What exactly is a kumquat?

Okay, I know its a fruit.. or vegetable?

Looked it up, its a fruit.

KUMQUAT: a small, round or oblong citrus fruit having a sweet rind andacid pulp, used chiefly for preserves.

Who cares about kumquats anyway?

I do!! Here's why :)

Though he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.

He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy.

If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.

How cute is little Blueberry/Tadpole (who is not even the size of a blueberry anymore and doesn't have a tail anymore either.. I need a new nickname...and I'm NOT calling it Kumquat. Its weird.)! Kicking and swallowing fluid! Look at ______ (new nickname here) go!  First ultrasound is January 3rd! :) 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

-Olivia :)

The Dreaded Photography Class

I did not, I repeat, DID NOT want to take Photo 1. But my always wise advisor, Mr. Leahy, forced me to. And, surprisingly, I actually enjoy it!! ...sometimes. The first couple of pictures are from the VERY beginning of the semester and to me, they're good. They are OKAY...I mean an butterfly on a flower picture. HOW ORIGINAL (not). But I think I definitely improved over the semester. And I made lots of new friends in this class!! :)

Butterfly on a Flower.... From our VERY FIRST assignment. It's eh.

Photo from our "Abstract" assignment...

The rest of these are from our most recent assignment.. The assignment was night shots and "elements of landscape"...whatever that means. I got an A, I believe, and I'm very happy with them. In fact, my photography teacher wants a print of one of them!!! I about hyperventilated when he said he wanted it :)

I took this on the night of the first snow in Highland! You can kind of see the snow on the awnings of the stores.

This one was in my backyard and I love it. During our critique everyone in my class said it reminded them of a fairy tale. :):) (And we all know how much I love fairy tales)

This is part of an uprooted tree I found on an adventure once. 

And last, but not least, the picture my teacher likes :) Just some roots I found at the Hiawatha lake. I had to pretty much get IN the lake and stand on a very unstable rock to take this picture. Luckily, I had my sweet little friend, Anna, hold the strap for the camera just incase I fell in.. I was okay with me getting wet.. the camera, not so much. 

That's it!! I have been meaning to do this post for quite some time but just now got time. Have a happy week! 

Suprises, Suprises!

I am sure the whole town of Sabetha already knows but I don't want all 620 friends  (a number that is slowly but surely going to get to 300) on Facebook  to know all of my business. Anyway. November 19th (3 days after my 20th birthday) I found out I was pregnant. I went to the doctor for the first time on Friday, December 2nd and my doctor told me that my due date is July 17th and we'll have our first ultrasound on January 3rd. As of the 2nd, I am seven weeks along. The daddy situation is complicated and I might tackle that in a different post someday.

It was a huge surprise and of course, with me being in school and not having a full time job and especially not being married, was not planned. I've only known for two weeks but oh, how my life plans have changed so much. I have one class to take until I am completely done at Highland so I'm moving home at semester (I'll be taking the aforementioned class online) and working. Baby will get here in July so I'll work and work and work so I have a little nest egg built up and then when Baby arrives I'll take some time off but go back to working until I think it’s time to return to school.

This last semester, I feel like I have really gotten myself together. I've been on top of my school work like no one's business. My things in my room (although not perfect) are much more organized and I'm starting to see my mother in me a little when I get real upset about things not being in their place. (I'm only that way 70% of the time so I don't want anyone thinking I'm anywhere close to the organization queen that my mom is.) I'll be on the honor roll this semester at Highland, which I believe is a first for me..at least since my days at Sabetha Middle School. In high school I could've cared less about my school work. As long as I passed, I was happy. And I passed. I graduated on time, but not with the GPA I could've had. But the past is the past. This semester I finally found my motivation (it had been missing since birth).

Also this semester I decided I wanted to go to KU and participate in their Textile Design and Weaving program. I love fabric and I love artsy things so what better thing for me to do?! I thought it was absolutely perfect for me. But for now, it will have to wait a year... or a year and a half.

