Monday, December 31, 2012

The Word of the Year

 You know how some bloggers choose a single word that they keep in lieu of a New Year's resolution? Since I'm not very good at keeping resolutions (Many of my birthday resolutions have already fallen by the wayside) I decided to try it this year. I've been thinking about this for all of five minutes, but I know without a doubt what my word is going to be. It's by no means a new concept for me and it's not unfamiliar around this little blog of mine. In fact, it's the title: the word I've chosen for 2013 is serendipity.

This year I want to just embrace life. As I've said so many times before, everything is so wonderful right now. Rather than try to change it I want to learn to appreciate it more. To smile at the little things. To step back and just admire the beauty of life, to take in the simplicity rather than try to complicate it. This year I want to prove that life was made for living.
♥♥Kristin

Saturday, December 29, 2012

2012//The Year in Review

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  It's that time of year again: Bloggers are all writing posts looking back onto the past year and looking forward to the one ahead. Now it's my turn. Here are the highlights:

-In March I started writing this blog and I honestly had no idea where it would be today, or if I'd even stick it out at all. It turns out that I've really enjoyed blogging a lot. It's given me a creative outlet and I've discovered more about myself through blogging. I've written a lot more than ever before and I'm discovering a lot more about myself as a writer. I don't think I'd ever choose it as a career, but it's one of my favorite hobbies. I also enjoy talking to you lovely people.

-This year I also started to get a lot closer to my co-workers. We had so many fun times: going to an amusement park, bowling, Wal-Mart adventures and just generally hanging out and having a blast and laughing until our stomachs hurt. I've developed some real friendships that I am extremely grateful for. I honestly don't know what I would do without these people. I really enjoy spending time with them, even if everyone else thinks we're completely crazy.

-I graduated from high school and started community college. That was a big step in my life. I was completely ready to leave high school because quite honestly it was never my thing. I've always been a bit of a nerd so the learning part was just fine and I even enjoyed most of my classes. I just never felt like I truly fit in with many of the people in my classes. I was always in class with the preps and "populars" and we never got along well. I was also kind of quiet, which didn't help matters for me much. In any case, that part of my life is over now, and if given the opportunity I don't think  I'd go back. I got through it, and that's what matters. Now, in college, I don't have many friends but really I feel like I'm just biding my time there until I move on. Luckily one of my work friends goes there as does my best friend, and another friend from work is planning to go there next year.

This year was actually quite enjoyable, and if I had to live it again, I would in a heartbeat. I just hope 2013 is just as good if not better. I'm not going to make any new years resolutions (let's be honest, I rarely keep them anyway) but here are some of my hopes for the new year:

-So there's this guy. He's sweet and funny, we have such good times together and I feel like I can talk to him about anything. He makes me smile. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much, but according to various people there is some possibility that he'd ask me out. It would be nice...

-I just want to develop the friendships that I have. I feel like we've got some good things going and I just don't want to ruin anything!

As long as things continue much as they have been going, I will be completely content with my life. I love where I am right now, for the first time in a while. This year has been good for me and I can only hope that it continues into 2013. I hope the new year is all you hope it will be, my friends.
♥♥Kristin

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Here&Gone

That's how so many things are. The anticipation and the buildup last for days, weeks, months, and then in the span of 24 hours, or one hour, or minutes, that long anticipated something is here and gone. It's the way of life but I can't help wishing that I could drag out those moments just a bit longer. After all of that anticipation, it seems almost anticlimactic that things like Christmas should end so soon. Still, that's not to say that I didn't enjoy it, because I did. We ate lots of food, played lots of card games, and laughed too much for our own good. It was over so quickly, but I'll always have my memories of yet another perfect Christmas.
♥♥Kristin

Monday, December 24, 2012

'Twas the Night Before Christmas...

 After working my butt off today (gotta love last-minute grocery shoppers) I finally got a chance to go home and relax. After mixing up the hot chocolate truffles for my bestfriend (I sure hope they turn out okay) I finally got a chance to enjoy the holiday. I just love the feeling of it being Christmas Eve and the fact that I don't really have a care in the world, just for the rest of today and for tomorrow. It's currently flurrying outside and I'm dreaming of a white Christmas. Every year it's the same thing: after supper on Christmas Eve, my brother and I get to open the small gifts in our stockings. One of us will read the Christmas story from the bible. It's such a cozy, homey feeling. Afterwards I will inevitably feel the need to make a cup of cocoa (especially if, as is often the case, I receive some cocoa in my stocking). The evening will be spent watching a cheesy yet wonderful Christmas movie and reading in bed before turning off my lamp and snuggling down to sleep. I will still feel a twinge of excitement in my stomach for the next morning even though I am 19 and have a pretty good idea of what my presents will be. It's just the way it goes.
Tomorrow we'll go to my Grandma's house to have Christmas dinner and open presents and spend the whole day there, talking and laughing and playing card game after card game. We'll have leftovers for supper and even though we were there the whole day, we'll stay until at least 8:00. It's absolutely wonderful. Christmas time is my favorite for so many reasons, but family has to be one of the biggest. I love every single one of our traditions.
I hope you lovelies all have a very merry Christmas!
♥♥Kristin

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Current Obsessions

  • The song Ho Hey by the Lumineers 
  • Flurries♥ 
  • Hot chocolate with lots of marshmallow 
  • The fact that Christmas is in 3 days
  • Hopefully seeing the Hobbit sometime next week
 Is there anything that you've been obsessing about lately?
♥♥Kristin

