Getting in the Swing

This morning I woke up absolutely exhausted for no apparent reason. The only thing I could think of was that last night I had a horrible nightmare and I woke up in the middle of the night literally shaking. I kinda don't wanna get into it right now, and I have to make this a shorty anyway because it's almost my bedtime! Waking up at 7:00 am in the summer when I'm used to waking up at the earliest 8:30 am for class...it's not easy. I'm just getting into the swing of things...camp, children, a routine...SHOOT I just realized I have nothing planned for tomorrow because I was way too into The Kite Runner, an amazing book by Khaled Hosseini. I already read one of his books and it was SUPER! But ughhh I really wanted to finish this one scene, and now...it's PAST MY BEDTIME. And as I freak out...let's wrap this mother up! :)

Much Better

The second day of camp was much better than the first. Kevin followed his own advice and split everyone up according to age group. I was with the four year old to six year old children. Thank goodness I had some games prepared. Even with all my preparation, the kids were easily bored, shy, and a little unenthusiastic. A dance game I was 90% sure they'd love was the game they 100% hated. Go figure. Here's another thing to keep in mind: with these young ones, it's best to keep the games as simple as possible. They don't really like strategic games (not that I had any) or games where you put yourself out there too much (like the dance game). The really liked Wonder Ball, though, and the impromptu soccer game was the one they liked the best. Well, mostly. A couple of them wandered over to the teen group, who had started an impromptu volleyball circle. At the end of the day when we sat down on the picnic table to cool down and I started the "Favorites" game, most of the kids said they enjoyed volleyball the best. One boy didn't even join in, he just watched! And he still said volleyball was his favorite. Oh, well. I still have to come up with more games, and I've gone online in search of some. Kind of last minute, I know...but I have an hour tomorrow morning as well to perfect them. Also, Kevin told me that I'll also have the teens so, in his words, "You won't be by yourself with the kids." I had five of them yesterday! That's not very many, and I got along just fine. A couple more are supposed to show up tomorrow, but I'm not even sure if they're in my age group. Whatever, I'm just gonna ignore them and they can participate however they like while we play little kid games. Actually, I'm worried they'll be more of a distraction than anything else. Again, oh well. I had a vision that Kevin went to Sean and told him I'm better off at Noyes. There's dreaming for you.

Blossoming children make me happy.

First Day of Camp

Well, the first day of camp was kind of hectic...but I think that's what made it normal. No, I'm totally lying. It was totally out of control. I remember being confused or maybe a little lost at the other camps, but there was always that structure to turn back to. Here, there is no structure. I don't even know if the kids had fun today because of all the screaming, fighting, and name-calling. And jumping fences. Big fences. And not listening to the counselors. I don't know half the kids' names yet because all the hustling, plus two kids look so similar to me, AND there are no attendance sheets. I asked Kevin about this, and I'm pretty sure he's sick of me comparing everything to Noyce, but I can't help it. Things just WORK there. Kevin thinks that everyone there is a stickler to the rules, but at least there things are under control and the kids feel like they are in a safe environment. We had so many injuries today. Two kids got hit in the head with a kickball. There was a bee sting. And the name-calling and "every kid for themselves" mantra that is now in place is messing with my head. I did connect with a couple of them, but I have a funny suspicion that I'll have to start over tomorrow. Especially with Brendon there. It's hard to act like I'm in charge with him around. I did come up with game plans but didn't end up using any of them because they were all set for toddlers who were shy. The kids ended up still being in one big group, basically, and the games I had in mind would just seem lame to the older kids. And everybody had so much energy that calming them down to start any activity that lasted more than five minutes was just impossible. We played kickball, and that lasted all of two minutes before everybody got confused about which team they were on and random people started kicking the ball and running around aimlessly. Fishy fishy went better, but none of the kids were quiet enough to hear the little kid trying to yell the instructions (Fishy fishy cross my ocean if you're wearing pink). The kids only sat down for all of ten minutes when one of the kid's dad came by to drop off popsicles. They weren't into circle games, which I found surprising because every other camp I've been to, especially Gildersleeve, the kids have been into them. And it was basically only two hours! The first hour was breakfast and cards, then the two hours, and then lunch. During those two hours, more than half the kids asked when lunch was going to be. One girl asked me while the cards were still out. And then I walked home, and I have a blister on my foot. I'm afraid I won't be able to wear the same shoes tomorrow...the horrible lime green t-shirts are...HORRIBLE! I have about 3 pairs of shorts that actually go with the t-shirt. I was so exhausted after walking home in the wretched heat that I jumped into the cool shower when I got home. My inner body was seriously toasting. And I drank lots of water and just had to eat some ice cream to COOL ME DOWN. It wasn't really that my muscles were tired...just my body felt so hot. Good news, though, I didn't get a sunburn. My face was actually pleasantly tanned, and with the sultry combination of my eyes, it was a sight to see. I guess the sunscreen I put on this morning paid off. Oh, this morning. Waiting in that field was tres barbant. I ended up going up 15 minutes early because I thought Kevin would come in early anyway. Nope. I felt so awkward standing there with the mom and kids I didn't even know yet. I'm just hoping tomorrow will be better.

