It's a new year.

Well, it's officially 2014 and I still can't decide if I'm excited or in denial. I think more the former.

***

At the start of each year, we tend to make resolutions and lists. January 1st marks the beginning, and for many, the chance to start over, hit the refresh button, and be the person we wish we had been during the last year. This time it's for real. I'm serious this time. All things I have said before and honestly, I have been finding myself saying it again this year. 

Why do we say these things? 

Something about those words just doesn't sit right with me.

***

In light of the New Year, I have chosen to not only make a list of goals, but I am choosing to also celebrate 2013. It certainly was a BIG and exciting year, and rather than thinking about all I wish I had done, I want to remember it as a time of fullness and blessing. 

My life in 2013:

+ I landed a grown-up job!

+ I spent time with 3 kiddos who are more family than just another baby-sitting job.

+ I enjoyed spring break with my closest friends.

+ I ran a half-marathon.

+ I graduated from college.

+ I bought a car.

+ I moved to a new city.

+ I made new friends.

+ I visited 3 new cities (Tulsa, St. Louis, Indianapolis).
+ I started graduate school.

+ I taught high schoolers for a whole semester. (Whew!)

More importantly:

+ I learned to really value friends & family.

+ I learned how to say goodbye. 

+ I learned to understand the importance of keeping in touch.

+ I started learning how to ask questions and how important it is to really understand/value grace.

+ I learned more and more about relying on God's purpose and plans: "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." Proverbs 19:21

+ I realized (for the 100th time) that I am not perfect - but my God is perfect.

2013, you were too good to me.

Breaking Away

Never did I imagine that I would value a *break* (of any kind) more than I valued time off when I was in college.

I was so very wrong.

***

I have spent the last week in North Carolina at my parents' house (yes - not my house anymore) & praise the Lord I still have the rest of this week to go. I even allowed myself the coveted luxury of not doing any teaching-related work for ONE WHOLE WEEK. I don't think I even opened my laptop.

The week of Christmas was full of family, friends, food (way too much), and a lot of relaxing. I received lots of books as gifts, and have enjoyed being able to rest and read them.

***

I am giddy with excitement about New Years. I will be traveling to spend some time with my friends from college, most of whom I have not seen since we graduated in the spring. I just hope they're prepared for the ridiculous amount of hugs they are about to have thrown upon them. :)

Speaking of the new year, 2014 is practically here and I have yet to nail down my hopes and goals for the year. While this is something I often do, I usually fail at the follow through. This year WILL be different, and I am excited to put into writing what I hope and pray to by true of 2014. There will be more to come on this, but it will most likely involve healthy eating & fitness, travel, and spiritual growth (not necessarily in that order).

***

Next on the agenda: plan a spring break adventure, hopefully to a place I have never been!

While I get back to the ever-growing pile of lesson plans, enjoy these recent finds:

+ 20 Things People Over 20 Should Stop Doing
+ Teach For America in 2013: The Unofficial Year in Review
+ What did the world search for in 2013?
+ America's New Elite Ivies
+ Lucas: Our Way

Carolina "Musts"

Life as a second-semester Senior is absolutely wonderful. Yes, it has already been a mix of weird emotions that I can't really put into words, but it's great nonetheless.

I have been asked a question a few times now that freaks me out even more than the "what do you want to do with your life?" question.
"Have you made your Carolina bucket list?"
This is a constant reminder that I only have a little more than THREE MONTHS LEFT at what is arguably the best place in the world.


Kristen Vasgaard Designs

As a self-proclaimed lover of lists, I am shocked that I have not yet organized and written down the list of Carolina-y things (read: jumble of ideas and goals) that I have floating around in my head. I think it is about time to concretely document what I hope to experience while I'm still a UNC undergrad.

***

Here it goes.
(I've even included a few things I've already done to jump-start the checking-off process.)

My List of Carolina "Musts"
+ climb the Bell Tower
+ eat a pint of Yopo ice cream in one sitting
+ run (& finish) a half-marathon
+ buy a UNC sweatshirt (how have I made it this long without one?)
+ run a 5k
+ participate in the Holi festival/paint-throwing extravaganza
+ watch the UNC vs. dook basketball game in the Dean Dome
+ rush Franklin Street
+ hammock in the Arboretum (have done once but it needs to happen again)
+ play in the Bynum Circle fountain
+ eat at Time Out
+ play golf at Finley
+ get a Kvetch published
+ see the sunrise on campus
+ take a random weekend mountain trip
+ take a random weekend beach trip
+ explore Carrboro (more than I have)
+ explore Durham
+ go tunneling
+ pull an all-nighter with friends & without studying
+ go Snipe hunting (apparently I've been missing out my whole life)
+ take a trip - maybe fly somewhere exciting?
+ get a job (Praise the Lord I can cross this one off!)
+ take graduation pictures with friends
+ GRADUATE

Looking forward to adding more & simultaneously crossing-off!

