pacific coast.

Saturday afternoon, this gal will be headed for sunny Southern California.

{source}

My school's spring break is April 2-6, and I will be spending this time visiting my sister in SoCal.

When I was in middle school, it was my ultimate dream to visit Cali! Five years later and that dream is coming true. We're going to visit Balboa Island, Los Angeles, Newport Beach, and many other places. So excited! (I also think I'm going to get my tragus pierced. But don't tell the 'rents.)

And we thought we wouldn't have enough things to do . . .

I arrived in Nashville last Friday. My flight went smooth, and there were no bumps!

My sister just quit her job recently, and we weren't sure how many fun things we were going to be able to do while I was here. Well... that wasn't something anyone needed to worry about.

When I came Friday, I spent the day with my (other) sister and her husband, and my nephew Owen. :) When my brother in law came to pick me up, (Josh) I was greeted by this in the guest room:

Saturday, my sister was working on a conference she had gotten hired to do. It was fun, but also very tiring. We were on our feet a lot, and more than ready to go home when we did.

Sunday was pretty much a relaxing day. We both were very tired from the conference (she worked 3 10+ hour days) so we just chilled. For dinner, we sat out on their patio and ate dinner. We grilled out and had chicken, squash and zucchini grilled, baked potatoes, and bread. It was delicious!

(the patio lights added a nice ambiance to things. Plus the relaxing music!)

On Monday, my sister and I ran errands. We didn't do a whole lot this day either. For dinner we went to my other sister's for my OTHER bro-in-law's birthday.

When we got home from the dinner, we (Ashley, Josh, myself) started playing Scrabble while watching the Yankees play the Kansas City Royals. Josh mentioned that they were playing a game on Tuesday, and jokingly said we should go. Then, Ashley mentioned how she thought the drive was only about 5 and a half hours. We decide to go. What the heck? Josh is very detail oriented, and is so excited about going to see the Yankees (his favorite team) that he doesn't even think twice about checking the driving distance. As we check Google Maps just to see the route...we realize it's 9 and a half hours. Oops. Tickets already bought, hotel booked.

We arrive early for batting practice. This was my first major league game!

Sister and I

On our way home, we have to go though St. Louis so we decide to stop at the Gateway Arch.

View looking down

They say you can see for 30 miles on a clear day.

On Thursday, Josh and Ashley mainly played catch up.

Ashley and I swung by Sweet CeCe's to grab some frozen yogurt. It was my first trip, so I went all out. :)

My bro in law Josh is the road manager for the band Hawk Nelson. They had a show in Leitchfield, Kentucky on Friday, so Ashley and I decided to drive up and see the show. We hung out on the bus a lot, and this sign is in the bathroom:

I'm sorry. It's funny.

Then, the show.

PHEW! What a whirlwind of a week!

I think we're ready to take it a little bit slower this week. We're planning on going to the zoo, a museum, painting, and playing Scrabble.

How was your week?

Tomorrow I'll be 20,000+ feet in the air.

That's right, friends!

I'm going to Nashville.

This town:

Yay.

This is my second time flying ever, and I can happily say that I'm not too nervous.

I'm staying for 2 weeks with the infamous Ashley and Josh, sister and brother in law.

What's different about this trip though, is that my sister just quit her job! So she'll be home a lot. Haha! I'm really looking forward to it, like always.

The next time I post, it'll be live from Nash!

See you then!

Depression. (More like mild sadness)

Leaving Tennessee every time I visit gives me a little bout of depression.

We are in Arkansas now. Don't get me wrong, it's great to see the family that lives here, but I feel like my heart is always back in Nashville. There's nothing I love more than staying with my sister and brother-in-law, even through all their barfy newlywed-ness.

(Aren't they cute?) :)

They are the funniest people I know, and some of the greatest as well.

There's nothing I can think of better than staying with them. 2010 was actually a great year as far as going to Tennessee, with a whopping 3 times. That's definitely a record. 2 is the norm.

