new hairdo

On Saturday, Lexie decided to dye her hair. Color of choice? RED

Wendy and I decided to take Lexie and Riley(Lexie's sister) to this fenced in area next to The Red Mile down the street from our apartment. Every thing was going great, they were running around and having a blast until Lexie saw a patch of snow on the track through the fence. There she went right under the fence and onto the track to eat the snow. I didn't think much of it because the track looked very solid and not muddy. After further investigation, I was not happy. The track was wet as could be, muddy red dirt spewing out with every step. Next thing you know, Lexie is unrecognizable. She is covered from head to tail in gross, red dirt. Now I know exactly why they call it the red mile. So, it was time to go home, unfortunately for Lexie because she couldn't play anymore and for me because I had to give Lexie yet another bath after I had just given her one the day before. We were a sight to be had, me trying my hardest to get the red dirt off and Lexie sitting there, surprisingly patient, sad and red. It was quite a process trying to get it all off. The funny thing is, though, some of the red did not come off until a few hours later. As much as I scrubbed and rubbed, her tail and neck were still red. I guess Lexie just wanted to see what it would be like to be a ginger for the day.

Did I get pictures of this event, you ask? Of course...































Oh Lexie, days like this you make me feel like I have a child. But, I love you all the same.

until next time

lexcapades

Remember this little bundle of joy?
This is Lexie when I first got her. She was 2 months old and the most fun, loving, puppy.


This is Lexie at 10 months old. She is still the sweetest puppy ever. And still small... despite what we all thought she was going to look like. I haven't weighed her recently but I would say she is around 30 pounds. No one will ever know how a German Shepard/Husky mix turned out so small. But thats ok : )

Lexie, you are seriously the light of my life. I smile every time I look at you , especially when you cock your head to the side. I love how excited you get every day when I come home, which in turn, makes me so excited to get home and see you. I love how you are totally content to sit and look out the window all day long. Or chew and entire bone in one sitting. I absolutely love that you are so cuddly. It makes me laugh when you sneak under the covers and curl up by my legs when you are cold. It is crazy how perfect you are for me. You have the same carefree spirit that I do, but at the same time, you want to get your way. You always let me know what you need. When you're hungry, you kick your bowl around or lay next to it with your head in it. If you are thirsty, you sit in the bathtub and wait patiently for me to turn it on for you. If you need to go out, you scratch at the mirror, even though I'm not really sure how the mirror has anything to do with you needing to go out. You also sit and stare at me when you need something, which kind of freaks me out and makes me laugh at the same time. It makes me smile how much you love Jake. Every time my phone rings, your ears perk up and you sit and listen to me talk, trying to figure out if Jake is coming over to see you. When he gets here, you light up. You're pretty lucky because it just so happens he absolutely adores you too. He loves to bring you presents, give you treats, and tickle your belly. You are also a diva. When it rains, you REFUSE to go outside. You do not like to walk on the wet grass, and when I make you, you pick up your feet a lot like the ground is hurting you. You just like to be dramatic I guess. This does not make sense considering you love love LOVE the snow. This is where we differ, because I hate the snow. You would play in it all day if you could. You love to run in it, roll in it, eat it, and anything else you imagine to do in it. You have recently decided you do not like the cat that lives under our stairs. You stay away from it at all costs. When you are going to the bathroom, you always stop and check to see if that cat is down there before you go. Oh Lexie, I love you more than anything! Please always stay my cute, happy, cuddly puppy.

