WELL DECEMBER IS DONE AND CHRISTMAS IS DONE AND 2017 IS TOO YIKESS / out with the old

D E C E M B E R :::::::

*watching the new Petes dragon*
- little sib "what bridge is that?"
- other little sib "London bridge!"
- me "uhm

"Let me tell you the story of how I got my wiggly tooth. I was just sitting there and then I bit into my candy and was like "mom I hurt my tooth." Then "mom I got a wiggly tooth!" - little sis

so it's like 1 degree outside
-lady at library "I left my lotion in the car. it's frozen solid"

send emotional help please. Alfred, my speaker, won't come back to life
UPDATE : MY PARENTS BOUGHT ME A NEW ONE FOR CHRISTMAS. her name is Aubrey XD

Christmas morning my little siblings woke up waaaaaaaaaaaaaay to early. aka 5:30 am. 

the first snnnnooooowww!!! (Yes I think my slowly forceful positive view is working)

-me "what do you want for Christmas?"
-little sis "well not everything in the store cuz that would make me greedy and I don't want to be greedy."

I've been giving her random addition problems SHE IS SO CUTE GUYS (gotta work on how 10 looks tho LOL)

- sis "look! Dancing Christmas lights!!"
- bro "that's a projector! Lights are so yesterday."

"I got a little sea sick" - little sis after 15 min car ride

being at work and my co-worker/ friend just starts singing the veggie tale theme song then we have it stuck in our head for the rest of the day

- little bro a few minutes before falling asleep "hey Julia can cereal ever go bad?"

I have listened to 503 hours of Spotify this year *cough*

made it to work jjuuuuusssttt in time 

my mom put gas in my car *sobs* THANK YOU MOMMY

I thought my headphones died but they didn't and I was sooooo happy

so like totally embarrassing but I was pushing a full cart of books at the library and knocked it over, sending books evvvvvvvvveeeeeerrywhere. I'm still bruised from it LOL (also then my co-worker brought me a starbucks coffee afterwords without her knowledge *sobs*) 

me afterwards lol 

"I actually like this macaroni! It has lots of protein right julia?" - little sis 

hmmm yes..interesting Amazon LOL ^^

so I got to help out with a Christmas event at the library -- including wrapping gifts for 100+ kids and making green slime with them SRSLY SO MUCH FUN

my mom "nationwide recall on the smoked fish. Wow. Glad I put that back"

me

little sis : "do you know how to make a snow man?"
me : "uh yeah. I'm super old remember"

ALL THE CHRISTMAS WRAPPING AND SHOPPING AND TEA MMM

Legit accidentally took this photo and was so thrilled bc I keep meaning to show you all Wilson's sticker XD

so it dumped snow one night and when I was driving into town I saw two cars with their windows down which had obv been left like that overnight yiikkes

so the sibs were watching Clifford (the big red dog PLEASE TELL ME YOU REMEMBER THIS)
- Clifford telling story  "I was driving my brand new yellow car!"
- other dog Cleo "HEY. You can't drive a car! You're too young!"
Yeah not what I thought I grew up watching lol

We like a lot of different wrapping papers hehehe

- me @ midnight " imma gonna make half batch of waffles"
- Sarah "don't be silly."
- me "it's not silly. I only need 1 1/2 eggs."

so my dad just keeps on randomly dumping bags of Christmas gifts for people in my room and I just keep opening them and am like "huh hope that wasn't for me"

my sister " I hate it when my eyelashes itch"

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THE NEW STUFF HAPPENING :

so like 2017 was a FANTASTIC year and I can't wait for 2018. for the past two years I've posted 168 times, roughly meaning that a new one is up every 4-6 days. no breaks, no vacations. In fact, when I went to the east coast and on my vacation, I posted even more. lol! aka photo dumps XD I really really love blogging. It inspires me and I've truly come to feel comfortable to be myself. (DONT WORRY IM NOT QUITTING LOL) 

but I'm going to try a few new things. The first is that I am going to be switching my posting schedule around slightly. I'm thinking having a set day in the week might become a bit easier for myself. so that day is going to be Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. 