Friday, December 21, 2012

Aunt Beast//A Wrinkle in Time

I know I keep going on about this book, but let me gush just a bit more.
I don't know how many of you have actually read the book, but I'm going to tell you a little bit about my favorite part (I'll try to keep it spoiler free!):
At one point, Meg and co. end up on the grey planet of Ixchel (Don't ask about the names, I honestly couldn't tell you). Meg is very ill and possibly close to death from a recent traumatizing experience. No one knows what to do. Soon they are approached by three of the planets inhabitants, creatures with four arms and tentacles for fingers and indentations on their faces where features would be. Of course the initial reaction is fear, but the beasts (for lack of a better term) promise to take care of Meg, to make her better. As there is nothing her friends could do for her, they have no choice but to agree.
Meg builds a special bond with the beast who cares for her, and affectionately calls her Aunt Beast. These creatures are like nothing she's ever seen before, and they'd certainly never known a human before. Still, they helped her, and she is overcome by gratefulness. These creatures are my favorite part of the book, and here's why:
They are the most caring, thoughtful, loving creatures. Meg notices that they have a wonderful scent, and thinks to herself, "I hope I don't smell awful to it...But then she knew with a deep sense of comfort that even if she did smell awful the beasts would forgive her."
Despite their unfamiliarity with her species, the beasts selflessly care for Meg and her companions in the most hospitable ways possible.
The beasts planet may appear grey and dreary, but there is so much more to it. There is music more beautiful than anything Meg has heard. They are one with their sun and the stars and nature in a very real way. They experience without seeing. Meg realizes that "It was she who was limited by her senses, not the blind beasts, for they must have senses of which she could not even dream."
Later on when it comes time to leave and for Meg to face her fears again, Aunt Beast selflessly offers to go along with Meg, "to hold her" even though she would be experiencing things she'd never known before and putting herself in danger.
These creatures have really imprinted themselves on me, and every time I read this book again I am reminded of it. They are the kindest, most selfless and giving creatures. They love and give unconditionally, even to an alien girl they barely know. This is the way more people should be. It doesn't matter how different one person is from another, unconditional love is all you need.
♥♥Kristin

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

A Snippet {8}


Humans: the hopers of improbable hopes and the dreamers of far-flung dreams. Because of this it may be said that they are arguably stupid creatures, but it cannot be denied that they are also among the happiest. They allow fickle emotion to overtake their heart and call it love. They call this the happiest of emotions though it often causes the most pain. Such difficult beings to understand, yet so simple in their complexity. She couldn't help but fall in love herself with every last one of them.
♥♥Kristin

Sunday, December 16, 2012

A Serious Post.

I'm sure you've all heard about the school shooting in Connecticut by now. It was absolutely horrible, and there's no getting past that. The one tragedy that stuck out to me the most is the story of Victoria Soto, the 1st grade teacher who hid her students in the closets and cabinets of her room as soon as she heard the gunshots. When the shooter came into her room, she told him that her students were in the gym so he just shot her and moved on. I've seen it numerous times on facebook and tumblr, but it breaks my heart every time I see it. As an Elementary Education major, it really makes me think. It's so obvious that she cared so much about her students. She was willing to die for them. I wish I had that kind of bravery, the courage to save all those lives, even at the risk of my own. I care about kids an awful lot, which is why teaching has always been my dream, but I've been battling in my mind over whether I would love each one of my students enough to do something like that for them. In the heat of the moment, who knows how I would react. I would like to think that I would save them, but in reality who knows whether I would stand strong or cave in. It's so unsettling to me, and it's been something that's settled in the pit of my stomach ever since I heard it.

I don't understand why things like this happen, but as long as there are people like that teacher in the world, it's not a horrible place. Horrible people do horrible things for reasons that no one can quite explain, but there are always those stories that emerge that show hope even amidst such a tragedy. Above all we have to remember that God is still present and though it's so hard for us to understand why he allows such things to happen, nothing is in vain. God is good and in the end, he will overcome.
♥♥Kristin

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Some Facts.

                  1. Fuzzy blankets are quite comfy.
                  2. Mugs of tea keep my hands warm.
                  3. Netflix is fantastic.
                  4. Little coffee shops and best friends make the world go round.
                  5. Books smell heavenly.
                  6. Christmas time is the best time.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Some Old Friends.

Since I have a lot of time on my hands, I plan to re-read some old favorites this holiday season. There's nothing quite like the feeling of reading a book that you've read so many times the characters are like old friends. You know what's going to happen, but it just feels so comfortable, so right. I've never understood people who don't read books more than once. There's so much more to a book than whatever you glean the first time you've read it. There are small intricacies, little details that you never noticed but that just make the whole story that much better. For me, those old familiar friends are the three following series in particular:
My old, much loved, often read copy of Anne of Green Gables
 The Anne of Green Gables series:  I have the first five books (the best, in my opinion) of the series. Anne is one of two literary characters who I most related to and most aspired to be like when I was younger (and, I'll admit, still do today). I loved her wild imagination, how she could make even the most ordinary and mundane things become exciting and new. She is such a bright and happy person that even the grumpiest of people can't help falling in love with her. Each of her escapades is so familiar and comfortable to me. She is one of my oldest literary friends.
The Little House series (or the Laura books, as I called them when I was younger): My mom read these books to me before I even knew how to read read, and they've stuck with me ever since. I loved hearing about all of the adventures that Laura had in the "Wild West." These books are the first that really got me started wanderlusting. They hold a special place in my heart. 
 The Wrinkle in Time series: I now own the entire five book set thanks to a recent indulgence. Unfortunately the last two that I just bought are not the same edition as the first three that I got when I was 13, but that's a rant for another day. Meg Murray is the other literary heroine that I related to so much when I was younger. She was average, and even considered herself below average, but she still went on these wonderful adventures. Not to mention, Calvin O'Keefe was my very first fictional character crush. I'm rereading these right now (I'm a few chapters into A Wrinkle In Time at the moment) and even though I have read them countless times and could quote whole lines, I'm falling in love all over again.
There's nothing quite like the nostalgia of old books to brighten your day. What are your favorite books to re-read?
♥♥Kristin

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

To Do List//Christmas Break Version

 I have an entire month for Christmas break in college, and I am really looking forward to it. It starts on Thursday (for me) and lasts until January 14th. I have so many things in mind that I want to do! Whether I will actually complete them is another matter...
1. Re-read the Wrinkle in Time series. I've been thinking about them a lot lately, and though I've read them all countless times, I'm ready to do it again.
2. Spend as much time as possible with my bestfriend
3. Go shopping with my Mom and aunts (It's kind of a tradition)
4. Bake/make things (especially these hot chocolate truffles and these brownies). I'm usually not much of a baker, but the holidays really put me in the mood.
5. Go sledding (that is, if we get a substantial snowfall... here's hoping!)
6. Take some photos. That's one thing that I've been REALLY slacking on lately. I can't remember the last time I got out my camera just to take a few pictures.
7. Write something. Or lots of little somethings. I don't really care so long as I'm writing.

