It's been about a month

I have not been blogging for quite some time. I blame it partly on blogger's slowness on loading my wedding pictures, then I would become impatient. But here are a few from the day! I became Mrs. P on November 1!

Only 3 1/2 days to go!

I have been doing a lot more blog reading than blog writing lately. This Sunday will be my wedding and we have been trying to complete every last detail. It wasn't until yesterday that we decided to cancel the restaurant we were going to use for our reception. Tomorrow we will call the clubhouse we hope to use.
This week alone we got not only those things done, we also got our marriage license, fiance's wedding attire, and food for the reception. We just need to get my shoes, make cupcakes, make favors, put together the centerpieces and steam my dress. Just some minor details. I can say that my entire wedding cost about under $1000. I'll give a run-down of the numbers once I'm done pulling my hair out!

(photo credit: wedding treasures)

Rest in Peace Grandpa Joe

Early this morning my fiance's grandpa passed away. He was 86 years old.

We had moved our wedding date up several months to November 1 because he wasn't doing well and were hoping he will see atleast one grandchild get married. He will be with us in spirit and we plan to incorporate an "In Memoriam" for him.

You will be missed Grandpa Joe.

Holy Guacamole!

It has been a couple weeks since my last post. I blame it on the fact that I get married in exactly 3 weeks! Ahh!

It is so soon because my fiance's grandpa is very ill and we want him to be able to see a grandchild get married. The wedding date is November 1 and will be at the same park my fiance and I were at before he asked me out, and where he asked me to marry him. This is beyond stressful since we are getting all of our plans done in less than a month.

We have these things completes:

ceremony venue

reception venue

wedding rings

Photographer

We need to do these things still:

Dress for me, vest and tie for him

Justice of the Peace
Marriage certificate
Write invitations
Make ceremony decorations
Make caramel apples for favors

Believe it or not but the entire wedding will be under $1000! It helps only have 25-30 of local family and best friends there. But isn't that all who matters?

I'll give you a breakdown of our costs. I never believed I would have a wedding under $5000 until I found my own money saving tips from lovely co-workers and research.

Otono

If there is one thing I miss about living up north it is fall time. My most favorite thing was to wait for Mom-Mom to rake the leaves, jump in them with my little sister then get yelled at and have to rake them up again ourselves. My Mom would always say "There's snakes and spiders in there!" But we never cared. It was just so nice to feel and hear the crunching leaves as they were jumped on. Ofcourse there would always be a few soggy leaves but it didn't matter. I miss the real fall time. In Florida we don't get a fall season. I just hope that when I have children, they will be brought up in an area that has the beautiful changing leaves, followed by the excitement of winter and the whole holiday season, the anticipation of spring and warm weather and then the bbq and outdoor fun of summer. In Florida it's non-stop sweating and moaning and "Please don't touch me, or hug me, or get too close!" There's only about one month of cool weather (aka 60 degrees). One day I'll get out of the Retirement State.

Sick

I was at work for about an hour and 15 minutes before I went home. I'm under the weather today. I think my hypoglycemia is acting up. So I'm off to have some OJ and relax. There isn't much else to do in my 820sq ft apartment. Above are the common symptoms of Hypoglycemia, just add a stomachache that is not hunger related :(

RIP Patrick Swayze

To the late, great and handsome Patrick Swayze: May the good Lord bless your soul

2009 has lost many great people.

my fiance is talented

check out his wonderful blog. he draws a lot, started doing screenprinting and recently began typing amazing stories/poems/thoughts on his 1960s printer.

Live Simply

The closer my fiance and I get to beginning of our search for a home, I can't help but to realize that I went from wanting a home in a lovely neighborhood and with nothing to change in/around the home to not minding if I just live in a safe neighborhood, with enough space for children. I cannot wait to make my home my own. I can already imagine bugging my father to build me a built-in book shelf, having an office with my sewing materials and my fiance's artwork, replacing the floors with wood and rugs, refurbishing furniture...
There's so much I cannot wait to do with minimal money. Only 3 months until we get married, 4 months until we start searching for a home and 5 months until our lease is up in our apartment. It going by so quick! We need to start saving money if we want any of it to happen!

