Seventeen Weeks

I saw this cute pregnancy survey on another blog and I thought it would be a fun way to keep track of this little baby bump. So here goes!

How far along? 17 weeks today! (I can't believe it's going so fast!)

How big is baby? Well according to my new favorite website Baby Center, the little one is about the size of a turnip this week and already 5 inches long. I know I'll look back on this and laugh, but that seems huge to me right now!

Total weight gain: Up 7 lbs at my appointment last week. I was expecting a lot more, considering I've been pounding donuts, so I'm pretty happy!

Christmas time!

Our town had a Christmas festival the other night so we bundled up and went down to check it out. The mayor gave a speech, the local choir sang Christmas carols, and the local dance studio performed The Nutcracker. There was hot chocolate, eggnog, coffee and cupcakes. And it was all FREE!!

The coolest part of the night happened when the entire crowd joined together to sing Silent Night. We all held these pretty little candles.

It was magical.

Grad School Disappointment

My first semester of graduate school is winding down and I can't help but feel disappointed in my experience so far.

It started out with a bang in August. I was so excited to actually start something I had been tossing and turning over for a long time. I wanted to jump in head first, so I quit my job and decided to dedicate myself to school full time. I felt like I was finally on the right track...But things went down hill pretty fast after the first few weeks.

The class I was most excited about turned out to be a complete joke. The professor for this course is unlike any I have ever met. While things started out on a positive note, it didn't take long for me to realize that this guy is absolutely crazy. He literally came to class one night furious because he was sick, but had to come anyway to teach us. I've never been lectured by a professor, but I seriously felt like I was getting scolded by my Grandpa, only this one is foreign and has a very strong accent.

That was only the beginning and things got worse from that point on. Since then, every class has been full of his personal opinions and anti-USA rants and raves. I can honestly say I have not learned one thing, other than what I'm getting out of my reading, which is pretty dismal. He spends every three hour class going over why he hates the US government, our military, and our traditions. Last week he spent a good half hour telling us why he hates Thanksgiving and that it's a silly little American holiday...

I'm completely disappointed and let down. I was so excited about this class and all the wonderful things I would learn. And now, as the semester draws to a close, I can't help but feel cheated. I'm not excited about graduate school anymore and I'm wondering if I made the right choice by leaving my old job for this...I know I shouldn't let this guy and this class throw me completely off track, but right now my heart just isn't in it...

Oh vey.

Live Life. I Dare Ya.

I have a confession to make: I'm addicted to thinking, but in a way that may be borderline unhealthy.

I'm an Over-Thinker, which means I have to weigh out the pros and cons of just about any decision-big or small-and I never stop thinking. I'm always thinking up some new and exciting career, or dreaming about what area of the world I'd like to see next. (And when I say next, I mean get on a plane tomorrow and go. I spend way too much time thinking about this one.) But the problem is being bold enough to act.

I've always admired those who can simply make a spontaneous decision and roll with it. I love the idea of 'living in the moment', but isn't always so easy. And when I say 'live in the moment' I mean live without hesitation, fear, or regret.

Going to Africa last year was me 'living in the moment'. It was a dream come true and an experience that taught me what it really means to seize the day. It means pushing aside fear and uncertainty in order to reach your dreams. It's an exhilarating rush and one that I've come to crave.


So why don't more people do this? Why is it so hard? I think society wants us to feel trapped by rules that we impose on ourselves and follow without question. We're taught the right thing to do is play it safe and float through life without creating too many ripples. We need that 9 to 5 to feel 'normal'. Don't take risks, color outside the lines, or break tradition. Listen to what others tell you to do and don't ask questions. Sure, you may have dreams but that's all they'll ever be.

That kind of life is my #1 fear. And it should be yours too. I don't want to be someone who constantly lives in stress and anxiety over the unknown. I want to take life by the tail, drag it behind me and show it who's boss. I want to take risks, pursue my dreams and break free from notions of impracticality. I want to live life on my own terms.

So tonight, as I ponder my own dreams and goals, I'd ask that you do the same thing. What is it that YOU want to do with your life? What dreams have you not yet accomplished? Are you happy? I'd encourage you to think about your reaction to these questions and squash any negative thoughts that creep in behind. Don't let yourself even go there. You'll probably start to stress out right away, because your conscious is telling you Nope, It Can't Happen, Move On. But here is your opportunity to give that guy a stiff slap across the face and Start Living Life.

Do it, I dare you.

P.S. If you need more motivation to get moving check out the lovely Ashley over at the Middle Finger Project.

Baking is Love.

I've been doing a lot of baking lately. While I am addicted to eating the little treats I create, I'm more in love with the whole process of it all.

Finding an old recipe my Grandma used years ago.

Gathering the ingredients.

Putting on a super cute apron.

Warming the oven and essentially the entire house.

Measuring (and obviously spilling) ingredients.

Mixing.

Taste testing. Many times over.

Scooping out perfectly sized treats.

Watching it take shape as it bakes in the oven.

Smelling the goodness that only baking can create.

Proudly displaying my creation.

It's a process I've come to adore. It's therapeutic, relaxing and rewarding. And I can't quite relate to someone who doesn't agree.