Home, once again

Hello, blogging community!

These last couple weeks have been full of fun and adventure for me!  :)  I got to go camping in the Adirondacks with my family, which we haven't done in quite a few years.  And!  OH, boy!  Here's the really exciting part!  My aunt invited me to stay with her for a week.  She lives in Alexandria, VA, so I was able to spend the week touring Washington, DC, taking pictures, and going on excellent tours.  It was so much fun!  Not to mention, my aunt and I went to a spa and got manis, pedis, and we got our hair done!  Talk about getting spoiled!  Ha. Anyway, I had a blast, and now I'm back home in New York.  And, I've come back with a renewed energy and resolve for finally cleaning out my room and getting rid of all the extra stuff I have cluttering it all up.  It's been so hard to do!  But, I'm honestly really glad that I'm finally doing it, and not just getting rid of a couple of things.  I still have a long way to go, but progress has definitely been made.  Yippee!  :)  And, soon I get to head back to school!  I'm so excited!  I can't wait to get to see my fiance again!  And all those friends I haven't seen in WAYYY too long!  Oh, boy!  Alright, signing off.  :)

Napping

So these last few days I've been on a mission to clean my room.  Also, to get rid of a bunch of things, and possibly sell some of it to help pay for my next semester.  It's been an arduous task, to say the least.  I think I've actually made more of a mess of my room than originally.  How is that even possible?!  I've cleaned my room out hard-core three times in the past week, because I have this problem with holding onto things.  I hold onto birthday cards, receipts, out-dated cell phone chargers, and various other 'trinkets,' but they have only caused me clutter.  So, I've been sifting through things each time I clean out my room, weeding out the stuff I can do without.  But, by the time I finish cleaning, I realize I haven't gotten rid of enough!  So I've gone through the process 3 times now in these past few days, and there's still so much junk that I need to let go of.  But I am seriously tuckered out from this task today, and I'm thinking I could use a nap.  But each time I go to lay down to rest, I look around and think of all the things I could do without.  I get out of bed to grab the trash bag and start again, but then I realize I could be napping.  It's this continual back-and-forth pull.  Ughhhh.  Maybe I do just need some sleep.  Then maybe I could start this process of discarding my unnecessary junk again without as much hesitation.  Yes.  I think I've sorted it out for now.  Thank you, blog, for offering yourself up again as a means of collecting my thoughts!

A New Post After Quite the Break..

It's been approximately... oh, 19 or so days since my last post.  Guess I just lost track of keeping up with the blog after my boyfriend came to town for a visit.  Anyway, there's just so much to update you all on!  These past two and a half weeks have been awesome and filled with all sorts of excitement.  Here are some pics to catch you up:

Day trip to Lake George.  It was such a beautiful day!

While at the Lake, my family thought it'd be fun to give me three fake parking tickets.  They're so cruel.  The worst part is that I actually fell for it, only to their excitement.  I actually started after this police officer; thankfully I couldn't catch up to him before my family got me back to let me know the tickets were fake.  Hahahaha.

A day at the park, on a picnic with my beautiful mom and lovely boyfriend.

July 4th at the state capital.  The fireworks display was absolutely amazing.

Watching the fireworks.  They were so bright that this picture looks like it was actually taken during the daytime!

My 21st birthday... I decided to try some wine.  Final conclusion: I am never drinking wine again- the stuff is disgusting.  I actually liked the coconut rum with pineapple juice, though- nice and fruity!

My boyfriend proposed a week after my birthday.  :)  The next day I was confined to my bed, more sick than I've ever been before.  I blame it on the cheesecake place he took me to before he proposed.  Never eating there again.

Hahaha.  I love him!  This was taken a few days after he proposed, shortly after we bought the ring together.  Such an exciting day!  And Chipotle to boot!!  Sweet.  :)

So, I think that pretty much sums up the past 2 1/2 weeks for me.  It's been exciting and wonderful to have my-now-fiance over, although I had to send him off to the bus station yesterday to head back home.  I'm still getting used to calling him something other than 'my boyfriend'.  Ha.  Anyway, there's my huge-super-fantastic-exciting news for y'all.  Thanks again for reading!

Hey la, Hey la~ My Boyfriend's Back!

