discussions, miscellaneous 'bookish' things

why my favorite books are my favorites

March 3, 2015 Emily 15 Comments

Hey, everyone! First of all, I apologize for not posting the past couple of days, and this post being sort of late in the day. Wanna know why I’ve done this weekend/in the past few days I haven’t posted? SQUAT. I’ve been really lazy lately, and procrastinating nearly everything, but today was actually pretty productive.

Anyway, today I thought I’d talk about my favorite books, but a little differently. I thought I’d talk about why my favorite books are my favorite books. (Because if I shared all of my favorite books, this post would be a five part series, ha!)

You see, I’ve loved books since I didn’t even know how to read. In fact, there’s a whole page in my baby album with pictures of me reading books – with my parents, grandparents, by myself. When I got older, I’d make up the story to go along with the pictures in books and “read” them to my parents and stuffed animals! I’ve been a story teller even before I could read words. You could say I was born with a passion for stories.

I especially love stories about people. That doesn’t mean I don’t read the occasional book about an animal every now and then… (Like Janette Oke’s Animal Friends books or Charlotte’s Web, and my all-time favorite, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See?) But I love reading books about young girls like me, or their grandmothers and great-grandmothers. I like books where a person goes on a long journey or adventure – not like outer space adventure, like a personal, deep adventure to find out who they are. Books like Coutdown, Out of my Mind, Counting by 7’s, Interrupted, Waiting for Normal. I know I sound rather dramatic, but I yearn for books like those.

I also know this sounds silly, but I LOVE, love, love books that make me cry. Because life is full of tears. (When your friend hurts your feelings, or when you get an unfortunate white elephant gift and you have a meltdown over not getting chocolate… lol!)

I love reading about experiences and people I haven’t met or experienced. Of course, I still hope to experience new things and travel to new places and meet new people. Like Benjamin Franklin says, “Either write things worth the reading or do things worth the writing.” 😉

Here’s a list of my favorite books! I definitely recommend them all!

Interrupted by Rachel Coker
Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfield
Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards
The Family Tree series by Ann M. Martin
A Corner of the Universe by Ann M. Martin
A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff
Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
Penny From Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Countdown by Deborah Wiles
Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
The Mother/Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick
The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
The Candy Makers by Wendy Mass
The Fences Between Us by Kirby Larson
Faith, Hope, & Ivy June by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
The Main Street series by Ann M. Martin

reviews

the gossip file by anna staniszewski // the dirt diary series book 3

February 25, 2015 Emily 20 Comments

Okay, so I bought this book on a total whim, and I barely had enough money to buy it. Actually, I didn’t. I owe my mom two bucks. Aka, story of my life. But I really didn’t regret it. Even though, just like always, I finished the book in like, a day and a half, and my mom was kind of irritated with me because I “never take my time to enjoy the book,” and now I don’t have any reading material (okay, that’s a lie*), I don’t regret it. Taking my time and enjoying the book are two things that do not go together. Kind of like having fun and following the rules. Wait, no. But you get what I mean.

*The truth is, I have a few books I haven’t read, but one is kind of weird and one isn’t my type of book even though I thought it was, and the other one… I just don’t want to read right now.

This was a really short one. Fun, light, and easy. I loved it! The main character, Rachel, is visiting her dad for two weeks and she’s really look forward to it. Except then his new girlfriend, Ellie, gets in the way. And she lies about who she is to some cool girls. And everything that seems like it couldn’t possibly go wrong… goes wrong.

I was on my toes the whole time. One thing after another, everything turned out to be a disaster. I spent half the book angry at all of the characters. First I was mad at Rachel’s dad for being so clueless. Then I was mad at Rachel’s dad’s girlfriend, Ellie, for taking over so much. Then I was mad at Rachel for being so bratty. Really, my blood was boiling!

I thought Rachel was absolutely hilarious, but honestly, she was so whiny and annoying, even though I understood where she was coming from. The characters were complex in the fact that they never communicated with each other and so everybody had bottled up feelings which caused a whole lot of trouble, but other than that, they were just… bothersome.

