankfully. It could have ended very badly. My dad, however, was furious, and (calmly) called the feed store. No one answered, so he left a message.

• Some people can be incredibly inconsiderate to learning drivers. It's been getting a little better, since I've been becoming a better driver, but still, please remember to give some leeway to other drivers, whether they're old, young or just stupid.

• While we were at that cookout I mentioned earlier, we headed inside because of the baby. I was not particularly interested in the conversation, so I mostly watched Pitch Perfect in Spanish for an hour. I've never seen the movie in English, so it was fun to watch random scenes in a different language.

• Having a hilarious conversation with friends is so fun, especially when your friends have a great sense of humor.

• I drop my phone constantly. I had an iPod for a several years before I got my phone, and I've dropped my phone more times than my iPod, and I've only had my phone for six-ish months. Thank God for drop-proof cases!

• I recently lost my earphones and it's been driving me crazy. I have another pair that I never use because I don't like them, but it beats not having any earphones at all.

Lawn Chairs

   I generally enjoy summer. The warmer weather, the rainstorms, the swimming. But there is one thing I hate about summer. Something that has plagued me since my youth. Something that has physically scarred me for life. In fact, you probably own several of these awful things yourself. What is this monster, you may ask? I'll tell you. A seemingly innocent lawn chair.
   What's so bad about a lawn chair? Everything. From the weird, scratchy material they're made from, to the poorly made metal frame that barely and rarely stays together. I have a solid distrust of lawn chairs, starting from when I was about 7 or 8.
   It was during the summer sometime, and a rainstorm was coming in with high wind advisories. We all hurried outside to clean up the yard so our things wouldn't blow away. I was to fold up the lawn chairs and put them on the back porch. No problem, I had this.
   These were large, cumbersome, chairs that I had difficulty folding by myself. I was determined to do it, though, so I started on the first one. It wasn't so bad and I hauled it to the porch. I went to get the second one, but it was apparently stuck and wouldn't fold shut. I tried again and with a lot of effort, I finally shut it. Shut it right on my pinky finger, that is. I jerked it free, my eyes filling with tears. I couldn't bring myself to look at it, so I just tried to calm myself down.
   After a moment of trying not to cry, I brought my finger up to where I could see it. Immediately, I realized I didn't need to try and tough this out, for I was actually hurt. My left pinky nail was broken right in half, and shattered around it. It tore the skin at the bottom of my nail almost a half an inch down. I still have the scar from it.
   To be frank, I don't really remember what happened after that. What happened to the lawn chair, or what even happened to me. Mom fixed me up and I survived. The scar on my pinky isn't the only scar I have from a lawn chair incident.
   We were at a neighborhood picnic, and it was late. The campfire, which was previously surrounded by a ton of people, was now only occupied by a few people, most of which I knew. I sat down in a random lawn chair, tired from the long day. I sat and relaxed for about five minutes until I went to adjust myself in the chair. I have no idea how the chair broke, but somehow it managed to give up on me in the most inconvenient fashion.
   As my butt departed from the seat, I managed to do a barrel roll across the grass, narrowly missing the fire. The frame managed to scrap across the side of my rib cage and that's how I received my scar. Plus, it was rather embarrassing, you could say. Considering I'm about as graceful as a fawn in heels, it was probably quite the sight to see.
   While I have plenty of other awful stories I could tell you about my pitiful lawn chair experiences, I leave you with these. This is a warning to you, in a way. Watch out for the hidden evils of the world.  Sure, Obamacare is devastating, but the little things, like lawn chairs and Styrofoam plates, is going to be what takes us out.

Liebster Award

   I was nominated by Little Bits of Lovely for the Liebster Award. Thank you very much, Miss Lovely! I'm new to this award business, so this is uncharted territory for me.

 

 

   I will now answer the questions Little Bits of Lovely left for her nominees.

 

 

1. What is the funniest thing that ever happened to you?
Many funny things have happened to me over the years, so it'd be hard to pick just one. The most recent funny thing that's happened to me is a haircut I got recently. I woke up the morning after and the new, shorter, style looked utterly terrible. Mom freaked out and made me do it nice, with a curling iron and hairspray. It was an utterly horrible experience, which ended up with me having fluffy, curled hair. Not my thing. Now, it's funny, but that morning, it was not.

 2. What is your dream job and why?

I would love to be a singer. Singing is probably my favorite thing to do, so it would be fun to perform for others. In reality, I don't think I would ever make it as a singer, considering I don't have an very impressive upper register.

