life starts now

This summer is blending into a blur of something and nothing to do, punctuated by ideas and inaction. With music, tears, epic times and stories to be told at the seams.

I've changed this summer. For the better.
My last year at camp, many of my friends having graduated and there is a future growing more prevalent to worry about.
Things have changed.

I haven't been on blogger as much as usual, as much as I used to.
Ever since summer started I don't think I've checked my feed much. In fact, I'm irredeemably behind.

I'm excited and afraid of a new school year, of college classes.
Afraid of my own failure and math.
Excited to learn.
Afraid of how much everything costs.
Excited to almost be done.
Afraid of my computer's continued downward spiral.
Excited to grow.

So I leave you, not with apologies and excuses for not keeping up or writing - because I don't think anyone much of notices anyway - but with a song.

you say you feel so down
every time I turn around
you say you should've been gone by now
you think that everything's wrong
ask me how to carry on
we'll make it through
another day
just hold on

'cause life starts now
you've done all the things
that could kill you somehow
and you'r'e so far down
but you will survive it somehow
because life starts now

I hate to see you fall down
I'll pick you up off the ground
I've watched the weight of your world come down
and now it's your chance to move on
change the way you've lived for so long
find the strength you've had inside all along

'cause life starts now
you've done all the things
that could kill you somehow
and you'r'e so far down
but you will survive it somehow
because life starts now

all this pain
take this life and make it yours
all this hate
take your heart and let it love again
you will survive this somehow

life starts now

you've done all the things
that could kill you somehow
and you're so far down

life starts now

you've done all the things
that could kill you somehow
and you're so far down

life starts now

music and lyrics copyright Three Days Grace

thankful

Thanksgiving. Here it is again. That time of year.

Most of you are probably spending this time with a number of friends and family, and a meal that has been slaved over for the past few days.

Normally, we don't do anything like that in my family. My extended family all lives hours, if not states, away so we keep things pretty low key.

It's kind of the belief that we should spend time together, instead of separate doing hours of cooking for a 10 minute meal.

 Usually at Thanksgiving if we have a turkey we've made it several days beforehand, and have sandwiches. If we don't have turkey, we usually have pizza, which is fine with me! (super crazy pizza lover here)

This year however, we are going to drive a couple hours to the abode of a family friend who invited us for the holiday. I'm excited! I think of them as family and am looking forward to visiting.

So what am I thankful for? Well...honestly, everything.

I know it's kind of a cliche and easy to say answer but it's true.

The good and the bad all work together for the glory of Him who holds it all, do they not?

Even when bad things happen, and we cannot see the reason in them beyond the sorrow of the moment, the good and the bad are how we grow, how we live.

And I am thankful for life.

17 Random Factoids

{1} I want to go to Scotland. Really Bad.

{2} Number two last year involved my statement that I'm "not a pink girl". I can now say while I'm still not big into girly pinks, I do like pink again...guess it just kind of came full circle.

{3} I'm currently head over heels for blue nailpolish. Yeah.

{4} I think with a British accent (still true and still weird...still don't know how it's possible)

{5} Last year M&M's were my favorite candy. They're not anymore. Now, its the good stuff. I'm talkin' Lindt's Lindor Truffles. Especially the one's with the light blue wrap.

{6} I long for a new camera. A better camera. More than a point - and - shoot camera. Preferably something with Nikon on it. (Specifically, this one)

{7} I don't read as much as I used to.

{8} I love the Disney show Phineas & Ferb.

{9} TWLOHA is the best organization ever. And I love them.

{10} The concept of driving freaks me out.

{11} Writing is a way of life.

{12} I am much nerdier / geekier / dorkier than I used to be. Thor, Captain America, The Avengers, Star Trek, LOTR. Totally. Loving It.

{13} I cannot live without my iPod Touch.

{14} I still don't wear dresses...though I do now own one...that I made...its kind of a dress.

{15} I am utterly addicted to Pinterest. Follow if you are too! pinterest.com/the_siriana.

