The end of the semester is wearing me thin. I'm so close. This week is the last week of classes then next week is finals. I can practically taste the end of the semester but there is still so much in the way between now and then. I'm so tired and so bored with the routine I've gotten into. I'm ready for a change.

This week is dead week and I have TWO tests. Can you believe that? Thank you Anatomy. Luckily I had one last night so I just have to deal with one more this week before I have to start focusing on next week's agenda. I'm just so done with all of it.

On top of everything I'm really looking forward to Christmas this year for some reason. One thing may be because I've been around more people who don't like Christmas than ever this year, which makes me want to remind myself of why I love it that much more. There is just something about the holiday season. The time off school to wind down. The crisp air outside contrasting the warm fire and blankets you know are inside. Thats one thing i'll give Massachusetts...a white christmas. The only time I welcome snow with open arms. I'm ready to go home and spend some quality time with my little 8 yr old (turning 9 dec 12th) brother who lives up there with my mom. I havent seen him since the summer and I miss him A LOT. I plan on making this Christmas special for him.

-decorating the whole house
-baking so many cookies that we dont have enough people to eat them
-singing christmas carols
-making a snowman
-building a gingerbread house
-watching TONS of christmas movies
-drinking hot chocolate and reading 'twas the night before christmas
-go ice skating

Christmas is a time to celebrate family and being together. I hate that I can't be there for him as much as I would like. He is still so young and I know he looked up to me...that was one of the downsides to moving so far away. He was only 6 when I moved down here and my brother moved in with my dad. I know its gotta be hard for him when all of his siblings moved out when he was so little. BUT I get to see him very soon and I can't wait!

Thanksgiving last week went really well. We had a very small celebration. My brother and I drove to Hoover to spend Thanksgiving with my Dad and Mary K at the tiny one bedroom apartment that they're staying in. Mary K cooked and AMAZING Thanksgiving lunch/dinner with everything you could hope for and she made an Apple cobbler to die for. mmmm delish.

It was also my dads birthday that day so we gave him some small presents and spent a lot of time just hanging out around the house watchin movies and football. We also got a chance to drive by the house that they bought! We couldnt go in because the previous owners hadn't moved out yet but it looks really nice from what we could see. They actually got to start moving in this past monday so the next time Josh and I go to visit, we'll be staying in the house itself!! Its an exciting time.

oh yeah, iron bowl this past weekend, we DOMINATED. legit. 36-0. oh man, it was a great game. Completely sealed our amazing season. Now I'm just looking forward to the SEC game this weekend against FLORIDA. I've been waiting for this kind of match up since I came to this school.

Florida (the school both my parents went to and the one they raised me to love) vs. Alabama (my school of choice and the one I chose to love).

Florida (the team that has been consistently very good) vs. Alabama (My team. that has fought its way up to hold they're NUMBER ONE position and blow EVERYONE out of the water with their amazing UNDEFEATED season.)

Oh man. I'm so ready.

Ok, bringin it back down. So that basically sums up my life at this point. That, and I still have no boyfriend, SHOCKER. well, its about time I get to studyin for my stinkin anatomy lab test. fun times. Just 10 more days and I'm out of here.

Have a great Holiday Break everyone!

So, I rediscovered pandora.com this week. It is my new best friend. I've already learned of some new songs that I really like and its kept me entertained while chillin in my room...which i've been doin a lot as of late.

Last week was stressful but its finally over. The only test I have this week is in Computer...and its on powerpoint so its gonna be CAKE. hah

This is for nobody's benefit to say this but my own but i'm kind of bummed that my brother hasn't really spoken to me in awhile. We go to the same school yet I'm pretty sure I talk to him less now than I did when he lived up in Mass. it sucks. I've never felt more distant from my brother than I have since we started going to school together. Out of all of the things I thought I would feel about him comin to bama, I defintely didnt think it would be that.

I had dinner with Jess tonight, my former roommate. It was good. We went to Logan's for old times' sake and got caught up on each other's lives. School, Family, Summer, Boys, etc. You know the drill. It was quite pleasant....I forgot just how well she knows me.

I'm excited about this weekend. I will have a case study to work on BUT there is no football game so i'm pumped that I can just hang out and spend time with my wonderful friends all weekend. It will be fabulously relaxing.

Lets see...what else can I blab about?...

Next week is Thanksgiving/my dads birthday/the Iron Bowl. get excited.

Thursday night means midnight showing of Twilight. get more excited.

I am WAY over budget on my cell phone minutes this month according to mom...oops.

I'm also incredibly tired.

* G O O D N I G H T *

I have two tests tomorrow and one on friday. They do it on purpose, I know it.

However, i'm not as stressed as i should be. imagine that.

Despite my tests, I'm going to make the rest of this week a good one...I'll let you know if it pans out.

It has been a good weekend. I'm not exactly sure why I enjoyed it so much because nothing outrageously amazing happened. I suppose I am just in a good mood.

