'Tis The Season

It's upon us. How does this happen? It's like every year goes by so fast & I wonder how in the WORLD we got to Christmas. In my defense it seems that Christmas starts earlier and earlier every year, I mean we barely get through July 4th & Halloween is out, and then before Halloween is cleaned up Christmas is out! And to top it off stores opened ON THANKSGIVING for Black Friday. I did not participate in the excitement this year. Wasn't feeling it! :) I guess I'll have to get in the Christmas spirit another way! ;)

I have very little to blog about here lately. November was kinda a "blah" month. All I did was work and babysit. & I'll be continuing the trend with LOTS of holiday events planned in between for the next month. This weekend consists of a 50th Wedding Anniversary party (for friends of my parents), a family reunion in Honea Path, SC aka the boonies, and then going to see a local churches Christmas play. Next weekend, would be babysitting, another church christmas production and something I'm VERY excited about.

Not sure if you have ever heard of Operation Christmas Child that is supported by Samaritains Purse (Billy Gram Ministries) but you pack a shoe box full of little Dollar Store or Walmart goodies, toys, tooth brushes, hair bows etc. and they are shipped all around the world. I think it is absoulutely incredible that a tiny shoebox full of stuff we might consider to be junk, is so priceless to a small child in another country. Anyways, the main center where all the boxes come from local churches is in Charlotte, NC about 90miles up the road. My church is taking a group of people to help go through the boxes (to weed out unnessisary items, or items that don't meet the specifications) and then pack them into bigger boxes and ship them internationally. I'm SO excited to spend my Saturday volunteering and doing something for others. I'm positive that will put me in the Christmas spirit! :) The last time I participated in this I was a sophomore in high school. I just haven't had the time or opportunity to do it again, and when the chance came up I rearranged my schedule to be able to go! Can't wait!!

I'm in the process of decorating the house and when it's finished, I'll post a few pictures. It's a little lo-key this year with only 1 out of the 2 trees up. Some years you just can't do it all. But of course I've pulled out ALL 65+ Nutcrackers! I just can't have Christmas with out them! :) Thanks to Pinterest I've found some cute new ways to decorate and things to add. I'm also making a list of things to look for on sale the day after Christmas. I LOVE to buy stuff at the end of the season, pack it up with the decorations and get it out the next year! It's like an early Christmas present. I did that last year and had totally forgotten what I'd bought and I was OVER JOYED when I discovered it was these cute little metal packages to place on the mantel! Precious! I'll be sure to post a pic! :)

I'm officially on Christmas music overload. I've had it on constantly at work the past 2 days... not sure if that's good or not. Thanks IheartRadio.com for providing Country Christmas. I never get tired of Carrie or Martina belting out O Holy Night, or Taylor Swifts corny Christmas love songs, or Dolly's depressing Hard Candy Christmas... love! :)

Hope everyone has a great week... I'll hopefully update some pictures of the house by the weekend!
Much Love! :)

Just another Picture to Burn...

So as I promised, I would do a run down of the relationship road... Again, I will be keeping all names a mystery and try to leave out as many details as possible. I'm not T-Swift, so I don't feel the need to bash them completely... but most of them did hurt me in some way, so some how getting it all out makes it a little better. If you stick this out to the end congrats.. you deserve something...

Let's start with my first love, from the 8th grade. Yep. I'm goin that far back because he still is in the picture. We've known each other for TWELVE years. That's just crazy ridiculous. We've had our fair share of ups and downs, not talking, hating each other, to talking regularly and the occasional "on purpose, run in/get together." He's a great guy, when he wants to be. He's also the guy that you just never know what he's thinking or how he'll react. We've each had our own heartaches, but some how find comfort in each other. I guess because there's something to be said for being friends for a dozen years.. not crossing him off my list, but a lot would have to be different for us ever to be an item again.