***

The "Mem Jar"

In my previous post, I included a picture with the caption "The Trip ate lots of Yopo and cracked open the Mem Jar." If you are not one of the people who were specifically involved in this occasion, the chances that you know what the heck I am talking about are slim to none. I have wanted to explain this for a while (because it's so awesome), so now's my chance!

The Trip

"The Trip" is the name that my roommates from junior year (Amy and Dana) and I gave to the room where we lived. It was a triple - made for 3 people - in Old West, right next to the Old Well, and is arguably the BEST place to live if you choose to remain on campus. Over the course of the year, "the Trip" came to mean much more than just the physical location in which we lived, but it essentially became a label for the 3 of us. Our friends would invite "the Trip" to go watch a movie or to go get ice cream, etc. and we still tend to refer of our outings together as "Trip dates."

A perk of living in Old West was that we were SO CLOSE to Franklin St. And what better way to take advantage of this closeness than to visit Yopo a lot. And by "a lot" I mean all the time. We pretty much became regulars. (It's yogurt so it's healthy, right?) I have no regrets of the fact that my junior year was defined by lots of Yopo outings.

Our view from Old West

So now for the "Mem Jar." Over the summer before junior year began, I came across this on Pinterest. Thinking it was a neat (and yes, cheesy) idea, I decided that my roommates and I should do it throughout the school year. I had no idea whether or not it would really catch on and happen, but it did! We deemed it the "Mem Jar" and throughout the year we filled it with fun things that happened, sweet things that friends did for us, notes to each other, exciting occasions, hilarious quotes, pictures, newspaper articles, and even a few embarrassing things that the public will (hopefully) never see. Everything in the jar related to one or all three of us. We promised to open the Mem Jar together one day at the end of the year and celebrate with Yopo (obviously).

The Mem Jar explosion

Unfortunately, the Mem Jar Date day had to wait until we returned to school as seniors, but it did eventually happen and we were able to go purchase the long-awaited pints of Yopo. (We also played Friends in the background while we were opening the jar, because that also was a staple of our junior year.) That night was so fun and full of many, many laughs (and maybe a few happy tears?) as we reminisced about our time together in Old West - when we grew so close through the happy, fun, memorable times, as well as the hard and stressful times. I am forever grateful for the time Amy, Dana, and I spent living together in the Trip, and love that "the Trip" has lived on, even past our time when we were crammed together in a dorm room.

Mem Jar + Yopo pints

Here's to a senior year full of as many memories as junior year - maybe even more than the Mem Jar can contain :)

Love, Kayla

Snapshots of Senior Year

Senior year is well underway. In fact, there are only 7ish weeks left until the fall semester is OVER. What?!?? My last year as a Tar Heel undergrad is proving to be much busier than anticipated, but of course, I'm still loving it! (Minus the actual school work - senioritis? I refuse.)

Here are some snippits of senior year at the Hill so far:

Cornerstone Hoedown (freshmen year friends!)

dear friends celebrating a 21st bday!

Senior ladies at Fall Retreat

Memphis reunion

football season!

Roommates of The Slant!

The Trip ate lots of Yopo and cracked open the Mem Jar!

Bible Study sleepover & Pizooki night

I played "mom" for a weekend with this cutie and 2 others

we went to the State Fair...and covered ourselves in obnoxious stickers

Fall Break in DC!!

Private tour of the Capitol :)

And then we beat State. Happy happy day!

summertime catch-up

I admit, I am the worst blogger ever (if you could even call me that). If you have read any of my other posts, you know that I like to play catch-up; I'll write a post once every few months and share what I've been doing since the last time I blogged, usually in list form. Well, not much has changed and I still tend to keep my thoughts contained in lists, so here is a glimpse into my summer so far:

#senior
Exams came to a close at the beginning of May and I am now officially a college senior. What?! I still can't believe I only have one year left at UNC. The bucket list for senior year has become more concrete, and I cannot wait to tackle it with my best friends in a few short months.

