Labor Day

Happy Labor Day {tomorrow}!

Mom & I went to North Vernon this weekend for the Labor Day festival - which is basically like a giant yard sale. Usually we just walk around and see what other people are selling, but this year some of us got some stuff together to see what we could sell ourselves. {stuff meaning junk that was collecting dust in our basement}

We actually sold quite a bit! Not everything, so not as much as we'd like, but better than nothing!



Anyway... it was fun hanging out with my favoritest Cousin {yes, I actually call her COUSIN in real life}, Aunt Audrey, and Grams. And of course there was Bubby {AKA Paul}.... he's 4.:


He may be cute, but please don't be fooled! He's rotten! But he makes for some really good entertainment!!!

Alyssa and I kept him entertained {or rather, he entertained us} by taking some pictures....

I'm not sure what started the scary faces... but they were everywhere!

Audrey & Bubby... I love this one!:

Me & my favoritest cousin!-

I don't know... but Bubby was having fun! -

I also got to see some of my dad's side of the family too! I had lunch at my Aunt Kathy's {which was delicious, thanks Aunt Kathy!} and got to see everyone - Brad, Merideth, Gabi, & Uncle Richard. So that was fun! I hadn't seen Gabi since like April...which is a long time for a baby!

I didn't get any pictures from that part of the trip, though! :( Hopefully now that I live a lot closer I can get up there more often!

It was a good weekend... but I am extremely exhausted - physically & emotionally - and glad to be home! We were outside in the sun & heat for 2 days straight!! Plus lots of walking! It's nice to be home to just relax and have a couple days free* before school again.

*Free is a relative term. I have some reading & writing to do for school before Wednesday. But tomorrow I am planning on finishing the cleaning process of getting Obie & Zeke's mansion tank set up! Then on Tuesday I'll order the filter, and hopefully they'll be in it by next weekend!

....I have lots of other things running through my mind at the moment...but for now I think I will go... hope everyone had a good Labor Day!!

A Class Report

So this is one of 3 books required for one of my Sociology classes. I've only read the first few pages, so I know it's hard to really tell, but so far it seems pretty good! I actually think I might enjoy the reading I have to do for this class. Which is awesome, especially since I just told you how much I don't like reading. But it's pretty cool because we don't have any text books, and at least 2 of the 3 books look like ones I'd enjoy reading even if I didn't have to. The other book I think I'll like is entitled How We Choose to be Happy so I'm interested to see what it has to say.

But the class itself seems pretty interesting, too. It seems like a really practical class {which is something I wish ALL classes were!}. I think when I signed up for it, it was just listed as "Social Psychology" but on the syllabus it's called "Social Topics: Happiness, Life Satisfaction and Community." So I'm actually interested in it and I can't wait to see what else we learn!

Either way, so far I really like it. I know it's only 2 days in, but sometimes the first couple days can say a lot. I think it might just be my favorite.

I also like my Sociology of Aging class. It's taught by a cute little African man. We're going to visit a nursing home at some point which I think will be fun. It will be like a field trip! With a paper due. But still... like a field trip!

So far I really like the Sociology classes, which is good since it is my new major.

And that about sums up my first week of classes. It's nice only having class on 2 days. And since those days are Monday & Wednesday and we don't have school on Monday, I don't go back until Wednesday... which is also the day of my stress test... maybe my future husband will be there!?

Anyway...that's all for now. Hope everyone is having a good week! :)

Edit: Speaking of school, I totally forgot to mention that Beth was nice enough to show me what I might look like with glasses, since I might get some soon!

What do you all think??? YAY OR NAY? Pretty schnazzy, huh?

But I think this might be my favorite look:

I'll probably take this picture with me next time I go see my hair stylist!!

For more of my fabulous looks, check out Beth's blog!

Like wind in your face...

I feel like life has come at me just as fast as the wind in Tobey's face these past few days. And no matter how much I want to keep my eyes closed like he did, I have to open them up and face the big, bad, mean ol' LIFE.

If it weren't for the brief excitement of the thought of getting a puppy in my last post, I probably wouldn't have posted at all since whatever I posted before that, because let's face it, it's harder to post when you're having a hard time than it is when everything is going great.

But, I think it's important to post not only the good things in life, but also the bad, because that's what life is made up of - good times & bad times - and if this blog's main purpose is to serve as a documentation of my life, I must post about all of it.

