For me, music has always been a huge part of my life. My main passion. No, I'm not talking about the stuff that you hear on the radio these days. I'm talking about good ol' classical and instrumental music. Singing. Band instruments. Orchestra instruments. Yeah. That stuff.
From a young age, I knew I wanted to play the french horn and the cello. Oh, how badly I wanted to. In 6th grade, I signed up for trumpet. In the middle of 7th grade, my wish came true to play french horn. My senior year, I took private lessons and signed up for orchestra, but for viola instead of cello. Cue in world's smallest violin.
I signed up for choir and never looked back. I was in select choirs, show choir, Women's choirs, ensemble contest, and even was good enough to make the Iowa All-State choir my senior year. heck, I even did a year of college choir and landed a solo.
They say that if you play some sort of instrument, you have a better IQ and tend to do better in school. I don't know about that whole IQ thing, but I was still average in school. Bubble bursted. But I digress. Maybe I did better than I would've without the music trifecta. I do know that high school and middle school wouldn't be as wonderful for me if I decided not to play instead.
A lot of my classmates decoded not to join music until later in their career and deeply regretted not joining sooner. Seriously though, learning music is one of the greatest joy and best escapes. I don't know where I'd be today without playing and performing.
Even today, I still want to learn. At this point, I can sing, play the trumpet, french horn, mellophone, and viola. I'm teaching myself piano as we speak. I'm learning guitar when I can. I'm obsessed with learning how to play my ukelele. After I graduate, one of my presents I want to give myself is a cello. Mark my words, I will be a fantastic cellist someday.
At 21 years old, I still want to do things like this and learn things that I've always wanted to learn. Heck, my cute, little grandma is slowly learning how to play piano, too. Moral of this rambly story, it's never to late to learn. It's never too late to pursue a passion. It's never too late to learn a new coping mechanism and escape. Whether it be knitting, a sport, trying to write a book, go out and do it. Learning music is what I love. Go do what you love.
Sincerely,
Kristina
P.S. what are some of your passions?
Showing posts with label new. Show all posts
5 Things You Didn't Know About Me.
8.08.2015
I'm back. Again. With 5 new things you maybe didn't know about me! So much has happened in the past few months and some of those things may become posts. We'll see.
1. I'm ambidextrous. Very much so. I can write legibly with both hands. Some things I do amazingly with my right hand, some things don't. Some things go better with my left hand and other times, not so much. My parents didn't know if I was right or left handed until after my 5th birthday.
2. I have an abnormally long tongue. I've been able to touch my tongue to the tip of my nose for as long as I new that was a thing.
3. My need for wanting more animals never disappears. I bought some guppies about a month ago and on my walk back to my car, I decided that I wanted a bunny. It happens that fast.
4. I'm constantly in planning mode. Whether it be planning my life, planning on getting a new car, planning my non-existent wedding, planning for the future house I want to build, etc. Something that requires planning is always in the back of my mind.
5. I love packing. In past posts, I my have said I hated it (because packing can be frustrating) and know I probably will sometime in the future, but I love it. It's just like one huge puzzle to me trying to get as many things hit into one box as I possible can.
So there you have it. 5 things you didn't know!
What's one thing I don't know about you?
Kristina
1. I'm ambidextrous. Very much so. I can write legibly with both hands. Some things I do amazingly with my right hand, some things don't. Some things go better with my left hand and other times, not so much. My parents didn't know if I was right or left handed until after my 5th birthday.
2. I have an abnormally long tongue. I've been able to touch my tongue to the tip of my nose for as long as I new that was a thing.
3. My need for wanting more animals never disappears. I bought some guppies about a month ago and on my walk back to my car, I decided that I wanted a bunny. It happens that fast.
4. I'm constantly in planning mode. Whether it be planning my life, planning on getting a new car, planning my non-existent wedding, planning for the future house I want to build, etc. Something that requires planning is always in the back of my mind.
5. I love packing. In past posts, I my have said I hated it (because packing can be frustrating) and know I probably will sometime in the future, but I love it. It's just like one huge puzzle to me trying to get as many things hit into one box as I possible can.
