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charity: water

this april, my dad is celebrating his 52nd birthday.

this year, my dad has pledged his birthday to charity: water in hopes to raise money to fund water projects to poverished people around the world, and more importantly to raise awareness about water quality on our globe. 

water is a natural resource and fuel to life that should not be denied by anyone, but unfortunately is for too many people. 

when my dad started his campaign a few months ago he set a modest goal of $1,000.

since then, with the support of friends, family, he has surpassed his goal and has been inspired to go even higher!

on wednesday, my dad will play 52 pledged holes of golf to reach his new goal: $10,00 for charity: water, 

with friends and family helping along the way. 

here's where you can help.

i urge you to watch the video below to see first hand how the clean water crisis is effecting our planet, our people, our world's children.

now that you've seen that and are feeling generous, head on over to my dad's campaign page to donate.

if you can't donate, please share the cause.

share with your family, your friends, your people. 

share it on your blog, facebook, or twitter. 

this is an epidemic that can be fixed.

maybe you'll even feel inspired to campaign your own birthday for clean water around the world.

*all images are from the charity: website, i do not own them.

*charity: water is in no way affiliated with this post. these words and opinions are my own.

scrap weekend

even though it doesn't get a lot of attention on this blog, scrapbooking is my thing.

the hobby i give most attention to, you could say.

anyway, some ladies and i like to get together and have these massive crafting/catch up weekends every few months. we've been meeting up to scrapbook since 2007, and yes, we are all in our early twenties. 

erica, danielle, lacie, and i are usually the core, but we have new people join all the time...

[hint, hint, wink, wink]

we pick a date, a house, and dinner and stay inside working on albums all weekend and usually get a ton of layouts done. 

this particular weekend was no exception. i think in total, i put together 17 pages in either my germany album or the most recent album (a.k.a 2011)

 danielle's dining and living room once we got a hold of it.

 just my section of the table.

 love my thickers

 lacie in the craft epicenter

washi tape + pens

my two loves.

some of my favorite layouts from my germany album:

 title page

 please excuse the glare.

as we can see, i am quite the amateur with photographing photographs

one of my most favorites, ever.

and these are some pages i worked on in my most current album

[starting june of 2011]

 title page

above: one half of a layout

below: full layout

 again, picture quality...shameful.

one of my most recent obsessions...the 6x12 page protector.

 fun giants baseball layout with one 12x12 page and one 6x12

funky, jumbled layout.

+++

i'm hoping to post more layouts as i go through the albums, make it a normal thing on this blog.

if any of my local [sacramento] friends scrapbook too and want to join in our little group, let me know! 

we're thinking of having a girls weekend in february :)

lake taheezy

you guys, i'm trying so hard to make blogging a priority. 

i miss interacting with all of you, seriously.

so here is a small recap of our family trip to lake tahoe this past summer.

i think that we can all conclude that my family went to the lake once and otherwise lived at the golf course. this is true. 

not pictured: 

an impromptu beach meet up with the lovely shannon 

familial dance parties

familial apples to apples [drinking] game

me getting loads of scrapbooking done

me walking, walking multiple miles down to the beach, alone, on the lookout for bears.

[this is most noteworthy!]

twenty three

today is my twenty third birthday.

twenty three.

a very good number indeed; i'm excited for what this next year has to offer. 

cheers to the years, man.

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i've decided to start a new birthday tradition. 

a yearly questionnaire to look back on and laugh, and remember.

and it's not just for me, no. everyone i know is going to do one.

well, everyone that will humor me when i ask. 

without further ado...

name: 

hayley elizabeth

age: 

23

year: 

2012

occupation: 

preschool teacher

but my dream job is:

something artsy, like teaching middle and high school art or managing my own art studio and work space

i live in: 

northern california

t.v show i will never get tired of:

law and order: svu

movies i will never get tired of:

the royal tenenbaum's, when harry met sally, & love, actually

a song that i will always love:

mr. brightside

some of my favorite musicians or bands:

mumford & sons, the killers, the temper trap, b.O.b, jay-z, fleetwood mac, flo rida (yes.), ingrid michaelson, the xx, edward sharpe, lots of talented people.

what is something new you'd like to try before your next birthday:

a new form of exercise. like yoga, or spinning.

a new place you'd like to visit before your next birthday:

i'd like to visit a new state this next year. since i'm planning on living in europe again, i'm holding off on that. but i've come to the conclusion that i haven't seen nearly enough of my  own country.

how are you celebrating your birthday this year:

i had eye doctor and dentist appointments this morning, i got my nails done, and tonight i have german class. exciting stuff. but after class i'll be doing cake and presents with mom, tap, and tucker. tomorrow i'll have dinner with dad, kate, tucker, and jackson; alex is already back in reno. and then hopefully celebrating with friends this weekend.

how would you like to celebrate your next birthday:

with family on my real birthday, of course, and then with good friends. i think that's how it will always be :)

so, here's to another wonderful, precious, adventurous, blessed year of life!