I still loved Rachel, though. Even when her dad was absolutely awful to her, spending all of his time with Ellie, it made her more determined to get Ellie out of the way… “My dad needs me. I can’t leave now,” she’d say, and it sounds sweet! But also selfish at the same time. She called her best friend, Marisol, for advice several times in the book, but all Marisol seemed to do was egg Rachel on. I wish there had been more balance in the book… a friend to tell Rachel she was being bratty, and one to tell her she was right.

Then there were the cool friends Rachel lied to. I really expected more on that. Even the synopsis of the book made it seem like the plot line of the book was more focused on that than it was. And it wasn’t even Rachel’s fault the girls thought she was someone else. And the way it ended… everything still seemed incomplete. I was still a bit annoyed.

On the other hand, when I realized this book was a third book in a series, I wondered if maybe things would make more sense had I read the first two books…! I definitely need to put those on my list… 😉

3 stars!

Have you read any books by Anna Staniszewski, or this book? Have you read the other books in the series?

lists

things that make me happy

February 23, 2015 Emily 12 Comments

Lately, I’ve really been into making lists, so today I made a list of little things that make me happy. They may not seem like much, but I think it’s fun to sit down and think of things that make me smile!

Being close to my mom and dad
Wonderstruck Enchanted (my favorite perfume! It’s by Taylor Swift.)
Sniffing books
Soft pretzels, apple pie, and pizza
New shoes
Falling asleep quickly
Waking up early
Wearing contacts
My 2nd earring piercing (just above the first one… that’s all the piercings for me, though, haha!)
The smell of my sister’s hair… 😉
My bedroom
Petting Mittens and Maisy, my cats
Stretchy jeans and sweatshirts
Twirly skirts
Trying on heels at stores even though a) I’m not allowed to wear them and b) I wouldn’t anyway because I’d feel waaaayyy too tall!)
When someone compliments my hair (because I spent a lot of time trying to make it not so frizzy!)
Drinking milk through a straw
Being barefoot in grass (NOT dirt)
My iPhone (not gonna lie, it brings me happiness.)
Connecting my letters when I write
Swinging really high on swing sets
Going to the fair
Clear skin
Driving down beautiful, picturesque roads
Thinking in 3rd person
Hearing a song I like on the radio or in a store
Writing letters to my favorite authors
Brand new journals
~~Learning~~ Mastering a new hair style
Reading good quotes
Taking pictures of my cats
Staying up late talking with my friends at sleepovers
SOMETIMES, cleaning.
Finding cool stuff in the dollar section at Target
My dad’s whiskers tickling me when he gives me a kiss
The smell of my mom
Looking through baby albums
Anything pink
Proverbs 24
The good feeling I get when I have money in my wallet (it never lasts long.)
Cheesy jokes
Rainy afternoons

That’s all for now, although I’m sure I can think of more! What’s on your happy list? 🙂

personal life

sleepovers & my starbucks attire

February 22, 2015 Emily 14 Comments

Hi, everyone! The past week has been pretty busy – and lots of fun! And super, duper COLD! I know, I know – I live in Georgia, for Pete’s sake. I should not be complaining about the cold. I’m just so, so ready for Spring. We got a little dusting of snow on Friday, though, so of course my sister and I got out on our trampoline and threw snow at each other for a little while!

Wednesday was a blast. Mostly because I got out of schoolwork for my sister’s birthday! We went out to eat and shopped around for a little while and gave my sister her presents from my mom, dad, and I. The real fun was Friday night! Since Anna has officially hit double digits, she had her first birthday sleepover. Several of her friends and our cousins came over and we stayed up late and watched a movie and ATE CAKE!!!

An ice cream cake, nonetheless. Yes, it’s true. There was ICE CREAM INSIDE THE CAKE. It’s ice cream and cake, BUT ONE! I was very excited. I’m making myself drool thinking about that yummy cake.

I also took some pictures with my pretty pink Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 (in short, a Polaroid), with some of the girls, who kept telling me it was the coolest camera in the world.

Quick tip – don’t talk when the person takes the picture, okay? (When you see the look on my face! Lol.)

I’m also thinking about Starbucks. The next morning, I went to this 1850’s historical home near where I live to volunteer and give some tours for a few hours. It was my second time there as an oh-fficial “junior docent,” but I got to give my very first tour of the home! My cousin Sydney was at Anna’s sleepover, so in the morning she decided to come and hang out at the historical home to see if becoming a junior docent would be fun, and soon enough she was in the costume and giving tours, as well! It was a blast.

