Earth Day & Testing My Green Thumb

First off- Happy Earth Day! The weather here was nice for a little while, but turned windy and then rainy. I got to spend some time outside like I've been wanting. I picked up the sticks around our yard and piled them up near where we will be having campfires as soon as the weather warms up (hopefully that will be soon!) Then I just sat outside and wrote 1 of 3 essay question answers for a scholarship. It started raining as soon as I decided to try my little experiment.

I went through with it anyway! I honestly believe that it doesn't matter how dirty I get over the course of my day because I am just going to shower before bed anyways. My experiment was this- We have a beautiful lilac bush on the corner of our house that is sprouting up tons of suckers. I read about how to dig some up and replant them. I decided to try it, but put one in a pot to see if it will live. My problem is that I have never successfully kept a potted plant alive. But if we end up moving soon (and I really hope we do) then I want to bring some of the suckers with us. So if this one lives then I'll know that it wouldn't be a waste of time to replant suckers at a new house.


I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it lives. I seem to have a black thumb, but I've always wanted to garden. I consider this a test. If it doesn't live, then maybe I need to consider not having plants. xP

Homemade Burgers

Suzie's Burger Challenge gave me a good excuse to make some delicious homemade burgers. We grill a lot at my house, but usually my dad is happy with frozen burger patties. I won't eat them. Deciding I was in the mood for burgers, I pulled out a half a pound of frozen hamburger to thaw on Saturday so that I could make these on Sunday.



I chopped up two cloves of garlic and half an onion and put those in. Then I put in some honey teriyaki marinade, salt, and pepper. I was a little worried that they would fall apart, but they were fine. I just cooked them on the grill over a medium heat with some BBQ sauce. YUM!

Here is the final product sitting on my plate with, in my opinion, the perfect side. I'm still a kid when it comes to food. xD

Inspiration

Thursday night I got some wonderful news that really made my week. Some of my friends had created a facebook group called House of Flair. I first met this amazing group of friends when I was about 13 and playing on Neopets. When we got bored with that website we tried to move the HoF group. But members dwindled, people got busy, and even though we friended each other of facebook we all pretty much stopped talking. We all should have thought of a facebook group sooner, but I'm just glad someone did! I've been missing the fun we used to have, even if it was only through online discussions. They helped me to harness the creativity I have. When we began talking again I instantly felt a new wave of inspiration hit me. I think it's the beginning of a wonderful change.

That night, I wrote this poem.

Inspiration (Flair)
By: Tori

It gleams around every corner;
A firefly glowing, a bumblebee buzzing.
The simple things in life that keep you going.

I never thought I really had it,
So I never thought I could really miss it.
Until I did.

One day it just seemed to up and leave me.
I was on the beach high and dry,
All dressed up with no place to go.

I struggled to find it.
It seemed to me that I never would.
But I was wrong.

Because it’s bigger than a dinosaur!
It’s everywhere and nowhere.
It’s nothing and everything.

I found it at last when I realized it was never really gone.
It was inside and outside.
I’ve always had it,
Because that’s just who I am.


My change of mental status is also provoking outward change. I'm leaving for college in 5 short months, so I knew this was coming. I doubt I could start a new chapter of my life without the stress and awkwardness of change. I am preparing myself mentally for getting my license and a real job. I am going to get the junky car my grandpa gave me fixed up. I am going to go through my clothes and get rid of the things I don't wear, then find some new clothes. I am going to get the haircut I've been wanting to get for months.

It's all going to happen, but today is just another busy day off to a bad start. I was woken up early by the annoying bird flying repeatedly into my window, my parents won't stop bickering over stupid stuff, and I'll be babysitting the sweetest, but most active, two-year-old in the world for most of the day. Not to mention I started coming down with a cold yesterday. Ah well, Rome wasn't built in a day, and I guess change comes slowly.

See You Saturday

Even though there is so much I want to write about right now, I am running late. After school my sister and I went to watch our cousin get a tattoo, and we just got home a little while ago! I'll have a poem that I wrote last night to share with you all on Saturday when I get back on the computer. I am following suit with Mrs. B. and not coming on the computer tomorrow for the Day of Silence. See you Saturday!

Signs of Spring: Prom Dress, Being Outside, & Tree Buds!

I finally feel like posting and have the time to do so! I've either been too busy or just not in the mood to blog the past few days.

Last Friday I went prom dress shopping. I had a great time, and trying on dresses really just improves a girls mood. My mom, aunt, cousin, and the store workers just kept throwing dresses into the room for me to try on. Who can be in a bad mood after trying on dresses for an hour? Not me. I finally decided on this dress, though. I love it! I feel like a fairy in it. ^^ And the best part is that it fits perfectly- no alterations needed!


And here's a close up of the bead work. It's beautiful.


Easter was a roaring success on Sunday. The kids loved the egg hunt! There was so much food, which is common when my family gets together. It's all about feeding everyone who walks thru the door. Holidays with my family are always wicked fun. =)

The weather has been beautiful the past few days! When I come home from school I sit outside, eat an apple, read, and get as much of my work done as I can outside. Today I did 90% of my homework on the steps. xD When I finally do come upstairs I look out my window and see this.


A budding tree. Is there anything nicer? I get to watch as, over time, the buds grow into leaves. It won't be too much longer!

