So It's My Birthday

Sweet 16. :)
Happy Birthday to me!!!!!!!!!
Well, by the time everyone reads this, it /will/ be my birthday. I'm writing it the night before. XD  Anyway...
I'm 16.  Wow.  Time flies.

When did I become 16?
......
Scary prospect actually.  I've changed so much from just two years ago, let alone five or six or since I was born (well I would hope so XD). I don't wanna get all feely about being old....my parents are already gonna do that to me.  Both of them are writing me Happy Birthday posts. O.O I'm worried.

Many friends have promised me I'm going to cry.  My family seems to know things I don't.  My friends all seem to know things I don't.  Everyone's being secretive and I'm electing to ignore them because I like surprises and can't wait to be surprised. :3

So I'll update on my surprises and my party and such.  I'm having a family dinner this upcoming weekend...after we take my little sister to the American Girl store. :3

not my cake...but a cake XD i took the picture

:D Here's to being 16!!! *cheers*

Sweet 16 FAQs:

So are you going to start driving? 

Answer: NO. I have no desire to yet get behind the wheel.  When the time comes, I'll do it. For now, no thanks. :P

Are you having a huge party?

Answer: Nope. Short and sweet. <3 a="a" and="and" any="any" aren="aren" around="around" attend="attend" bash.="bash." birthday="birthday" consider="consider" could="could" d="d" div="div" do="do" don="don" every="every" family="family" few="few" for="for" friends="friends" going="going" guess="guess" have="have" having="having" i="i" invite="invite" joking....i="joking....i" just="just" like="like" live="live" locally="locally" m="m" me="me" my="my" not="not" okay="okay" over="over" party="party" people="people" t="t" the="the" to="to" we="we" who="who" worthy="worthy" xd="xd" year.="year.">

Okay so those are the two biggest questions I've gotten the past week. XD 

moving on.

MTFBWY, I'll write more soon!! <3 div="div">

Grace, who is less than 12 hours away from being 16. (Well kinda, since I was born in the evening. Close enough XD)

Celebration VI......FINALLY.

Wow.  I've kinda let my blog die….haven't I? I feel bad.  Forgive me friends. Life has been quite insane.  ;)

So, let's catch up shall we?  I have quite a bit to talk about!!!

First of all, CVI was the best four days of my life.  I couldn't thank God more for the fabulous time I was blessed with there.  My friends, my family, my extended family (ya know, my friends) and just 4 days of pure Star Wars was insanely wonderful.  I'll use this post as a CVI post.  :)

NOTE: most of the pictures I'll post aren't mine. They're either Savanna's, Autumn's, or Stephanie's.  :) I have a few from my mom's camera, but those still aren't mine. XD

So Celebration.  Wow.  I guess I should start from the beginning of my trip?

The car ride was interesting...we got to the hotel late. It so exciting to be so close to seeing all my friends and having so much fun.  But then our car broke down literally in the hotel parking lot. By a miracle and a random act of kindness, our car was repaired enough to get it to the dealership the next morning. My dad spent most of the first day of CVI at a car dealer. XD

As soon as I got to the building, I almost burst into tears of joy. :) It was amazing.  No kidding, it was a celebration!! A party!!! :D So much fun.  I went with my parents to go get our tickets, and almost immediately I ran into Autumn.  No seriously, we were both on our phones texting each other and suddenly THERE WE WERE. XD

me and Audy...this picture was from later in the day ;D

Next thing I knew I ran into Nanci and Brian from Tosche Station Network and was just SO excited. XD I love them!!! :D I got a Tosche Station swag wristband. ;) Not taking it off.

Got in the queue line, and met up with Savanna, Chase, Chris, Micaela, and a cool guy from the SWU named Trey. :D It was so awesome!!!! Meeting Chris and Micaela for the first time was amazing.  They were both super nice. ;D

Savanna and I clicked as usual, talking, jabbing each other's ears off, never shutting up (quite literally).  Soon Audy joined us and we were a FAMILEH.

