One minute later and I'm posting something else. The author of another blog I follow does this post every week called "Truthful Tuesday", in which she lists random statements of "truth". Even though it's not Tuesday now, I feel like doing the same.
Truthful Friday!
1. I should be grading outlines and speeches right now.
2. On that note, I really need to get with it and be a motivated, on-top-of-it grad student. No more of this undergraduate procrastination, bs-ing work anymore. However, I'm still trying to get into a groove of this new career. Perhaps making a very detailed schedule for myself for the next few weeks will get me going.
3. I know I need to break out of my comfort zone. Grad school and being a TA has already helped a lot, but I still need work. I'm just naturally introverted.
4. I had a "must break out of comfort zone" moment today. I was at the first Communication Studies Graduate Student Association (CSGSA) meeting today, and we were to elect officials. How it worked was that people just shouted out nominations for those that they thought would be good in the positions. Once we got to Secretary, someone nominated me, and other people seconded it. At first I freaked out a bit on the inside, thinking "I do not want to do this, not my thing! I can't!", because of the comfort zone thing. But then I got to thinking "This would be good for me. It will force me to make connections with people and organize something big and just overall break out of my shell a bit". So then I was hoping to be voted for. However, someone else won the election (and she will be great), but I was a bit let down. It was strange, I went from being very hesitant and considering declining the nomination one minute, to being sad that I didn't get it the next. Oh well, I still plan on being involved in the CSGSA as it will be good for me nonetheless.
5. I feel like a total loser right now. Thankfully it's Jake's last 3-11:30 PM shift for a while (maybe forever), because the past few weeks, when I'm not at school or work I've been alone in my apartment until he gets off. It's not as bad during the week, but Friday night, really?
6. Drawing from #5, another reason I need to break through my comfort zone is because I am one of those people who waits for things to happen, or for other people to ask me to do something, rather than making something happen. I whine and use the excuse that I have very few friends here. Yes, most friends are elsewhere now, but I'm starting to really enjoy the company of my colleagues so I can't use that excuse anymore.
7. I crave hamburgers A LOT. I like a lot of healthy food too, but burgers are the things I crave most often. Like right now. And two nights ago. And Monday after backpacking. I don't always give in to it, but I just might tonight...
8. I am very very eagerly awaiting my first paycheck from this job. I have a few big things to pay off right now, including part of tuition, and pay my dad back for my TV and rent (he enrolled his Chase rewards card for automatic payment at my apartment, because he really wants the points for a vacation for my mom and him). I probably won't have a lot leftover after my first paycheck.
9. I have a good relationship with my future mother-in-law right now, but I'm so scared of it worsening either during the wedding planning process or after Jake and I are married! I've heard that it happens often! Probably because there is conflict of opinions during wedding planning or something else.
'
10. I was a hypochondriac for about a year, starting summer 08. It started with a really dumb mistake when I was cleaning the old house for the family I babysat for so that they could put it on the market, and I cleaned up an insanely disgusting amount of mouse droppings from their pantry area (they were a very dirty family), and I was not careful about it at all. In fact, I shouldn't have cleaned it myself. For the next few weeks, I was so terrified that I had caught hantavirus and from then on, for about year, I always thought my headaches were something serious, or that a flutter in my chest meant I had arrythmia, or because I didn't feel good I had caught some terrible disease. I think eventually I just started telling myself to not think that way, that I was fine, and I gradually got over it. No counseling necessary :)
So now I've let you in on some deep dark secrets (not really)! This can be fun, if you care to join :)
PS Please don't use my truths against me :P
Friday, September 10, 2010
New design!
Like it? I had been pretty sick of the last one I had for quite a while, but when I initially tried to change it I had to know something about HTML coding to keep my widgets, which I definitely do NOT! hahaha. But thanks to Alayna, I learned that it's way easier than it used to be!
