☆ what's up july ☆

Heyyyyyy guys how's it going? Are you doing well? I SINCERELY HOPE SO.  But if you're not, then remember that you are loved and there's a reason for everything.  Truly.  

SO *aheM* I type this post out on July 2, but, I mean, July practically just started, right? This morning I was thinking about how insane it is that July is...HERE.   Like, it's July 2018, fam.  2018 is flying past our eyes.  asdfklJKFJSs

Last year I did a monthly wrap-up post every month and I loved doing those, but...obviously this year I haven't :P However...I did get a little motivation to challenge myself to make a list of things I want to do this July.  Inspiration is a truly beautiful thing, y'all.  SO here is the list of what I want to do this July of 2018.  WAH LAAAAAA

also my q&a is dropping THIS WEEK.  mark your calendars folks.

YEP.  So technically I should've gotten my driver's permit last month, buuuuuut.....I had no motivation for a lot of things last month, and overall I just wasn't ready.  I mean, I'm still not ready to take the test, but I want to make sure I at least study and TRY to take the test once this month.  I just think it's so funny how literally all (well...a lot) of my friends (not that I actually have that many friends...more like people I know lOL) got their permits the day after they turned sixteen and I'm just like...*throws up peace signs* 

SO, as you know, my first ever Q&A video is dropping this week (!!!!!!!!), but I'm definitely planning on continuing and keep making videos for YouTube.  July is National Ice Cream Month, and the thought occurred to me the other week that A VIDEO FEATURING ICE CREAM MIGHT BE IN ORDER.  maybe. (also, what's some of your favorite ice cream brands etc.? they might be featured in the video! haha no but for real)

 I have a friend (yep that's right I do), and she's SUPER into rabbits and all of that.  She has a website and sells them to literally people from all OVER.  It's her passion :P So she asked me a while back if I would take some pictures for her website of HER RABBITS.  Am I excited? YOU BET I AM.  I mean....a rabbit photoshoot? That's pretty rad, right? xD 

June was definitely a harder month for me in a lot of areas, and to be totally honest, I really don't know what the next step is in life for me or what I should do next.  I don't know what to do.  But I definitely want to at least take small steps in July, regardless of whatever that may look like.  Right now, I don't know.  But I'm praying God does, and that He'll show me who He really is.  In the midst of all the troubles and struggles of my life.  Overall I'm hoping and praying July is a slightly better month than June.  x

SO.  Yep.  that's about it.  JULY IS HERE.  *moment of silence* also it currently feels like we're in a heat wave and I AM LIVING FOR IT.  I love summer haha ♥ 

What's some of your favorite ice cream brands/ways to eat ice cream? I'm trying to figure out how I want the video to be, so suggestions would be mucho appreciated! (i butchered spanish i know yes) 

how are you doing? excited for the q&a? I AM! (and also slightly nervous but hahaaaa) also I'm so excited for the fourth of july! are you doing anything to celebrate (if you're in the US, that is xD)? i bought a USA sweatshirt! :P 

xx

autumn

2k17

When I look back on this year and try to sum it up, the words that come to my mind are: continual change, growth, learning.  It was a hard year.  But it was also a good year.  Why? Because I learned.  And God was faithful.  Without this year, I would definitely not be the person I am today.  And for that, I'm thankful.

So today I want to summarize this year.  We're heading into 2018, great.  I just want to wrap this year up on a good note on the blog, so let's get into it.

So I went back and looked at my 2k16 post from last year.  Wow things change fast xD

My word for 2017 was "BELIEVE".  At the time I wrote that post, it was nice.  But quite honestly that phrase didn't really stick with me throughout this year.  Maybe it was just through the ups and downs of life and all that I kind of forgot it and went with the flow.

I learned a ton this year.  Found out who I really am.  And I fell in love even more deeply with my passions.  I have no idea how it'll all work out, but I know (to a certain extent) what I want to do with my life.  I have no flipping idea how I'll get there or if it'll play out like I want to in my head (probably not), but I know what I want.

