2011.

The holidayzzzz. Good for the 3 Fs: family, friends, and FOOD. I have had my fair share of all three of those wonderful things in the last 2 weeks. Now, my thoughts are turning to the new year. Two thousand eleven. Wait? WHAT?!? 2011?? How did THAT happen? I graduated from high school is 2005 people. That's 6 years ago. That makes me feel O.L.D. Anyways, onward and upward. I'm not one to make these elaborate New Year's Resolutions because, let's be honest, I never keep them. However, this year there are two things that I really would like to follow through on.

A. Give up POP/SODA/SODAPOP/The Dietary Devil

The stuff is kind of an addiction. I don't even drink the real stuff. I drink DIET pop, which is even worse apparently. It has all those gross fake sweeteners in it that are made out of chemicals and things you can't even pretend to pronounce. I firmly believe that it makes me eat more in the long run, thus cancelling out it's DIET potential. Plus, it makes me feel all jittery and headache-y. It's just bad stuff all around. SO no more after January 1.

B. Work out FIVE days a week

7-5=2. That means there would only be 2 days of non-sweatiness every week. Here's my plan of attack: My parents own an elliptical and seeing as how I am currently taking up their residence, I might as well take full advantage of that right?? I am also very lucky to live within 5 miles of my job so I don't have to get up extra early in order to get ready. I really like getting my workout over and done with in the morning. I tried it a few times before Thanksgiving and I always feel so much more alert during the day and I don't get the sleepy afternoon blahs. I also sleep a heck of a lot better. All of those things add up to early morning workouts 5x a week.

Notice how neither one of those resolutions is about WEIGHT LOSS. That particular issue is always on my mind but I'm trying to take a different mental approach. Both of those resolutions will lead to life-long HEALTH. If they lead to weight loss, greatgrandexcellent. BUT that's not my ultimate goal anymore. Yippee!!

Happy 2011! May your new year be blessed and happy and full of life, love, and HEALTH! :)

Thanks and Giving.

I meant to do this Thankgiving post several days ago. However, this break has been a little busier than originally planned. So here it is...

What am I thankful for this holiday season??

• My family--Love them. So much. Some of my hardest laughter has been with these people. They are my constant. My supporters.
• Friends!--This sounds pretty generic, I know. However, I firmly believe God has given me the best and most wonderful friends a girl could ask for. My friend "situation" has changed quite a bit in the past several years. I am soooo grateful for the people God has placed in my life and I firmly believe they are each in my life for a specific reason.
• My students--Without them, I would have no job. There are days when I question my career choice, but those are the days that make me the most thankful. These little human beings make me laugh, scream, want to pull my hair out, and, sometimes, cry. I am thankful for each and everyone of them, and I love them each as I would love my own child.
• House.Food.Clothes.Blahblahblah.--So this ones probably a given right? Yeah it is. It may seem really insignificant but I never want to forget how many people don't have these basic life needs. It sort of breaks my heart when I think about it. I never want to take it for granted.
• My future---It's pretty unknown at this point. That's why I'm thankful for it. I am really learning to be OK with unexpected/unknown things. The future is so mysterious and wonderful and beautiful. All I can say is I'm very excited to see where and who I will be in the next 10 years.
• A Heavenly Father--This is the "good girl" churchy answer, isn't it? And 5 years ago, that's all it would have been. It would have been the answer that I was supposed to say. The answer that everyone expected me to say. It had no real depth or meaning. Now, it does. I am so thankful that I don't have to get through this life all alone. I don't have to worry about what's going to happen tomorrow or next year. There's someone that does all that for me. And for that I am the MOST thankful.

the end.

D-Day

This might possibly be my 486th post about dieting/food/body image issues. And I always say this is THE LAST TIME. Yep. Always. I have gained and lost the same 15 or so pounds about 3 times now. This is probably one of the most frustrating things a person can experience. There is no one to blame but myself. Me, myself, and my mouth. I think about this and it just makes me extremely angry. I am so disappointed in myself. I am happy with who I am as a person. There is just this one thing that I can't seem to get beyond. I am facing the issue once again. Once again, I am back to that "diet" mindset. I just need to stop making excuses and get over it. Give myself a little tough love. It's not about being a certain size. It's about being confident and comfortable in my own skin. This is the skin God gave me to live in...I need to take care of it.

