~Scentsy~

I just recently had a shipment of Scentsy come in and I was wanting to share some of my scents that I am just LOVING!!!!!!!!!

For my Kitchen:

As much as I would love to be Susie Homemaker and have scrumptious, sweet baking smells enticing your senses all the time, this girl just does not have time for it...... But what I do have to make my kitchen seem like it is wonderful scents that can trick even your grandma!  

Mochadoodle has been one of my favs for awhile now! I just ordered this in a room spray to use in the Kitchen.

So.....Oats & Honey is a new scent that just came out. I ordered this as well in a room spray and instantly fell in love with it! 

For my Front Room:

The front room  is usually the first room that people encounter when entering your home. I like to use a more rich, "country"scent in my front room.

MY FAV!!! This scent is one of my top sellers and I just love it! My sister had actually just bought this in a brick because she loved it so much! It has that spice, country smell yet has sweetness to it as well! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

My Bedroom:

Nothing is better when laying down for bed than a relaxing scent to help you drift to sleep. I usually will turn my Scentsy warmer on in my bedroom about a half an hour before going to bed and keep it on through the night.....this girl still hates the dark so it doubles for a nightlight and sleeping scent!!

Such a clean, relaxing smell!!

This scent has been one of my favs for years!! Throw it in for a little extra spice to the bedroom....wink wink ; )

Some Other Scents That I am Loving!!!

I have also decided to try something new that I am thinking will be a grand idea! I had purchased a Scent Pack back in November for my son's room. The vent's in my son's room is located on the floor, so I would place this scent pack on the vent and every time it would kick on the scent would flow wonderfully through the room. Now forward to now and I still have a scent in the SAME Scent Pack that I started with!! These are the same Scent Packs that are used in our Scentsy Buddies that are too die for adorable!

After seeing how well these Scent Pack work and how LONG they last, I am going to throw one in my car and see how it works for an air freshener! Considering that the Scent Circle is $3 and lats a little while....as does any car freshener that I have ever bought...The Scent Pack is $7 and has lasted for months..... So I figure if it work great then I will be saving some money as well as not having to worry about changing out my scent regularly.

I will keep you updated on how this works. 

If anyone is interested in purchasing any of these products, you can order from my website at 

https://nicolehebs.scentsy.us/Home

ALSO.......Check out the Warmer and Scent of the month of June!! They will be 10% off for the month of June!

Product Reviews: Organix

So.....I would just like to begin this by giving a shout out to my bff's, Laura & Mandy for turning me into such a girl these past few years. I did not realize to the extent of this until a few minutes ago while taking a nice, long, luxurious bath.  I had recently purchased some products that I was going to use this weekend while away for a wedding and became eager to try them and jumped the gun...SO GLAD I DID!!!!

Lesson of the day: ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS try a product that is new to you before you leave town with just it!!

So a little something about me: I am cheap. What I mean by this is that I do not spend a penny more if I feel like I can get a better deal some where else for the same quality. I have recently discovered though that you get what you pay for. With that in mind, I have been trying new products that I feel are reasonable in price that one does not have to forsake groceries for.

With that being said, I am going to share some of the products that I have been using and give you my brutal, honest opinion on them. Here we go!!

1) Cherry Blossom Raspberry Instant Lifting Mask:
I know Laura, you are probably SO tired of hearing about this, but I have to list it first haha.... So I bought this product from Ulta back in April. I instantly fell in love with this product... and when I say that I fell in love with this product... I mean I will not go without. I apply this product after taking a shower and before I begin my makeup. I apply a small amount over my face and neck. This product will then go into super Ninja tightening mode. While this product is on, my face shows not one single wrinkle or line. I LOVE IT!! Once a take it off, it does loose a little of the tightening, but my face still is looks tight compared to before. My face is also smooth and soft after use, and sometimes I do not even have to use moisturizer after use. My only complaint is that it cost $9.99, which really forced me to get pasts my cheapness when I bought it, but has been so worth it!

My verdict: A must have!!

