The Mason Jar - Summer 2013

  At the beginning of the summer, I decided that I should take an idea I've seen all over the internet {Pinterest, YouTube, Blogger, etc.} and make it my own!  And so, I found a mason jar and started writing.

  Everyone knows that feeling.  That feeling where you feel like summer just started when it's already the day before the school year starts.  Time flies, and-my goodness-June is already almost gone!  Knowing this, I want to relish every moment of this summer.  That seems pretty easy, but I also want to remember.  Obviously you have your own memory, but sometimes that fails you, so what do you do?  You write it down.

  The pointe of my mason jar is to take a sticky note {or any other piece of paper, therefore} and write about it every time something good happens to me.  It can be something little, or something huge.  The picture above was taken about a week ago, and I've continued adding to the mason jar since, so it's actually almost full now!  I'll soon need a new way to hold all of these happy little {or big!} memories, and I think that's pretty cool.  This summer has barely even started, but it's already probably the best summer I've ever had.

  This summer I really have just lived in the moment, done things very spur of the moment, become so much closer with friends, had some great dance experiences, and so much more.  I've had friends over to swim, gone to some bonfires, gone to the public pool with friends, gone out to eat with friends, made a music video with Makenna, and other things that are really, really, great.  I'll keep these recorded memories for as long as I can, and whenever I'm not having the best day, I'll have all these great things to reflect on.

  On the last day of summer, I'm going to read every single one of the pieces of paper that I have written out and put into my mason jar.  I'm sure I'll have a bunch of things to read about, to relive, and I'm sure I'll be smiling and laughing all the way through.

So, this summer, let's make it great.

If you want to use this idea, go ahead!  It's definitely not entirely mine, and I really recommend using it.  All pictures in this post belong to me, and were taken by me on my phone.  :)

In Which I Explain My Hiatus! {{A HUGE Update Post!}}

  Well . . . hi guys.  So, I haven't posted in about two months, and-trust me-I feel pretty darn bad about that!  But before you start asking questions about where I was, if I was/am okay, or if I'm giving up this blog entirely, let me explain myself!  And while I explain myself, please enjoy some photos of the my Red Bud tree and some other miscellaneous things from my phone!  :)

Warning: Lots of words ahead

Whenever I put on mascara, I feel the need to take
pictures like this.  :)

Dance

  The dance season is over for a month or so, and I'm sad and bored, as I always am at this time of year.  I was so busy with dance, as I had three recitals to perform in.  Being in three recitals means lots of practicing, so time on the computer was really cut out of my every day life.

Track

  I honestly can not remember if I ever told you guys about this, but I was in track this spring sports season!  I really enjoyed track, but I had so much going on, I only had the chance to go to two meets out of the eight that were scheduled.  On top of that, the last track meet we had-which was a home meet and also the conference meet-had to be cancelled when it was only half way over because of thunder storms.  To say the least, I was really upset!  I only got to run in one event,-the open 400-which I got first in my heat in, but seventh overall {aka one place away from getting a ribbon and actually "placing"}.  Although that really stunk, I'm definitely going to keep on running, and I hope to run a lot this summer, including some 5k's!

School

  School has definitely been a big part of my life recently!  School is beginning to wind down, and for that I am so thankful!  Our last day is the sixth of June, which could definitely be worse.  I really need to get to reading, {that's what I'll be doing after I hit publish on this post!} I have a lot of big projects going on, I need to get to practicing my French horn, and all kinds of other things are going on right now.  The school year's almost over, but school work definitely isn't.

Life in General

  And then, of course, I still have the little things of everyday life.  I still have to make time to be a regular human being, getting outside, hanging out with friends, just doing everything that I should be doing.  With summer coming, though, everything will be so much better!

