winter break and the next four years

Well hey there bloggers! Alright, so i seriously wouldn't be surprised if none of you ever comment on any of my posts. Ever again. Because 3+ months away from this ol' blog i have here is waaay too long. Heck, I could have died and no one would have even known. But do not fear, I'm alive and somewhat well. Mannn, 8th grade is not all it's cracked up to be. But hey, some great things have come out of the year so far! Like yearbook, this whole slew of new people I've met, and all these different experiences I wouldn't have been fortunate enough to get anywhere else. So, here's a little bit about my winter break... We went back up north to Pittsburgh! Yay! And guess what traveled with me?! MY. NEW. CANON! Yesssss, fellow bloggers, you all heard me. My big Christmas present was my amaaazing camera, who I like to refer to as Norman(: I've gotten some great nature shots from hikes and just around town so I'll put those up soon, but as for now, I thought I'd introduce you all to my lovely family. So see that first picture up there? Those are my cousins. And my aunt. And me! And my brother(:




















Allow me to explain.. This is my best friend in the world, and her fantastic boyfriend! I only get to see them like three times a year, but we always pick up like we saw each other the day before. I love them sooo much.
P.S. We were playing football. Look at those game faces!



















Why this is my new friend(:


















This boy has been my best friend since 1st grade. He is NOTTT afraid to tackle a girl when he's playing football. I had bruises for weeks!












Completely unexpected. I thought the lighting was pretty cool!

These are my best friends. They're more than that, even. Family. I see them all of three times a year, but every time I come back, it's like I've never left. <3

abandoned? i think not.

Holy dang. Where have I been these past two months? Not on blogger, apparently. That much is clear for sure. So, if I haven't been on blogger, where have I been? ...

EVERYWHERE.

Not even kidding. Life as a teenager, while some say is lax, chill, spontaneous, etc, is very NOT those things when you're a teenager with the job of making sure a good yearbook is printed for the entire student body of your school in May. Yeah... when you have pages, the cover, and fundraising to take charge of, you don't really have much time to be 'lax' or 'chill'. Let alone spontaneous! But, rest assured my fellow bloggers. I have not died! Just thought I'd let you know I'm alive and well. :D And as for the yearbook, we're making some serious progress! Our cover design, (which I'm still in the process of planning and executing) is due next Friday. Oh joy. And then, there's the 50-some people I'm in charge of... If they don't get their pages done on time, I get the crap for it. I swear, if I have high blood pressure, it's definitely due to the stress of yearbook. Alas, I cannot complain. I'm loving every second of it. And all that stress? It's just part of the job(:

I'm worried. Concerned, alarmed, shaken... You name it. I live in a good, wholesome community. That much I know. But even in the best of communities, you always have that one slew of friends... The ones who are into drugs and other things waaay beyond their years. The ones I'd personally never EVER want to associate myself with. Because I, simply, am just not like that one bit. And I have good friends. Who are ALSO not like that. If they were, I would not be their friend. However, one of my absolute best friends in the world has been showing signs that they're starting to experiment with drugs. It makes me extremely sad that she's even having thoughts about doing drugs, let alone physically doing them. I'm worried. We've talked openly about her struggles and what's been leading her to experiment, but I know she's still doing them. I just want my friend back.

It's getting colder... Even here, down south. I have to say, I miss summer already. I cannot wait for the days when the harsh winter chill leaves our lives for another year, and glimpses of summer are noticeable. Yes. Those are the days!

i can only wish my summer consisted of 500 days.

Well, it's official... Zooey Deschanel is flawlessly brilliant. And not to mention gorgeous! (500) Days of Summer is, without a doubt, the most witty and charming movie I've seen in years. At first, a few years ago, I was really into those romantic comedies that are jokingly referred to as chick flicks in my house. But after about four or five years of watching them, they got so bland and dry. I can't even explain it, to be honest. So, while I took a little break from the overly cheesy stories of perfect love, I found out I thoroughly enjoy movies like Flyboys, Saving Private Ryan, Flags of Our Fathers, Flight 93, We Are Marshall, Remember the Titans, and The Express. And once I watched them about nine times each, I wanted to cry, they were so utterly depressing.

Then, one fine day, about a week ago, actually, my mom and I decided it was time to find our love for romantic comedies again. After all, old habits die hard. So, we went to see 500 Days of Summer. I worship the ground the director of that film walks on. That movie was absolutely brilliant! Next to He's Just Not Into You, that movie was the best of the year. Zooey's character, Summer, reminded me of myself in so many ways, by the middle of the movie it started to scare me a bit. And by the end, I was dumbfounded.

