Who Is Erika Anyway?

       For as long as I can remember I have always wanted the next thing to happen. I got sick of the....... "Just wait" and "don't be in a hurry to grow up." I pretended I was a business woman or played house in my lovely pretend world. As I got older I watched romance movies and oohed and awed over how charming the guy was and how elegant the girl looked. Often times after watching such a movie I would pretend to be like my current heroine whether it was Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday,   Anne Hathaway in Princess Diaries , Julie Andrews in Sound of Music, Meghan Follows in Anne of Green Gables, and so many of my other favorite stars.    Lately, I spend a lot of my time trying to hang on to my childhood not wanting to grow up too fast. However, there is one part of life I find myself being impatient for (to quote one of my all time favorite movies) "Love, true love." Yes, as most sixteen year old girls I dream of my prince charming, my hero, my knig...

 So in keeping with the theme of Valentine's day, I wanted to share a list of things I love. This silly goofy post, is on material things, just because my thankful lists from November would be pretty much identical if I did it that way. Without any further ado here is my list. 1. I love Lindor truffles all flavors. Probably my favorite candy. 2. I love fluffy comforters 3. I love cowgirl boots 4. I love COFFEE!!!!!! 5. I love books 6. I love classic movies 7. I love music 8. I love new dance gear 9. I love fashion items 10. I love my tech (tablet, phone, CAMERA, laptop) Okay, because it's me I have to sneak in a few non-material loves too :) 1, I love my country life and the beauty of the area where I live. 2. I love sunsets 3. I love long chats with friends 4. I love little daily routines that make up a big life 5.  I love driving the truck with the windows down in the summer 6. I love getting dressed up 7. I love listening to my fami...

Hey world, we made it to February! Now all we can see is hearts, red, and signs that say Love.   Being in a world that pushes what your relationship status is on social media and sleepovers where you get asked who your crush is? You most defiantly could feel alone on Valentine's Day. If you are one of those people who feel this way, you are right there with were I was.  You hear a variety of love songs, break-up songs,  TV shows, movies, and all sorts of propaganda that can give you a twisted view of what love should be and what you should be.    I will admit I have fallen into this trap and let the filter be put on my world so all I could see was what my life wasn't and my focus wasn't where is needed to be. I felt sorry for myself and wondered what was wrong with me. I complained to my friends and to my family. They all gave the same advice. "You are only 16, you have plenty of time." "God has a plan for you trust him." This can all just go into t...

Here it is and I know you have all been waiting for it. The photos I took during January's photo - a -day for a year. These are so much fun to take. They are just snippets of your life, but they tell a story. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do. January 1st, 2016 - "YOU"  I am not one to snap many selfies, but for these challenges I find myself taking more. The urge to put a million different fonts and edits on it to make it "presentable" is sometimes defeated by whatever time crunch I am in. \ January 2nd, 2016 - "Nails" I love painting my nails and was going to re-do them the day of this picture, however I got sick and slept all day. Therefore my nails didn't get repainted so this is a pretty low quality photo. January 3rd, 2016 - "Breakfast" My family and I have a tradition of having cinnamon rolls for breakfast on Sundays. What goes better with cinnamon rolls and coffee? Nothing in my book except maybe the worship music whi...

JOY has been on my mind lately. I don't really know why, but I often find that this is the main emotion I am  missing from my daily mood. I have a tendency to focus on what needs to be done that day or what didn't go the way I thought it should go and so on. My biggest problem is probably trying to control other people. I want them to be happy and if they aren't happy or upbeat I take it upon myself to make their day better. This in and of itself is not wrong, however I can not control other people's emotions or their life's. I can't force someone to be happy. Yet, I always find myself stressed out because I am so focused on making them happier. I do it with my family, friends, people I meet, teachers, pretty much everyone. Truth is in some of these situations I am not even the problem. It took me a while (and I am still learning) that just because someone is upset, doesn't mean I am the reason. Through much prayer and study I realized how selfish it really ...

        Ever since I can remember I would make my life into a story. Most of the time it had to do with whatever the latest craze was with me. After I saw the "Princess Diaries" I pretended as if I was a Princess. When I watched "The Sound of Music" I ran around my grandparents living room dressed in one of my grandma's dresses she had given me for dress up, her black sun hat, pumps that were several sizes too big for me, and carrying one of their suitcase, singing "I Have Confidence in Me." One night while spending the weekend with Grandma and Papa H, we watched a Hallmark movie. It was about a young girl in the foster care system, who had two impressionable homes and her art kit. I being the fun-loving girl I was adored the movie. That Christmas my Grandparents got me an art kit so I could be like her. I still use that art kit today. I did this song and dance for about every movie and TV show, book and story. I saw and heard. My grandmother spent man...

      I wanted to share some of these beautiful pictures I took for our town. One of my neighbors asked me back before Christmas if I would take some pictures of the frost and fresh snow. It was truly gorgeous out and it was a lovely stroll with the camera. Photography is becoming one of my favorite mini-hobbies. I love taking snap shots of the majestic art work of our creator.                                                I have a weird obsession of taking pictures                                         of street signs. This one is at the bottom of my block                                        and is a particular favorite to photograph all times of...