I don't like the fact that I haven't posted in over a week; I can't say that I'm busy because that would be a lie, but I'm back to using Dayna's laptop since mine is broken and so I don't want to upload all my pics to her computer and quite frankly, blog posts are boring with no pictures...like this one will be. Last week, I was at my parents house so I was uploading all my pics on their computer which I don't mind since I'm the only one who uploads photos on their computer. You probably could care less about all of this information, right? Right.
So, I'm going to bullet point all of my days over the past week and someday, when I have pictures to add to the words, I'll make different posts about them. I've been thinking and feeling a lot of different things lately, some of which I'm not sure should be made public on my blog for different reasons. Perhaps I should old-fashion journal them because it's always helped me to write out my feelings for different situations. I'm in a time of transition, no doubt, but it's a transition I like. However, different things are adding to the mix (that's life, isn't it?) and I'm just ready to go back to work!
Onto the bullet points...
-I recently bought 2 barstools from Craigslist that are painted fun colors for mine and Dayna's classrooms! I'll post a pic soon-they're super cute! And, I got them both for $30. :)
-I am more than ready to go back to work, I think. I'm like a pregnant mother in nesting mode- except that I'm a teacher in nesting mode, not a pregnant mother. ;) I have been shopping at any and all teacher stores getting things for the new school year and I couldn't be more excited to begin my first full year as a teacher. I'm expecting great things and am praying for my students already and can't wait to meet them!
-I had my first experience in an ambulance last week when leaving the beach. The ambulance never left the parking lot, and I never passed out but was pretty darn close. It was an awful feeling. I was with my mom and sister and I think my mom called 911 just because she was scared of driving home with me in that condition. The paramedics checked my blood sugar levels and my heart and all of that good stuff, and everything was normal. But man, when I told my mom, "I feel lightheaded," that is an understatement of what I felt. I was about to fall to the ground. A very nice man helped us out and got one of our beach chairs opened up and poured water all over me to get cooled down and we were so thankful for his help!
-I shopped a lot last week and will soon do a post of all of my goods. :)
-One of my old college roommates was in town this week and I met up with her at Starbucks one night to catch up. We're both experiencing the same life-transition right now, so that was reassuring!
-We celebrated my dad's 49th birthday last Sunday and I was sooo happy that he loved the shirts I got him! I'll post on that soon, too! (Just like everything else I'm "posting about soon.")
-Dayna and I went to our new apartment complex's pool today to soak up some sun! It was fun! We both got color and enjoyed the beautiful pool!
-I went to the doctor yesterday to follow up with the 911 episode last week and am being referred to a gastroneurologist for further testing after my bloodwork results come back. I've not had an appetite lately and get full real quickly when I eat so the doctor thinks I may have a bacteria in my stomach? He wants a scope done so that they can see what's going on. I'm a little nervous but it would be nice to have some answers if there are any!
-Dayna and I had a cheese stuffed-crust pizza tonight from Pizza Hut and it was GOOD!
Although I was disappointed that they did not have wild-cherry pepsi! Bummer!
-Dayna and I have also been working on a puzzle in our apartment that I will, yep you guessed it, post when it is finished! Ha! A puzzle is really the last thing we need to distract us here though, considering we still haven't finished unpacking since our June 30th move. Ha! My family is coming this coming weekend for a cookout though so hopefully that will be motivation enough for me to get this place in shape! :)
Well, I think that's all for tonight. I hope to be blogging with pictures again soon!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
Downtown Disney with Jackie!
This past Monday, Jackie and I spent the day together at Downtown Disney where she works! We had been planning to do this for a while but never found time to do it until just recently and it was SO fun!! Jackie had facebook messaged me last week and told me she had planned out the day and I originally thought we'd just meet and walk around and go to lunch or dinner, but she had it all planned out...what was I thinking? She works at Disney so of course she had more of a plan than I was thinking of! She knew the best places to go! We had a great time! I got there at 11:15 that morning and didn't leave 'til 10:45 that night!
Jackie greeted me at the main entrance of Downtown Disney with one of Disney's celebration pins. It doesn't look exactly like the one below, but you'll be able to see it a little bit in some of the pictures.
Jackie got one for both of us and wrote "BT Reunion" on it. BT stands for "Bopsie Twins" because Father Gerry, the pastor of the church we both went to growing up used to call us the Bopsie Twins because we sang together, were good friends, and had been in choir together for 10 years. So, since then it has stuck and we've just shortened it to an acronym like everything else in the world these days. Ha!
Our first plan was to go eat lunch at the Grand Floridian Cafe. I had a cheeseburger and Jackie tried something much more adventurous than I did, go figure. Ha! Here we are after lunch.
Some lady stopped us after lunch and asked us all about what our pins said and meant and she thought it was so cute! Haha. Then afterward we were talking to the hostess of the restuarant and she was telling us the average stay of people at the Grand Floridian Hotel at Disney is 3 weeks, and the rooms start at $800 a night. Are you serious?! An average stay of 3 weeks when the rooms are that expensive? She went on to tell us that people rent out the restuarant to celebrate their divorces! I didn't know a divorce could be so celebratory, but I guess in some cases it must be! She told us too that Oprah visits there quite frequently and that there is high security!
