Warrior

This trailer made me cry and I finally saw the movie. It's AMAZING. Seriously, see this movie. It's inspiring and entertaining. It's sooooooo good! Loved it!

Living at the mall...

I hope everyone's holiday was amazing! I am seriously loving this winter break! Spending it with friends and family has been perfect!
Between the 22nd and now I have been to the mall 5 out of 7 days! Not to mention I have been working at shieldzone and then going shopping so I basically have lived at South Towne and Fashion Place all week! I found some pretty great stuff and just saying the sales before and after Christmas are my best friends! Got a way cute shirt, a new purse, and this schveet Nixon! Yeah it was half off and only $35. You're welcome!

2011: A Whirlwind.

That's the only word to describe the past year. I've never had a year where so much has happened and my life has changed so much. Okay, I guess 2010 was when all the major things changed, but this year was the aftermath and let me tell you, it was rough. I had a blast though! I got closer than ever to Thomas :) Made a new best friend, Chelsea. Got my first 4.0. Saw more concerts than ever. Cried less. Learned even more about myself than I thought possible. Discovered the joys of blogging through blogger and tumblr. Found the amazing things Pinterest has to offer. Started an new old job. Worked more than I ever have during the summer. And began to love new things and get over old things. (Or people, we could say.)

Those are just a few things to describe the year, but really it was crazy. I don't even know how the beginning of the 2011 and now can even be in the same year. At the beginning I was dating Taylor (sort of), hating school (that didn't change), and confused on what my future would hold. Now, and towards the end of the year I still hated school, am single, and am more certain on what I want in my future, but there are still some large variables.  In a lot of ways 2011 was great for me. I moved on from someone who was quite literally my entire world and realized that it's more important right now for me to be my world.

I struggled and struggled with whether I want to teach and now I think that I know I want to. Thank you to Mrs. Wright's 5th grade class that I'm going to student teach with in the Spring. I am still moving on from the pains of the past couple years and I don't know how long it's going to take me to trust again. I don't cry half as much as I used to, unless I'm being an emotional freak and decide to cry during previews and the entire movie, The Help. I think I became numb from everything and everyone that was lying, manipulating, and hurting me the last couple years. It's finally caught up to me and made me much more careful about the people I truly let in. I'm not actually sure if I have really let anyone in in a very long time. I've learned to love the little things. I don't know if I would say "appreciate" the little things though. I love a simple picture or quote. I love hearing my niece, Ellie, call me "Paigey". I love the conversations I have with Thomas till 3AM. I'm just not sure if I've fully come to appreciate the little things in my life that have always been there. I know more recently that I am truly lucky for the parents and family that I have, as much as I complain about them, they are great to me. I know that I am more blessed than the majority of the people in this entire world are. I just need to be more appreciative of these things on a daily basis, not just during a little reflection of my life. Speaking of, I have reflected this year. I have learned to think about exactly what I'm doing and what it is doing for me. I can thank the education program for that.

I think the most important thing I have come to realize this year among of this is that I am young. I'm only 21 years old. I am graduating in April (HOLLA!) and I still have my whole life ahead of me. Now, having said that I don't want to take this time for granted. I am trying to enjoy my days doing what I love. Which usually consists of hanging out with Thomas ALL THE TIME. Yes, please! I just want to remember this time of my life and I want to be happy that I spent it doing things that are fun. There is a lot of pressure around this time in life and there are a lot of expectations from different people, that frankly aren't even entitled to expect shit from me. These expectations are effing ridiculous too. That's why I am trying to embrace the fact that I am 21, single, about to graduate, with more options than ever in my near, near future.

2011 has taught me to embrace the time I have and enjoy it. Do the things you love is basically my new motto and the one I've tried to live by this year. Obviously I have done school and work, but that in the long run is helping me be able to do the things I love.

