Rainy Day Thoughts.

Just a few of my favorite things in a picture. 

I'm guilty for not keeping up with this blog, which is something that I would like to improve on because it's actually fun to just write your thoughts out for the world to see. Who knows, maybe my future boyfriend could be reading this. Anyhow, my creative juices were flowing today with ideas and aspirations, or just a few of my favorite things. Thinking about it makes me want to go out and accomplish the impossible. Here's to new experiences, kick-butt memories, and taking on the world!

-Rachel

My Mini Family Road Trip

A few weeks ago, my dad had this genius idea of going on a trip with my brother for as his graduation present. That trip turned into a family vacation with another family to New Orleans and South Padre Island. We left for 5 days last week to enjoy the various sights of the few cities we were in.


Unfortunately, I didn't get to spend as much time in New Orleans as I had hoped, but I really enjoyed going to the French Quarter and walking around the Riverwalk at night!
P.S. I also forgot to try beignets! :O

 My family and I ate dinner at Cafe Pontalba. It was one of the restaurants at the end of the street that overlooked a park and the St. Louis Cathedral. The view almost made me think as if I were in a cafe in Paris. (It was probably the windows)

 The food there was quite delicious! I tried gumbo for the very first time while I was there; a tad spicy, but delicious! I ordered the Shrimp Orleans which had this rich cajun sauce that almost tasted coconutty, but either way, it was a delight! 

 Oh how much I love bokeh pictures... 

My family and I only spend one night in New Orleans and decided to drive all the way back to Texas and make a pit stop in Houston. I didn't really do a whole lot while I was there, so there aren't really many pictures of my time there. The following day, we drove the rest of the way down to South Padre Island. This is the highlight of the trip.

 Since we got to spend an extra day in South Padre Island, my brother suggested that we went on a dolphin tour to see dolphins. I definitely got excited because dolphins are my all-time favorite animals and I think they're absolutely adorable!

 On the dolphin tour that I went to, they promoted ecotourism and dredged for different sea creatures for all the observers to see. I was fascinated with all the various sea creatures, especially the sting ray that was caught. (I'm holding a manta ray by the way.. I forgot exactly the exact name.)

 I didn't get to see a whole lot of the dolphins' faces, but I was still happy I got to see them! :) 

I just decided to put these in because I really tried to wake up as early as possible so I could witness the sunrise. Having it across the ocean just made it even more beautiful and very picture-esque. I definitely treasure the views like these. 

Although the vacation I had was quite short, I still enjoyed every minute of it! Hopefully there will be more wonderful adventures to embark on. Until then, hasta luego! (See you later) 

-Rachel

P.S. Still trying to figure out how to scale the pictures.. 

Think Happy Thoughts.

I apologize for the lack of posts. Things have been a little hectic, but that can be saved for another post.

I came across this picture on Pinterest the other day (which I just realized that I had used in the last post). I immediately had to pin it probably because the way that it looked, and I like reading quotes. As I was pondering on this quote, I realized that I myself hadn't been thinking this way. As happy as I was, I tend to have a pessimistic mindset, doubting myself and seeing the worst out of situations. I will admit it is something that I still struggle with, but with time, I will improve. Being the pessimist myself, it's been a struggle at times to think positively. With all the tragedies and difficulties of life, it's hard not to think of all the horrible things going on around us. It's sad to think that the world isn't always a happy place.
It is very difficult for me to succumb to change; In fact, I don't think many people like change. In order for me to move forward, I have to change my mindset, and the way that I have been thinking. It's not easy to forget the pain and all the horrible things that have happened to me, but it's made me a stronger person. Life is full of lessons to teach and there's so much to look forward to. Being positive is just a stepping stone.

Honestly, I don't like sharing things that are very personal on the Internet, but I felt like this is something that I had to get out there. I don't know how many people I can influence or help, but I want to try to change myself and push myself to become better than the person I was yesterday. I'm striving to improve my lifestyle. It's scary, but like MLK Jr. says, "Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase."

-Rachel

So Many Things to be Thankful For...

I apologize for the lack of posts. Last week has seriously been, in my opinion, one of the most stressful weeks I've had in a while. As I reflect back on the week and on a recent Target trip with my dad, it really hit me how much I've been blessed over these years and even now.

Even through the toughest times, there is still something good to find in every day.


I am thankful for my wonderful family. Although like any family we fight and bicker, I still love them with all my heart.

We have been through so much, but I'm glad that we still have stuck together and have had a few good laughs. Although mom is not currently in any of these photos due to the fact that she is out of the country, I love my mom. I thank her for her guidance and how much she has sacrificed for me. I thank my dad for being the person who keeps our family together, provides for my siblings and I, and tries to make the best of a bad situation. I thank my brother for being in my life for my entire life, and trying your best to help others. Your love for music, your intelligence, and your heart for others will take you so far in life. And to my sister, I am thankful for her craziness and talent for art (she drew the castle in the background by the way). She definitely has great things coming her way if she keeps working hard!

I am BEYOND thankful for my amazing friends. I use to tell myself how lonely I was, but not to realize all the amazing people that have stood behind me and supported me when I needed them most. They are such patient and loving people, and I seriously look up to these people. They are literally like family to me, and put up with my absolute craziness. There could be so many ways I show my thanks and love for them, but it's hard to say it entirely in words; I do them with my actions. I wish I could say something about all the friends that I have posted pictures of, but I think I will be redundant and probably bore people... Anyhow, these people have become huge blessings in my life. Here's to many more years of friendship! :) Love you guys to the moon and back! 

