Hello Summer! ~ Five of My Favorite Things About Summer

Happy Father’s Day, everybody! As you’re reading this, I am probably packing furiously for music camp tomorrow. (I’m so excited, because I get to spend a week at camp with my cousin!!)

But, besides being a day to celebrate fathers, grandfathers, and uncles, it’s also the first day of summer! Woop-woop!

To be fair, I live in the South, so it’s been summer since March, but it’s the thought that counts!

Today, I am going to be covering five of my favorite things about summer! So let’s jump in!

5. Swimming

There’s nothing quite like being immersed in water and waggling your arms and legs around until you’re so hungry, you could eat a whole pig. I love swimming! We’ve already been to the pool around three or four times this summer (although I only went once because reasons), and I remembered why it’s not higher on my list. My ears are freaking water magnets. If I go underwater once, there is water stuck in my ear for a week or longer. It’s kind of annoying.

And no! Don’t go down to the comments like, “Mia, you could just wear ear plugs when you go swimming. Problem solved!” Ear plugs hurt my ears like no other.

Okay anyways. Next!

4. Vacations

We used to go to the beach every summer with my dad’s side of the family and it was a blast! The last time we went was when I was eight or nine, and we haven’t been there since. Of course, it’s hard (not to mention expensive!) to go to the beach with eight kids, so that’s understandable.

Another thing we do is go camping up in the mountains! With my dad’s side of the family!! XD We’ve been to Cloudland Canyon, High Falls, and Fort Mountain. (Fun fact: Fort Mountain was where I lost my first tooth, caught my first butterfly, and saw my first [and only] bear! No seriously, a bear walked through our camp.) And it seems that, every time we go camping, my mom is pregnant. We always joke that we can’t go camping unless she’s pregnant XD

Last year, since we were in the midst of COVID, we weren’t really able to do anything. But, Dad surprised us one day with a trip to his sister’s house, so we spent a day with cousins and had a good time!

3. Writing and Song-Writing

Since it’s summer, I always have a lot of free time (after June. June is always busy.), so I use that free time to work on my novel(s), play scripts, and, now, blog posts! I also write songs, since I always seem to have more inspiration in the summer.

2. No School

I don’t think this one needs any explanation.

1. Drama Camp

I. Love. Drama Camp. So. Much!! It was started in 2019 by on of our co-op friends, Linda. (That’s not her real name. I changed it because privacy.) The arts council agreed to give her a chance at directing a show for kids, and she texted my mom about it, since we’d participated in a Drama Club she’d offered for a few weeks. We were so excited! We signed up immediately. I have never had so much fun in my entire life. Throughout the whole month of June, 27 kids, ranging from ages 6 to 18, put on a production of Into the Woods, Jr.!

(I played “Little” Red Ridinghood, if you were curious.)

They weren’t able to do it last year because COVID, but this year, it returned with a production of Godspell, Jr.! We just finished the second week of rehearsals, and I am, unfortunately, going to miss the entire third week, because I have music camp. And the third week is choreography week. And I have to learn all the choreography during tech week. Thankfully, I have friends who will show me where to go.

(If anyone is curious, I sing the “All Good Gifts” solo, one of the “Light of the World” solos, and a solo that the directors added in “Finale”. I also play the Shy Child, one of the Masters, and a goat.)

I absolutely love Drama Camp, and it helped me finally figure out what I want to do when I grow up! Be a carpenter!

Just kidding! I want to do musical theater when I grow up.

I’m excited for our show in a couple of weeks, and I can’t wait to see how it goes! And I may or may not be planning a very special post after it’s all over……😁

So yeah, those are my top five favorite things about summer! I’m so excited to find out what other fun activities we’ll do in the next couple of months! What are some of your favorite things about summer?

Thanks for reading!

Hello Spring!: Five of My Favorite Things About Spring

Those are some of the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen in my life.

