Sunday, December 25, 2011

happy birthday jesus

The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

- Luke 2:10-14-

Saturday, December 24, 2011

run run rudolph


I can't believe it is already Christmas Eve! This time of the year is so much fun! Last weekend we had our company Christmas party at work and I somehow managed to convince six of my co-workers that it would be a good idea to dress up as reindeer and make up a dance to perform in front of everyone and their families. Have I mentioned how much I love my co-workers? We all wore matching red reindeer sweaters with big puff paint pictures of reindeer with names (I was "Dancer"!), antlers with bells, and turtlenecks. The turtlenecks were my request of course. Tara, Tim (our dance coordinator) and I spent like 3 hours one night coming up with the dance and we taught it to the rest of the girls in an hour on Saturday morning and performed it twice (did I hear encore?) on Sunday morning for the crew. It made me laugh and think of all of my college friends who I surely would have convinced to do the same thing had we all been together this year. Some things never change. Check out my FB page for the video! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

be all there

"Wherever you are, be all there." - Jim Elliot

This simple little quote has been so convicting/encouraging as I reflect on this past year. "Being all there" is something I strive to live out daily, but can sometimes be challenging, especially during a year like this past one when things didn't turn out necessarily how I imagined or hoped they would. The truth is, even though selfishly I may not be exactly where I want to be, the Lord has still proven His love and faithfulness with numerous blessings in spite of my disobedience. As 2012 approaches (please hurry!) I think my number 1 only New Years Resolution will be to continue to embrace God's plan for my life by making sure I am "being all there" and living out His word in Colossians 3:23 - "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." (NIV).

It wasn't until I stopped fighting God over what I thought was best for my life that I saw all the blessings He has placed right in front of me. I can't thank Him enough for my sister who is also one of my best friends, family (both immediate & extended) that exude love, friends that support and encourage me even from 100s of miles away, and co-workers that make me smile everyday.

Pray for me as I continue to extend this standard into every area of my life!

Friday, December 16, 2011

i believe

Recently I read an article in Good Housekeeping magazine where Amy Grant was talking about her youngest daughter and her strong belief in Santa, or maybe rather her choice to still believe in Santa even though she had been told the truth.

Amy Grant said (referring to her daughter) - "I believe she'll give Santa credit for all good things that happen at Christmastime until she's 25, because she loves the mystery and magic of giving. When she was younger, I felt like I needed to ease her into reality. Now she clearly understands reality and chooses to make the mystery fun for all of us."

After reading that I couldn't help but think of my own poor parents and the night they "eased me into reality." You see, and I'm not embarrassed to say this, I believed in Santa Clause until age 10. Do the math - thats 5th grade. And I believed with every part of my being, thats how much I believed.

Unfortunately, my "reality" came as part of a punishment. Apparently I was being a brat that year and I had asked Santa for some toy (probably a Barbie nail salon) and then I got into some trouble (probably from disrupting class at school). My original punishment must have been that I was not getting (insert said gift), but when they told me I would not be receiving the top item on my Christmas list I quickly replied, "Fine. I'll just ask Santa for it." Did I mention I was being a brat?

Instead of simply telling me I was on the naughty list that year my parents called me into our family room to have a talk. Sidenote: nothing good follows the words, "we need to talk." They told me that Santa was not real and that they were the ones that had been giving gifts all those years. I didn't believe them...the past 10 years a lie? No way. I thought they were trying to get me to not believe in Santa so that he wouldn't get me the toy I had asked for. Growing up they had always told us that if we ever stopped believing in Santa he would stop bringing toys. This, I thought, was a setup. After some convincing, and let's be real here probably a few tears, I saw the light and began to ask the bigger questions...

"Is the easter bunny real?"
"No."
"Is the tooth fairy real?"
"No."
"Is GOD real?!?!"
"Yes, Miranda God is real!!!!"

And that was that. I was told to keep the news hush hush to my cousin and younger sister who had been skeptics for several years. I was the one convincing them to believe. Oh, and I didn't get the toy I asked for in case you were wondering.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

can you hear me now?

