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I love sneakers with no socks*. My feet don't smell. I'm blessed like that.

I also love walking to the park and drinking tea and eating ice cream. And sudden gusts of wind in the springtime. I'm soaking it all up because spring lasts about a week in Texas. I broke a sweat today during a brisk walk so...the end is near.

I don't love dirty kitchens. Or gossip.

I do love Jane Austen novels.

And I love the market at Union Square. And book stores.

I love bread and chocolate and cheese and wine and coffee.

I believed Peter Pan was real for a long time. Alas, "All children grow up except one."

I still love Peter Pan.

I love the word "gumption". Every time I hear it I think, "I want somma that."

I want to see a blue whale so bad.

I wonder what it'd be like to be short.

I wonder why I don't like tomatoes.

Oh! Speaking of vegetables, my dad tilled for our garden tonight while I was out. I can't wait to live off the land.

I love the land.

One day I will go into the land.

Ahhhh...alright. That's enough.

*Apparently on first round I wrote: "I love wearing sneakers with no shoes." My ever present mistake-pointer-outer sister** texted me about it, so I changed it. But I thought I'd go full disclosure here. Cause that's pretty funny.

**I mean that in a good way. Foot note in a foot note!

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72/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

It's a good story. Trust me. My mom's student is letting her borrow it because it will "change her life".

I'm pumped to watch it with her because she dropped some of the best quotes the other day when Twilight was on TV and we found ourselves watching it:

"They're really pale."

"He's an animal!"

"But he goes to high school..."

Our viewing was interrupted by my dad walking inside the house with a pig heart in his hands.

Never a dull moment.

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71/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

Nineteen.

1. Fact: She has blonde hair and blue eyes because that's what my mom prayed for. Case closed.

2. Fact: She knows every word to "Don't Stop Believin'"

3. Memory: She got really angry at Lauren and me once. Then she ran into a wall instead of stomping back in to her room. We laughed and laughed and laughed and like to replay the scene quite often.

4. Fact: She loves Hillsong (I hear it every day coming from her room).

5. Fact: She loves to dance. Especially in a crazy way.

6. Fact: She loves people.

7. Quote: "I wanna video tape! I wanna video tape! Hehehehehehehhehe I wanna video tape!"

8. Photo:


9. Photo:

Same hat, same grin, same pretty baby.

10. Fact/Photo: She really wants to go horseback riding. She has good memories of horseback riding:


11. Fact: She loves her family. Which includes one particular sister who does NOT have good memories of horseback riding:


12. Memory: She prayed for a street woman who was high off a glue bottle in Africa. A fight broke out next to her. She didn't move. She kept praying.

13. Fact: Sometimes I'm too bossy to her in the kitchen. But she takes it with grace.

14. Photo:

Entitled: "In which the youngest child becomes the middle child."

15. Memory: While defeating a humungous ice cream sundae at Dylan's candy bar with Lauren and me, Rachel broke the spoon. Twice.

16. Fact: She's definitely the most hardcore in the family. Define that how you like.

17. Fact: I don't care if she's the youngest or the middle or the oldest. She's plain and simple a sister.

18. Fact: She's changing the world.

19. Photo:

Classy!

One thing I never noticed before in that photo? Me wrapped up like a burrito in the couch. If I'd have known then all I had to do to get attention was get naked and put on some heels...

I'm not gonna go down that road.

Today.

Okay, fine. Ever.




I love this girl.

I'd also like to say way to go to my mother, who carried delivered her. She finally came to her senses and got the drugs. And also way to go to my dad. Very few men can get away with a neon pink hat in the delivery room and you owned it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RACHEL!

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70/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

I was hoping I'd be able to show some restraint and not blog about this/finish this project until tomorrow when I could get a nice photo in the sunlight rather than with my harsh flash.

But, man, I just couldn't do it. Self-control. It's a fruit I sometimes lack. And the only other photo I have to show for today is of the Statue of Liberty riding a motorcycle through a wall and carrying a humungo burrito. Who needs to see that?!

So yes, lack of self control. ESPECIALLY with this particular project. Somehow, I came across this blog called Little Miss Momma (I do NOT know how - really, can't remember - I'm more of a Big Miss Single girl) and she has all these tutorials and I just saw this one and I reeeeally really wanted to do it. So I went to Michael's one day and checked out the painting supplies. I held them in my hands. I put them down. I picked them back up. I walked around a little bit. Then I put them back down.

