I Passed!!!

Ok so I have been soo stressed about my TExES Exam scores that Texas requires to be a "highly Qualified" teacher. I took the test December 10th (by far the hardest, most stressful test I have ever taken) and had to wait 20 days for the dang results! What is that all about? All they have to do is run it through the machine (not like they did anything manually) and then post those babies on the internet...but no...they wait 20 whole days (I think they do that just to make you squirm). Needless to say I think I developed like 5 ulcers worrying about this dumb test. Being that I don't have a job at the moment and everything was riding on the results of this test made it harder on me for sure. However I did pass!! WOOT WOOT!! I'm soo excited! This calls for a celebration!!! and that my friend is what will be happening tonight and throughout the rest of the weekend!! :=)

Texas Weather...

WOW....December 27th and it's 70 degrees outside. I went and ran today in shorts and a sports bra and was still burning up. Crazy. I remember a white Christmas one year, but it was when I was really little. When will we ever get another one? Then again, my body doesn't really tolerate the cold much. But there's just something about cold/snow and Christmas time ya know? Even though we don't have cold winters here I will still put my money on Texas people making it through a Northern blizzard than the North making it through one of our Texas summers!! I love it here!....Hot and all! I wouldn't live in any other place! Texas is where I'll stay! (don't worry...tomorrow the weather will be different....."if you don't like the weather in Texas right now....just wait a few minutes!!) Geez...that's the truth huh?!?

Christmas!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!! Tis the season!! Wow...today was soo wonderful! I love my family! Just spending time with them is soo worth every minute! As I get older, Christmas isn't all what we worked it up to be as little kids. Now I look forward to seeing my family and spending time with them and of course the food!! Dang our family has great food! I have developed a new love....it's name is Pecan Pie!!! I might need some type of counseling!!! haha. "Hi my name is Nikki and I'm a Pecan Pie-aholic!!" This year I even caught myself getting less real-quality food just so I could make sure I saved room for pie!! Is this bad???
Anyway...I did get a new digital camera! I'm so excited and will be adding lots of Pics to my blogs now! My brother got me (all on his own I might add) 2 PINK John Deere Hats!! I'm soo excited!! I've been looking every where for a Pink on that I liked! And he got me 2!!! I love em!!
Well I'm off to have a piece of Pecan Pie!! Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Eve!

Today we went to my G-ma's house for another Christmas. The one on Christmas Eve is when we all have a Chinese Christmas! Some years they are good...some years they aren't. Well to do things a little different this year my grandma decides she will do something for the single people and the kids (how us single people got thrown in with the little kids...I'll never know, but never the less, we did.) Not only did we get an extra gift for being single, we now get to follow the elderly in the food line!!! WOO HOO! Guess there is a bright side to being single eh? Other than that, the night was great! Got to spend some time with my bro on the way home that night! (always a good thing) We sure do laugh about the dumbest stuff!!! Well I guess I'm off to bed now...Santa's on his way!! And I've been a good girl!!! ;=)

Wonder Woman

When I was a little girl (and even to this day) I have always wondered about alot of things. I wonder about everything actually. My mom calls me her "wonder-woman"...(and it's not because of my super powers either!) I wonder about random things...like..."hmm...I wonder why that house is green...or I wonder why the grass grows like that...or I wonder how much different I would be if I were born in another state/country....I wonder why whoever chose for us to drive on the right side, chose that side??? Why not the left? etc. Things that couldn't possibly matter to anyone in this world but me...yep...that's what I wonder about.
~Kinda random...(who would have thought!) ... just thought I'd share...after all ...isn't that what blogs are all about???