#beach
I spent a week at home after exams before making the trip back to Chapel Hill for the summer. My days in Wilmington consisted of some much-needed family and beach time, and other than catching up with a dear friend, I did little other than hang out with my mom and sit on the beach with a book in my hand.

#books
Speaking of books, I finally got around to completing the Hunger Games series (I have also seen the movie twice now). I'm hooked and am probably a little too excited about the 2nd movie that is not going to be released soon enough. I have also read The Lucky One (yep, Nicholas Sparks), am finishing As Sure as the Dawn (Francine Rivers) and The Weight of Glory (C.S. Lewis), and have started a few other ones. Any suggestions to my summer reading list are welcomed!

#graduation
Soon after my arrival in Wilmington, I turned around and came back to Chapel Hill to watch the Class of 2012 graduate. It was a bittersweet day that just made me all the more happy that I have another year to spend at UNC. I am anxious and excited for all of the new alumni who are starting the next stages of their lives, and am actually kind of looking forward to the day when I can join them in the "real world" as a Carolina Alumnus.

#bub
I'm living in Chapel Hill this summer with some wonderful ladies at "The Bub". I'm absolutely loving it - being around friends 24/7 is so fun and I'm looking forward to another month as their roommates!

#Route56
I'm still hanging out with my sweet 5th and 6th graders every week! We are currently in a study called "Live it Out," where we're learning about how to practically live out our faith everyday. We've talked about things like Baptism and spending time with God, and as always, we're rolling in giggles by the time the service is over.

#babysitting
I'm spending my days hanging out with 3 sweet kids (and 2 other equally sweet kids in the mornings). I have learned that while playing "mom" is fun, it is also exhausting. I'm sure I'll be able to use what I learn from this experience in the future -- you know, when I start having kids in 20 years or so. :)

#Romans
I finished reading Romans the other day! I could go on and on about how great this book is - every time I read it the Gospel becomes more real to me, as Paul explains how as Christians we are free from the law and can experience full life because of Jesus Christ. My current Bible-reading endeavor is to read it chronologically. I'm still in the first few chapters of Genesis, and as much as I really would like to stick to this summer reading plan, I'll let you know how successful I actually am.

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:11


Happy summer!
Love, Kayla

a little bit of everything

It has been quite some time since I've posted anything, so what better way to make a reappearance than to offer you the best ever study break? Here are some articles/videos/other finds I have accumulated over the last few weeks that have interested me...some are funny, others lean to the more serious side, but all are equally wonderful!


Carolina

Wonderful game. Wonderful night. Wonderful team.

http://northcarolina.scout.com/2/1163359.html
From There to Here - Tyler Zeller's Journey
http://www.tarheelblue.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/022912aab.html

For Fun
"10 ways to have a horrible first date if you're a Christian" - you've just gotta laugh.
http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2012/02/10-ways-to-have-a-horrible-first-date-if-youre-a-christian/#more-6850

Boom! Roasted. - If Danny Franks posted it you know it's a good one
http://vimeo.com/37218606

Prayer
72 Daily Prayer Points - 72 Days of Freedom for the 72 Million Slaves
http://72daysforfreedom.com/pdfs/72DailyPrayerPoints.pdf
http://72daysforfreedom.com/

[and now a little IJM plug since we're on the topic of freedom...Sign Your Name and Stand for Freedom! http://www.ijm.org/content/sign-your-name-stand-for-freedom?utm_source=rotator_1&utm_medium=rotator&utm_campaign=SOTU2012]

The Summit Church: 40 Days of Prayer
http://www.summitrdu.com/prayerguide

Random Finds
You Never Marry the Right Person - I just happened upon this one; Tim Keller is always great, though.
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/relationship/features/27749-you-never-marry-the-right-person

The Color Run - One of my friends in Texas just did this and loved it! and it's coming to Charlotte in October! Who's with me??
http://thecolorrun.com/locations/

Psychology
I get to write a research paper about this for my Child Development class. Really.
http://www.nickjr.com/dora-the-explorer/