P.S. I probably have more pictures of some other friends somewhere, but I'm kinda too lazy to find them.. Haha

I am also thankful for having a creative mind and finding the beauty in the little things. I have always been an artsy person: doodling, doing arts and crafts, and taking pictures. I'm grateful to have these talents and I hope I can use them for good in the future. There's so much for me to learn, but I'm continuing to grow and find inspiration! 

I somehow don't have a home at the moment, but I am thankful for the shelter, food, and belongings that have been provided for me. I understand that not everyone is privileged like me, and while I admit that I can be selfish at times, I am still that I am still healthy, alive, and cared for. 

I am thankful for bad days and bad experiences. It's true that I get haunted by my horrible decisions and days when everything went wrong. It pushes me to become a better person, learn from my mistakes, and move on. I have learned this the hard way because I tend to take everything way to seriously, and make everything worse than it actually should. As Ralph Waldo Emerson says, "Don't be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams." In the end, everything will be okay and will make perfect sense, so just let them be (I just hope I follow everything that I have said). 

I am most of all thankful for an all-knowing, and wonderful Savior. It's kinda weird saying it aloud, but I'm not afraid of saying it. He has blessed me more than I can imagine, and provided nothing, but the best for me. I still have a lot to learn, but I'm still trying, and he reveals himself in the most mysterious, but amazing ways. I hope to continue growing in Him, and be a light to others! 

There's still so much to be thankful for, but for now, this is what I will leave with. Always treasure the people that have loved and cared about you, and for everything that has been provided, or has happened to you in life. It makes you a stronger person, and pushes you to keep trying, and also don't forget to smile, because as Marilyn Monroe says, "Keep smiling, because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about." 

My Week in a Nutshell

Well, things have been a little hectic since it is the last week of school for me! I can finally say that I have survived junior year! I have made some wonderful friends and memories, along with experiences that I will be taking with me throughout life. I can't believe that I'm officially a senior now.. It was only yesterday that I felt that I was starting kindergarten. I have definitely been blessed!!

Anyhow, some pictures to go along with my hectic week! :)

1. Graduation parties! I still have some more to attend. It's going to be bittersweet. 

2. I think I have heard this quote before, and I feel that this is so  important in finding a guy. Right now, I'm not looking for one, it's just something to keep in mind. ;)

3. My home girl, Jenny. I'm really going to miss her when she goes off to Cali next year. Hopefully, we will be making some pretty LEGEN-wait for it-DARY memories this summer! (For all you How I Met Your Mother fans) Thanks for all that you have done for me this year! 

4. This is my English teacher, Ms. Guerrero. She is one of the strongest, sweetest, and most beautiful people I have known. She has always been welcoming and put up with my weirdness this year. I will admit that English is not my favorite subject, but she has made it all the better! She has made my junior year tons better and helped me so much this year. I have been really lucky to have a wonderful teacher like her who always cares about her students and always finding any way to help. I love her a lot! :) 

5. Finally, my brother has paid me back with Starbucks. Green Tea Lemonade for the win! 

6. I mean, no post can go without my love for food.. And tiramisu. Honestly, I always get really excited every time I'm about to have some. It's to die for!

All in all, this week has been pretty crazy, and at times stressful, but I'm thankful to have survived this week! I just have to tackle this ACT, and then I'm going to have myself a wonderful summer! :) 

-Rachel

Let Me Clarify Myself...

Before people get concerned about why I'm stealing a famous person's name, I would like to say that my name is spell with an "EL" instead of "AEL." I got the nickname of Rachel Ray from a close friend of mine who knows I have a secret love of food and baking.

So who is this Rachel Ray?
Well, it's obvious that my name is Rachel. 

I am a person who like a lot of things. I could go on for quite some time, but I don't think it really matters at the moment, but anyhow, a little bit more about me... 

I am the second out of three children in my family. The oldest one is to my right, Samuel, who is a year and four days apart from me. I also have a younger sister, Esther, but apparently, she's too cool for this picture.

I enjoy drinking tea, especially the Starbucks Passion Iced Tea Lemonade. I prefer to drink tea more than coffee. I'm sorry if I have already offended the coffee lovers out there... Unfortunately, there's still people out there who can't spell my name. Sad life.

Next year, I will be on my high school's drill team. It'll be a new and exciting journey for me, and I'm looking forward to it! 

I have a huge knack for photography, and flowers. I currently have a Nikon D5100, and I love it! Nikon users for the win!

I also like flowers. I know that some do not enjoy them because they die easily, but it doesn't matter to me. They are such beautiful creations and it brightens my day whenever I see them (cough cough to my future nonexistent boyfriend that is out there...). 

Oh, and let's not forget why I got my nickname, but it's an understatement to say that I love food. I wouldn't consider myself an experienced foodie, but I'm still working on it, venturing out of my comfort zone and trying different kinds of food; I especially like desserts. I recently made some kick-butt peach cobbler with my brother, but that can be written another day... 

I have always enjoyed reading blogs and getting fun little glimpses of other peoples' lives (in a non-creepy way) and learning new and creative ideas to do. There's so much to learn about me, but I think you will as I start posting more. I don't know where this will go entirely, but it will most certainly be documenting my life in a nutshell. I hope that you continue to check out my blog in the future times to come! 

-Rachel