Tilly Mix

     So Morgan and I decided we wanted to create the best trail mix we could possibly think of. This was the best idea and worst idea we have ever had. I am pretty sure I have had a pound of it in the past 24 hours. We like to call it our Tilly Mix. Delish.  

This is what is included in this phenomonal mix:

Raw Almonds

Honey Roasted Peanuts

Pumpkin Seeds

Oatmeal Squares

Honey O's

Raisins

Dried Fruit

Chocolate Chips

Butterscotch Chips (crucial)

M&M's

Grown Ups

   Stephanie is one of my best friends from highschool that I am still very close to. She recently just graduated from the University of Georgia and without even looking hard and being stressed over finding a job, she got hired. I love how that works out. She was a finance major and now works for a company called Integratec. Basically, I don't understand what she does.. but I do know she has a big girl job now. Not only does she have a job, but it is in Atlanta- which I am excited about. It is so crazy that just a few years ago, we were begging our parents to have a sleep over on a school night before a volleyball game and now I am visiting her very own apartment in Buckhead.  

    This may have been my first non-college apartment I have been to. Not too shabby.

A lot has changed over the years, thank goodness.

    We ended up going to dinner with a few other friends (who also just graduated and have full time jobs) and it made me realize how young I feel and how unprepared I am to enter the "real world." I know in two years that time is going to come for me, but I am so blessed that I still have a little more time to mentally prepare for that transition. I am so excited for Stephanie and I love seeing how God's plan for Stephanies future is so different than her own.  

Steph, I am so proud of you and I love you!

Minnesooota

     After a year and a half, I made it back up to Minnesota! I was born in Plymouth, Minnesota and moved to Georgia when I was 5, but my moms entire family still lives there. We usually go back once a year, but the last time I visited was over a year ago in the winter time. Summer in Minnesota is absolutely beautiful. I almost got tricked that I would want to live there, but then I remembered it is only like that for maybe two months out of the year. I love the sun and heat too much to live anywhere else but the south. Needless to say, it was really good to visit with my family I don't see all that often. 

  My aunt and uncle live in Minneapolis and are avid bike riders. The lakes around this area are so gorgeous and the place to be at during the summer. 

We ended up going on a 22 mile bike ride throughout Minneapolis- and I didn't even complain that much!

  The Metrodome (where the Vikings play)

The upper bridge in this picture is the I-35 W Mississippi River Bridge that collapsed almost 4 years ago. They are currently building a memorial for all those that died and got injured in the collapse. 

My cousin, Brandon, is a huge Manchester City fan. We went to this really cool pub called the Local to watch them play. Cameron is a huge soccer fan as well and I.. well I love to eat so I was game to watch some soccer. 

 I finally got to meet my cousins baby Azalea! So I guess that would make her my 1st cousin once removed? She is cute as a button. 

It's always so good to see my grandma. And I love it when we are matching. After we took this picture, she proceeded to say, " That's enough of that!" 

We ate at lots of yummy places, but this place was right on the river and it was such a beautiful day. No humidity is rather refreshing!

Visiting Azalea and Melissa at her super cute house on the way to Mall of America.

Mall of America + no sales tax on clothes = bliss. 

     It was such a good quick visit to Minnesota but it is always good to see my family and connect with my home roots! But I have to say, the south is my home!

Finally, a new post!

     So I have obviously been neglecting my blog, and I hate it. I am hoping that I can give a quick update on what I have been doing this past month so I don't have to play catch up anymore!
    What took up a majority of my time this summer was my 2 online graduate school classes. I took a Theories of Counseling class and a Lifespan Development class. I really enjoyed my Lifespan class, but the amount of work and reading each week was pretty overwhelming. Taking classes online requires a lot of self discipline and time management, and lets just say I had a whole lot of late nights. It was nice to be able to work while I took classes but I am also really looking forward to being in the classroom in the fall for my next classes. 
    Speaking of work, I was so blessed to have a job this summer. I have worked at the same camp for 4 summers now and I love it. I work with 4 year old's at a summer camp at Schiff Preschool. Yes, it is at a syangouge; No, I am not Jewish. We don't teach anything religious during the summer, although most of the kids and teachers are Jewish. My mom and I got the job through one of her friends and I really can not complain about a Monday thru Friday job that goes from 9-2. I had so many questions about Judaism and the Jewish Culture and I was not afraid to ask them. I can't imagine my life without Jesus and it really broke my heart to be around so many people who don't know him. What is so crazy is that although they don't know him, he loves them so much he gave his life for them. How great is our God?  
    What I found difficult was being around the young kids who were just born into their beliefs. I genuinely cared for so many of the kids and teachers I worked with and I pray that one day they come to know Jesus and fall in love with him and that he transforms their life like he did mine. Compared to all the other summers I have worked at Schiff, this was by far my favorite. The teachers I worked with, the counselors, and the kids stole my heart. I am going to introduce you to a few of them. 