I've had a thing for birds lately, hence the new design. Actually, I've always loved birds but I recently have been all about bird-themed designs. I bought a planner at Barnes and Noble at the start of the semester that is sort of Asian/bird theme, with branches and leaves, and I designed my own tote/purse with a somewhat similar style. My mom hosted a "Too Cute Totes" party at our house in late July, and we all got to design our own purses and totes! The business was started by someone who graduated from Los Alamos (a long time ago), and it's really starting to thrive. The idea is that you pick one of many styles of totes, purses, wallets, even diaper bags. Then you pick your main fabric out of hundreds that will be the outside of the bag. Next you pick the fabric to go on the inside, usually one that coordinates with the outside. And finally you pick a color and type of leather for the bottom and the straps. You can also add things like a zipper closure instead of clasp and extra pockets, then once you place your order, it gets handmade in Nevada (where the owner and store are from). So my mom threw this party, and if you know me well, you know that I'm not a huge bag/tote/purse person. I do carry a purse, but I rarely buy new ones. So I figured I would just watch people design theirs at the party, but before I knew it, I was designing my own small tote and having lots of fun doing it! I'm really excited for it to finally come in, and it should be here soon, I think.
I went backpacking over Labor Day weekend for the second time ever, and this time, I didn't almost break my nose! I went with Jake, Jeff and Mike. We started on Saturday around noon at the Catwalk trail head in the Gila Wilderness. After some break and about 6 1/2 hours later, we finally found a decent spot to pitch our tents and make dinner. It was a rough first night, because it was nearly dark when we were cooking and trying to set things up, and this spot wasn't very ideal for camping (i.e. trees were too close together, it was damp and muggy, etc.). A couple on their way back to their campsite that we had passed earlier told us that there was another good spot about 1/4 mile up the trail. So the next day we took a walk to find it, and as soon as we saw how much better this site was, we turned around, packed up our stuff, and moved. After we set up camp again, we took a day hike and just went up the trail for about two hours, stopping and goofing off occasionally. That night was much more comfortable and the next day we hiked back out. I got some monster blisters on my heels, due to various causes. My boots refuse to break in, I made the dumb mistake of wearing cotton liners under the wool socks, and my feet are just not used to this kind of abuse. So yes, monster blisters and really sore toes from the downhill parts, and oh lord, I woke up Tuesday morning with the sorest calves I've ever had, BUT it was all worth it and I definitely want to pursue this more! I hope eventually I will be able to have all my own gear.
Now onto my job. This week all the COMM265 students started giving their informative speeches, and in all honesty, I am so far quite disappointed and frustrated with how the majority turned out. You'd have thought that I didn't tell them what to do AT ALL and that there was no assignment information on Blackboard and handouts! There were a few good speeches, but it seemed as if the majority did not listen to a thing I said (and the really important stuff, I repeated in class several times, but did they get it? Noooo) and didn't read the assignment at all. So at first, I was wondering, What did I do wrong to make them so unprepared and do so poorly? But after talking to other TAs, I found out that they are having the same problems, so it wasn't just me. So I know that it isn't my fault, but this does give me the opportunity to figure out where the students did poorly and try to figure out a better way to pound it into their heads next semester. I may be a bad teacher for writing about this and not being encouraging, but I just needed to vent a little. It's so weird to refer to myself as a "teacher" still!! Who'da thunk it?
Welp, I suppose I've caught you up on the past couple week well enough, and hope for more interesting stuff to blog about soon!
I've had a thing for birds lately, hence the new design. Actually, I've always loved birds but I recently have been all about bird-themed designs. I bought a planner at Barnes and Noble at the start of the semester that is sort of Asian/bird theme, with branches and leaves, and I designed my own tote/purse with a somewhat similar style. My mom hosted a "Too Cute Totes" party at our house in late July, and we all got to design our own purses and totes! The business was started by someone who graduated from Los Alamos (a long time ago), and it's really starting to thrive. The idea is that you pick one of many styles of totes, purses, wallets, even diaper bags. Then you pick your main fabric out of hundreds that will be the outside of the bag. Next you pick the fabric to go on the inside, usually one that coordinates with the outside. And finally you pick a color and type of leather for the bottom and the straps. You can also add things like a zipper closure instead of clasp and extra pockets, then once you place your order, it gets handmade in Nevada (where the owner and store are from). So my mom threw this party, and if you know me well, you know that I'm not a huge bag/tote/purse person. I do carry a purse, but I rarely buy new ones. So I figured I would just watch people design theirs at the party, but before I knew it, I was designing my own small tote and having lots of fun doing it! I'm really excited for it to finally come in, and it should be here soon, I think.
