Good Evening!

It's been a bit... here's an update.

1. I love my man. He's so great! We went skiing for valentine's Day - not my choice, but he really wants me to learn, and it was great to have him there encouraging me to be brave. =] Then we went out for dinner at the Bostwick Lake Inn (yum!) and then to Kohls and TGIFridays for my FAVORITE cheesecake! And, truth be told, he has spent more time with me this week than he really had time for, and I love him for it.

2. School is going well... I'm keeping up with my online classes and everything! And so is work (since now those two overlap) - Thursday I sat down with the lead teacher in our room and worked out a schedule for my doing circle time, and to work things out with Diane coming to observe and all.

3. It's snowing... again. ugh. After a week of warmer (40's and 50's) weather, we are supposed to have another dumping. I was perfectly fine with winter being done, but whatever. haha.

4. I got to watch two Jane Austen movies today, which has put me in a wonderful mood. Not so great a mood, however, to watch Lord of the Rings with my sister. Sorry girl. Not happening. Instead I sit here on my computer, trying to think of a circle time activity to do with the kiddos at work tomorrow. As of yet, I've got nothing. =]

5. Lastly, I love Michael Buble. My uncle has graciously let us borrow his mp3 player for almost two months now, and I've only just recently started exploring his library. He has a jazz playlist that I have fallen in love with, and Michael is a major part of that playlist. So, my songs for the week are, of course, going to be jazz. yum.

Always on my Mind - Michael

Smile - Chris Botti feat. Stephen Tyler - a surprising combo, but absolutely gorgeous.

Wonderful Tonight - Michael

Cry Me a River - Michael

and I'll stop there, because otherwise I would probably list the whole playlist =] But seriously, go listen to these - and more!

[Ok, so I am really bad at this... and this will be the last time I say that. =] New goal - instead of every Monday, it's once a week. Problem solved! ]

Life is good. It really is. I am pretty much set to graduate this spring, and that is totally worth jumping up and down! It's almost unreal. I feel like I've been in school forever... oh wait, I have! But, it is almost finished. And that makes me very happy.

I'm getting a lot of extra hours at work, which is great, and my schedule this semester is making it very easy to catch up with friends. I just wish I had more gas $$ to go and see those that are farther away.

I had breakfast with my bestie this morning. We have decided to make a tradition out of it - every other week, we get together for breakfast and giggle and gab and catch up on each other's lives. With our schedules nowadays, we don't get to see each other very often.

My boyfriend is planning our Valentine's date... and won't tell me what it is!!! All he told me is that I need to wear snow-gear because it'll be outside, and that it's something I haven't done before. Don't get me wrong, I like surprises ~ but this one is driving me crazy! Until now, I thought I had tried everything winter-outdoor-sy. I've been skiing, tubing, sledding, fort-making, ice-fishing, ice-skating... what else is there? Snowboarding I have not done, but I don't think he would choose that, given my skiing experience (it took me 45 minutes to finally make it to the bottom of the hill the first time - skiing is not my thing). So, that leaves me to wonder and wait, I guess.

I baked an angel food cake yesterday. It's definitely my favorite kind of cake. While looking through recipes last week, I came across a little notecard my grandma had written, and it made me really happy. Here's what it said:

How to Preserve a Husband

Be careful in your selection. Do not choose too young. When selected, give your entire thoughts to preparation for domestic use. Some wives insist upon keeping them in a pickle, others are constantly getting them into hot water. This may make them sour, hard, and sometimes bitter; even poor varieties may be made sweet, tender, and good by garnishing them with patience, well sweetened with love and seasoned with kisses. Wrap them in a mantle of charity. Keep warm with a steady fire of domestic devotion and serve with peachest cream. Thus prepared, they will keep for years.

I thought that was super cute!

Song for the week... hmm. Well, Valentine's Day is around the corner, so this week's song is Galileo, by Josh Groban. Not only a gorgeous voice, but great lyrics.

Galileo fell in love

As a Galilean boy

And he wondered what in heaven,

who invented such a joy?

But the question got the better

Of his scientific mind

And to his blind and dying day

He looked up high, and often sighed,

And sometimes cried

Who puts the rainbow in the sky?

Who lights the stars at night?

Who dreamt up someone so divine?

Someone like you and made them mine?

Love can make you ask some

funny questions now and then,

But just remember the alternatives-

For I remember when I was lonely

And unhappy and my lips were cold as ice

But you kissed me, and good heavens,

Now I'm here in paradise!

So if ever I'm not kissing you

Or looking in your eyes

I won't be blind, and I won't cry

I'll look up high, and gladly sigh,

and thank The Guy

Who puts the rainbow in the sky

Who lights the stars at night

Who dreamt up someone so divine

Someone like you and made them mine

Someone like you and made them mine.

