An ode to the Past (justification/attraversiamo)

But seriously. Let's cross over.

This one's for the girls!

Sooooooooooooooooooooooooo I had my second attempt at the praxis II social studies content knowledge (missed it the first time by 1 point!) on Saturday so that is why I haven't written in about a week.  That test is impossible! I still don't know how I did but I do know that I don't feel super confident about it! I studied nonstop for a month so I really hope I pass, otherwise it may be a lost cause haha. Anywho, I got to go home afterwards to spend a short 24 hours in Northern VA for some family time.  Most of the  girls on my dad's side of the family went out to dinner to celebrate my cousin's upcoming wedding.  This has never happened in all of my 23 years.  We need to have more girl time!  There's something about being with a group of strong, amazing women.  Boys are great and all, but there is nothing like great girl talks.  I'm very lucky to have so many great women in my life, and this is only one side of the family! Here are some pictures of the Butler/Hempton girls throughout the years! Sorry to Nanny and Aunt Judy because I couldn't find any pictures of you online! Love you alll and thanks for so many memories and fun times!

Taylor and I

Mom and I after high school grad

Gram and I before Prom

Aunt Lori and Marissa

MB and her pups

Aunt Carrie, Taylor and I

Aunt Melanie!!

Beautiful Aunt Wendy and Rosie

Love this girl! Abgailllll

I love Awkapella

Sarah, me, and Chiaka at Plaza before the concert

Last night was awesomeeeee. My Acapella group Take Note, along with all of the other amazing Acapella groups at school had a huge concert together which was all in the dark.  600 people came to watch us literally sing in pitch black.  We all were decked out in neon colors and black because we were under a black light so it looked pretty cool minus the fact that all you could really see was our teeth.  It was just such a fun time and it made me realize how lucky I am to be in such an awesome group and how glad I am that I finally got over my fear of singing in public.

Me, Laney, Sarah, and Yesha at Reston Town Center

In high school I wouldn't have ever dreamed of singing in front of people and when I look back and think about that now I can't imagine doing anything else.  Not only do I love singing, I mostly just love hanging out with the girls in my group.  I can totally be myself, but I am kind of myself on crack when I'm with them.  During practice all I do is tell seriously the dumbest jokes you've ever heard and act weirder then I've ever acted in my life, but oddly enough, everyone loves it.  It's probably because I'm by far the oldest in the group you know due to the fact that I'm in grad school and 23 years old and we just had one girl in our group turn 18. So yea, major age difference there, which means they have to hang on to every word I say haha.  But in all seriousness, I love them sooo much and they have made my college experience 100 times better!

Sarah, me, and Caitlin after Glow-in-the-Darkapella

This quote perfectly describes my feelings towards the loves of my life! Love you guys!

Source: flickr.com via Kasey on Pinterest

Here is a bad quality video of me with my OBSESSION Damian from CNU's all boy's group "Expansion" singing "Fix You" last year. I'll post better videos some other time when I'm on my computer because that's where they all are!

It's a Bieber Christmas!

I don't care what anyone says, I love the Biebs.  This post is a call to all of you Christmas lovers out there to go get his new CD Under the Mistletoe.  You may be extremely surprised when you first listen because HE NO LONGER SOUNDS LIKE A PRETTY LITTLE GIRL.  Even though I loved that little girl voice, I am really digging Justin's new manlier sound.  I have never in my life listened to Christmas music this early but I can't help myself. It's just that good.  So if you love Christmas and/or Justin, GO GET THIS CD! Here is the song list with my personal favorites highlighted!