Easter is Coming!

My pictures may not be good enough to sell on Etsy like -cough- some people, but I did include a bunch of pictures today. Check out Brandi's Etsy! Her pictures are amazing.

Tomorrow is Easter and it has been so much fun preparing for it. Last week I pulled out some of my stuffed animals. Two bunnies, Rainbow and Peter; and a little chicken named Plum because it has the little purple bunny ears on. Plum has these little metal things on the bottom, and when you touch them to your skin it goes "peep, peep, peep!" xD It's so cute.

We're getting a bunch of flowers! I planted these two years ago and they keep coming up. We haven't been outside to enjoy them because of rainy cold weather. I love having them around, though.



Tomorrow is going to be a lot of fun. We're going to my Aunt Jen's house. My cousin and I are going to cook hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, steak, and a pork roast thing. All the beef products are from cows at the farm, and it is the best beef I've ever tasted. My Gram is making baked beans, my Mom is making sweet and sour meatballs, my Aunt is making potato salad, and I am making whoopie pies!

I am also planning an egg hunt for the kids. Tia and I colored the eggs tonight. There are going to be six kids there, so we made 14 eggs. They were so fun to make because we made them with each kid in mind. Each kid has 2 eggs made with their name on them. They need to find those 2 eggs and bring them back to me. When they do, they get to pick a box of candy. There are 2 extra eggs, and if they find one of them then they get to pick another box of candy.


Tomorrow I'm just going to focus on feeding a bunch of the people I care about and having fun! I've got tons of the scholarship stuff done with. I drove all over Keene today. I'm not going to worry about anything tomorrow. Also- because I just remembered and I feel like bragging a little, 3rd quarter report cards came in yesterday. YAY! I got all A's again. =)

Full Moon Dreamboard

Here is my dreamboard for this month!My artistic skills may not be as great as some people I know, but I do love taking out my markers and just drawing sometimes. I had fun making this last night! These are the things I would like to bloom in my life and in the lives of others. We can all use them, I'm sure.

I'm sorry to say that I need to rush off right now, so I cannot comment on dreamboards tonight. I'll get to looking at them all soon! I'm with you in spirit. =)

Wishcasting Wednesday

This week's prompt for Wishcasting Wednesday is What do you wish to transform?

Unlike Jamie, who is currently redoing some of her home, I don't have anything I'd like to literally transform. I do, though, have plenty of things in my life to change. I wish to transform grief into happiness, anger into love, and fear into excitement.

Tomorrow is the full moon- and that means Dreamboards! I haven't participated in this for a little while. Tonight I am going to pull out my markers and have fun drawing something for it.

Joy Isn't Optional

This week's Joy Rebel Mission was to create your own superhero. I had fun with this! It's just an awesome way to act like a kid. Mine is below. I wanted to keep her simple, but I'm definitely going to make another one just for the fun of it.


It wasn't quite as rainy today. I still haven't gotten around to taking pictures of the flowers outside. My sister has, but I have no clue where her camera is right now.

One year ago today my Grandpa Ben passed away. It's sad to think about how much has changed since then. We have a totally different relationship with my Grandma Ben now. It was a long and painful estrangement, and now it's very stressful to deal with that entire side of my family anymore.

It was such a sad time for us all to have him gone. My friends really pulled through for me, though. They helped me a lot. I'll always remember that. I still have the card my NHS group sent me, signed by them all wishing me well. Looking back, it's nice just to know that somebody cared.

I didn't really want to cry today, but looking at that card always does it. I'm going to feel sad for a little while, but I can't let it linger too long. For me joy isn't optional. I'm going to make sure it's there at least in some little way every day of my life. What would be the point of living a life without joy in it?

Getting Back My Control

Whew! This stress from getting prepared for college really stinks. Most of the time I have a good hold on it, like right now. Other times, like last Friday, I just lose it. xD A breakdown at the very beginning of my weekend is one thing, not having a moment to just sit and relax is another.

I felt like I just lost all control over things. A friend's birthday was on Saturday, so I planned to do something with her at some point during the weekend. I was not, however, planning on spending every moment with her like she seemed to want. She sent me on a guilt trip when I tried to tell her I didn't want to hang out. I just needed ten minutes to sit and do nothing!! And that was in between working on financial aid stuff.

I managed to get some time to myself Sunday afternoon. I think it's crucial to me, so I can wake up in a good mood Monday morning. And I did! My day has been just fine. It's rainy and cold out, but that doesn't bother me. April is always a rainy month, I just hope our driveway doesn't flood too bad this year.

My latest obsession is with the movie Repo! The Genetic Opera. If you haven't seen this movie, I am suggesting it to you! It is the kind of movie you probably need to watch twice to fully understand. The plot is so interesting, and the music is just amazing. I've been listening to the songs over and over.

Easter is coming up this weekend. Tia and I still have to color eggs. Our mom got us a kit from Walmart, I can't wait! We're having a family cook out at my Aunt Jen's. My cousin and I are going to shop for it on Saturday, and I'll most likely be helping with the cooking on Sunday.

I hope there is better weather for some of you! If not, then I hope the rain doesn't bother you too much. The flowers outside are really starting to grow. I'll get some pictures up soon. Flowers are one of my favorite things about Spring.