Merry Christmas!! :)

     Well Christmas isn't for four more days, but I was just watching a movie that got me in the Christmas spirit. It seems like lately people are so focused on the getting and Christmas has just become a huge selfish holiday. It comes and goes and the presents go from being wrapped to unwrapped and then are soon discarded and forgotten about. Why isn't Christmas leaving the lasting effect that is used to have? I'm still trying to figure this out as I sit and watch the years flash before my eyes....it seriously feels like a week ago at I was the little girl singing in the elementary Christmas play. Now I'm a freshman in college and the reality is soon I will be off on my own and will no longer wake up in this house on Christmas morning and come down the stairs so see mom baking and singing to the Christmas music while Dad has the Christmas Parade on TV. Maybe this is why I am such a Christmas nut...maybe it's the fact that I realize once I am grown I won't have the ability to do everything that my mother is capable of doing so I am enjoying it now. Even in those thoughts I get caught up and realize that I have been sucked into the selfishness that comes along so readily at this time of season. Although a sadness comes over me thinking of growing up, an ever present sadness would be instilled in my heart if I wasn't blessed with the true meaning of Christmas.
      The real meaning of Christmas is the birth of our Lord and Redeeming Savior Jesus Christ and without him there would be no hope in the world. We would be born and would die without any point to living....But I have hope!! I have the hope of something better to come. Because God loved us and didn't want to have the sin of the world stand in between us, he decided to give the greatest gift ever to be given. Better than a brand new car, an engagement ring, a deluxe tool set, a snazzy computer, or even the latest and greatest game or game system. God set his son into this world....Jesus came to this world as an innocent, soft skinned, and vulnerable baby boy. God was willing to give the gift of his son so he could be born, walk the Earth preaching the Gospel, and then dying a brutal death in order to save the souls of the world so that humankind could be reunited with their loving God...but only if they are willing to accept the gift that was given. I know that not everyone believes what I am saying, but if you don't, I ask you to think of this: What is the reason to have hope in life without believing in God? He is the hope and the ever present and loving friend that will never leave in times of need. I urge you to make this year different. Don't forget the true reason that we have this holiday called Christmas...It is because the greatest gift was given: the Christ child. :) So, I want to take this time to say Merry Christmas and enjoy my sister's favorite Christmas special. This is for  you, Laura!! :)

Merry Christmas!!

Ah....the smell of SNOW!!

**Most of you who know me are aware of my obsession with winter. I absolutely beyond a shadow of a doubt love snow. It's just such a magical thing...something that I can't even manage to put into words but I can manage to say it is something I enjoy!! Even when I was little I enjoyed the sparkle, the glimmer, even the smell of snow. And yes I said smell...you may think I'm crazy...but for all of you who have watched Gilmore Girls, even Lorelai states that snow has a smell. It's something that can't be described but it's the fresh smell that is something magical. I remember looking out my window as a little girl and watching the snow fall in the glow of the streetlights....whenever I was scared or afraid the snow was always there. I think it's that fact that has prompted this obsession with snow. I would pray that God would help comfort me, and it always seemed that the gift of snow was God's visual of comfort for me. So, as a tribute to the Countdown to the 25 days of Christmas on ABC Family, I have decided to devote my blog to my favorite sights of winter. I hope I can bring some of the joy and glow to life in you that the snow brings to me... enjoy!!**

The beautiful sunset glimmering through the snowfilled trees :) 

See...she is smelling the snow too ;)

Oh how I wish I could be taken to this place....ahhh

even the taste of snow is magical :)

Can I live here?!?!

So sparkly and magical :)

I really like this picture!! Caitlin, you need to do this ;)

So there you have it...my tribute to snow. I hope it warmed your heart and made you feel safe like it does for me :) 

From the Youngest...To the Oldest!

So, as the baby of the family, I have many people to watch over me and look out for me. And with a family of seven, it is like I have 7 sets of parents(my actual parents plus my siblings and their spouses). Some kids would absolutely hate that....but in reality, I love it!! :) It's so much fun to have others to go to when I need help. And Mrs. Angela Smith is no exception!!

I absolutely love Love Love her!! 

