My 2nd Blogoversary

I started this blog 2 years ago in an effort to feel connected.

To anyone. 

I was sick. I was lonely. I felt stuck.

I am in such a different place today. In this moment. 

I'm working hard to accomplish a goal, no longer feeling stuck I know exactly what I need to do to get where I want to go. 

Not nearly as sick, I can leave on a quick trip somewhere without needing to carry 6 bottles of medication with me everywhere. I can just grab my keys and go.

And the reason I've not been blogging as often?

I'm no longer as lonely. Not feeling like my blog was my attempt grasping for anything I could get. A simple connection to the outside world. 

I am surrounded at all hours by people. And more than that, people who care. 

I walk across campus and get hugs from 25 different people on the average day. 

I laugh. A lot. 

And I love it.

So again, it's my blogoversary. 

And I am so glad to have the last two years documented so I can look back and truly see just how far I've come.

(My best friend here at school (right) and I took this yesterday.)

Happy 22nd Birthday Sis!

Happy 22nd Birthday to my gorgeous, talented and amazing sister!
I love you sissy! I hope your day is magical and that all your birthday dreams come true!

Happy Easter!

Yes, we still do Easter egg hunts around here! 

We even have our very own Easter bunny with the floppy ears and everything. She's technically a dog but I think she could pull it off!

Our Easter was pretty laid back, I went to boot camp and then had to work until noon but then got to come home, have an Easter egg hunt and in the second half of the day celebrate my sister's 22nd birthday. Her birthday's tomorrow but she's back at school so we had our "big" celebration over the weekend. We celebrated with my mom's famous shrimp pasta, Funfetti cupcakes and a tiara atop my sister's head.

Oh happy day! :)

I've Fallen in Love...

Meet Shayna. 

Shayna means beautiful and that she is.

She's my brand new Ashland guitar.

I'm in love.

My mom bought a guitar at the age of eighteen and as much as I wanted to get hers repaired so I could play it, it was more cost effective to buy a new one (though I will still get hers repaired someday).
I've been wanting to learn to play the guitar for years and am so excited to finally be presented with the opportunity to do so!

Shayna is a steel string acoustic guitar and with one of the smallest body sizes and fits me perfectly.

So far I can correctly and successfully play one chord which I'm excited about. 

Haha, the simple pleasures.

I bought her on the 15th, so she is my Valentine's beauty.

For Valentine's day I sent out 43 Valentines in the mail along with 4 packages that were swaps (though havn't received any of the swap packages in return from my partners yet, fingers crossed that they come! I've already had to deal with swapping and not having anything come in return which dampens the excitement of swapping.). I've received a bunch of cards (and stickers which I LOVE) and have so enjoyed running to the mailbox everyday for the last month and finding such wonderful surprises!

Valentine's Day weekend I went to a conference at my church with around 100 youth and adults 13-20 years old. It was incredible meeting so many new people, having beautiful and powerful midnight worships and just being surrounded by so much love. 

Valentine's Day didn't go quite as planned because the "Valentine" I was supposed to get together with ended up being sick and had to cancel.

I'm just glad that they're now feeling better!

My godmother is here for the weekend so I'm off to spend my last night with her and will update more soon!

Now for pictures!

Shayna <3

Buying Shayna..

These are some of the things I sent out...

Happy week behind and week ahead!

Happy New Year! (Year In Review!)

Happy New Year's Eve!! 

As we say goodbye to the year 2009 we say hello to a new decade!

Where has the year gone? Where has the decade gone?? Doesn't it seem like just yesterday that we were ringing in the millenium and there was panic about the world ending!? (Though we are likely to see that again in 2012!)

Despite how quickly it flew by, 2009 has been an eventful year!

Here's my year in review!

January: 

I moved back home to California from Virginia and started school here.

I celebrated my best friend Jessi's one year angelversary.

February:

I got my driver's permit. (I still havn't gotten in the car at all yet though other than one driving lesson. Unfortunately I think I'm going to have to retake the written test because the permit will expire before I get the chance to take the driving test-Hey, that's a good resolution for 2010!)

March:

I started this blog!! 

I also celebrated what would have been my snowflake's first birthday!

April:

My sister turned 21!

May:

I finished my first semester at SRJC.

 I also had my first trip to the Emergency Room of the year.

