I take it back

I wrote a post awhile ago saying that I had found ways to deal with my allergies and that they have gotten much better throughout the years. Well, nature must have gotten wind of my boasting and served up a double dish of pollen/oak/ragweed or something because I am just miserable! I'm taking 2 types of allergy medications (one which makes me very drowsy) and still after being outside for a mere few minutes I am sneezing and my throat itches. So I am staying indoors. As much as I want to get out there and enjoy this beautiful weather I would prefer even more to not have an allergy attack. So my throat and nose are okay. My skin is faring well. But my eyes...oh my eyes...for the past week at least my eyes have been burning and watering and itching like crazy and I admit that I have rubbed them. I try not to. I really do. And I've been using lots of eye drops. But when they get going there is just no stopping the discomfort. It feels like there are big lumps inside my eyelids and I feel like I have to get them out. In the end my eyes end up all bloodshot and the rims around my eyes are all red and puffy like I've been crying. My boss told me I looked like I was chinese...I think that's a little drastic but they are definitely swollen and red. And painful.

Does anyone feel sorry for me yet??? (taps fingers...silence...crickets...)

Spring-y

I took this photo on my drive home. This is the road to our house. If you stay on it and go past the turn we are the first house on the left. It is looking kind of pretty here lately. You can see the purple trees lining the road. What you can't see so clearly is all the honeysuckle on those bushes that are also lining the road. This street has honeysuckle growing all along it and during the summer it smells so nice down here.

It is spring again. We had a mini-August earlier this week with weather in the 90s(!) but thankfully it is back to the 60s and 70s this weekend. As you can see there is a lot of color outside. Nice greens and pinks and purples and whites (I know white is not technically a color, or is that black?) all over the place. Some of the trees that I pass on my way to work and school look like they are bursting with color!

I was talking to Becca a few weeks ago about the weeping cherry tree at our school and how beautiful it is and how out of place it is because it is in front of an old mill and parking lot. It is huge and it should be someplace that will showcase how gorgeous it is. She told me that weeping cherry trees are grafted trees. That they are weeping willow bases with cherry tree tops and they fuse together and you end up with a weeping cherry tree. Isn't that amazing? You know, it made me think about the verse that says that Jesus has grafted us into the family of God. Grafting is beautiful! And those weeping cherry trees are my favorite tree during the spring-time. They just look like they are dripping flowers everywhere.

But enough about trees. They are beautiful, but boy they are part of a big problem for me! I tell you these allergies are making me crazy! I had a rough time with my eyes today. I have been using drops constantly, but it isn't helping very much. It feels like the skin around it is burned. I'm not sure if that is because the eye drop solution is bothering it or if it is something else.

I found out that I am not eligible for any pell grants this year. I only qualify for a loan that will pay for part of my yearly bill. I am frustrated! I'm going to fill out some scholarship applications and look into finding loans from other places, but it is making me very stressed out! Mom is telling me not to worry so much and to take things one day at a time. I know I am lucky to have been able to get through school so far without accumulating any debt. College is just very expensive. Even though the financial aspect of college has be frustrated and a little bit worried I am excited about going and studying nutrition. I'll be relieved when I have all my ducks in a row and I have some idea of what I'm doing.

I had my doctor appointment on Thursday. Aside from getting all of my allergy prescriptions refilled it was not a very helpful visit. My thyroid is fine and she wants me to go see a new chiropractor who does not accept my insurance, or any insurance for that matter. I probably won't go see her. But I am thinking of visiting a physical therapist to see if that will help my back and neck. So I am still tired and foggy and all that stuff. I think one very important thing to learn in life is you have to take care of yourself and look for your own answers to questions about things like health, etc. You can't rely on a doctor to do it for you. Even the best of doctors cannot know everything about you so you just have to try to be in tune with your body and research for yourself. Basically we are each responsible for our own well-being. You know, I am the reason I want to study nutrition and fitness. I am determined to find a way to become really healthy and hopefully I can help others do the same thing. It's the whole 'physician heal thyself' thing. Only I am not going to become a physician. Not on your life!

These past couple of days have been pretty nice. Laid back and chill...yesterday I worked from 9:30 to 5:30. I rented Bedtime Stories and we watched that. I didn't wake up till about 10:30 this morning. I went out and returned a purchase to Target and I got my hair cut. I'm not sure what I think of it yet, but it feels really nice. I had them do a reviving treatment to restore the proper pH balance in my hair (that's what the hairdresser said). I'll give it a couple of days and then I'll probably like it. It has been almost a year since I had my hair cut! I think since last June? I have a phobia of hairdressers. :)

It's late and even though I slept in I am already tired. I think there will be a little crafting going on soon...especially once finals are over! Freedom is so close...it is in sight. Just a week and a half away. :)

Loverly Spring

The weather this weekend was absolutely glorious! These are the flowers that were blooming at my sister's house. They moved into their home last weekend, only a week and a half after having Olive. It is a cute house with a lot of potential. And pretty flowers outside.Holly and I went to the park this evening. It was too nice to stay indoors. We just caught the end of the spring blooms. Most of the trees are turning green now. Even so it looks much better than it did during the winter.

I love how velvety the grass looks during this time of year. And I like the shadows from the other trees behind us in this picture too.

After walking around a bit we ended up swinging on the swings for awhile. Until Holly got motion sickness and needed to stop. She ended up laying down on a picnic table under one of the pavillions until she felt a little bit better.

You have to get these moments of enjoyment in before the allergies really strike and keep you housebound. The way my sinuses are acting right now I think that time is just around the corner!