On an entirely different note, school's been back in session for a week now. And there's not a doubt in my mind... Eighth grade will be my best year yet. Because at this point, after seventh grade being so suckish, I won't settle for anything less. I'll make it be my best year, if I have to. All I know is that it will be. As for Yearbook, things are going effortlessly. Ok, so that was a lie. It is anything but effortless. It is such an immense amount of work, but that's what makes the end result all the more meaningful. I'm in this for the long run.

Recently, I've really been getting more and more into church and worshiping God. The church I attend is one of the biggest in the country, with about 8,000 people coming from all over attending each service. We even have people who drive in from out of state each weekend just to go to our church. Our Middle School program is fantastic, with a special sermon each week for only middle school kids. Lately, we've been talking about the power of our words, and how with each word that comes out of our mouthes, we have the divine opportunity to build people up and act as an architecht making them feel good about themselves, or, if we choose, we can act as no more than a wrecking ball, tearing them down. There's a verse in the Bible that says 'Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.' -Proverbs 4:23. I think it is beautiful.

So, I think this is my most productive post ever. I talked on and on about movies, then 500 Days of Summer in particular, then about school, yearbook, and church. Very productive, if I do say so myself (: But now there's only one thing missing... Photographs (:

he makes my heart beat fast. hope this feeling lasts

'something in your voice

makes my heart beat fast

hope this feeling lasts

the rest of my life <3'

Boys, boys, boys. They think we're confusing and emotional? They should try actually BEING us and having to put up with their crap and mixed signals. They'd never tell us we were overreacting EVER again.

But, I met a good one.

Oh my. Just realized, I might have to clear some things up before I go on :/ WELL, the amazingly fantastic guy i went on a few dates with? (see below :]) Yeah... not so amazingly fantastic after all. Wait. I take that back. He really is. But I realized the reality of our age difference and distance apart. No way it would've worked out during the school year. I was bummed, I will admit.

On the contrary, I met someone! He's the grade ahead of me, plays some mean piano and guitar, loves All Time Low and Mayday Parade (just like me!), loves to run, hates to swim, has the laugh that makes my heart beat fast, and swept me off my feat with his amazing ability to make me smile just by looking in my direction. Oh, and I should probably mention.. He gives me whales in my stomach. Not butterflies, whales (:

We've been together almost a month, and I'm really happy.

Ok, so school starts up AWFULLY soon. Murrrggghhhh :/ But I cannot wait to see everyone again! It's been a truly AWESOME summer, and I have so many stories to tell everyone!

Tomorrow. I'm walking up to the pool with Jack, one of my closest friends. Then, Olivia and I are going to go to the movies and see three in a row. Fun? I think so (:

Then Sunday, I'm hanging out with my boyfriend (: Can't wait! And then Caroline is sleeping over and we're staying up suuuper late. Not! We're the ones who fall asleep at 10 at sleepovers.

somewhere only we know :]

Hello, hello, hello! My blogging friends, to you I apologize. I have not forgotten about you, but you see, I have a problem. It takes me an awfully long time to write a blog post. An awfully long time. When I even think about posting, it's like the thought of blogging is a magnet for the contents buried deep in my mind. Everything (and MAN do I mean everything) starts bouncing around in this big head of mine... What starts off as an innocent piece of written literature then becomes a whirlwind of the contents of my life. This available time it takes for me to write a blog post is dwindling down to little to nothing these days... And I apologize for that! ..But that's the life of a teenager, for you.

So the other day, I stumbled upon a song... Older, but still some of this fine gentleman's best work. Only you, by Josh Kelley. Sure, you may not know the title, but I promise you. When you hear the catchy, distinct intro, you'll remember the song. I did just that! And I'm warning you! It's been in my head ever since. And it's been three weeks. Lovely.

Ok so I feel like if there's one thing I absolutely need to tell you about, it is my absolutely fantastic Fourth of July. Let me preface this by saying the fourth has always always always been my absolute favorite holiday. So on the fourth, my family was scheduled to come in at two. At one, my boyfriend called me and asked if I wanted to meet him in a small part of our town. It's mainly one street, and has cute little restaurants and shops. We go down there occasionally and walk around, exploring all the places that would often go unnoticed. So, I met him at our favorite restaurant and we got some water. We were walking aimlessly, with no destination in mind. That's the kind of thing we like to do. We're very spontaneous! So as we were walking, I realized we were walking in the direction of my house. Basically, we walked for about eight miles until we got to my house. My family was waiting, so I introduced them to my boyfriend. (Don't worry, my parents had already met him and knew that we were coming.) We explored my neighborhood and walked down to my favorite spot, the creek. Then we came back to my house for dinner. We then walked over to the local high school for fireworks which were absolutely breathtaking. It was so cool to be able to spend the day with my family and my boyfriend (: It really was a great day.