Overall, 2017 was a year of growth.  And I'm still growing.  I have a long, long ways to go yet, but I'm getting there, one day at a time.  And that's all you can do for anything.  Moment by moment.  That's how you live  life.  (why do i feel like this post is so deep lolz)

Okay, let's be honest.  Writing this year wasn't the very best,  I'll say that much.  First and foremost, my novel that I had started working on around NaNo 2016 was what I had wanted to finish this year.  But as things turned out, the hard drive that had been on the computer I was writing it on malfunctioned and quit working.  SO we got a new hard drive and are pretty much still in the process of trying to recover what we can off of the old one.  We have a brand new memory now, so while that is nice to some extent, everything that I had (INCLUDING MY NOVEL) is gone.  *headdesk*

So looking ahead to 2018 writing wise, I want to get back into writing.  I'm part of a writer's group where we send short stories to each other one month and then critique them the next for each other, which is super nice because it really forces me to actually write every month.  Other than that, I'm going to really try to figure out what's going on with the old hard drive and retrieve my novel and HOPEFULLY finish writing it.  But we'll see.  I'm hoping that 2018 is a better writing year than this year was.

+ Skating became a huge, huge part of my life.  I know the rink, the staff, the ice so well now xD Almost like a second home haha!  Speaking of which, I just passed my first USFS skating test this past week! (thank you Jesus)

+ Home renovating became my newest hobby.  Fixer Upper started it :D I binge watched that show so much this summer, and let me just say that Chip and Joanna Gaines inspire me so much.  (Also now I'm deep in painting projects around my home.  Great.)

+ I got a new phone (major plus: it actually works!)

+ This summer taught me many lessons, but most importantly it taught me who I am and what I truly want to do with my life.  I'm chasing that passion with God's help now.  The hustle is real.
+ Solar eclipse happened!! 

+ I found confidence.  In Christ alone.  I learned so much this year, and I learned so much about what's really important in life.  2017 stretched me so much, but it taught me the best lessons.  Lessons that I needed.  I know who I am, and this life's not about me, it's about Christ.

+ I got new glasses because my old ones broke >_<
+ I finished reading the Bible the whole way through.

+ Got into gardening.  Don't get me wrong, I was always a gardener, but this year I got into it so much more.  It's super fun yo :D

+ Got my braces off

+ What happened to this country, man. What happened in pop culture.  If 2017 taught us anything, it should have taught us how much we need God. 

Blogging in 2017 was fairly good.  I kind of talked about it in my last post so there's not really a whole lot more I have to say, but sticking to a schedule really helped me out this year.  If you're considering starting a schedule for your blog, I'd 10/10 recommend it.  True, there were a few nights I was up at Wednesday night trying to finish the post before 12 P.M. and make it somewhat coherent, but most of the time it really helped me stay focused and make blogging more of a habit. 

 I already covered most of the stuff about blogging in my last post, but just to refresh I'm planning on posting 3-4 times a month in 2018.  I'm not going to post on a set date or anything; I just have the total amount of times a post will get up that one month.  SO YEAH.  I'm looking forward to it! The last few months of 2017 haven't been the greatest blogging-wise, so I'm hoping to step it up a little in the new year.  YEET.  Also, the new blog design inspires me a little more to actually blog so that's always a good thing.  

And, just for fun, my most popular posts this year were: (1) "My Top 8 Self-Publishing Tips" | Livy Jarmusch | Regal Hearts Book Tour (2) 24 Blog Post Ideas (For When You Have Nothing to Post) (3) The Behind the Scenes of a DIY-er's Life | Julia Ryan.  WHAT A YEAR.

2016 was a year of crazy change in my life, most of it hard.  2017 was a year of growth--learning to bloom where I'm planted and learning about what's really important in this life.  It was a kind of mundane year, but at the same time not.  But it was a good year overall. :)  

2018? At the moment, I don't know if anything that I "want" is going to happen this upcoming year, but I'm praying.  But 2018 holds some major milestones in my life (which will probably be documented on the blog LOL), and I'm a little nervous about them.  But it's good.  It's life.  It's growing (up).  So I'm just taking it one day at a time.  Making the most out of every day and staying focused on what's important and remembering the best is yet to come.  

xxx

 SO WHAT ABOUT YOU? If you had to describe 2017 in one word what would it be? What were some of your most memorable moments of this year and what are you looking forward to in the new year? 

adiós till next year amigos,

autumn 

November Wrap-Up | LAST MONTH OF THE YEAR!?!