So there you have it. 5 things you didn't know!
What's one thing I don't know about you?
Kristina
10 Tips for a New Hedgehog Owner.
5.22.2015
In my small hometown, I maybe know one other person that has a hedgehog. I get questions all. the. time. from people who do and don't have one about how I take care of Quinn. Now if you've never owned an exotic animal before, it may be a little overwhelming. I know it was for me, so it's normal.
A lot goes into taking care of these little creatures because of how temperamental their little bodies are. Below are a few tips on things I have either read or learned the hard way. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below. I'd love to help out any way that I can!
DISCLAIMER: I am not a professional and do not claim to be. Every hedgehog is different, so these tips may not work for everybody.
1. Make sure you have proper heating for these guys.
This may be the most important tip. I keep Quinn in my room with me in the basement which is always cold, so this is an issues that was super scary at first. An ideal situation would be to have a reptile heating lamp. If not, just be sure you have a space heater, heating pad, and warm towels. If you want a more in depth post about what to do when they go into hibernation, please let me know!
2. It may take a while to get used to the quills, and that's okay.
These guys are very prickly at first. Over time and with plenty of handling, you will get used to it. I promise.
3. If they weren't handled a lot as babies, they may take a while to get used to that, too.
Quinn was handled a fair amount when I first got her, but she wasn't quite used to me. Wear a poopy shirt for the day so your scent will get on it and stick it in with them overnight while they're snoozin'.
4. Feed them snacks.
For this, I recommend going to hedgehog sites for more information. There will be certain meats, fruits, and veggies that they can't have. No two hedgehogs like the same things, so it will be a guess-and-test situation for the foods they can have. Also, be sure to give them mealworms. I've yet to meet a hedgehog who doesn't like them.
5. If you don't have access to proper hedgehog food, cat food will also do.
Make sure the cat food is high in protein and of higher quality. This website has some options for food. I don't remember which brand I get, but I'll add it in when I have to buy another bag. I only know it by the bag because it was a recommendation from another hedgie momma. Oops.
6. They do not need anything to chew on like rabbits and guinea pigs.
Thank God. It's one less thing to worry about.
7. A rabbit hutch or guinea pig cage will be fine for housing.
No need for a big fancy cage unless you feel like it. A regular cage will do.
8. Hedgehogs can be potty trained.
Quinn actually potty trained herself and I followed her lead. I gave her an igloo that I had for my guinea pigs a while ago and instead of sleeping in it, she took her blanket out and uses it as her restroom instead. How smart is she?
9. They love to burrow.
I give Quinn old hand towels to burrow in. I switch them out and wash them every other week. When they are too torn up, just throw them out.
10. Be sure to give them a wheel to run on.
This is pretty important. The wheel gives them something to do, but also helps keep them from being chubby. A word of caution, you will have to wash this often. They tend to go to the bathroom while running on it
I hope this was helpful to anyone wondering and informative to those who don't know anything about owning hedgehogs. Comment any questions!
Kristina
A lot goes into taking care of these little creatures because of how temperamental their little bodies are. Below are a few tips on things I have either read or learned the hard way. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below. I'd love to help out any way that I can!
DISCLAIMER: I am not a professional and do not claim to be. Every hedgehog is different, so these tips may not work for everybody.
1. Make sure you have proper heating for these guys.
This may be the most important tip. I keep Quinn in my room with me in the basement which is always cold, so this is an issues that was super scary at first. An ideal situation would be to have a reptile heating lamp. If not, just be sure you have a space heater, heating pad, and warm towels. If you want a more in depth post about what to do when they go into hibernation, please let me know!
2. It may take a while to get used to the quills, and that's okay.
These guys are very prickly at first. Over time and with plenty of handling, you will get used to it. I promise.
3. If they weren't handled a lot as babies, they may take a while to get used to that, too.
Quinn was handled a fair amount when I first got her, but she wasn't quite used to me. Wear a poopy shirt for the day so your scent will get on it and stick it in with them overnight while they're snoozin'.