The Halloween party friday night was a hit. There was a very good showing and though we didn't have any significant games or events going on, It was nice to dress up in costumes and hang out with all the Northwood college students! Some of my favorite costumes of the night:

-the THREE Sarah Palins (haha)
-E.D. Olson #2
-Beetlejuice
-whatever curt was...
-Cinderella
-Mario and Luigi
-Drew Carey and Price is Right contestant

we had some good ones....then Saturday was the Alabama/Arkansas State game. The game was pretty fun, very relaxed. It was really nice out and though we didn't play fantastic--we played enough that nobody was worried about the win and it was still a good game to watch. Score: 35-0 Alabama. RTR

Afterwards, some of us hit up Dreamland BBQ. It was delish, though our waiter was awful. He kept forgetting about us and though only two of us got food, it took nearly 45 min for our food to get to us...while everyone around us was getting their food at normal amounts of time.ah well.

We got out of the restaurant in time to go to Seth's and watch the important part of the Texas-Texas Tech game. Can I just say?...that game was AMAZING. There was a lot of screaming/ laughing/ shrieking/ jumping going on. In short, Tech won (barely) and now Alabama is #1 in the rankings. yet again, RTR.

Today was good. Church was incredibly beneficial today. Both of the sermons really grabbed me today. I feel like i've kind of been running stale when it comes to my faith lately--like i'm just going through the motions, and I couldnt seem to break free of it. This morning we talked about letting the word of God really cut to the heart. When I first became a Christian, I remember being so motivated to be zealous and every sermon, I would come away feeling uplifted and with something new to apply directly to my life. I miss that feeling--and this morning's lesson made me realize I can still feel that way.

This afternoon, Michael Holt preached his first sermon ever. He did a wonderful job. He spoke about jealousy and envy, which-to be honest, I have a little bit of a problem with. Often, I find myself wanting more or wishing I had what someone else seems to get so easily. Especially lately I've been struggling so his lesson really hit home for me. I was able to see where I am going wrong and I have already taken some steps to fix this in my life but I know this is going to be a process.

In between services, I went home and was able to actually find time to clean my room--a task I have put off again and again for nearly 2 weeks. I'm so relieved its clean now. I feel like a weight has been lifted. My head feels clearer, I get more done, and I remember things easier when my room is clean...weird how that works. Lets hope I can keep it this way!

Looking back, this has been a weekend for self-improvement. Maybe thats why I liked it so much.

Also-- I have been able to spread my time out a little better this weekend. I got to spend some time with friends that I've, in a way, put on the back burner lately. I feel terrible because I really do love these people and I dont know how I've gotten so torn away from them over the past few weeks. Its been really good to spend some time with my girls-- Alisha, Katie, Emily, and Kathryn. Also, I've gotten the chance to have SEVERAL good conversations with Jeremy, Alan, and Tyler, all of whom I haven't spent enough time with this semester. I'm gonna fix this.

--On a side note--
My Dad and Stepmom found a house!!!! They put in an offer and it was accepted and they are scheduled to close on the house sometime in early December! I am SO EXCITED. Its finally gonna have some kind of permanence to it! The house is so perfect for them too. (They sent me a virtual tour) Its a beautiful 2 story house with 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and a wrap around porch!! The heart of the house is the gorgeous kitchen/dining room with huge wall of windows that opens up to the second story. Looking up from the dining room is a loft upstairs. oh my...I love it. I can't wait to see it in person...and hopefully, once they get it all set up--I can have friends over to see it too!!! (Possible New Years Eve Party location????) we'll see.

ok so I've spilled my guts. This is the longest post I've written so far I think. ENJOY!

So, I guess its been a little while since I've written on this thing and I figured it was about time I updated the world on the goings on of my life...because they're obviously vastly important to everyone else. =)

It is the start of yet another week and tho I usually find nothing exciting about mondays...I have found today to be an exceptionally good day. Class went on as usual, I did pretty well on my weekly history quiz and we went over the Essays that may appear on the test this thursday. Then, I went to the ferg to hang out for an hour until my next class and who do I run into but my boys, Alan and Jeremy. So, I got to sit with them for a little while until they ditched me to go eat at Bryant--I guess who can blame them...Bryant is amazing...However, all this was well and good because Alisha and Steve were there to keep me company until class. Next stop was human development...again, same old same old. We're going over the birthing process...very intense, but i'm used to it. THEN after class I went to lunch with some friends and MY BROTHER at panera. It was wonderful. I hadn't had panera in forever and it was just as good as I remember it to be :-) plus, I got to see Joshy, who I never really get to see and I was very excited.

So, thusfar it has been pretty amazing. I must say its definitely one of the best starts to the week that I've had this semester. Its the little things. Plus, to top it all off, the weather is wonderful. Its beautiful and sunny and in the mid to high 60s. perfect fall weather. I love wearing long sleeves.

After much deliberation I think that this wonderful monday is a result of the events of last night. After church, a bunch of us went to eat out then some of us retreated to Anna's apartment and watched Madagascar! lol...I was pretty excited. Its not often a bunch of college students want to sit around and watch a kid movie. haha. I love my friends.

Another good thing about this week is I really dont have too much to worry about school-wise. I have a test on thursday but I'm not too stressed about it. I dont think it will be that hard, I just need to NOT put off studying until last minute...which I think I can do. Other than that, it should be a pretty laid back week. OH and my mom is comin into town on thursday night and staying for the weekend! It'll be nice to see her and spend some time with her for a couple days.

Also, I have recently decided that boys are lame and I dont wanna worry about them anymore. So i'm not. =) best decision I have ever made!

Hopefully this good week will keep up...I have a feeling it will.
peace. love. banana pancakes.