So today is what I like to call "D-Day," or diet day. This is the day when the diet mindset commences once again for me. Back on the healthy train. Back on the working-out-at-6am train. Back on the eating-3-apples-a-day train. Back on the being-attached-to-my-scale train. Such joys of losing weight. You would think that after so many times of doing this over and over again, I would have it all figured out. Well...I'm getting there! Hopefully, I will have some epiphany and that huge light bulb above my head with suddenly turn itself on. Until that happens, here we go! AGAIN.

Never a Dull Moment.

It has been another rough week for the Whitey. More so because of personal issues that I'm working through (and being quite emotional about it I might add). There have been times this week when I thought a smile would never come. However, in my line of work there is never a dull moment. I am dying to share this little gem from the magical land of first grade:

We had just come in from recess and all the kids were being hooligans (as usual) in the hallway. Loud and obnoxious behavior mostly. I was talking to a couple of other teachers, mostly trying to ignore the 60 first graders around me. I looked over and there, sitting on the floor of the hallway, was one of my little darlings. One of my darlings who never sits still. I mean NEVER. He was sitting there amidst all the ruckus, in a perfect "criss cross applesauce" position, with his thumbs together and his eyes closed in a perfect OHMMMM meditation stance. I thought I was going to DIE. I could not control my laughter. We even took a picture of it.

So there. Laughter is possible amongst the tears. :)

I promise a more uplifting post next time!

(Non) Voter Guilt.

Update: Blood test came back NORMAL! That means I don't have to take tons of pills for the rest of my life. And that, my friends, is GREAT news.

Now, on with other things...

Today is election day. I like to think of myself as an informed voter. A person who typically cares about the state of our country and who is running it. This time around, this election, I was not that person. For some reason, this election completely slipped my mind (probably because of the 1,257 other things that are constantly running around in there). This weekend I realized that I did not have an ever loving clue who the candidates and issues were. Sure...I've seen and heard all the political ads for the last few months. They just didn't spark any interest or thought within me. They didn't motivate me to go out and research the topics and candidates for myself. For the first time since I have had the civil right (and responsibility) to vote, I just didn't care. So shoot me.

And now, I feel bad about it. I feel guilty for not caring and for not voting. But I was thinking about something and I will leave you with this question...

What is worse: An uneducated, biased vote or no vote at all?

This Crazy Life.

Could this week be anymore ridiculous? I mean really it's the like the universe said, "Hey, this girl's life is just SWELL. Let's make her sweat a little." It's been a crazy stressful week at work. I think I have eaten more chocolate and drank more wine this week than...EVER. I am really looking forward to a day off on Friday and fun Halloween times this weekend. I need a BREAK.

I'm gonna be a fairy! I feel like a 5 year old being all excited about it. Whatever. Don't judge me!

In other news, I had to give up some blood today. Let me explain. A few months ago my hair dresser commented on how dry and "frizzy" my hair is. Apparently, this is a sign of thyroid problems? At that time, I wanted to dye my hair a light strawberry blonde color. Well, she wouldn't dye my hair until I found out what was up with my thyroid. After giving it some thought and Googling, I decided that it probably wasn't a bad idea to have it checked, especially after my own mother had her entire thyroid removed because of pre-cancerous lumps that were found (thyroid problems are hereditary). It took me several months, but today I decided to get that little blood test done. Plus, I was at the doctor anyways for this cute little sinus infection I have. Anyways, I should find out the results on Friday. I don't want to be on medication the rest of my life so I'm really praying that everything is normal.

These song lyrics are what have gotten me through this week. Music has some power, huh?

Joy unspeakable that won't go away

And just enough strength to live for today

So I never have to worry what tomorrow will bring

'Cause my faith is on a solid rock

I am counting on God.

(Counting on God by Desperation Band)

A Perfect Saturday Night.

iPod blasting+door open+fall weather+baking=the perfect Saturday night (in my humble opinion).

Yeah...I made those. And they were delicious. Now to top off a wonderfully relaxing Saturday evening, I shall go watch random Netflix movies. I love it.

