Please don't ask me if I'm nervous!

All along the wedding planning process people have been asking me if I am  getting nervous.  My reply has always been "No, I'm excited, just waiting for it to get here."  Until last night and I was up at 1am thinking about all of these little details that I had forgotten about or left undone until now (ie. figure out how to bustle my dress for the reception!!!!!).  Most of the things are simple - get snacks for my girls for the hotel, finalize programs, etc.  Nothing major but this bustle thing kept me up past 3am researching online DIY techniques and having no one to talk to to calm me down.  I figured out a very easy and quick fix to my problem all on my own so no worries.

No, I am still not nervous but please don't ask me if I am because then I feel like I should be and then I find something to worry about.

With 2 days to go I am just super excited and have decided I can't worry anymore about details or little things that really won't change the fact that I will be married to the man I love and the man of my dreams.  Everything else...who really cares?!

Another year and so much to say!!!

I have actually missed writing...sometimes...but I have been so busy I haven't really had time to sit down and tell you all about my life for the past year.

I am getting married in 12 days!!!!!

I know, I know.  I will fill you in on the whole story at some other time.

That is so crazy to me.  The whole process in general has been easier than I expected as far as choosing colors, flowers, food, dress, etc. goes.  My man has been a big help and involved in many of the decision making.  He didn't really care about the flowers or colors or how the napkins are to be folded.  He really enjoyed meeting with the caterer though! :)

I just finished my last day with kids today and basically have a week and a half to get the final little details worked out and we will be all set to go.

I will do my best to post more often and fill you in on more details of my new life with my new last name!

Traveling with friends!

Hey people!!!  I know you have been DYING for a story from Russia and I am just now ready to appease that request.  I have been home for just over a week now and have not done much more than upload all 800+ of my pictures to Facebook.  If you have the chance to check them out, do so under the warning that the only requests from people before I left included (1) Be safe. (2) Have fun. (3) Take lots of pictures.  So I did all 3 with an emphasis on #3!

Prior to the trip I didn't really know anyone else going.  I mean we had our 2 day workshop in March with a half hour "get-to-know-you, here are more details, did we scare you yet?" lunch but really I didn't know anyone.  Insert a 4 hour plane delay at RDU and problem is solved!

I met Tammy in the first line of the day - checking in at the "self check-in" computers.  We were both at the end of the line and struck up conversation about who knows what.  Probably a lot of "wow how long does it take to check in at the computer?" "why is this going so slow?" "oh, don't get that computer it seems to be giving people lots of fits." and so on.  After checking in, we got transferred to another line the "check in your luggage, get passport inspected, get actual ticket" line.  Joyful!  We also ended up next to each other on the plane to DC...score!  YAY friend #1!!!

Now that I am exhausted already and have yet to go through security, I sit down and strike up a conversation with Bess.  (I know look at me branching out and striking up conversations.  Such a big girl!)  Anyway, we dealt with the whole "my name is... I teach...in..." junk to be repeated at least 25 more times to the other travelers.  She has a very interesting story - she taught the new American Idol in English!  I had to text my mom right away because I knew she would want to know.  So anyway, we got past my little bit of star-struckness and had a unspoken plan to stick together - at least for the day.

After security and knowing that we would be at the airport for a while we decided to go on an adventure to find food; what may possibly be some of the last edible food of our trip (in my mind at least).  As we were wandering we came across Andi and invited her to join us on our quest.  Come to find out through the "my name is... I teach...in..." junk that she teaches at one of my feeder elementary schools.  SMALL WORLD!

From this point on the 4 of us verbally decided that we are going to stick together for this trip.  Short of one small incident, we never left a WOman behind!

Andi, Tammy, Bess, and me in Suzdal, Russia

I am not really sure how my trip would have gone without these girls, but I am really glad I had them!  We had a blast learning new things, being a sounding board when something or more likely someone was driving us crazy, or just to laugh and chat together.  We have plans to meet up at our post-travel workshop and get dinner and reminisce about our adventures.

Traveling 101: If you don't know anyone, meet them!  Some of them may actually turn out to be pretty darn cool!

I craft - no biggie

So I was spending the morning searching Amazon for new free books to put on my Kindle (because I only get free ebooks) and I was showing off my new Kindle cover/carrier that I got from Thirty-One (click the link to take you to Jordan's website to check out all the cool things you can buy).  The holder is actually a Fold-N-Go Organizer with notepad but a Kindle (or Nook) fits in nicely.  So anyway...downloading books, showing off my new cover and I stand up to put it away and my Kindle falls out the top! Hitting my computer and the falling to the floor...crash, bam, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I freaked out - but only slightly (which surprised me that I wasn't more freaked out).

So Laura and I decided something has to be done!  Her suggestion - get some ribbon or something like that and attach snaps to hold it in place but so that you can still take it out.  Guess what...I just so happen to have a snap attaching kit and ribbon.  Really random I am aware but also VERY awesome at that point in time.

I read the directions carefully before attempting anything - because I am a planner and because I won't do it if I can convince myself that it won't work.

OH!  Did I tell you that I had to listen to Jason Aldean while I crafted?