I have had my fair share of phone troubles this year. I started the year with my purple blackberry curve which I loved until it broke one two three FOUR times!!!!! Each time it broke it had to be shipped away and I was phone-less for a few days until a "non-faulty" refurbished one arrived. I was not a happy camper. I quickly surrendered my bb loyalty when my dad upgraded his phone and passed off his hand-me-down droid 2. I thought I had died and gone to cell phone heaven with all my new apps and widgets and features. All was right with the world until my phone starting freezing, not sending texts, dying after like 30 minutes, etc. Can I please just get a cell phone that works? Which is why I finally invested in the iphone 4s! I have waited so long for my upgrade and on December 6th I was at the Verizon store as soon as it opened to cough up my cash for a brand spankin' new white iphone and I could not be happier with my purchase. I don't care what anyone tells you about phones - the iphone takes the cake. I'm completely obsessed and have been app happy ever since I got it a few days ago.

My must-have apps:
1. Style.com - the coolest app in the entire world. It shows all the latest runway shows from pretty much every designer you can imagine. I also like Trendstop which is pretty similar and gives great fashion news.

2. Foursquare & Facebook - my two favorite social media apps.

3. Instagram, Doodle Booth, picfx, Camera Fx+ & Fotolr CS - all awesomely cool photo apps.

4. Food spotting - for all my foodie friends.

5. Stamped & Oink - both are new and pretty similar. Stamped lets you list all of your favorite things - books, movies, food, music, etc. You follow friends similar to Twitter and see all of their favorite things/recommendations. Oink lets you rate a variety of things, both good and bad. I think if they both catch on they will be really fun apps to share with friends.

6. Key Ring - a great place to store all of your loyalty cards.

7. Games!!!!! Right now I really like Style Studio, Tap Zoo 2, and virtual pets games like Touch Dogs 2 & My Horse.

So friends, what are your favorite apps?


Friday, December 9, 2011

so silly

I think I may have mentioned once or twice how much I love Amy Grant, but can I just say it one more time?!? I LOVE AMY GRANT! Her & Vince Gill's Christmas concerts are the best. I look forward to them every year, checking her website several times to see if/when she will be touring. I bought tickets as soon as they went on sale for Norfolk and I have been looking forward to this night for months. I knew right away to take my BFF Loisann with me. After all, she had been with me the first time I saw Amy's Christmas concert and the first time I got to meet Amy (aka my favorite Christmas present ever!)

This year we made it our personal mission to get backstage to snap another goofy picture with Amy like we had done back in 2003. It turned out to be mission impossible! Even with the charm turned on, we couldn't get past a single guard. We resorted to plan B - waiting outside in the freezing cold by her tour bus...it worked! She came out and spent a few minutes with us and then we got another silly picture with her. Just confirmation that she always will be my favorite singer. I don't know what it was about "It Takes a Little Time" that touched my 10 year old soul so much, but I've been a forever fan ever since.

Now
&
Then

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

sorelle per sempre

Last year my sister and I made a pact to take a sister trip every year no matter where we were, what was going on, etc. At the time I was living 3 1/2 hours away from her and even though I'm only 30 minutes away this year it has still been a struggle to spend a significant amount of time together with our crazy schedules. You may remember our Disney trip from last year - click here. This year we barely made the 2011 trip, but I am so glad we finally carved out some time for a short vacay. We also extended the sister trip to our aunts and cousins, which I believe truly enhanced our experience. On Friday morning we (my sister, me, my three aunts, and two cousins) headed up north to my favorite city in the whole world...NYC! It had been WAY too long since my last visit.

We were greeted with beautifully mild winter weather and immediately adapted to the hustle and bustle of the city. Prior to the trip everyone had made a request of at least one thing they wanted to see while we were in the city so it was kind of like a fun game to travel across the city and make it to each destination. First up? A trip to the huge Forever 21 in Herald Sqaure (per Kalen's request) - she was in heaven. We also took a pit stop in Macy's to see the real Santa, who kind of resembled a creepy wax figure. Then we headed downtown to Chinatown (Grace's request) where we ran into Nicki Minaj!!!!!!!!! The Billboard Women in Music awards were being held at the Capitale and we were hoping to also catch a glimpse of Taylor Swift but Nicki Minaj's fans had gotten a little out of hand so T.Swift headed out the side door :( The guards at the door gave us her newest CD to make up for it though! Nice. We also saw Robin Robbins, Katie Couric, & Hoda. It was a celeb hotspot!