SEE? FAMILEH 

Skip past about an hour and a half of waiting in line…..WE GOT INTO THE CONVENTION HALL!!!! First thing we ran over to the Her Universe booth so Savanna could get her Artoo charms and Audy and I could get our Mara Jade t-shirts. (We got them!) :D  Ashley was at the booth, and she said hi to us all, remembering us from CVI!!! :D It was so awesome!!  So much more fun ensued on Thursday. :3  Autumn and I hung out pretty much all day (with my momma and little sister Glo-girl in tow, of course) and just had so much fun. :D  One of the best parts of the day was when we were walking down the hall way in the Convention Hall and ran into Dave Filoni and Joel Aron!!! :O  It was insane.

We were just hanging out, I had just met Tracy from Club Jade and was floating on air and turned around to literally run right into Dave Filoni!!!  We (Me, Autumn, Micaela, Savanna, Chase and Glory) stopped to talk to him, and he signed Micaela's Avatar: The Last Airbender poster!!! We got to talk to him for a good ten minutes and he shook my hand!! :O I was so excited. XD A film crew was following us around and they filmed us talking to Dave and then filmed us (as crazy fangirls) giggling and screaming in a circle when he left. ;) It's in a video, see here :D

Go to :45. ;D Watch until :53.  We're screamy and awesome!!!!! :D

Thursday included more shopping, fangirling, partying, dancing around, screaming and freaking out, and going to one panel I think. XD It's a bluuuur.

Now Friday.  Friday was, put quite simply, the best day of my life.  I met all my TLF friends!!!!!!!!  I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH I CAN'T EVEN!!!!!!!!]

I went to the "What's Coming From Del Rey" Panel that morning and was thrilled by the announcement of a Princess Leia book, as well as a Jaina Solo trilogy!! :O AMAZINGNESS!!!!

After that panel I ran into Lillian Skye (who I had met up with previously in the queue line), Michelle and Ashley (also saw them that morning), Autumn (afsdhfsd), and new IRL friends, Maegen and Kaitlin (Siri and May from TLF!) :D  IT WAS SO COOL SEEING THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME!!!!!!!!  Everyone went downstairs to our go-to meeting place under the Giant Death Star balloon thing. XD All weekend we all would meet up "under the death star" ;) It was so cool saying that. xD  We hung out for HOURS, talking, hanging out, and meeting new friends!!! By the afternoon, EVERYONE who RSVP'd saying they'd be at CVI was with us. :D

this was our little section...we sat in the cafeteria and on the steps, hanging out :3

Me, Autumn, Savanna, Maegen, Kaitlin, Nora (Snips), Pink, Chrissie (Arda), Michelle, Ashley, Shelby (SWA), Lilly and Amanda (Shaak Ti)!!!!!!!! :D It was just so much fun.  Everyone had a great time I think, yeah? ;) I gave out t-shirts, wristbands and we all hung out for a long time.  We took pictures and it was just beyond amazing. :3

TLF :D

After hanging out for so long, we all went upstairs to the TOP SECRET HER UNIVERSE CUPCAKE PARTY (lol not so secret anymore) ;) It was so fun.  So. So. So. So. So. Fun.

I met Matt Lanter. (HILIGHT OF MY LIFE OH MY GOD).  I got to talk to Ashley Eckstein for a long time.  I got to meet Dee Bradly Baker.  Tom Kane stepped on my foot (it's okay, I was the one in the way really).  I spent time with all my friends!!!  I got to see Stephanie (I LOVE YOU STEPHANIE!) Commander Wolffe, and more!

giggling <3 nbsp="nbsp" p="p">

talking to Ashley Eckstein is like talking to a friend! ;D She's so amazing!

SEE!!! I MET MATT LANTER afdsj;lkfdasfdsa

Me with Lilly and Amanda. <3 nbsp="nbsp">

TLF group picture with Ashley!!! :D

Lilly/Audy Photobomb xD

I MET COMMANDER WOLFFE!! ;D

Me and Vanna with Stephanie!!!! The majority of these pictures are hers!! ;D

Me and Glo. :D Glory got her Ahsoka print signed by Ashley ;D

During the party, my TLF girls presented me with the best present ever. 

Also included in my present was a t-shirt from Maegen and Kaitlin's town, two Her Universe charms, and some Avengers stuff!!! :D THANK YOU GIRLS SO MUCH!!!!! 

