Home for the Holidays and stuff.

So, my semester is officially over.
And it also officially sucked.
If you want to hear me rant, ask me about my Texas History class/grade.

I will be home for the next month or so. I was hoping that I would get to relax over the break, but so far that hasn't happened yet. Life has actually been super stressful. For a number of reasons that I am way too lazy to list at the moment. But, pretty much everyone is causing me drama, and I don't like drama.

In wedding news, I am pretty much done registering. I'm sure I will still go add some stuff, but I'm more or less done at Target, B3, and Dillard's. I'm pretty excited about that. I also have save-the-date samples printed out and ready for choosing, courtesy of my amazingly graphically talented mother. Hopefully, we're going to work on invitations before I go back to school too.
I still have to figure out a DJ and videographer. Apparently, those tend to be ridiculously expensive, so I'm looking into alternative options and stuff.

I'm also pretty excited about going apartment/townhouse/house shopping next semester. We're not sure what we're going to get yet, so we're looking at everything. I am not as excited about finding a job. But, it needs to happen.

Also, I totally got stalked by a really creepy old guy through Eagle Springs tonight while looking at Christmas lights with Phillip and the boys. It was really scary.

So, as an update, I guess I'm doing pretty good. Other than all the drama and the stress and the stalking. I really love Christmas, but I'm looking forward to all the hectic-ness of the holidays to be over so I can chill out for awhile.

Update:

So:
The big day is exactly 8 months away!!!

Also:
I keep having this weird recurring dream that its about a day before my wedding but I haven't sent out any invitations or altered my dress.
Its stressful.

Wedding stuffs

So, I am now officially registered at Bed, Bath, and Beyond and Target.
I find this very exciting.
This is my future apartment:
*Disclaimer. Target sucks and won't put pictures of anything I like online. I find this greatly annoying. So all my inspiration will have to remain a mystery.

Kitchen:
Navy and red. NOT patriotic-themed. Nothing against the country or anything. I love it, just not in my kitchen.


Bathroom:
Blue and Brown. I am noticing a trend with me and this color blue. Note that it looks a lot like the bridesmaids' dresses. Hm. A Target towel was my inspiration. I have no picture of it because the Target website sucks. But I got these too, they're just less interesting:


Bedroom:
Burgundy and Cream. Phillip wanted an A&M room. I figured burgundy and cream was pretty close to maroon and white, only better. Words cannot express my love for this bed:


Living Room:
My furniture is black wrought iron. I don't have a couch yet, but I figure I can buy a cheap one and get a tan slip cover. Green and teal accents :) Again, a Target pillow which I have no picture of was my inspiration. Unfortunately, its in "limited supply" and is also like $30, so I can't justify buying it myself. So, hopefully, I can find another tan-green-teal pillow for inspiration in the next 8 months.
I also have no pictures for my living room. But just know, its cool. You can have this picture instead:

I like registering a lot. Its like shopping, but you don't spend any money. On the other hand, now I want all this stuff, and I am not a patient kinda gal. Oh well.
I still have to find another place to register. Any suggestions?

Thanksgiving festivities

My Thanksgiving festivities have been very hectic. Trying to coordinate 3 different Thanksgivings in 2 days is quite an undertaking. It doesn't help that I have about 5 or 6 projects that are due by the end of the break. Hectic.

I really like Thanksgiving.
Mostly because I really like food. I like the whole family togetherness and the thankfulness, but I REALLY like food.
I have been craving real food. Me and April cook once a week, but the majority of my diet consists of things prepared in the microwave or school food (which is totally not real food).

Thanksgiving food Arli has been craving:

Turkey
The obvious choice. The bird that inspires us to be thankful. Also, I love gravy.

Mashed Taters
There are few things in this world that I love more than mashed potatoes. Potatoes are good in and of themselves, but if you mash those suckers and pour some gravy on it... Oh mama.
Also: I think gravy improves most things.

Green Bean Casserole
Oh, the goodness. I crave this all year round. Green beans with crunchy goodness on top.


Chocolate Lush
Oh. Just... Oh. Don't know what Lush is? It is heaven in your mouth, that's what it is. Similar to pie, but in larger proportions with more whipped cream. All-around amazing and generally awe-inspiring.

Needless to say, I plan to put on some pounds over the break. And I am totally OK with that. So worth it.

Wedding Plans

So, I guess its pretty inevitable: I will need to have a wedding planning update blog.
At the same time, I can't disclose absolutely everything, because that takes away all the surprise.
So. I won't say anything. Pictures are worth a thousand words, right?

If you feel confused, its ok. I promise it makes sense.

YES.

I would like to point out, that in exactly 9 months from today, I will be getting married.
Celebrate.

Also, this is hilarious. I know, I am a classic music nerd, but its totally worth it. You will never hear the song the same way again.

WATCH

Trauma

You don't even know what happened to me this week.
But you get to hear about it anyway.

1. I got to see a kid in my first grade class projectile vomit all over everything. Repeatedly.
It was beyond gross.

2. I got two write 4 papers. Not 1. Not 2. But 4. All of said papers were over books that I never purchased or read. Of course, I have pretty much known about these papers all semester, or at least for more than a month. Being me, of course, I put it off to the last minute. In my defense, I have written some pretty fantastic papers in about 2 hours over books I never read.

3. I have ginormous project due on Monday, which I have also yet to start. And then I have an even-more-ginormous ginormous project due a couple weeks after that which involves me writing a book's worth of papers. I grudgingly admit that there is no feasible way to do this the night before, so I am going to have to start that soon. I probably actually should have started it already. Crap.