After we ate lunch, we got changed into our swimsuits and headed for the Grand Floridian pool! We laid out for a while and just talked. We actually didn't stop talking the whole day! :)
It became overcast so we put our cover-ups back on and walked to find the Disney Wedding Chapel just to see it. They were busy renovating it but the construction workers were real nice and let us inside to have a peek. It was really pretty inside! The guys told us there is a $300,000 wedding happening there this week. I love weddings, but hmmm, $300,000?! That's something! Jackie and I ventured around the chapel outside and had fun taking pictures where most brides take pictures, we just were much more dressed down than I'm sure they are. :) Especially brides who have $300,000 weddings, right?
A perfect view of the castle, perfectly centered in this archway!
Trying to show you how small the castle looks from this view!
Here are some pictures of us exploring more of the Grand Floridian...
We hopped back on the Disney bus and took it back to Downtown Disney and I went to get changed out of my swimsuit. I actually changed in my car, is that bad?! My windows are dark tinted and Jackie stood outside to guard it. I think I was safe. We headed back to Downtown Disney and Jackie showed me the place she works in Guest Relations and got to meet some of her employees. One of them is on an internship from Wales and I loved her accent! We went into this really nice soap store (I forgot the name of it) and Jackie had me try this exfoliating scrub that she said was amazing...and she was right!
It felt SO good and leaves your hands feeling so soft! I ended up splurging and bought some at the end of the night before I left and Jackie's discount helped a little bit! :) The scent is almond and it smells so nice. I have since used it on my feet and had many other people try it and they know why I spent the money on it. Plus, it'll last a long time, too!
Jackie had planned for us to go a place called Saratoga (I think that's the name?) for dinner and we had to go there by boat which was fun!
We talked for a long time at dinner and then made sure we left in time to get back to see Epcot's fireworks display from Disney's boardwalk. The fireworks were GREAT! Disney definitely doesn't do anything halfway, that's for sure!
Jackie drove us back to Downtown Disney for ice cream at Ghirardeli! Jackie was sweet to treat me! It was SO good. The place was SO busy and Jackie said it always is! Can't imagine why! :)
And that was our "BT Reunion" day at Downtown Disney! Jackie and I figured out that we've been friends for 15 years and that made us both feel so old but it's funny because neither one of us look 23. I'm so thankful we've kept in touch even though we went to different colleges and live in different towns now. It was such a fun day and like I said, we talked non-stop the whole day...not shocking for us, though. We always got the death stare if we were talking during choir practice. Haha. :)
Thanks, Jack, for such a fun-filled Disney day! We'll have to do it again sometime!
Jackie greeted me at the main entrance of Downtown Disney with one of Disney's celebration pins. It doesn't look exactly like the one below, but you'll be able to see it a little bit in some of the pictures.
Jackie got one for both of us and wrote "BT Reunion" on it. BT stands for "Bopsie Twins" because Father Gerry, the pastor of the church we both went to growing up used to call us the Bopsie Twins because we sang together, were good friends, and had been in choir together for 10 years. So, since then it has stuck and we've just shortened it to an acronym like everything else in the world these days. Ha!
Our first plan was to go eat lunch at the Grand Floridian Cafe. I had a cheeseburger and Jackie tried something much more adventurous than I did, go figure. Ha! Here we are after lunch.
Some lady stopped us after lunch and asked us all about what our pins said and meant and she thought it was so cute! Haha. Then afterward we were talking to the hostess of the restuarant and she was telling us the average stay of people at the Grand Floridian Hotel at Disney is 3 weeks, and the rooms start at $800 a night. Are you serious?! An average stay of 3 weeks when the rooms are that expensive? She went on to tell us that people rent out the restuarant to celebrate their divorces! I didn't know a divorce could be so celebratory, but I guess in some cases it must be! She told us too that Oprah visits there quite frequently and that there is high security!
After we ate lunch, we got changed into our swimsuits and headed for the Grand Floridian pool! We laid out for a while and just talked. We actually didn't stop talking the whole day! :)
It became overcast so we put our cover-ups back on and walked to find the Disney Wedding Chapel just to see it. They were busy renovating it but the construction workers were real nice and let us inside to have a peek. It was really pretty inside! The guys told us there is a $300,000 wedding happening there this week. I love weddings, but hmmm, $300,000?! That's something! Jackie and I ventured around the chapel outside and had fun taking pictures where most brides take pictures, we just were much more dressed down than I'm sure they are. :) Especially brides who have $300,000 weddings, right?
A perfect view of the castle, perfectly centered in this archway!
Trying to show you how small the castle looks from this view!
Here are some pictures of us exploring more of the Grand Floridian...
