Michelle Obama... what are you wearing?!

She looks like a Christmas present! Dear Mrs. Obama. I love you! I loved your dress that you wore at the Inaugural Ball and things that you wore during the Obama Campaign. I compared you to Jackie Kennedy, who in my book is the best First Lady (so far) that we have had. But, why oh why, must you wear this?! Your daughters look better than you! The sweater is cute, but that bow on your neck seriously needs to go away!

Now, I'm sure most of you don't know this but Jackie Kennedy was the first First Lady to put the Christmas Tree out in the White House Blue Room, that way people who were getting tours could see the tree.

Here's the full video of Mrs. O getting the tree with the girls. Also, notice one player getting a little to excited with the music... I betcha he's regretting playing that note now, since it's on YouTube...

I didn't know about this until today, that there's actually a contest for the tree that is put in the White House. If you would like to read more, check this out.

Happy Thanksgiving! :)

First of all, Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you all (whoever you are) have a wonderful day filled with family, food, and friends.

I love love love this holiday! When I was little I would go up to my grandpa's house in Visalia, California and spend time with my mom's side of the family. My grandpa, being a true Italian man, my grandpa had every person in our family over. Each family of our family had their expected places to work. I don't remember what ours did, I think we made the yams because that's the only thing that I'm good at, but my Aunt Michelle would make amazing pies and my cousins and I would make pie crust cookies. Everyone in the family felt like they were bringing something to the table. Here's a photo of my grandpa and I when I was little gathering some flowers for the table. This is honestly my favorite holiday! It is true about family and friends and the blessings that we have to be in everyone's lives.

Looking back on this holiday always seem to be a little sad. I miss my grandpa terribly. It's been three long years since his death and for some reason, this year I have cried even more than the others. In fact, I cried today thinking about the Thanksgivings up at his beautiful craftsman house made out of redwood. As I get older it made me realize the traditions that I have and what I want to bring to the table when I have a family. I'm sure like every other girl, thinking about having a family during the holidays is normal. I know, like my grandpa, I want a big house with all of my family over from far and wide to come and celebrate being together.

I love my family, even though, at times I want to slap them upside the head and wonder what the hell they are doing. But, in the end, they are your family. They will always be there for you no matter what.

I guess one thing that seems to be different this year is college. I mean, I love college right now, I have some great friends and I love it. However, some of my old friends are home right now. Which is nice, don't get me wrong, but also a little different. I'm so used to all of my friends being home for the holidays and not having to schedule visits, it would just happen. Now, there seems to be a time frame for some of them. I know that there's only a selected amount of time to see them. I just can't call them up next week and see if they want to hang out at Panera and then go see a movie. I love that my friends from high school are home. For some, it's hanging out like old times, and for others, I know that both of us have had good intentions of keeping in touch with each other, but school and life seem to get in the way. Is this what it is going to be like in the real world? Only having selected times where you can see your friends that you have known for years? If so, it's a good thing we're practicing now.

About two months ago, I couldn't wait to see my friends from high school. In fact, I was counting down the days. Now, it's deciding to go to your alma mater's high school game or hang out with friends from college at a concert? Don't get me wrong, I love my high school and all of my friends, but I can't just keep on living my life as if I was in high school. I have to keep building my friendships with the other people that I have in college. There has to be a happy medium between the two. Here's the thing: I know my friends and my relationships with them. I know that I love them very much and I am so thankful to have them in my life. And to be quite honest, it doesn't matter if I met them 14 years ago or 14 minutes ago. All I know is that these people make my life richer.

And that's what Thanksgiving is all about, understanding what you are thankful for. This year I am thankful for all of my friends, family and loved ones. I hope you all have a blessed holiday.

change?