I went backpacking over Labor Day weekend for the second time ever, and this time, I didn't almost break my nose! I went with Jake, Jeff and Mike. We started on Saturday around noon at the Catwalk trail head in the Gila Wilderness. After some break and about 6 1/2 hours later, we finally found a decent spot to pitch our tents and make dinner. It was a rough first night, because it was nearly dark when we were cooking and trying to set things up, and this spot wasn't very ideal for camping (i.e. trees were too close together, it was damp and muggy, etc.). A couple on their way back to their campsite that we had passed earlier told us that there was another good spot about 1/4 mile up the trail. So the next day we took a walk to find it, and as soon as we saw how much better this site was, we turned around, packed up our stuff, and moved. After we set up camp again, we took a day hike and just went up the trail for about two hours, stopping and goofing off occasionally. That night was much more comfortable and the next day we hiked back out. I got some monster blisters on my heels, due to various causes. My boots refuse to break in, I made the dumb mistake of wearing cotton liners under the wool socks, and my feet are just not used to this kind of abuse. So yes, monster blisters and really sore toes from the downhill parts, and oh lord, I woke up Tuesday morning with the sorest calves I've ever had, BUT it was all worth it and I definitely want to pursue this more! I hope eventually I will be able to have all my own gear.
Now onto my job. This week all the COMM265 students started giving their informative speeches, and in all honesty, I am so far quite disappointed and frustrated with how the majority turned out. You'd have thought that I didn't tell them what to do AT ALL and that there was no assignment information on Blackboard and handouts! There were a few good speeches, but it seemed as if the majority did not listen to a thing I said (and the really important stuff, I repeated in class several times, but did they get it? Noooo) and didn't read the assignment at all. So at first, I was wondering, What did I do wrong to make them so unprepared and do so poorly? But after talking to other TAs, I found out that they are having the same problems, so it wasn't just me. So I know that it isn't my fault, but this does give me the opportunity to figure out where the students did poorly and try to figure out a better way to pound it into their heads next semester. I may be a bad teacher for writing about this and not being encouraging, but I just needed to vent a little. It's so weird to refer to myself as a "teacher" still!! Who'da thunk it?
Welp, I suppose I've caught you up on the past couple week well enough, and hope for more interesting stuff to blog about soon!
Monday, August 23, 2010
She liiiiivvvees!
After a month and a half or so of not posting anything of new interest, I have quite a lot to catch you all up with. In July, my parents took Jake and I on a two-week trip to Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, and Estes Park/Rocky Mountains. It was such an amazing trip, I absolutely fell in love with Yellowstone. During the trip we saw two black bears, two grizzly bears, a TON of buffalo, elk, deer, pronghorns, bighorn sheep, and two moose. We got lots of fishing in, and one day in Yellowstone my dad and Jake and I hiked to Bunsen Peak. It was a challenge, and I felt so good afterward for the accomplishment. I think everyone should visit Yellowstone at least once in their life :)
The day we got home from the trip, Shanda and Brian came by, and once we were unpacked and visiting in the living room, Shanda pulled out her phone and said she wanted to take a picture of the three of us (my parents and I). So we put on our smiles and she said "Ok now on the count of three, say 'Shanda and Brian are having a baby'". !!!!!!!! Our mouths dropped open and my dad just collapsed backward on the couch. She was actually recording us and the video is hilarious. So yeah, I'm going to be an aunt!! The baby's due March 18, about two months before our wedding. I'm super duper excited about that!
July also marked the end of YMCA summer camp, and I decided to work an extra week at what is called iCare Camp, and environmentally-geared day camp for kids before school started for them. We did some hiking, went to a wildlife park, and helped a teenage group at the Y with maintaining some trails in Los Alamos. It was fun, and I worked 40 hours that week in 4 days...10 hour days with no break. The time went fast, but boy was I tired at the end of each day. My last day at this camp also marked the end of my time with the YMCA. Perhaps I will work a week or two here and there when I'm home for Christmas break and such, but after we're married, Jake and I will live in Las Cruces at least until I'm done with school and I will hopefully find a job that is more related to my field of study. I'm okay with this; while I enjoyed my time with the YMCA (I've been there since my senior year of high school), I'm ready to move on to something else. I'm also SO over riding on buses for hours with noisy 6-year-olds while suffering a headache.
