Prom Pics!

I finally have prom pics to post!

I actually had a minor freak out right before my mom tried to take pictures of me. I started crying because my hair would not do what I wanted it to! So, there aren't many of just me. Honestly- I don't really like how I look in any of these pics. xD I hated all the picture taking before prom, I had fun once we got there at least!


Me getting my hair done by my Aunt Taunya.

Me.

My cousin Sam and her boyfriend Collin.

A big group of us at prom, notice that I ended up pulling my hair into a ponytail? I couldn't deal with that frizzy mess!

Another group pic, before prom though.

Sam & Me

Emeline & Amy!

Updates

Wow, I'm worn out! We had a long three-day weekend, but I didn't get to catch up on much. Honestly I'm not sure what I would have wanted to catch up on! My weekend was busy but I don't think I could have had more fun than I did unless we had gone to a parade today and I had bought that little Buddha statue at the flea market for $1.

Saturday I was babysitting all day. No matter how much I adore Keagan (and I do!) he knows how to tire me out. What 2 1/2 year-old doesn't, though? We went to the fish ladder and played in this wicked awesome park that had an old school merry-go-round. We had so much fun!

Sunday I woke up with a cold! Not just a little "oh my nose if stuffy" cold, but a knock me on my butt "I wanna go back to bed, I feel like sh*t!" cold. I took a bunch of cold meds, went to visit Grandpa Ben's grave, went to the flea market, and had a nice nap in the afternoon. Then I managed to stay up until 11 last night going fishing with a small chunk of my family, and then playing a Disney trivia game at my Aunt Jen's (I won! xD)

When we came home last night the light on our phone was blinking. A message from Keagan's mom! I ended up babysitting him again from about 9 this morning into the early afternoon. He's so much fun that I can't complain! I really am ready to just sit and watch a movie or something, though.

6 Things That Make Me Happy

The wonderful Nydia tagged me for this cool meme on Monday and I'm finally getting around to it!

Here are the rules:

"The rules are simple: Tag and link back to the person who tagged you.List six (un) important things that make you happy. Tag six bloggers and let them know they’re “it”. We all feel this blogging community to be one of inclusion and friendship."

1- Cooking & having people truly like it

2- Babysitting Keagan (which I'm doing today in about 2 hrs!)

3- Reading good books

4- Writing good stories

5- Truly connecting with someone

6- Laughing & Smiling (Wondering if these cause happiness, or if they're byproducts of it... I'm thinking both)

Now for the tagging! I tag- Cynthia, Brandi, Genie Sea, Jamie ,

and now I'm being rushed off to do stuff- so 4 will have to do! Grab this cool meme if you want, though. If you don't want to play, no worries!

8 Things I Promise Myself

So, one of the blogs I've recently found is Magpie Girl. I highly suggest checking out her blog if you haven't- she seems like a lot of fun! She does this meme every Thursday called *8Things. This Thursday the list is 8 Things you promise yourself. I'm playing along because it sounds like fun.


1. Pay attention to what shoes I try to walk across town in
(Ow, my feet are killing me right now! Flip flops suuuck!)

2. Accept change with open arms

3. Ask for help when I need it

4. Not be swayed by other people

5. Make time to read & relax

6. Give myself time to find out who I am

7. Embrace the magic surrounding me

8. Express myself creatively

Receiving Compliments

I heard something today that I truly appreciate hearing. It reaffirms what I've been thinking the last few days which is "I really like who I am." 7th period I have a study hall, so I go and sit in my English teacher's room and do homework while he prepares for the next day. We talked for a little bit, and then I sit and do my French homework. Out of no where he just says "Tori, I hope you know that you're really neat." I have a confused look on my face, so he goes on to say "Not neat as in organized, you're a really cool person." He keeps explaining it to me. He tells me that I'm "unique and smart and creative. Kind and caring. Above and beyond most of my classmates." That I "might not have a better GPA than all of them, but they don't have the inquisitive mind that I have." He tells me that he was surprised when I chose to go into restaurant management, because I'd be a good scholar. I explained to him why I chose management. I would love a liberal arts college. I'd flourish and have fun. But I would never want to declare a major or leave.

We talked for a while. He told me he wanted me to know those things, not so I can brag, but so I can be more confident about myself. Well it worked. It makes you feel good to hear someone you respect tell you all the good they see in you.

I just realized that this goes right along with this weeks Joy Rebel Mission, which is about receiving. I've never been a very good compliment receiver, but I'm glad I could accept these ones today. It feels pretty good.

By the way, I had a lot of fun at prom on Saturday! I haven't posted anything about it because I'm still trying to hunt down decent pictures to share. When you're the one with a camera you don't get many of yourself. I think my mom has some of me before we left for prom, and there's always friends on facebook with pictures. I'll get them soon.

My 10 Joy Rebel Commandments

I've got my 10 Joy Rebel Commandments to share with you all!

1- It's all about the journey.
This one was inspired by Boho Mom. I think it's something to keep in mind no matter what walk of life you are in. Getting there is half the fun, right?

2- Be creative!
If it feels right- do it! Dance, sing, write, draw, whatever. Just express yourself.

3- Get outside in nature.
The best way to enjoy and appreciate the gifts nature has to offer is outdoors.

4- Take time to pause.
You can't appreciate life if you're always on the go.

5- Learn as much as possible and take the lesson from a situaton no matter the outcome.

6- Smile and laugh!
The say that laughter is the best medicine, and that a good mood is contagious.

7- Care for others and yourself.
It is possible. Both are necessary.

8- Give Free Hugs.
It feels good.

9- See the magic in it all.
Life is full of magic. Don't let it disappear from the world.

