I really love Leap Day, and I'm not sure why. I just like quirky dates, I think (hence the 07/07/07 anniversary). My Grandma Trish was born on Leap Day and I remember thinking it was hilarious to wish her a "Happy 16th Birthday" the year she turned 64.
Despite my love for this day, I must admit I'm feeling kind of down. I try to stay fairly positive on this blog, facebook, etc., because I don't want to be a complainer. But, I also feel like I should be honest, and sometimes it's a very thin line to tread between being positive and being fake. I once had a friend tell me that it had taken her a long time to get close to me because she felt like I never complained...it was only her complaining. Any family members who are reading this are probably dying laughing; I am not known in my family as being upbeat. I guess that's the issue. I don't really feel comfortable sharing problems until I'm close to someone, but, if you don't share problems, how do you get close? It's an interesting dilemma.
Since that conversation with my friend, I have tried to be a little more open. So, in that spirit, I'm admitting that I just feel blah. In the four years that we've been here, I've gotten progressively more "homesick" with each year. I'm not sure why it gets harder rather than easier. Of course, it doesn't help that four of our best friends have moved away in the past 18 months, and two more will soon. It's been rather lonely here lately.
Well, I feel better having gotten that out. And now you know why there's been somewhat of a dearth of posts in the last year or so. But, I promise not to turn every post into a pity party. I just found out today that Custard Cup opens for the season in 10 days, so you know I will be a happy girl then!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
February Books
I'm really reading a lot this semester, mostly because I don't have much reading to do for my classes, so all of my bus time is devoted to fun reading. That is one positive about riding the bus. I'm mainly doing these summaries for myself. Posting it on the blog just helps me remember to do it regularly. So thanks for bearing with me. I realize this is probably quite boring. :)
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
Darby bought me this book for my Kindle since he knew I wanted to read it. Much of it is told from the perspective of a highly precocious 11-year-old, so it's an interesting read. I loved Everything Is Illuminated, and this reminded me of that book. Both deal with how people cope (or don't cope with tragedy) and both have a kind of magical realism feel. It was a bit of a downer but very beautiful. I really want to see the movie now.
Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
I had heard a lot of good things about this first book in a detective series set in post-WWI Britain, and it did not disappoint. The heroine is incredibly intelligent and truly cares about the people she works with and for. I enjoyed learning more about World War I (Maisie was a nurse). I look forward to reading more books in this series.
Misquoting Jesus by Bart Ehrman
Darby and I have both become interested in the history of the Bible (that is, how we came to have the form of the Bible we have today, not the historical accuracy of the Bible, although that's another interesting subject). This book explores some of the changes that were made to manuscripts of the Bible by scribes, especially those changes that appear to have been intentional. It was very interesting to read about how controversies of the day might have shaped the text we currently have. Some people view this kind of research as antithetical to faith, but I don't. (In fact, the author was a believer when he wrote the book, though he has since, for different reasons, become agnostic). I would like to read more on this topic from different perspectives.
Meant to Be by Walter Anderson
The author of this memoir found out as an adult that the abusive man who raised him was not his biological father. His quest to find out more about his real father and his Jewish heritage is compelling and sincere. A very quick, uplifting read.
A Friend of the Family by Lauren Grodstein
I think this was a free (or cheap) Kindle offering. While engrossing, I wouldn't recommend it. It's pretty dark and ended rather negatively.
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
This one's been on my shelf for a long time. I always buy "classics" and then put off reading them, expecting them to be a bit dry. This story was very engrossing, though; I particularly enjoyed learning more about Nigerian culture. It raises interesting issues related to colonialism and forced assimilation.
Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider (not a misspelling, Tsh is really her first name)
I'm really into self-improvement blogs/books right now. This one had a lot of practical tips for simplifying your routine and making your home a welcoming, stress-free place. While it's mainly directed at people with kids, it did inspire me to do some decluttering around here.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
Darby bought me this book for my Kindle since he knew I wanted to read it. Much of it is told from the perspective of a highly precocious 11-year-old, so it's an interesting read. I loved Everything Is Illuminated, and this reminded me of that book. Both deal with how people cope (or don't cope with tragedy) and both have a kind of magical realism feel. It was a bit of a downer but very beautiful. I really want to see the movie now.
Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
I had heard a lot of good things about this first book in a detective series set in post-WWI Britain, and it did not disappoint. The heroine is incredibly intelligent and truly cares about the people she works with and for. I enjoyed learning more about World War I (Maisie was a nurse). I look forward to reading more books in this series.
Misquoting Jesus by Bart Ehrman
Darby and I have both become interested in the history of the Bible (that is, how we came to have the form of the Bible we have today, not the historical accuracy of the Bible, although that's another interesting subject). This book explores some of the changes that were made to manuscripts of the Bible by scribes, especially those changes that appear to have been intentional. It was very interesting to read about how controversies of the day might have shaped the text we currently have. Some people view this kind of research as antithetical to faith, but I don't. (In fact, the author was a believer when he wrote the book, though he has since, for different reasons, become agnostic). I would like to read more on this topic from different perspectives.
Meant to Be by Walter Anderson
The author of this memoir found out as an adult that the abusive man who raised him was not his biological father. His quest to find out more about his real father and his Jewish heritage is compelling and sincere. A very quick, uplifting read.
A Friend of the Family by Lauren Grodstein
I think this was a free (or cheap) Kindle offering. While engrossing, I wouldn't recommend it. It's pretty dark and ended rather negatively.