Our Church.

This is what church should be about.

True. Powerful. Inspiring. Love it.

Education Nation.

Here I stand on my soapbox. Once again. I'm going to try not to rant too much here. My apologies ahead of time.

NBC news has done a feature on all their programs this week called Education Nation. Basically, it has focused on the state of education in our country (crappy) and we ALL need to do to fix it. There are lots of issues I could address here but the one that strikes me as the most important at the time is the fact that a teacher can not be held solely accountable for a child's education. I am a teacher. A pretty darn good one at that. I love my job. I love my kids and I will fight to give them my best. I am also a human. A human that realizes I can only do so much. I can't walk all my kids home everyday and make sure they have a balanced dinner or go to bed at a decent time or practice their spelling words every night or read a book before bedtime. I have these smiling faces in my classroom for 7 hours a day. I can take those 7 hours and shove as much reading, writing, and arithmetic down their throats as possible for a 7 year old to handle. The other 17 hours in a day are out of my control.

Unfortunately, the other 17 hours of the day are where most of the breakdown in a child's life comes from. Bad home lives dramatically affect a child's performance at school. That has nothing to do with their intelligence.

Here's what I want:

• I want to be held accountable for what I am doing in the classroom. I am not afraid of accountability.
• I want families to also be held accountable for what they are doing at home. It takes a village to raise a child, right??
• I want people to stop thinking of teachers as superhuman individuals who can solve all the world's problems with one flick of their wrist. Although we may try to do this (and some believe they actually can), above all we are humans who have lives outside of our classrooms. We can only do so much.
• I want to see this documentary:

Like I said, there are so many things wrong with education in this country right now. They can't all be solved by teachers. Yes, we are the center of the issues because we are the ones that are the easiest to blame. I will admit, there are teachers out there (plenty of them) who should not be in the classroom. They don't have the heart for their kids. They need to retire. However, I would wager that for every one ineffective teacher there are ten that are willing to do whatever it takes to help their kids succeed.

It takes a village to raise a child. The End.

Smells like Autumn.

Today is the first day it actually feels like Autumn outside! Yay! Fall is my hands-down, without a doubt favorite time of the year, specifically the month of October, which starts in 5 days. Apples, pumpkins, pretty leaves, hooded sweatshirts, hot tea. Mmmmhmmmm.

Now on to something I never thought I would say: I am going for a run. I use to HATE running. Like run-the-mile-in-sixth-grade-and-cry-about-it kind of hate running. Now I can say I ran/walked a 5K in July. I an preparing to run/walk a 5K in the end of October and hopefully, I will run my first full 5K on Thanksgiving in the famous Springfield Turkey Trot. With the weather being cooler now, it helps with the motivation to lace up those shoes and go hit the pavement. I honestly wouldn't have stuck with this running thing if there wasn't someone doing it with me. Everything is always easier with a partner in crime. She keeps me going when my legs are about to give out beneath me. Maybe you are asking, "Whitney, why do you all of a sudden like to run?" Let me answer that question...I don't know! Ha. I think it has something to do with the progress of it. I also think it has something to do with the fact that the pounding of my shoes on the pavement helps me pound some thoughts out of my head. I am a thinker (and a worrier). Running gives me time to sort through all these thoughts running through my head (pun intended, by the way). So in TWO months I will be running 3.1 miles. My body. My feet. My legs...with a little help and strength and faith in my God. I'm excited to prove to myself that I can do it! Hopefully, I won't look like Homer. :)

Worry Wart.

Here's something that's been consuming my thoughts in the recent days: WORRY.

I am a worry wart. If you've ever wondered what a worry wart is like (say THAT 5 times fast...GO!), meet Whitney. I worry about what I'm going to wear for work tomorrow. I worry what I might say to a parent about their child that might offend them. I worry if that brownie I ate is going to equal the last hole on my belt. I worry about everything. Literally.

