Puppy Lovin- February 28, 2010

I can't get enough of my little Prince!

Lazy Sundays are the best thing in the world. After such busy weeks, Sundays are always the best day for being refreshed and rejuvenated for the upcoming week.

This Sunday, I ran some errands around the town center where I live. This included buying new pillows and the softest new blanket ever. Just what I needed, more reasons to not want to get out of bed in the morning. After making my purchases, I obviously had to try everything out and snuggled up with my puppy, who was in town for the weekend, for the rest of the afternoon! I love my Princey!

Family Oyster Roast- February 27, 2010

Family, food, and fiddles!

On Saturday, my entire family met up to attend our relatives' Oyster Roast. My family has been going for years, but this was the first year I've been able to go. Oysters were always a favorite food of mine growing up, and adding king crab legs to the menu was just perfection.

Aside from the amazing menu, our time and company together was definitely memorable. Getting together and spending time with my grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles, and even my bothers and sisters who I don't get to see everyday is a true blessing. I don't get to see this side of my family very often, so when we all get together it always makes me realize how great it is to have such a wonderful family.

So for the entire afternoon, we all feasted and visited with family and friends. Couldn't ask for a better weekend!

Gainesville- February 26, 2010

I'm definitely getting better about visiting Gainesville this year!

For Matt's last night in Gainesville, (because he is leaving for a job) I went with Beth and some of her friends to a place called Stubbies and Steins. Although the name kind of seemed skeptical, this was one of the coolest bars I've ever been to. I'm definitely no bar connoisseur, but I would rate this one to be one of the best environments I've ever been in.

The bar is split into two rooms, a German room and an Australian room. There is no comparison between the two, the German side blows the other away. (The picture doesn't do it justice since it's from my phone.) There are steins, shields, a tented ceiling, and picnic-style tables decorating the room. The bar offers drinks from countries all over the world. They even had my favorite English drink that Lauren got me hooked on, Strongbow cider!

It was so much fun celebrating Matt's new job and spending the night with my sister. Even small trips to Gainesville bring adventure! Somehow everywhere I go ends up being a reminder of my Europe trip coming up- I'm ready for Germany!

ChaCha Guiding- February 25, 2010

Have a question? Text ChaCha!

Until I had an iphone, I always texted any questions I had to ChaCha, a computer-based answering service. I always assumed this was a computer automated service whenever I used it because the questions were always answered so promptly and accurately. Yesterday I learned that there are "ChaCha Guides" who answer the questions on their personal computers. I spend a lot of time on computers, why not make some extra cash while learning random trivia?

On Thursday afternoon, I watched the tutorial videos at "Search University", the training site for wannabe Guides. After completing the necessary videos and practice quizes, I took the examination to see if I could be a guide. And although I had to wait a couple days to get my results, I PASSED! So now I could be the one who is answering your questions when you text ChaCha. I've already gotten so many funny and weird questions. It's definitely a fun little side job to have if anyone is interested.

Text 242242 and keep doing the ChaCha!

L.A. Bound!- February 24, 2010

For Spring Break 2010, I'm going to California!

For Stephanie's birthday and my Spring Break, the two of us are flying out to Los Angeles, California for the first time. We are going to stay with our Aunt Sue who lives there, and we are so so sooo excited! Both of us are two of the most celebrity and movie lovers out there and L.A. seems like the perfect place for us.

Being a Floridian my whole life, I'm a natural beach goer. This will be my first time, however, in the Pacific Ocean! We are going to be in California for a full week, but we're still worried we won't be able to fit in everything we want to do: Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Rodeo Drive, Sunset Blvd, Hollywood sign, Disneyland, Movie lot tours, Venice beach, Muscle beach, hiking, shopping, celebrity-scouting, and so much more!

I've realized that after this summer's Europe trip, I will have gone to 3 different Disney resorts in one year- Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris! 2010 is definitely the year of traveling and I'm anxious for every minute of it!

Backup music- February 23, 2010

Teaching dance calls for constant music usage.
Somehow my technological devices always seem to go into overload with my thousands of songs and constant usage.