(photo credit : Sarah Jane)

My weekend craft projects

This labor day weekend my fiance and I had so much to do! First, we spent quality time with our cats Poutine and Panthro. Then we got to our crafts!

I made my first ever apron on my fiance's grandmothers 1940's Singer sewing machine (Don't mind my tired look. I teach preschool 6:30am-3:30pm and finished the apron around 6:15pm) I even cooked dinner wearing it, I was so proud!

I made plaques for my neices and nephew.

My fiance bought a typewriter from the thrift store for $20. It works perfectly and is about 55 years old.

He even began screen pressing clothes that he hopes to soon sell on etsy!

If I get better at sewing and painting plaques, I too will have an etsy store up soon :)

Oh blessed 3 day weekend!

Did you know that Labor Day originated to honor people who worked twelve hours a day, seven days a week in the late 1800's? I am so tired after working 8 hours a day, 5 days a week!

This weekend my lovely fiance and I are taking things slowly. Tomorrow we will be going shopping for crafts materials then spending the afternoon being artsy. If we are good at what we go, we will setup our etsy shops. We are beyond excited. Sunday we will have a yummy breakfast with his parents, and do our laundry and on Monday we're off to my family's house for a good 'ol all-american bbq.

On September 19th, fiance and I are going to check out [hopefully] our wedding venue. We will [hopefully] be married there December 19th. I cannot wait. So much to look forward to!

PS- Sean Lennon, John Lennon and Yoko Ono's son, did a remake of his parent's famous Rolling Stone cover with his model girlfriend Kemp Muhl for the Fall issue of Purple Magazine.

(photo credit: Street_Spirit )

Baby Talk

With a recent discussion (and scare) about having a baby, I can't help but notice my fiance acting a little more "domestic". He's happily taking on the male role at home. Not saying I'm not capable of taking out the trash and recyclables, but when I mentioned I'd help him he just smiled and said "I got it." He doesn't seem to mind doing dishes after dinner as much, he'll randomly kiss and hug me more often and let me fall asleep on him at night more-so than usual. He wanted to teach me to play a game on XBox and wasn't annoyed that I was messing up. He wants to get married in November instead of December because, as he says, he "just wants to marry [me] as soon as possible".

I cannot wait to be your wife and I cannot wait for you to be the father of our children. I cannot wait for the rest of my life with you Rob.

To the future Robert Francis P. III, Nolan Avery P., Grace Isabella P., and/or Coraline Faith P.; you will have the best father ever.

PS-these adorable shoes found on etsy here. Aren't they so cute?!

Mmmm!

How cute is this ice cream sundae set-up?! I looove ice cream and I came across this via Twig & Thistle who got it from Eat Drink Chic. I am having a small wedding soon with family and closest of friends only and wondering how I could incorporate this into my big day. If I don't use it for the wedding, maybe for my house-warming party?? This idea is too good to pass up and it's extremely convienient that the templates for the items are free! <3

Rain rain go away!

In the wonderful place many call the "Sunshine State" it has done nothing more than pour since 1:30 this afternoon. Like August 20, 2008 and TS Fay, this storm has been hovering over this area for a good hour now causing some slight flooding. I'm sure my car remembers trying to go through a flooded street last year...my fiance, his brother, and best friend spent some time pushing my car out of the flooded road then vaccuming the water out of my car. I have to leave for work at 5:30am and pray that the streets will not be flooded. Then again, I'd have a reason to be late to work!

(photo credit: shannonkristine)

Escape

I long for the day I can get away from this 820 sq.ft. apartment and my job. I understand many people would love to have a job right now. Unfortunately when I began my job it was at a time I was studying to be an elementary teacher. Over the past few years I have decided I do not want to work with children. I originally got my job after my ex-fiance and I split up in summer 2006. My older sister was teaching at this preschool and told me I had to come fill out an application... This past summer she was offered a job as a First Grade teacher and took it. My bosses looked down on her for it and they treated her terribly [all because she was persuing a dream]. Since then I haven't been treated with much respect and I do not look forward to seeing the majority of parents and children that walk in the door. My dream is to work from home as a professional organizer. But seeing as I make more money than my fiance right now, I cannot figure out how to begin my dream career. How does one drop everything and start anew?

