the unseen beauty

8th "Love Day" Together

2012-02-11T18:12:00.000-05:00

As Valentine's Day approaches, I thought I would share the story of how Brandon and I came to be.

Brandon and I went to high school together. We knew one another prior to dating. We even had a few classes together.

We had two classes our junior year. First semester we had Pre-Calculus. We flirted a little, but Brandon was a little too nerdy for me, and he had other interests at that time. I went for the "bad boys" and Brandon certainly wasn't that.

In December of that year, my grandmother had passed away. I had missed a day of school to attend her funeral. When Brandon realized why I had missed class, he wrote me the sweetest note I have ever received. He wrote me a short letter about the recent passing of his grandfather. Looking back on the letter I can tell he took his time writing it because I have yet to see his handwriting that neat! :) It was a small letter to console me during that time of grieving. He ended the letter with this scripture:

"Take unto you the whole armor of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all, to stand." Eph. 6:13

I kept the note, and I have it to this day.

Nothing ever came from the note. I expressed gratitude towards his kind words.

Fast forward about two months. It was the second semester of Junior year, and once again we found ourselves in class together. Chemistry class. (Ironic, I know.)

It was the first year I could attend prom without being asked. I had decided to go with a girlfriend whether we had dates or not. As the year went on, that plan fell through. I had made up my mind that I wasn't going to go.

Brandon and I continued flirting through chemistry class. He and one of my friends made a conspiracy to hook one another up with the others' friend for prom. Brandon was to get her to go with one of his friends, and she was to get him to go to prom with me. Needless to say, I knew Brandon was going to ask me to prom. I had made up my mind that if I was going to go then, I wanted to go with someone that I would have fun with. So when he finally did (which took longer than I thought) I had decided I would play with him a little. When he asked, I responded with "Well... I wasn't planning on going to prom." You could hear a pin drop! Then I finally said, "But... I'll make an exception for you." I'm sure he probably pooped his pants. Poor thing. We began dating a few weeks later, and the rest is history.

We just celebrated 7 years together the other day, and we are celebrating Valentine's Day for eighth year. I am so blessed to have had this man play such an important role in my life. And I look forward to many more "love days" to come!

Time Constraint

2012-02-06T22:06:00.000-05:00

I must govern the clock, not be governed by it.
Golda Meir

Where does the time go??

Aren't we all asking this question? We can all remember when our years in school went by as slow as a snail. When it felt like our birthday and Christmas were years away, and our summer vacation was gone after one blink.

The grown-ups would always talk about how time would fly when we got older, and we just needed to enjoy being a kid. I couldn't stand hearing it.

Well... now I am older, I am realizing- time is NOT on my side.

By the time I get off work, cook supper, clean up, throw in a load of laundry, I am dead. I have no energy left. Friday nights I crash from a week of work. Saturdays are for cleaning and running errands. Saturday nights we have Bible study. Sundays we go to church and I finish school work from the week before and work on the week to come. Then I am back to square one.

It's a balancing act between your spouse, family, friends, job, a clean house, a million to-do lists, etcetera. etcetera.

No matter how hard I try, I feel as though I am always letting people down because there isn't enough time to get it all done.

I feel guilty when I don't call good friends to catch up. I feel guilty when I spend my hours at home cleaning rather than with spending quality time with husband. I feel guilty that I don't have people over often to enjoy fellowship. I feel guilty that I am not as fun as I used to be because I fall asleep at 9:00.

Is this what "grown-up" life is like? Because I am not liking it. I am loosing myself in the time I don't have.

I am in need of a solution. Any suggestions?

in the life of a dog

2012-01-28T08:24:00.000-05:00

This is our sweet Boxador (Boxer/Labrador), Dirk. He is a whopping nine months and still growing! It was literally like having a child for many months. He ate EVERYTHING including shoes, shoe molding, couch legs, baskets, etc. You name it and his teeth were probably on it! We also had the luxury of getting up several times in the night to take him out to potty train. Then when Brandon finally thought it was time to put him outside, I had to train him on the electrical fence. :( He has been quite the handful the past couple of months, but he has finally started to "mature". He is a lot less hyper and more lovable than before! He is still potty trained, and he doesn't chew on everything. He has also learned to sit, speak, give you howdy, and lay down! He is such a sweet dog now, and I couldn't be happier!! Even if our yard still looks like a tornado has came through and blown blankets everywhere!

p.s. Dirk drags them around the yard to lay on them. It's kind of cute when you think about it!

Here is a recap of our months with this crazy mutt.

The day Brandon brought this little guy home. He was just too cute to pass up!


Told you he chewed on EVERYTHING!!

Oh, the puppy years.

At the park

Don't let Brandon fool you. He secretly loves this dog! :)

He's such a good boy!

While we were inside, we got flocked by a group of flamingos. This was the closet Dirk came to them for two days. This was his "No way am I getting close to those things!"

He still thinks he's a lap dog.

Reuse Part 1

2012-01-21T14:30:00.002-05:00

As most, Brandon and I are on a budget. We can't just up and buy a new table or dresser when we want to. Most of the things in our house have been used, given to us because someone else didn't want it, or was in the house. I like change in my scenery so I change around things in our home often. I do throw a lot of things away because I cannot stand clutter! BUT I recycle, so don't worry. Just as I am ultimate "throw-awayer"; I am also the ultimate "re-user"!

Here are a few things that I have managed to find a new use for!!

Just a hallway table?

Nope. It's an antique sewing machine! It was Aunt Alma's. Someone had cut the electrical chord, but I couldn't just throw it away. It's a Singer!

Just a bedside table?

Nope. This is another antique sewing machine! This one somewhat works.


Just an antique suitcase? Nope. I bought it at Goodwill. I have used it in many travels, but now it stores extra blankets and resides in my living room!

Speaking of change... I changed the blog again! I know, I know. I should just leave it, but like I said, "I love a change of scenery!" Here's a picture of beautiful scenery.


Beautiful sunset in front of our house.

p.s. I added more pictures of our house to Our Humble Abode. Go check it out!!

DIY- Book Chandelier

2012-01-16T21:01:00.000-05:00

I often stroll Anthropologie for inspiration. My ideal job would be an Interactive Art Director there and work on the displays they are famously known for! Instead, I try to figure out how I can recreate the things they make! A little over a year ago, I spotted this great book chandelier they had hanging in the store. I immediately went up to scope it out!! So... if you ever see someone stalking Anthropologie and checking out the decor of the store more than the clothes, then it might be me. :)

What you need:

three different size embroidery hoops- I used the wooden ones. They are cheaper!
Old books
Twine
lamp kit from a hardware store or gut a lamp from the Goodwill
Hot Glue
Scissors or something more heavy duty, but I didn't have anything.
Eye hook for hanging

Rip off the book cover. Cut one inch stripes from one side through the spine to the other side.

I employed a helper for the day! It was a good thing because just the books I cut caused a blister that later turned into a scar. :(

I temporarily hung mine from this coat rack to help work with the length. Cut 4 two and a half foot pieces of twine. Tie them to the hoop like so, and join them together up top. Lay the book backings over the embroidery hoop.

Cut 4 more strings of twine. These don't need to be as long. Attach the strings to the second hoop and then to the top hoop. I had to play with the length to get it where I wanted it.

Cut off your excess twine. Repeat with third hoop. Next, I added a drop of hot glue to each strip to make sure they were secured in place.

I placed the lamp kit inside the hoops at the level I wanted. I attached the four top twine strings to the cord. I first tied them in knots around the cord, then I wrapped the rest around it (twine looks better then electrical cord, in my opinion) then glued it into place.


Lastly, get a wonderful husband and father-in-law to hand it where you want it. Unfortunately, they had to climb up into our attic to find out where the ceiling joists were to drill through. Use an eye hook to screw into place. I also wrapped twine all the up and around the eye hook and glued it. Plug in an electrical outlet!!


It gives off just enough ambiance to light the hallway at night!!

diy- antique date bottles

2012-01-08T20:15:00.001-05:00

When I was collecting things for our wedding decor, I came across these old medicine bottles. I instantly fell in love. Any antique store I went in to, I was guaranteed to come out with some of these!

I had seen them before with metal letters attached to them. This got my wheels turning. I decided to create one with our wedding date on it, and display it somewhere at our reception. Lets just say... I could not find any small metal numbers ANYWHERE!! I even went to home improvement stores to scout out their house/mailbox numbers! So, where did I turn?? Hobby Lobby, of course! There I found some scrapbook numbers that we just the right size, but not the right color. Good thing that was an easy fix!

Materials

scrapbook letters and numbers
antique medicine bottles
ink pads
super glue

Everything you need minus the super glue.

Ink pad. I choose the fourth color down. It was an antique bronze color.

Position them on the bottles and glue them down!

They were used at our sweetheart table.

If you look closely, you can see them holding babies breath behind my bouquet.

love will hold us together

2012-01-07T17:54:00.001-05:00

The truth is, life isn't always pretty. It has it's ups, and it has it's downs. And we can all agree that is much easier to see clearly when life is going great, but what about when it's not? When we find ourselves in situations we never thought we be, what then?

We begin to doubt.

We doubt God. We doubt ourselves. We even doubt our friends.

I know many people right now struggling with these very situations, and I just want them to know that I will be my brother's keeper.

This is the first day of the rest of your life. Cause even in the dark, we can still see the light. It's gonna be all right.

ribbon wreath and baby canvas tutorial

2012-01-04T21:22:00.000-05:00

I saw a picture of this wreath in a Better Homes and Gardens Magazine back in December. I just had to make it. I already had a 10 inch foam wreath even though the materials called for a 12 inch wreath. With a little trial and error, I got things just right!

materials:
- 5 rolls of grosgrain ribbon at 7/8 an inch. Each roll was 18 feet long, but I didn't use all of the fifth roll. If you are working with a bigger wreath, I would suggest using a thicker ribbon.
-scissors
-10 inch foam wreath
-measuring tape or ruler

I originally started out with three packs of ribbon, as you can see. I soon went back to the store for two more.

Cut the ribbon into 12 inch sections, and tie them in a double knot around the foam wreath. Continue this process all the way around. As you are working, push the knots close together to avoid the wreath showing through.


Wah-la! A little time consuming, but very simple! And I think I'm going to keep mine up at least until Valentine's Day!

