One Year Later...

Oh, hey there! I honestly completely forgot about my blog, not that anyone on earth reads it, but I like to have it to look back at every once in a while, so I figured I would let you know what I've been up to for the last year.

School has taken over my life, but it's ALMOST OVER! I graduate NEXT SEMESTER. You have no ideeeeeea how good it feels to be able to finally say that. Almost as good as it will feel to say next semester that I'm graduating in just a couple of months. It's so close I can smell it. There IS a light at the end of this long ass tunnel.

My first internship just started this week. I'm at an elementary school nearby my house, in a 3rd grade classroom, two days a week. So far it's going pretty well, I just can't say that 3rd grade is my favorite. I really prefer the older kids, but I guess this will be a good learning experience...? It bugs me to hear my fellow students talk about how they're placed in a 5th grade classroom and weren't expecting to be with older kids, because that was all I wanted! I'm really hoping to teach 6th grade in the future, but I guess we'll see what I can find when the time comes to look for my very first teaching job!

This was taken the morning of my second day of internship (which was yesterday).

I have class two days a week in addition to my internship. Since school just started last week and my internship just started this week, I honestly haven't been very busy, but I know once the ball gets rolling this semester, it won't stop until the last day of classes. So I'm trying to just take it in while I have it.

We have officially picked out a wedding date - 10.10.15 <3! I'm suuuuuper excited about getting married and having a wedding in the mountains. I ordered my wedding dress from Etsy. It's being custom made for me...from Australia. I'm taking a HUGE risk buying a dress that I've never seen in person, or tried on, but I'm so in love with it. I've been to a couple of bridal stores, and a bridal convention to look for a dress that I would like more than that one, but I never did find one that came close. Every dress I tried on I would compare to the one from Etsy and think about what I could do to the dress to make it look like that one. So after I convinced myself that it would be okay, I saved up my money and ordered the dress! It should be arriving at my house sometime in January, just in case it somehow doesn't meet every expectation I have, I'll have time to find a new dress. I hope that is NOT the case. 

Maybe I'll post again soon...maybe I won't. Toodles!

Hello, It's Me!

I'm so sorry to have been neglecting you, dear blog, but I have been stupid busy with school, especially this summer. The semester just ended and I have a nice almost two week break until the fall semester begins…which is going to be brutal. I keep telling myself that it's only for a few months and maybe my classes will be really great. MUST.STAY.POSITIVE!

Let's see what you've missed since the last time I posted…which was right after I dyed my hair. I'm still loving my hair, btw. Its definitely something I'm going to keep up and change every once in a while! Like I said…pretty much school and work have been taking over my life, in addition to yoga. I've been practicing a lot at my house, on the back porch. I've found my own little flow that I get into in the mornings/evenings and I absolutely love it. Last week I went to my yoga studio on Monday morning and then practiced on my own every other morning of the week! I still get nice and sweaty because…well, I live in Florida and it's the middle of summer.

This past weekend V and I went paddleboarding for the first time! We went out onto the Winter Park chain of lakes and paddled our butts across two lakes, under a bridge, through a secret river, and ended up in another lake where we parked our boards in some lilly pads and did a bit of yoga…on our paddleboards. It was intense and awesome! We both did really good, V fell in the water quite a few times, but got back up like a champ and paddled faster than I did. I definitely trailed behind the pack, but I was okay with that. Taking my time figuring out the best paddling techniques for me and soaking up the fact that that was the only thing I had to think about! I only fell in the water once and it was on our way back. There was a boat in the lake nearest to where we set out and I watched everyone in front of me take their boards over the wake from the boat. I came up to the wake, there were about 3-4 waves I had to overcome. I got over most of them and I was so confident that I'd make it the rest of the way and then all of a sudden BAM. I ate it. Straight into the water I went. It was honestly quite refreshing to get nice and wet because I was hot. I didn’t struggle getting back up on my board and on my way. We had a great time and honestly, both of us cannot wait to do it again! I have to admit, I've been pretty freaking sore though! Both me and V were completely exhausted for the rest of the day on Sunday, but we had such a great time! It's definitely a workout. After paddling my ass for over an hour and a half, I finally began to learn that, at least for me, paddleboarding is more about the experience and scenery than paddling fast. I really can't wait to go again!

Can you believe it's already August, blog? The year is entering the latter half and the holidays are upon us! I cannot believe how fast this year has gone by. I feel like every year that comes, goes by faster than the last. I've got to figure out a way to slow things down! I know camping is definitely a good way to slow down and I cannot waaaaaait for the weather to cool down enough to go camping!

Hmm…let's see what else is new. Work is going good…still pulling A's off at UCF (!)…my little beautiful nephew is growing like a sprout and he just gets cuter and cuter everytime I see him!

This weekend we'll be taking a trip to Tampa to visit one of our favorite couples in their new house! I think it's going to give us a good case of new-house-fever because they literally have all of the things I want for our next house. Lol. I'm excited to go though, it'll be like a little super-mini vacation. 

Hair First

I've done it, blog. I've dyed my hair for the first time. And I freaking LOVE it! 

The more sunlight it gets, the lighter it gets and I'm loving it more and more everyday! I curled it for the first time today and its just so great, lol. I may have started something that I don't want to stop! 

Sorry I haven't been posting much lately, I've  honestly been freaking busy! School is serious this semester. I'm in a 6 week class and...it's only 6 weeks long. It's so fast and I have group work.....need I say more? Group work in a 6 week course that has due dates on Tuesdays and Fridays. Ugh. 