 2) Cherry Blossom Ginseng Shampoo and Conditioner
So after trying out the Instant face lifting mask from Organix, I came across their shampoo and conditioner while at Wal-Mart buying essentials for the wedding weekend ahead. They offer all different shampoos and conditioners based on your needs. I was a little hesitant at first to purchase them both, being that they were almost $6 bucks a pop and were extremely small bottles (13oz), which on Ulta they were $7 each. But I finally talked myself into getting them because, hey I just LOVED their other product, so I figured that I would love them as well......
So you know when you hear the expression a little bit goes a long way.....
Well it was just the opposite with this product... a lot still does not go very far! I was SO disappointed in this product! I felt like I had to keep putting more product on and it still felt ratty, dry, and just not good at all. I had to reapply conditioner TWICE and then gave up after keeping it on forever and used my regular stuff. I used almost a two thirds less with what I have been using and it instantly rid it of the mess it was in.

Verdict: I would not waste a dollar on either one of these products. I am honestly half tempted to return them to Wal Mart.

That is all I have time for now, but after this hectic weekend passes I will share more....

Being Mommy Again!

Hello readers.

It is around 10:30 at night and I found myself at a stump with my homework project that is due in the morning. It is quite small and stupid really what is holding me back from finishing this project....yet it is such an important detail that can not be taken lightly. I have made a tri-fold on the research of Shel Silverstein. The problem that I am at right now is that I have finished the whole thing except for the title: Who is Shel Silverstein? I am trying to think of a unique way to present the title on this but everything I think of would take too much time. Oh well... I will figure it out soon enough.

I am happy to say that I have approximately four weeks left of school, including finals week. I will be so happy when this semester is done and over with and I can actually sit back and relax a bit before student teaching next semester. I only have one class to take this summer and it only meets twice a week for the month of June. Hopefully this will give my mind the much needed time to rest and recuperate before starting next semester.

So after this past semester of running wild with classes I have decided on a new path once I finish student teaching.Something that I have not been wanting to admit to myself for quite some time now really came into full perspective to me during this past week after an unpleasant episode that took place. I realized how much time I put into school and how much of that time is being taken away from my son. I realized that through this whole school experience that he has rarely ever had mommy who was not constantly stressed about school and worrying about how she was going to get it all finished with an A. I love my son so much and I never want him to ever think that he comes second in life. I know that he is only three and does not fully understand what is going on.... actually he does like mommy's school and the rare occasions that he gets to join me in the classroom. But the fact remains is that he deserves more from me. I know it sounds quit ridiculous, but from the moment that I held his little finger I never wanted to leave him. I would to be able to be a stay at home mom full time and raise my child and spend all that time with him growing and learning in life. And not to mention the little ones to come. The closer and closer I get to graduating the more and more I just wish and pray that something will happen to allow me to stay home with my son until he goes to school.

It is because of this that I have decided that I am going to hold off from getting a teaching job until after my son starts school. Being a teacher is alot of work and one that I am looking forward to doing one day, one day however when I have that extra time to give fully and not have to worry about forsaking time with my son for. My biggest fear is that if I get a teaching job right after college, that I will be repeating the past three years all over again and that my son will once again not have the extra attention needed from me, nor for myself. I still have no idea how I plan on getting my husband on the same path as this, for he was looking forward to me getting job right after wards also (thank you bills and student loans)....but at what cost? I realize that we need the money, and I will plan on working a few nights a week at my current job just for that little extra. When I think about this sometimes I feel like I am being selfish, other times I feel you go girl. Just so lost.


But I do know one thing, I am looking forward to the day when I get to be mommy again and not a student.

The day when I get to take my son for a walk and not work on homework

The day when my son asks me to come play and I don't tell him that I am sorry because I have to finish my homework.

I look forward to being mommy again!

People told me it was going to be difficult, going back to school while raising a family, but I never imagined it would be like this. When I am at school, I feel as if no one really understands how much extra effort I have to put into every single assignment just to finish it. This goes for my clincals as well. I try to give it my all, and I have been on the Deans list several times to prove just that. I have had teachers make remarks about how they don't know how I do it, or how tuff it is...... And honestly, I don't know how I do it either. It is amazing how I have become a master of juggling.