I'll let you know how I do! What plans do you have for your Christmas break, or Christmas time in general?
♥♥Kristin

Sunday, December 9, 2012

The Hopeless Romantic.

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 That's really what I am though at times I try so hard to hide it. I'm a real sucker for mushy stories and happy endings. I want to be kissed on the forehead and/or in the rain. I want someone to text me the first thing when he wakes up just to say good morning. I want someone who will come up behind me and give me surprise hugs. I want special smiles just for me. I want someone who will come to visit me at work just because he couldn't wait to see me. I want someone who will hold my hand while we walk and put his arm around me when we're watching a movie. I want "that guy" to admit that he's just as crazy about me as I am about him. I want all of that cliche stuff and then some. I want happily ever after and sometimes it's hard for me to remember that life isn't always a fairy tale. It doesn't always turn out the way we want and that's okay. There's nothing wrong with romance so long as you remember not to let it consume you. Be a hopeful romantic but don't let reality bring you down.
♥♥Kristin

Friday, December 7, 2012

What Am I?


**This post is in response to some things I've seen on blogger, tumblr and facebook lately that have really made me consider this question**
 I've realized that for so long I've been trying to figure out where I fit in society, which prefabricated label suits me the best. Am I mainstream? Hipster? Poser? No. I'm just Kristin. I love to laugh, I'm a hopeless romantic, I inhale words, I listen to music, I have the greatest friends in the world, the smallest things make me smile the biggest, and right now life is lovely. That's me. I don't need a label to define who I am.
♥♥Kristin

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Just Another Thankful Post.

The past few days I have been doing a lot with my group of friends from work. We really have a blast together. We make 400-comment threads on facebook posts, laugh until we can't breathe even if it wasn't that funny, and tease each other mercilessly. We had a Wal-Mart scavenger hunt Tuesday night and even though my team lost I laughed so hard I didn't even care. Afterwards we went to Diary Queen and people gave us strange looks. Then, yesterday evening we had our Christmas banquet for work and we were talking and laughing so much I could barely find time to eat. We're such a mixed up group of people but somehow it all works. There are people from so many different stereotypes in our little group. We're so different, but we're friends anyway. It's great.

I guess the bottom line here is that I'm extremely thankful for this group of people. They're some of my closest friends. I was painfully shy throughout middle school and most of high school. Working at my job is what really changed that for me. They brought me out of my shell and I learned that I don't need to be so terribly self-conscious. I can be me and people will be okay with that, even love me for it. There's honestly no better feeling in the world.
♥♥Kristin

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Oh, Hey December!

Some things I'm looking forward to this month:
- A Wal-Mart scavenger hunt with the work crew
- Christmas Banquet with the work crew
- Christmas break (a month off of college starting December 14th. I'm unbelievably excited.)
- Hot tea on cold mornings
- Sleepovers with the best
- Christmas morning cinnamon rolls
- Christmas dinner at my Grandparents' with my cousins, aunts and uncles



Friday, November 30, 2012

When You're Feeling Down.

I don't know about you, but when I'm feeling down nothing cheers me up or encourages me like music. In particular, contemporary Christian music. I don't exactly know what it is. I suppose it's some combination of the catchy tune and heartfelt lyrics. There are days when I'm feeling discouraged or overwhelmed or just a little disappointed when all I want to do is crawl back in bed and sleep for the rest of the day. On these kinds of days, usually all it takes is listening to the radio as I drive or listening to my mp3 player while I do my homework to help me feel better again. Here are some songs that have been meaning a lot to me lately:
Wait and See by Brandon Heath: especially the line, "Still wondering why I'm here, still wrestling with my fear but oh, He's up to something." It reminds me that no matter how discouraged I may feel, how out of place, God is still working in me.
Arms That Hold the Universe by Fee: This entire song just reminds me that no matter what I'm going through, God is holding me.
Even If by Kutless: Even if everything doesn't work out the way we'd like, God is still God.
Your Love Never Fails by Jesus Culture: The title makes it obvious: God's love never fails.
You Love Me Anyway by Sidewalk Prophets: No matter how many times I screw up, God loves me anyway.
I could share more, but you get the idea. When you're feeling down, sometimes all you need is to listen to a few songs and remember that it won't last forever.
♥♥Kristin

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Today It Snowed.

