One Year!

So, big news: I have officially had this blog for a whole year! I went back and read through the blogs and have realized that I have changed a lot and have become a much more confident individual.

I have found my Mr. Bingley, experienced countless days of beautiful snow, and have knit and baked either far too much or not enough. I have written 54 posts (55 including this one) and that was without posting for weeks on end in some cases. As a new year's resolution, I will try to post at least once a week in order to keep the blog updated, interesting, and free of "catch up" posts.

In other news, Christmas was wonderful. It felt very close-knit and peaceful. And, to top it off (quite literally) it was a white Christmas and a very white Boxing Day. With 14.5 inches of snow (which was enough to snap tree branches, tree trunks, and metal umbrella poles), let's say that we won't be leaving the house for a while.

Also, upon cleaning and reorganizing my bookshelf, I came across 12 books that I haven't read! They should keep me busy until the snow melts.

It has been a great year posting and sharing with everyone. I hope you continue to read as much as I continue to write and I thank everyone who has been here since December 28, 2009.

Until next time!

Bread and Bracelets

With Christmas just days away, I am surprised by how little I've baked! To remedy that, I decided to bake not one, but three loaves of Italian herb bread. I must say it is the most delicious batch of bread I have ever made!


In more exciting new, I officially opened up an online shop! For now I am selling a few necklaces and bracelets I have made, but I plan to add scarves and other original crafts. It's called "Market Turtle" (for no real reason except that I thought it sounded good). You can find my shop here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Xethtine

My vacation from school has thus-far been a fair mix of work and relaxation. It's nice working in the store this time of year and seeing all of the presents and cookies being sent all over the country and a few going overseas. Its such a wonderful time of year with so many wonderful people and so many wonderful feelings. I cannot wait for Christmas morning ^_^

Anywhos, time to get back to baking!

Until next time! Happy Holidays! :)

Kanji Names

As with the Numbers Game blog, a surprising amount of people participated. Nine of you responded and so, without further delay, here are your "kanji names" in what you mean to me. I thought I would make it a little fun and let you all try to figure out your name.


Ambition (Yabou): Because you have never stopped striving for your goals and have always worked hard to achieve them.


Balance (Kinkou): Because you are able to manage an extremely busy life with a very calm and happy demeanor.


Best Friend (Shinyuu): Because you are and always will be my best friend.


Kindness (Shinsetsu): Because you have never been anything but polite and kind and sincere to me and I truly appreciate that :)


Labyrinth (Meikyuu): Because I never cease to be confused by you, but it is fun to try to figure you out from time to time :P


Protector (Shugosha): Because you've never stopped looking out for me and you will always be there for me.


Sincerity (Seijitsu): Because you are always honest with me and have always been very kind and loving.


Spirit (Seishin): Because you are filled with it and love to share it with everyone around you.


Welcome (Kangei): Because you have always made me feel like a part of your family.

Here are two additional joke names. You know who you are :P


Bad Influence (Akueikyou) and Son (Musuko).

Thanks again to everyone who participated! I will try to resume normal blogs within the next few days. If you enjoyed the past two blogs, I'd be more than willing to come up with some more participation blogs.

Until next time!

Holiday Cheer

First off, this blog is blog #50!! Woohoo! I made a mistake and thought that the numbers blog was #50, but simply miscounted.

It has been a great weekend thus far. With today being my "study day", I feel that I have been able to relax, de-stress, and have a lot of fun. I went to my second Christmas party last night (it was actually a banquet) and I was able to talk with a lot of my friends whom I haven't seen all semester.

The theme for the party was the Roaring 20's and so the room was filled with feathers and very sharp and snazzy outfits. I personally went with a feather in my hair, a white blouse, and a pinstriped vest and pair of pants. All-in-all, I feel I had the appearance of a poker dealer, but the outfit seemed to fit in well.

The main event of the banquet was another White Elephant gift exchange. This was infinitely more hilarious than the exchange on Wednesday night as it involved over 50 participants and many "stolen" gifts. I did opt to steal a gift and my reason was quite silly: I only wanted the basket it came in. The basket now sits proudly in my room, its contents re-gifted or traded. I ended up with 2 bracelets, a horse-giraffe-goat stuffed animal, some candies, and a set of jacks.

It was nice to be with all of my bible study friends in such a happy and lively atmosphere. There was so much celebration and laughter and simple good cheer. It makes me feel so good to have a surrounding of good-natured friends that I can feel completely safe and happy with and it makes me sad that I don't spend nearly as much time with them all as I should. I will make a much better effort next semester, as I shouldn't be as busy, and I feel that this holiday season is really going to invoke a lot of positive change.