Here is a short video for your viewing purposes



I have also decided that I want to train seeing-eye dogs. I love animals. I would be the dog lady and have 25 dogs if I could, but that's just not possible. I considered being a vet, but that would be too hard for me. I think that training seeing-eye dogs would be so rewarding. I see girls around campus all the time who do it. I think it would be the perfect job for me, even though giving up the dogs when they are trained would be so hard. It is definitely something I am going to look into, though.


until next time

Jake Meets Charleston

Jake was able to visit Charleston at the end of Christmas break. I was so excited to show him my new favorite place and my new home. This was the first time he has spent an extended amount of time with my family. I was nervous and excited because I want them to get to know him like I do. Anyway, we had so much fun! And Jake fell in love with Charleston(or in Jake's words, "It's pretty tight." Whatever that means) I know that most people like to see pictures rather than a long, drawn out explanation of events, so here is our week in pictures.

Jake's plane was 12 hours late, but we still managed to see the sunset!

Day 2 we went to the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier. It was really interesting to see!

Medal of Honor Museum

Day 2 we also took a boat out to Ft. Sumter. Not a lot to see but so much intersting history!
Day 3 we drove 2 hours to the Parris Island Marine Base. Jake was thrilled!

We got to see the Marine history museum

Day 4 we took Lexie and Sam to the beach even though it was so cold. They loved it!

My favorite place! Cafe Medley on Sullivans Island

We ate here twice in two days. YUM
Yes, biggest forever 21 opening in Charleston. Epic

Goodbye Charleston : (

What Jake got to drive 9 hours home in. Good thing I have the greatest boyfriend ever!

A Charleston Christmas

Christmas 2010

Meghan is home! Dinner and A Christmas Carol downtown.

Fondue on Christmas Eve!

Christmas Pajamas

Before family pictures

Before our party

Sunset at the beach

On the boat with the Fam in front of the Charleston Bridge

Happy New Year!

Applications

So for Christmas "Santa" agreed to help me pay for Greece this summer. This means that I am about 90% sure I will be going. I am so unbelievably excited! I have been wanting to go to Greece for as long as I can remember(well...since I saw the sisterhood of the traveling pants). It is going to such a scary, exhilarating, and educational experience. I will probably be using my blog to share all of my wonderful experiences so stay tuned. The next few months will be filled with reading travel books, making plans, daydreaming, and most important DIETING. Thank goodness for new years resolutions. First of all, though, I have to get this darn application in. I have filled out many applications in my life and this one is definitely thorough. Not only do I have to get numerous references, transcripts from three different schools, and paper work filled out by UK, but I have to write four essays. I just keep telling myself that it will be all worth it.

On top of the Greece application, I also have my even more in-depth Teacher Education Program application that is due in less than a month. It has been one of those things that seems so far into the future then all of the sudden it jumps up out of no where. Not only does this application decided the rest of my college education, but the rest of my life! If I do not get into the education program, I do not know what I will do. I often have to remind myself that what is meant to be always find its way. In the end though, I think the hard part will be waiting after my applications are submitted. So in the mean time, cross your fingers, pray, wear your pajamas inside out, anything you can think of to bring me good luck.

As 2010 draws to a close, I am thankful for such a great year, but with all of these exciting, life changing events ahead of me, I think 2011 will be the best year yet. Happy New Year every one!

Goodbye 2010, Hello 2011

Well, can't say I didn't warn you I was bad at updating things. Anyway, so its almost a new year and with a new year comes resolutions. Let's just say that I have quite a few this year. One of them is to keep up with my blog. We will see how well that goes!

So to catch you up.... I just ended my sophomore semester at UK. It was a great semester! Other than working a lot and finding myself stressed out quite often, I had a blast! At the beginning of the semester I decided to try out for club volleyball. I hadn't been very good at keeping up with my exercise so I thought it would be good for me. Plus, I missed it a lot! I am so glad I did it. At first I was a little intimidated because it had been awhile since I played and all the girls are really good. It is not fun feeling washed up. So, I had to put in a lot of hard work but in the end it paid off. I really love all the girls on the team. There is just something about sports that can bring people together and I love it. Of course, with that many girls and that many opinions, there is going to be some drama. But, I'm used to it. I have learned that the more you run from it, the more it follows you. You just have to deal with it with as much class as you can muster.