Who the eff is she? She's Nicki Minaj she macks them dudes up, backs coupes up, and chucks the duece up!

After that we headed over to Papabubble and then to Soho for my Bon Jovi obsessed aunt to stalk catch a glimpse of his apartment building on Mercer St. We were there for a little while hahaha. We had dinner reservations at Stand. I had a temperature of 102 so I had to pass on a marshmallow milkshake (gasp!) but my family certainly enjoyed them. We walked around the Holiday Market at Union Square and then headed uptown to see the windows at Saks and the tree at Rockefeller. The lights in the city are so beautiful and seeing them always makes me super excited for Christmas. The temperature dropped that night so we all ended up buying these knit animal hats that made us look like we escaped from the Central Park zoo. Hey, at least it was easy to find each other! Here are a few pictures...


Saturday I took the girls to Dylan's Candy Shop and then we met up with my friend Suzanne (remember Suzanne from my days at Shape?) who took us to the new Lady Gaga Workshop at Barney's. It is pretty much the epitome of awesome - sooooo much cool Gaga memorabilia. And on the way out we saw Vera Wang posing outside! Crazy!


My time with Suzanne was too short! We parted ways at dinner and my family and I had pizza and then headed into Times Square until it was time to see The Nutcracker!!!!! The Nutcracker was probably my favorite part of the trip (& also my "request") Those ballerinas are so good I could barely take my eyes off of them. After dinner we went back to Times Square for round 2. We ended up getting back to our hotel at almost 2 am! Talk about girl's night out, we were having way too much fun!

My crazy family & our signature poses!

Sunday we went to a Chocolate Expo in Secaucus, NJ where we got chocolate wasted. It was a lot of fun, it was pretty much all local vendors with some of the most unique and delicious food. One of my favorites was maple cotton candy - yum! Around 2 o'clock Buddy from Cake Boss joined the fun and Brie and I were lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. We got to take pictures and shake his hand. I told him that we had been to his place in Hoboken and that we loved his lobster tails. Remember?

After the expo we packed our bags and had dinner at Planet Hollywood in Times Square...a new sister trip tradition perhaps? We made the trek up to the airport and then headed home. Leaving the city is always sad, but I was so sick that part of me was looking forward to crashing in my own bed. Another successful sister trip completed.

Sorelle per sempre.
Sisters for always.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

tales of christmas past

Some of my favorite Christmas memories are from my four years at LU. There was really only a 2 1/2 week span between Thanksgiving Break & Christmas Break every year - a time intended for studying for finals, though none of my favorite Christmas memories include studying...imagine that. One of my favorite things about LU was that since it was a Christian school there was no hiding the reason for the season. Our halls, dorms, cafeteria, the whole campus really, was covered in sparkling lights, Christmas trees, and big red ribbon bows. Every year brought some crazy new adventure as my friends and I got caught up in the Christmas cheer. Here is a look back (don't judge)...

Freshman year. In true freshman fashion myroommate Brooke & I ditched last minute studying for finals and instead decided to spend an entire night (literally) decorating our dorm room Elf style. The result was unforgettable - a life sized gingerbread house covered in real candy that satisfied the midnight study cravings of our dorm mates. See picture below.


Sophomore year. Practically every night of this Christmas break was spent with the girls in my dorm singing,choreographing, and designing outfits to a Shania Twain remake of "Man I Feel Like Some Christmas" inspired by this little clip from Santa Clause 2. I sit here with tears in my eyes as I laugh thinking about how ridiculous we must have looked performing this several times for so many different audiences...I would post the video, but I think my roommate Kelly would drive to the beach and kill me if I did. So I'll post another one of my favorite pictures from this year - open dorms (aka shoving as many boys into my dorm room as possible). At LU guys and girls were not allowed in each others dorms at all. Ever. The one exception was open dorms which was held once, sometimes twice, a year. For a couple hours one night all dorms were open and people went crazy (LU crazy, not typical college student crazy). It may sound lame to a non-LUer but it was seriously so fun. The picture below is of the boys visiting my dorm room.


