Home Work

      High school is hard. I have way to much homework to do in a reasonable amount of time. I kinda brought it on myself though. I have three Advanced Placement classes, one pre Advanced Placement, and my electives are Psychology and Spanish III. The only simple class I have is Floral Design.
      I have absolutely no time to do anything I enjoy. Since school has started I have not done any sewing, gone running, read a single book(other than my U.S History text book), drawn or done anything creative or even baked. I have no time for anything fun and/or entertaining and it is extremely draining. I think I am going to have to ask my teachers how long they think I should be spending on home work and then blow their minds when I tell them how much time I actually spend on home work.
       The part that bothers me most is the fact that I don't get to read. My English teacher tells us we should be reading all the time to expand our vocabulary and improve our writing skills. What he doesn't  tell us is that we will never read leisurely again because we have no lives! It has been months since I started Dracula and Around the World in Eighty Days and I am sure I won't finish them until school ends. I want to read soooooooo badly. I know that sounds nerdy but I truly love to read.
       I have obviously  been neglecting this blog as well. I apologize but I have home work. That is sadly my excuse for everything these days: "I have homework." It is sad. So if you don't hear from me again for a while it is because I have homework. Until then may you have a homework free(or almost homework free) existence and time to indulge in your hobbies. God Bless

My Weekend

      Today I had a boat load of homework to do and my bed wasn't made. That probably doesn't make sense but my desk is in my room and I hate spending any amount of time in my room when my bed isn't made. (which is why it usually stays unmade) So instead of making my bed I got out this really old blue jean quilt that we have and laid it out in my backyard. I took a bunch of pillows, and snacks, and all of my homework out side and lounged in my backyard while I did homework. The weather was perfect and Cody was able to "help" me with my work. It was great! And I couldn't have asked for a better sunday: the weather was perfect, I got all my homework done, and I got to see some friends I haven't seen in a while.
      Yesterday was pretty superb too. I woke up really early and went to the SINPA 5K Race For The Rescues. Cody loved all the dogs and made a friend too:)

His best friend is a huge mastiff named Titus. This dog would have made Titus look like a lap dog. HE WAS HUGE!

      And then I went to dinner with my boyfriend's grandparents and I must say they are uber funny. I really enjoyed hanging out with them and they taught me how to play poker which I beat them all at!(beginners luck) I hope everyone had a weekend as great as mine, and if you didn't your doing weekends wrong:) Good luck on Monday and God Bless.


* uber: German for "above" or "overly"

1966 Ford Mustang

   I have to take a moment to brag about my father a bit. First of all he is the best dad anyone can ask for and second of all he built me a car. That's right people, he restored a 1966 Ford Mustang for me. He did all the engine work, body work and even painted it himself. If you ask him he will say I helped a lot but the truth is he did most of the work and he did a great job. Thank you daddy, love you lots.

During the process of striping everything of the car. The mustang was my dad's car in high school so we didn't have to start with a complete rust bucket. 

Obviously we started this project a long long time ago.

Body work, power tools, dirts, lots of fun!

My dad was a Blue Man after sanding off all the paint. The paint did something weird the first time he painted so he had to sand it all off and do it again. It was very tragic.

Cody making sure he approves of my ride.

When we started putting in the seats I was so excited, I felt like my car might actually get done one day.

The finished product(I know the car doesn't have a hood in this pic but I promise it is finished now)

Update: I drove my car to school today and it was AWESOME. I feel a little bad for enjoying the attention so much but I can't help it. I also found a picture of my car completely finished so ya'll get to see that too. 

I also took my little sister to school to because she wanted to ride in my car so bad. I don't mind taking her, I just think it is funny that she is just as excited about my car as I am.

Thank You again Daddy. 

On the Way

       I don't have anything exciting to share right now but keep checking back I have a refashion on the way. If it turns out how I want it to, it will be amazing! So please keep in touch. I am also accepting topics for future posts so if you have any question or interesting topics please feel free to comment.

