travel

Travel Journal//Europe – June 2017

Abi Leah14 Comments

Hey, everyone! A couple of weeks ago, I got back from an amazing trip to Europe to visit my grandparents and cousins. I had so much fun with all of my family members, seeing some historic sights and meeting some amazing people. I can’t wait to go back!

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At Home in Belgium

We landed in Belgium early in the morning and were greeted by my Oma and Opa. It was so nice seeing them again! Most days of our trip, my family and I would stop by my grandparents house and eat meals with them. Oma’s food is so good!

We took a day trip to a beach and walked for a couple of hours. The beach was beautiful and full of shells. Since it was the 4th of July, we ate some red, white, and blue M&Ms to celebrate. :)

Shopping And Friends

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picture via sis

We spent several days shopping and looking for gifts to bring back home. One of my favorite days was when we stumbled upon a little neighborhood and met a really kind lady in her early 80s. She happily told us stories and showed us to a little chapel where she plays piano every week. It was so nice to meet another believer and to spend some time getting to know her. I know that I will never forget her.

A Short Road Trip

To finish off our vacation, my family and I all took a short three-day road trip to Germany. On the way there, we drove through Luxemburg and then stopped for lunch in France. It was really cool seeing how the culture and buildings looked so different as we passed through the different countries. It was definitely something that we don’t get to experience in America.

Germany was absolutely beautiful! I loved all of the houses and the flowers in the windows made me really happy. :) While in Germany, we took a bergbahn (old mountain train) to the top of a mountain; the view was AMAZING!

I had such a great time in Europe with my family. I can’t wait to go back and see them again! There will be a video coming up soon on my Youtube channel so keep an eye out for that! Have a great day! :)

signi

Traveling, Surgery, and A Life Update

Abi Leah4 Comments

Hey, everyone! Did you miss me? I am so so sorry that I haven’t posted! Life has been pretty crazy. But I’m back with a ton of new posts for you! First, I’ll catch you up on everything with a life update.

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Travels and Adventures

At the end of June, my family and I took a trip to Europe for a couple of weeks to spend time with my grandparents and other family members. We spent a lot of time in Belgium and Holland but we also took a road trip to Germany to get a clock repaired. I had so much fun and met so many cool people. I am working on a travel journal to post soon so keep an eye out for that!

Surgery and Recovery

Monday morning, I woke up bright and early for the surgery on my arm. I was pretty nervous especially since during the nights leading up to the surgery I had nightmares. But, everything went well and I got to go home before lunch so it was fine! The rest of the day I spent sleeping.

On Tuesday, one of my best friends came over to visit me and cheer me up. She even attempted to clean my room for me which was actually really funny. Even so, she helped get my mind off of my arm and the hours I spent feeling useless.

Yesterday, my other best friend came over with her mom and her brothers. She also brought chocolate and flowers so it was a good day! ;) She helped to brighten up my day a bit and I am grateful for that.

Today, I can use my arm a bit more (enough to write some posts) and it doesn’t hurt. I’m planning on taking the rest of the week slow and careful. I am so glad that my arm is healing and that I will be able to use it normally again soon. This whole week has made me feel much more grateful for a healthy and functioning body.

So that’s my quick life update! I’ll be posting a Travel Journal from my Europe trip in a couple of days. Also, this is completely random but, I’m wondering what are your favorite brands for backpacks? Let me know in the comments below; it’ll help me a lot. :)

signi

Happy Best Friends Day! + 23 Things To Do With Your Friends This Summer

Abi Leah9 Comments

Happy Best Friends Day everyone! I hope you get to spend some time with all of your friends today but, if not, here’s a list of 23 things you can do with your friends this summer! :)

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  1. Hang out at the pool.
  2. Have a friends photoshoot.
  3. Volunteer somewhere together for the day.
  4. Road trip!
  5. Go horseback riding.
  6. Attend a floating lantern festival.
  7. Make homemade icecream.
  8. Have a paint fight.
  9. Go camping together.
  10. Have a weeklong sleepover.
  11. Go thrift shopping together.
  12. Make a friendship playlist.
  13. Make friendship bracelets.
  14. Have a picnic.
  15. Start a book club together.
  16. Go to a music festival.
  17. Stargaze.
  18. Try out new crafts.
  19. Play with animals at a local shelter.
  20. Make a summer scrapbook.
  21. Go hiking to a waterfall.
  22. Tie-dye shirts.
  23. Go back to school shopping together!