I don't need this. I don't need this. I don't need this. Goodbye, paint supplies. Hello, self control. Nice to see you now and again! I'd appreciate if you'd appear more often on my chocolate indulging days, but I'll take it.

Yeah that lasted a DAY. Next thing I know I'm driving back to Michael's. I had thirty minutes - I'd go in and out without time to think about what I was really doing. And then I realized I didn't have thirty minutes. I had zero minutes. I was late to my next appointment.

That doesn't happen to me often. This painting thing seriously had a hold on me.

But I decided to give up until the next day when I casually mentioned it to my mom and asked about her education discount she gets at Jo-Ann's. I didn't even know if Jo-Ann's carried paint supplies. I figured if they didn't, I'd REALLY give up this time. Even though canvases were 40% at Michaels. EVEN THOUGH!

Guess what. Jo-Ann's DOES have paint supplies. And guess what else? They're canvases were 40% off TOO! AND GUESS WHAT ELSE MY MOM GETS A 20% DISCOUNT BECAUSE SHE TEACHES KIDS HOW TO BE MOMS AND COOK AND SEW AND STUFF!!!!!

I just had some chocolate. I'm so sorry. Let's just move on to the pictures.


STEP ONE: Paint the canvas a color. Yeah yeah! Gracey likes to get high off the fumes. She and I had a nice jaunt through some fields of spaghetti noodles and shared some pistachio ice cream seconds after I grabbed this shot.

Can you tell the kind of weather we've been having by the shoes strewn all over my floor? All kinds of weather. That's the answer.


STEP ONE: Paint the canvas a color (in case you were distracted last time).


STEP TWO AND/OR THREE: Paint some stencils with some stencil paint that's super thick.

STEP THREE AND A HALF: Musical interlude.

"You know, grey's my favorite color
I felt so symbolic yesterday
Pass me a bottle, Mr. Jones..."
-Counting Crows (those are the words, right?)


STEP FOUR: Be finished before you know it.

I'm figuring how/where I'm going to hang this thing. I think you'll like it more once it's on the wall next to some new Ikea frames I got!

So now I think I'm going to get some tea and calm down a little bit and you can feel free to read the REAL tutorial (and a few more tempting projects) by the much more stable Little Miss Momma right here. Cheers!

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69/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

I have a dream. A vegetable and herb garden dream.

Last summer I grew basil, but it died when I left for Africa for a month. So I'm trying again. It's been sitting on my window sill for about a week and today popped out to say HELLLLLOOOOOO MISS GREEN THUMB!

I'm going to make the best margherita pizza EVER.

I really am obsessed with the idea of a garden, though. My grandmother could give me tips - her garden is insane. Depending on our access to a tiller, my dream may be realized this summer! Obviously, I'll keep you posted.

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68/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

Happy Spring!

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67/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

Have you ever been so excited to go to the bathroom that you turned a corner and smashed your entire foot into a tiny mini couch that happens to be made of lead that you happen to have in your hallway because why WOULDN'T you have one of those in your hallway?!

Or have you ever pulled a refrigerator over your big toe (which subsequently pulled your nail off and then caused you to meet the meanest doctor ever in a Brooklyn hospital who decided to give you six shots into your foot) because you decided now would be a good time to clean whatever is behind the refrigerator?

For someone who happens to really love my feet, I have a problem of messing them up bad. And I thought I'd show you a picture of my bruised, possibly broken (at least one of the little bones) toe on the left foot next to the pinky.

But I decided not to! You're welcome. I think imagining a toenail being pulled off is torture enough.

So I needed something in a pinch. What to blog, what to blog...

Fine, okay. Gracey dressed as me. What else? We tried the boots, but she wouldn't have it. I hear pictures of dogs makes Lauren's friend, Christine, cry. Well grab those tissues, honey!!


"Yes dahling?"


"I love Gayorg Von Trapp."


"No more pictures. Please. Someone get me a drink."

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66/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

The longer I look at this picture and the later it gets the weirder it looks.

At first I loved the stained glass in the background and the macro setting on the mic.

