Girl Talk // Surround Yourself with People Who are Better than You

I know it's been a little while since my last Girl Talk installment, but October was a little busy.  And frankly, November is shaping up to be even busier.

But I've been thinking about this one for a little while, and I think it's an important one.  So listen up. Please.  Thanks.

This past month, I officially accepted a job on the Creative Planning team at our church.  Long story short, I was doing an internship of sorts with our Director of Service Planning and then something opened up and they liked me and I liked them and now we're all happy.

And for the first time in a while, I'm feeling really challenged.  And learning a lot.  And I think part of the reason that's true is because I'm surrounded by people who are so much better than me at what they do.

AJ's mom and I had a conversation the other day about being secure as a leader.  We were talking about how it's really easy to feel threatened by other people (in the case of our conversation, volunteers) who are better than you at specific things.  And when you feel threatened, you tend to distance yourself from those who are better than you.

See, it's a lot easier to feel good about yourself when you're the best at x, y, & z.  But that's not how you grow.

I once heard Andy Stanley talk about this sort of thing.  He once said "It is a fallacy that great leaders are great at everything."  Great leaders are great when they surround themselves with people who can do things better than they can.

This isn't good advice for just leaders, though I fully believe that we're all leaders in some capacity.  It's true for anyone, because surrounding yourself with people who are better than you helps you to grow.

We've all been given different gifts, and let's face it, you'll probably never be the best at everything.  Part of life is learning to celebrate the strengths of others and giving them space and opportunity to exercise and develop their gifting.

When I was in college, I did a program called the Elijah Project, where a cohort of about 14 people spent a year studying work and vocation, exploring our strengths, and doing life together.  What I learned that year was invaluable.  I went from being someone who felt threatened by those with similar interests and gifts, to someone who was learning to celebrate the gifting that other people have.

As I've developed as a photographer and started to kind of chase that dream a little more in the past few years, there have been so many times when I've felt intimidated and less-than, just by looking at another artist's images.  It took some time, but eventually I just stopped looking at other photographers as competition, and started looking at them as inspiration and fuel to become a better photographer myself.

Our culture can be cut-throat.  TV and movies teach us to put distance between us and those who threaten us and our rise to the top.  But I think there's so much more to life than being at the top.  There's nothing wrong with wanting to be the best, but in my opinion, surrounding yourself with people who are better than you leads to a spirit of humility, deeper relationships, and growth.

GIRL TALK | SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE BETTER THAN YOU

I know it's been a little while since my last Girl Talk installment, but October was a little busy.  And frankly, November is shaping up to be even busier.

But I've been thinking about this one for a little while, and I think it's an important one.  So listen up. Please.  Thanks.

This past month, I officially accepted a job on the Creative Planning team at our church.  Long story short, I was doing an internship of sorts with our Director of Service Planning and then something opened up and they liked me and I liked them and now we're all happy.

And for the first time in a while, I'm feeling really challenged.  And learning a lot.  And I think part of the reason that's true is because I'm surrounded by people who are so much better than me at what they do.

AJ's mom and I had a conversation the other day about being secure as a leader.  We were talking about how it's really easy to feel threatened by other people (in the case of our conversation, volunteers) who are better than you at specific things.  And when you feel threatened, you tend to distance yourself from those who are better than you.

See, it's a lot easier to feel good about yourself when you're the best at x, y, & z.  But that's not how you grow.

I once heard Andy Stanley talk about this sort of thing.  He once said "It is a fallacy that great leaders are great at everything."  Great leaders are great when they surround themselves with people who can do things better than they can.

This isn't good advice for just leaders, though I fully believe that we're all leaders in some capacity.  It's true for anyone, because surrounding yourself with people who are better than you helps you to grow.

We've all been given different gifts, and let's face it, you'll probably never be the best at everything.  Part of life is learning to celebrate the strengths of others and giving them space and opportunity to exercise and develop their gifting.

When I was in college, I did a program called the Elijah Project, where a cohort of about 14 people spent a year studying work and vocation, exploring our strengths, and doing life together.  What I learned that year was invaluable.  I went from being someone who felt threatened by those with similar interests and gifts, to someone who was learning to celebrate the gifting that other people have.