Let's keep our fingers crossed though, that my parents will let me come down for spring break. :D

In other news... I will be ringing in the new year at a youth group lock-in. My parents are dropping me off straight after our road trip. We won't even stop at home. It's gonna be a long rest of the week, folks.

Here's a couple more photos I want to share taken by my new camera:

Vacation schmacation.

I love visiting my family here in Tennessee.

In case you didn't know, my two sisters and their husbands live here, including one nephew of mine.

I typically get to see them about 2 times a year (or 3 if I'm lucky, like this year). It's so sad, because I love seeing them so much!

This year, I have to say that this trip hasn't quite lived up to all of the hype I have gave it.

My sister, A, got sick the day after Christmas. She barely left my other sister, N's, house before she threw up. (Gross... i know.)

Good news though, she feels a lot better now. My parents and I are going to spend the day with her. We're gonna go to Franklin, and do a little shopping there. A works there, so she knows a lot about it.

Hope everyone's holidays are going a little bit better than mine. :)

Merry Christmas to all - and a snowy one at that!

Merry Christmas everyone!

In my family (which consists of me, mom, and dad) we opened up presents yesterday.

I got a camera!

It's obviously just a point-and-shoot camera, which is what I want and needed. The main thing I wanted in a camera was high megapixels - and it has a whoppin' 14.

joy.

Here are some of the first photos I've taken with it:

We left at 7am this morning, and got to Tennessee not too long ago. These are photos of my nephew, O. Ain't he cute?!

Well, I'm gonna go chill with family for a couple of days. Post if I get a chance. :)

Have a great holiday season!

Eh.

I'm feeling rather teenage-ish today.

Stayed up too late last night at a friends house, didn't get enough sleep.

Good news though: I just got back from shopping with my dad, and I got the cutest scarf at Charlotte Russe.

(I'm obsessed with scarves as of late.)

Oh, and I'm pretty ecstatic because I found the perfect gift for my brother-in-law, Josh. A record of one of Muse's albums. Him and my sister have a record player, and he loves Muse.

Awesome idea, right? Thanks F.Y.E!

Just 3 days until I get to see my family in Tennessee!

Hope everyone's Christmasing is going great!

Just a rant and some other fun stuff.

Am I the only one that hates buying things from Forever 21?

In magazines, online, and in person all anyone ever talks about as far as cute clothes go, is how much they LOVE F21 and how it's so cute and so cheap.

Yes, they're cute. And yes, they're cheap.

But everything FALLS APART the first time you wash it! What's the point in even buying the darn things if they don't last?

I bought a plain, longsleeved red t-shirt there a couple months ago, for like $7. Don't know what I was thinking. When I got home and ripped the price tag off, the tag that says the size came right off with it. Not that big of a deal, but that sort of just screams 'low quality' right there. And now it's starting to get a little hole in it towards the top. Not a big deal for now, but I know in about 5 washes I won't be able to wear it anymore.

ANYWAY.

On another note. I just got back from the family Christmas party I mentioned in my blanks yesterday. It was so fun! I played Apples to Apples with about half the family, and it was the first time I've ever played it. (Weird, right?) That game is sweet! Too bad my family consists of only 3 people, total. Right? Haha. Guess we'll have to save it for family get-togethers!

In other OTHER news...

How cute's this scarf from Gap? I'm not a fan of orange or red (which, this scarf seems to be an odd mix of them both), but I want this. Unfortunately, at just under $30, it's a little too rich for my (teenager-with-no-job) blood.

Hope everyone's having a fabulous weekend. :)

Fill in the Blank Friday #10

1. Black Friday is 'controlled chaos'. Can be fun, but things can get out of hand as well.

2. Christmas shopping this year will include going to different bigger towns in our area with my parents. This year we decided to buy our family actual gifts, not gift cards like we've done the past few years. It's loads of fun, plus I get to go shopping! :)

3. Holiday shopping makes me happy. Shopping is fun. I am a fan. Sometimes it's hard for me to buy for other people, and not myself, so I think it's good for me.