While visiting the Southern Christmas Show, one of my friends saw something that caught her eye. She is expecting a little girl any day now, and she wanted to get something with her name on it. She saw these polka dot canvases that were monogrammed with names on them and hung with ribbon. They were a little pricey, and I told her that I would make them for her if she didn't mind waiting. I had a little hard time deciding which kind of paint to use. So again, trial and error ensued. Here is how it turned out!

materials:
- a number of canvases depending on the letters in the name; I used 8 x 10, but you can choose whichever size suits you.
-watercolor pencils
-cup of h2o
-small paint brush
-ribbon in the color of your choice

These are the watercolor pencils I have, and I absolutely LOVE them! Watercolor is a hard art to master, but with colored pencils, anyone can do it!

Find a circle diameter you want. Mine happened to be a paint bottle. Trace it with your the colored pencil of your choice.

A little water is all you need. Gently brush the inside of the circle to add moisture to the pencil marks.

Still in the process of painting...

Finished


Add the name in the color of your choice and hang with the ribbon.

Hope this was a little inspiration!

new beginnings

2012-01-02T20:44:00.000-05:00

Whelp, I guess it's official. 2012 is finally here with new beginnings to a new year in our lives.

Here is a little recap of 2011 in my life.


survived my first year teaching

became a momma to this stinker


long awaited dreams came true photo credit: Capture Life Photography

spent time loving these little ones


met the new addition to our family: Miss Harmony BriAnna

made lots of memories with family


and just like that, we go from normal to insanity!

2012 Goals

two new additions will be added to our families
Brandon graduates Pharmacy School! Wahoo to extra income!
We'll celebrate one whole year of marriage!!
Hopefully, we'll get to travel out of the states.
We plan on spending more time with friends and family and less time as hermit crabs.
have a pseudo honeymoon
take more mountain trips
drive the parkway
learn to work my camera
enjoy my hobbies
potentially open up a shop
and learn to LOVE life!

Photo Credit: Capture Life Photography

All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.
Henry Ellis

Happy 2012 to you. May all your dreams come true.

10 Facts

2011-12-30T09:59:00.000-05:00

Here are 10 random facts about me, so you can get to know me a little better!

1. I LOVE to dance. I can "bootie" shake unlike any white girl you've ever seen!

2. Brandon and I often have random dance parties at home with just the two of us. You are always welcome to join. :)

3. I take scolding hot showers.

4. My nails always have to be painted. I would paint them everyday if I had time.

5. I'm notorious for messing up (intentionally, of course) any phrase known to man. My bother-in-law has termed them "joni-isms". Here are some of my husband's favorites:

When you're given a hand, don't take a mile.
You're barking up the wrong alley.

6. I fall asleep before my head hits the pillow, literally. My in-laws think I have narcolepsy. I beg to differ; I just work hard. :)

7. Had I not married my high school sweetheart, I may have joined the Peace Corps or been a starving artist in some big city.

8. I have ALWAYS wanted a Jeep Wrangler with a big dog beside me riding shotgun. I've got the big dog, now I just need the Jeep.

9.I have a need for speed! My first car was a Geo Prism that was straight drive. One of my favorite past times was taking it out on the back country roads with the windows down and radio up! That might be why the hood was held on with a coat hanger and the brush guard was held up with zip-ties. But I rocked it!

10. With that said, one of my co-workers says I travel at mach 3 speeds. Brandon says I am a terrible driver, so let's just look at my track record.

4 old ladies (two separate incidents)
1 bird
1 deer
1 cow

I think it is a pretty outstanding record. How many of you can say you have hit a cow?!

I am nothing special. For people who have just met me, they will probably forget me. I just don't make an impression until you get to know me. But when you do get to know me, I can be quite entertaining without meaning it. I am just one of those people that if it is going to happen to anyone; you can about bet it is going to happen to me! It has been that way my whole life.

I would love for you to share some random facts that I may not know about you!

the gift of life

2011-12-23T23:13:00.000-05:00

Yesterday a little miracle arrived in the world at 10:08 am. She is a small little nugget, weighing only 6 lbs 6 oz. My younger sister had her first child, which makes me an auntie x's 3.

Harmony BriAnna

One of the greatest feelings in the world is holding a sweet newborn baby. There is something about the newness, the baby smell, the innocence of newborn that captures your heart. Her life and very existence is a gift from our God above. I have many prayers for my nieces and nephews, but most of all I pray they find happiness in their lives. Happiness heals, forgives, and gives love. It is the healing stone to life.

A sweet friend of mine sang this song at my wedding. And it is fitting for the occasions in our lives when we send up our prayers for our children.

In the season of giving and receiving, what better gift to receive than the gift of life. And that is something we all have.

And just to give you a heads up: my older sister is expecting in February, and Brandon's sister is expecting in May! Babies, babies, babies! I know what you're thinking...and I am NOT jumping on THAT bandwagon! Instead, I have decided that I will focus my attention on being the favorite auntie! Once I have that down pat then we'll consider our own. :)

the merry "making" season

2011-12-18T16:37:00.003-05:00

Just wanted to let you in on some of the things I have been making over the past few weeks!

bead boxes- revamped style
jewelry
Narnia in a box
paper flowers
Best of all- the ugly Christmas sweater

I needed something to carry my beads in for my jewelry, and of course I have to go with something more than a plastic box. I bought this wooden box at hobby lobby with a coupon (my husband is so proud) for $4. I used some old paint I had around the house, and buffed it up to look distressed!! Here is how it turned out!

Here are some pieces of jewelry I have made.

I have been reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe with my students for the past two weeks. They have absolutely LOVED the book! I assigned one reading group a project to build Narnia inside a wardrobe. Other students overheard, and jumped at a chance to make their own! When I realized they were so excited about it, I decided to create my own! The only thing I bought for mine was the lamppost. Everything else I had!

I spray painted to box with some bronze spray paint we had to make it look a little nicer.

You can't really tell in this picture, but there are Christmas lights that are punched through the canvas to create a starry night look. This is not the finished product because I have a rod with "clothes" and hangers, but I was to excited to get it to school to get any pictures. I will update with some of their projects when they bring them in! Let's just say, I am SUPER excited to see what their little minds will create!

I saw this picture of a newspaper flower on pinterest and just had to recreate it!

Mine isn't as fluffy. But considering I was using old crinkled up packing paper, I think it turned out pretty good!

Lastly, Brandon and I were invited to an ugly Christmas sweater party. We didn't get to celebrate Halloween this year because of a wedding, so we used this as our Halloween. Sorry I don't have any before pictures, but here is how they turned out.

Let me warn you: WE ARE DRESSED TO IMPRESS! :)

My mob husband with slicked back hair.

I bought my sweater at the local Salvation Army. It's not technically a Christmas sweater, so I dressed it up! I found these light-up fire figurines (that I prayed would work) and a cutie-pie pig! I already had an extra lamp post from Narnia and the trees. I created my own little scene on my shoulders. The stocking was from the $ tree. I hot-glued that bad boy on there and stuffed him with many kisses to give out at the party!! Please excuse the closeup. I am not one for pictures, let alone a closeup, but I really wanted you to get the full effect. Oh, and did you noticed little piggy enjoying the warm fire!! :)

the ultimate fashionable neck warmer

2011-12-11T21:35:00.000-05:00

Living in Boone for three years, I have collected my share of warm scarfs. Recently, several people have asked me to show them how I tie them. The truth is... I just tie it in the mirror till it looks good. But I saw this video a couple months ago on a blog that I follow, and I thought I would share it with you all!! It is 25 different ways to tie a scarf in 4.5 minutes!

Some of my favorites are the infinity, celebrity, and the waterfall. Hope you enjoy!

the art of marriage

2011-12-06T20:27:00.000-05:00

My most treasured wedding present wasn't one that I registered for or even expected. It was a small gift from a sweet lady at Brandon's church. A gift that had more meaning than she will ever know. It is strategically placed in our bathroom as a daily reminder of the commitment that we made. Plus, it matched perfectly with the color scheme and was the right size to fit above the toilet.

I believe the most crucial years of anyone's life is the phase from teenage years to adult years. This is a time when parents need to be the most active, and they (as parents) would probably agree, it is the most difficult time of their lives. It is a time when children are figuring out their place in the world and making the decisions to discover who they truly are. Yes, they do fail. Yes, they do make mistakes. Yes, they will make poor choices that may affect them for the rest of their lives. BUT I feel it is the parents' job to be there. They should be the ones to pick them up and tell them to dust it off and keep going. Brandon was this "parent" to me.

Brandon and I began dating seven years ago. So we were both in our peak adolescent phase figuring out our place and making naive choices along the way. We struggled for many years as we transitioned into college and then separated to attend different colleges. Most of our relationship was long distance making it even harder on us. Through it all, we have managed to remain true to one another; helping and supporting throughout some of our toughest decisions. There were times when we failed the other. There were times when we questioned too much, but I ultimately knew that he was my biggest advocate. And I hope he felt the same.

I believe in my heart of hearts that going through that stage of our lives together, we have formed a bond that others might not have. We have learned to rely on trust, honesty, and forgiveness.

Having been married for SIX whopping months now, I have to say it has been the best six months of our relationship. I know what you are thinking... we are in the "honeymoon" phase. But I am not naive to the fact that things will get tougher. Children, jobs, and family will complicate things.

As the art of marriage goes it is not only marrying the right person. It is being the right person. We can only control our actions. And I am hoping that I can continue to be the wife that he needs.

Christmas is in the air!

2011-12-03T20:44:00.000-05:00

I absolutely LOVE this time of year! My favorite part other than the yummy food is the twinkling lights that shine in our house at night! I am one of those people that could leave my Christmas tree up all year! :)

With that said... we have had our Christmas tree up for roughly two weeks before Thanksgiving . My husband was not happy. He is kind of like his mother: there is a time for everything- the Christmas does not go up until after Thanksgiving and comes down the day after Christmas. I on the other hand LOVE to savor the warmth they give off, so the tree goes up early and comes down late. I always win! (love you, dear) And every night, our tree is lit along with our mantel, and my heart is happy.

My sister in-law truly knows what makes me happy because she informed of this new fad of making stockings out of burlap! So my brain went scrambling. This is an old coffee sack that I had pinned in my hallway. I do not suggest using this burlap because it is a loose stitch and when you make something out of burlap, you really need a tighter stitch. I, of course was too impatient to wait to go to the store, so here a rough draft.