So, my boyfriend comes for a visit today!!  But, before I can pick him up from the bus station, I have a baby shower to go to!  I spent my morning preparing a grade salad for one of my best friend's baby showers.  She's having twin boys!  It finally hit me just the other day when I was putting together her gift bag, that we're getting old!  I'll be turning 21 in just a week or so, and all my friends are getting married or having children!  I think that's insane how quickly it all comes up!  It seems like just last year when I was a naive high schooler.
Either way, I'm still really excited for my friend.  She's going to be a terrific, loving mother.  I sort of wish I was in her shoes!  Just a little.  But, I know the time to start a family will come, and I shouldn't try to fast-forward to anything if it's not time.
So, today is a very exciting day!  I can barely hold back my excitement!  I haven't seen a bunch of these friends in months, at least, so it'll be really nice to mingle again and see how everyone's holding up.  :)  And.... well, my boyfriend will be here tonight!!  Eeeee!!  I am SO excited.  Alright.  I can tell my sentences are getting short and repetitive, so I should probably sign off.  I blame all this excitement and my lack of sleep.  Goodbye!  :)

Hello, blogging world, once again!

It's been quite some time since my last post!  And I hadn't realized my lack of posting until just now!!  Oh, boy.

Well, the last few days have been quite fun.  I spent the weekend with my family, up at our summer camp.  Spent time visiting with my relatives, and I even got to see my older brother and sister-in-law.  So, that was a treat!  :)

I had a blast helping put down a new bamboo floor in the guest room.  And, now, it looks gorgeous!  I absolutely LOVE re-doing floors, because the outcome is so worth it!  I've helped tile floor in the past and strip old wood floors, but I'd never put down a wood floor before.  It was definitely a neat and worthwhile experience.

And, the weather was beautiful for a weekend on the lake.  It did rain once or twice, lightly though, but just enough to make everything nice and muddy.  Let's just say we all got covered with our fair share of mud!

The last couple days have been productive, but I just feel so exhausted all the time, it seems.  For some reason, for the past week I've been having these dreams every night.  And, I'm not one to remember dreaming much, except for those horrific dreams that stay with you.  So, having dreams and remembering dreaming for six nights in a row is something that I find somewhat out-of-the-ordinary.  And, it's been disturbing my sleep.  Hence, the exhaustion during the past few days.

What I'd like to know, is why all the dreams now?  And what on earth do they mean?!  I've had the most odd dreams, too!  Like, for example, turning into animals, going on a trip overseas with random people I've never met before, running from something (dunno what exactly~ but it seems to happen in the majority of these dreams...), discovering a massive museum in an Englishman's apartment, and working for some business-owner in Africa, just to list a few.  To me, they seem to be all over the place (quite literally, plot-wise).  Most of them, except for my most recent dream (the overseas trip to Singapore), all are connected with this theme of running from something.  I'd like to know what.  And why my last dream didn't have this particular piece.  Hmm... questions to consider, I guess.

Don't worry, faithful readers, if the dreams continue, I'll be sure to keep you in the loop!  Hah.  Oh, well.  Signing off for the night!

Jen

Pulling a BP...

So, I was headed out to this new Bible study group I've been wanting to join, and I was nearly there, when....

The car behind me flashed his bright lights.  I pulled over, not really sure (but having a slight idea) of why he was trying to catch my attention.  

"You're spraying gas everywhere!" he yells out his passenger window, after I pull over.  

"Thanks!" I yell back, annoyed that, once again, my car has decided to pull a temper tantrum.  

For the past few weeks, my car's smelled like gasoline when I start it up.  And, it did again yesterday when I went to leave home for the Bible study group I'd been waiting to attend.  But, this time the smell didn't go away... and neither did the gas, which was streaming from underneath my car.  So, needless to say, I ended up turning around to head back home.  Didn't get to check out my friend's group.  Maybe next week...

When I got home, my dad gave me some advice, and I went out there alone, in the dark to try and repair my gas line.  And.... I think I did it!!  I was so proud of myself!  I wound up driving it around the block a couple of times this morning, and I didn't smell (or see) any trace of gas!!  Soooooo, I'm thinking that's a good thing. For now, at least.

I ended up telling my boyfriend all about it.  Wanna know how he responded?!  Yes, he laughed at me.  Told me that I'd caught on to some sort of fad, I guess: first, BP spilling oil in the ocean; now me leaking gas all over the roads.  Ha.  Well, I'm just glad I was given the opportunity laugh after having so many car troubles lately.  

So, that was yesterday...  Today, hmmm.  Not much really happened today that I can recall.  Pretty sure I just spent the majority of the day being lazy.  Oh!  And I made fried rice for the first time tonight.  And it turned out really good!!  I was surprised, actually.  :)  So, I might be making that a bit more often.

Also, my younger brother is over for the next couple of days visiting.  And, tomorrow, I get to meet my other brother's girlfriend!  It should be a fun couple of days.

Alright, back to lazy land...

Up and about...