Summer Work

I've been home for about a month and a half now and I have done very little. What I do remember means very little in the big scheme of things that is my life. I have big dreams. Dreams to work at an elite magazine, wear fabulous clothes, hold a certain image, live in a penthouse or maybe an awesome townhouse, and be cool enough to get into certain parties. Maybe these dreams are the reason why I'm so hooked to Gossip Girl and why I can't stop thinking about Logan Henderson, a guy talented enough to bounce from being basically unknown to a hot nerd on Big Time Rush. All I wanna be is a talented girl working her ass off for something good that I believe in. My problem isn't the inability to work hard. My problem is finding the right thing to work hard for. So what if I can get a job at Burger King because I'm close with one of the managers? The problem is that I'm close with one of the managers. I've seen first hand what happens when people have friends that are coworkers instead of having coworkers that are friends. I have something close to that at the place I work for now, and more importantly, my brother doesn't also work there (for now) and it illuminates a positive message for everyone else in the world: that kids deserve a safe place during the summer where they can have fun, make friends, and share memories later on in life. Okay, so at BK I can argue the whole expanding my people person skills, but I don't think that serving people who walk in craving grease will really help all that much. I was at a birthday party yesterday, and just to flip the bird at my mother without really doing so, I got cozy with the elders at the party, laughing over mixing beer and vodka, marrying young, and green balls. Earlier that week, she had asked me if I was afraid of older people, and I said no. I was angry she could forget all those times I helped her back when she worked in Middletown and Cromwell. Worse, she didn't believe me because I heard her talking about it with Jared, my brother. And that's not all they talked about. I hate, double hate when people talk bad about me behind my back, but especially when they do it so carelessly I can clearly hear them and they don't have enough compassion inside them to think about this before shouting about it to the whole house (not really shouting, but you get the picture). Mom says all I do is sit in my room. Maybe that's true, for about 70% of this vacation, but she never thought to investigate further...to maybe be a mom and ask me about anything. We haven't talked about anything real in the longest, and at that family picnic when the elders asked who I was, I felt weird saying, "Michelle's daughter." I don't feel like Michelle's daughter. She said the best thing they could have done was kick Adam out of the house. She was talking about doing the same thing to me, and I swear, if I feel as shunned as Adam is right now, I will be devastated. This was a family picnic, and she didn't even think of inviting him until we were driving over and it was too late. She said she figured he was hanging out with Shanae, Adam's girlfriend, but I don't think this is true. When I'm a mom, I won't be the kind of mom my mother is. Either one. This one is horrible, and the one in Enfield isn't strong enough. I guess that makes me somewhat of a witch, too, since I'm talking such nonsense about them, even if it is the truth. Who would hire me when I can only commit myself for the rest of the summer? I really can't work at BK. My car goal does not look to be happening (the whole Marshalls thing?). I wouldn't even have enough to get a car AND books, seeing as all the money that I got last summer from graduation gifts and my job got blown all in the first semester mostly due to books and my mistake of forgetting about the future. I also thought about Main Street Diner. With the hours I have now at my other job, I would be able to work weekends from 5 am-1 pm: a good eight hours, increasing my work load to 36 hours a week. But who would drive me? Well, I have a test...let's see if it works.

Summer. Yeah, whatever.

