Friday Hi's and Lo's

HI's

♥ I got a good observation when my teaching coach came to watch one of my lessons on phonemic awareness.  My kids were on. it.  

♥ Steven bought me flowers because I'm he's awesome.  And they're not dead yet, which exceeds all expectations anyone's ever had of me taking care of a plant.

♥ I finally got to try an edamame recipe I've been meaning to try.  And it was AWESOME.  

♥ It's been cold at night lately so Layla likes to snuggle between us and it's just so stinkin' cute.

♥ It snowed on the mountain, so I got to see snow this winter!  I'm actually kind of jealous of all the snow days they got in Indiana this year... 

LO's

♥ This was a long ass week, I'm not gunna lie.  I had a lot of work to do at school and it never seemed to end. 

♥ I think I'm getting sick.  And I have a busy weekend ahead of me.  

What were your highs and lows this week? 

Living the HI Life #1

I was driving home yesterday and decided to stop off at this overlook, which is about one minute away from my school and is on my way home, but I've never actually taken the time to park and take a picture.  So I decided to stop and enjoy the scenery around me, which also happens to be one of my goals for the year.  With that in mind, I kept right on stopping occasionally on my way home to take pictures.  Word of advice: If you stop to take pictures of lava rock, people will look at you like you're a crazy person.  People are just really nosy in general, though, when they see someone taking a picture.  

Also, this is going to be part of a new series on the blog which involves me actually enjoying Hawaii and seeing all that it has to offer.  Hence... Living the HI Life.  I'm super clever with my titles.  I know this.  Anyway, when I first moved to Hawaii 15 months ago (ha, I feel like I've been here for a decade or two...) I was so interested in every plant, animal, and rock that I came across, because if you're going to compare Hawaii to Indiana, they couldn't be any more different.  I mean, one of the only similarities I can think of is that they both have air that people can breath.  And country music is really popular in both places...

Ha, let's just pretend like I didn't add one too many vibrance layers to this picture... Anyway, my commute used to be about an hour and a half until I moved to a house that's a little closer to my school.  Now, my commute is 45 minutes, but that's still plenty of time to see the scenery.  I mean, seriously... it's like watching the same movie.  Every day.  Yeesh.  

Remember that lava rock I mentioned before?  Yeah, this is it.  There's miles and miles of this stuff on my drive and it literally all looks the same.  Just imagine this picture times a thousand and you have half of my drive.  I wasn't sure how to get a decent picture of it, because there's no focal point.  It's ALL THE SAME.  I mean, if you were lost in a lava rock field, you'd be so screwed.  Okay, one Hawaii/Indiana comparison... getting lost in a lava rock field would probably be something like getting lost in a cornfield, in that... in either scenario, you're fucked.

You do occasionally get some nice looking flowery bushes that somehow manage to grow out of this rocky landscape.  That is adaption at its finest.  

Okay, so those lava rock fields are all located in the Volcano National Park which, surprise surprise, contains an actual, active volcano!  Full of hot volcanic gases!  They have warnings in front of the gate that warn against entering if said gases might bother you!  The volcano is quite a bit off the road, and I didn't actually take this picture on this particular excursion but I thought I'd include it in case you got lost in boredom after looking at that last picture of lava rock.  

And finally, you might have noticed I changed the name of my blog.  My last name wasn't really reflecting what I wanted to do here on this blog, so I changed it.  It's not particularly good timing, but it had to be done.  It's called HI + LO, because I live in HI (Hawaii) and this blog is probably going to be full of highs and lows.  Geddit?  Told you I was clever with my titles.

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Weekly Wishes #1

1.  Clean my car: Honestly, keeping my car clean is just... the hardest fucking thing in the world for me.  And I'm pretty sure there is nothing that bothers my mechanic boyfriend more than the state of my car.  The outside is dirty, the inside is littered with bottles and snack wrappers, and it's just overall a really big mess.  I guess that's what happens when you have a long commute to and from work every day; you kinda start to live in your car.  We were discussing this the other day and decided we could probably actually live in my car for a good long while if we were ever stranded just because of the amount of stuff I carry around in it.  So yes, I must clean the car...  

