What I've been doing to occupy my time

I have been a super horrible blogger but it hasn't been because I wanted to be!! I always have so many things going on and I've been taking pics on my iPhone with every intention of blogging about them!! Here are some very very random things I've wanted to blog about...

• Taylor Swift's Journey to Fearless is on Netflix Instant. Do yourself a favor and watch it. It's so stinkin' uplifting, positive, and if you have a daughter, I highly encourage you to let her listen to Taylor Swift. There's not many singers out there that know and care that they "help raise today's youth" and Taylor is one of them. Who am I kidding? Y'all know I love me some Taylor Swift. AND, HOW DID I NOT KNOW that she had a Speak Now DVD out?? Netflix, you should have informed me of this!! That's next on my to-watch list.  Seriously, I just need to meet Taylor. 
• So, I've still been working on healing my hair.  My friend got me a keratin treatment that was on sale at Cosmo Prof. My hair needed some serious protein to build it back up to its original health! I'm not even going to lie... the stuff worked like a miracle from God!! My hair is dramatically less crazy and the ends don't look near as fried. I'm getting another to use next month.  I learned you're not supposed to use an excessive amount of keratin on your hair, because too much protein isn't a good thing. It'll actually damage your hair. So, I'll wait a month & use it again.  I can't wait!! I used Paul Mitchells' Awapuhi Wild Ginger Keratin Intensive Treatment.  It comes with two tubes of keratin in an oil-like form. I used both on my hair (or, Addi did), and then you put the mask on it for about 10 mins.  I still have some of the mask to use in a couple days!! :) The stuff was on sale for $5 at Cosmo Prof!! I seriously need to get my cosmetology license just to be able to shop there on a regular basis. You would not BELIEVE the mark-up that salons and stores add to their products!! It's highway robbery for sure. For example, something that would be $12ish at Cosmo Prof I found at Target for $35.99!! No joke! So, between that keratin treatment today & Addi introducing me to Kenra products... I think I see some hair product shopping occurring in my near future.
• Did I tell y'all that I got Alex and iPad for our anniversary?? Yep, three years (this go-round), and all he can talk about is wanting an iPad (and a jet ski, but that's another story). Since they went down $100 when the iPad3 came out, and since there wasn't a dramatic difference in the 2 and the 3 to justify $100, I saved a bit of money & splurged for a 2. :) He was super surprised (after he realized it wasn't a digital picture frame) and he hasn't put it down since! Seriously. It's getting pretty sad.  Between Temple Run and Zombie Highway, I can't seem to get his attention! He's busy this weekend, so I forced begged him to let me use it this weekend. Yep, I bought it and I have to fight to get some time on it.  I see His and Hers iPads in our future. I'm finding the Psychology section of Stumble Upon really interesting.  Does that make me a nerd?
• My dad's painting some furniture for me... remind me to blog about that later!! I made sure to get "before pics" and I'll for sure take some after pics. 
• I got a pair of prescription eyeglasses on Coastal.com for a STEAL!!! I seriously saved over $300 since I bought there instead of at my eye doctor's office. Remind me to blog about that too. It deserves its own blog as well.
• I'm teaching my grandparents to Skype. Yep, you heard me right. They're tickled to death because Pawpaw gets to SEE his uncle that he hasn't seen in YEARS. That makes my heart smile! :) 
• And so does the fact that Pawpaw is continuing to lose weight, get his kidney function up, and feel great!! He even got in Mom's car today & drove around the block for a while. Don't laugh- it was a big deal!! We love that man and we are so glad to say that he is doing well. :) 
• I got highlights. Yeah, I can't go long without coloring my hair.  I'm working towards the lots of different colored highlights look. But I know I'll have to build up to it, especially after all the damage I did to my hair when I got that body wave perm. 
• I got my first Birchbox in the mail!! Remind me to blog about that too... (See?!?!) 
• I discovered What We Should Call Me and flooded my twitter with my favorite posts. I thought they were all hilarious but some of them were mirroring my life!! My friend Becky thought that I had a virus... LOL... no, that's just me, sharing the love!! Here's a great example.
• And I've lost 7 lbs!! Woohoo!! 

I think that about sums it up.
I told you I've had a lot on my mind to blog about. :)
Until later...

♥,
Nicole 

Team Taylor!

Watch this to learn a little about why I love Taylor Swift as much as I do. Seriously, the girl is awesome! How could you not love her, even if it's only for her positive energy? Her music never fails to put me in a good mood! And for that, I love her. ♥

1-1-11

I know it's not technically 1-1-11 anymore because it's past midnight, but that's not how I do things. To me, it's still the same day until I go to bed!