She is the eldest of our meshing family and as the baby of the family, I don't really remember a lot, but I will tell you the strange memories to which I have stored away of my dearest sister Angie:

• She this awesome car!! It was this tanish almost pinkish car and she would take me to the rootbeer stand! As a little kid, riding in the car is always fun, but on top of that we got to go to the rootbeer stand, and to top it all off she would listen to music and we could sing!! How fun is that!!!
• I only remember one time that she was angry with me...yes there were probably millions of times but as a kid I only remember one. But it was before Angie's wedding and it was still that "planning" phase and I guess I knew she was stressed and that I shouldn't have been bugging her and mom, but I was trying to find the perfect Costume. You see, that was a Wednesday night(AWANA night) and it was the beginning of October so we were allowed to come in fun costumes. I wanted to get Angie's opinion and see if she liked my Pocahontas costume....so I pestered....and Nagged....and pestered....and pestered...until she got very Upset. I guess now I see the error of my ways because I don't like when people bug me when I'm in the middle of things...and I mean, she was planning her Wedding!!! YIKES!!! She had a right to be upset! So after all these years I guess I am apologizing...Sorry Angie!! I knew I was being annoying but I still continued on. I apologize for stressing you out even more. 
• I remember that Angie worked at Cedar Point and we went and visited. I only remember this outing because she worked at a pretzel place and as a girl who LOVES food, I definitely remember going and getting food. I also remember this because I was absolutely petrified and I think this is the reason that to this day I hate roller coasters. My parent's and I went on this water-log ride and I legitimately thought I was going to die!! And as a little kid, there is only so much life that can flash before you...yeah it definitely didn't take long. hahaha! But I hated it and I cried and screamed and wanted off. 
• As a little girl, my babysitter's daughter cut my hair. I was a very skinny child and always looked like I got very little sleep so I had very prominent dark circles under my eyes. She when I got my hair cut....it was very...Bad to say the least. It was cut clear to the scalp in some places and being a skinny child with big eyes and dark circles, I looked like a Holocaust survivor or a child cancer patient. and I am not exaggerating....I have seen the pictures!! I remember going to visit my big sister and running up to her and having her look at me very funny. Turns out she was questioning why my parents had brought a little boy to visit and why he was running up to give her a hug. SURPRISE!!! :) It's Christina! 
• I remember helping Angie get ready for the upcoming school year. We sorted books and ate yummy snacks. My job was using the super stinky glue that comes in a jar and the lid of the jar is a brush and sticking card slots in the backs of all her books for her fifth grade class. It was so cool being at another school and having it all to myself with my sister and her husband as we worked. I also got to stay with my sister at her house and we had so much fun. She has kittys in her house so I loved playing with them....but I never knew why they wouldn't cuddle with me. :/ Sad day! But we played games and I watched tv and my sister would tuck me into bed and kiss me goodnight. :D I loved that!!

• Another time I stayed with her and I went to my very first Buffalo Wild Wings and got shrimp with buffalo sauce. It was awesome!!!I also got to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory(the one with Johnny Depp) and go to a candy store in this little outlet store thing! I always have the best time with my sister!
• Angie went shopping with mom and I during my junior year and this outing meant so much to me!! You may be wondering why one little shopping trip can mean so much...well...most of my siblings live pretty far away and when it comes to shopping for special things it's usually just mom and I. (Now siblings, don't get upset! I don't blame you for being far away and I am not upset that you aren't here to shop with me, I am just making a point that the girls I go to school with shop with siblings but I have my dear Momma!! Shout out to my flipping awesome Momma!! :) ) But on this occasion, my sister got to help pick out a homecoming dress for me! It was truly special and it was so fun because it was great bonding time. I got Angie's opinion and my mom's and I think my grandma was even there too. But it was the greatest thing ever!! I can only imagine what it would have been like having all my sisters in one place to shop for my prom dress. But prom is over for me so that won't be happening. hahaha :)

And you thought it would be bad if I wore my shoes....I think it looked fantastic!! :) 

• The fun gifts you have gotten me.
• The addiction you have me hooked on...CARD MAKING!!! :)
• Playing games on iPads :) hehehe
• I remember watching tv with you and having you yell at me because "I was going to go blind "because I was literally like two inches away from the tv! haha!
• Knowing how much you loved the color purple
• Your favorite toothpaste was the kind that had the blue,white, and red because you liked cinnamon. 
• I loved when you taught me to play that song on the piano....I still have that picture of the two of us.

• You loved me enough to have me in your senior pictures. You could have been embarrassed that mom had another kid, but you loved me...and I am so glad you did! 

**Angie, I love you so much!! You can't even imagine the impact you have had on my life....you are like a second mother to me...maybe you won't appreciate that analogy...but you really are. I see everything you are and everything you have done and I love you for it and I want to have an impact on people's live just like you are having an impact on the fifth grade students that you teach. I love you and appreciate all you are in my life!! Now I am teary eyed because I just care so much about you and can't imagine my life without you! Love you!!**

Recap of my Fall at BG!!

