Obama budget cuts???

This you tube video breaks down Obama's "budget cuts" to show us visual learners what he means when he says he is going to cut government spending by 100 million dollars.  It is worth a look.  You may be as blown away as I was.  Gee, all this "change" is making me feel better.  Ha.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWt8hTayupE

Good-bye Anoop :(

Tonight was the night. The sad night on American Idol.  Anoop made his exit in the top 6 double elimination.  His final comments included this phrase: "On the bright side, I get to go back to Chapel Hill."

That is part of the reason I love this kid!  AND I don't have to watch that stupid show anymore! I am over AI! AND i no longer have to spend 2 hours voting each week! Yay!  Anoop will go on to do great things anyway! I still heart AnoopDogg!

25 Things...

1. I am very, very picky. I hate things like mayonnaise, ranch, mustard, tomatoes, my food touching, etc., etc., and eat everything plain and well done.

2. My Favorite place to eat is Chile Verde (or Rojo...whatever) and i ALWAYS order a Chicken Fajita Quesadilla, no tomatoes, no sour cream, of course. My second favorite is Chick-fil-a and I could eat at these two places every single day.

3. I HATE spiders. They are the creepiest things to me and i have had more than one nightmare about them crawling on me. Google bird eating spider and you may have nightmares too!

4. I am marrying my best friend in July and i am looking forward to our amazing life together. I am also gaining a wonderful 2nd family and could not ask for anything more.

5. I am not a 'Bridezilla'. I have not done a wedding related thing is quite awhile and most of the little details do not matter to me. I have yet to pick out invitations, centerpieces, a cake, flowers, etc... and I am not all that worried about it. I am excited about the wedding, but I am just more excited about the marriage.

6. I am about to move to eastern North Carolina. Most likely Rose Hill, home of the World's Largest Frying pan. (Seriously!) Before Clayton, I would have sworn that i would never live past Raleigh. I don't really know why... it's not that bad ;)

7. I was born in Chapel Hill and lived there for the first 18 months of my life. I miss it everyday and it will always be one of my favorite places. The 4 years i spent in college there were way too short! I am definitely Tar Heel Born and Bred. 

8. I love the summer. It is warm and i have 2.5 months off of school. And soon, i will be much closer to the beach!

9. I yell way too much and get way into basketball games. Like yelling at the refs and screaming way too loud. Hopefully I won't embarrass Clayton too much at his games next year!

10. I love pictures and scrapbooking. Yes, some may think that that is a dumb hobby, but i love to look back at my many scrapbooks and remember all the good times and good friends I have had in my life.

11. Dean Smith spoke to me (and Jennifer) personally after our Graduation. We were walking out of Kennan Stadium and he walked by and talked to us for a moment. I wish i took a picture!

12. Roy Williams came into The Loop during Krista's birthday dinner and was kind enough to talk to us AND i did get a picture!

13. I always get my hair cut at places like GreatClips. I guess i am cheap... but after next summer, i am going to break down and actually make an appointment at a decent salon like most normal people.

14. I really haven't minded living at home for the past two years. My parents are not annoying and i have been able to save a lot of money. That being said, I am really excited to get my own little house and actually feel like a grown-up.

15. I am a horrible speller. At school I am always afraid that when i am writing on the board i am going to misspell something. And its not like my kids would even know. They are 5 and can't read (well, not that well yet) There are probably a ton of errors in this note.

16. I am secretly terrified of going into debt. The movie "Pursuit of Happyness" made me so stressed out. I don't have a credit card. And i am going to make Clayton in charge of paying bills.

17. I cry really easily. I cry at any sad/happy/sappy movie, commercial, song, and ESPN story about some miraculous sports thing.

18. I love frozen margaritas and Duplin wine. If we get the house i want, we will live 1.5 blocks from Duplin winery... yay!

19. I love Grey's Anatomy, The Biggest Loser, and Army Wives. I watch other shows when i am walking on the treadmill or am bored.

20. I used to hate to exercise, but after making myself do it for about a month, I have come to enjoy it. It is me time and it makes me feel so much better. 