Typical day for me: Wake up at around 6:30. Shower. Get ready for class/clinical. Wake Jaydon up, get him ready to go to daycare. Go to class/clinical. Do everything I can to stay awake and be productive all day while in classes or clinicals. Pick up Jaydon. Play with Jaydon. Do homework. Clean. Repeat about five times. Make supper. Get Jaydon ready for bed. homework. bed around midnight. Repeat this cycle five times, then move on to weekend schedule where it is just homework, cleaning, laundry, and playing with lil man. Not to mention the million and one places we have to be at on weekends.

My mom and dad just bought their "retirement" home that is out in the country right on a pond. Beautiful home. Peaceful. Quiet. Relaxing. Jaydon loves it there. I love it there. I think this place is going to be the place that is going to save me from going insane from school. When we are there, fishing at the pond, taking walks, or just sitting on the deck, life seems so simple again. There is no stress, no reminders of what needs to be done and how little time I have to finish it. Life is just that ..... time to relax and enjoy yourself. I am looking forward to going there this summer with Jaydon and spending a good week there together. I look forward to this so......

This place has also healed my mind I do believe. Before I went back to school, my mind flowed all the time. Creativity poured out constantly. Words melted and book after book would form. This left once school started three years ago. Amazing thing is, ever sense I have been spending time out there, I feel my creativity coming back to me. The words flow again without hesitation and doubt. I have spent roughly a total of three days there... and in those three days that I have spent there I have already got four books in my mind ready to write.... I cannot wait to sit down with the pin and get started on the words.


Wow I have been rambling bad. But it does feel good to get some of this off my chest. Sorry for those of you who stuck it out till the end of reading this post. I know it was here there and every where...kinda whinny.... kinda stuck on one subject.... But oh well... I appreciate having you there for me while I am attempting to climb back up out of the hole.

By the way, for my prayer list tonight.... I ask that you all say a little extra prayer for my husband's grandma. She had surgery today for her heart and has been having complications for a while. I pray that she recovers smoothly and only gets better. 

Love to all tonight and thank you for stopping by.

PS... I promise my next post will not be so depressing, school orientated, nor rambling. I will make a solid effort to entertain you in some way shape or form.

Good Night all... And pleasant dreams

Back To Reality

First week back to school of the last semester prior to student teaching.......

And the verdict is.......

Just put me out of my misery now!

Ok, so it is not THAT bad. However, it is going to be a very busy semester. So I am going to go ahead and tell you all now.... Sorry to my friends and family for the lack of attention I may show you for the remainder of the semester, But I shall see you next fall! 

LOL

Just Joshen Ya~!

And now I am back : )

Did I miss much?

 Ochocinco has decided to change his last name back to Johnson.... Too late now there padre.... you will always be Ochocinco to me!

WOW.... That was very random! Don't mind me, that is just my ADD kicking in for a few brief moments.....give it time....it will pass......SQUIRREL!!    Sorry couldn't resist! 

Now that is out of my system.... I am currently enrolled in a Young Adult Literature class for this semester that I am just LOOOOOVING!!!!!

So rough it is for me to be forced to read all these great novels for a grade....darn the luck! Not that it will not be alot of work... I just love reading and am looking forward to having the excuse to burying my head into a good book every night!

I am also taking a Personal Health and Wellness class. UGH!!! I mean..... Yippy Skippy! I came home and told my husband about this class and he just burst out laughing! "You have to run a mile???" Yep, that's my sweetie! Just bursting with confidence and support that his wife will overcome this class with vigorous activities! I am not going to lie.... I was laughing hysterically in my head while the instructor was describing what all activities and exercise we would be doing in this class. But I will give it my all. I know that this class will be great for me and may just be what I needed to get my but in gear and in shape. Oh I forgot to mention, my mom laughed uncontrollably when I told her as well. Love you two!! 

Enough about talking about the classes for now, I will share more about the rest as the semester goes on I am sure!

