Tuesday Ten: Birthday Edition

Today is my birthday! Yay! And coincidentally, it is also the Tuesday Ten day. (: Hooray! So, I figured, in honor of the joining of days, I would write my ten favorite birthdays so far. And since I'm only twenty, it will be half of them in my life. Ahaha.

1. My fourth birthday. I had a Lion King cake and the tumblebus came. Does anyone remember the tumblebus? Where you did gymnastics and got to play? I loved it! That was a fun time.
2. My seventh birthday was fun. It was my first "real" birthday party, I think. At the time I was so excited because I was in first grade and got to invite my friends from school. And my mom said I could only invite three friends, and so I did. I thought I was so sly sticking my invitations into their cubbies at school and not telling anyone else.
3. My ninth birthday was fun because it was at Cavalier skate rink (now Roller Dome) and I had my friends from third grade come and I still have pictures somewhere, but I can't remember where. :P
4. My tenth birthday party was a blast! We went up the New York to my grandma and grandpa's house for the weekend and I got to spend it with my family that I don't get to see very often. My grandma made me my cake and I must say it was the prettiest cake I ever had!
5. My fifteenth birthday was fun because we all went out to dinner and then back to my house for cake and ice cream. And then, Jessie, Gentry, and I played improv games we'd learned from drama! Ahaha, we were dorks. And also, my papa made me a CD/DVD of me when I was little. So getting that present was fun.
6. My sweet sixteen! AHHHHHHHHH! So much fun. It was supposed to be a surprise party, but I ended up finding out about it. It was 50's themed, so everyone looked like they were straight out of Grease. I loved it! Poodle skirts, and then Jeff went all out and made the T-bird's outfit! (Well, actually, his mom did... he's not that crafty).
7. My seventeenth birthday was so fun! I was in Pittsburgh visiting family and so we went to Bucco Di Beppos, a family style Italian restaurant and then went shopping. It was nice!
8. My eighteenth birthday was amazing because obviously, I was turning eighteen! I could vote, I could fight for my country, I could buy cigarettes (not that I would smoke them, but just to know I could buy them was pretty cool). And not to mention, my party was off the chain. It kind of reminded me of a kid's party. We had a silly string fight, a bonfire, crazy straws, ice cream relay races, and countless hours of playing wii (Raymond Raging Rabids and Rockband!).
9. THIS BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!! My twentieth birthday was so amazing! I thought I would be going out to eat with a few friends from school, but NO! When we got to Applebee's my mom, nana, brother, and BESTFRIEND were there! I was soooooooo surprised to see them! My mom made me a brownie cake because I'm not a big cake person. And my friends burnt me an apple pie that they tried to make and then bought me a new one. And I got the best presents ever! Jewelry, Tangled, a body pillow, an amazingly huge birthday card, Rice Krispie Treats cereal, a pretty scarf, nutella, and some other fun things!

Okay, okay, I know this has only been nine and I'd gypped you out of a number ten. But it takes

a lot to be ranked on my top ten. Consider this ten to be all the birthdays that will be amazing that I haven't had yet.

Well, it's time for me to spend the rest of my year being twenty. (:

Tuesday Ten

Ten "Photographic" Pictures I've Taken

I love to take pictures and edit them. And after doing this hobby for years I've gotten a little better. I know now NOT to turn up the saturation that high (because I did it ALL the time in high school) and cropping until dropping is not always the best thing for a picture. I know now that having the subject in the center isn't always pleasing to the eye, and landscapes are pretty too. So here's just a few pictures I've taken over the years. Some of them have been posted on here before, but I'm posting them again because I love them.

This is my cousin's cat, Snowball. He's the only cat I really like. He's so sweet.

I took this one on Winter Retreat '09 my senior year of high school. We went to Camp Willow Run. It was so much fun and I managed to snap this when we had some free time. Those are Gentry's feet.

Over winter break, me and my friends went to Maymont Park and I took this picture of Jordan. I love it! Everyone says it looks like an engagement photo, and yes, it does.

JANICE! I took this while we were in New York City in May 2010. We were having an excursion through the city that Sunday and I snapped this. She's so pretty and I miss her terribly. She'll be coming home from Spain soon! Yay! (:

This is my baby cousin Gabe. He's so precious. I took this over spring break at my nana's house. We were all getting together for his mama's birthday.