21. I have awesome siblings. Ashley and McKenzie are 2 of my favorite people and i am really happy that we are friends. I am looking forward to gaining 2 new "siblings" soon. Hams is great and Nolan is pretty alright too. :)

22. I don't like to talk on the phone that much. And that makes it hard to keep in touch with people as much as i would like too. Sometimes i feel like that makes me a bad friend.

23. I take my memory foam pillow with me everywhere i go, even if i know that the place has its own pillows. I just like it best. 

24. I am not a morning person at all. I hit the snooze 4 or 5 times and never want to get up. But after i sleep late, i am mad at myself for wasting the day away.

25. I love doing arts and crafts type things... again, another old person hobby, but i enjoy being creative and making things.


Wheww... I am glad i could think of 25 things!

Wonderful Weekend Recap!

This past weekend Clayton and I had our first official wedding party.  His aunts and cousins threw us a dinner party at Duplin Winery! We headed to Chapel Hill on Friday and had a great night out and about and then headed east on Saturday.  We went to the music at the winery first, and then, after freshening up, to the party. 

It was an amazing time!  All most all of our college friends made the trip from all over to celebrate with us. Most of my MA girls came to celebrate too! Stacie even came from Puerto Rico!!! (Well, she was in Va. for something, but still, she drove 5 hours to celebrate with us!) Not to mention all of our families were there too! I couldn't have been happier on Saturday. I really don't think I stopped smiling the whole night.  We ate dinner, watched some adorable pics of me and Clayton growing up, drank some (ok, a lot!) of wine, and then danced the night away. Cupid Shuffle, Soulja Boy, etc! After the wine ran low and the party slowed down, we headed over to the Mad Boar (aka the Pissed Off Pig) for the "after party"!  It was a great, fun night with almost everyone I could have wanted there! If the fun-ness of the party is any indication, I can not wait for the wedding! It's gonna be a blast!!!

Thanks Winston!

"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.  ~Winston Churchill" 

This quote totaly explains my day.  It has been a rough week back at school.  Honestly, I didn't want to be there, and I was assistant-less for most of it. The kids were whiney, I was crabby, and it seemed like no one was even listening to me. When I finally got home, after a gazillion parent meetings, I have been drained-unmotivated to do the smallest task. I felt miserable.

Yesterday, at my 3 hour long ILT meeting (which I, of course, dreaded for days) our leader said something that really spoke to me.  I don't remember exactly what it was, but it reminded me that MY attitude, tone, behavior, etc, affected the way my kids behaved, and they way I perceived the day.  Yep, I have been causing my own problems all week. 

This morning, the sun was shinning and I decided that my attitude was going to be different.  And it was. And today was much better.  No, not everyone was perfect, and some parts were still frustrating, but i walked in the door @ 5:30 (yes, 5:30) and have felt great all afternoon!  Yay Attitude!  I think I will go for a walk/jog, make some dinner, and Grey's Anatomy it up with a glass of Duplin Wine! 

And tomorrow is Friday! 

"Attitudes are contagious.  Is yours worth catching?"  ~Dennis and Wendy Mannering

"Work is either fun or drudgery. It depends on your attitude. I like fun." ~ Colleen C. Barrett

Knock, knock...Martha, are you in there???

For the past couple of months I have been thinking about household responsibility.  Cleaning, cooking, dishes, laundry, and the like.  And it makes me kinda nervous.  My room is a mess.  Clothes are everywhere, clean, dirty, unknown, all strewn about the room. The bed is never made.  I haven's seen 1/3 of it since May 2007.  The bathroom counter is covered with hair and make-up stuff and the laundry piles up mid way to the ceiling before i finally take it to the wash, where 95% of the time my mom does it.  That is a little embarrassing. But i don't do much to relieve her of that duty because, well, I HATE CLEANING. I don't like to vacuum, dust (hey, it makes me sneeze!), do the tub and tiles, or wash and fold the clothes.  I don't like to sweep. I despise doing dishes.   

In 100 days I will be married and responsible, at least in part, for all of these dreaded chores.  Part of me is hoping that my inner Martha Stewart comes flooding out with the I-Do's... but the realistic side of me knows that is less than likely to happen.  I mean, when I was in college, my room was messy (nothing like it is now!), but I did keep the laundry under control and the rest of the house in pretty good shape.  So, that gives me hope that because it is MINE I will feel more of a desire to present a clean and tidy home.  I want to keep it nice and clean.  But the fact of the matter is that when i get home from school, the last thing i wanna do is clean.  And for the past year i have been spending 8 hours of the weekend driving, so Saturday and Sunday are out for cleaning.  