With exams fast approaching, I feel that this weekend (aside from today) was meant for relaxing and being with friends. I am in a great state of mind, I am happy, and I am ready to take my exams head on!

Until next time!

Cupcakes and Critters

This is blog number one for today. The Numbers Game blog will go up later today once all numbers are in. I look forward to seeing who participates and why they chose the numbers they did.

This blog is simply a blog about some of the fun things I've gotten to do this week!

First off, Wednesday was officially the last day of the semester! I can't believe that it's already over, it feels like it went by extremely fast. I still have a few exams to take, but I'm essentially done and this time next week I will be home!

Wednesday was really a lot of fun. I was able to do some baking and go to a very nice Christmas party with my bible study. I baked Devil's Food cupcakes and put nonpareils (Snocaps) and edible pearls on them to make them a little fancier. I think they came out quite well and people seemed to enjoy them at the party.


The party was a lot of fun. I got to talk with people I haven't heard from in a while and meet new people. Towards the end of the party, there was a While Elephant gift exchange. I realised in horror that I had left my gift at home. I quickly found some paper and made a 12 point star origami and made it an ornament. I felt terrible because everyone else had brought really nice gifts. I've told the person that ended up with the star that I'd be more than happy to give them the original gift, but I haven't heard back from her yet.

During the exchange, I ended up with quite a hilarious gift. I haven't had a chance to program it yet, but it should fix the issue of constantly losing the remote.


Again, it was just really great being able to celebrate with friends that I haven't been able to talk with in a while and to make new friends. There is another celebration that I am going to on Saturday. It is a Christmas banquet and the theme in the Roaring 20's. I haven't yet decided what to wear, but it should be a lot of fun.

Thursday was cleaning day, but that only lasted until about 1 pm and then I became terribly bored. One day in and I already am missing school! To relieve the boredom, I decided to break out my polymer clay and create. What I created, I'm not exactly sure, but her name is Fanny and she likes to protect my Christmas cookies from other wandering creatures.


Thursday night, my boyfriend and I went and saw Tangled, which had a lot of very funny parts to it, but as a whole felt very "fluffy" as a movie; there was a lot of filler material (there was far too much singing, which I suppose is characteristic of Disney movies) and about 30 minutes of actual, substantial plot material. I would watch it again, but only for the humorous parts.

It is now Friday and, after having cleaned some more, it is only noon! I'm sure I will find something to do...

I will be posting the special Numbers Game blog later today, so keep an eye out for it :)

Until This Afternoon!

The Numbers Game

After semi-persistent badgering of my friends and family, I finally was able to have 11 people participate in the numbers game! I will put them in the order that I received them. Thanks so much to everyone who participated!

64: I can't believe its been eight years! Eight wonderful years of goofiness, awesomeness, and great friendship. Even though we've lived hundreds of miles away from each other for 5 years, you are still my very best friend and I cannot wait until the next time I get to see you. No matter how much distance there is between us, I am convinced that we will always be friends, even when we are those crazy old ladies in the nursing home, and we will always love Cheese, no matter how old it gets. Thank you for being such a good friend through all of the years :) (Flying purple moose, over and out)

2: You helped me through my first semester of college, when I was scared of a lot of things, emotionally, spiritually, and academically. You have always been there for me and, while you can be a little nuts sometimes, you are still a wonderful friend and an awesome ninja turtle :)

42: Where do I even begin?! You are like the older brother I never had. You are always the first to ask me if something is wrong and are always there with a hug if I need one. I really do appreciate your friendship and I hope that we will always be close, no matter how many miles separate us.

74: It has been so long since we talked! You were such a good friend to me in high school and I really did miss you when you moved. You were always so kind and funny and, while I would never dissect a frog with you (or any one) ever again, I really did like having you as my lab partner ("The Dynamic Duo" as Ms. Grimes put it). I hope to see again someday and I hope that you are doing well

7: I love the way you keep up with me on Facebook and on my blog. It makes me feel so good that you read it. I really wish we lived closer to each other and I wish I could see you more often. You are sincerely one of my favorite relatives and, even though there are eight states, an international border, and a province separating us, I love the close bond we have created. I love you and cannot wait until the next time I get to see you :)

f513698e64169103f7b9Ze9ccf4adebc: Firstly, I did type out that whole "number" instead of just copying and pasting it. Secondly, it has been way too long since we talked! I never see you anymore and that just won't do! You have been a good friend throughout my college career and it was always fun to hear about your new engineering endeavors or to see new photos you had taken (my favorite is the one of the moon with the rainbow halo). I miss you and think you should definitely show up around Blacksburg sometime soon :P

8: Of course you would pick 8 :) You know me so well, better than anyone in the world will ever know me. You have been there for me through everything and have helped me learn so much. I don't say it enough, but I appreciate everything you do for me and I love you with all of my heart. I love it when we have days for just us and I love the way you have always kept me safe but given me the freedom to explore on my own. I love the relationship we have and I am certain it will never fade or go away; we love each other just that much! I love that we have been able to keep such a strong bond throughout my whole life, something many people take for granted, and I will always always always love you.