My first year of college was also consumed with worry and anxiety. It was bad. I didn't sleep but maybe a few hours a night for nights in a row because I had such anxiety about school and tests and work and making it balance. It was a new chapter in my life and I was realizing that this new anxiety ridden way of life was not going to work for long. This is when I discovered Phillipians 4:6-7. "Do not worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel." When I first read that, I can remember feeling that peace it talks about. It's so comforting to know that God will take on all your worries for you. I got a lot of mileage and prayer out of those two verses, and I thought I had combated the worry/anxiety issue.

Fast Forward 5ish years to NOW. Recently, I have discovered that worry is continuing to bury itself in many aspects of my life. It is such an ugly creature to me because I could be spending the time I worry doing something much more pleasing and honorable to God. A conversation with a friend sort of inspired me to revisit this issue and I stumbled across these verses in Luke 12.

²²Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. ²³Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. ²⁴Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! ²⁵Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? ²⁶Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? ²⁷"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ²⁸If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! ²⁹And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. ³⁰For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. ³¹But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

OK. That was a lot. I know. There is some really good stuff in there though. The main thing I am taking away from all of this is my lack of faith! I never considered worry to be a faith issue...but Jesus doesn't beat around any bushes. He just says it, "You of little faith!" Whoa. Me? Little faith? That's an eye opener. So after all that soaked in to my little brain, I decided that I don't have to be a worry wart. It's a choice I am making. Why am I wasting my time? Jesus even says worry is not going to add any minutes to my life. What's the point? I can choose to make my life so much easier if I just give all my anxiety and worry up for God to take care of. He can handle it. I just have to trust Him and have faith in Him. There is more I can say but I will save that for Part Dos.

Goodnight.

Broken Heart.

I try to keep the subject matter of my blog somewhat peppy and lighthearted. However, I just got some news that is breaking my heart. A student I had in my class last year lost her mom last night. She drowned at the lake while swimming with some friends. As a teacher, sometimes you don't realize how much these kiddos affect your life. My heart is broken for her and her two siblings. My heart is broken for their family. If you are a praying person, please pray for this little girl and her family.

Goodbye Summer.

It was brought to my attention that I have not blogged in a good little while (Thanks to the Jenny). Today is my official last day of summer vacation...where has it gone?!? I am back to work tomorrow for meetings and all the back-to-school hoopla. I didn't get much of a break because I spent my summer wrangling kiddos around (and dealing with their parents) all summer. The only reason I did it was the money. I am not ashamed of that. Mama needs a brand new house (which equals work and lots of money). This summer has not been full of exciting moments, so I now present my top FIVE moments of the summer (I was going to do top TEN but I'm not sure I can come up with ten. Alas, there are definitely five.)

FIVE: Vacation at the lake with mi familia. The lake is probably one of my favorite places in the world and my family is probably some of my favorite people in the world so it made for a good week. Funny/somewhat dramatic and angering vacation moment: We took both of our dogs with us. We were staying in a cabin on the lake that allowed dogs but they had to be kept in a kennel when they were unattended. Well, if you know anything about my dogs you know that Missy has never been in a kennel in her life and nor will she ever be. We don't even own a kennel for her. When she was a puppy my dad tried to keep her in a fence. She jumped it. The girl cannot be contained. Anywho, we got back to the cabin after spending a few hours swimming in the lake to find the resort owner in our cabin fixing a door...with an unkenneled (is that a word?) dog. He came angrily marching out to our car to inform us that the dog "pissed all over the carpet"when he walked in. He insisted that it is their "policy"...blahblahblah. Needless to say, we spent the rest of the week toting our 60 pound dog around with us in fear that we might encounter another "surprise visit." So, yeah, that was fun. On the upside we got some pretty awesome family photos taken. Here is one gem.

FOUR: Game nights at Taco Bell. Probably the most random part of the summer. Why Taco Bell you ask?? I have NOOO idea! It worked though.

THREE: Mission Trip to Omaha. This was the first week of the summer and it was a great week. We spent a few days working at a food bank and then a few days working on Habitat houses. One of the most inspiring moments of the entire trip was meeting a man (our Habitat supervisor) that was a firefighter in NYC on 9/11. Our leaders asked him to share his story with us and it might have been the most chill inspiring story I've ever heard. He told us of how he ran into the first building before it fell and grabbed two people. As he was running out of the building with one person under each arm, the building started to fall. He saw a FedEx truck ahead and decided the only option was to hideout under the truck. So he laid on top of two people under a FedEx truck while a building was crashing all around him. After that, he spoke of all the horrendous things he saw while going into the second building. He was a very rough and tumble kind of guy, but seeing him break down into tears was a very humbling moment. He left NYC after that day and moved to Iowa (after throwing a dart at a map) and now helps build Habitat houses for a living.