Life as a mommy ; ) 

Pulled up some pictures of Jaydon Bug when he was a baby the other day. I just cannot get over how much he has grown and how much of a little man he has become! Every day I think that he could not look any more like his father, and every day it happens. He has turned out to be such a great little boy, and I could not be any more proud of him!! It seems like just yesterday we were bringing him home from the hospital, being new, young parents! So scared of what the future would behold, yet knowing that life was going to be so grand with this child in your life!

With that being said.......

I HATE potty training with a passion!!!!!!!!!!!

The child may look like his father, but by golly he inherited  my stubbornness! 

Any advice or tricks with potty training would be greatly appreciated.....we have tried everything and this child has no desire for any of it! He knows how to use it, when he has to go, and everything there is to know about potty training. He just doesn't want to use it. HELP!

Prayer Lists

I pray for safe travels for everyone during these cold snowy months. 

I pray for great health for family, friends, and everyone else! 

This week in EDU in Modern Society, we have been discussing about poverty in the world

So I pray for food for those who are hungry and cannot afford a hot meal.

I pray for clean water for those who do not have any source.

I pray for a warm bed for those who do not have shelter.

I pray for those who lost their jobs and cannot afford to support their families.

And last but not least......

I pray that my son will grow to love big boy underwear. I pray that he finds using the potty fun and enjoyable and not something that he hates. I pray that this time next month that I will be diaper free!!

Scentsy FREE Samples!!!

I just got a new Scentsy shipment in today...... and boy was that fun!~!~!~!~!!~ I just love going through everything that I ordered and organizing it..... and then sitting back telling myself that it is prizes not my own personal mega stock!! Hahaha.....

On that note...

I have made up some Free samples for anyone that is interested! The samples are of the January scent of the month, My Wish..... AND it smells awesome!!!!! It is a sweet violet and marshmallow scent! SO GOOD...A wonderful addition to the romance line I do believe~!

This scent is on sale for 10% off for the month of January. The warmer of the month is also very cute! You will def have to check it out at my site   nicolehebs.scentsy.us

They also have the Hugs and Kisses warmer on sale this month also for 10% off. They are both pretty and will make wonderful gifts for a special lady in your life for a Birthday, Anniversary, Valentines Day, or just to spoil yourself!

If you would like a free sample of My Wish, you can email me your address from my website listed above. And that's all I've got for the night!

"Hold your head high gorgeous..... there are people who would kill to see you fall..."

Tomorrow is the last day of my vacation before I must go back to school. Well, two actually, but I work on Sunday so I do not count that day as off! Part of me is soooo dreading going back to school and having my sanity completely crushed again, yet I am looking forward to getting this semester done so that I can finally do my student teaching! 

A HUGE plus to this semester is that I was able to have some night classes again, which in turn means I get to spend more time at home with my son during the days again! This is something that I have been looking forward to for a while now! I could have been done with classes this semester and have my summer off, but one of the classes that I have to take is not offered this semester but in the summer. This means that I had to pick up a class that I do not need for both this semester as well for the summer to receive my full financial aid.

Words cannot begin to explain how my emotions are about this last year of school.
It has been so long....

So HARD......

And so totally worth it!

Something that my grandmother told me when I was younger was this, "The more you know, the more valuable you are"

There has not been a day go by in the past four years that I have not thanked God for the life that I have now and the person that I have become and everything I overcame through everything in my life.I have such a great support system with my family and friends and such great inspirations in my life as well!

I saw this quote on a friend's site, and I thought that it fits perfectly:

"Hold your head high gorgeous..... there are people who would kill to see you fall..."

Even though I do have a great supportive family as well as wonderful friends, I know there are people out there just sitting back waiting for me to slip and fall.

Just praying for me to make a mistake......

But guess what.... It's not going to happen. Never underestimate the will power a of strong, independent woman! 

What I am looking forward to most...... Walking down the isle to retrieve my diploma and then looking out to see my husband holding our son. I am looking forward to being the first person in my family to graduate with a Bachelors degree. I am looking forward to prove everyone wrong when they said that I could not do it. 

