"Don't You Want To Stay?"

I love this song. It makes me happy, for obvious reasons :)

I haven't posted in awhile, so why not now? At 2:00 AM. Don't judge.

If you don't stay updated with my page on Facebook, then let me update you--I am terrified of spiders and I stepped on a big daddy of spider--on accident WITH MY BAREFOOT. I about threw up from fear and mortification. Luckily I have an awesome roommate who saved me. OOOH YEAH! She saved me because all my stepping on it did was break off one leg, so the big daddy was crawling around all limp-y. I was flipping out.

Also on Facebook recently, I posted a status about being happy. I am happy. I am sometimes so overwhelmed with the happiness that I freak out and over think it ("things are going too good, something is gonna go to hell" kind of over thinking). However, I am more often consumed with the fantastic feeling of just how happy I am--School is going well, I'm eating healthy(ier), I'm working out, and I have an amazing boyfriend who treats me so well. Life is pretty good right now.

Part of my New Year's Resolution to myself (I'm not sure if I posted them on here) is to eat healthier and to not spend so much of my money on food or coffee. In order to accommodate this resolution, I am making my own morning coffee at home and I'm TRYING to not drink it after 2 or 3, and I found an amazing blog that I'm madly in love with:
Ring Around the Rosies.

From this blog I have found six different posts that include dozens of crock pot recipes that I can put together in advance and freeze. I am using my dad's ancient (but amazing) crock pot and making all sorts of delicious meals that have made life so much easier for lunches and dinners (I will never underestimate the importance and amazing-ness of leftovers). So far I have made:
Mini omelettes (part 5)
Mini meatloaf served with potatoes (part 3)
Lazy stew over noodles or plain (part 1)
Chicken teriyaki over rice (part 1)
Sausage and peppers over noodles or french bread (part 1)

So that's that. If you're interested in making the food part of your life easier, check out that blog.

That's it. I'm done.
Oh.
Did I mention that I'm happy? :)

"Everybody Talks"

This song is so catchy and fun. The lyrics are great.

I enjoy my blog, but lately I feel like I have nothing to say. Or if I do find something I want to say it ends up being slightly (or totally) depressing or an emotional share.

So I'll do the cliche January post--resolutions, farther term goals, and comments.

This year I hope:
--To work out and get in shape in a similar manner to Boston. I hope to accomplish this by running, doing P90X, pilates and eating healthy. 
--To start and finish my semester strong. I have a hard, busy semester ahead of me and I can't afford to fall behind. One day, one project at a time.
--To be a more positive person. I am positive by nature, but my emotions and struggles get in the way of that too frequently.
--To volunteer more. I love it and I feel inspired and better about myself when I do.

My sister wrote her goals post for the year by finding a term that can be applied to many goals. She "challenged" readers to find their word. Mine is: motivated. 
I am motivated to accomplish those things and more. I am motivated to find a level of happiness that has been eluding me for many many reasons. I am motivated to be a better me.

Oh, and I ran/walked a half-marathon yesterday. In about 3.5 hours. Not great at all, but I am proud of myself for doing it. I trained some but then due to unforseen sickness and overwhelming final papers, I stopped. I made a promise to myself to do this, so regardless of my pace or ability, I ran what I could and with the help of my partner in idiocy (Emily Richard), I finished. I ran across the finish line and accomplished something that felt amazing. I hope to actually train and run another half-marathon at some point (maybe next year?), but for now, my goal is to get in shape. Maybe another 5k or two.

"Lucky Love"

I picked this song because who doesn't love some Ace of Base?

2013 is already off to a much better start than 2012:

I'm happy. Like Boston happy.

I'm eating better (well trying too). I'm focused on a better workout regime (start date pending).

I'm eager and ready for school to start. This semester is going to be absolute hell, but absolutely worth it.

I am determined to make this year incredible and I'm well on my way.


that's all for now. :)

"Infatuation"

This song is just so so good!

My Christmas break has been great so far. I have gotten to see my incredibly hilarious and wonderful nephews and FINALLY meet my new niece. I love them all so much and I miss them all the time. *Mia, I miss your kids every single day! I hate not seeing them!* I also got to spend time with my other "niece" (who I love so much)!!