New York City. Manhattan. Everyone should go there at least once in their lifetime. I miss it so much! I would honestly go back there in a heart beat. If I had enough money, I would just leave everything and move here. Only talk to the people that I wanted to. Just tell the people that I want to be in my life where I am and start COMPLETELY over. Don't worry, I still love LA... and for the most part I will probably live here and die here. But apart of me just wants to get away. Just drop off of the whole West Coast and start over. I always wanted a chance to start over. Yes, I somewhat got that in college, but I want a chance to not be attached to girls from high school that act like middle schoolers, or not have any obligations to family. I want to wake up and live my life. I can't do that in LA. Part of me feels clogged up here. I mean, I guess it would be different if I drove, because then I could go out on my own and explore the city that I call home. But part of me, just wants to run away with my cell phone, credit card, some clothes, my camera and my laptop and find a new place. I don't know where this is coming from at all. I'm not one to want to go off and start a new adventure... but I just want a HUGE positive change in my life and I honestly don't think it's anywhere here in LA. I want to go off and work. Honestly, I would much rather be working in an office and not sitting in a classroom. I remember the first time my mom took me to work, I loved it. Maybe, it's just when you work, it doesn't really matter where you come from, just how you get the job done. I guess, it's the same at school, but it's really not. I would like to say it is, but it isn't. If you're from some private school that is known to have rich kids, everyone labels you with that. If you do well or participate in class the nice pretty boy comes and sits next to you and pretends to be interested in what you are saying, when in reality he couldn't careless. I'm so torn with school and wanting to work. I want to get out of the Valley as much as I love it. I want to start completely over. AND, I mean, completely over. I want someone to say my name without saying that I'm friends with so and so. I want someone to hear of my high school and have no idea where it is and could careless. I want to get away... end of story. Now, the questions are where, how and why do I want to go and get there.

I'm excited

Not going to lie, one of my guilty pleasures is Perez Hilton. I know, it's sleazy, but he's so witty! I usually read his website when I get home, just to unwind, or in class if I can't focus. However, there was something that made me quite giddy when I saw what he had posted. For school, my sophomore year, we had to read Fences. I actually liked the book, I think it was because I really enjoyed my teacher as well. Anyways, as I looking at Perez's site I see this. Now, I am usually not a huge fan of movie stars coming to Broadway and doing shows, but, I actually think Denzel will do a good job. Let's hope. I can't wait to see it, I guess I'll just have to come out to New York and check it out.

Gosh, I just want to finish college and get a job in the heart of LA or New York...

Don't Worry! I'm alive!

Hey all!

Not that anyone really reads this anyways, I just wanted to tell you that I am still alive and well! I have huge post coming soon about what I've been up to, and also maybe even a new blog as well! You see soon! Right now, I have to papers that need to be done before 6pm and it's 3:30 right now! I have tomorrow off and I've purposely set aside sometime to make sure that I will blog! I hope all is well with you!

Love always,
Courtney

Hello College!

So, I know that it has been FOREVER since I have posted. I know, college has slowly taken over my life, especially because I'm carrying 17 units! BIG MISTAKE! But, that shouldn't matter, especially when I promised myself that I would blog everyday.

COLLEGE. It's that one thing that all ex-high school seniors look forward to. I know I was. I had high expectations, I always do. I thought that I would make friends instantly, and maybe even find a cute guy to like that would maybe turn into something more. Man, was I wrong. Not going to lie, my first couple weeks at Valley were terrible. I found myself crying every night wishing to go back to ND. Which, was something I definitely did not want to admit. Everything at ND was easier. See, the thing is I came from a middle school where half of my 8th grade class went on to ND, so, basically all of my friends were already at the school that I was at. I didn't have to worry about making new friends because I was the only one from my school. Valley was completely different. My closest friends had left to go to colleges out of state or far away from home. I was all alone. Yes, there were some people from ND that were going to Valley, but it wasn't the same. They had their interests and I had mine. So, for the first time in my life, I knew absolutely no one. Thankfully, now, I have some amazing friends that are there for me all the time.

I'm 19 now! I guess, I need to change my headline now, because I'm not 18, but I am still learning. Looking back on it, I expected my 18th birthday to be something great and amazing. I wanted it to be a chance for me to be with all of my friends and celebrate my friendships. And honestly, that's the way I look at birthdays, I don't see them as something to celebrate me and how I have affected people, I see it as something that celebrates the people that you have in your life, because we all know that we definitely don't want to not touch someone's life. My 19th birthday was great. Before dinner, I went to church to go to handbell rehearsal were I saw all of my church friends, which was really nice. These girls are all practically family, so to celebrate with them at rehearsal was great. I had a wonderful birthday dinner with friends and family at this new restaurant that I fell in love with after rehearsal. Then, my friends and I met up to go bowling, which ended up not happening, so we went back home and had Yummy Cupcakes.