This semester I really enjoyed my classes. I have started to get into my prerequisite education classes that introduce you to lesson plans and incorporate teaching methods while still teaching you material. I took geology for teachers, math for teachers, art education, philosophy, and western literature. I loved my math class. Yes, the girl who hates math just said that. I have come to realize that I actually like math. It is nice to know that there is a definite answer to something. When I heard the name of the course I thought it was going to be adding and subtracting and that it would be an easy A, but I was wrong. In this class, we had to explain why different mathematical procedures work and how we would explain it to children who don't get it through traditional explanations. I learned so much in this course and actually really enjoyed it. I think it was also because of my awesome teacher! The only class that I struggled with was western lit. English just is not my favorite. I did discover, though, that I really liked Dante's Inferno. I did manage to keep my 4.0 this semester! Pretty exciting. We will see how long I can keep it though. I really want to try to graduate early and graduate with a 4.0. Those are some high aspirations though.

This semester I also realized that it sucks working at a coffee shop in the library of a college. Talk about sleep deprived students during finals week. UGH. But I have to say, I am pretty lucky when it comes to my job. I work with the greatest people who have become some of my best friends. I have learned so much through my job. Sounds corny, I know, but its true. I've learned to give people a chance. I have a tendency to judge right of the bat if I like someone or not. But, this semester, I realized that it you take some time to get to know people, they will surprise you.

If I had to put a theme song to this semester, it would be Lessons Learned by Carrie Underwood (one of my favorites : ) ) I learned that I love to cook. I have tried to get better and cook as much as possible. Through this I also learned that even a little bit of smoke can set of the smoke detectors, if you don't use eggs, the flour will fall right of the fried chicken, and that I will never know how my mom worked all day then came home and made delicious dinners for us every night growing up. Thanks mom.

I have learned that no matter how good of friend you try to be, you won't always get the same in return. But, that doesn't mean you give up trying. People will disappoint you, but they can also surprise you. It is just important to learn who your friends are and don't fret so much over what people say and do. You have to learn how to not get offended and take things people say with a grain of salt. I think everyone in our life serves a purpose, and sometimes they aren't meant to be around forever.

And lastly I learned how important and amazing family is. You know that saying, you don't know what you've got til its gone? Well, its true. I think I took quality family time for granted while my parents lived in Lexington. Now that my parents are in Charleston, I find myself sitting at home wishing they were there more often then not. I look forward each month to my mom's visits to Lexington and at times I contemplate jumping in the car and driving the 9 hours to see them. Also, my sister Meghan was on an LDS mission in Boise, Idaho for the past year and a half. I could only email her once a week to talk to her. It was no fun even though she was loving it. But, our Christmas present this year was that she got to be home with us! It was so exciting getting to see her and hang out with her. It was like nothing had changed. We still giggle and make stupid jokes, and of course we still argue. But it is awesome having our family together.

Christmas has been great. I think it was because I didn't care as much about the presents. Instead, I cared about hanging out with the family in our new home in Charleston. It has been more than I expected. We have had fun playing games, shopping, and of course eating. My mom got a wii for Christmas. We joke that they waited until the kids were out of the house before they got their first gaming system. We have been playing Just Dance 2. It is the most awesome game ever! I bet anyone looking in on us from the oustide is laughing hysterically. Mom kills us all at it. She rocks, even though she struggled alittle with the hiphop.

Well I guess that's all for now. I hope to blog atelast once a week. Let's see how it goes.

oh we can't forget the most important part of my blog: Lexcapades....

Lexie is doing great. To everyone who said, "Wow she is going to be huge," You were wrong. She is small. Who knows how a German Shepard/Huskey turned out to be a medium sized dog. She must have some sort of small dog in her. I am so curious that I have considered doing a DNA breed test on her. Maybe someday.

