30 Facts About Me You Might Not Have Known

I came up with a list of 30 things about me so you can get to know me better:

1.My favorite flower is a rose

2. My favorite sport is volleyball

3. My birthday is in December

4.My favorite color is pink

5. My favorite number is 7

6. My favorite seasons are summer and fall

7. I participated in track my junior year of high school

8. I was engaged before

9. I have never had surgery

10. The only fish I like is tuna fish

11. I hate bacon; it's disgusting

12.I was shy when I was younger and I have came a long way since then

13.My favorite music is country

14. One of my favorite stores is Target

15. I have had braces

16. I did gymnastics when I was younger

17.I had a YouTube channel but I deleted it because nobody was watching my videos

18. My favorite shape is a heart

19. I hate my teeth

20. My handwriting is a lot better when I write with pens

21. My favorite animal is dogs

22. My favorite Oreo is birthday cake

23. My favorite chocolate candy bar is Reeses or Hershey

24. I love homework..sometimes 

25. I love to read

26. I don't know how to drive but I want to (have to overcome my anxiety of driving)

27. I'm a better baker than a cook

28.  I'm lactose intolerance;it depends on the food item

29. My typical sandwich is ham and mayo (I know, plain)

30. When out to eat, I normally get water,lemonade or Dr. Pepper

<3 Amanda 

Losing Classmates To Death

(http://www.cloudburst.com/clipart-9cz7bjBBi)

Sometimes you lose friends due to fights and disagreements but then sadly,there are times when you lose friends due to death. Throughout my high school years, I lost 3 friends/classmates. They all passed differently and I thought me writing this post about them would kinda honor them as I know they can read this from Heaven ( they can probably see me as I type this).

The first classmate that I had to see in a coffin was Branden. He sadly committed suicide. He was a great classmate and a great teammate as we were both on the track and field team. Even though he was a grade younger than me, he was a great friend. He was also a great athlete. Besides track and field, he was also a great football player and a wrestler. I'm sure he is enjoying playing sports up in Heaven. He was only 16 years old.

The second classmate I had to see lay in a coffin was Scott. He passed away after getting in an ATV accident. It was just only a few weeks after we graduated high school. He had his whole life ahead of him. We had English together and I'm not sure if I did or if I was too nervous to but I was going to ask him to Prom.  He was only 19 years old.

The third classmate that I had to see in a coffin was Carly. She was younger than me and we both had graduated high school. She was doing great in college but she passed away due to a Meningitis virus. She was a great actress and singer. She was in so many plays and musicals in high school. She was a star! I'm sure she is singing and acting up in Heaven. She was only 19 years old when she passed.  

They all had great futures ahead of them but God needed them up there. Remembering them makes me realize that nobody knows when their last day will be. 

<3 Amanda

Blogger Interview: Camilla Sorum

Today my blogger interview is with Camilla. She is a blogger from Spain and her blog's name is Camilla Sorum She's also a mother to two adorable little girls.You should really check out her blog by clicking here if you want to read a great blog!

Q: What is the meaning behind your blog name?
A: My blog name is simply my name (camillasorum.com) as it is about me and my life.

Q; What made you decide to start blogging?
A: I have always loved writing. Back in the days I studied journalism and did some freelancing. You might not believe it, but my passion was covering motor sport events. I usually keep a journal, or just write when I'm sad or frustrated about something. I've been wanting to start a blog for a while, but been to skeptical. Thinking "who's gonna read it", "what should I write about" and how scary it is to share so much in public. But I love writing, and I finally decided to just go for it.

Q:What do you blog about?
A: I mainly blog about my life. I left Norway two years ago and people were shocked that I dared to just move abroad with two young children. I share some stories from my past, some every day life, some special events pr thoughts that I have on different subjects. I also promote stuff or people that inspires me.

Q: How long have you been blogging?
A: I have been blogging only for a few months.

Q:What do you like to do beside blogging? Any hobbies?
A: Beside blogging I'm very busy. I work 30 hours per week. I'm a full time student and I'm currently alone with my two little girls, so at the moment my free time mainly goes to activities with them. I like handcraft and make baby clothes, rugs or pictures. I'm also very creative and like drawing, coloring and painting. Interior is one of my passions, so I always come up with some changes around the house. Another hobby of mine is animals. We recently adopted a kitten from a rescue organization and are currently waiting to adopt a dog from another. I love dog training and have had dogs most of my life. I'm also hoping to start horse riding again as I haven't since we came here. I really miss it! Other than that I love fashion. I like putting pieces together, dressing up and testing new looks. I like being both in front of and behind the camera. It's so many beautiful locations here, so I try to take some pictures whenever I can.