Me opening my present :3

After the party, we went to the Clone Wars premiere.  All of us.  Together.  All 15 of us (including Glory and Nora's sister)  We were in a very claustrophobic line for about two hours. XD THAT WAS THE BEST LINE-WAITING I'VE EVER EXPERIENCED.  We were all squished up against each other, in each other's space, practically sitting or standing on one another, and no one cared!!! :D We were all just so happy to be together, it didn't matter!!!  We talked for hours, signed each other's shirts, took naps on each other, and talked more.  We fangirled pretty hard. ;D I know that Amanda and I talked about Doctor Who for a very long time. XD Autumn and I fell asleep on each other.  I shared my snacks with people.  We had a t-shirt signing party.  We hugged more.  We talked more. 

Eventually we went inside and saw the actual show, but to me, being with all my friends and standing on top of each other in line was way better than any premiere. :)

Friday was just amazing.  We went back to the hotel that night and I was just overjoyed (and freaking exhausted).  Autumn's family and my family went to dinner together that night too.  EPIC.  Something we'd wanted to do for like ever.  ;) So that was cool.

Saturday was amazing as well.  I went to more panels, and we had the Her Universe photoshoot that morning. :D SO MUCH FUN!!!!!!!

Lilly, me and Autumn in a professional HU photoshoot! ;D

me, Autumn and Savanna :3

TLF Sister group picture! :D

 The TLF girls stuck together for the most part, and we all went on a photoshoot around the con-hall, playing with the different sets. XD We piled into the action figure box and the Death Star bridge thingy.  ;D People stopped to take our pictures because we were all so crazy and cute. :3 (nawww)

After that, my family and I kinda split for a while.  Amanda, Autumn and I went downstairs to the convention hall.  I don't exactly remember much after that (it's a bluuuuuuur) but I remember that Autumn went with her family to a panel, and Amanda and I were on our own for a while.  I've gotta say, Amanda was a true friend. XD She waited with me for literally an hour while I waited to get Aaron Allston's autograph (GOT IT!!!!!).  She was dressed in an Ahsoka costume (which, I might add, looked ABSOLUTELY AMAZING).  People stopped her for pictures left and right. ;D So cute.  She stood with me and we talked and just had tons of fun.  ;)

Amanda with Glory ;D

After meeting Aaron Allston (EEEEP, he was so nice and funny! XD) I went shopping a bit. ;D I got a Wedge Antilles action figure I've been wanting for a very long time, and Amanda bought a ton of figures herself!!! :D  FUN!!!  Somehow (again, its' a bluuuuur) our families all got back together and we hung out for a while.  We all had fun, Fangirling, talking and having a blast.  The end of the day was very bittersweet though.  Amanda, Maegen and Kaitlin had to leave. ;'(  I would be lying if I said I didn't tear up having to say goodbye to them.  Most of our girls came back to our meeting place under the death star (and at the little food court to the left of it, which was almost always completely ours XD) to say goodbye.

That night, I got to my hotel and just sobbed and sobbed.  It wasn't exactly because I was sad, but because I was SO THRILLED.  I now know what it feels like to have friends.  Genuine, real friends.  I haven't had that feeling before.  Honestly.  ;)  I cried of joy.  I talked to my friend Tara over Skype Chatbox and just sobbed out all my friendsy feels. ;)  So thank you TLF girls, for making me feel like that.  Spending time with you has touched me and my life more than you'd know.  :3

Me and mah Audy. 

Sunday sucked to be completely honest.  It was depressing.  Last day!!! :(  No fun at all.  Autumn and I met up as usual.  Savanna met me for lunch and we spent some time together for literally the first time in all of the convention's days. :P  (SUPER BUSY FAMOUS PERSON OMG)

We shopped a while, and everyone met up one last time.  That was so heartbreaking.  Autumn and Pink were leaving, and to be honest, there weren't many dry eyes (SAVANNA).  I was bawling.  When Autumn gave me a hug and started crying into my shoulder, I lost it too.  I saw Pinky crying and that broke my heart.  I hugged her and started crying more.  :'(  The goodbyes were filmed.  They were totally heartbreaking.  I can't watch the video without sobbing like an idiot.  IT HURTS!!!!!!!

Me and Savanna hugging. D:

Autumn picked up Savanna in a hug. XD That's Shelby's mom smiling at them :3

Shelby, Nora and I hit the convention floor for a while.  We stuck together, shopping and hanging out.  Savanna rejoined us and we all decided to go to the High Adventure concert together.  That was really cool.  :)  I got to meet the band (they're super nice and really awesome!) and I got my HA t-shirt! ;D

After the concert, Nora had to leave.  More tears.  She had been so fun and crazy all weekend, seeing her in tears made me really depressed.  I didn't want to say goodbye. 