So I have been at BG for almost two months...
Thought it was time for a little Recap! So here goes...going to class, Arlington Midwest, Starbucks, Free stuff, rain boots/umbrellas for the rain, fuzzy moccasins, being sick and taking meds, Homecoming against our rivals TOLEDO!!, apples and carmel, packages from my sisters, Degree of the Pines for Kappa Phi, Working at Cedar Point with Kappa Phi, and A's on papers...wow this must be BORING!! hahaha Here, let me SHOW you.....

Hope You enjoyed seeing how my semester is going!! :)

Fall Break!!!

     So right now, pretty much most of campus is gone or is getting ready to head home for BG's Fall Break....and where am I?!?! Oh yeah, that's right, in my room :/ Tomorrow Kappa Phi is doing a fundraiser at Cedar Point and I am going to that which I know will be fun, but when everyone is talking about going home and seeing family, it makes me sad that I have to wait until Sunday to see mine :/ So I am decided to blog and get my mind off of it. So far classes have been going well. Got my two midterms back and Weather and Climate was a 94% and Environmental Studies was a 92%!! I was so excited :D Now I am getting geared up to schedule my classes for next semester at the end of October. I also have another Multiple Source Essay to write over "Why we should want to live sustainably in a culture that consumes way too much, and How a College Student can live sustainably." This is all supposed to be inspired by a book read had to read by Collin Beaven....yeah the only thing it really inspired me to do was  to throw it at the wall and then want to burn it in my garbage...even if the book was about the environment! hahahah :) Environmental Studies also is making me prepare a debate over the ban of sales of Great Lakes freshwater. I was assigned the con side of the argument so I now have to research the sales of it and try to persuade people that selling the Great Lake's water is a good thing. How about, "I really don't know anything about this, and truth be told I don't really care..." I don't think that is a very persuasive of "A" worthy tactic though :) hahahah! Oh well...
     Now for just a little fun...I made a video the other day. It's actually pretty stupid and was supposed to be this vlog (video blog) for my friend's and my YouTube account but the audio of me talking was drowned out by the music in the trailer effect so I just scratched the idea and just made a super corny trailer...it sort of reminds me of like the Twilight trailers and stuff so it made me laugh!! But be warned...it's super dumb! hahaha this is what I do instead of studying/writing papers/planning classes/and many other tasks that are supposed to be getting done! 

So there you have it! Happy Friday all!!! And for those of you lucky enough to have left to go home for Fall Break, enjoy it for me!! :) Peace Out!!

The Best MOM of Cincinnati goes to..........

So my sister told me the other day that I was lacking on posting on my blog....so I decided to get my behind in gear and post again :) And since my last tribute went so well, I would like to do another one :) So here's to you....

Miss Holly Renee!!!

Okay so first I must state that my sister does not always wear pig ears...although if she wore them everyday I would love her all the more!!! :D But I thought I would put that disclaimer so she didn't yell at me when she saw I used this picture. I just really love it because it captures her in her essence. She is probably the funnest and funniest person I know! 

So Miss Holly Renee...her and I were probably the closest of us seven sibling when I was little because we were closest in age. Only 9 years apart! Now some of you may be thinking "9 YEARS" that's a lot! But with I remember Holly:

Holly is Number four from the left standing in the back row. And for those of you Crestview students reading this that know the Cheer coach, Tasha, she is on the very end on the right side in the back. 

Now of course I loved going and watching Holly cheer at games. Dad would usually have to ref. a game but I loved seeing Holly do her flips and jumps and all of her cheers. I always felt special when I got to go see her...once I even got to go to a practice because dad was reffing a game and I went along and she let me watch :) I always felt so spoiled by her. Maybe it was because she was around when the others were at school, so she was able to give me attention...otherwise I was like an only child.

But........DUN DUN DUN!!!

Holly got married!!! AHHHHH!!! Just kidding :) I actually really liked when Holly went to Bluffton and met Dan....he was yet ANOTHER play friend for ME! at least that's what I thought since I was in elementary school! hahaha But That's another reason Holly is so great! She picked a Godly man to marry and raise a family with.....speaking of a family......

These are Holly and Dan's adorable little girls! :) They are great!!! I mean....look at those smiles :D Just like their gorgeous momma....oh and you too Dan :) 

But I remember visiting Holly and Dan when he was in seminary and thinking.....wow!! She is a dedicated mom!!! She always puts the girls first and is so loving and amazing!!! I love you Holly!! 