110: Haha! I love the way you picked your number! It is a shame that we don't get to see each other much this year; it was always so much fun to have you pop by the room last year. I hope you are doing well with my old roommate. I always look for you two during the halftime show! I apologize for the caroling texts, a mere confusion of names :P

101010: System.out.println("Ah, FacePamphlet. Good times :P. Class was always so much fun with you, as were the hours of study sessions wracking our brains as to how to recreate FaceBook. I'm sad that we don't see each other so much, but am glad that we have remained friends. And while I have given up programming, I can always appreciate a humorous bit of binary :)");

123456789: Why haven't I seen you all semester? You love right next door!! Ever since my first semester here, you have been a great friend to me, especially when it came to bible study and church. I'm sad that you're never at the lunch table (and that I'm never at the lunch table) and I really miss you!

X: Way to be awesome with the roman numeral. Even though we hardly see each other any more, its always good to know that you'll be there for me if I need you. You helped me through a lot during high school and I will always remember you as the friend who hijacked my wheelchair. I was devastated when you shaved your head because then I had nothing to braid when band got boring :P. I miss you and hopefully we can see each other soon :)

Thanks again to everyone who participated :)

Snow Dazed and Exam Crazed

It has officially happened! The first snow of the season! Its so exciting because now it really feels like the Christmas season, especially since the snow started when I was on my way to go caroling.

Some of my church group friends and I went to a veterans' hospital to sing to patients that were sick. When we got there, it was decided that we were to sing on stage rather than go room to room. So, the eight of us got up there and sang 11 Christmas songs including "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer", "Joy to the World", and a never ending version of "We Wish you a Merry Christmas". It was truly a wonderful time and it was good to see how many people we made smile.

On the way back, the snow just kept drifting down and covered everything very quickly. It was funny to see a fall scene turn into a winter scene in a matter of hours!

Snow is absolutely my favorite type of weather (despite the cold). Seeing it just makes me happy and it just seems so magical and beautiful. It makes me feel calm and at ease, which is very beneficial as exams come up.

The semester is finally drawing to a close and exams are fast approaching. I have two tomorrow and then three next week and then I get to taste the sweet freedom of a 4 week break. I still am unsure of what courses I am going to take next semester, but I am certain that I will not ever have a semester with such varied classes ever again!

Anywhos, I have to get back to study for Art History and Geography.

Remember to take time today to throw a snowball at a friend! It's very therapeutic :)

Until Next Time :)

Ups and Downs

Finally! The holiday season has officially started! Time to break out the muffin pans, cookie sheets, mixing bowls, etc. Right now, it seems that this wonderful season is one of the few things keeping me together as the semester draws to a close.

This past week has been extremely hectic for academic and emotional reasons. Let's start with academics:

This week encompassed a test, a practicum, a 5 hour geography project, a quiz, an essay in french about my opinions on welfare, and countless other little assignments to keep myself busy. While I've managed to keep up with it all (with the exception of one homework assignment), it has been extremely stressful with the addition of emotional stresses.

The past few weeks have been emotionally draining. Period. I feel that my efforts socially and academically are not appreciated and that friendships I've made are weakening because I've been so busy this semester. I also feel betrayed by several people whom I did everything to salvage a friendship with. I feel disrespected, ignored, and I feel like some people don't really care about me the way I thought they did.

I am very hurt because I have never been unfair or unkind to anyone and simply can't understand why they feel I don't deserve the same in return. If I have a problem with someone, I am at least civil with them. I don't go behind their back and tell lies, I don't play myself out as a helpless victim, and I don't try to turn their friends against them.

I am not just referring to one person or incidence, this is just triggered by a recent one. I am frustrated and hurt and I feel that I have been treated very unfairly in a situation that could have been resolved very easily.

That is the major emotional weight on me right now. I am also stressing because one of my good friends is in the hospital after a devastating car crash. I am stressing because I am unsure of my future, what I want to do, what I am going to do.

