*disclaimer: this is super duper long. read at your own discretion* For real, it was. Let's recap:
Monday 7/13:
Marissa and I made care packages for Karen and Megan at Camp. I went to Target, love this store, and I bought a whole bunch of snack foods, little odds and ends, and 2 shipping boxes. I then went to Marissa's house where we wrote letters and decorated the 2 shipping boxes ridiculously. No joke, the outsides look all cute with pictures from camp, HP, the celeb male that they like, and we colored them too. Then you open them and what do you see...a whole freaking mess of stickers upon stickers. We used up pretty much all of marissa's stickers that she has collected over the years since like 5th grade. lol. It looked like a sticker bomb went off. We also wrote letters to couselor Leila! and sent old HP valentines to Joel. We were kind of nervous for those, kind of regretted sending them and hoped that it didn't make things awkward...lol.
Tuesday 7/14:
I don't think I did anything today, just stayed at home and relaxed. Oh! I tried to finish my HP marathon. I watched 2 and a half movies (3, 4 and half of 5) in one night. I finished 5 when I came home from work the next day.
Wednesday 7/15:
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince came out today! Work was real tough to get through because I just wanted to go see HP! I got home, I changed and I waited for Marissa to tell me that it was okay for me to come over. I hurried over and jumped right into her car and we set off for the mills! We got there a little later than planned so we changed our eating plans from Steak and Shake to somewhere in the food court. We ate at Charley's Grill and Subs (something like that) and it was delicious. I got a steak and cheese sandwhich, it was very good. I do love me some steak and cheese (without onions and peppers, of course). It was about 20 until the movie started so we thought we would go get a good seat. We were wrong. We should have gone in probably 10 minutes beforehand to get a seat that we really wanted. We ended up sitting like 6th row to the left of center. It wasn't bad but obviously would have liked to be farther back. I didn't have to crane my neck that bad. I thought the movie was good. I didn't know what to think of it at first but it was funny, they finally got the humor of the books. I didn't agree with a lot of the changes they made but if you take a look at it from the movie perspective they make sense and I don't get why they added a whole new scene that has no point. I just don't get it. I also think they focused on the wrong relationship, yes ron and lavender are important but really, aren't harry and ginny more important?? whatev. all in all, good movie. Once the movie was over, before all the lights came up, I'm pretty sure I saw my co-worker, Steve, but I didn't want to make eye contact and have an awkward moment so I just kept on walking hoping that he didn't see me. lol. Which I don't think he did bc he didn't say anything the next day or could just be ignoring the fact that we saw each other like I am. Anyways, the night was not over there. When we got out to the car, Marissa had accidently left the lights on her car so we had to call her parents and then wait for her dad to come to jump the car. *I asked my dad if AAA covered the cars that we own or me, and it covers me so we could have called AAA too* About a half hour later than expected, we were on our way home!!
Thursday 7/16:
I spent today getting ready for the weekend. I washed the car. After trouble getting started---I shut off the water to the whole house, oops---so the hose water had no pressure and I was about to freak out because the hose didn't have any kinks in it, and I turned on the spickets (just not the right ones) and if it didn't work then I was gonna be pissed bc I just got the hose out for no reason and I hate getting it out/putting it away. Super annoying. Anyways, I called my mom and asked her if she knew which spickets I had to turn on and she didn't so she went over to my dad, who hadn't started playing his softball game yet and he told me the right one. SO I fixed it. It still didn't work immediately but after awhile it got going. That was fun, right? Not really. I then cleaned Hannah's and mine fishies tank because I haven't since the last time I did
at school. So it had been awhile. I made my mom find me a bowl for Riley because she has grown since we got her and thought that they both might like their own space. I think they do. Eli didn't jump out onto the floor so he gets to live until the next time. Seriously, if he jumped out this time I was gonna leave him there. I think he knew that so he didn't. haha. Anyways, I then made rice krispy treats to take to Hannah's because they're one of her favs. All that took me to about 9:30 and I still had to pack for Hannah's and the trip the next day. I packed for the next day and that took toooooo long so I didn't get to pack for Hannah's.