Me and Savanna sleeping on each other after the HA concert

Shelby and her (really really really) sweet mom stayed with us while we did more shopping.  Sadly, our vacation came to an end eventually, and we all had to say goodbye.  I almost cried when I said goodbye to Shelby.  I was really having trouble keeping it together when I had to say goodbye to Savanna again. :'(

I got into the cab (oh yeah, our car broke /again/) and lost it.  Got to the hotel, sobbing all the way up stairs and for another few hours.  We ordered pizza in for dinner.  Cried into my pizza.  Sobbed myself to sleep. 

Couldn't go home the next day (oh yeah, car still broken, still in the shop).  So I sulked a lot.  Cried some more.  Sulked some more.  Went with my dad to get our car.  Cried some more.  Got BBQ for lunch.  Ate that.  And candy.  Daddy bought me comfort food. :3 Love him. <3 nbsp="nbsp">

That afternoon we decided to go over to Downtown Disney, to take our minds off of sad things. XD It didn't help me much, since Downtown Disney holds very special memories for me and Tara, we met each other for the first time there.  I felt like crying that whole time too.  :'( 

Finally. (FINALLY) we did get to go home, but I wasn't too pleased.  As soon as I got in the house, I started crying again.  It officially meant my trip was over.  My friends were long gone, states away, only seen through the internet.  My time at Celebration had come to a close.  I'd left Orlando, left everything.  It hurt. 

But guess what?!  Encouragement time!!  :D  Despite all the sadness, and how depressed I still kinda am about missing my friends, I am just THRILLED that not only do I have friends, but God has brought us all together by such unique circumstances!!! :D  We're all friends because of our sole love for Star Wars.  :3  We all connected because of it, and I have never been happier.  :)  I miss you all, yes.  But I've already Skyped with Amanda, podcasted and Skyped with Savanna, chatted with Shelby and Pink, tweeted with Maegen, Shelby, Autumn and more, Facebooked just about all of you, and texted/talked to more friends on the phone. :3  Our world is so much easier for communication.  My parents told me that when they were kids, and they'd go to camp and make friends, there wasn't a good chance you'd ever see them again.  Phone calls were expensive over long distance and there wasn't any internet/email!  So they would write letters, which got old very fast I'd assume. ;P  We are so lucky!! We can talk whenever we want!!  Everything is instantaneous.  Skype, Facebook, Twitter, Texting, Chatting, Calling, etc.  It takes us seconds to contact each other.  I'm beyond grateful for that.  :3

I miss everyone, but since seeing you all in person, it's like meeting you on the internet all over again!!! :D  It's not seeing Shaak Ti posting on TLF, it's Amanda!!!!  Not Siri, but Maegen!!!  Not Jedigirl, but Michelle!!!  :D  It's awesome, and it never fails to make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside seeing you all post. :3 I hope to meet /all/ of my internet friends someday, because there's nothing more fun in the whole galaxy. :D

mah friends :3

P.S. This post made me cry....I miss you all! ;D And I love everyone so much!!!!! I promise I'll post more very soon! I have to get to writing about Doctor Who and rant about a few more things. ;)

Grace :3

Mushy Star Wars Feels Post

So I sit here, at 1am, writing a fanfic that the ever-lovely Tara inspired me to write….when I felt the need to type up a blog post.  A lot has happened since I last wrote an update on 2Thine….the main thing is that I have a new Fandom.  DOCTOR. WHO.

But I'll get into that later.  I have acquired two new fandoms this summer.  Doctor Who and Avatar: The Last Airbender. I'm so in love with both.  So many feels, so much awesomeness and perfection.  But this is besides the point of this post.  As we get nearer and nearer to Celebration VI (ONLY 16 FREAKING DAYS AWAY) I feel the dire need to discuss my very first true fandom, the one that all this *gestures to life* has spawned from. 

Star Wars.

First, allow me to shed some light on the subject….(major props to anyone who gets that quote…;D)

Without Star Wars, I definitely DEFINITELY would not be the person I am today.  Back in 2010 when I got into Star Wars for the first time….*wow, that was a while ago* I was a really lonely kid who was honest-to-goodness trying to find her place in the world.  I can remember my mother bugging me about finding something I'm passionate about and following my dreams...but what where they?!