That being said, the past several days have been pretty rough. I'm trying to be positive but I'm having a hard time here lately.... I try to be positive and optimistic most of the time and usually I can just go with the flow and roll with the punches pretty well, but sometimes I can be a bit of a "glass half-empty" person. And right now I am struggling with this very thing. I think the combination of trying to figure out school, moving - to a house that is not "home," back to a city that IS home and yet is completely different, un-met expectations, and uncertainty of what the future holds have put me in a disillusioned state.

I know that everything happens for a reason, and with most decisions come good and bad effects... this specific decision being that of moving back home. I keep trying to convince myself that I know it's right for me to be back here, that I don't want to push rewind on my life and be back in Jackson either not in school or raking up a bunch of lovely debt. But it's still hard coming back to a place that is much different than what you remembered or expected.

{Please know that I am not sad that I am back. It has been great seeing all of you and I especially love coming home to Tobers every day and my mom is awesome ((most of the time!)), it's just different and a little bit hard at times.. thats all.}

I know that God has a plan for me, and I am certain His plan is better than whatever I can come up with....especially since I don't have much of one. It would just be nice if He could send me a timeline of all the details I keep wondering about.... and let me know WHAT I am supposed to do and WHEN things are going to happen... but then I guess I wouldn't need Him, right?

Phew! Sorry you asked? Actually, I guess you didn't ask... but you did keep reading ;) That being said, I am so glad the weekend is over! {Strange thought, huh?} I think the fresh start of a week and of school starting today seemed to have help pull me out of my "weekend funk."

Anyway... so yes, school started today! It wasn't bad. I have class from 9:30 - 4:00 with an hour break for lunch - which I got to eat with Moses & Spencer! So it was nice to see them and I met one of their friends named Matt who was pretty nice. I think we shall eat lunch together every {school} day! Oh and yes, my classes are only on Monday and Wednesday too, nice huh?

However, I think I might drop one...so I am on the search for a new one to add in its place.

Oh... and we have no new puppy to report on yet. I didn't even go look at her :( We Mom decided that I should probably get settled into a routine with school and such and make sure I have time to take care of a puppy before we get one. But really, I guess that's only fair to the puppy. Luckily, the lady who has little "Hattie" understood AND they also have a brand new litter that's only a few days old... so maybe in a couple months when they are ready, I'll be more ready too. The winner of the name vote was MACIE so when the new puppy comes, I think that will be her name. Now, maybe I should have a vote for middle names... any ideas??

Anyway...I am off to eat some dinner now. This post is getting kinda long, so I will go for now. Hope everyone had a great Monday & first day of school if you started today! :)

PLEASE VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!

So, I found out that the puppy I wrote about previously, MJ , was actually a BOY! Oops!

I'm really surprised I got her to agree, BUT Mom & I am going tomorrow to look at Hattie! {pictured below!}


We already agreed that once we see her we probably can't say no, so more than likely I will be coming home with her tomorrow afternoon!!!!!! She's 8 weeks old tomorrow. I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


However, they don't actually name the dogs, so her name isn't actually Hattie {although, I think it's kinda cute!} so I need everyone's help in coming up with the perfect, most adorable name for my new puppy! Please Vote & give me suggestions!!!!! Here are some my mom and I have come up with so far:

Ava

Macie/Macy

Lucy

Lola

Dakota

Nellie

I am horrible at picking out names...so please give me other suggestions too!!!!! Thanks!!!!

"Let the beloved of the LORD

rest secure in Him,

for He shields her all day long,

and the one the LORD loves rests

between His shoulders."

Deuteronomy 33:12

Another reason school is too darn expensive....

I'm cheap.... I hate spending money.... especially on books. I'm just not a reader. I wish I was. And I am if it's a good book that captures my attention within the first chapter. But generally, I'm not.

So imagine my dismay when I had to spend $160 today on books! Lame, right? Yeah, they were for school, and I know that's really not that bad for school books. And actually, since I ordered them all online I saved about $175!!! {So yeah, if anyone has never ordered your school books online - I highly recommend it!!!! I do it almost every year and it saves a ton of money!!!!} But still, I guarantee you, we will never open up at least one of those books in one of my classrooms. That's just how it goes.

At least there is one good thing about going to school...Mom is getting me this Vera Bradley messenger bag for school! I don't have any Vera stuff yet, but I hear it's addicting....I hope I don't get sucked in. But, my old LL Bean backpack has pretty much bit the dust since I've had it since 7th grade.

But anyway... do you know how many other things I could have bought with 160 dollars?!?

Well.... I am glad you asked. Obie and Zeke still don't have a filter for their new mansion tank!!! The filter is $175.

$160 is over half of the cost of the waterproof camera that I want...