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Not much, just enough to coat the ground and transform everything from brown to white. I am self-admittedly not a huge fan of snow, but I couldn't help smiling as I saw the big flakes drifting down this morning. It lends a cozy feeling to the atmosphere and Christmas, though little less than a month away, is in the air.
As long as there's nowhere to be, snow is the perfect thing for a lazy winter day. Brew a cup of tea, choose your favorite blanket and curl up on the couch with a book. The snow falling gently to the ground outside just completes the image.
I don't know what it is about this year; somehow every season and all weather just feels magical to me. It could be downpouring or gusting or sunshiney or cloudy and I'd still be happy as a clam. It's kind of a nice feeling actually. I really should try being delighted by the weather more often.
♥♥Kristin

Monday, November 26, 2012

Two Belated Snippets {7} && An Update

Sometimes the words just didn’t come. Some days she spent more time wracking her brain for the words than she spent writing them. These were the days that made her want to give up, that made her question her dreams and abilities. She didn’t know what exactly it was that kept her going. Maybe it was the satisfaction of seeing pages upon pages of words that she herself had formed and combined from 26 simple letters. Maybe it was the joy she felt when others complimented what she’d written. Or maybe it was the exhilaration of spilling her mind on the paper. Whatever it was, she knew that no matter how hard she might try, she’d never stop writing.
 ~~~~~~
The dull roar of chatter flowed around her, half a dozen conversations none of which she was a part of. It was funny: she felt less lonely when she was alone. It was moments like these when the feelings began to gnaw in the pit of her stomach. Friendlessness and insecurity blanketed by a vague sense of depression. Someone turned to ask her a vapid question. A false smile and short forced reply hid her emotion too well. Unappreciated. Unloved. All she wanted was someone to make her feel less alone in a crowded room.

These are both very autobiographical. Much of my writing is, after all. And now, the update: I am not going to continue with my project 365. I feel terrible that I committed to something that I didn't follow through on. I honestly did think that I was going to do this. It just turned out to be harder than I'd envisioned, more time consuming. For now, I'm calling it quits. The tumblr will stay up, but I will not be posting on it anymore (for the time being). I'm not going to stop writing, I'm just going to stop doing it with a timeframe.
♥♥Kristin

Saturday, November 24, 2012

A New Look.

I've kind of revamped my blog a bit. It's still Serendipity, I just played around with backgrounds and headers. I chose something simpler this time. I think it looks cleaner and fresher. Less cluttered. I've also added a tab up top ^^ a bucket list, still very much a work in progress. If there's anything that needs to change, let me know! I'm completely open to suggestions.
♥♥Kristin

Friday, November 23, 2012

'Tis the Season

 I know it's only the day after Thanksgiving and some may say I'm jumping the gun, but I say as soon as Thanksgiving is over the Christmas season has officially begun. Every year it's a tradition in my house to decorate for Christmas on the day after Thanksgiving.This morning I baked while listening to Christmas music (and possibly singing along loudly). My favorite time of year is from September through December. Fall may be my favorite season, and I love it a lot, but I'm never completely sad to see it go. It just means that Christmas is around the corner (It's when Christmas is over that the depression kicks in).
I love how cheerful everything looks at Christmastime. Many of the houses have pretty white lights strung in the eaves and electric candles glowing softly from the windows. Stores are decked out in red, green and white. Christmas trees wink from picture windows and if there is a snowfall the whole world looks fresh and clean.
Christmastime is arguably cozier than Fall. There's nothing better than coming inside with red cheeks and numb toes, brushing the snowflakes from your shoulders and making a nice cup of tea or cocoa. I love snuggling up in bed with my laptop or a book, turning my heater on and just relaxing on a Sunday afternoon.

Christmas time just makes me happier. I feel more content, and the simpler things make me smile the widest. When it comes to this time of year, there's nothing I'd rather do than spend an afternoon with my family, playing cards and joking around and having the time of my life. At Christmastime, the little things are what count.
♥♥Kristin


Wednesday, November 21, 2012

The Cliche Thanksgiving Post.

What can I say? I'm usually a sucker for cliche stuff. And anyways, cliche as it is, that doesn't make it any less important to be thankful. So here's what I'm thankful for this year:
1. My job. I know, cliche answer, but it earns me the money that, as a college student, I so direly need. I also met some of my closest friends through my job. Which brings me to:
2. My friends. What can I say? They're the best.
3. My family. Also the best. We have a blast together all the time. They're crazy and I love them to death.
4. Sugar. In the form of: cake, candy canes, Mountain Dew, chocolate.... I could go on.
5. The internet. But really, how did our parents survive without it?
6. Books. They're absolutely lovely.
7. Words. Because they're one of my favorite things in the world.
8. Hot beverages on cool fall days.
9. That I live in America despite what everyone's saying lately. I have religious and other freedoms, enough food, clothing and a house. That's more than a lot of the world can say.
And, most importantly, 
10.The fact that, no matter how many times I screw up, no matter how many times I fall, God is there to pick me up, brush me off, and give me a second chance.
What are you thankful for this year?
♥♥Kristin

Sunday, November 18, 2012

I'd Fancy A Lake House.

I know it's Fall and very nearly Winter, but bear with me as I pine for Summer for a moment.
I have no idea whose little lake house this is, it's just a photo I found on Pinterest, but I'd love to go to a little house just like this one sometime. There's just something about lake houses, and lakes in general, that strikes my fancy. For whatever reason, I've been thinking more about them lately. They just seem so quaint and homey and like a place I wouldn't mind spending the summer at.
I can just see myself sitting on the edge of a dock like this one, dipping my toes in the water and reading a book with pages ruffled by the breeze off the lake. Mornings I'd wake up, take a cup of tea and my bible onto the porch (naturally my lake house would have a porch) and have my own little quiet time with only the sound of birds singing and water lapping on the shore. We'd have a rowboat and perhaps a few kayaks. Mid-morning, before the real heat of the day, we'd go out on the water and just paddle around, dipping our fingers in the water and watching fish swim beneath us.  Perhaps after lunch when it's hottest we'd go swimming or wading in the cool water. I'd pause for a few moments, just long enough for a few minnows to nibble at my toes. After eating dinner we'd go out on the porch with books or a journal in tow to spend a quiet evening enjoying nature and watching the sun set behind the lake until the sky dims so that the stars show and fireflies start flickering. Maybe some evenings after it gets dark we'd start a fire in the fire ring and roast marshmallows and sit around it until the fire is nothing more than glowing embers and we'd talk and laugh until we cry. Then, I'd crawl into bed with the windows open so that the cool night air and the unique lake-smell can waft freely through the house (Since this is my dream world, mosquitoes do not exist). And that would be my summer. Simple. Carefree. Delightful.
