A Cliche Post

It is Thanksgiving Day and currently i am watching the Macy's Day Parade. i try to watch it every year when i remember to turn it on. For this post i am going to be a little bit cliche and write a list about what i am most thankful for.

1. Friends- especially you all fellow  twenty somethings.

2. My relationship with Jesus- i thank God for this everyday because without him i would be nothing.

3. My bed- it has green sheets and is quiet comfy.

4. My church family- a bunch of people who started out as strangers who are now some of the closest people i have.

5. Berea- My higher education has been an interesting journey to say the least.

6. Food- nuff said.

There are many more things i am thankful for that fit into various categories but these are the ones that stand out most to me in this present moment. A reminder as you are going about your busy days, remember the little things and big that make it possible for you to be where you are at right now. i hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Graduation

I'm currently at school right now, but the students are writing essays. It's going to be a long day considering all of the classes have work days today for various projects. Tomorrow is my last day here. It's a bittersweet feeling; part of me is ready to go and part of me will miss these teenagers. I'm so excited to have some free time, but I'm also worried about feeling purposeless. It will be great the first couple of weeks, but by the time Christmas "break" is over I'll be ready to get back to doing something productive.

Meanwhile, I'm preparing for graduation. People keep asking me if I'm nervous or excited. I'm sure other Tidbits writers can relate. I'm both. It's a big milestone in my life which is exciting to finally reach, but it's also a scary idea to think that now I'm expected to figure out my life. I don't know what to do with my life. I've got ideas, but I don't know how to start acting on these ideas.

A List of Things I'd Like to Do (in no particular order)
1. Learn ASL
2. Read a ton of books.
3. Get closer to God
4. Get closer to my friends
5. Be crafty
6. Sing a solo
7. Open a after-school center
8. Get married (eh maybe)
9. Be an amazing teacher
10. Write a book
11. Own rocking chairs
12. Travel to London again
13. ....It could keep going.

How am I supposed to know where to start first?

Those are my current musings. For now I'm just finishing these last two days here, completing the exit portfolio, and watching Netflix.

-Granny Eyre

Knitting My First Baby Blanket

As I mentioned in a previous post, I've been getting back into knitting. I've been knitting since I was 10 or 11, but it hasn't been a steady hobby since that age. I've made scarves mainly and have never gone too far beyond them. So..when my Mom suggested I make a baby blanket for my beau's sister, I was excited to get back into this hobby and make something sweet for my beau's future niece. I went to the shower last weekend and his sister and their family all loved it, which was very rewarding after spending so much time working on it. If you're interested in the pattern for this cute and easy blanket, go here! It's super simple: all knitting and it includes a cute border around the edge. So...here it the blanket!

Making handmade items and using them for yourself is always a nice feeling, but it's even nicer to see someone else being able to use and appreciate something you've made. So, I've also been trying to start making more knitted items (especially with Christmas right around the corner), but I have yet to start on anything else. When I can get some help from the master knitter, my momma, I will be able to start on some new items..which I hope to keep you posted on! :) 

-The Farmer's Daughter

SNOW!

I love the idea of waking up to snow. After hearing about the snow predictions coming I was excited to see the results of the snow slowly piling up this morning. I also got to hear the soft taps of the snow falling on the roof at 5AM when my little pup, Nova, woke me because she wanted to go downstairs. I wasn't excited to be woken up so early, but I was happy to fall back asleep to the calming sound of the snow on the tin while cuddled up under several blankets.

I hope everyone else was also pleased to wake up to the winter...I mean fall..wonderland. My mother was off from school of course, so we took a walk in the woods this afternoon (one of our favorite snow-day activities). The dogs really enjoy running in the snow, eating it, and playing together in it. The llamas seemed to be shivering, they shouldn't have been cold though with their thick fleeces. Chester, the bunny, was sitting in the snow, unaffected by the cold. And you know I enjoyed it... Well, I just wanted to make this short post (between studying) and share some photos from my snow day. What did you get into today?

-The Farmer's Daugther

Respect

Today I was given an arm band, think yellow livestrong for this. (Quick side note for those of you who do not know, I really like arm bands. They give me an opportunity to connect with others I believe.) The giver told me to think about myself when I looked down and saw the band looped around my arm. I kind of thought the giver was a little strange for giving me the band and I honestly did not think I would put it on, but I told her thank you and pocketed the band anyway. The band has written on it one simple word, RESPECT. There first thing that comes to my mind when seeing or hearing that word is that Aretha Franklin song here, you know the one I’m talking about. Google will pop up about 221,000,000 hits if you search the word respect. That is huge! How does one word have that much information? This post has a point but to see the point you have to try and follow along with me. So here it goes.  How often on any given day are you given a chance to show respect to a stranger, a close friend, a brother, a sister, a mother, a father, a teacher, a student, a co-worker, an employee, a child, yourself? The list could go on and on. From my own experiences with respect, I tend to give people around me a lot of it. I believe that everyone deserves respect. It is not something to be earned like a medal or an award. You deserve respect and that’s what you’ll get from me. You can however lose respect. It takes a very talented person to lose respect in my book and only a couple of people are in that book. My biggest challenge is respecting myself, the person God created. So today and everyday hence forth I am going face this challenge head on and respect the person God created me to be and all the other people, places, and things God created. I challenge you to do the same. You may mess up and fail but keep on trying. RESPECT!

