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!