On 2030...

2030: The Real Story of What Happens to America by Albert Brooks

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I had no earthly idea where this book was going to take me, but I am more than pleasantly surprised. It was completely relateable to the current issues that stand before our country, and the situations presented are something that we could see in the near future. Despite this, though, some of the technology such as the cars and watches seem too high tech for only twenty years in the future, but added a lot to the story. There were many times, though, that I imagined this world as 3030, not 2030. Regardless, this is a must read and something that can make any reader think about the future of our nation.



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On baking

Considering my original plans for summer school never worked out I find myself with an extensive amount of free time so, of course, I picked up a new hobby.

This  is something that you probably know about if you are friends with me on facebook!

I read up during the last semester of school on how to decorate cookies. I love how you can order gourmet cookies in almost any shape and and decorated to perfection! It fascinates me and I've watched many videos. So I finally got the courage to buy everything and try it out.

Here was a picture of the first batch I ever tried.. It was before I tried glazing/flooding, so all I practiced was piping.

he second batch. This was the first time I tried glazing and made the glazes way too watery so in some of the icings, the shortening separated from the icing. :( But the flowers turned out great(Well, they turned out better than the first)!

The third batch was for my lovely boyfriend! Some of them didn't turn out how I had imagined, but he still thought they were delicious regardless. This was also the same day I made a scrapbook arrangement I saw while browsing graftgawker.

And my fifth batch was the first time I ever made chocolate chip cookies from scratch. I did decorate them but I forgot to snap a picture of them before I transported them to one of my best friends good bye party!

And my most recent batch of cookies were ones that my nieces, who are 8 and 10, helped me decorate. My boyfriend and some friends were over too, but the girls did most of the decorating.

And my most recent baking endeavor was last night! My boyfriend and I attempted to make rainbow cake in a jar. The process of making it was definitely fun and could be a project you do with multiple people considering one box of cake mix makes three jars, it was definitely a fun experience!

on Austin

I know this a few days late, but it's mainly because it's so hard for me to put into words my relationship and how I feel about my boyfriend of, now, four years.

And because of my inability to properly write about my love life (sorry guys), I'm going to post a couple of pages from what turned into a short book I wrote for him. It wasn't supposed to be very long, but I just couldn't stop writing. I know, I know. How could I write for him and not for y'all? Don't ask me. My brain sat here frozen for about thirty minutes staring at this blank new post page.

X / X / X / X
There were twelve pages, and some were more personal than others, and it was very heart wrenching to write. But in a good way.

And here's some advice from me about boys:

1. Don't get all upset if you give them a present and they don't seem "thankful enough". For a lot of guys, showing emotion is not something they normally do. If you feel like you gave them something wonderful and meaningful and they don't cry about how beautiful and meaningful it is, don't take it the wrong away. If he takes the time to look at it, read it, examine it, etc. and tell you he likes it/loves it, then your on a good path. Gift giving is never easy, so we rarely do it.

2. Anniversaries. Alright, celebrating your one month/two month/three month/ etc. is real cute up until about a year in the relationship. A lot of people, myself included, find the repetitiveness of monthly anniversaries pretty annoying to say the least. There are only so many times you should have to buy a happy anniversary card or gift. After the first year, we limited it to every six months so we celebrated twice a year. And even this year we overlooked our three and a half year mark. The less you celebrate, the more exciting and meaningful that +1 year mark will mean to you and your significant other.  


A side note: I do have an email you can reach me at if you need advice or think something needs to be covered. You can contact me at kbadvice@hotmail.com and any thing you ask about or tell me is between us. I may ask to use your questions for future updates, but you're more than welcome to tell me no.

on summer (finally)...

**Advice is at the bottom if you don't care about my boring life**
I'm so so so so sorry for not updating in almost TWO MONTHS!
I've just been crazy busy with finals/preparing for finals/not really having anything other than priorities and studying to blog about. I haven't even been able to bake since Easter, and my Easter baking only consisted of dipping some delicious little Peep Chicks in melted chocolate. :(

Buuuuuut, there are some exciting things going on!

1. It's finally SUMMER TIME! And for the first time since I was a junior in high school I'm not working and taking summer school. But those classes don't start for another week or so, so I've been free to roam around town (which is not as exciting as it sounds) and have been able to get some things done that I've been wanting to do!

2. I'm three days away from my four year anniversary with the best boyfriend in the world!

3. And the said boyfriend's older sister, a great friend of mine, is getting married to the love of her life.

4. And I finally have time to read... I have quite the pile of books that are screaming my name.

To start off I got a few things done.... I got my freshman year scrapbook done. Here are a few pages to see the handy work on my second scrapbook. X / X This really didn't take me very long to actually do... it was buying the materials and ordering the pictures that had me unmotivated to even think about starting this project, but once I got going and started getting crafty, the scrapbook was done and I wish I could make my next one now!
Also I got two shadow box collages done. One is of Austin and I over the past four years, and the other is of my first year doing Student Bonfire. My first attempt at these collages.