So yes. You could say I'd fancy a lake house.
♥♥Kristin


Saturday, November 17, 2012

It's That Time of Year.

I was outside raking leaves earlier today and I was reminded why this is my favorite season. The scent of dead leaves, strange as this may sound, is one of my favorite scents in the world, right up there with freshly ground coffee and cookies baking. I was breathing it in, the cold wind stinging my fingers and numbing my face, and though I was so cold my toes began to tingle, the crispness in the air made me feel so alive. Being cold only makes it feel that much better to come inside, brew a cup of tea and make lunch. Food tastes better after a morning spent outside. As of now I'm thawing out on my bed, wearing a comfy hoodie with my warm laptop resting on my legs. I'm going to have to go to work later, but for now I'm just going to soak it all in. Lazy, cozy fall afternoons are my favorite.
♥♥Kristin

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Some Word Love.

As you probably already know, I absolutely love quotes. Here are some that I have been obsessing over lately:
It's so true. We go our entire lives saying "maybe tomorrow" but what if tomorrow never comes? This applies to so many things. It really made me think.
This is from Anne of the Island by L.M. Montogmery. It describes November so well! Not to mention makes me want to visit Prince Edward Island even more.
This is something I too often forget.

"The funny thing about introverts is once they feel comfortable with you, they can be the funniest, most enjoyable people to be around. It’s like a secret they feel comfortable sharing with you. Except, the secret is their personality."
I don't know who said this, but speaking as an introvert, it's very true. It takes me a while to become truly comfortable with someone, but when I am I can be "normal."
I'm not much for the style of this quote, I think it's too dark, but I love the message. Too often, we put all of our faith in people and then feel so hurt when they let us down. We have to remember that God is the only one we should be putting our full trust in.

So, those are some of my favorite quotes lately. What are some quotes that have stuck out to you lately?
♥♥Kristin

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

I'm Back//Life Lately

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 I realize that probably wasn't a long break at all, but to me, it felt like a long time. There were a few times when an idea came to me and I wanted to blog, but I didn't. This break helped me to realize more fully how much I really love blogging. I don't want to give it up, even though I was almost considering it two weeks ago. There may be times when I feel uninspired or rushed, and I may go a few days more than usual without posting, but overall my posts should be back to normal now. Here's a little bit of what I've been up to this past week and a half:
-I'm still working on my project 365 blog, and it's coming. I still don't feel like it's quite my best work, but that's what the practice is for. I just have to remember that it is impossible to crank out a masterpiece every single day.
-I've fallen more in love with tumblr as a whole. In the past I didn't post horribly much, but I'm liking it more and more. It's becoming a source of inspiration. Here is the link to my main blog.
-I saw Skyfall over the weekend. It's the newest James Bond movie. It was very good, but a bit inappropriate at times, as James Bond movies tend to be. The theme song has been stuck in my head for days.
-I'm really starting to get excited for Christmas. Fall is my favorite season, but Christmas is my favorite holiday, hands down. I even started a new Pinterest board. I know it's not even Thanksgiving yet, but I'm unbelievably excited for Christmas to come.
I promise a real post is coming soon!
♥♥Kristin

Saturday, November 3, 2012

A Confession.

My 100th post was a few posts ago. This one is more like 104. I wanted to do something big and super exciting, but to be quite honest I didn't have the time or the inspiration! That carries over into my writing 365 as well. The things I'm writing are definitely not top quality for me. Usually, they're thrown together a few minutes before midnight just so I can keep the promise I made to myself. Even writing this post in which I attempt to make up for that fact, I'm browsing Pinterest while I try to think of an idea. And I think I have one. I'm going to be taking a blogging break. Maybe as short as a week, maybe two or three. It all depends on how long it takes to get my inspiration back. I'll still do my best to keep up with the project 365, because it's entirely too early to give up on that. I'll also still be around, reading your blogs, but I won't be posting on mine. Much like Frosty the Snowman, I'll be back again someday (soon)!
♥♥Kristin

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Oh, Hey November!

{{via}}
 Some things I'm looking forward to this month:
- Thanksgiving: we always go to my Grandparents' house with all of my cousins, eat too much food and have too much fun (If such a thing is possible.)
- The Christmas season is soon starting! It's one of my favorite times of the year.
- Drinking hot tea while I do my homework
- I'd thought about doing NaNoWriMo, but I've decided against that. 50,000 words is a lot, and I'm so busy with school and such. Instead, I'm just going to write, without a goal, just for fun, to see how much I could actually write in a month. Maybe next year?
♥♥Kristin

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

On Halloween.

I've never been the biggest fan of Halloween. My parents never really celebrated it when I was younger, and now I still don't celebrate it. I don't mean to offend anyone by this, not at all, but here's the way I see it: Halloween is based off of the pagan holidays. The anti-christians. I'm sure you've heard this numerous times before, but here's the history of Halloween or All Hallows Eve: It was believed that on this night, the spirit world and the human world overlapped and that the dead would come back to life and cause sickness and suffering. The costumes and masks were worn to mimic the spirits in order to please them. Bonfires were built to sacrifice animals and crops as sacrifices to the Celtic gods. It became a night to celebrate spirits and witchcraft and dark magic.

The history of this holiday is all about the devil, and to some extent aspects of it are still focused on him with all the talk of vampires, werewolves and ghosts. I understand that for many, the holiday is no more than a fun evening to dress up in a cool costume and visit your neighbors for some candy, but the pretense of it makes me uncomfortable. That's just the way I see it, and I want people to understand my views. Please, don't take offense.
