Minds are like parachutes - they only function when open. - Thomas Dewar

Black Friday shopping. Oh my.

Now, growing up, we never went Black Friday shopping. We stayed in, and set up one of our two Christmas trees. We ate cookies, relaxed. Dad watched football, and normally the rest of us (my brother, sister, my mom and myself) played an extremely aggresive game of Monopoly. If you think Monopoply cannot be a competitive sport... just play with my family. We are serious opponents. It becomes a 3 day feud. At night (after hours and hours of playing) we write down everyone's money count, property count, and whose turn is next on a sheet of paper, only to return the next morning with our most combative game faces. I think we all secretly lie in bed, listening. Listening for foot steps of another opponent trying to sabatoge the game. Trying to get one up on us. Thoughts race through our head like "man, it tooks me 3 times around the board to finally get BoardWalk, they better not try to switch it for Park Place!" or, "Maybe I should trade Ema Kentucky Avenue for the Electric Company. Oh wait, then she will have all three and totally dominate the game. No, I should stick to Steve and trade him Short Line Railroad for Water Works. Oh thats the perfect trade!" and tomorrow just can't come fast enough to make the deal. Its serious.

Well, the past few years, my brother joined the Air Force, Ema went to college, and I got a dern take-up-all-your-time job, and 3 day Monopoly squabbles have become just short 2 hour games. Although, they are just as aggresive.

This year, Steve wasn't able to come home, and Mandy, Ema and I all went out Black Friday shopping. And oh boy, was it something. The outlets, where we shopped, opened 12 AM on Thursday night. Amanda and I were in line at Old Navy for and hour and a half before they opened. They gave out little bracelets for the first people in line to get a free Wii, PS3, or Xbox game. However, Mandy and I both forgot to claim our prizes. This is us, outside Old Navy, you can see the lune behind us, but thats barely anything... The line went on, for pretty much... well.... forever.

You can see my game bracelet =] Oh, the deals were so good. We didn't get home until 4AM!! Mandy and I began "Tired Laughing". It is terminology we came up with, its when we laugh so hard at nothing that is at all humorous, but we just can't help ourselves. We are in such a state of exhaustion, we find the dumbest things funny...seriously, the dumbest things. Anyways, I found the most amazing deals, and have now decided that I am Black Friday shopping every year!! However, the only downfall I find about this... No, it isn't the pushy crowds, or the zero parking, or the bad attitude sales associates, not even being overly exhausted the next day, its the fact the everything that falls into my shopping basket is EXACTLY my size, and favorite color. I don't know how it happens, but it makes it absolutely i.m.p.o.s.s.i.b.l.e to Christmas shop. How was everyone else's Black Friday?? Any horror stories??

"Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, I don't feel I should be doing something else." -Steinham

Finally!! I have pictures of the absolutely GORGEOUS masterpieces I created yesterday!! I didn't get any pictures of Mandy's (sorry!) But, here are a few of mine.

Sorry for all them not all being in a straight center line, I tried my best. Now, the middle necklace, its a little hard to tell, but it is actually purple beads! I mean, bright purple.

I am so proud of myself!! I feel like I just got honor roll or something. I am not even kidding. I have that giddy little feeling of complete self-admiration. Like when you make honor roll, and you get that cool little bumper sticker that reads "my child is a honor roll student at ____________ elementary school". Well, my school was way to poor and cheap to give out those awesome little bumper stickers, but I am sure if they did, an abundance of kids would be busting their tails every night studying just trying to achieve one. I can't wait until our next beading day.

Anyways, I know I have been talking about this movie for now my [[2nd]] blog post, but

number 1- I stinking LOVE "He's just not that into you". I believe it should be intructed in every young girls head at an early age...There are wayyy to many flipped-out, demented, possesive girls out there, that ruin what little faith the male breed has in us.

number 2- I have been told (by quite a few people, basically just girls I grew up with that are in love with the movie also) that I look like Ginnifer Goodwin.

and then...of course... there is little ol' me

So, what are we thinking guys? Genifer Goodwin's look-a-like (I should move to Hollywood and start scamming =]) or a total original?

If a guy doesn't call you, he doesn't want to call you. -Alex "He's just not that into you"

Ah Amanda,

my beading partner,

my fellow SuperHero,

my amazing friend.

I love this girl to death!!

