PALM BEACH CHIC, PART ONE

It all started on January 1st, 2015. I walked into my closet and as I was deciding what to wear, I also decided that I would renovate my entire closet that day. It was one of my more successful choices (because I ended up staying in my PJ's) and now finally two years later, my room is complete.

A labor of love, nail holes and a whole lot of motivational chocolate.

Keep reading for the scoop!

THIS IS TWO THOUSAND SEVENTEEN

Wow, I feel old.

And I know in the grand scheme of things I am practically an infant in every respect but that still doesn't hinder me from feeling old when I write/say/think about the fact that it's 2017. When I think about my life 365 days ago, everything was vastly different. So much can change in a year and that fact is either beautiful or brutal, depending on the circumstances. For me, it's somewhere in the middle, Necessary change is still change nonetheless and change is challenging about 90% of the time.

So in short, I feel old!

GLANCE AT YOUR PROBLEMS,

 GAZE ON OUR GOD.

As this new year begins to unfold, The Lord has blessed me with an incredible peace, that even I don't fully understand. It's not a peace that assures me that 2017 will be a piece of frosting loaded cake (my favorite kind) but instead one that assures me that no matter what, Christ is the one guiding me. And no matter the circumstances or where He takes me, that alone is a beautiful and wonderful thing.

That being said, I ate cake for breakfast today so I'm hoping the rest of 2017 follows suit!

"SEEKING YOU AS A PRECIOUS JEWEL, LORD TO GIVE UP I'D BE A FOOL"

2017: EVER, EVER EMERALD.

SKILL TO LEARN //  Drive a stick!
It's like a right of passage in our family, and I'm ready to learn. Also I really want to be able to drive my mom's car because she has seat heaters and I'm always freezing. But it's mostly for the right of passage thing, I promise.

A GOOD DEED TO DO // Thank those who have made an impact.
I'll have more on this later, but I'm sure we all have lots of people who have made huge impacts on our lives...and they don't even know it! Isn't that kind of silly? If I had ever made an impact on someones life, it would be pretty darn encouraging to know that. 12 months, 12 people, 12 thank you's that actually get said and sent.

PLACE/PERSON TO VISIT // Sarah McNair in Virginia or Savannah
God has put amazing people in my life and one I really want to see this year is my dear angel of a friend, Sarah McNair. She splits her time between Virginia and Savannah GA, so hopefully I'll be able to catch her in one of those places.

FEAR TO CONQUER //  Asking aka being bold
I'm really bad at asking people things. Questions, requests, deep desires, for help-  you name it, I probably won't say it.  This year, I'm going to ask, despite my quaking fear and no matter the impending doom of answer. As the saying goes "It never hurts to ask." so here goes nothing!

A NEW HABIT // Hospitality and generosity
I know very generous people and they've blessed me through and through. It doesn't take much to be hospitable and generous, you can be generous with your time, talents, money, and possessions.

A BAD HABIT TO BREAK // Taking forever to respond to texts/canceling
I'm getting better, with particular people. It's easy to let fears and emotions and hormones to shut me down, but Lord-willing I'll learn to process those feelings and responding a timely fashion and not back out of things I've agreed too. And who knows, maybe finally texting with my thumb again will help it heal #thumbscrossed

A DEED TO DO, PART TWO // Get Baptized.
Why have I waited 19 years? I do not have a good answer.

A NEW FOOD TO TRY // Friendsgiving.
Should I say new ways to eat food? Because Friends-giving looks like loads of fun and mashed potatoes and idk, I'm a big fan of both of those. Who wants to come? Accepting applications now.

FOR FUN // All the things.
Celebrate my half birthday, make a quilt, reach 3k on Instagram, get good coffee with cool people, dress like Nancy Drew, crazy cool shoes and finish all the books I start.

Happy is the man who finds wisdom,

and the man who gains understanding;

For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,

and her gain than fine gold.

She is more precious than rubies,

and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.

P R O V E R B S   3: 13 - 15

So yes, I feel old. And the fact that I turn twenty freaking years old in 2017 doesn't help me feel any younger. But I'm excited to enter this new decade and who knows, maybe this year I finally won't be afraid to make phone calls? You never know what could happen.

HERE WE GO!

As always, Goals of New Years past:
2016 // 2015 // 2014 // 2013 // 2012
16

2016 SUPERLATIVES

What. A. Year.

It's hard to complain about a year like this. Because even though it was incredibly hard, it was equally necessary. A painful cleansing, if you will. And even though the between the two is very blurry at times, I'll respect the fact that this blog isn't a full blown emo diary (yet!) and instead talk about the very good things that 2016 brought me. These are just some of the things that brought a little joy to my day

Hashbrowns are 100% involved.