My old ipod video, Benny, is almost at his end. He struggles to keep working every time I use him, but I can't make myself get rid of him because he is my first ipod and holds all of my songs rather than just some.

My iphone, Viva, is my love. Seriously I don't know what I would do without her. If I need to google something, watch a video, call someone, listen to music, mapquest somewhere, text, imdb someone, check the weather, or do anything...she is there for me. Iphones are definitely not overrated.

My newest apple addition is Pinky, my ipod nano. When Benny fails while I'm teaching dance, Pinky is right there to help him out. Also, Pinky inspires me to work out and even jog from time to time. Although it might be a rare occasion, I need something to get me through the workout.

Without my dear apple technologies, who knows where I would be. Benny, Viva, and Pinky- here's to you!

(Haha this is by far the weirdest blog I've ever written, but the stress that happens when all my technologies are failing right before going in to teach definitely stresses me out on many Tuesdays and Wednesdays.)

Flying Pigs- February 22, 2010

Go flying pigs!!

Since I can't really blog about my internship much, it definitely narrows down my daily events. Every week, Monday through Friday, I intern at an elementary school for more than half the day. I always want to blog about my experience, because on most days, it really is the most important and most memorable experience of my day. Unfortunately, I can't really blog about it and so sometimes, I admit, I have to choose something not too memorable to write about.

I can't exactly show pictures of my students or school, so today I'm dedicating my blog to the class mascot, the "Flying Pigs". Teaching this semester has definitely gotten me so excited to have my own classroom and students to teach. Every day of my internship I'm becoming more confident with teaching. With my flying pigs, I've definitely learned to reach for the impossible and strive for success!

Girl Scout Cookies- February 21, 2010

Girl Scout cookie season is finally here!!

Every year I anxiously await the time of Thin Mints, Trefoils, and Samoas. (Although every year my favorites seem to change their names.) Girl Scout cookies are unarguably the best cookies ever!

I was out and about doing my Sunday errand of grocery shopping when I saw the little table in front of Publix. Could it be? Even this late at night? Why yes it was...Girl Scout Cookies for sale! This definitely became the highlight of my day and my feast for the rest of the evening!

Around the World- February 20, 2010

Whenever Lauren and I find ourselves bored at the apartment, we always end up finding an excuse to go to Disney.

To film Lauren's application video for a trip around the world, we went to Epcot's World Showcase. Missing my hobby of film and video-editing, I gladly volunteered to shoot her video footage. Disney and filming together = a good day!

We visited relics in China, danced in Morocco, had beer in a British pub, had a fiesta in Mexico, saw the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and saw fireworks in Japan. But the highlight of the day was definitely meeting "The Wolfpack" in England. Being a huge fan of "The Hangover" myself, I was excited to meet guys who were as enthusiastic about the movie as I am. Decked out in attire from all of the countries at Epcot, these guys were definitely fun characters to meet at the end of our night in Epcot.

Somehow Lauren and I can make an adventure out of any task. A simple day of videoing ended up becoming a world adventure. All of these Epcot trips make me so excited for the real thing-Europe 2010 is getting closer!

No Meat Fridays- February 19. 2010

For some reason most of my posts end up being about food...

On Fridays during Lent, we're not supposed to eat meat. This always ends up being such a task for me to remember. Growing up, it always ended up being the random day I happened to order pepperoni pizza instead of cheese or was randomly craving a McDonald's cheeseburger.

Sushi has become a perfect food to have on Friday nights now, because fish is the exception to the no-meat rule. You're only supposed to eat sushi once a week, so now it'll just be my routine Friday meal.

Mmmm my delicious spicy tuna rolls!!

So much TO DO- February 18, 2010

The never-ending To-Do list of life...

Every night before bed, I always make a to-do list for the following day. Some of it is transferred tasks from the previous day and some are tasks that are part of my routine anyways. Something about checking off my tasks gives me a since of accomplishment for the day.