My version of a snow globe.

red napkin rings and a simple winter berry center piece

the twinkling lights that I love so dearly

red and green Christmas

Did you notice how stinkin cute this tree skirt is?! It is a cardinal in a tree.

To top it off, we were in the Christmas parade!!

What is your favorite thing during this season??

And...Happy Decorating!

give me your love for humanity

2011-12-01T21:31:00.001-05:00

There are times in our lives where we find ourselves asking, why? This happens to be the season of my life right now.

My mom always said, "when it rains, it pours." Look at how true this statement is. I feel like when life is going good, it is so good, and when life is bad, it can be so bad. Why does it always work out that way? When a mother looses her son at the same time she finds out her husband is having an affair (true story). Why?! I just don't have the answers.

I would like to think that "life" happens to give us a purpose. A purpose to focus on someone that we really tend to push to the curb. How many of us find ourselves praying more and praying harder when times are tougher? I am guilty, I admit.

The past few months have been a struggle with certain relationships. I have found myself saying things I immediately regretted. I found myself letting my emotions take over my brain. Honestly, I haven't ever truly struggled mentally or emotionally. Do I cry? Just ask my husband. I cry too much, but it is my release. When I have finished sulking, (for the most part) I am ready to move on. I don't have the lingering bitterness, hatred, and fear. I don't know what it is like. I can't identify with these people. I just get over it. I always had the attitude: it's life. There are situations we will never be able to control, so why try? There are things we will never be able to change! It is just life!

In these broken relationships, I haven't been able to find the answers. I don't know how to act. I don't know how to relate. I don't know the right words to say. I don't know how to make it right. Trust me, I REALLY want to. I want healing for them as well as myself.

So... this is my prayer.

I swear I never thought that I was wrong
Well I want a second glance
So give me a second chance
To see you the way you've seen the people all along

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me you heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see

I hope peace and understanding will come.

online shop???

2011-11-28T20:18:00.000-05:00

So... I have been thinking lately with all my crafting that maybe I should set up a shop. I have recently been working on several different projects for Christmas presents, but I could easily turn them into something to make a little extra money off of. I absolutely love creating, and I always have a desire to make new things. I wrote down a list of crafts that I have made so far, to give me some ideas for the shop. I could do all of them or limit myself to just a few things. I feel like the more options I have, the more clientele I could reach.

Here is a list of some things I have been thinking about:

garters
ring bearer pillows
both fabric flower necklaces and feathery gem necklaces with antique brass
earrings
fabric flower rings
fabric flower hair pins
fabric flower head bands
napkin rings
snow globes
burlap stockings
spruced up kids clothes
wreaths
banners

Although the thought of setting up an online shop excites to me to no end, I still don't know if it is worth it. Any thoughts???

In the meanwhile, my husband has been ~~griping~~ stating that I need my own space for all this crafting. I decided he was probably right. My things have taken over the hallway closet, the closet in the spare bedroom, and our living room bookshelf. We are a little limited in the upstairs space, so I had to get a little creative.

We have a full unfinished basement. Great for storing, but not so great to anything else because it's a little grungy and cold. Case in point...

But with an eye for space and getting "crafty" on a budget, I hope to create a warm welcoming workspace. I told Brandon last week that I figured out what I was going to do to solve ~~his~~ my problem. I was going to use the tables from the basement +the old flour pantry from the basement + my chandeliers + new paint + new floors to complete my very own unique workroom. He kind of chuckled at the thought of using the basement and me actually getting it done. BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT- when it is on my brain, IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. And I did just that on Saturday :)

It was a beast to clean up this beauty! Sorry there aren't really any before pictures because I just couldn't wait any longer!

Then I reshuffled our junk to another wall, cleaned the walls and floors, and hung my pride and joy chandeliers! And wah-lah!

The walls still need painted + new floors + more organizational things + a portable heater, but it is a work in progress! So far, there has been $0.00 spent. And there is only a little left to do. Needless to say... my husband was quite impressed!

Oh, and I hope you like the new layout! ;)

Busy Beez

2011-11-19T12:29:00.000-05:00

Oh... as the holiday season begins, I have been a busy bee!

Living only on my salary, Brandon and I have decided to get a little creative this year for our Chirstmas presents. While he has scouted the internet for great deals, I have crafting away, and we have been saving mula! Here is a little bit of what I've been doing.

Unfortunately, my sewing machine is really old, and doesn't always ( i mean never) work the way I need it to! So, I began using applique. I am PRAYING it will hold up!

I created some patterns for individualized t-shirts for my sweet niece and nephew!

My little sister is having a girl in January. I decided she would need some cute head bands when she arrives, so I created these beauties!

And while I was making these flowers for her headbands, I made some new napkin rings for Christmas!

Friday News

Brandon and I woke up to our 400+ wedding photos scattered across the back yard! Thank you, Dirk. We collected them all. I attempted to salvage what I could, but since it was below freezing, they were covered in frost. And in turn, there is water damage.

Luckily, Snapfish reordered our prints. Thank you Jesus!

The culprit at hand.

Trash 2 Treasure

2011-11-11T12:04:00.000-05:00

As most of you already know, I LOVE to make things! I LOVE to refurbish things!! I LOVE to see the beauty in things that most would throw away. I LOVE the finished product of my hard work. And I LOVE to make things my own.

We were lucky enough to inherit this house from Brandon's great-great aunt. It took a lot of elbow grease, blood, sweat, and tears. TRUST ME!! We spent roughly 6 months whipping it into shape. I couldn't be happier with the way things turned out! One day I will post what few before pictures I have. But in the meantime of working on the house, we neglected our detached garage. A year later, my husband and in-laws took a day off of work to clean it! With many years of piled up junk, it became hard to walk in there. Here is their finished piece.

Back to my trash 2 treasure and refurbished things... Brandon's dad was on his way to the burn pile with these two beauties before Brandon stopped him because he knew I would want them. My husband truly DOES know me! :)

One day they will be primed, repainted, destressed, and placed in my home!

p.s. I have been in that garage many times, and I never noticed them if that tells you just how much junk was in there!

Oh... and today I have been crafting Christmas decorations and Christmas presents for my nephew and nieces!

Here is a sneak peek of my recreation of an Anthropologie snow globe. And mine was MUCH cheaper, and that's how I like it!

Happy Friday and Veteran's Day!

A True Godsend

2011-11-08T21:15:00.000-05:00

This evening I visited one of the most important people in my life, my grammal.

Long story short: She isn't my grammal by blood or even marriage at this point.
BUT the fact is: She is, always has been, and always will be my grammal.

This is a great depiction of how I remember her. Always full or wisdom and knowledge to share. She was a constant reminder that stability and sanity did exist.

Most of my "good" memories as a child was with this woman. She always read to us, always cooked the most delicious homemade meals, and always let us be kids. She was well into her eighties when she would put us in our grandpa's t-shirts, turn on the sprinkler, and run wild with us through the water!

As many visitations go, I sat with her while she told me stories of her life. Blessed with an excellent memory at almost 96 years old, she has a lot of stories. One story in particular caught my attention.

For several decades, Grammal Cleo worked as a manager at a JCPenny Plant. Her boss was a short bald headed man from New York City named Mr. Berkley. One week out of the month he would come down to Statesville, NC to help her out. Over thirty years, she bonded with this frugal Jewish New Yorker. And just a few years before he died, Grammal attended a charity event in New York with Mr. Berkley and his wife. While sipping on ginger ale, Mr. Berkley introduced Grammal Cleo as his southern gal that didn't drink nor smoke that ran his plant with a smile!

What a testament to the goodness that is within her heart and soul. This is my grammal. A God-fearing woman who remained true to who she was, and what she believed in.

photo credit: Capture Life Photography

I am forever indebted to this woman for her words of wisdom and love of the years.

And yes... that is Grammal with a "mal" at the end. We are from the south, you know! :)

Gratefulness

2011-11-02T21:57:00.000-04:00

As the seasons change, so do the holidays!

Tis' the Season to be Jolly and GRATEFUL.

As Thanksgiving and Christmas approach, I am trying to make a conscious effort to be more grateful for the wonderful life I have. Too often, I find myself looking at the glass half empty. Terrible, I know. It seems easier to give in to the pitfalls of life than appreciating the goodness around us.

Our lives and our world is full of goodness. And this holiday season, I am taking advantage of it!!

some things I am thankful for:
-caring, helpful (hottie-tottie) husband :)
-family- even with all our craziness
-true friendships that give encouragement during those times you need it
-Our God given talents- we all have them, but are we all using them? I want to start utilizing mine.
-learning life's lessons through the eyes of my wise grammal
-having new beginnings, new challenges, and new experiences
-being able to sleep through the nights (apparently, this one really is a gift because my husband is constantly reminding me of how lucky I am to fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow)
-not "really" worrying about finances
-daily showers
-sweet cuddly puppy

I put up a banner in our living room as a reminder of the gratitude I need in my daily life.

I was also in the festive spirit for a new wreath. I made this one out of dyed coffee filters.

What are you grateful for this season?

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Frosting

2011-10-25T18:19:00.000-04:00

Prep: 20 min Total: 1 hr 12 min Makes: 24

what you need:

-1 pkg spice cake mix (2 layers)

-1 cup cream cheese

-1 can pumpkin (15 oz)

-1/4 cup oil

-3 eggs

-1 pkg 8oz cream cheese

-1/4 cup butter, softened

-1 tsp. vanilla

-1 pkg 160z powdered sugar

-1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

make it

*heat oven to 350 degrees

*beat first 5 ingredients; spoon into 24 muffin cups

*Bake 20 to 22 minutes

*Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to cool completely

frosting

*beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with mixer. Gradually beat in sugar. Blend cinnamon. Spread over cupcakes.

**store it in the fridge**

enjoy.

in a creative spirit

2011-10-20T21:39:00.000-04:00

I have been in a mood for fabric flowers. I went a little wild one day, but the I love the outcomes!

necklace with gray chiffon flowers

It is so hard for me to find decent priced napkin rings. So... I made my own this year. I bought this fabric in a 24in square from a local craft store. I thought it fit perfectly for fall!

how much are your dreams worth?

