A weird habit of mine.

So when I'm driving in the car I have a hard time talking to people. This may be developed from much curiosity as a child- I always wanted to listen to what my parents were talking about so I'd always make my little sisters be quiet when we drove places so we could listen in. But I've also noticed that even when I am trying to talk to people I get distracted very easily by houses. Houses are distracting to me like Pintrest is distracting to most people. I seriously check out EVERYONE's houses- but mostly their gardens and porches and pick out what I like. I am constantly thinking- Oh! I want that kind of porch swing, or fountain, or whatever it is when I have a house of my own.  Sometimes I get brave enough to take a picture. But I seriously do this ALL the time.

One of the ironically GIGANTIC houses right next to the temple

Just look at that ballistrade on the balcony upstairs. And that garden!

Big wide open porches and columns! 

flower-bedroom...:) Love the dresser. 

And Willow trees! I know they're probably a pain to take care of- but seriously! Just look at them!

And another picture from the flower geek. I had to- beautiful moments right? :)

Oh mom...

My mom just checked herself in at 35 different places on facebook in order to update her map. :) I saw the first one and thought...Canada? I'm pretty sure they just went to Idaho for a few days... And then I saw that she was also in Florida, DC, Manchester, Long Beach, the JFK airport....etc. ...yep 35 places all at once. She's still learning how to use facebook. These are the moments that make me laugh. My favorite was when she was trying to prove how hip she is and she states very proudly "Yeah! And I even know who dubstep is!" :) I love it.

Pictures from my "run-away" trip to Idaho this weekend

Sorry for the million blog posts tonight. I've just had a lot on my mind.

My little sister drove up with me so I wouldn't have to drive alone. I love the deep conversations and the advice talks we had on during the long drive. And also the very loud singing to the radio which made it a party.

I have this quirk called- I'm obsessed with wearing sunglasses in the car and if I don't I automatically think my eyes are drying out. Don't ask how they're related cause I couldn't tell you.

Love this girl. Super cute fancy hairstyle + baggy football hoodie = Amanda.

Love these crazy girls. Can you see why I can't live without them?

We had a slumber party. Brought just two mattresses out into the living room and miraculously, no one had to sleep on the floor...it was a little squished... And had a dance party jumping on them to "Want U Back" by Cher Lloyd (love that song!)...and yes, jumping on the bed is still fun when you're older.

One o'clock in the morning and we feel the need to make Muddy Buddies.

Trying out hairstyles on my roommates with super long hair. 

And seriously. Who could NOT be in love with Idaho. There is a big place in my heart for those wide open spaces!

A sidenote about hipsters.

AKA Confessions of a wannabe hipster-

1.       I’m on the borderline of being a vegetarian- I will only eat meat if I can convince myself that it came from the frozen food section and not from a creature that once had eyes. It often makes me sound picky and dumb, but I seriously just gag at the sight of blood. I often tell people I’m a vegetarian because it’s easier than explaining all that.  
           Also- if you want to know what you're really eating when it says Mechanically Seperated Meat (aka if you are willing to never again eat McDonalds chicken nougats, bologna, or hot dogs) read this! http://grantbrowning.com/can-you-guess-what-mcdonalds-food-item-this-is/

2.       I love the hipster style. I have probably too many shirts that could qualify as grandma materials and I buy mainly used clothes. And I love the hippy headband hairdos that are becoming popular. But I mean…the fact that I love hipster style so much and will admit to it probably means I can never be a true hipster.

3.       I love to play the guitar. Like for hours on end. I'm not even that good at it, but I like it so so much.

4.       I love to be barefoot. Especially in the summer!

5.       I LOVED the movie The Lorax (anything Doctor Seuss really) and I’m kind of a sucker for taking care of the environment. I’m a sucker for a lot of things. I have very flighty opinions especially when it comes to politics, but I do in fact have opinions!

So I’m not really a hipster. I just have a few qualities of hippies/hipsters. I mix the two. But I love hipsters. Really. 

So call me maybe?

This is just a little rant by me because I am technologically behind in the fact that I do not have texting. It’s fine really. My parents pay for my phone, which I’m grateful for, but that means I have a phone plan without texting. It has made me very aware of the problem society has with communication. My very own little sister will refuse to call a friend for a ride. She doesn’t even have a phone! She’d rather text via computer and wait for the answer that way. Maybe I’m just too impatient. But it’s a pet peeve of mine when I’m with a group of people and one of them needs an answer quick from a friend, but instead of calling they text and wait. And it bugs me to no end when I give someone my number and the second they find out I don’t have texting- I never hear from them again. So many possible friends and dates…gone. People really have become unwilling to make phone calls- which are so much more personal! I’ll admit that I even don’t like calling people sometimes. I sometimes text with other people’s phones because I know that it’s annoying to call. And anyways, texting is slow, expressionless, and short. Although I’m a hypocrite in the sense that, yes, I still do wish I had texting so I could join in with the rest of society, I’m just sayin’ that I’ve noticed that we’ve got a real communication problem coming up with all this technology.