Ashley and Justin. They are too cute. I took "couple pictures" of them over spring break and this is one of my favorites of them!

This picture can be seen in one of my other posts, about my jewelry obsession. I don't know why I love this one. I think it's the colors. Or it could just be the fact that I love jewelry.

My bestfriend is so beautiful! I took this either our junior or senior year of high school. I can't remember when. But this is one of my favorite pictures I've ever taken.

This is such a hipster pic, oh my gosh. I love the lighting and colors in this one. That's my bestfriend. She's fantastic.

This is the coloumns at Maymont Park. Most of my pictures are taken there because it's so beautiful.

And since I couldn't choose which one to get rid of, I happened to put eleven pictures on here instead of ten. So here's an extra. Someone wrote this on a gazebo/hut at Maymont Park and once I saw it I had to take a picture.

Tuesday Ten

Ten things I spend too much time doing (when I should be doing productive things)

1. TUMBLR. I spend about 90% of my life on tumblr. My friend Sarah gave it up for Lent, and honestly, I don't know HOW she did that! I really think I've learned so much from this website. Okay, okay, it's not really anything I can use in daily life - mainly just gossip and useless every day information, trivia about music and movies, and details on upcoming events. But it has broadened my taste in music quite a bit. Now that's something! (:
2. Skee Ball on my iPod. I really like it. And I almost broke my high score today, but didn't. (Sad.) Never fear! At the rate I'm playing it, I'll have a new high score in no time!
3. Talking. If I studied half as much as I talk, I'd made President's List every semester!
4. Sing. Okay, this one I'm not really ashamed about. Because singing it my passion and it's the most amazing stress reliever in the world.
5. Listening to music. This kind of goes along with singing. But yes, I enjoy spending my time not doing homework, listening to music.
6. Sleeping. I take frequent naps. They are quite enjoyable.
7. Writing. And I'm not talking about English papers. Come to think of it, I'm not even taking an English class this semester! Huh. Yes, I spend my time writing the beginnings of many, many stories that I never, ever finish. Maybe one day I'll finish one, maybe.
8. Watching movies. I don't really watch a lot of television, unless Gilmore Girls or Pretty Little Liars is on. When I do watch something it's most likely movies. I like all kinds - chick flicks, kids' movies, action/adventure, comedy - except horror, nope, can't do it.
9. Complain. Yeah, I'm working on that one.
10. Laugh. I love to laugh. It's good for the soul. 'Nuff said.

Tuesday Ten

I realized the other day (actually, I didn't just realize this, I've known for a while) that I am broke.

And I also realized (again, not just the other day) that most of my friends are broke. We're in college, people. We're supposed to have no money. But still, it's really annoying since Spring Break is coming up and we'll want to be doing things.

So, for my Tuesday Ten, I'm writing a list of fun things to do over break that are free (cheap). (:

1. Camp out in your backyard. Don't have a tent? Camp out in your living room. Turn the lights off, grab some friends, make s'mores in the microwave and tell ghost stories with the classic flashlight under your chin move. I love camp outs, and indoors they're even more fun!
2. See a movie at the Byrd Theater in Richmond. The tickets are 2 dollars and the movies they show are pretty decent. Sneak in some snacks from home so you don't need to spend money on popcorn. Don't live in Richmond? Google some local theaters, I'm sure you have one around you.
3. Grab some friends, some funky clothes/jewelry and head to your local park or some other cool backdrop. Have a photo shoot. This is one of my favorite things to do with my friends. Later we upload our pictures to facebook and show the world how goofy we are!
4. Have a game night with your family. Seriously. It may sound boring or you make think they're annoying, but pull out the Monopoly, Sorry, Twister, and Wii games for a fun night of chilling with the fam.
5. THROW A PARTY! Tell each friend to bring some kind of food/dessert/drinks, crank up your iTunes or pop in a movie. It's a cheap way to spend the night with good friends and good food.
6. Stargaze. 'Nuff said. If you have a telescope it's even better.
7. Volunteer! Check out some local places and devote a day or two of spring break to helping animals, communities, or individual people. I know the Virginia Home always welcomes volunteers, the SPCA does too. Find a Habitat for Humanity and see if they need you to do anything. It's free, and you get the pride of knowing you helped someone. Now don't you feel better?
8. Create something. Like art? Buy those watercolors from the dollar store and paint a picture. Grab some computer paper and look up origami how to's online. Like the sew or do crafts? Look up some neat ideas online and then go for it! Most supplies are cheap, or ask your parents/grandparents if they have anything you can use. And hey, if they don't, just ask me. I know my Nana's got TONS at her house.
9. Take a nap. Seriously. Everyone needs to take at least one nap a day. Maybe two.
10. Read a book. I know it may not be the best idea in the world. But I love to read and this is my blog and I'm gonna post the suggestion that everyone reads a book. Seriously though, read This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen, Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, Rainwater by Sandra Brown, and anything by Nicholas Sparks.

