home for the holidays

 I cannot even begin to explain to you how excited I was as I drove up the driveway to the familiar farmhouse on the hill. I cannot even describe the excitement that was flowing throughout ever inch of my body when I finally saw the friends I hadn't seen since the summer. Our screams and shouts left no one in doubt of what had just occurred when we hugged and jumped around. If you asked me to tell how I was feeling in that moment, I wouldn't have an answer. Seeing these people who know me so well, these people I've known for years now... I was beyond excited. I was equally excited to see my family. They are what makes "home" home. Hearing kids running down the hall way and jumping on my bed to wake me up in the morning, is just pure happiness. I know these next few weeks of christmas break will go by so fast. Now more than ever I wish I could slow down time, but I'll take what I can get. The partying is just getting started. Here's to a phenomenal christmas break.

-m

photo set: christmas break.

monday to monday

coffee | senior recital practices | ice cream trips | grilling hot dogs | avengers mid-night premieres | visiting the camp grounds | receiving college acceptance letter | watching kittens play | photo shoots


There are a few things I learned this week:
- I'm pretty sure I'm obsessed with instagram
- Driving in storms with zero visibility and tornado warnings is not extremely enjoyable.
- When the internet goes down at our house, we can't really function. (kidding... mostly)
- Yotty's just has the best ice cream you guys. the best.
- I love super hero movies (okay, so I already knew this about myself)
- Cleaning the camp grounds for a couple of hours will make you super excited from summer.
- College acceptance letters are the best. ever.
- Megan's hair just looks awesome at all times.
- I drink a lot of coffee. (actually... i already knew this too.)


how was your week? Are you getting excited for summer?

much love-
Marissa

Surviving + Enjoying a midnight premiere 101

In my years of midnight premieres (okay, I've only been to 3... but still) I have learned some valuable things. So, here is a guide for you to study, read and memorize, so that you to, can survive and fully enjoy any midnight premiere.


1.  Buy your tickets ahead of time. 
This is probably most important. Obviously you can't see the movie without a ticket, so don't even take a chance by waiting to buy them at the door. Just buy the ahead and then you feel more accomplished and you know that you are for sure getting in. Plus, when the theater opens its doors, pre-boughten ticket people usually go straight the the front of the line and you don't have to be pushed and shoved! Bonus!

2. Invest in nap time. 
Nap time is your best friend. Seriously. Especially when it's time for a midnight showing. Don't be the person who falls asleep during the best-movie-ever.
As a side note, if you don't get up until 10am, then get out of town because you don't need a nap. Us people who get up at 5:30, 6 or 7 even, do however, need to indulge in nap time.
A two hours nap should do the trick, so plan ahead.

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3.  Psych up. (as in mentally prepare)
Get in the mode of over-the-top-excitment by watching interviews, red carpets, pre-released clips and trailers the day of the premiere. You will start freaking out and jumping around and get totally into movie mode by doing this. Plus you learn about the actors/actresses this way. Extra bonus!

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4. Dress accordingly.
This is actually optional. Some midnight premieres (like Pirates of the Caribbean) are hard to dress for. But themed stuff is always good. For the Hunger Games I wore feathered earrings and a HG necklace and a few of my friends braided their hair. See, it doesn't have to be a lot!

5. Caffeine. 
Caffeine is your best bud during a midnight premiere. Especially if you didn't get your nap in. Try to go for coffee first before soda, other wise you might have a case of "sugar crash" and that wouldn't be fun.

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That my friends, are my five tips for preparing and enjoying midnight premieres!

Now, let's talk Hunger Games.


Who all went the movie this morning??? Was it not the best ever? It was so perfect. Even the differences were fine because it was just so good and all made sense. I loved how they added other scenes (as in, parts not in the book) in the movie. SO good. Gary Ross is just a genius. 
Also, could Woody Harrelson have been a more perfect Haymitch? So good. Perfection. 
Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson were also completely amazing. As was Liam Hemsworth and Elizabeth Banks. Oh goodness, all of the cast was so amazing. Just perfect. 
The filming was also just fantastic. The score was amazing. The emotional scenes were.. emotional. The whole thing was just great. wonderful. amazing. 


Also, has anyone heard the soundtrack for the movie? Oh goodness. That is perfection. Just a game by birdy is like... the Hunger Games all in one song. So good.

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Discuss! 

If you saw the movie, what did you think? If you haven't seen it yet, go see it and then come back and tell me what you thought of it! I'd really like to know! :) AND what did you do in preparation for the midnight premiere? 

ohmygoodness it's march

There are three reasons why I'm excited it's march.

1. HUNGER GAMES midnight premiere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <-- yes that needed all caps and a thousand exclamation points. I finished the book yesterday and lets just say.... I'm REALLY excited about it. One of the best books I have ever read in my life. Seriously. I couldn't put it down! That rarely happens for me. You know its good if I can't put it down. And after reading the book, I'm 100% more excited then before. I'm just trying not to scream because I'm so excited. (I'm pretty sure that will happen some time in the future... I can't contain it forever!) This feels like Harry Potter all over again... only... totally different!


2. After march is over, this person comes home from Costa Rica. Krista will have been gone from three months and I'm pretty sure she should never do that again because all of us here at home missed her to much! Plus, I had no one to prank a certain other people with!

3. Spring. 'nough said. Excited for spring. Green grass, flowers, green everywhere, birds singing, green, warm weather and did I mention green?

In other news:
I'm in love with the new mixtape for this month.
Song list:
+Safe and sound - Taylor Swift ft. Civil Wars
+Riga Girls - the weepies
+Be still - The fray
+Poison and Wine - Civil Wars
+Perth - Bon Iver
+(I can't seem to) make you mine - The Clientele
+Fix you - Coldplay
+The puppy song - Harry Nilsson
+Never let me go - Florence + the Machine 
+Here and Heaven - From the goat rodeo sessions 

(Check out this play list HERE)

You knew that "safe and sound" would be on there didn't you? Bonus points for you.

Why are you excited for march?

Have a great day dears!

xo.
marissa 

Excitement.

As I sit here, quickly typing these words. I am bubbling over with excitement! A very special package came from amazon yesterday.

Yes friends. people. readers. I have received and boughten a Nikon D3000! Finally. I'm so incredibly excited right now. I've been wanting a better camera for a while now, and after testing my sisters camera. I decided that was what I was looking for! I'm so excited to learn how to use it! It often takes me a few weeks to learn how to use a camera properly. I'm sure it will take long with this particular camera because there so many settings and such! But nevertheless, I will enjoy every minute of it!
Snap-shots from today:

Don't I have the silliest sisters? They make some of the strangest faces! Oh little kids. (: