hey there! as i'm in the car on my way to seattle, i might as well post on the blog, right? anyways, here's my story on how i became a berry picker & almost got bit by a snake. 

my uncle john has five acres of land, so he has so many different places on his property that grow food. he has apple trees, hazelnut trees, grape bushes, blueberry bushes, blackberry bushes, salmon berry bushes, plum trees, cherry trees etc...., so me, thinking this was so cool, decided i was going to walk all over to find the blueberry bushes & pick them. my uncle, mom, and cousin chrystle and her boyfriend tim set out for the five-ten minute walk through the wheat straw things. wearing sandals was not the best idea. with multiple leg scratches and going under a tree tunnel, we finally arrived at the blueberry bushes. my hands started to turn blue from accidentally smashing some berries, but overall it was so much fun. blueberries that are fresh are the best ones. there's nothing like eating them right off the bush. 

on the way back, i was leading the way back to the house, but i stepped back for a second to check my phone. lucky for me, i did because a sneaky, slithering friend snuck past me. i screamed snake and freaked everyone out. whoops. 

so, that's how i almost stepped on a snake, and became a berry picker. 

spending time with my cousins and family was so great. it's nice to have some bonding time with people you don't see all that often. family time is the best time :) 

-A

it is almost one in the morning, and i've been in washington for three days now. so far i haven't missed arizona one bit. between the cold weather and rainy days, i can't help but feel lucky to be in the cute small town where my mom grew up. my mom and i have opposite childhoods. since i live in such an ever-expanding and bit city, i miss out on the whole small-town yet family atmosphere vibe. it's really neat to experience the sense of community the residents have here, and how much people care about one another. seeing family and friends has been an absolute blast, and i'm so excited for this whole week of traveling and being a total tourist. next stop, seattle! posts about my outfits, family get togethers, and a quick recipe for chocolate will be up on the blog tomorrow. 

watch out seattle, i'm coming for you! 

-A

hey there! the title says "the night before," but its 12:30 a.m., so i guess that doesn't really make much sense. oh well. anyways, today is the day. i'm leaving for washington state forever!! kidding...i wish. ten days spent up in the cool weather will be the perfect way to end my summer. let's hope i make it there safely. i still haven't packed yet.....

well i'll definitely be up for a while. maybe i'll double post & finally publish my post on my camping trip...

will ally finally post her camping trip post?
will ally ever finish packing?
will ally ever get more than six hours of sleep?

find out on the next episode of dragonball z!
(if i messed up that reference, i sincerely apologize)

peace out
-A

have you ever wanted time to slow down? like there was a certain day that you loved so much, you wished you could re-live it over & over again....well, i'm experiencing that right now. i want to go back and re-live monday all over again. like the title says, goodbyes suck. on monday i said goodbye to summer 2015 with my boyfriend. as of today, i have seventeen more days left until i get to see him again?! wayyyyyy too long for me. on the upside, when i went to meet him, he surprised me pretty sunflowers which made my day. he knows me too well. this goodbye hit me so hard when i was driving home that night. even though summer 2015 technically doesn't end for me until august 4th, my summer spent with him did. this is making me sad, let's move on.

i get to wake up in less than ten hours...yay! not. i can't wait to spend my last full day in arizona running all over, and trying not to procrastinate when it comes to packing. i'm so bad at packing! how do you pack for a ten day trip?! that's a really long time & too many outfits needed.

GUESS WHAT. i finally figured out computer code for this blog!! it's so pretty now, and almost all of the links work. I'M SO PROUD OF MYSELF FOR FIGURING THIS OUT ON MY OWN. agh, today has been a good day.

in other news, i tried crawfish today...not my favorite. i found the part of their body where they poop and didn't realize that i actually ate that without knowing. it made me sick to my stomach. moral of the story: do not eat crawfish or you'll eat a dead animal's poop. oops. oh and one more thing, do not go to freestone park at night, or you'll get eaten alive by mosquitos like i did. ugh.


okay i'm tired now. so, goodnight beautiful people.

p.s. i'm finally going to post about my camping trip soon!!