Gerund Phrases

I'm stealing this idea from Martha S. I like the format, and life is so busy that I rarely have time to write creative thoughts, which is why I haven't posted recently.

Thinking... these are all gerund phrases. :) You know, -ing words.

Feeling... a bit overwhelmed with the idea that very soon I will graduate

Watching... Gilmore Girls! Currently Captain Something Fun and I have been working our way through this series. It's funny and I wish I lived the life of Rory Gilmore.

Excited... about graduating and having free time to read and be crafty and write.

Missing... childhood when I had very few worries.

Reading... Macbeth at this very moment. I'm taking a short break from writing an exam over Acts I and II in order to write this blog. For fun I'm reading Eats, Shoots and Leaves which is a fun take on punctuation. It's hilarious! I also have several other books started. I have yet to finish a book this semester

Wondering... what I'm supposed to do with my future.

Working... on substitute teacher applications. It's a lot of work...paperwork that is.

Stressed... I've felt this word a lot this semester, but I'm not feeling it so much right now. I'm so close to being finished.

Proud... of my seniors who have been working so hard lately.

Wanting... so many things I don't really need.

Loving... life.

Thanking... God for life.

Okay. Back to the exam writing.

Granny Eyre

Another Random Update

Not much real exciting has been happening around here lately, which is one of the main reasons why I haven't been posting on the blog very often. Since graduation, I hardly ever get on my laptop, which makes it more difficult to stay in touch with everything that is going on. Now that I am finished making excuses, here are a few random comments about my life right now: 

1. I went to a few of the Homecoming activities this past weekend and decided that it feels weird to be back on campus. I didn't know many of the faces that I saw, and the ones I did recognize would make a little small talk and then walk away without saying anything. It was awkward, and I felt out of place. I realize now that some people are not meant to stay in your life forever and to be very grateful for those who are. As my dad always says, "If you have one true friend, then you have more than your share". I am lucky to have a great group of girls that I can call my true friends.
2. A lady mistook Tim to be my dad yesterday. He was talking to her about how he was so far away from home because he came to visit me. She said, "Your daugher?". He was like, "Actually, she's my girlfriend". I could tell that the lady was mortified, but I felt a little insulted because she told him that I looked like I was about 13 years old! I guess it isn't a bad thing to look young, but I feel like nobody takes me seriously, because a) I'm female and b) I look younger than I actually am.  It's starting to drive me nuts. And yes, there is about an 8 year age difference between us, but still...he is nowhere near old enough to be my dad! (end rant). 
3. I really like the format that Martha S. used in her most recent blog post. I'm thinking about doing something similar to that soon...especially since it is that time of year when everyone stops to reflect on what they are most thankful for. 

A random picture of the chickens. 

In other news, I have acquired a new pet. Max is a registered Nigerian Pygmy Goat who was given to me as a gift by Tim! Who else's boyfriend gives them a goat as a present? Yeah, I know...everyone is jealous now, because a pet goat is what every girl wants haha...but in all seriousness, I love that little guy and am sad that my parents won't let me keep him here so that I can spoil him with treats all the time! He will come running up to me when I am outside and he lets me brush him. He is almost exactly like a dog, except for trying to eat my clothing and hair! 

My new pet, Max.

Ever since I was a child, I have wanted a paddle boat. My parents never would get one because they said that they were too expensive. Of course, we would finally be given one by the time that I am almost too old to enjoy it and when cold weather is approaching. However, that didn't stop me from taking it for a test run in the pond. My dad gave it a new paint job and I think it looks great. 

I think I'm gonna go for now, because that is all of the random updates that I can think about at the moment. I have been wanting to do some more baking, so maybe my next post will be about a pumpkin pie, or some Oreo balls (I haven't stopped thinking about then since Granny Eyre brought them to the Halloween party). 