Today's already been a productive day, and it's only just after noon!  I went down to the fast food place, but they're "not hiring."  Ugh.  Whatever.  So, I went down the road a bit and picked up an application for this sub shop.  Maybe things will look up there...

Besides all that, I've been in this terrific "let's get stuff done!" mood.  Washed and brushed out the dog, did dishes and laundry, cleaned and swept the house a bit, and who knows what else.  So, yay for productivity.  Nay for getting turned away from a fast food restaurant!!!  Ayyy..  Oh, well.  Maybe I'll start to get some calls in a few days.  Or maybe this sub shop deal will work out.  I'm trying not to worry, because I do know that God's got it all planned out.  I've been setting up my own plans lately, like signing the lease for a house next fall and planning my life out.  But, if God doesn't want any of that for me, I know He's got much better things planned for me, that I could never dream of!  So, it may seem disappointing and nerve-racking right now, but in the end it's all going to play out better than I could have ever come up with myself.  All for His glory!!

So, I'm still looking forward to going to this Bible study tonight.  And.... I'm still nervous!  Darn these nerves and this stomach, and this brain that comes up with ridiculous circumstances that cause all this nervousness and worry!  :)  I'm sure that after tonight, I'll be much more at ease and at peace with the way things are looking.

Signing off for now,
Jen

June 14

Today marked thirteen incredible months since my boyfriend and I began dating.  We've made it over a year, and I still haven't managed to scare him off!  :)  Hah.

Besides that, I finally made it to the gym today to work off some of those cupcakes and brownies I've been making (and, obviously, eating).  Managed to run over five miles on the elliptical (my favorite machine...), which really surprised me, as I haven't worked out in like a year... or two, possibly....

And, I've determined that tomorrow (for certain!), I am storming the closest fast food restaurant and demanding a job!  Well, maybe not so much demanding, as asking politely, and possibly even begging.  Yes, I have reached this point.  None of my applications have resulted in job offers, which is really kind of disappointing.  But I'm getting over it as we speak.  And someone needs to do the dirty jobs.  So, it might as well be me.

I'm also thinking of going to this Bible study my friend told me about (the one who invited me to her church).  I'm kind of nervous, as she's the only one I really know there, but I'm sure it will be more than worth it.  So, tomorrow I'm looking up directions to the place, and I'll be on my way!  Besides that, I don't really have any plans.

Oh, and have I mentioned how amazing home videos can be??  I came across a bunch of them today (and I'm watching them as I write this), and it's so neat to be able to watch my brothers and I as little kids with my parents.  I have just decided that home-videos will be a must when I get married and start a family someday.

p.s. Little kids can be so adorable!!!

Cute.

Stayed up really late last night, 'til the wee hours of this morning.  I fell asleep to the sound of birds chirping.  The story?  I got into one of those girly moods and felt like giving myself a late-night semi-mani & pedi.

I chose to go with a cute, bright pink!

After waking up in the early afternoon (oops!), I went out.  Applied for yet another job, then visited the bookstore and came across a few cookbooks I felt I couldn't do without... one full of vegetarian recipes, and two about cupcakes and desserts. You can tell quite a bit about a person by the books they have.  Hah.  Anyway, tonight I tried out one of the cupcake recipes in the one book.  Ugh.  It was a disappointment.  The recipe called for way too much butter, and they came out really greasy, sadly.  And the icing was off.  So, I think I'm going to try to work on perfecting my cupcake!  It'll give me something to do over the next few days.  

I wrote yesterday that I'd try to post some pics of my new slippers, so here they are.  I absolutely love the one pair with the red on them...

This pair was cute... and cheap!!  :)

And I LOVE this pair!

So, that's all I've got for today.  Tomorrow I want to hit up the gym for some much-needed sweating, and maybe I'll try out a new recipe or two.  :)  

Enjoy the days we've been given!  And the people we get to spend them with.  

Oh, rainy day..

All rain showers today.  But that's not enough to bring the day down, is it?!

Had a chance to hang out with one of my close friends today.  Spent hours roaming through the mall.  It made the rain not such a big deal.  Also, I came across the cutest pair of slippers today.  I'll have to post a pic later.  :)

Also, this whole eating-healthier-thing doesn't seem to be catching on with me yet.  Today's meals consisted of: peanut butter toast for breakfast, white chocolate and ice cream for lunch, shin cup noodles for dinner, and a brownie for a late-night snack.  Yikes!!  My healthy eating habits have seriously gone down the drain!  Oh, boy. But, I must say, although I do regret the chocolate and the ice cream, I in no way feel bad about the brownie.  I baked it with some peach slices on top, and it was absolutely delicious!  Maybe nowhere near healthy, but it was soooooo worth it.