(photo credit: DanielJames)

Ferris Bueller

By far one of the greatest movies ever made with the greatest quotes ever said...

Ferris-I am not going to sit on my ass as the events that affect me unfold to determine the course of my life. I'm going to take a stand. I'm going to defend it. Right or wrong, I'm going to defend it.

Sloane- What are we going to do?
Ferris- The question isn't "what are we going to do," the question is "what aren't we going to do?"

Sloane- The city looks so peaceful from up here.
Ferris- Anything is peaceful from one thousand, three hundred and fifty-three feet.

Ferris- Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it

Cameron- Ferris, my father loves this car more than life itself.
Ferris- A man with priorities so far out of whack doesn't deserve such a fine automobile

Ferris- Not that I condone fascism, or any -ism for that matter. -Ism's in my opinion are not good. A person should not believe in an -ism, he should believe in himself. I quote John Lennon, "I don't believe in Beatles, I just believe in me." Good point there. After all, he was the walrus. I could be the walrus. I'd still have to bum rides off people.

In need of plates!

When I moved out with my fiance in March I had purchased a set of plates and bowls for a good price on sale at Walgreens. Well, after after many washes in the dishwasher, the plates and bowls have begun to crack and break. I do not entertain anyone at dinner right now but I would still like nice plates.
Only thing is that the nicer ones have a heftier price also. I do like these from target though. These are nice as well. I guess I'd like something white but with a not-too-girly design.

Where can I buy true, good friends?

I know it sounds weird but I really don't think I have "true" friends. Some of my friends I've had since elementary school, others in high school, and a few from work. But none of them enjoy the same things as me. Maybe I need to new place to live because I'd like to find friends (guys, girls, couples) that don't mind dressing relaxed (not sloppy though) going on bike rides to the beach, and listening to really good old songs with. Some girlfriends that don't babble about boys or sex lives (sex and the city-bleck!) they don't flaunt their new high heels and low cut dresses, and they are so simple. All the "friends" I have now have completely different morals from me. They enjoy excessive alcohol consumption, talking about who the 'did' and how...

And a backyard movie night with a white sheet and yummy snacks

No Eyebrows

I have read recently that a new trend is to get rid of your eyebrows. I don't think I could ever have the guts to do such a thing! I mean, I do hate plucking my eyebrows and I've had them waxed twice (I tear up every time!) but I don't think I could go to the extreme of completely taking all that hair away. I have seen some women pencil their eyebrows on and even tattoo them but I definitely like my eau naturelle brows.



Would you wax off your eyebrows or have you already?

Autumn...

I am longing for the autumn time. Unfortunately I live in Florida and don't get to experience the true Autumn season. I hope that someday soon I will be able to move up north, preferrably Virginia, and get to experience the seasons. In Florida we have Hurricane season (current) followed by tourist season (winter) then love bug season (spring) the entire year feels like summer with a few weeks in march that feel like early spring up north. I long to wear comfy trench coats and cute boots.

My fiance's best friend and I are trying to convince my fiance to move up north. His friend is in the AirForce and will be stationed in DC for 4 years (or more). I really want to bring my children up in an area with seasons like I was brought up in. Unfortunately cost of living is cheaper in Florida and in this economy making that sort of move isn't the best idea. But I can still dream...and even begin my search for where to work IF we were to move there :)

(photo credit: bittersea)

Generation Me

I have been reading this book by Jean Twenge just about every time I went to Barnes n Noble for the past month. It wasn't until this past weekend I finally bought it and continued reading it at home. I must say I love this book, as I am part of the "Me Generation" which is anyone born in 1970s, 1980s, or 1990s.
The cover mainly drew me to the book. Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled-and More Miserable Than Ever Before.
I knew I had to read it since it was me in one sentence. It's a great read to understand how Generation Me came to be and why we are the way we are.

house window shopping

Lately my fiance and I have been discussing our future home. We have been in our apartment for 5 months now and have 6 months left. Honestly, we and our cats are ready for something bigger. There is no personal space in this 820sq ft place. If we argue, it's hard to take time to ourselves. The TV and computers are in the same place and the bedroom could be boring alone. I'm ready for a place with a big kitchen and office space.

