Getting to Know You Sunday

I haven't played Getting to Know You Sunday in a LONG time. In fact, I'm really lagging on my blog and need to get back in the habit of things.

1. If you accidentally nick a car in a parking lot..Do you leave a note or do you get the heck out of there?
If I HIT a car, I would certainly leave a note or go find the person, but if my door bumps their side mirror and there isn't anything to it, then nope, I do just leave. I think one time I even rubbed the mark off! ha!

2. Love your body or plastic surgery?
Well, considering I've HAD plastic surgery in a sense, I have to choose the latter. I had a reduction 2 years ago and have been very happy with that choice every single day since. I would probably do it again too or have a lift later in life if things were super out of place, because I can't stand the uncomfortableness of that feeling and the not being able to exercise well, etc. That is probably the extent though. I can't imagine having a nose job or something like that.

3. What about your favorite blog(s) continues to drive you back?
How real the person is. I like to know about them, not just what giveaways they are having.

4. What percent of your blog is BS just to make your life seem more interesting than it really is?
Uh.... none. I should probably add some to it though, maybe I'd have more things to blog about!!

5. If you had to give up one type of meat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I could give up meat in a heart beat! I am not a red-meat, pork, lamb or fish eater as it is. I do eat chicken and turkey bacon though, as long as both are WELL done!

6. How often to you eat out?
Maybe once every couple weeks. Not very often at all. We don't live near restaurants so its not hard to avoid them. When we do eat out it is usually with my parents.

7. Skinny jeans or boot cut jeans?
Definitely boot cut. I just don't understand the skinny jean thing, although they do look super cute on a lot of people, my hips just don't seem to be made for skinny jeans and I hate for that much of my foot to be showing. I was told that there are a ton of different cuts with skinny jeans though so I want to know do you wear them? and what kind?

8. If you caught your spouse cheating would you forgive, divorce, or plan your kill?
Hmm.... this one is a tough one. I'd definitely cry for a LONG time, but I could not tell you what I would do. It really would depend on the surrounding circumstances a little bit. I cannot imagine not trying to work through it, but I'm sure there'd be a time when divorce could be possible too, I just can't even get my brain to go there.

Your turn!

Weekendings

This weekend was great, and I am STILL recovering! Last night was Ava's one-year-old birthday party. She had a good time, but it ended up being more of an adult get-together after the cake smashing and we had a lot of fun! Corn-hole, family and way too much good food. (Someone please get my butt back on this diet!)

I am super nervous about this week though, I have one of my first official and important meetings that I am in charge of tomorrow (gulp!) and I don't really think I know what I'm doing... ha!! Prayers will be the only thing that will make it go smoothly. We'll see!

I am getting more comfortable in my position though and its such a wonderful feeling. I am still in awe that I have this job, because of the wonderful people I get to work with and how great the kids are. Obviously it is a God thing, but it still amazes me. When I started school 3 years ago, I really just prayed for God to open up that position he wanted me in and I have no doubt that he did just that.

It is a great feeling to know that God's hand is in charge of my life.

I hope the same with this baby stuff... May God's will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. I know he will not disappoint! I don't have too many details about that other than we're moving forward and praying all the way.

The quiet life

I would love to have a very interesting life with a ton going on to tell you about, but it has been very quiet....consisting of work (which I totally and utterly love) and driving... a lot! Driving between two cities to continue this paperwork process of becoming an ALC (Associate Licensed Counselor) so I can start counting all these hours, I'm already counseling, towards getting my license, and attempting to get my certification from the state so I can get PAID! :) I pray that will happen this week. There is a board meeting this Monday and next Monday, so it would be REALLY wonderful to be approved this month and not have to wait until the September meetings. PRAYERS please!

Work is really good though. I am overwhelmed, of course!! There is so much I need to do and know and learn, but I'll get there. God is walking me there, I know.

I feel like I haven't really updated about the diet in a long time. Remember when I was trying anything and everything to clear my skin up after we got off all meds? Well, turns out after 5 months of eliminating and reintroducing all kinds of crazy things, Diet Coke was my culprit. I have been completely off anything containing Aspartame since May (with a few bumps in the road) and turns out, as long as I stay 10 feet away from the stuff, my skin stays pretty clear. This has been difficult because I was a big fan of 'sugar-free' products and it seems they all contain this stuff!

This has cleared up the 'allergic reaction' that was the most troubling part of my skin. I've also stuck with Dove Heat Therapy shampoo and conditioner all summer and 95% of my breakouts are gone! (I still have to use Clindamycin and Salic Acid face wash, but at least things are controlled with just those two items which my doctors are in disagreement about using while pregnant, what do you think?).

We are still baby-free, but I am praying things change soon.

I have also continued my exercising! I ran 8.5 minutes of my 35 minutes on the treadmill Friday! I told Ben my goal was to at least increase my running during my exercise each time I go, even if its just by 1%. I've never been a runner, so I'm pleased with it... maybe I'll even be able to run a whole mile one day!! :)

This week is an exciting week: doctor appointment, a speaker coming to talk to our students, my grandmother is coming into town and little Ava turns 1 year old!

