Awkwardddd

Lots of things are awkward.  Just check out Awkward family photos and you'll find things like this to show you just how awkward life can be...



Other things that are awkward:
Your professors and dean being at the Charity Ball you danced at on Friday night, waking up the next morning to find out that you were texting the wrong person the night before, finding out that your baby brother is not such a baby anymore (Girlfriend alert), and having your dad call the sales people that are not being cooperative while your still in the store....

yep. Life has been pretty awkward lately....

#55: My dad fights for me all the time.  Even if it's really awkward, I'd rather not have to be the bad guy.
#56: I love my baby brother.  And he will never lose the baby in front of brother.
#57: We still had fun, even with our professors and dean rockin out beside us.
#58: People are very forgiving when it comes to late night texts.  Thank you.
#59: Time to blog.  Such a fun outlet. 
#60: Jon Stewart's reaction to the GOP debates this past week.

November

November means lots of things: The semester is about to wind down, which actually means amp up; It is about to get really cold really fast and snow will soon be on the ground; Christmas music is now acceptable; and you should feel burned out (check point one). 

Everything is going as planned.  It snowed on Thursday, it's really cold, I'm really busy with school, and the semester is getting crazy.  Oh and because it snowed, Christmas music is TOTALLY acceptable now. 

By the way, if you're like me and want to cry on the first snow fall, be near children on the first snow fall of the year.  I was picking up kids from school, and when it started snowing, all of the children at the school were jumping up and down, clapping, and running around in circles.  The kids talked about it the entire drive home (30 min) and also told me they need their snow pants....

Well happy November, friends.  Hang in there.  It is gonna get crazy, but just remember...

"I get by with a little help from my friends"

....

#51: Time to sleep.  I took a 3 hour nap yesterday, and slept a full nine hours last night.

#52: Healthy mamma's.  My lovely madre had to experience another ER visit last night.  She's fine...and I am eternally greatful for that.

#53: The freedom to cry.  Because I have a healthy madre, a healthy aunt, a fighting papa, and an angel grandma, I cannot listen to Martina McBride's song without crying.  And that's okay.  I love my family, and am honored to be related to such ridiculously strong people.

#54: Babies.  I can't get enough of the little one I've been getting to spend time with.  She's talking some, is so much more mobile, and gets so excited to see me. 

FINISHED

The craziest part about being finished?  I am totally not finished at all!  There are always new projects to work on and new 1000s of pages to read.  But honestly, making it to this time today has seemed so impossible the past few days.  Considering the hours of sleep I missed out on and the hours of my life span taken away by stress, I am just grateful that everything actually got accomplished!  While I could worry about grades and my scores on each of my assignments, I am going to choose to be content with the fact that each assignment is turned in, complete, and was completed to the best of my ability, considering the resources (ie time) that was available to me. 

Speaking of stress, I have become a bit more educated on what it can do to your body.  IT CAN MAKE YOU GAIN WEIGHT LIKE WOAH.  So secret revealing time: I have gained 12ish pounds since starting my masters program in September.  That's alot, people.  The confusing and frustrating part to this is that I am actually eating less (I'm busy, friends) and exercising more (for sanity, yo).  Now I am not saying I deserve the healthy person of the year award, but my habits are better than they were this summer, for sure.

I was talking to my doctor about headache medicines (they cause weight gain too) and she mentioned that the weight is probably because of higher levels of stress hormones in my body.  Daily stress is more damaging to your body than trauma.  For reals. And your body internalizes this daily stress via the fight or flight concept.  So when I eat, my body saves ALL of those calories for future battle.  And when I exercise, my metabolism is not boosted by as much as it used to be.  So...I have to destress......

#48: Getting through these past few days
#49: Helpful doctors who don't think I'm superficial when voicing that spontaneous weight gain is no fun
#50: Freedom to not feel ashamed about my body.  This is an every day battle, but I am confident that I will continue gaining more and more freedom in this realm.

Crazies

Technology is the cause for my crazies.  So it's not even me-crazies.  That's the worst; I am not even contributing to my crazies.

Between phones being obnoxious, files failing, and presentations being difficult, I am so done with this week full of countless assignments.  (Five to be exact).  So at noon tomorrow, I will be celebrating.  How will I celebrate, well I am going to buy a nice starbucks, and relax as I slowly continue checking things off of my to-do list.  Which, for me, sounds like the nicest afternoon ever....

#46: the unconditional love of a puppy.  No matter what my day has been like, she loves me and greats me so eagerly.
#47: the ctools confirmation email telling me my assignment has been submitted....officially off of the to-do list, i other words. 

Natures' Beauty

#41

 The best part about driving crazy early in the morning?  The sunrises of course! I have also had the chance to catch a few amazing sunsets too...enjoy friends.

#42

                                                                                                

#43

#44

#45

Never Underestimate

...the BUCKEYES!!!

I love my Buckeyes.  I really do.  And I love my Wolverines.  Trust me, it can happen.  But the Wisconsin/OSU game was out of this world on Saturday night.

I was babysitting (3yr old triplets and a 17mth baby) on Saturday night so after the kiddos went to bed I got to do some reading (have I mentioned how much reading I do every week?) and watch the best football game ever.

I have to mention, too, that I don't like Wisconsin.  Every time I see a team I like play them, I like them less and less; so seeing Wisconsin lose is way fun.  And seeing them lose with only 28 seconds to go...much more fun!

I hope you watched the game...you would have been on the edge of your seat because it was CRAY CRAY!

#37: Sports are fun.  I love watching my favorite teams and watching them work so hard to make their fans smile and cheer.  Did you hear that horseshoe crowd on saturday!?
#38: Winning.  I don't care how ridiculous this is, but I am much happier after my teams win.
#39: Children.  I love them.  I really do.  Orchard with the children pictures to come.  Then you'll understand why.
#40: Huron River Dr. in Ann Arbor is the prettiest road I have driven on, especially with all of the Fall colors.  Take the time.  Do it.

Spicer's Round Two

On Sunday, I was able to find an excuse for round two at the Orchard: I was with the babes all afternoon!! They hadn't gone yet this year so I took the liberty of taking them.  My madre came with since she hadn't gone yet this year.  It was definitely helpful for crowd control!

#35: nothing beats the apple cinnamon smell of the orchard.
#36: bringing the kiddos meant I could un-awkwardly hang out in the kid part of the orchard...which is obviously the best part.

They were adamant about wearing their costumes.  They all have on so many layers to make sure they didn't get cold.  Everyone commented on their cuteness!

Just two cuties, hanging out inside the pirate ship.

 It's serious work on the pirate ship.  Smiling for photos was not a priority.

 We left Pierce in charge of driving the train.  His (sleepy) bro bros approved.

Mom tucked in the aliens teeth to help Dominick see better.  She then asked him if he could see better and he did this....

Miss Jaclyn is very big on trains, chains, and single file lines.  They have adapted well, I'd say.