Emily Rachelle Writes

Today we end the 30 Day Challenge, which has certainly taken much longer for me than 30 days or even 30 weeks.  However, I've managed to pull through and complete it, so I'm happy with how it went.  If you'd like to read the previous days, just scroll down until you see my cloud of tags or post categories in the right-hand sidebar and click on "30 Day Challenge."

This week is the second to last of the challenge, and today I'm supposed to share my "hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days."  That's a lot of days to talk about, so I'll try to be brief. :) {via}

I've been waiting for this one, mainly because it's the only one I knew exactly what to talk about the day I started this challenge. See, I have this nasty(ish) scar on my leg - my left calf, to be exact.  And you'd expect a scar that looks like mine to have some sort of bragging-rights-story with it. You'd be wrong.

{via} Hair. And not just mine, either - although that is, in my opinion, my best feature.  (I wrote a blog post about my hair, once, and talked about donating hair to making wigs for sick kids going bald.)  Hair is generally the first thing I notice about a person, whether it's my first time meeting them or we're best friends.  I don't know why.  My eyes are just drawn to hair. :P {via}  {via}   For laughs. ;) {via}

This post wasn't supposed to go up until tomorrow, but I read Blogger's calendar wrong when I scheduled it.  I guess you lovely readers can enjoy it a day early! Today I get to do a squeal-ly teenage girl post. :)  Any males out there reading this, I guess you can keep reading if you want to... but don't blame me when you're bored and confused by females' obsession with weddings.

I have no recipes of my own.  I'm a failure as a homemaker-in-training, I know.  But my friend Kathryn has tons of recipes, plus an entire 300-something recipes pinned on Pinterest to try.  While her husband was deployed, we spent a ton of time together and tried a few recipes.  One of our favorites: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Crescents!

To the begger lady outside BAM:  Even though I know your story is straight out of the Wikipedia definition of con artist - literally - I still feel bad for not giving you my money.  I'm not sure what that says about either of us.

This is perfect timing, because I've recently discovered a website I planned to share with my lovely readers.  For once, it actually relates to writing! See, like all other writers, I go through writers' block.  A lot.  And just forcing myself to write anyway doesn't work much for me.  Also, like several writers (although not a majority), I have time to write most days - I just don't write.  Maybe I'm bored with my story right now, or I'm stuck, or I'm just plain not in a writing mood. I've found a website that has remedied both of these problems, without a regulated program and nothing I have to pay or register for.  It's www.creativewritingprompts.com , and I love it.

Put your playlist on Shuffle and list the first ten songs that play... "My Father's Father" by The Civil Wars ~ actually, i recently added some of their songs to 'try them out'.  so far i kinda like them, although all their songs are sad or sad-sounding. "When the Sand Runs Out" by Rascall Flatts ~ great song. very inspirational. "What Hurts the Most" by Boyce Avenue ~ (cover of rascall flatts song) another great song, although it's very sad and i generally listen to the original when i'm already sad and feel the need to cry.  the original of this song made me cry the first twenty times at least.  i love this cover artist, too, so i have all their songs that i already have the original of.

Well, as you lovely readers know, I write - and read.  A lot.  I write stories  and poems and occasionally song lyrics .  I share my opinions on several of the books I've read, and I've written a sort of lesson on reviewing books for those who want to start. Also, I babysit.  I tried crochet.  I know how to play guitar, although I don't practice much.  Obviously I blog.  I used to do ballet and volleyball, as well as piano. What about you, my lovely readers?  What are some of your hobbies?  I'm pretty sure some of you do things more interesting and enthusiastic than my typical teen-blogger stuff.

Source: Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net I like parties.  I enjoy going to parties and hosting parties, but in my opinion, the fun actually starts weeks before invitations are received. The planning - that's what gets my blood flowing and brings a smile to my face .  Yes, planning a party is stressful - but it's a good kind of stress.  It's like the stress of being the star in the school play.  It's like the stress of preparing for volleyball tryouts.  It's a fun stress.

