"I'll Be With Him, On That Midnight Train to Georgia..."

'Cause I'd rather live in his world, than live without him in mine."

(Gotta love Gladys Knight & the Pips!)

Hi y'all,

While I love doing lighthearted posts and fun link ups, tonight my mind is on things a little more serious. Or serious for this girl at least. I'm entering my last semester of college (for real this time!) and after my field study this summer at home, I am a free woman. Kind of.

Stuart has had a few job offers two of which he is considering right now. One in his college town which I absolutely adore, and one right outside Atlanta in the same town my aunt and uncle live in. At this point, I am ready to follow him. And it is a decision we are talking about making together, while still keeping in mind each other's best interests (as far as career is concerned).

I'm honestly torn with where I want to be when it comes down to Charlottesville and Atlanta. I love both places dearly and both places have people that I love (which is a big bonus!). We have always talked about living in/around a big city, and for me Atlanta is the perfect place. I have family there, one of my best friends is there and I just love it in general. But, we both adore Charlottesville, the small town feel, the running culture and the great restaurants! Plus it is only 2 1/2 hours from our parents and our hometown, compared to the 10 hours from our hometown to Atlanta.

Realistically, Atlanta is a better place for me to find a job. Right now, I want to work in higher ed with the possibility of working my way into something Child Life related. The Child Life specialist I know lives in Atlanta, and my aunt has a ton of connections down there. Plus, there are way more colleges within driving distance of Atlanta than in Charlottesville.

But I would be happy in Charlottesville too, if I could find a job. I would even work for UVA if it came down to it ;) (Seriously though, I would love to work for UVA).

Has anyone else ever faced this? The unknown scares me, but my comfort is that wherever we go, the most important person in my life will be making that step with me.

(Disclaimer: I won't be moving anywhere until I have a job. As much as I will miss him, I need to be an adult and take care of myself. Fingers crossed I can find a job wherever he is!).

I would love to hear from you if you are struggling with this too!

Happy Tuesday night!!

Guess Who's Back, Back Again

I am back, tell a friend.

(Nothing like a little Eminem to introduce a post)

Finallllllyyy, after a journey that started at eight am this morning, I am back in Blacksburg!

However, I will be back in the 757 nursing Stuart back to health this weekend after his surgery on Friday. But, before that I have four days of classes ahead. I'm actually excited to get things started because this will be my last semester in college... EVER! I still have a field study to complete this summer but I will be doing that out in the field (duhhhh), so it won't be like I'm in a classroom.

I know many of you started last week and I feel so behind. While an extra week of relaxation was nice, I am ready to be back in a schedule. My roommate and I are going to work on eating healthier and working out more, I am going to try to kick some butt in my classes and I want to spend a little quiet time with God in the mornings. No time like the present!

I'm thinking to be a little more organized this semester I will need these few things to get through:

• Erin Condren planner, I already have... LOVE!

• Sharpie Pens, my fav! I always order them on Amazon

• Love this Lilly Pulitzer  notebook. How fun would it be to write notes in this?!?

• My monogrammed Tervis Tumbler filled with coffee in the morning and water for the rest of the day :)

• My iPhone! Goodness knows I couldn't survive without this thing. Love, love, love it!

Happy Monday!

Tagged!

Sweet Cori over tagged me in a fun little getting to know you post and I thought it would be perfect for a Saturday morning. Thanks Cori!

[the rules...]

one. you must post the rules.

two. post eleven fun facts about yourself on the blog post.

three. answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you've tagged.

four. tag eleven people and link them on your post

five. let them know you've tagged them!

 

[Two]

1. I think a bad day can be solved with three things: a Diet Coke, some Pretzel M&M's and something on TLC.

2. I am the best at ruining my own surprises because I am so observant sometimes. It is not my best trait, haha.

3. My new years resolution is simply to stress less and pray more. I think those two go hand in hand!

4. I am now getting a second undergraduate degree, not a Master's degree. And I am still not sure what I want to be when I grow up!

5. I have lived in the same house my entire life, with the exception of college. But I have lived in three different rooms in that same house.

6. I'm a huge advocate for St. Jude and I think raising money for children with cancer is incredibly important and a cause very close to my heart.

7. I can touch my tongue with my nose and wiggle my ears. Yes, it is good to be thisssss talented.

8. I am more of a quality over quantity person when it comes to friends. I love meeting new people but I know who my best friends are when it is all said and done.

9. Hokie born, Hokie bred and when I die I'll be Hokie dead. But I am in love with a Wahoo. So I can't wait to buy all of the "house divided" stuff eventually. With Virginia Tech on top, of course.

10. I would much rather eat veggies than fruit. 

11. I own about twenty long sleeved white knit shirts. And I would like more. They are the best staples!

[Three]

11 Questions from Cori to me:
1. What is your favorite song right now?

I'm not really good at listening to new music so I don't know! Some of my forever favorites are: Amie - Pure Prairie League, Something - The Beatles, Semi-Charmed Life - Third Eye Blind. I am veeerryyy music quirky :)
2. What is the one thing that you are obsessed with right now?

