Brain Dump

It needed to happen. I'm on overload you know. 


This week is slow compared to last week. You see I'm only working 55 hours instead of 70. I feel like I'm working part time. Naturally this means 1 more hour of sleep a night and a little more time to blog.


~Sunday Funday Lakeday: see also: i promise i have on a swim suit. you just can't see it. 

~Last night, Hannah, my little sister, colored my hair. My hurrs are all black again. She did such a good job. I love them. My roots were my natural color (light brown), my sides/top were auburn from girls' night in May, and my ends were darkish brown. Hot mess right here.


~My mom made Peach
It was also the first time in almost a month that my entire fam was together. Mission trips, camp, vacations, and work. It was so good. 


~I hit 200 blog followers which means I have a giveaway planned!!


~Please go check out the Pen Friend Project! 

~Keep praying for my friend Jared and his family in Botswana. He has wifi, so he messages me every morning (night their time) and catches me up.


~College is in one month! I'm so excited and nervous and not ready at all. PS. I'm looking for a grey twin comforter with some yellow/teal. Let me know if y'all see anything like that!


~I got my unibrow eyebrows waxed yesterday. It's the little things I'm telling you. Funny thing? My little lady that does them, Yen, said *gasp* "oh my. You must be working alot. You haven't been here in a while". Yes I work alot. Wax the unibrow. 


~This song. Don't hate on Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen. I know I'm not in Jr. High anymore, don't judge.

~I'm headed off to work. My big brother is my MOD tonight and I love this. Most people have asked me if I hate having him be my boss, but I honestly love it. We have so much fun doing work together. And yes that is possible.

Happy Tuesday!

oxox,

Emily 

What I'm Loving Wednesday

I'm loving that it's 60 degrees today and it totally feels like Spring! 


I'm loving that I won another giveaway this weekend from Tara! :)


I'm loving that I leave for Israel in 2 weeks! 


I'm loving that I found this Northface for half price!

I'm loving that my check from my grandpa came!


I'm loving this dress I found on Modcloth! 

I'm loving that I had a starbies date with my little brother! I luff him!

I'm loving that I'm figuring out who will be taking my senior pictures!

I'm loving that I'm getting my voice back little by little!

I'm loving all the new music on my iPod!

I'm loving that I've had extra time with the sibs this week!

I'm loving the fun silver nailpolish I have on right now!

I'm loving that I'm working the coffee shop at church tonight!

Happy Wednesday! 

Meet Me

I'm SO excited to be linking up with Neely from A Complete Waste of Makeup today! I've linked up with Neely before because she co-hosts the fun It's OK Thursday link-up! I thought I would share a little bit about me and hopefully get to meet some new bloggy friends in the process!

1. Tell us why you blog

I started blogging right around a year ago. I wanted my family and friends to be able to read about my life (if they wanted to of course). I took a big blogging break over the summer, but started back again full swing in the Fall. Most importantly, I've loved meeting blog friends and finding out that we all have alot in common. I've loved the support system I've gotten, most recently for my efforts in running a 5K! I've loved all the fun link-ups I've participated in and the giveaways I've won too! :)

2. Tell us about your blog

My blog is called a Beautiful Beginning. (I'm guessing you saw that already tho). My blog designer, Jenn, helped me pick this out and I love it! I'm about to graduate high school and go to college. I'm on the beginning of becoming my own person and branching out. I'm in the middle of figuring out who I really am. I love what we came up with!

My blog is a little big of everything. I blogged about Pinterest, friends, music, coffee (hello Starbucks), running, and everything in between. I don't have just one "type" of thing that I talk about. Queen of random! :)

3. Tell us about you

I'm 18 years old and I'm a Senior in High School!!! whoop whoop! I'm almost done! Graduation is on May 5th! My family is very close. I'm a daddy's girl through and through! I have 3 siblings. I love to have fun and be crazy! I'm not a morning person. I love staying up late with a cup of coffee or tea and watching TV, blogging, or reading a book! I dream of being a big name blogger. A girl can dream right??!

* I LOVE Target. and i can spend alot of money there in a short amount of time. It's a weakness. I walk in to buy 1 thing and walk out with $116 worth of stuff. True story.

* I love random. I am random.

* I use exclamation points and capitals for no special reason at all.

* I love coffee, especially if it's Starbucks! * I love all things Vera Bradley. I especially love Hope Garden.

* I love spring. fresh starts, warm weathers, shorts, work, flowers!

* I love loud. I shout almost everything I say. I have no shame. I love to be fun and I love to be loud!

* I try to be real, especially on my blog.

