The Visit that is Coming to a Close.

These are just a few pictures from the visit. They are leaving tomorrow and it seems just to soon for them to be leaving. It has been loads of fun and I will upload more pictures from their visit. (I think they will be a little more exciting than plants! :)

Life Lately.

On Wednesday, my cousin Kristin and Aunt Linda arrived at John Wayne Airport. They flew in since my cousin got accepted into Claremont Makenna. It has really been fun to have them here. Today we visited the campus of Claremont and it was truly beautiful. It is not completley decided if Kristin  is going there, since she has also been and may be accepted into other colleges that are high on the list. Let's just hope that Claremont is number one on this list ;)
It was such a blessing that this school week was light, which made it so much easier to hang out with my family. Although they have only been here for two days, we have already gotten into a heated discussion! But is that really a surprise? It was a great discussion though that I think was really important to have. I'm actually praying that there will be more of these discussions. The deep ones about faith and meaningful things of life.
They leave next Thursday but the time is already breezing by. As all visits do. :(
The biggest thing left on the list for us to do is to visit the Getty Museum. I'm really looking forward to it!
I will post some pictures of the Getty! So get ready!

Our Trip Last Year.

Today marks an official year since my mom and I flew back east. On this day, we were scrambling to the airport early in the morning while it was still dark. I remember my dad dropping us off on the curb and the sad moment of saying goodbye. I also remember the wonderful feeling of being on the plane and flying over Palm Springs, the Grand Canyon, and the snow covered Colorado Mountains. It was so beautiful!


I remember flying into Minneapolis, Minnesota and the houses were all different and funky colors. The trees were bare from winter and it looked like a town from a cartoon. I remember a cute little book store there called, "The Red Balloon" in the airport.

And most of all, I remember the wonderful feeling of hearing "ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seatbelts, place tray tables back in place, and adjust your seats upright. We are now landing in Albany, New York..." and they continued to describe the sunny, yet chilly weather outside.

Stepping off the plain, we walked past the little I Love New York stores and airport cafes to hurry and see my Aunt Linda who would be picking us up.

And when we finally were with my aunt, we got our luggage and walked out the sliding doors. I was shocked by the cold but it was just so good to be back there. Then we drove to Valley Falls, to get the most incredible pizza. And I could never forget the sensation that overcomes when we approached my grandparent's driveway. I would be seeing them soon!

And it was so nice to sit around the table and eat the pizza that we had eaten for years each visit.



Our trip was full of amazing events. First, and most important, we had the chance to spend time with my cousin, Kari and we got to share great conversations, watched Pride and Prejudice (BBC) version and ate almost an entire jar of wickles together. And one day after a full day of antique shopping at Camelot Village, we visited Friendly's ice cream to have a sundae with my mom, aunt, and cousin. It was so wonderful. :)

There are so many fun things we did! Westin Country Store.... a free tour of the Equinox Hotel....The Ice Cream Man ice cream shop....Hildene, home of Robert Todd Lincoln....so many more!

Another cool thing about this trip- we got the chance to spend time with Joanne, my mom's best friend, and have late morning tea with her at her home before we went to lunch with her and her granddaughter, Maszie.

It was such a blessing that my mom and I got to visit with Joanne's daughter, Anna and her daughter, Maszie before Anna got married and is now living in PA. :)



All in all, it was just SUCH an amazing trip! The Lord had His hand on our trip in every way. The people we got to spend time with were just wonderful. I'm so anxious to go back again! And I know that we will be...soon! ;D

Hello Weekend!