Junior year. This year I lived in an apartment style dorm with some of my best friends. Finals for us were so intense that year that our Christmas craziness had to be confined to a single scheduled "family" night. We all wore Christmas pajamas, exchanged gifts and stockings, ate Santa shaped pancakes for dinner, and finished the night with a Christmas movie in our decked out common room. It was such a chill night filled with sweet memories.

Our dorm room from the inside.

Our dorm room from the outside.

All decked out in our Christmas pj's!

Senior year. By senior year my BFFs and I had moved off campus to a huge house (7 of us lived there!) and we decided to throw a more mature, sophisticated, classy party...we were seniors after all. We wore cute party dresses and drank mocktails. We felt so grown up.

4/7 roommates & the first snow that year!

Those drinks are virgin.

I don't even know what is going on in this picture.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

sparkle & shine

Winter doesn't officially start until December 22nd, but I have been in full winter mode ever since we had a taste of the season with that temp drop at the beginning of the month (nevermind the 60+ degree weather we have had for the past few days). I love winter, maybe I'm biased because I was born in winter, but you have to admit that snow makes everything so beautiful! Plus, I love bundling up in puffy coats and tall fuzzy socks. Here are my favorite winter fashion trends this year:

Boot socks.
Sidenote: I have collected so many of these already I had to get a bigger sock drawer. Oops.

Red jeans.

Sparkle EVERYTHING!

Oxfords & tights.

Lace dresses.


Thursday, November 24, 2011

happy thanksgiving!

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him & praise His name." - Psalm 100:4

There are more than a few things I am thankful for this year, including, but not limited to:

My Heavenly Father who blesses me more than I ever deserve.

The ability to walk, b/c for 6 weeks this year I couldn't.

My brother and sister for all of their love, support, & laughter.

Ballet. When I went through some of the tough stuff of life this year I lost words to express what I was feeling, so I just danced.

New friends that feel more like family, and old friends who are still actively involved in my life from 100s of miles away.

Living by the beach (even if I sometimes take it for granted).

& days off, like today, that come so few and far between.

Friday, November 11, 2011

11/11/11

11:11 on 11/11/11
eleven has always been my favorite number.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

raise your glass

An explanation of why I never, rarely, sometimes consume alcohol. That has been my thought process, which is why this blog post is long overdue. I think one of the most controversial questions amongst Christians is…”is it wrong to drink?” And for a long time I used to think that there was a right and wrong answer – yes or no. I often errored with the side of yes. But as I grow up and make my faith my own, I am realizing that things aren’t always so black and white. Allow me to explain…

I used to never drink alcohol. Before I was 21 it was illegal and therefore, clearly, wrong. But even on my 21st birthday I never consumed a drop of alcohol. My friends and I had enough fun without the aid of alcohol. Plus, I went to a conservative Christian college where drinking was punished with a heavy fine and hours of community service. I am not an intentional rule breaker. More than the fear of getting in trouble, I felt a moral obligation not to drink. I was secure on my stance and would quickly offer my reasons to anyone who inquired…

1. The thing I feared most was that my friends would see me drinking and use it to justify drunkenness (which leads to a world of other sins). This is why I was super careful not to ever let a picture of me with a drink or a red cup (even if it only contained soda) to appear on Facebook. I never wanted anyone to be able to use the phrase, “Well Miranda drinks and she is a Christian so it must be ok.” I also never wanted to cause anyone to stumble – Romans 14:20.

2. I saw the ill effects of alcohol within my extended family so I never truly had a desire to drink. The alcohol I saw growing up was never “fun” or “cool.”

3. “Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial.” via 1 Corinthians 10:23. I didn’t see the benefits of drinking, even if it was legal. I thought it was a waste of money and calories. And I still think most beer tastes like piss.

It wasn’t until this year that I had a paradigm shift (my former English teachers would be so proud that I just used that in a sentence, unless I used it incorrectly). The controversial question triggered me to question my role as a Christian. How do I adapt to life as a Christian in the real world, outside the bubble of my Christian campus where I had been coddled 24/7 with an insane amount of structure, love, and truth? I sent a novel sized e-mail to one of my BFFs, Jess, with all of my thoughts, feelings, and questions. She promptly returned my e-mail with challenging advice and her opinions, which she had gathered from reading Donald Miller’s Blue Like Jazz.

