Don’t worry–I’m alive.

I’ve neglected this blog, I know. I’ve had a hard time finding where it fits in my life. I’ve been busy with school and work. Today begins my fifth week of school this semester. Just five more weeks of classes until spring break. I’ve been trying to focus on myself a lot lately, and I’m trying to figure out what should play a role in my life from this point forward.

While I’ve been away, I’ve been: going to school & work Monday through Thursday; sleeping in on the weekends; planning my nephew’s first birthday party (he’ll be one on the 24th!); playing around on my new iPad 2 (!); dreaming of what I want to do after college; preparing myself for the last few semesters of undergrad (I plan on graduating with my B.S. after the spring semester of 2013); planning vacations with Husband; and thinking about when we should have our first baby (still at least a couple years off).

I’m sure there are things that are missing, but my brain is so full of information lately. I’m really hoping to get back into blogging soon, but I can’t make any promises.

Hopefully, I’ll be back soon!

1. What did you get for Christmas?
Hmm, let’s see. My parents gave me a Keurig for my birthday, which was also part Christmas gift. I got a great pair of boots from Josh’s grandparents (I have seriously worn them EVERY SINGLE DAY, and that is no lie). Josh’s parents gave me a flannel shirt (that I love–I’ve worn it three times since), a necklace, a $25 gift card, socks, pajamas, and other random gifts. My brother-in-law gave me some nail polish from Sephora by OPI. Josh’s cousin received my name for the gift exchange we do at his great-grandma’s house, and she gave me a shirt and a k-cup carousel for my Keurig. I received other random, awesome gifts as well! (Many of the gifts have been posted on my instagram, if you follow me there: @somewhatvoluble)

2. Have you taken down your Christmas decorations?
Uh, no. I meant to yesterday, but then the Christmas tree came on (we have it on a timer), and it was FINALLY flurrying outside, so I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Maybe tonight? We’ll probably wait until later in the week to take outside lights down since it’s supposed to warm up again (well, to the 50s).

3. What did you do for New Years Eve?
New Year’s Eve is Josh’s birthday (he turned 25 this year!), so we always go to his parents’ house and his mom cooks us dinner. Josh gets to pick what he wants every year, so we had tacos “with the fixins.” We also played some games on the Wii with his parents, brother, and grandparents. Josh and I went home around 10:30, and we were in bed by 11:00. Yes, we missed the ball dropping, but we had a great night of sleep!

4. Do you like accents?
Sure. I’m surrounded by southern accents on a daily basis.

5. What kind of television do you have?
Off the top of my head, I have no idea.

6. Did you make any changes at the beginning of 2012?
Not really. I’m not big on resolutions, aside from “remain optimistic.” I’m trying! I actually would like to lose about ten pounds this year, though, if I can. Even five would be okay by me!

7. What’s the last book you read and do you recommend it?
The last book I read all the way through was Divergent, I think. I HIGHLY recommend it. Seriously. I can’t wait for Insurgent to come out in May–it’s already on pre-order!

8. Do you stay current on celebrity gossip?
Occasionally, when I’m bored, I read up on a few things.

9. Do you know the words to Bohemian Rhapsody? Gangstas Paradise? Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?
Probably not every single word, but I know most.

10. What is your favorite education television show?
We actually just got rid of our satellite, so we only have Hulu and Netflix. I’m sad to say we don’t watch much educational television. When we had satellite, Josh watched shows on Discovery, History, etc… and I would occasionally watch with him. I always like watching the “How It’s Made” shows.

Questions found here.

I’ve been watching the clock a lot this week. I’m looking forward to the long weekend of spending time with family for the Christmas holiday.

Remember when I posted about some DIY projects I found on pinterest? Well, I decided to attempt a yarn wreath, and after a trip to JoAnn’s, I had the supplies I needed. I spent the majority of Monday evening wrapping up my wreath. I think it turned out nicely, though it’s not perfect.

I also received my first box from Citrus Lane. Technically, it’s for my sister and nephew. It’s sort of like Birchbox, but for parents. They sent a cute hat for Hayden, a full bottle of lotion, a gingerbread cookie cutter, and a beautiful bracelet for my sister. (If you’d like to join, you can use my invite link, and use CITRUSHALF at checkout to get half off your first box!)

Tuesday evening, I decided to try crafting a flower for my yarn wreath. (I used this tutorial for my flower.)