Besides that, I've become addicted to Glee.  It's this wonderfully-bad show about a high school glee club trying to make it, and all the drama that follows them.  It's so bad that it's good!  Kind of like those really, really ugly dogs that you'll come across every once in a while- they're so hideously ugly that you can't help but find them cute.

Anyway, tomorrow will hopefully be spent at the gym.  And I am definitely driving myself full-force to find a job tomorrow.  I've gotta find one... and soon!!  Please pray for me!

Late-night post

Hello!  Not a very eventful day.  A brief synopsis: watched a movie, talked to my boyfriend, ate chocolate, spent some time with my family, ate ice cream, read a little, and am now blogging.  :)  See?  Not very eventful, but that doesn't mean it wasn't exciting!  I found out from my boyfriend today that he's planning on taking the bus to come see me for my birthday next month!  So, I'm totally stoked about that.  And, there's the possibility of going to the local stadium next week for the opening day baseball game with my mom, so that's also something to look forward to.

My plans for later today (when it's not the middle of the night...) include a massive cleaning spree, getting out for some fresh air, possibly making a much-needed trip to the gym, making something delicious for dinner (not quite sure what yet), keeping my eyes open for local job opportunities, and spending some quality time with my mom and younger brother.  There will definitely be some loud music playing during my cleaning spree.  And I'll break it all up with some quiet time, where I can give my full attention over to soaking in God's word.

On a separate note, I've just realized how unhealthy my eating habits have become in the past couple of weeks.  So, I'm going to have to pay more attention to what I take into my body, as well as the nutrition my diet offers.  I've been on a vegetarian diet for about a year now, and things like my protein in-take and the health and nutrition my food offers have become a concern.  So, I'm thinking it might be smart to pay better attention to all of this now that I have nothing better to do.  :)  Also, I had been contemplating switching off of the veggy diet at my 1 year mark, but I'm thinking lately that maybe that's something I'm not gonna do right away.  I might allow myself to indulge in meat occasionally (very rarely, though, I'm thinking), as I do miss certain foods still, but I can't seem to get over how greasy and unhealthy it all seems now that I've been without it for so long.  Hmmm..  This has presented quite the dilemma.  I don't want to switch back over to how I used to eat, with having meat daily.  But, I'm also concerned with however this vegetarianism might effect my health in the long-run.  I'm not sure.  And I haven't been to visit with a dietitian or whatever at all, so I'm not sure what the effect could be...  Oh, well.  I think I'm doing fine as of now.  We'll see where this all goes.

Well, it's about time to sign off now.  It's very late, and I'm overly tired.  Good night, all.

Rainy Day...

With today came some less-than-desirable weather.  Rain, rain, cold, and... rain.  So, I ended up spending most of the day inside.  Applied for another job today.  And.... bought groceries (including chocolate and ice cream, of course!).  Also spent much of the day watching movies.  So, it was definitely a lazy day, to say the least!

Sorry, all, for the lame post.  Figured it is probably better to post something lame than to get into the habit of not posting and eventually giving it up altogether.  

Alright, I'm off to help my younger brother with his video project!  :)

Sunburned & Smiling!

Hello, again!!

This past week was spent visiting my boyfriend.  The four-hour drive was well worth it.  We hung out, went camping, visited a theme park, and spent time together working on our sunburns.  Haha.  Overall, it was so much fun.  I'm back home now and missing him, but life goes on.  Back to my job search once again.  I'm bent on filling out more applications today, no matter how much it pains me.

Looks like this week is going to be another gorgeous one!  Can't wait for things to start happening!  :)  Out for the day.

Quite the Day

Today was... AMAZING!


Went with my younger brother to visit my friend's church and try it out.  On the way there, we almost got into quite the accident.  A car tried switching into my lane, as I was right beside him, without even looking!!!  My brother and I almost ended up getting squished between a car and a guard rail.  It was by God's grace alone that we were able to get out of that without even a scratch on the car!  PHeww!

When we got to church this morning, it turned out to be a wonderful church, full of some pretty amazing people.  The message was inspiring, and the people were more than friendly.

After church, I went with my family to Lake George (yes, again!).  And the weather was just perfect.  Had a great time there.

Think I might spend the rest of the night preparing for my camping adventure!!  :)  Hah.  I totally love camping.  Haven't been in 2 years!  Oh, boy.  Woods, here I come!!

A New Day

So many things to think about today!

First on the list: I'm visiting a new church today!!  I'm really excited, actually.  Kinda nervous, though, because it takes hardly anything to make me nervous.  A friend actually invited me to try out her church, and I'm really hoping that it's one where I can grow and feel God at work.  So, I'm heading off to that in a bit!