So, my fiance and I started discussing what we want in our future home. Here's some of the things we came up with:

Near an A+ elementary school (preferrably the one I went to)

City water

BIG yard. Enough for a pool, vegetable garden and herbs, playset for future children, and space to play catch.

Lots of kitchen space

Enough rooms to make one a office room

Safe and quiet neighborhood

Kid friendly

SPACE SPACE SPACE

I cannot wait to actually meet with the realtor, narrow our options and go look at the houses. Of course I'd love to run off to Ireland and buy the house in the picture. Always loved home with vines growing over them. (And that home has a maid's quarter!)

(photo credit: Irish cottage)

Being a preschool teacher has its benefits

It is only one week until a new school year begins. The past couple years and summers I have taught a pre-vpk class. Somedays it is really, really rough and other days I can't help but smile. After a long week (including coming home early from work yesterday feeling miserable) my fiance and I like to eat a yummy meal at home then go to our favorite bookstore, browse, then sit with a coffee and read. It's a typical Friday night for us. Non-typical night for most 21 year olds, but we aren't like that. While standing the the biography section picking out a good read I am stopped by one of my students from last school year and her mother. Seeing her be shy but still run up to give me a hug just reminds me that what I do, I love. Even when it seems that I don't want to be around kids after seeing them all week for 40 hours it's like God reminds me I have a gift. The ability to make a child smile and learn the fundamentals for the rest of their life. Many people look at preschool teachers as not real teachers, which, admittedly, I too thought before becoming one. It honestly takes someone with a special heart, and will to teach. Anyone can go to a daycare and babysit all day, or even get their Bachelor's Degree and teach out of a textbook but it takes a special person to go beyond the book, and beyond flashcards. I feel I am accomplishing that. I am so proud to work at such a prestigous school that gives me the opportunity to learn about myself as I teach 4 year olds. It's an amazing thing to have a child smile at your funny voices when reading a book, or laughing as I randomly dance in the cafeteria. It's awesome to make a crying upset child happy because you tickle them or kiss their boo-boos. What I do is rewarding. Whether others see it as a real teaching job or not is up to them. I am making a difference in the life of numerous children that some parents cannot fulfill because they have to work.

I love what I do. Many people cannot say that.

(photo credit: barnabywasson )

interesting photography

I've had numerous dreams where I begin running away from something and suddenly I lift off like a plane and begin running over the road and trees. In my dream I always get so freaked out by it. I'm also running really slow in the air. It's just an awkward experience. Almost as awkward as Li Wei's photography.

tip jars

Sometimes you just don't feel like giving up your change for tipping. These tip jars do make you want to though.

Makes me wish I can put a tip jar in my classroom.

Mother Teresa

Naturally Nina inspired me to think of a quote I like. When I'm in Barnes n Noble I love reading quotes from western philosophy and even the Psalms in the Bible. Here is one from an amazing women:

“Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.”—Mother Theresa

Skipped a day :-/

I have been so "out-of-it" since my fiance brought home a kitten on Friday. Since we already have a year old cat we've been having to monitor it's behaviour with the kitten and ensuring they get along. The first couple nights we placed our older cat in the living room and closed our bedroom door. In our room was the kitten. All night long it would meow and bother me. Friday and Saturday night I would get up in the middle of the night and go sleep on the couch with my older cat. Sunday night my fiance decided to leave me in the bedroom with the kitten (who now climbs onto the bed) while he slept on the couch. We now leave the bedroom door open, hoping the kitten would lay with the cat, but no. Last night it kept walking across me and licking my face and meowing each time it would use the litter box (currently stationed in our room so that the older cat doesn't use it instead of her own). I would freak when my fiance would roll around because I thought he'd lay on the cat. I smacked his arm a few times throughout the night.