Today was our beading day. We sat for hours just creating our remarkable jewels. My sister sat in my dad's great big Redskins chair (blogging I am sure) just listening to us giggle, and talk about abosolutely nothing important. I came out with 3 new necklaces and a bracelet, Mandy revealed 2 neclaces and a bracelet. The jewlery that we made was not little "kiddie stuff" everyone at work is predicting we will create, but actually Swavroski crystal beads. Like, we went all out, hardcore, with professional looking beads. It was hours and hours of veiwing a microscopic metal thread, and trying to put a teeny weeny little seed bead on it. Also, it was more hours and hours of loosing beads all over the floor, stabbing myself with crimping beads (after you "crimp" them, those edges are sharp!) and having an absolutely amazing time. It was such a relazing day! We watched "he's just not that into you", (which I now believe should be a required curriculum in all schools due to the amount of stupid girls in this world who can't take a hint, and make the entire female race look psychotic). I am really excited about turning this into my new huge hobby. I have this thing for getting super stoked about something, then it slowly drifts off. But not beading. I swear, I had dreams about beads! This is a hobby I hope to continue for a LONGG time (or at least until Mandy and I find there isn't anything more to laugh at) Oh, and that whole "fellow super hero" thing, it wasn't just a random stupid fact, we were BatGirl and SuperGirl for halloween =] My bead organizer is about empty, and I hear Michaels calling for at least 1 more little bead spree. "Bead Spree: Spending all your money walking aimlessly through the radiant isles full of twinkling beads just shouting for me to put them in my little shopping basket." If any of you try this new hobby, trust me, you will get addicted. Its a little like blogging, once you start you just can't stop. Now, instead of going through the day hoping that a astounding occurance will happen that I can blab about, I am constantly looking at the little sparkling ornaments hanging around a womans neck, or dangling from her ears. I think about how to make them, where to find similar beads, and how to make it a little more unique. Not only is all the running through my mind, but now, at the same time, blogging is running through my mind. Such as, little enhanced words, that would make my blog more interesting to read, and the little events in life, how can I make them more distingushing and appealing? Maybe, just maybe... I should start focusing my random dancing thoughts on my career goals, and where I want to be in 5 years..... Nahhh, I'd rather envision Beading and Blogging. =]

let go of what kills you, and hold onto what keeping you breathing. -Annonymous

My first post with my new signature! Make sure you look at it! I have such a talented sister, I gave her the most confusing and vague description of how I envisioned my blog, and she ran with it. It looks AMAZING and totally my style!



This is the style I chose for my hair. Totally cute right?

"Fringy" straight across bangs.

I cant wait, its going to be so great. The only problem I think I may encounter is rainy days. They are already my enemy. I also want some layers around my face.
My incredibly talented mother normally is the O.N.L.Y person I let touch my hair, however, with her incredibly busy schedule, I'm not sure when she will find the time. So, my plan is to sit in a hairdresser's chair, and let a stranger I don't trust go at it. However, the lady I have chosen for the task, has amazing hair that she does herself. When I say amazing, I mean, taking time away from my tables on a insanely busy Friday night just to stare at her hair in complete admiration/envy. I intend on keeping the length. I am not nervy enough to chop it off into an adorable bob yet.





Next, I would like to discuss my next topic. Beading. Yes, Beading. My very good friend Mandy (a soon to be blogger) and I became fascinated by the small bead isle in Wal-Mart. Amanda first brought to me the idea of beading when a student in her class used it as her topic for a demonstration speech... Then, she saw the isle. Then, she showed it to me. It all just fell into place from there. We went bead shopping together, and bought all of our basics. ((Thank you Michaels Craft Store for robbing me of all my money!!)) Then, we bought a few beads, with two pendants each to get ourselves started. Tomorrow is that day, that we will break our necks leaning over a table, and straining our eyes looking for the holes in the beads. Oh, but it will be fun =]



Ahh, well, I have a cold, and really should be getting to sleep. But please, let me know, if you bead also, and give me some ideas! Also, give me so feedback on my new hairstyle, and my amazing signature!

The purpose of Live is to Live it.-Eleanor Roosevelt

Through the various blogs I was reading, I came across one stating

"blogging is like crack"
Whoever said that is SOOOO right. I go through the day just hoping something will happen that I can post about. I make up sentences in my head. I think about blog layouts, and cute amusing blog titles. Unfortunately, my life is so taken over by work right now, it is almost impossible to find anything to write about other than bad tippers. My mom and I were telling one of my friends about blogging. She would love to start a blog, but does not know what to write about. My mom pointed out, the blogs I read, are about normal, everyday boring things, that so many of ourselves completely captivating. After thinking and hoping something worth writing about would happen today...nothing came up. So, I am going to share a few things I [[.l.o.v.e.]]. First things first. The quote I have above, is something I live for. Just live life, without regrets, and make the most of it, now... onto my list.

Number One- My zebra print flat iron
Her name is Michelle, Yes, I named her. I drive my mother absolutely insane every time I say "Mom did you ask Michelle if she wanted to be woken up (taken out of the closet) and put to work (flat ironing her hair). She is the BEST straightener I have EVER had, plus she is zebra, so she deserved a name, and a personality.