♥♥Kristin

Monday, October 29, 2012

The Nineteenth Year//Resolutions

 Today's the day: my birthday. I turn 19 today. For whatever reason, 19 seems so much older than 18. I'm not sure what it is. Maybe because it means that I'm not in high school anymore. I only have one year left being a teenager and then I'll be 20, which seems even older to me.
This 18th year has been pretty great. There was a snowstorm on my birthday last year, pretty rare for this time of year where I live. I grew closer with many of the people I work with. I made new friends. I started this blog. I really came to discover who I am as a person. I came to terms with myself. I graduated from high school and started college. I'm sure there are more things that I can't even think of right now.
This year on my birthday, there are a few "new year" resolutions that I want to make.
1. I want to record every cent that I spend this year, be it cash or a credit card, on a candy bar or college text books. I just think it would be something really interesting to look back on later. Whether I will actually keep it up is another matter entirely.
2. Something else I want to keep track of is the books that I read. I also think that would be something interesting to look back on. I'm also interested in knowing how many books I actually read in a year. Again, who knows whether I will be able to keep it up, but I will most definitely try.
3. I want to write. So often I have this urge to write, and this year I plan to satiate it. I've wanted to make a writing project 365 for a while now. I'm starting a tumblr blog separate from my personal tumblr and calling it A Year of Words. Check it out. I'm going to be posting a writing every day, usually in the form of my snippets, and using the website I mentioned in the last post for daily prompts. I know that some days are going to be busy and I may not get to write. I'm not going to be too hard on myself if I miss a day here or there, but I'm going to do my best to post as often as possible.
So, for now, those are my birthday resolutions. Where I will be a year from now, only time will tell. Hopefully I'll still be blogging. Hopefully I'll still have my wonderful friends. Hopefully I'll be just as happy and content with my life path as I am now.
♥♥Kristin

Sunday, October 28, 2012

A Letter.

Dear You,
I think you're pretty wonderful. You don't know that, but only because I've never told you. And I probably never will. You'll never actually read this letter. Guess I'm just too chicken, but I like to tell myself that it's because I believe the male should initiate such conversations. See, basically, you're one of my closest friends. Maybe you don't even know that. I love the way we can start a random conversation and somehow we keep coming up with things to talk about. I love how we have all of this inside jokes (I loathe you. ((But not really, not at all)) ). I love that face you make when you're trying your hardest not to laugh. I love the way you're always kind to everyone, you always include everyone. You're just a really nice person in general. I'm not saying that I'm in love with you or anything crazy like that. I'm just saying that if you were to ask me to be your girlfriend, I'd probably say yes. Because like I said before, I think you're pretty wonderful.
Yours truly,
Me

So yeah. This is pretty personal. I guess I just needed to get all of this down somehow. I'm thinking maybe some of you can relate.
♥♥Kristin

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Some Things I'm Currently Obsessing Over.

-This website, which you can subscribe to and will send you a writing prompt every day. Goodbye writer's block! If you click the link it will take you to the place where you can subscribe to the emails. All you need to enter is your email and your first name. No gimmicks as far as I know. I only recently signed up myself.
-The band Imagine Dragons. They aren't a Christian band, so I don't agree 100% with their lyrics, but the songs overall are very catchy and I've fallen in love. I listen to them almost constantly. (I may or may not be listening to them right now.) Look them up on youtube if you want! I suggest Round and Round, On Top of the World and Tiptoe to start off.
-Simple art, like this:
I'm kind of in love with ampersands. Weird? Maybe.

And more can be found on my Pinterest
-Searching about Hurricane Sandy. I'm sure you've heard of it. Where I live, we're supposed to get hit by it, big time. Torrential downpours, strong winds, possible heavy snow, the whole enchilada. Everything at the grocery store where I work is absolutely nuts. People are buying water, canned food, bread, eggs and milk like there's no tomorrow (the last two, I've never understood. If the power goes out eggs and milk useless. But I digress.)

So anyway, that's what I've been obsessing over lately. Possible storm of the century aside, I've fallen in love with all of the above things.
♥♥Kristin

Thursday, October 25, 2012

A Tag//Elevensies

You may be getting tired of these things, but I enjoy them, so bear with me. I was tagged by Kiri Liz at Lianne Taimenlore. Here are the rules:
- If you are tagged/nominated, you must post eleven facts about yourself.
- Then, you must answer the eleven questions the tagger has given you and make eleven questions for the people you are going to tag.
- Next, tag eleven more bloggers. (As usual, I'm not actually going to tag anyone because I know some people don't do these and some find it annoying, but if you want to do this please feel free!)
- Tell the people you tagged that you have tagged them.
- No tagging back
My eleven facts:
1. My birthday is 6 days away.
2. I think that cilantro smells disgusting.
3. (no offense to anyone) but I really dislike One Direction.
4. I am often reading two or three books at a time.
5. People ask me all the time if I'm old enough to work at my job (the very youngest I could be to work there is around 15). I'll be 19 on my birthday. I don't know if it's my height, if I have a young looking face, or if it's a combination of the two. 
6. I really should be doing my school work right now. I'm a horrible procrastinator, and a lot of the time it comes back to bite me. I go through that whole cycle where I procrastinate, stay up until 1 or 2 in the morning to finish, and then promise myself that I'll never, ever procrastinate again. Then a few days later the process starts all over again.
7. I love rainy days in general, but in my opinion lately we've been getting entirely too many of them where I live.
8. my 100th post is coming up super soon! I'm hoping to do something big for it but as of now I still don't have any ideas.
9. I still haven't gotten around to reading Les Miserables. Maybe I never will. It kinda freaks me out, actually. It's very, very long.
10. I haven't posted any snippets lately, and I feel bad about that. It's not that I don't want to write, it's just that I haven't been feeling at all inspired lately. I guess it's because I'm just too busy.
11. I have had this post sitting in my drafts for quite some time now because I haven't been able to find the time to finish it.

The 11 questions from Kiri Liz:
1. What is your third favorite color? An interesting question. I guess I'd have to say blue.