Baby and I will live with my parents until I am financially stable enough to handle things on my own... and I'm assuming with my financial situation right now ($4.86 in my checking account), I'll be there awhile. Until I go back to school anyway.

I am so happy and thankful for my supportive, loving, caring, reassuring, comforting, WONDERFUL family. I don't have any idea what I would ever do without them. Yes this baby was a huge surprise and not planned but I never want he/she to think that they are a mistake. Things happen for a reason and I know I will love this baby just as much as I would if it were planned. Hopefully I covered all of my bases here. I have a plan and I have a great family that will help me get through. I can't think of too much more that I need.

Enough with all the boring informative stuff. Here's some tidbits from the last two months--

1.) I drove 16 miles at 11 pm to get radishes and Lowry's seasoning salt.

2.) And then the next night I did it again to get pumpkin seeds.

3.) "Morning" sickness is a lie. It actually lasts all day long.

4.) I think my dad will be a darn cute Papa and my mom a cute Nana (or whatever her grandma name will be)..it helps that my parents are the best.. that means they'll be DOUBLE the best when they're grandparents!! Right? :)

5.) Baby is approximately the size of a blueberry and still has a tail. I occasionally refer to it as Blueberry or Tadpole.

So, after the shock and worried-ness all wears off, we can get excited right? I mean this is a BABY!! Yes, sleepless nights. Yes, diapers. Yes, crying. Yes, no money. Yes, my life revolves around someone else now (a much cuter, sweeter, softer, snuggly-er someone else). Yes, I don't know all the hardships of motherhood. But I've always wanted a family. This isn't the situation and timing I would've chosen for myself but what's done is done and there's no turning back now. So, yes, little hands. Yes, a snuggle bug. Yes, baby clothes. Yes, a little baby nose. And yes, little baby smiles.

So, thank you to everyone who has reached out to me and given me love and support. I couldn't pick a better support system to have.

Love, Olivia

...(And Blueberry) 

Fun Fabric!!

I haven't been feeling well lately so I haven't spent much time crafting. I'm still working on my yo yo quilt every now and then..hopefully I'll get it done before I'm 80. I've been looking online for some new, different fabrics and I found this website - http://www.funkyfabrix.com.au . So fun!! I'm getting lots of ideas.

and here's a pretty poster I found on Pinterest :)

I'm pretty boring lately. But I'll add some pictures of my yo yo quilt soon!!

Wreaths!! :)

After seeing a few of these wreaths on Pinterest, Anna and I decided to attempt and make a few for our dear friend, Sharon, and for Anna's mom!

Here's what we looked at for inspiration--

I bought one wreath form for $3.99 and then four pipe insulators for $3. The package had four long pipe insulators. I cut one long piece of insulator in half (so it wouldn't kink) and curved it into a circle and taped it. Its not DRASTICALLY cheaper, but when you're a poor college kid, every dollar helps. 

All we did was wrap yarn around our foam circles and then added little embellishments. The wreath we made with the pipe insulators is a LITTLE wonky but it wasn't too bad.

Enjoy!!

I wish I would've gotten a closer picure of it as a whole, but here are some close ups of the details :)

Anna's wreath for her mama-

My bestest blonde friend-- 

Have a great Thanksgiving!! :)

Just some pictures from the past month or so :)

My sweet little exroommate resisting my love. 

I can't get over how pretty this ivy is!! So many different colors!

My sisters and I went exploring one afternoon and found some horses to pet!

Reggie was afraid of the horses and this is about as close as she got to them. She's so silly :)

You cannot deny the cuteness of my sisters. Don't even try.

We found some white horses and donkey that we named Shrek :)

I've been trying to upload pictures that I've taken for my photo class but the files are too big. Next post WILL have pictures that I've turned in for a grade....hopefully. 

Snow and Sparkly Bobby Pins

Last night, Highland has it's first snow!!!! I've been wearing my cheetah rain boots because I don't have actual SNOW boots. But I love them even though they are hard to go up and down stairs with and also make weird noises when I walk. 

