we can do BIG things

I've always wondered if I'll ever be able to do something BIG.

Something life changing - for me or for other people.

For a while I thought that I couldn't, that maybe I'd just do some small things in my life because I'd never be able to do something BIG. That's for the pros.

Actually, no, it's not.

Ever heard of the TV show "America's Got Talent"? My siblings and I are obsessed with the show, but that's beyond the point.

Last year, a 12-year-old girl named Grace Vanderwaal won AGT (American's Got Talent). She is gifted with a beautiful voice, and now, after winning, is pretty famous. Auditioning for AGT was something BIG that she did, and it helped her dreams to come true.

Only about four days ago, a 12-year-old named Darci Lynne won AGT for her amazing talent in ventriloquism. She is self-taught and has only been doing it for two years, but she's better than anyone I've ever seen! Auditioning for AGT was something BIG she did, and it helped her dreams come true, too!

Those are both examples of people who took what they were good at and did something BIG with their talents to help their dreams come true. And they're both only 12 years old! How cool is that?

Now, I'm not saying that everyone has to go out and win some contest for singing or being the best magician. No, not at all. I'm just saying that we need to stop saying "I can't".

Because we can do BIG things. If only we try.

Stay beautiful,

a summer photo dump | family camp and corn feilds

My sister got a professional camera, but I probably use it more than she does.

I've told her she might as well give it to me (she hasn't agreed yet, but she will someday...) because I use it so much. Especially now that I've started photography class.

She got it in the beginning of the summer, and I've been using it to take pictures galore these past few months. It's just so fun!!! And I'm pretty good at it.

Seeing as I did one photo dump and you guys enjoyed it, I thought you might like to see some pics I took over the summer. Most of them are from July/August because I didn't start using the camera much until then. I love taking pics in late summer, though. The corn is tasseled but still green, the moon is beautiful, and it's just the perfect time to take pictures for me.

Half of the pics are from family camp, and the other half from around our house. Enjoy!

Did you like my pictures?

Do you like taking pictures during summer?

Stay beautiful,

the sunshine blogger award

The wonderfully amazing Allie Taylor tagged me for the Sunshine Blogger Award a little while back. Thank you so much, Allie! You're such an amazing friend and an inspiration!

What gives you the most joy?

My family, my friends, and God give me joy. I love them all so much and it makes me happy to be around them and talk to them. Spending time with them - especially God - makes me joyful.

What is your favorite type of tea/coffee?

My favorite type of tea isn't actually tea: it's tea that's fermented and turned into this amazing thing called kombucha. My favorite flavor of kombucha is strawberry or raspberry.

Who was the last person you made laugh?

My brother. He is taking an Advanced Self Defense class in homeschool co-op this year, and he was trying to teach me the moves he learned. I am absolutely terrible at it, so we got a laugh out of it.

Define yourself in ten words or less!

A beautiful creation of God. That was only five words, but it's completely true. We're all an amazingly unique and beautiful creation of Him.

Which of the following are you: soft and happy and light in coloring and clothing, OR soft and flowy and relaxed in clothing and coloring, OR sharp and warm-colored and textured in clothing and coloring, OR strictly bold in coloring and very black and white for clothing.

I am probably soft and happy and light in coloring a clothing. I like lighter colors and soft fabrics. Comfy and soft. <3

What are your favorite things?

My favorite things that I own have to be books - all and any, including the Bible. Even notebooks, though those barely count. ;)

What is the most beautiful thing you can imagine?

Heaven has to be the most beautiful thing I can imagine. I just take all the most beautiful things I can think of - like the ocean, the sunset, fields of flowers... - and roll them all into one with God in the middle.

Your perfect (real or not real) place? i.e. a coffee shop, a cool, ventilated room, a fresh hotel room, the kitchen, a magical realm that doesn't exist (in that case, describe it!). Whatever it is, describe it.

My perfect place would be under a big tree in a quiet meadow. A cool breeze would be blowing and it would be perfect out. Flowers blooming around, soft grass under me...someday, maybe I'll find a place like that.

I nominate...

Kirstie Rhys

Abbiee

Mira Elizabeth

What did you think of my answers?

How are you this fine day?

Good? 

Not so good?

Stay beautiful,

five ways writing has changed me and my life

Writing has become a huge part of my life.

I seriously can't imagine living without writing. How did I survive without writing??!

But, the important thing is that now, I am a pen head. I'd really rather be nothing else.

Writing has changed me and my life in sooooooo many ways. I don't remember how past me lived in such non-writerly-ness. It's a mystery to humankind.

What are a few ways that writing has changed my life, you ask? There are a million billion out there, but here are six of them...

{ my idea for a career has changed }

For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to be a chef. It was my dream. I'd go to culinary school, become the best chef in the world, and open a cute little cafe in my small town.

Then...writing came along, and my views swerved a little.

I no longer want to go to culinary school. I still love cooking, but I can't see it as my main profession anymore. Writing on the other hand...yes, I can see myself penning out books and getting them published for the rest of my life.

{ i don't play video games anymore }

I used to LOVE playing video games - whether on the computer or the tablet. Minecraft, Crossy Road, all those popular games. That was my thing. If I was aloud to, I was playing video games.

Then...writing came along. Games? Nah. I'm going at some new story idea. Time on the tablet? I'm not using it to beat my high score, I'm browsing the web for writing articles or reading writing related books.

Sure, I'll think every now and then, "hey, I should see if I can beat this level that I couldn't before". Every now and then as in one a month. That's a lot less often than before.

{ there's always a movie in my head }

Okay, I would say story, but what author imagines scenes from their books without background music and fake explosions?

None, duh. That's why it's called a movie.

Anyway, there's always something going on in this head of mind. Sometimes, I'll have my favorite scenes from my book on repeat in my head, just watching them over and over and over...

Which brings me to my next difference:

{ i stare at absolutely nothing a lot }

Sometimes, I'll be sitting down or something with nothing to do, so I'll think, "why not watch that one scene, that I love so much over and over and over again in my head? What an amazing waste of my precious time".

So I'll sit there, stare at the wall, and do that. Sometimes I get so sucked in that someone has to shout my name or slap me in the face to get my attention.

Okay, they've never slapped me in the face before, but it will happen eventually. I know it.

{ i don't read as often }

Now, hold yer horses. I still read a lot. 55.5% of the time I'm doing something related to words - which is usually reading, writing, or school.

But over half of that 55.5% is writing. And then the other half is split between school and reading.

You're probably going "OH MY WORD ANIKA ONLY READS THAT MUCH????" Again, pull the reins back because that's still a lot. It's just...not as much as before I discovered this amazing thing called WRITING.

Well, there you go. Five ways writing has changed me and my life.

Are you a writer?

How has writing (or reading) changed your life?

Until we meet again,