P.S here is a picture of Cody to make your day a little better. Isn't he adorable:)

Angelic

Dear Readers, 
  I've always been a little envious of the girls that parade down the hall with perfect hair everyday. You know which ones I'm talking about, the ones that have perfect ringlets or shiny straight hair. I could never get my hair to look so perfect when I used curlers, a bun, or one of the other 4 billion no heat- over-night-miracle-hair-curling techniques. I just assumed that those perfect girls woke up at ungodly hours in the morning to curl their hair to perfection. I was wrong........The other day I learned how to properly use a curling iron and in 15 minutes flat I looked like an ANGEL!!!!!(not really but i felt like it:)

  It is relatively simple to use a curling iron(or flat iron) to curl your hair. I am sixteen and just learned how to curl my hair so I know some other teen out there is in need of a beauty lesson.

1. Dry your hair completely. If you don't you can create steam that will do all sorts of voodoo to your hair. Just kidding but it can damage your hair pretty badly.

2.Use a heat protectant. If you regularly use heat to style your hair, it's really important that you use a heat protection spray. If not your hair will look dry and frizzy.

3. Divide your hair into sections( top layer, bottom layer, left, and right) then clip or tie up any hair that you won't be working with.

4. Chose a small chunk of hair(the actual size depends upon your curler) and clamp the curler around the very end of your hair.

5. Roll the curler toward your head. The hair shouldn't pile up in one spot but it doesn't have to cover the entire curling iron either. 

6. Hold the curler close to your head( please DO NOT burn yourself) for about 5-8 seconds.

7. Release your hair from the curler, repeat and do the other sections( you know, the ones you tied out of the way earlier). If you want you can get hair pins and rap each curl up and pin it to your head until they cool. It makes them stay longer and makes them fuller( but, alas it is time consuming) 

   This may require a little practice but once you have it down you will be able to flaunt your lush, angelic hair. Good luck and no matter what, your beautiful. 

Funny Video

 You need to watch this video. I know this video is kinda random but i love it. This is nothing but quality entertainment people. I mean come on, look at it. I love how the people are trying to catch the dog but don't want to get hit by the fireworks. I also particularly enjoy the first time the firework goes of and the dog gets shoved of course.

https://plus.google.com/110179780830401018088/posts/RYGTGfkJQPA

I am sorry for this random and unrelated post but this is just too funny not to share. I hope you laugh as hard as I did.

Be a Hero

            I have exciting news. Cody and I are now officially the project leaders for my local 4-H's dog project. I'm really excited and Cody is going to be a great example for the other dogs:) We are going to teach these awesome kids how to groom their dogs, basic obedience, and hopefully have a rabies vaccination drive. I know at least one little boy is as excited as I am. Kids started signing up for the project in August and since then I keep running into this one little boy and every time I see him he relentlessly asks when, where, and what for all things Dog Project.

          If you are not part of a club or organization I strongly encourage you to get involved for several reasons. The first is probably the one you have heard the most: it looks good on college applications. Second of all kids that are involved in their community are less likely to get in trouble and more likely to get better grades. And last but not least you may be able to make a significant difference in the lives of a younger generation. I am not a huge fan of children but I do like to think that I am setting a good example for the ones that I do enjoy hanging out with.

          One of our family friends has volun-told me that I was to be the role model for their oldest daughter(9yr). At first I didn't want the responsibility of being a mentor but now.... Well, I love it! I like being looked up to and regarded as a good example. I don't have to take her places and have long deep conversations with her, I just try to be involved in her life and encourage her down the right paths.

          I hope that you can find a way to get involved with the younger people of our community. Big Brother and Big Sister is a great way to get started or even just paying more attention to the younger kids that are in your life. Kids don't have to be an emotional wreak and come from a bad home to need a hero. I hope you can have the initiative to be that Hero

Vanilla Wafers

 Today I'm going to share one of my favorite recipes. I love to cook/bake and I love having recipes that no one else does.  This is a recipe for Vanilla Wafers that I found in a REALLY old  cook book at my grandmothers.

Vanilla Wafers:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup shortening
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour

Oven: 375 Degrees

Cream Butter, shortening, and sugar. Add salt vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Drop from teaspoon 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with floured glass. Bake 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove immediately from pan. makes 72.

