Let us give thanks

First, let me start by saying the number one reason I am excited for Thanksgiving every year is because it means I can officially start listening to Christmas music without getting crazy stares. That really isn't my favorite thing about Thanksgiving, but it totally makes it more exciting!

Every year for Thanksgiving we go to my Grandma's house and she cooks probably the best Thanksgiving feast you could ask for. This year was no different, I drove up last night and spent some time with my family, woke up early this morning, watched the parade and anxiously waited until supper was ready. This year was especially better because my cousins Corri and Chad, who I haven't seen since I was in braces, were there.

My Grandma cooked dinner for 16 and it is just so cool to see how much serving us in that way once a year gives her so much joy. As you can imagine it is hard to find a table for 16 so each year we have the table in the dining room and the table in the sun room set up, in the past the dining room had the "adult table" and the sun room had the "kid table". This year we realized that my 15 year old brother Dillon is the only "kid" now, the rest of us are over 18 so technically we are adults too.

Well usually the "kids" fix their plates and sit down and wait for the "grown ups" and then Grandma or Pa will say grace. Today Grandma decided I had to say grace for the "kids table" so we wouldn't have to wait for the adults to be ready, talk about putting a girl on the spot.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, these are some of the things I'm thankful for:
- My Mom for working so hard to provide for us :)
- My Grandma Lola for loving her family so much and her awesome stories.
- Being 3 semesters away from being a CNU graduate.
- My family
- My sisters, especially my triceratops fam


Happy Thanksgiving !!

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever."
- Psalm 107:1

New Moon and Life

I and Twilight fans alike have been anxiously awaiting the release of New Moon for a year. Finally, last night at midnight, I got to see the movie. I came in town yesterday afternoon, spent some time at my old job visiting my sister and my old co-workers, went to dinner with Mom and Maygon, saw Maygon's new apartment (her devil dog Buster didn't bite me!) and saw the midnight premiere of New Moon.
I was really pleased with the way the movie turned out, especially as a fan of the books, I was really interested to see how they put the book on screen. The movie made me laugh out loud on more than one occasion, it made me want to scream at Edward for being so selfish and Bella for being such a drama queen, and most surprisingly made me doubt my allegiance to Team Edward. Taylor Lautner did a really great job this time around of playing Jacob, and I won't lie I feel guilty for thinking this 17 year old is so darn attractive (his 8 pack is undeniable), kudos to Taylor Swift for snagging this cutie. Don't get me wrong, I am so a Robert Pattinson fan, I definitely made sure I did not miss his appearance on Ellen today.

Another great movie I watched today was the new Star Trek movie, which even though I am by no means a "trekkie", I really enjoyed. My Mom had to explain some things to me but I really did like the movie.

On another note,
Does anyone have those times when every song on the radio seems to speak directly to you? Well I've been in this mood for like two weeks now, where every song I hear, I think of how it totally fits what is going on in my life. I have been so contemplative lately, I just think about everything, all the time, I am just thinking thinking thinking, it is getting a little frustrating let me tell you.

I have 6 days of classes left, then finals and then Winter Break. When classes start back in January, I will be starting my 3rd to last semester of college, where in the world did the time go?? I feel like the first two and a half years of college have flown me by, and I honestly don't know what to make of my time so far at CNU. I can't help but think how different my life could be right now. I am seriously going to be a Senior in college in less than a year, what the heck?!

My only fear is that I am going to look back on my four years and feel like something was missing, or have regrets, and that is not any way I want to live. I want to feel like I am making every second count, if not what am I here for? God put me on this earth and gave me life so I can live it to the full, and I really need to start living it to the full, I'm just not quite sure how to do that and that scares me a little bit.

I want to know that while I had my youth I enjoyed it. I want to be happy and I want to feel accomplished.

I know this is so long and random but all I do is think nowadays so I had a lot to put out there.

Procrastination

So this is my query for the day. Can you procrastinate sleep?

It is two am right now and I have class at 8 am yet here I sit online, typing this. I am tired don't get me wrong I just get distracted and have other things to do but sleep, weird I know.

Anyways, it has been raining alllll day today. Governor Kaine even declared a state of emergency because of the rain. Are classes cancelled tomorrow you ask? Welp the first class starts at 8am and no news yet. I did not even want to go to class today because of the awful rain, I drove to campus, I live across the street. There is this really bad nor'easter coming through and there are floods expected all over, the Bay Bridge Tunnel is already closed. This school needs to get with it, ODU already had their classes cancelled tomorrow I mean COME ON.