Now, I'm really just enjoying school. The next thing on my list of things to do is finally get my permit again so I can get my driver's license. Then, I will finally feel like an actual adult, assuming my parents let me have one of their cars... In fact, one of the reasons I want it is because I am so sick and tired of my mom driving me around. And, I know that this is going to sound bad, but I am sick and tired of my mom. I honestly don't know why. It just seems that everything for the most part that she says and does is just plain annoying. It actually hurts me that our relationship is breaking, but I feel like she's not doing anything to change it. I think she still sees me as a 5 year old, or wants to at least. However, my relationship with my dad is amazing. He basically trusts me with anything and I know that he always has my back. I guess that's probably the biggest thing that bugs me with my mom, that she doesn't let me fall or mess up, she wants to help me along the way. My dad on the other hand, will let me do what I need to do, and if I need help, he knows that I will ask. I'm sure as a mom it's hard to let your only daughter grow, but the thing is, every single time she tries to pull me in, she ends up making me want to push away. Anyways, enough about my mom.

Overall, everything has been good. This weekend, I'm headed out for Texas for my 2nd cousin's wedding. I'm probably going to bring the laptop, so expect some posts! I'm hoping to connect up with my friend Cassie as well, who goes to school out in Austin, so we will see!

Thanks for reading this, whoever you are. :)

Hello Summer -- Time for a Change

First off, I would just like everyone to know whoever reads this that I finally graduated high school! WHOHOO! Haha. 

I finally saw Never Been Kissed... and it was a wonderful movie.  It made me look back on the time when I was in high school (not that it wasn't that long ago).  High school is different than any other time in your life, at least that's what my mom would always tell me.  And, well, to be quite honest it has.  My time at Notre Dame was one of the best and worst experiences of my life.  I guess you could say it was a unique one.  I have found some friends for a lifetime (or at least I think so) and people who I thought were my friends that ended up not wanting any part of me after we threw our graduation caps.  High school is one of those times when you strive to be something.  This something can be anything.  For some, it can be not being the nerd that you were in middle school and trying out for the football team and recreating yourself.  For others it's a chance to strengthen your passions that you had in middle school.  But, cliques take over.  Cliques will always happen.  It doesn't end in high school. BUT, if we realize the cliques that we are in they can change.  See, the problem is, well at least for me, is that people worry way too much about what people think of them.  I know, it's easier said than done that we shouldn't worry about what people think about us. BUT HERE'S THE THING: PEOPLE DO WORRY ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THEM. There's a reason why the Entertainment is the reason it is, the reason why media has changed so much than it used to.  True friends are really hard to find.  I remember at one point thinking to myself, "I'll find my bridesmaids in high school and find my husband in college."  Well, you know what, I did find some of my bridesmaids in high school... but at the same time, those will change.  Four years ago even months ago if you were to ask me who my 5 best friends or my good friends they would have changed.  There are friends that you think will be your friends for life. But, you just have to take friendship day by day.  Don't think about how a friend can benefit you or how they make you look.  Like a person for who they are and how they treat you: not what social status they can give you.  To be quite honest, I've realized this mentality now.  I was so caught up in how I was perceived by other people I let some of my BEST friends go unnoticed.  So, for anyone who I was friends with or acquaintances with and I hurt you for some reason, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I was caught up in my life that I didn't notice you as much as I had hoped.  I'm sorry if I ever used you to get ahead. I'm sorry.  My dad always tells me that there are two words that I use too often.  The first one is friend.  Think today we have gotten so caught up in what a friend means that what it really means is an acquaintance.  The problem is that we look for friends with benefits... and no, I don't mean the sexual kind, I mean we look for people that we can say, "oh yeah, I know them, there one of my friends". But the thing is, they aren't your friend, they are someone that you know and someone that you may have had a heart to heart with.  I know I'm guilty of this. I really am I.  I have said that a bunch of times. But, from now on, I'm going to look at friendship differently and I hope you will too.