TWO: Fourth of July! I hosted a small little party with some good friends for the 4th. There was food, ladderball, fireworks, and a swimming marshmallow fight. Probably the best 4th I've had in a loooong time!

ONE: Float trip on the Buffalo River. I love floating. My first time on the Buffalo and it is a beautiful river. We flipped once and were rescued by a drunken young gentleman. Thank you. I'm planning another float/camping trip in late September. Never fails to live up to expectations!

Overall, I would rate this summer a 7 out of 10. I was too busy to REALLY enjoy the typical guilts of summer, but I still got my fair share of sun and fun. Now back to the world of first graders, shoe tying, and nose wiping!

P.S. Jenny, I hope this is what you had in mind! :)

Summer is a-brewin.

4.5 days left of my first year of teaching! That means 2 things: A)I am a SURVIVOR. Those little squirts didn't kill me after all. 2) Summer is a-brewin!

Here are some things that I am looking forward to this summa:

Mission Trip to Omaha! We leave next Sunday and I am so excited to do some work for people who really need it. This is going to sound preachy but I'm also really excited to be in God's presence for the week. After a somewhat stressful year both personally and professionally, it's going to feel good to be away from it all and in Him for the week. :) We are spending two days working at a local food pantry in Omaha (the equivalent of our Ozarks Food Harvest). We will spend the other two days working on a Habitat for Humanity house. I'm ready to jump in there and get my hands dirty.

Lake with mi familia! The lake is probably my FAVORITEFAVE thing about summer. I grew up on the lake and it means much more to me than tubing and tanning. It is a family bonding time that also happens to be muy relaxing.

Flo-Rida friend trip! I have been to florida with my family several times before but never with friends. We are headed to St. George Island in the panhandle the first week of August. Now if we can just keep that pesky oil spill away!

Float Trips/Camping! At least one float trip (church) is planned. I'm hoping to get more than just one in...with a splash of camping!

I'm also working all summer at day camp. It should be a fun and interesting summer because some of my closest friends are working with me! Woot woot for saving money. Workworkwork.

Anywho, it should pan out to be a successful and funfun summer! I'm pretty pumped and I'm ready to kick it all off in 4 and a half days! Yes please!

Addicted.

I am an addict. I'm addicted to my dog. I can't get enough of her. I mean LOOK at this FACE!

Some days all I really want is to stay home with her...I can't imagine what it's going to be like when I have actual human children. Should be interesting. I had a little photo shoot with her yesterday and this is one of my favorite pictures of her cute little furry paws!

Pet Peeve #1,589

Please do not use your turn signal when going through a roundabout. That would be like a NASCAR driver using his turn signal every time he makes a left hand turn in a race. They are ALL left hand turns. Just don't do it.

Thank you and Good night.

Some DIY Lovin'

Moving is the perfect opportunity to re-decor-ate your space. It all starts with a new comforter. Then I say to myself, If I'm going to get a new comforter I have to completely redecorate! Voila. DIY Lovin'. I like the way a lot of spaces look, but don't happen to have the amount of dollars it takes to purchase those looks. Solution: Make it yourself! The WWW is the best way to find inspiration. I have recently found several thrifty decorating/cooking/baking blogs that I am becoming obsessed with. I will link to these gems later on. For now, enjoy these amateur photos of my recently finished Flea Market lamp and my Scrapbook paper wall hangings. :)

This lamp cost me 8 bucks at a kitschy little flea market in Ozark. The shade was a very odd periwinkle Granny blue but I LOOOOVE the base. My crafty momma found a super cute way to cover a lamp shape with fabric so we tried it! A coat of black spray paint to cover the loooooong goose neck and there ya have it! A brand new lamp. (Sorry there are no before pictures. Trust me. It was a hideous lamp shade.) I also refinished and antiqued that table but there was too much stuff in or around it to take a good picture.