Religious Studies
Remains of early Christian followers of Jesus have allegedly been found in a tomb near the Talpiyot Tombs in Jerusalem, a place that some years ago was said to be the place where Jesus' tomb was/is located. I haven't finished reading through all of these discussions and responses to the discovery (they're quite lengthy, but were all recommended by one of my TAs, so they should be good), but there is a lot of controversy surrounding it and essentially, many respected scholars and archaeologists are skeptical of the find.
A little bit about the find:
http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/28/10521007-new-find-revives-jesus-tomb-flap
Doubts about the 'Jesus Discovery':
http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/28/10534008-doubts-about-the-jesus-discovery
Response to the discovery by Professor Christopher A. Rollston:
http://asorblog.org/?p=1642
Eric M. Meyers of Duke University, Response:
http://asorblog.org/?p=1612
And finally, Jodi Magness' response:
http://asorblog.org/?p=1654

blessed and oh so thankful | part three

The week is coming to a close, which means my concentration needs to increase and my procrastination needs to decrease. But one more post never hurt anyone, right?

My last two posts were very long and specific so I'm going to try and make this one a tad shorter and much more concise.

So here it goes. I'm thankful for...

North Carolina, this beautiful state I live in

my King's Domain family (just read any post I've written in the last 6 months) and the hour-long phone calls we often share. Who knew I would ever become a "phone-talker"?

UNC and all of it's tradition - what a privilege it is to study here

The Summit Church

The Gospel and the freedom it provides - "There is nothing I could ever do to make You love me more, and nothing I have done that can make You love me less."

movie nights with my family after finally deciding what to watch 

the ridiculous "questions of the week" that Amy always seems to come up with (some of our best/funniest conversations result from these!)

coffee and Port City Java (where I currently am...with my stack of library books next to me)

silly nights with my roommates

the ability to travel and to make a list of places to go and see that aren't completely out of the realm of possibility

my Route 56 kids and their smiles that greet me at the end of a long week

encouraging messages from my parents exactly when I need them

lunch dates with my Grandmother

being able to still act like I'm twelve and take crazy pictures with my sister and cousin

friends who will watch animated movies with me even when they know I'll probably cry (okay, that only happened one time)

living 2 minutes away from YoPo

my walk to work twice a week under a canopy of fall trees

Happy Thanksgiving, happy Fall, and happy studying! 

Love, Kayla

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!

Serve the LORD with gladness!

Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the LORD, he is God!

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,

and his courts with praise!

Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the LORD is good; 

his steadfast love endures forever,

and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 100

blessed and oh so thankful | part two

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all! I hope you're enjoying this fabulous holiday and ate your best meal ever. Stuffing, sweet potatoes, and all things pumpkin are some of my fave Thanksgiving treats :) AND I've been spending time with my extended family that I love very much!

Today's "thankful" post is dedicated to a variety of people who all hold a special place in my heart. God has blessed me in ways I never imaged before coming to college, and one of those ways is in the friendships He has given me. There have definitely been times when maintaining friendships has been one of the hardest things I ever thought I would experience, and other times when it was the easiest thing ever. But the people I have in my life now have stuck through it all and never fail to point me back to Christ, my ultimate purpose in life.

To begin, I'm thankful for my roommates Amy and Dana...aka the people who keep me sane. I seriously could not have asked for two better people to share life with. When I think back to my goofiest, most ridiculous moments, these two are definitely in the picture. They are also probably some of the people who know me the most because they are there for both my worst and best moments. Thank you guys for putting up with me, for loving me, for hugging me (we'll work on that some more though :)), for listening to me babble on and on about nothing, and for always pointing me back to Christ. I'm SO excited for our next semester and year together!

Emily and I have been friends since the sixth grade...can't believe it's been 9 years!!? It's kind of sad that we still go to the same school (which I didn't think was going to happen!) and hardly ever see each other, but when we do hang out it's like nothing has ever changed, which I'm sooo thankful for! Emily is definitely one of the people who really knows how I operate, haha. She has been my friend through awkward middle and high school and everything that involved: band, prom, silly crushes, ridiculous music videos, inside jokes, etc. Emily, I know I have a friend in you forever, and that makes me incredibly happy :) I can't wait to see where you, my super-talented friend, ends up, and I hope I'll be right by your side the entire way!

 

I don't know what I would've done without my Bible study. My sisters from Powerhaus and I share some wonderful memories together and I could go on and on telling stories about things that have happened with these girls. They are some of my best friends and sharing life with them has been an incredible blessing. Kelly, Talley, and Alison, thank you for loving on little freshman Kayla like you did, and continue to do everyday. Y'all immediately pointed me to Christ and helped make the Gospel such a real thing in my life and for that I am forever grateful!