1. Only Thing I Ever Get For Christmas

2. Mistletoe

3. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) feat. Usher

4. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

5. Fa La La feat. Boyz II Men

6. Christmas Love

7. All I Want For Christmas Is You Duet Mariah Carey

8. Drummer Boy feat. Busta Rhymes-  Busta makes this song amazing!

9. All I Want Is You

10. Fa La La (acapella) feat. Boyz II Men

11. Christmas Eve-written by my favorite Chris Brown SOOOO GOOOOD

12. Home This Christmas feat. The Band Perry

13. Silent Night- beautiful take on the classic song

It's not the Income, it's the Outcome

There are many times in life where you feel like you've hit a brick wall, where you don't see the point of all the things you are working for or what the outcome will be. One of these times hit me last night when after I went to bed at around 12:30/ 1 ish, I was still awake staring at the ceiling at 5:30. All I was doing was seriously having a heart attack (my heart was beating sooo fast) because I was going over and over all the things I have to do in the next couple of weeks. I still need observation hours, I have multiple papers and projects due, oh ya and not to mention the Praxis II next Saturday which I have to pass this time in order to student teach in the spring otherwise I'm out of luck and going home and  all the classes I've done well in over the summer, this semester's classes, and all my observation hours will be for nothing if I don't pass. Also all of these things have to be done before my cousin's wedding over Thanksgiving so I have to turn stuff in early. I have a capella ( which literally is my saving grace at school I love it so much) and also work in Williamsburg and at the North Riverside church after-school program three days a week. This may not seem like a lot, or it might to some people, but the work load is killing me. I had boot camp at 6 o'clock, and also had to be in Williamsburg for AVID tutoring at 8. I do not function without any sleep, therefore I did something I hate doing which is not going to things I have obligations too. Funny thing is, even though I didn't go to those things so I could sleep, I still couldn't sleep. So before I went to work at the church, I bought some sleeping pills for tonight because if I do not fall asleep tonight I will honestly go insane. The point of this rambling is that tonight in my class we had a lesson on teaching morality in the schools. It made me remember why I want to be a teacher and reminded me that all this work I am doing is actually for a purpose. Yeah true, I love history, but I don't love it that much to where I want to devote my life to it. So why teach high school? Well the answer is I grew up with it, and I've seen how many fun and meaningful experiences it can bring to your life. My dad is a high school principal and works extremely hard to provide the best school environment for the kids by being fair and respectful to all of them. The best part of this is it's the "bad" students, the kids on drugs or in jail that he has really made an impact on. My favorite example of this is when he got a letter from an ex student in prison who was trying to change his life around. In the letter the kid wrote to my dad that even though he always was on his back and trying to make him do the right thing, and even though the kid didn't like him at the time and he was suspended by him a couple times, my dad never gave up on him when a lot of other people in his life did. High school is such an important time for people, they aren't really kids anymore they are morphing into adults. You as a teacher can either make or break their view on education and learning. You also are the last hope to make school a positive experience for them if it hasn't been. I want to make learning fun. I want the kids that are in my class who have never heard a Jimi Hendrix song, or seen the Office to be familiar with them by the time they leave my classroom. My favorite teacher from high school, Mrs. Smith always used to say to us, "Don't let your books get in the way of your education!" which is something I firmly believe in. Yes, make sure you teach the students what they need to learn, but it's the hidden curriculum, the moral and life lessons that are the most important in my eyes. Who actually remembers a history lesson they learned from 10th grade? You don't. You remember a funny talk you had with a teacher, or a time when a teacher was nice to you when no one else was. It's kindness that counts. It's funny how life works isn't it? You could have the worst day because you are extremely exhausted and want to quit school, and then something comes along at night to remind you that what you are so stressed about has a purpose. So to finish this ramble, it's not the income, it's the outcome. Thank god for teachers.

72 days?! Really?

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, I know I shouldn't be writing on this because the entire rest of the world is but I couldn't help myself. The Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries split rocked my world yesterday morning. My 20 year old brother was the first to tell me (cool right?) and I immediately went to my favorite celebrity blog Perezhilton.com to see if it was true since he is alwayssss right. Sure enough, there it was on his blog and Ryan Seacrest had confirmed it. This is so stupid that I'm writing about this but I was honestly disappointed. I'm the biggest romantic in the world and I honestly believed that it would last. I always have liked Kim too I just didn't understand why they rushed into it and why she was marrying a 26 year old Frankenstein who acted like a high school boy. Next time, if there ever is a next time (I'm sure there will be let's be serious) I hope she chooses more wisely and doesn't rush to get married. It's not all about a TV show Kim! Anyways, I really do wish both of them luck and I hope that there is love for them in the future. Until then, I can't wait to watch this drama unfold on the upcoming season of Kim and Khloe take New York! What do you think? Was her wedding a scam or was it real?

One last thing! I was busy yesterday so I didn't get to wish everyone a Happy Halloween! I love seeing the little kiddies in their cute costumes! Hope everyone had a spooky day!

Source: notetoself.typepad.com via Kasey on Pinterest

Hello Blogging World! As you can see I have a new blog courtesy of one of my besties Kate! Isn't it purrtyy? Her design page is at the bottom of my blog if you want to check out more of what she is working with! Anyways, I am so excited to start blogging more frequently now that I have this beautiful design! And about what will I be blogging about do you ask? Well the answer there is: everything.  Life, thoughts on life, anything going on in my life, so yea, basically life. 

So, to start off, yesterday was the first/only time I celebrated Halloween this year.  I went with my roommates, a few friends in my sorority, one of my best friends from home was here, and her boyfriend, and a few other stragglers came along as well.  I went as a flapper-see pic, and it was a pretty successful night.  Needless to say, I am soooo over this college limbo thing.  I'm not in college anymore, yet since I'm in grad school AT the same place as my undergrad, I still kind of am.  I'm looking forward to my grown up life, just because I'm more of a homebody anyways and a good movie/talk night in with my friends beats going out to me most of the time.   What's your guy's take? To stay in or to not stay in? That is the question.....

 

 

 

Katie and I before going out