I think everybody loves the weekend. And Fridays are also wonderful.
Yesturday was a neat Friday for me actually.
At 2:00 pm, my mom and I went out to lunch with a woman named Robin and her mother. (Sadly, I forgot her mothers name :( ) It was pretty amazing listening to the mother's testimony. Their family has had some rough times with their kids. Robin actually has an interesting condition. She has what is called Williams Syndrome. Robin is in her late 40's, but she appears to be much older. She is always upbeat and has a great personality. "Having Robin has been such a blessing. There have been so many miracles." When Robin's mother said that as she smiled at Robin, it was so sweet and humble. Robin and her mother have a very close relationship. We talked a lot about Christianity too. It was really fun and my mom and I really enjoyed getting to know them a little better than a brief "hello" after church.
After lunch, I got to go over to my friend's home. It was actually an assignment I had to do about someone I know who helps the community. Her dad was the perfect canidate. Before and after the interview, Elizabeth and I talked with our moms and did what we do best...eat! :) They are so sweet whenever we come over, or any person comes over. They start getting out all these snacks and drinks. They have such a gift of hospitality for sure. When my mom and I were about to leave, they asked me if I would want to go to see Tim Burton's Alice and Wonderland with them. The offer was too great to pass up. A fun movie with fun people!? Yes please! :) We had dinner at Pat and Oscars, which was very good. Then we headed to the theature for the movie. At first, I really could not get into the movie. Which was a bummer because the story of Alice and Wonderland is one of my favorites. But a while later, it got really intense and I was hooked. It was totally different than the original, but it was really neat to see. And the ending is great, which is always a good thing!
So Friday was a good start to the weekend. Although I have a little bit of work to do, It is still nice to have a little bit of a pause from the busy week.

Have a great weekend!!

The Pre-Oscar Party.

So, this weekend my mom and I were invited to this pre-oscar party in Hollywood because this new movie I'm in. ...haha, just kidding. We have a friend who just began this online sports network with his family. So he will be going to these events pretty regularly now.
I was really excited to go. I have always loved to go to Hollywood to see the big sign on the hill and to think of all the old classic actors and actresses like Gregory Peck, Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, and Audrey Hepburn who were once on the big screen. (and alive) :(
Anyways, when we entered the Hollywood area, we came to a stop light. Our friend, Tommy who drove my mom and I, was so certain he saw an actress driving in the car ahead of us. "Is that Natalie Portman in front of us?" he said. And of course I was getting really excited. The woman driving switched lanes, so I got to see who it was! Sure enough- It was Natalie Portman cruising in her hybrid with the windows rolled down with some friends with her. It was just so cool to see her and so unexpected!
Well, we got to the party and some people who were going to come were Tom Cruise, Fabio, Natalie Portman, and so on. When we got there though, there was really no one that I recognized.
Getting to the point- it was a totally eye opening experience. I think a lot of people, including my self, think that the whole hollywood scene is wonderful. But to be honest- It made my heart break to see some of these girls dressed so immodest and cheap. And the drinking was pretty overwhelming. This one woman there was so sweet, but there was not one time during the party that I saw her without a drink in her hand. They were all so lost. Some striving to become something in the hollywood scene, and others just simply trying to be something they're not.
And it's not that I have been in a bubble of some sort as a Christian, I have known for a long time that those types of parties exist, but how different it was to be in one of those parties at 15 years old. It was amazing to look around the room at all the people who were there, and I just thought to myself..."I wonder if these people are truly happy...?" But to be open and honest- I really dont think they were. No person on Earth can find happiness in bottles of alcohol. By happiness, I mean TRUE happiness. Because I know someone can get drunk and be happy for a bit, but that wears off after a while. Even drugs for that matter.
Sorry to go on and on about this topic, but like I said- it was just heart breaking. And by the time I left to go back home, the sweet woman who I mentioned before, did not seem all there.
So, my mom and I had a really good conversation on our way home. We both agreed that it was so eye opening and good for me to see it in a way. I have NO attraction what so ever to become like that when I get older. I'll stick with the tea parties I have with my friends now, haha. But in closing, I mentioned how saddened I was by this party we attended, but can you imagine how sad that makes the Lord? Oh my. I can't. The excessive amounts of alcohol and many freely giving them selves away in so many ways possible.
We both agree that we need to pray for those people. It's never to late for them to know the Lord and be changed. They are so lost and so empty- trying all sorts of things to fill that emptiness.
So, although it was sad to see these people, it was good too. I now have more people to pray for, people whom I never imagined encountering. But obviously everything happens for a reason.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.   Romans 12:2

Stress Less.

It is always so easy for me to get antsy and stressed when I have a busy week of school. I have to calm down and stress less. These silly things are not life threatening and I should'nt be so nervous.
Do you ever feel the same way? Do you freak out before thinking of solutions and mapping it all out?
It is an area I have to improve in. When I stop and think about it all, the silly stresses of this life, I am reminded that the Lord holds me in the palm of His hand, and when I put effort into all things He will help me through.
I have decided to make this the mind set of the week. I thought writing about it would help me to keep it fresh in my mind. :)

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.                                          Romans 5: 1-3