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
This one's been on my shelf for a long time. I always buy "classics" and then put off reading them, expecting them to be a bit dry. This story was very engrossing, though; I particularly enjoyed learning more about Nigerian culture. It raises interesting issues related to colonialism and forced assimilation.
Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider (not a misspelling, Tsh is really her first name)
I'm really into self-improvement blogs/books right now. This one had a lot of practical tips for simplifying your routine and making your home a welcoming, stress-free place. While it's mainly directed at people with kids, it did inspire me to do some decluttering around here.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Creativity
In spite of the fact that Darby majored in physics and I majored in English, he is the more creative one. This became even more clear to me this morning, when we each described the dreams we had last night.
Me: I dreamed that I was trying to help someone prepare to take the written section of the driver's exam (something that I have done in the past). They didn't get it, and it was really frustrating.
Darby: I dreamed that we went on a trip with the president of Iran. He stole some old-school Nintendo cartridges and was trying to smuggle them back to Iran because he had stored some data on them. Then, he held us hostage. He was drinking one of those little cartons of milk, so I squeezed on the sides until it exploded on him. Then, I poured the rest of it into his suitcase to ruin the Nintendo cartridges. I hate that guy.
Our dreams are always like that. I dream something totally normal, albeit frustrating, and Darby dreams something totally ridiculous. I'm not even creative in my dreams! (Well, except for my crazy sleep-talking episodes.)
Me: I dreamed that I was trying to help someone prepare to take the written section of the driver's exam (something that I have done in the past). They didn't get it, and it was really frustrating.
Darby: I dreamed that we went on a trip with the president of Iran. He stole some old-school Nintendo cartridges and was trying to smuggle them back to Iran because he had stored some data on them. Then, he held us hostage. He was drinking one of those little cartons of milk, so I squeezed on the sides until it exploded on him. Then, I poured the rest of it into his suitcase to ruin the Nintendo cartridges. I hate that guy.
Our dreams are always like that. I dream something totally normal, albeit frustrating, and Darby dreams something totally ridiculous. I'm not even creative in my dreams! (Well, except for my crazy sleep-talking episodes.)
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Happy Valentine's Day!
This year, we got to celebrate Valentine's Day several times. My parents sent us a Starbucks gift card, so on Saturday night we went on a little Starbucks date. Since we already had plans for tonight, we had our Valentine's dinner at home on Sunday night. I made pesto chicken stuffed shells (I adapted the recipe and covered the shells with this guiltless alfredo sauce before baking), bruschetta, and Caesar salad. The shells were delicious. I highly recommend the recipe. For dessert, I made this Oreo-crusted white chocolate mousse tart. I made a mistake while reading the recipe and accidentally added too much white chocolate to the filling. It was still good but a little on the sweet side, even for me. It's best to eat with coffee, so there's something to cut the sweetness. We ate our "romantic" meal on our TV trays while watching Downton Abbey (our newest Netflix obsession). I did manage to at least change out of my Christmas pajama pants before eating, so I haven't totally given up on romance. ;)
Tuesday nights are my usual women's Bible study tonight. We didn't want to completely cancel, so Billie invited all of us and our husbands to dinner. Dick made his famous lasagna, and I contributed a red velvet cake roll. It was wonderful to spend the evening talking and playing games with some of our favorite people.
Casey, Matt, Kim, Erin, Billie, Dick, Will, and Darby
I've always loved Valentine's Day, because I don't think it has to just be about romantic love. It's fun to celebrate with friends and family, too. Although, I will admit, I was happy to receive my traditional single rose from Darby when I picked him up from the lab this evening. He's a keeper.
And the Valentine's fun will just keep going. Darby's parents sent us some Valentine's Day money, so we're going to go out to eat sometime soon. Yay!
I didn't get cards made this year. I hope I'll be back on track next year. Hope you all had a wonderful day and at the very least used the excuse to eat copious amounts of chocolate!
Tuesday nights are my usual women's Bible study tonight. We didn't want to completely cancel, so Billie invited all of us and our husbands to dinner. Dick made his famous lasagna, and I contributed a red velvet cake roll. It was wonderful to spend the evening talking and playing games with some of our favorite people.
Casey, Matt, Kim, Erin, Billie, Dick, Will, and DarbyI've always loved Valentine's Day, because I don't think it has to just be about romantic love. It's fun to celebrate with friends and family, too. Although, I will admit, I was happy to receive my traditional single rose from Darby when I picked him up from the lab this evening. He's a keeper.
And the Valentine's fun will just keep going. Darby's parents sent us some Valentine's Day money, so we're going to go out to eat sometime soon. Yay!
I didn't get cards made this year. I hope I'll be back on track next year. Hope you all had a wonderful day and at the very least used the excuse to eat copious amounts of chocolate!
Friday, February 10, 2012
Super Bowl
I'm a little late in posting this and, sadly, I forgot to take any pictures of the night, but I like to write at least a little something about big events, so indulge me. :) For the Super Bowl, we invited a bunch of people from my program over to "watch the game" (i.e., eat a lot and stop talking long enough to see the commercials). A lot of people turned out, so it was a little bit crowded but very fun. I enjoyed making a bunch of snacks, including a brownie swirl cheesecake. I forgot to take a picture of the whole cake, but here's one of the pieces. I thought it turned out very pretty---and there was no huge crack down the middle. Yay!
It was a fun evening. And, since there are a lot of international students in my program, it was several people's first Super Bowl party. I hope we did this American tradition proud.
It was a fun evening. And, since there are a lot of international students in my program, it was several people's first Super Bowl party. I hope we did this American tradition proud.
