Thoughts on a Thursday

-I have been feeling the itch to craft lately. I have all of these ideas in my mind of things I want to do, but I just never get around to it.

For example, I really want to make this cardigan.

In the picture it looks high quality, but then when I actually went into the store, I was actually surprised... I was not that impressed! In fact, on the black cardigan, the blacks didn't even match! And they wanted $34.99 for it??? And no, that wasn't the look they were going for. After seeing it, I am pretty confident that I can make it... and maybe possibly have it look better? I have a pink cardigan that I don't really care about that I think I am going to try to salvage. If it works out, I get a super cute, new (and free!) shirt. If it doesn't, then I can just officially throw it away instead of letting it rot in my closet...

-Next on my list is attempting to make these cute pelmet boxes as seen on Little Green Notebook

Adorable, right?

-Sometimes I get so excited to graduate, I just think of all of the things I am going to do once I am done. And then I remember that I still have the semester from hell to get through.

-It's November 19. Where on earth has this year gone? Christmas is right around the corner, and I am really excited.

-Don't be fooled by the rocks that I don't got... Last weekend, I dropped my ring off at the old jeweler for some maintenance. I have been ringless for almost a week now and I HATE it. I just feel so weird about it. When you have something on your finger for two years, and then it is just whisked away, it is a strange feeling. I have worn Jordan's ring a few times just to have something there, but I just want my ring back! Subconsciously, I will forget that I don't have it and then FREAK OUT for a few milliseconds because I am worried that I somehow lost my ring. It is my biggest fear. Hopefully I get it back this weekend.

-How's the cruise planning going? I hope you are all planning on making this happen. It will be so fun! And in case you are thinking that just because you are going on the cruise, you will be required to be attached to my hip, don't be fooled! I just think it would be fun to run in to a bunch of friends on ship. There are like 3,000 people aboard you know.

A Cruise-for-all.

Remember that one time when I blogged about really wanting to go on a cruise? And my vision was to invite all of my friends who in turn invite all of their friends and it just becomes one big, random party in the middle of the ocean?

Well friends, my dream has come true! My sweet Jordi set up a secret savings account and for the past few months, has been putting money in there every so often. He finally bought one and surprised me for my birthday! Although... I found out like 3 weeks before by a tragic accident.

So who wants to come? Anyone is invited! Great for anniversaries, birthdays, Christmas, random gifts, just for the heck of it, etc.

Details:
-May 2-9 (Cinco de Mayo in Mexico. What could be better?)
-Mexican Riviera (Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta)
-Around $350/person--that's cheap cheap cheap!
-Best time of your lives


Now, to all of you who are saying "We can't afford it...": Let me just remind you that Jordan and I are STUDENTS who work part-time and who also just paid $4000 two months ago in tuition. If you had asked me a few weeks ago if I could afford a cruise, I would have thought you were crazy!

So how did we do it?
We (aka Jordan) started by putting a specified amount of money from each paycheck into a secret bank account that we FORGOT about... it didn't go into our budget. Now just think of an amount, say $20-$30 each paycheck per person. Now, are you REALLY going to miss that $20? Most likely not (although I do realize that there are some people out there who really would miss that $20.)

And before each new paycheck, if you still have some extra money leftover that didn't go to bills, savings, etc, go ahead and slip another $20-$30 or whatever you please per person into that account and forgetaboutit--that's the important part, you just forget that money ever existed. I promise you, this works--I have been managing my money this way for years.

The cruise is in approximately six months. In six months, if you only put away $20 each paycheck, you would have about $240. Now that's not the full amount, but by May, your cruise will REALLY only cost you like $100 out of pocket. Who can say no to a $100 cruise?! Are y'all following me here? A key is to NOT think about paying $900 for a vacation, but to think of small amounts growing and growing into a large lump of money that you could use towards your cruise :)

Now, you would probably want to figure out some way to pay for the cruise now, or sometime in the near future, but you can make payments (interest free) over the next few months.

So seriously, who wants to come?

If baring my testimony about how you can afford the trip didn't work, maybe these photos can convince you:

Lunch on the beach

Formal dinners

Lots of Butt cheeks... just kidding. But look how much fun I am having. That could be you!

If you are STILL not convinced, take a trip back to the archives:
See? Fun.
and more fun.
and more fun.

You know you want to go. Make it happen.

Have I become a freezer meal wife?

So this past week, I have been thinking a lot about my next semester. And how bad it is going to be, really. I know that I ALWAYS say that I am going to be busy, but this time, I mean it.

Schedule:

20 hours+ working

20 hours internship

2-3 hours cleaning my office

capstone course (only 3 credits, but the professors say it feels more like 6)

elective course

religion class

Now, many of you may be thinking that this doesn't seem like very much. But let me just give you the breakdown of what exactly I will have to do to accomplish this. The ONLY way I can get enough hours at work and my internship is if I come in from 7-6 MWF without a lunch break. And then work 4-5 hours on T/Th, and then head straight to class until 7 PM.

Whenever I think about this, my lungs start to constrict and I feel myself gasping for air (actually, quite literally).

Now one thing I won't do, is give up good homecooked meals. But getting home at 7 PM after being at work or school all day? YEAH RIGHT.

Yesterday, I had the brilliant idea that maybe I can start cooking a few extra meals on Saturday and Sunday to freeze/refrigerate for the upcoming week. Am I crazy to want to spend my days off doing that? Probably.

So here's my dilemma: I have NEVER tried to do freezer meals before. Do I just put everything together and then instead of cooking it, put it in the freezer? Or do I just cook it and then freeze it and warm it up when I am ready? Does anyone have any experience with this or have any good recipes that are quick, easy and taste delicious after being in the freezer?

If so, please share.

The Things I Do For Love...

A few weeks ago, we learned that ESPN's College GameDay was coming to Provo. So naturally, on Friday night, we attempted to go to bed early because the next morning, we were waking up at 6 AM! Truly, I don't even remember the last time I was awake at that hour.

sleepy?

We headed down to the stadium, where there were already a load of people there (some camping out for days). We waited in this huge long line until about 8 and then we were finally let into the gated off section.

And then we got to stand crammed in with all of the other fans.

Activities included:
-Standing next to some guy with an extremely large booger hanging out of his nose
-Holding up my "Heaps for Heisman" sign every time the camera came close to me
-Standing in one place for 2 hours
-Getting face paint on my favorite coat from some little rugrat that was trying to get to the front

I find it ironic that the logo on this GameDay bus is, "Let's Do More with Saturday." Typically, I don't think of sitting on the couch all day watching this show is the most productive thing that you could be doing. Clearly, ESPN and I are on different pages...

Afterwards, we took a nice long nap. Even though I was laying in bed for three hours, I swear I didn't fall asleep. Although I must have because there is no way I could just lay there for three hours.

That night, we went to the game and froze our tails off. But let's not talk about the that...

...except, I will mention, I HATE when people bring their babies to games. Especially night games. When it is like 40 degrees. And I am freezing while wearing two long sleeved shirts, a jacket, a coat, two pairs of pants, socks and gloves. And the babies don't have gloves and are in little sweater onesies. If you can afford season tickets to the football games, you can afford a babysitter.