Happy Birthday Ava!

Movie Review: Inception Spoiler Alert.... Kinda

Have ya'll seen this movie?! It is really good... I think?

I went to see this movie with my grandmother and mother which was very funny because the movie is VERY confusing. You have to really pay attention the whole time or you are gone. Well my 86 year-old-grandmother was lost the whole movie. She kept saying, "What on earth is going on?!" At the end she asked me if I understood it and I said I thought I did and her answer was, "I think they just wanted to advertise blowing things up..." HAH! Seriously, I don't know how she made it through the entire 3 hours!

Now to the actual movie: I don't think I could spoil this movie if I tried.... I'm not even sure I understand it....! Maybe that was a spoiler in itself?

It was a great movie that I definitely need to see again.

I absolutely love Juno in the movie... I know that isn't her real name, but she was so cute in that movie!

Now to the actual SPOILER that I need help with because I'm very confused!









My brother added something when I got home to what I thought happened in the movie... He said he thinks that Cobb's dad planted the idea of 'Inception' into Cobb's mind so he could get back to his kids. This is so confusing to even think about because, was Juno actually Cobb's dad in disguise? Or what about he was still in limbo the whole time??? I have no idea....

The Wedding

This weekend started off crazy when the rehearsal dinner started and 3 or 4 people showed up drunk.... who drove them?!



Anyways, for the next 48 hours it continued on in just that manner. It was fun, don't get me wrong! But rather eventful and different.... the bride and groom wrote their own vows on yellow legal pad paper and when they pulled them out to read them, the bride couldn't read her own writing and proceeded to mumble.... "I.... something something..... and love you forever..... and...... uh....." I seriously almost peed in my pants! I was watching my dad during this debacle and he was laughing so hard and red-faced I was convinced he was going to have a heart attack! The preacher got a little flustered at this moment and when the bride finally quit attempting her own writing he said, "I think I'm being a little too serious for this!"In the end, the bride and groom got married and they love each other so that is really all that matters.

They had a good time I am sure, and I can't wait to see all the weekend pictures or video of the day! I have never and probably will never attend a wedding quite like this one again!

I also have to admit, the dresses didn't quite look as out of place as I thought.... just different, fitting for the entire weekend!

Thursday!!!!

I am excited today! One day until the weekend and it was a very good day at school.

I joined a gym too! Listen... p90x is just not for me. Not for me full time at least. Its just SO repetitive and boring! I need movement, music, dancing.... something! I don't mind the muscle workout, but the cardio was painfully boring. So I joined the parks and recreation system near my school which happens to have some cardio rooms at 5 facilities around town. Not the ideal gym, but can you pass up $100/year?! Nope! Now lets see if I can keep my mouth shut long enough to lose these 10 pounds.

Its amazing that I can gain 10lbs in a few weeks and it will now take me 1 year to lose it.

I'm hoping that if we do in fact get pregnant I will be healthy and that means I need to start doing some sort of cardio everyday. I love to walk, but when its 105 degrees outside, I'd really just rather lay on the couch.

I'm also excited because I went into a classroom today and a student asked me if I could just stay in there and talk to them the whole class! Hah! I need some confidence boosters every now and then. :) I really can't wait to get into the classrooms, but I still have to figure the teachers out. I need to develop that fine line of figuring out when I'm welcome and when is not a good time for them, but everyone is different! We'll get there!

Another exciting thing: this weekend is my little brother's wedding, which should be a lot of fun! I am really looking forward to it. My grandmother and aunt are coming in from Florida & California and one or two other family members that I'll be glad to visit with. I hope my brother has a good time, it is the first big thing he's been to in a long time, especially since he just got back from 6 months of basic & training! I feel bad for him that most of our family is not coming up (My dad has 7 brothers/sisters and my mom has 6), but he isn't super close with them either. I just hope he doesn't get his feelings hurt (which I'm sure if he did, he'd never say anything). He deserves the best... he did sign up to fight for our country after all and he is just such a good person. (A little lost once in awhile, but has a tremendous heart!)

The one thing I am not thrilled about this weekend: wearing the bridesmaid dress! I usually don't gripe about them, because I love dresses..... but this one looks AWFUL. It hits at that awkward not-long/not-short length where not enough leg, but too much foot is showing.... Yikes. Don't worry, I will be sure to bring you pictures!

A new school year!

First day for students was today. I'm very thankful to trade in my previous first days of school in which I was paying tuition, for this one!

Today was rather uneventful, and from what I've been told, is amazing! There were no hysterical 6th graders sad to leave their cozy elementary schools to move to the big scary, class-changing middle school. There were no fights and not much of anything besides some lost students and a lot of 'I don't remember my locker combination's.

It was fun though! And all went well :) I was also told that days like this are few and far between. I'm sure once I actually learn all the ins and outs of the school things won't be as quiet.

I'm ready for day #2!!!

It's OFFICIAL!

I have finally and officially GRADUATED!