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
January Books
I decided I'd like to start keeping a record of the books I read. My memory for books/movies is so bad that I often can't remember whether I liked a book, or even if I've read it. So, I thought I would do a brief review of each of the books I read at the end of the month. I normally don't read this many books in a month, but schoolwork hasn't really ramped up yet.
The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins
I had heard really good things about this series and decided to go for it over the break when I knew I'd have a lot of time to read. I absolutely loved the first book, really liked the second, and thought the third was only so-so. But, overall, the series was great. The characters are very relatable, and it brings up interesting ideas about sacrifice, free will, and our addiction to reality TV. I think the third book falls apart when the focus changes from a character-driven story that takes place in the future to a more traditional, plot-heavy science fiction story.
Eat That Frog: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy
This was offered for $0.99 on Kindle, and I thought it might help with my word of the year: "discipline." Like most self-improvement books, it was a bit repetitive and had a lot of common-sense ideas. But, it was a quick read and I think worth the time for the few really interesting ideas in it. It certainly inspired me to try to curb my insane multi-tasking.
51/50: The Magical Adventures of a Single Life by Kristen McGuiness
This was offered for free on the Kindle, and it seemed like it would be right up my alley. I love memoirs, especially ones about crazy life experiments. In this one, the author decided to go on 51 dates in 50 days in order to hopefully find her life partner. While it was interesting and funny in parts, the author's worldview was just too different from mine (she's way into mysticism) for me to get into it. Additionally, in her attempts to overcome her lack of confidence, I think she became over-confident. She expresses the idea that she didn't fit in in Texas because she "thinks too much." Boo. I don't think Texas wants her. ;)
The Marriage Bureau for Rich People
This is a book that I borrowed from my dad a while ago and just got around to reading. The back cover says, "If Jane Austen had been lucky enough to set foot in modern-day India, she would have written [this book]," and I completely agree. Like Austen's books, it offers a strong critique of the status quo but does so through lovable characters and an ultimate happy ending. I would describe it as "light" but certainly not "fluffy." The influence of Indian English is obvious in both the dialogue and the narration, which was interesting for me to read as an ESL teacher.
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
I cannot believe that this book has been sitting neglected on my shelf for years. When I finally began it, I finished in a matter of days. It is about a group of Jesuit priests and scientists who make first contact with alien life on another planet. It is such a smart, compelling, and heartbreaking story. And it offered a very challenging perspective on the nature of faith and doubt, the problem of pain, and the level of God's involvement in day-to-day life. Highly recommended.
The Sacredness of Questioning Everything by David Dark
I agree strongly with the premise of this book: that we should always be questioning our religious beliefs and not be satisfied with trite answers. However, I found the stream-of-consciousness style of the author hard to follow. And, while he claims to be apolitical, he obviously equates liberal political views with true Christianity, which I think can be just as dangerous as the opposite view. Ultimately, the philosophy that everything should be questioned falls apart. How can one even say that everything should be questioned without questioning that statement? So, while I agreed with much of what the author said, I found the book impractical.
Running by Patrice Fitzgerald
This was another Kindle freebie. It is about a presidential race between two female candidates, centered around a blackmail scandal. The main character is very likable, and it is definitely a page-turner (or page-toucher, hee-hee). But, the criticism of our current political system, especially the Tea Party, was not subtle enough and definitely too one-sided for my taste. Probably not worth your time.
The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins
I had heard really good things about this series and decided to go for it over the break when I knew I'd have a lot of time to read. I absolutely loved the first book, really liked the second, and thought the third was only so-so. But, overall, the series was great. The characters are very relatable, and it brings up interesting ideas about sacrifice, free will, and our addiction to reality TV. I think the third book falls apart when the focus changes from a character-driven story that takes place in the future to a more traditional, plot-heavy science fiction story.
Eat That Frog: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy
This was offered for $0.99 on Kindle, and I thought it might help with my word of the year: "discipline." Like most self-improvement books, it was a bit repetitive and had a lot of common-sense ideas. But, it was a quick read and I think worth the time for the few really interesting ideas in it. It certainly inspired me to try to curb my insane multi-tasking.
51/50: The Magical Adventures of a Single Life by Kristen McGuiness
This was offered for free on the Kindle, and it seemed like it would be right up my alley. I love memoirs, especially ones about crazy life experiments. In this one, the author decided to go on 51 dates in 50 days in order to hopefully find her life partner. While it was interesting and funny in parts, the author's worldview was just too different from mine (she's way into mysticism) for me to get into it. Additionally, in her attempts to overcome her lack of confidence, I think she became over-confident. She expresses the idea that she didn't fit in in Texas because she "thinks too much." Boo. I don't think Texas wants her. ;)
The Marriage Bureau for Rich People
This is a book that I borrowed from my dad a while ago and just got around to reading. The back cover says, "If Jane Austen had been lucky enough to set foot in modern-day India, she would have written [this book]," and I completely agree. Like Austen's books, it offers a strong critique of the status quo but does so through lovable characters and an ultimate happy ending. I would describe it as "light" but certainly not "fluffy." The influence of Indian English is obvious in both the dialogue and the narration, which was interesting for me to read as an ESL teacher.
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
I cannot believe that this book has been sitting neglected on my shelf for years. When I finally began it, I finished in a matter of days. It is about a group of Jesuit priests and scientists who make first contact with alien life on another planet. It is such a smart, compelling, and heartbreaking story. And it offered a very challenging perspective on the nature of faith and doubt, the problem of pain, and the level of God's involvement in day-to-day life. Highly recommended.