Also, I made plans yesterday to visit my boyfriend next week.  We're planning a trip to Darien Lake!!  I'm super excited about this as well!  I'm just hoping that the weather will hold out for us, especially since I checked weather.com yesterday, and the forecast didn't look too pleasing...  Either way, we're set on enjoying ourselves and making the most of our little outing.  It's sure gonna be a lot of driving, but I'm up to the challenge!!  :)

Still waiting to hear back from some job opportunities.  If not, then I guess I'll have to continue with the search!  But, I seriously need to find something soon if I'm going to be able to pay for next semester.  It's all in God's hands, and He knows best.  I've just gotta keep that in mind.  How easy it is to forget and let our imaginations get the better of us!

Make the most of today!
Jen

Sabado!!!!!

Good morning, all!  

It's Saturday morning, and Memorial Day Weekend!  And I'm in a cheery morning mood.  The beaches officially open up this weekend!!!  Yesssss!

I considered driving the 4 hours to visit my boyfriend this weekend, but I think I'm just gonna spend it with my family instead.  Considering visiting him sometime next week...

So, yesterday was fun.  I was successful in hooking my younger brother on the Avatar: The Last Airbender series.  We also went for a hike...  Welll, not really.  We got in the car to drive to the place, but got lost on the way there..  Oh, brother.  It was still a fun car ride, though!

And, upon arriving back at home, my mom and I tried out this new strategic board game (Pentago) that she bought the other day.  After that, I retired to watch more of the series with my brother.  So, overall, it wasn't that eventful, but it was still a very enjoyable day.

I did place in more job applications yesterday, and even sent my resume out to a few places.  Still waiting to hear from someone... anyone.  :)  Oh, well.  Guess that just means I have some more free time until then.

Not really sure what the plan is for this weekend.  There was talk of going camping, but it's supposed to thunderstorm this weekend, so I'm pretty sure those plans were called off.  Might get around to visiting some friends this weekend.  Not too sure, yet, though.

Alright, I'm off to start the day!

Bored Outta My Mind!!

So, I managed to apply to a few more jobs today.  Besides that and doing a few loads of laundry, I've been completely bored.  


Thinking about going on a quick hike in a bit.  Maybe I'll take some pictures then...  :)  We'll see.

As I sit here looking at my laptop, I've found one more thing to add to my non-existent to-do list: Cleaning my keyboard!!

Spent the early hours of this morning (6am!!!!  don't ask..) with some quiet time.  Opened up to Jeremiah, chapters 17 and 18.  And, boy, is there some good stuff in there.  A quick excerpt (Jer. 17: 5-10) to share:

⁵ This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD. ⁶ He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. ⁷ "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. ⁸ He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." ⁹ The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? ¹⁰ "I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."

 How God understands the heart!  It's pretty much amazing.  How often I find myself looking to attempt to take control of a situation, relying on my own (in)abilities, only to discover that true peace comes from relying on God alone.  And how greatly He blesses those who put their trust in Him!!  So amazing.

Enjoy the day, everyone!!  It's another gorgeous one!

Cooling off

So much to write about today.  Let's see...


Yesterday, I ended up cooling off (in the 90-odd degree weather) via car washing.  Yes, readers- all five of the cars that were sitting in the driveway... disgusting.  Anyway, I had some fun washing the cars, cooling off, and catching some rays.  Afterward, I drank a bunch of water and laid down on the couch to watch The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (or as my dad refers to it... Benjamin Butthead).  Interesting movie, albeit very unbelievable.

After my movie, I headed outside to help my dad change the oil on my beautiful car.  He finished installing the muffler and tailpipe, so everything was going even better than expected.  That was, until we tried changing out the old oil filter.  The old one didn't want to come off, so we ended up prying it off with this really long flat-tip screwdriver.  Hah.  So great.  In the process, someone (not sure whether it was me or my dad) knocked off the oil pressure sending unit.  Ayyyy.  One thing after another.  So, now my oil pressure gauge isn't working, but that's alright.  The part isn't too expensive to replace-- just an inconvenience.

So, when I took it to get inspected this morning (late morning, cuz I slept in!!), I was almost biting my nails I was so nervous.  Really thought the guy would mention something about the oil gauge not reading correctly.  Thankfully, it still passed, though!!  Yay!  One less thing to worry about for now.

