Shopping is the New Aerobics

I have a confession. I am a shop-aholic. I love hitting every sale in every store around and shopping until either my wallet or myself is exhausted! There is just nothing like the feeling of *bambammin* down the mall with my high heels, dark jeans, and favorite lip gloss. Of course, in a pinch for time (because who would want to waste valuable shopping time!), a more casual approach works well too (such as the one I'm modeling in the pictures above : ). This time of year, shopping is even more enjoyable - the stores are festive in holiday lights and greenery, the strains of "White Christmas" and "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" warm the atsmophere, and everywhere the stores are crowded with shoppers all intent on the same thing - finding that perfect present for everyone on their list for the cheapest price before anyone else can grab it! Yes, there is just nothing like shopping. Considering my shopping obsession, therefore, it came as a bit of a shock when my mom actually outshopped me last weekend! :) We shopped all day and I came back with one bag and she came back with - well - see if you can count them in the pic above. But we had a marvelous time and even got a great workout. Because, yes, shopping is the new aerobics! : )

Pics from this weekend

Weekend Whirlwind

Another busy weekend come and gone! This weekend started off with a bang with my brothers' last home football game. It was senior night, so my brother Taylor was recognized, which was cool. It was an exciting and close game, but our team won 21-20! I was very excited. This win resulted in Sherwood's having its first winning season ever 6-4. So that made it doubly wonderful. My sister, Ashlyn, and good friend (and adopted sister!), Bethany Cook, drove from Greenville, SC to join us for the game and spend the weekend. It was a chilly night for South Georgia, so we brought out our sweaters and coats (in Sherwood colors of course!) and snuggled in for the game. Of course, we also kept warm by cheering and screaming and stamping our feet! By the time the game was over, our throats were sore and our voices hoarse. But it was worth it. I like to think that somehow all that cheering helped the boys to win the game. : ) (Although somehow I kind of think that all their grueling practices had more to do with it.) It was an especially exciting game for me because I felt that I had finally reached my goal - to be able to watch a football game and actually semi understand what was going on. I've never really gotten football - I mean, why in the world a bunch of guys would want to go out there and beat each other up is beyond me! I've never really understood what the whole big fascination in it was. Now take ice skating, ballet, or gymnastics. THOSE are worth watching. But I guess that's a post for another day. : )
We spent Saturday hanging out with Ashlyn and Bethany. We three girls hit the gym in the morning, then went to find clothes for our new and improved bodies, and finished out the day with a very boisterous family game of Catch Phrase (which is pretty much one of the coolest games ever!) and ice cream sundaes (which of course undid all the hard work in the gym that morning!).
Sunday, of course, was church. I got up earlier than normal to try and squeeze a little more practice in before my piano lesson that afternoon (I am continuing my music instruction with a teacher in Talahassee, FL who teaches at FSU and whom my teacher at Converse, Dr. Weeks, helped me find.) After church, we ate quickly before I left for my lesson and Ashlyn and Bethany left to go back to EI. I had been nervous about my lesson as it was only my second one and I wasn't quite sure what my teacher's expectations were. I never feel that I've practiced enough before my lessons, so I'm often nervous anyway. But, with a new teacher, it's especially scary because you don't know exactly how much they were expecting you to learn. But my lesson went fine, and I came back home with plenty to work on and renewed motivation to practice hard.

The rest of Sunday passed in a blur and now here it is a new week all over again! Counting the days until next weekend...

Sleep?? What's that?!

Sometimes I wonder when I'll have time to breathe again. And then I think I probably never will. Between working full time, helping my Mom as much as possible with the laundry, housework, cooking, and kids, keeping up with my own interests (piano lessons and practice, reading, my dog, etc.), working out, trying to be a supportive Big Sis by going to the boys' games, playing with the little ones, and encouraging them all to be all that they can be, spending time with God and trying to grow in my relationship with him, keeping up with other relationships like friends and grandparents, and somewhere in there, sleeping a little (yes, it is neccessary!), I just never seem to have enough time or energy to go around. However, I have to admit that I enjoy being busy and seem to have a knack for filling my schedule full to overflowing. The thing is, I don't think it will ever slow down. In the next couple months, I need to start working on my master's degree (online), which will add hours more of work to do each day. And sometime in the future, I want to get married and raise a family - no break there! So, I think I just had better get used to it. Because life is crazy and busy and hard and wonderful and breathtaking (literally!). But I love it.

Single does not equal Miserable!

If all my favorite people have one of these, then I'm going to have one too!! : ) I don't know how much time I will have to do this, but it looks like fun - SO, here it goes! I am an Official Blogger now. And in case anyone is wondering about the title, I wanted to point out that although I definitely want very much to have my own home, husband, and family some day, I am also very happy and fulfilled being single. So, that's why I chose this title. I am VERY blessed with a wonderful family, good job, and many interests that keep me constantly busy trying to figure out how to squeeze it all in!!! So, I am blessed - with singleness, and with so many other things. Thank you, Lord!