a much needed rest & vacation

{me and the beach have a love/hate relationship lol}

hey guys! i know that i've been a little absent recently. but while juggling between a couple of jobs, working some l-o-n-g shifts, my online class work, and such, i've been trying to pack for this years youth camp.

the pic from above was from last years camp.  we had such a good time, and it was somehow relaxing and renewing.  that's why i'm looking forward to it soo much! i'm hoping it's going to be a retreat for me again this year.   i want to put as many distractions out of my mind and put more of God in it.

and with it being a retreat & all, i can only allow myself to dedicate my online time to my music class this upcoming week.   but hopefully the blog silence will pay off and i will come to the table refreshed next week with some inspiring things.  i've been so motivated to be creative lately! haha.

anyways, i'm going with my youth group from Providence and i just love every single one of those kids! prayers are always lovely.   i'll be praying for:
- all of our drivers: i'm one of them!
- 2 AM tomorrow morning? sure why not.
- that tropical storm in the Gulf: PLEASE do not turn into a hurricane
- my homesickness: i'll miss my family & other friends
- my devotional time: i loved it last time and i REALLY want to pick up that habit again!
- our group of kids & for me to somehow know what to say when tough questions are asked
- and finally: an experience that will change hearts, including my own!

have a wonderful week! i'll talk to you soon!! 

life according to my Iphone

shopping & textbook & my girl

spidy marathon & chris hemsworth & more class

lamp shade hat & four-wheel ride & a morning jog

father's day gift & outing for dad & my sis the rock star

new dress & tour bus? & catalog cutting!

sometimes

photo by Jessica Tingle

... life gets in the way of blogging about life
... you feel that no matter what your paycheck says, there is no amount that could repay for what you just did
... your day off from work becomes a planned mini stay-cation
... relaxation is best described as caramel cake, chocolate ganache ice cream & the bachelorette
... you get wonderful new comments & wonderful new followers
... you struggle to finish the book your on but you continue to add to, a now, epic reading list
... you are tired but have absolutely no intention of going to bed
... you look into your future and think of the house of your dreams but then take a look around and figure out that it's never going to be that simple
... the front of your textbook can make you motivated to do work {mine has a beautiful owl}
... you wonder if you have one of those positive personalities that gets on people's nerves or if you genuinely brighten their day
... awkward situations cannot be avoided
... you go into a store looking for the clearance racks & you still come out with four pieces of clothing that cost you $67
... you get caught up on your want list that your needs list becomes a blur
... you face set backs & all you can do is work through them

friday thoughts

- man, i forgot how much i loved pride & prejudice... after this one?  i think i may try another jane austen novel.
- why oh why must i work 1pm to 10pm on a saturday?... i guess someone has to though.
- my grandmother is at my house after just getting out of the hospital... Lord please help me and don't let her focus on the mess in my room too much! ;)
- i am WAY too anxious about this online class... i'm motivated to work, work, work but there is no assignment yet.
- a new indian place opened up in the mall two stores down from us and i think they may have plotted to kill every customer they have by serving a special hot sauce... i tried some today & it was HAWT!  i mean i was crying it was so hot!
- why can't weekends run: friday, saturday, sunday, monday?  i mean who was the genius that thought up this whole work week thingy?
- i have so many journals begging me to write in them it's ridiculous!
- snow white & the huntsman was legit... i may just go back again to see it!
- their is a 12 ft chris hemsworth huntsman back at my house that is waiting for me to find him a new home... that's right, i totally got the movie standee {check out the rest of my obsessive tendencies}
- one day i'm going to wake up, go running, take a shower, pull on some sweats, get me some coffee, sit on the front porch & read
- dear computer documents, downloads, and all media files... organize yourselves please!!

here are some thoughts for the weekend guys!

awkward & awesome

awkward:
- windows down, jammin' to your music & then having a woman give you an evil glare while she rolls  her window up
- having the entire class bombard your poor nervous teacher with the proposition of dropping the lowest exam score when clearly he specified that no exam scores would be dropped in the syllabus... do you build up the teacher by saying, "hello? i did all the work and you all should suffer because you didn't!" and then become the most hated person in class or do you just wallow in his self doubt?  i chose the ladder, and felt only a little bad :/
- online classes... bought the books today... this should be interesting
- getting lost in, what seems like, an infinite loop in a parking garage
- the long pause and stares that come after asking the person at starbuck's to "surprise me" on your drink order for a friend

awesome:
- no class (except for online but does that really count?).  no work sleeping in! now it's just shopping & visiting my grandmother in the hospital
- the penguin classics cloth bound editions!  just bought my first one, and it has inspired me to read more of them!  vintage look + old english language = me reading for fun
- sleep overs with the sis
- the lord of the rings... i have no clue what is going on at some points but i just take it in & want more... i'm watching the final one this weekend!
- applied for a parking permit... public transportation to class, i bid you farewell!
- flyleaf... 'nough said
- new pictures!  thanks jess! photoshoots are SO much fun!