Dear Erin Brady,

U N I T A R D

I have a bit of sad news

Brother left today for Missouri.
He and father are driving over there.
I miss him already! :(

Did you know...

that policemen got the nickname "Cops" because the buttons on their uniforms are made out of (Cop)per?
Thank you, Chemistry, for that fun little fact.

Inspired by Heather

Things I really really love (you don't have to read this, I'm just bored and like doing this kind of thing):

Filling out things about myself (i.e. this post, or on forms where they want me to put my address and everything)
Knowing my friends have my back
Growing closer to people
Raspberry iced tea
Having that feeling of a really fresh and tingly face when you try a new facewash
Chapstick (preferably Burt's Bees)
Saddleback church
Balboa Island
Laughing so hard that it hurts
Weddings
My rainbow sandals
Newport Beach
Spontaneous adventures
When people actually get mad at me for not wearing my glasses (ahem, Joe West?)
Laguna Beach
Chicago
Ferris wheels
Disneyland
Painting my nails
Running into old friends and catching up with them
Finding a person who's dealing with the exact same issues as me
Driving on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH)
Sunflowers (:
Snow, RAIN, gray skies, COLD weather
Fall/Autumn and Winter
Driving to the beach really early in the morning in sweats and a sweatshirt with my favorite hot Starbucks and just sitting on the sand and watching the horizon
Sunrises and sunsets
Taking pictures of the most random little things
Really good/deep conversations
Talking with my sister on the phone for hours about basically nothing
Me and brother going on frozen yogurt dates about every other night
Going to Angel games (especially on the nights with the fireworks!) and eating the peanuts!
When my hair is perfect and I haven't done anything with it
The smell of apple cinnamon and fresh baked cookies
Amazing scented candles
Digging all the goopy stuff out of pumpkins!
Urban Outfitters
Amazing art
Taking something that looks so simple but really see it's beauty
Shopping for dresses
Walking around with bare feet
Praising Jesus Christ
Being stuck in a hard situation, and look in the Bible, and the first verse I see helps me out
People with positive attitudes
My relatives whom I miss dearly
Mud football (even though I haven't quite tried it yet, but I really want to!)
Feeling comfortable in my own skin
Going to Chicago at Christmas time where it actually looks like Christmas (:
Leaves that change to red and gold in the fall
Bright markers
Putting on mascara
Riding a bike
Going on walks around my neighborhood and just thinking about life
Being inspired
Learning something new
Bonfires
Photoshoots
Great English teachers! they're my favorite
Swimming
Painting (even though I'm not artistic in any way...I just love painting)
Making things at Color Me Mine
Listening to music all the time
When a guy screams in my Chemistry class because a chemical reaction made a loud noise
Being cold, not hot
Reading a really good book
Feeling the love of Jesus Christ all around me

I was just reminising...

...when I found the greatest video known to man hidden in my computer.

Mexico '07! No regrets!

Oh. my. gosh.

Lea Taffalla and Jayden Griffin are dating?!

This one's for you, Taffy and Josh.
Way to have adorable kids.

The best.

I've never posted about my family. Ever. That's a little sad, since I love them with all my heart. Without them I'd literally be nothing, I love them to death!
Mama and Daddy


My dad is originally from Chicago (one reason I love it there so much!) and has worked with Marriott for almost 35 years I believe (most of HSM knows that by now, ha ha) and that's sweet cause we get great connections a lot! My Daddy's seriously so great. He always tries his hardest to make my life amazing, and I'm so thankful for him!

Mother is my biggest hero ever. She is so patient with me, is happy all the time, and is just the greatest mom! She grew up a California girl and she's currently a preschool teacher in Laguna Hills and loves it.

Nani (Jenn) is my big sister. She's 23, and people think she's younger than me. Whenever we're out in public together, people think we're both 16. ha, I love my sister so so much. I talk to her every day and whenever she's home, we're basically inseperable. She currently lives in Missouri where she's a Spanish teacher and she lives with her husband of 10 1/2 months, Jason.


Nani and Jason (Byers is their last name...yeah, it still gets me sometimes that Sister and I don't have the same last name!) got married last October on the 28th...it's so weird to think it'll be a year so soon! I really love Jason too, and it's so fun having a brother-in-law like him. They're both so great, and I miss them!

Then there's my big brother, Justin. He's 22 years old and in August, graduated from the Marines after 4 years with them. I look up to him so much, I don't think I could ever do what he did. He's so hilarious too! We go on frozen yogurt dates almost every other night. He will be moving to Missouri later this month to go to college there (ironic, huh?) and where his girlf lives as well. So that'll be good fun for my siblings to live near each other. I'm going to miss him so much though! I hate being the only child :(
And last but not least, my baby girl Lily.
She'll be one years old in December, but she's already HUGE!
This is right after we got her (she was about 2 months old):


Look at her now:


She's a beast! But the most precious and sweet thing ever. I love her guts...that's really all I can say about her.
Well, there you go, my fun little family! I love you guys!












Oh, and I bet you all you'll be thinking either, "They look nothing alike" or "Why does no one else have red hair?"
To be honest, I really do not know.

I want to kiss the sky

It's been cloudy tonight!
It looks like it's going to rain!
I'm so excited right now (:

Refinery for homework this week!

I really want to go!
Anyone want to join me?

While I profcrastonate some more...

This is so fun!

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 5 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

5 people have my name in the U.S. A little fun fact

Grandma Ethel

Yes, that's a gun

For those of you who prayed for me this week...

...dang, did they work! School has been SO much better the past three days, I'm so happy to report. The first day, like I said, was hard to adjust, was overwhelming, and of course I was scared. But it's totally fine now. I love seeing someone I know like every 6 seconds when I'm walking around Tesoro's campus. I love having my close friends in my classes! It's just great. Here's what I've come up with as far as what I like about Tesoro and what I miss about Capo.
Capo:
I liked the campus and whole environment better. It's inside, which is a plus, and they had more fun things going on every day like music or videos at lunch and stuff like that.
Tesoro:
I'm not a fan of it being all outside, especially with it being so hot lately! But, whatever I'll live. I LOVE having my friends there. I had about 5 close friends at Capo.
This week made me realize that high school is way more important and fun when you have friends there, which I didn't have a whole lot of at Capo. I'm positive now that I made a really good decision when I decided to go to Tesoro (:
I'll write later about my classes and teachers! Love you all and thank you so so much if you prayed for me, I feel so blessed to have friends and leaders like you!

I need prayer

Starting a new school year is hard enough,
especially when you're new to the school.
My first day at Tesoro was okay, not fantastic. I didn't get lost at all (Tesoro is way smaller than Capo) but I don't adjust very well to change and I think that's what got to me.
It made me miss Capo a lot. I really love Capo, and I'm trying to love Tesoro too. I know it'll take some time, but in the meantime it'd be so great if you keep me in your prayers for a while. I'd appreciate it so much, you have no idea!
I really hope tomorrow is better! (:
But hey, on the plus side, I have a ton of amazing friends there, and even quite a few in my classes! Yay!

How to have a lovely last day of summer:

Grab some best friends, go out to breakfast at Bagels & Brew and catch up on life!

Then go to a grocery store nearest to you (in our case, Albertsons) with the friend that doesn't have AP Euro summer homework (out of my friends, Brittany).

Buy some Funfetti cake mix and create a masterpiece!


Then watch some chicks flicks (such as Miss Congeniality 2 and Moulin Rouge), and viola!
I'm a little nervous for school tomorrow, only because it's a new school. But it'll be great hopefully. We'll see! (: