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 }

Etsy Lovelies

As many of you may know by now - from all my different posts about Etsy - that I absolutely adore Etsy. You never know what you're going to find. Its just full of crazy, talented people with a vast array of skills.

And on Friday I found a shop to add to my favorites: Tribal Style.

These Organic Earrings are all handmade for regular pierced ears.
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TribalStyle is a place where cultural tribal adornment meets modern day life. I have taken earrings that were originally made for gauged ears, split them and inserted a sterling silver post. Making them available for people who have always admired this tribal style, but could not make the commitment of stretching their ears.

The materials used are all natural and eco-friendly.
The earrings are made from wood, coconut, and salvaged bone and horn. The bone and horn used to hand-carve these tribal earrings are from a domesticated water buffalo used for cultivation and food. To minimize waste, they are respectfully used for this form of art and income.

How COOL is that???

Personally, I love them. And if there's any doubt in your mind about the awesomeness, just wait 'til you see some my favorites!!!

Originally when I saw all of these I was going to purchase the first pair pictured.
I'm kind of allergic to metal and can really only wear earrings with gold hooks / studs (I do wear other earrings, and surgical steel isn't too bad but I can't wear other metals frequently) so I'm excited to try a wood alternative.

But sadly, someone snatched that pair up before I could click 'buy' and so I settled for my second favorite, that, while slightly more expensive, I am just as excited about!

They should be coming in sometime this week. Full review coming soon!

(though the review may be a bit delayed depending on just how close they arrive to when I'm departing for camp)

New Blogger Dashboard?

So, I've noticed (well it is rather hard to miss) that Blogger has almost completely changed the look of the dashboard.


At first it was frustrating for me. And I didn't really like it. Kind of hard to navigate first time around.


But I've blogged a few times now using the new set - up, and I have to say; I think I like it. 


The color scheme is more simple, elegant. 
And if you think about it, everything is actually easier to find; it just takes some time to adjust after being used to something completely different that was around for so long.


So what do you guys think? Bring back the old Blogger, or in with the new?

Jungle Cat

At the end of last month the garden was really starting to bloom and I decided to head out and take some pictures.

I was rather frustrated by the end of my photo - session, we only have a 7mp point-and-shoot camera and it tends to irk me when I can't take the pictures I want...oh how I long for a nice Nikon.

But despite my camera - woes here are the pictures I managed to take:

{ these flowers are a relative of the carnation - their actual name totally escapes me }

{ snow on the mountain }

 These are some of my favorite flowers ever, snow on the mountain. They're an absolutely gorgeous ground cover! They also happen to smell really good!

{ rock wall }

 I think I might've posted about this before, but last year a team of kids came up from a close-by Bible camp to do service projects and help in the community. Three wonderful girls helped my family build this rock wall so that we could level our yard. It turned out rather well I think.

{ snow on the mountain - on the rocks }

{ snow on the mountain }

{ snow on the mountain }

{snow on the mountain - on the rocks }

{ lupin }

 It was really hard for me to get a good picture of our purple lupin. The woes of a point and shoot camera; auto focus. bleck.

Most of our lupin actually didn't make it this spring, we've had a really bad aphid problem.
And I mean bad.
Some of the aphids were actually bigger than the ladybugs!

{ paws }

 Ah Paws. The jungle cat.
Well really she just thinks she's a jungle cat, our garden is her jungle.

{ that flower whose name I can't remember }

{ paws - that sneaky jungle cat }

{ paws }

{ watch out - she just might be hunting you }

Who's EXCITED???

MEEEE!!!!!!!

Wow! So, this summer (though barely a month into it) has been a whirlwind of activity! (which I must say I enjoy!)

Last week was spent at my church's fireworks booth to raise money for youth activities such as...*insert drumroll* CAMP!!!!!!!

Yes, its that time of year again.

That most epic five days of the year spent not only with Jesus, but also with my best friend Lauren.

Usually, I am the only teen who comes to Sr. High Camp from my church/area.

Buuuuut this summer I am happy to say that I'm SUPER excited for what promises to be the MOST EPIC and AWESOME five days of camp EVER because *third drumroll* three more of my friends are coming!!!

Aside from Lauren and I (you might remember Lauren from my last post) who have been going to camp together for three years now (I met her at camp a couple years ago now and we've been best friends ever since) my best friend where I live (who also happens to be of the male - persuasion) Josh, will also be coming.

Annnddd also in attendance with me is my best bud Amanda who I've known for several years now and since she's staying up here with her grandparents this summer she's able to come with me to camp!

And last but not least, definitely the one person coming along who I've known the longest is my friend Sierra who I've known since...wow...haha first grade I think. She was  something of a last minute addition to our group but I've been trying to get her to go for a couple years now and was super excited when she was able to come this year!

So that'll be us, this random bunch of kids who...well all basically know each other through me! haha In all there will be five of us; Lauren, Josh, Amanda, Sierra and of course, me!

I don't know about you guys, but I'm thinkin some super awesome stuff is gonna be happenin' at camp this year! And I'm not just talkin' about the tubing, games, mini golf, epic air - hockey games and meeting new people!

Camp doesn't start til the 18th, so when I get back I'm sure I'll be posting epic jokes, stories and maybe a picture or two!

But, until I return from this years epicness, here's a few pics from last year! (literally a few...I would prefer not to go posting peoples faces on the 'net without their permission lol)

{lights for the altar / stage}

{normally I'm not too bad at air - hockey...but I only managed to win once last year...by one point...}

{Lauren and I taking pictures of...erm...each other taking pictures haha}

{waiting for pick - up, last day of camp...silver mark for having cleaned the cabin and okay to leave}

{my photography brilliance haha just kidding, Lauren's finger naturally glows ;-) }

{still waiting for pick - up, my bracelet abundance, here's what each of them are:
Orange: team color for camp 2010 we were ARMENIA! (each color coincides with a country)
Pink: its this star gel bracelet I've had since I was like...4...
Yellow: bracelet I wove out of twine made from recycled milk jugs haha
Black: just a black stretchy piece of...black...stretchy...stuff...
b.a.s.i.c. : my bracelet from The Voice of the Martyrs it stands for brothers and sisters in chains as a prayer reminder for the persecuted church
Pink and Blue: little bracelet I wove out of cotton crochet string
my watch: haha pretty self explanatory lol I made the band and stitched '1 Corinthians 10:31' onto it as a reminder "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
Green: first year I went to camp instead of the paper bands we got pieces of fabric. first year the team was simply "light green"
and so ends the LONGEST CAPTION EVER}