So.... Going into this final year I just want to personally Thank all those who have supported me through this process. 

Thank you to my Mother for the hours of driving back and forth  from STL to help watch Jaydon so that I can go to class or work, for helping me catch up on laundry and cleaning when needed, and also just being there to help me get through the week!!  Thank you PaPa for helping me laugh when I wanted to cry, and for making me see reason when I wanted to ignore it.


To my Husband for all of his support through the whole process..... For tolerating my lack of appearance for four years after living off of coffee and sweet tea ) and no sleep. For distracting our son while I locked myself in the bedroom to work on homework. For working so hard to support us financially so that I did not have to work as much. And most of all, just being there to pick me back up, brush me off , give me a pep talk and throw me back in the game when I wanted to quit!

To the In-Law's for tagging in and out of the rings for last minute babysitters, support, and ready made suppers. For dogsitting as well as little man sitting. 

To the siblings for all the laughs, support, and visits for keeping my sanity!!! Thank you Aunt Jessie and Uncle John for allowing me to sleep in on my visits while also watching him so I can have relaxing time. John..... Still hoping I can have you bed on school nights ; )

To my Grandma's and Grandpa's, Aunts, Uncles, and cousins.... Thank you for everything that you have done and for all your support and always believing in me! 
 To my friends for all their love and support.... there willingness to help me whenever needed, and there wonderful need to help me relax when needed!
Thank you to my Bestie Laura for taking cat naps with me while at gatherings so that I would not feel like the only dud at the parties !!! : )  And Thank you to Mandy for the late night meetings on the front porch to wind down. Stacy for your never ending support and advise, Kelly for your guidance and help, and so so many more to thank!!!

 

11 Step Program for Those Thinking of Having Kids

Found this on a fellow blogger's site, The Moss Family Adventures, and just DIED laughing! I thought you would all get a kick out of this as well! Thanks Megan for sharing this with me!


Lesson 1



1. Go to the grocery store.

2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.

3. Go home.

4. Pick up the paper.



5. Read it for the last time.







Lesson 2







Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...



1. Methods of discipline.



2. Lack of patience.



3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.



4. Allowing their children to run wild.



5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.



Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.







Lesson 3







A really good way to discover how the nights might feel...



1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)



2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.



3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.



4. Set the alarm for 3AM.



5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.



6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.



7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.



8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.



9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and be productive)







Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.







Lesson 4







Can you stand the mess children make? T o find out...



1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.



2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.



3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.



4. Then rub them on the clean walls.



5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.



6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?







Lesson 5







Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.



1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.



2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.







Time allowed for this - all morning.







Lesson 6







Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.



1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment.



Leave it there.



2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.



3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.



4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.







Lesson 7







Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.







Lesson 8







1. Hollow out a melon.



2. Make a small hole in the side.



3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.



4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.



5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.



6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.







You are now ready to feed a nine- month-old baby.







Lesson 9







Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street , Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.







Lesson 10







Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.







Lesson 11







Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape made from Lesson 10 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.







This is all very tongue in cheek; anyone who is parent will say 'it's all worth it!' Share it with your friends, both those who do and don't have kids. I guarantee they'll get a chuckle out of it. Remember, a sense of humor is one of the most important things you'll need when you become a parent!

Just think happy thoughts........

Week One:
And the verdict is........
Great!
Still no extra sweet tea and have only been drinking water and pineapple juice. Not going to lie, the first couple of days was kinda of difficult with breaking old habits, but now I automatically grab for a glass of water. Even at work, I grabbed a water instead of my usual soda.
Eating has been getting better also. I have substituted the good ol deep southern ways of butter frying with extra virgin olive oil, which has surprising tasted better than I thought it would! I have been finding myself grabbing healthier alternatives to our plates as well as smaller portions. At this point, I am kinda still waiting for that moment where my body wakes up and slaps me across the face pleading for the "good stuff", but for some reason, it has been really easy. In the past, I would fight all of this from day one, yet this time around it feels more natural and wanted........ I bet taking baby steps into this has let my body allow such absurdness!  I mean come on.... Sweet tea?!?!?!? I would drink a pitcher a day by myself easily... and you do NOT want to know how much sugar I would put into that thing!

