a crazy little thing called love

I have seen other bloggers put random song lyrics as their titles... As that is the song currently stuck in my head, I thought I would share it... It is now stuck in your head... You're welcome... :P

Well, the first week of school is now over. It went very well. Last year I was a total mess after the first week because of the lifestyle change I was going into. Now it is old hat and I am revin' to go. :)

I can now greet people in French, ask about their day/health, and say good bye...

Example: 

Me: Salut!!! Ca va???

Other person: Oui, Ca va bien, merci. Et toi, comment vas-tu???

Me: Pas mal.

Are you impressed?? lol :)

Language is such a fun thing to practice during the day. I am in the car a lot and so I repeat conversations outloud... I text my friends in French... I talk to my cat... It is very fun... :)

I have also been feeling very crafty this week. I have done a couple of pinterest projects. I will share them with ya'll sometime this week hopefully. :)

Tonight I get to go dancing!!! I have my ballroom class at school and then I am going to Old Town to go English Country Dancing at Gadsby's. I haven't been in probably a year. It was a very lucky coincidence that my ballroom class fell on Tuesday nights and ends right before ECD starts. I miss dancing. :)

A bientot!!! Bonne journee!!!! Au revoir!!!!!

Ice Skating and Stuff

So... Tomorrow I willingly return to the secular institution that is going to enslave me for the next 4 months... An institution that is going to feed me ideas that spring from presuppositions that are directly against my own... An institution that employs people who openly scorn my Christian beliefs... In other words, tomorrow is the first day of school... :)

Why go to such a terrible school you ask??? Well, because it is cheap. :) 

Ok ok, that isn't the only reason... I am living at home and I have a good church with lots of close Christian friends that offer a ton of support. Trust me, I would NEVER go to a secular college if I didn't have all of that... I just couldn't do it... Here in Northern Virginia especially, there is a very large Muslim and Hindu presence. You can feel the spiritual warfare in the air when you walk down the street and it takes a lot of effort to keep from getting really depressed. An analogy that I head once is that in life we are standing on a conveyor belt that is moving towards Hell... If we don't actively walk towards God, then we are moving away from Him. That is what it feels like on campus sometimes. The enemy is fighting against you whether or not you choose to engage him. I choose to engage him... Most of the time... :)

When I am on campus, if I don't have any homework, I try to remember to bring my Nook so I can read my Bible. I don't always remember and sometimes I forget to charge it, but when I do, it helps a lot. For this semester, I also bought a C.S. Lewis book... collection... thing... It has daily readings from his works... I am super excited about that one... :)

Another thing that really helps is prayer. I pray in the car on my way to school sometimes. That helps get my heart in the right place for the day. 

The last thing that helps is something that a lot of people don't put a lot of stock in... That is the prayers of other people for you... Do you know how uplifting it is to know that someone out there is praying for you everyday??? I can't tell you how encouraging it is when I get a text from a friend saying that she is praying for me... So please, friends, pray for me tomorrow as I head back into the pit that is Northern Virginia Community College... :)

Wow, I totally didn't mean for all of that to come out... But hey, when the thought flows, you go with it... :)

I originally meant for this to be an outfit post. I had a super fun Saturday yesterday in which I did nothing but play around with make-up, hair, and clothes in preparation for a super-tastic fun evening of ice skating with friends from church... This is the result. :)

Mint sweater (Forever 21) over a chambray button-up (J. Crew)... Since I was going to be ice skating, I didn't bother matching a pair of shoes with this outfit... 

Ok, so I didn't end up wearing this necklace (Charming Charlie) since we were going ice skating and a long necklace wouldn't have jived with that... I changed it to a short pearl necklace inspired by this post over at Bramblewood Fashion... :)

You can't really tell, but I did a fun eye shadow job inspired by this pin... 

You can see the blue (which looks purple here) touch on the inner lower lid in this picture a bit better... I also changed my lipstick when we went skating to a darker berry... One of these days I will do a whole post on lipstick... I love lipstick... :)

I did this little twirly side pin thing to make pulling my hair back a bit more interesting... I got the idea from The Lizzie Bennet Diaries on youtube... Jane wears her hair so chic... I am going to be going through them again just to look at her hair... :)

Another word about my hair... Those curls... They took 10 minutes... How you ask??? With the magical curling iron that I got for Christmas... It is one of those that don't have a clamp... It is just a single rod that you curl your hair around and hold in place with your hand. If I wanted to, I could have Taylor Swift curls. But that would be a bit extreme for daily wear... When I get a camera that takes video, I will do a demo to show ya'll just how easy it it to use!!! :)

Ok, thanks for reading this way longer and deeper than I originally anticipated post... Hopefully it won't be the last this semester!!! lol :)

I ♥ Thursday {no. 4}

Yay, look at me, I am doing two I ♥ Thursday posts in a row!!! School starts next week, though, so we shall see how I do then... :)

Be sure to hop on over to Bramblewood Fashion to see the rest of the I ♥ Thursday posts!!! :)

This is spoke to me about some things that have been happening lately... 