We hopped back on the Disney bus and took it back to Downtown Disney and I went to get changed out of my swimsuit. I actually changed in my car, is that bad?! My windows are dark tinted and Jackie stood outside to guard it. I think I was safe. We headed back to Downtown Disney and Jackie showed me the place she works in Guest Relations and got to meet some of her employees. One of them is on an internship from Wales and I loved her accent! We went into this really nice soap store (I forgot the name of it) and Jackie had me try this exfoliating scrub that she said was amazing...and she was right!
It felt SO good and leaves your hands feeling so soft! I ended up splurging and bought some at the end of the night before I left and Jackie's discount helped a little bit! :) The scent is almond and it smells so nice. I have since used it on my feet and had many other people try it and they know why I spent the money on it. Plus, it'll last a long time, too!
Jackie had planned for us to go a place called Saratoga (I think that's the name?) for dinner and we had to go there by boat which was fun!
We talked for a long time at dinner and then made sure we left in time to get back to see Epcot's fireworks display from Disney's boardwalk. The fireworks were GREAT! Disney definitely doesn't do anything halfway, that's for sure!
Jackie drove us back to Downtown Disney for ice cream at Ghirardeli! Jackie was sweet to treat me! It was SO good. The place was SO busy and Jackie said it always is! Can't imagine why! :)
And that was our "BT Reunion" day at Downtown Disney! Jackie and I figured out that we've been friends for 15 years and that made us both feel so old but it's funny because neither one of us look 23. I'm so thankful we've kept in touch even though we went to different colleges and live in different towns now. It was such a fun day and like I said, we talked non-stop the whole day...not shocking for us, though. We always got the death stare if we were talking during choir practice. Haha. :)
Thanks, Jack, for such a fun-filled Disney day! We'll have to do it again sometime!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Visiting with Sarasota Friends
Today was busy and fun! I had plans to meet with my friend Rachel at her house this morning at 11:00 so that was my first stop of the day. She has 2 little boys, Murray (4) and Miles (14 mos.) and so it's always fun to play with them, too. They're adorable! Rachel and I always enjoy catching up on life-she's known me since I was 15, when I began dating her younger brother and we just clicked because we're both oldest children of 4 and have many similar personality traits because of where we are in birth order in our families. Because I've never had older siblings, I've always looked up to Rachel and thought of her as the older sister I never had! So, each holiday and then of course in the summertime, I always call her so that we can hang out. So we talked for a while and then headed to McDonald's so she could feed her boys lunch.
Afterward, I met my mom and Suzy (family friend/works with my mom/I used to babysit her kids) at Panera. After we were finished eating, we just talked a while and Panera is such a good place for that. I could barely eat my salad though, my apetite has just been weak lately for some reason.
I was invited to eat dinner with Rachel and her family so I could visit with more of the Wiseman family and eat one of my favorite meals made by Mrs. Wiseman. She makes the BEST gravy with white rice and so everytime everyone's in town she cooks a big meal and we all eat 'til our hearts are content! Ha! Rachel's sister, Bethany, recently moved back to FL with her husband and she also has 2 boys, Kellen (2) and Beckham (17 mos.). So, the house was WILD with four boys under 4 running around but it was so fun. Back when I dated their younger brother, Rachel and Bethany were married but kids were still off in the distant future....and here they are. :) They are all SO cute. I didn't get pictures of all the boys together, but I should have. It was fun catching up with them and playing with the boys.
Here is a picture of me and Jack taken today, I just love him!
And then my sister zoomed in on purpose...
Tomorrow is beach and HAIRCUT DAY! I have been waiting for this haircut all week!!! So all this long mess hair grossness you've been seeing is about to be chopped off! I need a change and something trendy! I'll be sure to post pictures!
Afterward, I met my mom and Suzy (family friend/works with my mom/I used to babysit her kids) at Panera. After we were finished eating, we just talked a while and Panera is such a good place for that. I could barely eat my salad though, my apetite has just been weak lately for some reason.
I was invited to eat dinner with Rachel and her family so I could visit with more of the Wiseman family and eat one of my favorite meals made by Mrs. Wiseman. She makes the BEST gravy with white rice and so everytime everyone's in town she cooks a big meal and we all eat 'til our hearts are content! Ha! Rachel's sister, Bethany, recently moved back to FL with her husband and she also has 2 boys, Kellen (2) and Beckham (17 mos.). So, the house was WILD with four boys under 4 running around but it was so fun. Back when I dated their younger brother, Rachel and Bethany were married but kids were still off in the distant future....and here they are. :) They are all SO cute. I didn't get pictures of all the boys together, but I should have. It was fun catching up with them and playing with the boys.
Here is a picture of me and Jack taken today, I just love him!
And then my sister zoomed in on purpose...
Tomorrow is beach and HAIRCUT DAY! I have been waiting for this haircut all week!!! So all this long mess hair grossness you've been seeing is about to be chopped off! I need a change and something trendy! I'll be sure to post pictures!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Dentist, Rainy Day, Teacher Night Out!