2.  Meditate daily: Okay, in all honesty, I know how hokey it might sound to meditate, but all it really does for me is give me a few minutes were I'm not plugged in to anything, I'm not rushing around for any reason, I'm not getting stressed, I'm just being still.  Yoga kind of calms me down in that way too, because it's very methodical and very chill.  I've been bad about doing both things the past few days, and I've noticed a change in my stress level, in that... it's gone way up.  Granted, I have a pretty sickening amount of stuff I need to do at work, but I'm pretty sure sticking to my routines would help with it.

I'll leave it at that so I'm not stressing out about my weekly wishes too.  Because I would stress about breathing if I thought about it too much.  So... two goals is good.  By the way, weekly wishes is a link-up The Nectar Collective hosts each week where people write about their goals or challenges they want to achieve for the week.  Hence... weekly wishes!

The Blog

I created this blog in August 2013 because I wanted to have a place to record my progress on my own goals.  Happiness and inspiration are both things that I seem to constantly be chasing, so this is a road map of sorts for how I get to both.  I might not have reached my destination yet, but being able to look back on the adventure when I do will be half the fun!  And if you don't think you're a creative person, don't worry.  I believe that EVERYONE has some creative talent.  It's just a matter of finding it!

This blog is intended to share snippets of inspiration for you own life and mine.  It's going to be a shared experience, and it might be a bumpy one at times, but I can promise that it will always be fun!  

What to expect from HI + LO: 

 ♥ DIY Projects  

 ♥ Adventures

 ♥ Book Chats

 ♥ Chats in general about love and life

 ♥ Lists. I like lists.

 ♥ Snippets of MY life

If you ever want to get in touch, please don't hesitate!  Comment on a post you like or have questions about, or just stop in to say hi.  All my social media links are on the sidebar so feel free to give me some lovin'! 

Hello!

hello.

I just realized that I never really introduced myself, so... hi!  My name's Kristen, and I shall now embark on a mission to tell you a little bit about myself, because blogging is a social thing, and introverted though I am, I still want you all to get to know me if you'd like to!  I've decided to use some of my Instagram pictures to help illustrate this post, because though we're all adults here, I hear that most people still have a short attention span while reading (skimming!) blog posts, myself included!  So if you're busy or whatnot, feel free to just take a quick glance at the pictures and then come back later when you have more time.

basics.

  Alright!  Let's go over the basics.  I'm a Kindergarten teacher who is originally from Indiana but migrated to Hawaii because I was tired of the cold winters (and this winter, I am especially glad that I'm here and not there) and also because I just needed a change of scenery.  The move was really hard for me, mostly because I had to pack up all my things and get over here within a week's time so I could start my teaching job, but also because I was essentially starting a whole new life apart from my family.  When I look back at that decision now though, I know without a doubt that it's the best and bravest thing I could have done for myself.  I got to meet all kinds of new people (including my boyfriend) and get to know my island family a little bit more.

In my spare time (haha, what is that tho...), I like to craft, cook, and bake.  I'm also kind of a book nerd, which you will come to realize if you spend any amount of time on this blog, and I love to write fiction of my own.  This year, I want to start exploring this island more and take time to appreciate the aina (land).

family.

I moved in with my boyfriend last August with our two dogs, Layla and Mia.  Layla's the terrier mix you can see in the picture above (though she's much bigger now!) and Mia is an Italian Boxer (which just means that she's a little smaller than your average Boxer).  Our house includes a loft and a reading nook, which is pretty cool because I always wanted both of those things in my dream house.  We're renting this house, though, which means most of my DIY projects have to be renter-friendly, and right now, that's fine with me.  I'm not ready to tackle any big projects right now!  

blogging.

I started blogging back in Jr. High via Livejournal and then Tumblr.  But as for the genesis of this particular blog... last summer I started reading other people's blogs and found them very inspiring, so I wanted to try my hand at writing my own.  And more than that, I wanted to stick with it.  Having a blog really gave me the motivation to try new projects because I was excited to post about them and share them with other people.  Right now, my current focus for this blog is to inspire others to live a positive, enriched, and self-fulfilling life while sharing my own journey to become my BEST self.

later alligator!

And that's all for now!  On this blog, I'm hoping to start monthly themes, be it exercise or something more abstract, like hope or staying balanced.  Stay tuned!  

Tell me something about YOU! 

