an outing

this morning my family took a trip to the zoo, taking advantage of the beautiful temperatures outside. the drive was filled with windows rolled down, heads of hair blowing in the breeze. passing by everything from rustic fields to snug suburbs. marveling at the miles and miles of sky, cotton white clouds and splinters of jet trails. reaching the bamboo-lined pavement, making a note the van is parked in the lion lot (let's not forget, shall we?). meandering through the zoo's pathways, observing the exotic creatures who were enjoying the weather as much as me. the flamingos' knobby knees deep in crystal water. meerkats basking in sunlight then scrambling into their cool tunnels beneath. mccaws staring inquisitively at the humans on the other side of the fence. gibbons' black bodies swinging carelessly from the highest trees. true, we did overlook the girrafes and elephants due to the tired out wimps we call our legs. but no matter. hearing the buzz of crushing ice and watching the colored drops of flavor pour into a paper cone. shuffling through the reptile house, gasping for breath in the sticky air (seriously considering on writing a letter requesting better air conditioners for that sauna). admiring the buds and blooms scattered throughout the grounds. no, seriously. i'm sure these people were all thinking this poor child, more entranced by a bush than by this wild goose gulping down pond water. the zoo is just one of those places that beckons nostalgia, the fond moments of my childhood spent there. seeing my younger siblings experience the same memories is almost like reliving them myself. and although i cannot account today as a big adventure, it was our little adventure. i have decided that time with my family is time worth taking indeed.

what is/has been your favourite family outing?

a letter to green

see that little wisp protruding from the top of my head? yeah. its next to impossible to control such rebellion.

dear pretty little green things,
i am so happy you've finally decided to appear. you are a nice touch of color amidst the solemn greys of winter. consider yourselves as tiny bursts of life, reminders of spring to those of us who pine for warmer weather. also, you are a darn good reason for me to catch up on my outdoor-picture-taking. you are my excuse to have a-walking-out-the-front-door-self-portrait-session. i mean who wants to sit inside when you're out there?! i can't help but smile at the way you inhance your surroundings. you bring to mind other hues that will come out of hiding too. off whites, rosy pinks, loud yellows. and soon enough your buds of fluff will change form and blossom into smooth new leaves. like a miniature army fighting for your season, you will conquer these woods. your color will sweep like wildfire across these country hills and fields, leaving behind nothing less than beauty. watching you grow will be my pleasure. so soak up these delicious rays of light that fall from above. drink in every drop of rain and listen closely to each roll of thunder. usher this spring in, like you've done in years past. we're more than ready for it.

four eyes and freelensing

i'll probably never look at a pair of glasses without thinking of that one little house on the prairie episode. for the past several years, my sister and i watched the series constantly. we were those dorky girls who were more entertained by the ingalls family than by anything else on television. one of my most loved episodes of the show was about mary getting her glasses. of course, nellie and willie poked fun at her, chanting four eyes, four eyes in the schoolyard. in the end though she found that it was her personality that defined who she was, not the spectacles around her eyes. // a couple of years ago, i had to get glasses too. and like mary, i was appalled. the thought of having something unfamiliar on my face annoyed me. but now? my glasses and i are sympatico. a clear and crisp view of the world around me is essential. aaaand i recently bought new frames. they're black. and square-ish. i don't know why but i feel a notch smarter when i wear them. somewhere between nerd and high honor student. its a good thing.

a friend suggested i check this out. honestly though, after reading up on it, i was just plain shocked. dislocate the lens from the body? risk the danger of dust reaching that important tiny mirror inside? pish posh. (shakes head slowly) yeah right. (raises eyebrows) like i'd do that. (shameful rolling of the eyes) well, okay, so i ended up trying it. an odd technique. a little weird. out of the ordinary. nevertheless, i am quite pleased with the results. mind you, it felt like i was on pins and needles the entire time. afterall i was being overly careful and cautious while shooting. it was definitely worth the leap. you can read more about freelensing here.