As I've developed as a photographer and started to kind of chase that dream a little more in the past few years, there have been so many times when I've felt intimidated and less-than, just by looking at another artist's images.  It took some time, but eventually I just stopped looking at other photographers as competition, and started looking at them as inspiration and fuel to become a better photographer myself.

Our culture can be cut-throat.  TV and movies teach us to put distance between us and those who threaten us and our rise to the top.  But I think there's so much more to life than being at the top.  There's nothing wrong with wanting to be the best, but in my opinion, surrounding yourself with people who are better than you leads to a spirit of humility, deeper relationships, and growth.

Girl Talk // I Thought I'd Be Married By Now

Before you get excited, thinking this is going to be boy talk, I'm sorry.  It's not.  But I promise it'll still be good. :)

Let me set the scene:  I didn't date through high school, I went to a Christian college, and if no one has ever let you in on this little secret....well, good Christian girls are supposed to meet their good, Christian husbands at their good, Christian college and then get married the summer after graduation and live happily ever.

It's a really great deal...you get an education AND a husband!

But guess what?  I'm out of college.  And grad school.  And I'm not married.  So that little plan of mine didn't really work out.  God is kind of funny that way.

I entered college ready to pursue my lifelong dream of becoming a pediatrician.  About halfway through, I realized I didn't like biology, or chemistry, or physics all that much.  So I prayed.  And cried.  And switched my major.

I'm a planner, and my plan was to go to school, do well (which, by my standards, I didn't do that first semester), and graduate a few years later with an offer for med school and a marriage proposal.  Instead, I graduated with a degree in Psychology, a rejection from a teaching fellowship program I thought for sure was my next step, and not even a boyfriend.

Beyond just that degree, I also graduated with amazing life-long friendships, support from an alma mater that I'll always cherish, a ton of awesome memories, and the realization that even though I usually have no idea where it's taking me, God's plan is always so much better.

Trusting God is hard work.  And unfortunately for us humans, we're doomed to struggle with it.  Thanks Adam & Eve.  Ultimately, whether we want to admit it or not, we don't trust God because we're stubborn and we don't really believe that His way is better.  Just like Eve didn't really trust that God wasn't holding out on her and ate the apple anyway, we don't fully trust that we won't miss something great by letting God lead.

It's a lesson I'm still learning.  It's one I learn over and over, day in and day out.  It's one I'm currently learning as I'm waiting to hear from any of the dozen school districts I applied to teach in come fall.  Learning to lean in and fully trust God comes with heartbreak, pain, a fight against human nature, and eventually, release and rest.

I'm going to be totally cliche and just tell you...following the plan that God sets out for your life is so much more rewarding than anything you could ever dream up on your own.  You've heard it before, I know.  But it's so true.  And the closer you are to Him, the closer you are to His heart, the easier it is to follow.

Sometimes, I get the opportunity in youth ministry to sit down with a student who is starting to look at or about to head to college.  They're at this pivotal time in their lives when it feels like the weight of the world is bearing down and they have to have everything figured out.  And my favorite thing to say is "Stop!  Stop trying to have it all figured out and just be.  Let God lead and enjoy the moment.  Invest in relationships, learn about things that interest you, and don't be afraid of change.  Especially if that change comes in the form of transferring or switching your major!"

I thought that when I graduated from college, the constant state of transition would stop.  I was wrong.  But I've learned to see the beauty in the transitional.  It's made me more flexible.  It's made me appreciate the little things more.  And it's made me lean into God more.

So no matter where you are in life, whether you're on the precipice of a big change or you're pretty settled into a life you like, hold it all loosely and listen for God's voice in it.  Because you never know what He's going to ask you to do next.

As always, you know where to find me if you need me.

GIRL TALK | I THOUGHT I'D BE MARRIED BY NOW

Before you get excited, thinking this is going to be boy talk, I'm sorry.  It's not.  But I promise it'll still be good. :)

Let me set the scene:  I didn't date through high school, I went to a Christian college, and if no one has ever let you in on this little secret....well, good Christian girls are supposed to meet their good, Christian husbands at their good, Christian college and then get married the summer after graduation and live happily ever.