I'll be back in school soon. My GOODNESS how time flies.

Don't let it fly too fast (:

funny the way it is, if you think about it.

A girl will never forget her first official date.

How perfect it was.
How amazing he looked.
How he made me feel like the only girl in the world.

Ahh, summer romance. It's a whirlwind, definitely. But one no one should ever have to go through life without experiencing.

Today, I'm getting my nails done with my mom. Bright yellow? I think so. Mmm.

Then, one of my best friends Olivia (aka Olema, Olive, O... you get the picture) is coming over and we have all these crazy plans. The Proposal (good movie?), The Bucket List, Sake (good restaurant!), Six Flags, Ice Cream at 2 the II (yes, we have done that before). With Olivia, you never know what's gonna happen (:

My art teacher (and Yearbook Advisor) called me the other day! We were discussing plans for the first semester's staff. I am beyond excited to have this opportunity.

Life has been... blissful lately. I'm excited about my future, and I'm constantly wondering what's going to happen next. I'm content with who I am. And, I wish summer would never end.

I was hoping you'd ask ;-)

A girl will never forget her first date. No parents sitting a few rows down from you in the movie theatre, no one telling you to cover your eyes when the PG-13 previews came on, no one turning around every ten seconds to make sure things aren't getting too PG. Just me. And him. And in my case, a very large and obnoxious group of hyper 10 year old girls who seemed like they hadn't seen a boy and girl sitting within five feet of each other in years. But that's the exception. Hyper? Just wanting to be obnoxious, perhaps? A classic example of group mentality? Whatever it was, they spotted us sitting outside Chick-fil-A and immediately started yelling about how cute we were. No harm done. Actually, it was rather sweet, and made us smile. But after they ordered inside and sat down at the table closest to us just so they could tell *JMM to kiss me 600 times, we stopped paying attention. They were sweet as pie, though, and gave us something to laugh about (not that we didn't have anything to laugh about, because we did.) We played along, answering their questions and making general conversation, until their mom came outside and apologized for her children's actions. We laughed, telling her everything was cool. We saw Land of the Lost. Will Ferrel...Immature humor...His laugh...Dr.Pepper and Sprite...BEST MOVIE EVER.

I met him in early April, on Spring Break to be exact. We met on the beach at sunset and walked until we didn't know what time it was, where we were, and why we couldn't see anyone for miles. I spent the next few days by his side, as we walked along the beach, as he taught me to skimboard (and I painfully revealed my lack of coordination by falling on my butt), as we boogyboarded and he pulled me through the waves, and as we said goodbye the morning I was leaving... I never thought I'd see him again, though we had established that we lived about half an hour away from each other. I hoped we would keep in touch.

After Spring Break, we texted a few times a week, but when summer started... Oh my. We talk on the phone every night for hours, and it is honestly the highlight of my day every time. We have the most interesting conversations, and we're so alike, it's insane. He's the sweetest guy, too. Loves his family and friends to death, is a huuuuge LSU fan, knows every song in the universe (yes. i really do mean every one.) and always knows how to make me smile.

I love being with him.

This one is different, I can feel it.

Cooperstown Trip June 12-19 :)

I apologize for my leave of absense. On the 12th, I went to Cooperstown, New York with my family for my brother's week-long baseball tournament at the Dream's Park. It really was a magical experience. Needless to say I wasn't *thrilled* about heading off to rural New York to watch baseball for a week, but seeing how my brother's face lit up when he got his first Cooperstown homerun made it all worth it. Seeing him running those bases... I was working the scoreboard at the time, and literally when I saw the ball go over the fence, I jumped out of my seat so quickly I practically jumped into half of our team's parents. They weren't too thrilled about that. Watching his teammates congratulating him at home plate was the icing on the cake. It brought a tear to my eye, seeing my brother so happy. When that kid is happy, I'm happy.

pittsburgh pride.

Though I do not live there anymore, Pittsburgh will forever and always be home. And even though I'm many miles away, I can still get my Pittsburgh fix with the flip of a switch... The tv switch (: If any of you follow the National Hockey League, you'd know that the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Redwings are (for the second year in a row) in the Stanley Cup series. After the defeat of the Pens to the Redwings in last year's series, I'm really pulling for a win this year. It's funny, because while my family does get back to Pittsburgh on a regular basis (well, if you count twice a year a regular basis...) I still find myself thinking nonstop about the city I will always call home. Even though I am completely settled in my new town, I've made mannnnny new friends, and am involved in sports and other activities, I'll never, ever forget those early years of my childhood spent playing Capture the Flag on those dusky summer nights, those chilly September mornings spent waiting for the bus to pull around the corner, and those oh so treasured neighborhood snowball fights. You just don't find those kinds of things most places! The people I met... All the things I experienced... You just can't put a price on things like that. I'll always always always miss Pittsburgh... Knowing the amazing kids I grew up with are making their own memories without me just kills me, but I know that they are happy and living life to the fullest (: And I'm so glad they are doing that. But sometimes it makes me sad I'm missing out on their lives. All I can say, is GO PENS! BRING BACK THAT CUP! And thank goodness for technology... <3

well hello there, stranger!

