j & k's cupcakes!...

Kayla asked all of her bible study girls to bake different kinds of cupcakes. My cupcakes: devils food with vanilla frosting (I just added the fondant flowers with sugar pearls for fun). :) The flowers definitely complete the cupcake. Can't wait for their wedding tomorrow! I'll be taking lots of pics. :)

simple birdie...

I have always LOVED Lisa's Sweet and Simply Birdie Necklace, but for some reason, I've never gotten it! So, weird. I think this will definitely be my next shopping splurge. :)

mike and sam's wedding...

My family and I went to my Sissy's best friend's wedding on Saturday; I had a lovely time. :)

Unfortunately, my camera was being mean to me and made almost all of my pictures either too fuzzy so you couldn't tell who was in them, or really green...ew. I wanted to throw my camera against a wall. I would love to invest in an Olympus with interchangeable lenses, but that's another $900 easy...I don't have that kinda money. Oh well, another thing to put on the wish list. :)

My friend Kayla is getting married next weekend (crazy!!)! She asked all of us bible study girls to make cupcakes. I'm making chocolate devils food with vanilla frosting (don't worry, I'll take pics). I really want to take good pics at her wedding, but I'm afraid my camera won't cooperate with me again. Maybe I can borrow someone's nicer camera?...maybe. :)

can't wait for summer!...

I had my LAST final yesterday (the last final of my high school career)! Yay! :)
This picture has been hangin' out in my little noggin for the past couple days now. Obviously, my brain is trying to tell me something: when are we going to the beach?! The weather here has been pretty random the past couple weeks. Warm and sunny one day, warm and rainy the next, cold and windy the next day! Pretty weird. I'm definitely ready for the warm days. I want an excuse to wear all my pretty shirts/dresses I just got! :)

Oh yeah! I just got hired at Lisa Leonard Designs! SO excited! I won't start work until June 28th because I'm going to Mexico with my youth group, but I'm still super stoked. Can't wait for summer! :)

121st post!...

~!121!~

Yeah, totally random number; but I thought, "Hey, since I missed my 100th post, I might as well do 121st!" So, to celebrate, I would like you all to watch this...seriously, the only way I can describe this kid is: amazing. :)

Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken...

"Jesus, I my cross have taken,
All to leave and follow Thee;
Destitute, despised, forsaken,
Thou from hence my All shalt be.
Perish every fond ambition,
All I've sought or hoped or known;
Yet how rich is my condition!
God and heaven are still my own.

Let the world despise and leave me,
They have left my Savior, too.
Human hearts and looks deceive me;
Thou art not, like them, untrue.
And while Thou shalt smile upon me,
God of wisdom, love, and might,
Foes may hate and friends may shun me;
Show Thy face, and all is bright.

Go, then, earthly fame and treasure!
Come, disaster, scorn, and pain!
In Thy service, pain is pleasure;
With Thy favor, loss is gain.
I have called Thee Abba, Father!
I have stayed my heart on Thee.
Storms may howl, and clouds may gather,
All must work for good to me.

Man may trouble and distress me,
'Twill but drive me to Thy breast;
Life with trials hard may press me,
Heaven will bring me sweeter rest.
Oh, 'tis not in grief to harm me
While Thy love is left to me;
Oh, 'twere not in joy to charm me
Were that joy unmixed with Thee.

Take, my soul, thy full salvation;
Rise o'er sin and fear and care;
Joy to find in every station,
Something still to do or bear.
Think what Spirit dwells within thee,
What a Father's smile is thine,
What a Savior died to win thee;
Child of heaven, shouldst thou repine?

Haste, then, on from grace to glory,
Armed by faith and winged by prayer;
Heaven's eternal day's before thee,
God's own hand shall guide thee there.
Soon shall close the earthly mission,
Swift shall pass thy pilgrim days,
Hope soon change to glad fruition,
Faith to sight, and prayer to praise."

A wonderful song with wonderful lyrics. :)

one broken pot...

OK, it's 1:06AM, and I'm gonna rant a little bit here, if that's OK with y'all (if not, too bad. I'm doing it anyway).

So, as you know, last weekend was Lindy Exchange (yay!). I've been dancing (swing, mostly) for almost two years now, so I thought I was pretty good. Apparently, according to some people, that's not the case.

I was talking to a friend (we'll call him friend A) the other night while we were looking at pics from sloX '10. I was tagged in a couple, so we were commenting on them. In one pic, I was dancing with one of my good friends (we'll call him friend B) (he's still kinda new at dancing, but he's still a lot of fun and enjoys every dance he does [he's always smiling]).
Friend A comments, "You look good in this pic."
To that, I respond, "Thank you! *Friend B* looks good too! I like dancing with him."
Friend A responds by saying, "He has poor form..."

OK, Friend A is one of those people you can't really describe, but when you meet them, you instantly think 'Oooooh, THAT kinda person.' Friend A is, well, a show-off adult who acts like they're 13...yeah, we'll leave it at that.