It's a really great deal...you get an education AND a husband!

But guess what?  I'm out of college.  And grad school.  And I'm not married.  So that little plan of mine didn't really work out.  God is kind of funny that way.

I entered college ready to pursue my lifelong dream of becoming a pediatrician.  About halfway through, I realized I didn't like biology, or chemistry, or physics all that much.  So I prayed.  And cried.  And switched my major.

I'm a planner, and my plan was to go to school, do well (which, by my standards, I didn't do that first semester), and graduate a few years later with an offer for med school and a marriage proposal.  Instead, I graduated with a degree in Psychology, a rejection from a teaching fellowship program I thought for sure was my next step, and not even a boyfriend.

Beyond just that degree, I also graduated with amazing life-long friendships, support from an alma mater that I'll always cherish, a ton of awesome memories, and the realization that even though I usually have no idea where it's taking me, God's plan is always so much better.

Trusting God is hard work.  And unfortunately for us humans, we're doomed to struggle with it.  Thanks Adam & Eve.  Ultimately, whether we want to admit it or not, we don't trust God because we're stubborn and we don't really believe that His way is better.  Just like Eve didn't really trust that God wasn't holding out on her and ate the apple anyway, we don't fully trust that we won't miss something great by letting God lead.

It's a lesson I'm still learning.  It's one I learn over and over, day in and day out.  It's one I'm currently learning as I'm waiting to hear from any of the dozen school districts I applied to teach in come fall.  Learning to lean in and fully trust God comes with heartbreak, pain, a fight against human nature, and eventually, release and rest.

I'm going to be totally cliche and just tell you...following the plan that God sets out for your life is so much more rewarding than anything you could ever dream up on your own.  You've heard it before, I know.  But it's so true.  And the closer you are to Him, the closer you are to His heart, the easier it is to follow.

Sometimes, I get the opportunity in youth ministry to sit down with a student who is starting to look at or about to head to college.  They're at this pivotal time in their lives when it feels like the weight of the world is bearing down and they have to have everything figured out.  And my favorite thing to say is "Stop!  Stop trying to have it all figured out and just be.  Let God lead and enjoy the moment.  Invest in relationships, learn about things that interest you, and don't be afraid of change.  Especially if that change comes in the form of transferring or switching your major!"

I thought that when I graduated from college, the constant state of transition would stop.  I was wrong.  But I've learned to see the beauty in the transitional.  It's made me more flexible.  It's made me appreciate the little things more.  And it's made me lean into God more.

So no matter where you are in life, whether you're on the precipice of a big change or you're pretty settled into a life you like, hold it all loosely and listen for God's voice in it.  Because you never know what He's going to ask you to do next.

As always, you know where to find me if you need me.

Girl Talk // Why Facebook Leads to Fakeness

Let's face it.  No matter how "real" you think you are, we've all got a little fake in us.

I remember when I was in high school and girls would call one another fake.  They'd say "She's soooo fake, she acts so nice to your face and then stabs you in the back every chance she gets!"  Fake wasn't just a bad thing then, it was downright detestable.  Something everyone was a little bit of, and yet something no one wanted to ever be called.  In some cases, it was the nail in the coffin of a friendship.

When I was in high school, Myspace ruled.  You had to be in college to be on Facebook, so it was pretty awesome and elite and all that.  Twitter wasn't even on the average person's radar.  Instagram...ummm, what?  You were like, way ahead of the game if your phone had internet.  (Crazy to think of what's changed in just 7 years, huh?)  For the most part, if you were going to be fake, you had to do it face-to-face.  Or behind someone's back.  Or both.

Now, not long after the days of xanga (please, someone tell me you had a xanga too...), our world revolves around social media.  And it reeks of fake.

Think about it:  have you ever retaken a photo until you got a shot that showed you in the perfect way?  have you ever revised a tweet because it needed to be just witty enough but not trying too hard?  have you ever crafted a blog post so that your readers will think your life is just peachy?