Folks, we are this close to the last month of 2017.

Let that sink in.

Now, Christmas is next month.  I repeat: CHRISTMAS IS NEXT MONTH!!!!

(see: trying to balance the sad & happy at the same time xD)

+ I made...a new friend? So for my health class, we had a long term assignement to basically...make a new friend.  Someone out of our own age group, and obviously someone that we didn't already know.  We had to go out of our way to talk to them and maybe even do something for them.  SO.  Earlier this month I went out to my neighbor's place (she has like, five girls) and I baked triple decker brownies with them.  It was fun, delicious, and a pretty fun school assignment if I do say so :D

+ Paint, paint, and more paint.  Honestly, I should just go over this whole year's worth of blog posts and see how many times I've referenced paint.  It's become such a big part of my life.  LOLOL But it has.  Sadly.  This month, I'm so so close to being done with my project/music room, and we're almost done with painting our entire dining room/hallway.  SO! MUCH! PAINT! AND! WORK! We literally spent a whole day painting, not to mention all the other days I've spent painting  MAN.

+ It snowed on the 6th of November.  WHAT! I walked out of school and lo and behold there was snow.  I was literally so surprised xD I think it put me in the festive mood so much earlier than I normally am, which iS GREAT.  But, it hasn't snowed since soooo.....

+ The power went out for a while.  For like, a day and a half.  IT WAS SO STRANGE.  It was hard, obviously, but it also made me realize how truly first world I am.  I'm just so much more grateful for electricity now :P It was awful.

+ Tried pumpkin spice donuts.  MEH.  I tried this recipe, if you want to check it out.  The deep frying part was fine, it was just that the donuts themselves weren't that great.

+ Thanksgiving was awesome. (Black Friday too) IT WAS A LOVELY THANKSGIVING BREAK OVERALL

+ WRITE Um, not really? I don't know where November went honestly, guys.  I feel like I got nothing practical done this month *cries in corner*

+ Make pumpkin stuff.  BUT this I did do! So that's good.  I made a pumpkin pie, pumpkin roll, and pumpkin cupcakes.  PLENTY of pumpkin xD

Now bring on the holidays.

 + Visit Starbucks! Didn't get to do this this month, but I'm planning to in December.

+ Work on a new blog design.  Nope.  >_<

I literally have one goal for December -

+ Enjoy the last month of 2017 & not stress & live in the moment & make the most out of it & not procrastinate 

+++

I'm so sorry I got this post up a day later than I was supposed to, y'all :( I've been kind of busy lately, and I should've probably taken the time to do write this post in advance then.  I didn't even put any pictures in because I'm really running low on time.  I IS SORRY.  I'm thinking I'm going to rearrange my posting schedule next year, maybe? What do you guys do? Do you think it's better to stick to a schedule or have a loose idea of what you want to do? 

ANYWAYS Happy December!!!! Crazy to think we're so near the end of yet another year.  woo.  What are some things you're looking forward to in December? How was your November? I hope you all have a lovely day and here's to a great month by Christ's strength xx

autumn 

October Wrap-up | November Goals

story of my life: I thought about it yesterday: HOW IS THE YEAR ALMOST ENDING?

no but for real though xD

I feel like it's so strange how slow sometimes time can be, but then before you know it another month passes by and boom WE'RE AT NOVEMBER ALREADY.  Also, this time of year always zips by so fast.  I think it's because of the holidays and school and all that craziness. *sigh* SO EMBRACE THE MOMENT, KIDS.

2017 is coming to a close.  ok yeah i still can't over get that.

+ I got the 50 mm lens!! The Canon 50 mm f/1.8 lens, to be PRECISE.  It's the cheapest 50 mm lens out there, I know, but one of my friends who lives a few hours away was coming down for a visit earlier this month and we'd wanted to have a photo shoot; therefore, I bought this one instead of doing all the research and trying to figure out which one would be the best and all that.