 

Deacon. One of my favorite things to do is cuddle with this sweet boy. I love when he settles enough to let me read him stories. But don't get me wrong, I sure do love our tickle fights and pillow fights. <3 br="br">

  

Meeting beautiful baby Gwenyth is possibly the major highlight of my trip home. I adore her and can't wait to love on her so much throughout the years.

Van. Oh man. This boy has gotten so much chattier since I last saw him. He is the sweetest boy. I am so lucky to have someone who loves me so much that his face lights up when he sees me (most of the time) :)

 

William. Hands down, funniest 4-year-old I know.  He has the greatest grin, laugh, and sense of humor. I love the one-on-one time I get with this wonderful boy.

Bruiser (with a cameo by Deacon/Will). Now this dog has my heart completely. He knows just when to lay by me to keep me company when I'm feeling lonely. He gets so excited when I come home, no matter how long it's been. Bruiser is my baby and I love and miss him kind of a ridiculous amount.

Ryah. This child is so adorable it's ridiculous. I have seen her 4 times in her life and I adore her with all my heart. She is getting to be so funny and so animated. I love it! (she is blowing kisses btw)

Before I left for Utah, I had about 1.5 weeks to spend with Michael. We have now been together over a month, which to some may not seem like a lot, but it's a big deal to me. We have talked every single day I've been gone and although I'm loving spending time with my family and friends, I am very excited to see him next week and spend the majority of our remaining break together.

Since I've been home it has snowed. A lot. While I'm not a fan of the cold, I have forgotten how much I love being surrounded by beautiful mountains and watching the snow fall and see how beautiful it looks untouched. It is something I will never stop loving.

Christmas was wonderful and busy as always. As always, it was so wonderful to see my family. I love spending time with all of you laughing and stuffing our faces. The games, the laughter and the love are things that make being home so fun. 

My mom and I have been so busy for different reasons that we haven't really had the chance to hang out much. It is tragic. :( But we are fixing that today, probably tomorrow and most likely many other days. 

Since I've been home, I have seen some of my most favorite people: Rachelle, Nicole, Taylor, and Suzzie. I will be seeing the rest of my favorite people in this last week home: Megan and Kari. Hopefully I can add my dear friend Ashley to that list because it just wouldn't be a trip home without one of my most hilarious friends.

My birthday is in 3 days. WHAT?? 26, finally getting my life together and loving it. Who knew all I needed was to find out what I wanted and get out of my own head to accomplish it? I sure didn't. I'm just grateful I found inner peace (yep, cheesy I know but true) so that I can truly be open to all the options that surround me and thankfully I did because I can tell you that while a boyfriend was hoped for, he was 150% unexpected. Thank goodness for good friends who through fun Halloween parties. I have a feeling that 2013 and 26 will be a much better year than 2012 and 25 (the first 10 months were pretty awful). 

School is INSANE but I truly do love it. Spending time with and being a part of those children's life has been such an amazing blessing. It has not only confirmed my choice, but it has eased so many doubts and fears. While I can't say I am completely ready for the rest of my program, I can say that I am totally ready for the challenge. 

Bring on 2013 and all it's challenges and excitement.

"Begin Again"

I do not care how any of you feel about Taylor Swift, this song makes me happy.

So. This semester has been...insane. I pretty much burnt out around mid October, but hey. I'm hanging in there. I am in the final stretch--one more week!  I have about 5 more papers to write and one Assessment Team Meeting (my new version of finals!) and then I. Am. Done! Then I have a much needed, much anticipated six-week break ahead of me. 3 of those weeks will be spent in Utah with family and friends and a brand new niece!!! The rest of the 3 weeks will mostly be spent with someone who has made the last month of school unexpectedly pretty great.

I know for sure that the 4 people who read my blog know about my new boyfriend, Michael. Here is a picture of us at Thanksgiving, which was spent with his family (parents, sister and grandparents). It was the first time I had met anyone in his family, but it was really nice. His parents are great and his sister is pretty funny (That is his sister Michelle in the background, btw).
 

So there ya have it.
This post isn't exactly typical for me but hey, what can I say? I'm happy. :)

"I Learned From You"

This song is so very sweet. I don't even care that it is Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus.

These last few weeks has been unbelievable in so many ways.

      I have been unbelievably busy, tired, stressed, motivated, exhilarated, and inspired.

