College Prep and Birthday

I feel slightly like a terrible person since I haven't posted in about a month, and I have spent more time updating the look of my blog than writing. Yes, it is the same quirky blog, but it looks different. I thought for the past few weeks that I didn't have anything to write about since I had spent all of my time getting ready for college and hadn't done anything "special" or "fun". Then all of a sudden, I had a super eventful week and realized at the same time that I could have just written about getting ready for school.

To get ready for school, I have spent time packing and all that other boring stuff, but I have also utilized my creative outlet and made canvas signs to decorate Emily's and my bedroom in the apartment. It has taken a while, but I am thrilled to have them. I used a Cricut cutter to cut each word out of card stock, then I modge-podged them onto painted canvases and modge-podged over everything to secure it. The signs all have something that will motivate me to keep moving forward and to enjoy life.

While making these signs, I had some fun and felt a little like Jackson Pollock while painting the canvases when I would initially put the paint on before spreading it around the canvas.

I am so glad that these signs are almost done! They have been lots of fun to work on, but I am ready, and my mom is REALLY ready to have the mess cleaned up.

Last Friday I had the chance to ride the famous Hiawatha Trail with Nathan and his family. This 50 mile bike trail truly displays the natural beauty of the inland northwest. Here is a picture of one of the tunnels on the beautiful trail that I found at the Hiawatha Trail website.

This picture was taken at the end of the first tunnel on the trail. That tunnel is almost two miles long, so it's pretty dark inside. I can now say that I know what "tunnel vision" is after riding through that tunnel with only a headlamp to guide me. It was absolutely stunning, and we had a wonderful time spending the day in this beautiful world.

Last thing, today is my 18th birthday. It's weird being an official adult. I got fancy notifications from Facebook telling me that they wouldn't automatically keep my things private, but I have them all set that way anyway, and I have to fill out my own paperwork for my orthodontist appointment tomorrow, and it just feels strange. I have had lots of wonderful birthday wishes and gifts from family and friends, and I got the best present from the sister missionaries that are serving in our congregation right now. I have spent a TON of time with them the last few months, and they have become some of my good friends. They left me this adorable heart-attack in my bedroom today while I was gone and left me a yummy bottle of lotion and some gum. I seriously love them and hope the best for them as they serve the Lord and live their lives both on and after their missions. I feel so blessed that I have had the opportunity to get to know both Sister Knowlton and Sister Clark. They have blessed my life so much more than they could ever imagine.