Friday 7/17:
Lambec day! I woke up relatively early but still got the chance to sleep in later than I usually wake up. I think I finally rolled out of bed like 8:30 or 9ish and got a shower, got ready, and threw some last minute things together. An hour later, I headed out stopping at BP on the way to pick up Marissa for a large free coffee! yay! I picked Marissa up and we were on our way! We were heading for Camp Lambec, my favorite place on earth, for the concert that the camp puts on at the end of the week for parents and friends to enjoy. We were making this a whole day trip with stops on the way. Our first stop was Westminster, Marissa's college. We were hoping to run into Mr. Chip Stapleton because The New Wilmington Missionary Conference started the next day so we thought he may already be there, but he wasn't. But we did run into Mr. Nolan and got to chat with him for a good bit, and Mrs. Dawson! After chatting with them we snuck into Marissa's new dorm for next year and saw a room that she is technically not supposed to see ever since she is in Kappa Delta. That was exciting, more for her than me. lol. We then tried to sneak up so we could see her room but there were workers in the stairwell so we couldn't. Oh, we also tried to get up into the bell tower that is above one of her buildings but couldn't find the entrance. fail. After Westminster, we went to the Grove City Outlets where we went to The Fudgery and I met her roommates boyfriend, Derek. He's cool and I like fudge. lol. After we visited him at work, we went to Old Navy---they were having 40% off sale of EVERYTHING in the store so I got a pair of jeans and a white cami. Marissa also got a pair of jeans. And really, our whole purchase was 50% off becase Marissa had a 10% off card. score! super steal of a deal. We then ventured to American Eagle and Gap but didn't stay long because we were for real hungry. We got back in the car and headed out to Cracker Barrell :) :) :) which is a Lambec tradition...more for Marissa than me but I still really like Cracker Barrell so I had no problem agreeing to stop. I got my usual, eggs in a blanket. So good. We were barely there for 20 minutes because we got there at like 2:45 and they were not busy at all. I started to teach Marissa how to play farkel but our food came shortly after so had to stop. *we must pick up the game later, fyi* So after only like 25 minutes, we were back on the road! The weather so far, had been decent. It hadn't really rained on us the whole trip so we were really excited to get to Presque Isle and be able to relax and enjoy the decent weather. I was also excited to see if I recognized places at all, because my family and I vacationed in Erie for atleast 12 years of my life. I did recognize some things, but we arrived a different way so I didn't see everything. Of course, as soon as we get to the Presque Isle area it starts to rain. It sucked. We pull off at a beach and head out to the waters edge...in jackets/sweatshirts and umbrellas in hand. The only reason why I want to hold an umbrella on a beach is to block out the sun
not rain. :( Since Marissa goes to school close to home, she has friends that live in the area so she was talking with one of them when she called Marissa and was like where you at? I'm at beach seven for Mike's party. We were one beach down from there. So we got back in the car and headed that way. We met up with Renee, Marissa's friend who I have met on previous trip(s) up to Westminny. She graciously invited us back to her house and showed us around. I love her house. It's pretty much never ending! She thought her hot tub was broken but her mother said it wasn't so we went in the hot tub in the rain (mind you, it wasn't raining horribly. just drizzling). =D We got to use our swimsuits that we brought! yay! The time came for us to get out and leave to head to LAMBECCC!!! We already knew that the concert was moved inside but was told it was a different location from when it was moved inside the last time so we headed straight for camp anyways. Plus, we were hoping that we may be able to get out and walk around a little bit. Not so fortunate. As soon as we pulled in we were stopped, told it was moved, handed directions and told to leave. Stop, go straight to jail (Springmore Elementary School), and do NOT pass go (Lambec). We were totes sad. We just wanted to see camp. So we arrived at the elementary school and immediately saw Mrs. Debaldo and Mrs. Kelly carrying the girls stuff out to the car so of course, we helped. It felt like we were campers and helping our parents to carry our own stuff to the car. After we helped, we headed into the gymnasium/auditorium. We immediately saw people that we knew...obviously. It was so veird to be there and not being a camper. We got really good seats, second row!, in the same row as the Debaldo's and Mrs. Kelly. The concert finally started! The band started it off with The Star Spangled Banner, like usual. The band as a whole was really pretty good. I really did enjoy it. I wasn't cringing at every song or note. I was shocked. The band part quickly ended and after some rearranging and re-setting up of the stage, the choral concert started!!! Amazing, wonderful, loud, passionate, crazy. Just some ways to describe how it was. It really truly is amazing how the camp can perform such an awe inspiring performance after only seeing the music for the first time 5 days earlier. It was super hard to be sitting
