Ta-Ta For Now

Just sat down to eat my favourite meal of the day: Breakfast. I normally eat what would be considered a healthy dessert, so I look forward to waking up every morning. It's all about the early morning motivation munchies. No wonder I'm such a happy morning person...

So, I've been here and there and everywhere the last couple of days, driving, ferry rides, driving, dancing, more driving and then wedding crashing, all within four days. My cousin Ry was getting married in an old-school venue with pink roses and everything pink, I should say, and his new wife, Ta-Da, was so set on having us help out and join them in this event, that I couldn't say no! It was a pretty day, full of partiers, pink, cupcakes, pink, speeches, pink, family bonding, and more pink. Congrats T & R! xx

I am currently getting ready to go clean my grandma's house for money (score!), and then later on spend the evening at play practice for a family gig I have planned at the beginning of September. I also just finished packing for camp, but my packing skills are insanely terrible, and I have three bags of "essentials". My essentials may fall in different categories than your essentials, but when I pack, I pack in comfort, warmth, needs, and style. There is no way I will leave out the last point: style. I need to look alright, alright?!

Any-who, I am going to be gone in a couple days and will not be writing till then. Those of you who actually read this thing: It will only be a week+ 3 days, so don't worry if you think I've gotten hit by a bus or decided to be done with this... because that isn't the case.

"Ta-ta for now" -Tigger

Best Friend Date

So a couple days ago I got to see a marvelous friend, Sari, and she took me on a never-ending friend date, and it was fun. FUN!

We enjoyed a local Japanese family's sushi, at a restaurant not far from where Sari lives, and believe me, it was delicious. We shared a regular boxed dinner, and split a roll of avocado and mango. (Avo+Mango=best combination for a health freak's taste buds.) I tried to eat my rice with chopsticks, but was laughed at, so figured that a fork was more my "weapon-of-choice" to stab the food with.

Strolling home, we decided to take a swim in the ocean and watch the sunset, two things on my summer bucketlist I could later check off. It also didn't hurt to come out and dry my hair "surfer style". We headed to the beach with our towels in hand and, not knowing what to expect, the water was actually quite warm! Jumping in, Sari reminds me that there have been jellyfish in the area and I wasn't too concerned, until we saw one and the laughter/screaming began to churn (as did the floating seaweed in the water).

It was a fantastic hour in the sea and a refreshing journey from shore to log, then back to shore. I haven't seen an ocean sunset for awhile either, so it was also a calming time to sit and enjoy our time together.

Next morning we were up bright and early, 5:00 to be exact, and we headed to the beach again, in hope of witnessing the sunrise. It was just as gorgeous as the set the previous night, but this time the sun was blinding and orange! I had never seen the sun rise in the summer and it was, again, another spectacular sight...

Later that morning Sari suggested we take a run down a trail, not far from the beach. I had a wonderful time jogging beside her and I have been inspired to do some more this summer, with her and on my own.

 I am happy we got to endure such a long date, and a sunny one at that. Thanks Sari, xoxo

I'm Invincible! (Or So I Thought...)

Do you remember old childhood memories of getting a sunburn and hating it? Thinking to yourself "this will NOT happen again!" Well, yesterday I kind of deliberately didn't put sunscreen on because I wanted some "colour". This turned into pink sleeves and round circles on my legs.

So, I thought I'd tan without the SPF just like my little sisters, but somewhere along the family tree I inherited red-head-type skin and a gazillion freckles. I thought I would have an even tone, something not so painful that would fade into a nice tan. But, I now know I can't go out in the sun and expect to get any type of skin colour other than red.

Other than the fact that I damaged my skin, I did have a lovely family boat ride for nearly 5 hours. We went here and there and everywhere. We stopped to jump in and swim, we tubed a little and then later on ate our picnicked dinner on a little "Memory Island". It was very warm (not too smoking) and the sun on the water was glorious. Definitely a great day for some memory making before the little sis' 13th today!

 Hip-hip hooray Ottis!  

Past Prepares Us for the Future

Today was a soundtrack-making, UVIC-researching, garbage-dumping day, full of beautiful music and wonderful sunshine. I was in desperate need of things to do today, so I decided to start knocking off some Bucketlist goals. I also needed to help my daddy with some old scraps I tore out of the green house, so I got a bit stinky somewhere in this day as well.

Here is a little preview of my CD, in which my criteria is the following: 1-2 songs per grade, meaningful to the specific year, and bring back memories to past events. And so it goes...

"Grade 8: Start of Something New- HSM (first year of high-school)

Crocodile Rock- Elton John ( grade 8 air band)

Grade 9: I Want to Hold Your Hand- Glee (death of my Grandpa Bill, a tribute song to him)

Grade 10: Life is Beautiful- The Afters (finding my religion and spending the last year at Seaton, happily)

I Love You- Said the Whale (leaving behind one of my favourite places and people; Vernon)

Grade 11: Touch the Sky- Julie Fowlis (The Hobbit and homeschooling, I say no more…)"

Back Cover ^

Inside Cover ^

Oh, how I love looking back on the past and thinking about how it's shaped who I am...