I am trying to sort everything out. I am sorry that this isn't as happy of a blog as I normally post, so to finish on a good note, here is a picture of a cupcake made of flowers:

I hope all of you are having a holiday season that is off to a great start and I look forward to posting through Christmas as I bake and create and get the Holiday spirits up :)

Until next time!

Giving Thanks

After a 5 hour drive home, a day of shopping, a day of visiting friends, and 2 days of work, it is Thanksgiving! (or, rather, the day after). We drove up through sleet and snow and the Jersey Turnpike to visit my family in Connecticut. I spent time talking with relatives I have known for my whole life and relatives I’ve only met once before and relatives whom I’ve never met! It was a lot of fun, especially seeing my grandpa, who was sick last week.

I have to say that is what I was thankful for this year. It was good to see all of my family together for my grandpa, if for nothing else than for him to see all of his children and grandchildren (and great-grand child!). He was in good enough health to laugh and talk with everyone and be the general center of attention, which in and of itself was something to be truly thankful for.

Other things I am thankful for this year are: My awesome family, my fantastic friends, the great school I go to, my good academic standing, my brother’s good academic standing, the amazing luck and opportunities I have had, the love I have received from so many people, and, of course, for my boyfriend. I am so thankful to have all of these things and people in my life and I really do feel very fortunate and blessed.

I am writing this while on my way home from Connecticut. I have been up since 3:40 a.m., it is currently 8:31 p.m., and I plan on shopping at Khols at 3:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. This is going to be a busy 24 hours! I believe we are somewhere in New Jersey, but I am not entirely sure. I just know that there is still a while to go!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and took time to reflect on the things that you are thankful for :)

Until Next time!

Pre-Thanksgiving Christmas Spirit

There are times when I am certain that my mind reverts to its childlike state. This can be fun and adorable and I like knowing that I haven't matured so much as to completely shut down my inner child. There should be limits, though, to how childish I can be :P

The other day, my boyfriend and I went to Walmart simply for the sake of an adventure and after travelling over a rather foggy and spooky mountain road, we arrived at a Walmart in a tiny town out in the middle of nowhere. Upon entering, we were bombarded with red, green, and gold as the whole front display was completely dominated by Christmas merchandise. My inner child instantly made itself known and I proceeded to skip happily down rows of ornaments, tinsel, and stockings.

Reaching the end of a row, I stopped dead in my tracks. At the very end of the aisle, on a giant flat screen television, my favorite Christmas movie was playing: Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. And, yes, I am referring to the 1964 stop motion version. I sat down right in the middle of the aisle and watched, completely enthralled. My boyfriend, not knowing how much I love this movie, laughed and tried to drag me away. I craned my neck to continue to watch as we walked away. Little did I know we were heading to the movies section and from there to the Christmas movie section. My boyfriend went and found the DVD for Rudolph and bought it for me so we could watch it at home!

I could not stop smiling on the way home, eagerly waiting to watch the beloved movie. I grabbed a snack, made myself comfortable on the couch, and we proceeded to watch the movie, myself smiling the entire time.

It's nice to know that my 5-year-old self is doing well :)

Big Paws and a Big Pause

Last week, just after my last post, my boyfriend suggested an incredibly fun idea for the weekend: going to the zoo! I didn’t even know that there was a zoo around here! Saturday morning, we headed out (my boyfriend, his sister, and myself) and took the hour drive to Natural Bridge Park and turned into a tiny gravel driveway with a rather old building. We paid for the tickets and then proceeded on to see the animals.

For a zoo that 1) Was in the middle of nowhere and 2) Looked rather worn down, there were a lot of animals! Lemurs, camels, giraffes (which were incredibly fun to feed), deer, rheas, moneys, and, (most importantly) BABY TIGERS!!!!!!! They were adorable! There was a Bengal cub and a White cub. They were so cute playing with each other and their paws were enormous compared to their bodies. Why is it that disproportion in baby animals is what generally makes them so cute?
Following our trip to the zoo, we headed to our favorite antique shop. I found the desk with the secret compartments that I had discovered and found (to my relief) that the papers inside the secret compartments were still there. I was the first person to touch these papers since 1923 and, since I can’t afford the desk ($995), I decided to ask if I could simply buy the papers. I was able to happily purchase them for $3.

Sunday came and went without much going on. The school week followed without many blips on the radar, except a Geography test. It is now Saturday morning. I’ve woken up early, just early enough to see the sunrise and I’m just sitting here, thinking, just taking time to relax and let myself fully know that today is going to be good. I could sit here for hours just thinking, sort of pushing a Pause button on life. I have nowhere to be. I have nothing to do. I can just relax.
It’s a rather nice feeling :)

I hope anyone who reads this takes just a little time today (and everyday) to just relax and be at peace, just for a little bit.