in the audience listening. I wanted to be on that stage so freaking bad. I kept getting teary eyed every know and then. I fought them back because that would be super awkward for everyone to see a girl crying in the audience. It's normal to see campers crying but an audience member? I almost lost it towards the end because Karen was really starting to tear up and it's her last year (and Megan's!) so I was sad for her, also that the concert was almost over and they were showing pictures like they usually do of camp so that made me sad. The concert was so good. I truly do miss it. a lot. Anyways, after the concert we stuck around, for a loooong time. It's nice not to have parents there nagging you to leave. We talked with Megan and Karen, of course. Andrea, she was a fellow camper and she came up to see her sister, Counselor Leila, old counselors of ours, other campers, other hampton peeps and Joel. :) Ah! I love Joel. It was so good to catch up with him. Oh and those valentines we sent him were the BEST idea ever. He had them in his choir book so he could show them to us and how much he appreciated them. ahhhh...so excited that we sent them. Joel is great. If only he were younger...or actually, if only he didn't have a girlfriend. lol. but that doesn't stop Ma. jk. Nothing will happen and I'm not expecting it to! But I can dream...along with every other girl at camp as well. haha. So after a good bit, we finally decided to leave but NOT before we got our staring picture with joel and of course a normal one. I'm so happy that we got those pictures AND that Karen passed on the tradition of 1, 2, 3 Stare at Joel. It makes me smile to know that the tradition will live on. Marissa and I finally made our break for it and headed back after a short stop of looking at maps because the GPS wanted to take us home a way I was not familiar with but got back on track real quick. We arrived home safe and sound about an hour and a half or so later after listening to Nsync pretty much the whole way home. :) love it. When I got home though, my night wasn't over. I still had to pack for Hannah's. I was up for probably another hour or so packing/talking with Brittany. I finally got enough packed that I could fall asleep. I passed out.
Saturday 7/18:
I had set my alarm for 6am bc I had planned to leave at 7 so that I could get down to VA as soon as humanly possible but I slept through it and woke up an hour later at 7. I got up, showered, got dressed and packed some last minute things. I loaded the car with everything, grabbed a poptart and headed out the door! I was on the road by 8:15! not bad. Made a quick at BP for another free coffee and then I was back on the road. I only made two stops on the whole trip...both for bathrooms. Yes, coffee does go right through you. I made it to Hannah's safe and sound. I actually think I cut ten minutes off the arrival time...hehe. So I get there and the first thing we do...play farkel. yep, we're obsessed. I think we then watched some Gilmore Girls. After that episode, Hannah showed me around her town. Showing me around didn't take long so we parked in old town and walked around for a bit. Most shops were already closed except for one crazy store that had pretty everything you could think of. It was crazyyyy. They had glowstick wands, I wanted one. lol. We then walked over to a walking/biking/running trail that they built. So we wakled on that for a bit and followed a random trail that led us to a neighborhood but then led us back to the trail. That was fun. Once we got back to the car we headed for Borders. I love that place. We looked around for a good bit, pretty much covered the whole entire store. After that, we headed back to Hannah's house and had dinner. Tacosss...one of my favs. After dinner, we met with Hannah's friend Emily and went to old town for a bluegrass/swing/raggae/any type of music concert performed by a band that I forget their name but that wasn't the highlight. There are traveling hippies that come and dance in the street the whole time. They get real into it, they were nuts. They were starting to sweat after only like 5 minutes. ridic. We left the concert a little early so we could go to another one of her friends house for a bonfire he was having but he ended not being home yet so we just stayed in and watched some more Gilmore Girls. Not long after that we went to bed.