Some may say it's some type of OCD, but to me it's just routine and motivation to get things done. If I don't make a to-do list and have a free afternoon, I'll end up having a movie marathon or baking cupcakes for no reason. To-do lists keep me on track and help me to realize that there are always things that need to be done, no matter the priority. Some days, such as today, there are more important tasks than others. Getting an oil change, for example, is a chore that I can't delay for too long or I get a lecture from the mechanics. Other tasks such as laundry tend to be delayed for many days because they aren't quite as urgent.

I realize at times I do go a bit overbaord with my to-do lists. If I've done dishes and it's not on my list, I'll later write "clean dishes" on my list just so I can check it off. Ok, yes, that's unnecessary. But hey, it's my life. At least you can see that I am getting things accomplished. Update blog...check!

Lent begins- February 17, 2010

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.

Every year for Lent, I always try and think of something to give up. It usually switches back and forth from chocolate to sodas. This year, I'm not exactly giving something up, but rather doing more instead. Lent is supposed to be some sort of sacrifice, and rather than an edible sacrifice, I've decided to do something a little more positive.

For the forty days of Lent, I plan to be a more devoted Christian. I plan to attend church, pray more, and involve myself in more activities that are helpful to others and not just myself. Although I normally try to do these tasks, I usually find myself putting myself before others too much. I want to devote myself to helping others and doing more community service work.

I'm planning to have this routine continue beyond the forty days, but I'm hoping that this will be a good start to my commitment to helping others and putting them before myself. Need any favors? I'll be happy to help!

Dalmatian love- February 16, 2010

I love Dalmatian puppies!!

Ever since I was young, dalmatians have always been my favorite dog. I've never really known anyone that owns a dalmatian and I've never owned one myself, but they've still always been my favorite. I think that 101 Dalmatians being my favorite movie as a kid has something to do with it.

People have always warned me that dalmatians are too hyper, too big, and can be temperamental, but I've found the perfect solution to anything holding me back from getting one...the miniature dalmatian. There is one farm in the entire world that has them, and it's not too far away. Although they are rather expensive, this is the perfect dog and pet and would be worth every penny. :)

Ever since my little Prince Charming left me last year, I've wanted a puppy that is my own. I really just want Prince back, but since I know that's not likely to happen I have to think of other options. What my puppy plan is as of right now is to get a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Aurora, Rory for short. And then once I have a real job and more money, buy myself a miniature dalmatian. Sounds like a plan! And p.s. I've never thought of myself as a dog person until recently. I like to play with puppies but never, ever would imagine myself with more than one. Now I can't imagine my future without Princey, Rory, and my little Dalmaish!

DVD Seasons- February 15, 2010

How I Met Your Mother is my new favorite!

So I have a really bad habit of having DVD television season marathons. Once I was introduced to t.v. shows without commercials, it's hard to watch them normally. But when I do buy a DVD season, it usually consumes me and I have to watch multiple episodes back to back.

I've gone through phases of DVD seasons that I watch nonstop- Lost and Dexter are definitely two shows that I obsessed over. Normally the shows I get really into are dramas or suspense, but lately a comedy has become my favorite.

I've always been told that How I Met Your Mother would be a show that I would love, but never really gave it a chance. Now that I've bought the first couple seasons, I can't go to bed without watching a couple episodes. The problem with this show is that the episodes are short so just as I am about to fall asleep, a new episode begins and hooks me in. Jason Segel is one of my favorite comedians, and I've become a recent Neil Patrick Harris fan. Although this show doesn't have the intensity of a show like Lost, it still hooks me in and is very entertaining to watch. I need to find a boring, slow moving show that puts me to sleep at night. Any ideas?

Back to Blonde- February 14, 2010

Happy Valentine's Day all of you lovers!

One thing about me that you may or may not know is that I change my hair a lot. It has been just about every shade of brown and blonde you can imagine, as well as every length possible. Last year, I even dyed my hair black. I've now been going lighter and now I think I can classify myself as a blonde again. And this is officially the longest my hair has ever been. I have to admit, I think blondes really do have a little more fun. :)

Having been celebrating Valentine's Day all week with different friends, family, school, and work, I decided to work on actual Valentine's Day, but was actually really excited to do so. I work at Disney, but hadn't worked in quite a while before today. It was definitely fun to dance and smile at all of the families and friends gathered together to celebrate. I definitely miss working whenever I go back. Working in "the Happiest Place on Earth" is definitely a fun job!