On the left is Henry. Henry stole the show this summer. He is a high voiced, loveable, out going little boy from "new jewsseyy" who loves to have his hands in his pants. On the right is Emily. She just moved here from Korea and barely spoke any English when she first got to camp. It was really cool to watch her interact with the other kids and how she would follow whatever her peers did in order to blend in. The cutest thing she did this summer: the first time I asked to take a picture of her, she held up a peace sign. You can see her holding it by her side in this picture. I think she started to notice that not everyone does that for every picture taken. 

 Like I said, Henry loves his hands in his pants. Gotta love him. 

   Some of the girls with their cat face paint!

My love, Henry!

These are a few of the people I worked with this summer that made it such an enjoyable, awesome summer! 

    So school and work consumed a large part of my summer, but stay tuned for more highlights!

4th of July Weekend!

    We got to spend our 4th of July weekend at my grandparents Lake House in Reynolds Plantation on Lake Oconee. My grandparents were there, my Aunt Cathy and cousin Ali and my aunt Kim, uncle Kevin and cousin Lauren were visiting from Baltimore. I made a "4th of July dinner" on Saturday night full of hamburgers and corn on the cob on the grill, macaroni and cheese and of course banana pudding. We spent all day on the boat Sunday and Monday-and I loved it. During the day we had such good weather, with some thunderstorms at night that were fitting for our favorite card game Queen of Spades. Unfortunately, no fire works this year because of the storms, but we managed. 

This is how they bring our boat "Okie" out and it scares me every time.

 The Captain and I cruising. 

Lauren, Ali and I at the Lake Club!

My Grandparents, how cute are they? 

Dad getting a little water skiing in. Although the water was so rough. 

My favorite picture, so much emotion!

 Pops and I. Everyone calls us twins-I don't see it. 

 Dad and his brother Kevin, and sister Cathy. 

We got locked out of the house for a bit. Whoops. 

Cameron's friend Erick came and brought his remote control. It is gas powered and goes 50 mph. Even I liked it!

We spend a lot of time on walks and bike rides around the neighborhood. So peaceful!

Happy Birthday America!

Bravos!

    I finally went to my first Braves game of the year! They played the Orioles and won 4-2. I can honestly say, this was the least amount of attention I have ever paid at a Braves Game. We had great seats, 3rd row in center-right field. This meant that every pop up ball that wasn't even close I screamed and made everyone else panic. My parents, brother and his friend, and Alicia all came along. 

Headed to Turner Field on MARTA

Cameron really loves taking pictures with me.

 Cameron is also really good at taking pictures.. gotta love him. 

 We were so close! 

 Beautiful sunset over Turner Field. 

Having too much fun with the Tomahawk. 

 

The game proceeded with Alicia and I making an emergency trip to Burger King. I was pretty sure I was not going to make it. All in all, great Summer-Braves night!

National College Conference

     This is a long over due blog, but I guess I have been putting it off until now to write it. I really just want to write about/share my time at a camp that changed my life! I guess you can say it's the Spark Notes version of my testimony. Here it is: 

    Last May, for some reason I am not even sure of, I decided to go to an FCA camp in Missouri called National College Conference. It was over Memorial Day weekend, and about 25 Georgia Southern Athletes attended. I guess when I look back, I went in with a pretty open minded, just really wanted to see why every one said it was so awesome. Everything that was talked about at this camp was completely new to me. At the first couple meetings, I questioned everything.  I questioned everything to the point that there was nothing left to question. I knew that what I was reading and learning about was the truth. And that weekend ( May 29,2010) I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior! I love to look back on that weekend and see how God was working and how much I have grown in this past year. 

We got broken up in to Families when we arrived, and this our family :The Lions. Such fun people with a heart for the Lord.  I love how God put these people in my life on purpose. 

Within our families was a huddle. These were all the girls in my huddle group before a tacky-night. Such women of god!

Moriah, Morgan and I. This is where Morgan and I first ever hung out really, and now we are going to be roommates! Definitely not a God thing. 

Some fellow Georgia Southern Athletes. 

     Hands down, one of the highlights of the trip was the worship leader Coffey Anderson. He is now one of my favorite all time artists ( check him out). He was an amazing performer, hilarious, and so down to Earth. I really don't think the weekend would had been the same without him. 

All of us with Coffey. 

Here are 2 of his video I took off my camera so they aren't the best quality, but you get a feel for it!

Needless to say, I was not the same person when I came back after that trip. All I have to do is praise the lord for that. 

" He has rescued us from the domination of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Colossians 1:13-14

     So fast forward a year, and College Conference came around again the same weekend.Instead of the Nation College Conference, we went to the South Eastern one at St.Simons Island in Georgia. It was absolutely beautiful there. I was so excited to go again because last year had such an impact on my life. This years experience was a lot lot different. Not any worse or better, just different. I did know the Lord going into it this time around, but he still showed me so much. I learned a lot of different things that I did not know before and my favorite part is getting to meet new people. I love meeting other athletes that love the Lord. This was probably my last year going because I am old now but I am blessed I had the opportunity to go there and learn and grow fellowship with other believers. God truly blows me away daily. I am so glad he is now my best friend, my father, my King- my everything!

" And I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the son of god, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

 Our family, after a long day of activities. 

Love them!

" I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous. I have conquered the world." John 16:33