Pupdate

 Almost a year after we adopted her and it seems like Layla's almost done growing.  I remember when I could fit her in both hands and now, she's a little over ten pounds (though I suspect her fur might account for half of that).  The vet told us that she was probably going to lose the crimped fur around her ears and most of her fluffiness, but if anything, since then, she's only gotten furrier.  Oddly, Mia, our Boxer, sheds way more than she does.  Layla hardly sheds at all.  

In the mornings, Layla likes to cuddle up between us to stay warm because the temperature when I wake up is really chilly for Hawaii.  At altitude that we live at though, it's pretty normal.  I started feeling bad for her, so I bought her a little vest to wear when it gets really cold.  Yes, I'm turning into one of those people who dress up their dog.  She's my baby, what can I say...

  These two girlies are best friends.  They sleep together, they eat together (like, seriously... if one's not eating, the other won't eat either), and they play together.  I swear they play tag with each other when they're outside, though Mia easily outruns (and accidentally tramples) Layla.  I can't imagine life without these two puppies (because I don't care how old or big a dog gets... they're still a puppy) and they're silly antics always make me smile.  Life is just better with a dog or two. :)

What silly things do your dogs or pets get up to? 

Writing Tips #1

Turn off all distractions (or don't) - Some people work best in quiet; some people work best when there's some background noise.  Either way, embrace it.  Don't try to write in a certain environment if it's not your style, because what works for other people, might not work for you.  I know I work best when I have a TV show or some music going on because, I don't know, multitasking?  If you like working quietly, Scrivener has a great element that lets you go full screen and block out any distraction while you're working.

Write honestly - You know what?  It's easy to fall into the trap of writing like someone else or at least taking inspiration from someone else, and that's fine, but your writing voice is going to be uniquely your own.  It's going to be what sets you apart from everyone else in the field and what people will remember about you.  J.K. Rowling?  Steven King?  George R.R. Martin?  They all have very different writing styles and that's why their books fly off of the shelves.  Take how inspired you feel when you read those great authors' books and then turn it into courage to write about things that have never been written before and in a way that is completely new and fresh.  Take your best idea and just go with it without fear of judgement.

Love what you write - Trends happen in every area of life.  Car trends, fashion trends, and book trends.  Remember after Twilight how bookshelves were full of vampire books?  And then werewolf books?  And then mermaid/dragon/siren/yeti books?  (Okay, maybe yeti books haven't hit it big.  Yet.)  The point is, trends fade out and people get tired of it.  Write what you want to write without worrying about if it's popular right now or if it gets teenage hearts beating.  Does it get your heart beating?  That's the important question.

Write drunk.  Edit sober.  - I don't think this one needs explaining.  No, but really, if you're feeling self-conscious about your writing, knock back a drink or two, and when your inhibitions fall, make a good life choice and write.  The next day, when you read through what you write, I guarantee you'll find a gem or two that make you wonder why it's not socially acceptable to drink at all times of the day.  Just saying.

You don't have to write a lot - This is a trap I fall into pretty often.  I think to myself (I have a lot of grandiose thoughts) that I'm going to marathon write an entire novel over my winter break (or some such nonsense) and of course it doesn't happen.  You know why?  Because we're all busy people!  But the good news is, I guarantee if you really want to write, really want to, you'll be able to find at least a little bit of time for it.  Schedule it into your day like one of those doctor appointments you get fined for if you miss.  Spare your manuscript a ten or fifteen minutes before bedtime.  The point is not quantity or even quality.  The point is that you're writing and that's enough.

What writing tips do you have?

2014 YA Book Releases

This time of the year, I get excited for books that are coming out soon.  I still love reading YA books, party because that's the genre I'm interesting in writing but also because YA books are just the most fun.  I'm particularly excited for Dreams of Gods and Monsters.  I haven't gotten this into a book series since Harry Potter.  So here's my top 5 upcoming releases for 2014!

I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.
But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?

Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little blue birds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still the yellow brick road, though—but even that's crumbling.

Meadow Woodson, a fifteen-year-old girl who has been trained by her father to fight, to kill, and to survive in any situation, lives with her family on a houseboat in Florida. The state is controlled by The Murder Complex, an organization that tracks the population with precision.

The plot starts to thicken when Meadow meets Zephyr James, who is—although he doesn’t know it—one of the MC’s programmed assassins. Is their meeting a coincidence? Destiny? Or part of a terrifying strategy? And will Zephyr keep Meadow from discovering the haunting truth about her family?