2011-10-17T19:53:00.002-04:00

We all have them, but few people actually reach them. DREAMS. The sacrifices one makes to reach them. Many times OUR dreams are just that... OUR DREAMS. Not someone else's. So, we are the only ONE to make it happen, but it usually comes at a cost. Often times, we have to make the decision on what is practical or what makes our hearts happy. The choice sounds simple, but it's not.

So, the million dollar question- Do you follow your head or your heart??

And if you follow your heart, what are the sacrifices ??

Just to let you in on some of my dreams....

I have always wanted to create spaces. I wanted to take the ordinary and make it a space that is extraordinary! I wanted to go into historic preservation on homes and give them an updated twist from the old world to the new world. Have you seen Divine Design on HGTV? If you haven't, you should!! She has an eye for making luxurious spaces!! Here a few that I love!!

Before

After

Oh, how I love white kitchens!!

If you look closely, those are cut-up blocks of wood behind the mirror!!

My other dream is to be an Interactive Art Director for an Anthropologie. Here are some projects I would have LOVED to be apart of!!

I saw this peacock at the Anthropologie in NYC. If you know me, you know how much I love peacocks! This one is made out of chopsticks and plastic spoons! Pretty creative, huh?

Plastic Cup Display

Those giant spheres are made out of recycled cork!

My heart is happy when I am designing and creating.

learning life's lessons

2011-10-03T20:28:00.000-04:00

I was recently in discussion with a mom at a crossroads with her adult son when I came to the conclusion that we sometimes have to live the life WE WANT to live. We have to let others stand for their actions.

There are too many times we find ourselves trying to pick up the pieces of everyone else's lives. This tends to be more common between a parent/child relationship, but we have all seen it or even been there. But where does it end?

I am not a parent, so I don't have a lot of grounds for my opinion, BUT I do think that at some point in WE HAVE TO LET GO! We have to let them fall. We have to let them fail. We have to let them make the mistakes OR how else will they learn??

I find this to be true even in my fourth grade classroom. Granted, it is on a much smaller scale! BUT nevertheless the lessons are the same! It doesn't matter how many times I can tell them how to do something, THEY WILL STILL DO IT HOWEVER THEY WANT!! Frustrating?!?! Yes! I know! But sometimes they just have to learn on their own.

In a utopia, we would all learn from others mistakes. But in the REAL WORLD... we have to learn the hard way. Sad but true.

We have to stop making up excuses for others. Yes, even our children. Even in the fourth grade. We need and THEY need to learn to be RESPONSIBLE.

Our society has turned into one big excuse. Well, she's a product of her environment. Well, she hasn't had a good example in her life. Well, he was picked on as a child. Well, there were no parents around to guide him. The list of excuses goes on and on. We have all heard them, and we have ALL said them. BUT I believe it is time to take responsibility. A twenty year old SHOULD take responsibility for their actions because they are an ADULT not pawn it off to the "circumstances" when they were younger or the "circumstances" they are in at the time!!!

The wisest woman I know (my grammal, Cleo at 95 years old) has NEVER talked about her parents or herself making excuses for her actions or anyone else's. AND trust me, she is a woman of many stories! Back then, there were no excuses. You knew when you did wrong, you fessed up to it, and life went on. Now, we are EXPECTED TO ACCEPT them! Really???

It seems we have fallen into the never ending cycle of excuses. Will we ever get out?

making a difference

2011-09-05T16:23:00.000-04:00

being in the teaching profession, we are constantly working towards deadlines, "test scores" (sad to say, i know), curriculums, new programs, the list goes on and on.

sometimes... we forget why we are there. sometimes those in higher authority forget why we are there.

we have taken the position for those that need love, our love. those that need encouragement, security, a safe place, AND simply a friend.

last year was a blur in my memory. i don't remember little details of what i taught or what i said. i don't know if i did it right or completely bombed it.

BUT I DO KNOW that those sweet faces come knocking on my door every morning wishing to come back, wishing me a good day, and giving me the sweetest hugs! Granted school has only been in session for a week, but just to know that i did something to make them want to come back.

i fought last year. fought REALLY HARD to win some of their trust. i felt defeated most days. but NOW i realize that I WON!! they have opened their hearts to me!

as a teacher, i want them to know what i am SUPPOSED to teach them (of course!) BUT i want them to know that success isn't measured by a grade, but by reaching the goals you have set before yourself, THEREFORE we have to set goals for ourselves! i want them to know that it doesn't matter where they came from, THEY CAN BE ANYTHING they desire to be. i want them to know that working hard will get you the farther in life than having the "smart gene".

i want them to know that i care, i will be their friend, and i will advocate on their behalf.

living by faith

2011-08-17T20:52:00.000-04:00

in the past several months, i have been learning to live by faith. it was something that came easier to me as a child than an adult.

as many already know, i didn't grow-up with the "ideal" childhood. it was long nights fending for ourselves and taking on the role of parenting for my younger sister and brother. many times as children, WE had to be the voice of reason. i didn't doubt then. i didn't ask why me? why this? why now? i just accepted the cards that i was dealt and played it the best that i could. i believe that childish faith got me through the toughest moments of my life thus far.

fast forward a couple of years- i find myself sitting in a classroom my senior year of high school asking questions. why earth? why hell? why misery and pain? why? why? why? all the questions i had not asked before suddenly crept up on me. i felt that i needed answers, real answers (whatever that meant). then i moved off to college and got all "philosophical". then i REALLY needed answers. i wasn't fully doubting, but i needed things to make sense. i needed the pieces of puzzle to fit perfectly together (or at least perfectly together the way the world saw it).

the truth is- we as CHRISTIANS, disciples of Jesus, LIVE BY FAITH. it is that simple.

we live by the instinct that we know to be true in our hearts. the true testament
in the way Jesus lived his short time here on earth.

so... no more, why is sky blue? or why is the grass green?

2 Corinthians 5:7 We live by faith, not by sight.

this picture was taken right up the road from our house. don't we live in a beautiful world? that was a rhetorical question :)

puppy love

2011-08-09T12:57:00.000-04:00

i haven't yet formally introduced you all to the newest addition in the Warren household... meet Dirk. he plays rough, bites hard, and scratches the hound out of you!

but... he has an unconditional love. he meets us with a wide open run, ears flopping back ready for a good tummy rub! and really, who couldn't resist those beautiful blue eyes?!

as most parents right now are having a hard time sending their children off to school, i am having a hard time sending mine outside. :( is this ridiculous or what? i have always dreamed of having an indoor dog, but not the prissy kind. the kind that is big enough to stretch across the couch. i thought i had just that when brandon brought him home, but he had other intentions. so, here we are- underground fence in, food, and bed outside. yesterday was the first full day he spent outside for hours on end, and last night was the first night he slept outside. it's hard on me, but he seems to enjoy the freedom. i guess the good part is having our bathroom back. he was apparently getting back at us this night for leaving him in there all day.

i have come to love this sweet creature of ours. we have certainly had our ups and downs with him, but he has been a great addition to our family.

oh, and did i mention he is a good worker too? yeah, check that outfit out! ha!

Hoop Art

2011-07-31T21:57:00.000-04:00

my dear friends Alison Little of Apearantly Sew and Melissa Beaver of The Pleated Polka Dot have introduced me to this new epidemic called hoop art. it is simple and cheap, yet adds so much to a bare wall!

here are a few that i adore.

photo credit

here is my own version!

Redeeming Love

2011-07-26T20:20:00.000-04:00

a few weeks ago, i finished one of my favorite books for the second time! Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers is a wonderful love story that portrays the love and mercy of our God in human form.

many years ago my sister handed it down, and informed me i should read it. **note: the book is 464 pages (which was quite a daunting task for me at that time). i read it nonstop and LOVED every moment of it. if you are looking for a book that will touch your heart and teach forgiveness, this is the book for you!

since i am really terrible at giving too much information; i am going to sum the book up in with a note from the author herself. she felt compelled to write it after reading the book of Hosea.

"His (Hosea) story, a deeply moving story of His passionate love for each of us- unconditional, forgiving, unchanging, everlasting, self-sacrificing- the kind of love for which most people hunger their entire lives, yet never find." - Francine Rivers

i desire this love. i desire it not only for the love of my husband, but my family, my friends, my co-workers, strangers, and most importantly my God. i hope you will enjoy it as much as i did!

photo credit: francinerivers.com

for the love of art

2011-07-21T10:55:00.001-04:00

as a teenagers, i would draw pictures out of Vogue as an escape to life. i have always loved to draw, rearrange furniture, and dream about being an artist. there are those people that go for practicality (my husband), and then there are those that want to make the ordinary something extraordinary (me)! i am constantly thinking of new projects for our house! of course, these are low budget projects, but they still seem to make things more aesthetically pleasing :)

my dream job (other than the art director @ Anthropologie) is historic preservation on homes! you know, the old ones with the exquisite architecture, large porches, and plank floors! Ahh, I love it! maybe one day i will be able to bring life back into these old homes with a modern twist on old treasure.

until then, i will be completing my home projects that probably drive my husband crazy :)

here are just a few.

this was an empty frame i had on our wall when i was going to make a frame wall. i caught a lot of scrutiny over it, so i turned it into something more practical (a fun "notepad").

we don't have a coat closet, so i got creative and made my own! all i need now is a bench!

i needed something to hang my necklaces on and the only place was on our bedroom wall. i found this shelf at a craft store, bought some cute door knobs, and used paint i already had!

Officially Joni L. Warren

2011-07-14T11:37:00.000-04:00

i married the man of my dreams and my biggest fan. he gives me hope and inspiration. his love is forgiving. he is the man after my heart, and i love him more than he will ever know. welcome to the day my dreams have been waiting for :) hope you enjoy!

joni

2011-07-14T09:57:00.001-04:00

in the past year that i have not blogged, much has changed!

helped deliver my niece Hattie Grace and celebrated her first birthday!

spent time with Hattie Grace and Micah Brock

became a fourth grade teacher (first successful year- down)
yep, that would be mustaches they are wearing, Ms. Little's was the place to be!

moved into our house that we have spent many days and nights working on

2010-10-20T21:29:00.002-04:00

back into the swing of things. boy, how things have changed.

2010-01-11T17:26:00.000-05:00

this is the first day of the rest of my life.

i'm back!