HAVE A WONDERFUL BREAK! (:

Four Years Difference

Through talking with a good friend tonight I remembered that I wanted to blog this a while ago but then forgot to do so.

I realized that I don't talk to many people I graduated from high school with anymore. Yes, there's my best friend Gentry who I see all the time because she's my bestfriend (yes, one word). And yes, there's a handful of girls I was close to in high school that I will see over spring break and talk to occasionally. But I realized that there are so many people here at school that I would die to see when we leave. I have so many good friends who I know would drop everything and run to help me, with anything. I know that college is not the last place I will see them and that our paths will cross once we leave this place.

I cannot say that for many people from high school.

Why is that? What is so different about the four years spent in high school compared to the four in college? (Maybe five or six, depending on your major and how many times you change it.)

Is it because we're more mature?

Is it because we know ourselves better and therefore know how to choose our friends more wisely than we did in high school?

Is it because we've been away from our other friends so long?

Is it a combination of all of the above?

I really don't need to know the reason, I was just wondering. I just know that there are people on this campus I would give a my life for, maybe a kidney, possibly an arm or a leg. Ahaha. But in all seriousness, I know we're not finished yet.

Look at me, I'm speaking like I'm graduating or something. Nope, I've still got four semesters (three really, because I'll be at home for student teaching) on this campus. Three more semesters to make friends, three more semesters to make memories.

THEN, we'll talk about serious separation anxiety, because after Spring Break I'll have missed them so much, what's going to happen when we aren't at the same school anymore?!

Tuesday Ten

Ten Things I Want to do Before I Die:

*Please refer back to this post I made in June. It's my "bucket list" I guess. But anyway, some things have changed, although most have stayed the same. And some I've just condensed. Here goes...

1. Get married to this guy. Paha! Just kidding - he's already married. I just want to get married to the man I love.
2. Have kids. I don't care if they are my own blood or adopted - or both. I just want kids!
3. Road trip all the way to California. I don't care if it takes a week or a month or a year, but I will drive all the way to California - where I stop and stay, and for how long, I don't know yet.
4. Buy a boat. I will live near the water when I "grow up" and I will buy a boat so my family and I can go out, fish, tube, and go to HARBOR-FEST of course (:
5. Live out of Virginia for at least a year. People think I'm joking when I say I'm leaving Virginia when I graduate college. I'm not joking. You'll see.
6. Learn to play piano. I started lessons when I was a junior in high school, but then my teacher got pregnant and after she came back I was almost in college. I wish I had someone to teach me (*cough* Jonathan *cough*) but I have neither the time, nor the patience right now.
7. Finish a novel. How many have I started? It would take all day and night just to count.
8. Design my own house. I have the perfect layout planned for my house. I've wanted it this way since I was little and one day I'll design it and hopefully have the money to have it built. I don't care if I'm 25 or 45 or 65 or 85, I just want to do it.
9. Visit an European country. Ireland, please.
10. Ride the tallest roller coaster in the world. All of my other items seemed so far-fetched and serious, I had to throw something childish and fun in there!

Whine Time

I've been in a seriously messed up funk for the past week. I've been grumpy and moody and I'm pretty sure my friends don't want to be around me. I can't shake it. There have been moments when I'm with my friends and I'm laughing and stuff, and then I just get back to my room and sulk. I'm in serious need of an "attitude adjustment" as my dad would say when I was little and would give him backtalk or just be an annoying kid, but I just don't know why I can't shake this mood.

I just need to go home.

Things I need over Spring Break:

1. NOT do any homework of any kind.

2. Cuddle on the couch with my puppy.

3. SEE MY FREAKING BESTFRIEND!

4. Watch I Love You, Man with my bestfriend.

5. Go to the TT Lounge and get a freaking Boba.

6. Sleep in, e'ryday.

7. Take a really long drive by myself in my car all over Varina at night with the windows down and music blaring, LOUD.

Thank goodness Spring Break starts in twelve days!

