What a great time!

So...I stayed at my friends' house last week to help take care of their animals while they were on vacation. It was fun, but I am definitely thankful to be back in more familiar surroundings.

Yesterday was Cora's birthday party. It was SO MUCH FUN! I have to admit, I was a little nervous about helping with the bracelets and face paint (a bunch of 7 and 8 year old girls are definitely interesting to be around), but it ended up being the most fun I've had in a while.

So...

When I got there, Kait and I rushed Cora (dressed as Dorothy, complete with Toto) to get ready for her birthday surprise. She had no idea we were getting birthday manicures until we walked into the room. We even had to tell her! It was so great. She was really calm, so I wasn't sure about her level of excitement, but after a while, I realized she was just a little nervous. They took special care of her and Kaitlyn and I watched with excitement as she dipped her hands in the paraffin wax and then exclaimed "my hands smell like peaches!"

It was also really nice having sister time. There's such an age gap and I live an hour away, so there's not much time for us to spend as just the three of us (although, we decided as we got our nails painted, that mom is coming next time).

After nails were polished and hands moisturized, we headed home to help set up for the party and I was assigned with the bracelet station. I was cool with it...as long as I could make my own. And I did. After everyone got a bracelet, of course. Kaitlyn's says "I <3 Tiffany" (<3!) Mine says "Kaitlyn Wins". Which is true.

Which brings me to David.

It's so nice to see her so happy with somebody. And it's so nice to see somebody else so happy with her! David and Kaitlyn match. As far as I can see, they are perfect for each other. He's romantic and treats her well...he hangs out with the family...and doesn't run away screaming. He can hold his own in a room packed with the seven of us. I don't know him well, but I see them together and how cute they act and I feel it.

So...I was afraid I had lost my party buddy for good when David came along (which is a natural part of life, I guess). I always look forward to being party buddies with Kait... But, actually, David was welcomed into the party buddy group and it really worked out well. The three of us had a lot of fun hanging out. :D

The kids were great. The party was a blast. I painted a couple bats on a couple cheeks, then we made David a tribal kitty, Kait an animal clown thing, and me a unicorn. Gage (the superhero) and Drake (the unicorn) played with the fire and ran around a bit. Oh...Gage also helped with the face paint. He was SO excited to participate and he did an awesome job with some full-face butterflies. He's so talented. I'm glad he has his art.

After a while, Kait, David, Gage, Drake and I played a game, which was HILARIOUS. Cora had a TON of fun with her friends. Pizza was for dinner and we ended the night with The Flintstones and some chit-chat.

Today was awesome too! Dad made breakfast (MY FAVE) and the two girls who spent the night, Cora and Shelby made Monkey Bread (#2 on my list!) We planned Thanksgiving and talked about everything over breakfast, then Madre and I took a tour around the premises, joined very quickly by Padre. I got to see all the wonderful things they're doing to the yard and where they're headed in the plans and we ended the tour with a ride in the tractor's wagon (?), given by me, for the little girls. Then, of course, Shelby and I got in the back and let Gage take us for a spin. It was so much fun. Dad took pictures and everyone chased after the tractor. Oh...don't forget...Betty got a nice view of the outside world. I don't think she'll be going outside again. (Betty is Kait's cat)

I haven't mentioned everything, but I'm getting super tired (probably from my fun-filled day) and I work in 7 hours.

I'm so happy for my family. They seem so much happier in their dream house (hence the word DREAM). I have so much fun with them. We're all so different, but all the same. I just can't wait until Drake's party!

Much love. Goodnight. <3

-Tiff

It's Been a While.

I keep feeling the urge to update, but, it seems like everytime I do, I'm on my way somewhere or stuck on the clock. Maybe I should see if I could update from my phone...but that wouldn't do me too good. I can barely text on my phone.

I sent in a video for my King of Nerds application. I watched it. I was a little upset (I hate watching myself on video), but I definitely looked and acted nerdy. So we'll see. I should know within a month or so, they said.

So, I had somebody cover my shift tonight (3 stinkin hours) so I can do a little homework. I'm trying to get ahead of the game so I can relax a little. I'm not doing so well in my Economics class, but I've decided I'm okay with a C, if that's what it comes down to. I'm trying to avoid it at all costs, though.

Speaking of which, my fun break is over. Back to the grindstone. I have a lot of work to do.

-Tiff

Day 3

Describe my room...

I am amazed on a daily basis how five people can share a bedroom and actually make it work. I guess my family's cool like that.

Well, the room started out as a bedroom for three kids. Then, my sister moved back home. She took the last bunk from the two sets of bunk beds. Then, I moved back home. The only issue with this is that there are no more beds. I have, therefore, one of those beds you fold out from a cubby in the wall...but...it's not in a cubby. Get it? Good. So...we have a total of four dressers (I have a little shelf thing for my undies and pj's), two sets of bunk beds, two closets and a number of bookshelves to hold our belongings. I definitely downsized when moving in, but it was worth it and I needed to get rid of the junk anyway.

It sounds like it may get stressful. It is, sometimes, but it's low level. It works out pretty well. We're moving soon, however, so, obviously, there will be more room and we'll probably end up missing each other after all is said and done. :)

Day 2 - My Best Friend

Write about your best friend.

That's funny. She was just here. Her name is Annie and she is one of the most interesting people I have ever met. She's hilarious. She makes me laugh so hard I can't breathe and she catches me off-guard all the time. Her jokes sneak up on you. She's smart. She's not smart about everything (who is?), but she'll call me out when I'm wrong (which, I'm realizing, is often) and she corrects my grammar. AWESOME!

