I flew through a tree...

and face planted into the dirt. I'm so glad that I ditched trying to look like a cool person and wore my handy-dandy helmet! After church, several friends from church and I went to Peace Valley Park and rode our bikes around the lake. 5 miles! It was kind of hard when we had to go up hills because I have a road bike, but it was so pretty and the wind was so refreshing. I was smiling the whole time...I bet I ate a bug =/

Anyway, there was a steep hill and I was cruising down. I kind of got a little scared so I tried to slow down. Little did I know, my bike chain popped out and my bike started to fishtail and then I cursed...and then I knew I was doomed to crash into a tree and I flew through it. It happened so fast. I just have a few bruises on my legs and a scrape on my ankle. My bike now needs to go to the shop to get a tune up and some new tires. Thankfully, it happened towards the end of the trail so I enjoyed most of my time. It was kind of scary though...so...I'm still thinking about it.

I didn't have my phone on me, so I couldn't take any pictures to share...but it was GORGEOUS! I'm definitely going back...and now...I want a mountain bike...

My next two "big" purchases:










Fujifilm Finepix x100

and some kind of nice mountain bike that won't fling me into a tree when I'm going down a hill.

^_^ I love being outside on days like this. I LOVE FALL!!! Have a blessed week, ya'll!

Smile,
E.H.

Chocolates or Flowers?

It's rather the norm to get a girl a box of chocolates or flowers (or both if you're generous ^^) when you want to show her you care for her. In fact, I think people consider it a cliche, which, in my opinion, isn't a bad one. However, I used to really dislike chocolate. While most people enjoyed its melty feature, it grossed me out and I really hated the aftertaste. And, flowers? I didn't understand why people smelled them. They don't smell that nice! I don't know why, I just didn't enjoy them the way I thought you were supposed to. Well...these days, that's totally not the case. While I still delight in gummy bears (best candy ever!), I've come to truly adore flowers and how beautiful they are and there are days when I'm crazy for chocolate...it's the weirdest thing ever! I don't know why this new appreciation for chocolates and flowers has suddenly made its way into my heart, but it has~

So, flowers or a box of chocolates? Yes, please! ^^















































(Top to bottom/Left to Right: Purple twirly flowers & Hibiscus from Bartram's Garden-Philadelphia, Yellow and white and purply-pinkish flowers from Temple Ambler's Arboretum-Ambler, & Hot pink flowers from Chinatown-Philadelphia)...I sad I LIKE flowers...I don't know a thing about them, though! =P Hehe~ Photos were taken by my phone...not too shabby, right?!

Flower make me smile,
E.H.

It took a Killer movie to get me back on here...

Kind of been awhile since I've written in here...so here I am! I don't know if you'll see this, but Willis, thanks for reminding me about it at the school fair =P

Life has changed a little bit...a lot. I'm currently in graduate school, working, tutoring (same kid as before), and trying to have a social life. AGH! It's really hard to prioritize...

Tonight, I hung out with a few friends and watched Killer Elite (keke...get the title now?!). Can I just say, Jason Statham is like a very, very attractive man? Like, okay. I know that killing is bad. It's horrible! It's the worst. But, like he's always trying to escape that world and he's such a man about it and like...the way he loves a woman...oh my gosh. There is something really attractive about him. He's so badass.

Back to reality: No one like J.Statham exists and his facial hair probably, actually hurts a lot if you kissed him. HAHAHA =P

Movie Review for Killer Elite: KILLER AWESOMEEEE! The chair scene in the commercial is way more awesome in the movie. I was looking forward to Clive Owen being his hot self but that didn't happen so that was kind of a let down. I'm going to stop writing because I think I may potentially ruin the movie for the 2 people who may read this... =)

Back to Tree-hugger McHarg and my paper...

Smiling,
E.H.

Love of my life

Isn't she beautiful? 96 and still happenin'. I love her!

Smile foh yo grandparents,
E.H.

Darkness into Light

Last year was an extremely hard year for me. I attended five funerals, two of which were within one week apart. Many people have died during my lifetime, people my parents knew, but aside from when my uncle passed when I was in 4th grade, last year, I have a personally tie to each person who passed. Some were tragic, some for old age. Generally, I don't have a hard time moving on or letting go, but each funeral was hard for me to deal with.

