Busy Weekend!

Just me again, trying to procrastinate my HUGE plate I have in front of me yet again. Piles of papers that are due on Monday, a test that I need to study for on Monday, I need to finish preparing some of my things for my student teaching meeting, and to top it all off... tomorrow is the Superbowl. Don't get me wrong, I like football, but the Superbowl is over-rated. Especially when there are two teams that you don't really care about. Oh well, it will be a good break from the work to have family and friends over for a little shin-dig.  Needless to say I have done all the planning and prep so far.  Another reason I am procrastinating is because I already spent eight-hours in class today. 

This semester I decided to take a sign language course. It is so cool! It is really easy to understand, now that I am learning some, but it is easy to forget exactly how to say what you want to. It is a class that meets four weekends, four hours on Friday and eight hours on Saturday. I wish there was some place I could use it more often, it would be so much easier to work on it if I had the environment around me. I guess I may just have to start looking for some volunteer options somewhere. Anyway, if anyone is interested, there is a really cool website:  www.ASLPRO.com which has a TON of cool things. You can see video's of anything you would want to say in sign.

This is it for the day, time to actually do some work!

Long Time No Post

It has been WAAAAYYY too long since my last post. I believe almost a month! I have been so busy. I headed back to school and am finishing up my third week, I believe I only have 11 more to go before I am DONE with classes. Not only done for the semester, but forever. I am probably going to go back and get my Master's my first year out through an AMAZING program  my University has, but I still won't formally be in a classroom. 

As last semester ended, I felt as if my life was falling apart around me. However, as this new one has begun, I believe things are beginning to take a turn for the better. To be completely honest, it was through a LOT of hard work and constant applications and phone calls. I also truly believe that God is the one who got me through it all! I was raised a Catholic, and by no means am I not "Holy", but I had an extremely hard time attending church. The church I was raised at I could no longer stand. Between the stuff the priest has pulled with my family, friends, and the immense negative impact he had on me. However, I have found myself at a new sense of peace.

Lately something has come over me, and I have been thinking more and more about God, my future, and how much He really does have a role in it. I was never much of a "prayer" outside of church, (and I think that it was due to the negative impact I had with church at a younger age) but lately I have felt a lot better about my life and I think it is because I have prayed more in these last two months than I probably have in years combined. I have found myself beginning to search for a church that "fits" me, and is someplace I can picture going to whenever I get married, have children, and will attend until the day I die. I think the reading of a few people's blog, the holiday's, and a book I have been reading has really put things into perspective for me. It sounds dumb that thing's like that had to bring me to it, I know. But I have really began to thank Him for all of his blessings and miracles. Even though I, or other people, may not agree or like the situation their life is in, I truly understand that they are in it for a reason. As my sister-in-law said to me, He wouldn't put it all on me if I couldn't handle it. There was some lesson behind the last few months, and I am really beginning to thank Him for that. 

I know I am still very young, but I have always tended to be more mature for my age (or at least I think so, and I have been told that). The number of things I take on at once while being a full time student is tremendous! I think that as graduation draws nearer, and when I look at the short road ahead of me before I truly start to begin the rest of my life, the journey and hard times I have encountered have been worth it, and make me the person that I am beginning to be today. 

This is a really random blog, I understand. But I just wanted to get things out there...

I will be back to blog more soon!  

Predictions on 2009

I think that after this last year I have learned many lessons on life, love, and finances. I feel like the vast amount of lessons I have learned is going to make me a better person, and will allow me to make better decisions within this new year. I feel that my life with Jake will grow immensely this year. I have learned a lot about friendships last year, and I will take those lessons I have learned to make the few great friendships that I have, grow even stronger. I am going to begin the journey of the rest of my life after a semester of student teaching, and receiving my diploma in December. 

Ultimately, no one knows what the year will bring. I know of a few things in my future to be hopeful for, however this is going to be a very critical year for the rest of my life. It is a year that is going to be filled with life-changes and challenges, and I am so excited to arrive at all my destinations a stronger person. I am hopeful for this new year, and for my new future!

Reflecting on 2008

When looking back at 2008, it has made me realized how much my life has changed. As I try to reflect back, I think back on particular months and events...so I guess that is the best way for me to lay it out on here. Here was my year in a nutshell:

January: I was asked to be the maid of honor in my best friends wedding, my mom celebrated her birthday, but most importantly, I was there to welcome my first nephew into the world.

February: Celebrated my dad's birthday and Valentine's day by spending time with my nephew, and also celebrated Jake's 23rd birthday.

March: Took one of the biggest steps of my life thus far, and moved in with my boyfriend. Jake and I also celebrated our fifth year of being together. 

April: completed my junior year of college, and made the dean's list. 

May: My sister graduated from college

June: Worked, worked, and worked some more! We also got the news of two more engagements and another wedding that I would be in.

July: The month I began blogging. I celebrated one of my best friends 21st birthdays. Jake and I also traveled out east to visit family and my new baby cousin, Sarah, as well as helped to move friends back to Wisconsin from Pennsylvania. 

August: Prepared to begin my senior year of college.  Celebrated my brothers birthday, and Jake's best friend got married.

September: Working hard at school, and I also got a job at a nearby daycare.

October: This was a fairly eventful month. Celebrated birthday's of a few friends and Jake's family members.

November: This was a very difficult month for me. A best-friend of eight years (+) parted our separate ways, and I was laid-off from the daycare. This was not good considering the next month was December. It added a lot of extra stress on both Jake and I. A few horrible things happened to family members, but it all began to work itself out. I ended my cross country season, and possibly my cross country career. One of the good things in the month was my sister-in-law's birthday  :)

December: Everything ended up to work out this month. I spent a lot of hours at work at the mall. I was able to celebrate my sisters birthday, my birthday, Christmas, and New Years with the people I love. I also found out that I got a coaching job for this next spring at a local middle school, as well as preparing for my own track season at WSU.