On Wednesday the 25th, me and Austin will be celebrating our four year anniversary. We went from starting our relationship as a freshman and sophomore in high school, and now we're celebrating as a freshman and sophomore in college (well, we're a sophomore and junior TECHNICALLY, but it's the thought that counts!). An example of what the two of us do best. But, you can't forget the "I love you more" argument. X / X.

And of course, it wouldn't be polite of me to post pictures of Savanah and her fiancée (even though they are the cutest couple in the world), but I definitely can't keep this out of what is exciting about the summer. It's going to be an absolutely beautiful country wedding with two wonderful families coming together. Not to mention I LOVE weddings.

And last but not least: My summer reading list. ;)

I have some advice, as always.


1. For the girls who are are dreading the departure of their older boyfriend going to college: Enjoy the freaking summer. Spend as much time as you can together and worry about him going away in August. Being happy now will make it easier to be happy later. If you are going to make yourself absolutely miserable, then you will be. **I was this girl two summers ago** My boyfriend went off to college while I was stuck in high school... I made myself miserable and guess what? I was making him miserable too. Just have fun and enjoy the time you do have together and then be a big girl and trust and love your boyfriend, not only that but be proud that you have an ambitious boyfriend with goals and dreams. And know that if he's still with you, you're apart of those dreams too. ;) 

being blessed

As most of you know, I'm blessed to have my boyfriend of almost four years in my life. He's by my side every single day now that we're at Texas A&M University together (he's a sophomore, I'm a freshman) and I couldn't imagine our relationship any other way. But unlike us, I have many friends who aren't as blessed to have their loved one by their side everyday and I want to take a moment to talk about them.

I have two very close friends who have their loved ones in the army. One is a husband and a father, and the other is a boyfriend and a life long friend of the love of his life.

The dedication and love that these couples share with their loved ones is out of this world. I admire these couples for the trust and patriotism they posses, giving their husband and boyfriend to the US Army to serve our country. These are real men and they deserve to be recognized, not only that, they deserve to be recognized for how blessed they are to have women in their lives that are willing to wait for them and are proud of them.

These couples, along with any military couple, deserve to live the happiest of lives when their tours overseas are over, and they deserve to be treated like the real men and women they are.
I'm proud to call these women my friends and I'm there for them when they need a shoulder to cry on, or need someone to help them with an anniversary dinner. I admire these couples and wish the best for them and their loved ones.

One day, I told one of these women that I don't think I could handle Austin being in the army. She just said in reply, "If you love him, you could." 

on giving back

This past weekend I had the opportunity to be apart of an event called Relay for Life. It was a twelve hour event that had so many things to do, my head it still spinning.

They had multiple sports contests, a relay, a 42 tournament, a track to take laps on (someone in your team was supposed to be walking the entire night, and it was a great way to catch up with some friends if you've been busy), there was a HILARIOUS Miss Relay Pageant that was one of the best things that took place, a zumba dance party and multiple entertainers came and performed such as Gatlin Elms, a band formed out of Houston, and Sleeper Star (among others).

There was a very touching ceremony that opened up the Relay and it was amazing to see survivors from 20+ years ago, and also to see peers my age who were survivors as well. If you ever have the opportunity to take part in this event, or an event like it, definitely go for it. It's always for a good cause and you know you will have a good time.

Just go to you school's website and I'm sure you can find a list of events such as these to be apart of. :)

on the rodeo

Now, if you don't/never have lived in any place where there are Rodeos it'll be hard to have a visual of what I'm talking about. :)

I went to the Houston Rodeo last night with a really good friend of mine. She had made plans with someone else to see Brad Paisley, but fortunately for me she bailed so I got to go see one of my favorite country singers. ;)

There are a couple of things that I want to address though...

1. Leave really freaking early. If you're planning on attending the rodeo for any reason whatsoever (livestock show, carnival or concert) plan on leaving pretty early. The traffic is horrible and so is looking for parking and walking. Me and Krystina were stuck in traffic for an hour and it took us another thirty or forty-five minutes to find parking. At that point we just paid a little shuttle golf cart to take us to Reliant Stadium cutting out the forty-five minute walk it would have taken us from cash parking. So, go ahead and leave two/three hours earlier than the rodeo is actually supposed to start.

2. When you shop, take your time. The prices of the popular, rodeo-only season items such as studded belts, belt buckles and just about any kind of country cowgirl queen clothing is crazy expensive (TWO BAR WEST!). And that makes sense because girls like me will willingly pay $100 for a cow hide studded belt. But, seriously, look around at all of the booths and set a limit on how much you want to buy. It can drain your bank account easily. So look around and go back for the things that catch your eye and you absolutely need to have. :)

On a side note: Brad Paisley was fantastic and I sung along loudly to almost all of the songs!
And there was a couple sitting in the seats directly in front of us. They were fairly young and the woman was pregnant (the super cute, petite early second trimester kind of pregnant) and when Brad Paisley was singing one of his best songs (in my opinion! Also it's my favorite love song he's written) "Then" the boyfriend/husband had his hand on her little belly and was singing the song into his wife/girlfriend's ear and she started crying. So naturally I started to cry a little as well.

I'm just a big fat sucker for romance!