Hello, friends, and goodbye 2019!!! 

    In the past I've written recap posts, where I share some stats and goals. I remembered while at work today that I'd better get to this year's post tonight. I hope it finds you well!

    

    Let's start with the stats. My top viewed post was I Went Outside to Gather, and my top month for views was May, with 635 views, which, if you break it down is 158 views a week or 22 views a day. 

In my last new year's post, I only had three goals. Keep working, go to college, and find new places to take music.

Did I keep working? Yup. And if you'd told me that I would be working at McDonald's I would have just snorted. It was and is a mental struggle to work there, and it is hard to force myself to go there and be nice to customers and to stand in puddles of grease all day. However, there is the bakery, which makes up with fun and happiness the cringe of McDonald's.  Hopefully I'll be able to quit McDonald's and only work at the bakery and the Beethoven Festival this summer. 

Did I go to college? YUP. And learned a lot, I would say, while managing to keep good grades and juggling all the rehearsals. 

Did I find new places to take my music? I think so. I ended up with Blue Heron, unexpectedly, and that took me some fun places. Our trio also put on a recital, which I wasn't planning on. So, yes, I think so. 

This year brought a lot of discipline and prioritization skills which I wasn't expecting, and a lot of stress, naturally, with going to college and all. It was a big year. I graduated high school, had a senior recital, went to camp, went to college, worked two jobs plus teaching, and somehow managed to stay coherent (mostly). We put down our "big" animals too. 

Now you might be wondering what my goals for 2020 are. I saw a neat idea about having 20 goals for 2020 but I'm not sure I have 20. 

I would like to. . .

. . . get through my freshman year with grades that are well-earned

. . . work at the Beethoven Festival

. . . quit at McDonald's.

. . . keep teaching over the summer

. . . make more time for friends at school

. . . remember more often that God is in control.

. . . keep a cheerful attitude. I realized a few weeks into school that most people (me included) only focus on the bad things. 

. . . take my Mom riding.

. . . enjoy my last year as a teen! :) 

Well, that's all for now! Happy 2020 everyone!

"Show me your ways, O Lord, teach my your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are my God and Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long." 

~Psalm 25:4-5

Hello everyone! It's been just over two years since I started my blog, and I thought it was about time I re-introduce myself to my readers and say hello to the new readers... so here goes!

You may have noticed..... I redesigned my blog!

Life

I haven't been sharing much with you all lately, sorry! It's been rather stressful but in a boring sort of way (if that makes any sense!!). 

Work:

I've been working every

Top Ten of 2018 + Goals

What all has happened this year? Simply, a lot. 2018 was a year of firsts. 

1. I got my drivers' licence. 

Nothing to see here!

It's been pretty quiet around here, hasn't it? I've been working and teaching but nothing remarkable has happened. Next week is camp already, so along with work this week I will be packing. I will definitely write about camp this year again --- so there will be activity on here in a few weeks! :) 

What have you been up to this summer? 

Thoughts on Makeup

Sorry if you don't think this topic is interesting. . . but bear with me please! 🙂

I've worn powder on my face since I was about fourteen --- I have oily skin, so the powder helps control the oil. I think the powder is barely tinted, but it's not clown white. When I turned sixteen Mom and I talked briefly about makeup but it never got anywhere, and I wasn't overly interested. Mom wears makeup but it's all natural stuff and all powders, so her look is really natural. She has face powder and blush. She tried eye shadow two or so years ago and it bothered her eyes. She's not worn any concealer, contour, lipsticks,  mascara or eyebrow stuff for a very long time (college days --- and even then I don't know if she did anything with concealer, contour, or eyebrows). Anyway, I think her choices have influenced me about what makeup is for and how to use it. 

For the girly girl who likes her sparkle like me, it's easy to go overboard with other things in life, so now that I am branching out on this limb (ha!), I'm being very careful about how I do things. I think everything makeup should be done tastefully, simply, and naturally. No hot pink or black lips for me! No bruised eyes (okay be honest, some smoky eyes look bruised)! But keep in mind that a girl can wear natural makeup and not be beautiful and modest --- because those come from the inside. And I don't need to wear it. I don't want to become "addicted" in a sense to it. I want to be able to comfortably walk out of the house without it and be myself. Makeup should not define me. 

