Life Lately {Nov-Jan}

Despite my blogosphere hiatis, I still in fact exist!

As a kid, I remember always hearing grown ups in small talk saying how fast the holidays fly by.  I guess it really wasn't small talk at all.  It felt like Halloween & New Years were about a week apart.

Things lately:
I got a new iphone! Whew! I'm pretty sure someone could run the world with this beast.  I havent even fully engaged everything the phone can do, but I'm slowly learning.  I did not hesitate to get a adorable phone cover though.

I was also able to go home for Thanksgiving..  I spent a lot of my time with family and it was wonderful :) So thankful for them.  This is a pic of my cousins daughter.  Seriously such a doll!

Before I knew it, Christmas was here!  This was our cheerful holiday set at work...

Christmas trip home, I got a little of everyone in.. 

The fam:

The Grandma:

The best friends:

To start off the new year, I made the trek east to Pittsburgh and spent it with my other half:

All in all, things have been going pretty alright.  Adjusting to the new temperatures, and had my first experience driving icy roads today, and survived.

Hitting the slopes tomorrow with a youth group from Florida -- heading out to Beckley, West Virginia! Woo!


I'll definitely have some fun posts to follow after this weekend! Cheers!

Zoo In Zanesville & Potential Roommate

If you happened to watch ANY news yesterday, you probably heard about the exotic animal outbreak in Zanesville, Ohio.  Literally the newsroom was a riot.  I was playing step-in reporter and answering phone calls from all over the place. Boston, Chicago, Canada, & New Zealand: just to name a few.  This was one of the LEAD stories worldwide!  Animals included lions, bears, mountain lions, monkeys, & wolves. The man also had nearly an eighth of all Siberian tigers in the world in his backyard, that sadly had to be killed. This is really causing a big stir with "animal lovers" and I'll admit it's a very tragic story;  but what ignoramuses aren't taking into consideration is the safety of the public.  Can you imagine this guy greeting your kids at the bus stop?

The hype was so much fun.  The stress, excitement, and urgency to get the information to the public was so exhilarating.  This may not be very accurate but I feel like this story gave me taste of what it's like doing national news- and needless to say I'm hooked.

In other animal news, I'm thinking about getting a puppy.  And when I say thinking, I've been thinking for about a year.  I'm in one place, my appartment allows pets, I have a lot of free time, & I think it would be nice to come home to something.  I've been reading articles on pet ownership, the demands,  responsibilities, and even long term planning (how puppies turn into dogs, etc.).  I think I'm going to stick with the Labrador Retriever breed, preferably black, but maybe chocolate.  Goody-goody-gumdrops I'm so excited!!! The only thing in the back of my head is taking him out for potty breaks and exercise in the snowy-wintery Ohio weather.  Anyone ever live up North, in the winter, with a dog?

Although this is a Golden Retriever, I don't think I'd be able to turn down any pups covered in powdery snow :-)

...Eventually.

Despite the wonderful temperatures and beautiful changing leaves around Zanesville, I must admit I'm terribly homesick.  Living alone is a very hard thing to do when you're a people-person.  I don't know if anyone even reads this thing, but if you are, I encourage you to be thankful for your home life. Appreciate coming home to an occupied home.  

Makes Sense...

Rules for Life!

Stumbled across these great rules for life.

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

3. Follow the three Rs:
-Respect for self
-Respect for others
-Responsibility for all your actions.

4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful blessing.

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

8. Spend some time alone every day.

9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.

10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11. Live a good, honorable life. When you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.

12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.

14. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.

15. Be gentle with the earth.

16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.

17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

Purpose.

Treated myself to a lazy afternoon, and came across this statement in a sermon by David Platt:

The purpose of my life as a Christian is to advance the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

Such a great reminder to put things into perspective for a mid-week thought.

Fill-In-The-Blank Friday

After ONE month at my big-girl-career-job TGIF really does take on a new meaning. Luckily, I love my job, and people I work with, therefore, the only complaint is lack of sleep, which is my fault. I've been doing some major blog hunting and found some true gems. the little things we do had a post called "fill in the blank Fridays" I think this a great tradiation to start :)

...You should always take time to listen more and talk less...
...Babies make the world a happier place to be ...
...I can hardly wait for PTO...
...Sunday is my favorite day of the week...
...Something totally dumb and ridiculous that I love is Phineas and Ferb (I remind myself of Candace)...
...If I could, I would visit Europe again annually...
...I rather like breakfast for dinner....

Dreamer

Garnet & Gold

Typical Saturday morning and the only thing that's guaranteed for me is college football. I'm half way through my FIFTH year of college and as frustrated as I am with still being a student and still having no income, I'm starting to see the little things that are coming from this extra year in Tallahassee. Florida State Football is one of them.

Growing up, no one in my immediate family was ever a big college football fan. The only game I faintly remember is the Florida v. Florida State game that falls after every Thanksgiving and living an hour from Gainesville it's was always topic of conversation. It isn't until now, my last and final fall in Tallahassee, that I'm realizing how much I really love my 'Noles. It really is something else when you think about the pride you have for your college team. A heartbreak can make me cry, and a bad loss can make me boil with anger, but it never fails that next Saturday I'll be coming back for more. As cheesey as those side-of-the-car-magnet's can be...I really do bleed Garnet & Gold.

Tonight we play at University of Maryland and next Saturday we play University of Florida in Tallahassee, which will be my last home game legally sitting in the student section. Every year I say, "As long as we beat Florida as my last game as a student..." It's about that time and I can't wait!

Pit Stop

With my busy and hectic life, just wanted to update you on why I'm a horrible blogger:

I never made one summer post.

But on the the upside:

Happy Autumn !!

I shall return again before the winter, promise.