* I love shoes

* I could eat blackolives by the can. Oh wait! I already do that! I think I'm secretly Italian!

4. Tell us about your job

I have two jobs actually. Because I'm still in high school, I do most of my work in the summer/fall. I work about 50 hours a week in the summer! I've worked at Cold Stone Creamery for 2 years! World's best ice cream not that I'm biased! Last May, I started a job for Adventure Ziplines. I'm a photog, front-desk girl, ATV driver, you name it I've probably done it (besides being an actual guide because you have to be a guy and you have to be strong. two things I am not :) I love it there! I've said it before but they are def my 2nd fam!

5. Tell us about your city

I live in Branson, Missouri! The "show-capital" of the world! I LOVE it here. Summer is my favorite season, probably because "the strip" (Hwy 76) is packed full of tourists. Cold Stone is out the door with customers and the ziplines take full tours every 15 minutes. I work all day and then hang out with friends/co-workers until 2am at McDonalds after we close! Branson's weather is SO weird. It snowed last night but it was 65 deg. the entire month of January! It's so unpredictable but i LOVE it! There is so many fun things to do here too! I've lived here for 8 years now, the longest I've ever lived anywhere! It really is a great little town!

6. Tell us about your favorite activities/hobbies/things to do.

I love hanging out with friends. I love cooking/baking. I have a HUGE sweet-tooth! I love taking pictures and posting them all over facebook :) social media queen right here! Recently, I've loved running, especially outside! I love my church and my smallgroup I'm in. I love blogging: reading and finding blogs, as well as writing my own.

I just started a new link-up on Tuesdays called Top 10 Tuesday! We've done food, music, and tomorrow with be the Top 10 things on your bucket list!

I can't wait to meet some new bloggers in Neely's link-up today! Thanks for letting me share a little about me!

Happy Monday!

It's Friday, Friday!

I'm not keeping calm. I'm dancing for joy. This week is over! Hallelujah! It's Friday!! I'm SO excited for these 5 things:

*It's Friday. duh. annnd The Vow comes out!!! :)

*One month till Israel! I leave in one month!!! That's all that's left. I can barely handle myself :)

*Adventure Ziplines opens tomorrow!!! 3 months without work and not seeing my 2nd family. I've missed it!

*I'm taking my ACT tomorrow. again. I'm excited only in the sense that a higher score=more scholarship money.

*this day has been the best day of my week! this afternoon included spending time with my little brother, blasting the tunes, being ridiculous and gut-laughing!

I'm off to go party, which actually includes a healthy dinner and going to be at like 8 so I can be well rested for my ACT. Oh welllll

Happy Friday Lovelies!

Wordless Wednesdays: Hiking at Busiek

Flashback Friday: Hannah's 12th Birthday

My little sis, Hannah turns 14 on Monday! I can't believe it. These pictures were taken in Springfield, 2 years ago for her 12th birthday. Time flies.

Tumble!

Thanksgiving 2011 Recap

Thanksgiving 2011

This recap post is a little bit overdue. I apologize. These past couple weeks have been crazy! anybody else?? Now onto the post...

I LOVE Thanksgiving! Every year our family hosts Thanksgiving at our house. We have been hosting it since we moved to Missouri in 2003. We have at least 20 people, if not more. This usually includes college students, cousins, extended family, and friends. It is definitely a highlight of my year. Our celebration begins Wednesday night and lasts till Saturday afternoon. Everybody begins to roll into town on Wednesday. Wednesday is our baking/prep day for things like pies, and casseroles etc. Thursday morning we cook everything including the Turkey. We t-r-y- to eat by 2pm. Thanksgiving is a fun time for hanging out, laughing, big breakfasts, lots of coffee, late nights, and memories. Enjoy the pictures :)

If the noodle sticks to the wall,

it's ready to be drained.

Tip learned :)

Noodle Girls!!

Wednesday night tradition!

Italian night complete with Eggplant Parm!

This year we had 21 for lunch.

I feel like the Duggars ha!!

Music. Hanging Out. Talking. Singing.

We kinda started a tradition in 2003 when we moved here! That we would shoot guns after we ate lunch and before we ate pie. Can you tell we live in the Ozarks? :) We live on 5 acres of wooded property. Every year since then we go out back, and shoot milk-jugs, cans, etc.

Annie Oakley :)

Celia!

Aaron! Look at those guns :)

This is a scary picture.

Reasons i should NOT have a gun :)

Cousin Love!

:)

Wordless Wednesday- Thanksgiving with Cousins

awkward prom pictures

love Cousin Jon!