So, here's a big "scoop"! It's official, I've decided UVIC first year after high school and looking into it has made me more and more set to graduate! Other than the fact that I need approx. $10,000 for a year alone, I have found some triggers to a good reason to set foot there! A strong Catholic community near campus, great first-year choices for classes, an awesome town by the sea with really organized bus routes, and not to mention I'd be so darn close to MEC... I'm so looking forward to that one. 

Preparing this early for the future is nerve wracking, but it's got to be done some time...goals don't just show up out of the blue. If plans do change, that's God's will, and I trust in him.

The Health of Harvest

So yesterday I helped out my mom by picking some fruit and veggies in our cute lil' fenced-in garden, just to the left of our house. There was quite a lively bunch of insects and spiders I found hiding under the lettuce and inside the peas. It's like they were having a little meeting or something, as I was sweating and bending uncomfortably to reach around in the shrubs.

Quite honestly it feels great to pick, wash, and eat produce that you know exactly where it's been. I hate the thought of genetically modified foods, or the grossness of preservatives, even if they don't kill you, they just eat you away slowly... Anyways, gardening brings a satisfying feeling, like when you get to enjoy a whooping salad of fresh, and I mean FRESH, lettuce, kale and Swiss chard. Mmmm, that sounds so delightful!

I love being a "Health Freak", okay.

The Camp of Many Sarahs

This weekend was a faith-filled, family conference held at a boy scouts camp near a very tiny lake. I believe the lake is called Small Lake, which fits it perfectly, I guess. We arrived to familiar faces, hammock beds inside little cabins, and a great soccer field, but we forgot our ball... Luckily we met some new friends, shared their soccer balls and also slept tightly in our cozy little lofts.

Climate wise, we had some "soft" weather, of little drizzles during both masses and a few activities, and the sun didn't decide to show it's face until we were are packing up and heading out on the Sunday. Too bad.

I endured many new things this weekend, including garbage ball, CCOs, meeting Pope Francis, and eating four meals in one day:

So garbage ball is a mixture of football and basketball, with full-contact shoving and was basically the teens and younger adults playing rough and trashy.The goal of the game: place soccer ball into garbage bin on other side of field. No other rules than that. The girls who played were the "no mercy" type, and I'd just like to say Sari and I did particularly well.

Catholic Christian Outreach: the youth leaders from across Canada who were working under the diocese, volunteering their time to help run and organize events for younger folk (I am not quite sure if that is all, but they are basically like a N.E.T. team). I met an awesome LOTR/soccer nerd, a girl who was born in El Salvador, a girl who "tie-dyed" her plaid shirt with bleach (but said it didn't work out. It looked pretty cool, though), and an inspiring lifeguard with a great life story. Wonderful people.

The first time I walked into the dinning hall I saw him, standing there smiling at me, and my heart started to beat like a drum. It was Pope Francis, and not only was he just my height, but he was also cut out of cardboard. I was sure he was real in that moment and it actually terrified me. I was speechless. Good times, good times...

I am a three-meal-a-day person, so an extra meal? That's obsessive.

A wonderful adventure featuring: Ash, Sari, Otis, Tor, Kaat, Anne, and Ceci. 

By Plane, Car, Train, Bus, Ferry

This past week I took a thrilling, 1.5 hour plane ride to the Sunny Okanagan, in hopes of finding smiling graduates, old friends and a maybe some sun. I, luckily, got all three.

My old buddies graduated last week, and I am so proud. I was expecting to catch up with them, but only got some pictures of their lovely, smiley faces, for the last time altogether. It was remarkable how many people I surprised. I would be snapping pictures with my camera and then take it down from in-front of my face, to look up at a startled smile and a gasp. It was an incredible day, full of hugs and full of sweat. Yes, it was hot!

To the Graduates of 2014, you are forever in my heart, and in an album on my Facebook account. xo

After this tid-bit of an adventure, I packed up yet again and headed to one of my best friend's homes, to surprise her with a trip to Vancouver for the weekend. We (Chanel, her mom and I) got to her house mid-morning and started singing Happy Birthday through her screen door. She cried, I cried. It was a happy moment.

From her house we headed West and there was not a moment of silence the whole ride there. We literally caught up the entire ride. In the car was Gabs (the birthday girl), Chanel (the other best friend), and their moms. We met up with my mom in Vancouver and spent the weekend in laughter and good company, shopping, eating, touring, smiling, posing, Starbucks-ing, driving, and enjoying our few days together. It was a pleasant little "getaway" and "pick-me-up" with my best friends.

Not only did we catch the sunset, but we also got to take in a very-Filipino mass at Saint Mary's, being a minority to beautiful singing, happy, short people. Finally I felt tall!

Eventually our weekend came to a close and we bid our sad fair-wells, heading in opposite directions.

I actually took every kind of transportation, and that was an unplanned goal! I took a plane to Okanagan, then a car to Vancouver, then a sky-train through Vancouver to Richmond to catch a bus taking me to the ferry, taking me then back home, where I was picked up and got to drive the highway with my L (still...).

 FUN, I'd say.