  So that was kind of extremely long, but I hope you guys read through the whole thing and understand that I'm not trying to just give up on this blog.  If I have to take a break, {such as this one, even though it wasn't planned} I have to take a break.  Once summer comes I'll probably have more to post about, but who knows what summer holds for me!  I guess we'll find out soon enough.  :)

xoxo,
Carolyn

The Goals I have Yet to Accomplish- 102 Things to do in 2012

  Instead of all the things I have done so far, here's all the goals I have yet to do.  Sure, I have a far way to go, but a lot of them are simple-such as stretching for a week, or going without soda.  So I'm really not worried.  There's no doubt in my mind that I'll have all of these done by the end of 2012.  :]

1. Buy a DSLR
2. Do well in my photo challenge!  {{Keep going for the WHOLE year}} Buy a shirt from my dance studio
3. Stretch every day for a week
4. Go for a week without soda
5. {{Write a script for Script Frenzy}} Hang up all of my dance portraits-ever.
6. Participate in NaNoWriMo again {Word Count Goal: 15,000+ words}
7. Win NaNoWriMo
8. Make a doll house-type-of-thing for my dolls
9. Buy something from Etsy
10. Buy something from Photojojo
11. Make a YouTube in November
12. Make my first series of videos {doll series}
13. Make a craft from Pinterest 
14. Try out new hair styles on me
15. Wear my rain boots on a rainy day and take pictures
16. Don't buy ANYTHING {unless it's the DSLR} for a month
17. Have my friend over/go to my friend's house that lives in my old town
18. Master all of my splits
19. Master axels {oh this is going to be great!  XD}
20. Master fouettes
21. Master doubles
22. Figure out GIMP
23. Do a successful giveaway
24. Visit some place and look completely photographer.  XD  {{As in, camera in hand, camera necklace on, etc.}}
25. Try an interesting food
26. Wear something vintage to school
27. Use something as something else {as in a scarf as a headband, but anything, truly!}
28. Buy something from a thrift/antique store
29. Find something cool and doll-sized
30. Write in a journal for a week
31. Read before bed every day for a month
32. Read every book on my "To Read" list
33. Get a part in the Nutcracker
34. Practice for the parts I want in the Nutcracker at home
35. Wear my hair in some sort of style for a week {can't repeat the same style twice, or thrice . . . YOU GET IT. XD}
36. Go some place fun
37. Do something REALLY fun at home this summer
38. Master how to do a ballet bun
39. Buy something from American Girl
40. Sew something with Libery Jane Patterns {with the help of my grandma}
41. Have more than one friend over for a sleep over
42. Make more things for my dolls
43. Finish coloring my AG poster
44. Put sticky notes/paper in random places saying things like, "God Loves You".  :)
45. Have a photo contest
46. Buy a coloring book
47. Read parts of the Bible
48. Successfully draw a boy {not a specific boy, I'm just bad at  drawing boys.  XD}
49. Bring my camera with me EVERYWHERE I go {not counting school XD} for a month
50. Read parts of the dictionary
51. Read parts of the thesaurus
52. Rearrange parts of my room
53. Print out pictures from my camera and put them in a photo album
54. Scrapbook
55. Draw and color a picture that uses every color in a 64 pack of crayons
56. Make an Inspiration Board with magazines
57. Have my friends over to swim {summer}
58. Make a Vlog series with Delilah
59. Put money in my saving's account
60. Paint my nails like Converse
61. Have a really fun birthday party with my friends!!  <3
62. Write a script for a video by Jeneca!  :D
63. Learn how to cook something I love
64. Learn how to bake something I love
65. Watch The Lion King {haven't seen this in so long!}
66. Watch the Disney Princess movies {same with these!}
67. Then to 75 followers
68. And then 100 followers :D
69. Write more in my listography {comment if you want to know more about this!}
70. Make a card and send it/give it to someone
71. Buy a dance tee shirt
72. Make my locker 100% ME this school year

xoxo,

Carolyn

A Room Tour and More Travel Blog Posts!

