Germs

Last week, one of my nightmares pulled its way into reality.

No, nobody broke into my house.

Nobody was kidnapped.

I'm not being stalked (that I know of...)

Instead, my serene bubble of sterility and wellness has been popped and my family has succumbed to... the stomach flu.

Dun dun DUNNNNN

Some of you might understand the chaos of my dilemma, and some of you might be sitting at your computers, wincing and saying "is that it?"

It's because there are two different kinds of people.

There are the people who aren't bothered by germs at all. They breathe in other people's germs like it's as fresh as a spring afternoon. It just doesn't bother them. It's because it doesn't bother them that they sometimes don't realize that if they do get sick, they don't let that stop them from running around and infecting everyone else.

Then there are the people who see germs like the microscopic, heinous little demons they are, and try to avoid them at all costs. :P

I might be what you'd classify as a germaphobe. But... I *have* gotten better over the years. I went from freaking out over pretty much any kind of sickness, to just the kind that will have you lying around in pain and agony for 12 hours. That, unfortunately, is what's circulating through our house right now.

So far I've managed to avade it. For the first week, I was a germ warrior. I washed my hands after touching practically everything: countertops, doorknobs, refrigerator and cupboard handles... and suffice to say, the current dryness of my hands make alligators' skin look like this:

I was all over not catching this thing. I was pretty sure that if I washed my hands enough and stayed away from the invalids, then maybe I could make it to the other side completely untouched by the stomach flu's sinister claws. That was at the beginning of last week.

See, one of the reasons why I'm such a germaphobe is HOW LONG it takes my family to recover. We have 9 people in my family. It's been hitting one or two people every two or three days. It takes a painfully long time for it to hit everyone. Every day has dragged by like its own week. I've hardly left the house since my mom caught it at the beginning of last week.

Although so far my physical health has been left untouched, my mental health has been slowly slipping through the cracks. Since the Monday before last, I've been nervously waiting for someone else to fall victim. It's taken a toll on my sanity. Aside from the cabin fever that everyone is suffering with, Every two or three days my paranoia would jab me and whisper menacingly into my ear, "You're next, Kaylee..."

And on Monday, the unthinkable happened: My dad came home from work sick. AGAIN. And last night my mom ALSO caught it again. O_O Whether it's the same flu, or if we caught yet ANOTHER illness, I'm still unaware. All I know is that I can say that in the transpiring events, my anxiety scale has decreased dramatically. It was this week that I begun to go from this:

To this:

It's not that I want to catch it now... but I think it's almost become more like a word that you say over and over and over again: If it held some sort of meaning before, it's been lost in the repetition.

Photo cred:

Tiny ugly germs

Perfect skin lady

Memory Monday: Praying Mantis

It doesn't take a mathematician to know that Girls + Bugs = Freaking out. (In our case, it would be Girls + Bugs = Screaming bloody murder...). But who could blame us, anyway? Here we are, sitting on our tuffets (whatever tuffets may be), minding our own business, when along comes a big, hairy, slimy, bug-eyed creature. Girls and bugs aren't on very good terms, but especially when bugs sneak up on us unexpectedly.

This theory has been proven in our house on several occasions. Like, for instance, the unforgettable "Praying Mantis" incident in the Summer of 2008.

It was a Sunday, and we had just started attending our church. It was a great day, and I remember it like it was yesterday. I was talking to people, my sisters were off playing, and some of the little boys found a whole bunch of praying mantises by the church building (of course... where *else* would they go to pray, right?) ;) One of them was a little guy named Andrew, who was about 6 at the time. He was catching them in a coffee cup and covering it with a paper towel. I guess he thought that would be enough to contain it...

We were about to leave, and all my sisters were getting into the car as my mom was talking to Andrew. He was sort of leaning on the passenger seat with the door open. We all loaded up, said our goodbyes, and we were off.

We decided to make a stop at my grandparents' house on the way home. The drive was typical, nothing exciting. We were literally seconds from the driveway, when...

A blood-curdling scream arose from the back seat. Then another... then another... until the air trembled with a myriad of shrieks rising in every direction.

Aaand if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right?