My sister first introduced me to this idea. All you need is coordinating scrapbook paper, spray adhesive, and some 12x12 squares of plywood. I did 9, but I thought using 4 or 5 would also be cute. You can hang them in all sorts of different patterns. It's a very simple and inexpensive way to spice up a wall!

My next project is to plump up my bed. It needs a little spicing up!

Here are the links to some of my new favorite decorating/food blogs:

• Pearls, Handcuffs, and Happy Hour
• A Penny Saved
• Craft Rookie
• Thrifty Decor Chick

Movie Review: Paper Heart.

It is rare that I feel so moved by a movie that I choose to devote an entire blog post to that movie. This movie: Paper Heart. It was one of those movies that could either be really good or really terrible. It's a half documentary, half fake (but somewhat true) love story. The movie's main star is Charlyne Yi. She made me laugh out loud. I don't think I have laughed out loud during a movie (a genuine chuckle) since Little Miss Sunshine. It also has Michael Cera (the dude from Juno). They are awkward together but adorable. I just loved the simplicity of the movie, but also the clever way they incorporated the documentary feel with the fabricated love story.

The best part? Michael Cera and Charlyne Yi are a real life couple. Or so they say. After a quick google search of their names, I found that they may or (may not have) broken up. That also may (or may not have been) a publicity stunt according to the celebrity gossip website I read. Either way, I believed it. See this movie. It's not your typical love story, crycry, happily ever after, romantic comedy (although it is romantic and a comedy). It's just good stuff. The End.

Day Fifteen (I....think?)

I've lost count of what day I'm on. The challenge right now is my Facebook free life is that people keep talking about it! If I don't hear the word Facebook, I'm not concerned. If someone mentions that Suzie May posted some crazy shiz on Johnny Mac's wall, I'm all thinking about what I'm missing. And that's stupid folks. I feel a little out of the loop is all.

2 weeks and 2 days until I'm in this place.

And the happiest place on Earth...

Caaaaaaaaaaan't wait to see this beautiful face LIVE!

Ah, vacation. How sweet the sound.

Day Eleven.

Today is Day Eleven of this no Facebook journey. I am finding myself thinking about it more and more when I'm on my computer just checking email. Also, I learned that the 40 days of Lent does NOT count Sundays. SO technically I could be a big Cheater McSister and get on Facebook on Sundays. Alas, I will not. I feel like it qould not be as big of an accomplishment if I went 40 days sans Sundays. That's like winning the Home Run Derby on steroids. There would forever be an asterisk beside my name in the Facebook Hall of Fame.

With my extra time not being on Facebook, I am working on a couple of DIY projects. One is an ongoing scarf that seems to be never ending. The other is a home decor project. The last one is a gift for someone.

I shall post photos when I finish all!

A New Season

How things change. SO. FAST.

I am thinking of it as a new season in my life. An opportunity to grow up a little more.

I am doing the very thing I said I would never do. Moving back in with my parents. After realizing how homesick I really was and a roommate who needed to move back to her homeland of New Mexico, I decided to make the move. My ultimate goal is to save enough money to have a hefty down payment on a house in the next year. Am I forever settled in Springfield, MO? No and No. BUT I feel like this is what the adult Whitney would do and I'm trying to tap into those tendencies a little more. I hate living in an apartment. Every single thing about it sucks. Big time. So this new season is filled with promise for a different attitude and a new direction in life. I'm OK with it.

Also, I discovered a new thing from iTunes called Home Share. You can link up to other computers on your same wireless network and import their music into your library. How freaking fantastic is that? SO my iPod ADD is at an all time high right now because of the tidal wave of new music that just showed itself to my iTunes library. Aaaaah. Music is the answer to everything.

Spring is almost here!

California=3 weeks away!

Day 4.

Today is Day FOUR of the big Facebook-free Lenten adventure. I sort of don't even care about it anymore. It seems stupid that I cared so much on day one. I can and will survive without it. I will probably be a better person in the end for doing it. I have bigger and better things to worry about.