Tips:
- keep dough cool so it doesn't get as sticky.
- usually i just skip the teaspoon and roll the dough into balls by hand, but be careful it gets sticky fast.
- careful with the salt, I used Kosher salt once and the wafers came out REALLY salty:( also don't use to much, the recipes calls for a teaspoon but it doesn't have to be a completely full teaspoon.

I hope you have fun making these, they are a lot of fun to make with another person and even better to share with afterwards. They also make great gifts when but into pretty bags and/or jars. Don't be afraid to bake or put your own spin on a recipe, thats part of the fun. ENJOY!!!!!

The Things I Carry

        The items that I carry with me tend to be few. I am simplistic and not high maintenance. I do carry lipstick. I don’t care to tote along all of my other make up, but my lipstick is a symbol of my unique style. It portrays me as the well put together and driven, a persona I am striving to make a reality. I carry headphones, for the days that require a little inspiration and pick-me-up. I would say the music moves me, but I can’t dance. The music affects me, and it makes my soul dance instead. It breaths life back into me. I also carry books. Books are worlds that you can carry in your purse and escapes that are always available. A book can hide me from life even in a crowded room. When my lipstick persona fails me, and music can’t lift my spirits, I always have a book to fall into.

I’m figuring things out. 

The emotions that I carry with me tend to be many. I am not one to share my thoughts freely. My emotions can pile up and weigh on me. I carry love, but I have not done so for long. I’m learning how to share my love for the first time. Until then it will be clogging up my throat and fogging my brain. I carry my insecurities, because I’m a girl and we compare ourselves to others. I’m good at hiding theses too, but holding on to them makes my feet stumble and my mind doubt. I carry worry, and the stress that is attached to it. The worry is an accumulation of school work, home life, and life as a teenager. Right now as a sixteen year old everything matters and is important right at this moment.  Until I can learn to differentiate between what is petty and what really matters, worry will make me silent and stress will make me reserved.

Please leave a comment if you feel there is a way to improve my essay. Thank You.

Driving Test

       Dear Readers, My apologies for the lack of post lately. I have been very busy with school and honestly this blog has been pushed to the back burner. I do have some exciting news though :I officially have a boyfriend (as of about 30 min ago)! Whoop whoop!
       I also passed my driving test on Thursday. My Advice On That:
1. Keep calm
2. Be familiar with the vehicle you will be testing in.
3. Practice what you have trouble with - you can practice parallel parking at the DMV
4. Know that you can do it- If you have ever seen License to Drive then you will be relived to know that your test will be as easy as Natalie's test.
      I promise it is not going to be bad at all.Good luck to those taking your driving tests soon and for those that my be facing other test I wish you the best luck in all your endeavors. Good Bless.
P.S. have a safe and sober Labor Day Weekend :)

Not Much Time

    I don't have much to say today and thats mostly because I'm more worried about the homework I received on THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! Seriously teachers, I still need time to adjust to just going back to school, no need to throw homework into the mix. So even though I am running out of time here are a few of my strategies for time management and keeping up with your homework.

1. Write it Out
-write what you have to do, when it needs to be done by and how you plan on doing it.
A calendar or agenda are always helpful and keep deadlines in sight.

2. What is Really Important
- Get the stuff due tomorrow and before lunch done. If you are really running out of time lunch time is a great time to finish up those worksheets due in 8th period.  I don't suggest always doing your homework that day but for the days that seem a little short this can help you get that assignment done.

3.  Do it ALL at Once
- i have a bad habit of finishing an assignment and thinking " oh I'll just reward myself with one little episode of Criminal Minds" and then I watch 4 more episodes and don't get to my other assignments. If possible sit down in a quiet area and get all your work done, if you need to reward yourself avoid the TV and try a snack or even walking around the room.

Sorry for such a rushed post. Please excuse grammatical and spelling errors that i don't have time to go back and look for.  So get of the internet and go do your homework:)

School Tomorrow

        I don't know about anyone else but I am very ready for school to begin. I like the structure and the routine but thats just me. The only way to start the school year is on a good note and I've compiled a list of tips to help you start the year on fire!