I got in to Sarasota last night after spending the day in Orlando with my aunt. (I'm going to catch up on my Monday and Tuesday posts soon!) I thought I may visit with my aunt a little longer and stay another night, but yesterday morning I called my dentist because I'm way overdue for a cleaning, and the receptionist told me they were booked through September. (Note to self: Get new doctors, dentists, etc. in the new town where you now permanently live!) The receptionist kindly told me they would call me if they had any cancellations. Sure enough, they had a cancellation this morning at 9:00 a.m., so I said I'd take it so that made my decision to come to Sarasota yesterday instead of today! I'm not a morning person, but as I said, I was way overdue for a cleaning so it needed to be done. However, my dentist said even though I hadn't been for a cleaning since March '09 (gasp!) I barely had any build-up so I was glad I got a good report from the dentist. Ha!
So, I dreadfully woke up to get to the dentist by 9:00 and scrubbed it in shorts and a t-shirt with little make-up but I did straighten my hair. I can not STAND when one side of my hair flips under and the other flips out-one of my pet peeves. Thankfully, that is something a straightener can fix, well, at least for part of the day. :) The dentist was good, it was just a typical cleaning, the lady who did it was real friendly and nice. It's always hard to carry on conversations while they're working on your teeth though, isn't it? I always try and answer their questions though through mumbled words! My plan after the dentist was to come straight back to my parent's house and go back to bed. Isn't that ridiculous? I am still having issues sleeping though, which isn't fun. Unisom was working, but it hasn't been lately. What a disappointment, I sure hope I'm not developing insomnia! NO!!!
The afternoon here was really rainy. I ran to the store for my mom and I got some books that were marked $4.49 and were 75% off of that price! Yes please, I'll buy some! I'm really trying to build a book collection of my own for my classroom. I got back home and realized I forgot one of the things my mom sent me to the store for, so this time she drove, I went with her, and we took along Jack. Look how cute he is sitting in the back seat!
Later, I went to my favorite consignment shop which I've blogged about before and got a nice Ann Taylor Loft sweater and a pair of khaki pants. I must have taken 15 things into the dressing room, but only 2 worked! Probably better on my bank account! Ha! I'm going to do a post soon of my recent shopping experiences, I think that deserves a post of its own!
Tonight, my mom was meeting up with some of her teacher friends (some who've known me most of my life) at the Sarasota Ale House and invited me to go with her. It was a lot of fun! I brought my school yearbook to show the teachers who've known me since I was young because I knew they'd enjoying seeing it. My mom is blessed to work with great people who have been her good friends for close to 20 years! Their kids and me and my siblings would all hang out together after school and we were like our own little family. It was so fun back then!
Mom and me.
One of my mom's more recent teacher friends recently had a baby, Braxton, and I met him as a newborn and got to see him again tonight! He is so happy and so adorable! I LOVE babies!
It was funny; someone who worked at the restuarant is someone whose mom also works with my mom. She came over to us because she knew everyone (she's a few years older than me) and was like, "Is that your baby?" And I quickly said, "NO! No, no, no!" Ha! I love children and can't wait to have my own, but I prefer to be married first. :)
Katie, Suzy, Me, and Mom (Braxton's dad made sure Braxton was included in the pic!)
Poor Braxton!
My mom and I just ordered appetizers and had planned to eat dinner at home, but we were so full after the appetizers! I still haven't had a thing and that was a few hours ago! I've always eaten like a bird though, ha! Afterward my mom and I had to stop by our old neighbor's house who is also a good friend of the family and it was fun to catch up! It was weird driving by our old house...that was the neighborhood I grew up in! I lived there from the ages of 6-16! So, yeah...most of my childhood! Tomorrow I have some fun plans lined up and then Friday is my haircut that I am sooo looking forward to! I feel like I need a haircut so desperately!
Well, you'll be seeing a lot of me soon, I'm about to do a lot of blog-catch-up! I have lots of pictures which haven't been shared yet! Hope you had a wonderful Wednesday!
So, I dreadfully woke up to get to the dentist by 9:00 and scrubbed it in shorts and a t-shirt with little make-up but I did straighten my hair. I can not STAND when one side of my hair flips under and the other flips out-one of my pet peeves. Thankfully, that is something a straightener can fix, well, at least for part of the day. :) The dentist was good, it was just a typical cleaning, the lady who did it was real friendly and nice. It's always hard to carry on conversations while they're working on your teeth though, isn't it? I always try and answer their questions though through mumbled words! My plan after the dentist was to come straight back to my parent's house and go back to bed. Isn't that ridiculous? I am still having issues sleeping though, which isn't fun. Unisom was working, but it hasn't been lately. What a disappointment, I sure hope I'm not developing insomnia! NO!!!
The afternoon here was really rainy. I ran to the store for my mom and I got some books that were marked $4.49 and were 75% off of that price! Yes please, I'll buy some! I'm really trying to build a book collection of my own for my classroom. I got back home and realized I forgot one of the things my mom sent me to the store for, so this time she drove, I went with her, and we took along Jack. Look how cute he is sitting in the back seat!
