Another year has come and gone

Can you believe it is already almost 2010? I remember starting college saying "I will graduate in 2010...that sounds so weird!" And now, here it is! The year of new beginnings and exciting finishings. 2009 has been such a bumpy year. I am ready for a change of pace, and 2010 is exactly what I need!
Tonight was another family night. We had a delicious vegan meal, and it was such a joyous night. The room was filled with laughter and fun, and I couldn't have asked for better company. This is exactly how I want to be spending my last week of 2009!
I got new boots today. That is such a side tangent, but isn't it funny how a great pair of new shoes can totally change your whole day into nothing but smiles? Jeez I'm a total girl. ;)
2010: I will try to be less of a control freak. I will live in each moment and enjoy more of the beauty that each day brings. I will take more time to be with family. I will get a job. I will pick up some positive habits {running and going to bed at a reasonable hour} and I will drop some negative habits {eating way past my bedtime and spending money I don't have}.
It is going to be a beautiful and eventful year! I can feel it :)
Peace and Blessings for a happy 2010 everyone!

Christmas Eve...

I LOVE Christmas Eve! I think I sometimes enjoy it more than Christmas day. There are so many beautiful memories linked to Christmas Eve that will always stick with me, and I still get that giddy feeling when crawling into bed this night. There is something about the day that is incredibly magical and wonderous. We went to church as a family, like we do every year, and mass was just lovely. It reminds us all of the true reason we celebrate. It is humbling, really, to hear the hum of silent night within the decorated church. The warmth that the church is filled with is so different than any other day. We came home to open some snazzy new pajamas, another delightful tradition!
Tonight, I am thankful for my family. I feel really blessed this holiday season. My family has been so strong and supportive for me, especially this past year, and they are always a soft place to land when life is too bumpy to handle on my own. I am blessed to be falling asleep in a warm home. I am blessed to be able to wake up tomorrow to fancy gifts wrapped and tucked under the tree. Tonight, look around. What are your blessings? Count them :)
I look forward to a morning filled with gifts and smiles. Dad puts on a Santa hat and passes out our gifts, and for the entire morning, we are all 5 years old again {just as it should be}. We will then make our way to Gramma and Grampa's house to exchange more gifts, laughs, and memories of Christmas past. How beautiful the day will be. I am bursting with excitement and anticipation!
Have a blessed, merry, and happy Christmas! Please let your heart be filled with childlike wonder and warmth! <3

So I used to be a college girl...

I am officially graduated! That sounds so incredibly weird to me, but I do indeed have my bachelors degree in Liberal Studies. Monday was my first and last final, and I literally skipped out of the classroom. I felt incredibly giddy! I think it was a combo of being done with my bachelors and the Christmas spirit. So, I am now an alumni...am I even old enough to call myself an alumni? So strange, but still kind of cool. ;)
I now will spend the spring finishing up my teaching credential. I have been slowly working on this credential for about two years, and I am excited to finally have time to just focus on that! Full time studnet teaching will keep me completely busy, but hopefully in the end of it all, I will have myself a happy little job that will eventually begin my happy {big} carreer. Teaching bring a joy to my life that I cannot even begin to explain. You know that feeling of constant wonder and amazement in learning new things? I get to experience that everyday :) So thrilling, so moving, so incredibly perfect!
Saturday I head to my parents house to spend some time with the family for winter break! I get six weeks off from school, and I am ready to get more into the Christmas spirit! I love the traditions that take place in our home the week before Christmas, and there really is no other feeling like being home for the holidays. :) I do, however, still have to do some crazy last minute Christmas shopping! The picture above is my sister and I at Christmas time at some point in high school. So long ago, but still one of my favorite pictures. Christmas brings out the happiness in everyone. :)
I'm happy to be back to blogging. My burns are healing up nicely. I even got a really pretty pink glove to wear on my hand. So fancy ;) Expect more updates now that I am on break!
Hope you are staying warm with cups of hot chocolate, tea, and apple cider!