I have heard a little less about new years resolutions this year. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the world is slowly learning that they are just words and are worthless without added effort behind them.

While I have many things I wish and hope for myself in this upcoming year, I have vowed to *not* have a resolution this year. Every year I usually end up {eventually} getting lazy, or busy, or a little of both and lose sight of my new years resolution. Either way, by mid-year, heck, maybe mid-January, I am like "oh crap, well, A for effort, right?" and go on with my life.

Not this year! This year I'm being more practical with my "new years resolution." It's more like a new life resolution. I would love to be able to say I don't give up this year, that I keep on keepin' on until I get closer and closer to my goal, no matter WHAT goal that is. That if I fail, I don't stop trying. I will definitely have my bad days, but this year, I hope that I don't get stuck in a rut. I hope I accept myself for my faults and don't let that stop me from having what I want. I hope to have less excuses and more success stories!

I don't think that's too much to ask for 2011.

As my girl Taylor Swift says...
"it's the end of a decade, but the start of an age..."

I can't wait to see what this "age" has in store for me! What will this year hold?? Only time will tell, but I pray that God guides my steps and gives me strength to face whatever 2011 has to bring!

So far, it's been one day of 2011 and I slept in, did some Mary Kay work, did a lot of lounging around, and spent my evening with my Mom and my boyfriend, laughing until we cried and enjoying some good ol' TV-on-DVD. Not a bad start if I do say so myself... :)

I can't believe it's the last day of November.....

I have been MIA in the blogging world and with good reason. My life has been consumed with this dreaded meta-analysis I have been working my butt off on! I can't explain to you how oh-so-good it feels to have that thing submitted for grading! That was the peak of my semester I believe...and now it's all downhill from here! Yesterday was a 7am-11pm kind of day...today I have much more free time to get some things marked off my to-do list.

I started Couch-to-5k again. I pretty much got super busy after Week 2 last time I started it and it kinda feel to the bottom of my priorities list. After that delicious Thanksgiving meal, it is back on the priority list! I started back on Week 2....I'm 2 out of 3 days down this week so far & might attempt a little "over and beyond." Alex and I made a sweet little deal too... if I complete the 9 weeks of the program, I will get a nice "surprise" :) ... I never said bribery wouldn't motivate me!!

For someone who feels like they have ZERO spare time (and  yesterday was a fabulous example) I sure am adding things to my plate. I am very excited about some things coming up and some things I am starting... as I get started I will update! I am praying I stay motivated and encouraged and everything works out for the best! I am letting God lead the way because I am living on auto-pilot right now.

I've just gotta get these last minute assignments completed so I can just sit back and relax as long as possible in the month of December! Wow....this year has FLOWN by. December already?! That kind of relieves me though, as I am officially counting down until May! :)

Side note: Did anyone catch the Taylor Swift: Speak Now special on NBC Thanksgiving night?? I just had a chance to watch it last night. {Thank you TiVo for saving me again!} This special just made me fall more in love with Taylor Swift. I really think she's my favorite.

Another side note: I thought it was funny that ABC has a Beyonce special on, also on Thanksgiving night. I have heard one too many Taylor vs. Beyonce "arguments" & I just had to chuckle that these were on on the same night. I personally love Taylor way more but I want to try to catch the Beyonce special on ABC.com sometime if I get a chance. They are just too different to compare people, so stop trying! :)

20 random facts!

I got this idea from my cute friend Maggie, and I'm bored, afraid to go to sleep because I know SOMEthing crazy will go down tonight in my building when my "crazies" {formerly called freshmen residents} return from their Halloween partying, so... here are 20 RaNdOm facts you probably don't care to know about me, but will learn anyways! :)

1. My Godson was born! Welcome to the world Corbin Blake Jervis! I can not WAIT to meet you!
2. I am absolutely LOVING my practicum at Maiden High School. I would love to work there in the future.
3. I have a fear of being an elementary or middle school counselor. Lord, please provide me a position in a high school!!
4. I have been listening to non-stop Taylor Swift since I bought her new CD Monday
5. Buying that CD was the first CD I have purchased since middle school
6. I don't love love love the songs AS much since reading this article {but that obviously hasn't kept me from listening}. Now some of my favorite songs I believe were written to total toolbags who don't deserve her time of day.  :/
7. My dog, Baby, got a haircut Friday and I swear it made her look like she lost 5 lbs.
8. Baby's also probably going to flunk out of our dog training class at PetSmart
9. I can't paint my own nails to save my life.
10. Alex and I have been going to high school football games on Friday night and I have to admit, I've enjoyed it. :) 
11. I believe November will be way better than October! 
12. I know I'm "young" but I am an old soul :)
13. I don't want Winter to start! But when it does, that'll mean I'm so so close to be done with classes!
14. Next semester might kill me. (I think I say that every semester...but I mean it this time)
15. I wish I had a sister.
16. I want a Dyson Animal Ball vacuum cleaner so so bad. I hate my vacuum cleaner. 
17. I'm going to miss watching Teen Mom and Jersey Shore with Maria. Don't fear though... we will move on to 16 & Pregnant.
18. I really really really really really need to devote an entire day to school work I've been avoiding!
19. I have a 4.0 GPA in graduate school. I'm proud of myself.
20. I wonder every day where I'll be come August 2011. May 2011 really.... Lord, show me!

