On Saturday my friend Amanda had a Halloween Party. It was a small gathering of four girls. We watched movies, ate tasty treats, and chatted about life. I found it really fun because it was not a huge party, but a small friend group. We all dressed up and looked so cute.  I was R2D2, Amanda was Indiana Jones, Emily was Minnie Mouse, and Tiffany was a rocker chick. We watched Monsters University, Hocus Pocus, and whatever else was on that night.

Sunday was another fun day! I went to Disneyland in costume. It was so fun to be dressed up at a place where no one cares. I got so many complements and I was not the only one dressed up. I was; however, the only R2D2. I am going again on Saturday as Captain America and I am super excited!! 😀

Pictures are on Facebook and Instagram! (wouldn’t let me post them here)

Toujours,

Tara

I just spent about 20 min with a new app on my phone. I was watching Buzzfeed videos and got on the track of PhotoShop. This was probably one of the funniest, scariest, and most entertaining things I’ve done to myself. Now, before I go on talking about this app, I just want to say you should love yourself how you are and don’t change for anyone other than yourself!

The app is called Perfect365 and it may just be a Windows app, I’m not sure. To start off, I have always wanted blue eyes. I think they are beautiful and every time I see a blue-eyed person I tell them they have nice eyes. I had blue contacts for two years and it was AMAZING! I now wear clear contacts and appreciate my brown eyes. I have been told my eyes are nice, which makes me happy.

Anyway, I was literally tearing up while creating these images and I am happy to say I am MUCH happier with how I look normally than with these “touch-ups.” When I got the app, I planned to do blue and green eyes, the purple was just a joke and I am still laughing at it. (I am posting them all; feel free to laugh with me and know I don’t really look like that)

Here is to your longer life! (laughing makes you live longer)

Toujours,

Tara

There are a lot of good thing going on in my life right now: my Human Development exam went really well, I had a dance class on the beach on Saturday, and today I spent three hours on Skype with my dad preparing my school schedule for the next two years or so.

Last night I went to LA with some fellow tap dancers to see Rhapsody in Taps. It was a great performance and one of the dancers even hopped on our bus for a second to say “bye!” I have to write a paper on the performance for my class and I have so many good things to say about it!

I am excited to register for my classes next semester and even more excited to do things I actually want to do like theater and dance.

The last perfect thing in my life right now is the song below. It is on replay and I love it so much! <3

Now, time to finish my work and dry the laundry!

Toujours,

Tara

Every time I walk in my room and walk to my drawers I smile. This is why, I bought my Plan B Halloween costume today and I absolutely LOVE it! It is starting to turn into my Plan A costume. Since my Plan A costume – R2D2 has not arrived in the mail yet, (the new ETA is Nov 9) I choose to get a backup plan. I have had many other options run through my head, but didn’t think all the way to buying any of them.

So, this afternoon I went to Halloween City, different than Party City, with one of my friends from Tap to find a Halloween costume and a sailor hat. The sailor hats are for something else that happens later this year. 🙂 We found the hats, but didn’t buy them yet. I did buy a Halloween costume though. I am going to be Captain America, female version! I am overly excited and can’t wait till Halloween! Luckily I am going to a Halloween party on the 24th so I can wear it twice in a week and 4th of July next year if there is a party. I will post a picture the night of the party so you get the full affect! I will; however, post a picture my friend and I took while in Target today. This would have been my Plan C if Captain America didn’t work out, so thankfully it did!

As Nick Jonas truthfully says, “…you can’t really go wrong with pizza.”

Toujours,

Tara

I bought a bike today and I am so happy! It is blue and brown with a basket and cup holder and it is so nice! I love it, minus one little, bitty, teeny, tiny problem…me. It’s too tall!!! Since I ordered it online I couldn’t try it out first so once I got it home, I took of the tags and noticed the one on the wheel that said, “cruiser 26″good for 5’2″ and above.” WHY!?!?!

Everything has its price, even height. Sometimes being short is good, other times it’s not. This is one of those “not” times. I really love the bike and I am going to do all I can to use it! I just wish it was a little shorter. I looked online and there isn’t the same style in a smaller one, unfortunately. Oh well, I love it and will ride it anyway! Maybe my legs will grow due to the fact that they will feel bad that I can’t sit on the bike and reach the ground at the same time.

Anyway, enough bitterness. I AM UNDER 5’2″ AND I AM PROUD! 🙂

Toujours,

Tara

I have two exams this coming week and for some reason I have been more stressed out this weekend than any other time. I don’t normally get stressed, so this is crazy. I’ve been studying my notes, the study guides and the practice quizzes, so hopefully I’m on the right track. My first exam is on Tuesday and it’s Oceanography. This is my least favorite class of the semester, meaning I have to study more because I don’t like it so I don’t understand it. My second exam of the week is Human Development on Friday. This is one of my favorite classes so I am looking forward to studying and getting an A! I am really interested in this class because I have always been a “kid person.” I got certified for babysitting when I was about 13/14 and have babysat many children in the past. In class, we are learning about ages 0-3 and next month we have to go to the children’s center on campus and “observe” the kids and write a paper on it. I am looking forward to this project because will be a fun, easy way to get points.

