Happy Birthday Hev!

At midnight one of my best friends in the entire world will be 23! AHHH, we are getting so old. Anyways, I'm sitting in her living room counting down the minutes with her, and I thought I'd do a little birthday post dedicated to her :)

 This is Hev's eighteenth birthday- clearly black and white themed :) We went to dinner at a local restaurant and got all dolled up for it. She is the blonde to the left of me! This is right around the time Hev and I got close, and I am so thankful to have her as a friend. She is someone I can call no matter what the time, just for support!

 This was the summer after I graduated high school and Heather's mom had come to visit for a while. We literally filled up an entire Facebook album with goofy pictures like this one. We always have the best adventures together, whether we are just driving around Hampton and stopping at Chilis for chips and salsa, and a molten cake, or if we are heading out of town, like the next picture...

 This is at Hev's cousins wedding a few summers ago. We hopped in the car at the crack of dawn one morning... literally before dawn, and headed out west towards Knoxville. We helped out with the stuff for the wedding, and laughed our way down the road. She even put up with my multiple pee stops... y'all I am a bad roadtrip partner cause I ALWAYS have to pee! 

Clearly a picniked picture from either her nineteenth or twentieth birthday, where we started our tradition of me straightening her hair and counting down the minutes til midnight! We have lots of traditions and little things we do together, that we both think it's important to keep up! 

Another one of our adventures to New Jersey to visit her old roommate Kaitie! We had a great time driving through farm land and we even saw our news crew heading to Philadelphia to cover Michael Vick's signing with the Eagles. We hit NYC, tried on Tiffany's rings, and spent a day on the Jersey Shore... unfortunately no Snooki sightings! We always come home with stories and all kinds of inside jokes. I love that we have a great time no matter what we do :)

 This picture was taken this summer in my apartment. Hev came up with me to help me celebrate Coley's birthday. That night we took a ton of pictures, and again, had great stories to tell and retell to each other. 

Hev,

I hope your birthday is everything you've dreamed of and more. You are such a sweet, loving kind person and I know you will be the best teacher of those little children :) I thank God for such a special friend that I can do so many fun things with, and still cry with when we are down. I pray everyday for you BFWT and for your happiness in life! I know God has great things planned for you :)


I love you BFWT!
Meg

Top Two Tuesday :)

Head on over to Taylor's for her Top Two Tuesday :) This week is all about money! Which, clearly, as a poor college student I don't have nearly enough of! 

The top two things I have learned about money are:
1. Never buy anything not on sale :). Honestly, I never do. I head straight back to the clearance rack in clothing stores, and it has saved me a TON over the years. This past September, I walked into Ann Taylor Loft and bought a skirt and two dresses for eight dollars... TOTAL! I love both of the dresses and wear them all the time. I do try and buy food that is on sale, or that I have coupons for as well. I never want to pay more for anything than I have to :)

2. One of the best ways to stretch your money is to do it yourself! I love making homemade gifts or desserts or decorations. I find supplies and add a little paint or glitter to it, and there you go. Some of my favorite gifts have been ones that I have done homemade. I made my best friend a book of letters from all her family and friends for her 21st birthday. I shopped for scrapbooking stickers on sale, I printed the letters at home and I bought a scrapbook that was on sale because of the color. It was inexpensive, but special, and I am very proud of it :)


Tminus two days until SPRING BREAK! I have two classes, a midterm and four and a half hours of work left until I can enjoy a manicure with my roommate (courtesy of her lovely parents for my birthday), a quick night in Charlottesville, and home with my little for the weekend before her externship! I then have a bridesmaid dress fitting (AHHHHHHHH!!) and Hev's birthday on Friday. Come on Thursday at 1!


 

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Head on over to Jamie and link up to another What I'm Loving Wednesday :)

1. A great run at the gym tonight :). I have been "training" (I say that loosely and with quotes because I am not a great runner) my roommate, Nicole, and she pushed herself so hard tonight. I am so proud of her!


2. Panera. Plain and simple. Delish! And a great dinner after our run tonight :)

3. iChat. Hahaha. I know, I am so 2003, but I get to talk to my bffs from home, and I get to talk to Stuart all without texting on my dumb phone! Plus, I hate facebook chat with all my being!

4. Veronica Mars. Nicole got me hooked on it, and I am in love. This show is so good. I am mad they canceled it after only a few seasons! Plus, Kristen Bell is so adorable and has the best body. What great inspiration for our ab workouts we do while watching ;)

5. This boy is coming this weekend :). I can't wait to see him again!

6. I am done for the week! I have classes on Mondays and Wednesdays, so as of 5:15 on Wednesdays I am done :). I still have to go to work tomorrow and do some more work, but no classes!

