Happy Birthday Goose

Kenedi turned eleven yesterday. Birthdays (even if it isn't mine) are my favorite. Not because I love to see what they are getting or all the treats that are all over the house (although, I must admit, it is an added bonus). I like to think about what makes that person amazing. I love to make that person feel extra special.

What makes Goose (aka Kenedi) so special? Oh, well let me tell you. This girl is the cutest eleven year old I know. She is always smiling and everybody wants to be her friend. Even when she is sick, sick, sick she some how finds a way to still be smiling. I think that Goose's smile is the highlight of her character. That and her contagious giggle. When she has friends over, I love to listen to them because they are always giggling. {Side note: when Kenedi laughs, her nostrils flair. HILARIOUS!}

Kenedi is an amazing basketball player. She isn't like me (obnoxious, ball-flopper, hand smackin', backboard slamin') she is more of a calm yet skilled ball player. She isn't cocky and loves her team mates. She gets excited about making her shots, but not in the over-the-top-annoying kind of way.

She is also a fabulous pianist. Without fail, every morning Kenedi is at the piano. She is one of those sick kids who actually enjoys practicing her lesson. She is so determined to learn her pieces to perfection. She plays with emotion and knows how to bring extra beauty to the music.

Meanwhile... (as Wentz would say)

I have some good news. The term is over! Only one more term 'til summer. Oh baby! I have already started making my summer list of things to do. I have even started to do summerish stuff. This change of seasons has made me a little bit on the spastic side... don't mind me... I think I'm finally thawing from an awful winter.

BOOYAH.

Noteworthy

Happy Friday.

I have an obsession with this man. And his amazing curly afro. And his kazoos.

What have I done?

Apparently it's a big deal. I have caused confusion within my own home- twice  in one day. Hey, what can I say? I am always full of surprises! So... what did I do? Oh well, let me tell you!

First...

1: I hate tuna fish. Yep, sure do. I have hated it for... eh... a long time. Last night as I was making my lunch (for today) I realized that the bowl of tuna fish was calling my name. It irked me because I don't even like tuna fish! What was I thinking? Despite the nauseous feeling, I went right ahead and made myself a mean tuna sandwich.

Today at lunch...
I ate a tuna fish sandwich.

I like tuna fish.

2: I hate eggs. Uh huh, sure do. I have hated them since two girls camps ago when I had to cook eggs for breakfast... euhhh... too... many... eggs... euwhhh... ANYWHO, my Mum rang the dinner bell and I ran up the stairs to find- can you guess- EGGS. Oh joy. I mumbled some naughty words under my breath (Dangflabbit, I hate eggs! Grrr grrr grrrrrr! etc.) and jammed those buggers down my throat as fast as I could.  I didn't dare say a word out loud for I feared my mum would be displeased with my ungrateful attitude for the meal she prepared.

I still hate eggs.

Conversation at the closing of dinner time at the Beardall Residence:

Mum: Reagan, you have to have a non-peanut butter sandwich at least once this week.
Reagan (Reags): I did! I had a tuna fish sandwich today!
Mum: You did? Really?
Reags: Yeah, even ask dad! He saw me make my lunch yesterday!
Me: Yeah, she did. I saw her make it. I even made one, too.
Mum: What? Where did Madison go?
Me: Yep. I ate the whole thing.
Dad: WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MADISON?!?!
Mum: Wow... she even ate her eggs, too! Wow....

My family was truly amazed.

And in that moment, I too was extremely happy with the teenage girl I have become.

'Nuff said.

Noteworthy

Apparently it takes five people to play a guitar.

So... do you like it?
Would you be okay with me posting a noteworthy song/video maybe every week?

Please, don't be shy. Leave a comment and tell me what you think!

Kindred Spirits

Today is Saturday. I had a church ball game at 8am, in which I became extremely competitive and a ball hog. We lost and I was upset with myself because I didn't share the ball more with the rest of my team mates. I had so much anger/energy that I decided to run it off. I ran 4 miles.

Our family took our Valentine's day pictures for my mum's calendar. This is how it went:

I showered and did my hair and make up. I went upstairs to find my Mum, my Dad, Kenedi, Reagan, and McKayla all spelling Valentine-y words. Frustrated, my Mum scattered the letters and sighed, "Anybody have any ideas of how we could take our Valentine's day pictures?"

My reply (which happened to be the one and only reply): "We could set up a studio downstairs."

And that's exactly what we did. Nobody argued otherwise.

Now I am in charge of editing the photos so you can't see the creases in the bed sheets. Maybe one day I will get around to posting them here as well as the preference dinner set up pictures I promised.

Like I said, today is Saturday. Saturdays are my "sit and stare at the computer screen lazily" days. Today I did just that. I looked through all my old photos to see which ones I could do some editing to (just for funsies). While I was scrolling through all my pictures I came across this one (see above). This picture brought back so many memories of Last Summer (referring to the beautiful summer of 2010). 

I am extremely fortunate to live where I do. My ward is the bestest ward ever! No lie. I could not ask for a better ward: I have oodles of youth that are my age. We are incredibly close. Boys and girls.

These four (pictured above) are kindred spirits. When I read in past journals about Last Summer and all the other summers we shared, a flood of emotions comes over me. Some of those memories make me laugh and others make me cry. My Gorgeous Kumquats (as we call ourselves) have shaped who I am today.

If you're reading this:  I love y'all soooooooo much! You are beautiful and don't you forget it.

Oh, one more thing....

GO CATCH A CHICKEN.

On the Day of Love

Here. Watch these. These are some poems that I absolutely LOVE.

SHAKE THE DUST by Anis Mogjani: 

B  by Sarah Kay:

hey! don't be shy!

Feel free to follow my new blog here.

Don't worry. I will still post here. 

I promise. 

My new blog is basically one of those "journal" blogs where you write about what's going on.

HAPPY MONDAY!!!

Avec Amour, 

Madison