Communication

The most important, or I guess one of the most important, aspects of today's society is communication. And it sucks having my best friend without a cell phone. Last time I was over her house she had a laptop...why isn't she answering my Facebook posts? My other best friend, Kristin, is all busy running errands and literally running, preparing for the Army. It just seems like everyone always leaves, and I'm sick of always feeling alone. Even in a crowd, at a family picnic, I feel alone. What's with that? I hope working next week will bring me out of this. The kids need me to be a positive role model.

An Amazing Start...

...To hopefully an amazing weekend! Mimi's was super fun even though there was some drama with the ride situation and the water was chilly, but I got to swim in a pool at night! I don't remember ever doing that. Underwater was super blurry because of my no glasses dilemma and all the shadows. I couldn't even find the colorful rings underwater, which I'm usually good at. Or even tell what color they were! We also went shopping and to Hometown Buffet. I was super bad in there with all my desserts, but cheesecake is my weakness and it's technically my vacation for the summer since I won't be joining the family in August like usual. I don't really care as much, though, because I think they're going someplace super lame. (I guess super is the word of the day). I also can't stop thinking about my not-so-secret crush, and I just watched the super hilarious video in which Logan pushes Carlos off the stage. A must-watch! But something even better...a super must-watch in fact...Bad Teacher. I've been spending my early evening/late afternoon reading Cosmo, including an article about Cameron Diaz, and I'm determined to see the movie. Hopefully this weekend.

Now, I must return to watching hot guys be gorgeous.

To Grandmother's House We Go

I'll be at Mimi's from tonight to tomorrow night. I'm hoping for a weather miracle with no thunder and no lightning so we'll be able to swim. My brother and I that is. Before we go, my family and I are going to a cookout to celebrate Luke getting First Class in Boy Scouts. I'm not sure what this is, but it sounds impressive. I really hope he sticks with it all the way to Eagle. It's important to me because I never got my Gold Award with Girl Scouts. I'm looking forward to being at Mimi's house even if it was a hassle getting us there. Plus, I'm only there for one day while Luke is there for two. Adam is picking me up Thursday night because Friday morning I have job training. I hope I can find my mini umbrella because it's supposed to rain and Mom is dropping me off an hour early because that's when her work starts and I don't have any other ride. I tried to get Adam to pick me up and drop me off Friday morning, but it was too much for me. I remember I was talking to someone about getting a job in order to get my license, and they said, "Yeah, they'll WANT you to get your license from driving you everywhere because of your work." Well, she had to do this last summer, and so far no support. She always brings it up in conversation like she expects me to take care of it all on my own, and believe me, I'm trying. I even packed my driving manual so I can review it while I'm at Mimi's. I thought I would have my written done with by now because of the support I got from Adam and Rachel, but so far nothing has pulled through. I'm hoping things will fall into place once I start working again. Work always gives me focus.

4 servings, not 4 squares

So I just went to the doctor today. She asked me a lot of questions about nutrition and I realized even if I lose weight, I'm not getting the nutrients I need to be healthy. So instead of cutting out meals entirely but not really doing anything because the calories increase in each meal (you got all that?), I merely increase the nutrition in each meal. That way, I'll be not only full, but I get the healthy food I need. I also am going to start taking a multivitamin at night. Mom said I could take hers. My doctor also said that the weight might not come off as easily as it did sophomore year. It might take longer, but that means it will be more likely to stay off. And honestly, I don't ever want to go through this weight gain thing (ugh, the Freshman 15) again until I get pregnant. If I stick with the 4 servings of veggies, fruits, dairy, and 2 servings of meat then I'll be good. I told my mom my doctor wants me to take calcium supplements, too, because I don't really eat a lot of dairy, but my mom said to just eat more cheese and I'll be good. She says it's always better to eat the food than taking the pill.
If this post seems confusing, I'm sorry. I'm love struck. Lol. ;)
Bye!

Not the best picture....whatevs, you get the point. :)

Big Time Rush

These guys are HILARIOUS!! No kidding. And of course they're handsomely gorgeous! My favorite is Logan, the one with the brown hair and chocolate colored eyes wearing the hot leather jacket. (Just in case you can't see his eyes).