I can’t wait to try all of these things out with my friends! I know it’ll be a lot of fun. :) If you try any of the things listed with your friends, let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear from you! :) Have an amazing day!

signi

May Memories

Abi Leah10 Comments

Hello, everyone! Let’s talk about May. The last month of school. Crazy and utterly exhausting but SO full of happy memories! In a way, I miss it but at the same time, I’m so glad it’s over!

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The first week of May was full of happy friend memories. One of my best friends made me a beautiful pillow in between her study times. How she did it, I have no idea, but it’s beautiful and I love it so much! AP exams weren’t fun but it came with excused absenses and trips to Aldi’s to get ice cream. My 6 friends and I shared a whole tub of ice cream and it was amazing! A couple of days later, I started my new bullet journal!

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For Mother’s Day, my family and I took a trip to the mountains for the weekend. It was beautiful and a great way to spend the day celebrating my mom. We were even able to see a couple of geese in the river!

Next came a couple of pool parties with some amazing friends! My sister celebrated a birthday with some of her friends. Then I hosted a couple of last minute parties with my friends before school ended. I loved hanging out with everyone and can’t wait to make more memories with them this summer! Then came May 25. The day my exams started. I had my French exam first and did pretty well! After that, I had 3 more exams, British Literature, Chemistry, and Spanish. My last exam was yesterday! So glad to be done! :)

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Other Things I Loved

  • Smores Frappuccino from Starbucks (all time fav!)
  • All of the blooming flowers!
  • Celebration donuts at the end of exams!
  • Getting our piano tuned
  • And then having a mini concert :)

How was your May? What are you looking forward to in June? I’d love to hear from you! :)

signi

March Memories

Abi Leah8 Comments

Hello, everyone! As I’m writing this, the rain is pouring outside and my sister is playing violin. My mom is working on starting a fire and I have a big cup of tea waiting for me. Talk about perfect writing time! This past month have been filled with tons of adventures and excitement.

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In the beginning of the month, my mom and my sister and I drove to surprise my sister at her first away game for soccer. It was great except we ended up going to the wrong school! By the time we made it to the right school, there were 3 minutes left in the game. Bummer! But, we were able to see my sister play for a little bit and it made her really happy that we were there, so I’d say it was well worth it! :)

On the 5th, we hosted a missionary family for dinner. The family was really sweet and had lots of fun stories about life on the mission field and their many puppies. On the 12th, there was snow but it all melted within a couple of hours. Still, it was really pretty!

The next week, I had a friend over for a sleepover. We went to the park near my house and saw a beautiful tree! (Pictured below.) While we were at the park, a little girl, about 5, ran up to us and asked us to play with her. She was so adorable and I loved running around with her on the park playground! The next day, we met with another friend and went to walk on the campus of a nearby college, getting a feel for the college-life. It was a great experience and I learned a bit of what it’s like just to be on campus.

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Next came the Florida trip! My whole family spent our Spring break in sunny FL by the beach and it was beautiful! We were also able to go on all kinds of adventures including going to the Everglades. (I even made a video of it! Click here to watch it.) We got to see dolphins, birds, and aligators. A couple of days later, we went to Disney! I loved all of the rides but I especially loved the firework show at the end of the day. :) (Read the Florida Trip Travel Journal here!)

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After getting back into the rhythm of school life, I focused on memorized more Bible verses. This time, I memorized Isaiah 26:3-4 which says:

“You will keep in perfect peace
    those whose minds are steadfast,
    because they trust in you.
 Trust in the Lord forever,
    for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.”
-Isaiah 26:3-4 (NIV)

Last week, my sisters and I took a spontaneous trip to my friend’s house! We spent a lot of time playing with her dog, :) but we also spent time outside making floral creations and talking about life. It was a wonderful way to spend my Sunday and it was pretty relaxing too! :)

Some Pictures from March:

That’s all! How was your March? Did you have any fun adventures? Let me know! I would love to hear from you! :)

signi

 

Blue Sky Tag

Abi Leah12 Comments

Hello, everyone! How are you? I’ve been pretty swamped with school but I was able to post this (even though it’s late) so I would say I’m doing pretty well! I was tagged by this amazing blogger for the Blue Sky Tag. Be sure to check out her blog here and her version of the blog post here!