10 Truths for Thursday, since Tuesday I forgot to post

- I love the leaves right now. They are changing into a gorgeous red/orange color; truly beautiful. I can't wait to make a big giant leaf pile to jump in! traditions...:)

2- I'm a daddy's girl, through and through. I love him :)

3-I dislike winter. End of Story. I'd pick a hot day over a cold day, any day. Spring/Summer are my favorite seasons.

4- I love meeting new people. Preferably in small groups. I'm not one to stand up in front of an entire group of people and talk. which bring me to my next truth...

5- I have a M-A-J-O-R- fear of public speaking. I'm talking knees shaking, (entire body shaking), nervous, knots, it's bad. I'd rather eat something disgusting or swim across the English Channel in January. Seriously.

6- I don't like taking notes. End of story.

7- I really would love a pair of Cheetah Sperrys! Christmas? Birthday? LOVE

8- I got rid of all of my bad music. ALL of it! It has been very hard to do, but something Addie challenged me to do, and I knew I needed to do it.

9- I've only been praying or listening to Christian music when I drive. This is also very hard to do. This girl LOVES her music.

10- I'm giddy about girls night tonight. Really I am. I'm going to Addie's house. Starbucks, girl time, mmm can't wait!

Thursday: Thankful Day 1-3

The past couple years have started a trend on facebook and on blogs. The 24 days of thankfulness, prior to Thanksgiving. Each day you list something or blog something that you are thankful for. I missed Tuesday, and Wednesday. I'm catching up today :)

For 2011:

Day 1: I'm thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ. Without Him, I.am.nothing. I'm thankful for his relentless pursuit of me, regardless of how I act.

Day 2: I'm thankful for my friends! I have some of the best friend that a girl could ask for. I mean really! They are there with me whenever I need them. They laugh with me, they cry with me, we are awkward, random, silly, loud, and fun! I LOVE them :)

Day 3: I'm thankful for my family. They are there for me, day in and day out.

What about you? What are your first 3 things you are thankful for? Link up with me at the bottom of this post and do tell :)

Happy Thursday!

Love,

Sunday Randoms!

~Ladies and Gentleman! Drumroll please...... I have a graduation date!!!!! I could not be more excited! Details SOON :) lots and lots of details soon!

~My friend, Emily, had her wisdom teeth taken out this week. :( this obviously called for multiple trips to Starbucks and McDonalds for shakes and frappes! I of course, shared in the splurging.

~My friends left for Israel on Friday. I am SO excited for them! They get back next Sunday. Can't wait to hear the reports and stories.

~Friday night, I spent the night with Caitlyn! I carved pumpkins for the 1st time. I made an absolute mess. My pumpkin fell apart, literally in pieces. But hey, it was fun!

~Saturday I worked with at the Ziplines all day with Caitlyn! It was gorgeous weather, and perfect lighting!

~Today I'm enjoying my family, catching up, napping, cleaning, and good music!

~Speaking of good music, Justin Biebers new Christmas album comes out on Tuesday!!! Yea, I have the "fever"!

~I had my 1st Cold Stone in over a month yesterday. Cake Batter, my favorite kind!

~All of the leaves are changing in my backyard and in Branson! Beautiful!! I really love Fall.

~This morning, at our church is Mission&Me Sunday. We have various ministries, and pastors from our area, our state, nation etc come and represent and speak. I was able to talk to Pastor Prowell and Julius from 15th Street Baptist Church in E. St. Louis. Made my morning!! Mission Trip is a highlight of my year. I LOVE those kids SO much! I don't know if I can wait 200+ days to see them again!

Summer 2011

~ Remember to enter my giveaway!

Happy Sunday!

Love,

Wallet: Lost and Found

I mentioned yesterday that I had lost my wallet on Friday night at Starbucks. I realized it later that night, about 15 minutes after Starbucks/Target had closed :(. I was at church and needed something out of it, went to grab it, and it was gone! It was too dark to go back and look, and Target was closed.

Saturday morning, I wake up extra early, and called them 1st thing. The lady was very sweet but explained that they had found nothing at either place, but I was welcome to come by and look for myself.

Meanwhile, I called the bank and canceled my cards, and stopped by to order new ones. Kind of a hassle to be totally honest. I showed up and retraced my steps. I checked the parking lot, the lobby, Starbucks seating area, everywhere!! It was nowhere to be found. :( *Insert whining here*

But, before I had left the house that morning, my dad offered to pray with me. We prayed that I would be able to find it, and that nothing had gotten stolen. So, I thought of course we will find it. We prayed, and I thought it'll happen right away......wrong.

