Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Well the time has come, I'm 25 as of yesterday and my life has totally changed. I had a wonderful birthday and we had a lovely party with lots of food, friends, family, beer and fun!

I'm now a full time student instead of a full time administrative assistant.

I don't start school till the 14th of June so I've got a few weeks to get some things done around the house and get every little detail squared away for school.

So on the schedule for this week:

Tuesday: Cleaning and laundry; re-organizing my glassware cabinet; planting hostas and moon flowers.
Wednesday: Meeting with my advisor and getting my books.
Thursday: Zoombezi Bay Waterpark with my brothers girlfriend if the weather is nice.
Friday: Clean and organize the office

I hope that these next two weeks are very productive!

Just a few pictures

I know I didn't blog all week as I had forewarned all of you but I do have some pictures to share (if that makes up for it).

My tomatoes are in their pots and growing every single day!!!

My pots on the front porch are looking good although my flower beds themselves still need a good deal of work.

We sort of started painting the house (so far only the garage trim and shutters are done because we need a ladder to finish the house) but I'm pleased with the color that we chose. I know its hard to tell from the pictures because it was kind of dark when I took them but the original color was a kelly green, really bright and very dated. The first color that we picked had too much red and not enough brown but I think this one is just right and I can't wait to see what it will look like when everything is done.

Well that's all that I have for now :) hope that everyone has a great holiday weekend!

Please do excuse me.....

I'm going to be a bad blogger probably till after Memorial Day weekend...and you might be asking yourself why, well here ya go!

1. This is my last week at work - enough said, I've got tons to get done!
2. We are having a cookout with family for memorial day/my birthday and I've gotta clean my house and get flowers planted!
3. I've got stuff to do for my internship this week.
4. Its finally warm out = me not wanting to be inside on the computer, although the wireless does work on the deck!
5. I've finally motivated myself to start working out again!
6. There are a few little things I need to get done before school starts that involve emailing back and forth with people, getting my books and cleaning the office. But I need to also remember that I have about 2 weeks to get that done before school starts!

And just for all of you, a small weekend recap! Friday Andrew dragged me to look at a SUV he found on Craigslist which we didn't purchase then we had a crummy dinner at Hooters (yeah yeah but they do have good wings, but this time they sucked), Saturday I had to get a new license and afterward we hit up some garage sales. Didn't get too much, I found an office chair and some dishes and then we headed to the grocery store and went out to dinner with my brother. Sunday Andrew mowed and I did some laundry and then took the boat to Alum Creek for some fishing. I got my first sunburn of the season and we only caught one fish.

Well I hope that you can all bare with me as things change this week and be sure to stay tuned for some stuff I'm working on!!!

Chapters of My life

When I saw this prompt for Mama Kat's Writers Workshop I was happy because I would love to write a book about my life (although its not that exciting I think it would be worth reading - well not that I'm vain or anything). I know that 5 chapters might not seem long enough for a book but I don't really feel that my entire life is worth writing about plus I can't remember anything before about age 4 anyway!

After I looked at what I had written below I chose to write on Chapter 4 and create 5 beginning and ending sentences for that chapter.

Chapter 1: The Wonder Years (early childhood)

Chapter 2: Boy Crazy (12 to 22)

Chapter 3: 13 years of Hassle for a Tassel (High School graduation)

Chapter 4: Out on my own (The first 4 years of college)

Chapter 5: A New Beginning (Moving back home, struggles with school, meeting the love of my life).

Chapter 4: Out on my own

Beginning Sentences

1. Freshly 18 when I graduated high school, I was anxious to start my college life away from the grasp of my family and finally able to make decisions on my own.
2. The day of move-in was hot and humid; my dad didn't get to come and help me so my mom, myself and my grandparents took the 30 minute trip to college to get me settled.
3. I woke that morning wondering what this new life would be like, praying that I'd like my roommate and that I would make friends easily.
4. Everyone told me that these would be the years of my life I would remember the most but little did I know they were both right and wrong; there was so much I'd later want to forget.
5. The summer before college flew by and slowly I began to see how much my life was going to change over the course of the next four years.

Let me just say this before I list out my ending sentences - my college experience was quite a journey and its still not over. I had the worst roommate imaginable, we didn't get along at all and she totally LIED on her housing application about EVERYTHING. She introduced me to my college boyfriend (who at first was amazing then turned out to be a bad influence on me as well as emotionally abusive) and I am happy that I'll probably never see her again. I made a lot of bad choices during this time in my life, I neglected friendships from my childhood, partied too much, didn't care about school and let a lot of people down (mostly my parents but also myself). I didn't graduate with my class and I became extremely depressed the last year I lived at school. When I came back home to live with my parents it was hard to get used to someone being able to control my life.