For those of you who don't know my Star Wars story (heck who hasn't, I've told it a billion times!) I was a hater before I became a fan.  My sister liked TCW and I would make fun of it.  Pfftttt….I look back on the episodes I made fun of with shame, seeing they make me freak out now. ;)

To put this honestly, I only watched A New Hope to get out of doing chores.  My parents were doing yard work and I was watching my sister Glory inside.  I was supposed to be doing the dishes and laundry….but I decided to watch Star Wars with her instead.  Best. Decision. And Shirking Of Responsibilities. EVER.

I watched A New Hope. I loved it.

I ate up the first half of Empire Strikes Back. I was crushed when we had to go to church that night because we had to stop the movie.  We came home and I finished it.  I distinctly remember my mom asking me what I thought so far, and my answer was something along the lines of "It's cool….Han and Leia are cute….I really like Luke, he's hot…." and my mother's reply was something along the lines of "NO YOU CAN'T LIKE HIM!!!! I HATE HIM HE'S WHINY AND ANNOYING!!!" >.> Thanks mom.

The rest his history.  I watched Return of the Jedi that night and cried.  I'd definitely found something amazing. 

Now that I think about it, I cannot even remember what I did before Star Wars.  It has made me such a different person….I have friends, I do all sorts of things because of Star Wars. 

As soon as I learned how cool Star Wars was, I learned how uncool it was to like it.  Seriously.  I was made fun of, called names, picked on, teased, by my own family as well as people I considered friends at the time.  I was (and still am thought I'm much prouder now) known as the "Geek" or "Nerd".  Ya know what?  COOL.  SWEET!  TITLES.

It wasn't long before I did research and got so into Star Wars there was no escape.  It sucked me in. DEEP.  I went to Star Wars Weekends with my sister and dad and had NO CLUE WHAT WAS GOING ON.  Thinking back, I probably could've seen Savanna or one of my other friends.  Vanna, how weird would that be?!  xD  I almost wish I could go back and see that day….where I was so confused and weirded out by all the awesomeness.  I had no idea what anything was!!! I got to meet Ashley Eckstein and she gave me a Her Universe sticker.

Ha.  Her Universe.  I followed that site RELIGIOUSLY.  I checked every day for it to officially open.  When it did, I commented constantly on the blogs.  I made friends.  It became a message board.  YES. PERFECT.  I was thrilled.  I was on it constantly.  Long road to nowhere for my parents….I was hooked on the internet, there was no escape.  Next thing I knew, I had my own blog, my own forum, twitter, gmail, Facebook, Tumblr, Skype and more!!! :O  It was crazy. 

All this *gestures to life* because of Star Wars.  Me seeing those movies was definitely a "God Thing" because there is no way in the galaxy it could've happened by chance.  I've met so many people.  My best friends, my sisters, my writing buddies, my inspiration, my….husbands…..(husbandS…) xD and many more. 

If you went back in time and told 12 year old me that I'd be going to a Star Wars convention and meeting up with internet friends, she would've told you you were completely insane.  Maybe I am completely insane.  But that's okay.  I've got a ton of equally as insane friends who I love very dearly….*glances at Autumn*…;)

So CVI is right around the corner.  Do you realize how EXCITED I am for this?!  I get to spend FOUR WHOLE DAYS with my favorite people doing our favorite things.  FANGIRLING OVER STAR WARS!!!!!  Fandom time!! 

Speaking of Fandoms....if I never had seen Star Wars, none of my other fandoms would've existed.  My obsession with Steve Rogers?  That was only because Tara bugged me to see the movie until I eventually did.  My love for The Avengers?  All on Tara. 

X-Wing Pilots?  Tara and Lareen all the way….

Luke, Mara, Han, Leia, EU in general….I'll blame Nanci for this one….her fanfics had me hooked on Luke and Mara from the start.  Always and forever my favorite FF author (besides my friends' stuff we write together).

Avatar and Legend of Korra?  Tumblr, baby.  If I didn't like Star Wars, or Avengers, I wouldn't have joined Tumblr.  I wouldn't have seen all the Korra spam and wondered what the heck it was, and then proceed to watch it.  And then Avatar. 

