Thursday PSYCH!

I'm blaming my inability to keep track of time this week on the fact that this is our last week of school before Christmas break. I woke up this morning and thought that today was Friday. Too bad today is only Thursday... PSYCH! Wishful thinking? Yes. But also a darn confused inner clock.

I can't believe that at this time next week, we will have already celebrated Christmas Day!

One of my students has already started a countdown to the last day of school and I'm totally okay with that. (Plus, she's a senior, so I figure she's more justified in making just a bulletin board.) Like usual, that number seems to big but so small at the same time.

I've had a really hard time focusing on just Christmas this year. I moved into Christmas mood in early November, did all of my Christmas shopping, moved into basketball mode, and am now transitioning into 2014. It doesn't help that Pinterest has already switched over to Valentine's Day and will probably be featuring the Fourth of July by Easter!

I feel like I should be more sad that I've already mentally moved past Christmas. Don't get me wrong... I am very much looking forward to the couple of days off from everything and I am certainly looking forward to the time I get to spend with my family- but I am okay with the fact I don't have as much anticipation as I usually do.

Truth be told, 2014 is going to bring some big changes for me- some of which I know right now and some of which I am yet to anticipate- and I am looking forward to the fresh start. Not everything is going to happen on January 1 and I don't wouldn't want it that way. But still, I'm looking ahead to what will come as well as what may come in the New Year.

And I feel like Christmas is simply a blessed bonus in the in-between. :)

Monday PSYCH!

My alarm went off this morning and I thought it was Sunday morning. Too bad it was actually Monday morning. But this is my last week of work before Christmas break! And it's not like I won't be earning my paycheck this week... As things stand right now, I have a full week of teaching and then a game every night this week. On Tuesday, we have both a game and a practice so that will be an extra busy night.

If I survive, though, I will have two weeks of minimally interrupted break time and that will be fantastic!

Just keep swimming... Just keep swimming... Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming...

Grad School, Pinterest, Food, Greece, and Franklin

As I am hoping becomes my new usual, I am linking up with the ladies of The Good Life, A. Liz Adventures, Carolina Charm, and Hello Happiness for "5 on Friday." Please join us!

One. I finally finished my grad school class this week and submitted my initial thesis write-up. I wasn't sure this semester was ever going to end. This was the first class of my grad work that I really just didn't enjoy. I've taken other classes from this professor so I know it's not anything to do with her, but I really just didn't enjoy the course content this time around. I'm looking forward to my spring semester classes, but I am welcoming the three week break... To finish one other class and knock out my CITI certification.

Two. My Pinterest boards are out of control... Good grief. I need to separate my books from my school board and fish out my healthy recipes from my desserts. Good thing I have the Christmas break coming up to take care of such pressing issues in my life.

Three. Speaking of Pinterest, I'm excited to try this soup! I love anything buffalo flavored and I love chili, so I'm failing to understand how buffalo chicken chili coule be anything less than the-bomb-dot-com.

Here.

Four. I currently have Greece on my mind. I started researching cruises last night when I should have been writing my thesis proposal. I'm hoping to make it happen in the next couple of years? But we'll see. Something may come up... Like needing to reorganize my Pinterest boards or something.

Five. Yesterday I ordered new planner pages. I tried to switch to a more minimal planner this fall, but I just can't do it. So I'm counting this fall semester a loss and am starting fresh in January. And I'm hoping and praying my package ships early so I can get myself organized over break. Because I have nothing else to do. (Ahem, see #1 and #2.)

30 Before 30 Update, v.25.5

Today is my half birthday. I'm the only one who ever celebrates it. Well, Sam did one year too. But mainly it's just me. But I thought today would be a great day to do an update on my "30 Before 30" journey! I picked a few specific goals to comment on... I haven't finished anything yet but I'm only six months in. Here's to the next 4.5 years!

1. Finish my Master's degree. Not done yet, but I made solid progress this summer. I knocked out 9 credits and will be working on 6 more this fall!
2. Knock out Baby Steps 2 & 3. I'm making some progress here. I actually took a little bit of a hit back on Baby Step 1, so I'm back to building that back up while still hitting Baby Step 2 as hard as possible.
3. Visit at least 15 states.
4. Serve at a soup kitchen in each of those visited states.
5. Take an international vacation... alone. I've been brainstorming ideas... Any suggestions?
6. Coach in a state basketball tournament. I watched one this spring but that doesn't count.
7. Buy a nice camera to document life's adventures. Not yet, but I'm getting more excited to make a purchase!
8. Read and notate through the Bible five different times, in four translations (NIV, NKJV, ESV, NASB). (0/5) I need to get my rear in gear on this one.
9. Run a marathon.
10. Hit my goal weight (160 pounds... Dream weight is 145 pounds). Not yet, but numbers are heading in the right direction.
11. Do something really nice for somebody... something I never thought I'd be able to do... somewhere, at sometime. Still not sure what this will look like.
12. Go an entire year being gluten-, dairy- and soy-free. I need to get myself organized to make it through this!
13. Read 100 new (never before read) books. (10/100) I've made a decent amount of progress here! So far, I have read 1Fat Angie. 2Single Infertile Female: Adventures in Life, Love, and Infertility. 3Sparkly Green Earrings: Catching the Light at Every Turn. 4The Help. 5Monster. 6The Book Thief. 7Eat, Pray, Love. 8Same Kind of Different as Me. 9Winning Balance. 10Thirteen Reasons Why.
14. Try at least 30 new recipes. (0/30)
15. Write 500 notes of encouragement to those around me. (0/500)
16. Go skydiving.
17. Crochet a baby afghan.
18. Have a photo shoot done of myself... Insecurities set aside.
19. Go on another missions trip.
20. Complete a semester of calculus.
21. Earn my permit to carry a concealed weapon.
22. Sleep a night under the stars.
23. Get three stamps in my passport. (1/3) I received my first stamp in Thailand this summer!
24. Make a kite and fly it.
25. Achieve complete financial independence.
26. Take a dance class.
27. Tear a phone book in half.
28. Solve a Rubik's cube.
29. Learn to swim. Amy taught me one stroke this summer!
30. Visit New York City... Perhaps for a 30th birthday celebration?

Start date: February 15, 2013
End date: February 15, 2018