Now to catch you up on wedding details. Jake and I have officially set the date for May 28, 2011. We finally found a reception place that is friendly toward our budget (you know-the budget of two recent graduates and one grad student whose salary mostly goes toward tuition). It's at the Delancey Street Foundation sites in Espanola, and the property where we would have it is just beautiful. We will be having a wedding mass at the IHM church in Los Alamos. Even more exciting, I BOUGHT MY DRESS!!!! I have been looking for "the one" since May. I found one here in Las Cruces at a boutique that I really loved at the time, but there were some things about it that I was a bit wishy-washy with. Then recently I went to a David's Bridal in Santa Fe, and after many dresses, found one that was very similar style to the one in Cruces, only much cheaper. But as with the first one, I would love it one minute, then the next I would be uncertain about it. So when I moved back to Cruces last week, my mom and I went to the boutique here so I could try on the first one again along with another that I had tried on in May, and the consultant pulled out another dress that was similar style to both of them, so I thought "sure, why not." The dress she suggested was the first I tried on that day, and it was love at first sight. I walked out of the dressing room, and as soon as I saw myself in the mirror (even though the dress was many sizes too big), a smile instantaneously plastered itself on my face and didn't leave for a long time. My mom could tell that I was in love with it as well, and she loved it too. So I called up my dad, gave him the "I love you daddy, and I love this dress" persuasion mechanism (because my parents told me they'd buy my dress), and he said, "Ok. Have mom use the Southwest card." I am so so so happy about it, and cannot wait until it comes in. It was reasonably priced compared to the designer gowns you might see on "Say yes to the dress", and within our budget :)
Ok, last spiel. I started grad school last week. It began with grad student orientation on Monday (all day), then the Communication Studies department Grad assistant orientation on Tuesday. I attended the lecture of COMM 265 on Friday (the class for which I am teaching supplementary lab classes) where all the TAs were introduced. Today, I had my first day as a teacher! I taught three classes back-to-back, and I think they went fairly well. I was nervous, and it will definitely be a learning process, something I won't get perfect hang of right away. But I got more relaxed with each class. Today we just did introductions/ice breakers and went over the syllabus, and Wednesday we will start activities for public speaking. Then I had my first class as a student, Seminar in Communication Theories, with Dr. Morgan. I am both excited and nervous for the semester, and as my graduate student career in general. It will require a lot of perseverance, drive, decision-making, and discipline, but I think I can :)
Peace!
The day we got home from the trip, Shanda and Brian came by, and once we were unpacked and visiting in the living room, Shanda pulled out her phone and said she wanted to take a picture of the three of us (my parents and I). So we put on our smiles and she said "Ok now on the count of three, say 'Shanda and Brian are having a baby'". !!!!!!!! Our mouths dropped open and my dad just collapsed backward on the couch. She was actually recording us and the video is hilarious. So yeah, I'm going to be an aunt!! The baby's due March 18, about two months before our wedding. I'm super duper excited about that!
July also marked the end of YMCA summer camp, and I decided to work an extra week at what is called iCare Camp, and environmentally-geared day camp for kids before school started for them. We did some hiking, went to a wildlife park, and helped a teenage group at the Y with maintaining some trails in Los Alamos. It was fun, and I worked 40 hours that week in 4 days...10 hour days with no break. The time went fast, but boy was I tired at the end of each day. My last day at this camp also marked the end of my time with the YMCA. Perhaps I will work a week or two here and there when I'm home for Christmas break and such, but after we're married, Jake and I will live in Las Cruces at least until I'm done with school and I will hopefully find a job that is more related to my field of study. I'm okay with this; while I enjoyed my time with the YMCA (I've been there since my senior year of high school), I'm ready to move on to something else. I'm also SO over riding on buses for hours with noisy 6-year-olds while suffering a headache.