School has been getting busier, harder, more involved and more informative.
I (still) have projects and papers due all. the. time. but despite how overwhelmed I feel, I truly do love what I'm doing and where I'm going.

I have nearly finished a very hard, detailed, and long paper (the common is to be between 30-40 pages), and although I have stressed about it, I feel more informed about the standards, goals, guidelines, and principles of developmentally appropriate practice and curriculum.

Being more informed has not only helped me with school projects but with my newly discovered passion about educational policies. My good friend Rachel has inspired me to use the voice I have to speak out about the injustices that are happening to the education system in Louisiana and the country. I have a strong, passionate, and smart voice and I need to use it. Rachel has used her voice to write a letter to many members of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) and when they didn't respond, she had the letter sent to the newspapers and other media. It was published and has now been read personally in front of not only the board members it was originally sent to but to the entire board and many members of the state community as a whole.

Rachel, our friend Katy and I have gone to the BESE committee and board meetings that have gone on over the past two days and it was so much more informative and shocking than any of us imagined. We have made great contacts and have gotten wonderful encouragement and support from many people at the meetings and from our professors. We have also personally witnessed the disrespect that is happening to not just parents, teachers and other education professionals but toward other board memories themselves.

I am inspired to continue to be involved in how the policies are made and how the are enforced because I value the career of teaching and the education of ALL children (not just those I'll be certified and qualified to teach). I believe those who make the policies need to have realistic and practical views of what happens the whole spectrum of classrooms.

Here are some videos of my friends and I. (the sound is very low, i recommend headphones)
Rachel 1
Rachel 2
Abbey
Katy and Abbey

Here are the links to Rachel's letter and to her being quoted in another paper about the meetings.
The Advocate (letter)
NOLA (quote)

I just have to finish (for NOW) by saying that it isn't until you need to prove your point on why your opinion is valid that you understand how much you truly know. (Rachel said that.. :) )

"Drowning"

It's not as dramatic as it seems. It's just a song. An awesome song. A pretty song.

Actually, it might be a *tad* as dramatic as it sounds.
From the very beginning of this semester, I have felt behind and that I have never quite been on the same page as everyone else in my program.
It's not that I don't go to class, take notes, or that I don't turn in assignments. I do. Every time.
But I don't feel like I'm actually comprehending anything.
Bits and pieces here and there, but overall I just feel like I have no idea what is going on.
There are so many papers, projects, and little assignments that I don't feel like I have been giving everything my all. If anything, I feel like I am half-assing my work just so that it is done on time. This is not because I *want* too. My classes are all so very similar that even though I have 4 separate classes, I feel like it is just one class taught 4 different times by 3 different professors. All the information seems to run together and having 1 professor for two "different" classes is more confusing than helpful.
So, in short--I feel like I'm drowning...in all the work that has to be done.

I have talked to my professors, but that tends to confuse rather than help. I want to be positive about my program and the semester, but I don't know how to muster the energy to be positive about it. I really wish there was something good to say about but...as Thumper says in "Bambi," "if you can't say nothin' nice, then don't say nothin' at all." (or something like that)

I am still yes, liking my program and excited about continuing, but this is the busiest I have ever been in college ever. Maybe the busiest I have ever been in my life. There is absolutely always something to do, and yet while I can not legitimately use the excuse of "no time," I *can* legitimately use the excuse of "no energy." Although the no time excuse is increasingly becoming more and more true.

I know I need to work out more--more for my sanity than for anything else. Any other outcomes would just be a bonus. But again the energy excuse rears it's ugly head. I want to so badly, but when it comes to my "free time" I am so worn out that the idea of moving anywhere but my bed or couch sounds about as exciting as being dropped blindfolded into a snake pit.

The fuel to my pessimistic attitude very possibly may be influenced by my severely strong desire to be graduated and in the Peace Corps already! It may also very well be influenced by my desire to not be in one place for too long. For the past since I was 21, I have moved about every 1.5 years and it is weird to know that I will be here in Louisiana for another 1.5 years (making it a total of 2.5 years in one place). Idk though.

What I *DO* know is that I need to do better. I need to take it all one day at a time. I mean, the semester is already nearing midterms. the next 4 semesters will fly by. FLY, I TELL YOU!

then before I know it, I'll be gone again. Bigger and better things are out there waiting for me.