Miss Murphy

The dog was cold, so I zipped her inside of my sweatshirt.  This left my hands free....

Isn't she the cutest?

And no, I'm not wearing makeup.  But neither is Murphy, so we're even.  Don't you just wanna cuddle her?

It's a Fiesta!

I'm joining a little blog party, so if you're new here, welcome!  My name is Caroline.  If you want to know a little bit about me, I live in Rome, Italy, and you can click that little bar up there with information about me.  I'm 16 years old and a junior in high school.

Here's a little more about me:

How would people describe your personality? (If they could only use ONE word.) Are they right?


One word?  Goofy.  The end.

What celebrity/celebrities would create a “Star-Struck” feeling if you saw them in real life?


My favorite blogger is The Pioneer Woman.  Without question.


What is your comfort food/drink?


My comfort food is pasta.  Just plain noodles with butter, parmesan, and sea salt, or olive oil and sea salt.  My comfort drink is a Venti No Classic Breve Iced Coffee at Starbucks, which is just fancy terminology for "a ginormous cold coffee with half and half and no sweetener."

Be brave – tell us something very random and weird about yourself.


Well, you can read the "About the Author" tab to hear some really weird things.  Only thing I can think of now is that I have this strange thing about sleeves on my wrists.  Unless it is positively arctic outside, I push my sleeves up past my elbows.  I don't like them on my wrists; it makes me uncomfortable.

Do you have a strong desire to do something you’ve never done? What is it?


Yes, I would very much like to go on some sort of crazy adventure, full of intrigue and suspense, like in the movies.  A safari in the wild rain forests, perhaps?  We shall see.  :D

Movies: Action, Drama, Romantic Comedy, Documentary, Comedy? What are your favorite genres?


Romantic comedy, comedy, and action.  And in regards to action, it can't be too intense.  For instance, I can watch Transformers, but I can't stomach something that's too violent unless I have my daddy's shoulder to hide my face in.

Books: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Romance, Biographies, True Stories, Self-Help, Devotional/Study?


I like fiction, especially historical fiction.  I've read so many historical fiction books.  I do like fantasy, like The Chronicles of Narnia, but I don't like ALL fantasy.  For instance, Lord of the Rings is not at all my cup of tea.


What are your favorite types of reading material?


I like my Kindle and just any entertaining historical fiction books.  But I love to read fashion magazines.  Our British friend gives me her Grazia magazines when she's through with them.  I just like to look at the ads to get hair/makeup inspiration.


Music: Funk, Rock, Country, Jazz, Classical, Film Score, Blues, Classic Rock, Crooner, Alternative, Heavy Metal, Techno? What are your favorite types?


Hmm.  This is hard!  I like most music... it's probably easier to say what I don't like.  I don't like Heavy Metal and Techno.  Everything else I enjoy.

If you inherited a million dollars, what is the first thing you would do with your money?


I'd buy my mama and daddy a cozy house by the water.  

Name one weakness of yours (confession is good for the soul).


I would say chocolate, but that's just horrendously cliche.  I'd say a weakness of mine is makeup.  If I see something I like at the store, it's so hard not to buy it.

If you could live anywhere at all (and take all your loved ones with you), where would you go?


I would live in Hawaii again!  I grew up there and I miss it a lot.


Strange Talent? Can you juggle basketballs, put your legs behind your head or perform some other strange feat?


Well, I used to be able to lay on my stomach and touch the tip of my nose with my toes by bending them back like that, but I don't know if I could do it anymore.  I was born very flexible but I'm a little worried I've wasted it.


I'm not good at limbo anymore, either.  How low can I go?  Not very.

What’s something you consider yourself to be good at? (Don’t worry, it’s not bragging, it’s acknowledging a God given gift).


This makes me uncomfortable.  *twitch*


I guess... I can sing and act.  But I can't dance, so Broadway is sort of out of the question.  Two left feet right here.

What is one of your favorite things to catch a whiff of? 


I love it when my mama browns ground beef for spaghetti or soup.  She puts a bit of onion or something and some oil I think (I'm very perceptive) and it just smells so good as it browns.

When you leave a social gathering, do you wish: You would have talked more or You would have talked less? 


Oh, I almost always wish I had talked less.  I have trouble with the whole hushing thing.

If money wasn’t a factor, what stores would you shop in?