June:

I got to experience my first taste of summer in the wine country! Boy is is beautiful!

July:

We moved out of or Tahoe house officially and my dad stopped his weekly commuting from Tahoe to The Wine Country.

August:

I started my second semester at SRJC. 

I also celebrated my snowflake's one year angelversary.

September: 

I saw wine grapes on the vine for the first time! So cool!

October:

I opened my etsy shop, "The Moonlit Dandelion"!

My godfather died after he suffered a stroke.

November:

I celebrated my 18th birthday!

December:

We celebrated a beautiful Christmas together!

How was your year? 

Are you doing anything special to ring in the new decade?


In just a little while, I'll be heading out to San Francisco to ring in the new year with a group of my friends!

So pop those noise makers, get out your party hats and crack open the sparkling cider (or the champagne if you rather!) and say hello to 2010!!

It's Christmas Eve!

It's Christmas Eve already!

The tree's lit...

(and presents will be wrapped today!)

Decorations all over town have been admired...

Gingerbread houses created...

Everyone's dressed in holiday cheer...

and

Cookies have been baked for Santa's arrival!

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas Eve and Happy Holidays!

Halloween Pictures and a New Piece!

I finally got around to uploading the pictures from Halloween! Better late than never right? I made a half tutu for my peacock tail and then I created a headpiece to match, I'm really happy with how the costume turned out!

I also added another piece to my Etsy shop today! I've been hard at work making holiday gifts making earrings, bracelets and necklaces! Crafting galore!

My sister came home for the 30th, I always enjoy getting to spend time with her!

My costume

My newest Etsy piece!

Hope your day is sunny and bright!

27 Days of Thankful! Day 1!

Amanda over at Serenity Now is hosting the 27 Days of Thankful this month.

The idea is to post something big or small that you're thankful for each day, leading up to Thanksgiving!

Day 1

November.

Indeed I am thankful for the month of November.

November brings many things, my birthday, my aunt's death anniversary, the colors in the changing leaves of fall and most of all Thanksgiving, the reminder to look around and realize how much love I have, how many wonderful memories I've made and how thankful I am that I've come into my own and have finally begun to embrace who I really am.

Happy Apple Day!

As many of you already know, I moved here to the wine country directly from a college I was attending in Virginia. I had to come back for health reasons and had I not left, I'd be a junior there right now.

My experience there was an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life. There were many problems and I often don't regret my decision to come home but this is a specific day of the year I've been dreading. Today (as I have been for the last week) I'm feeling homesick. Homesick for the amazing memories that are now behind me.

Today is Apple Day.

Apple Day is (arguably the most looked forward to) tradition at Mary Baldwin. The tradition started in the early 1940's and has been going strong since then.

Apple Eve (the night before) is notoriously known for the drinking done but is also welcomed with contests, sporting events, games and a barbecue.

The drinking is notorious because Apple Day is a day of no school! Everyone gets the day off and has the option to go apple picking (the apples go to help feed the homeless in the community) at a local orchard, "paint the town" which consists of going downtown and painting the windows of all the store for fall and there's a carnival.

Every meal is also filled with apples. From apple pancakes and apple cider to apple pasta and apple chicken, there's even a chocolate fountain to dip the apples in- along with caramel and candy apples!

The sophomore class plans the whole event (I was on the planning committee last year) and every class tries to outdo the fun had the year before.

For many years the day of the event was kept a secret until the night before. That changed in 1998 though when the entire freshman class ended up in the ER with alcohol poisoning!

I can only imagine today will be filled with a campus full of 1,000 women sporting red and green and celebrating the spirit of Apple Day!

It's a celebratory day to celebrate the community, school spirit, a day off from school and spending time with amazing friends!

While I can't be there in body, I'll definitely be there in spirit.

(And have already planned to eat "Apple Pie Oatmeal" for breakfast!)

Happy Apple Day!

Here are some photos of last year's Apple Day!

(Everything is grey because for part of the morning it was pouring rain-not that anyone minded!)

The Bounce Obstacle Slide

Gladys the Squirrel (the mascot) riding the mechanical bull

The Slide-Side of the Bounce House

As the clouds cleared, it became a beautiful day!

(You can also see on the left side, the horses that were brought in to ride)

My first ever candy apple!

There's nothing better than an amazing day-spent with friends!