Cock-A-Doodle-Doo!

I was feeling crafty at work last week and wanted to make a fun thank you card for one of our generous group donors.  The group's mascot is a rooster, so I thought it would be fun to create one.  Here are the results.

Two Months of Freedom. Whoo-hoo!

I'm not usually someone who stresses out about finals too badly, but that wasn't the case this semester.

credit where credit is due

I was a ball of stress the last couple of months of the semester with projects and the anxiety of quickly approaching finals.  It was pretty intense.

credit where credit is due

I'm sooo glad the semester is over now, and I have some time to do things not related to school.

I'm still waiting for my official grades to finish posting, but I got an A in both classes I took this semester. Whoo-hoo!  Such an accomplishment for me--especially in Statistics.  Math is definitely my weak subject.

You can expect more frequent blog posting from me now that the summer is here.

Yes, I've Dropped Off the Face of the Earth...

No, I am not dead.

Finals are over next week.

Until then, I'm MIA.

See you soon!

If My Class Assignment Were a Person...

Dear Active Learning Observations Project,
My professor told me you would be a semester-long project, but you are seriously putting a damper on the month of April for me.  I'm sure you have realized by now that I do not want to work on you, since I am still writing on a Monday morning at 1:45am.  Even though you are due in 16 hours, I have not found any motivation to truly light a fire under my bum and get to typing.  Maybe my favor for procrastination is getting the best of me, or maybe it's my dislike for the professor who assigned you to me is the reason. But regardless, you're a priority I look at in disdain.  And here I sit writing about you without actually writing to complete you...  Please, take it personally.

Sincerely,
   Sarah

Call Me a Lush...

I'm a bit of a nail polish junkie.
A lush when it comes to nail polish, if you will.

China Glaze recently put out a polish collection inspired by The Hunger Games series entitled:
THE CAPITOL COLOURS.

A little while ago I saw some swatches of one of the colors of the collection called Luxe and Lush,
and I knew I had to have it.  I wasn't able to find it at my local beauty supply shop, but I managed
to track it down on my drive between Orange County and San Diego this past weekend.

It's a clear coat with pretty flakes reminiscent of opals, but a bit more vibrant.
Seeing it in the bottle doesn't do it justice.

But seeing it in action is what caught my eye.
It's gorgeous and so versatile.  It's appearance changes when you pair it with different polishes.

I used a brown color by Finger Paints called It Baroque as my base color.
(Not my favorite shade, but it works great as a backdrop.)

 

Can you see why I love Luxe and Lush so much?

Wishful Wednesday: Peacocks...

I love peacock feathers, and I'm happy to see that others do as well.

Here are several lovely peacock items I adore.

 

Peacock Necklace @ Etsy

Peacock Motif Pillow @  Etsy

 

Peacock Jarquard Trim Textile @ Etsy

Peacock Resin Bracelet @ Etsy

Peacock Boho Ring @ Etsy

Peacock Coin Purse @ Etsy

Peacock Bracelet @ Etsy

Disney Ducklings

VN, being the darling boyfriend that he is, bought Disneyland annual passports for us as an early Birthday present for me.  I was a little caught off guard at such a big gift, since passes are really expensive (at least for a college student with only a part-time job and a hefty car payment once a month, like myself).  But he couldn't have been more sweet or thoughtful in gift giving.

credit where credit is due

Of the things I value, spending time with people is at the very top of the list.  So when I'm given a gift, I love anything thoughtful, but I especially love being given the gift of time.  The fact that VN invested in Disneyland annual passes for us was just so sweet and so appreciated.  Now we have something fun to do whenever we are together in Orange County, and we have the opportunity for many memories to come!

On our first trip as pass holders, we spotted a mama duck with her little ducklings.  They couldn't have been more adorable.

Mama duck and her duckies crossing the walkway.

This little guy wandered away from mom, brothers, and sisters

but eventually joined them again.  What a cute little guy! 

 

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter, my lovelies!  I hope you had a lovely and blessed day.  