4. This year my Christmas list will include gray Converse, a camera, pajama pants (haha), and Navy TOMS.

5. Bargain hunter, or full price shopper? Bargain hunter. I will occasionally buy something full price, but most of the time I just can't see buying something that is not on clearance, because things there are just as good and cost a whole lot less.

6. The best and worse things about shopping is getting the 'fix' of being in the mall (does anyone else get this? My dad thinks I'm weird. Ha.), and the downside is getting tired after only so many hours.

7. Online shopper or in-person shopper? Both! Michigan is definitely not Paris as far as clothes go, so we get soo much more selection just shopping online.

Hope everyone finds lots of great deals this Black Friday!

I had to be like everyone else... here's a post about Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving Eve, friends!

As I sit here at home, alone, I thought I'd share this poem I found on Meg's blog.

Thanksgiving Day Wishes

T’was the night of Thanksgiving,
But I just couldn’t sleep.
I tried counting backwards,
I tried counting sheep.

The leftovers beckoned,
The dark meat and white.
But I fought the temptation,
With all of my might.
Tossing and turning,
with anticipation.

The thought of a snack
became infatuation.
So I raced to the kitchen,
Flung open the door,
And gazed at the fridge,
Full of goodies galore.

I gobbled up turkey,
And buttered potatoes,
Pickles and carrots,
Beans and tomatoes.

I felt myself swelling,
So plump and so round.
‘til all of a sudden,
I rose off the ground.

I crashed through the ceiling,
Floating into the sky,
With a mouthful of pudding,
And a handful of pie.

But I managed to yell
As I soared past the trees
Happy eating to all,
Pass the cranberries, please!!

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey be plump.
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.

May your yams be delicious,
May your pies take the prize
And May your Thanksgiving dinner...
Stay off of your thighs!

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and Black Friday!

I know I will.

Peace out!

Gobble. Gobble.

I like fall.

I went to a little stand today with my my parents on our way to my aunt's birthday party. They had lots of cool things - apples, pumpkins, and Indian corn. Here are some pictures!

Off We Go! (My side of the story.)

I went to Tennessee for the seventh time (I think… it could have been the sixth or eighth time, they all seem to run together) a few weeks ago. I stayed for three weeks, and my sister, her 10 year old brother, her mom, and myself all made the drive up to Michigan, for a family reunion that was happening the following day. My sister has written a blog about it, but I thought the public might like to see MY take on the whole event. She’s pretty right on, but… I think she’s a little biased. Towards herself.

4:55am: I awake due to a bad dream. Watched The Count of Monte Cristo movie right before bed… probably not the smartest move. All the sword fighting and murders… it makes for quite the vivid night of dreams.

5:25am: Wake up. We have to leave by 5:45am to take Josh, her husband, to the airport. Ashley complains about being up since 4am, because apparently her normally quiet neighbors are singing karaoke. To Spanish dance music (I think). I, without thinking, assume that they got up really early to sit outside and sing. Thus, I say, “Why would they get up and sing that music this early?” Ashley proceeds to tell me that they didn’t go to bed the night before. Oh.

6:45am: McDonald’s stop #1. (Incase you’re wondering… I got a Sausage McGriddle and Diet Coke.)

7:00am: On the road to Michigan.

7:05am: Cow in the road! A cow just starts walking across the road. Yes, we’re in Tennessee, but we’re not exactly in farm country. Oh, and you can’t forget about that stray squirrel. This is getting a little crazy.

8:45am: McDonald’s stop #2. I’ll be honest… Whenever I’m on road trips, my body knows it. It KNOWS it, and it likes to torture me. I don’t think I ever drink any more on the road than I do at home, but I have to use the bathroom approximately 3.28 times more. And the weirdest part? Normally Ashley is the one that has to stop LITERALLY four times the first hour on the road to go to the bathroom. This is messed up, yo.