My mind hasn't thought about what cute things I could find on etsy, where I want to be in life, funny happenings of the day, or a random quote. Instead I think about coffee and pajamas. Yesterday I had to work at 6:30am, and today at 7:30am...which is my normal shift. I'm about ready to pass out at my laptop right now. I just hope I can feel more refreshed tomorrow and have something fun to write. Til then, good night

New family member

On Friday my fiance brought home this cutie. His name is Panthro. Yes, just like Panthro the grey cat in Thunder Cats . It is only 8 weeks old and he got it from a co-workers who's cat recently had a litter. Tomorrow we'll take him to get his first shots as well as take our year old cat for her check-up. Our older cat, Poutine, isn't taking the new arrival too well. Usually she's all over me and now she's ignoring me. Last night I realized what it's like to have a baby crying all night. The kitten wouldn't hush up! So my fiance slept on the floor with him and I slept on the couch with Poutine

genius wedding entrance

I first saw this on A Cup of Jo then again on Naturally Nina and had to repost it. If I was going to have a big wedding I'd love to do something like this, since you only get one chance (hopefully). My fiance laughed when he watched it and I laughed and cried. I can cry over the silliest things!

On a wedding note I called the place I would like to have my wedding and unfortunately got the voicemail. I can only call Tuesday or Thursday and between 3pm and 5pm. I hope she will be able to return my call soon since I plan for the wedding to be mid-November of this year! If not, back to the drawing board. And when wedding planning, going back to the drawing board isn't always the greatest of things.

alice in wonderland

A teaser trailer for the Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland was leaked and it is terribly hard to find a site that disney didn't have a "infringment" on the video. I found a blog, in spanish, which has the video in case you want to see it before it gets deleted

So exciting!

http://salondelmal.wordpress.com/2009/07/22/teaser-trailer-del-alice-in-wonderland-de-tim-burton/

I have a nephew

My younger sister and her boyfriend are the proud parents of a baby boy. His name is Tyler (after the father) Clayton (the middle name, which is our maiden name and we have no boys on our side of the family to carry it on) and M. (father's last name) My sister went to the hospital around 8am and gave birth at 5:11. I wasn't there (I would've fainted!) but my older sister and parents were. I haven't even visited my nephew yet since we had a mandatory staff meeting tonight. I was going to go after the meeting but I know my sister is probably really tired so I will finally see my nephew tomorrow.

(photo credit: my big sister's facebook)

Perfect date movie

As if any movie Michael Cera is in isn't already a date movie this is just the creme de la creme of them all. I am beyond excited to see it and my fiance says "Yeah...sure" when I asked if he wants to see it. He is going no matter what. Just watching the trailer makes me fall in love with my fiance all over again

8 months ago i got engaged

As a little girl I thought about the perfect wedding day loads of times....the princess dress, the giant church, everyone and their grandmother showing up, the whole 9 yards. But, since being engaged none of those thoughts came to my mind. Instead I have gone from small wedding November 2009, to April 2010 wedding with up to 100 guests (which we reserved and paid a deposit for), to eloping in Virginia in April 2010 and back to a November 2009 wedding but with only family and dinner at a restaurant afterward. There will be no "reception" and immediately following the meal we will drive off to our honeymoon. I have never been one for flashy things. It's even a tradition in my family to be untraditional. My parents were married in a courtroom after all 3 daughters were born. My older sister was married at 19 since her husband joined the military out of high school. My younger sister, though not married, just turned 20 and is due to give birth to my first nephew tomorrow. I always vowed though that I won't have a courthouse wedding. Yet, eloping in the mountains of Virginia sounded perfect. Instead we are trying to do something small and intimate. I look forward to being married in less than 4 months. Only thing is I need to book a venue, officiant and get a dress. But I believe that through God, it's possible.

Our talents...