As for my family and I, our Easter was sadly very anti-climactic.  I was exhausted yesterday from a long day of being on my feet and walking around, so I ended up sleeping through church.  I felt so bad.  As for our secular Easter celebration, that too was very anti-climactic.  Normally my parents have little baskets set out for my sister and I.  We didn't have any of that this morning, so everything was all a little weird.  It was nice going out to brunch though.  My mom, dad, sister, and VN all went to Denny's to try their Build Your Own Pancakes special going on right now.  It was fun having an Easter brunch all together.

Foot Heaven...

A friend (who was also a past co-worker) and I went shopping tonight, and I found a pair of the most comfortable walking shoes.  I put them on, and my feet were in heaven!  And that never happens for me.  I wasn't too crazy about the color when I first picked them out, but they're growing on me slowly. 

 

I'm definitely looking forward to using them this weekend.  I have a few things coming up that I will share all about once they're done and set in stone.  Can't wait to fill you guys in!  :)

Saucony Progrid Peregrine Running Shoes = Foot Heaven

Watch For Falling Objects...

On my morning commute to work yesterday I spotted this sign on the back of a big rig.

This easily made my morning!

Way Too Many Emoticons...

I have a confession to make...

I use way too many emoticons.

I'm a very sarcastic individual with a rather dry sense of humor.

In person, you can tell this from simply having a conversation with me.

Online, however, I feel like there's no real easy way to distinguish the difference

between sarcastic comments and genuine comments.

Hence my usage of emoticons.

There are times I find myself using them in every e-mail, instant message, or text being sent.

It's at this point where I have to step back and tell myself,

"Calm down there, girly!  People are going to think your computer has gone manic!"

But I would much rather look silly by using a bunch of emoticons than
accidentally offend someone via text/the internet.

I think it's safe to say I'm just too sarcastic for the good of the texting and internet age.

One of these days I'm sure it will wind up getting me in trouble.

So until a universal font used to depict sarcasm is created, I will continue use these silly little faces.
Unless it's at work.  I keep my office e-mails 100% sarcasm-free.

Do you ever find yourself being misunderstood in texts, e-mails, etc?

Do emoticons tend to hijack your conversations too?

Waves, Critters, and Cliffs...

A little while ago VN and I went on adventure to the Tidepools in San Diego.  I had never really been to tidepools before.  It was so nice!  We had a fun time exploring and looking for little critters.  We ended up seeing limpets, chitons, goose-necked barnacles, California mussels, aggregating anemones, lined shore crabs, and even a couple sculpins.  My camera battery had died as soon as I found the lined shore crabs.  Boo!

Our little day trips (both Saturday and Sunday) were beautiful, fun, and relaxing...  Exactly what I needed.

This sign made VN chuckle while it absolutely terrified me.

My balance isn't quite what it should be.

The brave boy decided to go closer to where the tide was coming

in.  This is the typical face I get when I tell him to "turn around"

and he knows I have a camera in hand.  He's a silly one.  :)

Wishful Wednesday

The day's almost over, but I've got at least an hour left for this post to still make it on Wishful Wednesday...  I love patterned socks.  I have a whole bunch of them in my sock drawer, but I always love getting new ones.  Here are a few I heart at the moment.

Love these vintage daisies!

Birds on a wire.

I love anything Van Gogh.  Specifically Starry Night.

I love these socks more than I can even express.

Cute, colorful, and great to wear

to support autism awareness.

I'm not sure why, but I adore

all things with anchors.

Coverse inspired socks?!?  Yes please!

These ballerina socks are simply adorable.

I love all things sugar skulls!

Everything Is Going To Be Alright...

Printable quote found on Pinterest at this original post.

This is something I have had to frequently remind myself of.  I'm sure you can tell by my last post that I've been having a rough time lately.  

I've been battling depression for quite some time now.  I was officially diagnosed my Junior year of high school (about 8 years ago), but I'm pretty sure I was depressed way before then.  And the lucky girl that I am, anxiety seems to go hand-in-hand with my depression.  Two for the price of one!  (I love bargains, but this is one time I'd definitely rather not.)