I had to include this picture because this was the marathon that my friend Mari and I were supposed to run in until we figured out it was the morning after our Senior Prom.....needless to say we had to drop out and left my sister hanging :( Another reason she is so great!! She completely understood...of course she was probably upset she had to find other members and was frantically searching...but she knew how important prom was to us :) But I was super disappointed I couldn't be with her! But the fact that she is a hard worker and runner is another one of her amazing qualities!!

So here is a quick recap in case you all forgot how EXTREMELY WONDERFUL this gal is:

1. She is extremely fun!

2. She is so funny!

3. She always would play with me and do fun things with me :)

4. She is a Godly woman and married a Godly man that treats her the way she needs to be treated :)

5. She is a fabulous mom who puts her kids first....even when the dark circles under her eyes speak for themselves :/

6. She run!!! (that should need NO explanation, but I will...anyone who runs deserves my utmost respect!)

7. She worked at D.Q......enough said! hahaha Visiting her at work was the BEST!

8. She is always there for me when I need her!

9. She would come over and she would play with my hair and would style it when I was little.

10. Mom told me that she viewed me as her little doll who she always wanted to protect and take care of along with dressing me up :)

11. She is forgiving and just and loves me no matter what!!

****I love you Holly Renee Metzger****

Thank you for always being the shooting star in my life!!

Don't worry...I'll never forget!!

This is not going to be a very long post because I am swamped with homework, but I wanted to post my thoughts as I sit here and listen to the t.v. playing the live September 11th coverage which typing my homework. 

So, I was in third grade when the attacks happened.... I wasn't really allowed to watch what was going on like the older kids got to while at school. But I remember sitting on the bus and wondering what had happened. Why had the teachers looked so scared? Why were the bigger kids talking about a burning building? We hadn't had a fire drill... Where was this big building that was attacked? Why were there people jumping out of it and trying to get out? Couldn't they just go down the stairs??

As a third grader, I was very ignorant of what was going on. I still remember standing in the kitchen with dad and I had just gotten a glass of mom's famous lemonade out of the fridge and I remember him saying that there had been a series of plane crashes. 

Now, I had ridden in an airplane a few times so I knew that sometimes things went wrong and that they had to land. But I could tell this was different....daddy was talking about bad people that weren't supposed to fly the planes took them and hit them into buildings. And he said one hit the Pentagon...now as a child I had no clue that was!! But I could tell this was something bad. 

These buildings that had been built to survive were now falling down because someone was attacking our country. Mom had told me there was a TV show on about how these big tall skyscrapers were safe and even though they were high in the air they were built to withstand an accident. That TV program aired just days before this....

And yet this is all that remained!!

I just keep trying to wrap my brain around this....what prompts people to hate...It's human nature ever since sin entered into this world but seriously. Why?! Maybe it's just so surreal because we hear about battles and attacks in our history books but nothing like this has ever happened in our own country. The terrorists entered into our land and got us on our own territory. Why?! The people on those planes....they unknowingly entered that terminal and walked down the ramp and entered their planes those days with no inkling of the fact that September 11, 2001 was their last day. The people in the towers and in the pentagon and the thousand of responders got up that morning and had **just started** their day. They never knew it would be their last....
And after that day and the days to follow, our nation mourned...mourned for the lost, loved, the young, old, and ultimately, the innocent. But I also remember just a few years ago, people let Sept 11th come and go without so much as a thought towards what happened...

And now here we are...the ten anniversary. People are mourning yet again. But what I wonder...will this be like the past few years? Will we suddenly put it on the back burner? That day, things changed and it's something that shouldn't be forgotten...but yet people have. Suddenly a decade passed and now it's all people are talking about.....Why can't it be like this every September...

So to all those men, women, and children whose lives will never be the same...I will never forget...you may not be reading this but maybe in your heart you will know. You won't lose hope and will never doubt that at least one person is still mourning with you. The poster I cut out just days after the attack still hanging in my room and it is something that will always live with me....."A Nation Never Forgets"

Everyone Needs A Little K-Lovin' :)

Just a little thing to cheer people up on a dark, dismal, and rainy day! :) 

It's not so fun walking to classes with the rain seriously blowing 13mph in your face...it can get very upsetting. So instead of getting down in the dumps, I just think about all the wonderful people in my life :) And I decided (after permission first) to dedicate this rainy drainy Wednesday to my beautiful sister, Kara!! :)  {And don't worry any other sisters.....you will get your day! I will be texting to ask your permission and to set up a day dedicated to you!} But for now.....