We've had the best times together and some really sad days together, but we take care of each other. Recently, I've been going through some rough times and she's been there for me every step of the way. I confirm with her when I feel crazy and she ensures me I'm still sane (for the most part). She's the only person, outside of my family, that I've made plans with and honestly know they'll work out. No doubt.

Sure, we have our moments. We've gotten mad at each other before and annoyed with each other before, but that stuff always happens. All I know is I look forward to every Thursday, when I go watch Grey's Anatomy after work with her and we talk about stupid things and things that matter and we do face masks and play with the puppy and all is well.

And...to add the icing to the cake...my parents like her. YES!

Day 1

Okay. I'll admit. I didn't really want to take a picture of myself right now. This was taken in the last two weeks, though, so I'm going to say it counts. This is Day 1 of my challenge: Take a picture of yourself and list 15 interesting facts.

1. I don't remember many of my dreams, but the ones I do are usually outrageous. There are dreams I had as a small child that I still remember today. One of them involves Micki, my birth mother, turning into a monster and running after the rest of our family on an ice skating rink. The ice cracked and, underneath, was a hellish place filled with flames. O_O

2. I'm afraid of the dark. I've worked on getting over this fear...and if anybody else is afraid of the dark and it's necessary, I'm willing to face my fear, but it doesn't change the fact that I truly freak out when I can't see in front of my face.

3. I couldn't live without music. It gets me going and I have so many different cd's for different moods. I don't know what I would do if I were to go deaf. It would be devastating.

4. Although I'm not really great at it, I love playing guitar. Well, I love playing when nobody's around because I get nervous.

5. I have a severe case of stage fright in any situation involving public display of myself, however, I used to perform in an improv troop (LOVED IT) and I want to be a professor one day. I'll just go with it.

6. Sometimes I give off the impression that I'm a little bit of a jerk, but it's only because I'm sarcastic as hell. People can't always tell when I'm joking, so I have to say "Assume I'm joking unless I say otherwise".

7. My greatest romantic goal is to buy somebody flowers. The one time I bought a girl (my girlfriend at the time) a rose, she never got it. I delivered it to her work and she quit before she knew it was even there.

8. One of the reasons I was so excited to start school again was that I would be able to do math problems on a regular basis.

9. I'm so severely shy, it hurts sometimes. However, sometimes I even make an ass of myself trying to cover it up. Most of my "friends" laugh when I say I'm shy. They don't know what I'm really thinking, though.

10. If I could go anywhere in the world, it would be London. I hear it's stinky and overcrowded and nothing special. I don't care. I still really want to go one day.

11. If I stay away from home for longer than necessary, I start getting nervous. After a couple days, I get homesick.

12. Sometimes, I wonder what life would be like if I were born skinny. Other times I wonder what life would be like if I were born a boy. Neither of these things are desires of mine. They're just "what-ifs".

13. I find a little bit of my birth mother in every person I meet and a lot of her in myself. This makes life slightly difficult.

14. One of the reasons I don't want to talk to her is that I don't know how easily I'll cave when she starts crying.

15. Although I get claustrophobic sometimes, I feel like I'm happier than I've ever been just because I'm surrounded by the most amazing people in the world everyday.

I've found a list of challenges on Tumblr. Today I begin the first.

Okay...it's a little blurred, but this is going to be my blog for the next 25 days. If I can keep up with it. Who knows...maybe this is just what I needed.

This starts tomorrow. I've decided, after looking through hundreds of challenges, that I'm not up for starting one today. This is it, however. And I will be starting when I can think a little more clearly. :D

Goals

Recently, I've taken my life, turned it upside down and kind of emptied myself out. I've begun searching and finding out a lot about myself. I'm picking apart the way I do things and I'm hoping to change everything I'm doing wrong and replace it with the right way. Imagine getting an old junker and ripping out the engine and all of the interior and replacing everything with parts from a brand new convertible. This is my MAIN goal...to transform myself into what I want to be instead of just being what I've become.

1) Money. I've dug a large hole for myself over the past four years and the idea of owning my own property anytime soon is a joke because of it. I have no emergency supply...I've basically been flying at the edge of my seat. Well...Shelby and I sat down two weeks ago and made a chart. And added some numbers. And set some boundaries for my money. We've made a PLAN and my goal is to have all of the $10,300 I owe on my credit report paid off by the end of August. I've paid off 740 and have 9,560 to go. IN TWO WEEKS. I definitely feel like patting myself on the back for this one (and do, regularly) because I've worked quite a bit during the past two weeks.

I do feel this goal consuming me. And I feel that's my only problem with it. I'm always worried about it...trying to make more tips than are available while delivering pizzas. I feel it's good that I'm keeping a way closer eye on my money. I need that. However, I'm so hard on myself when I don't make a certain amount of tips in one night. And I get super frustrated about it because I know if I can pump that $35 up to a $55, I could have another bill paid off next week instead of two weeks from now. I want to show myself and everybody else that I can not only meet my goal, but I can exceed. I also want to say I'm only doing this for myself, but that's a whole other blog about self acceptance and what-not.

I just abruptly decided I'm done writing. It must be my disinterest along with my urge to sleep soon. More description of goals to come and I hope to track my progress and watch myself change into who I want to be as I progress.

Introducing: Manchester Orchestra - The River