Now, let's skip ahead to high school sweetheart. Loved him. Truly loved him. If you were lucky enough to marry your high school sweetheart, good for you, but you kinda make me sick. :) Just kidding, but seriously. If I could have ended up with mine I would have. After we broke up my freshman year of college (his Sr. Year) of high school, we didn't really talk at all. We weren't even Facebook friends until about 4 years ago. It didn't end well, and I think we were both too hurt to even think about being friends. I ran into him at my high school homecoming football game a couple weeks ago, which was weird because he doesn't even live in the state anymore, so he was the person I was least expecting to see. Nonetheless, it was good to see him, get a hug, let my mind wander back down memory lane for 3.5 sec. while the fight song played in the background and then snap back to reality. Sigh. I wish him them best, he's a great guy, super cute, wonderful personality and will make someone a very good husband one day. :)

On to the college relationship almost turned marriage.. Yea, that doesn't even sound good and in retrospect it wasn't. We went to high school together (a year apart) and we re-connected on get this.. MySpace. HA! Oh.. 2006. Anyways... we dated MOST of my college career against my parents and some of my friends best wishes. We had our good times, made some good memories, I experienced so many things I wouldn't have without him. I learned a lot about what it takes to be in a relationship, how to make one work and what I want out of a relationship. After him is when I made my list of "must haves" and "deal breakers." Being in a relationship for 3 years, that got pretty serious really did teach me a lot. I think he would say the same. He's now happily married to a girl I don't really know. Thankfully. He seems happy. We talk once in a blue moon just to catch up and see whats going on. We aren't Facebook friends, so we don't secretly stalk one another. We have just both moved on, which is why the relationship ended because we needed to move on with our lives together or apart, and we both took a different direction at the crossroad.

Now, since the serious college relationship, I've only been in 2, what I would call actual "relationships." Both of which resulted out of me being totally crazy and out of my mind! Seriously. I don't put myself down much, but on these two I just have to wonder was I drunk the entire relationship and not aware of what was going on, or I could go with the rational that the wool was pulled over my eyes and both guys appeared one way and then ended up being another. Yea. I'll go with that one.

Anyways.. the first was two years younger than me. Mistake #1. We were in two different places in life, he was still in school, I was out, but didn't have a "big girl" job yet, just a nanny, so I was just looking for a relationship because I had been single for about a year. Well, he seemed great despite the age (and maturity) difference. He was a christian, motivated, devoted, helpful, optimistic, encouraging. .yea I could go on with the adjectives, but I'll spare you. Then two months in we had discussed marriage, and I was discussing in the sense of I don't really date people seriously who I don't think I could marry. Meaning, our morals and values must match, we have enough in common etc. otherwise it's just a waste of times. I'm not sure how he took it other than for real and ended up asking my parents if he could marry me and we'd only been dating 2 months. Well that pretty much ruined it b/c the parental units were not impressed and so 4 months later we were done. Things could have gone differently here, but in some weird way I'm glad they didn't because when we were dating I just KNEW he was the one for me. Since we've broken up there have be SEVERAL a million little things I've noticed about him that would drive me bonkers if I had married him.

Ok, on to guy number 2. Um. I'll stop right here and admit I used eHarmony to meet this winner. Not my proudest moment, but I thought I didn't have anything to loose. I was in a bad place myself, had just lost my nanny gig, missed my kiddo like crazy, was working a HORRIBLE job answering calls from criminals.. literally, and was generally lonely. So, here is where I insert "there is a season for everything." And well this guy was here for a season, and it was helpful to get my mind and self out of the slump I was in, but GOOD GRIEF, NOW I'd be crazy to be with him b/c he is literally crazy. I'm really not sure he is mentally sound, and he has a few problems he needs to fix. But who am I to judge. All I know is he's hit about 6 "deal breakers" on my list, therefore he is O-U-T. However, when we started dating he was a great guy, a bit older than me (I had high hopes b/c of that.), and we had a great first date. Oh well.. can't win them all!

That horrible mess of a relationship (if we can call it that) ended at the end of December last year. So my new years resolution was to be SINGLE for an entire year. I didn't mean not date, I've done a bit of that, and I've had a few crushes here and there, but I wanted to NOT be in a serious relationship for a year. I needed a break from the drama, the ups and downs, the heartaches, the communicating, working out schedules to see each other, etc. You know, the actual "work" of a relationship. I wanted a break. I've had that, and now I'm ready to see what 2012 holds as far as guys go.