J and S

 

Young love. Isn't it freaking adorable? (Sarcasm). Okay, I know it isn't cool to be jealous of your 15-year-old brother who has a "friend" who might be his "girlfriend" and they kiss and hold hands and everything...she even says "I love you" and they still can't freaking figure out if they're a couple. It's the latest family drama. "If she isn't your girlfriend then why do you kiss all the time?" is a constant question Luke brings up. I don't know what the big deal is. I think S might be afraid of getting hurt if they make it official and she gets even more attached. I think they both don't know what they have, though she seems a lot more to handle than J is. I haven't had an official in quite some time now, and if a cute guy started loving me and kissing me and holding my hand, you better believe I'm gonna call him my boyfriend and he'll be expected to take me to dinner and call me and help me study, etc. This girl doesn't realize that once J is the boyfriend, she has more power. But with more power means more heartache, I guess, and that's the only thing she seems to be focused on. They were kissing in the car right in front of me (literally...believe me), and one kiss had too much spit in it and you could totally hear. Lol, I'm not sure if I'm the only one who noticed. Luke said the kissing was annoying, and as usual I was no comment. I tried to pretend they weren't even doing anything weird but it was a little hard with the closeness and spit going on. I talked to Luke basically nonstop throughout the whole car ride. I actually think Luke was jealous of the pairing because it meant Jared wasn't paying attention to him a.k.a annoyed. Which he said. So I'm right. Haha. But, yeah, I'm not worried about it. I'm just gonna move on from these memories of closeness and spit and daydream about Logan from Big Time Rush. Ever since Kristin told me he plays the geeky one on the show, I thought no one would be into him...that I could be the "only one" who liked him and live in my own fantasy of everyone hitting on Carlos, James, and Kendall and me having Logan all to myself to flirt with. ;) But...never gonna happen! Almost every YouTube video I watched with him in it, there was at least one girl declaring him hot, and I never saw any remarks about the other boys! :( Haha, there's always daydreaming...

Video Games

People have to learn to get their priorities right, but video games, especially the good kind, might not necessarily be bad. What do I mean by good? Well, no violence. Violent video games are proven to be a negative impact, especially on youth. But what about games like bejeweled? Games that have puzzles that causes people of all ages to either act quickly in order to achieve the maximum number of points or have multiple steps that get the brain juices flowing. Yes, I said brain juices. Hopefully you aren't eating while you read this. Both my brothers have problems when it comes to technology and getting their homework done. With Jared, the problem is television. He already has to get up extra early to catch a bus to the Hartford Academy, but he decides to wake up even earlier...just to watch an extra half hour of TV! Not even I'm that bad...I need my sleep. With Luke, the problem is video games. He could sit there for hours traveling around on the big, brown horse shooting down zombies. He even goes online to look up shortcuts so he can beat his games and head to Game Stop to trade his games in and get MORE games. I'm pretty sure he has played more video games than his three other siblings combined. I'm pretty sure I've played the least...but I've probably watched the most television series. Yes, even more than the TV King. It's not that he has a lot of shows...the main ones are Family Guy and South Park. But I watch basically everything from 90210 to Master Chef. I don't know what it is, but I like reality TV. I know most people hate it, but I can't understand their loathing. Anyways, I'm also really into movies, but I don't think as much as TV since there are so many movies I haven't seen. Now, back to the point: in moderation (because too much of anything could be harmful), video games could actually be a good thing. (Hopefully Luke never reads this). :)

My Latest Craving

Sometimes all you need is a picture, and that says it all.

My Opinion

Here is a Facebook post I just found, and I want to shed some light for her and everyone else that might think it is true.

"i've said it before, and i will say it again! beauty is in the eyes of the beholder NOT in the eyes of vogue, cosmo, or seventeen magazine! just proudly embrace who YOU are & don't compare yourself to the computer edited, spray-tanned, "beautiful" models. they may be beautiful but you gotta accept that you are too! once you see yourself as beautiful, others will too cause confidence is what makes a girl sexy. ♥"

 Here is the latest Seventeen. Look at Lucy: she's the girl next door. She wasn't born into Hollywood, she worked hard to get there! She makes thick eyebrows look cool, and she inspires young girls to look at her and think, "I can become her!" They might save up their allowance, go to the store, and purchase a pair of feather earrings and only wear one on one ear, step outside the norm, because Lucy made it okay to do that. Or, if the girl is brave enough, she'll buy something totally new and original, and rock that  look. Seventeen makes it possible for normal girls to look at their cover and be more than they already are because any girl can always be more. 