I apologize for any background voice.  My family was talking in another room and it was storming!  :O  I also apologize for bad lighting and yelling at my brother, me being weird, and how-in my shadow-my legs look like twigs.  XD

  Yep, I'm in Branson!  :D  It's so awesome here.  :3  I'm watching Cupcake Wars, just hanging out on my bed.  :]

  Well, here are some more travel blog posts, I really hope you enjoy these!

            Shalom everypony!  :3  We’re back on the road, travelling to our next destination.  Yes, we’re going to ANOTHER place.  We went to my grandparent’s house because it was their 50^th anniversary, and they were having a party.  So we arrived late on Friday and just hung out there with family.  Then the next day, Saturday, was their party. T hat was only two hours from two to four at their church.  I hung out with my cousin, her friend, and my cousin’s cousin.  :]  Then we went home and did our own thing until we went to a BBQ and fireworks show.  It was fun!  It was at a farm and I hung out with my cousin’s cousin and her friends.  They were all so funny!  We got home late and went to bed.  XD  Then we woke up this morning and went to church, then went out to eat, and went home to pack up to go to our actual vacation spot.  It’s 1:30 currently, and we’ll be there by 3:36.  Not a bad car ride, really.  :]

            So anyways, we just passed into another state!  Wootersauce. XD  We’re already in the state that our destination is in, and we were literally JUST in a different state.  Why?  The town’s on the border.  HOW CRAZY.  It’s bordering-like-two states, actually.  Shamazing.  ;]

            So, I’m just sitting in the car.  I’m going to do that tag I did on our last car ride.  Lemme just copy and paste it . . .

What Do You . . .

Smell: Not anything in particular again!  XD

Taste: Green apple hard candy.  It’s amazing, to say the least.

Hear: A song on the radio . . . our Garmin {or Garmen? XD} is up on our screen, so I can’t see the title.  I know the song, I just don’t know the name to it.

See: Lots of things. XD  My laptop, laptop case, pillow, and lots and lots more.  XD

Feel: Just the keys on my fingers.  On my arms I feel the pillow.  SOFT.  :3

            So yes.  That’s really all I have to say.  I’m going to watch a movie in a while, maybe.  I’m going to read now, though.  YAY!  Just an update, I’m on page 75.  I’m just awesome like that.  ;]

Signing off,

Carolyn

            AND I’M BACK!  :D  We’re only 33 minutes away from our destination, and I’m so excited.  :3  Really, truly, excited.  :]

            But anyways!  So, I’m just sitting here {as most people do-or at least, should do-while in the car} listening to my iPod, writing this, and gazing at all the billboards and limestone bluffs that are surrounding us.  When I see another, I’ll snap a picture and insert it somewhere around here.  XD

            So, I’m going to update you of all the songs I’ve been listening to.  It’s on shuffle, as usual.  :]  Right now I’m listening to Dancing Queen by ABBA.  I have no idea why I love ABBA so much . . . It’s just another sign why I should’ve been born in a different era.  ;]

            So, everything I’ve done in the car thus far today:

--Wrote

--Read {{now on page 111!}}

--Ate some chips {{XD}}

--Wrote again

--Listened to music

            I am such a liver.  :]  {{And not like the liver in your body, like a person who lives.  XD}}

            I’m now listening to King of Anything by Sara Bareilles.  Fun fact!  I sang this song in a local singing competition and got fifth place!  My brother got first.  :]  But the voting’s kind of odd and biased because if someone has a pack of people there for them, they’re obviously going to win.  XD  I felt that some of the winners didn’t deserve it, but ah well.  I had fun.  :3

            The song that is now playing is Anchor by Mindy Gledhill.  I think that this would be such a beautiful song to do a ballet or lyrical dance to.  It’s such a lovely song.  <3

            

            Ugh.  My ears have been popping.  The road is going up and down and up and down.  And I mean up, up, up, and down, down, down, down, down.  XD  {{That was creepy, as I italicized ‘down’, Mindy said down.  :o  CREEPY.

            Goodness, these bluffs are crazy!  I took lots of pictures!