The Sacredness of Questioning Everything by David Dark
I agree strongly with the premise of this book: that we should always be questioning our religious beliefs and not be satisfied with trite answers. However, I found the stream-of-consciousness style of the author hard to follow. And, while he claims to be apolitical, he obviously equates liberal political views with true Christianity, which I think can be just as dangerous as the opposite view. Ultimately, the philosophy that everything should be questioned falls apart. How can one even say that everything should be questioned without questioning that statement? So, while I agreed with much of what the author said, I found the book impractical.
Running by Patrice Fitzgerald
This was another Kindle freebie. It is about a presidential race between two female candidates, centered around a blackmail scandal. The main character is very likable, and it is definitely a page-turner (or page-toucher, hee-hee). But, the criticism of our current political system, especially the Tea Party, was not subtle enough and definitely too one-sided for my taste. Probably not worth your time.
Monday, January 30, 2012
M-I-C-K-E-Y
On Friday, our church had its annual "Beat the Blues" banquet and talent show. This year the theme was Disney, and I was asked to make a Disney-inspired dessert. I found the idea for these Mickey Mouse cupcakes on Pinterest. They were pretty easy. Just frost the cupcakes, dip them in Oreo crumbs, and then make Mickey's head and ears using half of a full Oreo and two mini Oreos. If you make them, be sure to place the Oreos on at the last minute. Nobody likes soggy Oreos!
Another girl made Minnie Mouse cupcakes. I wish I had gotten a picture of hers because they were awesome!! Definitely showed me up, but I'm ok with that. I'm the first to admit that my decorating skills are quite lacking. Anyway, it was a fun evening, and Darby won a door prize (the movie Julie and Julia...lucky me!).
On a side note, Darby's parents have an adorable home video of him singing the Mickey Mouse song when he's about 3. But, he sings "M-I-C-Cake-E-Y" over and over. Cutest thing ever, even if toddler Darby looks suspiciously unlike adult Darby. I'm still not sure he wasn't swapped at some point around 4th grade.
Another girl made Minnie Mouse cupcakes. I wish I had gotten a picture of hers because they were awesome!! Definitely showed me up, but I'm ok with that. I'm the first to admit that my decorating skills are quite lacking. Anyway, it was a fun evening, and Darby won a door prize (the movie Julie and Julia...lucky me!).On a side note, Darby's parents have an adorable home video of him singing the Mickey Mouse song when he's about 3. But, he sings "M-I-C-Cake-E-Y" over and over. Cutest thing ever, even if toddler Darby looks suspiciously unlike adult Darby. I'm still not sure he wasn't swapped at some point around 4th grade.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Last semester - or not
So, in December I made the decision to extend my degree for one more year so I'll finish at the same time as Darby. I figured it's safer to stay in school, keep my health insurance and stipend, and get one more year of teaching experience than to risk trying to find a job, in a relatively small city, for only one year. I feel really good about this decision. And I know I am so fortunate to get paid to go to school. But, I must admit, it was a little hard to start this semester and realize that, instead of only having 4 months until I'm done with school forever, I now have 16 months. Oh, well.
One plus side of staying an extra year is that I have time to take some "fun" classes. I'm in an oral Spanish class, and I LOVE it. It's basically just a time to practice speaking and listening in Spanish, which is exactly what I need.
I'm teaching the same class I taught last semester. I enjoyed last semester, but I kind of felt like I was just scraping by, trying to stay one step ahead of the students. Now, I know what I'm doing, and it's so much less stressful. I'm really excited about trying some new ideas. My first challenge is memorizing everyone's name, though. Hopefully I'll have that done by the end of the semester. :)
One plus side of staying an extra year is that I have time to take some "fun" classes. I'm in an oral Spanish class, and I LOVE it. It's basically just a time to practice speaking and listening in Spanish, which is exactly what I need.
I'm teaching the same class I taught last semester. I enjoyed last semester, but I kind of felt like I was just scraping by, trying to stay one step ahead of the students. Now, I know what I'm doing, and it's so much less stressful. I'm really excited about trying some new ideas. My first challenge is memorizing everyone's name, though. Hopefully I'll have that done by the end of the semester. :)
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Mi piace l'italiano
In preparation for our trip to Italy in May (yay!), Darby and I took a two-week intensive Italian class at the university. It was awesome! Even though it was a beginning class, it was taught exclusively in Italian. The teacher spoke very slowly and used a lot of gestures, so we were able to understand most of what she said. My Spanish background helped a lot too. I had forgotten how fun it is to begin learning a language. And while we're still far from proficient, I feel like we have enough to get by in Italy. We made sure to learn how to order in a restaurant. Priorities.
It was so fun to be able to take a class with Darby. We've committed to continuing to study on our own every Sunday. One funny story: During one of the first lessons, we learned that "tesoro" (treasure) is a term of endearment used in Italian. So, Darby started calling me that, except he could never remember the word. One time he leaned over to me and said "I love you, mi trattoria (small restaurant)". We couldn't stop laughing about that one.
It was so fun to be able to take a class with Darby. We've committed to continuing to study on our own every Sunday. One funny story: During one of the first lessons, we learned that "tesoro" (treasure) is a term of endearment used in Italian. So, Darby started calling me that, except he could never remember the word. One time he leaned over to me and said "I love you, mi trattoria (small restaurant)". We couldn't stop laughing about that one.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
30 before 30
So, on my birthday, I told you about my plan to do a list of "30 before 30" goals. Well, it's taken me about 6 months to decide on all the goals, but I finally have them all. I separated them into categories mainly for my own benefit. As I update, I'm going to bold the ones I've accomplished and italicize the ones I'm actively working toward.
