Oprah advice...

For Christmas one of my many fabulous gifts was a Kyrous touch tablet. The things you can do with this gadget are endless! Today I am back at work and it is S-L-O-W!!! So, I am exploring with my new toy and descovered and app that has quite the collection of quotes  organized in category. I am one who loves quotes. You know those wall quotes you can buy... Faith, Hope, Love..... Live, Laugh, Love.... you know what I'm talking about right? Well I am a sucker for anything like that! As I'm reading the "Friend" quotes I found one I thought was true and a little comical if you can think of a time you have had a similiar experience with a friend. I will share,

"Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo,

but what you want is someone who will take the

bus with you when the limo breaks down."

                                           -Oprah Winfrey

Pretty good advice huh??

Schooooools out for....Winter Break?

School's

out forever!

Okay, Okay, not forver.

(But hey a girl can dream right?)

I don't have much to update ya'll on today,

except for the fact that I am soooooo excited and

ready for a break!!! My official break started this morning

at approximately 10:00 a.m. when I finished presenting my last

final, which consist of 11 slides on a case study I have been studying

on and observing all semester! I hate to brag buuuuut I like to say I deserve

bragging rights at this point sooooo...... I GOT AN A!!!! WHOOHOOOOOOO

Now, I look forward to going to Omaha this weekend and meeting Adam's huge family!

Then I look forward to heading

home to my family and having

a great holiday break! What

are all of your plans for the

holiday seasons??? God Bless!

(Do you like my attempt to do my blog in the shap of a Christmas tree?)



'Tis the season!

Well, it is FINALLY snowing here in the 'ville! It started snowing around 2 or 2:30 p.m. today. How much snow will we accumulate? I'm not sure but the word on the street says up to 2 inches. (Remember last time though- the word on the street was WRONG!) Finals week is just around the corner which means one more week of school!!! I had two of my finals today and would like to strut my stuff- I got a 100% on one of them!!! Whoo hooo!! (The other grade is not posted yet) With school coming to a close for winter break, the snow falling, the heated blankets out, the Christmas tree up and lit, and the Christmas songs playing on the tv radio as I sit at work typing this, It is starting to feel like Christmas!! Life is grand! After next week I will be finishing up my Christmas projects and wrapping away, then I get to head HOME!! As I think about Christmas this year, I think about how lucky I am.

The top five things I have that make me feel like the luckiest girl in the world:

1. Family (I have an amazing blood family but I also like to say that I have two other families. One of which is my neighbors, ya know those 3 amazing boys and thier mom and dad who I have spent oh so many hours with, and my boyfriend Adam's familly who are very loving and caring)

2. Support- I am so lucky to have the support I have in life. (You know the song "Who I Am by Jessica Andrews? Every time that song comes on I have to blast the radio and change up the lyrics of the chorus just slightly to this: "I am Charlotte's grandaughter, the spitting image of my father, and when the day is done my momma's still my biggest fan. Sometimes I'm clueless and I'm clumsy but I've got friends that love me and they know just where I stand, it's all a part of me, that's who I am")

3. I have a very supportive boyfriend who is amazing from the inside and out. It doesn't take just an ordinary man to put up with me ya know. ;)

4. I have a place to call home and will be there to wake up to stocking stuffed and presents under the tree! (I can't help but think of those children who can't go home for Christmas because they are so sick they have to spend it in the hospital. I am positive children hospitals make the best out of the situtaion as possible and those children will have a great Christmas (I pray), but home is home, and nothing can replace that.

5. I have the ability to love and be loved!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd9zYKLepCw&ob=av2e

The Heart Of Christmas

So, Maryville did not receive any snow, just to keep you updated.