I am really excited about 2012. Thomas has always said it will be a good year and he is usually pretty spot on about these things, it's actually a little freaky. But I think that 2012 will bring just what I have said: Opportunity, excitement, and hopefully a bright future. It's going to be a hard year, full of a lot of work and dedication, but it is also going to be a defining year in my life and I am excited about it. I am ready for it. Nervous, but ready. 2011 was good to me for the most part and I am ready for an even better 2012.

10 in 10

Okay, I saw this on this amazing blog HERE and I really like the idea. She did "12 before 12" cause she started hers yesterday, but I'm going to do mine 10 in 10... 10 things I want to complete in the 10 days before 2012... Here is goes...

-ONE-

Completely fill my writer's notebook. ALMOST DONE!

Already bought my new one for 2012... 

(Mine is just a little different from this one, but I couldn't find the exact picture)

-TWO-

Finish Season 8 of One Tree Hill. "The Final Season" starts on January 11th! 

-THREE-

Write about 2011 on my blog and put it in my 2011 notebook.

See 2010 here.

-FOUR-

Make these festive holiday snickerdoodles! Preferably with Thomas, Lauren, and Nate!

Thank you, Pinterest.

-FIVE-

Make a list of resolutions for 2012. I haven't actually sat down and made real resolutions because I feel like I never accomplish them, but I am aiming to make some goals that are realistic and will help me feel more fulfilled in 2012 than I have in 2011. Also, I saw on the Kristin Danielle blog a picture of resolutions framed... I love that idea. Have them out in view as a reminder of my goals.

-SIX-

Watch The Help with Lauren and Thomas.

They haven't seen it yet!! CRAZY!

-SEVEN-

Finish reading one, just one, book. I went to the library and picked up about 7 for Christmas break, but of course I haven't gotten to them except for the first 10 pages in each... A resolution of mine is to read all of the True Blood books in 2012 so that's number one on my list.

-EIGHT-

Accomplish one craft... I am obsessed with Pinterest and find all these awesome crafts, but I haven't done one yet... 

-NINE-

Take a walk, even though it's cold, at night through a neighborhood to see the lights. 

If I chicken out... Drive through the neighborhood. Hopefully I'll find a Griswold house!

-TEN-

Take pictures with friends and family!

Oh and listen to nothing but Christmas music until Monday!

good things

I'm feeling pretty positive lately. I don't know if it's my never ending obsession with pinterest and all things amazing on that beautiful site or if it's that I saw my adorable niece last night at the mall. It might be that I spent the whole weekend with my best friends (Haley, Nate, and Gabe were in town). Or it could just be the Christmas spirit that's all over the place! Seriously, working at the mall during the holidays is just like living in Santa's workshop. Whatever the reasons maybe I am loving today. Weird cause I've been working since 9 and don't get off till 4 while I'm sick, but I'm just feeling pretty fantastic.

Today is a good day. 

There is a lot of potential for tonight to be great and I'm excited about it. There very well could be an ugly sweater party in my near future as well as the viewing of my favorite Christmas movie, Home Alone. Regardless, I'm going to be with Thomas and Nate and it's going to be great.
Okay, I'm done with the bragging of how awesome my life is I just wanted to remember how good today feels. I'm happy :) There's no particular reason, but I'm content and I love it.

pictures via bippityboppityboo

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

laugh&believe

Charles Bukowski

love

songs to save your life

One small album of amazing songs to save your life...

1. 1901 - Phoenix
2. Moth's Wings - Passion Pit
3. Oh Darling! (Feat. Cady Groves) - Plug in Stereo
4. 40 Day Dream - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes
5. Niggas in Paris - Jay-Z & Kanye West
6. Nothing Left to Lose - Mat Kearney
7. Stay Together for the Kids - Blink- 182
8. Goods (All in My Head) - Mates of State
9. Don't Let Me Fall - B.o.B
10. A Dustland Fairytale - The Killers
11. Positive Tension - Bloc Party
12. On Your Porch - The Format
13. Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
14. Nighthawks - Two Hours Traffic
15. Falling or Flying - Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
16. We Found Love - Rihanna
17. Down - Jason Walker
18. Jesus Christ - Brand New
19. Armistice - Phoenix

Seriously Phoenix, where have you been all my life? I'm obsessed.