It was certainly at that moment that I realized I didn’t want to be known as a Christian for what I didn’t do – drink, curse, sleep around, etc. Because I wanted to be known for what I did do – love, encourage, forgive, etc. I wanted people to know I was a Christian, not because I wouldn’t go have a drink with them on Friday night, but because I loved them unconditionally. Does that make sense?

I love this Donald Miller quote from Blue Like Jazz…

“I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn’t resolve. But I was outside the Bagdad Theater in Portland one night when I saw a man playing the saxophone. I stood there for fifteen minutes, and he never opened his eyes.

After that I liked jazz music.

Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way.”

My life is my testimony and I hope that my love and passion for Christ makes it easier for others to love and follow Him too.

So, yes, on occasion I can be found sipping a (a as in one) captain & coke. And at special events, or sometimes after a long night at work, I enjoy a glass of wine. But I don’t think that’s wrong. I am secure enough in my own faith to know how to recognize the devil’s schemes. I think Beth Moore summed it up best in her devo Looking Up when she says, “Though he (the devil) tailors the specifics to fit individual weaknesses, I believe Satan’s basic progressive plan remains consistent: distraction->addiction->destruction.” The devil is always looking to destroy you, that is true for everything in your life, not just drinking. Stand up for what you believe in, know your temptations, and live a life of love.

“Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator.” – Ecclesiastes 12:1

Sunday, November 6, 2011

these days

This might seem like a downer of a post and if it comes across that way then I blame my fever and the fact that I can't remember my last day off, but I just had to get this off my chest...

"Have you ever felt like you're running very fast just to stay in the same place?"

If there was one quote to sum up my life right now I do believe this would be it. Sometimes its hard for me to see God's big picture. And I just had to express my struggle because I know I'm not the only one and I'm not one to fake having it all together. I work so hard and so much and I don't feel like I am any further ahead. How do you get ahead? I can't work more than 3 jobs without more hours in a day or possibly a time-turner (HP reference), but paying bills every month is a struggle. Am I just naive? Is this just life? This season of life sure is a tough one, but I know I will come out of it stronger and more reliant on God because right now I rely on Him for EVERYTHING.

Sometimes I just go through little phases where I wonder what in the world I am doing with my life. Because I want to be careful not to waste it. And I occasionally wonder if I'm making a difference or if any of this would really matter. But all of that would probably be solved with a vacation. Or maybe just a day off. Or a baby white holland lop bunny (hint hint Brie)


Sunday, October 30, 2011

swan lake


For Halloween this year Brie & I decided to go as the Black Swan and the White Swan from Swan Lake! This was made even easier when Brie decided to dye her hair to look like mine making us look more alike than we already do (we were originally going to be Alice and the Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland). I think the outfits were a hit, but my favorite part was designing our costumes. I've made my Halloween costume every year for quite a few years now - click here for a look back. It gives me an excuse to unleash my inner fashionista and also an excuse to blame any fashion flops on the phrase, "So what? It was just a Halloween costume." I love Halloween just because you get to dress up and be someone/something else for one night out of the year. To me, that is magical!

And now for a behind the scenes look at our Black Swan/White Swan costumes...

Our tops were made from oversized black and white t-shirts that I cut to be off the shoulder. Then I added feathers, rhinestones, sequins and so much glitter that it looks like a fairy got murdered in our house. The tutus were made by taking a small feather boa and attaching strips of toile - easy peasy!
My crown was made from an old one (previously silver and pink!) I took a sharpie and colored over as much silver as I could, glued on extra black feathers, and dripped black candle wax over the front. Brie's feather hair pieces were made from 6 feathers, 3 on each side, and attached with rhinestone bobby pins!
Our makeup was a combination of glittery black and white makeup, bright lipsticks, a black and white costume makeup palette, and fake eyelashes of course!
We finished off our outfits with black and white tights and ballet flats! One of my favorite costumes by far.

*All makeup credit goes to Brie*

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

lessons learned

I think I finally figured out those "lessons" my parents were trying to teach me when I broke my foot...

1. Invest in a good pedicure at all times.
2. Drink more milk.
3. Aflac Accident Insurance.

"Even children become tired and need to rest, and young people trip and fall." - Isaiah 40:30

Sunday, October 16, 2011

healing is hard work

This has been quite the week of accomplishments - first time wearing matching shoes in 6 weeks, first time walking without the assistance of crutches/surgical shoes/rolly desk chairs/the closest stationary object in 6 weeks, and the first week back at work in 6 weeks! The people I work with are so sweet to me. I always start work with just a little catch in my step and end work in a full limp, but they are so quick to help me out. It's good to be back.