I just finished watching the movie The Heart of Christmas and if you haven't already it is a MUST see!! If you don't watch any other Christmas movie this year please look this one up! In the movie it goes through a story of this little boy who was diagnosed with Cancer. He was placed in the St. Judes Children Hospital for 18 months! As the movie tells the story of this little boy there is a lady reading his story and following his updates on Caring bridge! I have a cousin who has a very rare disease and I follow his updates on the caring bridge website as well! Anyway, the lady who is reading his story and updates everyday used to be a stay at home mom, they had what we think of as a "perfect family" (if there is such a thing). They sat down and ate family suppers every night, the dad was the little boys soccer coach, they pretty much were very close as a family and did everything together. The dad works out of the house during the day and the mom was a stay at home mom with her own part time business. Well, her business grew so much it became her full time job. This left her with no time to attend her children's activities, they all ate different things at different times, and they never had time together as a family. So, the lady was so inspired by the story that Dax (the boy diagnosed with cancer) saved her family and put them back together with his story. Okay, I'm getting ahead of myself. Back to the story of Dax. He was hospitalized for 18 months at the Children's Hospital of St Judes. They were on a roller coaster ride getting good news then not long after followed the bad news every time. They did a research study on him as a last resort and it worked! (So they thought) They got the test results back and Dax didn't have any cancer cells in his body! So, they let mom and dad take him home Christmas morning! Dax absolutely LOVED Christmas more than any other child. (the movie doesn't ever show them opening gifts, he just loved the atmosphere) While at Christmas at his grandmothers he picked up Jesus from the nativity scene. Dax loved that little baby Jesus. The next morning mom and dad got a call and it turned out there were cancer cells in Dax. There was nothing left to do so they gave Dax medication to make him comfortable for his 4-6 weeks he would have left to live his life to the fullest at home. One morning Dax's mom found the little baby Jesus in his bed. Dax had taken Jesus home with him and held onto him this whole time. It was then his mom realized Dax would never get to see another Christmas again. So, his dad set the whole house up in Christmas with a tree, lights, the whole works. Later the whole neighbor pitched in. Remember the lady who let her business get in the way of family? She was so inspired she got Dax's doctor and people from the hospital together along with people from the community and knocked on his door. They all greeted him with candles and sang Christmas songs. Dax passed a few weeks later. I am so inspired by this movie I think everyone should watch it. I've always wanted to be a part in children's lives and help them. (Hints why I am going to be a elementary teacher) I've always had this little idea in the back of my mind that I want to not only help children in school but I would LOVE the opportunity to get involved at a Children's hospital in just comforting, playing, and loving the children. If anyone has any ideas on how to learn more about that or what I would have to do and how to get involved I would love to hear your thoughts. Sorry this is such an extensive blog, I just LOVE the story and the fact that it is a true story. Merry Christmas to all and God bless!

Gearing up for snow!

Remember about a month ago when we got snow here in Maryville at the beginning of November? To the right is the morning after we got the first snow fall of this winter. I was all bundled up ready to walk to class in the beautiful winter wonderland.

Well.....

I am gearing up for snow to fall again! The word on the street is we will be getting snow tomorrow!! Are you ready for it?? Is there any truth to what the little birds are telling me?? I guess we will soon find out!

I'm back!

I have failed to blog and keep you all updated for a couple of weeks so let me take you back in time and recap these last few weeks.

Friday the 18th I was fortunate to be able to join the Parry family at a night at Cabellas. Cabellas holds an annual event every November for black card members only. During this event they close down the whole store and open it only for Cabellas credit card members who have a black card. You earn the black card by spending so much on your Cabellas credit card a year. Adam's dad is a proud Black Card member so he took all of us to Cabellas as his guests. (I had to play Adam's sister because it is only for immediate family only) Not only does Cabellas close down the store but they also provide a free supper and free beer and wine! And here's the best part, if you use your black cabellas credit card, you get everything at employee discount! The boys got to pick out some of their Christmas gifts, Adam's mom and dad picked out a few things for their Christmas gifts, we enjoyed our meal of pork or beef, potatoes, carrots, and cheesecake! Yes, CHEESECAKE!!! That was my favorite part! :o) I enjoyed my night with the Parry's and I am looking forward to heading home after work today! Life is Grand.

I love everything about Cabelas

I love all of the animals

The fish are so fun to watch!

This is me and my VIP pass!

Last week I had a great break from school as I went home and spent a few days there. I enjoyed my break from school and time at home with family, as always. This week I am preparing for my C-Base test. Fingers crossed I can pass it the first time and not have to retake any sections! If any of you don't know, the C-Base is a standardized test that education majors have to take to get accepted into the board of education. I have to pass this test before I can take certain classes that I will need before I proceed with my career as an education student. Most students don't pass it the first time around and therefore have to retake it. BUT I'm not an ordinary student, right?? ;)