Until next time, 

-Miss Ellaneous

Trial & Error, & Random

The Trial & Error

We had some very ripe bananas at the house this morning so I decided to make some pancakes that I'd seen on Pinterest with only three ingredients...egg, banana and some cinnamon. The "recipe" I followed didn't come with any instruction, so I just mixed 1 banana, 1 egg, & some cinnamon together and put it in the skillet. It may have been cook-error, but I wasn't very pleased with their consistency. The flavor wasn't bad, I just kept thinking about how they reminded me of scrambled eggs with banana and cinnamon in them. I just wanted to share this recent Pinterest semi-fail to say, if I were you, I wouldn't try making pancakes without flour.

I'm really excited...I've been making a baby blanket for my beau's sister. The baby shower is next weekend so I've been working extra hard on getting it done and this morning I basically finished knitting the rows, I just haven't bound off the stitches yet. This has been somewhat of a trial-and-error project because I've never knit a baby blanket before and I wasn't sure if I was going to have enough yarn to finish. Luckily enough, I do! I'll post pictures of the finished product soon! 

Other Events

1. This weekend...I grabbed a really good deal at Meyer's. I'm putting this out there in case anyone else is interested. Meyer's in Lexington had their raspberries on sale for 2/$1 for their 6 oz. cartons...which is a steal! I'm not sure, but I think other Meyer's may be having the same sale. Needless to say, I bought several packages and next on my list of things to do today is freeze most of those berries. 

I paid $3.50 for $27 worth of raspberries

2. The beau, Captain Something Fun, Granny Eyre and I played Rook before going to the Homecoming Block Party on Friday. It's always nice to play some Rook. 

 3. The fall colors are slowly fading, but my beau got this photo of Nova and I before all the leaves were gone! 

4. We got a cute photo yesterday with the new bunny. Just wanted to share it :) 

Well that's all she wrote, folks,

The Farmer's Daughter

-ing

I'm stealing this idea from a blog I recently started following. I thought it was a nice approach to a post. Also, I apologize in advance for any grammatical or punctuation errors. I am not proofreading this before I post. My bed and PJs are calling my name. Anyways, here goes! Enjoy.

Thinking... about how thankful I am to have such a wonderful mommy, as I just finished conversing with her on the telly. I am appreciative of our long talks with one another and the positive example she has set for me.

Feeling... pretty worn out. Today is Friday. A day where one typically takes the night off to relax and spend time with others. Today, I have had the pleasure of being very involved with a paper the majority of the day. When I haven't been slaving over my keyboard, I have been thinking about how I must return to it. Blargh.

Watching... my husband freak out because his cellular device may have Lollipop 5.0, the newest version of Android. Plus, he was linked in an ars technica article because he his device happened to be one of the first it got pushed to. He's definitely feeling like a kid in a candy store. See what I did there?

Excited... for the holidays! Although I think I've already expressed this in a previous post, I can't wait to spend time with family and friends this holiday season. I am blessed to have the close knit network that I do but I haven't got to spend nearly enough time with some of my nearest and dearest family members.

Missing... the warm weather already. Although I am ecstatic about almost everything from November to January (including the snow!), the cold weather + the torturous wind makes it hard to get out of my super cozy, heated blanket bed. Bring on the hot chocolate and [simulated*] fires.

*Truth: Hubs and I often play an app on our TV that looks, pops, and crackles like a fireplace fire.

Reading... lots of articles and notes about occupation, forearm and hand anatomy notes, blogs, and recipes!

Wondering... why I haven't went to bed yet. My eyes are sooo heavy. Also, what my work schedule for December is going to be. It may be my first time working on the holidays which I have mixed feelings about.

Working... on being less anxious and more relaxed, worrying less, getting plenty of rest, my Christmas shopping list (yes, I've purchased a few things already), and a dreadful life narrative paper.

Stressed... Let's not use that word. Being positive and opportunistic is an approach I'm trying to implement in my life.

Proud... of my sister for being able to manage everything on her plate this semester and remain sane. There are several more things but my brain is trying to shut down on me. Forgive it. Oh, of myself for making this post. Major accomplishment. Plus, two in a row. Beat that.

Wanting... a brand new car! It's much more exciting if you read it in the voice of Bob Barker by the way. And I'm only kidding. Who can afford that? Seriously. What I'm really wanting is warmth, rest, then several days to cook lots and lots of food! I have so many recipes waiting for me and no time to make them. Sigh.

Loving... Oh goodness. Throwing out the L-word. 1.) My husband for being such great support and letting me unload so many feels these past few weeks. It's been rough folks and he has truly been here to help pull me through. 2.) Sweet potatoes. I have been eating the heck out of them. 3.) Our mailman. He has been bringing so many exciting packages and notes our way recently. 4.) The Hypnotic candle we purchased at the Berea soap shop. It's almost burnt out-hint, hint!

Thanking... you all for finding creative ways for us to keep in touch and have a little fun. There's rarely a dull moment. That's for sure.

Enjoy your weekend! Goodnight.