So as I have previously mentioned and kind of re-mentioned because it’s such a big deal – Spring Break is here for Mark!! And that means that he has zero stress and more down time, even though we are both working a lot this week.
Anyways – last night we watched Kim and Kourtney Take New York and Mark is now kinda obsessed with Scott. Mark and I are slightly slightly like Kourtney and Scott – they’re kind of gross in their humor, which we aren’t – but Mark does/says/reenacts things that I normally wouldn’t find funny. But it’s Mark. So it is. And now I realize everyone is probably like that. There’s that one person that’s the exception and makes them laugh. So yeah – maybe we can all identify with the Kourt and Scott… Anyways - we then watched the Fab Five special on ESPN and I fell asleep. Shame.
Today we had great plans of going downtown but I slept in until10:45 – those 5:30am wake up calls seriously caught up with me… My sleepyheadness ruined our plans so as usual we reverted to our back-up – Chipotle, stroll around the mall, sign up for the $5,000 give-away, drool over the things we would buy if we won the $5,000, sit in Starbucks, people watch, look at each other, and then go home.
It was nothing special. But it was a relaxing, fun day. When we first met we would walk around the mall all the time… Those were the days… HAH. not really. I’d much prefer the way things are now :) Tomorrow he’s coming up here after work and we have plans to go thrift shopping. We shall see… hopefully we’ll find something exciting!!
Also – I love these earrings. I got them at Charlotte Russe – they’re little bows… I’d wear them everyday but they irritate my ears a little… They’re totally worth the pain though!
And unfortunately there’s no Inspired Interiors this week… I was too busy this weekend with training and just want to focus on work this week.. Hopefully next weekend!!
Tonight I am going to watch The Bachelor – TEAM EMILY!!!! I hope tomorrow I can rejoice in that victory!!! I just love her. She’s so sweet and the fact that Brad would step in and be a dad and a husband – I. Just. Love. It. It’s a happy ending :) Also – I heard a rumor that the next Bachelorette is Ashley H. Didn’t she look great at the Women Tell All last week?!? I hope the rumor is true and it all works out for her!! The way she left was sort of tragic… they just fell apart in South Africa :(
I better go check on dinner. I’m filling in for my mother tonight… YIKES!!
Yesterday I started training at my new job. I have to be in at 6:50. Which means I have to leave my house at 6:30. Which means I have to get up at 5:30. And I worked this morning as well. And last night was daylight savings. AKA: This lady is pooped.
Currently taking a Leave Of Absence from Gertie Girl - check back in tomorrow?! Hopefully I'll have posted something entertainingly witty to fill your downtime :)
In the mean time I'll be dreaming of this...this...and this...
I'm not the kind of girl that goes to the movies a lot - like maybe a few times a year... I'll go see HP7 and Breaking Dawn because they kind of need to be seen in theaters and then I'll go see a few more movies that look cute... I don't have ten bucks to blow at the movies every weekend but really love going, so I splurge when the trailers look really good...Here are a few that I'm really interested in...
Red Riding Hood - directed by Catherine Hardwicke who directed Twilight - it seems like she's kinda out there and this looks a little spooky but seems interesting - This is out in theaters now...
Something Borrowed - I love Ginnifer Goodwin!! This looks cute, but it might be a redbox-er - Comes out early May... I've never seen My Best Friend's Wedding in it's entirety - but doesn't this seem really similar?
And then Water for Elephants - Love Reese Witherspoon, Love Robert Pattinson, Love the Circus - its a win - win ... win! It comes out late April... Definitely going to see this....
Beastly has also piqued my interest. I'm not a huge V. Hudgens fan but Mary-Kate Olsen is the weird lady that casts the spell. Can someone please tell me: Besides wearing the WEIRDEST clothes, Where have the Olsen twins been for the last decade?!? I really wanna see how she does in this one and I love Beauty and Beast so maybe I'll redbox this one too...
Poor Mark will be either drug to or through one or all of these :) But I've watched enough ESPN to sound intelligent when talking (er, fighting) with UNC fans - So I'm not too guilty about it!!
So tomorrow at 1:50 p.m. Mark will officially be on Spring Break... and believe me - he's counting down the seconds!! Ironically, I start work Saturday morning and I've been doing nothing for the past few weeks... but what'reya gonna do?? My work schedule still leaves lots of time for us to see each other, so it's not all bad news...
Last year Spring Break was warm and carefree and fabulous...
We hadn't been filled in on the uncoolness of mirror/silly-faced pictures yet...
Such good burgers. Watching the Food Network has paid off!!
We went shopping, Mark grilled, we sat out by his pool in beautiful 60 degree weather - and like usual - spent time with the family dog - Pug. I mean obviously it's a pug - but that's his name. Pugger. Pug. Lou. Yeahh. He's really cute but he's old and he smells like trash a lot and he sheds so much. Pug and I have a love-hate relationship. It may have something to do with the all of the obviously lovable qualities I just mentioned or the fact that Mark gives the dog more attention than me sometimes or maybe both :) (He's very attentive and really is a good boyfriend... but Pugger is his childhood pet - I never had one so I don't quite understand...)