Yes.  Yes.  and Yes.  I'm so guilty of all of this.  And I'm willing to bet that you are too.  It's probably not intentional, in fact, you might not even realize it, but if you scroll through your Facebook feed, how much of who you really are shows?

I'm not championing being totally transparent on Facebook.  It's not the place to bear all of your innermost thoughts and struggles, and frankly, I think it's fine to want to present yourself in a good light through social media, but I worry about what it does to our real-life relationships.

I can't tell you how many times I've had to stop before saying something to someone and think "did we talk about this...or did I just read it on her blog or Facebook feed?"  How awful!  Social media has us in the habit of feeding our relationships through the web, instead of face-to-face.  And what a shame, because those one-on-one interactions are so much more real, so much more fulfilling, and so much less fake than our Facebook lives.

I think this whole social media thing carries this weird paradox.  On one hand, it's much less authentic than real life, and in other ways, it allows people the freedom to say what they want, when they want, to whomever they want.  Have you ever seen the "To Be Honest" trend pop up in your news feed?  (Confession:  I'm always tempted to like those posts just to see how honest those people are.)  Facebook allows you to scream at the world and be affirmed in it.  But no matter how honest you are in those posts, it's still not really real.

I think we live in a world that moves so quickly and allows for so much fake, and sometimes, it robs us of becoming who we're meant to be.

So here's my challenge, at the end of this little girl talk:

Be real.  

Be authentic.  

Be intentional.  

Dig deep and invest in others in the flesh, not just online.  

Walk away from the computer, put down the phone, and talk.  

Listen.  

Look critically at your presence on social media.  

If you have the space to do it, talk about some mistakes, struggles, things you'd do differently from time to time.  

Look at them as opportunities for growth, and allow others to grow from them too.

I love girl talk, so you know where to find me if you need me.  Let's have coffee.

GIRL TALK | WHY FACEBOOK LEADS TO FAKENESS

Let's face it.  No matter how "real" you think you are, we've all got a little fake in us.

I remember when I was in high school and girls would call one another fake.  They'd say "She's soooo fake, she acts so nice to your face and then stabs you in the back every chance she gets!"  Fake wasn't just a bad thing then, it was downright detestable.  Something everyone was a little bit of, and yet something no one wanted to ever be called.  In some cases, it was the nail in the coffin of a friendship.

When I was in high school, Myspace ruled.  You had to be in college to be on Facebook, so it was pretty awesome and elite and all that.  Twitter wasn't even on the average person's radar.  Instagram...ummm, what?  You were like, way ahead of the game if your phone had internet.  (Crazy to think of what's changed in just 7 years, huh?)  For the most part, if you were going to be fake, you had to do it face-to-face.  Or behind someone's back.  Or both.

Now, not long after the days of xanga (please, someone tell me you had a xanga too...), our world revolves around social media.  And it reeks of fake.

Think about it:  have you ever retaken a photo until you got a shot that showed you in the perfect way?  have you ever revised a tweet because it needed to be just witty enough but not trying too hard?  have you ever crafted a blog post so that your readers will think your life is just peachy?

Yes.  Yes.  and Yes.  I'm so guilty of all of this.  And I'm willing to bet that you are too.  It's probably not intentional, in fact, you might not even realize it, but if you scroll through your Facebook feed, how much of who you really are shows?

I'm not championing being totally transparent on Facebook.  It's not the place to bear all of your innermost thoughts and struggles, and frankly, I think it's fine to want to present yourself in a good light through social media, but I worry about what it does to our real-life relationships.

I can't tell you how many times I've had to stop before saying something to someone and think "did we talk about this...or did I just read it on her blog or Facebook feed?"  How awful!  Social media has us in the habit of feeding our relationships through the web, instead of face-to-face.  And what a shame, because those one-on-one interactions are so much more real, so much more fulfilling, and so much less fake than our Facebook lives.