3. What is your favorite movie and why?
One of my favorite movies is The Mighty Ducks, and the rest of the series, D2 and D3. Am I the only one who loves these movies? Or seen them? Or at the very least heard of them? Because no one I've asked so far has even heard of them. They think it's a nature documentary instead of the best fictional hockey team ever created.

 4. Would you rather be as tall as you are wide, or as wide as you are tall? Why?
I would rather be as tall as I am wide. I would much rather be very short than morbidly obese. I'm decently tall, so I would not want to be that wide. I couldn't fit through any doorways!

 5. Have you ever been on a real adventure? If so, what happened?
I don't know what qualifies as a 'real' adventure, the best thing I can think of is the time I got lost in a corn maze. I already wrote about it here.

 6. Olives or mushrooms?

Mushrooms, over olives, if I would have to pick one. I don't particularly care for either, but I hate olives very much, while I can eat mushrooms.

 7. What is your favorite scent?

I love the smell of baking bread. It brings back many memories of school days when I was little. Nothing beats a piece of homemade bread fresh out of the oven.

 8. If you could have your dream vacation where would it be, and why?

I would vacation in Italy. I would love to go see Rome, and everything there.

 9. Gloves or mittens? Why?

I most definitely prefer gloves to mittens. I would like to have use of my fingers at all times, and with mittens my hands feel quite burdened.

 10. What is your favorite season and why?

Autumn is my favorite season. I love the colors of the leaves and the smells. The start of school, the cooler temperatures, the upcoming holiday season. There isn't much I don't love about fall.

 11. Who is your favorite celebrity and why?

I don't really follow celebrities, so I really don't have a favorite. If I had to pick, I would choose Chris Hemsworth, because he plays Thor, and Thor's my favorite superhero. (I also wish I had hair like him.)

   Now that I've answered her questions, I will list eleven random facts about me, to complete phase two of the awarding process.

1: I hate styrofoam with a passion. There is nothing I hate more.

2: The orange highlights I used to have in my hair have turned more into blondish highlights. The blue highlights have turned more into a gray/blue, and the dark brown has lightened into a lighter brown with red undertones. I plan to dye it again soon.

3: I love cats. They're my favorite animal. I was delighted to find out that as my best friend is taking a summer vacation with her family, I get to watch her cat while she's away. It'll be a fun summer activity.

4: I hate ketchup.

5: My ears are pierced. I got them pierced when I was 5.

6: I love potted plants. I prefer them to bouquets.

7: I've never broken any bones, aside from a toe when I fell out of a tree when I was younger.

8: I have the bad habit of cracking my jaw when I'm stressed, angry or in an unfamiliar place or state.

9: I love worthless information. It actually comes in handy. Thanks to all the worthless information I can recall, I rarely have any awkward silences I can't fill.

10: I like to play cards.

11: I always make a wish when I see the time 11:11 on the clock. I also have the habit of shouting to whoever's around, "11:11, make a wish! Don't tell it or it won't come true!"

Official Rules (The rules you have to follow to accept this award)

 

• Thank the person who nominated you and post a link to their blog in your post. -- Check!
• Display the award on your blog by including it in your post and/or displaying it using a 'widget' or a 'gadget'. -- Check!
• Answer 11 questions about yourself provided by the person who nominated you. -- Check!
• Provide 11 random facts about yourself. -- Check!
• Nominate 5 to 11 blogs who have less than 1,000 followers that you feel deserve the award. -- Coming up!
• Create a new list of 11 questions for your nominees to answer. - Coming up!

   My Nominees. Here's a list of some of the blogs that I feel deserve the award.


Straight From The Heart

The Journey Starts With Imagination

Phoebe's World

Accounts of Auditioning

Efflorescence By Alyssa

Martinis & Medicine


   Now, here's a list of questions for my nominees to answer if the choose to accept this award.

1: Do you prefer coffee, tea, or neither?
2: What's the last thing you copied and pasted?
3: What drives you absolutely crazy?
4: What's your favorite time of day?
5: What's your favorite cereal?
6: Have you ever played volleyball before? If so, do you like to play?
7: What's your favorite card game?
8: What was the last awkward situation you were in? How did you deal with it?
9: What weather is your favorite? Your least favorite?
10: Do you like video games? If so, which ones?
11: Can you swim? If so, do you enjoy it?


   I am very sorry about how long it took me to get this up! Tomorrow, it'll have been a month since I've been nominated. Thanks again, Little Bits of Lovely, it was super fun!