4. Feed them snacks.
For this, I recommend going to hedgehog sites for more information. There will be certain meats, fruits, and veggies that they can't have. No two hedgehogs like the same things, so it will be a guess-and-test situation for the foods they can have. Also, be sure to give them mealworms. I've yet to meet a hedgehog who doesn't like them.
5. If you don't have access to proper hedgehog food, cat food will also do.
Make sure the cat food is high in protein and of higher quality. This website has some options for food. I don't remember which brand I get, but I'll add it in when I have to buy another bag. I only know it by the bag because it was a recommendation from another hedgie momma. Oops.
6. They do not need anything to chew on like rabbits and guinea pigs.
Thank God. It's one less thing to worry about.
7. A rabbit hutch or guinea pig cage will be fine for housing.
No need for a big fancy cage unless you feel like it. A regular cage will do.
8. Hedgehogs can be potty trained.
Quinn actually potty trained herself and I followed her lead. I gave her an igloo that I had for my guinea pigs a while ago and instead of sleeping in it, she took her blanket out and uses it as her restroom instead. How smart is she?
9. They love to burrow.
I give Quinn old hand towels to burrow in. I switch them out and wash them every other week. When they are too torn up, just throw them out.
10. Be sure to give them a wheel to run on.
This is pretty important. The wheel gives them something to do, but also helps keep them from being chubby. A word of caution, you will have to wash this often. They tend to go to the bathroom while running on it
I hope this was helpful to anyone wondering and informative to those who don't know anything about owning hedgehogs. Comment any questions!
Kristina
Pros and Cons of Being the Oldest Child
9.23.2014
Being the oldest child has a lot of perks, but it also has a lot of downfalls. Having conversations with my friends who aren't the oldest don't seem to quite grasp what being the oldest child means. Here is my take on what being the oldest means.
Pros:
Cons:
Pros:
- You get ALL the new clothing! You have no one older than you to get hand-me-downs from.
- You get to embarrass them from memories of them being younger. You seriously remember most everything and they hate you for it.
- You get to help be the leader/teacher. Most older siblings tend to have more leadership skills and trust me, it's in the oldest's blood to be a bit more bossy.
- You have someone to blame things on. I got in trouble by myself for three years before my sister showed up. They always think the youngest at the time is always the angel so they deserve some of the blame too.
- You get to watch them grow. I love thinking back to when my brother and sister were cute little toddlers and when they used to be nice and super cute with all that adorable baby fat. My youngest sibling is now a freshman in high school and I still picture him as a two-year-old carrying around his Blue's Clue's notebook.
- They look up to you. It's a nice feeling to know that they will, do, or have looked up to you.
Cons:
- You automatically get blamed for everything. I don't know if this is true in every household, but every other oldest child I've asked will say the same thing. Parents go out and house isn't clean when they get back, they blame the oldest. You aren't just accountable for your actions while they're gone, but your siblings as well. Even if they are old enough to stay home by themselves. It's still your fault.
- You have to be more responsible. This one goes hand-in-hand with the "blamed for everything" one. The oldest is automatically presumed to be more responsible and because there's that pressure to be more responsible since your the oldest, it can get pretty stressful.
- They look up to you. This one has it's cons too. Knowing that someone is looking up to you is a lot of pressure. They are pretty much your shadow, so one mistake could cost them as well as yourself.
So there you have it. I love being the oldest, but at the same time, it's one of the most stressful positions you will ever be in. Are you the oldest? Youngest? Middle child? Let me know!
Much love, laughter, and happiness,
Kristina
5 Happy Thoughts for Monday | Week Four
9.22.2014
I've come to love making these posts. Listing things that makes me happy helps me to reflect on when times weren't so crazy and hectic and help me be a whole lot more thankful for what I have.
1. Space Heater.
With the colder months being right around the corner, I am thankful for this nifty item to make sure my hedgie is always warm and not on the brink of death from being too cold. Thank you, space heater. You will be saving my exotic animal from hibernation for yet another year.
2. Fall.
Fall is my runner-up favorite season, coming in close on spring. I love the deeper colors, feeling all snuggly, the lovely feeling of switching from iced coffee to warm coffee, and of course, playing in the crunchy leaves.
