I'm Leaving...

I got a new blog.  I was tired of this one.  I don't like the name, and I thought if I was going to overhaul the whole thing, I might as well start from scratch, eh?  So I did.  If you wanna check it out go here:

sunglassesandroadtrips.blogspot.com


It pretty much rocks.  So go check it out. And leave me a comment.  Say hi.  I know you're friendly. :)

So long on here,

Tacie

A Tribute

In Loving Memory of:

Finn (Finnigan) the Fish

Although we didn't know each other long... (12 days to be exact)  I still loved you...

You weren't even around long enough for me to get a picture of you.

And even though I've had fish before, you will have a special place in my heart.  Right there next to Snowy the Hermit Crab, and Gerald the Duck.  I hope your ride on the great big Sewer Line Coaster was a blast!

Finnigan the Fish died today of unknown causes.  He was a good fish and never jumped out of his bowl.  He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.  May his little spirit rest in peace.

Currently: I am. I want. I'm not.

I enjoy doing absolutely nothing but no longer than an hour or two at a time... :)
I recently rediscovered my love for home grown string beans.
I can't work on one project longer than an hour at a time.  I have crafting ADD.
I got a pet fish.  His name is Finn.  Finnigan for when he's in trouble.
I buy shoes too often to ever wear them out.
I constantly slip off into daydreams.
I love writing what I want.  Not what I'm told to write.
I'm excited  for football games and pep rallies and fall leaves and jackets and pumpkins.
I'm adventurous.

I want to travel.  There's a very large part of me that wants to do nothing more than take off on a grand adventure.
I want a dog.
I want to witness a major historic event.
To play the cello.
Summer to never end.
To live in a grand old house in England.

I'm not a wonderfully good person.  I'm not a horribly bad person. I'm me and there's pretty much no other way to describe it.
I'm not especially fond of unhappy people.
I'm not excited for tests and projects and deadlines and papers and teachers.
I won't do something I know is wrong, or stupid.
I positively do not, will not and never will like seafood.
I'm stubborn.  I won't give in easily.  Sometimes I won't give in at all.

That's what I am.  That's what I want.  That's what I'm not.  How about you?

So Close...

I have one more day of school.  

O. N. E.

This little tidbit of information is better than the sun shining all day long for once (Which hasn't happened in a very long time.) 

Since approximately five months ago, a lot has gone on.  A lot.

Well, let see I:

• Took my 1st AP Test.  Ever. It sucked.
• Went on my 1st date. Ever.  It rocked.
• Went on my 2nd date.  It rocked too.
• Passed all of my classes (And with a little persuasion of one or two teachers I'll have a 4.0!)
• Became horribly addicted to naps.
• Became even more of a procrastinator.  :)
• And more, but I can't exactly think about it right now...  So onto pictures!

And since I'm lazy and I really don't want to scan a picture onto my computer, I've only got pictures from the second date.  But it was a blast, so here ya go.

Meet Trevin.  He's pretty Freaking Hilarious.  And he makes a great date.

Meet my Morp (Backwards Prom) Group.  We pretty much had a party.

Meet Bronwen, my AP Euro Textbook buddy. (P.S. This class is over!)  We pretty much had a party there too.  Oh, and Audrey's arm there in the left.

Well, that's it for probably another 5 months... Which might not be so much of an exaggeration...

E.L.E.V.E.N.

Welcome to 2011.  I hope you enjoy your stay here for the next 364 days. I know there will be tears and fears, joy and stress, hope and sorrow, meetings and partings, new friends and old.  But hey, that's just life.

11 goals for '11

1. Wake up earlier on the weekends.  Maybe this way I'll be able to actually accomplish something on Saturdays.
2. Stay more organized. I love having a clean room, but it's a struggle for me to keep it clean longer than a week.  Let's try for at least two, yes? Yes.
3. Less computer time, more non-procrastinating time. This is a huge goal for me, seeing as how I am the biggest procrastinator on the planet.  This list you're reading right now?  Also procrastination.  YUP!
4. Become better friends with my brother.  Why the shocked face?  I want a better relationship with my brother, and become better friends before he goes on his mission.
5. Write in my journal more.  If you were to read my journal right now, you might see one entry for every month.  Maybe.
6. Read 11 Classic novels. I'm not talking Pride and Prejudice or A Christmas Carol, real classics that I normally struggle to get through.  Wish me luck!
7. Learn to play the accordion.  Yes, you did read that correctly.  The accordion.  I've wanted to for a while, I just haven't actually done it.  Just, you wait, by December I'll be serenading you with my inspiring talent.
8. Be optimistic. I'm not saying I'm the most pessimistic person on the planet, but I'm definitely not the most jubilant, that's for sure!
9. Save money. I'm definitely not good at saving money, so I'm going to save, not spend.  I just have to remind myself of that every time I see a really cute pair of shoes or want a new book.
10. Be more daring and adventurous. No more quiet, scared fearful of what others think.  I'm ready to take a chance on something and have a possibility of it not turning out so well.
11. Be satisfied with what I have.  No lie, this one's going to be hard.  Everyone I know wants something more than they've got, so my goal is to make the best of what I have.