At first I wasn't even sure *why* we were screaming. Then it was reported that one of my sisters (who shall remain nameless... ;) felt something crawling on her arm. It was the praying mantis that Andrew was holding earlier! It had somehow landed in our car when Andrew was over there, and made it to the back seat while my mom was driving.

We couldn't find the praying mantis after that. I can almost hear the poor little guy explaining the whole thing at a therapy session:

"After I had been abducted, I found myself in some sort of dark... shuttle-like apparatis. As I tried to make my escape, I landed on the most horrifying creature I'd ever laid eyes on, that made the most ghastly screeching sound I've ever had the misfortune to hear. I was confused and disoriented, then fell onto unknown territory.

...And that's how I lost 60% of my hearing."

Photo Cred:

Screaming blonde

Screaming 50's lady

The Scream painting

Praying Mantis

Things That Annoy Me

Yeah, well, since I'm in that kind of mood this week (the kind of mood that makes you want to rant about all the things you can't stand!), I thought I'd inform you about all the things that annoy me most, if you care to listen.

Maybe when I'm in a better mood, I'll follow this up with a post on the things I like the most, but for now... RELEASE THE KRAKEN!

People Who Brag. I think it's great that you get perfect grades, are skilled in every form of art there is, have met about 5 celebrities, have gone to several different countries and have your own ministry before the age of 12... but please, try not to brag about your accomplishments. It just makes us common-folk feel inadequate. :P

Online Role Play Games/Simulators (Second Life/Sims, mostly...) Why build a fake life on the internet when you could do the same kinds of things in REAL life? No offense to people who are into them, I just don't see the point.

When people close their clothes into dresser drawers. It just looks messy. :P

Stepping in a puddle of water while wearing socks. For some reason, we always have stray water puddles in the kitchen. I'm really not sure where they come from... they're like crop circles of the suburban household. They just... appear. And when you find them, well, it's too late.

Fingernails on a chalkboard. Ok, that's a given. Can you imagine anybody actually liking that sound? I guess the same goes for just about any other annoying, high-pitched sound: screaming, whining, dogs barking...

Dogs. Speaking of dogs... Sorry guys, I'm just not really a dog person. Well, I'm not a dog person in the sense that I wouldn't want to own another dog. I'm cool with other people's dogs, as long as they're not mine. haha They're just so... obnoxious. Obnoxious and needy. Obnoxious, needy, and loud. :P

Broccoli. Just look at it. It thinks it's so cute, looking like a little tree... it makes me sick.

Judgmental People. This one actually annoys me so much, I might make it its own blog post. :P lol But yeah. People who like to rebuild you with their own assumptions until they become justified enough to hate you. Ugh, me no likey. :P

Internet Speak. Sorry guys, it just doesn't make you look as intelligent as you really are. How much harder is it to spell out "You" instead of "U"? no 1 can take u srsly wen u write lyk dis. Just use correct english. Also... "You're" and "Your" have different meanings, as well as "There," "Their," and "They're." ;)

Dentists. "This won't hurt a bit." Liars!

When people try to correct everything you say. Sometimes, people, it's ok to let things go.

Bad movies. Those movies that make you continue watching them for the fleeting hope that it will get better, but to no avail. Thanks a lot, terrible movies, for wasting too many hours of my life!

Mustard water. You just want some mustard on your hotdog, but there's always that disgusting watery stuff that has to come out first.

*Sigh* Ok, feeling better now. Congratulations if you've made it to the end of my rant! :D

Photo credit: Annoyed Dude

Black and White

Mary Catherine at Glittering Compositions is hosting a photography contest! :)

Theme? Black and white.

Here's my entry:

<3

You're Weird...

Oh, that moment when you're talking to someone, and you can see how weird they think you are by that look on their face. Oh, c'mon, you've probably seen that look at least once.

Yupp, that one.

Or sometimes you get someone who's actually blunt enough to express that face in words: "You're weird."

You could react to this statement in two different ways.

1. You could allow your head to sag in despair and wallow in your own self-pity
2. You could stand up straight, smile, and say, "Thank you."

Which one do you do?

I honestly don't give a darn if someone thinks I'm weird. I almost see it as a compliment. Why is weird is a bad thing?