Lovin My Hokies!

While I wait for Heather and Jim to arrive, I figured I'd join up with Kelly's Show Us Your Life- Alma Maters! 


If you have read my blog for any amount if time, you know that I am a HOKIIIIIEEEEE! I love Virginia Tech more than anything, and I am so proud that I will receive my B.A. from this amazing school in May :) (And my B.S. next May or December... AHHHH!)


Virginia Tech is known as a big football school, and football we play! I absolutely LOVE hokie football, and I have been a fan since birth!

See! This is me at two maybe? I'm honestly not sure, but I have been rockin that orange and maroon all my life :)

With some of my delta loves (and dolphinman!) at a football game last fall. There is nothing like watching good ole Frank and the boys put a whoopin on another school. Beamer Ball baby!


Although my love runs deep for all things Hokie football, I actually am here for more than just that :). I am getting my B.A. in English (and eventually a B.S. in Human Development) from a famous Engineering school. Whoops!


Actually, Tech has a TON of majors, and I have absolutely loved being in a big school (with a greater percentage of men ;) ) but in a smaller major. I have gotten to know my professors really well, and I have a tight fit group of other English majors that I went abroad with this summer!

I also joined a sorority here, and Greek life is a big part of Tech. It is not something that everyone is involved in (percentage wise, it is not big at all), but those who are involved in Greek life are generally involved elsewhere on campus as well. There are a ton of clubs and sports teams to get involved in, and there is always something going on. 

I love being the big school in a small town, because everything revolves around college life! We have great places to eat (#1 college dining in the country!), a really good bar scene, and you can get pretty much anywhere on the bus, which is free with your Hokie Passport (ID card). Literally, this place is the best ever. Promise I'm not biased ;).

There is nowhere else I could have dreamed of spending my college years, and I will be heartbroken to leave... why do you think I decided to stay for a second degree?!? Haha. 

My Valentines :)

As much as Valentine's day is for significant others, I think it's a great reminder of love in general. While I have one Valentine in particular, I have a few people that I love as well (not to say if you aren't listed, I don't love you!) :)

My first Valentine, my Daddy. He's the man who has always wanted what was best for me from day one, for the last twenty-two years. And he is the smartest man I know (he will tell you so!). He even called me today to see how my Valentine's day was going, and Daddy is not a phone person. I love you Daddy! Without you and mama (your own special Valentine!) I would not be the woman that I am today. I thank God for giving me the both of you as parents. The picture above is from Christmas, and I was standing on our hearth, so that is why I look so much taller :)

My BFWT! I am so excited she is coming to visit me this weekend :) Heather was my Valentine a few years ago, and we had the best time together! I came home and spent the day with her and her roommates. She even got me a little dog that I still have in my room to this day:) Hev, we need to take more pictures together this weekend. All I have of us lately are these from Coley's birthday, and a few from your graduation! Love you!

 Heidi. We actually did spend this Valentines day together! Her boyfriend is in Chicago, and Stuart went back to Charlottesville, so we vowed to be each others Valentine's this year. We had lunch together (with Nicole) and have chatted most of the day (although we chat most of the day every day). She even got me a card, which she read to me but didn't give to me, haha. We have helped each other through four years of college, and I am not sure what I am going to do next Valentine's Day when she is all the way in Atlanta!


 

 Coley :). Nicole has seriously been my Valentine every day for the past three years, and I am so glad we have both decided to stay another year! She is someone I am so comfortable talking to, and she is someone who I know I can pray for and with on a regular basis. She is the best. And although she's spending some quality time with her own Valentine tonight, I know we will be back to watching Netflix, laughing, and spilling our hearts out tomorrow. Love you rooms!

 My sweet, sweet Valentine. I don't know what I would have done without him the last few months (or year and a half, for that matter). He has been my source of strength, especially lately, and I just fell head over heels in love with him again this weekend. He takes care of me and holds my hand and makes me laugh and lets me spend our romantic evening on the couch in a blanket watching Psych with candles lit. And its perfect. I know he was sent to me for a reason and I am so glad he is mine. He even homemade my present this year- he melted old records in the oven, shaped them into a heart, spray painted one side red, and then took 45's, cut out the center, spray painted them orange and put pictures of us in them. Seriously, the best present ever! He even had flowers sent today to surprise me, even though he spent all weekend here :). I love you babe, and I am so lucky to be yours ;)




P.S. I love all of these people, every day, and will tell them, everyday. I just think Valentine's Day is a good reminder to show the people we love, that we love them. I got the best of both worlds this Valentine's day. I got to be the "taken" girl this weekend, and the "single" girl today with some of my favorites. 