Anyway, I'm getting off on too many tangents... So, after finally changing the oil yesterday, we all decided to head down to the creek to cool off.  When we reached it, the creek was unbelievably full of teenagers.  Guys trying to show off by jumping off the cliff... Oh, brother.  I've done it before, but watching them attempt the jump yesterday really showed me just how stupid this little feat is.  As I stood there in the water, watching those boys jump off, some attempting flips and back flips, I wondered what on earth had possibly convinced me this was a good idea in the past.  And then it hit me-- MY BROTHERS!  Hah.  As an only girl, growing up with three brothers caused me to attempt many stupid endeavors (hot sauce drinking contests; jumping from rooftops, cliffs, and waterfalls; games of tag... on ice; etc.) in order to 'prove' myself to them and one-up them.  What an attention-seeking child will do to get noticed...  Oh, boy.

Off on another tangent- Sorry!!  That trip to the creek was very much needed on such a warm day.  It was ice-cold, which was totally refreshing.  :)  And, it brought back an abundance of memories from my childhood.  I hadn't made a trip to that creek in years!  It's amazing how something so simple can be the source of so many fond childhood recollections.  So much curiosity, joy, and bonding happened there, in that little creek.

Today, I got to spend time with my youngest brother.  We drove around for a bit, then decided to try out this new Thai restaurant in the area.  And it was pretty good!!  Such a beautiful restaurant- the soup was delicious, and the pad thai wasn't too bad either, although it was a little on the greasy side.  After getting our fill, we headed back to visit with my mom.  Hung out together for a bit, then headed off to the local Memorial Day parade to see my other younger brother marching in the high school band.  It was perfect outside today for the parade, too!

And, yes, I know... no photos.  Soon, okay?  Hopefully...  I don't know why, but lately I just forget to take pictures, even if I have my camera on me!  Oh, well.  Either way, these last couple of days have been memorable and very much enjoyable.

Hope you all are having a wonderful day as well!  And, even if it hasn't been that great of a day, look to enjoy tomorrow to the absolute fullest, no matter what little (or seemingly big) things may want to stand in the way and block your view.  :)

Off for now,
Jen

Nothing new

No new pictures yet.  But they're sure to come.  


What to do... what to do??  Basically, all that's planned out for today is working on fixing the last of my car's problems (for now), and getting it inspected!  I might just spend the day outside until then, soaking up the beauty (and sun) that surrounds us.  I also need to fit in some quiet-time today, where I can just read and spend time listening to the Lord.  And, I'm in a water-y mood today, so I'll either end up washing all the cars or heading to the beach.  We'll see.  In any case, I'll try to remember to bring my camera!  Let's hope I don't end up ruining it~ even if I do, it's really no big deal.

Spent yesterday driving back to my dad's place to help work on my car.  Soaked up some sun, watched a movie (Throw Momma From the Train), and satiated my cartoon-fix.  Overall, it was a very wasteful, but relaxing, day.

Here's a fun little cartoon for the day... Enjoy!
http://www.dilbert.com/strips/comic/2010-05-20/

Pretty, Pretty.

:)  So these last few days have been absolutely GORGEOUS!

Couldn't have asked for better weather.  I'm contemplating a trip to the beach, maybe?  :)

Other good news~ last week I decided to plant some chamomile.  I looked at my temporary window box this morning, and what did I notice???!  Sprouts@@  :)  So that's really exciting!

Spent yesterday catching up on Avatar.  Not the recent movie-theatre hit, either.  The Nickelodeon cartoon series... yes, I'm a geek, and quite pitiful.  But, seriously, I'm addicted.  And really stoked for the movie to come out~~  July 2nd in theatres!!  :)  Yippee!!!

Here's a link to the movie trailer, if you're interested...
http://www.thelastairbendermovie.com/

:)  Besides all that excitement (haha), repairs on my beautiful '96 Jeep Cherokee are now underway.  Going over to visit my dad later today to help him in whatever way I can, as he's been so great in helping me out with maintaining my car.

Don't really have any other plans for the day yet.  We'll see what happens!  Oh, and this time, I should be ready with my camera!!  :)

Current Job Situation (UPDATE): Applied for three jobs online today.  Also updated my resume.  We'll see what comes of this...**my fingers are crossed!!!!**

Thanks for reading!  See you all soon.

Fun, Fun, Fun...

So, my weekend was a blast.  


My weekend started out with a trip to my favorite Chinese restaurant ever... Buffalo Wagon!!!!  Woot!  Bought some amazing curry for lunch (I really do love curry...) and left having eaten a little too much.  :)  Later that day, my mom and I headed up to Lake George Village to catch some sun and chill at some of the shops in the village.  Couldn't have asked for better weather!  Didn't think of it until after the fact, but I definitely should have taken advantage of some of the photo opportunities!!  Especially down at the lake!  It was gorgeous outside~!