Vogue. The ultimate fashion magazine...the most famous and the most elite. And here's a normal looking woman on their cover! And being on the cover of Vogue is any model's dream! She worked hard to get there...there have been women that have auditioned for Top Model and have been turned away because all they are is trust fund babies with no personality. Vogue has the power to inspire people everywhere to attend a "Colour Fiesta" and wear something that is colorful, fresh, and Vogue elite. Vogue says that fashion isn't just about the clothes, it's how you wear them, treat them, and represent them. You can be whoever who want to be, it doesn't matter, and there are plenty of clothes to go with it. 


I don't really know Cosmo that well, but I remember I used to sit in the library waiting for my dad to pick me up and read Cosmo. And it was fun to read about the celebrities and things I couldn't ask my parents about in the sex ed section. These magazines aren't just about clothes, they represent what it means to be a young women, whether it means struggling to get through high school or trying to jump start your career. These magazines don't tell you what beauty is, they inspire everyone to create their own beauty! Where do you think designers get the inspiration to create the perfect dress? Nature. People. Life! 

So, I didn't think it was fair to leave Cosmo out...these are the ones I used to read when I was younger. :)

Mean by Taylor Swift

I can't stop watching this music video and clicking "replay." It's amazing.

You, with your words like knives and swords and weapons that you use against me
You have knocked me off my feet again got me feeling like I'm nothing
You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard, calling me out when I'm wounded
You, pickin' on the weaker man

Well, you can take me down with just one single blow
But you don't know what you don't know

Someday I'll be living in a big old city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean

Why you gotta be so mean?

You, with your switching sides and your walk-by lies and your humiliation
You, have pointed out my flaws again as if I don't already see them
I'll walk with my head down trying to block you out 'cause I'll never impress you
I just wanna feel okay again

I'll bet you got pushed around, somebody made you cold
But the cycle ends right now 'cause you can't lead me down that road
And you don't know what you don't know

Someday I'll be living in a big old city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean

Why you gotta be so mean?

And I can see you years from now in a bar, talking over a football game
With that same big loud opinion but nobody's listening
Washed up and ranting about the same old bitter things
Drunk and grumbling on about how I can't sing

But all you are is mean
All you are is mean and a liar and pathetic and alone in life
And mean, and mean, and mean, and mean

But someday I'll be living in a big old city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean, yeah
Someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean

Why you gotta be so mean?

Someday, I'll be, living in a big old city
(Why you gotta be so mean?)
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
(Why you gotta be so mean?)
Someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
(Why you gotta be so mean?)
And all you're ever gonna be is mean

Why you gotta be so mean?

Proof She Actually Didn't Have To Work Today (At Shoprite Anyway)

Kara Marie Westbrook

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  Kara Marie Westbrook

  At Captain Scotts for lunch with my grammy :)
  CB#: 8602873413

  

  

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  Kara Marie Westbrook

  hoping this mr.clean magic eraser actually works cause the Sunday school room table needs some big time cleanup!!

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  Kara Marie Westbrook added 2 new photos to the album Life. Is. Good. ♥

  

  Life. Is. Good. <3

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  Audge Devaux

  hey I FINALLY sent you the pictures :)) There waiting in your owl mail.......

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  Kara Marie Westbrook

  up bright and early!! spending the entire day organizing and slightly redecorating the Sunday school classroom at church :). htc ♥

  6 hours ago · 

  So...enough said.

An Interesting Dream

Last night I had an interesting dream that I thought was worth sharing. Here's a strange fact: I almost never have dreams where I am in college. Maybe it's because I haven't been in college long enough? But they're almost always in high school. And sometimes, it's not even my high school. Sometimes it looks like my high school but it's combined with other schools I've been to in the past. And sometimes there are people in my class I used to know from other schools, but most of the time it's just Portland people. I mean, my head doesn't want to completely confuse me, right? Actually, I don't even realize anything is different until I wake up. Haha, this reminds me of Inception (good movie). 