I decided not to use that style of flower on my wreath. (Well, I want to try other styles before deciding.) I ended up making a headband instead, and I gave it to my sister.

I’ve been tired this week, but the evening crafts have helped center me. I’ve also been reading my Bible (for educational as well as personal reasons). I’m reading it in chronological order, and right now, I’m on Job (just a few days in), and there have been some great reminders. It’s keeping me humble.

Even though the cold weather hasn’t hit us yet, I’m truly looking forward to Christmas this weekend. It doesn’t feel like it’s so close, but I think an evening drive to look at Christmas lights might help with that.

1. What is your favorite online-only store?
I actually don’t think I shop at any online-only stores. Duh, Amazon. (My brain wasn’t working very well this morning.)

2. Do you enjoy wrapping gifts?
Not really. My husband is a great gift-wrapper, so I usually try to get him to wrap mine.

3. What is the temperature in your city today?
Currently, it’s 48-degrees, which is warm for this time of year. The high today is 60-degrees, which is DEFINITELY too warm. It should be in the thirties during the day.

4. What time do you eat dinner?
I usually try to eat around six, but last night, I ate after eight because I was crafting a yarn wreath for a couple hours and forgot about dinner. (Wrapping a yarn wreath is a LONG–sometimes frustrating–process.

5. Will you be making New Years Resolutions?
I have a few things in mind that I’d like to accomplish in the coming year, but I’m not declaring official resolutions.

6. How old is your oldest pair of shoes that you still wear?
Maybe a few years?

7. Do you have any restaurant phone numbers saved in your phone?
For some reason, I have Little Caesars saved in my phone. I also have our local Mexican restaurant saved for take-out.

8. What is your favorite and least favorite letter to write in cursive?
I’m pretty good at L’s in cursive (because my middle name begins with one). My least favorite might be the official way to write Q in cursive. I definitely don’t write it like that, if I’m writing in cursive.

9. Do you know any good riddles?
None that I can think of off the top of my head.

10. How do you feel about snow?
I like it when I don’t have to drive on it. We actually don’t get “big” snows very often. We are more prone to getting ice, which I’m not a big fan of.

Questions found here.

Last week, I took my last final of the semester. I was nervous because my overall grade in the class was a 91%–very close to a B. If I didn’t do well on the final, I wouldn’t pull off an A in the class. Luckily, I made an A on the final, which ultimately meant I made A’s for all of my classes. I wasn’t really expecting to pull it off, but when I only had a few weeks left in the semester and realized I still had A’s in all of my classes, I thought, I got this. But then classes sort of got hard, and I was a bit worried. However, I pulled it off in the end. So, I made A’s in Statistics for Psychology, Statistics lab, Social Psychology, Computers in Business, and Intro to Special Education. That’s twelve more hours down, so now I’m at sixty-eight hours total–which also means I’m officially a junior (sixty hours).

I sort of decided a few weeks ago that I’m not sure if counseling is for me. I saw Amber’s post and it inspired me to look into Speech Language Pathology. My school (the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga) doesn’t have an SLP Master’s program, but the main University of Tennessee (in Knoxville) campus does. It’s a 3-year program and it’s something I’m really interested in doing, so that is my newest goal (after I receive my B.S. in Psychology, of course). Anyway, I also decided to change my concentration from education to health care/biology. SCARY, but I seem to have a knack for science (I made A’s in both Astronomy and Physics at the college level and Biology 1 & 2 at the high school level).

Enough rambling. This is what next semester is looking like for me:

Western Humanities II (ENGL 1150): I took Western Humanities I a while ago. I actually dropped Western Humanities II halfway through one semester to lighten my class load, so I’m picking it up again. It’s a required class for my degree. A historical approach to the pivotal ideas, systems of thought, and creations of the Western world from approximately 1600 C.E. to the present. Emphasis on matters of literary structure, style, and content.

College Algrebra (MATH 1130): When I first started school, I was an Early Childhood Education major, and since I did so well on my ACT, I wasn’t required to take College Algebra. (I went straight to Intro to Statistics.) However, Psychology majors are required to take a math AND stats course. I’ve been putting it off, but it’s time to take it. (I’ve considered trying to test out of it, but it has been so long since I’ve taken algebra, I’m not sure I’d do well.) This precalculus course is designed primarily for students majoring in business, the life sciences, or the social sciences, blah blah blah…

Research Methodology: Laboratory and Field Research Techniques (PSY 2020 & PSY 2020L): This class consists of a lecture and a lab period. It’s a required class for Psychology majors. General introduction to research methods in psychology with an emphasis on basic strategies for empirically identifying causal and correlational relationships. Topics will include laboratory and field techniques, quasi-experimental and non-experimental models, and the ethical issues involved in research.