Walk'n'Roll

It's been pretty cold lately. I am not a winter person. I like warmer weather and I usually complain all winter long about how cold it is and how snowy it is. But the nice thing about our winters is that we get these little breaks from the cold every now and then. We will have a weekend where the weather is in the 50's or something like that and then everyone ends up outside. I mean, how could you stay indoors on a beautiful day when you know it's going to get cold again?Holly got a new pair of rollerblades and she and I went down to the park to try them out. I walked, she rolled. Here she is rolling away from me.

I am so grateful for these little breaks from the cold. They make winter go by much quicker and they make me more tolerable towards the cold. Still, I'm waiting eagerly for spring!

Scenes from Winter 2009

Snow and Ice

The weather has been so icky this week. I got a snow day out of it, but I missed an afternoon of work because of it. I think I would have rather gone to school just so I could work too. This college student is broke and has a bill to pay. I take that seriously.This was the residue of the ice we had. The trees are clear now. The ground is still icy and snowy. But we've been lucky because we haven't lost power at all.

Merry Christmas!

This was definitely one of the nicest Christmases I've had in a loooong time. I started off feeling very non-festive. I didn't really want to listen to the music or watch the traditional movies or do any of that stuff. And it pretty much lasted the whole 'season,' but in the end, it was still really wonderful.

I didn't stress about presents or anything. I made a bunch of homemade Christmas cards (most of which still haven't been sent out...whoops, not stressing about things can be counterproductive.) and cookies for co-workers and friends.


We drew names for each other in our family and only bought our person a gift. I would recommend this for anyone in a larger family who is on a budget. The lower stress (that is key here) and ability to spend more on one person and all was a lot more fun than trying to buy everyone something. The only problem with this system was that every time I went out I could never find stuff that my person (Matt) would like and always found tons of stuff that every other family member would have loved. But in the end I was able to find stuff for him and I even got it wrapped in time for the big day.
I got to meet up with Courteney to do some shopping on Tuesday. We bought Christmas earrings! Hers were Christmas lights that blinked. Mine had bells that jingled. They were totally gaudy and totally fun. And they were appropriate for Christmas. You gotta have some fun!

We spent a few hours on Christmas at Harper's Ferry. You know, my happy place. :)




I pointed the camera their way and Adam said, " on 3, we'll make funny faces! 1...2...3!" and he made this goofy face and Holly just smiled normally.
Dad asked me to take this picture of him and Solomon. This reminds me of the pictures of couples in front of some grand scenery hugging or kissing...only it's Dad and the dog. It made me laugh. So very dramatic these two.

And they can be thoughtful sometimes.She's just so cute. She wasn't ready for me to snap the picture and Adam distracted her and she started laughing. I like candid shots.

All in all, it was a lovely day. We came home and had Christmas dinner (indian curry, we balk at tradition!) and watched the end of The Christmas Story and a Dogs 101 marathon (they had an episode about Newfoundlands but it came on late so we watched all the episodes leading up to it while we were waiting.) and I fell asleep. I also watched a (slightly creepy) version of the Nutcracker and it made me sad because I miss dancing so much! And I miss being skinny so much! I'm not going to think about it. :) Maybe someday I'll get into some dance class again and it will be so much fun!

I made a new bag on Christmas Eve, but I didn't take any pictures of it. So I'll do that sometime and post about it! Until then, this will probably be my last post of the year because on Sunday I'm leaving for DC. I'm going to RADIATE! Wish me luck. Have a great New Years!

Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

More Scenes from Autumn 2008~

Scenes from Autumn 2008

Most of the leaves have changed their colors already and a lot of the leaves have fallen. There are still some gorgeous shades of red, orange and yellow to be seen, but I think our peak season is over.


On Wednesday I saw snow flurries! It's only October! I am not ready for snow and really cold weather yet. Actually, there is never really a time where I am ready for snow and really cold weather. :) Just being honest here.

I went for a walk in downtown Winchester.

I have to say, I love my camera. It's not very fancy, it's not a Nikon or a Cannon, but it's mine and it's served me well. I love going places where there is a lot to photograph too. Winchester's walking mall is a fun place to go. We went there last Sunday afternoon and it was pretty dead, but when we passed it today on our way to the library it was a lot busier. However, we didn't stop and I didn't have my camera anyway. I wish I had brought it so I could take pictures of the library. Libraries don't sound particularly exciting, but I think our library is beautiful. When we first moved here it was being restored. It is a big old building and it's beautiful inside. I have to go back in 3 weeks to return my books so maybe I'll take some pictures then.An old church.

Autumn leaves!

There are lots of little restaurants and shops you can stop at.

I just love the old-timey feel of places like this. It makes me wonder what it would have been like to live in these towns when they were first founded. Does that make me really weird? :)

I just love autumn. It's definitely my favorite season!

Ridgefield Farms Fall Fest!

Pictures from our visit to Ridgefield Farm and Orchard. Cheryl came down (or up actually. :P) from Texas to visit us for the weekend and she, Holly and I went here for some autumn fun. :) It's a beautiful farm. Whoever owns it does a great job of taking care of it. They had a corn maze, hay ride, pumpkin patch, apple orchards, and a house of panic (which we didn't go to.). There were baby alpacas there also. Someone who owns an alpaca farm brought them to the farm for people to look at. They were adorable. There was also a store set up on the farm where you could buy pumpkins and apples and gourds and flowers and cider and other items. It was a beautiful day to go.






The one on the right was named Cleave and the other was named Sterling.