I could have bought a brand new pair of Ugg boots. {Yes, I SWORE I would never give in to this trend... but they are so comfy!!!}

I also could have gotten a pretty good new fall/winter wardrobe!

And last, but certainly not least, I really want this puppy. Or one just like her. I want a little black schnauzer puppy to be Tobey's girlfriend. Then I want them to have cute babies!!!

Isn't she cute!!! She's more than $160 I am sure, but the point is $160 would be a good start. I like her one little white paw & white chest! I showed her to mom and she is actually "thinking" about it!!!!! I think it's only fair since she stole Tobey from me... {I would re-name her something besides MJ} We're actually going to go here in a second to our old neighbor that we got Tobey from and see if she knows anything about the place that "MJ" is at....!!! I'm excited!! I will be back later with an update!

She looks like you....

Today was a pretty productive day! I went over to the school bookstore to figure out what books I needed for my classes so I can order them online and save a bunch of money! And while I was over in the area I figured I'd drop by mom's office and get my eyes checked. I've always had perfect vision but lately I have noticed that I've been squinting and can't see quite as well as everyone else. For example, going down the road, I see the road signs last when everyone else is like, "You can't see THAT!?"

So I get to the office and mom is all like, "oh no, you don't need glasses, you are fine," but I insisted something was up, so she checks. We do one of those "What is the smallest line you can see?" tests, and it was like the biggest one. Maybe the 2nd biggest. So she does the whole test and figures out that I do, indeed, have a prescription. Afterwards she was like, "Wow, you do have something wrong. Your perfect vision is GONE!"

Well, what did she think I was making it up??? Cause I want glasses.

Anyway....it's not really that bad. She said I could still probably pass the driver's test fine. But I'm going back tomorrow to see the doctor and have him double check it. Then I'll probably get some good ol' "study" glasses... {for reading & driving at night or whenever I need to see better...}

I'm a totally inexperienced glasses-wearer.... does anyone have any advice on "cute/trendy" glasses??

Anyway... I love bothering visiting mom at work. It's fun. It's also fun to see the people who have worked there almost as long as she has who say, "Wow, she is SO grown up now!" when they see me, since mom has worked there since I was about 6 or 7. Everyone today said I looked just like my mom, too. Neither of us really see it, but I definitely take it as a compliment. Isn't my momma pretty??? I think she is gorgeous! I hope I look like her when I get older {not that you are old, Mom!} They don't call her Hot Momma for nothin!

One lady even said she thought I was tall from seeing my pictures and was shocked to see how short I really was....hahaha. Most people are taller than me.

Do you people think I look like my momma? We took a picture to see {since, you know, we don't have about 923742893743 others to look at, we had to take a new one}. Then I had mom take a picture of me and Tobey. I taught her how to use the zoom and this is what I got:

A LOT zoomed! But I think it's cute!!! I love that little stinker!!

I also got my ID card made for school and I did figure out the books I needed. Now I just have to order them. I was going to get my parking pass but ran out of time, so I'm going to get it tomorrow.

The rest of the week will be pretty busy, too. But I'm going to see Meredith here in about an hour to catch up! So I better go get ready...

The Great Outdoors

Since the turtles have been home, my mom has really taken a liking to them. They no longer live in my room like they did in my apartment, they live downstairs now so my mom sees them a lot more than I do. Therefore, she has decided to start rationing their feedings & feed them "by hand" {just like she does with Tobey!} to make sure they both get the same amount.... unlike me who just dumps the food in {and they have lived fine like this for over a year!} She talks to them {which I have been known to do, but she really talks to them!}, and she just loves them!

So earlier today she came upstairs and said that she thought the turtles "really needed to get out of the tank." I asked her why and she said because every time they see her they get really excited and she just thought they really needed some attention because they get lonely downstairs. I told her that you aren't really supposed to handle them a lot, and they actually get kind of scared when you go to get them out of the tank... but she was convinced they really needed it.

So we took them outside!


Obie and Zeke went on their very first trip to play outside!

Obie just sat there as usual....

but Zeke loved the freedom of the outdoors!

especially when she discovered the grass!

She was OFF!

we tried to get a picture of them together, but as SOON as I sat Zeke down she was off again before mom could snap the picture!

Time to go back in! {please excuse my appearance...I'd just taken Tobey for a jog... and don't mind the trash can in the back, Mom did not inform me that the background was not photo-worthy....}

In other news, I talked to Ms. Dena today about the daycare job, but she said she can't hire anyone until the enrollment count is back up... so she said to keep checking in, but since she didn't give me a definite timeline, I decided to e-mail some people about babysitting {much like in TN!} I e-mailed 3 different people and 1 has already called me back and seemed pretty excited! I was actually outside with the turtles when she called, so I decided to just call back tomorrow since it's getting kinda late and I'm kinda waiting to see if I hear back from anyone else, too. But, hopefully it will be something!!!! Wish me luck again!! :)

There's an elephant in the room....

