happy new year!

As we step forward into the new year, it is only right that we look back on the past twelve months and remember how we got to the place we are today.

2010 didn't always bring the best situations, but I made it through. Here is a "short" run through of what happened this year:

January: Rang in the new year with my roommates and some of our good friends. Then I was back at school in the United States after spending 3 months studying in Spain. Can you say reverse culture shock?

February: Nikol, Stephanie, and I headed out for a wonderful photo shoot - we had so much fun during our girl's day!

March: I made it through finals and got on the Dean's List again :)

April: Christine, Stephanie, and I made our way down to Indio to go to the Stagecoach Country Music Festival for the second year in a row. 

May: Christine's 21st birthday was a blast! We had a photo shoot, sang karaoke, and had fun with so many of our good friends. My big sister also graduated from college (congrats Caitlin)!!

June: My littlest sister graduated from high school (much to her relief) and my older cousin, after a very difficult year, graduated from Stanford!! I was so proud of both of them.

July: I spent a week on a boat in the British Virgin Islands with my mom, step dad, two step brothers, and my little sister. I also started my internship at AAA. 

August: My dad's family (dad, step mom, three sisters, and family friend) went to Costa Rica for a week. Then I moved my little sister into her dorm room at Penn State, visited my grandparents, and went to Amish Country. Oh, and I went wine tasting for the first time too!

September: I spent a weekend with my mom's family at the beach house, said goodbye to AAA, and moved into my adorable (but freezing) little house with Christine and Stephanie. The first day of classes began with my Beekeeping laboratory - and a bee sting!

October: I had a wonderful time celebrating Halloween for an entire week, and got super excited because the San Francisco Giants won the pennant and secured a spot in the World Series.

November: Remember those Giants I was talking about? Well, not only did they compete in the World Series, but they WON the entire thing! I got to visit Hearst Castle (which I highly recommend) as well as celebrate my 21+1 with some of my best friends. Plus, I got to spend Thanksgiving with my mom's family which was pretty awesome.

December: I got through finals with a 3.75 GPA for the quarter, visited San Francisco with Christine and Kara, plus I hung out at home with my family for three weeks. Not to mention, I got to bring my niece to the Little Farm which was a blast.

Although, for the most part, 2010 was a pretty good year, I can't say that I'm sad to see it go. I can, however say that I'm looking forward to what 2011 brings. Hopefully a job, an apartment, and lots of new friends and experiences.

Happy New Year everybody! I hope you had a great 2010 and that you are excited to see what 2011 will bring. 

the pest :)

Do you have those books that you used to read over and over when you were younger? Well, in addition to Baby Sitter's Club, I grew up reading Ramona the Pest by Beverley Cleary. I loved the books and the videos.. I probably even took a few ideas from my little idol -- like packing a suitcase and "running away" when I got mad.

Earlier this year a movie came out called Ramona and Beezus. I finally got the chance to watch it just now, and let me tell you - it was ADORABLE! Joey King and Selena Gomez were outstanding!

The story line is super relatable (I have three sisters - we were bound to drive each other crazy) and your heart just goes out to this 9 year-old girl. I know it's a little kid movie, but I really, really recommend you watch it. I still have tears in my eyes because it was so sweet.

Beezus: Ramona, I know you think being different is bad, but it's not. You don't worry about coloring inside the lines. You're your own person. You don't care what other people think. It's brave being how you are. 
Ramona: Oh, well sometimes I color inside the lines. It really depends on the picture.

did i mention...

Did I mention that I really, really want a pet hedgehog???

cute, huh?

xox

good day

Today was a pretty good day (which doesn't explain why I am feeling so stressed right now). I woke up all by myself a.k.a. no text messages, alarms, or sisters being loud outside my room. It was wonderful.

My morning happy face:

((No, I do not wake up looking like that. By "morning happy face" I really mean "me after I have gotten up, had a cup of yummy Earl Grey tea, showered, and put on makeup".))

Then something funny and wonderful happened which gives me faith that I will be okay after graduation.
It all began yesterday when I went into my dentist's office for my bi-annual checkup. You know the awkward conversation that the dental practitioner makes when you are getting your teeth cleaned and they ask you questions but you can't actually answer because, well, they have their fingers in your mouth? Well this time, the woman (Amy, my favorite one) was talking to me about graduation, asking what I was going to do once I'm done and what my plans are for next year.
Skip to this morning, about 11:00 a.m. when I got a call from the receptionist at the dentist. She said that a man in the next dentist chair/room overheard my conversation and, after he was finished getting his teeth cleaned, he asked the receptionist for my contact information because he wanted to know if I wanted to do some Public Relations work for him. She wouldn't give him my info (you know, patient confidentiality and all that) but she called me and gave me his info and I called him and left him a message.
He called back this afternoon while I was at the mall (long, long shopping trip for my NYE outfit... spent lots of money... hello new year's resolutions aka saving money) and needless to say, we are going to try to figure out a way for me to help him with some PR work!
Who knew that networking worked that way? I thought it was all online these days, I wouldn't have guessed word of mouth could get me very far. (hehe, get it? word of mouth??)
Cool huh?

Anyway, I had a happy day, I'm spending time with my family, and my Daddy is making me chicken corn soup (my favorite - from Amish Country, PA) so that I can bring some back to school with me.

Here's what I spent my morning doing. I have never really messed around with the PhotoBooth on my Mac, but I kinda got carried away this morning. Plus, I like my new haircut and my glasses.

I hope your day was as silly, random, and happy as mine!

xox

day 4

Day 1 - Something you hate about yourself

Day 2 - Something you love about yourself

Day 3 - Something you have to forgive yourself for

Day 4 - Something you have to forgive someone for

Day 5 - Something you hope to do in your life

Day 6 - Something you hope you never have to do

Day 7 - Someone who has made your life worth living for

Day 8 - Someone who made your life hell, or treated you like shit

Day 9 - Someone you didn't want to let go, but just drifted

Day 10 - Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn't know

Day 11 - Something people seem to compliment you the most on

Day 12 - Something you never get compliments on

Day 13 - A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough ass days. (write a letter.)

Day 14 - A hero that has let you down. (write a letter).

Day 15 - Something or someone you couldn't live without, because you've tried living without it.

Day 16 - Someone or something you definitely could live without.

Day 17 - A book you've read that changed your views on something.

Day 18 - Your views on gay marriage.

Day 19 - What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?

Day 20 - Your views on drugs and alcohol.

Day 21 - (scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?

Day 22 - Something you wish you hadn't done in your life.

Day 23 - Something you wish you had done in your life.

Day 24 - Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)

Day 25 - The reason you believe you're still alive today.

Day 26 - Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?

Day 27 - What's the best thing going for your right now?

Day 28 - What if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant, what would you do?

Day 29 - Something you  hope to change about yourself and why.

Day 30 - A letter to yourself, tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself.

I have been thinking about this "Day of Truth" for a really long time - actually, since Day 3. Honestly, I can't really think of something that I need to forgive someone for. There are a lot of things that people have done in my life that have upset me, and I will be the first to admit that, in the past, I may have held some pretty bad grudges, but I also think that I've gotten a lot better at that. 

I'm not really upset/frustrated with anybody right now (besides my mom - but that doesn't have to do with any sort of forgiveness thing, that's just how we are), and even if I am still hurt by something that someone has done to me, that hurt will not go away so easy - only time will heal it. There are people from my past who have said and done some pretty awful things to me, and I am still angry, but I don't think they deserve my forgiveness; at least not yet. 

A quote from a Dixie Chicks song comes to mind - "Forgive, sounds good. Forget, I'm not sure I could. They say time heals everything, but I'm still waiting." 

I'm in a pretty good spot with my grudges/frustrations right now. I've been relatively happy lately (which is definitely a good thing - and feels like a nice change of pace), and any frustration or anger doesn't really have to do with other people, it has to do with me sorting out my own issues and mostly forgiving myself and learning how to live the life I want to live. 

So until I can think of something that I'm holding against some other person, or come up with something that I need to forgive someone else for, I will leave it at that. 

No forgiveness, just letting go and moving on.