A moment to catch up

Has it really been since the beginning of last semester since I lasted blogged?! Oh goodness, how time flies! I am now almost done with the my 1st semester of Sophomore year. A few things have happen since I last blogged. Last semester classes went really well and I still managed to stay on the Dean's List. I absolutely loved my ballet class and will be taking it again next fall. I'm still working at the dance building and love my job more and more every day. I have an awesome boss and have had such great learning experiences and opportunities. The past few months I have been really thinking of what I wanted to pursue a major in. After long thoughts, consideration, and praying--I finally decided to major in elementary teaching. I think it's what's best for me. I love to teach and I love children--and this job also is a great job that will allow me to have a family of my own one day and to actually be able to spend time with my family (which is most important to me). I'll be starting my major required classes next semester. I'm super excited to finally get started and actually head in a direction of education. Along with school I also received another calling at church. My first (ever) calling I received last semester (I think) was to be in charge of the Ward bulletin board. I absolutely love this calling! It's so much fun to decorate the board and keep people update with the events and activities in the church. I was called to another calling this semester, as a Relief Society teacher! I again love this calling! I love to teach about my favorite topic, the gospel, and getting to teach from past General Conference talks! (which who doesn't love that!?) Receiving this relief society calling, along with some other things, was a helpful tool in figuring out what I wanted to do in life. I am so grateful to be able to serve in this calling. 

My roommate and I are rooming again next semester, which is awesome! She is such an amazing friend and roommate--I don't know what I'd do without her. While I am looking forward to next semester, I am more so looking forward to this summer. College sometimes can be very draining and I'm in need of a long break. And I'm excited because this summer I plan to go to TN and work on family history with my grandmother! I'm hoping to find many names that I'll be able to take to the temple when I come back! Along with that, I get to see many family members and also catch up with many friends...as well as helping plan one of my good friend's wedding!!! (So exciting!! )

Not really much has happen in this past few months...just working hard in school, work, and church. I love my life here in SC and look forward to what the future holds. :) I'll try not to go as long without writing a blog next time, but then again I'm not keeping any promises! ;) 

XOXO

A Job, Ballet, and everything in between

So, it's finally Friday! This week has gone by super slow (but in a good busy way).   This week was my first full week of classes and they are going very well. (I just can not procrastinate this semester! ) I also was able to add a ballet technique class to my schedule. I love the class so much and feel that I have already learned a lot just in the past two classes. But between a jazz technique class and ballet twice a week; my poor body is so sore. I look like an old lady trying to walk up stairs. Hopefully this will only last for the first few weeks.  Wednesday I had a job interview at the Dance Building and got the job!!!!! I'm so excited, I thinks its going to be a great opportunity for me. Yesterday, was our first away football game. We played against Vandy, and beat their butts 17 to 13!!! :D I enjoyed the game with a bunch of friends from church. This is how we watch the game (pictures below)....... yes..outside on the roof. (We are just that cool) We had a great time cheering on the Gamecocks! This coming week will be the first home game...and this girl right here is pumped! 
Thanks goodness for this long holiday weekend!! I get to catch up on sleep and hopeful get some homework done early! I'll be starting my new job (hopefully) this Wednesday!
 Hope everyone has a wonderful long weekend and a great week! 
xoxo

Note: I just got out of ballet class. I usually don't walk
around in black leggings. :)

Getting Back into the Swing of Things

Tuition  is paid, dorm is decorated, and friends are back. 
I'm so excited to be back at USC and so ready for this year! I don't start classes until Thursday, so I have the next few days to get back into the swing of things.  I'm so grateful that I was able to room with my awesome roommate from last year. Wouldn't know what I would do with out her! And we also have awesome suite-mates this year!! I'm not looking forward to walking to classes in this humid and hot weather, but that's good ol' South Carolina for ya! I'm really excited about my classes this semester. But next semester I'll have to declare a major and I'm not really sure what I want to major in anymore. So I have a lot of thinking and figuring out to do this semester. Dance is still a big part of  me and I still plan to open a studio of my own....but I want to have another job to fall back on.

Here are some pictures of my new dorm :) 

CLASSES AND FIRE ALARMS

I had a wonderful first two days of classes! Thursday was super busy. I had an 8 o'clock class then a job interview right after that. I ended up not getting the job, but I got a call for another interview for a job at the USC Dance Conservatory...so fingers crossed this one will work out! Thursday I also had two other classes after my interview and those went really well too. I really like my professors so far. Friday I only had one 9 o'clock class then after that I came back to the dorm and crashed only to wake up to a fire alarm! :/ So my bed is lofted up to the celling, that way I can have my desk under my bed to save room. Well when the fire alarm went off, it scared me to death because the alarm is right beside my bed. So I almost killed myself trying to get off my bed. I tear my PJ pants off and throw on my jeans that are way to big (cuz I was not going to go outside in my PJs...fire or no fire!) but didn't have time to fool with my belt. So I grab my keys and run out the door. 
As I'm quickly going down the stairs I'm having to hold my jeans up because they are falling off my butt! THEN I REALIZED....I had put a green face mask on before I took a nap...and still had it on my face! And I didn't put it on my whole face (at least that would have looked normal) but no I only had one BIG green spot on my forehead. I was so embarrassed. 

