Update

Well, the time has come and we are officially moved in! Our apartment is way bigger than we expected. Three guys from church offered to move us and I will never be able to thank them enough. I have no idea how we would have done it without them. THANK YOU!  We are in and everything that is important is unpacked. 

Not only have we moved but I also have Shingles. It is without a doubt one of the most painful things I have ever gone through. Please pray, I am miserably! It has been a super stressful few weeks/days! 

2013 Book Survey

My goal from the second week I was in Haiti I decided to have a reading goal. I wanted to read 40 books by the end of summer, I didn't make it. I ended up with like 20 books by the end of summer and all together I have read like 30 books since June. Now, I know I didn't meet my goal but I am super proud of how much I have read lately, seeing how when I was growing up I was so terrible at reading. I didn't understand what I read, it took me forever to finish a book because I read so slow, and I hated doing it. I have decided that I am going to do a book survey that I came across on tumblr. Feel free to steal it because I didn't come up with it.

A-Author you have read the most books from. I would have to say JK Rowling because I just started reading Harry Potter this year (I know, I know, I am way behind)
B-Best Sequel Ever. Do the Harry Potter books count? If so it has to be Prisoner of Azkaban 
C-Currently Reading.I just started Notable by Marni Bates so are I am really liking it
D-Drink of choice while reading. My drink of choice is always coffee with hazelnut creamer
E-E-reader or physical copy-I like both, but since I get most of my books from libraries (because they are free) I would have to say physical copy
F-Fictional character you would have dated in high school. Ohh, there are a lot of them. I would say Owen from Just Listen, Logan from The Summer I Became a Nerd, Xander from The Distance Between Us, and of course Ronald Weasley from Harry Potter. Sorry for all the answers, I couldn't choose. 
G-Glad you gave this book a chance. Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern
H-Hidden Gem Book.. Dare You To I totally just ran across this book in the library and fell in love with it. It reminded me a lot of Perfect Chemistry
I-Important moments of your reading life. I think I would just say when I actually started enjoying reading, which was in high school thanks to my best friend who loved to read and encouraged me to read more.
J-Just finished. The Chase by Diann Mills (I just grabbed it from my stepmom's library because all my books were packed up in our storage unit.) It was actually really good
K-Kind of books you won't read. Sad ones....I will NEVER read My Sister's Keeper or The Fault in Our Stars
L-Longest book you have read-The Harry Potter books
M-Major book hangover because of...all of them...can I say that? If I had to choose one I would say Harry Potter, I know what a lame answer but, they just get to me!
N-Number of bookcases you own. None actually
O-One book that you have read multiple times- Just Listen
P-Preferred place to read. I literally can read anywhere but I love just laying on the couch in my pjs
Q-Quote from a book that inspired you/gives you feels. I can't pick just one
 R-Reading regret- Well if I don't like the book I won't finish it, some that I have not finished this year have been Anna and the French Kiss and Ruby Red
S-Series you have started and need to finish. Hunger Games
T-Three of you all time favorite books. To Kill a Mockingbird, The Summer I Became a Nerd, and Just Listen
U-Unapologetic fangirl for....Harry Potter
W-Worst bookish habit. Reading when I should be socializing 
V-Very excited for this release more than any other. I don't have one certain book but really anything from Sarah Dessen
X-X marks the spot (start on your bookshelf and count to the 27th book). I'm not home and everything I own is in storage
Y-Your latest book purchase. Notable
Z-ZZZ-snatcher (last book that kept you up way late). Notable (last night)

Happy Reading

My To Do List

I'm not sure why I have been thinking about this this morning but I have...the things I want to do before I die...is that morbid? Some of these are serious, some are possible, some are not, some are silly...so here it is.

(In no certain order)
1.Tell as many people as possible about Jesus
2. Have biological children
3. Have adopted children (preferably from Haiti)
4. Live in Haiti for at least a year
5. Swim with dolphins
6. Visit Argentina
7. Go on a road trip around the country
8. Cosplay at least once (don't know what cosplay is?....google it)
9. Play Cruella Deville in a play
10. Home school my children
11. Teach an acting class for children/teens
12. See Matt on a Big Stage
13. Go to a Young Adult book convention
14. Meet Stan Lee
15. Meet JK Rowling
16. Meet Laurie Halse Anderson
16. Have a niece or nephew
17. Be a Corgi parent
18. Work at a book store
19. Become an expert seamstress, like my grandma
20. See a show on Broadway
21. See Matt finish school
22. See Garrett & Dagger get married


These are the ones I can think of right now...I'm sure there are more. What is your "to do" list? I would love to see it!

Christmas Music

Okay, so this month I have been really thinking about how much I dislike Christmas music. I talked about it in our Vlog on Monday and I have been told I have no soul by my best friend who is a Christmas crazy person. She told me to listen to a certain song :

It is sooo beautiful!!!