Yesterday I got my first real makeup item --- an Almay rose gold eye shadow quad. It's really pretty, light and delicate. I haven't experimented with it yet, but it goes really well with my skin. There's a slightly darker matte, a metallic, a satin, and a glitter. I am excited to try it. I hope I can wear it tastefully and subtly. 

Wow, I actually posted twice this week! (hint: it's called spring break 😉)

Top posts of 2017!

*sniff sniff* *cough* *takes meds for fever* 

Hello guys! Ahem. Right. I hope you are healthy, I really do. While I've been sitting here I've seen a few posts pop up with popular posts in 2017 and I thought maybe I would do the same. 

First off my About Me page has had 229 views! It's the most viewed item on my blog! :) 

Next, for posts. 

Ways I help my father and mother at home and on the farm! A total of 84 views! 

Outward beauty in this age Had 80 views!

Bonus Post! Nature Walk! Had 79 views! 

Sewing Projects! Had 64 views, and

Bonus post! Why I chose the name A Glittering Jumble of Order! Had a whopping 51 views. 

Thanks so much to my readers, from here in the US, to the Philippines, Russia, Brazil, Canada, Armenia, Australia, Germany, the UK, and France! Even if you don't comment it's nice to see someone reads my blog! :) 

I have had a total of 5, 674 page views this year! My goal for 2018 is to get up to 10,000! 

Life Update

Life has been quite busy, and I haven't been a particularly steady blogging schedule. . . you probably noticed. 

School: 
I am working on my second paper for the philosophy class my Dad is teaching. It's on Marxism, in case you're curious. College Algebra is going fairly smoothly, and it's actually kind of fun when I know how to do it! :) The other subjects aren't that interesting. . . not anything to shout from the rooftops.
I am all registered for two things this upcoming semester (as a PSEO student) at a state college nearby. My sister is taking the one class, in the humanities department, with me, and then I am on the wait list for piano lessons with one of the music professors. If someone drops out, then I am 1st in line to get in. 

Travel: My Mom and I leave a week from today for NH. I do enjoy flying, and for some reason, airport food. I don't know why, it's just good. The airport in Chicago has some more uncommon places, and of course in NH there is a Dunkin Donuts in the airport! :) We come home the day before my Mom's birthday, and I already have her gift and card wrapped and ready for when we get back. Then three days later, the college class starts. So the long two days a week start, and I am actually excited for more practice time. But I do know it will be an adjustment. Oh, and somewhere in there I take the driver's licence test. . . ! 

Church: Still so encouraging, as always. I love my church and the families that make it up. :) I am pianist for Childrens' Choir again this year, so practices are still weekly, though now that I think about it, our last one is this Friday already. And of course I'm still in the adult choir, on the rotation for pianist, and violinist the other weeks. We went caroling, which I always love too, although this year we didn't do the outside residential caroling, which kind of had me sad, but I stayed warmer that way for sure! :) 

Music: Again, I return to the lovely squeal-worthy subject --- MUSIC! :) The competition is in a MONTH! Only one month away!!! Eek. It's going to be a tough one again for sure, no doubt in my mind. Part of me has resigned to second place again, and the rest of me is still fighting for first. Sometimes I feel really confident, but, as we all know, pride goeth before a fall, and so usually the next day I am glum and uncertain. Other than that, I am working on shifting with the first finger up and down two octaves on one string.  .  . 
Orchestra is on break right now, but starts again when school does. I miss it. 

Photography: Not gotten out much with my camera. I need ideas on what to take pictures of! I did do some designing, and we have a printer that can print color. I can't give too many details until after Mom's birthday! :) 

Blogging: I do have a really long post coming. . . about college. I did add the art tab, which was new and fun, and now I can add other drawings to it, which has motivated me to draw more. Other than that, I am not having much inspiration to post much. I almost posted a no-fail recipe today. Maybe some other time? 

Christmas events: Since Mom and I leave just two days after Christmas, we're not doing anything huge and big this year. But that's okay, I don't mind.

I think that about covers it! Did I leave out anything you were wanting to know about?