Anyway, in this dream I actually am in middle school. I know because a girl, Emily Curley, who I knew in middle school, was there. And so was Mr. Smith and Mr. Stekloff, my middle school teachers. We are on a field trip, and we get to stay in what looks like a fancy  hotel. Emily tells me she has to do something and she'll just meet me at the amusement park. I walk out by myself (apparently none of my other friends existed in this dream), and the park is practically empty. It's a bright and sunny day so it isn't really creepy, but I just wonder where everyone is. So after walking around a little and realizing I can't go on any rides by myself, I head back to the hotel. I find myself inside an indoor mini mall. Somehow I know where to go and I enter this shop that leads to the inside of our hotel room. Emily is there and she tells me something but I can't really hear her (either that, or I forget what she said). I realize now that I am hungry (go figure). So I go out into the square that is the mini mall, and it turns into a grocery store. It's then that I realize I don't have any money. I try to take things, but everybody seems to have their eyes on me, so I can't without getting busted. I stuff my hands in my pockets and I decide to just go back to the hotel room. I circle the grocery store and it turns back in the square. But everything is blurry and I can't find the store I have to enter. I know what it looks like, I just can't find it. Finally, I see the store, but it is extremely blurry. I go through the entrance and I am in the hotel room again. But it has more bunk beds, set up kind of like Silver Lake, with girls (Emily is there, too) that look like girls I have met at Silver Lake. Except they all  have different names, and I find I actually know them. But then as I begin talking to them, I find myself forgetting. Emily hands me a big stack of papers to pass back to them, but their names are even harder to remember. And these are strange names I've never heard of before. This one girl that looks very familiar to me with strawberry blond hair and lots of freckles, but she keeps on having to repeat her name. And as I pass out papers, the stack does not get any thinner or lighter. Boys also walk into the room, sitting down with the girls on the beds, as I hustle trying to get the papers back to their owners. I also am short of breath. A swirl of color, and I wake up.

Sorry this was so long. I've told dreams to my mom before, and she is always dumbfounded on how long my dreams actually are. I remember feeling very lost in this dream, and I remember dreams where I have felt lost before: within high schools trying to find classrooms, etc. (The finding classroom thing has happened a lot). So I went to an online "Dream Moods Dictionary" and looked up what feeling lost means.

"To dream that you are lost, suggests that you have lost your direction in life or that you have lost sight of your goals. You may be feeling worried and insecure about the path you are taking in life. If you try to call for help, then it means that you are trying to reach out for support. You are looking for someone to lean on. Alternatively, being lost means that you are still adjusting to a new situation in which the rules and conditions are ever changing."

I found this to be not very surprising and very accurate. I hope you enjoyed reading about my dream and hearing about my past dreams.  

Cancelled Beach Trip

I was supposed to go to the beach today with Kara. We had it all planned out on Friday; it was going to be a day when we got to catch up. Not so much. Last night I texted her asking what time she was picking me up, and she said, "I dont think we can go :(." When I asked why she wrote, "Cause I got called into work :[" So I asked when's the next time she has off and she said Saturday and I said maybe we can do something then and that was the end of it. I know it's not her fault, but it still got me really down. I went to bed kind of late but pretty early for me, and I woke up multiple times but ended up not getting out of bed until about 1 pm. I know that's really late and with my new profound goal I have I really shouldn't be sleeping in. However, there is some good news, if you can call it that. Instead of a poptart, I had mac n cheese. I'm not sure if that's healthy, but it's healthier than a poptart. And I wanted a brownie with it...I mean, really bad. But I ignored my cravings. :)
So right now I'm thinking about either watching a movie (I saw Treasure Planet for the first time yesterday...a surprisingly good movie!) or finding a highlighter and continuing to read my driver's manual. I'm still deciding but I'll let you know.

I have no idea why I uploaded this photo...it makes me crave them even more. :/

Taking A Stand

Alright, I'm officially on a diet. Things got out of hand, but it hasn't even been a month since school ended. I still have time to get back on the horse. And tomorrow is going to be a 73 degree day at the beach, and Wednesday is going to be a day of training (finally work!). Saturday was an all-time low for boredom because I was just sitting around trying to call people and everyone was busy. I even talked to Rachel's boyfriend, Tim (aka Quinn: I'm deciding whether I should follow along with the nickname or not) for about 10 minutes. It was actually a nice conversation, though it ended kind of awkwardly. Haha, you know how it's kind of weird to say goodbye to a person you don't really talk to normally? I was like, "Ok, I'm gonna let you go." And he said, "Have fun at dinner with your family." And I said, "Thankkk youu," all drawn out because I was surprised he actually cared. And then I was like, "Byeee." Then he said, "Bye." But then I said, "I'll talk to you later," after we already said goodbye, so that kinda messed up the flow of conversation. And then he had to say, "Yeah, I'll talk to you later." And then we kinda said "bye" basically at the same time. I was laughing a little, but I just hung up. This was basically the most interesting thing that happened to me Saturday. Besides the fact that I'm slowly getting my story done. When it's done I'm definitely going to post it so everyone can read it. Fingers crossed that it actually comes out good! :)