Once again, Blogger's scheduling feature decided not to work with me.  I'm going to report this and see if next week goes a little better.  Sorry about the delay! Now, some of my lovely readers have different religious and political views.  That's to be expected, since I have around 60 GFC followers, 20 Networked Blogs followers, and 15 email subscribers - plus 36 Facebook likes.  I personally believe that homosexuality is sinful and unbiblical.  However, I believe that we should "love the sinner and hate the sin." Time for today's story.  Back when I lived in Okinawa, I went to the library frequently - at least once a week - and checked out literally as many books as I could carry.  One day I needed a nonfiction book report, so I decided to check out the writing how-to books.  This particular shelf was on one side of the little tables and chairs spread through the library, and a girl was there with her mother writing a research paper at the t...

Sorry this is late!  Apparently Blogger's schedule feature decided to break down, so this didn't go up on Saturday as planned. I'm not a huge art person. The only artist names I know off the top of my head are the basics: Rembrant, Monet, Raphael, Da Vinci... and also Kinkaide, my mother's favorite.  I just enjoy art as art.  Paintings of pretty people or scenery are something I accept without trying to find out the history of a particular piece or painter. If you asked me my favorite artist, I'd probably say Monet.



Lately life has been nuts.  I've been helping my friend Kathryn ; getting ready for my part in my church's Easter drama; planning a Mad Hatter tea party for some girls at my church; and trying to catch up on homework.  Therefore, I apologize for my sparse blogging in March and the fact that I totally dropped the 30 Day Challenge .  It'll take more than my planned 30 weeks, but I still intend to finish this thing! Today's topic would seem obvious.  After all, anyone who's read this blog could figure out I admire Bailey .  She's such an encouragement and role model to me. But today I'd rather talk about a few people that I admire for their impact on my life.  When I sent out my first-ever query letters a few weeks ago, I started to wonder who I'd want to dedicate my first book to.  (I'm nowhere near actual publication, and yet I'm already writing my dedication in my head.  Sheesh.)

Anybody who has seen my bucket list  or the dream wedding books  Ashlee and I made at a sleepover will know that I just love travel and vacation in general.  So, really, this week's challenge is really hard. I could choose Panama, my country of birth...

So, I said I was gonna keep up with this thing and then totally forgot for a month. Sorry!  But I do intend to keep going now. ;) Okay, I know most women have a guilty pleasure, but mine's not as easily defined as "watching Gossip Girl " or whatever. ... Alright.  It kinda can.  This definitely counts, and I can't believe I didn't think of it right away.  In fact, I'm indulging right now.  Ready?

So, I know I said I wasn't sticking to my old schedule, but I love doing this 30 Day Challenge so that's one thing I've decided to keep doing. :) It's still a Saturday-only thing, though. This week's challenge is a song I want played at my wedding.  Now I know most girls would share their "first dance" song or some love song they adore, but my music tastes change on a regular basis, and I have no idea what my "first dance" song will be.  In fact, there's only one song I know for sure I want played at my wedding - the father/bride dance song.  I almost cried the first several times this played on KLove, and every time I thought, I just have to play this at my wedding.

Oh my. Exactly five years ago would place me... in a very cold and snowy rural area called Rome, New York.  I was... let's see... almost eleven.  Oh, that was the year Dad was in Korea.  He had just left sometime in October, and we did a present a day for twelve days before Christmas with Mom that year.  She read little explanations of the Biblical meaning behind each gift in the song.  Then on Christmas Day when we opened the rest of our gifts, we tried to include Daddy via webcam but it didn't quite work out, if I remember correctly.  Those were the days of innocence and bliss, where the Internet was wholly unknown to me and the perfect summer consisted of climbing trees and making an Olympic track out of the swingset.  Before Okinawa and teenagers and Facebook.... wow, it was a different life on a different planet.  Literally.  (Almost.) I don't have any photos - none - from before Oki, so I'll go Google Dad's name and see if I can fi...

This one's sooo much easier than last week's. Not exactly the best photo of me, but definitely the most recent.  Oh, and that's Aidan.  (I babysit a lot .)