2009-12-13T17:16:00.000-05:00

i have taken a break from blogging because of my busy, hectic life lately. (not that i blog much to begin with)

in the last month:

went to NYC (GREAT adventure!)
found my wedding dress!! sheesh!!
finished up my last semester in boone, and pretty much my last semester as a college student
had sharon and keith's 25th surprise anniversary party
got started working on our future home
said my goodbyes to my second graders :(
and is currently in the process of moving out of my apartment

the next chapter begins now.

i am currently wishing i were in a log cabin the middle of nowhere with feet of snow on the ground, coffee in hand, fire in the fireplace, and brandon snuggled beside me. **sigh**

oh the life! no worries, no annoying people, no deadlines, no projects, no exams, and no making decisions on the spot. just relaxing.

in my other life...
i would live in a city (like Nashville).
i would sing in small cafes with just an acoustic guitar (that is implying that i could sing!)
i would be a writer, a designer, an artist, and a dreamer.
i would own a horse farm outside of the city, where children would learn to ride horses.
i would travel the world and have really long lush hair!
in my other life...

then again, maybe i wouldn't have love. or get married. or ever have children. or be close to my family.
maybe, just maybe, i'll keep what i've got. it's not THAT bad, after all! :)

chapters in the book of life

2009-11-12T20:21:00.001-05:00

welp, i will graduating college in oh... 6 months!!!!

i will be moving out of boone in oh... 1 month + 1 week!!!!

i will hopefully have a house in oh... 6-8 months!!!!

i will have a new niece or nephew in oh... 6 months!!!!

i will hopefully have a career in oh... 8-9 months!!!

one chapter of my life is about to come to an end while another one is just beginning.
although, i am thoroughly looking forward to this new chapter, i can't help think...

did i take advantage of my college experience?
did i take advantage of my "dating" time with brandon?
did enjoy the luxury of the mountains like i should have?
did i make good friends?
did i find myself and who i truly am?
did i embrace the opportunities given to me?
did i make the right decisions?
did i chose the right career?
should i have followed my heart or my head?

the list can go on and on. i don't know if i will ever find the answers to these questions. one day i may, but that may be many years down the road.

re-cap of this closing chapter:

went to college (caldwell and appalachian).
decided to become a teacher.
got to be an auntie!!! :)
got a new nephew!!!

realized i found the man i will marry.
got ENGAGED!!

found a few really great friends.

onto the next chapter... MARRIED LIFE. one day.

identity crisis

2009-11-02T21:30:00.001-05:00

i have come unto an epiphany lately.

i find myself more and more letting my "soon to be profession" take over me. i am beginning to almost be defined by it. when people ask me what i am studying, and i tell them elementary education, i am automatically put into a stereotype. granted the stereotype of teachers is a good one, but i DO NOT want to be defined by my profession! i also understand this happens in every profession, but i feel that teachers are a little different. they are frowned upon if they have a nose ring or a tattoo. get over it people. as long as it isn't obscene and no inappropriate body parts are showing then we need to focus on bigger fish!

ex: (sorry brandon)
brandon asks me what i want for christmas. i say cowboy boots the real ones. he says well what about those "teacher shoes" you wanted last year, aren't you gonna need those more? well... yes, probably, but i want the boots more!

the problem is that teachers begin to all be the same in the end with their festive shirts and ugly but comfortable shoes. i say, why can't i have cute and comfortable shoes at the same time? i don't want to sacrifice my style (aka individuality) (aka self expression) by conforming to the conservative unstylish teacher clothes and shoes!!

I WILL NOT BRING MYSELF TO THAT!!

i am who i am. no i do not dress inappropriately, but i don't want to be looked down upon when i am out wearing my jeans tucked into my boots when people think i should be dressing like an old lady!

just sayin...

OUT of place!!

2009-10-01T20:00:00.000-04:00

do you ever feel out of place, or like you don't belong??

well...

i went home last weekend and went out with the girls to a local restaurant/bar to see a band. we had our own table, which was nice just to sit and hangout.
i began to notice the other people there.
they are NOTHING like me!! i don't find this very surprising, but at the same time i do. this is where i am from, so i should be similar, right? nope. not at all!
the girls were all done up. they had makeup caked on their faces, bleached blonde fried hair, tight jeans, HIGH heels, and hoochie shirts.
me: jeans, black flats, minimal makeup, hair half up, and a tube-top with a cardigan over it.
the men where all wearing button up shirts with some type of print (ed hardy maybe?), spiked hair, no undershirt, and necklaces! seriously people, i felt a little outta place.

another experience:

tuesday, i went to lenoir to watch my little brother play football.
::note: it was FREEZING cold in boone!!! i mean FREEZING!::
lenoir not so much. cool? yes. freezing? no
anyways, my attire: jeans tucked into some comfy boots, tank top, 3 quarter length on top of that, thick cardigan on top of that, scarf, and two jackets! as i walked in i noticed heads turned at me and people talking. coincidence? maybe, but probably not. it was pretty evident i was the topic at hand. even after i realized i had dressed a little too warm for the occasion, i was still the gawked at.
i traveled to the other side for concessions with my little sister, and she noticed it too.
i was like the earthy chick at the redneck yacht club.
moms had on tight jeans that probably cut off their circulation, shirts a 14 yr old would wear, rainbows, blonde hair, and BOOB jobs!! no offense but i do not want to be known as the mom with the boob job. i would much rather be known as (my child's name here)'s mom.

how do you fit in a place you don't belong?

i have gotten so used to boone; the people, the atmosphere, and acceptance.
you dress how you want up here. everyone does and no one cares.
wear no makeup, a little, or a lot.
wear jeans tucked in boots, crocs, rainbows, wranglers, or jack rogers.
smell like incense, perfume, or like you haven't showered in days.
people just don't care! you are who you are. you dress how you dress. AND you eat what you eat.

although, i don't know if i belong up here in boone;
i DON'T feel out of place here.

just thinking....

2009-09-28T19:35:00.001-04:00

fall is in the air!!!!!!!!

this is my favorite time of the year! i wish it were fall all year long. i think i could deal with that. boone has already started to change seasons; the leaves are changing, the air is cool and brisk, and the "fall" smell has set in.

ahh.... i love it!

boone in the fall is a totally different atmosphere, or at least that is the way it seems. the people seem to be friendlier. people aren't in a hurry to be anywhere, they just enjoy the here and now. maybe... it is cause they want to enjoy this nice weather before they are cooped up in their houses for five months! everyone is outside. it is not to hot and it is not to cold. it is just right, with a splash of gold, orange, and red mixed with cinnamon pumpkin and crisp apple scents. mmmm... can't you just smell it now?

lately, i haven't been able to find a whole lot of time. it seems as though when i have time there is nothing to do, and when i don't have time there is EVERYTHING to do. right now i have projects, homework, work, date nights with friends, daniel's football games, raleigh trip with hillary, monroe trips for the fiance, etc. and i don't have time for it all. i am not complaining that i have too much to do, just wishing i had more time to do it. where was all of this when i was up in boone in the summer doing nothing but cleaning and working?!?!

this weekend, i am off to monroe for some much needed alone time with brandon. it has been four weeks people! four weeks without hugs, four weeks without kisses, four weeks without ANYTHING but phone conversations! and although i love talking to you on the phone, my dear, i am just ready to see you in person. conflicting schedules with the one person you shouldn't have conflicting schedules with, this would be the story of life. BUT alas, in just a few months there will hopefully be no more monthly waits. there will still be two week or even three week waits but NO MORE MONTHLY! i look forward to this day.

:::some GRAND news to share with everyone: :::

drum role please?

dundundundundun

my sweet micah boy is WALKING!!!!!

wedding planner for life

2009-09-13T20:57:00.002-04:00

just want to let everyone know how much i LOVE wedding planning!!!

it is such a great experience to plan a day that will celebrate brandon and i.
i have been looking up things for our wedding day for quite some time now, and i love finding all sorts of ideas to make our day special and unique.
i want it to be a day where our guests feel comfortable and not out of place.
i want some good yummy food, great desserts, and dancing cause ya'll know how much brandon and i like to dance. :)

i am thinking... country chic.

photo credit: http://greenweddingshoes.blogspot.com/

i would love to have our reception in an old barn, so if you know of any that are vacant let me know!

i stumbled across this GREAT idea for a wedding band the other day while i was aimlessly searching etsy for anything and everything. the band is manmade with the fingerprint impression of your significant other engraved into it. what a great idea!! there are all kinds of things out there. i get so excited when i find unique ideas such as this one that i typically have to call brandon immediately!!

photo credit: esty.com
so, after our day has come and gone, i want all ya'll to feel free to come to me for any ideas i might have in making your day just as special as mine will be! (cause you know i have been researching for some time now ;)

oh, i CAN'T wait! OUR DAY is going to be FABULOUS!

HAPPY BIRFDAY MICAH, MICAH

2009-09-11T22:48:00.003-04:00

photo credit: kyle jones

just thought i should let you all in on the sweetest kid EVER!!

meet my nephew micah. today is his birthday. we are celebrating one full year of the joy he has brought to our lives. although, i don't get to see this kid very often i still feel very connected to him.

a child softens the heart. they bring a sense of worth and purpose here on earth. adults have so many lessons to learn from children. they are so ambitious. they NEVER give up. you see the drive they have as they start trying to walk. they fall many many times, but they always get up and try it until they get it. a child's innocence brings new life to the world. they come into this world clean and uncorrupted. they will befriend anyone they meet. they wish to give their penny banks to give others a chance to go to school. they are accepting to differences. children are brutally honest (you will never have to wonder what they are thinking). they aren't afraid to ask questions and they aren't afraid to speak up when they feel they have been wronged.

in the words of one of my favorite songs:

why do we hate? why do we suffer? why do we constantly make our mistakes and blame one another? why is there war and why is there killing? have we forgotten some secret we knew when we were just children?

~if we only knew how to keep that secret

i am so happy to be the auntie of this wonderful kid. i know his is going to grow up and do wonderful things for our world. hope you have a very special birthday micah in haiti!

slackkkkkeeeeeerrrrr...

2009-08-23T19:37:00.002-04:00

i have definitely been a slacker lately.