Anyways - I hope this week Mark and I find time to do something fun...
Ideally it would look something like this...
But that'll never happen because we have zero money to go anywhere tropical and its rainy and gross here...
I'm hoping for a date to the movies or a date downtown :)
Last week I threatened/promised featuring Glee and well, I just couldn't hold myself back - so here we go :) And yes Glee was new last night but no I haven't seen it because:
a. our TV is in the basement and it's freezing cold down there - plus, if you're down there for too long you get a wicked cough and possibly bronchitis - Mark's still pretty bitter about it...
b. I can't stand comercials
c. Hulu is free and is watchable while in my pjs, tucked in my still-warm covers
SO moral of the story is I will be watching tonight's episode tomorrow morning - probobly at the same time that this little post is posted... Ok so here we go... ahhh let the fun begin...
I am a total Gleek. I watched the pilot episode when it aired after American Idol a few years ago and was hooked. I definitley don't agree with everything on the show, but there are so many more acceptable things than questionable things and I just can't help but love it. Every week the show delivers. The music selections, the casts' one liners, the plot - everything. I laugh, I sing along, I long to be on the show... Totally a Gleek.
I have loved Journey since I was younger, so I was thrilled when Lea Michele and Cory Monteith sang this in last seasons finale... Lea Michele can sing like nobody's business... In true Glee fashion, they brought new life to an old song and I think it's great that this show is bridging the gap between my generation and my parent's generation...
This song features Lea Michele and Idina Menzel (married to Taye Diggs, starred in Wicked and Rent). The two are a mother-daughter duo on the show and this remix of Poker Face is so fun! It sounds so different from the original that it's almost a completely new song... love that...
This song is such a good example of how creative Glee really is - they took Teenage Dream by Katy Perry that was already super popular, put a new spin on it, and made America fall in love with it all over again - not to mention fall in love with Blaine who starred as a new character in this episode...
mmmmhmmmm....
ok.... moving on....
This is just a crowd-pleaser feel-good song... my mom, sarah, and I frequently belt this out to/from the mall :) Amber Riley is incredible - seriously phenomenal!!
In addition to the excellent songs that are sing-sang-sung each week, the characters are hilarious.
Kurt Hummel, Rachel Berry, and Mercedes Jones - The Divas
Santana Lopez, Quinn Fabray, and Brittany Pierce- The Cheerios
Mike Chang, Puck, Artie Abrams, and Sam - as The Justin Bieber Experience
Artie, Sam, Kurt, Finn, Mike, and Puck - All the boys together
Sue Sylvester and her assistant Becky
Coach Beiste, Sue, and Will Schuester
Will and Emma Pillsbury
And then Principal Figgins - who recently referred to Ke$ha and "Key -dollar sign- ha"
And if the cast wasn't big enough, talented enough, or good-looking... enough? Here are some of the guests - some of which, thankfully tend to reappear :)
Jessie St. James (Jonathan Groff) - Vocal Adrenaline's and Rachel Berry's one-time main man
Doris (Carol Burnett) - Sue's Nazi-hunting mother
April Rhodes (Kristin Chenoweth) - Will's former classmate
Dentist Carl (John Stamos) - Emma's fiance
Bryan Ryan (Neil Patrick Harris) - Will's high school rival
I may have missed a few people because it's such a huge cast and the show is constantly changing/adding characters, but I think you get the point. One of my favorite parts of the show is when someone is singing and everyone else is sitting in the practice room... the drama/story/plot line is always drawn out during these sections because every character is shot in a close up and the viewers get to see exactly how each character is feeling or what they're thinking (dramatic irony) - I love it!!
Brittany and Sue also have the BEST one-liners...
Mr. Schue: "Who can tell me what a ballad is?"
Brittany: "A male duck."
Santana: "This food was not satisfactory."
Brittany: "There was a mouse in mine."
Brittany: "I hope you will all respect that I want Glee club to remain a place where I, Brittany S. Pierce, can escape the torment of Britney Spears."
(get it? Brittany S. Pierce "Brittany Spierce")
Sue: "That was the most offensive thing I've seen in 20 years of teaching — and that includes an elementary school production of Hair."
Sue: ''I thought I smelled cookies wafting from the ovens of the little elves that live in your hair.''
Sue: ''You think this is hard? I'm passing a gallstone as we speak. That is hard!''
Sue: ''I'm all about empowerment. I empower my Cheerios to live in a state of constant fear by creating an environment of irrational, random terror.''
Maybe they're all funnier in context - but I love these two... they crack me up :) As does the majority of the cast... And if you haven't yet seen an episode, you can check their site to watch clips, full episodes, and see when they'll next be on your boob tube (see this post for the refernence) -- you can thank me later!!
OH. ps. I didn't really come out and say this and I'm not sure I have to because its blatantly obvious BUT I am 100% on the Glee Bandwagon... or Glee Train... cause that sounds like a whole lotta fun too :)
When I moved home a few weeks ago I didn't fully process the decision I was making. All I knew was that I needed to come home. I needed to be with my family and be home with no stress. I needed to come home for my health, for my sanity, and for my relationships. It just needed to happen - and thankfully, it did. I came home, moved all my things back in, caught up on sleep, and spent time relaxing with my family. Soon after settling at home, I realized a position came open at the company I worked at all through high school, so I applied and hoped for the best. My health issues cleared up almost instantly as they were a result of the stress caused by school and I was experiencing anxiety less and less. I still didn't have all the answers about my future figured out and all of my relationships changed, but I knew I was on the right track.
