Mostly, Life is good.

So. I pretty much love summer and all. 

(not that that's unusual or anything.)

See, in the summer, things like this happen:

 It had been all to long since we'd grouped up, which was a problem. So, with some "Woman in Black" inspiration from Abbie, I got a campfire/movie thing figured out, where we could catch up, un-miss each other, and eat hotdogs.  
Over all, I've realized that some things have changed a ton. We've all grown up a bit; we've tried new things, stretched and tried to re-patch relationships, we've started carving out our separate paths.  
We're on our way to becoming completely different people.

In most cases, that would make me nervous, but I've realized something else.

If something doesn't need to change, it won't.

Somehow, in spite of all of the "littler" changes we've gone through, The "Big" part of us hasn't changed a bit. The "sitting around a campfire, enjoying the company" part of us.

So, I figure it's all good. I'm hopeful. :)

Anywho, Like I said, I love summer. plus a lot of other things.

I love being with friendlies,

and having talks with my Mum,

and finally getting a job,

and eating nutella,

and discovering new stores, Like Cotton On.

Mostly, Life is good.

Oh, Hullo again.

Yes. 

I apologize, It's been a while.

In my defense though, It's been a rather crazy few weeks.

School ended, then there were finals, then there was the fiasco of moving back home where my room was non-existent... (Surprise! you don't have a bed!) Then there was the moving to the basement adventure so that I could  have a bedroom... All the while I've been applying for jobs, family bonding, finishing long over due art projects, staying in shape, and trying to stay up to date on my social life!
Tada!! 
But, I'll have you know I've been enjoying myself the whole time. Because Summer is great.

On a new note- Guess what I did this week?

I got to go on a field trip! It was like being in first grade all over again, except in this case I got to be the tall one in the class. 

The plan was, that I would play "mommy" for a day and chaperone on Ashlee's field trip to the trout farm and the planetarium. I'd carpool with a friend from my ward who's son was in another class, and it would be great! Unfortunately, my life doesn't run as smoothly as would be ideal, and the classes surprised me by splitting up... meaning that I ended up at the planetarium. With the wrong class. oh dear.

while desperately trying to call Mrs. Teacher-Lady to tell her where I was, - (unaware that her phone was dead) I couldn't hep but in-vision all the possible chaos I might have caused... 

• My un-chaperoned children running like barbarians through-out the trout farm- falling into the water, killing fish with their bare hands... setting nearby trees on fire....
• Finally re-uniting with the correct class, and getting yelled at by Mrs. Teacher-lady and the other parents, about things like "responsibility, stupidity and disappointment"..
• Ashlee declaring that she will never talk to me ever again because I'm the worst big sister in the whole world for messing up her field trip....

(the last option scared me the most.)

I took a deep breath. 'Umkay... I am here... and they will eventually be here... sooo, all's good.' I sat on a bench, ate my lunch, (A pb&j, that my mother had lovingly packed for me on my first day back in elementary school.) and waited.

And you know what? It all ended up just fine. It wasn't long before the right class arrived. The other parents, (being much more experienced in the whole field trip thing) had taken good care of my children, And instead of angry parent/teacher lectures, I got a whole lot of, "Oh you poor thing! did you get lost?" and "Don't even worry about it, We're just glad you're here!"

Plus, And aside from being teased by a handful of first-graders, it was fine. Meaning Ashlee and I are still buds.

"I am so sorry Ashloo! I got lost!"

"Its ok. You just didn't get to catch a fish."

She was then kind enough to tell all of her little friends about how silly her sister is for getting lost. and they laughed at me. But Hey, could be worse, right?

Staples.

Tonight was exciting.

Like "Oh crap, Bruce is gushing blood out of his head!" exciting.

It all started out just fine... we were watching Madagascar 2 and playing Quelf. (Two of my most favorite things ever.)

Kameron was waving a plunger in people faces, Bruce was quacking, Heather had just finished being a ventriloquist dummy, and Logan had some how gotten away with not having to do anything weird whatsoever... (suspicious much?)

Anyway, then it was my turn.

"Start the timer, then tell another player to read the card aloud. Run and hide. Once the time is up, they have to come find you."

So I ran. and I hid. and then my phone rang.

"Um, Heyyy so you should come out now."

"Why? you're giving up?"

 "No, Bruce is injured.... so you should come to the second floor. because that's where we are...."

At this point, I was under the impression that Logan was just being tricky. 