-slacked on my blog posting, sorry.
-slacked on getting a check to financial aid for my refund to be deposited into my bank account which would equal $ sooner. (which is always needed)
-slacked on getting my car serviced and inspected.
-slacked on getting down to business with school starting in TWO DAYS!!!!

eessh! i am NOT READY!

can you wait just, oh lets say, a couple more YEARS?!?!?

although, this is going to be a fun semester, i have many doubts about where i need to be for my expected graduation date in may.

i have been assigned to the second grade for block 2. this should be real fun! i am looking forward to the new block 2 that i was accepted into. the college of ed. here is starting a new block program this year. one block will meet at a local school and our professors will teach class there, so we are able to be in actual classrooms with actual students for longer periods. if you were interested in doing the site based block then you were required to fill out an application, which turned out to be answering questions on our philosophy in teaching. when i went to turn in my application, and saw the GIANT stack of other applications, i knew i didn't have a chance. 2 months later i get an e-mail telling me I GOT IT! areyouserious!? me??? how in the world did the girl with the worst grammar problems and stumbler of words get in? answer is- i have NO idea, but i sure am glad i did.

this is going to be a great experience. i hope this semester will alleviate my anxieties about teaching and feeling prepared.

hope you all have a good start back to school... GOOD LUCK!

blessed beyond measure

2009-08-13T22:17:00.004-04:00

today was a day all to myself.
no obligations to anything or anyone.

i went out to eat lunch with my good friend chels. it was nice to have someone to talk to. as i have gotten older, i find it harder to find true friends.

i want to express my thanks for the wonderful life that was given to me by the good Lord above. i feel that i can never be thankful enough. truly, thankful. i have a wonderful life!

i have a gracious fiance with whom has the most patience (for me) of anyone i know. he has been my biggest supporter; my biggest advocate for my dreams. he is level headed and thinks EVERYTHING through thoroughly (probably to the extreme). he is one of the few people that can bring a smile to my face. he is sweet with words and gentle with his touch. he gives me the strength i need to keep going. to pursue what i have set out to do. i am so thankful that God knew all along who was meant for me. i trusted him to bring not the person i had dreamed about, but the person that i meant to spend the rest of my life with; the person i was to share my dreams with. trust in him, for he ALWAYS knows...

i have a wonderful sister who always has my best interest in mind. she is someone i can tell my most embarrassing secrets to. she is the one who understands me in many ways a lot of people don't. we shared our childhood experiences together that have continued to unexpectedly unfold in our adult lives. she is the one i would trust with anything. she is a woman of God, and a woman i look up to. God has great plans for her life, i only wish that we were physically closer. the distance between us is often difficult for me to bear at times, but the relationship that we have is well worth it.

i just went on a four day trip to D.C. to see the jones family. things couldn't have been better. i got to spend some quality time with lorraine which, is always needed. brandon got to experience a baby! it was truly a time in which i have dreamed about. it was great for me to see how brandon reacted with such a small child. he says he doesn't favor children, but his interactions with little micah told otherwise :) i love my family........

the beginning chapter of our new life

2009-07-29T16:24:00.004-04:00

on the windy day of july 12, 2009 in garden city, south carolina, my life inevitably changed in a glorious way.

although, brandon and i have dated for quite some time now, it is established that we are/have made the commitment to one another for a lifetime. it is the official ending of our single life and the beginning of our life together as two become one. i have waited for this day to come for years. now, that it has arrived i just want to bask in the splendor of it all.

there will be no more:

awkward conversations with guys trying to get to know me
awkward first kisses when you don't know which way to turn your head
meeting the parents and extended family (which thankfully was a breeze for me)
doubts wondering if he is really in to this relationship
doubts wondering where the guy of my dreams is
or if marriage is even in the cards for me
first time farts and all the disgusting habits of the male species
my mom asking, "is he a CHRISTIAN?!"
and the list goes on and on as we all know

the week of our engagement was so surreal for me. i had waited for that moment to happen for so long and when it happened, i wasn't ready! i mean i was ready for it, but it took me by such surprise that i didn't have time to take it all in. i was so shocked that it happened; that the guy i had been hounding to marry me for years, the guy that acted oblivious to rings, weddings, and marriage was down on one knee with the perfect ring to symbolizes our love was wanting to marry me, a pre-bridezilla nightmare! for a while now i was the only one to express our plans of marriage to others, and i as well as everyone was beginning to feel that i was the only one feeling that way. relief could not have come sooner! he does want to marry me!!!!!!!!! come to find out it was all an act to cover up what he had planned. that little sneakster brandon!

it was a special moment in our lives that was shared with people near and dear to our hearts. brandon's family had been in on the plans the whole time. although, i didn't want to be proposed to in front of a huge audience, we did have just the right amount of people present to make it a more memorable experience. his family helped make the day so special for the both of us. we did have a small audience sitting out on their deck that saw the whole thing and congratulated us with an applause.

during the week of our engagement and our vacation, brandon and i felt like we had aged a couple of years. it was like we had an" adult relationship" and we were no longer considered a teenage love.

i look forward to the engagement. it will be roughly two years so, it will give me time to enjoy it without feeling overwhelmed to plan a wedding. i also look forward to many happy years with the guy that shares my heart :)

hermit crabs to say the least

2009-06-22T17:23:00.006-04:00

after almost 4 and a half years of dating, i guess it is expected that you both turn into hermit crabs.
well, that is just what has happened.

i thought the day would never come when brandon and i would have opted for a movie from redbox and a home made meal over a date night. lately, i have come to realization that is just what happened....

we don't spend as much time together as we would like and when we do we always decide to stay in and "cuddle" but we don't always end up cuddling. i am making a vow to change that.

last week brandon came up to boone to visit me for a day. i skipped class (the only day i have missed) so that we could have a day to ourselves without work or school. and we actually did things outside of the apartment!

i will give you a play by play of our day because it was WONDERFUL!!!

first off i had planned to go tubing down a local river or a picnic accompanied by a hike on the parkway but neither of those seemed like they were going to pan out because of the weather :(

brandon was suppose to come up on wednesday morning but he surprised me on tuesday night!!
we slept in a little late cause we could
i had planned for us to go get donuts from daylight donuts on king st. for breakfast but we didn't get out of the apartment till lunch time. BUT i was craving them so bad that brandon gave me the okay to get them... so, we headed to king st. for some donuts and a light lunch.
when we arrived we had to park pretty far down which was ok by me cause i LOVE walking king st on a beautiful sunny day. we got some yummy donuts and decided to try out a "new" (to us) restaurant- Flipside. they had their personal deep dish pizzas : 2 for $5. we split it and each got one which filled us up.
it has been a while since brandon has been in boone, so he wanted to stop by his old sanctuary the CAP building to see an old teacher. we chatted with her and headed back to our car.
we had decided to go watch the matinee of the hangover and we still had some time to spare before then so we went back to my apt for a much needed nap. we were sleeping quite well when the severe thunderstorm woke us up.
watched the hangover! great movie but very vulgar... you are warned.
went to red onion for dinner. i had french onion soup. brandon had a french dip.
i had borrowed gran torino from work so we watched that when we got home.
then we headed to bed

all in all it was a GREAT day. we did a lot of things we don't normally do. we had become hermit crabs and it was nice to actually come out of our shells.

i heard on a talk show one time to never quit "dating". i thought that was such a profound statement. couples get so comfortable with each other that they quit going out to do things. they end up settling for an at home date which is NOT a date. i know dates are getting expensive but every now and then i feel they are necessary. we as couples do not need to neglect our time together! i am off my soapbox, but i just thought you should know. :)

2009-06-15T18:02:00.007-04:00

this is my little booger! i think he was interested in my phone...

lorraine and kyle were in tville for the past week. unfortunately, i have summer school during the week, work during the week, lindsey's bridal luncheon, rehearsal dinner, and wedding, plus savannah's graduation. what a weekend! i tried my best to visit with them as much as possible.
they came up to see me one day up in boonetown so i could spend some one on one time with them. they picked me up from school and off we went. we were suppose to go on a hike but the weather didn't look like it would hold up and my little shimu needed a nap, so we opted out for shoppes on the parkway. while rainy and i shopped, kyle stayed in the car with micah. afterwards, we went for some good food at joes. i had such a splendid time with them.

the wedding went really well. it was absolutely beautiful. the only complaint was that my dress was extremely uncomfortable. there are hopefully pictures to come if i can get them from brandon. we danced the night away. i showed them girls how to groove! brandon tried to show me how to shag for the twentieth time, but i ended up doing my own little jive. we stayed until 11:30 and had we stayed any later we wouldn't have made it home cause we were both falling asleep on the way home.

savannah's graduation was early saturday morning. it went really well too. SHE MADE IT! hallelujah thank the lord! it was a little hot and humid outside but bearable for the ceremony. we all stood up as brett workman walked across the stage and of course i cried! it never fails. poor little micah got scared to death when someone close to us used a bull horn. bless his little heart. we were all so glad to see savannah walk across that stage and i think she was finally proud of herself too. now, it is time for her to join the real world.

although this week was chaotic in many ways it was still one that i wish i could do over and over again. i spent time with the people i love dearly and don't see too often which includes many friends as well as family. i got to feel like a family again. i laughed. i cried. i danced. and i drove.

my only wish is that i didn't have to wait for a year for good times like this past week....

i am addicted to coke...

2009-06-04T19:50:00.002-04:00

i want the simple life again.

lately, i have noticed that i have become too high maintenance. when the heck did that happen?!?!
i dyed my hair (with a box; non-permanent)
i paint my toenails AND my fingernails!!!!!!!
i shop way more often than i should
i don't like eating at fast foods as much
i want new EVERYTHING
i have two different sets of shampoo and conditioner in my bathtub, two sets of body wash, and a bar of soap
i only want to use the good smelly laundry detergent that is too expensive for my budget
i buy white barn plug ins so my room will smell nice
i want a bigger bed
i don't play with snoop or rusty cause they stink and i get dog hair on me
i don't wear tennis shoes cause they aren't cute
i want, i want, i want, that is all i hear myself saying anymore, and it is not the good want. it is most certainly the "stuff" i could live without and have for many years of my life. what happened to me?

i used to be simple.
i want to wear jeans with holes in them again and button down flannel shirts
i want to walk barefoot
i want to go down to the river with a kayak
i want daniel to teach me how to ride his dirt bike again
i want to watch micah crawl and make an attempt to talk with only baby talk exiting him
i want to have a good conversation with my sister
i want to go out on dates with "REAL" good friends
i want to visit grammal cleo and listen to her great stories
i want to play with a dog whether it be rusty, snoop, or anna without getting grossed out cause they smell like dog
i want to spend more time with my family without getting frustrated at the dysfunction
this is what i really want. and it is what i should want.

i have recently come to the conclusion that i am addicted to coke. it is so bad for you and yet i crave it every day. brandon says, "it can cook a piece of raw meat." keith says, "it can completely dissolve a nail." it is so bad and yet it tastes so good. typical story of everything nowadays...

peonies are my new favorite flowers

2009-05-29T10:09:00.004-04:00

i picked these beautiful sweet smelling flowers outside of my apartment to brighten up my room.
thanks to my landlord! i think these are my favorite now!

the past week was a great one...