What I am now:

 What I want to be:

I know it may not look like a big stretch from the first to the second, but I decided this size because I was a size (whatever) for the longest time, so I know it's attainable.

I wish I read this when I was 16...

Avery Shares Her Top 5 Essential Things to Do When You Turn 16

Turning 16 is a huge milestone, and if there's one person who knows how major the birthday is, it's 'Love Me or Let Me Go' singer Avery. The internet sensation became an artist to know from her widely-viewed YouTube videos, and signed to Universal Motown Records last year all before turning the big 1-6.

Avery just celebrated her 16th birthday, and is currently busy teaming up with super-producers and songwriters like Stargate, The Matrix, Dr. Luke & Company and more to create her debut album. The pop star has plenty to focus on this year, but she's still a down-to-earth teenager who knows how to keep it real.
Here, Avery talks about what she's into these days in her Top 5 Essential Things to Do When You Turn 16 list, complete with personal, hand-picked pics. Read what she has to say below and keep your eyes peeled for new music from the super bright star in the coming months.

Avery's Top 5 Essential Things to Do When You Turn 16



1. Hit the road. It's definitely time to start practicing how to drive. Once you have your license, you start feeling more independent and it's a lot easier to start hanging out with friends. It's definitely fun to have a car and go to the mall with your friends without relying on your parents. The freedom feels great.



2. Make money. Most kids start getting their first job when they turn 16 -- you got to pay for that car and gas somehow! Once you start driving, you and your friends will want to go out more so you'll need to save money to eat and go out. You can pay for yourself. Although that doesn't sound fun, it actually is fun feeling independent, free and responsible.



3. Date up. A lot of teenagers start dating and meeting more people when they turn 16. It's fun to go out, be young and have a good time with new people. And girls, guys also start to drive when they turn 16 so it's easier for them to pick you up and take you on dates!



4. Be a healthier you. It's good to start watching what you eat and start trying to be healthier. When you turn 16, you start to become more responsible and more mature so it's good to realize that eating junk food all the time isn't always the best idea. It feels great to work out, eat healthy food, and take care of your body. You can definitely still have your cookies and milk but just start being more aware of your health!



5. Focus on your future. Sixteen is a good age to start thinking about college and what you want to do when you grow up. It's almost time to leave middle school! So it's definitely a good time to start researching what things you enjoy the most!


I mean, some of these I actually did do: I certainly focused on my future, but I started a lot earlier than when I turned 16 which would have been the end of sophomore year of high school. And yes, it was around the time I turned 16 that I was more concerned about my health, participating more in track and eating healthier (not that it's the same...what happened?). But I never drove around, and I didn't get a job until I was 18. And about the boy thing...I had my first boyfriend when I was fourteen, and I have lots of crushes and a lot of "almosts" but nothing serious since then. But I'm still young; anything can happen. Actually, my ex has been texting me and we made plans to meet up to catch up. We are going to go swimming in the lake near my house and then go to Middletown to have dinner. But, anyways, this list made me laugh, and if you're not 16 or even if you are, hope it makes you laugh too.

Some Old Short Stories

Today I went on my home computer which had a lot of old stuff on it from high school including short stories, poetry, and essays. I put them all on my flash drive and transferred them over to my laptop. I gotta say, a lot of the writing sucks, but that just means I've learned a lot since I've graduated high school. :)

Birthday Girl

Hey, people! It's my birthday, and that means I'm gonna spend tonight clubbing it up and drinking it up. Okay, totally just kidding. But I am gonna enjoy myself the legal way without any pot or pregnancies. Just be me. :)

Not exactly the birthday cake from Chili's, but close enough. ;)