Mac (not computers), Lush, Banana Republic, still Target, Nordstrom's, Ulta, and Sephora.


What is your greatest fear or strange phobia?


Apiphobia.

What is your greatest accomplishment?


Not losing my mind completely yet?

What are your favorite animals?


Ooh! Ooh!  I know this one!  I like dolphins, yorkies, little monkeys, tigers, and lemurs.


Are you a hopeless romantic?


Utterly.


What movie or book character can you most relate to?


In Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey, I completely relate to Catherine.  We are the same person.


Thanks for stopping by!  Y'all come back now, ya hear?

Some words about pictures and stuff and things

Some photos of Chattanooga, Tennessee.... I love that city.

Taken from the Walking Bridge

A pretty park by the water

Perfect day for a boat ride!

Will and Dad

After Chattanooga, we went to Alabama to visit family.  However, I took no pictures because I was just having way too much fun!

I don't have much else to say... either because I've been doing so much, or if I just rambled on about it, it would bore you to death.  I did, however, along the way, leave my makeup kit at my grandma's cabin.  I got it back the other day, and I've been having fun.  I spent a few minutes tonight playing with my lipstick and doing my hair.

I've been seeing a lot of my bloggy friends do OOTD (outfit of the day) posts, but I think maybe, since I love hair and makeup, I can do FOTD (face of the day) and HOTD (hair of the day) posts with a few OOTD's sprinkled in here and there.

This is my first FOTD/HOTD!  Let me know what you think!

Trying to rock the head-scarf and not sure if it's working.  Smiling in spite of it.

Maybelline ColorSensational 065 Hooked on Pink lipstick (and I will go ahead and admit I airbrushed this shot lightly for your viewing pleasure.  I can't leave you thinking my skin is that creamy... no, I've been having a bit of dryness around my mouth and didn't want to scare you.)

Ok, so this one isn't so flattering.  But my camera was wigging out and snapped this picture while I MYSELF was growling at it, and really, it's a keeper.  :D

That's all for now, blog-eroonies!  I've got more coming in the next few days, but life is still pretty hectic.  I'm enjoying staying with my grandparents right now, and I'm just trying to stay away from the internet more than usual while I'm here.

Have a good day!!

Happy Something Day!

I found time to drop in today!  I just finished one big test and am taking a break before my next one.  I think in a few minutes I may go start packing, since we fly out tomorrow!  If you'd like to pray for our safe trip, it'd be so greatly appreciated.  I'm so excited I can barely stand it.

So excited, in fact, that I sort of need a nap.

And would you look at the time!  It's February 14th!  Isn't that something or something?  Isn't the 14th of February some sort of holiday or.... umm... something?

Oh yeah.  Valentine's.

I'm going to be brutally honest here.  This girl?  Is not big on Valentine's day.  I used to think it was so cute and so sweet, and I honestly still think it has cuteness and sweetness potential.

But.  I just think it's sort of a silly holiday.  I guess when I'm older and love someone in a cupid-shot-me kind of way, it'll be great to get cards and flowers and chocolate (in fact, y'all are welcome to send me chocolate at any given time) but for now, I'm just not quite an advocate of Valentine's day.

If you are, that's great.  I do like pink and red and white, and it's one of the prettier holidays, in terms of decorations.  I've been known to cut out a paper heart or two in my life time.  Nay, even glue some dry macaroni to one!  All I'm trying to say is, it's not really my thing.

With all that said, though, I wish you all a happy Valentine's day.  And I would just like to point out that yes... someone did ask me to be their Valentine.  I hemmed and hawed and FINALLY caved to.... Lauren's demands.

Got you there, didn't I?  You really thought... ha.

I love you, Lauren.  As I say all the time, you're one of my favoritest people in the whole world.

I think best friends make great Valentines.

Studying, coffee, airplanes, cauliflower, instrumental music. (Alternate title: Complete Incoherency)

Hi everyone!  I'm just taking a brief study break to say hello.

Hello!!

Now that that's out of the way, I just want to explain my absence.  I've been studying like mad for the past few days because I have several big assignments I need done by Monday, since we're flying out very soon to go to the States.  I'm thrilled about going, but I won't reach my full excitement potential until I'm at the airport, suitcase and carry-on in hand.