"Summer romances end for all kinds of reasons, but when all is said and done, they have one thing in common: They are shooting stars-a spectacular moment of light in the heavens, a fleeting glimpse of eternity. And in a flash, they're gone."

-Noah, the Notebook



Some may fully disagree with the meaning of that quote. Upon reading it, others may get a far-away look in their eyes, remembering all the details and aspects of their first summer love... How perfect it was - the rainy days spent lounging at home, the muggy, hot days, spent splashing around in the pool, and those beautifully chilly summer nights. And how, in some strange way, summer provides the perfectness needed to fall in love. The gentle breeze, the opportunity to dive into the deep end of the pool, and that freshly cut grass smell... But mostly, summer is a time when everyone opens up, forgets the past and embraces the future, and believes for once that being themselves is not such a bad thing after all.

With summer blazing in my town, my biggest fear is that I will miss something... Something that will change my life or make my summer that much better. Yes, you are correct... I am a dreamer, a full believer in love at first sight... I'm a deep thinker, and at the same time, I appreciate the simple things in life. I find the good in everyone, see the beauty in everything... I've learned that rushing into things is not the way to go about life, and that instead, stopping to smell the roses is the way to do it.

OH! This is very much not on topic at all, but I just wanted to let my followers know (thank you all so much by the way... I wouldn't be getting where I am today if not for you comments/feedback on my photos. I appreciate you SO much.) I MADE YEARBOOK EDITOR! I really did it. It's been almost a week since my name got announced at our yearly assembly, and I'm still in awe. I can't wait to just jump right in next year, and make the 2009-2010 yearbook the best ever! As for my co-editors, I couldn't be happier with the one's chosen. I am genuinely thrilled about the opportunity, and when school starts in the fall, there will definitely be more posts about yearbook to come.

So here's to summer! The endless days at the pool, the chilly nights spent watching movies with friends, and that oh-so-needed tan! Summer is a chance to reconnect with friends from the past, and make new friends for the years to come. So wherever you are, I hope you have a great summer!

Editing (:

Oh gosh. Editing. I had my first experience with it the other day, and I'm HOOKED.

cause i see sparks fly whenever you smile.

Simple as that.

One more week until school is out! Sometimes I have those moments when I'm like... "Gee, I'm done with this! I just want to go to college and get on with my life. Who needs middle school, anyway?!" But on other days, (my better days) I just keep singing Vienna to myself... "Slow down, you crazy child. You're so ambitious for a juvenile. Well then if you're so smart, tell me why are you still so afraid? Where's the fire, what's the hurry about? You better cool it off before you burn it out. You got so much to do and only so many hours in a day." And that just lets me know I really am doing okay. I'm right where I should be.

One more week until I'm an eighth grader. One week until I find out if I made YEARBOOK EDITOR!!! One week until I finally become my true self. One week until the best part of life starts :) And I can't wait.

Anyways, I have some songs I found recently that I loooove! I like all types of music, so they might be a little random :)
They are:

Freeze (feat. Chris Brown) - T Pain
The Show - Lenka
Sparks Fly - Taylor Swift (this song is leaked and you can only find it on Youtube. It's rumored to be on her third album, though! Yessss.)
Sugar (feat. Wynter) - Flo Rida
I Do Not Hook Up - Kelly Clarkson (LOVE THIS SONG!)
Not Meant to Be - Theory of a Deadman
Beautiful Disaster - Kelly Clarkson
Crazier - Taylor Swift
Show Me the Money - Petey Pablo

... So yeah! Check them out if you have time :)

Oh and to all of my fellow photographer bloggers... I'm looking into Photoshop and Lightroom. Would you recommend them? And also, how much do they cost? Thanks everyone!

some more pictures :) enjoy!

I apologize for my somewhat disappearance! Life has been exceptionally demanding lately. Good thing, though, summer is officially here in 10 days! (That's if you include the weekend :]) Anyways, I'd love to hear any feedback about my photos. The earliest these pictures were taken was sometime last July, and the newest pictures were taken last weekend. Hope you enjoy, and please leave a comment! Thanks ;-)