A Roach Encounter

I found several pictures similar to this on my camera. Definitely, my favorite accident today. Please observe the fact that Dave is sucking his thumb [teehee!]

Let's just pretend Nate is river dancing for the sheer pleasure of it.

When the power of love overcomes the love of power, only then will the world know peace. -Jimi Hendrix

Was it love or was it just allergies?

Watched and rekindled my love for Sabrina tonight. It also had me flash to the past when I'd dream of such things like elegant parties and handsome men. I have a little story to tell of my so called reality check.

He was charming, popular, the prettiest man around and he liked silly old me. I enjoyed the attention, the flowers, the cliche sayings. I was going to the ball with him but we all know when you think something is too good to be true, it usually means it is.

There I was, I had done everything right. I looked my best, I cracked some jokes but I was still foreign. We were there dancing, I had him in my arms and I immediately knew that was the end of my fairy tale. I had done everything right. He was ashamed of me. I had done everything right. He was supposed to be my first kiss. Behind my door, the tears overcame me. I had done everything right. What is a chick flick without a kiss? Even the sad ones have kissing. But no, he didn't want me [and really, although I didn't know at the time, I never wanted him.]

I may have stomped around blaming the world for filling my mind with complete nonsense for a while but I'm so glad I figured out I didn't want that fairy tale while I was still young. Yeah, it hurt. Yeah, there is no one to blame. but I knew so much more when I stopped trying to live a life that wasn't real. Thank you.

Relationships aren't perfect. You get lonely, jealous, sad and just plain tired. But they're worth the chance to be you, to laugh, to play, to love all aspects of another. To me, that's worth it.

"What was he like when he was younger?"-Sabrina

"Shorter."-Dad

Fate

My newest GEM!

The Farmers Market has something for everybody.

You Are Special

I've got some handy dandy sparkles that are supposed to make my face glow like a little fairy

But what really happens is like the kids book: "You are special."

The sparkles (or also known as dots and stars) fall off me and stick to Hairy Chest.

Then, people ask him awkward questions on how he received my sparkles (and the sweat makes him sparkle a tad bit more)

No worries, we happen to handle awkward situations in a fine manner. In fact, we love them. Embrace your inner awkward.

While we're on the subject, Hairy Chest and I are incredibly special. Happy Weekend!

I'm Gonna Be The Last One Standin'

I am the bringer [is bringer even a real word] of good news this fine evening, wanna know why?

As many of you might know, the senior games have been occupying this past week's time. What a delight it has been!

A 98 year old woman brought home the gold in bowling!!

After pushing the ball off as hard as she could she would turn around with her arms raised triumphantly.Then she'd go up to random audience members and say, "Can you believe it? I got Seven strikes."

Basically, my life is now complete with this new found hero. Well, ACTUALLY I take that back...I'm too excited to grow old. ッ

Erika America

Top Ten Reasons Rika Gets Up in the Morning:

1. Her alarm goes off...gag.
2. Sadie...Saaaaaaaaaaaaaadeeee baaayaaby
3. She's hungry...for life!
4. The sun gets in her eyes...and in her soul.
5. Spencer (husband) needs something...like a bath because he stinks. Just kidding Spence!
6. She made an agenda the day before...to live life to her fullest.
7. Her favorite show comes on...the cooking channel and believe me, it's becoming mine the more I taste Erika's food.
8. She has to work...and get money to help raise her sprouting family.
9. To go for a morning jog...with me!
10. To go to church...and frolic in a glorious thing called a dress.

☀Summertime☀ Contained Within a Flower

"There isn't anything on this planet that more trumpets life than the sun☀flower.

For me, that's because of the reason behind it's name.

Not because it looks like the sun

but because it follows the sun.

During the course of the day,

the head tracks the journey of the sun across the sky.

A satellite dish for sun☀shine.

Wherever light is, no matter how weak,

these flowers will find it.

And that is such an admirable thing.

And such a lesson in life." -Calendar Girls

And yes, we turned off the movie soon after this speech.

The best thing to do when you're in a hole is to stop digging.

My Family Vs. The Zoo

The rain won.

Us+That+This =Soakingly fun.

Empty Hot Tubs

My six year old niece and I had quite an intelligent conversation tonight while we went to dip our feet in the local hot tub.

Just because we won't admit we pee in pools...doesn't mean we don't do it.

Got me thinkin, we all symbolically pee in the public pool.

Most of us worry more that someone will find out than work on getting over the habit.

Ditching: A Fond Past time

I never had any problems with disobeying rules until one day I realized it was actually possible.

This is when I developed a deep fascination with ditching class. It is one of my few deliberate rebellions. I grew way too fond of the rush it gave me, the power I felt to convince my friends to come with and the absolute ridiculous activities we ended up doing. Too much fun!

As my senior year in high school came closer to an end, I was at the peak of my addiction. On my eighteenth birthday, I decided to ditch class in celebration of reaching my self perception of "maturity." Ten minutes before class was usually over I got a call. I disregarded it until it didn't stop ringing. While answering it my father said in his very manly, intimidating voice, "why aren't you in class?" My face instantly turned bright red and I ran for class as fast as I could.

How could I forget that my family has a knack for visiting me on my birthday?

I found my entire family waiting for me with two dozen doughnuts and a small humiliation presentation.My mom pointed to the handsome boy in class and asked, "Hey, Are you the kid who plays basketball with my daughter?" she had no idea we had ditched that exact class to play the very basketball she was referring to. He always avoided eye contact after that. Later that day, I saw my first kiss and found out he was engaged to someone else. To add to that, I happened to be locked in a parking lot at the same time.

I guess I should have learned my lesson and connected that ditching/bad karma go hand in hand.

Let's just say I never ditched in high school again....neither of the two days remaining. ッ Oh wait, Lagoon DOES NOT count.

Let Love In

Thursday Theme Song: Let Love In
The end of fear is where we begin,
The moment I decided to let love in.

The star-gaze sample

Things I did and am proud of:

• went to seven peaks without spending a penny
• met a bunch of new friends and got closer with old ones
• ate something I've never tried before
• screamed at the top of my lungs
• wished upon a shooting star (or meteor I guess)
• jump served
• wore one bright pink sock and called it lucky for no real reason
• got a kiss on my doorstep
• was completely utterly and totally me, Lizi Richards, whom I happen to like very much more than I thought

THURSDAY. Success!

People Get Older...That Doesn't Mean They Grow Up.

"To love someone is not to desire them, but to desire their happiness." -Jane Austen

You're Mad, BONKERS ... but I'll Tell You a Secret: All The Best People Are.

Under The Weather, In More Than One Way.

Sick. Tired. Hungry.

Wishing to dance in the rain.
If only it wouldn't make matters worse.
Sure enough, I'm STILL upbeat today.

Hey there, Mr. Grumpy Gills.

Suggestion for the day:


Grab some friends and

BUBBLIFY!!

Dreams are worth it, they can come true.

It has been a year of fighting for what I want with the result of VICTORY. Here is a story of one of those very moments this year.

Once Upon a Time...Two friends thought up an idea.

They were about this age when they first started scheming.

And this age when they carried it out.

One was short and the other tall.

One was clean, the other not at all.

They seemed pretty different,

but meshed like summer into fall.

The best thing about this idea is that it came true.

It's better than happily ever after to discover dreams are very possible. THE END.

Parisian Love

I first saw this in CRV (a splendid beyond splendid class) and since I have no huge inspired stories to tell from this weekend this will work wonders.

PS I'm a sucker for love stories. ッ