Until next time!

November Peace

It's morning, far too early to be doing anything (at least for a college student). Staring out my window, I notice an eerie calm about the day; there is no wind stirring the branches of the trees, no birds, no people walking by. It is simply still. It is an overcast day with a minimal amount of sunshine peeking through, casting a muted glow over our apartment complex.

It is completely silent.

I can't help think to myself how peaceful this is. How last night the entire area was one gigantic screaming fest of cheers as our football team battled its way to victory. How fireworks lit up the sky and cut through the air each time we scored. And now, all is quiet and calm and so different in an almost spooky way.

The peace of this morning is very comforting on a Friday. It brings a sense of quiet confidence that today will be a good day, tomorrow will be a good day, and perhaps even the day after that will be a good day. It's almost a way of nature reassuring every weary-eyed college student that life isn't so chaotic. Everyone just take a moment and listen to the silence this morning. Listen to your own thoughts and one by one let them drift until you are at peace.

This train of thought is then broken as a bus goes by, a student turns on their car with a loud rev of its engine, and an airplane noisily flies by, frightening the birds who had before been resting. The calm is broken, but the comforting sense of peace is not.

Today is going to be a good day :)

Too Many Tests!

Hello all! As you can see, I have again slacked on my promise to keep the blog up to date. My excuse this time is simply having too many tests. It is now round two of tests this semester and I have had plenty to study and stress about. No worries though, It is nearly the end and I've come out mostly intact.

In the past few weeks, I have:

-Dressed as a vampire
-Dressed as a medieval princess
-Dressed as a Grecian princess
-Taken 4 tests
-Prepared for the 5th
-Recieved an atlas for a fantastic score on a geography test (a really nice atlas!)
-Made several Christmas presents
-Started countless others
-Celebrated my boyfriend's birthday with birthday frosting because I was too lazy to make a cake (Shocking considering how much I love to bake)
-Painted
-Sketched
-Knitted
-Read
-Read some more
-Read a little bit more
-Saved my computer from the blue screen of (near) death
-Quit most of my Facebook games

Why did I quit the Facebook games? So I could have much more time to do other, more productive and fun things, like yoga, reading, painting, and whistling random songs.

I actually thought about all of the time I spend on Facebook alone and it was rather shocking. I find that I am being much more productive with my time and I tend to feel more accomplished at the end of the day :)

Anywhos, I have some reading to do, some muffins to bake, and a meeting to prepare for.

Until Next Time!!

FALLing in Love

Firstly, as always, I must apologise for the lack of blog. So many things have been going on and it has been quite chaotic. I will, again, try to be better about this :)

Secondly, HAPPY AUTUMN!! We all know that this is the second best time of year (next to the holiday season) and I just can't help but think of all the things that make this season so beautiful and perfect. The warmth of autumn spices, the changing leaves, the crisp autumn smell in the air...

I've never understood why Spring has more of a "love" feel to it than Fall. Yes, Spring is when everything springs back to life, flowers blossoming, birds singing, etc. I feel that Fall has so much more of a romantic feeling about it. It is warm and full of such deep, rich colors and flavors. Fireplaces, spices, harvest, the amazing display of autumn leaves. Much more romantic than bees and rain, hmmm?

Anywhos, as to what I've been doing for the past several weeks:

-Doing well in school
-Changing from on-campus housing to an apartment
-Decorating aforementioned apartment
-Baking in aforementioned apartment
-Enjoying life in aforementioned apartment
-Knitting
-Enjoying floral design
-Cleaning
-Making things messy
-Cleaning some more
-Watching Disney movies and reliving parts of my childhood
-Sewing a plaid dragon (his name is Jake)
-Loving life

In case you were wondering what Jake looks like:

Also, here are some of the arrangements I have been able to make:






I have the day off today, so I think I will go outside and enjoy the amazing Autumn weather (after homework and cleaning and laundry and cooking...)

Until Next Time!

Potatoes: Worst Food Ever!

Hello everyone! I appologise for the almost two month delay in bloggage. I have been extraordinarily busy and I really wish I had kept on top of things because there is so much to tell you! In a nutshell:

-I'm back at college!
-I moved in to the same room my mom had when she went here!
-I changed my major to Geography/GIS (so much better)
-I am taking French, Principles of Economy, Physical Geography, Art History, and Floral Design (what a renaisance schedule).
-I've reconnected with all of my college friends
-I've made some new college friends!
-I've missed my old college friends
-I've missed my old friends, period
-I've missed my family
-I've missed my boyfriend
-I surprised my mom by coming home on her birthday!
-I baked therapy cookies
-I am loving life :)

I know that is not everything, but I am racking my brains to cover all that has happened in nearly two months!