I recently reconnected with a guy that I put on the back burner b/c I was talking to the "eHarmony winner" and thought that was the better choice. In retrospect I picked the wrong one. I've talked to this guy off and on since the end of August. We've seen each other a handful of times, but every time I'm with him I really feel like I'm myself. I'm attracted to him, wasn't at first, but now find his accent pretty cute even if it isn't southern. We have great conversation, we talk religion, politics, cooking, music.. I think we have lots in common, other than the fact I'm not sure if our feelings are the same for one another. I definitely hope I have the opportunity to be in a relationship with him, not just this casual run in or happy hour on a whim deal we are currently doing. I think he is a bit hurt that I chose the other guy over him to begin with and is hesitant that he give me another chance. I understand that, but I'm so glad I didn't pick him then because I was in such a bad place, I think that would have revealed to much of me to him to early and it would have ended anyways. I just have to keep thinking that there is a season... I'm just ready for it to be my season. :) I'll keep you posted!

Halloween 2011

This weekend I celebrated Halloween larger than usual. I normally go to Rock Hill and partay it up with my college friends & that is it, but I managed to squeeze in a second party this weekend, and you might even say work was a bit of a party today as well! :) Here are some pics from the weekend!

Lumber Jill! (excuse the quality! iphone4 fail!)

All the girls! :)

This is normal... she touched my boob or something...

Saturday night I went with the parentals to their neighborhood Halloween party! Lots of fun actually! I went as Lumber Jill again, and my parents were High School Sweet Hearts! :) Too cute!

Today was Halloween & I have to say even though I am now a grown up having to work on Halloween and not getting to trick or treat anymore really wasn't too bad!! We had a SPREAD of Sweets & Treats! SO much so that the sugar had taken over by 4:50 & this picture resulted!

My coworker Sherry & me! We were opposites! :)

Well.. that's just about as much Halloween as I can take! Seriously. On to Thanksgiving! My fav! :)

Being Knowledgable: Past :: Google: Present

If you've been following my blog at all then you know that I have been preparing and studying for the Miller Analogies Test or the MAT to apply to graduate school. Well, last Friday I took the test, but to blow off some much needed pent up steam I decided to write a post about how I really feel about the entire test. I use to read Dave Barry's column when it was published in the state paper. If you've never read his column it is basically a sarcastic monologue on a particular topic, he wrote one on Math that stands out in my mind & being someone who isn't a fan of math I could relate! :) Anyways, here is my "Dave Barry-like" attempt on the MAT. This could get lengthy so if you get to the end you deserve a cookie! :)

I wouldn't have even had to take the MAT if I had achieved a 3.0 in undergrad or had the thought cross my mind that I would ever go back to school so I should work just a tad harder to achieve the 3.0. Oh well, too late now. So I had to take the MAT, thank goodness not the GRE or I might would have had to be committed afterward. I thought I would take the pro-active approach and pick up the McGraw-Hill's study guide for the test, which cost me $18.95, the first extraction from the "I'm going back to school and will be poor" account. :/ From the book I learned that there are several types of analogies, 11 to be exact.  Who knew? It explained that on the actual test there would be 120 questions and I would have 60min to complete them. The book also contained 10 practice tests with only 100 questions and to be finished in 50min. The test was graded on a scale of 200-600.

In the back of the book there were indexes, some of items you would expect like Vocabulary words, units of measurement & some history. But after further investigation it also included LISTS, LONG lists of literary works & authors, artist & artwork, composers & pieces, countries of present day & what they were known as in the past, mythology and even animals, what they call their babies and what kind of home they live in. I quickly discovered why this was in the back. The practice analogies were not as easy as I had thought they would be, like Wax: Crayon:: Wood: Paintbrush. No, it was a random author that I only MAY have heard of, and then a book they wrote and then another author and another book. It it just doesn't end there, the mythology. I never even took mythology in high school, much less college. Seriously? Then just when you think it can't get any worse they throw NUMBERS in. Excuse me, I thought analogies were in the "language arts" not MATH. And let's not forget those pesky & annoying roman numerals. Who even uses those besides the Super Bowl?