Weekend in a Nutshell

Phew! The weekend has been pretty busy... yesterday mom & I went up to North Vernon to drop off some junk stuff at my grandma's. We're going to sell it in the Labor Day festival. So mom hung out with her mom for a little bit and I went and hung out with Adam and Amanda. We really didn't do a whole lot at either place, but it was fun - I always enjoy seeing family.

The rest of the week has been pretty good as well. I registered for classes {thanks, Hope!}, but I'm still not sure about the job... Ms. Dena was out of the office on Friday, so I will have to call back tomorrow. I'm strangely excited about classes though. Not sure why, but I guess that's good. I'm taking 4 classes all on Monday & Wednesday, but depending on if I get a job and how much she'd want me to work, I might only take 2 or 3... we'll see.

Anywho... Kristen has been in town and it has been so much fun hanging out again! I think one of the things I love best about our friendship is that we can go for so long without seeing eachother or even really talking but then when we get together it is just like old times.

Our quest for a good picture...

Take 1: Kristen did not smile!

Take 2: Kristen did not smile again!

Take 3: I think this is my favorite picture of her ever!

I was setting up the timer and accidently took this picture. She didn't even know I was going to, so this was not a posed face.

Take 4: finally a good one!

We haven't done a whole lot of overly-exciting stuff, but here is a re-cap:

• She's had me watching the Olympics. My favorites are swimming & gymnastics! GO USA!
• we made posters for KD Spirit Week. They turned out pretty darn good considering we both have VERY limited artistic skills!
• we watched the new Lifetime movie {I LOVE Lifetime movies!!} I Me Wed. It's about a girl who wanted to "marry herself" to make a stand that women can be single & happy without a man. It was a lot better than I thought it was going to be after hearing the rather strange concept.
• and we of course talked about our future husbands...Kristen's is Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte, and she is convinced that I'm going to marry Aaron Piersol {also a swimmer}. Although, if I am going for a very unrealistic and highly unlikely future husband, I should probably just stick with my doctor. At least he is nearby.

Anyway, I guess I don't have much else to say at the moment.. I think I am going to go grab some lunch!

A Trip to the Zoo...

I apologize for the tardiness of this post. I have been meaning to write about mine and Shelly's trip to the zoo since we went on Wednesday - but I have been a bit distracted.

On Wednesday after the zoo trip, Kristen came over and has since had me engulfed in the Olympics {I am a bit ashamed to admit I hadn't watched them until she came over and made me - she's addicted.} But more on all that later.

Anyway.. on to THE ZOO TRIP

On Wednesday I went to the zoo with Shelly and the girls. It had been awhile since I went to the zoo, especially in Louisville. I think I go to the zoo like once every 3 years or something, and the last two times I went to the zoo were in Memphis and Pittsburgh.

I always take lots of pictures, but then I never do anything with them because they are all of animals, so it's not like I can frame them or anything. But, lucky for you I can post them on my blog - and then it's like you were there too! Or something...

Shelly & I were previleged to go just so happened to go to the zoo during a special time... so I present to you, a few zoo animals during NAP TIME!

This is a giant turtle {sleeping}. Obie and Zeke aspire to be like him.

PENGUINS!!! My favorite. Emma likes penguins, too, therefore Emma and I are friends.
Plus, the penguins were not sleeping.

The rare white aligator. He was definitely sleeping. He was so still I thought he might be fake. or dead.

The tiger. He was sleeping too.

Stop for snack time! Emma apparently eats a lot - but only at the zoo!

The hippo....sleeping too. WAKE UP!! You have visitors!

Almost all of these meerkats were sleeping too, except that one.

The lions were definitely not sleeping but they were....how do I say this... "in bed" together! Sorry I did not take a picture of that.

Hope you enjoyed the zoo during nap time. They even had a sign in one of the animals' cages that said they would be back in a few hours because they were taking a nap. I forgot which animal that was though. Maybe next time they'll all be awake!

Luckily while we were at the zoo, Shelly did not have the baby. But it could be just a couple more weeks until we get to meet little Johnny!

Update on the last post...

Yesterday was quite a busy day, which I will write about later! But, I wanted to give an update on the last post...