The first step is to poke holes in the fabric.  This makes me extremely nervous because I don't want random holes in it if it doesn't work.  I do a test hole in a portion that can't be seen and it works!  So here we go.  I measure for the hole very precisely - stretching a piece of ribbon across the distance, folding it in half and then seeing where the middle is, and then eye ball it with the hole puncher - like I said very precise.  I worked really hard to punch the hole, got most of it punched and finished it off with scissors.  Whew that was stressful but accomplished nonetheless.  Now I had to make a hole in the ribbon to attach the snap - I just used scissors for that knowing the hole punch would jack. it. up.

Now comes the attaching the snap part.  I looked at the diagram to figure out which piece is (A), (B), (C), and (D).  And then I went to town.  Hammering was involved!  And voila! one snap is completed!  Now I folded the ribbon over, again precisely measuring where the holes will go and repeated the above steps!  Now it is complete.  I also added little pieces of rubber (extra stuff used to secure a rug to a hardwood floor - also something I just happened to have laying around) to the underside of the snaps that touch the Kindle so that the metal of the snaps won't rub and mess it up.

Let me just tell you this thing looks AMAZING!!!  Way better than I thought it would.  I do have some critiques of it - the holes are just off center (maybe my precise measuring should have actually been precise), I could have done this and that a little differently, etc etc.  But really I am super excited about it and won't complain - too much.  For half an hour's work I got a revamped Thirty-One Fold-N-Go Organizer turned one-of-a-kind Kindle cover!  Some things money can't buy!

New Goal

Ok well my other two goals have been going really well (read here and here to get caught up).

I am starting to become an adult...FINALLY as my mom would say! Now I don't know another goal for this next week. I think I should test out these two goals for another week. (This will also solve the problem of not having a goal.)

Ideas for new goals are welcome. Especially from those people that are already adults!

Goal #2

Alrighty so goal #1 was a hit! I will definitely be doing my best to keep up with that goal. One thing that helped me with this goal was deciding the night before if I wanted to sleep in an extra 15 or 20 minutes and then I set my alarm for that time and felt way more refreshed than I would have been hitting the snooze 3 or 4 times! A 3-hour delay on Thursday didn't hurt one bit either! Also, by keeping my bed made, I have naturally kept the floor and closet more tidy as well. Especially my bookshelves which can be my dropping off place for all manner of things. I have been putting things away! I am growing up! :( or is it :)?

So on to my new goal for this week.

I am going to eat all meals at home at the kitchen table! I have lived here with my brand new table for a year and a half and use it more as a place to leave my purse or mail or do schoolwork or all kinds of things but not very often do I actually use it to eat my meals. The couch is generally my choice spot - I can watch tv and use the computer at the same time. I tried the table the other day and found that there is a seat that I can sit in and still see the tv comfortably should I try to use that excuse as a reason not to sit at the table.

I think this goal will go along with keeping my bed made to making me into a more civilized adult. It also helps me to not be so lazy! I am not saying I won't eat at the couch - a girl has to snack every once in a while but actual meals, especially those that require utensils, will be eaten at the table. I think I will start tonight with dinner - since I definitely ate my lunch sitting on the couch while checking email and Facebook!

New question. What to have for dinner?

Wish me luck with my new goal!

A New Goal for the Week

Well I spent the afternoon cleaning the apartment - sweeping, swiffering, fan blade dusting, bookself dusting, laundry, dishes, bedroom, living room, dining nook, kitchen, laundry room, study, bathroom - not a place (except Christina's room/bathroom - that's all you my friend) left untouched!

So I have decided to have a goal for this week and see how it works out to make a new one each week while still maintaining those from past weeks. Anyway, I'll see how it goes.

Back to my goal. This week my goal is to wake up with my alarm clock on the first time and make my bed every morning. (I guess this really equates to two goals but I always like to dive head-first, all gung-ho in my new adventures. Why not this one too?)

Many of you may be saying these are easy/lame goals. Not for me.

Normally I let the snooze go 5-6 times and sometimes I run out of snooze times and my phone tells me I must get up because the alarm will not go off anymore this morning! Not only does that make me sad, I haven't really gotten any more rest dealing with the alarm every 5 minutes for the past 35 than I would have had I gotten up the first time. So, why not add a bit of extra time to my morning? Did I mention my alarm starts going off at 5:15 AM every weekday morning? Hence the 'not easy' part.

The second part of my goal - to make my bed - is really for looks rather than anything else. I really like the way my room looks after I have just cleaned it. It looks REALLY good! Everything is in its place (or at least tucked away somewhere so no one can see it) and organized. Normally my thought is, I am just going to sleep in it again tonight. What's the use of making it? Well, the use is that it looks nice and since I am getting up on time, I will have time to do it!

The key to making this goal a reality is to get up, not just wake up, but GET UP when the alarm goes off and make the bed right then. I will be less likely tempted to crawl back into the snuggly warmth. I say less likely tempted because it is 5:15 in the morning for goodness' sake!

Anyway, off to bed so that I have a good chance of fulfilling these goals on Day #1!

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phil. 4:13