Ingrid Illustrated

  First and foremost, I would like to thank my family. Thank you mom and dad for listening to me complain about English class (just kidding) and brag about my essay grades (not kidding). Also, thanks to my older brother Frank for staying awake with me on even the latest nights and the earliest mornings. Your ability to never sleep has kept my GPA alive!  Next, I would like to thank a few of my 2nd hour Valentino friends. Julia, Charlotte, and Hailey, you have all brightened my 2nd hour. No matter if it’s shooting looks at each other from across the room or making funny comments under our breaths, you have all made this class even more enjoyable!  I would also like to thank these blog posts. They have motivated me to actually do some thinking on weekends (even if it is usually Sunday morning). I truly believe I have become a better writer by just jotting down some of my thoughts each week. The consistency of my writing has improved tremendously as well as my style and orga...

  My first ever dance. The beloved daddy daughter dance. I vividly recall getting my hair and nails done for the first time ever and feeling like a real life princess. As my thin, short hair was whipped into elegant curls and my small, stubby nails were painted pink with purple polka-dots (per my request), the fantasy started to come to life. I remember picking out a certain dress for the special occasion, from the many in my closet, and of course, it had to be pink. My outfit was completed with a cute, cream cardigan my mom picked out, and a matching pink wand was the cherry on top. And just like that, a princess was ready for her first ball. This was such a special moment for me. It was the first time I had ever gotten all dolled up and believed I could be just as beautiful and brave as a princess from one of the many fairytales I loved. I also believe this single preschool dance was what first sparked my love of dance to date. A few years after this picture was taken, I requeste...