Doctor Who….I'll blame this one on two people.  My awesome friend Ashley Tahg and equally as awesome friend Chris.  Ashley told me my mom looked like River Song.  Mom liked what she saw in River and decided to pop in on Netflix.  Chris is my enabler when it comes to Doctor Who, because he's seen it all!!!! :D We talked about it for quite a while….goodness.  Such cool people like that show. XD Now I get why!!!

Lord of the Rings….blogger thing.  I knew friends who liked it, tried it, loved it, obsessed over it, yeeuup.

SEE ALL THE FANDOMS??!!?!! I AM WHO I AM BECAUSE OF STAR WARS.  The only thing that I loved before Star Wars was Disney, but that's a family thing since I grew up with it. ;D

I'm listening to the Star Wars A New Hope soundtrack while typing this.  SO MANY FEELS.  I am beginning to realize that in exactly 16 days I will be hearing the beautiful soundtracks for FOUR DAYS STRAIGHT while living it up in a galaxy far far away with my most awesome friends.  I cannot WAIT to see everyone at CVI!!!!!! :D

Well…...this has amounted to ranting, hasn't it?  So ultimately, 6 movies, many friends, websites, fanfics and joyous moments later, I'm a hardcore lifetime Star Wars fan, and I'm very, very proud.  Don't get me started on this….as you can see, I'll just go on and on for days.  May the Force be with you my friends…..see you in 16 days!!!! ;) 

P.S. My parents are the most to blame for all of this.....though we had a rocky start with the world of fandom, quite honestly they are the worst at enabling me to be who I am. ;D I love it.  Thanks mommy and daddy!!! Or should I say Han and Leia?  Or should I say River and....dad.....?  Are you the Doctor?  I'm not too sure, that might mess with my head a bit too much.....(oh look more ranting)

Inspiration!

I just love being inspired.  Having this awesome, rushing feeling inside you, making you excited and finding the good in everything because you're so happy and thrilled.
I love it.  I've been inspired the past few days by my amazing best-sister Tara, who provided me with amazing ideas and plot points for a story we are now co-writing....aren't we Tar?  ;)
I love having this feeling...where I feel like I could go for days with this energy, writing and getting all the scenes out on paper.  I plan to do just that.

I also hope to focus in on the school work I need to finish (I'm almost there!!!! One paper and I'm done with 9th grade!!!) so that this weekend we can all go on a very relaxing vacation.  *sigh*  I can't wait to go on vacation again!!! :D

So today's post I bring to you is on inspiration.  The best inspiration comes from God, putting the right ideas in your head, or in my case, the right people around to help.  ;)  I'm so very blessed by all the amazing friends who help me through writers' block.  ;)

I thank Jesus for the incredible inspiration I've received the past few days, and I am planning on putting it to good use!!!!  Stories shall be written, shared and fangirled over, and hopefully, I'll learn in the process.  Thank God for inspiration!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Now I'm off to write....but I had to put this out here to share how excited I am!!!! :)

In other news, Celebration VI is only 30 days away and I CANNOT WAIT!!!!!!! :D

Crunch Time

Oooh......*cringes* It's been a while, huh?  Hehe...I sincerely apologize for neglecting my blog....I have posts in my head that I just need to get out onto paper...or rather, a document or draft! :P  Oh well, better late than never, right?

Let's catch up shall we?  Since my last post, I've....
Gone to the Keys on vacation (I'm heading back in a few weeks!! WOO!!)
Almost finished 9th Grade (shush mom)
Completed a few fanfics (OC stories mostly...)
Started more fanfics (I can never be finished with anything, can I?)
Watched movies (lots of movies...will get another post)
Watched Avatar: The Last Airbender (I'll have to do a separate post for that...)
Prepared for CVI (39 DAYS!!!! :D)
Went to a country music concert
and more.

Crunch Time is the title of my post.....wanna know why?  Because I feel the need to brag a bit about my gym. XD I have been going to a fantastical gym entitled "9Round" for several months, and I really love it.  It's kinda like a family....everyone knows each other and has a great time.  The owners of our location (Michelle and Larry) are super awesome people, and we always have a great time whenever we go to workout!! :D
At 9Round, I've lost some weight, gained a lot of muscle, and strengthened my core (I'm getting abs! O.o).