Later, I went to my favorite consignment shop which I've blogged about before and got a nice Ann Taylor Loft sweater and a pair of khaki pants. I must have taken 15 things into the dressing room, but only 2 worked! Probably better on my bank account! Ha! I'm going to do a post soon of my recent shopping experiences, I think that deserves a post of its own!
Tonight, my mom was meeting up with some of her teacher friends (some who've known me most of my life) at the Sarasota Ale House and invited me to go with her. It was a lot of fun! I brought my school yearbook to show the teachers who've known me since I was young because I knew they'd enjoying seeing it. My mom is blessed to work with great people who have been her good friends for close to 20 years! Their kids and me and my siblings would all hang out together after school and we were like our own little family. It was so fun back then!
Mom and me.
One of my mom's more recent teacher friends recently had a baby, Braxton, and I met him as a newborn and got to see him again tonight! He is so happy and so adorable! I LOVE babies!
It was funny; someone who worked at the restuarant is someone whose mom also works with my mom. She came over to us because she knew everyone (she's a few years older than me) and was like, "Is that your baby?" And I quickly said, "NO! No, no, no!" Ha! I love children and can't wait to have my own, but I prefer to be married first. :)
Katie, Suzy, Me, and Mom (Braxton's dad made sure Braxton was included in the pic!)
Poor Braxton!
My mom and I just ordered appetizers and had planned to eat dinner at home, but we were so full after the appetizers! I still haven't had a thing and that was a few hours ago! I've always eaten like a bird though, ha! Afterward my mom and I had to stop by our old neighbor's house who is also a good friend of the family and it was fun to catch up! It was weird driving by our old house...that was the neighborhood I grew up in! I lived there from the ages of 6-16! So, yeah...most of my childhood! Tomorrow I have some fun plans lined up and then Friday is my haircut that I am sooo looking forward to! I feel like I need a haircut so desperately!
Well, you'll be seeing a lot of me soon, I'm about to do a lot of blog-catch-up! I have lots of pictures which haven't been shared yet! Hope you had a wonderful Wednesday!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Sunday Funday
Today was a FUN day! It was a fun day that I truly needed, to be completely honest! I said last night that my friend, Audra, had invited me to try a new church with her so that was my first plan of the morning! The service was different than what I'm typically used to, although it was very similar to my Catholic upbringing. The worship was good but I am definitely planning to continue to try other churches in the weeks to come. Audra brought her friend, Jessica, with her and she was real nice and friendly. After church, the three of us went downtown to eat lunch at a place called Black and Brew.
It's a trendy coffee shop which serves paninis, wraps, salads and all kinds of coffee drinks. They had a live guitar player which contributed to the atmosphere. I had a caesar salad (I know I had one last night, but for this picky girl, that's all that looked appetizing to my tastebuds)! It wasn't as good as Panera's, but good enough. We had a good time chatting at lunch about life and boys-even as "adults" we still talk about boys. Although it wasn't about specific guys, more just about what we're looking for in them. Ha! :) After leaving lunch, we walked one block downtown and it looked like rain was going to pour from the clouds at any moment, so we quickly made plans to meet later on at my apartment to hang out at the pool and order pizza.
After I got home from church, it began to storm pretty heavy and what does that make for? A good nap! I slept for 2 1/2 hours! I guess that's one of the benefits of being single and childless, no one needs me which means I can take a nap! Ha! That will be happily traded for someday, I must admit! :) Around 4:00, Audra texted me and said she'd be on her way over around 5:15. I ran the vacuum, unloaded the dishwasher, took out the trash and then Audra was here. Her friend, Jessica, didn't end up coming over but Audra and I still had fun chatting and hanging out. It was still somewhat rainy but the sun was out, so we headed to the pool area and just sat in the hammocks and talked. We decided to head back after a little while and order some dinner. We didn't end up ordering pizza because I didn't have any numbers of pizza places, so Audra mentioned Cracker Barrel and it just so happens I have their phone number in my phone, so we ordered to-go!
We both got the same thing off the kid's menu-grilled chicken tenders and macaroni and cheese! Yum! After we finished eating, we played Mad-Gab which Audra brought over. I think I played once a long time ago, but we had a lot of fun with it!
Basically, there are words in a phrase that don't make sense and you are supposed to say them aloud and figure out the phrase in real words! You sound like you're talking a foreign language, but once you figure it out it's fun!
Then, I introduced Audra to Scrabble Slam, a spin-off of a regular Scrabble. It's played with cards. Audra teaches 1st grade, so this was right up her ally with word families, etc. Ha! Dayna got this game for me last summer and I just love it!
I'm leaving tomorrow for Orlando to meet up with my longtime friend, Jackie, who I've known since I was in 3rd grade! We sang together for 10 years in our church's choir. She is in a professional internship at Disney (did I already blog about this?! Oh well-I'm sharing anyway!) and she's got a fun day planned for us-laying out at a Disney beach resort, poolside lunch, shopping and dinner at Downtown Disney and then fireworks at Epcot! I'm looking forward to it! Then, I'm spending the night at my Aunt Cathy's who lives in Orlando. That, too, should be fun! On Tuesday, I'm planning to head to Sarasota to spend the rest of the week at my parent's house; hanging out, visiting friends, going to the beach, and enjoying different scenery! Ha!