2. If you could rewrite any scene from any book, which one would it be and why? Hmm... a lot of my favorite books are so well written that I really wouldn't change anything. But, I guess I would choose any scene from A Wrinkle in Time. The only thing I'd change would be to write it from Calvin's perspective. He's one of my book crushes.
3. Would you rather live in a old palace, a cottage in the woods, a pirate ship, or a underground burrow? Well, I hear old palaces can be a bit damp, I'm not really one for adventure on the high seas, and it would be entirely too dark underground. I'd choose the cottage in the woods, as long as it had plumbing.
4. How do you pronounce the word "often?" Off-ten? Or Off-fen? I don't really know! I guess it's off-ten, but I can't say for sure because now I'm thinking about it.
5. What is your favorite holiday film?  There are so many good ones, but I'll choose It's a Wonderful Life. It's old, but I like it a lot.

6. If you had a book (any book including a cookbook or a research book) published, what would be featured on the cover?
Well I suppose that depends on the contents of the book. If it was a compilation of my short little writings, it would be something pretty but simple. That's the kind of art I tend to gravitate to.
 
7. Where would your dream home be located? Ooh, that's another tough one. Maybe Prince Edward Island. I always thought it would be neat to live there. The only thing is that I'm not much for cold weather.  
8. If there was no such thing as tea or coffee in this world, what hot drink(s) would you consume? Hot chocolate and hot apple cider.    
9. What one song describes your life/day/mood? Umm.... well, this is another tricky one. I guess that for right now, I'd choose Living the Dream by Downhere. It's one of my favorites at the moment. It's quite catchy if I do say so myself.  
10. Peanut butter cookies, snickerdoodles, or gingerbread men? Peanut butter cookies. They're really delicious. I'm now craving them...  
11. What is something you absolutely love right now? Pumpkin pie milkshakes from where I work! They use real pumpkin in them and they are absolutely amazing. I drink way too many of them.

My eleven questions(It takes me so long to think of these!):
1. If you could write the sequel to any book, what book would you choose and why?
2. What was your favorite book when you were younger (maybe around 3rd grade)?
3. Would you rather write or take pictures? (I think I asked this question before, but oh well)
4. Do you like filling these things out as much as I do?
5. What website (other than blogger) do you spend the most time on?
6. What is your favorite holiday (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, etc)?
7. Which continent would you want to visit?
8. Why did you start blogging?
9. If you could choose one thing to get right now, what would it be (something like a nice car, a new camera, etc)?
10. If you had to choose, what would you say is your all-time favorite book?
11. what would your dream job be?

Now, I tag anyone who wants to fill this out. I don't want to be annoying by tagging people who don't really like to do these kind of things, plus I don't know if I could think of 11 people. Anyhoo, if you want to do this, just do it! And let me know in the comments. This should be the last one of these that I do for a while. I don't want to annoy anyone by posting too many!
♥♥Kristin

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Driving at Dusk//Snippet {6}

The strangest things can make me sentimental. Things like driving with the windows down in the October Indian Summer into the sunset. The scents of fall and sunshine waft through the windows, and I can't help but feel at peace with the world. As evening falls, the indirect sunlight of the golden hour bathes everything in the glow that makes your daydreams seem touchably close. For now, this moment is everything. Life contained in the soft breeze that caresses my face.

Admittedly not my best work, but at least I'm writing. Writer's block is really hitting me hard. I was kindasortamaybe considering doing NaNoWriMo this year, but at this rate I can't see that happening!
♥♥Kristin

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Time For A Change.

As you may have seen in my previous post, I changed my blog title to Serendipity. I felt like it was time for a change, and this word has really been on my heart lately. I am keeping the same URL (the-greatperhaps.blogspot.com) for simplicity's sake. And also, because I'm sentimental like that. I also changed up the design. This is just temporary because I want to attempt to make my own blog design. In the meantime, if you notice anything that needs to be tweaked, feel free to tell me!
Nothing else about this blog will change, I want to make that clear. I was just ready for a change of scenery, and maybe you were too.

Edit: I made a new button as well:

it will be on my sidebar shortly.
 ♥♥Kristin

Friday, October 19, 2012

A Word.

This word ^^ is the one that I think describes my life most perfectly. It seems that's what happens to me often: I stumble upon good things like books, music and people. I always find them when I least expect to. I think a big part of serendipity is living life in a way that the small things delight you. Things like hearing your favorite song on the radio, discovering a new favorite book, finding the bible verse that applies most to your life at the moment you read it, or waking up to sunshine and blue skies.
I'm actually considering changing my blog name to this, because I feel that I have changed a lot over the last six months, and I believe my blog has as well. I'm finding that this is what I blog about the most: the small things in life that just make my heart smile. Any thoughts on the matter? I'm ready for a change, and this might be it.
♥♥Kristin

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Just A Small Post

In appreciation of Osage oranges:
{{via pinterest}}
I'm kinda in love with these things. Ever heard of them? They don't look very pretty, and you can't eat them, but they smell soo good. It's like, citrusy and a little bit minty, with something else mixed in that I can't quite describe. They smell like Christmas to me. Don't ask me why. I was carrying one around all evening, just to smell it. They're my favorite right now. That is all.
♥♥Kristin

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Some Book Love.

Lately, sad to say, I've been in a bit of a book rut. Getting out of them can be hard. Usually, they stem from me deciding that I'm going to read all sorts of classics such as Les Miserables and Sense and Sensibility. Then, when I'm bogged down in 17th century wording and large words that make me stop to reread sentences, I get frustrated. Reading stops being fun for me and starts being a chore. That's when I have to remind myself why I fell in love with it in the first place.  Sometimes I just have to step away from the classics and go back to some modern-day, maybe less than perfect, sometimes mushy YA fiction. Though they may not be so intricately written or finely crafted as the classics, they never fail to pull me in (and don't get me wrong: I do enjoy a good classic now and again. Jane Eyre and Frankenstein are some of my favorites).

Some non-classic books that I'm enjoying right now:
I'm rereading this book. It's one of my favorites of all time. I definitely recommend it if you haven't read it. It pulled me in right from the start, and it's one of the few books that actually made me tear up. to quote the book, "It's a small story of, among other things, a girls, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist fighter and quite a lot of thievery." It also produced one of my favorite love stories: Rudy ("The crazy one who had painted himself black and defeated the world") and Liesel ("the book thief without the words"). As you can see, I am in love with this book.








Another book by the wonderful Markus Zusak. This one took me longer to get into, but it was so worth it in the end. a favorite quote of mine from this book:
"sometimes people are beautiful.
Not in looks.
Not in what they say.
But in what they are."









I am reading this book right now, and while it wouldn't win any prizes for wonderfully crafted prose, the story pulls you in. It's one of those dystopian novels that seem so popular now what with the Hunger Games trilogy. It's one of those books that's so popular and mainstream that I almost feel guilty reading it and enjoying it so much. (I'm not a hipster or anything of the sort, but do you know what I mean?)











This is in the queue to read next. It's another dystopian novel. You could say I'm mildly obsessed at the moment. Also on deck is Brave New World. I had to throw at least one semi classic in there.









{{All images via Pinterest.}}
So what are you reading lately? Any books you're really loving?
♥♥Kristin

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

About Me // Just for Because

I stole borrowed this from Kiri Liz's blog Lianne Taimenlore and it was originally from The Golden Road. I'm not entirely sure whether you get the same enjoyment out of these that I do, but they're quite amusing to me. I hope you find it to be the same.
  1. Coffee or Tea? I believe this question has been on every single blog questionnaire that I have ever filled out, and I will give the same answer that I always have: how on earth can I be expected to choose between the two? I like both at different times. Tea when I'm cold, or feeling autmn-y, coffee on Sunday mornings and every morning when I'm on vacation (I have strange habits and tendencies. Just go along with it.)
  2. You win a thousand dollars!  What would be something fun that you do with it? Either Nikon D500 or Canon Rebel t-whateveritdoesn'treallymatter. And the remainder? Books upon books.
  3. You're given the opportunity for the lead part in a play.  Would you take it? I would probably take it, and then be consumed by stage-fright and later on and wish that I hadn't, then after the performance was over with I would gush about how much fun it was, audition for another play, and repeat the process. It's the way I roll.
  4. Would you rather sing, play an instrument, or listen? If by sing you mean sing well, then I choose sing. If not, then I choose listen.
  5. Are you more of a chit-chat person?  Or sporty? Neither, but if I had to choose one I'd say chit-chat, because as much as I hate small talk, I can't run or throw things to save my life.
  6. Did you ever have an unrealistic dream as a child?  If so, what was it? I'm sure I did, but I can't remember any at the moment.
  7. Have you fulfilled any of the dreams that you had as a child?  If so, what where were they?  Well, as of now, I am working on fulfilling my dream of becoming an elementary school teacher. I wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember, and now I'm finally going to college for it.
  8. What's that one place in the world that you've always wanted to visit? Must I pick just one? I suppose if that's the case I'd choose Spain. Prince Edward Island is a close second.
  9. What book character do you always find yourself imitating? The one book character that I've always wanted to be more than any other is Anne Shirley. I love everything about her: the way she has with words, her wild imagination, the way LM Montgomery describes her, Gilbert... but I digress.
  10. What's your favorite season?  Why? Must you even ask? Autumn of course. I won't bore you by rehashing the details.
  11. What are some of your favorite blogs to read? There are so many. Just see the favorite blogs tab at the top of the page for some of my favorites.
  12. How long have you been blogging? My very first post was created on March 23 of this year. It's a little over 6 months now. Honestly, I'm truly surprised that I've even stuck with it this long.
And now, I suppose I'm supposed to tag people, but I hate doing that. If you want to do this, just go ahead. And if you do it, comment. I'll come creep on your blog check out what you had to say.
♥♥Kristin

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Who I am and Who I've Been.

Today I've been feeling rather retrospective. Maybe it's the weather, maybe it's my upcoming birthday, and maybe it's a combination of the two. Every year when my birthday swings around again, I can't help but think about where I was on my past birthday. This year especially, there have been quite a few changes. Last year I was only a few months into my senior year of high school, eyeball-deep in AP Biology and AP English. I'm still eyeball-deep in homework, but now I'm a high school graduate in college. When I think about where I imagined I'd be, it was not exactly this. I thought I'd be going away to the school of my dreams, possibly rooming there with my best friend and generally having the time of my life. Instead, I am still living at home and attending community college. If I knew this was where I would be a year ago, it probably would have upset me, but right now I can honestly say that I am content with where I am. My life isn't perfect, but when is it ever? In the past year I've formed new friendships and strengthened old ones. I've taken photos, I've written pages upon pages, and overall become more me than I've ever been before. I've learned a lot about who I am as a person, my sense of style and my sense of humor, the way I relate to people and the way I am maybe a little bit of a dork and maybe that's okay. I think that the biggest part of becoming yourself is accepting that that person is who you are going to become, and that's what I've done in the past year: accepted the dorky, introspective, tea-drinking reader, thinker and sometimes-writer that I am. I'm slowly but surely moving past my insecurities that I struggled so much with in the past years. Finally being content with the person you're becoming has to be one of the best feelings in the world.
♥♥Kristin

Saturday, October 6, 2012

A Snippet {5}

She drummed the keys with her fingers, wracked her mind for the words, but they wouldn't come. She knew they were there, lodged in her brain: she could feel them pounding their way into a fierce headache. She dropped her head into her hands and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to visualize the words, to force them out. She hated the weight of them, knew that once they were let out she would feel so much lighter. Now, they just rattled around in her head, tauntingly just out of her reach. If only there were some way to flush them out.

I've been kinda struggling with writers' block lately, so... this is what you get.
♥♥Kristin