I conquered the box!!!

Today in class we did activities (occupations if you will) to observe and reflect on their meaning. It was great! I decided to try my hand at woodworking and created a little wooden box. It was fantastic. I had problems getting it nailed together though, so that took a long time, but I did it! I felt very accomplished because I did it all myself and didn't have anyone do any of the parts for me. I considered giving this box to someone as a gift, but I just can't part with it. It was hard to make and I want to just admire it all the time. I told my friend I was going to take it to class everyday and set it on the table beside me, so I can just look at it. We decided however that this may be deemed a little strange by my peers and thought it best not to actually bring it to class. Don't be surprised someday though when I have a picture of it posted somewhere!

Tacos, Scrapbooks and Mothers, Oh My!

I just returned from a shopping expedition. My day started out with a very frustrating experience on Walmart.com. I was trying to send my pictures there to get developed, but things weren't going well, so I just gave up so I could leave and go to a couple garage sales. I didn't find anything great at said garage sales, but it was fun to go nonetheless! Then I remembered I could do 1 hour photo at Target. It was wonderful. For only a penny more per picture, I can support Target and not have to deal with Wal-Mart. Amazing! I was quite excited about this because this means that perhaps soon I'll be able to avoid Wal-mart altogether. Of course I'm still trying to figure out how to quit grocery shopping there without spending lots of extra money as they are the cheapest I've found. So, after dropping off my pictures I went to Hobby Lobby. I think scrapbooking is going to take over the world! There is just so much stuff!! It's craziness. After looking through everything for a good hour (and by everything I mean just the scrapbooking stuff), I purchased some things to work on my Colorado book. While I was there I saw a mom and daughter walking arm and arm around the store. The daughter looked to be close to my age and it just made me think of my mom because that is something she and I would do. It was a bittersweet moment! It made me smile becaue I love my mom, but sad because I sure do miss her! After Hobby Lobby I was getting hungry for some lunch and there was a Taco Bell in the little shopping center I was in. I have been meaning to go there for quite some time so I can get taco sauce packets to put in my quesadillas and I figured this was as good a time as any. I walked in, thinking that it was probably going to be expensive here, so I decided I could just get a taco or two to hold me over until I got home and could eat some already paid for and not by me food. I looked at the menu and low and behold, it is a lot CHEAPER than home, the 'Ville and everywhere else I've eaten Taco Bell. I found this to be quite exciting and I allowed myself to get a whole meal, for which I only paid $4.04 for, including tax. It's a happy day! After eating I stuffed taco sauce packets into my purse and felt like a little old lady stealing rolls or something. It made me laugh. So, needless to say I came home in a much better mood than when I left. I love Fort Collins!

Grrrr!!!!

I'd like you all to know my current frustration. I went last night to the Larimer County Humane Society volunteer information session. I have decided I'd like to be a foster home for animals, since I can have them here, but I don't know where I'll be after this year, so I don't want to commit permanently yet. Unfortunately the meeting was full, so they weren't letting anyone else in. This was disappointing, but I wasn't too broken up as I figured there would be one next month and then Jenny could go with me anyway. Then they inform us that they won't be having another meeting until DECEMBER! That's forever away! After this information, I was frustrated and started looking online at other options. There are many dog rescue leagues, so I thought I'd try to be a foster home for Golden Retrievers, which I would like better than the humane society (where I would have mostly little kittens) anyway. Well, the girl emailed me back and said everything sounded great, but I don't have a fenced in yard and that is a requirement! Arg. So now I'm still looking, but feeling very defeated and frustrated. Jeesh. I'll keep you updated on my progress, but I'm not feeling good about this having the outcome I want!

I'm a Soccer Mom!

Well, no of course I'm not really a soccer mom, but baby-sitting today sure made me feel like it! I got there and the little girl (Lauren, age 15 months) was already taking her nap, so I had some time to write a letter and watch a little Full House on the side. Then just as I was putting my computer away and getting ready to wake her up, we could go pick up her brother (Logan, age 3 yrs) from preschool, I heard her yelling, so yay for not actually having to wake her up and have her be crabby. I went up and gave me the sweetest, cutest smile ever, which I loved. Of course it could have just been because her diaper was full! Then I loaded her up in the family minivan and set off. At this point I really felt like a true soccer mom. It was crazy! Then I got there, got her out and went in to pick up Logan. Making me feel even more mommy like! Then when we got home I got them a snack and hung Logan's artwork up on his bulletin board. So, this whole time I felt like a mom and I wasn't sure how I felt about it! I definitely think I'm NOT ready for kids quite yet, but I do rather enjoy the ones I baby-sit!

Sadness

So I had three random sad moments today and I've only been up for 2 hours! I was watching tv and I realized that every approximately every 7-8 years of my life I have lost a grandparent. The first when I was almost 7, the second at 14 and the third at barely 22. I didn't really like this pattern as I'd like to think that my remaining grandma will live for a long time still. So, we'll see how that works out!
Then I turned off my old cell phone for the last time. It was really depressing because it means the phone number I had for almost 6 years is really gone. I almost cried because it represented a chapter in my life that has closed. Quite sad indeed.
On the way to the post office I was hit with a bit of homesickness. I don't normally get homesick, but occassionally when I'm feeling emotional already (which if you read the first two paragraphs you'll see that I was ) it pops up. Luckily I am trained in handling such awful feelings and I can snap myself out of it fairly quickly!
So this has been my day so far. Hopefully it will get better this afternoon!

Thoughts of Yesterday

I am quite enjoying biking around Fort Collins. I think I have already biked more here than I did in my four years at Truman. It's nice because it's fairly flat, there are bike racks everywhere and there are bike lanes on busy roads. All in all, it is a very bike friendly town. I can't wait to check out the trails!
Last night I went out with a bunch of girls from class. Thursdays a great night to go out, but of course here they don't hold a candle to the fun I had at Dukum every Thursday. One absolutely great thing about bars in Fort Collins, is the smoke in the bars. There is none! There is no smoking in public places, which means I don't come home smelling like an ashtray when I got out! Can't beat that! That should be reason enough for everyone to come visit!

I Finally Caved

Yes, that's right. I finally caved and created a blog. Something I insisted I would never do. Such is life I suppose! I don't currently have much to write about other than I'm glad tomorrow is Wednesday! I think Wednesdays are my favorite of the basic 5 workdays. I only have a lab from 8 to 9:40, then the rest of the day is mine to do whatever I want. Can't beat that, right?