9:30am: McDonald's stop 3#. Ashley's goal is for us to make it to at least 10:45.

10:55am: Goal met! I believe this would be McDonald's stop #4.

12:00: Lunch time! McDonald’s AND Burger King. The McDonald’s stop was pretty interesting. The restaurant has a weird setup, so Ashley has to show me how to get into the building. She’s had a chance to live though - she’s 25 - and I’m 15. Some things she’ll just know more than me. It’s natural.

12:25: Ashley gets flipped off by another driver, when they were in the wrong! I’m completely outraged. Infuriated. Shocked. Ashley just laughs.

1:35: Contrary to my sister’s view, I do not tell her how she can improve herself. I only give tips. Joking. When she does something I find interesting, I just say what I’m thinking. In my family, it’s normal for you to say exactly what you’re thinking (probably not the best way…) so I guess I don’t really think anything of it. She’s a little offended though. I buy everyone ice cream and say sorry.

4:00: Get me out of this van. David is driving me bonkers. But, when I started to really look at him… I remembered everything he was feeling at any given time. Attention-deprived because the adults are talking. Bored because you’re sitting there, sick of all the toys you brought with you. Angry you can’t take the headphones out of your portable DVD player, and listen to it like the TV. Kid, I feel your pain. You’ll make it through.

The rest of the trip was pretty plain. I do have to say though… Lord, thank you for my iPod.





My sister's view on things:

Last weekend I made the trek up to Michigan for the third time this summer. This time was in a van filled with my 15 year old sister, my 10 year old brother, and my mom.

4:03 am
My day started when I awoke to my normally quiet neighbors singing. Loudly and drunkenly. Along to a CD of Spanish music. Is that the correct genre name? Now the singing did irritate me, but what irritated me more was the fact that their dog, Lucky, who barks at me through the fence anytime I take out the trash or start the grill, seemed to actually like the singing and sat quietly watching.

4:03-4:59 am
I sit awake listening to the singing with a piercing headache. And watching Josh sleep soundly.

5:00 am
Josh and Brittney wake up well rested and ready to go. I curse at both of them quietly. Josh thinks the neighbors tried out for American Idol this week and were celebrating. Brittney thinks it's really weird that someone would get up in the middle of the night to sit outside and sing.

5:45 am
We leave the house just as the amigos next door go to sleep for the night.

7:00 am
After dropping Josh at the airport, driving to Lebanon, and a stop at McDonald's, we're finally officially on our way. Mom's driving, I'm eating.

7:08 am
The minute I'm done eating, mom yanks the car to the side of the road so we can switch drivers. I did not see this coming.

7:32 am
Have to stop for a cow in the road. Then a squirrel. Then I ran into a butterfly.

8:45 am
2nd McDonald's stop for a bathroom break. Brittney gets a large drink. Mom gets a large coffee. I glare at them.

9:17 am
3rd McDonald's. When we're back in the car, I ask that we make it our personal goal to not stop until at least 10:30.

10:43 am
Goal met! And slightly succeeded, but let's not get too excited. Bathroom break and gas fill up.

12:02 pm
Lunch stop. We hit McDonald's for the 4th time, AND Burger King. Highlights: I have to show Brittney how to get in the restaurant. Guy at McDonald's gives my change to someone else.

12:23 pm
I get flipped off after honking at a lady that pulled out in front of me. Brittney is outraged. I laugh.

1:34 pm
Brittney tries to tell me how I can improve myself. Just as we're passing a prison. I stop the car and try to drop her off, but mom forces me to keep driving.
We stop at Dairy Queen and she buys me ice cream. All is forgiven.

And other than mom denying me a 5th stop at McDonald's, and David asking if he can drive, and then chanting 'kick Ashy's butt, kick Ashy's butt' after I tell him no, the rest of the drive was uneventful and we arrived around 5 pm.