My cowboy boots and my nude/leopard flats. I wear one or the other everyday!
3. What is your favorite restaurant?

The Vineyards in Newport News. It is fresh, homemade Italian and Stuart and I always go at least once when we are home. So good!
4. What do you want to be when you grow up? Or are you doing it already?

Career wise, I'm not quite sure yet. I have a few ideas and endless possibilities with these degrees. Eventually I wanna be a stay at home wife and momma when my kids are little though.
5. What is your one wish for 2012?

Less stress, more enjoying life!
6. How long have you been blogging?

On and off for a few years but I really got back into it in the past six months. Originally I started my blog as just a journal of my study abroad.
7. Which is better: Facebook or Twitter?

Ohhh, the Twit. Love to tweet and I love that you can say more of what you want.
8. Who in your life inspires you the most?

Nick, Kaleb, Poppi, my parents, Stuart. Not in any particular order but in all kinds of different ways. Nick, Kaleb and Poppi I know are always watching me and supporting me from heaven. My parents are the realistic supporters and have helped me every step of the way and Stuart encourages me everyday to simply do what makes me the happiest. I am a lucky girl.
9. What is the one you do to de-stress?

Run or drink a Diet Coke, and watch a movie or tv show.
10. Did you play sports or join any clubs in high school?

Oh my, yes. I was a swimmer, drumline captain, involved in Youth-in-Government, Key Club, FCA, National Honor Society, French Honor Society, German Honor Society and a few other clubs throughout the years.
11.Which do you prefer? Cold weather or warm weather?

I am a huge fan of cool, crisp fall weather :)

 

[Four]

 My questions for you:

1. What are you the most passionate about?

2. How many times have you been out of the United States?

3. What is your guilty pleasure?

4. How did you meet your significant other (if you have one)?

5. Blackberry, Droid, iPhone or flip phone?

6. What is your favorite place to be in the entire world?

7. Beatles, Bieber or Bette Midler? (Like my alliteration, ha!)

8. What is your favorite kind of M&M (i.e. plain, peanut, pretzel, etc.)?

9. Heels, flats, boots or flip flops?

10. What have you done that you are the most proud of?

11. What is your favorite thing about yourself?

 

  

[tag, you're it...]

I am the absolute worst at tagging people and my computer is about to die so if you  want to, do it and let me know you did so I can read your responses!!

Okay Thursday!

Finally Thursday once again and time for Its Okay with Amber and Neely!

Its Okay:

• That I only spell "OK" o-k-a-y. The vowel makes it seem more like a word to me, haha.
• That I finallllyyy got around to calling my computer in to the Apple store. Hopefully it will be a quick fix since I go back to school Monday!
• That I miss sorority recruitment. It is completely exhausting but I love the time spent with sisters and everyone's tweets and FB statuses are killing me.
• That I failed at baking cookies not once, but twice today. And usually I am a baker! At least one set are edible!
• That Claire and I usually text each other about Friends or a Friends quote at least three times a week!
• That my daddy and Stuart are watching basketball together and it is the highlight of my week. I love feeling like he is a part of our family :)
• That my perfume scent this week is menthol from Vick's vapor rub. Daddy always had us put it on when we had colds when we were little and it is the only thing that lets me breathe when my nose is stuffy!
• That I haven't gotten around to some posts I have planned. I don't know when my computer is going to shut off so I have to make my posts quick this week!

Happy Thursday y'all!

Fingers Crossed and Iphone Dump

So I just updated some software on my computer in hopes that I might have outrun the spontaneously turn-off bug that it acquired a few days weeks ago. Here's to hoping that did the trick and I can be back into my regular blogging and (ahhhh!) schoolwork coming up next week!

Here's what I've been up to lately:

 Buying a vintage-esque doorknob in Anthropologie to start a new tradition :) We decided this doorknob will be on our bedroom in every house we live in. Right now it is living in Charlottesville at Stuart's house because it fits in really well with the decor!

Hitting 100,000 miles on the way back from Atlanta! I think this car has had many trips in its short five years of life ;).

 Cheering on the Hokies with friends. Notice everyone in orange and maroon except Stuart. Typical!

 Teaching momma how to throw a proper "VT!" (And getting instagram!)

 A late night show at a comedy club in NN. This guy was a magician and a comedian and he was hilarious and super nice! Gemini is his name and he's been on Comedy Central. That night was just me and the boys (Stuart, Corey and Brian)

 Visiting a friend with Hev in Chesapeake. This is HIS freezer. Yep, HIS. Does it not look like a sorority girl freezer (aka MINE?!?) Ha!

 Homemade pretzel making kit we made while we were snuggled up with the sniffles yesterday. They were delicious but not quite as good as Auntie Anne's! I'm thinking they won't be hiring us there anytime soon

Sniffling and watching seasons of the Big Bang Theory! I love this boy and the fact that we can have fun even if we are sharing a box of tissues, ha!

I'm off to catch up on some pinning and watching Tori and Dean on the DVR with my box of tissues. Hope y'all have a great Wednesday!!

Ahhh Computer!

