1 month

WOW

It has been a month (to the day) since I have updated this thing. I really have been so busy. School is starting to take over more and more of my life everyday. It's crazy. If I am this busy during sophomore year, I don't even want to imagine what junior and senior year are going to be like. AHH STRESS

My life hasn't been all that interesting the past month. 

I...

- started a key collection

(only 1 key so far that Caleb got me)

- began my photography class

I have come to realize that I am a VERY big critic of my own work

- started The Purpose Driven Life devotional

and I am in LOVE with it

- joined SPARKS at Elon 

(Students Promoting Awareness Responsibility Knowledge and Success)

basically we advocate and promote awareness for healthy lifestyle choices, 

personal safety and personal wellbeing to students on campus

- finished reading The Help (by Kathyrn Stockett)

if you know about me and books, I HATE endings. I am never satisfied or happy with them

but this one ended in a way that was [acceptable] to me

I highly recommend this book!

- started reading House Rules (by Jodi Picoult)

so far so good

- had/created a virtual baby boy named Blake

he/it is part of my assignment for my Lifespan Development class

only $25 and you TOO can have your own virtual child online

- am still in love with a wonderful guy after 4 1/2 years

:)

- am trying to live each day by a new motto...

Nothing is more powerful 

than a surrendered life 

in the hands of God.

fearrington village

My grandparents used to live in Chapel Hill and over Christmas break, they told Caleb and me about Fearrington Village. We thought it was going to be like an hour away, but it ended up just being 15 minutes away from UNC. 

Saturday we were looking for something fun to do and remembered what my grandparents had suggested to us. So we looked it up, and we were on our way!

 There was a precious bookstore where Caleb had a field day! 

A little inspiration for our study abroad trips!

Just a little elephant LOVE.

They also have belted cows! Caleb and I thought they looked like oreos! haha

This cute little baby still had brown fur. They made the funniest noises to each other.

We went to The Belted Goat for lunch. Such a cute little café!

We split this Belted Goat cake and it was SO delicious!

Connected to the café was a cute shop!

We hope to go again sometime in the Spring. There looked like a lot was there to walk around and see, but we went on a really cold day and after a while we were ready to go home and get out of the cold.

artsy

ever heard of Alphabet Photography?

if you haven't, you should check it out

it's a really creative project someone started and it has really become popular

go here to check it out: http://www.alphabetphotography.com

i have decided that i really want one with my name spelled out

but instead of paying a fortune, im going to try to be artsy for once in my life and make it myself

im going to just walk around all the time looking for things that look like letters

[hopefully i dont get obsessed and ONLY think about ALL the time while walking around]

i'll keep ya updated about my artsy venture

festive weekend

This was a fantastic weekend!

It was full of:

the first snow of the year

hot chocolate 

watching Elf three times

putting up Christmas decorations
iHop at 3am
snowball fights
chasing geese

Glee and Taylor Swift Christmas music

baking cookies
playing sardines in KOBC at 2am

basically, great friends!!

luminaries

Every year Elon holds a Celebration of Light. 

It is known to the students as the Elon Luminaries and is definitely one of the best nights of the school year!

Luminaries is filled with friends, hot chocolate, hot cider, carolers, Santa Claus, community and of course beautiful lights and decorations!

Basically, Elon is perfect.

Beautiful Alamance!

Two year tradition!

dta

Coming from Maryland, we know crabs. 

We know crabs well.

Good ol' Maryland Soft Shell Blue Crabs.

Since I have been home from school [4 days], I have consumed 4 meals with crab in it.

Can you tell I have missed it?

town Christmas tree!

Annapolis has GREAT stores to shop in!

 and a dock to sit on while chatting with friends!

Isn't it amazing?

Wow, I miss this so much when I'm at school.

hiking

Yesterday Caleb and I went looking for a place to hike. We found this little nature area near Elon called Shallow Ford. It had a few short trails but it was still fun to walk through all the beautiful fall foliage. There was a little river that ran through the woods and some fun trees and rocks to climb!

Unfortunately, my good camera is broken so these were taken with my little Sony Cybershot pocket camera [definitely not as good of pictures as they could have been, but oh well].

It was such a fun day!