Getting Ready for College

Well, it's August already, and I have been horrible at keeping this blog updated.  I was good for about a week and a half before disappearing. But, I'm back!

Recently I've been busy getting ready for school by using my mother's money to buy the things I'll need for moving into the dorm.  I leave for College Station on the 17th and I can't wait!  I plan on chronicling my purchases and list-making for y'all, even though most of it is over.  Maybe it will be helpful to whomever is reading this blog.

First I have to start with condensing and combining the lists I've made.  Hopefully, they'll help some of y'all and ensure that you don't forget to get certain things.  I know I have, until I have to use it and I realize that that won't be in my dorm room.  A perfect example - a can-opener.  You never think about stuff like that until its late and you really need that can of peaches open.  My sister thoughtfully reminded me to buy one.

That's it for now. I have to leave for a haircut in about fifteen minutes.

Ta-ta for now!
Anna 

It's Summer Baby!!

Happy Summer Everybody!!

It's finally hit me that High School is really over and that summer has begun! So I just wanted to start the summer off with a new post.

from Pinterest

This post that I found on Pinterest inspired me to write this post.  It reminds us to grasp each moment.  Though I don't live anywhere near the ocean and probably won't be going to the beach this summer, many of y'all probably will.  I have decided that this is going to be the way I will approach this summer. It is going to be the last one when I can truly still count myself as a child.

I am also inspired by this picture from Pinterest, below, that has me thinking that this is the way I want to approach the future.  Including far beyond this summer.

from Pinterest

 In order to do this, I look at this post from Pinterest.

from Pinterest

I am going to eventually print this out and take it with me to my dorm in August.

Anyways, I hope you all have a great summer to look forward to.

Here's to the future!
Stay Golden,
Anna

I Am A Princess

When I was looking around blogs trying to find something to write about, I stumbled upon this post on the aforementioned blog by Emily.  It lead me to this post from another wonderful blog.  Here's the video that these beautiful bloggers were inspired to write about.

This video is from an ad campaign by Disney and I instantly fell in love with it.  While a little (or a lot) corny, it still reminds us that we need to remember that we are all princesses in our own ways.  I was never from a family that called me "princess," like some of my friends and classmates.  That didn't stop me from believing I was one, though.  I distinctly remember dressing up in the princess garb I had (tutu, crown, wand, fabulous jewelery from various sets and the Pretty Pretty Princess game - and don't forget the roll on body glitter we all had). I have a picture around here somewhere with me and my friend dressed to the nines in Disney Princess dresses and accessories.

Just how good was this game, though. Look at the fab jewelery. Source

Even though I was, at times, a princess, I was more often a Pokemon Trainer or a member of the Water Tribe (a la Avatar: the Last Airbender). This didn't stop me from being a warrior like Mulan or a long lost princess like Anastasia (I know that she's not Disney, but seriously, how good is that movie!).

If you look at the words from the video, you realize that Disney is redefining "princess" and doing it well.  Once again, Disney's advertising is working exquisitely - it reminds us that we can all be brave, strong, generous, and above all, Beautiful. Here are the words below:

"I am a princess.

I am brave sometimes. I am scared sometimes. Sometimes I am brave even when I'm scared.

I believe in loyalty and trust. I believe loyalty is built on trust.

I try to be kind. I try to be generous. I am kind even when others are not so generous.

I am a princess.

I think standing up for myself is important. I think standing up for others is more important. 

But standing with others is more important.

I am a princess.

I believe compassion makes me strong. Kindness is power. And family is the tightest bond of all.

I have heard I am beautiful. I know I am strong.

I am a princess. 

Long my I reign."

-Disney

After I saw this video, I found another one from Disney. This time it was about Merida from Brave.  Now, as you can probably tell from this post, I was drawn to the badass princesses. Mulan, Jasmine, Anastasia, etc. When Brave came out, I knew I had to see it.  First of all, Merida was the only Disney princess with truly curly hair, just like mine.  Another, it was to be filled with glorious Scottish accents.  When I saw it in theaters, I walked out in love with the movie. From what I can tell, Merida is the only princess to get a specific video. Here it is, below.

As I established earlier, one of my all time favorite princesses is Mulan and a new favorite to add is Merida.  If you're wondering who my favorite, more traditional princess is, it's Aurora.  While I may like the more revolutionary princesses, my very first favorite is the very stereotypical Sleeping Beauty.  I think this partly has to do with Prince Phillip - he was so dreamy. Who am I kidding? He still is.  He is also the only prince to slay an actual dragon and the first to both speak and sing in the movie.  Also, when I rewatched the movie recently, I realized I had forgotten just how sassy he is.  I should stop before this blog post turns into me fangirling over my favorite Disney princes and men. FYI: Phillip, Jim, Milo, and Shang - just to name a few. Milo even becomes a king in Atlantis, instead of just a prince! Also, Dmitri from Anastasia and Roger from 101 Dalmatians.  I still have a Sleeping Beauty music box that I got for my birthday when I was like six. I guess you never grow up.

Milo from Atlantis Source

Dimitri from Anastasia Source

Jim Hawkins from Treasure Planet Source

Shang from Mulan Source

Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty Source

Roger from 101 Dalmatians Source

Anyways, who are your favorite princesses? And were they always your favorite(s)? What about the princes? Who was the dreamiest when you were little? Do you still consider them dreamy?

Stay Golden, 

Anna

Getting Started

So, here I was, trolling the internet and working up the courage to start a blog.  When I finally did, I then had to come up with a name.  Because I had been contemplating starting a blog for almost a month, I had come up with a lot of different names.  My favorite was "A Pile of Good Things" - taken from one of my favorite  Doctor Who episodes, "Vincent and the Doctor."

the quote from here

Now, I could talk about Doctor Who for ages and go on for blog posts, but I'll spare you the details for now (fyi if you start with the episode "Blink" or "Vincent and the Doctor" I guarantee you'll be hooked forever).

When I went to put this as my name and URL, I was dismayed to find out it was already taken. After about an hour, I finally got over this crushing fact and came up with an entirely new name - "Mountains & Heaps." I came up with this one on the spot because in the mania that was my senior year ending, I had misplaced the list of blog names and could only remember the really lame ones (I won't tell you them now, because, trust me, they are awful! Maybe if I find that list someday).

After establishing my blogs name and a basic format, I was ready to blog, but had no idea how to start.  Instead, I decided to see who exactly had taken my original blog name.  This person, Emily, I was pleased to see, had a blog that I soon found myself scrolling through.  I was also happy to see that she was in the same place I was in life - finishing high school and off to college in the fall.  I recommend her blog to all of you.  It is filled with lists and songs and wonderfulness. 

If there's anyone out there reading this, let me know what you want me to blog about.  I'm open to suggestions.  After all, I'm at this point, jobless and looking forward to a carefree summer - I might as well do something with it.

Stay Golden,
Anna