            OHMIGOSH!  IT’S YEAR 3000 BY THE JONAS BROTHERS!  Gosh, I love this song.  I know, I’m immature and weird.  I listen to old Jonas Brothers songs, but this song takes me back to when it was popular and I LOVED them.  XD  I had a poster up of Nick Jonas in my room and I once kissed his poster.  O.o  Heh.  I’m not a weird person.  GOSH.

            So . . . this is getting rambly.  But that’s okay.  I’m enjoying this.  XD  I just saw a zip lining place.  I think going zip lining would be so fun, but so terrifying.  I guess I should just be like the Dauntless.  {{Divergent reference.  XD}}

            Now I am listening to Popular from Wicked.  I absolutely LOVE Wicked.  Actually, I got a book for my French horn that has Wicked songs in it.  I am such a theater geek.  XD

           POPULAR!  YOU’RE GOING TO BE POPULAR!  I love this song.  Kristen Chenoweth is just hilarious and has such an awesome voice.  :3  POPULAR! . . . LAR!  This song makes me want to sing so badly, but I know I shouldn’t because my parents are listening to the radio and my brother’s listening to his own iPod and reading.  We’re so divided.  XD  Another thing about this song, it makes me unable to concentrate on writing.  I just love it too much.  :D

            Holy poop, people.  This word document {it has all of my blog posts on it, from going to our first destination is about 2,000 words right now!  :O

            ANYWHO!  Guess what!  ON THE RADIO, IT’S A SONG BY CARLY RAE JEPSEN AND OWL CITY!  THAT’S SO AWESOME!  I love them both!  <3

            Well, I’m going to go now, we’re really close!  Twelve minutes!  YAY!

Love,

CaRoLyN

P.S.- This is 2,025 words!

Travel Blogging

{{While in the car today, I wrote blog posts, so I thought I'd post those for ya!}}

            Yo!  I’m currently in the car, writing this because . . . well, I felt like it.  I guess I could be doing other things, but I don’t want to at the moment.  And so I am writing a blog post on a Word Document {I don’t have wireless connection in the car, sadly}.  This won’t be happening by the time you read this.  XD

            But anyways!  So, we’ve been driving for about two hours.  It takes six hours to get to our destination, so I have lots of time left.  ;]  I haven’t done too much yet, but I might as well tell you what I’ve done thus far!

--Watched Chrissa Stands Strong

--Snacked

--Texted

            I’m totes living, guys.  I mean, look at me.  In two hours I’ve done THREE whopping things!  WOOT.  XD  Ah, well.  I spent the majority of the time watching the movie anyways.

            So, as to what I plan to do, I have a list, too!

--Watch Grease {{It’s actually already in the DVD player}}

--Read {{The Hunger Games, if you were wondering}}

--Watch Hairspray

--And watch Soul Surfer {{if I have the time}}

--Text some more

--Snack some more

            Again, aren’t I living?  ;]  But really, there’s not too much that you can do in the car.  And I can’t complain, I guess, I’m not completely uncomfortable yet!

            So, that’s about all I have to say.  Time to watch Grease!  :D  I haven’t seen Grease in such a long time!  I mean, I tend to watch the same movies over and over, and Grease is one of those movies, but it’s okay.  I’ve kind of taken a break from it for quite some time.  It’s a shame, no?

            Well, I’ll talk to y’all later, when I have something more exciting to talk about.  XD

Lots of love,

Carolyn

P.S.- This is 320 words!  Whoa!  :D

~*~*~

            I’M BACK!  Didn’t ya miss me?  I’m sure you did.  ;]

            Well, I just finished watching Grease!  Gosh, I love that movie so much.  <3  I thought about one of my friends the whole time, basically.  We talk about Grease so much.  XD  I though about her especially when Sandy says, “Tell me about it, stud.”  She has the BEST impersonation of her!  Oh, fun times.  XD

            So, we stopped at a restaurant in the town that my grandparents used to live in!  It was good, even though I just had a corn dog and some lemonade.  XD  I love corn dogs . . . and lemonade. <3  There’s also this Amish store there, which is really cool.  I got this old fashioned hard candy, green apple flavor.  It is my FAVORITE candy of all time!  I always get it when we go through that town.