I suppose you are wondering about the title of the blog. If you go to VT, you obviously will understand it. If not, let me explain:

We lost our first very important game to Boise State (from Idaho). Therefor, potatoes are a no-no. There is actually a "Potato Boycott" occuring at Tech for the time-being. It goes from today until Saturday. What am I going to do with all these Pringles?!

Anywhos, I just wanted you all to know that I am alive and I will be trying to maintain the blog a bit better (I know I always say that, but I do always come back!).

Until next time ^_^

Pink Puppies and Perky Plants

Today is Roxxie's birthday! In honor of her third birthday, we decided to do something completely logical...we dyed her pink.


its hard to tell because the dye is so light, but she is a beautiful light pink puppy on her special day!

Aside from that goofiness, I have finally started on my summer resolutions. I have planted and successfully started growing several varieties of herbs and veggies!


Lavender


Basil


Peas


Chives


Wax Beans and Green Beans

I haven't pictured the Mint plant because it has failed to sprout. Anyone out there have suggestions? Horticulturalists? Please?

Also, last week my boyfriend came to visit and he picked out a nice bamboo plant from an amazing Asian shop in our local mall. I named it Charles for unknown reasons.



two weeks from now I plan on starting yoga again, completing another of my summer resolutions. I am also going to try to bike and walk more. Its too nice outside to stay inside all day (which I find myself doing a lot of).

Have anyone else made summer resolutions? How are they going?

Until Next Time :)

The Toy Box

After weeks of oppressive heat, it has finally cooled down enough to where I can ride my bicycle outside of the neighborhood. My brother decided that he wanted to see a movie today and so we biked out to the movie theatre and decided to watch Toy Story 3. It was a great movie and it made me think about growing up and all of the toys I've loved and played with, the ones I've kept or donated or just plain thrown away.

I find it funny that people can grow such an attachment to an inanimate object, especially toys. As children, those are our playmates and the objects that allow our creativity and imagination to flourish, so I suppose a lot of the connection springs from that. But I also wonder why we don't create that connection with other toys (the one we throw away). Why do we have "favorite" toys? I don't think its quite the same as having a favorite song or color. A toy is something you interact with and develop a special connection with. But why and how does that happen?

I know over the years I have thrown away and given away many of my toys or have become bored with toys within a matter of weeks. Why is it then that I keep the stuffed sheep I've had since I was a newborn or the legoes I played with for years as a child? I guess that is the sentimentality; simply the memories I have with these toys gives me a special attachment to them. Why this doesn't/didn't happen with other toys, I'll never know, but I suppose it just all depends on how I interacted with them and took to them when I was very young.

Anywhos, I highly recommend seeing the movie, especially if you enjoyed the first two. It was very clever and had a wonderful plot.

Until whenever!

And All The Rest

I know that some of you probably hate when I do this, but as there is just not enough space on the internet, let alone this blog, I am simply going to list everything else that has happened in the past few weeks. Enjoy!

-Swam
-Worked
-Rediscovered the joys of Photoshop
-Composed a bit of music
-Rediscovered the joys of Hot Pockets
-Biked
-Attempted to start a garden and failed (noooooooooooo!)
-Bought seeds to start a small herb garden
-Bought a lot of yarn
-Knitted
-Visited my boyfriend
-Was visited by my boyfriend
-Drove a teensy bit
-Watched Bravheart
-Watched Spirited Away
-Watched Wall-E (which is hands-down the most adorable movie ever)
-Danced a Swing in FYE
-Made several batches of chocolate
-Went to a Farmers’ Market
-Went to the Outerbanks
-Shopped (a lot)
-Frantically cranked out 3 blog posts

This is the basic gist of what I have been up to. Again, I apologize for the lack of posts, but I will try to be more adamant about maintaining the blog.
For all of you who are still reading, thank you!

Until whenever!

From One Side of the Family to Another

One weekend I get to spend with my dad’s family in Connecticut, the next I get to spend with my mom’s family in Florida!

This trip was very impromptu but was extremely fun. I spent the weekend with my mom, my aunts, and my grandmother, a “Girls’ Weekend”. While I generally dread so much femininity at once, it was a very enjoyable visit filled with shopping and… well, shopping. It was a very relaxing weekend, just talking and shopping and enjoying the wonderful weather.