I WOULD add pictures from our snow last night but that proves to be difficult as they are on the school computer and I don't know how to move them. Oh well. I'm sure everyone knows what snow looks like. I love it and I get tired of people complaining about it. Who on earth wouldn't like frozen little sparkles falling from the sky?! Some people...

I haven't had alot of time to craft lately so I have MANY projects that are being neglected. But, on Wednesday nights, I have to "babysit" the Mac Lab from 6-9 so I'm usually alone for 3 hours doing nothing. Tonight, I decided to spruce up some of my bobby pins!! I found this idea on Pinterest but couldn't find the actual tutorial so I winged it. 

I put my bobby pins on some paper so paint wouldn't get between them and stick them together.

And then I went to town painting them with nail polish!! (It took a few coats for the blue because it is so sheer. I COULD HAVE only done one coat of the sparkly polish, but I really like sparkles.. So I did four or five.)

This is only after one coat, and I let them dry for about five minutes between each coat so they didn't get tacky and yucky.

I think the blue ones are my favorites...Probably because they remind me of Cinderella with the light blue and sparkles. I mean, if I were Cinderella, I'd fo sho wear them to a ball.

And one last thing. Did you know that you're supposed to wear bobby pins with the bumpy side down and that flat part on the top? This completely blew my mind. Maybe I'll try it and see how it goes. But I'll probably forget. Old habits die hard.

Smash Book!!

I saw this video ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PFsArr4Z1s ) on Pinterest the other day and was pretty sure I needed it. I ordered it off amazon about 5 minutes after I discovered it and I am so excited!!! Also, bebe seester's birthday is coming up, and guess what I got her?! A Smash Book. It just looks so Meagan. I haven't put anything in mine yet but I'm PSYCHED!! 

My sketch book is ALMOST all filled up so I thought this would a fun thing to do next. AND the color on the binding is "Retro Blue".. I'm sucker for just about anything "retro" :)

First Fridays!

Once a month, all of the art students at Highland have an extra credit opportunity. One or all of the four art teachers chose a material (Such as a masonite board, or a paper bag and stick) and then the students get to make whatever they'd like with it. You have until 1 pm of the first friday of the next month to hang it up in the hallway for judging. You can receive a black (no extra credit), clear (.25% extra credit), red (.5% ec), or blue (1% ec). Its a fun!! Here's what I've hung up for the past two months!

The material for this was a 4"x4" piece of masonite

The tag says "A bird may love a fish but where would they live?". It's a quote from my favorite movie, Ever After :)

And the material for this one was a paper bag and a stick!

I had a hard time deciding what to do with the stick so I just framed my paper bag oval with it and then glued lace on it because I thought the stick was kinda ugly. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out!

And here's a close up! Its like a skeleton with a fancy multi colored up do! It was for October so I thought a skeleton would be nice. (I got a red on this one and a blue on my bird and fish one)

And last but not least, I've been spending some time in the ceramics room lately just messing around. Hopefully I'll be able to crank out some coffee mugs for Christmas gifts! 

I didn't think it was too bad considering I haven't done any throwing since April!! :)

Happy Birthday, Mom!!

 It's my mom's birthday!! Here are some pictures of her from the past few years :)

My mom and I at my highschool graduation

My parents trying out "shutter shades" for the first time.

Playing HedBandz in Meagan and I's newly decorated room

My mom and dad at their 25th wedding anniversary

Happy Birthday, Mama Toosa! I love you so much!! :)

80's Night In Kansas 4!!

Since my roommate, Hannah is the RA, she throws a party once a month for our residents. Last night, we had an 80's dance party. We ate pizza pull apart stuff, had a photo booth, and danced the night away playing Just Dance on the Wii. It was so fun!

Me and my roomie :) I love her.

Our suite mates, Sarah and Whitney (Better known as "The Babies")

New Toms!!

One shoe down, two to go!

What a fun way to spend the afternoon :)