Sunday 7/19:
Slept in a little bit but not really. Got up and got ready and then headed out for church! It was in an elementary school. I think thats def a southern thing, to have church not in a church. Not saying it's a bad thing but the first time I went to a church service not in a church building was at school for BRCC when they were at the elementary school (before they switched to the YMCA). Church was good. I really liked the music. It was pretty much very similar to TP. So it was good. After church we went to G Whilikers to buy pocket farkel for me but they were sold out! :( So Hannah is gonna go back later to get me one when they most likely will have it. yay! We went home and I made left over tacos for lunch and then we watched some GG while we waited for it to be time to go to the fair! It was finally time! We got there and went to all the animals. There were so many! There were cows, sheep, goats, ducks, chicks-so cute!, chickens, a peacock (!!), billygoats, and bunnies. I want a bunny. They were all so cool. I never knew there were so many different kinds of birds with different designs for feathers. It truly is amazing. God is so creative! We then decided to check out the rides. I rode this spinny one where you stood the whole time, it was kind of relaxing. And then Hannah and I rode one that was like the pit fall at Kwood but much much much shorter. Although once on it, it's higher than you think. After that we caught back up with Mrs. Vaughn and made one last stop at a building where there were large vegetables on display, photographs and flowers. It was sweet. After that we left. We only stayed at the fair for like 45 minutes I think. It's not as big as the Cleveland County fair and not as fun when you have to buy tickets for rides and can't just use your armband. Well we went back home popped in GG and probably 30 minutes later...I fell asleep. I took like a 3 hour nap. Hannah and Scout! napped too but I was the longest. Naturally. When I finally woke up, it was time for dinner! Mrs. Vaughn had prepared a wonderful grilled chicken salad with corn on the cob. It was fab. I had to eat quickly though because we had to leave in like 15 minutes for Young Life summer fellowship. I grabbed dessert to go and we headed out. We met up/parked at Emily's house again and walked a couple streets down to where we were gathering. It was really sweet to meet other young life leaders and other young lifers. There were high schoolers there but I didn't really realize until afterwards when Hannah was telling me about everyone. Going to that made me really want to be in a bible study here at home but there isn't a 'college' bible study group, although my youth pastor said he was gonna do one but he's busy so we get put on the back burner like the usual. Oh well. I'll be back at school soon and hopefully bible study monday night will still be happening. Who knows. After summer fellowship-Emily, Hannah and I went to their friend, Lauren's house to see her because she had just gotten back from a world changer's trip. She was super excited to see them and super nice and happy. She was sweet. I liked her. We stayed and chatted for a bit there. We dropped of Emily and then headed home. We watched some TV/GG and skyped with Brown Amy. That was fun and good to talk with her! Hannah karate chopped me in the head. Then we chatted with Brittany for a bit. Hannah went to bed. I wasn't tired because I had napped so I stayed up talking with Brittany and watching TV. After a little while Spencer started talking to me bc he thought it was Hannah. So I told him it was me and he was like oh cool. It turned out that he made a chat room with Brittany (thank goodness) so the three of us chatted. It was real good. I'm glad he accidently started talking to me. It was real late so we all said goodnight and went to bed. I think it was like 1:30. That's the latest I have stayed up this
whole summer!
