Friendship Christmas!

On Wednesday Der and I hoped in the car after work with a car full of presents to head to the Blackwoods for our annual Christmas get together! I was so excited-it had been 4 months since I'd seen Kelly and Tonya (which is WAY too long for us) and even longer since I had seen Wes and the boys! 

It was so nice being able to catch up with everyone and play with my growing nephews.  I can't believe Andrew is turning 4 and Dylan 2 in the next 2 months! Time flys so fast with those two!  We ate, laughed (a lot!) and exchanged gifts.  I got a wonderful bracelet and pair of earrings from the Blackwoods and a cute coffee mug, some homemade cookies and a set of Santa salt and pepper shakers from Tonya!  AHH! It was perfect =]  Der got some Reese's (tradition) from Tonya and a GameStop gift card from the Blackwoods.

We had such a great time that we almost forgot to take pictures!  These are from the end of the night when Dylan was in bed and we were getting ready to head out.

Me and Der

Me and my PRECIOUS nephew Andrew!

Momma Kelly and her 1st born Andrew

The three girls! Me, Kelly, Tonya-we didn't mean to match but we did! Too funny.

Close up of these 3 friends

My lovely 1st nephew Andrew cuddling up with his Dad Wes.

Tonya and her beau Ben

Our FABULOUS hosts-Wes and Kelly!

I can't to see everyone again in 2 weeks for Andrew's 4th birthday party!

GHC Christmas Party

On Wednesday the 14th (also my Mom's birthday!) I headed to work after a day of errands to celebrate our Christmas party!  We had such a great time and had such yummy food!

Check out our fun pics!

The yummy desserts everyone brought-they were SO GOOD!

All of us chowing down on our catered lunch!

Kristy enjoying her BBQ in her Santa hat.

We were all digging in-we had waited all day for this lunch!  From L to R: Me, Summer, Melissa, John (in back), Racheal, Todd and Kristy.  Amanda was hardly in any pictures since she had the camera but she was there too!!  After we all ate the main course we started playing our dirty Santa game-it was SO funny and I think everyone got some really cool gifts!

Me opening my gift: aloe socks, candy and a cool thermos/cup!

Melissa picking another gift after hers got stolen!

Melissa had one the crock pot cookbook!  Amanda tried stealing it from her but Melissa wanted it so bad she ran around the table and over people to keep it, hahaah!  Amanda told her that she could have it only because she was so nice because Amanda really wanted it! It was such a great laugh!

Summer got a nice bottle of wine!  John ended up stealing it from her so she got some coffee and a cute mug instead.  The other gifts were: a Bath&Body Works gift card, a picture frame, some homemade cookies (3 dozen!)

Next we played a couple of games where we could win gift cards!  The first game was where we had to guess who's memory was whose and it was a riot!  Todd won that one and got a $25 gift card to Red Robin!

Next was this really cool game where you had a partner and had to wrap a "present" with only 1 hand-each partner could contribute only 1 hand each to wrap it! Talk about hilarious!!  Below are a few of the finished products from a few teams.

 

Team RN: Summer and Todd hard at work

Team SCC: Me and Kristy-and our horribly wrapped gift, haha!

Team Therapy: John and Melissa so quiet and diligent!

Team Nurse: Amanda and Racheal with their candy gift.  Amanda kept hoping to win for cleverness but team therapy won 2 gift cards!

It was such a good time-I'm so very thankful and grateful that I work with such an awesome team who feels like my other family.  It was a yummy, hilarious and relaxing time to spend with my friends.

THANKS GHC and until next year-Christmas 2012!

How 'bout a post that doesn't consist of just goals?!

Remember that time when I was a blogger? Yeah-me neither, LOL.  I realized that since October I haven't really blogged about anything but goals in such a long time!  And that's lame.

Life has been insane.  Yes, yes I always say life's insane but these past few months have been the craziest/most stressful/hardest/most challenging/most tiring months of my life thus far.  And that's saying something because I was a Theatre major before Grad. school...which if you know anything about theatre-life is like that ALL OF THE TIME.  But this has been different on so many levels, LOL.

I haven't been up to too much lately-just completing papers, projects, finals, etc.  I've finally decorated the house for Christmas and have been getting over a sickness.  I'm about 85% better now-hoping I'll be at 100% come this weekend.  I feel great being back at work on a more regular schedule and being able to actually do my job.  I've been so scattered in splitting work and school that I hope I haven't slacked too far behind on either....We'll see about that in a few weeks.  I also said good-bye to John and Elisa-they are moving to Hawaii after Christmas and already moved out of the Boro to head to California to celebrate Elisa's graduation/birthday before the move.  I'm going to miss them so much!  We've only known each other for a little over a year but it seems like so much longer.  Luckily, Der and I are hoping to go to Hawaii this summer to visit Destiny so hopefully we'll get to see them too!  YAY!

Anyway...

I can hardly describe the excitement I feel in having almost 4 weeks off from school.  It's such a strange feeling knowing that when I go back in January I start my thesis (officially) as well as chip away at another semester in obtaining my MA in Sociology.  Bizarre.  I may be going to a conference in April to present a paper Dr. A and I worked on too-it's in California!  A lot of Der's family live out there so if I get to go he'll come with me too so we can visit! Very cool.  I'll also have to defend my thesis and hopefully get it approved before May.  Once that's done I can actually start the analysis and start looking for jobs after I graduate! AAAAAHHHH!! It's bizarre.

I know all I ever seem to talk about is school but it's pretty much the dominating force of my life right now.  And it will be until December 2012, LOL.

I'll have more posts to come detailing Christmas parties and such so look out for other menial blogs!

Cheers,
JR

December Goals

Wow-I can't believe the year is almost over!!  I have a lot planned in December but I am SO looking forward to partaking in all of it! Sure they are goals but most importantly they are (mostly) fun and exciting! Lots of celebrating in store for us!

