Winding Down.

The semester that is, not me. There are only three more days of actual class in the semester! It's crazy. Seriously. As the remaining days continue to decrease, my stress level continues to increase. I have a test and a couple assignments due on Wednesday, 3 finals next week, and 2 finals the following week. And then it's over. My first semester of graduate school. Who wants to join me for a celebratory drink?!?

I'm just excited to get going on the mountain of books I've been wanting to read for pleasure (lame, right?). It will be sweet.

I downloaded a Christmas album from iTunes the other day (good background noise) so I'm off to make some coffee and get to studying (oh, and that's my spot on the floor. I've always studied better on the floor...).

And in case you care, I decided rather than order the eight gazillion cards I wanted on etsy, I'm going for the Hallmark (red) Christmas cards (as soon as I go get them). They're getting pretty creative with words that end in -red.

Florida...it's good for the soul.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Well, I'm feeling much much better (thanks to a fantastic P.A.) and am hanging out with my parents, grandparents, and one of my brothers in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. It's sooooooo nice.
Exhibit A: This is the canal just beyond the pool at our house.


And we just ate Thanksgiving Dinner out here by the pool:
Other than that, we haven't been too busy. Yesterday mom and I went shopping and I got some new wintry clothes (including a knee length coat that I've been wanting...)! It almost makes me excited about getting back to Oklahoma now that it's cold there. But for now, I will continue to enjoy the warmth and sunshine. This is where and how I've spent my time thus far:
And I'm sure I'll be posting about this book soon. It's fascinating and I think it should be required reading for everyone who eats food. Which hopefully is everyone. Oh and just so you know these are reserved for anyone who wants to come down here with me for a little vacation sometime.

Alright, I'm going to go spend some more time with my family before I head back to the frozen tundra (or 45 degree weather, same thing).

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Mmmm...Chili

I get sick (like fever, stay home from school sick) about once a year. This weekend is it, I'm afraid. I'm feeling sinus infection-y, so if I still feel like poo on Monday, it looks like I'll be finding a doctor in Oklahoma...

I'm tired of No Chicken Noodle Soup. I haven't had much of an appetite, but yesterday I was craving some chili, so I soaked some beans overnight, threw all the ingredients in a pot, and let it simmer all day. The result: a bowl full of tastiness. So good. Although, I made enough to feed a small army, so I'm pretty sure I'll be eating chili for the rest of my life. I still haven't adjusted to this cooking for one thing yet.



Netflix was kind enough to send another installment of Heroes: Season One today, so I am catching up on that while being pathetic with my box of kleenex and nyquil.

A vocab quiz that feeds the poor?

A friend sent me a link to an online vocab quiz called free rice. For every word you get correct, they donate (the equivalent of) ten grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program. They pretty much just route the advertising money straight to the WFP. In my effort to score above a 41 (I gave up, but will try again!), over 3,500 grains of rice were donated. I like it. You should try it.

Also, I'm almost finished with wreath number one, it's a glass ball wreath that I will post pictures of as soon as I can figure out the logistics of hanging it where I want it. Get excited.

It's getting to be that time of year!!

I drove up to Stillwater today to do lunch and a movie with Sarah, and we ended up watching Fred Claus. This turned out to be just the thing to get me in a Christmas-y spirit! The weather has been unusually warm, so I haven't really been feeling any holiday excitement; but friends, now it's on.

So what have I been doing? Looking for some Christmas cards. Hallmark has gone (red), so that was an option I was considering, but I think I found some I like even better (and of course, they're more expensive). The one pictured above is one I found on etsy, and I love almost everything this artist has for sale. So, if you get one of these in the mail, act surprised and ooh and aah over it anyway. Also, 25% of her profits are going towards buying livestock for the Dalit people of India. So check it out!

So now that I'm in the Christmas spirit, I really want to decorate my little apartment, but I came to the sad realization that I have no decorations. I had Halloween decor and I even have a few Thanksgiving things, but for Christmas all I have is a tangled pile of lights. I'm thinking that a wreath project is in my near future. And I'm lighting my cinnamon and clove candles to at least make the place smell like Christmas. Who cares that it's 75 degrees outside?