"Uh, huh, suuure."

"No- Really!"

*Bling!* (that was the sound of a light bulb going on in my head at the realization hthat Logan was using his "I'm serious" voice.)
 I ran.


Anywho- Logan wasn't lying. There was Bruce, on all fours. with a bloody head.

"Oh, who would leave a perfectly good head lying around?"

- King Julian - Madagascar 2

Yeahh, It was kindof gross-ish, and I felt kind of sick-ish. So we got Bruce to the ER kindof fast-ish. After a struggle of "What's your home phone number? What's your address? What are your parents names?" and such, we had to wait about ten minutes before the nurse came to fetch him. 

"Bruce Taylor?"

He grinned. (yep. He's kindof a wierdo.) "That's me!"

"Lets get you up stairs, shall we?"

The four of us trailed after them like ducklings. That is, until the Nurse said "Only two" and Logan and I got locked outside. 

"Excuse me, this is first class, its nothing personal, it's just that we're better than you"

- King Julian. again.

When Bruce was getting cat-scanned and stapled shut, Logan and I memorized the dentist section of the phone book and laughed at Readers Digest. Not exactly the ideal way to spend a Saturday night- But no worries, Bruce is 100% ok. Or atleast, he's in the process... He gets his staples out in a few weeks, and Kameron just has to make sure he doesn't sleep too soundly tonight.

How, exactly, did this happen, you ask? In short- I guess Bruce was just getting fancy with his methods of getting down the stairs. (or he got hit in the head with a beer bottle while saving someone's life. For the full story- you'd have to ask him.) All in all, it just makes me glad we're all ok.. and not dead.

"If I, King Julian (that's my name), only had two days left to live, I would do all the things I have ever dreamed of doing. I would love to become a professional whistler. I'm pretty amazing at it now, but I wanna get, like, even better."

Little blessings.

"Oh, that's totally buttered popcorn."

"What? no! How on earth did you get that?"

"Hey! I'm still tasting the other jelly beans, ok? um... roasted marshmallow?"

"Hehe, no."

"coconut??"

"Wow, you are failing at this."

"Vanilla?"

"Yes, good job!"

Logan rolled his eyes.

My next jelly bean? Licorice. Thanks pal.

All in all,

I've decided I really enjoy rainy Wednesday nights. Especially the kind that involve bike rides home from work, and finishing off the last of your jelly beans with a good friend. :)

Those are a few of my most favorite little blessings.
 

I haven't been doing so well at counting my little blessings lately- and Last night I realized it. The rain had stopped just in time for my bike ride home, and the wet asphalt sparkled under the streetlamps. 

"Oh hey," I thought, "It's kindof really beautiful out here." 

and I suddenly got that wonderful feeling of "Shawna, I know it hasn't been an easy ride lately- but you're still loved, ok?"

I even took my headphones out for the rest of the ride home, Just so Heavenly Father could know I was listening.


more little blessings:

• Laughing with Kyrie. - I say She has a signature laugh, and she says I have one for every occasion.
• Walking in the rain with Abbie and drinking Hot Coco that burns my mouth.
• Drawing with the windows open.
• Flannel sheets

Feathered Friends

A seagull pooped on me today.

Which is cool I guess. Just what I wanted, really.

 

So then I cried out in anger and despair. And a girl on a nearby bench gave me a tissue.

I am very grateful for kind people.

Jelly Beans

Isn't it so absolutely funny- that you can feel both stronger and weaker at the same time?
happier and sadder?

or maybe I'm just crazy?

Crazy makes more sense then the other stuff...

"Have you listened to me lately?? Lately, I've been going crazy.."
- fun.

I bought myself I giant bag of Jelly Beans on Saturday.

42 different flavors.

 Now when I get lonely, I play guessing games with myself. (cherry? roasted Marshmallow? coffee? hmmmm...) It's almost as good as sleeping, or watching movies, or staying up until 2 am painting.

See, I'm getting along just fine...

Oreos.

Sometimes Oreo smashing is completely necessary. 

 

 

Its one of those things that works when "deep breathing" doesn't suffice.

It's like....  giving a gorilla a piggy back all day long, and then being able to finally set him down...

"Ahhh, you stupid gorilla! Get lost!"

*Sigh of Relief inserted here.*

Also- I've discovered that the feeling of "I handle this!" goes best with milk.

 

And that is how it's done.