10- "To thine own self be true!"
A quote right out of Hamlet. If you can't be true to yourself, what's the point in being?

Interview Meme

Okay, I just got back from my final dentist appointment! I can hope that those were my last two cavities ever... but somehow I doubt that. This time it was the two front cavities, so instead of half my face being numb, I can't feel my nose. It's the oddest feeling!

A few days ago Jamie sent me 5 questions as part of an interview meme! You can read her interview here. The rules for this meme are:

* leave me a comment with your email address saying: “interview me”
* I will e-mail you five questions of my choice
* you can then answer the questions on your blog {with a link back to my blog}
* you should also post these rules, along with an offer to interview anyone else who emails you, wanting to be interviewed
* anyone who asks to be interviewed should be sent 5 questions to answer on their blog
* it would be nice if the questions were individualized for each blogger

Now for my questions:

1. What's one of your favourite memories?
Definitely family reunions. When I was little we'd all go camping up in this field my great grandmother owned and it would be so much fun! Running around with all of my cousins, seeing family members I barely ever see... I wish I could relive those days.

2. If money were no object, what would you do?
This is a question where I could go on and on.... So I'll pick just 4 of the million things I'd be doing. xD 1- Travel all over the world 2- Not worry so much about how I'm going to pay for college 3- Make sure every member of my family was taken care of 4- Start my own scholarship program for other kids stressing over college!

3. What's one of the very best things about you?
I thought about this one for a while. I think the best thing about me is that I try. I am searching and really trying to improve and create myself.

4. What do you look for in a friend?
Another thinker for me. I wrote a lot about this one in my journal. In the end I decided that what I'm looking for in a friend is the same thing I'm looking for in myself. Right near the top: being empathetic towards others and a sense of humor.

5. If you were a stranger and walked into your room, what would you imagine about the person that lived there?
I would be able to tell right away that this person was a girl. That she liked to read and cook. I'd know she liked pirates. If I looked even closer I would be able to find out a lot more. I think my room suits me well. =)

If you want me to interview you just say so in a comment!

Ever See....

Did you ever see videos, pictures, poems, stories, blog posts, hear songs or any other thing that just kind of made tears go to your eyes the first time you saw/heard it because it spoke to you? Lately I've been finding a lot of things like that. I can tell that I'm in the middle of some change, I can remember the last time I went through an inner change like this and it feels kinda the same. It's like the world is dropping hints. The universe is saying "It's time to learn something new! Take this step!" I can just feel it. It makes me nervous, because I know what's going on but I don't know what to expect. I mean, does a caterpillar know it's becoming a butterfly as it cocoons itself? Maybe that's a bad way to put it... I don't know. I saw this video and it just made me realize something.



It dawned on me just recently that I am a perfectionist. That is a huge problem. It's what has been making me work so hard at my writing, it has helped me become the kind of writer who can bang out a first copy with almost no mistakes. Then why am I still yelling at my English teacher that "I'm a horrible writer, how can you keep giving me As? Are you even reading this crap I print out and pass in?!" (really that's pretty much what I said to him yesterday...)I know it's almost perfect grammatically, but it feels so wrong to me. It's because what I'm writing has so meaning. I haven't figured out how to write something I like. Because I care too much. I took all the fun out of my creativity.

I stifled my own artistic feelings because I hated everything I've ever drawn out on a piece of paper, painted with a brush, or made with clay. That is why I didn't take an art class. I couldn't stand to look at my pitiful creations next to the what seemed like masterpieces that my friends were making. How can I overcome this? I think I started a little while ago when I bought my Wreck This Journal. I couldn't even unleash my creativity on that, though. I think I've stifled it for so long it just disappeared. I'm actually a little bit scared that this metamorphosis will fail and I will be doomed to live a life where I can't fully express myself.

Bottom line is I want to be creative. I want to ask for help- but how can anyone else help me do this? I'm open to any suggestions. I also understand that I could just be completely overreacting. I'm only 18, teenagers overreact a lot. Please tell me if you think I am being stupid. I'll probably feel stupid for writing this tomorrow. At this moment, though, this is what is true for me.

Life is Good. So Smile!

I've had such an awesome day! I have no clue why. I can't say it's because of the food I've been eating, I'm eating the same odd balance of healthy and unhealthy. I can't say it's because my living space is organized, the house is always clean enough and my room's kind of a mess right now. The school day was no different, except for the fact that I was in a really good mood. Not even the large amount of work I realized I have to do over the course of the week could extinguish my good mood.

Prom is Saturday! Now this is exciting, and possibly the cause of my mood. I am looking forward to this weekend. Saturday is all about making myself look pretty, and then Saturday night is about dancing with my friends. Sunday is sleeping in, because prom ends at midnight.


This is a picture of broken egg shells and a feather that my sister found. Tia called me downstairs to show me and I just smiled. I'm so glad that she's getting joy out of finding these treasures. I remember when it was me running around outside finding robin's egg shells to show to my parents.

It's dinner time- and I'm hungry. I thought there was more I wanted to say, but I can't think of it right now. All I know is that life is good- so smile! =D

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the blogging moms out there! <3

This morning I made my mom breakfast, and I gave her a book called Dirty Little Secrets From Otherwise Perfect Moms. The book made her laugh, which is what I was going for.

We bought Grammy some pansies and I planted them for her. I'm glad I got to do some planting, we haven't done any at my house yet because we still don't know if we're moving or not. If we are then what is the point of putting in flowers?

Later I'll be going to my Aunt Jen's house to make a cake with my cousin. The idea was to make it for both our moms, but then I found out my parents are going to Boston to see the Red Sox play tonight. Oh well, I'll just have to save her a piece of cake to eat tomorrow.

What did you do for your moms, or what did your kids do for you?