'All Ideas Have Consequences...'

Hey!! I'm back! I survived!

And more than that, I had an amazing time!!

(How predictable was that?!)

I don't even know where to begin when I try to describe those two weeks at Summit. It was SO many experiences wrapped into one. It was the slightly terrifying experience of a homeschooler being thrown into a group of 300 strangers. It was 75 hours of amazing sessions that challenged my very core and changed the way I saw almost everything in life. It was the heartbreaking experience of seeing the pictures of aborted babies and hearing the story of a former homosexual who was abused as a child. It was my shallow view of reality being challenged.

It was heat, humidity and sweat.

It was uncontrollable laughter as my friend Aaron practically had me in stitches.

It was the exhileration of white water rafting on the gorgeous Okoee River.

It was the feeling of communion as my small group prayed over each other.

It was overwhelming gratitude as my small group leader imitated Jesus in washing all of our feet.

It was the giggles of two girls rooming together late at night, talking about boys and every part of our lives.

It was joining in the mutual light hearted complaining about the less than stallar cafeteria food.

It was the daytrips down into tiny Dayton, Tennessee with boys and girls, where the boys would be daring in crossing the street, and the girls would be conscientious and wait for the light to turn green.

It was a whole two weeks without internet or music.

It was a time where my whole self value and the idea that I had of feminity and what it meant for me to be a woman and valuable was shattered, then rebuilt.

It was hot, hard, and heart breaking,

but it was undoubtedly,

the most amazing two weeks of my whole summer.

I sincerely hope I will never be the same.

The plane ride over...

I so was not used to the mountains...the first I hike I went on in them nearly killed me. Who knew it was even possible to walk up ground that steep and rocky?

It was totally worth it to have to wake up at 6:00am if I got to see sunrises like this :)

And don't let anyone tell you Tennessee isn't beautiful...hot, maybe, but certainly not ugly.

Me, my roomate, Ragan, and our friend Nalani :)

The famous and ever hilarious Aaron, my seat buddy and new big brother figure :)

And a cute one of us...at least of me. He looks like he's high :P Oh Aaron...

I love Maggie <3

This was graduation night so everyone was all dolled up, and I had so much fun doing Maggie's make up! She's so cute :)

But we weren't always cute...or serious!

And we definitely weren't the quiet ones on bus rides...

But we sure as heck loved each other.

(Don't you love how she has a bryan college sweatshirt, adn I have my summit tshirt on? REPRESENT!!!)

So in the end I don't really know how to completely describe summit.

All I can say is next summer--TRY IT. It will rock your world, change your views, break your heart, and make you laugh for ours. All the blog posts in the world couldn't fully describe it.

Just try it.

Love,

Ariana <3

I promise I'm not goin AWOL....

See that there logo?? That's where I'm headed for the next few weeks, the Summit Ministries Worldview Academy, hosted at Bryan College in Dayton Tennessee :) I'm flying up to Tennessee tomorrow morning, and I can't say I'm not at least a bit nervous...because I totally am. 0__o
But...I wanted to let you guys know, because one of the rules of the conference is NO internet access throughout the week so we can totally focus on the classes and such, so I won't be able to blog :(
But I promise I'll take tons of pictures and have an amazing post ready for you guys when I come back in two weeks! I just didn't want you guys to think I had dropped off the face of the earth!

I promise I'll be back in two weeks, full of new ideas and raring to start the school year :) So have an amazing two weeks my wonderful readers--I appreciate each and every one of you SO much :)
Annnddd...because I just couldn't resist, here are some pictures of my new haircut..I quite like it.

Hahaa..don't miss me too much!! Love you all!!
--Ari <3

We So Fly We In Outer Space

Hey girlies! Okay, today is actually NOT going to be an outfit post...wanted to shake things up a bit, in case y'all were getting bored of just seeing me in clothes. But there will be some coming up, because I just got some fabulous clothes and Forever 21 that I am SO stoked about!
Here are some photos that I edited of me and my friend Elise when we were having a photo shoot at her house the other day :)
I must say, I ADORE the new space layering effect on picnik.com...SO COOL!

Like this photo for instance. How cool is that???

Usually, I resent the drama queen lable...but sometimes its okay to let loose, and be diva :P

Usually I hate my smile..but for some reason I really like it in this picture. It looks the way I feel inside when I smile. Joyful and carefree.

PSH and you know it!!

Okay...so i'm done with the wildly edited photos :) But I also realized that I haven't posted a chapter of my story in FOREVER so I need to keep you guys posted!