I'll try and take as many pics as I can! Today was a fun day and hopefully the rest of the week will be fun, too!
It's a trendy coffee shop which serves paninis, wraps, salads and all kinds of coffee drinks. They had a live guitar player which contributed to the atmosphere. I had a caesar salad (I know I had one last night, but for this picky girl, that's all that looked appetizing to my tastebuds)! It wasn't as good as Panera's, but good enough. We had a good time chatting at lunch about life and boys-even as "adults" we still talk about boys. Although it wasn't about specific guys, more just about what we're looking for in them. Ha! :) After leaving lunch, we walked one block downtown and it looked like rain was going to pour from the clouds at any moment, so we quickly made plans to meet later on at my apartment to hang out at the pool and order pizza.
After I got home from church, it began to storm pretty heavy and what does that make for? A good nap! I slept for 2 1/2 hours! I guess that's one of the benefits of being single and childless, no one needs me which means I can take a nap! Ha! That will be happily traded for someday, I must admit! :) Around 4:00, Audra texted me and said she'd be on her way over around 5:15. I ran the vacuum, unloaded the dishwasher, took out the trash and then Audra was here. Her friend, Jessica, didn't end up coming over but Audra and I still had fun chatting and hanging out. It was still somewhat rainy but the sun was out, so we headed to the pool area and just sat in the hammocks and talked. We decided to head back after a little while and order some dinner. We didn't end up ordering pizza because I didn't have any numbers of pizza places, so Audra mentioned Cracker Barrel and it just so happens I have their phone number in my phone, so we ordered to-go!
We both got the same thing off the kid's menu-grilled chicken tenders and macaroni and cheese! Yum! After we finished eating, we played Mad-Gab which Audra brought over. I think I played once a long time ago, but we had a lot of fun with it!
Basically, there are words in a phrase that don't make sense and you are supposed to say them aloud and figure out the phrase in real words! You sound like you're talking a foreign language, but once you figure it out it's fun!
Then, I introduced Audra to Scrabble Slam, a spin-off of a regular Scrabble. It's played with cards. Audra teaches 1st grade, so this was right up her ally with word families, etc. Ha! Dayna got this game for me last summer and I just love it!
I'm leaving tomorrow for Orlando to meet up with my longtime friend, Jackie, who I've known since I was in 3rd grade! We sang together for 10 years in our church's choir. She is in a professional internship at Disney (did I already blog about this?! Oh well-I'm sharing anyway!) and she's got a fun day planned for us-laying out at a Disney beach resort, poolside lunch, shopping and dinner at Downtown Disney and then fireworks at Epcot! I'm looking forward to it! Then, I'm spending the night at my Aunt Cathy's who lives in Orlando. That, too, should be fun! On Tuesday, I'm planning to head to Sarasota to spend the rest of the week at my parent's house; hanging out, visiting friends, going to the beach, and enjoying different scenery! Ha!
I'll try and take as many pics as I can! Today was a fun day and hopefully the rest of the week will be fun, too!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Just Another Day
The title of this post is exactly how I feel. I've had a lot of time to myself lately and I've been pondering life, a lot. I've always been a thinker, but I feel as if I'm entering yet another season of life and I'm trying to find my place. My recent move as well as my recent entrance into the 'real world' brings on a whole new world of thoughts. They aren't bad thoughts by any means, but I just feel at an 'in-between' stage of life. I'm done with college, I'm working, but I'm not married (yet) and don't have children (yet). I do believe in God's perfect plan for my life (Jeremiah 29:11) but I'm trying to find contentment in this transition period. I'm also out of a routine right now being that it's summertime, so that probably adds to these unsure feelings. I'm sure once August is here and lesson planning, meetings, grading papers, and having conferences all resumes again, I'll wish I had all this time to just sit and think. Ha!
My roommate, Dayna, left on a cruise today. So I'm home alone for the weekend, but am beginning my week of fun on Monday! I am having serious cabin fever as I mentioned yesterday, so there is no way I'm staying here a whole week by myself-I'd be way too bored no doubt! Dayna isn't just my roommate, but also my closest friend, so it'll be weird not talking to her for a whole week, another reason I need to get out of here-to surround myself with people! Ha!
Today, my teacher-friend, Audra, came over to visit and see my new apartment. I was somewhat hesitant about hosting because my apartment is still filled with boxes and nothing is hung on the walls and it's just not cute. After giving her a disclaimer at the door, she came in, I showed her around and we did what all other good teachers do, talk about school stuff! Ha! :) I enjoyed her company and then I was off to shop! Not huge shopping, but I had the urge to go to New York & Company which had practically nothing that I liked, but I did find a cute argyle sweater for $10 to add to my argyle collection. At least it's in a different color and I can add it to my teacher wardrobe! Then I went to Kohl's and found a really cute dress for $24! I'm going to a wedding this coming Saturday, so it looks like I have a new dress to wear to it! Yeah! Oh, and I can add that to my teacher wardrobe, too!
