Sunday, September 30, 2007

It's Called Life, Live It!



I make to-do lists weekly, daily, sometimes I make more than one to-do list a day. I love it. It's sanity. It helps me see what I need to do. It helps me feel accomplished and productive at the end of the day.

I write down EVERYTHING on my to-do lists.. anything from "Test on Wednesday" to "Game Night w/ Friends" to "Don't Forget to Look into Volunteering" are on my lists. These are all actual entries. My life is crazy some weeks. I'm going, going, going. Quite frankly my life would be an absolute mess without to-do lists wondering all about my apartment and all in my planner.

The main reason I do this, make these lists, is because I really do want to fit as much into a day as possible. I want to try to make my life as fulfilling as I can. I don't want to look back and see my days as wasted. I don't want to wake up one day, be forty years old and wonder where time went and wonder why I feel like my life was just "ok." With these lists I can get all of the small stuff done and concentrate on the bigger things.

So, I started thinking about these things that I want to do. And decided I need a "to-do" list for them. :) A to-do list for life. How much fun is it to map out some of the things you think you can't make it through life without doing. So, this is mine...

....this is my Life List.

- Take a summer trip to Europe. I really want to do this after I'm completely done with school and I have been working for a few years. I want to take this trip during that time in my life where it's still just me, no husband, no kids. Just an adventure for me, and possibly some of my closest girlfriends. (So lets start planning ladies) -
- Have a family, a big one. A family with lots of kids, lots of love, and lots of faith in Him. -
- Write down the thoughts that run through my mind screaming to become a book. -
- Continuously grow in the Lord. -
- Own a convertible. -
- Grow a garden. A beautiful one. One with fruits, vegetables, flowers and of course hummingbirds. -
- Buy an old house and fix it up, make it my families. (I really can't see myself in anything but an older house full of character) -
- Be charitable. Devote my time. -
- Nap under an old oak tree all day long. -
- Go sailing. -
- Live next to my bestie. -
- Never be too old to get on a roller coaster. -
- Take a trip with no plans, just stop anywhere that looks like fun. -
- Take guitar lessons for the guitar I own. -
- Go on Safari. -
- Laugh at life's little surprises. -
My list will continue to grow and I'm positive there are many more things on it even at this moment. I just wanted to get started on my Life List. Keep checking back, I'm sure it will be ever expanding.
Any fun ideas that are on your list for life? I like suggestions. Anything to help me live it up as much as I can, I'm all for it. ;)

I Kicked That Grocery Stores Butt!



Let me start with, I hate buying groceries for one! I miss having my roomies to cook with. But growing and moving happens. So, now I am forced to make trips to the grocery store alone.


When I first moved away to college my grocery bill was outrageous!! I would spend about $65 a week on groceries. Multiply that by four and that's about $260 a month and that is ridiculous! I was feeding one person, not a family of four.


The crazy thing is, these groceries were not getting eaten. Most of them went bad because I wouldn't use them. I wouldn't use them because I would be too lazy to cook or I would go out to eat with the girls. I also didn't buy in portions that could be eaten before they expired.


So, this went on for almost two years I'd say. Two years of throwing money away on food that didn't get eaten. Food that starving children in less fortunate countries deserved, I most definitely did not deserve it. I was so unappreciative. I know you are thinking, OMGoodness! It's just food! People do it all the time. Which is true. We abuse our ability to go out and buy food at anytime and we abuse the fact that it's unlimited for us.


I'm not sure when things changed exactly but somewhere in my mid-sophomore year my roommate and I decided to team up on dinner. I think it started off with us consolidating our grocery lists so that we would cook together and not have so much uneaten food.


That worked well. But by my junior year, she and I had become pros at this grocery buying business. We could walk into HEB get our groceries for the week, this included: breakfast for the both of us for 6 days, lunch for both of us for 6 days, and dinner for two for 6 days. (Sunday's were our go out to eat after church day, it was our freebie.) Our grocery bill per week? $30! Not a piece, together! I know, I know.. how?


Well, first off junk food is out. It's overpriced and terrible for you.


Secondly, we PLANNED our meals a week in advance! This is so crucial. It keeps you from not knowing what you are going to be eating and it cuts out on last minute take out. There is no excuse for you to eat out during the week when you have a meal planned at home. Some of you are thinking that this is ridiculous. "How am I going to plan my meals for a week?" That's what we thought, but get yourself a few good cookbooks and you'll be just fine. The key to a good cookbook? One that has recipes with minimal ingredients, if not, you end up buying way to much stuff that won't get used.