I still have to wear the surgical shoe when I'm not at work for another week. My bone isn't completely healed so I have to be careful, but I can't even explain how good it feels to be mobile. I just want to run a million miles (not all at once). I don't think I have ever sat so still so long in my entire life and that's the truth, just ask any of my former teachers. In about a month or so I'll be able to start running and dancing again and THAT day can't come soon enough!

Slow and steady. I'm on the mend!

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

bookworm

Let me preface this post by saying that I am not a nerd. Really. But I do like to read sometimes. Not in a socially outcast way or even a studious way, but I do occasionally read for reasons more than to pass time on the elliptical. I am often too quick to say, "why read the book when you can watch the movie?" but I will admit that some of the best books I've ever read were ones that I read long before they were ever in the talks of becoming films. I think my English teachers would be very shocked/proud to know how much more I enjoy reading than I ever let them know. And even though I don't think I could ever confess it to them, I really did love reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn in 8th grade Advanced English even if our book was two times thicker than the other classes. Same with Macbeth in 12th grade. Some of my good friends know about my not-so-publicized recreational reading and I love when I can recommend good books to them. That got me thinking about some of my favorite books so I decided to list some here:

Some of my all-time favorites:
The Divine Dance by Shannon Primicerio (now Shannon Kubiak)
Stuart Little by E.B. White
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Follow the Stars Home by Luanne Rice
One in a Million by Priscilla Shirer
Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
66 Love Letters by Larry Crabb
& pretty much any book by Max Lucado

Some pretty great books I've read this past year:
The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins
We Bought a Zoo by Benjamin Mee
Bossypants by Tina Fey
Plan B by Pete Wilson
13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (weird, but in a good way)

Books I want to read:
Winged Creatures by Roy Freirich
Happy Accidents by Jane Lynch
Before I Die by Jenny Downham
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

What books would you recommend?

Sunday, October 2, 2011

fandemonium

I've always considered myself a fairly avid movie watcher/book reader...you know, somewhere safely between watching movies on hulu to dressing up like characters from a movie at every Thursday's midnight showing...between reading restaurant menus and having my own book club. In my lifetime I have survived two major opportunities for what I like to think of as "fandemonium" where books and movies collide and create this unique breed of people who love what they have read and seen so much that it has a pretty profound effect on their lives. First being, Harry Potter. Don't get me wrong, I am a fan, just a more balanced one. I own neither a cape, wand, or an HP lego set. Nor do I practice spells in my free time or decorate my room with cardboard cutouts of the characters. I am, however, excited for Pottermore (not registered early, that is for the crazies) and getting to pick out my pet, finding out which wand I get, and being sorted into a house - my BFF Loisann and I are aware that although we favor Gryffindor our non-confrontational and easy going personalities will most likely land us in Hufflepuff. I also wouldn't mind enjoying a butter beer in Orlando.

The next phase of "fandemonium" was easier for me to resist. I still to this day have never read a Stephanie Meyer book and I don't think I will ever fully comprehend the desire to live as a vampire forever. I did not see Twilight until after it had come out on DVD and my roommate Amanda had convinced me to give it a chance. I figured since almost every girl I knew was practically obsessed and one of my best friends, Jen, had seen it in the movie theater several times alone AND skipped class to read the books that it was worth a shot. When I first watched it I wasn't sure that I really liked it, but there was no doubt I found it intriguing. I don't think I blinked much. Oh, and I had a nightmare about vampires that night. When the second movie came out I saw it at midnight with my friends. Not because I had turned into a crazy fan overnight, but because if I didn't go with them at midnight (with literally everyone else) then I wouldn't have anyone to see it with later. Plus, I had never read the books and I really wanted to know what happened next. All that to say, I kind of did like the movies. I will probably see the next one at midnight sans the fangs and white powder makeup (I'm pale enough to go without) because I like hype. And I know you are wondering, I'm Team Jacob.