I picked up a caesar salad to-go from Panera-yum!-and brought it home and just hung out. I ran the dishwasher and straightened up a little bit and got rid of a few more boxes. The boxes are starting to drive me crazy, for real. My night has been uneventful. I was planning on trying a new church tomorrow (I'm currently church shopping) but wasn't sure which one I was going to try yet. Around 10:00, Audra texted me asking me if I wanted to try a church with her and it was the thrill of the night! I'm just glad I have someone to go with and it was so sweet of her to invite me! Looking forward to trying out a new church!
Well, sorry this post is all words and no pictures. I'm using Dayna's computer since my laptop died, but I need to create a folder on here for all of my pictures so I can be a true blogger! Ha!
Hope you all had a wonderful Saturday!
My roommate, Dayna, left on a cruise today. So I'm home alone for the weekend, but am beginning my week of fun on Monday! I am having serious cabin fever as I mentioned yesterday, so there is no way I'm staying here a whole week by myself-I'd be way too bored no doubt! Dayna isn't just my roommate, but also my closest friend, so it'll be weird not talking to her for a whole week, another reason I need to get out of here-to surround myself with people! Ha!
Today, my teacher-friend, Audra, came over to visit and see my new apartment. I was somewhat hesitant about hosting because my apartment is still filled with boxes and nothing is hung on the walls and it's just not cute. After giving her a disclaimer at the door, she came in, I showed her around and we did what all other good teachers do, talk about school stuff! Ha! :) I enjoyed her company and then I was off to shop! Not huge shopping, but I had the urge to go to New York & Company which had practically nothing that I liked, but I did find a cute argyle sweater for $10 to add to my argyle collection. At least it's in a different color and I can add it to my teacher wardrobe! Then I went to Kohl's and found a really cute dress for $24! I'm going to a wedding this coming Saturday, so it looks like I have a new dress to wear to it! Yeah! Oh, and I can add that to my teacher wardrobe, too!
I picked up a caesar salad to-go from Panera-yum!-and brought it home and just hung out. I ran the dishwasher and straightened up a little bit and got rid of a few more boxes. The boxes are starting to drive me crazy, for real. My night has been uneventful. I was planning on trying a new church tomorrow (I'm currently church shopping) but wasn't sure which one I was going to try yet. Around 10:00, Audra texted me asking me if I wanted to try a church with her and it was the thrill of the night! I'm just glad I have someone to go with and it was so sweet of her to invite me! Looking forward to trying out a new church!
Well, sorry this post is all words and no pictures. I'm using Dayna's computer since my laptop died, but I need to create a folder on here for all of my pictures so I can be a true blogger! Ha!
Hope you all had a wonderful Saturday!
Friday Fives!
Hey there! I feel bad that I've been an absent blogger as of lately, but it's hard to do on a laptop where my pictures aren't stored. I'm hoping to find an alternate solution for the time being, though. I really do want to post pictures of the progress I've made in making my new apartment a home. I've had a to-do list that I created Sunday night which hasn't been able to be completely checked off due to my lack of motivation. I love my new apartment, but I'm seriously getting cabin fever. I have one month of summer left and I plan to make it FUN. No more of this day-to-day boring stuff. I'm 23, shouldn't I be living it up? Haha. My personality is definitely not a wild one, so I'm not talking about crazy partying, clubbing, dancing or anything of the sort, because quite frankly, that has never been me and it won't ever. I'm just talking about getting out and about, not sleeping til 12 everyday, going to the beach and pool, hanging out, those kinds of simple things. :) I have some fun things planned this week, so there are things to look forward to. Sidenote: God, please don't delay bringing my husband until I'm really old, I think I would be too bored. Thanks!
Anyway, I realize Friday has technically passed, but I haven't had time yet to do my Friday Fives post and I really want to participate in this one! The theme this week is your 5 Favorite Blogs and I definitely have a few I'd like to share! I also plan on reading others' posts to find even more fun blogs to read! Disclaimer: I'm still relatively new to the blog world, so I'm still adding to my list of favorite blogs!
Here we go!
1. All-time favorite blog which I've been reading for about a year: Kelly's Korner! Who doesn't love her blog?! Harper is so darn precious and Kelly just seems like one of the sweetest people in the world!
2. A Love Worth Waiting For is a blog of a young married couple and the wife, Lyndsie, had a complete hysterectomy at a very young age and their love story and faith are both so inspiring. Additionally, I love Lyndsie's style!
3. MckMama! I know many in the blogosphere think her blog is controversial or whatever, but I look beyond that and enjoy looking at her talent of photography and her kids are just adorable! She's due to have her 5th child this summer-I'm a fan of big families! It was also through her blog that I felt the tug on my heart from God to sponsor a child in Kenya through the wonderful organization, Compassion. (That reminds me: I still need to do a post introducing you to Pauline!) :)
4. The Jennings Boys! These 3 boys are absolutely adorable and I always ooo and aah over how perfect Gretchan's hair is! She has the hairstyle I've always wished my hair could do, but it just never can! Maybe I should travel to where she lives, we could meet, and I could get my hair done by her hair dresser! Ha! I can't copy and paste a picture of their blog header, so here is their link: The Jennings Boys!