happy tuesday, friends!

of life

long time no see, eh? contrary to what it may look like, i haven't been out of the country. nor have i dropped off the face of the earth. life has practically been crazy lately. quite literally, things have changed so rapidly that its hard to keep up. the past few months have been emotionally exhausting and full of anxious anticipation. now though, answers have come and finally the waiting is over. living through the good and the bad is what must be done. i want to fill you in on these changes, without causing anyone to be overwhelmed.
most of you know that my momma's cancer has returned. well, this week she had tests done to inspect the damage. to make a long story short, the cancer spots are too numerous in amount and tiny in size for operation to be effective in removing them. she will instead start on an agressive form of chemotherapy as soon as possible. as always, your prayers are very appreciated. i know she has a long and hard road ahead of her. but my family is staying hopeful. we'll give this everything we've got and fight along side of her. holding a balanced outlook on this is tricky. being overly positive and ignoring realistic facts, or letting every single negativity in. every person reacts to this situation differently and that's something to keep in mind. i just want our words and actions aiming to ultimately keep her going. it means so much to have the support of friends like y'all, just know i'm thankful that you're there for her.
so...there's this boy. smiling. this is the happiest news i have to share. little did i know back then, that i would be sitting here, typing out these words. little did i know back then, that God was preparing me for this. if i had one thing to say about this guy, i would tell you that he's a blessing. i am at a loss for words to express just how blessed i am by him. he loves me when i am unloving. comforts me when i am scared. speaks truth to me when i feel lost. oh, and he makes me smile quite a lot. several days ago, one of my friends' little sister asked me why i like this guy. as we sat there in the soft grass, the sun beating down, the words sort of just flowed from my mouth, so naturally and simply, as if my heart knew the answer all along. "well, he's a handsome guy. but, you know, there's something deeper to him that i'm in love with. what really draws me in is his heart. his disposition and his genuine nature. and he waited for me. that's the best part of this. its like we're meant to be, even when i didn't see it, he still could." so here we are. embarking on a journey that this girl couldn't be more excited about.
another positive one. my sister and i have a car now. she's much more thrilled than i am, mainly due to the fact that she drives more than i do. because of privacy reasons, i can't go into detail on the model or appearance. i'll say though that she's (because its almost discriminating calling this car an "it") a speedy little car. my sister insisted that we name her cleo. i'll admit that i am relieved to have a car finally. she'll without a doubt come in handy for the coming year, what with driving back and forth for college. she has an enormous trunk as well, my twelve year old brother self tested it and insures us that we could easily fit seven people in that space. not that we'll be trying that... ha. a big shout out to my mom and dad for this wonderful little car!
sigh. with all things said, life goes on. my blog design, done by the lovely carlotta, is something new and fresh. i'm rather stunned and impressed with her work, of bringing my vision to reality. what do you think of it? it takes me to the thought of spring, reminding me of all the new things to come. the things i am excited for, the things i have yet to face. but i'll have faith to trust that in the end, everything will be okay. and now that the "biggies" have been shared and said, i can move back to my regular posts on the remarkables and little nothings of my everyday.

i'm happy to be back. happy you're here.

an explanation for the crazy

hello everyone! so as you might have noticed, my blog has been zoned out for the past week. zoned isn't exactly the word i'm looking for...more like crumbling and lost. i'm completely technically challenged and tried to fix a few things on my own. needless to say, this is where its gotten me. thankfully thought i have a lifesaving friend helping me out... dis fromage is undergoing some changes at the moment. a thousand thankyous to you for baring with me and waiting. i'm so excited for everything to be finished, the new look to be complete, so i can be back in the swing of my regular posting. a lot has been happening in my life so i'm very anxious to share! see you all soon, until then, best wishes.