Ok... maybe it's a bad thing if you're that kid who sits in the corner, eating their own boogers (ew...); but I'm confident that none of my viewers fit *that* level of weirdness. ;)

People say, "Be different! Stand out! Express yourself!" but do they really mean it? People who try to be different are normally shunned. :P

Also... what if your version of standing out is to be a light for Christ? What if your way of expressing yourself is by being the kind of person God wants you to be? When the world tells you to be different, they're thinking you'd join an indie band or get an eyebrow piercing... but if your "different" isn't the "different" they expect, it's deemed as "weird." If you choose to live in obedience to God, you're considered weird and brainwashed. Does anyone else think this is just plain... silly?

Although it seems so easy to let the comments just slide off, it's not always that easy. I sometimes worry too much about what people think of me. I've blown opportunities to witness to people, or even to just brighten someone's day by fear of what they think of me. "What if the conversation dead ends and it gets awkward?" or, "What if I make a joke and they... *gasp* don't laugh???" We all care way too much about what people think of us.

Also... God made us different! How boring would it be if we were all cookie-cutter copies of each other? Would life be half as interesting if we all thought the same way, had the same sense of humor, and enjoyed the same interests? God didn't press us out on a conveyor belt; We're custom-designed. ;)

However... this is coming from someone who lives in Oregon, home of one of the weirdest cities there is... XD lol

But anyway, next time someone says you're weird or gives you that infamous face...

Don't sweat it, because hey! At least they'll remember you, right?

Photo credit:

Neil Patrick Harris thinks you're weird.

So does Mark Ruffalo

First World Problems...

My life is so hard. Many are the trials that seep into the cracks of my existence!

I have a really hard time finding two pillow cases that match.

Sometimes my toothbrush falls by the toilet and I have to buy a new one.

My sister took the last poptart, and I'm forced to eat that brand of cereal that I HATE.

I have about 5 pairs of shoes, but still nothing to match that cute outfit I got.

We're out of bottled water and now I have to drink from the faucet.

I stepped on a lego.

Hulu is making me wait an extra week to watch a new TV show.

The phone is ringing, but it's just too far away to answer it.

I sometimes have to look for the remote.

The parking lot is really crowded, and I have to park in a really annoying parking spot.

I have total split ends.

I can't find my favorite jacket, so I have to wear the puffy one that makes me feel fat.

Sometimes I sit down too long and my legs fall asleep.

My earphones to my ipod are tangled up again.

Oh my gosh, we're OUT OF TOILET PAPER!!!

Oh, woe are the problems the plague my teenage, American life. The adversity that assails me at every corner! It's sometimes too much for my soul to bear. ;)

There are a series of pictures floating around the interwebs called "First World Problems," That talk about... well... the things we privileged people complain about.

I look at these and laugh. These are seriously the things we complain about!

It's easy to kind of roll our eyes at the countless lectures our parents may tell us over the years. "Stop complaining about your food. People are starving in (insert third world country here)!" I mean, seriously... who's mom hasn't said this so many times that it becomes more of a catch phrase than a true statement? I think we've actually gone numb to how much we actually have. The things we have in our country as rights and necessities are total privileges to others.

But there really are kids out there who have one pair of shoes (if they're lucky...), eat a piece of bread a day (if that much), and have to sleep in a tent (or a hut made of cow poop...), while we complain about how we have 341 channels on cable but there's nothing on. :P

And I know it may be hard to believe... but yes, I, Kaylee, perfect gallery of flawlessness that I am (ha!), do it too. :P You should hear the dumb things I complain about! It's something we all take for granted... so let's try and be thankful, people!

First World Problems dude

All the other pics were found here

Memory Monday: Cooper

This one goes out to the coolest dog EVER.

Yeah, I'm no longer what you'd call a "dog person." I know Cooper really annoyed me towards the end of his life, but Cooper was pretty much amazing. :)

For those of you who haven't met Cooper, lemme tell you a little more about him.

We got Cooper when I was 3 years old. I actually faintly remember going to the pound and picking him out.

We were *going* to name him "Copper" (after "Fox and the Hound"), but they didn't hear us right. "What? Did you say Cooper?" We liked Cooper better than Copper, anyway. :) He became my buddy, and I have a lot of memories playing with him.

He was a mixed breed: part Lab, part Chesapeake Bay Retriever, part vacuum cleaner. :P He ate EVERYTHING. Including a whole chicken, and FIRE.