Q: Have you had writer’s block? What did you do?
A: So far I didn't have a writer's block, although I do spend a lot of time planning my posts. Sometimes I make it very simple, other times more complicated. Sometimes it takes me very short time and other times I need more. My advice to others with blocks would be to think about what you like or are passionate about. If the theme is interesting to you it's easier to write about it. Make a list and write down some simple words and ideas. Go from them and plan weekly. You don't have to plan the whole blog or even a full post, just make sure you have some ideas ready for the times you struggle to write.

Q: What’s one thing you want your subscribers to know?
A: -I want my subscribers to know that I'm available. I take criticism, questions, thoughts, ideas and comments positively. I get a lot of private messages with all kind of questions from people worried to ask me in public. Don't be! I answer absolutely everyone, and if I find it too personal or if it's something I wanna keep private, that's what my answer will be. We can always get better, nobody's perfect, so I'm always open for suggestions, ideas and thoughts of my blog.

Q:How do you balance being a mom, wife and blogger?
A:  Sometimes the balance is hard to find. I'm not a wife (yet), but I have an amazing boyfriend. He's working somewhere else this summer, so it's very difficult to find time to see each other. That balance we can't find, but knowing it's temporary gets us through it. When my girls are in school I use all my free time to practical stuff, doing everything I need before my work day starts. If I have some quiet time at work I take notes for my blog or work on social media. Between end of school hour and bedtime it's all about the kids. Cooking dinner, doing homework, taking them to activities and so on. I always have a book in my bag, so whenever I find some time when the girls are busy I can do some studying. After bedtime I clean up, do some work around the house before I do what I need with my blog and social media. It's unbelievable how much time it requires. When I'm finished I have some alone time before I go to bed myself. The weekends usually gives me some time for blog and studies as my girls are usually quite busy. It's a busy lifestyle, but that's how I like it. I'm very structured and effective and I like organizing. I always plan my days well, although I do get tired of it sometimes. I think it's important to plan some dead time where you can just drop everything and relax. I'm not very good at that.

Q: What advice would you give to someone who is just starting their blog?
A:  If you have just started a blog, don't forget why you did it! Make sure that you post regularly. You may not always have time or creativity, but the majority should definitely be something related to your blog theme and something you made an effort for. It will take time to get readers and build up an audience, it will take time to learn and it will take time to get used to. Just keep it up and you will get there.

Q:Where do you see your blog in 5 years?
A: In five years I see my blog as I see it now. I write for myself, I write because I love it and because it gives me a lot. I can never forget that. If the day comes where I stop doing it for myself I will stop. I hope that others like it too and wants to read it, that I can live off it someday, but that's not why I'm doing it.

Q:What do you want your readers to take from your blog?
A: I want my readers to see me through my blog. I never post anything without personality. I do however want my readers to realize that my blog is not all of me. I don't share everything. I hope my readers find some motivation, some joy, some thoughts or just a good laugh from it. That what I share means something to someone. I have done amazing things, I have proven so much to myself by leaving everything behind and starting a new life. I want my readers to believe that they can make a change, that it's not scary to start over and that even through hard times there is also good.

Q:Do you have any other social media sites?
A: I have Instagram: camillasorum, Twitter: camilla_sorum, Tumblr: camillasorum, and a public page on Facebook: Camilla Sorum Blogger. I can be contacted through any of them.

Again, you should really check out her blog, here if you want another great blog to read. Thanks again, Camilla!

<3 Amanda 

July 21st-National Junk Food Day

(https://www.pinterest.com/pin/488781365781972209/)

Did you know that today is National Junk Food day?  I won't lie, I like junk food but you cannot have too much as you need a balance in the foods you eat.  I wanted to know which junk foods were more popular than others so I did some research. To be honest, I wasn't surprised with the brands that were popular.  According to Eric Vilas-Boas (Vilas-Boas, E., 2012),the popular brands were:

1. Ritz
2. Lay's
3. Doritos
4. Fritos
5. Orville Redenbacher
6. Wheat Thins
7. Tostitos
8. Cheetos
9. Pringles
10. Triscuit

In my opinion, a few of these aren't so bad than the others.  The healthier snacks above are Ritz, Wheat Thins and Triscuits.  I have noticed a similarity among the 10 snacks and that they all either have a box or a bag that is easy to hold onto. Before I did some research, I thought Chips Ahoys and Nabisco (Oreos) would be a popular junk food brand. My favorite junk food would probably be Ritz crackers, Oreos, Goldfish and candy to name a few off the top of my head.