I might not of had a traditional romantic Valentine's Day, but I like to think that I made other people's day more fun and happy. If my dancing and smiling brings happiness to just one person, I think it's worth it. Happy Valentine's Day and keep smiling!

Big Kids Dinner- February 13, 2009

Living in a family with eight children, it's pretty hard to get all of us together. This weekend, however, we had all eight of us home together to celebrate Valentine's Day with the ones we love the most!

With the little boys always running around the house, us older girls crave some alone time with our parents every once in a while. On Saturday night, the older college girls got to spend the day shopping and going out to dinner and a movie with our fabulous parents. I'm really excited about my new heels I got for spring, but more importantly, I had so much fun spending time with my family.

Every time we go shopping at this outdoor mall, we always wait to choose our restaurant at last minute, with no reservations or plans of where to eat. Being the Saturday during Valentine's weekend, the first restaurant we tried had a 3 hour long wait! I don't understand how someone could possibly wait three hours to eat somewhere-that just seems insane to me.

We finally ended up at our favorite mexican restaurant, Cantina Laredo. It is the most amazing mexican food ever. If you haven't ever been, go! We all got margaritas and guacamole for starters and then most of us got enchiladas, my favorite mexican food. After being completely stuffed, we still decided to try the dessert we had been smelling all night, an apple cobbler dish that was incredible. We ended the night by seeing the new movie "Valentine's Day". I obviously loved it, as expected. With so many favorite actors in it, it seemed impossible to dislike.

It's always so much fun to spend time with my family and always so hard to leave at the end of a weekend. As I've gotten older, I've learned to appreciate every moment we all have together and I wouldn't give any of them up for the world!

Valentine's Treats- February 12, 2010

My sweet, delicious collection of goodies!

Even though I thought I didn't have a Valentine this year, I ended up having about 25 different Valentines!

Fridays are always a fun day at school. No matter what, there is always something to spark the day and make it unique and more exciting than all the others. This Friday was the most fun yet, with tons and tons and tons of chocolate! I can't believe all of the treats I got from all of my students- Godiva chocolates, flowers, heart boxes of truffles, cards, and my favorite candy, Kit Kat.

On Monday I'll be at the dentist...hopefully all of this chocolate won't lead to cavities!

Baking Cupcakes!- February 11, 2010

Baking Valentine's Day cupcakes for my kiddies!

Baking cupcakes is one my favorite hobbies. For any holiday or occasion, I always bake a batch of cupcakes- yellow cake with icing (usually milk chocolate) and special themed sprinkles and decorations.

Although I don't always have an excuse to bake a batch, today I actually did. To celebrate Valentine's Day with my students and show my love for teaching them, I baked cupcakes with red sprinkles and hearts. I was so excited to use my new cupcake holder and it was definitely money well spent. I always end up ruining half of the cupcakes by trying to cram them into tupperware containers that are too small. This carrying case, however, was the perfect purchase for a frequent cupcake baker like me!

Have a special occasion? Need an excuse to eat a cupcake? Just let me know and I'll be happy to bake a fresh, delicious batch! :)

iChat video- February 10, 2010

I love Apple computers!

On Wednesday night, my sisters, my roommate and I all decided to do a 3-way ichat. Some people like to Skype and video chat with friends in other countries or cities, but chatting with friends in the other room and sisters who I saw over the weekend is just as fun to me.

My roommate Lauren finally got a Mac and so of course we had to try out video chat from room to room. It was fun, but kind of awkward hearing her actual talking seconds before I could hear her through my computer. But, of course, that didn't stop us from continuing to do it for quite a while. We then invited my sisters to join the chat and they entertained us with some intense dance moves.

Although I LOVE my computer, I will say I feel a little behind the times. My Mac is an older version so it doesn't have all the crazy effects to use while chatting with someone. (When I say older, it is older in Mac years, but not actually old.) I felt a little left out of the roller coaster rides and face mutations, but hey, I still entertained myself. Video ichat is definitely a feature I need to use more and definitely plan to use in when I'm in Europe!