So, that's my list for this year, how about yours?

Give Thanks

Thanksgiving is on Thursday and we ALL know what that means... :)  NO SCHOOL!!!!  Well, really only 2 days of school this week.  How wonderful.

Well, since it's the holiday of grateful-ness, here's what I'm thankful for:

• A house
• Great Friends
• Warm Sweats and Hoodies
• Christmas Music
• Good Grades
• An AWESOME Family
• Procrastination :)
• Sleep
• Chocolate
• Ponytails
• Heaters
• Snow
• Slippers

And that's only a few!  I've been greatly blessed with so many things, and I'm grateful we have a holiday to celebrate just that.

So, what are you grateful for???

Making a Difference

     

Today I was asked the simple question of "What do I want to be when I grow up?"  Every child at one point immediately will reply, "A Fireman!" or "A Teacher!"  Perhaps the imaginative will give a creative idea such as "An Alien!" or "A Dog!" (Both of which came out of my mouth at some point in my life.)

     But today it was different.  I once more gave the answer of Physical Therapist, automatically and with no brain activity whatsoever.  But then I thought, I don't just want to be  Physical Therapist, I want to change someone's life.  But why stop there?  Why be satisfied with only one life when I can change two?  Four? One Hundred?  One Thousand?  How about the world?  I don't want to be someone who sits around all day, waiting for something to come around that will change me.  I don't want to sit on the sidelines, watching the players, I want to play the game.  I want to be a World-Changer.

     It's discouraging though, thinking about changing the lives of the billions of people on this earth single-handedly.  So, I won't do it alone.  I'm recruiting YOU.  (Here's the part where you see a picture of Uncle Sam pointing at you, yeah you know the one)

YOUR MISSION:  I want you to make a difference in someone's life.  Make some cookies to take to a neighbor.  Refrain from saying that biting remark, instead say something kind.  Hold open a door for someone.  Smile and say hello.   Be that person in someone else's life that you wish to have in yours.  (Have you ever heard of the saying, "What comes around, goes around?  Well, that's what happens.  I promise)

     But, don't just do it today!  Do a kind act for someone else everyday.  And in a year, you'll already have changed the lives of 365 people.  Now, imagine if each of those people you helped turned around and did the same for someone else.  That's another 365 people.  And it causes a chain reaction so large, it will never end.  So, go and do something good, and I promise your day will become 18 billion times better.  Guaranteed.

Autumn. Fall. Wonderful.

Dear Fall,

Thank you for finally showing up.  I missed you.  I'm glad summer is over.  Now we can get on with real excitement.  I look forward to once again admiring your beauties and renewing our friendship.  

Love,

Tacie

P.S.  If you'll bring the gorgeous colors, I'll bring the pumpkin pie.  Deal.

Maybe it's the temperature and the crisp autumn air, or the fact that it's hoodie season again.  Perhaps it's the smell of fall, the sound of crunching leaves, or the promise of a pumpkin pie not too far ahead.  October brings a certain pleasure to my senses no other month will ever be able to compare with.  Pumpkin patches, corn mazes, carmel apples, halloween, I cannot think of one bad thing about fall.

Gorgeous.  And much more appealing than the AP European History textbook that I really should be reading right now.  Yup, sure is.

Say Hello to My Little Friend

Currently known as quilt #1...  (How horrible of a name is that?  How about Fredrico?  Reginald?  Susanna?  Stripes?  Ziggy?  Ziggy.  Perfect.  From now on, this quilt will be referred to as Ziggy.)

Enjoy it's loveliness.

Officially, this is my first finished quilt.  Ever.  And I have to admit that I am quite proud of my handiwork.  Granted, in the near future I'll be sick of red and aqua, but I'll still be in love with this quilt.

It's based on the Anna Maria Horner quilt pattern Folk Dance (Free link on the sidebar of her blog) but I didn't like the direction of the zig zags, so I played around with it until it looked the way I wanted it to.  And then I found out she had a pattern for it going the other way too.  (Found Here.)  Leave it to me to complicate things like that.