Have you ever wondered what you are meant to be? I have been thinking about this a lot lately. It is part of the reason I am taking so long to get through college. My career paths have been education, interior design, education again, sociology, entrepreneurship...I just can't seem to figure out what I'm meant to be, who I'm meant to be. I know I am very good with analyzing, and teaching preschool, helping others with their problems, organizing...basically a mixture of all the career paths I have thought about doing. Personally, I'd love to be a stay at home mom and do the PTA thing while my fiance "brings home the bacon" but I know that in this society it's getting really hard to have one person be the back-bone of the household. So how do I discover what I want to be? I know I don't want to teach forever since I am not comfortable being held accountable for the knowledge my students gain. I don't have the social skills to go out and market my business. I do not like the thought of sitting at a desk and listening to people's problems all day when I don't know them personally to truly help. I don't want to learn business codes and drafting.

I read somewhere that one can make money being a professional organizer. That would be fun but I would feel super awkward going through other people's junk and possibly trashing important things.

Anyone else have this issue? Those of you who are in a career they absolutely love, how did you know it's what you were meant to do? How did you begin?

6th grade yearbook

This evening I went through my sixth grade (1998-1999) yearbook and thought it would be fun to look them up on myspace. Along my journey I found a few were married, some already have children, some gay, some in the military, a few moved far away, others still loving with mom and dad...It's just amazing to see how some people changed (for good and worse) since 10 years ago. I graduated in 2005 so a few people I have seen in the last 4 years but many others it's been much longer. Have you ever wondered what happened to kids you went to school with? Still close friends with any? I still have one friend who's lived in Montreal since I went to 8th grade but we've remained relatively close. I even went to visit him in March 2007. That's a long story for another day though :)

(photo credit : class of 1960)

somewhere over the rainbow

Have you ever wanted to move away? Go to a place where noone would know your name and you could start all over? Many people would love to move where I live, the east coast of Florida. Only 10 minutes from the beach...may seem like "the life" to others. I though would love to move to a place with actual seasons. In Florida we have a joke as to what our "seasons" are...Tourist season (winter), lovebug season (spring), hurricane season (summer-fall) and all year-round it is summer. I would love to move to an area where snow is looked forward too, as well as leaves changing colors, the first signs of spring. All we get here is looking forward to our oranges growing in the winter. My dream is to run off to Virginia. Not too hot, not too cold, mountains, close to ocean, historic sites, the whole nine yards...
Where would you go?

(photo credit: ranhar2 )

Pillow talk

One of the greatest things that my fiance and I do is have pillow talk. Usually we talk about work while eating together (which we always do at a dinner table, never on the couch). But when we lay in bed at night it's different. We could continue to talk about work, or talk about religion, our future, how we should really try getting to bed earlier, what we'd name our kids...so on and so forth. I love it.

(the link posted above will take you to my old blog)

pretend online shopping

One thing about living in an 820 sqft apartment is that you begin to long for a nice big kitchen. I have been dreaming about the appliances I can't wait to have. My fiance's birthday is coming up and he wants a knife set. I just can't find a nice cheap set. I on the other hand would like a spice rack for my birthday in September. I just can't wait to paint my kitchen and pick out my appliances and little nicknacks. Is there a place in your home or future home you can't wait to decorate?

(photo credit: FlickrforHam )

Full moon

My day was pretty interesting. I had 23 students but they were surprisingly quieter than they've been all week...and we've had 17-19 monday through wednesday. Then I actually won a game of Scrabble after 5 nights of strenuous play. My dinner was absolutely amazing. My fiance makes really good tacos and salsa made with solely fresh veggies (he should make it good, he's 1/2 mexican!) then I made the rice with olives and pigeon peas. It was just a randomly surprisingly good meal. To top it off our grocery bill was really cheap.

One of my co-workers who is strong on believing the alignments of planets affect us and she practices meditation and numerology says that it's the "full moon". With the exception that her normally calm class is crazy.

I'm beginning to wonder if she's right?!