Anyways, for fans of my playlist, listen to the Twilight Serenade station on Pandora, there are some AWESOME songs on there that are kind of similar to my playlist. This is the only station I have been listening to for the past week, it is really awesome and I love it.

I only have 11 days of classes left for the semester and I couldn't be more thrilled. I registered for classes on Monday and got everything I wanted, except now the Department Chair is trying to kick me out of my psych sensation and perception lecture and lab because a 4th year JUNIOR needs it to graduate in May. I am sorry but that is the departments fault not mine. So tomorrow I get to argue all day and seriously raise some kane if they try to kick me out of my class, it will just ruin all of my plans and I will be beyond livid.

I think the reason I am staying up is because I hope that school will get cancelled, in which case I get to sleep in :D It's just like grade school (p.s. I love that I am now old enough to call elementary through high school grade school) when it would snow but school wouldn't get cancelled until really early and you would stay up late, knooowwwing that it would get cancelled.

Anyways, my eyes are getting too tired to procrastinate sleep any longer.

Home in one week!! Can't wait for New Moon!!!!!

Hebrews 9:39-40
"These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect." - I don't know why but this verse really spoke to me the other day when I stumbled upon it. I guess it is cool because it shows that God rewards us for being faithful even when we don't get what we desire, because he knows better than us what we need.

and now, max said, let the wild rumpus start

So this weekend for Halloween, I was Max from Where the Wild Things Are. As someone who wants to teach kindergarten this book is near and dear to me, I remember reading it as a child and it's just a classic. Much to my disappointment I got a lot of strange stares, followed by dozens of "what areeee you supposed to be?" to which I would sigh and respond "Max, from Where the Wild Things Are", the most frustrating part came next when people would go "ooooo from the movie right?!". AHHHHHHHHH !!!!! No people, it is a book. The book is more than twice as old as the movie, come on it won a Caldecott Medal! Was I the only snobbish child who only picked Newberry and Caldecott Medals when I went to the library? (granted I only did this because I knew these books were important for some reason, whatever the reason I hadn't a clue)

Anyways, I can't believe it is November already, in only 4 weeks it will be time for Thanksgiving at Grandma's house. I am already getting nostalgic for Christmas... I haven't pulled out the Christmas mix yet, but soon enough. I love the winter, even though it's still fall, I love the leaves falling, the crisp air, the smell of it... aahhh I just love it. I am counting down the days until New York City with the Hudgins women (to clarify my Mom's sisters, mom and one of my cousin - and mom and Maygon of course)!

What I Stumbled Upon

So, the other day a friend of mine was telling me about this website that his roommate is obsessed with called Stumbleupon.com . I had heard of it but I hadn't ever tried it out.
Well a few days ago, I tried it out and I am seriously addicted to it. The premise of the website is that you hit the "stumble" button and it takes you to a random website online. Doesn't sound really fun right? Well basically when you register on the website (it's free by the way) you download this toolbar onto your web browser that pops up once you log in, this way you can continue to hit the "stumble" button as many times as you want. When you register you pick certain areas of interest and based on those it finds these random websites for you. You can even "like" or "dislike" a website it finds for you, so this way it gets a better idea of the kind of things you are interested in. Once you "like" a website it saves it for you on your account so you can go to that list and revisit the site. I know right now this doesn't sound that fun, but I seriously sat for like 2 hours at work yesterday "stumbling" as I affectionately call it. My favorite is when it shows me a cute picture or quote, there are some really cool videos that it has shown me as well.

Anyways, my work here is done, go for yourself and try it out and please let me know that you love it just as much as I!!

Happy Stumbling

He's Just Not That Into You

Seeing as most of the people I know who read this are probably female, I figured you would appreciate this topic.

The movie "He's Just Not That Into You" is the most sickingly (real word??)accurate movie ever. Just the opinions it poses are so true. If you haven't seen it these are some quotes from the movie.

Gigi (main character) "We are all programmed to believe that if a guy acts like a total jerk that means he likes you." - maybe a stretch but pretty much truth

Alex (main guy) "So trust me when I say if a guy is treating you like he doesn't give a sh-- he genuinely doesn't give a sh--. No exceptions." - EXACTLY, yet we think of every excuse we can to put our minds at ease.

"If you can find him, then he can find you. If he wants to find you, he will." - I love this because men know when they want you, and if they do, they will come after you, you shouldn't have to chase him.