So, of course when I heard this response, I stick up for Friend B by saying that Friend A always does the same old dance moves, no variation whatsoever (dudes, if you ever take ballroom dancing, and keep at it, and dance with the same partner for almost two years, here's a tip: LEARN NEW MOVES.). So we kinda "argue" (friendly banter) for a couple seconds. Then my friend said a phrase I don't think I'll ever forget:

"I dance better with better dancers"

My mouth dropped, I put my hands up, stood up, and walked to the bathroom; silent (I now wish I had just walked out of the house). At first, I had taken it as more of a joke, just kinda brushing it off. But after I got into the car and started the drive home, I just started to feel kinda down. Then, it hit me: what Friend A said hurt my feelings. Seriously, you never think about someone "hurting your feelings" past grade school! But that's what had happened, my little dancing fire was doused by the tsunami that is a scaring phrase of painful words I will never forget..."I dance better with better dancers"...

That night, I got home kinda sad, but not too bad (ha, that rhymed). One day later, I cried as I wrote in my journal.

Now, as I am typing this to my 4 faithful readers, I can truly say that I am crushed beyond my own belief. Seriously, I finally find the ONE physical sport I can do, the one thing that I can actually have fun doing without feeling like I'm going to die (yes, most sports make me feel like I'm going to run out of air and die), and then the one friend I dance with the most has to go and say that I essentially suck at it.

Yes, I am probably taking this WAY too seriously; and please, I DON'T want any sympathy here (no one come and hug me, or else I'll probably cry again), I would just like some re-assurance that I can actually dance and dance well. I want to know that something I have been passionate about for almost 2 years wasn't a complete waste of time. I would love to see Friend A buy me some freakin' flowers, get down on one knee, and give me a REAL apology, not just some little pat on the back and saying/chuckling, "Sorry".

I know, I'm blowing this WAY out of proportion, and God is probably chucking up there saying, "Lauren, you're so cute. I love how you are SO passionate about something; although, I would love for that passion to be about and for Me. You don't need to be amazing at everything, just at loving Me; and I don't even expect that out of you, out of anyone. I love you, all I ask is that you love Me in return."

Can you imagine? Getting your heart broken every time someone said, "I hate You. I don't know You, and I never want to know You." Every time someone cursed Your name? God has to go through that every second of every day, and yet, He still loves us. He never holds a grudge. Makes my little dancing thing not so big now, doesn't it?

Yes, I would love a formal apology from my friend, and it's going to take me a while to feel comfortable dancing with him again, but I'll get over it. I don't know how long it will take, and I'm not sure how to confront my friend about this (maybe they'll read this and get me flowers!...hey, I can dream, can't I?), but God doesn't mind. He'll love and understand me even if this takes a week, a month, or a year. He cares SO much, even about the little things; because it's the little things that make up the big things, and if God cares about the little things, then I have nothing to worry about.

"Dear God,
Please, let me see that I am crushed and broken so that You may start anew. So that I will be molded and crafted into one who is driven and passionate about You; being one with You as their top priority and love. Because You are all that matters, not the physical pleasures of this world that You have so generously given us. I am a lump of clay, mold me and make me new. Give me the details that show in a dark room of hatred, lust, and evil. Give me the strength to fight the battle that You have prepared for me. I know I will win, for You never send in the ones who are not yet ready to fight. You foretell all battles, You know the outcomes. I love You, and You love me. That is all I need."

Sincerely,
One Broken Pot. ~James 1:19-20~

sloX '10!...

The San Luis Obispo Lindy Exchange 2010 came and went in the blink of an eye! There were evening dances Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night-all pretty fun. Saturday was most definitely the most fun. Unfortunately, I couldn't get any pictures, *tear*, but (just as I thought) there were a ton of people taking pics, so I'll post them eventually. :)

In the meantime, here's the Jack & Jill Competition Final! :)

happy mommy day...

...hope yours is a special one. :)

ironman 2!...

After my oceanography field trip, I came home for a quick shower and a nice nap. Then I went to the Fremont's midnight premiere of Ironman 2!! SO good!! I'll always love the original, but this sequel was pretty darn good, I must say. :) Definitely gotta see it on the big screen. I give it 4 stars. :)

sloX '10 starts TONIGHT!! Yay!! I'll try to take the best pics I can, but I can't guarantee how well they'll turn out (considering that the venues are all indoors with low lighting...no bueno for my camera). I know A LOT of people will be taking pics too, so there's still hope if mine don't turn out. :)

Sunday's Mom's Day, people! Show yo Mama some love! :)

my busy weekend...

So, this Saturday was SLO High's prom, so the few of us seniors who weren't asked went to Madonna Inn for dessert and dancing. At first, I wasn't too thrilled about the idea (3 losers who weren't asked to prom eating cake at the bar then dancing by themselves...sounds pretty pathetic); I got a little more into it once the night got going.
Our Dad's surprised us with corsages and some dancing later on in the evening (well, my friend's Dads danced. My Dad and I sat and watched. =] ), so sweet. :)
Then today I went to my wonderful friend Kayla's bridal shower! It was REALLY warm outside, but still SO much fun!
Unfortunately, I forgot my camera to BOTH events!! I felt so stupid!! Well, no more forgetfulness! I will remember my camera from now on!...well, at least I'll try to remember. :)

Hope you had a lovely weekend! :)

Oh! PS, sloX '10 is this weekend!!! Along with the Ironman 2 premiere!!! Get ready for some awesome, action-packed thrills; with a little swing thrown in!! :)