(photo credit: sar-kelandi )

Scrabble

My fiance and I have been playing Scrabble since we first began dating. We went to Montreal alone together on our third month of dating (I had booked my lonely trip just before he and I began dating. I was going to visit a friend I hadn't seen in 7 years). While in Montreal we went to a game store in the Underground City and bought a Scrabble board, which is the one we still use today. Since moving in together in March we haven't played together till 3 days ago. The games get super intense but it's fun to see what words he comes up with and yell at eachother for taking the letter either were about to use for a word. It's nice though...we just sit in the quiet or with relaxing music in the background and prepare to win. Or in my case, lose 4 nights in a row!
But tonight I lost by a single point!

(photo credit : ittybittiesforyou )

oooh! first etsy purchase

I just purchased this head band from etsy seller taylortengelsen. I love head bands and even though I was merely browsing etsy I found this cute crocheted one for $5 and couldn't pass it up. I am also looking to get this art piece for my sister since she will be having a baby boy in a couple weeks and the baby room theme is safari animals.

So excited to get my head band in the mail, especially since I drastically darkened my hair.

Loving some of these rooms!

I have been thinking about my future home so much lately and thinking about different simple ways I would decorate it. I came across Kelly's blog, Design Crush and got a crush on some of the designs (my lame play on words, I know). I am inspired to have a crisp, clean white bathroom, clutter-free office space, and bright dishes. Her place is quaint and fun and I hope that I'll be able to design mine in such a way.

I would photograph my place but it's pretty much separated as 1/2 living room and kitchen, 3/4 bedroom and 1/4 bathroom. The only designing my fiance and I have is photographs he has taken. One day I'll live in a place that my crdeative juices will flow.

A cute little cottage

My fiance and I have been discussing that in 7 months our lease will be up on our apartment. Since we will be married in 4 months, you know that we definitely want to buy a home. We would like a home with enough land for future children and pets to roam. Plus room for a vegetable garden and flower garden. My fiance would like an actual full farm with a goat and chickens but I'm not that big of a fan of the idea.

Of course we have to go through the joys of a realtor and seeing how much we're approved for first. I cannot wait to see what we'll end up with!

Random thought

My hair now...

How I would like my hair to look...
I am contemplating getting this hair cut. I have naturally wavy hair (and lots of it!) Plus a round face. I have cut my hair short before but was a little chunkier last time I did. Watching Public Enemies last night, I have been in love with Marion Cotillard's hair cut. So, as long as I continue to curl it (and probably color it) I could possibly pull it off. What do you think?

A working class hero

daddy and me

Over dinner tonight my fiance and I started to talk about our current jobs and what we wish we were doing instead. It then turned into an emotional conversation where I began talking about my Dad. He never finished school, he ended in 8th grade. Instead he stayed home and worked on the little farm my grandparents had in their backyard in New Jersey. My Dad was always an extremely hard worker. Every night when I was little I would remember him sitting on the couch watching tv with an ice pack on his arms or back (he did construction even though he had surgery in his shoulder in the late 80s/early 90s) then he'd be up before the sun the next day and I'd be getting ready for school. I'd sit on the floor in the living room eating cereal while we watched The Andy Griffith Show. My dad has done so much for my family. He remodeled our entire house and began his own Home Remodeling and Repair business when the economy was booming. Now my parents have the bank hasseling them, and in the process of losing the home my father worked so hard on to foreclosure.

It makes me think about the unappreciated jobs (the start of our conversation) All too often I am asked "So I hear you're a teacher?" yes "What do you teach?" preschool "Oh."

As soon as your born they make you feel small,

By giving you no time instead of it all,

Till the pain is so big you feel nothing at all,

A working class hero is something to be,

A working class hero is something to be.

They hurt you at home and they hit you at school,

They hate you if you're clever and they despise a fool,

Till you're so fucking crazy you can't follow their rules,

A working class hero is something to be,

A working class hero is something to be.

When they've tortured and scared you for twenty odd years,

Then they expect you to pick a career,

When you can't really function you're so full of fear,

A working class hero is something to be,

A working class hero is something to be.

Keep you doped with religion and sex and TV,

And you think you're so clever and classless and free,

But you're still fucking peasents as far as I can see,

A working class hero is something to be,

A working class hero is something to be.

