Crystal Cluster Tattoo (Tattoo #18)

Hi again!

I wanted to write a post today about my newest tattoo :) I don't have too much to say about this one since it was pretty much a spur-of-the-moment decision, but I did want to blog about it. I'm bored out of my mind and need something to do!!

Side note- I'm glad I'm on spring break this week, and I'm thankful I have the opportunity to relax. However, relaxing is so insanely boring after awhile!! I need to find something free/ cheap to do this week. 

Anyway, here's a picture of my new baby!

So, I originally went in to get one of my other tattoos touched up. When I talked to the artist, she said she would touch it up for $60 or I could get another tattoo and she would do the touch ups for free. Obviously I chose the latter! I googled some random moon images and I found this little guy on Pinterest. It was originally just an outline, so Malicia took it and added her own flair to it. I love that she added stippling to the moon, and kept everything black and gray besides the crystal cluster. Seriously, it's absolutely gorgeous and I could not have asked for a better tattoo! The experience was amazing, and I've made a new friend in the process :) That's one of the reasons why tattooing is such a wonderful thing- you meet amazing people and you walk out with a beautiful piece of art on your body <3

I'm not gonna lie, I was pretty nervous for this one. I don't have tattoos anywhere near my feet (unless you count my bats, but those didn't take very long to do), so I wasn't sure what it would feel like. I've heard it's supposed to be one of the toughest places to get tattooed other than your ribs and hands. 

Honestly, this wasn't as terrible as I thought it would be!! I'm not just saying that to sound like a badass. My gypsy and Sailor Mars tattoos (calf/ side of the leg) were much more brutal than this little guy. The only part that really caused me some pain was the stippling on the moon. Granted, this one only took about an hour and a half to complete. Malicia is super light-handed so that probably has a lot to do with it. The way I had to sit for the tattoo was more painful than the tattoo itself! 

Overall, I am 100% in love with my moon and crystals and I can't wait to go back to Malicia!! I don't really know what I want on my other foot, but I'm thinking either a sugar skull or the sun with a warm-toned crystal cluster. We'll see!

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Thank you for checking out my blog today! I hope you enjoyed reading about my obsession with tattoos, and I hope I get to talk to you again very soon :)

Until next time!

Keri <3

Gratitude Tag

Hi again!

It's Friday night and I'm bored... So, here's another tag/ journal prompt thing I found on Pinterest.  This is technically a 30 day challenge, but I'm condensing it down into just one post instead.

Here we go!

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1. What smell are you grateful for today?

Fresh brewed espresso

2. What technology are you grateful for?

My iPhone and work computer

3. What color are you grateful for?

Orange.  I used to visit my local music shop and mess around on the different instruments, and I fell in love with a Yamaha Precision Jazz Bass (which is metallic orange).  I started taking lessons and ended up playing bass in my high school's jazz band for 3 years.

4. What food are you most grateful for?

Pizza with extra cheese

5. What sound are you grateful for today?

My dog's barks of excitement when I get home from work

6. What in nature are you grateful for?

The sunshine

7. What memory are you grateful for?

I'm most grateful for running into Corey at the Fayetteville Public Library on April 18, 2016.  We reconnected (as cheesy as that sounds), and everything fell back into place.  We picked up right where we left off, and it was absolutely wonderful.

8. What book are you most grateful for?

You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero- it has truly changed my outlook and overall attitude towards life in general.

9. What place are you most grateful for?

Orange Park, FL

10. What taste are you grateful for today?

Mocha

11. What holiday are you grateful for?

New Year's Day

12. What texture are you grateful for?

Soft, fuzzy blankets

13. What abilities are you grateful for?

My intelligence, my ability to read anything and everything, and my musical talent (if you can really call it that)

14. What sights are you grateful for today?

Snapchats from Corey

15. What season are you grateful for?

Fall

16. What about your body are you grateful for?

My eyes, because they're my favorite feature, and they're pretty crucial to my quality of life.

17. What knowledge are you grateful for?

I'm grateful for my knowledge regarding teaching, child development, and pedagogy.

18. What piece of are you grateful for?

The coverart of "Take This to Your Grave" by Fall Out Boy

19. What touch are you grateful for today?

Rhaegar's soft bunny fur

20. Who in your life are you grateful for?

Corey, Raechel, Sammi, Mom, Dad, and Drew (and the fur babies!)

21. What song are you most grateful for?

"The Patron Saint of Liars and Fakes" by Fall Out Boy

22. What story are you grateful for?

The story of Harry Potter- I can't say it was a part of my childhood, but it was my life in high school and college.

23. What tradition are you grateful for?

I love the fact that my family has always celebrated Thanksgiving dinner together.  For the past 23 years, we've all hung out on Thanksgiving Day, and I hope to keep the tradition going for as long as possible.

24. What challenge are you grateful for?

My job is not the easiest, and I'm definitely not in this position for the fame and fortune.  I hear a lot of negative feedback on a daily basis, I usually don't hear "thank you," and teaching can be extremely frustrating and trying at times.  But I love my kiddos, and I'm so thankful for my colleagues (especially my math coach!).  This year has thrown me many curveballs, but I'm grateful for all the challenges and obstacles I face because I know I'm becoming a better and more effective teacher each and every day.

25. What moment this week are you most grateful for?

Working with my colleagues and math coach to successfully implement a weekly math camp for my fifth graders.

26. What form of expression are you most grateful for?

Music or writing; I can't live without playing/ listening to music, or books, so they're tied for first place!

27. What small thing that you use daily are you grateful for?

Pencils

28. What small thing that happened today are you grateful for?

One of my students had an "ah-ha" moment today during core instruction.  

29. What friend/ family member are you grateful for today?

Corey and Sara

30. What talent or skill do you have that you are grateful for?

I'm extremely grateful for my musical talent.  I absolutely love playing the piano and the bass, listening to music on Spotify, collecting CDs, and creating playlists to fit my various moods and musical tastes.

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Thanks for checking out my blog, and I hope to see you again soon :)

Keri <3

Florida Pictures

Hi again!! 

I mentioned in my last post that I am not really great about taking pictures while on vacation... But I did manage to take a few picture while I was in Florida this May. Enjoy :)

Disney World 

Cinderella's Castle 

The castle again

Leslie, me, and Raechel in front of the castle

Dad and Mom

Dad, Mom, and I

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Island of Adventure

Hogwarts is amazing!!!! The ride inside the castle (Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey) is the best ride I have ever been on!! There's really no way to explain the ride itself, but the engineers did a fantastic job on its design. 

Men In Black: Alien Attack

Basically, you have to shoot aliens throughout the ride and you get a certain amount of points for each one you hit. I think this is the highest score I've ever gotten. Somehow my brother managed to get 400,000+ points each time we went. His aim must be a lot better than mine haha. 

Sorry I don't have more pictures for you guys... I will definitely have more pictures from Vegas this coming weekend :)

As always, thanks for reading and check back soon!!

Keri <3