No, literally, he ate a burning ham from my grandparents' burn pile. He got pretty sick, but he lived to brag about it (and brag about it we did. Who else has a dog who's eaten fire and lived???).

And, since Cooper had a tendency to eat just about anything, he was a little... well... big boned. He was slightly... overweigh--pleasingly plum-- Ok, really, he was FAT. My Aunt Tammy affectionately described him as a potato with toothpick legs.

He liked to click around on the hardwood floors at night and keep us awake. One time my mom got so sick of it, she put socks on his feet (it still didn't work). :P

When we'd play with him outside, he used to get so excited that he'd run around in circles so fast that his butt nearly touched the ground. XD

He saw most of us as babies, and watched us grow up. He was there for most of my life. When he got older, he kind of lost it: his hearing wasn't very good, he'd pee in the house and do other things that just weren't really like him. He kept getting older, and it was easy to get very, very impatient with him.

But... as annoying as that last year was, as much as he made me want to scream in frustration...

Sometimes I still forgetfully wait for him to greet me at the door.

Fire pic: http://www.komu.com/images/news/2012-01/fire.jpg

"When I Was Your Age..."

...When I was a kid, we had arcades and ataris...

...When I was in high school, there was a point where it was cool for girls to wear their dads' old sweaters...

...When I was your age, we had Madonna instead of Lady Gaga...

No offense to anyone who grew up in the 80's... but sometimes I ponder how it could ever have been in style to wear spandex, tease your hair until it was taller than you, or wear acid wash jeans. I've had to listen to 80's music, in all it's synthesizer-laden glory. I've seen movies from the 80's that have made me laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of it all. ("Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"?).

But then I think of my generation, and how my kids are going to see it one day.

Then I cringe a little. o_o

Because they're probably going to see things like this:

I can envision it now: Driving my kids around in some minivan (or hovercar?), dancing along to something like "Tik Tok," with a kid rolling their eyes in the passenger seat.

They're probably going to laugh at my generation just as much as I laugh at my mom's. :P They're going to find all the fads and trends of the early 2000's just as weird as the trends of the 80's.

And aside from telling my kids about all the "lame" technology we have now, I'm probably going to wind up telling them about all the dumb trends that rose in my generation. I'm going to say the same things my mom says when she talks about her childhood.

"When I was a kid...

Practically everyone (even boys) straightened their hair.

Everyone was crazy about Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.

"Reality" TV was on practically every channel.

We thought the world would end in 2012. :P

Vampires and Werewolves were a big deal.

Not a Friday went by without somebody making a Rebecca Black reference.

We wore shirts with the store name written on them.

We had trends like Silly Bandz, Shutter Shades, Ugg Boots and baggy pants.

Everyday we were shufflin'.

Girls became obsessed with Twilight and Justin Bieber.

Guys became obsessed with Skyrim and Call Of Duty.

Pretty much every movie that ever came out, came back in 3D.

We did the "Dougie" and the "Cat Daddy."

Girls did the "Duck Face," and the peace sign in every picture they took (normally with their phone and in front of a mirror)...

...And we were COOL."

Ok, hardly. :P

Where is humanity going, anyway?

Memory Monday: Bobby

Ok, Ok, I've already told this one to a bunch of people, but it was so comical, I thought it would be fun to write about (plus... there has to be someone who hasn't heard it yet, right?!)

This is the tale of when I broke a baby's arms.

I assure you, it's not as bad as it sounds. :P (I'm not a psychopath!)

Katie was the proud mother of a plastic baby doll named "Bobby." Yes, Bobby is a girl. Yes, Bobby is a very cheap plastic doll that we probably got for under $5. Yes, Bobby breaks very easily.

So it starts like this: Me, sitting in my room with my sister Karly, having a good ole time, when...

(Enter Katie with Bobby) "Kawee, can yew hewp me put this dwess on Bobby?"

I straightened up and took the doll and the dress. "Sure, lemme see..."

If I can remember right, everything started out fairly normal. I started putting the dress on with no problem, but then I discovered that Bobby had a bit of a problem:

Her arms were very stiff, and no matter what way I tried to position them, I could not fit her arms in the holes.