3. High School Friends.
Over the weekend, my best friend from technically middle school came into town. It was so wonderful to see her. With most of my friends not being home and being alone most of the time, I've come to re-appreciate my friends. Especially the ones that have been around for a long time.
4. Mini M&M's.
I've been obsessed with these things for months now. I bought a tube of them awhile ago and rekindled my love for them. I like to buy the large bags of them so they are always handy if I'm feeling slightly munchy for something sweet. I kept the tube and use that to serve up my serving size. Without that tube, I'd demolish half of the bag in one sitting.
5. My daddy.
Tomorrow, on September 23, this man will be aging another year. He's always been a fun-loving, rather involved parent and always has your best intentions in his mind and heart. It only seemed fitting to mention him this week. Happy birthday, Daddy. I love you.
1. Space Heater.
With the colder months being right around the corner, I am thankful for this nifty item to make sure my hedgie is always warm and not on the brink of death from being too cold. Thank you, space heater. You will be saving my exotic animal from hibernation for yet another year.
2. Fall.
Fall is my runner-up favorite season, coming in close on spring. I love the deeper colors, feeling all snuggly, the lovely feeling of switching from iced coffee to warm coffee, and of course, playing in the crunchy leaves.
3. High School Friends.
Over the weekend, my best friend from technically middle school came into town. It was so wonderful to see her. With most of my friends not being home and being alone most of the time, I've come to re-appreciate my friends. Especially the ones that have been around for a long time.
4. Mini M&M's.
I've been obsessed with these things for months now. I bought a tube of them awhile ago and rekindled my love for them. I like to buy the large bags of them so they are always handy if I'm feeling slightly munchy for something sweet. I kept the tube and use that to serve up my serving size. Without that tube, I'd demolish half of the bag in one sitting.
5. My daddy.
Tomorrow, on September 23, this man will be aging another year. He's always been a fun-loving, rather involved parent and always has your best intentions in his mind and heart. It only seemed fitting to mention him this week. Happy birthday, Daddy. I love you.
Circa 1993. One of my favorite pictures ever.
5 Favorites YouTubers.
9.10.2014
If anyone truly knows me, then they'll know that I love YouTube. I'm obsessed with watching videos, have made a few myself, and am subscribed to almost 200 people. This past year to six months is really when I got super hooked. Since YouTube and Bloglovin' take up most of my free time, I thought it'd only be fit to share with you my top 5 favorites of all the favorites when it comes to YouTubers.
1. Zoella.
I only discovered Zoella about 6 months ago. I was instantly hooked. She's an honest, silly, gorgeous, british person that I can connect with and relate to on so many levels. Zoella makes beauty, fashion, and lifestyle videos and also blogs. She makes videos that I genuinely enjoy and always look forward to her uploading whether it be on her main channel or her blog channel. She's so lovely. She also has the cutest little guinea pigs.
2. Shaytards.
There are so many things I can say that I love about the Shaytards. Shay, his wife Colette, and their 5 children make vlogs Monday-Friday. There's just something about their family that is funny and amazing to watch. Shay has this very outgoing and creative personality so it's always exciting to see what kind of content he'll put out. FUN FACT! Shay and Colette have been making daily vlogs going on 6 years!
3. Meghan Rienks "Meghan Rosette."
I've found Meghan through a collab that she did with Eleventh Gorgeous about a year ago and honestly, I like her more than them. She's only a couple months older than I am. She's got this hippy-esque, free spirit vibe and is super down-to-earth and silly that it would just seem absolutely wrong not love her, so she definitely deserves her spot in my top 5. She makes beauty and fashion videos and has helped me to understand makeup so much more. Thank you, Meghan.
4. Aspyn Ovard.
Aspyn is a YouTuber that I found through Meghan, funnily enough. She makes beauty, fashion, and DIY videos. I love her sense of fashion and how she edits and puts her videos together. Like Zoella, Aspyn is a person who I can relate to in a lot of aspects and since I can relate, it makes her videos that much more enjoyable for me.
