Friday, July 31, 2015

fabulous friday // internet finds

This week is super crazy (a family conference and family visiting and then our car's air conditioner busted and was put in the shop and so we only have one car -- which we do not all fit into -- so it's been a challenge trying to pick who's going and who's staying and who's staying all day and who's coming home and who's driving and so on and so forth. it's a lot worse than it sounds, trust me.) so I'm going light. Here are a few random things I've found on the internet in the past week-ish.

100 Vintage Travel Posters That Will Make You Want To Travel Around The World

How To Stay Productive When Working At Home

Personal Favorite Photos of the Week: This // This // This // This

Something That Really Hit Home

Photo Inspiration

Thursday, July 30, 2015

30/52 (part two) - July 25th // here comes the ... end of summer.


 I don't mean to over-do the pool pics, but last year I took so few I really wanted to up my game, because hey, the pool is a huge part of our summer, and I don't want to miss out on a great chance because I'm scared of dropping my camera in the pool (I want a new one anyway.)


Enjoy summer! It's almost over!!

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

30/52 (part one) - July 22nd : sunset

We were driving to a friend's house wednesday night after prayer meeting for a party and the sunset was so gorgeous and the weather was so beautiful and paul simon was so pleasant *coughcough* so I took a picture. sorry about mr big-head-little-body over there. it is kentucky, after all.

Friday, July 24, 2015

fabulous friday // photography contest

So I've been (more or less) seriously toying with the idea of entering the HSLDA photography contest. I mean, there are some really great photographers out there!! But I do think the experience would be good, so I'm thinking about entering two of the following pictures...I'm just not sure which two, yet. (tell me which ones you like best in the comments!)







...the theme is "in the moment."

Thursday, July 23, 2015

29/52 (part two) - July 18th : Donuts

 One of the biggest things we (as a family) miss about california are the donuts. A year or two ago a donut place moved in about 15 minutes away (!!!) which is a long way to go, but at least it's something. So I've really abused my sister's driver's licence this year and have made her get me up at 6:30 (which is no small task, believe you me.) and take me to get donuts. Now that I have money, I'm also abusing that. But I don't know, it's not that expensive and then I come home and dump three boxes of donuts on the table and make coffee hang out and have deep conversation (haha) and what better start to a day is that? Besides, what better thing do I have to spend my money on??







Pro tip: the apple fritters at State Donuts are pure bliss. they're perfect.

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

29/52 (part one) - July 17th // before the sun goes down

Her hair. Like, can you feel the heat, or what? After lots and lots of rain (and mugginess,) ten inches about average, I was told, we got some regular heat (which is very different from storm heat. storm heat comes on really fast and explodes in humidity even though the temperature is low, and then all of a sudden a storm explodes over your head.) At least this way we can swim, I guess. I can't believe it's almost August. Not to be cliched, but where has the time gone? (Baby, it's all wrong...My life could totally be a musical.)

Evening is the only time we can really go outside to just relax (besides getting heat stroke in the pool,) so I try to make the most of it. After I come home from babysitting, grab something to eat, and head out to the deck with a good book (and chocolate, in this case.)



listening// New Constellation by Toad the Wet Sprocket & Sovereign Lights Cafe by Keane


Friday, July 17, 2015

fabulous friday : what I'm up to

So, I haven't done one of these in a long time (since April, to be exact,) so I thought I'd give it another go.

reading//Tale of Two Cities (verrrrry sloooowly.)

watching//Twilight Zones. We're in season three.

listening//Just found the wonders of spotify (when grooveshark closed down a few months ago.) I absolutely love their radio stations. so.

up we go (LIGHTS)
when can I see you again? (owl city)
new constellation (toad the wet sprocket)
Sovereign Light Cafe (Keane)

wearing//lots of amazingly comfortable clothes. I really need to do a fashion post or two.

looking forward to//Fall. School starting again. (but not biology.)

shopping//guys I really really want to go to Plato's Closet...

pinning//lots and lots of photography inspiration

loving//ice tea with cream. weird, I know. but it taste like a latte. also, white chocolate raspberry iced coffee. (the dude working at the coffee shop may or may not know my order by now. okay, he definitely does, but he always pretends he doesn't and I'm like, noah, I know you recognize me. just sayin'.)