Call me crazy, but yes, I hand quilted the whole darn thing.  It didn't take me that long, it's just the fact that I now have calluses and dead, dry skin on my right thumb and pointer finger.  I didn't even know that was possible.

All in all, I'm really happy with this quilt and already have fabric picked out for another.  But next time it will be all machine quilted.  In fact, I may pay someone else to quilt it.  That sounds quite nice.

DIY Vintage Goodies

Lately I've been slightly obsessed with vintage everything.  And Obsessed is putting it lightly.  So, I'll share the goodness

{Left} Martha Stewart DIY Bottle Enameling {here}

{Right} DIY vintage tins {here}

And two amazing Flickr sets of vintage labels that you can print and use (non-commercial of course)

{Left here and Right here}

Now, go and enjoy that vintage-y goodness.

Guess Who Shops at IKEA???

Only one of my favorite actors from one of my favorite movies...  David Nibley!  Aka Elder Johnson from the Best Two Years.  

So, there we were, sitting at Ikea, eating delicious fettuccine with chicken, when this guy who I could've sworn looked exactly like David Nibley walked by.  Turns out, that was him, and I got a picture with him! A blurry one, but none-the-less, a picture with him!  (Do excuse the blurriness, it was a camera picture)

Yes, that's me!  This was a very good day.  Just saying!

My Soul is Happy

I absolutely, positively, without a doubt love the rain.  I absolutely, positively, without a doubt times about ten million love thunder and lightning with rain.  There is just something about the smell, the looming dark clouds and the anticipation that builds before the first crack of lightning and as the storm progresses you become surrounded by the tempest and the thunder grows louder and louder, and, well you get it.  I love it.

Yesterday, I told my mother that is should rain.  Thunder and lightning included.  She snorted at me and said, "That's not gonna happen!"

So when it started raining today, I was satisfied.  I love it when she's wrong.  (At least about things like that.)  So, as earlier stated:  My soul is happy.

How does Egypt Sound to You?

Well, it sounds pretty amazing to me, that's why I'm going there.  Just look at it:

Greece too:



And how about France?



Italy too:



How about some Colosseum?



And we'll round off our trip with Finland:




Okay, so maybe I'm not going anywhere right now.  But let me tell you that I fully intend to travel the world. You name it, I'll go there.  Egypt, France, South Africa, Mali, Spain, Germany, Poland, Greece, Guatemala, Costa Rica.  Oh, and FYI: I'm going to be rich too.  I have to be to go everywhere, don't I?

But until the money comes pouring in, if you happen to go on a vacation to some amazing place, actually, if you go anywhere that they sell postcards, pick me up one, will you?  I'll even reimburse you for the cost of the postcard and the postage.  I'm not joking.  And if you do?  You will win my undying gratitude and love.  I really am serious.  This serious:

Piano Lessons by Yours Truly

Yes, that's right, you're in for a treat if you live in or near PROVO, UT!!!  I'm teaching piano lessons now!  If your child would like to take (beginner to intermediate) piano lessons, contact me!  Leave a comment with your name and email address, or email me at

ducksgoquack3@hotmail.com

General Info:

• One hour lesson- $10/hour
• I have a pretty free schedule, so don't worry about the time.
• I have been playing piano for about 9 years.
• I LOVE kids.  I try to make lessons fun and enjoyable, and your child will learn tons!

Feel free to contact me, I'm usually pretty good at checking my email.  I would love to hear from you!

Happy, Happy Birthday Jonathan, DEARRRRRR!

Happy days will come to you all year!
If I had one wish then it would be....

A HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU FROM ME!


Happy birthday to the funny, smart, annoying, aggravating, creative, semi-mature, helpful, resourceful, jolly, insane, obnoxious, challenging, pyromaniac, original, interesting, wonderful brother of mine!

Papa Dearest:

• Thanks for being there EVERYTIME I need you.
• Thanks for teaching me how to enjoy life, and for not letting be too serious at ALL times.
• Thank you for teaching me how to work hard, to earn what I get and to always serve others with no thought of reward
• Thank you for being the most amazing example I have in my life
• Thank you for teaching me to put others in front of myself
• Thank you for giving me shelter, food and a wonderful life
• Thanks for being you dad.  I love you

Happy Fathers Day Padre!  You are Amazing!

(And quite attractive, if I do say so myself... :)

The End is in Sight

One final paper left.

One test.

5 more days left of cleaning up after elementary school children.

Early Morning Seminary has FINISHED.  (I get to sleep in!!!)

Three more days of school.

That is all.  And I am so glad.  This year has been awesome, but it's time for it to be done.  So, I'll now stop procrastinating the writing of my paper.  (I get to compare Lord of the Flies with The Hunger Games.  Wish me luck!)