the fourteenth of february

today began with a faint ring as a sweet goodmorning text popped up on the screen of my phone. i haven't stopped smiling since. my home is filled with the oh so familiar air of nostalgia. valentine's day has forever been a special time for my family. i can honestly say i am so happy today. its a happiness of knowing everything will be okay, that love does exist. the fourteenth is the one day in february where a constant stream of love songs is playing in the living room. and we don't mind if taylor swift is played a million times over, or if you choose to sing at the top of your lungs. all afternoon, my mother busied herself in the kitchen, miraculously preparing a delicious italian meal. spontaneous valentine letters came in the mail earlier. the one sent from my grandparents in wyoming, i opened to find a small vintage package of dried leaves and spices. so many interesting and honest conversations with my little siblings have occured today. the subject of love coming from their hearts and minds makes me happy. "i suppose i'll have to get married soon, this is valentine's day after all." -solomon, age four. "guess what? i love you madison" -samson, age three.
i curled my hair and strung a locket around my neck for dinner tonight. moments away, my grandparents will pull into the drive and squeals of excitement will sound from three little ones. we will all gather together around the table and enjoy a meal, each other's company too. more letters will be exchanged. stories will be exchanged. looking forward to this evening, my only other wish is that somehow every loved one could be here with us.



i hope that today is a day in which you will remember that love is the greatest thing we have to offer, the greatest thing ever given to us. it bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things. so even if on this valentine's day, you, like me, are in a daze of wistful dreaming and enchantment...never fail to forget the perfect love of Jesus.

somewhat of a journal entry

because of the pressing need to finish some homework, this post will greatly resemble a page jotting. disorganized and a bit choppy, it follows the not-so-specific pattern of the entries in my notebooks. i admit it is easier for me to come up with words and such if i spill out everything at once. important or not, i'm making an account of it. so here it goes.



its february now, and i quite like it. january seemed to drag on far too long. the early nights and dreary weather was getting to me, i was ready for february less than halfway into january. ah, but here it is finally. i don't exactly know why i've always been so fond of february. valentine's day, you ask? yes and no. i certianly hold a positive view on the whole idea of this day. what can i say, i've anticipated the fourteenth of february every year ever since i was a little girl. i'm sure the sole reason is my parents. they've given me a true and pure example of what it means to be in love. to sacrifice for one another, for the ones you love. also, there's something sweet about the idea of receiving flowers and chocolate. not exactly the stereotypical aspect of this day, which can get too mushy and a little ridiculous. yet, a whole day reserved for simply reminding each other that love exists? its a good thing. february also holds the promise of coming spring. tiny white flowers speckle the wood's floor, itty bits of green burst from every branch. birds rehearse their songs and life is sprouting forth from everywhere. it gives the chance to start anew, to redo, to begin again. february. what's not to love?





hunger games. have you read them? i finished the first book a few days ago. starting it long ago, my reading of it became delayed because of my studies. then one day when all was settled down, i picked it back up again. it went by quickly. i got rather sentimental when i closed the binder, something that hasn't occured since the days of harry potter. rewarding enough though, i discovered taylor swift and civil wars' song for the sountrack on itunes (please. civil wars and taylor swift. together. just brilliant). bought it. listened to it. a million times in fact. the song reminds me of katniss and peeta, staying in the cave together towards the end of the novel. gosh. anxious to read the next two, i'm even more ready for march to hurry and arrive. this will be one amazing movie, i'm sure.



this music video. its probably the sweetest thing ever. stay young go dancing. i've forever kept this song on my ipod for listening. its recently become the perfect melody for spontaneous sibling dances. there's just nothing like having all six of us in my room, the strings of lights glowing around us like fireflies, death cab giving us a harmony. i grasp two little hands and start spinning. a belly-laughing smile circles me. speaking of dancing, my ballet recital theme has been revealed. degas. my class will bring his famous ballerina paintings and sculptures to life, or at least we hope to, on stage this may. costumes are still a mystery of now. we have already covered one minute and forty five seconds of our class number of five minutes. simple and classic.

p.s. i'm feeling yet again the desire to alter my blog. maybe a bit, maybe more than that. what are your thoughts? i'd really love to know.