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Rules

  • Thank the person who tagged you  ✔
  • Answer the 11 questions given to you  ✔
  • Give 11 questions  ✔
  • Nominate 11 people to continue this tag  ✔

Questions and Answers

  1. What is your perfect pizza? (thin/thick crust, toppings, homemade/delivery) – Thin crust, pineapple, ham, extra cheese, olives, and homemade pizza is the best!
  2. If you could only have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? – My mom’s thread meat with potatoes and green beans! Yum!
  3. What cheers you up? – My friends and family, writing, listening to music, watching a movie, or drawing.
  4. What is your favorite t.v. commercial? – I love the commercials for Fixer Upper!
  5. What is your favorite of the four seasons? Why? – I love Spring the most because of all of the beautiful blooming flowers and the birds are just amazing. Also, it’s so close to being summer that it’s a hopeful season for me. :)
  6. What is your favorite ice cream flavor? – Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough!
  7. What is your favorite smell? – Kind of an odd question but I guess my favorite smell would be freshly baked cookies. (Can you tell I’m hungry?) :) ;)
  8. What is your dream job? – I would love to be a Travel Blogger Momma because it incorporates all of my favorite things; traveling, blogging, and family time! :) But I won’t be getting to this dream job for a long time, don’t worry. Hehe!
  9. Who is your biggest role model? – My role model is my Aunt L. She’s an awesome woman who follows Jesus and has worked so hard.
  10. What are your top 3 goals in life? – Live a life that shows God’s love to others, not let my past circumstances hinder me from growing, and publish a book.
  11. What is the best decision you have made recently? – The best decision I’ve made recently… I think that would be deciding not to spend so much time comparing myself to others.

 

Questions For You

  1. Name 3 things that you love about Spring.
  2. What is one thing that you learned this week?
  3. What is your favorite drink?
  4. What is one song that makes you want to dance?
  5. Is there something that your friends do that has rubbed off on you?
  6. If you were an emoji, which one would you be?
  7. Name a book that made you laugh.
  8. Share a photo that you have taken recently.
  9. What is something that you have been meaning to do but haven’t done yet?
  10. If you have $1,000,000, how would you spend it?
  11. What is your favorite word?

Tag! You’re It!

  1. Mehan from Press On Mehan!
  2. Tabi from Busy Bee
  3. Alexandrina from The Warmhearted
  4. The Happy Book
  5. Wonderous Night Trambler from A Girl Cloaked In Night
  6. The Average Girl
  7. Elsie from Elsie L.M.C
  8. Alysha from Joyous Alysha
  9. Chloe from Diary of a Lonely Girl
  10. Truuty from Truth and Beauty
  11. G from Paper Clips and Pins

Thanks again for the nomination! Have a great day!

signi

Travel Journal//Florida – March 2017

Abi Leah3 Comments

Hello, my friends! How are you? I just got back from my trip to Florida and it was beautiful as always! My family and I spent a week relaxing, exploring, and enjoying God’s creation. With a one-day trip to the Everglades and Disney, this vacation was one that I will never forget. :)

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God’s Beautiful Creation

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My favorite part of the entire trip was getting to see the sunsets. I think it’s really cool how God made the colors and lights work perfectly together to create a beautiful show that is unique every day. And how awesome is it that the clouds get to play a part in the show as well? The picture above is my absolute favorite from the trip. :)

Living On The Beach Front

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My family and I spent a good amount of time at the beach during the first couple of days. I loved hearing the waves crash against the sandy beach and watching the birds soar through the blue sky. Even better were the walks at sunset and afternoons spent reading on the deck.

Trip To The Everglades

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The day trip to the Everglades was also a lot of fun! We took a boat//kayak//walking tour through part of the Everglades. It was so beautiful and calming out on the water, watching the dolphins jump through the water. After the tour, my parents drove me and my siblings through a scenic road where we got to see alligators and birds.

(P.S. Click here to see the travel journal video!)

When You Wish Upon A Star…

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My parents surprised us with a semi-spontaneous trip to Disney for the day! We woke up early and drove the 2+ hours to the Magic Kingdom and then stayed for the entire day. It was a wonderful day and I loved every minute of it! The firework show at the end was amazing, a perfect way to end our Florida Trip. :)

What did you do for Spring Break or, if you haven’t had break yet, what are you planning on doing? Thanks for reading! Have a great day!

signi

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25 Things I Love About Spring

Abi Leah2 Comments

Hey, guys! So yesterday was the first day of Spring! YAY!  If you know anything about me, you know that I LOVE Spring. The flowers, the weather, the patterns; everything is so beautiful this time of year! There are so many things to like about spring, I decided to make a list. So here are 25 things I love about spring.