Thank you... 

No words!!!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! Finnick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

More fangirl screaming!!!!! AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! :)

I want a heart sweater... I want, I want, I want!!!! :)

I just discovered The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. Absolutely Hilarious. I watched all 78 episodes over two days. They are great because they are only 5-6 minutes long so you don't feel as guilty about watching one. Although, who watches just one??? :) They can get a bit crude, but not too bad... :)

The newest Piano Guys video!!!!! This was super cool timing because Netflix just put Ghost Protocol up on instant stream and I just watched it... :) 

School starts on Monday!!!!! I know, I shouldn't be excited, right??? Well, I am. I have had a month off, two weeks of which was also off of work, and I am bored. I am a lazy person by nature and so when I don't have something that I HAVE to do, I don't do anything. 0:) Although, I did get most of the things on my to-do list done, I should have gotten them all done. But such is life. Live and learn and all that rot. I have learned that even if I have all the time in the world, it is just as hard to get my chores done as when I have no time... therefore I should do my chores and quit making excuses about having no time... :)

I am going to try to post twice a week on here. One regular post and an I Love Thursday post. Would ya'll also be interested in reading and discussing my English essays??? They are literary essays that deal with my interpretation of a topic given to me by my professor. Some of the books I have for this semester contain mature content, but if this semester is anything like last semester, they will be discussed in an academic and intellectual manner. Would anyone be interested in engaging in such discussion???

I am also super duper excited about starting French this semester!!!! I have always wanted to learn a second language and French has always been my first choice. I have my text books, a French/English dictionary, and a pretty notebook. I am all set. :)

One other thing that is coming up is the Walk for Life in DC. I have been wanting to go for, like, ever, but something else always came up. Well, this year it just so happens that it is on a Friday right after my math class which just so happens to be right by the metro. It was the perfect set up. I am super excited to show my support for life in our nation's capitol!!!! Is anyone else going to be there??? :)

Ta ta for now!!! :)

I ♥ Thursday

Hey, I remembered it's Thursday!!!!! That means that I can do an I Love Thursday post!!!! :) Ya'll should hop on over to Bramblewood Fashion and take a look at all the other I Love Thursday posts... :)

C.S. Lewis quotes... These have been popping up in my newsfeed and on pinterest all week. C.S. Lewis is one of my absolute favorite non-fiction writers. :)

This shirt... If you don't get it, you don't get it... :P

And some more Doctor Who... I LOVED the Christmas Special. I cannot wait to see how Clara Oswin Oswald's story turns out... :)

Les Miserables... If I tried to express how the love of this movie has touched the very depths of my soul, I would probably sound like a blabbering idiot... Suffice it to say, I have been dreaming in song since Christmas... :)

The Hobbit... Loved the movie... Did not love the HFR... I have seen the regular version and the HFR version so far. I would like to see it again in plain 3D so that I will be able to compare them all... I know, I am a nerd... :)

This outfit... Love the layering. I got a bauble necklace of my own a few weeks ago at Charming Charlie for 20 bucks (as opposed to 150 from J. Crew) and I absolutely love it. :)

Well, it is that time of year again... Time for New Year's Resolutions. It is hard to believe that it has been a year since I have made my last resolution list. I will post my 2012 list and go over how I did before making my new list... :)

2012 To Do List

1) Start learning French
*Didn't end up starting this, but I am taking French 101 this semester so it is going to happen... :)

2) Go to the Preakness

3) Visit the Ferrars
*very fun trips :)

4) Go to the chiropractor

5) Use up all the yarn I own
*Ha, I don't think I even knitted a whole dish cloth... Maybe I will pick up knitting again this year... Maybe not :)

6) Update my blog once a week
*Well, I did ok in the summer 0:)
7) Start exercising
*not likely

8) Read all the books I own
*not even close

9) Get promoted (to what I don't know yet)
*I didn't end up getting a different job, but I did get an interview... From that interview, my name has been put on a list that will be kept for a year. If a position opens up, that list is what they choose from :)

10) Enlarge my wardrobe
*done :)

11) Organize all my belongings
*I don't think I will ever get everything organized to my liking

12) Organize the garage
*nope

13) See The Avengers on opening night
14) See The Hunger Games on opening night
*Oh yeah... And The Hobbit and Les Miserables :)

15) Go to the beach... a lot
*once... resolved to do better this year :)

16) Lose 15 pounds
*more like gained... But I have a diet plan that I am going to be implementing soon :)