Now to catch you up on wedding details. Jake and I have officially set the date for May 28, 2011. We finally found a reception place that is friendly toward our budget (you know-the budget of two recent graduates and one grad student whose salary mostly goes toward tuition). It's at the Delancey Street Foundation sites in Espanola, and the property where we would have it is just beautiful. We will be having a wedding mass at the IHM church in Los Alamos. Even more exciting, I BOUGHT MY DRESS!!!! I have been looking for "the one" since May. I found one here in Las Cruces at a boutique that I really loved at the time, but there were some things about it that I was a bit wishy-washy with. Then recently I went to a David's Bridal in Santa Fe, and after many dresses, found one that was very similar style to the one in Cruces, only much cheaper. But as with the first one, I would love it one minute, then the next I would be uncertain about it. So when I moved back to Cruces last week, my mom and I went to the boutique here so I could try on the first one again along with another that I had tried on in May, and the consultant pulled out another dress that was similar style to both of them, so I thought "sure, why not." The dress she suggested was the first I tried on that day, and it was love at first sight. I walked out of the dressing room, and as soon as I saw myself in the mirror (even though the dress was many sizes too big), a smile instantaneously plastered itself on my face and didn't leave for a long time. My mom could tell that I was in love with it as well, and she loved it too. So I called up my dad, gave him the "I love you daddy, and I love this dress" persuasion mechanism (because my parents told me they'd buy my dress), and he said, "Ok. Have mom use the Southwest card." I am so so so happy about it, and cannot wait until it comes in. It was reasonably priced compared to the designer gowns you might see on "Say yes to the dress", and within our budget :)
Ok, last spiel. I started grad school last week. It began with grad student orientation on Monday (all day), then the Communication Studies department Grad assistant orientation on Tuesday. I attended the lecture of COMM 265 on Friday (the class for which I am teaching supplementary lab classes) where all the TAs were introduced. Today, I had my first day as a teacher! I taught three classes back-to-back, and I think they went fairly well. I was nervous, and it will definitely be a learning process, something I won't get perfect hang of right away. But I got more relaxed with each class. Today we just did introductions/ice breakers and went over the syllabus, and Wednesday we will start activities for public speaking. Then I had my first class as a student, Seminar in Communication Theories, with Dr. Morgan. I am both excited and nervous for the semester, and as my graduate student career in general. It will require a lot of perseverance, drive, decision-making, and discipline, but I think I can :)
Peace!
Friday, July 2, 2010
Celebrate!
The reason to celebrate: Jake got a job in Las Cruces!!!! We were getting a bit worried because he wasn't having much luck finding one. The job is not exactly what he was looking for, but it something that he would be really good at. He'll be working at an AT&T call center, taking calls from customers who have questions about the software and technology, and I think troubleshooting. He's really good with people and really good with technology. It's a full-time, 40-hour per week job, with many opportunities for raises and overtime work, and he gets benefits after 60 days of working there, which was a big concern for us since we are getting married. He did a phone interview last Monday and they offered him the job right away. I am so happy and proud of him :) This job means a) he will be with me in Las Cruces when I go to grad school, and b) we can get married May 21, 2011!!! He's going to start on August 9, where he will begin his 7 weeks of training (lot of training, huh?).
More good news, I got an apartment again in the place I lived last school year. I am really happy because I loved those apartments, plus it's on the second floor again, plus it's carpeted. Having a second floor or higher is important to me, especially since I live alone, because I like to leave the windows open sometimes at night and I definitely wouldn't want to if I was on a ground floor. Plus you get more bugs on the ground floor...
Two weekends ago Jake and I went to Santa Fe where we got our engagement pictures taken. They turned out really well, we just need to order the CD. Then we spent a large portion of the day hopping from one reception site to the other, mostly to be disappointed because they were either to small for the number of guests we want, or too expensive. However, we fell in love with one place that I've been eyeing on the Internet for a while and correspondent with a woman from called Sunrise Springs. It's in the outskirts of Santa Fe and it's a tranquil spa/inn that has a reception room that can hold up to 150 people, I think. That's our number one choice so far, we just have to correspond with the sales director more and make sure that aren't too many hidden fees that will knock it out of our budget. Later that evening our friends Danielle and Alayna threw us an engagement party at a place on the plaza called Dinner For Two. It was a lot of fun, and several friends and my sister joined us.
Work has been a lot of fun. It has its stressful moments, but I can't complain too much when I get paid to go ice skating, roller skating, swimming, to the zoo, and bowling :) Yesterday I went home halfway through the day because I've been somewhat sick and I was losing my voice, then stayed home today as well because I'm feeling even worse. I was bummed about missing it today, because I'm going to be gone for two weeks and I could really use the hours. Oh well. I just hope I'm doing better by the time we leave on our big camping trip on Monday. Tomorrow's my dad's birthday so we're taking him to Outback in Santa Fe, then having a barbecue at our house for the 4th of July.
God's blessings are coming our way! :) Hope everyone is having a lovely day and week.
