of Christmas break

So over the past two weeks I have written a total of four half completed blog posts. They were about Christmas, the New Year, and such -- all oozing various amounts of cheesiness. But, I didn't really feel like writing, so I never finished one. But here's the highlights of my Christmas break:

1) I was in a car wreck, and survived. {Obviously.}

2) I ate chocolate with watched tv with pulled pranks with spent quality time with my awesome cousins. This included large amounts of Apples to Apples, a Christmas Story, and silly string. I'm really okay with that. 

3) I hung out with the rest of my fam, and my awesome friends. 

4) I discovered The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. If you like Jane Austen, or you're just a nerd in general, you should go watch these. You will love them. 

In other {non}news, I am sore and walking like a grandma due to this: 

This is my local studio. It's also pretty much my second home, and my happy place. I pretty much live there, especially during the summer... But I really don't mind.

This is the beginning of one of the routines that my friend Erica {neon shirt} and I are currently working on. It's really simple, slow, and easy, but it'll allow for a lot of facial expression and acting, and I'm super excited about that. {And on a side note, she isn't doing it full out, she's mostly just marking... We literally learned it five minutes before I took this video.}

We're also doing a pretty snazzy jazz number to a remix of "Lights". It's really fast and technical, and I'm really enjoying it. Plus, the three most advanced tappers and I are going to do a dance together. Tap is our studio's strong point, and I've performed a lot with the three of them in the past. It should be pretty epic, if I do say so myself. 

And guess what else?! There's an Orange Leaf literally two minutes away from the studio. Can you say frozen yogurt for dinner? I can. 

Working for three hours on pointe justifies the calories... Right?

How was your Christmas break?

~ Abby

reasons why november is a happy month

via

A lot of people treat November like it's a filler month; the period of time between gorgeous the October, and the silvery beauty of December. But I actually happen to really like November as much, if not more than the other fall months. 

You see, November is when you can begin to listen to Christmas music unabashedly. It's also finally feeling 'wintery', so you can justify wearing tights and scarves and beanies. November mornings are also very misty, and it tends to rain a lot where I live. I don't mind though; November rain > sunshine. 

Also, November is the one month anniversary of Taylor Swift's Red album. (No shame.) It's also perfect for picture taking, and it brings me that much closer to December 23rd. (My half birthday. Yes, I celebrate it. I'll be six months away from being an adult. Woo.) 

Basically, November is a month of book reading, doodling, and reminiscing. It's also a month of anticipation -- after all, November means that Christmas is just around the corner. And let us not forget about The Hobbit premiere. 

Never laugh at live dragons,

~ Abby 

Of christmas, cameras, and comedy

Christmas day for our family started out right, with church and homemade cinnamon rolls.

They were pretty good, if I do say so myself. :)

Once we returned from our Sunday service, we opened our gifts.

I recieved and SLR camera.

My life: now complete.

One of my sisters (who I'm pretty sure will one day become a famous musician,) got a keyboard to practice on. Can you guess what we heard the rest of the day? :)

Sheet music from one of the best songs in The Sound of Music. And what a coincidence, I just so happen to be sixteen going on seventeen. :P

We finished off our Christmas with a Tim Hawkins video, snickerdoodles, and frappachinos. It was completely worth it, but lets just say that I feel like I've gained about 1,000 pounds.

This, I am convinced, is pure heaven in a bottle.

And now I shall leave you with a Tim Hawkins video, because to put it quite simply, I want to. :P

Merry Christmas,

~ Abby

Silent night

As I’m writing this, I’m sitting in the glow of the Christmas tree, enjoying the silence. All the kids have been tucked into bed, and are no doubt now dreaming about tomorrow morning. I’m sure I will be woken quite early by the excited squeals of my sibilings, but for now, I am delighted by the peace of the moment.

The presents are wrapped and under the tree.

The littles have lovingly laid out cookies and a glass of milk for Santa.

It is Christmas Eve, the most magical night of the year. But the gifts and sweets are not what makes tonight so enchanting for me. The real beauty of Christmas is the birth of my Lord.

If you listen, you can almost hear it; the waiting. Tonight is the night that the world is filled with a quiet anticipation; the night that joyfully proclaims the coming of my Savior.

And that, is what makes tonight so magnificent.

Merry Christmas,

~ Abby