Lately I've been feeling overwhelmed, disorganized, anxious, and rundown.  The last few weeks have been filled with ups and downs.  The downs being the more memorable of the two.  It's been rough, but I'm trying to get through it.  I'm a firm believer in the cliche, that "everything happens for a reason."  I know that God will never give me more than I can handle, and the hard times are what make us stronger individuals.  But really?  I just want the craziness and chaos to be over already.  Until they are though, I just have to keep reminding myself that everything is going to be alright...  Hopefully sooner rather than later.

I Am Only One Person...

My life has been so hectic recently.
I'm feeling overwhelmed with my schedule growing out of control.
My mind is whirling, my body is aching,  and there aren't enough hours in the day.

I'm falling behind in the craziness that is life.

I just want one day to myself where I can lay in bed all day and not be bothered by the outside world.  

No responsibilities.  No fires to put out.  Heck, no human contact!
Just sleep and laziness.

JUST ONE DAY.

I'm developing a poor attitude and my patience is running out quickly.

I'm spread too thin.

I love my life, everything, and everyone that is in it. 

I'm so thankful for all the opportunities that God has given me.

After nearly 25 years of life though, I'm still learning that I can't do everything. 

I can't say yes to every favor being asked.

 I can't take on more responsibilities than I can handle.

I AM ONLY ONE PERSON.  
...and that is something I need to constantly remind myself of.
I'm working on it.

First Exams of the Semester...

So I kind of dropped of the face of the earth in the blogging world without any warning.  Sorry about that!

These last couple have weeks have been a whirlwind.  I've spent most of my time stressing out about first exams in my classes.  My first exam in my Statistics class was last week.  Let me tell you...  I'm not one for math.  Honestly, I hate it and it hates me.  I've never been good at it and it has always been a struggle.  I have shed so many tears just being utterly frustrated with math concepts.  That being said, I somehow managed to miss only one question on the exam last week.  I was in denial when I got my grade back.  I couldn't believe it!  Though once it set in that I did indeed score well, I felt absolutely ecstatic!  I'm just so happy that the exam is over with, and I have one less thing to worry about.  However, my next worry is my Multi-Cultural Psychology exam happening on Monday of next week.  I love the subject, but the teacher only lectures about a portion of the things she wants us to know.  The rest we have teach ourselves and read in the book.  Ugh...  There's no doubt that I will definitely be cramming this weekend.  Oh joy!

So now you know why I've been missing for 2 weeks.  School related anxiety is no fun, and I really just needed to veg out and do absolutely nothing productive outside of keeping up on my schoolwork.  Once I finish my Psych exam next Monday all will be well in the world of Sarah again.  I just need to hang in there in the meantime.  Wish me luck!  :)

The ABC's I've Learned About Life...

I've learned plenty of lessons in my almost 25 years of life, and I'm sure many more will come.  Here are just a few I've picked up on so far.  A lot of these are lessons I've had to learn the hard way, but every so often a positive life lesson will come along making all the struggles worth while.  I now pass along my wisdom to you...

A - Actions always speak louder than words.  Word, after word, after word.

B - Being a positive role model is a full-time job.  There are no days off.

C - Creative is my middle name.  (Well, not actually.)  But regardless of the many creative outlets I've had in my life (writing poetry, graphic design, crafting, etc.), up until just a few years ago I never recognized myself as actually being creative.  Crazy, right?

D - Distance can either make the heart grow fonder or tear two people apart.  It all depends on the relationship and the amount of effort the people are willing to put into it.

E - Everything happens for a reason... Whether or not I know the reason at the time.  God has His plans, and they're never wrong.

F - Forgetting the things that I wish had never happened is a totally impossible thing to do.

G - Getting what I want isn't always what's best for me.  God knows exactly what I need.

H - Helping someone else is the most rewarding feeling in the world.

I - Inconsiderate people are simply inconsiderate people.  No amount of kindness or friendliness on my part can change them.

J - Judgement is a disservice to everyone.

K - Keeping calm is the most important thing in times of chaos or emergency.

L - Losing someone's friendship is even more difficult when you realize you didn't mean nearly as much to them as they meant to you.

M - Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!  (It's so true!  Ladies, be sure you moisturize each day before applying makeup.)

N - No one can decide my self-worth.  That's for me to decide.

O - Organization can do wonders not only in saving space but also in saving sanity.