To my "family" - You guys are hilarious, wonderful, sweet, incredible, my fave, awesome, and my best friends. Thanks for loving me and making sure I spend my time doing fun things...instead of just living in the library. I love how y'all continue to open yourselves up to anyone and everyone. Our family continues to grow and change, but that's what makes it just that much better! I am so blessed to have friends like you and I'm excited to see where the next 90 years takes us (because we're going to live and be friends forever, obviously).

Sorry I got a little picture-happy in this one! Thanksgiving will continue all week for me (probably because I actually have time to blog...and it's a wonderful study break) so prepare yourself for more!

Love love love,

Kayla

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! Psalm 95:2

study FTW: a review

For some strange reason this semester has proven itself to be the busiest one yet. Apparently all of my professors decided it was a wonderful idea to assign researcher papers that are due at the end of the semester, so unfortunately I have been hanging out in the library/every coffee shop on Franklin St. like it's my job.


Because I am such a "studious" student (hah, maybe?), I have now managed to visit 10 different study locations this semester! Some I love....others, not so much. Here is my master list of study spots. Hopefully you'll be able to put it to good use in the upcoming exam season!

• Caribou (both Franklin St. locations): This is definitely one of my new favorites. Living so close to Franklin St. has been wonderful this semester, and Caribou has free coffee refills! The atmosphere is nice too because it's not super quiet (it's not really quiet at all...) but it's not obnoxiously loud either. I don't think I can count how many times I've camped out here this year.
• Davis Library: The thought of being in Davis all day is kind of depressing but it's a great place if you're looking for mostly quiet surroundings and a guaranteed afternoon/night of productivity. And hey, it's open until 2 a.m. again in case your brain still functions that late! Bringing friends usually makes it better.
• Starbucks (Franklin St. & South Campus): Starbucks tends to get a little crowded, but everything about their Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Peppermint Mochas (they're back!!!!) is wonderful.
• The Union: I really like the Union for those awkward hour breaks between classes. I tend to not get much done here because there are so many people, but the top floor is a little quieter and the atmosphere isn't as stressful as the library. Oh yeah, and there's coffee.
• Panera Bread: This is a fun, casual, not-too-serious study spot. Their coffee is great (always a plus) and not to mention the delicious treats you can eat while you're there!
• Chick-fil-A: Chloe and I have only done this once but it was awesome! Maybe I just love the food there, but isn't that reason enough to try it? You'll most likely become best friends with the people who work there, and if you sit near the bathrooms you can watch the cute little kids run in and out all day. This is definitely one of my new faves, but I'm also one of those people who could eat Chick-fil-A everyday. 
• Barnes and Noble: B&N is one of my favorite places ever (mostly for not studying, but studying here is cool too). Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy the hustle and bustle of the bookstore or find a corner to sit and enjoy a good book. A major plus is that your study breaks can include walking around and making lists and lists of books you want to read! Mine is never-ending.
• Old East Library: Living on campus has its perks, specifically living in the Olds. Overlooking the famous Old Well, the Old East library is a cute little study spot that's particularly great because it's a quick 10 sec. walk back to my dorm. It's pretty cool being one of the "regulars" here and recognizing all of the other studious undergrads who tend to spend their nights there. We should form a club.
• Graham Memorial: It's getting to be that time of the year when the fireplaces are being lit and you can snuggle up on a couch with a good book (or a book from Davis...whatevs). I love doing work here. It's so cozy and pretty and there are outlets everywhere! (yay for my computer not having a battery!)
• The Trip: Studying in my room is usually a fail, so this is not really a place I would recommend. Amy and Dana can attest to the fact that my bed always wins. And after 10 p.m. with all 3 of us in the room is just plain insane. That's probably why I love them so much :)

Happy season of exams, paper-writing, and coffee-drinking!
LOVE, Kayla :)

the one with the most fun workout ever

So my roommates and I are all about the exercise. Amy is a very dedicated runner, Dana makes it to the gym a lot, and while I really enjoy the gym and try to go as often as I can, exercising unfortunately doesn't always get crossed off of the to-do list. Because my roommates are awesome and hilarious, they invented a new way of working out.

We are all huge Friends fans and love every opportunity that we have to watch the show, which isn't very often due to our busy schedules. Fortunately, Dana and Amy have created a way for us to watch Friends and workout at the same time!

Allow me to introduce the Friends Workout. 