 I still need to edit the pictures from that photo shoot (I procrastinate so much please send help), but YEAH.  (also I got Lightroom YAY! Also what in the world, Adobe, why did you confuse me by making two Lightroom apps?)
ANYWAY here are some pictures from what I've been messing around with from the 50 mm! I'M LITERALLY SO PUMPED ABOUT THIS ONE.

(also, note: all of these pictures are straight out of the camera :P NO EDITING)

+ I went to a corn maze!! For the first time ever.  It was actually pretty fun, once we got the hang of it :) BUT I would not recommend going late at night if it's your first time, because I think it would be 10000x easier in daylight, just saying.

+ I went to a bonfire!! It was actually the first one I've gone to in a very, VERY long time, and it was with a few friends of mine, which made it even more amazing.  (pretty much the only friends I ever "hang out" with lolol) I was going to take pictures of it because it was really aesthetic, but alas, I'd left my phone in the house and also my phone quality is absolutely HORRIBLE.  So.

+ I started wearing sweaters!! Because it is cold!!! But honestly the beginning of this month had some really good weather...it didn't even feel like October.  I guess fall weather is slowly setting in now >_<

+ I substituted as a teacher for 5th grade art class!! OKAY so this happened.  I help out a few elementary teachers if I have a extra study hall or anything, and I usually help 5th grade in their art class.  A few weeks back, one of the teachers had to leave for a meeting early, so, I, I, I! was put in charge.  Let's just say it was very chaotic lol and I know teaching is definitely not for me xD It was a good experience though, and it was fun while it lasted.  It was just very, very crazy.

+ I played the violin in my church!! I've done this before, but it was cool to do it again after a long time :)

+ Work out (at least a little) I'm going to cross this one of just because I've basically been forced to do a series of stretches/exercises every week for P.E.  SO YEAH.  Also, the more I get into figure skating I'm just like, "That is one demanding sport." I skate mostly on weekends, and every Sunday evening my legs are so sore and done.  :P Who knew walking up the stairs could be so hard? (after skating for three hours too!) 

+ Completely finish my project room.  NOOOO *distant wailing* Guys, I just have no time.  School has taken over everythinggggg.  For example, right now, I should probably be working on an assignment.  Instead, I'm sick and writing a blog post I procrastinated all week.  Classic example of life right there.

+ Enjoy every day & live fearlessly.  October was a really good month overall, so yeah.  It was nice.

+ WRITE? Because Y'ALL, I'm not doing NaNo this year (there's no way I could xD), but still, while the rest of the blogging/writing community is doing it, why not jump on the inspiration bandwagon and write something at least? MAYBE? MAYBE.  MAYBE! Work on my novel again. 

+ Make pumpkin stuff.  Okay, so, I hate buying canned pumpkin.  It's never been something I do, and I learned from my amazing friends a way to make my own.  I buy a huge squash (MUY LARGO), chop it into smaller sections, boil it, scoop out the squash, puree it, and PUMPKIN.  (technically it's squash but they're so close to being the same thing xD) And the result? I have like almost a pound of pumpkin puree.  SO.  This is basically my inner baker's dream.

+ Visit Starbucks! Hopefully this month, if not next, idk yet.

+ Work on a new blog design.  I started one awhile back, but I need to finish it, and hopefully redesign this blog by the end of the year.  !!!!

+++

So that was my October :) It was a really good month, even though I feel like it went by super fast.  But I bet November will go by even faster haha.  How would you describe your October? Any exciting plans for November? OH YES ARE YOU DOING NANOWRIMO? I'd love to hear about your novels :) You! can! do! the! thing!

Have a fabulous day and stay safe and don't get sick xx 

- autumn 

(pro tip: drink lots of water and chug that vitamin c)

September Wrap-Up | October Goals

+ I had to write down...everything I ate...for a WEEK.  All right, so for my health class, we've been doing some...interesting things.  The way I see it, at least we have a little variety in school.  BUT at the beginning of this month we had to write down everything we put into our mouth (not drinks) for a WEEK.  Oh, man.  You guys, that week was crazy.  Let's just say that...my diet is a little unconventional (i.e. I do not, in fact, eat cereal for breakfast, a hamburger for lunch, and a pizza for dinner, although that would be nice) and so I might've been just a little intimidated at sharing my diet with my teacher??? But I will say, I tried to make that week not look too crazy hahahahahahh