Here's the fourth chapter of my story: Secret Keeper...to read the rest of the story, click the button at the bottom of the page, my wattpad button-READ, COMMENT, VOTE! :P

Chapter Four: Eyes That See

Her fingernails dug into the bark of the trees she had darted behind, her breath coming in short gasps. She was sure he had caught a glimpse of her, she didn't know why she was so afraid, he was just a boy going on a walk with his sister. When his blue eyes had raked over her, instinct took over, and she'd hidden herself from those eyes.

It wasn't that he looked threatening, he really didn't. He wasn't especially big and his blond hair stuck out at odd angles, as if he'd sneaked out of the house before his mother could apply a comb to it. She'd seen him laughing with his sister. Why was she so afraid?

She peeked out from behind the tree, the rough bark scratching her cheek. He walking toward the meadow, his athletic frame striding into the sunlight. She stepped out into the open, pulling her hair away from her face. She wondered how much he'd seen.

Though she'd been terrified, the instant his blue eyes connected with hers, she'd felt a peculiar feeling, one that had never touched her heart before. Sort of like a burning and a freezing all at once, and she knew that if she hadn't whipped her hair in front of her face and hidden, she wouldn't have been able to break the eye contact. Her hand involuntarily moved towards her heart.

Why had she acted that way? She saw boys every day, many had told secrets to her, and she watched them as they walked the streets with their friends, laughing and joking, heads high and voices boisterous. She'd watched them, but they'd never seen her. Boys never did.

Though she was in plain sight every day, she might as well have been invisible for all the notice they took of her. But perhaps it was better that way. The girls were worse. They noticed her alright, they would stare, whisper, and sometimes point. There's the girl, the strange one that never speaks. The secret keeper. Don't bother going over, she's like a frightened mouse. They say she's cursed. Stay away from that one.

Tears stung her eyelids. They saw, but the didn't see. How could they see? Had they ever been anything but normal? Had they ever had a life beyond ease, friendship, and laughter? How could they possibly understand what was held inside her? She didn't even want to understand. Every day she stared into that faded mirror and she really knew nothing about the girl that stared back. All she knew was what she had inside, how others reacted when they saw her. Fear. Distrust. Revulsion. Pity.

No one had ever reacted any other way. So why was he different? What was his name? Hadn't his sister called him Trystan? Her lips formed the name. He'd never come to her as she sat every day on the old wicker chair, the mouth of the cash box gaping beside her. She stared down at the forest floor, then closed her eyes, and saw the image of his eyes reflected in her mind.
She wished he would.

.......

That's it!! I hope you guys aren't too mad at me for not updating sooner!

Have an amazing week!

Love,

Ari

Lazy Summer Crawling By...

Look who was crawling around in our backyard? Isn't he adorable?

He's adorable. And he looks like a Stanley. Or a Spencer. Something with an S :)

Yep...he's super cute :) I love baby animals.

But now, onto the outfit part of the post!

Tanktop: $8.00 Target

Belt: Wet Seal

Skirt: $19.99 TJ Maxx

I know, a bit of a picture overload today, but the turtle was so cute I couldn't help myself :)

How have you guys been? Last week was great for me, the first time this summer I've actually been able to relax and really enjoy summer. I babysat some kids last night and had alot of fun. There's something about kids that is so refreshing. Their happy as long as someone's around to love on them. It's amazing how much they need people to hug them and hold them and tickle them. Really, I'm the same way, but not as much. These kids just respond to touch like crazy. It's kind of amazing how absorbant they are,like sponges. I have to be super careful to watch what I say and what I do, because those kids watch everything and absorb it all.

But beyond that little insight, not too much has been going on, and really, I'm glad of it. It's what summer is all about right? NOT having a schedule full of things to blog about :P

Have a great rest of the week!

Love and much hugs,

Ari

Elegance is Understated

Hey girls! How has your week been? Mine's been great, the last two days especially. Last night I spent like all evening talking with my amazing friends via skype and the phone. We had a really great time and I got some cute stuff...I'll have another outfit post of what I bought later :)

 I'm kinda tired so I don't really have anything profound to write, but I hope you guys like the outfit pics, and have an awesome weekend!

Love and kisses,

Ari

Ever Solid Cornerstones

Sorry about the extreme frizziness of my hair...it gets like that sometimes :P

(Outfit: Tank top: Target, Dress: it was given to me, so I don't know where it comes from, Tights: Kohls, Owl necklace: Wet Seal)

Hey girls! How has y'alls summer been going? Mine has been great, VBS is over, and I'm finally able to relax and sleep in! Despite having to wake up early, VBS was really fun, and I'm super glad I participated. On Friday I was able to go to swing dancing with my friends, it was so much fun. I seriously pity all those who don't have a swing dancing "club" to go to...its just that much fun. There are classes for the first hour, then general dancing where anyone can do pretty much whatever they want. It's almost like a youth nightclub, only alot classier. Anyway, it was a total blast.