She is as quirky as ever. Her favorite things... Chewing gigantic bones, hiding bones, looking out the window, playing in the snow, going to the dog park, playing with her sister, and snuggling. She really is me in dog form. She is stubborn, free-spirited, caring, and sponateous. I don't know if I am biased, but I am pretty sure she is the best dog ever. She has her bad moments(chewing my window sill and occassionally running away) but she has the kindest heart and the funnest personality. Many people told me that she was going to be a lot of work and that I was going to regret it. I have been thankful for her every day. At times I have groaned when I had to get up in the middle of the night and take her out, but those moments when she sits by me when I am upset or does something silly to make me smile totally make up for it.

well, until next time...

life's simple pleasures

life's simple pleasures
I haven't been good at blogging already. I am sorry. But I did warn you! I have been very busy lately but at the same time I feel like I have done nothing. It is quite a weird feeling. I think this feeling stems from the fact that I wake up at 6:30 every single morning of the week. This is a huge change from all of those summers when I would go to bed at 2 or 3 in the morning then wake up at 1 or 2 in the afternoon. I have realized that the day seems so much longer and I am more productive when I get up early.

Last weekend was the 4th of july. It was the first time I had been in Lexington for this joyous holiday in 3 years. Saturday we went to red, white, and boom. I told Jake like 4 times that we needed to bring chairs but of course he did not think that was necessary. So, when we got there, we took a lap around the place, realized there was nothing really to do, and then stood in the sun for there for the next 3 hours watching all the crazy people and wishing we had chairs. (If only men listened to us women more often.) The acts this year weren't that good. There was one good song from each person and that was about it. The highlight was the fireworks and I guess I have to say the standing and waiting was worth it. Sunday we went to Cumberland Lake. We hung around the campsite, swam, and fished and then slept in a tent. I love being outdoors. We had a "primitive" campsite and it was so nice just enjoying nature and not worrying about all of the modern amenities. Monday we rented a pontoon boat and went out on the lake. We brought rafts with us so we floated around on those all day. It was such a nice day and so relaxing. I have realized that this, floating on a raft in any body of water, is one of life's simple pleasures. What a great weekend. We have decided that we must go back to the lake soon!

Work has taken over my life. I work from 7 to around 1 every day and I feel like I live there. I opened and closed 2 days in a row. It was crazy. So last week I decided I deserved to treat myself. I went and got a manicure and a pedicure. I usually go with my mom to do this but of course, she has abandoned me here in Lexington so I went all by myself. It was so nice to relax, catch up on the stars in the tabloids, and be waited on. Pedicures, another of lifes simple pleasures, or my guilty pleasure. The manicure could have been passed up though because I had to take my nailpolish off the next night after I chipped all of them at work.

I have realized that it doesn't take much in life to make me happy. A good conversation with a friend, taking a nap with your puppy, drives in the country, holding hands with the one you love, a shopping trip. Whenever I get down I just think about all that is going well for me right now. I am at the most exciting, free age of my life and I should enjoy every minute of it.

Thoughts and News:

There are only like 5 weeks left of summer! ah where has it gone? I have so much left to do! But I am ready for school to start again and get back in a routine. Is it weird that I like school? I just can't wait to get into my education classes and get some teaching experience!

I got a promotion at work! I won't go into detail because I don't like to brag but it's pretty exciting.

Julia comes in less than a week. AHHH I can't wait.

I decided (well a long time ago) that I want to learn how to cook. I mean I can cook now but I feel like I have so much to learn and so much I want to make. Shelby (a friend from work) told me about some complimentary technique classes at williamsonoma that I think we are going to go to. I am excited!

Lexcapades: Lexie is losing her teeth! It is so cute. Her 4 front teeth were missing for awhile and she looked like a hillbilly. It was great. Oh and I took her to the lake with me. She loved it! She always stayed near us and if she ventured off she would come back when I called. And she loved the water. She would run in and bite it or swim around. It was cute and I felt like a proud mommy!