BLOOPERS OF 2016

TBH 2016 was like an entire blooper reel. But alas, here are the great favorites.

It's not easy being this uncoordinated or un-photogenic. But when life gives you lemons (or bad posing intuition), you just gotta take photos anyway.

Bloopers of 2015
Bloopers of 2014

And what a tradition we have started! I can't wait to carry this one on with my cats and grand-cats.

KRYN GOES TO COLLEGE: THE UPDATE

I told her I was taking a gap year and her response wasn't quite what I expected.
"Enjoy your last year at home!" she said, "It's so special."

I laughed really hard. And then I cried.

But I cried a lot harder than I laughed.

LISA COMES HOME

Never mind the fact that her home town is actually in Germany (and that I actually drove through it last summer but didn't have time to stop but alas) LISA FINALLY CAME HOME!  

You may remember Lisa from blog posts past. She came and stayed with mutual friend a couple summers ago and we hung out 24/7. This visit, she stayed with me and it felt SO right having her in our home. Having a car (and more freedoms) this time made it so much more fun, and different. Even though she wasn't here for very long, the house seems so empty without her sweet, curious presence.

Last year I took an unbelievable amount of photos of Lisa (Remember when we got donuts? Or went to the beach? And went to church? Me too.) This time wasn't quite the same, between work and class and general social fiasco's, we didn't have much time for a photoshoot. But the day she left we headed down to the park for 20 minutes and well...it made up for all the lost time ;)

ISNT SHE SO PRETTY!?

Ugh.

IT REALLY WAS A WONDERFUL REUNION.  We hung out with Mary, the OG, and watched movies and stayed up late talking. Oh and the beach! It wouldn't be a proper time with Lisa without a little tanning session (even though 20 minutes in the sun can't make up for a whole semester inside, but we can dream.)

These photos represent a blog post in it of itself but that will come later. For now, know that we almost snuck into a bar at midnight in downtown Orlando. But we opted for cookies instead; a good safe, homeschooler choice it was. 

I also happened to have a white house sugar cookie house kit in my closet (#justgirlythings) so we made the white house Trump themed. Apparently we are prophets because this was months before the election and who would have guessed our joke would have come true. Honestly I'd rather have him in a sugar cookie white house than the actual one but alas. America.

And on a final note, if you've been following along for a while, I have the urge to explain how to pronounce her name. You might have been reading it as "Lisa" with an incredibly stale white bread pronunciation (don't worry, that was me for like 6 months. You're not alone.) Her name is actually pronounced "LEEZA". Now you know! 

I love you Lisa.

Come back!

SaveSave
SaveSaveSaveSave
SaveSave

It's a great day at Chick-Fil-A

Do you love food? Do you love nice people? Do you love free refills?

Then you love Chick-Fil-A

I don't know about your childhood, but the homeschool circles I grew up in literally revolved around Chick-Fil-A. We met there before volleyball games (and after too.) Any day trip or away game was planned strategically so that our lunch stop would just so happen to be at an exit where there was a Chick-Fil-A. We sold calendars to everyone and their cousin and a party was only good if there was a 120 count nugget tray on the table.

I'm not even joking either. We all really love CFA.

Literally everyone I knew worked there. And so one day when I went in with my friend for an interview, the manager asked me if I was interviewing too. Being the very strategic, planned out person that I am I replied, "No but I'm applying next week!"

The thought of working there hadn't even entered my mind 5.0 seconds ago, but sure. Why not.

I know Chick-Fil-A isn't the place for everyone, or even a job I'll want to have for too terribly long. But it has been wonderful to me in this season of life. First of all, money. Second of all, commitment. I shy away from commitment 90% of the time, thanks to my nomadic upbringing and chaotic, spur of the moment lifestyle. But it's been good and grounding for me to go to work, and to know I'll have to go (until I get fired lol)

(which almost happened once. Because of cake!)

(and we don't even sell cake)

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CHICKEN LIFE include but are not limited too:

-bruises in every possible place-

-almost getting fired for taking 3 cupcakes and 2 slices of cake from the birthday party-

-having a lizard run over my ankle (?? yes) while taking an order outside-

-farmers tan-

-working with my friends-

-until we got mad at one another-

-because working with your friends isn't always a good idea-

-tbt to the time an entire tower of bread fell on me-

-or when my manager sprayed whip cream all over my foot and I couldn't wipe it off for 20 minutes-

-having customers order lemon sugar water-

-becoming the shooting star employee from a falling star moment-

You'll probably never catch me in Bermuda shorts anywhere else but every day at Chick-Fil-A is a great day. (Even when you shoes are constantly coated in chicken nuggets and you have stress dreams about spicy deluxes.)