a new year

and some new goals and things to go with it.

My word for this year is relax.  I thought about going with calm the f*ck down but decided one word would be better than a phrase. It’ll also look better on our wall since I plan to hang it up as a reminder.

I worry about everything.  There are nights when I can’t fall asleep or stay asleep because I’m worrying about stupid things.  There are times when I’ll be sitting around thinking and realize that I've given myself a stomach ache because I’m worrying about the what-ifs.  So yeah, relax is a good word for this year.

I’d like to learn how to sew this year.  I don’t really have the patience for all the measuring and pinning but I’m going to try.

I’d also like to learn how to coupon effectively.  I've tried this before but have never followed through with it.  I actually gave it a try this summer and it was a pretty awesome feeling the few times I saved big chunks of money.  I just need to put some effort into it.

I’m planning to read The Story.  It is the Bible written as a story.  My mom gave it to me a few months ago but I have yet to start it. I will have it read by the end of this year.

• take more pictures
• read more books
• get (and keep) closets organized
• climb the Campanile at SDSU

To get started on the taking more pictures goal, Dave and I went out to McCrory to take a few pictures this morning. We didn't stay out long though since the windchill was -20.

Christmas stuff

I thought I would share some of my Christmas decorations with ya all. Here's the thing though: either I've gotten worse at taking pictures or my camera is on its last leg. Almost all of the pictures I took came out really blurry or semi-blurry.  I'm starting with the worst picture so maybe the rest won't look quite so bad.

I made these little shelves a couple weeks ago and was so excited to decorate them for Christmas.  I made them pretty narrow so my husband wouldn't knock them off the wall when walking out of the bathroom or bedroom (like he has with other shelves that have been there).  Since they are so narrow, I didn't have a lot of choices on what to put up there this year.  I'm hoping to find some fun things at after Christmas sales for next year.

Some Christmas in the bedroom...

in the kitchen...

in the living/dining area...

and a few miscellaneous pictures...

I put some greenery, pinecones, and large ornaments in our flower pots this year.  I like the look but I think I need to find bigger pinecones for next year since they got buried under the snow.

Each year I buy a photo frame ornament for our tree.  This is the new one for 2013.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you have a wonderful Christmas season.

lately...

Well I haven't been very good about updating around here {no surprise there} so I'm just going to lump everything into one post.

A couple weeks ago, my mom, aunt, cousin, and I went on a girl's weekend.  We spent two nights at a casino resort and did a little gambling while we were there. I've never really been a gambler, and have actually only played on the machines twice before this trip.  I've never thought it was very fun to sit at a machine and watch your money disappear, but it was pretty fun when I won this at a penny machine.

Last weekend Dave and I went to Palisades State Park to look at the fall colors.  While there wasn't a very strong fall showing, the scenery was still pretty.

I went to my mom's this past weekend.  We worked on a couple projects and did a little shopping while I was home.  We went to a store that is a little piece of Christmas heaven.  The lady who owns it sets up over 50 trees in the store. Love!

Being in there gave me the Christmas itch even more! Only one more month 'til the Christmas decorations come out!

weekend recap

I feel like I didn't do a whole lot this weekend but I must have found something to fill my time because the weekend flew by.  I did do a project I've been wanting to get done for awhile but I'm not sure if I like it or not. Maybe I'll post it later this week.

I also put my Halloween decorations out.

I'm so excited that October starts tomorrow. I have quite a few fun things on the calendar for the month including Dave's birthday and a girl's weekend with my mom, aunt, and cousin.  Maybe I'll actually have a few things to post about this month. ;o)

Have a great week!

weekend recap & VoxBox

Dave and I started out the weekend by going out to supper Friday night and seeing Jobs.  We both thought the movie was good.  I told him that if my butt hadn't have started hurting, I wouldn't have even noticed we'd just sat through a two hour movie.

I woke up early Saturday morning and decided to take a walk around McCrory.  It was already humid but I still managed to spend an hour and a half walking around.  I took some pictures of the few monarchs that were floating around.

Sunday started the MN Vikings season.  To start out the day, Dave pranced through the apartment in his underwear while playing the Christmas song "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year."  I'll spare you a picture of that but will show you how he spent a majority of the first quarter.

Apparently it sends the team good vibes....or something like that.  Must not have worked though since they lost.

I received my first VoxBox this weekend.  I signed up with Influenster over the summer and was surprised to get a box already.  In my box was a coupon for a free Sargento cheese product and a cheese accessory.  I picked up a pack of cheese to make some football food on Sunday.

I have no pictures of the food actually assembled because, well, I forgot I guess. But I think it's probably pretty self explanatory anyway.

Hope ya all have a great week!

lately

Hmmm....I should have waited until tomorrow to post then it would have been exactly two months since I last posted anything.  Sooo...what's been going on lately? Not a whole lot around here which is why I haven't posted I guess.

I've had a pretty quiet summer for the most part.  I've been looking for a new position but either I'm really bad at job hunting or there just isn't much out there right now.  Maybe both.  I love teaching but we really need more money coming in from my side.  But, since I haven't found anything, it's back to the school I go in a few weeks.  I'm mostly ok with that since I like most of my co-workers and love the students.  It would be really nice to have more money...but who doesn't feel that way I guess.

My class held its 15 year reunion on July 3.  Sometimes I can't believe we've been out of high school for 15 years already.  Weren't we just teenagers a couple years ago?  I wasn't sure I was going to go this year but I'm really glad I did.  It's always a good time.  Twenty-five of us graduated together and we usually get about half that attends.

I've been back to my mom's several times this month.  My brother moved into a house so I've been trying to help out where I can.  I painted for about 10 hours one day and went back last week to hang decorations on the walls.

This weekend was pretty awesome.  It felt like fall around here, which always makes me happy.  60s and 70s in July is a good thing in my book.  Dave and I went to Sioux Falls on Saturday.  We visited my grandma for awhile.  It's pretty amazing to be around her and think about the fact that she's 100 years old.  We also visited my sister-in-law's family and went out for supper with them while we were in town.

That's been about it.  I feel the rush coming on to get everything done that I should have been doing over the summer before school starts.

Oh, and I've been Pinning lots of outfit ideas in hopes of dressing better this school year.  Seriously, I'm about as good as a 7 year old at putting outfits together.

So, anyone still reading this 'ol blog here?

Last Day

Today was the last day of school.  I've been looking forward to this day for several weeks.  The winter was long which seemed to make the school year feel especially long as well.  But, I've also been dreading this day a little too.

I was lucky enough to get to teach the same three students for the past two years.  These kids were an awesome group.  They were so fun to teach and be around every day.  I'm going to miss the before the bell visits, hugs, Axe deodorant, their senses of humor, and spending each day with them.

It was very hard for me to say goodbye today.  As much as I hate to cry in front of people, I couldn't stop the tears as I got one last hug from "my kids".

Each one took a little piece of my heart with them as they left today.