I'd love to know what day you would like best!!! 

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btw, Christmas was amazing + we woke up to 4-6 inches of fresh snow. it's freeezing (-16 degrees) but still awesome <3

Last year I ended my monthly post with a gif from The Princess Bride. I decided it's a good tradition to keep. so..... 

2017 legit

DID YOU HAVE AN AMAZING CHRISTMAS + DID YOU GET SNOW?

WHAT DAY WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO POST EACH WEEK? 

LOOKING BACK ON WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD HAPPEN IN 2017 VS WHAT GOD MADE HAPPEN

this time last year, I was planning and arranging everything that I would need to work at a Christian camp for the summer. Those plans fell through around March of 2017. I wrote a post on that...I wrote about how I was actually okay with it not working the way I had hoped. I knew I was going to graduate..so. I decided that I was 100% okay spending the summer tending my garden and being lifeguard for our pool, that I wanted to read and write and spend time with my family. ALSO LIKE UNKNOWN EXCITINGNESS EEP

WELL LOL MOST OF THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN

LIFE ^ and how random it is legit

I did graduate. and went to the East Coast for a trip. DUDE I'LL LINK THE 3 POSTS BC BOSTON AND THE OCEAN AND FLYING PICTURES. sometimes I just scroll thru and wanna cry lol
(ONE : THE FLIGHT) (TWO: BOSTON) (THREE: OCEAN + MANSIONS + HOME)

at the end of May 2017, I answered the knock at the door to see a friendly face of the farmer which we had "randomly" met a few years prior. We had been friends throughout the years, helping each other with butchering chickens and such things. He asked if me and Sarah would like to work for him at his CSA (which if you're still wondering what that is, GO HERE)

WE WERE SO EXCITED. and legit it was just pulling weeds. At least, that's how it started. Within a month, we were helping harvest veggies. Within two months, we were planting and picking/packing the entire share (30+ boxes of 8 different types of vegetables) on our own. I cannot tell you how much joy I got out of that job. I'm a gardener/farmer at heart. I soooo miss it right now. 

AND ON TOP OF THAT - I had my own garden. bc *cough* like I had just started working on it when Farmer Boss came to the door. And the pool. and.. yeah. You get the gist. I had a lot going on. Also we decided to paint the entire house. it was insane and I was exhausted but I WAS LOVING IT.

then I saw that they were hiring at my local libraries. I applied to both. and yes, I was hired. A few weeks within working there, I bought my jeep, Wilson. I worked my two jobs until the end of October...when CSA season for us ended. I am counting down the days until spring.

I just find it crazy ... like I mean I KNOW THAT GOD DID ALL OF THIS - but I find it absolutely nutty and amazing bc..I wasn't expecting it in the least. NOT IN THE SLIGHTEST. I'm learning that I'm going to struggle a lot tho. also..I adore community. And, that the unexpected can be good.

working at the CSA this summer taught me some unbelievable things. #1 that Spotify Premium is a must bc WOW IT GETS REALLY HOT OUT THERE LOL. And, working at the library, I have also learned so much! you see, I'm learning that every place you're at there is a note you can take.

so I guess this post is saying I'm really excited about 2018. I went over my previous posts this week and saw that my blogging style has changed. I'm much more lifestyle and *cough* I'm sorry that a lot of my posts have gotten super deep and speechish.. I always said I wouldn't grow up and now I am. I'm not really upset about that bc just ask anyone, and they'll say that I'll always be a child at heart. Neverland is still my home forevermore. 

I guess the point I'm getting at is my eyes have opened and I'm seeing a bit more of what is what. I'm finding out who 18yr Julia Ryan is and what she likes doing. it's just that 2017 had a lot of hard things but a lot of beautiful things. I was talking with a friend and was telling her about what was going on recently. She was like "WOW THATS ROUGH." and I was like "yeah, it is." and mentally had a realization -- it IS rough but like it's OKAY. 