{16} I have the most awesome and amazing best friends in the world.
I'm talkin about you guys, Lauren, Eric, Amanda and Nicole!

{17} I have the most amazing family and we live in the most gorgeous place.

As of Late

I figure I should do something to keep all you people updated.

It's been the usual for me...a ton of stuff going on but at the same time nothing going on.

I started drivers ed a few weeks ago, officially.

Went and got my learners permit and signed up.

I'm taking it with one of my best friends, Savanah, so that's a plus.

But aside from that, I'm definitely ready to be done!

Don't get me wrong, I've learned a TON (had only driven a couple times before class started) and the teacher is good.

The thing is, its three days a week for six weeks, in a town about 50 miles away, over the curviest mountain pass I've ever been on in Washington.

Yeah.

Have I ever mentioned I used to get car sick a lot when I was younger?

'Cause I did. Quite a bit. And going over those curves day after day is nausea city for me!

Though luckily I have yet to actually get sick. Only feel really ill.

Officially half way done with drivers ed though! Few more weeks to go and we'll be done!

I haven't officially started school yet. I'm working on math but my college classes don't start until the end of the month. Ironically, (and thankfully) they start with only a few days of drivers ed left.

Works out nicely!

Other than that, fall has come to my little neck of the woods.

And. I. Love it.

Fall is my favorite season by far. I'm not sure why, maybe because I'm an autumn - born child, but I absolutely adore autumn.

The smell, the breeze, the changing colors. Ah, love it. Makes me feel alive.

Hope you're all well...even if school has started ;-) 

Camp :: The Recap :: Part 1

So I'm sure you're all wondering...about camp I mean!

Camp, as those of you who follow my twitter (@The_Siriana) would know, was EPICALLY AWESOME!

Since it was so epic, this will be the first of a few posts (so that its not one LONG run on one) recapping this years awesomeness. 

Way back last year, a friend of my friend who had only ever heard about camp started calling it the Jesus Party of Awesome, and the name has stuck! Stuck so much that on twitter I even made it its own hashtag / topic #JesusPartyOfAwesome.

Want to know just how epic camp is?

See for yourself!!


YouTube, gotta love it!

Pooky Across the Country

One of my best friends and her family have been driving all over the country for the past couple months. 

And guess what?? They even let me help them set up a blog to keep everyone back home updated. 

You can check it out: The Covered Wagon - The Christman Family from West to East

Last year when they started planning we jokingly discussed that I should come along...but that just wasn't possible because of a few different things.

First, they departed before I was done with school.

Second, I had a lot of commitments in the month of July: fireworks booth and OH YEAH, of course camp.

And third...I get carsick...

So all that aside, I was kind of bummed I wasn't coming along.

But, to make up for the fact that I couldn't join them, I sent along someone in my stead. Someone cute, furry and very important to me.

My key-chain teddy bear...Pooky. 

(yes, I am a Garfield fan)

Of course, I wanted pictures. Lots of pictures. Pictures of Pooky everywhere. 

I'll caption what I can and the rest, well you can figure out where he's at! 

{ pooky at pioneer thing? }

 Now, I'm not sure but I think this is a pioneer trailhead / memorial thing.

{ pooky & mercy }

 A few weeks before they left, Angi (my friend Savanah's mom) had the baby, little girl Mercy!

{ pooky at the rest stop - pretty self explanatory }

{ pooky...somewhere...I'm thinking maybe Yellowstone }

{ pooky at the creamery in montana }

 While they were in Montana, they discovered a really great homemade ice cream shop. Apparently, best ice cream ever. {click here for the post}

{ pooky hitchin' a ride }

{ pooky at old faithful? }

{ pooky at yellowstone }

{ pooky and the skull }

 I'm not entirely sure, but I believe the pooky and the skull pic is from Yellowstone as well...though it may possibly be from the ranch the visited in Montana.