2009-05-26T16:38:00.002-04:00

well...

$215 poorer and 12 hours later i finally arrived in monroe tuesday night just in time for brandon to get off work.
he had bbq ready for me... what a sweet boy i have!
he also had three small presents waiting:
1) a 2 liter bottle of coke
2) Valkyrie
3) a grapefruit

not much sun was shining so needless to say i am still white (which i am okay with).
i got 2 snazzy dresses; one in which i wore to my cousin's wedding saturday. upon getting complimented on my new dress i also got commented on my white skin....thanks donald!

we attended the zac brown band concert with some really great friends and had a REALLY GREAT time!!!! they are a great band with good vocals, good music, and good instruments.

i went back to boone friday night for work only to come back down the mountain for a dress fitting and a wedding on saturday. sunday i went to church with brandon then slept most of the day. it was rainy so that calls for good sleep time!

today marks the official day of summer classes...ugh.
my first impressions is that the teachers are a little cooky but the classes will be fine. NOTE: this is my LAST summer of classes EVER!! hallelujuahthankthelord!
i will be busy busy busy the next couple of weeks AND THEN it will be summer time!!!!!!!!!!!

p.s. thank you brandon, for making it a great week! love you!

2009-05-18T19:03:00.002-04:00

i almost forgot....

thursday night double date with matt and katie to coyote joes to see zach brown brand!!!!
SUPER EXCITED!!! woot, woot!

"on the road again"

2009-05-18T18:25:00.003-04:00

so... tomorrow i will be heading down to monroe for one on one time with you! :)

i will be getting new brakes on my car. not even had the darn thing a year and it already needs new brakes! guess i go down the mountain to much and probably to fast too! hoping to grab breakfast with mom while my car gets worked on, then i am on the road again.

i am slightly upset that i will not get to spend as much time with you as i would like, but that's life, right? instead, i will be getting closer to your favorite person... just as you go into work, he will get off of work. maybe... i should shop instead? to avoid a certain someone? sounds like a plan! i need a dress for all this wedding stuff anyways. don't worry dear, i will have supper ready for you when you get off work.

plans:
taking a nice run (preferably outside. weather permitting)
laying out in the sun by the pool!!! and you WILL wear sunscreen!
shopping: taking a shirt back, then getting 2 dresses for the many occasions that are coming up
maybe an ikea stop. if there is time.
shopping at the teet and making meals for you

awh....SUNSHINE!! welcome to North Carolina. stay a while. i am sure you will enjoy it here.

2009-05-17T15:40:00.002-04:00

my wish list:

1) i want a new but old camera. there are a few that i have been looking at. maybe a polariod like old school. or a canon ae-1 then i could get my mom to show me some tricks. or a diana f+ camera. i don't really have money for any of these. not that they are that expensive but i want something different than just the regular digital camera's that everyone else has.

2) i really really reallly want a brown leather backpack (mahogany color). cute not bulky!

3) i want to get the new brakes and brake wire for my schwinn bike so i can bring it up to boone and ride it :)

4) i also want some jack roger sandels in metallic gold! now these would definitely be a splurge but like i said this is only a wish list.... maybe one day.

i think this is enough damage. i should probably stop wishing for more and more and more things, but at least it is better than spending :)

Brandon's 21st Birthday!

2009-05-16T18:18:00.007-04:00

i will start the story off at the beginning...

for reading day last december, my good friends and i decided to take a trip to the Biltmore House.

i caught much grief from my beloved because i was taking a friend and not him! i had strategically chose not to take him at Christmas because i had planned to take him when he turned 21 for four reasons:

1) he had never been before
2) the flower gardens would be in bloom
3)they were going to open up four new rooms for the tour this spring
4) he would be 21 and i would be 21 so we could both do the infamous wine tasting at the Biltmore Estate

brandon had known this was a surprise for quite a while. i told everyone in hopes that there would not snitch because i know brandon likes to bribe people into getting his way :) he is a little sneaky like that. over the past couple of weeks he has been questioning me on EVERYTHING! oh my gosh! now, i know what it feels like to be a parent!!! i am telling you, if this boy asked me one question, he asked me 1,ooo,ooo!

which direction will be driving?

what will i need to wear?

how far away is it?

is it indoors or outdoors?

am i going to get hot?

and the list goes on and on.... he even hassled poor sharon with a bazillion questions too!

he thought he had it figured out so many times! It went from butterfly watching, to scream time zipline, to dollywood, to linville falls, and everything else imaginable! not once did he ever guess Biltmore! i am just that good!

we chose to go on a tuesday. i am not sure why we chose then but it worked out in our favor because the day before it rained and the day after it was overcast and cold. brandon insisted on driving while continuing to guess at our destination. when we were about 2 exits from there, he figured it out! he was excited and i relieved that he didn't guess it. we got there and toured the house which is amazing! then we headed down to the gardens. after there, we decided to take what i thought was going to be a five minute walk to the lake and waterfall and what turned out to be a 30 minute hike indeed! i was exhausted and out of shape. we walked along the creek as we headed back to the house. our next stop was the winery for the free wine tasting! strangely, while waiting in line brandon spotted a friend from school (it is a small world after all). we tried six wines altogether. brandon and i had no clue how to "taste" them so we slurped them down and went on our way. (note: we still had 2 more to try but we decided we had tried enough and if we couldn't tell the difference by then, then we should probably go on). the drive through the estate was breathtaking. one day i will have a driveway like that... after we left the estate we decided that we would grab dinner in downtown asheville. we partially got lost but ended up right where we needed to. (that always happens to me). we had a quaint dinner on the patio of a cafe and then headed home to watch a movie. it was a nice day with just the two of us. i like that because i am NOT good at sharing people. things don't mean a thing to me, but people that is a different story.

i hope brandon enjoyed his birthday surprise as well as i did. when you have a long distance relationship things can be challenging, so it was nice to relax and enjoy the company of one another.

love you!

2009-05-01T13:40:00.004-04:00

after a week of nonstop projects, i am finally done! through with school for roughly 4 weeks!
and then another five weeks until summer vacation, and i WILL have a summer this year! last year i worked 40 hours a week while going to school full time. that will not be happening at ALL this year!

i need time for myself.
time to drive.
time to sing.
time to speed.
time to think.
time to listen.
(one of my favorite past times is speeding with the windows down and the radio up, just me in my car!)

in a few shorts weeks my love will be arriving in boonetown for an unknown surprise! this is a late birthday present because we were unfortunately stuck doing projects and exams on his birthday week. i am so excited! he doesn't have the slightest clue, unless someone spilled the beans. so, i will update later on it.

i have plans to go to ikea in my short break. unfortunately, (or fortunately) i won't have any money to spend, but i am certainly keeping my eye out for when i do! if anyone wants to contribute to the broken bank, please feel free to do so. any donations will be greatly appreciated!

i get to see my beautiful older sister in roughly a month, and the cutest nephew in the world! i have to attend 3 weddings in 4 weeks. it would be 4 weddings in 5 weeks, but i am not pushing my work schedule. i am honored to be a bridesmaid in one of them. my little sister graduates high school in june! too many exciting events happening in my life right now, but it seems to be happening to everyone else but me! oh well! at least i get some summertime this year!

now, its time for cleaning and not knowing what to do with free time...

2009-04-26T15:49:00.002-04:00

so... long time no post???
you could say that.

i have been what we like to call in the biz REAL BUSY with life!!
actually, i don't really even have time to post right now, but i am going to cause i want to.

i don't really have any exams per say coming up but i have A TON of projects due, and needless to say they are kicking my b*tt!!! no worries, they will all get done and on time. even if means sacrificing my precious sleep. so, that is really what i should be doing right now!

weather update:
past three days- clear skies with sunshine high around 80 degrees, low mid 50's
hallelujah!
just what i needed.... feel the breeze, it feels soooo good!

last night i took my mom to go see fleetwood mac for mother's day. we went with my dear friend/roommate kaley and her mom. we had a blast! it was quite different from most concerts that i attend because the average age there was roughly 50! we slightly got lost in downtown on the way there, but ended up right at the enterance without knowing. i am just that good! we ate at a really great restuarant, saw charlotte's old mayor pat mccrory (mom acted like he was some kind of celebrity), and smelled the rather disgusting aroma of past time pleasure from the 60's and 70's (if you know what i mean). i am sure this may have brought back some sweet memories for many.

my goals for this week:

1) get all of my projects done on time
2) don't complain anymore about them (just do them!)
3) get some sunshine on my lily white skin without getting burnt
4) buy sunscreen to assist in number 3
5) clean, clean, clean
6) go for a run
7) go get good groceries and fix healthy yummy food!
8) buy the daily devotional so my sister and i can get down to business
9) pray.... always needed!
10) see brandon for his 21st. yikes!
11) look at a new magazine
12) watch a good movie!
13) sleep in (this one probably won't happen but it is nice to think about)

*ok, i am stopping from to-do overload!

