Bad Networking

Straight from the pages of Teen Vogue...

''From misinterpreted text messages to bullies on Facebook, is digital drama ruining your life?"

Hmm.. ask yourself that question...

Answer it truthfully....

YES!!!

     Facebook and Twitter, as well as text messaging started off harmless with good intentions. For lack of a better figure of speech, those 'good intentions' have been hot to hell. Everyone has disregarded the 'if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all' lesson too. I will admit in the past I didn't use Facebook or Twitter to 'connect with friends',but to more or less say hurtful things digitally because I wouldn't dare say the hurtful things to someones face! Facebook, Twitter, and text messaging have a tendency to be taken totally the wrong way in many situations. Things people say digitally can be turned around, and misunderstood. 

     I personally was fed up with being drug into drama which didn't have anything to do with me, tired of being associated with antagonistic things via Facebook, and most of all I was beyond over the negativity involved in what people had to say. Sure, you can voice your opinion, but why do so when no one wants to hear it? 

     I don't necessarily remember the exact post that was my last straw, but I've been Facebook/ Twitter free for almost three months. I get asked "how do you live without it?", "aren't you so bored? i would be!" quite frequently. But trust me, their is more to life than Facebook. I say Facebook because Twitter is just boring. One of my teachers, the one I have mentioned in previous posts, deleted hers a mere few weeks before the rest of us. Myself, and three other students in this Teen Living course all deleted ours the same day. The teacher, one other girl, and myself are the only ones who have remained "Facebook/ Twitter free".. and it feels great! It's kind of exciting knowing no one has a clue what your doing, who your hanging out with, etc. I also love not knowing all the drama. Not knowing = not being drug into...win/win! For some reasons my friends get a spark of joy from filling me in on who's fighting, who's loving, that sort of jazz.. Personally, now, I could care less what anyone is doing! The only disadvantage of being anti-social network is if you have family scattered all across the state, as do I, you miss out on seeing things they are up too. But if it was highly important, I'd get a call. I would not say I was bullied via Facebook, but I can assure you I wasn't always 'welcome' in some peoples minds. Why they didn't delete me instead of trash talk me is beyond me, but everyone is entitled to make decisions for themselves! 

Here is the fun part...I challenge you: 

*if any of my readers are non-religious i apologize*

  During the season of Lent*, which begins today (Ash Wednesday) and runs all the way until the day before Good Friday (Thursday, April 5th, 2012) I triple double dog DARE you, to go all of Lent without Facebook. If you would like to participate in this challenge, leave a comment telling me you are. Spend the time you would usually spend on Facebook doing something new and energetic! Try cooking dinner for your family a few times a week, or spending more time outdoors. Maybe focus on your school work for a change. Whatever motivates you to make that change to show God that you can put your wants aside, and worship him. Instead of laying in bed, right before bed, checking your Facebook... pray. Not knowing what to pray about isn't an excuse.  Start by telling the Lord all the things your so very thankful for... the rest will come naturally. 

Are you going to except my challenge??

***The purpose of Lent is to provide that purification by weaning men from sin and selfishness through self-denial and prayer, by creating in them the desire to do God’s will and to make His kingdom come by making it come first of all in their hearts♥

Hump Day!

HAPPY HUMP-DAY DOLLS!! 

Wednesday, or the hump of the week 
The absolute BEST day of the week, the day of maximum hope that maybe, you might make it out of this week alive. A particularly good hump day can last you the rest of the week, and by Doomday morning (Monday) you survive by anticipating hump day. Nothing goes wrong on hump day 
Most other days can be defined by hump day. Tuesday is the day before hump day. Thursday is one day after hump day. Except Friday is WOOOH!!! FREEDOM!!! Day, Saturday is Mostly Hungover day, and Sunday is PreDoom day. 
Hump day has nothing to do with sex. Unless one wants it to. I like to declare the existence of hump day just to see people's faces. Usually being conservative and all...

Out of the kindness of my heart, and as a 'thank you' to all my supportive blog followers/readers... I've decided I will share with you several deliciously great ideas that may add some spice to your everyday spin of events as a Hump Day special! :)

1. How to make your acrylics last longer: paint them!

Yes, paint over them. My acrylics have been one for a week & a half: they had grown out a tad and the acrylic stuff was starting to 'pop' off my real nail. I wasn't ready to part with them considering I paid $25 for the dang things! So, I picked my favorite shade of pink and painted over them, applying two coats and a clear top coat. My key was I avoided painting the area where the acrylic wasn't.. why? I figured having two different elevations of nail would look odd. 

Nothing to it. I received several compliments... I thought they looked pretty darn good myself!

