From Sea to Shining Sea: Memorial Day

I've missed you all very dearly! It's been a bit since I've posted last. I hope you all had a fantastic Memorial day weekend and took some time to appreciate those who fought and are still fighting for our country. A few friends and I went to the Punchbowl Cemetery. It's a cemetery for people who served our country and there is a beautiful memorial there as well. I was appalled by the countless number of American flags which represented the beautiful lives that were lost. We walked down the rows reading names and information about different wars that were written on the memorials. It was a really humbling experience and I'm extremely glad I went. Following that, we went to a Hawaiian Lantern Ceremony. It was an a mind-blowing experience. At first I just figured it would be cool and unique and I'd get some nice pictures, but seeing so many people gathering to appreciate and even mourn over their loved ones who were lost really helped me appreciate everything I have. Words can't explain how awesome that ceremony was so I'll just post pictures. Enjoy.

"The solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom."

Hawaiian Lantern Ceremony

"In proud  memory of the achievements of her sons and in humble tribute to their sacrifices, this memorial has been erected by the United States of America. These men were part of the price that free men have been forced to pay to defend human liberty and rights. To these men we owe a debt to be paid with grateful remembrance of their heroism."

Getting in the water in our clothes on was worth it. 

Wish I had more roses to leave on the graves marked as "unknown."

Refocus

I can't believe how fast this week has gone by, and it has been a hectic week to say the least. I went on many adventures this week, had lots of school work, and spent much of my time worrying about all of my people in San Diego struggling with these fires. My heart goes out to my friends and family who are struggling and afraid at this time, and I'm so grateful for all of those who sacrifice so much to help put these fires out. Although it is very difficult seeing many people I know evacuating and worrying about losing their homes, I have been touched by the stories of people showing compassion to complete strangers and to other people in the community. Through unity and prayer anything is possible and I know that something good will come from this situation! Even though I'm not even home to experience all of the chaos, I can definitely sense the panic through the media and what my loved ones are sharing. It is important that in these times of turmoil, we are treasuring those who are close and most important to us. My mom and I were talking on the phone today about how when something like this happens, life pauses for a little while and we all gain a better perspective on what really matters in life. Never have I had a stronger urge to call and text my friends and family, making sure they know how much I love them and care about them. All I hope is that when these fires are put out, and life is no longer on hold, that we do not forget that the most valuable things in life are not the big job offers, our finals tests, prom, or the sports games; but the people that are right there next to us everyday; our family and friends who love us so much.

Please keep these families who are struggling in your hearts, thoughts and prayers. And if you would like to help in any way, click here!

Belated Sunday Smiles (Magnificent Monday?)

I apologize for not posting yesterday as promised, my messy house seemed a tad more important. Now that it's all clean I can write this entry in peace! Anyways, here's some cute things I stumbled upon last week. (Follow me on Pinterest if you'd like to see stuff like this more often!)

1. Street art in Miami Florida. Not sure who it's by or what it's called, but it's marvelous!

2. I laughed at this for a solid 5 minutes. I just really want to meet the person who posted this on Tumblr.

3. Sometimes during my free time or when I'm feeling a little homesick, I enjoy looking through old pictures on my laptop. I found this one of my brother Sam and I throwing coins into a cute fountain in Del Mar. It's the little moments like these that I miss most! We'll be reunited in a few weeks :)

4. Another gem I found. Aren't my parents the cutest? I love them so much.

5. Call me cheesy, but this movie looks amazing.

6. Yeah, that was kind of sad, huh? I'm sorry. Here you go.

7. This is just great, enough said.

Hope you all have an amazing rest of your Monday and week. Work hard and be nice!

Sunday Smiles

So throughout my week, I'll always stumble on a few things that I really love and want to share with you guys. So I've decided that I'm going to make "Sunday Smiles" a weekly ritual. This was inspired by Lauren Conrad who does Friday Favorites on her blog. For the sake of alliteration, I will post Seven things every Sunday that make me Smile. These seven things will just be a collection of pictures, videos, or songs that may have made my week a little more delightful. Enjoy!

1. Gray Malin is an amazing photographer who takes aerial shots of different locations, mainly busy beaches. I'm in love with his pictures! Check out his website graymalin.com.

2. This picture frame has a quote from one of my favorite books as a kid! Such a cute idea, especially since Mother's Day is coming up! 

3. These Ray-Ban sunnies are so cute... I have a sunglasses fettish... just ask my mom..or any of my close friends.

4. I'm in love. That is all.

5. Happy birthday to this elegant lady! This quote is wonderful as well.

6. For all you Cinco de Mayo fans.. this is one of the easiest (and yummiest) recipes. Just make corn, spread some mayo all over it, add some cheese, lime juice, and chili powder, and voila! My mom makes it all the time, and it's one of my favorites!

7. I thought this music video was so adorable and the song is super catchy!

Well, I hope you got some smiles out of that, have a splendid Sunday and rest of the week!

Mother [muth-er] (n.) : one person who does the work of 20...for free (See also: angel, queen, saint)

Well today is a very special day! It's my beautiful Mother's birthday! I have no idea what I would do without her, she has been one of the biggest blessings in my life and she deserves to have a perfect day. I thought it would be interesting to see what her name "Martha" means. According to google, Martha means the mistress, the lady, it is the feminine for the word master. One thing I love about her name is that there is a woman in the Bible named Martha. In Luke 11:27 she said, "Yeah, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world." My mom is probably one of the most talented and crafty people you'll ever meet. She is the perfect example of a woman who uses her talents for good and she is such a loving person. One thing she always did that I admire was making little flower arrangements or bouquets for friends. Whether they were in the hospital, or just having a bad day, she made sure they felt loved through her little creations. My mom and I are both perfectionists, so when Prom season came around things got very interesting. Being the awesome mom she is, she helped me pick out the perfect dress (she wouldn't let me stop trying dresses on until we found the perfect one), she found someone to do my hair and make up exactly how I wanted, and she made my corsage exactly how I wanted it. Some might call me spoiled, but if being spoiled means feeling unconditional love from an amazing mother who puts your needs above her own, call me spoiled all you want! But anyway, my mom is pretty much the definition of beautiful, loving, and selfless. Happy 21st Birthday Mom!!!

"Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies." Proverbs 31:10