I finally got a hold of Momma's iPad to let y'all know I should be back soon! My computer decided to act a fool and I will finally be taking it into the Mac store this week! Hope y'all are having a great week!

It's Okay!

Good afternoon! I just checked my counter and I got several new followers yesterday... welcome! I loved the comments a few of you left yesterday :) They do seriously make my day.


I haven't linked up for It's Okay Thursday with Amber and Neely in a while and it is one of my favorites. Y'all head over and let out some of your confessions too!

It's okay...

• to always complain when you are constantly busy during the semester, but also complain a little about being really bored when you have nothing to do over break!
• to have ordered a really nice, really popular planner and only remember three weeks into break that you left in in Blacksburg... guess I haven't needed it for much!!
• to use too many exclamation points! (sometimes I annoy myself though, haha)
• to throughly enjoy pretty much everything on TLC beyond the tattoo shows. 
• to still be REALLY ANGRY about the outcome of the Sugar bowl and hide everyones stories about it on Facebook so you can avoid being reminded as much as possible.
• to spend your Victoria's Secret gift card on some pj's and makeup... the pj's are satin (and sexy/sweet) and I needed that makeup!!
• to consider M&M's a food group.
• to love that your BFF texted you with a list of JCrew stores that carry bridesmaid dresses and you are not even engaged yet. JCrew never goes out of style :)
• to want to ask old people when they will be dying every time they ask me when I will be getting engaged. You aren't rushing to the next life step people, stop expecting me to!

Happy Thursday y'all! 

Holly Jolly Swap

This December I was so excited to participate in the Holly-Jolly Swap that was hosted by Ashley, Emily, and Crystal. They all have such adorable blogs, go check them out!

I had the sweetest secret Santa and she sent me such great swag! Sweet Jenn was so incredibly thoughtful and I LOVED all of my gifts. Thanks again Jenn!!

1. "M" reusable coffee/tea mug :)
2. "M" stickers (I cannot wait to use these in a craft project, seals to cards I send!!)
3. Cinnamon spice tea, literally my absolute favorite tea ever. I cannot get enough!
4. Chocolate, always a girls best friend :)
5. Christmas stickies! I use stickies all the time!
6. Starbucks gift card to get my favorite skinny peppermint mocha!
7. Adorable scarf :)

I also had a great time buying for Ashley at Loving Life and Lilly. She is a Greek Hokie too and we had so much in common because of that!

Hope y'all have a happy Wednesday. The depression from the game showed itself by me eating pretzel M&M's for breakfast... I'm thinking the treadmill is calling my name?

Y'all, It Aint Pretty

I'm going to be real right now... if you don't follow college football you probably don't want to read this.

I am not a happy camper. At all. Our coaching tonight could have been better, but the big nail in the coffin was when the refs TOOK AWAY a touchdown from senior receiver and all around good guy Danny Coale. He deserved that catch, that game winning touchdown in overtime and they stole it from the poor kid.

If you are curious or want to see more, here is a link to a youtube clip. Danny Coale catch

I might have definitely cried. Those are my boys. My players. My people. And I am about as loyal as they come. I was so proud of their fight, their gall and their respectful attitudes tonight. I know some of y'all feel the same about your teams and you feel those emotional ups and downs like I do. Let me know if you are one of them!! I like a certain kind of kinship :)


I've been watching football since birth practically. My daddy never had any sons so he passed his passion on to me and I have never looked back. I even considered majoring in some kind of sports broadcasting, but I realized I didn't want to turn something I enjoy into something I had to do. I love college ball. And I LOVE my Hokies. I think we proved we ABSOLUTELY deserved to be there, probably even more than Michigan. If you look at stats, definitely more than Michigan.

I know a few of my hokie girls, Sarah and Ashley will agree. So glad to have you girls cheering for our boys with me through the blogger world!!

If you made it all the way through, props to you. I write this blog for me and to remember events and feelings and tonight was raw y'all. It was emotional and exhausting. But I come out prouder to be someone that lost by points but won on both the field and as a team. I will always, always, always be proud to be a Hokie. Nothing is better than my Hokie Nation.

LETS GO... HOKIES!!!

Counting down the days to kickoff 2012!

Sweet as Shugah!

Happy 2012 y'all!

We had a great New Year's down in Atlanta even though Stuart's beloved 'hoos lost the Chickfila bowl. We spent time with both of our families and some friends too :). It was a great way to ring in the new year!

Heidi and I at Mellow before the game

Heidi, Paul, Stuart and I ringing in the New Year at an ATL bar! (excuse how we look, we were exhausted!)

How he felt about the results of the game at the Panera in Lenox on Sunday haha.

We went to the Melting Pot for dinner New Years Day to celebrate the 2012 with Heidi and Paul! Such a fun date :)

And now for tonight... LETS GO HOKIES! Nothing could be "sweeter" than kicking some Wolverine butt in Nawlins tonight. So jealous I didn't get to be there but I will be snuggled up on the couch with the fam screaming (well.... I lost my voice so probably not screaming) for my Hokies. 

Can I get a big LETS GO........ HOKIES y'all!?!

Have a happy Tuesday!