Gigi: "Girls are taught a lot of stuff growing up. If a guy punches you he likes you. Never try to trim your own bangs and someday you will meet a wonderful guy and get your very own happy ending. Every movie we see, Every story we're told implores us to wait for it, the third act twist, the unexpected declaration of love, the exception to the rule. But sometimes we're so focused on finding our happy ending we don't learn how to read the signs. How to tell from the ones who want us and the ones who don't, the ones who will stay and the ones who will leave. And maybe a happy ending doesn't include a guy, maybe... it's you, on your own, picking up the pieces and starting over, freeing yourself up for something better in the future. Maybe the happy ending is... just... moving on. Or maybe the happy ending is this, knowing after all the unreturned phone calls, broken-hearts, through the blunders and misread signals, through all the pain and embarrassment you never gave up hope."
- I love this last one, it's the ending montage of the movie and it makes me feel a lot better because I am such a sap, and hopeless, hopeless romantic, but it is so unrealistic, movies and tv shows make you feel like it's gonna be this beautiful moment or just sweep you off your feet experience, but the cynic I am will believe it when I see it.

I love this movie, because it helps me see how silly I am being when I overanalyze every little minute detail and twist things around to make them seem favorable, even if I am totally off. My roommate Heather also kind of talked some sense in to me and was pretty bluntly honest, which I appreciate, because I feel like a lot of times (just like in the movie) women tell their friends what they want to hear, and I have respect for the truth. It also makes me trust even more that because the Lord said he will be with me wherever I go and he has a plan for me, that I don't have to worry about every little detail, it is all in his hands, and one day I will be the exception, instead of the rule (movie reference again). I stress so much about every facet of life, and I feel here lately God has really been telling me to just let it go, to give it up to him and know that my life is all taken care of. Something I also struggle with is uncertainty, I am uncertain of the Lord's plan for my life and that makes me really anxious, I want to know now where I am going to be in 5 years, what is my life going to be like?

Anyway He's Just Not That Into You is a great movie ladies so watch for sure!!

I can't believe it is almost Halloween, and that there is legit like a month of the semester left.

CNU Homecoming & Blonde Moment of the Year

So this weekend was CNU's Homecoming. On Friday we had Midnight Madness, which is essentially a pep rally and we introduce the Basketball teams because their season is starting. I got a little nostalgic for my days as Student Body Prez at good ole Patrick Henry, I really do miss that aspect of high school for sure.Anyways, I was working Midnight Madness, little did I realize how crazy it was gonna be. I was running all over the place for a good 2 hours before I had a chance to just sit, needless to say when I got home at 1 am I was exhausted.

We had our football game on Saturday which was fun, Phi Mu put on Touchdowns for Tommy during the first half of the game. Touchdowns is an event we do every year during the Homecoming Football game in order to raise money for Cure Search, who is doing research for a cure for childrens' cancer. The event is in honor of Tommy Gosser, son of two professors here at CNU, who passed away last year due to cancer. The event was a great success. We also entered our float into the Homecoming "Parade", our float was by far the cutest. The game was awesome, it was great getting to see some Alumni friends, especially my big, Laura.

Today was just a day of rest, I don't know what is wrong with me but the past two days I have just been absolutely EXHAUSTED. I'm not sure what's wrong with me but I've been soooo tired. I'm starting to get paranoid, you know when you try to self diagnose, I do it a lot, the curse of being the daughter of a Nurse.

ANNNDDD NOW..... for the Blonde Moment of the Year.. nay Century...

Yesterday morning I woke up and took my phone off the charger. Imagine my surprise when the phone would not turn on . nothing but a blank screen. I was convinced my phone was dead. I even plugged it back into the charger with no luck. I needed a new phone. So I go all day yesterday with absolutely no phone. This afternoon I take my phone to Verizon, the lady plugs it in and it turns right on. She suggests maybe my charger is broken and that I should go get it and bring it back to see if it is in fact broken. Well, I drive back to the apartment, walk in my room and see my charger, not plugged in. Just to explain, my charger has to parts because it also serves as a USB to connect to my computer. SOOOOO this whole time, the USB port was not plugged into the charging port, which was plugged into the wall. THE PHONE WAS NEVER CHARGED PEOPLE. The best part was driving all the way back to get my phone back and explain to the lady how ditzy I was. EMMMMBARASSING..........

So if that gave you a laugh I am glad to have brought a smile to your face!

Listen to: Everything's Right - Matt Wertz (great guy p.s.)