Which brings me to my next point. You must choose recipes where the ingredients overlap. This will save you the most money! Choose things that each item can be used more than once because you always have something left over and instead of it going to waste, use it.


Always have a list made! Never walk into a grocery store without a list in hand. That is just asking for it. Because when I don't have a list I find that everything in every aisle pops out at me and says, "Buy me!" and of course I do. I have nothing holding me back from not.


Check your cabinets before you leave the house. I normally find half the stuff I need for my meals and I can mark it off my list. I don't know how many times I used to come home with ANOTHER can of green beans or ANOTHER box of spaghetti.


I'm sure some of you are thinking, man this is a lame post. She needs to spice it up a little. ;) Well, let me tell you something, the next time you go to buy groceries take a few of these tactics along with you. You will leave that grocery store with a smile on your face and extra money in your pocket and then... you will love me for sharing the wealth.


Todays grocery store bill? $20.61. Six breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Believe me it can be done and that money can go toward something a little more imporant than food.


Give it a try, let me know how it goes! I love converting people to thrift junkies like I am!

Saturday, September 29, 2007

I Teach Emler!



The job hunt it over! Thank goodness. I was tired of interviews. I was tired of crappy part-time jobs that offer to pay absolutely nothing for tons of work. I was tired of feeling like an absolute bum since I haven't had a job in three months, believe me that is not me.

I had the same job for almost three years working at Cheddar's in Bryan/College Station. I waited tables. The money was great! The job was terrible. I refused to do it again when I moved to Denton.

I mean, I'm going to be a teacher. What good will waiting tables do? I am not learning anything at all about my profession. That's why I knew that I could NOT just find some little job to pass the time. It had to be the right one.

I have been waiting for Emler Swim School to call me since the job fair in mid-August. I got lots of applications that day, but when I walked up to their booth they were nothing but inviting and enthusiastic about what they do. They were wonderful. The only problem was that they wouldn't be actually hiring until mid-October. Great! I needed a job ASAP! Luckily, I have understanding parents who agreed that I shouldn't take a job that I wasn't going to be happy at. I finally got a call from the Emler Swim School this week and had an interview scheduled in Plano on Thursday.

I'm sure some of you are wondering just what is the Emler Swim School? Well, it's just like it sounds. A swim school. For kids. This was absolutely perfect for me.
  1. It's teaching kids!
  2. It's a Christian company! I was thrilled to hear that.
  3. I don't have to get all dressed up to go to work.
  4. The pay is outrageously good.
  5. They work around your schedule. You can work four hours a week to six days a week.
  6. Did I mention, it's working with kids? Tiny ones! I'm so excited!

The interaction that I will get to have with these children everyday is going to be such a good experience for me. I really believe that this job will help me prepare for becoming a teacher. It will be great to see how I react in teaching situations. Swimming lessons or math problems I believe it's all about your approach with children and how comfortable you make them feel.

I don't start training until the 19th of October, so I still have a few weeks of nothingness to do. I am sure I will find something to fill the time. Like homework, friends, and maybe if I'm lucky Sprinkles Cupcakes!

Friday, September 28, 2007

New FUN Posts Coming Soon! I Promise!

Hi Guys!

I have been really busy lately. I have been traveling like crazy! Between homecoming last week, a job interview in Plano, and visiting my bestie in Dallas I have been all over! Not to mention I had two tests this week. But it has all been worth it, I have had the best week and really enjoyed myself. I promise to tell you all about it once I get back to Denton and get settled in right before I start another crazy week. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, I got a job!!! I am so excited about it! I have been job searching for the past two months and I have turned down a few part time jobs because I knew that wasn't where I needed to be. But this job seems perfect and I can't wait to start! I hope everyone is having a blessed week, I will fill you in on all the details soon!

With Love,
Victoria :)

Monday, September 17, 2007

"Lookin' For Love In All The Wrong Places"




Why is it so many relationships fail?


Why is it that statistically 50% of all marriages end in divorce?


Is it that people don't try?


Is it that they give up on love?


Do they forget to even care?


Yes. Sometimes they don't try. Sometimes they don't care. And sometimes things just go in a direction that can't be saved.


BUT! I will say that again. BUT! More often than not I believe that relationships fail because it's two people not knowing who they truly are. It's two people being so unaware of their inner self and so afraid to find it that they have nothing of worth to offer the other. They don't stand for anything.