Today is the first day of spring and I am so happy! Spring is my second favorite season after winter, but there are several things that I love about it that you can’t find in winter. So, let’s jump right in!

5. Swimming Season

I don’t know about everyone else, but my family is usually swimming by May. (And I have some friends who start getting in the pool in March. Brrrr!!) To be honest, there really isn’t a spring in the South. The order is autumn, autumn, summer, winter, autumn, winter, summer. With about a week of spring in there somewhere.

I love swimming, although my ears are water magnets. I think this year I’ll probably end up sitting on the side of the pool with the camera (and by camera, I mean camera) because I can’t stand having water in my ears, and ear plugs hurt. And I don’t have a swimsuit.

4. Mornings

Spring mornings feel like HEAVEN out here. If you go outside around 7:00, the air is cool, but not cold, and moist, but not soggy (can air be soggy?), and it just feels absolutely amazing. Of course, that feel doesn’t last for long, so I have to enjoy it whenever I happen to wake up early enough.

I remember once, several years ago, I wanted to play outside with my sisters, and my mom was telling me to do school. She said, “You can play outside later!” and I was like, “But it won’t be morning forever!” and she stared at me for a second and said, “Okay, go play.” and I was so surprised I won that fight. But, I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I’m pretty sure I did good on my school after that.

So yeah, spring mornings are powerful enough to win arguments. *nods*

3. Spring Break

Anything that allows me to get away from school is A-OK on my list.

2. Flowers

The amount of colors that pop up in our yard is breathtaking. The previous owner of this house (aka my grandmother 😄) planted several flowers that come back year after year! Flowers like daffodils, jonquils, irises, tiger lilies, Easter lilies, rose bushes, and more! The daffodils are already coming up and soon, they’ll turn yellow and blanket the yard. And by yard, I mean four or five places that slowly grow bigger every year XD

1. Baby Animals

This is, by far, the best part of spring. Of course, not all baby animals are born in spring, but a lot of them are. At least three of our cats are pregnant, our goats have already had their babies and you can see pictures here, and other animals that belong to my friends are going to be born soon and WHO ON EARTH DOESN’T LOVE BABY ANIMALSSSSSS?!?!?! They’re soooo cute!

And those are my top five favorite things about spring! What are some of your favorites?

Thanks for reading!

My Five Favorite Broadway Musicals ~ In Which I Forget What Les Miz is About

Broadway.

One of the most prestigious theaters in the world.

I recently became obsessed with Broadway, and I’ve listened to a boatload of musicals. However, there is the choice few that manage to make it to the top of my list. In this post, I’m going to name five Broadway musicals that I love, the reasons why I like them, and what character I would want to play if I ever got the chance to perform in that musical.

So, without further ado, let’s get started!

1. Hamilton

Hamilton was written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who also played the title character in the original production. The musical is about the life and times of American founding father Alexander Hamilton. The first act illustrates the Revolutionary War and the second act illustrates Hamilton’s rise and fall in the Presidential Cabinet.

Even though this is one of my favorite musicals, I wouldn’t recommend listening to it, as there are several situations where they swear really badly, and some sexual mentions.

Reasons For Liking It

The music is SPOT ON. SPOT ON. Plus, the raps are so quick, perfect, synchronized, rhyming…..I could go all day. Plus, the character development in all the characters is really good!

Who Would I Audition For?

If given the opportunity, I would audition for either Eliza or Angelica. I love both of their characters and songs, and I feel like they would be so much fun to play!

