Introducing Mr. Bear

My first official day of graduate school is tomorrow!!!

I am VERY excited about this semester, I've got the best GTA assignment I could possibly have and I'm hoping that my classes aren't too intimidating.  I've already met quite a few of the other graduate students in the program, and I've found some who are taking the same courses as me.  It will be nice to see some familiar faces at the first class meeting.  I've printed out the readings for my first two classes and I think the earth's population of trees is smaller as a result, so it's probably time to return those 1-inch binders and get some 3-inchers.  

This is my last free day for a while, so I'm doing some laundry and running some errands.  Tonight I'll head home to go to H.H.S's colorguard practice, and either spend the night or come on back.  I've also been crocheting a lot lately, which I haven't done in a while, so here's a sneak preview of my latest projects.  :)

I found a pattern for the cutest little teddy bear online at bernat.com/home and decided to try to make one for my niece Erin's birthday.  I'll put it in the birthday box that I'll mail to Arizona.  I got the body and legs done last night, and since it worked up pretty quickly I'm thinking about making a few more.  

This is one panel of an afghan that I've been working on for, well, ever!  I finally got it back out and put a few more rows in a few nights ago.  

Later!  

8:33

This week I've been attending orientation for GTA's at UA, so I don't have any pictures to post.  But, since a blog post lives and dies on pictures, I decided to throw in a few randomly for your enjoyment.  :)

 Above is a picture of the cupcakes that will inspire my secondary career plan after burnout hits in the middle of grad. school.  

Burnout seems far away right now as I am very excited about TEACHING MY VERY OWN DISCUSSION SECTION as a large-lecture GTA.  I'll be responsible for my own class (assignments, discussions, and papers)!  I am NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP excited... which leads us to my second random picture for this post.  Below you will see me and my best girls, E.O. and R.W. as we pose for our traditional "diversity in the Million Dollar Band" photo at the SEC Championship.  Which of course led to the National Championship.  Roll Tide!!!  (Why am I always the shortest? I'm NOT SHORT!)

I'm also still working on organizing and unpacking my apartment, I let things go by the wayside during orientation, but I plan to spend much of tonight putting things in their proper places.  Below is a cool cabinet that I saw once at Pottery Barn and felt inspired to take a picture of.  

In a while, crocodile!

Dancin' on the boulevard...

Haven't found the magic attic yet, but I do have a new apartment!!!

Dad, Mom, and Rob helped me all day Saturday and Sunday to get everything moved into my new place.  It's still a work in progress, but with their help I was able to get so much unpacked, not to mention all of the heavy furniture up a flight of stairs and into the apartment!  I feel so at home already, and I know once I get the rest of my stuff put away this will be the perfect apartment for me.  :)  Plus, for the next few weeks my very good friend E.O. will be living downstairs and across the hall from me!  We've already had a movie night, we watched Audrey Hepburn in Wait Until Dark, ate popcorn and sour gummy worms!, and had such a fun time.  Last night we went outside and worked on routine for the high school colorguard that she's working with this summer.  She's moving out soon, but I'm so glad we'll get to be neighbors for a little bit.  :)  

Below are some BEFORE pictures, so please don't judge me by the mess, lol.  And after that, I've got one or two after pictures of the living room for you.  The kitchen and bedroom will take a little longer.  :)

Here's my dining nook!  I'm so glad that I have room for my dining room table again.  (We had Five Guys for lunch on move-in day).

I've got a huge huge living room!  And Aunt Janice and Uncle Linton were sweet enough to loan me an entertainment center and comfy green chair...

that just happens to match THIS couch and coffee table that traveled from Rob to Mere and Matt to me!!!

There's a cute little kitchen...

a good sized bedroom...

and now, my absolutely favorite thing in the whole apartment...

a washer/dryer!!!!!

And now, for at least a few after pictures...

my living room!

P.S. Rob put that bookcase together for me AFTER helping carry EVERYTHING upstairs. :)

And Mom hung my black frame (the one with the mirror) so high that I can only see my forehead.  She tries.  Hehe.  

And my dining nook (ignore the kitchen, still messy)...

More soon!

Ruffled Notecards

I've been working on several craft projects with my new Brother sewing machine!  I came across the pattern for these homemade notecards at the Moda Bake Shop and had to try them out!  I love stationery, so I couldn't resist the opportunity to combine fabric and paper.  :)  

It was so easy to work my way through the pattern, and I had everything I needed already.  I'm thinking I'll be sending out some homemade notes from now on.  :)

The finished product. :)

Quick Update

As one of our last activities, Erin and I made a finger puppet the morning I flew back home.  

She loved the little horse we made!  

I also did a sewing craft with the kids at Knowledge Adventure Camp, and they made some wonderful creatures!

Mine's the funny white guy with the blue nose and mouth and button eyes in the middle, lol.  And one student wanted to make a cupcake, so that's what she did.  :)

I absolutely loved visiting with everybody in AZ, and hope I get to go back one day soon.  Here are a few precious pictures of my niece and nephew.  

(I think Everett's telling us to "rock on" LOL)

Right now I'm in the middle of teaching colorguard camps, so more on that later.  :)

Sewing with Erin

Erin and I did a craft project today!  She wanted to make some cupcakes to play tea party with, so we sat down after dinner and got to work.  

Erin worked so hard on her cupcake and did a great job!  Here we are, both ready to start our cupcake.

We've both finished our cupcakes, so now it's time for Erin to serve tea!!!