So this has been my week...hopefully next week won't be so dramatic. ;) I'll try to update as much a possible. 
xoxo

My dorm

After 2 weeks, I finally finished decorating my dorm

My dresser 

Notice how high my bed is?!?! Not fun getting off of it in the middle of the night to pee! ~just saying

My flower and photo collage. I had a collage photo frame, but it was to heavy to hang up even with 

command strips. So I made this instead... 

My awesome London poster I got for like 9 dollars and my ballet calender I got on sale for $3. 

Closer picture of my desk.

First week recap!

I  absolutely LOVE being a college kid!!!!! But I will say it has been a challenge getting back on a school schedule and walking around this huge campus. My poor legs are so sore. My first week of classes went really well!  I am taking 5 classes; Psychology, Statistics, University 101, Jazz technique, and Dance Improvisation. My psychology class is so interesting, I've really enjoyed it so far. The only problem with that class is trying to find the best way, for me, to take notes......but I will figure something out! :)  Statistics is my one and only eight o'clock class (thank goodness) and I actually really like the class. University 101 I really enjoy as well, its a small class so I get to know all my classmates instead of just knowing one or two people in class.  Dance improvisation is the most interesting class I have, but I love it. Like Thursday in class we had to use points of our body (like elbow, knee, chin, toe, ankle, etc.) and spell out our names. Which is really cool because you never really think that you could create a dance just with spelling your name in the air. (but you can! ;) )  I've never taken a dance class like this, but I think in the long run it will make me a better dancer.  The jazz technique class I have not gone to yet...its a class I added later on in the week, and its only a Monday class. So with tomorrow being MLK day, I won't start that class until the 23rd :( 

Thursday my awesome roommate Carla and I along with Carla's boyfriend and his roommate went to a free movie here on campus. We saw Tower Heists which was a really good/funny movie. They also gave us free popcorn and coke, which is always a plus!!!! :D 

First Weekend at USC

So this past week has been pretty exciting. Sunday (Jan. 1st) I came home from a wonderful Christmas trip to Tennessee. I got to stay with my best friend and her family while I was there, and had so much fun. I love them so much and hated leaving. I also got to see and spend a lot of time with my friends, whom I've missed very much. And sorry I didn't take any pictures while I was in Tennessee. :/ Wednesday (Jan 4th) was my freshman orientation at USC. My mama went with me and we learn a lot of stuff about the campus and college. After that, I went and registered for classes and got my student ID. (exciting!!) I was so happy after registering for classes, because I was able to get into a dance class (which was my goal) and that also meant I was an official college kid!! :D woot woot!! Saturday (Jan. 7th) I moved into my dorm! I have an awesome roommate, and I'm so excited to spend this semester with her.  After I got settled, I went out to look for the buildings where my classes would be. At first I went in a huge circle and ended up finding none of them and learned very quickly how big this campus really was. So I went back to my dorm for a little while to look over the map again. The 2nd time I finally found the buildings I was looking for and only got lost once. But the bad thing was I learned that I have to walk up and down a huge steep  hill pretty much very day. (not looking forward to that!) Here is a picture from google maps. note: the hill is even steeper then it looks....trust me! 

Tomorrow I start my classes!! I only have four classes for this semester (as of right now) which is not too bad. But I'm still kind of nervous. Thank goodness though my first class Monday doesn't start until 11:15 (heck yeah, I get to sleep in). But on Tuesdays and Thursdays my first class is at 8:oo am :/ But I can't complain the building for that class is right across from my dorm (and the only one that is near my dorm). So all in all I think its going to be a great semester! :D 

Count down to college!!

Only 52 days until I move into my dorm at USC!!! I'm super excited, but it has been so stressful getting all the paper work and scholarships/financial aid straighten out. :(  Today I have been unpacking a bunch of boxes and re-packing the things that will go with me to college. I'm so excited to decorate my dorm and meet my roommate! :) I'm so ready to be back on a school schedule and hopefully get back into a dance class or two!  
In other news...I have been going to a singles branch (for those of you that don't know, a singles branch is a LDS church for young adults who are not married). I've had such a great time going and meeting all these great young adults.  And I am looking forward to getting to know everyone and becoming great friends! :) ( But thank goodness for my best friend Ginny! Without her I would have talked myself out of going because I was so nervous at first. lol )
 I hope all of y'all are doing well! Sorry it's been so long since I've posted anything. I promise to write more!! :) Hope everyone is getting excited about the holidays, I know I am! :) talk to ya soon <3

Nineteen Birthday Candles

As my dear friend Ginny says.."there is no fun in turning nineteen, nothing special happens." If you think, at fifteen you get your permit to drive, pretty exciting huh?  Then you have your sweet sixteen! You throw a huge party and you aren't forced to drive around with your parents in the front seat anymore. Seventeen is the age when you put that license to good use and drive around town til night fall with your best friends. By eighteen your are now considered an adult by law, which seems so awesome. And when you turn the big 2-0, you are out of your teenage years and ready to start your life. But nineteen is just the age between eighteen and twenty, nothing special just nineteen.