After hanging out there for a few hours, on the way home, I asked my dad if he’d take us to Starbucks (where you’ll find the greatest cups of make-believe in the world), and he said, “I might could swing that.” YES. Sydney and I worked our charm. But he had something up his sleeve. (Like he always does.) We had to go into the Starbucks. As in, inside. No problem, right? Ahahahaha. But it was. We were IN OUR 1850’S COSTUMES. They’re gorgeous, truly. I love twirling around in my 6 layers of pantelettes and drawers and bloomers and skirts and slips and all that, but if we walked into this 21st century Starbucks, we would look like… well, you get the picture.

I did need that Starbucks, so it was worth it. One table pointed at Sydney and me, but we just smiled and ordered our drinks (BY THE WAY, GET THE STRAWBERRIES & CREAM FRAPAPPUCCINO), and sat down for a minute or two… probably looking Amish or something!

There we are, lovely as always. Never a dull moment.

Signing off with Maisy and my awesome new book (The Gossip File by Anna Staniszewski – it’s so funny! And well worth the fact that I now have -$2),

reviews

home is the place // family tree book 4 by ann m. martin

February 19, 2015 Emily 17 Comments

OHHHH MY GOODNESS. Oh my goodness gracious me, where to begin with this series?! I cannot believe I’ve finished all four books. Two whole years passed as I waited for each book to come out. I read the first book about Abby growing up in the 1930’s in 2013. Then I read the second book, Abby’s daughter, Dana growing up in the 1950’s. And then Dana’s daughter Francie in the 1970’s in the third book. And finally, Francie’s daughter, Georgia, in 2001.

The family tree books follow four generations of girls, and the secrets they keep, and the things that shape who they become. The books reminded me a lot of my own family. Or at least, the stories I’ve heard of my great-grandparents and grandparents and parents. And now me. I LOVED, loved, LOVED the way the series was written.

I got to watch each of the girls grow up, and become moms and wives and grandmas and great-grandmas. I read about their daughters, and the daughters’ perspective, as a little girl. Even when one daughter was angry with her mother, I understood why their mother was the was she was because I knew her past. I knew her stories, her secrets. The things kept hidden from each other and the things that eventually came out.

It was so neat, too, because reading the first book back in 2013, I thought, “Wow, my great-grandmas – my Granny Louise, my Nana, Grandma Nancy, Grandma Billy – they lived through all of this!” and then the second book, my grandparents’ generation. And the third book, my mom and dad’s. And then my generation!

In the fourth and final book (as of right now… years from now, maybe my kids’ generation, perhaps Ann M. Martin will write a fifth book…), Georgia is six years old when the book begins in 2001. (That’s six years older than me, so just a little before my time), and at each chapter, I’d figure out how old I was during that time, and I’d think “Wow! I’m growing up so fast!” My favorite chapter was the second one. September 11th, 2001. That was a big day for me and my family… my birthday!

I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend this series. It was AMAZING. Stunning! A jewel of a series if I ever saw one!! It’s the kind of series I’ll pass onto my daughters and granddaughters. The kind of books I hope my kids will read and say “Mom, you really lived without ‘insert whatever crazy new technology we’ll have by then’?” or “You were born on 9/11?” and “Did the President know that would happen?”

Now that I’ve read the last book and everything is pieced together and I know everything, I’ll have to read the series straight through to look for other things I missed the first go-round! These books also make me want to learn more about my own ancestors and family history… I really hope you read these books! I NEED SOMEONE TO GUSH & GAB ABOUT THEM WITH! Have any of you ever read them? 😉

5 stars!

Until Saturday,

P.S. Check out my other book review by Ann M. Martin, A Corner of the Universe, also 5 stars!!

blog segments

the book lover’s questionaire

February 17, 2015 Emily 19 Comments

Hi, guys! First of all, I’m sorry I didn’t post yesterday. I did absolutely nothing and procrastinated everything. 😉

Any who, Samantha from Bookish Serendipity tagged me in the Book Lover’s Questionaire tag! I love doing these types of things, so here goes!

1) Do you have a specific place for reading?

Honestly, no. It’s usually on my bed, but I really like reading next to a window. It just depends. I prefer reading in silence, so if there’s a spot in my house that’s quiet with no one around, I like sitting next to a window to read. But sometimes at night, while my mom and dad are watching Jeopardy or the news, I like to sit on the couch next to them and read.