What do I mean, not knowing who they are?


I mean that people walk into a relationship looking for something to fill a void in their life, something that's permanent. They are looking for someone to be a witness to their life, a witness to everything that they do. But, don't you already have a witness to your life?


Isn't Jesus Christ your witness?



I can NOT get away from this topic, it has been staring me in the face for such a long time that I can no longer ignore it.


God, decided to be real pushy this weekend and He MADE me see that my relationship with Him is not where it needs to be. I constantly wish for someone to love, someone to love me and He never truly brings that into my life. I have continued to think that it's something that I deserve. I always say to Him, why not me? why can't I be in love? I try God. I really do.


This weekend he answered back. His answer? "Don't you see? I have brought you someone, I have brought you my son."


I didn't understand. Doesn't He understand that's not the kind of love I'm looking for? I would argue and argue that this is not what I was talking about.


I guess He decided that maybe someone else could make me listen if He couldn't. So in the last week He was sent people into my life to relay the message. In fact, He sent three amazing people to tell me His word. The funny thing is, these were not close people in my life. None of them were friends of mine that I had known for ages. None of them were acquaintances. In fact, I didn't know a one of them. God sent absolute strangers into my life to make me hear what He needed to say.


The first person that He sent was a fellow blogger, I read her blog everyday and have for a while now. Mostly, she's hilarious and I love that she's just a typical mom trying to raise her children in a house full of the love of Jesus. This past week I noticed that there was a link on her blog that I had never really payed any attention to. I clicked on it. It was a book that she had written that was posted online. The book immediately sparked my interest, so I began to read.


The first chapter of the book began with the struggles she had in her marriage. It then quickly turned to why she was having the struggles that she was having. She and her husband both knew God and attended church religiously. So what was the problem? She realized that even though God was in her life she had never learned how to be a woman of God. She had no clue what they meant.


I then realized, I have no clue what they means. I know that I want that. I want to be a godly woman. I just really don't know where you start on that path.


That was the first person that impacted my life this week.


On Sunday, I went with my bestie to church. A new church. A church I was skeptical about. I loved my old church so much and decided that I wasn't going to find one that I adored like that one. So that was that. Central Baptist of Bryan wins, forever and ever amen. Now thinking about it, God probably just laughed at me when those thoughts were going through my mind. Because I had no clue what kind of wisdom that church was about to offer me.


A woman named Kendall Payne was there on Sunday morning to sing during worship. Her voice was so amazing she made me cry. This is her myspace site http://www.myspace.com/kendallpayne, but let me just tell you that it does her no justice. Listening to her live, her voice will move you.


Kendall sang a song on Sunday morning that she wrote to her husband. She described it as her perfect love song to him. The song did not talk about anything that you expect a love song to. Instead this song talked about "loving each other in spite of failure" it talked about someone "bringing out the worst in you, but it's the part you needed to see". As I listened to her sing I began to think about how this song had so much truth. Nothing in a relationship with someone else is going to be perfect. People fail. You fail. I fail. But when you have someone greater in your life, someone to guide you, these failures can be overcome. And God does that. He guides you, He loves you, He's there for you. With Him there and with his support these failures will seem trivial.


Once again, God had made me realize the need for my relationship with Him to strengthen.


After worship, the preacher began his sermon. And it quickly jumped into relationships. (In fact, that is all they are going to be talking about for the next six weeks; it's a series. ) This first week the topic was singleness. "Singleness is not a disease to be cured." That is exactly what he said. That really stuck with me. Because so many people think that it is. They think that you have to find someone, and you have to find them as soon as possible. Well, you don't. Singleness can be such a great opportunity he said. A great opportunity to find out who you are. What a great concept I thought. Finding out who you are. I really thought I knew who I was, I thought I knew me. But I have so far to go. I know that I am not even close to knowing my inner self. I am not close to becoming the woman of God that I long to be. But I'm excited about that. I know what I need to work on. I have a goal. God has a goal for me. And He cared enough to be so persistent and repeat His message over and over and over until it was received. That's love. That's the kind of love I want. That's the kind of love I want to give. I want to love like God.


His love is full of faith and hope. I feel so blessed. I know Jesus, I know His love. I'm looking forward to being the woman He wants me to be and I believe that when I have all the wisdom that I need, He will just make it happen. He will guide me to the one that He has made for me. And that's beautiful.

