Bad Blogger. No Cookie.

It's amazing how quickly life can sweep you up in all of its craziness, and before you know it you've completely neglected the little things, like this blog. Life has definitely been crazy and hectic here, although maybe not as much as I think. I do still time to play stupid games on Facebook and peruse Ravelry for large chunks of time. So why not the blog? I have been thinking about this blog. No longer the back and forth about whether or not I really want to continue blogging- I have definitely decided that I do. But more contemplation about what I want this blog to be. I have pretty much concluded that this blog is for ME. While I love having readers, love that sense of community, know that somewhere out there there are a few people that are pulling for me or interested in what I have to say, my main purpose for this blog is get the stuff out. I think I began this blog as a place to share and showcase my knitting, which I would still like to do. Knitting is still a big part of my life, and it brings me a lot of joy. Not to mention the wonderful things I have been able to create and the excellent friends that I have made through knitting. Anyways, I think I would really like to be more candid here. Share more of my life, even the nitty gritty shit. Sometimes I just need to get things off of my chest, or share my joy with another person, even if that person doesn't really exist outside of my comment box. So, if you are a faithful reader, be prepared for more LIFE here. More stories. Definitely more rambling. There will still, of course, be knitting content. I really miss taking photos of my new yarn and knitting progress, sharing that stuff with everyone. Showing off, maybe. So there should be more content, knitting content included. Ah, life. It has been a little crazy. School eats up a large chunk of my time. I'm taking five classes this term, all but one of I am really, truly enjoying. (The one I am not enjoying so much is Intro to Physics, and I mainly don't like it because a) I know pretty much everything we are learning already and b) my teacher does this weird nasally breathing thing that really gets on my nerves.) I am loving my Honors class, which is focusing on race, racism, culture, and societies. It is super interesting, and the whole class period is spent just having discussions. It is GREAT. I love to have intelligent discussions, so I really look forward to this class. I am also take two history classes, one of them Western Civilization and one Architectural History. While both are straight lecture classes, I am really enjoying both of them. For me, that's kind of a big thing. I used to really hate history classes. I think as I have grown older I have more of an appreciation for other people's cultures, and learning about them is incredibly fascinating. I am debating now switching my major from Architecture to something in the anthropology field (anthropology is basically the study of humans.) I've always loved other cultures, been fascinated by their practices, and I think I would really enjoy majoring in it. There are some other factors playing into it, but it is something I have been giving serious thought to lately. Anyways, school is keeping me busy. Lots of homework, more reading than I really think is possible, and lots of projects to think about. I do still squeeze in some time for knitting, and will definitely be sharing some of that with you guys soon. Also been mulling over some goals for the year, and will hopefully be able to put those into writing and get working on them soon. Enough rambling for one day, adios!

Friday Fill-Ins #159

1. The lesson I learned yesterday was that good friends are priceless. 2.The kitchen is inevitably where friends and family meet. 3. All these years I have been a mom already- wow! What a crazy ride. 4.October 14th is when I arrived. 5. The truth is, I wish I had more time and energy to knit. 6. Monsterette's daycare recital is what I remember most from that day. 7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to avoiding my homework with Sims 3 and internet, tomorrow my plans include still avoiding my homework and maybe a trip to the park and Sunday, I want to watch playoffs and get that pesky homework finished! More blogging soon. I swear.

Home Again, Home Again

Hello again, and happy new year! I hope everyone had a great holiday season. The Monsterette and I went on a cruise to Cozumel, Mexico with my family, and then headed up to Minnesota to spend more time with family and see some friends. We had a really great time exploring the Mayan ruins of Tulum, swimming in the ocean, sledding (Monsterette's first time!), staying up until midnight to ring in the new year, and relaxing with family. We also celebrated her fourth birthday- I can't believe how much she has grown! All in all, is was a great trip. It is good to be home and back in the arms of my dearest and settling into real life again. School starts again on Monday, so I have been getting myself ready for that. My books are purchased, my binder organized, and just a few things left to get from the bookstore before classes begin. I have to make the daycare arrangements, but otherwise I am planning on relaxing and enjoying my free time before my hectic schedule kicks into full swing. I have been thinking about my knitting goals for this year, as well as some personal goals. A lot of plans to be made, including planning a spring break vacation. Doc and I are thinking about going on a cruise to the Mexican Riviera, which would be a lot of fun. It was great to have some computer-free time, but it is nice to feel connected again. For now, though, I think I am going to go amuse myself with some Sims 3 while The Monsterette watches a movie. How were your holidays? Do you do anything special this year?

Snow Day

On Tuesday, we had a 2 hour delay because of snow here in Albuquerque. it snowed about 1/2 and inch overnight. People in the southwest are so silly! It made me miss Minnesota, though. Most people would think that living in the warm southwest, with out mild winters and general lack of winteryness, that I would not miss the bitter cold and piles of snow that come with living in the midwest. But I DO miss it. Not the cold, so much, but sometimes it makes that cup of hot chocolate or a steamy bowl of chili that much more enjoyable. I miss sledding, and the peace of waking up in the morning to the stillness and quiet of a snow that has been gently tumbling from the sky all night. I love seeing the trees covered in powder, the pristineness of freshly fallen snow, the joy of making a snowman. I've never been able to take my daughter sledding or play in the snow with her until our cheeks were frosty and pink, and then head inside for some chicken noodle soup and a movie on the sofa under a big fleece blanket. I think that all of the bad things about real winter- the cold, the crappy driving conditions, the shoveling, would all be completely worth it for the joy that I get from real winter. Call me crazy. I am so close to being done with this term! One little final on Tuesday, and I am done. Then I can freak out about the gift knitting I have not completed, the Christmas shopping, the packing for our big trip, and all the other fun holiday stuff. It is going to be a pretty packed and mildy crazy break, so hopefully I can get a little bit of relaxing done in there, too. I am really excited to take the Monsterette sledding in Minnesota and to take her to the ocean for the first time. So many memories and new experiences and wonders, it should be an excellent vacation, even if it is a little stressful. I just need to remember to find the joy and happiness and relax and smile. Ride the wave, Nichole. Ride the wave. What are your plans for the holidays? How is the gift knitting coming, if any?

