Lately (A Sneaky Post)

Sneakily posting on my old blog for my own fun. I blog over at andallisbright.wordpress.com these days, although it's been almost 2 months since my last update. Oops! Lately I've been trying to be less...available?? on social media, especially my blog. I mostly want to keep my personal life private - I don't have secrets, but I do not feel the need to broadcast my daily life/thoughts, either. However, I do like to look back at old blog posts to see what I was thinking about, doing, and learning. Hence the sneaky post on the blog that my friends/family don't really have access to anymore.

Just wanted to document a few thoughts/feelings as of late...

I just got back from a week and a half in Maine and miss it like crazy already, although it is good to be home! The whole "Fun Family" got together and spent a week at a few cabins on a lake and it was a blast. We slept in, stayed up late, played games (including Settlers of Catan, Apples to Apples, volleyball, badminton, croquet, bocce ball, baseball, and a team game of TV Themes, Movie Tunes, and Disney Tunes Trivia!), kayaked, canoed, sailed, sunbathed, swam, floated, had a water balloon fight, fished, sang to Holly's ukulele, laughed, "fired", and mostly ATE. It was so good to see everyone and spend time together. The last night we had a "Big Kid" night with the older cousins. It was great to hang out, play games, eat, and just chat with them. I love my cousins!

In just 2 weeks, the 2014-2015 school year is beginning! I have 2 weeks to complete my classroom, plan, and put myself together. I am beyond excited but also a bit anxious. I anticipate lots of fun, lots of mistakes, and even some successes. What I expect the most, though, is to learn and to grow. My class has 10 students in it - very small but it will allow for a lot of things that I would not be able to do with a larger class. It will also make certain things (I'm looking at you, report cards and grading) less time-consuming. Tomorrow, Kathy and Riley are going to come help me with my bulletin boards - yay!!

This Semester (with pics)

Well, I know I didn't blog that much this semester, but here is some of what I did this semester, as told by my iPhone pics. :)

We get many sunsets like this in LA, but they never get old.

Trip to Carpinteria with the Brooks family & many of their friends:

Love these two. Taken by the lovely
http://www.emmaleighphotography.blogspot.com/

on our way to Carp!

beach sunsets? best thing in the world.

obviously I'm obsessed with the sunsets

Diddy Riese:

My 22nd birthday:

Breakfast at Eggplantation with my best friend.
Jordan & Andrew came, too.

Funniest birthday card I've ever gotten.

My "bffae" made me a cake. The first cake she's
ever made & it was good.

Went to the Cheesecake Factory with three of my sweet friends.
Courtney and I were so excited about this.

The Poached Pear is a cute little coffee shop near school.
Went there with Laurel one afternoon. LOVE her.

Lindsay, Jordan, and I went to Simi Valley to babysit for their
friends a few times. We had so much fun!

Reading a story.

Jordan teaching Harper how to draw smiley faces.

COURTNEY AND NICK ARE ENGAGED.
Linds and I helped Katherine and Sarah Brooks plan a surprise
engagement party for these sweet friends.

Katherine (my bffae) baking again!

Sarah and I. We were giddy.

Linds decorating cupcakes.

eek!

love love love this couple.
Can't wait to see how God works through them.

Finding out my best friend from high school is pregnant!

Fall Thing. Theme: International Travel

Roomie Amanda and I.
Border patrol & international bank robber.

My date and I. We were the best criminals there.

Laurel the gypsy. 

Me and my little peace activist, Sarah.

On the train. Jordan and Sarah in the front,
Garrett and I in the back.

ps. we held a snake?!

Obviously ecstatic about our cheesecake.

For one of my classes, we had to complete ten hours of observation in
an elementary class. These were my observation friends.

This semester, instead of doing Awana I worked in the nursery.
Which almost always meant being with the 2-3y.o. class. Love them.

Okay. I had to take Argumentation and Debate (a Comm class). I was
the only non-Comm major in it, and it was brutal for me. But it had
its fun parts, as well.

2nd debate group. We had too much fun.

I just love Allie and Julie. Friends, wing mates,
and debate partners. And the only girls in the class.

The class ended with a mock trial. This is Judge Julie
and Bailiff Allie.

This "trial" was hilarious, and sometimes out of control.
It was one of the most fun things I've done in a class.

I spent a weekend in Palmdale with my friend Becca this semester.
We had a ton of fun. She is one of the biggest encouragements I have,
as well as one of my closest friends.

We are normal. Sometimes. Just not usually...

At her sweet little church in Nenach. Ps. bonus points
if you guess who she's dressed as.

Thanksgiving break/Apple Hill

Bethany and Lindsay. Loved spending the day with these
two sweet ladies.

love my binzer.

Tyler and I matched. We (read: me) wanted a picture together.

Tried to sneak a pic when he wasn't paying attention. Failed.
Ps. he is not posing for that picture. Genuine face.
He loves me...

My baby brother. <3 nbsp="nbsp" td="td">

CW Smith Dorm Events

Christmas Party - "Christmas Morning"

Bowling with my favorite Bashy bear

Zach is back from Israel! I'm glad he went and got to see
and experience the Holy Land, but it was so good to
have him back. 

Nothing says "Welcome to America" like a maple bacon donut.

You can't tell, but we also did quite a bit of studying this semester.

Library nights. The best.

Sick of studying. Ready to graduate.

the Greek scholar.

Peppermint-flavored yummies from Starbucks.

the Newhall Library opened. We are big fans.

Panera study sesh. Laurel and I look
GREAT in Jordan's glasses, right?!

Sometimes studying makes Garrett cry.
(Not really...)

Ready to conquer finals week!

What is college without a few silly pics?

beauties.

Roomie & I excited for Outreach week!

Picnic by the cross with Sarah and Laurel. They make me
laugh so much (as you can see...)

Just a normal day with Laurie and Amanda

Snap chat was a good addition to our lives.
Also the sobreros in the stair wells of cdub.

Just a typical night.

To celebrate the end of the semester, Lindsay, Laurel, and I went to 5 Guys for dinner.
Yummy burger + Cajun fries + fun friends = perfect ending.

Anyway, here's just a glimpse into my last few months. Sorry there's SO MANY pics.
Congrats if you made it this far. You deserve a prize.