Now, if I had to take a guess at the next wave of "fandemonium" to hit I'd say it will come around March when the Hunger Games Series FINALLY hits theaters. I read the books last year and I love them in that obsessive way that people loved Harry Potter and the Twilight Series, which I sometimes find odd because the books are very violent and uncharacteristic of me. I don't think I could pinpoint what it is exactly about the books that captivated me so but they did. And in 172 days, 6 hours, and 41 minutes I will probably be dressed up with my mockingjay pin and in line with a bunch of other crazies that I laughed at in years past. [This is a warning in advance.] In fact, I have already registered and been assigned my district at the Capital - DISTRICT 8! I am actually quite satisfied with that district too - it is where all of the clothes are made. They must have known I love fashion. Plus, I was having somewhat of an identity crisis when I saw that on all of the fan-made maps of Panem the part of the US that I really live in was always underwater, making it difficult to to find favor with a particular district...though technically I'm probably closest to 12. In the books I related most to 4 because I live near the ocean and 11 because Rue was my favorite character. Ok, enough talk about HG b/c I'm certain this won't be the last you hear! Are you a fan?

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

a prayer for my future husband

Dear God,

If there is someone out there for me then I pray that he waits for me. And whoever he is, wherever he is, I hope he thinks I’m worth that wait because he will probably end up waiting on me a lot. Like when I try and decide on what flavor ice cream to get or when I do my hair (blast those unruly curls!) And please let him love dancing - at parties, in socks in the kitchen, and in the rain (NOT a hurricane). He doesn’t have to like fashion at all but I hope he tolerates it enough to let me enjoy it. In return, I’ll give him and his buddies snacks and full reign of the TV for Monday Night Football. If I haven’t met him yet I hope we meet in a funny way that makes a good story. And if we have met...who is it?!?! I hope he is silly, but that he takes his faith seriously. I want him to love me, but You more. Bless that boy in advance for voluntarily spending the rest of his life connected to my crazy family. I pray the reason we are apart now is because you are doing big things in each of us and that when we are together its only because our ministry is better together. Keep us together, forever. And Lord, if there isn’t someone out there for me please give me a passion for something I can fully commit to and emerge myself in. And a good dog. Or two. Because you know I’m allergic to cats.

Amen.

Monday, September 26, 2011

accidents happen

MY CAST IS OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I never thought this day would come, but my foot is finally free! And it feels so great sore. I have two weeks in a surgical shoe that would make Christian Louboutin cry (perhaps I should paint the bottom red?) and then hopefully I can go back to matching shoes again, oh, and work. In case you haven't been keeping up, I present to you:


My accident by numbers...

0 amount of money in USD that I have made in the past month
1 broken bone
2 crutches
3 casts
4 x-rays
5 x 10 = a rough estimate of how much this entire fiasco has cost me


This is by far the most expensive dance I've ever done. I'm just so thankful I didn't have to go through the entire rainbow of casts before getting it off for good.



Friday, September 23, 2011

forever fan


It is officially Fall which means my mailbox is getting flooded with letters from my alma mater a) asking for money (I'm still paying off the 4 years I was there!) & b) encouraging me to come to Homecoming! It actually makes me a little sad to think I will probably be missing Homecoming this year. Right now I'm just hoping for walking privileges...I haven't even thought about driving ones yet. Baby steps, literally. I've never missed a Homecoming game. I've also only been out of school for 2 years, but still. I remember before I graduated how I told myself that I would always make it to the LU Homecoming game no matter where I lived or what was going on. I was going to go every year until I died and when I got older and had kids I would drag them along and make them like it. I really told myself that. But I've learned life and circumstances aren't always so compliant. I really do miss LU. My 4 years of college were single-handedly the best 4 years of my life, so far. And I think sometimes I give LU too hard of a time b/c I complain about student loans and how expensive college was when I really did get a decent amount of scholarships from them. And while it still was RIDICULOUSLY expensive (private school will do that) it was worth it for the education, experience, and life-long friends I left with. Plus, it is really organizations like FAFSA and SallieMae that I should complain about. Sidenote: if you want to skip the momentary complaining don't read the italics below.