{ pooky on the yellowstone map }

 Pooky ON THE MAP. {click here for the post}

{ pooky at yellowstone }

{ pooky hitchin' a ride }

 From the looks of it, this has been Pooky's mode of transportation during the trip! Hitchin' a ride on Savanah's belt loop.

{ pooky at st. pauls cathedral }
{click here for the post}

{ ? }

 I happen to have no idea where that picture is taken! haha
Though I guess if I googled the zoo I'm sure I could find out...

{ pooky and floyd }

 Now this picture...where do I begin...
When I first received the e-mail with the pictures I looked at most of them on my iPod.
Including this one.
And at first glance, I was wondering why they had sent this as a Pooky picture. I couldn't see him anywhere in it.
Then, why my mom wanted to see the pictures I pulled up the e-mail on my laptop, hooked the computer up to the tv and started the slideshow.
Needless to say, I didn't miss it the second time!

{ pooky at lake michigan }

{ pooky and jesse }
{click here for post}

{ pooky at lake michigan }

{ still at lake michigan? }

{ pooky at...NIAGRA FALLS }

 When I sent Pooky off with Savanah and her family, I warned her to be very careful with my bear, as he was special.

You can imagine my squeal at these pictures!! {click here for post}

{ pooky dangling over niagra falls }

{ pooky dangling over niagra falls!!! }

{ pooky at Niagra falls }

 I think this is my favorite picture out of all of them. So pretty!

{ pooky hitchin' a ride }

{ pooky - somewhere in new york }

 I'm not sure but I think this is Liberty or Ellis Island...because I  know the pictures are from their excursion to the Statue of Liberty.  {click here for post}

{ pooky in new york }

{  pooky at the statue of liberty }

{ pooky at the statue of liberty }

{ pooky ON the statue of liberty }

{ pooky the destroyer }

Thanks Christman family! Love and miss you guys! 

{ family picture - with pooky }

What's the Strangest Thing You've Ever Received in the Mail?

To say the least, I honestly never thought my answer to that question would be "a turkey" but it is!

Earlier last week, we received two large packages via our local post office from a food service company.

Now, I guess I should explain, we've never had a traditional Christmas or Thanksgiving meal.
We figure that instead of spending hours and hours on an elaborate meal that is going to be consumed in a mere matter of minutes, that we should instead spend that time together as a family doing things that we enjoy doing together. And so, only a few times have we had turkey on thanksgiving (usually only when we've won one from our local market, or had one given to us) and when we have either ham or turkey on Thanksgiving or Christmas we cook it the day before so that we don't have to spend a bunch of time in the kitchen the next day.
I guess another reason for our lack of the elaborate Christmas and Thanksgiving meal is that my mom and I, we're just not the most culinary inclined people...which is to say, we're really not that good of cooks.

But I like that, its how its always been for us and I'd rather be able to spend time doing things and having fun with my family then figuring out something to do on my own because everybody is rushing around preparing a meal or somesuchedness.

Now, our friends and family know thats how we are, and so, we were joyously surprised last week to have received a fully cooked and packaged smoked turkey and a platter of other yummies as our Christmas gift from some wonderful friends of ours! The thought is just so wonderful, and we are definitely going to enjoy it!

So a definite, exuberant thanks to Suzanne, Bruce, Laurence, and Caitlin!!!
Hope you guys have a wonderful Christmas, thanks for the gift!

Whats the most strange, or unexpected thing you've ever received in the mail?
Comment below or link up a post and let me know!

The Difference Between Boys And Girls

There are more than just the obvious differences between the male and female of the human species...

Some are harder to notice, and can only be found by the most keen and observant person.

For example...when chatting on one of the various social networking sites, or through your e-mail provider, a extreme difference in chatting habits...

Where a girl will just say "brb" (be right back) when she has to leave the chat, a guy will go to this length:
"hold on a sec i got to go to the bathroom"

When a girl gets back, she'll simply say:
"back"

When the guy gets back its:
"all better!!!"