Forgetful ~

So my dad calls me today and wants to know if I want to meet him, mom and Trent in Granbury tonight to eat at this Mexican food restaurant. I thought...hmmm, that's kinda random, it's a Tuesday night and we are all getting together to eat dinner. ( I mean we just saw each other this past weekend and will see each other again in a few more days). Instead of thinking it through then, I just let it go.
So we meet up and while we are eating Dad says "ask mom what she got today"....umm ok dad...(another random question). So I did and she says "cookies"....oh wow (I'm thinking) cookies!!!! Big deal right?...right! (although on her defense...there is a really good cookie shop in town and the cookies are oh soo good!) Well after about a million more hints I finally catch on (and that has nothing to do with the color of my hair either). It's their anniversary today!!! OOPS! I completely forgot. Trent chimes in with..."that's ok, I forgot too." Now tell me...are we really supposed to remember anniversaries....(I'm really asking, because I really don't know)
Then they ask..."do you know how long we've been married now?" I have always joked around with my mom when they or other people ask me how long they've been married...I will say "well....lets see...I'm 22 so....22 years now!!" My mom gets real uptight and embarrassed...."THAT'S NOT TRUE!". haha...I just like to give her a hard time!! It's really fun to watch her squirm!! Just for the record...I was NOT an accident! (might not have been planned...but I was not the reason for a marriage!! haha) They really have been married 24 years now!! WOO HOO....
Happy 24th anniversary mom and dad! Love ya!

A Christmas weekend...

So I had two Christmas' this weekend. One with the G-ma and then with the G-pa. They were great...well the one with G-ma atleast. The other is just a "get together" where no one is ever comfortable, you only see these people once a year, and you walk around on pins and needles wondering who's gonna piss someone off this year! Oh what fun! I don't understand why we have to make effort to be apart of him and his family once a year when he nor them make no effort to be apart of ours at any other part of the year.

I wonder sometimes how anyone would not wanna be apart of their own grandkids lives. That blows me away. But then again, we (as in the grandkids) don't really care to be apart of his either. I, personally, am very happy with just having a Grandma (on both sides even!) ... and might I add the best darn G-ma's in the world! Amazing how well my mom came out after having a father like hers....not to mention how my dad turned out with a father (that really only amounted to a sperm contributor) like his. UGH! I truly am thankful and blessed for the MOM and DAD I have! Anyone can be a mother or a father...but it takes special people to be a mama and daddy!

Christmas Candies!

I love Christmas time! I love everything about it! Today I went over to Megan's house and we made Christmas candies! (sooo much candy...whoa). We made all kinds! The best part about baking is eating the left over mix or getting a taste of the first fresh batch! We had alot of fun....good times....good times! Our next mission.....Scrapbooking!!! Can't wait!

My next task for the night...packing for the first of many Christmas' followed by another one on Sunday! Then finishing up on some Christmas presents! Till next time~

(oh...heard it is supposed to snow tomorrow...YAY!!) yes...Texas folks may get overly excited about snow, ice, sleet etc. due to the fact we never get to see it :( I can't even remember the last time we had a "White Christmas". We are deprived....oh so sad :(

Will and Grace!!!

So I have a new addiction....it's called Will and Grace!! That show is soo funny! My friend gave me all 7 seasons on DVD (with the exception of this last season that is still running!). I'm soo excited! We had a Will and Grace extravaganza today! Sure would have liked to sit in on the filming of that show! (I'm making myself not jump ahead to the out takes!!!) But anyways...it's a great way to watch an entire TV series....all in a row!! (no commercials!) I was 10 years behind on getting hooked on Friends...why not be 8 years behind on Will and Grace?!? Ok ok...so I know all you guys are running out the door to get the series as well...but I got these from a special friend in China!!! ~sorry! Don't be jealous!

We went and ate at Olive Garden today too! oh boy do I love that place! I think I could eat there everyday of my life....seriously! And all I get is the salad and breadsticks (occasionally I branch out with soup and salad...but mainly just salad!) It's soo good...words could never explain it! Although today she talked me into splitting the crab and shrimp ravioli! (excellent choice I might add). However, when you like the salad as much as I do...it's way to much food if you add something else to it! *Note to self* haha

Christmas Lights!!

Well I took my certification test today....ouch. It was really rough. I got up really early to do all the pre-test rituals! So I made myself a good breakfast and looked over some more materials. Got there about 20-30 minutes early so I could study a little more and ended up watching all the people walk in!! (I am a huge people watcher!) There was soo many people taking this test! It was crazy! I overheard some people saying they drove from Abilene (and the test was in Arlington). WOW! I couldn't help but to think that I would be competing with these people for jobs now :( (however they werent all taking the EC-4 test!! Pheew! It took me 3 hours to take this test, and I have to wait 20 days to get the results back...UGH!