I'm sure there are many things that I have forgotten about, but these are the events that stand out when I reflect on the last year. I think this would be something nice for anyone who reads this to do as well. It would be a nice little thing just to see what the year has brought other people as well....

Happy New Year!

HAPPY 2009!! New Year's Eve was a blast. I worked for part of the day, but that wasn't too bad. After I got home, Jake decided he was going to take me out for a nice romantic dinner to the Freight House. It is one of our favorite restaurants. We didn't get out of there until late, so after we drove through the Rotary Lights in Riverside Park. We didn't know what we were going to do at this point, so we decided to call a few friends. 

After talking with some friends, we decided we would go meet them for a little while at a local smoke-free bar. (YES! I said smoke-free in La Crosse) It is a new little pub that is very relaxed and low key.

We were having such a great time, so I called mom and dad to get them out of the house. They came down to join us. Low and behold some of my parent's good friends were there as well. After it hit the new year, Jake and I decided to call it an early night to head home and go to bed. It was a great time overall! 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all! Like everyone else I'm sure, I had a very busy Christmas. On Christmas Eve, Jake and I had his family over for dinner. It was great to get to spend good time with his brother, sister, and dad. I made dinner and desert and then we hung out and watched some TV and talked about the holidays. Then my parents and sister came over for a while before we headed off to church for the late mass that we attend every year. The church looked beautiful!!!

On Christmas morning we went over to my mom and dad's again for our traditional Christmas breakfast. Grandpa Sagen was able to join us as well. The day was going great, except for Jake not feeling well. After breakfast, we headed over to Jake's dad's house to open presents with his brother and sisters. It was great to get to spend time with them again. We don't get to see his one sister very often, so we always do enjoy the time we get together. Before returning back to my house for the Rieber-side Christmas we headed off with Jake's siblings to go visit his mom. She is doing great, and was very happy to see all of us.

After visiting his mom, Jake dropped me back off at my parent's house. He needed to go home to rest because he wasn't feeling well. We had a great Christmas. My favorite present was a music box that had been part of my grandma's collectors edition. It was a Peter Pan one, and it has always been one of my favorites. It was a difficult time for many of us, but it is something we will cherish for the rest of our lives.

After the house cleared, it was time for us to open presents. Bennett didn't quite know what to think, but he loved his truck that he got from Auntie Kristin. By this time, it was getting to be late and everyone was ready to head home. It was a great time and a great Christmas.

The holiday's ended very well, except for our family break-out of the flu!

More December Action with Bennett

I had also gotten to spend quite a bit of time with Bennett in December. As is first birthday is quickly approaching, I can't believe how fast he is growing and developing. His personality amazes me. He is so loving, curious, and funny little boy. He can put a smile on anyone's face.
One night when we were at my mom's house, Bennett accidentally dropped the cookie-cutter on the floor from his high chair. Jake made an "uh-oh" face at him, and then he began making it too. It was too cute that I couldn't help but laugh, but I think we started a bad habit!  :(  SORRY!! 
I have a few video's that I need to get to Kim. One I tried to upload but wouldn't. It is a small one of Bennett and Grandpa R playing instruments in the living room. They sounded great!

Busy Birthday!

December was a very busy month. It started off with Kristin's birthday, and in the same week it was mine. I had one of the best birthday's that anyone could have asked for this year. The day started off WONDERFUL! After waking up that morning, Jake and I went to get our very first Christmas Tree for our home. We also then, of course, had to make a trip to Target to get some of the essentials such as ornaments, lights, garland, a star, a stand, and stockings for the fireplace. When we got home from running around town, we cooked breakfast. We had my favorite Sprinkle Pancakes, and mom came over to help us with decorations and just to spend some time with us.  

Jake and I then had the afternoon to relax and hang out before getting ready for the busy night that we had ahead of us. Before we knew it, it was getting to be 4:30 and our guests from Winona were going to be arriving. We did get the chance to capture a picture in front of our tree before we had a full house. This was almost the finished product of the Christmas Tree.
Soon, we had some of my best friends from Winona come to the apartment. From there we opened a few presents, and got ready for our night out. I had heard from a friend about a limo service in the area, and it was actually very cheap. It would fit twelve people, and we would have access to it all night. So I figured what the heck, and we all chipped in and filled the limo. It began by picking us up in Holmen and then traveled to other various homes to pick up friends in Holmen, Onalaksa, and La Crosse before taking us downtown for drinks at Starlite Lounge and dinner at Buzzard Billy's. After dinner, we loaded the limo back up and headed over to Mom and Dad's to visit them, and get some pictures. Below is a picture of the whole crew that helped me celebrate. Almost everyone I wanted to be there for my birthday was and I couldn't have asked for anything better.
After Mom and Dad's house, we headed to a local north-side bar to have a few drinks. We had so much fun. This is a picture of me and the girls, except Gina. Notice the massive birthday drink they gave me...I had to pawn it off on the boys because there was no way I was going to drink that. Of course they didn't mind.

This below is one of my favorite pictures of the night. It was all of us in front of the limo before boarding again. It was such a great birthday (for the most part). The only reason I decided that the limo was the best way to go was so I didn't have to worry about anyone driving, and it kept all of us together. Anyone could leave at any point in the evening and had a safe means of transportation. From here on, we headed downtown for the rest of the evening. Everyone was safe and had fun. It was so great to be in the company of my best friends and family on my birthday. I couldn't have asked for anything better.