On the brighter side of things, I finally got an iPhone! That's what I'm updating from right meow as a matter of fact! 👏 📱👍

My engagement is super. Perfect. Amazing. We've decided to postpone the wedding until after I graduate from UCF which will be the summer of 2015. So hopefully our wedding will be that fall! 👰 💏 💍 💞

I'm honestly more happy in my life right now than I ever have been before. If this is a hint of what's to come in my 26th year, I'm welcoming it with open arms! My V is just so amazing. He's such a good, honest person and he's so caring. I really couldn't ask for anything more! 

I'm an Auntie!!!!

My sister finally had her baby! After 3 hours of pushing, only to end up having a c-section, the stubborn little thing finally arrived on Tuesday, May 14th, 2013. 6 pounds and 10 ounces, 20.5 inches long - dear blog, meet my beautiful, amazing, perfect nephew, Greyson Thomas Sawyer.

This boy is going to be SO SPOILED! I love him so much! I'm so happy for my sister and my brother-in-law. I'm so proud of my sister for all of the shit she went through to get him here, he was so worth it! Welcome to the world, baby boy! I'll be here to teach you everything and anything I can and host your summer birthday party every year you want to have a pool party! Just call Auntie J ;)

In other news - V is sick with a head cold. He's passed out on the couch next to me, breathing through his mouth because his nose is too stuffed & he's snoring. Poor thing. He hasn't met Greyson yet because the first night he was born, after V got off work it was too late and my sister just wanted to relax for the night, then the next day he started coming down with this cold (that was yesterday), and now he's in full sick mode. I've been taking care of him, making sure he's drinking enough water, drinking Airborne, taking his vitamins, echinacea, Mucinex, sucking on zinc lozenges throughout the day, and Nyquil at night so he gets a good night's rest. I really wish he would call in tomorrow and spend the day at home, sleeping, but I know he wont. He really should though. He works too hard to be sick at work, it's got to be completely draining and that's no way to fight a cold! Hopefully he feels better tomorrow and not worse. 

The summer semester started at the beginning of the week and I'm in 2 online classes at the moment. One of them is only 6 weeks, and a week after it ends, another begins. So far, so good!

This weekend we don't have a ton of plans, other than a hopeful trip to the beach on Sunday. Saturday I plan to just chill, go to yogs, maybe lay out, maybe visit the little man since my sister will FINALLY be going home tomorrow. Only time will tell, but I can tell you right meow that I sure am glad tomorrow is Friday!

Summer "Break"

My summer break consists of almost 2 weeks between the end of the spring semester and the beginning of the summer semester. Blah! I have to say though, I've been livin it up! Laying out, yoga, taking care of the house. Florida has been suffering an identity crisis for the past few days, which has been INCREDIBLE. Super dooper nice, beautiful skies, and cool breezes. Nothing like what I have ever experienced in May in Florida. Evar. But it has been amazing!

Planet Yoga

I have to share with you, dear reader, my new discovery. As you know, I am a yoga loving gal with a little over two and a half years of practice under my belt. I know, in the yoga world that two and a half years isn't much, but it is for me. Especially considering I'm this far in and still loving it with no plans to ever stop practicing. Ever. Well, recently, we have been practicing in our backyard in the evenings. Our backyard isn't the quietest place, so for me to have a good practice, I had to listen to what was inside and not the traffic flying by on the expressway, or our noisy neighbors and their barking dogs. Practicing on your own is difficult. It's up to you to flow, and it takes a lot of thought. What pose am I going to do next? Wait…which side did I just do? After a few backyard sessions, I began to learn that if I just listen to my breath, things will just flow without a thought. Within the last ten days, I have practiced five. The first day I spent my entire practice in my body and kept my ujjayi breath strong about 95% of the class. I was thrilled after class when I realized that the only thing I had thought about for the last hour was my breath. I was inside my body, listening to what it had to say and focused on keeping my breath steady. I thought maybe it was just a fluke and I was having a really great day. Then the next class I went to…same thing! But this time I had a steady breath the entire class. 100% of the time. This has continued to stick with me thus far and I could not be happier.

I have found my breath.

I noticed yesterday in class that my heart rate would increase, my heart pounding in my chest, but my breath would stay steady, deep, strong, and smooth. Incredible. I have discovered a whole new world to my yoga practice. It's literally like I'm on another planet when I practice now. I don't pay attention to anything surrounding me, and the teacher's instructions are an afterthought. I feel completely different throughout my practice now, and its reviving. Last night after class, I was ready for another. I felt so energized and fresh, I could have practiced for at least another hour!

I don't even know what to say about this discovery, other than that it is amazing. I don't know what else yoga has in store for me, but I am looking forward to whatever comes my way.

P.S. I'm dying my hair this month. For the first time evar! I'm going a little ombre for the summer and I'm quite excited to see it! 

Math Final

Well...I just Skyped with my math professor to get the grade for my final.....a 77%. Yuck. I guess I did about as good as I thought, I was just hoping that I did better. Overall, my grade in the class right now is an 86%, but he's giving us a 3 point curve, which would put me at an 89%. He hasn't added in our participation grades yet, which I believe was 10% of our grade, so after that gets added in, I should HOPEFULLY be at a low A. Which is FIIIINE with me, an A is an A...especially in math! Fingers crossed! I think final grades are posted in the next week or two. All I can do is hope!

I just have to say that I'm so glad that class is over. I don't have to take another math class again in my life. Ever. Never. Goodbye mathematics, you will not be missed!!!

It's nice to wake up on a Monday morning and not have to be at school. Woohoo!!!