17) Match my purse with my outfit more often
*done :)

18) Lessen soda intake
*done

19) Walk the GW parkway more often
*not so much

20) Get pedicures regularly
*waaay too expensive around here

21) Get a smart phone
*sadly, no

22) Be more diligent in my Bible reading
* "more" is a relative term :)

23) Memorize poetry
*nope
24) Memorize more Scripture
*nope

25) Learn ballroom, Latin, and swing dancing
*I took some lessons, but they were very expensive so I had to quit... But I am taking Ballroom Dancing as my PE credit this semester so hopefully I will get better

26) Find the perfect bathing suit
*done

27) Get and maintain a good tan
*done

28) Wear more hats
*done

29) Look good in skinny jeans
*done

30) Make baby blankets for the crisis pregnancy center
*nope

31) Volunteer for the Wounded Warriors
*nope

32) Complete a sewing project
*haha, that's funny 

33) Learn to knit cables
*hopefully this year
34) Ride the metro more often
*again, hopefully this year

35) REALLY visit all the Smithsonians
*I did go to the National Gallery of Art in November and I have almost solid plans to go again with a friend... Hopefully before the year is out

36) Follow politics more closely
* agian, "more" is a relative term

37) Wear more dresses
*done

38) Buy and eShaki dress
*nada

39) Buy a Shabby Apple dress
*sigh, almost, but no

40) Become a "regular" at a local coffee shop
*If you count the coffee shop on campus as "local" then I was VERY regular ;)

41) Make 5 things I pinned on Pinterest
*Um, probably

42) Buy more shoes
*done

43) Try more hairstyles
*too busy

44) Fill my journals
*HAHAHAHA!!!!!! 

45) Buy a pair of red rain boots
*nope

46) Make new friends
*done

47) Buy something random and beautiful off of Etsy
*nope
48) Go to Mount Vernon at least once a month
*hahaha, nope

49) Start planning an overseas trip
*if dreaming counts as planning :)

50) Start saving for a car
*buying one this year hopefully
51) Wear more lipstick
*love lipstick now!!! :)

52) Keep my room clean
*a constant battle
53) Go to our local cupcake shop more often
*not really

Now for my 2013 To Do... I do love making lists... :) The essence of my goals for this year is to do more and love more. I have a *ahem* self-discipline issue sometimes and that translates into laziness. I want to DO more things... Not just fun things, but necessary things... Like dishes and laundry. I also am not the most compassionate person in the world... Meaning I am not always very considerate to the people around me. I want to change that this year... Or at least try... :)

1. Start learning French
2. Knit something
3. Sew something
4. Get a Circulation Aid job
5. Get volunteer hours at the library
6. Eat healthy... A Mediterranean-ish diet
7. Lose weight
8. Organize the garage
9. Stay a week at the beach
10. Start running
11. Memorize more Scripture
12. Read Les Miserables
13. Go dancing more often
14. See Catching Fire on opening night
15. Go to DC more often
16. Take a trip somewhere I have never been
17. Buy a Shabby Apple dress
18. Get on someone's "list"
19. Get all As
20.  Listen to more classical music
21. Learn more about Medieval history
22. Read Mere Christianity
23. Re-watch all 7 seasons of Doctor Who
24. Write letters
25. Journal more
26. Wear more eye shadow
27. Try a French macaroon
28. Learn more about French history and culture
29. Memorize world geography
30. Take Professor Brunner's Shakespeare class
31. Get a smart phone
32. Join Birchbox or Glossybox
33. Buy a nice watch
34. Buy a pair of wellies
35. Finish my Jane Austen book collection
36. Reach 100 posts on this blog
37. Go to Busch Gardens
38. Go ice skating
39. Buy a camera
40. Buy new bedding
41. See The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug on opening night
42. Maintain a minimum 3.5 GPA
43. Post semi-regularly on this blog
44. Re-watch Doctor Who
45. Improve my relationships with other people
46. Catch up with old friends
47. Identify the idols in my life
48. Go to a ball/dance
49. Expand my wardrobe
50. Read poetry
51. Wear scarves in summer
52. Frequent a local eatery
53. Buy a car
54. Organize all of my belongings
55. Do a video blog
56. Go on Twitter more
57. Try more vintage hairstyles
58. Watch more Old Hollywood films
59. Shop at J. Crew more
60. Buy something at Three Sisters for myself
61. Hang out in Old Town more
62. Go to Mount Vernon more
63. Walk the GW parkway more

64. Take up knitting again
65. Write down all the cool things that happen during the year and put them in a jar to be opened up at the end of the year

So much can happen in a year's time!!! I can't wait to see what 2013 holds!!! :)

I will put my 2013 To-Do on a tab up at the top of my blog page so that you can keep up with my progress throughout the year... :)