Happy Holidays!

Hi everyone! I wanted to pop in a first of all wish you a happy last day of Hanukkah, a merry Christmas Eve, or just a happy December 24th! I hope you have a fantastic holiday season and a wonderful New Year's Eve and day.

via unknown source

I have tons of plans for the blog next year that I can't wait to share with you!

Have a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. I'll see you in 2015!

Updates

What am I even supposed to type here? It's National Diabetes Awareness Month and two days (as a type, one day now) away from International Diabetes Day and I'm just not feeling it. Yep. The one month that I'm supposed to be advocating about my lovely BFF diabetes and I just don't feel like it. I've seen a lot of people saying they are having advocacy burnout and I thing I am too. And that's completely fine. I don't feel like I have to be running around and always talking about diabetes and you shouldn't feel like you have to either.

I think advocacy is absolutely necessary for any cause that needs to see change and improvements; diabetes and the stigma, technology, and research surrounding it definitely need change. But it's still okay to take a break sometimes. And so that's where I am right now. I've been focusing on other things going on in my life because my life isn't only about diabetes. That reminds me of something.

I absolutely hate this quote from The Fault in our Stars:

Augustus Waters: What's your story?
Hazel Grace Lancaster: I was diagnosed when I was 13...
Augustus Waters: No no no, your real story.

Mostly because it implies that someone's disease/ chronic illness isn't really a part of their life. Because of course it is. My diabetes and I have been stuck together like glue since I was 5 1/2 and it has contributed to so many experiences that have shaped me into who I am today. Camp Kudzu, AKA one of the best places I have ever been, is a positive that diabetes introduced me to. So is the whole DOC. I have no clue who I would be today without any of you. So why is it that when people want to know about someone with some sort of illness, they don't want to know about this integral part of his or her life? It just doesn't make sense. I've gone off on a huge tangent, so I think I'll step off of my soapbox now...

This is all I talk about for the rest of my blog post #sorrynotsorry // via People Too

What on earth should I talk about now? There isn't anything exciting going on in my life, diabetes-wise. I haven't gotten the new slimmer sensor from Dexcom or the new Diasend or the new software for my CGM yet. I do have other stuff going on, so I might as well talk about it. I have my audition for All State Chorus this Saturday and apparently I've been practicing my solo in the wrong key for the past three months; that's okay, though, because I have it memorized, so it is fairly simple to sing the same intervals between notes just within a different set of notes. I'm really excited for my audition and hoping I get in because I absolutely adored All State when I went in 8th grade.

And speaking of chorus, our Christmas songs are all fantastic and I am obsessed with singing Christmas music. My favorite piece we are singing in Chamber is O Magnum Mysterium; it is gorgeous and dark and amazing! (Can you tell that I might like it?) In my church choir, my favorites are Still, Still, Still, (seriously this is SO beautiful) Night of Silence. (we aren't doing this exact arrangement, but it's close and still beautiful) and O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. (this arrangement is perfect) I know it isn't even the day after Thanksgiving yet and I'm all for no Christmas anything until after Thanksgiving, but choirs start singing your favorite carols long before you even think about them, (aka September and October) so I thought I should share them with you!

I have to drink tons of water, rest my voice, (which no one is complaining about because I talk all the time) and get plenty of sleep on Friday, so my voice is prepared for my audition on Saturday. I also have to drink tea Saturday morning, take a hot as possible shower, and drink even more water to keep my vocal chords and folds ready to sing my audition solo.

Moral of the Story: Chorus has my heart, obviously.

The Best Food of All Time

Try not to get overexcited if you love food blogs because I promise that my blog will not be turning into one. I pretty much dislike cooking, but this is pretty much my favorite recipe of all time. I would eat this stuff every day of my life if it was up to me. (Then again, I am also a person that really likes habit, so maybe that's not saying much...)

This mysterious looking green stuff is actually the best food ever.

Ingredients:

• 6 servings of your choice of pasta
• 2 medium avocados (peeled and seeded)
• 1 1/2 cups spinach
• 1 1/2 cups arugula 
• 1 packed cup of basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons of lime juice
• 2 garlic cloves or 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper

Yay for having an organized picture of the ingredients! 