As someone who turned 16 in a place where driving was not needed, I never got my license. Now, living in Southern California, I NEED it. I am so thankful to the people who have offered to teach me how to drive! I want to learn quickly, pass the test, and go from there.

On a happier note, I got my Stagecoach ticket, as I mentioned yesterday, and we now have a place to stay in Palm Desert. It’s getting more and more official and I am SO excited!!

Now, back to the books.

Toujours,

Tara

It’s going to be a good day!!

Today is my mom’s birthday, so HUGE birthday shoutout to her! I love you, Mommy<3

The tickets for Stagecoach 2016 went on sale today at 11am; I was in class at this time and it didn’t feel right to leave in the middle of a lecture to buy a ticket. I waited it out and hoped they would still be available after class. I got home and ran to my computer to check. Long story short: I’M GOING TO STAGECOACH 2016!! I am beyond excited!

Tomorrow I have dance practice and I will find out if I am participating in the performance on Sunday. I have mixed emotions about performing because 1. I learned routine about two classes ago so I don’t know it all that well and 2. my friend asked me to go to her house on Sunday and I really want to see her. If I perform, great. If I don’t, there’s always next time!

Toujours,
Tara

I admit I love attention and I will do what I can to get it. Sometimes works, sometimes it doesn’t. Yesterday, it did. I was at Disneyland/California Adventure and I was watching the parade in California Adventure. I was dancing along to the music and luckily got Frozone’s (from The Incredibles) attention. We kind of had a dance off. It was great! Another time was as I was walking  and saw Mickey Mouse! I smiled and put my hand out for a high-five and he gave me one after he blew me a kiss. AWW!! Attention  = good! Drake Bell was also at Disneyland yesterday, but unfortunately I didn’t see him.

This morning  in Tap, we learned more to our dance routine and were able to practice with the music for the first time! My friend has been asking and asking to practice with music and the day we did, today, she wasn’t there. It was fun though and we also learned more to the choreography. The performance is on December 2 from 7-9pm and is, I believe, $10/ticket. All the money goes to the dance programs at the school. Please come support if you are in the neighborhood!

Today was a good day. I learned a lot. I learned more dance steps, how to read a recipe and shop for ingredients, and how to make a chocolate cake in a crockpot. Yes, I did! I followed the instructions and it smelled SO good when I walked in the apt after dance. Chocolate and peanut butter filled the air! I am so excited to taste it!

Toujours,

Tara

Country music is my life! I was raised by Texans and grew up listening to Shania Twain, Toby Keith, Dixie Chicks, etc. Some think because they listened to it so much as a kid they grew out of it, I didn’t. I got more into it. I have been to two country concerts within two weekends. Last weekend was Jake Owen and Parmalee and last night I went to Rascal Flatts and Scotty McCreery! They were AMAZING! Country artists are great live because they don’t use autotune or lisping. Their voices are magical and I love it so much! I was also so happy to be there with my friends. We had such a great time. We all got together at one house and did hair, makeup, and outfit checks. We all, me included, curled our hair. For me, it was straightened then curled. People have asked me, “What’s the point of curling curly hair?” My answer, “It’s different curls.”

The concert was at the Irvine Meadows Amphitheater. We had lawn seats and they were actually really good. We had a perfect view of the stage, although it was a little far away for the cameras to focus. We all got pictures and videos and loved every minute of it! I can’t wait till my next country concert! I hear Luke Bryan is coming in two weeks…anyone want to go with me!?!?!?

Toujours,

Tara

Me, Amanda, Calah, and Emily

Growing up, I was always told, “ignorance is bliss.” Why? I have no idea, because it is NOT true. According to Google, ignorance is, “lack of knowledge or information.” Why would anyone say that’s a good thing? I am more aware of things now that I have lived out of America for a while and even when I was in America.

In my Oceanography class today, the professor asked something like, “why is it bad to have hot (90℉) weather?” Many people think think things like, melting the polar ice caps or fires. This one girl raised her hand and said, “it’s too hot to live in.” I just sat in my chair looking at her; she has NO idea what “hot” really is. In CA, it is currently 85℉; in Abu Dhabi, it is also 85℉. The difference is time. It is 2pm in CA and 1am in AD. The weather in CA at 1am is around 65℉. Huge difference! In Summer in AD, it is 110-112℉ on a good day. In CA, ~90℉.

I’m not trying to bag on anyone, I just think people should travel more and see what else is out there. I am so thankful that I was and am able to travel and see the world. I have had so many adventures and experiences and have made so many international friends. I truly am blessed!

Toujours,

Tara