Rainboots- February 9, 2010

Today has been raining nonstop!

It's not too often that rain comes down for a solid 24 hours, but when it does, I just want to snuggle up in my bed with a good book or movie. Today, instead, I've been out and about with so much to do.

Rather than being upset by the rain, however, I was excited to bust out my pink rainboots and new zebra print umbrella. I'll have to admit that walking in my rainboots definitely calls for some splashing around in puddles.

So I've realized that although sleeping all day and having a lazy rainy day is definitley nice, running errands and getting things done can also be fun with the right attitude. Just slip on some rainboots and have some fun!

Designing a Chair- February 8, 2010

Circus McGurkus Chair!

For my internship, I've volunteered to decorate a chair for the end of the year musical production. The school is doing "Suessical the Musical" so I'm decorating my chair as "Circus McGurkus" from the book If I Ran the Circus. I'm definitely a Dr. Seuss fan so participating and helping out with this musical is definitely more fun than it is work.

Today was the day I got to take home my red chair to begin working on it at home. I've just began sketching out my plans and ideas, but I still have yet to get the supplies and begin decorating. I don't want to start anything until I know for sure it's going to be awesome.

Being an intern, it is important to always do everything to the very best of my ability and always prove that I am a hard worker and dedicated to the job. I'm hoping my chair will be a reflection of my creative, fun side.

I'm excited to begin decorating the chair and we'll see how it turns out!

Downtown Disney/Superbowl 44- February 7, 2010

Superbowl Sunday!!

For a not-so-lazy Sunday, Stephanie and I went to Downtown Disney for the day to shop around and explore the sites. (Not that there are very many sites we haven't seen a million times.) One of our favorite stops was the Harley Davidson store. Of course we had to strike a pose on the Mardi Gras themed Harley. We're making plans to go to Bike Week this year, even though neither of us has ever been on a motorcycle before (that's moving).

After our day around Disney, we went back to my apartment to prepare for the Superbowl. We stocked up on Shirley Temple fixins, chips & dip, wings, ice cream, and snacks. No, we didn't have a Superbowl party; we just felt like we needed the typical game day food to go along with watching it. I decided I was rooting for the Saints and was very happy to see them win! I chose a good team! Although, I'll have to admit I wasn't really intensely watching the football game. I'm definitely more into the commercials and performances than the actual game.

We ended the night with making plans for the rest of the semester: Bike Week, Mardi Gras, Michael Buble Concert, St. Patrick's Day, Spring Break...so many upcoming events to look forward to!!

Twistee Treat- February 6, 2010

Yummy yummy Twistee Treat!!

My favorite place to get ice cream in the whole world is Twistee Treat. If you've never been there, you must go! It's an awesome ice cream stand in the shape of an ice cream cone that has tons of different soft serve flavors. My favorite is strawberry cheescake in a cake cone...delicious!

I got to spend my Saturday night with Stephanie and Jaimie and we had a blast. We spent the night chatting and laughing, and it was so nice to be with such good friends. I love when conversation and company can turn into such a fun night!

Shopping!- February 5, 2010

Shopping with the sisters!

On Friday night, two of my sisters came to town to meet me at the mall for a girls day of shopping. Although we didn't intend on going on shopping sprees, we ended up buying a few different things from some of our favorite designers. Stephanie and I both bought some purses/satchels from Juicy Couture, a family favorite store. We thought they'd be perfect for Europe! (My pic of the day is of Stephanie, not me, with some of her purchases.)

After shopping for a couple hours, we all ate dinner together at The Cheesecake Factory, one of my favorite restaurants. Lauren was working so we got to have special priority seating, a nice perk.

We ended the night by going to a midnight showing of "Dear John". Although I didn't like it quite as much as the book, it was still really good. I'm not gonna lie, I definitely cried. I think I was the only one from our group to cry, but I couldn't help it. Friday night ended up being such a fun night with my sisters; I love when they come to town!