More good news, I got an apartment again in the place I lived last school year. I am really happy because I loved those apartments, plus it's on the second floor again, plus it's carpeted. Having a second floor or higher is important to me, especially since I live alone, because I like to leave the windows open sometimes at night and I definitely wouldn't want to if I was on a ground floor. Plus you get more bugs on the ground floor...
Two weekends ago Jake and I went to Santa Fe where we got our engagement pictures taken. They turned out really well, we just need to order the CD. Then we spent a large portion of the day hopping from one reception site to the other, mostly to be disappointed because they were either to small for the number of guests we want, or too expensive. However, we fell in love with one place that I've been eyeing on the Internet for a while and correspondent with a woman from called Sunrise Springs. It's in the outskirts of Santa Fe and it's a tranquil spa/inn that has a reception room that can hold up to 150 people, I think. That's our number one choice so far, we just have to correspond with the sales director more and make sure that aren't too many hidden fees that will knock it out of our budget. Later that evening our friends Danielle and Alayna threw us an engagement party at a place on the plaza called Dinner For Two. It was a lot of fun, and several friends and my sister joined us.
Work has been a lot of fun. It has its stressful moments, but I can't complain too much when I get paid to go ice skating, roller skating, swimming, to the zoo, and bowling :) Yesterday I went home halfway through the day because I've been somewhat sick and I was losing my voice, then stayed home today as well because I'm feeling even worse. I was bummed about missing it today, because I'm going to be gone for two weeks and I could really use the hours. Oh well. I just hope I'm doing better by the time we leave on our big camping trip on Monday. Tomorrow's my dad's birthday so we're taking him to Outback in Santa Fe, then having a barbecue at our house for the 4th of July.
God's blessings are coming our way! :) Hope everyone is having a lovely day and week.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Favorites
The other day we had our sprinklers on in both yards, and I realized how much I like that sound in the summer. So I decided to make a list of my favorite sounds and smells.
Favorite Sounds:
Sprinklers in the summmer
Windchimes
Rain
Thunder
The sound coffee makers make when they're brewing coffee (not the noisy espresso machines, just the regular ones)
Little noises babies make
People breathing steadily
Crickets at night
Wind, whether a gentle breeze or howling and making ghost sounds (as long as I'm inside when it's super windy)
Rustling sounds trees make because of the wind
Sounds at the swimming pool-I often fall asleep to those noises
Cats purring
Piano, violin, and acoustic guitar
Favorite smells:
Rain (who doesn't like that smell?)
Lavender
Green chile
People's skin
Pillows (they smell strongly of the people who use them)
Babies
A house that has just been cleaned
Sonlight camp (it soooo has its own smell)
Favorite Sounds:
Sprinklers in the summmer
Windchimes
Rain
Thunder
The sound coffee makers make when they're brewing coffee (not the noisy espresso machines, just the regular ones)
Little noises babies make
People breathing steadily
Crickets at night
Wind, whether a gentle breeze or howling and making ghost sounds (as long as I'm inside when it's super windy)
Rustling sounds trees make because of the wind
Sounds at the swimming pool-I often fall asleep to those noises
Cats purring
Piano, violin, and acoustic guitar
Favorite smells:
Rain (who doesn't like that smell?)
Lavender
Green chile
People's skin
Pillows (they smell strongly of the people who use them)
Babies
A house that has just been cleaned
Sonlight camp (it soooo has its own smell)
Yes, I'm here
It's been exactly one month since I wrote my last blog post. Not that I haven't done anything since then, but I suppose I've been busy and whenever I am at home in White Rock, I spend less time on the computer for whatever reason. Probably because my parents have a big flat-screen TV with satellite...hehe ;)
I started work a couple weeks ago, by covering for people at the YMCA after-school program the last week of school for Los Alamos, and started summer camp a week and a half ago. It's been super tiring, but still fun. I work 8-5 every day with the group of kids going into 2nd grade. A lot of them I know from last summer (because I was with 1st grade), and there are also a few newbies. Several of them have the exact same personality as last summer, and depending on the kid, that's either a good thing or a bad thing. Nonetheless, I'm still enjoying it. We went to the zoo in Albuquerque on Tuesday, and with the heat, the long bus ride back (I had a headache and the kids were being noisy), and how active we were all day, I was exhausted. As in, I got home, laid down on the couch to watch TV, and was out cold within a minute. Good times. I like being busy and working though; being at home with not much to do was nice for a while, but I was definitely ready to do something else besides lay on the couch like a slug. Nah, I wasn't doing that the whole time, but it was also getting kinda boring with everyone at work.