5. Brittney Lee Saunders.
Most of the other YouTubers that I mentioned are quite mellow compared to Brittney. I enjoy her videos for their hilarity and her 'tell it like it is and I don't care what you think' personality. She is so spunky and outgoing and I just love her. I found her only 3 months ago and I'm so happy I did.
So there you have it. My 5 favorites. Quite frankly, I don't see this list changing much soon. These guys are much too fantastic. I love you all.
Much love, laughter, and happiness,
Kristina
I'm moving.
5.28.2014
In case you all haven't heard, I'm moving. Again. I've been thinking about moving for about a year now because of how unhappy I am in my current town and school. To get myself out of this rut, I decided that it would best the best decision for me, so that's what I'm doing.
Yes. I am moving again, but not just once. I'm going to be moving twice in the next 5 months. On Saturday of this week, I'll be moving back to my small hometown back in NW Iowa to live with my parents and will hopefully be transferring back to my job that I had in high school. As much as it may suck that I chose to move back home, it'll be beneficial in ways of me saving and making money until I move again in October. Free room and board and free food for how many months will probably help a lot more than I'm imagining it will. I'm sure gonna miss my freedom and space.
In the beginning of October, I plan on moving to Sioux Falls, South Dakota to go to Globe University to become a massage therapist and I'm getting that super nervous/excited feeling. As of right now, I'm moving to both back home and to SoDak with it just being my dog, my hedgehog, and I and quite honestly, the only thing that I'm not gonna like about living with no roommate is the help and splitting of the bills. I've been through so much awkwardness and hassle with having a roommate that it'll be nice getting out on my own. Officially.
*Now time for a little disclaimer. Don't get my wrong, there were times where I liked having a roommate, but I'm the type of person where it's uncomfortable for me to go sit in the living or dining room with them or be cooking dinner at the same time as them because it feels like I'm intruding in on their space and time to be by themselves, so I stayed in my room with my animals most of the time until they went to sleep. Having a roommate may be for some people, just not completely the right thing for me.
All in all, this move is a pretty big deal. First time officially alone. First time paying bills without any other person worrying about them. First time moving alone and getting everything set up without any help. Hopefully, this will be my last time moving. Last time transferring. Last time switching my profession. But at the same time, it'll be my last few steps to officially growing up which is a bittersweet thing for me. I guess we'll see how it goes this time around. Fingers crossed.
Well wishes to all,
Kristina.
Yes. I am moving again, but not just once. I'm going to be moving twice in the next 5 months. On Saturday of this week, I'll be moving back to my small hometown back in NW Iowa to live with my parents and will hopefully be transferring back to my job that I had in high school. As much as it may suck that I chose to move back home, it'll be beneficial in ways of me saving and making money until I move again in October. Free room and board and free food for how many months will probably help a lot more than I'm imagining it will. I'm sure gonna miss my freedom and space.
In the beginning of October, I plan on moving to Sioux Falls, South Dakota to go to Globe University to become a massage therapist and I'm getting that super nervous/excited feeling. As of right now, I'm moving to both back home and to SoDak with it just being my dog, my hedgehog, and I and quite honestly, the only thing that I'm not gonna like about living with no roommate is the help and splitting of the bills. I've been through so much awkwardness and hassle with having a roommate that it'll be nice getting out on my own. Officially.
*Now time for a little disclaimer. Don't get my wrong, there were times where I liked having a roommate, but I'm the type of person where it's uncomfortable for me to go sit in the living or dining room with them or be cooking dinner at the same time as them because it feels like I'm intruding in on their space and time to be by themselves, so I stayed in my room with my animals most of the time until they went to sleep. Having a roommate may be for some people, just not completely the right thing for me.
All in all, this move is a pretty big deal. First time officially alone. First time paying bills without any other person worrying about them. First time moving alone and getting everything set up without any help. Hopefully, this will be my last time moving. Last time transferring. Last time switching my profession. But at the same time, it'll be my last few steps to officially growing up which is a bittersweet thing for me. I guess we'll see how it goes this time around. Fingers crossed.
Well wishes to all,
Kristina.
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4.02.2012
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