I think by this time Katie left (or I asked her to leave), and I had an idea. I was pretty sure that this certain kind of doll was very easy to dismember and put back together again. If I just removed the head and the arms, put the dress on, then put the arms and the head back on... mission accomplished!

I put my plan into action. Pop off head? Check. Pop arms off? Double check. Put dress on? Check. Put arms back on...? Ok... why weren't they going back on???

Oh, goodness.

WHAT HAVE I DONE?!?!

The arms, no matter how hard I tried to push them back into place, were not going back in. I pushed, I twisted, I banged with my fists... nothing. Karly laughed and watched the whole time (and I kinda started to panic), when Katie started to come in with my mom. I hid Bobby behind my back, trying not to laugh. After some badgering and me trying to explain to mom without letting on to Katie, she saw Bobby. And it wasn't pretty.

I'm pretty sure I remember "YOU KILLED BOBBY!!!" Being her exact words. :P

I assured her I was going to fix Bobby. I went to work.

I brought out the big guns. I tried a butter knife and a mallet, and neither of those things worked. In the end, about 30 minutes and two very sore thumbs later, it turned out I was able to revive Bobby with brute force applied to the amputated region, and a bit of a twisting motion.

Mission accomplish! I was so relieved.

I proudly walked into Katie's room with the mended Bobby, dress on and body parts intact. I happily and tiredly handed it to her with my strained and mangled hands, and she smiled and said thank you.

Then do you know what she said? (True story, I kid you not...)

"We need to take her dress off."

Ha. Haha. Hahahaha. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Random Musings on Football...

You're minding your own business, quietly and peacefully reading a book. You can feel the serene warmth and coziness of your surroundings as you turn the page, happily succumbing to another world... when suddenly...

A blood-curdling scream from the other room erupts and echoes through the house.

"NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"

It startles you, and as your heart recovers, you go to the other room to check it out.

What do you find? The men of your house, sitting on the edge of their couch cushions, watching football.

Sound familiar?

It's always been a mystery to me how a bunch of guys with helmets and safety gear kicking and throwing a ball around could generate such *excitement*. It's just a game!

And sure, I'm sure there are things I do that football fans would marvel over as well, wondering how on earth I could be so excited over something so trivial. To find me squealing over the perfect conditions for a photography shoot, they could easily say, "It's just a picture!" Or if I go shopping and get a little *too* excited about a really cool shirt, some people would want to assure me, "It's just clothes!"

However, I'm not exactly screaming and jumping up and down in excitement with my face painted, holding a giant foam finger. :P I don't know anyone who's *that* crazy for football, but it does sort of make you wonder...

...How life would be if extreme football fans brought that kind of enthusiasm to other parts of life...

Like the birth of their child.

"C'mon, Doc! Here it comes! Catch that baby! Catch it! YESSSSSSSSSSS!!!!"

(Something tells me his wife would need therapy...) :P

Or Church

"Go Reverend, go go go! PREACH IT!!! PREACH IT!!!!!! WOOOOOOOO!!!!!!"

Anywho... my mom and I have discovered that football is an exact science, which strictly depends on how cute the team's uniform is. :P

No, really. We've guessed which team would win according to how "cute" the uniform is, and it always works! It makes sense, though... the cuter the uniform, the more confident the players are, right? ;) LOL

But... for my dad and grandpa's sake... GO PACKERS!

Let It Snow!

Right now, my world is being invaded by white, feathery crystals falling from the sky.

SNOW!!!!!!

I feel like I'm living inside a snow globe, watching it float and swirl to the ground, accumulating into pillows of cold, icy happiness. XD

I live in Oregon. We never get snow. :P Normally it's a whole lotta this:

(Photo not mine...)

But today, we're finally getting our share of this:

There isn't a ton on the ground now, but it's building fast! It's really coming down! I can't stop looking out the window in childlike wonder as our little neighborhood is slowly overcome by white.

Earlier the little kids went outside to play in it.

...And we happened to find a vicious, rabid-looking polar bear. :O

We're lucky to have survived.

There isn't enough for a snowman yet, but by the end of the day I think we'll have a few new residents living in our front yard. I'm SO EXCITED!!!!

What I Hate About Chick Flicks!

Behold, I give thee two scenarios.