The Trouble With "X"

This is an article by C.S. Lewis that I absolutely LOVE! I've been thinking about it a lot lately and wanted to post it and advise you to read it. It's got some incredible truths in it that I think everyone needs to hear.
I've been thinking about it because I've been noticing myself and others getting annoyed at other people. We all do it. We get annoyed that so-and-so has this awful habit or is so inconsiderate and we get offended. But think about it...you probably also have awful habits and annoying characteristics. Probably my favorite quote in the world and also life lesson that I have learned is when Regina Spektor in her song "Ghost of Corporate future" says "People are just people like you." In fact, while you're chasing my links, go listen to the song. It's also got some great truths to it.

10 things I love about my dad

I know that Father's Day is still a week away, but I'm just too excited and can't keep this very detailed and maybe annoyingly long list in my head any longer. I just had to write it today! In no particular order, ten things I LOVE about my dad! Love you Dad.

1. The other day I was talking to my dad and he said something along the lines of “the guy who wants to marry you isn’t going to succeed so easily. I’m going to be very hard on him.” A year ago I would have thought this translated into ‘hello. I’m your overprotective father and I’m always going to be.’ Today I know the real translation is this ‘I love you. And I’m not going to let you go to just anyone. He’s got to be pretty near perfect to take you away from me.’ Maybe that’s not what it means exactly…but I’m pretty sure it is. And I’m glad.

2.Sometime parents do things that kids don't understand. When you’re sixteen and you’re given a curfew you get offended that your parents don’t trust you. But one day you realize that they gave it to you BECAUSE they love you and they want you to be safe. My dad ALWAYS waits up for me. Even when I’m 18 years old and I’m just coming home late from work. And it’s not because he’s trying to be annoying, it’s because he’s making sure I’m safe. 

3. There’s this phrase that gets me every time. “I’ll take care of it.” He says it whenever things have gone terribly wrong in my life and I don’t have any idea what to do. It means…'you do everything you can, and I promise it will work out, I’ll make sure of it.'

4. Most of the time when you tell him a joke he is able to keep an absolute straight face and reacts by saying “that is so dang funny” in a monotone voice. But when he laughs, he really laughs. And it’s my favorite.

A couple years ago when we flipped the razor and couldn't stop laughing about it. One of the few pictures that has captured that real laugh.

5. He’s going to be a grumpy old man. Like the ones that sit on their porch and shake their cane and yell “get off my property!” and young kids. The other day a gang of punk teens decided they wanted to spend their Friday night doorbell ditching. After they did it a second time to our house my dad goes and gets in his car, drives down the street to where they are, gets out, starts CHASING them! Jumps a fence even and catches up with them and tells them to never doorbell ditch him again. And then he comes back panting and giggling like a schoolboy.

5. He’s my travel buddy. We’ve been a lot of places and we’ll still go a lot of places. We like to be spontaneous. My mom works for the airlines so we get a pretty good deal flying. We’ve been to China, New York, DC, California, Vegas and on a LOT LOT LOT of driving trips. Some planned, some decided the night before. He knows how to have fun on a trip- and he knows the importance of traveling. I think we both have a travel fever where we seriously will never be able to stop discovering new places.

6. Projects. Projects galore. Working in the yard, fixing the cars, building fences, working in the neighbor's yard, remodeling the house at one in the morning every night for months straight, chopping up a forest worth of trees to get a year supply of firewood…you name it. And obviously this has taught me to be a hard worker. And although I’m really not that skilled at all of these tasks, that doesn’t seem to matter. Because he doesn’t REALLY need help fixing the break pads, he just wants someone to hold the light and sit next to him. Even if sometimes I bring in a TV and watch the weird reality TV shows instead of talk to him. It’s really just about the time we spend together.

7. Late night talks. Since I’ve been back from college I’ve been missing the fact that I have no one to stay up late and talk with. I’d always come home late at night and then just sit up and talk with my roommates til even later. Obviously my dad’s not up for staying up til 2 in the morning. But around 10 I often find myself sitting on the end of his bed asking for advice or talking about work until he’s too tired to listen anymore.

8. My dad loves to sing. He often will not sing in front of people. But me and my dad have a similar singing hobby. We took voice lessons from the same teacher for a couple of years and had a lot of master classes and recitals together. He came to all of mine and I went to all of his. ;) But then it got too expensive and times got hard and do you know what he did to his favorite hobby? He quit so I could afford to continue doing it. Don’t worry folks, now he’s back in it. He has joined a very prestigious choir and it’s one of the most important things in his life.

9. He’s not bald. He just doesn’t have as much hair as he used to. But what he does have he takes care of. He probably brushes and hairsprays his hairs into place more often than I do. I think it’s hilarious.

At the DC Museum. We found his twin in statue.

10. He has perfect feet. J He’s very proud of that attribute.