Let's Go West!

Almost four weeks ago we sent my (not so) little brother out west with Teen's Camping Tour of the West!  I went out west with TCTW the summer after my junior year of high school and it was finally Seth's turn.  He waited a year longer than I did so he wouldn't miss football workouts before his senior year; but now that he's all graduated and about to head off to NC State, it was his turn to pack his bags and head west. We picked him up on Monday and he showed up like this . . .

For those of you who haven't heard of TCTW, it is a 23 day trip across America, venturing through 21 states just for high school kids!  Its staffed by adults who are college grads with flawless driving records!  You essentially use the time to explore the wonders of America and learn to appreciate its beauty and God's great works.  You hike the Great Sand Dunes and the Grand Canyon, lay down at the 4 Corners, marvel at the heights of the Tetons and the Rockies, toast the coast of Califorina.  The vans turn east and you stop in Wyoming for a rodeo, spend the day in Chicago and take a few dessert drives to bring you back home.  It was honestly one of the best things I've ever done. EVER.  Not only did I see God's handywork that is spread between the coasts of this great country, but I also built wonderful relationships with people I will never forget.  Some of my best friends are the people I spend a month of my summer with in a smelly, hot van. And I am absolutely thrilled that Seth got to experience those same feelings, that same trip, with some of the same staff I had!  One really cool thing:  one of Seth's staff, Kelsey Williams, went out west with me and is still one of my closest friends to this day!  Hopefully after I graduate this year, I will have the opportunity to take some teens west and show them the beauty of God's earth, and help them to appreciate the many blessings we are surrouned with daily.  On that note, Welcome to the TCTW family, SETH.  Can't wait til Stockholders, when I'll get to embarrass him in front of all his new friends!

My trip! All of us before hiking the Canyon!

For those of you interested in learning more about TCTW, check out the website, http://www.tctw.com/, or the Facebook Page!

It's getting late, and as much as I'd love to chat for hours and hours about the TCTW experience, I gotta get some rest . . . gotta teach Zumba in the morning then head to Hyco Lake with some of my favorite people!

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

-Colossians 1: 16-17

Sign up, Show up, Sip up . . .

Second post of the day . . . but I need to catch up!  July 10th I threw a surprise birthday party for my mom's 46th!  I'd been planning it for a few weeks so I was so excited when it was finally time!  I'm interning this summer at Wine and Design Cary doing marketing and business-related tasks for them so I decided it would be a great place for Mom's party! I showed mom some of the paintings I'd seen while working and she liked the bike painting so I contacted some of her friends and booked the party!  I made some of her favorite foods like sausage dip, cream cheese puffs, ranch dip and cupcakes.  Crystal's job was to get her to the studio so she told Mom they were going to Bonefish Grill, Mom's favorite restaurant!  Little did she know, she'd actually be coming to Wine and Design . . . and she was surprised! She loved every minute of it and she deserved it too!  Happy Birthday to the best mom ever!

Firecrackers

For the 4th of July, my boyfriend, Josh, and I went over to his mom's house for brats, beer and fireworks!  Before the festivities celebrating 'Merica we went with Anita to the farm so she could ride her horse . . . little did I know I would be riding a horse too! My first time (YEAH bucket list)!  Although I look super confident in this picture, I was a nervous wreck!  He may be an old pap horse (he was at least 100 years old in horse years) but I was still pretty high off the ground.  And I also wasn't really in control of him, he just kinda wandered where he wanted to . . . mostly to the bushes to snack on some leaves.  My kinda horse right there, food = #1 priority.  

Me and Anita's horse, Belicia

Now that I think about it, nothing screams 'MERICA like riding a horse in jorts on a 102 degree, Fourth of July afternoon.

Josh, the Grill Master and his Brats

When we got back to the house, JD taught Josh how to cook brats!  With our brats we had fresh salsa, potato salad and sauteed onions and peppers. YUM!  Josh and I made a cheeseball and mini Oreo cheesecakes with strawberries on top.  Once it finally got dark we headed out to the backyard for beer and fireworks!  JD and Anita had gone to South of the Border for some legit (and illegal) bottle rockets and fireworks.  I stayed far away from the action . . . I'd probably lose a limb with my luck. I finished 2 beers . . . 2 whole beers. HUGE deal for me. HUGE. It was Blue Moon's Summer Blend, deliciosa! We were actually invited to a cookout because our fireworks were so awesome!  Come to find out, that cookout had JELLO SHOTS.  Anywho, it was a wonderful July 4th filled with horses, fireworks, family, beer, brats, Hooch, a crazy kitten and partially retarded pup, and LOUD noises!

Why Blog? Why now?

Here I am sitting in bed the day before July 4th and all of a sudden I think . . . BLOG.  I've seen tons on Pinterest, my best friend Bracey tried updating one while in France, another friend of mine is blogging about his dreams and endeavors in the music industry. . . so why don't I have one?

Well, I'm going to start one! I'm going into my senior year at UNC-Chapel Hill and I want my blog to help me remember my adventures, my struggles, my fear, my successes.  I want to create, inspire, challenge, inform and

So here goes nothin' . . . or should I say "somethin?"

Here goes somethin'. . . a little somethin' about life, love, and happiness from the eyes of a dragonfly . . .