1. Pre Plan your Outfit and Hair

-this minimizes stress the first morning of school and helps you get rolling. I never feel fully awake until I'm out of my PJ's and not having to choose an outfit while in a zombie like trance gets me out of my funk faster. 

2. Only Take the Basics

-the first day of school is really just a meet and great. Take an notebook to keep notes on teacher expectations, needed supplies, and whatever else you might need to remember. There is really no need to bring every pen, pencil, folder, binder, and notebook you own. A pen and a notebook, thats it.

3. Have a Plan

- to avoid any awkward standing around make a plan with your friends the night before and set up a meeting place.

4. Don't Be The Shy Awkward Kid.
- take to the people in your classes, get out there and meet new people. You will be spending all year with theses people so start out right and make a good impression.

5. Set Goals
-set goals for this year and if you are able to complete them reward yourself. Don't be unreasonable with your goals but its is always good to try and get a step up.

6. Be Yourself
- be confident in yourself and don't be afraid to get out there. This year is going to be what you make it, so go out and have a great year.


P.S. Don't forget your old friends while making new ones. Making new friends in new classes can be exciting but you have to remember the people that are true to you. Your lasting friends are the ones that will carry you through high school and help you when you need help the most.

Prince Charming

           Sorry for such a late post today. My soon to be boyfriend took me shopping, that's right,shopping. I am a lucky girl! And I say "soon to be" because he is waiting to officially ask my parents if he can formally date me. He is a gentleman and I am so thankful he is mine. Ever girl deserves to be appreciated and adored. My prayer for all the teen girls reading this is that you find someone that truly cares for you and that you understand that God has a plan for you. That plan will work itself out in His time not your's. I promise Prince Charming is out there.

P.S. please leave comments and/or questions. Also feel free to follow this blog.

Cody Story- No More Fear

          I often take Cody to church with me because we attend a small church and Cody loves visiting the children's ministry. Last Sunday after the service a young mom and her 5 year old daughter came to greet Cody. The little girl had a fresh scar over her left eye and the mother explained to me that she had recently been attacked by a dog. The woman wanted her daughter to overcome her fear of dogs and thought Cody would be the perfect dog to help her daughter do that. Unfortunately the little girl refused to have anything to do with Cody and left. I was very disappointed because I believe dogs are put on this earth to provide healing and comfort and this little girl only saw dogs as a creature of pain and fear. I don't think anyone should have to go through life fearing "Man's Best Friend".
        While Cody continued to delight the other children with his mild manner, interesting tricks, and overall fluffiness, I watched the little girl with the scar sitting across the room watching Cody. She eventually left her chair and slowly made her way across the room, stopping often to just stare at Cody. When she finally made it to me most of the other children had left with their parents and Cody was dozing on the floor. She softly asked if she could pet my dog and after many reassurances that Cody wouldn't move or hurt her she began petting my dog. By the time the little girl's mother found her she was laying on the floor hugging and talking to Cody.
         I was so proud of this little girl for overcoming her fears and for doing it all on her own. I had been very surprised when she approached Cody without her mother and was delighted to see the doubt and fear slip from her face. I am also very proud of my Cody for some how knowing that all this little girl need was for him to lay there and look as much like a teddybear as possible. I didn't have to direct him in any way, he knew that in order to help that little girl he needed to lay down and not move(he never moved the entire time, he didn't even turn his head to see who was touching and hugging him). I believe Cody was in church that day for one purpose only and that was to help began to heal that little girl and only God can plan a meeting like that.

First Post

        This being my first post I want to share a few thing with my readers. My name is Brookell, not Cody. Cody is my dog and you will probably hear a lot about him. Cody is a certified therapeutic service dog so I have lots of awesome heart warming stories. I also have a pet rat Picasso and am currently raising a goat for FFA. I very much enjoy reading, running and refashioning. Therefore this blog will be a mixture of Cody stories, book reviews, refashion projects, and how I survive my everyday life as an everyday teen:) I hope you enjoy this blog and that it offers some advice, a little humor, and a few heartwarming stories.Have a blessed day and please stay tuned for more posts.
 P.S. please feel free to follow this blog and post comments.