Now for news in the wedding world!
Jake and I are getting our engagement photos taken next Saturday, June 19 in Santa Fe, which will be fun! We found a photography studio online that is based in Santa Fe, and they are pretty fairly priced compared to most other professional studios. We'll probably use them for the wedding too. That same day, my friends Alayna and Danielle are throwing us an engagement party at a restaurant in Santa Fe called Dinner For Two. It's so sweet of them to do this, and it is going to be a lot of fun! I have some great friends:) So there will probably be several people there, mostly friends and my sister, and maybe my brother. We haven't booked a reception site yet because we're still looking, and the date we set (May 21, 2011) is "unofficial" because it depends on Jake's career path. He's looking for something steady which will provide enough for us to live off of when we're married, so prayers and good thoughts would be much appreciated :). If May 21 it is, it will be about two weeks after I finish up my first year of grad school. And hopefully I won't be stricken with seasonal allergies as horribly as I have been the past few weeks... "Erika do you to Jacob to be your husband?" "I...I......ACHOOO!" Yeah that wouldn't be so cool.
Days til the Yellowstone trip: 24
Wait...did I even write about this trip? My parents are taking me on a graduation trip this summer, and I chose Yellowstone because I've never been there but have wanted to go for many years. So we will leave with the camper June 6, stay a night in Cheyenne, then to Gardiner, Montana for five nights, which is very close to Yellowstone National Park. After Montana and Yellowstone we'll go to Jackson, Wyoming for three nights and visit the Grand Tetons over this course. Finally we'll head to Estes Park, Colorado for three nights. I'm super excited. I love camping (whether it's "fake" camping with our trailer or "real" camping with tents), and can't wait to see the beautiful work of God that is Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, the Rockies, and everything in between! Jake is probably coming too, and maybe my brother.
Okay...I think I've caught ya'll up with the goings-on of my life, at least the main ones. Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!
I started work a couple weeks ago, by covering for people at the YMCA after-school program the last week of school for Los Alamos, and started summer camp a week and a half ago. It's been super tiring, but still fun. I work 8-5 every day with the group of kids going into 2nd grade. A lot of them I know from last summer (because I was with 1st grade), and there are also a few newbies. Several of them have the exact same personality as last summer, and depending on the kid, that's either a good thing or a bad thing. Nonetheless, I'm still enjoying it. We went to the zoo in Albuquerque on Tuesday, and with the heat, the long bus ride back (I had a headache and the kids were being noisy), and how active we were all day, I was exhausted. As in, I got home, laid down on the couch to watch TV, and was out cold within a minute. Good times. I like being busy and working though; being at home with not much to do was nice for a while, but I was definitely ready to do something else besides lay on the couch like a slug. Nah, I wasn't doing that the whole time, but it was also getting kinda boring with everyone at work.
Now for news in the wedding world!
Jake and I are getting our engagement photos taken next Saturday, June 19 in Santa Fe, which will be fun! We found a photography studio online that is based in Santa Fe, and they are pretty fairly priced compared to most other professional studios. We'll probably use them for the wedding too. That same day, my friends Alayna and Danielle are throwing us an engagement party at a restaurant in Santa Fe called Dinner For Two. It's so sweet of them to do this, and it is going to be a lot of fun! I have some great friends:) So there will probably be several people there, mostly friends and my sister, and maybe my brother. We haven't booked a reception site yet because we're still looking, and the date we set (May 21, 2011) is "unofficial" because it depends on Jake's career path. He's looking for something steady which will provide enough for us to live off of when we're married, so prayers and good thoughts would be much appreciated :). If May 21 it is, it will be about two weeks after I finish up my first year of grad school. And hopefully I won't be stricken with seasonal allergies as horribly as I have been the past few weeks... "Erika do you to Jacob to be your husband?" "I...I......ACHOOO!" Yeah that wouldn't be so cool.