Learning & Motivation (PSY 3110): I’m looking forward to this class, and I’m hoping it’s an easy A! Study of the effective conditions for various learning phenomena; roles of motivation, reinforcement, and punishment in learning.

So, I’m taking thirteen credit hours next semester. It’s sort of daunting, but I think I can handle it. I’m not too nervous about college algebra–I loved algebra in high school, but I may need to refresh my memory a bit. I’m nervous about Research Methodology because I don’t know what to expect, and I’m nervous about Western Humanities II because I know it will require a lot of reading and writing, and I tend to procrastinate.

I’ve also signed up for three classes during the summer, but I’ll get into that later.

While I’m looking forward to next semester, I’m so very glad to have a few weeks off (from school, at least).

1. How do you eat your eggs?
When making them myself, I either eat a fried egg with runny yolk or scrambled. When at a restaurant, I specify either “sunnyside up” or “over-easy.”

2. Do you volunteer?
No, I don’t, though I’d like to volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House.

3. What’s your favorite brand of jeans?
Mostly, I wear AE Artist brand, but I’d like to branch out a bit. Suggestions?

4. What was your child’s first word? Or what was your first word?
I don’t have a child, but my first word was “bye bye.”

5. Can you french braid?
No, but my mom can.

6. Do you prefer wide rule, college rule, or blank paper?
College ruled.

7. Is there a specific treat do you always make during the holidays?8
I usually make sugar cookies.

8. Do you have a KitchenAid mixer? Do you want one?
I don’t have one, but I want one!

9. What kind of computer do you use?
I have a macbook. At work, I use HP.

10. Favorite Christmas movie?
I love the classics: Santa Clause is Coming to Town; Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer; Frosty. I also love Elf.

Questions found here.

1. What are 3 things that are on your Christmas wishlist?
The Keurig was on there, but my parents gave me one for my birthday. Now, I want (a) Kindle giftcard(s); k-cups (flavored coffees, especially!); and maybe a pair of tan, slouchy, flat boots.

2. What’s your favorite Christmas song?
Silent Night. It’s so peaceful. Another favorite is Carol of the Bells.

3. Do you have a favorite band or singer that sings it especially awesome?
I love The Bird and the Bee’s cover of Carol of the Bells. (I used to put it on my myspace every Christmas, back in the day.)

4. Have you heard about the website goodreads?
Of course!

5. What are 3 books you want to read?
Insurgent by Veronica Roth. (It will be released May 2012.)
Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

6. Do you hunt deer?
No, I don’t.

7. Have you started Christmas shopping? Are you completely finished?
I bought a few things online for my nephew, but I’m not finished yet.

8. Did you shop on Black Friday? What was the best deal you got?
No, I don’t shop on Black Friday.

9. What’s one holiday tradition your family has?
On husband’s side of the family, at his great-grandma’s house, we always draw names. That way, we just have to buy a gift for one person.

10. How many blogs do you read? Do you subscribe/unsubscribe often or do you purge every once in a while?
I’m not sure of the number of blogs I read. I mostly read in Google Reader, and I unsubscribe occasionally.

Today is my twenty-third birthday. Today, back in 1988, I was born six weeks early at just 4 lbs, 1 oz. (I think I was actually the largest baby in the NICU.) I ended up having trouble breathing when I fell asleep, so I got to fly in a helicopter to Shands Hospital in Gainesville, FL, where I stayed in the NICU until December 30th. I’d say that’s a pretty epic first month of life. What’s even more epic is that I survived it, and I’m here today to talk about it. Several years ago, my family and I took a trip back to Shands, and they let me pay a visit to my first home (at least, my first home outside in the world)–the NICU. The babies were absolutely tiny, and it was heartbreaking. I said a little prayer for them–that their moms and dads would be able to watch them step on the school bus for the first time; that they’d be able to watch them graduate from high school; that they’d be able to watch them graduate college and get married and have healthy babies of their own. I hope that all babies who have to spend time in the NICU grow old with their loved ones.

For a birthday wish, I’d like to ask you to donate to one of these charities. They mean a lot to me, and I hope they can help NICU babies all over the world in their fight for survival. I know Christmas is soon, so we’re spending money on Christmas gifts, but even spare change can help.