Happy K-lovin' Kara Day!! <3 

This is my beautiful sister! :) I had much better pictures but until I can figure out how to get them from facebook, I must use the ones I find off of google :)

Oh....I figured it out! :) 

*_*Reasons Why She Is So Wonderful*-*

• God made her! Psalm 139:14 "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."
• She is kind, sweet, loving, & considerate!
• She was and still is a good sister! :)

• She took my senior pictures!! :) 

• She is a wonderful mommy

• She is a wonderful cook!!! :)

Okay so she didn't make these...someone gave them too her but it's because I couldn't find the pictures of the food she made....she had pictures but the disappeared :( But you all get the point...delicious right?! RIGHT! :)

• She put up with me when I was a child!! Which was probably difficult!! 

• She inspired me to play the piano when I was young! She would sit and play this one song in particular and i still remember it to this day and I would put on those halo looking things from the fair(yes the ones that had the long ribbons on it) and pretend I was in the famous Russian Ballet {at age 4 I didn't know you needed to be a professional or a Russian to be in that ballet} 

• She never stopped loving me.....even though we had our differences (I was a 1st grader when she graduated). I was the surprise of a child that took my parents pleasantly by surprise as well.  I was probably the last thing that my siblings were expecting with the marriage of Donald Robert and Sallie Lynnette.....but as Laura refers to me as the glue. Just the tangible glue because in all actuality God is the glue of our family. 

So on the rainy and dismal day, let's all brighten it up with the beauty and love of our families!! :) There is nothing better!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from which I carried you into exile."   -Jeremiah 29:11-14-

Happy K-Lovin' Day Everyone!! :)

10 Things I Hate About You......

......Okay so take no offense, this post isn't actually pointing out the things I hate about individuals to whom I give recognition of knowing.....it's just me complaining about how rude college are....so if in fact you partake in theses activities, I deeply apologize because I didn't mean to do so. So Thus I begin: 

My first annoyance is this: why must people continue to leave their dirty plates and trash on the tables at the dinning halls or at the Union?! Like really!!! Do you see a bus boy/girl walking around....there are clearly marked trash receptacles where your discarded corndog stick and your glass bottle of Snapple goes. Your mother(no offense mothers....I am just trying to prove a point) did not come to college with you and no one else here loves you enough to clean up your mess so get real and throw your trash away....the cans are right on your way out!!

The watercloset. The Privy. John. Potty Seat. Commode. Loo. Restroom. The Can. 

Whatever you want to call it, keep your pee off it!!! Seriously, we are ladies....we sit down when we pee. How on EARTH does urine end up all over the seat?!?! This is what I ask myself everyday....come on ladies!

No, I'm not going to hate on Justin Bieber! hahaha But using the picture proves my point and makes one imagine being at a concert with screaming girls(no offense screaming girls). What does this next picture look like?!

Very GOOD! It's a classroom. If you guessed right, give yourself a pat on the back. Does it look like this next picture?!?!

....NO! That means the noise levels should not be the same. I am tired of going to my Weather & Climate class and not being able to hear. Just because you think you are important doesn't necessarily mean I care to hear you. I didn't pay almost $20,000 to come and hear about how wasted you got last night....I came to hear this guy.....

That is none other than Dr. Kimosop. He is from Nairobi, Kenya and he is who I paid money to listen to. Not you...

So now that you see the difference, I can proceed! :) Avoid talking and mumbling while I am listening. It's hard enough to try to understand a man from a different country, but when you are yapping over top of his voice, it makes is exceedingly WORSE! 

This is my final annoyance...yeah yeah, the title was deceiving when I said ten things I hate....but I haven't been here *that* long....perhaps next week I will have more to add! :) haha

But Here goes:

I hate the fact that I am probably going to die....

Second-hand smoke kills....and the fact that no one actually smokes actual cigarettes is NOT good! I don't want to inhale your marijuana! No THANKS! :P But because of it, I've become an exceedingly fast walker in order to walk ahead of someone who gets ready to "light-up" and I also am able to hold my breath for a long time. :) Momma would be proud....send me away to college and this is what I learn! :) hahaha!

But this is me:

Learning to survive and cope!  :)

The Life Of a Dorm Room :)

So I am taking the initiative and starting my very own blog :) Not very creative or anything but I wanted to document this part of my life.....it's a big step :) So my creative friend, Mari, inspired me to take the blogging world by storm.....so HELLO blogging world!!! It's is I! :) hahaha Enjoy some pictures of my room!

This is Chelsea's bed! :) Super cute and I adore her color scheme even thought I love blue....

which brings me to my bed..... :) Blue and Green, my two favorite colors!!

I lofted my bed to give us more room and I put this fabulous green chair that I got from Wal-Mart under it! :)

This is a sideways view of my desk and shelf :)