5. The Tyler's! They have the most adorable little girl who consistently flashes the BIGGEST smiles! I also love Shelly's blog header, purple is my favorite color and it's just too cute! Don't you think?
I really do have more blogs that I enjoy reading on a daily basis, but it's late, I'm tired, and maybe if Beth hosts this theme again, I'll feature more of my favorite blogs because seriously-I follow many more blogs than just 5, but I'm just tired! Can you tell I'm tired considering the previous sentence is a run-on sentence? Isn't that against the rules for a 5th grade teacher like myself? And now I'm rambling! Goodnight!
Anyway, I realize Friday has technically passed, but I haven't had time yet to do my Friday Fives post and I really want to participate in this one! The theme this week is your 5 Favorite Blogs and I definitely have a few I'd like to share! I also plan on reading others' posts to find even more fun blogs to read! Disclaimer: I'm still relatively new to the blog world, so I'm still adding to my list of favorite blogs!
Here we go!
1. All-time favorite blog which I've been reading for about a year: Kelly's Korner! Who doesn't love her blog?! Harper is so darn precious and Kelly just seems like one of the sweetest people in the world!
2. A Love Worth Waiting For is a blog of a young married couple and the wife, Lyndsie, had a complete hysterectomy at a very young age and their love story and faith are both so inspiring. Additionally, I love Lyndsie's style!
3. MckMama! I know many in the blogosphere think her blog is controversial or whatever, but I look beyond that and enjoy looking at her talent of photography and her kids are just adorable! She's due to have her 5th child this summer-I'm a fan of big families! It was also through her blog that I felt the tug on my heart from God to sponsor a child in Kenya through the wonderful organization, Compassion. (That reminds me: I still need to do a post introducing you to Pauline!) :)
4. The Jennings Boys! These 3 boys are absolutely adorable and I always ooo and aah over how perfect Gretchan's hair is! She has the hairstyle I've always wished my hair could do, but it just never can! Maybe I should travel to where she lives, we could meet, and I could get my hair done by her hair dresser! Ha! I can't copy and paste a picture of their blog header, so here is their link: The Jennings Boys!
5. The Tyler's! They have the most adorable little girl who consistently flashes the BIGGEST smiles! I also love Shelly's blog header, purple is my favorite color and it's just too cute! Don't you think?
I really do have more blogs that I enjoy reading on a daily basis, but it's late, I'm tired, and maybe if Beth hosts this theme again, I'll feature more of my favorite blogs because seriously-I follow many more blogs than just 5, but I'm just tired! Can you tell I'm tired considering the previous sentence is a run-on sentence? Isn't that against the rules for a 5th grade teacher like myself? And now I'm rambling! Goodnight!
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Happy 4th of July!!!
Happy Birthday, America!!!
Today's church service was a wonderful reminder to be thankful for the amazing freedom we have in the United States of America, including the freedom of religion! Praise God for that freedom! In his message, the pastor talked about how important it is to show appreciation and gratitude for our freedom by taking action in elections by voting and standing by what is Biblically right for our nation. Additionally, he touched on the topic of how important it is to go to church, not just watch it on TV or be passive about going, but to BE THERE as part of the body supporting each other and standing for what is right in all areas of our lives. One final thing I took from this morning's message was that no matter who we voted for in a past election, that we should stand behind them through prayer no matter what. I really need to remember and hold on to that thought.
I have been on a blogging break since moving in because I just have been busy! Also, last night my laptop bit the dust. It accidentally fell and the screen is dead. It's a bittersweet moment for the almost-5-year-old Dell, but it was bound to happen sooner than later. It would only stay on for (no exaggeration) 1 minute without being plugged into the power cord and so I knew it was on its last legs. The warranty also expired last August. :/ Thankfully, I've been approved to receive a relocation bonus as a teacher in Polk County so it looks like I know what one of my first purchases will be with that money...a new laptop! I always said, "as long as it gets me through college," and indeed it did! Now I'm just hoping I can retrieve my hard drive with all my college papers, resumes, AND pictures! I need those!!
Soon I will be blogging about my wonderful, new apartment that is simply amazing and such an upgrade from my last apartment! I love it here and feel so thankful to live in such a nice, clean, and safe place! I have been busy organizing (which I love!) and making it feel like home here which has included some shopping! Ha! It's looking great and I'm SO excited to get our furniture in October that is currently on layaway! Until then-painting, decorating and organizing will fill my summer days. I feel like a homemaker, but I know come August, I'll be more than ready to return to a brand new group of 5th graders! :)
Well anyway, Happy Birthday America! Thanks for being such a great land to live in!
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. -Psalm 33:12
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Blogging Silence for Baby Cohen
I'm participating in a Blogging Silence for The Marshall Family who lost their infant son due to a heart disease and buried him today. I'm praying for peace over their family!
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