1.

It doesn't matter that they've only known each other for 3 days-- they were made for each other! Her life was nothing but a barren wasteland of dismal, gray despair before he stepped in and swept her off her size 5 heels. She doesn't need anyone else, because she found her second half, the guy who she's been searching for forever, who's charming, good-looking and the ultimate romantic, and they're going to live happily ever after.

2.

She sees him ride up on his motorcycle, his perfectly-styled hair being tousled by the wind (who needs helmets?). His presence makes women dissolve into a puddle of sighs and daydreams. Today he's sporting a black eye and a bloodied lip from the last fight he got into. "He's so emotional," she thinks dreamily, his shiner a monument to his sensitivity. They make eye contact, and her heart skips a beat. She thinks of what he's told her in the past, "You don't want to get involved with me; I'm dangerous," and it only makes her want him more.

Did these scenarios describe movies you've seen? Did they describe several movies out there?

...That's what I thought. :P

I've seen quite a few chick flicks in my time, and a lot of things about both these scenarios have always bugged me. I'll explain in more detail.

Prince Charming:

I'm not gonna lie, every girl wants this. We basically want a guy who never puts his foot in his mouth and produces no bodily functions whatsoever. We want a guy who doesn't exist. And that's probably why you can only find them in the movies. We want someone with no flaws. It's good to make the hero in the movie act human. He needs a weak spot. Not one that makes us hate him, but one that makes him more relatable.

I'm not going to say that it's impossible to find your soulmate after knowing them for a few days/weeks (My great-grandparents were married 2 weeks after they met and had one of the best marriages I've heard of!). Also, I'm not going to say it's impossible to experience "love at first sight." (It might be rare, but I believe it's happened before...) But a lot of times in these kinds of movies, there's more lust between the two characters than love; They fall in love quickly, and for the wrong reasons.

And also, sometimes it's just so darn cliche. I mean... I'm a hopeless romantic myself. I'd be over the moon if my future guy decided to give me a dozen roses, take me on a moonlit walk on the beach, or even sing to me. :) But... I almost think it's more romantic for a guy to take the time to come up with something both romantic and creative: Something special and memorable, that would mean something to the two of you. Not only do girls like this in "real life," but I think it definitely makes movies more likable, as well.

The Rebel:

Is it just me, or are more movies playing into the "Bad Boy" stereotype lately? The poor, misunderstood, "sensitive," manipulative boy who the girl has to walk on eggshells for? You know what I'm talking about. It's especially popping up in those "forbidden teen love" movies. :P

My question is... why? Why is this so appealing? The guy is a jerk. He's not "sensitive," and if you break up with him you're not "giving up on him." :P

I think a lot of movies follow the same plot line:

Boy meets girl. Boy's a jerk. Girl doesn't give up on him. Boy is misunderstood and has a dark secret from the past that girl figures out. Girl loves him through it, boy changes, they live happily ever after.

Sadly, I think it could give a lot of girls the wrong idea: They can date any "bad boy" and have the ability to change him and live happily ever after like they do in the movies. The truth is, though, that most of the time it isn't the case. Girls wind up in a lot of bad relationships due to this supposition. Bad boys are usually "bad boys" for a reason, and they can easily take advantage of that cute, naive girl whose only desire is to help "fix" him.

Now, I believe there are *some* exceptions to the rule. In "Ten Things I Hate About You," Heath Ledger's character is deemed as somewhat of a "bad boy," but he really isn't. He's a little rough around the edges, but it was rumors that scared everyone away from him. (It was a sweet movie, but I wouldn't actually recommend it because of some of the content. lol) I don't really know any other examples of this... but there could be a few occasions where this scenario actually isn't as annoying. :P

There's also one overarching problem that both examples share equally, and probably the biggest flaw out of both of them.

He might be like Prince Charming: romantic, handsome, chivalrous, witty, and handsome (did I say that one already?) ;)

Or, he might be dangerous, moody, rebellious, and exciting...

But...

Will you still love him if one day you wake up to him looking like this?

Will you be just as excited to be one day racing with him on a Hoveround instead of a motorcycle?

The thing that bothers me the most about both movie scenarios is that they're simply too... Hollywood! They're too superficial. Normally in these kinds of movies there's no real connection between the two characters, no chemistry. They simply love each other before they really know each other.