            But anyways, I’m just sitting in the car now.  About two hours and forty-five minutes until we arrive at our destination!  YAY!  I’m anxious to get there, just to get out of the car!  Well, not that’ll feel very nice out of the car.  It was 105 where we last stopped.  XP  Oh well, I’ll survive . . . hopefully.  JUST KIDDING.  XD

            I think I’m going to read now.  My mom’s actually reading my book {The Hunger Games, in case you forgot after reading that last little post} right now, but she said she’d give it to me.  I feel kind of bad for not letting her read more, though, it’s so awesome.  XD

Love and SUCH,

CaRoLyN J  {{That turns into a real smiley face on my word document.  If only it did on Blogger!  Well, perhaps it will, when I copy and paste everything. ;]}

~*~*~

P.S.- This is getting long!  With both blog posts, it’s now 627 words!

            I AM BACK AGAIN!  :D  Raise the roof!  Heh . . . I’m so funny, aren’t I? ;]

            So, I’ve been reading.  **snod**  I’m on page 68 right now.  WOOOOOOOOT!  {{I tend to use that word a lot.  XD}}

            I’m eating pretzels right now.   Pretzels are good.  They really are.  Because they’re salty and . . . pretzely! :D  I think I just wanted to write for NO reason specifically, because I have nothing to write about.  XD

            Hmm . . . well, we’re about 40 miles away until we’re there!  WOOT!  Oh, and it’s 109 degrees out right now.  Lovely, ain’t it?  XP  WE JUST SAW COWS!  THEY WERE SO CUTE!  THEY WERE IN WATER TO KEEP COOL!  AWWWW.  XD

            I think I should keep on writing until I find something else to write about.  Don’t you agree?  Hmm . . .

            Let’s make up a little tag thinger right now!

What Do You . . .

Smell: Not anything in particular!

Taste: PRETZELS!

Hear: A weird song from the 80’s called The Safety Dance that’s playing on 80’s on 8 on our satellite radio {Sirius XM!}

See: Well, my laptop, of course.  XD  But besides that, I see my laptop case, pillow, blanket, the car seat {not like a little kid car seat, like, the seat I’m sitting on}, the seats in front of me, my brother, his stuff, my parents, a screen {he’s watching a movie}, and the road!  YOU SEE LOTS OF THINGS IN THE CAR! :D

Feel: The keys on my fingers and the pretzels in my hand! XD

            Well, that was lovely.  XD  We’re pretty close to being there!  YAY!  WOOT!  HALLELUJAH!  AND OTHER HAPPY THINGS TO SAY!

            I’m off to read again!  c:  And drink an Arnold Palmer, if I can find one in our cooler.  XD

~CaRo-SaUcE <3

P.S.- Wow, I’m almost to 1,000 words on here!  I’m so surprised!  Quite happy, too.  So I need to ramble a bit, so I can end this post with exactly 1,000 words.  Uh . . . I see people GRILLING out my window.  There are lots of weird things that I am seeing all of a sudden.  XD  OH LOOK, A BASEBALL GAME!  Finally, it’s 1,000 words!

My Proofs and an Update

{{Boring title, I know.  XD}}

  Yep, so I'm going to be gone for quite some time.  :3  I might schedule some posts if I get a chance, and I might write some on a document in the car and then covert them to a blog post if I get the time.  :]

  So, I'll talk to you . . . whenever!  XD

Lots of Love,
Carolyn

P.S.- First post while doing Unplugged!  Not too bad!

P.P.S.- I'm working on a 4th of July video with pictures and video in it.  :]

u n p l u g g e d

  Guys, I've read two posts between two days and I've noticed some things.

I spend more time on the internet than I'd like to.  I need to get out there and live.

  So, my friends, I am taking the Unplugged challenge.

