I am thankful: 24

Happy Thanksgiving!

Gratitude Rolls

This is my absolute favorite time of year and I can't believe Thanksgiving is already here! I couldn't be happier to be spending it in Newbury Park with my family and celebrating all the things we are thankful for. My mom and I found this awesome little craft on Pinterest that we're going to turn into a game. Each of us will write something we're thankful for and bake it into our dinner rolls. Then we'll try to guess who wrote each one! Fun, right? It's going to be hard to choose just one thing to write down because although it's been 24 full days of thankfulness, that's nothing compared to how thankful I am for so many things in my life each and every day.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday.

I am thankful: 23

Today I'm thankful for finally making it to California.

6 hours later...fab.

Hartling family road trips are always...interesting, to say the least. Between stopping every 30 minutes to go to the bathroom, laying all over each other in the car, yelling at people on the road, and me pretty much always getting car sick, we somehow manage to always make the 4 hour drive from Vegas to California a 6 & 1/2 drive. We're stressful travelers but once we arrive at our destination and the delirium sets in, it all becomes pretty hilarious.




Anyways, we made it safely to our hometown in California, ate at a favorite local spot, and are settled in at a nice cozy hotel where the 4 of us get to listen to each other snore to hell all night. But I am genuinely happy that we get to spend Thanksgiving here this year, and I'm thankful that most of the family will get to be together tomorrow.

I am thankful: 22

Today I'm thankful for simple joys.

El Burrito Loco

Whether it's watching the Dancing With the Stars finale with my parents, getting a hopeful email, eating a meal you've been craving for months picking your brother up at the airport, getting a drink with a friend, or hearing a joke that makes you laugh uncontrollably even though in retrospect it wasn't really that funny, it's the little things that make me smile that I'm thankful for. Because life wouldn't be nearly as awesome if I didn't get to smile for no reason and be happy about the little things.

I am thankful: 21

Today (and everyday) I'm thankful for my friends.

The ones who support and encourage, 

and share in the best of times and the worst. 

Who have been there through childhood, the (many) awkward phases,

moody teens, and pre-adulthood.

My rock.

The ones who make me laugh by singing to me in the car,

share in millions of inside jokes (this here's my whhhife),

rush over to take care of me in times of complete crisis and utter despair,

and keep me grounded when I'm out of control.

My best friend.

The ones who don't judge me

and accept me as I am,

even if what I am is a complete mess.

My soulmate

The ones who listen and offer advice

in between each irrational vent sesh.

My confidant.

The ones that love me unconditionally

through time and distance

and who keep their promises.

My girls.

The ones who I can shoot the shit with,

be crazy, be loud, be stupid, and borderline embarrassing.

My musketeers.

And even those that aren't pictured.

Those that have made an impact on my life

will always have a special place in my heart.

I'm so thankful for you.

I am thankful: 20

Today I'm thankful for growth.

I'm sitting here doing a mini-reflection on the past year and realizing how thankful I am for the person I've grown into. Now, my real 2011 reflection will be much bigger, longer, and way more drawn out than my little thankful blurbs and there will probably be many tears involved, so I'll save the heavy stuff for that post (because y'all KNOW it's coming). But as far as the mini reflection goes, I do realize how thankful I am for all the experiences I've had this year because I've grown a LOT, learned a LOT, changed a LOT (in a good way) and have overall been much happier than I have been in a long time. I started the year pretty darn hopeful with some really personal new years resolutions that I thought were probably a stretch for me, but I've done a pretty freaking awesome job of keeping them in mind. It's now November and I'm STILL keeping track of those goals from 11 months ago. I knew this year would be full of changes, but the one I'm most thankful for are the changes that have caused me to grow up a little and start becoming the adult version of Chelsea that's been trying to surface. But don't get too carried away, I mean, I'm only 22. I still have a lot of kid left in me :)

I am thankful: 19

Today I'm thankful for my sister, Ashley.

(Otherwise known as Volcanic Ash of the Fabulous Sin City Roller Girls)

Tonight I had the honor of watching her skate in a roller derby bout for the first time! (My first time, not hers.) Watching her do something she's so passionate about inspires me to find and pursue something I'm passionate about. I've always looked up to Ashley for being my big sister, but now I look to her for more: friendship, support, advice, and of course whenever I need to vent about things only a sister would understand. I'm thankful for her everyday and for the enormous growth in our relationship over the past year.

I am thankful: 18

Today I'm thankful for the feeling of home.

It's still weird to me that Vegas is supposed to be "home" now, but I'm getting used to it. The house my parents bought is turning into more of a home everyday & it's taken a 180 turn since we bought it - new floors, new paint, new everything. And with the addition of all our pictures hung, it feels much more homey. It's been quite some time since I've experienced this feeling because the last time I was in my real home was in April. It feels nice to have my family settled in & really having a place of their own again. We even have our first official visitor this weekend! Even though the move was pretty tough at first, Vegas is a destination place & I know that no matter what people will always be coming here (hopefully more than once). This place might not technically be MY home, but I'm thankful that it's turning into more of a home & a central that we can all lean on.