My Retail Funny Story of the night:

Lady comes in and finds a Christmas  plate that she just LOVED on sale for 60% off. The problem was that the price tag had come off. So.... One of the ladies I work with searched for another plate to find the price. Found it, problem solved....Lady decided she did not want it. The lady who I work with then put the plate back in with the Christmas stuff (hidden) in case the lady changed her mind (happens alot). The lady comes back up to me about a half an hour later wanting me to figure out what the price of the plate would be after discount. After I gave her the price ($6) she decided that she wanted it.......This lady and I had to spend about a good 10-15 minutes trying to find the plate that was hidden in the Christmas isle. After we finally find it, I take her up to the registers and ring her up. Once she was rang up and as she was pulling her credit card out to pay, I hold the plate up to wrap it and the lady spots a smudge on the plate..... and takes the plate into her hands and proceeds to attempt to wipe this smudge off. Does not come off (barely noticeable, only when you hold it up to the light!) Lady then claims that she can not purchase this plate because their was a smudge on it.
Gives a laugh
Apologizes
and Walks out.

I find myself telling myself more and more in retail.... "Just think happy thoughts"
________________________________________________________________

So I have discovered another New Years Resolution that I need to put on my list
Actually two.......




1) CHECK MY VOICEMAIL!!!! At least twice a week!
I know twice a week seems like not enough, but that would be a HUGE improvement to now, which is like once a month! MEMO to anyone who needs me in a desperate situation: Text me or keep calling until I realize I left my phone on silent!

2) Be more patient at work

_____________________________________________________________

It's All About Baby Steps!

It is here..... Finally....2011!!!!!! SO HAPPY!!! SO EXCITED!!! SO RELIEVED!!!!

I guess you are probably wondering why I am so thrilled about 2011....well here is why....

This is my last year of college!!! Which means this time next year.... No exams, midterms, finals, textbooks, papers, essays, and late hours of cramming!!!!

This also means that I will finally get my life back and allow myself to live my life instead of fretting about school work. I have never felt so excited about a year before in my life! I cannot wait to put school behind me and get on with my life. Find a great job that I love, be a wonderful parent to my son (and hopefully future little ones ;) spending time with my husband , being able to spend time with family and friends, and just being able to LIVE!!!


Going to put my excitement aside for a little while now.....
Now its time to get down to nitty gritty.
My New Years resolutions.

1) Survive my last year of school while still maintaining the Dean's List. Self explanatory I do believe. 

2) To get our finances on track and actually SAVE money every month. This is very important to me because this past three years of me being in school has really taken a toll on our fiances. With my husband working full time to support us and me bringing in a little money here and there still has been very difficult for us to get by every month, let alone save money. There are some months where it seems impossible to pay all our bills and find money left over for groceries, but some how we have made it this far and I know we can survive this last stretch! Why this is important to me is because after I graduate and find a stable job, we are looking to buying a house, and we need our eggs in line and hopefully a nice little amount of savings to help make that dream reality.

3) Of course...... Get in shape and live a healthier lifestyle. I have said this every year for the past three years and this year I am taking a different route to achieving this one. In the past, I have always just jumped in head first without giving myself time to adjust. Not this year, its all about baby steps! Baby Step one: Healthier food choices. So far so good with this one. Went grocery shopping the other day and it was the first time in YEARS that I did not buy junk food and only bought food that I can make myself.... this means no pizzas, boxed dinners, cookies, soda and so on. Not even tea.... and if you know me... that was the hardest of all. I have not made sweet tea in a week!!! Which could explain the headaches........
And so far the boys have adjusted to this very well! Fresher food and healthy home cooking has turned out pretty good!AND to top it off.... I have only been drinking water and pineapple juice (which I heard helps loose inches). Once I have myself adjusted to this new lifestyle then I will start introducing working out and my routines.