+ We had a bake off.  This was also one of my health class projects.  It's a pretty crazy class, yep.  But basically, we all had to bring in something baked that had less than the amount of sugar the recipe called for.  I don't know why we had to do this, because pretty much everyone already cuts back on sugar in a recipe, as far as I know.  BUT WE DID & it was quite interesting to eat stuff with white flour and white sugar (I told you my diet is unconventional; I don't really eat a lot of foods like that on a normal basis anyways ahaha), even if it was allegedly cut back on.  I COULDN'T REALLY TELL??? It all tasted plenty sweet to me? like, if that had the full amount of sugar, then wOW we'd be off the walls by then.

I made a plate of brownies with *gasp* white sugar.  Yeah.  fun times.

+ Fall..."started"?!!? I write this as  I look back fondly on the last week, in which every single day has been in the freaking 90's. (Fahrenheit, *cough*) I MEAN C'MON.  I bought a bunch of cute fall decor, baked my single serve apple crisp today & had it with vanilla ice cream, and the weather is 90?? I guess this all lines up? Yep.

But, I've got to say, I'm not complaining!!!!! I LOVE WARM WEATHER & THIS IS LOVELY!!!!! Also, yes I realize I chose my online name to be Autumn why even ok let's not talk about this right now

+ Fixer Upper is ending nooo what even SO IF YA DIDN'T HEAR our beloved show (and the only show worth watching on tv in my opinion) is ending after season five.  Like...why, Chip & Joanna??? But, I guess I'm also glad they're doing what's right for them.  All the more reason to love them, right? :D BUT STILL.  This is me after finding out:

+ Edited VIDEO! I actually edited two videos this month, which was LIT.  They're both up on my YouTube channel (and the one was in my last post :), so you should definitely check it out!

+ FOOD.  First things first, I actually went to Dairy Queen (it's basically a ice cream shop) the other day for the first time IN A VERY LONG TIME.  I got a gift card to go there and with the way the weather's been recently, um, yes, ICE CREAM? SIGN ME UP.  It was absolutely lovely, my frens.  

also, i made peanut butter pie.  yes, it was amazing.

I also tried this crescent roll...thing? I kind of put my own twist on it though, because the recipe said to put taco seasoning with the beef, but I added pizza sauce.  So I guess it's Italian? LOL IDK

+ Do fun, fall things.  Umm...I'm not really sure what all I did in September to be honest.  I feel like I did do a bunch of cool things, (maybe xD) but I don't really remember everything and I don't think any of them pertained specifically to fall (other than I wore fluffy pj's again) because the beginning of September felt like fall and the past week has felt like summer sooo.  Um.  Yeah.

+ Feed myself spiritually. When I wrote this goal down last month I was in a place where I needed to revive myself spiritually FOR SURE.  And it's always a progression, but yes, I'm in a better place now than at the end of the last month, thank God.  But like I said, it's still coming :)

+ Eat healthy. Yeahh...about this.  I don't think I made very big efforts in this department to be honest =P I didn't trash myself with junk food, but I didn't take a ton of caution either? *cringe* OCTOBER SHALL BE BETTER HOPEFULLY

unedited raw picture because i'm writing this post wayyyy too late :P

+ Work out (at least a little) I'd really love if this finally became at least a half-routine in my life.  I've been jogging recently, so hopefully I keep that up and also maybe incorporate some exercises in there.  WE SHALL SEE.

+ Completely finish my project room.  I'm literally so so close, guys! I might actually finish this month even, I'm not sure yet.  But I hope to have it up, running, and decorated my next month so I can move on to the next thing.  Praying it becomes a reality :))

+ Enjoy every day & live fearlessly.  Yeah, I don't know what all October holds.  Right now, it's not looking like an over-the-top month, but that's the thing with life, you never know.  But God does, so that's good.  Live well, love God :D

+++

So that's it for this post! Talk to me.  How did your September go? CAN YOU BELIEVE THERE'S ONLY 3 MORE MONTHS IN 2017? Wow.  October is soon going to officially here. Eeep, well here's to a good one! Do you have anything exciting going on in October?

-autumn