What junk foods are your favorite? Leave them in the comments below!

Reference:

Vilas-Boas, E. (2012). And the Top 10 Snack Brands in America Are... Retrieved July 21, 2016, from http://www.esquire.com/food-drink/food/a15934/top-junk-food-brands-092412/


<3 Amanda 

My Top Favorites School Supplies

I'm no longer in a grade that needs school supplies,but I am in online college so I need a few school supplies. When I was younger, I looked forward to the fall time because it might back to school and school supplies!! I have some favorite school supplies that I loved and some things that helped me (when I was in school and now).

Paper Mate Mechanical Pencils

• Paper Mate Mechanical Pencils-  Something about these makes my penmanship more better and I liked the grip of them better than regular mechanical pencils or regular pencils.

Paper Mate Flair Pens

• Paper Mate Flair M Pens- They also make my penmanship look nice, I think due to the fine point. They also are nice to have for proofreading and revising.
• A planner- You normally get a planner (or agenda) in school but in college, a planner is really helpful and nice to have as you can write don what you have to get completed in each class.
• Index cards- Very helpful to study vocabulary or terms you need to know.
• Highlighters/colored pens-  I'm a visual person so it's nice to have things colored coded sometimes so I can study better,

What are your top school supplies? Leave them down below.

<3 Amanda 

Which Singer Would You Meet?

(http://www.soundslikenashville.com/news/robin-roberts-special-to-feature-country-music-artists/)

I think questions like this are fun to answer. If I had the chance to meet a singer, who would I meet?Whenever I think about this question, two names always comes to my mind and they Martina McBride and Carrie Underwood. After hearing those names,you can probably guess that my favorite genre of music and you'd be correct. Growing up, my parents mostly listened to country music and that is how I started listening to Martina McBride. Fun fact, my first concert was a Martina McBride's Christmas concert. She is my top favorite singer. 

I first was introduced to Carrie Underwood when I saw her auditioning for American Idol on TV. I liked her and thought she was a really good singer but I liked her more when she said that she liked Martina McBride. I voted for her every week and when she won and became the next American Idol, I won't lie I was tearing up.

If you could meet any singer, who would you choose?

<3 Amanda 

10 Tips For Starting High School

(https://tentotwenty.com/from-middle-school-to-high-school-a-small-step-a-giant-leap/)

It's almost back to school time and I thought I would give you guys 10 tips on starting high school.  High school is a big transition for some people. You begin at a small elementary school then move onto middle school which is a larger building and then end at a bigger building for high school.

1. Be yourself! Peer pressure is a big thing in high school.If you don't want to try out for a sport but your friends want you to, then don't. You should be involved in sports and other activities only if you want to and enjoy it. This also goes for peer pressure when your friends try to make you start smoking and etc. Say No and just walk away. If they continue to peer pressure you, you should think about if they are true friends and if you should remain friends with them.
2. My second tip goes along with the last part of tip #1, and that's is that your friend group will change. In my experience, I had 2 really close friends pretty much my whole middle school years and when we got into high school near the end of the year, I kind of drifted away from them. I'm not really sure what happened, I don't think we had a fight but then again,sometimes people just change.
3. Do your homework. Some teachers might let you turn it in late but most often teachers won't.It's just easier to get it turned in when it's due.
4. When you have knowledge of an essay that you have to write, get started on it as soon as you can so you can have enough time to add to it and revise it.
5. When you have a test or a quiz,study,study,study!! If you don't understand something completely, ask a classmate who understands it to explain it to you or ask your teacher. 
6. Don't skip or play hooky because you will just have more homework to do the next night or if you get caught, you might get suspended. 
7. Highlighters and different color pens are great tools for note taking.
8. Use flashcards (index cards) for studying vocabulary words or terms you need to know for a test. Once you know the definition of the word or term, put it in a separate pile so you know that you already know those words and can focus on the ones you don't. 
9. Use a planner!!! A tip I have for planners is to use a different colored pen for each class and use that pen to write your homework or test date in your planner. Once you're done with the homework, you can just highlight it or put a little check by it so you can see that you completed your homework.
10. My last tip is to not rush these four years because they actually go by really fast. This school year marks the 8th year I have been out of high school and sometimes I miss it because it was so much easier back then.

<3 Amanda