We kick box!!  It's fun beyond belief...and almost every workout we use Star Wars references (my mom and I....we're workout buddies...my sister too!).  One trainer is quite evil, and we call her Saba Sebatyne because she's so tough. XD  We do Jedi training all the time at 9Round....I call my mom Leia, and she calls me either Fallon or Mara, depending on who I want to be that day. XD ;)

I learn technique, kicks, punches, self defense, and much more!!! I feel strong and confident, and it's awesome.  :D  So YAY for 9Round!!!! :D

sometimes it's a "three ring" workout kinda day XD

Okay!! I think I'll unpack my list of things because there's a bit more I'd like to talk about!!! :D

Crunch Time can be a universal title for this post....because the next thing I'll talk about is that it is only 39 DAYS UNTIL CELEBRATION VI!!!!! :O

I've been anticipating CVI for literally 2 years.  Now it's getting to be crunch time.....only a little over a month until it's here!!!!! :D I have outfits to make, things to buy, things budget for, scheduling to do once they release official stuff....friends to meet/see, parties to attend...........;D  I am SO EXCITED!!!!!! *squee*

What else......ah yes.  I went on vacation!!!! :D
I am sooo incredibly blessed to have such an awesome place to go for vacation.  We stayed for five days, and had a total blast.  :D  We went NUTS with pictures, so those of you with instagram, find me (@marileesunstar) or my cousin Embie (@embersparkstone101) or even my lil' sister, (@noelofasgard) ;)  We posted SO MANY pictures of sunsets, water and each other it's not even funny. XD
We celebrated Independence Day and Steve Rogers' birthday with tons of fun, fireworks, songs (oh ho ho ho....we bring down the house every year with our patriotic sing a long) and Embie and sparklers!!!  Embie and I partied all night long by pulling our first true all-nighter. ;)  It was quite thrilling, if not stupid.

Here are a few pictures from our trip...;D

This is possibly my favorite picture from the trip.....Glory looks absolutely adorable and sweet. ;D <3 *MWAH*

FEEEET. XD Embie learned how to walk in flip flops during this trip. Her feet are so tan compared to mine. XD  ;)

I hope you all enjoy these pictures....Blogger's being a pain to upload them. XD  Those were our glowsticks....we had a bit too much fun with those. ;)

THAT is my favorite picture actually.....LOOK HOW COOL!!! ;D

Okay, so ends my vacation pictures. ;)  I have a BILLION more. XD And more to come since we're going back!!! *dances*

I'll talk about the concert we went to before signing off this post.....because I have more to write!!! ;D  Heehe!!!

My mom, dad, sister and I went to see the country music band "Gloriana" the other night!!! :D It was REALLY fun!!!!!!  Besides the cigarette smoke and drunk people, we had a fantastic time!!! The band sounded great, we had fun singing and dancing, and we got some good pictures!!

SEE? :D SO AWESOME!!!!

My dad had his brush with fame when Rachel (the girl singer) shook his hand after we literally ran into them after the show.  ;)  He had the cutest fanboy grin on his face the rest of the night. ;)

So that's it for now.....I'm going to write a post about movies I've watched (movie review posts FTW) and then an Avatar: The Last Airbender mega-post. ;)

Friendship Is A Blessing

So ends the best weekend of my life.....
Savanna, mentioned to come over to my house in the previous post, did just that.  She came, we partied and had the best weekend ever, and now I'm sitting here pretty darn depressed.  We spent four whole days together.  It seems the longer I spend with my friends from the internet world, the harder it is to say goodbye.  I decided that I absolutely HATE goodbyes.  I also discovered that when you're genuinely sad and trying really hard not to cry, you automatically frown.  Like, a lot.  I didn't really realize that until yesterday, when my face hurt from frowning.  I frowned a lot apparently.  :/

So I hate goodbyes.  They hurt.  Every time I say goodbye to an internet friend who I see in "real life", it's very painful.  When I said goodbye to Savanna the first time I saw her IRL, I cried the entire car ride back to our hotel.
When I said goodbye to Tara after seeing her for the first time, I sobbed the whole way home.
After spending the day with Autumn and Savanna in Disney World, I cried myself to sleep.
I thought maybe I was getting better at this post-seeing-internet friends-irl thing.  But nope.  Not really.
I spent four days with Savanna.  She slept in my room, she watched movies on my TV, we skyped our friend Chris from my computer, TOGETHER.  We fangirled over our fictional boyfriends together, we hugged a bunch, we went out for ice cream, we went to the beach, we got stuck in the rain, went to the movies....we did so much, it's literally hurting me to type this.  You can read her not emotionally angsty blog post about our weekend HERE.