I think this whole social media thing carries this weird paradox.  On one hand, it's much less authentic than real life, and in other ways, it allows people the freedom to say what they want, when they want, to whomever they want.  Have you ever seen the "To Be Honest" trend pop up in your news feed?  (Confession:  I'm always tempted to like those posts just to see how honest those people are.)  Facebook allows you to scream at the world and be affirmed in it.  But no matter how honest you are in those posts, it's still not really real.

I think we live in a world that moves so quickly and allows for so much fake, and sometimes, it robs us of becoming who we're meant to be.

So here's my challenge, at the end of this little girl talk:

Be real.  

Be authentic.  

Be intentional.  

Dig deep and invest in others in the flesh, not just online.  

Walk away from the computer, put down the phone, and talk.  

Listen.  

Look critically at your presence on social media.  

If you have the space to do it, talk about some mistakes, struggles, things you'd do differently from time to time.  

Look at them as opportunities for growth, and allow others to grow from them too.

I love girl talk, so you know where to find me if you need me.  Let's have coffee.

5 Tips for Combatting the Winter Blues

It's about this time of year that I always start to think that I don't like winter anymore.  And we still have a good two months of it left.  It's been bitter cold in Pennsylvania this week.  Temperatures have been below 10 degrees almost every day, and the wind chill has made that already-freezing temp feel even colder.  Mostly all I want to do is stay curled up in my cozy bed with a good book (currently Tina Fey's Bossypants or Mark Batterson's The Circle Maker...yes, I know...very different), a cup of warm tea, and maybe an episode or two of Millionaire Matchmaker (what? guilty pleasure. don't judge.)

But since that's just not a reality (you know, I'm becoming an elementary teacher and stuff...and that requires me to go to school every day...), I've come up with 5 tips for kicking the winter blues to the curb.  

1.  Exercise.

I know, it's hard to do it in the summer when being active practically comes right along with the sunshine and warm weather.  But get those endorphins going!  You'll be more productive, feel better about yourself, and hey...you'll sweat, which means you'll be warm...at least for a little while.

2.  Read.

I'm a teacher, this is an obvious one.  I always find myself watching more TV in the winter.  And the more time I spend zoning out in front of the screen, the more I feel like my brain cells are dying one by one.  If you're stuck inside, grab a book!  I just finished Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling...hilarious.  I highly recommend it.

3.  Pick up a new craft!

Hello...that's what Pinterest is for.  Make something out of that old t-shirt you keep meaning to put in your "donate" pile.  Use up those scraps of yarn or even those cans of left-over wall paint or that frame you don't have a picture for.  

4.  Rearrange.

You all know I'm redecorating my room (I can almost feel you asking "how many times is she going to mention this??  Sorry.).  But rearranging furniture or even accent pieces on shelves or tables can just breathe fresh life into a space and keep everything feeling new.

5.  Try out a new recipe.  

Winter is one of those times of year that I think it's really easy to cook more.  You're home, it's too cold to go out, so why not cook?  Or bake.  Baking is good too.  

(Oh yeah....and that's what Pinterest is for.)

So those are my 5 top tips for fighting off those winter blues.  How do you keep things fun in the winter?  Are you feeling the winter blues lately?

5 TIPS FOR COMBATTING THE WINTER BLUES

It's about this time of year that I always start to think that I don't like winter anymore.  And we still have a good two months of it left.  It's been bitter cold in Pennsylvania this week.  Temperatures have been below 10 degrees almost every day, and the wind chill has made that already-freezing temp feel even colder.  Mostly all I want to do is stay curled up in my cozy bed with a good book (currently Tina Fey's Bossypants or Mark Batterson's The Circle Maker...yes, I know...very different), a cup of warm tea, and maybe an episode or two of Millionaire Matchmaker (what? guilty pleasure. don't judge.)

But since that's just not a reality (you know, I'm becoming an elementary teacher and stuff...and that requires me to go to school every day...), I've come up with 5 tips for kicking the winter blues to the curb.  

1.  Exercise.

I know, it's hard to do it in the summer when being active practically comes right along with the sunshine and warm weather.  But get those endorphins going!  You'll be more productive, feel better about yourself, and hey...you'll sweat, which means you'll be warm...at least for a little while.