Oh well, I sure hope hubby-to-be doesn't mind the mess from time to time, because it's gonna take some will power to change my non-cleaning ways. :)  And, maybe, just maybe, having 8 extra hours a weekend will give me a few moments to clean the house!

My Hobby :)

I love picture and i love being crafty... so scrapbooking is the perfect hobby for me! I love how the papers and colors and embellishments add flavor to the photos.  And I LOVE looking back at past pages and remembering the good times! These are just some semi-recent pages I have done. :)

RANT: American Idol

So, I have never been a big American Idol fan.  I didn't watch Kelly Clarkson, I don't like the horrible try-out rounds, and I barley took note the season with 3 NC folks.  But as soon as I heard about Anoop Desai, UNC Clef Hanger alum and adorable Indian dude from Chapel Hill, I was hooked (this season at least).  Long story short, I like him.  He can sing. He is cute in a goofy way. He went to Carolina. He sang at my College Graduation (hey, how many people can say that an American Idol sang at THEIR graduation???)  

But, this season, being the avid fan that I am (now), I have been very interested in how the show works.  And my opinion of the show is plummeting every week.  The judges are horrible (who is Kara Diaguardio anyway???) and biased. They act like it is their job to pick on the select few who they deem "not marketable." But if you criticize the blind guy's singing ability, you might seem heartless.  Gee, I didn't think it was a SEEING contest. Sight should be irrelevant. The judges seem to pick on the same contestants week after week no matter how well they do, while some who fail time after time skate by with barely a negative comment. And anyone who thought that Adam Lambert's "Ring of Fire" sounded good, needs to have their hearing examined.

I am by no means saying that Anoop is the best. I have no illusion of grandeur that he will sneak up on America and win.  And on most days, Adam sounds great.  He will win, hands down. Albeit, he has had plenty of help from the judges.  He can do no wrong in their eyes.  He makes MY eyes hurt, but I guess I don't matter that much. Ha.  

When all is said and done (after I have voted my heart out without success), and Anoop goes home, I will have 4 extra hours every Tuesday and Wednesday; because they are biased; because they are money hungry; because I refuse to believe Adam Lambert is the best the USA has to offer; but most of all, because I am not an American Idol fan-I am an Anoop fan.

Wordless Wednesday

photo by Carly Brantmeyer

http://www.carlybrantmeyer.com

Tar Heels = National Champions!!!

THEY DID IT!!!! Yep, the Tar Heel boys met, and even exceeded all expectations.  They led for all but ~10 minutes of the NCAA tourney... and they brought another Championship to UNC!!!! (for those counting, thats 6!)  Tyler Hansbrough and the Heels have been kicking a$$ and breaking records all seasons and he will be missed greatly next year!  Actually all the seniors will be greatly missed-Danny Green and his dancing for one.  I was at Carolina for their freshman and sophomore years and I am so proud of the success they have had. They only thing that could make this night better is to back in Chapel Hill, jumping and screaming in the streets with a million other Carolina fans.  Man, I miss that place. 

This quote pretty much sums up how you feel about Chapel Hill after you spend 4 amazing years in that place that is unlike any other.

"Down through all the years of your lives, wherever you may go, your heart will always beat just a bit faster when you hear the symphonic syllables: Chapel Hill."

- WT Carmichael Jr, 1950 Yackety Yack

Tar Heel Born.

Tar Heel Bred.

GO HEELS!

Tyler- You will be missed! 

Go Heels!!!!

There is nothing finer than being in Carolina... especially when the Heels are in the Final Four, I am in Chapel Hill, and the skies are Carolina Blue!!! Can't wait for the game to start! Then, if (when) there will be bonfires in the street and a sea of the best color on the planet. Hopefully the Tar Heels will go all the way! Then Carolina will have won a national championship when my dad was in college at UNC, when I was in college at UNC, AND when my brother was in college at UNC!!!