Happy Mother's Day!!!

This is an automated message for you on mothers day.  Scroll down to find the appropriate message.

If you are a mother:  Happy Mother's Day!  Sit down, take a break and rest.  If you are anything like my mother, you never do and you definitly need it.  You are amazing, never forget that.

If you are a father/husband:  Never fear, your day is coming, it'll be here soon enough.  Go cook dinner for you wife.  Do something nice.  You won't regret it.

If you are a woman with no children:  You are still amazing.  Even though you aren't a mother, there are hundreds of people that you have influenced at one point or other.  You have been a mother in you own ways, and the people you influenced for good will never forget that.

If you are a child of a mother:  Tell her that you love her.  Are you going?  No, seriously, I'm going to wait until you leave the computer, tell/call your mother you love her right now.  Say thank you.  Giver her a hug if possible.  I'll wait.

Did you do it?  Good.

To EVERYONE:  Have a wonderful mother's day and have a great week!

Excitement. That's what I'm feeling.

Because I'm about to order a pair of these beauties.  Enjoy their lovliness.  Enjoy.



But it's not just their awesomeness that caught my attention it's the story behind them.  I'll just let you read the story for yourself:

If you happen to find yourself in Kampala, Uganda, make your way to the Old Taxi Park. From there, grab a taxi van to Matuga. Jump off at the end of the line, and hop on a boda boda to the Cornerstone Leadership Academy. After a (bumpy) ride along a dirt road, you will find yourself in the company of some of the most intelligent and committed young women in Uganda. These women are graduates of the Cornerstone Leadership Academy and employees of Sseko Designs.

Sseko \say-ko\ Designs was created to help these bright young women continue their education. The Ugandan school system is designed with a nine month gap between secondary school and university. These nine months are intended to allow time for students to earn money for tuition before continuing on to university. However, in an impoverished and male dominated society, many of these young women struggle to find fair work during this time.

Sseko Designs hires recent secondary school graduates for this nine month period to live and work together, while earning money that will go directly towards their university education. These women will not make sandals forever. They will go on to be doctors, lawyers, politicians, writers and teachers that will bring change and unification to a country divided and ravished by a 22 year-long war.

Sseko Designs is a not-just-for-profit enterprise that recognizes the power of business and responsible consumerism to support sustainable economic development, which in turn affects a country's educational, justice, and health care systems. The goal of Sseko Designs is two-fold: provide university tuition for these promising young women through a sustainable monthly income, while also contributing to the overall economic development of Uganda.

Although consumerism makes many empty promises, responsible and proactive consumerism has the ability to change lives. Like the lives of Mercy, Mary and Rebbecca.

Every sandal has a story. This story has only just begun, but with your help, it will be a story of hope, success and change.  (Copied from the Sseko Designs website)

I love it.  I love supporting these women in their efforts to become something more than the normal.  So, although I don't normally buy forty dollar sandals, I'm going to this time.  That's that much more towards the education of a doctor who may save someone's life, towards the education that may make a difference in the lives of hundreds.  You want to as well?  Go here.

Life is Crazy

Yeah... Have you seen the date of my last post?  I just barely did.  That just proves that life is CUH-RAY-ZEE.  CRAZY.

Well, besides that...  I just got back from sunny California.  Boy, oh boy did I love that place.  OH, you want to see some pictures?  Okay.

This is me and my best buddy Dale.  Not to be confused with Chip.

I am just SOOO excited.  Or crazy.  You choose.

Our neighbors went with us to Disneyland.  So to answer your question, no I do not take pictures of any random children at joyful places.  That would be creepy.

Some cool tiki heads, or masks, whatever you would like to call them.  I was bored while a few members of our party were relieving themselves, if you know what I mean... :)

Even the trash cans are cool at the Happiest Place on Earth.  (And yes, I did take a picture of each different type of trash can they had.  This was not the only one.)

This is where I get ALL of my Magic Carpets, brass and silk.  Or brass silk.  That's what I thought it was the first time I saw the sign.  What would that even be????

And who can forget the Disneyland main train station???  Not me!  It's so pretty...

Lastly, an image from the beach.  Sorry about the horrible quality, but there were a lot of weird people standing close to the sign, this was as close as I dared to get (and I was on the closest zoom my camera had.)  I just thought it was a funny sign.

Well, that's just about it.  Except for I have a few videos which I cannot figure out how to upload.

Does anyone know how to upload videos on the new blogger layout?  I cannot for the life of me figure out.

Well, Toodles!  And here's to hoping I'll blog more in the future!