Friday, September 14, 2007

A Whale Tale.




When this topic was suggested to me by Princess Mitzi I wasn't sure where I could really take this post...

I mean their whales, save them.

The End. Right?

But, I decided if that was all I said about them, "save them", would you really want to help out? Probably not. I mean that wouldn't catch my attention. I need things like pretty pictures, sing-a-long songs, and dancing whales on ice to get me involved. (I'm an early childhood education major, everything has to be well.. interactive?) So luckily, I found something that had just that to get me excited about well... umm... saving whales.

My curiosity started to get the best of me so I thought that doing a little research on what "saving the whales" actually meant might clear up a few things.

Prior to http://www.savethewhales.org/ I knew nothing about what you do to help out.

Save the Whales, what does that mean? What am I saving a whale from? Are other bigger badder whales bullying up on a little shrimp of a whale? Do I teach him how to do underwater karate or how to put those fins to work and "whale slap" a brother? And when I do "save" him where does he go? Do I bring him to my apartment complex and ask if he can chill in our pool until I can find a better place for him? I mean whales live in pools, Free Whilly did. Do I get one whale or am I saving multiple whale friends? If it's one whale, do I get pictures in the mail monthly like you do when you feed a child from a different country. Because if so, I think I like that. It would be such a good way to get others involved with this whale saving. I mean imagine if you are at lunch with a group of girls and you whip out your newest portrait of Waldo the Whale with his latest herring catch and a big grin on his face. I mean that's gonna catch some attention.

Well, it's a little more complicated than that I have learned. But the good news, you can adopt a whale! :) But nothing as cool as how I thought the adoption worked there's no personalized pictures and unfortunately or maybe it's actually fortunate... he will positively not be living in your swimming pool.

Adoption consists of information on killer whales and what you can do to help. It also costs you $15. A little more expensive than feeding a child, but remember whales are roughly 26, 475 lbs. more than a child. So this is a bargain price.

What else can you do to help save the whales? Simple things. Things you think might have absolutely nothing to do with whales. Like..
- Picking up trash in your neighborhood
- Refrain from releasing balloons outside. Hmm, this is something we always did in elementary school... whoops.
- Keep up on your car maintenance. Simple enough.
- Recycle :)
- Use environmentally friendly products and buy organic. (perfect, I love organic!)

Simple as pie.
If you want to become more knowledgable about whales and saving them you can visit http://www.savethewhales.org/. Afterall, I only discussed high points. Oh yeh, you can also visit the site and listen to their rocking whale jam. It's a sing-a-long!!!!! What's it called you ask? Save the Whales of course!

Thursday, September 13, 2007

"It's As Easy As 1-2-3!"



I'm sure you have seen all these commercials about opening bank accounts lately.

"It's simple and easy!"

"Customize your new account!"


What? It was the farthest thing from easy today! And options? Who wants options I just want you to take my money put it in a new "account" and then let me know when I will be able to use my money.

Which reminds me. I really don't like that you can't access YOUR OWN money the first day of opening a checking account. I really just wanted to say.. "But it's mine." and "I want it today."

No, I didn't need it so of course I couldn't make some ridiculous seen in the Wells Fargo branch off of loop 288. But let me say the thought sat in my mind wanting to be heard. I hushed it of course to keep myself from being a ridiculous public scene maker, which is something I've always prided myself on not being. But what if I did need my money. How would I get to it? Would I have to break into an ATM? Would I have to learn how to be a con-artist/thief like the guys from oceans 11,12 and 13? And would they have taught me enough to make my breaking and entering successful? Probably not. Although those movies do make me feel a little more confident about thieving if I was ever going to do it. But to put all yours minds to rest, I will not be committing any ha nus crimes.

And there was all this talk about rewards, bill pay, credit cards... and so on. I had to sign an electric signature board every time I needed to sign something. Whatever happened to paper? Do people use that anymore? Do I have a record of this new account that I just opened? Because physically nothing about this account exists.
Of course with this account came online banking. Which may I say I love. I'm a fan because I like to check my lack of money everyday. It's depressing but realistic. But with online banking comes a "screenname" and of course a "password." Now I don't know about anyone else but I'm screennamed and passworded out! Let me just name off the things that I have to have DIFFERENT passwords and screennames for... AOL, AIM, MYSPACE, FACEBOOK, CITIBANK, CITICARD, WEBCT, EAGLEMAIL, this BLOG...really, it's endless. And today I had to add another set to my growing group of blahness that actually has started to control my money, education and well.. friends. They are consuming my life! I don't remember all of them and I think I'm smart enough to so I don't write them down. So I have to change passwords weekly. This is too much I can't take it. When did all of this online control come about? And when is it going away? I decided I don't like it!