Since last year, this year has been much lighter, but this morning, reality hit me again as I woke up to news to about the tragic death of a dear friend's colleague/friend. A young man of 25 died on his birthday. And although my only connection to this late young man is my friend, I can't help but be reminded of how painful it is to lose people we know.

For some reason, whenever I am facing loss, two songs always come to mind. One is "This is my Father's World" and the other is "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus". They are near and dear songs to me and God has lifted me up from so many tough circumstances in my life. I couldn't find a version of "This is my Father's World" that fit the way I generally sing it but here's "Turn Your Eyes...":



<3 Thank you for saving me.

-E.H.

"When the storm is raging all around me, you are the peace that calms my troubled seas.
When the cares of this world darken my day, you are the light that shines and shows me the way."
-"Beautiful Lord" by Leeland

I love this song. I've shared it before and I'll probably share it again. It always captures everything that it inside of me, how I see God, and how he works in my life. It's how I rejoice and cry out to God.

I am a mess.insecure.a hypocrite.judgmental.brutal. But, while the world tells you to take a look in the mirror to see the "real" you, God never says that. He tells us to look at him, the cross, and his love because that changes everything.

<3 I hope everyone has a blessed Sunday.

Smile big,
E.H.

Kids Say the Darnest Things

I had a lot of new students today in my Sunday School class, so I scrapped my original plans and decided to do a "get to know you" activity. Each of my students drew themselves and I asked them three questions: (1) What is your favorite activity?; (2) What do you want to be when you grow up?; (3) If you could have anything in the world, what would you want?

I never make my students do things that I wouldn't do (I think...) so, of course, I did the activity with them. I drew: (1) Art stuff; (2) Urban Planner; (3) A big family & a house.

While I'm sharing the last one, big family and a house, one of my students goes, "That's easy peasy. You just need to get married. If you get married, you will have a family and he can buy you a house."

...

HAHA =P And then he proposed that I should marry his older brother because he wants to be a dentist...so I would have perfect teeth...HAHAHA I love it.

So, it's the end of the day, and I'm thinking, "Where the hell you at, Romeo?"
Shakespeare just don't keep it real the way I do.
HA. JK. I can wait! Promise...I can!


Smile big,
E.H.

P.S. I started a new job and I lurve it! <3

Shrek is pretty awesome.

A secret that won't be so secret about me: I think Shrek (the first) has the best soundtrack ever.

Here's one of my all time favorite songs. <3 I finally replaced my strings on my guitar this weekend, so playing on it today while in the sun room was pretty nice... =)



Smile big,
E.H.

NFL Draft 2011 and Other Things

It's most definitely Spring and I'm most certainly ready for warmer weather! April's been a busy month and it seems that the quiet(er) chapter in my life has passed. Already, I'm busy catching up to all the plans I made when I had nothing else better to do. It's exciting, but I'm constantly thankful that God's been giving me such an amazing period of rest in my life.

This past weekend, I went on an sort-of-impromptu trip to NYC. I say "sort of" because I had been planning to go for a month, canceled, then morning of decided to go. My brother got me tickets to the NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall, so I went with two of my girlfriends. I thought people were going to hate on us for loving the Eagles, but this one chick was a Patriots fan...and apparently EVERYONE hates Boston and Tom Brady...so she and her one friend kind of got owned...really bad.

At any rate, it was fun and I even cried a little when this one dude got chosen. I forget his name but the man was so emotional and he dragged his whole family, all 55 cousins and aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews out onto the stage with him.

I have to especially welcome Mr. JAIQUAWN JARRETT from TEMPLE UNIVERSITY to the PHILADELPHIA EAGLES!!! 2 for 2, from my school, for my team!!!

Seats were right in front of ESPN reporters




















Mission IMPROMPTU NYC - Success. OH! And I bought a bathing suit!!! TAKE ME TO THE BEACH SOMEONE...I'm so ready to pig out and tan. =P

Smile Big,
E.H.

