Every Single Update You Have Ever Wanted from Me

I have been in such a blogging slump. I haven't felt like writing one thing, and believe me, a lot has happened since December! So instead of writing four different posts, I'm just going to skim over each event that has gone on in my life, in sequential order, not necessarily order of greatness. Here we go!

1. I GOT IN TO FREAKING GRAD SCHOOL! Ok, so I haven't updated in a long time about what I was applying to grad school for. Last time I mentioned it, it was Child Life. After taking a class in child life, I felt that it wasn't for me. For the better part of two and a half years, I have been moaning, groaning, and lamenting over not getting in to grad school for speech pathology. The American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) has a journal called The ASHA Leader, which I get every month. They had an issue dedicated to the troubles of low admittance to grad programs; it explained that there aren't enough Ph.D level professors in the field to teach classes, as well as a lack of clinical placements for every student. The profession is growing at a crazy rate, and there are too many undergrad students to admit to programs that don't have enough higher level people running them. In that case, mediocre grades do not cut it, and only the top whatever percent can be lucky enough to go into a field that they love.

After this realization (more like acceptance), I decided to apply to an accelerated Early Childhood Education program at Ursuline College. It's called the Masters Apprenticeship Program and it takes place over one year, starting at the end of May. I'll take core classes during the summer, and starting in the fall I'll begin observing in the classroom, and about halfway through I'll start student teaching. It's incredibly intensive, but I'm ready to get going on my life. I was absolutely elated that I got in. I had a feeling that I would, but after so much rejection from speech graduate programs, I was almost jaded. Finally, I realized that it wasn't me, but it was just the system. I hope to become a reading teacher, or a reading specialist. Each time I think about that, I get a little sad that I'm not becoming an SLP, but maybe one day I can go back to school, once there is enough staff, and once I've proved that I can obtain a masters degree. Literacy is my second passion after all, so I know I'll be happy. I will definitely write updates about my graduate program and my progress, that's for sure!

2. I went out of the country for the first time in my life! The week before Christmas, I embarked on a Central American cruise with Adam and his parents. We were on a Royal Caribbean ship, The Navigator of the Seas, and we made port in Honduras, Belize, and Mexico! I went snorkeling, climbed Mayan ruins, and rode an ATV for the first time in my life! The trip was so fun, and I can't wait to go on my next cruise in March! I have more pictures, if you'd like me to post them, let me know!

Leaving Honduras!

Altun Ha Mayan Ruins!

3. I've started going to rowing classes at Ride and Workout in Lakewood! I'm not sure how many of you watch House of Cards (if you don't, you absolutely should), but Frank, the main character, works out not only by running, but he uses a rowing machine. The cool thing about the machine he uses is that there's actually water in it! I came upon Ride and Workout after a friend kept posting about how awesome the rowing classes were. I decided to buy a January Jump Start package, and upon my arrival my first day, I was elated to find that the rowers were exactly like the one in House of Cards! I've never used a regular rower, and I don't think I ever will. The whooshing of the water with each row makes the experience that much more enjoyable. There is teamwork in the classes, as if you're all actually rowing a boat together, and the workout makes you feel incredibly powerful. Now I know why Kate Middleton does it! I'm going to keep going, paying class by class, and hopefully I can make it a routine to at least go once a week. I also signed up for a spin class this week, so we'll see how it goes!

This is the rower we use. It's got 18 gallons of water in it!

4. I bought a new car! Well, I leased a new car. Tommy (my 2003 Mazda Protege), was rusting out pretty badly on the bottom, so my car guy told me it was time to start shopping. Thanks to my grandpa's employee discount at Chevy, I got a great deal on a 2015 Chevy Cruze! It's dark blue (blue ray metallic), it doesn't shake when I drive over 60 mph, and I'm so much more confident in it! I just want to drive it around everywhere. I've driven it for almost two weeks, and I only had to put gas in it just yesterday! I decided to name him Johnny (please separate him from Manziel), because I liked having a car whose name ended in the "e" sound. I'm a happy gal!

I'll take better pictures once the snow is gone and the salt is all washed off. This one showcases Tommy and Johnny.

Based on everything that has gone on in the past couple of months, 2015 is going to be a great year for me. If you're friends with me on Facebooks, you've probably already seen all of this; sorry not sorry! I plan to keep the updates coming and welcome any suggestions for future posts! Until next time!

My Life is Not That Pinteresting

A little while ago, I finally joined the social network of crafters, dreamers, and wedding planners: Pinterest. I have to say, I'm not as addicted to it as I thought I would be, but when I get on a roll, pinning to my favorite board "My Style and Clothes I NEEEEEED," I really can't stop. Then I sit and look at it and decide that my closet needs an entire revamping. Then I get sad about how much money I don't have, and how much moolah I would need to get my style to resemble even an inkling of how I have it on a silly internet corkboard.

They say that social media makes us feel bad about ourselves; other people post perfectly laid out and filtered photos from their "idyllic" lives and that makes us feel sub par. In reality, that's all it is, layout and filter. I follow a few fashion blogs/Instagram accounts, and one of them wrote an entire post about how her home and life looks nothing like the photos she posts. Her pictures are flawless, sunny, clean and crisp. In reality, her clothes are strewn everywhere, her desk is a mess, and her hair is in a messy bun half of the time. Pinterest gives me a tiny bit of this feeling of inadequacy, even though I know I can strive for it someday, I just want it now.

Besides inadequacy, Pinterest gives me another "I" word; inspiration! Inspiration to invest in the expensive things that will never go out of style (like this coat), and to strive toward a great, versatile  wardrobe that defines me! I've got other boards, ones that I don't really use too much, but this style board has actually made my life a little bit easier, even though I'm complaining (but just a little). I'm now able to post things to the board which I normally would have emailed to myself with the subject line "Buy This." Pinterest makes it easier on my inbox, and keeps me more organized. You know what would be more organized? If I made an entire "Coats" board, as well as a "Swimsuits" board. But hey, that's just more work for me, and definitely more time spent on Pinterest than I should be spending. Especially with grad school just around the corner ;) Knowing me, I'll do it eventually!

Here are some of my favorite pins, and feel free to check out the board and tell me what you think! It's still relatively small, but I'm sure it will double in size within a week. I can see myself in every outfit on that board, and that tells me I'm going in the right direction with this whole Pinterest thing.