Boone Gloom

2009-04-05T19:29:00.005-04:00

this was my drive home on thursday, and that wasn't the worst part!
boone has been in a constant state of gloom. therefore, i have been in a constant state of gloom.
i haven't been very hungry. anything that i eat doesn't satisfy me.
i feel lonely. i feel i have too much to do but i have no concern for doing it.
a funk... that is what they call it. all i want to do is sleep. i am so tired right now and all the time.

maybe, i need love. the kind of love that burns your heart. the kind a love that gives you goose bumps and makes your stomach feel funny. i need to laugh, laugh really hard. i need to hang out. i need to build friendships, good ones. i have a hard time making good friends. i set expectations to high and then get disappointed when they don't meet them. they are human. i know this, but i feel that friends are ones that are always there. they are the ones that make time. even though i don't make time :( maybe, i am the bad friend. it is a hard time in my life trying to delegate my time between school, school work, work, family, brandon, and friends. There never seems to be enough time, enough sunshine, enough happiness.

jeez! i am ready for this to be over with. i want the next step of my life to come. i want my sister to come home. i want micah to know who i am. i don't want a long distance relationship anymore. it certainly has its good values that i am learning everyday, but it gets too lonely. whatever happened to date night? time happened. there just isn't enough time. i want to have time for me. i want to start a new hobby. making jewelry? i want to spend more time with grammal cleo. i want my sister to introduce me to new foods. i want a friend to go to church with. i want to make cards for people to show my appreciation. i want a new job where i don't have to deal with crazy anal high maintenance people. i want to bring my Schwinn bike up here and ride it on a pretty day with the sunshine warming me from the breeze. i want a new life with the perks of my old one.

i need a new me.

teachers are lifetime learners

2009-03-29T21:12:00.003-04:00

My first experience in the classroom was wonderful! The teacher that I was assigned to is in her first years of teaching. She is in her mid forties and first impressions would have told me she had been teaching for years. She seems to know quite well what she is doing which could have came from being a teacher’s assistant or a mother. Nevertheless she is good at it. She worked well with Emily and I. She was eager to answer any questions we had and get us involved.

The class that we are placed in has a range of different learners. It is a fifth grade class. There are children reading above grade level to reading on second grade level. It is so sad to see that these children have made it to the fifth grade only reading on a second grade level. There is a boy that has autism in our classroom for the majority of the time. It is so interesting to see him and his interactions with others. My first reactions upon finding this out were how did the other children treat him? Surprisingly, I found that these children take care of him. They don’t laugh at him. They try to keep him on task. They watch after him. It is an enlightening experience to know that these children are little caretakers. Someone would automatically assume that someone with a disability (my assumption with autism) was unintelligent. I know this is a very ignorant statement, but it happens. Unfortunately, that was what I thought. After being in the classroom with this child, it was evident that he was intelligent in his own ways. Really, we are all intelligent in our own ways. Some are better than others in one thing or another, but we all have our strengths. Now for only having been in the classroom for three days, I think I have learned a lot!!! I have learned far more than I imagined. Although, I have to get up at 5:30 in the morning (which can be very challenging for someone who loves to sleep), I look forward to what the next day in the classroom will bring.

a peace of mind

2009-03-24T19:31:00.005-04:00

last week i took a day off from school and headed down to the beach with brandon and his family.

we arrived late wednesday night. the weather was great on thursday so, brandon and i spent some quality time on a walk down the beach. a cold front came in on friday. the remainder of our week was quite chilly but relaxing.

sometimes you just need to get away. you need a break. you need to gain a peace of mind. and that is just what i did.

i slept a lot. we watched a lot of tv. brandon and i picked on each other, which is always fun. we went shopping all day friday. we drove around on saturday to some islands and saw some fancy schmancy houses. it was a great vacation and it came at the perfect time. it gave me time to recuperate for the last month of school.

this week we are at the elementary school in morganton. yesterday was our second day there, and i gave my first spelling test!! it was so exciting. i have a great time with my class. my teacher is so wonderful. she is so helpful. she makes things interesting by joking with us and her students. tomorrow, emily and i will do a making words lesson with the class. at first i wasn't sure how i would like the 5th grade, but after being in the classroom, i love it! it is such a great experience to be in the classroom and have that hands on experience. i didn't know if i would feel comfortable in a higher grade, but i do.

this week has been very busy for me. i plan to get plenty of rest, drink plenty of water (aka. coke or coffee), and keep my head above water. surprisingly, the busyness of my week hasn't turned into stress cause i have my peace of mind. thank you, vacation!

STRENGTH through the times of weakness

2009-03-14T22:39:00.002-04:00

wow. what a week. where to begin?

first. spring break started on monday, really on friday but i had to work fri, sat, and sun. so, spring break started on monday, so i thought. ready for a week of no work, no worries, no where to be, sleeping until noon, and regaining consciousness from school overload.

unfortunately, spring break did not bring what i was expecting, instead it brought: patience, self-examination, unconditional love, worry, sleepless nights, questions, tears, re-connections, new friends, and thanksgiving.

unexpectedly my papaw passed away monday morning.
grammal cleo fell and broke her shoulder in the early hours of monday morning and still remains in the hospital trying to gain enough strength to go home. unfortunately, she will be unable to live by herself as she once did when she does go home.

the unexpected events brought a family one step closer. sometimes you realize qualities you weren't sure you had until things like this happen. i was connected again with cousins i was once best friends with. i came to realize that i have a happy wonderful life. yet in an instance you begin to question everything. why now? why them? why try? we will never find adequate answers to ease these questions, but i found my source of strength. the lord provides us with many things. friends. family. unconditional love. support.

please pray for grammal. pray that she gains strength. pray that she gains an appetite. pray that she lives for another 10 yrs at least!!!! she has been a great source of strength for many. she has provided money when it was needed, a home to the homeless or wandering travelers, food for the hungry, and back rubs to ease any pain. now, it is our turn to provide for her. pray that we may be enough to provide for her like she has provided for many.

please pray for my mom. pray that she gains some understanding to the circumstances. pray that burdens be lifted off her already tired shoulders. pray that she finds comfort, a piece of mind. pray that she finds happiness and that life is good.

may we all have STRENGTH during our times of weakness....

my little poser...

2009-03-06T20:53:00.004-05:00

so, this is my little nugget or "shimu". micah will be 6 months old on wednesday. he is growing up so fast. i love the first picture cause he looks like he is posing for the camera. kyle and lorraine and micah came back to the states last week for kyle's brother's wedding. unfortunately we didn't get to see them, but we got new pictures out of it. so exciting! it is like christmas time when i receive e-mails and texts with new pictures. so merry christmas to you all... here is micah :)

photo credits: lucy jones

Spring Break FEVER...

2009-03-05T17:46:00.001-05:00

so... i am officially on spring break. only thing is i am actually not! i have to work this weekend and next weekend. boo! i have too much school work due the week we get back. what?! what is a break if you are stuck doing projects the whole freakin time???? oh well. i am graduating on time, NO MATTER WHAT! so, if that means homework the majority of spring break then, i will suck it up and do it.

on a better note: when we get back from spring break we will begin our practicum. practicum is where we go into the schools and observe and begin to teach some of the lessons we are learning in our classes. exciting? yes! nervous? of course! luckily, i got paired with a girl that i know from home making it much better because we seem to have the same teaching views. we are assigned fifth grade so this should be interesting. i will keep you updated.

by the way this is my venting session. so, hang on tight. it might be a rough ride.

back to my classes. they suck!! only two out of the six classes that i am taking do i feel that i am learning how to teach our children. NOTE: i only have one summer session left and one semester after that. do i know how to teach children right now? NO! do i feel that i will be adequately prepared to go into our school systems and take over a classroom and be able to fulfill by duties as a teacher? NO! it bothers me to no end that education majors only get 2 semesters of actual classes on how to teach children. and some how in those 2 semesters i am suppose to receive enough information to be qualified to teach pre-k through 6th grade! are you kidding me right now? i am half way through my first of those two semester and all know, is how to teach children to read. granted that is HUGE and is needed at all grade levels, but what about everything else? well, i don't know yet. i guess that is why teachers need to be creative and compassionate. we are on our own. i know that i have the determination to try my very best to meet all the needs of my children in my classroom, but the scary thing is what about the other teachers. i am in classes with 28 other girls. scary thing is, many of them don't seem concerned about what we are learning. they want to make a good grade in the class. well, i do to, but i also want to make sure that what we are being taught is correct. i also want to make sure that we can also manage children who are slower in our class. i also want to make sure that i can adequately meet every child's needs. NOT JUST GET A GOOD GRADE!! someone (taxpayers, THANK YOU) is paying for me to take these classes so, i feel obligated to soak up as much information as i can from teachers that have been in the field for 20 or more years. i don't feel like the other girls in my class feel the same. don't get me wrong, there are a few that share my concerns but many of them don't. the lack of concerns from the others scares me. they are going to be teachers for crying out loud!!!! there isn't much that i can do but express my concerns for the future. i am glad though that the girl sharing a class with me understands. she shares my views on teaching and it gives me hope that there are some that care. this makes me smile :) this is where America fails to realize that grades aren't as important as the quality of knowledge. our education's concern with grades has carried over into the minds of our up and coming teachers (college students) where thier concerns are in the wrong places. so, thank you america for the never ending cycle of quantity over quality.

i wonder what it is like to be the snowmaker

2009-03-01T16:46:00.007-05:00

so... today was the beginning of a new adventure in boonetown.
woke up at 11am- some snow but conditions would still allow for driving
co-worker calls at 12:30- Holy Crap!! parking lot is covered.
leave my apt for work 1:35- at least 2 inches of snow on my car... is this a good idea????
attempt to get to work at 2- failure!
the nissan did fine most of the way to work but as soon as i hit the mountain Smoketree lives on, bad news from there. I got stuck behind a truck driving sideways causing me to loose my momentum and the nissan didn't know what to do. so, there i go just trying to make it 100 yds into the parking lot of Smoketree when i start going sideways too!!! FREAKOUT! no, joni! must stay calm. put your car into lower gear. stay in the tracks already made by cars. if worse comes to worse park your car on the side of the road and walk the rest of the way, but if people wreck into my car? must make it 50 feet!! FINALLY! Success. i arrive safe and sound into the parking lot only 15 minutes late! ssshew! that was a close one. Good thing I packed my suitcase, dinner, and breakfast cause i will be crashing here for a while.

pictures taken at 4:00 with no signs of the snow letting up. Many more inches to come!!

so in the meantime i will get some much need work done by the fire!

valentine's day

2009-02-19T22:44:00.002-05:00

i thought this valentine's day i would end up alone, just as long distance relationships do. but the night before brandon and i decided we would meet for lunch. this was my present. white tulips. brandon says he got them to match my room, i say he just lucked up.

thought that i would share them cause i love them so much!

first time blogger

2009-02-19T20:34:00.000-05:00

today is the day...

today is the day i am a first time blogger.
today is the day i got up with the sunshine on my face.
today is the day i woke up easily and ready to conquer the world.
today is the day i will believe.
believe in a better tomorrow.
believe that i can.
believe in the security of my Savior.