Ending Sentences

1. Packing up my apartment to go back home was both sad and happy; I wanted to take the good with me and leave the bad in those halls and rooms.
2. Four years had gone by but I was still so far behind everyone my age and suddenly I knew that I needed to make a change.
3. I never wanted to admit that my parents were right in having me come home, but looking back it was good to remove me from my toxic environment.
4. I felt so alone as I looked around my small and empty room; I had come there with promise and I was leaving with a feeling of defeat.
5. Looking back on the roller coaster that was the years 2003 to 2007 I wondered where would I be 4 years from now?
   

Which of those beginning and ending sentences do you think work best (I guess just based on what little some of you might know about me)?

Co-habitation

When I told my mom that Andrew and I wanted to live together I expected her head to explode or her to scream so loud that all of the glass in our house would shatter. Coming from a rather strict Catholic upbringing to her this was just something people didn't do. Instead she kinda gave me the "evil mother glare" and asked that we all sit down and talk about this. Don't get me wrong, my parents love Andrew and consider him part of the family. He's actually the only guy I've ever dated that they have liked genuinely - I guess they really are good judges of character.

In February of 2009 Andrew bought the house where we currently live, together, not married or engaged (I've got a promise ring if that counts for anything). By Memorial Day he was living in the house and around the middle of June I slowly started to move my things over there. I didn't want the transition to be hard on my mom and she did help with a great deal of my packing and organization but each time I'd take a load of stuff over she would cry. By Labor Day I was all settled in and over time I felt that things with my mom were slowly getting better. My mom lovingly referred to my living space as the "sin house" and also the "love shack" for quite a while to friends and family - it made me feel awful like she lied to my face that she was okay with my decision and knew I was happy. Most other people took my decision differently - my grandma didn't say much about it and was anxious to see the house, my cousins who I am close with were happy for me and my friends thought it was great.

I know I also have some friends who don't believe in living with someone before marriage and I feel that everyone is entitled to their beliefs and opinions about this topic; be religious or otherwise. But today I read something about couples living together before marriage and how it made them more likely to divorce. The rate was only 6% higher than those who don't co-habitate but it made me think a little. Andrews brother and his wife lived together for 8 years before they got married - but they were also 19 when they met and just didn't feel hurried to wed. Now they have a beautiful daughter and a great marriage. Plenty of other people I know have lived with one another before marriage and it worked out fine.

So what are your thoughts? Did you live together before marriage or are you totally against it? I'm curious to see how other people feel about this topic even though it is controversial.

On turning 25

For some reason this birthday has had an affect on me, one unlike any other before. I thought 18 was dumb to get excited about, I mean really it didn't mean much. 21 was cool, although I started drinking at 18 so all this really meant was I could now buy alcohol and not get X's drawn on my hands when I went to a club.

As I've gone through the first half of my twenties I've seen many friends get married, have babies, go through marital problems, move out, move back home, loose jobs and many other things. Many of these events are things I have yet to experience. I'm not married, I don't have kids, I moved out of my parents house (finally) and don't intend on living there again unless heaven forbid something terrible would happen. I feel a little behind as far as the marriage thing is concerned, but at the same time I know that when it does happen it will be right for me. My fantastic fall farm wedding which I have planned to the very tiniest detail in my head will be amazing - but more on that later! I'm not even engaged yet!

I guess 25 feels weird because I'm not on the same page as my friends - I'm just now getting around to completing my bachelors degree, I haven't started my "career" and I don't have a nice new car or anything worth half a crap. Yes, I am totally happy with my life but I'm feeling a little lost. Maybe this is the start of my quarter life crisis.

Then I think about my mom, at this age, she was about to give birth to me and had been married for 4 years - I'm kinda glad that is not me. But for the sake of conversation I think I show my age by liking to shop at Lowes instead of the mall, eating at home more than I eat out, driving a sensible car, cleaning a lot more and working a 9-5 job (well for the next 2 weeks at least).

So what birthday has been the most life changing for you, if any? I won't be 25 till the 30th but I've been thinking about all this since the beginning of May!

Justin Beiber I think you're a creeper

If there is one recent fad that I DO NOT understand it is Justin Beiber.....and I will explain this feeling in the following list:

Point 1: Really he is not that cute, he kinda looks like he has a mop on his head. In a few years when he hits puberty he is not going to be that good looking anymore.

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To be totally honest, he looks like a girl. Maybe I am old but I think his hair is annoying. The morning radio show I listen to was talking about him earlier this week and saying that he flips his hair around constantly. Gag me.

Point 2: He claims to be best friends with RAPPERS that are twice his age and gives them advice about dating?!?! You're 15 years old, what on earth do you know about love and how could you give dating advice to people who are old enough to be your dad! They probably look at you and see $$$ because you're on their record label and will make them money.