Anyways, after the test I came home and took a good long nap and did anything that didn't involve thinking!! A friend of mine came and picked me up around 5 and he said we are going to Dallas! We met up with some other friends of mine that live in Dallas and then drove to Frisco to see these Christmas lights! Now these weren't just ordinary Christmas lights...no these were coordinated to music! It was soo much fun! You just tune your radio to a specific station and watch away! They were coordinated to 2 different songs! And might I add there was 50,000 lights! Lit up the entire neighborhood! (his neighbor's must really hate him!) Sadly, no one else on the block even had lights up (no one could compete with that!) haha. Had a great time! I love looking at Christmas lights!! Can't wait to go again!

This new book!!

So I started reading this new book (well it's new to me anyway) called "Your Best Life Now" by Joel Osteen! All I can say is wow (already...and I've only read 2 chapters!). I bought this book for my mom last Christmas, I think, and she was taking her pretty little time reading it, so I'm borrowing it for the time being. So the first chapter was over enlarging your vision ( I, for one, have been caught in a rut for a while now...due to some circumstances...and needed an awakening on not thinking that everything bad will always happen to me). The second chapter is over Raising your level of expectancy! Again...I haven't really expected good things because bad things usually happen to me. I have always just prepared myself for the worse, so when it did happen, it would'nt hurt so bad. *NOTE: Not such a great idea* But anyway, I'm really excited about this book, having to limit myself right now to study for a dang test on Saturday...(a very very important one I might add).

Other than that, Mom and Dad came up today for Dr's appointments (so I got a free meal!!) We went to the house of Knives afterwards to get my brother a Kershaw knife (he's into collecting them)....And actually ended up getting me one too! (you know...just in case I get trapped by my seat belt in a time of an emergency...I can cut myself clear!! (words of the salesman...not mine!) So I really wanted pink...(go figure right), but Kershaw doesn't make a pink one (I like the kershaw's because they have the assisted opening (for those really desperate times I guess !!! )....so I picked out the Camo one...(2nd best to Pink!!). Have to wait till Christmas though! But after that I can free myself....or you!! Just call!! haha

Till then~

*The color is off on this pic...but the real thing is 10 times better!

Oh so cold!!

WOW! It is sooo cold outside (below freezing I might add!)
I went to go workout this morning and had to sit in my car for a while to defrost the windshield. Sure getting out the ice scraper would have been a whole lot easier and faster, however, did I mention it was FREEZING outside? I don't do cold weather (even though I love it). My body goes into automatic shut down when it gets the slightest bit cold so you can only imagine what it's doing now! It gets in the lower 60's and I'm looking for cover and layers!
So I go work out and come back outside, only to find it even colder and icier. I'm trying to get to my car as fast as I can, while being very cautious on the ice. And yep, you guessed it, busted my chops! I stepped up onto the curb by my car and wiped out. But even worse....I fell into the flower bed (which was solid mud from all the moisture) I couldn't help but to laugh at myself (although it did hurt a little). Now when you do something like that your only hope is that no one saw right? (One could only hope I guess) But there is something about these kind of incidents that draws everyone's attention. So this old man was parking his truck right next to my car and saw the whole thing! He opens his door and says "Whoa...are you ok girl?" It was really funny! Thought I'd share!

Studying is for the birds!!!

I woke up today with the mind set of "Nikki you have to study today." However after I got back from the gym I managed to find everything else to do other than just that! I've never been one to just study, study, study. So now being that I'm really needing to, I just can't seem to focus enough to do so. I did manage, however, to clean my entire apartment (top to bottom), and do all my laundry (as well as fold and put them all away!) Yay me!
Ok, ok. I did make myself study tonight for about 2 hours or so.(mainly because there wasn't anything to watch on TV at the time!! (the finale of biggest loser was last week, so I had no excuses...none :( ) I studied the entire math portion though! But as soon as my 2 hours was up, I by all means stopped, and proceeded to watch "Amazing Race!" (One more week till the finale!) So my goal is to study one area per day (maybe more depending on length!) That's pretty good right? I mean the test is only Saturday (and I've known about it since August!! :) haha
Tomorrow its supposed to be icy/snowy/rainy and temps below freezing! I can't wait. Us Texans don't see this very often...so you learn to make the most of it when it happens (even if it is just sleet!!! ;) When it ices or snows here, everything shuts down, it's like the circus has come to town!!