That's why I think friendship is one of the most important parts of a romantic relationship, not to mention any relationship. How can you have your "happily ever after" with someone you can't laugh with? Who you don't feel comfortable being yourself around? Who you can't imagine sharing good and bad with until you have wrinkles, age spots and beer bellies? Movies that portray that kind of "True Love" are movies that make girls go "awwww" the most (for me, anyway), because we get to witness the characters find a love that will last beyond the physical aspects of love and attraction. <3

Ok, I'm done now. There you have the drippy sentiments and wistful sighings of a hopeless romantic. Now you may either wipe your eyes or throw up, depending on which gender you belong to... :P

The inner machinations of my mind are an enigma...

Today has been hectic. I've had a million things to think about, stress over, and study for. At this point I feel totally burnt-out and brain dead. So... I thought it was a good time to take my brain of its leash and let it roam around a little.

The first thing that came to mind when I tried to think of something random was custard. Oh, man, that sounds good right now... especially if it's nice and cold. This is odd, because I didn't really think I liked custard...

I think I have a zit on my eyelid. How is that even possible? Who gets a zit... on their eyelid...? :O

I have watched the Nutcracker an insane amount of times this winter. Ever since some of my sisters were in their Nutcracker dance recital before Christmas, Katie (who's 3) has been thinking of nothing else. She's had visions of sugarplum fairies dancing in her head for far too long! Although, it is kind of cute how excited she gets over it...

We just got a new couch. It looks so... clean... compared to our old one.

My room's beginning to look like we let a rabid chimpanzee out of its cage to wreak havoc on its surroundings.

I'm wearing red skinny jeans. (DON'T JUDGE ME!) lol :P

Sometimes I think in quotes from Spongebob. (The title is proof of this)

I totally want to go in one of those wind-tunnel thingies that make you fly.

Fake cheese is soooo good.

I love my stuffed monkey from build-a-bear (Her name is Mrs. Lunky Monkey. Kenz... if you read this... do you still have Mr. Chunky Monkey???)

My finger hurts.

I think I'm going to get in trouble for not eating my broccoli. (Broccoli=EVIL)

Puppets scare me.

My feet are cold.

Ooh, I got a notification on Facebook.

My eyebrow itches.

If I don't sound crazy to people by now, then maybe everyone else is a little crazy as well. We should, like, get together and have an "insanity party" and run around like idiots. Get everyone to join in the madness!!!

Anyone else think llamas are hilarious?

Josh, if you're reading this... I'm tired. Can you tell? ;)

I need chapstick.

I'm hungry.

This post is rather entertaining to write but probably a pain in the neck to read.

Maybe I should get back to studying now. I'm think I'm scaring people. :P

Memory Monday: Slow-mo

This is one of those memories I look back on and laugh, for so many different reasons:

1. I was so naive

2. I must've looked so ridiculous...

3. WHAT WAS I THINKING?!?!

Everyone has their innocent schoolgirl crush days, where they "stalk" a boy for a couple years that barely knows you exist. You really don't have the most concrete reasons to like this kid (heck, you barely know him!), but you know you're going to marry him. *dreamysigh*

This story is centered around a kid I knew back then, who used to fit that very description.

But when I was at the young (and very impressionable) age of 8, I watched a lot of TV. I also had a very vivid imagination; and I knew just how to get his attention...

It came to me at one our parties. We were living out in Banks, and had a pretty good-sized backyard that was perfect for running around in.

juuuuust perfect.

So I seized my opportunity. My friend McKenzie was my stylist, my friend Kelsey did my hair, and I stood in absolute elegance wearing a flowery summer dress with a ponytail. Oh, and a headband. Don't forget the headband!

You know those movies when a guy is just standing there, minding his own business, when right before him runs a beautiful woman with shiny, perfect hair and a beautiful dress? His world slows down as she runs by. It's at that fateful moment their eyes meet, and he feels unworthy of her graceful presence as she actually smiles and waves at him, of all people. That smile and wave becomes his beacon of hope, and stirs up his courage enough to find her, ask for her name, and MARRY her!