Also, funny little awkward story (two, actually:) So, first off I turned on the wrong burner at my employer's house (dude like I just babysit. employer sounds a little over-rated...) and so like it burned the inside of their muffin box and I felt kinda stupid...

But then she called me on the phone and at the end like, she was all, bye! and in my head I was saying, see you later (like that's what we always say to each other...) but instead out loud I replied to my own thought so I was like, you too. and then I was like, what?! like, right there to the phone. and then I just put my hand over my mouth and told myself to shut up to keep myself from saying anything else. it was just one of those days.



Thursday, July 16, 2015

28/52 (part two) - July 11th : Poolness




So back when we lived in california we knew this family (they lived on our street and we went to the same church along with their next door neighbor) and we were pretty close and then we moved away and we both moved on with our lives. Well, then one of their kids just got married in Santa Cruz (on the beach, which was my mom's dream.) and looking at the pictures just makes me so homesick. Take me back, before we all explode, before we turned to stone, before the light is gone.

Take me back.

listening//These Days (Take That)

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

28/52 (part one) - July 6th : Camping

So last week (Monday night - Tuesday morning) I took a little break and went camping in my friend's backyard (with some other girls she knew and I had met.) They were the sweetest bunch and I was so surprised at how much we had in common. It was seriously a beautiful night (and following morning.) One of those times you can just tell you're creating memories & so you kind of want to hold on to it. You don't want it to end, just so you can taste it a little bit more. Right now I'm listening to Shoulder to Shoulder by Rogue Valley. If you have not heard it, go give it a listen. It's definitely a song for camping at dusk.









We topped the night off with Studio C videos. I mean, but really. this is an awesome group of girls, here. They quote almost as much as my siblings and I do and it was like we have been living in the same world, without ever seeing each other and it was so weird to find someone (much less multiple people) who had so much in common with me, but weren't like,  family members or close friends...
Also, would it be weird for me to say, when camping, the blue hour is the absolute BEST??

Friday, July 10, 2015

fabulous friday - if we never had change, we'd never come love life.


Last Sunday, I was sitting there with my notebook in front of me and for some reason a watermelon popped into my head and for some reason I drew a little watermelon's circle of life. Part of being an artist for me is never recreating the same thing twice. It's just kind of a little rule I have. It makes art that much more unique, ya know? So I wish I had done it in my art journal, but I didn't. I did it in my sermon notebook. And that's okay. I have quiet a few doodles lining the pages of my sermon notebooks. This one I felt was especially creative, though.

Anyway, it's gotten me thinking about life. For the past two years or so our pastor has been doing a series on Ecclesiastes. It's been so good. And we're reaching the end. (Nothing gold can stay, right?) But it's made me do a lot of thinking about life and changing. Change is exciting sometimes. Change is often not chosen (I can't help that my grandfather has gotten cancer.) Change is sometime chosen, though (e.g. changing jobs.) Change can be sudden, change can be gradual.

Change can be a negative thing, but sometimes when you get far enough away you see it as a blessing in disguise.

And sometimes positive change turns to negative change.

Sometimes change is just how we view it, though. Right now, I'm having a love-hate relationship with change.

I think, all in all, change is good for us. Hard at times, sad at times, awesome at times, but in the end, it's for our good. If we never had any change, we would live very dull lives. Extremely dull. We would never hope, we would never grow, we could never anything. I mean, life wouldn't really even work. But change is hard and it's inconsistent. If change is good, we thank God. If change is bad, well, it makes us long for heaven all the more. So, I guess you could say change is good. At very least, God has placed change in our lives for a reason (a reason that won't change, because we have a consistent God,) and whatever that reason is, I'm going to trust in him. Put my trust, my hope, and my belief in Him. Because without Him, what have we to hope for? Without Him life is vanity of vanities, and devoid of all hope for the future.

" 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'Plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' "  - Jeremiah 25:11

Thursday, July 9, 2015

27/52 (part two) - June 30th : Soccer!

Every tuesday (for six weeks this summer) two of my younger siblings are playing soccer at the Y. They are so darling. Seriously, how cute is this??
I just came back from a camp out in my friend's backyard and I am so dang tired my brain is at a loss for words. Enjoy summer!