2. Add some zest to Crescent Rolls: Pepperoni Pizza Roll-Ups! 

Needed- pepperoni, mozzarella cheese (in whichever form you prefer), crescent rolls (any brand will do I suppose), marinara sauce (for dipping)

*Unroll crescent rolls, flat

**top with 3-4 pepperoni's, half a slice/stick of mozzarella cheese

***roll up and smash (to keep from unrolling while baking)

****preheat and bake as directed on the crescent roll container 

ENJOY!! :)

3. Texture is Tasteful: Beyond the Zone Power Lift

Amazing volume spray foam! I added the note to pick some volumizing spray foam up at the store after watching Kate from  http://www.thesmallthingsblog.com 's video on how to style your bangs and apply aquage uplifting foam! Kate does amazing hairstyle tutorial videos, btw! She noted aquage was only sold at salons, not at drugstores. So, I figured the regular brand would a fine job for my needs! The Beyond the Zone Power Lift is a spray foam which you apply to your roots while your hair is still damp, then massage into your hair, blow dry and style! It gives your hair a wonderful texture to work with, along with a fabulous scent! I have officially added this to my list of favorite/essential hair products! Very inexpensive but does the trick! 
The link above will take you directly to Kate's video tutorial on how she applies her uplifting foam..which is identical to the way I apply mine! 

I hope if anyone tries the ideas I've posted above, they find them all successful and enjoyable! XOXO♥ Happy Hump Day!!

Learn Anything At School Today?

     'Learn anything at school today, Honey??'

      Oh boy, has this statement taken a turn for the worse. No longer when I am asked this does my mind wander back to what was taught in my classes. In my classes, things my teachers preach tends to go in one ear... and right back out the other. Gossip.. now gossip sticks. I could tell you exactly who was doing what three months ago. Ask me what I did three months ago in World History, you'll receive a blank stare! Take a moment, right now, to ask yourself "What did I learn today?" What you learned doesn't have to be school related. You could have learned who's fighting, who's doing what, whose when where with who...anything really. When I personally did this little 'activity' about five minutes ago, I was kind of shocked at all the thinks I didn't know before today, that I now know. I learned that secrets definitely don't make friends, but they break them. I learned that while your going through hell, you can't stop.. you just got to keep truckin'. And I realized that you can't move on to the next chapter, if you keep re-reading the last one. Starting right now, well tomorrow morning. I am done with chapter eleven. I should have thrown chapter eleven to the wind when the new year started. But I did not. I kept re-reading it because nothing seemed to make sense. I figured if I read a little deeper into it, things would clear up. HA! It seemed as if things got foggier and fuzzier. I guess in life things don't always have to make sense. Maybe being a little unsure of the events was in God's plan for me; maybe the comprehension of last years unfortunate events will clear up as I keep reading. Chapter Twelve, here I come. Whatever it throws my way.. I'm ready. Heads up, shoulders back, eyes open. 
     You get sick -and-tired of being sick-and-tired. There comes a time when you've got to 'Cowgirl Up'. Put the past in the past and leave it there. I has taken me sometime to come to terms with the fact that things that have happened, have happened for reasons that I couldn't control. Knowing that I couldn't control what happens, also means that I can't change it. Chapter Eleven has been written. In ink. No erasing, no crumpling the paper and starting over. It has happened. Trying to change the past is like trying to explain how water tastes. Utterly impossible! So, I'm done. Done toying with pointless people. Done stressing over situations that don't involve me. And I am done wearing myself out emotionally. I'm moving on: putting chapter eleven in the past, and moving on the chapter twelve. 

From the country, & I like it that way...

Hello blog readers, or should I say 'Howdy my felllow mud slingin' country folk!' I regret to inform you that if you have associated with my four wheeler and myself on various ventures high and low, our secrecy has been shot to hell. It's all over...we've been caught! Well it isn't all over! THE SOUTH HAS RISEN AGAIN! It is my pleasure to announce, with great pride, that we have earned ourselves a spot on the agenda at the annual Emerald Bay Homeowners Association's meeting. In a email sent to all home-owner's in this here neighborhood, it was said that one thing discuss was the need to install a four wheeler path around the front gate to replace the bushes, that have been destroyed by us driving four wheeler's over it. Ops...? It ain't our fault the gate is weight sensitive! I like to think of it as a protest. Against what? Well that I ain't sure off but there are plenty of things I could complain about regarding this here neighborhood that I reside in! Considering we play home owners whatever every year, the money used to buy & plant those bushes came out of my parents pocket. Therefore, they are my bushes too. And if I wish to run them over to get where I need to go.. I will do it! To throw my personal punch in.. the bush was dead anyways. Like my running it over made that much of a difference. Another point I must make..the bush goes underneath the four wheeler. Never have I ever hit the bush full on with one of my tires. Sheesh! So y'all waste your high class Ben Franklin's on my personal four wheeler path. Or purchase me a $15 dollar gate opener button. Your call. :)

Five Most Annoying Questions

This is one of my most pointless posts yet but I feel the need to state the next five questions that annoy the crap out of me. If you are in fact a reader, and have asked any of these five questions...please refrain from doing so again. & if you have not asked me one of these questions. Thank you.. keep up the good work :)

Following are five questions that I hate being asked...