-A

he's so cute

& another one because he's cute & i'm just there for decoration 

do you ever miss you childhood? i miss the times where everything was so simple & college seemed like it was lightyears away. i think back to the days when i'd come home from school and watch spongebob with my dad in the family room before mom got home. one of my favorite memories, which was caught on film (thank God), was our trip to Disneyland. i don't remember how old i was, but my parents and i went to the happiest place on earth with our family friends. it was a total blast. on our way back to our hotel, i turn to my mom and say, "come on mom, let's dance." i proceed to shake my booty and skip along to the beat of the music. i was so into it i couldn't walk and dance anymore...i had to stop and dance until my mom made me keep walking. we watched this video a while ago, and my boyfriend never fails to remind me to dance with him whenever we're in public now. yay me. ;)

tonight my parents and i watched toy story 3 together. it was fun watching my parents get so invested in a kid's movie that i've watched numerous times. i'm obsessed with pixar movies. i grew up watching and re-watching toy story, monsters inc., a bug's life, finding nemo, the incredibles, up... those movies are so extremely heartwarming. toy story 3 was surprisingly just as satisfying to watch as the first two. it makes me excited for the fourth one to come out. one of my all-time favorite websites ever is the website explaining the pixar theory. basically, it talks about how each movie is connected, and all of the movies exist in the same timeline/ universe. it literally blew my mind.

anyways, on to the point of this post, watching this movie tonight made me so genuinely happy. to keep up this great mood, i thought i'd share my playlist called "think happy thoughts". i have a very diverse music taste, so the genres vary. i hope that this music makes you as happy as i feel at the moment! :)


THINK HAPPY THOUGHTS
(song // artist or band name)

t-shirt weather // circa waves
she way out // the 1975
take on me // a-ha
welcome to new york // taylor swift
rearview // bad suns
rollercoaster // bleachers
put your records on // corinne bailey rae
lose my mind // brett eldredge
banana pancakes // jack johnson
come on eileen // dexys midnight riders
island in the sun // weezer
sunshine & whiskey // frankie ballard
budapest // george ezra
i want crazy // hunter hayes
stare into the sun // graffiti6
peaches // in the valley below
gold in the summertime // matt nathanson
little bit of everything // keith urban
the middle // jimmy eat world
gold rays // vinyl pinups
catherine // magic man
wrapped up // olly murs
american kids // kenny chesney
vegas lights // panic! at the disco
sleepyhead // passion pit
restart // sam smith
save me, san francisco // train
loving you easy // zac brown band
make me wanna // thomas rhett
dreaming // smallpools

have a great tuesday loves!

-A

at this time next week, i'll be in washington state!! agh..so exciting. spending ten days in my favorite state sounds like a perfect way to end my summer.

i wanted to spend some time talking about someone extremely important to me & my life...my mom. my first friend, and biggest supporter is definitely my mother. you see, lately, i've been watching these really eye-opening videos about people who've lost their mom. for the record, i do not spend my free time looking up these videos...they pop up on my twitter feed (thanks followers for indirectly showing me super sad videos!!) one video in particular was about this former wrestler who got caught up in the wrong crowd, and experimented with drugs & alcohol. he goes on to mention that his mom used to wait up until he would get home (2-4am) to make sure that he arrived home safely. she always asked him if she could talk to him, and he blew her off. fast forward to the future, he received a call while he was out of the country saying that his mother had passed. can you imagine how awful he must've felt? the guilt & sadness that must've consumed his thoughts would be unbearable for anyone.