Vacation Bible School II: The Third Day

   Today was another day of VBS, and it went okay. It's the middle of the week, so the kids are more restless and uncooperative than usual. Other than a few hassles, the day went well. I help my great aunt with her class of Pre-K/Kindergarten, so I mostly help with little kids. I used to help with the songs, but I haven't in recent years.
   I did a little less than I typically helped with, since I held one of my cousins - she's only a year old - during several parts of VBS today. Tomorrow will be the last day I help this year, since I won't be able to do it on Friday. I'm kind of bummed about it, but Friday's activities are looking to be fun as well.
   During the assembly and song time, I sat beside a girl who is in my class. She was fun to talk to. After that, we divided into our groups. First we had craft, we made cross magnets with seashells, then we had Bible story, then we had workbook time, then snack and games. For snack we had blue Jell-O with teddy grahams shoved into lifesaver gummies and for our game, we had to make animal sounds. It was interesting and fun. I enjoy helping.
   On Monday, we had 33 dollars in offering, on Tuesday, we had 116 dollars and today, we had 74 dollars. We're raising the money to go to two charities that help children and also spread evangelism, to my understanding. It's cool to these things happen through children and this ministry. How about that?

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. I read here a list of 13 things you should do in June. I'm paraphrasing a little but basically...

Go on a road trip with your best friend, pick fresh strawberries, host a garden party, take a morning run, treat yourself to a flower bouquet, spend a whole day hiking, discover a new coffee shop, try a new ice cream flavor, read at least one book, visit a Farmer's Market, make a swing for your home, and visit a new city. 
Which thing on the list do you most want to do? Of the activities mentioned, which one holds the least appeal? How many on the list will you attempt in June? What's one thing you'd add to the list?

   Going on a road trip with my best friend would be fun, but entirely unfeasible and our strawberries gave up on life a little bit ago, so no strawberries for us. I don't like to garden, and I've only hosted one party (it was my birthday party) and it was a semi-disaster. I don't like morning and I hate to run, so that would be torture. I prefer to grow flowers, than buy a bouquet. I do not like to hike either, so hiking all day wouldn't be fun. I wouldn't mind the coffee shop (I love coffee) and I'd try a new ice cream flavor. I will be definitely reading a book, I just got new books at the library today. Farmer's Markets aren't very fruitful in June around here so that wouldn't be worthwhile. We already have swings here at the house and I don't like the city.
   A lot of these are totally impractical. I'm too busy to take time out of my schedule to plan a road trip with my best friend and so is she. Why do you need to take a road trip in June specifically, anyway? What's wrong with May or July? Plus, who takes a day to spend hiking? Or is this just me?

 

2. What's something you could do today to feel more peaceful? 

 

   I don't know. I'm at peace right now, so it's not really a priority.

3. June 7th is National Chocolate Ice Cream Day. Are you a fan? Swiss mocha, rocky road, chocolate chocolate chip, peanut butter and chocolate, or a dish of plain chocolate...what's your pleasure? 

 

   I don't like chocolate ice cream. Phish Food ice cream is the only ice cream I like that contains chocolate ice cream.

4. If you came with a warning what would it say?

   "Very sarcastic, and sometimes things pop out of her mouth that she doesn't mean to say."

 

5.What's the most interesting website you've visited in the last week? 

 

   Probably just the typical blogs I read. It's always fun to read new posts.

6. Spring, summer, autumn, winter...which season are you? Why? 

 

   Probably autumn. Brisk, brightly colored and sometimes cold, autumn is probably most like me.

7. "You lose sight of things...and when you travel, everything balances out." ~Daranna Gidel

Would you agree with that sentiment? Explain why or why not.  

   I don't necessarily agree with that, because traveling isn't a 'fix it' thing. It's a time to relax. Just because you're not there doesn't automatically make all the problems go away. But on the other hand, it can give you a fresh perspective on things. So I guess it depends on where you're traveling and what you're dealing with.

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

   I just ordered my first vintage dress! I'll write a post later, detailing the dress, but for right now I'm rather happy with the thought of it coming soon. :) If it comes in time, I'll be wearing it to a graduation party on Saturday. Happy Wednesday!