So as my birthday approached , I wasn't really looking forward to it. But when I woke up this morning to my mom and siblings singing happy birthday,I thought maybe this whole being nineteen thing isn't going to be so dull at all.  :) The rest of the day was good. Mom took me to go get my eye brows waxed (which is always fun!! ) My Aunt Terry brought over USC decorated cupcakes that she made. They're are so cute, and were super delicious!!

We didn't have 19 candles so we just used one

Mama made my favorite Mexican Dip for dinner, which was also delicious!! Thanks mom!! :D

yum!!

I want to thank everyone who wished me a happy birthday on facebook and twitter, it made my birthday even better!! <3

I also want to wish a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to two of my best friends! Miss Ariena VanWey who's birthday is two days after mine and Miss Ginny Reese who's birthday is only ten days after today. May nineteen prove us wrong and be a great age to be!!!

First week in SC...

It's hard to believe I've already been here a week, time flies when you grow up I guess. It's been a good week I suppose, between trying to remember that I am one hour ahead of all my friends, fighting the gnats (yes that is the right spelling...dumb silent g) that ATTACK your face as soon as you walk out the door, and having four kittens bite your feet every time you walk (but they are cute as can be, so its okay) lol!! Besides all that its been really good, I am so glad that I'm here! On the other hand, I'm applying for a job Monday(wish me luck) and I also found a small dance studio as well!  So my plan is to go talk to them sometime this week and hope that I can teach some. (gotta have dance)  So stay tune for some more random blogs and maybe some serious ones! you never know... ;)  talk to ya soon!

7 best movies for whatever kind of mood! (in my opinion)

Here are 7 movies that I think are great for whatever kind of mood you are in whether its sad, happy, bored, or just need a good movie for pizza and a movie night!!

#1

Pride &Prejudice is such a great love story! Ahh one of my all time favorites,  I could watch it over and over again!!

#2

P.S. I love You is a bitter sweet movie. It's not one of those sad movies that you want to eat a tub of ice cream before the movie is over.  Promise!

#3

I absolutely love this movie, so sweet!! I cry ever time....happy tears, not sad. :)

#'s4&5

           These are such great movies! They remind me so much of me and my friends.

#6

Leap Year is the cutest love story ever!

#7

Best movie ever!! Always makes me laugh no matter how many times I've watched it!



Moving Day

   I am officially moving to South Carolina Sunday morning. I'm not gonna a lie, I am really nervous. I have lived in Tennessee for pretty much my whole life and have gone to the same school since I was in kindergarten. But change is good, and I think this will be good for me. I will say though, that I am so ready to be back with my mama. It has been a difficult year without her. BUT don't get me wrong my senior year has been one of the best and I'm glad I made the decision to stay in TN for it. I think the hardest thing for me will be being so far away from my friends. I want you all (you know who you are) to know that you guys mean the world to me, and I don't know what I would have done without y'all this year. No matter how far apart we are, you guys will always be my best friends!  FOR WARNING you I'll be sending A LOT of cards and care packages!! :) I'm also going to miss my Auntie Kim, Uncle Dwayne, and Miss Ali bug so much! I've never felt more at home this summer then I have all year. I love you guys so much and y'all are truly my family.  <3 
    Its weird to think back when I was little and I would dream of how it would be, when I got into the big kid school where you got to do whatever you wanted and drive a car. Then to graduate and go to a totally different state for college and be an adult. And now that day is here and I want to go back to when boys had cooties and all you had to worry about was if you had the coolest barbie doll or what picture to color for mom to put on the fridge. But unfortunately you can't go back, you just have to keep moving forward, and make the best out of life. So this is my next chapter in life; being with my mama and siblings, going to school to do what I love, and who knows maybe I'll meet my future husband. ;) Change is good, but if sometimes it gets rough we pray, count on the ones we love, and just keep moving forward. :D

Photo Shoot!

Like I had mention in a previous post, my friends and I had pictures done before we all left for college. It was so much fun and the pictures turned out GREAT! I love them all (I'm going to have to buy a lot of frames! lol ) Thanks so much to Brooke Parham for doing such a amazing job! Here are a few of the pictures!!  