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  1. Easter service at church!
  2. Seeing everyone outside.
  3. Sitting outside on the patio with a good book.
  4. Baby animals!
  5. Being about to put away the big winter coats.
  6. Opening the windows to the fresh breeze.
  7. Pulling out the shorts after a long stretch of winter.
  8. Easter break with family and friends! How perfect is that? :)
  9. Pastel colored everything!
  10. Picnics by the lake complete with books, iced tea, and kites.
  11. Bike rides down to the park.
  12. The soft, fresh feeling in the air.
  13. All of the beautiful blooming flowers! I mean just look at these;
  14. Waking up to the birds. Such a beautiful sound. <3
  15. Fresh vegetables and fruits!
  16. Looking for four-leaf clovers in the backyard.
  17. Travel opportunities.
  18. Spring smells.
  19. Rainy mornings.
  20. The fresh green of the new leaves.
  21. Beautiful weather.
  22. Watching the clouds roll across the clear blue sky.
  23. Summer on the horizon.
  24. Tulips, tulips, and more tulips. :)
  25. The sense of rebirth and beginnings that fill the air during springtime.

What do you love about spring? Thanks so much for reading! I hope you have a great day!

signi

February Memories

Abi Leah4 Comments

Hey, guys! Happy March! The weather outside is beautiful and I’m so ready for Spring Break! February was full of fun adventures and memories. I can’t believe it all went by so quickly!

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February started off great with my birthday! I hosted a vision board party, hosting two things off of my goals list for this year. I had a lot of fun hanging out with my friends and family. Shout-out to my wonderful mother who created a huge meal of tiny sandwiches for my birthday lunch!

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A couple days later, I went to watch the play from my high school! It was a lot of fun and I saw a bunch of people that I know (shout-out to M, A, M, L, and H).

On the 11th, I headed over to the park with my sister to walk around and take pictures. It was so beautiful outside and it seemed that everyone was out enjoying the weather! The light reflecting off the water took my breath away. Plus, there were so many dogs – an extra bonus! ;)

Valentines Day came and went without a mishap. My sisters and I made breakfast in bed for my mom and we each got a little bouquet of flowers from our dad. On the 16th, I spent the day writing letters and making cards for my friends and family. And the next day, I went to my first college visit – very exciting.

Then came the big mountain trip! We spent three days in the cool weather with rivers and plenty of trees to sit by. (I even made a video about it. Watch it here.) I ended up spending a lot of time writing which was really fun for me. It’s been a while since I’ve taken the time to let my dreams take shape in writing form. ;) Our short trip in the mountains was a fun one and I can’t wait to go back.

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February closed with lots of flowers; flowers in my friends’ hair, flowers in vases, flowers outside, flowers everywhere! I love how such little things like flowers can brighten up the world. :)

I also tried to continue the Photo A Day Challenge this month but then I missed a day. Still, I was able to take some really pretty pictures. Here are some of my favorites. :)

Other Things I Loved

Beautiful right? How was your February? Is the weather getting warmer where you are?

signi

10 Things On My Bucket List

Abi Leah6 Comments

Hey, everyone! How are you? Today was AMAZING! My a cappella team got to meet with a college a cappella team to learn and sing with them. It was a great experience and we learned a lot about getting the songs to feel how they should sound.

Also today, I wanted to share 10 things on my bucket list. My actual bucket list is very long. If you want to check out the entire list, click here. ;)

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  1. Learn sign language. – I think sign language is really cool! Some of my friends know a bit of sign language so maybe they can help me. ;)
  2. Spend an entire day watching Disney movies. – Disney movies are really fun! There are so many that I haven’t seen in a long time and would love to see again!
  3. Have a beach bonfire. – The beach is so beautiful at night with all of the stars. It would be a lot of fun to have a bonfire with some friends on the beach under the stars.
  4. Visit Mount Rushmore. – Mount Rushmore is a must-see.
  5. Visit all seven continents. – I love traveling! It would be awesome to visit every continent.
  6. Go to a midnight movie premiere. – I’ve always wanted to do this. :)
  7. Stargaze on a roof. – I LOVE watching the stars!
  8. Participate in a color run. – I’ve seen pictures of color runs all of the internet and it looks like a lot of fun! My cousin, C, ran in a color run and she said it was really cool.
  9. Read 1000 books. – Reading is a great thing to do. :)
  10. Write a book. – I really like writing. Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of writing and publishing a book someday.

What are some things on your bucket list? Let me know in the comments below! Have a great day! :)

signi