For me, it was very nice to be able to, essentially, see my entire family (both my mom’s side and my dad’s side) within a week. I love being able to see my relatives in person and just feel the close connections and love with a close family. And while I admit the my family, myself included, can be a bit bizarre, I really wouldn’t have it any other way.

Until whenever!

Going Home

After 36 collective hours of knitting and a 7 hour car drive, the blankets for the twins have finally been completed! It was such a joy to make something that I know will be enjoyed and that I put a lot of love into.


The trip to Connecticut was one that we haven’t done in a while and I had forgotten just how long it really takes (Delaware is a lot bigger than one would think). I was frantically knitting the entire ride trying to complete the last few squares of the blue blanket, so while it was a long ride, I hardly noticed for the mass of yarn that kept me occupied.

While in New York, we stopped at our favorite shopping mall from when my brother and I were younger. The mall is enormous (equipped with a Ferris Wheel, Carousel, and multi-screen Imax theatre) and while I did not do any actual shopping, it was nice just to walk around a place that I associate with many positive memories and experiences.


After the brief trip to the mall, we continued into Connecticut. It was a wonderful feeling when the highway signs and exits started to become more and more familiar, landmarks reminding me of so many trips with my family. Exiting the highway, I can point out houses of my friends from my old bus route when I was little and then we pull up to my grandparents’ driveway and I feel so at home.

It was a bit strange going back to a place I had spent so much of my childhood at. It was even stranger seeing how much it had changed. Parks were now parking lots, trees and grass were now shops, home town mom-and-pops were changed out for chains. It was weird seeing how much a familiar place can become something different and while I will always think of Connecticut as my home, it isn’t my home any more. I still have amazing friends and family there, but it just is so bizarre to live in Virginia, my new home, but still think of home as Connecticut. I love it there and I will never forget my incredible friends and experiences.

The day of the Christening, I finally got to meet my new baby cousins. It is a beautiful thing to see new lives in the world and seeing my cousins just open their eyes and take in everything, going through new experiences, was amazing. The Christening was a wonderful and spiritual ceremony and it simply was nice to be in a church and share the spirituality with my family and the new babies.

The trip went entirely too fast. I could have spent weeks going back through my home town and the surrounding cities, just remembering everything I have done with my family and friends. I would have loved to visit with my friends. On an extremely fortunate chance, my best friend from Connecticut may be coming down here for a brief vacation. I dearly miss her and hope that I can see her!
To be put simply, I had an incredible trip and I hope I will be able to do it again in the near future :)

Until next time!

Get Ready....

Hi everyone (or all of you that haven't given up on me). Since leaving school, I have been incredibly busy and have a myriad of tales and travels to share. So, to make up for my absence, I will be posting several blogs in the upcoming week (possibly one per day).

So much has happened and I can't wait to share it all!! ^_^

Until whenever!

One Year Down, Three to Go!

As always, I'm going to apologise for not blogging in over a week. I have been insanely busy moving back in from college, working, knitting, catching up with old friends, and missing my boyfriend. It has been a great week back so far and I'm sure the blogs will only get more interesting as the summer progresses.

I can't believe my first year of college is over! It went by incredibly fast and yet so much happened. I learned so much, I met great people, and got to experience a bunch of new things and really get to know myself. I've noticed that I have become much more confident, much more social, and have become more willing to try new things (ex: ballroom!).

Looking back on this year, it is really interesting to see how much I changed. All changes have been for the better. I feel that I have matured and am starting to grasp a sense of the "real world", but am still letting myself have fun. I was able to do a little self-exploring and figure out what I want to do (never thought I would work in geography!) and figure out what sorts of people I really enjoy spending time with. My emotions have become much more under control and I am more able to clearly express them.

Physically, I lost a lot of weight, learned how to eat better foods and learned what foods I personally need and enjoy. I became more confident with my appearance and for the first time in my life, I am actually happy and comfortable with how I look.

One other thing we can't forget about college: Independence. Living without my parents was unnerving the first few weeks of school. However, after the initial shock, I found that level of independence quite enjoyable and was able to keep on top of things (with a little work and multiple schedules and calendars).

All-in-all, my first year was fantastic. I love my school, I love my friends, I love what I'm learning, and I love this opportunity to really learn about myself.

But now it is Summer.

Nothing to learn.

No classes to go to.

Nothing to do.

So, to keep myself from becoming a complete and total couch-potato, I'm going to create a set of goals to accomplish during or by the end of summer:

-Start a vegetable garden
-Start a windowsill herb garden
-Lose 10 pounds
-Bike twice per week
-(try to do) Yoga twice per week
-Do SOMETHING to keep my brain active
-Watch no more than 4 hours of TV per day
-Have fun

Its shaping up to be an excellent summer and I can't wait to see all of my friends and family throughout the upcoming months.