Sunday, I headed over to visit my dad.  After church, we went on a completely unexpected trip up to Mount Greylock to watch some crazy hang gliders and parachuters jump off the side of the mountain.  I hadn't been there in a while, so it was really nice, despite the chilly weather at the top!  :)  This was also a perfect opportunity to pull out my camera, but I had no idea we were going on another mini road trip, so I was without camera!!  It was still an amazing time, though.

Afterward, my brother treated us all to some Starbucks ice cream... mmmmm  :)  So.  Good.
Let's just say this was a very memorable weekend.

Oh, the job search continues today... probably going to work on updating my resume.  Also, my car is in dire need of some repairs, so that's also on the list of to-do's.  Ayyyyya.  Hoping for a really great week.  Also hoping for a job to land in my lap... who knows.  :)

It's the Weekend!

Saturday has come, at last!!  


This past week has gone by slower than I ever could have imagined.  It's been just over a week since I returned home from school, and things could not drag by any slower, it seems.

I'll probably be going away for a day or so this weekend, so it'll be nice to see a change in setting.  And, this weekend is supposed to be really nice weather-wise.  So, I'll definitely be packing a bathing suit!  ...and hopefully taking lots of gorgeous spring pictures while I'm away.

Besides thinking about this mini-trip, I've been missing my friends from college.  It was so hard to come to terms with our departure this year.  Don't know why it's taken three years at college to finally catch up with me!  Some of my closest friends have now graduated and are moving on in life.  And I guess I just feel like I'm stuck.  Another year of school (at least!) is left, even though I sorta wish it would never end- the whole social part and being around friends 24/7 (not the part where I have to take classes)- I'm just in this really unique place right now.  And I don't really know how to describe it.  Guess I'll just file it away under that expansive "College Years" category.

What I miss the most right now is all the fun that goes with school.  I miss hanging around with people I've grown so very close to.  I miss club meetings and late-night study sessions.  I miss having a group of people I can turn to for whatever, and they'll understand.

But, even as I look forward to all of these things and seeing all of these wonderful people come Fall semester, I still find myself wanting to move on with my life.  To start living outside of the college scene.  Now, if only I could take all those wonderful friends along with me!  :)  I want to move out and move on.  I want all sorts of things, but I guess it's just not time yet.  I can be patient for now as I know, in time, I'm going to truly miss these years and the many blessings that have been heaped on me.

Alright, enough with the sentimental crap.  :)  I should get on with my day, and enjoy each and every moment of it that I can possibly soak up.  Sorry there aren't any pictures today.  There should be some new ones after this weekend, though!  Farewell for now!!!~

Curry!!~

Decided I was in the mood for curry tonight...

It' really simple to make.

I just add carrots, potatoes, and onions.

Put it all together in a pot...

When it's all cooked through, just add the curry!

Boil it on the stove 'til it's all dissolved and it thickens...

Didn't have any noodles on-hand, so I used up whatever pasta I had left-over in the cupboard.  :)

Add it all together....  Mmmmmm  =)

A First Installation of Photos

Me & my boyfriend at the Cleveland Zoo

 One of my favorite photos with some of my favorite people...

More of my favorite girls!

Hanging out with some of the girlies...

Part of the family...

@ my brother's wedding.

Having a good ol' time...

@ the Kidney Walk!

Last one for now...  =) 

Photos

?

Considering adding photos to my blog.  I always find that interesting on other people's blogs, so it might turn out to be an interesting addition.  More to come later today...

Today's Goings-On

I refuse to talk about the current job search...

In other news, I spent the rest of my day helping my mom with yard work.  It was so nice to be out in the sun this afternoon and to actually get some things done.  But, in the end, my hands paid the price!  Aaahh.  Blisters on both hands.  It's kinda gross- they're filled with dirt, but it's too painful to scrub my hands anymore!!  Ewwwwww.  I know.  I contemplated putting up some photos, but it's really gross and I realized that's probably something no one else would want me to share with them.  Haha.  :)

Today I had the chance to pick up some lunch from the store- Peanut Noodles.  Mmmmm... One of my favorites!  It's made by A Taste of Thai, and is usually available in the foreign foods section of the grocery store.  My boyfriend introduced me to this particular dish~ it's really easy to make; just add water and microwave, basically!!  I would highly recommend it, unless of course you're allergic to peanuts or coconut.  I've got this really big obsession with Asian food, and I've never come across a microwaveable dish that actually somewhat stands up to the real thing before- but this one's actually really good.

