Courage

This is going to be a long one....

   

A LOT has happened since I last blogged!

Fall semester 2011 has ended.  Im sad to say I did not get all A's but I did pass every class! I was thrilled to go home for a long, much needed break. The first part of my break consisted of working.  I was so happy I got to go into work, I missed decorating cupcakes and the girls that work there soo much!  I also lounged around the house, watched movies, baked, and made my first sorority shirts.  They turned out way better then I imagined they would.

Dipped Pretzels

One of the shirts I made. Frontside

 Backside

The next awesome thing that happened on break was my best friend Dianna and her boyfriend Ethan got engaged! I was super excited and so happy for her.  She also asked me to be her M.O.H. (maid of honor). I am obviously thrilled and can't wait to help her plan her wedding.

Christmas day was nice.  I got quite a few giftcards which I loved because that meant shopping! I also got my kitchen aid and I didn't get to use it yet, but I can't wait to try it out.  After opening presents at my house, Shane and I went to his dads for lunch, and then back to my house for the rest of the night.  It wasn't as rushed as it usually is and it was nice to only have to go to one other place.  Also over Christmas we fostered a lab/pitt mix puppy from the SPCA. He is soooo adoreable and soooo well behaved.  I love him so much already.  His name is Jasper, and he's supposed to go back January 11th but I don't see that happening.  Willow and him are not the best of friends yet because he likes to bite at her feet, but we are teaching him not to do that and I'm sure they will become friends soon =]

My beautiful kitchen aid

Jasper

Kassidy has been planning on getting a tattoo for so long, and on Christmas she got a gift card for a tattoo shop.  So, she set up an appointment and I went with her for her first tattoo.  It was really neat to watch someone actually get one upclose.  She did such a great job and said there were only a couple spots that hurt.  Every once in a while she would make a funny face, but mostly she (and I) tried not to laugh.  Her tattoo turned out really great!

Ahhh!

Finally, the most exciting thing that happened on break: I got engaged!!!



I had been working all day and Shane and I had planned to go out for dinner after, so we went to Crazy Horse Steak House.  Dinner was great and afterwards Shane said he wanted to go to City Park to see if the Christmas lights were still up.  I didn't suspect anything because he had been talking about it all break and we never had the chance to go.  Once we got there, we got out of the car and Shane got our scrapbook out of the back seat.  I asked why he had it, and he said he wanted to start a new tradition of looking through our scrapbook at the end of each year.  I thought it was kind of strange but also sweet.  We sat down at a picnic table and I began flipping through the pages, Shane would not help flip any of the pages, he said I had to do it myself.  Finally, after the last page I did, I turned it over and the last page said "Will you marry me?"  At that moment he got down on one knee and asked.  Honestly, I stared for a second or two before reacting because I was totally surprised and did not expect it, but then of course I said yes.  When we walked back to the car he handed me roses and I began texting everyone! haha

First picture as an engaged couple

My scrapbook page

My roses

And me being excited =]

(Oh the ring is on my left hand but since I took the picture using my phone it flipped everything...lol)

Life

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of my FAVORITE times of the year! I love how the house smells when the turkey and stuffing is cooking in the oven, the warm fall colors that the house is decorated in and most of all the family I am surrounded by.  Before going home I celebrated Thanksgiving with the Thetas and we all had a really good time.

At home, I was thankful to....

spend time with friends

bring a friend home (Tony) who otherwise would have been stuck at school all week

finally see breaking dawn with my mom and sister!

see my grandparents, uncle and cousin

go out to dinner at BWW

build a gingerbread house

see my pets

go to DC for a day

Dad and I doing the dishes after dinner

Shane and I

Girls house

Boys house

Kassidy and I decorated a gingerbread house while Shane and Tony decorated another to see who did the best job. I give them credit for their sleigh on the roof but overall, girls won!

Shane, Tony and I in DC out side of the National Museum of the American Indian

Cousins

Sorority Girl

I never thought I would join a sorority, but now it is one of the BEST decisions I have ever made!

In the last two weeks I have learned so much about myself, the other girls, and what a sorority really means.

At first I was just looking for a way to make some new friends, but I quickly learned that is not what a soroity is.

They are a family.

They make you feel like you are a part of something bigger and they really care about each other.

This was one of the hardest things I've ever done because I went into it all alone. I didn't know a single girl in the sorority, but I became very close to my pledge sisters fast.

Now I have a huge group of sisters that I know will be there for me if I ever need anything, and I will be there for them as well.

The experience of becoming a sister has made me feel more confident in myself, stronger, and more trusting.

Theta Sigma Delta

We Are One!

Taco Bell Trip

To my right is my "Big" Kristin

Pledge Sisters.

Shelley and Anna

When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn. 
~Harriet Beecher Stowe

Kassidy's 18th Birthday!

I went home the first weekend in October to celebrate my little sisters 18th birthday! Not so little anymore.  I can't believe she is in college now too!  Kassidy picked out the type of cake she wanted and I made it for her. I have to say it was pretty sweet! And my dads birthday is today so I gave him his card and present while I was home so he would have it..and he gets left over cake =/ lol.

The cake!

Blowing out the candles

After...the cake was zebra print inside and it was delicious!

School in September

First off: Today is my dads Birthday, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! I love you!

Well I'm starting to get back into the school routine. Classes are a bit stressful but going pretty well overall.  I am loving having my own room this year, so when I can't deal with people anymore I have my own place to go to.  So far everyone I live with is getting along and we even have a cleaning schedule this year! (Which I am thankful for..haha) I also love living right next door to Shane.  Shane and I have been on a few adventures already this year.

We went up to a look out (which I can't think of the name right now) and took some pretty cool pictures.

Shane

Me

View

Stairs

This is on our way to Kinzu Dam, which is just a couple miles away from the look-out.

Kinzu Dam

Another place we go for walks sometimes is Marilla Bridges. So we took a few pictures there too.

The school hosts a trip to Cedar Point every year and Shane and I went this year. Unfortunely one of the rides we got on made us feel horrible so we only rode 4 coasters, saw 2 shows, and went through a huanted house. The picture of Shane and I is us on the ride that made us feel bad before it started.

Charlie Brown Characters

The rest of the month was mostly spent studying hanging out with my housemates.  We had movie/game nights and went bowling one night.  And of course I took pictures =]

Keanu and Shane

(left to right) Me, Serena, Nicki, Taylor & Shane

Keanu, Taylor and I

All my housemates together- Taylor, Serena, Liz and Nicki

Shane and I

Our bowling group- Taylor, Yaphet, Me & Shane