Happy Valentine's Day!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changeeesss

Anyone else under the age of thirty remember that song? Maybe, it's just me. I do have an affinity for 70's singer/songwriters... no seriously, I do. Anyways, in new news... I get to stay an extra year here in the 'burg! I am graduating in May with my B.A. in English, but I will stay on to get my B.S. in Human Development-Child and Adolescent Studies. I'm doing this so I can become a Child Life Specialist... hopefully by Winter 2012. 



Can I just take a second and scream? AHHHHHHHHH! A life plan! But one that is going to require a lot of hard work and money. My mom and dad will still be paying tuition, but I will need to find a job to pay for other stuff, like groceries and gas. My poor online shopping habit will have to take a little siesta. I know, I probably sound like a spoiled brat, seeing as so many people put themselves through college, and I have the utmost respect for them. I am just fortunate enough to have parents with the means and the desire to support me, and although this isn't a huge deal, it is still a big change for me. 


However, I cannot wait to become a child life specialist! This seriously is going to be the most fun job in the world. I will get to work with kids, explain things to them, and become their confidant during some of the most scary and difficult part of their lives. But I also get to be with them when they leave the hospital. I get to play games and color and make them smile. I get to HELP, which is all I wanted to begin with. Thank you God for leading me in this direction!


Also, tomorrow I get my GRANDLITTLE! Since I know she doesn't read my blog... I can say that she is one of my former pnm's that went Tridelt! AHHHHH. She is going to be a perfect addition to my family :) Here is my little and I at formals last year :)

Plussss, this guy is coming this weekend to take me to our date party, and to celebrate Valentine's day with me :) I am making a homemade italian dish, and I practiced earlier this week... it is delicious! I promise to post the recipe soon. 

(this is us at the ACC championship game... I love seeing him in orange and maroon ;) )

Just a little disclaimer... I am doing a project for a class right now that requires me to take only film pictures... y'all remember film right? That stuff that costs money! AH! I will be posting some pictures after my project is due... but I will have no new ones until then :(

I can't wait to steal a few that are taken by other people so I can tell y'all about my weekend on Monday though!

Have a great Friday :)

A Crazy Couple of Weeks

Finally, I am back! I am back on Facebook, back wearing letters and lounging at the Dolphin Tank, and back catching up on blogging. Last week was a rough one to say the least. Recruitment got moved around due to weather, which led to me being up at 4:15 on Sunday and not getting close to sleep until 3 on Monday. Needless to say, we got some HOTTTT new delta babes that I am so excited about. Nat went Sigma Kappa, which is P.E.R.F.E.C.T. for her and she is SO thrilled! I am just pumped to be back with my sisters. I may or may not have cried when running through the doors of our big room to Heidi, my little and two of my perfect little pnms that went Tridelt, woooooo! (Needless to say, I about attacked everyone in that room that I adore, so many of them!)

Sadly though, I got a phone call Monday around 2am from my momma, letting me know that our sweet baby Kaleb had passed away. Needless to say, it was a shock, seeing as he was only seventeen months old and we were not at all prepared for it. He was born with a few heart conditions and while he had several surgeries to repair, they think he had an aneurysm to his heart. He is my cousin Tyler and his wife April's middle child, and they are so young ( 28 and 22) so please keep them in your prayers. They have been so incredibly strong.

This is Kaleb with his older brother Kaiden this past summer

Natalie and I headed down to Georgia on Wednesday for the funeral on Thursday, and I am so glad we spent time down there with our family. The funeral was beautiful and we released balloons to Kaleb afterwords at the graveside. Fortunately for Tyler and April they have incredibly supportive families and have been clinging to Jesus with all that they are. Tyler even reaffirmed his faith after the funeral, and he has been the strongest man I have ever seen. They have two other children, Kaiden who will be three in April, and Alena Grace who is six months. Both of their other babies have really helped them get through this as well. Again, this is going to be a hard road for them so please, please, please keep them in your prayers.

I am happy to be back in Blacksburg though. After a tough drive down (spending an hour stopped totally on 81 because of the weather), an even tougher drive back (starting at 3 am unexpectedly) and a bout of the stomach flu for my mom, my aunt, my meme, me (after arriving in Charlottesville Friday afternoon) and Stuart (last night), it is nice to be home. I get to sleep in my own bed tonight, and I get to sleep in a little tomorrow. I am also super excited to finaaallllyyyy go out with my sistas tomorrow night. I. CAN. NOT. WAIT!

Oh, I also got to talk to a child life specialist while in Atlanta. I realllllyyy think this is what I want to do, I just have to figure out for sure what track to take. If you could throw a prayer in for me while you're at it, I'd really appreciate it :) Have a great week!