Education
1. Get my master's degree
2. Earn a graduate teacher certificate
3. Take at least two Spanish classes
4. Begin studying two other languages
Hobbies
5. Learn to sew
6. Create a card stockpile
7. Start a successful container garden
8. Take piano lessons
Finances
9. Save 10% down for a house
10. Increase retirement savings to 10% per month
11. Increase percent saved on groceries each month to 40%
12. Get life insurance for both Darby and me
Travel
13. Go to Italy
14. Visit 3 new states
15. Go camping
Cooking
16. Learn how to cook steak
17. Take a cake decorating class
18. Completely replace 3 storebought staples with homemade versions (e.g., chicken broth, sandwich bread, croutons, etc.)
19. Whittle "to try" recipes to under 100
Health
20. Switch to antibiotic-free animal products
21. Maintain my goal weight (except, see 23 below)
22. Take four different fitness classes
Family
23. Have a baby (I know this is really weird to put at as a "goal," but it is one major thing I hope to do before I turn 30, so it's in.)
24. Go on a trip with my sister
Spiritual
25. Create two new units for the Cradle Roll class
26. Teach an older children/adult Bible class
27. Read 18 spiritual books
Friendship
28. Plan/attend three Fat Tuesday reunions
29. Plan/attend at least two reunions with my high school friends
30. Start/join a book club
Education
1. Get my master's degree
2. Earn a graduate teacher certificate
3. Take at least two Spanish classes
4. Begin studying two other languages
Hobbies
5. Learn to sew
6. Create a card stockpile
7. Start a successful container garden
8. Take piano lessons
Finances
9. Save 10% down for a house
10. Increase retirement savings to 10% per month
11. Increase percent saved on groceries each month to 40%
12. Get life insurance for both Darby and me
Travel
13. Go to Italy
14. Visit 3 new states
15. Go camping
Cooking
16. Learn how to cook steak
17. Take a cake decorating class
18. Completely replace 3 storebought staples with homemade versions (e.g., chicken broth, sandwich bread, croutons, etc.)
19. Whittle "to try" recipes to under 100
Health
20. Switch to antibiotic-free animal products
21. Maintain my goal weight (except, see 23 below)
22. Take four different fitness classes
Family
23. Have a baby (I know this is really weird to put at as a "goal," but it is one major thing I hope to do before I turn 30, so it's in.)
24. Go on a trip with my sister
Spiritual
25. Create two new units for the Cradle Roll class
26. Teach an older children/adult Bible class
27. Read 18 spiritual books
Friendship
28. Plan/attend three Fat Tuesday reunions
29. Plan/attend at least two reunions with my high school friends
30. Start/join a book club
Saturday, January 07, 2012
Happy New Year!
So, I'm a little late on this, but I'm finally getting around to writing my New Year's post.
We celebrated New Year's at my friend Jessica's parent's house with several other friends from the youth group and their husbands. The party is basically an annual tradition, but Darby and I haven't been able to go for the past several years. It was so fun to spend time with everyone, and we're already planning a Labor Day reunion.
Whitney, Stephy, me, Jessica, Adriel. Love these girls .
At the end of 2010, I wrote about some prompts from a project called Reverb. One of those was to summarize the year in one word and choose one word that you hope will capture the next year. I chose contentment for 2011. All in all, I think I did a good job living up to that. I tried to focus on the positive, even though I had my moments of negativity. And I think I definitely did a better job at living in the moment and not worrying so much about the future.
I think my word for 2012 will be discipline. I love being in school for many reasons, but I especially love the flexibility I have in my schedule. I often have mornings or afternoons at home by myself. But, I don't feel like I always use that time very wisely. There are a lot of home projects I would like to complete. But even my "relaxation" time could be put to better use by reading or playing piano instead of watching TV and surfing the Internet. I'm going to try this year to use my time more wisely. Part fo that is setting goals for myself. In my next post, I'll share my "30 before 30" goals. It took me six months, but I think I've finally finished the list.
We celebrated New Year's at my friend Jessica's parent's house with several other friends from the youth group and their husbands. The party is basically an annual tradition, but Darby and I haven't been able to go for the past several years. It was so fun to spend time with everyone, and we're already planning a Labor Day reunion.
Whitney, Stephy, me, Jessica, Adriel. Love these girls .At the end of 2010, I wrote about some prompts from a project called Reverb. One of those was to summarize the year in one word and choose one word that you hope will capture the next year. I chose contentment for 2011. All in all, I think I did a good job living up to that. I tried to focus on the positive, even though I had my moments of negativity. And I think I definitely did a better job at living in the moment and not worrying so much about the future.
I think my word for 2012 will be discipline. I love being in school for many reasons, but I especially love the flexibility I have in my schedule. I often have mornings or afternoons at home by myself. But, I don't feel like I always use that time very wisely. There are a lot of home projects I would like to complete. But even my "relaxation" time could be put to better use by reading or playing piano instead of watching TV and surfing the Internet. I'm going to try this year to use my time more wisely. Part fo that is setting goals for myself. In my next post, I'll share my "30 before 30" goals. It took me six months, but I think I've finally finished the list.
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
Christmas - Hewitts
We got to Darby's parents' house Sunday night and opened gifts with them. They got me a new Kitchen-Aid blender, which I am so excited to use! My old blender only has one speed, but this is a really nice one. I can't wait to enjoy some smoothies.