Until whenever!

Happy Trails! (Part 2)

I was reading yesterday's post and looking at the pictures from my hike and just realised how appreciative I am for the beautiful weather and beautiful nature I got to experience on Saturday. I love being surrounded by nature, especially in the Spring when everything is so green and alive. Being surround by so much life was incredible. Just feeling the energy coming from everything, standing still and just listening. There isn't a more exhilarating feeling in the world for me.

Happy Trails!

Ok, so this blog is a few days late. I've been super busy as the semester draws to a close, but somehow managed to find time on a beautiful day to go hiking with my boyfriend. The weather was amazing and the trail was beautiful and fairly uncrowded.

After a two mile hike, the trail ended in an amazing waterfall where we could go swimming. So we did. At least, we tried to. The water was absolutely freezing and I could only stand to dunk in and jump out onto a warm rock (after much coaxing from fellow students and my boyfriend).

After drying off, it was a two mile hike back and then an afternoon/evening filled with baking scones and ballroom dancing!

It is now Monday and that means that there are only two more days (after today) left of class! I am very excited and feel that this semester has gone much, much better than last semester. I found a major I love, I found friends I love, and I found a boy I love. It doesn't get much better than that!

Still have a TON of packing to do. Hopefully it can all get done by next week!

Until Whenever!

oh! Almost forgot! Here are some photos from the hiking trip:

Three Week Reprise (Again)

Sorry sorry sorry! I did it again! It seems it has is fact been three weeks since I last blogged. I am very truly sorry for this.

So here's what's been going on the past few weeks (in semi-chronological order):
-Paper due
-Individual presentation on one of my favorite songs (Send Me a Song)
-Individual presentation on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
-Group presentation on Bon Jovi
-Realy for Life! ( I walked 5 miles )
-Myth Test
-Business Test
-2 month anniversary :)
-ELPs Event (Rock n' Bounce)



The event went wonderfully! I tried to climb the wall, but could only get about 1/4 of the way up. My friend climbed it 12 times without breaking a sweat!

Sorry that I don't have much else after such a long break. I'll try to keep up with it more frequently!

Until Whenever!

Flower Power!

Whew! So today was a really busy day (and its still not over). I finished my business project a bit early so I'm doing the blog now.

Exciting! Tomorrow I will be doing the vlog and will try to have it posted by tomorrow night or Friday morning. Should be very exciting!

So today, with all of the projects due tomorrow and homework due and what not, it has been fairly stressful. I've just been sitting and flitting from one screen to the next, multitasking and organising and typing and editing. In the middle of frantically typing a review for Photoshop, I looked at a sprig of flowers in a tiny vase on my desk and just stopped and took a breath. That moment of just relaxing and seeing a beautiful little part of nature took away all of the panic and stress and I was better able to focus and finish 45 minutes ahead of schedule.

This makes me wonder; as humans, do we instinctively relax when we see something beautiful or when we can just stop and appreciate nature? Is this why people hike? I know that when I go hiking, my mind is completely clear and all my worry washes away. Why is this? Why does nature (in a calm state) calm us down? Even nature on a huge scale (like the ocean or a forest), a huge force we cannot be sure of and should be frightened of can calm us. The ocean is full of unknown depths and terrifying mysteries an yet we go to the beach to relax and listen to the waves. It's quite a profound concept.

Anywhos, I will be vlogging tomorrow! If anyone wants to help me with it, leave a comment or text me. Thanks!

Until tomorrow!

Happy Easter!

Firstly, today was one of the best Easters I can remember! So much fun and one of the first Easters I've really been conscience of the immensity of Jesus' sacrifice for us and his rising on Easter.

So, as stated in an earlier blog, I gave up baking and baked goods and complaining for Lent. I bet no one can guess what I did today:

BAKING!!!

Ok, so it actually started with making pancakes (which is technically frying, but baking followed soon after!

I made:
-Mint Devil's Food Cake Cookies
-White Easter Cake


Yes, they are heart shaped :P





It was so much fun! ^_^

I also made a vegetable stir fry (zucchini, carrots, onions, and green beans) which was delicious.

Later in the afternoon, my boyfriend and I dyed eggs. Here are our lovely masterpieces:

Mine:

The first heart come out so faintly that I decided just to paint a new one





My Boyfriend's:


"Semper Ova": "Always Egg"



All-in-all, a wonderful Easter.

Hope everyone else had a Happy Easter!

Until next time!