Mine :)

Taylor Swift is my favorite singer and of course I absolutely LOVE her new single, "Mine"! I can relate to the song so, it's probably my new favorite of hers. {There's not a song of hers I don't like though...} The music video really made me cry happy tears the other day so, I thought I'd pay the love forward. :)

and I just wanna say a big thank you to Taylor Swift for NOT being a sleazy celebrity like most pop singers today! She helps you remember true love really is out there and you shouldn't settle for anything less! ♥ And that is why I love her. :)




Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh

You were in college, working part-time, waiting tables
Left a small town and never looked back
I was a flight risk, afraid of fallin'
Wondering why we bother with love, if it never lasts

I say, "Can you believe it?"
As we're lyin' on the couch
The moment, I can see it
Yes, yes, I can see it now

Do you remember, we were sittin' there, by the water?
You put your arm around me for the fist time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine

Flash forward, and we're takin' on the world together
And there's a drawer of my things at your place
You learn my secrets and figure out why I'm guarded
You say we'll never make my parents' mistakes

But we got bills to pay
We got nothin' figured out
When it was hard to take
Yes, yes

This is what I thought about:

Do you remember, we were sittin' there, by the water?
You put your arm around me for the fist time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine

Do you remember all the city lights on the water?
You saw me start to believe for the first time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine

Oh, oh, oh, oh

And I remember that fight, two-thirty AM
You said everything was slipping right out of our hands
I ran out, crying, and you followed me out into the street

Braced myself for the goodbye, cause that's all I've ever known
Then, you took me by surprise
You said, "I'll never leave you alone."

You said, "I remember how we felt, sitting by the water.
And every time I look at you, it's like the first time.
I fell in love with a careless man's careful daughter.
She is the best thing that's ever been mine."

You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine

Do you believe it?
We're gonna make it now
And I can see it

I can see it now...

Breathless

Okay, so I might be a major loser but I hear pretty songs with meaningful lyrics (to me) and sometimes I like to pretend they're Christian-based, because I can totally hear them being Christian-based, even if a "secular" performer is singing the song (NOT saying they're not a Christian, please tell me you understand...) Anyways, so, I'm in a good mood today (this week is tax refund week and financial aid refund week!) and I am sitting here, listening to some Taylor Swift shuffle on my iTunes & hear her new single, "Breathless," which is actually a Better Than Ezra cover that she performed for the Hope for Haiti telethon in January. So I'm listening to it, loving it of course (if you didn't know this, I'm a major Taylor Swift fan), & I can totally see it being a Christian song -- one of forgiveness and unconditional love of the Father! I know that some might disagree with me...but that's just how I saw it at the moment and thought I would share this beautiful song with you! I included a YouTube of her performing it at the telethon for you so you can hear it if you want! Enjoy! :)

Breathless lyrics:
Here you are now
Fresh from your war
Back from the edge of time
And all that you were,
Stripped to the bone
I thought you­'d want to know

That when you feel the world is crashing
All around your feet
Come running headlong into my arms
Breathless
I'll never judge you
I can only love you
Come now running headlong
Into my arms
Breathless

Lay down your guns
Too weak to run
Nothing can harm you here
Your precious heart
Broken and scarred
Somehow you made it through
I only ask that you won't go again

When you feel the world is crashing
All around your feet
Come running headlong into my arms
Breathless
I'll never judge you
I can only love you
Come now running headlong
Into my arms
Breathless

So glad to see you smiling
So good to hear your laugh
I think that you've found you even
Missed yourself
I'm only asking this because I think that
Truth be told
Oh, you'll never go again
Again

When you feel the world is crashing
All around your feet
Come running headlong into my arms
Breathless
I'll never judge you
I can only love you
Come now running headlong
Into my arms
Breathless
Breathless



:)