4) Making more time for those who matter most in my life. These past few years with school has been brutal to my social life. This year, I am going to work towards a date night every month with my husband, a family night, and a date night out with my girls. I am going to make more time with my family and friends this year, no matter how crazy school gets!!

5) Find more time with myself. I rarely make time for myself and just relaxing and I feel that it is time to break this. One thing that I miss more than anything is making my crafts, something that I have not had a lot of extra time to do.Well watch out viewers.... I'm going to get my craft on in 2011!!

I am actually looking forward to this year and the goals that I have set for myself. Wish me luck and I pray that everyone else has all the strength needed to accomplish their goals!

Tis The Season To Be Merry

When did the meaning of Christmas go from

                                                                         To this:

Sometimes I really think that people forget the meaning of Christmas.

Christmas it not about how many gifts you received but being grateful to have family and friends in your life. It is the rejoicing of Christ our Lord. It is about helping those that are in need, providing love, laughter and hope to those who are less fortunate.It is about spreading this love.

Yes..... I have stood outside Walmart at 2am waiting for great deals. And no, I never did it again.

I do know that there are still alot of good out there and that there are numerous amounts of people who are caring and loving during this season. I would love to personally hug every person who during this season that does not loose their head to the materialistic demands.

What aggravates me during this season are the people who feel they have to treat every other human being horrible by yelling, shouting, being rude, and downright intolerable. If you have not guessed yet, I work retail partime, and I almost forgot how nasty humans could be until the Christmas season started. I just could never imagine treating another person the way some of these people treat me and others in the stores. Of course, every time someone is overly rude to me, I just smile and think to myself that a stupid toy is not worth getting upset over. I just do not understand how you see the worst of people during what is suppose to be the happiest time of the year.

Really bummed tonight. Went to Walmart and did not have any cash to put into the bucket. There was a little girl ( no more then 5) Ringing the bell and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. It almost made me cry, and yet I saw hope through that little girl. Standing out in the wind and the cold, trying to raise money to make someone Else's Christmas better. I pray for a Merry Christmas for that little girl, and that I am good enough of a mother for my son to have that big of a heart some day.

It was the first time that I did not put money into the bucket and I even thought about hitting up an ATM just to bring a little hope to that girls night. I do not know the girl, may never see her again, but I am proud of her.



I am really looking forward to a relaxing a fun day with the girls next Saturday. Finishing up a little Christmas shopping and a nice dinner with Olive Garden. It has been well past due and this day has been desperately needed to keep my sanity from school , work , and a house full of boys.

I am looking forward to this on Saturday:

As well as this:

With the girls

Being a Friend and having true friends in life is essential, and I will always be grateful for the girls in my life and their support, love and laughter that they provide to my life.

This past year has been a true test to my strength. This past semester has been a true test to my sanity however. I am going into my final two weeks of school this semester and if I survive without loosing my mind I will be surprised.

 I just keep telling myself two more weeks, two more weeks! Next semester will be a breeze, then two more classes in the summer, then off to student teaching!!!! Almost done! I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel!

What I am grateful for:

My family and friends who show me nothing but love and support through this very stressful and difficult time in my life.

My husband and son, with them I am complete. With them I know that there is a greater purpose to this life. And for them I am a better person.

I am grateful that I was able to make myself to sit down and read a book last night.

Health

God, for through him all things are possible

Pray List:

Laura and her family: I pray that her father recovers quickly and that he is able to spend a joyous Christmas with his loved ones.

Grandpa Henry: I pray for his health and a safe trip back home.

Jayson: I pray that work at FedEx this holiday season is not too stressful for him and that he is able to finally enjoy at least one Christmas in his life time

I pray for all my family and friends that they have safe travels through this holiday season. I pray for their health and happiness.

Last but not least:

I pray that God opens the hearts of those this holiday season. I pray that he helps us all to become better people. I pray that he helps us all to be more like the little girl sitting outside in the cold bitter winds, saying Merry Christmas to everyone walking by the bucket. I pray that God opens that up in us all.