4. Why is it that you can't ever run into people that you don't want to run into when you look GOOD?

5. I don't know why, but for some reason I have developed this habit of waking up at 4 in the morning for no apparent reason. I go back to sleep, but its still quite annoying.

6. On the plus side, I did make a cake. Without destroying it. Which is pretty much a first for me. It was an anti-midterms cake. Although this could also be a bad thing, since I'm pretty sure if I eat anything else with butter or sugar in it I will have to buy a new wedding dress.

Articulation

I have decided that singers no longer know how to articulate. I find that this is a pretty important skill. Otherwise, it slightly changes the meanings of your songs.
That, or I just can't hear.
Examples:

1. "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga
Real lyrics: "Can't read my, Can't read my, No he can't read-a my poker face!"

I heard: "Kill me now! Kill me now! Why won't you just kill me, in my face??"
Meaning: Changed.
(disclaimer: I was very, very tired at the time).

2. "I Try to Say Goodbye" by Macy Gray
Real lyrics: "I try to say good-bye and I choke
I try to walk away and I stumble
Though I try to hide it, it's clear
My world crumbles when you are not near"

I heard: "... I blow bubbles when you are not here."
Meaning: Changed.

3. "Friends in Low Places" by Garth Brooks
Real Lyrics: "I'm not big on social graces..."

I heard: "I'm not big on saucy dresses..."
Meaning: Changed

4. "Love Drunk" by Boys Like Girls
Real lyrics: "I used to be love drunk, but now I'm hungover. I love you forever, but now it's over!"

I heard: "I used to be love drunk, but now I'm hung over, I had you for Breakfast, and now it's over!"
Meaning: Changed. Although, to be fair, cannibalism is among one of the effective ways to end a relationship. It does still change the whole tone of the song though.

Halloween!

Halloween is definitely one of my favorite holidays in the history of forever.
Why, you ask? Evidence:

1. Free candy
You never turn down free candy. Trick-or-Treating is the best invention in the history of mankind. You get to threaten people into giving you stuff! "What, old man? Don't give me candy and I'll punk you!" And when you become too old to threaten candy out of people yourself, you can attach yourself to various small children (siblings, nieces, random kids from down the street) and go anyway.

2. Free excuse to EAT said candy
What's the use of getting candy (or stealing it from your little brother) if you feel bad for eating it? Fear not! On Halloween, EVERYONE eats candy. If everyone else is doing it, it must be ok, right? My logic in undeniable.

3. Free excuse to play dress-up
I will take any excuse to play dress-up, thank you. Do you get to be a princess for any other holiday? Psh, no. It's your opportunity to explore any of the strange alter-egos you have but don't tell anyone about. However, on the flip side, if you do NOT dress up, you are sure to be shunned. Which I am pretty much OK with.
4. Free excuse to scream like a little girl
On any other day, whilst watching a scary movie, a man who screams like a 6 year old girl is pansy. On Halloween, it's kinda cute. Also, if you are the one screaming like a sissy, the guy next to you has a free ticket to comfort you chivalrously. Everyone wins.
5. Free excuse to make a complete fool out of yourself
October 31st is the only day out of the year that people don't humiliate guys in drag, a chick in a cauliflower suit , or any of the various ridiculous costumes in the world. You can also scare the pants of any of your friends (or have your pants scared off) and not be in the wrong. You pretty much have a "get out of jail free card" for any of the stupid things you are bound to do.
6. Free excuse to make a complete fool out of your children
Please, feel free to dress up your 9-year old in a banana suit. Don't have a 9 year old? This is what little siblings are for. You'll be thankful for the pictures in a few years when they bring the first girlfriend home.
7. Free excuse to scare annoying children
Go ahead, jump out of the bushes with a knife and watch children scream. I find that this is particularly therapeutic if said children are the annoying kids from down the street that like to dig up your yard. Of course, there are kids like me, who would see the mad-chainsaw-man moving around in the bushes and say "Nice Try" when they jumped out of the bushes. So watch out for that. You can also deny candy to whomever you choose. For instance, I refuse candy to annoying pre-pubescents who have Wal-Mart sacks and couldn't be bothered to dress up. Unless, of course, they come up with a creative excuse, such as "I'm a nudist on strike!". I give points for creativity.
8. Free excuse to butcher innocent gourds
I feel that this is best described by pictures.
My pumpkin:


My Mother's Pumpkin:


Undeniable evidence: Halloween is Awesome.

Stupid Blog.

So, I have succumbed to peer pressure, and I now have a blog.
For unknown reasons, since I am positively sure that I have absolutely nothing to say.
Oh well.

Funny Student-Teaching story of the Week:
So, a particularly disruptive child was being particularly disruptive. I looked over and he had pounced onto the floor from his chair for seemingly unknown reasons. I said "Tre'Derrious!" (for his name is, indeed, Tre'Derrious) "WHAT are you doing??"
To which he replied: "Gettin' funky."

Random Facts of Today:
I am pretty much obsessed with Snack Pack pudding cups. Yes.
Also, I hate the movie Ghost. And, yet, somehow, I find myself watching it anyway.
Because I am marrying an entomology major, and I know WAY, WAY more about insects and other such creepy crawly nasty things than I ever should.
For instance, did you know that lots of bugs have mechanisms for jumping, but none have any for landing? It's more of a "go for it and hope for the best" kinda thing.