Number Two- Colgate Wisps
Have you tried these bad boys yet? They come in a pack of 16. They are bangin! They have cinnamon, wintermint, and spearmint (my personal fav.) It seriously feels like you just brushed your teeth. I keep these in my purse and in my glove box. I LOVE them. They have a little bit of scope or something in the middle. Also, it is lasting fresh breath, not just a 15 minute picker-upper.

Number Three- Eiffel Tower

This place is just seriously gorgeous. I want to visit there more than anything in this world! For some reason, I imagine everything is in black and white in this town. I mean, EVERYTHING. The people are in black and white, the street lamps are white with a light shade of grey around them, I don't know why I think of Paris this way, but I always have.

Number Four- Leave-In split end treatment
ok, this stuff, Whoaaa there buddyyy!! Its ama-za-zing (if you have ever seen The BenchWarmers, I laughed hystarically for 12 minutes at that part) It always leaves my hair silky smooth, but don't put too much in. It will feel like there is a film over top of it. I only like using it on my wet hair, I think when you use it on dry hair, it gets that "filmy feel", hopefully, you guys can relate to that "filmy feel" because I am totally making that description up, hoping someone will understand it. It smells awesome, and I really like it so much, I don't even want to TRY other leave in treatments right now.

Number Five- Fall
I am a total summer girl, I mean all out. I live only 30 minutes away from the beach, and am there as many days as I can throughout the summer. But let me tell you what, I am so blessed to have grown up in an area where I can experience all four seasons! Fall, in my opinion, happens to be the most picturesque (I used thesaurus on that one) As nerdy as it may sound, fall even smells different, just cleaner, and more homey (they would translate into comforting in "Ana language") I love this season, it comes with hayrides, bonfires, haunted houses, just everything.

Beauty is a short-lived tyranny. -Socrates

I am dyinggg for a new hair cut!! My hair is pretty long (Middle of my shoulder blades) and CURLY. When I say curly, I mean.... pathetically curly. It is very similar to the briers, baby tress and brush you see in along the forest floor. Just.... everywhere. I get, quite frequently, about how "lucky" I am. Are these people crazy? Its like wrestling a wild bull to the ground every morning!! Women pay $60-80 dollars a month for a perm?!? Its like paying good money for bad hair days...

[[EVERY STINKIN DAY!]]

I straighten my hair, as frequently as possible, however, because of its length, thickness, and disobedience, it takes me forever. I would .LOVE.LOVE.LOVE. a cute hair style that is manageable, and still the length I have. I am quite picky about my hair. So, here are a few ideas I threw out, maybe [[.straight across bangs..]]?

My sister says straight bangs are a no-go in her book. So, i started thinking, I really want something different, the cute little bobs, are out. Number 1, I NEED my ponytails. Number 2,it seems as if everyone has them now. I would love to be daring for something a little like...
But... Come on now, lets just be a little .realistic. I am NOT that daring. So, what about side bangs? I know they are kinda "out", but they are so darn cute, and EASY.
Too out of date? Too out of style? Is everyone sick of side bangs? I know it should be what I want, but i just have no idea. My mind is blank!! So please, leave some comments. Give me some guidience. My poor hair is tired of being unruly, barbarious, and untamed [[curly]].

I am not interested in money. I just want to be wonderful. -Marilyn Monroe

So, this may not be my completely, totally exciting event, but it sure made my day. My wonderful father built me this awesome/amazing bookshelf. I am totally excited about it. It is glossy black, to go along with the theme of my room. I have three white walls, and the opossing wall of this bookshelf is black. It has a HUGE picture of Audrey Hepburn in black and white hanging about my bed. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE my bookshelf. It completes my room. Such a silly thing to be excited about, but I just cant help it! =] So, forget the procrastination, here is a picture. It is reversed because I took it with a webcam, not because I am an idiot who though it would be cool to write "Live Laugh Love" backwards =]

The most important thing is to enjoy life - to be happy - that's all that matters.-A.Hepburn

Well, my wonderful sister has put together such an amazing blog for me! My blog is up and beautiful, so now I think it is time for me to start blogging. Truth is, I didn’t know how to, I was waiting for some huge awesome event to happen so I could have a super awesome first post. Well, that event hasn’t happened yet, so I figured I’d tell a little about myself and what I hope to blog about. I’m just a 20 year old girl, living and loving life to the fullest. I am a waitress, and boy, does that job teach you patience =] I am also a student.

I’m a Huge fan of Taylor Swift!! I actually just bought the new CD the other day, and am hoping for concert tickets for Christmas (hint hint)



I also LOVE LOVE LOVE shoes. The only problem (as silly as this may sound) is my height. I am about 5’5, and hate feeling like I am “towering” over people. But these are my absolute favorite pair in my closet right now.




I also love all things Audrey Hepburn. The pearls, the simplicity, the classiness (I hope that’s a word). I adore that time period.



Such a classic picture... Well I am hoping that this super-fantastic exciting event will happen soon, so I will have more interesting things to blog about.