Playing the Counselor Role

Last night was pretty enjoyable. My family and I went to go visit a family friend at Nelson's, a campground in the next town over. I actually used to go camping there all the time with Girl Scouts, but my family had visited Karen before. Of course, Karen's family was there as well, along with a few of their friends, so it was like a mini party. No alcohol for the under-21s, though, ha. Not that I minded. At all. With all those families, there was a handful of children running around, and I took it upon myself to take on the counselor role. I didn't mind in the slightest. It was actually fun. Having kids listen to me, feel like I'm making a difference in their lives, and have their approval almost instantly. Kids are so fun and innocent that way: I love it. It also made me think of my future kids, and how much I love the name Nate. It would say Nathan on his birth certificate, but everyone would call him Nate. I have never met a Nate that was not adorable, and they all seem to be fun. The Nate I met at the campsite was both adorable and fun; in my opinion, he was the cutest one there. And we seemed to hit it off. According to behindthename.com, Nathan means "he gave" in Hebrew, and it was the name of the son of King David in the Bible. Which is cool. I always kinda pictured all my children having Biblical names.
Playing the counselor role also made me realize how much I want the beginning of camp here. Sure, the end of camp was horrendous, but overall I loved my job. I wonder what's going to happen at C Court this year; it is a different location than last year...I'm not familiar with the children or routine of the camp so I'll have to adjust quickly. I'm not too worried about it, though. It just needs to get here!!

Some examples of some cute Nathans...<3

Squirrel!!

Isn't this the cutest squirrel you've ever seen?? <3
Just had to post this...:)

Flirtexting

I found this page on Facebook, and this is one of the posts and comments at the top of the page. Absolutely hilarious!

FLIRTEXTING

The bottom line of flirtexting: When done strategically, texting can help you get a date and potentially a boyfriend/girlfriend. Exactly what and when you write back will detemine which direction your relationship will go.

Thursday at 8:27am · Share

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• 30 people like this.
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    Jason TheTrap Jones i have mastered this.

    Thursday at 8:28am
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    Robert Farlow oh im screwed! :(

    Thursday at 8:34am via Facebook Mobile
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    Katrina Salley Wallace This is true! If you can wag that silver tongue just right you can get it wet lol

    Thursday at 8:36am via Facebook Mobile
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    David R T Williams Agreed! I help invent flirtexting.

    Thursday at 8:38am
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    Raheem Broadus Gang-green I got tha voice to make em drop dem thongz, so they say

    Thursday at 8:44am
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    David R T Williams ‎@ Raheem: Lol, check u out.

    Thursday at 8:55am
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    Pabloo Pereira Anyone wanna flirt 7863165207 ;) hmu ;) girls only

    Thursday at 9:10am via Facebook Mobile
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    Michael Le'nard I am good at this but keep in mind u can text youre way outta pussy that goes without saying

    Thursday at 9:17am via Facebook Mobile
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    Laurent Gordyk you can't act too flirtatious or you can seem desperate and only trying to get lucky; you have to fake some emotions and make yourself seem unpleased at times so they suck up to you and you get the upper hand in the relationship. never text back more than once and always try to reply with less words than her original text ;p flirt, but make yourself a challenge to them

    Thursday at 9:28am · 2 people
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    Brittany Hepler So not true about the last one...that just pisses me off. Lol.

    Thursday at 9:31am via Facebook Mobile
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    Laurent Gordyk that's because you're a girl :)

    Thursday at 9:32am
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    Michael Le'nard When flirt texting you half to somewhat kno something about them

    Thursday at 9:44am via Facebook Mobile · 1 person
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    Lois Lanne J I jus wanna guy that I can have decent conversations with. This online shit is sorta boosie, but imma try it anyway and see what it do!

    Thursday at 9:53am via Facebook Mobile
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    Brittany Hepler Well I guess me being a girl is part of it but either way I hate it when someone responds with less words than what I said. Maybe I'm weird like that but still...

    Thursday at 1:19pm via Facebook Mobile

     

     

    It actually makes me think of this guy Mike who randomly messaged me on Facebook and then I stupidly gave him my number so we could text...and I guess we flirtexted. Then I talked to my friend Rachel and she said he sent some of the same exact texts to her! Plus, Austin has been texting me too...so I am a definite victim of flirtexting. Still, it's funny to read these things and laugh at how lame people can be.