As I reflected on the days leading up to my move home I questioned why my health, my emotions, and my control spun out of control so fast. I knew it had to be one thing. I knew that God wanted me home and wanted me home immediately. The circumstances surrounding the events of the past two months of my life have made this abundantly clear to me. God's knowledge of me and a plan for my life is something that I no longer doubt. Instead of worrying over what career to choose, whether or not to go back to school, if I got selected for the open position or not, etc. I need to surrender my life to Him.
A few weeks ago I stopped by my grandparents house and it was my Grandpop that reminded me of this. He pointed to the TV and said, "Everything coming out of that boob tube tells us to worry. '8 Things to do to Prepare for Retirement' 'America's Debit is No Longer Ignorable!' 'Don't Forget to Ask Your Doctor if You Would Be Qualified for Treatment' and the list goes on and on. But Christians already have "the secret". Sadly, they choose to listen to the world instead of rejoicing in the Truth. All of the things that are happening to you may seem confusing now, but in ten years when you look back everysinglething will make sense. Trust me. All of the decisions that you make on a daily basis are insignificant compared to your willingness to submit to God's timing and trust in God's plan. God has something incredible planned for your life, just trust in Him."
I left my grandparent's house with such peace. And thankfully, I have felt surrounded by that peace ever since. Every once in a while I feel consumed by the weight of the decisions I haven't made or the questions I haven't answered. I called my dad this morning just to help squelch my fears...
I may not have all the answers, but God does.
I may not understand the timing, but God does.
I may not be content with my life, but God has something with my name written all over it.
I may feel like a lost failure, but by trusting and following God I am an obedient child that is never forgotten.
And so with that I will enter into this next phase of my life. The independent struggle is over, the full-time reflecting and resting is coming to a close, and the working and obeying chapter is just beginning.Things will get hard, I will forget to turn to the Lord first, and I will fail - but my savior's arms are always open, welcoming me back. Isn't that something?
I didn't know this post would be so serious when I started typing, but I'm glad I was able to get it all out. It was very therapeutic and will be something I can re-read in times of uncertainty. I am more thankful than ever that I have such supportive, godly, wise parents. They have guided and loved me through everything. Thanks mom and dad - I don't know where I'd be with you :)
A few summers ago, my older sister Kayla and her best friend from high school, Melanie, were both single and bored. They hung out every weekend, got Rita's, sat around my house flipping through magazines, etc. And one day on a Wal-Mart trip they picked up cheap, basic, glass frames with the intention of cutting snippets out of the magazines they had been paging through and making collages... It was like scrapbooking a large sheet of paper and then hanging it on the wall...
Well, I loved the idea and decided to do it myself - only mine were a little different. I didn't cut out images of flowers or letters. Instead, I cut out the edges of the advertisements from my Teen Vogue's- so I had a ton of little scraps of color. I made one that summer with Kay and Mel, and then two this past summer to hang in my dorm room. Dorm rooms are so blah, white, stark, and boring - so you bring in your colorful towels, colorful bedding, hang up pictures and posters, etc. But I love the way that these collages bring color to the room in addition to displaying favorite photos. They are like instant wall art... Here's the process:
Step #1: Cut out images, advertisements, letters, etc. from old magazines
Step #2: Lay out all of your clippings and arrange them. I usually lay them out by color and then can see how many I have in each color family...
Step #3: Choose clippings, arrange them on the template of the frame. The frames I got from Wal-Mart came with a sheet inside that had the dimensions on them and the company's name - I arranged everything on top of that and then glued it right on...
Step #4: Choose pictures, arrange them on top of the collage, and back them with paper if you'd like
Step #5: Once everything is intact, put the frame back together and WA-LAH! Instant photo collage/ wall art!! This is super cheap (I think the frames are between $5-$10), is really fun, and is GREEN in a way - you're re-using your old magazines :)
Here are two of mine...
I used all blue, green, and tan snippets for this one... I got a lot of beach clippings from summer magazine advertisements... And this collage is all pictures from OCNJ and a weekend away in the Catskill Mountains of New York from last summer.
This collage has a lot of clippings from the pink, purple, red, orange side of the color wheel. I also backed these three pictures in different colored paper to help them jump off of the collage. This one contains three pictures from Freshman Year... A girls weekend at the Delaware shore, a trip to Lancaster to stay with my one roommate Rachel, and a shot of Mark and I at the Camden Aquarium where our school had our Spring Formal...
And here is my desk at school... quite clean because I had just moved in and organized all my stuff... but believe me - it didn't always look like this :) The first collage I made is hanging on the wall to the right of my desk - I got better the second time around and so that one is on a shelf in my closet right now...
I hope you enjoyed... please send me pictures if you make collages!! I would love to see how you take the idea and run with it!!