And today is Father's Day!! Just wanted to send a shout out to my wonderful Daddy, he's  great father, husband, and pastor of our little church, and I'm uber proud of him :)

We kiddos got him a Burberry cologne and some chocolate and canoli,  and then let him relax and do whatever he wanted all day long, and I think he really enjoyed it :)

Another thing that I wanted to talk to you guys about was that, yesterday, as I was cleaning out my dresser and organizing some of my old papers, I found this sheet of notebook paper, and was written on it really surprised me. On the front of the paper was written a long list of things I didn't like about myself, everything from having crooked teeth and being a procrastinator, to not having a boyfriend and perfectly skinny legs. Then on the back is written a list of truths, first put in my words, then backed up with scripture. Truths like :

I am a work in progress, not yet finished--(He has made perfect all those who are being made holy, Hebrews 10:14)

He created me to look the way I am, that was his desire--(You knit me together in my mother's womb, for I know that I am fearfully and wonderfully made, Psalm 139:14)

What I look like on the outside is not of real importance--(You should be known by the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a quiet and gentle spirit, 1 Peter 3:4)

So work hard and trust the Lord--(Those who work hard will prosper and be satisfied, Proverbs 13:4, Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path, Proverbs, 3:5)

I read this, and it was like the spirit preached me a little sermon right there, telling me that even though alot of things have changed since I wrote that paper, those truths have and always will stand firm, and they should be the very cornerstones of my life. Even though I may not have crooked teeth anymore, or my skin is alot better, and Ive just grown up in general doesn't mean that I don't have other things that I don't like about myself that still get me down. My problems may be slightly different by the core issue is still the same, if I forget those truths, and don't remind myself of them daily, its so easy to get caught up in pride, lies, and self disgust again.The same problem, just in a slightly different guise, and I don't want that to happen. I want to stay close to the God who loves me and saved me, and has given me these truths that will never change, no matter what happens in my life, or the world, I can always hold onto them. That's something worth remembering, don't you think? I wanted to share those with you, maybe they'll be as much of an encouragement to you as they were to me.

Have an amazing week!

Love you guys!

Ari <3

 

Antique Dreams

Heyoooo my peeps!! (haha sorry, I'm running out of creative and somewhat unique greetings!!) So this week has been VBS at my church...and thus my mornings have been incredible busy...spent in a worthwhile way of course, but still busy! I have six children in my little crew, most of them younger kids, like kindergarten age, and I just love them to death. There is something so innocent and simple about kids that age, their worlds are so much smaller, and they don't think about things like adults do. If they want to do something, they do it, without wondering what anyone else thinks of them. They don't care if their hair is messed up, or if their teeth are crooked, or if their covered in dirt. They just accept themselves and expect everyone else to do so as well. Makes me miss those days...I can hardly remember what they were like.
Anyways, so even though my mornings have been eaten up by VBS, my afternoons have mostly been lazy, I'll admit. Spending all morning with rambunctious children really takes it out of you, but I have managed to make time to amass a whole new selection of amazing vintage fashion blogs, such as Vintage Vixen, Bobby Pin Blog, Esme and the Laneway, and Gatsby and Me---all totally amazing vintage fashion blogs (you guys should totally check them out!!)
And meanwhile...I've been trying to scrounge up some vintage-esque outfits, unfortunately I don't have any actual vintage pieces yet but those will be coming!
Here's the outfit I wore yesterday while I made spaghetti for my family, feeling mightily like a prim little housewife...I think it's super cute :)

The outfit consists of:

A short orange-y red shirt

A stretchy and oh so comfortable high waisted pencil skirt

A cute little green, white and yellow headscarf (handmade..by me!)

And a locket from my grandmother on a teal ribbon.

Excuse the horribly orange lighting, it was night at the time, and the overhead light was totally terrible orange.

Cute, I know :)

So that's my outfit, I'll have alot more to come once I get to ordering my vintage lovelies.

EXAMPLES OF MY VINTAGE LOVELIES:

$40.00 Jojosretroandvintageshop.etsy.com

$40.00 Jojosretroandvintageshop.etsy.com

$16.50 Storeenvy.com

$42.00 storenvy.com

$19.99 Storenvy.com

$5.00 storenvy.com

$15.00 Jojosretroandvintageshop.etsy.com

So yeah...I have officially decided that my ideal place to live someday would be Portland Oregon...not only is it beautiful and West-Coast-ish, but it also has one of the largest groupings of vintage shops I've ever heard of! Going to college there would be such a dream. Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed the photos, I promise I'll post more promptly next time, VBS has just made me super busy :)

Have a great rest of the summer!

Love and kisses,

Ari