I'm getting really sick of remembering days and years for the terrible things that have happened. I'd much rather focus on the laughs in those days. They're always there - somewhere.

well. gee. that turned out way more sappy than I wanted it to lol!!! sorry about that. XD btw, I made christmas jam today bc IT IS 5 DAYS + 17 HOURS UNTIL CHRISTMAS WOOOAAAHH. my siblings are starting to get really excited and all I can think about is PEPPERMINT BARK + WATCHING THE NATIVITY STORY *heart eyes* 

p.s. this is why I love blogging. I have all these posts written down as proof for all these amazing God moments <333

WHAT UNEXPECTED BUT AMAZING THING HAPPENED IN 2017 FOR YOU?

HAVE YOU EVER HAD CHRISTMAS JAM?

WHY I AM RETHINKING THE LANGUAGE I USE + HOW IT SHOWS OUR CHARACTER // [expand + grow]

you guys know me. I write down things that I'm thinking about or feeling or dealing with. And, sometimes, that doesn't mean those things are pretty. Sometimes they're hard. Sometimes (like in my poetry) they're just a little too close to home. and for me, those are the ones that make me grow. it's not enjoyable, but still.

I really don't know what will happen after this post goes live. tbh, I've struggled for months to even make a draft.

guys. it's about swearing. about Christians swearing.

you see, long ago when freaking, suck, heck, and omg started trickling into people's/blogging vocabulary, I ignored it. But recently, there isn't a day that goes by without seeing it somewhere. I'm confused. I've heard the real swear words in my life -- they're awful similar to these.

The words I listed above don't seem to be considered swear words or even bad words by most. But..I do believe we all know they're substitutes for the real thing.

substitutions in a recipe are meant to be so close to the actual thing that you don't notice the change. the same with words.

Then, I came to the point of deciding myself when I had comments on my blog often with these words. I'll admit it - I've posted some. (I moderate my comments) But, there have been a lot that I haven't published.. I'm very cautious with what content I allow. for me, I want this blog to be a place where I would be comfortable with anyone to read it.

this whole has awakened to me that unwholesome talk can be much much more than harsh/bad/curse words. I'm guilty of falling into the sin of gossip, sarcastic comments that tear down rather than build up...and more... Bc it’s the motive. It’s your heart and what you are thinking behind words. I am not perfect in the least, but perfection in Christ is our goal...right?

It's hard to be different. but that's almost not the point anymore...it's coming to the point of Christ and how He would have us conduct ourselves...the words we say, things we do...how we glorify God!

I know people are going to tell me that I'm judging. Or that I have my own log in my eye compared to your twig. that is true. the fact is, as Christians we are not supposed to be of this world. Swearing is worldy...I have even seen the Lord's name taken in vain. for me, that's incredibly sad. I have people do that around me sometimes - at work, the store..it's still wrong but I know they are unsaved. And then, when I see Christians folding into that, I'm so disappointed. It is definitely becoming popular… and it’s becoming more important than the things God has told us.

tbh we talk about being like Christ but are we?

EPHESIANS 4:29-32

Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

personally, I've been asking random friends "why do people swear?" these are majority answers

• just to fit in/feel cool/impress people
• it gets anger out
• to explain feelings
• bc that's how they were raised/it’s just what they do

Those things don’t necessarily make it right. In fact, they can’t. God clearly says in the 10 Commandments

You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” (exodus 20 :7)

I’m pretty sure God measures that sin up the same as murder...and well...no motive can clear that and make killing right.

AND WOW JUST SAYING HERE I HAD SOME OF THE BEST CONVERSATIONS WITH THESE FRIENDS AFTER ASKING THE QUESTION. I also asked them their advice on if I should go ahead with posting this..they said yes. so THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT FRIENDS <3

The things we say speak clearly to the state of our heart. My mom has said this my entire life. It’s taken me a long time to get over the immediate “nah Mom!” to realize...yes, she’s right. It does matter. There are a lot of people around us daily who are not saved - who are not Christians - and our testimony may be the only change to plant a seed in their lives!

And… well, that may be in the form of you not actually saying anything, but being different. Actions often speak louder than words. But, if we are sitting there joining in with the wordly talk, how are we showing that Christians are different? How are we showing what Christ did for us?