Job: I turned my application in, and Ms. Dena {old teacher/exec. director now} said she would know by Friday {tomorrow} if she needs any extra help - and she said she thinks she will!!!! So I am pretty excited! Please pray that it works out - I would love it & really need it!

School: I have not yet registered! Oops! {Although, to be fair, I did only get officially "re-accepted" less than a week ago... and they are still running "It's not too late to apply!" commercials on the radio!} My personal class advisor Hope is coming over this afternoon to help me. I was/still kinda am waiting to see when/if Ms. Dena needs me to work, although I am sure she would be flexible. I am not too worried about registering "last minute" as I have done it a lot later before and it was fine.

Future husband: No such luck. We will just have to wait and see what happens at my next appt...

Life at home: It is going pretty well. I think Mom & I are adjusting to living together again :) I'm still kinda scared and nervous just about how everything is going to work out, but over all I have a real peace about things. I am not stressing too much about school, a job, friends, or the future, because even though it's really hard sometimes, I trust that God has a plan for me - and I know that His plan is far better than anything I could come up with. Plus, it is much easier this way as it takes the stress off of me to figure it all out. phew! ;)

But, please be praying for me & Mom {mostly Mom} because we {mostly she} are making a couple big decisions soon! I know she {and me} would really appreciate it! :)

I will be back, hopefully later on today, to post. Here is a preview of what's coming up...

Wish me luck...

I got an application today at the day care I went to when I was little {I was ages 3-10 or so}. I am hoping & praying that it works out. I miss all my little kiddos in TN and I would LOVE to have another job where I could work with babies! I went today to pick up the application, and one of my favorite teachers, Ms. Dena, is now the executive director. She worked there the whole time I was there, so she remembered me, and asked me how my mom was doing, etc.

I really hope it works out! I'm going to turn in the application tomorrow. She said she probably won't know if she needs anymore help until a little bit after school starts - which is Wednesday - but hopefully I will know something soon...

Tomorrow I'm also going to finish registering for classes. Yikes! Wish me luck with that, too! I'm trying to be excited... :-D

OH and a possible opportunity to talk to my future husband... eek! Yes, another thing to wish me luck on, please! ;-) {but really, it probably won't even happen...}

And just because I don't want to bore you all too much with 2 posts in a row with no pictures, here are some beautiful pictures we took this evening:

Tobey loves playing outside!

I took this (blurry & not very good) picture of me & Mom and she said, "Cool, you should add it to the blog!" So I comply.

Do I have her trained or what?

A picnic with the babies!

So today I went to the cardiologist to check on my heart condition.... but most importantly I met my future husband! Yes, that is right... I did. Too bad I don't know his last name or anything else about him, other than the fact that he was a med student following my cardiologist around. Where is Jack Bauer when I need someone to dig up info on someone???

Anyway, what you guys really care about - the results! Basically, I'm healthy & going to live. He said my random heart fluttering "attacks" are completely normal, but he doesn't know what triggers them or why I can feel them some times and not others. I'm going back in a few weeks for a stress test to double check some things, but he thinks I am fine. Also, the hole he closed up 15 years ago is still closed and is completely unrelated to this new issue. Either way, it was time for me to go back and see him anyway {I last went in 2002 and was supposed to go back in 2005}... and what a perfect day to go! {Hello, future husband!}

After our first date the cardiologist appt., Shelly came over with the girls to see my mom. Since my mom's house is faaar from baby-proof, we went outside! And since babies are adorable and I love taking pictures {especially outside} I took a few pictures of them. So don't worry! My blog will still have fairly regular posts of baby pictures, since I know you all miss Savannah & Madison almost {but not quite} as much as me!

Mom spread out a blanket and had a picnic with the babies! {minus food}

Abby loved being outside!

Tobey stayed far away from the babies though. He wasn't quite sure what to think. {& also he has a leaf in his beard}

Mom taught Emma & Abby how to look for bugs. I am sure Shelly was thrilled.

The "cute baby" as Emma calls her

This was my favorite picture out of all of them... I just think it is cute! Emma really liked my mom! I think they are new BFF's!

I like the lighting in this one... it looks like Abby is in the spotlight with the background being dark and all!

What you see here is a cute picture of Abby, what you don't see is that she was actually trying really hard not to be photographed with me {probably because I'm the owner of the evil dog that barked too loud & made her cry}!

Anywho... for some reason I am soooo tired right now. I feel like taking a nap. I have GOT to quit eating so much cake, ice cream, & candy... and I need to exercise. Someone go to the gym with me!! Maybe that's why I'm sleepy. Actually, it's probably more due to the fact that I had to get up early, and went to bed late. Oops! Nap time?!