In other news: I leave for California 4 weeks from tomorrow (Monday). That means I have 4 weeks to get toned, firmed, and tanned. Can I do it? YES I CAN! I'm way excited to be somewhere in which the sun actually shines and the temperature gets above 4o degrees. Bring on spring break!! :)

Day One.

It's the first day of my Facebook-less life. I have thought about that stupid website more than I would like to admit. I have a grand trip to California planned during this Lent. What is the best part of any beach vacation? The sand? The surf? The sun? NOOO. Uploading pictures on Facebook immediately afterwards! DUH!

I realized that I won't be able to do this. And that is the saddest part of this whole thing. Really. I'm pathetic. I know

There's no going back now.

Bookmark is deleted.

Google Chrome Thumbnail is removed.

Email notifications are turned off.

Facebook has no control over my life for the next 40 days.

Take THAT Facebook!

Potty Training

I feel like I have been thrust into the world of having a terrible two year old...except my two year old is furry, whiney, and craps on the floor. This durn puppy is probably the cutest thing I have ever owned, yet also the most frustrating. She has entered the world of "terrible twos" for puppies and she is only 13 weeks old. She absolutely does not understand how to crap outside. Peeing outside? No problemo. Pooing outside? Absolutely no way no how. Oh and if its cold or windy or snowy, you might as well just give up now. I have never met a more stubborn puppy in my life. She is a mini-Mariah Carey (subtract the boobs). Diva of all divas. I have been forced to research new and different ideas for housetraining a puppy, because I refuse to clean up crap off my carpet for the next 15 years.

Option 1: Dog litter- Yes it exists. Weird? Absolutely.

Option 2: WixDog Indoor Puppy Training-Here is the description from their website:

Wizdog is a new revolutionary house training system for dogs. Consisting of a durable plastic pan and fitted grate, liquid waste dispenses through the grate onto newspaper or a pee pad, separated from your dog's paws - No more wet paw tracks throughout your house! Solid waste stays on top of the grate, so you never have to touch it. Just flip the grate, and it's gone. That's it!

I'm gonna say that's a big fat NO to the WizDog. And that diagram? WTF?

Option 3: Newspaper. Cheap. Easy. It's a winner.

So, now I'm off to paper train a puppy that is 50% outside trained. It proves to be comical if nothing else. I leave you with this face. If it doesn't melt your heart...I'm sorry.

40 Days without Facebook?

Lent starts in 4 days. I am not Catholic...nor have I ever been. I am a Christian, however. A Christian who has never successfully given something up for Lent. I'm thinking I will give up Facebook.

Hi. My name is Whitney and I'm addicted to Facebook.

If there was a Facebook Addicts Anonymous group, I would be the first one to join. I spend way too much time on the mostly useless social networking tool. I don't even do Farmville or Farkle or any of those other stupid Facebook applications. I'm just an addict. I think it will probably be the hardest thing I've ever done. That's ridiculous. I think I'm going to take the plunge though. Plunge back to 7th grade when you ACTUALLY had to CALL someone when you wanted to talk to them. Back to high school when instant messenger was the main means of online communication. Back to a life without FACEBOOK. Dun dun duuuuun. We shall see.

I don't wanna grow up...

Growing up sucks. Like major major big time. I thought it would be a good idea to get a puppy (and it was). However, I managed to pick the sickly puppy. Now I'm getting to deal with all the joys of puppy-hood. Late night trips to the Emergency Vet, ridiculous vet costs, shots, eating/drinking issues, separation anxiety, housetraining, cratetraining...I could go on. This puppy (within 8 days of owning her) has developed Kennel Cough and managed to obtain some nasty internal parasite. I think she is slowly getting better, but she was one sick puppy.

This whole dilemma has made me realize how much growing up really sucks a big one. Would I be this stressed out about a puppy if I still lived with my parents? NO. Would I be second guessing my decision to get her if I still lived with my parents? NO. Plus I reallyreallyreallyreally miss my parents. Even though I see them twice a week (sometimes more), its not the same as living with them. I miss watching TV with them at night. I miss conversing about our days over the peanut butter jar. Sometimes I really would like to rewind my life back to a much simpler time. Say Kindergarten?