It makes me so sad when I hear that Christians are becoming the same...or when non-believers state that, well, that’s when my heart sinks into my stomach. It’s time to face the facts. Often we think that we are young and the things we do/say don’t matter...well, tbh, they do.  They really really do.

Maybe we aren’t ready to change the entire world but how about the way we interact with our daily circle of people - our daily world. Today isn’t too late. I’m trying myself...I’m honest when I say it’s not easy. Things slip out...and then I beat myself up thinking “srsly Julia just get this right!”.

That’s when I cry out to God.

me beating myself up

Guys, I’m not telling you this bc I think I’m better - I’m telling you bc I care. Character is a HUGE deal. You’re known by it for the rest of your life. Christian character is even more important. Growth is constant, but only if you allow it.

this is 100% the longest post I've ever written, but more than that, this is the longest in the working post I've ever had. Please known that I'm not just typing these words to clear my conscience..or just to say them. I MEAN THESE THINGS. These are actions that I'm changing in my life.

So like I said at the beginning of my EXPAND + GROW series...this is going to be hard. This is difficult for me to post, but bc I’ve never let fear stop me before, I’m pushing ahead. God has definitely laid this post on my heart...He has a big big plain in store for each and every one of us..like isn’t that sooooo exciting?!?!

thanks for reading and just know that I'm praying for you <3

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? 

ALSO DO YOU HAVE ANY SNOW??

I WANNA KNOW WHAT YOUR CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS ARE // + a list of my family's AND UHM 18 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS

well gee its getting really really really close to Christmas. like 18 days. ARE YOU READY?!?!?  (like I'm sorry for starting this post out with a shocker..can't really help it)

and btw, these pictures are from the christmas parade that we went to. it was so much fun - cold, but fun! we got hot cocoa and cookies afterwards too. LIKE THERE WERE GIGANTIC SNOW PLOWS LOL #thingspeopleinstateswithsnowlove 

since it's christmas times LETS TALK ABOUT THE FUN THINGS THAT EVERYONE LOOKS FORWARD TOO!!! 

SOME OF MY FAMILY TRADITIONS 

• watch all the christmas movies -- it's a wonderful life, polar express, the nativity story, the grinch, charlie brown christmas
• CHRISTMAS COOOOOOKKKIIIIEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
• my siblings and I always try to decorate our bedrooms during the holiday season. this year they got super creative and made paper chains that legit go around their entire room o.o 
• LISTEN TO CHRISTMAS VINYLS (new tradition bc we just got a record player this year) 
• we always move our tree from our smaller room into the larger on Christmas eve so we can have a lot of space for the morning (plus we re-decorate it!) 
• My grandpa takes me and my sisters Christmas shopping. then we eat out at olive garden MMMM and this year we are going to see THE NEW STAR WARS IN THEATERS AFTERWARDS EEEPPPP
• when actually opening presents, we take turns. youngest to oldest in circles until the tree is emptied 
• ALWAYS HAVE CHRISTMAS MUSIC PLAYING
• ham is for christmas obv 
• my little siblings always come into my room early on christmas morning and we wait together until my parents wake up. srsly they are so cute wrapped in their blankets and sleepy eyes and morning breath XD
• DRINK WARM DRINKS AND SMELL YUMMY CANDLES AND SNACK ON CRUNCHY THINGS 

so as you can see, I really like traditions. like our birthday one of singing screaming at the top of your voice. it's fun. it's weird. but its family. AND THE BEST PART IS EVERYONE HAS DIFFERENT ONES (tho probably everyone watches charlie brown christmas lets face it.)