But instead of listening to me whine about how pathetically lonely I am now that she's gone, I'm going to write about how blessed I am to have such amazing friends.  :3  (aren't I sweet?)

me and vanna this weekend <3

Before I found the internet, I was pretty lonely.  I had a few friends from various activities, but other than my cousin Embie (who still remains the closest person ever to me) I didn't really have any one good friend.  I can remember praying and wishing that God would send me a best friend, or a few friends even, people who I could be excited with, talk to all the time, love on, and would love me the same way.  (I won't go into the drama my IRL friendships caused me previous to homeschooling and more recently)  God answered those prayers with my internet friends.  So many of you (you know who you are) are blessings to me every day.  I have my friends on The Lakehouse who I can always count on to pray for me and check up on me, who care about me and share my interests.  I have my twitter and facebook friends, who I connect with on blogs and tumblr and other places.  Instagram friends, who I also deeply care for, and somewhat stalk thanks to the wonders of the picture sharing site....  And I have a few friends who know me better than I know myself.  You guys are so special to me....you take me as I am and I don't have to pretend to be anyone around you.  You don't think I'm insane for my obsessions...in fact you share them with me!!  You write with me, or enjoy my writing, encourage me in all I do, support me and make me feel loved.  I don't know WHAT I'd do without you.  <3

The coolest and my favorite part of the weekend I spent with Savanna was when we watched Captain America.  Most of you know my obsession and deep love for Steve Rogers/Captain America.  I have seen the movie well over 40 times.  Probably closer to 50 times!  I can recite the entire thing, word for word.  When I do, however, my family will often yell at me to shut up, or tell me that I'm being annoying and they want to hear the TV, not me.  The moment I knew that Savanna was a true and best friend was when she looked at me as I started mouthing the lines to the movie and was genuinely surprised and impressed that i knew the words.  I apologized for being annoying while she was trying to watch the movie, but she said "OH NO!! That's the coolest thing I've ever seen!!  Go for it!! I want to see this!"
I was freaking out.  I can only think of one other person who wouldn't care if I said the lines out loud (*coughTaracough*) because she'd probably say most of them herself.  XD
Savanna liked that.  I said the entire movie out loud, word for word, even the foreign languages.  XD  She STILL thought I was cool.

I watched the Legend of Korra season finale on Saturday morning (don't even get me started....ajajdsaja;js) and sobbed my eyes out in a fit of total fangirl hysteria on the floor, upset, screaming, and crying like an idiot (not kidding at all), and Savanna STILL thought I was cool.  Slightly more frightening, but still cool.

We saw Avengers together and I could quote the majority of that movie, and she STILL liked it.
We watched Empire Strikes Back and I ranted about tons of EU things and little facts that I know about the movie and the backstory of the movie and SHE WAS IMPRESSED!!! SHE THOUGHT IT WAS AWESOME I KNEW EVERY MEMBER OF ROGUE SQUADRON BY NAME AND KNEW ABOUT THE DROIDS ON ECHO BASE AND COULD NAME THE EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE MOVIE IN THE EU.

we were caught in the rain and got TOTALLY soaked XD

As you can tell, this left an impression on me.  It showed me that I can be myself 100% around Savanna, and she'd STILL like me. XD I didn't have to be super sweet, or tolerant or hide what I truly like to avoid being awkward....I was true to myself and I had a blast.

I know at least (least) two other people who I can be that way around.  Not including Embie (she's a given XD We've been together since she was 1 and I was 2....I think if I'm not myself around her we have a problem XD)  I am so happy that I have these people in my life.  Thank you so much for all you do for me friends!!! I love you all. <3

This has been a ranty "feelin' the love" post intended to make Savanna cry (did I do it?!?!) xD Love you guys, I hope you realize how much I appreciate every single one of you.  Without the friends I've found these past two years, I guarantee I'd be a very different person today.  So thanks.  :)

Hugs and Kisses!!
Fallon <3