Scrapbooking

One of my favorite things to do is to scrapbook! I've made over 25 scrapbooks over the past few years. I love going and buying albums, stickers, paper, etc. Although, it does get a little expensive so I have to watch what I spend. I have a special shelf in my closet that I put all the scrapbooks that I've made on. I've spent countless hours working on them. Instead of putting all my pictures in photo albums, I'll just make a scrapbook and personalize all of them. Last week I made a scrapbook for my boyfriend, with all the pictures that we have taken over the past year and a half that we've been together. I will treasure all the scrapbooks that I've made forever!

How could anyone be so stupid??

I've lost my two closest friends because of someone else who decided to just be so stupid and drink & drive. This is one thing I won't ever tolerate. I've suffered heartbreak, depression, social anxiety, and tons of sad emotions since I lost them. I know people who drink & drive and I've told them many times what I think about them. I don't find anything amusing about loosing a friend, and watching someone else get hurt, because it seems like it's always the drunk driver that comes out of the accident okay. After 5 years, the drunk driver who killed my cousin/best friend is still in jail today, and has many more years to serve. I don't see how anyone could be so stupid to do something like that. I want to ask everyone who reads this please don't drive and drive or ride with a drunk driver. It's not a thrill anymore after someone gets seriously hurt or killed.

4-H Exchange Trip-2007

During my sophomore year of high school, a girl came from Colorado came to stay at my house for a week and tour some of the main attractions in Kentucky. Last summer my mom & I traveled to Colorado to stay with her family for a week to learn more about her state. It was such a great experience, and a nice opportunity to travel cheap. While we were there we visited a few dairy farms, museums, some nice parks, and ate at some old resturants. Flying halfway across the country seemed like it lasted forever, when when we arrived there the trip was well worth the wait. One day they drove us to Wyoming to visit the Terry Bison Ranch, which was very neat. It's amazing how different Kentucky is from Colorado. Their state is flat, the climate is very dry, and they have mountains all around them. We also went up to Estes Park at the top of the Rocky Mountains, which was very interesting. While we were there we took a bus up and rafted back down the mountain. It was a very exciting trip!

Choosing my college

Size, location, & the type of programs offered are the three things that I researched before I made my college choice. Saint Catharine College is very small, close to home, and I've heard their nursing program is excellent. So far with my tours, orientation, and my first class, I've been very pleased and impressed. When I go to class, I feel right at home. My classes won't be hard to find because it's such a small college. I plan to be attending SCC for two and a half, maybe more years. Enrolling in the nursing program will be very challenging but I'm going to study hard, and do the best that I can to get my degree and be successful when I graduate. Saint Catharine College was the perfect college choice for me.

Going frog gigging

Last summer was my first time ever going frog gigging, I loved it! My dad took two of my Colorado friends and me two summers ago. When we got in the field I was very confused about what I was suppose to be doing. He made us hold the bag to put the frogs in, while him and my other friend went out by the pond and gigged the frogs. The first frog he put in the bag started jumping around, so we screamed and dropped the bag. We laughed so hard that night. Then when we were all finished catching the frogs, we went back to my house, cleaned all the frogs, and then we made frog legs. They were great! My first time frog gigging was a little rough, but it turned into a great memory for all of us. The reason I wrote this blog today was because I'm going frog gigging for the second time tonight with some of my friends. Wish me luck everyone!!

Pray for him

Today, I am praying for a special friend of mine who was put into critical condition. Justin Hatchett was working in hay yesterday morning, when his tractor rolled over on top of him. He was rushed by ambulance to the emergency room, he had alot of internal bleeding but they finally got it all stopped. He's scheduled to have surgery tomorrow if all goes well. Justin graduated high school with me about two weeks ago. He's a really great person, who has set alot of goals for himself in the future. I'm praying for him and I want to ask everyone else who reads this to pray for him too.

Participant # 5

The summer before my senior year, I enrolled myself in the Washington County Junior Miss Program. Junior Miss has been around for about 42 years, and most high school girls have the opportunity to compete in it. We had to compete in the following areas: talent, self-expression, interview, scholastic, and fitness. I first had to think of a talent, so I decided to dance to "Old time rock & roll." I had so much fun making up my dance routine, ordering my costume, and picking out what music I wanted to dance to. 2:30 on the afternoon of June 9th, 2007, I waited nervously until I went for my interview. It went well, and I was ready to perform the rest on stage. After 4 months of practice, and getting prepared for the big day, this was it and I was ready to go. Of course, I was very nervous but I was ready to get on stage where all the attention would be on me. My family was so proud of me, and I had tons of flowers, cards, and good luck gifts. The audience clapped for me, and I finally heard my name come over the intercom and it was my turn to dance. "Next is participant # 5 Abby Smith performing an original rock and roll dance routine to "Old time rock & roll." I was full of smiles, and ready to perform the dance that I worked so hard on. Before I knew it, the program was over, and all the stress was finished with. Jr.miss was a great experience and I would definitely recommend it to any girl.

Celebrating how special they are

My family is big about celebrating birthdays. Every year for Logan or Andrew's birthday we've always had a theme. A few of the past themes we've had were John Deere, Barney, The Dukes of Hazzard, Cowboys, etc. It's so cute how they know that their birthday is their special day. We always do everything we can to make them feel so important. Even at Christmas, my sister, brother and I will open our gifts and when we are finished, we'll watch the little ones open theirs and take alot of picutres. During the summer, we go to the pool, play outside, go for walks, and go on vacation. Two years ago we all went to Flordia, they loved the ocean and of course they were facinated when they saw Mickey Mouse. These are just some of the ways that we celebrate to show them how special they are to us.

Three little blessings

Growing up was somewhat hard for me. I lost three of my best friends in car accidents, and it seemed like after they were gone I was left here to struggle through all the changes and emotions. Have you ever heard the saying, "Something good always comes from something bad?" I have come to find that is true. After loosing three amazing friends, I was blessed by three little boys. Two belong to my sister and one belongs to my brother. Logan, Andrew, and Jon-Tate have turned my life around and changed it for nothing but the good. There is nothing better than seeing their cute little smiles, hearing them giggle, and watching them as they grow up so quick. I spend every chance I get with them. I named my blog after them because my dad always calls them "the duke boys." They love watching The Dukes of Hazzard and even playing with the 01 car themselves. They love being outdoors, swimming, watching movies, playing cars & tractors, and fishing. There's nothing like my ol' duke boys!