 

Vacation Bible School II: The First and Second Days

   Last year, I did a couple posts about Vacation Bible School. You can read them here and here. Anyway, here comes the sequel! Yesterday morning was our first VBS day. I was writing about VBS yesterday afternoon when my computer decided it had to update right now. It took all day. By the time it finished updating, I was ready to go to bed. So this post will summarize both days.
   Yesterday morning I woke up early, got dressed, drank a cup of coffee and got ready to leave. I gave myself plenty of time to get ready and wake up. I do not like mornings all that much. Mom was ready as well, so we got in the car and took off. I drove, which was enjoyable. When we got there, I greeted my great-aunt (I help with her class) and sat down with a few kids.
   We did assembly and songs, then we separated into our different groups. I help with the Pre K and Kindergarten kids. First, we went downstairs to make a craft. We made cute little whales out of small, cardboard flower pots and shaped pieces of foam. Then we went upstairs and listened to the Bible story. The theme of VBS this year is Ocean Commotion. We're learning about Noah, the ark and obedience to God.
   After the Bible story, we did the workbook activities. They started out by filling out their 'dive logs', which are mostly interactive attendance charts with stickers. After that, we went down and had snack, which was a trail mix with Swedish Fish and goldfish crackers. Then we went outside to play a game, which was just chasing bubbles. Surprisingly fun, I will say.
   After we finished the game, we headed back into the sanctuary for another assembly and songs. After I helped distribute the crafts to my class, I left. All and all, it was a successful Bible school day.
   Today was much like the previous day, aside from a few differences. I did not want to wake up this morning. I had risen early yesterday and later that day, I went on a four mile walk/run with my brother. I was exhausted. We made crowns today for craft, instead of whales. We had mandarin oranges for snack and played with a parachute instead of bubbles for our game instead of yesterday's activities.
   Tonight, I'll be sure to get to bed much earlier. I stayed up until almost eleven, which I am sorry to say is much too late. I'm already tired and it's only 6 pm. I feel old. :) Anyway, I'll write again about VBS, if I can. Who knows what this computer is going to do next?

Winner!

   To pick a winner, I texted one of my friends (who doesn't know I have a blog) to pick a number; 1, 2, or 3. He said 2. So our winner is Meredith!

      Meredith's random fact about herself is:

"I have a scar on my forehead from a scooter accident."

 

   Congratulations, Meredith! You have won a copy of The Giver, as well a surprise gift. To accept your prize, please shoot me an email with your address. :) 

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Tell us about one fun thing on your June calendar. 

   My family and I are heading to an amusement park for my grandfather's birthday. We've been there a couple times and it's always a blast. I'm excited. The only bad thing is, we'll be missing our first homeschool group meeting for the summer this year.

2. How careful are you in the sun? Do you tan or burn? Do you make it a point to see the dermatologist every year? 

 

   Regrettably, I'm not incredibly safe in the sun. I hardly ever wear sun block. I don't burn in the sun, except for the first time in the spring when I go outside. Other than that, I tan. I've never been to a dermatologist, and unless I'm dying, I probably never will.

3. Describe a time when you wanted to 'throw in the towel'.

   I've been learning how to drive, and I've been enjoying it. Unfortunately, my little brother is the worst passenger. He goes from freaking out, to offering me advice on how to drive. I could live without his suggestions.
   Yesterday, I was driving us home from going to get ice cream. An impatient idiot was tailgating me, which was already stressing me out. My brother was telling me how to drive, mom was patiently and calmly tell me when I needed to slow down and when I needed to speed up (which was quite helpful) and my grandma was sitting in the back.
   I was so tense, I just wanted to pull over and let mom drive the rest of the way home. But I didn't, and sucked it up. I survived, as did all my passengers. When we got home, my whole upper body ached from the tension. Driving is fun, so I'm hoping I get better at it.

4. What's a song you love that has a day of the week in the title or lyrics? 

   I Don't Like Mondays, by The Boomtown Rats. I couldn't find a YouTube version I like, or I would share it here. It's an older song, so that probably doesn't help. I like the piano in it, and the melody's catchy.

5. Are you a fan of berries? Which one's your favorite? What's the most recent berry dish you've eaten? Which blueberry breakfast food appeals to you most-blueberry pancakes, blueberry yogurt, or a blueberry muffin? 

   I do like berries, strawberries being my favorite. The last berry dish I ate was a Jell-O cake with blueberries on top. It was good. From the list, definitely blueberry muffins. My mom makes the best blueberry muffins. I could eat a whole pan.

6. What's something you want to do before your next birthday? 

   My birthday wasn't that far back, so I have a decent allotment of time until then. I would like to get a real job before my next birthday. I think it would be fun, and I would like to start saving for the future.

7. June 1st is National Say Something Nice Day, so let's all say something nice here. 

   The weather is really nice here today. It's sunny and warm. We have several windows open, and when it gets hot this afternoon, we'll turn the air conditioners on. Gotta love air conditioners!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

   My giveaway is still open. Feel free to enter here. Happy Wednesday!