Snow-mageddon, Snow-pocalypse, Snow-palooza.... I call it a Grown-up Snow Day!!! Over 1700 closings in West Michigan, and around 16 inches of snow overnight!!

Ack! Messed it up already. Well, Tuesday is close enough I guess.

Happy February! What a great month. The meteorologists are calling for a big old blizzard tonight/tomorrow. We're supposed to get anywhere between 8-16 inches apparently, which would definitely bring a snow day. But, knowing Michigan, it'll probably skip over us. At any rate, I hope it is a snowday. Wednesdays are my days off from school, and it would be nice to not have to work either. =] As long as the weather is manageable by Thursday - I have yoga [which is one of my new favorites, and I'm sure a new hobby] and a Government test. Then, I have lunch with my boyfriend. Altogether, a good day, and I'd rather it not get messed with.

Graduation plans are on track. I got my audit back, and it said all I need to do is finish the classes I'm in now, and take English 100 and 102... both of which I was under the impression were covered by my CLEP test I took my first year of college. So, I have to go figure out what happened. But, even if I have to take them again, I can CLEP out of it again and be done. Woot woot! I am so ready to be done with school!

Winter has been kinda slow... my boyfriend told me I need a new hobby. Well, I have plans to learn guitar this summer, but no $ to get one now. So, for the time being, I think my hobby shall be baking. I made oatmeal scotchies last week - used a different recipe than usual, and they were kinda weird looking, but they were a hit! I thought they were delicious too. This week, I'm not so sure what to make...

Song for the week ~ it has no words, but it's really pretty. My bestie gave me a bunch of piano music this past week, and I have really enjoyed it. Anyways, one of my favorites is Moon, by George Winston. Another favorite piano piece, while on the subject, is Claire de Lune by Claude Debussy (this particular version includes a really cool visual). And anything by Yanni (my favorite so far is this one). =] Perfect for homework-ing or falling asleep.

Resolution

Happy 2011!

Alright, I know. It's been 2011 for a few weeks. But, as I am not very consistent with this blogging thing, I have not been on in 2011 until now. So, happy 2011!! One of my resolutions (that I just made this morning~btw, in case you don't know me, I don't do much on time) is to post something at least once a week. In the past, I have used this blog for venting on really bad days, and that's not what I made it to be. And, no one wants to read that, as evidenced by the fact that no one has read this. Go figure. So anyways, my goal is to try and post every Monday. Here goes!

My weekend was great. I spent Friday night watching Dr. Who with my friend, Saturday with my sister, got my new iPod(!!!), and then got all dolled up to go with my boyfriend to his work party, which was awkward at first, but turned out great. We ended up sitting next to a wonderful Christian couple (God thing!) and chatted for hours - I loved it. Sunday I taught my pre-k class about God choosing David to be king of Israel, but that he had to wait until God was done using Saul. Once again, a message that hit home with me - God has a plan for you, but it will not happen on your timeline, it will happen on His. I think God wanted me to teach these kids so that I could learn a thing or two. =]

Song for this week... I know it's a secular song, and wasn't written with God in mind, but I really feel that these lyrics speak my heart and where it's at right now. So, as you read this, think of it in that light, and I think you'll find that it fits.

What's Left Of Me

Watched my life pass me by

in the rearview mirror

Pictures frozen in time

are becoming clearer

I don't wanna waste another day

stuck in the shadow of my mistakes - yeah

Cause I want you

and I feel you

crawling underneath my skin

Like a hunger, like a burnin

to find a place I've never been

Now I'm broken, and I'm faded

I'm half the man I thought I would be

But you can have

what's left of me.

I've been dying inside

little by little

Nowhere to go

I'm goin outta my mind

An endless circle

runnin from myself until

You gave me a reason for standing still

And I want you

and I feel you

crawling underneath my skin

Like a hunger, like a burnin

to find the place I've never been

Now I'm broken, and I'm faded

I'm half the man I thought I would be

But you can have

what's left of me.

Fallin' faster

barely breathing

Give me somethin to believe in

Tell me it's not all in my head

Take what's left of this man

Make me whole once again

Cause I want you

and I feel you

crawling underneath my skin

Like a hunger, like a burnin

to find the place I've never been

Now I'm broken, and I'm faded

I'm half the man I thought I would be

You can have, all that's left, (yeah, yeah, yeah)

what's left of me

I've been dying inside you see

I'm goin outta my mind (outta my mind)

I'm just runnin' in circles all the time

Will you take what's left? x3 -- of me

I'm just runnin' in circles in my mind

Will you take what's left? x3 -- of me

Take what's left of me