SO EEEP TELL ME WHAT YOURS ARE. cuz I kinda want to add a new one to my list. (btw sarah wants to be all christmas-y this year (shhh she's growing up and doesn't like it...just like me last year) and so this is me trying to be christmas-y lol) 

also this is the first time in my existence that I already have all my gifts wrapped + only have to find 2 more presents this far out from Christmas (btw how many times have I written Christmas in this post? lol) 

so remember when you guys asked me all sorts of questions? I decided a few of them will probably be turned into blogposts with my new series EXPAND + GROW and then some others, I will answer at the end of some random posts until they're all replied to!! SOOO TODAY I PICK FROM THE WONDERFUL JANE MAREE'S 

*dramatic pause*

H A V E   Y O U  E V E R  B R O K E N  A  B O N E  ??? 

lol about this one. TO BE SURPRISINGLY HONEST - no. I haven't. which I think is crazy insane. I've climbed our taller than our house pine tree for years..and have always been the dare me type personality. and it's not like I have crazy strong bones are something weird bc I don't drink milk?? XD

BTW random tid bit about me. I am really bad at wrapping gifts. *coughcough*

talk to you all later XD

SO WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS? 

LAST TIME YOU ATE A DONUT OR WENT TO YOUR LIBRARY? 

WHY DON'T WE ASK PEOPLE TO FILL OUT SURVEYS ON OUR PERSONALITIES ??? // [series] EXPAND + GROW

| WHY DON'T WE ASK PEOPLE TO FILL OUT SURVEYS ON OUR PERSONALITIES ??? |
this thought came to me out of the blue so randomly that even I was like
JULIA THAT'S A SCARY THING TO EVEN WRITE DOWN.

bc. uhm. like. criticism is hard enough to take, but legit making a form + having people fill it out??

FREAKY RIGHT. 

it's kinda like that thought of "man I wish I knew what that person was thinking right now." weeelll yeah, tbh, I don't think we have a clue of what we would be in for if that was even a thing. it would be terrifying.

I can tell who is coming upstairs in my house by the sound/heaviness of someone's footstep. I know who doesn't like ketchup and who always forgets to close that kitchen cabinet. When a holiday or birthday rolls around, it is actually really easy to pick out a gift (k cuz I generally do gag gifts tbh hehehe) 
but this is all bc I've spent time around my family and know them. like I could take a personality test for sarah and it would come out the same as what she did for herself. note: LEGIT WE'VE TRIED THIS AND IT WORKED LOL

let's face it. we all need anonymous criticism charts for ourselves. kinda like a thing that you pass out to your co-workers and siblings, parents, grandparents, lady at the post office, dude at the coffee shop, kid at the dentist...bc I would be super curious to see what people would say. 

"she's a scrooge."
"she talks too much"
"WHAT DID SHE DO TO HER HAIR?!"
"i guess she makes ok cookies."

like it would be fascinating and utterly freaky to know.

I've read the Little House on the Prairie for like...well for like forever. I always thought it was the cutest thing when Laura talked about their autograph books and calling cards. Not just bc they had cool things even back then (*coughcough* i.e. aesthetic, hashtags, photo editing, plaid...) but also bc in those autograph books they had their school friends write notes for each other. And, they had those written down forever.

personally, a good compliment could make me climb mount everest. but then again, a "this is stupid" can totally bring me down. I knew having people alpha read my book would be hardest for me in that area. It proved to be so. but still, I NEEDED THOSE CRITICS. I ASKED FOR THEM. I WILL GROW BC OF THEM. (even if it kills me lol)

so WHY DON'T WE ASK PEOPLE TO FILL OUT SURVEYS ON OUR PERSONALITIES ???
idk.
we are scared. we think people will just lie anyways. nobody has ever thought of it? to me, those are all true. But then again, maybe we should just get over the frivolous fear of having our bubble of "I'm not too bad" broken so we can grow a little. i don't think that's a half-bad thing.

this post is very much in the spirit of the upcoming new year and it's ALSO THE FIRST IN A NEW SERIES ---

EXPAND + GROW

[it's going to be all about personal growth and strengthening in God + things we need to learn how to do, to accept, and to in the end, fly. (cheesy maybe? but truthful yes.) it won't be a specific in order series, but there will be some interesting ones, I promise you ]

WELL THIS POST IS LONG ENOUGH I THINK LOL I should go...I have a few books I want to read. also its 51 degrees on the 2nd day of December EEP SO MUCH WARMTH XD

WOULD YOU HAVE SOMEONE FILL OUT A PERSONALITY SURVEY ON YOU? 

THOUGHTS ON THE NEW SERIES??