Shands Hospital for Children — for taking good care of me while I was there.

Ronald McDonald House Charities — for giving my parents a place to stay while I was in the NICU.

March of Dimes — for raising premature awareness.

Thank you for helping me in saying “happy birthday” to babies around the world for years to come.

1. What are you doing for Thanksgiving this year?
Thursday, we’ll be going to Husband’s great-grandma’s house for dinner with his mom’s side of the family. (I’ll be making baked macaroni & cheese.) Saturday, my family is doing their Thanksgiving at my parents’ house. (I’ll be making my Granny’s stuffing/dressing and a cake.) Sunday, Husband, my dad, my brother, and my brother-in-law are going to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (my dad’s team!) v. Tennessee Titans game in Nashville. Mom & I will be driving along, too, so we can spend some time in Nashville.

2. What are you most thankful for this year?
I’m thankful for life in general this year. I’m thankful for an amazing husband. I’m thankful for awesome parents and wonderful siblings. I’m thankful for my adorable nephew. I’m thankful I have such great in-laws. I’m thankful for all of the people in my life.

3. Do you have any traditions on Thanksgiving? The parade? Football? Long naps?
Um, we mostly cook and eat food. I usually make my Granny’s stuffing.

4. Is it called stuffing or dressing? Is it in the bird or a separate dish?
I usually call it stuffing, even though I never put it in the turkey. It’s a separate dish. Well, more like two or three giant pans full. When Granny & I used to make it, we’d mix everything together in a HUGE laundry basket. I’m serious. We made a lot of stuffing.

5. Do you cook?
Yes, though I’m making less than usual this year for my sanity.

6. What is your favorite dish?
Stuffing. Even though I make Granny’s stuffing, it’s not really a recipe. I know what to put in it, but I just sort of eyeball how much of everything to put in. It still never tastes quite like her stuffing, but it has been close! I really like broccoli casserole, too!

7. What is your dessert preference?
Mmm, pumpkin pie.

8. What is your favorite Thanksgiving memory?
All the years I shared with my Granny and Pawpaw. Especially the year Granny let me make the stuffing on my own for the first time. It was maybe a year or two before she passed away.

9. Do you plan to shop on Black Friday?
Nope. I don’t really want to stand in line at 2:00 a.m. after eating a huge Thanksgiving feast. I’d rather sleep.

10. What are you most dreading about Thanksgiving this year?
Really, nothing. This is the first year (since Granny & Pawpaw passed away) I’m truly looking forward to Thanksgiving.

1. What are your pantry staples?
Pasta, alfredo sauce, flour, potato chips, sugar, peanut butter, bread. Random, I know, but those are the items that are always in my pantry.

2. What are your refrigerator staples?
Water, miracle whip… really, those are the only things that are always in my refrigerator. If we’re including freezer, we always have chicken and frozen rolls.

3. You already look like Heidi Klum (or your favorite supermodel). Now, what are the top three non-physical things you would change about yourself?
Hm. I would want to be more patient, more optimistic, and less introverted.

4. What’s holding you back from your dream job? (If you already have your dream job, how did you get there?)
A degree, I suppose. That’s something I’ll have in the next two years or so, though.

5. You have $500 to spend but it has to be on one item only. Go.
Right now, I’d say I’d put it toward the $2,000 I owe on my car or toward my student loans. If I had to buy something for myself, though, I’d buy an iPad, which is $499 (at the lowest).

6. What is something that you are embarrassed to admit you buy on a regular basis?
Fast food. I eat there several times a week because it’s convenient before class.

7. What’s in/on your bed every night?
Husband and I, about five pillows, a sheet, and a comforter.

8. What is a non-necessity item that, no matter how expensive it gets or how tight your budget if, you will always find room for it?
I don’t have any items like that. I don’t typically buy anything if I can’t afford it, and if it’s something I want, I just save for it.

9. What is the weirdest sandwich you’ve ever made?
I typically stay away from weird sandwiches, actually. Husband thinks it’s weird that I get black olives on my chicken salad sub from Publix, though.

10. Would you rather: Be banned from Pinterest forever, but gain a million captive Twitter followers; or, never get on Facebook again but gain five thousand blog readers?
Honestly, I’m not very wrapped up in Pinterest. I don’t really have time to browse as much as I’d like. I think I could go without facebook, but I do use it occasionally for talking to distant relatives.

Questions found here.