Directions:

1. Put your pot of water for the pasta on the stove. This will give your water plenty of time to boil, and it will be boiling by the time you finish making the pesto.
2. Throw everything but the pasta into your food processor. I usually start with the avocados, grind those up, then put in the arugula and spinach, grind those up, and then put everything else in the food processor. 
3. Take your magical pesto out of the food processor and put it in a small bowl. Then put the sauce in the fridge.
4. Cook your pasta according to the package.
5. Strain your pasta.
6. Put half of the pesto in the bottom of the bowl, put the pasta in the bowl, then put the rest of the sauce on top of the pasta, and then mix it up. (My mom taught me the half on bottom, half on top trick. It makes it 1000 times easier to mix the pasta sauce.)
7. Eat and revel in the taste of the most delicious pasta* you have ever made and/or eaten.

Extra step: feed some of the leftover veggies to your favorite herbivore.

So this is pretty much my favorite recipe of all time because it includes my favorite fruit, the avocado; it takes minimal effort to make (I'm all about being lazy;) it takes maybe 20 minutes at the most; and it is in the rare healthy and delicious category of food. And technically the sauce has no carbs... (The pasta is a whole different story.) 

Moral of the Story: Yum.

* This is an obviously unbiased statement and if you think this is untrue, you may need to seek help.

And the original recipe came from here.

Answering Questions

I've seen these questions going around the DOC for a while, so I finally decided to answer them! I added some more questions for variety,  made all of the questions grammatically correct, and retyped all of the questions so they wouldn't be in ALL CAPS. (It was getting annoying...)

What is your middle name?

Emily

What is/was your favorite subject at school?

Biology/Chemistry/Math

What is your favorite drink?

A strawberry and banana smoothie

What is your favorite song at the moment?

Perfection by Super Junior M

What would you name your kids?

I don’t want kids, so there.

Do you take part in any sports?

No, I’m quite clumsy…

What is your favorite book of all time?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

What is your favorite color?

Orange

What is your favorite animal?

The Whale Shark

What is your favorite perfume?

I like Vanila Bean Noel from Bath and Body Works, but it’s a body mist, so Sugar Grapefruit by Love & Toast.

What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas!

Have you graduated high school?

Nope, I’m in 9^th grade.

Have you ever been out of the country, if so how many times?

Yes, 5 times.

Do you speak any other language?

I’m currently learning Spanish, but no.

How many siblings do you have?

2, one younger brother and one younger sister.

What is/are your favorite store(s)?

I like Barnes & Noble, Ten Thousand Villages, Forever 21, Zumiez, and Tilly’s.

What is your favorite restaurant?

At the moment, Which Wich.

Do you like school?

Yes, it is pretty much my life.

What is your favorite blog?

Texting My Pancreas

What is your favorite movie?

Up

What is your favorite TV show?

NCIS

PC or Mac?

PC, Apple is evil.

What phone do you have?

I have a Motorola Atrix 2.

How tall are you?

4’11”

Were you named after anyone?

Not that I know of.

When was the last time you cried?

I don’t remember.

Do you like your handwriting?

Yep

What is your favorite lunch meat?

I’m a vegan; I don’t eat lunch meat.

Do you have kids?

No, I’m only 14!

If you were a different person, would you be friends with you?

It depends.

Do you use sarcasm a lot?

I try to, but I usually fail.

Do you still have your tonsils?

Yes

Would you bungee jump?

If I was being paid a lot of money, probably.

What is your favorite cereal?

Unhealthy: Fruit Loops

Healthy: Kashi Strawberry Fields

Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?

Nope, I just slip them off of my feet.

Do you think you are strong?

Mentally, yes; physically, no.

What is your favorite type of ice cream?

Vegan Turtle Tracks

What is the first thing you notice about people?

What they have to say.

If you had to choose: red or pink?

Red all the way.

What is your least favorite thing about yourself?

My lazy tendencies.

Who do you miss the most?

My friends that are at a different high school.

What is the technique that you need to work on the most?

Being active.

What color are the shoes that you are wearing?

Brown with white polka dots.

What was the last thing you ate?

A piece of peanut butter toast.

What are you listening to right now?

The Hawks/New York Game because my brother is watching it in the living room.

If you were a crayon, what color would you be?

Seafoam

What are your favorite smells?

Vanilla and the ocean

How important are political views to you?

I could care less.

If you had to choose: mountain hideaway or beach house?

Beach house

What are your favorite sports to watch?

I don’t like sports.

What is your hair color?

Dirty Blonde

What is your eye color?

Boring Blue

Do you wear contacts?

No, but I wear glasses.

What is your favorite food?

Avocado

Do you like scary movies or happy endings?