Yellow Makes Me Smile

I don't think loving beauty or beautiful things is vain. God is beautiful and he made beautiful people and things. When I find beautiful things, I smile, big, big, BIG! Always, yellow makes me smile. And...I don't really follow fashion, but I ADORE Kate Spade and she got the YELLOW FEVER this season! ...I want to remember it forever.

Pie Makes Me Smile

We just got a new stove and I wanted to be the first to bake something in it. So, I made my very first apple pie. ^^















My elephant measuring cups ^_^















Not the prettiest pie ever...but it's my first and my favorite =)

Smile big,
E.H.

Language Barriers Made Me Smile

Although language barriers are often a cause for frustration, it also cracks me up.

I had a good laugh this morning because of my mom =)
Mom: You shoulda watch sex-peal. Iss good for you.
Me: Sex Appeal?...Huh?
Mom:Sex-peal! Lomeo and Jew-yet.
Me:...Shakespeare?

Student from my Sunday School Class:
Student: My uncle is a pirate.
Me: Whoa, really?! He's a pirate? Like, "Argh" *Covered eye with one hand, made hook with finger from the other*
Student: No, pirate! He flies.
Me: Oh! A pilot! That's cool too.

My Grandma trying to teach me French:
Grandma: Myulchee bbokkeum! (<--means anchovy fried rice in Korean, meant "merci beaucoup" )
Grandma: Puh-lenchi Thank-que!

Hahaha love it! =) So cute~


Smile Big,
E.H.

Dancing Makes Me Smile

I love dancing.
I have a special dance for when I eat something delicious.
Or, when I'm nervous.
Or, when I'm so excited and can't contain myself.
I dance in my kitchen, my bathroom, my bedroom.
You'd think I'm an awesome dancer by now...but I'm not. Hahaha =P
But, I do it anyway. Makes me smile.

This clip of Charlie Brown is so cute! I watch it every other day because I can't get over how adorable it is. Hahahaha...and my friend said I dance like the little girl in the purple dress with sparse and scraggly hair...HAHA =(



Smile Big,
E.H.

New do, but same ole me

I have always loved getting my hair cut. In high school, I would go from one extreme to the other. Grow it really long, then CHOP it! When I got to college, I stopped cutting it short and kept it really long. I missed the short hair me. So...I brought it back!

Here's a before:














After:















How refreshing is that?!?! I've gone from full blown lion to prepubescent Simba. Awesome. =P
I love my hair dresser!!! That is no one better!

Anyways. That was fun.

Smile big,
E.H.

Ta-da! Look what I did last night while watching the first two episodes of Paradise Farm (a Korean drama that I'm starting to really like!!!)!!! =P
A hair clip!

I have this fascination with hot air balloons...well any sort of round balloon type thing, really. And...I also enjoy embroidering, very, very much! So...last night, when I realized I finished all my applications and wanted to bum...I came up with this! It's just baby blue felt sky, white felt clouds, and I embroidered the details of the balloon. Glued all them jawns together, and there you have it.
Embroidery and making hair things makes me smile.
Side note: I'm getting my hair cut this week!!!...REALLY SHORT!!! =)
I am so excited!

Smile big,
E.H.

It was my first!

I had an amazing day. I dragged my brother outside in our jammies and made him help me make my first ever snowman. IT WAS SO FUN and honestly, it's more like a snow GIANT. Jawn is HUGE. Here are some pictures. Yes, I look gross...you can judge me. It's cool =)

One Fine Day

One fine day you're gunna want me for your girl~ la, la, la ^^*
I love that song! I feel like I'm lovestruck but I don't know by whom. Weird, right? But I have that feeling that I'm loved and it's a good feeling. It might be because I finished the last episode of Hyun Bin, oops, I mean Secret Garden (a Korean drama for those who don't know what the heck I'm talking about) =P. I heart Hyun Bin's character. He is so honest and loving.

Anyways, I also feel loved because I've just been covered with kindness from everyone and everything. This is not to say that everything's been going my way. In fact, not much has. But, every night this week, I don't have much to complain about. Well, there's always something to complain about, but I don't really have the heart to complain because my life isn't so bad.