Monday 7/20:
I woke up like at 11:30. I legit slept in today. so good. I came out of my room and Hannah was walking up the steps at the exact moment, perfect timing. So we went to her room, chatted a bit-told her about the previous night activities and then went to shower/pack things up to leave :(. I was soon being kicked out of Hannah's house but not before we played one last game of farkel together. I left a little after 12:30 and got home right at 5 with only one stop on the way home! I was barely home for 2 minutes when my parents and I went out to McDonalds for dinner. Then my parents went to my dad's softball game and I went home to wash my laundry and to watch the shows that I recorded while I was away.
Tuesday 7/21:
My last day as a teenager. I didn't do anything special. Went to work. Came home. Went to my orthodontist appointment for my 6 month check up. That was a waste of time. I thought I was done after this check up but I have to go back in 6 months for an x-ray to see if my wisdom teeth are there or whatever. I guess it makes sense because if they don't keep track of it and they start to rupture (?-right word) then they'll mess up my now straight teeth! I came home after that and spent the rest of the night in my room, i believe, most likely. I chatted with Marissa, caught her up on my life specifically with the boy because I hadn't told her anything. 10:30 rolled around and I was tired so I got ready for bed. I didn't even make it to 12 so I could officially say that I was 20! oh well. I turned my phone on silent because I figured I would be getting a few texts at 12 and didn't really want to be awoken. I'm so glad I did because I had like 3 messages and a voicemail! and I didn't wake up during any of them. yay!
Wednesday 7/22:
MY 20TH BIRTHDAY. The day started out really well, I had text messages, a voicemail, wall posts on facebook. I still had to go to work so I left and I was actually a bit early. I then realize half way to work, that I forgot my cell phone. Great. On my bday and the one day that I am expecting a phone call. Grrr. Luckily, I have an address book so I was still able to call Melissa from my work phone and we chatted for a short bit. I didn't want to use up all of her minutes since I wasn't using a verizon phone. Then I went out to eat with my dad and sister for our weekly meal and it just so happened to occur on my bday (you would think that the creator of the meal schedule planned it so). Rest of work was boring and long. Then I came home and I had 12 new messages! That was a plus of forgetting my phone! But I'll won't do it again. My mom made dinner, meatballs and scalloped potatos. oh and green beans but i don't care for those. I then opened one present, a pittsburgh pirates baseball shirt. Then I went to Eat N Park to meet the girls from The Physics Brigade for dessert. That was a good time. That needs to happen again, please. Karen and Megan got me a present too! which I was not expecting at all. A night out with my girlfriends was all I needed, really. They got me a blue with white flowers shoulder book bag. It's really cute and I love it. I especially love the inside, bright yellow. :) reminds me of D3. Marissa and I afterwards went to Target just because and I found a long dress that I like that is an option. I still have to go to Forever 21 and try on the one I like there. I then came home and prob stayed up for a bit longer and then went to sleep.Thursday 7/23:
Today, we officially celebrated my dads and mine birthdays! We had dinner. There was SO much food. We had steak, baked potatos, corn on the cob, rolls, and pancakes with corn and chocolate chips. I ate so much at dinner that I was super full and didn't really want dessert. But I ate anyways bc it was my fav-mint brownies :) :) Then came presents! I got the rain jacket I wanted, the zip around wallet from vera bradley and an itunes gift card. I really want to rain now and I don't know what songs I should get with my gift card! The wallet is perfect, I love it and I'm using it already. yay! It was a good birthday. (The old me would be upset about the few presents but really they all were good and the jacket and wallet were kind of expensive) Oh, and I did technically get a guitar for my birthday, it was one of my aunt's.
Side note: I've talked to Spencer pretty much every single night since Monday except Wednesday. So the friendship is going good! yay!
*I vow never to delay posting what has happened in my life ever again. This was way too long and took too much time. If I don't blog about it within a couple days, I won't blog about it.
**So this means, that I won't ever have a posting this long again.
Hope you've enjoyed this...if you've made this far! lol.
I start to laugh as I'm reading the outside...and then I open it and
I bust out laughing. The laughing ensued for a good 3 minutes. The whole family loved it. My sister got me and my dad laughing hysterically on her camera. It's like christmas allll over again except this time, I'm laughing with him.