  Why am I taking the challenge?  Because I want to.  I want to spend my summer outside, taking pictures, being with friends, laughing, living.

  Well, how am I going to reduce my internet usage?  Easy!

  My plan, as of now, is to simply not post on my blog unless I need to or have photography to post.  I'll still be posting on FTP as much as possible, though!  ;]  I'll only go on to check my email when I need to.  And I'll try only about once a day.  Sure, I won't be on as frequently, or posting as frequently, but that's okay.  I'll be here if ya need me.  :3

  Well, I'm going to start this challenge TOMORROW, as it'll be July.  How crazy is that?  That's our last full month of summer.  Guys, I'm kind of sad.

  Well, to end this post, here's a quote I read on the lovely Anna's blog, Fanatical, that is actually closing now:

{{screenshot taken at anna's blog, quote by her}}

  So, what do you say?  We all have one life.  Let's go live it.  :]

xoxo,
Carolyn

Well, Hello There, Summer!

  Oh my gosh.  It's HOT outside.

Screenshot taken from Weather.com a few moments ago.

  So, as you can tell, summer is very much here!  I am actually currently sitting outside on the patio, right by my pool deck.  Like, really, the pool is RIGHT THERE.  Oy vey, it's hot out.  O.O

  So anyways, I'm not doing anything today, really.  I made a video that I have yet to download onto my computer, edit, etc.  It'll probably be REALLY long.  XD  Ah well, I might not even upload it onto my blog or Picasa or anything anyways!  ;]

{{I then return back inside to enjoy air conditioning again!}}

  But my oh-so exciting {note the sarcasm ;]} plans for the day include:

--Reading
--Photographing
--Polyvore-ing
--Good Reads-ing
--Reading blogs
--Attending my brother's baseball game
--Lazing about

  Yep, just a hot, lazy, summer day for me.  :]

Lots of Love,
Carolyn

SpLaSh!

  It's HOT out today.  And by hot, I mean 90 degree weather hot.  Actually, Weather.com says it feels like 94 degrees, and it's true!  XD

  So, my brother and I naturally decided to swim.  The water was SO nice, nearly 80 degrees, so it was refreshing, not too cold or too warm!  :]  I was very thankful to have the pool, too, or else I'd have to be inside all day, not even knowing about the awesome summer weather!

  Yep, I love summer weather.  It's just SO awesome!  Whenever I see that it's going to be hot out, I get happy.  Why?  It really feels like summer.  Officially, actually, summer.  And summer is such a fun time, full of friends, family, sprinklers, bright colors, blue skies, dotted with puffy white clouds, warm nights, pool parties, sleepovers, fireworks, vacation, and some really awesome picture taking opportunities.

  Speaking of vacations, I am going to be gone on a vacation starting the 20th.  I'll be returning on the 22nd, so it's not too long, but that's all good.  ;]  I'll probably schedule some posts for you guys to read, and when I get back I'll post pictures.  :]  Sound like a plan?

  Oh!  I wanted to tell you that I guest posted over at Summer Breeze today, as Rachel isn't able to post at the time.  I had lots of fun!  So, please check out my post and the rest of the blog, too!  :D

  Well, happy summer everyone.  <3

Summer Love,
Carolyn

Turning and Leaping and Stretching, OH MY!

  Hey y'all! :D  I just got back from dance, and let me tell you, it was really, REALLY, fun! :D  Being able to do summer classes is so awesome. ;]  Let me walk you through what we did today!

  So, when I first got there we all just stretched in the big studio {we have two, one smaller, one bigger}, and it was so cramped we all had to turn awkwardly to do our straddles.  XD  It was fun, though, we just did lots of normal stretches. :]

  Then we separated into groups by grades, and there were a lot of people in my group.  Thankfully my best buddy from dance was in my group, so it wasn't weird.  ;]  So, we worked on leaps for quite a while, then we switched to the small studio!

  In the small studio we learned a really fun and face-paced jazz combo.  It was SO fun!  We work on two main things in these combos, "smile and style", as our teacher called it.  It was an awesome combo.