Each main character has been given a different "workout" move, so whenever that person talks we do their corresponding "move". Here is the master list we have created:

Ross || push-ups

Rachel || tae bo

Monica || "The Routine" (or random dancing until we learn it)

Chandler || crunches

Phoebe || jumping jacks

Joey || lunges

Anyone else || plank

Please imagine three girls alternating between the different workout moves while the 6 main characters are having a fast-paced conversation. I guarantee if you try this (and don't cheat like I usually do) you will wake up sore the next morning, which just means this workout is pretty legit. We're planning on teaching this as a course at the SRC sometime soon....

with love from The Trip,

Kayla

busyness

"But your value is not determined by what you produce. Your loveliness is not based on what you accomplish or how full your calendar is."

"A life of constant over-commitment is not a sign of success, or something to be bragged about. It is a sign of imbalance, a sign we have put our faith in the gospel of busyness instead of in a God who dares us to trust Him and be willing to rest."

These are just 2 of the many statements that stuck out to me in an article I read online from Relevant magazine called "The Pride of Busyness" by Mason Slater. (Thank you Kellie Voss!) I actually read this article during one of my many "study-breaks".....how ironic. In a world full of deadlines, schedules, to-do lists, exams, grades, jobs, clubs, and an infinite number of other things, it is so incredibly easy to find (or try to find) my worth in what I do. While working is something that was created by God and is meant for good, I think we tend to twist it to benefit ourselves.

What would my life look like if I remembered to take a step back from it all and just rest in God's goodness and trust in His perfect plan? 

It's all about Him.

i heart college

My oh my, so much has happened since the beginning of August when I last updated the blog. It seems like life just keeps getting crazier and busier by the second. I am absolutely loving it, though!

School is officially in session, the roomies and I are getting along marvelously in "The Trip", and good 'ole Carolina Football is underway. I am staying busy with classes (most of which are super interesting and actually fun), Cornerstone stuff, roomie date nights, my job, building some very cool relationships with 5th and 6th graders at the Summit Church, and other random things. 

One of the best things that's happened so far this year is being able to make new friends on my hall. Dana, Amy, and I have gotten pretty close with a few girls in particular, one of whom is an international student from Australia! I have already learned so much from her about what life is like there, and I have especially loved hearing her thoughts about the weird things us Americans do and eat. Dorm life definitely has it's advantages! Oh yeah, and having the option to roll out of bed ten minutes before class starts isn't so bad either :)

Many more posts to come soon! Maybe I'll really give this blogging thing a shot?

love,

   Kayla

CarolinaCarolinaCarolinaCarolina 

a little hoe-down throw-down, y'all

Talley's married!

a little of this, a little of that

Life is flying by. In just 2 short weeks I will be all moved into my second home at UNC.....I am beyond excited! I will be living with 2 of my best friends, Amy and Dana, in a dorm located in the prettiest area of campus (and arguably the most convenient). I have devoted a lot of time this week to planning things I need to buy and make, copying down fun recipes for us to try, and putting lots of pictures from the summer in frames for our room! I wish I could just move in tomorrow.

Last week, my family took a little trip to New Jersey where we stayed with my aunt and uncle (once removed I think?) and had a very fun, relaxing vacation. We did quite a few touristy things: toured part of historic Philadelphia, visited Lancaster, PA and the Herr's Potato Chip Factory there, rode bikes through Valley Forge, and cheered on the Phillies at a home game. My sis and I also stayed with our cousin Amy in Philly one night which was so fun, especially since we don't see her very often!

bike ride through Valley Forge

with Amy at the Phillies game

This past Tuesday, Dana and I took a trip to Harrisburg, NC (outside of Charlotte) to visit our wonderful friend Cassy. That night, we all went to see Gavin DeGraw, Train, and Maroon 5 in concert together in Charlotte! Seriously, the best concert I've ever been to. I don't think they could've picked a better group of artists to come together for a night. I loved them all and am so glad I was able to fit that concert into my summer. Tuesday night after the concert we watched Soul Surfer, and if you have never seen it you should go watch it now. On Wednesday morning, Cassy gave us the grand tour of Harrisburg, including the Charlotte Motor Speedway which she is very proud of :)

I'm still missing King's Domain terribly, but am looking forward to being back at the Hill very soon with my Carolina family! I can just feel it......this year's gonna be a good one :)

my Powerhaus Bstud at the Hoedown last year

XOXO,

Kayla