P - Priorities change over time.  It's all a part of growing up.

Q - Questions can only be stupid if you fail to ask them yet assume the answers.

R - Righting a wrong takes far more energy and effort than doing right in the first place.

S - Seeing those younger than myself grow up makes me feel like I'm getting old.  Older and much wiser.

T - Trying is the best you can do sometimes...  Don't listen to Yoda.

U - Unattractive personalities can make even the most gorgeous people ugly.

V - Victory is bittersweet.  To be victorious, someone else must experience defeat.

W - Weirdness should be embraced.  The minute you believe it to be something negative, others will believe the exact same thing.

X - X-Ray results can be overlooked by doctors.  Only specialists can spot rarities...  A lesson I learned a year too late, sadly.  Two broken hips and two surgeries later.

Y - Youth is not an excuse for ignorance, only inexperience.

Z - Zippers are dangerous.  No, really...  They are!

Non-stop, Non-stop, Non-stop...

That has been me lately: completely NON-STOP.  I have issues with anxiety, and I've felt that anxiety spiking recently.  Luckily, it's nothing I can't handle.  I've found that I have to remind myself to slow down.  I just need to focus on taking a breath and chilling out for 5 seconds.  After those 5 seconds I can freak out all I want as long as I remember to take another 5 second sanity check a few moments later...  Sounds fun, right?  Heh!

So here is what has been going on in my life these past 2 weeks...

Classes started back up for me last week.  I'm taking 2 classes (Cross Cultural Psychology and Statistics for Sociology Majors), though I technically only need one to be ready to transfer to a University.  I've been at a community college these past *coughsixcough* years.  It's kind of a sore subject talking about how long I've spent in college, but that's a whole other blog waiting to happen...

The midweek kids' program that I teach at my church started up the week prior.  Here we are all wearing our big ear headbands that remind us that God Always Listens.  My older kids got a kick out of this one.  :)

 

And I still have had work throughout all this...  And it was a crazy week at work on top of that!  I absolutely love my job.  I currently work in my career field.  More on what I do in a later entry.  It's complicated, often dark, heavy, and much of it deals with strict confidentiality...  Like I said, that's for another blog.

So I'm slowly but surely getting into the new swing of things with the new schedule.  Tuesdays and Thursdays are hectic as can be.  I rush from work to class on those days.  Being out of the house for 11 hours straight and not getting home until 9pm is longer and later than I'm used to, but I'd say I'm adjusting well.  Yay for being a night person!

Wishful Wednesday!

I haven't been a watch wearer since I got a little thing called a cell phone.  Recently though, with my schedule being so hectic, I thought it might be useful to check the time a little more discreetly than whipping out my phone every time...  Then I remembered this invention from the past called a watch.  Now I'm determined to turn away from new technology and stick to old school ways.  Now to choose one...

 

This band isn't exactly something I'd usually wear, but I'm trying to refresh my style

a bit and go outside my comfort zone when it comes to clothes and accessories.

Something about this watch takes me back to the 90's, and it makes me drunk on nostalgia.

I think it reminds me of the Minnie Mouse watch my mom had when I was a child.

Or maybe it's the little polka dots on the end of the hands.  Whatever it is, I like it. 

Love paisleys.  Don't love that there are no numbers on this face.

I would be either late or early for all the wrong things...  No thank you!

Hot Lava Is the New Hangman's Noose...

Have you heard of the app

HANGING WITH FRIENDS?

I CAN'T STOP PLAYING!

It's been explained to me as "hangman, but more fun."

I think that's a horrible way to explain it.

I've always thought of hangman as a decent pastime to play when bored.

...and only when bored.

This game is actually FUN!

ADDICTING, even!

I go out of my way to play this.

What do I love most about this app?

Maybe it's the cute little CARTOON GUYS AND GALS you play as.

Maybe it's the COLORFUL BALLOONS that you hold onto,

and let go of, when guessing an incorrect letter.

Maybe it's the LAVA you fall into if you lose.

Or maybe it's just the fun new REVAMP of an old classic.

Do you also play this game?

Are you looking to play it?

Let me know your USERNAME.

We can play a game together.

I look forward to "HANGING" with you.