Saturday was my 'diploma date' although that didn't mean too much except that I now wait to hear from school to find out when they will post my degree. You'd think they'd do it on the diploma date, but nope. There was no summer commencement ceremony either which I was very disappointed about, but we had a small get together that made up for it!

One of my very best friends came in town from Dothan for the celebration and I was SO glad to see her!! As well as several friends that I have not had enough time to hang out with in the past year.... seriously or longer than a year. It was a wonderful night!

That is Emily on the left. There were actually about 20 or so people that came out to dinner, so it was a lot of fun! Ben even surprised me with an Edgar's cake.... you know the ones I may have mentioned a few times before that are AMAZING and so terribly addicting!


So after I ate a bit of the leftover cake today I did my very first P90x workout DVD! I gained 10lbs during my job search and have been searching for a gym since I got my new job a several weeks ago. I have not found one that is a.) affordable b.) has fitness classes around 3 or 4pm and c.) doesn't require a contract. I realize I'm picky, but come on! Those three things aren't that difficult.

I have been thinking of getting a DVD system instead that I can do at home. I mentioned that to one of the teachers at school Thursday and on Friday he showed up with the whole set of p90x DVDs for me to borrow! YAY! This is also a good thing because I feel rather obligated to use them since he is lending them to me. He'll probably ask me about them at school and I can't say, 'Well... I'm just too lazy..." so tonight I put in the 'chest and back' dvd and let me tell you.... my arms and shoulder are killing me..... which scares me a little because there actually is a dvd for arms and shoulders. So what the heck was I doing?! ha!

Anyways, back to graduation. Woo!! Next step is to get my official paperwork to the state, my transcripts to my school system and then I can be officially hired and paid as a counselor!!!! I will begin calling the university tomorrow and harassing them about posting my degree. Squeaky wheel gets the grease right?

Welcome home Chris!

The little brother made it safely home from Texas this weekend. He has successfully completed his training in the army and now has 4 weeks home before he has to report to Ft. Hood, Texas.

Just long enough to have a wedding! We surprised him at the airport Friday night where he and his wife/fiance (they already are married on paper, but are having a ceremony next weekend) were coming in after about 36 hours awake. She flew out there for his graduation and then back home with him. Their plane was delayed an hour and a half, but we waited and waited... and he was VERY surprised to see us!

Although incredibly tired.... Which is why he looks like a deer in the headlights! He has lost so much weight though! Its crazy. Here is he the weekend before he left back in January.


I don't know if you can tell or not, but he's so skinny now! He doesn't even have any clothes here that fit him! Funny. Anyways, we are so glad he's home and now we're just ready for his wedding this weekend. It should be eventful and a very large party. That is what they are most looking forward to, so it should make for a very entertaining weekend!

Work

The job of being an official school counselor is going great! I am still VERY overwhelmed and slowly picking it up. I think there were 25 people who asked me questions today and I answered all of, maybe 2 of them. I just don't feel like I have the authority to make decisions yet or know the school well enough to just know an answer, since I'm only on week # 3, but can you even believe it?! Week 3! Teachers come back Thursday!

I think today was the first time that I felt like my office was sorta coming together, or maybe I just felt like it wasn't a disaster today like normal. There is a lot of clutter, and I have had to be as cheap as possible to decorate, which means its bare in there.

So here are some of the pictures from the first few days to now. (I actually forgot to take pictures before I rearragned all the furniture, but the desk used to be long ways in the office against a wall and I felt like it was really tight in there like that, so I had it rotated so I could see people when they came in the room AND make use of my windows.)

Before: Plaid Curtains

After: Sheer fabric as curtains & my bulletin board! (I have a few things to hang where the brown board is, but can't commit to them yet) And the picture in the window says: GOOD THINGS WILL HAPPEN TODAY! I love it!

Before: The door way with an old PEPSI clock above it (you can't see it, but just imagine!) and very unorganized shelves.

New cute teal clock from Target, shelves emptied & cleaned out! (You can see the PEPSI clock in the 'waiting' area, I hung it in there instead of my office).
After:
We're STILL waiting on the cushy chair be recovered, but hopefully it will be done soon! It will replace that funky blue one in the corner when it arrives. And yes, I NEED decorations on the walls! But I can't afford them right now, so we'll just make due and pretend its supposed to be white and clean!

Maybe by May I'll feel like its mine :)

What we've been up to

I haven't gotten on my computer too much in the past couple weeks and had way too many pictures to download. This weekend was crazy busy... Friday I was off work, but took my nephew to the local water park all day. That night we went and saw a comedian at the Comedy Club.... Here is his picture... do you know who this is? I can't remember his name....

He wasn't very funny either. The opening act, Matt Mitchell, was MUCH funnier. He could have headlined the show very easily.

Saturday we went to the river again... with the dogs!

Saturday night we celebrated my brother and Ben's birthdays where I ended up being my intoxicated brother's babysitter and driver...

...not a job one willingly signs up for.
Thankfully we all made it back home safe and sound!

Sunday was my new sister-in-law's bridal tea:
Ava's all grown up on her cell phone.My brother and Emily have done things a little backwards and got married first, but the actual wedding is two weeks away. Things are VERY busy!!