Time Goes By...

It's been forever and a day... I'm on mypace and facebook... it's only natural that xanga would be neglected... if I didn't recieve all those emails saying that xanga misses me, I probably would've forgotten about it by now...

What have I done between my last post and now?

At the company I work for I have recently been promoted and have been given a pretty hefty raise...

I completed and submitted my thesis project... it came out to 96 pages... This means I can start putting "M.S." at the end of my name!

I am graduating next week... I will be hooded and I will say goodbye to going to school! (at least for now... who knows what the future holds?)

I am not worried about finding a counseling position... I will take my time finding one that I like and feel comfortable in... I don't want to just take any old job at any old school...

I met a boy... then found out he was an immature idiot...

I met another boy... then found out he was a friend-less creepy guy...

I'm through with "boys"

I went to Chicago with my sister in January... it was about 60+ degrees the whole time we were there.

I have built up my alcohol tolerance.

I've been to Disneyland at least once a month since December.

I discovered Mind Erasers and have passed it on to others.

I celebrated by birthday with my favorite things... Disney and Forrest Gump!

Whirlwind

After a full month of not working... of laying by the pool (or in a raft in the pool) to work on my tan... of Disney Dreams come true... of Dutch pastries... of cancelled Kelly tours... of reading a book a day... of Mandy Moore rockin' the HOB...

After all that, I'm feeling crazed, like I'm in a frenzie. Which way is up? How do I move forward? What's going on? I pretty much started my second (and final year) of grad school and a new job simultaneously. I'm NOT back into the school-zone (having not kicked any school-related gears all summer)... I'm still training at my job, which means almost every waking hour (that is not taken up by school or volunteer work) is scheduled... crazy ketchup queens trying to tell me what my schedule is instead of asking if I can make things a part of my schedule (luckily I see this coming and stop it before it happens... that's my assertiveness training!)... I'm not even trying to maintain any social time... I'm fighting to have some study time!

In my last-ditch effort to do something for myself before getting sucked into the vortex that is work (as a "behaviorist"/"behavior therapist"/"one-on-one"/whatever you want to call it) + school + internship + volunteer work + thesis writing, I get my hair done:

BEFORE and AFTER

It was so shocking... even though this had been my hair color for over 25 years!

7.20.07: Harry Potter Book Party at Borders:

Lorie, Abby, and Nic in front of the "Mirror" of Erised

B.G.M.B. Friends... Damn, she's tall!

Lorie... excited to be waiting in line!

Abby and Nic learn French to pass the time...

The books! The books!

Finally got our books @ 12:28am...

Earlier in the day...

James told me he thought this picture was "cute"... LOL

Awwww... James is sharing his Transformer... well, sort of...

What an adorable, chubby face!!! I can read his mind, he's thinking, "Ooh... camera..." LOL!

Harry Mania... powered by Lorie...

I have 550 pages to read by tomorrow... I advanced purchased movie tickets for the first time for the new HP movie... Wish I could do the midnight IMAX showing with Lorie... but I have to work in the morning...

I may even pre-order the 7th book to have it delivered to my front door by 5 am on the day it's released... that would be another first... Maybe will go with Lorie to a Borders book party to see what they are really like...

I love Harry Potter... but this frenzied-state was powered by this past Saturday that I spent with Lorie, Abs, and the babies (well, I guess James isn't a baby anymore)... When Lorie bullied me into buying a DA medallion, I knew it was over... LOL. I accused her of nerdifying me... and she told me to "Wear the Nerdiness with Pride!!"

I CAN'T STOP listening to the new Mandy Moore album, "Wild Hope"

It's also my last 3 days in the pre-K class... no more "Miss June, I need to go potty!" or "Miss June, can I have water?" or "Miss June, catch me!" or "Miss June, can you read me the book?" or "Miss June, I'm wearing Snow White underwear but don't look!"... No more impromptu hugs, snot in my hair, apple sauce on my sleeve, changing dirty diapers, pull-ups, and wet pants... No more sand in my shoes and swinging kids non-stop in the sun as we talk about Toy Story 2, Jimmy Neutron, Spongebob, Cars, and Jack Sparrow (pronounced "Jet-petto")... As exhausting as they are I will miss these lil' kiddies dearly... I better remember to bring my camera to work...

Precious Things...

Over the weekend, Sharon, Kay, and I visited Lorie for her birthday! She was waaaaay too busy (being Wonder Mom/Entrepenuer and all!) to plan anything official for her birthday, so we decided to tag along on their dinner... Of course, when there are cute little ones around, they are all you take pictures of... You forget about the grown-ups (sorry Lorie!!! )

Me, with 5-month-old Logan, and nearly 5-year-old James
(Of course, it's very difficult to get them both to look up at the camera... so we gave up!)

What a little monkey! He just graduated preschool the day before!

Sorry James, Auntie June's arm is not long enough!

That's better! Thanks Tita Nic!

What a cutesy face! He's like a mini-James!

Trying to make spit bubbles again Logan?

Lorie's lucky she got him back at the end of the night... LOL!

Again, we gave up on trying to get them both to look at the camera... 4/5 isn't too bad!