2.  Read.

I'm a teacher, this is an obvious one.  I always find myself watching more TV in the winter.  And the more time I spend zoning out in front of the screen, the more I feel like my brain cells are dying one by one.  If you're stuck inside, grab a book!  I just finished Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling...hilarious.  I highly recommend it.

3.  Pick up a new craft!

Hello...that's what Pinterest is for.  Make something out of that old t-shirt you keep meaning to put in your "donate" pile.  Use up those scraps of yarn or even those cans of left-over wall paint or that frame you don't have a picture for.  

4.  Rearrange.

You all know I'm redecorating my room (I can almost feel you asking "how many times is she going to mention this??  Sorry.).  But rearranging furniture or even accent pieces on shelves or tables can just breathe fresh life into a space and keep everything feeling new.

5.  Try out a new recipe.  

Winter is one of those times of year that I think it's really easy to cook more.  You're home, it's too cold to go out, so why not cook?  Or bake.  Baking is good too.  

(Oh yeah....and that's what Pinterest is for.)

So those are my 5 top tips for fighting off those winter blues.  How do you keep things fun in the winter?  Are you feeling the winter blues lately?

Pray Hard.

Today was my first day of student teaching.  I'll be spending this semester in a 3rd grade classroom and already I feel like I've learned a ton.  

In light of my new "job", I started a new devotional plan this morning, and this morning's devotion talked about prayer and thankfulness.  

What if we just became the kind of women who not only read God's Word and are changed by it, but who are known by our grateful, gracious, thanks-filled hearts throughout the year?

...

Prayer is meant to change us.  And when our prayers are focused on Him, we will most certainly be transformed.

Wow.  After reading that, as I ran my straightener through my hair (God doesn't mind multi-tasking, right?), I just prayed His name over and over.  And you know what?  It set the entire tone for my day.  It was great.  

Going into a brand new environment, especially one where I'm completely the underdog and a future job could be on the line if I perform well is pretty intimidating.  And to top it off, this morning, there was a stabbing at one of the middle schools in my district.  The students involved were ok, treated for injuries, and will recover fully, but it created a whirlwind of a first day.  Our building, a few miles from where the incident took place, was abuzz with wondering if we'd be in lockdown or sent home early, and with trying to keep things under wraps so the kids wouldn't hear anything.  

And if I learned anything this morning, it was to pray.  Pray hard.

Sure, I'm in a public school.  I can't talk about my faith and I have to be careful about what I say to students.  But I can pray God's name each morning, and cover that building in prayer as I walk to my classroom, and silently pray peace and safety over others when incidents like the one that happened today take place.

Because as Christians, we're often in situations where we can't proclaim God's name aloud, but, as my devotion put it this morning, 

do you know that it is your job to glorify God?  We are created specifically to bring Him glory - to reflect Him.  That's why He made us.

Humbling, huh?

PRAY HARD.

Today was my first day of student teaching.  I'll be spending this semester in a 3rd grade classroom and already I feel like I've learned a ton.  

In light of my new "job", I started a new devotional plan this morning, and this morning's devotion talked about prayer and thankfulness.  

What if we just became the kind of women who not only read God's Word and are changed by it, but who are known by our grateful, gracious, thanks-filled hearts throughout the year?

...

Prayer is meant to change us.  And when our prayers are focused on Him, we will most certainly be transformed.

Wow.  After reading that, as I ran my straightener through my hair (God doesn't mind multi-tasking, right?), I just prayed His name over and over.  And you know what?  It set the entire tone for my day.  It was great.  

Going into a brand new environment, especially one where I'm completely the underdog and a future job could be on the line if I perform well is pretty intimidating.  And to top it off, this morning, there was a stabbing at one of the middle schools in my district.  The students involved were ok, treated for injuries, and will recover fully, but it created a whirlwind of a first day.  Our building, a few miles from where the incident took place, was abuzz with wondering if we'd be in lockdown or sent home early, and with trying to keep things under wraps so the kids wouldn't hear anything.  

