Ice Princess

Today is ice day #3. I remember the days back in elementary school when we had several days off from school due to inches of snow and slick roads, but a sheet of ice such as the one still covering Indianapolis sidewalks, cars, homes, and even many streets days later is something unlike anything I've ever seen. I've had a good chuckle at the newscasters the past few days as they have talked about it from every angle until it seems there is nothing left to say about the winter storm. Nonetheless, I to agree that it has been a pretty big ordeal for our city and state.

Yesterday my roommates and I ventured out the front door in an attempt to clear our cars and take a look around. After a half hour outside, all three of us had fallen as had one of the mail ladies after a postal service vehicle got stuck. Nothing like walking on a street that could serve as an ice skating rink! Two broken ice scrapers later, we had made headway on our car windows. I couldn't believe the two inch thick ice that clung to my windshield. I'm still working on it or waiting for it to melt away. I am anxious to see what tomorrow will bring. Although three days off from work has been a pleasant surprise, I am ready to get back to it. There are only so many things to do at home after so many hours of free time...

If I thought our last snowfall had me wishing for spring and summer, let me tell you that this desire has only multiplied. I'm thinking thoughts of planting flowers, swimming, volunteering at church camp, and music. My roommates and I bought our country megaticket just the other morning. We are looking forward to seeing a number of oustanding country artists throughout the course of the summer including Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, Brad Paisley, Jason Aldean, Toby Keith, and Tim McGraw. Bring on those summer days and summer nights!

Joyful Fashion

Well I lucked out. Mother nature decided to drop ice, snow, and rain on central Indiana this evening resulting in no school/work for me tomorrow. It's so convenient to know about school cancellations the night before instead of waking up that morning and eagerly sitting in front of the TV or computer screen with your fingers crossed. I can't say that I want any more of this wintery weather, but I will admit that a day of sleeping in and time to work on grading and reading sounds mighty fine to me. Anyhow, a free day for me tomorrow also gives me the luxury of staying up later tonight. What better time to add another blog post than now?

I want to dedicate this blog post to some fabulous and unique jewelry that I discovered a few months ago. While glancing through the articles in my national Chi Omega sorority magazine, I spotted an article about a sister in Texas who started a non-profit organization which caught my eye. This organization, be.the.joy, sells vibrantly colored jewelry such as necklaces and bracelets made by Ugandan women out of magazine paper. The organization calls this jewelry heart beads. The thing that really sparked my interest was the fact that the proceeds of the sales go toward helping fund the education of Ugandan girls. As a teacher, this made me want to support such a worthy cause. After ordering a necklace, I was not disappointed in the least. The craftmanship of the necklace was excellent, and it was more beautiful than I even expected. I ended up buying several other necklaces for a few of my friends' Christmas gifts.


Check out be.the.joy's website . Support a worthy organization and fellow women in our world. Not only will you have the satisfaction of giving the gift of education, but you will also find an absolutely beautiful and unique fashion accessory to add to your collection.
(Photo courtesy of be.the.joy's facebook page.)

Right Out Your Back Door

Sometimes I find it amazing how many interesting places you can find nearly in your own backyard. Although I could make a lengthy list of all the places I hope to travel in the future, I lately have been trying to explore locally. This weekend I went on a fun afternoon outing with my boyfriend and another couple we are friends with to a winery just south of Indianapolis, Mallow Run Winery and Vineyard. I was excited to find it located off a country road and behind a cornfield. I definitely felt right at home. We first entered the upper level of the winery in which there is a tasting room coupled with a number of tables for casual dining. Downstairs we found a heated tent filled with tables and enjoyed the musical talents of a group called Acoustic Catfish. We had a wonderful time chatting, listening to the music, and appreciating this neat jewel tucked just off the beaten path. Perhaps we will make another trip there later this year. My friends, while chatting with one of the employees, learned that customers can come help harvest grapes. What an interesting experience that would be!

I've been very fortunate these past few months to take part in many of Indianapolis's unique experiences. Lucky me to have such a creative and fun boyfriend! Some of my favorite dates have been a Colts game, dinner and a Christmas show at Beef & Board's, rock climbing, and Christmas at the zoo. Who knows what adventure we will find ourselves on next!

Warmer Inspiration

During the months of November and December, I'll be one of the first to bound out the door and marvel at the beauty of snowflakes dancing toward the ground. After Christmas however, my desire for snow is complete and I am ready to move onto the next season. Unfortunately, January and February usually have the last word. They most certainly have this year with an unusually large quantity of snowfall. In response to today's snow that fell consistently during the day, I am posting a little picture inspiration to get my mind on warmer weather and the beautiful vibrant colors of summer. It won't be long until the summer months arrive and the bright sunshiny yellow sunflowers will be blooming back home!