2) Bookmark or random piece of paper?

Oh, gosh, for the longest time I dog-eared. (I know, I know!! So sue me.) I remember once a few years back, when I had to have four teeth removed, every time I went in for my check-up or whatever, I’d bring my book in with me and the lady would see me dog-earing pages and every time she gave me a sticky note! 😉 It wasn’t long before I started my book mark collection. I keep a little tin full of them on my nightstand! I almost never dog-ear anymore, haha. Even when I go on trips or somewhere, I have several book marks, but I’ll grab anything. Receipts, sticky notes, napkins. I try to have something other than dog-eared.

3) Can you stop anywhere in a book or does you have to finish the chapter?

I can stop anywhere, but it seriously bugs me sooo bad. I have to stop at least at a line break or something! At night, when my dad comes in to turn off the lights and kiss me goodnight, if I’m reading a book, I have to finish the paragraph I’m reading or until the next line break!

4) Music or TV while reading?

Instrumental music – YES. I turn on suspenseful classical/instrumental music when I’m reading an intense book, but no instrumental music to a song I know the words for, otherwise, I still get the words in my head. As for TV, it depends what show’s on. Shows like “Jeopardy” or “Downtown Abbey,” yes. They’re soft and low, and I can easily block them out. But really intense shows/movies, or ones with lots of background music, I really don’t like to.

5) Do you eat or drink while reading?

As C.S. Lewis once said, “Reading and eating are two pleasures that combine admirably.” Foods and books are both connected to memories for me. (If that makes any sense at all… lol!) When I read the Selection series by Keira Cass last summer, I ate about 2 dozen lime Popsicles!

6) One book at a time or several?

Ohhhh…. my goodness, that’s a loaded question! I really, truly, really try hard not to read more than one book at a time… but… you know me. Hehehe. (Especially when I’ve recently bought more than 1 book at a time! Or borrow them from the library. How do I CHOOSE??!)

Don't rely on that "Now Reading" thing on the sidebar. Sometimes I forget to update it, and sometimes I have too many books I'm reading! — Don’t rely on that “Now Reading” thing on the sidebar. Sometimes I forget to update it, and sometimes I have too many books I’m reading!

7) Reading at home or elsewhere?

I read all over the place! I bring books to restaurants, in the car, to my friend’s sleepover, anywhere! I try not to read somewhere in a public place or at a party or something, because I don’t want to seem rude. (Plus I get interrupted… what can I say? It’s a life beyond words. Hahaha!) It just depends on how much background noise there is, and if it will seem rude or not. As far I’m concerned, it’s not as bad as your phone though. 🙂

8) Read out loud or silently?

This is a very gray area for me.

9) Do you read ahead or skip pages?

I want to say no. But I… I. Well, OCCASIONALLY I look at the very last page, and glance at a word… or two. But most of the time… no?

10) Breaking the spine or keeping it like new?

Uh… keep it like new. (Thus why I’m reluctant to lend books. That, and not getting them back.) But back in the day, I was a HORRIBLE spine-bender. It’s a habit I’m proud to say I’ve given up.

11) Do you write in your books?

Only in devotionals or like American Girl advice books or something. But anything else – NO WAY, JOSE!

Now for who I tag! Audrey @ The Measure of a Book, Daisy @ A Bookish Flower, Olivia @ Writer’s Digest, Bella @ Ciao Bella!, and Lindsey @ Books for Christian Girls. I hope everyone can participate! I can’t wait to see your posts if you do. 🙂

What about everyone else? What are your answers to some of the questions? 😉

friday ramblings

everything under the sun! // friday ramblings #3

February 13, 2015 Emily 18 Comments

BOO! Hey guys! I always feel like I start a blog post the exact same way. You got any creative ways to start the blog other than “Hi, everyone!” or “Hey, guys!” or “Today… blah, blah, blah”? I’d really like to hear them! 😉

Today I thought I’d do a Friday Ramblings a little differently. I’m just going to be talking about some cool stuff that’s been happening to me lately. There’s a few exciting things coming up/have happened, and I wanted to share my ecstatic sillies over them with you! Also, I visited Daisy at A Bookish Flower today, and she sent me some questions to answer. It was a lot of fun to do, so today you’ve got 2 more personal posts about me! 😀

1) Rachel Coker’s Dream Factory Workshop! (!!!!!!!!!) Rachel Coker is THE BEST author. Ever. Don’t you argue with me. (Unless Heather Vogel Frederick is your favorite author. Then I digress.) I started writing lessons with her about a year and a half ago, and look forward to every assignment I get, or any critiques she has for me. I AM FLIPPING OUT. I seriously cannot wait! Of course lots of pictures and blog posts are in order as soon as I get back. (By the way, learn more about the workshop here.)

