Giving Thanks

Traditions are very important in my family. 

A lot of the things we do for holidays were started over 20 years ago and continue to this day. 

Thanksgiving is no exception. 

Each year we compete in a thrilling game of football called "The Turkey Bowl" which always ends about the time my grandma is on her third glass of sherry and my mom has finished the stuffing and someone has started crying.
 Each year we make way too much cranberry sauce and have a huge potluck that includes having about 60 neighbors over to eat and play ping pong.
Years ago, my brothers and I started an eating competition where we would weigh in before eating Thanksgiving dinner and the weight out after.
Winner gets bragging rights and the worst stomach ache ever. 

I am still the reining champion.
7.5 pound is one sitting. 

If that doesn't instantly make you want to be my best friend or lover... I don't know what will.

I think this is still my proudest achievement.

This year was the first time I missed it. 
I missed the stuffing, the football, the pumpkin pies and the ping pong.

But, if there is one great way to break tradition I did it.  

My two best friends Cassidy and Christiana came up to visit me on wednesday and left on saturday. 

We hadn't see each other since our hiking adventure and all of us SUCK at keeping in touch. 

But, somehow, as soon as they pulled up it all came back. 

How important they are to me. 

How grateful I am for them. 

How much I missed them.

And how much I wished that we had gone to closer schools. 

We had a great time laughing and catching up before we went our separate ways again.
But, this weekend got me thinking...

I thankful for so many things. 

My family. 

My home. 

My self. 

My world. 

And my friends. 

Hope all of your thanksgiving were filled with friends, family, fun and food.
I know mine was.
 

Mustard Greens.

The transition between fall and winter can be a hard one. 

There is no end in sight for the cold weather and dark days. 

The rain keeps coming and the layers become more of a necessity than a fashion statement.

It's days like today, the day before thanksgiving...

When it's cold, raining and windy that I like to stay cuddled in my room listen to music and draw, write or read. 

Right now I am reading this: 

(yes, I'm reading thoreau for pleasure...)

Listening to this:

And feeling very inspired by the colors! 

I have recently been falling more and more in love with the color of mustard. 

I have been seeing it everywhere! 

And when my sister and our friend Lisa came to visit Lisa let me borrow one of her shirts for the night. 

See shirt here

I fell in love and now have been pinning every mustard thing I find on pintrest. 

Is this the beginning of my Christmas list?? 

I think so.... 

Have a fabulously bright yellow day! 

xoxo

forgiveness

Forgiveness.

We, as a human race are capable of many wonderful things.

We can dance, cry and live with out regret.

We have the power to change emotions with a single song.

We live with strength in our bones and courage in our hearts.

And I believe every capable soul has the ability to forgive.

Forgiveness is no harder a lesson to learn than sharing crayons in the first grade.

But it takes time, energy and patience to begin witnessing this beautiful transformation unfold.

The benefit of that transformation is something we all attempt to feel.

That feeling of euphoria when you can finally stop looking behind you and live presently.

That feeling when you can take that breath, breathing out as the weight of the past begins to lift off your chest.

But

You hurt my family? I will never forgive you.

You rape my sisters? I will never forgive you.

You murder innocent children, families or fathers? I will choose to never forgive you.

Because forgiveness is a choice.

We all have the choice to move forward or to stay haunted with the past.

I would never want to choose to live my life in sadness or revenge.

But, if you hurt my best friend…. My mother or my brothers…

Not only are you never going to be forgiven, you will never be forgotten.

I will find you.

lovesperations

All pictures from pintrest.

I've got a crush on you...

I've got a crush. 

It's written all over my face. 

All the time. 

Thinking about them... 

ALL THE TIME.

I'm walking that route. 

The one that goes past his house. 

But is no where close to mine.

I've got a crush. 

Crush crush crush crush. 

It's written all over my face. 

I'm buying them candy

Because they may have mentioned it once. 

I'm blushing, I'm laughing, I can't help myself. 

Ive got a crush, crush crush crush crush. 

I'm smiling at the world.

I'm singing songs to myself. 

I know I am being ridiculous.

Because I am feeling ridiculous.

Call me crazy.

Call me a lady.

Call me a fool for jumping in again. 

Call me crazy.

Call me a lady.

Call me anything just please

Call me maybe.

daysperation

I have been feeling really down on myself lately.

That's one of the main reasons I haven't been writing a lot.
Blogs, I mean. I have been writing plenty.
But

I am trying to keep my hopes and creativity as high as possible.
So

I am staying off the computer as much as possible and walking new ways to class each day.
I've been drawing more and getting inspired about the future. 
But there are

A few things that have gotten me straight out of my funk:

Pumpkin spice candles.

Maple Walnut Coffee.

(Tastes HORRIBLE, but if you open the bag it makes the whole room smell delectable.) 

Phone calls with my beautiful sister. 

My Ducks. 

Dance Parties. 

Distroying people at beer pong.

Falling asleep to the christmas pandora radio station. 

Running. 

My co-op. (The most interesting people live here. Ever.)

And these pictures from Pintrest. 

:) 

 

Have a superbly inspired sparkling day. 

When my sister comes to visit.

Shit gets real. 

My sister and our friend Lisa came to visit this last weekend. 

Oh man. 

I was not ready or prepared for the brilliance of these two lovely ladies in Eugene for a whole weekend. 

When they pulled up to my Co-op, on Saturday morning, I screamed. 

Running past strangers walking down the street flailing my arms to create a much needed scene. 

We then went to a bar where we watched the Oregon Football team kick all of the asses in the whole stadium.
IN THE WHOLE WORLD. 

(while simultaneously getting tipsy at 12 in the afternoon.)

I love these girls so much. 

They were telling me secrets, we were laughing our butts off and both of them were giving me a much needed reality check. 

 My sister also showed me millions of pictures of my baby nephew on her phone. 

Boy, is that little guy cute!?

We went back to their hotel to get gussied up for the night...
Drank a little bit more... 

Went and watched part of the Giants game at a sushi bar 

Not a bit ashamed of how much we ate and drank, or the fact that it was only like 6. 

Then we ended up walking down a street trying to search for a place that would let us watch then end of the game with an underager like me... 

When we came across a house clearly viewing the Giants game, and clearly enjoying it. 

Not a bit ashamed of the fact that we totally crashed a random guys night. 

#sorryimnotsorry

Most of all, we had the best time laughing, dancing and eating free testers at the frozen yogurt shop.
I had them tucked in their fluffy hotel beds by 9. 

I love these girls. 

I never wanted them to leave. 

I want them to come back up RIGHT NOW! 

Christmas card picture.

<3