On a side note, I bumped into a friend from college today while at the store!  It's been a pretty exciting day!  Anyway, she gave me information on her church, as I've been looking to join one in the area for quite some time now.  But, since I'll be out of town this weekend, I hope to visit next week.  I'm pretty stoked about the whole thing.  =)  And it'll be so nice to actually know someone there!

This evening's plans: 

Not quite sure.  Just going with the flow, I guess.  :)  I've really been in the mood for the drive-in theatres as of late.  Dunno if they've opened or not yet.  Sooooo, that's one thing I can do tonight~ checking the opening dates for the drive-ins~  Sweet!  Thrilling, I know.  

If you're reading this post, I'd like to thank you so much!  I know it's bare and there's not much to what I've written so far, but it's kinda cool to think that others are reading it.  So, thanks.  :)

Today's Mission:

Operation Summer Job Search...


So, today begins my much-dreaded search to find a summer job.  I don't mind working at all- the worst part, though, is sifting through all the local businesses to find the job.  I get so nervous when it comes to looking for jobs that, many times, I hold off on the whole thing for a few days until I've worked up enough stamina to get me through the whole search & application process.

I told myself not to wait to find a summer job, but it seems I always end up in this position during the summer break.  Ayyyy... when will I learn??!  I also told myself this past week that I'd go out and search for potential summer positions this past Monday.... It's Thursday now, and I still haven't made an effort to fill out any applications.  Hmmm.  There is definitely something wrong here.

But, today I am dragging myself out of the house and down the main strip of my town so as to start this whole process once again.  Filling out, en-masse, job applications; figuring how far I'm willing to walk to a job; getting an idea of the people who work there (if they're potential creepy old/young men, then I'm outta there without even picking up an application); making phone calls and unannounced drop-by's to convince them they should hire me; and pulling my hair out the entire time.

Sometimes I wish I had connections: a family-run business that I could fall back on, a secretarial position (or any position, for that matter!) at a relative's place of work; or even people I knew with kids who'd need a babysitter for the summer.  But, no, none of the above apply.  Oh, well.  :)

Although this whole new job thing scares me endlessly and makes me unnecessarily nervous, I do appreciate it in the end.  After all, it means getting to know new people, a new place, and a new profession.  Well, maybe not that last one, depending on where I'm hired.  We'll debate later whether or not working as a cashier or fast-food handler is considered a 'profession.'  Maybe.

Well, here I go now.  Off to get ready to go out and about and find my summer job.  Wish me luck!  =)

THE first post.

So, for the first blog post...

After multiple attempts at creating blogs in the past, I am determined to stick to this one! Seriously. I think I've tried this maybe twice in the past few years, but I was never determined enough to stick to it. So, in New-Year's-resolution-style (but not, because it's obviously halfway through the year), I have decided to stay committed to this blog no matter how epically it might fail. Gotta admit that my inspiration for starting up this blog is pathetic... I saw Julie & Julia not too long ago... yeah, no comment. But, if it got me to this point, I guess it can't be that bad.

Anyway. If anyone's reading this post, please remember it's only my first post, okay? Don't judge. Hah. No, you can judge, I won't mind.

So, I guess in my first blog, I'll share a little about myself. I am a college student (off on summer break at the moment!) pursuing a career in education. As of now, I'm contemplating getting rid of all of my crap... seriously, I could barely fit everything into my car when moving out of the dorms recently. But, something's holding me back. My mom's always called me a pack rat. And maybe that's true. Actually, I'm pretty sure it is. Especially since I'm studying to become a teacher. It's like I keep anything and everything I think I might be able to use in my future classroom. I mean, we all know that elementary school teachers and early childhood teachers don't get paid nearly enough! So, I figure it's worthwhile to stock up and think about the needs of my future classroom!! :) But, in all seriousness, I would really like to get rid of all this stuff I've acquired, but can't seem to part with.

I've always admired and wanted to join those living minimalistic lives. A few years ago, one of the most inspirational books I've ever read, describes just that. It's called The Irresistible Revolution, by Shane Claiborne. It's a story of a group of Christians living in Philadelphia, pursuing lives of justice and love. I plug this book anytime I get the chance, so it's not really that weird that it seemed to find its way into this blog post. Anyway, hopefully after some thoughtful consideration in these upcoming weeks, and through re-prioritizing things in my life, I will come to a place where I'm able to just let go of all the unnecessary things I've held onto and have allowed to clutter up my life.

So, yeah. Had no clue I was going to include all of this in my blog, but there it is! :) Hopefully, I'll be able to be this open in later posts, allowing whoever is reading this a small glimpse into my head and heart.

Thanks for reading this. Don't know if it applies to you in any way, rings some bells, or if you have anything to say to what I've written today. If so, and if you're comfortable, feel free to comment.