That was my aim. I knew exactly what I was doing. I spotted my target near the house and started at the side of the yard, McKenzie and Kelsey cheering me on. I was like a gazelle, my twiggy legs bounding in a half-circle around the yard. The springtime air caught my dress and waved it like a banner, a lovely banner declaring my undying affections. It was at the halfway mark I looked over at him. It had worked! Our eyes met, and I sprinkled on the finishing touches with my loveliest smile and most graceful wave I could crank out. He was as good as mine!

...Or so I thought...

Because what he probably saw was a lanky girl wearing some dress she wasn't wearing a few minutes ago, running, IN SLOW MOTION, around the yard and giving him some sort of creepy smile/wave combo.

Yup... you read that right: I actually ran. In. Slow. Motion.

Of course. That's how they do it in the movies, so that's how you do it in real life, right? The effect isn't going to happen as well unless I give it a *little* coaxing, right? Wrong? Well... Ok, then.

I almost wish it somehow got videotaped so I can see how ridiculous I looked. But then again... it's probably a good thing it didn't. ;)

Guess What?

Remember that spider picture I posted a couple days ago...?

It was chosen as one of the final pictures in Discover Captivating's blog. :) *dances*

So... if you guys can click the link and vote for me on their side bar, it would be greatly appreciated!

Heaven is for Real

So last night I read a pretty interesting book... (I'm pretty sure you've all heard of it; it's a best seller!)

It's called "Heaven is for Real."

My sister got it for Christmas, and I've heard some pretty cool things about it, so I picked it up at 9:30 last night.

I didn't put it down 'till 3:30 this morning. :P

If you don't know what the book is about, Todd Burpo, a small-town pastor, writes the account of his son, Colton's claims on going to heaven and back after having an emergency operation and almost dying. For months after the surgery, Colton reavealed amazing things about heaven, and knew about things nobody could've told him (his mother's miscarriage before he was born, and his grandpa who died before he was born).

I found the book pretty interesting. However, I'm almost not sure what to think about it. Amidst the array of interesting, confused, amazed and somewhat skeptical thoughts I had in my head, two rang out the loudest:

1. Burpo is a funny last name. haha, Burpo. Burpo, Burpo, Burpo. To be honest, it kind of grosses me out. It's like "BURP, oh!" :P

and

2. Is this made-up? There are so many accounts of people saying they've "gone to heaven and back." It's easy to be kind of skeptical about a claim like that. When we watch a magic trick, what's our first reaction? How did he DO that?! I think we sort of wind up doing the same thing when God performs miracles. We want to know if there are any smoke, mirrors or trap doors before we believe that God could've actually had any hand in it. :P

But, although I was a little skeptical, as I said, there was information that Colton knew that he couldn't have known. He was also able to tell his parents exactly where they were and what they were doing during his operation. All of his accounts on God, Jesus and heaven were all lined up with scripture (he wasn't saying anything that would give the book away as a made-up account).

Aside from the surrounding controvery of this book, it definitely makes you think. Sure, I've thought about heaven before, but not really in too much detail. It's hard to imagine how amazing any location is if you haven't been there. I've never been to Ireland, but people tell me it's beautiful. So, I guess as the title suggests, the book made heaven more real to me. I was able to imagine for a second how wonderful it must be (and how much more amazing it is compared to my human imagination)!

Have any of you read the book? If so, what are your thoughts?

Challenge Accepted!

"Enter ALL the contests!"

Ok, ok, last one... I just couldn't help myself. :)

I love photography with Bokeh so I just had to enter this one!
It's a contest at Discover Captivating

Theme: Bokeh

My Entry:

Contests, Contests Contests... XD

I've discovered all these awesomely fun photo contests on blogger! :)

I think I'm getting hooked...

"Lucia, Etc." is having a photo contest. :)

Theme: "The Little Things."

My entry:

Yup, that's a snake. :) Typical boy, right?

Go check out the contest here:

"A Ray of Sunshine." Is also having a photo contest! XD

Theme: Winter

My Entry:

This one's probably one of my favorites that I've taken. haha :)

Go check out the blog here:

I've also discovered one at "Shutter Happy." (Love the name. :)

Theme: Everything

My entry:

Now don't just sit there... take a look at her contest!

Happy shooting. :)

(That could either come across as funny, or seriously demented-sounding...)