I do have struggles but I know God won't allow them to bring me down because He is holding me every step of the way.

This year, I would like to learn KINDNESS. I want to learn how to love it, breath and believe in it because it's God's kindness toward me that I am: "hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed" (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

I love an awesome and mighty God. I love a kind God.

Smile big,
E.H.

The Good Songs List

Tonight's one of those nights where I want to be cozy and listen to people sing beautiful songs.

In no particular order, I love:
-Send Me On My Way, Ruster Roots
-You Belong to me, Jason Wade
-Bridge Over Troubled Water, Simon & Garfunkel
-Changes, Tupac
-I'm Yours- Jason Mraz
-Make You Feel My Love, Bob Dylan
-Dream, Priscilla Ahn
-Try, Asher Book
-Grateful, Hezekiah Walker
-Gravity, Sara Bareilles
-If I Can Dream, Elvis Presley
-For You, David Ryan Harris
-You Are My King, Christ Tomlin
-Here In My Life, Hillsongs
-Father Can You Hear Me, from the movie Diary of a Mad Black Woman
-1,2,3,4, Plain White Tees
-Imma Be, Black Eyed Peas
-Save Me from Myself, Christina Aguilera
-Yellow, Coldplay
-Angel, Sarah McLaughlin
-Slow Motion, Karina Pasian
-In My White Tee, Dem Franchize Boys
-Dancing, Elisa
-The Prayer, Andrea Bocelli & Celine Dion
-Percolator, Cajmere
-Kanye's Workout Plan, Kanye West
-Any Boys II Men song.
-Any Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong song. Duet? Even better.

Smile Big,
E.H.

I am my father's daughter.

I love my daddy.
He really gets on my nerves sometimes and he's one of the most stubborn people I have ever known, but I love him so, so, so much.

This might sound seriously lame to some people, because one of my most cherished memories as a child was when my dad would bring my brothers and me our favorite soda and each of our favorite potato chips (mine: cherry coca-cola & BBQ chips) on the nights whenever he came home late. This is the way he said, "Sorry" without saying it for being away from home all the time. It was special because my family never drank soda. It was a treasure for me as child. I was so excited that I got to drink SODA and at 10 PM!!! It was party time for 1st grade Ellen. And, my dad was a workaholic! The man often came home past 11pm. And until I was in college, I didn't know but my dad is a soft-hearted man...but you would never know it unless you've heard him pray.

Hehe, of course, since then he's done some JAMAZING things...and there are more specialier aspects about him...but this is something so small and sweet about my daddy that I love. It always reminded me that he's been thinking of us and missed us. And, he knew what we liked! <3

I am my father's daughter and I will forever be ^^

Smile Big,
E.H.

Movie Review: The Fighter

Please, Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale in the same movie? OF COURSE IT'S AMAZING!



Okay, so that was my movie review. HAHA
I rarely go out to the movies anymore simply because I haven't had the time. But today, I made the time and I'm so glad I did! First movie theater movie of 2011 and it was wonderful start to finish and 2 hours later as I'm thinking about it, STILL GOOD!!!

I love brotherhood. I'm not a brother...but I have two older brothers. I've seen them almost tear each others heads off. I've also seen them cry and embrace each other. Yes, not HUG but EMBRACE. So, I know a little thing or two about how crazy thick the bond of brotherhood is. VICK and JACKSON. MARK and CHRISTIAN. MOSES and AARON. JOSHUA and CALEB. DAVID and JONATHAN. JESUS and PETER. JOE (my oldest oppa) and PHIL (my 2nd oldest oppa). SHREK and DONKEY. LEGOLAS and ARAGORN. REMEMBER THE TITANS. HITCH and ALBERT. DUMB and DUMBER. BEAVIS and BUTTHEAD. AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! >.< So cute!!!

Made me smile,
E.H.

The People in My Life

Handpicked by holy hands
Governed by His will, not mine
Come and go, stay and linger
Leave a past, make a future
Presently, pleasantly
making bits and pieces
of my life, my memories,
all these people, people in my life.


Smiling at the thought of you, world.

-E.H.