Oops.

Once again, blogging got away from me. A lot of family was here, a big festival of balloons, a surprise trip to Minnesota with The Monsterette, and of course the general business of my life- being a mom, going to class, doing my homework, and trying to squeeze in time for a few friends, my wonderful boyfriend, and Facebook. But here I am, on a chilly Saturday, and all day I have been pretending like there isn't homework or laundry or dishes, that the really the only thing needing to be done is to lounge around in my pajamas and catch up on the blogs that I used to read and miss dearly! This evening The Boyfriend is at work, so it'll be a quiet house- maybe a stop at my friend Devon's gallery to hang out for a bit, and then a night to myself. Since I'm neglecting all of the things I should be doing, I suppose I could continue that into the evening, instead of working on the refinishing projects in the garage or picking up the mess all over the house. I would much rather sit and watch a movie, maybe do some knitting, or curl up with my book and some hot herbal tea. Sometime this week, hopefully in the next few days, I'll post my pictures from Balloon Fiesta- Always a great time, and a great chance to take some cool pictures! See you soon...

Quick Update

Hi again! Thought I would pop in before I headed off to class and started a busy, busy week. Feeling a little better now, I think the antibiotics are helping, yay! Still pretty tired, though, I just wish I could get caught up on sleep! On Saturday me and Doc and The Monsterette and his two (teenage) kids went to the State Fair and had a blast- pictures of that coming soon! We officially started moving our crap into The Retro Palace yesterday! There is still a TON of packing and stuff to be moved, but we'll get through it. It'll be nice to finally be settled in and not have to worry about moving for a few years! Well, that's about it for now, I guess. I'll go through my Fair pictures soon and get those up! Oh and who's still reading this? I have this odd feeling that everyone has given up on my blog...

Sick & Tired.

I went to the Student Health Services center on campus yesterday to get my nasty cough checked out. Apparently I have bronchitis. The nurse gave me a prescription for some antibiotics which I meant to pick up today, but of course The Monsterette barfed all over herself as soon as we got into the Wal-Mart parking lot. Joy. So, I'll pick that up tomorrow. Hopefully it will make me feel better. Today I was planning on catching up on some much needed R&R, but no go. Oh well. There's always next Friday. I haven't been sleeping well because of my waking up frequently with coughing fits, and some craziness going on in my life. Oh hell, let's skip to the good stuff. My mom and dad are getting a divorce. Really, it's been a while coming, and it's for the better. But in the last week or so, a LOT of really messed up stuff about my dad has been coming into light. Apparently, he's been living a double life. I don't really want to get into the nitty gritty details, and most of you close to me already know them, anyways. But he's done some really hurtful stuff, not just to my mom, but to me and my siblings, as well. He's being a really big asshole, and I'm questioning if I really ever want to see or talk to him again. So that's been pretty rough. I'm not really sure how to deal with it all, I'm still in shock about a lot of it. All in all, it's been a really long week. Hopefully I'll be able to muster the energy to go to the State Fair tomorrow. On a more postive note, I did get new shoes today. Woot for new shoes!

The Retro Palace

We have been looking for a house to rent to get out of our tiny little apartment. After some searching and one heartbreaking denial, we found it. A roomy 3 bedroom house in the NE Heights, 1 3/4 bathrooms, 2 car garage, great yard (needs grass, though- more on that in a minute), wood floors, a fireplace.. All around, a really great house. The house, though, was built in 1965, and that is a little bit apparent throughout. Take, for example, the original oven that (allegedly) still works: All in all, though, the kitchen isn't bad: The counters are a not-too-bad golden yellow color, and all the cabinet hardware is copper colored. Really, though, not too bad, and with some cute curtains, I think it'll be a decent kitchen. The living room is pretty awesome: The fireplace wall is the only wall with wood paneling, thank jeebus, and I think that the built-in bookshelves make up for that. The beautiful (insert eye rolling) orange velour curtains are going to get replaced with some nice blinds. On the wall opposite the window, which you can't see in this picture, is a big ol' chunk of mirror tiles. Totally fug, and must go. it looks like the installers of said gross mirrors at least had the common sense to put them on a board and then attatch it to the wall, so removal of that should be pretty painless. I think the mirror above the firelace is going to go, too. The master bath is pretty small and just has a shower, but I love the colors: This is the shower, and is actually pale yellow and black. I'm planning on doing black bathroom accessories, which should make it look pretty cool! And now, the grand finale, my favorite part of the whole house. Let me introduce to you what I have fondly dubbed The Pink Bathroom: I love this little bathroom! The pink toilet makes me smile and giggle, all at the same time. I think it is so cute! Planning on getting rugs and towels and whatnot in a light grey color and stainless steel accessories. I think it'll look really great! Of course, I will take pictures of the house when it is all settled and little updated. There's lots more to show, too! Anyways, we're moving into The Retro Palace in 10 days. Yaay! I'm really excited! See you guys soon!