We had a great week with John and Debby. We put together a super-hard Christmas puzzle, hit the after-Christmas sales, saw We Bought a Zoo (very cute!) and War Horse (pretty good; I think I would have liked it better if I were an animal person), and ate TONS of great food. Debby always makes the best breakfasts for us. I love it.
Darby's brother Jeremy and sister-in-law Janice came up on Wednesday night, bearing lovely gifts from their recent trip to Spain. It was great to catch up with them a little, and the girls dominated in Mexican train.
I never remember to take pictures at Darby's house because no one else is there with a camera to remind me. :) But I did manage to get one shot of Darby with his parents.
It was a wonderful trip, and every year, I am reminded how blessed we are to have two wonderful, supportive, generous families.
We had a great week with John and Debby. We put together a super-hard Christmas puzzle, hit the after-Christmas sales, saw We Bought a Zoo (very cute!) and War Horse (pretty good; I think I would have liked it better if I were an animal person), and ate TONS of great food. Debby always makes the best breakfasts for us. I love it.
Darby's brother Jeremy and sister-in-law Janice came up on Wednesday night, bearing lovely gifts from their recent trip to Spain. It was great to catch up with them a little, and the girls dominated in Mexican train.
I never remember to take pictures at Darby's house because no one else is there with a camera to remind me. :) But I did manage to get one shot of Darby with his parents.
It was a wonderful trip, and every year, I am reminded how blessed we are to have two wonderful, supportive, generous families.
Monday, January 02, 2012
Christmas - Andersons and Thompsons
We got to Waco Tuesday evening and spent the rest of the week with my family. Both Hannah and Matt were able to be there the whole time, so we had a great time playing games, watching YouTube videos, eating Mom's delicious candy popcorn and toffee, and talking.
Darby brought his guitar, and we had a little Christmas carol sing-along. It was really fun, and we rocked "Feliz Navidad."
My parents got me a Kindle for Christmas. I LOVE it!! It's so convenient, and there are lots of great free or cheap books available on Amazon. I bought all three "Hunger Games" books with a gift card, and I'm hooked. I finished the first two and can't wait to start the third.
On Saturday, we drove up to my grandma's house in Garland to see my mom's side of the family. We had a new addition to our family this year. My cousin Amy had a little boy, Samuel, in June. He is such a cutie. I loved playing with him.
Traditional girl "frousin" picture. Hannah, me, Amy.
Darby brought his guitar, and we had a little Christmas carol sing-along. It was really fun, and we rocked "Feliz Navidad."
My parents got me a Kindle for Christmas. I LOVE it!! It's so convenient, and there are lots of great free or cheap books available on Amazon. I bought all three "Hunger Games" books with a gift card, and I'm hooked. I finished the first two and can't wait to start the third.On Saturday, we drove up to my grandma's house in Garland to see my mom's side of the family. We had a new addition to our family this year. My cousin Amy had a little boy, Samuel, in June. He is such a cutie. I loved playing with him.
Traditional girl "frousin" picture. Hannah, me, Amy.It was great to spend time with all of the frousins, and, as always, my Grandma made tons of yummy food. After church and lunch on Sunday, it was back to Waco for our 4th Christmas with Darby's family. Coming next time... :)
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Christmas - St. Louis and Arkansas
We have had a wonderful two-week Christmas trip. We left Champaign two Saturdays ago and drove down to spend a night in St. Louis. It's our tradition to have a very mini get-away at the end of the fall semester. This year, we stayed at the Westin downtown. I HIGHLY recommend the hotel. The room and bathroom were the biggest I've ever seen and very nice. And, if you're not there during baseball season, it's relatively cheap. We ate dinner at Copia, which was delicious, and then walked around City Garden to enjoy the lights.
Sunday morning, we had breakfast at Rooster (also delicious) and then headed down to Wynne, Arkansas, to see Darby's mom's family. We had a wonderful steak dinner and got some great gifts from everyone. Darby has a lot of cousins and they are all about the same age, so it's always fun to get together.
All the cousins and Grandpa and Alma
We stayed in Wynne an extra day and hung out with cousin Todd and his wife Rachel. They took us to the Memphis zoo, which was awesome. My favorite was the panda bears, but I didn't get a picture because they were behind glass. I also enjoyed the little meerkats. I love zoos.
How many meerkats do you see? There are three! The two on the edge are sitting on one in the middle! :)
Sunday morning, we had breakfast at Rooster (also delicious) and then headed down to Wynne, Arkansas, to see Darby's mom's family. We had a wonderful steak dinner and got some great gifts from everyone. Darby has a lot of cousins and they are all about the same age, so it's always fun to get together.
All the cousins and Grandpa and AlmaWe stayed in Wynne an extra day and hung out with cousin Todd and his wife Rachel. They took us to the Memphis zoo, which was awesome. My favorite was the panda bears, but I didn't get a picture because they were behind glass. I also enjoyed the little meerkats. I love zoos.
How many meerkats do you see? There are three! The two on the edge are sitting on one in the middle! :)We usually are only able to stay in Arkansas for one night, so it was great to have a little extra time to spend with family there.
Monday, December 26, 2011
ACU AlumNight
Well, I have a few pictures and memories to share from our Christmas celebrations. But, I can't find my camera cord right now, so those will have to wait until later.