Tonight I Took a Trip to NYC

After dinner, I took a quick three minute trip back to Bowery Mission in New York City. It was spontaneous and most unplanned, but there I went, off on my own. No air fair, no taxi, no car, no bus, just me, myself, I, and Christy Nockels.

I believe in a previous post I mentioned that in May of 2010 I sang the song Healing is in Your Hands by Christy Nockels as a solo during chapel at the mission and tonight Jordan, Anne, and I were messing around, singing at the BCM building and this song started to play.

I promptly trotted up on the stage and belted it out. As most people could tell I've had a somewhat less than smooth sailing week and really needed some time to just sing and get everything that's been weighing on me off my shoulders. And it really helped a lot. For three glorious minutes I was back, sitting in a hot and stuffy chapel behind a pulpit in front of a hundred people I called strangers. For three wonderful minutes I was shaking in my boots (figuratively, of course, as I was barefoot tonight) because I was so scared. And for three amazing minutes I was looking at the faces of these men who I would soon call some of my closest friends.

It's so completely crazy how something that most people would find as insignificant as a song can take you back to another world that you never even dreamed existed.

To be perfectly honest, I was terrified when I stepped foot into the Bowery Mission building. I was terrified when I read on the bunk beds that the rats were the size of my head. I was terrified when I saw all the people I'd be singing alone in front of. But when I finished the song, I was no longer afraid. I had this amazing rush of calm - and of blood to the head because everyone was clapping and I was blushing.

And tonight I went there for the millionth time in my mind. There was Javi sitting in the front row cheering me on. There was LeShane in the back of the chapel, laughing it up with some guys, and bobbing his head back and forth as our group lead Ain't No Rock. There was Ali clapping his hands and yelling the occasional, "Amen!" There was Israel, quiet and content as ever in his third row seat.

And then I opened my eyes and I was in Farmville, Virginia. How quickly something wonderful can fade away.

Tuesday Ten

So, when I posted that last post I had completely forgotten that I originally came on here to post my Tuesday Ten!

Ten Reasons I Love College

1. Independence: No more asking mommy and daddy if I can go out with my friends. No more telling the parents when I'll be back home, where I'm going, and more importantly, no more nagging about my homework.
2. Friends: It's very strange that you keep in touch with people you went to college with more than the people you went to high school with? Why is that? You're in school with them for the same amount of time. Four years. Maybe five or six depending on your degree. Maybe it's just that you're more mature/you know how to pick good friends in college. But I'm so thankful for all of mine on this campus and I know that when we part ways on that fateful day in May, our paths will cross again... and again, and again.. (:
3. Professors: They're just cooler than high school teachers. Except for Ms. Stains. She's still the best English teacher in the world. Although, Dr. Tracy and Gena Southall do come close.
4. Dorms: They're a nice experience for your underclassmen years. You get to room with someone you don't know your first year (unless you were lucky enough to find a friend to room with) and have your fights/long talks/awkward silences. And then find a really good friend to room with you your second year so that the first year doesn't need to be repeated.
5. Apartments: So you can feel like a real adult before you actually are pushed out into the world.
6. Going home on the weekends: The "Varina" sign never looked better. It's nice being away after a long time and sleeping in my bed.
7. Going back to school after the weekend at home: Because a weekend is the perfect amount of time to see your family, catch up on sleep, and use mom and dad's credit card for clothes and stock up on food. Then it's back to your home away from home.
8. Sports: For some reason college sports are just better than high school. The atmosphere is better, not to mention the Lancer Lunatics make the games so much better!
9. Food: Having Moe's and Chick-Fil-A within walking distance to my room is a good and a bad thing. My bonus dollars go way down before I've even noticed it, but I get yummy yummy food. (:
10. The Heath and Fitness Center: Not that I ever really use it, but I'm always glad I have the option to use it. Although, Jordan, Ashley, and I did go to the gym yesterday and we're also going tomorrow. So hopefully it will be put to good use.

New Addition

This past weekend I went home and we got a puppy! After three days of not being able to find a name we finally named him Gunner! He's a six week old German Shepherd puppy and he's perfect. I love him. Here, friends, have some pictures!