So, I'd just like to say that my banking trip wasn't fun. I have no money until tomorrow. And I now have one more screenname/password that I wish to get rid of.

In other news... I finally took a movie back to blockbuster before it was due. This is a major accomplishment for anyone who knows me. My past blockbuster criminal record includes.. a 248 day late In Good Company and the most recent.. A VERY late The Good Sheperd and Catch & Release this one really hurt the bank, it left me $40 poorer. So kids, the moral of the story, return those movies! They really can block (you from renting) or bust (you and take your hard earned money) ya!






Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Is This Odd?

Starting this blog I realized I probably should let you know a little bit about me. Here is some of the little odd things about me.

- I am a Will & Grace lover! I have seen EVERY episode a million times and still can't get enough of it. I don't like being home later than 10 o clock because that means that I miss Will & Grace. When I say that people think I'm ridiculous and remind me "THEY'RE RERUNS!" It's like my mind doesn't understand, I just can't get enough of little Jackie and Karen.

- I carry my planner with me everywhere pretty much. I write everything in it even ridiculous stuff, I like to think that if I have it all written down nothing will come out of left-field and shock me, but I'm wrong because I've NOW learned that not everything can be planned, which may I say is a tad unfortunate.
- I'm crazy about towels! I don't know why. It doesn't matter that I have all the towels I need in the world, for some reason when at a store that carries linens I want to go see what they have and see if it's better than what I already have. If so, I purchase them and add them to my ever-expanding collection.
- I can't pass by an antique store without stopping in it or making sure I come back to it. Funny thing is, I rarely buy anything unless it's absolutely a must have. But I just love looking.
- I love to cook!
- I sing in the car. But unlike normal people I don't turn the music up really load when I sing to drown out my voice. I like to keep it low enough so I can see if I sound good. Normally, I don't.
- I love Fall and Spring (Fall because it's cool, Spring because it's my birthday)
- I think that winter clothes are much more me than summer clothes. I love wearing coats, scarves and hats.
- I love finding new music that people I know don't know. I don't like to share it when I find it either, that's probably one of the most selfish things I do.
- I have a best friend. She makes me smile. She calls me Poodle. And she's a nut, but that's why I love her so much.
- I love randomness.
- I chipped my tooth on a piece of bread once, no lie.
- I don't like indecisiveness.
- And I love love.

Walking In High Heels On Campus Is Crazy!!!! Isn't It?



I have always always always thought that girls that wear high heels on campus are absolutely ridiculous!

Who is their right mind would do that?! That's just asking for blisters, walking funny by the end of the day, and it's undoubtedly asking for someone like me to make fun of you in my mind when you walk past me.

I have always been a flip flops or sneakers girl while on campus, I see no reason not to wear something comfortable when you are walking miles a day.

Even if you have a presentation that requires heels I don't know why you wouldn't just carry those 3-inch high stilettos in your purse and then just change into them when needed.

But today I was one of those girls. Yep. It wasn't on purpose believe me.


Today was part one of the career fair. So I of course had to dress up which is something I don't do for school.

Don't get be wrong I do get dressed in the mornings, I do my hair and makeup and all that. But never do I wear dress pants and heels.

Today I did.

Today I almost died.

Today I bet someone who saw me said, "That poor girl, why would she wear heels?"


So all of this seems tragic I know but.... I think I got the best workout I've had in a while standing on those 3-inch high devils struttin' around campus trying to act like my calves, thighs, and littlest pinkie toe didn't hurt.

Maybe those girls know what their doing prancing around in heels, maybe they are just toning those legs. So I say, tone away... tone away. I on the otherhand, will continue living my life in comfort in my way too worn out American Eagle flip flops.


In conclusion, today was painful.

Newbie




This is my first official post as a blogger!
Yey! I've been a fan of blogging for quite some time.
I have to give praise to Mitzi for that, she discovered some pretty cool blogs and got me addicted to reading about other people's lives.
Yes.....I know that's a tad pathetic. But it's really fun and interesting.

I'm creating this blog for friends and family to know what's going on in my life and to help brighten their day!