On A Break

What does one do when a semester of graduate school is over & you have a little less than a month of freedom?  

I'm currently trying to answer that question.  I still have to go to work, but other than that I am feeling SO MUCH FREEDOM lately since classes have ended. I'm so used to having something to be working on each day that it feels really weird to have nothing major on my to-do list.   Currently, my to-do list includes the following: Wrap presents. Finish a cross stitch. Finish my Christmas burlap wreath. Catch up on The Biggest Loser (a recent, random, obsession). Finish 12 tutus for our Christmas play. A couple of babysitting jobs. Make 2014 resolutions.   So, some of that stuff needs to get done, but it's nothing I'm totally dreading. Woohoo! And a lot of it makes me sound like an old woman, and maybe I am, but whatever. I'm embracing the freedom. A lot of my Christmas shopping is already done, and the next thing I have to look forward to is packing for our trip to Austin!
  What are y'all doing to fill the days? Is your Christmas shopping done?  

Sweet Tea Paperie Has Done It Again...

Y'all know that I love Sweet Tea Paperie. All of their products are just up my 'style alley'...and monogrammed, of course!

Two of their newest products have me so excited for next semester!

Monogrammed Post-It Notes

You can get these post it notes in two sizes and six different colors! I'm a post it/note pad/note cube hoarder. These are definitely finding a home in my desk very soon.

Monogrammed Jot Pad

These, too, come in two sizes and six colors. I'm thinking mint green for the jot pad! My to-do lists just got 10x cooler!

Available colors:

LOVVEEE!!  Has anyone ordered these yet?If not, click here and get shopping!

Summer Nights are Upon Us

It's official. I'm done with the semester!I still have work, but I love my job, so that's beside the point :)

Here are some goals for the next couple of weeks:
Get into a workout routineI've ran the past two days (about 3 miles each day) and I really want to keep that up. I know if I stop for a couple of days it'll be too easy to not start up again. I've picked out two half-marathons that I want to train for (one in the fall, one in the spring) so I think I better start moving! I also am going to add on some arm work - going to try something I found on Pinterest! Start a new book - or twoI love that I can read whatever I want during the summer and not have to worry about school readings! Right now I have lined up: The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks, Sunday at Tiffany's by James Patterson and The Shack by William P. Young. I love Sparks (emphasis on the love) and the second two were recommendations. I am open to others :) Let me know what you're reading! 
Get some colorI'm going to try and lay out/be outside as much as possible! One thing about me is: I do not do tanning beds. I prefer to lather on some sunscreen and tanning oil and go outside. I absolutely love laying out and getting in a few chapters of my book before work!
Spend lots of time with StevenSteven is coming home this week! Yayyy! He has to leave again (womp) on the 26th so you bet your bottom I'm going to be spending as much time with him as I can. It will be so nice to have more than just a weekend's time with him!  Good luck to everyone who is still taking finals and/or has graduation just up ahead!
Don't forget you have until Thursday to enter my giveaway!
Happy Monday!

To-Do List

Now that I am completely done with school, I have started a to-do list for the summer! So far all I have planned is to hang out with the boy & go to work, so I'll have some free time. Here are some of the things on my list:

• Read several books - all the way through. I have trouble with starting multiple books at a time and never getting through any of them.
• Buy some bar stools to last through the summer - paint/finish them.
• Organize my room into one "theme" or color/pattern/?
• Find a smaller dark brown desk. We had enough trouble getting the one I have into my room - when I move it would be chaos to try and move it again! I did get it for only $25 at a yard sale though, so I am pretty proud of it. I need the space, though!
• Scrapbook my Disney pictures!
• Plan (and execute) a full on American Welcome Home party for my brother in July

Okay, so the real list is much longer than that, but it's filled with silly things like "go get ice cream at so-and-so" and whatnot.

Here is what I'm reading now:

I have to get this finished before the movie comes out later early next year!! I'm about halfway through. Like I said, I started reading this a long time ago but put it down when my schoolwork demanded my full attention. I absolutely love Nicholas Sparks and ALL of his novels. Not only is he a wonderful writer (full of life and romance) but he is also a really good person! He is a native of North Carolina (right below us) and places most of his stories in NC. He is very in-tune with his community and even coaches the track team of his local high school. He is an avid runner himself, which I can relate to! If you don't follow him on Twitter, you should!! @SparksNicholas. He tweets a lot about what he's writing, how it's going, what else is going on throughout his day, and even does contests where you can win signed books! LOVE HIM!

Another check of the list was finding non-booty jean shorts! I was finally successful in finding some at a good price. Here are the ones that I wanted:

  J. Crew Selvedge denim shorts; $79.50

Sarah let me borrow hers that are similar to these and I could have worn them all day. The were very comfortable, fit well & most of all - didn't show da booty or the high thighs! I am comfortable with body and everything, but I hate sitting down and having to pull my shorts down every 5 minutes.

However, my college student budget didn't react well to the J. Crew price tag, soooo I ended up with:

American Eagle Destroyed Boyfit Midi Shorts; on sale for $24.95

I'm not a huge fan of the "destroyed" look - I could rip my pants fo free if I wanted to! But, for $25, I would rather have the comfort of the longer length than be worrying about the ripped look. Plus, compared to their other styles, these were hardly ripped.

For now, they will have to do! I'm just happy to have something I can wear to work and not feel self-conscious!


Anyone have any bedroom theme/color/pattern ideas? Again, I'm working on a college student budget but when I move into my new townhouse in July I want to refresh my room! So far I have dark wood furniture and a light blue quilt. But I love pink and purple :) Then again, my school colors are maroon & orange... This might take a while!

-S