Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today I woke up and got right to work... baking pies and cookies.

We had Thanksgiving for the first time since I've been alive at our house this year, and it was time for new traditions and old to come together. My mom, Mckenzie and I cooked all day and dropped a lot of things and my mom made a grilled cheese for my dad with no cheese and i iced a lot of cookies. It was great. I love spending time with my family. I love when McKenzie comes over, and I really miss living with her. I love how my mom cares so much about the food she makes and meals for our family and presentation and making everything perfect. I love how I'm learning how to do a Thanksgiving for my own family one day.

At dinner we went around and said what we were thankful for. I was thankful for getting to work at Camp T and all the friends I've met there, and for all my older brothers and sisters. Tom was thankful for his wife and his four healthy children. Carter was thankful for his older brother Griffin. My mom was thankful for all her kids and their families, since she doesn't have much family left on her side. My day was thankful for all 5 of his kids and each of their special traits. Mckenzie was thankful for her new husband, Everett. Reagan was thankful for chocolate. We all just had a lot of thanks.

So much thanks that after having a photo-booth photo shoot, Reagan and I decided to make a video about it.













Monday, November 14, 2011

"Gotta move onwards, the only direction"

After what has been the longest blog slump ever, I had such an inspiring weekend I couldn't put off a new post any longer. Last weekend Mags came to town and with her came a lot of fun, laughter, and love. Thats what happens when best friends get the chance to spend time together in real life. Crazy.

Mags arrived early on Friday, giving us the whole day together, and me a chance to miss a lot of the school day. We split a cinnamon role and headed to Panera to pick up lunch to take and eat with Sar in her classroom. I loved driving around and seeing loudly in the car and joking and story telling with Mags. Being real life friends is so much better than being Facebook, texting, and Skype friends. We arrived at Sarah's school with bread bowls and diet cokes.

I love seeing this part of Sarah's life. You can tell she loves her job and loves her kids and is really good at what she does. 7th graders are really funny. I particularly liked freaking them all out at the beginning of class and when Mags referred to me as "Miss Henry". We told them we were 8th graders. I think they believed it.


The rest of Friday was filled with more time with Sar, fro-yo, a visit to Girls Club president Reagan, my sister shane, Carter and Blake, and a trip to Purdue.


Saturday we rested a lot. And by a lot I really mean a lot. I love Mags and napping with her and just laying around and spending time together. Its great to have friends who you can "just be" with. Those are the best kinds of friends- ones where you have fun even when you're doing nothing at all. Mags is that friend to me. We scratch each others backs and make each other laugh and just lay.

Saturday night we ate Mellow Mushroom with some other really awesome camp girls. I love that Alli Kenney is so honest and caring and excited to see everyone and hear how they are. I love how Emily and Avery are best friends and crazy and have all kinds of stories to tell. I love how Col is hilarious and fun and goes to the bathroom before she comes over to see us because she has to pee so bad. After some more fro-yo we visited the Odle house. Olivia is real great, and we got to spend some quality time with her and her really cousins. I may or may not have made a 6 year old really angry at me and hide in a bathtub. After our visit me, Mags, Col, Gab, Mads, and Hayley went to see Footloose. Naturally it was followed by a parking lot dance party. Possibly the most fun I've had all month.



Sunday Mags and I woke up bright and early to meet Sar for breakfast at Cafe Patachou. Mags was introduced to The Omelet You Can't Refuse and Sar caught us up on her busy day since we'd last seen her. It was great. I love them. After breakfast Mags and I did a little shopping after I set the record for the World's fastest shower. (But seriously, it was SO fast) . All too soon it was time for Mags to head back to Peoria.


This weekend I got to hang out with one of the best friends I could ever imagine. Maggie is constantly present in my life, even when we don't get to be in the same city. But when we are, our time together is all the more special. Mags is hilarious and honest and caring and makes me want to be a better version of myself. She radiates joy and life from the inside out and I love just being around her. I'm so thankful for a weekend full of Maggie and her constant ability to make everyone around her feel special and loved.