2. Dear Evan Hansen

Dear Evan Hansen was written by Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul. It’s about a highschooler named Evan Hansen who is having a hard time in life. He doesn’t have any friends at school, and most people treat him like he’s invisible. His therapist tells him to write letters to himself, describing all the things that are going to make the day great. Most of the time, the letters talk about Evan’s crush, Zoe. Evan tries to make friends with Zoe’s brother, Connor, but Connor finds one of Evan’s letters and thinks that Evan is making fun of him. Connor takes the letter, and a few days later, he’s found dead with Evan’s letter in his pocket. Connor’s parents try to get to the bottom of the note, and Evan lies and says that he and Connor were great friends, emailing from a secret email account. Evan is visited by Connor’s ghost, who tells him that “no one deserves to be forgotten.” Evan, along with two family friends, starts a charity called “The Connor Project”, which tells people that they are worth something. The Connor Project goes viral, and Evan’s lies start to get harder and harder to handle. Before long, everything spirals out of control, and Evan is left feeling alone and broken. However, by the end of the musical, Evan has made a strong connection with all the important people in his life, and the story ends on a happy note.

There’s only a little bit of minor swearing sprinkled into a couple of songs, and most of the songs are uplifting and encouraging!

Reasons For Liking It

The writers took special care to present anxiety and depression in ways that aren’t triggering to the vast majority of people. The music is fantastic (The composers, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul wrote the soundtrack for The Greatest Showman), and some of the songs (You Will Be Found, Disappear, Waving Through a Window) are so much fun to sing, and they bring tears to my eyes every time.

Who Would I Audition For?

Zoe. I love her. She’s so strong and sweet, and she’s one of two female characters that aren’t adults.

3. Waitress

I don’t know much about this musical, since I’ve only listened to it once, but the music was beautiful, which really grabbed my attention. Waitress is about a waitress named Jenna, who is in an abusive marriage. She gets pregnant against her will, and the three main characters spiral through several emotions before the musical’s close. At the end of the musical, Jenna has gotten out of her marriage, and has a happy, healthy baby girl.

Reasons For Liking It

I don’t like the storyline that much, and I definitely don’t like the characters, but the music was the reason I fell in love with this musical. The tunes are pretty, and the lyrics are weird in some places, but I really love the instrumentals!

Who Would I Audition For?

I don’t know. Jenna? Like I said, I don’t really like these characters that much.

4. Aladdin

Aladdin is a Disney movie that was remade into a Broadway musical. The musical follows almost the exact same storyline as the movie but it includes a couple of deleted characters, scenes, and songs. Also, one thing I really noticed was that the original version and the Junior version were vastly different. *shrugs*

Reasons For Liking It

It’s Aladdin!!

Who Would I Audition For?

I think the answer is obvious…..Jasmine!

5. Les Miserables

Les Miserables is confusing, even after reading the Wikipedia article, so I’ll do my best here. There’s this woman whose daughter, Cosette, is under the guardianship of the owner of an inn and his wife. The woman dies while trying to earn some extra money. Cosette grows up and meets a handsome guy named Marius while out getting water. The guy’s old girlfriend, Eponine, gets jealous and then dies somewhere in the musical. Marius and Cosette get married and everyone who didn’t die lives happily ever after.

That’s accurate enough.

Reasons For Liking It

Literally every person I’ve met who likes musicals likes this one. Even my dad, and he’s not that big of a Broadway fan. When I listened to it for the first time, I didn’t think I’d like it that much, but I fell in love with it! The music is pretty, even though it isn’t as contemporary as some of the other musicals on this list, and it’s repetitive, like musicals should be.

Plus, the story is pretty great.

Who Would I Audition For?

Probably Eponine. Or Cosette. Or both.

I hope you guys enjoyed this list of random musicals! It was fun to write, and now I’ve made myself want to listen to them again XD

What are your favorite musicals? (POTO is going to be a popular answer, I can smell it) What do you think of the musicals on my list?

Thanks for reading!

Hello Winter!: Five of My Favorite Things About Winter ~ In Which I Count Down to One Yet Again

It’s the first day of winter, and I’m so happy! Winter has recently been appointed as my favorite season, and I’m so excited this year!

In celebration of this fabulous season, I’m going to name five of my favorite things about winter! (Also, yes, I know it’s another list. That’s just how it’s worked out this month. I promise that next month will have more variety!)