Happy endings

What is the last movie you watched?

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

What color shirt are you wearing?

Red

So you like summer or winter?

Depends on my mood.

What is your favorite dessert?

Doughnuts!

Do you like strength training or cardio?

Cardio

Do you prefer the computer or television?

Computer

What book are you currently reading?

I’m rereading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

What is on your mouse pad?

I don’t have a mouse pad!

What is your favorite sound?

The ocean

What is your favorite genre of music?

K-Pop, judge me all you want!

How far have you been away from home?

To Jamaica

Do you have a special talent?

No

Where were you born?

In the USA

Where are you living now?

In the USA

What color is your house?

I don’t own the house, but it is the color of red bricks.

What color is your car?

I don’t own a car, I’m only 14.

Did you like answering these questions?

Kind of, the questions were okay, but now my left hand hurts a lot.

Well, that's it; now you know all about me. 

OR DO YOU...

*DUN DUN DUN*

10,000!

I have an important announcement!
(No, it's not that I hit a record high of 10,000...)

*INSERT TRUMPETS HERE*

My blog has hit 10,000 views! (Actually it's 10,036 as of right now.) It makes me very happy that so many people have at least glanced at my blog and maybe found some hope, laughs, or just important information.

So, this is a BIG thank you to everyone that reads my blog daily/weekly/monthly/annually because it means a lot to me.

All of these views let me know that what I write matters to people, and I have bragging rights to use against my family. (Take that, brother with 600 followers on Instagram!)

On a side note, my Dexcom sensor is working today; I'm not having problems, like yesterday...

Moral of Story: My readers rock!

The Queen of Klutz

Yep, I'm making another blog post because I am so bored.
Why am I bored, you may ask. Well, I broke my leg, so I cannot do anything exciting.

Well, here is the magical and enlightening story of how I broke my leg:

I was walking down the oddly shallow and wide stairs in the auditorium, tripped down two stairs (not two flights, just two stairs), and apparently I broke my fibula. (The bone in the back of your calf.) I just thought I sprained my ankle or something of that nature because I could still walk on it. It was painful, but not excruciating or anything that felt like death. I walked to the nurse, got ice, and walked back to the auditorium. I also had to walk across a football field and more because my high school used to be a middle school and a high school, but it is one huge school with tons of concrete, and a football field in between the two schools.

I have to wait until Monday to get a real cast on, and I am hoping that I will get a cast I can walk in because it is impossible to get around my school in a decent amount of time using crutches.

Moral of Story: Don't trip down stairs.

Super Saturday #1

I've decided to make a new blog ritual called Super Saturday, where I post cool and awesome things, some D-Related, some not! Let's get started!

Clothes // I love this shirt because, well, I love cats. If only I could buy it...

 

via The Dainty Squid

Animals // I love these ads so much, isn't this pig just adorable? I can't buy designer (obviously), but this is still extremely cute!

via Purseblog, from Bloomingdales

Blogging // I have known about this print forever, and just had to share it with you guys! It's true, isn't it? C;

Blog Post // I love this post because it is true! I have a bad case of diabetes brain as well, do you?

via Diabetesaliciousness

D-Related Awesome Thing // I still want this adorable stuffed pancreas, I mean, who wouldn't? It is also on sale... *HINT HINT*

via i heart guts

Just Plain Cute // Isn't this sunshine just a, well, ray of sunshine? :3

via Tumblr, from imgfave

So, that's it for the first installation of Super Saturday! I hope I made you smile! C:

Not D-Related

I haven't been posting lately because nothing exciting (diabetes-wise, at least) has been happening. So I decided to do a blog post about other stuff. It will mostly be comprised of pictures, though, because my blood sugar is high, I have a little headache, and I can't type well while I'm high.

So let the normallacy begin.

This gem is a must for all Cat Ladies. Got this at an antique shop.

This is my sister's cat Gary, looking annoyed, as usual.

Here's my hamster looking around and Gary photo bombing.

This is my new Agenda for school. It is from Lilly Pulitzer.

This is my llama that sits on my night table and holds my glasses.

I woke up Dougie with my camera's flash. Sorry Dougie.

My snazzy moving wallpaper on my phone.

My favorite hand sanitizer, if you couldn't tell by the amount I've used.

And, some more Gary because he is a camera hog.

So that's it for my once in a bazillion decades, normal post.
Maybe I should do these more often, they are kind of therapeutic.