And if I learned anything this morning, it was to pray.  Pray hard.

Sure, I'm in a public school.  I can't talk about my faith and I have to be careful about what I say to students.  But I can pray God's name each morning, and cover that building in prayer as I walk to my classroom, and silently pray peace and safety over others when incidents like the one that happened today take place.

Because as Christians, we're often in situations where we can't proclaim God's name aloud, but, as my devotion put it this morning, 

do you know that it is your job to glorify God?  We are created specifically to bring Him glory - to reflect Him.  That's why He made us.

Humbling, huh?

Farm Show

Pennsylvania is the proud host of the country's largest indoor Farm Show in the nation.  It's huge.  Like, very, very, very large.  Cows, pigs, goats, vegetables, rodeos, and lots, and lots of food.

(The milkshakes are to die for).

AJ and I went for the day yesterday, and met up with my parents who were volunteering at the milkshake stand.  We spent about 4 hours wandering around and didn't probably didn't even see half of it all.  I realized that I'm definitely a city girl, but seeing all of the details of farming was really fun!  And it definitely inspired me and AJ.  We ended up making homemade pickles and homemade strawberry jam last night when we got back (keep an eye out for recipes for both soon!).

yes, friends, that's made out of butter.  it's a butter sculpture.  pa don't play.

FARM SHOW

Pennsylvania is the proud host of the country's largest indoor Farm Show in the nation.  It's huge.  Like, very, very, very large.  Cows, pigs, goats, vegetables, rodeos, and lots, and lots of food.

(The milkshakes are to die for).

AJ and I went for the day yesterday, and met up with my parents who were volunteering at the milkshake stand.  We spent about 4 hours wandering around and didn't probably didn't even see half of it all.  I realized that I'm definitely a city girl, but seeing all of the details of farming was really fun!  And it definitely inspired me and AJ.  We ended up making homemade pickles and homemade strawberry jam last night when we got back (keep an eye out for recipes for both soon!).

yes, friends, that's made out of butter.  it's a butter sculpture.  pa don't play.

Resolutions

Happy New Year!

I hope the past few days have been great for you.  Welcome to 2013! 

So obviously, it's time for New Years resolutions.  I've made resolutions in the past, and frankly, have been terribly about keeping them.  I've done the "lose weight" and "save more money" and "manage my time better" resolutions, and maybe it's something about trying to set a goal for an entire year that's just, well, intimidating.  But I'm always a little overwhelmed by it all. 

As I was thinking about 2013, I got the feeling that this is going to be a big year.  I'll be starting my student teaching in just two weeks and then will be busy with that all summer.  After that, I'll (hopefully) find a job for the summer and then a teaching position for the fall.  Things are changing, and I'm excited!  Big changes like a new job make me inspired to change other things too.

So my goal for this year, for January, is to set smaller goals.  To start off the year with small milestones makes big resolutions feel a little bit more manageable, dontcha think?  

I'll be spending some time this month creating a list of goals for each month of the year, and starting to put them in to practice little by little, but focusing on each goal during different months throughout the year.  

RESOLUTIONS

Happy New Year!

I hope the past few days have been great for you.  Welcome to 2013! 

So obviously, it's time for New Years resolutions.  I've made resolutions in the past, and frankly, have been terribly about keeping them.  I've done the "lose weight" and "save more money" and "manage my time better" resolutions, and maybe it's something about trying to set a goal for an entire year that's just, well, intimidating.  But I'm always a little overwhelmed by it all. 

As I was thinking about 2013, I got the feeling that this is going to be a big year.  I'll be starting my student teaching in just two weeks and then will be busy with that all summer.  After that, I'll (hopefully) find a job for the summer and then a teaching position for the fall.  Things are changing, and I'm excited!  Big changes like a new job make me inspired to change other things too.

So my goal for this year, for January, is to set smaller goals.  To start off the year with small milestones makes big resolutions feel a little bit more manageable, dontcha think?  

I'll be spending some time this month creating a list of goals for each month of the year, and starting to put them in to practice little by little, but focusing on each goal during different months throughout the year.