Savvy Saver

Since I had the day off today, it seemed like a good day to make a trip to the grocery. I must admit that grocery shopping is not on my list of favorite activities, but it was much more enjoyable when I was able to take my sweet time and peruse the aisles. After placing the last few items in my cart, I strolled along the row of checkout lines trying to determine which would lead me to the quickest exit route. You know the game we all play. Well, let's just say that I wasn't a winner today. I chose a line with only one customer ahead of me, but after putting my groceries on the belt, I realized that this fellow shopper was apparently stocking up for the end of the world. After reminding myself that patience is a virtue, I began to watch the process going on between the customer and cashier in front of me. My attitude changed to one of respect when I noticed that the woman had first of all brought a number of reusable shopping bags and that she was quite the coupon clipper. She was not only environmentally conscious but also financially smart too! I will say that I only occasionally use a coupon, but I have to admire those who take the time and have developed the skills to deduct a large sum of money from their bill. I think I will make it my goal over the next few weeks to begin searching for coupons before going to the store. We'll see if I can turn myself into a savvy saver after all.

P.S. - Advice welcome and wanted from any skilled coupon users!

An Old-Fashioned & Classic Girl

As much as any other person in my generation, I'm appreciative and used to the convenience in our society. I quickly Google a product I'm looking to buy and with a few clicks of the mouse, it will be shipped to my house in days. After a long day I may not feel up to cooking so I pop a Lean Cuisine in the microwave instead as a satisfactory substitute. However, I do have an appreciation for a slower and more old-fashioned way of life. As one of the women in a Bible study at church confirmed one evening when discussing the average age of the participants, I fit in well because I am an old soul at heart. (I'll take that as a compliment.)

I find this quality of myself to show through in my shopping habits as well. When looking for clothes, I am more likely to lean more toward classic as opposed to cutting edge and trendy. I jokingly tell my mom that her style is more hip than mine. I was also shopping online for a tea kettle as a Christmas gift from my dad to me just the other day. For starters I realize that perhaps a tea kettle is a strange item for a girl in her 20's to even be shopping for; however, shopping for it I was. As I browsed through websites and pictures, I found myself drawn to more classic models as opposed to the sleeker and more modern versions. As of yet I'm still on the search for the tea kettle I have pictured in my mind that is coupled with a good set of reviews for durability by other purchasers. Suggestions are welcome from fellow tea lovers.

A few models that have sparked my interest (the jury is still out for me as to whether they will be of the best quality):

*(Le Creuset Whistling Teakettle)
*(Copco Cambridge Tea Kettle)

In addition to going the old-fashioned route when it comes to drinking tea, I also had a couple of discussions with both my brother and my boyfriend concerning the gifting popularity this year of electronic reading devices such as the Nook and the Kindle. I am very intrigued by these gadgets, yet as an avid reader I feel that I would almost be cheating on my love of books by joining the ranks and adding it to my wish list. Call me crazy, but there is just something about physically curling up with a blanket and an actual book that evokes relaxation and peacefulness in my life. Perhaps if I were a frequent traveler or businesswoman I might find multiple uses for it in my daily life. No, the teacher in me and traditional nature of myself draw me right to the bookshelves of the library or my favorite bookstore, Barnes and Noble. Maybe down the road I will be convinced that one of these would be useful in my life, but for now I am going to stick with my usual, the preferences of an old-fashioned and classic girl.

The inner battle of a reader: traditional or technological?

*(One of my favorite classics, Pride and Prejudice.)
*(Although quite impressive, I'm not yet ready to convert to the Kindle.)

That One Sweet Silent Night

And there were shepherds living out in the field nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."
Luke 2:8-12

The Christmas season is definitely in full swing with only about a week and a half until the 25th arrives. The last days of school leading up to break have been keeping me busy and Christmas shopping has been happening slowly but surely. It has been a wonderful holiday season full of festive activities. Amidst it all, I refuse to be caught in a whirlwind of simply secular celebration. The message at church this past Sunday brought me back to a passage I have read and learned about since I was a small child, that of the shepherds who received news of the first and most precious Christmas gift. It's easy for me to breeze through such a familiar story, but I think this would be foolish. Instead, I want to share why I believe this is such an unusually beautiful piece of the Christmas story.

It was a routine, regular night for these shepherd men. I imagine that they were fairly simple men, perhaps quiet as they laid beneath a blanket of starry sky. What a sweet, silent night. All of a sudden, God sent an angel to appear to them with a jubilant message. This in itself astounds me. If I were one of the shepherds, this alone would have been the experience of a lifetime. God had sent an angel to speak a special message to me. Wow, an evening to remember and tell about for generations. God was only getting started. This angel preceded to share with the men news that would change the course of history. God had come to Earth. He had sent His Son, Jesus, to live and walk among His people, to love us, to teach us, to heal us, and to save us. Emmanuel, God with us. The shepherds quickly left to find this precious baby, their Savior. I can only imagine what it must have been like to have the opportunity these men were given, to gaze into the face of a beautiful baby knowing that He was my Lord. Thinking about it in these terms, it's no wonder that so many Christmas songs have been written, each attempting to capture the beauty and holiness of this wondrous night, the first noel.

This holiday season, take a moment to appreciate the depth and meaning of that very first Christmas when God sent us a gift like no other, a baby to save the world.