  Then we went out in the lobby area to doe some intense stretching.  I was sore almost right away, but then we were called into the big studio to show everyone our combos.  Then we were done!  ;]

  So, I'm really excited for the rest of the classes!  :D  And now I'm watching Dance Moms- NEW SEASON!

Lovesies Mah Darlings,
Carolyn

Tennis and Such

  I am proud to say that I am officially a tennis player!  XD  Two hours of the sport, and I love it already. ;]  We learned all the basics in the beginner class, and then we did more to actually use those things in the advanced class, so I'm feeling pretty good about everything! :D  {{Yes, I take the beginner and advanced class.  That is because I will be gone for the second session of classes, so we wanted to get as much out of tennis for the summer as we could!}}

  But I won't blab too much about tennis.  I am just so happy it's really, truly, summertime.  There's not a better feeling than knowing I can relax all day, snap photographs and talk with friends and dream of when the pool is warmer than seventy degrees {le sigh}.  I can read and write and doodle and daydream all I want.  It's summer, for goodness sake!

  So, I am uber excited for tomorrow.  And why is that?  DANCE!  Oh, I am just so happy that I get to do some dance in the summer.  It's only going to be an hour and fifteen minutes per class, but it's better than nothing. ;]  I really hope my flexibility hasn't left me yet!  XD  Well, it is a stretching, leaping, turning, and conditioning class, so-even if it has left me-I can get it back in no time! :]

  Oh, and just to inform you, I'll be pretty busy this month.  I made myself a calender and its my background on my computer.  So, just so you know, here's my schedule:

This is the "safe version" of my calender.  AKA I took out all of the stuff that would give away where I live, where I'm going, my age, etc. etc. etc.

  So, I'm rather busy this month!  XD  I will be on vacation from the twentieth to the twenty-second, just to let you know. :]

  Well, I haven't much else to say, but have a lovely summer to you all!  Is anyone doing anything fun? :D

~Carolyn

j u n e

  Can you believe it?  It's June!

Found here

  I simply cannot believe how fast months zoom by.  It still feels like March was just yesterday, that April still hasn't come around, that school is yet to end, but it's June, really and truly.

  Speaking of school, it ended on the thirtieth of May!  WOOT!  XD  I am so happy that school's over, and I've spent my summer vacation very well so far. ;]

  On the last day of school, I had Makenna over, and we had LOTS of fun.  And I do mean lots.  We blogged about it here!  Then the next day, I went with her to Panera Bread {a restaurant} and then to a mall, and then to Orange Leaf {a frozen yogurt place}!  So yeah!  XD  We've had lots of fun already, and we're most likely hanging out again tomorrow, which is also her birthday!  :D

  Today we went out of town because my dad had to get our pool water tested to make sure it's safe to swim in.  So, after we did that, we went to a store to see if they could re-wrap the handles of these old tennis rackets we had, since I start tennis on Monday!  :D  So, we'll pick those up on Sunday, and everything will be dandy. ;]  Then we went to Target, the ever-amazing store of everything!  XD  I got two new swimsuits since none of mine fit, and I am very happy with them!  :]  I also got a new pair of sandals, which I kind of needed, so I'm content now.  XD

  How's everyone's summer going?

~~CaRoLyN

Happy Memorial Day!

  Hey everyone!  Happy Memorial Day!  I'm not really going to be doing much for Memorial Day, sadly, but that's okay, I guess.  ;]  Everyone enjoying their day off of school?! :D

  Well, today I'm not going to do too much.  XD  I'll probably hang out with my little neighbor {here's a post that has to do with her!}, we've hung out every day this weekend.  ;]  We'll probably dress up all of my dolls {and her doll, too!}, and then totally change her idea of what she wants to do.  XD  That's what usually happens.  So, I expect we'll draw/color, I'll probably do her hair, and we'll go outside.  I love hanging out with her, though, she's a pretty awesome first grader. ;]

  OH!  Our pool is ALMOST ready, which I am SO very excited about!  My dad said that it will most likely be ready to swim in by the last day of school {Wednesday, if you're wondering}, so I will get home from school and jump into the water.  XD  Gah, I am just SO excited!

