Cinnamon, so Sweet

          I have being contemplating what would be worthwhile to blog about lately... my activities haven't been too thrilling lately. My days are actually filled with embarrassing situations where I completely loose my mind and do stupid things..which makes life  amusing! Good for a story.. However, I don't really feel like exposing myself for a giggle or two today. The most significant event that occurred in the 20 days that has lapsed since I last wrote was a sweet 16 birthday party.

Aren't they BEAUTIFUL!

Hunter and Sarah are both 16 now, they are best friends, and they decided to celebrate the prime time teenage - age by holding a dance.












It got me thinking about when I was 16. Its crazy, this is my last year of being a teenager, and to think I thought this age would never end! So I will now proceed to recap my 16th year of life, the highlights, the ups and downs, and reminisce about that sweet time.

First of all I THINK our party was at Sarah B's house. If I remember correctly we rented Step Up, after a viewing of Nacho Libre failed..sorry Sarah :) We were very inspired by the beautiful dancing people in Step Up, and like so many times before, Rachel, Rebecca, Eliza, Sarah and I  proceeded to create a very inspired hip hop routine. The song we chose wasn't exactly...wholesome... but we were totally into it and thought we were the stuff man. I still can't believe we preformed that for people, bless their hearts. haha Those were the days!

ACIT girls second session 2007

At that point in our life, Eliza and I had never been apart for longer than a couple of days. That summer changed everything. I was ecstatic that Dad let me apply to be an ACIT at Camp Cedar Cliff. They hired me and that was definitely a memorable summer to say the least. I loved loved loved it. Although I came back with 10lbs of camp food and candy hanging out around my waist and thus ensued the typical insecure teenage girl crash diet. I remember eating an apple and a muffin at the most for about a month or two during the fall. I mean it worked I weighed 10lbs less that christmas...but I couldn't do that again - i would be WAY too grumpy, irritable, snappy and no one could live with me. Which makes me wonder if I wasn't a horrible child at that point :) hmmmm

The happy Couple(s)

I forgot to mention my Brother got hitched that August too! The wedding was beautiful, Eliza and I were bridesmaids. It was the first time we wore anything that had a plunging neck line and i remember frantically using a safety pen to try and cover up my 1/4 inch of exposed little girl ant hill "cleveage"  That was the beginning of a wonderful relationship with Beth, our new sister. Although at that point I wasn't sure I appreciated all my brothers attention shifting to the tall, thin, beautiful, smart, gentle spirited Etc etc etc woman. But it was for the better that he did:)

Let's see, 16 was also the first year that I started my college classes. Six or seven of my good home school friends all got into World Civilizations class together. It was the most challenging, and the most fun class I have taken yet. Sarah, Rachel, Eliza and I sort of ditched the guys in our study sessions and invaded Bald guy Brew coffee shop at 4pm every Monday and Wednesday afternoon. Thank you Blad Guy! Dude that was the life: coffee, muffins, free reign of the shop sound system, friends, all the while studying and successfully achieving A's on all our exams. Woot, that was a happy time.

We were "Studying"

Also, that spring I reapplied for CCC Assistant Counselor position and was hired for that, and prepared for the other 6 weeks of my summer to be spent with Rebecca and Eliza and David at Cherokee Cove. But those memories where made when I was 17, so moving on..

 That spring my Dad got remarried. I won't lie, that was a very difficult point in my life. Eliza and I really didn't know how to deal with alllll the changes except to exchange looks quite often during that year that spoke more to each other than trying to verbalize anything we were feeling.

Isle of Palms

My dad's wedding was very beautiful in Charleston, SC.  Betty's dress was my favorite one in the store, and we wore the bridesmaids dresses from Tanner's wedding. The weather was sunny for the small private ceremony, and I could see a little bit of the ocean from where I was standing behind Betty ad Eliza. I quite honestly wanted to run madly, until I couldn't breath, to the water and swim, swim, swim.  But again, Eliza and I exchanged looks and smiled as we wondered how we should process the change. I thought i hid all my negative emotions at the ceremony because Dad wasn't looking at me, of course he was gazing at Betty, and I was behind Betty...so I was rather free with my facial expressions for part of the wedding. And OF COURSE the photographer captures my brooding face in a candid photo of all the bridesmaids during the ceremony. Yup, that face is forever recording in their Photo album...awesome :)

I still don't know if I have worked through all those emotions, or if I need to, but my sweet 16 year was way more eventful than I planned on. Personally I had hoped for my first boyfriend, first valentine box of chocolates, presents, flowers.. and of course my first kiss!! Sweeeet 16, the magical age where everything romantic happens in your life....not. Oh well, I guess it is way more interesting to see how God works things out like that, and way less predictable. I mean psssh sweet 16 and getting your first kiss - SO cliché.

They are my Sunshine

Helloo

Well, I digress and have to say that Rachel, Rebecca, Sarah and Eliza made that year the most memorable, happiest of times, and truly sweet as we all grew up just a little bit more during that blessed age of sixteen.