This is not the first macro picture ever taken of a mic and it will not be the last. But I still like taking 'em.

Tonight I played piano and sang with the Fuse band at youth and it was so cool and awesome and all that. I love those people and that place.

We watched a storm come through before youth started. The winds changed, the clouds swirled, the rain came. It was awesome and we all wanted to play in it. So we did! Some more than others.





That's Lisa. Isn't she cute?

Some other things:

1. I managed my time terribly today.
2. It's harder to drink only one cup of coffee a day than I thought it'd be - and I have no steady job! I just run around and do stuff and I still can't thrive off one cup. But I'm trying.
3. Which reminds me, I brewed some green tea awhile ago and forgot to drink it. So I'm gonna down it before bed.
4. It'll help me get out of bed in the morning if I really have to pee. Then I can manage my time better.
5. I used to want to be an elephant when I grew up.
6. I was a dumb kid.
7. Bye.

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65/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

love, I made it mine
I made it small I made it blind
I followed hard only to find
it wasn't love
it wasn't love

love of songs and pen
oh love of movie endings
takes out the break
leaves out the bend
misses love

love not of you
love not of me
come hold us up
come set us free
not as we know it
but as it can be

love's reality
is not a passing bravery
it holds out hope beyond what's seen
the hope of love

love not of you
love not of me
come hold us up
come set us free
not as we know it
but as it can be

"love" by Sarah Groves

I just looooove this song.

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64/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

On my twenty fifth birthday, I received an awesome gift from Danielle. Danielle started out as Lauren's friend but now she's also my friend and Lauren freaks out and gets jealous when Danielle texts me and Lauren doesn't know what it's about.

By the way, that's pretty much the progression of all of Lauren's friends. It's like the opposite of hand-me-downs. Only they aren't really old. In fact they are younger than me. I mean, maybe hand-me-downs aren't the best example here. Just beware. If you become friends with Lauren, chances are you'll be texting ME one day.

And I actually just got a text from Danielle! I'm not going to tell you what it's about because it'll bother Lauren and I love to bother Lauren.

Anyway, she gave me this journal. And I started it today! I love journals and I love starting journals. I always skip the first page because I figure I'll want to come back at the end and, I don't know, write something. Like the date. I don't know. But this time I did write on the front page. I wrote my name and the starting date, left room for the end date, and called it my Prayer Journal, 'cause that's what it's gonna be. It's about time I had one.

I think it might be the most important journal I'll ever have.

This is the one they will bury and a young girl-child will find it years from now.

She'll read all about me and be inspired by my life!

Then she'll make a move and call it, "The Forgotten Journal"!

Then I'll get a lifetime achievement Academy Award and I'll be more famous when I'm dead than when I'm alive and people will say things like, "It's such a shame" and, "I feel like we'd have been friends" and, "I bet she was really hot."

All thanks to Danielle. And if I were alive, Danielle, I'd be sure to thank you in my acceptance speech.

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63/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

This photo is eerily similar to yesterday's photo, only brown hair and a significantly smaller amount of fat and calories!

Tonight Lauren and I made homemade ravioli, which didn't really work (maybe 'cause we used Chinese dumpling noodles). Then we made this healthy fruit pizza which DID work. Way more than expected. The crust is meringue! They are so good homemade. Melts in your mouth. Then we topped it with whipped cream and fruit. Then we took a picture, which proved to be sorta difficult.


Would have looked awesomer in the sunlight, but what can you do.

Here is the meringue recipe, if you're interested. I made them into individual cookies earlier this week (which Kasey devoured) and for this I just spread it all out on a cookie sheet. If you make 30 cookies (somehow I got 40) it's 11 calories a pop. So we didn't even feel guilty giving Kasey as many as she wanted! Or eating the rest. And they're fat free.

You'd think I'm a psycho health nut, but I hope you'll re-think that after yesterdays post.

Here's the feeling-guilty-day-after-drowning-in-queso-and-ice-cream recipe:

Brown Sugar Meringues

3 egg whites
pinch of salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.

2. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.

3. Beat the egg whites and salt on high speed until soft peaks form. Add the sugar slowly while beating, a few spoonfuls at a time, until the meringue is stiff and shiny, about 3-5 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat to combine.

4. Using a large tablespoon, drop the meringue onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Or cute the corner off a large plastic bag, fill with meringue, and squeeze out the cookies.

5. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

6. Turn the oven off and keep the door ajar. Let the cookies cool for 1 hour in the oven. Store in a tip or wrap loosely in foil - plastic wrap or glass will make the cookies soggy.

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62/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

Today we celebrated Rachel's 19th birthday and my cousin-in-law's 27th. Happy birthday Rachel! Happy birthday Brandon!

The whole metroplex showed up:




About to pray before eating elk/venison ("elkison") burgers, partaking in a mashed potato bar, and drowning fritos in queso. The circle went through the kitchen, the living room, and the dining room.


I made this ice cream cake. I think I can retire now.


Nutter Butter crust. Caramel sauce. Blue Bell Vanilla. Whipped Cream. Reeses. Dark Chocolate Drizzle.

Are all hanging out in my butt and thighs right now.


How many times will Keane be on my blog this week? I'm sorry, I just can't resist. And I also just can't resist tri-generation photos. I love these people.

Also, it was 75 and sunny yesterday. Today?


Ugh.


Also, congrats to my cousin and his wife, Sarah (parents to Jonah and Kasey) on closing on this house Friday!!


Brachel in the hoooouse.

And by the way, this happened at 8:30 AM:

Tricia requested my dad's chocolate chip pancakes for her last meal. So she and her parents stopped by on the way to the airport. I made her a Texas shaped pancake but she didn't want to eat it because she didn't feel right eating Texas.

We miss you, Trish! Congrats, Justin and Sarah! Happy birthday Brandon and Rachel!

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61/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

I love my sister, Lauren, because she got to have a really great best friend.

Tricia is so full of spunk it's ridiculous and she's got all this zeal and humor and she's just dang cute and she's such a lover. I would say she's fearless, but she was a little scared walking around Austin after dark. Besides that, pretty fearless.

She's leaving Texas tomorrow to live with her husband who is stationed near San Diego. It's so strange and interesting to watch someone else move across the United States. I know everything she feels, but all the stuff I'm feeling? All new. Mom started crying earlier and it reminded me of the number one thing that I do not miss and that's saying goodbye.

BUT, I'm so happy I did.

Trish, sometimes it's so good for you to just say goodbye. Really, it's see you later. I'm so proud of you and excited for you and Scott and I can't wait to road trip to your doorstep and let you show me (and whichever crew comes) all around Cali and then make us some tea. I know you can do it. You'll make the best pot of tea I'll ever taste.

How cheesy is this going to be and I can't even believe I'm gonna say it, but California will be even SUNNIER with you in it!!

I love you. Thanks for shredding with me and Rachel. Don't forget how to make hummus. Call me when you don't know which kind of tomato/meat/flour/kettle/etc. to buy.

And my dad is pumped to make you chocolate chip pancakes tomorrow morning so come hungry!

To everyone else, if you don't yet, you'll definitely want to follow Tricia's blog once she gets to California: Gilchrist Get Down

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60/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

Happy 18th of March! I'm 25 and three months today. To celebrate, I got my hair cut and made this apple tart.

I also spent some time with a few amazing ladies in my family. We went to a cafe that I love in downtown Weatherford called Whistle Hill Cafe.




I really wanted a picture of this. But it was really sunny and I didn't notice that there were people trying to get out of the cafe or see my mother on the other side of the door who was trying to get my attention/explain to the nice people why the weird girl had to get every possible angle of the door.

I felt really bad and they said that they'd blame me for losing their jobs and I yelled after them, "I'm sorry but you could give your jobs to me! I kinda need one!" But upon second thought, they were wearing business attire. I don't really want a job that won't let me wear cowboy boots every day.

Erg...I mean in a stylish way. Not in a hauling manure and calf nuts way.


This kept me interested for all of two seconds until...


this little exchange happened.


Gosh that's sweet. Note to Keane: she'll kiss you all the days of your life. You don't ever have to grow out of that!


So much love.

Oh whoa! I have four minutes until tomorrow! And my contacts are burning and my dog is snoring and my bed is calling. Now it's two minutes until tomorrow because I can't decide how to end this! How about goodbye? Goodbye. Until tomorrow, goodbye.

PS - Scroll down for extra pictures from the trip yesterday. It was a good 'un.