after five minutes of crying, i started thinking about my own mother. i don't do drugs or alcohol at all, but i can relate with him when he said that his mother waits up for him. regardless if she has work the next morning, my mother (or father) will be in the family room waiting for me to walk through the door. i could be out with my boyfriend, with friends, or at work until late, and no matter the reason, she's always there. i always tell her that she doesn't have to wait for me to get home & that she should go to bed, but she has always responded with, "you'll understand why i do this when you're a mother. it's a mom thing." after that video, i think i finally understand. it's not about seeing what time i get home in order to punish me, she stays up because she wants me to arrive home safely. can you imagine receiving news that something bad happened to your child? whether that news is that they were killed in an accident or they got arrested for doing something stupid, i cannot imagine the pain a mother would feel if they were the one who got that call. i NEVER want to put my mother through that kind of pain. why would you want to hurt the one person who's always been there for you?

i'm extremely close with my mother. i cannot make a decision in my life without consulting her to see what she has to say. i go to her with big decisions like which colleges to apply for, and small decisions like if i should buy a shirt in a small or medium. being an only child, i've grown up with my parents being my best friends. as i enter my senior year, i'm absolutely terrified thinking about next year after i graduate. how am i supposed to live in a dorm one hour away from my family and everything i'm accustomed to? who am i going to go to when i'm stressed and there's no one around to talk to?

my mother is honestly the most amazing person i've ever met in my entire life. i cannot imagine a world without her in it. she is so extremely selfless & unfortunately, she is also under appreciated. i do not thank my mom nearly as much as i should. she does everything for me, and i don't appreciate all of her efforts as much as i should. if i am half the woman she is, i will be so happy. she's the best role model anyone could ask for.

ultimately, be thankful for your mother. give her a call & let her know how important she is. mother's day is everyday...not just once a year.

since i know you check my blog...thanks mom for being who you are...i love you & cannot wait for ten days in washington w/ you.

P.S. if you want to check out the video i mentioned earlier, click the link right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EyniGvsVg8


-A

have you ever noticed that whenever one part of your life starts getting hard, everything else continues to come tumbling down as well? that's what it feels like lately in my life. it's getting harder & harder to have faith that God knows what he's doing with my life. i constantly find myself questioning God asking stuff like, "why me?" and "how am i supposed to fix this?". letting go & letting God work his magic is oh so very hard, and i struggle with this concept so much. i started looking up bible verses for times when i need to stay positive & i found some that are perfect for describing the difficult situations in my life that i'm facing at the moment.

when others are spreading false information about you:

matthew 15:11 - "it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”

ephesians 4:31-32 - "let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. be kind to one another, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

proverbs 15:1 - "a soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."

hebrews 13:6 - "so we can confidently say, "the Lord is my helper; i will not fear; what can man do to me?"

proverbs 18:7 - "a fool's mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul."

when you feel like giving up or losing faith:

isaiah 41:10 - "fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

jeremiah 29:11 - "for I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

romans 12:2 - "do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

john 14:27 - "peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

romans 12:12 - "rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer."

i've been all kinds of emotional lately, especially at night, but i truly feel like all of this is temporary. sadness only stays as long as you allow it to. positivity is a mindset. 

have a lovely wednesday

-A

so i'm currently in my room watching spongebob & started thinking about the events that took place this tuesday. i had an eye doctor appointment aka one of the visits i dread the most. i've had terrible eyesight since i was around 6..., or at least that's when they figured out i couldn't see (crazy, right?) anyways, one of my biggest fears is becoming blind. i love this beautiful world, and i can't imagine living on this planet without my vision. just for some perspective here...my vision is 20/800. i can't even see the big E. THE BIGGEST LETTER ON THE CHART. I CAN'T SEE IT. when i found that out, it made my heart sink & i immediately thought the worst, but god is so good & reassured me that everything would be okay. facing my fear head on, i was told there is no chance i'll ever go blind & that my vision has only minimally gotten worse since 2013 when i came in last. for the rest of the day i started thinking about everything i take for granted. my vision is definitely in the top five. i made a little list of the things i'd miss most if i lost my vision & when i read it over i started to cry. my list goes something like this:

-seeing my parents' faces everyday
-seeing the worship band @ church jam out for jesus
-seeing my boyfriend's cute smile or how his faces lights up when he gets over excited about something...seriously one of my favorite things in the entire world
-seeing a band or artist live in concert pour their heart out into the music
-seeing my grandparents' smiles when i come over to visit
-watching stupid tv shows that have no substance, but make me laugh regardless
-looking through a camera lens & capturing a moment that i can look @ forever
-sunflowers. sunflowers. sunflowers. sunflowers
-seeing my best friend jenny laugh at herself or at something cheesy i said
-the clouds move. wow. i love that.
-shopping. i'd really miss looking at beautifully expensive clothing that i know i'll never own
-my room. my safe haven from all the negativity that comes along with being a teenager
-watching a storm roll in & the lightning show that goes on forever & never gets old
-READING BOOKS. dang that would kill me inside to never be able to look at words on paper again.
-movies. i'd really miss watching a 90 minute long production that has the ability to make me cry uncontrollably, scream my head off, laugh until i tear up, or make me see the world in a different way
-sunsets....nothing beats an arizona sunset. absolutely nothing.
-colors. especially pastels.
-watching my dad prepare dinner & seeing how he turns regular items into an amazing meal
-traveling & exploring new places...i'd miss seeing the ocean waves crash at laguna beach & the rainy days at pike place market or snow days in northern arizona

there's so much more i could add to this list, but i think that's good for now. it's crazy how much i take for granted without even realizing it. after learning the news today that i'll never have to experience the loss of any of the items on that list, i can honestly say that i have a better appreciation for my sight & the technology that has made it possible for me to continue my life wearing glasses or contacts without the fear of going blind or without clear vision. i'm extremely emotional right now given the fact that it is almost one in the morning. i've been such a ball of stress lately that this was a wake-up call that was definitely needed.

have a great day beautiful people & don't forget to smile because this world is incredible

-A

thankful thursdays:

technically, it is still wednesday as i'm sitting here typing this. the early bird gets the worm, right? i feel like this is the start of a weekly reflection post. it's so important to remember what you're thankful for & to remember how truly blessed you are. today, i want to talk about someone i'm extremely grateful for. (hint: this isn't about one of my parents...they get their own post soon). i wanted to take a moment and recognize my boyfriend anthony. this isn't some sappy post about how great he is, but he does deserve some praise. i'm a handful. anyone who knows me will vouch for that. i'm emotional, irrational, selfish, and at times immature. how anyone could love me despite my flaws blows my mind. i sometimes question how God could possibly love me unconditionally. anyways, i met this guy a long time ago, and on july 8th, we'll have been together for fifteen months. that. is. insane!! to be with someone for that long comes with a lot of ups and downs, but it also comes with so much love and happiness. we're certainly not perfect, and i wouldn't want us to be. he gets on my nerves, and i have my fair share of rude comments sent his way, but i can't imagine being with someone else. we fight, we laugh, we adventure, and we experience life together. i can honestly say that he has been a huge part of my life that i don't want to leave anytime soon.

the "grossology" exhibit at the arizona science center

getting my nerd on:

this past saturday he treated me to a day of exploring downtown phoenix. this is significant because i never go to his side of town. he always comes up to gilbert. we went to the science center and relived our childhood. sushi is our go-to type of food to get, so naturally i found a sushi place that we thought was decent. after a lots of walking and exploring, we went back towards his house to swim. i had so much fun i came back the next day! swimming with his little sisters + eating dinner with his family was a new experience for me which was long overdue given that we've been together for so long. i strongly believe that God put this amazing guy in my life because he knew that i needed him. anthony's my person. spending the weekend with him and his great family was definitely one of the best visits wit him i've ever had.

ultimately, i'm a mess, but i'm so so so thankful to be the girlfriend of someone so patient. it takes a special kind of person, (and a someone a little crazy) to put up with me... i don't know how he does it.

here are some pictures from our weekend together :)

starting our afternoon off with some sushi...yes that is filet on top!

anthony & me at the technology exhibit @ the arizona science center

this pinball machine was my favorite part of the
exhibit even though anthony beat me every time!

swim day w/ my favorite! this is a rare selfie
because usually we're too busy laughing

-A