Let me just get this off my chest and save you some time. If you have two parents that are working and trying to provide for your family you will get nothing from FAFSA. That's right, nothing. You WILL however have to fill out the 3284023 million pieces of paper/online mess to apply for it. But you will get nothing. Tell me how that is fair? I am being punished because my parents work. If your parents don't work then you are lucky b/c you will probably get a lot. Even if one of your parents doesn't work you will at least get something. Tell your parents to quit their jobs before you apply for school and you will probably get to go for free. I'm only half joking. As for SallieMae...don't be fooled into thinking you can get out of your student loans. You can't. Even if you die, your family will be burdened with them. Take a look at your student loan balance (try not to cry) and then double it b/c by the time you pay it off 20 years later the interest will have practically doubled. SallieMae doesn't care if you aren't using your degree, if you barely have enough money to survive, or like I said, if you die. Rant over.

Back to LU. I am proud of my school. I seriously love my school. I honestly believe the students that graduate from there will change the world for Christ. And when you are doing big things for God there are always going to be haters. And I think LU gets a bad rep sometimes b/c of the rules or the founder or (insert some ridiculous rumor here). And maybe its because I grew up in VA and LU is in VA but I sometimes think the worst haters are the ones that go to other VA colleges and think their school is so much better than ours. For example, UVA. Ok, so you're smart, we get it. You're also probably boring. And for Tech and VCU and JMU and ODU and whatever other schools think it is impossible to have fun without being wasted I ask you this...does this not look like fun to you?


I'll stop there before there is too much irony in my words. And before I get bad comments on this post. I'm not a hater, I'm just saying. If you want to know what LU is like from an outside perspective I encourage you to read this book, The Unlikely Disciple. But a better way to know what it is like is to check out this video...


OR take a look back this post to see why I love(d) college.

Want to know my favorite part of college? Remembering it.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

dancing in the rain


I am days away from getting my (third) cast off and freedom is so close I can practically taste it. This has been a very trying month. I think I have a new definition of humbled...

hum·bled
[adj.]
1. To watch one's bank account slowly drain while not being able to walk, drive or work.


My parents have also been "teaching me a lesson" this month by not helping with any medical bills as to not encourage my irresponsibility. Because we all know I broke my foot on purpose...not. What I find most funny about the situation is that my mom quickly offered to pay for my handicap parking pass provided she gets to use it whenever she wants. At least someone is benefiting from my accident. I think there is a lesson for them to learn in the midst of all of this too and it can be summed up in one little quote.


There is no way a little rain, setback, or empty bank account will ever stop me from dancing my way through life.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

sketch

A few years ago my sister introduced me to the world of sketchbooks. Her sketchbooks were so creative and fun that it inspired me to start my own. I've kept the same one for a while now and I love it. Sketchbooks are such a perfect outlet for me to express myself and document my likes and interests in so many different ways. My book is filled with quotes and paintings and collages of an eclectic mesh of fashion, dreams, memories & even my bucket list! I think everyone should start their own, its like the trendy new version of scrapbooking. I, for one, can't wait to finish my current sketchbook and start a new one of these smash books.

If you're looking for a little inspiration take a look below at a few pages from my book or check out the journal prompts on the Lily Girl's Magazine site...



Saturday, September 17, 2011

fashion favorites

This past week while most Americans gathered around their televisions eating chips for the start of football season, I was glued to Style.com's live stream of Fashion Week eating carrots...I was watching models after all! Ok, ok so I was eating chips too. I try to like football I really do, but I just love fashion and dancing and cooking shows so much more. Perhaps if I had a favorite team I'd be more involved, but I'm waiting to adopt the team favorite of whoever I marry. Or maybe I will just pick a team based on mascot (I know enough about football to know the Dolphins aren't good) or team colors (which makes it awfully hard to root for the Redskins). For now I will just enjoy uninterrupted fashion. Here are a few of my favs from the 2012 Spring RTW lines...
Tory Burch
Rodarte - Never a disappointment with their shows!
Rodarte again...this reminds of me of what I imagined Katniss' dress from The Hunger Games to look like. What do you think?
Oscar de la Renta - Gorgeous as usual!
Nanette Lepore - I loved all of the shoes from this line!
Marchesa - ALWAYS a favorite of mine!
Erin Fetherston
Christian Siriano
Alice + Olivia
3.1 Philip Lim - LOVE the pastels!

**click the photos to make them larger, all photos from style.com!