I've mentioned our ACU group a few times on this blog, but I don't know if I've ever explained exactly what that is. A year after Darby and I moved to Illinois, two other Physics majors from ACU (Austin and Daniel) moved up with their wives (Erin and Liz). The other two couples had been pretty close at ACU, but Darby and I hadn't known them very well. Austin and Erin started attending Philo Road, so we became friends with them pretty quickly. Eventually, the six of us started watching LOST together every week. After LOST ended, we decided to keep the tradition of a weekly get-together going. Someone (I think it was Austin) came up with the clever name "ACU AlumNight." For the past two years, we've spent time together each week (more or less) bowling, skating, going to corn mazes, eating, playing games, and talking, talking, talking (often heatedly...Austin and I are big debaters, much to everyone else's chagrin). We are so blessed to have this group of friends. Even though we've met some great people in Illinois, there's just something about sharing a common background that brings you closer. We enjoy reminiscing about ACU and talking about how perfect Texas is in every way. ;)
Before we left Illinois for Christmas, we had to say good-bye to Austin and Erin. They are moving to France for 3 years, so Austin can finish his research. That's one of the really hard things about living in a college town---almost everyone leaves at some point. Selfishly, I wanted us to be the first to leave. It will be so weird to go back and not see Austin and Erin at church. And I will miss mine and Erin's weekly coffee/chat sessions. But, I'm very excited for the adventures they will have living in Europe.
Before they left, we had a friend of mine take pictures of the 6 of us in front of the University of Illinois "Alma Mater" statue. I think the pictures turned out great. I can't wait to get one framed and displayed.
(Photo by Ryan Salvador)
Wildcat pride :) (Photo by Ryan Salvador)
I've mentioned our ACU group a few times on this blog, but I don't know if I've ever explained exactly what that is. A year after Darby and I moved to Illinois, two other Physics majors from ACU (Austin and Daniel) moved up with their wives (Erin and Liz). The other two couples had been pretty close at ACU, but Darby and I hadn't known them very well. Austin and Erin started attending Philo Road, so we became friends with them pretty quickly. Eventually, the six of us started watching LOST together every week. After LOST ended, we decided to keep the tradition of a weekly get-together going. Someone (I think it was Austin) came up with the clever name "ACU AlumNight." For the past two years, we've spent time together each week (more or less) bowling, skating, going to corn mazes, eating, playing games, and talking, talking, talking (often heatedly...Austin and I are big debaters, much to everyone else's chagrin). We are so blessed to have this group of friends. Even though we've met some great people in Illinois, there's just something about sharing a common background that brings you closer. We enjoy reminiscing about ACU and talking about how perfect Texas is in every way. ;)
Before we left Illinois for Christmas, we had to say good-bye to Austin and Erin. They are moving to France for 3 years, so Austin can finish his research. That's one of the really hard things about living in a college town---almost everyone leaves at some point. Selfishly, I wanted us to be the first to leave. It will be so weird to go back and not see Austin and Erin at church. And I will miss mine and Erin's weekly coffee/chat sessions. But, I'm very excited for the adventures they will have living in Europe.
Before they left, we had a friend of mine take pictures of the 6 of us in front of the University of Illinois "Alma Mater" statue. I think the pictures turned out great. I can't wait to get one framed and displayed.
(Photo by Ryan Salvador)
Wildcat pride :) (Photo by Ryan Salvador)Friday, December 16, 2011
Merry Christmas!
Well, I survived another semester and am now frantically baking, wrapping presents, making Christmas cards, and generally trying to cram a month of Christmas merriment into 2 days. :)
Darby and I decided not to give each other presents this year since we're saving for our Italy trip. But we did fill each other's stockings (with a $25 limit, which was actually pretty difficult). Darby had mentioned that he would like some guitar picks, so I went to the music store downtown and picked these out. I thought they were nice--plain but still interesting. They came in a pack of 10.
Unfortunately, I couldn't see the back of the picks in the package. When Darby opened them, he died laughing. This is what the back looks like.
Oops. I lost the receipt, so we can't return them. Oh, well.
And here's our traditional Christmas tree picture.
We leave tomorrow to start our trek down to Texas. We're so excited to see everyone. I love Christmas!
Darby and I decided not to give each other presents this year since we're saving for our Italy trip. But we did fill each other's stockings (with a $25 limit, which was actually pretty difficult). Darby had mentioned that he would like some guitar picks, so I went to the music store downtown and picked these out. I thought they were nice--plain but still interesting. They came in a pack of 10.
Unfortunately, I couldn't see the back of the picks in the package. When Darby opened them, he died laughing. This is what the back looks like.
Oops. I lost the receipt, so we can't return them. Oh, well.And here's our traditional Christmas tree picture.
We leave tomorrow to start our trek down to Texas. We're so excited to see everyone. I love Christmas!
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
Favorite Ornaments
A couple of years ago, I shared some of my favorite ornaments. We've acquired quite a few new ornaments since then, so I thought I'd share some more. I love putting up our tree each year. It's so fun to remember the stories behind the ornaments and think about the people who gave them to us.
Darby's parents send us an ornament each year, and they are always so perfect and personalized. Last year, John and Debby made these adorable Scrabble ornaments.
And this year, we got this cute one. I love it. It reminds me of home.
A couple of years ago, Hannah started a tradition of giving us all ornaments as part of our Christmas gift. She said she will continue "until she gets tired of it or forgets." Ha! This is the one she gave me last year. We're suckers for gifts with "sisters" quotes on them.
On our honeymoon, I started a tradition of buying an ornament for every trip Darby and I go on. However, that has proven a little difficult in practice. So, our collection of trip ornaments is a little incomplete. I did find this one to commemorate our first-ever camping trip in September.