5. Sweaters and Socks

Who doesn’t love curling up on the couch in a comfy sweater three sizes too big, and three mis-matched pairs of socks? Or is that just me?

I live in the South, so it doesn’t always get very cold, but that doesn’t stop me from wearing warm clothes! Also, it’s been a lot colder this year. Not sure why.

4. Blankets

Isn’t it fun just curling up in bed with three blankets and fifty pillows? Well, I only sleep with two pillows, but blankets are gold. No matter how warm my pajamas are, I always need an extra-thick blanket to snuggle under. And mornings are torture, when you have to face the frosty air!

I’d much rather just hibernate. It’s definitely warmer.

3. Frost

Not just the frost in the grass (which is about all we get down here in the South), but also the frost on the doors and windows. Does anyone else draw fabulous self-portraits that are promptly destroyed by your younger siblings? No? Guess it’s just me, then.

But, of course, frost in the grass makes for some beautiful scenery, and it’s fun to look at where you walked. Footprints in the frost!!

2. Snow

Like I said, we don’t get much snow down here in the South, but the snow is always very welcome when it does decide to stop by. Unfortunately, the last time we got snow was in 2018, and it was barely an inch, but hey, you take what you can get.

Maybe we should all sign a petition. #SnowintheSouth!!

1. Christmas!

Christmas is, hands-down, the best holiday ever! The music, the fellowship, the food, the presents….it’s all so wonderful! Plus, it’s like your birthday and a mini summer vacation all rolled into one!

So, what do you guys think of my list? What are some of your favorite things about Winter?

Until next time!

Mia

Why 2020 Was the Best Year For Me

I know that, for most of us, 2020 has been crap. Too many crises and not enough time, am I right? I know a lot of people who are so ready for life to get back to normal again. Don’t get me wrong, I’m ready for everything to get normal again too. However, 2020 has been the absolute best year I’ve ever experienced. Crazy, right?

Here are the reasons that 2020, the year that everyone hates, has been the best year of my life.

1. I was home more.

If you didn’t know, I’m homeschooled, which meant that I already had plenty of time at home. Still, there were several activities that we had to go to. Church, Wednesday night Bible Study, piano lessons, and the like. However, after COVID started, all those activities slowed down. I’ve had more time to spend at home with my family, and, hey, that’s always great!

2. My sister started horse riding lessons.

This has been a great one for the whole family! My sister is absolutely obsessed with horses, and riding lessons have been a dream for her for a long time. She was gifted with the opportunity during Christmas 2019, but there really wasn’t a chance to go until May the next year. The horse farm that we went to was the most wonderful place in the world. The horses were sweet and the other animals roaming around were fun, too. Sadly, that particular farm is not open anymore, but I’m still thankful for the time that we spent there.

3. I turned fifteen.

It doesn’t matter that my Dad got COVID on my birthday, it was still the best one I’ve ever had. The gifts I received were amazing, and I got my learner’s permit! I went on a shopping spree, ate pizza….it was just an all-around great birthday! I doubt my Sweet Sixteen can top this one! Ha!

4. I learned to drive.

Like I mentioned, I got my learner’s permit. Driving is so much fun, if a little nerve-wracking. Never mind that I almost crashed into a church. I can’t wait to get my license and start driving for real!

5. I joined YDubs.

If you don’t know what YDubs is, it’s a writer’s website built to help young writers blossom in their journey to getting published. I joined towards the end of May, and the friendships I’ve made have been incredible. I’ve made so many connections and learned so much over the past six months, that it’s hard to imagine my life without it!

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So, there we are! My list of the things that made 2020 great for me. I could easily go on and on — there’s been so many things that have happened this year — but, I think I’ll stop here.

If 2020 was a bad year for you, I totally get that. It started out awful for me at the beginning, but I get the feeling that it’s going to close out as the best year of my entire life! So far, anyways. Who knows? Christmas is right around the corner!