Friday Faves

It's been a really long week. Friday did not get here fast enough.

1. Weekend at Home

I went home for the weekend to spend some time with Liam, get my car all fixed up (valve stem on a tire replaced, headlights replaced, oil change, vacuumed out, and windows washed), and see Grandpa for his 84th birthday! I got to go with Liam for his 18 month pictures and I even got to be in a few. I can't wait to see them. Another great Sunday Funday was spent with coconut cake and teaching Liam to give kisses.

2. Productivity

I was on a role this week. I got a whole lot of homework done. It was insane! I'm so proud of myself.

3. Sorority Spa Night

We had a spa night social with the lovely ladies of Delta Phi Lambda.  We painted nails and laughed hysterically at the sister who got conned into a face masque. It was a blast!

4. German History Class

I've been having so much fun in my German history class! Sometimes it's really sad but mostly it's really interesting and I could sit through that class every night this week.

5. Thrift Shop

I don't know why I love this song but I do. I've listened to it a million times in the last two weeks.

Friday Faves

What a week. I was hoping to make this exclusively all about my trip to Kentucky but there are other things that happened that made it less than perfect. So instead this is just a normal Friday Faves. I'm not bitter...

1. Pine Mountain Settlement School

It was simply life changing. I wouldn't trade seeing that community in person for anything. I am so amazed at how much this school does with so little.

2. Nationals

We stopped in Indy at nationals on our way back from Kentucky. It was so cool. Sorority-girl-squeals worthy. The building is absolutely gorgeous. Definitely a highlight of my time as a collegian.

3. Changes

I don't know how to describe the feelings I'm feeling these days. It's like when you prepare for the worst and it doesn't happen. I'm just sitting there, expecting to screw my whole life up again and when it doesn't happen, I'm left sitting there wondering how that happened and how do I manage to continue not screwing it up. 

4. French Toast Dumplings

I feel a little bad showing you these, knowing the post won't go up until the end of the month. They are little balls of love. This will happen in my life again.

5. Retail Therapy

I was going to take a pic but that's work so I found this picture instead. I drug Joe through JC Penny's last weekend and it was absolutely amazing. I don't care how superficial it is. I love trying on clothes. And then I walked around Target for like 2 hours today. It's spring break. I don't care if you judge me.

100 Posts!

Can you believe this is the 100th post on Fondue You Love Me? I really really can't.  It's been such a great experience and I get entirely too much joy looking at all of the published and scheduled posts. I'm so proud of all that I've accomplished with this blog and I feel like I've found a drive to try new things. I am so thankful for Joe and Jessica for reading and helping and suggesting ideas. They've done so much and I love them for dealing with my nonsense. I have so many great things planned for the blog and I can't believe in just a few short months, I've already shared myself 100 times. I am so happy to have my little blog and see the number of views of grow each month. I've been really trying to improve the quality of each post and really give a variety of my interests. I'm looking forward to August when my baby blog turns a year old but until then, look forward to 100 more posts including recipes, craftiness, nephew lovin', and a whole lot more sass. Because it's my blog, yo.

Relaxation

One of my goals for 2013 was to make more time for relaxation. I've found a couple of ways that help integrate relaxation better into my lifestyle.

Reading: I've made it a goal to read for about 30 minutes every night after class. Not homework or academic reading. Just personal fun reading. I've been working on The Hunger Games and I've found homework more bearable knowing I will have time to read something fun later in the evening. It will also get me closer to my other goal of reading 10 books for fun this year.

Journaling: I tried to do this last year and it lasted for about three months. This year, I'm only writing when I feel anxious about something. It's less pressure that way and putting it in my journal is a good way to release it. I've been trying to use people less as a way to vent and the journal helps with that.

Blogging: I've set aside time to work on four blogs a week and it really gives me something to look forward to. It's nice personal time where I feel like I'm not neglecting homework and it is incredibly relaxing. After I write a post, I feel like I've accomplished something for myself and I really love my blog so it gives me joy to see the long list of scheduled posts.

Lotion: It sounds so weird to say that but I've gotten in to the habit of putting lotion on every morning and it gives me a moment of peace in the morning before my day gets really busy. It's time focused just on me and no matter how small the moment, the point was to make more time for relaxation.

Meditation: Meditation doesn't have to be sitting on the floor saying "Om". I practice meditation by taking a moment to relax every time I get frustrated. I clear my head and take deep breaths. It doesn't always work and sometimes I feel like I'm just getting more frustrated but that's when it's time to take other steps. Usually taking deep breaths gets me to a point where I can deal with it.

Friday Faves

Is it really Friday again already? Who can tell when every day is homework day?!

1. Saturday with Jessica and Liam

I got a visit from Jessica and Liam on Saturday. We had a blast! We went shopping and Liam got to play with Courtney. I have missed them so much!

2. Rice Pudding

I made some really yummy rice pudding on Sunday. You'll be able to read about it in February. It's so creamy and warm. I just love cuddling up with a bowl as a reward for a long day of trekking through the snow for classes.

3. Valentine's Day

Aren't these ties cool? I'm getting Luke one of these very cool ties with a page on a book of 1942 military chemical warfare. Cyberoptix makes some really cool ties and Luke liked quite a few so it might be my new back up for presents for the boy. 

4. WIVC Training

I spent a lovely hour learning about the Womens Issues Volunteer Corps this week and I can truly say I am so excited by their mission that I can't wait to get involved.

5. Honest Abe

When you're riding the struggle bus and it seems like the week may never get to five faves, you gotta find a mantra to remind yourself that sometimes the walking gets a little slower. The pace this week definitely took a nose dive. But the attitude won't. I most certainly am not ever going backwards.

2013 Bucket List

After doing an autumn bucket list and a winter bucket list, I decided to create a list that would be a challenge. These are the 12 things that I really have been meaning to do and would really add something to my life. The goal is to do one thing every month. I'm really excited to get started and see how this goes.