Weekend Love...Forever

I'm back! I sorta kinda got distracted and haven't posted in awhile..sorry about that! Or maybe it's the fact that I can't completely use my hands yet. Either way, I'm back this morning and it feels great. Those pretties in the picture are some of the most amazing individuals you will ever meet. Just had to share that...oh life would be so glum without best friends! These past few weeks have truly been inspiring. I took time off of school to heal, and it has been almost like a dream. Not in the sense that this is an ideal situation(I assure you it isn't) but that I have learned more about life in these past three weeks than I feel I ever have in school or work. Life here on earth is short, very short. It is scary to think that so many people spend so much time living in fear and stress and heartbreak when the world is giving us every opportunity to be completely happy. I believe that happiness is seriously and painfully simple. It is never and will never be complicated. Find it. Find what makes you happy and live through it. I feel as if these fresh autumn days hold so much possibility for greatness..it truly excites me :)
This week I plan on heading back to school for a few classes...with my sweet new compression glove on. Pretty fancy if I do say so myself ;)
Have a beautiful weekend lovelies!
Over the past few weeks, happiness has been...
Cobblestone streets in the fall
Teachers who truly care
Summer memories
Chilled cheesecake after a morning of tears
Feeling brave
Belly laughs
The feeling I get when I know rain is coming so soon
Noticing my parents are still madly in love after twenty-five years
Thinking about how I want to decorate for the holidays
Falling asleep in the car
Stepping through the door of home after some time away
My bed
Warm Chai on a chilly morning

Let's find it.

Lately, since the burn incident, my mood has been kinda low. I am always positive, so this whole 'let me be grouchy' attitude is fairly new to me. I feel like it isn't fair to my happy fambam and friends, so I may put myself in an attitude time-out..even though I don't ever really believe in time-outs for my students. (but that's a whole different topic for another time!) After I was tucked into bed (because I can't do it myself), I stayed awake to think. I thought about how I could find happiness in all of this pain. I thought long and hard. Then, I slowly began to realize something...oh yay for lightbulb moments! Anyways, I figure that happiness isn't just going to drop into my lap from the sky. It's all around...it's already here. Like this morning, while laying on the couch, the sun was streaming beautifully through my parents front shutters. How glorious it was that the sun was even shining today on a brisk fall morning! My list could go on and on because today, I found at least one happiness each hour. It helped me through the day..and I am thankful. This has actually become a huge inspiration for a bigger project that I am so thrilled about beginning, but for now, that's going to remain a secret until I get some more secure thoughts into the idea. Wish me luck! And hey...how about you beautiful people start looking for happiness too. Let's find it. Together. :)

The picture above is who I have been spending all my time with for the past two weeks <3

Until next time, count all your blessings lovelies. Life is precious.

And so it begins...

So I have decided to begin writing. Even if no one reads this blog, at least I will be able to get all my thoughts out! I am full of life. I am full of love. I am often full of surprises, and I can't wait for you to get to know me better! My twin sister has had a blog for years, and she has completely captivated me. So, I have decided to be as open and captivating as she is (hopefully). Life is toooo great not to document ;)
Last week, my eyes were opened to a bigger part of life. While I was camping with my best friends, I tripped and fell right into the campfire. How's that for clumsy!? Ouch! Sooo 2 hospital trips, best friend hugs and kisses, lots of meds, and an 8 hour car ride home, I have ended up back at my parents house. Home sweet home...sort of. ;) You see, I can't do much for myself at this point. Frankly, I feel like I am 5 again. Treatment for the burns (ouch times a million) occurs every 3 days in SF, and I hate it. But how lucky I am to have beautiful fambam and friends alongside for this ride. I will keep you posted on all the madness, for now, I need sleep. But not without a list of my happinesses :)

Happiness is...
*Ash fluffing my pillows
*My dogs
*Sweet smelling shampoo
*Being able to use my one unburned finger to type
*Dani being a true hero
*Best friends
*Ice water with a straw
*Full moons
*Candy presents
*Cake and cookies
*Junk food after the tears
*Skype
*Prayer
*Friendship Bracelets
*Love..in all forms <3

Sleep tight pretties. Feel blessed.