2) Valentine’s Day! Of course you knew Valentine’s Day is coming up (that is, I assume you do!), but I’m doing something pretty cool on V-Day! Since I was 10 or 11, I’ve been wanting to sign up as a ‘junior docent’ at a historical 1850’s circa home near where I live. I get to dress up in the period costumes and give tours of the home. (WHO WOULDN’T WANT TO DO THAT?! BONUS, this counts as community volunteering and looks good on college applications. Hehehe…) Anyway, my mom and I finally visited the home and got some info, and on Saturday I’ll be going to the house to make 1850’s valentines with the other junior docents. (Whom I’ve yet to meet… the lady said that some of them are home-schoolers as well, so that’s pretty neat, too!)

3) A sheep heart dissection. I was debating whether or not to include this in the list of ‘exciting’ things or not, but maybe you’re interested…? I did it today, and it was… not bad. In the fourth grade, I dissected a dog shark and I got pretty into it after a few minutes of getting used to the smell. Today, it was… alright. I mean, it was pretty cool. We dissected the lungs, trachea, and heart, and we could see through the trachea (where the air goes through into the lungs) and the arteries and everything in the sheep’s heart. I was thinking “WOW, these things work pretty hard… my heart’s working right now!” (I hope my heart will always work… until I’m 80, 90-some years old and I die peacefully in my sleep and there’s a memorial for me and my books and my talented children! Lol!)

Well… that’s pretty much it over here, but be sure to stop by at Daisy’s blog, and read the answers to the questions she sent me! It was really fun to do, I’ll have to have her over sometime at For the Bookish!

Happy early Valentine’s Day, everyone!

guest posts

top 5 books recommended for a lovely valentine’s day!

February 11, 2015 Emily 27 Comments

Hey, everyone! Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, so I invited Audrey from The Measure of a Book to share with us 5 great books for the perfect Valentine’s Day romance. I also talked about my personal likes and dislikes in love stories on her blog, so be sure to drop by there as soon as you read Audrey’s guest post below!

Hello, my bookish friends!

I am so glad to be back here with Emily and, of course, her fabulous readers!

Valentine’s Day approaches us quickly, and I am quite ready for it. I’m a single lady, (unless you’re counting fictional characters…) but Valentine’s day is still one of my favorites! It’s a day for showing small acts of kindness and love! Of course, we should be showing those things every day, but Valentine’s Day is a chance to do the things we don’t normally do.

Example: Send hand-written letters to all the lovely friends in your life! Bake heart shaped cookies or candies for your friends and/or family to enjoy together. Take out some other single friends for coffee…

I just really love Valentine’s Day! 🙂

But now, for more bookish matters.

Maybe you’ll be around the house this lovely holiday, or in the car, or on a plane. Today, I’m here to share with YOU, my favorite romances to satisfy your love craving!

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m one of the pickiest romance-readers there ever was. You can learn about that here.

Thankfully, there are good stories out there, with just a touch of wholesome romance, and I’m gonna show you what I’ve found.

1.) Interrupted by Rachel Coker— This is one of my VERY favorite books! The romance is sweet, mild, and simple. This book was actually written by a teen author, so you can see why this was such an inspiration for me 🙂

2.) The Vow by Kim and Krickitt Carpenter— I’ve never watched the movie, and I don’t know that I ever will. But despite the movie’s interpretation of Krickitt and Kim’s true story, this was a wonderful book! I should really re-read it! I was quite surprised when I realized these two were Christians. I had just never heard that side of their story.

