Sit down. Relax. I'll tell you about my day.

Came home from mutual, scurried down to my room and found this

And, yes, that's roughly 60 balloons scattered across my room.

(there are more behind my bed and in my closet)

And of course they were filled with jelly beans and confetti.

(because as Anne so eloquently put it: "he probably knew you wouldn't pop the balloons if they were just confetti so he put jelly beans in them too...an offer you can't refuse."

Too true, Anne. Too true.

So those 60 balloons quickly turned into this

Which, slowly but surely became this

But it was all worth it because it ended up as this

And yeah, I guess you could say I'm a teeny bit stoked for April 21st :)

Here's what I was doing this time last year:

It all feels like yesterday. Crazy how time flies, isn't it?

In just three short months, I'll be graduating and growing up and all that scary stuff.

Sometimes I wish things could just stay the same, but at the same time, I think about all the terrific things that have happened since these pictures were taken and can't wait to see what I'll have to look back on next March.

I'm excited for what this next year has in store for me!

Just thought you'd probably want to know

That I am now a rugby expert. No big deal. Wait, scratch that. BIG DEAL.

We're talking about the girl who struggled with the basic concept of football for roughly sixteen years. The girl who is happy if she can identify which direction soccer and lacrosse players are going. I pick the team I root for by the color of their jerseys. I still have NO idea what the deal is with tennis scoring.

Yes, this athletically challenged girl (in practice as well as in understanding) has mastered the concepts behind the manly sport of rugby! I don't like to use the word "guru" but. . .

Okay, so mastered may not be the word I'm searching for. But I'm starting to understand it! A few of my friends recently joined a team, so yesterday a pal of mine explained the basic rules using a Sports Illustrated magazine, drumsticks, and his knuckles :)

So give me a number (1 - 15) and I'll tell you what position they play! (But of course I, Rugby Guru, know that a full team requires 23 players). Or I could tell you all about scrums and rucks and lineups. Or the 22 or the tryline.

Once again, no big deal. Or, more accurately, big deal.

So, game day is quickly approaching! This Saturday, Braves Rugby will go head to head with an All-Poly team (GULP.) Keeping my fingers crossed that no one gets hurt!! But in any case, I'll probably end up watching Saturday's game through my fingers like a little kid :)

Tag, you're it!

Here are the rules:

1. Post these rules.
2. Post a photo of yourself and 11 random things.
3. Answer the questions set for you in the original post.
4. Create 11 new questions and tag people to answer them.
5. Go to their blog/twitter and tell them you've tagged them.

No offense Jane, but usually I find these things stupid and don't do them. But just for you, in honor of our Crazy For You days :)

11 Random facts?

1. There are almost NO photos of me where I'm not talking, blinking, or shooting a double thumbs up.

2. I live for the sun. And I gage the quality of my summer off off my tan lines. I'll probably end up with skin cancer since I'm allergic to sunscreen and don't wear it.

3. I'm super immature. Not in the hipstery-love-me-some-dino-chicken-nuggets-and-Lion-King-and-coloring-books way. In the whole obsessed-with-swings-and-still-sleep-with-a-teddy-bear way.

4. I'm obsessed with children, in a normal-not-creepy way. I've already designed my dream nursery.

5. I'm a worrier. Like BIG time. Especially when I know things are out of my control.

6. I go through phases where I HATE wearing skirts/dresses, and then a few weeks later, they're all I want to wear.

7. I have a disgusting love/hate relationship with AP lit. Love the books we read, love the interesting concepts we talk about, LOATHE Leeann.

8. Dresses or skirts with pockets make me so excited I want to scream. Sometimes I do. My wedding dress will have pockets.

9. Sometimes I don't listen to/wear/read things I like because I didn't discover them and I don't want to be dubbed a "follower".

10. Over the years, I've been slowly training myself to be more night-owlish. But I'm happiest when I'm in bed by nine and up at six thirty-ish. And if you put on a movie, there is a significant chance I'll fall asleep at least once.

11. I don't really like one type of music, but I really like songs with sweet/deep/hilarious/relatable lyrics.

You asked me:

1.Favorite dessert? Does Popcorn count? Because I pick popcorn.

2. One specific article of clothing you can't live without. Favorite skinny jeans (which currently have a hole, so I'm waiting for Ma to mend them) or peach cardigan from Old Navy or jean skirt from Gap or flowered tights from Nordstrom.

3. Movies or T.V.? Ugh. Both. I never really watched them until we got a blu-ray player and could stream Netflix. Now I spend WAAY too much time on the luv sac in front of the t.v.

4. How many times a week do you get on Facebook? An embarrassingly high number.

5. Your favorite singer/band and why. Joshua Radin. Just listen to him and I won't have to explain why.

6. How much would someone have to pay you to eat a snail? Been there, done that, tasted pretty garlic-y.

7. Rank your holidays. Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Fourth of July, Easter. (And any others you'd like to add..) 1- Canada Day 2- Justin Bieber's Birthday 3- Christmas 4- Thanksgiving 5- Fourth of July 6- Easter 7- Halloween

8. Who is the best friend you have ever had? either Miss Tyler Jean Smith or Mr. Kendall Guy Clinger

9. Your favorite thing about yourself. My endearing awkwardness.

10. List your top 5 favorite kid's names. (In no particular order) Boys: Lance, Wilson, Guy, James, Henry Girls: Ella, Grace, Ruth, Jane, Lucy

I'll ask you:

1. First thing you notice about people?

2. What would you title your autobiography?

3. Let's say you witnessed a crime and had to join the Witness Protection Program. What would you change your name to?

4. Favorite cereal? What kind of milk (Whole, 1%, 2%, Skim, Soy)?

5. #1 Most played song on your iPod?

6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?

7. If there was a music video of your life, what would the song be and who would be in it?

8. Do you like your handwriting?

9. If you could be any fictional character, who would you be?

10. Dream vacation spot?

11. What color shoes are you wearing?

So Imma tag Steph Jensen and Miss Jacque (but really, ladies, I will NOT be offended if you choose not to do this. 'Sall up to you :) )

For the (wanna-be) musician in me:

SO MUCH I could blog about today. Like, really, SO MUCH.

(And, yes, Jane, some day I will get around to doing that cutesy little "tag" thing, just maybe not for a while.)

But instead of going through all the millions of things on my mind right now, I'll just share with you this.

One word for you: BEAUTIFUL.

Yeah, I know next to nothing about music. But this song simply takes my breath away.

Also: Happy birthday Daddy :) The big 4-6!!