1.) Why did you delete your Facebook? 

Here's a better question: why do you have one when you've never met 2/3 of your 'friends'??

2.) So you and Tyler really have not done anything?!? Y'all have been dating forever....!

Sorry if my non-existing sex life bothers you. But, even when I gain one in the future, chances are I won't publicly discuss/brag about it.

3.) Why don't you live with your sister?

None of your business. Why does it concern you?

4.) Are you the good or bad twin?

Neither. My name is Rachel.. not Good or Bad.

5.) Can I copy your homework?

This one is different from the others. But it bothers me when people ask me this. Heads up... the answer is NO. I had to take time out of my day to do it.. you should do the same. 

Sorry guys if you were expecting some moving piece of writing but one reason for my starting of this blog was to express my feelings in a blunt yet healthy way. So there it is...

Famous Valentines Cake!

A dash of this & a dash of that and PRESTO! My all time favorite cake has got to be strawberry! What better than a pink colored cake, for the day of pink and red! Enjoy savoring over my famous strawberry cake, which my valentine & I will devour..quickly...right after school tomorrow! :)

Make enough batter to feel two cake pans a little under half way full

....bake!

....ICE!

....make googly eyes at until time to eat :)

Don't make fun. Famous means it taste good. I ain't on the Next Great Baker ;) 

It's the thought that counts!

Nine Months & Counting♥

Readers, on this very day.. around this very time, my boy friend of nine months asked me to be his girlfriend. Of course I said yes considering he is still my boy friend! He has been the best boy friend I could have asked for/ dreamed of. Tyler Brown is the definition of a true southern gentleman. He is very understanding, supportive, and kind. Not to mention cuter than a speckled pup in a wagon! What more could a girl want?? 

Continue reading if your up for a good love story...♥

“I love you. I am who I am because of you. You are every reason, every hope, and every dream I've ever had, and no matter what happens to us in the future, everyday we are together is the greatest day of my life. I will always be yours. ” ― Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess named Rachel. All she wanted was a big, strong cowboy to whisk her off into the sunset. Okay, that was a little dramatic. I'm not exactly a princess, but my amazing boy friend makes me feel like one. I'll be completely honest, neither me nor Tyler thought our relationship would've progressed this far. We were to vastly different people, so we thought, with little in common. After that windy May night, both our crazy pasts slowly would unfold. We both soon realized that we were like peas & carrots. Tyler and I shared the same values, the same sense of humor, the same interest. As the weeks progressed we made numerous memories together. Some good, some fantastic. I'll never forget the first time I met his family, attended a tractor pull with him (now that was an experience!), or the first time he held me real tight while I cried my eyes out. Tyler has gone to extreme lengths to help me through a lot of things I assume most couples our age wouldn't be able to go through. He would go for the moon and back for me, and he knows I would do the same for him. Looking at his outer appearance, you'd never guess he was the best snuggler in the whole country. Or that the sweetest things would come out of that goofy grin. I love my boy friend more than I  can begin to tell anyone. He is special... by looking at us together, anyone could tell that we mean a lot to each other. Tyler is the straw to my berry. Corny, but true. Nine months later, we are still going extremely strong and there is no way I could have pictured this past almost a year without him. I love you Tyler Reid Brown. Thank you for everything you do, and everything you will do in the future. Your number one in my book, I hope I'm number one in yours.♥

First Picture Together

First Tractor Pull Together :)

4th of July

First Photo Shoot, via Regan 

Twin Day :)

First High School Formal, First Time Seeing Each Other Snazzy'd Up!

Happy Girl!

On Friday, May 13th, (yes, Friday the 13th) I embarked on what would be the most life changing relationship I could ever imagine. I've learned more than I have my whole life these past nine months, not only about what love is... but how important the small things in life really are. Tyler Brown has taught me that it is okay to love and to trust, because you can't hold yourself back forever. You never know what the future holds and you never know what could happen if your fearless. He has taught me to worry about nothing, but pray about everything. He really helped me open my heart up, and to be more receptive to what everyone around me is offering. In return, I feel as if I have taught him a lot too. Looking back nine months ago, I realize I am not the same person I used to be. I have grown up and matured a great deal.

I ♥ him...

& he ♥'s me!

xoxo♥