I started to do the practice test and realized I wasn't getting them right not because I didn't know how the analogy worked, but because I didn't know the subject matter. Sometimes I would get lucky and be able to get the answer from context clues, word Stems (thank you 7th grade english class) or because I did actually know what it was about. Then there were those that I'd just guess or know the answer to because of something totally un-related to the question. For instance one of the analogies contained teh word ARIA, sadly I knew that word meant "melody" because Aria is a character from Pretty Little Liars tv show, I liked the name so I looked it up on a baby names website when I first heard it to see what it meant. Yes, sometimes I look up baby names, but that's besides the point. On others I didn't know know the content I would refer to the back of the book in those absurd indexes and the word, or book, or chemistry problem wouldn't even BE in the back. How can you be tested on something that isn't even in the practice book? So when it wasn't in the back of the book where do you think I went? Google. Yes, that's right I resulted to the resource that knows it all!! Then it dawned on me, why in the WORLD would you ever have to know (off the top of your head) that Alberto Giacometti was a Swiss artist famous for his sculpture, especially his elongated human figures. Thomas Gainsborough was a painter known for his portraits. Yes, this was an actual answer explanation for question #58 in practice test 6. The analogy is as follows- GIACOMETTI: (a. sculpture, b.landscapes, c.collage, d.photography) :: GAINSBOROUGH: PORTRAITS

So yes, why would you ever need to know that (especially since it's not related to my masters program)? You wouldn't, but if you did you'd GOOGLE it!!! Because my generation can't hardly accomplish changing a roll of toilet paper without the power of Google, and you know what that's OK. All our lives we've been told that our brain is like a computer, but the brain is much slower than the computer and not as reliable. So, go with the computer or smart phone if your on the go, and Google what you need to know. Don't be ashamed. So, I continued to study while Googling all along. I learned a lot, a lot I'll never ACTUALLY NEED to know unless I decide to go on Jeopardy or play Trivial Pursuit. However, I think it's time we face the fact that Google does in fact make the world go round. So now that you know how I really feel about it I'm sure you're wondering what my score was. Remember, 200 is the lowest 600 is the highest. I made a *drum roll please*... 400!!! yay! Go me! Now, onto writing the essay to accompany the score & submit to admissions... Hmm... Essay. Can I Google that? Just kidding.

Time to Play Ketchup!

Hi All,

Things have been rather blah the past few weeks. Work during the day, crash on the couch at night! I have been battling laryngitis and sinusitis for the past 2 WEEKS!!! I am SICK & TIRED of being SICK & TIRED! Honestly, I don't think I've been this sick since college. And having no voice for me is a serious handicap! Finally Friday I gave in and went to the doctor & it was sinusitis. Lovely. So I've been on meds hardcore all weekend. I refuse to let sickness get me down, however, Friday I did not stay at work but for 3 hours. I had to rest up because I had a HUGE weekend ahead, which I'll get to in a bit.

Last weekend, I had nothing to do in particular, SO I decided to clean my entire house top to bottom and organize my closet! It feels SO great to come home to a clean house everyday and not feel guilty about sitting on my couch when I should be doing chores! :) My closet is awesome, I just love being able to walk in and pick out an out fit! :)

This weekend, despite sickness, I went to the Clemson game! My friend who is a student got me a ticket last minute, like Thursday at lunch time told me she had a ticket, and I went! SO MUCH FUN!! She and I are like sisters, we were counting this weekend and we've known each other since I was in the 8th grade so that makes it TWELVE years! SO crazy!! Here are a few pics from the weekend! Ps. Clemson is a beauitful place and we're 6-0!!! GO TIGERS!!!

GO TIGERS!!!

Twinsies/Sissy <3

How beautiful is that Sky!?!

In other not so exciting news... I take the MAT this Friday!! How can that be?? Eeeek! I HATE standardized test and feel positive that the prove NOTHING! After I take this test I will be doing a complete commentary on the MAT... sure to be pretty funny! This book and I are going to get to know each other really well this week.. so much so that my tv is sure to think I'm having an affair. :/

I may burn this book when I'm done with it!

Since my life is sure to calm down after this weekend... NOT! I have a few blogs I intend on posting covering topics such as...