My dad reminded me of two stories from his past. The 1st one, was when he was a little boy. He and his father had lost an expensive tool in the woods (sledgehammer I think). They looked everywhere and couldn't find it. They didn't have the money to replace it either. They prayed that night that God would help them find it. The next morning, they went back out, and lone and behold, it was sitting up next to a tree, in plain sight, right by where they had looked before. Pretty cool huh?

The second story was similar. My brother had lost his knife when he was little. Obviously it was small, and it was fall-time, which meant finding a knife in our backyard would be next to impossible. It was small, dark, and the ground was covered in leaves. They searched everywhere that night, and nothing. They prayed hard that night, and the next morning after some searching they found it! Crazy!

So, Saturday morning, after all of my searching, and not finding, I was upset. I had canceled my cards, looked everywhere, and prayed alot. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

After searching at Target, I had a crew meeting at Cold Stone from 10-12. I came home to do some chores, and had to run out to my car to grab my keys. THERE.IT.WAS.

Tucked away, between my seat, and the car door. It wasn't there when I checked before. Now it was! Crazy? Cool? Both I think!

Happy Monday,

Love,

Sunday Randoms

~Monday night, Aaron brought down a group of kids from Evangel. We had a blast! too fun! games, stories, youtube videos, laughing, and a big dinner!

~This week, the weather has been miserable! Upper 30's was the high on Tuesday/Wednesday. We finally got some pretty weather the past 3 days! 70's and sunny. More like how fall should be :)

~We had a Cold Stone crew meeting yesterday morning. I made $10 for answering Cold Stone trivia questions :) score!!

~I lost my wallet Friday night. Loooong story short, I found it Saturday afternoon, after I had canceled my cards, and check Target, Starbucks, and the parking lots for it. I will be writing about that tomorrow! Cool Story.

~I've had 3 Starbucks coffee's this week. Good therapy right? :)

~I worked at the Ziplines yesterday night. About 8pm, I got to ride with a tour for the last 5 lines. It was dark, windy, and a BLAST!!! Seriously love the people I work with. It would be safe to say they are like big brothers!

~I've sold over $100 worth of stuff on Ebay this week! I'm cleaning out my closest and making money! Win Win!!

~Because I sold so much, I treated myself to a little shopping spree yesterday :)

~Today, I'm working on cleaning and washing my car! Much needed!

I'm off to enjoy this beautiful weather with my family!

Happy Sunday!

Love,

Evangel Homecoming 2011

This past weekend Evangel had their Homecoming! It is our family tradition to go to Springfield every year for the friday night festivities, and then the big game on Saturday. Friday night, my dad took me on a private "campus tour" of the Admin buildings and the Business department. EU is his Alma Mater, and he graduated with a Business degree. It would be safe to say that he LOVES EU!! This year, my brother was on the Homecoming Court. He was so handsome :) He escorted Randal, an Evangel RA. It was gorgeous weather outside! Perfect football weather, and EU won the game :) I'll let the pictures do the talking!

Whole Fam :)Aaron and Celia :)

:)

The Boys!

Marching Band at Halftime!

Aaron and Randal

Happy Thursday Ya'll!

Love,

Change: seasons for everything

Fall reminds me alot of change. Change of grades, or high school to college, change in temperatures, schedule changes, leaves changing colors, the list goes on. You get the picture.

Is change good or bad? Is it necessary? Change is not always fun, sometimes it can be, but usually it is not. It means that one season in life is coming to a close, and the start of something new is coming.

I've had much change in my life the past 6 months. I can either roll with it, or stick my feet in the ground and refuse to accept the unchangeable. I've responded in both ways, and usually the latter ends up leaving me negative, unhappy, and living in the past. I've had close friends move away, and my youth pastor left to be a Senior Pastor in February. I was upset, I didn't want to see them go. I missed them, and I loved them dearly. But their times with me, had ended and I needed to move on. I started a new job in May, and worked different schedules, at two jobs, all summer long. I enjoyed it, but it was still change. I entered my final year of high school in August. I'm a Senior now. I'm applying to colleges, and doing campus visits. The more of this I do, the more I realize that change is coming for me next year, and it will be here soon.

So how will I take it? How will I accept it? Will I be okay with where God has placed me for the time being, or will I fight it, and refuse to listen? Can I learn to trust Him and know that He knows best? Will I choose to obey? This in fact, is one of my biggest battles.

There is a verse in Ecclesiastes that I love. It talks about a time, a place, and a season for everything. I'm learning to trust the Lord and be thankful in all things.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

² a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

Tonight friends, I'm leaving you with that!