*Around the House
-Finish hanging photos.
-Sew clothes needing mending.
-Mail out Christmas cards.
-Put up Christmas decor.

*Celebrations (YAY!)
-Celebrate Christmas with Derrick, Kelly, Wes, Andrew, Dylan, Tonya, and Ben.
-Celebrate the holidays at work with co-workers.
-Celebrate the holidays with family.

(like last year)

-Celebrate my mom's birthday.
-Jen and mom come up for shopping and fun.

(Our annual tradition is to go shopping through the Boro and have a great and warm lunch at Steak N Shake)

-Celebrate goodbyes with Elisa and John since they're moving to Hawaii =(
-Celebrate time off from work and school

*School
-COMPLETE my second semester of Graduate School (1 year down baby!)
-Be content with my grades, whatever they may be.

November Goals-complete!

Well well: November was insane (as all months are seeming to be, LOL) but let's see what I got accomplished.

*Fun
-Celebrate Destiny's 25th birthday! COMPLETE-though the term celebrate here means "ship package and attempt to talk for a bit on the phone", LOL
-Celebrate Thanksgiving COMPLETE-and it was awesome though entirely too short.  Der had to work from 11:30 Thanksgiving night through noon on Black Friday so we had a quick turn around from the festivities-still worth it though!
-Create template for holiday cards using Shutterfly like last year. FAIL-since we didn't do Christmas pictures this year I'm just going to buy some old standards-not as fun but get the point across just the same.
-Read a book for fun, not class (though I'm not sure which one yet). COMPLETE-I have read:
1."Favorite Wife: My Escape from Polygamy" by Susan Ray Schmidt.  Very interesting read-insight into a rogue polygamist cult.
2. "Gods Behaving Badly" by Marie Phillips-comedic read about Greek Gods living in a modern day London.
3. And I also started "An Ordinary Man: An Autobiography" by Paul Rusesabagina-this is the autobiography that sparked the film Hotel Rwanda. I'm only about 72 pages into it but I can already tell it's going to be GREAT!
-See the play "Lady Parts" COMPLETE-It was a great night to get my mind off of school and get back into my roots of theater-I actually cried a bit, lol!
-Continue Christmas shopping COMPLETE-I am so good and so close to being done =]
-Throw another "Grad Hangoutage" for all of us COMPLETE-Only 3 of us showed up but it was a great girls night that I really needed!

*School
-KEEP SANITY DRAW-I think because I did and I didn't, LOL
-Start thesis stuff COMPLETE-I've got a lot of re-working to do but I've still got 2 semesters to tweak it ;]
-Work on Theory analysis for Final COMPLETE-I've gathered my articles and plan on starting on it Wednesday!
-Continue methodology for Methods class COMPLETE-It's going smoother which is good.
-Garner interviews for Masculinities class DRAW-I've sent out the interview guides but I don't know if I'll have them back before November is officially over.

COMPLETE-9         FAIL-1      DRAW-2

Now-it looks like I had entirely too much fun and not enough school but BELIEVE ME-I stayed busy busy!  December will be just as intense but in a completely different atmosphere-I can't WAIT!

November Goals

Though I feel like my main goal should be "keep my sanity",  I will attempt to list what else I've got to/want to get done this month.  Basically-this month will be divided between fun and school...where school is 98.19305% of my time.

*Fun
-Celebrate Destiny's 25th birthday!
-Celebrate Thanksgiving
-Create template for holiday cards using Shutterfly like last year
-Read a book for fun, not class (though I'm not sure which one yet).
-See the play "Lady Parts"
-Continue Christmas shopping
-Throw another "Grad Hangoutage" for all of us

*School
-KEEP SANITY
-Start thesis stuff
-Work on Theory analysis for Final
-Continue methodology for Methods class
-Garner interviews for Masculinities class

October Goals-done done!

I know it's a few days late but here's what I (barely) got done this month!

*School
-Submit abstract to ASA conference. COMPLETE! I should hear something about if it's accepted or not soon!
-Make all As on projects/papers/assignments. FAIL- Nothing but a ='( will do here
-FALL BREAK (a much needed break indeed)! COMPLETE! And it was everything I wanted and more!!
-Attend the Undergraduate Symposium (and potentially present). COMPLETE-and I'm so glad it's over, lol!

*Family
-Jen and Mom come to visit! COMPLETE-Jen wasn't able to come up due to work but Mom did and we had SUCH an awesome time!
-Visit with Aunt Lynn during FFFF weekend (see below). COMPLETE-and she looks good! She has shaved her head but her spirit was high and wonderful and she loved seeing all of us <3
-Fall Family Fun Fest (FFFF) at the end of October! This is when ALL of the family on my mom's side gets together for food, lots of laughing, and games. COMPLETE! And it was SO much fun (as always)!


*Fun
-Attend the SlutWalk in Nashville with friends from school. COMPLETE!
-Continue raising awareness and supplies for the battered shelter in my town. COMPLETE-though now I need to drop off all I've collected!
-Celebrate Tonya's 25th birthday! FAIL-we were both too busy I suppose?
-Celebrate Halloween! DRAW-I say this because we didn't go to a party or dress up this year but we watched scary movies and bought pumpkins?  Does this count, LOL?
-Read The Help by Kathryn Stockett COMPLETE-A little late on the read but it was a MARVELOUS book! I highly suggest it to any and everyone.
**ADDITIONAL-Purchase some Christmas gifts-I'd say we're about 1/3 of the way done already!
**ADDITIONAL-Definitely NOT fun but I finally got my tooth taken care of-yay!


Tally is:

Complete-9             Fail-2                     Additional-2                       Draw-1