I want to show you the songs I DO like so I don't seem like such a Grinch.
My favorite:

I just heard this one on the radio and really liked it :

I hope you enjoy them like I did!! I'm sure there are song I'm forgetting

Life is Always Good

The fact that it is already December is mind bottling (you know...like when your mind is in a bottle) get it? Anyway, today is December 3 which means that after today I have 17 work days left...woah! Then it is on to Edwardsville. We have finally gotten out of our house and are staying with my dad for the month of December to save some money them we will be on our marry way. 

I am just going to ramble in this post...I apologize. 

Snow White is over! We had a great turn out and it was great to get back on stage after taking a few years off! 

The witch who kept me beautiful and gave me the mirror and apple

I had to faint and the Prince caught me...it took forever for me to get this down. This picture looks like we are just pretending but we are not!

Thanksgiving was really great! We spent it with my two families and then went to Matt's parents house and his uncles and cousins were there. After we stuffed ourselves we went to Wal-Mart at like 6:30 that night, we are crazy people! Matt LOVES Black Friday! We didn't spent too much money! We ended up going to two different Wal-Marts, Kohls, and of course, Game Stop. While shopping we ran into some good friends!

Thanksgiving Morning

Wal-Mart at 8:00ish on Thursday night

Ran into Log!

My loot

 

Thurston wanted to play Ticket to Ride with us!

We starting moving the day after Thanksgiving...it was stressful but the weather was PERFECT moving weather. It was cool, but not cold and not too windy. PERFECT!

We all needed a break!

We were completely out of our house on Sunday! We are living with my dad and step mom now, and they don't decorate of Christmas AT ALL! We are staying in the basement and wanted some Christmas spirit so we put up the tree I bought for $13 two Black Fridays ago. I bought it cause I was living with my brother and they don't have the room for a big tree. I have little balls that go on it, but they are in box in a very full storage unit! 

2ft Pink Tree

Matt and I are narrating the Christmas Program at church this year. I directed the Children's Program last year so it was nice to not be in charge this year. 

Our friend Kevin gave us our Christmas gifts early this year. 

Mario Party for DS!

 
The St. Louis Blues are KILLING IT this year! Blues all the way! We are going to a game on the 19th!

Last night we helped pack Christmas bags to send to soldiers overseas. 

 Life has been super stressful but its good! Life is always good!!

Until next time...

I'm Thankful For...

It is time to be thankful! I am pretty much thankful for everything in my life but I want to list a few (or several) things that I am very very thankful for. (In no particular order) I am thankful for:

My husband...I often think how different my life would be if we had never met, and I don't like the outcome. He is my perfect half, we are a team.

God....for creating this world and creating me in His image

Jesus....without God sending His son Jesus to the cross my life would be meaningless and very very sad.

Books....I can't even imagine a life without books. Had I never been to Hogwarts, or District 12, or Neverland, or any other imaginary world life would be boring

Contacts....I am so blind and am so thankful I don't have to wear glasses all the time.

Weasley.....as silly as this sounds this little hamster has brought so much joy to my life.

My Family...of course.

Pickles...YUM

Apple Pie....YUM

Music....so many bands/songs have helped me get through different stages in my life or have helped me express things I could not put into words.

The Classic Crime....nuff said

Cars....I would hate to have to walk in the cold.

Cell Phones....I love being able to get a hold of people where ever I am

RadioU...I have something to listen to while I sit at work all day.

Theatre....the fact that I can be someone else for a few hours is the most amazing thing ever. People who don't appreciate live theatre are lame.

Movies and TV...a given

Homeschooling....I can't wait to be part of that group someday

My church family....as I am saying farewell to them and I can't help but be thankful for the love and support so many of them have shown me.



This the season to be thankful...what are you thankful for?

Please catch me!

Right now I am the Queen in Snow White. I love playing the villain.

 
I have been acting for a lot of years, like 11 and I've been in a lot of shows..like 20 and this is the first time I have had to faint and someone catch me. It is terrifying! If I just had to faint and fall on my own I would be fine with it, but the fact that my whole body is in someone else's hands is so stressful. 

I literally have been stressing about it for a couple months. The guy who catches me is trained and a really good friend of mine and I 100% trust him to catch me, but for some reason I just could not let myself just trust him. In fact, on Sunday I had a melt down and started to cry, I just couldn't contain myself.

Last night we were practicing in the lobby on the carpet and we nailed it a few times, then it was time for the actual scene on the actual (hard) stage. I could feel my heart beating the whole scene, and right before I was supposed to fall I had serious butterflies. Then it was time to faint, and I just did it.

We NAILED it!

The show opens on Saturday and last night we had a really great rehearsal...let's do this!