ENJOY!

somebody

always has it worse.

I can be quite the complainer at times and I absolutely hate it. Having said that and recognized it, I'm probably not going to stop all the complaining (at least I recognize that, too), but I do get a reality check from time to time. Basically the lesson of this week, well month, is that somebody out there has it a lot worse than  you. We all know that there are places in this world and country that people are starving, dying, and living these terrible lives where they are grateful for the smallest things, yet I am here living in this perfect, warm house complaining about my education, when I should be celebrating the fact that I am GETTING an education. It's hard to gather a lot of perspective from those extreme situations where people are a lot worse of than you, but when someone of relatively the same life is having a harder time, that is what really gives me some perspective. I am just lucky to have what I have, which is a lot and I don't deserve it most of the time.

Also, since this is the big news on the streets lately... Everyone needs to leave Tim Tebow the hell alone. At least the guy is humble enough to know that he was given that talent by someone. Hard for people who don't believe in God to understand obviously, but I would take a guy with so much talent giving God all the credit than a guy with talent thinking that he is God because of it. At least he is grateful for what he has.

"Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns;  I am just thankful that thorns have roses."        - Alphonse Karr


"If you haven't all the things you want, be grateful for the things you don't have that you wouldn't want."       -Unknown


"It is impossible to feel grateful and depressed in the same moment."       -Naomi Williams

Here's an early cheers to 2012... A year without complaining.

That's just a few things I am most grateful for. 

Happy birthday, Thomas!

Man, all I have to say is December 13th is the best day! I loved today! Celebrating my best friend's birthday was SO much fun! We got to relax and just talk, which we haven't done forever since school has taken over our lives (especially his). We went to Brio Tuscan Grille at Fashion Place Mall and it was DELICIOUS! Seriously sooooo good! The service was amazing (ask for Zach when you go) and the food was ridiculous! So good! And we ended the night with Horrible Bosses, one of my favorites... Jennifer Aniston is freaking hilarious! Oh and not to mention the mini celebration we had right at midnight with a single "Happy Feet" cupcake and some $1 MacDonald's drinks! LOVE LOVE LOVE TODAY! Thank you Janet and Mike Burrows for raising an amazing son! And thanks Thomas for being my very best friend! Love you!

Daddy's Girl

can't stop pinning!

I'm obsessed with Pinterest and these are my favorite finds so far! 

 Coaster Advice!

 Q-Tip Art

 Magnet Makeup Board

 Behavior Chart (Thanks Lynds)

 Card Holder

 Laundry Room

 Burlap-Covered Corkboard

 Holey Toms turned to Sandals

Men's watch-SEXY! 

 So cute!

If I ever get married...

 Sperrys!

 Put them on the jar to cross of your Bucket List!

 Student's get to put up things they are proud of!

 4 canvases painted with vinyl picture

Class points!

1941

I just want to take a moment to share how grateful I am for this amazing country. Only here could we take an attack like Pearl Harbor and turn around and help the rest of world and create an even more amazing country than we had before. Whenever I am asked the question, "If you could go back in time what time period would you go back to?" I always answer with this time. When we were united as a country, as a people looking for freedom and protection, as a proud nation. I hear about the sacrifices people made at this time just to help their country. They are the reason we have the freedoms we have today. Those people, the soldiers, the families of soldiers, the leadership we had, they are the reason that this place we live in is such a comfortable, safe nation. I say these things because this is how my life is. I know we have our trials and I know it is not always safe in other places for other people, but I am just grateful that I have what I have. I am just grateful that my family and friends are safe. I am so grateful that my nieces and nephew will be able to grow up in this place. As terrible as the world can be, I am glad I am in this part of it. 

Thank you to all of those who have and do risk their lives for me to live in the comfort of my home with my family. Thank you to the families of those men and women that risk their lives for my freedom. Thank you to the leaders that we do have that genuinely want to make this nation free, safe, and fair for everyone, an impossible task. Thank you!