There's room at the top they are telling you still,

But first you must learn how to smile as you kill,

If you want to be like the folks on the hill,

A working class hero is something to be.

A working class hero is something to be.

If you want to be a hero well just follow me,

If you want to be a hero well just follow me.

-John Lennon

Relaxation?

I am trying to just calm down but there's so much to do and so much to decide on. Today I was at my college (where I haven't attended in 2 years!) to speak to an advisor. I want to change my AA in elementary ed to AA in business. Unfortunately there was a mix-up in the sign-up sheet and unfortunately many people were upset.
I really want to figure out what classes I should be taking because I think I finally found a career I'll be good at. I don't have very much time to go to school as it is since I am working 40 hours a week, then come home and cook and clean. Then my evening are spent everywhere.
I honestly believe that you shouldn't need a piece of parchment that says you have a degree in something to be to have a job and make more money. There are so many people in this world who are just not able to get into college for one reason or another but they have unbelieveable talent helping people or managing or teaching or cooking... It just isn't fair that the only way to get anywhere in life is by bringing in a copy of your Bachelors Degree Graduation Certificate. What's holding me back from finishing college is money. Unfortunately my parents are in the process of losing their home. My mother is the main bread-winner spinning wires and my father is a struggling home remodeling and repairman. Financial-aide will not help my funding for school (even though i am living on my own and paying all my own bills) because I am under 24, not married, don't have children, and my parents make "too much".
So school stress plus the constant pressures to exceed as a preschool teachers, preparing my class for kindergarten. My fiance and I are also starting to struggle paying our $724/month rent but we're trying to find a way out of it.
There's just so much right now going on and I can't help but to ramble. I just need to remember to "KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON"

(photocredit: pressureless)

How I now eat

Michael Pollan's Twelve Commandments:

1. "Don't eat anything your grandmother wouldn't recognize as food."

2. "Avoid foods containing ingredients you can't pronounce."

3. "Don't eat anything that won't eventually rot."

4. "Avoid food products that carry health claims."

5. "Shop the peripheries of the supermarket; stay out of the middle."

6. "Better yet, buy food somewhere else: the farmers' market or CSA."

7. "Pay more, eat less."8. "Eat a wide variety of species."

9. "Eat food from animals that eat grass."

10. "Cook, and if you can, grow some of your own food."

11. "Eat meals and eat them only at tables."

12. "Eat deliberately, with other people whenever possible, and always with pleasure."

Source: In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

Surfer coffee house

My fiance and I are in the works to starting a coffee house with his father. We are still trying to determine what our customers would like. We don't want to be a Dunkin Donuts, nor do we want to be a Starbucks. Neither give the opportunity to befriend others in your neighborhood. We want a place to become friends with the customers and for our customers to become friends with eachother. We want an open atmosphere where an older man could sit down and talk with a few teens about politics, how life is and was...where anyone is free. Since the location will be across from the beach we will have a vintage surf feel for the place. The music people will hear could be from Bob Marley to Jack Johnson to Beach Boys to Jason Mraz. We hope that the furniture will also be focused in this category with tables made from old surfboards. Other than coffee, pastries, smoothies (made from local grown fruits), teas (hot and cold), soft-serve ice cream, and possibly gelato will be served. There are 2 possible locations though. They are in the same plaza right infront of a highschool and middle school. One is located on the very end corner with the availability for customers to sit outside and smoke if they choose...but that location would have to be sectioned off since it is part of a large add on to the plaza. The next closest store would be about 100ft, and it's Publix. The other location is next to a movie theatre and surf clothing store and is a recent closed down karate store. Unlike the other location it doesn't offer an outdoor seating area for smokers. Since it is an old karate place, the flooring needs to be removed, a kitchen will need to be added as well and cleaner new bathrooms, one wall has a giant mirror on it, the ceiling needs new grids, and there is a large japanese shinto shrine inside. So it needs major repairs.

I really don't know which of the two is a better choice.

(photo credit: art.com)