Quotes...

Ok...so these quotes are all stuff that I'm dealing with right now...however they are all great! And suprisingly keeping me upbeat!!!

~ "It’s about a guy who wants to call you, calls you, makes you feel sexy and desired fully. He wants to see you more and more often because every time he sees you, he likes and then loves you more and more. Any guy who wants to make a relationship work will move mountains to keep the girl he loves. If he’s not calling you to tell you he loves you and wants you back, it should only be because he’s showing up at your house to do it in person."

~ "I don’t need someone who needs a decade or two to realize I’m the best thing that has ever happened to him."

~ "Breaking up means not seeing them again, which also implies not seeing them naked again."

~ "Why should I make someone my priority when I’m only their option?"

~ "Everyone says that you don't know what you have until it's gone... The truth is, everyone knew what they had, they just never thought they would lose it."

~ "One day you are going to wake up and realize how much you love her...and when that day comes she'll be waking up next to the guy who already knew."

~ "Falling for someone the first time is easy...it's the second time around, after you have fallen and trusted someone to catch you and they didn't...when it becomes difficult to let yourself fall again."

~Some people think it's holding on that makes one strong; sometimes it's letting go."

~ "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take... But by the moments that take our breath away."

~ "You have to take the good with the bad, smile with the sad, love what you have, and remember what you had, always forgive, but never forget, learn from your mistakes, but never regret, people change, things go wrong, just remember life goes on..."

~ "Someday, someone will come along and make you realize why it never worked out with anyone else"

~ "So it's not gonna be easy. It's gonna be really hard. We're gonna have to work at this every day. But I want to do that, because I want you. I want all of you, forever. You and me, every day." [the notebook]

~ "They didn't agree on much. In fact they rarely agreed on anything. they faught all the time and they challenged each other everday... but in spite of their differences, they had one important thing in common, they were CRAZY about each other" - THE NOTEBOOK

~ "Find a guy who calls you beautiful instead of hot, who calls you back when you hang up on him, who'll lie under the stars and listen to your heartbeat, or will stay awake just to watch you sleep...wait for the boy who kisses your forehead, who keeps your picture in his wallet, who wants to show you off to the world when you're in sweats, who holds your hand in front of his friends, who thinks you're just as pretty without makeup...one who's constantly reminding you of how much he cares and how lucky he is to have you...the one who turns to his friends and says, that's her!"

~ "Anything worth my love is worth a fight!"

I just wonder....

WOW! The new Carrie Underwood CD is great!!! (I sure do like the "before he cheats" one)!!! ~sure would make you think about who you're messin with! Not everyone will take it so well :)
So I sit and really think (or wonder) what drives someone to want to cheat? I mean my conscious gets me about any little thing that I do...I couldn't imagine having to deal with myself after doing that. I talked with an old friend last night and he said "that he didn't think anyone just sits around and thinks about who they are gonna cheat on someone with....that there has to be a pulling force from the other side making them want to go and do that." I guess I never really thought of it that way...none the less it doesn't make it right or acceptable in my opinion.
So I have a friend that says that....and another that says..."It is because they are too big of a prick or ass to give the right girls a chance. They want to have the chase to occupy their time. Its more of a trophy count than a search for happiness. It's b/c you are what we call convenient... a guy does not want that because he knows he can have you whenever... so he is going to spend his time on toilsome things until he is ready to have you. It's sad but true. Guys are just that! Selfish conceited assholes only out to get tics on their belt before they retire their bachelorhood and expect the perfect woman to wait around for them to finish playing their games and get their childish antics out of their system." (and all this came from a guy!!! I never thought there were honest ones....haha)

Again....one of lifes many sorry a$$ wonders!