3.) Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery— Anne and Gilbert make for quite a romance! Funny, simple and innocent, these two always have me entertained. 🙂

4.) The Heart Mender by Andy Andrews— This is one of the most amazing stories I have ever read! It’s absolutely WONDERFUL. This is a must-read for any WW2 lover.

5.) Roadside Assistance by Amy Clipston— This one got pretty unrealistic at times, (though most romance novels do!) but overall, a very fun and light read. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it for your <3 Day reading list!

So there you have it! My top 5! Not in any specific order, I don’t do favorites. 🙂

What about you? What would you recommend for a good Valentine’s Day read?

~Audrey

reviews

so b. it by sarah weeks // grab your tissue box.

February 9, 2015 Emily 17 Comments

Today was one of those icky, winter, lay-in-the-bed-and-do-nothing days… which is the perfect day for reading. (At least in my book. HAHAHA! See there? In my book? I’m so funny.) I grabbed this gem yesterday in 2nd & Charles, a used book store (among many other things) for 3 bucks, and finished it today in a 2 hour sitting… or rather, laying, on my bed.

Twelve-year-old Heidi knows next to nothing about who she is, or where she came from. The only people she’s ever known are her disabled mother who only speaks 23 words, her neighbor, Bernie, who has agoraphobia (the anxiety disorder that usually means you can never leave your house), and her other neighbor, Zander, who’s chubby and fibs a lot. When Heidi’s mother appears at Bernie’s door one day when Heidi was just a baby, Bernie takes the twosome under her wing and takes care of them. Without Bernie, Heidi doesn’t know what would happen to her or her mother, who calls herself ‘So B. It.’

Wow. What a book. It was so good, but it felt so short. Granted, I read the book in 2 hours straight through, but the story itself was a few weeks’, possibly even a week or less, time-wise. SO much was packed into it, though. Authors like Sarah Weeks give a whole new outlook on life altogether.

The main conflict in Heidi’s life is that, simply put, she knows absolutely nothing about her family, or where she came from, or who her mother is. When she leaves the safety of her home and quite literally everything she knows to find out, it’s exciting and mysterious and it’s why I kept flipping the page to find out who this girl is. But one thing that was hard for me to swallow is the ending.

It certainly wasn’t everything you would expect. Or maybe it was the type of ending I should have expected. Either way, the way Heidi puts it in the beginning of the book, “The truth is, whether you know something or not doesn’t change what was.”

The verdict?

4 stars!

Have you read So B. It? Or any other books by Sarah Weeks? Do you want to read the book? =) Let me know!

personal life

meet my best friend

February 6, 2015 Emily 11 Comments

I’ve known my best friend since I was five months old. Yep. That’s thirteen years ago today – which makes today a very special day. Not only is today the day I met my best friend, it’s also her birthday! And it’s a pretty big one, too. Today, Sydney Rose, YOU’RE A TEENAGER! (By the way, are you reading this right now? You better be. You told me you subscribed.)

We’ve been through everything – and I mean literally, everything, together. We conquered potty-training. And then the meanest girl in preschool. (Remember her? You know who I’m talking about.) We’ve lived ten minutes down the road from each other our whole entire lives – that’s pretty special. Not very many best friends get to do that. We’re like sisters. (And we fight like sisters.) You could even say we’re like family…

What’s that? We are family?! That makes SO much more sense now. You know, the best thing about us being family is – YES! OMG, see? You knew what I was going to say! You even finish my sentences! All I have to do is give you a call and be like “So-in-so.” and you’re like “Ugh.” Or “Look behind you.” and you say “Oh. Sweet. Lord.”

You’re always so determined. When you put your mind to something, you really put your mind to it. When I ask for your advice, you tell me, straight-out. Sometimes I think we’re so different it’s crazy. But most of the time, I realize the things we do have in common – things like family and interests and and secrets and inside jokes – well, nothing can replace that. 13 years of sleepovers and giggles and birthday parties and school and vacations. Wow!

I know that God gave me you for the ups and downs. (hehehe. See what I did?) So we would both bring out the best in each other. So we would hold each other’s hands and pat each other on the shoulders and comfort each other. So one of us could say “Girl, get real and quit being ridiculous!” For all those years I would be without a BCF if it weren’t for you. (Best Cousins Forever.)

Happy birthday to my best friend!!!! (And happy national frozen yogurt day, too!)

xx, Emily

Love you, Sydney! <3