When Ileni lost her magic, she lost everything: her place in society, her purpose in life, and the man she had expected to spend her life with. So when the Elders sent her to be magic tutor to a secret sect of assassins, she went willingly, even though the last two tutors had died under mysterious circumstances.  
But beneath the assassins’ caves, Ileni will discover a new place and a new purpose… and a new and dangerous love. She will struggle to keep her lost magic a secret while teaching it to her deadly students, and to find out what happened to the two tutors who preceded her. But what she discovers will change not only her future, but the future of her people, the assassins… and possibly the entire world.

The extraordinary journey that began in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children continues as Jacob Portman and his newfound friends journey to London the peculiar capital of the world. But in this war-torn city, hideous surprises lurk around every corner. Like its predecessor, this second novel in the Peculiar Children series blends thrilling fantasy with never-before-published vintage photography to create a one-of-a-kind reacting experience.

By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in war-ravaged Eretz.

2014 Goals

Better late than never.  I'm not a big fan of resolutions, but I think setting a few achievable goals every so often is a good idea for anyone.  Of course, it's a good idea to set up a plan to see those goals through to the end, so I'll have to meditate on these goals a little bit more.  And that brings me to my first goal.

Meditate Daily - I recently started meditating because I've been feeling like there's too many thoughts swirling around in my head during the day, and I've found that meditation is a good way to insert a little quiet and calm into my busy life.  I'd like to try to meditate daily.  I'm starting off at 10 minutes a day but I'm going to try to slowly increase it.  I need to figure out a time and place to do it daily.

Exercise More - I started running at the end of last year after not running at all since I was in... high school, I think?  Our boxer doesn't have much room to run around at our house, so I started running so both of us could get some exercise.  I downloaded the couch to 5K app, so hopefully I'll be able to run that 5K by the end of the year.  I also want to start doing some yoga, but I've never really tried it,  so I'll have to see if it's for me.

Read 50 books - That's about a book per week.  To hold myself accountable, I'm going to try to post a review here weekly.

Adventure is out there! - I live in for Hawaii, for fuck's sake.  I should see more of the paradise I live in, and we started this weekend by visiting the volcano.  I drive right past a pretty nice beach on my way home from work, so what's stopping me from just pulling over and going every so often.  I could definitely use a tan, anyway.

I think that's enough to get me started.  I was going to include trying new recipes and crafts, but I do that every week.  I just have to keep on that course.

What are your goals for 2014?

Terrarium Time

Alright, so this week, after a long blogging hiatus (because I'm a teacher and it's kind of amazing I have time to eat some days, much less blog and stuff) I decided to post about that one time I made a terrarium.  In the interest of honesty, I made this quite a long time ago, but it still looks cute so I'm sharing it anyway.  And it was fun because I got to dig around in the dirt and when Steven asked me what I was doing, I had an actual, semi-legitimate reason for doing it.  I still got some weird looks, but he is fairly accepting of the fact that his girlfriend is a little odd.  No further questions were asked, though whether that was out of acceptance or fear, I'm not sure.  Anyway, SO... first step is find yourself a container to start your terrarium in.  It should be glass or party glass so you can see your little habitat grow.  I got mine at Ross because I like cheap things.  You can use a bell jar, a vase, or an aquarium (or anything else you've got).

Next thing you need to do is fill the bottom with rocks or charcoal.  I used a mixture of both because... I don't know, I had both and I figured, why not?  The rocks just work to provide drainage for your terrarium.  This layer should be about an inch high.  I don't have a picture of this, but you should also add a layer of sheet moss on top of the charcoal to stop the soil (coming up next) from filtering down into the rocks when it's meant to be... you know... helping your plants grow and stuff.  

And next is the soil.  Depending on what kind of plants you're going to be putting in, you can put in 2-3 inches of soil for your next layer.  Pack it down and level the soil.

Remove your plants from their containers and place them gently in your terrarium, digging a little hold in your soil for them to rest in before you cover up their roots.  When you're done, you can add other decorations ,like small ceramic pieces, or just put in some more pebbles to make things look more put together.  Mist the inside of your terrarium with a spray bottle and voila, you're done.  Remember to water your plants every week or two.  Succulents and cacti only need to be watered once a month.  

And then you're pao (done)!