gratitude.

I've been feeling so blessed recently. Not just with material things, like books and ice cream, though I do love those. With the love and support of my family and friends. With just life in general. The promise of days ahead. Even though everything isn't perfect (when is it ever?), there's still a lot to be grateful for.

Today, I'm thankful for...

...100 (+3) followers! Wow. That is all I have to say. Oh, and um, t-h-a-n-k  y-o-u!


...The colors purple and green. Okay, I kind of cheated here, but I just really like this picture and I wanted to include it. But I do love those colors!

...Seeing that I won Carlotta's photo challenge. I was so surprised. And happy. :) Thanks!

...Sunflowers. Everyone knows that I love flowers but sunflowers have a special place in my heart because of the way they symbolize summer.

...And the sun. Oh, I am thankful for the sun. Even though it makes it sometimes unbearably hot, it's also responsible for our life. So, yes, I am grateful for it.

...Yummy breakfasts. Breakfast is the best & most important meal of the day (besides dessert, duh. Dinner's good, too, but I don't really like lunch. Rambling...) and I'm always suspicious of people who don't eat breakfast. This is a lemon poppyseed muffin with some mixed fruit. Mhm! :)

...The chance to travel. ~Five more days until we leave for Hawaii! I'm excited for the beach but not the flight. It's something crazy like twelve hours. And we're going like five hours back in time so my sleeping patterns are going to be even more messed up. Yay!

Also I have decided to try and get some guest posters in August while I'm gone so I'll probably be contacting some people soon. It's good to think ahead, right?

...Just the fact that it's summer. I know, I know, I've said it so many times before. But it's true.

-Kendall

a summer list.

This isn't really a list of things I'd like to accomplish by the end of the summer--it's more of a guide for ways I'd like to spend my days, if that makes sense. 

A plum tart made by my dad...yum!

• bake things - I'd like to get in the kitchen more and be a better 'chef' if you will. Plus, I like the end result of baked goods. Mmm...

• visit the farmers' market - I've already done this, but it's such a summery thing to do, and it's good to support locally grown food, too.

• travel - I leave for Hawaii a week from today (eek!) & I'll try to blog a few times while I'm there, but there won't be picture-filled posts until I return.
  Then, the first week of August, I'm in Washington D.C., where there won't be time for this sort of thing. The week after that, I'm in California (I know, right?) which'll be more laid back. I still don't know what to during those weeks when I'm out--guest posts, scheduled posts, or just leave up a notice saying I'll be gone? Thoughts?

• go berry-picking - It's something I've always wanted to do. I just think it would be fun to do with my family--and I could get some cool photos. ;)

• learn songs on guitar - I need to practice guitar more, and I think one way I could make it more fun is if I played songs that I actually listen to. 

• go to the library - Self-explanatory, I hope.

• listen to live music - There's always tons of live music being played around my city, especially during the summer, and it's nice just sit back and relax and listen...

• practice driving - I turn fifteen in July so theoretically I could get my learner's permit soon but I need to learn & practice a lot more...And what better time than during the summer, when I don't have anything else to do?

• exercise - Ride bikes, play tennis or soccer, whatever I can. I need to stay healthy. :P

• see Harry Potter at midnight - The midnight premiere of the last Harry Potter movie (sob) is definitely not something I am going to miss. I will be there no matter what, and I will probably cry. I will also probably see it again, with my sister or my cousin later. 

• swim - What is summer without swimming? Really, people!

• go thrift shopping - I have lots of things I want to buy (shoes, belts, shorts...) and there are lots of cool thrift stores around. Add these together and it's like a treasure hunt. Only, I need money...

• try various crafty projects - I always see all these awesome things other people are making, and I'd like to experiment with some DIY projects. I could liven up my room or make birthday presents with handmade things.

• watch the sunrise - I hate getting up early, but I've always wanted to watch the sunrise, and I can't really do that during the school year...Well, I could, but I'd be a zombie the next day...

• write write write - How else am I going to improve? I've been slacking off a bit in this department but now that there's more time I hope I can write more.

So, those are some things I'd like to do this summer! I may not get to do them all, but I hope I can accomplish as many as I can. What about you? Got any goals or things you'd like to do this summer?


-Kendall

sweet, sweet summer.

As of 12:25 pm yesterday, I am no longer a freshman! I handed in my biology and English finals (and, somehow, miraculously got an A on both) and then boarded the bus, saying good bye to my school until August.

After school, I went with three of my good friends downtown, where we got Thai food from a trailer for lunch. We went back to my friend's house and then walked to the pool. One of my friends has a waterproof camera so we had a lot of fun with that.

photo taken by me with my friend's camera...stolen from facebook.

We also went in lots of stores and tried on dresses. Well, my friends did. Me, not so much. I saw some cute things, though I'd already spent all my money and none of it was in my price range anyway...

We got ice cream, too; a staple of summer. So cold, but with our heat? Gets melty pretty quick. We had Strawberry, Rocky Road, Mint Chocolate Chip. We have eclectic tastes...

Mine was the Mint Chocolate Chip. Of course.

More photos.

Huzzah for taking pictures of taking pictures!

This was seriously the only photo I got of her that didn't involve globs of sunscreen or the back of her head.

Sunlight! She looks like a model... It looked better on the camera, though.

The rest of the night was filled with movies and music and talking like only girls can. We're all going to various places this summer--New York, Minnesota, HAWAII (ahem)--so it may be a while before we can all get together again. But yesterday was a fun welcoming to summer.

And now I am home. There's a whole stack of library books waiting for me in my room, and the promise of many more sun-kissed, laughter-filled days ahead. How I love summer! :)

-Kendall