Also in my hand?  Will be my Starbucks gold card.  I'm just going to cuddle it on the flight over, and apologize to it for being so neglectful.  It's not my fault, but I'm sure it's little self is deeply saddened by the lack of use.  It's probably out of shape, but I plan to get it right back into running order very shortly.  I shall capitalize on my month in the States as best as I can.

Meanwhile, I'm surviving on coffee from our French Press, which is really tasty.  I'm into the Millstone Hazelnut Cream blended with a bit of French Roast right now.  To be quite honest, I'm just liking Italian coffee less and less.  That may come as a shock to you, but this is how my mother very aptly explains it. We like being able to get a grande or venti drink and just sip at it for a long time over a conversation or a book, as opposed to grabbing an espresso, kicking it back, and that being the end of it.

But I have realized, I'm a complete and utter coffee snob.  I wanted iced coffee, but had never been thrilled by what I could make.  I consulted the Google, and the internet, which is always true, told me that I need to COLD brew my coffee.  Basically, overnight I steeped the grounds in icy-cold water, and let me tell you.

DELICIOUS.  When you cold-brew coffee, it gets all the great flavor, but without all the acidity and bitterness. It's a very smooth cup, and I literally could not focus during that first cup.  I was sitting there reading dates for a timeline, but I couldn't remember the span King Henry VIII's reign or the year Shakespeare was born.  The coffee was just that good.

After the initial wonderment wore off, I went back to studying and sipped and sipped and sipped away, and it made studying all that better.  Also, I've been listening to Hawaiian and Irish instrumentals (my mama's study playlist) and that also helps my mood.

I've been staying up way too late the past couple of days, just trying to get everything done, but that's probably a good thing, because that will make sleeping on the airplane more likely.  Unless the usual happens and the person in front of me leans their seat back.  On the flight to Rome, and Italian lady did that to me, but she was leaned so far that I honest to goodness couldn't help but bump her chair every time I so much as breathed too deeply.  She kept looking back and scowling at me, and knowing no Italian, I simply shrugged and made motions to indicate that "Lady, this is soooo not my fault."

Mealtimes were blissful because you have to raise your seats to the upright position.  I wept tears of joy all over my mysterious meat-product covered in brown liquid and some sort of mashed potato, which I was pretty sure was actually mashed cauliflower.

All this is to say, I'm a little scatter-brained right now.

This is probably my last post until we land in the States.  Do your best not to miss me too much.  ;)

Baby's First... Professional Highlights?

This is what I look like at this very moment:

Hawt.

Oh, the things we do for style.


**Note, you may be wondering how I'm blogging while I have foils in my hair.  We have an awesome stylist who comes to our house to do our hair, so I can just sit here with Sophie the Mac while he works on Mama's locks.  So, yes, I'm at home.

A Poem-less Winner

We've got a winner for our little first-name contest!  But here's the deal... TWO people got the answer right.  I just quickly pulled up a random number generator to see who officially won, and this is the result:

Without further ado, the winner is..........

Stephen O'Loughlin, who guessed correctly that my first name is, in fact, Sara.  (No "h" at the end, mind you.)

Long story short, my mama and daddy named me Sara Caroline, but it turned out that I looked more like a Caroline than a Sara.  And so it was, and so it is, that I am Caroline.

I was Sara in 3rd and 4th grade when I went to private school, but that's because we were learning cursive and it takes a loooongggggg time for a lazy little girl to write eight letters when she has the option of writing four.  And thus, I was Sara for two years.  Truly, though, I've always liked Caroline better.

Here's the deal, though.  Stephen specifically asked for no poem to be written in his winning honor, and so I shall respect that.  Next week, we'll have another contest with another poem, though, so keep reading, my friends!

Love,

Handwriting Tag

I'm going to let a few more comments trickle in on the last post, but stay tuned for the winner!

---

I grabbed a fun meme from Grace.  This is my wildly miserable amazing handwriting.  Here you can see some of my cursive and some of my print.

Prepare to be underwhelmed.

(And you betcha that's on graph-paper.  I just finished geometry homework.  And I had to take several shots because I couldn't fit it all onto one photo with it still remaining legible.)

This is what y'all, tagged or untagged, need to write down and show on your blogs!

1.  Your name/Blogger name
2.  Your blog name URL
3.  "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog."
4.  A favorite quote
5.  A favorite song
6.  Favorite bands/singers
7.  Anything else you would like to say?
8.  Tag 3-5 other people


Now, pardon me as I go practice writing out my ABC's a few times.