Super Mario World- February 4, 2010

Thursdays are my usual relax and do nothing day after I get home from my internship. Today was no exception to that rule.

During the middle of a long week, I decided to bust out my Super Mario Bros. for Wii. I have to admit that even though I am a girly girl at times, I've always been pretty awesome at video games. Many of my girl friends have never found a liking for video games, but ever since I was young I've always enjoyed playing. I don't play Wii or any type of video game very often, but when I do, it is usually for a long period of time. Especially games like Mario Bros., I usually try to finish them as soon as I get them.

Over winter break, when my family got this game, my siblings and I became obsessed with beating it and played nonstop. I hadn't played since the break and wanted to challenge myself to beat it on my own. In about 10 minutes, I already beat world 1. I'm pretty pro. :) It's not too often that I find a game that hooks me in like this one does, but when I do it becomes a mission to be beat.

Game Night & Good Friends- February 3, 2010

Cranium, Scattergories, friends, and delicious food.

Wednesday night was a much needed break from the normal routine of school, work, and early to bed. The girls of Acehouse hosted a dinner and game night against some of our friends, another set of roomies. Some of our friends are moving away and there is no proper goodbye without a nice sit down dinner and game night. :) Being intense gamers ourselves, we thought we'd be seeing an easy conquer. Underestimating our opponents, we ended up losing the games and feeling grief in defeat.

I love game nights and nothing is better than getting good friends together. Although we were defeated in Cranium, we had so much fun acting out and doing all of the crazy tasks that Cranium challenges. Scattergories wasn't divided by teams, but someone from the other house ended up winning that game, too. I did, however beat Lauren (once again!) which is always a conquer in itself. We are probably two of the most intense board game players and are very competitive with each other even if we put on a calm front.

Acehouse is sure to be hosting another game night in the near future to regain our credibility. We make any game fun no matter the outcomes, but inside we all can feel the defeat. Who is up for a challenge? Because we are up for a win!

Groundhogs & Recital Dances- February 2, 2009

Happy Groundhog Day!

Well it looks like dear old Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this year and we are in for six more weeks of winter.

Although Groundhog Day is a somewhat holiday, it wasn't really the main focus of my day. I had a long day of internship going into teaching dance without having my dances choreographed like I had planned.

Once January starts every year, I always begin panicking about getting my dance recital dances choreographed and cleaned. I'm usually so on top of the ball but this year I feel behind and it is stressing me out big time. Once I actually get to my classes I can usually think of steps and combinations, but driving to dance is always a stressful time. I have to turn on my recital music and try to choreograph while driving because it is my only free moment of the day.

Although I do get stressed, I really am excited about my dances this year and I love having different styles of dance to choreograph. Last year I taught mostly all jazz classes and it has been an enjoyable challenge for me to teach ballet this year. I have to admit I grew up not enjoying ballet too much, but now it is becoming something I love. Although sometimes it seems repetitive or slow, it is so nice to feel graceful and elegant after a stressful day.

Dear John- February 1, 2010

Today I finished Dear John and I loved it!

In preparation for the new movie coming out, I decided to read the Nicholas Sparks book "Dear John". When I first began reading the book, I was disappointed to see that it was in the male's perspective and was afraid I wasn't going to get into it. Well, after about the first chapter it wasn't an issue at all whatsoever.

I've only read one other Nicholas Sparks book before, but I know about his writing style and was expecting to be sad and emotional somewhat while reading it. I wasn't prepared, however, to be crying every night I read the book. This was one of the quickest books I've ever read, taking me only about three days to read. Two of the three nights I was crying for most of the book. I was so surprised that this book made me so emotional because I'm normally not like that when reading. I love getting into a book but it's always so hard to finish it and just move on to another book. Luckily this book has a new movie coming out this week and I can continue to be a part of the story.

I'm now so excited for the movie to come out so I can see it. Although I know movies usually never live up to their books, I'm still so excited to go. I'm just a little afraid I'm going to be weeping in the theater as well. Hopefully it won't be quite as emotional for me as the book, but that's highly doubtful.