Inspiring

So I was watching old re-runs of So You Think You Can Dance season 6.  During the auditions, this girl comes on and she was so happy, you could just tell she was excited to be trying out! She starts to tell her story and I learn that she only has one hand. Her left hand had to be amputated due to a rare cancer in the palm of her hand.  She went on the stage and started her solo, I sat in aw. She was amazing. She truly inspired me, beacuse she didn't let that stop her from doing what she loves! I couldn't image losing my hand, and it made me think and be extremely grateful for what I have in life. She didn't make it to Vegas but she did inspire so many dancers, including me. 
Below is a video of her audition.

 video was found at:http://www.rickey.org/jessica-jensen-one-handed-lady-audition-so-you-think-you-can-dance/

Get to know me a little more :)

Well I didn't really know what write about....so I thought I would share some random facts about myself! 
One thing you may not know about me is that I use to have a MAJOR obsession with Harry Potter! I mean I had posters and newspaper articles all over my wall, knew pretty much every line to the first 3 movies, and was in love with Daniel Radcliffe!  I still love Harry Potter but I'm not as obsessed as I once was! ;)  (BTW the last movie was simply amazing!! BEST MOVIE EVER! ) I would say that my favorite color is pink but I love putting colors with pink like brown and turquoise! (for example my blog background hahaha ) I absolutely  LOVE take out pizza, gummy bears and sour gummy worms! Every time my friends and I have a sleepover, that is the 3 main foods!! My all time favorite movie is Pride and Prejudice! I wish people still talked like they did back then and I loved how the men were so polite and respectful to the women. My favorite line in the whole movie is when Mr. Darcy says; 
            "My affections and wishes have not changed, but one word from you will silence me forever. If, however, your feelings have changed, I will have to tell you: you have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on..." 
Ahh that's just so sweet, if only there was a real Mr. Darcy out there!!<3 The two shows I really only watch and keep up with is So You Think You Can Dance and Glee...but I do love watching The Golden Girls late at night when there is nothing else on. lol I love shopping for home decor like frames, flower vases, paintings and stuff like that. (LOVE the store Kirkland's) Speaking of flowers my favorite are Pink Daisies! I just think they are so pretty!! My dream car is a Volkswagen Beetle! I joke that when I become famous I am going to have a Volkswagen Beetle for every day of the week and the licence tags will say Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc. :) SO this is pretty much the most random and unorganized blog EVER.....but hey life wouldn't be as much fun if things weren't random :) Leave a comment and tell me some random facts about yourself...I would love to hear (well read) about them. OR if you have any topic suggestions for my next blog let me know :)

Random.....

So I absolutely LOVE accents.....and I'm not talking about a country accent...I'm talking about like British, Italian, or my new favorite IRISH!! So I have been watching a show called the Glee Project and there is this Irish guy on there name Damian McGinty!  LOVE HIM!! I actually knew of him before he was on the show...he was in a singing group called Celtic Thunder! They are simply amazing and have beautiful voices! So now I really want to marry an Irish man that can sing! (not too much to ask for right?!?) Here see for your self  how amazing Celtic Thunder is:

and if you like them be a fan on facebook!! :)

P.S. my other favorite Irish man is Gerard Butler..ahh loved him in Phantom of the Opera!! :) 

Finding a new dance studio

Since I am not going to school until January.....I have to get a J-O-B!  This past year has been my first year teaching dance and I have loved every second of it.. so my plan is to find a dance studio in Lexington SC that I can teach at. Easier said then done...I am really nervous about calling these dance studios and asking if they are in need of a dance teacher. Why you may ask? Well I have only been teaching for one year.. I myself don't have the technique like I should for my age....and just being the NEW young teacher is very nerve-racking. So I have been fighting with myself for a while about calling, but then I think.... this is something I really want to do and someday hope to make a career out of and who cares if your the new young teacher, you'll make friends.......so tomorrow I think I'm going to pick up my phone and put my brave face on and call some studios. (cuz time is running out for this dance year!) So wish me luck! 

 Thought I would share with y'all my two ballet classes I taught this year with one of my best friends Mary Beth! We are so proud of these girls and I will miss them all terribly next year!! :( 

Summer ends....college begins

Well the summer is coming to an end, and its time for all of us to go our separate ways and start a new chapter in our lives. My friends are all getting packed and ready to go to school, ME on the other hand is not starting until spring (January 2012). I kinda feel sad and left out that all my friends are starting school this fall and I'm not, but things happen for a reason right?!? But before we all go, I scheduled a photo shoot with all my friends next week!! I'm so excited! It's going to be so much fun, and a great way to say goodbye and make great memories!! :) 

Finally!

I have been thinking about starting a blog for a long time now, and I finally broke down and did! I am really excited to share with all of you fabulous readers my experience through college and just growing up.  So stay tune! ;)