• MAT/Standardized testing craziness
• Fall Fashion (Pinterest version of an outfit I already have)/ items my closet covets.
• My relationship road.. I'll be doing this with pseudo names so as not to "hurt" anyone. ;) But mainly to be funny and blow off a little steam in the "I'm still single and my clock is ticking department."
• Crafty Christmas presents on a Budget since that's only like 70-something days away! ahhhhh

Have a lovely day! :)



Misc. Monday-- fall decor, football, & life lately...

Hi Everyone,

I have a few new followers so that's pretty cool! Definately excited about that!! Spread the word about my blog! I'm up to 21 now and I'd love to have more! :) I promised to do a better job of update.. eh what am I saying, I always say that and somehow end up updating only once a week. Promise I'll do better! If any of you have suggestions on what you'd like to see from me on the blog feel free to let me know! You can ask questions, give suggestions.. anything really!

Moving on...
Well FALL has OFFICIALLY begun according to the calendar.. not so much according to the weather. Last week in the midlands it rained, and rained and rained & then rained some more. Seriously I was unaware that we had a "rainy season," although this past week has proven otherwise! I just knew at any minute Noah and his Ark were going to go floating by... seriously, it was THAT bad! Torrential down pours! In the mean time, while it was raining and I was living life not needing sunglasses, they broke. In my purse. Snapped right in half (the arm band) the part made out of plastic. Yes, these are indeed the same sunglasses I lost in TJ Maxx (ironically the store I bought them from) and then found, and was overjoyed, only to have them break a month and 1/2 later. Awesome. I tried to have them repaired... no such luck yet. :(

Since fall has finally graced us with it's presence... sorta, I made and put up my fall wreath! It turned out SO stinking cute! I have to admit, I kinda got the idea of using the different ribbons & the halloween ball ornaments from my BIG sis and good friend over at Grits and Giggles. Her halloween wreath looks amazing, & so does everyother crafty thing she gets her hands on! I'm a little jealous! :) Anywho! Here is my version! :)

I got most of the supplies at Michael's, the Dollar Store, Hancock Fabrics, & the candy corn accent came from Carolina Pottery last year. I had TOTALLY forgotton I even had the thing, found it and got all excited!

Besides decorating for fall I've been enjoying some football!! First off I just have to say how very proud I am of my CLEMSON tigers!! Such great wins the past 2 games! Up next VA Tech, I hope we beat them too!

Last Friday night I took in some Friday night lights at my high school!! So much fun! I always love going back but this season we have the best team we've had since I was a freshman.. that would be oh, 2001. Yep, we beat our rival for the first time in 11 years a couple weeks ago on their turf! What a sweet victory! I wasn't able to go to that game, but I wanted to see our boys in action, so I went Friday night! We won, can't remember the score, but the last quarter was unbelieveable! GO WILDCATS!!

Now, we've covered that I'm a Clemson fan, I was born and raised a Tiger... See?

Well.. this past weekend I went to my 3rd USC game EVER! A friend from work invited me to tailgate and go to the game for FREE! Couldn't really turn that down! Atleast I looked cute! But I need tickets to the Oct. 8 Clemson vs. Boston College game to redeem myself! If you know if any, please let me know!

Dress $6.49 from Ross, flower from Michael's, tie was made by me! :)

Me & Lisa! So much fun!

That's pretty much all of the "news" I have! Next weekend I'll be changing my closet from Summer to Autumn, and may do a blog post on cute outfits I want to put together this season with ideas I've gotten from Blogs, Pinterest, other people etc. Hope you have a great week!

Semi-Wordless Wednesday: MileyBelle Edition

Hi All!

It's been awhile since I've done a blog hop... can't keep up with blogging enough to hop! :) Anyways, I thought on this Semi-Wordless Wednesday I'd share a few pics of my 4-legged furry child! :)

Old pic-- Love her Scruffy Puppy Style

"Um seriously mom? Another Picture?"

She LOVES her ball!

Pillow stealer!

I don't even know how she got in this position!

My favorite picture of her!

This is how she feels about me when I take her to the Vet.

Love her Duck!

Always has to have that head propped on something!

Beach Schnauzer! :)