Top Two Tuesday and Weekend Ramblings

First off, head on over to Taylor at the Undomestic Momma, and link up with her always adorable, Top 2 Tuesday :) This week's theme is the top two outfits you are loving for spring :)

1. This adorable Nautical look from J Crew. My sister bought me the shirt for Christmas, and I am loving it now with skinny jeans and brown boots, but I love the thought of transitioning it for spring with a high waisted khaki skirt! Too cute :) 

via j crew

2. I am a bridesmaid in a wedding this summer and I am loving this Banana Republic one shouldered dress for the rehearsal dinner. I love the light purple and the classic, clean lines. I'm begging it to go on sale ;). I'd probably pair it with my platinum Jack Rogers, or maybe some strappy sandals.

 via Banana Republic

Now, for a weekend update :). This weekend was so much of a whirlwind for me, with the beginning of sorority recruitment! We got into bed late and got up early every day, preparing for the girls. I am more nervous about their party lists than they are, I think! We had to call a girl early Sunday morning to let her know she had been dropped because of grades, and that was incredibly hard. On an up note, my baby sister seems to be doing incredibly well and enjoying herself at that. 

I am also happy to be back in my own bed :) The Holiday Inn in Blacksburg is lovely (no seriously, they have granite countertops) but nothing tops being back in my own cozy place. That is not to say that I didn't absolutely love my roommates, or that I don't miss my rg partner, Heather. For real, we have had the best time together, constantly laughing and really leaning on each other when we were having a hard situation with the girls. I wish I had pictures, but honestly, we all look rough throughout this process, haha.

On another note, my bff has granted me permission to give out her blog address, so go check her out! Heather is a grad student, getting her masters in Education to become an elementary school teacher, so she probably has a lot in common with some of you guys!

Have a great Tuesday :) 

Baking cookies and Psych

As I pack up my life for the next four days, without any hope of coming back for things I've forgotten (I will literally be a mile from my house and cannot come back for anyyyyything, nuts I know) I have started watching Psych. HILARIOUS. Have y'all ever watched it? Highly recommended, I love the mystery aspect of it, but it's not weighed down with heavy drama like most mystery shows these days. 

I have a confession. Normally I make cookies from scratch, but today I'm being lazy. I bought the premade dough from WM last night, and my rg partner is coming over to help me make them. To be fair, I didn't get the break and buy kind, I did get the rolls you have to divide yourself, haha. I'm making like sixty and I didn't want to dirty all the bowls, haha.

I'm back to my crispix and soy/almond milk addiction. Just ate some for lunch, yuuummmmmmmm.

I know this is entirely random. Oh well, my life is entirely random right now.

You'd think since this morning is my last morning to sleep in for a while, I would have taken the opportunity. Nopppeee, my lovely body woke me up about eight thirty.

wilw :)

Even though it's almost Thursday, I thought I'd do a quick link up to Jamie this week :). I'm loving a few things this week.

1. I'm loving that I get to see my pnms tomorrow! I can't wait to help these little babes find their true home and start the best time of their lives ;). Even though it will be clouded with little sleep, chattering teeth and probably some crying girls, I know it will be worth it in the end!

2. Speaking of, I am loving my rg partner and all of the great girls I have met. I am constantly laughing and I cannot wait to spend more time with them this weekend. I do however miss my girls in the dolphin tank (sorority house) and I am counting down the days until I am reunited with them!

3. I am LOVING that my best friend has started her own blog :) If and when she gives me permission, I will share the link with y'all. She is precious, adorable, and a great friend, and I know you future teachers will relate to her! 

4. I am loving feeling back to normal after my tonsillectomy, and I am loving that the weight I lost from the surgery hasn't been gained back. Now if only I can keep it off... especially for the wedding I am in in a mere five months. AHHHHH I cannot believe I am old enough to marry one of my friends off. 

5. I am also loving that my guy bff is talking about starting his own blog. You know who you are.. cough Jim cough, and I can't wait to read it. Mainly because it will be about Call of Duty, weekend excursions back to the 'burg, and the lovely King George County. 

6. As always, I am loving this sweet boy. If you would, could you say a prayer for him tonight? He fell off the side of a mountain (no joke) while he was snowboarding, and we think he has a mild concussion. He did make the decision to be driven home by a friend of his, and should be going to the doctor in the morning, but I am nervous about him sleeping tonight. This is a picture he sent me this afternoon, after his spill. Poor thing.

7. I am loving that my baby sister is going through recruitment. I am so so so so so so excited for her (not to mention nervousss!) She is going to do really well, and I know the houses will love her :) ( I know, we look nothinnnggg alike!)

8. I am loving that I get to SLEEP IN tomorrow :)

Good Nighhhtt!