A terrible picture of our pool!  :D  {{Oh, and that's a floatie thing over on the far end of the pool  deck.  If you were wondering.  XD}}

Pool ladder!

  Along with our pool-and along with summer-in this part of the world comes . . .

This frog here is hiding between a loose board on the wall of the pool deck and the wall. XD

  FROGS!  XD  You always know that summer's on its way when you start to hear the frogs harmonize together.  They sing mostly at night {perhaps their song should be called, "Summer's Lullaby"! XD}, so I always fall asleep to their chatter.  :]

  Well, I hope you all have a lovely Memorial Day!

XOXO,
Carolyn

A Special Thank You!

  If you can't already tell, my blog looks so very different right now!  And why is that?  The ever-so-lovely Jeneca designed my blog for me!  <3  LOVE YOU SO MUCH, GIRLYPOO!  This is the prettiest my blog's ever looked, I think.  :]  The yellow is so summery, and it's my favorite color, so . . . it's perfect.  Thank you, gracias, merci . . . in whichever language you like. ;]

  Now, with this lovely new design, I made two new headers that are summery and go along with the colors well.  Which one do you prefer?

  This first one has four summer pictures {that I adore, might I add} that I took last year with "Truly, Utterly, Carolyn" in the blue and yellow of my design and then "utterly me" in gray.

  I've been kind of imagining this header up for a long time.  I also took these pictures last year and thought they would make a cute header.  So, all pictures are in a Poloroid frame with "Truly, Utterly, Carolyn" in my blue and yellow.  :]

  I think I'll stick with my first header for a while, and maybe switch off to the second if I get bored with my current one.

  Two days 'til school's out, no school tomorrow!  :D  WOOT, WOOT!

Lots of Love and Lollipops, Too,
Carolyn

In Which I Rave About the Almost Summer-Ness

  Oh my applesauce!  {{Uh.}}  It's ALMOST SUMMER.  Please wait while I go and do a happy dance.

**INSERT HAPPY DANCE HERE**

  Okay, so anyways.  XD

  I only have THREE days of school left!  HALLELUJAH!  I had an end-of-the-year field trip today, I have track and field events tomorrow, then no school on Monday, we're doing Survivor Games {which I will call the Hunger Games} on Tuesday, and last day of school on Wednesday!  So, I am extremely, EXTREMELY, happy!  XD

I don't know if you can see it, but in this picture, you can see {out of focus} my neighbor swinging!

  I do believe you know about what I'll be doing over the summer, so I won't drone on about that.  {{And if you don't know, and you want to, click here!}}  But once it's June, I will be the happiest girl ever.  :]  Before June, though, I must get a couple things done!  XD

THINGS TO DO IN JUNE

1. Buy a swimsuit {because I must get a new swimsuit.  Or two.  Or three.}
2. Swim.  Lots.
3. Invite friends over for a "SCHOOL IS OVER, HALLELUJAH!" pool party. ;]
4. Read Delirium
5. Get new songs on my iPod
6. Buy a Florence + The Machine CD
7. Wish my bestest friend Makenna a VERY happy Birthday!
8. Have my friend from my old town over
9. And introduce her {^} to some friends in this town!
10. Write.Write.Write.

  So, June is going to be a lovely month, I do hope.  :]  I do believe that dance and tennis start out in June, too.  So . . . yay!  XD

  Well, I hope you've all had a lovely day, and have a lovely rest of the school year, or rest of May, or rest of . . . anything?  XD

Love, Love, Love,

Carolyn

By the  by, I wanted to add this little tidbit that happened a while ago:

Me: **Brushing hair** I'm not going to brush my hair right now, since I don't FEEL like it!

Mom: Oh, you rebel you!

Me: OH YES.