I hope we never have an "elegant" tree. I love our mismatched collection of meaningful ornaments.
Darby's parents send us an ornament each year, and they are always so perfect and personalized. Last year, John and Debby made these adorable Scrabble ornaments.
And this year, we got this cute one. I love it. It reminds me of home.
A couple of years ago, Hannah started a tradition of giving us all ornaments as part of our Christmas gift. She said she will continue "until she gets tired of it or forgets." Ha! This is the one she gave me last year. We're suckers for gifts with "sisters" quotes on them.
On our honeymoon, I started a tradition of buying an ornament for every trip Darby and I go on. However, that has proven a little difficult in practice. So, our collection of trip ornaments is a little incomplete. I did find this one to commemorate our first-ever camping trip in September.
I hope we never have an "elegant" tree. I love our mismatched collection of meaningful ornaments.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Thanksgiving Highlights
Well, I took a whopping 1 picture during our 10 days in Texas (and stole one from my mom). Oops. We had a great trip. I'll just list some of the highlights.
It was such a fun time to be with everyone. Since we had such a long time, I really felt like we got to spend quality time with both of our families and weren't rushing from one place to another all the time. And I ate so much good food. I decided to wear the same jeans I had worn on the trip down on the way back, and they were soo tight. :/
Unfortunately, fall completely left Champaign-Urbana while we were gone. It is now decidedly winter. But, we get to go back to Texas in just a few weeks for Christmas, so it's not too bad.
- Getting to enjoy a delicious Cajun lunch with Darby's brother, sister-in-law, nephews, and cousin.
- A whirlwind trip to Oklahoma City to visit Darby's grandpa (and talk briefly with Uncle Greg and cousin Beth).
- Cooking some of the Thanksgiving meal with Debby
- Finding out I'm awesome at Wii boxing :)
- Mom's apple pie and Blue Bell homemade vanilla ice cream
- Neighborhood walks with Dad, Hannah, Matt, and Tori (Matt's girlfriend)
- A Just Dance 3 marathon with Hannah, Matt, and Tori
- Black Friday shopping with Hannah
- 2 Sundays at Robinson. It's always nice to go back and see everyone. Although I'm starting to feel like an old woman. Every time I go back, I just can't believe that all of the little kids I knew are now in high school or college.
It was such a fun time to be with everyone. Since we had such a long time, I really felt like we got to spend quality time with both of our families and weren't rushing from one place to another all the time. And I ate so much good food. I decided to wear the same jeans I had worn on the trip down on the way back, and they were soo tight. :/
Unfortunately, fall completely left Champaign-Urbana while we were gone. It is now decidedly winter. But, we get to go back to Texas in just a few weeks for Christmas, so it's not too bad.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Jessica's Wedding
Last week, I went down to Texas for my friend Jessica's wedding. Jessica was part of my group of high school church girlfriends. I don't get to see those girls very much, but they are still so special to me. I missed the weddings of two of them (Krista and Stephanie), and I felt so guilty about it. I hated missing out on their special days, and I also hated missing out on time with all of the other girls. So, this summer, I made a commitment to not miss out on any more friends' special days, if at all possible.
I'm so glad I was able to go. The wedding was lovely, and Jessica looked absolutely beautiful. A lot of us stayed at Jecca's house the night before the wedding, and we were talking and laughing just like old times. (I also talked in my sleep just like old times.) Jessica put together a dance workout class for us after the rehearsal dinner. It was hilarious. Picture about 12 people with the same level of coordination as me and 2 actually good dancers.
I was so blessed to have such a strong group of girlfriends during my middle school and high school years. And, even though, they're not as much a part of my daily life now, I feel equally blessed that we can pick up where we left off whenever we do see each other.
The beautiful bride and me
Steph, me Krista, and Whitney in the photo booth at the reception
Me and Stephy
Krista and Me
Me and Whit
I'm so glad I was able to go. The wedding was lovely, and Jessica looked absolutely beautiful. A lot of us stayed at Jecca's house the night before the wedding, and we were talking and laughing just like old times. (I also talked in my sleep just like old times.) Jessica put together a dance workout class for us after the rehearsal dinner. It was hilarious. Picture about 12 people with the same level of coordination as me and 2 actually good dancers.
I was so blessed to have such a strong group of girlfriends during my middle school and high school years. And, even though, they're not as much a part of my daily life now, I feel equally blessed that we can pick up where we left off whenever we do see each other.
The beautiful bride and me
Steph, me Krista, and Whitney in the photo booth at the receptionAnd to prove that we didn't look that bad:
Me and Stephy
Krista and Me
Me and WhitTuesday, November 01, 2011
Halloween Fun
We had a relatively low-key Halloween this year. On Friday night, we helped out at our Fall Festival at church. Darby and I were in charge of the bucket toss, along with our friend Kim. The woman I tutor came with her husband and 15-month-old, so I had a lot of fun showing them around. I tried to convince Darby to dress up, but he didn't feel up to it this year. Oh, well. I'll save my idea for next year. :)
Last night, we had the ACU group over for a fall dinner. I made this yummy Pioneer Woman soup and this autumn sangria. I set up a little caramel apple bar where people could dip them in different toppings (Heath bits, Butterfinger, peanuts, chocolate). I really like caramel apples but only about once a year. They're just so messy! This time, I melted the caramel in the Crock-Pot, which really made it a lot easier. It was a nice evening with friends. I'm trying to soak in the remaining fall loveliness before dreaded winter sets in.
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