Days til the Yellowstone trip: 24
Wait...did I even write about this trip? My parents are taking me on a graduation trip this summer, and I chose Yellowstone because I've never been there but have wanted to go for many years. So we will leave with the camper June 6, stay a night in Cheyenne, then to Gardiner, Montana for five nights, which is very close to Yellowstone National Park. After Montana and Yellowstone we'll go to Jackson, Wyoming for three nights and visit the Grand Tetons over this course. Finally we'll head to Estes Park, Colorado for three nights. I'm super excited. I love camping (whether it's "fake" camping with our trailer or "real" camping with tents), and can't wait to see the beautiful work of God that is Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, the Rockies, and everything in between! Jake is probably coming too, and maybe my brother.
Okay...I think I've caught ya'll up with the goings-on of my life, at least the main ones. Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Undergraduate Studies. Complete.
Finals week breezed by and I was done by last Wednesday. My parents came into town that day and we spent the next couple days packing and running errands. When my sister got into town on Friday, she, my mom and I went to the bridal store in Las Cruces and I tried on I think five dresses. I had tried two others on a few weeks before and really liked one of them, so I tried it on again this time. However, I didn't like it as much as I did the first time. Anyway, there was one dress that the three of us absolutely loved, and although I still plan on looking in some other stores, if I had to make a choice now that would definitely be it. I am not going to describe it in detail on here, in case Jake read this, but it's way different than what I thought I wanted in a wedding dress. I think that happens a lot though (and the consultant said I was right), that many brides-to-be look online or whatever and develop ideas about what they want and believe that they know exactly what type of wedding dress they will look amazing it; then they go and try some on, and what they thought they'd love don't look quite right, and something very different as perfect. That's what happened to me. My sister told me, though, that she had pictured me in something like this dress that we all loved. So I guess someone had the right idea. Anyway I look forward to trying on more dresses, just in case, but I will be far from bummed if I "have to" go with this one.
Anyway, graduation was Saturday and it was such a perfectly great day. Coincidentally (or perhaps not), Jake ended up right behind me after we marched into the Pan American Center and into our seats. So we were able to talk and goof off during the speeches that dragged on and the bajillions of names of the graduation candidates (I mean, of course I paid attention the whole time...) I also had my phone so I was able to text with my family and friends during the time, telling them to "Just look for tall Jake then look right in front of him for me" and complaining about the length of the ceremony. Don't get me wrong, I did appreciate the time there and soaked in the moments. But I was also glad to leave and arrive at the party and food. We had a nice joint party (Jake and I) and some family and friends came and we all had a very nice time.
The next couple days involved basically just more packing and transporting things to my storage unit. It was sad to leave my apartment on Monday, but it's so good to be home, and I am most likely going to be moving back into the same apartment complex in the fall anyway.
Since yesterday, I have been unpacking, organizing, and sorting all my stuff that I brought back with me and that was already here. We are having a garage sale probably next weekend and I already have three big boxes of stuff to get rid of. My family acquires so much junk that we have a garage sale about every two years. At least we're not one of those families who keeps everything then has to have professional intervention. At least we get rid of it every two years :)
Now I am off to start laundry and go through the junk in our shed...fun day ahead.
Anyway, graduation was Saturday and it was such a perfectly great day. Coincidentally (or perhaps not), Jake ended up right behind me after we marched into the Pan American Center and into our seats. So we were able to talk and goof off during the speeches that dragged on and the bajillions of names of the graduation candidates (I mean, of course I paid attention the whole time...) I also had my phone so I was able to text with my family and friends during the time, telling them to "Just look for tall Jake then look right in front of him for me" and complaining about the length of the ceremony. Don't get me wrong, I did appreciate the time there and soaked in the moments. But I was also glad to leave and arrive at the party and food. We had a nice joint party (Jake and I) and some family and friends came and we all had a very nice time.
The next couple days involved basically just more packing and transporting things to my storage unit. It was sad to leave my apartment on Monday, but it's so good to be home, and I am most likely going to be moving back into the same apartment complex in the fall anyway.
Since yesterday, I have been unpacking, organizing, and sorting all my stuff that I brought back with me and that was already here. We are having a garage sale probably next weekend and I already have three big boxes of stuff to get rid of. My family acquires so much junk that we have a garage sale about every two years. At least we're not one of those families who keeps everything then has to have professional intervention. At least we get rid of it every two years :)
Now I am off to start laundry and go through the junk in our shed...fun day ahead.
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