Point 3: His fans are crazy, way beyond the girls when I was a teen that liked N'Sync and the Backstreet Boys. They sent DEATH THREATS to Kim Kardashian after he joked on twitter (of all places) that she was his girlfriend. Honestly you dumb little girls, do you really think that she would date him - doubtful. These girls trampled his mom in an airport and had her sent to the hospital - what on earth is that going to get anyone? Girls, grow up in a year you will totally forget about him.

Point 4: His music is not that great. I know that at this same age I was in love with the Backstreet Boys but they had something that this kid doesn't - a group of guys with good voices (same goes for N'Sync). They had great harmonies and while their songs were cheesy they were old enough to have been in love before and know what it is. And they didn't say "ghetto" words in their songs like shawty....hahaha. I think you grew up in Canada not Compton!

So for now I don't understand this Justin Beiber thing - maybe its a sign of my old age...

What did you write about this week for Mama Kat's World Famous Writers Workshop

Turning another page in life

Things have been hectic - I've had a lot going on and I haven't been writing on here as much as I would like. Sure I did my Writers Workshop post and I caught up on what went on over the weekend but I feel I need to give a reason to my lack of blogging.

I'm going back to school this summer to finish my bachelors and I've been consumed with choosing summer classes, finding-interviewing for-landing an internship for a local non-profit and figuring out how life would fit into this schedule. There were many conversations about my decision with Andrew, his family, my family and my friends about how all consuming this process was going to be. Finally the decision was made that me working full time and trying to take 10-12 credit hours and take an internship just wasn't going to work. So it was decided that I was going to quit my job - I didn't want to say anything until things were set in stone and now they are. I gave notice on Wednesday and my last day will be the 28th of this month.

I'm sad because I love everyone at my work, they are like a family and I'm going to miss them dearly. I'm scared because I don't want us to struggle even though I know that we can afford our minimum expenses on just one income. I'm excited because I will finally have a diploma by Thanksgiving if all goes to plan and all of the loans and time spent in school will finally be worth something.

My head has been full of to do lists that I feel will never be completed. Some are for work, others for my job and others just for things I want to get done between not working and starting school. My heart and head have been so heavy and so full of all of this because I haven't been able to tell anyone - or I suppose I didn't want to tell anyone until things were totally set in stone.

I hope that everyone in my life that is important to me will continue to support me on this journey and no worries it will all be documented on this blog!

Home cooked

Last fall we purchased 1/4 of a cow for the winter....I know that sounds crazy for two people and this was before we decided not to eat as much red meat. We got a pretty good variety of cuts like roasts, ground meat, T-bones, porterhouse and some hamburger patties. I was pretty excited to start cooking and looking for recipes to make but there was one thing in particular that my mouth was watering over - the one thing I never actually ate till about 4 years ago but found so amazing that I could hardly stand it!!!

CHICKEN FRIED STEAK

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I couldn't wait to cook this meal! It takes quite a bit of work and the first of the four times I made it the gravy didn't turn out quite right but now I like to think of myself as a pro at this dish. It is the best comfort food as well (mostly because its horrible for you, I mean you fry the stuff in crisco or lard if you want - we all know that is not healthy). This is also another Fanny Farmer recipe which you can find here or just buy the cookbook. You'll find amazing recipes for any occasion :) You also HAVE to make this with mashed potatoes or its not the same.

Every time I would cook this Andrew would get excited too, he'd sit in the kitchen intently watching the steaks fry up and the gravy start to thicken. There is just something about that meal that makes me feel amazing. I don't know about anyone else (and feel free to comment on your favorite comfort food) but my mouth is watering right now!

So which prompt did you choose for Mama Kat's Writers Workshop? Click the button above and participate!

Back into my groove

So after a few days away from my blog I feel a lot better! This weekend was a little stressful but fun at the same time. Friday I worked a 12 hour day (its big project time at work) and I know there were people that worked well until midnight. I got home and didn't want to do anything so we made some unhealthy frozen pizzas and vegged until I passed out well before 10pm.

Saturday we headed to Andrews parents place where I got to do one of the things I am most passionate about - graphic design/marketing material design. Andrew's mom sells day lilies and she has been wanting something to give to customers instead of just writing her name, number and address on a piece of paper, so we did some business cards and I am currently working on a brochure for her as well. I think the amazing pictures she has taken of the flowers over the years will really help them sell! We got home that night and went out with my brother and some of his friends, I cannot remember the last time I was out till 1am but it was fun!



Sunday was lazy day (well, for me at least) waiting around for my assignment for today at work. Andrew and my brother worked on his boat motor and I got things done around the house.

All in all, even if it wasn't the most thrilling weekend ever, I still savor my weekends!