The rest of the weekend was filled with lots of fun with family: Birthday party for my cousin, family reunion, and family girls' night at the Three Rivers hot spot...Apple Bee's!

I'm flying next time.

Nothing is Forever

On Monday morning around 9:40am, I found out that my aunt Connie, my dad’s deceased brother’s wife, had died. I didn’t know her very well, but the fact of knowing a family member had passed still had its effects on me. Her husband died two years ago, and now that both of them are gone, makes realize that once something’s gone, something’s gone. Every once in a while when I got a chance to see either of them, they would always talk about all of the funny memories and stories they had with their two sets of twins. Although I may have only heard a few of the book-worthy stories, it made me realize that I will never have another chance to hear those. Of course a death in the family is always a shock, but we should never assume that you’ll for sure see the person again. I regret not getting to know my aunt and uncle better, but there’s nothing I can do about that now. Treat each day like your last, and know that nothing is forever.

I met Hawk Nelson.

Saturday, May 22, 2010 may have been the best day of my life. I met Jason Dunn, Jon Steingard, Dan Biro, and Justin Benner. I went on their tour bus, I ate a Jason Dunn cheese stick, and Hawk Nelson Cheerios.

The day started out pretty early. Wake up at 6am, be picking a friend up by 7. Three hour drive to Muskegon, Michigan to spend the day at Michigan’s Adventure. Then, Hawk Nelson concert and see my brother-in-law again! Sounds like one great day. And don’t get me wrong, it was.

Michigan’s Adventure may not have the biggest, baddest, meanest roller coasters around, but I sure do like them. When we first got to the park, Anna and I headed for the Corkscrew. I had only been on it one other time, and it was okay. I was pretty much only going on it so she wouldn’t have to go alone. Nonetheless, it was a pretty good warm-up coaster. To keep a long story short, we went on Shivering Timbers twice and Thunderhawk once. I tried to decide if I could actually go on Thunderhawk for about half an hour… But something urged me to do it. Who knows, maybe I have an adventuresome spirit after all? Nah… I doubt it. Must have been something in the water.

I’m glad I did it. Sure, I closed my eyes the entire time I was on Thunderhawk, except for those 2.3 seconds when I opened them and saw sky… but I think I can say that if I get another chance, I will go on it again. Just keep my eyes open.

I have to say, getting to go straight through the gate that everyone is waiting around for the concert by the escort of your brother-in-law, is pretty darn rad. I felt pretty special. They actually had the stage set up in the wave pool. (No… the water was drained. That would have been fun though!) Superchick, John Ruben, and Bread of Stone went on before “Hawk”, and they were all great. I think they knew that we were all there for Hawk Nelson though. The bad part though, was that the boys didn’t come out until 9:20pm. The cool part though, was that during Hawk’s performance, we got to stand up on the audio booth with Josh, the brother-in-law I mentioned. That was really cool. I also saw some sound guy wearing TOMS Shoes! That was pretty neat. I almost said something to him… but didn’t.

Out of all the music I heard that day, I think Hawk Nelson sounded the best. Josh really knows how to do his job, and well. While watching him push all the faders and buttons on his sound board, I asked him how he learned to do all of that. His reply? “Um… I’m not sure!”


Hawk Nelson's tour bus is the best. They don't have their own, but they go through the same company everytime they go on the road. The one they had that day, was pretty darn awesome. Walk on the bus, kitchen/living room. The couches along the wall were so comfy! I could easily live on this bus. But after you go back just a little farther than that, you hit the bunks. They have 12 total. I'd say they're pretty spacious, too. Then just further back then that, is this 'den' area. Did I mention they have satellite TV and internet on the bus? What a hook-up. How could you not live on this bus? It's like... a house on wheels.

Thanks to Josh Chambless, May 22, 2010 was the best day of my life. Thanks again, Josh!